bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of Beta-Barium Borate Sensing Head for Non-Invasive Measurement of Fluidic Concentration Variations
Authors: Twu Ruey-Ching , Sun Yi-Ren
Published: December 2022

In this study, a beta-barium borate sensing head (BBO-SH) was fabricated and evaluated for the measurements of fluidic concentration variations by using a non-invasive technique. The BBO-SH could be coupled to a fluidic container through thin interlayer water in a heterodyne interferometer based on the phase interrogation. To ensure the sensing head’s stability, the package of BBO-SH uses the prism and the coverslip bounded with UV glue, which can resist environmental damage due to moisture. After each use, the sensing head could be easily cleaned. The sensitivity of the BBO-SH remained stable after repeated measurements over a period of 139 days. Finally, the achievable measurement resolutions of the concentration and refractive index are 52 ppm and 1 × 10−6 RIU, respectively, for the sodium chloride solution. The achievable measurement resolutions of the concentration and refractive index were 55 ppm and 8.8 × 10−7 RIU, respectively, for the hydrochloric acid solution.
Guided Depth Completion with Instance Segmentation Fusion in Autonomous Driving Applications
Authors: El-Yabroudi Mohammad Z. , Abdel-Qader Ikhlas , Bazuin Bradley J. , Abudayyeh Osama , Chabaan Rakan C.
Published: December 2022

Pixel-level depth information is crucial to many applications, such as autonomous driving, robotics navigation, 3D scene reconstruction, and augmented reality. However, depth information, which is usually acquired by sensors such as LiDAR, is sparse. Depth completion is a process that predicts missing pixels’ depth information from a set of sparse depth measurements. Most of the ongoing research applies deep neural networks on the entire sparse depth map and camera scene without utilizing any information about the available objects, which results in more complex and resource-demanding networks. In this work, we propose to use image instance segmentation to detect objects of interest with pixel-level locations, along with sparse depth data, to support depth completion. The framework utilizes a two-branch encoder–decoder deep neural network. It fuses information about scene available objects, such as objects’ type and pixel-level location, LiDAR, and RGB camera, to predict dense accurate depth maps. Experimental results on the KITTI dataset showed faster training and improved prediction accuracy. The proposed method reaches a convergence state faster and surpasses the baseline model in all evaluation metrics.
Current Non-Contact Road Surface Condition Detection Schemes and Technical Challenges
Authors: Ma Yao , Wang Meizhu , Feng Qi , He Zhiping , Tian Mi
Published: December 2022

Given the continuous improvement in the capabilities of road vehicles to detect obstacles, the road friction coefficient is closely related to vehicular braking control, thus the detection of road surface conditions (RSC), and the level is crucial for driving safety. Non-contact technology for RSC sensing is becoming the main technological and research hotspot for RSC detection because of its fast, non-destructive, efficient, and portable characteristics and attributes. This study started with mapping the relationship between friction coefficients and RSC based on the requirement for autonomous driving. We then compared and analysed the main methods and research application status of non-contact detection schemes. In particular, the use of infrared spectroscopy is expected to be the most approachable technology path to practicality in the field of autonomous driving RSC detection owing to its high accuracy and environmental adaptability properties. We systematically analysed the technical challenges in the practical application of infrared spectroscopy road surface detection, studied the causes, and discussed feasible solutions. Finally, the application prospects and development trends of RSC detection in the fields of automatic driving and exploration robotics are presented and discussed.
Constant Load Pedaling Exercise Combined with Electrical Muscle Stimulation Leads to an Early Increase in Sweat Lactate Levels
Authors: Sawada Tomonori , Okawara Hiroki , Nakashima Daisuke , Ikeda Kaito , Nagahara Joji , Fujitsuka Haruki , Hoshino Sosuke , Maeda Yuta , Katsumata Yoshinori , Nakamura Masaya , Nagura Takeo
Published: December 2022

A novel exercise modality combined with electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) has been reported to increase cardiovascular and metabolic responses, such as blood lactate concentration. We aimed to examine the effect of constant load pedaling exercise, combined with EMS, by non-invasively and continuously measuring sweat lactate levels. A total of 22 healthy young men (20.7 ± 0.8 years) performed a constant load pedaling exercise for 20 min at 125% of the pre-measured ventilatory work threshold with (EMS condition) and without (control condition) EMS stimulation. Blood lactate concentration was measured by blood samples obtained from the earlobe every minute. Sweat lactate was monitored in real time using a sensor placed on the forearm. The sweat lactate threshold (sLT) was defined as the point of increase in sweat lactate. sLT occurred significantly earlier in the EMS condition than in the control condition. In the single regression analysis, the difference in sLT between the two conditions, as the independent variable, was a significant predictor of the difference in blood lactate concentrations at the end of the exercise (p < 0.05, r = −0.52). Sweat lactate measurement may be a noninvasive and simple alternative to blood lactate measurement to determine the effectiveness of exercise combined with EMS.
PRAGAN: Progressive Recurrent Attention GAN with Pretrained ViT Discriminator for Single-Image Deraining
Authors: Wei Bingcai , Wang Di , Wang Zhuang , Zhang Liye
Published: December 2022

