bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovation of the Social Security, Legal Risks, Sustainable Management Practices and Employee Environmental Awareness in The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor
Authors: Khaskheli Muhammad Bilawal , Wang Shumin , Yan Xiaoshan , He Yuehan
Published: January 2023

This research is about the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is an important and first project of the “Belt and Road” initiative (BRI). BRI is the framework and manifesto for the wide-ranging, fundamental collaboration signed by China and Pakistan in 2013. The CPEC vision and mission were initiated to develop economic growth and facilitate free trade, the people’s living standards of Pakistan and China through bilateral investments, trade, cultural exchanges, and economic activities between both countries. The initial investment for the project was $46 billion, with a tentative duration of fifteen years. This research aimed to inquire into the effects of legal risks (LR), social security (SS), and employee environmental awareness (EEA) on the project performance (PP) of the CPEC. It further investigates the significance of gender empowerment perspectives (GEP). A research framework consisting of this quantitative analysis and the bilateral impacts of the study were explored through several policies scenarios into 2025. The results of the risk analysis were rated on a Likert scale. A questionnaire survey was used in order to collect data and test the research framework and hypotheses. An empirical test was conducted using a dataset with partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the study.
Construction of Sustainable Digital Factory for Automated Warehouse Based on Integration of ERP and WMS
Authors: Tong Qingfei , Ming Xinguo , Zhang Xianyu
Published: January 2023

The integration and application of a warehouse system and manufacturing system has become a manufacturing problem for enterprises. The main reason is that the information control system based on automation and stereo warehouse is inconsistent with the production and management information system of the enterprise in terms of business, data, functions, etc. Based on this, this paper studies the implementation of an automated warehouse based on the integration of ERP (enterprise resource planning) and WMS (warehouse management system) with the method and technology of the intermediate table. Moreover, MES (manufacturing execution system) is the brain and the core part of a sustainable digital factory. The enterprise adopts advanced intelligent and information technology to build and deploy the MES, realize fine management and agile production, and meet the personalized needs of the market. Therefore, this paper studies the implementation path and effect based on MES from an industrial realization to construct a sustainable digital factory. The research results of this paper can improve industrial efficiency and reduce costs for enterprises in storage capacity, handling capacity, response rate, rate of error, number of operators, etc.
Problems of Legal Regulation and State Policy Measures Related to Nature Management in the Framework of Achieving the SDGs: Examples from Russia and Kazakhstan
Authors: Sopykhanova Assel , Maytanov Almkhan , Kiseleva Alla , Zhamiyeva Roza
Published: January 2023

The paper considers the problems of legal regulation and environmental policy in Russia and Kazakhstan related to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The focus of this study is in the plane of studying the features of legislative regulation and the arrangement of political priorities in the two countries in order to determine their similarities and differences. The study intends to assess the current state of the legislative regulation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan in the context of achieving individual SDGs. Taking into account the object of this study, the assessment of the readiness of countries to achieve the SDGs is carried out within the framework of such criteria as: (1) the current state of the relevant legislation in the field of environmental protection and natural resource management and the analysis of legislative regulation in terms of adaptability to achieve the SDGs, and (2) the role of programmatic-strategic documents in areas corresponding to the SDGs, covering environmental protection and natural resource management. A study of the experience of the Russian Federation gives grounds to say that the fragmented and inconsistent approaches enshrined in policy documents and Russian regulatory legal acts regulating nature management cause duplication of certain provisions of regulatory legal acts. Both Russian and Kazakhstani legislators avoid the universal application of the concept of “sustainable development goals” as a separate category in lawmaking, reserving the right to interpret this term at their own discretion. Formally, in the legislation and strategic and program documents of both countries there is no normative binding justifying the focus on achieving the SDGs, or tools for achieving them. However, on the part of Kazakhstan, strategic documents and national laws and regulations governing sustainable resource management are less diversified and more consistent with each other. The study gives grounds to say that in view of the presence in the Russian legal field of many inconsistent laws and political documents, harmonization of strategic documents related to the achievement of the SDGs is an urgent issue for the Russian Federation. For RK, this problem is less obvious. At the regulatory level, the instruments for achieving the UN SDGs and their indicators are not enshrined in the laws of both countries. References to the defining role of the UN SDGs are absent both in the text of the strategic documents of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Reinforcement Mechanism and Erosion Resistance of Loess Slope Using Enzyme Induced Calcite Precipitation Technique
Authors: Shen Danyi , Liu Zhenyuan , Song Zhichao , Wu Chuangzhou
Published: January 2023

