bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Approach for Mining Site Reclamation Using Alternative Substrate Based on Phosphate Industry By-Product and Sludge (Part 2): Metals Transfer to Plant and Soil Microbial Density
Authors: Guéablé Yao Kohou Donatien , Bezrhoud Youssef , Aké Henri Joël Aké , Moulay Haitam , An-nori Amal , Soulaimani Aziz , Moughli Lhoussaine , Ouhdouch Yedir , Hafidi Mohamed , El Gharous Mohamed , El Mejahed Khalil
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mixtures of the phosphate industry’s by-products and sewage sludge on some heavy metals (Pb, Zn and Cd) in the soil–plant system and the microbial load (bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria) in the soil. The experimental layout was a completely randomized design with ten treatments and four replications. The treatments consist of a combination of five substrates: phosphogypsum (PG), phosphate sludge (PS), sewage sludge (SS), phosphate waste rocks (PWR) and original mine topsoil (TS). Heavy metals analysis, phytoextraction efficiency (PEE) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) were carried out for three Ryegrass cuts. The microbial load of each treatment was determined at the end of the experiment. The results showed that the Pb, Zn and Cd contents of the treatments were well below the permissible limits given in the literature. The highest BCF and PEE were with treatment T4. Furthermore, bacteria, fungi and actinobacteria were significantly influenced by the different proportions of by-products used in the treatments, with the highest richness observed for the T4 treatment. For a successful reclamation of mine sites, it would be useful to determine the speciation of metals in the soil solution and the microbial genetic diversity.
Experimental Study and Theoretical Analysis of Side-Pressure Laminated Bamboo Lumber Columns under Axial Compression
Authors: Liu Shuai , Gao Danping , Xie Yazi , Chen Bowang
Published: September 2022

Side-pressure laminated bamboo lumber is made by gluing and pressing bamboo sheets together and can be used as a structural building material. The experiment and theoretical analysis are carried out for the side-pressure laminated bamboo lumber columns under axial compression in order to understand its performance under axial compression. In the experiment, the curve of load and lateral displacement in the middle of columns with different slenderness ratios is obtained under axial compression by considering the slenderness ratio (range: 23.1–92.4) of the specimen as a variable. Results show that the specimen undergoes an elastic stage, elastic-plastic stage, and failure stage when subjected to stress. The failure is characterized by a prominent ductility during this period. With an increase in the slenderness ratio, the elastic stage for the specimen is shortened, while the elastic-plastic stage is extended. Based on the geometric non-linear analysis, the pressure bar stability is analyzed for the specimen through the large deflection theory. A stable differential equation of the side-pressure laminated bamboo lumber column is established under axial compression. Based on the differential equation, the relationship between the bearing capacity of the axial center of the side-pressure laminated bamboo lumber column under axial compression and the lateral displacement in the middle of column can be derived as the reference for the application of side-pressure laminated bamboo lumber.
Corporate Sustainability and Cost of Equity Capital: Do Managerial Abilities Matter?
Authors: Hmaittane Abdelmajid , Bouslah Kais , M’Zali Bouchra , Ibariouen Imane
Published: September 2022

This paper investigates whether a firm’s managerial ability affects the link between a firm’s cost of equity capital and corporate sustainability. We test our predictions by using a large U.S. sample of 17,389 firm-year observations. Our findings show that only when managerial ability is high, corporate sustainability significantly reduces a firm’s implied cost of equity capital. An important implication of our findings is that firms with high managerial abilities and limited sustainability commitment are encouraged to pursue or initiate more sustainability activities owing to their negative effect on a firm’s cost of equity capital.
Ethical Responsibility of a Company in the Context of Digital Transformation of Work: Conceptual Model
Authors: Roša (Rosha) Angelina , Lobanova Liudmila
Published: September 2022

The purpose of the research was to study the relationship between the elements of a company’s ethical responsibility and the outcomes of the digital transformation of work, considering the dynamic processes of open innovation. Based on the results obtained, the paper proposes a conceptual model to address the following research questions. How does the ethical responsibility of a company impact the digital transformation of work? How does the digitalization of work relate to the ethical responsibility of a company? How does open innovation advance the ethical responsibility of a company? The research follows the logic of the elaboration of a conceptual model. The theoretical novelty of the article is expressed in the fact that 25 criteria, through which the relationships between the studied concepts are manifested, were identified and systematized. To assess the significance of the criteria, a survey of experts was developed and conducted to obtain a diverse opinion. Kendall’s coefficient of concordance (W) and Pearson’s chi-squared were used to measure the level of agreement of the experts’ evaluation. A conceptual model established the relationship pathways as well as inbound and outbound flows, and highlighted the key findings of the research. Namely, the guiding role of open innovation as the external circumstances for corporate ethical responsibility, and the necessity to apply all elements of ethical responsibility to ensure the viable digital transformation of work.
On the Synergy in the Sustainable Development of Cultural Landscape in Traditional Villages under the Measure of Balanced Development Index: Case Study of the Zhejiang Province
Authors: Zhu Xu-Guang , Li Tao , Feng Ting-Ting
Published: September 2022

