bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bottom-Up Approach to Language Policy and Planning in Kazakhstan
Authors: Tlepbergen Dinara , Akzhigitova Assel , Zabrodskaja Anastassia
Published: February 2023

National and world news is constantly accompanied by inter-group dramas which are permeated by the dynamics of language use and attitudes. Conflicts can arise between the state insisting on an official language and the family and community who may support the preservation or revitalisation of heritage languages. Kazakhstan is an example of how languages (official Kazakh, the language of communication Russian and international English) coexist peacefully. Language policy and planning depend on the ability and willingness of individual members of the speech community to adopt a language. Language planning is often seen as a top-down, government-controlled activity. This paper shows that language planning can also be carried out from below. Here, we analyze the main initiatives of grassroots movements in promoting the status of the Kazakh language and the emergence of new bottom-up approaches facilitated by the Internet and present sociolinguistic survey results regarding the roles, importance and prestige of languages for the people of Kazakhstan. The focus of the study reported in this article is to monitor the transformative character of bottom-up approaches to language-policy study in Kazakhstan.
Watching Relationships Build over Time: A Video Analysis of a Hybrid Intergenerational Practice Program
Authors: Kosiol Jennifer , Di Perna Gabriela
Published: February 2023

Intergenerational programs are devoted to bringing older adults and children together because of their mutual benefits for both parties, such as reduction of ageism, relationship building, and shared learning. This intergenerational practice program included high school children and residents at an over-55 retirement village. The aim of this study was to develop an intergenerational shared learning program during COVID-19 using a hybrid model of face-to-face and videoconferencing technology. As a result of video analysis, researchers observed participant interactions and engagement during face-to-face and video conferencing sessions. The findings highlight the importance of a program structure that adapts to the changing environment and recognises that different settings (video and face-to-face) require different relationship-building activities. In addition, co-collaboration in the development of the program structure was essential to facilitate shared learnings.
The Development and Validation of an Instrument for Assessing Science Teacher Competency to Teach ESD
Authors: Eliyawati  , Widodo Ari , Kaniawati Ida , Fujii Hiroki
Published: February 2023

Promoting the implementation of education for sustainable development (ESD) in schools is necessary to educate future generations about sustainability. In cases where ESD is integrated into science lessons or ESD has to be taught by science teachers, science teachers have to integrate ESD teaching competencies with their science teaching competencies. The absence of an instrument to assess science teacher competencies to teach ESD makes it difficult for schools to assign the right science teacher to teach ESD or to support science teachers to integrate ESD into their lessons. This study aims to develop an instrument for measuring science teacher competencies to teach ESD. The instrument was developed by combining frameworks of science teacher competencies and ESD teacher competencies issued by several countries and ESD teacher competencies proposed by Okayama University ESD Promotion Center. A four-scale questionnaire comprising 96 statements was developed to assess seven competencies, i.e., content knowledge, content pedagogy, inquiry, professional practice, professional development, assessment and evaluation, and attitude. The instrument was tested on 234 science teachers nationwide, consisting of 166 females and 68 males from different schools, teaching years, and educational levels. The results show that the Cronbach’s alpha of the instrument is 0.99 (very good category), person reliability 0.96 (good category), and item reliability 0.67 (fairly good category). Based on explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, six competency dimensions are identified. The score of explanatory factor analysis based on Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) was 0.966 and the significance on Bartlett’s test of sphericity was 0.00. This means that there are significant correlations among the items. This suggests that the instrument is suitable to identify science teachers’ competencies as indicators of their readiness to teach ESD.
Analysis of the Potential Use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Image Processing Methods to Support Road and Parking Space Management in Urban Transport
Authors: Kujawski Artur , Nürnberg Mariusz
Published: February 2023

Progressive urban density affects city centers especially and results in growing congestion, lack of parking spaces, and increasing environmental costs of transportation, causing increased air pollutant emissions and noise. These phenomena reduce the attractiveness of the city and result in a degradation of the quality of life for its residents. In light of these phenomena, there is a clear need for intelligent management of urban space using new technologies that would be complementary to existing intelligent transportation systems. Expanding information resources obtained from mobile cameras will have a positive impact on increasing the efficiency of transportation management and use of limited space in city centers. It will also have an impact on reducing external transport costs and increasing the quality of logistics services provided in the city. The main aim of the paper is to develop a concept of a transport management system in cities using mobile vision systems mounted on unmanned aerial vehicles. The model will concern the cases of lane occupation by freight vehicles and the analysis of parking spaces in the city in order to improve their management. The results of the developed model will contribute to the automation of the parking space management process and increase the efficiency of the use of city parking space resources.
Spatial Distribution of Freshippo Villages under the Digitalization of New Retail in China
Authors: Peng Xing , Wang Guoen , Chen Guojun
Published: February 2023

