bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Low-Complexity Multi-Size Circular-Shift Network for 5G New Radio LDPC Decoders
Authors: Nguyen Tuy Tan , Nguyen Tram Thi Bao , Lee Hanho
Published: February 2022

This paper presents a low-complexity multi-size circular-shift network (MCSN) structure for 5th-generation (5G) New Radio (NR) quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check (QC-LDPC) decoders. In particular, a fine-coarse approach-based multi-size cyclic shift network, which decomposes the cyclic shift size into fine part and coarse part, is introduced. The proposed MCSN structure is composed of a pre-rotator performing the fine part of the cyclic shift, and a main rotator executing the coarse part of the cyclic shift. In addition, a forward routing circular-shift (FRCS) network, which is based on the barrel shifter and the forward routing process is presented. The proposed switch network is able to support all 51 different submatrix sizes as defined in the 5G NR standard through an efficient forward routing switch network and help reduce the hardware complexity using a cyclic shift size decomposition method. The proposed MCSN is analyzed, and indicates a substantial reduction in the hardware complexity. The experimental results on TSMC 65-nm CMOS technology show that the proposed MCSN structure for 5G NR LDPC decoder offers an area saving up to 56.75% compared to related works in the literature.
Selecting Some Variables to Update-Based Algorithm for Solving Optimization Problems
Authors: Dehghani Mohammad , Trojovský Pavel
Published: February 2022

With the advancement of science and technology, new complex optimization problems have emerged, and the achievement of optimal solutions has become increasingly important. Many of these problems have features and difficulties such as non-convex, nonlinear, discrete search space, and a non-differentiable objective function. Achieving the optimal solution to such problems has become a major challenge. To address this challenge and provide a solution to deal with the complexities and difficulties of optimization applications, a new stochastic-based optimization algorithm is proposed in this study. Optimization algorithms are a type of stochastic approach for addressing optimization issues that use random scanning of the search space to produce quasi-optimal answers. The Selecting Some Variables to Update-Based Algorithm (SSVUBA) is a new optimization algorithm developed in this study to handle optimization issues in various fields. The suggested algorithm’s key principles are to make better use of the information provided by different members of the population and to adjust the number of variables used to update the algorithm population during the iterations of the algorithm. The theory of the proposed SSVUBA is described, and then its mathematical model is offered for use in solving optimization issues. Fifty-three objective functions, including unimodal, multimodal, and CEC 2017 test functions, are utilized to assess the ability and usefulness of the proposed SSVUBA in addressing optimization issues. SSVUBA’s performance in optimizing real-world applications is evaluated on four engineering design issues. Furthermore, the performance of SSVUBA in optimization was compared to the performance of eight well-known algorithms to further evaluate its quality. The simulation results reveal that the proposed SSVUBA has a significant ability to handle various optimization issues and that it outperforms other competitor algorithms by giving appropriate quasi-optimal solutions that are closer to the global optima.
Addressing Reproductive Healthcare Disparities through Equitable Carrier Screening: Medical Racism and Genetic Discrimination in United States’ History Highlights the Needs for Change in Obstetrical Genetics Care
Authors: Arjunan Aishwarya , Darnes Deanna R. , Sagaser Katelynn G. , Svenson Ashley B.
Published: February 2022

Carrier screening, a nearly half-century old practice, aims to provide individuals and couples with information about their risk of having children with serious genetic conditions. Traditionally, the conditions for which individuals were offered screening depended on their self-reported race or ethnicity and which conditions were seen commonly in that population. This process has led to disparities and inequities in care as the multi-racial population in the U.S. has grown exponentially, yet databases used to determine clinical practice guidelines are made up of primarily White cohorts. Technological advancements now allow for pan-ethnic expanded carrier screening (ECS), which screens for many conditions regardless of self-reported race or ethnicity. ECS presents a unique opportunity to promote equitable genetic testing practices in reproductive medicine. However, this goal can only be achieved if we acknowledge and appreciate the innumerable inequities evidenced in reproductive medicine and other socio-legal practices in the United States, and if we intentionally work in concert with healthcare providers, policy makers, advocates, and community health champions to reduce current and future reproductive health disparities. Herein, we provide a brief review of the way that US medical racism and genetic discrimination has shaped the current landscape of carrier screening.
Variable Interest Entity, Offshore Domesticated Foreign Finance, and the Political Economy of China’s Internet Firms: The Case of Alibaba
Authors: Zhao Can
Published: February 2022

