Operational Program Research Articles

The role of nutrient credit trading for total maximum daily load compliance by the urban stormwater sector: Evidence from Virginia's Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems

AbstractWater quality credit trading has been advanced as a cost‐effective means of achieving regulatory compliance. However, the volume of trading activity in operational programs is typically less than estimated by empirical analysis. The compliance behavior of Virginia Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4s) is studied in response to the Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL) to understand the circumstances in which trading is adopted, the extent to which trading is adopted, and the factors contributing to trading's use or nonuse. Results indicate that MS4s generally prefer to install their own pollutant control measures rather than trade. Many MS4s, however, rely on trade as a backup compliance option. MS4s favor bay compliance options that help meet other local management objectives (erosion control, infrastructure protection, and reductions toward local water quality objectives) and provide long term pollutant control benefits. Low cost term credits do not provide such benefits. For perpetual credits, MS4s use a variety of strategies to substantially reduce the cost differences between trade and nontrade compliance options.

Girls and Online Civic Engagement: Why Are They Less Likely to Engage in Political Discussion and Argumentation?

The text summarizes the results of the second wave of research conducted in Poland as part of the ySKILLS project (Horizon 2020), which explored young people’s digital skills and online civic engagement from six European countries. The study aimed to answer research questions about gender differences in digital skills and the forms of civic engagement in which young people participate through digital means. Data were collected through a Quantitative Longitudinal Data Collection method (survey), and the sample consisted of 1,340 Polish students aged 12–17 from twelve primary and secondary schools. The results showed that boys reported higher levels of involvement in online civic engagement than girls, especially in two areas: 1) discussing or commenting onsocial or partial political issues online and 2) joining or following a political group on social networks. Regarding digital skills, students reported higher levels of proficiency incommunication and interaction skills and lower levels in programming skills. Regarding girls’ digital skills, statistically significant differences were noticed in four areas. Boysdeclared having higher digital skills in technological and operational skills, programming skills, and information navigation and processing skills. It is recommended that schools and policymakers implement measures aimed at reducing gender disparities, for instance, by providing girls with increased chances to acquire programming skills or by highlighting to girls the advantages of engaging in online civic activities.

QGIS AND OPEN DATA CUBE APPLICATIONS FOR LOCAL CLIMATE ZONES ANALYSIS LEVERAGING PRISMA HYPERSPECTRAL SATELLITE DATA

Abstract. Climate change poses a significant threat to humans and biodiversity, impacting various aspects of livelihoods, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Understanding climate change and its interaction with the environment is crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Local Climate Zones (LCZ) play a key role in comprehending climate change by categorizing urban areas also based on their thermal characteristics. This study presents prototype open-source software tools developed to integrate ground and satellite data for LCZ analysis in the Metropolitan City of Milan (Northern Italy). These tools consist of a QGIS plugin to access and preprocess ground-based meteorological sensor data and a client-server platform, based on the Open Data Cube and Docker technologies, for the exploitation of multispectral and hyperspectral satellite data in LCZ mapping and analysis. The tools’ architecture, data retrieval methods, and analysis capabilities are described in detail. The QGIS plugin facilitates the access and preprocessing of ground-based sensor data within the user-friendly QGIS environment. The platform enables seamless ground-sensor and satellite data management and analysis, using Jupyter Notebooks as an interface to support programmatic operations on the data. The proposed tools provide a framework for studying climate change and its local impacts on urban environments, with the potential of empowering users to effectively analyze and mitigate its effects.

Using the Impact-WEB_GIS Platform to Assess the Impacts of Environmental Sustainability Public Policies in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area

Urban environmental sustainability is a growing concern within the United Nations and the European Union’s ongoing policy agendas to fight climate change. This paper contributes to this debate by presenting the main impacts of the Operational Programme for Sustainability and Use of Resources (POSEUR 2014–2020) in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (NUTS II). The analysis was completed using the Impact-WEB_GIS platform, specially developed for this study, supported by a territorial impact assessment methodology. In addition to the production of general impact scores, five analytic dimensions were further analysed, supported by state-of-the-art (i) low-emissions economy, (ii) adaptation to climate change, (iii) risk prevention and management, (iv) environmental protection and (v) resource efficiency. At a strategic level, the research created awareness of the need to adjust regional policy to the region’s characteristics on environmental sustainability matters.