Images captured in bad weather are not conducive to visual tasks. Rain streaks in rainy images will significantly affect the regular operation of imaging equipment; to solve this problem, using multiple neural networks is a trend. The ingenious integration of network structures allows for full use of the powerful representation and fitting abilities of deep learning to complete low-level visual tasks. In this study, we propose a generative adversarial network (GAN) with multiple attention mechanisms for image rain removal tasks. Firstly, to the best of our knowledge, we propose a pretrained vision transformer (ViT) as the discriminator in GAN for single-image rain removal for the first time. Secondly, we propose a neural network training method that can use a small amount of data for training while maintaining promising results and reliable visual quality. A large number of experiments prove the correctness and effectiveness of our method. Our proposed method achieves better results on synthetic and real image datasets than multiple state-of-the-art methods, even when using less training data.
Wind Impact Assessment of a Sour Gas Release in an Offshore Platform
Authors: Moscatello Alberto , Ledda Gianmario , Uggenti Anna Chiara , Gerboni Raffaella , Carpignano Andrea
Published: December 2022

Complex installations that involve dangerous substances, such as oil and gas or nuclear plants, must mandatorily undergo a quantitative risk assessment (QRA) according to current regulations. This requires, among others, the simulation of hundreds of accidental scenarios, which are typically carried out using empirical tools due to their fast response. Nonetheless, since they are not able to guarantee sufficient accuracy, especially when complex geometries are involved, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools are increasingly used. In this work, a high-pressure accidental release of a sour gas (CH4-H2S) in an offshore platform under several wind conditions is considered. A methodology used to perform a wind sensitivity analysis via CFD, while avoiding high computational costs, is presented. The wind intensity impact on some risk-related figures of merit, such as the high lethality or irreversible injuries areas, is discussed in relation to the flammability and toxicity limits of the released mixture. The results show that even a very low amount of H2S in the released mixture can strongly affect the threat zones. A progressive decrease in the toxic and flammable volumes in the platform is observed as the wind velocity increases; nonetheless, a saturation effect appears in high wind speed scenarios.
Heterogeneous Catalytic Ozonation: Solution pH and Initial Concentration of Pollutants as Two Important Factors for the Removal of Micropollutants from Water
Authors: Psaltou Savvina , Mitrakas Manassis , Zouboulis Anastasios
Published: December 2022

There are several publications on heterogeneous catalytic ozonation; however, their conclusions and the comparisons between them are not always consistent due to the variety of applied experimental conditions and the different solid materials used as catalysts. This review attempts to limit the major influencing factors in order to reach more vigorous conclusions. Particularly, it highlights two specific factors/parameters as the most important for the evaluation and comparison of heterogeneous catalytic ozonation processes, i.e., (1) the pH value of the solution and (2) the initial concentration of the (micro-)pollutants. Based on these, the role of Point of Zero Charge (PZC), which concerns the respective solid materials/catalysts in the decomposition of ozone towards the production of oxidative radicals, is highlighted. The discussed observations indicate that for the pH range 6–8 and when the initial organic pollutants’ concentrations are around 1 mg/L (or even lower, i.e., micropollutant), then heterogeneous catalytic ozonation follows a radical mechanism, whereas the applied solid materials show their highest catalytic activity under their neutral charge. Furthermore, carbons are considered as a rather controversial group of catalysts for this process due to their possible instability under intense ozone oxidizing conditions.
Reduced Degradation of the Herbicide 4-Chloro-2-Methylphenoxyacetic Acid (MCPA) in Soil Induced by the Fungicide Mixture Mancozeb, Metalaxyl-M, and Chlorothalonil Used in Tank Mixtures and Spray Series
Authors: Nguyen Kim Thu , Smith Kilian E. C. , Ottermanns Richard , Wijntjes Christiaan , van Dongen Joost T. , Schäffer Andreas
Published: December 2022

