bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of Highly Conductive Poly(3-hexylthiophene) by Chemical Oxidative Polymerization Using Surfactant Templates
Authors: Kesornsit Sanhanut , Direksilp Chatrawee , Phasuksom Katesara , Thummarungsan Natlita , Sakunpongpitiporn Phimchanok , Rotjanasuworapong Kornkanok , Sirivat Anuvat , Niamlang Sumonman
Published: September 2022

Poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) was systematically synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization in chloroform with ferric chloride (FeCl3) as the oxidizing agent and various surfactants of the shape templates. The effects of 3HT: FeCl3 mole ratios, polymerization times, and surfactant types and concentrations on the electrical conductivity, particle shape and size were systematically investigated. Furthermore, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA), p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (AOT) were utilized as the surfactant templates. The P3HT synthesized with DBSA at 6 CMC, where CMC stands for the Critical Micelle Concentration of surfactant, provided a higher electrical conductivity than those with PTSA, SDS and AOT. The highest electrical conductivity of P3HT using DBSA was 16.21 ± 1.55 S cm−1 in which the P3HT particle shape was spherical with an average size of 1530 ± 227 nm. The thermal analysis indicated that the P3HT synthesized with the surfactants yielded higher stability and char yields than that of P3HT without. The P3HT_DBSA electrical conductivity was further enhanced by de-doping and doping with HClO4. At the 10:1 doping mole ratio, the electrical conductivity of dP3HT_DBSA increased by one order of magnitude relative to P3HT_DBSA prior to the de-doping. The highest electrical conductivity of dP3HT_DBSA obtained was 172 ± 5.21 S cm−1 which is the highest value relative to previously reported.
Production and Potential Application of Pyroligneous Acids from Rubberwood and Oil Palm Trunk as Wood Preservatives through Vacuum-Pressure Impregnation Treatment
Authors: Lee Chuan Li , Chin Kit Ling , Khoo Pui San , Hafizuddin Mohd Sahfani , H’ng Paik San
Published: September 2022

The development of low-environmental-impact technologies for the elimination of biological damage is one of the vital goals of the wood protection industry. The possibility of utilizing pyroligneous acid as a wood preservative can be a great solution to extend the application of the currently fast-growing timber species, which has lower natural durability against biological damage. In this study, the effectiveness of pyroligneous acid as a wood preservative was evaluated by impregnating rubberwood with pyroligneous acid using vacuum-pressure treatment, and the treated woods were exposed to mould fungi, wood-decay fungi and termite attacks under laboratory conditions. Pyroligneous acids produced from rubberwood (RWPA) and oil palm trunk (OPTPA) at different pyrolysis temperatures were evaluated. To fully understand the effectiveness of pyroligneous acids as wood preservatives, different concentrations of pyroligneous acids were impregnated into rubberwood. Concentrations of 50% RWPA and 30% OPTPA were sufficient against mould and decay fungi on rubberwood. Rubberwood impregnated with pyroligneous acid acted as a slow-acting toxic bait to cause a high termite mortality rate due to toxic feeding and does not serve as a good repellent to prevent termites from feeding on the wood. In general, OPTPA has better biological durability compared to RWPA.
Design, Fabrication and Characterization of Biodegradable Composites Containing Closo-Borates as Potential Materials for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
Authors: Stepanova Mariia , Dobrodumov Anatoliy , Averianov Ilia , Gofman Iosif , Nashchekina Juliya , Guryanov Ivan , Klyukin Ilya , Zhdanov Andrey , Korzhikova-Vlakh Evgenia , Zhizhin Konstantin
Published: September 2022

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) has been recognized as a very promising approach for cancer treatment. In the case of osteosarcoma, boron-containing scaffolds can be a powerful tool to combine boron delivery to the tumor cells and the repair of postoperative bone defects. Here we describe the fabrication and characterization of novel biodegradable polymer composites as films and 3D-printed matrices based on aliphatic polyesters containing closo-borates (CB) for BNCT. Different approaches to the fabrication of composites have been applied, and the mechanical properties of these composites, kinetics of their degradation, and the release of closo-borate have been studied. The most complex scaffold was a 3D-printed poly(ε-caprolactone) matrix filled with CB-containing alginate/gelatin hydrogel to enhance biocompatibility. The results obtained allowed us to confirm the high potential of the developed composite materials for application in BNCT and bone tissue regeneration.
Synthesis of Controlled-Release Calcium Peroxide Nanoparticles Coated with Dextran for Removal of Doxycycline from Aqueous System
Authors: Amerhaider Nuar Nurul Nazihah , Md. Jamil Siti Nurul Ain , Li Fan , Mat Azmi Intan Diana , Chiang Pen-Chi , Choong Thomas Shean Yaw
Published: September 2022

