bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comprehensive Review on Construction Applications and Life Cycle Sustainability of Natural Fiber Biocomposites
Authors: Ahmad Hammad , Chhipi-Shrestha Gyan , Hewage Kasun , Sadiq Rehan
Published: November 2022

The construction industry is continuously searching for sustainable materials to combat the rapid depletion of global resources and ongoing ecological crises. Biocomposites have recently received global attention in various industries due to their renewability, low cost, and biodegradability. Biocomposites’ potential as a sustainable substitute in construction can be understood by identifying their diverse applications. Moreover, examining their life cycle environmental and economic impacts is important. Therefore, this study is a novel attempt to encompass biocomposites’ construction applications and their environmental life cycle performance. Statistical analysis is done related to the temporal distribution of papers, publishers, literature type and regions of studies. First, this paper reviews the latest research on the applications of natural fiber biocomposites in construction with their key findings. The applications include fiber reinforcements in concrete, external strengthening elements, internally filled hollow tubes, wood replacement boards, insulation, and non-structural members. The second part covers the life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost studies on biocomposites. The life cycle studies are currently rare and require more case-specific assessments; however, they highlight the benefits of biocomposites in cost savings and environmental protection. Finally, this study provides key suggestions for increasing the applicability of biocomposites as sustainable construction materials.
Spillover Connectedness among Global Uncertainties and Sectorial Indices of Pakistan: Evidence from Quantile Connectedness Approach
Authors: Khan Shabeer , Ullah Mirzat , Shahzad Mohammad Rahim , Khan Uzair Abdullah , Khan Umair , Eldin Sayed M. , Alotaibi Abeer M.
Published: November 2022

This study empirically examines the spillovers from global uncertainties to the sectoral indices of the Pakistan stock market (PSX). Furthermore, we select three major sectoral indices, i.e., the energy, financial, and material composite indices. These indices represent a massive capital volume of PSX. We utilize the data from 10 May 2002 to 27 June 2022 to examine the outbreak due to the global financial crisis (GFC) of 2007–2008 and the impact of the world’s great pandemic, of COVID-19. Additionally, we applied a novel econometric estimation approach: quantile connectedness. We found that connectedness is strong in the case of highly positive changes (above the 20% quantile) and highly negative changes (below the 80% quantile). Additionally, the study also found that materials sector is the least connected at level of 1.58%. In contrast, the financial sector was a strong transmitter of spillovers during the entire study period at connectedness of 54.59%. Regarding graphical results, we found that economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and crude oil index (WTI) are net transmitters, especially during the financial crisis and COVID-19, whereas WTI transmitting impact was significantly dominant during GFC 2007–2008. Conversely, the index MSCI remains the recipient of the spillover during the entire study period, where the remitting effect was observed as dominant during the GFC, and COVID-19 outbreak. The energy sector was found to be more recipient during the GFC, with additional turn transmitters of the shocks after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study recommends that portfolio managers and individual investors consider the materials sector for their investment due to the least connectivity. Similarly, investors need to invest carefully in the financial sector because it is a net transmitter of spillovers to other sectors.
Implementation and Integration of Sustainability in the Water Industry: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Silva Jorge Alejandro
Published: November 2022

The changing stature of the environment and society, in general, necessitates a shift from the business-as-usual approaches to sustainable frameworks in the water industry. The industry’s reliance on conventional methods has created gaps in service delivery and the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable approaches have been implemented but are yet to reap any benefits for the foreseeable future. The flailing nature of the industry has created a need for the integration of sustainable initiatives such as the circular economy and Industry 4.0 technologies. A systematic review was conducted to determine the implementation and integration of sustainability in the water industry. The examination utilized the PRISMA framework to identify the best fit articles for inclusion. A total of 48 articles were identified that explored both the concepts of implementation and integration. The findings indicate that the circular economy initiatives will close the loops through the 6R model. Furthermore, the application of Industry 4.0 technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and big data will increase the efficiency/performance of the industry. The paper has a favorable implication for society and the industry, as it recommends specific tools/interventions for sustainable water management.
An Approach for Water and Energy Savings in Public Buildings: A Case Study of Brazilian Rail Company
Authors: Carneiro Mariko Almeida , Da Fonseca-Soares Diogo , Pereira Lucian Hendyo Max , Ramos-Ridao Angel Firmín
Published: November 2022

