bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review: Using Multiple Templates for Molecular Imprinted Polymer: Is It Good?
Authors: Murdaya Niky , Triadenda Anastasya Leatemia , Rahayu Driyanti , Hasanah Aliya Nur
Published: October 2022

A multi-template molecularly imprinting polymer (MT-MIP) strategy has been proposed and is increasingly utilised to synthesise MIP with multiple recognition sites in a single polymer using multiple target species as templates. This approach can expand MIP applications for simultaneous recognition and extraction of more than one analyte. The advantages of MT-MIP are simultaneous analyte extraction in one process, lower solvent consumption, cost-effectiveness, and short analysis time. The use of multiple templates to prepare a MIP reduces the effort required to prepare different MIPs for different analytes separately. Although there are many studies about developing MT-MIP, there are no review articles that discuss the success rate of MT-MIP. Therefore, in this review, we summarise MT-MIP synthesis, including the polymerisation method being used, the important factors that affect the quality of MT-MIP, and MT-MIP applications. MT-MIP has great potential in chemical isolation and analysis. MT-MIP produces a product that has good sensitivity, selectivity, and reusability. Furthermore, many templates, functional monomers, and crosslinkers can be formulated as MT-MIP and have a high success rate. This is evidenced by the good values of the maximum absorption capacity (Qmax), imprinting factor (IF), and reusability. We expect that the evidence presented in this review can encourage additional research on the development and application of MT-MIP.
Characterisation of Films Based on Exopolysaccharides from Alteromonas Strains Isolated from French Polynesia Marine Environments
Authors: Concórdio-Reis Patrícia , Pereira João R. , Alves Vítor D. , Nabais Ana R. , Neves Luísa A. , Marques Ana C. , Fortunato Elvira , Moppert Xavier , Guézennec Jean , Reis Maria A.M. , Freitas Filomena
Published: October 2022

This work assessed the film-forming capacity of exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by six Alteromonas strains recently isolated from different marine environments in French Polynesia atolls. The films were transparent and resulted in small colour alterations when applied over a coloured surface (ΔEab below 12.6 in the five different colours tested). Moreover, scanning electron microscopy showed that the EPS films were dense and compact, with a smooth surface. High water vapour permeabilities were observed (2.7–6.1 × 10−11 mol m−1 s−1 Pa−1), which are characteristic of hydrophilic polysaccharide films. The films were also characterised in terms of barrier properties to oxygen and carbon dioxide. Interestingly, different behaviours in terms of their mechanical properties under tensile tests were observed: three of the EPS films were ductile with high elongation at break (ε) (35.6–47.0%), low tensile strength at break (Ꞇ) (4.55–11.7 MPa) and low Young’s modulus (εm) (10–93 MPa), whereas the other three were stiffer and more resistant with a higher Ꞇ (16.6–23.6 MPa), lower ε (2.80–5.58%), and higher εm (597–1100 MPa). These properties demonstrate the potential of Alteromonas sp. EPS films to be applied in different areas such as biomedicine, pharmaceuticals, or food packaging.
Electrochemical Performance of Biopolymer-Based Hydrogel Electrolyte for Supercapacitors with Eco-Friendly Binders
Authors: Landi Giovanni , La Notte Luca , Palma Alessandro Lorenzo , Puglisi Giovanni
Published: October 2022

An environmentally friendly hydrogel based on gelatin has been investigated as a gel polymer electrolyte in a symmetric carbon-based supercapacitor. To guarantee the complete sustainability of the devices, biomaterials from renewable resources (such as chitosan, casein and carboxymethyl cellulose) and activated carbon (from coconut shells) have been used as a binder and filler within the electrode, respectively. The electrochemical properties of the devices have been compared by using cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge curves and impedance spectroscopy. Compared to the liquid electrolyte, the hydrogel supercapacitors show similar energy performance with an enhancement of stability up to 12,000 cycles (e.g., chitosan as a binder). The most performant device can deliver ca. 5.2 Wh/kg of energy at a high power density of 1256 W/kg. A correlation between the electrochemical performances and charge storage mechanisms (involving faradaic and non-faradaic processes) at the interface electrode/hydrogel has been discussed.
A Study on the Literacy Rate of Buddhist Monks in Dunhuang during the Late Tang, Five Dynasties, and Early Song Period
Authors: Wu Shaowei
Published: October 2022

Among the Dunhuang documents, when examining some of the monk signature lists, name list of monks copying scriptures and name list of monks chanting scriptures in monasteries, we can estimate a relatively accurate literacy rate of the Buddhist sangha. Generally speaking, the literacy rate of the sangha during the Guiyi Army 歸義軍 period (851–1036) was lower than that during the Tibetan occupation period (786–851). The reason for this change is closely related to each regime’s Buddhist policy, the size and living situation of the sangha, and the Buddhist atmosphere. The decrease in the literacy rate of the sangha had great negative consequences, but when viewed under the context of the stay at home monks and the secularization of Buddhism, the number of literate monks had actually increased. They were more closely integrated with the secular society and their functions in the regional society were more pronounced. At the same time, the changes in the literacy rate of the monks in Dunhuang can also serve as an important reference for understanding the development of Buddhism in the Central China.
Richard Simon, Biblical Criticism and Voltaire
Authors: Starczewski Jan
Published: October 2022

