bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on Archaeology and Digital Restoration of Costumes in Spring Outing Painting of Madam Guo
Authors: Liu Kaixuan , Lu Sha , Zhao Jiayu , Jin Zhuolei , Zhu Chun , Zhu Keqing , Hao Xinyue , Zhang Bin , Lü Zhao , Zeng Xianyi
Published: September 2022

Spring Outing Painting of Madam Guo is one of the representative works of Zhang Xuan, a famous Chinese court painter of the Tang dynasty (618–907), who was the “leader” of the trend of figure painting in the Tang dynasty and had a great influence on later figure painting. The costumes of the characters in the paintings not only show the artistic aesthetics of the prosperous Tang dynasty, but also reflect the rich cultural connotation. At present, the research on this painting is mainly about character discrimination and painting appreciation. There are few studies involving the costumes in this painting. With the rapid development of digital clothing technology, it provides a new way and path for the restoration of ancient costumes. Based on the costume archaeology of Spring Outing Painting of Madam Guo, this paper uses 3D virtual simulation and reverse engineering technology to restore the costume style of the characters in the picture, realize the digital restoration and protection of the style drawing, paper pattern, and 3D simulation drawing of the characters’ costumes in the picture. Finally, we introduce the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) to comprehensively evaluate the costume restoration effect. Our proposed method solves the problem of the constraints of time and space on the presentation of ancient traditional costumes, promotes the excellent historical culture of China, and provides a certain reference for the modern redesign of ancient costumes.
Passenger Dimensions in Sustainable Multimodal Mobility Services
Authors: Duca Gabriella , Trincone Barbara , Bagamanova Margarita , Meincke Peter , Russo Raffaella , Sangermano Vittorio
Published: September 2022

Seamless integration of air segment in the overall multimodal mobility chain is a key challenge to provide more efficient and sustainable transport services. Technology advances offer a unique opportunity to build a new generation of transport services able to match the evolving expectations and needs of society as a whole. In this context, the passenger-centric approach represents a method to inform the design of future mobility services, supporting quality of life, security and services to citizens traveling across Europe. Relying on the concepts of inclusive design, context of use and task analysis, in this article, we present a comprehensive methodological framework for the analysis of passenger characteristics to elicit features and requirements for future multimodal mobility services, including air leg, that are relevant from the perspective of passengers. The proposed methodology was applied to a series of specific use cases envisaged for three time horizons, 2025, 2035 and 2050, in the context of a European research project. Then, passenger-focused key performance indicators and related metrics were derived to be included in a validation step, with the aim of assessing the extent of benefit for passengers that can be achieved in the forecasted scenarios. The results of the study demonstrate the relevance of human variability in the design of public services, as well as the feasibility of personalized performance assessment of mobility services.
Mapping of Suitable Sites for Concentrated Solar Power Plants in the Philippines Using Geographic Information System and Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Levosada Ana Therese A. , Ogena Renz Paolo T. , Santos Jan Ray V. , Danao Louis Angelo M.
Published: September 2022

Solar energy is a renewable source of energy harnessed from the sun. Concentrated solar power (CSP) plants harness this energy by focusing sunlight on a limited area to heat a working fluid, which is used to generate steam and power a thermodynamic cycle that produces electricity. There are currently no CSP plants in the Philippines, and this study aimed to locate the most suitable sites for this type of power plant. The first step was to mask out areas totally unsuitable as plant sites; we identified five exclusion factors for this: protected areas, slope, direct normal irradiance (DNI), water bodies, and land cover type. A scoring gradient was then applied to the remaining suitable areas according to seven ranking factors: DNI, slope, typhoon frequency, capacity of the nearest grid line, distance to the nearest grid line, distance to the nearest road, and distance to the nearest water body. Next, to reflect the actual degrees of influence of the factors to site suitability, we determined their relative numeric weights using analytic hierarchy process, with the weights derived from inputs from interviews with academic and industry experts. Finally, using ArcGIS Pro, we used a weighted sum of the ranking scores to produce a suitability map covering the entire Philippines. Suitable sites in the following provinces were found: Ilocos Sur, Pampanga, Mindoro, Masbate, and Maguindanao. These areas have a total area of 27.9 km2 and a projected total power output of 733 MW.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Urban Thermal Effects Caused by Heat Waves through Remote Sensing
Authors: Hidalgo García David , Arco Díaz Julián , Martín Martín Adelaida , Gómez Cobos Emilio
Published: September 2022

