bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Remarkable Impact of pH on the Thermo-Responsive Properties of Alginate-Based Composite Hydrogels Incorporating P2VP-PEO Micellar Nanoparticles
Authors: Iliopoulou Amalia , Iatridi Zacharoula , Tsitsilianis Constantinos
Published: March 2024

A heterograft copolymer with an alginate backbone, hetero-grafted by polymer pendant chains displaying different lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs), combined with a pH-responsive poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (P2VP-b-PEO) diblock copolymer forming micellar nanoparticles, was investigated in aqueous media at various pHs. Due to its thermo-responsive side chains, the copolymer forms hydrogels with a thermo-induced sol–gel transition, above a critical temperature, Tgel (thermo-thickening). However, by lowering the pH of the medium in an acidic regime, a remarkable increase in the elasticity of the formulation was observed. This effect was more pronounced in low temperatures (below Tgel), suggesting secondary physical crosslinking, which induces significant changes in the hydrogel thermo-responsiveness, transforming the sol–gel transition to soft gel–strong gel. Moreover, the onset of thermo-thickening shifted to lower temperatures followed by the broadening of the transition zone, implying intermolecular interactions between the uncharged alginate backbone with the PNIPAM side chains, likely through H-bonding. The shear-thinning behavior of the soft gel in low temperatures provides injectability, which allows potential applications for 3D printing. Furthermore, the heterograft copolymer/nanoparticles composite hydrogel, encapsulating a model hydrophobic drug in the hydrophobic cores of the nanoparticles, was evaluated as a pH-responsive drug delivery system. The presented tunable drug delivery system might be useful for biomedical potential applications.
Preparation, Characterization, and Evaluation of Enzyme Co-Modified Fish Gelatin-Based Antibacterial Derivatives
Authors: Zhu Mingyao , Xiao Jing , Lv Yaru , Li Xin , Zhou Yangyi , Liu Miaomiao , Wang Chunxiao
Published: March 2024

Fish gelatin (FG)-based wound dressings exhibit superior water absorption capacity, thermal stability, and gelation properties, which enhance the performance of these dressings. In this study, our objective was to investigate the conditions underlying the enzymatic hydrolysis of FG and subsequent cross-linking to prepare high-performance gels. A two-step enzymatic method of protease-catalyzed hydrolysis followed by glutamine transglutaminase (TGase)-catalyzed cross-linking was used to prepare novel high-performance fish gelatin derivatives with more stable dispersion characteristics than those of natural gelatin derivatives. Compared with conventional TGase cross-linked derivatives, the novel derivatives were characterized by an average pore size of 150 μm and increased water solubility (423.06% to 915.55%), water retention (by 3.6-fold to 43.89%), thermal stability (from 313 °C to 323 °C), and water vapor transmission rate, which reached 486.72 g·m−2·24 h−1. In addition, loading glucose oxidase onto the fish gelatin derivatives increased their antibacterial efficacy to >99% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.
The Role of Surface Treatment and Coupling Agents for Adhesion between Stainless Steel (SUS) and Polyamide (PA) of Heterojunction Bilayer Composites
Authors: Lee Hayeong , Song Seung-In , Jang Keon-Soo
Published: March 2024

The growing demand for lightweight and durable materials in industries, such as the automotive, aerospace, and electronics industries, has spurred the development of heterojunction bilayer composites, combining the structural integrity of metals with the versatility of polymers. This study addresses the critical interface between stainless steel (SUS) and polyamide 66 (PA66), focusing on the pivotal role of surface treatments and various silane coupling agents in enhancing the adhesion strength of heterojunction SUS/PA66 bilayer composites. Through systematic surface modifications—highlighted by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and contact angle analyses—the study assessed the impact of increasing the surface area, roughness, and energy of SUS. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy evaluations confirmed the strategic selection of specific silane coupling agents. Although some coupling agents barely influenced the mechanics, notably, aminopropyl triethoxysilane (A1S) and 3-glycidyl oxypropyl trimethoxysilane (ES) significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of the heterojunction bilayer composites, evidenced by the improved lap shear strength, elongation at break, and toughness. These advancements were attributed to the interfacial interactions at the metal–polymer interface. This research underscored the significance of targeted surface treatment and the judicious selection of coupling agents in optimizing the interfacial adhesion and overall performance of metal–polymer composites, offering valuable insights for the fabrication of materials where reduced weight and enhanced durability are paramount.
Thermal-Robust Phenoxyimine Titanium Catalysts Bearing Bulky Sidearms for High Temperature Ethylene Homo-/Co- Polymerizations
Authors: Wang Xin , Ma Lishuang , Wang Xiaohua , Zhao Wenpeng , Liu Heng , Zhang Xuequan , Wang Feng
Published: March 2024

