bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Hub Competition in Delivering Air Connectivity between China and Oceania
Authors: Zhang Qi , Wang Bo , Xue Desheng
Published: May 2022

Aviation hubs are pivotal intermediate nodes for connecting people around the world. However, there has been limited investigation on the competitive hub landscape in the China–Oceania market. Employing an updated Connectivity Utility Model, we examine the hub connections provided by hubs in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, other Asian countries and Oceania from quantity and quality dimensions between 1997 and 2019. The results indicate that the solid growth of mainland China and Oceania hubs suppress the development of Hong Kong and other Asian hubs. The major competitions of the mainland China and Oceanian hubs have shifted from competing with hubs outside their respective regions to competing with hubs within their regions, while the primary competitors of other Asian hubs have changed from competing with each other to competing with hubs outside their region. In the monopoly market, the Oceanian hubs have always enjoyed the greatest monopoly superiority. In the overlapping market, the dominance of Hong Kong and other Asian hubs in both the quantity and quality dimensions has been challenged by mainland China hubs. In a semiregulated operating environment shaped by China’s centralized government, the coordination between airlines, airports and governments is crucial for future hub construction.
Bench-Scale Fixed-Bed Column Study for the Removal of Dye-Contaminated Effluent Using Sewage-Sludge-Based Biochar
Authors: Al-Mahbashi Najib Mohammed Yahya , Kutty Shamsul Rahman Mohamed , Bilad Muhammad Roil , Huda Nurul , Kobun Rovina , Noor Azmatullah , Jagaba Ahmad Hussaini , Al-Nini Ahmed , Ghaleb Aiban Abdulhakim Saeed , Al-dhawi Baker Nasser Saleh
Published: May 2022

Batik industrial effluent wastewater (BIE) contains toxic dyes that, if directly channeled into receiving water bodies without proper treatment, could pollute the aquatic ecosystem and, detrimentally, affect the health of people. This study is aimed at assessing the adsorptive efficacy of a novel low-cost sewage-sludge-based biochar (SSB), in removing color from batik industrial effluent (BIE). Sewage-sludge-based biochar (SSB) was synthesized through two stages, the first is raw-material gathering and preparation. The second stage is carbonization, in a muffle furnace, at 700 °C for 60 min. To investigate the changes introduced by the preparation process, the raw sewage sludge (RS) and SSB were characterized by the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy. The surface area of biochar was found to be 117.7 m2/g. The results of FTIR showed that some functional groups, such as CO and OH, were hosted on the surface of the biochar. Continuous fixed-bed column studies were conducted, by using SSB as an adsorbent. A glass column with a diameter of 20 mm was packed with SSB, to depths of 5 cm, 8 cm, and 12 cm. The volumes of BIE passing through the column were 384 mL/d, 864 mL/d, and 1680 mL/d, at a flow rate of 16 mL/h, 36 mL/h, and 70 mL/h, respectively. The initial color concentration in the batik sample was 234 Pt-Co, and the pH was kept in the range of 3–5. The effect of varying bed depth and flow rate over time on the removal efficiency of color was analyzed. It was observed that the breakthrough time differed according to the depth of the bed and changes in the flow rates. The longest time, where breakthrough and exhausting points occurred, was recorded at the highest bed and slowest flowrate. However, the increase in flow rate and decrease in bed depth made the breakthrough curves steeper. The maximum bed capacity of 42.30 mg/g was achieved at a 16 mL/h flowrate and 12 cm bed height. Thomas and Bohart–Adams mathematical models were applied, to analyze the adsorption data and the interaction between the adsorption variables. For both models, the correlation coefficient (R2) was more than 0.9, which signifies that the experimental data are well fitted. Furthermore, the adsorption behavior is best explained by the Thomas model, as it covers the whole range of breakthrough curves.
Food Environment Inequalities and Moderating Effects of Obesity on Their Relationships with COVID-19 in Chicago
Authors: Huang Hao
Published: May 2022

The COVID-19 outbreak has raised challenges for people with health problems. Obesity is a global issue related to COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) finds that obesity worsens COVID-19 outcomes. As body mass index increases, the COVID-19 death risk increases. Additionally, due to different restriction policies, the pandemic has transformed our food environment. Thus, it is important to develop an antivirus-enabled paradigm to decrease the COVID-19 spreading rate in neighborhoods with obesity concerns and design a sustainable and healthy food environment. It is found that both COVID-19 and obesity inequalities are associated with food environment inequalities, but few studies have examined the moderating effects of obesity and food environment on COVID-19. According to the Chicago Department of Public Health, more than 30% of the Chicago adult population is obese. Additionally, Chicago has 340,676 COVID-19 cases during the period between 1 March 2020 and 26 November 2021. This study uses regression models to examine the moderating effects of obesity and food environment on COVID-19 in Chicago. Besides food environment factors, green spaces and transportation access are considered. The results show COVID-19 is concentrated in areas with a high obesity rate and low food access. A 1 percent increase in obesity rate is associated with a 2.83 percent increase in COVID-19 death rate in a community. Additionally, the moderating effects of obesity on the association between food environment and COVID-19 are shown in the results.
Aspartame as a Green and Effective Corrosion Inhibitor for T95 Carbon Steel in 15 wt.% HCl Solution
Authors: Uzoma Ifeanyi E. , Solomon Moses M. , Loto Roland T. , Umoren Saviour A.
Published: May 2022

