bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Influencing Parameters Enhancing the Plucking Efficiency of Piezoelectric Energy Harvesters
Authors: Zelenika Saša , Gljušćić Petar , Barukčić Andrea , Perčić Marko
Published: March 2023

The integration of energy harvesting systems into sensing technologies can result in novel autonomous sensor nodes, characterized by significant simplification and mass reduction. The use of piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs), particularly in cantilever form, is considered as one of the most promising approaches aimed at collecting ubiquitous low-level kinetic energy. Due to the random nature of most excitation environments, the narrow PEH operating frequency bandwidth implies, however, the need to introduce frequency up-conversion mechanisms, able to convert random excitation into the oscillation of the cantilever at its eigenfrequency. A first systematic study is performed in this work to investigate the effects of 3D-printed plectrum designs on the specific power outputs obtainable from FUC excited PEHs. Therefore, novel rotating plectra configurations with different design parameters, determined by using a design-of-experiment methodology and manufactured via fused deposition modeling, are used in an innovative experimental setup to pluck a rectangular PEH at different velocities. The obtained voltage outputs are analyzed via advanced numerical methods. A comprehensive insight into the effects of plectrum properties on the responses of the PEHs is attained, representing a new and important step towards the development of efficient harvesters aimed at a wide range of applications, from wearable devices to structural health monitoring systems.
Hybrid IoT Cyber Range
Authors: Balto Karl Edvard , Yamin Muhammad Mudassar , Shalaginov Andrii , Katt Basel
Published: March 2023

The use of IoT devices has increased rapidly in recent times. While the development of new devices is moving quickly, and as prices are being forced down, the costs of developing such devices also needs to be reduced. IoT devices are now trusted with more critical tasks, and it is important that they behave as intended and that the information they process is protected. It is not always the IoT device itself that is the target of a cyber attack, but rather, it can be a tool for another attack. Home consumers, in particular, expect these devices to be easy to use and set up. However, to reduce costs, complexity, and time, security measures are often cut down. To increase awareness and knowledge in IoT security, education, awareness, demonstrations, and training are necessary. Small changes may result in significant security benefits. With increased awareness and knowledge among developers, manufacturers, and users, they can make choices that can improve security. To increase knowledge and awareness in IoT security, a proposed solution is a training ground for IoT security, an IoT cyber range. Cyber ranges have received more attention lately, but not as much in the IoT field, at least not what is publicly available. As the diversity in IoT devices is large with different vendors, architectures, and components and peripherals, it is difficult to find one solution that fits all IoT devices. To some extent, IoT devices can be emulated, but it is not feasible to create emulators for all types of devices. To cover all needs, it is necessary to combine digital emulation with real hardware. A cyber range with this combination is called a hybrid cyber range. This work surveys the requirements for a hybrid IoT cyber range and proposes a design and implementation of a range that fulfills those requirements.
Energy-Efficient LoRa Routing for Smart Grids
Authors: Repuri Raja Kishore , Darsy John Pradeep
Published: March 2023

Energy-efficient routing protocols in Internet of Things (IoT) applications are always of colossal importance as they improve the network’s longevity. The smart grid (SG) application of the IoT uses advanced metring infrastructure (AMI) to read and record power consumption periodically or on demand. The AMI sensor nodes in a smart grid network sense, process, and transmit information, which require energy, which is a limited resource and is an important parameter required to maintain the network for a longer duration. The present work discusses a novel energy-efficient routing criterion in an SG environment realised using LoRa nodes. Firstly, a modified LEACH protocol–cumulative low-energy adaptive clustering hierarchy (Cum_LEACH) is proposed for cluster head selection among the nodes. It uses the cumulative energy distribution of the nodes to select the cluster head. Furthermore, for test packet transmission, multiple optimal paths are created using the quadratic kernelised African-buffalo-optimisation-based LOADng (qAB_LOADng) algorithm. The best optimal path is selected from these multiple paths using a modified version of the MAX algorithm called the SMAx algorithm. This routing criterion showed an improved energy consumption profile of the nodes and the number of active nodes after running for 5000 iterations compared to standard routing protocols such as LEACH, SEP, and DEEC.
Rio 2016 Olympic Legacy for Residents of Favelas: Revisiting the Case of Vila Autódromo Five Years Later
Authors: Rocha Claudio M.
Published: March 2023

