bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Dragon Fruit Waste in Microbial Fuel Cells to Generate Friendly Electric Energy
Authors: Segundo Rojas-Flores , Benites Santiago M. , De La Cruz-Noriega Magaly , Vives-Garnique Juan , Otiniano Nélida Milly , Rojas-Villacorta Walter , Gallozzo-Cardenas Moisés , Delfín-Narciso Daniel , Díaz Félix
Published: April 2023

Pollution generated by the misuse of large amounts of fruit and vegetable waste has become a major environmental and social problem for developing countries due to the absence of specialized collection centers for this type of waste. This research aims to generate electricity in an eco-friendly way using red dragon fruit (pitahaya) waste as the fuel in single-chamber microbial fuel cells on a laboratory scale using zinc and copper electrodes. It was possible to generate voltage and current peaks of 0.46 ± 0.03 V and 2.86 ± 0.07 mA, respectively, with an optimum operating pH of 4.22 ± 0.09 and an electrical conductivity of 175.86 ± 4.72 mS/cm at 8 °Brix until the tenth day of monitoring. An internal resistance of 75.58 ± 5.89 Ω was also calculated with a maximum power density of 304.33 ± 16.51 mW/cm2 at a current density of 5.06 A/cm2, while the FTIR spectra showed a decrease in the initial compounds and endings, especially at the 3331 cm−1 peaks of the O–H bonds. Finally, the yeast-like fungus Geotrichum candidum was molecularly identified (99.59%). This research will provide great opportunities for the generation of renewable energy using biomass as fuel through electronic devices with great potential to generate electricity.
Sustainability and Equity in Urban Development (S&EUD): A Content Analysis of “Bright Spots” from the Accelerating City Equity (ACE) Project
Authors: Dsouza Nishita , Devadason Anitha , Senerat Araliya M. , Watanatada Patrin , Rojas-Rueda David , Sebag Giselle
Published: April 2023

Sustainable and equitable urban development (S&EUD) is vital to promote healthy lives and well-being for all ages. Recognizing equity as core to urban development is essential to ensure that cities are inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The aim of this study was to identify and assess the elements of equity and sustainability in exemplary bright spots using the ACE Framework and the United Nations’ 5 Ps of Sustainable Development. A content analysis process was performed to identify initial case studies, obtain bright spot information, and select final case studies. The exemplary bright spots selected were assessed for drivers of equity and the five pillars of sustainability. Results showed that equity and sustainability have become key considerations in urban development work. Numerous effective strategies and outcomes identified in the exemplary bright spots could be replicated in other contexts.
Experimental Study of Simultaneous Charging and Discharging Process in Thermocline Phase Change Heat Storage System Based on Solar Energy
Authors: Xi Xinming , Zhang Zicheng , Wei Huimin , Chen Zeyu , Du Xiaoze
Published: April 2023

As a renewable energy power generation method, concentrating solar power generation has a broad application prospect. Weather and fluctuation significantly affect the output power of concentrating solar power generation. A heat storage system can stabilize this fluctuation and generate continuous and stable power. Therefore, the research on heat storage systems is of great significance to the development of concentrating solar power generation. This paper mainly studies the operating characteristics of the heat storage system based on solar energy in simultaneous charging, the influence in the change in solar radiation intensity on the charging power and the discharging outlet temperature, and the feasibility of the heat storage tank as an inertial link to stabilize the fluctuation in solar energy and the discharging outlet temperature. In this study, an experimental system for heat storage was established, in which solar energy was used as the heat source, water was used as the heat transfer fluid, and paraffin was used as the phase change heat storage material. When the initial temperature is 50 °C and the charging flow rate is maintained at 0.7 m3/h, at the same time the discharging flow rate is 0.1 m3/h, 0.3 m3/h, and 0.5 m3/h, respectively. The results show that when the solar radiation intensity is lower than 548 W/m2, the curve of heat storage power is almost parallel to the curve of solar radiation intensity; when the solar radiation intensity is lower than 535 W/m2, the moving direction of the thermocline will change; the average discharging outlet temperature in each case is higher than the phase change temperature of the phase change material and this system can continuously supply hot water at more than 69 °C for more than 3 h 32 min; and increasing the discharging flow rate will increase the whole charging and discharging time, thicken the thermocline, and disturb the temperature field in the tank. The experimental analysis will be conducive to profoundly understanding the operation characteristics of the thermocline heat storage tank under the solar heat source and has reference value for the subsequent design of a more efficient heat storage system.
Identifying and Categorizing Sustainable Supply Chain Practices Based on Triple Bottom Line Dimensions: Evaluation of Practice Implementation in the Cement Industry
Authors: Yosef Fathi Alarabi , Jum’a Luay , Alatoom Muntasir
Published: April 2023

