bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Developments in 3D Bio-Printing and Its Biomedical Applications
Authors: Assad Humira , Assad Arvina , Kumar Ashish
Published: January 2023

The fast-developing field of 3D bio-printing has been extensively used to improve the usability and performance of scaffolds filled with cells. Over the last few decades, a variety of tissues and organs including skin, blood vessels, and hearts, etc., have all been produced in large quantities via 3D bio-printing. These tissues and organs are not only able to serve as building blocks for the ultimate goal of repair and regeneration, but they can also be utilized as in vitro models for pharmacokinetics, drug screening, and other purposes. To further 3D-printing uses in tissue engineering, research on novel, suitable biomaterials with quick cross-linking capabilities is a prerequisite. A wider variety of acceptable 3D-printed materials are still needed, as well as better printing resolution (particularly at the nanoscale range), speed, and biomaterial compatibility. The aim of this study is to provide expertise in the most prevalent and new biomaterials used in 3D bio-printing as well as an introduction to the associated approaches that are frequently considered by researchers. Furthermore, an effort has been made to convey the most pertinent implementations of 3D bio-printing processes, such as tissue regeneration, etc., by providing the most significant research together with a comprehensive list of material selection guidelines, constraints, and future prospects.
Beyond the Interface: Improved Pulmonary Surfactant-Assisted Drug Delivery through Surface-Associated Structures
Authors: García-Mouton Cristina , Echaide Mercedes , Serrano Luis A. , Orellana Guillermo , Salomone Fabrizio , Ricci Francesca , Pioselli Barbara , Amidani Davide , Cruz Antonio , Pérez-Gil Jesús
Published: January 2023

Pulmonary surfactant (PS) has been proposed as an efficient drug delivery vehicle for inhaled therapies. Its ability to adsorb and spread interfacially and transport different drugs associated with it has been studied mainly by different surface balance designs, typically interconnecting various compartments by interfacial paper bridges, mimicking in vitro the respiratory air–liquid interface. It has been demonstrated that only a monomolecular surface layer of PS/drug is able to cross this bridge. However, surfactant films are typically organized as multi-layered structures associated with the interface. The aim of this work was to explore the contribution of surface-associated structures to the spreading of PS and the transport of drugs. We have designed a novel vehiculization balance in which donor and recipient compartments are connected by a whole three-dimensional layer of liquid and not only by an interfacial bridge. By combining different surfactant formulations and liposomes with a fluorescent lipid dye and a model hydrophobic drug, budesonide (BUD), we observed that the use of the bridge significantly reduced the transfer of lipids and drug through the air–liquid interface in comparison to what can be spread through a fully open interfacial liquid layer. We conclude that three-dimensional structures connected to the surfactant interfacial film can provide an important additional contribution to interfacial delivery, as they are able to transport significant amounts of lipids and drugs during surfactant spreading.
Reduction-Responsive Stearyl Alcohol-Cabazitaxel Prodrug Nanoassemblies for Cancer Chemotherapy
Authors: Liu Yuting , Wang Xinhui , Wang Zhe , Liao Rui , Qiu Qian , Wang Yuequan , Luo Cong
Published: January 2023

Cabazitaxel (CTX) has distinct therapeutic merits for advanced and metastatic cancer. However, the present clinical formulation (Jevtana®) has several defects, especially for undesirable tumor-targeting and serious side effects, greatly limiting the therapeutic efficacy. Small-molecule prodrug-based nanoassemblies integrate the advantages of both prodrug strategy and nanotechnology, emerging as a promising treatment modality. Herein, disulfide bonds with different lengths were employed as linkages to elaborately synthesize three redox-sensitive stearyl alcohol (SAT)-CTX prodrug-based nanoassemblies (SAC NPs, SBC NPs and SGC NPs) for seeking optimal chemotherapeutical treatment. All the prodrug-based nanoassemblies exhibited impressive drug-loading efficiency, superior self-assembly capability and excellent colloidal stability. Interestingly, the drug release behaviors of three prodrug-nanoassemblies in the same reductive environment were different owing to tiny changes in the carbon chain length of disulfide bonds, resulting in disparate cytotoxicity effects, pharmacokinetic outcomes and in vivo antitumor efficacies. Among them, SAC NPs displayed rapid drug release, excellent cytotoxicity, long blood circulation and enhanced tumor accumulation, thus showing strong tumor inhibition in the 4T1-bearing mouse model. Our study shed light on the vital role of connecting bonds in designing high-efficiency, low-toxicity prodrug nanoassemblies.
Fabrication and Thermal Performance of a Polymer-Based Flexible Oscillating Heat Pipe via 3D Printing Technology
Authors: Han Zhaoyang , Chang Chao
Published: January 2023

