bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of Combined Models Based on Empirical Mode Decomposition, Deep Learning, and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model for Short-Term Heating Load Predictions
Authors: Zhou Yong , Wang Lingyu , Qian Junhao
Published: June 2022

Short-term building energy consumption prediction is of great significance for the optimized operation of building energy management systems and energy conservation. Due to the high-dimensional nonlinear characteristics of building heat loads, traditional single machine-learning models cannot extract the features well. Therefore, in this paper, a combined model based on complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), four deep learning (DL), and the autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models is proposed. The DL models include a convolution neural network, long- and short-term memory (LSTM), bi-directional LSTM (bi-LSTM), and the gated recurrent unit. The CEEMDAN decomposed the heating load into different components to extract the different features, while the DL and ARIMA models were used for the prediction of heating load features with high and low complexity, respectively. The single-DL models and the CEEMDAN-DL combinations were also implemented for comparison purposes. The results show that the combined models achieved much higher accuracy compared to the single-DL models and the CEEMDAN-DL combinations. Compared to the single-DL models, the average coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and coefficient of variation of the RMSE (CV-RMSE) were improved by 2.91%, 47.93%, and 47.92%, respectively. Furthermore, CEEMDAN-bi-LSTM-ARIMA performed the best of all the combined models, achieving values of R2 = 0.983, RMSE = 70.25 kWh, and CV-RMSE = 1.47%. This study provides a new guide for developing combined models for building energy consumption prediction.
Long-Term Experience of Teaching Life Cycle Assessment and Circular Design to Future Architects: A Learning by Doing Approach in a Design Studio Setting
Authors: Gomes Vanessa , da Silva Maristela Gomes , Kowaltowski Doris Catharine Cornelie Knatz
Published: June 2022

Architects and urbanists help to shape the built environment, which is both highly impactful and indispensable to support the sustainable development of any society. Hence, they must not only have a basic understanding but also be trained to routinely incorporate sustainability checks into their design practice. Published pedagogical experience with teaching life cycle assessment (LCA) in higher education usually covers students with engineering backgrounds, often at the graduate level. No records of regular courses for architecture and urbanism undergraduates were found. After eight years of teaching, and involving 213 students, this paper shares experience and insights gained in the only undergraduate architecture and urbanism course in Brazil openly dedicated to teaching LCA and circular design metrics within the design studio atmosphere. To encourage and inspire other initiatives, the article emphasizes the last four course offers. The current course design is aligned with recent recommendations and international practice. Still, the total workload is insufficient to adequately tackle complex design objects. Students’ final grades across different years show improvements, but actual knowledge retention evaluation requires some post-course follow-up. We confirmed that undergraduate students can successfully apply LCA during design development with compatible additional effort if equipped with adequate tools. An online calculator was developed and is expected to allow expanded design experimentations in future editions.
Estimation of Ground Thermal Properties of Shallow Coaxial Borehole Heat Exchanger Using an Improved Parameter Estimation Method
Authors: Wang Changlong , Fu Qiang , Fang Han , Lu Jinli
Published: June 2022

Ground thermal properties are prerequisites for designing the size of borehole heat exchanger. In this study, a 3D heat transfer model is developed to simulate the thermal response test (TRT) of shallow coaxial borehole heat exchanger (SCBHE), and effects of ground thermal properties on the slope of the mean value of inlet and outlet fluid temperatures are studied. The results show that the slope is strongly affected by ground thermal conductivity and is slightly affected by ground thermal capacity, and that ground thermal capacity only has a small effect on the slope. Then, by using the difference between the experimental slope and calculated slope as the objective function to estimate ground thermal conductivity, an improved parameter estimation method (PEM) is proposed to estimate ground thermal properties of SCBHE using the simulated TRT data, and it is compared with the direct method. The results show that ground thermal conductivity and thermal capacity estimated by the improved PEM are accurate for different ground thermal properties, and that ground thermal conductivity estimated by the direct method probably has some errors especially for small ground thermal conductivity or thermal capacity, indicating that the improved PEM has much higher precision than the direct method and can be applied for estimating the ground thermal properties of SCBHE.
Is Environmental Sustainability Also “Economically Efficient”? The Case of the “SOStain” Certification for Sicilian Sparkling Wines
Authors: Ingrassia Marzia , Chironi Stefania , Lo Grasso Giuseppe , Gristina Luciano , Francesca Nicola , Bacarella Simona , Columba Pietro , Altamore Luca
Published: June 2022

