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The green energy transition calls for various solutions to enhance environmental sustainability. One of these is represented by renewable energy communities, which may help transition from centralized energy production to distributed renewable generation. European countries are actively promoting incentive schemes for energy communities to foster local electricity self-consumption in order to balance demand and renewable generation. In this context, energy storage facilities can be employed to gather the energy production surplus and use it in periods of low generation. In this paper, we focus on the optimal operation of an incentive-based energy community in the presence of energy storage systems. A centralized optimization problem was formulated to optimally operate storage systems at the community level. Starting from this solution, distributed charging/discharging commands were found to optimally operate the single storage units. Moreover, conditions guaranteeing the convenience of using energy storage systems inside the community were derived. Numerical simulations were performed to validate the reported results and to evaluate the potential benefits of energy storage facilities inside renewable energy communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates grid export constraints applicable to photovoltaic (PV) and wind farm (WF) installations, both with and without behind-the-meter storage, aimed at enhancing grid hosting capacity. The study focuses on static output power limitations, i.e., simple export constraints that are preventively imposed on renewable energy source (RES) plants regardless of the prevailing network congestion conditions. These constraints are easy to apply, implemented ex ante and out of market, and do not require additional investments in energy storage or advanced devices. They also yield a measurable increase in hosting capacity and grid utilization, with their impact on RES plant operation and return of investment straightforwardly calculable. Analysis defines the level and shape of these constraints assuming an indicative acceptable curtailment level of 5% for each RES technology attributed to the preventing action of the imposed limitations, while the respective implications for RES energy yield and investment viability are explored. The findings indicate that an export power limitation of ca. 68% is effective for stand-alone PVs, while a stepwise static limitation is necessary for stand-alone WFs and WFs with integrated storage to manage midday solar generation peaks. PV plants tightly coupled with storage facilities can handle static limitations as low as 35% with minimal impact on the economic feasibility of the investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunization programs globally have played a pivotal role in reducing mortality rates. However, the effectiveness of these programs often falls short of the intended coverage targets, primarily due to challenges within the supply chain, storage facilities, and distribution processes. Notably, a substantial percentage of vaccine wastage has been observed in numerous countries, thereby imposing a significant financial burden on immunization initiatives, and presenting a formidable challenge to policymakers. This paper undertakes a comprehensive study of the financial dynamics inherent in an immunization program within the context of India. Employing a systems perspective, we scrutinize the intricate interactions among various cost factors. Through a five-year system dynamics simulation, we derive insights into the amplified financial constraints resulting from vaccine wastage and the inefficiencies associated with shared personnel. Furthermore, our analysis extends to evaluate the impact of an additional investment aimed at enhancing the quality of the cold chain infrastructure and health worker proficiency on the overall funds of the immunization program. This research contributes to a nuanced understanding of the financial intricacies of immunization programs, offering valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders seeking to optimize program efficiency and resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent tailings storage facility (TSF) dam failures recorded around the world have concerned society in general, forcing the mining industry to improve its operating standards, invest greater economic resources, and implement the best available technologies (BATs) to control TSFs for safety purposes and avoid spills, accidents, and collapses. In this context, and as the era of digitalization and Industry 4.0 continues, monitoring technologies based on sensors have become increasingly common in the mining industry. This article studies the state of the art of implementing sensor technologies to monitor structural health and safety management issues in TSFs, highlighting advances and experiences through a review of the scientific literature on the topic. The methodology applied in this article adheres to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and utilizes scientific maps for data visualization. To do so, three steps were implemented: (i) a quantitative bibliometric analysis, (ii) a qualitative systematic review of the literature, and (iii) a mixed review to integrate the findings from (i) and (ii). As a result, this article presents the main advances, gaps, and future trends regarding the main characteristics of the sensor technologies applied to monitor TSF structural health and safety management in the era of digitalization. According to the results, the existing research predominantly investigates certain TSF sensor technologies, such as wireless real-time monitoring, remote sensors (RS), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), unmanned survey vessels (USVs), artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing (CC), and Internet of Things (IoT) approaches, among others. These technologies stand out for their potential to improve the safety management monitoring of mine tailings, which is particularly significant in the context of climate change-related hazards, and to reduce the risk of TSF failures. They are recognized as emerging smart mining solutions with reliable, simple, scalable, secure, and competitive characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study a continuous-review stock management of a retailer for a single item in a limited storage (buffer) in a random environment. The stock level fluctuates according to two independent compound Poisson processes with discrete amounts of items (batches) that enter and leave the storage facility. The storage facility is controlled by a three-parameter base-stock replenishment policy. All items exceeding the storage capacity are transferred to an unlimited foreign facility. In addition, a restricted backlogging possibility is permitted; additional demands for items are lost sales. We further assume a random shelf life, the possibility of total