This article aims to show how the globalized securities market in general and a transnational legal business structure named variable interest entity (VIE) in particular has challenged our conventional understanding of “foreignness” as a geographical concept in cross-border capital flow and ushers in a new type of foreign investment which I call “offshore domesticated foreign finance” (ODFF). By performing a case study on Alibaba—one of the world’s leading VIE-structured Internet companies—and mapping out the company’s fund-raising history and personnel appointment mechanism with the help of company releases and news reports, this article shows how ODFF makes a company de jure foreign-incorporated and -owned but de facto China-based and Chinese-controlled. This article also demonstrates that ODFF’s primary function is to allow China-based Internet firms to tap into international financial markets while helping Chinese entrepreneurs and managers—despite their minority shareholdings—to control the company. These findings shed light on how financial globalization has transformed the cross-border capital movement and corporate governance.
Acute and Long-Term Effects of Concurrent Resistance and Swimming Training on Swimming Performance
Authors: Arsoniadis Gavriil , Botonis Petros , Bogdanis Gregory C. , Terzis Gerasimos , Toubekis Argyris
Published: February 2022

Dry-land resistance exercise (RT) is routinely applied concurrent to swimming (SWIM) training sessions in a year-round training plan. To date, the impact of the acute effect of RT on SWIM or SWIM on RT performance and the long-term RT-SWIM or SWIM-RT training outcome has received limited attention. The existing studies indicate that acute RT or SWIM training may temporarily decrease subsequent muscle function. Concurrent application of RT-SWIM or SWIM-RT may induce similar physiological alterations. Such alterations are dependent on the recovery duration between sessions. Considering the long-term effects of RT-SWIM, the limited existing data present improvements in front crawl swimming performance, dry-land upper and lower body maximum strength, and peak power in swim turn. Accordingly, SWIM-RT training order induces swimming performance improvements in front crawl and increments in maximum dry-land upper and lower body strength. Concurrent application of RT-SWIM or SWIM-RT training applied within a training day leads in similar performance gains after six to twelve weeks of training. The current review suggests that recovery duration between RT and SWIM is a predisposing factor that may determine the training outcome. Competitive swimmers may benefit after concurrent application with both training order scenarios during a training cycle.
The Psychological Effects of Digital Companies’ Employees during the Phase of COVID-19 Pandemic Extracted from Online Employee Reviews
Authors: Ren Zhuo-Ming , Du Wen-Li , Wen Xing-Zhang
Published: February 2022

The ways people use words online can furnish psychological processes about their beliefs, fears, thinking patterns, and so on. Extracting from online employees’ reviews on the workplace community websites, we can quantify the psychological effects of employees during the phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. We collect the anonymous employees’ reviews of Top 100 digital companies from the Glassdoor website which allows people to evaluate and review the companies they have worked for or are working for. Here, based on the data of numerical evaluations and textual reviews, we firstly use Z-score to investigate the psychological effects of employees in digital companies during the phase of COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we use a text analysis application called Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC), which provides an efficient and effective method for studying the various emotional, cognitive, and structural components existing in individuals’ verbal and written speech samples, to mine these reviews to obtain changes in personal pronouns and 10 dimensions of psychological processes. Finally, we use Z-score to count on all aspects of drives and personal concerns in psychological processes.
Sustainable Inventory Management in Supply Chains: Trends and Further Research
Authors: Becerra Pablo , Mula Josefa , Sanchis Raquel
Published: February 2022

This article presents an overview of the models applied to sustainable inventory management in supply chains and a roadmap for new research. It aims to address the lack of understanding of how sustainability is being incorporated into quantitative inventory management models in the supply chain context. The study is based on a classification of the reviewed literature according to the following criteria: supply chain structure, environmental approach, problem type, modeling, and solution approach. As a result, 36 articles were analyzed and classified. The main findings show that studies that incorporate social sustainability into inventory management along supply chains are lacking, while environmental studies are a growing research area. Uncertainty issues also need to be incorporated into sustainable inventory management models. Another important result of this study is the definition of a roadmap with trends and future research guidelines. The identified future research guidelines include incorporating decisions that can help to improve economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Thus, future studies should focus on both following quantitative models that incorporate inventory decisions integrally with transportation and location decisions, and more complex models, and employing new algorithms and heuristics to solve them.
Sustainable Transportation in Practice: A Systematic Quantitative Review of Case Studies
Authors: Shokoohyar Sina , Jafari Gorizi Amirsalar , Ghomi Vahid , Liang Weimin , Kim Hak J.
Published: February 2022