A family of titanium complexes (Ti1–Ti7) with the general formula LTiCl3, supported by tridentate phenoxyimine [O−NO] ligands (L1–L7) bearing bulky sidearms, were synthesized by treating the corresponding ligands with stoichiometric amount of TiCl4. All the ligands and complexes were well characterized by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies, in which ortho- methoxyl groups on N-aryl moieties shifted to downfield, corroborating the successful coordination reaction. Structural optimization by DFT calculations revealed that one of the phenyl groups on dibenzhydryl moiety could form π-π stacking interaction with the salicylaldimine plane, because of which the obtained titanium complexes revealed good thermal stabilities for high-temperature polymerization of ethylene. The thermal robustness of the complexes was closely related to the strength of π-π stacking interactions, which were mainly influenced by the substituents on the dibenzhydryl moieties; Ti1, Ti4 and Ti5 emerged as the three best-performing complexes at 110 °C. With the aid of such π-π stacking interactions, the complexes were also found to be active at >150 °C, although decreased activities were witnessed. Besides homopolymerizations, complexes Ti1–Ti7 were also found to be active for the high-temperature copolymerization of ethylene and 1-octene, but with medium incorporation percentage, demonstrating their medium copolymerization capabilities.
Experimental Study of the Mechanical Properties of Full-Scale Rubber Bearings at 23 °C, 0 °C, and −20 °C
Authors: Pang Hui , Jiang Tao , Dai Junwu , Yang Yongqiang , Bai Wen
Published: March 2024

In this study, the effects of ambient temperature on the horizontal mechanical performance of isolated rubber bearings were investigated using high-speed reciprocating loading methods. A comprehensive series of 54 experimental trials are performed on the full-scale (900 mm-diameter) isolation rubber bearings, encompassing a range of temperatures (−20 °C, 0 °C, and 23 °C), shear pressures (50%, 100%, and 250%), and frequencies (0.20 Hz, 0.25 Hz, and 0.30 Hz). Because the compression-shear tests were conducted at high velocities and pressures (specifically, vertical compressive stress of 15 MPa), the equipment used in these tests was capable of generating substantial inertial and frictional forces. Appropriate correction methodologies for the precise determination of mechanical performance metrics for bearings are presented. Then, a comprehensive investigation of the effects of various loading conditions on the characteristic strength, post-yield stiffness, horizontal equivalent stiffness, and equivalent damping ratio of LRB900 (lead-core rubber bearings 900 mm-diameter) and LNR900 (linear natural rubber bearings 900 mm-diameter) is conducted. The empirical results show a discernible relationship between these characteristics and ambient temperature as the number of loading cycles increases, except for the equivalent damping ratio. Finally, empirical fitting formulations incorporating the influence of ambient temperature are presented for each performance indicator. These formulas are intended to assist designers in performing seismic design analyses by allowing them to take into consideration the effects of ambient temperature comprehensively.
Molecular Targets for Cannabinoids in Natural Killer Cells: Do They Modulate the Antitumor Activity?
Authors: Olivas-Aguirre Miguel , Gutiérrez-Iñiguez Cecilia , Pottosin Igor , Dobrovinskaya Oxana
Published: March 2024

Recent research has emphasized the potential of natural and synthetic cannabinoids as anticancer agents. Yet it remains unclear whether and in which sense cannabinoids affect the anticancer activity of NK cells, an important branch of anticancer immunity. Similar uncertainty exists regarding NK cells-based immunotherapy. Here we presented an overview of multiple cannabinoid targets as canonical (mainly CB2) and non-canonical receptors, ion channels, transporters, and enzymes, expressed in NK cells, along with underlying molecular mechanisms. Through them, cannabinoids can affect viability, proliferation, migration, cytokine production, and the overall anticancer activity of NK cells. Respective holistic studies are limited, and, mostly, are phenomenological, not linking observed effects with certain molecular targets. Another problem of existing studies is the lack of standardisation, so that diverse cannabinoids at variable concentrations and ways of administration are applied, and often, instead of purified NK cells, the whole lymphocyte population is used. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more focused, systemic, and in-depth studies of the impact of the cannabinoid toolkit on NK cell function, to critically address the compatibility and potential synergies between NK activity and cannabinoid utilization in the realm of anticancer interventions.
Servant-Leadership as a Model for Christian Community: A Subversive Rhetoric and Ideology in Luke 22:23–27
Authors: Etukumana Godwin A.
Published: March 2024

This article carefully examines the meaning of servant leadership as embedded in Luke 22:23–27. We believe that servant leadership as taught by the Lukan Jesus is an ideal leadership style suitable for anyone who aspires for any leadership position. To examine this topic, this article adopts subversive rhetoric to interpret the text in Luke 22:23–27 to understand the embedded ideology within the text. The application of subversive rhetoric and ideology in reading Luke 22:23–27 provides insights into the leadership problems faced in Christian community today. Using subversive rhetoric and ideology as a means of interpretation, this article emphasises that the Lukan text is an invitation to the Christian community to model their leadership style based on the premise of the Lukan Jesus since leadership is the centre of every good governance. The Lukan Jesus instructed his followers not to follow the empire’s leadership style of ruling over people without caring for their wellbeing. However, the article acknowledges that the disciples were instructed to subversively change the leadership style and implement the one that would be of benefit to the entire humanity—the servant leadership model. It concludes that the Luke text aims at introducing a servant leadership system that was against the Roman Empire for the new Lukan community and invites the present Christian community and world leaders to imbibe the ideology of servant leadership style as introduced by the Lukan Jesus and practised by Nelson Mandela.
Theologizing the Aristotelian Soul in Early Modern China: The Influence of Dr Navarrus’ Enchiridion (1573) over Lingyan lishao (1624) by Francesco Sambiasi and Xu Guangqi
Authors: Canaris Daniel
Published: March 2024

