bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flexible Supercapacitors Based on Stretchable Conducting Polymer Electrodes
Authors: Wang Wen , Cao Jie , Yu Jiawen , Tian Fajuan , Luo Xiaoyu , Hao Yiting , Huang Jiyan , Wang Fucheng , Zhou Weiqiang , Xu Jingkun , Liu Ximei , Yang Hanjun
Published: April 2023

Supercapacitors are widely used in various fields due to their high power density, fast charging and discharging speeds, and long service life. However, with the increasing demand for flexible electronics, integrated supercapacitors in devices are also facing more challenges, such as extensibility, bending stability, and operability. Despite many reports on stretchable supercapacitors, challenges still exist in their preparation process, which involves multiple steps. Therefore, we prepared stretchable conducting polymer electrodes by depositing thiophene and 3-methylthiophene on patterned 304 stainless steel (SS 304) through electropolymerization. The cycling stability of the prepared stretchable electrodes could be further improved by protecting them with poly(vinyl alcohol)/sulfuric acid (PVA/H2SO4) gel electrolyte. Specifically, the mechanical stability of the polythiophene (PTh) electrode was improved by 2.5%, and the stability of the poly(3-methylthiophene (P3MeT) electrode was improved by 7.0%. As a result, the assembled flexible supercapacitors maintained 93% of their stability even after 10,000 cycles of strain at 100%, which indicates potential applications in flexible electronics.
Modification Mechanisms and Properties of Poplar Wood via Grafting with 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate/N,N′-methylenebis(acrylamide) onto Cell Walls
Authors: Hu Jihang , Wang Xiaoqing
Published: April 2023

As the only renewable resource among the four basic materials (steel, cement, plastic, wood), wood itself and wood products have a “low carbon” value and play an important role in storing carbon. The moisture absorption and expansion properties of wood limit its application scope and shorten its service life. To enhance the mechanical and physical properties of fast-growing poplars, an eco-friendly modification procedure has been used. This was accomplished by the in situ modification of wood cell walls by vacuum pressure impregnation with a reaction of water-soluble 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and N,N’-methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBA). The anti-swelling efficiency of HEMA/MBA-treated wood was improved (up to 61.13%), whereas HEMA/MBA-treated wood presented a lower weight-gain rate (WG) and water-absorption rate (WAR). It was observed that the modulus of elasticity, hardness, density, and other properties of modified wood had improved significantly, as indicated by XRD analysis. Modifiers diffuse primarily within cell walls and cell interstices of wood, causing crosslinks between the modifiers and the cell walls, reducing its hydroxyl content and blocking the channels for water movement, thereby enhancing its physical properties. This result can be obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Nitrogen adsorption test imaging ATR-FTIR (Attenuated total reflection-Fourier-Transform Infrared) Spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Nitrogen adsorption test. Overall, this straightforward, high-performance modification method is crucial for maximizing wood’s efficiency and the sustainable development of human society.
Beyond Proteins—Edible Insects as a Source of Dietary Fiber
Authors: Kipkoech Carolyne
Published: April 2023

The consumption of insects as an alternative protein source is acceptable as a sustainable alternative to mainstream protein sources. Apart from containing a high protein content, insects also have dietary fiber in the form of chitin, which helps to enrich gut microbiota. The importance of the gut microbiome in general health has recently been underlined for humans, farm animals, pets, poultry, and fish. The advances in 16S RNA techniques have enabled the examination of complex microbial communities in the gastrointestinal tract, shedding more light on the role of diet in disease and immunity. The gut microbiome generates signals influencing the normal nutritional status, immune functions, metabolism, disease, and well-being. The gut microbiome depends on dietary fiber; hence, their diversity is modulated by diet, a relevant factor in defining the composition of gut microbiota. Small shifts in diet have demonstrated an enormous shift in gut microbiota. Edible insects are an excellent source of protein, fat, and chitin that could influence the gut microbiota as a prebiotic. Chitin from insects, when consumed, contributes to a healthy gut microbiome by increasing diversity in fecal microbiota. Moreover, a high fiber intake has been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer, diverticular disease, coronary heart disease, and metabolic syndrome. This review presents edible insects with a focus on fiber found in the insect as a beneficial food component.
Electromagnetic Vibration Characteristics of High-Frequency Transformer under DC Bias with Different Winding Structures
Authors: Ding Haibo , Zhao Wenliang , Li Min , Zhang Li , Sun Youliang
Published: April 2023