French Enlightenment philosophe Voltaire’s ambivalence vis-à-vis the biblical text is well documented. On the one hand he highlights irregularities and contradictions in Scripture to undermine the clergy’s authority and legitimacy. On the other, he clearly was fond of reading it and the sheer volume of his work devoted to it confirms that he was certainly not indifferent to its content. This article shows how Voltaire’s use of different biblical scholars, particularly the seventeenth-century French biblical critic Richard Simon, informed his understanding of Scripture and how it manifested in his works, both those of a satirical and of a serious tone. This analysis problematizes the role of religion and of biblical criticism in French seventeenth and eighteenth-century literature. If Richard Simon’s method was not always welcomed during his lifetime, his main goal was to pursue truth. Voltaire, however, used the tools of Simon to undermine traditional Christianity and to emphasize his own understanding of what religion entails.
Glocal Zen in Italy: A Preliminary Exploration of the Underlying Dynamics
Authors: Dessì Ugo
Published: October 2022

This article focuses on three Zen meditation groups operating in Italy from the perspective of glocalization. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and practitioners’ narratives, it explores the dynamics underlying the making of glocal Zen with reference to the internal structure of individual religious worlds and its reshaping through the creative incorporation of zazen or zazen-like meditation. My analysis also indicates that there are at least three main factors constraining these processes of glocalization: Availability, or the way in which Zen meditational techniques become accessible (or not) to individual practitioners through global religious exchanges; global consciousness, which relates to the way in which changes in collective consciousness encourage individuals to see themselves as global actors and their Zen practice as globally relevant; and resonance, which speaks of the way in which Zen meditation is selected by individual practitioners for their glocal practices based both on its perceived congruence with their preexisting religious worlds and its usefulness for the solution of specific problems.
Four Approaches to Daodejing Translations and Their Characteristics in Korean after Liberation from Japan
Authors: Seo-Reich Heejung
Published: October 2022

This article gathered and analyzed the Daodejing (DDJ) translations in Korean that appeared after the liberation from Japan and classified them into four perspectives: the perspective continuing Gyeonghak 經學 (Traditional Confucian exegetics), the literary and linguistic perspective, the religious perspective, and the philosophical perspective according to the academic perspective and methodology of translation. Simultaneously, this paper clarified the translation characteristics by comprehensively examining the formation process of each perspective in their historical contexts. Although Daoism had been excluded from the academic curriculum during the pre-liberation era along with Buddhism as heresy, it was later hastily embraced within the category of Oriental Studies to build a cultural consensus when the modern and contemporary educational system was established. In the post-liberation era, the formation of each DDJ translation perspective is directly related to the academic status of Daoism during the modernization of the Korean educational system—a process in which the years 1990 and 2015 stand out as essential turning points. The characteristics of DDJ translations in Korean can be analyzed from five perspectives depending on the Ur-text, ideological perspective, linguistic methodology, national characteristics, and relation to Christianity.
Embodying Legacy by Pursuing Asymmetry: Pushou Temple and Female Monastics’ Ordinations in Contemporary China
Authors: Péronnet Amandine
Published: October 2022

This paper focuses on ordination procedures specific to women in Chinese Buddhism, and on the positions adopted by bhikṣuṇīs regarding the procedures’ asymmetrical nature in contemporary China. Dual ordinations, according to which aspiring bhikṣuṇīs must present themselves in front of both an assembly of fully ordained nuns and of monks in order to be “properly” ordained, were restored by Longlian (隆莲 1909–2006) in 1982. Śikṣamāṇā ordinations, which postulate that women should train for an additional two years before receiving full ordination when their male counterparts do not have to, have also become increasingly common since the 1980s. Based on fieldwork conducted between 2015 and today, both on-site and online, this paper asks whether asymmetry should be considered similar to subordination with regard to ordination procedures. It looks into Rurui’s (如瑞, 1957–) position on the matter, as Longlian’s student and one of the most influential bhikṣuṇī of her generation. While recent survey data will be useful in addressing the issue of representation, qualitative data will question the role of vertical networks in perpetuating a teacher’s legacy, ultimately leaving us to wonder if asymmetry might not be actively sought after by contemporary Chinese Buddhist bhikṣuṇīs in order to improve their status.
Geosite Assessment as a Tool for the Promotion and Conservation of Irpinia Landscape Geoheritage (Southern Italy)
Authors: Sisto Michele , Di Lisio Antonio , Russo Filippo
Published: October 2022