Lingyan lishao 靈言蠡勺 [LYLS] (Humble Attempt to Discuss the Soul, 1624) by the Calabrian Jesuit Francesco Sambiasi (1582–1649) and the Chinese mandarin Xu Guangqi 徐光啓 (1562–1633) was the first Chinese-language treatise on the scholastic Aristotelian soul and a pioneering work in Sino–Western intellectual exchanges. Until now, the dominant assumption has been that the first volume (juan) of this work is simply an adaptation of the Coimbra commentaries on De Anima [DA] and Parva Naturalia [PN]. This article demonstrates, however, that while most of the first juan is based on these Coimbra commentaries, its treatise on the substance of the soul was likely derived from another source, namely the Enchiridion, a 16th century confessional manual by the Spanish Augustinian Martín de Azpilcueta (1492–1586), or Doctor Navarrus. Through a close textual comparison, this article shows how LYLS adopts the same structure, content, and citations of the Enchiridion to construct an accessible and concise theological definition of the soul that was better suited for the Chinese missionary context than the dense philosophic definitions of the Coimbra commentaries.
The Reverberation of the Sacred Gurbani’s Vibrations at the Darbar Sahib: The Issue of Its Television Broadcasting
Authors: Singh Pashaura
Published: March 2024

This essay will examine the contemporary issue of the television broadcasting of the sacred Gurbani from the Darbar Sahib to set the stage for understanding the historical context of the musical sessions (chauṅkīs) of devotional singing, followed by the process of decolonizing the musical performances in modern times, including religious aesthetics and sacred time and the processional chauṅkīs in the Darbar Sahib Complex. The continuous singing of the Guru’s hymns (Gurbani kirtan) resounds inside the Darbar Sahib (“the Divine Court”), popularly known as the Golden Temple of Amritsar. This special mode of worship consists of singing and listening to the hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs. The heart of Sikh devotional experience lies in the performance of scriptural hymns in a congregational setting. Notably, different sessions of devotional singing go on day and night from 2.45 a.m. to 10.45 p.m. at the Golden Temple, following a celebrated tradition established more than four centuries ago by the Fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan. Even during the four-hour period of cleaning the sanctum sanctorum at midnight, the devotees recite hymns from memory, thereby making the Darbar Sahib a unique place where vibrations of sacred sound reverberate continuously for twenty-four hours a day.
Judge Deborah and Pastor/Teacher Priscilla: Templates for Contemporary Biblical Women’s Leadership
Authors: Nelson Jill E.
Published: March 2024

Based on the examples of Judge Deborah from the Old Testament and Pastor/Teacher Priscilla from the New Testament, this paper contends that women have a biblical responsibility to lead in any vocation for which God has called and anointed them, and the Christian church has a biblical responsibility to accept and encourage them. Women leaders offer valuable leadership qualities, as illustrated by Deborah, the prophetic judicial/governmental/military leader of a nation, and Priscilla, the theologian, educator, missionary, and pastor in the nascent church. This paper further argues that leadership structures are not complete or fully effective without feminine inclusion and participation. The church and the world have historically deprived themselves of rich resources by curtailing women’s leadership roles. The need for rediscovering and recovering women’s leadership gifts and styles has never been more urgent or appropriate in the current cultural atmosphere requiring an emphasis on collaboration and cooperation (relationality), emotional intelligence that seeks transformation rather than transaction, and servant leadership, as manifested in Deborah and Priscilla as leaders. The church would be wise to embrace the Deborahs and Priscillas, as well as other types of women leaders whomGod has placed in her midst, thus creating strong, responsive, and nurturing communities that reflect Jesus to the world.
Talking about Oneself to Talk about Christ: The Autobiographical Text of Philippians 3:1–4.1 in Light of Ancient Rhetorical Heritage
Authors: Bianchini Francesco
Published: March 2024