Oil well acidizing, although a stimulation process, induces the corrosion of metallic equipment and well tubing. There is, at present, a high demand for effective and less toxic high-temperature corrosion inhibitors for the acidizing process due to the failing of the existing inhibitors at high temperatures occasioned by increases in the well depths. In this study, aspartame (ASP), a commercially available natural compound, is examined as a corrosion inhibitor for T95 carbon steel in 15 wt.% HCl solution at 60, 70, 80, and 90 °C using the weight loss, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), and optical profilometry (OP) techniques. It was found that ASP possesses a corrosion inhibiting effect at the studied conditions. Inhibition efficiency increased with increases in temperature. With 2000 ppm ASP, inhibition efficiency of 86% was achieved from the weight loss method at 90 °C after 4 h of immersion. Results from the electrochemical techniques are in good agreement with the weight loss results. PDP results reveal that ASP acted as a mixed-type corrosion inhibitor under the investigated conditions. The inhibition ability of ASP is due to adsorption on the steel surface and has been confirmed by the SEM, OP, and EDX results. ASP is a promising active compound for the formulation of acidizing corrosion inhibitors.
How to Promote a Smart City Effectively? An Evaluation Model and Efficiency Analysis of Smart Cities in China
Authors: Fang Yufei , Shan Zhiguang
Published: May 2022

With the rapid development of smart cities, smart city evaluation is receiving an increasing amount of attention. However, the link between the evaluation results of smart cities and the decision making of urban construction roadmap is still relatively lacking. Therefore, it is necessary to quantitatively analyze the evaluation results, to support cities to formulate specific measures for effectively improving their smartness construction. The era of big data gives us the opportunity to evaluate and improve the development of smart cities with urban data. This paper proposes a Capability–Performance–Experience (CPE) evaluation model. An empirical study was conducted with 275 Chinese cities as samples. Principal component analysis and k-means clustering were adopted to classify cities according to their infrastructure readiness level. For each category, multi-linear regression and sensitivity analysis were adopted to analyze the impact of each input factors on each output factors. The results contribute to reasonably design or adjust strategies for smart cities based on their own development stages. Some policy implications are proposed to better prioritize investment in smart cities and to maximize the return on citizens’ experience.
Role of Distribution Centers Disruptions in New Retail Supply Chain: An Analysis Experiment
Authors: Ding Can , Liu Li , Zheng Yi , Liao Jianxiu , Huang Wenxing
Published: May 2022

The convergence of physical stores and e-commerce has led to the emergence of a new retail business mode in the retail industry. In today’s world, new retail supply chains face the potential risks of disruption caused by natural and man-made disasters, and epidemics. In this paper, we simulate a three-stage new retail supply chain consisting of suppliers, manufacturers, and a retailer with online and offline channels in the AnyLogistix simulation and optimization software. We develop a simulation model to analyze the effects of various supply chain node disruptions on new retail supply chain performance and service level with consideration of four scenarios: disruption-free; manufacturer disruption; warehouse center disruption; offline store disruption. The main results show that supply chain node disruptions have negative impacts on the performance and service level. Besides, the warehouse center disruption has the most devastating effect on this new retail supply chain. Overall, this paper provides insights for decision-makers to consider disruption issues when designing resilient new retail supply chains.
Understanding Sustainable Development of English Vocabulary Acquisition: Evidence from Chinese EFL Learners
Authors: Zeng Yuntao , Lu Qiuxia , Wallace Matthew P. , Guo Yawei , Fan Chun-Wai , Chen Xiaofei
Published: May 2022

Vocabulary learning is often seen as an important but also difficult aspect of learning English as a foreign language (EFL). Thus, it is particularly important to promote the sustainable development of vocabulary acquisition. Many features of English words affect the sustainable development of vocabulary acquisition, including frequency, polysemy, word family, part of speech, and word length. The influence of most of these factors on vocabulary acquisition has been extensively explored in previous studies, but the effects of cognateness and lexicalization remain unclear. This is in part due to the measurement tool, the Vocabulary Size Test, which does not include enough cognates and non-lexicalized words to adequately represent the language used in authentic contexts. To better our understanding of the effect of word features in the context of Chinese EFL learners, the present study modified the Vocabulary Size Test by including additional 19 non-lexicalized words and 33 cognates and administered it to 527 Chinese non-English major sophomores. The results revealed that cognateness, frequency, and polysemy were positively correlated with vocabulary acquisition, whereas word length and lexicalization were negatively correlated with acquisition. Further, multiple regression analysis indicated that cognateness, polysemy, and frequency were the largest contributors to acquisition.
Multiscale Spatial Distribution Pattern and Influencing Factors on Inland Fishing Gardens in China
Authors: Huang Yong , Kang Qinjun , Wang Qi , Luo Lili , Wang Tingting , Chang Qingrui
Published: May 2022

