bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of Sodium, Potassium, and Magnesium as Sulfate Salts in Oral Preparations Using Ion Chromatography and Conductivity Detection
Authors: Yelampalli Suresh Reddy , Gandla Kumaraswamy , Reddy Konatham Teja Kumar , Ibrahim Adel Ehab , El Deeb Sami
Published: February 2023

An ion chromatography technique with conductivity detection was selected as an analytical tool for the simultaneous indirect determination of sodium sulfate, potassium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate via their respective cations. The method was developed and validated for the quantitative assay of the inorganic salts under study in oral pharmaceutical dosage forms. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a Dionex®IonPac® CS16 column (250 × 5 mm) column using the gradient elution method. A mobile phase-A consisting of methane sulfonic acid (6.7%, v/v) in Milli-Q water, which is used together with Milli-Q water, was used as a mobile Phase-B. The flow rate was 1.2 mL/min. The retention times of sodium, potassium, and magnesium as sulfates were 7.8, 12.8, and 16.2 min, respectively. The method was validated according to ICH guidelines and showed good linearity and accuracy results within concentration ranges of 80.0–240.0, 20.0–60.0, and 4.5–13.5 ppm for sodium, potassium, and magnesium as sulfates, respectively. The relative standard deviation results for intra- and inter-day precision were less than 1.0%. The method was applied successfully for determination of the analytes under study in their mixed pharmaceutical oral solution and found suitable for their routine and stability analysis.
Optical Characterization of a New Facility for Materials Testing under Concentrated Wavelength-Filtered Solar Radiation Fluxes
Authors: Estremera-Pedriza Noelia , Fernández-Reche Jesús , Carballo Jose A.
Published: February 2023

The materials used to manufacture solar receivers for tower power plants must withstand high fluxes of concentrated solar radiation (from 0.1 to even 1.5 MWm−2) and operate at high operating temperatures (>800 °C). Durability is a key aspect in these systems, which must be ensured under these demanding operating conditions, which also include daily heating–cooling cycles throughout the lifetime of these power plants. So far, to the authors’ knowledge, which wavelengths of concentrated solar radiation have the greatest influence on the mechanisms and speed of aging of materials used in solar receivers has not been analyzed. Yet, such an analysis is pertinent in order to implement strategies that delay or inhibit such phenomena, and, thus, increase the durability of central tower systems’ receivers. To perform such analyses, a new solar furnace was recently designed and installed at the Plataforma de Almería (Spain). This paper describes the components of this new solar furnace. The components are as follows: a heliostat to redirect the direct solar radiation towards a Fresnel lens that concentrates the solar radiation on the material under study, a shutter that allows varying the amount of concentrated solar radiation incident on the Fresnel lens, and reflective filters with selective reflectance that are placed between the Fresnel lens and the material. This paper also describes the procedure and the first results of the energetic and spectral characterization of this new solar furnace. The first experimental results of the characterization of this new test bed using the heliostat and the Fresnel lens showed that concentration ratios of up to 1000 suns (1 sun = 1000 Wm−2) could be achieved. Furthermore, the paper presents the results of the spectral characterization of the test system, using selective reflectance mirrors in the near-visible–IR wavelength range (400–1125 nm) and in the visible–IR red region (700–2500 nm).
Optimization of Paracetamol and Chloramphenicol Removal by Novel Activated Carbon Derived from Sawdust Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Romdhani Mohamed , Attia Afef , Charcosset Catherine , Mahouche-Chergui Samia , Ates Ayten , Duplay Joelle , Ben Amar Raja
Published: February 2023