As flexible electronic technologies rapidly developed with a requirement for multifunction, miniaturization, and high power density, effective thermal management has become an increasingly important issue. The oscillating heat pipe, as a promising technology, was used to dissipate high heat fluxes and had a wide range of applications. In this paper, we reported the fabrication and heat transfer performance evaluation of a polymer-based flexible oscillating heat pipe (FOHP) prepared using 3D printing technology. The 3D-printed inner surface presented excellent wettability to the working fluid, which was beneficial for the evaporation of the working fluid. Ethanol was selected as the working fluid, and the influence of the filling ratios range of 30–60% on heat transfer performance was analyzed. It was found that a 3D-printed FOHP with a filling ratio of 40% presented the best heat transfer performance with the lowest thermal resistance, and the fabricated heat pipes could be easily bent from 0° to 90°. With the best filling ratio, the thermal resistance of the FOHPs increased with larger bending angles. In addition, the 3D-printed FOHP was successfully applied for the thermal management of flexible printed circuits, and the results showed that the temperature of flexible printed circuits was kept within 72 °C, and its service life was guaranteed.
Nano–Crystalline Mn–Ni–Co–O Thermistor Powder Prepared by Co–Precipitation Method
Authors: Le Duc Thang , Cho Jeong Ho
Published: January 2023

Here, we demonstrate that nano–sized Mn–Ni–Co–O powder can be prepared at a low temperature via a co–precipitation method. In this work, Mn2+ was partially oxidized to Mn3+ ions in an aqueous solution by adding an oxidizing agent (H2O2). The co-presence of Mn2+ and Mn3+ cations enabled the precipitated products to be well-crystallized at a calcining temperature as low as 650 °C, forming a pure cubic spinel structure. The pellets fabricated from this calcined powder showed a relative density of up to 97.1% at a moderate sintering temperature of 1100 °C. Moreover, these ceramics exhibited electrical performance suitable for use in industrial thermistors, i.e., a room temperature resistivity (ρ25) of 1232 Ω cm, a thermistor constant (B25/85) of 3676 K, and an aging coefficient (ΔR/R) of 1.43%. High sintering activity as well as the excellent electrical properties of the ceramics was attributed to the fine-sized particles of the synthesized powder.
Divine Command Theory, Robust Normative Realism, and the Argument from Psychopathy: A Reply to Erik Wielenberg
Authors: Pruett Christopher R.
Published: January 2023

Erik Wielenberg has offered a fascinating argument from moral psychology against a sophisticated theistic account of moral obligations: Divine Command Theory (DCT). This argument focuses on the pathology known as psychopathy—a perennial interest for those concerned with abnormal and moral psychology. The argument can be labeled the argument from psychopathy for convenience. The strength of the argument is that it forces the DCT-ist to maintain that there are some human beings who have no moral obligations yet still do evil actions. This, he argues, is an implausible thesis. Therefore, DCT is false. In this paper, I defend DCT and argue that there is good reason to be neutral or skeptical that psychopaths have moral obligations and, to the degree that they do, they are able to grasp morality in a way consistent with DCT. Furthermore, if the argument does present a serious problem for DCT, then it does so for Wielenberg’s own view, Robust Normative Realism (RNR), just as much as DCT.
Detection of the Monitoring Window for Pine Wilt Disease Using Multi-Temporal UAV-Based Multispectral Imagery and Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Wu Dewei , Yu Linfeng , Yu Run , Zhou Quan , Li Jiaxing , Zhang Xudong , Ren Lili , Luo Youqing
Published: January 2023

Pine wilt disease (PWD) has caused huge economic and environmental losses since it invaded China. Although early monitoring is an effective way to control this hazard, the monitoring window for the early stage is hard to identify, and varies in different hosts and environments. We used UAV-based multispectral images of Pinus thunbergii forest in East China to identify the change in the number of infected trees in each month of the growing season. We built classification models to detect different PWD infection stages by testing three machine learning algorithms—random forest, support vector machine, and linear discriminant analysis—and identified the best monitoring period for each infection stage (namely, green attack, early, middle, and late). From the obtained results, the early monitoring window period was determined to be in late July, whereas the monitoring window for middle and late PWD stages ranged from mid-August to early September. We also identified four important vegetation indices to monitor each infection stage. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the effectiveness of using machine learning algorithms to analyze multitemporal multispectral data to establish a window for early monitoring of pine wilt disease infestation. The results could provide a reference for future research and guidance for the control of pine wilt disease.
An ADMM-qSPICE-Based Sparse DOA Estimation Method for MIMO Radar
Authors: Zhang Yongwei , Zhang Yongchao , Luo Jiawei , Huang Yulin , Yan Jianan , Zhang Yin , Yang Jianyu
Published: January 2023

