Technical Level Research Articles

Factors Affecting Technical Efficiency of Coffee Producers: The Case Dale Woreda, Sidama Region, Ethiopia

Coffee is the major source of income for smallholder farmers and is a leading export crop for Ethiopia. Even though a great proportion of coffee production comes from smallholder farmers with farm sizes below two hectares, productivity in these farms remained very low. To identify the causes of low productivity this study identified the technical efficiency level of smallholder coffee farmers and the factors that influence technical efficiency in coffee production in Dale Woreda, Sidama Region, Ethiopia using the stochastic frontier approach. In addition, this study attempts to determine whether the agricultural and some of the socio-economic characteristics of farmers can influence the efficiency of their technical efficiency coffee production. By exploiting the information that was gathered in a survey of 150 farmers selected randomly from three kebeles using stratified random sampling in the woreda, these farmers' technical efficiency was estimated using a trans-long-type stochastic frontier model and two-limit Tobit model. The mean technical efficiency of the study area is 65.43%. The results suggest that, factors like the land cover, labor in hours, compost used as well as their cross product and the interaction effects of labor with sufficient compost used, labor with proper capital-labor force, and minimum cost for agricultural equipment and composite with proper capital significant determinants of coffee technical efficiency in the area. Furthermore, variables like educational status, age of the coffee tree, membership of cooperative associations, size of livestock holding, presence of additional off-farm incomes, and age of household head are significant predictors of the technical efficiency of farmers in the study area. Thus, by improving their education, improving the frequency of extension service, increasing livestock holdings, improving membership in cooperative associations, and replacing the aged coffee tree, someone can improve his/her technical efficiency directly and coffee production indirectly.

건설현장의 스마트 안전보건활동 요소에 관한 중요도 분석

The purpose of this study is to analyze the importance of smart safety and health activity elements in order to increase the execution power and effectiveness of smart safety and health activities at construction sites. To this end, in this study, the elements of smart safety and health activities were derived from the technical, educational, and management levels, and AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process) survey data were collected and analyzed for safety-related experts at construction sites. As a result of the relative importance analysis of the elements of smart safety and health activities, the priority of smart experience education programs was the highest, and smart risk assessment system, smart safety control system operation, smart worker safety management, smart work site management, smart technology specialized training instructors, smart risk area access management, safety and health management system, smart education certification system, smart equipment management, and smart non-face-to-face education were sequentially high. The results of this analysis can be evaluated as the most effective way to prevent and act on safety accidents in construction sites and situations using Augmented Reality(AR) and VR(Virtual Reality), and it needs to be introduced first. In addition, in order to prevent and reduce various industrial accidents at construction sites, it suggests that smart safety and health activities at the enterprise level, such as smart experience education, risk assessment, and integrated safety management systems, are needed rather than smart safety and health activities at the individual level.

Inheritance and Development of Chinese Kang in Interior Space

The Chinese kang is an ancient technology that combines an integrated household system for cooking, sleeping, and heating. Most of the existing research focuses on the energy performance of Chinese kang and its impact on the interior environment and tries to adapt it to the modern interior space through the improvement of its technology. However, if we only focus on the research and improvement of the technical level of Chinese kang, it is not conducive to the effective inheritance and development of the culture. This paper studies the concept of 'inheritance and development' of Chinese kang culture more comprehensively from the perspective of interior design. The study proves that Chinese kang is not only a survival necessity to cope with cold, but also an expression of people's emotional catharsis and psychological needs, and that the intangible values of Chinese kang culture can be integrated into tangible modern living spaces and developed in the process of modernisation. The results of the study can be used as a starting point for enriching the Chinese kang culture and interior living culture from different perspectives in the future.