inventory collapse, and a random lead time. Applying Markov theory, we derive the optimal control parameters minimizing the long-run expected total cost. A sensitivity analysis is conducted focusing on the comparison between the pure lost-sales policy and a partial backordering policy. Accordingly, we identify cases where one policy is cost effective compared to the other, particularly with respect to the batch patterns (sign, rate, average, and variability), and the associated costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the energy crisis, ammonia stands out as an efficient hydrogen energy carrier. However, liquid ammonia's nature of toxicity, corrosiveness, volatility, flammability, etc., make its storage highly risky. It is essential to analyze the risk of the ammonia storage facility for its safety improvement. Failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) has been a popular risk analysis method due to its ease of implementation. However, traditional FMEA is insufficient to model the uncertainty of risk assessment information, enhance the consensus among experts, aggregate experts' risk evaluation information, and derive reliable risk analysis results. To address these limitations, we introduce a hybrid probabilistic linguistic FMEA framework to analyze failure risk in the ammonia storage facility. First, the probabilistic linguistic terms (PLTs) are introduced to express uncertain risk evaluation information of failure modes. Second, a risk acceptability-based consensus-reaching process is introduced to measure experts' consensus on each failure mode's risk and improve their consensus. Then, a consensus degree-based ordered weighted averaging operator is introduced to fuse experts' risk evaluation information, where experts' weight is determined by their consensus degree. Furthermore, the gained and lost dominance score method is improved on the basis of the expected value of the PLTs to prioritize failure modes' risk. Finally, a case study of the risk analysis for the ammonia storage facility is performed to show the efficiency of the extended FMEA. The case study indicated that condenser cooling water pump failure and failure of level transfer are the top two failure modes and have risk scores of 0.126 and 0.091, respectively. • A linguistic FMEA framework is constructed for the safety improvement of the ammonia storage process. • A consensus-reaching process considering risk acceptability is introduced for consensus improvement. • An OWA operator is extended based on the consensus degree among experts. • The linguistic GLDS method is introduced to prioritize the risk of failure modes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of many past failures of tailings storage facilities, practising engineers have been analysing current design guidelines for different elements of these facilities, including for tailings dams. In this paper, an attempt is made to investigate how varying tailings slurry solids concentration (${c_s}$ c s ) affects the stability of tailings dam embankment slope. To achieve this, elaborate two-dimensional limit equilibrium and finite element simulations were conducted and a steady-state seepage analysis was performed so as to obtain accurate free surface water flux through the slope. Initially, numerical analyses were performed for the downstream embankment slope when no material is retained upstream. Subsequently, with all parameters kept constant, the same slope was then checked when water is retained upstream, and finally for varying slurry solids concentration. Special attention was paid to the boundary between sedimentation and consolidation, defined as the solids concentration limit beyond which effective stresses start to develop. From the stability analyses performed, it is found that the factor of safety of embankment slope varies nonlinearly with total unit weight of the slurry. For coal tailings slurry, factor of safety reduced from 1.24 when water is retained to 1.15 when tailings slurry with ${c_w}$ c w = 60% is retained, representing a drop by 7.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sedimentation, consolidation and desiccation behaviour of sub-aerially deposited tailings in tailings storage facilities, despite occurring simultaneously and being essential to maximise tailings dry density and dewatering efficiency, are usually analysed in laboratories using distinctive testing equipment, which is unable to reveal their interactions. A large instrumented column was constructed to test the three processes of tailings in a single apparatus, capable of monitoring the changes in the hydrological parameters of coal tailings with depth and surface settlement under natural weather conditions. The column was initially filled with coal tailings slurry and exposed to natural weather for two years, during which five wetting–drying periods were identified. The monitored results indicate that exposing the slurry tailings for one month would lead to the formation of an unsaturated tailings layer with a thickness of 150 mm, likely representing the optimised tailings deposition cycle and thickness, respectively, under the given tailings characteristics and semi-arid climates. Settlement mainly occurred after major rainfall events due to the collapse of cracks and cavities formed during the preceding desiccation. The maximum thickness of the unsaturated tailings increased over the first four periods as the predominant desiccation and settlement strengthened the evaporative capillary forces, despite it decreasing greatly in the last period due to insufficient desiccation. An empirical model was proposed to consecutively estimate the surface moisture content of deformable tailings and validated by achieving a good agreement in the water mass estimated by two methods during wetting–drying cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this manuscript is to build a model for the distribution of LNG as a marine fuel in the southern Baltic Sea based on a genetic algorithm in terms of cost. In order to achieve this, it was necessary to develop, in detail, research sub-objectives like analysis of the intensity of ship traffic in the indicated area and analysis of LNG demand in maritime transport. In the first part of this study, the authors use data from the IALA IWRAP Mk2 and the Statistical Office in Szczecin to analyse the marine traffic density (by type of vessel) in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. LNG used as marine fuel reduces toxic emissions into the atmosphere. The authors specify the LNG fleet size and locations of LNG storage facilities in a way to ensure that the defined LNG bunker vessels can supply fuel to LNG-powered vessels within the shortest possible time period. The database contains a set of traits necessary to determine the optimal demand for LNG. The traits were developed based on an existing LNG fleet and appropriately selected infrastructure, and they represent existing LNG-powered vessels as well as LNG bunker vessels and their specifications. Based on the created LNG distribution model, were performed in Matlab R2019a software. An LNG distribution model was developed, which uses a genetic algorithm to solve the task. The demand for LNG for the sea area under analysis was determined based on data on the capacity of LNG-powered vessels (by type of vessel) and their distance from the specified port. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term planning of the Italian power sector from 2021 to 2050. The key role of photovoltaic and wind technologies in combination with power-to-power systems based on hydrogen and batteries is investigated. An updated version of the OSeMOSYS tool is used, which employs a clustering method for the representation of time-varying input data. First, the potential of variable renewable energy sources (VRES) is assessed. A sensitivity analysis is also performed on the temporal resolution of the model to determine an adequate trade-off between the computation time and the accuracy of the results. Then, a techno-economic optimization scenario is carried out, resulting in a total net present cost of about 233.7 B€. A high penetration of VRES technologies is foreseen by 2050 with a total VRES installed capacity of 272.9 GW (mainly photovoltaic and onshore wind). Batteries are found to be the preferable energy storage solution in the first part of the energy transition, while the hydrogen storage starts to be convenient from about the year 2040. Indeed, the role of hydrogen storage becomes fundamental as the VRES penetration increases thanks to its cost-effective long-term storage capability. By 2050, 74.6 % of electricity generation will be based on VRES, which will also enable a significant reduction in CO 2 emissions of about 87 %. • Long-term evolution of the Italian power system from 2021 to 2050. • Updated OSeMOSYS modeling framework with inclusion of time series clustering. • Role of VRES and storage facilities in decarbonizing the Italian power sector. • High VRES penetration determines 87 % of CO 2 emission reduction. • Long-term hydrogen storage plays a key role to achieve high VRES penetration up to 74.5 % in the electricity production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underground hydrogen storage in geological structures is considered appropriate for storing large amounts of hydrogen. Using the geological Konary structure in the deep saline aquifers, an analysis of the influence of depth on hydrogen storage was carried out. Hydrogen injection and withdrawal modeling was performed using TOUGH2 software, assuming different structure depths. Changes in the relevant parameters for the operation of an underground hydrogen storage facility, including the amount of H2 injected in the initial filling period, cushion gas, working gas, and average amount of extracted water, are presented. The results showed that increasing the depth to approximately 1500 m positively affects hydrogen storage (flow rate of injected hydrogen, total capacity, and working gas). Below this depth, the trend was reversed. The cushion gas-to-working gas ratio did not significantly change with increasing depth. Its magnitude depends on the length of the initial hydrogen filling period. An increase in the depth of hydrogen storage is associated with a greater amount of extracted water. Increasing the duration of the initial hydrogen filling period will reduce the water production but increase the cushion gas volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Atmospheric" painting stands as a new frontier in contemporary art, presenting challenges and new considerations in museum practices. This article aims to analyze the possible evolution of four atmospheric paintings created by artist Luca Vitone during their transition from exhibition halls to the storage facilities of the MAXXI museum. The presence of active microbiological consortium raises question regarding the potential interaction these artworks may have with the surrounding environment. The year-long monitoring involved macroscopic and microscopic observation, spectrophotometric analyses, and cell vitality assessments using a bioluminometer. Additionally, the collected data were correlated with the prevailing microclimate within the storage. Indeed, the canvases underwent an evolution during their transfer to the storage; it was mainly the photosynthetic part of the consortium that underwent the greatest changes, resulting in changes in the color tones of the canvases. The viability of the cells in the consortium also underwent changes as indicated by measurements obtained with the bioluminometer. The monitoring has provided invaluable insights into the dynamic evolution of Vitone's artworks and allowed the authors to hypothesize some strategies for the conservation of these types of artworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper briefly describes the operation of library storage facilities in the USA and introduces the latest developments in shared storage facilities of U.S. academic libraries by taking ReCAP as an example. The developments provide implications for the shared storage facilities of Chinese academic libraries: standing “above the institution” to enhance collaboration, creating an efficient and shared storage model, developing ASRS, providing seamless discovery services; and ensuring sustainable development of shared storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Positive Energy Districts can be defined as connected urban areas, or energy-efficient and flexible buildings, which emit zero greenhouse gases and manage surpluses of renewable energy production. Energy storage is crucial for providing flexibility and supporting renewable energy integration into the energy system. It can balance centralized and distributed energy generation, while contributing to energy security. Energy storage can respond to supplement demand, provide flexible generation, and complement grid development. Photovoltaics and wind turbines together with solar thermal systems and biomass are widely used to generate electricity and heating, respectively, coupled with energy system storage facilities for electricity (i.e., batteries) or heat storage using latent or sensible heat. Energy storage technologies are crucial in modern grids and able to avoid peak charges by ensuring the reliability and efficiency of energy supply, while supporting a growing transition to nondepletable power sources. This work aims to broaden the scientific and practical understanding of energy storage in urban areas in order to explore the flexibility potential in adopting feasible solutions at district scale where exploiting the space and resource-saving systems. The main objective is to present and critically discuss the available options for energy storage that can be used in urban areas to collect and distribute stored energy. The concerns regarding the installation and use of Energy Storage Systems are analyzed by referring to regulations, and technical