bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of Tea Seed Oil Nanostructured Lipid Carriers and In Vitro Studies on Their Applications in Inducing Human Hair Growth
Authors: Riangjanapatee Pornthida , Khongkow Mattaka , Treetong Alongkot , Unger Onuma , Phungbun Chutikorn , Jaemsai Supatchaya , Bootsiri Chatchaya , Okonogi Siriporn
Published: May 2022

Synthetic drugs used to treat hair loss cause many side-effects. Natural tea seed oil possesses many activities that can suppress hair loss. However, it is oily and sticky in direct application. In this study, tea seed oil loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) using Tween 80 (NLC-T), Varisoft 442 (NLC-V), and a combination of both surfactants (NLC-C) was developed. The obtained nanoformulations showed spherical particles in the size range 130–430 nm. Particle size and size distribution of NLC-C and NLC-T after storage at 4, 25, and 40 °C for 90 days were unchanged, indicating their excellent stability. The pH of NLC-T, NLC-V, and NLC-C throughout 90 days remained at 3, 4, and 3.7, respectively. NLC-C showed significantly greater nontoxicity and growth-stimulating effect on human follicle dermal papilla (HFDP) cells than the intact oil. NLC-T and NLC-V could not stimulate cell growth and showed high cytotoxicity. NLC-C showed melting point at 52 ± 0.02 °C and its entrapment efficiency was 96.26 ± 2.26%. The prepared hair serum containing NLC-C showed better spreading throughout the formulation than that containing the intact oil. Using 5% NLC-C showed a 78.8% reduction in firmness of the hair serum while enhancing diffusion efficiency by reducing shear forces up to 81.4%. In conclusion, the developed NLC-C of tea seed oil is an effective alternative in stimulating hair growth. Hair serum containing NLC-C obviously reduces sticky, oily, and greasy feeling after use.
Dexamethasone-Loaded Radially Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Sustained Anti-Inflammatory Effects in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Kim Sang Jun , Choi Youngbo , Min Khee Tae , Hong Surin
Published: May 2022

Radially mesoporous silica nanoparticles (RMSNs) with protonated amine functionality are proposed to be a dexamethasone (Dex) carrier that could achieve a sustained anti-inflammatory effect in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). High-capacity loading and a sustained release of target drugs were achieved by radially oriented mesopores and surface functionality. The maximum loading efficiency was confirmed to be about 76 wt%, which is about two times greater than that of representative mesopores silica, SBA-15. In addition, Dex-loaded RMSNs allow a sustained-release profile with about 92% of the loaded Dex for 100 h in vitro, resulting in 2.3-fold better delivery efficiency of Dex than that of the SBA-15 over the same period. In vivo evaluation of the inhibitory effects on inflammation in a RA disease rat model showed that, compared with the control groups, the group treated with Dex-loaded RMSNs sustained significant anti-inflammatory effects and recovery of cartilage over a period of 8 weeks. The in vivo effects were confirmed via micro-computed tomography, bone mineral density measurements, and modified Mankin scoring. The proposed Dex-loaded RMSNs prolonged the life of the in vivo concentrations of therapeutic agents and maximized their effect, which should encourage its application.
Evaluation of Touch and Durability of Cotton Knit Fabrics Treated with Reactive Urethane-Silicone Softener
Authors: Cho Hang Sung , Yoon Hye Jun , Lee Bum Hoon , Woo Jang Chang , Choi Hyeong Yeol , Shim Euijin , Youk Ji Ho
Published: May 2022

A new reactive urethane–silicone softener was developed to provide a soft touch to cotton knit fabrics with improved durability to washing and dimensional stability. The reactive urethane–silicone softener consisted of an amino silicone softener and a blocked isocyanate, which can crosslink and react with cellulose surfaces. The activated isocyanate from the blocked isocyanate reacted with the amino silicone softener by heat treatment at 150 °C for 30 min. The mechanical properties of the cotton knit fabrics treated with the urethane–silicone softener were evaluated using a Kawabata Evaluation System-Fabrics (KES-FB) system. The cotton knit fabrics treated with the urethane–silicone softener showed excellent elasticity, flexibility and shear recovery as well as excellent recovery against bending deformation, and soft and smooth surface characteristics with a small coefficient of friction that were maintained even after washing 20 times.
Development and Characterization of Polylactide Blends with Improved Toughness by Reactive Extrusion with Lactic Acid Oligomers
Authors: Tejada-Oliveros Ramon , Fiori Stefano , Gomez-Caturla Jaume , Lascano Diego , Montanes Nestor , Quiles-Carrillo Luis , Garcia-Sanoguera David
Published: May 2022

