bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Green-Engineered Barrier Creams with Montmorillonite-Chlorophyll Clays as Adsorbents for Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene
Authors: Wang Meichen , Phillips Timothy D.
Published: April 2023

Dermal exposures to hazardous environmental chemicals in water can significantly affect the morphology and integrity of skin structure, leading to enhanced and deeper penetration. Organic solvents, such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX), have been detected in humans following skin exposure. In this study, novel barrier cream formulations (EVBTM) engineered with either montmorillonite (CM and SM) or chlorophyll-amended montmorillonite (CMCH and SMCH) clays were tested for their binding efficacy for BTX mixtures in water. The physicochemical properties of all sorbents and barrier creams were characterized and were shown to be suitable for topical application. In vitro adsorption results indicated that EVB-SMCH was the most effective and favorable barrier for BTX, as supported by the high binding percentage (29–59% at 0.05 g and 0.1 g), stable binding at equilibrium, low desorption rates, and high binding affinity. Pseudo-second-order and the Freundlich models best fit the adsorption kinetics and isotherms, and the adsorption was an exothermic reaction. Ecotoxicological models using L. minor and H. vulgaris that were submersed in aqueous culture media showed that the inclusion of 0.05% and 0.2% EVB-SMCH reduced BTX concentration. This result was further supported by the significant and dose-dependent increase in multiple growth endpoints, including plant frond number, surface area, chlorophyll content, growth rate, inhibition rate, and hydra morphology. The in vitro adsorption results and in vivo plant and animal models indicated that green-engineered EVB-SMCH can be used as an effective barrier to bind BTX mixtures and interrupt their diffusion and dermal contact.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Trending Mobile Teaching and Learning Research from the Social Sciences
Authors: Fan Chun Wai , Lin Jiayi , Reynolds Barry Lee
Published: April 2023

With the development of computer and information technology, mobile teaching has enjoyed pride of place among teaching mediums in the past two decades. To visually explore the mobile learning hotspots and trends present in international journals, this study adopted two science mapping tools (CiteSpace and VOSviewer) to first detect and then visualise emerging trends (i.e., hotspots) in the mobile learning literature. A total of 528 mobile learning articles published between 2003 and 2021 that appeared in 21 international educational technology journals indexed in the SSCI database were retrieved for bibliometric analysis. The results show (1) there was a remarkable increase in academic output in this field starting in 2008 that topped out in 2021; (2) co-authorship with academics from diverse countries/regions and institutions was evident; (3) three trending foci in the literature include defining mobile learning, designing learning systems, and exploring mobile learning effectiveness; and (4) the high-frequency co-cited publications focus on the effectiveness of mobile devices via different research methods. This study provides scholars with an accessible summary of the current trends in mobile learning, identifies the active researchers in this field, and reports on which outlets are most relevant for research produced on this topic. In addition, the findings have direct implications for the education and private sectors. Mobile devices are not widely adopted in classroom settings and are often considered a learning tool more suited for out-of-class assignments or practice. Therefore, it is necessary for information technology educators to invest in actively initiating the integration of mobile technology into the classroom. Those in the technology industry should aim to develop mobile devices and relevant educational applications/software that can be utilised not only within the confines of the classroom but also to bridge in-class and out-of-class learning.
Sustaining Work–Home Enrichment Experience in the Academic Sector: The Role of Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Motivations
Authors: Alsuwailem Maha
Published: April 2023

This research investigated the impact of motivations on work–home enrichment experience among male Saudi academics working in universities. Drawing on self-determination theory (SDT) and the conservation of resources theory (COR), the study employed a quantitative study with data collected from 460 men. The analysis revealed that intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation reinforced by material pressure were significantly and positively related to both work–home enrichment (WHE) and home–work enrichment (HWE), whereas extrinsic motivation underpinned by social pressure is significantly and negatively related to HWE only. Furthermore, the results show that introjected motivation, identified motivation, and amotivation were not related to WHE and HWE. The findings of this study highlight the motivational underpinnings of the positive work–home interaction, demonstrating that working for pleasure and material incentives brings enrichment experiences for employees and their families. Further work and home studies should be carried out to produce useful insights that have the potential to improve and sustain the well-being of individuals, their families, and their communities, organisations, and countries’ economies.
Can New-Type Urbanization Promote Enterprise Green Technology Innovation?—A Study Based on Difference-in-Differences Model
Authors: Zhang Ran , Kong Guoquan , Sun Huaping
Published: April 2023