Paracetamol (PCT) and chloramphenicol (CPL) can have unfavorable impacts on human health, as well as on natural ecosystems. These substances contribute to the aquatic environment’s contamination and disturb the performance of municipal wastewater treatment systems, causing ecosystem disruption and microbial resistance. In this study, activated carbon produced from sawdust (ACs) was synthesized utilizing the chemical activation process for the removal of both PCT and CPL compounds from an aqueous solution. ACs has a primarily microporous structure with a significant specific surface area of 303–1298 m2/g, total pore volume of 0.462 cm3/g and bimodal distribution of pores of 0.73–1.7 nm. The removal efficiencies for PCT and CPL with the low-cost activated carbon, determined at the optimum dose (750 mg/L for PCT and 450 mg/L for CPL), were significantly high at 85% and 98%, respectively. The adsorption kinetics for both pharmaceuticals exhibited a quick initial decline. For PCT and CPL adsorption, the equilibrium was attained after just 20 and 90 min, respectively. The Langmuir isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetics model offered the best fits for the adsorption of both compounds. Additionally, the central composite design (CCD) and Box–Behnken design (BBD) were used to optimize the experimental adsorption conditions using a response surface methodology (RSM). On the basis of the findings, it is evident that activated carbon made from sawdust may be used as a new, effective alternative adsorbent for removing PCT and CPL in aqueous environments.
Implementing Modern Technology for Vital Sign Monitoring to Enhance Athletic Training and Sports Performance
Authors: Enoiu Răzvan-Sandu , Găinariu Iulia , Mîndrescu Veronica
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Applying medical procedures to keep track of athletes’ metabolic health is a well-known behavior for increasing sports performance. This study’s primary goal was to examine whether implementing a health-screening routine using invasive and non-invasive methods in a mountain running training program can increase sports performance by obtaining a better rank in specific races. (2) Methods: Seven male mountain runners with good results at the international level participated in the research, which featured an initial and a final test. The initial test took place in March at the beginning of the competitive season, and the final test took place in September at the end of the annual training plan in 2021. The entire experiment used invasive tests, such as taking blood samples to perform blood biochemistry analysis, and non-invasive tests, such as mountain running races, determinations of VO2max, EKGs, urine biochemistry and NeuroTracker tests. (3) Results: Comparing the initial test with the final one from a statistical point of view, a significant improvement was found in the final test regarding the obtained results in most tests and, most importantly, the occupied position in the final general rank (p = 0.005). The main variations after effort were decreased Ca++ and increased Cl−, a low TGL level if the diet was inadequate, increased LDH and CPK strongly correlated with the skeletal muscle response, and only physiological changes were found in the EKG and urine summary. (4) Conclusions: The invasive and non-invasive tests applied in this study provided crucial information on the athletes’ health statuses, enabling the coach to adjust the training program in light of the findings in order to improve sports performance and avoid overexertion.
Supply Chains: Planning the Transportation of Animals among Facilities
Authors: Nadal-Roig Esteve , Plà-Aragonès Lluís Miquel , Albornoz Víctor Manuel
Published: February 2023

Pig supply chains conform differently depending on country; however, the industrial production of pig meat has led to an increasing specialization of agents taking part in the supply chain production. Nowadays, pigs are rarely produced in one single farm, the existence of specialized farms devoted to breeding, rearing, and fattening pigs being more common since this organization provides sanitary advantages against disease outbreaks. Management strategies such as batch management in sow and fattening farms add complexity to the production management. Pigs have to be transferred from facility to facility as they are growing and sent to the abattoir as soon as they reach commercial weight. All these stages involve either independent farmers or farmers integrated in some pig supply chain management organization operating with production contracts or cooperation agreements. This study presented the challenge of using a stochastic model for planning the transportation of animals among facilities in pig supply chains over time. The model provides an optimal schedule of transfers between farms, occupancy rate, and trucks involved. The integrality of several variables was relaxed, and further analysis was performed in view of inspecting the model behavior for achieving practical decision support. We demonstrated that we can achieve good enough results in few minutes and, so, practical use is feasible.
Multinational Enterprises, Sustainability and Innovation
Authors: Lee Jeoung-Yul , Nayir Dilek Zamantili , Chen Charles
Published: February 2023

In recent decades, multinational enterprises (MNEs) have increasingly endeavored to establish foreign direct investments (FDIs) across the globe [...]
Territorial Governance for Sustainable Development: A Multi-Level Governance Analysis in the Italian Context
Authors: Bianchi Sara , Richiedei Anna
Published: February 2023

The United Nations’ 2030 Agenda is known for its holistic and global dimension, as demonstrated by the saying “no one left behind”. However, local governments still struggle to take tangible actions and to reallocate resources for implementing Sustainability Strategies. With the aim to improve multi-level governance for sustainable development with complex and cross-sectoral policies, the research investigates how much Regional Sustainable Development Strategies (RSDS) and public authorities’ structures are mutually consistent. Starting from the existing governance framework at the regional and local levels (Province and Metropolitan City), the study analyzes: the organizational structures/functions of the public institutions and the integration between their competences and the RSDS targets. The case study is the Lombardy Region in Italy. The analyses were conducted through a review of key legislations and regulations, and the introduction of a homogeneous reading grid that identifies the principal “Invariant Functional Macro Areas” (IFMA) of local authorities. The paper highlights the structural weakness in implementing and localizing EU strategic Agendas and examines the extent to which public offices are currently structured to adequately address the RSDS challenges. The research shows how sectoral fragmentation of competence can collide with the holistic layout of sustainability: new integrated approaches are needed to strengthen cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation within and between public institutional bodies.
Enhancement of LVRT Capability in DFIG-Based Wind Turbines with STATCOM and Supercapacitor
Authors: Döşoğlu M. Kenan
Published: February 2023