In this work, we report the development and characterization of polylactide (PLA) blends with improved toughness by the addition of 10 wt.% lactic acid oligomers (OLA) and assess the feasibility of reactive extrusion (REX) and injection moulding to obtain high impact resistant injection moulded parts. To improve PLA/OLA interactions, two approaches are carried out. On the one hand, reactive extrusion of PLA/OLA with different dicumyl peroxide (DCP) concentrations is evaluated and, on the other hand, the effect of maleinized linseed oil (MLO) is studied. The effect of DCP and MLO content used in the reactive extrusion process is evaluated in terms of mechanical, thermal, dynamic mechanical, wetting and colour properties, as well as the morphology of the obtained materials. The impact strength of neat PLA (39.3 kJ/m2) was slightly improved up to 42.4 kJ/m2 with 10 wt.% OLA. Nevertheless, reactive extrusion with 0.3 phr DCP (parts by weight of DCP per 100 parts by weight of PLA–OLA base blend 90:10) led to a noticeable higher impact strength of 51.7 kJ/m2, while the reactive extrusion with 6 phr MLO gave an even higher impact strength of 59.5 kJ/m2, thus giving evidence of the feasibility of these two approaches to overcome the intrinsic brittleness of PLA. Therefore, despite MLO being able to provide the highest impact strength, reactive extrusion with DCP led to high transparency, which could be an interesting feature in food packaging, for example. In any case, these two approaches represent environmentally friendly strategies to improve PLA toughness.
Probing Selective Adsorption in Cationic-Polymer Induced Aggregation of Binary Anionic Particulate Dispersions Using Solvent Relaxation NMR
Authors: Abdullahi Wasiu , Crossman Martin , Griffiths Peter Charles
Published: May 2022

NMR solvent relaxation has been used to characterize the surfaces present in binary anionic particle dispersions, before and after exposure to a cationic polymer. In the polymer-free case, it is shown that the measured specific relaxation rate of the solvent is a population-weighted average of all surfaces present, enabling preferential adsorption to be explored. The addition of the oppositely charged polymer led to phase separation, which was accelerated by gentle centrifugation. The measured relaxation rates and the equilibrium particle concentrations indicate that the cationic hydroxyethylcellulose polymer (HEC LR) exhibited no significant preference for either latex or laponite in binary blends with silica, but a strong preference for TiO2. This study illustrates the versatility of solvent relaxation to probe surface area, surface type and dispersion composition in complex formulations.
High Mechanical Properties of Stretching Oriented Poly(butylene succinate) with Two-Step Chain Extension
Authors: Li Xun , Xia Min , Dong Xin , Long Ren , Liu Yuanhao , Huang Yiwan , Long Shijun , Hu Chuanqun , Li Xuefeng
Published: May 2022

The structure, morphology, fracture toughness and flaw sensitivity length scale of chain-extended poly(butylene succinate) with various pre-stretch ratios were studied. PBS modification adopted from a multifunctional, commercially available chain-extension containing nine epoxy groups (ADR9) as the first step chain extension and hydroxyl addition modified dioxazoline (BOZ) as the second step. Time-temperature superposition (TTS) studies show that the viscosity increased sharply and the degree of molecular branching increased. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirm successful chain extension reactions. The orientation of the polymer in the pre-stretch state is such that spherulites deformation along the stretching direction was observed by polarized light optical microscopy (PLOM). The fracture toughness of sample (λfix = 5) is Γ ≈ 106 J m-2 and its critical flaw sensitivity length scale is Γ/Wc ≈ 0.01 m, approximately 5 times higher than PBS without chain-extension (Γ ≈ 2 × 105 J m-2 and Γ/Wc ≈ 0.002 m, respectively). The notch sensitivity of chain-extended PBS is significantly reduced, which is due to the orientation of spherulites more effectively preventing crack propagation. The principle can be generalized to other high toughness material systems.
Integration of Material Characterization, Thermoforming Simulation, and As-Formed Structural Analysis for Thermoplastic Composites
Authors: Bean Philip , Lopez-Anido Roberto A. , Vel Senthil
Published: May 2022

An improved simulation-based thermoforming design process based on the integration of material characterization and as-formed structural analysis is proposed. The tendency of thermoplastic composites to wrinkle during forming has made simulation critical to optimized manufacturing, but the material models required are complex and time consuming to create. A suite of experimental methods has been developed for measurement of several required properties of the molten thermoplastic composite. These methods have the potential to enhance thermoplastic composites manufacturing by simplifying and expediting the process. These material properties have been verified by application to thermomechanical forming predictions using commercial simulation software. The forming predictions showed improved agreement with experimental results compared to those using representative material properties. A tool for using thermoforming simulations to inform more accurate structural models has been tested on a simple case study, and produced results that clearly differ from those of models using idealized fiber orientations and thicknesses. This provides evidence that this type of as-formed analysis may be necessary in some cases, and may be further investigated as an open source alternative to commercial analysis software.
The Impact of Selected Laser-Marking Parameters and Surface Conditions on White Polypropylene Moldings
Authors: Czyżewski Piotr , Sykutera Dariusz , Rojewski Mateusz
Published: May 2022