In recent years there has been an increase in the number of extreme weather events that lead to higher mortality, such as heat waves. This study carries out a new investigation that integrates the environmental quality parameters—the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) and the Terrestrial Surface Temperature (LST)—during these periods of high temperatures and compares them with normal periods. The study of the relationship between these variables will allow improving the quality of life through new mitigation measures that will minimize the effects of climate change in urban areas. This study analyzes eight cities in the south of Spain (Andalusia) to assess environmental quality through gases SO2, NO2, CO, O3 and aerosols, obtained through Sentinel-5P satellite images, and the LST and SUHI obtained through Sentinel-3 images. Next, the results of periods of heat waves are compared with periods of normal environmental conditions during the summers of the years 2020 and 2021. The objective is to determine the possible impact of heat waves on environmental quality, as well as on the LST and SUHI of the investigated cities, which are located in an area identified as highly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. During the period of the heat wave and compared to the periods without a heat wave, a variety of environmental pollutants was found: SO2 (+165%), NO2 (+24%), CO (+8%), O3 (−4%) and aerosols (+193%). Both the LST and the SUHI suffered an average increase of 2.8 K. The results of this document can help to establish pollutant reduction mechanisms in periods prior to heat waves. This could minimize major effects on the population and provide sustainable development.
Development of High-Performance Fiber Cement: A Case Study in the Integration of Circular Economy in Product Design
Authors: Chakartnarodom Parinya , Wanpen Sarunya , Prakaypan Wichit , Laitila Edward A. , Kongkajun Nuntaporn
Published: September 2022

A new fiber cement (FC) is designed with the integration of circular economy (CE) concepts, in particular a product that is recyclable yet maintains performance. The FC samples were prepared from the mixtures of ordinary Portland cement (OPC), sand, and cellulose fibers, and required an inclusion compound (IC) and water. From the heat of hydration tests, the most effective IC, IC1, was prepared from lithium silicate, sodium thiocyanate, alkylbenzene sulfonate, and hydrochloric acid. The FC samples were recycled by crushing and grinding, then used as sand replacement in varying amounts to produce new FC samples. The results from the mechanical tests showed that the 50%replacement of the sand provided FC samples with the highest modulus of rupture (MOR) of 10.64 MPa and a modulus of elasticity (MOE) of 7706.40 MPa. The samples with/without the recycled product passed both the freeze–thaw resistance test and flammability test for durability. Most importantly, results showed that the mechanical properties of the produced FC samples remained the same over 5 to 50 recycles.
Which Food Outlets Are Important for Nutrient-Dense-Porridge-Flour Access by the Base-of-the-Pyramid Consumers? Evidence from the Informal Kenyan Settlements
Authors: Koech Kevin Kipkemei , Chege Christine G. Kiria , Bett Hillary
Published: September 2022

Many Kenyan base-of-the-pyramid (BoP) consumers—defined as the poorest two-thirds of the economic human pyramid—remain food insecure, despite the availability of nutrient-dense foods in the market. This study reveals how effective marketing strategies can strengthen food security among BoP consumers through increased access to nutritious foods such as nutrient-dense porridge flour. Nutrient-dense porridge flour refers to a multi-composite porridge flour composed of diverse nutritious ingredients that are necessary to achieve a healthy diet. The main objective of the study was to determine the most effective channel for making nutrient-dense porridge flour available to BoP consumers. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey in Kawangware, Nairobi County, using a multistage sampling design and a sample size of 603, via structured questionnaires. A multivariate Probit (MV-Probit) model was used to analyze the most effective channel for providing nutrient-dense flour to BoP consumers. The study results show that the most common outlets used to access this flour were supermarkets (51.08%), followed by cereal stores (25.54%). According to previous studies, using appropriate marketing strategies leads to increases in the uptake and consumption of nutritious products in informal urban settlements among developing countries. Consequently, policies and interventions targeting BoP consumption of nutritious products toward reducing food and nutrition insecurity in informal urban settlements should be based on appropriate marketing strategies that consider the institutional factors and significant household characteristics of the BoP communities.
Water Purification Effect of Ecological Floating Bed Combination Based on the Numerical Simulation
Authors: Qiu Lanqing , Yu Ping , Li Shaofei , Ma Huixin , Li Danying , Li Jianzhu
Published: September 2022

