bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Innovative Preparation, Characterization, and Optimization of Nanocellulose Fibers (NCF) Using Ultrasonic Waves
Authors: Alanazi Abdullah K.
Published: May 2022

Recently, environmental and ecological concerns have become a major issue owing to the shortage of resources, high cost, and so forth. In my research, I present an innovative, environmentally friendly, and economical way to prepare nanocellulose from grass wastes with a sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) solution of different concentrations (1–6% mol) at different times 10–80 min, washed with distilled water, and treated with ultrasonic waves. The optimum yield of the isolated cellulose was 95%, 90%, and 87% NaClO at 25 °C for 20 min and with NaOH and H2SO4 at 25 °C with 5% M, respectively. The obtained samples were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of test temperature and reaction times on the crystallinity index (IC) of GNFC with different treated mediums was carried out and investigated. The IC was analyzed using the diffraction pattern and computed according to the Segal empirical method (method A), and the sum of the area under the crystalline adjusted peaks (method B) and their values proved that the effect of temperature is prominent. In both methods, GNFC/H2SO4 had the highest value followed by GNFC/NaOH, GNFC/NaClO and real sample nano fiber cellulose (RSNFC). The infrared spectral features showed no distinct changes of the four cellulose specimens at different conditions. The particle size distribution data proved that low acid concentration hydrolysis was not sufficient to obtain nano-sized cellulose particles. The Zeta potential was higher in accordance with (GNFC/H2SO4 > GNFC/NaOH > GNFC/NaClO), indicating the acid higher effect.
Microplastics Determination in Gastrointestinal Tracts of European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and Gilt-Head Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) from Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)
Authors: Sánchez-Almeida Raquel , Hernández-Sánchez Cintia , Villanova-Solano Cristina , Díaz-Peña Francisco Javier , Clemente Sabrina , González-Sálamo Javier , González-Pleiter Miguel , Hernández-Borges Javier
Published: May 2022

Microplastic pollution has an extremely widespread distribution, to the extent that microplastics could be ingested by aquatic organisms, including species of commercial importance for fisheries and aquaculture. In this work, the anthropogenic particles content of the gastrointestinal tracts of 86 individuals of cultivated European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax, n = 45) and gilt-head sea bream (Sparus aurata, n = 41) from Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain) was determined. Samples were bought at local markets and directly transported to the laboratory. After the dissection of the fishes and digestion of the gastrointestinal tracts in 10% KOH (w/v) at 60 °C for 24 h, the digests were filtered (50 µm stainless-steel mesh) and visualized under a stereomicroscope, finding that most of the items were colourless (47.7% for Dicentrarchus labrax and 60.9% for Sparus aurata) and blue (35.3% vs. 24.8%) microfibers, with an average length of 1957 ± 1699 µm and 1988 ± 1853 µm, respectively. Moreover, 15.3% of the microfibres were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, showing the prevalence of cellulosic fibres together with polyester, polyacrylonitrile, and poly(ether-urethane). This pattern (microplastics shapes, colours, sizes, and composition) clearly agrees with previous studies carried out in the Canary Islands region regarding the determination of microplastics in the marine environment.
Antimicrobial Biomaterial on Sutures, Bandages and Face Masks with Potential for Infection Control
Authors: Edis Zehra , Bloukh Samir Haj , Sara Hamed Abu , Azelee Nur Izyan Wan
Published: May 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a challenge for the survival of the human race. The steady rise of resistant microorganisms against the common antimicrobials results in increased morbidity and mortality rates. Iodine and a plethora of plant secondary metabolites inhibit microbial proliferation. Antiseptic iodophors and many phytochemicals are unaffected by AMR. Surgical site and wound infections can be prevented or treated by utilizing such compounds on sutures and bandages. Coating surgical face masks with these antimicrobials can reduce microbial infections and attenuate their burden on the environment by re-use. The facile combination of Aloe Vera Barbadensis Miller (AV), Trans-cinnamic acid (TCA) and Iodine (I2) encapsulated in a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) matrix seems a promising alternative to common antimicrobials. The AV-PVP-TCA-I2 formulation was impregnated into sterile discs, medical gauze bandages, surgical sutures and face masks. Morphology, purity and composition were confirmed by several analytical methods. Antimicrobial activity of AV-PVP-TCA-I2 was investigated by disc diffusion methods against ten microbial strains in comparison to gentamycin and nystatin. AV-PVP-TCA-I2 showed excellent antifungal and strong to intermediate antibacterial activities against most of the selected pathogens, especially in bandages and face masks. The title compound has potential use for prevention or treatment of surgical site and wound infections. Coating disposable face masks with AV-PVP-TCA-I2 may be a sustainable solution for their re-use and waste management.
Intumescent Silicate Coatings with the Addition of Alkali-Activated Materials
Authors: Cirstea Nicoleta Florentina , Badanoiu Alina , Boscornea Aurelian Cristian
Published: May 2022