Regional balance has an important role in driving the sustainable development of the entire society. The fast, ever-increasing urbanization advances are widening the gap between urban and rural areas, which is an ongoing global problem attracting much attention all over the world. Currently, balanced development occupies the highest priority in social development goals in the Chinese society. It aims at driving sustainable development in rural areas and promoting the urban–rural synergistic development to establish a balanced relationship. In this study, we consider the Zhejiang Province as an example and explore the synergy of the sustainable development of the traditional village cultural landscape based on the balanced development index. Based on the growth synergy model and the fractal aggregation dimension model of the complexity theory, this study discusses the overall characteristics of growth and aggregation synergies of the cultural landscape in traditional villages in the Zhejiang Province. We propose the synergistic activation path for the sustainable development of the cultural landscape in traditional villages under the perspective of “cultural balance” in three aspects: space, society, and industry, with a view to provide a theoretical basis and guiding suggestions for promoting sustainable and regional balanced development of villages.
Ecological Security Pattern Construction in Hilly Areas Based on SPCA and MCR: A Case Study of Nanchong City, China
Authors: Zhang Chunxiao , Jia Chun , Gao Huanggen , Shen Shiguang
Published: September 2022

Urban expansion is constantly encroaching upon and destroying ecological spaces, and the construction of an ecological security pattern with the goal of ensuring ecological security has become a problem that must be considered during urban development. At present, little attention is paid to hilly cities. In this paper, Nanchong City, a typical hilly city, is selected as the research object, and the classic “source–corridor–node” paradigm is adopted to construct the ecological security pattern of Nanchong City. First, the core ecological protection area is taken as the ecological source. Secondly, the index of the ecological resistance surface is selected, and the weight of the index is determined by using the spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) method to construct the ecological resistance surface. The results show that the area of low-resistance biological migration in Nanchong City equals 854 km2, which accounts for 6.86% of the total area. Secondly, based on the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model, 34 potential ecological corridors and 41 ecological strategic nodes are identified. Finally, ideas for how to the prioritize ecological security pattern construction in Nanchong City are put forward to provide a reference for the construction of ecological security patterns in hilly cities.
Perceptions of Electric Scooters Prior to Legalisation: A Case Study of Dublin, Ireland, the ‘Final Frontier’ of Adopted E-Scooter Use in Europe
Authors: Carroll Páraic
Published: September 2022

This paper presents the results of a study conducted to examine pre-COVID-19 travel patterns, mode choice, and perceptions and attitudes specifically in relation to micromobility devices, namely e-scooters, in Dublin, Ireland. Given the novelty of this mode of transport and the notable current absence of e-scooter companies operating in Ireland (due to the legal status of such devices in Ireland at the time of writing), user data on electric scooters are lacking in the context of Ireland, which presents challenges for government and local authorities to develop appropriate regulations to legislate for their use. In this study, a survey was created that targeted individuals that live and work in the county of Dublin. The survey was used to examine the sociodemographic and travel characteristics influencing mode choice in Dublin; to generate an understanding of the existing and potential future demand for electric scooters; and to determine the perception of e-scooters amongst Dubliners. The main findings generated from the analysis of the survey results were the following: time followed by convenience were two of the main factors that influence mode choice, females were found to be willing to pay more than males for a shared e-scooter service, respondents with a daily trip cost of €1–5 were found to be willing to pay €4 or more for a shared e-scooter service, and 31% of respondents with a travel cost of €1 or less would be prepared to pay €2–3 for the scheme. These findings suggest that people would be willing to increase their daily travel costs in order to use the shared e-scooter service. Younger individuals on high incomes that were not in possession of a private car or a driver licence were found to be more likely to choose an e-scooter, and shorter trips (shorter distance and time) were associated with e-scooter mode choice. The results also determined that while the people in this sample of those living and working in Dublin recognise the benefits that e-scooters present to users and generally hold positive attitudes towards them, they are also wary of how they will be legislated for from a regulatory point of view in relation to speed limits, age limits, and legal riding zones to reduce the incidences of dangerous riding and collisions on roads and footpaths.
I Am Ready to Invest in Socially Responsible Investments (SRI) Options Only If the Returns Are Not Compromised: Individual Investors’ Intentions toward SRI
Authors: Thanki Heena , Shah Sweety , Rathod Harishchandra Singh , Oza Ankit D. , Burduhos-Nergis Dumitru Doru
Published: September 2022

