bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sewage Sludge as N-Fertilizers for Crop Production Enabling the Circular Bioeconomy in Agriculture: A Challenge for the New EU Regulation 1009/2019
Authors: Cucina Mirko , De Nisi Patrizia , Sordi Simone , Adani Fabrizio
Published: December 2021

The fertilizer framework in the European Union has recently been reviewed by EU Regulation 1009/2019 that excluded sewage sludge from the list of the possible constituents of organic fertilizers relying on their origin, not on their quality. This paper aimed to carry out a complete characterization of sewage sludge obtained from a pharmaceutical manufacturing process (PDSS) to demonstrate that sewage sludge obtained from a standardized and controlled manufacturing process can be safely recycled as organic fertilizer. The agronomic and environmental characteristics of the PDSS product were analyzed and compared to other organic fertilizers. Its fertilizing potential was also evaluated through plant growth trials. PDSS was characterized by a high concentration of total N (6.6% w/w), which was all present in organic form. PDSS also showed a low concentration of heavy metals, an absence of pathogens and low concentrations of organic contaminants. Plant growth trials showed that the PDSS was able to improve lettuce and carrot growth (+25 and +46% of dry weight compared to the unfertilized control), as well as their physiological status. Considering all the results, the exclusion of sewage sludge relying only on its origin and not on its quality appears to conflict with the principles of the circular bioeconomy.
Lead Biosorption Characterisation of Aspergillus piperis
Authors: de Wet Maria Martha Marthina , Brink Hendrik Gideon
Published: December 2021

In this study, the Pb(II) adsorption capabilities of the heavy metal tolerant strain of fungus, Aspergillus piperis, were studied. This study involved finding optimal growth conditions using a plating technique, and optimal adsorption conditions using submerged fermentation and fractional factorial experimental design. The adsorption behaviour was then elucidated using isotherm and kinetic models, of which the one surface Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit, with a maximum predicted adsorption capacity of 275.82 mg g−1. The kinetic models suggested that internal mass transfer is the driving force behind the reaction rate. After adsorption, biomass surface characterisation was undertaken using FESEM, EDS, and ATR-FTIR to explain observations. The system was characterised by a cation exchange mechanism with strong carboxyl and organophosphorus group interactions. This study demonstrates that due to the ease of propagation and high adsorption capacity, this locally sourced fungal strain is an ideal adsorbent for industrial Pb(II) bioremediation.
The Influence of Groundwater Desalination by Modified Active Carbon/Bentonite on Its Application in Agriculture
Authors: Wang Jing , El-Sayed Mohamed E. A. , Abdelhafeez Islam A.
Published: December 2021

It cannot be denied the importance of groundwater (Gw) as a source for irrigation. It is considered the only source of water in some locations such as newly reclaimed lands. However, the groundwater quality could be affected by salinity or heavy metals because of human activities or natural reasons. Thence, groundwater desalination comes to above as a part of the solution. In this study, the modified active carbon by inorganic iron polymer (Fex(OH)y) (Fe-AC) and bentonite (Ben) were used in groundwater desalination. The treatment process of 2 liters of groundwater was carried out by using a fixed-bed column where the flow rate was 120 mL/hour for each 20 grams sorbent. The results showed that the EC value of groundwater (2.54 dS/m) was reduced to 1.12 dS/m for treated groundwater (TGw) by Fe-AC/Ben mixture. Furthermore, the effect of irrigation by Gw and TGw was tested on the Faba bean and soil properties. The vegetative characters were significantly affected by irrigation by saline Gw while plant characters were much better after irrigation with TGw as well as soil chemical properties. Accordingly, the desalination of groundwater by Fe-AC/Ben mixture considers an effective and economic method that can be applied to reduce groundwater salinity and its impact on soil and crop.
Proposing a New Methodology for Monument Conservation “SCOPE MANAGEMENT” by the Use of an Analytic Hierarchy Process Project Management Institute System and the ICOMOS Burra Charter
Authors: Almasifar Nina , Canbolat Tülay Özdemir , Akhavan Milad , González-Lezcano Roberto Alonso
Published: December 2021

Managing the scope of the “Properties” and “Performances” domains plays a fundamental role in the scheduling and controlling of the wide variety of variables and processes involved in any project, for the purpose of increasing the quality of outputs, which leads to time and budget-saving. Notably, in monument conservation projects, “scope management” is a vital factor targeted at maintaining historical parameter values and accuracy in the number of interferences and occupations on sites. Nowadays, as urbanization speeds up unprecedently, the territories of these heritage sites have been demolished or have lost their place on the World Heritage List. Undoubtedly, the existence of such critical conditions makes it increasingly necessary to apply scope management methods to preserve such archaeological and historic sites across the world. The purpose of this article is to propose a “Comprehensive and Regular Systematic Schedule” for the purpose of monument conservation via the use of scope management, based on the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)—specifically the Burra Charter (1981). The results of this research include hierarchical levels of management processes which consider all the effective variables, both the tangible and intangible elements (independent factors) and the other weaknesses and opportunities of the project in order to determine the scope of the required operations, which must be scheduled based on historical sites’ conservation charters. In this way, in addition to reviving a cultural landscape’s (cultural heritage or site) essential and valuable parts, unnecessary changes can be avoided.
Connectivity Benefits of Small Zero-Emission Autonomous Ferries in Urban Mobility—Case of the Coastal City of Gdańsk (Poland)
Authors: Tarkowski Maciej , Puzdrakiewicz Krystian
Published: December 2021