Fireproof inorganic coatings based on sodium silicate solution with intumescent additions were prepared and tested to assess their ability to limit the negative effect of a fire. The intumescent materials were obtained by the alkali activation of waste glass powder (obtained by the grinding of recycled soda-lime culet) and slag (waste resulting from the metallurgical industry). The replacement of talc (used as filler in paint formulation) with the intumescent materials obtained by the alkaline activation of waste glass powder (WGP), determined an increase in the intumescence coefficient (up to 65%) and decreased the activation temperature of this process. To evaluate these coatings’ abilities to prevent or delay the temperature increase in metal structures, the paints were applied on steel plates and tested in direct contact with the flame of a butane burner for 60 min. The coatings prevented the increase in the steel substrate temperature over one considered critical (500°C) for steel mechanical properties; the combination of two coatings, with different intumescence activation temperatures, correlated with the increase in the coating’s thickness, sensibly reduced the rate of temperature increase (up to 75%) in the steel substrate.
Formulation and Characterization of Gum Arabic Stabilized Red Rice Extract Nanoemulsion
Authors: Bains Aarti , Najda Agnieszka , Chawla Prince , Klepacka Joanna , Dhull Sanju Bala , Sadh Pardeep Kumar , Khan Mohammed Azhar , Kaushik Ravinder
Published: May 2022

Interest in the utilization of plant-based bioactive compounds in foods has increased due to their biochemical activities and as alternatives in the reduction of high concentrations of chemical utilization. However, some of these additives are hydrophobic, thus being harder to disperse into the hydrophilic food matrix. Therefore, an oil-in-water nanoemulsion (RRE1-RRE10) was formulated with different concentrations of red rice extract (1–10% w/v). Nanoemulsion showed droplet sizes within the range of 157.33–229.71 nm and the best formulation (RRE5) was selected based on the creaming index which was stable to flocculation over a range of temperatures (30–90 °C), pH (2–9), and salt concentration (100–600 mM). It showed significantly improved antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity as compared to its other counterparts. Potential antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus was attributed to RRE5 nanoemulsion as compared to Escherichia coli. Therefore, due to the potential bioactivity of RRE5 nanoemulsion, it can be scaled up at the industrial level.
Process-Induced Morphology of Poly(Butylene Adipate Terephthalate)/Poly(Lactic Acid) Blown Extrusion Films Modified with Chain-Extending Cross-Linkers
Authors: Azevedo Juliana V. C. , Ramakers-van Dorp Esther , Grimmig Roman , Hausnerova Berenika , Möginger Bernhard
Published: May 2022

Process-induced changes in the morphology of biodegradable polybutylene adipate terephthalate (PBAT) and polylactic acid (PLA) blends modified with various multifunctional chain-extending cross-linkers (CECLs) are presented. The morphology of unmodified and modified films produced with blown film extrusion is examined in an extrusion direction (ED) and a transverse direction (TD). While FTIR analysis showed only small peak shifts indicating that the CECLs modify the molecular weight of the PBAT/PLA blend, SEM investigations of the fracture surfaces of blown extrusion films revealed their significant effect on the morphology formed during the processing. Due to the combined shear and elongation deformation during blown film extrusion, rather spherical PLA islands were partly transformed into long fibrils, which tended to decay to chains of elliptical islands if cooled slowly. The CECL introduction into the blend changed the thickness of the PLA fibrils, modified the interface adhesion, and altered the deformation behavior of the PBAT matrix from brittle to ductile. The results proved that CECLs react selectively with PBAT, PLA, and their interface. Furthermore, the reactions of CECLs with PBAT/PLA induced by the processing depended on the deformation directions (ED and TD), thus resulting in further non-uniformities of blown extrusion films.
Constant Speed Control of Hydraulic Travel System Based on Neural Network Algorithm
Authors: Ye Haoyun , Ni Xiangdong , Chen Huajun , Li Daolin , Pan Wenlong
Published: May 2022

In order to solve the problems of poor stability of the output speed and poor synchronization of the pump-controlled dual motor in a hydraulic travel system during step input speed and external load disturbance, different control strategies were designed and compared with the state machine using the statechart module control, Z-N frequency response PID control, and GA-based PID parameter self-tuning methods. Our analysis shows that the BP algorithm-based PID parameter self-tuning control method has no overshoot and that the three methods reduced the target speed tracking time by 90.11%, 75.12% and 36.55%, respectively. The average synchronous error for the system output speed was 7.95%. The stability and synchronization requirements of the constant speed of the hydraulic travel system were satisfied. These research results can provide a reference for the design and application of constant speed control for pump-controlled dual-motor hydraulic travel systems in the fields of engineering and agricultural machinery.
Transient Pressure Behavior of Volume Fracturing Horizontal Wells in Fractured Stress-Sensitive Tight Oil Reservoirs
Authors: Li Zhong , Yan Xinjiang , Wen Min , Bi Gang , Ma Nan , Ren Zongxiao
Published: May 2022