SRI, or socially responsible investment, is a relatively new concept used to describe an investment that considers social, ethical, and environmental concerns. The purpose of this study is to investigate if collectivism, concern for the environment, financial performance, and awareness of SRI influence an individual’s propensity to invest in socially responsible investments (SRI). Secondly, the study evaluates the influence of the TPB (Theory of Planned Behavior) model constructs, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control on the SRI investment intention of individual investors. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on 449 individual investors for this cross-sectional investigation. The data were then analyzed further with a two-step structural equation modeling technique performed in Smart PLS 3.2.9. The PLS-SEM analysis found that collectivism, environmental concerns, financial performance, and awareness of SRI all had significant positive effects on attitudes toward SRI, which, in turn, resulted in SRI investment intention. Further, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control had a significant impact on individuals’ intentions regarding SRI.
Differential Game Model of Shared Manufacturing Supply Chain Considering Low-Carbon Emission Reduction
Authors: Liu Peng , Chen Ying
Published: September 2022

In the context of sharing manufacturing, a three-echelon low-carbon supply chain has been established, consisting of the leader-shared manufacturing platform, the follower surplus capacity demander, and the surplus capacity provider. Furthermore, the differential game method is used to determine the best equilibrium strategy for the perfect trajectory of product emission reduction and the ideal profit of supply chain participants in three scenarios: decentralized decision-making, centralized decision-making, and decentralized decision-making based on a two-way cost-sharing contract taking into account the long-term and dynamic nature of emission reduction issues. We compare the three scenarios by using analysis and numerical simulation. The findings show that once the contract was implemented, supply chain members’ levels of effort, product emission reduction, and supply chain system profit reached centralized decision-making levels, achieving the dual Pareto improvement of economic and environmental advantages. The conclusions achieved may be used as a theoretical framework for decision-making by players in the low-carbon supply chain, as well as a collaborative approach.
Analysis of Socially Vulnerable Communities and Factors Affecting Their Safety and Resilience in Disaster Risk Reduction
Authors: Polcarová Eliška , Pupíková Jana
Published: September 2022

Human society has been dealing with natural threats since the very beginning of humanity. A society that is better prepared for disasters can better resist the adverse effects of disasters and subsequently adapt to them and thus be prepared in the future for known threats and “new” ones. Level of education, access to information, the income of communities, or social capital are just some factors that can determine the level of safety and preparedness of members of society, especially the vulnerable. For this reason, frameworks and strategies containing disaster risk reduction tools aimed at developing and increasing the level of safety, prevention and preparedness of all states (including island states) for disasters have been created. The article aims to identify vulnerable community members and evaluate the factors that can cause gender inequality in disaster risk reduction and can also significantly influence the increase/decrease of community resilience to disasters. Furthermore, the article presents practical examples from different countries that point to the importance of addressing disaster risk reduction, including global and governmental responses to disasters and the impact of these responses on society.
The Use of Team Management Methods to Design Socially Responsible Services—A Case Study
Authors: Jakubczak Anna , Gotowska Małgorzata , Andrzejewska Anna , Tomasiewicz Aleksandra
Published: September 2022

The aim of the research was to present the provision of socially useful services as the expression of co-management and commitment to sustainable development. The case study was adopted as a research approach. The subject of the research was a group of students who implemented the project as part of student internships in 2020–2021. The next research group consisted of 346 respondents and was constituted as a result of messages with a link to the questionnaire sent and shared on social networks. Empirical data for research on a selected social problem were obtained by means of a direct online interview based on a questionnaire. The results show that the effects of the activities undertaken by a socially engaged group have an impact on the quality of life of the society. Thanks to this diagnosis, it has also been demonstrated that the applied approach proved advantageous as a result of the adequacy of activities in relation to the key needs of the stakeholders. A statistically significant relationship was established between some features and behaviors of young Polish people and their approach to cancer prevention.
E-Learning and Sustainability of Pondok Schools: A Case Study on Post-COVID-19 E-Learning Implementation among Students of Pondok Sungai Durian, Kelantan, Malaysia
Authors: Rahman Azira Hanani Ab , Samad Nur Syafiqah A. , Abdullah Azwan , Yasoa’ Mohd Rushdan , Muhamad Siti Fariha , Bahari Norzalizah , Mohamad Siti Rohana
Published: September 2022

