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Using regional data for Italy over the 2004–2019 period, this paper investigates the relationship between government effectiveness and inequality. For our empirical purposes, ordinary least squares, instrumental variable (IV) and generalized methods of moments regressions have been employed. Our evidence indicates that improved government effectiveness has some role in reducing inequality in the most developed regions of the North, but has no effect in both the Centre and in the peripheral Southern regions.

This paper estimates the effect on innovation of increased market access facilitated by trade liberalization. We use a novel empirical design that exploits tariff cuts during the 1990s, along with detailed data on innovation among firms from 65 countries. Our results reveal a large effect of tariff cuts on innovation as measured by patent data, suggesting that multilateral liberalization has promoted innovation and growth. These effects are not driven by the deterioration of innovation quality, and the results are robust to controlling for changes in the patent system and to industry-wide trends in innovation.

A seismic steel damper designed to deform inelastically in an in-plane flexural bending mode for more efficient utilisation of the material was investigated. This proposed device, referred to as an in-plane elliptical damper (i-PED), consists of two circular arches with intermediate straight arms connected in a closed form to eliminate end rotation at the symmetric axis in order to enhance the ultimate capacity. Test results obtained from a series of component tests on i-PEDs with various dimensions indicated that the energy-dissipation capacities of the dampers under cyclic loads were rich and consistently stable. The i-PED with a shorter arm length and smaller radius of curvature of arch exhibited higher strength and energy-dissipation capacity. Empirical formulae for estimating the mechanical properties of the dampers were developed for preliminary design purposes. The numerical predictions were found to correlate well with the experimental results, demonstrating that using the Bouc–Wen model is sufficient for simulating the inelastic mechanical behaviour of steel dampers. Furthermore, shaking table tests of a five-storey modal frame implemented with i-PEDs were conducted, with non-linear time history analyses carried out for comparison. Encouraging results on seismic response control with good numerical prediction were obtained, suggesting the feasibility of the proposed damper and design scheme for practical application.

To address a recent challenge related to broken spikes in premium elastic fastening systems that have led to at least ten derailments and require manual walking inspections as well as build upon mechanistic-empirical (M-E) design principles for future fastening system component design, this paper quantifies the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal fastening system loads under revenue service traffic in a curve that has regularly experienced spike fastener fatigue failures. Previous data has indicated that the high rail of Track 3 experienced the most failures at this location. The data from this investigation sheds light into why failures are more predominant at this location than others and how the vertical, lateral, and longitudinal loads cannot be considered independently. Specifically, while the magnitude of the applied loading was the lowest on the high rail of Track 3, the threshold for failure was also the lowest given the operations at this location led to unloading of the high rail, thus indirectly highlighting the importance of friction within a fastening system. The data also show the high rail of Track 3 was subjected to the highest L/V load ratios and was an outlier in the typical lateral load reversals applied likely leading to spike stress reversals and thus a shorter fatigue life. Finally, based upon the data, it is recommended that to mitigate spike failures, as well as similar fastener challenges in other track types (e.g. rail seat deterioration, etc.) railroads should ensure trains operate close to the balance speed and use fastening system that transfer loads through friction. This study also provides novel data for M-E design of fastening systems.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to ascertain the effects of environmental knowledge and green consumption as mediators on the relationship between green marketing and green buying behavior. This study utilized the definition that needs to customers that are based on environmental concerns and influence the buying behavior for green products. This not only focuses on the ecological concern in organizational operations but also focuses on the customers' knowledge about the environment and how it influences their decisions. Three dimensions have been identified in this research to describe green marketing. These are ecolabeling, green branding and green advertising.Design/methodology/approachA survey research method has been utilized to collect data on a questionnaire adapted from previous research. The data collected have been analyzed with SmartPLS to assess the measurement model for reliability and validity and structural model for hypothesis testing and confirmation.FindingsFocusing on the level of environmental knowledge of customers, it comes to surface that customers in developing countries have lesser knowledge in comparison to the customers in developed countries. This causes concern for the marketing departments in organizations since different customer niches demand different marketing solutions to influence their buying decision. Environmental knowledge does not mediate the relationship between green marketing and green buying behavior whereas green consumption mediates the relationship between green marketing and green buying behavior.Originality/valueThis study incorporates the social practice theory in green marketing research on the organizational level. This study brings together marketing practices under the influence of environmental knowledge for buying behavior formation in a novel manner. The influencing of customer decisions through green marketing strategies determines the success of the marketing initiative. Also, the theoretical foundations on social practice theory and the empirical design of the study to observe the relationships with the survey are new steps.