Laser marking of polymer materials is a technology that is increasingly used in industry. Polypropylene (PP) shows a low ability to absorb electromagnetic radiation in the near-infrared range (λ = 1064 nm). The paper presents the influence of the surface condition of white-colored polypropylene moldings on the efficiency of their marking with a laser beam. In addition, the operation of the commercial laser marking additive (LMA) Lifolas M 117009 UN, intended to support the process of laser marking of polyolefin surfaces, was verified. The study is an attempt to combine laser operating parameters, material, and geometric properties of PP moldings to obtain the expected quality of graphic symbols. The test samples were made by injection molding method with the use of a specially designed modular injection mold. The molding cavities were prepared with various methods of metal processing, thanks to which obtained moldings differed in surface condition. The marking effects were assessed based on colorimetric tests and digital image analysis. The 0.5 wt% LMA content resulted in obtaining a graphic sign with high contrast in comparison to the background. The gradual increase in the modifier content resulted in a further increase in contrast. These values depended on the degree of surface finish of the samples, and therefore on the roughness parameters. Samples with a rough surface finish showed higher contrast compared to surfaces with a high surface finish. It was also found that for the analyzed moldings, the laser-marking process should be performed with the use of a low head velocity (450–750 mm/s) and a high concentration of the laser beam (0.03–0.05 mm).
Sparking Religious Conversion through AI?
Authors: McQueen Moira
Published: May 2022

This paper will take the stance that cognitive enhancement promised by the use of AI could be a first step for some in bringing about moral enhancement. It will take a further step in questioning whether moral enhancement using AI could lead to moral and or religious conversion, i.e., a change in direction or behaviour reflecting changed thinking about moral or religious convictions and purpose in life. One challenge is that improved cognition leading to better moral thinking is not always sufficient to motivate a person towards the change in behaviour demanded. While some think moral bioenhancement should be imposed if necessary in urgent situations, most religions today see volition in conversion as essential. Moral and religious conversion should be voluntary and not imposed, and recent studies that show possible dangers of the use of AI here will be discussed along with a recommendation that there be regulatory requirements to counteract manipulation. It is, however, recognized that a change in moral thinking is usually a necessary step in the process of conversion and this paper concludes that voluntary, safe use of AI to help bring that about would be ethically acceptable.
Religious Diversity of Corporate Board and Firm Value: Evidence from South Korea
Authors: Kim Wan-Yong , Yoon SungMan
Published: May 2022

When the board provides quality monitoring and advising to corporate managers, firms can achieve their goal, and so firm value increases. Board diversity is one of the issues that can affect the board effectiveness through influencing the quality of monitoring and advising. Hence, many prior studies have analyzed the effect of board diversity in various dimensions such as gender, age, race, ethnicity, education background on firm value or performance. However, prior studies do not reach out to the religious diversity of the board. So, this study investigates the relationship between religious diversity of the board and firm value. Using unique data of religion of directors for companies listed in Korea from 2008 to 2011, this study provides the following empirical results. In general, a high level of religious diversity has a positive impact on the firm value. However, when the degree of religious diversity of the board exceeds a certain point, religious diversity shows a negative relationship with the firm value. In addition, if the religion of directors is concentrated in one religion (when the level of diversity is low), firm value is lower than other control firms. The empirical finding of this study shows that religious diversity of the board matters in a similar way of other dimension of the board diversity.
Forming a Risk Management System Based on the Process Approach in the Conditions of Economic Transformation
Authors: Sidorova Elena , Kostyukhin Yuri , Korshunova Lyudmila , Ulyanova Svetlana , Shinkevich Alexey , Ershova Irina , Dyrdonova Alena
Published: May 2022

The economy is in a state of transformation into a new system, and it is quite realistic that economic entities will be under the influence of certain risky moments. The process of risk analysis and management should be considered by an enterprise as an integral part of enterprise management in extreme conditions of the economic development trajectory and be a guarantor of financial insurance. The goal of this study is the formation of a process approach in enterprise management—the creation of a universal risk management system based on the proposed risk management model to minimize the financial risks of an enterprise. We propose a risk management system that influences the forecasting of financial stability of an enterprise. To form the risk management system, we propose a model of an organisational system, the structural elements of which correspond to the principles of completeness, information capacity and consistency. We identified the diversity of direct and inverse relationships between factorial and productive characteristics, which indicates the complexity of the organisational system management process. The presence of “bottlenecks” in the implementation of expert systems tools was also noted. This was expressed in the difficulty of acquiring the knowledge necessary for the development of meaningful systems and structuring the knowledge gained in a form that is convenient for use. We used the method of qualitative modelling using the apparatus of weighted directed graphs. The study allowed us to formulate a list of factors that characterize the main activities of an enterprise in order to form a mathematical model of enterprise risk management. The developed predictive model is used to simulate extreme events and risks in the process of enterprise development, as one of the foundations of the enterprise management system in the conditions of economic transformation.
Pricing Longevity Bonds under a Credibility Framework with Limited Available Data
Authors: Bozikas Apostolos , Badounas Ioannis , Pitselis Georgios
Published: May 2022