Methyl eugenol aromatherapy: a delivery system facilitating the simultaneous application of male annihilation and sterile insect technique against the peach fruit fly.

The peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an economically important polyphagous, quarantine pest endemic to South and South-East Asia. The male annihilation technique (MAT) and the sterile insect technique (SIT) are environmentally benign techniques used to suppress fruit fly populations on an area-wide basis. The MAT and SIT are typically used sequentially to avoid killing released sterile males; however, MAT and SIT potentially could be used simultaneously and thereby increase the overall efficiency of control programmes. Mating competitiveness of sterile males against wild counterparts is critical for the success of the SIT. Feeding on a semiochemical, methyl eugenol (ME) has been reported to enhance the male mating performance of many Bactrocera spp., including B. zonata, but its use in SIT operational programmes is limited owing to the absence of a viable delivery system. In the present study, we demonstrated that ME aromatherapy, a practical method for large-scale delivery of ME olfactorily, enhances the mating success of treated B. zonata males. ME aromatherapy application to 5-day-old immature males for a duration of 5 h resulted in increased mating success of males tested when sexually mature, compared to untreated males. The ME-aromatized males also exhibited reduced attraction to ME-lure. A practical delivery system for applying ME by aromatherapy to mass-reared males was developed. ME-aromatherapy enhanced male mating success and suppressed their subsequent attraction to ME, thus enabling the application of MAT and SIT at the same time. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

EVALUATION OF THE USE OF SUPPORT FINANCED IN SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES UNDER THE SAPARD PROGRAM FOR AGRICULTURAL PROCESSING AND THE REGIONAL OPERATIONAL PROGRAM IN THE WARMIŃSKO-MAZURSKIE VOIVODESHIP

The aim of the article is to present the essence and assessment of the use of financial assistance for the SME sector from the SAPARD Program and the Regional Operational Program 2014-2020 in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. The subject of the research was the assessment of EU subsidies as a source of enterprise financing. Their aim was to assess the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats resulting from obtaining funds from the ROP for the development of SMEs in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. SWOT analysis was used to achieve the research objective. The research was carried out using the interview method, in which the research tool was a standardized survey questionnaire. They were implemented among the beneficiaries of the Regional Operational Program of Warmia and Mazury for 2014-2020. In addition, classic methods and techniques developed in legal sciences were used. The basic method of research in this sphere was the formal dogmatic method. In addition, the source of data was information obtained from the Agency for Restructuring and Modernization of Agriculture. The SAPARD program gave processing plants in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship the opportunity to become familiar with the new support rules used in the EU structural funds. Projects implemented by the SME sector in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship have brought tangible benefits in terms of adapting quality and sanitary standards of agricultural processing production to EU requirements. In the case of the Regional Operational Program 2014-2020, the availability of EU funds in the Warmia and Mazury region was assessed by the respondents as insufficient. Due to the completed financial perspective 2014-2020 of the Regional Operational Program of Warmia and Mazury, the possibility of obtaining EU funds has decreased, which significantly limits the development of SME sector enterprises.

Design of Customer Satisfaction Criteria for Telecommunications Operators: Fixed Broadband Services

Customer dissatisfaction is an opportunity lost for telecommunications operators in fixed broadband services in expanding its market, it is indicating that the criteria used in designing the loyalty program that being provided to customer are still less precise. This research aims to provide recommendations for telecommunications operator loyalty programs for fixed broadband services based on customer satisfaction’s criteria. This research uses DEMATEL-Based ANP (DANP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method to get assessment of loyalty program that best fits the customer satisfaction’s criteria. This research resulted in 5 dimensions and 22 criteria of customer satisfaction for telecommunications operators in fixed broadband services, where the dimension that most influences is resource and the dimension that is most influenced is relationship. The best loyalty program for telecommunications operators in fixed broadband services at PT X is High Value Customer (HVC), while the worst loyalty program is Customer Application.

