Academic literature on the topic 'Balance recovery strategy'

In the event of an unexpected disturbance to balance, the ability to recover a stable upright stance should depend not only on the magnitude of torque that can be generated by contraction of muscles spanning the lower extremity joints but also on how quickly these torques can be developed. In the present study, we used a combination of experimental and mathematical models of balance recovery by sway (feet in place responses) to test this hypothesis. Twenty-three young subjects participated in experiments in which they were supported in an inclined standing position by a horizontal tether and instructed to recover balance by contracting only their ankle muscles. The maximum lean angle where they could recover balance without release of the tether (static recovery limit) averaged 14.9 ± 1.4° (mean ± SD). The maximum initial lean angle where they could recover balance after the tether was unexpectedly released and the ankles were initially relaxed (dynamic recovery limit) averaged 5.9 ± 1.1°, or 60 ± 11% smaller than the static recovery limit. Peak ankle torque did not differ significantly between the two conditions (and averaged 116 ± 32 Nm), indicating the strong effect on recovery ability of latencies in the onset and subsequent rates of torque generation (which averaged 99 ± 13 ms and 372 ± 267 N · m/s, respectively). Additional experiments indicated that dynamic recovery limits increased 11 ± 14% with increases in the baseline ankle torques prior to release (from an average value of 31 ± 18 to 54 ± 24 N · m). These trends are in agreement with predictions from a computer simulation based on an inverted pendulum model, which illustrate the specific combinations of baseline ankle torque, rate of torque generation, and peak ankle torque that are required to attain target recovery limits.

A novel balance assistance control strategy of a hip exoskeleton robot was proposed in this paper. The organic fusion of the human balance assessment and the exoskeleton balance assistance control strategy are the assurance of balance recovery. However, currently there are few human balance assessment methods that are suitable for detecting balance loss during standing and walking, and very little research has focused on exoskeleton balance recovery control. In this paper, a single step balance assessment method was proposed first, and then based on this method an "assist-as-needed" balance assistance control strategy was established. Finally, the exoskeleton balance assistance control experiment was carried out. The experiment results verified the effectiveness of the single balance assessment method and the active balance assistance control strategy.

SummaryThis study investigates the effectiveness of a robot-mediated strategy aimed at promoting balance recovery after multidirectional slippages. Six older adults were asked to manage anteroposterior and mediolateral slippages while donning an active pelvis orthosis (APO). The APO was set up either to assist volunteers during balance loss or to be transparent. The margin of stability, in sagittal and frontal planes, was the main metric to assess the effectiveness of balance recovery. Results showed that the assistive strategy is effective at promoting balance recovery in the sagittal plane, for both perturbing paradigms; however, it is not effective at controlling stability in the frontal plane.

SUMMARYPush recovery is one of the most challenging problems for the current humanoid robots. The importance of push recovery can be well observed in the real environment. The critical issue for a humanoid is to maintain and recover its balance against any disturbances. In this research a new stereovision approach is proposed to estimate the robot deviation angle and consequently, the movement of center of mass of the robot is calculated. Then, two novel strategies have been devised to recover the balance of the humanoid which are called “knee strategy” and “knee-hip strategy.” Also, a mathematical model validates the efficiency of the proposed strategies as demonstrated in the paper. Experiments have been conducted on a humanoid robot and demonstrate that the predicted robot deviation angle, using stereovision technique, converges to the actual deviation angle. Stable regions of proposed strategies illustrate that the humanoid can recover its stability in a robust manner. Vision-based estimation also shows a higher correlation to actual deviation angle and a lower fluctuation compared with the output of the acceleration sensor.

Strategies of human balance when standing up from static equilibrium strategy began. The paper use bio-mechanical principles study human balance strategies, we will first discuss the stability of the human body measurement problems, and then discuss the footballer walking process disturbed the balance of input recovery strategy, and the results of this study provide enhancements for the body to balance the theoretical support.

Abstract Background Perturbation-based training (PBT) is a balance training method that causes a trip like event requiring a rapid step response to regain balance. There are numerous examples in the literature demonstrating the effectiveness of PBT but the need to use an expensive treadmill in a scientific laboratory limits the general applicability of PBT as a community-based intervention. A possible solution is to rapidly stop the treadmill belt during walking using the e-brake as the perturbation event. Importantly this could be performed on a commercially available, lower cost treadmill. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a commercial treadmill during PBT. Methods Seventeen participants completed either 9 weeks of PBT or conventional balance training based on ACSM guidelines. During an initial and final testing session participants balance recovery performance was evaluated. Participants were released from a forward static lean angle and asked to recover with a single step, during this test their movement was recorded and subsequently used to determine the Margin or Stability pre- and post-training. Participants were tracked for 6 months following the intervention and falls were recorded on a weekly basis. Results and Summary: There was no difference in balance recovery performance between groups following the training intervention and there was no difference in fall rate between groups in the 6-month follow-up period. We conclude that overall using the e-brake of a commercial treadmill is ineffective as a PBT strategy as it elicits no greater benefit than conventional exercise training.

Chaque année dans le monde on rapporte plusieurs accidents liés aux foules denses. Ces accidents peuvent entraîner des blessures et même des décès dans les cas les plus extrêmes. Les chutes dans les foules denses ont été observées comme l’un des éléments déclencheurs possibles de ces accidents. De telles chutes résultent des difficultés de recouvrement de l’équilibre postural dans ce contexte particulier. Cependant, les connaissances concernant l’équilibre postural dans ce contexte sont très limitées en raison de la nature complexe des environnements liés aux foules denses. Dans cette thèse, nous proposons une approche expérimentale pour étudier le rétablissement d’équilibre postural suite à des perturbations externes dans des environnements de foules humaines avec différents niveaux de densité. En particulier, comme les perturbations peuvent survenir de n’importe quelle direction dans les foules, nous étudions dans un premier temps la réaction d’individus isolés à des perturbations externes provenant de plusieurs directions. Nous proposons ensuite une méthode permettant de prédire les stratégies de recouvrement d’équilibre des participants sur la base d’informations cinématiques uniquement. Des expériences impliquant plusieurs individus sont par la suite étudiées. En particulier, nous avons étudié l’effet de la densité de la foule sur l’initiation et les caractéristiques des pas de récupération d’équilibre. Finalement, un nouveau paradigme expérimental a été proposé pour étudier l’équilibre postural en conditions réelles lors d’événements impliquant des foules denses. Cette approche a ensuite été utilisée au sein de foules durant des concerts de musique punk rock. Les résultats fournissent de nouvelles informations concernant la nature des interactions physiques et les stratégies de récupération d’équilibre utilisées dans ce contexte
Every year, several crowd accidents are reported around the world. These accidents can result in injuries and even fatalities. One of the triggering element of these accidents has been reported to result from falls associated with loss of standing balance in this dense crowd context. However, knowledge regarding human standing balance in dense crowd is very limited due the complex nature of this environment. In this thesis we proposed an experimental approach to study standing balance recovery of individuals following external perturbations in environments with different crowd density. In particular, as perturbation may occur from any direction in dense crowds we first study the reaction to single individuals to external perturbations arising from different directions. Based on the data collected during of this experiment, we were able to propose a method to predict participants’ recovery strategies following external perturbations based on kinematic information. Experiment involving multiple individuals were then considered. In particular, we study the effect of the crowd density on the initiation and the characteristics of recovery steps. Eventually, a novel experimental paradigm was proposed to study standing balance during real crowded events. This approach was then used within punk rock concert crowds. Results provided new insights regarding the physical interactions and recovery strategies observed in this context