Nanoscale calcium peroxide (nCP) has turned out to be one of the effective and environmentally friendly approaches for wastewater remediation purposes. The rapid hydrolysis of nCPs and burst oxygen release caused by the high surface-to-volume ratio of nCPs could surpass the appropriate demand for oxygenation and pollutant degradation in the aqueous system. Thus, coated oxidants (COs) have been prepared using polymeric materials to ensure long-term efficacy and slow-release capability. Therefore, the nCPs were first prepared using dextran as a stabilizer to prevent irreversible agglomeration by the chemical precipitation method and had an average mean size of 2.33 ± 0.81 nm. The synthesized nCPs were then coated with dextran to produce dextran-coated nCPs. Their characteristics and effectiveness in doxycycline (DOX) degradation were assessed. The characterization of nCPs and dextran-coated nCPs was performed using X-ray diffractometry (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller analysis (BET), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) techniques. This work suggests that dextran-coated nCPs are beneficial in wastewater treatment practice in terms of the long-term efficacy of DOX degradation potential.
Design and Preparation of a Biobased Colorimetric pH Indicator from Cellulose and Pigments of Bacterial Origin, for Potential Application as Smart Food Packaging
Authors: Amorim Lúcia F. A. , Gomes Ana P. , Gouveia Isabel C.
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, worldwide challenges such as global warming, pollution, unsustainable consumption patterns, and scarcity of natural resources are key drivers toward future-oriented bioeconomy strategies, which rely on renewable biobased resources, such as bacterial pigments and bacterial cellulose (BC), for materials production. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to functionalize bacterial cellulose with violacein, flexirubin-type pigment, and prodigiosin and test their suitability as pH indicators, due to the pigments’ sensitivity to pH alterations. The screening of the most suitable conditions to obtain the BC-pigment indicators was achieved using a full factorial design, for a more sustainable functionalization process. Then, the pH response of functionalized BC to buffer solutions was assessed, with color changes at acidic pH (BC-violacein indicator) and at alkaline pH (BC-violacein, BC-prodigiosin, and BC-flexirubin-type pigment indicators). Moreover, the indicators also revealed sensitivity to acid and base vapors. Furthermore, leaching evaluation of the produced indicators showed higher suitability for aqueous foods. Additionally, color stability of the functionalized BC indicators was carried out, after light exposure and storage at 4 °C, to evaluate the indicators’ capacity to maintain color/sensitivity. Thus, BC membranes functionalized with bacterial pigments have the potential to be further developed and used as pH indicators.
Toward Autonomous Production of mRNA-Therapeutics in the Light of Advanced Process Control and Traditional Control Strategies for Chromatography
Authors: Vetter Florian Lukas , Zobel-Roos Steffen , Mota José Paulo Barbosa , Nilsson Bernt , Schmidt Axel , Strube Jochen
Published: September 2022

mRNA-based therapeutics are predicted to have a bright future. Recently, a B2C study was published highlighting the critical bottlenecks of mRNA manufacturing. The study focused on supply bottlenecks of various chemicals as well as shortages of skilled personnel. The assessment of existing messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine processing shows the need for continuous manufacturing processes that are capable of about 80% chemical reduction and more than 70% personnel at factor five more efficient equipment utilization. The key technology to solve these problems is both a higher degree of automation and the maximization of process throughput. In this paper, the application of a quality-by-design process development approach is demonstrated, using process models as digital twins. Their systematic application leads to both robust optimized process parameters, with an increase in productivity of up to 108%, and sophisticated control concepts, preventing batch failures and minimizing the operating workload in terms of personnel and chemicals’ consumption. The approach thereby provides a data-driven decision basis for the industrialization of such processes, which fulfills the regulatory requirements of the approval authorities and paves the way for PAT integration. In the process investigated, it was shown that conventional PID-based controls can regulate fluctuations in the input streams sufficiently well. Model-based control based on digital twins may have potential above all in a further increase in productivity, but is not mandatory to implement for the industrialization of continuous mRNA manufacturing.
Framing the Intentions of Suicide Bombers
Authors: Janowitz Naomi
Published: September 2022

Despite the extensive information known about suicide bombings, widely-varying intentions have been used by many scholars to explain the religious motivations for the violence: these events are framed by participants as religious experiences, raising complex questions about the relationship between religious experience and violence. Recent studies use the vocabulary of religious studies—sacrifice, martyr, witness—to locate “cultures of violence” in a specific psychic structure, in a specific religion, or in religion in general; this paper compares three major studies that are representative of contemporary debate about religious experience. Ivan Strenski’s approach offers the broadest view, grounding suicide bombings in specific Islamic shaping of religious experience by a (non-normative) view of self-sacrifice emboldened by notions of jihad. Gideon Aran reconstructs a much narrower frame, a mutual attachment by bombers and their enemies around motivations from the redemptive capacity of blood (spilling and collecting). Ruth Stein psychoanalyzes the mind of a specific suicide bomber, Mohammed Atta, locating a complex web of love and hate as a motivation. These studies, each in a different way, demonstrate just how elusive the intentions of bombers remain and the sheer range of frameworks that might illuminate the aims of individuals who engage in suicide bombings.
An Insider’s Church for Outsiders: The Johannine “Come and See” Passages and Christian Engagement with the World
Authors: McDowell Michael T.
Published: September 2022