Overvoltage and overcurrent resulting from various faults cause instability in Doubly Fed Induction Generator (DFIG)-based wind turbines connected to a grid. The grid code requirement must be met during faults to minimize the effect of these problems. Low Voltage Ride Through (LVRT) capability is used to meet the grid code requirement. It is important to use coordinate control for transient states in LVRT capability. This study aimed to improve the stator dynamics for ease of calculation and the rotor dynamic model by damping oscillations caused by balanced and unbalanced faults on the grid side. For this, electromotive force (emf) models were developed for stator and rotor dynamic modeling. Furthermore, for the coordinate control of the DFIG, models were developed for a lookup-table-based supercapacitor and a decoupled Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM). Using these models, analyses of three-phase and two-phase faults were conducted. Following different balanced and unbalanced faults within the grid, the system was stabilized in a short time, and the oscillations occurring during the faults were quickly damped using the LVRT models developed in this study.
Circular Economy and Cooperatives—An Exploratory Survey
Authors: Ziegler Rafael , Poirier Cynthia , Lacasse Marie , Murray Evan
Published: February 2023

Global sustainability assessments call for a rethinking of prevailing systems of production and consumption. We focus on the circular economy as an alternative system, and the role of cooperatives as transformative actors for sustainability. While cooperatives have been studied in relation to specific circularity strategies, notably recycling, we present the first study on cooperatives in relation to all circularity strategies. We ask how circular economy strategies and business models resonate with cooperatives. The research is based on an exploratory database and survey of 165 cooperatives in the Canadian province of Québec. Our research shows circularity to be anchored in the mutualisation at the heart of the cooperative model, which emphasizes a shared taking of responsibility in response to needs. The survey shows that cooperatives contribute comprehensively to the circular economy, not just to downstream categories of recycling and revalorization but also to upstream categories of rethinking production and consumption, sharing, and durable use. They can contribute to an embedding of circular economy in regional economies and circular societies. To advance this potential, further integration and improvement of circularity strategies and associated socio-technical questions, support with business model development and finance, as well as education and peer exchange are needed.
An Intelligent Energy Management System Solution for Multiple Renewable Energy Sources
Authors: Gaitan Nicoleta Cristina , Ungurean Ioan , Corotinschi Ghenadie , Roman Costica
Published: February 2023

This paper proposes an intelligent energy management system based on multiple renewable energy sources. The intelligent energy management system is defined as a flexible energy management system built by integrating multiple renewable energy sources and facilities for energy storage. The general objective of this paper is to propose a solution to increase the use of energy potential from renewable sources by embedding small-sized energy sources to behave as a higher-power energy source. The proposed system includes solar, wind, and hydro as renewable sources. As the system is not connected to the primary distribution grid, two alternatives for energy storage are also included: batteries and a water basin used for hydro energy. The system includes a diesel generator as a reserve. The system can be adjusted depending on the consumers it serves and the location where it is implemented (i.e., the potential of electricity, wind, and hydro). The main contribution of this paper is the use of an energy storage concept in the form of a “natural” battery system composed of a water storage basin into which water is pumped when we have a surplus of energy from renewable generators.
Effects on Language and Verbal Fluency of a Cognitive Stimulation Program in Older Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Calatayud Estela , Subiron-Valera Ana Belen , Marcén-Román Yolanda , Salavera Carlos , Andrade-Gómez Elena , Rodríguez-Roca Beatriz , Gómez-Soria Isabel
Published: February 2023

The efficacy of cognitive stimulation programs for the elderly is sufficiently documented. However, few studies have addressed the effectiveness of language stimulation programs by cognitive levels in this population. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 308 participants from a primary care center and followed the CONSORT guidelines. A stratified randomization was carried out. The primary variable was the MEC-35, validated Spanish version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The secondary outcome variable was set-test, which evaluates verbal fluency in four categories. These tests were assessed for all outcome measures at baseline, at 10 weeks, at 6 months, and 1 year after the intervention. The intervention consisted of 10 sessions of 45 min/week for 10 weeks through mental activation notebooks that comprehensively work on the different cognitive functions. The results show that the comparisons between the control and intervention group turn out to be significant (p < 0.05) at the three time points. The comprehensive cognitive stimulation program has made it possible to improve the global aspects of cognition, language proficiency, and verbal fluency. To optimize and maintain these results, it is necessary to consider other clinical, functional, psychological, and occupational aspects, as well as related educational aspects, which prevent mild cognitive impairment.
Potential Use of Bio-Oleogel as Phase Change Material
Authors: Lorenzo Natasha Dantas , Kuhn Leonardo Seibert , Guimarães Túlio Caetano , Sam Mona Nazari , Mankel Christoph , Caggiano Antonio , Koenders Eduardus , Nunes Cleiton Antonio , Ferreira Saulo Rocha
Published: February 2023