China proposed a new-type urbanization (NTU) strategy in 2012 to solve ecological and environmental problems caused by the traditional rapid and rough urbanization development model. Focusing on the policy’s important goal of building green and smart cities, it is crucial to explore whether the pilot of NTU promotes green innovation at the enterprise level, and thus achieves green environmental protection. Based on data from 1717 Chinese listed companies’ green patent applications between 2011 and 2020, this paper studies the impact effect of NTU on enterprises’ green technology innovation utilizing the difference-in-difference model combined with the PSM-DID method. The findings indicate that: NTU has a substantial effect on enterprise innovation in green technologies. The mechanism analysis shows that NTU can encourage green technology innovation in enterprises by easing their financial restrictions. This requires the government to encourage enterprises to engage in green technology innovation by alleviating their financing constraints and reducing their debt financing costs through policy incentives and financial subsidies. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the impact of the policy on green innovation is more significant in the central and western regions, highly marketable areas, non-heavy-polluting industries, and among enterprises with higher levels of green innovation.
Investigation of Mass-Transfer Performance for Biodiesel Reaction in Microchannel Reactor using Volume-of-Fluid with Species-Transport Model
Authors: Mohd Laziz Afiq , Chuah Chong Yang , Denecke Jens , Bilad Muhammad Roil , Ku Shaari Ku Zilati
Published: April 2023

A microchannel reactor improves the overall mass and heat transfer as compared with a conventional reactor. This is attributed to the creation of a high area-to-volume ratio and enhanced mixing due to the presence of the vortices inside the slug. In this paper, the mass-transfer performance was studied using a cross-junction microchannel. Subsequently, the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) method was used to observe the oil concentration contour inside a slug using volume-of-fluid (VOF) with the species-transport model. Based on the simulation results, the oil concentration was accumulated in both the slug’s rear and front regions. Hence, the creation of four vortices resulted in the creation of dead zones at the low-oil-concentration region. Furthermore, it has been observed that an optimum flow rate in a microchannel reactor is required to achieve a high mass transfer. A higher oil concentration was measured during the slug formation at a low flow regime due to the long residence time. In contrast, a high mass transfer has been reported during the slug-moving stage due to the higher vortices velocity, resulting in enhanced mixing and mass transfer. Hence, slug forming and the moving stage substantially influenced mass transfer at low and high flow rates, respectively.
Estimation of Economic Welfare Gains from Trade Facilitation in the Andean Community
Authors: Nazif Mehmet , Jenkins Glenn P.
Published: April 2023

Border procedures around the globe can act as barriers hindering international trade. Another impact of these procedures relates to their economic resource costs. In this study, using a microeconomic framework of international trade, the potential economic gains are estimated for reductions in trade administration costs related to sea border trade in the Andean Community (CAN) as well as for the increase in import and export trades that are stimulated as a consequence of the reduction in trade administration costs. The potential cost reductions are estimated separately for import and export trade. The estimates are made with respect to the existing levels of trade flows. We measure the excess economic cost of the current trade administration procedures in CAN with respect to two benchmark levels of trade administration costs, namely those for Chile and Singapore. Our results suggest that improving the trade administration cost levels to match those of the reference countries will enable CAN countries to enjoy economic resource savings of between USD 1.25 billion and 1.5 billion annually, corresponding to 0.19% to 0.23% of their gross domestic product. Given the current trade environment of CAN nations, relevant policy and reform options are suggested. The key policy recommendation is to improve the electronic single window system for trade administration and in particular, the interconnectivity of information flows between the member countries of CAN. Maintaining the port infrastructure is also critical for the delivery of efficient services for the movement of goods.
Advances in the Food Packaging Production from Agri-Food Waste and By-Products: Market Trends for a Sustainable Development
Authors: Cristofoli Nathana L. , Lima Alexandre R. , Tchonkouang Rose D. N. , Quintino Andreia C. , Vieira Margarida C.
Published: April 2023

Agricultural waste has been a prominent environmental concern due to its significant negative impact on the environment when it is incinerated, disposed of in landfills, or burned. These scenarios promoted innovations in the food packaging sector using renewable resources, namely agri-food waste and by-products such as bagasse, pulps, roots, shells, straws, and wastewater for the extraction and isolation of biopolymers that are later transformed into packaging materials such as bioplastics, biofilms, paper, and cardboards, among others. In this context, the circular bioeconomy (CBE) model is shown in the literature as a viable alternative for designing more sustainable production chains. Moreover, the biorefinery concept has been one of the main links between the agri-food chain and the food packaging industry. This review article aimed to compile recent advances in the food packaging field, presenting main industrial and scientific innovations, economic data, and the challenges the food packaging sector has faced in favor of sustainable development.
Investigation of Eggshell Agro-Industrial Waste as a Potential Corrosion Inhibitor for Mild Steel in Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Sanni Omotayo , Iwarere Samuel Ayodele , Daramola Michael Olawale
Published: April 2023

