bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Multi-Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Time Domain Features of Vibration Signals
Authors: Wang Chao , Peng Zhangming , Liu Rong , Chen Chang
Published: October 2022

The normal operation of the engine is of great importance for the safety of life and property, so we need to monitor and analyze the state of the engine. Most of the existing methods only diagnose the type of engine fault without further analysis of the severity of the engine fault. Additionally, the features used for fault diagnosis are not selected according to faults and do not necessarily contain more fault information. In the paper, we propose using Pearson correlation coefficients in combination with faults selects sensors and the corresponding features, and then single-fault diagnosis combined with GRU (gating recurrent unit) is performed by using the selected sensors and features. Since multi-fault diagnosis is more difficult than single-fault diagnosis, more state information is required. Therefore, the multi-fault diagnosis will directly extract the time domain features screened above from all vibration signals, stack them and send them to GRU for multi-fault diagnosis. From the experimental results we can conclude that the feature selection method combining Pearson correlation coefficient and fault state can extract effective features to diagnose the fault type and its severity. Finally, the influence factors of the model are analyzed through comparative experiments, and the results show the effectiveness of the method and the selected model parameters.
Analysis of Wind-Induced Vibrations on HVTL Conductors Using Wireless Sensors
Authors: Zanelli Federico , Mauri Marco , Castelli-Dezza Francesco , Tarsitano Davide , Manenti Alessandra , Diana Giorgio
Published: October 2022

In a world accelerating the energy transition towards renewable sources, high voltage transmission lines represent strategic infrastructure for power delivery. Being slender and low-damped structures, HVTL conductors are affected by wind-induced vibrations that can lead to severe fatigue issues in conductors and other components. Vibration monitoring could represent a key activity to assess the safety level of the line and perform condition-based maintenance activities. This work proposes an innovative approach based on the knowledge of the physical phenomena and smart technological devices. A wireless monitoring system based on MEMS accelerometers and energy harvesting techniques has been designed to measure the fymax parameter in the field, which represents a fatigue indicator useful to identify the different wind-induced phenomena and assess the conductors’ strain level. A field test on a Canadian transmission line was used in the check of the efficiency of the system and collection of significant data. Vibrations due to vortex shedding were identified with a maximum value of fymax = 50 m/s, while subspan oscillation and galloping were not observed. We show the novel method can detect the different wind-induced phenomena and pave the way to the development of suitable software able to compute a conductor’s residual fatigue life.
Comparison of the Capacitance of a Cyclically Fatigued Stretch Sensor to a Non-Fatigued Stretch Sensor When Performing Static and Dynamic Foot-Ankle Motions
Authors: Persons Andrea Karen , Middleton Carver , Parker Erin , Carroll Will , Turner Alana , Talegaonkar Purva , Davarzani Samaneh , Saucier David , Chander Harish , Ball John E. , Elder Steven H. , Simpson Chartrisa LaShan , Macias David , Burch V. Reuben F.
Published: October 2022

Motion capture is the current gold standard for assessing movement of the human body, but laboratory settings do not always mimic the natural terrains and movements encountered by humans. To overcome such limitations, a smart sock that is equipped with stretch sensors is being developed to record movement data outside of the laboratory. For the smart sock stretch sensors to provide valuable feedback, the sensors should have durability of both materials and signal. To test the durability of the stretch sensors, the sensors were exposed to high-cycle fatigue testing with simultaneous capture of the capacitance. Following randomization, either the fatigued sensor or an unfatigued sensor was placed in the plantarflexion position on the smart sock, and participants were asked to complete the following static movements: dorsiflexion, inversion, eversion, and plantarflexion. Participants were then asked to complete gait trials. The sensor was then exchanged for either an unfatigued or fatigued plantarflexion sensor, depending upon which sensor the trials began with, and each trial was repeated by the participant using the opposite sensor. Results of the tests show that for both the static and dynamic movements, the capacitive output of the fatigued sensor was consistently higher than that of the unfatigued sensor suggesting that an upwards drift of the capacitance was occurring in the fatigued sensors. More research is needed to determine whether stretch sensors should be pre-stretched prior to data collection, and to also determine whether the drift stabilizes once the cyclic softening of the materials comprising the sensor has stabilized.
Exploring Step-Heating and Lock-In Thermography NDT Using One-Sided Inspection on Low-Emissivity Composite Structures for New Rail Carbodies
Authors: Tromaras Alkiviadis , Kappatos Vassilios
Published: October 2022