In almost every corner of the world, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted daily life and work. During the pandemic, e-learning technologies were critical and were the ideal alternative to the traditional classroom setting. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Malaysia’s education system placed heavy emphasis on online learning in connection with new technological advances as a mode of interaction to substitute direct conventional instruction. The aim of this research is to determine student acceptability of e-learning implementation following COVID-19 in a pondok school in Kelantan. This study is intended to ascertain the implications of students’ characteristics and technology-acceptance models as well as the moderation effect of familiarity with technology on their future behavioural intentions to use e-learning. This research used a quantitative technique and included 100 students from a pondok school in Kelantan. Self-administered questionnaires were used to gather data. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used in the data analysis. Outcomes from this study showed that students’ characteristics are positively affected by their motivation, mindset, and computer competency. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness positively affect technology adoption. On the other hand, economic deprivation negatively affects technology adoption. Furthermore, students’ characteristics and technology adoption positively affect the behavioural intent to continuously engage in e-learning in the future. However, familiarity with technology does not moderate the relationship between a student characteristics and intention nor between the technology acceptance model and a student’s intention to use e-learning.
A Systematic Review of the Technology Acceptance Model for the Sustainability of Higher Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Identified Research Gaps
Authors: Rosli Mohd Shafie , Saleh Nor Shela , Md. Ali Azlah , Abu Bakar Suaibah , Mohd Tahir Lokman
Published: September 2022

Over the past three decades, the Technology Acceptance model (TAM) has garnered considerable attention in higher education. COVID-19 boosted the development of TAM as multiple studies were rapidly undertaken during the pandemic. This, however, created a gap in our current understanding of the directions and trends of TAM advancement. The purpose of this study is to obtain insight into the advancement of TAM throughout the pandemic. It would assist researchers in comprehending the advancement and direction of TAM studies in higher education, such as gaining an understanding of the prevalent external variables for TAM, the statistical analysis employed, research methodologies, the technologies studied, and the geographic location of the research conducted. Finally, research gaps and future directions for TAM studies are presented. A systematic review utilizing PRISMA was conducted on 104 sampled publications. It was found that self-efficacy, subjective norms, experience, and enjoyment were the external variables most frequently used in TAM, while internal motivation received minimal attention. The existing studies have focused mainly on student samples, so further investigation is needed into lecturers, higher education personnel, and mixed groups. Further study is also required on qualitative and mixed methods, with the partial least square structural equation model currently dominating statistical analysis. Future technologies such as 5G, AI, cloud computing, augmented reality, virtual reality, and BYOD represent new TAM-related research gaps. The majority of studies have been undertaken in Asian countries, such as China and those in southeast Asia. This new systematic literature review provides insight into the trend of TAM advancement in the sustainability of higher education during the pandemic, the identified research gaps, and recommendations for future research directions. These findings also serve as a reference for future research by enhancing the foundation established by previous reviews and research on TAM, thereby facilitating the model’s ongoing expansion.
SEIR Evolutionary Game Model Applied to the Evolution and Control of the Medical Waste Disposal Crisis in China during the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Ma Guojian , Ding Juan , Lv Youqing
Published: September 2022

The behavioral choices and speculative psychology of the participants in medical waste disposal can lead to the evolution of the medical waste disposal crisis, which has a great impact on and represents a potential threat to environmental safety as well as public health. This study constructs the SEIR evolutionary game model based on the theory of propagation dynamics and evolutionary game and explores the game relationship between local governments and medical waste disposal enterprises. Then it analyzes the propagation threshold and evolutionary path of medical institutions’ speculative psychology under different behavioral decisions of both subjects and explores the process and law of system evolution to a benign stable state and conducts a multi-situated simulation analysis. The results showed that the number of infected states in medical institutions varies in a positive direction with the propagation threshold of their speculative psychology, and when the propagation threshold is greater than 1, the speculative psychology of medical institutions will spread widely in the system. The “strict regulation and high-quality disposal” behavior of local governments and disposal enterprises could effectively eliminate the speculative psychology of medical institutions, the number of infected medical institutions could gradually evolve to 0, then the further evolution of the medical waste disposal crisis could be prevented. The formation of an integrated, coordinated, and mutually constraining crisis governance mechanism should improve the government’s regulatory capacity and efficiency, develop attractive and deterrent reward and punishment policies to guide disposal enterprises to high-quality disposal, and contribute to the compliant disposal of medical waste in medical institutions.
Food Sustainability Knowledge among Saudis: Towards the Goals of Saudi Vision 2030
Authors: Alnasser Aroub , Musallat Nsreen
Published: September 2022