In this contribution, we will proceed in three steps. First of all, we will investigate the rhetorical approach for studying the Pauline letters, considering different methodological options. In this context, we will propose the approach of the literary rhetoric as the most valid. Secondly, we will analyse the autobiographical text of Philippians 3:1–4:1, starting from its delimitation, textual criticism, and its arrangement, according to oral and discursive models. Then, we will proceed with genre and literary origins; here, we will discover the periautologia as the point of reference of the Pauline autobiography. This eulogy of self is a genre, well known in the rhetorical tradition, to which Plutarch dedicated the treatise On praising oneself. This discovery determines the following exegetical analysis of the text. Thirdly, we will conclude with a reflection about Paul’s way of speaking about himself in this passage. In light of ancient rhetorical heritage, he does not use his autobiography to praise himself but to praise Christ, who completely changed his life. Ultimately, Paul’s talk about himself is a way of talking about Christ for the benefit of the addressees who should creatively imitate the Apostle and his Christian life.
A Dual-Branch Autoencoder Network for Underwater Low-Light Polarized Image Enhancement
Authors: Xue Chang , Liu Qingyu , Huang Yifan , Cheng En , Yuan Fei
Published: March 2024

Underwater detection faces uncomfortable illumination conditions, and traditional optical images sensitive to intensity often cannot work well in these conditions. Polarization imaging is a good solution for underwater detection under adverse lighting conditions. However, the process of obtaining polarization information causes it to be more sensitive to noise; serious noise reduces the quality of polarized images and subsequent performance in advanced visual tasks. Unfortunately, the flourishing low-light image enhancement methods applied to intensity images have not demonstrated satisfactory performance when transferred to polarized images. In this paper, we propose a low-light image enhancement paradigm based on the antagonistic properties of polarization parameters. Furthermore, we develop a dual-branch network that relies on a gradient residual dense feature extraction module (GRD) designed for polarized image characteristics and polarization loss, effectively avoiding noise introduced during the direct amplification of brightness, and capable of restoring target contour details. To facilitate a data-driven learning method, we propose a simulation method for underwater low-light polarized images. Extensive experimental results on real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed approach and its superiority against other state-of-the-art methods.
Measurement of Downwelling Radiance Using a Low-Cost Compact Fourier-Transform Infrared System for Monitoring Atmospheric Conditions
Authors: Choi Haklim , Seo Jongjin
Published: March 2024

Temperature and water vapor play crucial roles in the Earth’s climate system, and it is important to understand and monitor the variation in the thermodynamic profile within the lower troposphere. Among various observation platforms for understanding the vertical structure of temperature and humidity, ground-based Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) can provide detailed information about the lower troposphere by complementing the limitations of radiosonde or satellite methods. However, these ground-based systems have limitations in terms of cost, operation, and mobility. Herein, we introduce a cost-effective and easily deployable FTIR observation system designed to enhance monitoring capabilities for atmospheric conditions. The atmospheric downwelling radiance spectrum of sky is measured by applying a real-time radiative calibration using a blackbody. From the observed radiance spectrum, the thermodynamic profile (temperature and the water vapor mixing ratio) of the lower troposphere was retrieved using an algorithm based on the optimal estimation method (OEM). The retrieved vertical structure results in the lower troposphere were similar to the fifth-generation reanalysis database (ERA-5) of the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the National Centers for Environmental Prediction final analysis (NCEP FNL). This provides a potential possibility for monitoring atmospheric conditions by a compact FTIR system.
Enhanced Leaf Area Index Estimation in Rice by Integrating UAV-Based Multi-Source Data
Authors: Du Xiaoyue , Zheng Liyuan , Zhu Jiangpeng , He Yong
Published: March 2024

The monitoring of crop growth, particularly the estimation of Leaf Area Index (LAI) using optical remote sensing techniques, has been a continuous area of research. However, it has become a challenge to accurately and rapidly interpret the spatial variation of LAI under nitrogen stress. To tackle these issues, this study aimed to explore the potential for precise LAI estimation by integrating multiple features, such as average spectral reflectance (ASR), vegetation index, and textures, obtained through an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The study employed the partial least squares method (PLS), extreme learning machine (ELM), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) to build the LAI estimation model under nitrogen stress. The findings of this study revealed the following: (i) texture features generally exhibited greater sensitivity to LAI compared to ASR and VIs. (ii) Utilizing a multi-source feature fusion strategy enhanced the model’s accuracy in predicting LAI compared to using a single feature. The best RP2 and RMSEP of the estimated LAI were 0.78 and 0.49, respectively, achieved by RF through the combination of ASR, VIs, and textures. (iii) Among the four machine learning algorithms, RF and SVM displayed strong potential in estimating LAI of rice crops under nitrogen stress. The RP2 of the estimated LAI using ASR + VIs + texture, in descending order, were 0.78, 0.73, 0.67, and 0.62, attained by RF, SVM, PLS, and ELM, respectively. This study analyzed the spatial variation of LAI in rice using remote sensing techniques, providing a crucial theoretical foundation for crop management in the field.
Crop Type Mapping and Winter Wheat Yield Prediction Utilizing Sentinel-2: A Case Study from Upper Thracian Lowland, Bulgaria
Authors: Kamenova Ilina , Chanev Milen , Dimitrov Petar , Filchev Lachezar , Bonchev Bogdan , Zhu Liang , Dong Qinghan
Published: March 2024