Irpinia (Province of Avellino, Campania Region) is a historical–geographical region of Southern Italy inhabited in pre-Roman times by the ancient Samnite tribe of the Irpini, from which the name originates. This area is characterized by both low population density and high naturalness; located on the axial sector of the southern Apennine orogenic chain, the area possesses a complex hilly and mountainous orography, with predominantly agricultural and forest land uses. In this geographical context, there are many relevant geological/geomorphological sites, witnessing a wide geodiversity attributable to complex geological evolution and relief morphogenesis. The extensive bio-geodiversity has thus led to widespread geotourism practices. Irpinia is favored for its beautiful landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and typical small towns, often enhanced by quality certifications; moreover, geotourism activities are often associated with other forms of sustainable tourism. Starting from this geographical framework, the article analyzes eight attractive geosites that represent the geotouristic value of the entire Irpinia area well. The analysis was conducted using well-known qualitative and quantitative assessment methods. The results obtained, emphasizing the salient aspects of geodiversity, can be used in planning the usability of the sites and, more generally, planning for the Irpinian landscape in a geo-ecotouristic sense.
Estimating PM2.5 Concentrations Using the Machine Learning RF-XGBoost Model in Guanzhong Urban Agglomeration, China
Authors: Lin Lujun , Liang Yongchun , Liu Lei , Zhang Yang , Xie Danni , Yin Fang , Ashraf Tariq
Published: October 2022

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a major pollutant in Guanzhong Urban Agglomeration (GUA) during the winter, and GUA is one of China’s regions with the highest concentrations of PM2.5. Daily surface PM2.5 maps with a spatial resolution of 1 km × 1 km can aid in the control of PM2.5 pollution. Thus, the Random Forest and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (RF-XGBoost) model was proposed to fill the missing aerosol optical depth (AOD) at the station scale before accurately estimating ground-level PM2.5 using the recently released MODIS AOD product derived from Multi-Angle Implementation of Atmospheric Correction (MAIAC), high density meteorological and topographic conditions, land-use, population density, and air pollutions. The RF-XGBoost model was evaluated using an out-of-sample test, revealing excellent performance with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.93, root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 12.49 μg/m3, and mean absolution error (MAE) of 8.42 μg/m3. The result derived from the RF-XGBoost model indicates that the GUA had the most severe pollution in the winter of 2018 and 2019, owing to the burning of coal for heating and unfavorable meteorological circumstances. Over 90% of the GUA had an annual average PM2.5 concentrations decrease of 3 to 7 μg/m3 in 2019 compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the air pollution situation remained grim in the winter of 2019, with more than 65% of the study area meeting the mean PM2.5 values higher than 35 μg/m3 and the maximum reaching 95.57 μg/m3. This research would be valuable for policymakers, environmentalists, and epidemiologists, especially in urban areas.
Early Monitoring of Cotton Verticillium Wilt by Leaf Multiple “Symptom” Characteristics
Authors: Yang Mi , Huang Changping , Kang Xiaoyan , Qin Shizhe , Ma Lulu , Wang Jin , Zhou Xiaoting , Lv Xin , Zhang Ze
Published: October 2022

Early diagnosis of cotton verticillium wilt (VW) and accurate assessment of the disease degree are important prerequisites for preventing the large-scale development of cotton VW. Hyperspectral techniques have been widely used for monitoring the extent of plant diseases, but early detection of VW disease in cotton remains a challenge. In this study, the Boruta algorithm was used to select the key physiological characteristics (leaf temperature, chlorophyll a content, and equivalent water thickness) of cotton leaves at the early stage of VW disease, and then the Relief-F algorithm was used to select the spectral features indicating multiple “symptoms” of cotton VW disease at the early stage. In addition, a new cotton VW early monitoring indicator (CVWEI) was constructed by combining the weights of the new index and related bands using a hierarchical analysis (AHP) and entropy weighting method (EWM). The study showed that the physiological indices constructed under VW stress were better indicators of VW disease than traditional vegetation indices; CVEWI achieved a high accuracy of 95% in the test set, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.89; and the test set R2 was 0.73 and RMSE was 3.15% for monitoring disease severity, compared to the optimal classification constructed using a single spectral index. The results may provide new ideas and methods for early and accurate monitoring of VW and other fungal diseases.
Comparison of Accelerated Versions of the Iterative Gradient Method to Ameliorate the Spatial Resolution of Microwave Radiometer Products
Authors: Alparone Matteo , Nunziata Ferdinando , Estatico Claudio , Migliaccio Maurizio
Published: October 2022

In this study, the enhancement of the spatial resolution of microwave radiometer measurements is addressed by contrasting the accuracy of a gradient-like antenna pattern deconvolution method with its accelerated versions. The latter are methods that allow reaching a given accuracy with a reduced number of iterations. The analysis points out that accelerated methods result in improved performance when dealing with spot-like discontinuities; while they perform in a similar way to the canonical gradient method in case of large discontinuities. A key application of such techniques is the research on global warming and climate change, which has recently gained critical importance in many scientific fields, mainly due to the huge societal and economic impact of such topics over the entire planet. In this context, the availability of reliable long time series of remotely sensed Earth data is of paramount importance to identify and study climate trends. Such data can be obtained by large-scale sensors, with the obvious drawback of a poor spatial resolution that strongly limits their applicability in regional studies. Iterative gradient techniques allow obtaining super-resolution gridded passive microwave products that can be used in long time series of consistently calibrated brightness temperature maps in support of climate studies.
Towards Classification of Architectural Styles of Chinese Traditional Settlements Using Deep Learning: A Dataset, a New Framework, and Its Interpretability
Authors: Han Qing , Yin Chao , Deng Yunyuan , Liu Peilin
Published: October 2022