Recently, a significant number of freshwater fishing gardens have sprouted up across mainland China. These recreational facilities are an important component in promoting the upgrading of the fishing industry and rural revitalization, and they are a key component in the high-quality development of rural tourism. This paper uses fishing gardens points of interest (POI) in China as data sources and employs kernel density estimation and geographical detectors to systematically uncover the multiscale spatial distribution pattern of these gardens, as well as the factors influencing their distribution. The results show that: (1) There are 15,090 fishing gardens in inland China. The spatial distribution of Chinese fishing gardens corresponds well with the “Hu-Line”, with a greater number of gardens clustered in the southeast and few in the northwest. The density distribution exhibits a polarized pattern with multiple high-density centers. (2) The number of fishing gardens varies significantly across regions, with the eastern > central > western > northeastern; Guangdong has the most fishing gardens. The top five provinces have 43.4% of the total number of fishing gardens in the country. Large-scale fishing gardens are common in developed cities such as the Pearl River Delta, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, and the Yangtze River economic belt. (3) In natural environmental factors, land altitude and contour are negatively correlated with the distribution of fishing gardens, whereas winter temperature is positively correlated with the distribution. More than 50% of fishing gardens are located within 6 km of urban built-up areas. (4) GDP, population, and tourism revenue are the most important social development factors influencing the distribution of fishing gardens. The moderate factors are per capita income and the rate of urbanization; the weak factors are fishery output value and freshwater products production. In the discussion, suggestions on how to guide the rational layout and healthy development of the fishing garden industry in the region are put forward. We believe that these suggestions could be part of the pursuit to improve the fishing garden industrial policy in China.
A Study on the Factors Affecting Academic Achievement in the Non-Face-to-Face Class Environment Due to COVID-19: Focusing on Computer Liberal Arts Education Class
Authors: Yoo Sujin , Mun Changbae , Cheon Minjong , Lee Ook , Rhee Yoonki , Ha Hyodong
Published: May 2022

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many universities have shifted to non-face-to-face classes resulting in numerous changes in the educational system. Since programming education includes a greater proportion of practice than theory-oriented courses, non-face-to-face classes have several constraints. As a result, to properly execute software education and enhance educational performance for non-major students, it is required to conduct research. Students’ psychological moods and activities collected in online classrooms were used to investigate factors impacting academic success as measured by scores and grades. Multiple regression analysis and logistic regression analysis were conducted by using data mining analytical approach. Attendance, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, confidence, frequency of communication in mobile chat rooms, and Python programming intention factors were retrieved as an outcome of the performance. The relevance of the factors was confirmed, and it was revealed that hedonic motivation was crucial for students in Class A, while attendance had a significant impact on academic progress for students in the other grades. The goal of this research is to assist university organizations in making decisions by enhancing computer liberal arts education and offering implications for future non-face-to-face teaching environments such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Support of Sustainability: The Historical Ecology of Vertebrate Biodiversity and Native American Harvest Practices in the Florida Keys, USA
Authors: LeFebvre Michelle J. , Ardren Traci , Thompson Victor D. , Fitzpatrick Scott M. , Ayers-Rigsby Sara
Published: May 2022

The Florida Keys are currently experiencing unprecedented loss of lifeways, biodiversity, and cultural heritage due to sea-level rise, catastrophic storm events, unsustainable traditions of resource exploitation, and land development. Yet, these islands have a long history of human occupation and socioecological systems underlying their current sustainability crisis that date back at least 2500 years. Here we report early results of ongoing zooarchaeological research from Upper Matecumbe Key designed to explore anthropogenic engagement with vertebrate fauna between AD 800 and 1250, providing an approximately 500-year window on marine fisheries and terrestrial faunal harvesting for this small island archipelago. Focusing on one of the few remaining, nearly intact Native American archaeological sites in the region, our research contributes to critically needed long-term anthropogenic perspectives on harvest patterns relevant to regional biodiversity conservation and sustainability initiatives.
Fabrication of the Ordered Mesoporous nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 Composites Used for Crystal Violet Removal and Their Optimization Using RSM and ANN–PSO
Authors: Xiang Gang , Long Shengxing , Dang Anzhi
Published: May 2022

