Long-term Planning Research Articles

Simultaneous stochastic optimisation of mining complexes: Integrating progressive reclamation and waste management with contextual bandits

ABSTRACT Managing environmental performance of waste dump facilities in mining complexes is an integral part of long-term production planning. Sustainable long-term production scheduling solutions are desired to mitigate risk and return the environment to a productive post-mining state. A simultaneous stochastic optimisation framework for long-term production scheduling in mining complexes is developed that integrates waste management and progressive reclamation. The waste dump placement schedule is jointly optimised with the extraction sequence, destination policy, and stockpiling decisions in a single stochastic mathematical programming framework. This includes the timing of progressive reclamation activities in parallel with production to enhance waste dump rehabilitation. Uncertainty related to the production of acid rock drainage is quantified by simulating geochemical properties of waste and managing the blending of uncertain waste properties within the optimisation framework. With respect to the framework for simultaneous stochastic optimisation, contextual bandits are explored to improve the metaheuristic solution approach and solve the corresponding large-scale optimisation model. The framework is tested in a multi-mine copper-gold mining complex leading to improved environmental performance. Risk of acid rock drainage is decreased by 52.5% in the waste dump facilities. Reclamation planning activities for meeting environmental requirements are scheduled prior to closure. The solution approach more effectively improves the objective function with contextual bandits leading to a 24% improvement in the study presented.

Mental Preparedness of Athletes During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study on the Training of Thai National Team for the 19th Asian Games

This research aimed to study and establish the mental preparedness model of Thai athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic in preparation for the 19th Asian Games. This study employed a mixed methods approach, involving 409 participants (217 males and 192 females) selected through a lottery system, ensuring equitable representation across the 19 types of sports. Additionally, six participants were included for qualitative data gathering. The research designed a comprehensive questionnaire to collect data, which included the Sports Stress Management Skills in Thai Questionnaire, Questionnaire on Mental Readiness for Competition, 'Motivation to Participate in Sports Activities in Thai' Questionnaire, Self-Confidence Questionnaire, Mental Toughness Questionnaire in Thai, and the Mindfulness in Sports Questionnaire in Thai Version. Data was collected using a traditional questionnaire and an online questionnaire accessed via QR codes. Structural Equation Modeling was employed for data analysis. Qualitative data were gathered through interviews. The study's results revealed the development of a mental preparation model for Thai national team athletes during the COVID-19 outbreak. This model emphasizes the significance of mindfulness as a crucial factor directly influencing psychological readiness. Furthermore, mindfulness exerts an indirect influence through four intermediary variables: motivation, stress management skills, confidence, and mental toughness. Significantly, qualitative data highlighted adaptive mental resilience and mindfulness as key factors in fostering mental readiness among athletes, especially during challenging periods like the COVID-19 outbreak. These factors encompass effective stress management, balanced motivation, self-confidence, professional guidance, adaptive mindset, support systems, and long-term planning. This model integrates various elements of mental preparation, with mindfulness positioned as the central pillar.

Steady undermining of the UK National Health Service underlies industrial action by doctors and other staff

Erosion of standard of healthcare in the United Kingdom underlies the industrial action taken recently by staff in the publicly provided National Health Service. Underfunding and understaffing, largely as a consequence of neoliberal government “austerity” policies implemented following the 2007-08 banking crisis, together with lack of long-term planning and a drive towards outsourcing, have led to a deterioration in the quality of services. Reduction in bed numbers and neglect of community and social support have compounded problems by making it more difficult both to admit and to discharge patients in a timely fashion. Access to services has been compromised with negative consequences for the sick. Reduction of doctors’ real wages together with stress at work, moral injury caused by feelings of not being able to do the best for patients, burnout from the Covid-19 pandemic and uncertainty about the future have led to the longest ever strike action by junior doctors in England.

Incorporating Operational Constraints into Long-Term Energy Planning: The Case of the Egyptian Power System Under High Share of Renewables

This study assesses the performance of Egypt's energy system on a short-term basis to ensure that it can handle a high share of renewable energy, as predicted in the long-term planning up to 2040. PLEXOS software is used for short-term analysis to simulate operational performance on an hourly basis while considering the constraints of Unit Commitment (UC) and Economic Dispatch (ED). The long-term energy planning model, which covered the years 2020 to 2040 with chosen representative years (2020 as the base year and 2025, 2030, 2035, and 2040), was validated by the short-term operational model. The results from the short-term analysis indicate that by the year 2040, 69.5% of the electricity mix from renewable energy sources (excluding hydro) can be accommodated, representing a slightly lower capacity than the 70% predicted by the long-term plan. Due to the high share of intermittent renewable energy sources, traditional generators will experience excessive cycling in 2040. The average weighted short-run marginal cost in 2040 is projected to be 7.8 USD/MWh, compared to 18.37 USD/MWh in 2020, due to the low operating costs of renewable energy plants and their high penetration in 2040. Various operational techniques have been suggested to reduce the curtailment of renewable energy to achieve only 1.2% of the total energy generation of the system by 2040. Additionally, other adjustments to the system operation are being considered to maintain a balance in the power system on a short-term basis.