The Wuqing urban section of the North Canal Basin, Tianjin, is a significant gathering place for multisource pollution, showing the characteristics of a stagnant water body supplied by unconventional water sources. With the development of the economy and society, the water quality of the Wuqing urban section of the North Canal Basin, Tianjin, has been seriously polluted due to the discharge of sewage outlets and the influx of nonpoint source pollution from farmland. In this study, based on the results of special water experiments, a two-dimensional hydrodynamic water quality model was constructed. The concentrations of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total phosphorus (TP), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the study area were simulated, and the model parameters were calibrated and verified with the measured values. Based on the model verification, the water quality improvement scheme of the ecological floating bed with different plant ratios was set up to simulate the water quality. The research results showed that the average concentrations of NH3-N, TP, and COD decreased by 10.4%, 15.7%, and of d 26.3%, respectively, after the ecological floating bed was arranged. During model parameter calibration and validation, the RMSE ranges of NH3-N, TP, and COD were 0.09~0.22 mg/L, 0.00~0.02 mg/L, and 0.37~2.42 mg/L, respectively. Other statistical indicators are also within a reasonable range, and the model accuracy and reliability are high. The simulation results of different scenarios showed that the optimal ratio of ecological floating bed plants was 700 m2 of Scirpus validus Vahl and 700 m2 of Canna in zone 1 of the floating bed combination, 430 m2 of Scirpus validus Vahl, and 170 m2 of Iris in zone 2 of the floating bed combination, and 200 m2 of Iris and 200 m2 of Lythrum salicaria in zone 3 of the floating bed combination. This study can provide a theoretical basis for the sustainable development of water purification in the North Canal. It can also provide a model approach for the implementation of river water purification schemes, exemplified by the North Canal.
A Case Study of Initial Vegetation Restoration Affecting the Occurrence Characteristics of Phosphorus in Karst Geomorphology in Southwest China
Authors: Wu Yunjie , Tian Xin , Zhang Mingyi , Wang Runze , Wang Shuo
Published: September 2022

Phosphorus (P) is one of the necessary nutrient elements in the process of plant growth and development. The temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of phosphorus content can not only reflect the soil structure and availability, but also affect the growth of wetland vegetation, the formation of the environment, and the process of vegetation succession. In this paper, taking Guizhou Caohai Nature Reserve as the research object, the temporal and spatial substitution method was used to study the distribution and influencing factors of soil total phosphorus (TP) and soil available phosphorus (AP) under different geomorphological environments (non-karst landforms, karst landforms, and geomorphology after vegetation restoration (5 years)). The results showed that (1) the TP content in the topsoil of the restored vegetation landform was generally higher than that in the topsoil of the karst landform and non-karst landform, and the distribution difference of the AP content in the three areas was slight. At the top, hillside, and foot of the mountain, the contents of TP and AP in the non-karst landform and karst landform decreased with increasing soil depth and accumulated at the foot of the mountain. (2) The results of the correlation analysis showed that the interpretation rates of TP and AP by each soil physicochemical factor were the highest, reaching 64–86%, while the interpretation rate of TP and AP by the combined action of multiple physicochemical factors was relatively small; in addition, there was a significant correlation between environmental factors and soil TP and AP (p < 0.05). (3) Compared with unrepaired karst landforms, in the process of vegetation restoration (5 years), TP content has convergence between geomorphology after vegetation restoration and non-karst landforms, while AP content fluctuates greatly. The analysis showed that the changes in soil TP and AP contents were mainly affected by vegetation communities, while the changes in soil TP and AP contents in mountain areas were also affected by soil organic matter, pH, soil particle size, and climatic conditions.
Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Index Assessment of Green Buildings Based on the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Song Shengda , Che Jialing , Yuan Xiaohan
Published: September 2022

Assessment systems for green buildings around the world have been developed over many years, but there is a lack of assessment elements for the disaster prevention and mitigation (DPM) capabilities of green buildings in many indicators. DPM indexes based on the four main aspects of structural safety, DPM design, facility settings, and resource utilization are proposed here with consideration to the complex natural disasters that occur in China (fires, earthquakes, floods, etc.) and relevant codes. Then, an assessment system for the DPM indexes of green buildings is established by the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) in order to evaluate the DPM ability of green buildings and to quantify the impact of different indexes on the DPM ability of green buildings; this system is also used to evaluate and compare DPM capability suggestions, taking two green buildings in South and North China as examples. The results show that the DPM capacities of the two green buildings were evaluated as good, but that the scores for the site planning and water-saving systems of the green building in South China were significantly lower—meaning that measures such as optimizing drainage systems, managing stormwater runoff, permeable paving, rainwater gardens, and installing rainwater harvesting equipment should be implemented. Then, the theory of the utilization rate of DPM conversion is put forward, providing a reference for the future development of green building DPM index systems.
Interdisciplinarity-Based Sustainability Framework for Management Education
Authors: Martins Flavio Pinheiro , Cezarino Luciana Oranges , Liboni Lara Bartocci , Botelho Junior Amilton Barbosa , Hunter Trevor
Published: September 2022

Business education faces shortcomings that can be mitigated through the broad perspective of interdisciplinarity, fulfilling a call for a greater orientation toward Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Despite the relevance and urgency, current frameworks cannot embed context-related problems into their design, increasing the detachment of wicked problems and management education, and falling short of the goal-oriented prerogative. Interdisciplinarity is up to this task as an educational attitude and behaviour rather than a toolkit of cross-disciplinary classification. This paper aims to propose a framework for interdisciplinarity-based sustainability management for business education. We established the framework via a literature review analysis, and then we validated it through discussions with specialists from the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (UN-PRME) to introduce a model with 49 evidence-driven, interdisciplinarity practices. We grouped results in three main dimensions of analysis connecting the 16 categories. We gave special attention to spaces of discomfort that ought to be fostered in business schools under a critical thinking perspective and the student’s role in the relevance of sustainability education. The work harbours practical implications for developing better practices for management education by blending an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability in the management education literature.
Exploring the Global Research Trends of Cities and Climate Change Based on a Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Sun Yu-Ling , Zhang Chun-Hua , Lian Ying-Jie , Zhao Jia-Min
Published: September 2022