The aim of this research was to explore and describe the long-term social impact the Rio 2016 Olympic gentrification had in Vila Autódromo from the perspective of former and current residents. Vila Autódromo is a small favela located next to the Rio 2016 Olympic Park. It was almost totally removed during the process of preparing the area to host the Games. In this research, I interviewed 13 residents who passed through the process of eviction threats and displacement. Five still live in Vila Autódromo, whilst eight moved to social apartments provided by the city hall. Interviews revealed that the legacy of Rio 2016 for Vila Autódromo residents can be understood from three broad themes: (1) disempowerment of the community, (2) resistance and resilience during the process, and (3) life after the Games. The residents see the city hall as the main culprit of their displacement, as they were denied their right to the city. However, they also mention the catalytic role of the Olympic Games during the process. They conclude that the legacy of Rio 2016 for them is a very sad story.
Design Archives: Sustainable Solutions for Young Designers in Valencia, Spain
Authors: Gaitán Mar , Alba Ester , Giner Xavier , Navarro María
Published: March 2023

Design education is practical and theoretical; however, it does not usually include the study of cultural heritage. Nonetheless, relations with academia have been strong since the 18th century, when the need to educate designers spread across the continent to improve design and make it competitive in the market. In this paper, we recover that spirit and act as mediators between heritage and young people to create links and preserve cultural heritage. A case study was conducted at the Public Valencian Design School with 31 product design students. The methodology applied was based on iterative processes that allowed students to discover design and silk heritage when they proposed innovative ways of approaching it. A qualitative survey was used to evaluate the case study. The results showed that students increased their appreciation for cultural heritage (by more than 90%) as well as their willingness to preserve it and reuse it in their future creations. Collaboration between cultural heritage and design might foster sustainable conservation and mark the future steps of ongoing collaboration.
Evolution Modes of Chili Pepper Industry Clusters under the Perspective of Social Network—An Example from Xinfu District, Xinzhou, Shanxi Province
Authors: Yu Jie , You Fei , Wang Jian , Wang Zishan
Published: March 2023

This study evaluates the progression and influencing factors of the chili pepper industry cluster in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province from 2006 to 2020 from a social network standpoint, using both theoretical and empirical methods as well as incorporating field survey data. The findings reveal the following facts: (1) the chili pepper industry cluster underwent a steady evolution in the social network over the course of 15 years, evidenced by an increase in the network clustering coefficient from 0.157 to 0.470. The network scale expanded from 9 to 76 entities; thus it basically achieved maturity; (2) the development modes of the chili pepper industry cluster in Xinfu District can be summarized as follows: an “embryonic stage” (2006–2010), an “initial stage” (2011–2015), and a “developmental stage” (2016–2020), which are marked by a broker-centered industry mode during the embryonic stage, a cooperatives-centered industry mode during the initial stage, and a chili pepper association- and leading enterprise-centered industry mode during the developmental stage; (3) the policies, fund, market, labor, and external capital have a significant impact on the development of the chili industry cluster in the Xinfu District. During the embryonic stage, the primary influencing factors are fund (0.326) and market (0.309). During the initial stage, the primary influencing factors are market (0.162) and external capital (0.135). During the developmental stage, the primary influencing factors are policy (0.232) and market (0.232), with technology (−0.102) serving as a limiting factor. It is crucial to take into account natural resource endowment and industry mode features, foster technological advancement, and spur social capital involvement in developing chili pepper industry clusters. The government must create a supportive external environment for the chili pepper industry cluster’s growth to establish a solid foundation for the high-quality advancement of the agricultural industry cluster. The insights derived from this study can serve as a reference and source of inspiration for the growth of other vegetable industry clusters in China.
Spatio-Temporal Evolution Patterns of Hydrological Connectivity of Wetland Biodiversity Hotspots in Sanjiang Plain between 1995 and 2015
Authors: Xu Nan , Liang Xueshi , Zhang Tianyi , Dong Juexian , Wang Yuan , Qu Yi
Published: March 2023

Hydrological connectivity is the main non-biological driving factor of wetland ecological processes and is key to maintaining the stability and biodiversity of the whole ecosystem. Socio-economic activities have had a significant impact on the hydrological connectivity of wetlands, resulting in the loss of biodiversity and the degradation of the ecological functions of wetlands. Wetland biodiversity hotspots in Sanjiang Plain that were identified in the previous literature using the Systematic Conservation Planning (SCP) method were chosen as the research objects. The SCP method was combined with the structural hydrological connectivity index (Integral Index of Connectivity (IIC) and Probability of Connectivity (PC)) and the functional hydrological connectivity index (Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis) to analyze the spatio-temporal changes in the hydrological connectivity of the wetland biodiversity hotspots in Sanjiang Plain. The results showed that the hydrological connectivity within the eight identified wetland biodiversity hotspots in Sanjiang Plain experienced varying degrees of decline in the period between 1995 and 2015. Structurally, the IIC values of wetlands in all of the biodiversity hotspots were more than 0.5, and the PC values were more than 0.9, but most of the hotspots showed declining trends of varying degrees from 2010 to 2015. Functionally, the average proportion of core wetlands in the hotspots has decreased by 4.82%, and the average proportion of edge wetlands has increased by 2.71% over the last 20 years. The findings on the hydrological connectivity evolution patterns can aid in the conservation and restoration of wetlands and biodiversity hotspots.
Effects of Land Use and Cropping on Soil Erosion in Agricultural Frontier Areas in the Cerrado-Amazon Ecotone, Brazil, Using a Rainfall Simulator Experiment
Authors: Alves Marco Aurélio Barbosa , de Souza Adilson Pacheco , de Almeida Frederico Terra , Hoshide Aaron Kinyu , Araújo Handrey Borges , da Silva Apoliano Francisco , de Carvalho Daniel Fonseca
Published: March 2023

