bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of an Ultrasound Sensing System for Estimation of the Porosity of Agricultural Soils
Authors: Bradley Stuart , Ghimire Chandra
Published: April 2024

The design of a readily useable technology for routine paddock-scale soil porosity estimation is described. The method is non-contact (proximal) and typically from “on-the-go” sensors mounted on a small farm vehicle around 1 m above the soil surface. This ultrasonic sensing method is unique in providing estimates of porosity by a non-invasive, cost-effective, and relatively simple method. Challenges arise from the need to have a compact low-power rigid structure and to allow for pasture cover and surface roughness. The high-frequency regime for acoustic reflections from a porous material is a function of the porosity ϕ, the tortuosity α∞, and the angle of incidence θ. There is no dependence on frequency, so measurements must be conducted at two or more angles of incidence θ to obtain two or more equations in the unknown soil properties ϕ and α∞. Sensing and correcting for scattering of ultrasound from a rough soil surface requires measurements at three or more angles of incidence. A system requiring a single transmitter/receiver pair to be moved from one angle to another is not viable for rapid sampling. Therefore, the design includes at least three transmitter/reflector pairs placed at identical distances from the ground so that they would respond identically to power reflected from a perfectly reflecting surface. A single 25 kHz frequency is a compromise which allows for the frequency-dependent signal loss from a natural rough agricultural soil surface. Multiple-transmitter and multiple-microphone arrays are described which give a good signal-to-noise ratio while maintaining a compact system design. The resulting arrays have a diameter of 100 mm. Pulsed ultrasound is used so that the reflected sound can be separated from sound travelling directly through the air horizontally from transmitter to receiver. The average porosity estimated for soil samples in the laboratory and in the field is found to be within around 0.04 of the porosity measured independently. This level of variation is consistent with uncertainties in setting the angle of incidence, although assumptions made in modelling the interaction of ultrasound with the rough surface no doubt also contribute. Although the method is applicable to all soil types, the current design has only been tested on dry, vegetation-free soils for which the sampled area does not contain large animal footprints or rocks.
Synthetic Iris Images: A Comparative Analysis between Cartesian and Polar Representation
Authors: Kordas Adrian , Bartuzi-Trokielewicz Ewelina , Ołowski Michał , Trokielewicz Mateusz
Published: April 2024

In recent years, the advancement of generative techniques, particularly generative adversarial networks (GANs), has opened new possibilities for generating synthetic biometric data from different modalities, including—among others—images of irises, fingerprints, or faces in different representations. This study presents the process of generating synthetic images of human irises, using the recent StyleGAN3 model. The novelty presented in this work consists in producing generated content in both Cartesian and polar coordinate representations, typically used in iris recognition pipelines, such as the foundational work proposed by John Daugman, but hitherto not used in generative AI experiments. The main objective of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis of the synthetic samples and evaluate the iris texture density and suitability for meaningful feature extraction. During this study, a total of 1327 unique irises were generated, and experimental results carried out using the well-known OSIRIS open-source iris recognition software and the equivalent software, wordlcoin-openiris, newly published at the end of 2023 to prove that (1) no “identity leak” from the training set was observed, and (2) the generated irises had enough unique textural information to be successfully differentiated between both themselves and between them and real, authentic iris samples. The results of our research demonstrate the promising potential of synthetic iris data generation as a valuable tool for augmenting training datasets and improving the overall performance of iris recognition systems. By exploring the synthetic data in both Cartesian and polar representations, we aim to understand the benefits and limitations of each approach and their implications for biometric applications. The findings suggest that synthetic iris data can significantly contribute to the advancement of iris recognition technology, enhancing its accuracy and robustness in real-world scenarios by greatly augmenting the possibilities to gather large and diversified training datasets.
Load Recognition in Home Energy Management Systems Based on Neighborhood Components Analysis and Regularized Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Cabral Thales W. , Neto Fernando B. , de Lima Eduardo R. , Fraidenraich Gustavo , Meloni Luís G. P.
Published: April 2024

Efficient energy management in residential environments is a constant challenge, in which Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) play an essential role in optimizing consumption. Load recognition allows the identification of active appliances, providing robustness to the HEMS. The precise identification of household appliances is an area not completely explored. Gaps like improving classification performance through techniques dedicated to separability between classes and models that achieve enhanced reliability remain open. This work improves several aspects of load recognition in HEMS applications. In this research, we adopt Neighborhood Component Analysis (NCA) to extract relevant characteristics from the data, seeking the separability between classes. We also employ the Regularized Extreme Learning Machine (RELM) to identify household appliances. This pioneering approach achieves performance improvements, presenting higher accuracy and weighted F1-Score values—97.24% and 97.14%, respectively—surpassing state-of-the-art methods and enhanced reliability according to the Kappa index, i.e., 0.9388, outperforming competing classifiers. Such evidence highlights the promising potential of Machine Learning (ML) techniques, specifically NCA and RELM, to contribute to load recognition and energy management in residential environments.
Analytical Formalism for Data Representation and Object Detection with 2D LiDAR: Application in Mobile Robotics
Authors: Fagundes Leonardo A. , Caldeira Alexandre G. , Quemelli Matheus B. , Martins Felipe N. , Brandão Alexandre S.
Published: April 2024