For annuity providers, a higher life expectancy is not always positive news, as it potentially implies increased future costs, since benefits must be provided over a longer period of time. The underlying risk behind the unexpected improvement in life expectancy is called longevity risk. One way to hedge this risk can be attained with the process of securitization through mortality risk securities. This process requires an accurate prediction of the future mortality dynamics with an appropriate mortality model. However, a major issue in mortality modeling is the limited number of available data for a given population. The purpose of this paper is to present a mortality model under the credibility regression framework, aiming to capture the future mortality trends, especially for population datasets of limited available observations. Then, we show how this approach can be incorporated into pricing longevity bonds with the Wang transform. To ensure transparency and applicability in our illustration, the longevity bond pricing is based on the mortality data of Greece.
Application of C-LSTM Networks to Automatic Labeling of Vehicle Dynamic Response Data for Bridges
Authors: Shin Ryota , Okada Yukihiko , Yamamoto Kyosuke
Published: May 2022

Maintaining bridges that support road infrastructure is critical to the economy and human life. Structural health monitoring of bridges using vibration includes direct monitoring and drive-by monitoring. Drive-by monitoring uses a vehicle equipped with accelerometers to drive over bridges and estimates the bridge’s health from the vehicle vibration obtained. In this study, we attempt to identify the driving segments on bridges in the vehicle vibration data for the practical application of drive-by monitoring. We developed an in-vehicle sensor system that can measure three-dimensional behavior, and we propose a new problem of identifying the driving segment of vehicle vibration on a bridge from data measured in a field experiment. The “on a bridge” label was assigned based on the peaks in the vehicle vibration when running at joints. A supervised binary classification model using C-LSTM (Convolution—Long-Term Short Memory) networks was constructed and applied to data measured, and the model was successfully constructed with high accuracy. The challenge is to build a model that can be applied to bridges where joints do not exist. Therefore, future work is needed to propose a running label on bridges based on bridge vibration and extend the model to a multi-class model.
Development, Validation and Preliminary Experiments of a Measuring Technique for Eggs Aging Estimation Based on Pulse Phase Thermography
Authors: Quattrocchi Antonino , Freni Fabrizio , Montanini Roberto , Turrisi Simone , Zappa Emanuele
Published: May 2022

Assessment of the freshness of hen eggs destinated to human consumption is an extremely important goal for the modern food industry and sale chains, as eggs show a rapid natural aging which also depends on the storage conditions. Traditional techniques, such as candling and visual observation, have some practical limitations related to the subjective and qualitative nature of the analysis. The main objective of this paper is to propose a robust and automated approach, based on the use of pulsed phase thermography (PPT) and image processing, that can be used as an effective quality control tool to evaluate the freshness of eggs. As many studies show that the air chamber size is proportional to the egg freshness, the technique relies on the monitoring of the air chamber parameters to infer egg aging over time. The raw and phase infrared images are acquired and then post-processed by a dedicated algorithm which has been designed to automatically measure the size of the air chamber, in terms of normalized area and volume. The robustness of the method is firstly assessed through repeatability and reproducibility tests, which demonstrate that the uncertainty in the measure of the air chamber size never exceeds 5%. Then, an experimental campaign on a larger sample of 30 eggs, equally divided into three size categories (M, L, XL), is conducted. For each egg, the main sizes of the air chamber are measured with the proposed method and their evolution over time is investigated. Results have revealed, for all the egg categories, the existence of an analytic relationship and a high degree of correlation (R2 > 0.95) between the geometric data of the air chamber and the weight loss, which is a well-known marker of egg aging.
Enhancing Cyber Security of LoRaWAN Gateways under Adversarial Attacks
Authors: Mohamed Ali , Wang Franz , Butun Ismail , Qadir Junaid , Lagerström Robert , Gastaldo Paolo , Caviglia Daniele D.
Published: May 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) has disrupted the IT landscape drastically, and Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) is one specification that enables these IoT devices to have access to the Internet. Former security analyses have suggested that the gateways in LoRaWAN in their current state are susceptible to a wide variety of malicious attacks, which can be notoriously difficult to mitigate since gateways are seen as obedient relays by design. These attacks, if not addressed, can cause malfunctions and loss of efficiency in the network traffic. As a solution to this unique problem, this paper presents a novel certificate authentication technique that enhances the cyber security of gateways in the LoRaWAN network. The proposed technique considers a public key infrastructure (PKI) solution that considers a two-tier certificate authority (CA) setup, such as a root-CA and intermediate-CA. This solution is promising, as the simulation results validate that about 66.67% of the packets that are arriving from an illegitimate gateway (GW) are discarded in our implemented secure and reliable solution.
Rainfall Prediction System Using Machine Learning Fusion for Smart Cities
Authors: Rahman Atta-ur , Abbas Sagheer , Gollapalli Mohammed , Ahmed Rashad , Aftab Shabib , Ahmad Munir , Khan Muhammad Adnan , Mosavi Amir
Published: May 2022