Crystal violet (CV), a triphenylmethane dye, is widely used in the textile, printing, paper, leather, and cosmetics industries. However, due to its higher chemical stability and lower biodegradability, CV has teratogenic and carcinogenic toxic effects on animals and humans. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to investigate whether or not the as-prepared nZVI supported on an ordered mesoporous Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composite (nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15) had more potential for CV removal from simulated wastewater in comparison with Zr-Ce-SBA-15. Meanwhile, the parameters of CV adsorption onto nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites were optimized by a response surface methodology (RSM) and an artificial neural network combined with particle swarm optimization (ANN–PSO). According to XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM, N2 adsorption, and thermogravimetric analyses, nZVI was supported successfully on Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites, becoming an ordered mesoporous material. The results of RSM indicated that the order of the effects of the four parameters on CV removal was, successively, initial pH, contact time, temperature, and initial CV concentration. ANN–PSO was more suitable, in comparison to RSM, to optimize the experimental parameters for CV removal from simulated wastewater using ordered mesoporous nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites. The optimized removal rate of CV was 93.87% under an initial pH of 3.00, a contact time of 20.00 min, an initial CV concentration of 261.00 mg/L, and a temperature of 45. Pseudo-second-order kinetics can better describe the behavior of CV adsorption onto nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites. The process of CV adsorption onto Zr-Ce-SBA-15 composites was followed by the Langmuir model, and its maximum adsorption capacity was 105 mg/g in 213 K. It was indirectly confirmed that the maximum adsorption capacity of nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 exceeded this value because the removal efficiency of CV using nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 was obviously higher than that of using Zr-Ce-SBA-15. The thermodynamics results indicated that CV adsorption onto nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 was a spontaneous, endothermic, and entropy-driven process. The dissolution of Fe ions and light/dark experiments confirmed nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 was simultaneously of adsorption and catalysis in the process of CV removal. The effect of removal CV was still maintained in the first four experiments (removal rate > 78%), and our suggestion is that nZVI/Zr-Ce-SBA-15 is a potential adsorbent for CV remediation from wastewater compared to Zr-Ce-SBA-15 and other adsorbents.
Heterogeneity Effect of Corporate Financialization on Total Factor Productivity
Authors: Wang Hui , Xu Shu
Published: May 2022

As corporate financialization becomes an important stylized fact, policymakers and economists are concerned that corporate financialization may harm firms’ productivity by reducing operation investment. However, no previous literature has assessed the heterogeneous effect of corporate financialization on total factor productivity induced by self-selection. In this study, we do so by leveraging the framework of marginal treatment effects (MTE) using samples of Chinese listed non-financial companies during the period from 2007 to 2018. We find that firms with high resistance to financialization can result in gains in productivity by choosing financialization. In contrast, firms with low resistance to financialization have a significant reduction in total factor productivity (TFP) when choosing financialization. Meanwhile, based on our counterfactual analysis, a stable fluctuation of housing growth is shown to have a significant impact on total factor productivity improvement, and the evidence is supportive of the TFP loss being mitigated by a stable housing market. Moreover, the mechanism analysis confirms a strong negative impact of financialization on innovation, which is the potential channel to depress aggregate total factor productivity. The detected heterogeneity effect highlights the importance of housing price in the self-selection of financialization choices to affect the TFP. Policymakers may wish to focus on corporate financialization, which is accompanied by inhibition in TFP growth, keeping the housing market stable in order to minimize the side effects of financialization on productivity.
Non-Potable Water Quality Assessment Results for Water Conservation in the Context of a Medical Facility Case Study
Authors: Seguela Geraldine , Littlewood John Richard , Karani George
Published: May 2022

This paper discusses recycled non-potable water (NPW) quality test results from an existing, decentralized, treated air handling unit (AHU) air conditioning (A/C) condensate water (CW) system in a medical facility case study (MFCS) in Abu Dhabi (AD), the capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The MFCS, a 364-bed hospital that opened in 2015 with 50% landscaping, is targeting 100% non-clinical/non-potable water use for landscape irrigation (LI) from 179,700 m3/year treated CW, which is a by-product of AHU A/C. For seven months per year, however, a deficit of 14,340 m3 AHU A/C CW occurs, so costly and non-sustainable, desalinated potable water is required. The proposed change project, using a mixed methodology, develops a sustainable NPW strategy, including a protocol to extract water from recycled, onsite, organic food waste, fire sprinkler pump test water (FSPTW), and reverse osmosis reject water (RORW) to meet the AHU A/C CW shortfall by adapting, enhancing, and monitoring the medical facility’s NPW treatment system. The hospital’s sustainability strategy implemented by the author could be legislated and mandated by the relevant authority for regional medical facilities, taking the form of a water conservation protocol including the classification and characterization of different types of NPW to understand their impact on LI, human health, and building water systems. The outcome is a novel change in practice to reuse 25,141 m3/year RORW and 1136 m3/year FSPTW as makeup water for the A/C CW shortfall in winter. The results identify key considerations to be addressed by the target audience (building owners, landscape contractors, and facility managers) when reusing NPW to protect the environment against soil degradation—a major aspect of decarbonization.
Towards a Business, Human Rights and the Environment Framework
Authors: Martin-Ortega Olga , Dehbi Fatimazahra , Nelson Valerie , Pillay Renginee
Published: May 2022