After the COVID-19 pandemic and the spectrum of new climate change disruptions in the supply chain, a holistic approach towards sustainable transportation is needed. Sustainable transportation could benefit sustainable development from different angles; reduced traffic deaths, increased share of renewable energy, higher quality of transport-related infrastructure, increased satisfaction with public transportation, increased responsible consumption and production, and reduced fossil fuel consumption. This study is an attempt to show whereon the scholars were focused previously and where the focus needs to be more on. This study has reviewed 358 case studies and categorized them into twenty groups based on the transportation mode and eleven groups based on the authors’ primary areas of concern. Keyword analysis followed by topics modeling showed three non-overlapping trends in the cohort. The results, with a corroboratory investigation on the benefits of the United States’ infrastructure bill, were discussed in four categories: in-vehicle improvements, built-environment elements, human factors, and planning and regulations.
Soil Compressibility and Resilience Based on Uniaxial Compression Loading Test in Response to Soil Water Suction and Soil Organic Matter Content in Northeast China
Authors: Xiao Zhiqiu , Yu Na , An Jing , Zou Hongtao , Zhang Yulong
Published: February 2022

Due to the widespread use of heavy machinery, improper soil tillage practices, and insufficient soil organic materials input, soil compaction has become a major issue affecting soil function in modern agriculture and the sustainability of the environment. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the responses of soil mechanical parameters to soil water content and soil organic matter content (SOM), and to investigate the physical properties of nine disturbed soils in a black soil region in Northeast China. The soil samples were capillary saturated and subjected to 6, 10, 100, 600, and 800 kPa soil water suction (SWS), and pre-compression stress (σp), compression index (Cc), and decompression index (Dc) were measured. SWS and SOM, and their interaction, significantly influenced the mechanical parameters. σp increased with an increase in SWS until 600 kPa, while Dc exhibited an opposite trend with an increase in SWS. Cc had a peak value at SWS of 100 kPa. All mechanical parameter values were higher under high SOM than under low SOM. σp, Cc, and Dc were influenced variably by different soil physicochemical factors. Structural equation modeling results revealed that soil mechanical parameters were directly and indirectly influenced by soil texture and mean weight diameter of aggregates, in addition to SOM and SWS. According to the results of the present study, based on soil mechanical and physical properties, increasing SOM and ensuring suitable soil water content during tillage could be applied as management strategies to minimize further soil compaction and improve soil resilience, and thus promote the sustainable development of agriculture in Northeast China.
Aspects of Determining the Energy Storage System Size Linked to Household-Sized Power Plants in Hungary in Accordance with the Regulatory Needs of the Electric Energy System
Authors: Pintér Gábor , Zsiborács Henrik , Baranyai Nóra Hegedűsné
Published: February 2022

The global energy markets of the last decade have been characterized by an ever-increasing share of electric power, more than half of which is projected to come from renewable energy sources by the year 2030. Such a remarkable rise in the quantity of renewable energy, of course, will induce a series of related changes as, without the successful integration of all that unconventional type of energy into the existing energy systems, the sustainability and security of the electricity supply cannot be maintained. As a result, new legislation and energy policies are required all over the world to accommodate not only the latest technological solutions but also a variety of previously unknown market actors. In the institutions, businesses and households of Hungary, the notion of sustainability has been gaining more and more importance lately, which is manifest in the efforts to reduce the use of electricity from the public grid, which is generated by burning fossil fuel. This endeavor is facilitated by the installation of photovoltaic (PV) household-sized power plant (HMKE) systems. Currently, the Hungarian electric energy system does not possess sufficiently flexible capacities; moreover, even this capacity is expected to decrease considerably in the future due to the phasing out fossil fuel power plants. Furthermore, dynamically growing HMKE penetration means an increasing frequency of technical problems in the macroenergy system (e.g., reverse energy flow in the local grid). It is such challenges that energy storage technologies can provide a solution for. Presently, there is insufficient information available on the recommended energy storage size necessary for the efficient integration of Hungarian HMKE systems into the electric energy system and the related investment needs. The innovative novelty of this study is that it examines the quantity and power of Hungarian HMKEs in the districts of the various electric companies over time with a view of exploring a possible way of their efficient integration into the electric energy system by determining the nominal energy storage power and energy capacity of the proposed energy storage systems. In addition, the paper also presents the expected investment needs associated with these energy storage systems.
Determinants of Workplace Choice: How Important Is the City’s Ecological Environment in Attracting Jobseekers in China
Authors: Shen Bowen , Zhang Shijie
Published: February 2022

