bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Industrial Agglomeration on Agricultural Green Production Efficiency: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Zhen , Zhang Xiaoyu , Lu Hui , Kang Xiaolan , Liu Bin
Published: August 2023

Understanding how industrial agglomeration affects agricultural green production efficiency is essential for green agricultural development. This study uses the super-efficient Epsilon-Based Measure (EBM) model and Global Malmquist–Luenberger (GML) index to measure and analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and core sources of dynamics of agricultural green production efficiency in China by using panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2006 to 2020. It also empirically investigates the relationships between industrial agglomeration, land transfer, and agricultural production efficiency. By using fixed, intermediary, and threshold effect models, the internal links between industrial agglomeration, land transfer, and agricultural green production efficiency are examined. The findings indicate the following. (1) The green production efficiency of Chinese agriculture exhibits the regional characteristics of being “high in the west and low in the east, high in the south and low in the north” in terms of space; in terms of time, the overall trend is that green production technology efficiency is growing, with an average annual growth rate of 11.45%, and the growth primarily depends on the “single-track drive” of green technological progress. (2) Industrial agglomeration significantly affects agricultural green production efficiency, green technology efficiency, and green technology change; the corresponding coefficient values are 0.115, 0.093, and 0.022. (3) According to the mechanism-of-action results, land transfer mediates the effects of industrial agglomeration on agricultural green production efficiency, green technology efficiency, and green technology change. These effects have effect values of 28.48%, 27.91%, and 47.75%, respectively. (4) The threshold effect’s findings demonstrate a double threshold effect of industrial agglomeration on the green production efficiency of agriculture in terms of land transfer, with threshold values of 1.468 and 3.891, respectively. As a result, this study suggests adhering to the idea of synergistic development, promoting agricultural green development, strengthening the development of industrial agglomerations, promoting the quality and efficiency of industry, improving land-transfer mechanisms, and placing a focus on resource efficiency improvements, as well as other policy recommendations.
Bacteriophage and Their Potential Use in Bioaugmentation of Biological Wastewater Treatment Processes
Authors: Reisoglu Şuheda , Aydin Sevcan
Published: August 2023

In wastewater treatment plants, the stability of the related microbiota is pivotal for a steady and appropriate operation in biological wastewater treatment (BWT). The interactions between phages, which are high in amounts and diversity, and their particular hosts are significant due to their specificity in this microbial community. As drivers of diversity, phages are capable of changing the microbial structure by affecting host cells. This study aimed to enhance the stability of the functional microbiota, a primary concern of BWT, by evaluating the influence of bioaugmentation with bacteriophage cocktails. The sequencing data revealed significant alterations in the entire microbiome, including microeukaryotes, induced by the bacteriophages. These alterations led to a reduction in opportunistic microorganisms while preserving the beneficial ones. The genus Proteobacteria was found unaffected by three antibiotics in the bioreactor due to its antibiotic-resistant members, leading to its further growth, while the antibiotic-sensitive genus decreased in quantity. Furthermore, the phages notably influenced the metabolic pathway such as nitrogen, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolisms by eliminating opportunistic microbes and providing improved growth conditions to bacterial species that are essential for effective reactor performance and wastewater treatment.
‘Sleep Blindness’ in Science Education: How Sleep Health Literacy Can Serve as a Link between Health Education and Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Beniermann Anna , Glos Martin , Schumacher Heike , Fietze Ingo , Völker Stephan , Upmeier zu Belzen Annette
Published: August 2023

Sleep disorders are risk factors for diseases such as dementia or diabetes, and cause enormous costs. Despite the crucial impacts of sleep on human health, there is little to no research on sleep and health in the field of science education. Although health education is an overarching goal of science education in school, the topic of sleep is rarely addressed. In the related field of medical education, empirical studies shed light on the impact of school projects concerning sleep health but are yet unrecognized by science education research. Systematic reviews demonstrate the effectiveness of school-based sleep education programs for increasing sleep knowledge but show contradicting findings regarding the impact on sleep behaviors. Lacking knowledge about healthy sleep is related to unhealthy sleep behavior. In this perspective article, we prepare the topic of sleep for the field of science education by presenting the state of research concerning sleep education. Using the connection between light pollution and sleep disruption, we present a concept of sleep health literacy in science education, argue for the implementation of sleep health literacy in science education curricula, and describe how the topics of sleep and light can serve as a link between health education and Education for Sustainable Development.
Enhanced Onsite Treatment of Domestic Wastewater Using an Integrated Settler-Based Biofilm Reactor with Efficient Biogas Generation
Authors: Singh Surya Pratap , Sharma Meena Kumari , Pandey Shatrudhan , Hasnain S. M. Mozammil , Alqahtani Fahad M. , Alessa Faisal M.
Published: August 2023