The Italian wine industry is strongly committed to sustainability. Among the numerous sustainability certifications and programs implemented in Italy for the wine sector, SOStain is the oldest at the regional level. The SOStain Foundation promotes the voluntary application of a sustainability program, developed in 2010 in Sicily (Southern Italy). The requirements of the SOStain specifications are connected to the new CAP 2023–2027 objectives; therefore, companies preparing for the new challenges of future winemaking might be interested in joining the SOStain Foundation for greening production practices. The objective of this study was to learn producers’ and consumers’ opinions about motivations, real/perceived difficulties, cost, and positive effects of the SOStain certification, as well as their intentions to make ethical choices and their willingness to spend more for a Sicilian sparkling wine with the SOStain certification. A census of producers combined with a consumer survey and focus groups were carried out. Multidimensional scaling was used to discover the polarization of producers’/consumers’ opinions regarding the SOStain certification. The findings highlighted the effect of ethical choices, despite sensory likings, on purchasing intentions and issues related to higher costs of production and market prices. The results highlighted the criticalities of the green transition for wineries and the importance of correct communication through social media.
On a Comparative Analysis of Individual Customer Purchases on the Internet for Poland, Turkey and the People’s Republic of China at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chmielarz Witold , Zborowski Marek , Jin Xuetao , Atasever Mesut , Szpakowska Justyna
Published: June 2022

The main purpose of this article is to compare the state and dynamics of e-commerce development in selected countries: Poland, Turkey and the PRC (People’s Republic of China), from the point of view of individual customers. The comparison was carried out in two stages: the first months of 2020 (before the COVID-19 pandemic) and the first months of 2021 (during the pandemic). The study conducted involved university students. The surveys were carried out using the CAWI method, and they were made available on the servers of the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw. The research sample included 650 individuals. Differences in the obtained results were evaluated using the City distance. The hypothesis concerning the lack of differentiation between the evaluations of individual e-commerce criteria was formulated, and it was disproved in the course of the study. The results of the research indicate that the variation between countries appeared mainly in relation to the direction of the development of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic, the type of (mobile/traditional) device used to shop online and, above all, the specificity of the country where the study took place with its past experiences, cultural circumstances and shopping habits, as reflected in the development of online commerce. The limitation of the study was the fact that it was conducted in an academic environment and, at this stage, it was limited to the analysis of the results covering selected countries. Nevertheless, the valuable contribution and undoubted achievement of the work consist in the fact that, for the first time, e-commerce solutions have been compared for countries that are so culturally, economically and demographically different. The results of this study may be used by business practitioners to guide them on possible strategies regarding the development of e-commerce in their countries in the post-pandemic reality.
Cultural Change Shapes the Sustainable Development of Religious Ecotourism Villages in Bali, Indonesia
Authors: Purnamawati I Gusti Ayu , Jie Ferry , Hatane Saarce Elsye
Published: June 2022

This research aims to determine the impact of technology, commitment, and cultural change on the sustainable development of religious ecotourism villages. This study utilized quantitative research methods. The sampling technique used was random sampling, determined by the slovin formula—data collection techniques through the distribution of questionnaires and measurement using a Likert scale. The study was done in an ecotourism village in Bali Province with a population of 155 individuals, and the sample size was 100. The Structural Equation Model using WarpPLS 5.0 software modelling was used for the statistical analysis. The results demonstrate that the technology and commitment variables have no significant effect on the development of religious ecotourism villages; however, cultural changes have a substantial effect. The development of religious ecotourism villages is the dependent variable in this study; nevertheless, the research is primarily focused on how each village develops its ecotourism, which is increasingly being activated through a religious by the government. Religion, often known as a religious tradition, has a particular role in preserving and sustaining a village’s ancient legacy. The application of the concept of religion in Bali strengthens the joints of Balinese cultural life. Ecotourism villages with religious values pay attention to surrounding customs to maintain and preserve ancestral heritage.
Education, Financial Development, and Primary Energy Consumption: An Empirical Analysis for BRICS Economies
Authors: Sart Gamze , Ozkaya Mehmet Hilmi , Bayar Yilmaz
Published: June 2022

Energy is life blood of all economies and an indispensable prerequisite for all economic activities and consequently factors influencing the energy consumption are of vital importance. Therefore, this study investigates the effect of education together with financial development on energy consumption in sample of BRICS economies over the 1990–2019 period by means of second-generation cointegration and causality analyses thanks to the small number of empirical studies. The causality analysis unveils a one-way causal effect from education to primary energy consumption, but an insignificant causality between financial development and primary energy consumption. The cointegration analysis uncovers a strong positive effect of education at panel level and in all BRICS economies in the long-term, but financial sector development has a significant positive influence on primary energy use only in South Africa in the long-term. The findings of the study reveal that education considerably increases the primary energy use in the BRICS economies through economic growth channel, but financial sector development has not been a significant determinant of primary energy use yet. However, the BRICS economies should attach more importance to green technology and energy focused growth for sustainable growth and development.
Research on Multi-Mode Drive Optimization Control Strategy of Four-Wheel-Drive Electric Vehicles with Multiple Motors
Authors: Xu Shiwei , Wei Lulu , Zhang Xiaopeng , Bai Zhifeng , Jiao Yuan
Published: June 2022