People’s demands for a better environment have become increasingly strong, and the construction of ecological civilization has risen to the national level of strategic decision making. This paper studies the relationship between city ecological environment and labor mobility decision-making from the micro-individual perspective by matching the latest online resumes micro-big data with the ecological environment index data of 279 cities in China. By estimating a conditional logit model, we find that job seekers are more willing to move to the city with better ecological environment during the job transaction process. The heterogeneity results suggest that the higher the education level and the older the age is, the more sensitive the female are to the city’ ecological environment when switching the workplace. Combined with empirical conclusions, this paper argues that the government in China can open a new way in the competition of labor resources through urban ecological civilization construction and reserve high-quality “fuel” for accelerating economic transformation and achieving high-quality development.
Floating PVs in Terms of Power Generation, Environmental Aspects, Market Potential, and Challenges
Authors: Cuce Erdem , Cuce Pinar Mert , Saboor Shaik , Ghosh Aritra , Sheikhnejad Yahya
Published: February 2022

Limited reserves of fossil fuels, rising environmental concerns, and a remarkable increase in electricity demand have led to the necessity of harnessing solar energy on a large scale. For this purpose, there has been a noticeable stimulation into photovoltaic power plants (PVPPs) over the last three decades, but the land requirement for PVPPs is still a handicap in many countries since valuable lands are considered for other purposes such as agriculture and livestock. For effective conservation of valuable lands and water resources, PVPPs are preferred to be installed on various water bodies such as oceans, seas, lagoons, lakes, rivers, dams, canals, wastewater treatment plants, irrigation ponds, fish farms, wineries, reservoirs, etc. PV systems on water bodies are called floating PVPPs, and they have outstanding advantages compared with land-based PVPPs including better energy generation owing to passive cooling effects, higher system efficiency and reliability, and lower dirt and dust accumulation on PV modules thus lower operating costs. There are also some significant environmental features provided by floating PVs. Shading effects due to PV coverage reduce water losses arising from evaporation. Moreover, algae growth is limited because of mitigated solar radiation, which yields better water quality. This review presents more insight on floating PVPPs in terms of several aspects such as electricity generation, system efficiency, reliability and sustainability, experimental applications and facilities in operation, water and carbon saving as well as challenges.
Biogas Production from Concentrated Municipal Sewage by Forward Osmosis, Micro and Ultrafiltration
Authors: Ortega-Bravo Juan Carlos , Pavez Javier , Hidalgo Víctor , Reyes-Caniupán Isaac , Torres-Aravena Álvaro , Jeison David
Published: February 2022

Direct application of anaerobic digestion to sewage treatment is normally only possible under tropical weather conditions. This is the result of its diluted nature and temperatures far from those suitable for anaerobic conversion of organic matter. Then, direct application of anaerobic treatment to sewage would require changing temperature, concentration, or both. Modification of sewage temperature would require much more energy than contained in the organic matter. Then, the feasible alternative seems to be the application of a pre-concentration step that may be accomplished by membrane filtration. This research studied the pre-concentration of municipal sewage as a potential strategy to enable the direct anaerobic conversion of organic matter. Three different membrane processes were tested: microfiltration, ultrafiltration and forward osmosis. The methane potential of the concentrates was determined. Results show that biogas production from the FO-concentrate was higher, most likely because of a higher rejection. However, salt increase due to rejection and reverse flux of ions from the draw solution may affect anaerobic digestion performance.
Chinese Merchant Group Culture, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Cost of Debt: Evidence from Private Listed Firms in China
Authors: Wang Haifei , Wu Hongjun , Humphreys Peter
Published: February 2022

Chinese merchant groups are commercial organizations that have developed over thousands of years. Given the importance of private firms to China’s sustainable development, this study investigates the impact of the traditional Chinese concept of merchant groups on corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance and cost of debt, using Chinese private listed firms during 2008–2020. We measure merchant group culture based on the company’s geographic location. Ordinary least squares regression models are used to test the hypotheses. According to the results, the CSR performance of firms from five traditional Chinese merchant groups is better than non-members. A positive relationship exists between the strength of merchant group culture and CSR performance; this relationship is stronger among merchant group companies. The closer the culture to CSR values, the better the CSR performance, which is negatively related to the cost of debt. The findings are in line with the peer effect theory. Therefore, the study provides evidence that it is essential to consider the traditional Chinese merchant group culture for firms’ CSR strategies beyond formal financial and regulatory factors in China. This study is a first step in exploring the impact of merchant group culture in China on CSR performance and the economic application of this relationship.
A Study on Risk Measurement of Logistics in International Trade: A Case Study of the RCEP Countries
Authors: Yan Bo-Rui , Dong Qian-Li , Li Qian , Li Min
Published: February 2022