The growing population and increasing urbanization have led to a surge in domestic wastewater generation, posing significant challenges for effective and sustainable treatment. The present study demonstrates a novel and sustainable approach for the onsite treatment of domestic wastewater using an integrated settler-based biofilm reactor (ISBR) with efficient biogas generation. The ISBR provides an optimized environment for the growth of biofilm, facilitating the removal of organic pollutants and pathogens. Moreover, the ISBR enables the recovery of a valuable resource in the form of biogas, thus enhancing the overall utility of the treatment process. The performance of the ISBR was comprehensively evaluated at laboratory scale through treating the actual domestic wastewater generated from the hostel of Manipal University Jaipur. The ISBR system was operated under an ambient environment at a hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 24 h. The results demonstrated remarkable efficiency in terms of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), and coliforms removal, with average removal efficiency being more than 90%. According to the COD mass balance analysis, 48.2% of the influent COD was recovered as bioenergy. The chromatogram revealed a high percentage of methane gas in the collected biogas sample. The field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) analysis of the accumulated sludge in the ISBR system depicted the morphology of methanogenic bacteria. Both the experimental and theoretical results confirmed the feasibility and sustainability of the ISBR system at the onsite level.
Effectiveness of Discount Incentives in Carbon Reduction: Impact of Customer-Perceived Value Sacrificed for Green Hotels
Authors: Lin Yaqin , Chiu Chun-Hung
Published: August 2023

To improve carbon reduction efficiency, green hotels adopt cash discount incentives to encourage green customer behavior. However, the effectiveness of these incentives in promoting green customer behavior has been controversial. Prior studies argue that customer participation in green hotel practices typically involves specific sacrifices (e.g., inconvenience, lesser quality, or less luxury), going against the hedonism of tourism. Therefore, in the context of hotel carbon reduction, this study adopts mathematical modeling to investigate the impacts of customer-perceived experience sacrifice on the effectiveness of cash discount incentives. By performing backward reasoning, the study obtained the optimal pricing decisions of a green hotel, and based on which the study also observed the impact of effective discount incentives on hotel performance. It was found that cash discount incentives are effective if discounts are higher than the experience sacrifice value perceived by customers, and vice versa. Furthermore, (a proportion of) total cost savings can moderate the relationship between customer-perceived sacrifice and the effectiveness of discount incentives. The study also found that effective discount incentives always help a green hotel increase profit and occupancy, whereas whether these incentives help to reduce total carbon emissions depends on various factors that interact with each other. Findings provide a reference for green hotels to make optimal decisions on discount incentives.
Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Influential Factors of Eco-Efficiency in Chinese Urban Agglomerations
Authors: Zhang Xiyao , Wang Xiaolei , Liu Jia
Published: August 2023

Against the background of a high-quality development philosophy, the realization of the coordinated development of the economy, environment, and resources is particularly important. This study adopts the super-efficiency slacks-based measure (SBM) model to evaluate the eco-efficiency of 208 cities in 19 urban agglomerations in China from 2006 to 2020, and the kernel density estimation and spatial econometric specifications are combined to reveal the spatial–temporal evolution. Finally, Tobit regression is used to analyze the driving factors of the eco-efficiency of urban agglomerations in China. The main results can be summarized as follows: (1) The eco-efficiency of Chinese urban agglomerations is generally low, and the differences in eco-efficiency between urban agglomerations are obvious, with different trends of change. (2) In terms of the time series, the sample period shows a “steadily rising” trend followed by a “fluctuating downward” trend. From the results of the kernel density estimation, the internal difference in the overall eco-efficiency of urban agglomerations shows the trend of a small decline followed by a gradual increase. (3) From the spatial point of view, the eco-efficiency of urban agglomerations decreased from the coast to the inland areas, and there was a “cluster effect”. The overall eco-efficiency of urban agglomerations shows a trend of spatial aggregation. (4) From the perspective of influencing factors, fiscal expenditure, opening-up level, and population density have a significant negative correlation with the eco-efficiency of urban agglomerations, while science and technology investment, industrial structure, and urbanization level have a significant positive correlation with the eco-efficiency of urban agglomerations. The research in this paper provides guidance for the coordinated development of urban agglomerations and the formulation of environmental policies.
Promoting Stakeholders’ Support for Marine Protection Policies: Insights from a 42-Country Dataset
Authors: Nguyen Minh-Hoang , Duong Minh-Phuong Thi , Nguyen Manh-Cuong , Mutai Noah , Jin Ruining , Nguyen Phuong-Tri , Le Tam-Tri , Vuong Quan-Hoang
Published: August 2023