Nearly everything a state does has distributional consequences, including grand strategy. Societal groups with different stakes in the international economy and defense spending often have conflicting strategic priorities, and these groups pursue their parochial interests by supporting the nomination and election of like-minded politicians. Thus, grand strategy is a product of political economy. An overview of American foreign policy over the last several decades illustrates this logic. In the 1980s, the Democratic and Republican coalitions had conflicting interests over the international economy, so the two parties diverged on grand strategy. The recovery of the Rust Belt in the 1990s and 2000s, however, brought increasing convergence. Political discourse over foreign policy was fiercely partisan, but, with the notable exception of George W. Bush’s decision to go to war in Iraq in 2003, the two parties shared essentially the same view of America’s role in the world. The disastrous outcome in Iraq led the Bush administration back to the middle ground in its second term, and Obama followed the same course. In contrast, the election of Donald Trump augurs change. Trump’s electoral coalition consists of a different balance of interests in the international economy than that of past Republican presidents, so he is likely to pursue different strategic priorities.

AbstractThis paper presents a comprehensive marketing and diffusion strategy protocol aimed at protecting, restoring, and conserving marine life populations, with a specific focus on the case of the noble pen shell (fan mussel) Pinna nobilis (P. nobilis). The P. nobilis is a critically endangered species of bivalve mollusk found in the Mediterranean Sea, playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance and serving as an indicator of environmental health. The protocol consists of various components designed to maximize impact of the Pinna-SOS project referred to “Innovative Actions for The Monitoring-Recovering—Enhancement of The Natural Recruitment of The Endangered Species (Fan mussel) Pinna nobilis”, that was funded by the Operational Program for Fisheries & Maritime 2014–2020 grant number (MIS) 5,052,394. First, target audience identification involves identifying key stakeholders, including policymakers, local communities, marine conservation organizations, and the public. Messaging and positioning strategies focus on crafting compelling narratives that highlight the ecological importance of the P. nobilis, emphasizing the urgency and benefits of conservation efforts. Communication channels encompass a diverse range of platforms, such as social media, websites, educational campaigns, and interactive events. The protocol recommends leveraging digital tools and technologies to reach wider audiences and facilitate information dissemination. Impact assessment includes monitoring the recovery and growth of P. nobilis populations, tracking changes in conservation attitudes and behaviors, and evaluating the long-term ecological health of the marine environment. Overall, the proposed marketing and diffusion strategy protocol offers a structured approach to raise awareness, engage stakeholders, and drive action towards protecting and conserving the endangered P. nobilis and other marine life populations.

