bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fringe Projection Profilometry Based on Saturated Fringe Restoration in High Dynamic Range Scenes
Authors: Li Hongru , Wei Hao , Liu Jiangtao , Deng Guoliang , Zhou Shouhuan , Wang Wenwu , He Liang , Tian Peng
Published: March 2023

In high dynamic scenes, fringe projection profilometry (FPP) may encounter fringe saturation, and the phase calculated will also be affected to produce errors. This paper proposes a saturated fringe restoration method to solve this problem, taking the four-step phase shift as an example. Firstly, according to the saturation of the fringe group, the concepts of reliable area, shallow saturated area, and deep saturated area are proposed. Then, the parameter A related to the reflectivity of the object in the reliable area is calculated to interpolate A in the shallow and deep saturated areas. The theoretically shallow and deep saturated areas are not known in actual experiments. However, morphological operations can be used to dilate and erode reliable areas to produce cubic spline interpolation (CSI) areas and biharmonic spline interpolation (BSI) areas, which roughly correspond to shallow and deep saturated areas. After A is restored, it can be used as a known quantity to restore the saturated fringe using the unsaturated fringe in the same position, the remaining unrecoverable part of the fringe can be completed using CSI, and then the same part of the symmetrical fringe can be further restored. To further reduce the influence of nonlinear error, the Hilbert transform is also used in the phase calculation process of the actual experiment. The simulation and experimental results validate that the proposed method can still obtain correct results without adding additional equipment or increasing projection number, which proves the feasibility and robustness of the method.
Smartvessel: A New Extinguisher Prototype Based on New Materials and IoT Sensors
Authors: Pisonero Javier , González-González Enrique , García-Martín Roberto , González-Aguilera Diego
Published: March 2023

Smartvessel is an innovative fire extinguisher prototype supported by new materials and IoT technology that seeks to improve the functionality and efficiency of conventional fire extinguishers. Storage containers for gases and liquids are essential for industrial activity as they enable higher energy density. The main contributions of this new prototype are (i) innovation in the use of new materials that provide lighter and more resistant extinguishers, both mechanically and against corrosion in aggressive environments. For this purpose, these characteristics are directly compared in vessels made of steel, aramid fiber and carbon fiber with the filament winding technique. (ii) The integration of sensors that allow its monitoring and provide the possibility of predictive maintenance. The prototype is tested and validated on a ship, where accessibility is complicated and critical. For this purpose, different data transmission parameters are defined, verifying that no data are lost. Finally, a noise study of these measurements is carried out to verify the quality of each data. Acceptable coverage values are achieved with very low read noise, on average less than 1%, and a weight reduction of 30% is obtained.
Commercial and Custom Quartz Tuning Forks for Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy: Stability under Humidity Variation
Authors: Ayache Diba , Rousseau Roman , Kniazeva Elena , Charensol Julien , Seoudi Tarek , Bahriz Michael , Gouzi Fares , Spagnolo Vincenzo , Vicet Aurore
Published: March 2023

This work investigates the behavior of commercial and custom Quartz tuning forkss (QTF) under humidity variations. The QTFs were placed inside a humidity chamber and the parameters were studied with a setup to record the resonance frequency and quality factor by resonance tracking. The variations of these parameters that led to a 1% theoretical error on the Quartz Enhanced Photoacoustic Spectroscopy (QEPAS) signal were defined. At a controlled level of humidity, the commercial and custom QTFs present similar results. Therefore, commercial QTFs appear to be a very good candidates for QEPAS as they are also affordable and small. When the humidity increases from 30 to 90 %RH, the variations in the custom QTFs’ parameters remain suitable, while commercial QTFs show unpredictable behavior.
Efficient Oxidative Desulfurization of High-Sulfur Diesel via Peroxide Oxidation Using Citric, Pimelic, and α-Ketoglutaric Acids
Authors: Ahmed Barham Sharif , Hamasalih Luqman Omar , Aziz Kosar Hikmat Hama , Salih Yousif M. , Mustafa Fryad S. , Omer Khalid Mohammad
Published: March 2023