Water scarcity is a current problem in many parts of the planet and there is a worldwide concern about water availability to meet future water demand. In countries like Brazil, where most of the electricity is produced by hydroelectric power plants, water scarcity directly impacts energy production. The water–energy nexus is directly related and impacted by CO2 emissions and its climate consequences, which calls to a broader approach: energy–carbon–water nexus. In this context, the Sustainable Water and Energy Consumption (SWEC) Program was developed to mitigate water and energy supply problems in a railway company in Brazil. The actions took place in four main areas: (a) users conscientization, (b) consumption diagnosis, (c) indicators for evaluating water and energy consumption, and (d) evaluation of implementing alternative cleaner water and energy sources. The per capita consumption of water and energy were reduced by 10% and 19%, respectively. Permanent results were achieved by the SWEC Program, such as the acquisition of two photovoltaic systems with a total capacity of 96.5 kWp. The investment made provided an average monthly reduction in energy consumption of 56% in 2022. This work contributed to the UN Agenda 2030 and the findings may help companies and industries, and other institutions, such as universities and schools, to improve their water and electricity consumption.
Debris Flow Infrasound Recognition Method Based on Improved LeNet-5 Network
Authors: Leng Xiaopeng , Feng Liangyu , Ou Ou , Du Xuelei , Liu Dunlong , Tang Xin
Published: November 2022

To distinguish debris flow infrasound from other infrasound sources, previous works have used one-dimensional infrasound shapes and parameters. In this study, we converted infrasound signals into two-dimensional signal time–frequency graphs and created a time–frequency graph dataset containing five common kinds of infrasound. We used deep learning to distinguish debris flow infrasound from other infrasound and improved the deep learning model to enhance the accuracy of debris flow infrasound identification. By improving the LeNet-5 network, we obtained an infrasound signal recognition method for debris flows based on deep learning. After signal preprocessing and model training, this method was able to differentiate target infrasound from environmental infrasound, and a debris flow infrasound recognition accuracy of 84.1% was achieved. The method described in this paper can effectively recognize debris flow infrasound and distinguish it from other environmental infrasound. By such means, more accurate and more timely debris flow disaster warnings may be obtained.
Does Regional Innovation Environment Have an Impact on the Gathering of Technological Talent? An Empirical Study Based on 31 Provinces in China
Authors: Ai Xiaoqing , Zhang Hongda , Guo Keyu , Shi Fubin
Published: November 2022

Driven by innovation, the implementation of a strategy for developing a quality workforce is the key to promoting the high-quality development of China’s economy. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces on the Chinese mainland from 2013 to 2020, a spatial econometric model is used to explore the impact of the regional environment, regional heterogeneity and its spatial effect on the gathering of technological talent. The results show that: (1) The improvement of the regional innovation environment can significantly promote the gathering of technological talent in a region; (2) The regional innovation environment has an obvious regional effect on the gathering of technological talent, which is manifested in the strong promotion of the eastern and western regions, and an obvious siphon effect in the eastern region, but it is not the key factor affecting the gathering of technological talent in the central region; (3) The gathering of technological talent has a significant spatial effect among neighboring provinces. Therefore, improving the regional innovation environment, adapting measures to local conditions in different regions and strengthening economic cooperation among provinces have become the key to the rational allocation of technology talent resources.
Spatiotemporal Dynamic Characteristics of Land Use in the Typical Watershed of Wenchuan Earthquake-Affected Areas—A Case Study in the Longxi River Basin
Authors: Tian Xue , Ma Xinyu , Huang Maowei , Guo Yiting , Yang Hongfei , Yang Liusheng , Chen Hui , Gao Ruoyun , Li Jian , Lin Yongming
Published: November 2022

Major earthquakes cause serious damage to ecosystem structure and function through their huge destructive force and subsequent geohazards. Understanding the characteristics of post-earthquake land use change is of great interest to assess the effects of ecological restoration in earthquake-affected areas. However, little is known about the consequences of land use change on a small scale due to incomplete, non-comprehensive, and sparse research data. Here, we used remote-sensing images to study the land use change characteristics of the Longxi River before and after the Wenchuan earthquake by calculating the land use dynamics degree, transition matrix, and gravity center of the Longxi River Basin from 2005 to 2015. The Wenchuan earthquake disaster did not affect the main dominance of forests. Grassland, the second dominant land type, was replaced by geohazard-induced unutilized land after the earthquake. Compared with pre-earthquake in 2005, the areas of cultivated land, forest, grassland, and water area decreased, while those of construction land and unutilized land increased in 2015. The single land use dynamic degree and spatial dynamic change degree show the highest transition intensity of other land use types to unutilized land between 2005 and 2009. However, the degrees of all land use types decreased between 2009 and 2015. Both banks of the lower reach of the Longxi River had high and developing comprehensive indexes of land use degrees during the study period. The gravity centers of grassland, construction land, water, and cultivated land changed from north to south, while forest and unutilized land had the opposite pattern. Our results provide useful information for ecological restoration, ecological security, and soil-erosion control in earthquake-affected areas.
An Overview of the Architecture of Home Energy Management System as Microgrids, Automation Systems, Communication Protocols, Security, and Cyber Challenges
Authors: Taghizad-Tavana Kamran , Ghanbari-Ghalehjoughi Mohsen , Razzaghi-Asl Nazila , Nojavan Sayyad , Alizadeh As’ad
Published: November 2022