Pesticides are extensively used in agriculture to prevent infestation of crops, control plant-associated diseases and pests, and increase crop productivity. With regards to typical agricultural practice, tank mixing of two or more plant protection products or the subsequent applications of herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides are common application strategies to improve pest control. Our study provides evidence that the fungicide mixture consisting of mancozeb, metalaxyl-M, and chlorothalonil, each applied according to their recommended field rates, retarded the degradation of the phenoxy herbicide 4-chloro-2-methylphenoxyacetic acid (MPCA) in soil. MCPA dissipation times were between 1.6 and 1.9 days without and 2.5–3.5 days with co-applied fungicides. Furthermore, the proportions of extractable residues, non-extractable residues, mineralization, volatile organic compounds, and MPCA metabolism were altered by the fungicide mixture, i.e., considerably lower amounts of the main transformation product of MCPA, 4-chloro-2-methylphenol, were formed. The effects induced by the fungicides persisted throughout the experiment. Our results demonstrate that the current situation of considering individual active substances in the authorization process for plant protection products could lead to a discrepancy in the exposure assessment for humans and the environment. For specifically these cases, this calls into question whether the legally required level of protection is provided.
Regression Models for Lifetime Data: An Overview
Authors: Caroni Chrys
Published: December 2022

Two methods dominate the regression analysis of time-to-event data: the accelerated failure time model and the proportional hazards model. Broadly speaking, these predominate in reliability modelling and biomedical applications, respectively. However, many other methods have been proposed, including proportional odds, proportional mean residual life and several other “proportional” models. This paper presents an overview of the field and the concept behind each of these ideas. Multi-parameter modelling is also discussed, in which (in contrast to, say, the proportional hazards model) more than one parameter of the lifetime distribution may depend on covariates. This includes first hitting time (or threshold) regression based on an underlying latent stochastic process. Many of the methods that have been proposed have seen little or no practical use. Lack of user-friendly software is certainly a factor in this. Diagnostic methods are also lacking for most methods.
Improving Barrier Properties of Xylan-Coated Food Packaging Papers with Alkyl Ketene Dimer
Authors: Nechita Petronela , Roman Mirela , Cantaragiu Ceoromila Alina , Dediu Botezatu Andreea Veronica
Published: December 2022

In order to improve the hydrophobicity of xylan hemicellulose, a simple procedure of its chemical modification with alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), a non-toxic, cost-effective, and eco-friendly chemical, was performed. For this purpose, the reaction products of beech wood xylan and different amounts of hydrophobic AKD were used for paper surface treatment. Thus, the coatings of about 4.5 g/m2 were applied on both sides of base paper in single and three successive layers. To obtain a complete reaction between AKD and xylan hemicellulose, the coated papers were thermal cured (about 110 °C) and the effects of AKD content on the barrier (water, oil, and water vapours) and mechanical properties were analysed. The structural analyses by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) of coated samples emphasized the presence of β-keto-ester compounds as a result of the reaction between xylan hemicelluloses and AKD. This is confirmed by the improving of barrier properties as the AKD content in coating dispersion is higher. The good barrier performance and improved strength properties were obtained for the coated papers with xylan hemicellulose and 1% AKD applied on paper surface in three successive layers (about 4.5 g/m2). In this case, the water vapours transmission rate (WVTR) was 35% lower than those untreated and the resistance to air passing through coated papers was over 3 times higher compared with base paper. There are no results reported on the chemical reaction of xylan hemicelluloses with AKD as well as its application in coatings for paper packaging. In this context, the obtained results in this study can contribute to expand the applications area of hemicelluloses offering a sustainable strategy for the developing of food packaging papers with appropriate barrier properties using biopolymer coating materials.
Appraisal of Heavy Metals Accumulation, Physiological Response, and Human Health Risks of Five Crop Species Grown at Various Distances from Traffic Highway
Authors: Ahmad Shakeel , Hadi Fazal , Jan Amin Ullah , Ullah Raza , Albalawi Bedur Faleh A. , Ditta Allah
Published: December 2022

Road surfaces and vehicular traffic contribute to heavy metals (HM) contamination of soil and plants, which poses various health risks to humans by entering the food chain. It is imperative to evaluate the status of contamination with HM and associated health risks in soils and plants, especially food crops. In this regard, five crop species, i.e., strawberry (Fragaria ananassa), wheat (Triticum aestivum), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum), and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), were evaluated at 0–10, 10–50, and 50–100 m distance from the highway near the urban area (Takht Bhai) of Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) accumulation, phenolics, carotenoids, chlorophyll, and proline contents in plant parts were assessed. Pb and Cd in plants decreased with an increase in distance. Pb was above the critical limit in all plants except wheat, Cd exceeded the permissible level of the World Health Organization in all plants except wheat and tomato. Pb and Cd were higher in strawberries. Tomato and strawberry fruits, tobacco leaves, and sugarcane stems showed higher Pb contents at a 0–10 m distance. Phenolic contents in leaves were higher than in roots. The target hazard quotient (THQ) in edible parts of most crops has been greater than one, which presents a threat to human health upon consumption. To the best of our knowledge, this study presents the first holistic approach to assess metal contamination in the selected area, its accumulation in field-grown edible crops, and associated health risk.
Zero-Waste Management and Sustainable Consumption: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Mapping Analysis
Authors: Valenzuela-Fernández Leslier , Escobar-Farfán Manuel
Published: December 2022