Stakeholders’ support is essential for the effective and successful implementation of policies that prioritize enhancing and preserving ocean and coastal ecosystems. However, cross-national studies examining factors influencing stakeholders’ policy support are still lacking. The current study aimed to provide preliminary evidence on factors (e.g., socio-demographic factors, country income levels, and perceived impacts of marine and coastal ecosystems) that affect stakeholders’ endorsement of a policy centered on preserving marine and coastal ecosystems. To conduct the study, we applied the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework (BMF) to a dataset of 709 stakeholders from 42 countries generated by MaCoBioS—a research project funded by the European Commission Horizon 2020. The BMF allowed us to adopt a distinctive and innovative approach to analyzing the data and drawing valuable policy development and implementation insights. The results show no differences in policy endorsement levels across stakeholders with different ages, education, and country income levels. However, female stakeholders tended to support the policy prioritizing ocean protection more than their male counterparts. Stakeholders perceiving the impacts of marine and coastal ecosystem preservation on human wellbeing, climate and weather, and climate change reduction also tended to support the policy more strongly. Meanwhile, the perceived impacts of ocean and coastal ecosystems on global and local economies had an ambiguous effect on stakeholders’ policy support. Based on these findings, we suggest that raising the awareness and knowledge of stakeholders can help improve their support for ocean and coastal preservation policies. Moreover, it is necessary to concentrate more on communicating the adverse consequences induced by the ocean and coastal ecosystems’ loss (e.g., climate change and health) and less on the economic aspects. The study underscores the significance of environmental education and awareness-raising campaigns in disseminating environmental information and cultivating an eco-surplus culture. This culture inspires stakeholders to actively participate in environmental conservation efforts, going beyond mere sustainability and aiming to create positive environmental impacts.
A Systematic Review on Water Fluoride Levels Causing Dental Fluorosis
Authors: Umer Muhammad Farooq
Published: August 2023

Dental fluorosis is a long-existing public health issue resulting from inequitable access to potable water. Socially disadvantaged rural communities in fluoride-endemic areas, where a conventional irrigation system is absent and groundwater containing natural fluoride is the predominant source of drinking water, face a significant oral public health threat. This study aimed to determine the association between water fluoride levels and dental fluorosis. A systematic review aligned with PRISMA principles was conducted using the SPIDER search methodology and relevant keywords on many search engines, such as Google Scholar, PubMed, Elsevier, Sage, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Scopus. This review sought to ascertain the PICO model’s application as a search strategy tool. The reviewers gathered and assessed 1164 papers from January 2010 to January 2023. In total, 24 research papers from diverse databases were included. Using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale, grades resulting from several data screens were evaluated. According to a previous systematic review, there may be publication bias in studies examining the association between fluoride in drinking water and dental fluorosis. The findings of this systematic review indicate that subpar fluoride is detrimental to human health. The author outlines legislative tools and technological advancements that might reduce fluoride levels.
Sustainability Ranking of Turkish Universities with Different Weighting Approaches and the TOPSIS Method
Authors: Akyol Özcan Kübra
Published: August 2023

The concept of sustainability has become more important, especially as a result of the depletion of energy resources and increasing environmental concerns. UI GreenMetric ranks universities based on sustainability, environmental, and energy concerns, addressing issues of environmental pollution, food and water scarcity, and energy supply. By prioritizing sustainability on their campuses and campuses, universities are working to ensure a more sustainable future for humanity. This study evaluates university sustainability in energy and climate change using the UI GreenMetric ranking, focusing on Turkish universities’ sustainability ranking. It incorporates variables like infrastructure, energy, climate change, waste, water, public transportation, and educational research, using weighting approaches to reveal the most important variables for the country’s universities. The study utilized weighting techniques like CRITIC, entropy, standard deviation-based, and equal weighting approaches to obtain rankings for UI GreenMetric rankings. Entropy and equal weighting methods were found to be closest to the UI GreenMetric rankings. Universities’ rankings were analyzed using the TOPSIS method and four weighting techniques for 83 Turkish universities. For Turkish universities, the CRITIC method yielded the highest weight for energy and climate change variables, while water was identified as the most significant factor for entropy, installation infrastructure, and standard deviation-based weighting techniques.
An ESG Assessment Approach with Multi-Agent Preference Differences: Based on Fuzzy Reasoning and Group Decision-Making
Authors: Lu Yihe , Yu Yinyun , Qu Ting
Published: August 2023

The adoption of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) to measure the green development, social responsibility, and public interest of companies is a commonly accepted theme and approach in the industry and academia at present. As ESG assessment is characterized by heterogeneity of subjects, complexity of contents, diversity of scales, and uncertainty of weights, it has led to the variability of ESG assessment results given by different assessment organizations in the same company, which has attracted a lot of criticism. This paper proposes a group decision-making method based on the preferences of multiple subjects to solve the problem of heterogeneity of subjects in ESG assessment. Specifically, for the given ESG evaluation data, the first step is to identify the preferences of subjects and structure the initial group matrix; secondly, the fuzzy inference system is employed to mine the hidden preference information; further, the initial group matrix is revised using the preference information; and finally, the TOPSIS method is applied to aggregate the information and obtain the final ESG score and ranking of each company. This study was tested using statistics from 30 companies released by Harvest Fund in May 2021, which verified the validity and advantages of the method proposed in this paper. The proposed method integrates the preferences of heterogeneous subjects and mines the possible hidden preference information, which increases the interpretation of the information contained in the original ESG data and facilitates the achievement of group consensus.
Safety Culture in the Disaster-Resilient Society Context: A Conceptual Exploration
Authors: Duca Gabriella , Gugg Giovanni
Published: August 2023