International trade can be severely disrupted by failures in international logistics processes. Therefore, an understanding of international logistics risk is imperative for the smooth operation of international trade, systematically studying the causes, responsible parties, and possible consequences of international logistics risk. On this basis, international logistics risk is classified from the perspective of the consequences caused by logistics risk, combined with the influencing factors and types of risk, establishing the index system and evaluation model of international logistics risk; Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methods were used to evaluate international logistics risk, and the international logistics risk in the international trade of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is also discussed. The results show that generally, international logistics risks are mainly logistics loss risk, logistics cost risk, and logistics timeliness risk. The logistics risks in the transaction with RCEP mainly include logistics loss risk, logistics cost risk, logistics timeliness risk, environmental risk, and logistics information risk. The risk causes include five risks: general causes, accidents, bankruptcy or ultra vires of logistics companies, customs clearance problems, and cargo characteristics. By establishing the international logistics risk measurement index system, it can hopefully play a preventive and guiding role in the research of international logistics risk assessment and the international logistics risk management of RCEP enterprises.
Environmental, Social and Governance Disclosure and Value Generation: Is the Financial Industry Different?
Authors: Gholami Amir , Sands John , Rahman Habib Ur
Published: February 2022

This study investigates the relationship between corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance disclosure and profitability, highlighting the significant differences between the financial and non-financial sectors. This study uses an extensive Australian sample during the 2007–2017 period from Bloomberg’s database. A panel regression model is used to evaluate the association between the corporate ESG performance disclosure and profitability to conduct an industry analysis. The robustness of the results is rigorously assessed using several robustness tests to evaluate the methodological, sample selection, endogeneity and causality issues associated with corporate ESG performance disclosure. This study finds that higher corporate ESG performance disclosure is associated with higher company profitability. However, the industry comparison analysis shows significant differences between financial and non-financial industries. This study finds that for companies operating in non-financial sectors, except for corporate governance, there is no significant association between corporate environmental and social elements and a company’s profitability. Therefore, this study has implications for regulators and corporations. The empirical results of this study show that improving corporate ESG performance disclosure is beneficial to shareholders and other stakeholders in the long run. However, the enforcement of environmentally and socially responsible conduct improves profitability only in the financial industry. This study recommends that the regulators create a conducive institutional environment to promote ESG performance in the financial industry. Therefore, it enhances ESG awareness for the borrowers as well as helps economic development.
Experimental Performance Analysis of a Solar Desalination System Modified with Natural Dolomite Powder Integrated Latent Heat Thermal Storage Unit
Authors: Selimefendigil Fatih , Şirin Ceylin , Öztop Hakan F.
Published: February 2022

Solar desalination systems are effective and sustainable applications that are utilized to obtain potable water from saline or contaminated water. In this research, three solar desalination systems, including a conventional system, a phase change material (PCM)-based thermal energy storage unit (TESU), and a natural dolomite powder integrated PCM-based TESU, were structured and experimentally investigated. The developed solar desalination systems were analyzed simultaneously and the findings were discussed in detail. According to the empirically obtained outcomes, utilizing PCM-based TESUs and dolomite-powder-embedded PCM-based TESUs increased daily cumulative productivity by 10.15% and 17.70%, respectively, in comparison to the conventional distiller. Employing dolomite powder increased the energy and exergy efficiencies of the conventional distiller from 15.91% to 18.28% and from 1.26% to 1.78%, respectively. Moreover, environmental metrics such as global warming potential and the sustainability index of the developed solar desalination systems were analyzed within the scope of this work.
Economic Impacts of Public Air Transport Investment: A Case Study of Egypt
Authors: Njoya Eric Tchouamou , Ragab Ahmad Muhammad
Published: February 2022

This paper applies an input–output (I-O) approach and a dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to examine the economy-wide short- and long-run impacts of an increase in public capital investment in air transport infrastructure. The results of the I-O analysis reveal that air transport has above-average backward linkages with other sectors in the economy, with mining being the most intensive industry in intermediate input demand for air transport. The results of the CGE simulation show that at the macroeconomic level, expanding public air transport stock induces modest growth in GDP, employment, income, consumption, private investment, and trade. The findings show that the estimated impact of air transport investment is lower than estimated in studies on the “multiplier effect” of the investment using partial equilibrium techniques.
Improving Sustainable Project Success Strategies Focused on Cost and Schedule for Electrical Construction Project Management
Authors: Kim Janghwan , Lim Jeeyoung , Lim Hyoung-Chul , Kim Dae Young
Published: February 2022