The disaster of loess slope seriously threatened the safety of people and property. Enzyme Induced Calcite Precipitation (EICP) was demonstrated as an environmentally friendly soil improvement method. However, few studies have focused on the improvement effect of EICP on loess slopes. In this study, a series of tests were conducted to investigate the effect of EICP and added either basalt fiber (BF) to the loess or polyvinyl acetate emulsion (PVAC) to the solution on the erosion resistance of loess slopes. The results showed that all of the EICP, EICP-BF, and EICP-PVAC treatments could improve surface strength (SS). The addition of 50 g/L PVAC achieved high SS because the network structure formed by PVAC promoted the affixation of CaCO3. The thickness of the crust layer decreased with the increasing BF content or PVAC concentration. With the increasing number of EICP treatment cycles, the CaCO3 content increased progressively, but the increase rate decreased. For rainfall erosion, the time until erosion occurred was delayed and the stability was improved for loess slopes treated with EICP, EICP-BF, and EICP-PVAC. The high erosion resistance of loess slopes treated with EICP-0.5% BF, EICP-30 g/L PVAC, and EICP-50 g/L PVAC was attributed to the stable spatial structure formed by CaCO3 precipitation and the additional cementation provided by high BF content and PVAC concentration. The addition of 0.5% BF effectively inhibited the development of surface cracks in loess slope after dry–wet cycles. With the increasing number of dry–wet cycles, the accumulative loess loss weight of slopes treated with various methods increased gradually. Among all treatment methods, the number of dry–wet cycles had less effect on EICP-30 g/L PVAC treated loess slopes. This study provided guidance for loess slopes prevention.
Lumber Recovery Rate of Cupressus lusitanica in Arsi Forest Enterprise, Ethiopia
Authors: Rawat Yashwant Singh , Eba Misganu , Nebiyu Moti
Published: January 2023

In Ethiopia, sawmills have poor capacity utilization primarily due to the outdated equipment that resulted in a low recovery rate and the production of a high amount of wastage. The lumber recovery rate is the output (lumber) of a log in the sawing process. In Ethiopia, Cupressus lusitanica is significantly used for lumber, for furniture production, construction, poles and posts. Sampled logs were processed according to the normal production rate and standard lumber dimension of the sawmill for the purpose of estimating the lumber recovery rate. The present study aimed to investigate the lumber recovery rate of C. lusitanica and the factors affecting it. A total of 26.93 m3 of lumber was produced by the sawmilling operation, representing 72.86% of the overall lumber recovery rate. Furthermore, the sawdust and slabs were recorded as 2.92 m3 (7.90%) of sawdust and 7.11 m3 (19.24%) of slabs, respectively. There were a number of factors that decreased the magnitude of the lumber recovery rate. It was observed that cutting using a wider saw kerf caused a reduction in the rate of lumber recovery owing to the generation of an increased quantity of sawdust. The lumbers were air-seasoned in the sawmill yard. Maximizing the volume of the lumber recovered from the logs can increase the sawmill profitability, lessen the effects of climate change, ensure the sustainable use of natural resources, enhance the energy efficiency and manage wood waste (e.g., recycling and prevention) for green economic development and industrial transformation. This species has a great demand in the wood industry of Ethiopia; hence, the plantation and yield of C. lusitanica must be expanded in order to provide sustainable forestry, protect valuable forest resources and safeguard the biodiversity in the country.
An Investigation of Recharging Groundwater Levels through River Ponding: New Strategy for Water Management in Sutlej River
Authors: Mushtaq Fahad , Rehman Habibur , Ali Umair , Babar Muhammad Salman , Al-Suwaiyan Mohammad Saleh , Yaseen Zaher Mundher
Published: January 2023

Groundwater is an essential water resource in the current era, and studying its sustainability and management is highly necessary nowadays. In the current area of research interest, the reduced mean annual Sutlej River flow, the increase in the population/built-up areas, and enhanced groundwater abstractions have reduced groundwater recharge. To address this issue, groundwater recharge modeling through ponding of the Sutlej River was carried out using a modular three-dimensional finite-difference groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) in a 400 km2 area adjacent to Sutlej River. The mean historical water table decline rate in the study area is 139 mm/year. The population and urbanization rates have increased by 2.23 and 1.62% per year in the last 8 years. Domestic and agricultural groundwater abstraction are increasing by 1.15–1.30% per year. Abstraction from wells and recharge from the river, the Fordwah Canal, and rainfall were modeled in MODFLOW, which was calibrated and validated using observed data for 3 years. The model results show that the study area’s average water table depletion rate will be 201 mm/year for 20 years. The model was re-run for this scenario, providing river ponding levels of 148–151 m. The model results depict that the water table adjacent to the river will rise by 3–5 m, and average water table depletion is expected to be reduced to 151 to 95 mm/year. The model results reveal that for ponding levels of 148–151 m, storage capacity varies from 26.5–153 Mm3, contributing a recharge of 7.91–12.50 million gallons per day (MGD), and benefiting a 27,650–32,100-acre area; this means that for areas benefitted by dam recharge, the groundwater abstraction rate will remain sustainable for more than 50 years, and for the overall study area, it will remain sustainable for 7–12.3 years. Considering the current water balance, a recharging mechanism, i.e., ponding in the river through the dam, is recommended for sustainable groundwater abstraction.
In Silico Dissection of Regulatory Regions of PHT Genes from Saccharum spp. Hybrid and Sorghum bicolor and Expression Analysis of PHT Promoters under Osmotic Stress Conditions in Tobacco
Authors: Murugan Naveenarani , Kumar Ravinder , Pandey Shashi , Dhansu Pooja , Chennappa Mahadevaiah , Nallusamy Saranya , Govindakurup Hemaprabha , Chinnaswamy Appunu
Published: January 2023