In mobile robotics, LASER scanners have a wide spectrum of indoor and outdoor applications, both in structured and unstructured environments, due to their accuracy and precision. Most works that use this sensor have their own data representation and their own case-specific modeling strategies, and no common formalism is adopted. To address this issue, this manuscript presents an analytical approach for the identification and localization of objects using 2D LiDARs. Our main contribution lies in formally defining LASER sensor measurements and their representation, the identification of objects, their main properties, and their location in a scene. We validate our proposal with experiments in generic semi-structured environments common in autonomous navigation, and we demonstrate its feasibility in multiple object detection and identification, strictly following its analytical representation. Finally, our proposal further encourages and facilitates the design, modeling, and implementation of other applications that use LASER scanners as a distance sensor.
Optimizing Chromatographic Separation with Redosing: Effects on Separation Efficiency of a Model System in Centrifugal Partition Chromatography
Authors: Buthmann Felix , Hohlmann Jan , Neuwald Mareen , Schembecker Gerhard
Published: April 2024

This study investigates and optimizes chromatographic separation in a Centrifugal Partition Chromatograph. Therefore, a model system is separated in a single-disc rotor. The occurring loss of the stationary phase lowers the separation efficiency over time. We introduced a new mode of operation, called the redosing of the stationary phase, to counteract this hydrodynamic phenomenon. Experiments with redosing at an optimized operating point demonstrate almost constant separation performance over 12 h, reducing solvent consumption by 45% and increasing chromatographic resolution by 37%. The improvement in retention by 69% contributes to this enhancement. Accordingly, reference experiments without redosing were conducted as a benchmark, highlighting the automated mode’s benefits, as mentioned.
Taking Back Control: Human Rights and Human Trafficking in the United Kingdom
Authors: Landman Todd , Brewster Ben , Thornton Sara
Published: April 2024

Modern slavery and human trafficking are well recognized as significant problems in need of legislation, policies, and actions from a wide range of stakeholders in the United Kingdom. The passage of the UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 is a hallmark of these concerns and has made the UK a world leader in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking, a legislative development that is in line with the country’s broader formal commitment to the international and European human rights regime. In the post-Brexit period, however, there has been an increasing de jure conflation of modern slavery and human trafficking with efforts to curb immigration, leading to a significant questioning of the UK’s commitment to human rights. This article locates the consideration of human rights and human trafficking within these broader political trends in order to understand the prospects for meaningful measures to combat modern slavery and human trafficking in the future.
The Evaluation of Territorial Spatial Planning from the Perspective of Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Hu Qiqi , Zhang Yanan , Wang Jiabin , Huo Ran , Feng Zhe
Published: April 2024

Territorial spatial planning is crucial for fostering green production and lifestyles, contributing to ecological civilization, and shaping a beautiful China. However, evaluations of China’s territorial spatial planning at a global level are scant. This study constructs a self-assessment tool for territorial spatial planning, anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Initially, it develops an indicator system to assess provincial territorial spatial planning, tailored to the specificities of Chinese provinces. Subsequently, this study formulates problem guidance and performs a match analysis. The tool is then applied to assess the preparation of territorial spatial planning in Shaanxi Province, yielding visualized results. These results correlate the content of planning documents with the questions in the tool, ensuring alignment. Findings indicate that Shaanxi Provincial Territorial Spatial Planning (2021–2035) largely aligns with the SDGs’ framework, while Shaanxi Province Land Space Ecological Restoration Planning (2021–2035) shows partial alignment. Discrepancies with global and national sustainability trends are noted, potentially linked to the unique role of ecological restoration in national spatial planning. By integrating SDGs, this study evaluates the rationality and potential for optimization in China’s provincial territorial spatial planning. This approach aims to enhance public well-being and offers actionable recommendations for incorporating sustainable development into provincial spatial planning strategies.
Effect of Turbulence Intensity on Aerodynamic Loads of Floating Wind Turbine under Wind–Wave Coupling Effect
Authors: Tian Wenxin , Shi Qiang , Zhang Lidong , Ren Hehe , Yu Hongfa , Chen Yibing , Feng Zhengcong , Bai Yuan
Published: April 2024