The classification of architectural style for Chinese traditional settlements (CTSs) has become a crucial task for developing and preserving settlements. Traditionally, the classification of CTSs primarily relies on manual work, which is inefficient and time consuming. Inspired by the tremendous success of deep learning (DL), some recent studies attempted to apply DL networks such as convolution neural networks (CNNs) to achieve automated classification of the architecture styles. However, these studies suffer overfitting problems of the CNNs, leading to inferior classification performance. Moreover, most of the studies apply the CNNs as a black box providing limited interpretability. To address these limitations, a new DL classification framework is proposed in this study to overcome the overfitting problem by transfer learning and learning-based data augmentation technique (i.e., AutoAugment). Furthermore, we also employ class activation map (CAM) visualization technique to help understand how the CNN classifiers work to abstract patterns from the input. Specifically, due to a lack of architectural style datasets for the CTSs, a new annotated dataset is first established with six representative classes. Second, several representative CNNs are leveraged to benchmark the new dataset. Third, to address the overfitting problem of the CNNs, a new DL framework is proposed which combines transfer learning and AutoAugment to improve the classification performance. Extensive experiments are conducted on the new dataset to demonstrate the effectiveness of our framework. The proposed framework achieves much better performance than baselines, greatly mitigating the overfitting problem. Additionally, the CAM visualization technique is harnessed to explain what and how the CNN classifiers implicitly learn for recognizing a specified architectural style.
Improved Landscape Expansion Index and Its Application to Urban Growth in Urumqi
Authors: Tian Yuhang , Shuai Yanmin , Ma Xianwei , Shao Congying , Liu Tao , Tuerhanjiang Latipa
Published: October 2022

Automatic determination of quantitative parameters describing the pattern of urban expansion is extremely important for urban planning, urban management and civic resource configuration. Though the widely adopted LEI (landscape expansion index) has exhibited the potential to capture the evolution of urban landscape patterns using multi-temporal remote sensing data, erroneous determination still exists, especially for patches with special shapes due to the limited consideration of spatial relationships among patches. In this paper, we improve the identification of urban landscape expansion patterns with an enhancement of the topological relationship. We propose MCI (Mean patch Compactness Index) and AWCI (Area-Weighted Compactness Index) in terms of the moment of inertia shape index. The effectiveness of the improved approach in identifying types of expansion patches is theoretically demonstrated with a series of designed experiments. Further, we apply the proposed approaches to the analysis of urban expansion features and dynamics of urban compactness over Urumqi at various 5-year stages using available SUBAD-China data from 1990–2015. The results achieved by the theoretical experiments and case application show our approach effectively suppressed the effects induced by shapes of patches and buffer or envelope box parameters for the accurate identification of patch type. Moreover, the modified MCI and AWCI exhibited an improved potential in capturing the landscape scale compactness of urban dynamics. The investigated 25-year urban expansion of Urumqi is dominated by edge-expansion patches and supplemented by outlying growth, with opposite trends of increasing and decreasing, with a gradual decrease in landscape fragmentation. Our examination using the proposed MCI and AWCI indicates Urumqi was growing more compact in latter 15-year period compared with the first 10 years studied, with the primary urban patches tending to be compacted earlier than the entire urban setting. The historical transformation trajectories based on remote sensing data show a significant construction land gain—from 1.06% in 1990 to 6.96% in 2015—due to 289.16 km2 of recently established construction, accompanied by fast expansion northward, less dynamic expansion southward, and earlier extension in the westward direction than eastward. This work provides a possible means to improve the identification of patch expansion type and further understand the compactness of urban dynamics.
Synergistic Retrieval of Temperature and Humidity Profiles from Space-Based and Ground-Based Infrared Sounders Using an Optimal Estimation Method
Authors: Zhao Huijie , Ma Xiaohang , Jia Guorui , Mi Zhiyuan , Ji Huanlin
Published: October 2022