and environmental requirements, as part of broader distribution systems, or as separate parts. Electricity, heat energy, and hydrogen are the most favorable types of storage. However, most of them need new regulations, technological improvement, and dissemination of knowledge to all people with the aim of better understanding the benefits provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensive economic development is associated with an increasing demand for raw materials, including minerals. An illustrative example of this issue is the development of the copper industry. A significant problem arising from the scale of copper production is the management of an ever-growing amount of post-flotation tailings. This necessitates the need to ensure the continuity of safe storage. This study presents the results of studies on the behavior of deposits in the Żelazny Most Tailings Storage Facility (Poland). The primary objective of this study was to estimate the settlements of tailings under variable deposition conditions. The results were assessed using two methods: indirect and direct; this was based on cone penetration test (CPTU) results. The results were verified using Modified Cam Clay (MCC) modeling. Depending on the type of test, settlements ranged from several dozen centimeters to over three meters. Despite the observed differences, the results of both CPTU methods indicate a convergent trend in tailings behavior. Conversely, the results estimated using the direct method and numerical modeling demonstrate a high level of agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of micromycete communities in the library aerial environment was investigated in 57 Russian cities located in seven federal districts (Northwestern, Central, Southern, Volga, Ural, Siberian, and Far Eastern). A total of 107 micromycete species belonging to 41 genera were isolated and identified. Due to mostly similar conditions, the aerial ecosystem of internal spaces of the library storage facilities was relatively stable, with moderate diversity and high evenness, as was confirmed by the relevant indices: the Shannon index varied from 2.7 to 3.4, the McIntosh diversity index, from 22.7 to 140.8, and the Menhinick index, from 2.1 to 3.0. The Simpson's dominance index and the Berger–Parker index did not exceed 0.11 and 0.24, respectively. The McIntosh and Pielou's evenness indices were 0.71–0.78 and 0.79–0.85, respectively. High similarity of the taxonomic structures, independent of climatic conditions of the studied regions, was revealed, as was confirmed by the values of the Stugren–Radulescu and Morisita–Horn coefficients: 0.08‒0.77 and 0.04‒0.47, respectively. The typical members of the studied mycobiota were Aspergillus versicolor (7.5‒14.3), Cladosporium cladosporioides (17.5‒40.5), C. herbarum (0.8‒53.6), and Penicillium aurantiogriseum (6.5‒32.4). Most other species were scarce, with frequencies of occurrence not exceeding 7.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The state of Indiana maintains approximately 120 salt storage facilities strategically distributed across the state for winter operations. In April 2023, those facilities contained approximately 217,000 tons of salt with an estimated value of USD 21 million. Accurate inventories at each facility during the winter season are important for scheduling re-supply so the facilities do not run out of salt. Inventories are also important at the end of the season for restocking to provide balanced inventories. This paper describes the implementation of a portable pole-mounted LiDAR system to measure salt stockpile inventory at 120 salt storage facilities in Indiana. Using two INDOT staff members, the end-of-season inventory took 9 working days, with volumetric inventories provided within 24 h of data collection. To provide an independent evaluation of the methodologies, the Hovermap ST backpack was used at selected facilities to provide control volumes. This system has a range of 100 m and an accuracy of ±3 cm, which reduces the occlusion to less than 8%. The pre-season facility capacity ranged from 0% to 100%, with an average of 66% full across all facilities. The post-season facility percentage ranged from 3% to 100%, with an average of 70% full. In addition, permanent roof-mounted LiDAR systems were deployed at two facilities to evaluate the effectiveness of monitoring salt stockpile inventories during winter operation activities. Plans are now underway to install fixed LiDAR systems at 15 additional facilities for the 2023–2024 winter season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herbaria remain the primary means of documenting plant life on earth, and the number of herbaria worldwide and the number of specimens they hold continues to grow. Digitization of herbarium specimens, though far from complete, has increased the discoverability of herbarium holdings and has increased the range of studies from which data from herbarium specimens can be used. The rather large number of herbaria about which no current information is available is a source of concern, as is herbarium consolidation and removal of herbaria to offsite storage facilities. Partnerships are key to the future health of herbaria. Benefits could accrue from the reimagining of the world's herbaria as a global resource rather than a collection of independent, often competing institutions. Herbaria can extend the reach of their specimens by joining the nascent effort to link the species occurrence data they manage to other biological and environmental data sources to deepen our ability to understand the interrelationships of earth's biota. To assure that data held by herbaria contribute to the range of conservation-related projects for which they are relevant, herbaria should embrace the tenets of Team Science and play a more proactive role in promoting their holdings for relevant research and conservation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the colonial discourse on populations living in the Mandara Mountains in Cameroon, and the way in which they practiced mimicry to appropriate symbols of the dominant culture, diverting them from their original significance and reinterpreting them to promote their own cultural experiences. It shows how the clichés of rebels and savages through which the colonial power strove to define them were reinvested to defend the image of the mountain dwellers as strong, hard-working people. This process of reappropriation continued during the big tourist boom that began in the 1950s and continued until the mid-2010s, which saw the first forays of Boko Haram in the region. During this period, people staged the supposed cultural authenticity of the Mandara Mountains to fuel the tourism industry. The article is based on archival data collected in various archives in Cameroon, notably in the National Archives in Yaoundé, as well as on data from oral interviews conducted with thirty-nine participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genomic