Electrical contractors encounter problems such as limited construction sites, schedule interference, and inefficient communication with other contractors when they typically subcontract with general contractors. Electrical projects require effective and systematic project management strategies to overcome these problems and achieve the desired goal. In an electrical construction project, individual tasks are interconnected at different stages, including pre-construction planning (PCP) and project execution (PE). Therefore, analyzing the effect of task strings on the project success in terms of schedule and cost performance is necessary. The main objective of this study is to perform a static analysis to compare successful and failed projects with a focus on the cost and schedule performances, using the PCP and PE task strings in electrical construction projects. To achieve this, a continuous PCP-PE task strings implementation score was calculated for each PE group in terms of cost and schedule, and successful and failed projects on unweighted and weighted values were compared and analyzed by performing an independent sample t-test. Consequently, it was confirmed that the use of most task strings had a positive effect on the cost success at a confidence level of 95%, and that only the subcontractor management group had a positive effect on the schedule success. Hence, it was derived that the usage of task strings for these groups is recommended for cost success in electrical construction, and continuous PCP-PE task strings do not have a positive effect on schedule success; therefore, it is recommended to use the PCP-PE task strings only for specific groups for schedule success in electrical construction. Demonstrating the relationship between the PCP and PE tasks, the findings of this study are expected to help electrical contractors achieve a better performance using effective project management strategies.
Influence of Social Constraints, Mobility Incentives, and Restrictions on Commuters’ Behavioral Intentions and Moral Obligation towards the Metro-Bus Service in Lahore
Authors: Javid Muhammad Ashraf , Ali Nazam , Campisi Tiziana , Tesoriere Giovanni , Chaiyasarn Krisada
Published: February 2022

This paper aims to identify commuters’ perceptions towards the metro-bus service system considering various social constraints, mobility incentives and restrictions, and personal norms. A questionnaire survey was designed, which consisted of the personal information of respondents, travel properties, and preferences with the metro-bus system. This survey was conducted in Lahore city, and a total of 333 samples were obtained. The findings of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) revealed that the social constraints in traveling, public transport incentives, and specific parking restrictions have a significant influence on commuters’ moral obligations to reduce traffic congestion, mitigate environmental menaces, and protect natural resources. The ANOVA and SEM analysis showed that significant differences exist among low-, middle-, and high-income commuters in terms of their behavioral intentions towards the metro-bus service. These findings implicate that specific incentives on the use of public transport modes and parking restrictions are useful in changing the behavioral intentions of travelers towards transit modes such as the metro-bus service.
Study on the Effect of Customer Psychological Ownership on Value Co-Creation under Service Ecosystem
Authors: Zhou Wen , Li Sitan , Meng Xiangxixi
Published: February 2022

Recently, scholars have tended to study value co-creation from the perspective of service ecosystems, focusing more on the networked, dynamic, and interactive nature of service ecosystems. They believe that the foundation of value co-creation in the service ecosystem is user experience and deep engagement. The deep experience and interaction in the process of value co-creation led to increased psychological ownership, thus increasing the value of users and companies. This study explores the effect of customer psychological ownership on value co-creation from the perspective of deep experience and interaction. The results show that customer psychological ownership and customer fit have a positive effect on the performance of value co-creation, and companies can enhance value co-creation by increasing customers’ sense of belonging and tacit understanding.
Vulnerability of Tourist Cities’ Economic Systems Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: System Characteristics and Formation Mechanisms—A Case Study of 46 Major Tourist Cities in China
Authors: Qin Fangming , Chen Gezhi
Published: February 2022

Research on the vulnerability of tourist cities’ economic systems during COVID-19 can offer insightful implications for tourism recovery and resilience. We built a vulnerability index of tourist cities’ economic systems based on sensitivity and responsiveness amid COVID-19. Taking 46 major tourist cities in China as a case, the vulnerability indices and main vulnerability-induced factors were analyzed using a comprehensive assessment model and a factor identification model. The results revealed several trends. First, after the pandemic emerged, the vulnerability of the economic systems of major tourist cities remained mostly moderate. Vulnerability could be further divided into four types across four city characteristics and four system characteristics. Second, sensitivity had a more pronounced effect on system vulnerability; crisis pressure and inbound tourism reliance exerted key influences on the vulnerability of tourist cities’ economic systems. Cities with high and relatively high vulnerability were subject to tourism reliance sensitivity factors and urban guarantee responsiveness factors. Third, the pandemic’s influence on tourist cities’ economic system vulnerability was mainly reflected in exogenous environmental stress vulnerability (i.e., due to external environmental stress), but was essentially endogenous structural imbalance vulnerability (i.e., due to imbalanced internal structures). Fourth, system vulnerability can be alleviated by reducing system sensitivity, improving system responsiveness, and enhancing the system’s engineering resilience and ecological resilience. This study not only offers an overview of the vulnerability characteristics of tourist cities’ economic systems amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but also highlights the formation mechanisms of vulnerability.
A Survey on the Use of Plastic versus Biodegradable Bottles for Drinking Water Packaging in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Rajput Himadri , Maraqa Munjed A. , Zraydi Fatima , Al Khatib Lina A. , Ameen Noor , Ben ElKaid Rime , Al Jaberi Safia S. , Alharbi Noura A. , Howard Reka , Aly Hassan Ashraf
Published: February 2022