The widespread use of diesel fuel for transportation, industry, and electricity generation causes several environmental issues via an increase in the amount of sulfur compound emissions. Commercial diesel fuel must be free of sulfur-containing compounds since they can cause several environmental problems. Considering the currently available processes to eliminate sulfur compounds, oxidative desulfurization (ODS) is one of the effective means for this purpose. This work presented a simple, low cost, and efficient ODS system of high-sulfur diesel fuels using peroxide oxidation with the aid of citric, pimelic, and α-ketoglutaric acids. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of these acids as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) activators for ODS and to optimize the reaction conditions for maximum sulfur removal. The results showed that citric, pimelic, and α-ketoglutaric acids were effective catalysts for the desulfurization of high-sulfur diesel with an initial sulfur content of 2568 mg L−1, achieving a sulfur removal efficiency of up to 95%. The optimized reaction conditions were found to be 0.6 g of carboxylic acid dosage and 10 mL of H2O2 at 95 °C. The desulfurization efficiency of the real diesel sample (2568 mg L−1) was shown to be 27, 34, and 84.57%, using citric acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, and pimelic acid after 1h, respectively. The effectiveness of the oxidation process was characterized by gas chromatographic pulsed flame photometric detector (GC-PFPD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques. The experimental results demonstrated that the developed system exhibited high efficiency for desulfurization of real high-sulfur diesel fuels that could be a good alternative for commercial application with a promising desulfurization efficiency.
Job Expectations and Professional Role Identity in Gambian Journalists: The Mediation Role of Job Satisfaction
Authors: Puzzo Gabriele , Sbaa Maha Yomn , Zappalà Salvatore , Pietrantoni Luca
Published: March 2023

This study investigates, in a sample of journalists, the relationship between meeting job expectations and professional role identity. Specifically, job expectations concerning career development, remuneration, and relationships with users were examined, while professional role identity was contextualised to the field of journalism. Following Mellado, we conceptualized journalists’ role identity as composed by the three dimensions of watchdog, propagandist, and citizen-oriented. An online questionnaire was administered from December 2021 to January 2022 and 74 Gambian journalists living in Gambia and in European countries answered the survey. The results indicated that job satisfaction fully mediated the relationship between meeting the expectations of the relationship with users and the citizen-oriented role identity. Additionally, job satisfaction mediated the relationship between met expectations of career development and both citizen-oriented and watchdog professional role identities. These findings suggest that meeting expectations of career development and interaction with citizens is related to journalists’ role identities focused on controlling the political and economic establishment and empowering people. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.
Large-Eddy Simulation of Wind Turbine Wakes in Forest Terrain
Authors: Li Yunliang , Li Zhaobin , Zhou Zhideng , Yang Xiaolei
Published: March 2023

In this study, large-eddy simulation was employed to investigate the influence of the forest canopy on wind turbine wakes. Nine forest case studies were carried out with different vertical distributions of leaf area density (LAD) and values of leaf area index (LAI). It was found that the wake in forest canopies recovers at a faster rate when compared with the flat terrain. An interesting observation was the significant reduction in turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) in the lower part of the wake above the forest in comparison with the inflow TKE, which occurred for a wide range of turbine downstream positions. The increase of TKE, on the other hand, was mainly located in the region around the top tip. Analyses of the power spectral density showed that the increase in TKE happened at a certain range of frequencies for the forest canopy cases and at all the examined frequencies for the flat case. Wake meandering was also examined and was found to be of a higher amplitude and a lower dominant frequency for the forest cases compared with the flat case. In terms of the influence of forest canopy parameters, the LAI was found to have an impact greater than the vertical distribution of LAD. Specifically, the wake-added TKE and wake-added Reynolds shear stress were found to be approximately the same for cases with the same LAI, regardless of the vertical distribution of LAD.
Environmental Regulation, Fiscal Decentralization, and Agricultural Carbon Intensity: A Challenge to Ecological Sustainability Policies in the United States
Authors: Ahmed Nihal , Hamid Zeeshan , Rehman Khalil Ur , Senkus Piotr , Khan Nisar Ahmed , Wysokińska-Senkus Aneta , Hadryjańska Barbara
Published: March 2023

Investigating the fiscal decentralization’s effect on the carbon intensity of agricultural production may assist the United States in reaching its carbon peak and becoming carbon neutral. This paper delves into the investigation of the spatiotemporal patterns and internal relationships between fiscal decentralization, agricultural carbon intensity, and environmental regulation. The goal was achieved by using the spatial Durbin model using panel data for 49 states of the United States from 2000 to 2019. The study has found that environmental regulations play a significant role in reducing regional carbon emissions in agriculture and contribute positively to carbon emissions control. However, fiscal decentralization, which grants local governments more financial autonomy, has a positive but insignificant impact on carbon emissions, indicating that the prioritization of economic development and carbon control over environmental protection is favored by local governments. In examining the impact of environmental regulations on carbon emissions, the study reveals that fiscal decentralization does not play a substantial role in moderating this relationship. To promote low-carbon agriculture projects and ensure coordinated economic and environmental development, the study recommends optimizing the fiscal decentralization system, formulating different policies for different regions, and regulating the competencies of local governments through an effective examination system. The study concludes that it is crucial to obtain data at the city or county level to accurately understand the relationship between agricultural carbon intensity, environmental regulation, and fiscal decentralization. As a result, the central government must focus on perfecting the fiscal decentralization system, developing a differentiated agricultural carbon emission control system, controlling competition among local governments, and perfecting a political performance assessment system.
Road Rage as a Type of Violation of Well-Being in Traffic: The Case of Turkey
Authors: Reva Zeynep , Polat Oğuz
Published: March 2023