Phosphorus (P) is the second-most essential macronutrient required for the growth and development of plants. It is involved in a number of cellular processes that contribute to the plant’s growth and development. This study investigated Saccharum spp. hybrid and Sorghum bicolor promoter regions of Phosphate transporters (PHT), viz., PHT1, PHT2, PHT3, PHT4, and PHO1, through in silico analysis. The transcription start sites (TSS), conserved motifs, and CpG islands were studied using various computational techniques. The distribution of TSSs indicated the highest promoter prediction scores (1.0). MSh2 and MSb4 were recognized as the common promoter motifs for PHT promoters, found in with 85 to 100% percentage of distribution. The CpG analysis revealed that the promoter regions of most PHT genes had low CpG density, indicating a possible tissue-specific expression. The PHT promoters were investigated for the presence of biotic- and abiotic-stress-associated transcription factor binding sites (TFbs) that revealed the presence of binding motifs for major transcription factors (TFs), namely, AP2/ERF, bHLH, bZIP, MYB, NAC, and WRKY. Therefore, the in-silico analysis of the promoter regions helps us to understand the regulation mechanism of phosphate transporter promoters and gene expression under stress management. The 5′ regulatory region of the EaPHT gene was isolated from Erianthus, a wild relative of the genus Saccharum. The promoter construct was prepared and transformed in tobacco wherein the promoter drove the expression of GUS. Analysis of GUS expression in transgenic tobacco revealed enhanced expression of GUS under salt-stress conditions. This is the first report of the isolation and characterization of a phosphate transporter gene promoter from Erianthus and is expected to be useful for the development of salt-stress transgenic crop plants.
Spatial Spillover Effect of Digital-Finance-Driven Technology Innovation Level Based on BP Neural Network
Authors: Yang Liming , Chen Yanxia , Gao Xiuju
Published: January 2023

The spillover effect of technological innovation has a huge role in promoting the development of the regional economy. In the process of economic development, financial agglomeration is becoming increasingly common. Based on the back-propagation neural network, this paper analyzed the spatial spillover effect of technological innovation driven by digital finance. This paper proposed the use of Matlab for the training analysis of back-propagation neural networks. Results show that the previous warning analysis results are reasonable. Conclusion analysis was then conducted. The mechanism and influence of digital finance in promoting regional technological innovation were analyzed in terms of supply and demand. The supply side mainly alleviated the problem of financing constraints, while the demand side mainly affected the consumption behavior of residents, and both sides jointly promoted regional technological innovation. Among the regional differences in the degree of financial agglomeration, the differences within and between groups were calculated and compared, and they comprehensively reflected the development status of financial agglomeration. The results show that the total number of patents in city D was less than that in city C in the past four years, but the annual growth rate was very fast, especially in 2020, reaching 40%. Therefore, the innovation environment of City D was continuously improving, and the innovation activities are becoming increasingly active. Moreover, data and financial innovation technology have a strong spatial spillover effect. This paper aimed to study the spatial spillover effect of digital-finance-driven technological innovation based on BP neural network, which contributes to the spatial spillover effect of digital-finance-driven technological innovation.
Determinants of Young Adult Consumers’ Environmentally and Socially Responsible Apparel Consumption
Authors: Vlastelica Tamara , Kostić-Stanković Milica , Rajić Tamara , Krstić Jelena , Obradović Tijana
Published: January 2023

Social and environmental responsibility of apparel sector has been drawing rising attention of policymakers and researchers in recent years. One possible solution to curb the detrimental effects caused by the clothing industry is to invoke more responsible demand of its heavy users, such as young clothing customers. This study aims to examine a model of the determinants of environmentally and socially responsible clothing consumption of young adult customers in a developing economy. The study has been performed on a convenience sample of 439 respondents in Serbia, by means of structured online survey. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), followed by two-step structural equation modeling procedure (SEM)—implying an examination of a measurement model, followed by testing of structural relationships—has been performed within data analysis. Results of the study indicate green consumption values as the most influential determinant of responsible apparel consumption, followed by conscious consumption and receptivity to green communication. Findings of the study contribute to the body of knowledge on responsible consumption and provide directions for practitioners and policymakers. Study limitations are noted and future research directions are provided.
A Gamma Process with Three Sources of Variability
Authors: Rodríguez-Picón Luis Alberto , Méndez-González Luis Carlos , Pérez-Olguín Iván Juan Carlos , Hernández-Hernández Jesús Israel
Published: January 2023