The aim of this study is to predict and map winter wheat yield in the Parvomay municipality, situated in the Upper Thracian Lowland of Bulgaria, utilizing satellite data from Sentinel-2. The main crops grown in the research area are winter wheat, rapeseed, sunflower, and maize. To distinguish winter wheat fields accurately, we evaluated classification methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVM) and Random Forest (RF). These methods were applied to satellite multispectral data acquired by the Sentinel-2 satellites during the growing season of 2020–2021. In accordance with their development cycles, temporal image composites were developed to identify suitable moments when each crop is most accurately distinguished from others. Ground truth data obtained from the integrated administration and control system (IACS) were used for training the classifiers and assessing the accuracy of the final maps. Winter wheat fields were masked using the crop mask created from the best-performing classification algorithm. Yields were predicted with regression models calibrated with in situ data collected in the Parvomay study area. Both SVM and RF algorithms performed well in classifying winter wheat fields, with SVM slightly outperforming RF. The produced crop maps enable the application of crop-specific yield models on a regional scale. The best predictor of yield was the green NDVI index (GNDVI) from the April monthly composite image.
Impact and Mechanism of Digital Inclusive Finance on the Urban–Rural Income Gap of China from a Spatial Econometric Perspective
Authors: Mo Yuan , Mu Jing , Wang Hui
Published: March 2024

With the rapid development of digital inclusive finance, whether it can lower the income inequality between urban and rural areas has been the focus of policy makers and researchers. Based on China’s 2011–2018 provincial panel data, this paper employs spatial econometric models and mediating-effect models to examine the impact of digital inclusive finance on the urban–rural income gap and its mechanism. The main findings are as follows: First, globally, the urban–rural income gap and digital inclusive finance each exhibit significant positive spatial correlation; locally, the income gap primarily exhibits spatial dependence in Central and Western China. Meanwhile, digital inclusive finance transitions from varied agglomeration patterns to exclusively H-H patterns in Eastern China. Second, digital inclusive finance notably reduces the urban–rural income gap, primarily attributed to its expanded breadth of coverage and digitization. Third, mechanism analysis indicates that digital inclusive finance can narrow the urban–rural income gap by increasing labor employment, resulting in higher farmer incomes, rather than through individual entrepreneurship and human capital investment. The findings of this study are crucial for improving digital inclusive financial development and adjusting urban–rural income distribution.
Nexus between Life Expectancy, CO2 Emissions, Economic Development, Water, and Agriculture in Aral Sea Basin: Empirical Assessment
Authors: Saidmamatov Olimjon , Saidmamatov Orifjon , Sobirov Yuldoshboy , Marty Peter , Ruzmetov Davron , Berdiyorov Temur , Karimov Javlon , Ibadullaev Ergash , Matyakubov Umidjon , Day Jonathon
Published: March 2024

This study investigates how life expectancy is influenced by CO2 emissions, health spending, GDP, water usage, agricultural output, and renewable and non-renewable energy consumption within the Aral Sea basin, which is an environmentally catastrophic zone in the world. This research utilized data from the years 2002 to 2020 and employed various econometric approaches, including FMOLS, DOLS, and Driscoll–Kraay. The outcomes of the study reveal that health spending, GDP, water productivity, agriculture output, energy consumption, and human capital have a positive impact on life expectancy, but CO2 emissions have a negative impact on life expectancy. The most important policy takeaway from this study is the need to develop and implement comprehensive policies that take into account health spending, GDP, water, agricultural output, energy consumption, and education level in order to ensure life longevity.
Governing Urban Climate Resilience (UCR): Systems, Agents, and Institutions in Shanghai, China
Authors: Li Chun , Yang Huihui , Yao Qiang , An Na , Meng Haixing
Published: March 2024

Climate change and urbanization intersect with escalating danger. Urban areas significantly contribute to climate change, which, in turn, poses severe threats to urban settings. The frequency and intensity of extreme events, like flooding and heat, are rising, with the need to enhance urban climate resilience (UCR) becoming more immediate. Scholarship tends to underrepresent general climate resilience in favor of specific hazards. This research seeks to contribute to the literature by exploring the case of Shanghai, China, discovering the mechanisms and characteristics of UCR governance, and examining how these outcomes are formed from a comparative gesture. The findings indicate that in Shanghai, 36.8% and 26.8% of climate resilience governance strategies are reflected in regional management and infrastructure construction led by the Water Affairs Bureau and the Meteorological Bureau. Furthermore, 30.6% of the strategies relate to the Water Affairs Bureau, showcasing a robust and integrated flood response. Meanwhile, 15.7% involve the Meteorological Bureau, boosting responses to high temperatures with better monitoring and early warning for increased flexibility and efficiency. Distinct governance processes for floods and extreme heat mirror these hazards’ inherent characteristics and societal perceptions. With strong government willingness and support, Shanghai has rapidly enhanced its flood resilience capabilities within a brief timeframe. Conversely, addressing the emerging risk of extreme heat is still in the early stages of evaluation, due to the lack of a clear disaster-bearing system and identified responsible agents. This research suggests that the future of climate resilience governance in Shanghai may emphasize identifying the characteristics of critical climate-related risks, expanding social autonomy through grassroots self-governance, procuring economic backing from the central government, and applying the tool of urban spatial planning.
Exploration of a Rural Street Environment: The Difference in Sight between Villagers and Tourists
Authors: Ren Hongguo , Zhang Lei , Zhang Jing , Wang Xue , Wang Qingqin
Published: March 2024

