bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nexus between Brand Love, Loyalty, Affective Commitment and Positive Word of Mouth: In the Context of Social Identity Theory
Authors: Wang Xinyue , Binti Omar Nor Asiah
Published: February 2023

The aim of the current study was to examine how employees are involved in positive word of mouth (PWOM) in the presence of brand love. In this study we also investigate the mediating role of employee loyalty between employee brand love and PWOM links. Furthermore, moderating the role of affective commitment (AC) has also been tested. Data was collected from 296 employees of the tourism sector including hotels and transport and travelling agencies. Collected data were analyzed with the help of correlation, hierarchical regression and Amos 7.0 software. The results proved that employee brand love plays an essential role for the loyalty of employees towards organization and PWOM. Findings also proved that employee’s loyalty directly predict PWOM, but it also acts as mediator for the brand love and PWOM link. The current study adds to the existing literature by investigating how employee brand love is helpful for achieving the PWOM and employee loyalty. Based on the findings of current study, this is a unique study which recommends that management of the tourism sector enhance PWOM with the help of employee brand love and employee loyalty.
Analysis of Higher Education Students’ Awareness in Indonesia on Personal Data Security in Social Media
Authors: Kurniawan Yohannes , Santoso Samuel Ivan , Wibowo Regina Rolanda , Anwar Norizan , Bhutkar Ganesh , Halim Erwin
Published: February 2023

As time goes by, information and communication technology continue to advance. Since the pandemic, the need for information and communication technology has risen to aid us in working and studying from home. One of the forms of information and communication technology is social media. Social media is where users can connect with other users in different regions, upload content as images or videos, express themselves freely, and get responses or reactions from other users (likes and comments). However, behind all those, social media can also be a place full of threats towards the personal data of its users. This study aims to analyze the awareness of higher education student social media users in the research field of Indonesia regarding personal data security. This research focuses on university students, Indonesia’s largest group of social media users, as the main respondents. The questionnaire questions were distributed online using random and snowball sampling methods for targeting student respondents. In this study, social media users were divided into active users (content creators) and passive users (using social media as a means of entertainment). The results show that active users upload personal data to benefit from it. In contrast, passive users are more aware of the use of personal data on their social media. This research also shows how they secure their data and their behavior on social media.
Socialized Farmland Operation—An Institutional Interpretation of Farmland Scale Management
Authors: Su Yiqing , Huang Qiaoyuan , Meng Qi , Zang Liangzhen , Xiao Hua
Published: February 2023

Farmland scale management is an important approach for developing countries to ensure food security in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, the realization of farmland scale management through the path of farmland use rights trading encounters obstacles in practice; moreover, the new model of farmland scale management has rarely been systematically discussed. Considering the farmland trusteeship practice implemented in Shandong Province of China as the research case, this study discusses the essence and realization premise of the new farmland scale management model represented by farmland trusteeship based on case analysis. The conclusions are as follows. (1) The high cost generated from farmland scale management is the main obstacle to realize this model. (2) The process of realizing farmland scale management through farmland trusteeship is actually the process of meeting the requirements of the socialization of farmland use, the socialization of the farmland management process, and the socialization of farmland output. Thus, in the context of the existence of a large number of small and scattered farmers in China, the socialized farmland operation is the essence of farmland scale management. (3) Effective collective action is the premise of realizing socialized farmland operation. Undeniably, a lot more systematic explorations are further demanded to strengthen the irrigation management and infrastructures, promote and ensure stable village leadership, and comprehensively improve the ability of rural collective action to ensure the further strengthening of socialized farmland operation so as to realize stable farmland scale management, which will be pursued in the future.
Vital Conditions to Remove Pollutants from Synthetic Wastewater Using Malaysian Ganoderma lucidum
Authors: Mooralitharan Silambarasi , Mohd Hanafiah Zarimah , Abd Manan Teh Sabariah Binti , Muhammad-Sukki Firdaus , Wan-Mohtar Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad , Wan Mohtar Wan Hanna Melini
Published: February 2023

Mycoremediation, a fungal-based technology, has seen tremendous growth as an effective alternative to treat industrial wastewater due to its ability to oxidise pollutant loadings. Considering the non-toxic properties and high potential degradation performance of Ganoderma lucidum, this research aims to study the performance of a Malaysian G. lucidum strain, the effect of agitation speed, and different carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio concentrations of synthetic wastewater in degrading chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia. Different agitation speeds (25 rpm, 50 rpm and 100 rpm) and C/N ratios (C10N1, C13.3N1 and C16.7N1) were chosen as parameters to be analysed in this study. The best degradation of COD and ammonia with a percentage removal in the range of 95% to 100% within 30 h of treatment. ANOVA analysis was done using the response surface methodology to verify the obtained results, and it was found that mycoremediation using 100 rpm agitation provided the best results, removing more than 95% of COD and ammonia from synthetic wastewater. The microscopic analysis also showed that the structure of G. lucidum changed after wastewater treatment. This result proved that the Malaysian G. lucidum strain has a good potential in treating synthetic domestic wastewater, especially with high organic content, as a naturally sustainable bioremediation system.
Study on Bursting Liability of Coal-like Material with Pores and Anchors Based on Impact Kinetic Energy Characteristics
Authors: Jiang Donghai , Jia Chuanyang , Wang Yanfei , Wang Zeyu , Huang Wanpeng , Luan Hengjie , Wang Pu
Published: February 2023