Two bio-oleogels were investigated. These materials were produced with a combination of canola and soybean oil with 4, 6, 8, and 10% of beeswax (by weight). Sensible heat storage capacity, melting parameters, and enthalpies were investigated by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) test. An ordinary DSC dynamic test was performed. Cycles of heating and cooling were performed, as well as tests with different heating rates. According to the results, the materials present a melting temperature between −16 to −12 °C and a total latent heat between 22.9 and 367.6 J/g. BC10 (canola oil with 10% beeswax) was the sample with the best performance, with a latent heat of 367.6 J/g and a melting temperature of −13.6 °C, demonstrating its possible use as a phase change material for cold storage.
Land Cover Classification by Gaofen Satellite Images Based on CART Algorithm in Yuli County, Xinjiang, China
Authors: Li Chunyu , Cai Rong , Tian Wei , Yuan Junna , Mi Xiaofei
Published: February 2023

High-resolution remote-sensing images can be used in human activity analysis and criminal activity monitoring, especially in sparsely populated zones. In this paper, we explore the applicability of China’s Gaofen satellite images in the land cover classification of Xinjiang, China. First of all, the features of spectral reflectance and a normalized radar cross section (NRCS) for different types of land covers were analyzed. Moreover, the seasonal variation of the NRCS in SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) images for the study area, Dunkuotan Village of Yuli County, China, was demonstrated by the GEE (Google Earth Engine) platform accordingly. Finally, the CART (classification and regression trees) algorithm of a DT (decision tree) was applied to investigate the classification of land cover in the western area of China when both optical and SAR images were employed. An overall classification accuracy of 83.15% with a kappa coefficient of 0.803 was observed by using GF-2/GF-3 images (2017–2021) in the study area. The DT-based classification procedure proposed in this investigation proved that Gaofen series remote-sensing images can be engaged to effectively promote the routine workflow of the administrative department.
Corporate Digital Responsibility: A Board of Directors May Encourage the Environmentally Responsible Use of Digital Technology and Data: Empirical Evidence from Italian Publicly Listed Companies
Authors: Napoli Francesco
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a framework for our hypotheses that the independence of a board of directors and the use of digital technology might influence the way a corporation performs environmentally. For empirical verification of our thesis, we take a sample of 53 publicly listed Italian companies and look at data on their board composition, greenhouse gas emissions, and expenditures for the use of digital technologies of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) over a period of five years. What emerges from the test partially supports our predictions. In particular, we find that a higher level of board independence is associated with better environmental performance. There is no direct, statistically significant association between the use of digital technologies and environmental performance, so a greater use of digital technologies is not, in itself, sufficient to improve the environmental performance of a firm. However, our empirical analyses find that environmental performance is positively influenced by the use of digital technologies in firms that include a proportionately high number of independent directors on their boards. This research improves our understanding of antecedents of Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR), showing how the share of independent directors on a board has a positive impact on CDR, understood here as the set of practices and behaviours that help an organisation use data and digital technologies in ways that are environmentally responsible.
A Lattice Hydrodynamic Model for Four-Way Pedestrian Traffic with Turning Capacity
Authors: Tang Yuan , Xue Yu , Huang Muyang , Wen Qiyun , Cen Bingling , Chen Dong
Published: February 2023

In this paper, a lattice hydrodynamic model of four-way pedestrian traffic considering turning capacity is proposed. The stability conditions are obtained by stability analysis. The mKdV equation is derived using the reductive perturbation method of nonlinear analysis, and the corresponding density wave solutions are obtained. The results of theoretical analysis are verified by detailed numerical simulation of the spatial-temporal patterns of the density of pedestrian flow evolution under different initial conditions and the density profile at different moments. The results show that the balanced distribution of pedestrian flow along the horizontal and vertical passages can promote the stability of pedestrian traffic, and pedestrians turning at the intersections can stimulate traffic jams.
Assessing Tourists’ Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Artificial Beach Park Development and Management: A Choice Experiment Method
Authors: Chen Qi , Zhang Yun
Published: February 2023

Artificial beaches have made a significant contribution to the expansion of coastal tourism. Obtaining information on tourists’ preferences for artificial beach tourism can help managers to better balance the relationship between the satisfaction of recreational needs and environmental protection. The Meishan Bay Beach Park in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, China was used as the study site, and the tourists’ preferences for the artificial beach park development and management were evaluated using the choice experiment method. The results revealed that tourists were generally more interested in improving the governance level of the existing landscape than in further expanding the scale of artificial beach development. Among all attributes, significantly reducing the amount of garbage was the most preferred attribute, with a willingness to pay of 39.75 CNY, while willingness to increase beach area was the lowest attribute. The result of the preference heterogeneity analysis showed that tourists with higher education levels were more willing to pay to obtain a better recreational experience, while local tourists were more concerned about reducing congestion. Moreover, we found a clear and relevant segmentation of tourists’ choice behavior, with the strong sensitivity for raising the ticket price being driven by the smallest group of the sample.
Does the Type of Funding Affect Innovation? Evidence from Incubators in China
Authors: Guan Chenghua , Jin Shengxue
Published: February 2023