This paper takes Nanlizhuang Village, Hebei Province, China, as the object and aims at improving the design of the street-space environment. The real scene of the rural streets is used as the stimulus material, and the difference in eye-movement data between villagers and tourists in the real environment is explored based on eye-tracking technology. This difference is taken as the guiding content for rural space design, and an optimized design strategy is put forward. It is found that visual attractiveness is not only affected by the visual rate of greenery but also closely related to changes in spatial enclosures. The combination of low walls and greenery is conducive to the formation of impression symbols in the village; the collective memory of indigenous villagers is also a major reason for changes in visual gravity. The experiment proves the feasibility of using real scenes as rural street design strategies through eye-tracking technology.
Advancing Traffic Simulation Precision and Scalability: A Data-Driven Approach Utilizing Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Hao Ruru , Ruan Tiancheng
Published: March 2024

In traditional traffic simulation studies, vehicle behavior has typically been modeled using complex analytical frameworks, which often struggle to encompass the full range of variables affecting vehicle operations. Addressing this gap, our research introduces an innovative data-driven framework for traffic simulation that incorporates human driving data into its decision-making processes. This enables the modeling of diverse vehicle behaviors by taking into account both vehicle-specific characteristics and environmental factors. At the core of this framework are two advanced deep neural networks, convolutional long short-term memory and convolutional gated recurrent unit, which underpin our vehicle traffic simulation model. Utilizing datasets from the Next Generation Simulation project, specifically the I-80 and US-101 road sections, our study further evaluates the framework’s performance through single-step continuous prediction, as well as transferability tests, employing the TransMSEloss function to optimize prediction accuracy. Our findings reveal that the proposed data-driven model significantly outperforms traditional models, achieving an exceptional accuracy of 97.22% in training and 95.76% in testing. Notably, in continuous prediction, our model maintains an 89.57% accuracy up to the fifth step, exceeding the traditional framework’s 82.82% by 5% to 10% at each step. Time cost analysis indicates that while the data-driven framework’s advantages are more pronounced in large-scale simulations, it also demonstrates strong transferability, with a 93.48% accuracy on diverse datasets, showcasing its applicability across different traffic scenarios. This study not only highlights the potential of deep learning in traffic simulation, but also sets a new benchmark for accuracy and scalability in the field.
Research on Renewable Energy Trading Strategies Based on Evolutionary Game Theory
Authors: Huang Fei , Fan Hua , Shang Yunlong , Wei Yuankang , Almutairi Sulaiman Z. , Alharbi Abdullah M. , Ma Hengrui , Wang Hongxia
Published: March 2024

The authors construct a tripartite evolutionary game model that considers renewable energy, traditional coal-fired power plants, and market users. We propose multiple income matrices under different strategies, conduct evolutionary stability analysis, and form a series of assumptions that meet the stability of the game. We also simulate and analyze the impact of key factors—such as assessment costs, different pricing behaviors of coal-fired power plants, electricity prices of renewable energy, and green electricity demand—on the stability of the game. In addition, the market equilibrium points that can be achieved by optimizing trading strategies and their optimization status in promoting renewable energy consumption are analyzed. Based on the operational characteristics of the Guangxi electricity market in China and the trading situation of renewable energy, an evolutionary game method is applied to conduct empirical research. The trading behavior and evolution of all parties in the market are fully analyzed and are then applied to the construction and mechanism improvement of the electricity market.
Intelligent Early Warning and Decision Platform for Long-Term Ground Subsidence in High-Density Areas for Sustainable Urban Development
Authors: Zou Baoping , Xia Kejian , Deng Yansheng , Mu Jundong , Cheng Siqi , Zhu Chun
Published: March 2024

Long-term ground subsidence (LTGS) is a relatively slow process. However, the accumulation of long-term subsidence has an adverse impact on the normal operation and safety of a subway, hindering sustainable urban development. A wide gap exists between early warning theory and its application in the control of LTGS during subway operation due to time span limitation. Providing decision support for LTGS in high-density urban areas during subway operation is difficult, and a collaborative decision system for real-time early warning and intelligent control is currently lacking. This study establishes the functional components of an intelligent early warning and decision platform, proposes a software system module, constructs an overall software framework structure, and develops a mobile intelligent early warning and decision platform. Moreover, this study introduces an early warning method for LTGS in high-density urban areas during subway operation. This method integrates an intelligent early warning decision-making platform, namely Differential Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (DInSAR), land subsidence monitoring, operation tunnel subsidence monitoring, and other multisource data coupling. The method is applied to sections of the Hangzhou Metro Line 4 Phase I Project (Chengxing Road Station (CRS)–Civic Center Station (CCS)–Jiangjin Road Station (JRS) and Xinfeng Station (XS)–East Railway Station (ERS)–Pengbu Station (PS)). This work can serve as a reference for ensuring urban safety and promoting sustainable development.
Prediction Model of Sacha Inchi Crop Development Based on Technology and Farmers’ Perception of Socio-Economic Factors
Authors: Andayani Sri Ayu , Prasetyo Tri Ferga , Wijaya Acep Atma , Sukmasari Miftah Dieni , Umyati Sri , Nainggolan Mai Fernando
Published: March 2024

