bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Light-Sensing Properties of Amorphous Vanadium Oxide Films Prepared by RF Sputtering
Authors: Plugaru Rodica , Mihalache Iuliana , Romaniţan Cosmin , Comanescu Florin , Vulpe Silviu , Craciun Gabriel , Plugaru Neculai , Djourelov Nikolay
Published: February 2023

In this study we analyzed the structure and light-sensing properties of as-deposited vanadium oxide thin films, prepared by RF sputtering in different Ar:O2 flow rate conditions, at low temperature (e.g., 65 °C). X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM-EDX), Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were employed to analyze the film microstructure, composition and the oxidation states of vanadium ions. The SEM micrographs evidence VxOy films with smooth surfaces, whereas the XRD patterns show their amorphous structure. Raman spectra indicate an increased structural disorder in the films deposited in Ar:O2 flow comparatively with those deposited solely in Ar flow. The XPS data suggest the modification of the oxidation state from V4+ to V5+, thus proving the formation of the V2O5 phase when increasing the oxygen content, which further affects the films’ optical properties. We observed a good stability of the photogenerated current in Si/SiO2/VxOy/TiN heterostructures upon excitation with pulses of UV (360 nm), VIS (white light) and NIR (860 nm) light. The responsivity, detectivity and linear dynamic range parameters increase with the O/V ratio in the VxOy films, reaching comparable values with photodetectors based on crystalline V2O5 or VO2.
Preparations for Galileo PRS in Poland
Authors: Bronk Krzysztof , Lipka Adam , Niski Rafal
Published: February 2023

This article discusses the increasing security risk for the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) due to both unintentional and deliberate interference (attacks), which have gotten significantly worse in 2022 due to tense the international situation. The upcoming Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS), which is more resilient and robust than initial GNSS open services, is one of the key solutions for that problem. The technical description of this service, aspects regarding its implementation in the EU and the role of designated governmental authorities in that process are extensively covered in the first sections of the article. The next relevant issue brought up in the paper is the PRS signals’ coexistence with amateur services operating within the same frequency resources, which have recently became a source of significant controversy in Europe. Finally, the article presents the Polish contribution to the Galileo PRS preparatory actions, covering the participation in two international R&D projects, the developed measurement station and initial results for the GNSS receiver’s jamming and spoofing resistance tests, as well as the concept of the Galileo PRS threats detection system.
Ultrasonic Phased Array Imaging Approach Using Omni-Directional Velocity Correction for Quantitative Evaluation of Delamination in Composite Structure
Authors: Xu Xiangting , Fan Zhichao , Chen Xuedong , Cheng Jingwei , Bu Yangguang
Published: February 2023

The ultrasonic detectability of buried defects within composite materials is dependent on the anisotropy of the composite material by which the propagation property of acoustic wave in each direction is variably affected. In this study, the characteristics of acoustic waves propagating in different directions for composite materials are explored based on the full matrix capture (FMC) data using an ultrasonic phased array. The elastic constant of multidirectional carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminate is first derived based on the genetic algorithm. The characteristics of transmitted and reflected waves in higher angles are predicted by implementing the Christoffel equation, and the focal law used in post-processing of FMC data can be optimized accordingly. The imaging results of the total focusing method (TFM) using the improved focal law are compared with the results of the conventional TFM. The results suggest that the optimized TFM can effectively characterize the defect by reducing the background noise. Furthermore, since it is impractical to theoretically correct angle-dependent velocity for in situ inspection, a linear extrapolation method based on the experimentally measurable velocity at low angles is proposed to estimate the velocity profile at higher angles. The imaging results using the fast extrapolated velocity profile is then compared with the theoretical, and it has been demonstrated that while the difference between the images using the theoretical focal law and the linearly extrapolated one is barely visible, the later one is overwhelmingly advantageous to be realiszd for engineering practices.
Reservoir Lithology Identification Based on Multicore Ensemble Learning and Multiclassification Algorithm Based on Noise Detection Function
Authors: Li Menglei , Zhang Chaomo
Published: February 2023