Corrosion inhibitors are generally used in reducing metallic corrosive effects. Nevertheless, most inhibitory compounds have harmful effects on the environment, as well as being expensive and toxic. Therefore, there is growing awareness of the need to replace petroleum inhibitors with eco-friendly inhibitors. Eggshell agro-industrial waste (ESAW) is a compound with high inhibitive activity and its utilization is desirable to minimize the quantity of agricultural waste generated. Hence, this study aims to demonstrate the inhibition efficiency of eggshell extract, a waste compound, on mild steel (material frequently utilized in the oil and gas sector) in one molar hydrochloric acid solution accessed via weight loss and electrochemical methods. Potentiodynamic polarization results shows that the current densities of mild steel corrosion significantly decreased using eggshell agro-industrial waste. Similarly, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy results suggest that eggshell agro-industrial waste enhances the mild steel polarization resistance significantly. The inhibitor performance increases with increasing eggshell agro-industrial waste concentration, with optimum efficiency of 97.17%. The inhibition was due to the adsorption and adhesion of the eggshell agro-industrial waste constituents on the surface of the mild steel; the adsorption obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. Compared with various reported corrosion inhibitors in the literature, eggshell agro-industrial waste is very effective. Therefore, eggshell agro-industrial waste can be recommended as a potential inhibitor in the oil and gas sector.
Modeling Interactions of Autonomous/Manual Vehicles and Pedestrians with a Multi-Agent Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient
Authors: Hu Weichao , Mu Hongzhang , Chen Yanyan , Liu Yixin , Li Xiaosong
Published: April 2023

This article focuses on the development of a stable pedestrian crash avoidance mitigation system for autonomous vehicles (AVs). Previous works have only used simple AV–pedestrian models, which do not reflect the actual interaction and risk status of intelligent intersections with manual vehicles. The paper presents a model that simulates the interaction between automatic driving vehicles and pedestrians on unsignalized crosswalks using the multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient (MADDPG) algorithm. The MADDPG algorithm optimizes the PCAM strategy through the continuous interaction of multiple independent agents and effectively captures the inherent uncertainty in continuous learning and human behavior. Experimental results show that the MADDPG model can fully mitigate collisions in different scenarios and outperforms the DDPG and DRL algorithms.
Artificial Intelligence Empowers Postgraduate Education Ecologically Sustainable Development Model Construction
Authors: Zhu Zhe , Zhang Lizhi
Published: April 2023

Postgraduate education provides valuable intellectual resources for the development and progress of human society. At present, the development of postgraduate education in China is at a moderate level. The level of internationalization is not high, and there remain objective problems, such as a shortage of educational resources. To solve these problems, this paper proposes the use of artificial intelligence technology to build a sustainable development model for graduate students. It is aims to study the means of building a favorable environment for the development of postgraduate education and to optimize the educational structure of postgraduate studies, so as to improve the training model and enhance China’s international influence. Under the influence of the sustainable development model of educational ecology, developed under the background of artificial intelligence, this study included a questionnaire survey of current tutors, as well as doctoral and master’s students; a total of 30% of master’s students and 37% of doctoral students were “very satisfied” and “relatively satisfied” with the evaluation of “teaching content”.
Effect of Elevation Gradient on Carbon Pools in a Juniperus przewalskii Kom. Forest in Qinghai, China
Authors: Dong Zhenjie , Hou Lin , Ruan Qi
Published: April 2023

Forest ecosystems are an important component of the global carbon cycle. Carbon density (CD; carbon mass per unit area) elevational changes in the vegetation, litter, and soil of forest ecosystems, are poorly understood. We investigated CD variations in arbor, shrubs, herbs, litter, and soils in a Juniperus przewalskii Kom. (Przewalski’s juniper) forest at 2900–3900 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in Qinghai Province, China. The average CD of vegetation (VCD) and litter (LCD) were 76.53 and 1.21 t hm−2, respectively, and the CD increased with increasing elevation, to maximum values of 114.02 and 1.39 t hm−2, respectively, at 3500–3700 m a.s.l., before decreasing at higher elevations. The soil carbon density (SCD) gradually decreased from 2900 to 3500 m a.s.l., sharply increased from 3500 to 3700 m a.s.l., peaking at 217.84 t hm−2, and then sharply decreased. The maximum ecosystem carbon density (ECD, 333.25 t hm−2) occurred between 3500 and 3700 m a.s.l. The VCD and ECD were significantly and positively correlated with elevation and annual average precipitation (AAP, p < 0.01), and negatively correlated with annual average temperature (AAT, p < 0.05). These may be key factors in determining CD distribution. This study reveals that conserving high-elevation forests is important for enhancing organic carbon accumulation in the ecosystem.
A Decision Framework for Identifying Methods to Construct Stable Composite Indicators That Capture the Concept of Multidimensional Social Phenomena: The Case of Social Exclusion
Authors: Libório Matheus Pereira , Diniz Alexandre Magno Alves , Rabiei-Dastjerd Hamidreza , Martinuci Oseias da Silva , Martins Carlos Augusto Paiva da Silva , Ekel Petr Iakovlevitch
Published: April 2023

