bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identifying stance in legislative discourse: a corpus-driven study of data protection laws
Authors: Cheng Le , Liu Xiuli , Si Chunlei
Published: June 2024

Mirroring public ideologies and value systems in legislative discourse, stance not only functions as a powerful instrument for legislators to balance legal values and stakeholders’ interests but also acts as a valuable reference for individuals to understand legislative texts. This study conducts a corpus-driven analysis of stance expressions in legislative discourse. Using three self-compiled corpora that incorporate data protection laws from the United States, the European Union, and China, we apply Hyland’s stance model to contrastively analyse evidence of hedging, boosting, self-mention, and attitude markers across these jurisdictions and eventually propose a specialised research model of stance in law. This study unveils the nature of modesty and sufficient discursive space of data protection laws, as well as legislative values and public ideologies conveyed by different jurisdictions within the broader socio-legal cultural context. Besides uncovering the legal constructiveness of data protection laws, the results also suggest that the overall representation of stance in data protection legislation aligns with its performance in legislative discourse, which showcases a legislative tendency to achieve an overtly neutral appearance through covert stance expressions.
Green taxation, regional green development and innovation: Mechanisms of influence and policy optimization
Authors: Yang Yi , Zheng Tian , Wu Jingjing
Published: June 2024

As the severity of global climate change escalates, carbon peak and carbon neutrality have emerged as international imperatives. Green taxation, a crucial fiscal strategy promoting the transition to a green low-carbon economy, demands thorough investigation regarding its efficacy and operational mechanisms. Predominantly, existing research has concentrated on the macroeconomic implications of green taxes, while their influence on regional green growth and innovation remains underexplored. This paper delineates green taxation in both a broad and narrow sense, elucidating its essence and potential in stimulating regional green progress and innovation. Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China spanning 2004 to 2021, a bidirectional fixed-effects model was developed for empirical analysis. Moreover, an impact mechanism model was constructed to delve into how green taxation specifically affects regional green development and innovation. Findings reveal that green taxation significantly fosters regional green growth and markedly enhances green innovation. Nonetheless, due to the resource crowding-out effect, it adversely impacts the comprehensive innovation capabilities of regional enterprises. This insight offers a fresh perspective on the paradoxical effects of green taxation, underscoring the necessity for a balanced approach in policy design and implementation. Drawing on these conclusions, the paper presents tailored policy recommendations.
Unveiling local patterns of child pornography consumption in France using Tor
Authors: Koebe Till , del Villar Zinnya , Nutakki Brahmani , Sagimbayeva Nursulu , Weber Ingmar
Published: June 2024

Child pornography—better known as child sexual abuse material (CSAM)—represents a severe form of exploitation and victimization of children, leaving the victims with emotional and physical trauma. In this study, we aim to analyze local patterns of CSAM consumption across 1341 French communes in 20 metropolitan regions of France between March 16 to May 31, 2019 using fine-grained mobile traffic data of Tor network-related web services. We estimate that approx. 0.08% of Tor mobile download traffic observed in France is linked to the consumption of CSAM by correlating it with local-level temporal porn consumption patterns. This compares to 0.19% of what we conservatively estimate to be the share of CSAM content in global Tor traffic. In line with existing literature on the link between sexual child abuse and the consumption of image-based content thereof, we observe a positive and statistically significant effect of our CSAM consumption estimates on the reported number of victims of sexual violence and vice versa, which validates our findings, after controlling for a set of geographically disaggregated features including socio-demographic characteristics, voting behavior, nearby points of interest and Google Trends queries. While this is a first, exploratory attempt to look at CSAM from a spatial epidemiological angle, we believe this research provides public health officials with valuable information to prioritize target areas for public awareness campaigns as another step to fulfill the global community’s pledge to target 16.2 of the sustainable development goals: “end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children".
“Not everything is on the hostess”
Authors: Almusallam Inas I.
Published: June 2024

Drawing data from the recordings of natural conversations and meta-pragmatic comments, and combining the neo-Brown
and Levinson approach and the relational work framework, this paper
explored how Saudi female friends manage friendly informal settings and hospitality despite culture-specific politeness
expectations. The analysis focused on just one of the discursive strategies in which the direction of displaying hospitality is
turned around, i.e. displayed by the guests rather than the host(ess). This strategy constituted a noticeable behaviour among the
13 close friends observed in this study. Cooperative conjoint hospitality was particularly useful for maintaining and enhancing
rapport, in-group membership, and solidarity among the friends and minimising hospitality obligations of the hostess. The analysis
demonstrated how such behaviour was consistent with the politeness norms negotiated in the close friends’ community of practice
(CofP) but differed from the politeness norms in the wider culture.
In-situ optimization of lateral film uniformity in PVD system by using Fiber Bragg grating temperature sensors
Authors: Haque S Maidul , Jagannadha Raju S D V S , Kumar Avijit , Karthik Goud B , Rai Sanjay , De Rajnarayan , Prathap C , Rao K Divakar
Published: June 2024