Today, the role of smart machines in our lives is valuable. With the advancement of digital technologies, such as the internet of things (IoT), many embedded systems have been developed for various applications. In homes, all daily activities and even security depend on machines. Therefore, implementing IoT-based smart homes has become a prominent research field. Also, since we are in the era of endless growth of the IoT and its applications, the topic of home automation systems is becoming more popular due to its countless advantages. In general, most home automation systems focus on one function: the ability to control home appliances remotely. In the world of information technology, the creation of rules and standards should always be done in the early stages of development because, after the work is done, incompatibilities between devices are created, which is a severe challenge and limits the use of technology. Therefore, the research on IoT technology has led to the formation of various protocols; this article gives an overview of seven essential protocols. Also, in this review article, energy consumption management, and privacy and security issues are discussed, and smart homes are introduced as critical requirements for the evolution of smart cities.
The CSFs from the Perspective of Users in Achieving ERP System Implementation and Post-Implementation Success: A Case of Saudi Arabian Food Industry
Authors: Salih Sayeed , Abdelsalam Samah , Hamdan Mosab , Ibrahim Ashraf Osman , Abulfaraj Anas W. , Binzagr Faisal , Husain Omayma , Abdallah Abdallah Elhigazi
Published: November 2022

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have a major impact on the functioning of organizations and the development of business strategy. However, one of the main reasons that cause failure in ERP implementations to achieve the expected benefits is that the system is not fully accepted by end users. User rejection of the system is the second reason after time and budget overrun, while the fourth barrier to ERP post-implementation. Most studies have focused on ERP adoption and installation while neglecting post-implementation evaluation, which omits insights into the priority of ERP systems and CSFs from the stance of ERP users. Therefore, this study identified factors that led to user acceptance of the use of ERP systems at both implementation and post-implementation stages (after installation). In addition, this study assessed the interrelationship between the factors and the most influential factors toward user acceptance. A survey was conducted among pioneers of the food industry in Saudi Arabia, which included 144 ERP system users from assembly and manufacturing, accounts, human resources, warehouse, and sales departments. The descriptive-analytical approach was deployed in this study. As a result, project management, top management support, and user training had significant impacts on the efficacy of ERP system implementation. On the contrary, support for technological changes in new software and hardware, managing changes in systems, procedures, and work steps already in place within the organization, as well as user interfaces and custom code, displayed a direct impact on user acceptance of ERP systems post-implementation. This study is the first research that provides a rating of CSFs from the perspective of its users in Saudi Arabia. It also enables decision makers of food industries to better assess the project risks, implement risk-mitigation methods, create appropriate intervention techniques to discover the strengths and limitations of the ERP users, and value the “best of fit” solutions over “best practice” solutions when determining the most appropriate option for food industries.
Sustainable Power Generation Using Archimedean Screw Turbine: Influence of Blade Number on Flow and Performance
Authors: Erinofiardi Erinofiardi , Koirala Ravi , Shiwakoti Nirajan , Date Abhijit
Published: November 2022

Hydropower has been one of the mature renewable energy systems encompassing a major fraction of renewable energy. Archimedean screw turbines are gaining new interest in hydropower generation that are suitable for low head applications. This paper empirically and experimentally studies the flow inside Archimedean screw turbines along with the influence of blade numbers on their performance. The major objective of this work is to investigate performance and conduct design optimization of a screw turbine operating under ultra-low head (<0.2 m) conditions. Experimentally verified empirical results show its reliability in estimating the performance of turbines at low operational speeds. Further, the results show that with the increasing number of blades, the efficiency and power generation capacity can be increased, but the overall performance improvement relative to one blade turbine peaks at around 7 blades. Increasing the power generation capacity can in turn make the turbine compact and could be fabricated at a low-cost.
A Study on the Train-Induced Vibration Responses of Heavy Haul Railway Subgrade in Seasonally Frozen Regions Using Field Experiments
Authors: Zhang Yu-Zhi , Dong Ya-Qian , Cao Xiu-Xiu , Li Pei
Published: November 2022