Precipitation in any form—such as rain, snow, and hail—can affect day-to-day outdoor activities. Rainfall prediction is one of the challenging tasks in weather forecasting process. Accurate rainfall prediction is now more difficult than before due to the extreme climate variations. Machine learning techniques can predict rainfall by extracting hidden patterns from historical weather data. Selection of an appropriate classification technique for prediction is a difficult job. This research proposes a novel real-time rainfall prediction system for smart cities using a machine learning fusion technique. The proposed framework uses four widely used supervised machine learning techniques, i.e., decision tree, Naïve Bayes, K-nearest neighbors, and support vector machines. For effective prediction of rainfall, the technique of fuzzy logic is incorporated in the framework to integrate the predictive accuracies of the machine learning techniques, also known as fusion. For prediction, 12 years of historical weather data (2005 to 2017) for the city of Lahore is considered. Pre-processing tasks such as cleaning and normalization were performed on the dataset before the classification process. The results reflect that the proposed machine learning fusion-based framework outperforms other models.
Empty Pallet Allocation Optimization in Shipbuilding Using a Pallet Pool System
Authors: Yu Hao , Yang Jiaqi , Kang Xipei , Cong Zhe , Yao Siwei
Published: May 2022

Pallets are an important transportation tool in modern shipbuilding. With shipbuilding now trending towards larger ships, empty pallet allocation needs to meet the demands of having low costs and being sustainable for green shipbuilding. Thus, with the development of a pallet pool system, a new shipbuilding empty pallet pool allocation (SEPPA) pattern is proposed in this study. An integrated framework is developed that combines a mathematical planning model for a SEPPA pattern with a green allocation strategy. For the base case, the operation costs of the traditional shipbuilding empty pallet allocation (TSEPA) pattern and the SEPPA pattern are solved by applying an improved genetic algorithm for different pallet supply and demand situations. The results show that the SEPPA pattern is more cost-efficient than the TSEPA pattern. With increasing imbalances between supply and demand, the operation costs of the SEPPA pattern are lower than that of the TSEPA pattern. In general, the distribution of supply and demand will affect operation costs. Reasonable safety inventory intervals can reduce the operation costs of empty pallet allocation. This research may support decision making by shipbuilding pallet managers as they seek to minimize the costs of their pallet operations, by adopting practices and adapting strategies for their specific conditions.
Has the Free Trade Zone Construction Promoted the Upgrading of the City’s Industrial Structure?
Authors: Zhao Aiwu , Wang Jingyi , Guan Hongjun
Published: May 2022

Based on the panel data of 250 prefecture-level cities from 2006 to 2019, we adopted the idea and method of a “quasi-natural experiment” with difference-in-difference to assess the industrial-structure-upgrading effect of FTZ construction, analyze the factors and mechanisms influencing the effect, and further compare and analyze the regional heterogeneity and differences in spatial and temporal characteristics. We also propose policy recommendations to promote the orderly development of the FTZ. Empirical results show that, (i) compared with non-FTZ cities, the level of rationalization for industrial structures in FTZ cities increased by 9.69%, and the level of the advanced industrial structures increased by 7.01%. (ii) The innovation effect and the foreign investment effect enhance the effect of FTZ policy on industrial structure upgrading. (iii) Heterogeneity analysis found that the eastern and central FTZ have more significant roles in promoting industrial structure upgrading. (iv) Further spatial and temporal comparison analysis found that the promotion effect of the FTZ on industrial upgrading is temporally sustainable but with a certain lag. From the spatial perspective, the FTZ inhibits the level of advanced industrial structure in neighboring cities.
Community Renewal under Multi-Stakeholder Co-Governance: A Case Study of Shanghai’s Inner City
Authors: Li Simeng , Liu Zhimin , Ye Chao
Published: May 2022

Multi-stakeholder (e.g., governments, residents, the “3C” of community and “third party”) co-governance has become a hot topic in the community-renewal research field. However, the co-ordination of various rights and interests hinders the co-governance of multiple stakeholders, particularly in China. Current research on the mechanisms of multiple co-governance remains inadequate. This article presents a typical case of multi-stakeholder co-governance for community renewal with respect to adding elevators to an apartment building in Shanghai’s inner city. The multi-stakeholder co-governance process involved in this research differs from the traditional model, which is mainly led by governments. Field investigations and in-depth interviews were employed to explore how multiple stakeholders conduct dialogues and negotiations in the process of elevator installation. We summarize the key elements of community renewal, show the internal mechanism, and provide a new practical and methodological investigation of multi-stakeholder co-governance. This article highlights the significance of a good interest-co-ordination mechanism and simplification of the community-renewal process. It is also suggested to encourage the participation of multiple stakeholders and to promote co-operation between the community and enterprises in community governance.
Humanitarian Actors’ Cooperation Network in the Social Sustainability Context. Evidence from Poland
Authors: Marcinkowski Jakub
Published: May 2022