Technology business incubation is vital for the promotion of innovative development and plays an essential role in economic development and social stability. This paper empirically studies the impact of fund types on incubator innovation and its mechanisms using China’s incubator data from 2015 to 2019 and the fixed effect model. It is found that incubation funds, venture capital, and fiscal subsidies can significantly promote incubator innovation, with venture capital having the most substantial boost, followed by incubation funds and fiscal subsidies. Analysis of these mechanisms reveals that the promotion of incubator innovation by different funds relies primarily on R&D expenditure and on the scale of technology services expenditures. Further analysis shows that the effect varies according to the incubator, and that a reduction in the proportion of a comprehensive incubator fund or in the proportion of subsidy for a professional incubator does not contribute to enterprise innovation. This paper provides empirical evidence to support China in its improvement of the financing mechanisms for entrepreneurship and the promotion of sustainable economic and social development.
Robust Power System State Estimation Method Based on Generalized M-Estimation of Optimized Parameters Based on Sampling
Authors: Shi Yu , Hou Yueting , Yu Yue , Jin Zhaoyang , Mohamed Mohamed A.
Published: February 2023

Robustness is an important performance index of power system state estimation, which is defined as the estimator’s capability to resist the interference. However, improving the robustness of state estimation often reduces the estimation accuracy. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a power system state estimation method for generalized M-estimation of optimized parameters based on sampling. Compared with the traditional robust state estimator, the generalized M-estimator based on projection statistics improves the robustness of state estimation, and the proposed optimized parameter determination method improves the overall accuracy of state estimation by appropriately adjusting its robustness. Considering different degrees of non-Gaussian distributed measurement noises and bad data, the estimation accuracy the proposed method is demonstrated to be up to 23% higher than the traditional generalized M-estimator through MATLAB simulations in IEEE 14, 118 bus test systems, and Polish 2736 bus system.
Exploring the Macro Economic and Transport Influencing Factors of Urban Public Transport Mode Share: A Bayesian Structural Equation Model Approach
Authors: Zhou Bowen , Jin Jieling , Huang Helai , Deng Yuanchang
Published: February 2023

The public transportation priority strategy is a significant way to alleviate urban traffic congestion, and the urban public transport mode share (UPTMS) is a crucial indicator to measure the performance of public transportation priority strategies. To explore the influence factors of UPTMS, this study hypothesized that UPTMS is influenced by factors such as population, economy, road operation performance, public transport infrastructure, and private transport facilities, and tested the hypotheses using structural equation modeling (SEM) and Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) based on urban macro economic and transport data in Guangzhou and Beijing, China. The results showed that, in the case of a small sample, BSEM is more adept at examining the correlation between the UPTMS and its influencing factors than SEM; in the Guangzhou and Beijing models, public transport infrastructure has the greatest positive and most significant impact on the UPTMS, and road operation performance has the greatest negative and most significant impact. Moreover, road operation performance is significantly improved by public transport infrastructure, while private transport facilities have a significant negative influence on road operation performance.
Rural Landscape Change: The Driving Forces of Land Use Transformation from 1980 to 2020 in Southern Henan, China
Authors: Gong Yue , You Guixuan , Chen Tianyi , Wang Ling , Hu Yuandong
Published: February 2023

Rapid urbanization has had an important impact on the pattern and function of rural land use. To better understand the key drivers of the landscape pattern evolution in southern Henan in China from 1980 to 2020, we used techniques of GIS(Geographic Information System) technology and the geodetector model in the research area of landscape pattern evolution characteristics. The research results show that the land use transformation in the rural areas of southern Henan has been characterized by the conversion of production land to living land and ecological land, with the highest conversion rate and continuous growth of construction land, a decreasing trend of cropland, and continuous and stable growth of land for forest and water body in the past 40 years. Land use conversion in the rural areas of southern Henan is mainly concentrated in the northern, central, and southern areas, and the spatial conversion has shifted from mountainous areas to the plains. The center of gravity of forest, cropland, and water body has most obviously shifted, and human interference and ecological environment destruction are the main influencing factors. The overall landscape pattern in the rural areas of southern Henan has increased in fragmentation and landscape heterogeneity, evenness has decreased, irregular patches have increased, and landscape connectivity has decreased. The combined effect of the six dimensions of elevation, slope, night lighting, average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, and population density in the rural areas of southern Henan has led to the transformation of land use and changes in landscape pattern. Physical geographic factors are the main drivers of rural landscape pattern changes in southern Henan, while population density changes and urbanization are secondary drivers. The results of the study have important guiding significance for the further optimization of rural landscape patterns and the sustainable development of rural areas.
Eco-Efficiency of Green Infrastructure on Thermal Comfort of Outdoor Space Design
Authors: Tochaiwat Kongkoon , Phichetkunbodee Non , Suppakittpaisarn Pongsakorn , Rinchumphu Damrongsak , Tepweerakun Sarote , Kridakorn Na Ayutthaya Thidarat , Sittisom Prattakorn
Published: February 2023