The core excitation saturation and vibration caused by DC bias are one of the important considerations in the design of high-frequency transformer (HFT). This paper studies the electromagnetic vibration characteristics of DC biased HFT with different winding structures. The vibration mechanism of iron core and winding under DC bias is analyzed. The optimal topology size of HFT is determined by area product (AP) method. In addition, the electromagnetic vibration multi-physical coupling model of a 500 V HFT under DC bias is established. At the same time, the electromagnetic vibration characteristics of interleaved winding and continuous winding of HFT are compared. The research shows that the current fluctuation of interleaved winding is smaller than that of continuous winding because of its ability to withstand impulse voltage. In addition, the average loss and maximum vibration displacement of HFT with entanglement winding are reduced in different degrees. The above research rules have guiding significance for the design of HFT and the method of suppressing DC bias.
Synthesis of Polytitanocarbosilane and Preparation of Si–C–Ti–B Fibers
Authors: Zhang Qingyu , Chen Tianxie , Kang Weifeng , Xing Xin , Wu Shuang , Gou Yanzi
Published: April 2023

Continuous SiC fiber is a kind of high–performance ceramic fiber that combines many advantages, such as high strength, high modulus, high hardness and low density. It has excellent mechanical properties, high–temperature and oxidation resistance, which could be applied as essential reinforcement in advanced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in the fields of aerospace and advanced weaponry. Melt–spinnable polytitanocarbosilane (PTCS) is an important precursor, which can be used to prepare continuous SiC fibers through a precursor–derived method. In this work, low–softening–point polycarbosilane (LPCS) and tetrabutyl titanate were used to prepare polytitanocarbosilane with a ceramic yield of 67.5 wt% at 1000 °C. FT–IR, TGA, GPC, 1H NMR, 29Si NMR, and elemental analysis were used to analyze the composition and structure of the PTCS precursor. Finally, Si–C–Ti–B fibers with an average tensile strength of 1.93 GPa were successfully prepared by melt spinning, pre–oxidation, pyrolysis, and high–temperature sintering of the PTCS precursor. The strength retention rates were 71.5% and 79.8% after heat treatment at 1900 °C and 2000 °C under an argon atmosphere for 1 h, respectively. The strength retention rates of Si–C–Ti–B fibers are higher than those of commercial Hi–Nicalon fibers, Tyranno ZMI fibers and Hi–Nicalon S fibers. This work can lay a theoretical foundation and technical support for developing high-performance SiC ceramic fibers containing titanium and their ceramic matrix composites.
Spectroscopic Methods for the Detection of Microbial Pathogens and Diagnostics of Infectious Diseases—An Updated Overview
Authors: Pandian Subramani , Lakshmi Selvaraj , Priya Arumugam , Balasubramaniam Boopathi , Zaukuu John-Lewis , Durgadevi Ravindran , Abe-Inge Vincent , Sohn Soo-In
Published: April 2023

Microbial pathogens cause a quarter of all deaths worldwide annually due to deadly infectious diseases. Nevertheless, the fast and precise identification of pathogens remains one of the most challenging tasks in the medical sector. Early identification and characterization of microbes through medical diagnosis could pave the way for specific treatment strategies that could dramatically improve infection management, reduce healthcare costs, mitigate increasing antimicrobial resistance, and save numerous lives. To date, numerous traditional and molecular methods have been employed to diagnose illnesses with proven accuracy, reliability, and efficiency. Here, we have reviewed the most reliable tools that are prerequisites for the rapid detection of microbes. In particular, the remarkable roles of surface-enhanced Raman scattering, Fourier-transform infrared, electrochemical impedance, near-infrared, and MALDI-TOF/TOF in the identification and characterization of pathogenic microbes are discussed in detail. The approaches described herein cover broad ranges of biomedical applications, including the diagnosis of clinical infectious diseases, epidemiology, detection of vector-borne diseases, food security, phytosanitary monitoring, biosensing, and food- and waterborne pathogen detection. Considering the current pandemic outbreak, this review briefly emphasizes the importance of rapid detection and upgraded tools for early diagnosis to prevent the loss of lives.
Research on Fault Diagnosis Strategy of Air-Conditioning Systems Based on DPCA and Machine Learning
Authors: Song Yongxing , Ma Qizheng , Zhang Tonghe , Li Fengyu , Yu Yueping
Published: April 2023