Drilling unloading, and bolt support are widely used in the practice of coal mine roadway engineering as the means of impact prevention and support. However, the evaluation index of intact coal body is still used in bursting liability evaluation, and the evaluation results obtained do not match with the actual dynamic phenomena in the field, resulting in inaccurate evaluation results and even bringing serious impact accidents. In this paper, uniaxial compression and uniaxial loading/unloading tests are conducted on specimens in different states, and common evaluation indexes are used to evaluate the bursting liability of specimens in different states, and the impact kinetic energy of crushed blocks during uniaxial compression is calculated. Based on this, the bursting liability criterion based on the impact kinetic energy of the crushed block is established and the common bursting liability evaluation index is modified. The bursting liability obtained by the bursting liability discrimination criterion based on the impact kinetic energy of the crushed block is more consistent with the laboratory dynamic phenomena. Therefore, the bursting liability evaluation results based on the impact kinetic energy of the crushed block are more consistent with the actual engineering. And the numerical simulation results verify the correctness of the bursting liability criterion based on the impact kinetic energy of the crushed block.
Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy Consumption and Its Impact on Economic Growth
Authors: Mohammadi Hosein , Saghaian Sayed , Zandi Dareh Gharibi Bahareh
Published: February 2023

Energy is an important factor in boosting and sustaining the economic growth level of a country. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between energy consumption and the economic growth of selected developed and developing countries from 1993–2019. For this purpose, we used the Pedroni co-integration method to determine the long-term relationship between economic growth and energy consumption. To estimate the long-term parameters, the panel fully modified OLS method and the Dumitrescu and Hurlin heterogeneous panel causality estimation technique were used, and the causality direction between variables was considered. The results showed that energy consumption had a positive and significant effect on the economic growth of both groups of countries. The causality analysis revealed the existence of a protection effect between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in developed countries. Hence, policies that lead to an increase in independent growth in these countries can effectively impact their growth. On the other hand, the existence of the feedback effect in developing countries shows that storage policies and reduced energy consumption may pose a threat to economic growth in these countries.
A Systematic Literature Review of Architecture Fostering Green Mindfulness
Authors: Thampanichwat Chaniporn , Moorapun Chumporn , Bunyarittikit Suphat , Suphavarophas Phattranis , Phaibulputhipong Prima
Published: February 2023

Green mindfulness seems to play an important role in promoting sustainability in architecture, but discrete areas of knowledge are still widely unknown. This study aimed to explore the publications that exist on the nexus between green mindfulness and architecture, and to find the architectural features that tend to foster green mindfulness. The study conducted a systematic literature review by searching publications from databases including Scopus, Google Scholar, and Thai Journals Online in September 2022. Five authors—one architectural researcher, two architectural professors, and two architects—independently reviewed the full-length articles to confirm their accuracy and objectivity. Eight articles were selected for examination by descriptive analysis showing the publication year, source, and citations of the articles. Thematic analysis was used to find the characteristics of the architectural atmosphere with the potential for fostering green mindfulness. Finally, only one study was found that was truly concerned with architecture and green mindfulness. This publication showed that mass and volume are associated with biophilic design, fascination with biophilic design, and affiliation with biophilic design. Material and object refer to natural material; light is in reference to natural light; and landscape and viewpoint suggest plants, greenery, and natural views, while details regarding color and sound were not explored.
Evaluation of Land Use Efficiency in Tehran’s Expansion between 1986 and 2021: Developing an Assessment Framework Using DEMATEL and Interpretive Structural Modeling Methods
Authors: Tayebi Safiyeh , Alavi Seyed Ali , Esfandi Saeed , Meshkani Leyla , Shamsipour Aliakbar
Published: February 2023