Background: The sacha inchi plant contains nutrients that are beneficial for health, cosmetics, and food products, so it has the potential to be developed economically. The development of sacha inchi involves agricultural technology, which includes the treatment of fertilizer types that need to be studied in maintaining production and productivity. Objectives: This study aims to analyze the optimal type of fertilizer treatment on crop yields and the influence of farmers’ perceptions of socio-economic factors in the development of sacha inchi plants so that an optimal sacha inchi development prediction model is formed. Methods: The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was applied in the study to analyze the effect of perception of socio-economic factors, and the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) method was applied to predict the optimal fertilizer treatment model. Findings: The results of the PLS-SEM analysis showed that farmers’ perceptions of sacha inchi cultivation considered economic factors at a percentage of 50.66% and social factors at a percentage of 49.33% and had a linear relationship with the economic development of sacha inchi with a value of 0.832, although simultaneously, 77.7% was influenced by economic factors and social factors, and 22.3% was influenced outside these two factors. The ANFIS prediction results reinforced the results of the analysis, which stated that fertilizer treatment based on sacha inchi plant waste in the form of seed shells produced greater harvest weight compared with goat manure fertilizer. If farmers wanted to use a combination fertilizer, the used composition was 80% sacha inchi seed shell waste and 20% goat manure fertilizer or other materials; if the used composition was otherwise, the yield tended to decrease. This research contributes to the theory of production sustainability by integrating the optimal fertilization factor as a decision support unit in the model. Practically, this study recommends the application of fertilizer from the basic ingredients of sacha inchi seed shells to create a sustainable sacha inchi processing industry that ensures production stability, strengthens the agribusiness ecosystem, and develops the economic potential of sacha inchi and reduces the operational costs of sacha inchi farming by reducing the cost of purchasing fertilizer and supporting the circular economy model.
The Relationship between Geographical Self-Efficacy and Academic Achievements in Geography: A Moderated Mediating Model
Authors: Wang Leilei , Liu Li , Meng Xue , Gao Qiyue , Fan Mengyi
Published: March 2024

There are limited studies on the impact of domain-specific self-efficacy on academic achievements. The geospatial thinking ability is paramount to understand the relationship between geographical self-efficacy and academic achievements in geography. This study aims to explore the mediating effect of geospatial thinking on the relationship between geographical self-efficacy and academic achievements, and the moderating role of gender and attendance type. A total of 749 Chinese high school students, working as participants, anonymously completed a questionnaire covering topics like geographical spatial thinking, geographical self-efficacy, academic achievements in geography, gender, attendance type, and place of residence. The analysis using MPLUS 8.3 software indicates that geographical self-efficacy significantly predicts academic achievements in geography. Geospatial thinking plays a significant mediating role in this pathway, with gender and type of attendance having moderating effects. This study enhances the understanding between domain-specific self-efficacy and academic achievements, providing crucial guidance for educational practices, such as emphasizing geospatial thinking training for high school students, focusing on encouraging female students, and properly scheduling rest times for boarders, which will significantly contribute to the sustainable development of geography education.
Unveiling the Drivers of Global Logistics Efficiency: Insights from Cross-Country Analysis
Authors: Bayraktar Erkan , Eryarsoy Enes , Kosanoglu Fuat , Acar Mehmet Fatih , Zaim Selim
Published: March 2024

This study presents a novel approach to assess countries’ relative logistics performance differentials and identifies the underlying drivers using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. The findings offer strategic insights and provide nations with valuable guidance in navigating the dynamic landscape of global logistics competitiveness. Recognizing the pivotal role of logistics in fostering economic activity and contributing to sustainability, we utilize the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) within the DEA model to gauge efficiencies at the country level and scrutinize influencing factors. Our findings indicate that international shipment practices in the last decade, as well as tracking and tracing recently, no longer contribute to the competitiveness of the countries, despite their potential for improvement. The overall change in logistics efficiency during the last decade remained relatively marginal, primarily driven by the frontier-shift effect. However, notable disparities among the country performance groups, particularly in adopting technological advancements, are manifested in the frontier-shift effect. Countries with lower logistics performance should prioritize addressing structural challenges related to customs, infrastructure, quality of logistics services, and timeliness. Medium-performance countries, while benefiting from a focus on customs, tracking and tracing, and timeliness in the early 2010s, are advised to align their efforts with high-performance countries by emphasizing managerial aspects in recent times.
Development of a Generic Decision Tree for the Integration of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) and Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) Methods under Uncertainty to Facilitate Sustainability Assessment: A Methodical Review
Authors: Ferdous Jannatul , Bensebaa Farid , Milani Abbas S. , Hewage Kasun , Bhowmik Pankaj , Pelletier Nathan
Published: March 2024