Recent research has placed greater emphasis on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), specifically within the manufacturing sector. SSCM expands upon traditional supply chain management (SCM) by taking environmental and social considerations into account. Given the sustainability challenges facing the cement industry, SSCM has become a crucial topic for companies operating in this sector. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to identify and categorize SSCM practices based on the triple bottom line (TBL) dimensions of sustainability. Additionally, the study assesses the adoption of SSCM practices by Jordanian cement manufacturers according to the developed model. There is a lack of studies focused on creating a tailored and comprehensive SSCM conceptual model to evaluate sustainability practices within cement manufacturing. Therefore, this study attempted to develop a model for SSCM practices by incorporating 23 SSCM factors divided into three dimensions of sustainability: nine factors of environmental SSCM, seven factors of social SSCM, and seven factors of economic SSCM. The study employed a quantitative research approach, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from 41 cement company managers in Jordan and industry specialists. The proposed hypotheses were tested using SPSS software. The research findings revealed that the average level of implementation for all environmental factors was at a medium level within the Jordanian cement industry, the average level of implementation for all social factors was at a high level, and the average level of implementation for all economic factors was at a medium level. Overall, the implementation of SSCM practices was found to be at a moderate level. The study also provided a detailed level of implementation for each SSCM practice for each dimension of sustainability. By identifying and categorizing SSCM practices related to the cement industry, this study addresses a gap in the literature. It also highlights critical sustainability issues for decision-makers and academics, which can aid in the evaluation and improvement of SSCM practices in the cement industry. Future studies should aim to replicate this study with larger sample sizes and probability-sampling techniques to enhance the generalizability of the results.
Trifolium pratense and the Heavy Metal Content in Various Urban Areas
Authors: Cakaj Arlinda , Hanć Anetta , Lisiak-Zielińska Marta , Borowiak Klaudia , Drapikowska Maria
Published: April 2023

Effective biomonitoring strategies are essential for identifying and assessing the sources and levels of contamination of heavy metal pollutants in urban areas, given their negative impacts on human health and the environment. This study aimed to assess the potential of common weed, Trifolium pratense as a bioindicator of heavy metal contamination in various land uses in urban areas, with a focus on Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni, and Pb. The results have shown that Cr and Ni had high bioconcentration factor (BCF) values in most sites, in comparison with Cu, Cd and Pb. Contamination factor (CF) values varied across all sites. The industrial area and old town sites had the highest translocation factor (TF) values for Cr and Ni, indicating greater transport of these metals from roots to aerial parts of plants. Differences between heavy metals (HMs) according to land use were observed; especially, Pb and Cu were more concentrated in soils than other heavy metals in industrial areas. Overall, these findings suggest that Trifolium pratense is a promising bioindicator for heavy metal contamination in various land uses in urban areas, making it a potentially valuable tool for monitoring heavy metal pollution in cities of the northern hemisphere.
Theoretical and Experimental Study of Rotational Behaviour of Friction Pendulum Bearings
Authors: Peng Tianbo , Liu Yuxin , Ka Thierno Seydou
Published: April 2023

Friction Pendulum Bearing (FPB for short) is a kind of widely used device to improve seismic capacities of building and bridge structures. Despite the considerable progress made in developing theoretical models to understand the mechanical behaviour of FPB, these models mostly focus on the horizontal movement behaviour and rarely on the rotational behaviour of FPB. However, rotational displacements of FPBs indeed will occur along with horizontal displacements in earthquakes and may affect the structural seismic performance. Motivated from these findings, a theoretical model of FPB that describes the rotational behaviour is established based on the moment balance theory in this paper. A set of rotational tests are carried out to validate the theoretical model, and comparisons of experimental and theoretical results show that they are in good agreement. The theoretical model developed in this paper will help understand the structural seismic performance more accurately in the case of rotations of FPBs.
An Eco-Driving Strategy Considering Phase-Switch-Based Bus Lane Sharing
Authors: Wang Guan , Lai Jintao , Lian Zhexi , Zhang Zhen
Published: April 2023

Eco-driving is one of the most effective control strategies to enable energy management for urban traffic. However, the existing eco-driving strategies still have two shortcomings: (i) these strategies lack the consideration of lateral decision-making; (ii) their performance deteriorates when a controlled vehicle encounters traffic queues at a signalized intersection. To overcome these shortcomings, this paper proposes an innovative eco-driving strategy at intersection approach lanes consisting of the bus-priority lane (BPL) and general-purpose lanes (GPLs). The proposed strategy has the capability of lateral decision-making and allows ego connected and automated vehicles (CAV) to bypass the traffic queue. To enable this capability, the proposed strategy permits the ego CAV to change lanes and share the BPL. Both left-turning-movement CAVs and going-through-movement CAVs are allowed to share the BPL; i.e., the function of the BPL can be switched as per the phases of a traffic signal scheme. Through phase-switch-based bus lane sharing, the proposed eco-driving strategy aims to improve traffic efficiency and sustainability under the partially connected and automated traffic environment. To validate its effectiveness, the proposed strategy is evaluated against the non-control baseline and the state-of-the-art strategy. Sensitivity analysis is conducted under six different demand levels and five different CAV penetration rates. The results show that the proposed eco-driving strategy outperforms and has the benefits of fuel efficiency improvement, throughput improvement, and delay reduction.
The Impact of Intellectual Capital on Service Firm Financial Performance in Emerging Countries: The Case of Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Nguyet Thi
Published: April 2023