This paper aims to reveal the shortcomings of the land use efficiency assessment formula presented in SDG 11.3.1 Indicator and develop a framework that can provide urban planners with a more accurate understanding of the variables influencing and/or influenced by urban expansion. Based on the mentioned formula, Tehran never experienced urban shrinkage between 1986 and 2021, as shown by the relationship between land consumption and population growth. However, the research findings indicate that land allocation patterns have not only decreased most urban services per capita, but have also undermined ecosystem services during this period. In this paper, we propose a new assessment framework by which a dual aspect of urban planning is addressed, namely providing sustainable urban services while protecting natural resources, and using ecosystem services sustainably to support cost–beneficial urbanization. For this purpose, a total of ten mainly repeated contributing variables were collected in the categories of environmental, physical-spatial, and economic–social effects of urban expansion. A questionnaire based on these variables was prepared, and 14 urban planning experts collaborated to classify the variables and identify causal relationships between them. In the following, data obtained from the questionnaires were analyzed using DEMATEL and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methods to determine which variables influence and/or are influenced by urban expansion (and to what extent). Third-level variables that directly influence urban expansion include transportation (A6), infill development (A7), and entrepreneurship (A10). Spatial justice (A8) and housing and population attraction (A9) were identified as middle-level variables that both affect and are affected by urban expansion. Finally, land surface temperature (A1), air pollution (A2), sewage and waste (A3), water resources (A4), and vegetation (A5) were identified as first-level variables that are mainly affected by urban expansion.
The Effect of Correlated Color Temperature and Illumination Level of LED Lighting on Visual Comfort during Sustained Attention Activities
Authors: Fu Xiaoyun , Feng Di , Jiang Xu , Wu Tingting
Published: February 2023

LED lighting has been widely used in various scenes, but there are few studies on the impact of LED lighting on visual comfort in sustained attention tasks. This paper aims to explore the influence of correlated color temperature (CCT) and illuminance level in LED lighting parameters on human visual comfort. We selected 46 healthy college students (23 male and 23 female). The ages ranged from 22 to 26 years old (average age was 24.2 years). Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, sustained attention to response test (SART) parameters and subjective evaluation parameters of subjects performing sustained attention tasks under LED lighting were obtained. The results under different conditions were compared, and the effects of experimental lighting parameters on visual comfort were discussed. The results showed that the LED lighting with CCT of 3300 K and illuminance of 300 lx was more comfortable than other combined conditions. In the subjective perception of subjects, 4000 K CCT also had good visual comfort evaluation and caused good task performance. Therefore, our study showed that in sustained attention tasks, when LED lighting conditions were CCT of 3300 and 4300 K and illuminance level was 300 lx, the visual comfort of the subjects was better.
Unpacking Additive Manufacturing Challenges and Opportunities in Moving towards Sustainability: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Liu Wen , Liu Xielin , Liu Ying , Wang Jie , Evans Steve , Yang Miying
Published: February 2023

The global market for Additive Manufacturing (AM) is expected to grow, which may increase the prominence of sustainability aspects in the manufacturing process. A growing number of AM academics and practitioners have started to pay attention to the environmental and societal impacts of AM instead of only focusing on its economic aspect. Yet, AM is still not widely adopted, and the research on AM sustainability is still at the nascent stage. This paper aims to better understand AM’s sustainable adoption and seeks to address three questions: what the sustainability implications of AM are; what challenges may prevent the broad adoption of AM; and what opportunities can enable AM sustainability. The research adopts a multiple case study method to investigate six AM companies that play different roles in the AM ecosystem, including AM design, AM machine, AM material, AM service, AM education, and AM consulting. The results from these studies reveal that AM has the potential to reduce environmental and social impacts; however, it might also cause negative consequences and lead to some rebound effects. We identified 43 categories (synthesized from 199 examples) of key challenges for AM adoption and proposed 55 key solutions in moving AM towards sustainability. It is evident that AM acts as a promising digital technology for manufacturing and has the potential to pave the way for a new era of sustainable manufacturing.
Water Quality Simulation in the Bois River, Goiás, Central Brazil
Authors: Soares Samara , Vasco Joel , Scalize Paulo
Published: February 2023

The Cerrado is a hotspot for biodiversity conservation and holds the headwater springs that are major Brazilian river basins. The development of industry, agriculture, and mining causes water quality deterioration. Mathematical models appear as a management tool to simulate water quality parameters and the dispersion of pollutants in water bodies. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the behavior of dissolved oxygen (DO) and other parameters through the QUAL2Kw (Stream Water Quality Model) model in a river in the Brazilian Cerrado. Complementary data were obtained in four experimental measurement campaigns. The calibration results showed a good fit, especially for the DO. The most critical situation occurred in October, where DO remained below 5 mg/L for a long stretch, and the ammoniacal nitrogen (NH4) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) presented non-compliance concerning the legal Brazilian requirements. In all campaigns, BOD remained above 5 mg/L for at least 5 km in length, disagreeing with the legislation for exceeding the distance from the mixing zone. The uncertainty analysis for the DO confirmed the critical scenario of October, and the sensitivity analysis by the Monte Carlo Simulation showed the significance of the reaeration coefficient for DO. Thus, it is concluded that the QUAL2Kw model proved dependable for the simulation of point launches in the Bois River, supplying a good fit in the calibration act. Because BOD does not meet the legal requirements in all samplings, the water use of the downstream population may be impaired by the activities found in the basin. Activities such as sand extraction, tanneries, and other food industries increase the organic burden of waterbodies and, therefore, require greater environmental inspections.
Evaluation of Environmental Contamination by Toxic Elements in Agricultural Soils and Their Health Risks in the City of Arequipa, Peru
Authors: Huerta Alata Marcela , Alvarez-Risco Aldo , Suni Torres Lucia , Moran Karina , Pilares Denis , Carling Gregory , Paredes Betty , Del-Aguila-Arcentales Shyla , Yáñez Jaime A.
Published: February 2023