Agricultural soils provide ecosystem services, but the removal of natural vegetation reduces water infiltration capacity, increasing surface runoff. Thus, monitoring erosion is critical for sustainable agricultural management. Sediment losses and surface runoff were evaluated using a simulated rainfall of 75 mm/h in areas with crops and pastures in both the Caiabi River and Renato River sub-basins of the Teles Pires River watershed in Mato Grosso State, Brazil. In both the Caiabi and Renato sub-basins, data were collected from 156 observations in the upper, middle, and lower regions where (1) soybeans, (2) maize, and (3) pasture were grown alone, with another crop, or with soil that was scarified. Erosion occurred independent of soil texture and was closely related to the management and use of systems involving fewer crops and more soil scarification, regardless of sub-basin location. In uncovered, scarified soil, the soil losses from erosion were greater compared to covered soil, regardless of sub-basin and sub-basin region. In the Renato River sub-basin, soil losses in cultivated areas not planted with crops but with scarification were 66.01, 90.79, and 60.02 g/square meter in the upper, middle, and lower regions, respectively. Agricultural producers need to increase the planting of crops throughout the year and minimize soil disturbance, which will reduce soil erosion and improve sustainability.
Architectural Reply for Smart Building Design Concepts Based on Artificial Intelligence Simulation Models and Digital Twins
Authors: Almusaed Amjad , Yitmen Ibrahim
Published: March 2023

Artificial Intelligence (AI) simulation models and digital twins (DT) are used in designing and treating the activities, layout, and functions for the new generation of buildings to enhance user experience and optimize building performance. These models use data about a building’s use, configuration, functions, and environment to simulate different design options and predict their effects on house function efficiency, comfort, and safety. On the one hand, AI algorithms are used to analyze this data and find patterns and trends that can guide the design process. On the other hand, DTs are digital recreations of actual structures that can replicate building performance in real time. These models would evaluate alternative design options, the performance of the building, and ways to improve user comfort and building efficiency. This study examined the important role of intelligent building design aspects, such as activities using multi-layout and the creation of particular functions based on AI simulation models, in developing DT-based smart building systems. The empirical data came from a study of architecture and engineering firms throughout the globe using a CSAQ (computer-administered, self-completed survey). For this purpose, the study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the hypotheses and build the relationship model. The research verifies the relevance of AI-based simulation models supporting the creation of intelligent building design features (activities, layout, functionalities), enabling the construction of DT-based smart building systems. Furthermore, this study highlights the need for further exploration of AI-based simulation models’ role and integration with DT in smart building design.
The Water–Energy–Food Nexus in European Countries: A Review and Future Perspectives
Authors: Rezaei Kalvani Somayeh , Celico Fulvio
Published: March 2023

The interaction between water, energy, and food as the water–energy–food (WEF) nexus has drawn much attention recently to solve upcoming uncertainty in food security. The aim of this study is to investigate the status of the WEF nexus in European countries. It is indicated that the largest nexus studies (among 27 European countries) have been conducted in Spain and Italy. It is confirmed that there is a large number of nexus studies in water-stressed countries while there are few studies on water-abundant countries (Slovakia and Luxembourg). Based on existing research, the majority of nexus studies focused on energy production. It is highlighted that most of the nexus studies were focused on water quantity aspects (rarely related to quality aspects) and energy; however, other resources including land, climate, ecosystem, soil, and environment received little attention. The migration of people as a result of climate change in the WEF nexus is not considered. Moreover, there is a lack of common and standard frameworks for nexus assessment. Therefore, we suggest a standard approach for nexus studies and produce a cross-sectoral and holistic approach for the evaluation of a water (quantity and quality)–energy–food–land–climate (WqEFLC) nexus that takes into consideration the circular economy.
Identification and Prioritization of Tourism Development Strategies Using SWOT, QSPM, and AHP: A Case Study of Changbai Mountain in China
Authors: Fan Ping , Zhu Yihao , Ye Zi , Zhang Guodao , Gu Shanchuan , Shen Qi , Meshram Sarita Gajbhiye , Alvandi Ehsan
Published: March 2023