This paper evaluates the effect of intellectual capital (IC) on firm financial performance in the service sector in an emerging country, Vietnam. This research is dissimilar from earlier ones for the following reasons: (i) this is the first study of IC’s impact on service firms at different knowledge intensity levels, sizes, and ownerships in an emerging country, Vietnam; (ii) it expresses empirical evidence in details of service activities, particularly the research and development, financial, and technology services that play significant roles for the development of emerging countries; (iii) it examines the effects of the gender issue, firms’ responsiveness to the government and employees, and market concentration. Applying the two-step system GMM model for the period 2005–2014, the results express that IC components generally had significant impacts on firm performance. Human capital efficiency had the strongest positive impact while capital employed efficiency had the second strongest impact. The impact of structural capital efficiency was inconsistent, depending on the knowledge intensity levels and the types of service activities. IC is more efficient for knowledge-intensive sub-sectors than the less knowledge-intensive ones. IC efficiencies differ among knowledge intensity levels, sizes, and ownerships, suggesting that policy makers and firm leaders should implement corresponding solutions.
Correction: Sovrlić et al. The Importance of Measuring Arsenic in Honey, Water, and PM10 for Food Safety as an Environmental Study: Experience from the Mining and Metallurgical Districts of Bor, Serbia. Sustainability 2022, 14, 12446
Authors: Sovrlić Zorica , Tošić Snežana , Kovačević Renata , Jovanović Violeta , Krstić Vesna
Published: April 2023

The authors would like to make the following corrections to the published paper [...]
A Comprehensive Overview of Basic Research on Human Thermal Management in Future Mobility: Considerations, Challenges, and Methods
Authors: Kwon Ju Yeong , Kim Jung Kyung , Lee Hyunjin , Lee Dongchan , Ju Da Young
Published: April 2023

Thermal management in automobiles is necessary to minimize energy usage while achieving a high level of occupant thermal perception. As the freedom of in-vehicle activity increases with autonomous driving, considering convenience becomes even more important, and, at the same time, the need for thermal management in electric vehicles is expected to increase. While it is necessary to consider the characteristics of the future mobility environment, there is still a lack of research that takes into account these changes in thermal management and proposes future research directions. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore basic research directions based on national R&D project cases and to provide a comprehensive overview. The environmental changes that need to be considered in thermal management research include the diversification of future transportation types and usage purpose diversification, the characteristics of electric vehicles, changes in the interior and exterior design of autonomous vehicles, personalized air conditioning environments, and dynamic thermal management according to occupant in-vehicle activity. This study provides an understanding of the overall field, and can help identify challenges, solutions, and ideas. Although this study provides conceptual considerations for research directions, future research is needed to identify detailed factors related to technology, environment, and human factors.
The Impact of Mental Health Leadership on Teamwork in Healthcare Organizations: A Serial Mediation Study
Authors: Paganin Giulia , De Angelis Marco , Pische Edoardo , Violante Francesco Saverio , Guglielmi Dina , Pietrantoni Luca
Published: April 2023

Background: There is compelling evidence to suggest that leadership behaviour and teamwork are critical success factors in healthcare organisations facing increasingly complex demands and limited resources. Effective teamwork is essential to deliver high-quality care, requiring integrating different professionals in the healthcare sector. Leaders play a significant role in facilitating teamwork by managing conflicts and promoting cooperation among team members. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the importance of leadership in supporting the mental health and well-being of team members. Methods: A cross-lagged research design was used to examine the relationship between mental health-specific (MHS) leadership and teamwork. Participants were 118 healthcare professionals (76.3% female; 44.9% aged between 45 and 54 years old). Results: A serial mediation model was confirmed, showing an indirect effect of mental health leadership on teamwork through interpersonal conflict and cooperation. Conclusions: Effective (MHS) leadership can positively impact the teamwork of healthcare professionals, particularly during times of crisis.
The Optimal Remanufacturing Strategy of the Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network under Government Regulation and the Manufacturer’s Design for the Environment
Authors: Zhou Yan , Hou Miao , Wong Kar-Hung
Published: April 2023