Four-wheel-drive electric vehicles with multiple motors have several advantages such as energy saving, environmental protection, and excellent dynamics performance. Therefore, they have become an important development trend in the field of electric vehicles in the past few years. To deal with the problems of the economy and dynamics optimization of an electric vehicle with dual motors on the front axle and a single motor on the rear axle, a multi-mode drive optimization control strategy based on the hierarchical control architecture is proposed in this paper. In the strategy, the reference torque distribution strategy of the front and rear motors is obtained by optimizing the instantaneous energy consumption power in the economy module, and a torque compensation strategy is formulated based on the fuzzy control in the dynamics module to improve the vehicle dynamics in high dynamics demand conditions. Finally, the closed-loop cycle test and the driver-in-the-loop test are carried out to verify the performance of the strategy proposed in this paper, and the results show that energy consumption is reduced by 6.45% in the World Harmonized Light-duty Vehicles Test Cycle (WLTC), and that vehicles accelerate more quickly in variable acceleration conditions under the proposed strategy.
The Impact of Blockchain Technology Adoption on Tourism Industry: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Rana Roberto Leonardo , Adamashvili Nino , Tricase Caterina
Published: June 2022

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to the acceleration of the digitization process and to a shifting to Industry 4.0. Blockchain (BC) is one of the technologies that has been introduced worldwide in recent years. It has been beneficial for the tourism industry, in addition to many other sectors. This article investigates the advantages and disadvantages of BC adoption in the tourism industry, as well as the possible solutions to overcome the challenges. This paper conducts a systematic literature review (SLR) that consists of the operations for detecting, selecting, categorizing, and analyzing relevant articles on a specified subject. It is evident from the results that the majority of the academic works illustrate the benefits of BC implementation and explain its potential by providing diverse models of BC-based systems. However, since BC is a young technology, numerous challenges have appeared on the path to its full adoption in the tourism industry. Possible solutions are the achievement of a collaborative approach among the stakeholders, the deepening of academic research in the field, testing more models of BC-based systems, and the establishment of relevant policies. Consequently, the implications for the theory, practice, policy, and research of this work are significant.
Trust Transfer in Sharing Accommodation: The Moderating Role of Privacy Concerns
Authors: Lu Baozhou , Wang Zhenhua
Published: June 2022

Sharing accommodation (SA) has gained rapid growth in the last decade. To offer better service to users, the platform and hosts have to extensively collect and utilize confidential user data and information. With the extensive collection and utilization of personal user information, there are potential problems of data abuse and leakage, which makes users’ privacy concerns an important and unavoidable issue for repeated purchases and the sustainable development of SA. Privacy concerns are thus not only an important antecedent of purchase behaviors, but also an important conditional variable that will have impacts on the formation of trust and user purchase behaviors. However, the moderating effect of privacy concerns on trust formation has rarely been examined in the SA literature. To fill this knowledge gap, drawing on trust transfer theory and trust literature, this study builds a theoretical model to examine the relationships of three types of institution-based trust (i.e., trust in the SA platform, trust in the user community, and trust in the host community) and their effects on continuous use intention. Moreover, this study explores the moderating effect of privacy concerns on institution-based trust transfer in the context of SA. We then collected data through a questionnaire survey from experienced users of two reputable SA platforms in China, and empirically tested the research model with 470 valid responses. The results show that trust in the user community positively affects trust in the SA platform and trust in the host community; trust in the SA platform and trust in the host community positively affect users’ continuous use intention. Meanwhile, privacy concerns negatively moderate the relationship between trust in the user community and trust in the SA platform, as well as the relationship between trust in the user community and trust in the host community. The findings confirm the moderating role of privacy concerns in the trust transfer process, complementing existing research on trust transfer theory and trust.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Industrial Processes and Product Use Sector of Saudi Arabia—An Emerging Challenge
Authors: Rahman Muhammad Muhitur , Rahman Mohammad Shahedur , Chowdhury Saidur R. , Elhaj Alaeldeen , Razzak Shaikh Abdur , Abu Shoaib Syed , Islam Md Kamrul , Islam Mohammed Monirul , Rushd Sayeed , Rahman Syed Masiur
Published: June 2022