Climate change is one of the great global challenges. Cities are both drivers and responders of climate change. In recent years, the literature associated with climate change and cities has grown rapidly, but few studies have used a bibliometric analysis and visualization approach to conduct deep mining and explore the current situation and development trends of this field. By using bibliometric and text mining methods, the authors conducted a knowledge map analysis of the research on cities and climate change. Moreover, this article attempts to identify the research hotspots and research gaps in this field. The following findings are distilled. First, research in this field is rapidly emerging, and the current research distribution is extremely uneven. China and the US contributed 36% of total paper output. Second, previous research focused on six topics: Impact of Climate Change and Urbanization, Urban Climate Change Adaptation, Urban Heat Island Effect, Urban Greenhouse Emission, Urban Climate Change and Water, and Urban Energy Systems. The first two topics are currently the most popular directions of research. Third, empirical research shows positive interest in big cities, while climate change research in small and medium-sized cities has been neglected. The results of this work will not only help researchers clarify the current situation in cities and climate change science but also provide guidance for future research.
Does Greenwashing Influence the Green Product Experience in Emerging Hospitality Markets Post-COVID-19?
Authors: Zhang Hongfan , Ul Ainn Qurat , Bashir Iram , Ul Haq Junaid , Bonn Mark A.
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this research explores the influence that awareness of green products has on greenwashing, green consumer confusion, and its influence on the green product experience following COVID-19. Consumer behavioral outcomes, including repurchase intentions and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions, are addressed. A survey was conducted to analyze the proposed hypotheses. Data were obtained from 440 consumers of hotel industry products (overnight guests). Confirmatory factor analysis was employed to observe the collected data’s validity. Structural equational modelling was then used to support hypothesis testing. Findings documented that greenwashing is adversely linked to the consumer’s green product experience, which then leads to negative WOM and lower repurchase intention. Greenwashing leads to negatively affecting the reputation of marketers, as buyers avoid repeat product purchasing. Moreover, dissatisfied buyers spread negative word-of-mouth about those specific products. This study’s contribution identifies consequences of marketers using greenwashing strategies which confuse buyers about products, and negatively affect consumer intention to repurchase hotel products.
Using Machine Learning for Nutrient Content Detection of Aquaponics-Grown Plants Based on Spectral Data
Authors: Taha Mohamed Farag , ElManawy Ahmed Islam , Alshallash Khalid S. , ElMasry Gamal , Alharbi Khadiga , Zhou Lei , Liang Ning , Qiu Zhengjun
Published: September 2022

Nutrients derived from fish feed are insufficient for optimal plant growth in aquaponics; therefore, they need to be supplemented. Thus, estimating the amount of supplementation needed can be achieved by looking at the nutrient contents of the plant. This study aims to develop trustworthy machine learning models to estimate the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) contents of aquaponically grown lettuce. A FieldSpec4, Pro FR portable spectroradiometer (ASD Inc., Analytical Spectral Devices Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA) was used to measure leaf reflectance spectra, and 128 lettuce seedlings given four NPK treatments were used for spectra acquisition and total NPK estimation. Principal component analysis (PCA), genetic algorithms (GA), and sequential forward selection (SFS) were applied to select the optimal wavebands. Partial least squares regression (PLSR), back-propagation neural network (BPNN), and random forest (RF) approaches were used to develop the predictive models of NPK contents using the selected optimal wavelengths. Good and significantly correlated predictive accuracy was obtained in comparison with the laboratory-measured freshly cut lettuce leaves with R2 ≥ 0.94. The proposed approach provides a pathway toward automatic nutrient estimation of aquaponically grown lettuce. Consequently, aquaponics will become more intelligent, and will be adopted as a precision agriculture technology.
Not All Churn Customers Are the Same: Investigating the Effect of Customer Churn Heterogeneity on Customer Value in the Financial Sector
Authors: Park Woong , Ahn Hyunchul
Published: September 2022