To solve the problem of global warming and resources crisis, we adopt two remanufacturing strategies, denoted ‘In-House Remanufacturing Strategy’ and ‘Outsourcing Remanufacturing Strategy,’ respectively, for recycling and reusing waste products. However, to study the optimal remanufacturing strategy of a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) network under government regulations and the manufacturer’s design for the environment, we use variational inequality to construct a CLSC network equilibrium model based on these two strategies. By using a comparative analysis of the decision-makers’ profits, carbon emissions, and carbon taxes, we show how the decision-makers should choose the optimal remanufacturing strategies under different government regulations and the manufacturer’s levels of design for the environment. The findings of the study show that the manufacturer’s design for the environment is conducive to resource recovery and promotes the development of remanufacturing activities. When manufacturers’ levels of design for the environment are high, although manufacturers will adopt the outsourcing remanufacturing strategy to obtain high profits, they will lose environmental benefits. The findings also show that the new product handling fee policy in government regulations can promote energy conservation and emission reduction, and the reproduction subsidy policy can encourage product remanufacturing. Moreover, when the government’s subsidy for remanufactured products increases to a threshold, it will prompt manufacturers to adopt the outsourcing remanufacturing strategy; and the remanufacturing subsidy threshold is negatively correlated with the manufacturer’s levels of design for the environment.
Assessment of Building Information Modeling (BIM) as a Time and Cost-Saving Construction Management Tool: Evidence from Two-Story Villas in Jeddah
Authors: Almujibah Hamad
Published: April 2023

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a well-known construction technology for improving management. Its implementation in Saudi Arabia’s construction industry is increasing as it adapts to futuristic construction management practices. This quantitative case study examines the factors that led to the success of employing the BIM tool in managing a recent home development project in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After a survey of the available literature, 28 success criteria were identified and validated by an expert panel of 18 industry professionals. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to analyze data from a pilot survey of 132 people. A total of three factors are deleted because of factors leading to a value of less than 0.6. Further, there were 212 people who filled out the main survey questionnaire, and the data are analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings show that BIM significantly improved the house development project in terms of cost, time, quality, safety, efficiency and environmental effect. Implications for management are highlighted, along with the study’s limitations and suggestions for further investigation. Overall, this research offers helpful information for residential building experts who want to make the most of BIM.
The Daily Sailing Tours Clients Experience Assessment—The Case of the “Elaphite Islands of Dubrovnik”, Croatia
Authors: Dragičević Marija , Krželj Čolović Zorica , Pisarović Anamarija
Published: April 2023

This paper examines the customers’ experience assessment with the luxury daily sailing tours in the area of the Elaphite Islands of Dubrovnik. For the purpose of this study, the influence of the entertainment opportunities, the educational opportunities, the aesthetics, and the escapism components on the customer’s experience is investigated, as well as the correlation between overall customer satisfaction and age groups of customers. The personal interview method was used for data collection. Tourists were interviewed on boats during the tours in the area of Dubrovnik Elaphite Islands, Croatia. The Pine and Gilmore experience model was used to define the main elements of their experience. The analytic hierarchy process model was used for the customers’ experience assessment. According to the results of this study, entertainment and aesthetics have greater influence than education and escapism on customer satisfaction in the age group up to 30 years. Entertainment and escapism have greater influence than education and aesthetics on customer satisfaction in the age group from 31 to 60. The interesting findings of this study are that education and aesthetics have a greater influence than entertainment and escapism for the elderly, e.g., for the customers in the age group older than 61. The highest overall satisfaction with the daily sailing tour was found among tourists in the age group up to 30 years, followed by tourists in the age group from 31 to 60 years, and the lowest satisfaction was shown by tourists who were older than 60 years. This study indicates that all the areas are important and that customer satisfaction with each component, e.g., with the entertainment, education, escapism, and aesthetic, varies according to the age group. This study also indicates that there is a correlation between the overall customer’s experience assessment of the “Elaphite Islands of Dubrovnik” daily sailing tour and customer age group.
Teaching 21st Century Skills: Understanding the Depth and Width of the Challenges to Shape Proactive Teacher Education Programmes
Authors: Almazroa Hiya , Alotaibi Wadha
Published: April 2023

21st-century skills are key words which have been most searched in recent past. Yet, there seems to be amiss on how teachers should be prepared to teach 21st-century skills. Limited research insights imply lack of actionable inputs for design of teacher education programmes. Thus, this study supports the call by reviewing 55 relevant studies, using the systematic literature review (SLR) approach. This study employed a stringent search protocol to confine search to two popular databases—Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The authors identified two emerging themes and six sub-themes. The three sub-themes under the first theme upskilling and reskilling of in-service teachers in 21st-century skills are: (1). training initiatives, (2). teachers’ experiences in teaching 21st-century skills, and (3). teachers’ perceptions and skill assessment. The other three sub-themes under the second theme professional development of pre-service teachers and 21st-century skills are: (1). pedagogical approaches, (2). technology-based teaching-learning of 21st-century skills, and (3). experience, competence and proficiency in 21st-century skills. Findings suggest the need to focus on targeted interventions, pedagogical tools and resources and peer-based learning, and recommend expanding the list of keywords searched under this study by including specific 21st century skills such as creativity to add a new dimension to their review.
Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Regional Settlements under the Background of Rapid Urbanization: A Case Study in Sishui County, China
Authors: Ma Dongling , Li Yuhan , Huang Qingji , Liu Baoze
Published: April 2023