Tight oil reservoirs tend to contain more natural fractures, and the presence of natural fractures leads to a greater stress sensitivity in tight oil reservoirs. It is a very challenging task to model the seepage in the volume fracturing horizontal wells considering the stress-sensitive effects. Based on the Laplace transform, Perturbation transform and Stefest numerical inversion, this paper establishes a horizontal well seepage model for volume fracturing in fractured stress-sensitive tight oil reservoirs. This model allows us to analyze and study the effect of stress sensitivity, fracture interference, dual media and complex fracture network on seepage flow in tight oil reservoirs. We apply the model to delineate the seepage stages of volume fracturing horizontal wells, it can be divided into seven seepage stages I wellbore storage flow, II surface flow stage, III transition flow, IV natural fracture system proposed radial flow, V interporosity flow, VI system proposed radial flow and VII stress-sensitive flow stage. Wellbore storage coefficient mainly affects the flow in the wellbore storage stage. The larger the wellbore storage coefficient is, the longer the duration of wellbore storage flow will be. The higher the skin coefficient is, the greater the pressure drop is. The storage capacity ratio has a greater influence on the flow before the occurrence of channeling flow, and the “groove” depth on the derivative curve of dimensionless pressure drop becomes shallower with the increase in storage capacity ratio. The higher the channeling coefficient is, the earlier the channeling occurs from the matrix system to the natural fracture system and the more leftwing the “groove” position is.
Understanding the Socio-Demographic Profile of Waste Re-Users in a Suburban Setting in South Africa
Authors: Lange Samantha Louise , Senekane Mpinane Flory , Naicker Nisha
Published: May 2022

Minimising waste through re-use thereof is the third tier of the waste minimisation hierarchy. Understanding the socio-demographic profile of waste re-users can assist in developing effective waste minimisation strategies and programmes. The objective of this paper was to understand the socio-demographic profile of waste re-users and determine whether this affected their re-use activities and pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). This was a cross-sectional study conducted in three randomly selected suburbs in Gauteng, South Africa (n = 150). The data was retrieved using a questionnaire and multivariate analysis using a MAONVA test was conducted to assess which factors were associated with PEB and waste re-use. Women re-used plastic containers more than males and homeowners re-used glass jars more than tenants. The level of education had no significant bearing on specific re-use activities. Multivariate analysis results indicate that gender, age groups and type/status of homeownership played a significant role in statements that negatively influence waste re-use. Based on the results of this study, the best candidates for re-use activities and PEB in suburban communities in South Africa are women homeowners aged between 31 and 50 years.
The Key to Sustainable Economic Development: A Triple Bottom Line Approach
Authors: Nogueira Elisabete , Gomes Sofia , Lopes João M.
Published: May 2022

Concerns about improving social, environmental, and economic living standards are the basis of the triple bottom line (TBL) link to economic development (ED). Aware of the importance of studying their relationship, this article analysed the influence of TBL on ED. A quantitative methodology was used. The sample comprised a panel of data from 2006 to 2019 for OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. Five multiple linear regression models were estimated by the generalised method of moments. The results of this study revealed that the social dimension of TBL boosts ED, the environmental dimension of TBL slows down ED, and the economic dimension of TBL contains conflicting synergies in ED. The Human Development Index (HDI) should now include indicators of environmental wellbeing. Governments should adopt policies to improve social wellbeing to boost ED, work to coordinate the objectives of environmental protection and ED, and combat vulnerabilities arising from public debt. As one of the first studies to assess the influence of TBL on ED at the country level, the present findings contribute to the reflection about the influence of TBL on a country’s ED and strengthens the discussion around the influence of different dimensions of TBL.
On-Board Crowd Counting and Density Estimation Using Low Altitude Unmanned Aerial Vehicles—Looking beyond Beating the Benchmark
Authors: Ptak Bartosz , Pieczyński Dominik , Piechocki Mateusz , Kraft Marek
Published: May 2022

Recent advances in deep learning-based image processing have enabled significant improvements in multiple computer vision fields, with crowd counting being no exception. Crowd counting is still attracting research interest due to its potential usefulness for traffic and pedestrian stream monitoring and analysis. This study considered a specific case of crowd counting, namely, counting based on low-altitude aerial images collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle. We evaluated a range of neural network architectures to find ones appropriate for on-board image processing using edge computing devices while minimising the loss in performance. Through experiments on a range of neural network architectures, we also showed that the input image resolution significantly impacts the prediction quality and should be considered an important factor before going for a more complex neural network model to improve accuracy. Moreover, by extending a state-of-the-art benchmark with more in-depth testing, we showed that larger models might be prone to overfitting because of the relative scarcity of training data.
Comparing Coarse-Resolution Land Surface Temperature Products over Western Australia
Authors: Botje Dirk , Dewan Ashraf , Chakraborty TC
Published: May 2022