The dynamic response resulting from heavy haul train leads to the deterioration of the railway subgrade, especially those built in seasonally frozen regions. In this work, a typical heavy haul railway section in a seasonally frozen region is monitored on-site. The time domain and the frequency domain analysis of the subgrade vertical vibration acceleration, dynamic speed, and displacement during the non-frozen period and the frozen period are investigated. The results show that the vibration response of the subgrade is affected by various factors, including the train type, locomotive, traveling speed, train formation, heavy load, and the prevalent season. Further, it is observed that the maximum and average vertical acceleration of the subgrade, the vibration speed, and the dynamic displacement increase during the frozen period. However, the main frequency of the natural vibration remains significantly higher than that before freezing. Moreover, the frozen soil has a significant amplification effect both on the acceleration and the attenuation rate. Similarly, the subgrade’s vibration mode has a low frequency and high amplitude during the freezing period, and the dynamic response characteristics become increasingly apparent as the axle load increases.
Impact of Phase Change Materials on Cooling Demand of an Educational Facility in Cairo, Egypt
Authors: Bolteya Ahmed M. , Elsayad Mohamed A. , El Monayeri Ola D. , Belal Adel M.
Published: November 2022

Heat gains and losses via building envelopes are impacted by varied characteristics such as geometry, orientation, properties of the building materials, and the type of construction and its interface with the exterior environment. Current studies are investigating the use of phase change materials (PCMs) characterized by high latent heat and low thermal conductivity that may cause temperature time lag and reduce amounts of heat transferred through building envelopes. The prime objectives of this research are evaluating zones’ energy consumption by type for an educational facility in a dry arid climate, examining the effects of a PCM (RT28HC) and polyurethane insulating material, comparing these effects to the existing situation with respect to cooling energy savings and CO2 emissions, and studying the effect of varying PCM thicknesses. The working methodology depended on gathering the real status and actual material of the building, constructing models of the building using Design Builder (DB) simulation software, and comparing the insulation effect of incorporating polyurethane and phase change insulating materials. A parametric study evaluated various PCM thicknesses (6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 mm). Validation was performed primarily for a selected year’s energy usage; simulation results complied with field measurements. The results revealed that an 18 mm PCM had a high efficiency regarding thermal comfort attributes, which reduced cooling energy by 17.5% and CO2 emissions by 12.4%. Consequently, this study has shown the significant potential of PCM regarding improved energy utilization in buildings.
Pepper Growing Modified by Plasma Activated Water and Growth Conditions
Authors: Japundžić-Palenkić Božica , Benković Robert , Benković-Lačić Teuta , Antunović Slavica , Japundžić Matija , Romanjek Fajdetić Nataša , Mirosavljević Krunoslav
Published: November 2022

Plasma-activated water (PAW) is a novel and promising technique in the agricultural field that has the potential to improve vegetable growth and yield. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of plasma-activated water seeds treatment and growth conditions on pepper plant growth parameters and fruit quality. A factorial design of three factors (C = cultivar, GC = growth condition, and PAW = plasma activated water treatment seeds) was established, with two variants for each one: Cultivar 1 (C1) and Cultivar 2 (C2); greenhouse (G) and open field (F); PAW seeds treatment (PAW) and seeds without treatment with PAW (C). Four replicates with fifty seeds were taken for each variety. Growth and fruit quality parameters were measured in the three month period during 2021 and 2022, respectively. The significant influence of cultivar, growing condition, and PAW on fruit quality and pepper plant growth parameters were determined. The lowest values of measured parameters were obtained in the open field without PAW treatment. Pepper growth in a greenhouse from PAW-treated seeds had a higher canopy height (17.85%), weight (10.57%), number of leaves (10.5%), nodes (18.94%), and buds (37.83%). Moreover, dry matter content was higher (33.73%) as well as fruit quality: fruit weight (50.19%), diameter (24.3%), length (20.88%), and pericarp weight (49.49%). Results indicate that PAW treatment of peppers seeds can lead to production and yield improvement under different climates and growing conditions.
Automotive Electrification Challenges Shown by Real-World Driving Data and Lifecycle Assessment
Authors: Neidhardt Michael , Mas-Peiro Jordi , Schneck Antonia , Pou Josep O. , Gonzalez-Olmos Rafael , Kwade Arno , Schmuelling Benedikt
Published: November 2022

Electric mobility is considered a solution to reduce carbon emissions. We expanded a lifecycle assessment with data on technical limitations and driving habits (based on real-world data) in order to identify the environmentally optimal drivetrain for each individual driving behavior with current and projected technologies, focusing on CO2 emissions. By combining all data, an environmentally optimal European drivetrain mix is calculated, which is dominated by fuel-cell electric vehicles (50% in 2020, 47% in 2030), followed by plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (37%, 40%), battery-electric vehicles (BEV) (5%, 12%), and Diesel vehicles (2%, 1%). Driving behavior defines the most environmental drivetrain and the coexistence of different drivetrains is currently still necessary. Such information is crucial to identify limitations and unmet technological needs for full electrification. If range is not considered a limitation, the environmentally optimal drivetrain mix is dominated by BEVs (71%, 75%), followed by fuel cell electric vehicles (25%, 19%) and plug-in electric vehicles (4%, 6%). This confirms the potential environmental benefits of BEVs for current and future transportation. Developments in battery energy density, charging, and sustainable production, as well as a change in driving behavior, will be crucial to make BEVs the environmentally optimal drivetrain choice.
Transition to a Hydrogen-Based Economy: Possibilities and Challenges
Authors: Agarwal Rishabh
Published: November 2022