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been experiencing consistent growth in industrial processes and product use (IPPU). The IPPU’s emission has been following an increasing trend. This study investigated time-series and cross-sectional analyses of the IPPU sector. Petrochemical, iron and steel, and cement production are the leading source categories in the Kingdom. In recent years, aluminum, zinc, and titanium dioxide production industries were established. During the last ten years, a significant growth was observed in steel, ethylene, direct reduce iron (DRI), and cement production. The growth of this sector depends on many factors, including domestic and international demand, socioeconomic conditions, and the availability of feedstock. The emissions from IPPU without considering energy use was 78 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq) in 2020, and the cement industry was the highest emitter (35.5%), followed by petrochemical (32.3%) and iron and steel industries (16.8%). A scenario-based projection analysis was performed to estimate the range of emissions for the years up to 2050. The results show that the total emissions could reach between 199 and 426 million tons of CO2eq in 2050. The Kingdom has started initiatives that mainly focus on climate change adaptation and economic divergence with mitigation co-benefits. In general, the focus of such initiatives is the energy sector. However, the timely accomplishment of the Saudi Vision 2030 and Saudi Green Initiative will affect mitigation scenarios significantly, including in the IPPU sector. The mitigation opportunities for this sector include (i) energy efficiency, (ii) emissions efficiency, (iii) material efficiency, (iv) the re-use of materials and recycling of products, (v) intensive and longer use of products, and (vi) demand management. The results of this study will support the Kingdom in developing an appropriate climate change mitigation roadmap.
The Significance of Digital Marketing in Shaping Ecotourism Behaviour through Destination Image
Authors: Khan Muhammad Muddassar , Siddique Muhammad , Yasir Muhammad , Qureshi Muhammad Imran , Khan Nohman , Safdar Muhammad Zulqarnain
Published: June 2022

Ecotourism is the most encompassing alternative approach, and it is usually regarded as a panacea capable of combining economic development, environmental protection, and community well-being. Pakistan’s ecotourism industry is relatively new and has significant growth potential, with approximately 6 million domestic and international tourists visiting various northern destinations in 2018. However, as the number of tourists grows, so do the difficulties or obstacles associated with visitor/tourist behaviour, such as pollution, forest cutting, wildlife turmoil, filthy waste/garbage, and forest fire. These potential hazards have become natural environment-harming concerns that occur daily. Prior studies and government policies have emphasised the increasing knowledge and responsibility of ecotourism behaviour among tourists to address the issues. Digital marketing is known as a flashy way to connect with tourists by providing them with diverse tour information and destination images; however, reviews show that a smaller number of previous research in the tourism industry has been involved with digital marketing strategies. They use a quantitative design and Structural Equation Model testing. The guaranteed validity and reliability is an adaptive questionnaire created and tested in pilot research. For data gathering, a multistage sampling method is utilised. This research included 384 tourist respondents from three regions that used digital marketing for their travelling. It was chosen using a random and purposeful sampling process. The study found that destination image is positively connected to ecotourism. The current study employs the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as a theoretical contribution. The study’s findings suggest that visitors, the government, the tourism industry, and the community may use digital marketing strategies to encourage ecotourism behaviour.
Dynamic Shear Strength Characteristics of Lightweight Sand-EPS Soil
Authors: Zhu Liping , Wen Kejun , Tong Ruiming , Li Mingdong
Published: June 2022

Lightweight sand–EPS soil (LSES) is regarded as a kind of sustainable geomaterial for providing a way to reutilize fast-growing waste expanded polystyrene (EPS) packages. It is usually applied in marine geotechnical engineering to solve the excessive settling of soft ground or bumps at bridge heads due to its merits such as low density, high strength, and adjustability. Aiming to investigate the dynamic shear strength of LSES made from marine sand, a series of laboratory dynamic triaxial experiments was conducted on LSES with different proportions and control sand (CS). The influences of cement content, EPS bead content, and confining pressure on dynamic shear strength were analyzed, as were comparisons with the material sand. It was found that the dynamic strength of LSES increased with the increase in cement content and confining pressure. The bonding function of cement hydration products contributed to the dynamic strength of LSES; however, the work required a certain content of cement. The dynamic strength of LSES decreased with the increase in EPS bead content due to the low particle strength and smooth surface of EPS beads. The cyclic number of failure (Nf) of both LSES and CS decreased linearly with the increase in dynamic shear stress in semilogarithmic coordinates. Both the slopes and the intercepts increased with the increase in cement content and confining pressure. However, they decreased with the increase in EPS bead content.
Measuring Urban Sustainability over Time at National and Regional Scale for Addressing United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11: Iran and Tehran as Case Studies
Authors: Hassanzadehkermanshahi Keihan , Shirowzhan Sara
Published: June 2022