The growth of waste generation is a global problem. Developing effective waste management methods is challenging for companies and the government. This research aims to provide a global perspective regarding scientific research on zero-waste management and sustainable consumption by identifying years of evolution, the most relevant and influential keywords, articles, journals, universities, countries, and authors. This research examines 2534 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2011 to 2021. Numerous bibliometric indices, including the number of publications, the h-index, and citation requirements, have been used as evaluating techniques. Additionally, a relational technique has been developed through graphical maps using the VOS viewer Software. Results show a growing trend in the number of zero-waste management’s publications and citations. Regarding the h-index, the five most relevant journals are the Journal of Cleaner Production, Resources Conservation and Recycling, Waste Management, Waste Management Research, and Sustainability. The most outstanding author is Tsang Dan from Zhejiang University, and the leading university is the Chinese Academy of Science, China. Furthermore, the principal regions and continents are China—Asia, USA—America, and Italy—Europe. The most important keywords are waste management, sustainability, circular economy, and sustainable development. This article is the first quantitative study focused on contributing a complete overview of the progress of zero-waste management and sustainable consumption, providing a collaborative network of researchers for future use in generating knowledge.
Study on Sustainable Combined Location-Inventory-Routing Problem Based on Demand Forecasting
Authors: Ji Tingting , Ji Shoufeng , Ji Yuanyuan , Liu Hongyu
Published: December 2022

The sustainable combined location-inventory-routing problem (CLIRP) based on demand forecasting is studied in this paper. Based on the construction of a multi-stage demand forecasting model, five parts of total logistics costs: the costs of trunk transportation and regional transportation, the fixed costs of distribution center construction, the inventory holding costs, shortage costs, and salvage, are comprehensively considered. The existing CLIRP model does not consider the environmental influence. Thus, a sustainable CLIRP model considering carbon emission is established with minimum logistics costs and emission as the objective function. A heuristic algorithm gives the initial solution, and then a hybrid heuristic algorithm combining the tabu search algorithm with the simulated annealing algorithm is proposed to find the global near-optimal solution. Finally, a numerical example of a garment chain enterprise is given to illustrate the solving process of the model. The results show that using the proposed algorithm determines the optimal locations of RDCs, and the transportation routes with each region are obtained with the minimum total logistics costs and carbon emission. The model realizes the combination of location, inventory, and routing problems of the large garment enterprises and finally realizes the goal of optimizing the sustainable logistics distribution network of the garment industry, which verifies the effectiveness of the model. Moreover, a comparison is made to show the efficiency of the proposed algorithm; the results show that the proposed algorithm in this paper optimizes the route and selections of RDCs.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Hybrid Renewable Energy-Based Electricity Supply to Gwadar, Pakistan
Authors: Ali Muhammad Sharjeel , Ali Syed Umaid , Mian Qaisar Saeed , Waqar Asad , Haroon Faheem , Alzahrani Ahmad
Published: December 2022

Gwadar is essential to Pakistan’s financial stability. Being the third deep-water port in Pakistan, it plays a significant role in trade between the Gulf States, Africa, UAE, and CARs. The load shedding of 12–16 h in Gwadar is the most concerning issue due to the non-availability of a utility grid, which is why the Pakistan imports 70 MW of electricity from Iran to fulfill Gwadar’s electricity needs. Gwadar has renewable energy resources that can be utilized for electricity generation. However, wind and solar systems were only installed for limited residential areas. Considering this scenario, a technological and economic analysis was performed using the Hybrid Optimization Model for Multiple Energy Resources (HOMER) software. Three models were considered in this study. Model 1 consisted of photovoltaic (PV) cells, wind turbines, converters, and batteries. Model 2 consisted of PV cells, wind turbines, converters, and a grid. Model 3 consisted of PV cells, wind turbines, converters, and diesel generators. The annual energy generated by Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3 was respectively 57.37 GWh, 81.5 GWh, and 30.4 GWh. The Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) for Model 1, Model 2, and Model 3 was respectively USD 0.401/kWh, USD 0.0347/kWh, and USD 0.184/kWh. The simple payback period of Model 1 was 6.70 years, the simple payback period of Model 2 was 7.77 years and the simple payback period of Model 3 was 4.98 years. Because Model 3 had the lowest Net Present Cost NPC, its payback period was also less than those of the other two. However, Model 2 had the lowest LCOE and its renewable fraction was 73.3%. These facts indicate that Model 2 is the optimal solution.
A Particular Case of Urban Sustainability: Comparison Study of the Efficiency of Multiple Thermal Insulations for Buildings
Authors: Pescari Simon , Merea Mircea , Pitroacă Alexandru , Vilceanu Clara-Beatrice
Published: December 2022