This study first employs TurbSim and OpenFAST (Fatigue, Aerodynamics, Structures, Turbulence) programs for secondary development to comprehensively model the NREL-5MW semi-submersible wind turbine and OC4-DeepC wind floating platform with wind–wave interaction. Next, we investigate the dynamic response of floating wind turbines under the complex coupling of turbulent winds and irregular waves. Turbulent wind fields were simulated using the IEC Kaimal model with turbulence intensities of 5% and 20%. Additionally, two irregular waves were simulated with the Pierson–Moskowitz (P–M) spectrum. The results indicate that in turbulent wind conditions, the aerodynamic power of the wind turbine and the root bending moments of the blades are significantly influenced by turbulence, while the impact of waves is minimal. The coupled motion response of the floating platform demonstrates that turbulence intensity has the greatest impact on the platform’s heave and pitch motions, underscoring the importance of turbulence in platform stability. This study provides essential insights for designing and optimizing floating wind turbines in complex wind–wave coupling offshore environments.
Consumer Citizenship Behavior in Online/Offline Shopping Contexts: Differential Impact of Consumer Perceived Value and Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Shen Qiulian , Du Yuxuan , Huang Jingxian
Published: April 2024

The digital era has profoundly reshaped consumer behavior, with social media and e-commerce platforms revolutionizing shopping experiences. This study integrates interviews with questionnaire survey to investigate the nuanced differences in consumer citizenship behavior (CCB) across online and offline shopping contexts, as well as the influence of consumer perceived value (CPV) and consumer perceived corporate social responsibility (CPCSR). Through the use of multiple regression and permutation tests to analyze the interplay between consumer perception and CCB, the study reveals the following: (1) CPV positively influences all four dimensions of CCB, while CPCSR significantly impacts only recommendation and feedback; (2) the influence of CPV on dimensions other than recommendation and of CPCSR on dimensions other than helping varies significantly between online and offline contexts. These results enhance our understanding of consumer behavior and offer actionable insights for businesses to build and enhance consumer connections in the digital age.
Flexible Regulation and Synergy Analysis of Multiple Loads of Buildings in a Hybrid Renewable Integrated Energy System
Authors: Wu Mou , Fan Junqiu , Yan Rujing , Hu Xiangxie , Zhang Jing , He Yu , Cao Guoqiang , Zhao Weixing , Song Da
Published: April 2024

The insufficient flexibility of the hybrid renewable integrated energy system (HRIES) causes renewable power curtailment and weak operational performance. The regulation potential of flexible buildings is an effective method for handling this problem. This paper builds a regulation model of flexible heat load according to the dynamic heat characteristics and heat comfort elastic interval of the buildings, as well as a regulation model of the flexible electrical load based on its transferability, resectability, and rigidity. An operation optimization model, which incorporates flexible regulation of multiple loads and a variable load of devices, is then developed. A case study is presented to analyze the regulation and synergy mechanisms of different types of loads. Its results show a saturation effect between heat and electrical loads in increasing renewable energy consumption and a synergistic effect in decreasing the operating cost. This synergy can reduce the operating cost by 0.73%. Furthermore, the operating cost can be reduced by 15.13% and the curtailment rate of renewable energy can be decreased by 12.08% when the flexible electrical and heat loads are integrated into the operation optimization of HRIES.
The UK’s 25 Year Plan for the Environment and the Convention on Biological Diversity: Gaps, Synergies and Opportunities
Authors: Brummitt Neil Alistair , Araujo Ana Claudia
Published: April 2024

The UK government’s 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment (25YEP), published in 2018, together with annual progress reports and subsequent periodic revisions, represent the most comprehensive and forward-looking single body of environmental legislation for the United Kingdom. The forthcoming update of the UK National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) addressing targets for the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Global Biodiversity Framework to 2030 is also an opportunity to revisit the monitoring framework developed for the 25YEP. Here, we present an evaluation of the goals, targets and indicators of the 25YEP in light of gaps, synergies and opportunities for aligning with the CBD 2030 Framework. We make a number of recommendations for adopting indicators already developed in the context of CBD targets that can also measure progress towards environmental targets within the UK, with a view to more holistic monitoring of biodiversity status and trends. Landscape-scale interventions and, in particular, improvements to farming—exemplified by the new Environmental Land Management Schemes—and fishing policies have the potential for the greatest enhancement to the state of the UK environment and the plants and wildlife within it.
Will Customers’ Understanding of the Trolley Dilemma Hinder Their Adoption of Robotaxi?
Authors: Jia Susan (Sixue) , Ding Jiaying
Published: April 2024