Culture shapes how general principles, rules and knowledge concretise in a specific context. Therefore, broadening the approach to disaster risk management by incorporating cultural variability is a key factor in strengthening resilience in our societies. This article offers a theoretical framework to contextualise the concept of “Safety Culture” in the field of public safety and disaster risk reduction (DRR), with the aim of supporting its understanding and measurement in our communities and finally attaining more disaster-resilient societies. The work discusses the role of cultural dimensions in risk management and DRR. It highlights the relevance of building knowledge and practices based on the consideration of culture and cultural variability in all phases of the risk-management process. After an overview of the safety culture concept, including its origins, developments and applications, the text explores the transferability of this concept to the context of public safety. Then, based on the existing safety culture models, metrics and indicators from other sectors, the paper proposes an original definition of safety culture for the DRR context, shaped by a series of elements and dimensions specifically outlined for this context. Finally, the expected benefits of applying safety culture concepts and techniques for further advances in DRR are discussed.
Modeling Choice Behaviors for Ridesplitting under a Carbon Credit Scheme
Authors: Li Xiaomei , Zhang Yiwen , Yang Zijie , Zhu Yijun , Li Cihang , Li Wenxiang
Published: August 2023

Ridesplitting, a form of shared ridesourcing service, has the potential to significantly reduce emissions. However, its current adoption rate among users remains relatively low. Policies such as carbon credit schemes, which offer rewards for emission reduction, hold great promise in promoting ridesplitting. This study aimed to quantitatively analyze the choice behaviors for ridesplitting under a carbon credit scheme. First, both the socio-demographic and psychological factors that may influence the ridesplitting behavioral intention were identified based on the theory of planned behavior, technology acceptance model, and perceived risk theory. Then, a hybrid choice model of ridesplitting was established to model choice behaviors for ridesplitting under a carbon credit scheme by integrating both structural equation modeling and discrete choice modeling. Meanwhile, a stated preference survey was conducted to collect the socio-demographic and psychological information and ridesplitting behavioral intentions of transportation network company (TNC) users in 12 hypothetical scenarios with different travel distances and carbon credit prices. Finally, the model was evaluated based on the survey data. The results show that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, low-carbon values, and carbon credit prices have significant positive effects on the choice behavior for ridesplitting. Specifically, increasing the carbon credit price could raise the probability of travelers choosing ridesplitting. In addition, travelers with higher low-carbon values are usually more willing to choose ridesplitting and are less sensitive to carbon credit prices. The findings of this study indicate that a carbon credit scheme is an effective means to incentivize TNC users to choose ridesplitting.
Range Image-Aided Edge Line Estimation for Dimensional Inspection of Precast Bridge Slab Using Point Cloud Data
Authors: Li Fangxin , Thedja Julian Pratama Putra , Sim Sung-Han , Seo Joon-Oh , Kim Min-Koo
Published: August 2023

The accurate estimation of edge lines in precast bridge slabs based on laser scanning is crucial for a geometrical quality inspection. Normally, the as-designed model of precast slabs is used to match with laser scan data to estimate the edge lines. However, this approach often leads to an inaccurate quality measurement because the actually produced slab can be dimensionally different from the as-designed model or the inexistence of the as-designed model. In order to overcome this limitation, this study proposes a novel algorithm that generates and utilizes range images generated from scan points to enhance accuracy. The proposed algorithm operates as follows: first, the scan points are transformed into a range of images, and the corner points of these range images are extracted using a Harris corner detector. Next, the dimensions of the precast bridge slab are computed based on the extracted corner points. Consequently, the extracted corner points from the range images serve as an input for edge line estimation, thereby eliminating the matching errors that could arise when aligning collected scan points to an as-designed model. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed edge estimation algorithm, a series of tests were conducted on both lab-scale specimens and field-scale precast slabs. The results showed promising accuracy levels of 1.22 mm for lab-scale specimens and 3.10 mm for field-scale precast bridge slabs, demonstrating more accurate edge line estimation results compared to traditional methods. These findings highlight the feasibility of employing the proposed image-aided geometrical inspection method, demonstrating the great potential for application in both small-scale and full-scale prefabricated construction elements within the construction industry, particularly during the fabrication stage.
The Effects of Varying Combinations of Dietary Selenium, Vitamin E, and Zinc Supplements on Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, and Developmental and Histological Traits in Testicular Tissues of 1-Year-Old Native Turkish Ganders
Authors: Baş Hatice , Taşkesen Hulüsi Ozan , Boz Mehmet Akif , Sarıca Musa , Erensoy Kadir , Dotas Vassilios , Symeon George
Published: August 2023