AbstractGender equality is an increasingly topical issue, but it has deep historical roots. The principle of gender equality found its legitimacy, even if limited to salary, in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, establishing the European Economic Community (EEC). This treaty, in Article 119, sanctioned the principle of equal pay between male and female workers. The EEC continued to protect women’s rights in the 1970s through equal opportunity policies. These policies referred, first, to the principle of equal treatment between men and women regarding education, access to work, professional promotion, and working conditions (Directive 75/117/EEC); second, to the principle of equal pay for male and female workers (Directive 76/207/EEC); and finally, enshrined the principle of equal treatment between men and women in matters of social security (Directive 79/7/EEC). Since the 1980s, several positive action programmes have been developed to support the role of women in European society. Between 1982 and 2000, four multiyear action programmes were implemented for equal opportunities. The first action programme (1982–1985) called on the Member States, through recommendations and resolutions by the Commission, to disseminate greater knowledge of the types of careers available to women, encourage the presence of women in decision-making areas, and take measures to reconcile family and working life. The second action programme (1986–1990) proposed interventions related to the employment of women in activities related to new technologies and interventions in favour of the equal distribution of professional, family, and social responsibilities (Sarcina, 2010). The third action programme (1991–1995) provided an improvement in the condition of women in society by raising public awareness of gender equality, the image of women in mass media, and the participation of women in the decision-making process at all levels in all areas of society. The fourth action programme (1996–2000) strengthened the existing regulatory framework and focused on the principle of gender mainstreaming, a strategy that involves bringing the gender dimension into all community policies, which requires all actors in the political process to adopt a gender perspective. The strategy of gender mainstreaming has several benefits: it places women and men at the heart of policies, involves both sexes in the policymaking process, leads to better governance, makes gender equality issues visible in mainstream society, and, finally, considers the diversity among women and men. Among the relevant interventions of the 1990s, it is necessary to recall the Treaty of Maastricht (1992) which guaranteed the protection of women in the Agreement on Social Policy signed by all Member States (except for Great Britain), and the Treaty of Amsterdam (1997), which formally recognised gender mainstreaming. The Treaty of Amsterdam includes gender equality among the objectives of the European Union (Article 2) and equal opportunity policies among the activities of the European Commission (Article 3). Article 13 introduces the principle of non-discrimination based on gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or handicaps. Finally, Article 141 amends Article 119 of the EEC on equal treatment between men and women in the workplace. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the Nice Union of 2000 reaffirms the prohibition of ‘any discrimination based on any ground such as sex’ (Art. 21.1). The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union also recognises, in Article 23, the principle of equality between women and men in all areas, including employment, work, and pay. Another important intervention of the 2000s is the Lisbon strategy, also known as the Lisbon Agenda or Lisbon Process. It is a reform programme approved in Lisbon by the heads of state and governments of the member countries of the EU. The goal of the Lisbon strategy was to make the EU the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy by 2010. To achieve this goal, the strategy defines fields in which action is needed, including equal opportunities for female work. Another treaty that must be mentioned is that of Lisbon in 2009, thanks to which previous treaties, specifically the Treaty of Maastricht and the Treaty of Rome, were amended and brought together in a single document: the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU). Thanks to the Lisbon Treaty, the Charter of Fundamental Rights has assumed a legally binding character (Article 6, paragraph 1 of the TEU) both for European institutions and for Member States when implementing EU law. The Treaty of Lisbon affirms the principle of equality between men and women several times in the text and places it among the values and objectives of the union (Articles 2 and 3 of the TEU). Furthermore, the Treaty, in Art. 8 of the TFEU, states that the Union’s actions are aimed at eliminating inequalities, as well as promoting equality between men and women, while Article 10 of the TFEU provides that the Union aims to ‘combat discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, or sexual orientation’. Concerning the principle of gender equality in the workplace, the Treaty, in Article 153 of the TFEU, asserts that the Union pursues the objective of equality between men and women regarding labour market opportunities and treatment at work. On the other hand, Article 157 of the TFEU confirms the principle of equal pay for male and female workers ‘for equal work or work of equal value’. On these issues, through ordinary procedures, the European Parliament and the Council may adopt appropriate measures aimed at defending the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment for men and women. The Lisbon Treaty also includes provisions relating to the fight against trafficking in human beings, particularly women and children (Article 79 of the TFEU), the problem of domestic violence against women (Article 8 of the TFEU), and the right to paid maternity leave (Article 33). Among the important documents concerning gender equality is the Roadmap (2006–2010). In 2006, the European Commission proposed the Roadmap for equality between women and men, in addition to the priorities on the agenda, the objectives, and tools necessary to achieve full gender equality. The Roadmap defines six priority areas, each of which is associated with a set of objectives and actions that makes it easier to achieve them. The priorities include equal economic independence for women and men, reconciliation of private and professional life, equal representation in the decision-making process, eradication of all forms of gender-based violence, elimination of stereotypes related to gender, and promotion of gender equality in external and development policies. The Commission took charge of the commitments included in the Roadmap, which were indirectly implemented by the Member States through the principle of subsidiarity and the competencies provided for in the Treaties (Gottardi, 2013). The 2006–2010 strategy of the European Commission is based on a dual approach: on the one hand, the integration of the gender dimension in all community policies and actions (gender mainstreaming), and on the other, the implementation of specific measures in favour of women aimed at eliminating inequalities. In 2006, the European Council approved the European Pact for Gender Equality which originated from the Roadmap. The European Pact for Gender Equality identified three macro areas of intervention: measures to close gender gaps and combat gender stereotypes in the labour market, measures to promote a better work–life balance for both women and men, and measures to strengthen governance through the integration of the gender perspective into all policies. In 2006, Directive 2006/54/EC of the European Parliament and Council regulated equal opportunities and equal treatment between male and female workers. Specifically, the Directive aims to implement the principle of equal treatment related to access to employment, professional training, and promotion; working conditions, including pay; and occupational social security approaches. On 21 September 2010, the European Commission adopted a new strategy to ensure equality between women and men (2010–2015). This new strategy is based on the experience of Roadmap (2006–2010) and resumes the priority areas identified by the Women’s Charter: equal economic independence, equal pay, equality in decision-making, the eradication of all forms of violence against women, and the promotion of gender equality and women’s empowerment beyond the union. The 2010–2015 Strategic Plan aims to improve the position of women in the labour market, but also in society, both within the EU and beyond its borders. The new strategy affirms the principle that gender equality is essential to supporting the economic growth and sustainable development of each country. In 2010, the validity of the Lisbon Strategy ended, the objectives of which were only partially achieved due to the economic crisis. To overcome this crisis, the Commission proposed a new strategy called Europe 2020, in March 2010. The main aim of this strategy is to ensure that the EU’s economic recovery is accompanied by a series of reforms that will increase growth and job creation by 2020. Specifically, Europe’s 2020 strategy must support smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. To this end, the EU has established five goals to be achieved by 2020 and has articulated the different types of growth (smart, sustainable, and inclusive) in seven flagship initiatives. Among the latter, the initiative ‘an agenda for new skills and jobs’, in the context of inclusive growth, is the one most closely linked to gender policies and equal opportunities; in fact, it substantially aims to increase employment rates for women, young, and elderly people. The strategic plan for 2010–2015 was followed by a strategic commitment in favour of gender equality 2016–2019, which again emphasises the five priority areas defined by the previous plan. Strategic commitment, which contributes to the European Pact for Gender Equality (2011–2020), identifies the key actions necessary to achieve objectives for each priority area. In March 2020, the Commission presented a new strategic plan for equality between women and men for 2020–2025. This strategy defines a series of political objectives and key actions aimed at achieving a ‘union of equality’ by 2025. The main objectives are to put an end to gender-based violence and combat sexist stereotypes, ensure equal opportunities in the labour market and equal participation in all sectors of the economy and political life, solve the problem of the pay and pension gap, and achieve gender equality in decision-making and politics. From the summary of the regulatory framework presented, for the European Economic Community first, then for the European Community, and finally for the European Union, gender equality has always been a fundamental value. Interest in the issues of the condition of women and equal opportunities has grown over time and during the process of European integration, moving from a perspective aimed at improving the working conditions of women to a new dimension to improve the life of the woman as a person, trying to protect her not only professionally but also socially, and in general in all those areas in which gender inequality may occur. The approach is extensive and based on legislation, the integration of the gender dimension into all policies, and specific measures in favour of women. From the non-exhaustive list of the various legislative interventions, it is possible to note a continuous repetition of the same thematic priorities which highlights, on the one hand, the poor results achieved by the implementation of the policies, but, on the other hand, the Commission’s willingness to pursue the path initially taken. Among the achievements in the field of gender equality obtained by the EU, there is certainly an increase in the number of women in the labour market and the acquisition of better education and training. Despite progress, gender inequalities have persisted. Even though women surpass men in terms of educational attainment, gender gaps still exist in employment, entrepreneurship, and public life (OECD, 2017). For example, in the labour market, women continue to be overrepresented in the lowest-paid sectors and underrepresented in top positions (according to the data released in the main companies of the European Union, women represent only 8% of CEOs).

AbstractIn this book, I analyzed the extent to which internal migrants and stayers in areas affected by climate change across Peru’s highlands, rainforest, and coastline could meet their needs and how they self-assessed well-being. The former, objective well-being, includes livelihoods, health, education, shelter, social relatedness, among others, while the latter, subjective well-being, encompasses present emotional balance and cognitive satisfaction as well as views of the future. Three characteristic well-being pathways were clustered. First, displaced persons in the coastal zone and trapped people in the highlands experienced a tailspin into severe ill-being. Second, most migrants from the highlands and the trapped people in the rainforest wound up deadlocked in a worsening state of life, while the voluntary stayers in the Andes risked following this path as well. Finally, a small number of migrants from the highlands and the relocatees in the rainforest were able to recover slowly after climate impacts, albeit with taxing and laborious processes. Regarding mechanisms, the analysis shows that well-being impacts of climate (im)mobilities are primarily contingent on the favorability of structural conditions as well as on the nature and impacts of hazards, whereas people’s frequently low levels of agency can moderate the effects only to a limited extent. Transferring these findings beyond Peru, this study cautions that for most poor, undiversified subsistence farmers harmed by severe climate impacts and subjected to serious structural constraints, climate migration and immobility are bound to threaten well-being. In rarer cases when some of these key parameters are relatively favorable, well-being may return to the baseline, stagnate, or rise marginally; however, such recovery or gains tend to be frail. For policy debates, the findings suggest that under prevailing policy and structures, migration does not work as a positive adaptation strategy for many people. The book highlights that moving and staying can be the consequence of, and lead to further, significant loss and damage. Therefore, several actions recommended in this chapter are urgently needed to improve well-being for both movers and stayers. This includes efforts to reduce climate risks; protect and inform stayers; facilitate movement in dignity where needed; as well as safeguard and improve the well-being of migrants. The chapter also discusses the methodological and conceptual implications of the findings and highlights key research needs. Looking ahead, this book cautions that the well-being threats related to climate (im)mobilities could be extensive. Actions taken in this decade will be critical in determining the magnitude of future climate impacts, other shocks, resultant migration and immobility, and their well-being impacts.