One of the essential components for understanding a life with dignity and with human rights is the right to health. The World Health Organization defines “health” as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Physical and social well-being is not enough, and the individual’s mental well-being should also be realized. Anger is one of the most important factors affecting the mental, as well as the physical, health of individuals. Anger can be both a cause and a consequence of poor mental health. Driving anger can be defined as the anger that occurs while driving, and its level can be associated with aggressive and risky driving, loss of concentration and vehicular control, and near miss accidents in traffic. In this research, the factorability of the 14-item short form of the Driver Anger Scale (DAS) was investigated in the Turkish population. The data were further analyzed for various demographics and independent variables. The short form of the DAS can be reliably used for Turkish drivers as well. A safe driving culture must be substantially popularized via educatory applications within digital or classroom environments to control, regulate, and lessen traffic violence. Effective audits and deterrent regulations are also important with respect to decreasing driving anger and violence.
Creative and Rural Tourism, Public Policies and Land Use Changes: A Multi-Method Approach towards Regional Sustainable Development in Azores Islands
Authors: Couto Gualter , Castanho Rui Alexandre , Santos Carlos
Published: March 2023

This research work aims to give an answer to three preliminary research questions: (RQ1) Are the land-use changes the footprint of the regional public policies conducted over a territory? (RQ2) Could rural and creative tourism be the catalyst for the regional sustainable development of island territories? (RQ3) Assessing the land-use changes dynamics and trends, is it possible to use new forms of tourism business to develop regional public policies? Through a multi-method approach, this paper examines the possible relationship between land-use changes and new tourism typologies as a potential catalyst for sustainable regional development in island territories, using the Azores Islands and some creative tourism projects as case studies. As some of the results show, a footprint of the regional public policies conducted over a territory can be observed through the land-use changes analysis. In addition rural and creative tourism could catalyze the regional sustainable development of island territories.
The Causality and Antecedents of Tourism Small & Medium-Sized Enterprises’ (SMEs) Coopetition in Complex Institutional Contexts
Authors: Zhang Yang , Xia Menglong , Liu Yingni
Published: March 2023

This study aims to explore tourism sector small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) coopetition and its antecedents, and the consequences of sustainable competitive advantage in complex institutional contexts through the integration of institutional theory, social exchange theory and commitment theory. Through a field survey in the Greater Bay Area in Southern China, this study identified the structural links between tourism SMEs’ institutional environment, economic benefits and their commitment to a regional framework, on the one hand, and their coopetition and the effect on their sustainable competitive advantage, on the other, along with a comparative analysis based on the different social system regarding this structural model within this region.
Hydraulic Characteristics of Continuous Submerged Jet Impinging on a Wall by Using Numerical Simulation and PIV Experiment
Authors: Mi Hongbo , Wang Chuan , Jia Xuanwen , Hu Bo , Wang Hongliang , Wang Hui , Zhu Yong
Published: March 2023

Due to their high efficiency, low heat loss and associated sustainability advantages, impinging jets have been used extensively in marine engineering, geotechnical engineering and other engineering practices. In this paper, the flow structure and impact characteristics of impinging jets with different Reynolds numbers and impact distances are systematically studied by Flow-3D based on PIV experiments. In the study, the relevant state parameters of the jets are dimensionlessly treated, obtaining not only the linear relationship between the length of the potential nucleation zone and the impinging distance, but also the linear relationship between the axial velocity and the axial distance in the impinging zone. In addition, after the jet impinges on the flat plate, the vortex action range caused by the wall-attached flow of the jet gradually decreases inward with the increase of the impinging distance. By examining the effect of Reynolds number Re on the hydraulic characteristics of the submerged impact jet, it can be found that the structure of the continuous submerged impact jet is relatively independent of the Reynolds number. At the same time, the final simulation results demonstrate the applicability of the linear relationship between the length of the potential core region and the impact distance. This study provides methodological guidance and theoretical support for relevant engineering practice and subsequent research on impinging jets, which has strong theoretical and practical significance.
3D Printing for Repair: An Approach for Enhancing Repair
Authors: van Oudheusden Alma van , Bolaños Arriola Julieta Bolaños , Faludi Jeremy , Flipsen Bas , Balkenende Ruud
Published: March 2023

The availability and storage of spare parts are the main barriers to product repair. One possibility would be to 3D print spare parts, which would also enable the repair of products not intended to be repaired. Besides manufacturers, 3D printing spare parts is an interesting option for self-repair by consumers. However, the digitisation of spare parts for 3D printing is a challenge. There is little guidance on how to make a 3D-printed version of the original part. This paper establishes a framework through a literature review and experimental study to describe how to use 3D printing to produce spare parts for repair. Additionally, qualitative data coding was used to find the influence of previous experience, process implementation, and part complexity on the overall success of the 3D printing for repair (3DPfR) process. Our study showed that the 3DPfR process can be described as an iterative design for an additive manufacturing process that is integrated into a repair process. Additionally, it was found that the incorrect implementation of process steps was the most important predictor of the repair result. The steps that were performed incorrectly the most were synthesising design concepts (64%) and validating print quality (also 64%).
Tangential Heritage Values in Museum Communication
Authors: De Man Adriaan
Published: March 2023