The Gospel of John has a reputation among some New Testament scholars as a factional text designed to reinforce the Johannine Community’s unity amid persecution and excommunication. Recent work, however, has proposed that John is in fact deeply ethical, with an outward-facing mission. This essay builds off this work to propose that John has a definitive missional praxis that he hopes his community will embody as it engages with the world. Examining specifically the “come and see” passages of John 1:39, 1:46, 4:29, and 11:34, this article suggests that John’s method is dialectical: he simultaneously wants those in the church to remain in the church and resist assimilation with “the world”, but he also wants those in the church to go into the world to understand it, empathize with it, and even befriend it, all for the sake of discipleship.
Intangible Benefactors and the Contribution of Construal Level and Attitude Accessibility in Predicting Gratitude and Expansive Emotions
Authors: Nelson Jenae M. , Schnitker Sarah A. , Williams Emily , Tsang Jo-Ann
Published: September 2022

We tested whether manipulating construal level would change the experience of gratitude or other expansive emotions (gratitude, awe, compassion) and negative emotions. We also examined whether construal level was correlated with the type of gratitude benefactor that participants spontaneously listed, focusing especially on God and non-theistic intangible benefactors compared to tangible human benefactors. We manipulated construal level in 265 U.S.-based CloudResearch participants to test preregistered hypotheses that high-level construals would elicit more examples of gratitude toward intangible benefactors and increase expansive emotions. We conducted additional exploratory analyses, investigating whether attitude accessibility of God as a benefactor was correlated with increases in expansive emotions. High construal level manipulation was associated with more frequently listing non-theistic intangible benefactors. Further, trait construal level predicted expansive emotions. Additionally, attitude accessibility of God as a benefactor was positively related to expansive emotions. We discuss future research possibilities to differentiate between gratitude toward tangible and intangible benefactors and the use of attitude accessibility as an implicit measure of benefactor importance.
Modelling USA Age-Cohort Mortality: A Comparison of Multi-Factor Affine Mortality Models
Authors: Huang Zhiping , Sherris Michael , Villegas Andrés M. , Ziveyi Jonathan
Published: September 2022

Affine mortality models are well suited for theoretical and practical application in pricing and risk management of mortality risk. They produce consistent, closed-form stochastic survival curves allowing for the efficient valuation of mortality-linked claims. We model USA age-cohort mortality data using five multi-factor affine mortality models. We focus on three-factor models and compare four Gaussian models along with a model based on the Cox–Ingersoll–Ross (CIR) process, allowing for Gamma-distributed mortality rates. We compare and assess the Gaussian Arbitrage-Free Nelson–Siegel (AFNS) mortality model, which incorporates level, slope and curvature factors, and the canonical Gaussian factor model, both with and without correlations in the factor dynamics. We show that for USA mortality data, the probability of negative mortality rates in the Gaussian models is small. Models are estimated using discrete time versions of the models with age-cohort data capturing variability in cohort mortality curves. Poisson variation in mortality data is included in the model estimation using the Kalman filter through the measurement equation. We consider models incorporating factor dependence to capture the effects of age-dependence in the mortality curves. The analysis demonstrates that the Gaussian independent-factor AFNS model performs well compared to the other affine models in explaining and forecasting USA age-cohort mortality data.
An Adversarial Generative Network Designed for High-Resolution Monocular Depth Estimation from 2D HiRISE Images of Mars
Authors: La Grassa Riccardo , Gallo Ignazio , Re Cristina , Cremonese Gabriele , Landro Nicola , Pernechele Claudio , Simioni Emanuele , Gatti Mattia
Published: September 2022