Satellite-derived land surface temperature (LST) has commonly been used to monitor global temperature changes. The MODIS MYD11A2 product is the most common coarse-resolution product used for this purpose. An updated MODIS product (MYD21A2) and new VIIRS (VNP21A2) product have also recently become available. This study analyses eight-day, quality-controlled, LST imagery over Western Australia (WA) for the three products for an urban and a non-urban area for the years 2013, 2016, and 2019. An analysis of the data indicates that (i) the averaged daytime LST difference between the three products for Perth city over the three years was 1.32 °C, while at night it was 0.89 °C; (ii) the averaged daytime difference over the Kimberley region was 7.02 °C with a night average difference of 2.39 °C; and (iii) both the MYD21A2 and VNP21A2 products still appear to record anomalous monthly LST values, particularly in the humid Kimberley monsoonal months. The overall objective of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is to ensure that the LST values of the two satellite system products are comparable, so evidence of LST value differences will require further investigation, especially if the older product is to be replaced by the newer systems.
Spectral Unmixing Based Approach for Measuring Gas Flaring from VIIRS NTL Remote Sensing Data: Case of the Flare FIT-M8-101A-1U, Algeria
Authors: Benhalouche Fatima Zohra , Benharrats Farah , Bouhlala Mohammed Amine , Karoui Moussa Sofiane
Published: May 2022

During the oil extraction procedure, natural gases escape from wells, and the process of recuperating such gases requires important investments from oil and gas companies. That is why, most often, they favor burning them with flares. This practice, which is frequently employed by oil-producing companies, is a major cause of greenhouse gas emissions. Under growing demands from the World Bank and environmental defenders, many producer countries are devoted to decreasing gas flaring. For this reason, several researchers in the oil and gas industry, academia, and governments are working to propose new methods for estimating flared gas volumes, and among the most used techniques are those that exploit remote sensing data, particularly Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Nighttime Light (NTL) ones. Indeed, it is possible to extract, from such data, some physical parameters of flames produced by gas flares. In this investigation, a linear spectral unmixing-based approach, which addresses the spectral variability phenomenon, was designed to estimate accurate physical parameters from VIIRS NTL data. Then, these parameters are used to derive flared gas volumes through intercepting zero polynomial regression models that exploit in situ measurements. Experiments based on synthetic data were first conducted to validate the proposed linear spectral unmixing-based approach. Second, experiments based on real VIIRS NTL data covering the flare, named FIT-M8-101A-1U and located in the Berkine basin (Hassi Messaoud) in Algeria, were carried out. Then, the obtained flared gas volumes were compared with in situ measurements.
Study of the Dissolution and Diffusion of Propane, Propylene and Nitrogen in Polydimethylsiloxane Membranes with Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Cai Weibin , Wang Mingqian , Yang Gary Q. , Zhang Zhijun , Wang Yujun , Li Jiding
Published: May 2022

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are important sources of atmospheric pollutants on account of their high recycling value. The membrane of dense silicone rubber polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has wide-ranging prospects for the separation and recovery of VOCs. In this study, PDMS membrane body models were established in BIOVIA Materials Studio (MS) to simulate VOCs with C3/N2 gases, and to study the structure of PDMS membranes and the dissolution and diffusion process of gas in the membranes. The free volume fraction (FFV), cohesive energy density (CED), radial distribution function (RDF), diffusion coefficient and solubility coefficient of C3H8, C3H6 and N2 in PDMS membranes were calculated, and the permeability coefficients were calculated according to these values. At the same time, the effects of temperature and mixed gas on the dissolution and diffusion of C3/N2 in PDMS membranes were investigated. The results show that the mass transfer process of C3 in PDMS membranes is mainly controlled by the dissolution process, while that of N2 is mainly controlled by the diffusion process. In a C3/N2 mixed gas system, there is a synergistic relationship between gases in the diffusion process, while there is competitive adsorption in the dissolution process. With an increase in temperature, the diffusion coefficients of the three gases in PDMS gradually increase, the solubility coefficients gradually decrease, and the overall permeability selectivity coefficients of the gases gradually decrease. Therefore, low-temperature conditions are more conducive to the separation of C3/N2 in PDMS membranes. The simulation results of the permeability selectivity coefficients of pure C3 and N2 in PDMS are similar to the experimental results, and the relationship between the micro- and macro-transport properties of PDMS membranes can be better understood through molecular simulation.
Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of a Purified Polysaccharide Extracted from Ceratonia siliqua L. and Its Involvement in the Enhancement Performance of Whipped Cream
Authors: Dammak Ameni , Ben Slima Sirine , Gomes da Silva Marco D. R. , Ben Salah Riadh , Aljuaid Awad M. , Hachicha Wafik , Bouaziz Mohamed
Published: May 2022