This paper seeks to examine aspects of tangentiality connecting heritage tourism goals, on the one hand, and museum architecture, on the other. It does so through the specific angle of communication, understood as a complex process that fluctuates, to a very large extent, at a level external to that of conventional institutional practice. The assumption is that determining factors are in fact tangential in nature and that, contrariwise, mainstream communication remains contextual and transient. This reasoning is illustrated by three museums in the United Arab Emirates, and substantiated by insights on their architectural significance.
Which Assessment of Coach-Created Motivational Climate Better Predicts Young Athletes’ Engagement over a Season? Athletes’ Perceptions and Match Observations Do
Authors: Raimundi María Julia , Corti Juan Facundo , Pérez-Gaido Mauro , Alvarez Octavio , Castillo Isabel
Published: March 2023

This work examines athletes’ and coaches’ perceptions and observed behavior in training and matches of the motivational climate created by the coach over the course of a season and whether these sources of information can inform the engagement of young basketball and volleyball players. A longitudinal design and multilevel mixed-effects linear regression models were conducted. Adolescents (n = 517) of both genders (61.1% male, 38.9% female) aged between 12 and 20 years (M = 16.01; SD = 1.85) playing in the A division of the basketball (46.4%) and volleyball (53.6%) federation of Buenos Aires (Argentina) participated in the study. In addition, 48 coaches (83% male, 17% female; M age = 33.98; SD = 8.39) from these teams participated. The coaches were videotaped during the training sessions in the three waves of measurements. Observers used the Multidimensional Motivational Climate Observational System. Athletes and coaches completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, and the Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire-Coach. Athletes also completed the Athlete Engagement Questionnaire. Differences were found between perspectives and, in general, a decrease in variables characterizing empowering climates and an increase in those characterizing disempowering climates were observed over the course of the season. When all measures are considered together and the effect of time is controlled for, the assessments that predict engagement are athlete perceptions and match observations.
Wine Tourism and Sustainability Awareness: A Consumer Behavior Perspective
Authors: Dias Alvaro , Sousa Bruno , Santos Vasco , Ramos Paulo , Madeira Arlindo
Published: March 2023

The research on tourism is constant and unending; food and wine tourism research still represents a small part inside this wider field. Wine tourism and events are critical for sustainable development of rural areas. In this context, the emotional bond between the wine tourists the regions and the producers that they visit is created, not just through the wine as a product, but also through a set of hedonic features that are present in the visit and tasting experience. To reach the research objectives, a quantitative methodology was chosen. For this research a questionnaire was used and completed by wine cellar visitors and distributed to wine tourism facilities. An online questionnaire was applied in wine and wine tourism social network groups. To test the hypothesis, a structural equation modelling (SEM) was used has well as an importance–performance matrix analysis (IPMA) was also used for further exploration of the results. Results reveal that brand love and wine involvement are positively related to emotional satisfaction, evaluative satisfaction, and word-of-mouth (WOM) intention. Regarding the two dimensions of satisfaction (emotional and evaluative), only the second revealed a direct and indirect positive effect on WOM. From an interdisciplinary point of view, this paper presents insights for niche marketing (i.e., wine tourism, segmentation and brand management) and for local and sustainable development. Lastly, the research limitations and suggestions for future research are presented.
Optimization of Steel Consumption for Prestressed Spatial Arch-Supported Partial Single-Layer Reticulated Shells
Authors: Zhang Han-Ming , Chen Jing , Liu Zhuo-Qun , Xiao Jian-Chun
Published: March 2023

Steel smelting and production produces a large amount of exhaust gas, which is damaging to the environment. Prestressed spatial arch-supported partial single-layer reticulated shells (PSASPSRSs) are introduced to promote sustainable development in the construction industry. An optimization strategy based on uniform design experiments and iterations is proposed with respect to the design of PSASPSRSs. The optimization aims to reduce steel consumption as much as possible. The optimization constraint takes into account the stability coefficient, frequency, and deflection of the structures. The search space gradually shrinks around the local optimal solution and moves toward the global optimal solution during the optimization process. The optimization procedure stops when the error between local optimal solutions is less than the permitted error of 5%. The tensile force of the prestressed cable, the unified design stress ratio of the members, and the radial grid number of the single-layer reticulated shells act as optimization variables in the finite element model. The parametric analysis revealed that the radial grid number of single-layer reticulated shells significantly affected steel consumption, which was reduced by 13% in the optimized structure. The effectiveness and the practicality of the proposed optimization strategy in the initial design of complicated space grid structures are systematically illustrated.
Development of Halotolerant Microbial Consortia for Salt Stress Mitigation and Sustainable Tomato Production in Sodic Soils: An Enzyme Mechanism Approach
Authors: Damodaran Thukkaram , Jha Sunil Kumar , Kumari Sangeeta , Gupta Garima , Mishra Vinay K. , Sharma Parbodh C. , Gopal Ram , Singh Arjun , Jat Hanuman S.
Published: March 2023