Robotaxi, coined from “robot” and “taxi”, refers to a taxi service with vehicles controlled by self-driving algorithms instead of human drivers. Despite the availability of such a service, it is yet unknown whether customers will adopt robotaxi, given its immaturity. Meanwhile, the potential customers of the robotaxi service are facing an inescapable ethics issue, the “trolley dilemma”, which might have a strong impact on their adoption of the service. Based on the necessity of understanding robotaxi adoption, especially from an ethical point of view, this study aims to uncover and quantify the antecedents of robotaxi adoption, taking the trolley dilemma into consideration. We applied a modified Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework to explore the antecedents of robotaxi adoption, with a special focus on customers’ understanding of the trolley dilemma. We conducted online surveys (N = 299) to obtain the customers’ opinions regarding robotaxis. Aside from measuring standard variables in UTAUT, we developed four proprietary items to measure trolley dilemma relevance. We also randomly assigned the participants to two groups, either group A or group B. Participants in group A are told that all robotaxis are programmed with a utilitarian algorithm, such that when facing a trolley dilemma, the robotaxi will conditionally compromise the passenger(s) to save a significantly larger group of pedestrians. In the meantime, participants in group B are informed that all robotaxis are programmed with an egocentric algorithm, such that when facing a trolley dilemma, the robotaxi will always prioritize the safety of the passenger(s). Our findings suggest that both performance expectancy and effort expectancy have a positive influence on robotaxi adoption intention. As for the trolley dilemma, customers regard it as of high relevance to robotaxis. Moreover, if the robotaxi is programmed with an egocentric algorithm, the customers are significantly more willing to adopt the service. Our paper contributes to both adoption studies and ethics studies. We add to UTAUT two new constructs, namely trolley dilemma relevance and trolley dilemma algorithm, which can be generalized to adapt to other new technologies involving ethics issues. We also directly ask customers to assess the relevance and algorithm of the trolley dilemma, which is a meaningful supplement to existing ethics studies that mostly debate from researchers’ perspectives. Meanwhile, our paper is managerially meaningful as it provides solid suggestions for robotaxi companies’ marketing campaigns.
Economic and Environmental Feasibility of Cogeneration from Food Waste: A Case Study in São Paulo City
Authors: de Oliveira Douglas Eldo Pereira , Miranda Amanda Carvalho , Junior Milton Vieira , Santana José Carlos Curvelo , Tambourgi Elias Basile , Facchini Francesco , Iavagnilio Raffaello , Pinto Luiz Fernando Rodrigues
Published: April 2024

This paper presents a case study conducted at a food supply centre in a shopping centre in São Paulo city, Brazil. A waste digester was developed based on specifications provided by GE for the generator, and the cost of electricity production from food waste generated in the region was subsequently assessed. Results show that 1,368,750 m3 biogas was produced for the year, which provided a reduction of 14% of electricity consumption and is equivalent to USD 854 thousand per year. The amount of carbon credits is equivalent to 10,775 metric tons of CO2 and 51,840 tons of organic waste humus per year. The energy produced by biogas from food waste had a unit cost of 0.10 USD/kWh. At the end of the project, a profit of USD 3.087 million was achieved, which is equivalent to an ROI of 433%. There is a reduction in energy costs by USD 854 thousand per year and a payback of 1.01 years. These indicate that biogas production from food waste is economically viable.
Comparison of the Effects of Different Organic Amendments on the Immobilization and Phytoavailability of Lead
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Chen Jingwen , An Jiahui , Wang Xueping , Shao Yun
Published: April 2024

Organic materials, such as straw, animal manure, and their processed product biochar, are known to exhibit agronomic effects and the ability to remediate heavy metal contamination. However, knowledge regarding the relative effects of different organic amendments in soils on heavy metal immobilization and phytoavailability remain limited. Consequently, the effects of maize straw (MS), chicken manure (CM), mushroom cultivation waste (MW), and sawdust biochar (SB) on the immobilization and phytoavailability of lead (Pb) in wheat plants were investigated in this study using pot experiments. The results showed that the artificial application of Pb reduced soil pH, while increasing the total organic carbon (TOC) and cation exchange capacity (CEC) to various extents. Furthermore, the Pb treatment increased the adsorption of Pb by wheat grains (0.83 mg∙kg−1), resulting in decreased above-ground dry biomass (43.16 g∙pot−1) during the maturity growth period when compared with the control check (CK) treatment. The MS + Pb and CM + Pb treatments increased the exchangeable Pb fractions in the soil, but had a limited effect on Pb accumulation in wheat grains compared with the Pb treatment. In contrast, the SB + Pb treatment effectively increased soil pH and TOC, while decreasing the fraction of exchangeable Pb forms and increasing the oxidizable and residual Pb fractions, compared with the Pb treatment. Moreover, the MW + Pb treatment also increased the soil pH and CEC, displaying the potential to increase soil TOC, in addition to substantially modifying the portioning of Pb from exchangeable forms to less bioavailable fractions. Both the MW and SB amendments significantly reduced Pb concentrations in wheat grains (0.49 and 0.70 mg∙kg−1,∙respectively), resulting in increased above-ground dry biomass (51.59 and 54.12 g∙pot−1, respectively). In summary, the application of organic amendments, especially MW, could be an effective measure for enhancing Pb immobilization in polluted soils, thereby reducing its uptake and translocation to crops.
Investigating the Gaps between Engineering Graduates and Quantity Surveyors of Construction Enterprises
Authors: Zhang Ping , Ma Shuai-Ge , Sun Ying , Zhao Yue-Nan
Published: April 2024