The diffusion and transmission of sustainability principles may help bridge the gap between current awareness and practices and the goals of Vision 2030 and similar initiatives. Vision 2030 is a plan in progress for Saudi Arabia in alignment with the United Nations Development Program, based on building a sustainable future that will affect all sectors of society, from policy development and investment to planning and infrastructure. The objectives of these programs might be achievable if the balance of human and environmental needs is met and consumers are sufficiently aware of the ecological impacts of food production. This study aims to provide insights into food-sustainability knowledge and the threshold and motivating factors behind consumer behavioral change, specifically in the context of Vision 2030. Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted using a non-probability convenience sampling method among 398 Saudi nationals over 18 (men, 37%; women, 62%). Among other findings, the results point to a limited awareness of food sustainability or a comprehensive understanding of the negative environmental impact of food production. They suggest that it may be beneficial to consider public informational strategies to focus on the concepts of food sustainability. Finally, although there may be the intent or indication to purchase and adopt sustainable buying habits, there may be barriers to purchasing sustainable food products.
Slaughterhouse Wastewater Treatment by Integrated Chemical Coagulation and Electro-Fenton Processes
Authors: Bazrafshan Edris , Zakeri Hamid Reza , Vieira Melissa Gurgel Adeodato , Derakhshan Zahra , Mohammadi Leili , Mohammadpour Amin , Mousavi Khaneghah Amin
Published: September 2022

The slaughterhouse industry produces large amounts of highly polluted wastewater which needs to be treated before being discharged water. Thus, this work was conducted to investigate the feasibility of treating slaughterhouse wastewater using combined chemical coagulation and electro-Fenton methods. We studied the effect of process parameters such as polyaluminum chloride (PAC) concentration (25, 50, 75, 100 mg/L) for chemical coagulation and hydrogen peroxide concentration (500, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000 mg/L), the pH of the solution (3, 5, 7, 10), and the reaction time (5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 75, 120 min) and the voltage (10, 20, 30, 40 V) on the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN), and fecal coliforms (FC). The optimum removal efficiency for the electro-Fenton process was obtained at PAC = 75 mg/L, reaction time = 75 min, pH = 3, H2O2 = 2500 mg/L, and V = 20 V, which resulted in the removal efficiency of 89.55% for COD, 88.88% for BOD, 91.27% for TSS, 69.23% for TKN, and 100% for FC. The findings demonstrated that combined chemical coagulation and electro-Fenton processes effectively and efficiently treat slaughterhouse wastewater. The results of this research can be used by competent authorities to increase the efficiency of slaughterhouse wastewater treatment and to protect the environment.
Leadership and Work Engagement Effectiveness within the Technology Era
Authors: Gutu Ioana , Agheorghiesei Daniela Tatiana , Tugui Alexandru
Published: September 2022

There is rising awareness regarding the entrepreneurship evolution within underdeveloped regions across the world and how it is affected by leadership initiatives regarding the work engagement of young entrepreneurs; an underlining series of studies should be performed, considering the job performance attributes specific to each given area. Entrepreneurship is a source of economic vitality that must be subject to correctly performed leadership initiatives that need to strive for training young entrepreneurs to understand and assess the strong and weak points of their business (idea) in order to successfully compete with larger organizations. The current study aims for explaining the relationship between leadership behavior (as transformational and transactional) and the underlying mechanism of work engagement (with a special focus on job resources). The current research used a convenience sample based on a voluntary response sampling method, engaging 508 young entrepreneurs from the NE region of Romania. Results prove that transformational leadership and work engagement are active contributors to the job performance. The current study is one of the few in the literature that enhances simultaneously both transformational and transactional leadership, along with work engagement as predictors of job performance, since previous research has only considered transformational leadership and disregarded the role of transactional leadership in followers’ job performance.
Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) for Stabilization of Desert Sand against the Wind-induced Erosion: A Parametric Study
Authors: Hang Lei , Yang Enjie , Zhou Yundong , Song Wenzhi , He Jia
Published: September 2022

Biocementation, based on microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP), is a novel soil improvement method, which can form a cemented layer on the surface of desert sand to resist wind-induced erosion. In this work, the surface penetration resistance test and wind tunnel test were conducted to evaluate the various influential factors for the resistance of biocemented desert sand to wind-induced erosion, including the treatment factors, such as treatment temperature and biocement solution concentration, and durability factors such as the development of time, freezing–thawing cycles, and drying–wetting cycles. The test results demonstrated that the erosion resistance of biocemented desert sand was improved by the increase of treatment temperature and the concentration of biocement solution, which was manifested in the increase of surface penetration resistance of biocemented samples. In addition, the resistance of biocemented desert sand to wind-induced erosion decreased with the increased number of drying–wetting cycles, to lesser extents, with the development of time and the increased number of freezing–thawing cycles.
Work Productivity, Costs and Environmental Impacts of Two Thinning Methods in Italian Beech High Forests
Authors: Latterini Francesco , Venanzi Rachele , Stefanoni Walter , Sperandio Giulio , Suardi Alessandro , Civitarese Vincenzo , Picchio Rodolfo
Published: September 2022