This research proposes a decision framework that allows for the identification of the most suitable methods to construct stable composite indicators that capture the concept of multidimensional social phenomena. This decision framework is applied to discover which method among six best represents the social exclusion of eight medium-sized Brazilian cities. The results indicate that space is important in the definition and performance of the method, and ease methods to apply present the best performance. However, one of them fails to capture the concept of the multidimensional phenomenon in two cities. The research makes six important contributions to the literature. First, it offers a decision framework for choosing the best-fit method to construct a composite social indicator. Second, it shows to what extent geographic space matters in defining the best-fit method. Third, it identifies the best-fit method regarding stability and linkage with the conceptually most significant indicator of social exclusion. Fourth, it reveals the methods to be avoided, given their poor performance. Fifth, it indicates the mathematical properties that best represent composite social phenomena. Sixth, it illuminates the debate on social exclusion from a geographical and public policy perspective.
Analyzing Diets’ Contribution to Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Brasilia, Brazil
Authors: Silva Victor , Contreras Francisco , Koide Ryu , Liu Chen
Published: April 2023

Given the effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, understanding the consumption patterns that facilitate and support changes is essential. In this context, household food consumption constitutes a large part of society’s environmental impacts due to the production and solid waste generation stages. Hence, we focus on applying the Life Cycle Assessment to estimate Brasilia’s GHG emissions associated with household food consumption. We have used microdata from the Personal Food Consumption Analysis to address consumption patterns. The life cycle approach relies on the adaptations for Brasilia’s scenario of the inventories available in the databases of Ecoinvent 3.6 Cutoff and Agribalyse 3.0.1. Individuals’ GHG emissions results were classified according to sociodemographic groups and dietary patterns and analyzed through Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicate that household food consumption contributes 11,062.39 t CO2e daily, averaging 5.05 kg CO2e per capita. Meat consumption accounts for the largest share of emissions (55.27%), followed by beverages (18.78%) and cereals (7.29%). The ANOVA results indicate that individuals living in houses, individuals between 45 and 54 years old, and men have a higher carbon footprint. Therefore, future analyses for potential reduction should incorporate these target groups. Regarding dietary patterns, vegan individuals contribute 3.05 kg CO2e/day, 59.00% fewer emissions than omnivorous people. The no red meat, pescatarian, and vegetarian diets also imply lower food-related GHG emissions.
An Introduction to Nuclear Industrial Archaeology
Authors: Holland Erin I. , Verbelen Yannick , Connor Dean T. , Martin Tomas , Higginson Matthew , Scott Thomas B.
Published: April 2023

The legacy of the early days of the Atomic Age consists of many problematic sites worldwide, including radioactive waste dumps, uranium mines, spent fuel reprocessing plants, and defunct processing and enrichment plants. Although nature quickly reclaims abandoned sites, any remaining radioisotopes can pose a threat for millennia to come, long after the benefits gained from nuclear technology have faded. The field of nuclear industrial archaeology specialises in finding and characterising these sites to support local communities and site owners. Where maps and building plans have been lost, nuclear archaeologists deploy state-of-the-art analysis techniques on the ground to unravel the current state of legacy sites, and quantify the remaining radioactive inventories to the standard required by the nation the site is located within. The objectives of nuclear industrial archaeology are varied and site dependent. Whether the objective is to puzzle the forgotten history of activity back together or safeguard and recover dangerous radioactive materials, nuclear industrial archaeology adapts radioanalytical laboratory and site-surveying techniques in order to understand the site and allow scientists to communicate this information to support remediation efforts. This paper discusses current methodologies alongside a case study.
Examining the Factors That Contribute to Pro-Environmental Behaviour between Rural and Urban Populations
Authors: Sheasby Jade , Smith Alan
Published: April 2023

Factors that influence pro-environmental behaviour in individuals can be examined to assess the influence of a single element or combination of elements. In this study, eight factors were investigated for their influence on pro-environmental behaviour: environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, the influence of others, environmental responsibility, age, qualification level, employment status and locality (rural or urban). These factors were established from behavioural theory in the field of psychology, specifically the theory of planned behaviour. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, for which the participants were scored on answers to pro-environmental behaviour questions, which, in turn, were correlated against established influences of such behaviour. A multiple linear regression analysis examined the level of significance that environmental knowledge, environmental attitude, the influence of others and environmental responsibility had on predicting an individual’s level of pro-environmental behaviour. An ordinal logistic regression examined the level of significance that age, qualification level, employment status and locality (rural or urban) had on predicting levels of pro-environmental behaviour. The analyses did not detect a statistically significant relationship between any of the independent variables on individual pro-environmental behaviour. However, the level of contribution of each factor provides insights into approaches that can be used in policy formation in the education and marketing domains.
Calculation Theory of Counterweight Double-Row Pile Support for Deep Foundation Pit in Reclamation Area and Influence Analysis of Core Pile Parameters
Authors: Dong Bo , Wang Qiongyi , Ma Fenghai , Zhang Cun , Zou Liang
Published: April 2023