sequencing reads compressors are essential for balancing high-throughput sequencing short reads generation speed, large-scale genomic data sharing, and infrastructure storage expenditure. However, most existing short reads compressors rarely utilize big-memory systems and duplicative information between diverse sequencing files to achieve a higher compression ratio for conserving reads data storage space. Results: We employ compression ratio as the optimization objective and propose a large-scale genomic sequencing short reads data compression optimizer, named PMFFRC, through novelty memory modeling and redundant reads clustering technologies. By cascading PMFFRC, in 982 GB fastq format sequencing data, with 274 GB and 3.3 billion short reads, the state-of-the-art and reference-free compressors HARC, SPRING, Mstcom, and FastqCLS achieve 77.89%, 77.56%, 73.51%, and 29.36% average maximum compression ratio gains, respectively. PMFFRC saves 39.41%, 41.62%, 40.99%, and 20.19% of storage space sizes compared with the four unoptimized compressors. Conclusions: PMFFRC rational usage big-memory of compression server, effectively saving the sequencing reads data storage space sizes, which relieves the basic storage facilities costs and community sharing transmitting overhead. Our work furnishes a novel solution for improving sequencing reads compression and saving storage space. The proposed PMFFRC algorithm is packaged in a same-name Linux toolkit, available un-limited at https://github.com/fahaihi/PMFFRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communities and authorities have been dismayed by globally recorded tailings storage facility (TSF) failures in recent years, which have negatively affected the safety of people and the integrity of the environment. In this context, obtaining the social and environmental license to operate TSFs has become a challenging process for mining companies. This has promoted the trend of using mine tailings dewatering technologies in the mining industry, with dry stacking of filtered mine tailings being recognized worldwide as one of the most acceptable, safe, and environmentally friendly solutions. This article presents a new paradigm in managing mine tailings, with disruptive and futuristic characteristics, considering the dry stacking of filtered mine tailings for large-scale industrial production rates over 100,000 metric tons per day (mtpd). Aspects of filtered tailings management are discussed, such as (i) dewatering process plant with thickening/filtering equipment, (ii) conveyance using fixed and movable conveyor belts, (iii) construction of dry stacking of filtered mine tailings facility, and (iv) implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies for automation of the mining processes. Finally, the article discusses how the large-scale filtered mine tailings solution is applied, considering the advances in the equipment's performance and implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies as well as the experience gained worldwide in several mining operations. The future global trend is that mining operations with high daily production of mine tailings will apply dry stacking technology without dams to guarantee sustainability, promote continuity of the mining business, ensure the safety of communities, and conserve the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay offers a preliminary presentation of a newly discovered dossier of documents produced by the Roman Inquisition during the persecution of the Portuguese Jews living in Ancona in 1555–1556. The essay contextualizes the documents within the archive that currently holds them and attempts to explain how they ended up in Ravenna; it also identifies some of the most striking novelties contributed by these recently found documents to our knowledge of events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, authigenic microbial mineral formation in groundwater near the uranium sludge storage at SC Chepetsky Mechanical Plant (ChMP) (Glazov, Russia) was analysed in field and laboratory experiments using thermodynamic modelling when the microbial community was activated by a mixture of acetate, glucose and whey. It was found that the mineral basis of the barrier consisted of aggregated soil particles with freshly deposited phases of carbonate and sulphide minerals of different degrees of crystallinity. An important factor in the formation of calcium phases is microbial denitrification, which is accompanied by an increase in pH values of the medium. The main factors of uranium immobilisation in the biogeochemical barrier were revealed, including its reduction to insoluble forms of uranium dioxide, adsorption on ferrous and sulphide-ferrous minerals, as well as the formation of phosphate phases through the addition of phosphorus-containing whey and co-precipitation or co-crystallisation in calcite phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cloud data center provides various facilities such as storage, data accessibility, and running many specific applications on cloud resources. The unpredictable demand for service requests in cloud workloads affects the availability of resources during scheduling. It raises the issues of inaccurate workload prediction, lack of fulfillment in resource demands, load unbalancing, high power consumption due to heavy loads, and problems of under and overutilization of resources. Therefore, an efficient scheduling technique and an accurate forecasting model are needed to overcome these issues. Also, to deal with these challenges and provide optimal solutions, researchers must have a robust knowledge of cloud workloads, their types, issues, existing technologies, their advantages and disadvantages. However, previous research indicates limited systematic review studies exist for cloud workload applications with prediction-based scheduling techniques. Therefore, a survey is required that provides information related to cloud workload. To fulfill this requirement, the current study collects the related articles published in the past years. This paper is a systematic review study of prediction-based scheduling techniques that extract and evaluate data based on five criteria. It includes the datasets of different workload applications, resources, current prediction and scheduling techniques, and their related parameters. The survey is quite useful for academicians who want to select the problem and develop new techniques for issues related to cloud workload applications. It also gives an idea of existing approaches that are already implemented and employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data analysis workflows in High Energy Physics (HEP) read data written in the ROOT columnar format. Such data has traditionally been stored in files that are often read via the network from remote storage facilities, which represents a performance penalty especially for data processing workflows that are I/O bound. To address that issue, this paper presents a new caching