An increase in energy-efficient transportation is one way that cities try to mitigate climate change. In coastal cities, public water transit is also undergoing transitions. A small zero-emission autonomous ferry seems to be a cutting-edge technology in this field. This study aims to decrease the knowledge gap in research on the impacts of autonomous passenger ferry development on urban mobility. In particular, the central theme regards the extent to which the new transport solution can help improve sustainable mobility patterns. This study explores the local spatial context of ferry development, land-use patterns, and transport network structure, and moderates the shift in urban mobility practices. Regarding land use patterns, the case of the coastal city of Gdańsk has been documented in secondary qualitative and quantitative data, including in a large body of policy documents, accompanying expert opinions, and scholarly literature. This study strongly emphasises that a typical short river crossing, due to autonomous vessels, can regain a competitive position, which was partially lost due to linear routes along the river. The research identified crucial benefits of autonomous ferry shipping on urban mobility by increasing public transport network connectivity, reducing travel distance, and creating modal shifts towards foot travel and bike riding. It appears as an exciting scalable solution for cities where limited or dispersed demand prevents achievement of economies of scale, therefore diminishing the necessary expenditures.
What Is the Impact of Microplastics and Lipid Regulators on Marine Meiofauna? Case Study of Polyvinyl Chloride, Atorvastatin, and Simvastatin
Authors: Allouche Mohamed , Ishak Sahar , Nasri Ahmed , Hedfi Amor , Ben Ali Manel , Albogami Bander , Almalki Mohammed , Pacioglu Octavian , Boufahja Fehmi
Published: December 2021

A microcosm experiment was carried out to provide a deeper insight into the toxic mechanisms exerted by two lipid regulator agents, as well as their interactions with the polyvinyl chloride microplastic on marine meiofauna. Two concentrations of Atorvastatin “A” and of Simvastatin “S”, (i.e., 0.6 mg.kg−1 and 6 mg.kg−1), as well as a single dosage of polyvinyl chloride microplastics “P” at 20 mg.kg−1, separately and their combined mixtures (“AP” and “SP”) were used on coastline dwelling marine meiofauna, with a main focus on nematodes. The results showed a significant reduction in meiofauna abundance in treatments compared to control. SIMPER analysis highlighted a significant decrease in the abundance of epigrowth feeders (2A), which possess conical (co) tails, and indistinct (id) amphideal foveas compared to control microcosms, reflected mainly in the decrease in abundance of the species Prochromadorella longicaudata. Furthermore, the contamination with microplastic affected only the omnivores-carnivores guild. Another finding of the current experiment is that the mixtures of microplastic with drugs lead to synergic interactions that increased their toxic effects on marine nematode communities.
Modeling and Simulation of Exit Selection Behavior in Pedestrian Evacuation Based on Information Perception and Transmission
Authors: Liu Mengting , Zhu Wei , Wang Yafei , Zheng Jianchun
Published: December 2021

This paper aims to present an improved evacuation model, which is capable of simulating individual exit selection behavior based on the acquisition and processing of information, especially in dangerous and unfamiliar environments. Firstly, an evacuation model was improved by the introduction of a floor field of gas concentration and an exit selection model, considering the congestion avoidance and danger avoidance behavior. Secondly, the process of information perception and transmission was studied and introduced into the model with a set of rules. Finally, real experiments in a simple double-exit room were conducted for model validation and parameter setting, and simulation experiments in scenarios with an unknown hazard or unknown exits were conducted to confirm the necessity and rationality of introducing information perception and transmission. The simulation results show that, with the increase in perception distance or trust extent, the pedestrian safety increases. The critical values of perception distance or trust extent, below which some people cannot acquire any new information, vary depending on the pedestrian density. When the density is high, the influence of perception distance or trust extent reduces, and the probability of reselecting an exit increases, which causes the safety of pedestrians to decrease.
Study on the Effect of Recycled Coarse Aggregate on the Shrinkage Performance of Green Recycled Concrete
Authors: Yu Yang , Wang Peihan , Yu Zexin , Yue Gongbing , Wang Liang , Guo Yuanxin , Li Qiuyi
Published: December 2021