Cold recycling technologies such as full-depth reclamation (FDR) are sustainable and cost-effective techniques for pavement rehabilitation that reduce environmental impacts and construction costs and time. The limited information available on the material properties of FDR mixtures and their characterization in mechanistic-empirical (M-E) pavement design hinders the full deployment of FDR. Previous research has found current M-E default values to be non-representative and overly conservative, leading to an underestimation of the true performance capabilities of FDR materials. To address this gap, this paper analyzes the performance of 11 FDR sites constructed throughout Colorado, U.S., and compares their long-term performance with M-E predictions. The objective of this paper is to recommend input values for the M-E design of FDR base materials that result in reliable predictions of FDR long-term performance. The analysis includes both non-stabilized and emulsion-stabilized FDR projects. Both initial International Roughness Index (IRI) and resilient modulus were found to have a significant impact on M-E predictions and were calibrated in a two-step process. The proposed input parameters lead to a conservative design of FDR projects and result in improved IRI predictions compared with the ones derived from current design criteria. With the current design parameters, IRI predictions were, on average, overestimated by 51 in./mi, whereas the proposed input parameters make it possible to reduce this difference to 17 in./mi. Future research is needed to improve current models in M-E pavement design software to adequately model cold in-place recycled layers such as FDR.

In the past decade, numerous studies have shown that incorporating geogrid in the pavement could effectively improve the pavement performance. The major benefit of using geogrid in the flexible pavement is to improve its rutting performance as the result of the reinforcement function of geogrid. Mechanical-empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) developed to provide the pavement performance prediction throughout its design life. However, MEPDG is not able to consider the effect of incorporating geogrid in the flexible pavement. In this study, a design procedure was proposed to obtain an equivalent geogrid pavement structure, which satisfies MEPDG design input requirements. In this procedure, a 2D finite element method was used to simulate geogrid reinforced and non-reinforced pavement structures. The iteration process based on stress–strain analysis of finite element model (FEM) used to obtain an equivalent structure input for MEPDG. The geogrid reinforced rutting performance can be predicted by analyzing the equivalent geogrid structure using MEPDG. A significant life improvement of pavement with geogrid was observed compared to pavement without geogrid. The results showed that the incorporating of geogrid in asphalt pavement layer significantly reduce the rutting of pavement layer, thus will contribute to extension of pavement service life.

Domesticated microalgae hold great promise for the sustainable provision of various bioresources for human domestic and industrial consumption. Efforts to exploit their potential are far from being fully realized due to limitations in the know-how of microalgal engineering. The associated technologies are not as well developed as those for heterotrophic microbes, cyanobacteria, and plants. However, recent studies on microalgal metabolic engineering, genome editing, and synthetic biology have immensely helped to enhance transformation efficiencies and are bringing new insights into this field. Therefore, this article, summarizes recent developments in microalgal biotechnology and examines the prospects for generating specialty and commodity products through the processes of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. After a brief examination of empirical engineering methods and vector design, this article focuses on quantitative transformation cassette design, elaborates on target editing methods and emerging digital design of algal cellular metabolism to arrive at high yields of valuable products. These advances have enabled a transition of manners in microalgal engineering from single-gene and enzyme-based metabolic engineering to systems-level precision engineering, from cells created with genetically modified (GM) tags to that without GM tags, and ultimately from proof of concept to tangible industrial applications. Finally, future trends are proposed in microalgal engineering, aiming to establish individualized transformation systems in newly identified species for strain-specific specialty and commodity products, while developing sophisticated universal toolkits in model algal species.

This perspective discusses the role of pregnane xenobiotic receptor (PXR) in drug discovery and the impact of its activation on CYP3A4 induction. The use of structural biology to reduce PXR activity on drug discovery projects has become more common in recent years. Analysis of this work highlights several important molecular interactions, and the resultant structural modifications to reduce PXR activity are summarized. The computational approaches undertaken to support the design of new drugs devoid of PXR activation potential are also discussed. Finally, the SAR of empirical design strategies to reduce PXR activity is reviewed, and the key SAR transformations are discussed and summarized. In conclusion, this perspective demonstrates that PXR activity can be greatly diminished or negated on active drug discovery projects with the knowledge now available. This perspective should be useful to anyone who seeks to reduce PXR activity on a drug discovery project.

The characterization of rock massifs is a delicate job; indeed, it is possible to understand the behaviour of intact rocks individually by laboratory tests but it is difficult to characterize them on the whole rock mass, which has undergone a complex geological history. Empirical approaches play an important role in the excavation of galleries and the design of support systems. These approaches are considered very effective in optimizing the tunnel excavation process. Several reliable empirical approaches have been developed, but the selection or use of an appropriate empirical method to design the tunnel excavation remains a difficult task. Therefore, in this work, the analysis of four approaches, the most used, of different empirical design was carried out to determine the behaviour of the rock mass during its excavation in a state of high in situ stress. This study was carried out on the scale of the ST2 rock mass of the worksite (BAE well 3) at the Bouazzer mine. These approaches include the AFTES classification, rock mass index (RMR), rock mass quality (Q) and geological resistance index (GSI). Based on the simulated statistical results obtained from said empirical approaches, through the finite element calculation, it was found that the application of the rock mass quality approach is very efficient in the excavation of the rock mass. gallery of size because it makes it possible to take into account the equivalent dimensions of the gallery, the stress condition in situ due to the excavation and the heights of overburden which are considered as major elements of the stability of the gallery. The method provides an optimized reinforcement and support design. In addition, this study will serve as a valuable basic document for the geotechnical engineer to design and plan support systems in the excavation of galleries under high in-situ stress.