In the Mediterranean area, the most common management of beech forests relies on the shelterwood system. However, more effort has been put into developing alternative silvicultural treatments to enhance the forests’ capacity to provide the higher ecosystem services. The crop-tree management system seems to perform well, particularly under the economic point of view. Moreover, it can provide higher quality timber from thinning interventions which are carried out before the end of the rotation period. However, very few articles have been found in the literature dealing with evaluation of the economic and environmental performance of the alternative thinning method based on crop-tree management (AT) in comparison to the traditional thinning from below typical of the shelterwood system (TT). Therefore, three study areas in Italy were selected to assess working productivity, costs and GHG emissions associated with the two methods. In the study areas with the application of mechanized extraction systems, AT showed higher work productivity and lower costs than TT, whereas GHG emissions reduction by AT was observed only in one of the three study areas. There was not significant improvement related to AT application when using animals for extraction operations. AT was more economically sustainable for thinning interventions in beech high forests, but the reduction of GHG emissions was not as effective as in TT. Crop-tree management proved to be a suitable option to be applied in beech forest stands, although further studies should focus on the overall rotation cycle and include the evaluation of impacts on productivity of a higher presence of saplings expected after crop-tree intervention.
Sustainability of Network Infrastructure in a Geospatial Resilience Context
Authors: Haces-Garcia Francisco , Glennie Craig L. , Rifai Hanadi S.
Published: September 2022

Increased societal reliance on critical infrastructures, such as the internet, has fueled resilience concerns. However, important geospatial differences complicate large-scale studies of critical infrastructure. This research develops a new geospatial framework to assess spatial disparities in critical internet infrastructure resilience. The framework is demonstrated using a testbed big data analysis for Texas assembled specifically for this study. Data on contributors to internet resilience—specifically, access flexibility, disruption risk, and disruption vulnerability—were incorporated for the study. An overall resilience score was calculated at the census tract level. Important geospatial patterns in network resilience emerged, with rural and urban areas in Texas showing stark differences. The developed techniques can be implemented to assess resilience geospatially, allowing for targeted efforts that ensure the survivability of critical infrastructure and assessments of digital divides.
Spatial Distribution Evolution and Optimization Path of Eco-Efficiency of Cultivated Land Use: A Case Study of Hubei Province, China
Authors: Wu Yuling , Zhang Pei , Li Jia , Hou Jiao
Published: September 2022

Cultivated land is the foundation of human existence and development. Eco-efficiency of Cultivated Land Use (ECLU) is a comprehensive index to measure the economic, social, and ecological output of cultivated land. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to describe the evolution characteristics of ECLU, and to explore the improvement path of ECLU for realizing the sustainable utilization of cultivated land resources, coping with the food crisis, and alleviating global warming. Hubei Province, as a traditional major province of grain production in China, can provide a reference for other developing countries in the world in terms of its management experience and technology in the production and utilization of cultivated land. In this study, the carbon emissions and pollution emissions of cultivated land use were incorporated into the calculation system of ECLU. Firstly, the undesired super-efficiency Slack-Based Measure (SBM) model was used to calculate ECLU in Hubei Province from 2008 to 2020. Secondly, the Exploring Space Date Analysis (ESDA) method was used to characterize its temporal and spatial evolution characteristics. Finally, the improvement direction of ECLU in the future was proposed from the perspective of cultivated land input factors. The research shows that, first of all, from 2008 to 2020, ECLU in Hubei Province showed a fluctuating growth trend, rising from 0.457 to 0.521, during which, it experienced two “U”-shaped changes, in 2011 and 2016. Secondly, the spatial agglomeration effect of ECLU in Hubei Province continued to increase, mainly showing two agglomeration patterns of high–high and low–low. Finally, ECLU in the study area was significantly negatively correlated with the redundancy rate of input factors. There was a redundancy in the input factors of cultivated land production, among which, the redundancy degree of agricultural employees (AM), chemical fertilizer usage (CFU), and total power of agricultural machinery (AMP) were more serious. Based on this, this paper proposes to adhere to the principle of adapting measures to local conditions and progress in an orderly manner, and to formulate differentiated and phased policies for improving ECLU according to natural resource endowments, and social and economic development conditions in different regions, in order to achieve the coordinated and sustainable development of people and cultivated land.
Digital Transformation in Epilepsy Diagnosis Using Raw Images and Transfer Learning in Electroencephalograms
Authors: Muñoz Marlen Sofía , Torres Camilo Ernesto Sarmiento , Salazar-Cabrera Ricardo , López Diego M. , Vargas-Cañas Rubiel
Published: September 2022