This research suggests a way to sustain a firm’s business by focusing on the economic aspects of relationship marketing by managing the heterogeneity of churn customers. In general, firms have regarded churn customers as a homogeneous segment, for they have not been conscious that churn ego can be various. However, customer churn can be divided into voluntary and involuntary, implying that firms should reform the retention strategy by focusing on egos that seem homogenous but are heterogeneous in terms of churn behavior. Using a multiple regression model, this study analyzed customer data from an insurance company to investigate the heterogeneous impacts of churn customers. It measured the impact based on the period and revenue in the second lifetime, comprehensively representing customer satisfaction. Empirical results show that customer churn heterogeneity significantly affects customers’ second-lifetime behavior. The analysis reveals how the firm effectively performed customer regaining initiatives and successfully maintained persistency. This research also concludes that voluntary and involuntary churn occurred by intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Finally, this research implicates the retention strategy that differs from the heterogeneity to achieve a firm’s high performance and suggests an empirical method of spurious loyalty avoidance by hedging loyal customer selection risk.
Dangerous Driving Behavior Recognition Based on Hand Trajectory
Authors: Liu Wenlong , Li Hongtao , Zhang Hui
Published: September 2022

Dangerous driving behaviors in the process of driving will produce road traffic safety hazards, and even cause traffic accidents. Common dangerous driving behavior includes: eating, smoking, fetching items, using a handheld phone, and touching a control monitor. In order to accurately identify the dangerous driving behaviors, this study first uses the hand trajectory data to construct the dangerous driving behavior recognition model based on the dynamic time warping algorithm (DTW) and the longest common sub-sequence algorithm (LCS). Secondly, 45 subjects’ hand trajectory data were obtained by driving simulation test, and 30 subjects’ hand trajectory data were used to determine the dangerous driving behavior label. The matching degree of hand trajectory data of 15 subjects was calculated based on the dangerous driving behavior recognition model, and the threshold of dangerous driving behavior recognition was determined according to the calculation results. Finally, the dangerous driving behavior recognition algorithm and neural network algorithm are compared and analyzed. The dangerous driving behavior recognition algorithm has a fast calculation speed, small memory consumption, and simple program structure. The research results can be applied to dangerous driving behavior recognition and driving distraction warning based on wrist wearable devices.
Innovative Management of Vegetable Outgrades as a Means of Food Loss and Waste Reduction
Authors: Markowska Joanna , Polak Elżbieta , Drabent Anna , Tyfa Agnieszka
Published: September 2022

The present research focuses on using plant waste from agricultural production chains (vegetable outgrades) as ingredient sources for innovative food strategy developments. The quality of multi-vegetable products made from frozen vegetable outgrades (broccoli, cauliflower, green and yellow cut beans) for serving in gastronomy was evaluated. Vegetable outgrades were found to be low-cost sources of nutritional components. The dietary fiber content varied from 2.35 (cauliflower Giewont cultivar) to 4.40 g/100 g (green bean Rimember cultivar). The protein content varied from 1.41 (green bean Opportune cultivar) to 2.58 g/100 g (broccoli Porthenon cultivar). Bioactive compounds, including polyphenols and vitamin C, varied significantly depending on the vegetable. The content of carotenoids (β-carotene and zeaxanthin) in vegetables, in particular broccoli (Larson cultivar) and green beans (Rimember and Opportune cultivars), was lower than in outgrades. Due to the high nutrient quality of outgrades, the preparation of mechanically-formed vegetable patties and paste proceeded. According to recommendations of NRF, NAS, NDS nutrient density indices, both patties and pastes were classified as products with rich nutritional value and full-valuable components of the human diet. Moreover, food production technology utilizing vegetable outgrades can be potential solutions for food loss and waste management in gastronomy and in the food production industry.
Mainstreaming Ecosystem-Based Disaster Risk Reduction: Towards a Sustainable and Just Transition in Local Development Planning in Rural South Africa
Authors: Mugari Ephias , Nethengwe Nthaduleni Samuel
Published: September 2022

Ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction (Eco-DRR) is gaining momentum globally and is also considered to enhance climate change adaptation and sustainable transition to a low-carbon economy in South Africa. However, there is little evidence regarding how the approach is applied at the local level. It also remains unclear to what extent the approach is integrated into local development planning and what opportunities exist for further integration in rural areas. Therefore, our study examined opportunities for mainstreaming Eco-DRR into local development planning in South Africa. Fourteen integrated development plans from ‘mostly rural’ local municipalities in Limpopo Province were systematically assessed to understand the process of mainstreaming Eco-DRR into their current development plans under the following aspects: localized climate trends, hydroclimatic risks considered, risk and vulnerability assessments, disaster risk reduction (DRR) actions, early-warning systems, financing mechanisms, integration of traditional and technical knowledge, stakeholder engagement, and alignment with district, provincial, and national priorities. Although all plans address DRR, none explicitly addresses Eco-DRR, despite a few similar actions. DRR actions are not aligned to any hydroclimatic risks, and most plans lack localized climate trends and/or vulnerability assessments to indicate the severity of hazards and/or identify populations and areas at risk. Several measures in the plans address disaster preparedness, but none includes early-warning systems. Public participation features prominently in all plans, but the process is marred by challenges and lacks genuineness, e.g., prioritized actions are not reflective of community needs. Based on the findings, we discuss measures to enhance the mainstreaming of ecosystem-based approaches into DRR. We conclude that a huge opportunity exists to institutionalize and mainstream Eco-DRR into local development planning in South Africa’s rural areas. If carefully seized, such an opportunity can also help attract external finance to complement the currently constrained budgets related to addressing hydroclimatic risks.
Application of Smart Glasses for Field Workers Performing Soil Contamination Surveys with Portable Equipment
Authors: Kim Dawon , Choi Yosoon
Published: September 2022