Meeting the future workforce demands of the construction industry is defined as one of the main paths for sustainable engineering education. Quantity surveyors play a crucial role in driving the digital transformation of the construction industry. There is a pressing need to cultivate a significant number of engineering graduates who meet market demands to bolster the workforce of quantity surveyors for accomplishing this core mission. In this context, this study examined the main gaps existing between engineering graduates and quantity surveyors in terms of personal competencies needed to successfully value projects. Through the participation of 262 individuals (165 quantity surveyors and 97 engineering graduates), using a literature review, personal interviews, and a questionnaire survey, it was possible to assess five competencies (sustainable competency, budget competency, site management competency, engineering ethics, and settlement competency), and determine significant differences between both groups. All personal competencies’ mean scores are higher for quantity surveyors than for engineering graduates. Four competencies are found to differ significantly between quantity surveyors and engineering graduates: sustainable competency, budget competency, site management competency, and settlement competency. As the conclusion derived from this study, it is recommended to introduce market-oriented mechanisms and establish a dynamic engineering talent model driven by market demand through collaborative development involving school–enterprise partnerships and the integration of expertise and creativity, aiming to foster the development of social practice competency. Particular emphasis should be placed on strengthening budget competency, site management competency, and settlement competency. The findings guide the education, training, and practice of quantity surveying to deal with emerging challenges in the dynamic market demand in China and beyond.
How Does Sustainable Leadership Promote the Willingness to Adopt an Environmental Innovation Strategy? The Key Mediating Role of Environmental Value
Authors: Hu Ling , Li Hung-Xin , Lee Shih-Chin , Lee Yue-Shi , Yen Show-Jane
Published: April 2024

Sustainability has redefined corporate performance-oriented strategies, but research linking organizational leadership to sustainability strategies remains limited. Indeed, most past studies have employed the perspective of institutional pressure to explore why companies passively adopt environmental strategies. However, few studies have explored how to employ the internal management mechanisms of organizations to proactively promote companies to adopt environmental strategies. Therefore, the first purpose of this research is to explore how sustainable leadership promotes strategic adoption through environmental psychological ownership and environmental identity, based on the meaning management theory and upper echelons theory. The second purpose of this study is to address the new concepts of environmental psychological ownership and environmental identity through the social identity theory and psychological ownership theory. To validate the proposed model, this research collected responses from 101 chief executive officers and members of their senior management teams, and the results of the analysis supported all hypotheses. This research can not only provide academic literature with a cross-broad perspective on organizational leadership and sustainability but also provide an example for companies looking to implement sustainability strategies.
ASGM Mercury Discharges in Tropical Basins: Assessment of the Criticality of Their Geographical Distribution
Authors: Bruno Delia Evelina , De Simone Francesco
Published: April 2024

The global-scale impacts of mercury discharged from Artisanal Small-scale Gold Mining (ASGM) on soils have been poorly studied, unlike atmospheric emissions. This is a key point to understand the potential exposure to mercury pollution of ecosystems and populations living in the river basins where ASGM is practiced, since the largest fraction of the pollutant is poured into soil, independently of the amalgamation technique employed. ASGM activities emit into the atmosphere mercury in its elemental form, which reacts very slowly with the major oxidants. Therefore, the exact location of the ASGM sites has a limited impact on the atmospheric mercury fate. Conversely, this cannot be applied to the mercury discharged on top of the soil. Two ASGM inventories and the related distributions available in the literature along with two novel distributions based on the intersection of zones characterized by low population density and rural areas were compared using a newly introduced Vulnerability Index. The results from this comparison showed that a precise distribution of ASGM is crucial to effectively evaluate the fate of mercury, and therefore the resulting effects on the local ecosystems.
Research on Evaluation Methods for Sustainable Enrollment Plan Configurations in Chinese Universities Based on Bayesian Networks
Authors: Wang Keqin , Wang Ting , Wang Tianyi , Cai Zhiqiang
Published: April 2024

Evaluation methods based on data-driven techniques and artificial intelligence for the sustainable enrollment plan configurations of Chinese universities have become a research hotspot in the field of higher education teaching reform. Enrollment, education, and employment constitute the three key pillars of talent cultivation in universities. However, due to an unclear understanding of their interconnection, universities have yet to establish robust quantitative relationship models, hindering the formation of an evaluation mechanism for sustainable enrollment plan configurations. This study begins by constructing a relevant indicator system and utilizing real enrollment data from a specific university. Through statistical methods such as correlation analysis, it systematically sorts out key variables and identifies seven effective indicators, including average admission score and first-time graduation rate. Subsequently, by using the increase or decrease in enrollment quotas for each major as the experimental target, evaluation models for sustainable enrollment plan configurations aimed at enhancing the advanced education rate are constructed using naïve Bayes networks and tree-augmented Bayesian networks; these are compared with three other classic machine learning methods. The accuracy of these models is evaluated through confusion matrices and receiver operating characteristic curves. Additionally, the Birnbaum importance analysis method is utilized to prioritize remaining variables, ultimately identifying the optimal combination strategy of indicators conducive to the sustainable development of the advanced education rate. The results indicate that the average admission score, transfer rate, and student/teacher ratio are the top 3 prognostic factors affecting the advanced education rate, with the TAN model achieving an accuracy of 96.49%, thus demonstrating good reliability.
Institutional Pressures and Environmental Management Accounting Adoption: Do Environmental Strategy Matter?
Authors: Alnaim Musaab , Metwally Abdelmoneim Bahyeldin Mohamed
Published: April 2024