This paper proposes a process for developing a comprehensive policy life-cycle management (PLM) framework that institutionalises the essential elements of regulatory policy life-cycle implementation. Central banks face challenges during the life-cycle processes of regulatory policy management. The evident reasons for some of these challenges are missing significant policy quality attributes (PQAs) associated with the dynamics of multidimensional constraints that negatively impact the policies' return. This paper suggests using PQAs to formalise a systematic and comprehensive PLM framework. Thematic analysis of data collected at Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) revealed thirteen policy life-cycle challenges and identified eleven PQAs. The constructed PLM framework encompasses six phases: engineering, analysis, evaluation, execution, monitoring, and optimisation. The application of the PLM framework and its PQAs in a single case study provides insights into its potential usability and strength in improving regulatory policy implementation more broadly. The extended PLM framework's contribution is to open avenues of research and inform practice for diverse stakeholders such as regulatory authorities, policy science community engagement, and on-the ground regulatory policy initiatives.

The present article investigates the presence of diversification benefits resulting from the dependence structure in stock returns of Islamic and conventional insurance. Our empirical design is based on the use of daily closing stock prices of 20 Saudi insurance companies and the estimation of a battery of static and time varying copulas. The findings of static copulas estimations show that, at foremost pares, the suitable copulas modeling the relationship between stock returns of "Takaful insurance" and "Conventional life and health insurance" are the Clayton Copula and the Symmetrized Joe Copula (SJC). Moreover, the dependence parameter is practically low revealing an independence among various insurance business lines. The findings of the time varying copulas corroborate those obtained by the static copulas in terms of the weak pairwise correlation between Islamic and Non-Islamic Stock returns. 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Scopus

Climate changes alter the environmental conditions which pavement design is based on, invalidating empirical design methods. Transition to mechanistic design requires the ability to model the behaviour of pavement materials under relevant environmental conditions. An accelerated pavement test (APT) is designed to test two instrumented pavement structures under moisture conditions which are altered by raising the groundwater table (GWT). Open-graded and well-graded subbase materials are used to investigate the effect of gradation on moisture dependency. Pavement response behaviour is modelled using a non-linear elastic (NLE) approach. Accumulation of permanent deformation under different moisture conditions is calculated by two models and compared to measured surface rutting. Moisture transport through the structures differs due to the subbase gradation. Increased GWT accelerates the accumulation of permanent deformations in both structures, identified by both models. One model provides a significantly better fit to the subgrade deformations and the width of the rutting profile.

Military coups are often advocated as solutions for ending state-sponsored atrocities. Yet, we know little about coups' precise consequences. This article estimates the effect of coups on state repression by exploiting the element of chance in whether an attempted coup succeeds or fails. Contrary to popular views of coups as remedies against repressive autocrats, I find no evidence that coups have a pacifying effect on state repression. Rather, coups appear to make matters worse, even when targeting leaders that commit large-scale human rights violations. This article contributes to studies of political violence, authoritarianism, and civil-military relations, by resolving a longstanding "good coup vs. bad coup" debate. It also advances literature on coups and their consequences through an innovative empirical design that leverages exogenous variation in coup outcomes, combined with an extreme bounds analysis, overcoming conventional challenges of causal inference using observational data.