This paper aims to explore the qualification of step- and lock-in heating thermography as techniques capable of inspecting new composite rail carbodies following input and inspection requirements set by the rail manufacturing industry. Specifically, we studied (a) a monolithic CFRP sample (20 mm thickness) and (b) a CFRP–PET foam–CFRP sandwich (40 mm total thickness) component, that were manufactured with artificial defects, to replicate the side wall sections of a carbody. The samples proved to be very challenging to test using only one-sided inspection due to (1) exhibiting significant thickness compared to existing literature, (2) low surface emissivity and (3) that the foam core of the sandwich sample was a thermal insulating material. In addition, the sandwich sample was designed with defects on both skins. Both thermography techniques provided similar defect detection results, although step heating offered faster detection. In the case of the monolithic panel, defects up to 10 mm depth were detected, with minor detection of defects at 15 mm depth with a step-heating protocol between 90 s and 120 s overall acquisition, which was faster than the 140 s used with the lock-in technique. For the sandwich component only the front skin defects were detected, with both techniques using heating protocols between 70–120 s.
Edge Effects on Simultaneous Reconstructions of Flame Temperature and Soot Volume Fraction Profiles by a CCD Camera
Authors: Li Jie , Li Hongtao , Chen Chen , Liu Guannan , Ying Yaoyao , Li Tianjiao , Liu Dong
Published: October 2022

In this paper, the influence of the edge effect on the simultaneous reconstruction of axisymmetric flame temperature and soot volume fraction profiles by a single CCD camera was investigated in detail. The reconstruction accuracy of the flame temperature profile and soot volume fraction was insensitive to the measurement error of the coefficient matrix. When the signal to ratio (SNR) of the measurement system for both the radiation intensity and coefficient matrix was as low as 46 dB, the reconstruction accuracy for both temperature and soot volume fraction was acceptable and was more influenced by the radiation intensity measurement error. The reconstruction of the flame temperature and soot volume fraction was greatly influenced by the edge effect. When the flame edge with weak radiation signals was ignored during the reconstruction, the relative reconstruction error for the temperature and soot volume fraction increased from the flame center to the edge, and reached an unacceptable value at the reconstruction boundary, especially for the soot volume fraction. The flame image boundary could be chosen as the unified reconstruction boundary to reconstruct the two-dimensional distribution of the temperature and soot volume fraction with satisfactory accuracy. The low soot volume fraction could influence the reconstruction accuracy for both the temperature and soot concentration in non-sooting regions. Moreover, there was no obvious regularity between the reconstruction accuracy of the temperature and soot volume fraction and the extension of the reconstruction boundary.
A Wireless Autonomous Real-Time Underwater Acoustic Positioning System
Authors: Manicacci François-Marie , Mourier Johann , Babatounde Chabi , Garcia Jessica , Broutta Mickaël , Gualtieri Jean-Sébastien , Aiello Antoine
Published: October 2022

Recent acoustic telemetry positioning systems are able to reconstruct the positions and trajectories of organisms at a scale of a few centimeters to a few meters. However, they present several logistical constraints including receiver maintenance, calibration procedures and limited access to real-time data. We present here a novel, easy-to-deploy, energy self-sufficient underwater positioning system based on the time difference of arrival (TDOA) algorithm and the Global System for Mobile (GSM) communication technology, capable of locating tagged marine organisms in real time. We provide an illustration of the application of this system with empirical examples using continuous and coded tags in fish and benthic invertebrates. In situ experimental tests of the operational system demonstrated similar performances to currently available acoustic positioning systems, with a global positioning error of 7.13 ± 5.80 m (mean ± SD) and one-third of the pings can be localized within 278 m of the farthest buoy. Despite some required improvements, this prototype is designed to be autonomous and can be deployed from the surface in various environments (rivers, lakes, and oceans). It was proven to be useful to monitor a wide variety of species (benthic and pelagic) in real time. Its real-time property can be used to rapidly detect system failure, optimize deployment design, or for ecological or conservation applications.
A Triple-Band Reflective Polarization Conversion Metasurface with High Polarization Conversion Ratio for Ism and X-Band Applications
Authors: Babu Badisa Anil , Madhav Boddapati Taraka Phani , Das Sudipta , Hussain Niamat , Ali Syed Samser , Kim Nam
Published: October 2022

A compact and triple-band polarization converting reflective type metasurface (PCRM) with a high polarization conversion ratio (PCR) is proposed for strategic wireless antenna-integrated applications. The unit cell of the metasurface is composed of S- and G-shaped patches separated with a parasitic gap and the grounded via is connected to the full ground plane. The unit cell is etched on an FR4 substrate (dielectric constant, εr = 4.4, loss tangent, tan δ = 0.02), with compact dimensions of 10 mm3 × 10 mm3 × 1.6 mm3. This structure provides a resonance at 5.2 (ISM), 6.9, and 8.05 GHz (X-band) frequencies. The designed unit cell structure is studied for Transverse Electric (TE)/Transverse Magnetic (TM) incident waves and their responses to the various incident angles. The corresponding PCR is calculated, which shows 92% in the lower frequency band (5.2 GHz), 93% in the second frequency band (6.9 GHz), and 94% in the high-frequency band (8.05 GHz). The total efficiency of the structure shows 83.2%, 62.95%, and 64.6% at the respective resonance bands. A prototype of the proposed PCRM with 3 × 3 unit cells is fabricated to validate the simulated results. The experimental data agrees with the simulation results. The compactness, triple-band operation with a high PCR value of more than 92% makes use of the designed metasurface in wireless antenna-integrated applications at ISM and X-bands.
Attitudes toward “Non-Traditional” Mothers: Examining the Antecedents of Mothers’ Competence Perceptions
Authors: Di Battista Silvia , Salvati Marco , Ertan Irem , Pivetti Monica
Published: October 2022