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) based temperature sensing method has been employed in this work for measuring the lateral temperature distribution on substrate plane during pulse DC magnetron sputtering deposition for optimization of lateral film uniformity. The evolution of temperature distribution with the variation of important process parameters like pulse width (496–1616 ns), deposition pressure (3.1 × 10−3–1.9 × 10–2 mbar) and sputtering power (25–250 W) have been measured over 40 mm radial distance on glass substrate horizon. To investigate the effect of substrate height on the temperature distribution, the later has been measured at two different substrate heights (60 mm and 90 mm) for varying sputtering power. Finally, the effect of variation in temperature distribution on uniformity of thickness and optical, morphological and structural properties have been investigated by separately depositing two HfO2 thin films at two representative extreme deposition powers (75 W and 200 W). The correlation of film non-uniformity of the above properties with the temperature distribution suggests that FBG based multipoint temperature sensing can be possibly used as an indicative tool for in situ optimization of the lateral film uniformity. In addition, the fast response and workability in plasma environment of FBG sensors enables precise in situ mapping of temperature distribution in sputtering process.
Moment of inertia and compactness of quark stars within the context of f(R, T, L

m
) gravity
Authors: Pretel Juan M Z
Published: June 2024

Within the metric formalism of f(R, T, L

m
) gravity theories, we investigate the hydrostatic equilibrium structure of compact stars taking into account both isotropic and anisotropic pressure. For this purpose, we focus on the f(R, T, L

m
) = R + α
TL

m
model, where α is a free parameter. We derive the modified TOV equations and the relativistic moment of inertia in the slowly rotating approximation. Using an equation of state (EoS) for color-superconducting quark stars, we examine the effects of the α
TL

m
term on the different macroscopic properties of these stars. Our results reveal that the decrease of the parameter α leads to a noticeable increase in the maximum-mass values. For negative α with sufficiently small ∣α∣, we obtain a qualitative behavior similar to the general relativistic (GR) context, namely, it is possible to obtain a critical stellar configuration such that the mass reaches its maximum. However, for sufficiently large values of ∣α∣ keeping negative α, the critical point cannot be found on the mass-radius diagram. We also find that the inclusion of anisotropic pressure can provide masses and radii quite consistent with the current observational measurements, which opens an outstanding window onto the physics of anisotropic quark stars. By comparing the I − C relations of isotropic quark stars in modified gravity, we show that such a correlation remains almost unchanged as the parameter α varies from GR counterpart. On the other hand, given a fixed α, the I − C relation is insensitive to variations of the anisotropy parameter β to

O
(
4
%
)

.
Asymmetric transmission for linearly polarized terahertz waves without polarization conversion
Authors: Yang Tian , Fang Xiong , Xu Weiwei , Zeng Xinxi , Guo Zheni , Meng Fanbin
Published: June 2024

In this study, a novel metamaterial (MM) architecture is presented, which comprises cut wires and split-ring resonators (SRRs) and demonstrates asymmetric transmission characteristics. Unlike previously reported multi-layer chiral structures, spatial asymmetry is introduced by aligning the cut wires and SRRs with the propagation direction of electromagnetic waves. This innovative alignment effectively disrupts time-reversal symmetry, enabling asymmetric transmission. A thorough analysis of the electromagnetic field distribution and surface current patterns offers insights into the fundamental mechanisms underlying this asymmetric transmission. Notably, the ability of this MM design to maintain the polarization state of transmitted waves positions it as a promising candidate for terahertz systems applications.
Compressed baryon acoustic oscillation analysis is robust to modified-gravity models
Authors: Pan Jiaming , Huterer Dragan , Andrade-Oliveira Felipe , Avestruz Camille
Published: June 2024

We study the robustness of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) analysis to the underlying cosmological model. We focus on testing the standard BAO analysis that relies on the use of a template. These templates are constructed assuming a fixed fiducial cosmological model and used to extract the location of the acoustic peaks. Such “compressed analysis” had been shown to be unbiased when applied to the ΛCDM model and some of its extensions. However, it has not been known whether this type of analysis introduces biases in a wider range of cosmological models where the template may not fully capture relevant features in the BAO signal. In this study, we apply the compressed analysis to noiseless mock power spectra that are based on Horndeski models, a broad class of modified-gravity theories specified with eight additional free parameters. We study the precision and accuracy of the BAO peak-location extraction assuming DESI, DESI II, and MegaMapper survey specifications. We find that the bias in the extracted peak locations is negligible; for example, it is less than 10% of the statistical error for even the proposed future MegaMapper survey. Our findings indicate that the compressed BAO analysis is remarkably robust to the underlying cosmological model.
Cosmology before noon with multiple galaxy populations
Authors: Ebina Haruki , White Martin
Published: June 2024