هدف البحث الحالي إلى استقصاء تحصيل رياضيات تلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائي ومهارات حل المسألة الرياضية اللفظية والنزعة الرياضياتية المنتجة لديهم، وذلک بعد استخدام وتطبيق نموذج التلمذة المعرفية وقد تکونت عينة البحث من (70) تلميذ وتلميذة من تلاميذ الصف الخامس الابتدائي بمدرسة الجوهرية الابتدائية والتابعة لإدارة غرب طنطا التعليمية في الفصل الدراسي الأول من العام الدراسي 2019/2020، ثم توزيعهم إلى مجموعتين، التجريبية الأولي والتي درست باستخدام نموذج التلمذة المعرفية قوامها (35) تلميذ وتلميذة والأخرى التجريبية الثانية والتي درست باستخدام التلمذة التقليدية وقوامها (35) تلميذ وتلميذة، وقد استخدم البحث الحالي المنهج شبه التجريبي القائم على التصميم التجريبي قبلي- بعدى في وجود المجموعة الضابطة (التلمذة التقليدية)، وتم تطبيق نموذج التلمذة المعرفية مع تلاميذ المجموعة التجريبية الأولي من خلال دليل المعلم الذي أعده الباحث لذلک، کما تم تطبيق اختبار التحصيل الدراسي، واختبار مهارات حل المسألة الرياضية اللفظية، ومقياس النزعة الرياضياتية المنتجة قبليا وبعديا. وقد أسفرت نتائج البحث عن وجود فرق دال إحصائيا عند مستوي (α≤0.05) بين متوسطي درجات تلاميذ المجموعة التجريبية الأولي (التلمذة المعرفية) والمجموعة التجريبية الثانية (التلمذة التقليدية) في التطبيق البعدى لاختبار التحصيل الدراسي (ککل) وعند کل مستوي من مستوياته، وفي التطبيق البعدى لاختبار حل المسألة الرياضية اللفظية (ککل) وعند کل مکون من مکوناته، وفي التطبيق البعدى لمقياس النزعة الرياضياتية المنتجة (ککل) وعند کل مکون من مکوناته، کما وجدت علاقة ارتباطية دالة بين درجات تلاميذ المجموعة التجريبية الأولي (التلمذة المعرفية) والمجموعة التجريبية الثانية (التلمذة التقليدية) علي اختبار التحصيل الدراسي، ودرجاتهم علي اختبار مهارات حل المسألة الرياضية اللفظية، ودرجاتهم علي مقياس النزعة الرياضياتية المنتجة (ککل). Assistant Professor of Curriculum And Mathematics instruction The aim of the current research is to investigate the achievement of mathematics of the fifth elementary grade students and the skills of solving the verbal mathematical problem and the mathematical Productive Disposition produced for them, after using and applying the Apprenticeship cognitive model. Educational in the first semester of the academic year 2019/2020, and then distributed them into two groups, the first experimental, which was studied using the cognitive apprenticeship model consisting of (35) male and female students and the second experimental one, which was studied using the traditional apprenticeship and (35) male and female students, and the current research was used The semi-experimental approach based on the pre-dimensional empirical design in the presence of the control group (the traditional apprenticeship), and the cognitive apprenticeship model was applied with the students of the first experimental group through the teacher’s guide prepared by the researcher for that, as well as the academic achievement test, and the test of mathematical problem-solving skills Verbal, and the measure of mathematical Productive Disposition produced before and after. The results of the research showed that there is a statistically significant difference at the level (α≤0.05) between the average scores of students of the first experimental group (cognitive Apprenticeship) and the second experimental group (the traditional apprenticeship) in the post-application of the academic achievement test (as a whole) and at each of its levels, and in The dimensional application of the test of solving the verbal mathematical problem (as a whole) and at each of its components, and in the dimensional application of the scale of mathematical Productive Disposition produced (as a whole) and at each of its components, and a significant correlation was found between the grades of students of the first experimental group (cognitive Apprenticeship) and the second experimental group (the traditional apprenticeship) on the academic achievement test, their grades on the verbal mathematical problem-solving skills, and their scores on the scale of productive mathematical Productive Disposition (as a whole).

espanolEl bienestar psicologico se entiende como un constructo que tiene dimensiones psicologicas, subjetivas, sociales y comportamentales, relacionados con la salud mental que conducen a las personas a operar de una manera positiva, centrando su atencion en el desarrollo de capacidades y crecimiento personal para hallar satisfaccion en la vida. El Objetivo es determinar el bienestar psicologico y su relacion con algunas variables socio demograficas en jovenes victimas del conflicto armado registrado en la Unidad de Victimas de Santa Marta, Colombia. Mediante un enfoque cuantitativo, con un tipo de investigacion empirico analitico -correlacional y un diseno transversal, se empleo el estadistico Chi cuadrado y se aplico la Escala de Bienestar Psicologico de Ryff a una muestra no probabilistica intencional de ciento quince (115) jovenes victimas, entre las edades de 18 a 22 anos. Los resultados obtenidos indicaron la relacion de un bienestar psicologico y el nivel de estudios en un 0,010. No obstante, no se hallo incidencia en las variables de edad, sexo, vinculacion laboral e ingreso economico con el bienestar psicologico. En cuanto a las dimensiones existe una significancia de 0,042 entre el sexo y relaciones positivas; de 0,005 entre nivel de estudios y autoaceptacion; 0,048 entre ingresos economicos y relaciones positivas y de 0,016 entre la edad y dominio del entorno. En conclusion, el bienestar psicologico de jovenes victimas del conflicto armado esta relacionado con el crecimiento personal y el academico. EnglishThe psychological well-being is the good functioning of the subject's abilities, which he acquires from the experiences lived in his environment and that resulted from positive changes experienced during his childhood. This study seeks to determine psychological well-being and its relationship with some socio-demographic variables in young victims of the armed conflict registered in the Victims Unit of Santa Marta. Through a quantitative approach. It was approached with an analytical empirical design; of correlational descriptive type and Ryff's Psychological Well-Being Scale was applied to an intentional non-probabilistic sample of one hundred and fifteen (115) young victims, between the ages of 18 and 22 years. In terms of the results, a percentage of 70% was found in the average level of psychological well-being, this figure being predominant in young victims, in the dimensions of well-being, 83% were placed in self-acceptance and 72% of young people were located at a medium level in purpose in life; At a low level of dimensions are positive relationships, autonomy, control of the environment and personal growth. Regarding the relationship, Pearson's Chi-square statistic showed a significance of 0.010 psychological well-being with level of education, differences between sex and positive relationships (0.042); level of studies and self-acceptance (0.005); economic income and positive relationships (0.048); and age with domain of the environment (0.016).