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of varying combinations of dietary selenium (Se), vitamin E (Vit E), and zinc (Zn) supplements on antioxidant enzyme activity, and developmental and histological traits in testicular tissues of 1-year-old native Turkish ganders. A total of 48 animals were used and randomly assigned to 8 treatment groups (control, Se, Vit E, Zn, Se + Vit E, Se + Zn, Vit E + Zn, and Se + Vit E + Zn), with 6 birds in each group. In addition to the control (basic) diet, specific levels of supplements (0.3 mg/kg Se, 100 mg/kg Vit E, and 100 mg/kg Zn) were added to the diet of each treatment group. Antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-S-transferase activities, and malondialdehyde level) were more advantageous in the testicular tissue of ganders fed with Se + Vit E + Zn. Malondialdehyde (MDA), which is an important indicator of lipid peroxidation, was not significantly affected by the dietary treatments. However, it was negatively correlated with the seminiferous tubule area (−0.34) and diameter (−0.35). Compared to the control, the highest seminiferous tubule area and germinative epithelial thickness were determined as being fed with Se + Vit E + Zn. The lowest seminiferous tubule diameter was determined in the control and Zn groups, while the highest was in the group fed with Se + Vit E + Zn and Se + Vit E. This study showed that the simultaneous supplementation of Se + Vit and E + Zn into the diet of native Turkish ganders had positive effects on the testicular tissue, by reducing oxidative damage and improving histological parameters without affecting their physiological status.
Data-Driven Insights into Population Exposure Risks: Towards Sustainable and Safe Urban Airspace Utilization by Unmanned Aerial Systems
Authors: He Hongbo , Liao Xiaohan , Ye Huping , Xu Chenchen , Yue Huanyin
Published: August 2023

With the rapid increase in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), ensuring the safety of airspace operations and promoting sustainable development of airspace systems have become paramount concerns. However, research dedicated to investigating the population exposure risks of UAV operations in urban areas and their spatial pattern is still missing. To address this gap, this study evenly divides the urban space into uniform grids and calculates critical areas for two UAV types within each grid. By integrating geospatial data, including buildings, land use, and population, data-driven risk maps are constructed to assess the spatial distribution patterns and potential population exposure risks of two UAV types and compare them with commonly used census units. The results indicate that the mean time between failures (MTBF) for the selected generic and rotary-type UAVs can be up to 9.04 × 108 h and 1.22 × 108 h, respectively, at acceptable risk levels, considering uncertainties. The spatial pattern of population exposure risk exhibits spatial heterogeneity and multi-scale effects in urban areas, aligning with population distribution. High-risk areas concentrate in regions characterized by high population mobility, such as transport hubs, commercial service areas, residential zones, and business districts. Additionally, the comparation emphasizes the potential bias introduced by using census units in risk assessment, especially in regions with significant urban build-up. This framework enables the evaluation of safety and acceptability across diverse urban land use areas and offers guidance for airspace management in megacities, ensuring the safe integration of UAVs in urban environments.
How Technological, Organizational, and Environmental Factors Drive Enterprise Digital Innovation: Analysis Based on the Dynamic FsQCA Approach
Authors: Song Qi , Chen Xiaohong , Gu Hao
Published: August 2023

Improving the level of digital industry innovation is of great significance to enhance the competitiveness of China’s digital industry and improve the sustainable development advantages of the digital economy. Based on the technology–organization–environment framework (TOE framework), this paper establishes a multi-stage configuration analysis model of factors affecting enterprises’ digital innovation, selects six antecedent variables from technology, organization, and environment, including R&D investment, high-level talents, organizational size, top management team heterogeneity, industrial development speed, and regional digitalization level, and explores the driving path for improving enterprise digital innovation intention and digital innovation performance under the influence of multi-factor combinations. The results are presented that single factors or single dimensions struggle to stimulate high digital innovation, and the combination configuration of multiple factors has a significant impact. The configuration paths that drive high digital innovation intention include the technology–environment type (TE type) driven by technological and environmental factors, organization–environment type (OE type) driven by organizational and environmental factors and technology–organization–environment type (TOE type) driven by technological, organizational, and environmental factors; the configuration paths that drive high digital innovation performance include the technology–organization type (TO type) driven by technological and organizational factors, organization–environment type (OE type) driven by organizational and environmental factors. With the evolution of time, there are configuration solutions with relatively high stability, such as the TE type and OE type that drive high digital innovation intention, and the TO type that drives high digital innovation performance. The results provide a reference for revealing the key influencing factors and driving paths of enterprise digital innovation, and improving the vitality and output level of enterprise digital innovation.
An Iterative Wiener Filter Based on a Fourth-Order Tensor Decomposition
Authors: Benesty Jacob , Paleologu Constantin , Dogariu Laura-Maria
Published: August 2023