China’s urbanization has achieved rapid development in the past 20 years, with towns expanding in size and the population increasing, while rural society has also undergone dramatic changes. An in-depth study on the evolution process of rural settlements in the context of rapid urbanization is beneficial to the rational planning of villages and the promotion of green and sustainable urban development. Located in East China, Sishui County is in the transition area between three types of landforms: hills, plains, and mountains. The spatial distribution of rural settlements in the urbanization process shows obvious regional differences. To our best knowledge, research on the spatio-temporal evolution of regional settlements in Sishui County is rare. In this study, we chose Sishui County as the study area, utilized Landsat5 (TM) and Landsat8 (OLI) satellite data as remote sensing data sources, and applied Geographic Information System (GIS) spatial analysis methods, central place theory, and core–periphery theory to explore the evolution process for the pattern, scale, and structure of rural settlements in this region from 2000 to 2021 and to investigate the influencing factors. The results show that: (1) in terms of the evolution of the rural settlement pattern, its distribution shows a gradual increase in the degree of dispersion, which indicates an overall development trend in the region of Sishui County in recent years and that the trend is gradually increasing; (2) in terms of scale evolution, the degree and speed of expansion in rural settlements of Sishui County have gradually decreased, and the scale grade has gradually increased; (3) in terms of structural evolution, the hierarchy system in rural settlements of Sishui County is constantly being improved and optimized from a simple to a complex core–periphery structure. These results will provide data support for the rational planning of villages and sustainable, high-quality urban development. They will also help local governments take appropriate measures to achieve coordinated and sustainable socio-economic and environmental development in the region.
Design Selection Method of Exhaust Air Heat Recovery Type Indirect Evaporative Cooler
Authors: Guo Chunmei , Li Yu , Li Xianli , Bai Ruxue , Dong Chuanshuai
Published: April 2023

In order to promote the engineering application of indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) in the field of building air conditioning, as well as reduce air conditioning energy consumption and carbon emissions, this paper proposes a fresh air unit using indirect evaporative cooling to achieve heat recovery from exhaust air, which gives the recommended values of air and spray water operation parameters. The indirect evaporative cooler heat and mass transfer mathematical model and numerical solution procedure were made. In summer outdoor design conditions, the fresh air outlet state parameters, cooling capacity, fresh air cooling load, wet bulb efficiency and enthalpy efficiency were numerically solved for thirty typical cities from five climate zones of China. In addition, also based on the model results for the cities in China, two representative operating conditions points of medium and high humidity were selected. Eight models of fresh air unit coolers in the air volume range of 1000–10,000 m3/h commonly used in engineering were simulated to obtain the optimal heat transfer area and size selection of ERIEC heat exchangers for fresh air units, and economic analysis was performed. The results show that the wet bulb efficiency ranges from 0.67–0.98, and increases as the outdoor design wet bulb temperature decreases; the enthalpy efficiency ranges from 0.76–1.29, and increases as the outdoor design wet bulb temperature increases; and the fresh air load that the exhaust air heat recovery type indirect evaporative cooler can bear ranges from 55–100%, which could largely decrease the cold load of the matched surface cooler. As demonstrated, the energy-saving effect is remarkable.
Closing Nutrient Cycles through the Use of System-Internal Resource Streams: Implications for Circular Multitrophic Food Production Systems and Aquaponic Feed Development
Authors: Shaw Christopher , Knopf Klaus , Klatt Laura , Marin Arellano Gabina , Kloas Werner
Published: April 2023