One of the main types of distress observed in Asphalt Concrete (AC) overlays is reflective cracking, and a reflective cracking model has been recently incorporated into the latest released version ...

هدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى تحديد مهارات التذوق الأدبي الواجب تنميتها لدى طالبات الصف الثاني الثانوي، والوقوف على أثر فاعلية استراتيجية العصف الذهني في تنمية مهارات التذوق الأدبي لدى طالبات الصف الثاني الثانوي.، واستخدمت الدراسة الحالية المنهج التجريبي القائم على التصميم شبه التجريبي، وتکونت عينة الدراسة من (41) طالبة من طالبات الصف الثاني الثانوي الأدبي للعام الدراسي 1436/1437هـ مقسمة إلى مجموعتين إحداهما تجريبية، والأخرى ضابطة، وتمثلت أدوات الدراسة وموادها في قائمة بمهارات التذوق الأدبي، واختبار مهارات التذوق الأدبي، ودليل المعلمة، ودليل الطالبة، لتطبيق الدراسة وفق استراتيجية العصف الذهني، واستخدمت الباحثة الوسائل لإحصائية المناسبة لطبيعة الدراسة، وبعد اجراء التحليلات الإحصائية توصلت الدراسة إلى وجود فروق دالة إحصائيا عند مستوى (0.05 ) بين متوسط درجات المجموعتين التجريبية (بإتباع استراتيجية العصف الذهني) والضابطة (بإتباع الطريقة التقليدية) في الاختبار البعدي لقياس مهارات التذوق الأدبي لدى طالبات الصف الثاني الثانوي لصالح المجموعة التجريبية، توجد فروق دالة إحصائيا عند مستوى (0.05 )بين متوسط درجات المجموعة التجريبية (بإتباع استراتيجية العصف الذهني) في التطبيقين القبلي والبعدي لاختبار قياس مهارات التذوق الأدبي لدى طالبات الصف الثاني الثانوي، لاستراتيجية العصف الذهني أثر واضح في تنمية مهارات التذوق الأدبي لدى طالبات الصف الثاني الثانوي، وکان أبرز التوصيات التي تم التوصل اليها: اختيار النصوص الأدبية للطالبات في ضوء مهارات التذوق الأدبي المناسبة، تضمين المقررات أنشطة تعلم من شأنها أن تنمي مهارات التذوق الأدبي، ـإعداد برامج ودورات تهدف إلى تدريب المعلمات على استخدام الاستراتيجيات الحديثة بشکل عام واستراتيجية العصف الذهني بشکل خاص. Abstract the current study aimed to determining the literature palatalizing skills which be developed in the second. Secondary stage students, examining the effect of the brainstorming effectiveness in developing the literature sense to the second secondary stage students. The current study used the Empirical method which stand on the semi empirical design, the study sample formed from (41) students from the second secondary stage students. the study martials and subjects represented in the list of literature sense skills , examining the literature sense skills , teacher guide , students guide , to apply this study according to the brainstorming strategy , the researcher used the suitable statistical martials for the study nature. After statistical analysis the study reached to: There is a statistical significant differences in the level of ( 0.05) among the marks mean of the two experimental groups(by following the strategy of brainstorm) the controlling (following the tradition way) in the posterior exam to measure the literature sense skills of the second secondary stage students .There is There is a statistical significant differences in the level of ( 0.05) among the marks mean of the two experimental groups (by following the strategy of brainstorm)in the priori and posterior for the literature sense skills of the second secondary stage students. There is a clear effectiveness of brainstorming strategy in developing the literature sense skills of the second secondary stage students. The most important recommendation reached to: Choosing the literature texts of the students in the suitable light of the literature sense skills. Inserting some activates which can develop the literature sense skills among the curriculum. Preparing a programs and courses aimed to train teachers on using the modern strategies in general and brainstorming strategy especially.