Reservoir lithology identification is an important part of well logging interpretation. The accuracy of identification affects the subsequent exploration and development work, such as reservoir division and reserve prediction. Correct reservoir lithology identification has important geological significance. In this paper, the wavelet threshold method will be used to preliminarily reduce the noise of the curve, and then the MKBoost-MC model will be used to identify the reservoir lithology. It is found that the prediction accuracy of MKBoost-MC is higher than that of the traditional SVM algorithm, and though the operation of MKBoost-MC takes a long time, the speed of MKBoost-MC reservoir lithology identification is much higher than that of manual processing. The accuracy of MKBoost-MC for reservoir lithology recognition can reach the application standard. For the unbalanced distribution of lithology types, the MKBoost-MC algorithm can be effectively suppressed. Finally, the MKBoost-MC reservoir lithology identification method has good applicability and practicality to the lithology identification problem.
Deep-Reinforcement-Learning-Based IoT Sensor Data Cleaning Framework for Enhanced Data Analytics
Authors: Mohammed Alaelddin F. Y. , Sultan Salman Md , Lee Joohyung , Lim Sunhwan
Published: February 2023

The Internet of things (IoT) combines different sources of collected data which are processed and analyzed to support smart city applications. Machine learning and deep learning algorithms play a vital role in edge intelligence by minimizing the amount of irrelevant data collected from multiple sources to facilitate these smart city applications. However, the data collected by IoT sensors can often be noisy, redundant, and even empty, which can negatively impact the performance of these algorithms. To address this issue, it is essential to develop effective methods for detecting and eliminating irrelevant data to improve the performance of intelligent IoT applications. One approach to achieving this goal is using data cleaning techniques, which can help identify and remove noisy, redundant, or empty data from the collected sensor data. This paper proposes a deep reinforcement learning (deep RL) framework for IoT sensor data cleaning. The proposed system utilizes a deep Q-network (DQN) agent to classify sensor data into three categories: empty, garbage, and normal. The DQN agent receives input from three received signal strength (RSS) values, indicating the current and two previous sensor data points, and receives reward feedback based on its predicted actions. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed system outperforms a common time-series-based fully connected neural network (FCDQN) solution, with an accuracy of around 96% after the exploration mode. The use of deep RL for IoT sensor data cleaning is significant because it has the potential to improve the performance of intelligent IoT applications by eliminating irrelevant and harmful data.
Study on Creepage Control for PLS-160 Wheel–Rail Adhesion Test Rig Based on LADRC
Authors: Tian Chun , Zhai Gengwei , Gao Yingqi , Chen Chao , Zhou Jiajun
Published: February 2023

Aiming at the problem of low control accuracy caused by nonlinear disturbances in the operation of the PLS-160 wheel–rail adhesion test rig, a linear active disturbance rejection controller (LADRC) suitable for the wheel–rail adhesion test rig was designed. The influence of nonlinear disturbances during the operation of the test rig on the control accuracy was analyzed based on SIMPACK. The SIMAT co-simulation platform was established to verify the control performance of the LADRC designed in this paper. The simulation results show that the speed and creepage errors of the test rig under the control of the LADRC met the adhesion test technical indicators under four different conditions. Compared with the traditional PID controller, the creepage overshoot and response time with the LADRC were reduced by 1.27% and 60%, respectively, under the constant creepage condition, and the stability recovery time was shorter under the condition of a sudden decrease in the adhesion coefficient. The LADRC designed in this paper shows better dynamic and anti-interference performance; therefore, it is more suitable for a follow-up study of the PLS-160 wheel–rail adhesion test rig.
Validation of 3D Knee Kinematics during Gait on Treadmill with an Instrumented Knee Brace
Authors: Reneaud Nicolas , Zory Raphaël , Guérin Olivier , Thomas Luc , Colson Serge S. , Gerus Pauline , Chorin Frédéric
Published: February 2023