The timely and effective fault diagnosis method is critical to the operation of the air-conditioning system and energy saving of buildings. In this study, a novel fault diagnosis method was proposed. It is combined with the signal demodulation method and machine learning method. The fault signals are demodulated by the demodulation method based on time-frequency analysis and principal component analysis (DPCA). The modulation characteristics of the principal component and DPCA sets with stronger features are obtained. Compared with time domain sets, the correct rate was increased by 16.38%. Then, as a machine learning method, the Visual Geometry Group—Principal Component Analysis (VGG-PCA) model is proposed in this study. The application potential of this model is discussed by using evaluation indexes of fault diagnosis performance and two typical faults of air conditioning systems. Compared with the other two convolution neural network models, the correct rate was increased by 17.1% and 20.32%, and the running time was reduced by 69.25% and 64.53%, respectively. A large number of tests are used to investigate the optimal range of model parameters. This provides the reference and guarantee for further model optimization.
Innovative Approaches to Enhance Activity of Endogenous Olive Enzymes—A Model System Experiment: Part I—Thermal Techniques
Authors: Kraljić Klara , Balbino Sandra , Filipan Katarina , Herceg Zoran , Ivanov Mia , Vukušić Pavičić Tomislava , Stuparević Igor , Pavlić Kristian , Škevin Dubravka
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of thermal treatment and ultrasound on the activity of β-glucosidase and lipoxygenase, enzymes that determine the phenolic composition and sensory profile of virgin olive oil. Enzyme activity was determined spectrophotometrically in model systems consisting of commercial enzymes and their substrates. Thermal treatment was performed by tempering the enzymes and substrates at temperatures between 15 and 40 °C. Enzyme activity was measured 1 min after reaction and again after the additional incubation of the reaction mixture at 25 °C for 30 min to simulate the behavior of the enzymes during the malaxation process. Ultrasonic treatment of the model solutions was performed at 128, 320, and 640 W of the ultrasonic bath power for 1, 5, and 12 min. Enzyme activity was determined immediately after treatment and again after incubation at 25 °C for 30 min. The higher temperatures during thermal treatment increased the activity of both enzymes. During ultrasound treatment, the activity of both enzymes was positively affected by its duration. The higher power of ultrasound was a better choice for β-glucosidase and the lower one for lipoxygenase. The stimulation of enzyme activity by the studied techniques resulted in an acceleration of enzymatic reactions during the additional incubation, suggesting that the malaxation process could be shortened in virgin olive oil production.
Environmental Performance of Nitrogen Recovery from Reject Water of Sewage Sludge Treatment Based on Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Saud Ali , Havukainen Jouni , Peltola Petteri , Horttanainen Mika
Published: April 2023

Recovering and recycling nitrogen available in waste streams would reduce the demand for conventional fossil-based fertilizers and contribute toward food security. Based on life cycle assessment (LCA), this study aimed to evaluate the environmental performance of nitrogen recovery for fertilizer purposes from sewage sludge treatment in a municipal wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Utilizing either air stripping or pyrolysis-derived biochar adsorbent, nitrogen was recovered from ammonium-rich reject streams generated during mechanical dewatering and thermal drying of anaerobically digested sewage sludge. A wide range of results was obtained between different scenarios and different impact categories. Biochar-based nitrogen recovery showed the lowest global warming potential with net negative GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions of −22.5 kt CO2,eq/FU (functional unit). Ammonia capture through air stripping caused a total GHG emission of 2 kt CO2,eq/FU; while in the base case scenario without nitrogen recovery, a slightly lower GHG emission of 0.2 kt CO2,eq/FU was obtained. This study contributes an analysis promoting the multifunctional nature of wastewater systems with integrated resource recovery for potential environmental and health benefits.
KeyShip: Towards High-Precision Oriented SAR Ship Detection Using Key Points
Authors: Ge Junyao , Tang Yiping , Guo Kaitai , Zheng Yang , Hu Haihong , Liang Jimin
Published: April 2023

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is an all-weather sensing technology that has proven its effectiveness for ship detection. However, detecting ships accurately with oriented bounding boxes (OBB) on SAR images is challenging due to arbitrary ship orientations and misleading scattering. In this article, we propose a novel anchor-free key-point-based detection method, KeyShip, for detecting orientated SAR ships with high precision. Our approach uses a shape descriptor to model a ship as a combination of three types of key points located at the short-edge centers, long-edge centers, and the target center. These key points are detected separately and clustered based on predicted shape descriptors to construct the final OBB detection results. To address the boundary problem that arises with the shape descriptor representation, we propose a soft training target assignment strategy that facilitates successful shape descriptor training and implicitly learns the shape information of the targets. Our experimental results on three datasets (SSDD, RSDD, and HRSC2016) demonstrate our proposed method’s high performance and robustness.
Wave Dispersion Behavior in Quasi-Solid State Concrete Hydration
Authors: Wu Yin Chao , Kang Sanggoo , Jeong Yeongseok , David Dafnik Saril Kumar , Ham Suyun
Published: April 2023

This paper aims to investigate wave dispersion behavior in the quasi-solid state of concrete to better understand microstructure hydration interactions. The quasi-solid state refers to the consistency of the mixture between the initial liquid–solid stage and the hardened stage, where the concrete has not yet fully solidified but still exhibits viscous behavior. The study seeks to enable a more accurate evaluation of the optimal time for the quasi-liquid product of concrete using both contact and noncontact sensors, as current set time measurement approaches based on group velocity may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the hydration phenomenon. To achieve this goal, the wave dispersion behavior of P-wave and surface wave with transducers and sensors is studied. The dispersion behavior with different concrete mixtures and the phase velocity comparison of dispersion behavior are investigated. The analytical solutions are used to validate the measured data. The laboratory test specimen with w/c = 0.5 was subjected to an impulse in a frequency range of 40 kHz to 150 kHz. The results demonstrate that the P-wave results exhibit well-fitted waveform trends with analytical solutions, showing a maximum phase velocity when the impulse frequency is at 50 kHz. The surface wave phase velocity shows distinct patterns at different scanning times, which is attributed to the effect of the microstructure on the wave dispersion behavior. This investigation delivers profound knowledge of hydration and quality control in the quasi-solid state of concrete with wave dispersion behavior, providing a new approach for determining the optimal time of the quasi-liquid product. The criteria and methods developed in this paper can be applied to optimal timing for additive manufacturing of concrete material for 3D printers by utilizing sensors.
Maximizing Resource Efficiency in Wireless Networks through Virtualization and Opportunistic Channel Allocation
Authors: Inga Esteban , Inga Juan , Hincapié Roberto
Published: April 2023

