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Found 6525 publications
Halal food supply chains: A literature review of sustainable measures and future research directions
Publication Name: Foods and Raw Materials
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Page Range: 106-116
Description:
Introduction. Although sustainability represents a high-profile topic in supply chain management, it remains an unexplored research area for Halal food supply chains (HFSCs). Hence, to bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify the measures necessary for the development of sustainable HFSCs and potential research gaps at the nexus of sustainability and Halal food literature. Study objects and methods. We carefully analyzed forty (40) papers selected from leading, highly-ranked journals to answer the following research question: “What are the measures necessary for the development of sustainable Halal food supply chains?” Results and discussion. The findings revealed that the improvement of Halal processes through the implementation of quality management systems, the effectiveness of Halal labeling, and the use of technology could enhance the economic performance of HFSCs. Furthermore, HFSC’s sustainability efforts are strengthened by enhancing trust and transparency benefitting human resource skills development, promoting animal welfare issues, and increasing regulatory compliance. The implementation of environmental protection measures is a primary driving factor for environmental sustainability activities. Environmental sustainability could be fostered by a shift to the application of greening practices and the support of environmentalism in the Halal food industry. Conclusion. The findings of this study provide critical managerial implications for Halal food practitioners as they can have a summary of the previous studies and thus use it as a benchmark for introducing sustainable measures in their Halal food firms.
Open Access: Yes
SCHEDULING OF WASTE WOOD PROCESSING FACILITIES WITH OVERLAPPING JOBS
Publication Name: Proceedings of the 16th International Symposium on Operational Research in Slovenia Sor 2021
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 321-326
Description:
An important phase in most waste wood value chains is the processing of bulk waste from various sources, usually by means of shredding. This paper presents a method for scheduling the machines in such a waste wood processing facility, where incoming deliveries of different types of wood are processed by a series of treatment and transformation steps to produce shredded wood. A mathematical model is presented for the problem, that allows overlaps between consecutive steps to optimize resource flow through the system. The efficiency of the model is presented on randomly generated instances.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: DOI not available
Examining the relationship between physical activity and sleep among university students
Publication Name: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 7
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Objective: Physical activity and adequate sleep are essential for health and wellbeing. University students face distinct challenges affecting their habits. This study investigates sociodemographic impacts on physical activity and sleep patterns, and examines the association between physical activity and sleep quality in Hungarian university students. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among students (N = 1,340, mean age 20.00 ± 1.59 years; 60.7% female and 39.3% male) from the Budapest University of Economics and Business. The survey was based on sociodemographic data, the Hunarian version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires. In IPAQ-SF, respondents indicated physical activities lasting at least 10 min during the last seven days. Responses were categorised by WHO and IPAQ guidelines. Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) was calculated. Statistical analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 29.0.0.0, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Most participants (85.8%–86.9%) performed below the WHO recommendations for moderate-intensity physical activity. Significant sex differences were noted in physical activity levels (p < 0.001 for vigorous intensity; p < 0.043 for moderate intensity), with men being more active than women. Regarding sleep quality, 57.1% of participants reported good sleep quality (PSQI 0–5), 36.1% had moderate sleep disturbances (PSQI 6–10), and 6.8% experienced poor to severe sleep disturbances (PSQI 11–21). Women reported significantly poorer sleep quality than men did (p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed a significant interaction between energy expenditure on physical activity and sports participation frequency (β = −0.09, p = 0.012), indicating that regular sports participation may buffer against potential negative effects of high overall physical activity on sleep quality. The model explained 3.1% of the variance in sleep quality (R2 = 0.031, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The relationship between physical activity (MET-minutes/week) and sleep quality was moderated by the frequency of sports participation. Given that poor sleep can negatively impact academic performance, health, and well-being, these findings support the promotion of organized sports within university settings. Interventions targeting both physical activity and sleep hygiene may yield synergistic benefits, particularly for students with sedentary lifestyles.
Open Access: Yes
The impact of migration of highly skilled workers on the country’s competitiveness and economic growth
Publication Name: Montenegrin Journal of Economics
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Page Range: 7-19
Description:
The links between the migration of highly skilled workers and economic growth (in terms of GNI per capita) and the competitiveness of countries have been studied. The study is based on statistics from developed countries and using correlation-regression analysis and modelling, as well as cluster analysis using the package of processing and analysis of statistical information STATISTICA. The analysis found that the immigration of workers with higher education has a significant impact on strengthening the competitiveness and economic development of countries – this is confirmed by the impact of talent migration, which is assessed by the values of case studies (‘The Human Flight and Brain Drain’ sub-index Fragile States Index and ‘Brain gain’ sub-index’ in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index and ‘Highly educated workers’ sub-index in the OECD indicators of talent attractiveness). Their impact on macroeconomic indicators is higher compared to the links with social development indicators. Of course, this does not mean that such links should not be seen as important in public economic development management, as they illustrate the level of efficiency achieved in creating favourable conditions for realizing the potential of highly skilled workers, including pull-factors for their immigration. But in the macroeconomic management of a competitive economy, according to our research, actions aimed at attracting highly skilled migrants have the most significant and obvious impact. Other links can be taken into account and used in modelling for the development of institutional support for proactive migration policy for highly qualified workers.