Near-future facilities observing the high-redshift universe (2 < z < 5) will have an opportunity to take advantage of “multi-tracer” cosmology by observing multiple tracers of the matter density field: Lyman alpha emitters (LAE), Lyman break galaxies (LBG), and CMB lensing κ. In this work we use Fisher forecasts to investigate the effect of multi-tracers on next-generation facilities.
In agreement with previous work, we show that multiple tracers improve constraints primarily from degeneracy breaking, instead of the traditional intuition of sample variance cancellation. Then, we forecast that for both BBN and CMB primary priors, the addition of lensing and LAEs onto a LBG-only sample will gain 25% or more in many parameters, with the largest gains being factor of ∼ 10 improvement for f
EDE.
We include a preliminary approach towards modelling the impact of radiative transfer (RT) on forecasts involving LAEs by introducing a simplified model at linear theory level. Our results, albeit preliminary, show that while RT influences LAE-only forecasts strongly, its effect on composite multi-tracer forecasts is limited.
A gravitational constant transition within cepheids as supernovae calibrators can solve the Hubble tension
Authors: Ruchika  , Rathore Himansh , Choudhury Shouvik Roy , Rentala Vikram
Published: June 2024

Local universe measurements of the Hubble constant H
0 using SNe Ia with Cepheids as calibrators yield a value of H
0 = 73.04 ± 1.04 km s-1 Mpc-1, which is in tension with the value of H
0 inferred from the Cosmic Microwave Background and other higher redshift probes.
In ref. [1], the authors proposed a rapid transition in the value of the effective Newtonian gravitational constant G in order to alleviate the Hubble tension. The transition point was chosen so as to only affect distance estimates to Hubble flow SNe. However, in this study, the authors made the assumption that SNe Ia peak luminosity L increases with Chandrasekhar mass Mc
. This hypothesis contradicts a previous semi-analytic study of SN light curves in the presence of a G-transition [2] which concluded that there is an inverse relationship between L and Mc
. Motivated by the results of ref. [1] and [2], we propose a hypothesis of a sudden recent change in the effective Newtonian gravitational constant G at an epoch which corresponds to a smaller look-back distance between ∼ 7–80 Mpc. A transition in G at these distances would affect both our estimates of the distances to Cepheids in calibrator galaxies, as well as to the Hubble flow supernovae. Upon fitting the observational data to this hypothesis, we find three interesting results: (i) we find mild evidence for a G-transition at 22.4 Mpc (73 million years ago) which is preferred (using certain estimators) by the calibrator type Ia SNe data over no G-transition, (ii) the Hubble constant inferred under this hypothesis is in good agreement with the value obtained from the CMB for a 4% larger value of G at earlier times, thus potentially resolving the Hubble tension, (iii) we obtain a fit to the scaling relationship between SN peak luminosity L and Chandrasekhar mass Mc
, as L ∝ Mc

-1.68 ± 0.68, which is in good agreement with the prediction of the theoretical study of ref. [2]. We also discuss how other probes could be used to verify this transition in the value of G.
Directional detection of meV dark photons with Dandelion
Authors: Beaufort C. , Bastero-Gil M. , Catalano A. , Erfani-Harami D-S. , Guillaudin O. , Macias-Perez J. , Santos D. , Savorgnano S. , Vezzu F.
Published: June 2024

This paper presents Dandelion, a new dish antenna experiment searching for dark photons (DPs) with masses around the meV that will start acquiring in 2024. A spherical mirror acts as a conversion surface between DPs and standard photons that converge to a matrix of 418 Kinetic Inductance Detectors cooled down to 150 mK. A tilt of the mirror at 1 Hz moves the expected signal over the pixels thus enabling a continuous background reference measurement. The expected signal has two modulations: a spatial modulation providing a directional signature for the unambiguous discovery of a DP, and an intensity modulation allowing the determination of the polarization of the DP. For masses near the meV, the inflationary production of longitudinal and transverse DPs are mutually excluded, thus the polarization determination by Dandelion could shed a new light on the inflation phase of the early universe. A first Dandelion prototype operating for 30 days would improve by more than one order of magnitude the current exclusion limits on DPs at the meV mass scale and would probe this region with an unprecedented discovery potential based on directional detection.
Microstructure and magnetic properties of FeCoZr(Mo)BGe nanocrystalline alloys
Authors: Yu 于 Wanqiu 万秋 , Sun 孙 Yanxiang 筵翔 , Liu 刘 Lihua 立华 , Zhang 张 Pingli 平丽
Published: June 2024

The microstructure and magnetic properties of Fe40Co40Zr9B10Ge1 (Mo-free) and Fe40Co40Zr5Mo4B10Ge1 (Mo-containing) nanocrystalline alloys, prepared using an amorphous crystallization method, were investigated. Mo addition affects the crystallization of the Fe40Co40Zr9B10Ge1 amorphous alloy and decreases the grain size of the α-Fe(Co) phase below 650 °C. For the Mo-free alloy annealed at 600 °C and the Mo-containing alloy annealed at 575 °C, with a single α-Fe(Co) crystallization phase and approximately similar crystallization volume fractions, the Mo-containing alloy showed smaller, more regularly shaped grains and a significantly narrower grain-size distribution than the Mo-free alloy. The Fe and Co contents in the nanograins of the two alloys also differed. For the Mo-free alloy, a higher concentration of Co distributed in the residual amorphous matrix. For the Mo-containing alloy, a higher concentration Co dissolved in the nanograins. The specific saturation magnetization and coercivity of the Mo-free alloy were 1.05- and 1.59-times higher than those of the Mo-containing alloy, respectively.
Interfaces enhanced plasma irradiation resistance in CrMoTaWV/W multilayer films through blocking He diffusion
Authors: Qu Chenyi , Hong Mengqing , Wei Guo , Ge Wentao , Guo Enkai , Zhong Fen , Cai Guangxu , Wang Yongqiang , Ren Feng
Published: June 2024