This study evaluated the concentration of toxic elements in soil samples from agricultural fields in the districts of Sachaca, Socabaya, Hunter, Quequeña, Yarabamba, Characato and Tiabaya in the city of Arequipa, Peru. The ecological risk, enrichment factor (EF), geo-accumulation index (Igeo) and integrated ecological risk index (RI) were estimated, while the health risk was determined with hazard coefficient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) values. Seven soil samples were collected in July 2019 and 17 toxic elements were analyzed in an accredited laboratory using the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) methodology. The results were compared with environmental samples where no element exceeded what is established in the standard. The enrichment factor (EF), according to the background of Wedepohl, indicated that As (12.26 ± 3.66) presented a severe enrichment (high) in agricultural soils, while Cd (6.87 ± 3.25) presented moderate values. As, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn (2.85 ± 0.85; 3.53 ± 1.67; 2.71 ± 1.25; 3.83 ± 0.81; 2.55 ± 0.79) presented low to moderate enrichment in agricultural soils, while Cr did not present enrichment in soils. The Igeo for As in Sachaca, Socabaya, Quequeña and Characato showed moderate contamination, Cu also showed moderate contamination in all the districts evaluated, and Cd showed the same contamination in the districts of Sachaca, Hunter, Quequeña and Tiabaya. The ecological risk in the districts evaluated showed a low degree of risk due to contamination by toxic elements. Finally, the health hazard index for toxic elements present in agricultural soils was evaluated, where the HQ values were negligible and the HI was less than 0.1 (H1 < 0.1) for children and adults.
Minimally Invasive Retrofitting of RC Joints with Externally Applied SMA Plate—Adaptive Design Optimisation through Probabilistic Damage Simulation
Authors: Molod Mohammad Amin , Barthold Franz-Joseph , Spyridis Panagiotis
Published: February 2023

Beam–column joints are the critical section of many reinforced concrete (RC) structure types in which any failure could lead to the collapse of the entire structure. This paper attempts to employ a superelastic shape memory alloy plate as an innovative and adaptive external strengthening element to rehabilitate existing concrete beam–column joints and enhance the structure’s performance. An experimentally investigated beam–column joint is used as the case study, and it is investigated numerically to validate the effects of an innovative strengthening technique based on shape memory alloys. The results show that the proposed technique could increase the joint’s stiffness and reduce the risk of overall failure. A particular innovation in the proposed method is associated with the novel material itself but also with the fact that the increased potential costs of using special alloys are counteracted by its potential to produce these elements in an optimised industrially produced fastened plate. This fits-all construction product further allows a rapid and minimally invasive strengthening technique. Moreover, to achieve this, the plate is adaptively designed against random critical load combinations through probabilistic damage prediction.
Life Cycle Assessment of Black and Greywater Treatment Solutions for Remote and Sensitive Areas
Authors: Oarga-Mulec Andreea , Turk Janez , Gerbec Petra , Jenssen Petter D. , Malovrh Rebec Katja , Valant Matjaz
Published: February 2023

Sensitive and remote areas have come under pressure from growing populations and tourism, often resulting in improper wastewater management. Efficiency, durability, the use of renewable construction materials, and the minimization of environmental impacts must be conformed to a sustainable paradigm. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was applied to compare three different decentralized wastewater treatment systems built at tourist facilities: a source separation sanitation system with a hybrid constructed wetland (S1), a sequential batch reactor (SBR) with a hybrid constructed wetland (S2), and a solar-powered composting toilet (S3). Benchmarking showed that S1 was preferred over S2. The differences were up to a factor of two, except for eutrophication, which was significantly higher for S2 (10×). S3 had the lowest environmental impact, but S3 treated only the blackwater fraction, i.e., urine, faeces, and toilet paper, and excluded greywater treatment, i.e., handwashing and/or kitchen wastewater. The scenario analysis showed that the environmental performance could be improved by installing solar panels, but this would increase the impact on the abiotic depletion of elements by 83% for S2. The LCA indicated the advantages, disadvantages, flexibility, and potential for design improvements to meet the environmental sustainability and market demands for system diversity.
Developing Students Well-Being and Engagement in Higher Education during COVID-19—A Case Study of Web-Based Learning in Finland
Authors: Maunula Minna , Maunumäki Minna , Marôco João , Harju-Luukkainen Heidi
Published: February 2023

