bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statistical Modeling of Traffic Flow in Commercial Clusters Based on a Street Network
Authors: Zhou Weiqiang , Guo Haoxu , Yao Lihao
Published: January 2023

Traffic flow characterizes vitality in commercial clusters, and the accurate prediction of traffic flow based on the street network has significant implications for street planning and vitality regulation in commercial clusters. However, existing studies are limited by certain problems, such as difficulty in obtaining traffic flow data and carrying out technical methods. The purpose of this study is to use urban physical data to study traffic flow so as to quickly and effectively estimate the traffic flow in commercial clusters. This study takes the street networks of 100 commercial clusters in China as the research objects and classifies them into three forms according to the theory of “A city is not a tree”. Taking typical commercial clusters in these three forms as the research unit, space syntax was used to study five metrics of street network connectivity, and integration (Dn) was selected as a proxy variable for street network connectivity. The results show that the traffic flow in the three forms of commercial clusters can be predicted using the multiple regression models established based on the three metrics of integration, the traffic level, and the operation cycle. This study establishes the connection between the street network form and the traffic flow, which enables the possibility of obtaining the traffic flow of commercial clusters quickly and effectively. For areas with poorly structured urban data, the results can help urban planning administrators to predict the potential economic attributes using easily accessible street network data in commercial clusters.
Artificial Intelligence Tools and Techniques to Combat Herbicide Resistant Weeds—A Review
Authors: Ghatrehsamani Shirin , Jha Gaurav , Dutta Writuparna , Molaei Faezeh , Nazrul Farshina , Fortin Mathieu , Bansal Sangeeta , Debangshi Udit , Neupane Jasmine
Published: January 2023

The excessive consumption of herbicides has gradually led to the herbicide resistance weed phenomenon. Managing herbicide resistance weeds can only be explicated by applying high-tech strategies such as artificial intelligence (AI)-based methods. We review here AI-based methods and tools against herbicide-resistant weeds. There are a few commercially available AI-based tools and technologies for controlling weed, as machine learning makes the classification process significantly easy, namely remote sensing, robotics, and spectral analysis. Although AI-based techniques make outstanding improvements against herbicide resistance weeds, there are still limited applications compared to the real potential of the methods due to the challenges. In this review, we identify the need for AI-based weed management against herbicide resistance, comparative evaluation of chemical vs. non-chemical management, advances in remote sensing, and AI technology for weed identification, mapping, and management. We anticipate the ideas will contribute as a forum for establishing and adopting proven AI-based technologies in controlling more weed species across the world.
Phytoremediation of PAH- and Cu-Contaminated Soil by Cannabis sativa L.: Preliminary Experiments on a Laboratory Scale
Authors: Gabriele Ilaria , Bianco Francesco , Race Marco , Papirio Stefano , Esposito Giovanni
Published: January 2023

This study proposes the phytoremediation of phenanthrene (PHE)-, pyrene (PYR)-, and copper (Cu)-contaminated soil by Cannabis sativa L. The experimental campaign was conducted in 300 mL volume pots over a 50 d period using different initial polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, i.e., 100 (PC1), 200 (PC2), and 300 (PC3) mg ƩPAHs kg−1 dry weight of soil, while maintaining a constant Cu concentration of 350 mg∙kg−1. PHE and PYR removal was 93 and 61%, 98 and 48%, and 97 and 36% in PC1, PC2, and PC3, respectively, in the greenhouse condition. The highest Cu extraction amounted to 58 mg∙kg−1. In general, the growth of C. sativa L. under the PC1, PC2, and PC3 conditions decreased by approximately 25, 65, and 71% (dry biomass), respectively, compared to the uncontaminated control. The present study is aimed at highlighting the phytoremediation potential of C. sativa L. and providing the preliminary results necessary for future field-scale investigations.
Data-Driven Decision Making in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: A City of Cape Town Case Study
Authors: Nel Elmarie , MacLachlan Andrew , Ballinger Ollie , Cole Hugh , Cole Megan
Published: January 2023

In the event of a crisis, such as COVID-19, the decisions and subsequent actions taken by the local government are one of the primary sources of support to the local population. Yet the processes through which these decisions are reached and the data engineering advancements made for and during events are poorly reported. Understanding the capabilities and constraints in which city officials operate is essential for impactful academic research alongside global city comparison and discussion on best practices in reaching optimal and data-informed decisions. This is especially pertinent for the global South, where informality in housing and the economy presents further challenges to appropriate resource distribution in a crisis. Here, we present insights into the City of Cape Town’s data-driven response and subsequent data engineering and analytical developments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This is based upon a review of internal documentation including a close-out report which summarised semi-structured interviews with staff involved in the data work stream. The paper reports on the deliverables produced during 2020 by the data work stream and outlines specific challenges the city faced and its data-informed response in the areas of (1) quantifying costs for COVID-19 initiatives, (2) dealing with a surge in fatalities, (3) guiding scarce public resources to respond to an evolving crisis, and (4) data sharing. We demonstrate the real-term value of incorporating data into the decision-making process and conclude by outlining key factors that cities and researchers must consider as a part of the usual business to effectively assist their populations during times of stress and crisis.
Regional Differences in the Quality of Rural Development in Guangdong Province and Influencing Factors
Authors: Wu Zhao-Jun , Wu Da-Fang , Zhu Meng-Jue , Ma Pei-Fang , Li Zhao-Cheng , Liang Yi-Xuan
Published: January 2023