Mothers are the protagonists in a widespread narrative that emphasizes motherhood as prolonged and exclusive attention to children, accompanied by references to natural competence in child-rearing skills. The present research aimed to investigate the linking mechanisms and conditional processes underlying the perception of mothers’ competence. Cisgender heterosexual Italian participants (N = 230) read one of four vignettes describing a situation in which a mother (i.e., heterosexual biological mother, heterosexual stepmothers, lesbian stepmother, and lesbian biological mother) interacts with her two children who had misbehaved. After reading the vignette, the participants rated the depicted mother’s competence and to what extent the children’s misbehaviour was attributable to the mother. Moderated-mediation analyses indicated that all the non-traditional mothers were perceived as being less competent compared to the heterosexual biological mother, by giving them greater responsibility for their children’s misbehaviour, among participants with medium–high levels of traditional gender-role beliefs. Sexual orientation and biology relatedness were not cumulative variables, but intersecting categories creating a unique way to perceive mothers. As the number of non-traditional families grows, negative societal attitudes toward non-traditional parents and their children should be increasingly considered.
Performance Sex Differences in CrossFit®
Authors: Schlegel Petr , Křehký Adam
Published: October 2022

CrossFit® has a unique standard for workout of the day for women and men. Scaling is used to set difficulty levels for women in CrossFit® gyms and competitions. This type of scaling is applied for weightlifting (60–82% of men’s load); however, there are usually no differences in difficulty settings for gymnastics and monostructural metabolic conditioning. Performance analysis is essential for every sports discipline, and statistical data comparing men’s and women’s results from athletics, running, swimming, weightlifting, etc., are available. However, CrossFit® lacks these statistics. The aim of our study was to analyze how the performances of men and women differed at the 2021 CrossFit Games®. Our sample comprised 40 female (age 27.8 ± 5.1) and 40 male participants (age 27.2 ± 3.7) competing in the Rx division. Data obtained from all events were analyzed using effect size and percentage. In 14 out of 15 events, men achieved better results than women. Even with the implementation of scaling, women’s results differed by 0.1–33.1% (effect size from small to large). Scaling for women is designed according to general strength and power differences; however, primarily because of anatomic and physiological differences, men attain better results. However, CrossFit Games® events are always unique, and the events rarely repeat; therefore, our study does not provide firm conclusions. As our study is the first to compare CrossFit Games® performance between the sexes, further research is needed.
The Effect of Different Environmental Factors on Milk Yield Characteristics of Holstein Fresian Cattle Raised with Different Production Scale on Teke Region of Turkey
Authors: Sipahi Cevat
Published: October 2022

This study was intended to determine whether there was any difference between the parameters of herd size and milk yield based on the hypothesis that the dairy cattle enterprises in the Teke Region used different production methods depending on their herd size. Total milk yield and 305-d milk yield were increased in parallel with the farm-scale and reached 8968.70 ± 124.56 kg and 7632.20 ± 79.67 kg, respectively, in the farms with the largest scale of 101 heads and above (p < 0.001). It was further determined that milk yield decreased significantly in the summer calving season compared to other seasons (Summer: 7897.20 ± 154.48 b, Autumn: 8344.80 ± 169.33 a, Winter: 8054.50 ± 127.22 a, Spring: 8133.60 ± 159.77 a) (p < 0.01). Heat stress is thought to be the reason for the low milk yield in the summer season compared to other seasons. It was shown that the small-scale farms with 1–10 cows had the longest lactation length (394.90 ± 6.90 days) (p < 0.001). It was also determined that there is a directly proportional and significant relationship between the lactation number of Holstein cattle and lactation milk yield and 305-d milk yield values (p < 0.01). It was determined that dairy cattle in the 5th lactation had the highest 305-d milk yield value with 6992.00 ± 164.40 kg. In conclusion, a positive statistical correlation was found between the scale of dairy farms and their milk production parameter.
Managing Extreme Heat and Smoke: A Focus Group Study of Vulnerable People in Darwin, Australia
Authors: Campbell Sharon L. , Anderson Carina C. , Wheeler Amanda J. , Cook Stephen , Muster Tim , Johnston Fay H.
Published: October 2022