Shrinkage property is a significant indicator of the durability of concrete, and the shrinkage of green recycled concrete is particularly problematic. In this paper, construction waste was crushed and screened to generate simple-crushed recycled coarse aggregate (SCRCA). The SCRCA was then subjected to particle shaping to create primary particle-shaped recycled coarse aggregate (PPRCA). On this basis, the PPRCA was particle-shaped again to obtain the secondary particle-shaped recycled coarse aggregate (SPRCA). Under conditions where the dosage of cementitious material is 300 kg/m3 and the sand rate is 38%, a new high-belite sulphoaluminate cement (HBSAC) with low carbon emission and superior efficiency was used as the basic cementitious material. Taking the quality of recycled coarse aggregate (SCRCA, PPRCA, and SPRCA) and the replacement ratio (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) as the influencing factors to prepare the green recycled concrete, the workability and shrinkage property of the prepared concrete were analyzed. The results show that the water consumption of green recycled concrete decreases as the quality of the recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) increases and the replacement ratio decreases, provided that the green recycled concrete achieves the same workability. With the improvement of RCA quality and the decrease of replacement ratio, the shrinkage of recycled concrete decreases. The shrinkage performance of green recycled concrete configured with the SPRCA completely replacing the natural coarse aggregate (NCA) is basically the same as that of the natural aggregate concrete (NAC).
Knowledge Transfer Performance of Industry-University-Research Institute Collaboration in China: The Moderating Effect of Partner Difference
Authors: Li Zihanxin , Zhu Guilong
Published: December 2021

How to realize the sustainable development of the industry-university-research institute (IUR) collaboration innovation ecosystem has become a key factor restricting the independent innovation capability of Chinese enterprises. Knowledge transfer performance is a key consideration in the process of R&D collaboration between companies and research institutes; how to improve the performance of knowledge transfer depends on the matching between the partners of IUR collaboration. This article seeks to explore the influence mechanism of partner differences in the industry-university-research institute collaboration on the performance of knowledge transfer from the perspective of enterprises. Specifically, the study explores the moderating effect of technical knowledge difference and goal difference on the relationship between absorptive capacity, learning willingness, and knowledge transfer performance. The study applied the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach to model these relationships, based on survey data gathered from 211 Chinese firms. The results show that the goal difference of industry-university-research institute collaboration partners has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between learning willingness, absorptive capacity, and knowledge transfer performance. The greater the degree of goal difference, the lower the role of the enterprise’s learning willingness and absorptive capacity to promote knowledge transfer performance. Technical knowledge difference has a significant inverted U-shaped effect on the relationship between absorptive capacity and knowledge transfer performance: a high degree of technical knowledge difference weakens the effects of absorptive capacity on knowledge transfer performance, while a low degree of technical knowledge difference will also negatively moderate the effects of absorptive capacity on knowledge transfer performance. The research conclusions provide scientists, government bodies, and decision makers with the necessary information for a better understanding of the effective mechanism of sustainable knowledge transfer in the IUR innovation ecosystem.
Sustainability Assessment of the Rare-Earth-Oxide Production Process and Comparison of Environmental Performance Improvements Based on Emergy Analysis
Authors: An Jing , Tao Aitian , Yang He , Tian Ang
Published: December 2021

In recent years, the rapid development of the rare earth industry has had a serious impact on the environment. Some enterprises have taken measures to improve the production process. In order to explore the sustainability of this industry and these improvements’ environmental benefits, this paper combines emergy analysis and lifecycle assessment to evaluate and compare the production process of rare-earth oxides considering the three aspects of emergy flow, pollutant emissions, and emergy-based indicators. Changes in the emergy of pollutant emissions before and after improvement of the production process are discussed. The results show that the greatest inputs in the mining and beneficiation stage and smelting separation stage are labor force and service and non-renewable resources, respectively. These two production stages are highly dependent on external input and have weak competitiveness. Both stages place great pressure on the environment, so the bastnasite production process would be unsustainable in the long term. After the improvement, the environmental impact of the production process for bastnaesite changed significantly, indicating that the improvement effect of the wastewater treatment facilities and the change of fuel from coal to natural gas is remarkable.
The Influences of Service Quality and Individual Characteristics on Vocational Training Effectiveness
Authors: Hsu Wei , Chen Pei-Wen
Published: December 2021

With the rapid change of the industrial environment and social development, vocational training must be constantly updated in accordance with these changes, and combine and expand the use of civilian training resources to increase vocational training pipelines and enhance competitiveness. Thus, vocational training organizations play an important role in the function of future labor force development and the sustainability of education. The purpose of this study is to explore the influences of training organizations’ service quality and trainees’ individual characteristics on the effectiveness of the vocational training. The study employed Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model to measure the unemployed effectiveness of the vocational training and the SERVQUAL to quantity the service quality of the vocational training organization. A questionnaire survey was conducted at a vocational training organization for beauty and hairdressing in Taiwan. This study distributed 479 questionnaires and obtained 216 valid samples. The data was analyzed by using the reliability analysis, descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. The results revealed that training organizations’ service quality and trainees’ personal characteristics significantly positively affect training effectiveness for trainees. This paper serves as a reference for training organizations and policy makers to improve and monitor the service quality of vocational training organizations, elevate training effectiveness, and achieve the sustainability of vocational educations.
People Prefer Greener Corridors: Evidence from Linking the Patterns of Tree and Shrub Diversity and Users’ Preferences in Lisbon’s Green Corridors
Authors: de Almeida Juscidalva Rodrigues , Nunes Reginaldo de Oliveira , Dias Teresa
Published: December 2021