Across the globe, energy production and usage cause the greatest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are the key driver of climate change. Therefore, countries around the world are aggressively striving to convert to a clean energy regime by altering the ways and means of energy production. Hydrogen is a frontrunner in the race to net-zero carbon because it can be produced using a diversity of feedstocks, has versatile use cases, and can help ensure energy security. While most current hydrogen production is highly carbon-intensive, advances in carbon capture, renewable energy generation, and electrolysis technologies could help drive the production of low-carbon hydrogen. However, significant challenges such as the high cost of production, a relatively small market size, and inadequate infrastructure need to be addressed before the transition to a hydrogen-based economy can be made. This review presents the state of hydrogen demand, challenges in scaling up low-carbon hydrogen, possible solutions for a speedy transition, and a potential course of action for nations.
Characteristics and Formation Mechanism of Surface Residual Deformation above Longwall Abandoned Goaf
Authors: Bai Erhu , Li Xueyi , Guo Wenbing , Tan Yi , Guo Mingjie , Wen Peng , Ma Zhibao
Published: November 2022

With the rapid development of social economy in China, the contradiction between the wide distribution of abandoned goaf and the shortage of land for engineering construction is becoming increasingly prominent. The effective utilization of coal mining subsidence areas has become an effective measure to alleviate the poverty of construction land in mining areas and promote the green transformation of mining cities. The key to the scientific utilization of abandoned goaf is the prevention and control of surface residual deformation, which depends on the formation mechanism of surface residual deformation. Based on the regularity of mining-induced surface movement and deformation under different mining sizes, it is concluded that the full mining degree of working face is the primary condition for entering the surface recession period. The trapezoidal and periodic forward movement characteristics of mining-induced overburden destruction are analyzed. The regularity of upward transmission of mining-induced fissures with overburden destruction is clarified. The influencing factors of surface residual deformation are equivalent to the influencing factors of overburden structure and caved zone. The deformation characteristics of broken rock in the caved zone under different conditions (particle size, gradation, and water content) are analyzed. It is concluded that the surface residual subsidence near the boundary of the goaf is more significant than that in the middle of the goaf. It is revealed that the overburden structure at the boundary of the goaf and the re-compaction of the caved zone is the mechanism of surface residual deformation. The characteristics of surface residual deformation in abandoned goaf have been verified by field measurement, and it is pointed out that the surface residual deformation in abandoned goaf has long-term characteristics, which provides a theoretical basis for accurate prediction of surface residual deformation and rational utilization of abandoned goaf.
Development of DASH: Design Assessment Framework for Sustainable Housing
Authors: Piparsania Kratika , Kalita Pratul Ch.
Published: November 2022

The idea of sustainability is based on three pillars—environmental, economic, and social—per the Brundtland report. Housing is a type of architecture with which any occupant can connect. It is a place that supports an occupant’s physical, emotional, cultural, and social needs, which support their consciousness. The methodology used here includes an extensive literature review, followed by data collection and analysis in order to understand, achieve, and balance sustainability and its metrics. We could see an evident gap in current green building rating systems regarding the inclusion of social and cultural indicators. There is an inclination for quantitative approaches, such as energy, the environment, and resources. We found that it is viable to identify, recognize, and determine social and cultural indicators that are both tangible and intangible. In most research regarding the sustainable built environment, the participation and feedback are limited to industry experts and professionals, and residents are excluded. This study attempted to fill this gap by collecting data from Indian residents, thus validating social and cultural indicators according to occupants’ needs. With the help of indicators discovered in the literature review and by strengthening them further with data collection, a holistic framework was developed to achieve sustainability for housing.
A Literature Review of Climate-Related Coastal Risks in the Mediterranean, a Climate Change Hotspot
Authors: Sarkar Nabanita , Rizzo Angela , Vandelli Vittoria , Soldati Mauro
Published: November 2022