The atmospheric temperature and humidity profiles of the troposphere are generally measured by radiosondes and satellites, which are essential for analyzing and predicting weather. Nevertheless, the insufficient observation frequencies and low detection accuracy of the boundary layer restricts the description of atmospheric state changes by the temperature and humidity profiles. Therefore, this work focus on retrieving the temperature and humidity profiles using observations of the FengYun-4 (FY-4) Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS) combined with ground-based infrared spectral observations from the Atmospheric Emitted Radiance Interferometer (AERI), which are more accurate than space-based individual retrieval results and have a wider effective retrieval range than ground-based individual retrieval results. Based on the synergistic observations, which are made by matching the space-based and ground-based data with those of different spatial and temporal resolutions, a synergistic retrieval process is proposed to obtain the temperature and humidity profiles at a high frequency under clear-sky conditions based on the optimal estimation method. In this research, using the line-by-line radiative transfer model (LBLRTM) as the forward model for observing simulations, a retrieval experiment was carried out in Qingdao, China, where an AERI is situated. Taking radiosonde data as a reference for comparing the retrieval results of the temperature and humidity profiles of the troposphere, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) of the synergistic retrieval algorithm below 400 hPa is within 2 K for temperature and within 12% for relative humidity. Compared with the GIIRS individual retrieval, the RMSE of temperature and relative humidity for the synergistic method is reduced by 0.13–1.5 K and 2.7–4.4% at 500 hPa, and 0.13–2.1 K and 2.5–7.2% at 900 hPa. Moreover, the forecast index (FI) calculated from the retrieval results shows reasonable consistency with the FIs calculated from the ERA5 reanalysis and from radiosonde data. The synergistic retrieval results have higher temporal resolution than space-based retrieval results and can reflect the changes in the atmospheric state more accurately. Overall, the results demonstrated the promising potential of the synergistic retrieval of temperature and humidity profiles at high accuracy and high temporal resolution under clear-sky conditions from FY-4/GIIRS and AERI.
Analysis of Internal Angle Error of UAV LiDAR Based on Rotating Mirror Scanning
Authors: Zhou Hao , Mao Qingzhou , Song Yufei , Wu Anlei , Hu Xueqing
Published: October 2022

UAV LiDAR is a powerful tool for rapidly acquiring ground-based 3D spatial information and has been used in various applications. In addition to the ranging mechanism, the scanning method is also an important factor, affecting the performance of UAV LiDAR, and the internal angle error of LiDAR will seriously affect its measurement accuracy. Starting from the rotary scanning model of a single-sided mirror, this paper presents a comparative study of the characteristics of 45° single-sided mirror scanning, polygon prism scanning, polygon tower mirror scanning, and wedge mirror scanning. The error sources of the quadrangular tower mirror scanning are analyzed in detail, including the angle deviation between the direction of emitted laser and the rotation axis (typical 0.13 ± 0.18° and 0.85° ± 0.26°), the angle deviation between the mirror’s reflection plane and the rotation axis, and the surface angle deviation between multiple surfaces (typical ± 0.06°). As a result, the measurement deviation caused by the internal angle error can be as high as decimeter to meter, which cannot be fully compensated by simply adjusting the installation angle between the UAV and the LiDAR. After the calibration of the internal angle error, the standard deviation of the elevation difference between the point cloud and the control point is only 0.024 m in the flight experiment at 300 m altitude.
Towards Interpretable Camera and LiDAR Data Fusion for Autonomous Ground Vehicles Localisation
Authors: Tibebu Haileleol , De-Silva Varuna , Artaud Corentin , Pina Rafael , Shi Xiyu
Published: October 2022

Recent deep learning frameworks draw strong research interest in application of ego-motion estimation as they demonstrate a superior result compared to geometric approaches. However, due to the lack of multimodal datasets, most of these studies primarily focused on single-sensor-based estimation. To overcome this challenge, we collect a unique multimodal dataset named LboroAV2 using multiple sensors, including camera, light detecting and ranging (LiDAR), ultrasound, e-compass and rotary encoder. We also propose an end-to-end deep learning architecture for fusion of RGB images and LiDAR laser scan data for odometry application. The proposed method contains a convolutional encoder, a compressed representation and a recurrent neural network. Besides feature extraction and outlier rejection, the convolutional encoder produces a compressed representation, which is used to visualise the network’s learning process and to pass useful sequential information. The recurrent neural network uses this compressed sequential data to learn the relationship between consecutive time steps. We use the Loughborough autonomous vehicle (LboroAV2) and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Toyota Institute (KITTI) Visual Odometry (VO) datasets to experiment and evaluate our results. In addition to visualising the network’s learning process, our approach provides superior results compared to other similar methods. The code for the proposed architecture is released in GitHub and accessible publicly.
Community-Based Interventions for the Prevention and Control of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Polidano Kay , Wenning Brianne , Ruiz-Cadavid Alejandra , Dawaishan Baheya , Panchal Jay , Gunasekara Sonali , Abebe Haftom , Morais Marciglei , Price Helen , Dikomitis Lisa
Published: October 2022