The humanitarian sector is responsible for minimizing people’s suffering during humanitarian crises and consists of several groups of stakeholders, who are named humanitarian actors (HAs). They play different integrative and supportive roles; however, intersectoral cooperation is not structured and usually relies on chaos. Thus, this research aimed to answer two questions: (1) what is the level of cooperation of Polish humanitarian organizations with other HAs?; and (2) who could be a leader(s) of humanitarian sector coordination and synchronization, to ensure social sustainability? The research was conducted among 100 Polish humanitarian organizations’ at the turn of the year 2021/2022, with an anonymous survey. The main aim of the paper was to assess the HA cooperation network from the Polish humanitarian organizations’ perspective. To conduct the research, a social network analysis (SNA) was performed. The results suggest a challenge in integrating HAs’ activities. Moreover, their synchronization is hampered by the significant dispersion of activities and the multitude of HAs involved in humanitarian actions. As a result of the SNA, a set of four groups of HAs with different roles were distinguished: a group of leaders, a group of followers, a group of supporters and suppliers, and a group of secondary supporters.
Information Processing for Quality Assurance in Reverse Logistics Supply Chains: An Organizational Information Processing Theory Perspective
Authors: Wijewickrama Madduma Kaluge Chamitha Sanjani , Chileshe Nicholas , Rameezdeen Raufdeen , Ochoa Jose Jorge
Published: May 2022

Every year, the construction industry produces a large volume of demolition waste (DW) recovered through reverse logistics supply chains (RLSCs). Information-centric QA plays an important role in the RLSC, providing an excellent solution for inferior-quality reprocessed products. However, information deficiency creates epistemic uncertainties that lead to information-processing needs (IPNs) for QA, for which the internal stakeholders in the RLSC should respond by undertaking appropriate information-processing mechanisms (IPMs). Given this, the current study aims to explore how internal stakeholders process information for QA in RLSC of DW through the organizational information processing theory (OIPT) perspective. The study follows a qualitative approach encompassing 30 semi-structured interviews with internal and external stakeholders in the RLSC of DW. The study found eight uncertainties that stem from the internal organizational environment and two uncertainties caused by the interactions with stakeholders in the supply chain. In addition, 15 IPMs were identified, which the demolishers and waste processors could undertake in response to the epistemic uncertainties. The study developed an information-processing management framework that would serve practitioners and academics to understand how effectively process, people, policy and technology elements contribute to responding to the epistemic uncertainties for successful QA in RLSC of DW.
Deep Learning-Based Projection of Occurrence Frequency of Forest Fires under SSP Scenario: Exploring the Link between Drought Characteristics and Forest Fires
Authors: Sung Jang Hyun , Seo Seung Beom , Ryu Young
Published: May 2022

The occurrence frequency of forest fires (OF) can be estimated using drought features because droughts are affected by climatic conditions. Previous studies have improved OF estimation performance by applying the meteorological drought index to climatic conditions. It is anticipated that the temperature will rise in South Korea in the future and that drought will become severe on account of climate change. The future OF is expected to change accordingly. This study used the standard precipitation index, relative humidity, and wind speed as predictor variables for a deep-learning-based model to estimate the OF. Climate change scenarios under shared socioeconomic pathways were used to estimate future OF. As a result, it was projected that the OF in the summer season will increase in the future (2071–2100). In particular, there will be a 15% increase in July compared to the current climate. A decrease in relative humidity and increase in wind speed will also affect the OF. Finally, drought severity was found to be the most influential factor on the OF among the four drought characteristics (severity, duration, intensity, and inter-arrival), considering inter-model variability across all global climate models.
Dissolved Iron from Steel Slag with Its Chelating Agent Promotes Seaweed Growth
Authors: Kwon Paul Kwangho , Kim Hyung-Suek , Jeong Sung Woo
Published: May 2022

Blue carbon ecosystems are crucial for carbon sequestration on a global scale. However, it is unclear how we could promote and maximize carbon sequestration. Here, we demonstrate that providing an iron source to seaweed fostered its growth through increased photosynthetic efficiency and transformed the carbon into a biomass. Firstly, we revealed that the mixture of the steel slag and DTPA eluted iron dramatically in seawater. Next, we applied the eluate of the slag-DTPA pellet to the seaweed. The results for the eluate treatment showed a 25.8% increase in the photosynthetic pigment level and a 44.9% increase in the seaweed weight. Furthermore, we confirmed no elution of potential toxic substances from the steel slag and DTPA pellet. Finally, we applied the pellet at a depth of 15 m near seaweeds and observed a 52.0% increase of carbon weight in the pellet treated group, while the non-treated group showed only a 10.3% increase for five months. This study indicated that steel slag-DTPA pellet treatment induced seaweed growth and efficiently transformed its carbon into a seaweed biomass. Thus, steel slag and its chelating agent may contribute to the promotion of sea forestation and a subsequent increase in carbon sequestration known as blue carbon.
Influence of Ultrasonic Field Parameters on the Biochemical Activity of Leachates from the Composting Process
Authors: Worwąg Małgorzata , Zawieja Iwona
Published: May 2022