In computer vision, stereoscopy allows the three-dimensional reconstruction of a scene using two 2D images taken from two slightly different points of view, to extract spatial information on the depth of the scene in the form of a map of disparities. In stereophotogrammetry, the disparity map is essential in extracting the digital terrain model (DTM) and thus obtaining a 3D spatial mapping, which is necessary for a better analysis of planetary surfaces. However, the entire reconstruction process performed with the stereo-matching algorithm can be time consuming and can generate many artifacts. Coupled with the lack of adequate stereo coverage, it can pose a significant obstacle to 3D planetary mapping. Recently, many deep learning architectures have been proposed for monocular depth estimation, which aspires to predict the third dimension given a single 2D image, with considerable advantages thanks to the simplification of the reconstruction problem, leading to a significant increase in interest in deep models for the generation of super-resolution images and DTM estimation. In this paper, we combine these last two concepts into a single end-to-end model and introduce a new generative adversarial network solution that estimates the DTM at 4× resolution from a single monocular image, called SRDiNet (super-resolution depth image network). Furthermore, we introduce a sub-network able to apply a refinement using interpolated input images to better enhance the fine details of the final product, and we demonstrate the effectiveness of its benefits through three different versions of the proposal: SRDiNet with GAN approach, SRDiNet without adversarial network, and SRDiNet without the refinement learned network plus GAN approach. The results of Oxia Planum (the landing site of the European Space Agency’s Rosalind Franklin ExoMars rover 2023) are reported, applying the best model along all Oxia Planum tiles and releasing a 3D product enhanced by 4×.
Absolute Camera Pose Regression Using an RGB-D Dual-Stream Network and Handcrafted Base Poses
Authors: Kao Peng-Yuan , Zhang Rong-Rong , Chen Timothy , Hung Yi-Ping
Published: September 2022

Absolute pose regression (APR) for camera localization is a single-shot approach that encodes the information of a 3D scene in an end-to-end neural network. The camera pose result of APR methods can be observed as the linear combination of the base poses. Previous APR methods’ base poses are learned from training data. However, the training data can limit the performance of the methods, which cannot be generalized to cover the entire scene. To solve this issue, we use handcrafted base poses instead of learning-based base poses, which prevents overfitting the camera poses of the training data. Moreover, we use a dual-stream network architecture to process color and depth images separately to get more accurate localization. On the 7 Scenes dataset, the proposed method is among the best in median rotation error, and in median translation error, it outperforms previous APR methods. On a more difficult dataset—Oxford RobotCar dataset, the proposed method achieves notable improvements in median translation and rotation errors compared to the state-of-the-art APR methods.
How Much Data Is Enough? A Reliable Methodology to Examine Long-Term Wearable Data Acquisition in Gait and Postural Sway
Authors: Meyer Brett M. , Depetrillo Paolo , Franco Jaime , Donahue Nicole , Fox Samantha R. , O’Leary Aisling , Loftness Bryn C. , Gurchiek Reed D. , Buckley Maura , Solomon Andrew J. , Ng Sau Kuen , Cheney Nick , Ceruolo Melissa , McGinnis Ryan S.
Published: September 2022

Wearable sensors facilitate the evaluation of gait and balance impairment in the free-living environment, often with observation periods spanning weeks, months, and even years. Data supporting the minimal duration of sensor wear, which is necessary to capture representative variability in impairment measures, are needed to balance patient burden, data quality, and study cost. Prior investigations have examined the duration required for resolving a variety of movement variables (e.g., gait speed, sit-to-stand tests), but these studies use differing methodologies and have only examined a small subset of potential measures of gait and balance impairment. Notably, postural sway measures have not yet been considered in these analyses. Here, we propose a three-level framework for examining this problem. Difference testing and intra-class correlations (ICC) are used to examine the agreement in features computed from potential wear durations (levels one and two). The association between features and established patient reported outcomes at each wear duration is also considered (level three) for determining the necessary wear duration. Utilizing wearable accelerometer data continuously collected from 22 persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) for 6 weeks, this framework suggests that 2 to 3 days of monitoring may be sufficient to capture most of the variability in gait and sway; however, longer periods (e.g., 3 to 6 days) may be needed to establish strong correlations to patient-reported clinical measures. Regression analysis indicates that the required wear duration depends on both the observation frequency and variability of the measure being considered. This approach provides a framework for evaluating wear duration as one aspect of the comprehensive assessment, which is necessary to ensure that wearable sensor-based methods for capturing gait and balance impairment in the free-living environment are fit for purpose.
A Novel Triphenylamine-Based Flavonoid Fluorescent Probe with High Selectivity for Uranyl in Acid and High Water Systems
Authors: Liu Bing , Cui Wenbin , Zhou Jianliang , Wang Hongqing
Published: September 2022

Developing a fluorescent probe for UO22+, which is resistant to interference from other ions such as Cu2+ and can be applied in acidic and high-water systems, has been a major challenge. In this study, a “turn-off” fluorescent probe for triamine-modified flavonoid derivatives, 2-triphenylamine-3-hydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one (abbreviated to HTPAF), was synthesized. In the solvent system of dimethyl sulfoxide:H2O (abbreviated to DMSO:H2O) (v/v = 5:95 pH = 4.5), the HTPAF solution was excited with 364 nm light and showed a strong fluorescence emission peak at 474 nm with a Stokes shift of 110 nm. After the addition of UO22+, the fluorescence at 474 nm was quenched. More importantly, there was no interference in the presence of metal ions (Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr3+, Fe3+, Co2+, Th4+, La3+, etc.), especially Cu2+ and Al3+. It is worth noting that the theoretical model for the binding of UO22+ to HTPAF was derived by more detailed density functional theory (DFT) calculations in this study, while the coordination mode was further verified using HRMS, FT-IR and 1HNMR, demonstrating a coordination ratio of 1:2. In addition, the corresponding photo-induced electron transfer (PET) fluorescence quenching mechanism was also proposed.
Autonomous Navigation of Unmanned Aircraft Using Space Target LOS Measurements and QLEKF
Authors: Xiong Kai , Zhou Peng , Wei Chunling
Published: September 2022