AbstractThe current decade will be critical for Europe’s aspiration to attain and maintain digital sovereignty so as to effectively protect and promote its humanistic values in the evolving digital ecosystem. Digital sovereignty in the current geopolitical context remains a fluid concept as it must rely on a balanced strategic interdependence with the USA, China, and other global actors. The developing strategy for achieving this relies on the coordinated use of three basic instruments, investment, regulation, and completion of the digital internal market. Investment, in addition to the multiannual financial framework (2021–2027) instruments, will draw upon the 20% of the 750 billion recovery fund. Regulation, in addition to the Digital Governance Act and the Digital Market Act, will include the Data Act, the new AI regulation, and more that is in the pipeline, leveraging the so-called Brussels effect. Of key importance for the success of this effort remains the timing and “dovetailing” of the particular actions taken.

AbstractIt has been more than 5 years since the Paris Agreement was ratified, while the progress to limit the increase in global temperature to well below 2 °C above preindustrial levels is questionable. Addressing climate change cannot be separated from economic and political issues, leading to an emergence of global discourses about the appropriate means for a sustainable transformation. Although the green economy has received criticisms, such a concept is a “popular” vision to balance economic, social well-being, and ecological goals. However, the Covid-19 pandemic, which has no clear ending period, significantly impacts the economy and threatens climate actions. This chapter aims to analyze the fate of climate actions in Indonesia. We employ a crisis management framework to provide insights about governing climate change under the Covid-19 pandemic while seizing the opportunities to achieve the climate target. Unlike previous crises, the Covid-19 pandemic should be treated differently in which the government needs to identify the big picture of the problem. In this regard, the role of leadership played by the President is critical to determine what actions can be possibly taken and measure the potential impacts of delaying the actions. As a result, creative and strategic steps are necessary, aligning with the recovery policies. In terms of potential opportunities, promoting a circular economy would accelerate the government’s commitment to low-carbon development. Moreover, optimizing blended finance to mobilize public and philanthropic funds can support green movements, aligning with the proliferation of green financial markets. Thus, the Covid-19 crisis has become a moment to seize the opportunity for redesigning climate policies, including financing mechanisms and improving the governance in climate adaptation and mitigation.

Governments around the world are enacting green recovery and transition programs in collaboration with international agencies. Their coordinated efforts attempt to balance economic growth with environmental preservation, emphasizing that for a sustainable and green future the green transformation is an urgent requirement. The employment component of the green transformation has significant social and economic repercussions. Depending on how prepared countries are for the transition process, skill adaptation and the creation of new job opportunities can provide socioeconomic benefits. “Green jobs” are discussed in the chapter as an important part of the transition strategy to a green economy. The chapter outlines what a “green job” is and is not, presents the connection between employment and skills, and emphasizes the relevance of green jobs in the transition process.

Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle power generation technology is recognized as one of the important future development directions of clean power generation. Taking a large-scale IGCC power plant as the research object, the operating strategy of single unit tripping in multi-units was discussed in this paper. Gasification unit and air separation unit shall ramp down and balance with various gas demand in 1–2 minutes after one-unit trips. Duct burners of heat recovery steam generator can be used to produce more steam and increase steam turbines output subsequently. New stabilized power output can be reached within 20 minutes after the tripping.

Sports nutrition science seeks to determine optimal dietary protocols for athletes pushing the limits of human physiology in power, endurance, and skill. Traditionally, dietary interventions aimed to stimulate performance have focused on strategic intake of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. However, recent development of oral ketone supplements has increased the popularity of intermitted exogenous ketosis (IEK) as a potential nutritional strategy to stimulate training adaptation and performance in athletes. Several physiologic mechanisms are implicated in acute modulation of exercise performance by IEK. These include use of ketone bodies as an alternative substrate for oxidative ATP production in contracting muscles and ketone-mediated inhibition of glycolytic flux. The latter could lead to glycogen sparing, which may increase endurance; on the other hand, glycolytic inhibition in conjunction with ketoacidosis could be ergolytic in short maximal exercise bouts. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggests that acute and chronic post-exercise ketosis may stimulate recovery from training. Acute IEK could stimulate muscle protein synthesis and glycogen repletion, and chronic ketone ester intake blunted overreaching symptoms during short-term endurance training overload. This protection could be attributed to improved autonomic neural balance, appetite and stress hormone regulation, and possibly attenuation of exercise-induced inflammation and oxidative stress. Such effects could conceivably either down- or upregulate training adaptation. However, research to date describing both acute and chronic exogenous ketosis in exercise and training is limited and inconclusive. Further studies are required to elucidate the specific contexts and mechanisms whereby IEK could maximally benefit athletes.

The aim of the research is to review and evaluate the prerequisites and needs for transforming the mechanisms of financial regulation in the Ukrainian economy in the conditions of war and post-war recovery. The losses of the economy and specific industries during wartime were analyzed based on open data. A review of legislation regarding innovative fiscal regulation introduced during the period of war to ensure national security, support the livelihoods of the state, businesses, and the population was conducted. It was argued that the accumulation of financial resources is necessary based on principles of systematics and balance, with prioritization of sources and distribution of resources based on the importance of funding directions for ensuring national security, payment of government debt, support of vital economic sectors, and provision of social guarantees. Priorities for post-war reconstruction funding were concentrated in supporting the financial market and economically significant sectors, which are the foundation of national security, particularly the agricultural sector. The role of international financial institutions and their participation in funding Ukraine's reconstruction in the form of grants, aid from charitable funds, and provision of financial assets in the short and medium term were analyzed. It was determined that a higher level of harmonization between national and global concepts of financial mechanism development is necessary. It is envisioned that in the field of financial regulation, priority tasks should be outlined in correlation with Ukraine's recovery strategy by segments and industries, as well as expected volumes and results of financial support for the economy in a strategic perspective. The configuration of financial regulation mechanisms in the Ukrainian economy in the conditions of war and their probable post-war transformation was outlined.