Epilepsy diagnosis is a medical care process that requires considerable transformation, mainly in developed countries, to provide efficient and effective care services taking into consideration the low number of available neurologists, especially in rural areas. EEG remains the most common test used to diagnose epilepsy. In recent years, there has been an increase in deep learning techniques to analyze electroencephalograms (EEG) to detect epileptiform events. These types of techniques support the epilepsy diagnostic processes performed by neurologists. There have been several approaches such as biomedical signal processing, analysis of characteristics extracted from the signals, and image analysis to detect epileptiform events. Most of the works reported in the literature, which use images, transformed the signals into a two-dimensional space interpreted as an image. However, only a few of them use the raw EEG image. This paper presents a computational model for detecting epileptiform events from raw EEG images, using convolutional neural networks and a transfer learning approach. To perform this work, 100 pediatric EEGs were collected, noting six characteristics of epileptiform events in each exam: spikes, poly-spikes, spike-and-wave, sharp waves, periodic, and a combination of them. Then, pre-trained convolutional neural networks were used, which, through transfer learning techniques, were retrained to classify possible events. The model’s performance was evaluated in terms of precision, accuracy, and Mathews’ correlation coefficient. The model offered a performance above 95% accuracy for binary classification and above 87% for multi-class classification. These results demonstrated that identifying epileptiform events from raw EEG images combined with deep learning techniques such as transfer learning is feasible. Significance: The proposed method for the evaluation of EEG tests, as a support tool for the diagnosis of epilepsy, can help to reduce the time of reading EEGs, which is very important, especially in developing countries with a limitation of a specialist in neurology.
Optimized Intersection Signal Timing: An Intelligent Approach-Based Study for Sustainable Models
Authors: An Hong Ki , Awais Javeed Muhammad , Bae Gimok , Zubair Nimra , M. Metwally Ahmed Sayed , Bocchetta Patrizia , Na Fan , Javed Muhammad Sufyan
Published: September 2022

With the development of intelligent transportation systems, research into intelligent traffic signal control has received considerable attention. To date, many traffic signal control models have been studied, where most of the models concentrate on how to minimize travel time, vehicle delay, and the number of stops or how to maximize capacity. This study introduces the Garra Rufa–inspired (GRI) algorithm, which is used to optimize traffic signal control modelling considering the number of vehicles in a queue. GRI has the characteristics of using the decision variables of the code as the operation object, directly using the objective function value for the search information, using multiple search points at the same time, and using probability search technology. Theoretical analysis of intelligent optimization and research into application methods were carried out to resolve the problem of traffic signal optimization control. The output of the GRI algorithm was compared, calibrated, and validated with SIDRA. Furthermore, to obtain more comprehensive results, the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) were also compared. The results of the analysis show that the GRI decreases by 10.1% (intersection A) and 16.5% (intersection B) in the number of vehicles in the queue.
The Impact of Individual Differences on the Acceptance of Self-Driving Buses: A Case Study of Nanjing, China
Authors: Li Zehua , Niu Jiaran , Li Zhenzhou , Chen Yukun , Wang Yang , Jiang Bin
Published: September 2022

As a new mode of public transportation, self-driving buses offer numerous benefits, including increased traffic safety, reduced energy consumption, optimized road-resource ratios, and improved traffic accessibility. However, there is still a need to fully understand the public’s perception of self-driving buses before they are widely used. As a result, we investigated whether individual differences (including demographic and personality traits) influence the acceptance of self-driving buses in Nanjing, China. A questionnaire was given to 453 people in Nanjing, and the sample data were analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). According to the findings, gender, age, educational background, income level, frequency of use, and personality traits all had a significant impact on the acceptance of self-driving buses. This study’s findings provide empirical data to help guide future research on self-driving buses, as well as a theoretical foundation for self-driving-bus development and design.
The Demarcation of Urban Development Boundary Based on the Maxent-CA Model: A Case Study of Wuxi in China
Authors: Zhang Jiaying , Chen Yi , Yang Xuhong , Qiao Wenyi , Wang Danyang
Published: September 2022

With the rapid development of urbanization, the demarcation of the urban development boundary (UDB) is of great practical significance to curb the disorderly spread of urban land, avoid losing control of urban development space, and build a barrier to green development space. In this paper, we propose a method to support the demarcation of the UDB by combining the Maxent model and the cellular automata (CA) model. This approach comprehensively considers the relationship between urban construction suitability, neighborhood effect, spatial constraint, and random interference based on a spatio-temporal dynamic simulation. This contributes to the analysis of the driving mechanism and distribution pattern of urban expansion. According to the principle of scale expansion and centralization, the simulation result is modified to demarcate the UDB. The following conclusions are drawn: the Maxent-CA model can intuitively reflect the driving mechanism and accurately simulate urban expansion in specific cities, which contributes to demarcating the UDB. Considering that this method fully embodies the principle of combining top-down and bottom-up approaches in the demarcation of UDB, we argue that the Maxent-CA model is of vital importance for the sustainable development of the living environment and is of great reference value for territorial spatial planning.
The Determinants of ESG for Community LOHASism Sustainable Development Strategy
Authors: Huang Chih-Cheng , Chan Yung-Kuan , Hsieh Ming Yuan
Published: September 2022