Achieving rural revitalization is the aim of building a strong modern socialist country. However, regional heterogeneity exists in rural development in general, and studying regional differences in rural development quality is an important prerequisite for developing specific policies for rural revitalization. This paper takes 20 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong Province as the research objects and constructs a rural-development-quality-evaluation system based on four dimensions: industrial revitalization, rural affluence, social development, and environmental livability; combines the entropy value method, hierarchical analysis method, and TOPSIS to complete the evaluation process; uses a spatial autocorrelation model and cold–hot spot analysis to explore the characteristics of regional heterogeneity of rural development in Guangdong Province; and relies on stepwise regression analysis to clarify the main influencing factors. The results show the following: (1) The average value of rural development quality in the province is 0.342, with “high in the middle and low in the surrounding area” as the main spatial characteristic. (2) The average value of environmental livability dimension is 0.580, and the high-value area is found in the northeastern part of the province. There is an outer circle distribution structure with Dongguan City as the core of the high-value area, and the score gradually decreases outward, while the average value of all other dimensions is less than 0.350. The mean value of all other dimensions is less than 0.350. (3) The social development dimension shows a cold–hot spot distribution of “hot in the northeast and low in the middle”, the rural development quality and other development dimensions show a cold–hot spot spatial pattern of “high value gathering in the middle and low value gathering in the northeast”, and there is no cold spot gathering in the environmental livability dimension. (4) The average collective assets and the construction rate of science-based communities are the main driving factors of rural development, while the coverage rate of service institutions and the Engel coefficient are the main hindering factors. This paper enriches the rural development level measurement system, clarifies the spatial differentiation and main influencing factors of rural development in Guangdong Province, and helps to provide scientific support and a theoretical basis for the differentiated promotion of rural revitalization.
An Intelligent Health Care System in Fog Platform with Optimized Performance
Authors: Tripathy Subhranshu Sekhar , Rath Mamata , Tripathy Niva , Roy Diptendu Sinha , Francis John Sharmila Anand , Bebortta Sujit
Published: January 2023

Cloud computing delivers services through the Internet and enables the deployment of a diversity of apps to provide services to many businesses. At present, the low scalability of these cloud frameworks is their primary obstacle. As a result, they are unable to satisfy the demands of centralized computer systems, which are based on the Internet of Things (IoT). Applications such as disease surveillance and tracking and monitoring systems, which are highly latency sensitive, demand the computation of the Big Data communicated to centralized databases and from databases to cloud data centers, resulting in system performance loss. Recent concepts, such as fog and edge computing, offer novel approaches to data processing by relocating the processing power and other resources closer to the end user, thereby reducing latency and maximizing energy efficiency. Existing fog models, on the other hand, have a number of limitations and tend to prioritize either the precision of their findings or a faster response time, but not both. For the purpose of applying a healthcare solution in the real world, we developed and implemented a one-of-a-kind architecture that integrates quartet deep learning with edge computing devices. The paradigm that has been developed delivers health management as a fog service through the Internet of Things (IoT) devices and efficiently organizes the data from patients based on the requirements of the user. FogBus, a fog-enabled cloud framework, is used to measure the effectiveness of the proposed structure in regards to resource usage, network throughput, congestion, precision, and runtime. To maximize the QoS or forecast the accuracy in different fog computing settings and for different user requirements, the suggested technique can be set up to run in a number of different modes.
An Experimental Study on the Determination of Shale KIC by Semi-Disk Three-Point Bending
Authors: Wang Hongjian , Zhang Wenchang , Zhao Zijiang , Cui Zhendong , Li Jian , Zeng Hao
Published: January 2023