Achieving urban sustainability is a complex process that includes improving buildings’ resilience and energy efficiency by using the optimum thermal insulation solution. With the advent of new energy restrictions, it is very important to find the best compromise between the price of the thermal insulation material and energy savings because, sometimes, the initial cost of a thermal rehabilitation seems to be very high. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the variations in the amount of heat energy required by a multi-storey residential structure in Romania that uses 14 various kinds of thermal insulation materials. The energy demand is determined using the dynamic method using a building energy simulator that can evaluate the energy usage of lighting, warmth, ventilation, climate control, and water heating.
Use of Tailings as a Substitute for Sand in Concrete Blocks Production: Gravimetric Mining Wastes as a Case Study
Authors: Méndez Diana , Guzmán-Martínez Fredy , Acosta Mauricio , Collahuazo Luis , Ibarra Danilo , Lalangui Luis , Jiménez-Oyola Samantha
Published: December 2022

This study assesses the feasibility of reusing tailings from a gold mining area in southern Ecuador in concrete block (CB) manufacturing. For this purpose, physical, chemical, and mineralogical analyses were performed to characterize the tailings. Furthermore, the tailing samples were subjected to the European Standard EN 12457-2 leaching test to assess the potential risk of releasing toxic elements (PTE) into the environment. The CBs were made conventionally and replaced 50% and 70% of the sand with tailings. Lastly, mechanical resistance tests (MRTs) were performed to evaluate the indirect tensile strength, compressive strength, and absorption. The study results show that tailings are feasible as a substitute for sand in manufacturing CBs. Furthermore, the leaching tests complied with the set limit for non-hazardous mining wastes. Regarding the MRT, the CBs made with 50% of tailings were the ones that gave the most favorable results; however, the compressive strength and absorption did not comply with the regulations. In this regard, making CBs with less than 50% tailings is recommended to evaluate their mechanical properties. This study offers an alternative for recycling tailings and contributing to the circular economy.
A Strategy for Enhancing English Learning Achievement, Based on the Eye-Tracking Technology with Self-Regulated Learning
Authors: Kuo Yu-Chen , Yao Ching-Bang , Wu Chen-Yu
Published: December 2022

Owing to the global promotion of e-learning, combining recognition technology to facilitate learning has become a popular research topic. This study uses eye-tracking to analyze students’ actual learning situations by examining their attention during the learning process and to provide timely support to enhance their learning performance. Using cognitive technology, this study can analyze students’ real-time learning status, which can be utilized to provide timely learning reminders that help them achieve their self-defined learning goals and to effectively enhance their interest and performance. Accordingly, we designed a self-regulated learning (SRL) mechanism, based on eye-tracking technology, combined with online marking and note-taking functions. The mechanism can aid students in maintaining a better reading state, thereby enhancing their learning performance. This study explores students’ learning outcomes, motivation, self-efficacy, learning anxiety, and performance. The experimental results show that students who used the SRL mechanism exhibited a greater learning performance than those who did not use it. Similarly, SRL mechanisms could potentially improve students’ learning motivation and self-efficacy, as well as increase their learning attention. Moreover, SRL mechanisms reduce students’ perplexities and learning anxieties, thereby enhancing their reading-learning performance to achieve an educational sustainability by providing a better e-learning environment.
Does Education Affect Economic Growth? A Re-Examination of Empirical Data from China
Authors: Zhang Yu , Liu Jianguo
Published: December 2022

From the perspective of the spatial differences of China’s educational development, exploring the impact of education on economic development is of great importance for alleviating the main contradiction between China’s inter provincial education and economic development. By collecting the spatial panel data from 31 provinces in China between 2011 and 2020, the study adopted spatial autocorrelation analysis and spatial Dubin model and conducted an empirical exploring the impact between China’s education development and economic growth. The findings of the paper include the following: (1) From the perspective of spatial correlation of the education development level, the improvement of education in China’s provinces affects and promotes each other nationwide; the spatial correlation of the improvement of education level presents a situation of strong combination. In provinces with a higher education level, education resources are relatively concentrated. (2) From the perspective of the role of education in promoting the economy, the improvement of education has a significant impact in promoting China’s economic growth, but it is not significant in the western region of China. Based on the research results, efforts should be made to improve the level of spatial correlation among provinces and cities. This study further suggests that, in the future, vigorously developing industries and vocational education in the western region should be considered as an important measure for China in promoting the coordinated development of the inter provincial economy in the future.
Experimental Investigation and Micromechanical Modeling of Hard Rock in Protective Seam Considering Damage–Friction Coupling Effect
Authors: Zhang Chuangye , Liu Wenyong , Shi Chong , Hu Shaobin , Zhang Jin
Published: December 2022