With growing city density and mass gatherings held all over the world in urban spaces, crowd disasters have been happening each year. In considering the avoidance of crowd disasters and the reduction of fatalities, it is important to analyze the efficient spatial layout of the public space in situations of high crowd density. Compared with traditional empirical design methods, computational approaches have better abilities for quantitative analysis and are gradually being adopted in the planning and management of the urban public space. In this paper, we investigated the official documents, publicly available videos, and materials of the Shanghai waterfront crowd disaster which happened on December 31, 2014. Based on the investigation, a detailed site survey was conducted and pedestrian flow data were acquired. To test the influence of different spatial layouts, an agent-based simulator is built, following the ASPFver4.0 (Agent Simulator of Pedestrian Flow) pedestrian walking rules. With the surveyed pedestrian flow data, the original spatial layout of the Shanghai Bund waterfront together with five other comparison scenarios are tested, including both space design and crowd management improvements. In the simulation results, the efficiencies of different space design and crowd management solutions are compared. The results show that even simple crowd control measures such as capacity reserve and more proper route planning will allow for a positive improvement in crowd safety. The results also compare the efficiency of different spatial operations and give general suggestions to the problems urban public space designers should consider in high-density environments.

Boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) belongs to a family of organoboron compounds, commercialized as fluorescent dyes by Invitrogen™. As BODIPY derivatives, Aza-boron-dipyrromethene (Aza-BODIPY) dyes display superior spectral performances, such as red-shifted spectra and high molar extinction coefficients, and are considered to be extremely attractive organic materials for various bioapplications. Therefore, scientists from different disciplinary backgrounds would benefit from a review that provides a timely summary and outlook regarding Aza-BODIPY dyes. In this review, we report on the latest advances of Aza-BODIPY dyes, along with the empirical design guidelines and photophysical property manipulation of these dyes. In addition, we will discuss the biological applications of Aza-BODIPY dyes in probing various biological activities, as well as in fluorescence bioimaging/detection, newly-emerging photoacoustic bioimaging/detection, and phototherapy together with future challenges and implications in this field. We aim at providing an insightful design guideline and a clear overview of Aza-BODIPY dyes, which might entice new ideas and directions.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to focus on the influences of dynamic capability on breakthrough innovation and explores the essential mechanisms related to such influence. The impact of breakthrough innovation on organizational performance is also examined in conjunction with the manufacturing industry samples in China. Design/methodology/approach This paper follows an empirical design. Data are collected from a survey administered to manufacturing samples in China. Regression analysis is used to test the hypothesis. Findings Results show that the positive impact of breakthrough innovation on organization performance is verified. Technological breakthrough innovation affects both the organization’s financial performance and growth performance in a linear and positive way, while market breakthrough innovation affects organization performance positively with marginal increments. Research limitations/implications This paper uses data of manufacturing industry of China, hence, an extended survey in depth and width is worthy of future investigation. In addition, more unique predisposing factors on breakthrough innovation should be considered in the context of China. Practical implications The research enriches the understanding of how the dynamic capability affects the enterprise’s breakthrough innovation, which helps entrepreneurs understand how to strategize to build dynamic capability during breakthrough innovation decisions and implementations. Originality/value Dynamic capability is uniquely viewed as a multi-dimensional concept from a perspective of modularity, while breakthrough innovation is composed of two constructs. It not only enriches the understanding of how dynamic capability affects breakthrough innovation but also discovers the non-linear impact of breakthrough innovation on enterprise’s organizational performance in the context of China’s manufacturing industry.

To accelerate the implementation of the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) in Pennsylvania and take advantage of locally calibrated mechanistic-empirical models for ...

Mechanistic empirical (M-E) pavement design methods have been available for practice since the late 1970s, and many agencies use them for design and analysis of new pavement and rehabilitation projects. The mechanistic part has typically been based on mechanics and laboratory testing, sometimes validated with data from well-instrumented accelerated pavement test (APT) sections. The empirical transfer functions have traditionally been calibrated with small numbers of field sections from which materials properties have been sampled. This paper presents a new approach for calibration, that provides better compatibility with pavement management systems and future use of performance related specifications.

A new empirical design approach is presented for predicting the compression strength of lightweight fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich panel columns. The model is simple enough to use...