Recent Customs Reforms in Brazil

Brazil has been actively addressing the challenges posed by the rapid growth of e-commerce within its customs framework, focusing on enhancing efficiency while maintaining control over trade flows. Two notable strategies employed by Brazil is the utilization of cutting-edge technology of artificial intelligence (AI) and a Trusted Trader Scheme, known as Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) program. This scheme acknowledges compliant and reliable economic operators, granting them a status that comes with various benefits, particularly in the realm of customs procedures. In addition, the application of automated risk analysis, often integrated with AI, has also revolutionized customs procedures in Brazil. Customs, Reforms, Brasil, Artificial Intelligence, Trusted Trade Program

Development of environmental costs in mining company after implementation of innovation - cyclone separator

This article summarizes the scientific discussion on the environmental costs of mining companies. Reducing environmental pollution in mining companies is focused on three strategies. The raw material intensity decrease is the first strategy. The second strategy is orientated to changes in the production of environmental products. The third strategy is directed at the consumption of products and liquidation after their lifetime. The priority goal of this paper was to demonstrate the development of environmental costs after the implementation of cyclone separators focusing on the expenses in the field of water management. Methods of research were focused on using index analysis and structure analysis. Base index and chain index were used in the analysis of the index. The object of the article was the mining company focused on mining limestone in Slovakia. The priority problem is the dust of the mining process. The research brings new solving a cyclone separator in the mining process for reducing dust. The goal "Operational Program Environment" is to invest in the water sector, creating mining companies' problems. Mining companies use water resources for their mining activities. The results of the study show decreasing in environmental costs. Water and sewerage fees eliminate by 11.1 %, air pollution charges by 11.5 %, disposal fees by about 5.2 %, and towing the sump by 1.5 %. The purpose of the mining company is to address environmental costs as a priority issue related to environmental protection. Competitive advantage for the mining industry introduces efficient and acceptable solutions - innovations.

Obstacle Avoidance Robot using an Ulrasonic Sensor with Arduino Uno

The first function of obstacle avoidance robots is to detect the presence of obstacles. When you power on the system with the help of the ON/OFF switch, the Arduino microcontroller will read the data. When the ultrasonic sensor detects the presence of an obstacle in the process of moving forward, the robot will move backward. If the robot does not sense any obstacle, that is, if the distance between an obstacle and it is wide, it will then move forward again until it senses an obstacle before it stops. Two LEDs are used in the research, one indicating the robot is moving forward and the other showing if the robot is moving backward. The third LED shows if the battery is fully charged. C programming is used for Arduino board applications to develop the program for the whole system's operation. There is also a power source unit that is used to charge the batteries used in the system.

The Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived and social citizenship: Case study research in Belgium, Lithuania and Portugal

Persisting high poverty and social exclusion rates remain a key challenge of European welfare states. The socio-economic consequences following the COVID-19 crisis are challenging the protection of social citizenship and social rights of the most vulnerable. We examine the role of the European Union (EU) in supporting the most vulnerable citizens by focusing on the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD). Our key question is, if and in which ways the EU strengthens social citizenship and social rights through FEAD. We base our analysis on a document analysis of the Regulation, Member States’ operational programmes and results of a survey with food aid organizations in Belgium, Lithuania and Portugal. Our findings suggest that FEAD represents a contradictory case of European action in the field of social citizenship and social rights. On the one hand, FEAD is a highly targeted social policy instrument. On the other hand, food aid, as the main provided instrument, is based on charity and not on social rights. Accompanying social inclusion measures could support beneficiaries in the take-up of social rights, but these measures lack clear rules for implementation and monitoring. We conclude that FEAD seems to contribute to the institutionalization of charitable food aid within national welfare systems.