The performance of plasma-facing materials (PFMs) is one of the key factors that significantly impact the stability of operation in fusion reactors. Herein, a new CrMoTaWV/W (high entropy alloy (HEA)/W) multilayer structure is designed as PFM to investigate its resistance to He plasma irradiation. It was observed that the introduction of the interfaces effectively absorbed plenty of He atoms, preventing them from diffusing into the material and delaying the formation of fuzz incubation zone, therefore, enhancing the resistance to plasma irradiation. The thickness transformed to fuzz in the HEA/W multilayer films was observed to be about two-thirds of those in the CrMoTaWV (HEA) film. Additionally, the fuzz growth rates in HEA/W multilayer films are lower than the average growth rate of bulk W and HEA films combined. These findings highlight a promising new avenue for the exploration of high-performance PFMs.
Attribution of the unprecedented summer 2022 compound marine and terrestrial heatwave in the Northwest Pacific
Authors: Chen Qiaojun , Li Delei , Feng Jianlong , Qi Jifeng , Zhao Liang , Yin Baoshu
Published: June 2024

In boreal summer (July–August) 2022, an unprecedented marine heatwave (MHW) occurred in the northwest Pacific Ocean (NWP), while a record-breaking terrestrial heatwave (THW) hit the Yangtze River Basin (YRB). The temperature anomalies caused by this compound MHW-THW event exceeded climatology by 2.5 standard deviations (SDs), breaking the historical record for nearly 100 years, with severe impacts on the ecosystems and social economy. To investigate the underlying causes, we explored the potential roles of anthropogenic forcing, atmospheric circulation, and ‘triple-dip’ La Niña on this compound event using the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) multi-model simulations. Results indicate that the 2022-like compound MHW-THW event was extremely unlikely to happen without anthropogenic warming, and that such extreme heatwaves were governed by the climatic mean temperature rather than changes in temperature variability. Notably, the anticyclone circulation patterns and associated high-pressure systems (i.e. western North Pacific subtropical high (WNPSH) and South Asian high (SAH)) increase the probability of a 2022-like MHW-THW event by 3.7 times. However, the La Niña phase has no significant effect on the occurrence probability of such events. We further estimate that the 2022-like MHW-THW event will become 7.5 and 11.4 times more likely under the SSP3-7.0 scenario by the middle and end of the 21st century, respectively. This study demonstrates the contribution of anthropogenic climate change and natural variability to the occurrence of compound MHW-THW events and highlights the urgent need to build mitigation strategies for compound MHW-THW events.
Quench dynamics of interacting bosons: generalized coherent states versus multi-mode Glauber states
Authors: Qiao Yulong , Grossmann Frank
Published: June 2024

Multi-mode Glauber coherent states (MMGS) as well as Bloch states with zero quasi-momentum, which are a special case of generalized coherent states (GCS), are frequently used to describe condensed phases of bosonic many-body systems. The difference of two-point correlators of MMGS and GCS vanishes in the thermodynamic limit. Using the established expansion of MMGS in terms of GCS, we derive a Fourier-type relation between the (auto-)correlation functions of the two different time-evolved states. This relation reveals that the (auto-)correlation and thus the dynamical free-energy density for the two cases are still different, even in the thermodynamic limit, due to the lack of the U(1) symmetry of the MMGS. Analytic results for the deep lattice model of interacting bosons for increasing filling factors show multiple sharp structures in the dynamical free energy-density of increasing complexity. These are explained using the evolution of Husimi functions in phase space.
The use of geoelectrical resistivity methods to detect the potential landslides in Payung, Batu City, Indonesia
Authors: Hasan M F R , Susilo A , Suryo E A , Agung P A M , Pratama A , Idmi M H , Mustaffa A A
Published: June 2024

Landslides are a serious threat as they cause damage, loss of economic assets, infrastructure, and productive land. When entering the rainy season, several areas in Indonesia often experience landslides; one of them is Batu City, which has experienced 267 landslides in the last 4 years (2019-2022). This research aims to map landslide susceptibility areas in the research area using the geoelectrical resistivity method. This research uses the geoelectrical resistivity method with 10 measurement points, and the distance between electrodes is 10 meters. Data analysis is presented in 1D, then interpolated by combining at least two adjacent sounding points to produce a 2D model. The results show that the rock types measured at the research location were tufa breccia, clay, tuff, and the last layer was lava rock. The area that experienced the most frequent high landslides was in Points P05 - P 10, where lava as bedrock was found at an average depth of 25 meters, while in Points P 01 - P 04, lava rock was found at an average depth of above 51 meters. Water can easily seep through the clay rock and then be retained in the lava rock layer because lava rock is more compact. If this water accumulates in that layer, it will become a slip zone, thereby accelerating the process of landslides.
Optimization of eco-waste synthesis in zinc oxide-graphene oxide for cephalexin antibiotics removal
Authors: Heshammuddin N A , Zailan M T M , Mohamed R M S R , Mohd-Kamil N A F
Published: June 2024