In order to accurately test the KIC of the vertical stratification direction of shale, a semi-circular bending specimen with a linear chevron notch ligament (LCNSCB) was designed. The minimum dimensionless stress intensity factor (Y*min) of the LCNSCB specimen was calculated by the finite element method and the slice synthesis method, respectively. Two sets of prefabricated samples of the LCNSCB specimen under arrester and divider mode were used to conduct three-point bending loading experiments. The dispersion of the measured KIC value of the specimens was analyzed by standard deviation and coefficient of variation, and the reason that the KIC dispersion of specimens in divider mode was larger than in arrester mode was discussed. Compared with the experimental data of the existing literature, the data of this experiment shows that the LCNSCB specimen can avoid the disadvantage of lower measured KIC values due to a larger fracture processing zone featured in the CSTSCB and CCNBD specimens, combined with the merits of a shorter fracture processing zone of the SR or CR specimens, and the render measured the KIC value to be closer to the material’s true fracture toughness value. The narrow ligament of the LCNSCB specimen has a favorable crack propagation guiding effect, can generate consistent KIC values, and could be used to accurately test the fracture toughness of rock material in vertical bedding direction.
Examining the Interaction between Perceived Cultural Tightness and Prevention Regulatory Focus on Life Satisfaction in Italy
Authors: Contu Federico , Di Santo Daniela , Baldner Conrad , Pierro Antonio
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to investigate how some specific cultural and personal factors can influence people’s life satisfaction. By embracing an interactionist perspective, we hypothesized that perceiving one’s social environment as culturally tight (greater strength of social norms) can “match” with regulatory prevention focus (focus on safety following guidelines and rules) resulting in increased life satisfaction. This study relied on a cross-sectional design with 472 participants residing in Italy who filled out a questionnaire with self-report measures of perceived cultural tightness of their place of residence, and well-validated measurement scales of prevention focus and life satisfaction. A moderated multiple regression model revealed that regulatory prevention focus moderated the relationship between perceived cultural tightness and life satisfaction in such a way that the relationship was positive in high (vs. low) prevention focus. Therefore, results confirmed our match hypothesis that individuals’ perception of tight social norms where they reside is associated with higher life satisfaction, particularly in those who are highly focused on prevention. These findings provide insight into identifying possible interactions of perceived culture and regulatory focus on subjective well-being within an Italian sample.
A Simulated Annealing for Optimizing Assignment of E-Scooters to Freelance Chargers
Authors: Masoud Mahmoud , Elhenawy Mohammed , Liu Shi Qiang , Almannaa Mohammed , Glaser Sebastien , Alhajyaseen Wael
Published: January 2023

First- and last-mile trips are becoming increasingly expensive and detrimental to the environment, especially within dense cities. Thus, new micro-mobility transportation modes such as e-scooter sharing systems have been introduced to fill the gaps in the transportation network. Furthermore, some recent studies examined e-scooters as a green option from the standpoint of environmental sustainability. Currently, e-scooter charging is conducted by competitive freelancers who do not consider the negative environmental impact resulting from not optimizing the fuel efficiency of their charging trips. Several disputes have been recorded among freelance chargers, especially when simultaneously arriving at an e-scooters location. The paper aims to find the optimal tours for all chargers to pick up e-scooters in the form of routes, such that each route contains one charger, and each e-scooter is visited only once by the set of routes, which are typically called an E-Scooter-Chargers Allocation (ESCA) solution. This study develops a mathematical model for the assignment of e-scooters to freelance chargers and adapts a simulated annealing metaheuristic to determine a near-optimal solution. We evaluated the proposed approach using real-world instances and a benchmark-simulated dataset. Moreover, we compare the proposed model benchmark dataset to the baseline (i.e., state-of-practice). The results show a reduction of approximately 61–79% in the total distance traveled, leading to shorter charging trips.
The Impact of the Wellness Tourism Experience on Tourist Well-Being: The Mediating Role of Tourist Satisfaction
Authors: Liu Ligang , Zhou Yang , Sun Xiao
Published: January 2023

On the basis of the bottom-up spillover theory, this study explores the influence of the wellness tourism experience on tourists’ well-being. Considering wellness tourists as the research participants, tourist satisfaction, gender, and age were selected as the mediating and moderating variables, respectively, to study the mechanism between the wellness tourism experience and tourist well-being. A questionnaire survey was sent to 445 participants who engaged in wellness tourism in China, and an empirical analysis was conducted using the structural equation model. The results showed that the entertainment, esthetic, and escape experience of wellness tourism can significantly affect tourists’ hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Tourist satisfaction, as a mediating variable, can enhance the positive impact of the wellness tourism experience on tourist well-being. Moreover, gender and age have a significant moderating effect on the relationship among wellness tourism experience, tourist satisfaction, and tourist well-being. This study enriches the current scholarship in the fields of the wellness tourism experience and tourist well-being and provides a theoretical basis and scientific decision-making reference for wellness tourism enterprises and tourism management departments.
Thermodynamics Analysis of a Membrane Distillation Crystallization Ion Recovery System for Hydroponic Greenhouses Assisted with Renewable Energy
Authors: Alshebli Ragad F. , Bicer Yusuf
Published: January 2023