This work focuses on linear system identification problems in the framework of the Wiener filter. Specifically, it addresses the challenging identification of systems characterized by impulse responses of long length, which poses significant difficulties due to the existence of large parameter space. The proposed solution targets a dimensionality reduction of the problem by involving the decomposition of a fourth-order tensor, using low-rank approximations in conjunction with the nearest Kronecker product. In addition, the rank of the tensor is controlled and limited to a known value without involving any approximation technique. The final estimate is obtained based on a combination of four (shorter) optimal filters, which are alternatively iterated. As a result, the designed iterative Wiener filter outperforms the traditional counterpart, being more robust to the accuracy of the statistics’ estimates and/or noisy conditions. In addition, simulations performed in the context of acoustic echo cancellation indicate that the proposed iterative Wiener filter that exploits this fourth-order tensor decomposition achieves better performance as compared to some previously developed solutions based on lower decomposition levels. This study could further lead to the development of computationally efficient tensor-based adaptive filtering algorithms.
A Privacy-Preserving Consensus Mechanism for ADMM-Based Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading
Authors: Li Zhihu , Zhao Bing , Guo Hongxia , Zhai Feng , Li Lin
Published: August 2023

In the electricity market, prosumers are becoming more and more prevalent due to the fast development of distributed energy resources and demand response management, which also promote the appearance of peer-to-peer (P2P) trading mechanisms for energy. Optimization-based methods are efficient tools to design the P2P energy trading negotiation mechanism. However, the main drawback for market mechanisms based on optimization methods is that the incentive compatibility cannot be satisfied, which means participants can obtain more profit by providing untruthful biddings. To overcome this challenge, a novel consensus mechanism based on Proof of Solution (PoSo) is proposed for P2P energy trading. The optimization results will be verified by neighboring agents according to the KKT conditions in a fully decentralized and symmetric manner, which means agents will check each other’s solutions. However, the verification process may leak the private information of agents, and a privacy-preserving consensus mechanism is designed using Shamir’s secret sharing method. After that, we explore a method to realize that trusted agents can recover the right information even under the misbehavior of malicious agents by inheriting the philosophy of Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT). The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed consensus mechanisms. In more detail, (1) when the message delivery success rate is not lower than 0.7, the consensus mechanisms almost guarantee success; (2) if the proportion of untrusted agents satisfies 4f+1≤Nωn, the proposed method guarantees the correctness of the consensus verification results; (3) the communication times among agents can be highly reduced by more than 60% by only verifying the optimality of the received results for the first three and last few iterations.
Symmetric Strange Attractors: A Review of Symmetry and Conditional Symmetry
Authors: Li Chunbiao , Li Zhinan , Jiang Yicheng , Lei Tengfei , Wang Xiong
Published: August 2023

A comprehensive review of symmetry and conditional symmetry is made from the core conception of symmetry and conditional symmetry. For a dynamical system, the structure of symmetry means its robustness against the polarity change of some of the system variables. Symmetric systems typically show symmetrical dynamics, and even when the symmetry is broken, symmetric pairs of coexisting attractors are born, annotating the symmetry in another way. The polarity balance can be recovered through combinations of the polarity reversal of system variables, and furthermore, it can also be restored by the offset boosting of some of the system variables if the variables lead to the polarity reversal of their functions. In this case, conditional symmetry is constructed, giving a chance for a dynamical system outputting coexisting attractors. Symmetric strange attractors typically represent the flexible polarity reversal of some of the system variables, which brings more alternatives of chaotic signals and more convenience for chaos application. Symmetric and conditionally symmetric coexisting attractors can also be found in memristive systems and circuits. Therefore, symmetric chaotic systems and systems with conditional symmetry provide sufficient system options for chaos-based applications.
Some Curvature Properties of Finsler Warped Product Metrics
Authors: Wu Mengke , Zhang Xiaoling , Sun Lingen , Han Lingyue
Published: August 2023

The class of warped product metrics can often be interpreted as key space models for the general theory of relativity and theory of space-time. In this paper, we first obtain the PDE characterization of Finsler warped product metrics with a vanishing Riemannian curvature. Moreover, we obtain equivalent conditions for locally Minkowski Finsler warped product spaces. Finally, we explicitly construct two types of non-Riemannian examples.
Multi-Trip Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows and Resource Synchronization on Heterogeneous Facilities
Authors: Xu Rui , Li Shumin , Wu Jiayan
Published: August 2023