To test a novel instrumented knee brace intended for use as a rehabilitation system, based on inertial measurement units (IMU) to monitor home-based exercises, the device was compared to the gold standard of motion analysis. The purpose was to validate a new calibration method through functional tasks and assessed the value of adding magnetometers for motion analysis. Thirteen healthy young adults performed a 60-second gait test at a comfortable walking speed on a treadmill. Knee kinematics were captured simultaneously, using the instrumented knee brace and an optoelectronic camera system (OCS). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) showed excellent reliability for the three axes of rotation with and without magnetometers, with values ranging between 0.900 and 0.972. Pearson’s r coefficient showed good to excellent correlation for the three axes, with the root mean square error (RMSE) under 3° with the IMUs and slightly higher with the magnetometers. The instrumented knee brace obtained certain clinical parameters, as did the OCS. The instrumented knee brace seems to be a valid tool to assess ambulatory knee kinematics, with an RMSE of <3°, which is sufficient for clinical interpretations. Indeed, this portable system can obtain certain clinical parameters just as well as the gold standard of motion analysis. However, the addition of magnetometers showed no significant advantage in terms of enhancing accuracy.
Perceived Psychological Restorativeness in Relation to Individual and Environmental Variables: A Study Conducted at Poetto Beach in Sardinia, Italy
Authors: Bolognesi Monica , Toffalini Enrico , Pazzaglia Francesca
Published: February 2023

This study examines how objective, social, and perceived environmental conditions in a blue space are associated with the perception of psychological restorativeness. We collected data between April 2021 and February 2022 at Poetto Beach in Sardinia, Italy. The participants (N = 255) completed a survey about perceived environmental quality, stress, weather, and restorativeness during their stay at the beach. We used linear models to evaluate the association between psychological restorativeness and social, environmental, and weather parameters. We also analyzed the nature of the association between temperature and restorativeness by viewing this relation as both linear and non-linear and by evaluating the differences in restorativeness between winter, springtime, and summer. The results suggested that the participants viewed the beach as psychologically restorative, especially during the winter season. We also found that the number of people that participants came with was negatively associated with perceived restorativeness. Finally, the results from the correlation analysis revealed that people are less stressed if they go to the beach more frequently.
Impact of Chainsaw Power on Fuel and Oil Consumption
Authors: Antonić Slavica , Danilović Milorad , Stojnić Dušan , Dražić Srđan
Published: February 2023

This research was carried out in a selection stand of beech and fir, where logging was performed with chainsaws of different powers. Two chainsaws of 3.9 kW were used for work on one area, while on the other one the applied tools were a combination of a smaller and a larger saw (2.5 kW and 3.9 kW). After logging, the consumption of energy products (fuel (gasoline and motor oil mix ratio 50:1) and chainsaw oil) was measured for each individual chainsaw by the method of refueling. It was found that the power of the chainsaw, i.e., the combination of chainsaws of different powers, significantly influences the consumption of energy products in a beech–fir mixed stand. By using a combination of one larger and one smaller chainsaw instead of two larger chainsaws, savings of about 26% for fuel and 24% for oil were achieved. The prediction analysis found that by using two chainsaws (of lower and higher power) instead of two higher power chainsaws (currently common mode of work) in beech stands for an estimated volume of about 1 million m3 year−1, the savings could be about 54,000 L of fuel and about 19,000 L of oil. In monetary value, this is a saving of about EUR 120,000 year−1, i.e., of about 2,500,000 MJ year−1 of energy.
Natural Resource Asset Protection and Utilization Planning Based on Insights from Land Storage
Authors: He Jianhua , Jia Ning , Luo Bojin , Zhang Xiuzheng , Li Jiaming
Published: February 2023