Degradation modeling requires to consider the complexity of both the internal structure of highly reliable products and the environmental conditions, to define appropriate models to obtain estimations about the reliability and quality. These conditions reflect different sources of variability that need to be considered in the aims of obtaining accurate estimations. Although several models have been proposed in the literature, few of them consider several simultaneous sources of variability. In this paper, we propose a model based on the gamma process that considers three sources of variability, specifically in the threshold, the initial level of degradation, and in the scale parameter of the gamma process. The model considers a convolution operation of the threshold and the initial level to then be characterized via numerical integration with the gamma process with random scale. The obtained results showed that the model can be used to model the degradation of products with these sources of variability, which means that it can used for case studies where both the initial level and threshold are inherently random and the randomness in the scale parameter can be proved. The performance is illustrated with a comprehensive simulation study and with the application in a case study.
Maintenance Service Configuration Optimization for Complex Equipment
Authors: Zhou Chunliu , Ye Shan , Wang Hongjun , Cao Jianhua , Gao Zhenhua
Published: January 2023

Maintenance activities mostly depend on the specific conditions of individual equipment, being defined as personalized businesses. In order to improve the efficiency of maintenance activities for complex equipment in lots, the thinking of mass customization is used. After the modular technology used for generic maintenance model, the product/service was divided into mandatory and optional modules, which can form multiple optional maintenance service solutions. Considering the characteristics of maintenance activities and customers’ personalized maintenance requirements, configuration optimization is used to find the most satisfied maintenance solution under different objectives. This paper aims to provide the configuration optimization ideas and solutions for complex equipment maintenance services. A multi-objective optimization model was established, and an algorithm based on Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms (NSGA-II) was proposed to solve this configuration optimization model. Finally, the maintenance service of the Electric Multiple Units (EMU) bogie was taken as an example to verify the feasibility of the model and the algorithm.
Design Elements That Increase the Willingness to Pay for Denim Fabric Products
Authors: Miyauchi Ryoga , Zhou Xiaoxiao , Inoue Yuki
Published: January 2023

This study analyzed what design elements are attractive to consumers of denim fabric products. A questionnaire survey was used to investigate the brands and design elements that consumers prefer. Subsequently, the degree to which participating consumers liked the five design elements (traditional, transformative, pattern, multi-material, and decorative designs), fast fashion brands, and luxury brands were used as explanatory variables to determine the consumers’ willingness to pay. A multiple regression analysis was performed on these variables. The results indicated that consumers who preferred traditional and transformative designs showed a positive effect on their willingness to pay for denim fabric products. Therefore, these elements could be attractive design elements that may command a high price point in new product planning proposals. Moreover, depending on the type of brand preferred by consumers, the impact of design elements on their purchase intention of denim fabric products has different consequences. This study analyzes the design elements preferred by consumers and contributes to the creation of design proposals by designers and apparel firms.
Enzymatic Degradation of Zearalenone in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Pigs, Chickens, and Rainbow Trout
Authors: Gruber-Dorninger Christiane , Killinger Manuela , Höbartner-Gußl Andreas , Rosen Roy , Doupovec Barbara , Aleschko Markus , Schwartz-Zimmermann Heidi , Greitbauer Oliver , Marković Zoran , Stanković Marko , Schöndorfer Karin , Vukmirovic Djuro , Wein Silvia , Schatzmayr Dian
Published: January 2023

The estrogenic mycotoxin zearalenone (ZEN) is a common contaminant of animal feed. Effective strategies for the inactivation of ZEN in feed are required. The ZEN-degrading enzyme zearalenone hydrolase ZenA (EC 3.1.1.-, commercial name ZENzyme®, BIOMIN Holding GmbH, Getzersdorf, Austria) converts ZEN to hydrolyzed ZEN (HZEN), thereby enabling a strong reduction in estrogenicity. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of ZenA added to feed to degrade ZEN in the gastrointestinal tract of three monogastric animal species, i.e., pigs, chickens, and rainbow trout. For each species, groups of animals received (i) feed contaminated with ZEN (chickens: 400 µg/kg, pigs: 200 µg/kg, rainbow trout: 2000 µg/kg), (ii) feed contaminated with ZEN and supplemented with ZenA, or (iii) uncontaminated feed. To investigate the fate of dietary ZEN in the gastrointestinal tract in the presence and absence of ZenA, concentrations of ZEN and ZEN metabolites were analyzed in digesta of chickens and rainbow trout and in feces of pigs. Upon ZenA administration, concentrations of ZEN were significantly decreased and concentrations of the degradation product HZEN were significantly increased in digesta/feces of each investigated animal species, indicating degradation of ZEN by ZenA in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, upon addition of ZenA to the diet, the concentration of the highly estrogenic ZEN metabolite α-ZEL was significantly reduced in feces of pigs. In conclusion, ZenA was effective in degrading ZEN to HZEN in the gastrointestinal tract of chickens, pigs, and rainbow trout, and counteracted formation of α-ZEL in pigs. Therefore, ZenA could find application as a ZEN-degrading feed additive for these animal species.
Democratizing Public Health: Participatory Policymaking Institutions, Mosquito Control, and Zika in the Americas
Authors: Touchton Michael , Wampler Brian
Published: January 2023