Wireless cellular networks have become increasingly important in providing data access to cellular users via a grid of cells. Many applications are considered to read data from smart meters for potable water, gas, or electricity. This paper proposes a novel algorithm to assign paired channels for intelligent metering through wireless connectivity, which is particularly relevant due to the commercial advantages that a virtual operator currently provides. The algorithm considers the behavior of secondary spectrum channels assigned to smart metering in a cellular network. It explores spectrum reuse in a virtual mobile operator to optimize dynamic channel assignment. The proposed algorithm exploits the white holes in the cognitive radio spectrum and considers the coexistence of different uplink channels, resulting in improved efficiency and reliability for smart metering. The work also defines the average user transmission throughput and total smart meter cell throughput as metrics to measure performance, providing insights into the effects of the chosen values on the overall performance of the proposed algorithm.
Forecasting of Groundwater Quality by Using Deep Learning Time Series Techniques in an Arid Region
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed Khaled Abdella , El-Rawy Mustafa , Ibraheem Amira Mofreh , Al-Arifi Nassir , Abd-Ellah Mahmoud Khaled
Published: April 2023

Groundwater is regarded as the primary source of agricultural and drinking water in semi-arid and arid regions. However, toxic substances released from sources such as landfills, industries, insecticides, and fertilizers from the previous year exhibited extreme levels of groundwater contamination. As a result, it is crucial to assess the quality of the groundwater for agricultural and drinking activities, both its current use and its potential to become a reliable water supply for individuals. The quality of the groundwater is critical in Egypt’s Sohag region because it serves as a major alternative source of agricultural activities and residential supplies, in addition to providing drinking water, and residents there frequently have issues with the water’s suitability for human consumption. This research assesses groundwater quality and future forecasting using Deep Learning Time Series Techniques (DLTS) and long short-term memory (LSTM) in Sohag, Egypt. Ten groundwater quality parameters (pH, Sulfate, Nitrates, Magnesium, Chlorides, Iron, Total Coliform, TDS, Total Hardness, and Turbidity) at the seven pumping wells were used in the analysis to create the water quality index (WQI). The model was tested and trained using actual data over nine years from seven wells in Sohag, Egypt. The high quantities of iron and magnesium in the groundwater samples produced a high WQI. The proposed forecasting model provided good performances in terms of average mean-square error (MSE) and average root-mean-square error (RMSE) with values of 1.6091 × 10−7 and 4.0114 × 10−4, respectively. The WQI model’s findings demonstrated that it could assist managers and policymakers in better managing groundwater resources in arid areas.
Three-Dimensional Analysis of Load Transfer Mechanism for Deep Cement Mixing Piled Embankment under Static and Cyclic Load
Authors: Cui Xiaoyan , Cao Yajun , Jin Yanli
Published: April 2023

Piles have been widely used to improve the bearing capacity of the soft foundation. The existing research obtains significant findings on the load transfer mechanism for rigid piled embankments. However, limited studies have been focused on the deep cement mixing (DCM) piled embankment. To grasp the load transfer characteristics of DCM piled embankments, a three-dimensional numerical simulation was conducted in this study, which was validated by the measurements from the field case. It was found that the effect of soil arching was reduced compared with the rigid piled embankment. This induced approximately 61.5% larger vertical stress transferred to the subsoil surface and approximately 83–150% larger settlement of the embankment in DCM piled foundation system. To further understand the working mechanism of this system, the factors which influence the load transfer mechanism were investigated. It is found that the area replacement ratio is the most influential factor affecting the settlement at the top of the embankment, whereas the elastic modulus of the DCM pile influences most the vertical stress and the earth pressure coefficient. The cyclic load with vehicle speeds of 90 km/h will lead to approximately 34% growth of embankment settlement and about 11% reduction in the maximum earth pressure coefficient. Based on the numerical simulation results, the analytical equation of the normalized vertical stress acting on the subsoil surface for the DCM piled foundation was proposed and validated by two field cases, with the difference in the range of 13.8~16.7%.
Smart Home Technologies to Facilitate Ageing-in-Place: Professionals Perception
Authors: Oladinrin Olugbenga Timo , Mesthrige Jayantha Wadu , Ojo Lekan Damilola , Alencastro João , Rana Muhammad
Published: April 2023