ANALYSIS OF SHARE PRICES OF NYKA AND PAYTM AFTER THEIR IPO

This article compares and contrasts the post-IPO experiences of two of India's most prominent software businesses, Nykaa and Paytm. Both companies made grand entrances to the stock market under tremendous anticipation in India's technology sector. However, their subsequent trajectories couldn't have been more dissimilar. Nykaa is a well-known online beauty shop, and its stock price has been rising recently. This is due in large part to the company's famous brand, growing customer base, and increasing presence in the Indian beauty market. In contrast, digital payments provider Paytm's share price has dropped significantly since its IPO. Possible reasons include pessimism regarding its profitability, intense competition among fintech firms, and the overall decline in IT stock values. This report sheds light on the key success factors for recently listed companies in the Indian market. It highlights the need of not only riding the boom of a particular industry, but also of having strong foundations and a long-term plan. Keywords: IPO, Nykaa, Paytm, Share Price Performance, Indian Tech Sector

Landscape of Nuclear Medicine in China and Its Progress on Theranostics.

Nuclear medicine in China started in 1956 and, with the rapid development of the economy and continuous breakthroughs in precision medicine, has made significant progress in recent years. Almost 13,000 staff members in nearly 1,200 hospitals serve more than 3.9 million patients each year. Over the past decade, the radiopharmaceutical industry has developed rapidly, with the initial formation of a complete industrial chain of production of various radiopharmaceuticals for both clinical use and basic research. Advanced equipment such as PET/CT scanners is being manufactured domestically and even installed abroad. Recently, research into screening and synthesizing new target probes and their translation into the clinic has gained more attention, with various new tracers with potential clinical value being thoroughly studied. Simultaneously, 68Ga- and 177Lu-labeled tumor-targeted probes and others have been implemented for theranostics in an increasing number of hospitals and would be helped by approval from the National Medical Products Administration. Over the next 10-20 y, with the launch of the Mid- and Long-Term Development Plan for Medical Isotopes (2021-2035) by the Chinese government, there is great potential for nuclear medicine in China. With the rise in independent innovation in manufacturing, the shortage of radiopharmaceuticals will be effectively curtailed. We anticipate that the scale of nuclear medicine will at least double by 2035, covering all high-grade hospitals and leading to the aim of "one county, one department" in China.

Pathway to Approval of Innovative Radiopharmaceuticals in China

Pathway to Approval of Innovative Radiopharmaceuticals in China

Factors in Community Adaptation for Climate Change Mitigation in Thailand

This study reflects the experiences of communities who have adapted to climate change in three different geological locations in the country of Thailand: by the riverside, coast, and in the mountains. The communities presented the lessons learned and identified key adaptation factors. The study used in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, with results showing that the community’s learning and adaptation to climate change were at a high level. The results broaden understanding of climate change in these locations and provide information for resource management approaches. Among the seven factors, five factors illustrated that they were highly adapted, including: (1) applying knowledge about nature, ecosystems, and traditional wisdom; (2) management that allowed the use of adaptations; (3) a shared vision of success; (4) collaboration; and (5) having a variety of options and approaches. Two factors that illustated that the community was only moderately adapted included: (1) learning about violent events and disasters; and (2) following government guidelines. It was found that a lack of information about the ecosystems and environmental resources they required for large-scale infrastructure construction caused issues. This is a problem, and the government must consult with local communities when setting long-term plans and assessing needs, because communities have diverse livelihoods and depend on natural resources. Hence, future studies should include climate change awareness and understanding of what is required by adding community needs linked to climate change adaptation into state development plans as well as utilizing the wisdom and traditional knowledge involving ecology held by these communities into sustainability plans.