It is evident that relations between political conditions and community development have become sophisticated in recent years. More people now live in urbanized areas, and this ongoing urbanization has various ramifications. Many countries are facing swift urban transformation which alters their regional development patterns. Urban sprawl, migration and rural depopulation, regional inequalities, increasing urban poverty, and social injustice are some of these emerging problems. Assessing regional development for identifying the aforementioned predicaments is really imperative and related to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. However, there are limited studies that focus on the assessment of regional sustainable development at both national and regional scales, simultaneously. Thus, this study aims to fill the gap by developing a robust method that can assess and compare the level of sustainability in various regions and at varying scales. This helps to identify areas where urgent prevention or mitigation strategies and action plans are required. In this study, we strived to evaluate Iran’s regions and Tehran’s provinces based on sustainability indicators. To end this, the authors use factor analysis and F’ANP model in both assessments. The results of the study show that Tehran Province was the most developed province, and its F’ANP result was 2.006. Tehran is 10% more sustainable than the third region in the country which is Khorasan Razavi. Isfahan and Khorasan Razavi provinces were in the next in rank with scores of 1.984 and 1.8, respectively. At the bottom of the list, the northern Khorasan, Ilam, and Kohkiloye-Boyerahmad provinces were in the lowest ranked in terms of access to sustainability indices. It is patently obvious that Iran suffers from uneven development, and the majority of border provinces have moderate or bad situations. This uneven development also intensifies migration to Tehran, which already has one-sixth of Iran’s population which has led todeteriorating social inequity and environmental injustice, nationally. The results of the regional assessment of Tehran also show that there is uneven development in Tehran Province. Tehran County is twice as good and sustainable as 68 percent of the counties in this region. The F’ANP result for Tehran County was 0.580, and it has been ranked first over a period due to the exceptional number of facilities in this region. Tehran County became 20% more sustainable during this decade. After Tehran, Firoozkoh and Damavand counties were in the next ranks with scores of 0.389 and 0.343, respectively. Qarchak, Ghods, and Baharestan counties were the weakest based on the sustainability indices, and their F’ANP results were below 0.2.
Techniques to Locate the Origin of Power Quality Disturbances in a Power System: A Review
Authors: Martinez Raquel , Castro Pablo , Arroyo Alberto , Manana Mario , Galan Noemi , Moreno Fidel Simon , Bustamante Sergio , Laso Alberto
Published: June 2022

The complexity in the power system topology, together with the new paradigm in generation and demand, make achieving an adequate level of supply quality a complicated goal for distribution companies. The electrical system power quality is subject to different regulations. On one hand, EN-50160 establishes the characteristics of the voltage supplied by public electricity networks, therefore affecting distribution companies. On the other hand, the EN-61000 series of standards regulates the electromagnetic compatibility of devices connected to the network, therefore affecting the loads. Power companies and device manufacturers are both responsible and affected in the issue of quality of supply. Despite the regulations, there are certain aspects of the supply quality that are not solved. One of the most important is the location of the disturbance’s origin. This paper presents a review of the main techniques to locate the disturbance’s origin in the electric network through two approaches: identification of the disturbance’s cause and the location of the origin.
Business Customer Satisfaction with B2B Consulting Services: AHP-Based Criteria for a New Perspective
Authors: Raišienė Agota Giedrė , Raišys Simonas Juozapas
Published: June 2022

The paper aims to take a novel look to customer satisfaction with B2B service through the lens of customer perception of service quality criterions. By literature review, service quality models define sets of key factors, however, do not rank them by significance. Based on AHP analysis of expert interview results, we argue that the current models of service quality reflect business customer perceptions partially. This is a gap in B2B service quality knowledge that this study seeks to fill. The quality criterions play a role in building a positive balance between the customers’ expected and perceived value of services. Thus, we propose the model of customer satisfaction with factors divided into essential, significant, sufficient, and marginal according to their level of significance. The model may encourage academics to understand customer satisfaction criteria in service quality not only as generic sets but also at the importance of the criteria themselves in relation to each other. In the aspect of practical implication, the model can help B2B enterprises to rationally manage resources on set quality priorities to achieve customer satisfaction and, hence, to ensure organization sustainability by more effective organizational resource management. The model also can benefit B2B customers when considering service providers capable of delivering service quality which meets the expectations.
School Culture Promoting Sustainability in Student Teachers’ Views
Authors: Yli-Panula Eija , Jeronen Eila , Mäki Sanna
Published: June 2022

School culture includes values, principles, and criteria. It is an integral part of sustainability education, of which climate change education (CCE) is seen as a way to improve students’ ability to take action to mitigate climate change. This survey aimed to investigate Finnish student teachers’ views of factors important in implementing CCE in school culture and their abilities as teachers to promote CCE. Thirty-six student teachers wrote essays regarding the implementation of school culture and responded to a questionnaire concerning their ability to act as climate change (CC) educators and the challenges they identified in teaching and learning about it. Inductive content analysis was used to study the essays. In student teachers’ answers, six themes to implement in school culture were identified: elements, work community, teacher’s impact, students in the centre, actors outside the school, and challenges. The student teachers highlighted challenges, such as views that deny CC and challenge the transformation of school culture to support sustainable development. The suggested ways to support CCE in daily school life that were very concrete, such as recycling and food education. Student teachers found their own ability to act as climate educators to be relatively good. They identified challenges, especially in motivating students to learn about CC and to participate and take action towards a climate-friendly lifestyle. Students’ conflicting attitudes, values, and beliefs related to CC, reinforced by their inner circle, were seen as challenges in teaching and learning about CC. Despite these challenges, transforming a school culture to support CCE should be the goal of every school.
Instability in the Cross-Border Labor Market: A Study on the High Job Turnover of Migrant Workers from Rural Vietnam to Rural China
Authors: Zhou Bo , Zhong Yumeng
Published: June 2022