Sustaining agricultural demands is a typical problem, particularly in locations afflicted by the scarcity of fresh water, poor farming soil, and hot weather. The main goal of this study is to perform a thermodynamic analysis of an integrated multigeneration system containing a direct contact membrane distillation crystallization system that recovers beneficial hydroponic farming nutrients from seawater using renewable energy resources. A parametric study is carried out to determine the impacts of various factors on the system, such as changing the rate of mass flow rate, recovery ratio, and salinity. This study proposes a novel sustainable multigeneration system for seawater desalination and ions recovery using the direct contact membrane distillation crystallization system to provide the hydroponic solution and greenhouse ventilation using the dual evaporator vapor compression refrigeration system. With overall exergy efficiency and energy efficiency of 41.40%, and 39.80%, respectively, the system requires about 1182.69 kW and 5314.6 kW of electrical and thermal power in total, respectively, to desalinate 5 kg/s of seawater and recover 170 mg/s of Sulfate (SO4), 81.28 mg/s of Magnesium (Mg), 25.48 mg/s of Calcium (Ca), and 24.16 mg/s of Potassium (K), yielding about 4.4 kg/s of a hydroponic solution, and ventilating 25 greenhouses with a volume of 600 m3 of single greenhouse.
Effect of Leaf Surface Regulation of Zinc Fertilizer on Absorption of Cadmium, Plumbum and Zinc in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Hu Jingyi , Tao Ronghao , Cao Chi , Xie Junhao , Gao Yuxin , Hu Hongxiang , Ma Zhongwen , Ma Youhua
Published: January 2023

The accumulation of heavy metals in rice is bound to affect human health and safety. In order to ensure food security, this study explores the effect of leaf surface regulation of zinc (Zn) fertilizer on the safety of rice in cadmium (Cd)-plumbum (Pb) polluted farmland. Through field experiments, the leaf surface control treatment of zinc fertilizer was set up, and the effects of leaf surface control of zinc fertilizer on rice yield, Cd and Pb concentration in different parts and zinc, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration in brown rice were studied in the growing period of rice. The results showed as follows: (1) Spraying twice or more in the growth stage of rice could increase the yield by 6.77–7.29% compared with the blank, which was significantly higher than that of single spraying in a certain growth stage. (2) After spraying zinc fertilizer on the leaf surface, Cd and Pb concentration in brown rice decreased by 29.52–56.01% and 11.10–28.34%, respectively, compared with CK. Two or more times of spraying can make Cd concentration in brown rice meet the Chinese standard GB 2762-2022, and one time of spraying can make Pb concentration in brown rice meet the standard. (3) Leaf surface control of zinc fertilizer could reduce the Cd enrichment ability of rice plant parts, and the Cd enrichment coefficient of brown rice was significantly reduced by 28.18–55.02%. Leaf surface control of zinc fertilizer can reduce Cd and Pb concentration in brown rice by reducing the transport ability of heavy metal Cd and Pb in rice roots to straw and then to brown rice. (4) The zinc concentration in brown rice was 18.16–20.68 mg·kg−1, which was 18.21–34.64% higher than that in CK, and the zinc enrichment effect was the most significant after spraying three times. Meanwhile, the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium concentration in brown rice also increased with the increase of spraying times. By comprehensive analysis, the leaf surface control of zinc fertilizer can reduce the Cd and Pb concentration in rice, and the Cd and Pb concentration in brown rice can meet the Chinese standard GB 2762-2022 by spraying twice. At the same time, it can improve the concentration of zinc, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in brown rice, is feasible and has high economic benefits.
Digital Financial Inclusion, Financial Efficiency and Green Innovation
Authors: Li Yanru , Sun Guanglin , Gao Qiang , Cheng Changming
Published: January 2023

The financing difficulty of green innovation projects has always been an obstacle to enterprises’ green innovation. Digital financial inclusion provides a new opportunity to solve the financing difficulty of green innovation. Based on the construction of a theoretical framework for digital financial inclusion to influence green innovation, this study empirically analyzes the impact and mechanism of digital financial inclusion on green innovation by using the provincial panel data of China from 2011 to 2020. The results show that digital financial inclusion has a significant positive impact on green innovation. The promotion effect of the development of digital financial inclusion on green innovation is mainly driven by the depth of digital financial inclusion use and the digitalization of financial inclusion. The results of the intermediary effect analysis show that digital financial inclusion can promote green innovation by alleviating capital misallocation and improving financial efficiency.
Study on the Cell Magnification Equivalent Method in Out-of-Plane Compression Simulations of Aluminum Honeycomb
Authors: Qiao Yuning , Peng Yong , Cheng Ping , Zhou Xuefei , Wang Fang , Li Fan , Wang Kui , Yu Chao , Wang Honggang
Published: January 2023