Forest fire has been a recurring natural phenomenon throughout the history of our earth. However, in recent time, the intensity and frequency of forest fire have increased because of natural and artificial factors. To maintain ecological balance, protecting habitat of wildlife and property of human being and their lives it is necessary to understand the causes, impacts and effective management practices of forest fire. There are multiple impacts of forest fire, affecting air quality, water resources, carbon sequestration and biodiversity etc. It disrupts the various ecological phenomenons in forest ecosystem which causes irreversible change in flora and fauna and threatening species to extinction. Additionally, particulate matter and smoke released during forest fire have extensive impact on air quality, damage respiratory system and cause cardiovascular diseases in population of both local and distant regions. Forest fire also releases considerable amount of carbon dioxide, cause climate change and accelerate global warming. Successful management of forest fire needs a holistic approach including preparedness, prevention, suppression and post fire recovery strategy. Awareness about prevention of forest fire, campaigns related to forest fire and early warning systems play significant role in reducing fire incidents. Moreover, forest thinning and controlled burning are important tools to reduce fuel loads and mitigate the risk of forest fire. Advancement in technology with time has increased the capability for firefighting by using aerial resources, remote sensing and predictive modeling. Post-fire recovery involves rehabilitating affected ecosystems, implementing reforestation programs, and monitoring ecosystem resilience and succession over time. Collaborative efforts between governments, non-governmental organizations, scientists, and local communities are indispensable for successful restoration initiatives.

Abstract Push recovery is a vital aspect of balance stability control in biped robots. In this work, the response of a biped system to unexpected external perturbations is analyzed for different tasks and controllers using stability criteria based on balanced and steppable regions. The steppable region for a given step length and the balanced regions for single and double support contacts are constructed for a biped robot using optimization with its system dynamics, kinematic limits, actuation limits, and contact interactions with the environment. The regions are compared with those of a human subject to demonstrate that human gait exhibits unbalanced (but steppable) phases largely absent in robotic gait. These regions are also applied to a comparative analysis against capturability, where the computed steppable region is significantly larger than the capture region of an equivalent reduced-order model. The stability regions are also used to compare the performance of controllers during a double support balancing task. The implemented hip, knee, and ankle strategy-based controller led to improved stabilization — i.e., decreased foot tipping and time required to balance — relative to an existing hip and ankle controller and a gyro feedback controller. The proposed approaches are applicable to the analysis of any bipedal task and stability controller in general.

Abstract For successful push recovery control in response to unpredicted perturbations, a humanoid robot must select the appropriate stabilizing action from a wide range of available strategies. Existing approaches are restricted to a limited range of balancing motions because they are often derived from reduced-order models and ignore system-specific aspects such as swing leg dynamics or joint kinematic/actuation limits. In this work, a novel partition-aware push recovery controller is introduced that can select between the ankle, hip, and captured stepping strategies for balance by evaluating the robot’s center-of-mass (COM) state with respect to different levels of criteria. The criteria are the partition-based stability regions in the augmented COM state space, which are numerically constructed for each balancing strategy. For stepping, both free- and fixed-arm capturability regions were obtained to quantify the effect of arm momenta on balancing capability. The regions are pre-computed for control with an optimization-based method that incorporates whole-body system dynamics, contact interactions with the ground, system-specific characteristics, and requirements of the corresponding strategy. Through simulation experiments, the proposed approach was demonstrated to allow the controller to fully exploit a humanoid robot’s balancing capability and validate the use of pre-computed stability regions as explicit criteria to initiate a proper balancing motion, in contrast to the use of incomplete or implicit criteria in existing controllers.

Abstract Implementation of multi-speed transmission for battery electric vehicle (BEV) is considered as one of effective methods in improving dynamic capability, reducing power consumption and downsizing the powertrain. Considering two trends of automotive technology, advanced driving assistance system (ADAS) and BEV electric powertrain, equipped with a two-speed transmission, can enhance the performance of automatic emergency braking systems (AEBS). When downshift operation is executed during regenerative braking, the multi-speed transmission in first gear can provide adequate brake force capacity for hard braking requirement, improving efficiency of energy recovery of drive motor as well as eliminating the dynamic lag of active braking booster. To ensure both the braking command and downshift requirement, a seamless clutch-to-clutch shifting control strategy based on power balance method is developed by analyzing the frictional work of two friction clutches inside the gear box and the transformation process of kinetic energy of rotational mechanical elements. To maintain the total energy balance of the powertrain as the control objective, the active power compensation of the drive motor during shifting fills the energy gap of the whole transmission system. With the estimation of clutches’ friction torque and shifting stage analyzer, optimal drive motor torque command can be numerically solved and a complete shifting control flow is designed in this study. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed control method in achieving seamless downshifting during regenerative braking, enhancing AEBS performance and improving energy recovery efficiency.

In this study, a preliminary investigation is carried out concerning the possibility and feasibility of recovering part of the side walls heat loss to use it in an energy utilization system. For this purpose, a simple smart heat transfer model is developed for the aluminum smelter side lines accounting for the dynamic ledge profile variations and phase change. Using the model, the total side wall heat loss is estimated and evaluated in different operating conditions of the cell. The system flexibility and self-adjustment ability are taken in to account to find the appropriate solution for the heat extraction system. Using the above-mentioned analysis, the heat recovery strategy and also the possible and applicable alternatives for the side walls heat collection and utilization system are investigated.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Electromagnetic damper (EMD), which has shown good vibration isolation and energy harvesting potential, has received much attention in recent years. In addition, the harvested energy of EMD systems can be used to further suppress severe vibration. When the harvested energy of the suspension system is more than the consumed energy, the suspension system can realize self-powered functions. However, the integration of the above three functions is a challenge for the design of EMD systems. In this paper, a novel multi-function electromagnetic damper (MFEMD) system, which integrates the semi-active vibration control mode, energy-harvesting mode, and self-powered mode, is introduced first. The MFEIS system applies an H-bridge circuit to control the multi-directional flow of circuit energy flow, and the supercapacitor is used as the energy storage device because of its high-power density and rapid response speed. Since vehicles are driving in complex road conditions in the real world, road information needs to be considered to control the MFEMD system. Additionally, the energy recovery efficiency and vibration suppression performance of the MFEMD system also need to be balanced. A switchable control strategy based on road classification is proposed to switch the state of the MFEMD system. According to the real driving conditions, roads are classified into three categories, namely high-speed smooth roads, medium-speed good roads, and low-speed bad roads. The state of the MFEMD system is switched based on the road information to balance the ride comfort and energy recovery efficiency. A complex road, which contains different levels of random roads, is adopted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. Simulation results verified the effectiveness of the proposed switchable control strategy compared with a well-tuned passive suspension and a semi-active suspension.</div></div>