Extreme heat and poor air quality arising from landscape fires are an increasing global concern driven by anthropogenic climate change. Previous studies have shown these environmental conditions are associated with negative health outcomes for vulnerable people. Managing and adapting to these conditions in a warming climate can present substantial difficulties, especially in climates already challenging for human habitation. This study was set in the tropical city of Darwin, Australia. We recruited individuals from population groups vulnerable to outdoor hazards: outdoor workers, teachers and carers, and sportspeople, to participate in focus group discussions. We aimed to gain an understanding of the impacts of extreme heat and poor air quality and how individuals perceived and managed these environmental conditions. We identified a number of key themes relating to impacts on health, work and activity, and adaptive behaviors, while identifying gaps in policy and infrastructure that could improve the lives and protect the health of vulnerable people living, working, and playing in this region. In addition, these outcomes potentially provide direction for other regions with similar environmental challenges. Extreme heat and poor air quality place an additional burden on the lives of people in high-risk settings, such as outdoor workers, teachers and carers, and sportspeople.
Trade Credit Insurance for the Capital-Constrained Supplier
Authors: Qin Jing , Qin Kun , Cheng Yuxiang , Wu Desheng
Published: October 2022

This paper examines the role of trade credit insurance in a supply chain consisting of a capital-constrained supplier and a capital-constrained retailer. The retailer faces stochastic market demand and seeks trade credit from the supplier. The supplier, who is the Stackelberg game leader, decides the production quantity and the insurance coverage rate. We find that when the supplier’s initial capital is not sufficient, the use of trade credit insurance may reduce the trade quantity and the expected profit of the retailer. However, when the initial capital of the supplier is sufficient, the use of trade credit insurance will always increase the trade quantity. In the extension, we assume the supplier will face a potential financing cost if the net income is lower than the threshold. We find that if the insurance company has to keep its expected return positive and has no way to invest the insurance premium, the supplier will never buy the trade credit insurance no matter how much the marginal financing cost is when threshold is outside a certain range. Both the results and the methods in this paper can help businesses achieve a balance of funds and the logistics of the supply chain and risks, thereby improving the effectiveness of the supply chain operation.
Choice of Emission Control Technology in Port Areas with Customers’ Low-Carbon Preference
Authors: Zhou Haiying , Zhang Wenjing
Published: October 2022

The choice of emission control technology in a port supply chain under a cap-and-trade scheme considering low-carbon preferences of customers, is explored in this study. In port areas, the port supply chain consisting of one port and one ship can adopt either shore power (SP) or low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) to reduce emissions. The economic and social performance of the port supply chain when either SP or LSFO is implemented is compared under three different game models (port-leader Stackelberg game, ship-leader Stackelberg game and the Nash game). The obtained results show that the profits and emissions in the Nash game are higher than those in the other two games. When environmental concern is relatively small, social welfare in the Nash game is the highest, while social welfare in the one-party-dominant structure is superior to that in the Nash structure, under high environmental concern. When the customers’ low-carbon preferences and carbon prices are low, both the supply chain’s profits and carbon emissions when LSFO is used are higher than those from using SP. From the perspective of social welfare maximization, in general, LSFO is preferred when carbon price, customers’ low-carbon preference and environmental concern are all low or are all high. Otherwise, SP is the optimal decision. The findings can provide insights for governments in formulating emission control policies according to their own interests.
Selected Economic Determinants of Labor Profitability in Family Farms in Poland in Relation to Economic Size
Authors: Kusz Bożena , Kusz Dariusz , Bąk Iwona , Oesterreich Maciej , Wicki Ludwik , Zimon Grzegorz
Published: October 2022

Farms in Poland come in a wide variety of sizes, and the effect of farm size on the profitability of labor has not been sufficiently investigated. This paper takes a fresh look at the model for labor profitability determinants of family farms in Poland in relation to their economic size. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the factors that determine the labor profitability index in farms of various economic size classes (classes ES1–ES5). In the analysis of factors shaping the profitability of labor in family farms, a panel analysis was applied. Family farm income expressed per family labor unit was adopted as the dependent variable. The following variables were used as explanatory variables: (1) macroeconomic index of price relations (“price gap”); unemployment; average monthly gross wages and salaries; inflation; (2) technical-agricultural production efficiency index; (3) microeconomic ratio of total assets to agricultural land; technical equipment for work; land-to-labor ratio; debt ratio, subsidy ratio, and investment effort. A diversified influence of selected factors determining the level of profitability of labor in agriculture in particular groups of farms was found. The econometric models developed also indicate different strategies that are adopted by farmers on various farms. There is no single solution here; strategies for improving the profitability of work must take into account the specificity of a given entity. The models estimated indicate the necessity of using other mechanisms and tools of agricultural policy for farms of various economic sizes. It should be expected that, in the future, there will be a dichotomous development of farms. Medium-sized farms will become larger and economically effective, and smaller farms will perform residential functions, with the disappearing function of agricultural production.
Spatial Delineation for Great Wall Zone at Sub-Watershed Scale: A Coupled Ecological and Heritage Perspective
Authors: Jiang Linping , Wang Sisi , Sun Zhe , Chen Chundi , Zhao Yingli , Su Yi , Kou Yingying
Published: October 2022