mechanism, implemented in the I/O subsystem of ROOT, which is independent of the storage backend used to write the dataset. Notably, it can be used to leverage the speed of high-bandwidth, low-latency object stores. The performance of this caching approach is evaluated by running a real physics analysis on an Intel DAOS cluster, both on a single node and distributed on multiple nodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study considers the current state of hydropower in Poland and the legal and environmental conditions for its development. The research objective was to provide insights into the future of hydropower in Poland. An attempt was made to determine the direction of hydropower development in Poland by 2050, taking into account the requirements of the European Green Deal. The basic method used is logical argumentation, which is in turn based on a critical analysis of planning documents and scientific papers. Statistical data on the production and consumption of hydropower were also analysed. Currently, Poland's potential for hydropower production is not being fully exploited. The main reasons for this are a lack of political support and socio-ecological issues associated with the need to take over inhabited areas or areas of high natural value. The analysis of the state of hydropower in Poland indicates that urgent intervention is required in many areas. This applies, especially, to issues of the control, modernisation and technical condition of hydropower plants and damming facilities. The potential for the development of hydropower in Poland is assessed to be very small. Environmental, socio-economic and legal conditions are unfavourable to the construction of new, large hydropower plants. The exception is pumped-storage power plants, which, acting as energy storage facilities, should in the future constitute an important element of the Polish energy system. The possibility of using defunct lignite mining pits for this purpose is indicated. It is shown that some of Poland's former lignite mines are also conveniently located. The possible beneficial impact of building pumped-storage power plants into the water ecosystem of central Poland is emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following reflection is the result of recent research, through which the transition from the sound archive to the digital multimedia archive is observed as a contemporary phenomenon that is placed in the digital ecosystem. The article is introduced with the etymological origin and evolution of the notion of archive. The evolution of this term as a result of the technological evolution of the last century is presented and its relationship with the emergence and evolution of sound archives is presented. The conceptual differences between the notions of library and digital archive are then established. It analyses the changes to which the sound archive has been subjected in recent decades and how they have impacted on the notion of the document and the transition from digital sound archiving to multimedia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect larvae typically moult to grow, but here we investigate insect larvae that moult to shrink; that is, retrogressive moulting or retrogressive development. We demonstrate this phenomenon in khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts (Dermestidae), among the world's most invasive pests of stored grains and cereal products, and a quarantine pest of interest for many countries. Larvae survived a 3‐month period of starvation, moulting up to six times and reducing their body mass by about half, on average. When reprovisioned with food, most larvae resumed the normal trajectory of development and pupated within a month. Thus, retrogressive development is a mechanism that may favour species whose resources exhibit feast‐or‐famine dynamics. By enabling survival during periods of privation, retrogressive development contributes to the invasiveness of the khapra beetle by allowing them to persist for long periods in empty storage facilities or empty containers used for international grain shipments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, resilience‐enhanced building buildings have been attracting increasing attention, in which photovoltaic (PV) power generation and storage batteries are installed in office buildings to continue operations even during a grid outage. PV power generation and storage batteries can be introduced to office buildings to continue commercial operations in the case of grid outages. When introducing PV power generation and storage batteries into a building, the total cost, which is the sum of the equipment installation cost and the damage cost in the event of a disaster, is crucial. When installing PV power generation and storage batteries in a building and calculating the total cost of using these facilities in the event of a disaster, it is necessary to consider the uncertainty of power demand and the amount of power generated by PV power generation. Monte Carlo Simulation is a method to consider uncertainty. However, it has a problem that the combination of conditions becomes enormous, and the calculation load is high when the total cost is calculated. Therefore, in this study, we propose convolution as a method to reduce the computational load generated when calculating the probability distribution of the total cost generated by strengthening the resilience of the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolic processes of potato tubers continue after harvest and therefore interact with their storage environment. Consequently, the quality of tubers and their shelf life can be reduced by the surrounding environment in storage. Markets continue to demand competitively priced and an uninterrupted supply of tubers with an increasing expectation of high quality, using minimum economic input. So, quality storage at a low cost is needed to fulfil this market demand. Many studies on storage design and operation have been conducted to optimise the suitable conditions for potatoes. Half of the potatoes harvested in Turkey are stored in volcanic tuff storage facilities. However, there is limited information available on tuff storage design and operation. Thus, this study aimed to provide detailed information about tuff storage facilities, such as temperature and relative humidity values, used for potato tubers in Central Anatolia in Turkey. Also, the economic aspects of tuff storage facilities were covered in this study. Data collection revealed that naturally refrigerated tuff storage has the ability to store marketable potatoes properly from one harvest to the next without sprout suppressants and technical equipment for moistening and cooling. It has also been recorded that over two thousand volcanic tuff storage facilities in Central Anatolia provide cost advantages on an industrial scale to commercial companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archive has played a crucial role in art historical