Simulation of Obstacle Avoidance Robots

The first function of the system is to detect the presence of obstacles. When the user activates the system using the power ON/OFF switch, the Arduino microcontroller will read the data. When the ultrasonic sensor detects the presence of an obstacle in the process of moving forward, the robot will move backward. If the robot does not sense any obstacle, that is, if the distance between an obstacle and it is wide, it will then move forward again until it senses an obstacle before it stops. C programming is used for Arduino board applications to develop the program for the whole system's operation. There are three light-emitting diodes; the first one shows the amount of charge in the batteries, while the remaining two show that if the robot is moving forward, one of the two LEDs will be on, and if it is moving backward, one of the LEDs will also be on. There is also a power source unit that is used to charge the batteries used in the system.

Feasibility study of pore-pressure prediction in carbonate rocks

In the recent past, the applicability and uncertainty of pore-pressure prediction methods that work based on seismic signals have been serious challenges in carbonate reservoirs. In this context, enormous research has been conducted on the prediction of pore pressure in these rocks, some of which have ended with failure due to the complexity of carbonates. To address the main cause of such failures, we experimentally simulate the pore fluid in carbonates under reservoir conditions to interpret and classify the factors contributing to the pore pressure. The results are then built into a novel hybrid experimental model for evaluating the feasibility of pore pressure prediction — one that could bridge the gap between laboratory and empirical approaches. For this purpose, 34 core samples are collected from different geologic formations at different wells penetrating reservoir intervals. The mechanical properties of the samples are investigated by conducting experiments in a triaxial cell where pore pressure is applied under different regimes while simultaneously acquiring the ultrasonic response of the sample. Sensitivity analyses of pore pressure are carried out under drained and undrained conditions and the results are used to evaluate our methodology. Pore pressure coefficients of P- and S-wave velocities are introduced in two different conditions, namely constant differential stress and constant pore pressure, with the same dimension as compressibility. Results are interpreted statistically and effective parameters are identified from a pool of many variables; these include the static bulk modulus, Young’s modulus, Biot’s coefficients, porosity, permeability, and sedimentary textures (e.g., micritization, neomorphism, cementation, fracture, blocky calcite, and dissolution). A feasibility study template is further introduced for investigating pore pressure detectability based on commonly available data in carbonate reservoirs by incorporating the main controlling factors. Our template and findings of this research are important for pore pressure prediction before performing further research and implementing operation programs. They also can decrease the risk of underestimating the pore pressure, thereby improving the well planning performance and mitigating the drilling hazards.

Stochastic programming of energy system operations considering terminal energy storage levels

Energy storage units offer vital balancing power for energy systems with an increasing amount of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources. The operation of such systems can be optimized by stochastic programming, which anticipates the uncertainty related to the variable renewable energy sources. However, these optimization problems can only be formulated for optimization horizons with a finite length, due to the rapidly increasing problem size and uncertainty in VRE production. Realistic valuation of the stored energy at the end of a horizon is important for long-term operation of the system. In this work, we investigate two different valuation methods, which are based on forecasted electricity prices, for storage-only and producer-oriented energy systems that participate in the day-ahead market. On a case study on the German day-ahead market, the methods yield competitive profits with reduced cycling of the energy storage unit and deviations with respect to the day-ahead trading.