The Great Wall is a world-famous World Heritage Site facing serious environmental and structural fragmentation problems. This study considered the watershed an essential basis for delineating the Great Wall cultural zone boundary. The relevant watersheds and their scope in the Beijing Great Wall cultural zone were determined, and a sub-watershed classification index system was constructed. The sub-watershed type conservation areas were classified using the k-means clustering method. The relationships among heritage, ecological, socioeconomic, and hydrological elements were analyzed to obtain the essential characteristics of the spatial differentiation of watershed types. Heritage had a promoting effect on urbanization; urbanization had a pressurizing effect on the ecological environment, whereas heritage had a binding effect on the ecological environment. The protected areas defined at the sub-watershed scale in this study have better connectivity and integrity. Not only does it help to monitor, prevent and control the various natural and human-related issues and hazards that occur at the watershed scale, but it also helps in informing the sustainable conservation and development of the Great Wall.
Consumer Behaviour in Sourcing Meals during COVID-19: Implications for Business and Marketing
Authors: Pan Yanfei , Rizov Marian
Published: October 2022

The subject of this study is consumer behaviour in sourcing meals and the manifestation of different behavioural patterns before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The natural experiment, which COVID-19 represents, provides fertile ground for studying consumer behaviour and identifying important factors influencing consumer attitudes in sourcing meals and accessing food. To achieve its aim, this study draws from theories of social psychology and economics as a background for understanding the factors and processes affecting attitudes. Using survey data and qualitative and quantitative analysis the study established that the attitudes of sourcing meals remained quite stable since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Contemporary consumer experiences are primarily associated with health and safety concerns and are conditional on financial affordability. Nevertheless, advertisements and marketing campaigns remain an important factor during COVID-19. Social media platforms have grown in importance as a channel through which consumers can be reached for their food access behaviours.
A Novel MDCM Approach for Sustainable Supplier Selection in Healthcare System in the Era of Logistics 4.0
Authors: Boz Esra , Çizmecioğlu Sinan , Çalık Ahmet
Published: October 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to major disruptions in workflows across all industries. All sectors are trying to sustain operations during this extremely difficult time and the healthcare sector is the most important of them. It is unthinkable to stop the operations of the health system because it serves human life. Health institutions must supply the products such as masks, gloves, and ventilators subject to service on time for certain activities to continue indefinitely under all conditions. By adopting modern logistics activities and technologies, healthcare organizations can provide sustainable diagnosis and treatments to patients by automating their various operations. With the COVID-19 pandemic, how to select an appropriate sustainable supplier has become an important task in the era of Logistics 4.0. From this viewpoint, a sustainable supplier selection framework is implemented for a health institution under the effect of the pandemic. To determine the direct effects of the pandemic in the health sector, fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) methods are utilized in the application. After a thorough review of the literature and interviews with experts, the criteria are organized in a comprehensive hierarchical structure. The fuzzy Best-Worst Method (F-BWM) technique is employed to find the weights for the determined criteria. Consequently, the fuzzy Additive Ratio Assessment Method (F-ARAS) method was applied to rank the alternative suppliers. In addition, with a comprehensive sensitivity analysis, alternative situations are examined against possible breaks in the supply chain. Thus, from the perspective of Logistics 4.0 and sustainability, this study contributes to the literature with an analysis of the health system’s survival in difficult and fragile periods, such as COVID-19. Investigating the importance of SSS can be a road map for the policymakers and the decision-makers is beneficial since the impact of COVID-19 on SSS is studied from the perspective of Logistics 4.0.
Design and Implementation of a Real-Time Smart Home Management System Considering Energy Saving
Authors: Elkholy Mahmoud H. , Senjyu Tomonobu , Lotfy Mohammed Elsayed , Elgarhy Abdelrahman , Ali Nehad S. , Gaafar Tamer S.
Published: October 2022