This research was conducted with the objective of identifying and ranking the tourism sector development strategies for the Changbai Mountain. The SWOT approach was used to construct strategies and the QSPM matrix and AHP method were employed to rank selected strategies. A questionnaire and the Delphi technique were used to collect and analyze research data from forty specialists. The effectiveness of 16 internal factors and 12 external factors in the business region was assessed. According to the results obtained, “Existence of beautiful natural features with distinctive scenery” is the most significant strength of Changbai Mountain. Also, “Inadequate amenities and weakness of infrastructure construction” has been established as the most significant weakness. The term “Adapting the development of the region to the national strategy” is among the most significant external opportunities. Additionally, the “islanding phenomenon” is one of the most significant threats. Sixteen plans were recommended for the growth of the Changbai Mountain’s tourism business. On the basis of the matrix of internal–external components in the SWOT model, an offensive strategy was identified as the optimal approach. We used the combined SWOT-AHP model with 4 criteria and 28 sub-criteria to determine the optimum strategy in the second model, and offensive methods were given the highest priority. The results showed that the “Taking advantage of the natural, historical potentials, etc.” and “Establishing an appropriate mechanism for public and private sector investment” strategies are the most crucial for improving the condition in Changbai Mountain. Therefore, special consideration should be given to the tourism potential in this region, and it should be placed on the agenda of managers and planners in order to strengthen the tourism industry, the region’s economic status, and create employment opportunities.
Experimental Study on the Aerodynamic Performance and Wave Energy Capture Efficiency of Square and Curved OWC Wave Energy Conversion Devices
Authors: Li Xueyan , Yu Zhen , Qu Hengliang , Yang Moyao , Shi Hongyuan , Zhang Zhenhua
Published: March 2023

To develop novel wave energy conversion devices (WECDs) with excellent performance, the relative wave height and pressure in the chambers of square and curved oscillating water column (OWC) WECDs were compared through physical model tests, and the effects of regular incident wave factors, the opening length, the opening width, and the chamber volume on the aerodynamic performance and wave energy capture efficiency (WECE) of the WECDs were investigated. The results indicated good chamber performance for both the square and curved OWC WECDs. As the incident wave height increased, the wave surface elevation, WECE, and pressure in the chamber all increased, while the relative wave height in the chamber decreased. When the opening length, width, and area of the WECD increased, both the relative wave height and chamber pressure increased. The relative wave height in the chamber increased with decreasing chamber volume; however, the chamber pressure and intrachamber WECE decreased with increasing chamber volume. It is recommended that, in actual engineering applications, the overall efficiency of the device be improved by increasing the opening length, width, area and volume of the air chamber.
Review of Lubrication and Cooling in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Machine Tools: A Content and Visualization Analysis, Research Hotspots and Gaps
Authors: Kumar Raman , Sharma Shubham , Kumar Ranvijay , Verma Sanjeev , Rafighi Mohammad
Published: March 2023

Lubrication and cooling (LC) are critical for mechanical devices’ effective and dependable functioning, because they decrease friction and wear of moving components, ensuring superior efficiency. However, the cutting fluids in machining operations are a key cause of fear, due to their high cost, environmental impact, and health risks, particularly in computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools (MTs). During the industrial revolutions, MTs superseded manual labour and increased efficiency and output. Therefore, much research was conducted on lubrication and cooling in CNC machine tools (LC in CNC MTs). Therefore, it has become necessary to review and highlight research hotspots and gaps using specific means that can benefit budding researchers. The present review aims to identify research hotspots and gaps of LC in CNC MTs utilizing content and visualization analysis, employing VOSviewer and Biblioshiny software. The analysis comprises 136 documents retrieved by Scopus between 1988 and 2022. The analysis revealed a consistent growth in publications, primarily consisting of articles, with a minor proportion of review documents and conference papers. The keywords were categorized into seven clusters, with a notable prevalence of ‘surface roughness’ and ‘CNC machine tools’. A word cloud was generated to visualize the author’s frequently used keywords, where larger font sizes represented higher frequency. The treemaps demonstrated that ‘CNC’ appeared 34 times and contributed 8%, followed by ‘machine’, ‘tool’, ‘machining’, and ‘thermal’. In the abstract-terms tree plot, ‘machine’ appeared 235 times and contributed 7%, followed by ‘CNC’, ‘machining’, ‘tool’, and ‘cutting’. The content and visualization analysis identified six research hotspots: computer control systems, machine tools, computer numerical control, machining, numerical control systems, and surface roughness (Ra). The research gaps are temperature, cooling systems, cutting forces, energy utilization, tool life, nanoparticles, electric power utilization, and energy conservation. Based on hotspots and gaps, literature evaluations extensively addressed the strong roadmap of technical improvements and problems of LC in CNC MTs. A complete visualization and content analysis also produced a conceptual framework for best practices, and the study offers insight into the issues and prospects.
Priorities, Scale and Insights: Opportunities and Challenges for Community Involvement in SDG Implementation and Monitoring
Authors: González Ainhoa , Mc Guinness Shane , Murphy Enda , Kelliher Grainne , Hagin-Meade Lyn
Published: March 2023