The large scale and long calculation times are unavoidable problems in modeling honeycomb structures with large sizes and dense cells. The cell magnification equivalent is the main method to solve those problems. This study finds that honeycomb structures with the same thickness-to-length ratios have the same mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics. The improved equivalent finite element models of honeycomb structures with the same thickness-to-length ratios were established and validated by experiments. Based on the validated finite element model of the equivalent honeycomb structures, the out-of-plane compression behaviors of honeycomb structures were analyzed by LS-DYNA software. The results show that the performance of honeycomb structures is not equivalent before and after cell magnification. Thus, the cell magnification results were further subjected to CORA (correlation analysis) to determine the magnification time and prove the accuracy of the cell magnification time through drop-weight impact tests. In addition, a first-order decay exponential function (ExpDec1) for predicting cell magnification time was obtained by analyzing the relationship between the cell wall length and the cell magnification time.
Performances of the Soil–Bentonite Cutoff Wall Composited with Geosynthetic Clay Liners: Large-Scale Model Tests and Numerical Simulations
Authors: Zhan Liang-Tong , Cao Lin-Feng , Zhao Rui , Ding Zhao-Hua , Xie Shi-Ping , Chen Yun-Min
Published: January 2023

The geosynthetic clay liner (GCL) overlap plays a key role in maintaining hydraulic performance of the barrier systems, e.g., the bottom liner and cover systems. However, its influences on the behavior of the vertical barrier have been rarely investigated. This paper aims to address this issue using the large-scale model test and 3-dimensional finite element (FE) modeling. In the model test, the GCL overlap at the width of 500 mm was tested under a constant hydraulic head of 1 m and confining stress ranging from 10 to 150 kPa using a newly developed large-scale apparatus. Compared with the flexible wall permeameter, this apparatus could guarantee full field-scale GCL overlap to be tested. Results showed that the effective hydraulic conductivity of the GCL overlap decreased from 10−8 to 10−9 cm/s as the confining stress increased from 10 to 150 kPa. The addition of supplemental bentonite paste in between the overlap with a water-to-bentonite ratio of 19:1 contributed to reducing the effective hydraulic conductivity by 60% compared with that for a GCL overlap without bentonite paste. The breakthrough time for the soil-bentonite (SB) cutoff wall composited with GCLs was 64% longer in comparison with that for the single SB wall. Additionally, the breakthrough after 50 years is made for the entire depth of the single SB wall while at the depth no more than 0.9 m for the composite wall with bentonite paste at the GCL overlap. With consideration that the depth of the groundwater table is generally greater than 1 m, the GCL–SB composite cutoff wall will exhibit a good performance in containing groundwater contaminants in the field, especially when applying bentonite paste at the GCL overlap.
Development Trends and Potential in the Field of Virtual Tourism after the COVID-19 Pandemic: Generation Z Example
Authors: Bilińska Katarzyna , Pabian Barbara , Pabian Aleksander , Reformat Beata
Published: January 2023

Until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual tourism was not as popular as during its duration in 2021, when traveling in the real world was not possible due to social isolation and forced quarantine. In response to the lockdown and the lack of freedom of movement around the world, tourists decided to travel in cyberspace during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this way only, and without leaving home, could they visit tourist attractions, watch museum exhibitions, participate in various media events and take virtual walks. After the “unfreezing” of tourism, the time has now come to adapt tourism to the post-pandemic normality. The aim of the paper is to discover whether the new trend of online tourism that developed during the pandemic will stay with us forever and how it will evolve, especially for Generation Z, who are just entering the labor market but who, at the same time, will determine the future of tourism soon. The research results show that as the pandemic restrictions disappear, the need to experience various forms of tourism in places previously viewed in cyberspace (virtually), occurs among the representatives of Generation Z. Thus, virtual tourism is a form that precedes and complements a real journey. The qualitative method was chosen for the research conducted in Poland. The research was carried out in 2022. A total of 40 focus groups of 7 people each (N = 280) participated in the research. They consisted of Generation Z representatives born after 1995; the oldest of them will be 27 in 2022. In parallel, the method of in-depth individual interviews was used in the research. In order to reach the participants, a non-random sample was chosen using the “snowball” method. In total, 100 people took part in the in-depth individual interview. The two-track research allowed to obtain a total sample of N = 380.
Determinants of Adoption and Dis-Adoption of Integrated Pest Management Practices in the Suppression of Mango Fruit Fly Infestation: Evidence from Embu County, Kenya
Authors: Otieno Samuel Jeff , Ritho Cecilia Nyawira , Nzuma Jonathan Makau , Muriithi Beatrice Wambui
Published: January 2023

This study evaluates the drivers of the adoption and dis-adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices in the suppression of mango fruit-fly infestation in Embu County, Kenya. It employs a Correlated Random Effects Probit Model and a Discrete-time Proportional Hazard Model on two-wave panel data of 149 mango farmers selected using a cluster sampling technique. The descriptive results show that 59% and 17% of the respondents were adopters and dis-adopters of mango fruit fly IPM practices, respectively. Empirical findings reveal that the cost of IPM and training on IPM positively and significantly influenced adoption, while the unavailability of the technology had a negative and significant effect on adoption. For dis-adoption, the results indicate that farm size and the quality of IPM positively influenced the hazard of exit from IPM use, and hence, enhanced the sustained adoption of IPM. The study recommends capacity building for mango farmers through training and increased access to extension services to enhance the adoption of this technology and prevent dis-adoption.
How Does Digital Transformation Facilitate Enterprise Total Factor Productivity? The Multiple Mediators of Supplier Concentration and Customer Concentration
Authors: Zhang Hua , Zhang Qiwang
Published: January 2023