Freshippo villages (Hema villages) that develop a typical digital agricultural economy with new retail are distributed in most provinces of China, and the rules of their spatial distribution are important for systemically carrying out current sustainable digital agriculture practices. This paper conducts a study of the spatial distribution of Freshippo villages mainly based on Freshippo data and kernel density estimation, and the results show that Freshippo villages have a spatial cross-regional distribution and form three latitudinal and two longitudinal distribution belts. In particular, there is one main latitudinal distribution belt named the 30° N latitudinal belt and two main longitudinal distribution belts named the eastern coastal longitudinal belt and the longitudinal belt of the Heihe–Tengchong Line. Regionally, several spatial cores formed in the Yangtze River Delta, Shandong, Hubei, and Sichuan. We used linear regression and official provincial statistics to analyze the important relevant factors. Freshippo stores show the highest gradient/y-intercept of 0.2133 and correlation coefficient 0.4599, and all gradient/y-intercepts and correlation coefficients of grain crops are less than those of fruits and vegetables, which reveals that the agricultural product and market are two important factors. In addition, we discuss the spatial effect on agricultural villages under the digitalization of new retail. As the first study of the spatial distribution of Freshippo villages, our paper provides a significant case for the economic geography of digital agriculture.
The Impact of AI’s Response Method on Service Recovery Satisfaction in the Context of Service Failure
Authors: Yang Zengmao , Zhou Jinlai , Yang Hongjun
Published: February 2023

In order to perpetuate service sustainability and promote sustainable growth in the service sector, it is important to resolve service failures. AI technology is being applied to service jobs in more and more industries, but AI will inevitably fail while providing service. How to carry out service recovery and obtain the understanding and forgiveness of customers is a problem that urgently needs solving in the practice and research of AI services. The purpose of this study was to explore the artificial intelligence remediation mechanism in the context of service failure and to explore the remedial utility of AI’s self-deprecating humor responses. The study conducted data collection through three experiments to test our hypotheses: study 1 verified the main effect of self-deprecating humor responses and the mediating effect of perceived sincerity and perceived intelligence; study 2 verified the moderated effect of the sense of power; and study 3 verified the moderated effect of failure experience. The experimental results show that, in the context of AI for service recovery, self-deprecating humor responses can improve customers’ willingness to tolerate failure, with perceived intelligence and perceived sincerity found to play a mediating role in this. The sense of power also plays a moderating role by affecting perceived sincerity, and failure experience has a moderate effect by affecting perceived intelligence. The theoretical contribution of the article is to introduce the perspective of AI’s self-deprecating humor service recovery, which complements theoretical research in the field of AI services. The management significance of the article is to provide new AI communication strategies and practical suggestions for enterprises and technical personnel.
Optimal Design of Hybrid Renewable Systems, Including Grid, PV, Bio Generator, Diesel Generator, and Battery
Authors: He Meisheng , Forootan Fard Habib , Yahya Khalid , Mohamed Mahmoud , Alhamrouni Ibrahim , Awalin Lilik Jamilatul
Published: February 2023

Renewable energies are the best solutions to reduce CO2 emissions and supply reliable electricity. This study aims to find the best combination of various components considering economic, environmental, and technical factors together. The most important consideration factors are the limitation of using PV panels due to the land constraints and applying CO2 penalties where diesel generators and the grid are generating electricity. Findings show that providing electricity by hybrid systems would be useful even in the well-provided electricity regions by the grid with the least blackouts. The best combination of the proposed components, including PV, bio generator, diesel generator, batteries, and grid for the case study region where the load demand is 890 kWh/day and peak load is 167.2 kW, would be an off-grid hybrid system including PV, bio generator, diesel generator, and battery. The optimization results show an NPC (present value of the costs of investment and operation of a system over its lifetime) of $1.02 million and a COE (the average cost per capital of useful electricity produced by the system) of 0.188 $/kWh. Finally, due to the showing of the effect of different conditions on the optimization results and making the study usable for other circumstances of the case study region, some sensitivity analyses have been carried out.
Kerbside Parking Assessment Using a Simulation Modelling Approach for Infrastructure Planning—A Metropolitan City Case Study
Authors: Samaranayake Premaratne , Gunawardana Upul , Stokoe Michael
Published: February 2023