Well testing could be described as a process required to calculate the volumes of (oil, water and gas) production from a well in a bid to identify the current state of the well. Amongst other things, well testing aims to provide information for effective Well, Reservoir and Facility Management. Normally, as a means of well performance health-check, reconciliation factor (RF) is generated by comparing the fiscal production volume against the theoretical well test volume. Experiences from the Coronavirus pandemic has brought about the new normal into well test execution. In deepwater environment, the process of well testing is more challenging and this paper aims to address these challenges and propose optimum well test frequency for deepwater operations. It is usually required that routine well test be conducted once every month on all flowing strings, this is for statutory compliance and well health-check purposes. However, in deepwater environment, it is difficult to comply with this periodic well test requirement mainly due to production flow line slugging, plant process upset and/or tripping resulting in production deferment and operational risk exposure. Furthermore, to carry out well test in deepwater operation, production cutback is required for flow assurance purpose and this usually results in huge production deferment. In this field of interest, this challenge has been managed by deploying a data-driven application to monitor production on individual flowing strings in real-time thereby optimizing the frequency of well test on every flowing well. Varying rate well test data are captured and used to calibrate this tool or application for subsequent real-time production monitoring. This initiative ensures that all the challenges earlier mentioned are managed while actually optimizing the frequency of testing the wells using intelligent application which serves as a ‘virtual meter’ for testing all producing wells in real time. As mentioned, well testing in most deepwater assets remain a big challenge but this project based field experience has ensured effective well testing operation resulting in reduction of production deferment and safety exposure during plant tripping whilst optimizing frequency of testing the wells. Following this achievement of the optimized well test to quarterly frequency in this field in Nigerian deepwater, recommendation from this paper will assist other deepwater field operators in managing routine well testing operation optimally.

In response to the Covid-19 outbreak, among other previous ``non-pharmaceutical interventions99, on March 22, 2020 the Italian Government imposed an economic lockdown and ordered the closing of all non-essential economic activities. This paper estimates the causal effect of this measure on mortality by Covid-19 and on mobility patterns. The identification of the causal effect exploits the variation in the number of active workers across municipalities induced by the economic lockdown. The difference-in-difference empirical design compares outcomes in municipalities above and below the median variation in the share of active population before and after the lockdown within a province, also controlling for municipality-specific dynamics, daily-shocks at the provincial level and municipal unobserved characteristics. Our results show that the intensity of the economic lockdown is associated to a statistically significant reduction in mortality by Covid-19 and, in particular, for age groups between 40-64 and older. Back of the envelope calculations indicate that 4,793 deaths were avoided, in the 26 days between April 5 to April 30, in the 3,518 municipalities which experienced a more intense lockdown. Assuming linearity, a 1 percentage point reduction in the share of active population caused a 1.32 percentage points reduction in mortality by Covid-19. We also find that the economic lockdown, as expected, led to a reduction in human mobility. Several robustness checks corroborate our empirical findings.

With 5G being currently deployed worldwide, research into 6G has been initiated to advance the key technologies of 5G to the next level. Network slicing, as a cornerstone technology in 5G, is expected to continue playing an important role in guaranteeing the Quality of Service for various vertical business use cases with divergent yet more demanding requirements in the next generation. This research explores a towards 6G scenario where ultra-high performance of backbone network slicing is entailed as part of an end-to-end solution to address ultra-reliable low-latency communications in mission-critical industrial operations for smart factory and manufacturing, smart warehouse and other Industry 4.0 and beyond applications. To address the highly demanding requirements, this paper proposes a new hardware-based network slicing approach based on the eXpress Data Path (XDP). The proposed solution is designed, prototyped and compared with an existing hardware-based alternative through empirical experiments over a pre-6G infrastructure testbed. The insights gained from the experimentation would help cast light on hardware-accelerated approaches in 6G network slicing.

This paper compares the predicted distresses (via in the AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design software (PMED)) of asphalt concrete (AC) and jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) using four different clim...

Much of the UK’s ageing port infrastructure is at a tipping point, and there appears to be a recent increase in significant failures. Historically, substantially empirical design by trial and error and the inherent overdesign that this produces, combined with the use of robust materials, mean that eighteenth-and nineteenth-century port structures have sometimes lasted well. Without change in use or reduction in maintenance, they may continue to perform well. However, with the widespread use of reinforced concrete and steel sheet piles starting c. 100 years ago, the introduction of the concept of ‘design life’ was necessary. The structural ability and cost-effectiveness of maintenance of these more sensitive structures steadily decrease as the maritime degradation processes take hold. This paper considers the ever-increasing risk of infrastructure failure that the UK port industry faces and suggests the need for a considered and smart approach to the ongoing monitoring and maintenance of port assets. Examples of smart, real-time, remote monitoring technologies are discussed as the tools for port owners to avoid costly, and potentially uninsured, infrastructure failures.