We reviewed the evidence on community-based interventions for the prevention and control of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Community initiatives tailored towards awareness and mobilisation are regarded as a priority area in the Neglected Tropical Disease Roadmap 2021–2030 by the World Health Organization. We searched nine electronic databases for intervention-based studies. Two independent reviewers screened and assessed the articles for methodological quality using predefined criteria. We conducted a meta-analysis using a random effects model, along with narrative synthesis. Thirteen articles were eligible for inclusion, of which 12 were quantitative studies (quasi-experimental with control group and pre-post interventions) and one qualitative study. All articles reported on health education interventions aimed at changing people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in relation to CL. Participant groups included students, mothers, housewives, volunteer health workers, and residents in general. An increased score was recorded for all outcomes across all interventions: knowledge (SMD: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.47), attitudes (SMD: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.56, 2.15), and practices (SMD: 1.73, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.47). Whilst our findings show that educational interventions improved people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices about CL, we argue that this approach is not sufficient for the prevention and control of this disease. Knowledge does not always translate into action, particularly where other structural barriers exist. Therefore, we recommend the design of more innovative community-based interventions with a broader focus (e.g., stigma, financial barriers, and healthcare access).
The Impact of Green Innovation on Enterprise Performance: The Regulatory Role of Government Grants
Authors: Liang Hanyuan , Li Guangliang , Zhang Weikun , Chen Zhe
Published: October 2022

Green innovation has become an essential pathway to quality manufacturing development. This paper takes green innovation as a starting point to explore the impact of green innovation on enterprise performance and the regulatory effect of government grants, including fiscal subsidies and preferential taxation. An empirical study based on panel data of manufacturing firms listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2011 to 2019 shows that green innovation contributes to improved enterprise performance. This paper studies the moderating impacts of financial subsidies and tax incentives using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) Model with consideration for the two-way fixed effects. The model adopts Tobin’s Q value as the explained variable and focuses on analyzing the influence mechanism of green innovation, financial subsidies, and tax incentives. Both fiscal subsidies and preferential taxation can strengthen the relationship between green innovation and enterprise performance, with the incentive effect of preferential tax being more pronounced when the two policies are pursued in parallel. In general, the regulatory impact of preferential taxation is more pronounced in high-tech manufacturing, while that of fiscal subsidies is in traditional manufacturing. Therefore, this study aims to provide reference suggestions for enterprises and governments to focus on green innovation and rationalize the use of government grants to improve enterprise performance.
Research on Subjective-Cultural Ecological Design System of Vernacular Architecture
Authors: Zhang Meng , Wang Lingzhi , Zhang Qingwen
Published: October 2022

With the impact of urbanization and other factors, the vernacular architectural heritage faces the problem of how to carry on and innovate for sustainable development with originality and authenticity in the process of redesigning and planning. Therefore, this study uses the visualization method of quantitative analysis to analyze the research trends and hot spots of domestic vernacular architecture and explore new ways of coexistence between vernacular architecture, subject perception and cultural ecology. The critical challenge of this study is to analyze the theoretical coupling action rule between the socio-cultural structure of emotions and the cultural ecosystem of vernacular architecture, drawing on the concept of cultural ecology and the reasoning method of transmission relations in logical deduction. The main contribution of this study is to propose the concept of a subjective-cultural ecological design system for the sustainable development of vernacular architecture, to establish a three-dimensional structural analysis design paradigm and an evaluation analysis matrix, and to make vernacular architecture present the self-renewal ability of continuous exchange and revision in the dynamic cycle of this design system. This study aims to provide a standardized and flexible design research framework for contemporary vernacular architecture’s innovation and sustainable development.
A Robust Artificial Bee Colony-Based Load Frequency Control for Hydro-Thermal Interconnected Power System
Authors: Fathy Ahmed , Kassem Ahmed , Zaki Zaki A.
Published: October 2022

The presented work examines load frequency control (LFC) to develop the dynamic behavior of the power system under different load disturbances that have occurred in multi-interconnected power systems. An artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm is proposed to design an optimal proportional integral derivative (PID) controller simulating the LFC installed in a hybrid hydro-thermal interconnected power system. The proposed approach incorporating ABC is employed to determine the optimal parameters of the controller during load disturbance applied on one area. The integral time absolute error (ITAE) of the frequency and exchange power violations is considered as the target to be minimized. Moreover, integral absolute error (IAE) and sum squared error (SSE) are calculated. To prove how the proposed model controller is effective, two-interconnected power systems are presented during a wide range of operating cases, and then the behavior of the proposed controller is compared to that of the designed via a chef-based optimization algorithm (CBOA), seagull optimization approach (SOA), and sine cosine approach. Regarding the 5% disturbance on the thermal plant, the ABC outperformed the other approaches hence achieving the best fitness value of 1.80936, IAE of 3.147938, and SSE of 0.1787486. On the other hand, during a 5% disturbance on the hydro plant, the ABC succeeded in getting ITAE, IAE, and SSE with values of 3.43291, 3.630509, and 0.5233815, respectively. The efficiency and prevalence of the proposed LFC-PID is confirmed by the achieved results.
Artificial Intelligence and New Technologies in Inclusive Education for Minority Students: A Systematic Review
Authors: Salas-Pilco Sdenka Zobeida , Xiao Kejiang , Oshima Jun
Published: October 2022