Integration of Concentrating Solar Power With High Temperature Electrolysis for Hydrogen Production

Hydrogen has been identified as a leading sustainable contender to replace fossil fuels for transportation or electricity generation, and hydrogen generated from renewable sources can be an energy carrier for a carbon-free economy. Several hydrogen production methods are under development or deployment with various technical readiness levels and technoeconomic potentials. This study focuses on integrating concentrating solar thermal power (CSP) with high temperature electrolysis (HTE) using solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOEC). The CSP-HTE integration approach provides the benefits of thermal energy storage for continuous operation, improved capacity, and reduced thermal cycling for improved SOEC life. The CSP-HTE system analysis utilizes a Python-based system modeling program in connection with solar receiver thermal output derived from the NREL System Advisor Model (SAM) software. The system model facilitates component sizing, performance simulation, and evaluation of operation modes on an annual basis for various CSP-HTE configurations including CSP with thermal energy storage (TES). The SOEC operation conditions were simulated to assess component sizing and performance and to derive system capacity factors.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Emergency Response Linkage in Coal Mine Gas Explosion Accidents

To analyze the influencing factors of the emergency linkage of gas explosion accidents and their causal relationships, a method for analyzing the influencing factors of the emergency linkage of gas explosion accidents is proposed based on a hierarchical holographic model and Bayesian networks. Firstly, based on the hierarchical holographic model to determine the main influencing factors of the accident emergency linkage, we constructed the topological structure model of accident control, secondary disaster, and emergency rescue, and used the triangular fuzzy number to assess the a priori probability and conditional probability of the influencing factors. Next, the most likely factors affecting the accident emergency linkage are quickly identified by combining Bayesian diagnostic reasoning. Finally, sensitivity analysis is conducted to identify the key factors affecting the accident emergency linkage. The results show that the probability of normal operation of gas explosion accident emergency linkage is 78.1%, but when the coal mine environment changes, especially when multiple influencing factors occur simultaneously, the probability of normal operation of accident emergency linkage decreases significantly. Through causal analysis, the degree of influence on the operation of the accident emergency linkage in different situations can be deduced. Through diagnostic analysis, it can be seen that the emergency linkage operation is more sensitive to the two factors of the ventilation and smoke extraction system response and gas over limit, so it is necessary to pay attention to its important role in accident treatment. Meanwhile, the sensitivity analysis shows that the response of the ventilation and smoke extraction system, the accuracy of disaster sharing, the gas over limit, the technical level of the operators, and the team rescue experience are the key factors affecting the emergency response linkage in accidents. This study can provide theoretical guidance for the improvement of the emergency response linkage mechanism of coal mine gas explosion accidents as well as the decision-making of the accidents, minimize the losses of the accidents, and promote the sustainable development of the coal mining industry.

Safe Transfer of Ammonia in Pipelines: An Analysis of Risk

Humanity is currently confronted with unprecedented environmental challenges, prompting an urgent shift toward the widespread adoption of clean energy. Among the diverse alternatives, ammonia stands out as a highly promising candidate due to its relatively high volumetric energy density, advanced technical readiness level, and a well-established infrastructure with established standards. However, the safety of ammonia transport via pipelines demands particular attention, as several past accidents have shown. Given the inherent risks associated with ammonia pipeline accidents, a thorough safety analysis is essential, especially for densely populated countries like Singapore. While Singapore explores using ammonia, a detailed assessment of potential pipeline leaks is currently lacking. To address this, this study employed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations using Phast software. Simulations modeled ammonia leaks at various pressures and weather conditions and the results highlighted the significant hazards of ammonia leaks, including toxicity and flammability. Notably, the potential hazardous zone resulting from these leaks could span up to 1,000 meters. Furthermore, the study proposes effective countermeasures based on insights derived from the simulations, offering valuable perspectives to enhance safety and efficiency in clean energy applications. These measures include the implementation of safety instrumented systems, among others. The results from this study lay the groundwork for future laboratory-based experiments aimed at improving the safety of ammonia pipelines.