Despite its importance as a component of urban green spaces, as far as we are aware no study has focused on plant diversity in urban green corridors (GCs). Therefore, this study aimed at: (i) characterizing tree and shrub communities in Lisbon’s GCs and (ii) assessing whether GCs’ users value trees and shrubs. We counted Lisbon’s GCs users in the same places where we assessed the tree and shrub community. Along the nine GCs, we observed trees and shrubs belonging to 70 species, distributed across 35 families with most (≥50%) species and plants being trees, exotic, pollinated by insects, with fruit dispersion by animals, evergreen leaves, and producing dry fruits. Most GCs had a similar number of users (20–30 users h−1 survey−1) except for those of Central and Ribeirinho, which were more frequented (60 and 100 users h−1 survey−1, respectively). Most users (≥50%) were adults, walking accompanied, and performing leisure activities. Finally, the number of users was shown to be influenced by: (i) tree and shrub relative abundance, confirming that users preferred greener corridors; and (ii) function(s), showing that users preferred the most multifunctional GCs (i.e., GCs fulfilling ecological, cultural, and recreational functions). Our data suggest that Lisbon’s GCs favor more the inclusion of citizens than ecological functionality and resilience.
The Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in the Wine Industry: The Case Study of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia
Authors: Pizzol Lisa , Luzzani Gloria , Criscione Paolo , Barro Luca , Bagnoli Carlo , Capri Ettore
Published: December 2021

This study aimed to investigate the awareness of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) among wineries located in the Italian regions of Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) (1), (2) the obstacles (3) and market drivers of its implementation (4), the practices and range of actions that are concretely implemented in the field of CSR (5), the implications that this management approach can have on company performance (6), and the communication tools used. The methodology adopted is based on a qualitative approach integrated with quantitative measures. In total, 28 wineries participated in the study. The results show that all of the wineries were aware of the importance of implementing CSR, although they mainly refer to environmental issues. Sponsorship in fair trade activities is considered the most relevant market driver, while Italian consumers are generally perceived as not particularly interested in sustainable wine production. The practices implemented are mainly focused on reducing environmental impact. Interesting insights have emerged from this study, such as an unusual disparity between theoretical knowledge and practical implementation of socially responsible activities, a tendency to adapt the entrepreneurial style towards CSR, as well as a fundamental willingness to implement good practices that go beyond the legal requirements currently in force.
Theoretical Framework to Assess Green Roof Performance in Mitigating Urban Flooding as a Potential Nature-Based Solution
Authors: Basu Arunima Sarkar , Pilla Francesco , Sannigrahi Srikanta , Gengembre Rémi , Guilland Antoine , Basu Bidroha
Published: December 2021

Increases in extreme hydro-meteorological events due to climate change and decreases in soil permeability and infiltration due to urbanization have increased the risk of flooding, particularly in cities. The limitation of the expansion of conventional drainage systems to manage excess stormwater leads to the application of nature-based solutions (NBS) to control flooding. This study explores potential of green roof NBS for rainfall-fed flood reduction, which can utilize existing roof space for deployment. A detailed literature survey using systematic literature-search procedures was conducted to investigate the performance of extensive/intensive green roofs in runoff reduction using monitoring/modeling approaches. Since limited studies have explored the use of semi-intensive green roofs for flood management, a new simulation study has been developed to compare the effectiveness of semi-intensive green roofs. The performance of different types of vegetation used on green roofs in runoff reduction was investigated using a simulation study, which was validated using a real-world green roof deployed in Dublin.
A Policy Review of Green Hydrogen Economy in Southern Africa
Authors: Imasiku Katundu , Farirai Fortunate , Olwoch Jane , Agbo Solomon Nwabueze
Published: December 2021