Due to intensive utilization and extensive production, plastic waste is becoming a serious threat to the environment and human health. The situation is even worse in countries such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where single-use plastic water bottles add to the load of plastic pollution. The main objective of this survey was to assess the extent of bottled water utilization by the UAE residents and their awareness of the environmental concerns arising from single-use plastic bottles. The aim was also to evaluate their willingness to shift towards using biodegradable plastic bottles. This study involved the feedback of 2589 respondents living in the UAE. The eigenvalue decomposition (EVD) was applied to determine the most responsible variables explaining the variability of our data set. A chi-square analysis was also used to determine the significance among the responses. Most of the respondents to this survey were UAE nationals (79.8%) of ages ranging from 21 to 35 years (42%), who were educated, with most holding a university degree (69.6%). Regardless of their gender, age, occupation, education, and income, a large group of respondents (40.7%) was concerned about the impact of their purchased items on the environment; however, the frequency of plastic products recycled was observed to be low (49.7%). According to the findings of this survey, 42.4% of the respondents were likely to purchase 100% biodegradable bottles, and about 70% of the respondents expressed a willingness to spend at least AED 1 more for purchasing 100% biodegradable bottles.
How Does My Train Line Run? Elicitation of Six Information-Seeking Profiles of Regular Suburban Train Users
Authors: Un Pascal , Adelé Sonia , Vallet Flore , Burkhardt Jean-Marie
Published: February 2022

Information is at the heart of the smooth running of a public transport network and the satisfaction of its users, particularly in disrupted situations. Information is a central element for users to continue to use this mode contributing to sustainable mobility and even attracting new users. Therefore, it is essential to understand how travellers use passenger information to adjust the way it is disseminated to actual usage. This article aims to identify the sources of information used by travellers and at what moments they consult them in order to categorise passengers according to these activities. We conducted an online questionnaire on 258 regular suburban train users of a specific branch of one particular line (with the same information material in the stations). In addition to univariate descriptive analyses, the results were analysed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis and Ascending Hierarchical Clustering to construct six information-seeking profiles named: Improvisers, Monitors, Planners, Circumscribed, Ultra-connected and Routinized. Based on clustering, we were able to link sociodemographic or travel characteristics to information-seeking behaviour. Differences in information acquisition and use were identified. These results suggest great information-seeking behaviour disparities and can provide interesting information to passenger transport stakeholders. The results could be further integrated into a multi-agent simulation.
Exploring the Spatial Network Structure of Agricultural Water Use Efficiency in China: A Social Network Perspective
Authors: Yang Guangming , Gong Guofang , Gui Qingqing
Published: February 2022

The exploration of the spatial network structure of agricultural water use efficiency (AWUE) and its influencing factors for promoting water saving and improving water use efficiency in regional agricultural production is of great importance. In this paper, the modified gravity model and social network analysis methods were used to study the spatial correlation characteristics and influencing factors of AWUE in China between the years 2008 and 2019. It was found that (1) the overall trend of AWUE in China has been fluctuating and declining, and there are obvious differences in AWUE in each region; (2) the spatial network structure of AWUE in China is complex and relatively stable, with close interprovincial connections and obvious spatial spillover effects; (3) Shanghai, Beijing, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang are at the center of the network; and (4) the differences between geographical adjacency, technological development level, farmers’ income, and natural resource endowment have significant effects on the development of the AWUE network. These results provide a theoretical basis for the government to improve AWUE and promote collaborative regional development.
Advanced Stabilization Methods of Plasma Devices for Plasma-Based Acceleration
Authors: Galletti Mario , Anania Maria Pia , Arjmand Sahar , Biagioni Angelo , Costa Gemma , Del Giorno Martina , Ferrario Massimo , Lollo Valerio , Pompili Riccardo , Raz Yoav , Shpakov Vladimir , Villa Fabio , Zigler Arie , Cianchi Alessandro
Published: February 2022