Currently, portable X-ray fluorescence (PXRF) analysis is widely used as an auxiliary method for the preliminary investigation of soil heavy metal contamination. In this study, a smart glasses-based application (app) was developed to support field workers performing soil contamination surveys with a PXRF analyzer. The app was developed using the MIT App Inventor and runs on smart glasses based on an optical head-mounted display that provides both the original function of glasses to see the objects in front of the wearer, and the function of a computer at the same time. Using the app, a field worker wearing smart glasses can move to soil sampling points while checking the satellite image, survey plan, and real-time locations of other field workers through the smart glasses. At a sampling point, the worker can use both hands to collect and pretreat soil samples, and then measure the content of elements using a PXRF analyzer. The measurement results can be entered into the app using a wearable keyboard and shared in real-time with other field workers. The demonstration at the Ilgwang mine in Korea revealed that the app could effectively support field workers and shorten the working time compared to a previous study that was performed under the same conditions. The subjective workload was evaluated using the NASA task load index on ten subjects, and most of workload factors were evaluated as low.
Simulation and Evaluation of Rainwater Runoff Control, Collection, and Utilization for Sponge City Reconstruction in an Urban Residential Community
Authors: Li Wentao , Wang Hao , Zhou Jinjun , Yan Lin , Liu Zilong , Pang Yali , Zhang Haijia , Huang Tianyi
Published: September 2022

Residential areas are important for the underlying surface of a city, and the sponge construction of a residential area is a key topic in sponge city construction. Taking the Zi-Jing community as the research case, the SWMM model was established for simulation, and the rainwater runoff control, collection, and utilization were compared and analyzed before and after the implementation of sponge transformation for the designed rainfall conditions of once in 3, 5, 10, 20, and 50 years. The results showed that the water depth of the four outlet pipes was not a full tube at the first peak time. The full duration time was reduced to 1–5 h at the second peak, and the flow reduction rate at the pipe outlet was between 30% and 100%. The water storage of sub-catchments A1, A3, and A4 increased significantly and continued to increase after the peak rainfall occurred, while that of A2 decreased significantly after the transformation after the transformation. For the whole residential area, the surface runoff decreased by 37–47%, while the surface water storage and infiltration increased by 8–14% and 23–39% respectively after reconstruction. The direct storage volume of rainwater in the four sub-catchment areas was filled at least once above a once in 5 years scenario. The main conclusions were as follows: Sponge transformation in residential areas with 17.46% sunken greenbelt and 40.85% permeable pavement, and the time of the pipe outlet in full status can be shortened by 30–200 min in different rainfall return periods. With the increase in the rainfall return period, the improvement range of the infiltration increased from 23.36% to 39.54%, the improvement range of the storage capacity for rainwater decreased from 14.36% to 8.06%, and the reduction degree of surface runoff increased from 37.73% to 47.43%. The water consumption for flushing is about 30 m3 per day for 1000 people, and the rainwater storage volume of 765 m3 in this study can meet the flushing water demand of 5000 residents in the community for 3–5 days.
A Continuous Region-Based Skyline Computation for a Group of Mobile Users
Authors: Dehaki Ghoncheh Babanejad , Ibrahim Hamidah , Alwan Ali A. , Sidi Fatimah , Udzir Nur Izura , Lawal Ma′aruf Mohammed
Published: September 2022