Inspired by long-distance road transport in industrial logistics in China, this paper studies a simultaneous loading scheduling and vehicle routing problem over a multi-workday planning horizon. Industrial cargo often requires specialized facilities, and these facilities vary in performance and quantity and are subject to available time constraints. Consequently, achieving coordinated optimization of vehicle routing and loading scheduling becomes a significant challenge in practice. We describe the studied problem as a multi-trip vehicle routing problem with time windows and resource synchronization on heterogeneous facilities. First, we develop a mixed integer programming model in a multi-workday setting to minimize the total travel distance and the number of vehicles. Moreover, a three-phase heuristic approach is developed. An initial solution is constructed using a sequential strategy in the first phase, and then an adaptive large neighbourhood search and a post-optimization procedure based on ejection chains are, respectively, designed to optimize the two hierarchical objective functions. Finally, extensive computational experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Specifically, the research results indicate that in long-distance road transport in industrial scenarios, expanding the planning horizon from a single workday to a multi-workday period could significantly reduce logistics operational costs and improve service quality.
Assessing the Acute Toxicological Effects of Annona muricata Leaf Ethanol Extract on Rats: Biochemical, Histopathological, and Metabolomics Analyses
Authors: Zubaidi Siti Norliyana , Qadi Wasim S. M. , Maarof Syahida , Mohmad Misnan Norazlan , Mohammad Noor Halimatul Saadiah , Hamezah Hamizah Shahirah , Baharum Syarul Nataqain , Rosli Nurwahyuna , Jam Faidruz Azura , Al-Olayan Ebtesam , Wang Chuanyi , Hellal Khaoula , Buzgaia Nawal , Mediani Ahmed
Published: August 2023

Annona muricata is a common plant used in Africa and South America to manage various types of disease. However, there is insufficient toxicological information or published standard available regarding repeated dose animal toxicity data. As part of the safety assessment, we exposed Sprague Dawley rats to an acute oral toxicity of A. muricata. The intent of the current study was to use advanced proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) in serum and urinary metabolomics evaluation techniques to provide the in vivo acute toxicological profile of A. muricata leaf ethanol extract in accordance with the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 423 guidelines. A single 2000 mg/kg dose of A. muricata leaf ethanol extract was administered to Sprague Dawley rats over an observational period of 14 days. The toxicity evaluation (physical and behavior observation, body weight, renal function test, liver function test and 1H NMR analysis) showed no abnormal toxicity. Histopathological analysis manifested mild changes, i.e., the treated kidney manifested mild hypercellularity of mesangial cells and mild red blood cell congestion. In addition, there was mild hemorrhage into tissue with scattered inflammatory cells and mild dilated central vein with fibrosis in the liver. However, the changes were very mild and not significant which correlate with other analyses conducted in this study (biochemical test and 1H NMR metabolomic analysis). On the other hand, urinary 1H NMR analysis collected on day 15 revealed high similarity on the metabolite variations for both untreated and treated groups. Importantly, the outcomes suggest that A. muricata leaf ethanol extract can be safely consumed at a dose of 2000 mg/kg and the LD50 must be more than 2000 mg/kg.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Poor Sleep Quality in People Living with HIV: Preliminary Observations from an HIV Outpatient Clinic
Authors: Bruno Giuseppe , Giotta Massimo , Perelli Serena , Spada Vito , Purgatorio Maria Antonietta , Bartolomeo Nicola , Buccoliero Giovanni Battista
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Sleep disorders have been reported in individuals living with HIV (PLWH), with a prevalence rate of over 50%. The main risk factors contributing to the development of sleep disturbances are not yet fully understood. We investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with poor sleep quality in a population of PLWH who are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality in PLWH attending our HIV Outpatient Clinic between October 2022 and April 2023. All subjects with a PSQI score > 5 were considered bad sleepers. A logistic regression analysis was carried out to assess risk factors associated with a PSQI score > 5. Results: A total of 132 PLWH (78% males) who received ART for at least one month were included in this observational study. The median age was 56 (IQR 47–61). Among all, 41 (31%) had a history of AIDS, and 95 (72%) were receiving an INSTI-based ART. The study population was divided into two groups: PSQI ≤ 5 (90; 68.2%) and PSQI > 5 (42; 31.8%). A lower BMI and the use of bictegravir in the current ART were associated with a PSQI score ≤ 5. In the multivariate analysis, the use of a bictegravir-based ART remained the only factor associated with better sleep quality (OR 0.17; p = 0.0222). No further associations between sleep disturbances and other epidemiological and clinical features were found. Conclusion: In this real-life scenario, poor sleep quality was observed in 31% of the cases, primarily among individuals with higher BMI. In addition, bictegravir users might seem to have a lower likelihood of experiencing poor sleep quality.
Components of the Nucleotide Salvage Pathway Increase Frog Virus 3 (FV3) Replication
Authors: Logan Samantha R. , Seegobin Mark , Emery R. J. Neil , Brunetti Craig R.
Published: August 2023