Evaluation of passive acoustic methods for ambient noise baseline and gas flow rate quantification at a proposed nearshore carbon capture and storage site in Australia

Measurement, monitoring, and verification (MMV) is an integral component of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. Within an operational MMV equipment, hydrophone-based passive acoustic techniques are used to establish ambient noise baseline and flow rate quantification at short range, specifically to facilitate “detect-attribute-quantify” sequence of an MMV program. However, nearshore environments are acoustically complex with different soundscape components that can disproportionately dominate ambient noise levels, potentially masking acoustic signatures of bubbles used to quantify seabed gas seeps. Therefore, a robust baseline describing ambient noise variability across the range of frequencies associated with acoustic emissions of gas seeps is required, from which changes can be detected and monitored. In this context, hydrophone measurements from a proposed nearshore CCS site in Australia are analyzed to establish a temporally resolved baseline, identifying key drivers causing overall ambient noise variability. These results are compared with acoustic bubble spectrum features and flow rate estimates from a controlled in situgas release experiment to understand the likelihood of detecting bubbles and quantifying flow rate at the proposed CCS site. Despite the complexities of nearshore environment, the evaluation highlights that passive acoustic methods can provide a practical solution to complement quantification component of operational MMV programs.

Noise levels in a changing Arctic Ocean and its implications for security

Arctic Ocean is undergoing an “Atlantification” of its oceanographic properties. Sea ice retreat and reduction of sea ice age will affect its underwater soundscape, with anthropogenic noise expected to increase due to the exploitation of new maritime routes. The CMRE’s Environmental and Operational Effectiveness Programme conducted a study of the new Arctic oceanographic conditions and ambient noise by deploying in 2021 and in 2022 different moorings equipped with passive acoustic recorders and oceanographic sensors. Data did not show a clear relation between sea-ice concentration and noise levels in the marginal ice zone. However, noise levels indicate that the possible presence of transmissions ducts might increase high frequency noise in the subsurface area. Seasonality and variations in the overall soundscapes were also evident by the presence of sounds from biological sources. In 2023, with the support of the NATO Office of the Chief Scientist, CMRE started a long-term scientific endeavor to study how climate change might affect the Alliance’s security in the maritime domain. A significant research effort is focused on the Arctic, and in June–July 2023 CMRE deployed three deep moorings for monitoring the acoustic-oceanographic conditions in the long term. [Work supported by the NATO Allied Command Transformation.]

Integrated Multi-Criteria Planning for Resilient Renewable Energy-Based Microgrid Considering Advanced Demand Response and Uncertainty

Weather-driven uncertainties and other extreme events, particularly with the increasing reliance on variable renewable energy (VRE), have made achieving a reliable microgrid operation increasingly challenging. This research proposes a comprehensive and integrated planning strategy for capacity sizing and operational planning, incorporating forecasting and demand response program (DRP) strategies to address microgrid operation under various conditions, accounting for uncertainties. The microgrid includes photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, and battery energy storage. Uncertainties in VREs and load fluctuations are modeled using Monte Carlo simulations (MCSs), while forecasting is based on the long short-term memory (LSTM) model. To determine the best techno-economic planning approach, six cases are formulated and solved using a multi-objective particle swarm optimization with multi-criteria ranking for these three objectives: total lifecycle costs (TLCC), reliability criteria, and surplus VRE curtailment. Shortage/surplus adaptive pricing combined with variable peak critical peak pricing (SSAP VP-CPP) DRP is devised and compared with a time-of-use VP-CPP DRP in mitigating the impacts of both critical and non-critical events in the system. The simulation results show that the integrated planning, which combines LSTM forecasting with DRP strategies, achieved about 7% and 5% TLCC reductions for deterministic and stochastic approaches, respectively. The approach allowed optimal sizing and operation planning, improving the utilization of VREs and effectively managing uncertainty, resulting in the most cost-effective and robust VRE-based microgrid with enhanced resilience and reliability.