We are in the midst of an ecological crisis which has been and continues to be provoked by human-led ‘environmental degradation’ (defined for the purposes of this editorial as any harm or adverse impact caused to the environment, including climate change, the contamination of the land and water through the exposure to or dumping of toxic and hazardous substances and wastes, air pollution, the destruction of ecosystems, and the depletion of biodiversity) [...]
Suitable Site Selection for Solar-Based Green Hydrogen in Southern Thailand Using GIS-MCDM Approach
Authors: Ali Fida , Bennui Adul , Chowdhury Shahariar , Techato Kuaanan
Published: May 2022

Climate change mitigation efforts are in dire need of greener and more versatile fuel alternatives to fossil fuels. Green hydrogen being both renewable and flexible has the potential to offset fossil fuels as the primary fuel source. Countries around the world are planning to develop their green hydrogen industries and accurate potential assessment is vital. This study employed the consolidation of a geographic information system (GIS) and the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) technique of multicriteria decision making (MCDM) for the potential assessment of green hydrogen in southern Thailand, through the selection of suitable sites for solar-based green hydrogen production. Technical, economic, and environmental criteria with 10 sub-criteria were considered for the selection of suitable sites. With 0.243 (24.3%) weight, the distance from protected areas turned out to be the most important sub-criterion, whereas the criterion of elevation, with a 0.017 (1.7%) score, was considered the least important. Southern Thailand is a well-suited area for solar-based green hydrogen production, with a 4302 km2 area of high suitability and a 3350 km2 area of moderate suitability. These suitable areas can be utilized to develop the green hydrogen industry of Thailand, and the method developed can be employed for the assessment of green hydrogen potential in other parts of the country. Studies like these are vital for the development of green hydrogen road maps for Thailand to develop its hydrogen policy and promote investments in the sector.
Sustainable Pavement Materials and Technology
Authors: Botella Ramon
Published: May 2022

In recent years, the pavement materials and technology community has focused most of its research efforts to minimize the environmental impact of the materials and procedures involved in pavement design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation [...]
The Effect of Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera) on Larviculture and Fatty Acid Composition of Pikeperch (Sander lucioperca (L.)) Cultured under Pseudo-Green Water Conditions
Authors: Bischoff Adrian A. , Kubitz Melanie , Wranik Claudia M. , Ballesteros-Redondo Laura , Fink Patrick , Palm Harry W.
Published: May 2022

A new cultivation system with the chlorophyte Monoraphidium contortum combined with a self-sustaining culture of the freshwater rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus was applied for Sander lucioperca (L.) larviculture. Survival, morphometrics, as well as fatty acid composition of pikeperch larvae were analyzed after a ten-day feeding period. By using the pseudo-green water technique with improved aeration and water movement at the surface, survival rates reached up to 94%, with a total larval length of 8.1 ± 0.3 mm and a specific length growth rate of up to 4.1% day−1 for S. lucioperca. The biochemical composition of B. calyciflorus and especially its contents in C18 PUFAs and suitable n-3/n-6 ratios met the nutritional requirements of pikeperch larvae. The high abundance of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in the diet appeared to be less important in the first feeding due to a possible retention of essential fatty acids, which originate from the yolk sac reserves, at adequate levels. Exponential growth of microalgae and zooplankton under the applied conditions was most effective when stocking M. contortum five days and B. calyciflorus three days before adding the fish larvae. Appropriate timing and sufficient live feed density allowed a successful integration of B. calyciflorus into pikeperch larviculture. We hypothesize that feeding pikeperch larvae with a self-sustaining Brachionus-culture under pseudo-green water conditions with minor disruptions during larviculture will improve survival and growth. This system is a first step towards pikeperch larviculture inside recirculated aquaculture systems (RAS) under continuous feed supply with live feed within the same aquaculture unit.
Improving Stress-Strain Behavior of Waste Aggregate Concrete Using Affordable Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Composites
Authors: Rodsin Kittipoom , Ali Nazam , Joyklad Panuwat , Chaiyasarn Krisada , Al Zand Ahmed W. , Hussain Qudeer
Published: May 2022

Several studies have highlighted the potential of crushed brick aggregates in non-structural concrete. This is because crushed brick aggregates offer substandard mechanical properties in comparison to natural stone aggregates. Synthetic Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) sheets have been known to overcome this issue. However, enormous costs associated with synthetic FRPs may limit their use in several low-budget applications. This study recognizes this issue and propose a cost-effective solution in the form of low-cost glass fiber (LC-GFRP) sheets. Two types of brick aggregates (i.e., solid-clay and hollow-clay brick aggregates) were used to fabricate concrete by replacing 50% of natural aggregates. Experimental results of 32 non-circular specimens were reported in this study. To overcome the substandard mechanical properties of recycled brick aggregate concrete (RBAC), specimens were strengthened with 2, 4, and 6 layers of LC-GFRP sheets. Noticeable improvements in ultimate compressive stress and corresponding strain were observed and were found to correlate positively with the number of LC-GFRP sheets. It was found that 4 and 6 layers of LC-GFRP sheets imparted significant axial ductility irrespective of the brick aggregate type and inherent concrete strength. Several existing stress-strain models for confined concrete were considered to predict ultimate confined compressive stress and corresponding strain. Accuracy of existing models was assessed by mean of the ratio of analytical to experimental values and associated standard deviations. For ultimate stress predictions, the lowest mean value of the ratio of analytical to experimental ultimate compressive stress was 1.07 with a standard deviation of 0.10. However, none of the considered models was able to provide good estimates of ultimate strains.
Testing Convergence of Tourism Development and Exploring Its Influencing Factors: Empirical Evidence from the Greater Bay Area in China
Authors: Chen Hui , Chen Tianyi , Li Long , Chen Xiaoliang , Huang Jian
Published: May 2022