This paper examines the impact of institutional pressures (IPs) on Environmental Management Accounting adoption (EMA). The current research also aims to examine the moderating effect of environmental strategy (ES) on the relationship between IP and EMA. Data were collected from managers working in all registered Egyptian manufacturing companies (N = 491). The collected data were analyzed using smart partial least squares (Smart-PLS) software. The results revealed that there is a positive significant relationship between IP’s three components, namely, coercive, normative, and mimicry pressures, and EMA. The results also revealed that ES was found to moderate the relationship between IP and EMA. The study model was able to explain 68.9% of the variance in EMA adoption. The findings of this study serve as a pivotal yardstick for guiding corporate policy formulation, offering valuable insights to drive continuous improvements in EMA, environmental performance, and sustainable development. The present investigation extends the discourse on the role of IP and ES by revealing a substantial influence on EMA adoption. Positioned as one of the initial studies to delve into the moderating role of ES in the relationship between IP and EMA adoption, this research offers insights within an emerging market context.
The Bidirectional Relationship between Digital Transformation and Corporate Social Responsibility: A Legitimacy Perspective
Authors: Huang Guangyu , Shen Liqiong
Published: April 2024

The pursuit of efficiency or legitimacy is an important choice facing corporate sustainability, especially in uncertain environments. Digital transformation contributes to corporate efficiency, while fulfilling corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a non-market-based strategy for companies seeking legitimacy. However, sustainability research remains unclear about the link between digital transformation and CSR and the mechanisms behind it. To fill this research gap, we incorporate economic policy uncertainty (EPU) into our analytical framework and elucidate the theoretical mechanism of the simultaneous bidirectional relationship between digital transformation and CSR from the perspective of organizational legitimacy. We construct a simultaneous equation model and analyze a sample of 468 Chinese listed companies collected from 2011 to 2018 using the three-stage least squares method. Our findings reveal a mutually reinforcing bidirectional relationship between digital transformation and CSR. Furthermore, we discover that EPU weakens the facilitating influence of digital transformation on CSR but strengthens the positive impact of CSR on digital transformation. Our conclusions suggest that companies taking on more CSR in digital transformation contexts can help achieve the organic unity of efficiency and legitimacy for sustainable development, but uncertainty can undermine this positive interaction.
AR-Based Food Traceability as a Means for Sustainable Development
Authors: Dimou Victoria , Styliaras Georgios D. , Salomidis Konstantinos
Published: April 2024

This paper focuses on traceability as a means to ensure sustainability during food development by using augmented reality and addressing the needs of farmers/producers, development and retail companies, and consumers. After reviewing related work, the needs are outlined for an application with a highly visual interface that lets all involved parties insert, explore, and view data about food products, starting from their origin and dietary/heritage value until their placement in a market. In this direction, the research questions examined the usability of such an application along with its validity concerning whether customers would choose healthy food products based on certain criteria, ensuring sustainability at all levels. Data are selected from predefined lists where possible and propagated without disruption from farmers to markets to avoid errors. The analysis led to the AR application, FoodTrace, whose design and prototype implementation are also presented. The evaluation was encouraging as the research goals were largely met regarding both usability and content value and will help further develop the application.
Study on the Sound Absorption Properties of Recycled Polyester Nonwovens through Alkaline Treatment and Dimple Processing
Authors: Yu Gyeong Cheol , Park Jeong Jin , Kang Eun Hye , Lee Sun Young , Huh Youl , Lee Seung Goo
Published: April 2024

This study focused on manufacturing efficient automobile sound-absorbing materials through alkaline treatment and dimple processing of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) nonwoven fabric. The rPET nonwoven fabric was produced with a sound-absorbing material through compression molding. It was improved through the development of porous sound-absorbing materials through alkaline treatment and resonant sound-absorbing materials through dimple processing. As a result of morphological analysis, alkaline treatment showed that pore size and air permeability increased according to temperature and concentration increase conditions. On the other hand, dimple processing caused a decrease in air permeability and a decrease in pores due to yarn fusion, and as the dimple diameter increased, the sound-absorbing coefficient increased in the 5000 Hz band. Finally, it was judged that effective sound absorption performance would be improved through a simple process through alkaline treatment and dimple processing, and thus there would be applicability in various industrial fields.
Reply to Zheng, X.; Palffy-Muhoray, P. Comment on “Choi, M.G. Computing the Closest Approach Distance of Two Ellipsoids. Symmetry 2020, 12, 1302”
Authors: Choi Min Gyu
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we address the comment provided by Zheng and Palffy-Muhoray regarding our previous work on computing the closest approach distance of two ellipsoids. Additionally, we present experimental results that assess the numerical error bounds in the authors’ own implementation of the analytic solution for the closest approach distance of two ellipses. We report very rare cases where the closest approach distances of two ellipses are erroneously calculated as zero, which is impossible given that the radii of the ellipses are not zero.
FGeo-TP: A Language Model-Enhanced Solver for Euclidean Geometry Problems
Authors: He Yiming , Zou Jia , Zhang Xiaokai , Zhu Na , Leng Tuo
Published: April 2024