Research Progress of Digital Social Innovation

Digital social innovation has been rapidly emerging around the world and is attracting more and more attention. By collating and reviewing the relevant literature of digital social innovation, the current research status is summarized, and the potential research direction in the future is analyzed. It is found that the role of digital social innovation is influenced by the development level of information and communication technology, the construction level of digital infrastructure and the commitment level of digital technicians at the technical level, the size and type of organizations and the innovation ability of organizations at the organizational level, and the policy, economic and social environment at the environmental level. The role of digital social innovation in more fields, the role of social organizations and the local practice of digital social innovation are future research directions.

Sensor based interactive digital entertainment and gamified training to alleviate basketball player fatigue

In recent years, due to the increasing number of basketball games and training activities, basketball players often face the problem of fatigue and injury. This study aims to develop an interactive digital entertainment and gamification training method to provide basketball players with more efficient training methods and enhance their training fun. Sensors can be installed in various key parts of the athlete’s body, through the use of high-precision sensor equipment, real-time acquisition of athlete action data, the use of machine learning and data mining technology, real-time analysis and modeling of sensor data to extract key information and movement patterns. Using gamified training theory to design interactive digital entertainment system, develop a series of training scenarios and gamified tasks for different technical elements, combine sensor data and motion analysis results, and provide athletes with personalized training plans and feedback mechanisms to help them improve their technical level. Through an interactive digital entertainment system, basketball players can train and compete in a virtual environment. They can complete various training tasks by interacting with the system, which will give real-time evaluation and guidance based on the athlete’s performance to help them correct mistakes, improve technique and improve training results.

Playing Regulatory Catch-up? – The Relevance of EDPB Guidelines 2/2023 on the Technical Scope of Art. 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive

Abstract Recently, the European Data Protection Board (the EDPB) released new guidelines on the technical scope of Art. 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive (the ePD) and held its consultation procedure. These guidelines aim to clarify the scope and details of Art. 5(3), specifically what ‘the storing of information, or to gain access to information stored in the terminal equipment of a subscriber or user’ means on a technical level. This opinion describes the circumstances under which such information may be stored or accessed. In this contribution I pose the hypothesis that the broadening of the published guidelines is at least in part necessary to prevent the ePD from becoming irrelevant, if only non-covered techniques are to be used. In this opinion, I will first discuss the background of the ePD, provide context for the guidelines and their structure, and then follow and comment on the respective parts of the analysed phrase alongside the analysis of the EDPB. In the end, I will conclude and check if all the latest developments are likely to be caught by the new interpretation according to the technical guidelines, and what this could mean for legal practice.

Using Knowledge of Basic Mathematics to Increase Technical English Literacy

The following paper aims to demonstrate how ESP teachers can employ basic Mathematical concepts to maximize technical comprehension and concept development during engineering classes. Moreover, the paper proposes an integrated skills approach model of how Geometry lessons can expand abstract thinking and increase technical comprehension level by means of selected activities that develop gradually and recycle vocabulary, provide feedback and help students corroborate mathematical understanding with English comprehension. The paper seeks to provide a practical approach to the way in which English teachers can harness students’ knowledge of basic mathematics to increase their technical English literacy by transferring and expanding concepts to render technical English output.

Determining the tactical and technical level of competitive tennis players using a competency model: a systematic review.