One of the most challenging problems related to the operation of smart microgrids is the optimal home energy management scheme with multiple and conflicting objectives. Moreover, there is a noticeable increase in homes equipped with renewable energy sources (RESs), where the coordination of loads and generation can achieve extra savings and minimize peak loads. In this paper, a solar-powered smart home with optimal energy management is designed in an affordable and secure manner, allowing the owner to control the home from remote and local sites using their smartphones and PCs. The Raspberry Pi 4 B is used as the brain of the proposed smart home automation management system (HAMS). It is used to collect the data from the existing sensors and store them, and then take the decision. The home is monitored using a graphical interface that monitors room temperature, humidity, smoke, and lighting through a set of sensors, as well as PIR sensors to monitor the people movement. This action enables remote control of all home appliances in a safe and emission-free manner. This target is reached using Cayenne, which is an IoT platform, in addition to building some codes related to some appliances and sensors not supported in Cayenne from scratch. Convenience for people with disabilities is considered by using the Amazon Echo Dot (Alexa) to control home appliances and the charging point by voice, implementing the associated code for connecting the Raspberry pi with Alexa from scratch, and simulating the system on LabVIEW. To reach the optimal operation and reduce the operating costs, an optimization framework for the home energy management system (HEMS) is proposed. The operating costs for the day amounted to approximately 16.039 €. There is a decrease in the operating costs by about 23.13%. The consumption decreased after using the smart HAMS by 18.161 kWh. The results of the optimization also show that the least area that can be used to install solar panels to produce the desired energy with the lowest cost is about 118.1039 m2, which is about 23.62% of the total surface area of the home in which the study was conducted. The obtained results prove the effectiveness of the proposed system in terms of automation, security, safety, and low operating costs.
Investigating the Trends and Drivers between Urbanization and the Land Surface Temperature: A Case Study of Zhengzhou, China
Authors: Du Chenyu , Song Peihao , Wang Kun , Li Ang , Hu Yongge , Zhang Kaihua , Jia Xiaoli , Feng Yuan , Wu Meng , Qu Kexin , Zhang Yangyang , Ge Shidong
Published: October 2022

The effect of urbanization on the urban thermal environment (UTE) has attracted increasing research attention because its significant effects on local weather and climate, and serious consequences for people. However, systematic study of the relationship between urbanization and UTE has been undertaken only to a limited extent. Using quantitative thermal remote sensing and multi-buffer ring method and multiple spatial scales method, here we analyze Landsat TM/ETM+ images of Zhengzhou in Central China acquired on four different dates in 2017 to investigate the spatiotemporal variations, trends, and driving force in the land surface temperature (LST). Our results showed that LST generally increased with urbanization intensity. This trend was extremely obvious in spring and summer, weak in winter, and slightly downward in autumn. Moreover, PLAND (e.g., percentage of impervious surface in a landscape) has the most significant effect on urban LST, and generally increases as the spatial scale becomes larger. In conclusion, the study recommends that urban planning in Zhengzhou should prioritize PLAND, especially at large spatial scales. These results provide a scientific reference for urban planners who are committed to the sustainable development of Zhengzhou City.
Measuring the Effectiveness of the Project Management Information System (PMIS) on the Financial Wellness of Rural Households in the Hill Districts of Uttarakhand, India: An IS-FW Model
Authors: Purohit Ajay , Chopra Gaurav , Dangwal Parshuram G.
Published: October 2022

The study aims to measure the effectiveness of the project management information system (PMIS) and its impact on financial wellness in rural areas. The study uses DeLone and McLean’s updated information success model to measure the net impacts of the PMIS on the community. The dynamics between the PMIS and financial wellness have not yet been clarified, as the available literature on the concerned domain is very limited; thus, further research is required to report the effect of the PMIS on financial wellness. A total of 628 samples were analyzed from 666 collected through structured questionnaires and stratified sampling from 21 hill blocks from the hills of Uttarakhand. Exploratory-confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis were both conducted using SPSS and AMOS. The study found that PMIS quality, information quality, and service quality are significantly important for the PMIS, and its impact on the net benefits derived from PMIS was studied. The results also reveal that the net benefits of the system impact the financial behavior and financial attitudes of SHGs and cooperative members, consequently significantly impacting financial wellness. This study proposes and tests the information system (IS) financial wellness (FW) model for community-based development programs in the lines of the logical framework approach and the stimulus-organism-response framework.
Global Attention Super-Resolution Algorithm for Nature Image Edge Enhancement
Authors: Zhang Zhihao , Su Zhitong , Song Wei , Ning Keqing
Published: October 2022

Single-image super-resolution (SR) has long been a research hotspot in computer vision, playing a crucial role in practical applications such as medical imaging, public security and remote sensing imagery. However, all currently available methods focus on reconstructing texture details, resulting in blurred edges and incomplete structures in the reconstructed images. To address this problem, an edge-enhancement-based global attention image super-resolution network (EGAN) combining channel- and self-attention mechanisms is proposed for modeling the hierarchical features and intra-layer features in multiple dimensions. Specifically, the channel contrast-aware attention (CCA) module learns the correlations between the intra-layer feature channels and enhances the contrast in the feature maps for richer features in the edge structures. The cyclic shift window multi-head self-attention (CS-MSA) module captures the long-range dependencies between layered features and captures more valuable features in the global information network. Experiments are conducted on five benchmark datasets for × 2, × 3 and × 4 SR. The experimental results show that for × 4 SR, our network improves the average PSNR by 0.12 dB, 0.19 dB and 0.12 dB over RCAN, HAN and NLSN, respectively, and can reconstruct a clear and complete edge structure.
Evaluation of Emergency Response Measures for the LOCA of A Marine Reactor
Authors: Zou Yang , Zhao Fang , Xu Shoulong , Zou Shuliang
Published: October 2022