The application of contemporary artificial intelligence techniques to address geometric problems and automated deductive proofs has always been a grand challenge to the interdisciplinary field of mathematics and artificial intelligence. This is the fourth article in a series of our works, in our previous work, we established a geometric formalized system known as FormalGeo. Moreover, we annotated approximately 7000 geometric problems, forming the FormalGeo7k dataset. Despite the fact that FGPS (Formal Geometry Problem Solver) can achieve interpretable algebraic equation solving and human-like deductive reasoning, it often experiences timeouts due to the complexity of the search strategy. In this paper, we introduced FGeo-TP (theorem predictor), which utilizes the language model to predict the theorem sequences for solving geometry problems. The encoder and decoder components in the transformer architecture naturally establish a mapping between the sequences and embedding vectors, exhibiting inherent symmetry. We compare the effectiveness of various transformer architectures, such as BART or T5, in theorem prediction, and implement pruning in the search process of FGPS, thereby improving its performance when solving geometry problems. Our results demonstrate a significant increase in the problem-solving rate of the language model-enhanced FGeo-TP on the FormalGeo7k dataset, rising from 39.7% to 80.86%. Furthermore, FGeo-TP exhibits notable reductions in solution times and search steps across problems of varying difficulty levels.
Practical Prescribed Tracking Control of n-DOF Robotic Manipulator with Uncertainties via Friction Compensation Approach
Authors: Chen Chao , Du Fuxin , Chen Bin , Chen Detong , He Weikai , Chen Qiang , Zhang Chengxi , Wu Jin , Wang Jihe
Published: April 2024

This paper presents a practical and straightforward control strategy for robotic manipulators with unknown dynamics to achieve prescribed tracking performance, which has implementation advantages compared with previous work. In particular, an improved extended state observer (ESO) synthesized with a continuously differentiable friction model and time-varying gains is presented to estimate system states and unknown dynamics. This ESO outperforms the conventional ones in dealing with friction mutations while avoiding peaking estimation values in the initial stage. By combining the prescribed performance function and the proposed ESO, an independent joint control scheme is proposed for a robotic manipulator to keep the tracking error within a predefined performance bound based only on position measurements. The effectiveness of the proposed control scheme is verified by comparative simulation and experimental results on a six-degrees-of-freedom robotic manipulator with active disturbance rejection controller and PID methods.
POI Route Recommendation Model Based on Symmetrical Naive Bayes Classification Spatial Accessibility and Improved Cockroach Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Zhou Xiao , Zhang Zheng , Liang Xinjian , Su Mingzhan
Published: April 2024

The commonly used POI route recommendation methods usually ignore the effects of tourists’ interests and transportation geographical conditions, and so may not output the optimal results. To solve the problems, we propose a POI route recommendation model based on symmetrical Naive Bayes classification spatial accessibility (NBCSA) and an improved cockroach swarm optimization algorithm (ICSOA), aiming to recommend POI routes that satisfy tourists’ interests and have the lowest travel costs under tourism transportation geographical conditions. Using the historical POIs visited by tourists as the training set, we construct an improved symmetrical Naive Bayes classification algorithm (NBCA), and the POIs in the destination city are divided into categories by tourists’ preferences. Then we propose an improved NBCSA model to calculate the spatial accessibility field strength (SAFS) for each category’s POIs. Based on the recommended POIs, we propose the ICSOA to recommend optimal POI routes. The experiment verifies that the proposed algorithm can effectively classify the POIs and recommend POIs that best match the tourists’ interests and produce the lowest travel costs. Compared with the TCA and GDA method, the proposed algorithm can output the POI routes with lower travel costs and has higher algorithm execution efficiency. Among the output optimal routes, the proposed algorithm can reduce costs by 5.62% at the lowest and 52.25% at the highest.
Distributed Event-Triggered Control for Manipulator with Fixed-Time Disturbance Observer
Authors: Pan Jing , Zhang Gang , Wang Duansong , Li Tianli
Published: April 2024