scholarship in helping to flesh out the identities of colonial artists, scribes, and writers. But the vagaries of history, colonialist violences, and postcolonial regimes mean that the archives undergirding such study are particularly unstable. This essay treats the role of archives (their lacunae as well as their surpluses) in shaping the historical methods and scholarly desires around these actors. Case studies are organized around objects made of ink and paper, the same materials as colonial documentation. These cases span a wide temporal range, a broad geographic frame, and a diverse set of period actors. Set out in reverse chronological order, they capture the longing and lament that colonial archives produce. The essay then turns to archival gaps that have been or might be filled, focalizing a range or methods—from historically sanctioned modes of recovery to patently fraudulent fictions—to explore generative methods of probing archival limits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underground hydrogen storage will be an essential part of the future hydrogen infrastructure to provide flexibility and security of supply. Storage in porous reservoirs should complement storage in salt caverns to be able to meet the projected high levels of required storage capacities. To assess its techno-economic feasibility, a case study of hydrogen storage in a depleted gas field in the Netherlands is developed. Subsurface modelling is performed and various surface facility design concepts are investigated to calculate the levelized cost of hydrogen storage (LCOHS). Our base case with hydrogen as cushion gas results in an LCOHS of 0.79 EUR/kg (range of 0.58–1.04 EUR/kg). Increasing the number of full-cycle equivalents from 1 to 6 lowers the storage cost to 0.25 EUR/kg. The investment cost of the cushion gas represents 76% of the total cost. With nitrogen as cushion gas, LCOHS is reduced to 0.49 EUR/kg (range of 0.42–0.56 EUR/kg). [Display omitted] • The Roden gas field is a potential case for seasonal and short-term H2 storage. • A two-stage reciprocating compressor is required to inject H2 into the reservoir. • Pressure Swing Adsorption unit is selected to separate H 2 from gas impurities. • The levelized cost of H 2 storage for the base case is below 1 EUR/kg. • Uncertainty analysis in different cost elements for the levelized cost is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimal conditions for the preconcentration of 90Sr from natural water samples with carbonate-containing zirconium hydroxide of T-3K grade were determined. A method was developed for the determination of 90Sr in natural waters with strontium concentration with T-3K sorbent of a low detection limit: 0.03 Bq/L from 1 L water samples, 0.02 Bq/L from 2 L sample. The method was tested during monitoring of 90Sr in natural reservoirs in the Sverdlovsk oblast and Chelyabinsk oblast and in water samples from monitoring and observation wells in a long-term RW storage facility locations. It was shown that the developed method can be used without constant monitoring of the yield of strontium in the concentrate for natural waters with a calcium concentration of ≤76 mg/L and a total hardness of ≤5.2 mM, but in view of the established elution yield of 91 ± 1 and 81 ± 2% from 1 and 2 L water samples, respectively, which simplifies and speeds up the analysis. With higher hardness of natural waters, the strontium elution yield as a function of calcium concentration or water hardness reported in the article can be used to determine the yield of strontium in the concentrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For several years, research work has been carried out on energy storage that uses changes in the potential energy of masses being lifted or lowered. The energy of such a solution depends on the mass to be transported and the height to which the weight has to be lifted. Increasing the weight to be lifted is limited by the parameters of the mechanical components, such as ropes. Increasing the height, however, is difficult to implement, if only because of the weather conditions that affect the safe operation of such a system. In fact, the ideal solution is to use mine shafts, which in Poland are up to 1300 m deep. The progressive process of decommissioning the mining industry creates new opportunities to use this part of the infrastructure of mining plants for the construction of energy storage facilities. In the article, possible constructions of gravitational energy storage facilities based on existing hoisting machines are described. There are three main areas in which the operation of an energy store should be analysed if it were to be realised in a mine shaft. The mine shaft, as a working mine and for energy storage, is subject to relevant regulations that need to be met. To confirm the assumptions about the possible use of the existing infrastructure, measurements of one hoisting machine in Poland were carried out and example results of these measurements are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technological effectiveness of artisanal fish production in Yobe State, Northeastern Nigeria, was examined in this study. The study's precise goals were to define the socioeconomic traits of the fishermen, assess the technical effectiveness of fish production, and pinpoint the main challenges the fishers in the study area faced. Through a multi-stage random sampling technique, 240 artisanal fishermen in total were sampled. Descriptive statistics and the stochastic frontier production function were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the majority of fishermen were married men in the 35-45 age range who had an average of 16 years of fishing experience. The stochastic frontier analysis showed that the amount of fishing nets, lines, canoes, workers, and hooks considerably enhanced the level of catch. Age, educational attainment, fishing experience, and income of artisanal fishers all increased capture inefficiency, according to the inefficiency model. The major constraint was the lack of processing and storage facilities. The study found out that with greater use of farmer-friendly input and technology fish catch efficiency can be increased. It is advised that fishers should have access to contemporary, intermediate-technology processing and storage facilities with a flexible repayment schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radioactive wastes (RW) of the near-surface storage facility of the Chepetsky Mechanical Plant SC (Glazov, Udmurt Republic, Russia) uranium refinery, which was operated from 1951 to 1980, were studied. It was determined the first 2–3 m of waste mainly consist of rock-forming minerals: SiO2, various aluminosilicates, feldspars, and zeolites. Wastes occurring after 3 m of depth are represented by calcium compounds: carbonate, sulfate, fluoride. The content of uranium in the RW varies in a wide range from 0.001 to 0.5 wt%. The specific activity of most wastes is determined by 226Ra and raised with increasing depth from 0.05 to 70 kBq kg−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To solve the problem of the equation structure becoming more complex in the improved soil conservation service curve number (SCS- CN) model, a SCS- CN model with revised effective precipitation ( SCS- CN- REP) is proposed by introducing a revised coefficient after a comparison between the standard SCS-CN model and the improved model. Furthermore, for the complex area with low impact development (LID) in a city, a distributed SCS-CN-REP model was developed based on a hydrological response unit division in which the effects of the LID facility′s storage capacity on rainfall-runoff are also considered. Finally, taking the Shuangzi residential district in Beijing City as a study area, the rainfall-runoff is simulated and compared using the distributed SCS-CN-REP model. An analysis of the SCS- CN- REP model showed that when the revised coefficient is 1. 