Towards the next generation of compact plasma-based accelerators, useful in several fields, such as basic research, medicine and industrial applications, a great effort is required to control the plasma creation, the necessity of producing a time-jitter free channel, and its stability namely uniformity and reproducibility. In this Letter, we describe an experimental campaign adopting a gas-filled discharge-capillary where the plasma and its generation are stabilized by triggering its ignition with an external laser pulse or an innovative technique based on the primary dark current (DC) in the accelerating structure of a linear accelerator (LINAC). The results show an efficient stabilization of the discharge pulse and plasma density with both pre-ionizing methods turning the plasma device into a symmetrical stable accelerating environment, especially when the external voltage is lowered near the breakdown value of the gas. The development of tens of centimeter long capillaries is enabled and, in turn, longer acceleration lengths can be adopted in a wide range of plasma-based acceleration experiments.
Event-Triggered, Adaptive, Exponentially Asymptotic Tracking Control of Stochastic Nonlinear Systems
Authors: He Furong , Cao Dewen , Wu Jian , Li Jing
Published: February 2022

This paper investigates the problem of event-triggered, adaptive, asymptotic tracking control for a class of non-strict feedback stochastic nonlinear systems with symmetrical structures and sensor faults. Based on the negative exponential function, the event-triggered adaptive tracking control strategy deals with the problem of exponentially asymptotic convergence for the first time. The radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) mechanism addresses uncertain factors and unknown external disturbances in the system. The developed strategy ensures that all the signals of the closed-loop system are semi-globally uniformly bounded in probability, and that the tracking error can exponentially converge to zero. Finally, a simulation example demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Experimental and Numerical Research on a Pipe Element Passing through Bulkhead with Symmetrical Elastic Installation
Authors: Wu Yiwan , Tang Yu , Qin Zhiqiang , Chen Xiaochao , Bai Hongbai
Published: February 2022

To reduce the transmission of vibration energy from the ship’s pipeline to the bulkhead, a novel all-metal pipe element passing through the bulkhead with symmetrical elastic installation was proposed in this paper. A metal bellow, a multi-layer thin-walled symmetrical structure, was used as an elastic element and entangled metallic wire materials (EMWM) were used as a damping element. The insertion loss was adopted to evaluate the vibration damping performance. The results show that compared with the pipe element passing through the bulkhead with rigid installation, the vibration damping performance of the pipe element passing through bulkhead with symmetrical elastic installation can significantly isolate the vibration transition, and the maximum average insertion loss in each direction can reach 25.4 dB. A thermal-vibration joint test system of the pipe element passing through the bulkhead was built. A series of comparison experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of temperature, symmetrical measure points, and exciting directions on the vibration response transmitted to the bulkhead. Therefore, the vibration damping performance was verified.
PSO, a Swarm Intelligence-Based Evolutionary Algorithm as a Decision-Making Strategy: A Review
Authors: Ramírez-Ochoa Dynhora-Danheyda , Pérez-Domínguez Luis Asunción , Martínez-Gómez Erwin-Adán , Luviano-Cruz David
Published: February 2022

Companies are constantly changing in their organization and the way they treat information. In this sense, relevant data analysis processes arise for decision makers. Similarly, to perform decision-making analyses, multi-criteria and metaheuristic methods represent a key tool for such analyses. These analysis methods solve symmetric and asymmetric problems with multiple criteria. In such a way, the symmetry transforms the decision space and reduces the search time. Therefore, the objective of this research is to provide a classification of the applications of multi-criteria and metaheuristic methods. Furthermore, due to the large number of existing methods, the article focuses on the particle swarm algorithm (PSO) and its different extensions. This work is novel since the review of the literature incorporates scientific articles, patents, and copyright registrations with applications of the PSO method. To mention some examples of the most relevant applications of the PSO method; route planning for autonomous vehicles, the optimal application of insulin for a type 1 diabetic patient, robotic harvesting of agricultural products, hybridization with multi-criteria methods, among others. Finally, the contribution of this article is to propose that the PSO method involves the following steps: (a) initialization, (b) update of the local optimal position, and (c) obtaining the best global optimal position. Therefore, this work contributes to researchers not only becoming familiar with the steps, but also being able to implement it quickly. These improvements open new horizons for future lines of research.
Variational Quantum Circuits to Prepare Low Energy Symmetry States
Authors: Selvarajan Raja , Sajjan Manas , Kais Sabre
Published: February 2022

We explore how to build quantum circuits that compute the lowest energy state corresponding to a given Hamiltonian within a symmetry subspace by explicitly encoding it into the circuit. We create an explicit unitary and a variationally trained unitary that maps any vector output by ansatz A(α→) from a defined subspace to a vector in the symmetry space. The parameters are trained varitionally to minimize the energy, thus keeping the output within the labelled symmetry value. The method was tested for a spin XXZ Hamiltonian using rotation and reflection symmetry and H2 Hamiltonian within Sz=0 subspace using S2 symmetry. We have found the variationally trained unitary gives good results with very low depth circuits and can thus be used to prepare symmetry states within near term quantum computers.