Inverse globalization and the spread of epidemics have affected the world economy. Promoting the convergence and resilience of the tourism industry is an important means of boosting regional economic recovery and high-quality development. Taking the nine cities in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) as cases, this study measures the state of development in each city from 2010 to 2019, and it constructs a coupled coordinated model to evaluate the integration of culture and tourism development. The entropy method and the coupling-coordination-degree model are evaluated through this empirical analysis. The results demonstrate that most cities in the GBA show an upward trend in the development and integration of the tourism industry. The development and integration of the tourism industry in Guangzhou and Shenzhen has always been in a leading position. The main factors that affect the level of tourism-industry convergence in the GBA cities include the level of economic development, the scale of government spending, the level of urbanization, and the level of technological innovation.
To Use or Not to Use? Investigating What Drives Tourists to Use Mobile Ticketing Services in Tourism
Authors: Ferreira Marta Campos , Oliveira Manuel , Dias Teresa Galvão
Published: May 2022

The advantages associated with mobile ticketing solutions are undeniable; however, most of these solutions are designed for the local population without taking into account the specific needs of tourists. Therefore, this study fills an important research gap in the literature by assessing the adoption drivers of mobile ticketing services by tourists and pointing out possible directions to the design of such services. The proposed model includes constructs of the technology acceptance model (TAM), diffusion of innovations (DOI) theory, and others widely disseminated in the literature on mobile payments, such as mobility. The model was empirically tested through an online survey, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was applied to analyze the data. The results show that the intention of tourists to use mobile ticketing services is positively affected by the perceived usefulness and mobility. The survey findings also describe additional services that respondents value in a mobile ticket service for tourists, both in normal and in pandemic contexts, useful to shape future mobile ticketing solutions for tourists.
Innovation of Teaching Tools during Robot Programming Learning to Promote Middle School Students’ Critical Thinking
Authors: Liu Hehai , Sheng Jie , Zhao Li
Published: May 2022

In the digital age, robotics education has gained much attention for cultivating learners’ design thinking, creative thinking, critical thinking, and cooperative abilities. In particular, critical thinking as one of the key competencies in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) can stimulate imagination and creation. It is of great value to explore critical thinking cultivation in robot programming learning. Therefore, this study applied different teaching tools to take the content of “making a manipulator through programming and construction” in a robotics course as an experimental context to examine the promotion of learners’ critical thinking. Before the experiment, a pre-test was conducted to measure students’ critical thinking ability. Then, all students were divided randomly into two groups: one as an experimental group with the teaching tool of Construction–Criticism–Migration (CCM) instructional design, and the other as a control group with the traditional teaching tool of demonstrate–practice instructional design. After a 6-week experiment, the measurement of critical thinking was applied as a post-test. SPSS was used to conduct an independent sample t test and one-way ANOVA to explore whether students’ critical thinking ability had improved and whether differences were found between the experimental group and the control group after the 6-week experiment. The results showed that the experimental group students’ critical thinking ability significantly improved, whereas no significant difference was found before and after the experiment for the control group. A significant difference existed between the two groups. This study provides an example of a new instructional design teaching tool for the teaching of robot programming and can provide valuable suggestions for instructors in middle schools.
Sustainability Perspectives of the Sharing Economy: Process of Creating a Library of Things in Finland
Authors: Claudelin Anna , Tuominen Kaisa , Vanhamäki Susanna
Published: May 2022

The transition from a linear economy to a circular economy requires a new way of thinking. In a circular economy, products are used more intensively, for example, by sharing them with others. To understand the possibilities of the sharing economy, environmental, social and economic impacts all need to be considered. The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the importance of the sharing economy as well as to increase understanding of how public sharing-economy services can be launched. The research methods used include a case-study approach and assessment of greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, an implemented cooperation process of creating a tool and device library (the Library of Things) in a small Finnish municipality is described. Furthermore, the library’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions during the first 14 months of operation is assessed. The results indicate that approximately 5752 kg CO2eq was avoided during the 14-month period, assuming that with each loan, manufacturing of a new good was avoided. In addition, strong implications of local positive effects on social sustainability were found.
Artificial Intelligence in the Accounting of International Busi-nesses: A Perception-Based Approach
Authors: Banța Viorel-Costin , Rîndașu Sînziana-Maria , Tănasie Anca , Cojocaru Dorian
Published: May 2022