An ageing population is a global phenomenon. Like other developed economies, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), China, also faces a severe ageing problem. One initiative to enhance the safe living and well-being of the growing elderly population is to assist them by building ageing-friendly living environments with the application of smart home technologies (SHTs). Therefore, this study focused on investigating the perception of professionals on the use of SHTs to improve and enhance the “ageing-in-place” (AIP) of elderly residents in HKSAR, China. A questionnaire survey was employed to obtain the perception of professionals with requisite knowledge of the older people facility needs regarding SHTs in achieving AIP for the elderly. The data retrieved were analysed with different statistical analyses. Based on the results of the analyses, all the professionals had similar perceptions of the use of SHTs for the safety and well-being of the elderly, except for the incongruence observed between the government employees, contractors and academic regarding how SHTs may not help to better monitor elderly daily activities. The possible reasons for the inconsistent opinions of the academics with other groups were linked to the knowledge of human behaviours and early dementia symptoms in gerontology. The findings will help care receivers, healthcare professionals, social workers, policymakers, smart home designers and developers to improve and enhance AIP in elderly residences in HKSAR, China.
Assessing the Impact of Urban Lifestyle and Consumption Values on Conversion Intention: A Study towards Energy Sustainability
Authors: Hilmiyati-Mas’adah Hilda , Sudiro Achmad , Rohman Fatchur , Yuniarinto Agung , Hakam Dzikri Firmansyah , Nugraha Herry
Published: April 2023

Energy converter innovation has shifted the world’s cooking energy from wood, coal, kerosene, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to electricity. This paper identifies the factors influencing customers’ intention to switch their cooking energy from LPG to electricity. The study proposes a conversion intention (COIN) framework with urban convenience and perceived alternative value (PAV) as predictor variables and examines the mooring effect of conversion cost to COIN. The data were gathered by a cross-sectional survey, and the PLS-SEM approach was applied to 194 LPG users in Jakarta, Indonesia. The results reveal that PAV mainly determines cooking energy conversion and partially mediates the relationship between urban convenience and COIN. Conversion cost indicates no significant moderating effect of PAV on COIN. By conducting this study, we contribute to the literature by integrating the theory of consumption value (TCV) with the value-based adoption model (VAM), generating the indicators of urban convenience based on time-oriented advertisement categories and applying the consumption values of the TCV as the dimensions of PAV on the VAM framework. The findings of the paper provide a more in-depth understanding of customers’ motivations when switching from LPG to electric power, particularly for household cooking energy, as well as opportunities for the government and electronic manufacturers to promote more sustainable energy consumption patterns.
Conservation of Culture Heritage Tourism: A Case Study in Langkawi Kubang Badak Remnant Charcoal Kilns
Authors: Lim Chen-Kim , Tan Kian-Lam , Farid Ahmed Minhaz
Published: April 2023

Remnants of old charcoal kilns found at Siam Village in Kubang Badak are about 100 years old, from approximately the same time as World War I. However, little research has been conducted into promoting the antiquity of remnant charcoal kilns as a representation of the historical inheritance of the Siamese community and their early settlement on Langkawi Island. This paper reveals the great potential of the abandoned charcoal kilns as a tourist site and shows the role of heritage conservation through reviewing the conditions. Following the methodology, firstly, charcoal kilns in Malaysia are investigated in term of their natural, cultural, and social history. Secondly, interviews were conducted to examine empirically the community life of that heritage area and the impacts of the charcoal kiln as tourist product. The segmentation of the narration into preservation means, sustainable activities, and historical knowledge is exemplified by extracting important data for taxonomic derivation of heritage conservation, economic, and community development. Finally, a set of guidelines including conservation approaches is proposed to support sustainable tourism development. The findings from the interviews conclude that the conservation of remnant charcoal kilns is vital for the long-term sustainability of cultural heritage tourism.
Relative Immunity: COVID-19 Pandemic Effects on the Emotional State, Economy, Leisure, and Socialization of Young People in Spain
Authors: Segado Sagrario , Sotomayor Eva , Gallego Javier Páez
Published: April 2023

This study aims to analyze the habits and attitudes of young people in Spain during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically regarding leisure and free time, framed within a context of the objective structural indicators of the economy, employment, and health. To this end, we reviewed official data banks and surveys conducted in Spain on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the general population. We performed a descriptive and longitudinal analysis with the aim of amalgamating the data on the general behavior of Spanish youth in terms of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental health and their positioning on the issues most important to them, especially in regard to their social relationships and leisure activities. Based on the results, we found evidence that young people were negatively affected by the impact of the pandemic, and, similarly to other age groups, reported high levels of concern about the demise of many of the aspects of their prepandemic lifestyles. Although their concerns mainly focused on leisure activities and social relationships, young people are the population group that suffered the highest anxiety levels during the pandemic. In relation to this, we highlight how the emergency measures adopted by society to fight against the spread of the virus were precisely aimed at restricting social relationships and leisure activities.
Rhizobium Grants the Reduction of Phosphate Fertilization during the Production of Coffee Seedlings
Authors: Vinent Sucleidi Nápoles , Aguilera Jorge González , Fernandez Aguilera Ruben De Jesus , Forte Ionel Hernández , Garcias María Caridad Nápoles , Salcedo Eliseo Pumacallahui , Chura Richar Marlon Mollinedo , Portilla Roxana Madueño , Huamán Ruth Nancy Tairo , Ratke Rafael Felippe , Luna Alfredo Modesto Marcavillaca , Morales-Aranibar Luis
Published: April 2023