Cephalexin (CFX) is an antibiotic prescribed for a wide variety of conditions, including bacterial infections and urinary tract infections. It has recently been labelled as an emerging pollutant due to the high concentrations of CFX that indicate a potential risk to the environment. This research set out to discover the best conditions for producing a leachate from waste materials utilising the Eco-Zinc Oxide-Graphene Oxide (Eco-ZnO/GO) catalyst for the efficient removal of CFX. The Eco-ZnO/GO nanocomposite that were generated from waste is used for adsorption in an aqueous solution. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) was used to characterise Eco-Zno/GO nanocomposite while Response Surface Methodology (RSM) were used to optimise the removal efficiency of CFX across three factors: starting concentration, mixing speed, and contact time. Average nanoparticle sizes for Eco-ZnO and GO were measured to be 23 and 122 nm, respectively. Eco-ZnO/GO has a maximum removal efficiency of 89.55% at the optimal factor of 1000 rpm in 30 minutes when working with a concentration of 100 mg/l of CFX. The results of the study demonstrated that the waste nanocomposite technology is used to remove the material effectively, which can add to our growing body of knowledge in this area.
Effect of dual flocculant by unmodified manihot esculenta starch and aluminium sulphate on the removal of chemical oxygen demand optimized by response surface methodology
Authors: Rahmat S , Othman N , Ahmad S N , Asharuddin S M
Published: June 2024

Applying inorganic metal salt-based aluminium sulphate (Al2(SO4)3) or alum in wastewater treatment has gained many concerns regarding the impact on health and environmental implications. Due to the negative consequences, incorporating inorganic and natural flocculants in the coagulation-flocculation process is the alternative way to reduce undesirable effects. In this study, an evaluation performance of Manihot esculenta (ME) starch and alum as a dual flocculant was conducted to remove chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the optimum weight ratio of alum/starch = 0.06. The optimization of coagulation-flocculation by the optimal (custom) design, response surface methodology (RSM) presented that applying a dual flocculant improved the COD removal efficiency by up to 93% compared to a single coagulant (alum) of 85%. Besides the performance of COD removal increased, the dosage of the chemical coagulant was reduced by up to 64% at the optimum condition of 18 mg/L alum dosage, 307 mg/L starch dosage, pH 9, and 27 mins settling time. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that the quadratic model was significantly developed with a p-value < 0.05. The results were justified by a high coefficient of determination (R2
alum = 0.9641) and (R2
dual flocculants = 0.9335) using single and dual flocculants, respectively. The findings supported ME starch as an alternative approach in minimizing chemical coagulants in wastewater treatment.
The Optimization of Photosynthetic Bacteria (PSB) for Water Quality Improvement
Authors: Hamzah D N , Talib S H A , Abustan M S , Hashim S I N S
Published: June 2024

UTHM lakes has being surrounded by an open environment exposed to passing vehicles, oil palm plantation effluent and precipitation of rainwater and the lakes may be vulnerable to the emission of various pollutants that will degrade the water quality. Photosynthetic Bacteria (PSB) give benefits to aquaculture which can affects aquatic life like fish and it also keeps the pond bottom clean and aids in the degradation of organic trash. This study aims to determine the optimum value of PSB needed to improve water quality of the lake and the limitation of this study only related to groundwater and surface water contamination that get into the lake only. Laboratory experiment was conducted to record the water quality such as pH, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Ammonia Nitrogen. The standard method and instrumentation based on National Water Quality Standard (NWQS) used to measure the parameters. As a results, Sample B can get the optimum value of reduction for COD and Ammonia Nitrogen within seventh day and Sample D got the optimum value of reduction for BOD experiment in the seventh day. PSB helps to decompose many toxic matters such as ammonia and helps reduce the chemical and antibiotic usage as it could prevent aquatic life from diseases. Photosynthetic Bacteria’s biomass can be explored more in future study as mentioned by various researchers as PSB succeed in dark-fermentation process to boost their capacity to produce hydrogen.
Assessment of the sub-urban drainage system resilience on the increased flooding scenario using Storm Water Management Model (SWMM)
Authors: Najib L M , Bateni N , Seng-Mah D Y
Published: June 2024