Tens of thousands of Vietnamese workers have entered the agriculture, forestry, foreign trade, and manufacturing industries in rural Chongzuo of the Guangxi autonomous region. However, over 70% of these cross-border Vietnamese workers resign at least once a month. This study applies a survival analysis on the registration data of cross-border Vietnamese workers in 2019 to investigate the main drives of high job turnover. A Kaplan–Meier plot shows that the 30-day valid period of work permits is an important source of the frequent resignation of Vietnamese workers. A Cox regression analysis presents that Vietnamese laborers working in manufacturing, working in the sugarcane industry, or from the seven Vietnam provinces closest to Chongzuo have lower risks of turnover. This study implies that Chongzuo should bring in more manufacturing enterprises, expand work permit valid periods, and offer migrant workers vocational training.
Optimization of Seismic Base Isolation System Using Adaptive Harmony Search Algorithm
Authors: Ocak Ayla , Nigdeli Sinan Melih , Bekdaş Gebrail , Kim Sanghun , Geem Zong Woo
Published: June 2022

In this study, a seismic isolator placed on the base of a structure was optimized under various earthquake records using an adaptive harmony search algorithm (AHS). As known, the base-isolation systems with very low stiffness provide a rigid response of superstructure, so it was assumed that the structure is rigid and the base-isolated structure can be considered as a single-degree of freedom structure. By using this assumption, an optimization method that is independent of structural properties but specific to the chosen earthquake excitation set is proposed. By taking three different damping ratio limits and isolator displacement limits, the isolator period and damping ratio were optimized so that the acceleration of the structure was minimized for nine cases. In the critical seismic analysis performed with optimum isolator parameters, the results obtained for different damping ratios and isolator periods were compared. From the results, it is determined that isolators with low damping ratios require more ductility, and as the damping ratio increases, further restriction of the movement of the isolator increases the control efficiency. Thus, it is revealed that increasing the ductility of the isolator is effective in reducing the total acceleration in the structure.
A GIS-Based Spatiotemporal Modelling of Urban Traffic Accidents in Tabriz City during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Feizizadeh Bakhtiar , Omarzadeh Davoud , Sharifi Ayyoob , Rahmani Abolfazl , Lakes Tobia , Blaschke Thomas
Published: June 2022

The main aim of the present study was to investigate the spatiotemporal trends of urban traffic accident hotspots during the COVID-19 pandemic. The severity index was used to determine high-risk areas, and the kernel density estimation method was used to identify risk of traffic accident hotspots. Accident data for the time period of April 2018 to November 2020 were obtained from the traffic police of Tabriz (Iran) and analyzed using GIS spatial and network analysis procedures. To evaluate the impacts of COVID-19, we used the seasonal variation in car accidents to analyze the change in the total number or urban traffic accidents. Eventually, the sustainability of urban transport was analyzed based on the demographic and land use data to identify the areas with a high number of accidents and its respective impacts for the local residences. Based on the results, the lockdown measures in response to the pandemic have led to significant reductions in road traffic accidents. From the perspective of urban planning, the spatiotemporal urban traffic accident analysis indicated that areas with high numbers of elderly people and children were most affected by car accidents. As we identified the hotspots of urban traffic accidents and evaluated their spatiotemporal correlation with land use and demography characteristics, we conclude that the results of this study can be used by urban managers and support decision making to improve the situation, so that fewer accidents will happen in the future.
Multi-Hazard Meteorological Disaster Risk Assessment for Agriculture Based on Historical Disaster Data in Jilin Province, China
Authors: Zhang Jiawang , Wang Jianguo , Chen Shengbo , Tang Siqi , Zhao Wutao
Published: June 2022