In recent years, sparse direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar has attracted extensive attention and been extensively studied, especially the method based on the classic least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) estimator. The alternating-direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is an effective method for solving this problem at the cost of introducing an additional user parameter. To avoid introducing an additional user parameter, this paper adopts an equivalent transformation in the form of the generalized SParse Iterative Covariance-based Estimation (qSPICE) cost function to obtain a mean squared minimized form of the cost function. Then, the problem is transformed into a sparse optimization problem in the form of a weighted LASSO. Next, this unconstrained optimization problem is decomposed into three subproblems, which are solved separately to reduce the dimension of each problem and thus reduce the overall computational complexity based on ADMM. Simulation results and measured data indicate that the proposed method significantly outperforms the traditional super-resolution DOA estimation method and ADMM-LASSO method and slightly outperforms qSPICE in terms of resolution and sidelobe suppression capability. In addition, the proposed method has a much lower computational complexity and substantially fewer iterations than qSPICE.
Predicting Short-Term Deformation in the Central Valley Using Machine Learning
Authors: Yazbeck Joe , Rundle John B.
Published: January 2023

Land subsidence caused by excessive groundwater pumping in Central Valley, California, is a major issue that has several negative impacts such as reduced aquifer storage and damaged infrastructures which, in turn, produce an economic loss due to the high reliance on crop production. This is why it is of utmost importance to routinely monitor and assess the surface deformation occurring. Two main goals that this paper attempts to accomplish are deformation characterization and deformation prediction. The first goal is realized through the use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) applied to a series of Interferomtric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) images that produces eigenimages displaying the key characteristics of the subsidence. Water storage changes are also directly analyzed by the use of data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) twin satellites and the Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS). The second goal is accomplished by building a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model to predict short-term deformation after developing an InSAR time series using LiCSBAS, an open-source InSAR time series package. The model is applied to the city of Madera and produces better results than a baseline averaging model and a one dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN) based on a mean squared error metric showing the effectiveness of machine learning in deformation prediction as well as the potential for incorporation in hazard mitigation models. The model results can directly aid policy makers in determining the appropriate rate of groundwater withdrawal while maintaining the safety and well-being of the population as well as the aquifers’ integrity.
Extended Polar Format Algorithm (EPFA) for High-Resolution Highly Squinted SAR
Authors: Guo Ping , Wu Fuen , Wang Anyi
Published: January 2023

The conventional polar format algorithm (CPFA) is widely used for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) because of its simple and efficient operations. However, due to its wavefront curvature assumption, the CPFA’s depth-of-focus (DOF) is extremely small, which greatly limits the scene size, especially for high-resolution and highly squinted (HRHS) SAR. To solve this problem, an extended PFA (EPFA) is proposed in this study, re-deriving mapping functions by expanding the range history into slant- and cross-range components according to the forms of real data storage. This allows the full use of storage data, which the CPFA cannot achieve due to the large approximations introduced by the projection of echo data onto the ground. The wavefront curvature error is then analyzed and eliminated using a space-variant phase compensation function. Due to the high accuracy of expansion in the slant range plane and the space-variant correction processing, the EPFA has a larger DOF than the CPFA. The EPFA is also more suitable for undulating terrains since it avoids the projection of real data onto the ground plane performed in the CPFA. Using comparative analyses of simulated data and real-world images, the results suggest that the proposed EPFA achieves better focusing effects than the CPFA and is particularly useful for HRHS SAR.
Model-Based Condition Monitoring of the Sensors and Actuators of an Electric and Automated Vehicle
Authors: Li Shiqing , Frey Michael , Gauterin Frank
Published: January 2023

Constant monitoring of driving conditions and observation of the surrounding area are essential for achieving reliable, high-quality autonomous driving. This requires more reliable sensors and actuators, as there is always the potential that sensors and actuators will fail under real-world conditions. The sensitive condition-monitoring methods of sensors and actuators should be used to improve the reliability of the sensors and actuators. They should be able to detect and isolate the abnormal situations of faulty sensors and actuators. In this paper, a developed model-based method for condition monitoring of the sensors and actuators in an electric vehicle is presented that can determine whether a sensor has a fault and further reconfigure the sensor signal, as well as detect the abnormal behavior of the actuators with the reconfigured sensor signals. Through the simulation data obtained by the vehicle model in complex road conditions, it is proved that the method is effective for the state detection of sensors and actuators.
Incipient Wear Detection of Welding Gun Secondary Circuit by Virtual Resistance Sensor Using Mahalanobis Distance
Authors: Ibáñez Daniel , Garcia Eduardo , Soret Jesús , Martos Julio
Published: January 2023