Nowadays, no organization or sector is immune to the influences of digital transformation. It has been generally recognized as a significant promoter of corporate efficiency and effectiveness. However, the literature on whether and how digital transformation can facilitate corporate total factor productivity is scarce. In this case, this paper aims to empirically investigate whether and how digital transformation can boost a firm’s total factor productivity. Using a sample of Chinese listed companies from 2007–2020 and structural equation model analyses in STATA 16.0, this paper identifies that (1) digital technology, one dimension of digital transformation, has no significant effects on enterprise total factor productivity, while digital application, the other dimension of digital transformation, can directly enhance enterprise total factor productivity; (2) both digital technology and digital application can indirectly boost enterprise total factor productivity through the decreasing of supplier concentration; and (3) digital technology adversely affects enterprise total factor productivity through the increasing of customer concentration, and digital application may positively affect enterprise total factor productivity through the decreasing of customer concentration. Our study is one of the first to explore the mediating effect mechanism of the relationship between digital transformation and enterprise total factor productivity from the perspective of supply chain management.
Electrochemical Polarization as a Sustainable Method for the Formation of Bronze Patina Layers on a Quaternary Copper Alloy: Insight into Patina Morphology and Corrosion Behaviour
Authors: González-Parra Rafael , Covelo Alba , Barba Arturo , Hernández Miguel
Published: January 2023

The bronze patina is aesthetically pleasing and enhances the corrosion resistance of the metallic object. This corrosion product layer can develop naturally, through aging or artificially. However, artificial methods require substances that are hazardous to human health and the environment. In this study, a sustainable approach to patina development, based on the anodic polarization of a 85.5Cu-4.2Pb-4.5Sn-5.7Zn copper alloy immersed in 0.1 M NaCl + 0.01 M NaHCO3 were characterized using polarization curves, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, electrochemical noise measurements, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the anodic potential modifies the current density as well as the diffusion coefficient of oxygen associated with a thicker corrosion product layer. Electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy and electrochemical noise show that the porous behaviour and corrosion resistance increases as the potential becomes more anodic due to the formation of a protective layer. This behaviour corresponded with the results acquired by chronoamperometry. The surface characterization shows that the potential applied changes the surface morphology and composition of the corrosion products, being identified the crystalline phases of nantokite and atacamite although Cu, Cl, O, Zn, and Pb elements were also detected.
Fruit Image Classification Model Based on MobileNetV2 with Deep Transfer Learning Technique
Authors: Gulzar Yonis
Published: January 2023

Due to the rapid emergence and evolution of AI applications, the utilization of smart imaging devices has increased significantly. Researchers have started using deep learning models, such as CNN, for image classification. Unlike the traditional models, which require a lot of features to perform well, CNN does not require any handcrafted features to perform well. It uses numerous filters, which extract required features from images automatically for classification. One of the issues in the horticulture industry is fruit classification, which requires an expert with a lot of experience. To overcome this issue an automated system is required which can classify different types of fruits without the need for any human effort. In this study, a dataset of a total of 26,149 images of 40 different types of fruits was used for experimentation. The training and test set were randomly recreated and divided into the ratio of 3:1. The experiment introduces a customized head of five different layers into MobileNetV2 architecture. The classification layer of the MobileNetV2 model is replaced by the customized head, which produced the modified version of MobileNetV2 called TL-MobileNetV2. In addition, transfer learning is used to retain the pre-trained model. TL-MobileNetV2 achieves an accuracy of 99%, which is 3% higher than MobileNetV2, and the equal error rate of TL-MobileNetV2 is just 1%. Compared to AlexNet, VGG16, InceptionV3, and ResNet, the accuracy is better by 8, 11, 6, and 10%, respectively. Furthermore, the TL-MobileNetV2 model obtained 99% precision, 99% for recall, and a 99% F1-score. It can be concluded that transfer learning plays a big part in achieving better results, and the dropout technique helps to reduce the overfitting in transfer learning.
Research on Green and Low-Carbon Rural Development in China: A Scientometric Analysis Using CiteSpace (1979–2021)
Authors: Liu Bin , Lu Chan , Yi Chun
Published: January 2023