The hard rock in the protective coal seam of the Pingdingshan Mine in China is a typical quasi-brittle material exhibiting complex mechanical characteristics. According to available research on the mechanical property, the inelastic deformation and development of damage are considered related with crack initiation and propagation, which are main causes of the material degradation. In the present study, an original experimental investigation on the rock sample of the Pingdingshan coal mine is firstly carried out to obtain the basic mechanical responses in a conventional triaxial compression test. Based on the homogenization method and thermodynamic theory, a damage–friction coupled model is proposed to simulate the non-linear mechanical behavior. In the framework of micromechanics, the hard rock in a protective coal seam is viewed as a heterogeneous material composed of a homogeneous solid matrix and a large number of randomly distributed microcracks, leading to a Representative Elementary Volume (REV), i.e., the matrix–cracks system. By the use of the Mori–Tanaka homogenization scheme, the effective elastic properties of cracked material are obtained within the framework of micromechanics. The expression of free energy on the characteristic unitary is derived by homogenization methods and the pairwise thermodynamic forces associated with the inelastic strain and damage variables. The local stress tensor is decomposed to hydrostatic and deviatoric parts, and the effective tangent stiffness tensor is derived by considering both the plastic yield law and a specific damage criterion. The associated generalized Coulomb friction criterion and damage criterion are introduced to describe the evolution of inelastic strain and damage, respectively. Prepeak and postpeak triaxial response analysis is carried out by coupled damage–friction analysis to obtain analytical expressions for rock strength and to clarify the basic characteristics of the damage resistance function. Finally, by the use of the returning mapping procedure, the proposed damage–friction constitutive model is applied to simulate the deformation of Pingdingshan hard rock in triaxial compression with respect to different confining pressures. It is observed that the numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data, which can verify the accuracy and show the obvious advantages of the micromechanic-based model.
Evaluating Environmental Quality and Its Driving Force in Northeastern China Using the Remote Sensing Ecological Index
Authors: Gong Enjun , Shi Fangxin , Wang Zhihui , Hu Qingfeng , Zhang Jing , Hai Hongxin
Published: December 2022

As one of the three major black soil regions in the world, northeastern China has an important strategic position there. Since the 20th century, the local environment has undergone great changes under the influence of the natural economy, and it is particularly important to quantitatively assess the degree of change. However, there have been few long-term quantitative studies of environmental spatial-temporal variances in the three northeastern provinces. Therefore, in this study, four typical remote sensing indices of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land surface temperature (LST), normalized differential building–soil index (NDBSI) and wetness (WET) were employed to construct the remote sensing ecological index (RSEI) using a principal component analysis (PCA) method based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform in northeastern China. The spatiotemporal variations in the eco-environmental quality were detected using linear slope and M–K test, and the direct and interactive effects of different influencing factors on the RSEI changes during 2000–2020 were explored based on geographic detection. The results show that the interannual variations in the RSEI show a fluctuating upward trend, with an increase percentage of 12.45% in the last two decades, indicating that the ecological quality of northeast China has gradually improved. Furthermore, that the western and eastern Heilongjiang provinces and western Jilin provinces contributed substantially to the improvement of environmental quality, while the environmental quality of Jilin provinces and central Liaoning provinces decreased to varying degrees. Compared with 2000, the area with a fair environmental quality grade had the greatest change, and had decreased by 60.69%. This was followed by the area with an excellent quality grade, which increased by 117%. Land-use type had the greatest impact on environmental changes in northeastern China, but the impact degree gradually decreased, while the impact of socioeconomic factors such as the gross production of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery and population density on environmental quality gradually increased. The major reason for the decline of environmental quality in central Jilin and central Liaoning is that urbanization development had occupied a large amount of cropland. This shows that taking into account the virtuous cycle of an ecological environment while promoting urban and rural development may be an important task for northeastern China in the future.
Nature-Inspired Cloud–Crowd Computing for Intelligent Transportation System
Authors: Singh Vandana , Sahana Sudip Kumar , Bhattacharjee Vandana
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, it is crucial to have effective road traffic signal timing, especially in an ideal traffic light cycle. This problem can be resolved with modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, cloud and crowd computing. We hereby present a functional model named Cloud–Crowd Computing-based Intelligent Transportation System (CCCITS). This model aims to organize traffic by changing the phase of traffic lights in real-time based on road conditions and incidental crowdsourcing sentiment. Crowd computing is responsible for fine-tuning the system with feedback. In contrast, the cloud is responsible for the computation, which can use AI to secure efficient and effective paths for users. As a result of its installation, traffic management becomes more efficient, and traffic lights change dynamically depending on the traffic volume at the junction. The cloud medium collects updates about mishaps through the crowd computing system and incorporates updates to refine the model. It is observed that nature-inspired algorithms are very useful in solving complex transportation problems and can deal with NP-hard situations efficiently. To establish the feasibility of CCCITS, the SUMO simulation environment was used with nature-inspired algorithms (NIA), namely, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Ant Colony Optimization and Genetic Algorithm (GA), and found satisfactory results.
Innovation Strategies for Textile Companies in Bangladesh: Development Using Quadrant Analysis Based on a Productivity Index
Authors: Jewel Sarker , Hong Jongyi , Im Chaechang
Published: December 2022