This study aims to provide technical support for decision-makers by presenting an evaluation of flood in Tanjung Bundong, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia. Storm Water Management Model was utilized to simulate the existing drainage network until it reached the main outlet of Sabang River. The hydrological and hydraulic parameters which included rainfall and tidal effects of Sabang river were determined to assess the cause of flooding series since 2015. The mapping of the drainage network was carried out to evaluate the existing drainage. The site investigations showed about 31% of the earthen canals and 5% of concrete drains were obstructed due to the trash accumulation, overgrown vegetation along the drain, and accumulation of soil sediments. Therefore, these occurrences shallowed the invert levels of the drain. This had resulted in 15 nodes flooded when simulated with 2-year average recurrence interval design rainfall and rose to 29 nodes with 50-year average recurrence interval design rainfall. With the combination of high tidal levels, the flood volumes reached 241,579 m3, especially during intense rainfall. The results showed the importance of periodic maintenance on the drainage network to ensure its resilience against nuisance flooding.
Potential application of landfill leachate as the substrate for electricity generation.
Authors: Rahman SK H , Yap CL , Yap LV , Chan YJ , Show PL
Published: June 2024

Environmental pollution by wastewater is a prominent crisis in the modern world, and currently, available treatments consume high amounts of electricity, leading to another global crisis of resources. Present system designs in Malaysia focus mainly on treating municipal effluents. This leaves a wide scope for treating other substrates such as landfill leachate effluents. Landfill leachate is one of the alarming pollutants of water reservoirs due to the presence of high concentrations of contaminants such as chemical oxygen demand, ammonia, phosphate, nitrogen, and harmful heavy metals. This raises an immediate focus to modernize its’ treatment system in Malaysia by using sustainable biological treatment with minimal use of energy. Thus, this research targets treating leachate landfill wastewater using an anaerobic digestion process by bacteria that will not only remove the high chemical oxygen demand contents of the wastewater but also utilize them to generate electricity. The two anaerobic electrogenic bacteria, Shewanella oneidensis and Klebsiella pneumoniae were used in this study at 10%, 30%, and 50% concentration, presenting a substantial removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from landfill leachate wastewater, in turn, producing a power output of 0.09μA to 0.36μA on a microliter scale, measured using a compact paper-based electro-fluidic array that mimics a microbial fuel cell. However, the bacterial digestion of landfill leachate was found to be inhibited due to the presence of high concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen and phosphate.
A Low-Cost Innovation Design for Portable Rubbish Cage Trap (PRCT) in Drain System
Authors: Ahmad N A , Zainal I N , Ali Z M
Published: June 2024

One of the primary contributors to water pollution is the presence of solid waste or rubbish within the drainage system. Moreover, the presence of an obstruction within the drainage system would impede the movement of water, so leading to the occurrence of a flood. Based on the given circumstances, a recommended solution to address the issue involves the utilisation of a Portable Rubbish Cage Trap (PRCT). This research seeks to investigate and assess hydraulic features such flow rate, total amount of collected garbage, and rainfall distribution, in addition to proposing an innovative design of a PRCT employing reusable and recycled materials from a building site. The components of PRCT are cable ties, grey polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubing, and green netting available in two sizes. To produce a low-cost project, these materials are collected from rubbish found on building sites. The drainage line under investigation is situated in Taman Universiti, Johor Bahru. The study aims to compare the data obtained from previous data using Mesh type cage and analysis performed in this study includes the measurement of the weight of the collected waste in the PRCT, the examination of rainfall patterns, and the assessment of the hydraulic properties affecting the effluent flow rate over a two-week period. The investigation reveals that the Mesh Type wall has a higher weight of imprisoned waste 388.52 kg compared to the PRCT with 339.3 kg. The mean flow rates for the Mesh type cage and PRCT are 7.43 mm3/s and 39.2 mm3/s, respectively. The highest recorded rainfall distribution in October 2020 was 39 mm, while the highest recorded weight was 57.3 kg. The market potential of the PRCT can be enhanced by ensuring cost-effective measures for collecting construction waste materials and labour, as well as by improving the durability of the PRCT.
Degradation of chemical oxygen demand, suspended solids and ammoniacal nitrogen from sewage by sweet potato peel coagulant under the influence of pH
Authors: Shaylinda M Z N , Jismi N M M N , Nazari A N A , Akbar N A , Ishak M F , Talib S H A , Mohd-Salleh S N A
Published: June 2024

Coagulation is a common treatment stage included in conventional sewage treatment. Various chemical, synthetic and natural coagulants in the form of single, dual and composite were applied in this treatment stage. However, the application of natural coagulants made from food waste is still uncommon. Thus, this study compares the ability of sweet potato peel as a composite coagulant (PACSPP), dual coagulant (PAC+SPP) and single coagulant (SPP) under the influence of pH in removing chemical oxygen demand (COD), suspended solids (SS) and ammoniacal nitrogen (AN) from sewage wastewater. Raw sewage sample before primary treatment was collected from University Tun Hussein Onn Sewage Treatment plant by using grab sampling method. Optimization study was conducted by using jar tester. At the optimum condition of PACSPP (pH 7), the percentage removal of COD, SS and AN was 54%, 95% and 39%. While a single SPP coagulant, at its optimal pH of 9, achieved 24%, 16% and 17% removals of COD, SS and AN, respectively. Meanwhile, optimisation of dual coagulant (pH 9) demonstrated 39%, 73% and 42% removals of COD, SS and AN, respectively. Thus, SPP, as a composite coagulant, outperformed the dual and single coagulant of SPP.
Predictive model for corrective maintenance costs: Empowering decision-making in building renovation
Authors: Hauashdh A , Nagapan S , Jailani J , Alzaeemi S
Published: June 2024