Direct and indirect impacts of climate change are alarming in the coastal areas of the world, including the Mediterranean coasts. Extreme events (such as marine storms, medicanes, etc.) are likely to increase the coastal risks in the region (e.g., erosion, flooding, and inundation), resulting in a significant socio-economic impact, loss of natural biodiversity and ecosystem services, and damage to cultural heritage along the affected coasts. Therefore, climate-related risk assessment procedures are crucial for the management and sustainable development of coastal areas. The purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the literature on the assessment of both the long- and short- term effects of climate change on coastal Mediterranean areas. It emphasizes methods and techniques to evaluate coastal vulnerability and sea level rise risk. This paper presents an overview of relevant scientific literature on the matter with a focus on approaches used in addressing the issues on climate change, as well as the geographic distribution of papers on the topic, highlighting the main aspects addressed in different Mediterranean countries.
Research on Improved Traffic Flow Prediction Network Based on CapsNet
Authors: Qiu Bin , Zhao Yun
Published: November 2022

Traffic flow prediction is the basis and key to the realization of an intelligent transportation system. The road traffic flow prediction of city-level complex road network can be realized using traffic big data. In the traffic prediction task, the limitation of the convolutional neural network (CNN) for modeling the spatial relationship of the road network and the insufficient feature extraction of the shallow network make it impossible to accurately predict the traffic flow. In order to improve the prediction performance of the model, this paper proposes an improved capsule network (MCapsNet) based on capsule network (CapsNet). First, in the preliminary feature extraction stage, a depthwise separable convolutional block is added to expand the feature channel to enrich channel information. Subsequently, in order to strengthen the reuse of important features and suppress useless information, channel attention is used to selectively reinforce learning of extended channel information so that the network can extract a large number of high-dimensional important features and improve the ability of network feature learning and expression. At the same time, in order to alleviate the feature degradation during training and the channel collapse problem easily caused by deep convolution, a shortcut connection, and a modified linear bottleneck layer structure are added to the convolution layer. The bottleneck layer adds the depth convolution and channel attention connection to the residual block of the network. Finally, the deep local feature information extracted from the improved convolutional layer is vectorized into the form of a capsule, which can more accurately model the details of road network attributes and features and improve the model expression power and prediction performance. The network is tested on the Wenyi Road dataset and the public dataset SZ-taxi. Compared with other models, the evaluation indicators of MCapsNet are better than other models in the tests of different time periods and predictors. Compared with CapsNet, the RMSE index of MCapsNet is reduced by 10.50% in the full period of Wenyi Road, 4.66% in the peak period, 9.78% in the off-peak period, and 6.07% in the SZ-tax dataset. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the model improvement.
Towards Sustainable Fuel Cells and Batteries with an AI Perspective
Authors: Ramasubramanian Brindha , Rao Rayavarapu Prasada , Chellappan Vijila , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: November 2022

With growing environmental and ecological concerns, innovative energy storage systems are urgently required to develop smart grids and electric vehicles (EVs). Since their invention in the 1970s, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have risen as a revolutionary innovation due to their superior benefits of high operating potential and energy density. Similarly, fuel cells, especially Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) and Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), have been developed as an energy storage system for EVs due to their compactness and high-temperature stability, respectively. Various attempts have been made to explore novel materials to enhance existing energy storage technologies. Materials design and development are significantly based on trial-and-error techniques and require substantial human effort and time. Additionally, researchers work on individual materials for specific applications. As a viewpoint, we present the available sustainable routes for electrochemical energy storage, highlighting the use of (i) green materials and processes, (ii) renewables, (iii) the circular economy approach, (iv) regulatory policies, and (v) the data driven approach to find the best materials from several databases with minimal human involvement and time. Finally, we provide an example of a high throughput and machine learning assisted approach for optimizing the properties of several sustainable carbon materials and applying them to energy storage devices. This study can prompt researchers to think, advance, and develop opportunities for future sustainable materials selection, optimization, and application in various electrochemical energy devices utilizing ML.
First Evidence of Microplastic Presence in Bed Load Sediments of a Small Urban Stream in Warsaw
Authors: Krajewski Adam , Hejduk Agnieszka , Hejduk Leszek
Published: November 2022

Microplastics (MPs) are considered as a contaminant of widespread global concern. Due to their small size, MPs become bioavailable to many types of organisms and affect them. However, there is still little known about MP release on land, storage in soils and sediments, or their transport by runoff in rivers. Thus, the aim of this work was to present the results of the first, initial investigation on microplastic presence in an urban stream located in Warsaw, Poland. A simple and relatively inexpensive procedure that leads step-by-step to the detection of microplastics in bed load sediment is presented. It consists of sampling, sieving, density separation, organic matter reduction, and Nile Red staining. The presence of MP in the channel of Służew Creek was confirmed. The estimated amount of particles ranged from 191 to 279 pieces per 30 g of bed load sediment for the selected sampling sites. The number of particles seemed to increase with the catchment area. There is a need for further broad research focusing, among others, on the standardization of methods and laboratory procedures leading to microplastic detection.
Are Chilimira Fishers of Engraulicypris sardella (Günther, 1868) in Lake Malawi Productive? The Case of Nkhotakota District
Authors: Simfukwe Kingdom , Limuwa Moses Majid , Njaya Friday
Published: November 2022