The integration of Multi-Objective Optimization (MOO) and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) has gathered significant attention across various scientific research domains to facilitate integrated sustainability assessment. Recently, there has been a growing interest in hybrid approaches that combine MCDM with MOO, aiming to enhance the efficacy of the final decisions. However, a critical gap exists in terms of providing clear methodological guidance, particularly when dealing with data uncertainties. To address this gap, this systematic review is designed to develop a generic decision tree that serves as a practical roadmap for practitioners seeking to perform MOO and MCDM in an integrated fashion, with a specific focus on accounting for uncertainties. The systematic review identified the recent studies that conducted both MOO and MCDM in an integrated way. It is important to note that this review does not aim to identify the superior MOO or MCDM methods, but rather it delves into the strategies for integrating these two common methodologies. The prevalent MOO methods used in the reviewed articles were evolution-based metaheuristic methods. TOPSIS and PROMETHEE II are the prevalent MCDM ranking methods. The integration of MOO and MCDM methods can occur either a priori, a posteriori, or through a combination of both, each offering distinct advantages and drawbacks. The developed decision tree illustrated all three paths and integrated uncertainty considerations in each path. Finally, a real-world case study for the pulse fractionation process in Canada is used as a basis for demonstrating the various pathways presented in the decision tree and their application in identifying the optimized processing pathways for sustainably obtaining pulse protein. This study will help practitioners in different research domains use MOO and MCDM methods in an integrated way to identify the most sustainable and optimized system.
Exploring the Evolution of Seismic Hazard and Risk Assessment Research: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Ismail Afiqah , Rashid Ahmad Safuan A. , Amhadi Talal , Nazir Ramli , Irsyam Masyhur , Faizal Lutfi
Published: March 2024

A bibliometric analysis spanning from 2002 to 2022 examines the landscape of seismic hazard and risk assessment research, critical for disaster preparedness in earthquake-prone regions. The study uncovers a substantial increase in related studies, notably surging around 2006. Leading contributors hail from China, the United States, Italy, and the United Kingdom, underlining the global significance of the subject. Common terms in scholarly articles include “seismic hazard”, “seismic risk”, “earthquake”, “vulnerability”, “GIS” (Geographic Information System), and “liquefaction”. While seismic hazards remain the primary focus, a growing interest in risk assessment, particularly for induced phenomena like landslides and liquefaction, is noted. Researchers predominantly assess vulnerability across various structural elements, reflecting a holistic approach to understanding and mitigating the impact of earthquakes on infrastructure and communities. In summary, the bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of seismic hazard and risk assessment research, highlighting field growth, key research areas, and an increasing focus on risk assessment in response to natural phenomena. The findings offer valuable insights for both academics and practitioners invested in the field’s future development.
Sustainable Seismic Performance of Diagrid Core-Tube Structure with Replaceable Steel Coupling Beam
Authors: Liu Chengqing , Li Guang , He Bin , Zhou Cong , Ma Ying
Published: March 2024

The diagrid core-tube structure has been widely used in high-rise buildings in recent years, but there are few studies on the sustainable energy dissipation measures and seismic performance improvement of such structural systems. Because the coupling beam is the element connecting the inner tube and the outer tube in the diagrid structure, it is the first seismic defense line and an important energy-dissipation member in the seismic design of the overall structure. Therefore, this paper replaces the traditional reinforced concrete coupling beam of the inner tube of the shear wall with a replaceable energy-dissipation steel coupling beam, and the strength, stiffness, and stability of the replaceable steel coupling beam are designed to improve the sustainability of the structure. By changing the position of the replaceable coupling beam, the relative stiffness of the inner and outer tubes of the diagrid tube structure, and the plane form of the structure, the static elastoplastic analysis and seismic response energy analysis of different diagrid tube structures are carried out, and the influence of the replaceable coupling beam on the sustainable seismic performance of the diagrid tube structure is studied. The results show that the replaceable coupling beams have little effect on the ultimate bearing capacity of the structure, but the ductility and sustainability of the structure are significantly improved, and the whole building layout is the optimal layout scheme. The setting of replaceable coupling beams makes the diagrid tube structure show hysteretic energy-dissipation earlier under the action of large earthquakes, and the proportion of hysteretic energy-dissipation is greatly improved, which reduces the inter-story drift ratios and the damage degree of the diagrid columns under the action of large earthquakes. When the relative stiffness of the outer tube of the diagrid tube structure is small or the plane form of the structure is a regular quadrilateral, the application of replaceable coupling beams is more effective in improving the ductility and sustainability of the structure and reducing the damage to the diagrid column under large earthquakes.