Wear of the secondary of the welding gun, caused by mechanical fatigue or due to a bad parameterization of the welding points, causes an increase in quality problems such as non-existent welds or a reduced weld nugget size. In addition to quality problems, this defect causes production stoppages that affect the final cost of the manufactured part. Different studies have focused on evaluating the importance of different welding parameters, such as current, in the final quality of the welding nugget. However, few studies have focused on preventing weld command parameters from degrading or changing. This investigation seeks to determine the wear of the secondary circuit to avoid variability in the current supplied to the welding point caused by this defect and the increase in circuit resistance, especially in industrial environments. In this work, a virtual sensor is developed to estimate the resistance of the welding arm based on previous research, which has shown the possibility of detecting secondary wear by analysing the duty cycle of the power circuit. From the data of the virtual sensor, an anomaly detection method based on the Mahalanobis distance is developed. Finally, an integral system for detecting secondary wear of welding guns in real production lines is presented. This system establishes performance thresholds based on the analysis of the Mahalanobis distance distribution, allowing monitoring of the secondary circuit wear condition after each welding cycle. The results obtained show how the system can detect incipient wear in welding guns, regardless of which part of the secondary the wear occurs, improving decision-making and reducing quality problems.
Reversible Lane Optimization of the Urban Road Network Considering Adjustment Time Constraints
Authors: Cai Jianrong , Li Zhixue , Xiao Yinghong , Zhou Zhaoming , Long Qiong , Yu Jie , Zhang Jinfan , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2023

Reversible lanes constitute an important solutions for sustainable transportation, with the aim to solve the practical problem of reversible lane optimization of urban road networks constrained by adjustment time. Considering the relationship between the number of lanes and the capacity of sections, a mixed-integer bilevel programming model of reversible lane optimization constrained by adjustment time is constructed in order to minimize the total travel time of the system. The results show that the model can effectively obtain the optimal strategy for any number of reversible sections subject to adjustment time constraints. With the increase of the number of reversible sections that can be optimized within the adjustment time, the cumulative reduced system time increases monotonically and the road network optimization effect improves, but as a whole, the optimization effect of the newly added reversible sections in each stage shows a decreasing trend. When the number of reversible sections that can be optimized within the adjustment time reaches a certain number, increasing the number of reversible sections will have a limited further effect on the overall system. For the reversible lane optimization problem of urban road networks, only efficient reversible sections need to be optimized to achieve a good optimization effect.
The Vegetation Composition and Carbon Stock of Old Shrub Typology to Support the Rehabilitation Program in Sumatra and Kalimantan Islands, Indonesia
Authors: Dharmawan I. Wayan Susi , Heriyanto Nur Muhammad , Setyawati Titiek , Wardani Marfuah , Susilo Adi , Garsetiasih Raden , Sawitri Reny , Denny  , Yuskianti Vivi , Karlina Endang , Takandjandji Mariana , Kwatrina Rozza Tri , Zuraida
Published: January 2023

The typology of certain old shrubs assists with the selection of suitable plant species for rehabilitation. The carbon stock dynamic in old shrubs is fundamental due to their high uptake during the growth process phase. A plot of 100 m × 100 m (1 hectare) was created in each location, referring to the work of Mueller-Dombois and Ellenberg. The plot was further divided into subsquares measuring 20 m × 20 m; in each plot, there were 25 subplots. Research results showed that the diversity index of old shrubs at the tree, pole, and seedling stage is 2.50–2.66, 1.23–1.50, and 0.67–1.11, respectively. For Kalimantan, the diversity index is lower than that on Sumatra Island, which is 1.64–1.80, 1.00–1.02, and 0.52–0.81, respectively. The carbon stock of the old shrub forest in Sumatra has an average of 36.61 Mg C per ha (standard deviation 14.54 Mg C per ha) to 72.50 Mg C per ha (standard deviation 25.61 Mg C per ha), while Kalimantan has an average of 47.94 Mg C per ha (standard deviation 13.30 Mg C per ha) to 144.07 Mg C per ha (standard deviation 54.64 Mg C per ha). The dynamics of the vegetation composition and carbon stock in each old shrub’s typology are considered when choosing a suitable model, including high carbon stock content, to provide optimal results for rehabilitation activities.
Status, Hotspots, and Future Trends: Bibliometric Analysis of Research on the Impact of the Built Environment on Children and Adolescents’ Physical Activity
Authors: Liu Zhenduo , Sun Hui , Zhang Jian , Yan Jingfei
Published: January 2023

Applying the visualized bibliometric analysis method, we explored the overall distribution characteristics, research progress, and hotspots of current research on the effect of the built environment on the physical activity of children and adolescents from 2003 to 2022. The research results indicate that the United States, Canada, Australia, and other Western countries are the primary forces of relevant research and have a solid foundation in the research on the impact of the built environment on the physical activity of children and adolescents. Sallis, Saelens, Gile-Corti, and other early authors have had a long-term, important role in this area. The research results have continuously guided new scientific research output for a long time, and emerging research forces have also played a directional role in future research trends, represented by publications such as American Preventive Medicine and Preventive Medicine. Obesity, health behaviors, home–school environment, and various correlations are the research hotspots in this field. This study systematically summarizes and analyzes research on the built environment’s promotion of physical activity among children and adolescents, and it provides valuable guidance and reference for follow-up research in the near future.
The Effect of Environmental Management Practices and Knowledge in Strengthening Responsible Behavior: The Moderator Role of Environmental Commitment
Authors: Keles Huseyin , Yayla Ozgur , Tarinc Abdullah , Keles Ali
Published: January 2023