Trees and shrubs, as a part of the green infrastructure, are important for the well-being of urban dwellers. This research aims to study the eco-efficiency of trees on outdoor thermal comfort, defined by the ratio of the change in the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and the trees’ cost. Field data were collected and compared with station data to calibrate and create a base case model. After the base case model was created, the researchers created case scenarios with shrubs and trees occupying 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the space. The cost estimate was calculated by the price quotes from local providers. The results suggested that (1) trees and shrubs were confirmed to positively improve thermal comfort, especially in the late afternoon when it is the most uncomfortable, (2) adding more trees to the study site could increase the eco-efficiency values more than shrubs in all cases, and (3) adding trees at 50% coverage gave the highest eco-efficiency compared to the other options. The results of this exploratory study will provide an alternative design approach that helps in decision-making for outdoor spaces. Future studies should address plant selections and other ecosystem benefits that may affect the eco-efficiency calculation.
Sentiment Analysis of COVID-19 Tweets Using Deep Learning and Lexicon-Based Approaches
Authors: Ainapure Bharati Sanjay , Pise Reshma Nitin , Reddy Prathiba , Appasani Bhargav , Srinivasulu Avireni , Khan Mohammad S. , Bizon Nicu
Published: February 2023

Social media is a platform where people communicate, share content, and build relationships. Due to the current pandemic, many people are turning to social networks such as Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, etc., to express their feelings. In this paper, we analyse the sentiments of Indian citizens about the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccination drive using text messages posted on the Twitter platform. The sentiments were classified using deep learning and lexicon-based techniques. A lexicon-based approach was used to classify the polarity of the tweets using the tools VADER and NRCLex. A recurrent neural network was trained using Bi-LSTM and GRU techniques, achieving 92.70% and 91.24% accuracy on the COVID-19 dataset. Accuracy values of 92.48% and 93.03% were obtained for the vaccination tweets classification with Bi-LSTM and GRU, respectively. The developed models can assist healthcare workers and policymakers to make the right decisions in the upcoming pandemic outbreaks.
Evaluation and Spatial Correlation Analysis of Green Economic Growth Efficiency in Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Su Jialu , Ma Zhiqiang , Wang Yan , Wang Xinxing
Published: February 2023

The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration has an extremely important strategic location in the national regional development pattern, is the engine of China’s green economic development, and plays an important role in promoting the green transformation of the national economy. It is important to clarify the region’s current situation and the space–time characteristics of green economic growth. This study uses a super-efficiency dynamic Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model to measure the green economic growth efficiency (GEGE) of 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. Based on this, the exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA) method is used to analyze the spatial correlation of the GEGE. Differently from previous studies, this paper evaluates the GEGE based on a dynamic perspective, considering the intertemporal role of capital. At the same time, the space–time analysis of regional systems (STARS) is used to explore the long-term development pattern and transition path of the GEGE in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. The results show the following: (1) The GEGE in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration shows a fluctuating downward trend. The efficiency values of the Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui are significantly different, showing the distribution law of “high in the east and low in the west”. (2) The global spatial autocorrelation has weakened, but the characteristics of local agglomeration are obvious. (3) The space–time transitions show high spatial stability and path dependence. The findings highlight that the economic development of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration is undergoing a difficult period of transition. Despite a decline in the GEGE, the overall regional linkage shows a positive trend. The conclusions can provide a reference for enhancing the green economic development of the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration. The implications of this research are important for the implementation of a regional integration strategy and the early achievement of the emission peak and carbon neutrality goals.
Nitrogen and Phosphorus Discriminate the Assembly Processes of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Algae in an Agricultural Drainage Receiving Lake
Authors: Huang Dongnan , Zheng Han , Cheng Jing , Wu Guanxiong , Zheng Lei , Xie En
Published: February 2023

Phytoplankton and bacteria play key roles in material cycling and their consequent eco-functions in lakes, which are threatened by anthropogenic pressures, especially agricultural activities, which, in the watershed, are effective in changing the material composition and hydrodynamic conditions of the lake through material input and water withdrawal. This process theoretically changes the interaction and assembly pattern of microorganisms, which are important factors driving the structural and functional evolution of ecological communities in lakes. In this research, the community structure, interactions, and assembly of phytoplankton and bacteria were investigated during agro-irrigation seasons in a typical agricultural drainage receiving lake, Wuliangsuhai. The results showed that the seasonal variations in the community were driven by nitrogen and phosphorus. In particular, Cyanobacteria increased significantly during the seasons with the regulation of TP (λ = 0.56, p < 0.01, n = 30). The TN positively drove Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta (λ = 0.42 and 0.65, p < 0.05, n = 30). Furthermore, MENA showed that planktonic algae and bacterial community interactions were enhanced, and interspecific competition increased at high trophic levels. The community assembly is primarily a stochastic process that is mostly related to hydrodynamic conditions. The second related factor, nitrogen and phosphorus inputs, had obvious effects on community assembly, which responded to its effects on species diversity, niche width, and interactions, and they jointly controlled community assembly. This study reveals that the assembly processes of bacteria and planktonic algae were driven by different environmental factors in specific ways, which provides a new view for understanding agriculture’s impacts on microecology and helps in developing lake protection strategies.
Sleep Deficit as a Risk Factor for Hypertension in Korean Adults
Authors: Lee Mi-Joon , Seo Bum-Jeun , Song Inmyung
Published: February 2023