The aim of this systematic review is to provide an evidence-based synthesis of the literature on the topic of technical and tactical competencies of tennis players and to answer the following research questions: (1) What is the state of the art of research on technical and tactical competencies (i.e., skills and knowledge) and tennis; (2) What are the most important topics related to technical and tactical competencies in tennis players. Electronic searches were conducted in Web of Science, PubMED and SPORTDiscus (August to September 2023). This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. To reduce risk, all published literature was searched and primary studies were included. The search terms included skills or competencies, match or play, player and tennis and excluded studies on non-competitive tennis players-notation analysis, AI method, systematic review and validation of tools. Of the 390 publications found in these searches, 13 articles were considered relevant and included in this study. They were divided into three categories: (1) technical-tactical skills, (2) match situations and (3) match performance. There was clear evidence that there is a test instrument for analyzing tactical-technical skills that has sufficient reliability and validity and is of practical value to tennis coaches. The development of tactical-technical skills is influenced by method (variability between/within skills), conditions (court size, ball type) and areas of development (situational awareness, anticipation, decision making). There are differences in match and stroke performance between different quality groups (professionals, juniors), which can also be influenced by mental strength. For a comprehensive study of tennis players' abilities, the use of modern technologies is possible and necessary in the future. Future research should focus on the creation of competency models for the playing level of tennis players, which could include at least three key elements: (1) key competencies, (2) description of standards, (3) evidence.

COVID-19 and territorial politics: towards a redefinition of Spanish intergovernmental relations?

ABSTRACT When COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) struck Spain, it caused a multidimensional crisis that sparked countless debates on its health, social and political implications. Drawing on the literature on multilevel crisis management and federalism, this paper focuses on the impact of the pandemic on the Spanish intergovernmental relations between 2020 and 2022. This research demonstrates that several intergovernmental coordination and cooperation mechanisms were activated or reactivated at the political and technical levels. This change improved joint decision-making and strengthened the system’s own capacity to cope with future crises. In particular, this article shows how and to what extent the health crisis broke down the existing logic of discretionary collaboration and increased coherence among regional governments by strengthening the role of central ministries. Three movements have been observed and measured consisting in a growing institutionalisation, coordination and cross-sectoral logic of action. Consequently, we conclude that intergovernmental relations in Spain have been strengthened by the pandemic under the leadership of central ministries. The Spanish intergovernmental system has demonstrated its capacity to adapt to external shocks and its learning ability.

Optimized design of flexible sensors for snow and ice sports characterization and intelligent recognition of training technique movements

Skiing performance is affected by a variety of external factors, and real-time monitoring of skiers' skiing status is very important for improving athletes' skiing technique. There are problems in the training monitoring of snow sports athletes in a wide range of venues, such as difficulty in accurately obtaining the parameters of sports status, lack of quantitative assessment of the training effect, and inability to provide timely feedback. And traditional sensors cannot adapt to cold, humid and other weather conditions, which affects their stability. Traditional sensors can only provide limited motion data and cannot comprehensively evaluate the technical level of skiers. At the same time, it is difficult to provide sufficiently accurate data in complex snowy environments. To address this problem, this study proposes a flexible sensor that can contact with the human body and sense athletes' body postures and movements in real time. By combining the flexible sensor with ice and snow sports equipment, intelligent recognition of athletes' movements can be realized. By monitoring and analyzing athletes' movements in real time, problems can be detected in time and targeted adjustments and training can be carried out. The findings of the experiment demonstrate that the accuracy of the time synchronization model, the time-domain high-pass filtering model, the zero-speed correction model, and the improved zero-speed correction model are, respectively, 97, 94, 92, and 90 when the size of the training set is 800. At the distance of 2000 m, The CF-TENG, H-TENG and CS-TENG response times are 18 ms, 20 ms and 28 ms. The results show that the designed flexible sensors have good performance and can be used in the daily training of cross-country skiing and alpine skiing professional sports teams.

Influence of technical skill level and sport specialization on surfing injuries: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the influence of sport specialization and the level of technical skills on injury risk in male surfers. DesignDescriptive epidemiological study. SettingWeb-based surveys. Participants295 male surfers participated in the present study, of whom 25 (8.47%) were competitive surfers, and 270 (91.53%) were recreational surfers. Main outcome measureThis study consisted of a single registry. A web-based survey was used to record information on the injuries sustained during the past year. ResultsNo association was detected between the surfer's performance level and having suffered an injury during the practice (p > 0.05). Conversely, the results indicated that the higher the level of specialization, the greater the likelihood of suffering a sports-related injury (χ2 (3) = 12.9 p = 0.005; ES = 0.20). In addition, surfers who showed a medium-high self-concept of their skills (scores of 6, 7, and 8) tend not to get fewer injuries (χ2 (8) = 36.8 p < 0.001; ES = 0.35. Conclusionhigher-level specialization surfers tend to suffer more injuries than lower-specialization surfers. Nevertheless, a good self-concept of technical skills may contribute to a lower likelihood of injury.