COVID-19 rapidly and extensively changed the normal everyday practices of societies, and there is no going back to the past. Universities also had to adapt and re-establish their normal routines, from policies to practices. In this article, we explore university students’ experiences of web-based learning, their well-being, and engagement during the pandemic. As a theoretical framework, we use the concept of the university student engagement inventory (USEI), which includes behavioral, cognitive, and emotional dimensions. The data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic from university students (N = 35) via an online survey and analyzed using a thematic content analysis. According to the results, university students experienced well-designed and pedagogically implemented web-based learning, teaching and guidance to enhance their own learning, well-being, and engagement in their studies. This suggests that web-based solutions for academic learning are justified but need to consider a range of well-being and engagement factors. What is still needed are innovative solutions that are pedagogically justifiable and consider the digital and human dimensions sustainably.
Application of Induced Polarization Method in Mineral Resource Exploration
Authors: Yang Yubo , Zhang Guibin , Yao Chenglin , Deng Zhongjun , Ren Zhiming , Li Chunfeng
Published: February 2023

The search for hidden minerals with a large, buried depth depends on the guidance of geological and metallogenic theory, but it is difficult to master the geological characteristics of deep deposits. In this paper, taking a survey area as an example, the stimulated polarization geophysical method is used to obtain the information of deep minerals indirectly. Through the analysis and study of IP (induced polarization) anomaly and its characteristics in a tin polymetallic mining area, we delineate the IP anomaly distribution zone of metal ore, identify the distribution of polarized abnormal bodies by IP sounding, and determine the distribution of metallogenic fracture zones in the working area. Through the least square inversion of resistivity and polarizability, the spatial correspondence between the abnormal area of resistivity and polarizability and the location of ore bodies are obtained. The strategy of deep-mineral-induced polarization analysis adopted by us can provide a reliable geophysical basis for rapid deep geological prospecting.
Organic Fertilization with Biofertilizer Alters the Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Young Cladodes of Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw.
Authors: Silva Márcio S. , Nóbrega Jackson S. , Santos Cleberton C. , Costa Franciscleudo B. , Abreu Daniel C. , Silva Wininton M. , Hoshide Aaron Kinyu , Gomes Fernando A. L. , Pereira Ulisses S. , Linné Jéssica A. , Scalon Silvana P. Q.
Published: February 2023

Cactus cladodes are consumed by humans in arid and semiarid regions of the world. The use of biofertilizers when cultivating cacti can improve the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil, as well as the cladodes’ productivity and physical-chemical quality. We evaluated the physical and physical-chemical qualities of different lengths of Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. Cladodes were grown with different biofertilizer doses. The 3 × 5 factorial design employed corresponded to three cladode sizes (8–12, 12–16, and 16–20 cm) and five doses of biofertilizer (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%) with three repetitions in a completely randomized design. Cladode characteristics were evaluated 40 days after emergence: diameter, fresh mass, soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solid and titratable acidity ratio (SS/TA), ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, total soluble sugars, chlorophyll a, b, and total, carotenoids, and respiration. The Opuntia stricta cladodes sized 16–20 cm exhibited better physical and physical-chemical qualities as well as better respiratory rates. The biofertilizer improved the cladodes’ physical and physical-chemical qualities, regardless of the cladode’s size. Opuntia stricta (Haw.) Haw. cladodes had levels of antioxidant compounds similar to those of some conventional vegetables, making them suitable for improving human health in arid environments.
Community Perception of Brownfield Regeneration through Urban Rewilding
Authors: Masood Nausheen , Russo Alessio
Published: February 2023

Brownfield regeneration using a rewilding approach could provide an opportunity to create new green spaces in our cities. However, studies on public perceptions of rewilding projects are limited. Thus, the purpose of this study was to better understand the public’s perspective of brownfield regeneration and the perceived advantages that these regenerations may give if regenerated as urban green areas as part of rewilding projects. An online survey containing 21 dichotomous and multiple-choice items was created to learn about people’s preferences for brownfield regeneration, the advantages of urban rewilding, and the value of biodiversity in urban contexts. Results show that most people are aware of the benefits of urban regeneration and receptive to the idea of rewilding for urban resilience. Our findings raise awareness of the possibility of regenerating abandoned lots to create accessible green spaces for our communities.
Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Optimization
Authors: Qu Shaojian , Ji Ying
Published: February 2023

Due to the complex and changing global trade environment and the intensification of economic and trade conflicts, enterprises have become more cautious about economic development [...]
Geographic Information Visualization and Sustainable Development of Low-Carbon Rural Slow Tourism under Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Jiang Gongyi , Gao Weijun , Xu Meng , Tong Mingjia , Liu Zhonghui
Published: February 2023

This study conducts in-depth research on geographic information visualization and the sustainable development of low-carbon rural slow tourism under artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze and discuss the visualization of geographic information and the sustainable development of low-carbon slow tourism in rural areas. First, the development options related to low-carbon tourism in rural areas are discussed. Then, a low-carbon rural slow tourism recommendation method based on AI and a low-carbon rural tourism scene recognition method based on Cross-Media Retrieval (CMR) data are proposed. Finally, the proposed scheme is tested. The test results show that the carbon dioxide emissions of one-day tourism projects account for less than 10% of the total tourism industry. From the proportion, it is found that air transport accounts for the largest proportion, more than 40%. With the development of time, the number of rural slow tourists in Guizhou has increased the most, while the number of rural slow tourists in Yunnan has increased to a lesser extent. In the K-means clustering model, the accuracy of scenario classification based on the semantic features of scene attributes is 5.26% higher than that of attribute likelihood vectors. On the Support Vector Machine classifier, the scene classification accuracy based on the semantic features of scene attributes is 19.2% higher than that of the scene classification based on attribute likelihood vector features. CMR techniques have also played a satisfying role in identifying rural tourism scenarios. They enable passengers to quickly identify tourist attractions to save preparation time and provide more flexible time for the tour process. The research results have made certain contributions to the sustainable development of low-carbon rural slow tourism.
An RSU Deployment Scheme for Vehicle-Infrastructure Cooperated Autonomous Driving
Authors: Zhang Lingyu , Wang Li , Zhang Lili , Zhang Xiao , Sun Dehui
Published: February 2023