Evolution of an arid social-ecosystem with different water utilization spanning 12,000 years

Understanding the regime shifts of social-ecological systems (SES) and their local and spillover effects over time is crucial for ensuring future sustainability. However, limited research has focused on regime changes in SES under different modes of water resource utilization. In this study, we employ a concise theoretical framework to analyze regime shifts in the arid Tarim River Basin, considering changes in SES components. Additionally, we explore the drivers and local and regional effects of these shifts. The regime shifts in SES are categorized into four evolutionary phases: "Low productivity," "Slow population expansion," "Rapid environmental destruction," and "Ecological restoration and improvement" over the past 12,000 years. The reciprocal coupling of SES components plays a vital role in determining the regime of SES, which is heavily influenced by the utilization of water resources and the degradation of the environment. While increasing water consumption is a core factor leading to environmental destruction, it also drives socioeconomic growth. During the process of SES shift, the rational allocation and use of water resources can shape an ideal regime that promotes regional ecosystem restoration. The empirical connections between the different phases of SES in the regime shift, their drivers, and their adverse or beneficial impacts provide valuable insights for sustainable SES management. Lessons from basin management that solely pursues single goals and focuses on local aspects, without considering these connections, have significant implications for long-term planning and policy formulation in arid basins worldwide.

Integration of Multiple Distributed Solar PV (DSP) into the Grid: The Case of the Distribution Network in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The optimal integration of distributed solar photovoltaic (DSP) is a transformative engineering method that is key in contributing to a sustainable and resilient energy future, especially when countries seek to increase the proportion of renewables in their energy mix to reduce carbon emissions. This paper presents a power flow-based approach that makes use of Newton Raphson's method in the ETAP tool to integrate multiple DSPs into both the existing and expanded Freetown distribution networks. The study determined the network's hosting capacities and optimal points of injection for the reduction of active power loss and improvement of bus voltage profiles. The study showed that the existing Freetown distribution network had a hosting capacity of 34.6 MW with an active power loss reduction of 0.967 MW while the expanded Freetown distribution network had a hosting capacity of 59.57 MW with an active power loss reduction of 5.12 MW. Before the injection of the DSPs into both networks, most of the bus voltages were not within acceptable limits. However, with the intervention of the injected DSPs, bus voltages considerably improve. The study showed that the expanded Freetown distribution network is better for DSPs integration compared to the existing Freetown distribution network. To evaluate the impacts of the injected DSPs and to validate the model used, four network scenarios were considered. The study used an analytical approach, considering future load growth and an evolving grid to integrate DSPs for long-term planning. The study will inform policymakers, utilities, etc., about the potential of integrating DSPs.

EXPLORING ASPIRATIONS AND REALITIES: A COMPREHENSIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL QUESTIONNAIRE-BASED SURVEY ON THE CAREER OUTLOOK AND EXPECTATIONS OF DENTAL STUDENTS

This study aims to assess the career expectations of dental students across various dental colleges in India through a comprehensive questionnaire.A structured questionnaire, encompassing factors related to career perceptions and expectations, was distributed among dental students in different regions of India. The study received responses from 403 participants, and subsequent data analysis was conducted to derive meaningful results.Among the 403 respondents, 170 (42.2%) expressed a preference for establishing themselves as self-employed dentists, while 140 (34.7%) indicated that family influences played a significant role in their career decision-making. The findings suggest a prevalent interest among dental students in establishing independent practices or working in established clinics, driven by aspirations for financial stability and a harmonious work-life balance. Family considerations emerged as a crucial factor influencing both short-term and long-term career plans. Respondents highlighted factors such as reduced bureaucracy, increased part-time job opportunities, and improved work-life balance as motivations for eventually establishing their own dental practices.The study reveals a notable inclination among dental students towards entrepreneurship and a desire to strike a balance between professional and personal life. Family dynamics play a pivotal role in shaping the career decisions of these students. Factors such as reduced bureaucratic hurdles and enhanced work-life balance were identified as significant contributors to the preference for establishing independent dental practices.

Impact of Marketing Strategies of Retailers on Consumers with Specific Reference to Ramki Bandi and Local Tiffin Centres

Entrepreneurs and small business management go hand in hand in making a successful business. The study is taken up on retailers in the street food industry. The study’s objective is to analyze the impact of the marketing strategies of Ram ki Bandi , a famous street food corner in Hyderabad, India, and a comparative study between the marketing strategies of Ram ki Bandi  and local street tiffin centers. Tiffin centers are small eateries put up on the street. A marketing strategy is a long-term plan for achieving a company’s goals by understanding customers’ needs and creating a distinct and sustainable competitive advantage. For the study, the data was collected through primary data sources, such as survey methods, questionnaires, and secondary data sources. The primary data was collected from a sample of 100 respondents using questionnaires and interviews. Marketing strategies are essential in the growth of a retailer’s business. Some of them are as follows: attracting more customers, analyzing competitors, understanding customers, and making optimal pricing decisions, amongst others. The findings of the study state that marking strategies impact consumer behavior when purchasing a given product.

