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The use of wind power has gained prominence on the world stage, especially in Brazil. In addition to generating energy free of emissions, wind technology is the second cheapest generation option in Brazil. At the same time, it has contributed to reducing hydrological vulnerability caused by climate variation. Although wind power has experienced a steady expansion in the last decade, recent poor outcomes of wind auctions produced uncertainty about the future of this technology in the country. This paper analyses the influence of contract mechanisms used in Brazilian energy auctions for the growth of wind generation. To do this, a scenario analysis based on a hybrid simulation model is used, combining agent-based modelling (ABM) and system dynamics (SD). From the hybrid simulation, the effect of the wind project cancellation policy is analysed, on the one hand, and different ceiling prices for competing sources in the auctions are assessed, on the other. Moreover, the simulation model shows how hydro conditions affect reserve energy auctions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been cases of discontinuity, interruption of submissions, and long delays in manuscript evaluation in low-budget Brazilian journals in information science, possibly related to the capacity and health condition of their editors. What is the effect of increased workload on editors' stress? In this article, we simulate four scenarios of the stress of those editors using data on the number of submissions, evaluations, and editorial decisions. We use system dynamics to model stocks and flows of articles through the editorial process, describing four scenarios of the stress of journal editors for 72 months, with different submission loads. In two scenarios, with moderate submission loads, editors keep stress and total evaluation time at acceptable levels, increasing productivity under a small overhead, in accordance with the literature. In the two scenarios with the highest submission overload, the number of hours worked per month escalates, as well as the total evaluation time, and the accumulated stress. The exclusive but insufficient state funding for journals does not provide for high-quality editorial work in a timely manner. This threatens editors' health and favors the interruption of submissions, delays, and even the collapse of those journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazilian journals in Information Science typically depend on semivoluntary work, with scarce resources. The inclusion of some of these in reputable databases gives them status and attracts more and more submissions, without resource scalability. This article explores this context through a system dynamics model that represents stocks and flows of papers throughout the editorial process. We run 22 alternative scenarios, with different submissions, with or without interventions (interruption of submissions and sharp increase in desk rejections). Several of these scenarios indicate the journal's imminent risk of collapsing, regardless of interventions that alleviate the burden only momentarily. Few overburdened editors sustain the system's continuity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to represent the dynamics of stress generation, accumulation and reduction in the nursing team at an oncology therapy center. Method: a mathematical simulation model of system dynamics was developed based on data collection in loco. The model served to test the impact of three policies aimed at reducing stress in the team, namely i) increase in the service load; ii) increase in the size of shift teams and iii) reduction of service hours per bed. Results: the model showed that the policy of increasing the size of the team obtained the best results, with the absenteeism index stabilizing at 8%; staff at leave also stabilizing at 4-5 people per month, as well as accumulated stress reduced to baseline levels. Conclusion: measures to monitor physical and emotional demands, hiring staff, better technical training for so-called stressful activities, and a better distribution of tasks can be effective in reducing absenteeism rates and improving the quality of life of these workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We model the e-carsharing influence on urban transportation systems. • We test e-carsharing long-term scenarios and their effects. • E-carsharing creates positive externalities for electric vehicles (EV). • E-carsharing creates negative externalities on the conventional automotive chain. • E-carsharing contribute to reduce CO2 emissions. Moving toward sustainable mobility, the sharing economy business model emerges as a prominent practice that can contribute to the transition to sustainability. Using a system dynamics modeling approach, this paper investigates the impacts of an e-carsharing scheme in carbon emissions and in electric vehicle adoption. We study the VAMO scheme located in Fortaleza, Brazil, as the first e-carsharing scheme in the country. We study two policies combined: a VAMO planned growth policy and a retirement policy for conventional vehicles. Our results show that the VAMO incentive policy is an important factor to reduce emissions and to increase awareness of electric vehicles, highlighting the role of the government as an institutional entrepreneur, stimulating and sustaining the VAMO scheme. The retirement policy in combination with the VAMO incentive policy obtained the best results in our simulations, reducing 29% of CO 2 emissions and increasing 36% electric vehicle adoption, when compared to the business-as-usual scenario. The main conclusions are that such e-carsharing schemes offer direct and indirect benefits to urban mobility (specially to electric vehicle adoption) and that they depend on how the government supports them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to analyze the scientific literature to highlight the impacts of innovations throughout the evolution of the port sector and its current innovation trends and processes. For this purpose, a literature review was carried out with