The theoretical calculation of a counterweight double-row pile supporting structure is deduced and studied in this paper. The derived calculation method is applied to a Midas GTS NX simulation calculation. A case study of a deep foundation pit project in Shenzhen City is used to verify and analyze the simulation results and the field monitoring results. On this basis, the influence law of deformation parameters such as the row distance, pile diameter of back-row piles and load of the pit top on the pile of a double-row pile is further discussed. The results show that both the front- and back-row piles of counterweight double-row piles are overturning deformation, and the characteristics of the horizontal displacement are basically the same. The maximum value of the horizontal displacement of the pile is at the top and the minimum value is at the bottom. With the increase in the row distance and pile diameter, the horizontal displacement of the pile becomes smaller, and the change in the pile horizontal displacement under a top load is contrary to that. Moreover, the change in the row distance has a great influence on the horizontal displacement of the pile, followed by the load of the pit top, and the pile diameter of the back-row piles has the least influence. Due to the connection effect of the horizontal plate of the counterweight platform, the whole supporting structure is in the form of a hyperstatic structure. The back-row piles can withstand most of the lateral earth pressure, which effectively reduces the deformation of the front pile and improves the overall stiffness of the supporting structure, which is conducive to the excavation stability of the deep foundation pit. Therefore, its extensive use in the Linhai soft soil project can not only effectively reduce the number of internal supports and achieve the purpose of cost saving but also increase the construction face, which is beneficial to the development of dry construction organization and management, in line with the construction concept of green environmental protection and sustainable development advocated at present.
Managing Social Presence in Collaborative Learning with Agent Facilitation
Authors: Lee Bumho , Kim Jinwoo
Published: April 2023

As interest in online learning has increased, studies utilizing a social system for the innovation of lecture/learning environments have attracted attention recently. To establish a sustainable social environment in the online learning system, prior research investigated strategies to improve and manage the social presence of collaborators (e.g., students, AI facilitators, etc.) in an online lecture. Nevertheless, the negative effect of social presence was often neglected, which leads to a lack of comprehensiveness in managing social presence in an online lecturing environment. In the study, we intend to investigate the influence of social presence with both positive (student engagement) and negative (information overload) aspects on the learning experience by formulating a structural equation model. To test the model, we implemented an experimental online lecture system for the introductory session of human–computer interaction, and data from 83 participants were collected. The model was analyzed with Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The result shows the social presence of the collaborators influences both student engagement (other learners: β = 0.239, t = 2.187) and information overload (agent facilitator: β = 0.492, t = 6.163; other learners: β = 0.168, t = 1.672). The result also supports that student engagement is influenced by information overload as well (β = −0.490, t = 3.712). These positive and negative factors of social presence influence learning attainment (student engagement: β = 0.183, t = 1.680), satisfaction (student engagement: β = 0.385, t = 3.649; information overload: β = −0.292, t = 2.343), and learning efficacy (student engagement: β = 0.424, t = 2.543). Thus, it corroborates that a change in the level of social presence influences student engagement and information overload; furthermore, it confirms that the effect of changes in social presence is reflected differently depending on learning attainment and experience.
A Robust Fuzzy Equilibrium Optimization-Based ROI Selection and DWT-Based Multi-Watermarking Model for Medical Images
Authors: Bhatia Surbhi , Almutairi Alhanof
Published: April 2023

Image watermarking is the process of securely embedding a higher amount of information in the host object. These processes ensure authentication, image integration, and content verification. Several existing methods face complicated problems, such as security issues, robustness, and data leakage. Therefore, researchers developed specific methods for different applications. However, the performance of the currently obtained method was lower due to their low resistances. Therefore, to overcome this issue, we employed a novel technique, a fuzzy equilibrium optimization (FEO) approach, for embedding water image encryption. Initially, the raw image undergoes fuzzification to determine the critical point; thus, the intensity of the radial line selects a region of interest (ROI). Finally, the watermarking images are converted into a time-frequency domain via discrete wavelet transform (DWT), where the sub-band is converted based on value of magnitude. The proposed technique is analyzed using three medical image datasets, namely magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound (US), and computed tomography (CT) datasets. However, all pixels in each sub-band are replaced to form a fully encrypted image, guaranteeing a watermarked reliable, secure, non-breakable format. Singular values are obtained for the encrypted watermarking image to provide high robustness to the watermarked image. After validation, the proposed fuzzy equilibrium optimization technique achieved higher robustness and security against different types of attacks. Moreover, the proposed FEO technique achieved a value of peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) about 42.5 dB higher than other compared techniques.
The Effect of Initial Carbon to Nitrogen Ratio on Kitchen Waste Composting Maturity
Authors: Azis Fatin Amanina , Choo Melanie , Suhaimi Hazwani , Abas Pg Emeroylariffion
Published: April 2023