The prediction of corrective maintenance costs is significant given the predominant use of a corrective maintenance approach in building maintenance. Accurately estimating the costs associated with corrective maintenance at an early stage holds substantial implications for cost allocation, maintenance budgeting, cost effectiveness, and efficient planning, all of which are vital factors contributing to the overall success of building maintenance. However, the utilization of historical data to predict future maintenance costs remains underutilized. To contribute to this gap, this study aims to develop a prediction model for the number of building defects and their associated costs based on past data of defects and building age. The study encompasses 40 buildings and employs regression analysis to develop a predictive model. The predictive model was coded in Python to validate and ensure logical outputs and alignment with expected outcomes while also utilizing the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient between variables and model output accuracy. The resulting model can provide logical outcomes, enabling accurate predictions of corrective maintenance costs for each building. Furthermore, it assists decision-making regarding cost considerations, such as determining whether an aging building should be renovated or if repairing specific defects based on a corrective approach is more beneficial. In summary, this study contributes to enhancing maintenance planning and informed decision-making, providing significant benefits for maintenance cost estimation, and building renovation decisions.
Blockchain technology in building information modelling (bim): potential, challenges, and strategies
Authors: Kiu M S , Lim K X , Wong P F
Published: June 2024

Blockchain technology is well known for its decentralized server, able to keep records of transactions and having the ability to perform tracing. It has been widely used as it provides benefits to many sectors, and it is perceived to solve traceability and transparency problems and further improve Building Information Modelling (BIM)’s adoption. Hence, the aim of this study is to identify the potential of blockchain technology in BIM. This research adopted a qualitative approach as there is a lack of literature review on blockchain potentials in BIM. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four (4) construction players and four (4) blockchain experts. Content analysis was then adopted to analyse the interviews data collected. From the findings, three (3) potentials of blockchain technology in BIM, six (6) challenges and five (5) strategies towards adopting blockchain technology in BIM were identified. Recommendation was provided for future research to go in depth on how blockchain technology can integrate with BIM and the potential challenges during the blockchain-based BIM deployment processes.
Determinants of project time extension factors in the construction of building projects in Pakistan
Authors: Irfanullah  , Hasmori M F , Abas N H , Nagapan S , Said I
Published: June 2024

Building construction projects are vital for a country’s resource utilization and economic growth. Timely project completion is crucial for success, while delays can lead to financial instability. One key challenge in the construction sector is efficient time management, with project delays being a major issue. This study investigates the causes of such delays in Pakistani building projects. Through a comprehensive approach, this research reviews existing literature, develops a targeted questionnaire, and gathers responses from experienced practitioners. The findings reveal key factors, including late financing by clients, non-standard procedures by authorities, compressed schedules and inadequate project planning, lack of coordination among involved departments, and protracted procedures. These insights provide valuable guidance for policymakers, engineers, and project stakeholders to address and prevent these delay-inducing issues, ultimately fostering successful construction outcomes.
Factors affecting the success of construction projects: a case study of the social development fund (SFD), Mukalla branch in Yemen
Authors: Al-nasi S , Ismail S , Yunus R
Published: June 2024

The success of the individual projects undertaken by construction businesses determines the health of the construction sector. The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of the changing environment of development and economic stability within the construction industry. It emphasises how important it is to develop plans and policies for national building and economic planning initiatives. The building industry in Yemen is beset by enduring difficulties that lead to project failures in the administrative, economic, and social spheres. Inadequate planning, coordination, communication, and use of technology are frequently the cause of these failures. In light of this, we investigate the various aspects that contribute to the success of building projects. Using the Social Fund for Development (SFD)-Mukalla Branch in Yemen as a case study, this research aims to develop a conceptual framework that clarifies how organisational, management, functional, and environmental factors affect project effectiveness. The scope includes appropriate agents from the sponsoring authority, engineers, and contractors connected to the SFD-Mukalla Branch. The SFD-Mukalla Branch has demonstrated success by finishing 66 projects in a variety of governorates, including as Hadhramut, Shabwah, AlMahrah, and Sokatra. These initiatives were a success because to the joint efforts of 66 contractors and 140 engineers. This paper uses a quantitative questionnaire approach in terms of methodology, which is consistent with the descriptive nature of the study. This strategy aids in the creation of the conceptual framework intended to pinpoint crucial elements that conceptually influence Yemen’s construction industry’s success. The research holds great importance as it can serve as a catalyst for additional scientific investigation and establish a fundamental framework for other studies. In this case, the research goals might be summed up as follows: Using data from SFD-Mukalla Branch in Yemen, develop a conceptual framework that shows how functional and management elements relate to the conceptual success of building projects. Explain the theoretical relationship between organisational, environmental, and construction project success at SFD’s Mukalla Branch in Yemen. Create a model that outlines the conceptual success elements based on the SFD-Mukalla Branch case study. Finally, the goal of this conceptual project is to add to the body of knowledge that serves as the basis for developments in Yemen’s building industry. The goal of this study is to conceptualise the elements that lead to project success in order to facilitate more resilient and successful construction projects.
Retention pond as an alternative to mitigating runoff and sustainable water source at Jember University
Authors: Hidayah E , Putri F K , Ma’ruf M F
Published: June 2024