An ecological shift has populated Engraulicypris sardella as a livelihood and economic drive among fishers in Malawi. However, the paucity of biological information regarding E. sardella limits the effective monitoring and sustainable management of the fishery. This has created a heavily invested fishery in terms of the effort put into fishing, but it is poorly managed. Moreover, the current production capacity from the fishery has a negligible impact on lessening the shortfall of the national fish demand, indicating its underperformance. Therefore, the productive efficiency of Lake Malawi Chilimira fishers in exploiting E. sardella was analysed. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample 355 Chilimira fishers between July and October 2021. Results from the translog stochastic frontier model revealed that Chilimira fishers had an overall mean technical efficiency of 60% that ranged between 21% and 92%. This indicates that Chilimira fishers are 40% technically inefficient in exploiting E. sardella. The fishing inputs of bunt area, light emitting diode (LED) bulbs, and mesh size significantly contributed to technical efficiency, whereas boat size, fishing depth, number of hauls, and mosquito net lining significantly reduced the technical inefficiency. On average, the Chilimira fishery is operating with increasing returns to scale with bunt area, the quantity of fuel (litres), and the number of LED bulbs having positive input–output elasticity. This means that new developments in the fishery, including LED bulbs, increased bunt area, and boat size, are key factors that will improve fishing efficiency for sustainable fishery exploitation. In contrast, illegal fishing units of small bunt mesh size and mosquito net lining at the bunt threaten the sustainability of the fishery. It is, therefore, important that relevant stakeholders put policy measures in place that promote sustainable fishing effort approaches in exploiting the virgin offshore fishery to maximise catch.
A Statistical Simulation Model for the Analysis of the Traffic Flow Reliability and the Probabilistic Assessment of the Circulation Quality on a Freeway Segment
Authors: Pompigna Andrea , Mauro Raffaele
Published: November 2022

Measuring the traffic quality and congestion level is fundamental in highway engineering, and several decades of studies and research have pursued this specific objective, especially for freeways. Nowadays, smart technologies on personal devices and information shared by users have made available various online information platforms that provide dynamic representations of the use of the road network. If, on the one hand, these tools provide a simple and direct representation of the quality of circulation, on the other hand, their aggregated information is only partial for those dealing with traffic and highway engineering. This branch of engineering relies on multidimensional knowledge of traffic flow phenomena, and only through their in-depth knowledge, we can assess traffic quality and congestion risk. After identifying the different approaches for analyzing in quantitative terms the traffic quality on the freeway, the paper deepens the reliability approach. From this point of view, the paper aims to unite the two perspectives in the literature, namely, the probabilistic analysis of traffic instability with the characterization of speed random processes and the analysis of breakdowns with the survival analysis. For this purpose, the work outlines a procedure based on the estimation and simulation of ARIMA models for speed random processes in a freeway section, particularly on the leftmost lane, to assess the traffic reliability function. Applying the Product Limit Method to the Monte Carlo simulation results makes it possible to obtain probabilistic assessments of congestion, considering the Level of Service density limits defined in the Highway Capacity Manual. Its application to a case study makes it possible to illustrate the application of the method, which can be easily applied to historical and near-real-time data using a continuous flow of information.
Potential and Opportunities of Use of Postindustrial Buildings and Territories for Urban Development: Case Studies of the Historical Area in Lviv (Ukraine)
Authors: Zhou Chengjun , Petryshyn Halyna , Kryvoruchko Olha , Kochan Orest , Przystupa Krzysztof
Published: November 2022

Industrial objects constructed between the XIX century and the first half of the XX century were scattered outside the historical city center. However, they are currently located within the boundaries of the historical area of a big city. Postindustrial objects that have lost their initial function create opportunities for city development. An urgent problem of urban planning in Lviv is to determine the prospects for the development and reconstruction of industrial areas, complexes, and buildings. The purpose of the work is to identify the modern urban trends in the development process of postindustrial areas located in the historic area of Lviv, as well as its compliance with the city development strategy. The article investigates the connection of new objects with the main functions of the district, provides a historical excursion of their development, on-site studies, and a comparative analysis of objects with the goals of the master plan of Lviv and of the integrated concept of development of the central part of the city. The studied objects of the urban revitalization of postindustrial buildings and areas are grouped according to new dominant function: 1—Development of the creative industry; 2—Revalued multifunctional areas; 3—Implementation of the concept of city center expansion; 4—Reconstruction of historical localities, and 5—Creation of new residential complexes. The authors consider the process of re-urbanization in some particular postindustrial areas and objects as a search for ideas to generalize their use for the whole city. The intensive industrial development of the city during the Soviet period led to strict regulation of other areas. After obtaining independence, there is an opportunity to fix the imbalance. This process occurs in different ways. In particular, the “in situ” review provides an opportunity to understand the development of the territory—whether it follows the master plan (or contradicts it), whether it meets the new development strategy of the city, whether it meets the needs of the local community, or meets the interests of developers only.
Effectiveness of Road Cool Pavements, Greenery, and Canopies to Reduce the Urban Heat Island Effects
Authors: Peluso Paolo , Persichetti Giovanni , Moretti Laura
Published: November 2022