A home electrical composter has arisen as a popular tool to expedite the lengthy composting process. It has been conveniently selected as a compost producer in kitchen households and is especially favoured in urbanized settings. The generated composts from the electrical composter, however, are still found to be immature and would require additional curing. The quality of the compost can be improved by investigating the initial carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio) of kitchen waste. It is, therefore, the aim of this paper to determine the optimum initial C/N ratio by preparing two primary samples: with and without soil. Samples of 10:1, 15:1, 20:1, 25:1, 30:1, and 35:1 C/N ratios were fed into the electrical composter and allowed to cure for 4 weeks. The six main samples were further divided into sub-samples for replications. The phytotoxicity levels and maturity of the produced compost were assessed in terms of the germination index (GI), using a seed germination test. In addition, statistical analyses using box plots and T-distributed Stochastic Neighbour Embedding (T-SNE) were carried out to observe the root growths’ variability and to deduce any significant clusters amongst the samples. The results have shown that samples with and without soil performed better with C/N ratios of 10:1 and 25:1 and with GI values of 16.2 and 31.8, respectively. The results also indicate the presence of a substantial level of phytotoxins within the samples, even after four weeks of curing.
Evaluation of Sustainable City and Old-Age Security Policy Intervention in China
Authors: Tang Run , Guan Xin , Zhu Junfan , Liu Bo , Wang Zeyu , Xie Fanbao
Published: April 2023

It is becoming increasingly urgent to address the health of the urban environment and the aging population as cities increasingly absorb the majority of the world’s population. Efforts to promote “healthy cities” continue to garner interest as a means of empowering local communities to improve residents’ access to healthcare and encourage them to adopt more preventative practices. Due to the confluence of urbanization and population aging in China, the country’s cities must be designed and constructed to accommodate a wider range of residents and improve the quality of life for residents of all ages. A policy intervention evaluation model for the sustainable city index system is introduced after briefly reviewing the historical progression of sustainable city construction and the policies around the world. Then, six main pilot cities are selected to analyze their unique characteristics and trends across various dimensions. Finally, the dynamic simulation model is used to simulate the operation status of the pilot city system according to different dynamic factors. Two main conclusions are reached. (1) In different areas, the implementation of the sustainable city pilot strategy has had varying degrees of encouraging effects on building projects. (2) Overall, the pilot cities’ observed value is quite near to the control value calculated here. This suggests the synthetic control unit closely resembles the actual pilot city in terms of layout and design. (3) The healthy city pilot policy has a promotion effect on healthy city construction, as measured by its effect size of 0.015. This work can serve as a theoretical reference for promoting healthy city growth and as a guide for the city’s benign operation.
Critical Perspectives of NGOs on Voluntary Corporate Environmental Reporting: Thai Public Listed Companies
Authors: Wichianrak Jittima , Khan Tehmina , Teh David , Dellaportas Steven
Published: April 2023

This study examines the nature of environmental disclosures of Thai public listed companies (PLCs) which operate in environmentally sensitive industries and the factors affecting environmental disclosures as well as the need for a critical perspective from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) on corporate environmental reporting. A semi-structured interview approach was used for 19 interviews to attain critical perspectives of NGOs on environmental reporting. Thematic analysis through the lens of legitimacy theory and stakeholder theory is undertaken to identify themes and patterns that emerged from the study. Findings of this study reveal that the lack of quantity and quality when it comes to corporate environmental reports are serious issues, thus activating civil society’s criticism. Quality issues are dominant for the lack of reliance on voluntary environmental reporting by NGOs. The government’s monitoring and regulatory compliance systems is key, which has been highlighted as another factor. NGOs prefer government information over environmental information reported by companies. There is strong support for third-party verification and assurance to make the reports more reliable and useful. This study adds to the environmental disclosures and reporting literature by providing insights into civil society perspectives on corporate environmental reporting in the context of a developing country—Thailand. It sheds light on how companies can improve their stakeholder management and engagement strategy. It provides recommendations which may be used to inform relevant policy makers in improving Thai disclosure regulation and compliance mechanisms to promote greater monitoring and accountability. It also suggests companies further explore and examine potential technologies to support their reporting.
p-Numerical Semigroups of Generalized Fibonacci Triples
Authors: Komatsu Takao , Laishram Shanta , Punyani Pooja
Published: April 2023