The impact of global climate change is gradually intensifying, and the frequent occurrence of meteorological disasters poses a serious challenge to crop production. Analyzing and evaluating agricultural multi-hazard meteorological disaster risks based on historical disaster data and a summary of disaster occurrences and development patterns are important bases for the effective reduction of natural disaster risks and the regulation of agricultural production. This paper explores the technical system of agricultural multi-hazard meteorological disaster risk assessment and establishes a disaster risk assessment model based on the historical disaster data at the regional level from 1978–2020 in the first national comprehensive natural disaster risk census, carrying out multi-hazard meteorological disaster risk assessments in 18 major grain-producing regions in Jilin province. The empirical evidence shows: (1) drought and flood disasters are the key disasters for agricultural meteorological disaster prevention in Jilin province. Hotspots of drought and flood disasters are widely distributed in the study area, while hail and typhoons are mainly concentrated in the eastern region with a certain regionality. (2) The risk values of the four major meteorological disasters all decreased with the increase of the disaster index. Under the same disaster index, the disaster risk of various disasters in the main grain-producing areas is as follows: drought > flood > typhoon > hail. Under different disaster indices, Jiutai, Nongan, Yitong, Tongyu, and other places all presented high and medium–high risk levels. (3) From the spatial evolution trend, along with the rising disaster index, the risk of multi-hazard meteorological hazards is spatially oriented in a southeastern direction, and the risk level of multi-hazard meteorological hazards in the central part of the study area decreases gradually along with the increasing damage index. In addition, regional agricultural multi-hazard meteorological disaster risk reduction recommendations are made in three aspects: institutional construction, management model, and reduction capacity.
The Outer-Planar Anti-Ramsey Number of Matchings
Authors: Xiang Changyuan , Lan Yongxin , Yan Qinghua , Xu Changqing
Published: June 2022

A subgraph H of an edge-colored graph G is called rainbow if all of its edges have different colors. Let ar(G,H) denote the maximum positive integer t, such that there is a t-edge-colored graph G without any rainbow subgraph H. We denote by kK2 a matching of size k and On the class of all maximal outer-planar graphs on n vertices, respectively. The outer-planar anti-Ramsey number of graph H, denoted by ar(On,H), is defined as max{ar(On,H)|On∈On}. It seems nontrivial to determine the exact values for ar(On,H) because most maximal outer-planar graphs are asymmetry. In this paper, we obtain that ar(On,kK2)≤n+3k−8 for all n≥2k and k≥6, which improves the existing upper bound for ar(On,kK2), and prove that ar(On,kK2)=n+2k−5 for n=2k and k≥5. We also obtain that ar(On,6K2)=n+6 for all n≥29.
Digital Integration of LiDAR System Implemented in a Low-Cost FPGA
Authors: Huang Jiajian , Ran Shengyao , Wei Wei , Yu Qun
Published: June 2022

With the development of artificial intelligence, LiDAR finds significant applications in robotics and autonomous driving. Aiming at increasing the compactness and the integration of 2-D LiDAR, this paper presents a highly digitally integrated 2-D LiDAR system implemented in a low-cost FPGA. The system is made of off-the-shelf components to limit the cost to USD 100. A laser transceiver with a symmetrical transmitting and receiving lens emits and collects laser pulses to range distance using the time-of-flight (ToF) method. As a key component in ToF, the FPGA-based time-to-digital converter (TDC) is adopted for counting the round-trip time of pulses, which is implemented in a low-cost FPGA of ZYNQ7010 with limited resources. The symmetrical structure of the delay line is used to design a more efficient TDC. The FPGA-TDC enables flexibility of design and integration with more functional logics and is microcontroller-free. All the digital logics including data processing and controlling are integrated into an FPGA with the TDC logics to realize fully digital integration and compact dimensions. The utilization of the whole architecture in the FPGA is about 15%. The experimental results demonstrated that the ranging accuracy of the LiDAR is about 2 cm, which is suitable for consumer electronics.
Subjective and Objective Evaluation of the Symmetry of Maxillary Incisors among Residents of Southwest Poland
Authors: Chrapla Paulina , Paradowska-Stolarz Anna , Skoskiewicz-Malinowska Katarzyna
Published: June 2022

Dental aesthetics is an essential factor affecting people’s psychosocial wellbeing. One of the most critical components of an aesthetic smile is symmetry within the dentition. Dentists and orthodontists, unlike laypersons, are critical in assessing dental aesthetics. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of patients’ assessment of the symmetry of their maxillary incisors and some factors that influence it. The study was conducted on 83 participants aged from 11 to 39 years. First, the participants filled out a questionnaire to obtain patients’ opinions of the symmetry of their upper incisors. This stage was followed by an intraoral examination, during which we used a digital caliper to measure the width of four maxillary incisors. The data were entered into STATISTICA v. 13.3. The following conclusions were drawn from the study. First, the respondents were generally able to determine the asymmetry of the incisors. Second, among the maxillary incisors, the participants defined the symmetry of maxillary central incisors more accurately than the maxillary lateral incisors. The cut-off value for incisor asymmetry noticeable to a layperson is 0.2 mm for maxillary medial incisors and 0.55 for maxillary lateral incisors. Third, we found no dependence of the accuracy of the assessment of incisor asymmetry on the age of the subjects; however, in our study group, the age range (spread) was not significant, so further studies are recommended. Finally, results concerning the relationship with gender showed that males assess the level of symmetry of their maxillary incisors more accurately than females.
The Surviving Rate of IC-Planar Graphs
Authors: Hu Xiaoxue , Hu Jiacheng , Kong Jiangxu
Published: June 2022