Reuse of leachates by recycling them for composting is part of the circular economy. However, directly returning compost leachates to the mixture might increase the concentration of contaminants in the stabilized mass. The application of the ultrasonic modification of leachate was aimed at increasing the activity of microorganisms and the availability of nutrients, and reducing the number of pathogenic species. The purpose of the work was to determine the impact of variable ultrasonic (time and amplitude) field parameters on the biochemical properties, and number of selected groups of microorganisms, of leachates from a composting process. The tests used short sonication times of 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 s and vibration amplitudes of 15.25, 30.5, and 46 µm. The assessment was made on the basis of changes in numbers of microbial communities (mesophilic, thermophilic, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and fungi) and enzymatic activity (dehydrogenases-DHA), as well as respiratory activity (AR). Based on the conducted research, it was found that the leachate sonication time of 60 s and amplitude 30.5 µm were the most effective. The above parameters were considered borderline, above which there were no significant differences in the values of the analyzed indicators.
Does Public Environmental Education and Advocacy Reinforce Conservation Behavior Value in Rural Southwest China?
Authors: Huang Zhongde , Jing Zhaopeng , Bai Yang , Fang Zhou
Published: May 2022

The integrity of the natural habitat benefits the harmonious coexistence of nature and humans. However, a negative anthropogenic impact on natural habitats exacerbates the ongoing decline of global biodiversity, further undermining ecosystem services for human well-being, and making it difficult to reach the UN sustainability development goals (SDGs). Understanding people’s willingness to engage in habitat conservation is essential to provide realistic recommendation and coordination for building environmentally sustainable rural communities. We conducted social field interviews in rural communities and evaluated how external factors, individuals’ perceptions, and attitudes impacted villagers’ willingness to conserve nature by using structural equation modeling analysis method. Particularly, we examined the influence of the Chinese government’s two mountains theory (TMT) propaganda campaign, which encourages environmentally sustainable behavior and appreciation of ecosystem services. Our surveys examined behavior in the context of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in Menglun town in rural Southwest China in 2020. The results indicated that villagers had a basic understanding of the two mountains perceptions and tended to be willing to engage in conservation. The path analysis revealed that villagers’ willingness to conserve nature was directly influenced by external factors, mainly containing policy advocacy and environmental education, and was indirectly influenced by their perceived ability through identification and assessment of local habitats’ ecosystem services. We identified the importance of TMT slogan advocacy with natural conservation perceptions and local traditional culture as key drivers for the impact paths. These factors can achieve the SDGs 4, 8, 13, and 14. We also identified the importance of social perceptions of villagers’ willingness to conserve nature as a way to bring insights into habitat conservation in rural emerging areas of other regions and achieve the SDGs 13, 14. The study suggests that government and stakeholders should fully consider villagers’ demands for acquiring material benefits and recreational pastimes when optimizing ecosystem services of the natural habitat. Certainly, considering public environmental education and environmental advocacy can be a complementary strategy for rural development and conservation.
How to Activate the Value in Existing Stocks through Adaptive Reuse: An Incremental Architecture Strategy
Authors: Ingaramo Roberta , Lami Isabella M. , Robiglio Matteo
Published: May 2022

This paper illustrates a methodology for the remediation of polluted ex-industrial sites that considers the adaptive remediation and reuse of previously productive buildings and is structured in an incremental strategy. The main features of an adaptive reuse intervention are generally considered: low investment; high heritage awareness; urban identity; strong community engagement; and green concern. These characteristics are only partially compatible with the transformation of brownfields, mainly because of their usual size of the area, as it would require a large initial investment to purchase and convert the entire asset. To tackle this issue, we are proposing an incremental strategy that starts from the design process and is based on three main principles: (i) keeping and reusing as much of the existing buildings and facilities as possible; (ii) drawing the masterplan layout according to the pollutants, their zone distribution and the remediation techniques; and (iii) increasing public interest towards the area, attracting investors and stimulating a mechanism to rise the market value of the real estate property. The incremental strategy is illustrated through a project to reactivate an abandoned industrial area in Venice, Italy.
Transformation of Transnational Corporations’ Supply Chains as a Result of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Rymarczyk Jan
Published: May 2022

The subject of research formulated in the title of the article was selected due to the fundamental importance of global supply chains (GSCs) of Transnational Corporations (TNCs) in the functioning of the world economy. They determine the size, structure and directions of international trade and foreign direct investment. Currently, they are influenced by the innovative inventions of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR 4.0), as well as the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting experiences. This article is a review of the conceptual and futurological character and was based on the author’s literary studies and reflections resulting from his subject knowledge. Research techniques such as description, predictive analysis, synthesis and modeling have been used. The result of the research is the verification of the hypothesis regarding the uncertain potential impact of the Industrial Revolution 4.0 and the catalytic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global supply chains. This article should inspire more detailed, empirical research on these important issues.
Research on State of Power Estimation of Echelon-Use Battery Based on Adaptive Unscented Kalman Filter
Authors: Hou Enguang , Xu Yanliang , Qiao Xin , Liu Guangmin , Wang Zhixue
Published: May 2022