For a nonnegative integer p, we give explicit formulas for the p-Frobenius number and the p-genus of generalized Fibonacci numerical semigroups. Here, the p-numerical semigroup Sp is defined as the set of integers whose nonnegative integral linear combinations of given positive integers a1,a2,…,ak are expressed in more than p ways. When p=0, S0 with the 0-Frobenius number and the 0-genus is the original numerical semigroup with the Frobenius number and the genus. In this paper, we consider the p-numerical semigroup involving Jacobsthal polynomials, which include Fibonacci numbers as special cases. We can also deal with the Jacobsthal–Lucas polynomials, including Lucas numbers accordingly. An application on the p-Hilbert series is also provided. There are some interesting connections between Frobenius numbers and geometric and algebraic structures that exhibit symmetry properties.
The Quasi-Boundary Regularization Method for Recovering the Initial Value in a Nonlinear Time–Space Fractional Diffusion Equation
Authors: Li Dun-Gang , Chen Yong-Gang , Gao Yin-Xia , Yang Fan , Xu Jian-Ming , Li Xiao-Xiao
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we consider the inverse problem for identifying the initial value problem of the time–space fractional nonlinear diffusion equation. The uniqueness of the solution is proved by taking the fixed point theorem of Banach compression, and the ill-posedness of the problem is analyzed through the exact solution. The quasi-boundary regularization method is chosen to solve the ill-posed problem, and the error estimate between the regularization solution and the exact solution is given. Moreover, several numerical examples are chosen to prove the effectiveness of the quasi-boundary regularization method. Finally, our method can be used to solve high dimensional time–space fractional nonlinear diffusion equation, especially in cylindrical and spherical symmetric regions.
Big Steve and the State of the Universe
Authors: Woodard Richard P.
Published: April 2023

I share some reminiscences of the late Steven Weinberg. Then I discuss a topic in quantum field theory that he taught me: the role of state wave functionals in deriving the iϵ term of the Feynman propagator when using functional formalism. This is perhaps a curiosity for in–out scattering amplitudes on flat-space backgrounds, but it has much greater significance for the in–in amplitudes of the Schwinger–Keldysh formalism in cosmology. It also touches on the fate, about which Weinberg wondered, of the large logarithms one sometimes finds in quantum corrections from inflationary particle production.
Numerical Simulation Research Considering the Influence of Bridge Deck Cross Slope on Wind Performance of π-Type Composite Beam Cable-Stayed Bridge with a Symmetric Elevation Arrangement
Authors: Zhang Shuaihui , Wang Xiangyang
Published: April 2023

Based on a symmetrical cable-stayed bridge, the wind resistance performance of a proposed π-type composite beam is analyzed, and the influence of changing the bridge deck cross slope ratio on the static and dynamic wind characteristics is emphatically studied. The purpose is to provide a design reference for the preliminary wind resistance study of the cable-stayed bridge. The CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) numerical calculation method is used to solve the vibration problem of wind-bridge coupling with the help of the software Fluent. It is found that variation of four deck cross slope rates 0%, 1.5%, 2%, and 2.5% has large effects on the static wind coefficient and flutter critical wind speed of a π-type combination beam. In the range of a −3–3° wind attack angle, the static wind drag coefficient will be decreased as the beam deck cross slope rate increases, and in which the drag coefficient at 0% slope rate is the largest. Within the discounted wind speed 13, changing the bridge deck cross slope has little effect on the aerodynamic derivatives of a π-type composite beam. However, the beam deck slope increases the critical wind speed of the bridge, and the critical wind speed at 2.5% is the largest of the four deck slope rates. In addition, it is found that the beam leeward surface keeps generating up and down vortices when the incoming flow wind speed is in the range of 2.5–4.0 m/s, which led the beam to be under vertical vortex vibration, and further research is needed on vibration suppression measures.
Fundamental Asymmetries between Spatial and Temporal Boundaries in Electromagnetics
Authors: Mai Wending , Xu Jingwei , Werner Douglas H.
Published: April 2023

Time-varying materials bring an extra degree of design freedom compared to their conventional time-invariant counterparts. However, few discussions have focused on the underlying physical difference between spatial and temporal boundaries. In this letter, we thoroughly investigate those differences from the perspective of conservation laws. By doing so, the building blocks of optics and electromagnetics such as the reflection law, Snell’s law, and Fresnel’s equations can be analogously derived in a temporal context, but with completely different interpretations. Furthermore, we study the unique features of temporal boundaries, such as their nonconformance to energy conservation and causality.
Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Responses up to 9 Months Post-Vaccination in Individuals with Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection Receiving Inactivated Vaccines
Authors: Wang Jing , Huang Lei , Guo Nan , Yao Ya-Ping , Zhang Chao , Xu Ruonan , Jiao Yan-Mei , Li Ya-Qun , Song Yao-Ru , Wang Fu-Sheng , Fan Xing
Published: April 2023