The main purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of kerbside parking demand and provision on short-term parking (STP) and freight activity space (FAS) as a benchmark for infrastructure planning, considering the impacts of expected future growth and capacity changes. In this study, we adopted a mixed-methods approach of quantitative analysis including a spatial view of parking using manual and video-captured camera data from the majority of STP and FAS parking bays covering a diverse range of loads/tasks with different levels of elasticity and substitutes, as well as simulation of current demand influenced by various factors, as a basis for the development of strategies and prioritisation of the allocation of limited kerbside spaces in Parramatta, a rapidly transforming/growing CBD city centre environment. Parking demand consisted of a diverse range of FAS and STP categories. Spatial analysis showed a non-homogeneous distribution of parking demand and loads across several sections of the city. A large proportion of short-term parking spaces is attributed to two peak periods during the day and increased traffic volumes at peak times. Comparatively lower average parking times in the northern and western regions compared to those in the city centre indicate the potential to reduce peak parking periods and therefore traffic congestion in the city centre by changing parking limits. The presented simulation model can be used as a reliable benchmarking model for the simulation of future impact scenarios and to make recommendations with respect to infrastructure planning and to develop travel demand management strategies. This research is based on a case study and is therefore subject to limitations in its applications in other contexts. Extension of the baseline simulation with future impact scenarios is planned for the next stage of this research. A simulation model is presented and illustrated as a reliable benchmarking tool for the simulation of future impact scenarios through a case study of a rapidly changing city environment.
Potential Baseball Fan Engagement: The Determinants of a New Television Audience in the Chinese Professional Baseball League during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Huang Jyh-How , Lu Chung-Yi , Hsu Yu-Chia
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic increase in baseball viewership, thereby providing an opportunity to comprehensively explore the determinants of the new audience. To this end, we analyze the preferences of the Taiwanese audience in 2019 and 2020, both before and after the COVID-19 outbreak, through TV ratings based on the effect of outcome uncertainty, tournament factors, consumer availability, and game quality. The empirical findings show that the behavior of the small-scale Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) sports television viewing market differs from that of large-scale markets such as Major League Baseball. Additionally, the effect of the outcome uncertainty of the game is inconsistent before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. New audiences, unlike existing audiences, have been affected by team quality and consumer availability that are statistically significant, but tournament factors are not significant. This study provides the first empirical analysis of the factors driving TV ratings of CPBL games as well as the impact before and after the COVID-19 outbreak as a contribution to filling the gap in sports communication research. The observations can be used by strategic departments of professional teams for their marketing target, to identify potential fans, and to direct their marketing resources towards sustaining or even growing during the pandemic events.
Research on Profit Allocation of Agricultural Products Co-Delivery Based on Modified Interval Shapley Value
Authors: Wang Chenglin , Zhou Zhicheng , Yu Xiaohui , Chen Jintao , Li Pengnan , Wang Ziqi
Published: February 2023

Most of the domestic wholesale markets have many operating entities, and the level of organization and scale is not high; therefore, at this stage, building a shared business platform and carrying out common distribution is an important way to improve the overall efficiency of the wholesale market distribution operations and the level of the intensive utilization of key resources such as vehicles. Carrying out common distribution requires the formation of a good synergy mechanism among the participating subjects, in which the design of a scientific and reasonable benefit distribution scheme, especially in balancing the relationship between government resources and social resources, is particularly important. As the benefit distribution of cooperation is affected by the dynamic changes of the resource input ratio, the distribution operation scale, the risk taking, and other factors, this paper establishes a multi-weight interval Shapley value method benefit distribution model, which reflects the effect of the key parameter variables. Through the empirical analysis of Beijing’s wholesale markets for agricultural products, the results show that the revised benefit distribution is more in line with the interest demands among multiple subjects and is positively correlated with the contribution degree among the participating subjects, which can better mobilize the cooperation enthusiasm of the participating enterprises and provide a new methodological path to solve the problem of common distribution in wholesale markets. The distribution model constructed in this paper further enriches the relevant research content in the field of common distribution and is of reference value for the benefit distribution problem that requires comprehensive consideration of the dynamic change in the multiple parameters affecting the relationship.
Pricing Decision of Three-Level Agricultural Supply Chain Based on Blockchain Traceability and Altruistic Preference
Authors: Li Tao , Xu Xiaotong , Liu Weirong , Shi Chengdong
Published: February 2023

The traceability of blockchain is crucial to the quality and safety of agricultural products, primarily when bacterial contamination occurs in the agricultural supply chain. To gain a deeper understanding of the impacts on the quality and safety of agricultural products, we built a three-level agricultural supply chain model comprising one retailer, one manufacturer, and one supplier. We aimed to explore the impact of blockchain traceability and retailers’ altruistic preference on pricing decisions and channel member profit, and to then examine the motivation of enterprises to participate in blockchain technology. Our study showed that: (1) blockchain technology has the potential to improve the prices and profits of supply chain members without considering the cost of blockchain; and (2) blockchain technology has the potential to improve the retailer’s price when the unit variable cost of blockchain is higher than a certain threshold. It can also reduce the manufacturer’s price and the supplier’s output. However, the excessive cost of blockchain can also aggravate the double marginalization effect of the supply chain. When both the unit variable cost and the fixed input cost of the blockchain are low, each enterprise has the incentive to participate in the blockchain. (3) In the scenario of the altruistically-preferred retailer, when the blockchain variable cost is lower than a certain threshold, the retailer’s altruistic preferences can improve the manufacturer’s and supplier’s profit, but it will reduce the retailer’s profit.
SoResilere—A Social Resilience Index Applied to Portuguese Flood Disaster-Affected Municipalities
Authors: Jacinto Rita , Sebastião Fernando , Reis Eusébio , Ferrão João
Published: February 2023