Renewable energy and clean energy have been on the global agenda for energy transition for quite a long time but recently gained strong momentum, especially with the anticipated depletion of fossil fuels alongside increasing environmental degradation from their exploitation and the changing climate caused by their excessive carbon emissions. Despite this, Africa’s pursuit to transition to a green economy using renewable energy resources still faces constraints that hamper further development and commercialization. These may include socio-economic, technical, political, financial, and institutional policy framework barriers. Although hydrogen demand is still low in Southern Africa, the region can meet the global demands for green hydrogen as a major supplier because of its enormous renewable energy resource-base. This article reviews existing renewable energy resources and hydrogen energy policies in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The significance of this review is that it explores how clean energy technologies that utilize renewable energy resources address the United Nations sustainable development goals (UN SDGs) and identifies the hydrogen energy policy gaps. This review further presents policy options and recommends approaches to enhance hydrogen energy production and ramp the energy transition from a fossil fuel-based economy to a hydrogen energy-based economy in Southern Africa. Concisely, the transition can be achieved if the existing hydrogen energy policy framework gap is narrowed by formulating policies that are specific to hydrogen development in each country with the associated economic benefits of hydrogen energy clearly outlined.
Resilience of Raw-Earth Technology in the Climate of Middle Europe Based on Analysis of Experimental Building in Pasłęk in Poland
Authors: Górski Jerzy , Nowak Anna Patrycja , Kołłątaj Marek
Published: December 2021

The article concerns the experimental building in raw-earth technologies situated in Ecological Park in Pasłęk, in the northeast part of Poland with rather severe climate characteristics for middle and east Europe. The purpose of the designing and realization of the building was to demonstrate the methods of construction in traditional raw-earth technologies with current modifications and then to create the possibility for long-term research and observations at the site visits during the buildings’ exploitation. The building was designed as energy efficient with a passive solar system, green roof, and space arrangement. Construction effects of exploitation were checked. Also, physical aspects were analyzed and thermal-humidity environmental parameters were measured with specialized equipment. Examples of such measurements with appropriate conclusion are presented. Based on the analyses, the authors evaluate the resilience of the applied technology under the given climate conditions, as one of the possible sustainability technologies that can be used in Poland under given restrictions.
Maturity Models and Sustainable Indicators—A New Relationship
Authors: Machado Márcia Cristina , Carvalho Tereza Cristina Melo de Brito
Published: December 2021

This study aims to investigate the relationship between maturity models adopted by information technology companies and the sustainability indicators that are currently considered decision-making factors for investors and customers. The research is based on previous studies, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards, and indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) defined in 2015 by the United Nations. As a result of the intersection between the GRI and SDG indicators with COBIT requirements, a set of 50 indicators covering four dimensions of sustainability was identified. In the environmental dimension, 11 indicators were identified, in the economic dimension six indicators, in social dimension 14 indicators, and, at last, in the governance dimension, there were 19 convergent indicators between COBIT and GRI. This set of 50 proposed indicators was validated by analyzing the content of the sustainability reports available on the websites of information technology companies, making it possible to relate the sustainable practices and strategies adopted by such companies with the indicators suggested in this study. Furthermore, we identified that the SDGs are incorporated into the strategic objectives of seven of the nine companies analyzed.
Critical Analysis of a World Heritage Site in Terms of Conservation and Tourism Promotion: The Case of “Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture” (Ibiza, Spain)
Authors: Ramón-Cardona José , Peña-Miranda David Daniel , Sánchez-Fernández María Dolores
Published: December 2021

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites (WHS) have great prestige. Each year, candidatures are presented by advocates seeking to raise awareness of the importance of certain cultural and natural sites, to achieve better protection and to make them known, which can promote tourism to benefit the surrounding regions. One of these cases is Ibiza, which, after a first rejection in 1986, obtained the inscription of “Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture” in 1999. This WHS is made up of various cultural and natural elements of the island, although the best known is the fortified Upper Town of Ibiza (Dalt Vila). Since then, important restoration and musealization actions have been carried out in the old town, and some tourism promotion events have been held, but there have been failures in its conversion into a tourist product: Both residents and tourists see this as complementary to the traditional offer (sun and beach tourism); confusion has been generated in communication, focusing on the old town and forgetting the other elements; tourist visits to the registered elements have not taken off and are concentrated in the summer months (the traditional high season); some decisions have been politicized, among other problems. Finally, different lines of tourism development are proposed.
Estimating Yield Components, Limiting Factors, and Yield Gaps of Enset in Ethiopia Using Easily Measurable Above-Ground Plant Traits
Authors: Yemataw Zerihun , Said Alemar , Dejene Tesfaye , Ocimati Walter , Amwonya David , Blomme Guy
Published: December 2021