Salt stress caused by sodic soils is an important constraint that impacts the production of crucial solanaceous vegetable crops globally. Halotolerant poly-extremophiles rhizobacteria can inhabit hostile environments like salinity, drought, etc. The present study was aimed to design a halotolerant micro-formulation using highly salt-tolerant bacterial strains previously isolated from salt-tolerant rice and wheat rhizosphere in sodic soil. Nine halotolerant isolates were examined for plant growth-promoting traits and biomass production in pot studies with sodic soil of pH 9.23 in tomato. Compatible, efficient isolates were aimed to be formulated into different consortia like PGPR-C1, PGPR-C2 and, PGPR-C3 for field evaluation in sodic soils of pH 9.14. Halotolerant rhizobacterial consortia (PGPR-C3) comprising Lysinibacillus spp. and Bacillus spp. were found to produce extracellular enzymes like amylase, protease, cellulase, and lipase, showing significantly enhanced vegetative parameters, yield and lycopene content of tomato hybrid NS585 under salt-stressed sodic soils. PGPR-C3 consortia also showed enhanced plant growth-promoting activities and halo tolerance like high Indole acetic acid production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase, and antioxidative enzyme activity over the uninoculated control. Further, inoculation with PGPR-C3 consortia resulted in the efficient exclusion of Na+ ions from the rhizosphere through increased absorption of K+. Results of the study reveal that inoculation with PGPR-C3 consortia could alleviate the salt stress and promotes the successful cultivation of tomato crop in sodic soils. It can be considered the best option for eco-friendly, sustainable cultivation of vegetables like a tomato in sodic soils with a high pH range of up to 9.14.
Comparison of the Antioxidant Power of Extracts of the Red vs. Yellow Nephelium lappaceum Variety
Authors: Diaz Rojas Mariana , Alvarez-Risco Aldo , González Alejandra Eugenia Loáiciga , Arguedas Chaverri Eduardo , Rodríguez Yebra Lissette , Del-Aguila-Arcentales Shyla , Yáñez Jaime A.
Published: March 2023

Nephelium lappaceum L., also known as “Chinese mamon” (mamon chino) or “rambutan”, is an exotic fruit of tropical climate with a sweet flavor and aroma, which can be found in the territory of Costa Rica in the Brunca and Huetar Atlántica regions. For the comparison of antioxidants, different electronic tests were carried out with the red peel and the yellow peel of Nephelium lappaceum, taking ascorbic acid as a base. In addition, Nephelium lappaceum peels, due to their antioxidant properties, allowed the identification of the active components and their antioxidant activity by thin layer chromatography and DPPH tests. The results of these tests show the presence of flavonoids, coumarins, glycosides, and carotenoids, which are the primary metabolites of Nephelium lappaceum peels.
Confidence in the Future and Adolescent Problem Behavior
Authors: Ouyang Yanwen , Xu Xizheng , Ouyang Zirui
Published: March 2023

“Low expectation of success” is proposed as a factor in relation to problem behavior in the comprehensive theoretical model of problem behavior (CTMPB). Based on the framework of CTMPB, this study aimed to further examine the association between confidence in the future (including parental confidence in the adolescent future and adolescent self-confidence in the future in this study) and problem behavior. A nationwide representative sample data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) were used in this study. A total of 8328 middle school students and their parents were included. Among the students, 4081 (49.0%) were boys, the mean age was 14.53 years (SD = 0.70); among the parents, 3908 (46.9%) were male, the mean age was 41.15 years (SD = 5.14). The results reveal that parental confidence in adolescent future (PCAF) can play a role in adolescent problem behavior through adolescent perceived parental confidence in adolescent future (APPCAF) and adolescent self-confidence in the future (ASF). Low levels of both PCAF and ASF are vulnerability risk factors in adolescent problem behavior. Lowering PCAF and ASF might increase the likelihood of engaging in problem behavior. However, this study was based on cross-sectional data only and is required to be supported by further experimental or longitudinal studies.
A Three-Dimensional Analytical Framework: Textual Analysis and Comparison of Chinese and US Energy Blockchain Policies
Authors: Jiang Nan , Han Qi , Zhu Guohua
Published: March 2023