Decades of academic discussion on social resilience have led to the development of indicators, indexes, and different approaches to assessing it at national and local levels. The need to show real-world applications of such assessments is evident since resilience became a political and disaster risk reduction governance component. This article gives a full description of the methodology used to develop SoResilere, a new social resilience index applied to flood disaster-affected Portuguese municipalities. Study cases were selected according to historical databases, academic sources and governmental entities. Statistical methods for data dimension reduction, such as Factor Analysis (through Principal Component Analysis), were applied to the quantitative data and Optimal Scaling to the categorical data. SoResilere results were analyzed. Since SoResilere is a new tool, component weighting was applied to compare results with no weighting, although it did not affect the SoResilere status in 55.5% of the study cases. There is a tendency to look at the improvement of SoResilere results with component weighting due mainly to the quantitative subindex. There is no evidence of the benefits of component weighting, as no logical association or spatial pattern was found to support SoResilere status improvement in 22.22% of the study cases.
Parameter Extraction of Solar Photovoltaic Cell and Module Models with Metaheuristic Algorithms: A Review
Authors: Gu Zaiyu , Xiong Guojiang , Fu Xiaofan
Published: February 2023

As the photovoltaic (PV) market share continues to increase, accurate PV modeling will have a massive impact on the future energy landscape. Therefore, it is imperative to convert difficult-to-understand PV systems into understandable mathematical models through equivalent PV models. However, the multi-peaked, non-linear, and strongly coupled characteristics of PV models make it challenging to extract accurate parameters of PV models. Metaheuristics can address these challenges effectively regardless of gradients and function forms, and have gained increasing attention in solving this issue. This review surveys different metaheuristics to the PV model parameter extraction and explains multiple algorithms’ behavior. Some frequently used performance indicators to measure the effectiveness, robustness, accuracy, competitiveness, and resources consumed are tabulated and compared, and then the merits and demerits of different algorithms are outlined. The patterns of variation in the results extracted from different external environments were analyzed, and the corresponding literature was summarized. Then, challenges for both metaheuristics and application scenarios are analyzed. Finally, corresponding perspectives on future research are summarized as a valid reference for technological advances in PV model parameter extraction.
Suitability Assessment of Small Dams’ Location as Nature-Based Solutions to Reduce Flood Risk in Mataniko Catchment, Honiara, Solomon Islands
Authors: Liu Junhang , Tan Junhe , Zhang Shihao , Zhong Chenghao , Lv Liang , Tara Ata
Published: February 2023

As global temperatures rise, flooding and storm surges caused by extreme weather threaten people’s safety and nations’ development. Nature-based Solutions (NBS) are practical actions to support resilience to reduce flood risk and are applied in many countries. As the NBS approach mentions, small check dams made of gabion and wood can retain runoff and temporarily create detention basins to reduce the magnitude of floods and provide additional water resources. However, previous dam suitability research emphasized the criteria selection and decision method evolution, which costs time on the complex calculation and does not fit the NBS small dams. This research aims to optimize the site selection workflow of small dams in vulnerable informal settlements by utilizing Remote Sensing (RS), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE). Several thematic layers, such as land use, river density, building distance, vegetation cover index, slope, and elevation factors, were chosen to identify the suitable area in Mataniko catchment, Honiara. More importantly, it provides a more efficient model builder that can be replicated in ArcGIS 10.8, which contributes to visualizing scenarios of the inundation area of small dams at different heights. As a result, this study tested up to 35 potential small dams with 2.5 and 5 m wall height in the flood-prone Vara Creek and selected nine small dams with 5 m height and 15 small dams at 2.5 m as the best locations according to the volume and area. Overall, it is an efficient tool for designers to communicate with different stakeholders and applies to other developing countries facing frequent floods. Moreover, it provides a prototype and evidence of NBS action to address the flood issue.
Why Did Urban Exodus Occur during the COVID-19 Pandemic from the Perspective of Residential Preference of Each Type of Household? Case of Japanese Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Komaki Miyu , Kato Haruka , Matsushita Daisuke
Published: February 2023