An autonomous navigation method based on the fusion of INS (inertial navigation system) measurements with the line-of-sight (LOS) observations of space targets is presented for unmanned aircrafts. INS/GNSS (global navigation satellite system) integration is the conventional approach to achieving the long-term and high-precision navigation of unmanned aircrafts. However, the performance of INS/GNSS integrated navigation may be degraded gradually in a GNSS-denied environment. INS/CNS (celestial navigation system) integrated navigation has been developed as a supplement to the GNSS. A limitation of traditional INS/CNS integrated navigation is that the CNS is not efficient in suppressing the position error of the INS. To solve the abovementioned problems, we studied a novel integrated navigation method, where the position, velocity and attitude errors of the INS were corrected using a star camera mounted on the aircraft in order to observe the space targets whose absolute positions were available. Additionally, a QLEKF (Q-learning extended Kalman filter) is designed for the performance enhancement of the integrated navigation system. The effectiveness of the presented autonomous navigation method based on the star camera and the IMU (inertial measurement unit) is demonstrated via CRLB (Cramer–Rao lower bounds) analysis and numerical simulations.
Tableware Tidying-Up Robot System for Self-Service Restaurant–Detection and Manipulation of Leftover Food and Tableware-
Authors: Zhu Deheng , Seki Hiroaki , Tsuji Tokuo , Hiramitsu Tatsuhiro
Published: September 2022

In this study, an automated tableware tidying-up robot system was developed to tidy up tableware in a self-service restaurant with a large amount of tableware. This study focused on sorting and collecting tableware placed on trays detected by an RGB-D camera. Leftover food was also treated with this robot system. The RGB-D camera efficiently detected the position and height of the tableware and whether there was leftover food or not by image processing. A parallel arm and robot hand mechanism was designed to realize the advantages of a low cost and high processing speed. Two types of rotation mechanisms were designed to realize the function of throwing away leftover food. The effectiveness of the camera detection system was verified through the experiments of tableware and leftover food detection. The effectiveness of the prototype robot and the rotation assist mechanism was verified through the experiments of grasping tableware, throwing away leftover food by two types of rotating mechanisms, collecting multiple tableware, and the sorting of overlapping tableware with multiple robots.
Comparison of Mobile Phone and CCD Cameras for Electrochemiluminescent Detection of Biogenic Amines
Authors: Heckenlaible Nic , Snyder Sarah , Herchenbach Patrick , Kava Alyssa , Henry Charles S. , Gross Erin M.
Published: September 2022

Biogenic amines are an important and widely studied class of molecules due to their link to the physiological processes of food-related illnesses and histamine poisoning. Electrochemiluminescent (ECL) detection offers an inexpensive and portable analytical method of detection for biogenic amines when coupled with recent advancements in low-cost carbon-based electrodes and a smartphone camera. In this work, a mobile phone camera was evaluated against a piece of conventional instrumentation, the charge-coupled device, for the detection of ECL from the reaction of biogenic amines with the luminescent compound tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II). Assisted by a 3D-printed light-tight housing, the mobile phone achieved limits of detection of 127, 425 and 421 μM for spermidine, putrescine, and histamine, respectively. The mobile phone’s analytical figures of merit were lesser than the CCD camera but were still within the range to detect contamination. In an exploration of real-world samples, the mobile phone was able to determine the contents of amines in skim milk on par with that of a CCD camera.
Genetic Algorithms for Interior Comparative Optimization of Standard BCS Parameters in Selected Superconductors and High-Temperature Superconductors
Authors: Casesnoves Francisco
Published: September 2022

Inverse least squares numerical optimization, 3D/4D interior optimization, and 3D/4D graphical optimization software and algorithm programming have been presented in a series of previous articles on the applications of the BCS theory of superconductivity and TC dual/multiobjective optimizations. This study deals with the comparison/validation of the optimization results using several different methods, namely, classical inverse least squares (ILS), genetic algorithms (GA), 3D/4D interior optimization, and 2D/3D/4D graphical optimization techniques. The results comprise Tikhonov regularization algorithms and mathematical methods for all the research subjects. The findings of the mathematical programming for optimizing type I chrome isotope superconductors are validated with the genetic algorithms and compared to previous results of 3D/4D interior optimization. Additional rulings present a hypothesis of the new ‘molecular effect’ model/algorithm intended to be proven for Hg-cuprate-type high-temperature superconductors. In molecular effect optimization, inverse least squares and inverse least squares polynomial methods are applied with acceptable numerical and 2D graphical optimization solutions. For the BCS isotope effect and molecular effect, linearization logarithmic transformations for model formula software are implemented in specific programs. The solutions show accuracy with low programming residuals and confirm these findings. The results comprise two strands, the modeling for the isotope effect and molecular effect hypotheses and the development of genetic algorithms and inverse least squares-improved programming methods. Electronic physics applications in superconductors and high-temperature superconductors emerged from the rulings. Extrapolated applications for new modeling for the theory of superconductivity emerged from the numerical and image data obtained.
Environmental Impacts of End-of-Life Options of Biobased and Fossil-Based Polyethylene Terephthalate and High-Density Polyethylene Packaging
Authors: Helmes Roel J. K. , Goglio Pietro , Salomoni Silvia , van Es Daan S. , Vural Gursel Iris , Aramyan Lusine
Published: September 2022