The main objective discussed in this research was to determine the structural characteristics of carob kibble water-soluble polysaccharide (KWSP), extracted from Ceratonia siliqua L., and to assess its in vitro antioxidant activities, as well as its effect on whipped cream. The results obtained through 13C, 1H, and the hetero-nuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis indicated that KWSP had the characteristic bands of polysaccharides. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) suggested that KWSP is a hetero-polysaccharide composed of glucose and fructose, with an average molecular weight (Mw) amounting to 65 KDa. In addition, KWSP showed a good water holding capacity (WHC), a good oil holding capacity (OHC), and an emulsification stability, rated as 3.14 ± 0.05 g/g, 0.87 ± 0.02 g/g, and 71 ± 0.01%, respectively. The antioxidant activity of KWSP was investigated in vitro, demonstrating important DPPH and ABTS⋅+ radical scavenging activities and a good total antioxidant capacity. KWSP exhibited antibacterial activity against Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella enterica. On the other hand, the incorporation of KWSP in whipped cream was investigated, to enhance its antioxidant capacity and consequently to extend its expiration date. Moreover, KWSP reduces the formation of conjugated dienes and trienes in cream fat.
Mapping the Cyber Interpersonal Violence among Young Populations: A Scoping Review
Authors: Machado Bárbara , Caridade Sónia , Araújo Isabel , Faria Paula Lobato
Published: May 2022

The increase in digital practices and networking has introduced important changes to social interactions. The extensive use of technology among young people has allowed for cyber communication, which has numerous benefits but can also trigger violence in relationships. Interpersonal violence affecting young people is becoming more widely recognized as a public health issue. The aim of this scoping review is to map and systematize the published academic literature on Cyber Interpersonal Violence (CIV) amongst young people, following the methodological approach proposed by Arksey and O’Malley. Five databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Science Direct and Social Sciences Citation Index. Eighteen studies in English, Portuguese, Spanish and French, published from 2004 onwards, were included. Three main areas arose in the CIV: cyber dating abuse, cyberbullying and cyber-harassment. Investing in prevention is the key to preventing cyber violence.
The Missing Indicator Approach for Accelerated Failure Time Model with Covariates Subject to Limits of Detection
Authors: Alyabs Norah , Chiou Sy Han
Published: May 2022

The limit of detection (LOD) is commonly encountered in observational studies when one or more covariate values fall outside the measuring ranges. Although the complete-case (CC) approach is widely employed in the presence of missing values, it could result in biased estimations or even become inapplicable in small sample studies. On the other hand, approaches such as the missing indicator (MDI) approach are attractive alternatives as they preserve sample sizes. This paper compares the effectiveness of different alternatives to the CC approach under different LOD settings with a survival outcome. These alternatives include substitution methods, multiple imputation (MI) methods, MDI approaches, and MDI-embedded MI approaches. We found that the MDI approach outperformed its competitors regarding bias and mean squared error in small sample sizes through extensive simulation.
Driving Sustainable Innovation in New Ventures: A Study Based on the fsQCA Approach
Authors: Liu Yu , Zhang Hao
Published: May 2022

With the external environment becoming increasingly complex and changeable, how we can effectively enhance the innovation of companies in sustainability has become the focus of research. For startups, due to their lack of resources and poor independent innovation capabilities, they need to search for external knowledge from outside to meet their own needs. Therefore, obtaining external knowledge sources and adopting appropriate methods for knowledge search is the key to affecting innovation in sustainability. Moreover, enterprise capability is also an important factor restricting sustainable innovation. In this paper, we construct an integrated framework of resources and capabilities based on theoretical learning and practice between 2018 and 2021, containing technical knowledge, market knowledge, a formal search, an informal search, organizational learning, and strategic flexibility. Taking 450 new ventures in China as the research sample, we adopt the fsQCA method and derive the path driving the sustainable innovation of new ventures. The results show that resources and enterprise capabilities combine to influence sustainable innovation, and there are two configuration paths driving the sustainable innovation of new ventures. In the first pathway, a technical knowledge search, a market knowledge search, organizational learning and strategic flexibility are the core conditions; in the second pathway, a formal search, an informal search, organizational learning, and strategic flexibility are the core conditions.
Using WaTEM/SEDEM to Model the Effects of Crop Rotation and Changes in Land Use on Sediment Transport in the Vrchlice Watershed
Authors: Winterová Julie , Krása Josef , Bauer Miroslav , Noreika Nina , Dostál Tomáš
Published: May 2022

The Czech landscape has undergone various changes over the last 100 years and has been mainly adapted agriculturally for economic purposes. This has resulted, among other things, in reservoirs being clogged with sediment. The Vrchlice Reservoir was built in 1970 to supply drinking water for around 50,000 inhabitants, and increased sedimentation has been detected in the reservoir in recent years. Water erosion and sediment transport were modeled with WaTEM/SEDEM. Sediment volumes were measured in eight ponds across the watershed for calibration purposes. Modeled results from ponds in watersheds covered mostly with arable lands generally corresponded with the measured values. Although in forested watersheds, the measured sediment volumes greatly exceeded modeled sediment yields, indicating high uncertainty in using USLE-based models in non-agricultural watersheds. The modeled scenarios represented pre-Communist, Communist, and post-Communist eras. For these periods WaTEM/SEDEM was used to evaluate three isolated effects: the effects of various crops on arable lands, the effects of farmland fragmentation, and finally the effects of changes in land use. The change in crops proved to be an important factor causing high siltation rate (potential 23% reduction in sediment yield for historical periods), and land fragmentation played the second important role (potential 15% reduction in sediment yield can be reached by land fragmentation). Across all scenarios, the lowest sediment yield and reservoirs siltation rates were obtained from the pre-Communist and Communist crop share under current land use conditions, and current land use with farmland fragmentation implemented, as it was re-constructed for the pre-Communist era. This supports the idea that the introduction of green areas within arable lands are beneficial to the landscape and can help reduce soil erosion and reservoir siltation.
Conventional vs. Innovative Protocols for the Extraction of Polysaccharides from Macroalgae
Authors: Spagnuolo Damiano , Di Martino Antonio , Zammuto Vincenzo , Armeli Minicante Simona , Spanò Antonio , Manghisi Antonio , Gugliandolo Concetta , Morabito Marina , Genovese Giuseppa
Published: May 2022