Surface runoff volume and groundwater consumption have increased because of development activities and increasing groundwater consumption at the University of Jember (UNEJ). Rainwater and runoff, on the other hand, can be used as alternative water sources to meet clean water needs and encourage sustainable campus growth. Retention ponds (RP) are excellent stormwater management solutions, which is part of the Low Impact Development (LID) practises. Low-lying areas or natural basins are suitable locations for RP, yet in some circumstances, like as flat topographic settings, RP placement is typically determined by available land. However, to efficiently capture and maintain rainfall, RPs should be strategically situated around peak runoff source areas, according to LID principles. As a result, this study examines the RP’s response as well as the possibility for rainwater harvesting depending on various capacities and locations. At terms of location, RPs at peak runoff sources are more successful than other locations in preventing inundation and storing water. Based on capacity, RP with 60% of maximum total intake performs better than the other. However, for optimal harvesting it is better to use RP with 80% of the maximum total intake.
Assessment of Slope Mapping by Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
Authors: Kahlid M D , Ahmad A M , Ahmad J , Azim-Kahar K A
Published: June 2024

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are an emerging technology for 3D Earth modelling and mapping. UAVs collect aerial images that are used to generate orthophotos with the assistance of navigation systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) and telemetry monitors at the Ground Control Station (GSC) for monitoring and controlling the UAV in autonomous flight. However, precision is critical in UAV photogrammetry mapping (PMg) to present acceptable precision measurements of the captured images that closely related to Ground Sample Distance (GSD) as most survey works are gradually shifting away from conventional surveying equipment such as total station and theodolite which has good precision measurement. This study focuses on the application of UAVs at close-range topography and mapping of land slope. Flight through the slope will vary in terms of flying altitude, affecting the GSD’s value for each slope height. The accuracy of PMg for land slope is subsequently assessed by evaluating the accuracy of slope mapping, particularly the slope height derived from Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Digital Surface Model (DSM) of orthophotos and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) survey. This is due to the fact that most PMg is done on almost exclusively horizontal areas, and the GSD change value acquired remains the same. The purpose of this study is to analyze the accuracy of PMg of land slope by land slope mapping at 100m flight high above ground level. the RMSE recorded for x and y coordinate were (RMSEx = 0.654198cm) and (RMSEy = 0.668516cm) while for elevation error was (RMSEz = 0.512062cm). This study’s output is to help and assist authorities in construction planning, particularly during the cutting and filling process; to determine the precise amount of earth required for construction; and control the cost of earthwork.
Impact of covid-19 on construction projects: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Abushammala M F M , Farrag S
Published: June 2024

After the onset of Covid-19, the economy and trade worldwide faced severe disruption, which simultaneously affected industries, businesses, construction companies, and households. All the sectors were hit the hardest by the economic crises caused due to Covid-19. Likewise, the construction sector was not spared by the crisis; in fact, it received the hardest blow. Due to the disruptions of trade, supply chains were disrupted, labor shortages, and Covid-19 protocols resulted in delays in projects, consequently causing the cost overrun. Hence, to analyse the situation of construction sector of Oman, this study surveyed professionals from the industry to understand the challenges and their impacts on the construction sector. Moreover, the study focused on the improvements that have been made so far since the vaccination drives gained pace in Oman. Because of Covid-19, almost 90% of the respondent’s delays in projects. However, 21% of the respondents reported that their companies were not able to claim relief entitlements, this is also proved by the similar amount of people reporting that the contracts implemented in Oman doesn’t protect the rights of all parties equally. The results also shown that labor shortage and cost overrun have the major impacts on the construction sector, followed by claims for relief entitlements in case of project delays.
Insights on sustainable elements in ancient Iraq: a systematic review
Authors: Fadhal A A , Wahab I B A
Published: June 2024

This paper investigates the sustainable elements of ancient Iraq, with an emphasis on site, water, materials, energy, and indoor environmental quality. A thorough search was directed of various databases, bringing about a sum of 31 significant articles that met the inclusion criteria. The reviewed literature uncovers that ancient Iraq had a critical degree of complexity and development when it came to sustainable practices, especially in the space of energy, water, materials, and indoor environmental quality. These sustainable practices could give vital experiences and examples to advanced sustainability endeavours. The outcomes of the present paper are introduced in a few tables and diagrams, including the conveyance of explored articles by year, journal, and locale, as well as the main 10 driving articles in the sample literature. By and large, this systematic review features the capability of ancient sustainable practices to illuminate advanced sustainability struggles and highlights the significance of interdisciplinary examination to distinguish and advance sustainable practices athwart assorted societies and ancient times.