The Zika virus is a mosquito-borne virus spread primarily by Aedes mosquitoes. Zika cases have been detected throughout the mosquito’s range, with an epidemic occurring from 2015 to 2017 in Brazil. Many Zika cases are mild or asymptomatic, but infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly in children, and a small percentage of cases result in Guillan–Barré syndrome. There is currently little systematic information surrounding the municipal spread of the Zika Virus in Brazil. This article uses coarsened exact matching with negative binomial estimation and ordinary least squares estimation to assess the determinants of Zika incidence across the ~280,000 cases confirmed and recorded by Brazil’s Ministry of Health in 2016 and 2017. These data come from Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in Brazil and have not been published. We use data on the universe of individual Zika cases in Brazil and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software to examine the virus at the municipal level across 5570 municipalities and construct a unique, unusually rich dataset covering daily Zika transmission. Additionally, our dataset includes corresponding local data on democratic governance, mosquito control efforts, and environmental conditions to estimate their relationship to Zika transmission. The results demonstrate that the presence of subnational democratic, participatory policymaking institutions and high levels of local state capacity are associated with low rates of Zika contraction. These models control for local healthcare spending and economic conditions, among other factors, that also influence Zika contraction rates. In turn, these findings provide a better understanding of what works for local health governance and mosquito control and makes important data public so that scholars and practitioners can perform their own analyses. Stronger models of Zika transmission will then inform mosquito abatement efforts across the Global South, as well as provide a blueprint for combatting Dengue fever, which is also transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
Vitamin D Deficiency (VDD) and Susceptibility towards Severe Dengue Fever—A Prospective Cross-Sectional Study of Hospitalized Dengue Fever Patients from Lahore, Pakistan
Authors: Iqtadar Somia , Khan Amjad , Mumtaz Sami Ullah , Livingstone Shona , Chaudhry Muhammad Nabeel Akbar , Raza Nauman , Zahra Mehreen , Abaidullah Sajid
Published: January 2023

Dengue is a mosquito-borne flaviviral serious febrile illness, most common in the tropical and subtropical regions including Pakistan. Vitamin D is a strong immunomodulator affecting both the innate and adaptive immune responses and plays a pivotal role in pathogen-defense mechanisms. There has been considerable interest in the possible role of vitamin D in dengue viral (DENV) infection. In the present prospective cross-sectional study, we assessed a possible association between serum vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and susceptibility towards severe dengue fever (DF) illness. Serum vitamin D levels were measured at the time of hospitalization in 97 patients diagnosed with dengue fever (DF), dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) or dengue shock syndrome (DSS) at Mayo Hospital, King Edward Medical University, Lahore, PK, from 16 November 2021 to 15 January 2022. In terms of disease severity, 37 (38.1%) patients were DF, 52 (53.6%) were DHF grade 1 and 2, and 8 (8.2%) were DSS. The results revealed that most patients (75 (77.3%)) were vitamin-D-deficient (i.e., serum level < 20 ng/mL), including 27 (73.0%) in DF, 41 (78.8%) in DHF grade 1 and 2, and 7 (87.5%) in DSS. The degree of VDD was somewhat higher in DSS patients as compared to DF and DHF grade 1 and 2 patients. Overall, serum vitamin D levels ranged from 4.2 to 109.7 ng/mL, and the median (IQR) was in the VDD range, i.e., 12.2 (9.1, 17.8) ng/mL. Our results suggest that there may be a possible association between VDD and susceptibility towards severe dengue illness. Hence, maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels in the body either through diet or supplementation may help provide adequate immune protection against severe dengue fever illness. Further research is warranted.
Use of Kidneys from Anencephalic Donors to Offset Organ Shortage
Authors: Nghiem Dai D.
Published: January 2023

