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This edited volume examines the opportunities to think, do, and/or create jointly afforded by digital storytelling. The contributors discuss digital storytelling in the context of educational programs, teaching anthropology, and ethnographic research involving a variety of populations and subjects that will appeal to researchers and practitioners engaged with qualitative methods and pedagogies that rely on media technology.

Localisation of humanitarian aid has emerged as a major issue after the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016 which emphasised the importance of locally-led response as a corrective to power imbalances in the humanitarian system. However, the practical complexities of localised humanitarian aid are yet to be fully discussed. This paper aims to examine the concept of localisation in humanitarian aid through a case study of a local non-governmental organisation, the Cambodian Children's Trust (CCT), in Cambodia. Drawing on the framework of localisation proposed by Baguios et al., (2021), we analyse the application of localisation of child protection programs run by CCT. We provide a holistic understanding of how localisation is conducted in practice, and the impacts it has on the wider humanitarian sector. Our study illustrates that power can be effectively developed to local entities and localisation with empowerment could be achieved despite highly challenging conditions.

This study introduces novel phenothiazine-based organic dyes, 2-LBH-100, 2-LBH-44, and 2-Ryu-4, specifically designed for quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (QsDSSCs). Employing a donor-π-acceptor architecture, these dyes incorporate varying electron-donating moieties, including bis(3-(hexyloxy)phenyl)amine and diphenylamino, coupled with a cyanoacrylic acid acceptor. Alkoxy substitutions in 2-LBH-100 and 2-LBH-44 enhanced solubility and dye loading on TiO2, leading to improved performance in QsDSSCs. 2-LBH-100 exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 5% with excellent stability, while 2-LBH-44 demonstrated a PCE of over 3%, increasing to 4% over time. 2-Ryu-4, with its diphenylamino donor, achieved an initial PCE of over 6%. This research highlights the crucial role of donor–acceptor interactions in optimizing organic dye design for high-performance QsDSSCs, paving the way for efficient and stable next-generation solar energy technologies.

Abstract The effect of the thermal environment on performance and productivity has been a focus of interest among indoor environmental researchers for nearly a century, but most of that work has been conducted in relative isolation from the cognate disciplines of human performance evaluation. The present review examines thermal environmental effects on cognitive performance research conducted across multiple disciplines. After differentiating performance from productivity, we compare the two dominant conceptual models linking thermal stress to performance; (1) the inverted-U concept and (2) the extended-U relationship. The inverted-U specifies a single optimum temperature (or its corresponding subjective thermal sensation) at which performance is maximised. In contrast, the extended-U model posits a broad central plateau across which there is no discernible thermal effect on cognitive performance. This performance plateau is bounded by regions of progressive performance decrements in more extreme thermal conditions. The contradictions between these opposing conceptual models might derive from various confounding factors at play in their underlying research bases. These include, inter alia, environment-related, task-related, and performer-related factors, as well as their associated two-way and three-way interaction effects. Methodological discrepancies that might also contribute to the divergence of these conceptual models are evaluated, along with the proposed causal mechanisms underlying the two models. The weight of research evidence reviewed in this paper suggests that the extended-U hypothesis fits the relationship between moderate thermal environments and cognitive performance. In contrast to the inverted-U relationship, implemention of the extended-U in indoor climate control implies substantial reductions in building energy demand, since it permits the heating and cooling setpoint deadband to expand across the full width of the thermal comfort zone, or even slightly further during emergencies such as peak demand events on the electricity grid. Use of personal comfort systems can further extend the thermostat setpoint range beyond the comfort zone.