The quantification of yield for different enset products has mainly been based on farmers’ estimates, which are often inaccurate. Several allometric models have been developed to overcome this challenge. Building on past work, the current study developed allometric models for enset fiber, kocho, and bula yield estimation. Enset yield limiting factors and associated yield gaps were also determined. In this study, above-ground growth and yield (kocho, bula, and fiber) traits of five-year-old plants of two widely grown enset landraces, ‘Unjame’ and ‘Siskela’, were assessed in farmers’ fields at three contrasting altitude sites. Except for bula, a minor yield component, correlation, and PCA analysis showed strong association between the above-ground and yield traits. Allometric equations based on the above-ground traits significantly (R2 = 25 to 68%) explained the variation in the yield traits. This study, for the first time, generated allometric models that can reliably estimate enset fiber yield. Leaf length, petiole length, and plant height are especially good for estimating fiber and kocho yields. The performance of models for bula were poor possibly due to the very low bula yields per plant. Soil chemical characteristics differently influenced enset yield attributes. For example, improving K supply can potentially enhance fiber yield. Higher yield gaps were observed for bula, with P accounting for the highest yield gaps across yield traits. Through careful targeting, the different yield attributes can thus be enhanced. This and previous studies clearly show that non-destructive enset plant assessments can provide solid information for quick and easy yield assessments for various traits during e.g., agronomic, germplasm evaluation, soil fertility enhancement, and intercropping trials.
Development of an Electrical Energy Consumption Model for Malaysian Households, Based on Techno-Socioeconomic Determinant Factors
Authors: Sena Boni , Zaki Sheikh Ahmad , Rijal Hom Bahadur , Ardila-Rey Jorge Alfredo , Yusoff Nelidya Md , Yakub Fitri , Liana Farah , Hassan Mohamad Zaki
Published: December 2021

Energy-saving strategies are required to address the increasing global CO2 and electrical energy consumption problems. Therefore, the determinant factors of electrical energy consumption consist of socio-demographic changes, occupant behavior, house and appliance characteristics, or so-called techno-socioeconomic factors, which all need to be assessed. Statistics models, such as the artificial neural network (ANN), can investigate the relationship among those factors. However, the previous ANN model only used limited factors and was conducted in the developed countries of subtropical regions with different determinant factors than those in the developing countries of tropical regions. Furthermore, the previous studies did not investigate the various impacts of techno-socioeconomic factors concerning the performance of the ANN model in estimating monthly electrical energy consumption. The current study develops a model with a more-in depth architecture by examining the effect of additional factors such as socio-demographics, house characteristics, occupant behavior, and appliance characteristics that have not been investigated concerning the model performance. Thus, a questionnaire survey was conducted from November 2017 to January 2018 with 214 university students. The best combination factors in explaining the monthly electrical energy consumption were developed from occupant behavior, with 81% of the variance and a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 20.6%, which can be classified as a reasonably accurate model. The current study’s findings could be used as additional information for occupants or for companies who want to install photovoltaic or wind energy systems.
Renewable Energy and Energy Saving: Worldwide Research Trends
Authors: Perea-Moreno Alberto-Jesus
Published: December 2021

Energy is a very important resource for the development of the residential and industrial sectors, and it should be used with high efficiency, low environmental impact, and at the lowest possible cost [...]
An Actor–Network Approach to Developing a Life Cycle BIM Maturity Model (LCBMM)
Authors: Edirisinghe Ruwini , Pablo Zelinna , Anumba Chimay , Tereno Saratu
Published: December 2021

Building information modelling (BIM) has considerable potential for addressing sustainability issues in construction, but its benefits can be constrained by the failure to adopt BIM across the full project life cycle. Systematic whole-of-life BIM adoption can be supported by maturity models, but most models are limited by a lack of theoretical grounding, socio-technical dichotomies and the failure to adequately consider the full asset life cycle, often by overlooking the operations phase. This study aims to (1) develop a BIM maturity model that addresses these limitations by (2) using an in-depth analysis of an early adopter case study, thus addressing the lack of empirical research in BIM adoption experiences. A single interpretive research study was conducted to qualitatively analyse a US-based university. The data were gathered through interviews, field visits and document analysis. Actor–network theory (ANT) concepts scaffolded the analytical approach. The findings show that a complex BIM socio-technical network emerged, developed and converged during the project management stage but struggled to achieve durability as an ongoing solution to facilities management. By analysing the elements of success and failure across each stage, the researchers distilled five key lessons to achieve whole-of-life BIM maturity and proposed a life cycle BIM maturity model (LCBMM) supported by a practice guide.
Changing Ground: Handling Tensions between Production Ethics and Environmental Ethics of Agricultural Soils
Authors: van Mansvelt Jan Diek , Struik Paul C. , Bos Arie , Daub Willem , Sprangers Diederick , van den Berg Mara , Vingerhoets Marieke , Zoeteman Kees
Published: December 2021