Background: It is well recognized that patient survival and quality of life are superior with renal transplantation than with dialysis. Organ availability is far outweighed by the large number of wait-listed patients. Additional stratagems are sought to expand the donor pool, and kidneys from anencephalic infants can be considered a source of organs, until now unexplored. We plan to assess the feasibility of using the kidneys from anencephalic infants for transplantation. Material and Methods: Information about anencephaly, the characteristics of the infant kidneys, the ethical, social and medico-legal aspects raised by the use of these kidneys, their procurement and their transplantation are reviewed. Conclusions: En bloc kidney transplants from infants can provide long-term normal renal function after an accelerated catch up growth. They are not subjected to hyperfiltration since they have a full complement of nephrons. They can be transplanted using the techniques currently available.
Megastudies: A New Approach to Reducing Vaccine Hesitation Worldwide
Authors: Yu Lian , Qiao Jiaqi , Ming Wai-Kit , Wu Yibo
Published: January 2023

Vaccine hesitancy is a considerable obstacle to achieving vaccine protection worldwide. There needs to be more evidence-based research for interventions for vaccine hesitancy. Existing effectiveness evaluations are limited to one particular hypothesis, and no studies have compared the effectiveness of different interventions. A megastudy takes a large-scale, multi-intervention, uniform participant and the same evaluation criteria approach to evaluate many interventions simultaneously and find the most effective ones. Therefore, megastudies can help us find the most effective interventions for vaccine hesitancy. Additionally, considering the complex causes of vaccine hesitancy, we design interventions that involve social factors in megastudies. Lastly, quality control and justice are critical issues for megastudies in the future.
Motion Sickness during Roll Motion: VR HMD View versus Monitor View
Authors: Sumayli Yahya , Ye Ying
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of two views on motion sickness caused by low-frequency roll motion in the laboratory. Fifteen healthy male subjects participated in the study and were exposed to 30 min of 0.25 Hz roll oscillation at an angle of rotation (±5°). Subjects sat on a rigid seat with one of two visual scenes each session: (i) viewing 360° videos through virtual reality (VR) head-mounted display (HMD) device and (ii) reading articles on a monitor in a closed cabin. Ratings of motion sickness were obtained at 1 min intervals. The mean illness ratings of subjects for all visual conditions increased over the 30 min exposure to motion. There was significantly less sickness in the HMD condition than in the monitor condition. The findings suggest a beneficial effect of the HMD view on the severity of sickness. However, the HMD view had no effect on the sickness experienced by those vulnerable to sickness caused by exposure to motion or use of VR. It was concluded that the visual activity had a significant influence on motion sickness induced by 0.25 Hz roll oscillation with an angle of rotation (±5°), and the applications of VR could be implemented to further reduce motion sickness.
Use of Meltblown Nonwoven Fabric Filter for Stormwater Runoff Treatment
Authors: Cárdenas Sánchez Jaime A. , Szewczyk Hunter , Assaad Judy , Zimeri Carlos , Shim Eunkyoung , Fang Xiaomeng , Young Kyana R. L.
Published: January 2023

Anthropogenic activities (e.g., rural urbanization) play major roles in preventing the achievement of sustainable water quality, where eutrophication—the exacerbation of increase in nutrient concentrations combined with warmer temperatures and lower light availability, leading to the dense growth of plant life depleting the amount of available oxygen and killing aquatic life—remains a major challenge for surface water bodies. Filtration mechanisms, with a wide range of applicability, capture common waterborne pathogens as small as 0.1–20.0 μm (bacteria, cysts, spores) and 0.001–0.100 μm (protein, viruses, endotoxins) through the process of microfiltration and ultrafiltration. This study follows the premise of using a designed water flow-through system, with meltblown nonwoven fabrics to measure its performance to capture water contaminant constituents of surface water contamination and eutrophication: total coliforms, nitrate, and orthophosphate. The achieved fabric filtration mechanism showed capture of total coliforms (59%), nitrate (51%), and orthophosphate (46%). The current study provides an alternative solution to more common and traditional water treatment technologies, such as chlorine and ozone disinfection, which (1) introduces disinfection or treatment byproducts and (2) cannot adapt to the permanent changing conditions and newer environmental challenges.
Long-Term Shoreline and Islands Change Detection with Digital Shoreline Analysis Using RS Data and GIS
Authors: Gopinath Girish , Thodi Muhamed Fasil Chettiyam , Surendran Udayar Pillai , Prem Pranav , Parambil Jesiya Nalukudi , Alataway Abed , Al-Othman Ahmed A. , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , Mattar Mohamed A.
Published: January 2023