An echelon-use lithium-ion battery (EULB) refers to a powered lithium-ion battery used in electric vehicles when the battery capacity is attenuated to less than 80% and greater than 20%. Aiming at the degradation of the performance of the EULB and the unclear initial value of the state of energy (SOE), estimations of the state of power (SOP) of an EULB are not accurate. An SOP estimation method based on an adaptive dual unscented Kalman filter (ADUKF) is proposed. First, the second-order resistor-capacitance symmetry equivalent model (SRCSEM) of the EULB is established. Second, an unscented transformation (UT) is introduced and the battery parameters estimated by the ADUKF: (a) the SOE is estimated based on an adaptive unscented Kalman filtering (AUKF) algorithm, that uses the observation noise equation γk, Rk and the processes noise equation qk, Qk, and (b) the ohmic internal resistance (OIR) and actual capacity (AC) are estimated based on the aforementioned algorithm, which uses the observation noise equation γθ,k, Rθ,k and the process noise equation qθ,k, Qθ,k. Third, the working voltage and OIR are predicted using optimal estimation, and the SOP of the EULB is estimated. MATLAB simulation results show that EULB symmetry capacity decays to 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20% of rated capacity, the proposed algorithm is adaptive regardless of whether the initial SOE value is consistent with the actual value, and the estimation error of the EULB’s SOP is less than 3.28%, showing high accuracy. The results of this study can provide valuable reference for estimating EULB parameters, and help to understand the usage behavior of retired batteries.
Conformal Deformation, Monopoles, and Their Application to Control the Measurement, Berry Phase’s Path, and Resonant Frequency of a Spin
Authors: Lin De-Hone
Published: May 2022

The effects of the conformal deformation of physical parameters on the measurement, Berry phase, and resonance of a spin are investigated. We first construct a form-invariant yet measurement-tunable representation of a spinor from the deformed parameter surface. Then, it is shown that the evolution path of the Berry phase is tunable by the conformal index. Third, the source of the path-tunable Berry phase is shown to be the conformal monopole revealed by the recent investigation of the transformation design of quantum states. The dual fields produced by the dual conformal monopole are presented. It is demonstrated that the strengths of the pole and its dual partner are determined by the reciprocally quantized conformal index. Finally, we discuss the influence of the deformation on the resonance of the spin, and show that the resonant frequency follows the quantization rule ω¯R=ωRconformalfactorn/n with ωR as the Rabi frequency without deformation.
Luenberger Disturbance Observer-Based Deadbeat Predictive Control for Interleaved Boost Converter
Authors: Yu Xinhong , Yang Yumin , Xu Libin , Ke Dongliang , Zhang Zhenbin , Wang Fengxiang
Published: May 2022

A cascaded deadbeat predictive control strategy with online disturbance compensation is proposed for a three-phase interleaved boost converter in this paper. The topology of the three-phase interleaved converter is symmetric, so the inner loop controller is also designed symmetrically. For the purpose of realizing the error-free tracking of reference value, the deadbeat predictive control method is adopted for inner and outer loops with Luenberger observers, which are designed to estimate and compensate the disturbances of load variation in the power model as well as the unknown resistor of inductance in the current model. To eliminate the influence of a time delay, a two-step predictive control method is adopted in the predictive model. In the aspect of parameter design, the pole placement method is adopted to determine the gain of the observer. A series of simulations and experiments are carried out to test the proposed strategy under steady and dynamic conditions. It is shown that the proposed control strategy has faster dynamic response and stronger robustness against disturbance than the conventional model predictive control.
Some Rational Approximations and Bounds for Bateman’s G-Function
Authors: Ahfaf Omelsaad , Mahmoud Mansour , Talat Ahmed
Published: May 2022

Symmetrical patterns exist in the nature of inequalities, which play a basic role in theoretical and applied mathematics. In several studies, inequalities present accurate approximations of functions based on their symmetry properties. In this paper, we present the following rational approximations for Bateman’s G-function G(w)=1w+2w2+∑j=1n4αjw2−2j−1+O1w2n+2, where α1=14, and αj=(1−22j+2)B2j+2j+1+∑ν=1j−1(1−22j−2ν+2)B2j−2ν+2ανj−ν+1,j>1. As a consequence, we introduced some new bounds of G(w) and a completely monotonic function involving it.
50/60 Hz Power Grid Noise as a Skin Contact Measure of Textile ECG Electrodes
Authors: Tuvshinbayar Khorolsuren , Ehrmann Guido , Ehrmann Andrea
Published: May 2022

The electrocardiogram (ECG) is one of the most commonly measured biosignals. In particular, textile electrodes allow for the measuring of long-term ECG without skin irritation or other discomforts for the patient. Such textile electrodes, however, usually suffer from insufficient or unreliable skin contact. Thus, developing textile electrodes is impeded by the often-complicated differentiation between signal artifacts due to moving and breathing and artifacts related to unreliable skin contact. Here, we suggest a simple method of using 50/60 Hz power grid noise to evaluate the skin contact of different textile electrodes in comparison with commercial glued electrodes. We use this method to show the drying of wetted skin under an embroidered electrode as well as sweating of the originally dry skin under a coated electrode with high water vapor resistance.