Open Access: Yes
Application of laser-based photoacoustic spectroscopy and colorimetry for quantification of anthocyanin in hard boiled candy
Publication Name: Microchemical Journal
Publication Date: 2017-11-01
Volume: 135
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 100-104
Description:
The analytical performance of the newly proposed laser-based photoacoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) and colorimetric method for quantification of anthocyanin (E163) in commercially available hard boiled candies are compared to that of the spectrophotometry (SP). Both LPAS and colorimetry are direct methods that unlike SP do not require the extraction of the analyte or some additional sample treatment. Results indicate that LPAS and colorimetry are both suitable for quickly screening content of anthocyanin in hard boiled candies. The correlation between the two methods and spectrophotometry is linear with R2 = 0.9989 for LPAS and R2 = 0.9570 for colorimetry.
Open Access: Yes
Reinforcement Learning for Lane-Changing Decision Making in Autonomous Vehicles: A Survey
Publication Name: Smart Cities
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Highlights: What are the main findings? The paper presents a unified overview of RL-based lane-changing systems by linking maneuver taxonomy, algorithm families, simulators, and evaluation metrics into one structured framework. A comparative analysis shows that no single RL paradigm suits all driving scenarios, revealing distinct trade-offs among value-based, policy-based, actor–critic, model-based, and hybrid methods. What are the implications of the main findings? The findings highlight the need for integrated designs that combine RL with safety layers (e.g., MPC/CBFs), cooperative multi-agent decision-making, and explainable mechanisms to ensure trustworthy deployment. The results motivate the development of standardized evaluation benchmarks and simulation-to-real adaptation strategies to improve robustness and real-world applicability of RL-based lane-changing systems. Autonomous lane-changing is one of the most critical and complex tasks in automated driving. Recent progress in reinforcement learning (RL) has shown strong potential to help autonomous vehicles (AVs) make safe and flexible lane-change decisions in real time under uncertain traffic conditions. In the current studies, there is a lack of a common structure that links RL algorithms, simulation tools, and performance evaluation methods. This paper presents a detailed examination of RL-based lane-changing systems in AVs, tracing their development from early rule-based models to modern learning-based approaches. It introduces a clear classification of lane-changing types—discretionary, mandatory, cooperative, and emergency—and connects each to the most suitable RL methods, including value-based, policy-based, actor–critic, model-based, and hybrid algorithms. Each method is examined for its performance, safety, and computational demands. Furthermore, it reviews major simulation environments, such as SUMO, CARLA, and SMARTS, and summarizes key evaluation measures related to safety, efficiency, comfort, and real-time performance. The comparison shows open research challenges, including model adaptation, safety assurance, and transfer from simulation to real-world driving. Finally, it outlines promising directions for future work, such as cooperative decision-making, safe and explainable RL, and lightweight models for real-time use. This review provides a clear foundation and practical guide for developing reliable and understandable RL-based lane-changing systems for future intelligent transportation.
Open Access: Yes
Relationships Between Body Attitude, Loneliness, Problematic Smartphone Use, and Associated Feelings of Deprivation
Publication Name: Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Problematic smartphone use (PSU) is an increasing global concern, particularly among young people, and emotional factors can play a crucial role in PSU. This study investigated the relationships between loneliness, body attitudes, PSU, and smartphone deprivation (withdrawal) feelings using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. A total of 697 Hungarian participants (74.8% female, Mage = 23.51 ± 7.26) completed the Smartphone Application-Based Addiction Scale, the Loneliness Scale, the Body Attitude Test, the Smartphone Withdrawal Symptom Scale, and demographic questions. The results revealed that loneliness was positively related to PSU and smartphone deprivation, with body attitude mediating these relationships. Age was a protective factor since older individuals reported less PSU and feelings of deprivation. While an alternative non-mediated model yielded a comparable fit, the mediated model provided a more thorough perspective. Overall, the findings suggest a potentially vicious cycle in which loneliness, negative body attitude, and PSU reinforce one another, with feelings of smartphone deprivation further exacerbating PSU. This cycle not only deepens psychological distress but also underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to enhance body image and social well-being as a means of mitigating PSU. Given the broader implications, further empirical research, particularly cross-cultural validation, is essential to ensure the findings apply across diverse populations and inform globally relevant strategies.
Open Access: Yes
The generalization of pascal’s triangle from algebraic point of view
Publication Name: Annales Mathematicae Et Informaticae
Publication Date: 1997-01-01
Volume: 24
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 11-18
Description:
In this paper we generalize Pascal’s Triangle and examine the connections between the generalized triangles and powering integers and polynomials respectively.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: DOI not available
Assessing the impact of household energy efficiency and renewable energy developments on energy poverty reduction
Publication Name: Environmental Economics
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 4
Page Range: 83-94
Description:
The paper aims to develop and adapt an econometric model for assessing and forecasting the impact of household energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment on reducing energy poverty in Ukraine. Due to the lack of updated statistical data after 2022 caused by the war, the adapted model was tested using pre-war data from the State Statistics Service of Ukraine and the World Bank for 2002-2021. As access to some prewar datasets was also restricted for security reasons in Ukraine, proxy indicators were applied, allowing adaptation to limited information conditions. The modeling results showed that a 1,000 USD increase in GDP per capita reduces the share of the population living below the national poverty line and, accordingly, the energy-poor population, by 3%. Conversely, a 1% increase in gross capital formation raises the energy poverty level by 0.5%, indicating no direct impact of investment in physical capital, including expenses on energy-efficiency measures, on household welfare. Household expenditures on utilities and the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption were found to be statistically insignificant. The study confirms that household income remains the dominant determinant of energy poverty, while improvements in energy efficiency and renewable energy development play supportive but not yet decisive roles. These findings highlight the need to integrate social and energy policies to raise household incomes, improve access to renewable technologies, and promote energy efficiency measures. The developed model offers a tool for enhancing state policies to alleviate energy poverty under wartime constraints and in post-war recovery.
Open Access: Yes