The background of this study is the urban exodus that occurred in Japanese metropolitan areas. The research question of this study is about the reasons why the urban exodus occurred in Japanese metropolitan areas. For the analysis, the objective of this study is to clarify the residential preferences of each household type in relation to the urban exodus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japanese metropolitan areas. The method of this study is a web questionnaire survey. The sample comprised 593 respondents who migrated from ordinance-designed cities to other municipalities in metropolitan areas between April 2020 and March 2022. In conclusion, this study elucidates that migrant household type as urban exodus is households whose eldest child had enrolled in elementary school or above. Regarding residential preferences, the household type changes the importance of community and environment, rather than the working arrangement. This result is novel and essential because it clarifies that the household type tends to place more importance on the quality of childcare environment, ties to communities, the presence of a large garden/balcony, and utilizing opportunities to experience the community, such as via trial migration support programs.
Hydrolysis of Food Waste with Immobilized Biofilm as a Pretreatment Method for the Enhancement of Biogas Production
Authors: Mohamed Ali Amina , Zahangir Md Alam , Mohamed Abdoul-Latif Fatouma , Jami Mohammed Saedi , Mohamed Jalludin , Ainane Tarik
Published: February 2023

The present study shows the opportunity of using biofilm in the hydrolysis step of food waste (FW) to increase biogas production. Therefore, screened biofilm-producing microorganisms were adopted to facilitate the biodegradation of organic compounds (OCs) and enhance the volume of biogas production. The biofilm-producing microorganisms were first immobilized on a granular activated carbon (GAC) surface, and the optimum values of immobilization time, mass of the GAC surface, and size of the microbial inoculums were found using the statistical methods of one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and the response surface methodology (RSM) using a face-centered central composite design (FCCCD). Based on the results, 48 h of incubation, 8 g of GAC, and 1 mL of inoculum were the optimum conditions when shaken at 37 °C and 150 rpm. Different biofilm amounts (328 mg, 492 mg, 656 mg, 820 mg, and 984 mg) were used in hydrolysis flasks operated in batch mode to increase the degradation of the OCs. The optimal level of the hydrolysis degradation was on day 3 and at 328 mg of biofilm; the total solid (TS) content was decreased from 115 gL−1 to 79 gL−1 (31%), and the TCOD was decreased from 85.33 gL−1 to 54.50 gL−1 (36%).
The Nutritional Quality of Plant-Based Foods
Authors: Nolden Alissa A. , Forde Ciarán G.
Published: February 2023

There is growing interest in the adoption of a more sustainable diet, and this has led to the development of plant-derived alternative products that are used as a substitute for products of animal origin. This is a promising way to improve the sustainability of the agricultural food industry; however, there are increasing concerns regarding the nutritional profile of plant-based products, with emerging evidence that many are not nutritionally equivalent to conventional animal products. In this study, we provide a narrative review focusing on the nutritional quality of plant-based alternative products. First, we summarize the available literature examining consumers’ and healthcare professionals’ perceived healthfulness and nutritional concerns regarding plant-based foods. Then, we compare the nutritional composition (macro- and micronutrients) of plant-based alternatives to their conventional animal counterparts. Moreover, we outline the potential impact of these nutritional differences on overall diet quality and provide a summary of the differences in the digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients from plant and animal sources. We highlight the role of product development and innovations in food processing to support the nutritional composition of plant-based products and outline the priorities for more comprehensive research on the nutrient density of these products and the sustained effect of modern plant-derived diets on long-term health.
Investigating the Characteristics of Urban Comprehensive Hospitals from a Supply–Demand Balance Perspective: A Case Study of Three Districts in Shenzhen Based on Multi-Source Data
Authors: Huo Da , Zheng Quanyi , Pei Lidong
Published: February 2023

As an important public facility in cities, hospitals provide services that are vital to people’s lives. Big data is representative of geographic data from numerous sources. It has the advantages of large amounts of data, high timeliness, and abundant information, which may compensate for the inadequacy of traditional planning and design, which is overly subjective. Big data can be used to obtain large-scale human movement data to study hospital characteristics from a supply–demand balance perspective. Here, 182 comprehensive hospitals in three districts of Shenzhen were picked as an example, and multi-source data were introduced as a quantitative assessment tool to analyze them. First, the mobile public participation geographic information system (PPGIS) was researched and developed independently and used to collect volunteered geographic information (VGI) data, which was adopted to quantify hospital service supply. Second, the population’s demand for hospitals was characterized by the quantified point of interest (POI) data. Finally, the location entropy method was utilized to quantify the levels of supply and demand for comprehensive hospital services from a supply–demand balance perspective, which was used to guide the classification of the comprehensive hospitals. The result shows that: (1) the service scopes and the service pressure are different for the same type of comprehensive hospitals classified by the traditional method; (2) the spatial distribution of patients is related to land function; (3) the overlap area between the part with a high service pressure level in the comprehensive hospital and the part with high medical demand of the patient is prone to service blindness. This study paves a new way to optimize the spatial allocation of medical institutions or other types of public facilities, rationalize resource allocation, and alleviate urban transportation congestion.
Ordering Technique for the Maximum Power Point Tracking of an Islanded Solar Photovoltaic System
Authors: Awan Muhammad Mateen Afzal , Asghar Aamer Bilal , Javed Muhammad Yaqoob , Conka Zsolt
Published: February 2023