Bangladesh currently occupies a vital place in the textile industry, but it is beset with critical problems, such as insufficient infrastructure, low labor efficiency, and the lack of awareness regarding innovation and political volatility among CEOs. To overcome this crisis, an essential task is to measure the performance of individual companies because of the reality that “what you measure is what you get”. In consideration of these issues, this study developed a research framework on the basis of quadrant analysis and the Malmquist productivity index to capture the overall situation of Bangladeshi textile companies and provide useful information. The framework was then used to establish innovation strategies for such companies. The results of case studies indicated that even though improvements to the internal efficiency of these companies are sufficient, most of them need to innovate technology and policy. Applying the research framework to various fields can advance the formulation of optimized strategies tailored to a given company.
Analysis of the Challenges in the Swedish Urban Planning Process: A Case Study about Digitalization
Authors: Varela Elena Núñez , Öhrling Kristoffer , Moscati Annika
Published: December 2022

While the populations of cities continue to grow, institutions are demanding more sustainability in urban development, leading to a great increase in the complexity of urban planning. The need to consider social, legal, environmental, and economic parameters challenges the traditional urban planning processing in favor of an optimized and automated process. Generative design has the potential to optimize the design phase by automatically generating spatial design solutions and analyzing them in the design phase. The objective of the present study is to analyze the traditional urban planning process and to compare it with a digitalized driven process by using generative design. This study uses a mixed approach with four research methods: document analysis, survey, interviews, and a case study based in Sweden. The critical analysis of the Swedish urban planning process makes it possible to define the main barriers to a digitalized process. Results also show the benefits of using generative design for a more sustainable and faster design process. Two main conclusions can be made from this study: institutional and organizational changes are necessary to achieve digitalization, and generative design proves to be a useful tool that should be considered to support the digitalization of urban planning.
The Interest Level Assessment in Attending Training Programs among Romanian Teachers: Econometric Approach
Authors: Nate Silviu , Mara Daniel , Croitoru Alin , Morândau Felicia , Stavytskyy Andriy , Kharlamova Ganna
Published: December 2022

The article explores the determinants of Romanian in-service teachers’ willingness to participate in a national training program focused on mentoring in education. A multidimensional analytical model and survey data collected from a large sample of Romanian teachers (N > 5000) revealed a specific profile of those teachers who are interested in joining this type of training in education. It is found that individuals’ interest in joining the training program is positively affected by a higher level of education, prior experiences of attending training programs, and higher awareness of the role of mentoring in education. At the same time, individuals’ self-assessed needs for training and more challenges faced in online/blended teaching during the pandemic period also increase the teachers’ chances to be interested in joining the training program. However, a negative relationship is found between age and the willingness to enroll in the training program. Based on these general findings, the article advances the comparisons between three subsamples of teachers depending on their teaching level (primary education, lower-secondary education, and upper-secondary education). The study is designed to contribute to the general debate on reforming education systems through mentoring in education, and its findings can inform policymakers and stakeholders in the field.
Recycling of Plastic Waste: A Systematic Review Using Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Tsuchimoto Ichiro , Kajikawa Yuya
Published: December 2022

Research into plastic recycling is rapidly increasing as ocean and land pollution and ecosystem degradation from plastic waste is becoming a serious concern. In this study, we conducted a systematic review on emerging research topics, which were selected from 35,519 studies on plastic recycling by bibliometrics analysis. Our results show that research on the biodegradability of plastics, bioplastics, life cycle assessment, recycling of electrical and electronic equipment waste, and the use of recycled plastics in construction has increased rapidly in recent years, particularly since 2016. Especially, biodegradability is the most emerging topic with the average year of publication being 2018. Our key finding is that many research area is led by developed countries, while the use of recycled plastics in the construction sector is being actively explored in developing countries. Based on our results, we discuss two types of recycling systems: responsible recycling in the country where plastic waste is generated and promoting recycling through the international division of labor between developed and developing countries. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches and propose necessary measures for sustainable and responsible production and consumption of plastics such as waste traceability system and technology transfer between developed and developing countries.
Municipal Solid Waste as a Substitute for Virgin Materials in the Construction Industry: A Review
Authors: Lizárraga-Mendiola Liliana , López-León Luis D. , Vázquez-Rodríguez Gabriela A.
Published: December 2022