Macroalgae are one of the most environmentally friendly resources, and their industrial by-products should also be sustainable. Algal polysaccharides represent valuable products, and the definition of new eco-sustainable extraction processes, ensuring a safe and high-quality product, is a new goal in the context of reducing the carbon footprint. The aim of the present work was to determine the influence of the extraction methodology on the properties and structure of the polysaccharides, comparing conventional and innovative microwave-assisted methods. We focused on extraction times, yield, chemical composition and, finally, biological activities of raw polymers from three macroalgal species of Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Phaeophyceae. The main objective was to design a sustainable process in terms of energy and time savings, with the aim of developing subsequent application at the industrial level. Extraction efficacy was likely dependent on the physico-chemical polysaccharide properties, while the use of the microwave did not affect their chemical structure. Obtained results indicate that the innovative method could be used as an alternative to the conventional one to achieve emulsifiers and bacterial antiadhesives for several applications. Natural populations of invasive algae were used rather than cultivated species in order to propose the valorization of unwanted biomasses, which are commonly treated as waste, converting them into a prized resource.
Could the Opening of HSR Reduce the M&A Premium?
Authors: Yang Xuan , Zhang Qiusheng , Shen Xiaotian , Qin Jie , Sun Qian , Xu Yuanze
Published: May 2022

This study takes the merger and acquisition (M&A) events completed by A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets from 2006 to 2019 as the research samples and uses the dual difference method to test the impact of a “high-speed railway (HSR) opening”, a quasi-natural experimental event, on M&A premium. The results show that the opening of an HSR can significantly inhibit the M&A premium of listed companies in corresponding prefecture-level administrative regions. The results of the mechanism test show that an HSR opening affects M&A premium through two channels: “reducing information asymmetry” and “alleviating agency problems”. This study discusses the impact of an HSR opening on M&A, which helps to provide new empirical evidence for the economic consequences of an HSR opening from the micro level and provides a new perspective for research on the factors affecting M&A premium.
An IndoorGeoBML Model Based IORP Algorithm for Indoor Operation
Authors: Su Mingzhan , Wang Guangxia , Chen Lingyu , Zhang Xin
Published: May 2022

Indoor military operations play a vital part in modern urban warfare. Decision making in indoor operations is quite complicated due to the complex of the indoor spatial environment. However, the study of the characteristics and features of indoor operations is scarce. To help commanders make decisions in indoor operations, a model to represent the information of the building and an algorithm to perform route planning is needed. There have been some studies in the field of search and rescue problems, but these did not study the enemy force, which has a lot of uncertainties and plays a vital role in indoor operations. To solve this problem, this paper first proposes an innovative IndoorGeoBML (Indoor Geospatial Battle Management Language) model to accurately describe the indoor environment. We define six categories of information in IndoorGeoBML model: geometry information, navigation information, semantic information, outdoor information, intelligence information, and event information, which accurately, dynamically, and comprehensively describe the environment in the building. Then based on the IndoorGeoBML model, this paper researches the route planning in indoor operations. There are two types of indoor route planning problems. One is single destination route planning, the other is a searching route planning, which needs to plan paths to search the whole building. To deal with these two kinds of route planning problems, based on IndoorGeoBML model, this paper introduces a new algorithm: the IORP (Indoor Operation Route Planning) algorithm. Finally, this paper implements some experiments on a building with IORP algorithm dealing with the two kinds of route planning problems. For single destination route planning, the result shows that the enemy capability, traversing time, and own casualties of our proposed algorithm are 779.2, 801, and 12.5, which is at least 9.9%, 9.2%, and 7.5% lower compared to other algorithms. For searching route planning, the result shows that the whole time for searching decreases from 3044 s to 2673 s, and the number of squads decreases from 8 to 5. The evaluation of the model and algorithm shows a significant improvement in time and casualties, which will help commanders make better decision in indoor operation.
A Review of On-Site Carwash Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Kuan Wen-Hui , Hu Ching-Yao , Ke Li-Wei , Wu Jung-Ming
Published: May 2022