Skyline queries, which are based on the concept of Pareto dominance, filter the objects from a potentially large multi-dimensional collection of objects by keeping the best, most favoured objects in satisfying the user′s preferences. With today′s advancement of technology, ad hoc meetings or impromptu gatherings involving a group of people are becoming more and more common. Intuitively, deciding on an optimal meeting point is not a straightforward task especially when conflicting criteria are involved and the number of criteria to be considered is vast. Moreover, a point that is near to a user might not meet all the various users′ preferences, while a point that meets most of the users′ preferences might be located far away from these users. The task becomes more complicated when these users are on the move. In this paper, we present the Region-based Skyline for a Group of Mobile Users (RSGMU) method, which aims to resolve the problem of continuously finding the optimal meeting points, herein called skyline objects, for a group of users while they are on the move. RSGMU assumes a centroid-based movement where users are assumed to be moving towards a centroid that is identified based on the current locations of each user in the group. Meanwhile, to limit the searching space in identifying the objects of interest, a search region is constructed. However, the changes in the users′ locations caused the search region of the group to be reconstructed. Unlike the existing methods that require users to frequently report their latest locations, RSGMU utilises a dynamic motion formula, which abides to the laws of classical physics that are fundamentally symmetrical with respect to time, in order to predict the locations of the users at a specified time interval. As a result, the skyline objects are continuously updated, and the ideal meeting points can be decided upon ahead of time. Hence, the users′ locations as well as the spatial and non-spatial attributes of the objects are used as the skyline evaluation criteria. Meanwhile, to avoid re-computation of skylines at each time interval, the objects of interest within a Single Minimum Bounding Rectangle that is formed based on the current search region are organized in a Kd-tree data structure. Several experiments have been conducted and the results show that our proposed method outperforms the previous work with respect to CPU time.
Axial Symmetric Granular Flow Due to Gravity in a Circular Pipe
Authors: Naeem Numan , Vieru Dumitru , Muhammad Noor , Ahmed Najma
Published: September 2022

Axisymmetric granular flows in vertical cylindrical pipes under action of gravity are studied using mathematical particle–particle models based on the Hertz–Mindlin theory. By and large, in granular flows, the density field and the pressure are unknown scalar functions. A well-known relationship between these fields gives the pressure field a power law of the density. The aim of this paper was to study unsteady, axisymmetric, fully developed granular flow under gravity action in a vertical cylindrical pipe, under the assumptions that the density field is constant and the velocity on the pipe’s wall is time-dependent. Using integral transforms method and appropriate initial-boundary conditions, the analytical solution for axial velocity is determined. The obtained analytical solution is used to determine the steady-state solution (the solution for large values of the time). The properties of the flow in some particular cases of the velocity on the pipe’s surface are analyzed and the transient flow is compared with the stationary one.
Analysis of an M/G/1 Retrial Queue with Delayed Repair and Feedback under Working Vacation policy with Impatient Customers
Authors: GnanaSekar Micheal Mathavavisakan Nicholas , Kandaiyan Indhira
Published: September 2022

The concept of a single server retrial queueing system with delayed repair and feedback under a working vacation policy, along with the asymmetric transition representation, is discussed in this article. In addition, consumers are entitled to balk and renege in some situations. The steady-state probability generating function for system size and orbit size is derived by using the approach of supplementary variables. Discussions include key metrics of the system and a few significant special conditions. Moreover, the impact of system parameters is examined through the analysis of some numerical examples.
Privacy Amplification Strategies in Sequential Secret Key Distillation Protocols Based on Machine Learning
Authors: Radomirović Jelica , Milosavljević Milan , Kovačević Branko , Jovanović Miloš
Published: September 2022

It is well known that Renyi’s entropy of order 2 determines the maximum possible length of the distilled secret keys in sequential secret key distillation protocols so that no information is leaked to the eavesdropper. There have been no attempts to estimate this key quantity based on information available to the legitimate parties to this protocol in the literature. We propose a new machine learning system, which estimates the lower bound of conditional Renyi entropy with high accuracy, based on 13 characteristics locally measured on the side of legitimate participants. The system is based on a prediction intervals deep neural network, trained for a given source of common randomness. We experimentally evaluated this result for two different sources, namely 14 and 6-dimensional EEG signals, of 50 participants, with varying advantage distillation and information reconciliation strategies with and without additional lossless compression block. Across all proposed systems and analyzed sources on average, the best machine learning strategy, called the hybrid strategy, increases the quantity of generated keys 2.77 times compared to the classical strategy. By introducing the Huffman lossless coder before the PA block, the loss of potential source randomness was reduced from 68.48% to a negligible 0.75%, while the leakage rate per one bit remains in the order of magnitude 10−4.
K-Means Clustering Algorithm Based on Memristive Chaotic System and Sparrow Search Algorithm
Authors: Wan Yilin , Xiong Qi , Qiu Zhiwei , Xie Yaohan
Published: September 2022

With the advent of the big data era, it is vital to explore the information involved in this type of data. With the continuous development of higher education, the K-means clustering algorithm is widely used to analyze students’ academic data. However, a significant drawback of this method is that it is seriously affected by initial centroids of clustering and easily falls into local optima. Motivated by the fact that the chaos and swarm intelligence algorithm are frequently combined, we propose an approach for data clustering by Memristive Chaotic Sparrow Search Algorithm (MCSSA) in this paper. First, we introduce a memristive chaotic system, which has a property of conditional symmetry. We use the sequences generated by the memristive chaotic system to initialize the location of the sparrows. Then, MCSSA is applied before K-means for finding the optimal locations in the search space. Those locations are used as initial cluster centroids for the K-means algorithm to find final data clusters. Finally, the improved clustering algorithm is applied to the analysis of college students’ academic data, demonstrating the value and viability of the approach suggested in this paper. Through empirical research, it is also confirmed that this method can be promoted and applied.
Study on Transverse Deformation Characteristics of a Shield Tunnel under Earth Pressure by Refined Finite Element Analyses
Authors: Long Wen , Chen Weijie , Huang Changfu , Li Dongyang , Su Dong
Published: September 2022