Monitoring progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) mainly relies on national voluntary review mechanisms, which often depend on regional spatial data and statistics. While it is critical that governments take ownership of SDG implementation and reporting, many communities are proactively driving changes towards sustainability through local action. This paper explores the potential implications of bridging national and local implementation and reporting through the lens of SDG indicators data. It presents a community-driven case study for sustainability monitoring in the Republic of Ireland, exploring how local priorities and associated data scalability and insights provide opportunities and challenges towards a comprehensive and accurate understanding of SDG progress in implementation and achievement. Systemic data availability and scale limitations weaken the evidence-base needed for informed community-driven sustainable development initiatives. Similarly, local efforts to track changes on relevant indicators are uncommon but necessary for filling in data gaps and contributing to a more accurate national reporting. The achievement of the SDGs requires invested commitment across national, regional, local, and community levels. The implementation of sustainability interventions and tracking any changes these may enact on relevant indicators is equally a joint effort, which calls for strategic data and knowledge exchange partnerships.
Evaluation of the Usage Requirements of Hospital Signage Systems Based on the Kano Model
Authors: Deng Lujie , Romainoor Nurul Hanim , Zhang Bolun
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to determine the quality type and importance ranking of hospital signage systems’ usage requirements using the Kano model. This study collected data from 300 users in three hospitals in Guangzhou and evaluated 32 metrics of hospital signage systems. The Kano model questionnaire was used to analyze the quality type of each demand indicator, and the better–worse coefficient was used to calculate the sensitivity and importance ranking of the demand. Of the 32 attributes evaluated by participants, 4 are must-be quality (M), 4 are one-dimensional quality (O), 12 are attractive quality (A), and 12 are indifferent quality (I). The results of this study suggest that the presence of most of the evaluated attributes is associated with maintaining a level of user satisfaction, and the lack of these attributes causes user dissatisfaction. There is a strong demand for basic usage functions and an easy-to-use hospital signage system. In addition, users often wish to add and improve signage functions and have greater expectations for the inclusion of features such as digital intelligence and regional culture in this study. The results of this study show that the Kano model can better derive the user requirements for hospital signage systems and can promote the improvement of hospital signage systems in a more targeted manner, according to the quality type and importance of requirements, providing a research basis for the sustainable development of healthcare services.
Impacts of Climate Change on Permafrost and Hydrological Processes in Northeast China
Authors: Shan Wei , Wang Yan , Guo Ying , Zhang Chengcheng , Liu Shuai , Qiu Lisha
Published: March 2023

Permafrost is very sensitive to climate change, and the accelerated degradation of permafrost in Northeast China caused by global climate change will change the hydrological and ecological processes in the region and cause significant impacts on natural systems and human activities. In this study, the spatial distribution of permafrost in Northeast China from 2000 to 2020 was simulated using an improved ground freezing number model. The spatial and temporal variations of permafrost thickness and active layer thickness were estimated using the mean ground temperature method based on the obtained permafrost distribution. Based on the above simulation results, the mean annual ground temperature and field monitoring temperature gradient, based on remote sensing estimation and the ice content data of permafrost, were used to calculate the amount of permafrost ice storage in Northeast China for many years and to predict the amount of water released from permafrost in the future to better reveal the influence of permafrost changes on ecohydrological changes in the watershed. The results show that, in the past 20 years, climate warming has led to the degradation of the permafrost area in Northeast China from 3.31 × 105 km2 to 2.70 × 105 km2, with a degradation rate of 18.43%; the stored ice in the permafrost has been released at an accelerated rate. The total ice storage volume in the permafrost of Northeast China is 3.178 × 1011 m3. The amount of ice storage in the permafrost increases with latitude and altitude, and the ice storage volume decreases to 6.641 × 1010 m3 after 100 years, which is a decrease of 2.514 × 1011 m3. The amount of water released due to permafrost degradation accounts for 79.11% of the current total ice storage, and the rate of water release reaches 2.51 × 109 m3/a. The release of water from permafrost has an important impact on river runoff whose source is at high altitudes, such as the Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains in Northeast China.
Spatial and Temporal Study of Supernatant Process Water Pond in Tailings Storage Facilities: Use of Remote Sensing Techniques for Preventing Mine Tailings Dam Failures
Authors: Cacciuttolo Carlos , Cano Deyvis
Published: March 2023