In this study, a technical index system for nuclear accident emergency response measures was established and comprehensively evaluated by studying the impact of time, ventilation speed, and leakage speed on the radiation consequences after a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) in a marine reactor. The weight of each index was calculated by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and the weight of the radiation protection measure in the second-level index emergency measure was 0.625, accounting for the maximum proportion. The weights of improving radionuclide detection technology in chambers, improving detection capability, and improving the diagnosis efficiency of radiation damage in the three-level indicator emergency measures were 0.4442, 0.4384, and 0.4521, respectively, accounting for the maximum proportions. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to quantify and comprehensively evaluate the index system of emergency measures. The quantitative evaluation result was 82.8 points, indicating that the evaluation result was adequate. Therefore, the nuclear emergency response measure based on the radiation consequences of a marine reactor LOCA is reasonable and feasible. It provides valuable measures and practical guidance for the emergency response of a marine reactor LOCA, and dramatically reduces the harm of radiation to staff and the environment.
Emergy Synthesis of Two Oyster Aquaculture Systems in Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Lu Duian , Cheng Jie , Feng Zhenzhou , Sun Li , Mo Wei , Wang Degang
Published: October 2022

China is rich in oyster resources and has a long history of oyster aquaculture. Various forms of oyster aquaculture coexist in the coastal regions of China, which are dominated by raft aquaculture and long-line aquaculture. The objective of this study is to assess the environmental sustainability of the oyster aquaculture systems located in Jiantiao Bay, Zhejiang province, China. Emergy synthesis is used in the study to quantify the contributions of the natural and economic inputs to the oyster aquaculture systems, in order to better understand the sustainability. The results show that the raft oyster aquaculture system was high in emergy inputs and yield per unit area, whereas the long-line oyster aquaculture system was low in emergy inputs and yield per unit area. However, the transformities of the oysters from the raft oyster aquaculture system and the long-line aquaculture were similar, reflecting that both systems had a similar efficiency in using natural and economic resources. The oyster aquaculture systems had a different impact on the environment as inferred from the emergy indicators. The higher emergy yield ratio and low emergy loading ratio in the long-line oyster aquaculture system suggest that the system could gain more net benefit, and had a lower impact on the surrounding environment, than raft oyster aquaculture system, and can been considered to be more sustainable. Nevertheless, oyster aquaculture was a labor-intensive process and relied highly on purchased resources, such as labor and construction materials. If the construction materials could be used for a longer time, the oyster aquaculture systems might be more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Application of Protective Measures against COVID-19 in Polish Production Companies
Authors: Kosieradzka Anna , Smagowicz Justyna , Szwed Cezary
Published: October 2022

The study aimed to identify and analyze measures used in manufacturing enterprises to protect workers from COVID-19 infection and maintain business continuity. Measures were identified based on literature studies, recommendations presented in the guidelines of international and national organizations, information from manufacturing companies, and the study authors’ expertise. Measures were classified into five groups. A survey was conducted using a mixed model Computer Assisted Web Interview/Computer Assisted Telephone Interview (CAWI/CATI) on a representative group of 600 manufacturing companies in Poland. Measures were analyzed according to the occurrence or non-occurrence of COVID-19 in the enterprise. It was confirmed that the vast majority of identified measures were being applied, and enterprises implemented other solutions developed in-house. Legal and regulatory measures, individual protective measures, and protective measures for groups of workers were mainly applied at similar levels, both in the occurrence or non-occurrence of COVID-19. The implementation measures of work organization and production organization are mostly higher in enterprises without COVID-19. The proposed approach can be the basis for developing a methodology for studies of crisis events of a similar nature. The results can be used to select and implement a set of measures for an individual enterprise.
Research on the Impact of Agricultural Financial Support on Agricultural Carbon Compensation Rate
Authors: Niu Xiaogeng , Liu Meiyu , Tian Zhenxing , Chen Anguo
Published: October 2022

Based on the consideration of the dual attributes of agricultural carbon emission and carbon sink, this study measures the agricultural carbon compensation rate (ACCR) of 31 provinces in China from 2006 to 2019, the impact of agricultural financial support on ACCR and its transmission mechanism are empirically analyzed using a spatial econometric model and intermediary effect model. The results show that: (1) a significant spatial correlation between agricultural financial support and ACCR; (2) increased agricultural financial support is conducive to the improvement of ACCR; (3) agricultural financial support has the most significant effect on the ACCR in the eastern region; (4) the effect of agricultural financial support on ACCR has a spatial spillover effect but is not significant; (5) agricultural technological progress is the intermediary variable that agricultural financial support affecting ACCR. Therefore, it is suggested to promote agricultural emission reduction through collaboration, innovative financial support mechanisms, implementation of differentiated financial support strategies, exerting the radiation effect of financial support to agriculture, and pushing up the level of agricultural mechanization.
Stepwise Regression Models-Based Prediction for Leaf Rust Severity and Yield Loss in Wheat
Authors: Ali Yasir , Raza Ahmed , Iqbal Sidra , Khan Azhar Abbas , Aatif Hafiz Muhammad , Hassan Zeshan , Hanif Ch. Muhammad Shahid , Ali Hayssam M. , Mosa Walid F. A. , Mubeen Iqra , Sas-Paszt Lidia
Published: October 2022