For autonomous driving vehicles, there are currently some issues, such as limited environmental awareness and locally optimal decision-making. To increase the capacity of autonomous cars’ environmental awareness, computation, decision-making, control, and execution, intelligent roads must be constructed, and vehicle–infrastructure cooperative technology must be used. The Roadside unit (RSU) deployment, a critical component of vehicle–infrastructure cooperative autonomous driving, has a direct impact on network performance, operation effects, and control accuracy. The current RSU deployment mostly uses the large-spacing and low-density concept because of the expensive installation and maintenance costs, which can accomplish the macroscopic and long-term communication functions but fall short of precision vehicle control. Given these challenges, this paper begins with the specific requirements to control intelligent vehicles in the cooperative vehicle–infrastructure environment. An RSU deployment scheme, based on the improved multi-objective quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (MOQPSO) algorithm, is proposed. This RSU deployment scheme was based on the maximum coverage with time threshold problem (MCTTP), with the goal of minimizing the number of RSUs and maximizing vehicle coverage of communication and control services. Finally, utilizing the independently created open simulation platform (OSP) simulation system, the model and algorithm’s viability and effectiveness were assessed on the Nguyen–Dupuis road network. The findings demonstrate that the suggested RSU deployment scheme can enhance network performance and control the precision of vehicle–infrastructure coordination, and can serve as a general guide for the deployment of RSUs in the same application situation.
Progress in Drainage Pipeline Condition Assessment and Deterioration Prediction Models
Authors: Zeng Xuming , Wang Zinan , Wang Hao , Zhu Shengyan , Chen Shaofeng
Published: February 2023

The condition of drainage pipes greatly affects the urban environment and human health. However, it is difficult to carry out economical and efficient pipeline investigation and evaluation due to the location and structure of drainage pipes. Herein, the four most-commonly used drainage pipeline evaluation standards have been synthesized and analyzed to summarize the deterioration and breakage patterns of drainage pipes. The common pipe breakage patterns are also summarized by integrating the literature and engineering experience. To systematically describe the condition of drainage pipes, a system of influencing factors for the condition of pipes, including physical, environmental, and operational factors, has been established, and the mechanism of action of each influencing factor has been summarized. Physical, statistical, and AI models and their corresponding representative models have been categorized, and the research progress of current mainstream drainage-pipe deterioration and breakage prediction models are reviewed in terms of their principles and progress in their application.
Social–Ecological System Understanding of Land Degradation in Response to Land Use and Cover Changes in the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality
Authors: Kgaphola Motsoko Juniet , Ramoelo Abel , Odindi John , Mwenge Kahinda Jean-Marc , Seetal Ashwin , Musvoto Constansia
Published: February 2023

Land degradation is a major risk to the sustainability and functioning of socioecological systems (SES), especially in arid/semiarid regions. By understanding a system and its interlinkages, the socioecological approach offers an innovative way to explore degradation. This is achieved through a synergistic analytical approach to improve the ability of identifying and understanding systems, predicting their behaviour, and modifying them to achieve the desired effects. This research provides a roadmap for an integrated interdisciplinary approach that is a critical factor in understanding the drivers of land degradation. It can be used to determine appropriate land management action. The aim of this study was, therefore, to apply an integrated SES approach to a degraded rural semiarid context to address the land degradation problem using the Greater Sekhukhune District Municipality in South Africa as a case study. The Drive Pressure State Condition and four Responses (DPSCR4) framework (modified from Drive Pressure State Impact and Response (DPSIR)) was used as the SES to assess land degradation. Key informant interviews, focus group discussions with local pastoralists and traditional authorities, and the scientific literature were triangulated to systemically analyse DPSCR4. Land degradation neutrality (LDN) was integrated into the framework to draw conclusions on sustainable land management (SLM). The results show that the main anthropogenic activities driving land degradation are overgrazing, land tenure, poverty and disenfranchisement, unsustainable land use, and cropland abandonment, which favour bush encroachment. Natural factors such as topography, dispersive duplex soils, and climate variability and change predispose the district to soil erosion and gully formation. In combination with human activities, this exacerbates land degradation. The study recommends measures to enable informed integrated land use planning and management using the DPSCR4 and LDN frameworks to improve landscape conditions in rural semiarid regions and provide sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor in developing countries who depend on natural resources.
Artificial Intelligence in Surgical Learning
Authors: Pakkasjärvi Niklas , Luthra Tanvi , Anand Sachit
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare on all levels. While AI shows immense potential, the clinical implementation is lagging. We present a concise review of AI in surgical learning; (2) Methods: A non-systematic review of AI in surgical learning of the literature in English is provided; (3) Results: AI shows utility for all components of surgical competence within surgical learning. AI presents with great potential within robotic surgery specifically; (4) Conclusions: Technology will evolve in ways currently unimaginable, presenting us with novel applications of AI and derivatives thereof. Surgeons must be open to new modes of learning to be able to implement all evidence-based applications of AI in the future. Systematic analyses of AI in surgical learning are needed.
A Study on the Intersection of Ground Reaction Forces during Overground Walking in Down Syndrome: Effects of the Pathology and Left–Right Asymmetry
Authors: Vielemeyer Johanna , Sole Cristina , Galli Manuela , Zago Matteo , Müller Roy , Condoluci Claudia
Published: February 2023