Considering the global impact on society due to tailings storage facilities (TSFs) accidents, this article describes a study to monitor mine tailings management and prevent mining tailings dam failures, considering the analysis of different TSFs real cases. The spatial and temporal dynamic behavior of the supernatant process water pond of the TSFs is studied as a critical issue, using remote sensing techniques based on multispectral satellite imagery. To understand the current state of the art, a brief description of engineering studies for the control and management of the supernatant process water pond in TSFs is presented. This research considers the main method of the study of practical cases with the use of techniques of multispectral interpretation of satellite images from the Sentinel 2 remote sensor. In addition, the management of tools such as Geographical Information System (GIS) and Google Earth Engine (GEE) is implemented, as well as the application of some spectral indices such as NDWI and the joint use of (i) NDVI, (ii) mNDWI, and (iii) EVI. Real TSF cases are analyzed, including the dam failures of Jagersfontain TSF in South Africa and Williamson TSF in Tanzania. Finally, this article concludes that the size, location, and temporal variability of the supernatant process water pond within a TSF has a direct impact on safety and the possible potential risk of the physical instability of tailings dams.
Synthesis and Electrochemical Properties of Co3O4@Reduced Graphene Oxides Derived from MOF as Anodes for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications
Authors: Guo Yi-Xuan , Huang Chia-Hung , Gandomi Yasser Ashraf , Hsieh Chien-Te , Liu Wei-Ren
Published: March 2023

In this study, we utilized nano-sized Co3O4 and reduced graphene oxides (rGOs) as composite anode materials for Li-ion batteries. The Co3O4/C composite anode was derived from ZIF67 (Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-67) and was wrapped in rGOs through precipitation. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to identify the crystal structure, phase purity, and surface morphology of the composite. The composition-optimized Co3O4/rGO/C composite anode exhibited a reversible capacity of 1326 mAh/g in the first cycle, which was higher than that of the Co3O4/C composite anode with a capacity of 900 mAh/g at a current density of 200 mA/g. Moreover, after 80 cycles, Co3O4/rGO/C maintained a capacity of 1251 mAh/g at the same current density, which was also higher than the bare Co3O4/C composite (595 mAh/g). Additionally, the Co3O4/rGO/C composite exhibited a good capacity retention of 98% after 90 cycles, indicating its excellent cycling stability and high capacity. Therefore, the Co3O4/rGO/C electrode has great potential as a promising anode material for Li-ion batteries.
Emotional Intelligence and Resilience: Predictors of Life Satisfaction among Mountain Trainers
Authors: Gavín-Chocano Óscar , Martín-Talavera Laura , Sanz-Junoy Guillermo , Molero David
Published: March 2023

High-level performance in mountain sports would be unlikely unless different emotional factors are taken into account through the analysis of psychological characteristics, such as mood, resilience, or motivation, among many other variables. In this study, 788 people with a sports degree from the Spanish Federation of Mountain Sports and Climbing (FEDME) participated, 75.3% of whom were men and 24.5% of whom were women. The mean age of the participants was 49.8 years (±12.8), ranging from 18 to 76 years. The Wong Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS-S), the RS-14 Resilience Scale, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) instruments were used. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship between the dimensions of emotional intelligence, resilience, and life satisfaction. The results showed a relationship between several of the dimensions from the instruments used (p < 0.01). In terms of gender, higher scores were found for women than for men. The regression model shows that both the dimensions of emotional intelligence [appraisal of own emotions (β = 0.104; p < 0.001); use of emotions (β = 0.30; p < 0.001); emotional regulation (β = 0.103; p < 0.001)] and resilience [personal competence (β = 0.402; p < 0.001)] are predictors of greater life satisfaction, positively explained by the regression model with 44.1% accuracy. Further proposals should extend the results obtained to the analysis of more sports modalities to provide evidence that would complement those extracted in this research.
Academics in Lockdown: A Gendered Perspective on Self-Esteem in Academia during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown
Authors: Walters Cyrill , Ronnie Linda , Plessis Marieta du , Jansen Jonathan
Published: March 2023

This qualitative research explores the experiences and sense-making of self-worth of 1857 South African women academics during the enforced pandemic lockdown between March and September 2020; the study was conducted through an inductive, content analysis process. Since worldwide lockdowns were imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, women academics, in particular, have reported a unique set of challenges from working from home. Gender inequality within the scientific enterprise has been well documented; however, the cost to female academics’ self-esteem, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic, has yet to be fully realized. The findings of the study include negative emotional experiences related to self-worth, engagement in social comparisons, and the fear of judgement by colleagues, which were exacerbated by peer pressure. Finally, the sense-making of academic women’s self-esteem as it relates to their academic identity was reported. Beyond being the first comprehensive national study on the topic, the study’s insights are more broadly useful for determining what support, accommodation, and assistance is needed for academic women to sustain performance in their academic and research duties at universities worldwide.
Social Network Emotional Marketing Influence Model of Consumers’ Purchase Behavior
Authors: Bin Sheng
Published: March 2023