The use of bacterial inoculants is an attractive alternative that could reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers in crops. In the production system of quality coffee seedlings, it is essential to achieve an adequate balance of nutrients that allows for healthy plants that are resistant to subsequent handling. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of Rhizobium sp. inoculation on the growth, nutrition and quality of coffee seedlings cultivated with different doses of phosphoric fertilization. Inoculation tests were carried out under nursery conditions using Coffea arabica L. cv. “Isla 5–15” and Coffea canephora Pierre ex Froehner cv. “Robusta” seeds inoculated with the Rhizobium sp. Rpr2 strain. Sixty days after sowing, the hypocotyldonal graft was performed, and the resulting plants were also treated with the bacterial inoculant. Plants were then planted in substrate with different doses of phosphorus (P): 25, 50, 75 and 100%. At seven months of cultivation, variables of growth (plant height, stem diameter, number of leaf pairs, main root length, root volume, dry mass of the aerial part, root and total), phosphoric nutrition (leaf and root P contents) and posture quality index were evaluated. The inoculation stimulated the aerial part (37%), root growth (34%), the quality index of the grafted postures (30%), and phosphorus absorption (42%) and allowed a decrease from 25 to 75% of the mineral fertilizer. For the first time in Cuba, the benefits of rhizobial inoculation on the nutrition and quality of coffee seedlings were demonstrated. The inoculation of grafted coffee seedlings with Rhizobium sp. Rpr2 through the inoculation method proposed in this study can be recommended as a new easy, cost-effective and efficient inoculation approach to obtain additional benefits for coffee growth, improving the absorption of nutritive elements and the quality characteristics of the coffee seedlings.
Enhancing Sustainability Development for Waste Management through National–Local Policy Dynamics
Authors: Ratnasari Solichah , Mizuno Kosuke , Herdiansyah Herdis , Simanjutak Edward G. H.
Published: April 2023

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require nations to increase policy coherence for sustainable development, including waste management (WM). However, the policy implementation of sustainable WM in Indonesia is still questionable because pollution was detected from poor WM practices. Hence, a question arises: is the WM policy coherent with sustainable development across the government levels? This article aims to analyze the WM policy coherence for sustainable development. We chose the South Tangerang municipality for this study since this area represents a municipality that faces an overcapacity landfill problem. Our study undertakes a policy analysis of WM policy documents at government levels and uses interviews with regulators to strengthen our analysis. The results show that the WM policy is still far from sustainable development, that the municipal or provincial governments delayed translating the national WM policy, and that WM policy needs to shift from a linear to a circular economy of resources. We recommend for future studies further explore the WM stakeholder’s connection to global, national, provincial, and local governments. The recommendation of our study for policymakers at all government levels is to consider circular economy concepts in implementing WM policy.
A Bibliometric Review of Rural Living Environment Improvement Research in China Based on CNKI Database: 1992–2022
Authors: Wei Ying , Zhang Anlu , Ma Yan
Published: April 2023

Improving the rural living environment has become one of the hot issues in the study of rural revitalization in China. Based on 972 high-quality journal articles, in the database of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), this paper provides a detailed bibliometric review of research on the improvement of the rural living environment in China, from 1992 to 2022. Based on a descriptive statistical analysis of the publication trends, authors, institutions, source journals, and high-frequency keywords of the sample literature, this paper uses cluster analysis and multidimensional scaling analysis to quantitatively analyze the main research fields, hot topics, and improvement directions. The results show, that the study of the improvement of the rural living environment presents a good trend. The main research include six aspects: rural sewage improvement, rural waste management, rural environment collaborative treatment, rural toilet improvement, new rural construction and management, and rural environmental green development. Among them, the research heat and abundance of research results of the first three, is higher than the latter three. To further deepen the research related to the rural living environment improvement in the future, issues such as rural toilet improvement, new rural construction and governance, and green development of rural environment, need more attention.
Modeling the Enablers of Consumers’ E-Shopping Behavior: A Multi-Analytic Approach
Authors: Yang Haili , Luo Yueyue , Qiu Yunhua , Zou Jiantao , Masukujjaman Mohammad , Ibrahim Abdullah Mohammed
Published: April 2023