Energy Transition in Northern Netherlands: seeking a balance between top-down and bottom-up initiatives

This study focuses on top-down and bottom-up processes within the field of energy transition. It aims at gaining insights into the ways that a more balanced approach can be achieved, by taking into consideration the (mutual) interests, barriers and expectations of the municipality and local citizen initiatives. The theoretical framework of the study is the implementation analysis framework, distinguishing top-down and bottom-up approaches. Specifically, this qualitative (thematic analysis) research study investigates the mismatch in expectations between a number of local energy initiatives and the municipality of Groningen regarding their roles within the local energy transition context. To this end, semi-structured interviews have been conducted with members of the municipality of Groningen, Grunneger Power (a local energy intermediary), and four local energy initiatives. Need and expectation gaps have been identified and potential solutions have been explored. The main findings of the study illustrate the need of professional support for citizen initiatives, at both technical and organizational level, especially in the first phases of their development. Additionally, clear mutual communication on short and long-term planning and ambitions of the involved parties is of key importance for the alignment of the interests and the course of actions. Consequently, a clear context is needed, within which an exchange of feedback on the envisioned strategies, and the subsequent energy saving or generation interventions, can take place in an efficient and effective way. Additionally, such a context increases confidence and provides a clear understanding to the citizen initiatives regarding their role and the level and nature of support they can expect in their intended projects and activities. Based on these findings, policy implications have been drawn.

THE COMBAT ENGAGEMENT (COMBAT EPISODE) LIFE CYCLE INTERACTIVE THREE-DIMENSIONAL VISUALIZATION CRITERIA AND INDICATORS SELECTION

The russo-Ukrainian war is generally characterized as an artillery war, since the main burden in it is the massive use of artillery. However, this war is distinguished from others by the use of various tactics, some of that repeat the tactics of the past, only at a higher technical level, and the newest tactics that have appeared thanks to the advent of modern weapons and military equipment, the which principles are based on the latest technical achievements. The specified circumstances require a careful and more detailed consideration (research) of these tactical techniques on such issues as the reasons for their occurrence, the number of participants, the course of the battle (combat episode), its result, analysis and development, practical recommendations that can be combined into a single concept of the life cycle, eliminate identified shortcomings or provide recommendations for improving individual positions in this matter. For this purpose, it is advisable to reproduce and reconstruct the life cycle of the combat engagement or combat episode that occurred. One of the means of reproducing the life cycle of a combat engagement (combat episode) is interactive three-dimensional visualization. Therefore, in order to create an interactive three-dimensional visualization model (animation) of the life cycle of a combat engagement or a combat episode, that would correspond as close as possible to real events, it is desirable to determine the criteria and indicators that characterize these events. The interactive three-dimensional visualization of the life cycle of a combat engagement or combat episode criterion can be the completeness and reliability of information, and the indicators - dynamism, evaluation of the effectiveness of combat operations and characteristics of the space (locality) in which the combat engagement (combat episode) took place.

Research on the Construction of Urban Digital Governance System

With the rapid development of information technology, digital transformation has become an important way to modernise urban governance. The research on the construction of urban digital governance system aims to explore how to make use of the new management, optimise public services and enhance urban competitiveness. This research field not only focuses on innovation at the technical level, but also emphasises the deep integration of digital governance in multi-dimensional aspects such as policy formulation, regulatory improvement and public participation. By building a digital governance system, it can effectively respond to various challenges in urban development and promote sustainable urban development. Based on this, the following is a discussion on the construction strategy of urban digital governance system for reference.