With the deepening application of Internet technology, social network emotional marketing has become a new way of sustainability marketing. However, most of the existing emotional marketing research belongs to the field of qualitative research, and there is a lack of data analysis and empirical research between social network emotional marketing and consumers’ purchase behavior. In this paper, firstly the influencing factors of consumers’ purchase behavior are extracted from a massive social network emotional marketing data set, and the Delphi method is adopted to interview experts to revise and improve the influencing factors. Then, a model simulating the influence of social network emotional marketing on consumers’ purchasing behavior is constructed. The proposed model explores the mechanism of the influence of social network emotional marketing on consumers’ purchase behavior through trust, attachment and other psychological factors from the perspective of emotion. Finally, a questionnaire is used to obtain survey data, and statistical methods are used to analyze the relevant data, so as to verify the correctness of the proposed model and related research hypothesis.
Explaining the Paradox of World University Rankings in China: Higher Education Sustainability Analysis with Sentiment Analysis and LDA Topic Modeling
Authors: Wen Yating , Zhao Xiaodong , Li Xingguo , Zang Yuqi
Published: March 2023

The development of the World University Rankings (WURs) has produced the following paradox. On the one hand, the WURs are often criticized for their ranking methodology and logic. On the other hand, the WURs are growing in influence worldwide. Universities are caught in a vicious cycle of pursuing indicators, which has a negative impact on the sustainability of higher education. In order to explain the development paradox of WURs, this research uses sentiment analysis and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic modeling to understand how the WURs thrive amid controversy by analyzing the emotion and cognition in 18,466 Chinese public comments on the WURs. The research found that (1) although the Chinese public has mixed feelings about the WURs, the overall sentiment is positive; (2) the Chinese public perceives the WURs through four main perspectives: standpoint cognition, dialectical cognition, interest cognition, and cultural cognition; and (3) the public is more concerned about whether their standpoints are met, whether their interests are reflected, and whether their individual experiences are verified but rarely think about the problems of ranking from a dialectical perspective. The need for ranking has always existed but the issue of ranking has often been ignored, leading to the development paradox of rankings.
Additive Manufacture of Recycled Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Using Pyromellitic Dianhydride Targeted for FDM 3D-Printing Applications
Authors: Alzahrani Mohammed , Alhumade Hesham , Simon Leonardo , Yetilmezsoy Kaan , Madhuranthakam Chandra Mouli R. , Elkamel Ali
Published: March 2023

The suitability of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (R-PET) for 3D-printing applications was evaluated by studying the melt flow characteristics of the polymer. R-PET is known to experience significant deterioration in its mechanical properties when recycled due to molecular weight loss that results from reprocessing. Lower molecular weight hinders R-PET from being 3D-printable due to low viscosity and melt strength. The hypothesis was that R-PET can be modified with reasonable effort and resources to a 3D-printable thermoplastic if the low viscosity problem is tackled. Higher viscosity will enhance both the melt strength and the melt flow characteristic of the polymer, making it more suitable for processing and 3D printing. Reactive extrusion was selected as the method for modifying the polymer to achieve the objective via a coupling reaction with chain extender PMDA (pyromellitic dianhydride). A decrease in the melt flow index (MFI) from 90 to 1.2 (g/10 min) was recorded when PMDA was added at 0.75 wt% which lowered the MFI of modified R-PET to a comparable value to commercial 3D-printing filaments. Furthermore, FT-IR analysis was performed to investigate the chemical composition of the product. Finally, a 3D-printing filament was made from the modified R-PET by mimicking the main processing stations that exist in the filament-making process, which are the extrusion stage, water bath cooling stage and spooling stage. With 0.75 wt% PMDA, the melt strength was satisfactory for pulling the filament and, therefore, a filament with on-spec dimension was produced. Finally, a small object was successfully 3D-printed using the filament product at a minimum recommended temperature of 275 °C.
Optimal Model Predictive Control for Virtual Inertia Control of Autonomous Microgrids
Authors: Saleh Amr , Hasanien Hany M. , A. Turky Rania , Turdybek Balgynbek , Alharbi Mohammed , Jurado Francisco , Omran Walid A.
Published: March 2023