Artificial intelligence (AI) and new technologies are having a pervasive impact on modern societies and communities. Given the potential of these new technologies to transform the way things are done, it is important to understand how they can be used to support inclusive education, particularly regarding minority students. This systematic review analyzes the advantages and challenges of using AI and new technologies in different sociocultural contexts, and their impact on minority students. In terms of advantages, this review found that AI and new technologies (a) improved student performance, (b) encouraged student interest in STEM/STEAM, (c) promoted student engagement, and (d) showed other advantages. This review also identifies the main challenges associated with the use of AI and new technologies for inclusive education: (a) technological challenges, (b) pedagogical challenges, (c) dataset limitations, (d) low satisfaction using technology, and (e) cultural differences. This review proposes some solutions to these challenges at the pedagogical, technological, and sociocultural levels, and also explores important aspects of inclusive education that address the students’ sociocultural diversity. The findings and implications will aid teachers, practitioners, and policymakers in making decisions on the effective use of AI and new technologies to support sociocultural inclusiveness in education.
A Novel Integrated PCA-DEA-IMF SWARA-CRADIS Model for Evaluating the Impact of FDI on the Sustainability of the Economic System
Authors: Starčević Vitomir , Petrović Vesna , Mirović Ivan , Tanasić Ljiljana Ž. , Stević Željko , Đurović Todorović Jadranka
Published: October 2022

Today’s economic systems are, on the one hand, exposed to various risks and uncertainties with their trends changing almost daily, while on the other hand, they represent an extremely complex system with a large number of sustainable influential parameters. The challenge is to model macroeconomic parameters and achieve sustainability, yet also satisfy conflict situations with an increased level of uncertainty. The aim of this paper is to create an appropriate functional model by examining the mutual influence of various macroeconomic factors. It assesses a total of four scenarios considering mutual influences of: FDI (foreign direct investments), GDP (gross domestic product), imports, exports, inflation rate, RER (real exchange rate) and employment rate as defined parameters. First, the DEA (Data envelopment analysis) model was applied to determine the initial efficiency of two countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BIH) and Serbia, for the period 2005–2020. Then, PCA (Principal Component Analysis) was applied in combination with DEA to obtain more precise values. In addition, IMF SWARA (Improved Fuzzy Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) was applied to define weight coefficients of macro-economic parameters. Finally, the CRADIS (compromise ranking of alternatives from distance to ideal solution) model was applied for the final ranking of part of decision-making units. This developed, integrated model can be classified as a mathematical method for economic analysis and gives extended opportunities for solving different problems. The results show that 2009, 2013 and 2016 were the most favorable years in terms of the conditions set when it comes to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 2012, 2014 and 2016 when it comes to Serbia. These years have been singled out and can be a benchmark for further handling and modeling of macroeconomic elements. In addition, correlation was tested using statistical coefficients.
Study on the Impact of the Healthy Cities Pilot Policy on Industrial Structure Upgrading: Quasi-Experimental Evidence from China
Authors: Zheng Jun-Yi , Lv Wan-Gang , Shen Jie , Sun Mei
Published: October 2022

The impact and working mechanism of the national Healthy Cities pilot policy on the upgrading of the industrial structure remain foggy. This study takes China’s first batch of Healthy Cities under the pilot policy in 2016 as a natural experiment and builds a DID model based on the panel data of 280 prefecture-level cities from 2012 to 2019 to explore the impact of the Healthy Cities pilot policy on the industrial structure, wherein the impact tests and regional heterogeneity analysis are carried out accordingly. It is found through the study that the Healthy Cities pilot policy significantly contributes to industrial structure upgrading, especially for cities in the eastern and central regions. Further research on the impact mechanism shows that the Healthy Cities pilot policy facilitates industrial structure upgrading through technological innovation and green total factor productivity. Supported by the research results, this study argues that it bears great significance on the sustainable development of China’s economy as well as the health and well-being of the people to continually carry out the Healthy Cities pilot work and fully explore the mediating mechanism of the multi-faceted pilot policy on the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure, so as to promote the transformation of the health industry in different regions according to respective local conditions.
Farmers’ Perceptions and Knowledge of Country Bean (Lablab purpureus L.) Insect Pests, and Diseases, and Their Management Practices, in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Md Masudur , Dash Chandra Kanta , Rahman Md Musfikur , Hasan Md Mehedi , Hannan Afsana , Dev Saumik , Mondal Md Fuad
Published: October 2022

Country bean (Lablab purpureus L.), a popular vegetable in Bangladesh, is severely affected by insect pests and diseases. Farmers’ perceptions of insect pests, diseases, and their management are critical constraints to the establishment of an effective and sustainable pest management approach for this crop. A comprehensive survey was conducted with 300 country bean farmers from six districts of Bangladesh to assess farmers’ perceptions and knowledge of the insect pests and diseases of country bean, and their management practices. The survey results show that country bean farmers have been facing varying pest problems for more than ten years. They could identify eight pests and only one beneficial insect species in their fields, including thrips and jute weevil, as new pests. Among the pests, aphids and pod borers were common in all surveyed areas. More than 80% of farmers said their bean plants were severely affected by bean yellow mosaic virus and white mold diseases. Farmers also mentioned that insect pests and diseases together caused 30–40% yield losses of this crop. About 76% of the farmers solely depended on different chemical pesticides for the production of country bean. Growers frequently used insecticides from the organophosphorus and neonicotinoid groups, and fungicides from the triazole group, to manage pests associated with this crop. Farmers start applying pesticides from the seedling stages, at three-day intervals, maintaining only two- to four-day pre-harvest intervals (PHI). Our findings provide insight into the importance of developing sustainable pest management approaches for country bean production in Bangladesh.
Relationship between Joint Roughness Coefficient and Statistical Roughness Parameters and Its Sensitivity to Sampling Interval
Authors: Luo Yong , Wang Yakun , Guo Heng , Liu Xiaobo , Luo Yihui , Liu Yanan
Published: October 2022