In recent years, people’s environmental awareness has increased. The high density of the urban population has caused a considerable increase in the demand for car washing services, which has created large quantities of car wash wastewater. The main pollutants in car wash wastewater are detergents, dirt, oil, and grease. Untreated wastewater released into rainwater sewer systems or other water bodies may pollute the water and generate excessive bubble foams, which negatively affects urban appearance. Car washes are divided into mechanical car washes and manual or self-service car washes. In general, car washes have a small operation and scale, occupy limited land, and cannot afford wastewater treatment costs. Therefore, most car washes are not equipped with wastewater treatment facilities. Consequently, the discharge of wastewater from car washes negatively affects the water quality in the surrounding environment and results in wasteful use of water resources. This study reviewed 68 research papers on the quality, treatment techniques, treatment costs, and treatment effectiveness of car wash wastewater to provide a reference for car wash operators to contribute to the preservation of water resources. We found that there is a higher chance of recycling car wash wastewater when combing two different techniques for car wash wastewater treatment.
Evaluation of Machine Learning versus Empirical Models for Monthly Reference Evapotranspiration Estimation in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand States, India
Authors: Rai Priya , Kumar Pravendra , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Malik Anurag
Published: May 2022

Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) plays an important role in agriculture applications such as irrigation scheduling, crop simulation, water budgeting, and reservoir operations. Therefore, the accurate estimation of ETo is essential for optimal utilization of available water resources on regional and global scales. The present study was conducted to estimate the monthly ETo at Nagina (Uttar Pradesh State) and Pantnagar (Uttarakhand State) stations by employing the three ML (machine learning) techniques including the SVM (support vector machine), M5P (M5P model tree), and RF (random forest) against the three empirical models (i.e., Valiantzas-1: V-1, Valiantzas-2: V-2, Valiantzas-3: V-3). Three different input combinations (i.e., C-1, C-2, C-3) were formulated by using 8-year (2009–2016) climatic data of wind speed (u), solar radiation (Rs), relative humidity (RH), and mean air temperature (T) recorded at both stations. The predictive efficacy of ML and the empirical models was evaluated based on five statistical indicators i.e., CC (correlation coefficient), WI (Willmott index), EC (efficiency coefficient), RMSE (root mean square error), and MAE (mean absolute error) presented through a heatmap along with graphical interpretation (Taylor diagram, time-series, and scatter plots). The results showed that the SVM-1 model corresponding to the C-1 input combination outperformed the other ML and empirical models at both stations. Moreover, the SVM-1 model had the lowest MAE (0.076, 0.047 mm/month) and RMSE (0.110, 0.063 mm/month), and highest EC (0.995, 0.999), CC (0.998, 0.999), and WI (0.999, 1.000) values during validation period at Nagina and Pantnagar stations, respectively, and closely followed by the M5P model. Consequently, the ML model (i.e., SVM) was found to be more robust, and reliable in monthly ETo estimation and can be used as a promising alternative to empirical models at both study locations.
When Physical Chemistry Meets Circular Economy to Solve Environmental Issues: How the ReScA Project Aims at Using Waste Pyrolysis Products to Improve and Rejuvenate Bitumens
Authors: Caputo Paolino , Calandra Pietro , Loise Valeria , Le Pera Adolfo , Putz Ana-Maria , Abe Abraham A. , Madeo Luigi , Teltayev Bagdat , Luprano Maria Laura , Alfè Michela , Gargiulo Valentina , Ruoppolo Giovanna , Oliviero Rossi Cesare
Published: May 2022

Urban waste management is a hard task: more than 30% of the world’s total production of Municipal Solid Wastes (MSW) is not adequately handled, with landfilling remaining as a common practice. Another source of wastes is the road pavement industry: with a service life of about 10–15 years, asphalts become stiff, susceptible to cracks, and therefore no longer adapted for road paving, so they become wastes. To simultaneously solve these problems, a circular economy-based approach is proposed by the ReScA project, suggesting the use of pyrolysis to treat MSW (or its fractions as Refuse Derived Fuels, RDFs), whose residues (oil and char) can be used as added-value ingredients for the asphalt cycle. Char can be used to prepare better performing and durable asphalts, and oil can be used to regenerate exhaust asphalts, avoiding their landfilling. The proposed approach provides a different and more useful pathway in the end-of-waste (EoW) cycle of urban wastes. This proof of concept is suggested by the following two observations: (i) char is made up by carbonaceous particles highly compatible with the organic nature of bitumens, so its addition can reinforce the overall bitumen structure, increasing its mechanical properties and slowing down the molecular kinetics of its aging process; (ii) oil is rich in hydrocarbons, so it can enrich the poor fraction of the maltene phase in exhaust asphalts. These hypotheses have been proved by testing the residues derived from the pyrolysis of RDFs for the improvement of mechanical characteristics of a representative bitumen sample and its regeneration after aging. The proposed approach is suggested by the physico-chemical study of the materials involved, and aims to show how the chemical knowledge of complex systems, like bituminous materials, can help in solving environmental issues. We hope that this approach will be considered as a model method for the future.
Geothermal Heat Pumps for Slurry Cooling and Farm Heating: Impact and Carbon Footprint Reduction in Pig Farms
Authors: Blázquez Cristina Sáez , Borge-Diez David , Nieto Ignacio Martín , Maté-González Miguel Ángel , Martín Arturo Farfán , González-Aguilera Diego
Published: May 2022