The world’s attention has turned towards renewable energy due to escalating energy demands, declining fossil fuel reservoirs, greenhouse gas emissions, and the unreliability of conventional energy systems. The sun is the only renewable energy source that is available every day for a specific period of time. Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology is known for its direct conversion of sunlight into electricity using the photoelectric effect. However, due to the non-linear electrical characteristics, the power output of solar PV cells is bound to a lower value and can not produce the power of which it is capable. To extract the maximum possible power, the PV cell needs to be operated at its maximum power point (MPP) uninterruptedly under numerous weather conditions. Therefore, an electronic circuit driven by a set of rules known as an algorithm is utilized. To date, the flower pollination algorithm (FPA) is one of the most renowned maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms due to its effective tracking ability at the local and global positions. After an in-depth analysis of the design, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of the FPA algorithm, we have proposed an additional filtration and distribution process named “Random walk” along with the ordering of solutions, to improve its efficiency and tracking time. The proposed structure named “Ordered FPA” has outperformed the renowned FPA algorithm under various weather conditions at all the standard benchmarks. Simulations are performed in MATLAB/Simulink.
Simulation Study of the Liquid–Solid Multistage Adsorption Process
Authors: Al-Moameri Harith H. , Ayash Ahmed A. , Al-Najjar Shahad Zuhair Atta , Lubguban Arnold A. , Malaluan Roberto M.
Published: February 2023

In the present study, a computational model to simulate the separation of the multi-stage device is developed and used to verify an arbitrary-shaped adsorption isotherm and a limited mass transfer rate. The model’s governing equations are solved numerically by the MATLAB computing platform. For a specific separation, a suitable design must take into account the concentration record of the effluent solutions in the separation device. Further, since the experimental investigation has many limitations, an accurate mathematical description of a system could be viewed as an alternative approach to understanding it comprehensively. The usefulness of the simulation code depends heavily on how well it matches the experimental results and predicts them with minor adjustments and improvements. Here, the model is validated and used to investigate how changing the system’s parameters can affect its performance. The study found that increasing the size of the system (unit number and pore volume of the adsorbent) resulted in more solutions. Adsorption effectiveness was also investigated and it was found to be relatively unaffected by dividing the total amount of solution adsorption over many units, as long as slurrying was maintained at an adequate level. The model not only provides the prediction of the discharge concentration record but also the evaluation of the separation effectiveness attained by the multistage device.
A Novel Blockchain-Based Scientific Publishing System
Authors: Beştaş Mansur , Taş Ruhi , Akin Erdal , Ozkan-Okay Merve , Aslan Ömer , Aktug Semih Serkant
Published: February 2023

The scientific publishing industry is dominated by a few publishers that use centralized systems, which decrease the quality of studies and make the publication process longer. Traditional publication systems generally have high publication costs, slow and biased review processes, copyrights held by publishers, lack of rewards for contributors, lack of connection among researchers, etc. Accordingly, we propose a decentralized blockchain-based scientific publication platform to eliminate the traditional publication system deficiencies. The proposed system uses Ethereum smart contracts to accelerate the publication process and abate the biased evaluation process while reducing the publication cost. The proposed model also improves the quality of scientific studies by adding new features to the publication process. The proposed system increases the number of publishers, makes the publication process fully traceable, and makes scientific papers globally available to anyone with a small fee. In addition, the system provides journals with decentralized models and integrates scientific papers with related data or datasets. The editors, reviewers, and cited authors are also rewarded. The proposed system has been implemented using Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM), which consists of a front-end, middleware, and back-end. When an author submits a manuscript for evaluation, the system automatically finds the most appropriate editors and reviewers for related fields. After the publication process finishes, editors, reviewers, cited authors, and other contributors are rewarded as a system token-based cryptocurrency.
Effects of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soil of Coal Gangue Area on Germination and Seedlings of Typical Remediation Plants
Authors: Song Shijie , Zuo Jing , Chang Qing , Wang Chenchen , Wang Yi , Peng Ruisi
Published: February 2023