This study concerned the assessment of changes in the coastline of Kavvayi beach and its nine islands in a tropical coastal wetland using remote sensing (RS) data and geographic information systems (GIS), as this sedimentary environment is still poorly characterized. The satellite data used were from LANDSAT images (30 m spatial resolution) (MSS—volume 5, TM, ETM, and ETM+ volume 6) for the period of the last 25 years (1990 to 2014). Band 5 in Landsat (MSS) and band 6 (ETM 24- OLI) were used because they clearly distinguish the boundaries between land and water. The Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) was used to understand shoreline changes such as erosion and accretion processes by calculating the net shift in shoreline (NSM), end point rate (EPR), and linear regression rate (LRR) for the period of 25 years. The results showed significant changes over the studied period, leading to erosion and accretion. Coastal processes had an impact in the period from 2005 to 2014, leading to the development of a new island in the northern part of the wetland due to the construction of a new breakwater. In addition, the causes of the shoreline changes on the islands, including anomalies and the formation of new structures in the wetland, were investigated and discussed. These analyses confirmed that the islands studied were subjected to marine transgression and vice versa. Among this, Kavvayi was subject to marine transgression over the period, and Achanthurti Island showed erosion to a lesser extent. This can be considered as a feature of wetlands in combating sea level rise at local levels and possible reasons for the changes along with the coastal zone management plans were also discussed.
Water Quality Modelling for Nitrate Nitrogen Control Using HEC-RAS: Case Study of Nakdong River in South Korea
Authors: Kim Jongchan , Jonoski Andreja , Solomatine Dimitri P. , Goethals Peter L. M.
Published: January 2023

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provide guidelines on the maximum levels of nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) contained in drinking water since excess nitrate ingestion may harm human health. Thus, monitoring and controlling the NO3-N concentration is of paramount importance, especially in sources of drinking water such as the Nakdong River in South Korea. This study addresses NO3-N pollution in the Nakdong River in South Korea, where such pollution mostly comes from diffuse sources in the catchment due to the agricultural use of fertilizers. The objective of this study is to suggest guidelines for designing strategies to control NO3-N in this river using a process-based model developed with HEC-RAS. The model was built based on water quality parameters (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, ammonia nitrogen, etc.) related to NO3-N dynamics incorporating hydraulic and meteorological data. This model simulated NO3-N dynamics downstream under 55 scenarios while focusing on a section near locations of drinking water intakes. The scenarios were constructed based on variations in water quantity and quality upstream. The simulation results showed that the peak concentration of NO3-N downstream could be directly controlled by limiting the NO3-N concentration upstream. Additionally, control of the flow rate upstream could also lead to a reduction in the overall average concentration of NO3-N downstream, but this predominantly occurred when the NO3-N concentration was decreasing. In conclusion, the design and implementation of strategies for the control of NO3-N downstream should be carried out after performing a quantitative analysis of the impact of different control measures for different downstream conditions using a water quality model.
Design and Application of the unIT-e2 Project Use Case Methodology
Authors: Ostermann Adrian , Vollmuth Patrick , Ziemsky Valerie
Published: January 2023

The ramp-up of electromobility requires cross-industry holistic solutions. However, bringing together stakeholders from different branches holds challenges. One prerequisite for successful collaboration is a uniform understanding of roles, processes, and interfaces. Based on existing methods and experience from former projects, this paper describes a method for the systematic description of use cases for smart charging of electric vehicles. This method enables a uniform understanding of all actors involved and guarantees application-oriented usability. The unIT-e2 use case methodology consists of the business-use case level and the technical-use case level, which describe the use case in a structured layout. The method was applied in all so-called clusters of project unIT-e2. In total, we identify 25 higher-level business use cases and highlight similarities and differences between them. Further, this paper describes the business-use case regulatory-defined grid-serving flexibility in detail.
A Numerical Study of the Suitability of Phase-Change Materials for Battery Thermal Management in Flight Applications
Authors: Kim Daeyeun , Abdallahh Saber , Bosi Gloria , Hales Alastair
Published: January 2023

Battery pack specific energy, which can be enhanced by minimising the mass of the battery thermal management system (BTMS), is a limit on electric fixed-wing flight applications. In this paper, the use of phase-change materials (PCMs) for BTMSs is numerically explored in the 3D domain, including an equivalent circuit battery model. A parametric study of PCM properties for effective thermal management is conducted for a typical one-hour flight. PCMs maintain an ideal operating temperature (288.15 K–308.15 K) throughout the entire battery pack. The PCM absorbs heat generated during takeoff, which is subsequently used to maintain cell temperature during the cruise phase of flight. In the control case (no BTMS), battery pack temperatures fall below the ideal operating range. We conduct a parametric study highlighting the insignificance of PCM thermal conductivity on BTMS performance, with negligible enhancement observed across the tested window (0.1–10 W m−1 K−1). However, the PCM’s latent heat of fusion is critical. Developers of PCMs for battery-powered flight must focus on enhanced latent heat of fusion, regardless of the adverse effect on thermal conductivity. In long-haul flight, an elongated cruise phase and higher altitude exasperate this problem. The unique characteristics of PCM offer a passive low-mass solution that merits further investigation for flight applications.
Analyis of Fibre Laser’s Optical Construction from the End of the Beam Guiding Optical Fibre to the Focal Spot
Authors: Meszlényi György , Bitay Enikő
Published: January 2023