Myopie-Management vom Kind zum Erwachsenen anhand eines Fallberichts

Purpose: The case report describes the successes and lessons learned from optical therapeutic management of progressive myopia, based on long-term treatment plan and the resulting development of the correction and axial lengths of a female patient from age 8 to 22 years. Material and Methods: Using a risk analysis and adaptive care plan, with age-appropriate contact optic care, an attempt was made to positively inhibit, the progression of myopia in a young female patient from 2009 to 2023. The scientific facts and contact lens techniques available at the time of treatment, were applied such as analysis of environmental factors, use of bifocal silicone hydrogel contact lenses and orthokeratology. Results: By using orthokeratology contact lenses, the increase in myopia and axial length growth could be clinically inhibited over several years. Early setbacks during the treatment period due to ineffective measures or early treatment cessation (partial rebound effect) could be stopped or stabilized due to the increasing age of the patient. Conclusion: By means of targeted and controlled contact lens treatment, it is possible to successfully inhibit the progression and thus mitigate the subsequent, secondary health risk.

Evaluation of the barriers to and drivers of the incorporation of unmanned aerial vehicles into dam asset management

ABSTRACT Dam asset management entails the consistent evaluation of the state and usefulness of dams as tangible assets in terms of their expected lifespan, criticality, operational history, maintenance history, and long-term financing plan. This research aims to identify and evaluate the critical drivers and barriers associated with the use of unmanned aerial vehicles in dam asset management. This study uses rough decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory and interpretive structure modelling to analyze the interactions that take place between the barriers to and the drivers of unmanned aerial vehicles incorporation. To overcome the problem of vagueness, it develops rough set theory to determine the driving and dependence power of the drivers and the barriers, respectively. According to the findings, the most significant barrier to the incorporation of unmanned aerial vehicles into dam asset management is a lack of skilled operators, while the most significant driver of their incorporation is their cost-effectiveness. The findings of this study will be highly valuable to practitioners and government agencies working on the implementation of unmanned aerial vehicles in dam asset management, as they will enable them to correctly assess the different aspects of unmanned aerial vehicles incorporation.

Next-Gen Weather Resilience: A Holistic Approach to Disaster Mitigation Through Interactive Maps, Flood Detection, and Drought Forecasting

Next-Gen Weather Resilience presents a transformative framework for disaster mitigation by utilizing interactive maps, flood detection technologies, and advanced drought forecasting methods. This holistic approach combines innovative strategies to enhance preparedness and response measures in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and climate change impacts. Through the integration of real-time data and analytics, interactive maps offer situational awareness and decision support for stakeholders at all levels. Flood detection systems enable early warning mechanisms, improving response times and reducing damages caused by flooding events. Furthermore, cutting-edge drought forecasting techniques provide valuable insights into water availability and resource management, aiding in long-term planning and adaptation strategies. By leveraging these tools in a coordinated manner, Next-Gen Weather Resilience empowers communities to build greater resilience against natural disasters while fostering sustainable development initiatives. Key Words: Weather Resilience, Disaster Mitigation, Interactive Maps, Flood Detection, Drought Forecasting.

U.S. military installations and extreme weather: an Oklahoma case study on preparation

ABSTRACT The readiness and execution of national security missions by The United States Department of Defense (DoD) hinges on military installations being equipped with infrastructure that can support the actions needed to protect the U.S., including extreme weather responses. Extreme weather threatens human lives, property, and military operations nationally. Thus, it is paramount to mitigate these impacts and improve preparedness. Oklahoma is home to five federal military installations, all of which are susceptible to hazardous weather, such as severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and flooding. At a local level, hazardous weather events can be quite costly in a variety of ways, including disrupting operations, causing economic losses, and leading to injuries. This case study examines the preparedness and impacts of extreme weather events as well as climate change considerations at two Oklahoma military installations (Tinker Air Force Base and Fort Sill). Interviews and a focus group revealed weather-related decisions at these installations were unit-specific and dependent on the weather event. These installations have both short- and long-term preparedness plans for different weather scenarios. The impacts of these weather events ranged from delays/cancellations of training to installation closures. Lastly, climate considerations from DoD have been, and continue to be, included in planning. This study highlights the nuances across different military installations as a function of their differing roles; there is not a ‘one size fits all’ preparedness plan that will work across the board. Further, there is much room to improve military-civilian collaboration to mitigate the effects of extreme weather events and climate change on military installations and their operations.