In order to further close nutrient cycles of aquaponic systems, it could be possible to integrate a third trophic level in the form of insect larvae production (i.e., black soldier fly larvae) to recycle internal waste streams into valuable nutrients. This would present opportunities to formulate sustainable circular aquafeeds that combine these internally available nutrients with complementary external raw materials. The ingredient composition of feeds for such circular multitrophic food production systems (CMFS) may affect fish performance as well as excretion of important dissolved plant nutrients such as N, P and K. Hence, fish meal from catfish processing (CM) as base ingredient was combined with variable levels of poultry by-product meal (PM) and black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFM) into three marine-ingredient-free experimental diets corresponding to hypothetical production scenarios of a CMFS that aims to integrate aquaponics with insect larvae production. These experimental diets and a commercial diet (COM) were compared using isonitrogenous and isolipidic formulations. They were fed to African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and evaluated concerning growth performance and nutrient excretion. All diets resulted in similar total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) excretion, whereas the increase of dietary PM inclusion from 0% (BSF diet) to 20% (MIX diet) and to 41% (PM diet) and concomitant reduction of BSFM inclusion led to increasingly higher soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) excretion per unit of feed compared to the COM diet. While the PM diet enabled the best growth and feed conversion performance, the MIX and especially the BSF diet produced more similar performance to the COM diet, which generated the highest dissolved K excretion. The MIX and the PM diet resulted in the highest Ca and P, yet lower N content in the fish feces. Results indicate that combining CM with elevated levels of PM in the diet of African catfish could improve growth performance and reduce the need for P fertilization in aquaponics when compared to industrial diets optimized for low environmental impact. Findings are discussed regarding their implications for CMFS and aquaponic feed formulation.
Design and Test for a New Type of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Applied in Tidal Current Energy System
Authors: Zhao Yuxiang , Mo Caixia , Zhu Wanqiang , Chen Jianmei , Wu Baigong , Zhang Xiao , Zhang Xueming , Chen Liwei
Published: April 2023

This article takes a 120 W direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) for tidal current energy as the research object, with the aim of starting at low flow velocity, low voltage regulation, and high sealing performance. The research was conducted on the design method of the generator, and the parameter calculation formula is modified based on the structural characteristics of the generator. The design scheme is simulated using the finite element method, and the voltage regulation is optimized using evolutionary algorithm. A prototype was manufactured based on the optimized scheme, and drag experiments and sealing tests were conducted. After that, the generator and impeller were assembled, and water tank drag experiments were conducted. The experimental results verified the reliability of the motor design method in this paper.
Why Is the Income Effect of Farmland Transfer Inconsistent between Transferred-Out and Transferred-In Households?
Authors: Ke Lian , Cheng Shan , Chen Diqiang , Li Ying
Published: April 2023

Based on the 2013–2017 Chinese Family Database and China Household Finance Survey, this study examines the effect of farmland transfer on the income structure of agricultural households. We observe a significant rise in the income of transferred-out households, while that of transferred-in households is unchanged. A further empirical decomposition of income shows a significant increase in both the wage- and asset-generated incomes of transferred-out households. Although the income generated by transferred-in households through agricultural production and management increases significantly, the decrease in wage income is larger. The study’s empirical designs are robustly tested with propensity score matching and instrumental variables. Moreover, we conduct a comparative analysis of the external constraints faced by the two groups to explore the reasons for the divergence of the income effect. The results show that transferred-in households face highly pronounced external constraints in terms of capital, technology, and farmland size, while transferred-out households face relatively fewer impediments to non-agricultural employment. Our empirical results imply that external constraints can limit the social welfare improvements of agricultural land reform, suggesting that other complementary measures would be required for future policy improvements to function better.
Eco-Efficiency and Its Evolutionary Change under Regulatory Constraints: A Case Study of Chinese Transportation Industry
Authors: Zhu Zhiqiang , Zhang Xuechi , Xue Mengqing , Song Yaoyao
Published: April 2023

The transportation industry is characterized as a capital-intensive industry that plays a crucial role in economic and social development, and the rapid expansion of this industry has led to serious environmental problems, which makes the eco-efficiency analysis of the transportation industry an important issue. Previous research paid little attention to the regulatory scenarios and suffered from the incomparability problem, hence this paper aims to reasonably estimate the eco-efficiency and identify its evolutionary characteristics. We measure the eco-efficiency and the corresponding global Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index using a modified model of the data envelopment analysis framework, in which different regulatory constraints are incorporated. Based on the empirical study on the transportation industry of thirty provinces in China, we find that the eco-efficiency of Chinese transportation industry experienced a slight increase during 2015–2016, a sharp decline during 2016–2017, and a continuous rise since year 2017. The Middle Yangtze River area was the best performer among the eight regions in terms of eco-efficiency, while the Southwest area was placed last. The global Malmquist–Luenberger productivity index showed an earlier increase and later decrease trend, which was quite consistent with the reality of the variation of inputs and outputs and the emergence of COVID-19. Moreover, the best practice gap change was found to be the main driven force of productivity. The empirical results verify the practicability of our measurement models and the conclusions can be adopted in guiding the formulation of corresponding policies and regulations.
Virtual Sensors for Nonlinear Discrete-Time Dynamic Systems
Authors: Sergiyenko Oleg , Zhirabok Alexey , Hameed Ibrahim A. , Azar Ahmad Taher , Zuev Alexander , Filaretov Vladimir , Tyrsa Vera , Ibraheem Ibraheem Kasim
Published: April 2023