This article studies an event-triggered fixed-time trajectory tracking control problem of an n-joint manipulator system. Firstly, a fixed-time disturbance observer is proposed to reconstruct the total disturbance composed of external disturbances and model uncertainties, using the estimation as feedforward compensation to enhance the system robustness. Subsequently, based on the backstepping framework, a fixed-time controller with an event-triggering mechanism is designed for the manipulator to ensure the convergence of tracking errors to zero within a fixed time. Additionally, two event-triggering conditions are devised to reduce the transmission time of control input and the computation time of control output. Simultaneously, Zeno behavior is excluded through theoretical proof, validating the fixed-time stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, simulation verification is conducted on a two-joint manipulator, with results confirming the effectiveness of the control strategy.
Third-Order Intrinsic Aberration Modification with Second-Order Accuracy Transfer of Pupil Coordinates and Extrinsic Aberration of Plane-Symmetric Optical System with a Two-Dimensional Field Light Source
Authors: Cao Yiqing , Lu Lijun , Shen Zhijuan
Published: April 2024

A plane-symmetric optical system with a two-dimensional field light source, such as a soft X-ray and vacuum ultraviolet optical system, is widely used for synchrotron radiation source devices, microscopes and so on. Therefore, this paper studied third-order intrinsic aberration modification with second-order accuracy transfer of pupil coordinates and extrinsic aberration of these kinds of optical systems. First, we discuss the extrinsic aberration calculation method and derive the corresponding aberration expressions; in addition, we apply optical geometric relations and the polynomial fitting method to obtain a second-order accuracy transfer relationship expression of the pupil coordinates between adjacent optical surfaces and derived the modification calculation expressions of the intrinsic aberration caused by the above factor. Finally, the third-order intrinsic aberration modification with second-order accuracy transfer of pupil coordinates and extrinsic aberration expressions derived in this paper are applied to calculate ray spot diagrams of two soft X-ray and vacuum ultraviolet optical systems with meridional and sagittal field angle light sources, and these results are compared with those obtained from the ray-tracing software Shadow; this showed that the calculation accuracy of the aberration expressions is sufficient.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Host for Chondroitin Production
Authors: Couto Márcia R. , Rodrigues Joana L. , Dias Oscar , Rodrigues Lígia R.
Published: April 2024

Chondroitin is a glycosaminoglycan that has gained widespread use in nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals, mainly for treating osteoarthritis. Traditionally, it has been extracted from animal cartilage but recently, biotechnological processes have emerged as a commercial alternative to avoid the risk of viral or prion contamination and offer a vegan-friendly source. Typically, these methods involve producing the chondroitin backbone using pathogenic bacteria and then modifying it enzymatically through the action of sulfotransferases. Despite the challenges of expressing active sulfotransferases in bacteria, the use of eukaryotic microorganisms is still limited to a few works using Pichia pastoris. To create a safer and efficient biotechnological platform, we constructed a biosynthetic pathway for chondroitin production in S. cerevisiae as a proof-of-concept. Up to 125 mg/L and 200 mg/L of intracellular and extracellular chondroitin were produced, respectively. Furthermore, as genome-scale models are valuable tools for identifying novel targets for metabolic engineering, a stoichiometric model of chondroitin-producing S. cerevisiae was developed and used in optimization algorithms. Our research yielded several novel targets, such as uridine diphosphate (UDP)-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (QRI1), glucosamine-6-phosphate acetyltransferase (GNA1), or N-acetylglucosamine-phosphate mutase (PCM1) overexpression, that might enhance chondroitin production and guide future experimental research to develop more efficient host organisms for the biotechnological production process.
Analyses and Insights into Genetic Reassortment and Natural Selection as Key Drivers of Piscine orthoreovirus Evolution
Authors: Solarte-Murillo Laura , Reyes Humberto , Ojeda Loreto , Cárcamo Juan G. , Pontigo Juan Pablo , Loncoman Carlos A.
Published: April 2024

Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) is a pathogen that causes heart and skeletal muscle inflammation in Salmo salar and has also been linked to circulatory disorders in other farmed salmonids, such as Oncorhynchus kisutch and Oncorhynchus mykiss. The virus has a segmented, double-stranded RNA genome, which makes it possible to undergo genetic reassortment and increase its genomic diversity through point mutations. In this study, genetic reassortment in PRV was assessed using the full genome sequences available in public databases. This study used full genome sequences that were concatenated and genome-wide reassortment events, and phylogenetic analyses were performed using the recombination/reassortment detection program version 5 (RDP5 V 5.5) software. Additionally, each segment was aligned codon by codon, and overall mean distance and selection was tested using the Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis X software, version 10.2 (MEGA X version 10.2). The results showed that there were 17 significant reassortment events in 12 reassortant sequences, involving genome exchange between low and highly virulent genotypes. PRV sequences from different salmonid host species did not appear to limit the reassortment. This study found that PRV frequently undergoes reassortment events to increase the diversity of its segmented genome, leading to antigenic variation and increased virulence. This study also noted that to date, no reassortment events have been described between PRV-1 and PRV-3 genotypes. However, the number of complete genomic sequences within each genotype is uneven. This is important because PRV-3 induces cross-protection against PRV-1, making it a potential vaccine candidate.