Motor dysfunctions in patients with Down Syndrome (DS) result in poor locomotion and an altered gait phenotype, characterized by compromised stability management and frequent bilateral asymmetries. Directing ground reaction forces to a point above the center of mass, referred to as the virtual pivot point (VPP), is one means of maintaining stability during walking. This cross-sectional observational study compared the dynamic gait function of 33 individuals with DS (mean age: 17.7 ± 6.4 years, 13 females) to a group of 36 healthy controls (mean age: 15.5 ± 6.1 years, 15 females), using the concept of the VPP. Results showed that the VPP was located more anteriorly in individuals with DS compared to healthy controls, with no differences in the variability (R2) or symmetry of VPP coordinates. This anterior VPP position is likely due to the larger hip moments observed in patients with DS during the propulsive phase of stance. High R2 values in DS suggest that the VPP is strongly related to dynamic stability during walking.
Spectral-Spatial Feature Enhancement Algorithm for Nighttime Object Detection and Tracking
Authors: Lv Yan , Feng Wei , Wang Shuo , Dauphin Gabriel , Zhang Yali , Xing Mengdao
Published: February 2023

Object detection and tracking has always been one of the important research directions in computer vision. The purpose is to determine whether the object is contained in the input image and enclose the object with a bounding box. However, most object detection and tracking methods are applied to daytime objects, and the processing of nighttime objects is imprecise. In this paper, a spectral-spatial feature enhancement algorithm for nighttime object detection and tracking is proposed, which is inspired by symmetrical neural networks. The proposed method consists of the following steps. First, preprocessing is performed on unlabeled nighttime images, including low-light enhancement, object detection, and dynamic programming. Second, object features for daytime and nighttime times are extracted and modulated with a domain-adaptive structure. Third, the Siamese network can make full use of daytime and nighttime object features, which is trained as a tracker by the above images. Fourth, the test set is subjected to feature enhancement and then input to the tracker to obtain the final detection and tracking results. The feature enhancement step includes low-light enhancement and Gabor filtering. The spatial-spectral features of the target are fully extracted in this step. The NAT2021 dataset is used in the experiments. Six methods are employed as comparisons. Multiple judgment indicators were used to analyze the research results. The experimental results show that the method achieves excellent detection and tracking performance.
Design and Development of a Geometric Calculator in CATIA
Authors: Rojas-Sola José Ignacio , del Río-Cidoncha Gloria , Ortíz-Marín Rafael , Cebolla-Cano Andrés
Published: February 2023

In this article, an application in the field of engineering graphics is presented for the design of a geometric calculator generated as a macro in CATIA V5. The code of this macro is written in the CATVBA language and utilizes the CATIA internal editor while taking advantage of the capabilities offered by Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). The principal purpose of this application lies in the possibility of creating the three main geometric elements (point, line, and plane) and in solving five types of general geometric problems, and then comparing the results obtained with their equivalent problems from analytical geometry. In particular, within these types of general geometric problems, 34 possible cases are solved: definition of lines (nine cases), definition of planes (12 cases), intersection points (three cases), angles (three cases), and distances (seven cases). These new entities defined with the geometric calculator can serve as support for the generation of new three-dimensional volumes, the creation of auxiliary symmetries, and the dimensioning of various elements. It was verified that the results of the designed macro and the solutions of the analytical equations coincided; therefore, the procedure was validated. Likewise, the module employed herein in the CATIA V5 environment is “Wireframe and Surface Design”, since it enables handling the three basic geometric elements (point, line, and plane), which form the basis of the geometric calculator. Lastly, it is verified how the geometric calculator allows their integration with three-dimensional solids, which represents a notable advance as an aid in its geometric definition.
Detecting Heavy Neutral SUSY Higgs Bosons Decaying to Sparticles at the High-Luminosity LHC
Authors: Baer Howard , Barger Vernon , Tata Xerxes , Zhang Kairui
Published: February 2023