the support of the ProKnow-C instrument to select a Bibliographic Portfolio (BP) composed of 44 relevant and representative articles for the research. The BP analysis showed market demand and regulations as the main factors in the selection of innovations; ports '4.0' and 'green' ports as current technological trajectories; and the collaborative trend among the sector's actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to present a theoretical conceptual model of intellectual capital for the process of reverse logistics of refrigeration appliances. In this way, the research hypothesis is: Isn´t there significant influence of intellectual capital in all these stages of reverse logistics aftermarket refrigerators? In this context, this research offers a systematic analysis of the literature for the development of the constructs, variables and measurable indicators, based on the method Proknow-C. A literature review was performed on four databases from CAPES in 2012 and found3748 articles, after the filtering process 73 articles remained for content analysis, from which the constructs and variables were extracted to form the theoretical model. The constructs and variables of Intellectual Capital are: Human Capital subdivided into Skills, Relational Capital in Customer Relationship Intensity and Market and Structural Capital on Organizational Structure, Process and Operational System Information. And for Reverse Logistics are: Operating Process Efficiency, Quality Process and Legislation. For each construct and its variables measurable indicators were established. Eigth indicators were established for Human Capital, nine for Structural Capital, six for Relational Capital and fourteen for Reverse Logistics post-sale. This theoretical conceptual model is applied to refrigeration appliances due to large amount of waste discarded and major environmental problems caused by having chemicals and toxic gases inside it that act directly on the greenhouse effect. Therefore, to occur all these aspects the organization needs to enhance the skills of intellectual capital in their activities to provide a more efficient process, and adding value, even increase the competitive advantage of the company to the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, concerns have grown about increased demand for energy and waste accumulation in Brazil. Technologies that digest waste and capture biogas in the process have been presented as an avenue to address these two issues. Brazil’s biogas potential has been studied extensively, however, less investigation has estimated production across time. A system dynamics model (SDM) was developed to estimate biogas yield over a 30-year period from municipal waste, feedstock, vinasse and waste water routes. The SDM was parameterized using open databases and literature, with a focus on technology diffusion. The analysis indicates production may reach 5.3 million cubic meters/day of methane by 2030 to 19.7 million in 2050. Exchange of information (via word of mouth) exponentially increased technology adoption rates, suggesting that production can be supported by disseminating information that promotes the environmental and economic benefits of transforming biomass into energy. Slow growth was attributed to an absence of policies that incentivized production and its research and development programs. These two hurdles presented challenges for adopters to overcome high upfront costs. Future efforts should focus on the solid waste and feedstock routes given that they assumed the largest production and fast growing population of adopters, respectively. Radical and integrated policies are required to reach substantial biogas yields from four routes to address environmental and energy concerns for Brazil. • Municipal waste has the highest potential to produce biogas. • The feedstock sector will be the fastest biogas production grower in the future. • A national policy before 2025 is advised. • Finding a specific levelized energy cost for biogas is likely to incentivize production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across southern Africa (SA), significant maize yield losses are attributed to invasive and parasitic weeds. Abundance of Striga (Striga asiatica) has become more frequent in smallholder farms (<2 ha) in the past decade. Various Striga control practices (SCPs) have been disseminated across SA, yet often, without decision support tools to inform extension officers and researchers which ones are most appropriate for smallholder contexts. System dynamics modeling (SDM) provides an opportunity to evaluate the efficacy of SCPs across multiple seasons in different agroecosystems and their associated environments. We developed a SDM to evaluate the long-term efficacy of four SCPs popularly used in maize-based cropping systems. Observations from studies outlining local soil seedbanks, emergence and flowering rates in farmer fields were used to calibrate the SDM. Model simulations indicate that while a combination of SCPs are necessary to manage the weed, future research should focus on developing smallholder-adapted SCPs that address the attachment stage of the weed's lifecycle (e.g., timely manure application) rather than its germination, emergence or flowering stages. Given the devastating effects S. asiatica has had on food security in Malawi and across SA, it is imperative to develop decision support tools like systems models to evaluate SCPs for smallholders. Models that do not capture the underlying mechanisms driving S. asiatica infestations may provide extension officers with potentially misleading information, and subsequently, the delivery of ineffective SCPs. • Capturing the dynamic behavior of attachment informs better Striga control models. • Crop models made for smallholders must account for inconstant implementation rates. • Manure may replace synthetic fertilizer after 2 seasons to receive similar results. • Striga control must offer options that consider labor and financial constraints. • Practices that delay strigolactone exudation may be more effective for smallholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]