The problem of virtual sensor design for nonlinear systems under the disturbance is investigated. Two different mathematical techniques are used to solve the problem: the algebra of functions and the logic-dynamic approach. The first one allows obtaining a general solution while the second one produces a solution for nonlinear systems by linear algebra methods. The virtual sensors are designed to be insensitive to the disturbance based on invariant functions. They estimate the prescribed function of the original system state vector. The practical example illustrates theoretical results.
Building an Equation of State Density Ladder
Authors: Salinas Marc , Piekarewicz Jorge
Published: April 2023

The confluence of major theoretical, experimental, and observational advances are providing a unique perspective on the equation of state of dense neutron-rich matter—particularly its symmetry energy—and its imprint on the mass-radius relation for neutron stars. In this contribution, we organize these developments in an equation of the state density ladder. Of particular relevance to this discussion are the impact of the various rungs on the equation of state and the identification of possible discrepancies among the various methods. A preliminary analysis identifies possible tension between laboratory measurements and gravitational-wave detections that could indicate the emergence of a phase transition in the stellar core.
Timelike Ruled Surfaces with Stationary Disteli-Axis
Authors: Almoneef Areej A. , Abdel-Baky Rashad A.
Published: April 2023

This paper derives the declarations for timelike ruled surfaces with stationary timelike Disteli-axis by the E. Study map. This prepares the ability to determine a set of Lorentzian invariants which explain the local shape of timelike ruled surfaces. As a result, the Hamilton and Mannhiem formulae of surfaces theory are attained at Lorentzian line space and their geometrical explanations are examined. Then, we define and explicate the kinematic geometry of a timelike Plűcker conoid created by the timelike Disteli-axis. Additionally, we provide the relationships through timelike ruled surface and the order of contact with its timelike Disteli-axis.
A New Hybrid Exponentially Weighted Moving Average Control Chart with Repetitive Sampling for Monitoring the Coefficient of Variation
Authors: Petcharat Kanita , Phanyaem Suvimol , Areepong Yupaporn
Published: April 2023

The implementation of Statistical Quality Control (SQC) has been tracked in various areas, such as agriculture, environment, industry, and health services. The employment of SQC methodologies is frequently employed for monitoring and identification of process irregularities across various fields. This research proposes and implements a novel SQC methodology in agricultural areas. A control chart is one of the SQC tools that facilitates real-time monitoring of multiple activities, including agricultural yield, industrial yield, and hospital outcomes. Advanced control charts with symmetrical data are being subjected to the new SQC method, which is suitable for this purpose. This research aims to develop a novel hybrid exponentially weighted moving average control chart for detecting the coefficient of variation (CV) using a repetitive sampling method called the HEWMARS-CV control chart. It is an effective tool for monitoring the mean and variance of a process simultaneously. The HEWMARS-CV control chart used the repetitive sampling scheme to generate two pairs of control limits to enhance the performance of the control chart. The proposed control chart is compared with the classical HEWMA and Shewhart control charts regarding the average run length (ARL) when the data has a normal distribution. The Monte Carlo simulation method is utilized to approximate the ARL values of the proposed control charts to determine their performance. The proposed control chart detects small shifts in CV values more effectively than the existing control chart. An illustrative application related to monitor the wheat yield at Rothamsted Experimental Station in Great Britain is also incorporated to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed control chart. The efficiency of the proposed HEWMARS-CV control chart on the real data shows that the proposed control chart can detect a shift in the CV of the process, and it is superior to the existing control chart in terms of the average run length.
Evaluation of Hamiltonians from Complex Symplectic Matrices
Authors: Cariolaro Gianfranco , Vigato Alberto
Published: April 2023

Gaussian unitaries play a fundamental role in the field of continuous variables. In the general n mode, they may formulated by a second-order polynomial in the bosonic operators. Another important role related to Gaussian unitaries is played by the symplectic transformations in the phase space. The paper investigates the links between the two representations: the link from Hamiltonian to symplectic, governed by an exponential, and the link from symplectic to Hamiltonian, governed by a logarithm. Thus, an answer is given to the non-trivial question: which Hamiltonian produces a given symplectic representation? The complex instead of the traditional real symplectic representation is considered, with the advantage of getting compact and elegant relations. The application to the single, two, and three modes illustrates the theory.
Ranking Method of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Numbers and Multiple Attribute Decision Making Based on the Probabilistic Dominance Relationship
Authors: Huang Zhengwei , Weng Shizhou , Lv Yuejin , Liu Huayuan
Published: April 2023