Plastic waste production increasingly causes environmental pollution. However, end-of-life (EoL) research often lacks detail and timeliness and fails to integrate the end-of-life option into a product’s life cycle in a systemic perspective. This study addresses these knowledge gaps, by applying an improved anticipatory consequential life cycle assessment (LCA) approach. Reuse, mechanical and chemical recycling options were compared for (biobased and fossil-based) high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic shampoo bottles in the European context using three types of impact categories: climate change, fossil resource scarcity and mineral resources scarcity. The completeness and detail of EoL were increased by modelling the polymer reprocessing within the collection system including all transport distances, while timeliness was improved by implementing the data applicable for the time of implementation of EoL options in the future. The results show that the reuse option has the largest benefits on climate change impact, and on fossil and mineral resource scarcity for both HDPE and PET, for both biobased and fossil plastics. Furthermore, all EoL options cause a net reduction in all climate change, fossil and mineral resource scarcity thanks to the avoided impact of virgin plastic. Finally, the improved LCA approach, utilized in this study, includes plastic production, use and EoL in one assessment, and thus can provide valuable information for adjusting policy and regulations for plastic manufacturers in their production of new virgin plastic polymer, as it requires alignment with its use and EoL options.
Optimization of the Adaptability of the Fuel Cell Vehicle Waste Heat Utilization Subsystem to Extreme Cold Environments
Authors: Lu Dagang , Yi Fengyan , Li Jianwei
Published: September 2022

In extremely cold environments, the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) waste heat utilization subsystem can only exchange a small amount of proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) waste heat into the warm air circuit for cab heating, which has poor adaptability to extremely cold environments. The first step in this study was to build a test bench for the waste heat utilization subsystem of fuel cell vehicles. Secondly, the PEMFC heating capacity and liquid–liquid exchanger heat transfer capacity were analyzed using experimental data to assess the ability of FCV waste heat utilization subsystems with different rated powers to adapt to extremely cold environments. Then, the optimization mathematical model of the liquid–liquid exchanger was established, and the heat transfer performance of the liquid–liquid exchanger was orthogonally optimized based on the Taguchi method. Finally, the optimized liquid–liquid exchanger was installed in the waste heat utilization subsystem for experimental tests. The results show that when the ambient temperature is −20 °C, −25 °C or −30 °C, in the optimized waste heat utilization subsystem, the inlet and outlet temperatures of the PEMFC are reduced, and the power consumption of the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) is reduced by 57.6% and 48% and 34.3%, respectively, improving the utilization rate of PEMFC waste heat, and thereby improving the adaptability of FCV in extremely cold environments.
Environmental Cost Control of Manufacturing Enterprises via Machine Learning under Data Warehouse
Authors: Li Xiaohan , Ma Chenwei , Lv Yang
Published: September 2022

Environmental cost refers to the cost paid by enterprises to reduce environmental pollution and resource depletion in production and operation. To help enterprises reduce environmental costs, a manufacturing environmental cost control algorithm based on machine learning is proposed. The probabilistic neural network is used to classify the current environmental cost control level of different manufacturing enterprises. Then, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is improved to build a multi-objective backbone PSO algorithm for multi-objective decision-making, which is used in the selection of environmental cost control methods. The experimental results show that there is a strong correlation between the original data classification and the proposed probabilistic neural network, and the correlation reaches 96.1%. PSO performance test results show that the algorithm has the best performance, the best stability, and the shortest time needed to find the optimal solution set when the initial particle number is 140 and the number of iterations is 60. Based on the comprehensive experimental results, the following conclusions are drawn. Enterprises should strengthen collaboration and cooperation with customers, suppliers, and waste-profiting enterprises, so as to well control environmental costs. To sum up, the proposed model provides some references for the adoption of machine learning in environmental cost control of manufacturing enterprises.
Planning “the Future of the City” or Imagining “the City of the Future”? In Search of Sustainable Urban Utopianism in Katowice
Authors: Mihaylov Valentin , Sala Stanisław
Published: September 2022