Green and low-carbon rural development (GLRD) is becoming an important way to explore sustainable development in rural areas of China. It is significant for the sustainable development of the rural economy and of society to build a rural carbon sink system, advocate low-carbon emissions in rural areas, and promote the development of rural green industries and rural transformation. In this study, the existing knowledge system of GLRD was analyzed using CiteSpace. Keywords related to GLRD and their occurrence frequency were identified using keyword co-occurrence analysis. The knowledge evolution stages of GLRD were explored using citation burst analysis. Thus, the evolution of the research related to GLRD was revealed. The summary of Chinese GLRD-related research literature shows that: (1) according to the CiteSpace analysis, the GLRD research can be divided into three stages: starting, rising, and expanding and deepening; (2) GLRD research has focused on low-carbon development, green development, and then green and low-carbon integrated development, thus forming three major research content systems; (3) GLRD’s research content gradually became rich, as over time, the research focus became increasingly prominent and research integration was gradually strengthened; (4) the GLRD literature still has some limitations, e.g., nonunified measurement standards, insufficient research depth and practical significance, and relatively weak innovative policy research; (5) future research should strengthen the scientific evaluation and prediction of rural green and low-carbon functions. The industrial development pathways and regional characteristic modes of GLRD should be further studied. Innovative GLRD policies should be proposed to provide a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for GLRD and construction.
A Hybrid Variable Weight Theory Approach of Hierarchical Analysis and Multi-Layer Perceptron for Landslide Susceptibility Evaluation: A Case Study in Luanchuan County, China
Authors: Li Minghong , Guo Yuanxiang , Luo Danyuan , Ma Chuanming
Published: January 2023

Landslides, which can cause significant losses of lives or property damages, result from several different environmental factors whose influences are very complex. Thus, the statistical multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and heuristic analytical hierarchy process (AHP) are employed in the evaluation of landslide susceptibility. However, the landslide susceptibility maps drawn by these two methods are always affected by subjectivity and randomness. In the present study, we introduce variable weight theory (VW) to improve the MLP and AHP methods, and two novel hybrid models, AHP-VW and MLP-VW, are respectively proposed. VW theory is used to redistribute the weights of the factors in the two constant weight evaluations. This is so that the weights of the factors change with different evaluation units, thereby eliminating the subjectivity and randomness problems. The landslide susceptibility maps of the study area were categorized into very low, low, moderate, high, and very high susceptibility grades. The landslide susceptibility maps of the four models are validated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The area under the curve (AUC) is 0.825 for the AHP model, 0.879 for the MLP model, 0.873 for the AHP-VW model, and 0.915 for the MLP-VW model. The results show that the landslide susceptibility map drawn by statistical MLP is better than that drawn by heuristic AHP, which is consistent with many other current research results. Furthermore, VW can significantly improve the performance of constant-weight single models. Landslide susceptibility maps drawn by the statistical MLP model hybrid VW can be used for regional land use planning and landslide hazard mitigation purposes.
Sustainable Status Assessment of the Transit-Oriented Development in Doha’s Education City
Authors: Al-Mohannadi Mooza , Awwaad Reem , Furlan Raffaello , Grosvald Michael , Al-Matwi Rashid , Isaifan Rima J.
Published: January 2023

Doha, the capital of the State of Qatar, has seen rapid growth in recent years, resulting in challenges that can be addressed through sustainable urban design strategies. Such approaches, including Transit-Oriented Development, aim to provide compact urban forms with mixed-use development enabling easy access to the city’s transit services. In light of such objectives, and with the 2022 World Cup being hosted in Qatar, the government has invested heavily in its public transportation system and in implementing Transit-Oriented Development. This work presents an analysis of the current status of Transit-Oriented Development in the knowledge hub in Doha known as Education City. A case study methodology was used, which included site observation, photographic documentation, mapping, and statistical analysis based on recent census data. The analysis shows that the use of public transportation throughout the site is relatively low, largely due to the region’s hot climate and the local mobility culture, in which there is a general preference for private vehicle use. The culmination of this investigation is a master plan for the study area, which foresees further enhancement of the area while still holding to the aims of Transit-Oriented Development. To this end, key recommendations for modifying the prevailing mobility culture are suggested, such as increasing the availability of multimodal transportation in order to improve public transportation functionality and modifying certain aspects of the public transportation system so that it is convenient and comfortable, even during periods of very hot weather. The findings of this study highlight the potential of urban design to change people’s behavior and increase awareness of multimodal transport options.
Study on the Relationship between Indoor Vertical Greening and Oxygen Content in High-Rise Buildings
Authors: Liu Yang , Wang Xin , Xie Guilin , Zhao Congcong
Published: January 2023