Humoral immunity confers protection against COVID-19. The longevity of antibody responses after receiving an inactivated vaccine in individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection is unclear. Plasma samples were collected from 58 individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and 25 healthy donors (HDs) who had been vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine. The neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and S1 domain-specific antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and Omicron strains and nucleoside protein (NP)-specific antibodies were measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Statistical analysis was performed using clinical variables and antibodies at different timepoints after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. NAbs targeting the wild-type or Omicron strain were detected in individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection at 12 months after infection (wild-type: 81%, geometric mean (GM): 20.3 AU/mL; Omicron: 44%, GM: 9.4 AU/mL), and vaccination provided further enhancement of these antibody levels (wild-type: 98%, GM: 53.3 AU/mL; Omicron: 75%, GM: 27.8 AU/mL, at 3 months after vaccination), which were significantly higher than those in HDs receiving a third dose of inactivated vaccine (wild-type: 85%, GM: 33.6 AU/mL; Omicron: 45%, GM: 11.5 AU/mL). The level of NAbs in individuals with previous infection plateaued 6 months after vaccination, but the NAb levels in HDs declined continuously. NAb levels in individuals with previous infection at 3 months post-vaccination were strongly correlated with those at 6 months post-vaccination, and weakly correlated with those before vaccination. NAb levels declined substantially in most individuals, and the rate of antibody decay was negatively correlated with the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in the blood at discharge. These results suggest that the inactivated vaccine induced robust and durable NAb responses in individuals with previous infection up to 9 months after vaccination.
Citrus tristeza virus Promotes the Acquisition and Transmission of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter Asiaticus’ by Diaphorina citri
Authors: Chen Longtong , Liu Yangyang , Wu Fengnian , Zhang Jingtian , Cui Xiaoqing , Wu Shitong , Deng Xiaoling , Xu Meirong
Published: April 2023

Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (D. citri) is an insect vector of phloem-limited ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiatus’ (CLas), the presumed pathogen of citrus Huanglongbing (HLB). Recently, our lab has preliminarily found it acquired and transmitted Citrus tristeza virus (CTV), which was previously suggested to be vectored by species of aphids. However, the influences of one of the pathogens on the acquisition and transmission efficiency of the other pathogen remain unknown. In this study, CLas and CTV acquisition and transmission by D. citri at different development stages under field and laboratory conditions were determined. CTV could be detected from the nymphs, adults, and honeydew of D. citri but not from the eggs and exuviates of them. CLas in plants might inhibit CTV acquisition by D. citri as lower CTV–positive rates and CTV titers were detected in D. citri collected from HLB-affected trees compared to those from CLas–free trees. D. citri were more likely to obtain CTV than CLas from host plants co-infected with the two pathogens. Intriguingly, CTV in D. citri facilitated the acquisition and transmission of CLas, but CLas carried by D. citri had no significant effect on the transmission of CTV by the same vector. Molecular detection and microscopy methods confirmed the enrichment of CTV in the midgut after a 72-h acquisition access period. Collectively, these results raise essential scientific questions for further research on the molecular mechanism of pathogen transmission by D. citri and provide new ideas for the comprehensive prevention and control of HLB and CTV.
HIV Care Engagement Is Not Associated with COVID-19 Vaccination Hesitancy during the Initial Peak of the COVID-19 Pandemic among Black Cisgender Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women in the N2 COVID Study
Authors: Duncan Dustin T. , Park Su Hyun , Chen Yen-Tyng , Dolotina Brett , Worrall Wilder R. , Hanson Hillary , Durrell Mainza , Franco Gustavo Arruda , Morse Stephen S. , Schneider John A.
Published: April 2023

Background: Although there is limited literature on medication adherence (including HIV care engagement) and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in general populations (i.e., non-sexual or gender minority populations), even less is known about whether HIV care engagement correlates with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among sexual and gender minorities, especially those from intersectional backgrounds. The objective of the current study was to examine if an association exists between HIV status neutral care (i.e., current pre-exposure prophylaxis [PrEP] or antiretroviral therapy [ART] use) and COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy among Black cisgender sexual minority men and transgender women at the initial peak of the pandemic. Methods: We conducted the N2 COVID Study in Chicago from 20 April 2020 to 31 July 2020 (analytic n = 222), including Black cisgender sexual minority men and transgender women who were vulnerable to HIV as well as those who were living with HIV. The survey included questions regarding HIV care engagement, COVID-19 vaccination hesitancy and COVID-19 related socio-economic hardships. Multivariable associations estimated adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) using modified Poisson regressions for COVID vaccine hesitancy adjusting for baseline socio-demographic characteristics and survey assessment time period. Results: Approximately 45% of participants reported COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. PrEP and ART use were not associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy when examined separately or combined (p > 0.05). There were no significant multiplicative effects of COVID-19 related socio-economic hardships and HIV care engagement on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Conclusions: Findings suggest no association between HIV care engagement and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among Black cisgender sexual minority men and transgender women at the initial peak of the pandemic. It is therefore essential that COVID-19 vaccine promotion interventions focus on all Black sexual and gender minorities regardless of HIV care engagement and COVID-19 vaccine uptake is likely related to factors other than engagement in HIV status neutral care.