With the development of blockchain technology in various fields, attempts have been made by the US and China to apply it to the energy industry. This study constructed a three-dimensional policy analysis framework of “policy instrument–innovation value chain–policy level” and added the industry field research perspective. It summarises the energy blockchain policies of China and the US from 2016 to 2022 and compares the differences between the two countries. This study shows that both countries pay attention to the application of environmental-based policy tools and that there is an imbalance between the internal structure of supply- and demand-based policy tools. The energy blockchain policies are more focused on application. China and the US lack policy support in basic research and exploitation, respectively. The US energy blockchain policy distribution at the policy level is relatively uniform, while China’s energy blockchain policy has an inverted pyramid structure, with many policies at the strategic level. From the perspective of industry, the energy blockchain policies of China and the US mainly involve the new-generation information technology industry and the new energy industry. The US should reform its energy policy structure and give full play to various policy tools, while China should strengthen basic research to lay the foundation for the practice of the energy blockchain.
Numerical Simulation of Underground Mining-Induced Fault-Influenced Rock Movement and Its Application
Authors: Zhou Keping , Xu Hao , Yang Chun , Xiong Xin , Gao Feng
Published: March 2023

The F317 fault, as a major tectonic zone in the Jianshan mine area, influences the geotectonic features and geomechanical properties of the mine area. Mining operations need to be conducted within these tectonic systems, so it is important to fully study and understand the characteristics and evolution of these tectonic systems to develop reasonable mining plans and safety measures. Aiming at the problem that the existence of the F317 fault affects the stability of the west road during the mining of the security pillar at The Jianshan underground mine in Panzhihua Iron Mine, the mechanical model of the fault surface was established through the theory of material mechanics. The mechanical criterion of fault slip during the security pillar retrieval process was obtained and combined with the contact surface theory in the numerical analysis software FLAC3D. Two numerical calculation models with and without the F317 fault were established to analyze the change characteristics of the maximum tensile stress and displacement of the road protection zone under different simulation scenarios. The influence of the fault’s presence on the surface road’s stability during the security pillar retrieval process was obtained. The study results show that changes in positive and shear stresses at the fault face caused by the security pillar retrieval process are the main factors influencing the fault slip. The upper side of the fault tends to slip along the fault face during the security pillar retrieval process, which theoretically prevents the transfer of subsidence displacement caused by underground mining to the roadside (foot side of the fault). The presence of the F317 fault has less effect on the tensile stresses at the road protection zone. Still, the fault allows the tensile stresses to be concentrated at the top and bottom of the quarry and at the isolated pillar, which is more likely to cause the rock to be stretched and squeezed. Without the F317 fault, the maximum subsidence displacement at the road protection zone is 30.59 mm, the maximum X-directional displacement is 42.17 mm (both of which are greater than the safe displacement limit by 20 mm), and the maximum Y-directional displacement is 19.75 mm, which is less than the safe displacement limit by 20 mm. Compared with the case without the F317 fault, the displacement at the road protection zone with the F317 fault is smaller, with a maximum subsidence displacement of 16.92 mm, a maximum X-directional displacement of 19.63 mm, and a maximum Y-directional displacement of 3.35 mm, all of which are less than the safe displacement limits. Therefore, the presence of the F317 fault provides some protection to the west side of the road from collapse due to underground mining.
Family Farming Cooperatives and Associations and the Institutional Market Created by the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in Minas Gerais, Brazil
Authors: Moreira Isabela Renó Jorge , Freitas Alair Ferreira de , Alves Júnior Almiro , Freitas Alan Ferreira de , Bernardo Joyce Santana , Silva Suany Machado da
Published: March 2023

The objective of this work is to analyze the trajectory and role assumed by the collective organizations of family agriculture, Cooperatives and Associations, in the construction and supply of food for the institutional market built from the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in the five most important municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais/Brazil. This approach is justified by the need to remedy theoretical gaps in the insertion of cooperatives, which serve as instruments to guarantee food and nutrition security and also as a crucial actor in the construction of food markets. For this, it is necessary to investigate how these organizations were constituted, how they are organized, which actors are involved, and what their role is in the implementation of the public food purchase policy. Methodologically, it is a multiple case study, with a qualitative approach and descriptive character. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were applied in the five most populous municipalities in Minas Gerais, based on two scripts aimed at representatives of family farming organizations and members of the Public Administration who work directly with the management of the PNAE. The research results corroborate the recommendation that the Brazilian State should support the collective organization of farmers and strengthen the promotion of associativism and cooperativism in family farming, providing instruments for the development of social and economic organizations as well as expanding and strengthening government food purchase programs, since they help boost social capital in the countryside and generate income for family farmers.
Do Social Aspects Affect Built-in Car Navigation Habits? A Stereotype Study
Authors: Vörös Fanni , Gartner Georg , Peterson Michael P. , Kovács Béla
Published: March 2023