The evolution of e-commerce amid the positive growth forecast of the e-commerce market has sparked scholarly interest in e-shopping antecedents to better understand customer behavior and ensure sustainable e-shopping services. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the enablers of customers’ e-shopping intention and e-shopping behavior in the post-pandemic period. Personal innovativeness, service quality, perceived risk, and trust were incorporated into the Unified Theory of Technology Acceptance and Usage (UTAUT) original framework and UTAUT 2 in this study. To explore the relationship among the study variables, data were collected from 420 shoppers via an online survey using a convenience sampling technique. The obtained data were analyzed using a multi-analytic approach, such as structural equation modeling and artificial neural networks (SEM-ANN). The empirical findings showed that trust, habit, and e-shopping intention significantly influence consumers’ e-shopping behavior. Furthermore, the results indicated that personal innovativeness, facilitating conditions, performance expectancy, habit, effort expectancy, perceived risk, price value, hedonic motivation, service quality, and trust were all significantly linked to e-shopping intention. The study revealed that effort expectancy acts as a mediator between service quality and e-shopping behavior. This research provides valuable insights into e-shopping behavior in developing countries during the post-pandemic era. By providing a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of the factors that influence e-shopping behavior, hybrid SEM-ANN analysis can help managers and policymakers arrive at better-informed decisions to promote and encourage e-shopping.
A Study on the Impact of Digital Transformation on Corporate ESG Performance: The Mediating Role of Green Innovation
Authors: Wu Shan , Li Ying
Published: April 2023

Corporate performance in ESG has received increased attention; however, the discussion on how digital development will affect corporate practice of ESG needs to be deepened. This paper discusses the impact of digital transformation on corporate ESG performance using multiple linear regressions with STATA 17.0 for 2707 companies listed in China A-shares in the period 2010–2021. Based on principal–agent theory, resource-based theory and signaling theory, the study finds that digital transformation can improve corporate ESG performance. From an external perspective, the contribution of digital transformation to ESG performance diminishes when environmental uncertainty increases; from an internal perspective, the positive effect of digital transformation on ESG performance is more significant in larger-scale enterprises. In addition, digital transformation will further enhance ESG performance by promoting green innovation, i.e., green innovation has a mediating role in the relationship between the two factors. The findings of the study introduce new thinking on the factors that influence corporate ESG performance, advance relevant research and provide important references for corporate managers and government departments who are concerned about ESG performance to make appropriate decisions.
Green Commercial Aviation Supply Chain—A European Path to Environmental Sustainability
Authors: Modarress Fathi Batoul , Ansari Al , Ansari Alexander
Published: April 2023

The last century has witnessed European commercial aviation flourishing at the cost of environmental degradation by boosting greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. However, the outcry for net-zero emissions compels the sector’s supply chain to a minimum 55% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions below the 1990 level by 2030 and zero CO2 emissions by 2050. This study examines a European environmental sustainability path toward a green commercial aviation supply chain. Driven by literature and a review of related documents, two propositions were advanced to orient perspectives on the relationship between pollution and the commercial aviation supply chain and actions being taken toward environmental sustainability. In semi-structured interviews, seventeen aerospace associates endorsed pollution sources in the commercial aviation supply chain during the four stages of the aircraft life cycle, including extracting the raw materials, manufacturing, ground and flight operations, and end-of-service. They recommended transitioning into green commercial aviation through the widespread deployment of innovative technologies, from modifying airframes to changing aviation fuel, utilizing alternative propulsion systems, adopting circular manufacturing, and improving air traffic management.
Intelligent Clustering Techniques for the Reduction of Chemicals in Water Treatment Plants
Authors: Librantz André Felipe Henriques , dos Santos Fábio Cosme Rodrigues
Published: April 2023

Currently, the use of intelligent models for decision making in the water treatment process is very important, as many plants support their implementation with the aim of obtaining economic, social, and environmental gains. Nevertheless, for these systems to be properly modeled, the data should be carefully selected so that only those that represent good operating practices are used. Thus, this study proposes an approach for identifying water quality and operational scenarios using the expectation maximisation (EM) and self-organising maps (SOMs) techniques when using data from a water treatment plant. The results showed that both techniques were able to identify quantities of different scenarios, some similar and others different, allowing for the evaluation of differences in a robust way. The EM technique resulted in fewer scenarios when compared with the SOMs technique, including in the cluster selection process. The results also indicated that an intelligent model can be trained with data from the proposed clustering, which improves its prediction capacity under different operating conditions; this can lead to savings in chemical product usage and less waste generation throughout the water treatment process, which is in good agreement with cleaner production practices.
Urban Rehabilitation and Tourism: Lessons from Porto (2010–2020)
Authors: Fernandes José , Chamusca Pedro , Pinto Jorge , Tenreiro José , Figueiredo Pedro
Published: April 2023