Soils are an essential element in sustainable food systems and vital for ecosystem services. Soils are degrading, because of urbanization, poor soil management, depletion and mining, over-use of inputs and impacts of climate change. Poor soil management resulted from short-term yield maximization caused by changes in land tenure, property rights and land use. We argue for soil protection based on the concept of soil telos defined as the combined purposefulness in agricultural production and terrestrial ecosystem optimization. It includes the right of mankind to use soils, provided norms and values are respected based on the soil’s usefulness, its natural purposefulness and its right to be protected (including its physical, chemical and biological cycles). Finding a sustainable balance between these values and rights on the one hand and the need to use living soils for agricultural production on the other hand requires a new approach to soil management based on widely accepted norm- and value-driven decisions on unavoidable trade-offs. Reconciling man-made telos and natural telos, requires (i) empowering the soil to achieve its man-made telos (e.g., by restoring degraded soils); (ii) empowering the soil to achieve its natural telos (e.g., by restoring water courses); (iii) raising awareness about the need to reconcile these two teloi (e.g., by acknowledging rights of soils); and (iv) monitoring tools to assess successful reconciliation (e.g., by evaluating soil health).
Numerical Simulation of Erosion Characteristics for Solid-Air Particles in Liquid Hydrogen Elbow Pipe
Authors: Liang Wenqing , Xun Qining , Shu Zhiyong , Lu Fuming , Qian Hua
Published: December 2021

The crystalline solid-air in the liquid hydrogen will cause erosion or friction on the elbow, which is directly related to the safety of liquid hydrogen transportation. The CFD-DPM model was used to study the erosion characteristics of solid-air to liquid hydrogen pipelines. Results show that the outer wall of the cryogenic liquid hydrogen elbow has serious erosion in the range of 60–90°, which is different from the general elbow. The erosion rate is linearly positively correlated with the mass flow of solid-air particles, and the erosion rate has a power function relationship with the liquid hydrogen flow rate. The fitted relationship curve can be used to predict the characteristics and range of the elbow erosion. The structure of the liquid hydrogen elbow also has an important influence on the solid-cavity erosion characteristics. The increase of the radius of curvature is conducive to the reduction of the maximum erosion rate, while the average erosion rate undergoes a process of increasing and then decreasing. The radius of curvature is 60 mm, which is the inflection point of the average erosion rate of the 90° elbow. The research results are expected to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of liquid hydrogen pipeline erosion.
On Dynamic Investigations of Cournot Duopoly Game: When Firms Want to Maximize Their Relative Profits
Authors: Askar Sameh
Published: December 2021

This paper studies a Cournot duopoly game in which firms produce homogeneous goods and adopt a bounded rationality rule for updating productions. The firms are characterized by an isoelastic demand that is derived from a simple quadratic utility function with linear total costs. The two competing firms in this game seek the optimal quantities of their production by maximizing their relative profits. The model describing the game’s evolution is a two-dimensional nonlinear discrete map and has only one equilibrium point, which is a Nash point. The stability of this point is discussed and it is found that it loses its stability by two different ways, through flip and Neimark–Sacker bifurcations. Because of the asymmetric structure of the map due to different parameters, we show by means of global analysis and numerical simulation that the nonlinear, noninvertible map describing the game’s evolution can give rise to many important coexisting stable attractors (multistability). Analytically, some investigations are performed and prove the existence of areas known in literature with lobes.
Does the Presence of a Bond Path Really Mean Interatomic Stabilization? The Case of the Ng@Superphane (Ng = He, Ne, Ar, and Kr) Endohedral Complexes
Authors: Jabłoński Mirosław
Published: December 2021

Using a fairly structurally flexible and, therefore, very suitable for this type of research, superphane molecule, we demonstrate that the inclusion of a noble gas atom (Ng = He, Ne, Ar, and Kr) inside it and, thus, the formation of the Ng@superphane endohedral complex, leads to its ‘swelling’. Positive values of both the binding and strain energies prove that encapsulation and in turn ‘swelling’ of the superphane molecule is energetically unfavorable and that the Ng⋯C interactions in the interior of the cage are destabilizing, i.e., repulsive. Additionally, negative Mayer Bond Orders indicate the antibonding nature of Ng⋯C contacts. This result in combination with the observed Ng⋯C bond paths shows that the presence of a bond path in the molecular graph does not necessarily prove interatomic stabilization. It is shown that the obtained conclusions do not depend on the computational methodology, i.e., the method and the basis set used. However, on the contrary, the number of bond paths may depend on the methodology. This is yet another disadvantageous finding that does not favor the treatment of bond paths on molecular graphs as indicators of chemical bonds. The Kr@superphane endohedral complex features one of the longest C–C bonds ever reported (1.753 Å).
Racetrack Microtron—Pushing the Limits
Authors: Borisov Maxim , Ermakov Andrey , Khankin Vadim , Kubyshin Yuri , Shvedunov Vasiliy
Published: December 2021

We consider three types of electron accelerators that can be used for various applications, such as industrial, medical, cargo inspection, and isotope production applications, and that require small- and medium-sized machines, namely classical microtron (CM), race-track microtron (RTM), and multisection linac. We review the principles of their operation, the specific features of the beam dynamics in these machines, discuss their advantages and weak points, and compare their technical characteristics. In particular, we emphasize the intrinsic symmetry of the stability region of microtrons. We argue that RTMs can be a preferable choice for medium energies (up to 100 MeV) and that the range of their potential applications can be widened, provided that the beam current losses are significantly reduced. In the article, we analyze two possible solutions in detail, namely increasing the longitudinal acceptance of an RTM using a higher-order harmonic accelerating structure and improving beam matching at the injection.
A Modified Tseng’s Method for Solving the Modified Variational Inclusion Problems and Its Applications
Authors: Seangwattana Thidaporn , Sombut Kamonrat , Arunchai Areerat , Sitthithakerngkiet Kanokwan
Published: December 2021