Leaf rust is a devastating disease in wheat crop. The disease forecasting models can facilitate the economic and effective use of fungicides and assist in limiting crop yield losses. In this study, six wheat cultivars were screened against leaf rust at two locations, during three consecutive growing seasons. Subsequently, the stepwise regression analysis was employed to analyze the correlation of six epidemiological variables (minimum temperature, maximum temperature, minimum relative humidity, maximum relative humidity, rainfall and wind speed) with disease severity and yield loss (%). Disease predictive models were developed for each cultivar for final leaf rust severity and yield loss prediction. Principally, all epidemiological variables indicated a positive association with leaf rust severity and yield loss (%) except minimum relative humidity. The effectiveness of disease predictive models was estimated using coefficient of determination (R2) values for all models. Then, these predictive models were validated to forecast disease severity and yield loss at another location in Faisalabad. The R2 values of all disease predictive models for each of the tested cultivars were high, evincing that our regression models could be effectively employed to predict leaf rust disease severity and anticipated yield loss. The validation results explained 99% variability, suggesting a highly accurate prediction of the two variables (leaf rust severity and yield loss). The models developed in this research can be used by wheat farmers to forecast disease epidemics and to make disease management decisions accordingly.
Measurement of Green Total Factor Productivity and Its Spatial Convergence Test on the Pig-Breeding Industry in China
Authors: Geng Ning , Liu Zengjin , Wang Xuejiao , Meng Lin , Pan Jiayan
Published: October 2022

The pig-breeding industry is one of the pillar industries of China’s agriculture. Improving the green total factor productivity of pig breeding is the basis for ensuring the stable supply of pork, and is also the key to the green transformation of the pig industry. The existing studies about the green total factor productivity of pig breeding lack an analysis of regional coordination and the spillover of spatial technology efficiency at the macro level, and most studies focus on the impact of agricultural production’s environment pollution and other undesirable outputs. Based on the input–output index system of the pig-breeding industry’s green production, the DDF directional distance function model and the Malmquist–Luenberger (ML) productivity index were combined to measure the green total factor productivity of the pig-breeding industry. Moran’s I-Theil index model was used to measure and reveal the technical efficiency differences among the dominant regions of the pig-breeding industry in China and the σ-convergence test was adopted to reveal the convergence trend of green total factor productivity. The results showed that: (1) The growth level of green total factor productivity of pig breeding in China was generally low from 2006 to 2018, and there were obvious regional and scale differences. (2) The green total factor productivity of pig breeding in each province had spatial autocorrelation; that is, there was technology spillover. From 2006 to 2018, with the advance of time, a pattern of gradual evolution from low-level equilibrium to high-level imbalance was formed. (3) Through the convergence test, the convergence trend of large and medium-scale development between different regions fluctuated, while the convergence trend of small-scale development between different regions was not obvious. Therefore, it is necessary to increase investment in technological innovation, promote the large-scale and standardized development of the pig-breeding industry, and strengthen the promotion of technology in producing areas with advantages in pig breeding.
Rotary Kiln, a Unit on the Border of the Process and Energy Industry—Current State and Perspectives
Authors: Bojanovský Jiří , Máša Vítězslav , Hudák Igor , Skryja Pavel , Hopjan Josef
Published: October 2022

A rotary kiln is a unique facility with widespread applications not only in the process industry, such as building-material production, but also in the energy sector. There is a lack of a more comprehensive review of this facility and its perspectives in the literature. This paper gives a semi-systematic review of current research. Main trends and solutions close to commercial applications are found and evaluated. The overlap between process and energy engineering brings the opportunity to find various uncommon applications. An example is a biogas plant digestate treatment using pyrolysis in the rotary kiln. Artificial intelligence also finds its role in rotary kiln control processes. The most significant trend within rotary kiln research is the waste-to-energy approach in terms of various waste utilization within the process industry or waste pyrolysis in terms of new alternative fuel production and material utilization. Results from this review could open new perspectives for further research, which should be focused on integrated solutions using a process approach. New, complex solutions consider both the operational (mass calculations) and the energy aspects (energy calculations) of the integration as a basis for the energy sustainability and low environmental impact of rotary kilns within industrial processes.