We establish an elaborate numerical model with which to investigate the deformation characteristics of segmental lining. The numerical model contains reinforcement and connecting bolts that previous numerical studies have generally neglected. We validated the model parameters using a full-scale model test result. Based on this numerical model, we studied the deformation characteristics of segmental lining. Convergence, joint deformation, bolt stress, and reinforcement stress were systematically analyzed under different loading conditions. Furthermore, we discuss the relationships between convergence and joint opening, bolt stress and joint opening. The deformation characteristics of segmental lining are revealed. When the lining is deformed by earth pressure, plastic hinges form at the joints. The segment rotates around the plastic hinge, which is the main reason for segmental lining deformation under earth pressure. Horizontal convergence is a single index to reflect the deformation of tunnel rings, representing the overall deformation of the ring to a certain extent but not the deformation characteristics of the joint. When the loading conditions differ, the relationship between joint opening and horizontal convergence is consistent for some joints and inconsistent for others.
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Inoculation Increases Organic Selenium Accumulation in Soybean (Glycine max (Linn.) Merr.) Growing in Selenite-Spiked Soils
Authors: Zhang Zengyu , Li Bei , Liu Yongxian , He Lixin , Pang Ting , Chen Zongdao , Shohag Md. Jahidul Islam , Miao Xiuyan , Li Xi , Gu Minghua , Wei Yanyan
Published: September 2022

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) play a crucial role in increasing plant micronutrient acquisition. Soybean (Glycine max (Linn.) Merr.) is a staple food for most people around the world and a source of Se. Therefore, it is necessary to study the mechanism of Se intake in soybean under the influence of AMF. In this study, the effects of fertilization with selenite and inoculation with different AMF strains (Claroideoglomus etunicatum (Ce), Funneliformis mosseae (Fm)) on the accumulation and speciation of Se in common soybean plants were discussed. We carried out a pot experiment at the soil for 90 days to investigate the impact of fertilization with selenite and inoculation with Ce and Fm on the Se fractions in soil, soybean biomass, accumulation and speciation of Se in common soybean plants. The daily dietary intake of the Se (DDI) formula was used to estimate the risk threshold of human intake of Se from soybean seeds. The results showed that combined use of both AMF and Se fertilizer could boost total Se and organic Se amounts in soyabean seeds than that of single Se application and that it could increase the proportion of available Se in soil. Soybean inoculated with Fm and grown in soil fertilized with selenite had the highest organic Se. The results suggest that AMF inoculation could promote root growth, more soil water-soluble Se and higher Se uptake. The maximum Se intake of soybean for adults was 93.15 μg/d when treated with Se fertilizer and Fm, which satisfies the needs of Se intake recommended by the WHO. Combined use of AMF inoculation and Se fertilizer increases the bioavailable Se in soil and promotes the total Se concentration and organic Se accumulation in soybean. In conclusion, AMF inoculation combined with Se fertilization can be a promising strategy for Se biofortification in soybean.
Indoxyl Sulfate Might Play a Role in Sarcopenia, While Myostatin Is an Indicator of Muscle Mass in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease: Analysis from the RECOVERY Study
Authors: Lee Su Mi , Han Mi Yeun , Kim Su Hyun , Cha Ran Hui , Kang Seock Hui , Kim Jun Chul , An Won Suk
Published: September 2022

Serum myostatin and indoxyl sulfate (IS) levels increase with kidney function decline and may function as uremic toxins in chronic kidney disease (CKD)-related sarcopenia. Herein, we analyzed the association between serum myostatin and IS levels and sarcopenia in patients with CKD, by performing a post hoc analysis of baseline data extracted from the RECOVERY study (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03788252) of 150 patients with CKD. We stratified patients into two groups according to the median value of myostatin (cutoff 4.5 ng/mL) and IS levels (cutoff 0.365 mg/dL). The proportion of patients with sarcopenia was higher in those with high IS levels but lower in those with high myostatin levels. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and handgrip strength (HGS) were significantly lower in patients with high IS levels but significantly higher in patients with high myostatin levels. IS levels showed a negative correlation with glomerular filtration rate (GFR), SMI, and HGS. However, myostatin levels were positively correlated with SMI and HGS, but not with GFR. Sarcopenia was independently associated with age and IS level after adjustment. Increased levels of serum total IS might play a role in sarcopenia, while increased levels of serum myostatin are associated with muscle mass in patients with CKD.