Owing to the increasing trends of the LOHAS lifestyle (LOHASism) adopted by a majority of Taiwanese communities, most community development associations have begun to explore the most effective LOHASism sustainable development strategies for advancing a high-quality lifestyle for these extensive community residents. Hence, this research cross-employed the three core principles in LOHASism, three analytical dimensions (environment, society and governance) of Environment Society and Governance (ESG) and 17 evaluated sustainable indexes of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in order to effectively induce the determinants of ESG for a community LOHASism sustainable development strategy. Significantly, the three most valuable conclusions and contributive findings are: (1) the main research question has been comprehensively solved through interdisciplinary analyses of the consolidation among the three principles (Dogood, Feelgood, Lookgood) of LOHASism, three dimensions of ESG and 17 evaluated sustainable indexes of the SDGs; (2) the highest scale of standardized comparative weights was located in the Positively Promoting Community Development Sustainability (PPCDS) of 0.7194, which means LOHASism, ESG and SDGs did positively promote community sustainable development in order and empirically achieved the brief research goal; and (3) industry, innovation and infrastructure (III), reduced inequality and responsible consumption and production in the governance of the EGS into LOHASism were the highest three weighted scales in the Positively Promoting Community Development Sustainability (PPCDS). This means that most community’s residents expect the advancement of innovation and infrastructure (III), the improvement of reduced inequality and the increment of responsible consumption and production to be the top three critical sustainable development strategies in their community development governance in order to advance the most residents to be good-looking and have body health.
Towards a Systematic Description of Fault Tree Analysis Studies Using Informetric Mapping
Authors: Pan Kai , Liu Hui , Gou Xiaoqing , Huang Rui , Ye Dong , Wang Haining , Glowacz Adam , Kong Jie
Published: September 2022

Fault tree analysis (FTA) is one of the important analysis methods of safety system engineering commonly utilized in various industries to evaluate and improve the reliability and safety of complex systems. To grasp the current situation and development trend of FTA research and to further point out FTA’s future development directions, 1469 FTA-related articles from the literature were retrieved from the SCIE and SSCI databases. Informetric methods, including co-authorship analysis, co-citation analysis and co-occurrence analysis, were adopted for analyzing the cooperation relationship, research knowledge base, research hotspots and frontier in the FTA research field. The results show that China has the highest number of publications, and the Loughborough University of England has the highest number of publications of relevant institutions. Dynamic fault tree analysis, fuzzy fault tree analysis and FTA based on binary decision diagrams are recognized as the knowledge bases in FTA studies. “Reliability Engineering and System Safety”, “Safety Science” and “Fuzzy Sets and Systems” are the core journals in this field. Fuzzy fault tree analysis, dynamic fault tree analysis based on Bayesian networks and FTA combined with management factors may be both the main research hotspots and the frontiers. Then, by deriving the above results, this study can help scholars better master the current research status and frontiers of FTA to improve system reliability and safety.
Influence of Defects on In-Plane Dynamic Properties of Hexagonal Ligament Chiral Structures
Authors: An Ning , Su Xunwen , Zhu Dongmei , Tomovic Mileta M.
Published: September 2022

Although the six-ligament chiral structure has many unique properties, due to its special structure, the stress concentration is prone to defects. In addition, additive manufacturing is also prone to defects. This paper studies the effect of defects, which is helpful for the better application of the six-ligament chiral structure. Several new six-ligament chiral structures with random and concentrated defects were designed to explore the effects of the defects on the in-plane dynamic properties. The structures were studied with the finite element ANSYS/LSDYNA numerical simulation and experimental methods. According to the defect-free six-ligament chiral structures exhibiting different deformation modes at different impact velocities, the effects of the defect rate and type (concentrated and random defects) on the six-ligament chiral structure, the in-plane impact deformation mode and energy absorption characteristics are discussed. The research results show that the defect rate and type reduce the energy absorption characteristics of the chiral structure to varying degrees, and the impact deformation mode also changes under medium- and low-speed impact. With the increase in speed, the influence of the defects on the deformation mode weakens. Moreover, the effects of the concentrated and random defects on the platform stress are different. When the defect rate is low, the effect of the random defects is more significant, and as the defect rate increases, the effect of the concentrated defects is more obvious. The study can provide guidance for structural design, predict the failure form of structures containing defects when they are impacted, and realize material recycling.