This study examines the effects of environmental management practices on environmental knowledge and environmentally responsible behavior by means of an environmental commitment moderator variable regarding the hotel employees in Manavgat–Türkiye. The existing literature on the relevant concepts has provided the theoretical basis of the research. Using the stratified convenience sampling method, a sample of 403 hotel employees from various hotels in the region participated in the survey. First of all, data screening analysis was used for the analysis of research data and the results obtained were analyzed through the AMOS program to test the structural model. According to the research results, it has been determined that environmental management practices are considered to be an important variable in terms of environmental knowledge and environmental knowledge positively affects the level of responsible behavior. In addition, it has been concluded that environmental commitment strengthens the relationship between these variables. In future research, it is predicted that the implementation of this study, which has been applied to hotel employees, in other areas of the tourism sector by taking into account the variables such as organizational commitment, business attachment, organizational performance, and employee attitude will enrich the literature.
Random Forest Algorithm for the Strength Prediction of Geopolymer Stabilized Clayey Soil
Authors: Zeini Husein Ali , Al-Jeznawi Duaa , Imran Hamza , Bernardo Luís Filipe Almeida , Al-Khafaji Zainab , Ostrowski Krzysztof Adam
Published: January 2023

Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) can be used to assess the applicability of geopolymer binders as ecologically friendly materials for geotechnical projects. Furthermore, soft computing technologies are necessary since experimental research is often challenging, expensive, and time-consuming. This article discusses the feasibility and the performance required to predict UCS using a Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The alkali activator studied was sodium hydroxide solution, and the considered geopolymer source material was ground-granulated blast-furnace slag and fly ash. A database with 283 clayey soil samples stabilized with geopolymer was considered to determine the UCS. The database was split into two sections for the development of the RF model: the training data set (80%) and the testing data set (20%). Several measures, including coefficient of determination (R), mean absolute error (MAE), and root mean square error (RMSE), were used to assess the effectiveness of the RF model. The statistical findings of this study demonstrated that the RF is a reliable model for predicting the UCS value of geopolymer-stabilized clayey soil. Furthermore, based on the obtained values of RMSE = 0.9815 and R2 = 0.9757 for the testing set, respectively, the RF approach showed to provide excellent results for predicting unknown data within the ranges of examined parameters. Finally, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis was implemented to identify the most influential inputs and to quantify their behavior of input variables on the UCS.
Phototrophic Bioremediation of Municipal Tertiary Wastewater Coupling with Lipid Biosynthesis Using Scenedesmus dimorphus: Effect of Nitrogen to Phosphorous Ratio with/without CO2 Supplementation
Authors: Faruque Mohammed Omar , Hossain Mohammad Mozahar , Farooq Wasif , Razzak Shaikh Abdur
Published: January 2023

Scenedesmus dimorphus was utilized for the tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater in an effort to remove nutrients from secondary treated wastewater. In addition to the concurrent generation of biomass containing lipids for biofuel production. The effect of nitrogen to phosphorous (N:P) ratios (1:1 to 8:1) in culture media without carbon dioxide (CO2) supplementation (air supply alone, Case 1) and with CO2 supplementation (2% CO2 in air, Case 2) was investigated through a series of systematic parametric batch experiments. Case 2 produces greater biomass at all N:P ratios than Case 1. In Case 1, the highest biomass output for a N:P ratio of 8:1 is 567 mg/L at pH 8.4. In Case 2, however, the maximum biomass yield is 733 mg/L when the N:P ratio is 2:1 and the pH is 7.23. Scenedesmus dimorphus is capable of absorbing nitrogen and phosphorous from wastewater in a CO2 environment and at the optimal N:P ratio. In Case 1, total nitrogen removal ranges from 28% to 100% and in Case 2, total nitrogen removal ranges from 60% to 100%, depending on the N:P ratio. For an initial concentration of 13 mg/L, the total phosphorous removal ranges from 37% to 57%, depending on the N:P ratio in both cases. Case 2 yields a maximum lipid content of 29% of the biomass dry weight when the N:P ratio is 1:1. These results suggest the viability of removing nutrients from secondary treated wastewater utilizing microalgae Scenedesmus dimorphus and lipid biosynthesis in the generated biomass.
Bioremediation of Aquatic Environments Contaminated with Heavy Metals: A Review of Mechanisms, Solutions and Perspectives
Authors: Demarco Carolina Faccio , Quadro Maurízio Silveira , Selau Carlos Filipe , Pieniz Simone , Morselli Luiza Beatriz Gamboa Araújo , Andreazza Robson
Published: January 2023