This article clarifies the quantitative relationship between vertical greening, indoor ventilation, and the oxygen content in high-rise buildings, with the aim of determining values for a high-oxygen-content threshold to assess the ventilation and greening of high-rise buildings. The quantitative index could be provided to architects to assist in the sustainable design of vertical greening in high-rise buildings. The quantitative index offers an effective, convenient, and environmentally friendly oxygen-content-testing method for interior spaces, while avoiding the air pollution caused by the current red phosphorus combustion method. Firstly, a floor of a high-rise building in Harbin was selected for on-site and fixed-point experiments. Secondly, through the design of a candle-burning experiment in a gas bottle, we measured the change in candle-burning time before and after installing vertical greening, as well as under different ventilation states. Finally, the changes in relative oxygen content in each functional space before and after vertical greening and under different ventilation states were statistically analyzed. The results showed that there was a potential correlation between indoor oxygen content and vertical greening placement in high-rise buildings; this correlation was found to be directly related to room orientation, the degree of the plants’ photosynthesis, and indoor airflow. In general, vertical greening should be placed in south-facing rooms. For daily ventilation, two or more windows should be opened to ensure convection in rooms, which can increase their oxygen content.
Consumer Perceptions of Food Packaging in Its Role in Fighting Food Waste
Authors: Brennan Linda , Francis Caroline , Jenkins Eva L. , Schivinski Bruno , Jackson Michaela , Florence Eloise , Parker Lukas , Langley Sophie , Lockrey Simon , Verghese Karli , Phan-Le Nhat Tram , Hill Allister , Ryder Maddison
Published: January 2023

Consumers are vital stakeholders in creating and reducing food waste. However, limited research into consumers’ perceptions of food waste and food packaging is available to inform research, packaging design or policy so that sustainable consumption practices among consumers might be better encouraged and enabled. By applying multivariate linear modelling to a sample of 965 Australian consumers, this study investigated consumers’ perceptions of packaging and packaging’s relationship to food waste. Overall, consumers perceived packaging waste as a more serious environmental issue than food waste. Most consumers did not consider food waste as an extreme environmental issue. Consumers’ perceptions of the seriousness of food waste also influenced their perceptions of packaging designed to reduce food waste. Significant differences between men and women and older and younger consumers were found regarding the relationship between packaging and food waste as well as food waste as an environmental issue. This study provides a detailed understanding of consumers and packaging, and it alerts designers and decision-makers to the differing attitudes towards food and packaging waste as well as the likelihood of consumers taking up more sustainable consumption practices.
Growth Performance, Meat Quality, Welfare and Behavior Indicators of Broilers Fed Diets Supplemented with Yarrowia lipolytica Yeast
Authors: Dedousi Anna , Patsios Sotiris I. , Kritsa Maria-Zoi , Kontogiannopoulos Konstantinos N. , Ioannidou Maria , Zdragas Antonios , Sossidou Evangelia N.
Published: January 2023

This study investigated the dietary impact of dried Yarrowia lipolytica yeast (YLP) on the growth performance, meat quality, welfare and behavior indicators of broilers. It was performed in a commercial poultry farm using 108 13 day-old Ross 308 male broilers. The chicks were randomly and equally divided into three dietary groups CON, YLP3 and YLP5, according to the incorporation rate of YLP in the feed (0%, 3%, and 5%, respectively). A positive effect on foot pad dermatitis (FPD) of YLP-fed broilers was observed without any adverse effects on welfare, behavior, meat quality and the overall growth performance of the broilers. YLP significantly decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) values in breast and thigh meat. YLP3 birds presented a superior nutrient quality of breast meat, as indicated by the increased concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), decreased levels of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), a better PUFA/SFA ratio and improved health lipid indices. A significant elevation of n-3 PUFAs was observed in the thigh meat of YLP-fed groups, compared to the CON groups. A positive effect on the overall sensory acceptance of thigh meat was detected in the YLP5 group. YLP feeding, at the rate of 3%, seems to be beneficial for improving the meat nutrition quality.
The Need to Maintain Sustainability in the Dynamic Anthropogenic Changes in the Natural Landscape of the Bay of Pomerania in Poland
Authors: Krasowska Katarzyna , Paszkowski Zbigniew W.
Published: January 2023

This article presents a research study into the dynamics of negative changes to the almost untouched coastal landscape of the Bay of Pomerania on the south-western coast of the Baltic Sea, taking into consideration the impact of the spatial development of the port of Świnoujście and of the development of leisure facilities in the small fishing villages of the Baltic coast. The authors highlight the natural landscape dynamics resulting from the topography, the aggression of the Baltic Sea against the beaches and sandy moraine hills, the dynamics of phyto-biological development in the endemic natural environment, and the dynamics of anthropogenic landscape changes resulting from the oversized spatial development of both residential and industrial buildings, as well as intermodal and port infrastructure development. The study analyzes natural values and their importance for both health and recreational purposes and shows the disproportional impact of economic/industrial development on the study area in recent times. The research was undertaken to verify the necessity of maintaining sustainability in the anthropogenic and industrial development undertaken in those areas, in order to protect sensitive ecological areas and to provide environmental compensation for the negative landscape changes already produced.