Abstract Five years after Mero Field commercial declaration, around 200.000 bbl/d are being produced, with an expected production peak over 600.000 bbl/d to be reached in the next years. Successful results are being achieved with a reservoir-oriented strategy to minimize risks and maximize value. The main aspects of this strategy, which aims at attaining a recoverable oil volume of more than 3 billion barrels, is described in this work. Mero's development strategy combines two main phases: the first focused on data acquisition for definition of the global development plan and flexibilities necessary for further optimizations and the second focused on the plan implementation using the flexibilities to optimize results during deployment. On the first step, a development plan with four 180.000 bbl/d production systems and a FPSO of 50.000 bbl/d was conceived, with produced high CO2 content gas full reinjection (WAG) as the recovery method. However, relevant reservoir uncertainties remained, which required actions for guaranteeing that risks could be mitigated and opportunities could be seized during the projects’ execution. Some of the applied strategies were: an itinerant EWT unit allocated on main dynamic uncertainty areas, the anticipation of a few development wells in strategical reservoir positions, the use of flexible EPCI contracts allowing a range of possible flowlines extension acquisition, and an integrated multidisciplinary rigs schedule using preceding wells data to define next locations final position. Anticipated wells along with EWTs were important to appraise critical reservoir regions and to verify communication between different reservoir zones. Seismic data improvements enabled a better reservoir characterization. However, only during the second phase of the above-mentioned development strategy, using all the gathered information together was it possible to identify in a more precise manner relevant aspects, such as the presence and location of igneous bodies in the reservoir zone, a new area of the reservoir to be drained, and the aquifer characteristics. With knowledge evolution, reducing uncertainties and confirming opportunities, changes in drainage plan were then accomplished after FID, using the EPCI flexibilities milestones, defining the final wellhead locations and well trajectories closer to each project's first oil. The first three Mero projects have already gone through this optimization process with expected gains up to two hundred million barrels of additional oil recovery. A balance between audacious strategies for project and profit acceleration and flexibility strategies for path correction and optimization has been fundamental for the development of complex fields, such as the pre-salt ones. The strategy herein presented is leading to a successful development of Mero Field and may be used for the development of other offshore projects to maximize recovery and economics.

Performance improvement of heat recovery systems has huge potential for energy conservation but puzzles researchers due to the nonlinear coupled properties. The traditional modelling approaches focus on individual components, which introduces numerous non-independent variables and further complicates the system optimization. In this contribution, through the thermo-electric analogy method, the equivalent power flow diagram is built based on the system layout, then the corresponding governing equations are derived according to the circuitous philosophy, which reveals the overall transfer and conversion laws of heat. Then, by analyzing the pressure variations of fluids in various components, the flow resistance balance equations are established, which describes the pressure distribution in circulation loop. Moreover, through combining with the coupling relations between the temperatures and pressures of fluids, the inherent physical constraints among operating parameters are revealed by introducing few intermediate variables, which provides convenience for model computation. On this basis, through reasonably matching the mass flow rates of working fluids, the net power generation is maximized under variable working conditions. The optimization results indicate the parameters variation of flue gas significantly impacts the optimal operating state of system, while the empirical constant backpressure operation strategy apparently deviates from the optimums, and the most deviation reaches 8.2%.

The Original Objectives were modified and two were eliminated to reflect the experimental results: Objective 1 - Identify additional genetic variability in SlGLK2 and IPin wild, traditional and heirloom tomato varieties Objective 2 - Determine carbon balance and horticultural characteristics of isogenic lines expressing functional and non-functional alleles of GLKsand IP Background: The goal of the research was to understand the unique aspects of chloroplasts and photosynthesis in green fruit and the consequences of increasing the chloroplast capacity of green fruit for ripe fruit sugars, yield, flavor and nutrient qualities. By focusing on the regulation of chloroplast formation and development solely in fruit, our integrated knowledge of photosynthetic structures/organs could be broadened and the results of the work could impact the design of manipulations to optimize quality outputs for the agricultural fruit with enhanced sugars, nutrients and flavors. The project was based on the hypothesis that photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic plastid metabolism in green tomato fruit is controlled at a basal level by light for minimal energy requirements but fruit-specific genes regulate further development of robust chloroplasts in this organ. Our BARD project goals were to characterize and quantitate the photosynthesis and chloroplast derived products impacted by expression of a tomato Golden 2- like 2 transcription factor (US activities) in a diverse set of 31 heirloom tomato lines and examine the role of another potential regulator, the product of the Intense Pigment gene (IP activities). Using tomato Golden 2-like 2 and Intense Pigment, which was an undefined locus that leads to enhanced chloroplast development in green fruit, we sought to determine the benefits and costs of extensive chloroplast development in fruit prior to ripening. Major conclusions, solutions, achievements: Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter, coding and intronicSlGLK2 sequences of 20 heirloom tomato lines were identified and three SlGLK2 promoter lineages were identified; two lineages also had striped fruit variants. Lines with striped fruit but no shoulders were not identified. Green fruit chlorophyll and ripe fruit soluble sugar levels were measured in 31 heirloom varieties and fruit size correlates with ripe fruit sugars but dark shoulders does not. A combination of fine mapping, recombinant generation, RNAseq expression and SNP calling all indicated that the proposed localization of a single locus IP on chr 10 was incorrect. Rather, the IP line harbored 11 separate introgressions from the S. chmielewskiparent, scattered throughout the genome. These introgressions harbored ~3% of the wild species genome and no recombinant consistently recovered the IP parental phenotype. The 11 introgressions were dissected into small combinations in segregating recombinant populations. Based on these analyses two QTL for Brix content were identified, accounting for the effect of increased Brix in the IP line. Scientific and agricultural implications: SlGLK2 sequence variation in heirloom tomato varieties has been identified and can be used to breed for differences in SlGLK2 expression and possibly in the green striped fruit phenotype. Two QTL for Brix content have been identified in the S. chmielewskiparental line and these can be used for increasing soluble solids contents in breeding programs.