For the time being, renewable energy source (RES) penetration has significantly increased in power networks, particularly in microgrids. The overall system inertia is dramatically decreased by replacing traditional synchronous machines with RES. This negatively affects the microgrid dynamics under uncertainties, lowering the microgrid frequency stability, specifically in the islanded mode of operation. Therefore, this work aims to enhance the islanded microgrid frequency resilience using the virtual inertia frequency control concept. Additionally, optimal model predictive control (MPC) is employed in the virtual inertial control model. The optimum design of the MPC is attained using an optimization algorithm, the African Vultures Optimization Algorithm (AVOA). To certify the efficacy of the proposed controller, the AVOA-based MPC is compared with a conventional proportional–integral (PI) controller that is optimally designed using various optimization techniques. The actual data of RES is utilized, and a random load power pattern is applied to achieve practical simulation outcomes. Additionally, the microgrid paradigm contains battery energy storage (BES) units for enhancing the islanded microgrid transient stability. The simulation findings show the effectiveness of AVOA-based MPC in improving the microgrid frequency resilience. Furthermore, the results secure the role of BES in improving transient responses in the time domain simulations. The simulation outcomes are obtained using MATLAB software.
Does Green Mindfulness Promote Green Organizational Citizenship Behavior: A Moderated Mediation Model
Authors: Chen Chunyan , Rasheed Anmol , Ayub Arslan
Published: March 2023

The study aims to assess the impact of frontline managers’ green mindfulness on green organizational citizenship behavior (G-OCB). Moreover, the authors propose that the mediator effect of green intrinsic motivation and the moderator effect of green transformational leadership influence the direct relationship between green mindfulness and G-OCB. By employing a time-lagged, multisource research design, the authors analyze data collected from service firms’ frontline managers in the tourism and hospitality industry using SmartPLS SEM (v 4). Our findings indicate that green mindfulness significantly influences G-OCB through the mediator effect of green intrinsic motivation. Further, the study finds a significant intervening role of green transformational leadership in the underlying associations; the direct association between green mindfulness and green intrinsic motivation, and the indirect relationship between green mindfulness and G-OCB through green intrinsic motivation, are stronger(/weaker) at higher(/lower) levels of green transformational leadership. The study presents an essential framework that underpins the association between frontline managers’ green mindfulness and G-OCB by casting green intrinsic motivation as a mediator and green transformational leadership as a moderator. Service firms in the tourism and hospitality industry may benefit from our hypothesized framework by implementing the necessary interventions to foster employees’ G-OCB with the help of green transformational leadership as a contextual antecedent, and green mindfulness and green intrinsic motivation as individual-level antecedents.
The Investments in Human Capital within the Human Capital Management and the Impact on the Enterprise’s Performance
Authors: Kucharčíková Alžbeta , Mičiak Martin , Tokarčíková Emese , Štaffenová Nikola
Published: March 2023

Human capital (HC) is a key factor for enterprises’ performance and competitiveness. The aim of this study was to identify how enterprises in Slovakia perceive the impact of the investments in HC on business performance within the context of the implementation of human capital management (HCM). The content analysis was applied to analyze the different authors’ opinions on the substance of HC. These opinions were compared, and the knowledge obtained was synthesized. The article’s originality stems from the evaluation of the results from a unique questionnaire survey conducted with a specific focus on IT companies. This follows the presumption that these companies approach the application of HCM in an exemplary way, while being considered knowledge intensive. To collect the primary data, a questionnaire survey was performed in 113 Slovak IT enterprises and its results were analyzed using statistical tests of independence. The main findings include the corroboration of a positive effect of investments in the employees’ education and the implementation of HCM on the enterprises’ performance. Despite this, more than a third of the enterprises did not evaluate the effectiveness of investment in HC, and more than half of enterprises did not have the HCM concept implemented. Several solutions are recommended with respect to the HR managers’ training.
An Integrated MCDM Model for Sustainable Course Planning: An Empirical Case Study in Accounting Education
Authors: Tao Min , Wang Xiong
Published: March 2023

As an essential element of higher education, course planning at the program level is a complicated multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. In addition, a course planning process tailored to sustainable development is exceptionally important to sustaining the quality of academic programs. However, there is a scarcity of research on the program course planning problem at the operational level due to a diverse set of stakeholder requirements in practice. Motivated by the challenge, this study proposes an innovative MCDM model for sustainable course planning based on He-Xie management theory. In the introduced framework, the best worst method (BWM) can obtain the optimal weights of sustainability competencies, which are then embedded into the fuzzy filter ranking (FFR) method to generate the ranking of candidate courses by each course module, considering the connectivity between courses and the development of sustainability competencies. Finally, multi-choice goal programming (MCGP) is adopted to allocate each selected course to a semester, aiming to balance total credits and average difficulty level among semesters as much as possible. The practicability and reliability of the proposed course planning model is validated through a case study of an undergraduate accounting program. Results show that the proposed framework is a feasible tool for course planning. This research extends the existing literature on course planning by explicitly capturing the fuzzy nature of human decision making and avoids underestimation of the decision. The implications of the paper are not restricted to developing a sustainable course plan for an accounting program.