Подготовка и развитие стратегических талантов в Кузбассе

Talent development is a strategic priority of talent management. It engages youth in the implementation of various strategies at different levels. The Kemerovo Region (Kuzbass) has created an entire ecosystem that raises young strategists. Kuzbass Governor Sergei Tsivilev set up the Department or Regional and Industrial Strategizing. Its goal is to promote the strategic guidelines stipulated in long-term plans of regional development, as well as to provide the region with strategic human resources. The Department is a joint project between the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Kemerovo State University. The cooperation agreement was signed on November 7, 2019. In 2020, the Kemerovo State University launched a Master’s Degree program in Economic and Financial Strategy. Along with the Moscow State University and The National University of Science and Technology (MISiS), the Kemerovo State University became one of the three domestic institutions that were the first to start training specialists in strategizing. Professor Vladimir Kvint’s School of Young Strategists is an international academic project that identifies strategically gifted children and develops their strategic thinking. The Kemerovo Region is the current leader in the number of schools that participate in Vladimir Kvint’s School of Young Strategists.

Strategy for Implementing the Tiatiki Concept in Conservation Resource

Strategy is a plan that is intended to achieve the desired goal, or in other words, Strategy is a long-term plan that is prepared to lead to the achievement of certain goals and targets, while the Coastal area is a transition area between land and sea ecosystems which is influenced by changes on land and sea. Research on strategies for implementing the Tiatiki concept in coastal resource conservation in Tabla Supa Depapre village, Jayapura Regency was carried out in August-October 2023 using survey and interview methods. Next, data analysis can be carried out using SWOT analysis. The results of data analysis show that there are 5 strategies for conserving coastal resources in Tabla Supa Village, Depapre District, Jayapura Regency: Developing tourism by involving the community and local wisdom, Increasing community capacity in managing coastal and marine resources in a sustainable manner based on local wisdom, Utilizing local wisdom through the Tabla Supa village community institution in minimizing the negative impacts of using coastal resources that are not environmentally friendly, managing coastal area resources with an integrated system based on community-based management and involving the community and increasing community understanding, especially the younger generation, about the values of local wisdom including Tiatiki by Village community organizations.

An Efficient Methodology to Identify Relevant Multiple Contingencies and Their Probability for Long-Term Resilience Studies

The selection of multiple contingency scenarios is a key task to perform resilience-oriented long-term planning analyses. However, the identification of relevant multiple contingencies may easily lead to combinatorial explosion issues, even for relatively small systems. This paper proposes an effective methodology for the identification of relevant multiple contingencies and their probabilities, suitable for the long-term resilience analysis of large power systems. The methodology is composed of two main pillars: (1) the clustering of lines that are more likely to fail together, to reduce the computational complexity of the analysis exploiting historical weather data and (2) the probability-based identification of multiple contingencies within each cluster, where the contingency probability is computed applying the copula theory. Tests performed on a portion of the Italian EHV transmission system confirm the validity of the clustering results compared against historical failure events. Moreover, the copula-based algorithm for contingency probability estimation passes the tests carried out on relatively large clusters with very low error tolerance. The method successfully pinpoints critical multiple contingency scenarios and their likelihoods, making it valuable for assessing power system resilience over long-term horizons in support of resilience-oriented planning activities.

Climbing the ivory tower: agency, reflexivity and the career pathways of care-experienced academics in higher education

AbstractThere has been increasing interest in understanding the higher education experiences of students who spent time ‘in care’ as children, who tend to have to overcome strong barriers to educational success. Care-experienced students often thrive in higher education, although little is currently known about those who build on this success to pursue their own academic career. This study sought to explore the educational trajectories and working lives of care-experienced academics in the UK for the first time. We used an online survey to identify potential interview participants, leading to 21 semi-structured online interviews. This article reports the findings from five of the eight themes developed through thematic analysis, focusing primarily on the diverse pathways into and through academic careers. We used Archer’s concepts of reflexivity and the ‘internal conversation’ to explore agency, enablements and constraints. Most participants highlighted the disrupted nature of their schooling, although school was a place of safety and success for some. Pathways into higher education were heterogeneous, including a group who had used their ‘expertise through experience’ to forge academic careers in disciplines like social work and psychology. Career precarity was common and particularly challenging without family ‘safety nets’. Our participants tended to show high levels of self-reliance and/or willingness to seek help, coupled with a scepticism around long-term planning. We argue that these factors are shaped by early lives and lead to specific forms of reflexivity, concluding that universities need to recognise care experience as a status deserving of additional career support.