Banco de la República is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2023. This is a very significant anniversary and one that provides an opportunity to highlight the contribution the Bank has made to the country’s development. Its track record as guarantor of monetary stability has established it as the one independent state institution that generates the greatest confidence among Colombians due to its transparency, management capabilities, and effective compliance with the central banking and cultural responsibilities entrusted to it by the Constitution and the Law. On a date as important as this, the Board of Directors of Banco de la República (BDBR) pays tribute to the generations of governors and officers whose commitment and dedication have contributed to the growth of this institution.1 Banco de la República’s mandate was confirmed in the National Constitutional Assembly of 1991 where the citizens had the opportunity to elect the seventy people who would have the task of drafting a new constitution. The leaders of the three political movements with the most votes were elected as chairs to the Assembly, and this tripartite presidency reflected the plurality and the need for consensus among the different political groups to move the reform forward. Among the issues considered, the National Constitutional Assembly gave special importance to monetary stability. That is why they decided to include central banking and to provide Banco de la República with the necessary autonomy to use the instruments for which they are responsible without interference from other authorities. The constituent members understood that ensuring price stability is a state duty and that the entity responsible for this task must be enshrined in the Constitution and have the technical capability and institutional autonomy necessary to adopt the decisions they deem appropriate to achieve this fundamental objective in coordination with the general economic policy. In particular, Article 373 established that “the State, through Banco de la República, shall ensure the maintenance of the purchasing power of the currency,” a provision that coincided with the central banking system adopted by countries that have been successful in controlling inflation. In 1999, in Ruling 481, the Constitutional Court stated that “the duty to maintain the purchasing power of the currency applies to not only the monetary, credit, and exchange authority, i.e., the Board of Banco de la República, but also those who have responsibilities in the formulation and implementation of the general economic policy of the country” and that “the basic constitutional purpose of Banco de la República is the protection of a sound currency. However, this authority must take the other economic objectives of state intervention such as full employment into consideration in their decisions since these functions must be coordinated with the general economic policy.” The reforms to Banco de la República agreed upon in the Constitutional Assembly of 1991 and in Act 31/1992 can be summarized in the following aspects: i) the Bank was assigned a specific mandate: to maintain the purchasing power of the currency in coordination with the general economic policy; ii) the BDBR was designatedas the monetary, foreign exchange, and credit authority; iii) the Bank and its Board of Directors were granted a significant degree of independence from the government; iv) the Bank was prohibited from granting credit to the private sector except in the case of the financial sector; v) established that in order to grant credit to the government, the unanimous vote of its Board of Directors was required except in the case of open market transactions; vi) determined that the legislature may, in no case, order credit quotas in favor of the State or individuals; vii) Congress was appointed, on behalf of society, as the main addressee of the Bank’s reporting exercise; and viii) the responsibility for inspection, surveillance, and control over Banco de la República was delegated to the President of the Republic. The members of the National Constitutional Assembly clearly understood that the benefits of low and stable inflation extend to the whole of society and contribute mto the smooth functioning of the economic system. Among the most important of these is that low inflation promotes the efficient use of productive resources by allowing relative prices to better guide the allocation of resources since this promotes economic growth and increases the welfare of the population. Likewise, low inflation reduces uncertainty about the expected return on investment and future asset prices. This increases the confidence of economic agents, facilitates long-term financing, and stimulates investment. Since the low-income population is unable to protect itself from inflation by diversifying its assets, and a high proportion of its income is concentrated in the purchase of food and other basic goods that are generally the most affected by inflationary shocks, low inflation avoids arbitrary redistribution of income and wealth.2 Moreover, low inflation facilitates wage negotiations, creates a good labor climate, and reduces the volatility of employment levels. Finally, low inflation helps to make the tax system more transparent and equitable by avoiding the distortions that inflation introduces into the value of assets and income that make up the tax base. From the monetary authority’s point of view, one of the most relevant benefits of low inflation is the credibility that economic agents acquire in inflation targeting, which turns it into an effective nominal anchor on price levels. Upon receiving its mandate, and using its autonomy, Banco de la República began to announce specific annual inflation targets as of 1992. Although the proposed inflation targets were not met precisely during this first stage, a downward trend in inflation was achieved that took it from 32.4% in 1990 to 16.7% in 1998. At that time, the exchange rate was kept within a band. This limited the effectiveness of monetary policy, which simultaneously sought to meet an inflation target and an exchange rate target. The Asian crisis spread to emerging economies and significantly affected the Colombian economy. The exchange rate came under strong pressure to depreciate as access to foreign financing was cut off under conditions of a high foreign imbalance. This, together with the lack of exchange rate flexibility, prevented a countercyclical monetary policy and led to a 4.2% contraction in GDP that year. In this context of economic slowdown, annual inflation fell to 9.2% at the end of 1999, thus falling below the 15% target set for that year. This episode fully revealed how costly it could be, in terms of economic activity, to have inflation and exchange rate targets simultaneously. Towards the end of 1999, Banco de la República announced the adoption of a new monetary policy regime called the Inflation Targeting Plan. This regime, known internationally as ‘Inflation Targeting,’ has been gaining increasing acceptance in developed countries, having been adopted in 1991 by New Zealand, Canada, and England, among others, and has achieved significant advances in the management of inflation without incurring costs in terms of economic activity. In Latin America, Brazil and Chile also adopted it in 1999. In the case of Colombia, the last remaining requirement to be fulfilled in order to adopt said policy was exchange rate flexibility. This was realized around September 1999, when the BDBR decided to abandon the exchange-rate bands to allow the exchange rate to be freely determined in the market.Consistent with the constitutional mandate, the fundamental objective of this new policy approach was “the achievement of an inflation target that contributes to maintaining output growth around its potential.”3 This potential capacity was understood as the GDP growth that the economy can obtain if it fully utilizes its productive resources. To meet this objective, monetary policy must of necessity play a countercyclical role in the economy. This is because when economic activity is below its potential and there are idle resources, the monetary authority can reduce the interest rate in the absence of inflationary pressure to stimulate the economy and, when output exceeds its potential capacity, raise it. This policy principle, which is immersed in the models for guiding the monetary policy stance, makes the following two objectives fully compatible in the medium term: meeting the inflation target and achieving a level of economic activity that is consistent with its productive capacity. To achieve this purpose, the inflation targeting system uses the money market interest rate (at which the central bank supplies primary liquidity to commercial banks) as the primary policy instrument. This replaced the quantity of money as an intermediate monetary policy target that Banco de la República, like several other central banks, had used for a long time. In the case of Colombia, the objective of the new monetary policy approach implied, in practical terms, that the recovery of the economy after the 1999 contraction should be achieved while complying with the decreasing inflation targets established by the BDBR. The accomplishment of this purpose was remarkable. In the first half of the first decade of the 2000s, economic activity recovered significantly and reached a growth rate of 6.8% in 2006. Meanwhile, inflation gradually declined in line with inflation targets. That was how the