In material-processing fiber lasers, the resonator in the closed box produces the laser radiation. Even with the same resonator, the diameter of the laser beam transporting fiber optics and the properties of the optical elements in the laser focusing head decide the cross-section of the focused laser beam used for machining. If we summarize the formulas in different sources in the literature, we can predict the effect of each optical element: what will happen if we choose another focusing lens, put a beam expander in the system, set on the beam expander how many times the laser beam expands. The other important point is that if we want to repeat an experiment or start a production process based on a scientific publication, then in addition to the resonator, it would be good to know the data of the optical elements in the focusing head, which is usually incomplete in the presented articles, but we can determine them approximately using the four formulas listed in the article.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE PROPERTY AND REAL ESTATE SECTOR STOCK RETURN
Authors: Parisiana Mutia Annisa , Kamaliah Kamaliah , Rasuli M
Published: January 2023

The success of an investor is seen from the growth of returns resulting from the effectiveness of the capital invested in the stock market. For this reason, investors must be able to analyze economic conditions that have an impact on stock returns. Analysis of macro and micro economic conditions, as well as technical analysis is important to obtain optimal returns. In this study, researchers want to observe and test whether the rupiah exchange rate, which is one of the macroeconomic indicators, has an effect on stock returns in the property and real estate sectors. It also examines the influence of company fundamentals such as the Debt to Equity Ratio (DER), Return on Equity (ROE), Current Ratio (CR), and the value of Tobin's Q on stock returns. In addition to fundamental analysis, researchers also include technical analysis variables, namely stock price trends, to see whether these variables affect stock returns. The research used multiple linear regression method. The results of this study currency exchange rates have a positive effect on stock returns, while the Current Ratio has a negative effect on stock returns. The stock price trend which is a technical analysis is the most influential variable on stock returns.
THE EFFECT OF COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP MOTIVATION MEDIATION ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AT PT. PUTRA KERITANG SAWIT KEMUNING DISTRICT INDRAGIRI HILIR REGENCY
Authors: Astarina Ivalaina , Dewi Puspa , Fitrio Tomy , Hapsila Angga
Published: January 2023

The research was conducted to test and analyze the influence of communication and leadership on employee performance mediated by motivation at PT. Putra Keritang Sawit Kemuning District Indragiri Hilir Regency. This study uses primary data and secondary data by distributing questionnaires to 35 selected samples, the authors process the data using the Smart PLS application. The conclusion of the study is that communication influences employee performance, leadership influences employee performance, motivation mediates the effect of communication on employee performance and motivation mediates the influence of leadership on employee performance
CURRICULUM RELEVANCE OF INDRAGIRI RENGAT HIGHER SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS MANAGEMENT TO THE WORLD OF WORK
Authors: Yusnedi Yusnedi , Suwaji Suwaji , Heriasman Heriasman
Published: January 2023

This study aims to see the relevance of the curriculum of the Management Study Program at the Indragiri College of Economics with the needs of the world of work. This research uses a descriptive analytic approach. Collecting data in this study using questionnaires and interviews. Respondents in this study consisted of leaders of government agencies, the business world and the world of work and alumni who are scattered throughout the Indragiri Hulu Regency. The research sample was taken with certain criteria, namely various characteristics, elements, and values ​​related to the competency profile of management study program graduates. The data analysis model used is descriptive statistics with tabular and graphical analysis as well as qualitative analysis, namely by digging up information and then explaining it in depth, sharp and critical. The results showed that based on the respondents' perceptions, graduates of the madam management study program were still needed or considered relevant to the needs of the world of work, meaning that so far the management study program could serve and accommodate the community's need for competence in accordance with the scientific field being developed. In the opinion of stakeholders, graduates of the management study program are expected to be able to master hi-tech, be able to communicate in foreign languages, be responsive, ready, responsive to existing conditions, understand organizational governance, have insight, and have a leadership spirit.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP INTEREST: ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION, INCOME EXPECTATIONS AND CREATIVITY
Authors: Prasetya Hendra , Azizah Nurul
Published: January 2023

This research was conducted in order to find out how important the influence of entrepreneurship education, income expectations and creativity is partly on the interest in entrepreneurship in students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Wijaya Kusuma University, Surabaya. The research was conducted using a quantitative approach and the population was students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Wijaya Kusuma University, Surabaya. Non-probability samples were taken using a purposive sampling technique. The number of samples is 100 respondents. The variables studied were entrepreneurship education, income expectations and creativity as independent variables, and entrepreneurial interest as the dependent variable. We collected data through a closed questionnaire. The result is entrepreneurship education, income expectations and creativity have an influence on the interest in entrepreneurship in students of the Faculty of Economics and Business, Wijaya Kusuma University, Surabaya. It is recommended that entrepreneurship education materials continue to be developed in accordance with developments in the business world, accompanied by entrepreneurial practices for students, instilling the hope of earning a high income if they become entrepreneurs and increasing the power of creativity in generating business ideas.