Cities experience rapid growth and transformation. Over the past decades, change has been particularly intense and complex, associated to globalization, spatial compression and temporal acceleration. Within this context, the EU funds introduced new urban rehabilitation dynamics that made a city center more and more attractive. This, alongside the growth of international tourism, has increased the number of city users, which has furthered the discussion on the relation between the physical, economic, social and environmental intervention of the city, as well as the debates on the positive and negative impacts of tourism in cities. With that in mind, we look at the intense change that occurred in the city of Porto, Portugal, in the period from an intense economic crisis to the COVID-19 confinement. We consider changes in buildings, retail and policies to conclude that a neoliberal attitude favoured a tourism-led and sustainability blind gentrification. Based on a survey and analysis of 50 urban rehabilitation initiatives in downtown Porto and on the analysis of recent public policies, we discuss the relation between urban rehabilitation and tourism in Porto, and therefore the effectiveness of public policies and its contribution to sustainable urban development.
Skyrme Crystals, Nuclear Matter and Compact Stars
Authors: Adam Christoph , Martín-Caro Alberto García , Huidobro Miguel , Wereszczynski Andrzej
Published: April 2023

A general review of the crystalline solutions of the generalized Skyrmemodel and their application to the study of cold nuclear matter at finite density and the Equation of State (EOS) of neutron stars is presented. For the relevant range of densities, the ground state of the Skyrmemodel on the three torus is shown to correspond to configurations with different symmetries, with a sequence of phase transitions between such configurations. The effects of nonzero finite isospin asymmetry are taken into account by the canonical quantization of isospin collective coordinates, and some thermodynamical and nuclear observables (such as the symmetry energy) are computed as a function of the density. We also explore the extension of the model to accommodate strange degrees of freedom, and find a first-order transition for the condensation of kaons in the Skyrme crystal background in a thermodynamically consistent, non-perturbative way. Finally, an approximate EOS of dense matter is constructed by fitting the free parameters of the model to some nuclear observables close to saturation density, which are particularly relevant for the description of nuclear matter. The resulting neutron star mass–radius curves already reasonably satisfy current astrophysical constraints.
Ecotoxicological Effects of Four Commonly Used Organic Solvents on the Scleractinian Coral Montipora digitata
Authors: Di Mauro Valentina , Kamyab Elham , Kellermann Matthias Y. , Moeller Mareen , Nietzer Samuel , Luetjens Laura H. , Pawlowski Sascha , Petersen-Thiery Mechtild , Schupp Peter J.
Published: April 2023

Organic solvents are often used in aquatic toxicity tests to facilitate the testing of hydrophobic or poorly water-soluble substances such as ultraviolet (UV) filters, pesticides, or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Knowledge of intrinsic effects (i.e., measured as standardized and non-standardized endpoints) of such carrier solvents in non-standardized organisms (i.e., corals), is critical to regulatory processes. Therefore, we exposed the reef-building coral Montipora digitata to the most commonly used carrier solvents ethanol, methanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethylformamide in the range of 10–100 µL L−1 for 16 days. The effects on mortality, photobiological, morphological, and oxidative stress markers were evaluated. In our study, all solvents resulted in significant morphological and/or oxidative stress responses, but not in mortality. Moreover, ethanol led to a rapid increase in turbidity, thus questioning its suitability as a carrier solvent in aquatic studies in general. Based on our observations, we could rank the solvent effects as follows: dimethylformamide < dimethyl sulfoxide ≈ methanol ≤ ethanol, with dimethylformamide showing the least and ethanol the most pronounced effects. We conclude that the use of solvents in toxicity studies with corals, particularly by examining non-standardized (e.g., morphological, physiological) endpoints, should be taken with caution and requires further elaboration.
Ex Vivo Biomechanical Assessment of Various Repair Techniques in a Rabbit Calcaneal Tendon Avulsion Model: Application of Polycaprolactone Plate
Authors: Huidan Zheng , Kang Jinsu , Kim Namsoo , Heo Suyoung
Published: April 2023

This study was aimed at evaluating the biomechanical properties and gapping characteristics of tendon repair methods using a combination of a three-loop pulley (3LP) pattern, a titanium plate, and a polycaprolactone (PCL) plate in a rabbit gastrocnemius tendon (GT) model (n = 50). GTs were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 10/group). Transected GTs were repaired with a 3LP pattern alone or in conjunction with an epitendinous suture (ES), a 5-hole 1 mm PCL plate, a 5-hole 2 mm PCL plate, or a 5-hole 1.5 mm titanium plate. The yield, peak, and failure force, as well as the occurrence and force of 1-mm and 3-mm gapping were examined. The mean yield, peak, and failure force of the 3LP + titanium plate group were higher than that of other groups. The biomechanical properties of a 3LP + a 2 mm PCL plate were similar to 3LP + ES constructs in this model. In all specimens in all groups, 1 mm gap formation was observed. The frequency of 3 mm gap formation was 70% and 90% in the 3LP + 2 mm PCL plate group and the 3LP + 1.5 mm titanium plate group, respectively. Additional studies evaluating PCL plates to determine the effect on the healing and blood supply of tendon are needed.