The degradation of water resources is related to anthropic actions such as rapid urbanization and industrial and agricultural activities with inefficient land use and occupation management. Water pollution caused by organic and inorganic contaminants represents a current challenge for researchers and humanity. One of the techniques used to remove pollutants from aquatic environments is bioremediation, through the metabolism of living organisms, and especially phytoremediation, with plants as a decontamination agent. Aiming to demonstrate the current mechanisms, solutions, and perspectives regarding bioremediation, and especially phytoremediation in aquatic environments, a literature review was conducted, highlighting the following subjects: heavy metals as contaminants, phytoremediation, evaluation of resistance mechanisms, removal of heavy metals by microorganisms and biofilters of the artificial floating islands type. From the literature research carried out, it can be concluded that alternatives such as macrophyte plants have proved to be an effective and efficient alternative with a high potential for removal of contaminants in aquatic environments, including concomitantly with microorganisms. There was no mechanism well-defined for specific absorption of heavy metals by plants; however, some results can indicate that if there was sporadic contamination with some contaminants, the plants can be indicators with some adsorption and absorption, even with low concentration in the watercourse by the moment of the evaluation. It is necessary to study bioremediation methods, resistance mechanisms, tolerance, and removal efficiencies for each biological agent chosen. Within the bioremediation processes of aquatic environments, the use of macrophyte plants with a high capacity for phytoremediation of metals, used combined with bioremediating microorganisms, such as biofilters, is an interesting perspective to remove contaminants.
Solar Energy: Applications, Trends Analysis, Bibliometric Analysis and Research Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Authors: Obaideen Khaled , Olabi Abdul Ghani , Al Swailmeen Yaser , Shehata Nabila , Abdelkareem Mohammad Ali , Alami Abdul Hai , Rodriguez Cristina , Sayed Enas Taha
Published: January 2023

Over the past decade, energy demand has witnessed a drastic increase, mainly due to huge development in the industry sector and growing populations. This has led to the global utilization of renewable energy resources and technologies to meet this high demand, as fossil fuels are bound to end and are causing harm to the environment. Solar PV (photovoltaic) systems are a renewable energy technology that allows the utilization of solar energy directly from the sun to meet electricity demands. Solar PV has the potential to create a reliable, clean and stable energy systems for the future. This paper discusses the different types and generations of solar PV technologies available, as well as several important applications of solar PV systems, which are “Large-Scale Solar PV”, “Residential Solar PV”, “Green Hydrogen”, “Water Desalination” and “Transportation”. This paper also provides research on the number of solar papers and their applications that relate to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the years between 2011 and 2021. A total of 126,513 papers were analyzed. The results show that 72% of these papers are within SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. This shows that there is a lack of research in solar energy regarding the SDGs, especially SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 4: Quality Education, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced Inequality and SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions. More research is needed in these fields to create a sustainable world with solar PV technologies.
How Tourists Reacted to Ecotourism during COVID-19: Insights on Its Sustainability from a Multivariate Analysis Based on the Case of Banyuwangi
Authors: Persada Satria Fadil , Prasetyo Yogi Tri , Maharani I. Gusti Ayu Pramoedya , Apriyansyah Bahalwan , Ong Ardvin K. S. , Young Michael Nayat , Nadlifatin Reny , Setiyati Etsa Astridya , Shanti Mardhatillah , Kumalasari Riesta Devi , Ubud Sahnaz , Putra Raden Aditya Kristamtomo , Putri Helena Hanindya Kartika , Gunawan Gilbert Aldrich , Wijaya Ida Bagus Ananta , Zunaidah Asih , Putri Gabriella Sagita , Prisca Yuventia , Redi Anak Agung Ngurah Perwira , Razif Mohammad
Published: January 2023

Ecotourism is an alternative to conventional tourism where tourists can enjoy natural scenery by prioritizing conservation aspects as a form of expressing responsibility to the environment. There are several popular ecotourism sites in Indonesia, one of which is Banyuwangi Regency, which was the world winner of the 12th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) awards. This study was conducted to analyze the factors that influence the behavioral intention of tourists to ecotourism at Banyuwangi Regency. By knowing the factors influencing behavioral intention, tourism managers and local governments can gain better insight into strategies that can be adopted to increase consumers’ positive intention toward ecotourism. This research was conducted with multivariate structural equation modeling (SEM), and twelve hypotheses were tested. A total of 344 respondents participated. Six accepted hypotheses were revealed. A positive and significant influence was found on the subjective norm and destination image variables on ecotourism behavioral intention. The analysis found a positive and significant effect between ecotourism self-identity and subjective norm variables. Other results found that the biosphere value had a positive and significant effect on the environmental attitude, and the future time perspective and destination image variables were found to have a positive and significant effect on the environmental concern variable. Most respondents in this study admitted that they are individuals who have a love for nature and are willing to dispose of their garbage in its proper place. Further theoretical and practical implications were described.
Peace Engineering in Practice: China’s Energy Diplomacy Strategy and Its Global Implications
Authors: Liang Lin , Jin Lei , Selopal Gurpreet Singh , Rosei Federico
Published: January 2023