The uncertainty of intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs) is further enhanced by the existence of the degree of hesitation (DH). The shortcomings of existing researches are mainly reflected in the following situations: when comparing IFNs, the comparison rules of IFNs are difficult to apply to the comparison of any two IFNs, or the relevant methods do not fully consider the uncertainty expressed by DH. Thus, the rationality of the decision results needs to be improved. On the other hand, multi-attribute decision making (DADM) based on IFNs is often not objective due to the need to determine the attribute weight. Moreover, the strict condition of attribute aggregation of classical dominance relation makes it a method that fails considering the practical application. Aiming at the comparison problem of IFNs, this paper takes probability conversion as the starting point and proposes an IFN comparison method based on the area method, which can better deal with the comparison problem of “either superior or inferior” IFNs. In addition, aiming at the MADM problem of an intuitionistic fuzzy information system, we propose an intuitionistic fuzzy probabilistic dominance relation model and construct the MADM method under the probabilistic dominance relation. The series properties of IFNs and probabilistic dominance relation were summarized and proved, which theoretically ensured the scientificity and rigor of the method. The results show that the comparison and ranking method of IFNs proposed in this paper can be applied to the comparison of any two IFNs, and the dominance degree of IFNs is presented in the form of probability, which is more flexible and practical than the classical method. The probabilistic dominance relation method based on IFNs avoids the problem of determining attribute weights subjectively or objectively, and the decision maker can reflect decision preference by adjusting decision parameters to better match the actual problem. The application of this model to a campus express site evaluation further verifies the feasibility of the proposed method and the rationality of the results. In addition, various extension problems of the model and method proposed in this paper are discussed, which pave the way for future related research. This paper constructs a complete decision-making framework through theoretical analysis and application from practical problems, which provides a reference for enriching and improving uncertain decision-making theory and the MADM method.
Can Machine Learning Be Better than Biased Readers?
Authors: Hibi Atsuhiro , Zhu Rui , Tyrrell Pascal N.
Published: April 2023

Background: Training machine learning (ML) models in medical imaging requires large amounts of labeled data. To minimize labeling workload, it is common to divide training data among multiple readers for separate annotation without consensus and then combine the labeled data for training a ML model. This can lead to a biased training dataset and poor ML algorithm prediction performance. The purpose of this study is to determine if ML algorithms can overcome biases caused by multiple readers’ labeling without consensus. Methods: This study used a publicly available chest X-ray dataset of pediatric pneumonia. As an analogy to a practical dataset without labeling consensus among multiple readers, random and systematic errors were artificially added to the dataset to generate biased data for a binary-class classification task. The Resnet18-based convolutional neural network (CNN) was used as a baseline model. A Resnet18 model with a regularization term added as a loss function was utilized to examine for improvement in the baseline model. Results: The effects of false positive labels, false negative labels, and random errors (5–25%) resulted in a loss of AUC (0–14%) when training a binary CNN classifier. The model with a regularized loss function improved the AUC (75–84%) over that of the baseline model (65–79%). Conclusion: This study indicated that it is possible for ML algorithms to overcome individual readers’ biases when consensus is not available. It is recommended to use regularized loss functions when allocating annotation tasks to multiple readers as they are easy to implement and effective in mitigating biased labels.
Characteristics and Risk Assessment of PAH Pollution in Soil of a Retired Coking Wastewater Treatment Plant in Taiyuan, Northern China
Authors: Li Yuan , Zhang Quanxi , Guo Donggang , Dang Jinhua
Published: April 2023

We analyzed the soil at the site of a former coking wastewater treatment plant on redeveloped land in Taiyuan, northern China, in an attempt to detect the presence of 16 types of priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) listed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and evaluate the potential pollution risks. The results show that the total proportion of PAHs in the surface soil of the redeveloped land ranged from 0.3 to 1092.57 mg/kg, with an average value of 218.5 mg/kg, mainly consisting of high-ring (5–6 rings) components. Characteristic ratio analysis indicated that the pollution was mainly related to the combustion of petroleum, coal, and biomasses. The wastewater treatment units operated according to the following treatment train: advection oil separation tank, dissolved air flotation tank, aerobic tank, secondary sedimentation tank, and sludge concentration tank. Our study found that pollution resulting from low-ring PAHs mainly appeared in the advection oil separation tank during the pre-wastewater treatment stage, while medium-ring PAH contamination mainly occurred in the dissolved air floatation tank, aerobic tank, and secondary sedimentation tank during the middle stages of wastewater treatment. High-ring PAH contamination primarily appeared in the sludge concentration tank in the latter stage of wastewater treatment. Based on our assessment of the ecological risk using the Nemerow Comprehensive Pollution Index and the toxicity equivalent factor (TEF) method, we determined that individual PAHs in the study area exceeded acceptable levels and the total amount of pollution was potentially harmful to the ecological environment. In addition, the comprehensive lifetime cancer risk for different populations resulting from exposure to the soil in the study area was determined to be within acceptable limits based on the average PAH concentrations.