The problem of soil heavy metal pollution caused by coal gangue accumulation areas is becoming more and more serious. In situ plant remediation technology has become one of the most promising methods to solve heavy metal soil pollution due to its advantages of the green economy. In this experiment, the characteristics of heavy metal pollution in the shallow soil (vertical depth 0~20 cm) 300 m outside the square circle of a typical coal gangue accumulation area in the Fengfeng Mining Area of Hebei Province, China were used as the prototype. Alfalfa and ryegrass were selected as the test plants. Pot experiments were carried out at different heavy metal concentrations (Cu:14/64/100 mg/kg, Pb:15/38/170 mg/kg, Cd:1/4/8 mg/kg) levels to study and reveal the effects of single and compound soil heavy metal pollution on seed germination and seedling growth characteristics of alfalfa and ryegrass. The results showed that: (1) Under the condition of single Cd pollution, the germination index of alfalfa seeds and the germination potential of ryegrass seeds show a trend of “low concentration promotion and high concentration inhibition”. Under the condition of single Pb and Cu pollution in soil, the germination indices show obvious inhibition and damage effect; that is, with an increase in concentration, the germination rate, germination potential, germination potential, and vigor index show a decreasing trend. When Pb is 170 mg/kg or Cu is 100 mg/kg or Cd is 8 mg/kg, the inhibitory effect on seed germination and seedling growth of the two plants is the most harmful. (2) Due to the different concentrations of heavy metal combined pollution, there are synergistic or antagonistic effects between Cu, Pb and Cd in soil on alfalfa and ryegrass. That is to say, under low concentrations of heavy metal pollution, the inhibitory effect of combined stress is greater than that of single stress, and under high concentration of heavy metal pollution, the inhibitory effect of combined stress is less than that of single stress. (3) Whether in the single pollution or combined pollution of soil, ryegrass is always more tolerant than alfalfa, indicating that ryegrass has more potential for remediation.
A Study on the Production Methods of Upcycling Tweed Fabric Using Clothing Waste Based on Chanel’s Tweed Design
Authors: Lee Hyewon
Published: February 2023

This study aimed to produce upcycled tweed fabric using clothing waste, and to this end, weaving methods for tweed were designed, and the creative upcycling of tweeds was produced. For the improvement in the quality of recycled fabrics and to produce creative, upcycled tweed designs, four weaving methods were designed based on Chanel’s tweed design. Various types of discarded clothing waste were collected and used as materials. The upcycling tweeds produced were evaluated by experts based on the factors of novelty and appropriateness. As a result of the evaluation, all of the upcycled tweed fabrics presented excellent creativity scores. The creativity score was high when different materials, such as yarn and fabric tape and yarn and bead, were used. Tweed weaving is not difficult to perform, and our interest increased during the weaving process. The creativity of upcycling tweed fabric was discussed in depth, centered on experts who evaluated upcycling tweeds. Through this study, the possibility of popularizing the upcycling of tweed fabric using clothing waste is expected. This study is meaningful in that it presents aesthetic and functional utilization methods for decreasing clothing waste and shows the possibility of creative changes made to clothing waste.
Between Land and Sky—A Study of the Orientation of Roman Centuriations in Italy
Authors: Rodríguez-Antón Andrea , Magli Giulio , González-García Antonio César
Published: February 2023

The centuriations were public lands delimited and divided in regular lots by Rome as a result of the conquest but also the conceptual appropriation of new territories, which were transformed according to particular ideas of space. Despite previous works rejecting the astronomical hypothesis for the orientation of Roman centuriations, recent publications have supported the role of particular astronomical phenomena in the design of Roman land and urbanism in Italy. The aim of this work is to determine whether the orientation of the centuriations follows any pattern, and to determine the precepts, if any, underlying the election of privileged directions. We present a statistical study of the orientation of 67 centuriations in Italy—the largest sample of this type ever studied in this region—that considers the conditions of the surrounding environment together with a comparative analysis with a dataset of the same type that includes 52 Italian Roman towns. The results show interesting patterns shared by both centuriations and towns, some of them coinciding with relevant astronomical events in the Roman context, together with others in which differentrequirements would have been prioritized. In summary, we should consider the sky as an element involved in the creation of Roman urban and rural spaces.
Brazilian Circular Economy Pilot Project: Integrating Local Stakeholders’ Perception and Social Context in Industrial Symbiosis Analyses
Authors: Faria Emilia , Barreto Cristiane , Caldeira-Pires Armando , Streit Jorge Alfredo Cerqueira , Guarnieri Patricia
Published: February 2023