0, it is equivalent to the standard model, when the revised coefficient is smaller than 1. 0, it is equivalent to the improved model. In essence, the revised coefficient is a limit value of the runoff coefficient varied with the increase in precipitation. The distributed SCS-CNREP model application results demonstrated that the calculated runoff depth values are in good agreement with the measured values. The determination coefficients and Nash efficiency coefficient are 0. 91 and 0. 83 when the adopted value of the revised coefficient for permeable surfaces is 1. 0, and are 0. 92 and 0. 91 when the adopted value is less than 1. 0. The effects of the latter model are better than the former, indicating that the simulation effect can be effectively improved when the adopted value of the revised coefficient for permeable surfaces is less than 1. 0 in the distributed SCS-CN-REP model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a discussion of the article "Mechanism of failure of the Mount Polley Tailings Storage Facility." Topics include direct simple shear (DSS) tests on a kaolin clay produced by Suva Minerals of Australia, stages that were carried out to estimate the behavior of the soil should shear-induced pore pressures be allowed to dissipate and thus reconsolidation occurs in situ, and examination of the potential for recovery of strength from reconsolidation.

Motivated by recent failures of tailings storage facilities (TSFs) around the globe, the tailings community is actively working to better understand the mechanical behavior of mine tailings. This study presents a geotechnical characterization (at both the laboratory and field scales) of copper mine tailings from a TSF located in an area with high seismicity, which makes assessing their response to static loading (e.g., static liquefaction) and earthquake-induced demands (e.g., cyclic-induced liquefaction) of primary importance. We discuss relevant aspects in the behavior of the examined mine tailings, including compressibility, stiffness, and the liquefaction (static and cyclic) response. Salient findings include the following: (1) the void index concept appears to characterize the compressibility of mine tailings regardless of ore source; (2) the stiffness-confinement dependence for the examined tailings contrasts with typical sand models; (3) theoretical particle size distributions that promote packing are useful for understanding trends in the location of the critical state line; (4) the examined tailings can experience static and cyclic liquefaction regardless of fine contents (insights on the observed responses are shared); (5) commonly used strain-based criteria are not robust enough to identify the cyclic liquefaction onset, thus we propose different criteria based on mechanistic descriptors; (6) the cyclic response of the examined tailings is affected by coupled stress-compressibility effects and their postliquefaction response fit within the expected response of natural silty soils; and (7) our assessment of state-of-practice liquefaction triggering procedures, in the context of the recently proposed ΔQ method, suggests a comparable performance for the tailings examined in this study. In addition, a soil behavior index (IC) of 2.9 is consistent with the ΔQ=20 as suggested in the literature for assessing liquefaction susceptibility of the examined tailings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of true triaxial compression tests on sandstone were carried out based on the true triaxial testing machine. The sandstone samples were taken from a gas storage facility， with a buried depth of 3600 meters. The strength and deformation characteristics of deep sandstone under true triaxial stress were studied， and the elastic modulus， cohesion， friction angle and peak failure strength of deep sandstone and shallow sandstone were compared. The results show that with the increase of the intermediate principal stress， the peak strength of the deep sandstone will also increase， the crack initiation stress and the damage stress of the deep sandstone will also increase， and the intermediate principal strain at the peak will decrease. With the increase of sandstone depth， the elastic modulus， cohesion and friction angle of sandstone all show an increasing trend. The octahedral shear stress of the peak failure strength of the shallow rock and the effective mean normal stress show a nonlinear relationship， while the octahedral shear stress of the peak failure strength of the deep rock has a linear relationship with the effective mean normal stress. And the Mogi-Coulomb criterion is more suitable for reflecting the strength characteristics of deep sandstone at failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of true triaxial compression tests on sandstone were carried out based on the true triaxial testing machine. The sandstone samples were taken from a gas storage facility， with a buried depth of 3600 meters. The strength and deformation characteristics of deep sandstone under true triaxial stress were studied， and the elastic modulus， cohesion， friction angle and peak failure strength of deep sandstone and shallow sandstone were compared. The results show that with the increase of the intermediate principal stress， the peak strength of the deep sandstone will also increase， the crack initiation stress and the damage stress of the deep sandstone will also increase， and the intermediate principal strain at the peak will decrease. With the increase of sandstone depth， the elastic modulus， cohesion and friction angle of sandstone all show an increasing trend. The octahedral shear stress of the peak failure strength of the shallow rock and the effective mean normal stress show a nonlinear relationship， while the octahedral shear stress of the peak failure strength of the deep rock has a linear relationship with the effective mean normal stress. And the Mogi-Coulomb criterion is more suitable for reflecting the strength characteristics of deep sandstone at failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]