The ongoing climate change is manifesting itself through the increasing expansion of Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects. This paper evaluates the microclimate benefits due to cool road pavements, greenery, and photovoltaic canopies in a parking lot in Fondi (Italy), identifying the best strategy to counteract the negative effects of UHIs. The ENVI-met software allowed a microclimatic analysis of the examined area in July 2022 through the comparison of the thermal performances between the current asphalt pavement and ten alternative scenarios. The proposed layouts were investigated in terms of air temperature (AT), surface temperature (ST), mean radiant temperature (MRT), and predicted mean vote (PMV). The results showed that the existing asphalt pavement is the worst one, while the cool pavement integrated with vegetation provides appreciable benefits. Compared to the current layout, a new scenario characterized by light porous concrete for carriageable pavements and sidewalks, concrete grass grid pavers for parking stalls, a 2-m-high border hedge, and 15-m-high trees implies reductions of AT above 3 °C, ST above 30 °C, MRT above 20 °C, and a maximum PMV value equal to 2.2.
Refined Hermite–Hadamard Inequalities and Some Norm Inequalities
Authors: Yanagi Kenjiro
Published: November 2022

It is well known that the Hermite–Hadamard inequality (called the HH inequality) refines the definition of convexity of function f(x) defined on [a,b] by using the integral of f(x) from a to b. There are many generalizations or refinements of HH inequality. Furthermore HH inequality has many applications to several fields of mathematics, including numerical analysis, functional analysis, and operator inequality. Recently, we gave several types of refined HH inequalities and obtained inequalities which were satisfied by weighted logarithmic means. In this article, we give an N-variable Hermite–Hadamard inequality and apply to some norm inequalities under certain conditions. As applications, we obtain several inequalities which are satisfied by means defined by symmetry. Finally, we obtain detailed integral values.
Be Careful What You Wish for: Cost Function Sensitivity in Predictive Simulations for Assistive Device Design
Authors: Nikoo Ali , Uchida Thomas K.
Published: November 2022

Software packages that use optimization to predict the motion of dynamic systems are powerful tools for studying human movement. These “predictive simulations” are gaining popularity in parameter optimization studies for designing assistive devices such as exoskeletons. The cost function is a critical component of the optimization problem and can dramatically affect the solution. Many cost functions have been proposed that are biologically inspired and that produce reasonable solutions, but which may lead to different conclusions in some contexts. We used OpenSim Moco to generate predictive simulations of human walking using several cost functions, each of which produced a reasonable trajectory of the human model. We then augmented the model with motors that generated hip flexion, knee flexion, or ankle plantarflexion torques, and repeated the predictive simulations to determine the optimal motor torques. The model was assumed to be planar and bilaterally symmetric to reduce computation time. Peak torques varied from 41.3 to 79.0 N·m for the hip flexion motors, from 48.0 to 94.2 N·m for the knee flexion motors, and from 42.6 to 79.8 N·m for the ankle plantarflexion motors, which could have important design consequences. This study highlights the importance of evaluating the robustness of results from predictive simulations.
Qualitative Analysis in a Beddington–DeAngelis Type Predator–Prey Model with Two Time Delays
Authors: Peng Miao , Lin Rui , Chen Yue , Zhang Zhengdi , Khater Mostafa M. A.
Published: November 2022

In this paper, we investigate a delayed predator–prey model with a prey refuge where the predator population eats the prey according to the Beddington–DeAngelis type functional response. Firstly, we consider the existence of equilibrium points. By analyzing the corresponding characteristic equations, the local stability of the trivial equilibrium, the predator–extinction balance, and the coexistence equilibrium of the system are discussed, and the existence of Hopf bifurcations concerning both delays at the coexistence equilibrium are established. Then, in accordance with the standard form method and center manifold theorem, the explicit formulas which determine the direction of Hopf bifurcation and stability of bifurcating period solutions are derived. Finally, representative numerical simulations are performed to validate the theoretical analysis.