Let k and n be two positive integers. Firefighting is a discrete dynamical process of preventing the spread of fire. Let G be a connected graph G with n vertices. Assuming a fire starts at one of the vertices of G, the firefighters choose k unburned vertices at each step, and then the fire spreads to all unprotected neighbors of the burning vertices. The process continues until the fire stops spreading. The goal is to protect as many vertices as possible. When a fire breaks out randomly at a vertex of G, its k-surviving rate, ρk(G), is the expected number of saved vertices. A graph is IC-planar if it has a drawing in which each edge cross once and their endpoints are disjoint. In this paper, we prove that ρ4(G)>1124 for every IC-planar graph G. This is proven by the discharging method and the locally symmetric of the graph.
Numerical Model Validation for Detection of Surface Displacements over Twin Tunnels from Metro Line 1 in the Historical Area of Seville (Spain)
Authors: Bahri Maziyar , Mascort-Albea Emilio J. , Romero-Hernández Rocío , Koopialipoor Mohammadreza , Soriano-Cuesta Cristina , Jaramillo-Morilla Antonio
Published: June 2022

In order to solve connectivity problems in metropolitan areas, the development of underground metro lines constitutes an unquestionable requirement. However, the construction work thereof encounters unfavourable circumstances when surface excavations must be carried out that cross historical areas of the city, due to the need to control surface movements. The design of the metro in the city of Seville (Spain) from 2004 to 2006 provides a representative example of this situation and triggered major upheavals that exerted repercussions on historical buildings. For these reasons, the excavation stages of Line 1 of this metro have been simulated by numerical methods using FLAC3D software and validated with the results provided by the real conditions. Consequently, various surface settlements have been evaluated by taking not only variates of the main parameters that characterise the soil of Seville, but also of the various load situations and excavation conditions. Notable results have been achieved through calibration of 54 variants of the same model corresponding to Line 1, and their comparison with the real results obtained in nine critical areas of the itinerary. The results obtained have made it possible to determine the effects of excavation on the subsoil of the city of Seville with great accuracy, since the percentage error of calculated vertical surface movements varies from 0.1% to 5.3%.
On the Topological Indices of Commuting Graphs for Finite Non-Abelian Groups
Authors: Ali Fawad , Rather Bilal A. , Fatima Nahid , Sarfraz Muhammad , Ullah Asad , Alharbi Khalid Abdulkhaliq M. , Dad Rahim
Published: June 2022

A topological index is a number generated from a molecular structure (i.e., a graph) that indicates the essential structural properties of the proposed molecule. Indeed, it is an algebraic quantity connected with the chemical structure that correlates it with various physical characteristics. It is possible to determine several different properties, such as chemical activity, thermodynamic properties, physicochemical activity, and biological activity, using several topological indices, such as the geometric-arithmetic index, arithmetic-geometric index, Randić index, and the atom-bond connectivity indices. Consider G as a group and H as a non-empty subset of G. The commuting graph C(G,H), has H as the vertex set, where h1,h2∈H are edge connected whenever h1 and h2 commute in G. This article examines the topological characteristics of commuting graphs having an algebraic structure by computing their atomic-bond connectivity index, the Wiener index and its reciprocal, the harmonic index, geometric-arithmetic index, Randić index, Harary index, and the Schultz molecular topological index. Moreover, we study the Hosoya properties, such as the Hosoya polynomial and the reciprocal statuses of the Hosoya polynomial of the commuting graphs of finite subgroups of SL(2,C). Finally, we compute the Z-index of the commuting graphs of the binary dihedral groups.
Taxation of Fiat Money Using Dynamic Control
Authors: Saeed Khalid
Published: June 2022

The treasury analogy is widely used in most countries in the execution of fiscal policies striving to match taxation with public expenditure while, at the same time, the central banks tinker with interest rates and reserve requirements and conduct open market operations for regulating money supply. This paper investigates the relevance of those policy actions to the ubiquitous use of fiat money tokens which in addition to meeting public expenditure and paying taxes also facilitate transactions in the economy. A parsimonious model of the macroeconomic system subsuming the prevalent fiscal and monetary interventions is developed and experimented with to explore alternative policy levers for funding public expenditure and controlling money supply. A novel dynamic control regimen to regulate taxation and open market operations for controlling inflation is proposed. It is shown that while the public spending can be entirely met through new money creation, taxation and open market operations must be used as inflation control instruments, whereas expenditure instruments can be used to alleviate the regressivity of taxation regimen.