In constantly expanding its fields of application, sustainable development is becoming the basic approach to planning and governing the twenty-first century city. This article examines sustainable urban development policies through the lens of utopian thinking and indicates the opposing scholarly interpretations of modern utopianism. On the one hand, this is approached as dreaming and fantasizing about the future; on the other, it is approached as well-calculated planning activities. More specifically, this article explores how the urban community in a post-socialist, post-industrial city faces the implementation of the challenge of a twenty-first-century sustainable development project. Using the example of the city of Katowice in southern Poland, the article examines three discourses of sustainable urban utopianism. It is first seen as strategic planning for a pursued better future; second, it is seen as an image of the city of the future; and, third, it is seen as a difficult-to-achieve vision for the city of the future in light of specific local barriers to development. Apart from Katowice’s successes in transforming its traditional industrial profile—based on coal mining—this study also draws attention to the successful construction of a new image for economic changes, urban design, and sustainable development, which has been confirmed by numerous recognitions at the national and international scale.
A High-Gain DC Side Converter with a Ripple-Free Input Current for Offshore Wind Energy Systems
Authors: Tao Ran , Yue Jingpeng , Huang Zhenlin , An Ranran , Li Zou , Liu Junfeng
Published: September 2022

Considering that the distance between offshore wind farms and onshore converters is getting farther and farther, dc transmission becomes increasingly more applicable than conventional ac transmission. To reduce the transmission loss, a feasible solution is using a high-gain dc/dc converter to boost the rectified output voltage to thousands of volts. Thus, a novel single-switch high-gain dc/dc converter with a ripple-free input current is presented in this paper. The structure consists of two cells—a coupled-inductor cell and a switched-capacitor cell. The coupled-inductor cell in the proposed converter provides a ripple-free input current. The switched-capacitor cell provides a high voltage gain. The converter has a simple control strategy due to the use of a single switch. Moreover, the output capacitor is charged and discharged continuously by a 180° phase shift to eliminate the output voltage ripple. A steady-state analysis of the converter is proposed to determine the parameters of the devices. In addition, a 240 W, 40/308 V laboratory prototype at 35 kHz switching frequency has been developed, in which the input current ripple is only 1.1% and a peak efficiency of 94.5% is reached. The experimental results verify the validity and feasibility of the proposed topology.
Effect of Harvest Frequency, Seed Extraction Time Point and Post-Harvest Cooling on Organic Tomato Seed Production
Authors: Schwitter Patricia , Detterbeck Amelie , Herforth-Rahmé Joelle
Published: September 2022

In light of the continuous increase in organic agriculture, the availability of organic seeds has gained a lot of importance. Especially since the new EU organic regulation came into force on 1 January 2022, proposing reducing the possibility of using untreated conventional seeds in the absence of organic seeds in the future. At the same time, the breeding of tolerant, resistant and adapted varieties is at the basis of organic production as is research to improve seed production and seed quality. In this study, we investigated seed production of 8 tomato genotypes. The aim was to see whether different fruit harvesting frequencies affect seed quality and germination rate. The hypotheses we tested were (i) whether regularly removing fruits from the field would affect total fruit and seed harvest, (ii) whether storage of fruits and (iii) their ripening stage at harvest, had an impact on seed germination. Our results show that while seed production differs between genotypes and extraction time-points, different harvesting procedures, and with that different fruit maturity levels, did not affect thousand-seed weight and seed germination; these findings benefit both small and larger-scale seed producers.
Developing a Sustainable Omnichannel Strategic Framework toward Circular Revolution: An Integrated Approach
Authors: Yeğin Tuğba , Ikram Muhammad
Published: September 2022

One of the contributions of digitalization to cyclical change is the adoption of Omnichannel Marketing (OM) as a new marketing strategy for brands. In this research, we examined whether the quality of integration (INQ) in omnichannel environments has an effect on brand equity (BE) and its dimensions (brand loyalty (BL), brand association and brand awareness (BAS), and perceived quality (PQ)) within the framework of a structural model. We aim to expand the limited number of INQ research areas. In this context, in the first stage of our research, we conducted an online survey consisting of three parts with the consumers of the Nike luxury sportswear brand, which is in 11th place in the global brand value ranking, residing in Turkey from the developing countries. In the second stage of the analysis, we performed CFA for scale reliability and validity. Crobach’s alpha, AVE and CR values for all factors of the scale exceeded the threshold values in the literature. In addition, the goodness-of-fit values of the scale, which were checked for compliance with the research, exceeded the threshold values. In the third stage of the analysis, we performed SEM analysis to test the model of the study and the assumptions of the study. The SEM results of our research confirmed the assumptions established between INQ and BE and its components in the context of OM. SEM results revealed that INQ had the highest effect (0.93) on BAS and PQ and the least effect (0.86) on BL, and INQ affected BE with 0.90. The results of this research, which examines the predictors of brand equity and its components, offer implications for OM, INQ, BE subject areas that have not been empirically analyzed despite increasing knowledge and still having limitations in theoretical information. Our research is unique, as it is the first study to empirically examine the relationship between INQ and BE and its components in the context of OM. The research on omnichannel applications is quite limited. This study brings a conceptual extension to the literature on omnichannel strategies, INQ and OM, whereas they presented the necessary reasons for managers to provide INQ in an omnichannel environment in order to increase brand equity, with an empirical application. In addition, the most important benefit of this research is that it shows brand owners and managers and brand marketers a way to set up the omnichannel system toward circular revolution.
Adaptable Process Design as a Key for Sustainability Upgrades in Wastewater Treatment: Comparative Study on the Removal of Micropollutants by Advanced Oxidation and Granular Activated Carbon Processing at a German Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant
Authors: Sturm Michael Toni , Myers Erika , Schober Dennis , Thege Clara , Korzin Anika , Schuhen Katrin
Published: September 2022