Do accountants clearly understand the benefits and challenges of using AI? Do they perceive AI as a threat? The adoption of AI in the accounting field has increased significantly in the last few years. Since the techniques continue to evolve, more companies will integrate these solutions to facilitate the accounting processes. Therefore, the accountants’ skills should be adapted to efficiently use these solutions and continue to provide valuable support. This study explores the perception of accounting practitioners regarding the most important benefits and challenges of using AI-based technologies and analyses whether AI is being perceived as a threat that might impact employability. The data were collected during June–August 2021 using a questionnaire addressed to accounting practitioners from Romania. The exploratory research was conducted by statistically analysing the data collected. The results highlight that the practitioners have a clear understanding regarding the main benefits and challenges associated with the use of AI-based solutions in accounting processes, and AI is not perceived as a threat to employability; however, practitioners acknowledge that skills transformation is required and are willing to undergo the changes. By providing a glimpse of the main drivers that encourage accounting practitioners to embrace AI, employers, professional bodies and academia can address the main concerns and continue to support the practitioners in adapting their skills.
A Review and Classification Framework of Traceability Approaches for Identifying Product Supply Chain Counterfeiting
Authors: Gayialis Sotiris P. , Kechagias Evripidis P. , Papadopoulos Georgios A. , Masouras Dimitrios
Published: May 2022

Counterfeiting is found today in many industries and in various forms with severe consequences for supply chain operations. Products counterfeiting can be detected in consumer goods such as clothing, food and beverages, accessories, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and luxury goods. The continuous violations in the supply chain have led to the need for mobilization of all involved stakeholders to overcome counterfeiting challenges. Effective traceability seems to be the only way to combat this phenomenon, ensuring safe and sustainable supply chain operations. This paper presents a structured literature review on traceability approaches for combatting the product supply chain counterfeiting phenomenon that led to forming a structured classification framework. The performed analysis aims to identify trends and good practices and can be used as a guideline for real-life projects against supply chain counterfeiting. The results show that traditional traceability methods are not effective as they can be easily falsified using today’s technological advancements. However, these same advancements also present valuable technologies such as blockchain and the internet of things to ensure safe and sustainable supply chain operations.
Capacity of Marine Microalga Tetraselmis suecica to Biodegrade Phenols in Aqueous Media
Authors: Meza-Escalante Edna R. , Lepe-Martinié Larissa , Díaz-Quiroz Carlos , Serrano-Palacios Denisse , Álvarez-Valencia Luis H. , Rentería-Mexía Ana , Gortáres-Moroyoqui Pablo , Ulloa-Mercado Gabriela
Published: May 2022

Phenolic compounds are toxic and dangerous to the environment and human health. Although the removal of phenols and their derivatives is very difficult, it has been achieved by applying some biological processes. The capacity of microalga to remove phenolic compounds has been demonstrated; however, few reports of the removal of these compounds in a mixture have been published. The removal of phenol, p-cresol and o-cresol was performed by batch kinetics at 50 and 100 mg L−1, and the simultaneous degradation of phenol, p-cresol and o-cresol was carried out in a mixture at 40 mg L−1 using the marine microalga Tetraselmis suecica. The kinetic study was carried out for 192 h. For concentrations of 50 mg L−1 and 100 mg L−1, phenolic compound consumption efficiencies greater than 100% and 85%, respectively, were obtained, and up to 73.6% removal in the mixture. The results obtained indicate that the marine microalga carries out a process of the oxidation of organic matter and phenolic compounds, mineralizing up to 31.4% to CO2 in the mixture. Biological treatments using the marine microalga T. suecica can be considered feasible to treat effluents with concentrations similar to those of the present study.
Sustainability of Egyptian Cities through Utilizing Sewage and Sludge in Softscaping and Biogas Production
Authors: Konbr Usama , Bayoumi Walid , Ali Mohamed N. , Shiba Ahmed Salah Eldin
Published: May 2022

The National Egyptian Agenda 2030 recently adopted the concepts of sustainable cities, mitigating and adapting to climate change. This study responded to these concepts by treating sewage to reuse it in softscaping and recycling sludge to reduce energy consumption and support heating systems by producing biogas. Of the limitations of this study, it focuses on a compound to propose a model to increase the sustainability of Egyptian cities. This study used many technologies, such as biological treatment processes, activated sludge, trickling filters, and fixed bioreactors. However, Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) have seemed to be the most suitable technology because of their low cost and footprint. Additionally, a pilot laboratory was established to simulate the sewage treatment plant. It consisted of a primary sedimentation tank followed by an MBR tank and a chlorine disinfection tank, where the sludge was fed into a cylindrical anaerobic digester. The amount of sludge collected generated 41.5 mL/day of biogas. The application of this large-scale batch reactor will produce around 38 m3/day of biogas. Applying the findings of this study to the treatment and reuse of domestic sewage and sludge can provide up to 50% of the water needed for the green area of the compound.
Quantitative Source Apportionment and Uncertainty Analysis of Heavy Metal(loid)s in the Topsoil of the Nansi Lake Nature Reserve
Authors: Zhao Di , Wu Qiang , Zheng Guodong , Zeng Yifan , Wang Hanyuan , Mei Aoshuang , Gao Shuai , Zhang Xiaohui , Zhang Yao
Published: May 2022