We encounter prejudices and stereotypes in all areas of life, including human navigation. This study seeks to answer whether there is a basis for navigation stereotypes such as: does our age, gender, place of residence or country affect our car navigation habits? An online questionnaire was distributed in three Central European countries (Hungary, Romania and Austria) and 1556 respondents were reached. In addition to habitancy (settlement type), it was noted that half of the examined concerns are influenced by stereotypes. A significant difference can be shown in questions that are directly or indirectly related to the financial situation of the driver (e.g., the existence and quality of the built-in GPS depends on whether someone has enough money to buy it). However, it seems that other stereotypes we have about driving and navigation are mostly false. The results suggest that it may be possible to personalize built-in navigation systems. By incorporating various “extra” services (e.g., personalized interface, placement), driving and navigation can be made safer and more comfortable for particular segments of society—the driver does not need to use other devices.
Securing Access to Internet of Medical Things Using a Graphical-Password-Based User Authentication Scheme
Authors: Khan Mudassar Ali , Din Ikram Ud , Almogren Ahmad
Published: March 2023

Digital healthcare services have seen significant growth in this decade and many new technologies have been thoroughly examined to provide efficient services through secure infrastructures. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) revitalizes a healthcare infrastructure by creating an interconnected, intelligent, accessible, and efficient network. While there have been many studies on possible device authentication techniques for the IoMT, there is still much work to be done in user authentication to provide sustainable IoT solutions. Graphical passwords, which use visual content such as images instead of traditional text-based passwords, can help users authenticate themselves. However, current schemes have limitations. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel graphical authentication scheme that uses multiple factors to register and authenticate users using simple arithmetic operations, machine learning for hand gesture recognition, and medical images for recall purposes. The proposed method is designed to keep the authentication process simple, memorable, and robust. To evaluate the proposed scheme, we use the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) to compare it with PIN-based and pattern-based authentication techniques. While comparing treatment and comparison groups, system quality showed a 16.7% better score, information quality a 25% increase, interface quality a 40% increase, and overall quality showed a 25% increase. The proposed method successfully revitalizes the use of graphical passwords, specifically in the field of IoMT, by developing a user-friendly, satisfying, and robust authentication scheme.
Research on Restoration of Heavy Metal Contaminated Farmland Based on Restoration Ecological Compensation Mechanism
Authors: Cai Zheng , Yang Xiuli
Published: March 2023

In recent years, the development of industrialization has led to heavy metal pollution in many agricultural areas in China. The excessive heavy metals in farmland not only affect the normal growth of crops, but also do great harm to human health, which seriously restricts the development of ecology and food health in China. In order to improve the problem of heavy metal pollution in rural areas, the current situation of heavy metal pollution in rural areas is analyzed based on the innovative ecological compensation mechanism for remediation, and the external theory, public goods theory and other relevant theories are combined to obtain the ecological compensation strategy for heavy metal farmland soil remediation, and on this basis, the basic framework of ecological compensation for metal farmland remediation is constructed. Finally, effective environmental treatment suggestions are put forward according to the development requirements of ecological compensation in heavy metal farmland areas. The case study shows that different ecological restoration schemes have been adopted for a heavy metal farmland pollution area, and the environment has been improved according to the ecological compensation scheme. The total amount of ecological compensation for heavy metal farmland is CNY 32.35 million, of which the cost of seriously polluted farmland is the highest among the environmental values, with the cost of restoration per acre of CNY 65,000, indicating that the heavy metal areas are more expensive and have more obvious impact on the environment. The research content has important reference significance for the ecological environment treatment of heavy metal farmland pollution areas in China.
Seizing Momentum on Climate Action: Nexus between Net-Zero Commitment Concern, Destination Competitiveness, Influencer Marketing, and Regenerative Tourism Intention
Authors: Zaman Umer
Published: March 2023

Embracing net-zero principles and planet-friendly regenerative tourism practices can reduce our carbon footprint and increase momentum toward carbon neutral. The present study explored the effects of the net-zero commitment concern on regenerative tourism intention, including the moderating influence of destination competitiveness and influencer marketing on this relationship. Drawing on a survey of international expat tourists (N = 540) and partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the present study offers ground-breaking empirical evidence on the significantly positive influence of the net-zero commitment concern on regenerative tourism intention. Importantly, the PLS-SEM estimations also validated that destination competitiveness and influencer marketing strengthened the effects of the net-zero commitment concern on regenerative tourism intention through significantly positive moderations. The present study implications offer strategic guidelines and an advancement in prior knowledge on the net-zero commitment concern, destination competitiveness, influencer marketing, and regenerative tourism intention with an aim to increase the collective global efforts toward climate action. Moreover, the present study used prominent theories (i.e., the theory of planned behavior, game theory, resilience theory, and social learning theory) to guide future investigations on the complex nexus between net-zero commitment, destination competitiveness, influencer marketing, and regenerative tourism intention.
Determinants of College Students’ Actual Use of AI-Based Systems: An Extension of the Technology Acceptance Model
Authors: Li Kang
Published: March 2023