The pig farm sector has been developing rapidly over recent decades, leading to an increase in the production of slurry and associated environmental impacts. Breeding farms require the maintenance of adequate indoor thermal environments, resulting in high energy demands that are frequently met by fossil fuels and electricity. Farm heating systems and the storage of slurry constitute considerable sources of polluting gases. There is thus a need to highlight the advantages that new green heating solutions can offer to reduce the global environmental impact of pig farming. This research presents an overview of alternative pig farm slurry technology, using geothermal heat pumps, which reduces the harmful effects of slurry and improves the energy behavior of farms. The results reflect the environmental benefits of this solution in terms of reducing carbon and hydric footprints. Reducing the temperature of slurry with the geothermal heat pump of the system also reduces the annual amount of greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions, and, via the heat pump, slurry heat is used for installation heating. Annual emissions of CO2e could be reduced by more than half, and ammonia emissions could also experience a significant reduction if the slurry technology is installed. Additional advantages confirm the positive impact that the expansion of this renewable technology could have on the global pig farm sector.
A Review on Hot Stamping of Advanced High-Strength Steels: Technological-Metallurgical Aspects and Numerical Simulation
Authors: Wróbel Ireneusz , Skowronek Adam , Grajcar Adam
Published: May 2022

The production of ultra-high strength automotive components requires a multi-directional approach. Hot stamping combines both forming and heat treatment processes to obtain a usually martensitic structure of complicated shaped automotive parts. The preparation for production using hot stamping must involve the latest methods of numerical analysis of both temperature changes and forming, which are applied for an increasing range of materials used. In this paper, the current state of knowledge about the basics of hot stamping, used technological lines, and the current state of material used with applied heat treatments and possible coatings have been reviewed. Moreover, the numerical modeling process has been described. The most important aspects of process automation, including the use of digital twins for simulation and optimization of operational kinetics of the robots accomplishing the production process, analysis and minimization of time of production cycles, and searching for weak operational points of the control systems and for real time visualization of operation of complete line, are considered. The digital twins and corresponding numerical models enable the symmetrical design of real production lines. The details of heat treatment profiles with so called tailored zone heat treatment are provided. Hot stamping is a dynamically developing technology as evidenced by the increasing range of materials used, also from the 3rd generation of advanced high strength (AHSS) steels. It starts to combine forming of symmetric or asymmetric elements with more complex heat treatment processes as required for dual phase (DP) stainless steels or the newest generation of high-strength and ductile medium-manganese steels.
Vacuum Brazing Effect on the Interlayer Failure Behaviors of Elastic-Porous Sandwich Structure with Entangled Metallic Wire Mesh
Authors: Wei Yuhan , Wu Ruixian , Zou Luming , Liu Niuniu , Xue Xin
Published: May 2022

Particular attention has been given to the complexity of the elastic-porous sandwich structure with entangled metallic wire mesh (EMWM), which is a novel rigid-flexible heterogeneous and symmetrical material. The orthogonal experiment design for vacuum brazing was adopted for sensitivity analysis of the key fabrication process on the performances of an EMWM sandwich structure. The shear behaviors of the sandwich structures with different vacuum brazing parameters (e.g., heating rate, brazing temperature, and holding time) were analyzed by mechanical experiments and an interfacial microstructure. The results indicated that the failure behavior of the sandwich structure could be divided into four stages in the mode-I experiment. In addition, the joint quality of the different vacuum brazing process could be shown by the mode-II experiment, and the failure behaviors involves three stages. Additionally, the failure behaviors of the sandwich structure were mainly associated with the deformation of the EMWM core and the strength of the brazing joint. In addition, the relationship between the joint strength and the shear performance of the sandwich structure was revealed through the interfacial microstructure. Furthermore, the importance of the optimized vacuum brazing parameters to fabricate the novel sandwich structure with the best joint performance was demonstrated in this work.
Study of Structural, Strength, and Thermophysical Properties of Li2+4xZr4−xO3 Ceramics
Authors: Kozlovskiy Artem L. , Abyshev Bauyrzhan , Shlimas Dmitriy I. , Zdorovets Maxim V.
Published: May 2022

The work is devoted to the study of technology that can be used to obtain lithium-containing ceramics of the Li2+4xZr4−xO3 type using the method of solid-phase synthesis combined with thermal annealing at a temperature of 1500 °C. A distinctive feature of this work is the preparation of pure Li2ZrO3 ceramics with a high structural ordering degree (more than 88%) and density (95–97% of the theoretical density). During the study, it was found that a change in the content of initial components for synthesis does not lead to the formation of new phase inclusions; however, an increase in the LiClO4·3H2O and ZrO2 components leads to changes in the size of crystallites and dislocation density, which lead to the strengthening of ceramics to external mechanical influences. The results of the measurements of thermophysical characteristics made it possible to establish that the compaction of ceramics and a decrease in porosity lead to an increase in the thermal conductivity coefficient of 3–7%.