There are numerous coal mines around the Nansi Lake Provincial Nature Reserve, and the mineral resources are extremely rich. Therefore, it is necessary to effectively assess the impact of mining activities on the topsoil. Based on a focused investigation of the contamination status and ecological risks of the Nansi Lake Nature Reserve assisted by GIS, principal component analysis was combined with positive matrix factorization to quantitatively identify the sources and contributions of heavy metal(loid)s in the topsoil before conducting uncertainty analysis. The results showed that coal mining caused higher Cu, Zn, and As contamination levels, while Hg and Cd had higher eco-toxicity and biological sensitivity. Meanwhile, principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) modeling displayed that Hg (59.2%) was primarily generated by industrial sources (fossil fuel combustion and mercury-containing wastewater); As (70.2%), Ni (65.6%), Cr (63.5%), Pb (61.3%), Cu (60.3%), and Zn (55.8%) were generated mainly from coal mining and processing, coal fossil fuel combustion, and coal gangue dumps; Cd (79.8%) came mainly from agricultural sources. Through uncertainty analysis, the contribution of contamination sources to the heavy metal(loid)s in the topsoil, as estimated by the PMF model, was shown to be quite different. Moreover, heavy metal(loid)s with lower contributions had errors in source identification and factor quantification. This study innovatively warned management to control the hazards of heavy metal(loid)s caused by mining engineering to protect the environment of the Nansi Lake Nature Reserve and revealed the potential harmful pathways of heavy metal(loid)s.
Physicochemical Characterization and Assessment of Magnitude of Pollution to Contribute to Water Sustainability
Authors: Ihsane Ougrad , Zahra Elassassi , Sanae Rezouki , Mohammed Elbouch , Bourhia Mohammed , Ali Gomaa A. M. , Ouahmane Lahcen , Salamatullah Ahmad M. , Aboul-Soud Mourad A. M. , Giesy John P. , Mohamed Fadli
Published: May 2022

As in many countries worldwide, deterioration of quality of water in Morocco’s natural reserves continues, such that an inventory of qualities of these reserves has become necessary. Based on statistical analyses of the data collected by measuring nineteen physicochemical variables, and applying an index, the comprehensive pollution index, to those data, the quality of the waters of Lake Dayat Roumi, Morocco, were assessed. Waters of the lake are currently characterized by a salinity of 921.7 mg Cl−/L and 124.2 mg sulfates/L. The concentration of chloride exceeds the value indicated in the standard norms. This can affect the composition of the sediment, overlying water, and specific composition of biota in the lake. Status and trends of values of other parameters also indicate deterioration of water quality in this lake. Multivariate statistical analysis made it possible to differentiate four clusters of samples according to their physicochemical characteristics. These groups are due to inputs from three sources of materials: leaching of rocks from the watershed and plantations, discharge of domestic wastewater and runoff water. Samples taken from deeper parts of the lake indicate a depression of concentrations of dissolved oxygen during the hot season. The analysis results demonstrate the heterogeneous degradation of the water quality in the peripheral areas and deep parts of the lake, favored by the leaching of soils by rainwater, which, when sufficiently severe, can cause repeated mortalities of fishes. This situation requires regular water quality monitoring to develop a management plan for restoration of water quality in the lake to preserve valued ecological services.
Prediction of Clearance Vibration for Intelligent Vehicles Motion Control
Authors: Zhang Yunhe , Zhang Faping , Wang Wuhong , Meng Fanjun , Zhang Dashun , Wang Haixun
Published: May 2022

Motion control analysis should consider the system’s uncertainty to ensure the intelligent vehicle’s autonomy. The clearance structure of the transmission shaft is modeled as a cantilever beam with double clearance to predict the clearance vibration for mitigating the nonlinearity. Based on the Kelvin–Voigt collision model, a clearance model was developed using time-varying parameters identified by the wavelet transform. Comparing the frequency response functions (FRF) of the initial model with constant parameters and the updated model with time-varying parameters, the experimental results from the updated model indicate that the modal assurance criterion (MAC) is increased by 42.92%, 31.08%, 38.97%, and 50.74% in the first-four order. Cross-signature assurance criteria (CSAC) and cross-signature scale factor (CSF) have been increased by 6.55% and 12.37%. The control method based on the clearance model has been verified. In the case of 120 km/h, compared with model-predictive control (MPC) and sliding mode control (SMC), the peak of the lateral position error was reduced by 35.7% and 14.3%, and the peak of the heading error was reduced by 50% and 15.6%.