In supersymmetry (SUSY) models with low electroweak naturalness (natSUSY), which have been suggested to be the most likely version of SUSY to emerge from the string landscape, higgsinos are expected at the few hundred GeV scale, whilst electroweak gauginos inhabit the TeV scale. For TeV-scale heavy neutral SUSY Higgs bosons H and A, as currently required by LHC searches, the dominant decay modes of H,A are gaugino plus higgsino provided these decays are kinematically open. The light higgsinos decay to soft particles, so are largely invisible, whilst the gauginos decay to W, Z or h plus missing transverse energy (ET). Thus, we examine the viability of H,A→W+ET, Z+ET and h+ET signatures at the high luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) in light of large standard model (SM) backgrounds from (mainly) tt¯, VV and Vh production (where V=W,Z). We also examine whether these signal channels can be enhanced over backgrounds by requiring the presence of an additional soft lepton from the decays of the light higgsinos. We find significant regions in the vicinity of mA∼1–2 TeV of the mA vs. tanβ plane, which can be probed at the high luminosity LHC, using these dominant signatures by HL-LHC at 5σ and at the 95% confidence level (CL).
Thermodynamics of the Acceleration of the Universe in the κ(R, T) Gravity Model
Authors: Dixit Archana , Gupta Sanjeev , Pradhan Anirudh , Beesham Aroonkumar
Published: February 2023

In this article, we examined the behavior of dark energy (DE) and the cosmic acceleration in the framework of κ(R,T) gravity in the standard spherically symmetric coordinates (xi) = t,r,θ,ϕ, a spatially homogeneous and isotropic FLRW space–time. We discovered some remarkable cosmic characteristics in this investigation that are in line with both observations and the accepted ΛCDM model. We made two assumptions in order to determine a deterministic solution of the modified field equations (MFEs): (i) p=γρ, where γ(1≥γ≥0) is a constant, (ii) Λ = βH2, where β is an arbitrary constant. We solved the MFEs and obtained the expression for the Hubble parameter. The depicted model of κ(R,T) gravity was taken into consideration when discussing the behavior of the accelerating Universe. In κ(R,T) gravity, the statefinder analysis was utilized to distinguish our model from the ΛCDM model. The evolution of the cosmos was studied using an effective equation of state (EoS). We investigated the thermodynamic quantities and the generalized energy conditions in order to test the viability of our model. When dominant and weak energy conditions are satisfied, this validates the model; when the strong energy condition is not satisfied, this accelerates the expansion of the Universe.
Controlling I-V Hysteresis in Al/Pt Bilayer Symmetric SQUIDs at Millikelvin Temperatures
Authors: Yakovlev Dmitry S. , Nazhestkin Ivan A. , Ismailov Nidzhat G. , Egorov Sergei V. , Antonov Vladimir N. , Gurtovoi Vladimir L.
Published: February 2023

We study operation of a superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) based on a new bilayer material. They can be used for the ultra-sensitive detection of magnetic momentum at temperatures down to milliKelvin range. Typically, thermal origin hysteresis of the symmetric SQUID current-voltage curves limits operating temperatures to T>0.6Tc. We used a new bilayer material for SQUID fabrication, namely proximity-coupled superconductor/normal-metal (S/N) bilayers (aluminum 25 nm/platinum 5 nm). Because of the 5 nm Pt-layer, Al/Pt devices show nonhysteretic behavior in a broad temperature range from 20 mK to 0.8 K. Furthermore, the Al/Pt bilayer devices demonstrate an order of magnitude lower critical current compared to the Al devices, which decreases the screening parameter (βL) and improves the modulation depth of the critical current by magnetic flux. Operation at lower temperatures reduces thermal noise and increases the SQUID magnetic field resolution. Moreover, we expect strong decrease of two-level fluctuators on the surface of aluminum due to Pt-layer oxidation protection and hence significant reduction of the 1/f noise. Optimized geometry of Al/Pt symmetric SQUIDs is promising for the detection of single-electron spin flip.
Correlation of Neutrinoless Double-β Decay Nuclear Matrix Element with E2 Strength
Authors: Jiao Changfeng , Yuan Cenxi , Yao Jiangming
Published: February 2023

We explore the correlation of the neutrinoless double-β decay nuclear matrix element (NME) with electric quadrupole (E2) strength in the framework of the Hamiltonian-based generator-coordinate method, which is a configuration-mixing calculation of symmetry-restored intrinsic basis states. The restoration of symmetries that are simultaneously broken in the mean-field states allows us to compute the structural and decay properties associated with wave functions characterized by good quantum numbers. Our calculations show a clear anti-correlation between the neutrinoless double-β decay NME and the transition rate of the collective quadrupole excitation from the ground state in response to artificial changes of the quadrupole–quadrupole interaction. The anti-correlation is more remarkable in the decay from a weakly deformed parent nucleus to a more deformed grand-daughter nucleus. This interrelation may provide a way to reduce the uncertainty of the nuclear matrix element.