Abstract Fractures along interfaces between host rock and wellbore cement have long been identified as potential CO2 leakage pathways from subsurface CO2 storage sites. As a consequence, cement alteration due to exposure to CO2 has been studied extensively to assess wellbore integrity. Previous studies have focused on the changes to either chemical or mechanical properties of cement upon exposure to CO2-enriched brine, but not on the effects of loading conditions. This paper aims to correct this deficit by considering the combined effects of the fracture pathway and changing effective stress on chemical and mechanical degradation at conditions relevant to geologic carbon storage. Flow-through experiments on fractured cores composed of cement and tight sandstone caprock halves were conducted to study the alteration of cement due to exposure to CO2-enriched brine at 3, 7, 9, and 12 MPa effective stress. We characterized relevant reactions via solution chemistry; fracture permeability via changes to differential pressure; mechanical changes via micro-hardness testing, and pore structure changes via x-ray tomography. This study showed that the nature and the rates of the chemical reactions between cement and CO2 were not affected by the effective stress. The differences in the permeability responses of the fractures were attributed to interactions among the geometry of the flow path, the porosity increase of the reacted cement, and the mechanical deformation of reacted asperities. The suite of observed chemical reactions contributed to change in cement mechanical properties. Compared to the unreacted cement, the average hardness of the amorphous silica and depleted layers was decreased while the hardness of the calcite layer was increased. Tomographic imaging showed that preferential flow paths formed in some of the core-flood experiments, which had a significant impact on the permeability response of the fractured samples. We interpreted the observed permeability responses in terms of competition between dissolution of cement phases (leading to enhanced permeability) and mechanical deformation of reacted regions (leading to reduced permeability).

Abstract With promising benefits such as traffic emission reduction, traffic congestion alleviation, and parking problem solving, Electric Vehicle (EV)-sharing systems have attracted large attentions in recent years. Different from other business modes, customers in sharing economy systems are usually price sensitive. Therefore, it is possible to shift the usage of shared EVs through a well-designed Dynamic Pricing Scheme (DPS), with the objective of maximizing the system operator's total profit. In this study, we propose a novel DPS for a large-scale EV-sharing network to address the EV unbalancing issue and satisfy the vehicle-grid-integration (VGI) service based on accurate station-level demand prediction. The proposed DPS is formulated as a complex optimization problem, which includes two Price Adjustment Level (PAL) decision variables for every origin-destination pair of stations. The two PALs are employed to affect the EV-sharing demand and travel time between each station pair, respectively. Physical and operational constraints from both EV demand and VGI service aspects are also included in the proposed model. Two case study are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The disposal area of a deep geological repository (DGR) for the disposal of spent nuclear fuels (SNFs) is estimated considering the spacing between deposition holes and between disposal tunnels, as determined by a thermal analysis using the decay heat of a reference SNF. Given the relatively large amount of decay heat of the reference SNF, the disposal area of the DGR is found to be overestimated. Therefore, we develop a computer program using MATLAB, termed ACom (Assembly Combination), to combine SNFs when stored in canisters such that the decay heat per canister is evenly distributed. The stability of ACom was checked and the overall distribution of the decay heat per canister was analyzed. Finally, ACom was applied to disposal scenarios suggested in the conceptual design of a DGR for SNFs, and it was confirmed that the decay heat per canister could be evenly distributed and that the maximum decay heat of the canister could be much lower than that of a canister estimated using a reference SNF. ACom can be used to improve the disposal efficiency by reducing the disposal area of a DGR for SNFs by ensuringg a relatively even distribution of decay heat per canister.

Research on digital twins (DTs) in the power system field has mainly focused on implementing DTs for specific resources, while few studies on electric vehicle (EV)-based DT implementation have considered integration and interoperability between systems. This study introduces a DT-based EV system operation framework to address the aforementioned research gap. The framework implements individual EVs, charging stations, and charging station operators (CPOs) as DTs, enabling integrated operation with the power grid. The DT-based EV agent supports independent decision-making on power service participation by considering location information, distance, charging amount, spare time, and incentives. In addition, the CPO can establish an optimal incentive strategy to induce EV users to participate in grid power services. The proposed DT systems map information between EVs, charging stations, and the grid, enabling analysis and verification of the impact of participants on charging station operation, grid stability, and economic efficiency in an independent environment. The effectiveness and usability of the proposed framework were verified through a case study on an incentive-based demand response program.