The goal of this study was to show how a modified variational inclusion problem can be solved based on Tseng’s method. In this study, we propose a modified Tseng’s method and increase the reliability of the proposed method. This method is to modify the relaxed inertial Tseng’s method by using certain conditions and the parallel technique. We also prove a weak convergence theorem under appropriate assumptions and some symmetry properties and then provide numerical experiments to demonstrate the convergence behavior of the proposed method. Moreover, the proposed method is used for image restoration technology, which takes a corrupt/noisy image and estimates the clean, original image. Finally, we show the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to guarantee image quality.
Bolometric Double Beta Decay Experiments: Review and Prospects
Authors: Zolotarova Anastasiia
Published: December 2021

This review aims to cover the history and recent developments on cryogenic bolometers for neutrinoless double beta decay (0ν2β) searches. A 0ν2β decay observation would confirm the total lepton charge non-conservation, which is related to a global U(1)LC symmetry. This discovery would also provide essential information on neutrino masses and nature, opening the door to new physics beyond the Standard Model. The bolometric technology shows good prospects for future ton-scale experiments that aim to fully investigate the inverted ordering region of neutrino masses. The big advantage of bolometers is the high energy resolution and the possibility of particle identification, as well as various methods of additional background rejection. The CUORE experiment has proved the feasibility of ton-scale cryogenic experiments, setting the most stringent limit on 130Te 0ν2β decay. Two CUPID demonstrators (CUPID-0 and CUPID-Mo) have set the most stringent limits on 82Se and 100Mo isotopes, respectively, with compatibly low exposures. Several experiments are developing new methods to improve the background in the region of interest with bolometric detectors. CUPID and AMoRE experiments aim to cover the inverted hierarchy region, using scintillating bolometers with hundreds of kg of 100Mo. We review all of these efforts here, with a focus on the different types of radioactive background and the measures put in place to mitigate them.
PDAM–STPNNet: A Small Target Detection Approach for Wildland Fire Smoke through Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Zhan Jialei , Hu Yaowen , Cai Weiwei , Zhou Guoxiong , Li Liujun
Published: December 2021

The target detection of smoke through remote sensing images obtained by means of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be effective for monitoring early forest fires. However, smoke targets in UAV images are often small and difficult to detect accurately. In this paper, we use YOLOX-L as a baseline and propose a forest smoke detection network based on the parallel spatial domain attention mechanism and a small-scale transformer feature pyramid network (PDAM–STPNNet). First, to enhance the proportion of small forest fire smoke targets in the dataset, we use component stitching data enhancement to generate small forest fire smoke target images in a scaled collage. Then, to fully extract the texture features of smoke, we propose a parallel spatial domain attention mechanism (PDAM) to consider the local and global textures of smoke with symmetry. Finally, we propose a small-scale transformer feature pyramid network (STPN), which uses the transformer encoder to replace all CSP_2 blocks in turn on top of YOLOX-L’s FPN, effectively improving the model’s ability to extract small-target smoke. We validated the effectiveness of our model with recourse to a home-made dataset, the Wildfire Observers and Smoke Recognition Homepage, and the Bowfire dataset. The experiments show that our method has a better detection capability than previous methods.
Spectrum of Fractional and Fractional Prabhakar Sturm–Liouville Problems with Homogeneous Dirichlet Boundary Conditions
Authors: Klimek Malgorzata
Published: December 2021

In this study, we consider regular eigenvalue problems formulated by using the left and right standard fractional derivatives and extend the notion of a fractional Sturm–Liouville problem to the regular Prabhakar eigenvalue problem, which includes the left and right Prabhakar derivatives. In both cases, we study the spectral properties of Sturm–Liouville operators on function space restricted by homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. Fractional and fractional Prabhakar Sturm–Liouville problems are converted into the equivalent integral ones. Afterwards, the integral Sturm–Liouville operators are rewritten as Hilbert–Schmidt operators determined by kernels, which are continuous under the corresponding assumptions. In particular, the range of fractional order is here restricted to interval (1/2,1]. Applying the spectral Hilbert–Schmidt theorem, we prove that the spectrum of integral Sturm–Liouville operators is discrete and the system of eigenfunctions forms a basis in the corresponding Hilbert space. Then, equivalence results for integral and differential versions of respective eigenvalue problems lead to the main theorems on the discrete spectrum of differential fractional and fractional Prabhakar Sturm–Liouville operators.