This study aims to evaluate the association between sleep duration and hypertension in Korean adults aged 30 and older. This is a population-based cross-sectional study using the 2020 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey data. Study subjects numbered 3984 after excluding people with missing data for key exposures and outcome variables. Of the study subjects, 18.8% (n = 748) sleep for less than 6 h a day. Increased risk for hypertension was associated with being male, of old age, unemployed, of low educational achievement, and overweight, as well as drinking, smoking, stress, and short sleep duration. The prevalence of sleep deficit was associated with sex, age, education level, income, and health insurance type. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify whether sleep duration affects the risk of hypertension. In the unadjusted model, the odds ratio (OR) of having hypertension was lower among people sleeping for 7.0–7.9 h (OR = 0.52, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 0.42–0.64) than those sleeping for fewer than 6 h per day. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors (sex, age, education level, occupation, and health insurance), the OR for 7.0–7.9 h remained significant (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.59–0.92). This association was not significant when the model was further adjusted for health-related factors (smoking, drinking, physical activity, BMI level, and stress). Measures to promote adequate sleep duration should be included in programs to prevent and manage hypertension.
Hyperspectral Estimation of Soil Organic Carbon Content Based on Continuous Wavelet Transform and Successive Projection Algorithm in Arid Area of Xinjiang, China
Authors: Huang Xiaoyu , Wang Xuemei , Baishan Kawuqiati , An Baisong
Published: February 2023

Soil organic carbon (SOC), an important indicator to evaluate soil fertility, is essential in agricultural production. The traditional methods of measuring SOC are time-consuming and expensive, and it is difficult for these methods to achieve large area measurements in a short time. Hyperspectral technology has obvious advantages in soil information analysis because of its high efficiency, convenience and non-polluting characteristics, which provides a new way to achieve large-scale and rapid SOC monitoring. The traditional mathematical transformation of spectral data in previous studies does not sufficiently reveal the correlation between the spectral data and SOC. To improve this issue, we combine the traditional method with the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) for spectral data processing. In addition, the feature bands are screened with the successive projection algorithm (SPA), and four machine learning algorithms are used to construct the SOC content estimation model. After the spectral data is processed by CWT, the sensitivity of the spectrum to the SOC content and the correlation between the spectrum and the SOC content can be significantly improved (p < 0.001). SPA was used to compress the spectral data at multiple decomposition scales, greatly reducing the number of bands containing covariance and enabling faster screening of the characteristic bands. The support vector machine regression (SVMR) model of CWT-R′ gave the best prediction, with the coefficients of determination (R2) and the root mean square error (RMSE) being 0.684 and 1.059 g∙kg−1, respectively, and relative analysis error (RPD) value of 1.797 for its validation set. The combination of CWT and SPA can uncover weak signals in the spectral data and remove redundant bands with covariance in the spectral data, thus realizing the screening of characteristic bands and the fast and stable estimation of the SOC content.
Improved Theoretical Solutions for Estimating the Tunnel Response Induced by Overlying Excavation
Authors: Feng Guohui , Chen Qingsheng , Xu Changjie , Wan Peng , Sun Feng , Li Yujie , Sun Zhihao
Published: February 2023

As a result of China’s urbanization, it has been a common phenomenon that adjacent deep excavations were constructed near underground structures, which can have a series of detrimental effects on existing tunnels. Thus, it is crucial to assess the tunnel response induced by the overlying excavation, with the aim of maintaining the safety and serviceability of operating tunnels. The shield tunnel is idealized as an infinite beam lying upon a three parameter Kerr-model and the vertical force equilibrium equation of the tunnel element is established. Then, a theoretical solution is derived for capturing the soil–tunnel interaction. To prove the accuracy of the proposed method, the calculation results are compared with field measurements, along with the data of finite element studies. Thereafter, a parametric analysis will be conducted to assess some characteristic factors for tunnel responses caused by overlying excavations, such as tunnel-excavation horizontal distance, tunnel bending stiffness, and the buried depth of the tunnel. The results indicate that the increase in the bending stiffness and the buried depth of tunnel, as well as the tunnel-excavation horizontal distance, will significantly alleviate the tunnel deformation. However, the inner force will be increased when increasing the tunnel bending stiffness.
How Urban Growth in the Global South Affects Agricultural Dynamics and Food Systems Outcomes in Rural Areas: A Review and Research Agenda
Authors: van Berkum Siemen
Published: February 2023