As the world’s largest energy importer, consumer and with the second-largest economy, China is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Massive energy imports make China a major stakeholder in the world energy trade, with significant implications and repercussions on the global economy. The desire to be energy independent and the environmental impact of fossil fuels is prompting China to diversify its energy supply, adapt its domestic energy infrastructure, and deploy renewable energy technologies on an unprecedented scale. Intending to position itself internationally, China has developed an energy diplomacy strategy while formulating international relations policies. In particular, the government emphasizes sustainable development through the large-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies, which will help build Western China while simultaneously reducing pollution across the country, elevating China to a position of global leadership in the energy sector. Intellectual property and technological capabilities developed in China can be exported worldwide, including in the regions where the population has limited or no access to energy. In addition, this strategy will have worldwide implications as it will directly or indirectly help achieve several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including clean energy, education, eradicating poverty, climate action and sustainable cities and communities. On this basis, we anticipate that China’s energy policies may have long-lasting prospects for global peace, thus constituting an interesting and relevant case study for the emerging concept of “peace engineering.”
The Use of E-Peroxone to Neutralize Wastewater from Medical Facilities at a Laboratory Scale
Authors: Gliniak Maciej , Nawara Piotr , Bieszczad Arkadiusz , Górka Krzysztof , Tabor Janusz
Published: January 2023

The treatment of medical wastewater by the peroxone (AOP) and electro-peroxone (E-peroxone) processes was analyzed. The E-peroxone process is based on the production of hydrogen peroxide electrochemically from an O2 and O3 gas mixture produced in sparged ozone generator effluent using graphite-polytetrafluorethylene cathodes. The electrogenerated H2O2 reacts with sparged ozone to produce hydroxyl radicals. All advanced oxidation processes presented in this study effectively removed chemical oxygen demand (COD) by up to 87%. The use of E-peroxone showed 15% better results in COD reduction than conventional peroxone. The research suggests that E-peroxone is more sufficient at removing pollutants in wastewater than peroxone. Hence, E-peroxone was found to be more cost-effective than AOP in this case.
Compound Brands and the Multi-Creation of Brand Associations: Evidence from Airports and Shopping Malls
Authors: Henderson Isaac Levi , Avis Mark , Tsui Wai Hong Kan , Ngo Thanh , Gilbey Andrew
Published: January 2023

The authors identify a new type of brand concept, which they term as a compound brand. Compound brands have their brand associations multi-created such that the focal brand entity, their tenants, and ancillary entities all act as sources of primary brand associations. To test the possibility of compound brands, two potential compound brands are studied, airports and shopping malls. This was completed by undertaking 480 semi-structured interviews (240 for each entity) to identify the underlying brand association structure and which associations are important for consumer brand choice. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data. Participant responses support that compound brand association structures are created by the focal branded entity (e.g., an airport), its tenants (e.g., shops and restaurants), as well as ancillary entities (e.g., location and customers). The contributions of tenants and ancillary entities towards the brand association structures of airports and shopping malls were also statistically significant with large effect sizes. A continuum exists as to how much of the compound brand’s association structure is created by its tenants, with statistically significant differences between airports and shopping malls in terms of how much tenants contribute to overall brand association structures for the compound brand.
Keep Playing or Restart? Questions about the Evaluation of Video Game Addiction from a Systematic Review in the Context of COVID-19
Authors: Oceja Jorge , Villanueva-Blasco Víctor J. , Vázquez-Martínez Andrea , Villanueva-Silvestre Verónica , Al-Halabí Susana
Published: January 2023

This is a systematic review of the impact of COVID-19 confinement on problematic video game use and addiction. The research questions were: (1) What instruments were used to measure problematic gaming and video game addiction in the context of COVID-19; (2) how many studies made comparisons with analogous samples measured at two timepoints (pre-confinement and confinement); and (3) what were the results of these studies in terms of a possible increase of problematic gaming and video game addiction during confinement. The review followed the PRISMA model and used Web of Science and Scopus. Following an initial identification of 99 articles, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied leaving 31 articles in response to the first two research questions and 6 articles for the third. The results show that a wide variety of instruments were used, with IGDS9-SF and IGD-20 being the most common. A high number of non-validated ad hoc instruments were used. Only six (22.58%) of the 31 studies examined compared pre-confinement measures with measures during confinement. Those studies were inconclusive about the negative impact of confinement on the variables mentioned, with some studies noting an increase in problematic behaviors (n = 4) and others not confirming that (n = 2). The conclusion is a need for more scientific evidence based on validated instruments, consolidation of the concepts related to problematic gaming, and consideration of other theories such as the active user to produce more robust, transferrable findings.
Investigation of Project Delays: Towards a Sustainable Construction Industry
Authors: Memon Aftab Hameed , Memon Abdul Qadir , Khahro Shabir Hussain , Javed Yasir
Published: January 2023