inflation rate went from 9.2% in 1999 to 4.5% in 2006, thus meeting the inflation target established for that year while GDP reached its potential level. After this balance was achieved in 2006, inflation rebounded to 5.7% in 2007, above the 4.0% target for that year due to the fact that the 7.5% GDP growth exceeded the potential capacity of the economy.4 After proving the effectiveness of the inflation targeting system in its first years of operation, this policy regime continued to consolidate as the BDBR and the technical staff gained experience in its management and state-of-the-art economic models were incorporated to diagnose the present and future state of the economy and to assess the persistence of inflation deviations and expectations with respect to the inflation target. Beginning in 2010, the BDBR established the long-term 3.0% annual inflation target, which remains in effect today. Lower inflation has contributed to making the macroeconomic environment more stable, and this has favored sustained economic growth, financial stability, capital market development, and the functioning of payment systems. As a result, reductions in the inflationary risk premia and lower TES and credit interest rates were achieved. At the same time, the duration of public domestic debt increased significantly going from 2.27 years in December 2002 to 5.86 years in December 2022, and financial deepening, measured as the level of the portfolio as a percentage of GDP, went from around 20% in the mid-1990s to values above 45% in recent years in a healthy context for credit institutions.Having been granted autonomy by the Constitution to fulfill the mandate of preserving the purchasing power of the currency, the tangible achievements made by Banco de la República in managing inflation together with the significant benefits derived from the process of bringing inflation to its long-term target, make the BDBR’s current challenge to return inflation to the 3.0% target even more demanding and pressing. As is well known, starting in 2021, and especially in 2022, inflation in Colombia once again became a serious economic problem with high welfare costs. The inflationary phenomenon has not been exclusive to Colombia and many other developed and emerging countries have seen their inflation rates move away from the targets proposed by their central banks.5 The reasons for this phenomenon have been analyzed in recent Reports to Congress, and this new edition delves deeper into the subject with updated information. The solid institutional and technical base that supports the inflation targeting approach under which the monetary policy strategy operates gives the BDBR the necessary elements to face this difficult challenge with confidence. In this regard, the BDBR reiterated its commitment to the 3.0% inflation target in its November 25 communiqué and expects it to be reached by the end of 2024.6 Monetary policy will continue to focus on meeting this objective while ensuring the sustainability of economic activity, as mandated by the Constitution. Analyst surveys done in March showed a significant increase (from 32.3% in January to 48.5% in March) in the percentage of responses placing inflation expectations two years or more ahead in a range between 3.0% and 4.0%. This is a clear indication of the recovery of credibility in the medium-term inflation target and is consistent with the BDBR’s announcement made in November 2022. The moderation of the upward trend in inflation seen in January, and especially in February, will help to reinforce this revision of inflation expectations and will help to meet the proposed targets. After reaching 5.6% at the end of 2021, inflation maintained an upward trend throughout 2022 due to inflationary pressures from both external sources, associated with the aftermath of the pandemic and the consequences of the war in Ukraine, and domestic sources, resulting from: strengthening of local demand; price indexation processes stimulated by the increase in inflation expectations; the impact on food production caused by the mid-2021 strike; and the pass-through of depreciation to prices. The 10% increase in the minimum wage in 2021 and the 16% increase in 2022, both of which exceeded the actual inflation and the increase in productivity, accentuated the indexation processes by establishing a high nominal adjustment benchmark. Thus, total inflation went to 13.1% by the end of 2022. The annual change in food prices, which went from 17.2% to 27.8% between those two years, was the most influential factor in the surge in the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Another segment that contributed significantly to price increases was regulated products, which saw the annual change go from 7.1% in December 2021 to 11.8% by the end of 2022. The measure of core inflation excluding food and regulated items, in turn, went from 2.5% to 9.5% between the end of 2021 and the end of 2022. The substantial increase in core inflation shows that inflationary pressure has spread to most of the items in the household basket, which is characteristic of inflationary processes with generalized price indexation as is the case in Colombia. Monetary policy began to react early to this inflationary pressure. Thus, starting with its September 2021 session, the BDBR began a progressive change in the monetary policy stance moving away from the historical low of a 1.75% policy rate that had intended to stimulate the recovery of the economy. This adjustment process continued without interruption throughout 2022 and into the beginning of 2023 when the monetary policy rate reached 12.75% last January, thus accumulating an increase of 11 percentage points (pp). The public and the markets have been surprised that inflation continued to rise despite significant interest rate increases. However, as the BDBR has explained in its various communiqués, monetary policy works with a lag. Just as in 2022 economic activity recovered to a level above the pre-pandemic level, driven, along with other factors, by the monetary stimulus granted during the pandemic period and subsequent months, so too the effects of the current restrictive monetary policy will gradually take effect. This will allow us to expect the inflation rate to converge to 3.0% by the end of 2024 as is the BDBR’s purpose.Inflation results for January and February of this year showed declining marginal increases (13 bp and 3 bp respectively) compared to the change seen in December (59 bp). This suggests that a turning point in the inflation trend is approaching. In other Latin American countries such as Chile, Brazil, Perú, and Mexico, inflation has peaked and has begun to decline slowly, albeit with some ups and downs. It is to be expected that a similar process will take place in Colombia in the coming months. The expected decline in inflation in 2023 will be due, along with other factors, to lower cost pressure from abroad as a result of the gradual normalization of supply chains, the overcoming of supply shocks caused by the weather, and road blockades in previous years. This will be reflected in lower adjustments in food prices, as has already been seen in the first two months of the year and, of course, the lagged effect of monetary policy. The process of inflation convergence to the target will be gradual and will extend beyond 2023. This process will be facilitated if devaluation pressure is reversed. To this end, it is essential to continue consolidating fiscal sustainability and avoid messages on different public policy fronts that generate uncertainty and distrust. 1 This Report to Congress includes Box 1, which summarizes the trajectory of Banco de la República over the past 100 years. In addition, under the Bank’s auspices, several books that delve into various aspects of the history of this institution have been published in recent years. See, for example: Historia del Banco de la República 1923-2015; Tres banqueros centrales; Junta Directiva del Banco de la República: grandes episodios en 30 años de historia; Banco de la República: 90 años de la banca central en Colombia. 2 This is why lower inflation has been reflected in a reduction of income inequality as measured by the Gini coefficient that went from 58.7 in 1998 to 51.3 in the year prior to the pandemic. 3 See Gómez Javier, Uribe José Darío, Vargas Hernando (2002). “The Implementation of Inflation Targeting in Colombia”. Borradores de Economía, No. 202, March, available at: https://repositorio.banrep.gov.co/handle/20.500.12134/5220 4 See López-Enciso Enrique A.; Vargas-Herrera Hernando and Rodríguez-Niño Norberto (2016). “The inflation targeting strategy in Colombia. An historical view.” Borradores de Economía, No. 952. https://repositorio.banrep.gov.co/handle/20.500.12134/6263 5 According to the IMF, the percentage change in consumer prices between 2021 and 2022 went from 3.1% to 7.3% for advanced economies, and from 5.9% to 9.9% for emerging market and developing economies. 6 https://www.banrep.gov.co/es/noticias/junta-directiva-banco-republica-reitera-meta-inflacion-3

The Pacific is expected to recover with moderate growth of 1.4% in 2021 and 3.8% in 2022, with tourism and widespread vaccination playing key roles. This issue of the Pacific Economic Monitor provides insights on experiences and lessons of Pacific island countries in striking a delicate balance between health and economic concerns. It also outlines ADB’s new development strategy to help the region address the impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).