Acceptance of, behavioral intention towards, and actual use of AI-based systems or programs has been a topic of growing interest in the field of education. A considerable number of studies has been conducted to investigate the driving factors affecting users’/students’ intentions regarding certain technology or programs. However, few studies have been performed to understand college students’ actual use of AI-based systems. Moreover, the mediating effect of students’ learning motivation was seldom considered. Therefore, the present study was conducted to explain factors contributing to college students’ actual use of AI-based systems, as well as to examine the role of their learning motivations. As a result, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of AI-based systems positively impacted students’ attitude, behavioral intentions, and their final, actual use of AI-based systems, while college students’ attitude towards AI-based systems showed an insignificant impact on students’ learning motivations of achieving their goals and subjective norms. Collectively, the findings of the present study could enrich the knowledge of the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the application of the TAM to explain students’ behavior in terms of the adoption of AI-based systems.
Chaotification of 1D Maps by Multiple Remainder Operator Additions—Application to B-Spline Curve Encryption
Authors: Moysis Lazaros , Lawnik Marcin , Antoniades Ioannis P. , Kafetzis Ioannis , Baptista Murilo S. , Volos Christos
Published: March 2023

In this work, a chaotification technique is proposed for increasing the complexity of chaotic maps. The technique consists of adding the remainder of multiple scalings of the map’s value for the next iteration, so that the most- and least-significant digits are combined. By appropriate parameter tuning, the resulting map can achieve a higher Lyapunov exponent value, a result that was first proven theoretically and then showcased through numerical simulations for a collection of chaotic maps. As a proposed application of the transformed maps, the encryption of B-spline curves and patches was considered. The symmetric encryption consisted of two steps: a shuffling of the control point coordinates and an additive modulation. A transformed chaotic map was utilised to perform both steps. The resulting ciphertext curves and patches were visually unrecognisable compared to the plaintext ones and performed well on several statistical tests. The proposed work gives an insight into the potential of the remainder operator for chaotification, as well as the chaos-based encryption of curves and computer graphics.
Heavy-Flavour Jets in High-Energy Nuclear Collisions
Authors: Wang Sa , Dai Wei , Wang Enke , Wang Xin-Nian , Zhang Ben-Wei
Published: March 2023

Reconstructed jets initiated from heavy quarks provide a powerful tool to probe the properties of the quark–gluon plasma (QGP) and to explore the mass hierarchy of jet quenching. In this article, we review the recent theoretical progresses on heavy-flavour jets in high-energy nuclear collisions at the RHIC and LHC. We focus on the yields and substructures of charm and bottom quark jets with jet-quenching effects, such as the nuclear modification factors, transverse momentum imbalance, angular correlation, radial profiles, fragmentation functions, the “dead-cone” effect, etc.
Two-Dimensional Symmetry Breaking at the Event Horizon of Black Holes
Authors: Ganesan Timothy
Published: March 2023

This work investigates the combined dynamics of the Yang–Mills and Liouville gravity fields at the event horizon of black holes. To analyze quantum dynamics at the event horizon of black holes existing in a three-dimensional (spatial) universe, a two-dimensional formulation is introduced. The following hypothesis is proposed in this work: there exists a two-dimensional analogue to the Higgs field at the event horizon. This field is then considered as a two-dimensional Yang–Mills field. The interaction and symmetry breaking of the combined two-dimensional Yang–Mills and Liouville gravitational fields are then discussed. The resulting gravitational scalar boson and its implications to the quantum dynamics occurring at the event horizon are presented.
Comparative Effect of the Type of a Pulsed Discharge on the Ionic Speciation of Plasma-Activated Water
Authors: Panarin Victor , Sosnin Eduard , Ryabov Andrey , Skakun Victor , Kudryashov Sergey , Sorokin Dmitry
Published: March 2023

The comparison of ion concentrations, pH index, and conductivity in distilled and ground water after exposure to low-temperature plasma formed by barrier and bubble discharges is performed. It has been found that in the case of groundwater, the best performance for the production of NO3− anions is provided by the discharge inside the gas bubbles. For distilled water, the barrier discharge in air, followed by saturation of water with plasma products, is the most suitable from this point of view. In both treatments, the maximum energy input into the stock solution is ensured. After 10 min treatment of ground water, the pH index increases and then it decreases. The obtained numerical indicators make it possible to understand in which tasks the indicated treatment modes should be used, their comparative advantages, and disadvantages. From the point of view of energy consumption for obtaining approximately equal (in order of magnitude) amounts of NO3− anions, both types of discharge treatment are suitable. The research results point to a fairly simple way to convert salts (calcium carbonates) from an insoluble form to soluble one. Namely, when interacting with NO3− anions, insoluble carbonates pass into soluble nitrates.