The increasing penetration of electric vehicles and distributed generation into distribution networks are giving rise to higher, more volatile, and bi-directional energy flows through distribution transformers (DTs). To minimize future capital expenditure, improved DT design approaches are required. Therefore, a novel DT design approach based on a new paradigm of “designing for maximum utilization” is proposed. It incorporates manufacturer and customer-sourced empirical data to achieve a desired DT retirement age and utilization rate, and allows for transient operation beyond DT nameplate rating through accurately accounting for thermal inertia. The novelty of the proposed approach derives from not only a new notion of designing for maximum utilization, but also allowing for the fact that winding insulation may not be the most critical factor affecting a DT's lifetime. Using the proposed approach, DT capital expenditure and utilization constraints can be optimized at a planning stage. The algorithm is applied and validated.

A study, completed in 2009, characterized traffic inputs in support of implementing the new Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide for the state of Michigan. The inputs included monthly adjustment factors, hourly distribution factors, vehicle class distributions, axle groups per vehicle, and axle load distributions for different axle configurations. During the last 7 years, new traffic data were collected that reflect recent economic growth, and additional and downgraded weigh-in-motion (WIM) sites. Performance models for the Pavement mechanistic-empirical (ME) design were recently calibrated to local conditions in Michigan. Hence it was appropriate to incorporate these changes in the re-evaluation of traffic inputs. Weight and classification data were obtained from 41 WIM sites throughout the Michigan to develop Level 1 (site-specific) traffic inputs. Cluster analyses were conducted to develop Level 2A inputs. Classification models (decision trees, random forests) were developed to assign a new site to these clusters; however, this proved difficult, hence, an alternative, simplified method to develop Level 2B inputs by grouping sites with similar attributes was also adopted. The optimal set of attributes for developing Level 2B inputs was identified by using an algorithm developed in this study. The effects of the developed hierarchical traffic inputs on the predicted performance of rigid and flexible pavements were investigated using Pavement-ME. Based on the statistical and practical significance of the life differences, appropriate levels were established for each traffic input. The methodology for developing traffic inputs is intuitive and could easily be adopted by Michigan Department of Transportation for future updates.

Fatigue cracking (FC) on asphalt pavements is one of the most critical performance indicators in the AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG). However, many recent studies have sh...

The method of determining coal pillar strength equations from databases of stable and failed case histories is more than 50 years old and has been applied in different countries by different researchers in a range of mining situations. While common wisdom sensibly limits the use of the resultant pillar strength equations and methods to design scenarios that are consistent with the founding database, there are a number of examples where failures have occurred as a direct result of applying empirical design methods to coal pillar design problems that are inconsistent with the founding database. This paper explores the reasons why empirically derived coal pillar strength equations tend to be problem-specific and should be considered as providing no more than a pillar strength “index.” These include the non-consideration of overburden horizontal stress within the mine stability problem, an inadequate definition of super-critical overburden behavior as it applies to standing coal pillars, and the non-consideration of overburden displacement and coal pillar strain limits. All of which combine to potentially complicate and confuse the back-analysis of coal pillar strength from failed cases. A modified coal pillar design representation and model are presented based on coal pillars acting to reinforce a horizontally stressed overburden, rather than suspend an otherwise unstable self-loaded overburden or section, the latter having been at the core of historical empirical studies into coal pillar strength and stability. Keywords: Coal pillar design, Pillar strength, Overburden mechanics, Limitations of pillar design

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are implicated in the majority of cellular processes by enabling and regulating the function of individual proteins. Thus, PPIs represent high-value, but challenging targets for therapeutic intervention. The development of constrained peptides represents an emerging strategy to generate peptide-based PPI inhibitors, typically mediated by α-helices. The approach can confer significant benefits including enhanced affinity, stability and cellular penetration and is ingrained in the premise that pre-organization simultaneously pays the entropic cost of binding, prevents a peptide from adopting a protease compliant β-strand conformation and shields the hydrophilic amides from the hydrophobic membrane. This conceptual blueprint for the empirical design of peptide-based PPI inhibitors is an exciting and potentially lucrative way to effect successful PPI inhibitor drug-discovery. However, a plethora of more subtle effects may arise from the introduction of a constraint that include changes to binding dynamics, the mode of recognition and molecular properties. In this review, we summarise the influence of inserting constraints on biophysical, conformational, structural and cellular behaviour across a range of constraining chemistries and targets, to highlight the tremendous success that has been achieved with constrained peptides alongside emerging design opportunities and challenges., This review summarizes the influence of inserting constraints on biophysical, conformational, structural and cellular behaviour for peptides targeting α-helix mediated protein–protein interactions.

This paper investigates the role of private equity (PE) in failed bank resolutions after the 2008 financial crisis, using proprietary FDIC failed bank acquisition data. PE investors made substantial investments in underperforming and riskier failed banks, particularly in geographies where local banks were also distressed, filling the gap created by a weak, undercapitalized banking sector. Using a quasi-random empirical design based on detailed bidding information, we show PE-acquired banks performed better ex post, with positive real effects for the local economy. Overall, PE investors had a positive role in stabilizing the financial system through their involvement in failed bank resolution.