The construction industry is one of the key industries for any country. It has been observed that this industry is suffering from sustainable solutions during project execution. It is evident from the literature that most of the construction projects are seriously affected by delays. Pakistan’s construction industry also suffers similar challenges. After the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction industry is experiencing several challenges which have resulted in project delays. Thus, this study investigates the key challenges affecting the timely completion of construction projects. The challenges were discovered from the literature and investigated to analyze their significance towards a sustainable construction project. This study also observes the relationships between the key challenges using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). A structural model was developed based on the 55 common challenges identified from literature. Data collection was administered through a structured questionnaire survey using a 5-point Likert-scale. The challenges were grouped into six constructs. The outcome reported 20 critical challenges, with information and communication-related factors being the most important challenge in the construction industry. Contract management also significantly affects project time overrun. The created model served as a starting point for academics, researchers, and practitioners to create an effective system for regulating time overrun challenges.
Impact of Landscape Pattern on River Water Quality Based on Different Topographic Relief Areas: A Case Study of Chishui River Basin in Southwest China
Authors: Zhang Xuzhao , Cai Hong , Tu Haomiao
Published: January 2023

The water quality of the basin is affected by many factors. The unique geological conditions in karst areas create highly heterogeneous geographical characteristics, which makes the relationship between water quality and landscape more complex and uncertain. In order to further study how these factors affect water quality in typical karst basin, this study takes Chishui River Basin in Southwest China as the research object, and Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson correlation analysis and geographic detector methods were used to quantitatively explore the difference between STR and LTR water quality factors and the impact of landscape on water quality under the driven of temperature, precipitation, population density and per capita GDP. The novelty of this study is that according to the topographic and geomorphic features of Chishui River Basin, sub-basins with different topographic relief are divided to study the difference of the influence of surface landscape on river water quality driven by topography, meteorology and human activities. The results show that: (1) The water quality in the area with large topographic relief (LTR) is better than that in the area with small topographic relief (STR); (2) In STR, human activities are more obvious, and dry land and construction land have a significant impact on water quality; In LTR, forest land is the main factor; (3) In STR, the interaction between population density and landscape indicators is obvious, while in LTR, the interaction between precipitation and landscape indicators is significant; (4) In STR, the focus is to coordinate the relationship between natural landscape types and man-made landscape types; In LTR, it is more necessary to harness steep slope farmland. Understanding the influencing factors of water quality in different topographic relief areas can determine more targeted protection measures in different topographic relief areas to achieve the purpose of protecting water quality.
Teaching Marketing Research at the University Level—From Academic and Professional Perspectives
Authors: de la Ballina Javier , Cachero Silvia
Published: January 2023

The evolution of marketing research (MR) has run parallel to marketing; however, nowadays, statistical techniques and data technologies are gaining more importance. The need for alignment regarding MR training between professors, students, and professionals is becoming increasingly urgent. This work continues on a double survey administered to professors and MR professionals in Spain to determine their proposals for adapting MR courses’ format and content to the companies’ current information needs. The results show that not only do professionals lead in terms of wanting changes to training, but also that these professionals are by no means extreme in their demands regarding university professors. The findings also show that, although there are significant differences in priorities at both the statistical and technical levels, the solution may be to combine and slightly adjust the current mandatory MR courses in business administration degrees. In addition, an elective course that develops training in new data and intelligent technologies for MR should be implemented.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Brand Orientation Strategy in Digital Marketing: Determinants, Research Perspectives and Evolutions
Authors: Li Sen , Shi Yingying , Wang Lingling , Xia Enjun
Published: January 2023

With the advent of the digital economy era, the relationship between consumers and brands is changing. The mode of marketing, especially the paradigm of brand management, also needs to be adapted to change. Brand orientation has triggered a heated discussion on the dominant paradigm of market orientation and a new revolution in brand management. In view of the primary position of brand orientation in the management domain, it is necessary to sort out a systematic scientific knowledge mapping, clarify the research context and progress, and discover research focuses and limitations for strengthening the construction of brand-oriented theories. This study conducts a scientific quantitative analysis of 169 literatures and 7187 references from the Web of Science in the field of brand orientation by comprehensively using methods of scientific knowledge mapping and traditional literature review. The findings show that: (1) Concentrating on the core issue that “whether and how brand orientation becomes an effective strategic orientation of an organization”, brand orientation research includes six major hot spots and has been extended to fields including non-profit organizations, retail, service, manufacturing, e-commerce, and tourism. (2) As a multi-dimensional construct, brand orientation affects organizational performance directly through internal branding and external customer perception, and it is influenced by organizational culture, leadership, competition environment, funding sources, and brand cooperation. The relationship between brand orientation and market orientation has evolved from mutual substitution to synergy.