Political Systemic Awareness: A reading in the Mu'allaqat of Zuhair bin Abi Salma and Tarfa bin Al-Abd

The study attempted to look beyond the pre-Islamic discourse in the Mu’allaqat of Zuhair bin Abi Salma and Tarfa bin Al-Abd, aiming to reveal the rhetorical political system which leads to obtain the appropriate societal acceptance or rejection, and the effect on the life of the discourse producer or the poet. The study chose two poets who are different in terms of their styles, and their social and political status. It focuses on this difference’s impact on the systematic discourse, the tribal response, in addition to the political end of both of their lives, based on their systemic awareness in their Mu’allaqat. The study included a theorization concerned with the cultural system, its nature, characteristics, and the conditions of the systemic function. It focuses on criticism and its relationship to politics and the task of the critic, in addition to an execution for this analogy on the two Mu’allaqat, on the technical level of the introduction to the poem and the relationship of this level to the discourse for which it was produced.

Leadership Competencies of Pharmacists in the Manufacturing Sector of the Pharmaceutical Industry

Pharmacists are the main professionals in the pharmaceutical industry as they take responsibility for the medicines that are produced and managed within the industry. Manufacturing pharmaceutical companies (MPCs) make use of the skills of pharmacists for technical functions as most countries require the presence of pharmacists for regulatory compliance purposes. The roles that pharmacists can play in a manufacturing pharmaceutical company extend beyond the technical levels. The purpose of this study was to determine the leadership competencies of pharmacists in the manufacturing sector of the pharmaceutical industry in South Africa. A Leadership Competency Self-assessment Tool (LCSAT) with five (5) domains was used to determine the competencies relating to the functions of a pharmacist in a manufacturing pharmaceutical company. The domains included professionalism, pharmacy and healthcare environment, leadership, business skills, communication and relationships. The Leadership Competency Self-assessment Tool was administered to pharmacists who are members of a professional association for pharmacists who work in the pharmaceutical industry of South Africa. The association had 567 members who received the online questionnaire over two cycles. Responses were received from 84 pharmacists (15%) with only 62 (10.9%) responses that were complete and therefore formed the sample for the study. The pharmacists rated themselves as highly competent in the domain of pharmacy and healthcare environment (77,76%) and the lowest in the domain for business skills (64,83%). The role of pharmacists in a manufacturing pharmaceutical company is diverse and should not be limited to the technical functions, for the benefit of their patients. Pharmacists should be responsible for roles beyond the operational aspects of the companies in the pharmaceutical industry. They should be actively involved in roles such as promoting the pharmaceuticals their companies produce and strategic functions. To succeed, pharmacists must develop business competencies that will enable them to have business confidence and facilitate visibility while, engaging more corporate roles to boost revenue for their companies. Many pharmacists hold technical positions that see them overseeing manufacturing functions and responsible for manufacturing tasks. Effective communication and business skills to enable them to thrive in roles of strategic leadership are essential. A diversity of competencies for the pharmaceutical industry will increase the value of pharmacists in the pharmaceutical industry.

Constant Q-curvature metrics with Delaunay ends: the nondegenerate case

We construct a one-parameter family of solutions to the positive singular Q-curvature problem on compact nondegenerate manifolds of dimension bigger than four with finitely many punctures. If the dimension is at least eight we assume that the Weyl tensor vanishes to sufficiently high order at the singular points. On a technical level, we use perturbation methods and gluing techniques based on the mapping properties of the linearized operator both in a small ball around each singular point and in its exterior. Main difficulties in our construction include controlling the convergence rate of the Paneitz operator to the flat bi-Laplacian in conformal normal coordinates and matching the Cauchy data of the interior and exterior solutions; the latter difficulty arises from the lack of geometric Jacobi fields in the kernel of the linearized operator. We overcome both these difficulties by constructing suitable auxiliary functions.