Accurate determination of the surface roughness is of significant importance in estimating the mechanical and hydraulic behaviors of rock joints. The correlation between joint roughness coefficient (JRC) and various statistical roughness parameters calculated from digitized Barton’s roughness profiles was explored with Pearson’s correlation coefficient method. The results show the strongest correlation between the standard deviation of the roughness angle and JRC following an excellent linear relationship. In addition, the correlation in the JRC with textural parameters is better than its correlation with amplitude parameters. Twenty-nine rock joint surfaces from fine sandstone, coarse sandstone and granite joint samples with a wide range of surface morphology were digitized using a high-resolution 3D scanner instrument. Further, the statistical roughness parameter values were calculated for each joint profile at eight different sampling intervals for sensitivity analysis of these statistical roughness parameters with regard to the sampling interval. The result indicated that textural parameters generally have a certain degree of dependency on sampling interval, following a power-law relationship. Specifically, when the sampling interval increases, the structure function value increases whereas it decreases for other textural parameters. In contrast, the dependence of the amplitude parameters on the sampling interval is not significant.
Numerical Analysis of Flow-Induced Vibration of Deep-Hole Plane Steel Gate in Partial Opening Operation
Authors: Li Jinyu , Wang Chen , Wang Zhengzhong , Ren Kailin , Zhang Yuling , Xu Chao , Li Dongfeng
Published: October 2022

Hydraulic steel gates are the core adjustment mechanism for water conservancy projects, the safety of which is related to the safety of the entire water conservancy project. In this study, the issue of flow-induced vibration under the influence of pulsing water pressure when the deep-hole plane steel gate construction is partially opened is investigated using a numerical calculation approach of CFD–CSD coupling. The time-history pulsating pressure loads of each part are first determined by tracking the upstream, bottom, and downstream pulsating water pressure loads under partially open operation conditions of the gate. The impact of the water in front of the gate on the natural vibration mode and frequency of the gate is then investigated based on the analysis of the dry/wet modes of the gate structure. Additionally, the hydrodynamic load is applied to the finite element model of the gate structure while taking into account the fluid–structure coupling effect, and the results of the gate flow-induced vibration response are obtained. Three typical local opening relative openings are chosen, with the operating state of the design water head (Hs = 70 m) of a deep-hole plane steel gate as an example. According to the analysis’s findings, the gate’s natural vibration frequency is greatly lowered under the influence of the water in front of it, and its amplitude increases by 50%. The pressure value pressing on the gate changes dynamically as it is partially opened and discharged. The maximum dynamic displacement value and the maximum dynamic stress value of the gate both appear in the middle and lower part of the gate under the condition of partial opening, and both occur when the relative opening is e/H = 0.125. The maximum displacement value is 3.43 mm, and the maximum stress value is 161 MPa. The maximum dynamic displacement and dynamic stress of each gate component steadily decrease with an increase in the relative openness. The gate dynamic response analysis approach described in this research can serve as a guide for hydraulic engineering design.
Impact of Irregular Heat Sink/Source on the Wall Jet Flow and Heat Transfer in a Porous Medium Induced by a Nanofluid with Slip and Buoyancy Effects
Authors: Khan Umair , Zaib Aurang , Ishak Anuar , Elattar Samia , Eldin Sayed M. , Raizah Zehba , Waini Iskandar , Waqas Muhammad
Published: October 2022

In many industries, extremely high-performance cooling is a crucial requirement. However, the fundamental challenge to developing energy-efficient heat transfer fluids required for cooling is insufficient thermal conductivity. In this case, the utilization of nanofluid is effective to overcome these challenges. The current study aims to examine the two-dimensional (2D) stretching wall jet heat transfer fluid flow induced by a water-based alumina nanofluid embedded in a porous medium with buoyancy force. In addition, irregular heat sink/source and slip effects are assessed. The leading partial differential equations are changed into ordinary differential equations by incorporating similarity variables, then these equations are computationally or numerically worked out via the boundary-value problem of fourth-order (bvp4c) technique. The pertinent factors influencing the symmetry of the hydrothermal performance including friction factor, velocity, and temperature profiles, are illustrated using tables and graphs. The symmetrical outcomes reveal that the velocity declines in the presence of nanoparticles, whereas the temperature uplifts both assisting and opposing flows. Moreover, the friction factor augments due to porosity while the heat transfer rate declines.