Micropollutants have been increasingly detected at low concentrations in surface waters and may have harmful effects on humans, organisms, and the environment. As wastewater treatment plants are one of the main sources of micropollutants, conventional wastewater treatment methods and plants (mainly one to three cleaning stages) must be improved through an advanced (fourth) treatment stage. The optimal fourth treatment stage should be determined based not only on removal efficiencies but also on a holistic sustainability assessment that further considers the process’s adaptability, economic, environmental, and social parameters. The ability of a tertiary wastewater treatment plant to remove organic pollutants was investigated over four months using two different advanced treatment methods: (1) an advanced oxidation process (AOP) (using UV + H2O2) and (2) granular activated carbon (GAC). The resulting average micropollutant removal efficiencies were 76.4 ± 6.2% for AOP and 90.0 ± 4.6% for GAC. As the GAC became saturated, it showed a decreasing performance from 97.6% in week one to 80.7% in week 13, after 2184 bed volumes were processed. For the AOP, adjusting the UV and H2O2 doses results in higher removal efficiencies. With 40 ppm H2O2 and 10 kJ/m2 UV, a removal of 97.1% was achieved. Furthermore, the flexibility and adaptability of the AOP process to adjust to real-time water quality, along with a lower resource consumption and waste disposal, make it a more promising technology when comparing the sustainability aspects of the two methods.
Changes in DMO’s Orientation and Tools to Support Organizations in the Era of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Fedyk Wojciech , Sołtysik Mariusz , Bagińska Justyna , Ziemba Mateusz , Kołodziej Małgorzata , Borzyszkowski Jacek
Published: September 2022

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry has been hit by the biggest crisis in its history. Its effects are visible throughout the tourism industry, including the management system (DMOs). The study aim is to the determine the changes that have been taking place in the operation of the destination management organizations (DMOs) in Poland as a result, including the usage of existing or expected organizational support tools. The study consisted of three stages: desk research, diagnostic survey, and qualitative and statistical analyses. Empirical data from all 16 regional DMOs in Poland were collected, including the use and effectiveness of the anti-crisis assistance programs, expectations towards the support tools, actions taken to mitigate the pandemic effects, and the changes in selected marketing activities and support strategies in the pre- and post-pandemic period. The study results indicated the insufficient availability of tools supporting the organizations’ activities during a pandemic and little use by the DMOs of most of the tools offered by the anti-crisis programs, alongside a moderate assessment of their effectiveness. The need to modify anti-crisis programs and/or expand them to include other forms of assistance available to the DMOs was identified. The proposed research tool can be implemented to assess the necessary actions taken during the crisis in other types of tourism organizations in various regions.
Production Capacity Reserve Strategy of Emergency Medical Supplies: Incentive Model for Nonprofit Organizations
Authors: Xiao Hua , Xu Tong , Xu Huyang , Lin Yong , Sun Manjing , Tan Manyi
Published: September 2022

In 2020, COVID-19 swept across the globe. To reduce the social harms caused by this public health event, nonprofit organizations (NPOs) cooperated with medical enterprises to produce reserves of emergency medical supplies. In practice, this cooperation was challenged by the different goals of NPOs and medical enterprises and the asymmetry of information between these parties. Enterprises are prone to irregularities or speculative behaviors that can result in insufficient production capacity during public health events, which increase disaster risks. Based on the principal–agent relationship of NPOs and enterprises, this study analyzed a game model between NPOs and enterprises under information asymmetry; constructed an incentive model for reserve emergency medical supply production capacity; and solved the optimal reward and punishment coefficients of NPOs, optimal effort level of enterprises, and benefits of disaster reduction. The study also verified the validity of the model using numerical examples and a sensitivity analysis. In taking up the findings of the study, this paper discusses the effects of several important exogenous variables on the optimal decision strategies of NPOs and enterprises and offers management-related insights for NPOs.