The urbanisation in the Global South provides opportunities for improved rural livelihoods in the vicinity of cities, but these opportunities do not automatically occur. The literature shows that urban expansion leads to more intensive land use around cities and a shift of production towards high-value products. However, competition for land around growing cities can lead to increasing socioeconomic vulnerability in affected areas, particularly for those who have no or weak land ownership or tenancy rights. Urban expansion can also have negative ecological consequences such as the extinction of wetlands and deforestation. In the current literature, there are very few studies to be found that comprehensively and simultaneously analyse the effects of growing cities on food security, equity, and the ecological impacts on food systems in rural areas. To better map and understand the consequences of urban growth for agricultural dynamics, rural livelihoods, and the environment, a three-track research agenda is proposed: comparative field studies that analyse farmers’ decision-making processes under increased competition for factors of production due to urban sprawl; the role of urban–rural connectivity, city size, and urbanisation patterns in agricultural dynamics around the city; and studies that analyse the socioeconomic and environmental effects of urban sprawl on agricultural development opportunities around cities.
Consequence Assessment Model for Gasoline Transport: Belgrade Case Study Based on Multi-Agent Simulation
Authors: Pantelić Strahinja , Milovanović Branko , Đogatović Marko , Živanović Predrag , Bajčetić Stanko , Tica Slaven , Nađ Andrea
Published: February 2023

The transport of dangerous goods by road represents a specific problem, considering that these vehicles can have great negative effects on people and the environment in the event of an accident. In the last few decades, various methods have been defined for risk management in this area. Most of these methods are based on reducing the probability and the consequences of an accident. In a large number of cases, the probability of the occurrence is in much greater focus than the consequences. To fill this gap, we created a new model for assessing the consequences on the population in the event of a fire during gasoline transportation. The model is based on the hypothesis that hazard intensity is directly proportional to the intensity of the heat generated by the fire and inversely proportional to the distance from the accident. The model was implemented through a Belgrade case study with multi-agent simulation. The results of the paper show that there is a 43% probability that there would be between 11 and 28 casualties in the observed location in the event of an accident. This confirms the initial hypothesis and shows that the model can be successfully used to assess the consequences.
A Novel Evaluation Method of Tunnel Access Zone Luminance Based on Measured Meteorological Data
Authors: Zhang Yuwei , Xue Peng , Zhao Yifan , Ni Zhikai , Quan Yani , Xie Jingchao , Liu Jiaping
Published: February 2023

As the design basis of the tunnel lighting system, tunnel access zone luminance (TAZL) directly affects the energy efficiency of the tunnel lighting system and the driving safety of drivers. Affected by the relative position of the sun, weather conditions and other factors, the TAZL dynamically changes over time, but the existing tunnel mostly uses a fixed luminance value for the design and operation of the tunnel lighting system, which lacks a simplified method to obtain the real-time luminance. In this study, the L20(S) (the average luminance observed by the driver at 20° field of view) at the tunnel stopping sight distance is split, and the sky luminance is calculated by using the sky luminance model. While a segmented prediction model of the ground scenery luminance is established with the maximum sun height angle as the inflection point, the solar irradiance outside the tunnel is adopted as the input parameter. This new proposed L20(S) evaluation model is verified within the error of 5.41%, which provides a convenient and accurate method for the real-time measurement of TAZL.
Spatial-Temporal Distribution Pattern and Tourism Utilization Potential of Intangible Cultural Heritage Resources in the Yellow River Basin
Authors: Chang Bianrong , Ding Xinjun , Xi Jianchao , Zhang Ruiying , Lv Xianhong
Published: February 2023

In this study, the spatial-temporal distribution pattern and tourism utilization potential of national ICH are analyzed based on GIS technology in the Yellow River Basin. The results show that: (1) The national ICH of the Yellow River Basin is distributed in an aggregated spatial pattern with the characteristic of “one belt and two cores”. The cities in Shanxi, Henan and Shandong provinces constitute the high-density and sub-high-density continuous belts. Haidong and Chengdu are the high-density and sub-high-density core areas, respectively. (2) The five batches of national ICH present a temporal distribution pattern of “Northeast to Southwest”. The distribution scope of national ICH in medium and high-density areas expands gradually and finally tends to be balanced. (3) For the single-factor evaluation of tourism utilization potential, there is an obvious gap in the evaluation grade among the cities. However, for the comprehensive evaluation of tourism utilization potential, there are 72 cities with an evaluation grade of three or above, accounting for 63%. This indicates that the tourism utilization potential of the national ICH in this basin is great. (4) The national ICH tourism in this basin can be developed from two aspects: regional differential development and regional linkage development.