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that alter host metabolic machinery to obtain energy and macromolecules that are pivotal for replication. Ranavirus, including the type species of the genus frog virus 3 (FV3), represent an ecologically important group of viruses that infect fish, amphibians, and reptiles. It was established that fatty acid synthesis, glucose, and glutamine metabolism exert roles during iridovirus infections; however, no information exists regarding the role of purine metabolism. In this study, we assessed the impact of exogenously applied purines adenine, adenosine, adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP), inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP), inosine, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH), and S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) on FV3 replication. We found that all compounds except for SAH increased FV3 replication in a dose-dependent manner. Of the purines investigated, adenine and adenosine produced the most robust response, increasing FV3 replication by 58% and 51%, respectively. While all compounds except SAH increased FV3 replication, only adenine increased plaque area. This suggests that the stimulatory effect of adenine on FV3 replication is mediated by a mechanism that is at least in part independent from the other compounds investigated. Our results are the first to report a response to exogenously applied purines and may provide insight into the importance of purine metabolism during iridoviral infection.
Pivotal Issues of Water-Based Tourism in Worldwide Literature
Authors: Rahmat Al Fauzi , El Archi Youssef , Putra Muhammad Ade , Benbba Brahim , Mominov Serik , Liudmila Pavlichenko , Issakov Yerlan , Kabil Moaaz , Dávid Lóránt Dénes
Published: August 2023

Studies on water-based tourism have recently gained consistent attention from scholars. Its development relies on water segmentation of areas that could potentially become a tourist attraction or even an alternative source of renewable energy. In short, the ideas of water-based tourism, as presented theoretically, conceptually, and practically by scholars, have been widespread; however, studies to map the core issues in the literature have not yet been undertaken. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the progress of water-based tourism literature around the world. Furthermore, we used the scientometric and literature review approaches, along with the assistance of two qualitative applications, NVivo and VOSViewer, as tools for visualizing the code of 106 documents in Scopus. Our core findings showed that water-based tourism studies have undergone rather substantial developments in the last decade. Moreover, our study also noted that there were eight pivotal issues that had been identified, classified as follows: “areas”, “water”, “economic”, “value”, “tourist”, “quality”, “development”, “management”, and “resources”. We believe that this water-based tourism segmentation provides potential opportunities for regions that have water resources or water utilization as their main developable asset, and that water segmentation provides great potential development for community economic growth, increased tourist visits, and a contribution to local income. Therefore, it is necessary to request that the authorities engage other agencies in order to support the best economic and practical realities associated with procuring resources, directly or indirectly. This paper also introduces insightful future directions for water-based tourism studies.
BENFEP Spheres: New Porous Adsorbent Material for Arsenic Removal from Natural Waters
Authors: Acarapi-Cartes Jorge , Cornejo-Ponce Lorena
Published: August 2023

In the present work, the adsorption of arsenic (V) on a new porous material (named BENFEP), was studied for the first time. The parameters pH, adsorbent dosage, initial concentration and contact time were evaluated on the adsorption performance in a batch system. The results show that maximum arsenic removal is achieved at pH 7.0–7.5 with 1.5 g/L adsorbent. The observed data were found to follow the Langmuir adsorption isotherm between pH values of 5 and 9, indicating that the adsorbent had mainly homogeneous sites on its surface. The experimental data obtained from the thermodynamic study showed that the reaction was viable, spontaneous and exothermic. No significant deterioration in water quality was observed after the adsorption process, a characteristic that is fundamental for its application in small-scale water treatment systems, particularly in isolated rural areas.
Electric Logistics Vehicle Path Planning Based on the Fusion of the Improved A-Star Algorithm and Dynamic Window Approach
Authors: Yu Mengxue , Luo Qiang , Wang Haibao , Lai Yushu
Published: August 2023

The study of path-planning algorithms is crucial for an electric logistics vehicle to reach its target point quickly and safely. In light of this, this work suggests a novel path-planning technique based on the improved A-star (A*) fusion dynamic window approach (DWA). First, compared to the A* algorithm, the upgraded A* algorithm not only avoids the obstruction border but also removes unnecessary nodes and minimizes turning angles. Then, the DWA algorithm is fused with the enhanced A* algorithm to achieve dynamic obstacle avoidance. In addition to RVIZ of ROS, MATLAB simulates and verifies the upgraded A* algorithm and the A* fused DWA. The MATLAB simulation results demonstrate that the approach based on the enhanced A* algorithm combined with DWA not only shortens the path by 4.56% when compared to the A* algorithm but also smooths the path and has dynamic obstacle-avoidance capabilities. The path length is cut by 8.99% and the search time is cut by 16.26% when compared to the DWA. The findings demonstrate that the enhanced method in this study successfully addresses the issues that the A* algorithm’s path is not smooth, dynamic obstacle avoidance cannot be performed, and DWA cannot be both globally optimal.