Municipal solid waste (MSW) requires adequate management to mitigate the negative impacts caused by its poor disposal in the environment. It is composed of several fractions, such as organic waste, paper, cardboard, metals, plastic, and glass, among other valuable materials. An area of opportunity for its recovery is the construction industry, which currently consumes around 3000 million tons of natural resources annually and is responsible for 34% of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. There are examples of the worldwide reuse of MSW in construction materials: plastics have been incorporated as substitutes for sand in the production of concrete and pavements; paper as a hygrothermal and lighting regulator in buildings; and glass has been reused as fine aggregate in concrete mixtures, among others. In this paper, we revised how these MSW fractions have been used for designing and producing sustainable construction materials, thereby favoring a circular economy approach and reducing their landfilling. Opportunity areas for these materials to be developed and applied were also identified focusing on Latin America and the Caribbean.
The Empowerment of Saudi Arabian Women through a Multidimensional Approach: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Family Support
Authors: Al-Rashdi Norah Abdullatif Saleh , Abdelwahed Nadia Abdelhamid Abdelmegeed
Published: December 2022

Globally, the empowerment of women is a critical and challenging issue. In considering the problem, the researchers sought to investigate Women’s Empowerment (WE) in the context of Saudi Arabia. In this study the researchers applied quantitative methods and collected the cross-sectional data through a questionnaire based on a random sampling technique. The study utilized 314 useable samples to conclude the investigation. Using path analysis through Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) version 26.0, the study underlines a positive and significant effect of Economic Empowerment (EE) and Social Empowerment (SE) on WE. On the other hand, Political Empowerment (PE) has a negative effect on WE. Moreover, Self-efficacy (SFY) and Family Support (FS) also positively and significantly affect WE. Regarding the mediating effects, SFY mediates the positive relationship of EE and SE with WE. On the contrary, SFY did not develop a positive relationship between PE and WE. Finally, FS plays a crucial mediating role in developing the association between EE, SE, PE and WE among Saudi Arabian women. This study’s findings support policymakers and planners in developing policies and strategies to boost WE significantly. Finally, through the empirical confirmation between EE, SE, PE, SFY, FS and WE in Saudi Arabia, a Middle East country, this study’s findings add further enrichment to the depth of the literature.
A Survival Analysis of China’s Trade of Environmental Goods
Authors: Peng Shiguang , Wang Le
Published: December 2022

Based on data at the HS-6 digit level, this paper uses survival analysis to present characteristics concerning the survival of China’s exports and imports of environmental goods during the period 2002–2020, and compares them with those of other major exporting and importing countries. The major findings are summarized as follows: For exports, the average length of all trade spells was 8.36 years, and the length of only 18.72% of them was more than 18 years, which shows a disadvantage compared with other countries. The hazard rate was 0.31 in the first year of export, and the export survival rate of China’s environmental goods was always at the highest level compared with the others. By category, the export survival of environmental monitoring and evaluation goods was the best, and the export survival of renewable energy goods was the worst. For imports, the average length of all trade spells was 6.08 years, and the length of 50.37% of them was equal to 1 year, which are worse results than those of other countries. The hazard rate was up to 0.48 in the first year of imports, which is higher than those of other countries. By category, the environmental monitoring and evaluation goods had worse early import survival and better long-term survival, whereas the renewable energy goods experienced the opposite. Whether for exports or imports, the survival rate is higher when China trades with regions that signed a regional trade agreement with it.
Deterioration of Novel Silver Coated Mirrors on Polycarbonate Used for Concentrated Solar Power
Authors: Magdaleno López Coraquetzali , Pérez Bueno José de Jesús , Cabello Mendez José Antonio , Hernández Leos Rosalba , Mendoza López Maria Luisa , Sosa Domínguez Adrián , Meas Vong Yunny
Published: December 2022

The lifetime of mirrors in outdoor conditions is crucial in the correct operation of any concentrating solar power (CSP) installation. In this work, the corrosion behavior of two types of metallized surfaces was studied. The first was made of a flexible polymer having a deposited reflective silver metallic film. The second was made of the same surface type with a dielectric SiO2 protection coating by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet. Polycarbonate sheets were used as substrates on which metallic silver was deposited by the Dynamic Chemical Deposit technique. This electroless technique allowed producing the mirror finishing under environmental conditions by sequentially spraying; as aerosols projected towards the substrate surface, the activation and reducing-oxidizing solutions with rinsing after each one. The silver coatings were about 100 nm thick. Environmental and accelerated weathering degradation and salt and sulfide fogs were carried out. XPS analyses show that the corrosion products formed were Ag2S, AgCl, and Ag2O. It was observed that the tarnishing was initiated locally by the formation of Ag2S columns as eruptions on the surface. Subsequently, the ions diffused through the protective layer and into the silver reflective layer, chemically reacting with the silver. The main atmospheric agents were H2S, chloride particles, and HCl. High reflectance was initially obtained of about 95%. The obtained results suggest mechanisms for the degradation of exposed silver surfaces to moisturized atmospheres with corrosive compounds.