This paper aims to analyze organisations’ behaviour in the Industrial Symbiosis implementation process in the Circular Economy Pilot Project, in Brazil from the actors’ perception. We conducted an exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach to attain the research objective. The data collection involved in depth interviews with eighteen actors. Data were analyzed using the Content Analysis technique. The study results in show a still incipient industrial symbiosis network, with few connections between industrial actors, based on bilateral exchanges of materials, water and energy. From the analysis, it was possible to identify the elements that influence the behaviour of organisations. When it comes to exogenous elements, it is clear that laws and sanctions are the ones that most determine organisational action. However, this pressure is still focused on the traditional and unidirectional model of production processes. Economic viability was identified as a primary factor for the objective elements of organisational action. Regarding the subjective elements, it was found that there was already an interaction before the project between some companies, especially those from automotive sector. With the project’s initiative, this social interaction was intensified, including between companies from different sectors. Regarding the barriers, we found the absence of governmental actions, unavailability of time and involvement of the managers to fully participate in the project, high cost of waste disposal versus the cost of investment and, discontinuity of actions. Overall, the study indicates that the project increased the institutional capacity of the region to develop industrial symbiosis, as it advanced in sharing new knowledge, promoted more significant interaction between organisations and identified business opportunities for companies. However, it appears that the project’s continuity will be conditioned to improve some aspects of the governance structure, regulatory framework and collective engagement. These results can be helpful for researchers studying this topic and managers in Brazil and other emerging countries in Latin America, as well as, policymakers involved in public policies aimed to enable the transition to a circular e more sustainable model.
Grassland Health in Xilin Gol League from the Perspective of Machine Learning—Analysis of Grazing Intensity on Grassland Sustainability
Authors: Gao Zefu , Zhu Qinyu , Tao Haicheng , Jiao Yiwen
Published: February 2023

As one of the most widespread and important types of terrestrial vegetation in the world, grasslands play an irreplaceable role in global climate change. The grasslands of Inner Mongolia, represented by the Xilin Gol League, are typical of Eurasian grasslands and have an important ecological status in the world. In this paper, taking the grassland of Xilin Gol League as the research object, based on the machine learning method, we mainly carry out two aspects of work: the prediction of grassland soil health and evaluation of grassland sustainable development. To address the issue of predicting soil health in grasslands, we focus on an important indicator in grasslands: soil moisture. By analyzing the characteristics of soil moisture time series values and related influencing factors, based on a NAR neural network model, three important factors of soil moisture were predicted: soil evaporation data, average air temperature, and precipitation. Subsequently, the corresponding soil moisture calculation model was trained using regression models based on hyperparameter optimization, and the final predicted soil moisture values were obtained for different months and depths in 2023 and 2024. To evaluate the sustainability of grassland development, we developed a model for the degree of grassland desertification based on the kernel principal component analysis, focusing on three dimensions: environmental factors, surface factors, and human factors. Based on this, a quantitative definition of soil denudation is given by analyzing the main influencing factors of grassland soil degradation. At the same time, a prediction model for the evaluation of soil slumping was established based on a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation matrix, and the evaluation weights of each major factor were given and analyzed. Based on the above research, this paper suggests a reasonable grazing strategy for the grassland areas of the Xilin Gol League: when the grazing intensity is medium and the total number of grazing days is [85, 104] days in a year, the degree of soil slumping and soil desertification in the pastures is minimized. The research results of this paper are useful for the future maintenance and management of the grasslands of Xilin Gol League and other similar areas.
Open-Pit Mine Truck Dispatching System Based on Dynamic Ore Blending Decisions
Authors: Yao Jiang , Wang Zhiqiang , Chen Hongbin , Hou Weigang , Zhang Xiaomiao , Li Xu , Yuan Weixing
Published: February 2023

In the production process of open-pit mines, trucks are applied in the production process of open-pit mines for transporting ores and rocks. Most open-pit mines are equipped with dozens of trucks. It is important to plan the dispatch of trucks in the production process so that the transportation process can be the shortest in distance, the lowest in cost, and the most efficient. At present, many open-pit mining enterprises have realized the use of dispatching systems to schedule trucks to complete production tasks. However, these methods are mostly designed to deploy trucks to reduce production costs without considering the blending problem of the selected ores, and therefore it cannot meet the dual need of ore blending and dispatching. In order to solve the above technical problems and meet the actual needs of the current open-pit mine for ore blending and dispatching, this paper proposes an open-pit mine truck dispatching system based on dynamic ore blending decisions, supported by a 4G/5G wireless network, Beidou positioning, and Internet of Things technology, which can not only realize the optimized truck dispatching of open-pit mine production, but also meet the requirements of downstream concentrators for ore dressing grade. The system has been applied in the Ansteel Group QIDASHAN mine for one year. The proportion of trucks dispatched through the system reached more than 70%. The trucks’ capacity were upgraded from 3.79 to 4 million ton km per set per year, and the efficiency was improved by 5.5%. The limitations of the proposed system and method mainly include the possibility of inaccurate measurement of ore output and the lack of combination with unmanned driving.