Development of a novel genetic sexing strain of Ceratitis capitata based on an X-autosome translocation

Genetic sexing strains (GSS), such as the Ceratitiscapitata (medfly) VIENNA 8 strain, facilitate male-only releases and improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of sterile insect technique (SIT) applications. Laboratory domestication may reduce their genetic diversity and mating behaviour and hence, refreshment with wild genetic material is frequently needed. As wild males do not carry the T(Y;A) translocation, and wild females do not easily conform to artificial oviposition, the genetic refreshment of this GSS is a challenging and time-consuming process. In the present study, we report the development of a novel medfly GSS, which is based on a viable homozygous T(XX;AA) translocation using the same selectable markers, the whitepupae and temperature-sensitivelethal genes. This allows the enmasse cross of T(XX;AA) females with wild males, and the backcrossing of F1 males with the T(XX;AA) females thus facilitating the re-establishment of the GSS as well as its genetic refreshment. The rearing efficiency and mating competitiveness of the novel GSS are similar to those of the T(Y;A)-based VIENNA 8 GSS. However, its advantage to easily allow the genetic refreshment is of great importance as it can ensure the mass production of high-quality males and enhanced efficacy of operational SIT programs.

A ten-year statistical radar analysis of an operational hail suppression program in Alberta

Hailstorms represent a significant natural hazard worldwide and can result in severe socioeconomic impacts. In Canada, the province of Alberta experiences the highest rate of hail occurrences causing tremendous damage to cities, properties, vehicles and crops. Cloud seeding is often adopted to reduce the hailstorm impacts; however, the efficacy of this mitigation measure is still unclear. In this study, a ten-year set of hailstorm events (2011−2020) in Alberta was analyzed using radar-based records to evaluate the potential effects of seeding. The radar completed a full volume-scan every four minutes, and a three-dimensional radar reflectivity threshold-based method was utilized to identify hailstorms. A single 3D storm is tracked over time and the ensemble is called a “storm track” in this contribution. 176 storm tracks persisting for more than one hour were considered for further analysis. We used two radar-derived metrics as proxies for hail damage potential, namely, VILmax (Vertically Integrated Liquid calculated from the maximum reflectivity profile in the storm) and hail mean coverage area (defined as the mean area with reflectivity greater than 60 dBZ). Seeding was performed by releasing silver iodide aerosols from aircraft, and seeded scans of the storm were identified based on the location and seeding time. The efficacy of seeding was evaluated by comparing the characteristics of the storms before, during and after seeding. Results show that for nearly 60% of cases, the median values of the largest (quantile 99) VILmax and mean area corresponding to the seeded scans are lower than those of the unseeded portions. For around 8% and 20% of cases, there is no change, while for approximately 17% to 30% of cases, the values are higher. The effects of seeding are more pronounced after 30 min than at the initiation of seeding. Furthermore, statistical analyses using Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon's tests reveal that differences in VILmax and mean area between the seeded and unseeded scan groups are statistically significant. These findings suggest that cloud seeding could potentially influence the hail damage potential of storms, particularly those with high VILmax values.

Systemic causes are important risk factors for failure after unscheduled colorectal revision surgery.

The rates of unscheduled revision surgery (URS) after colorectal surgery and failure to rescue-surgical (FTR-s) are 2.4% and 11-17% respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the causes of URS lethality to reduce this rate after colorectal surgery. From 2011 to 2021, 337 surgeons collected 547 URS. Type of procedure, time course, diagnostic and detection means, time to decision, time to complication(s), causes of URS, delay of URS, and death were recorded and allowed for multivariate systemic analysis of risk factors for death (FTR-s) after URS. Systemic causes of delay were analyzed as assessment of urgency, communication, skills, organization of the operative program, and transport. The two main causes of URS were infectious (66% of which 50% by fistula or anastomotic release) and vascular (18%). The rate of FTRs was 10%. The systemic causes rate of FTR-s were 35%. The FTRs were related to the patient (ASA score 3-4: RR: 6 [1-40]; age: RR: 1.05 [1-1.1]), to the surgical procedure (laparotomy: RR: 4.5 [1.6-12]) and to the systemic causes responsible for the delay in the realization of URS (RR: 4.1 [1.4-12]). By avoiding systemic causes, more than one third of the deaths from FTR-s after colorectal surgery could be avoided.