The compilation of plans for the protection and utilization of natural resource assets owned by the general population is of great practical significance in supporting the preservation and appreciation of natural resource assets, preventing the loss of state-owned assets, and realizing the reform goal of unified management of natural resource assets. However, the planplanning for the protection and utilization of natural resource assets in China is still at the exploratory stage, with a lack of normative technical procedures and preparation guidelines. Land storage strengthens the management of land assets and helps to realize the preservation and appreciation of land assets, which can provide supporting evidence for the protection and utilization of other natural resource assets. Therefore, on the basis of analyzing the mechanisms of land storage, and drawing on the theory, methods, and practical experience of land storage, this paper extends the land storage system to the protection and utilization management of other natural resource assets, developing a “body and two wings” planning concept for the protection and utilization of natural resource assets, while hoping to provide a useful reference for the protection and utilization of natural resource assets in China. The study found that the theory, method, and practice of land storage meet the needs of natural resource asset protection and management. The proposed plans for the protection and utilization of natural resource assets owned by the general population, mainly through storage, can not only play a basic role in protecting public-welfare natural resource assets and improving ecological functions, but can also play a key role in the operational management of natural resource assets in terms of optimizing resource allocation, improving the efficiency of resource development and utilization, and promoting high-quality development. This is a valuable study that contributes to realization of the reform goal of unified management of natural resource assets, and which can provide a reference for the preparation of natural resource asset plans in various regions.
Multinational Firms and Economic Integration: The Role of Global Uncertainty
Authors: Jung Jaewon
Published: February 2023

This paper develops a three-country, two-sector, two-factor general-equilibrium trade model in which multinational firms’ FDI decisions are influenced by global uncertainty level. We investigate the effects of economic integration under uncertainty, and highlight an important new type of FDI which is certainty-seeking. A numerical general-equilibrium model has been explored to study in depth the endogenous regime changes with six different firm types. Among others, we show that multinational firms are highly influenced by global uncertainty level, so that even the same economic integration process leads to significantly different global market structure.
A State-of-the-Art Review and Numerical Study of Reinforced Expansive Soil with Granular Anchor Piles and Helical Piles
Authors: Alnmr Ammar , Ray Richard Paul , Alsirawan Rashad
Published: February 2023

Expansive soils exist in many countries worldwide, and their characteristics make them exceedingly difficult to engineer. Due to its significant swelling and shrinkage characteristics, expansive soil defies many of the stabilization solutions available to engineers. Differential heave or settlement occurs when expansive soil swells or shrinks, causing severe damage to foundations, buildings, roadways, and retaining structures. In such soils, it is necessary to construct a foundation that avoids the adverse effects of settlement. As a result, building the structure’s foundations on expansive soil necessitates special consideration. Helical piles provide resistance to uplift in light structures. However, they may not fully stabilize foundations in expansive soils. A granular anchor pile is another anchor technique that may provide the necessary resistance to uplift in expansive soils using simpler methods. This review and numerical study investigate the fundamental foundation treatments for expansive soils and the behavior of granular anchors and helical piles. Results indicate that granular anchor piles performed better than helical piles for uplift and settlement performance. For heave performance, the granular anchor and helical piles perform nearly identically. Both achieve heave reductions greater than 90% when L/H > 1.5 and D = 0.6 m.
A Combinatorial Optimization Strategy for Performance Improvement of Stratum Ventilation Considering Outdoor Weather Changes and Metabolic Rate Differences: Energy Consumption and Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Bai Yan , Wei Zhuo
Published: February 2023

Since occupants spend most of their time indoors, an energy-saving and comfortable indoor environment are particularly important. The differences in the metabolic rate of occupants make them have different requirements for their thermal environment. To save energy under the comprehensive needs of occupants for thermal environment, the combinatorial optimization strategy based on NSGA-II and improved the TOPSIS method is proposed in this study. Firstly, the physical model of the CFD simulation is verified by experiments. Secondly, the specific operation cases corresponding to combinations of different levels of factors are determined via the RSM method, and the ventilation performance prediction model considering the metabolic rate differences and outdoor weather changes is established. Thirdly, supply air velocities and temperatures are optimized by using Pareto-based NSGA-II; the Pareto optimal solution set under different outdoor temperatures is obtained. Finally, based on the Pareto optimal solutions at different outdoor temperatures, the optimal strategy under dynamic outdoor air temperature is obtained by improved TOPSIS by the CRITIC method. The optimization of ventilation parameters significantly improved the ventilation performance, and the results show that the predicted mean vote, energy consumption, vertical air temperature difference between head and ankle levels and the local mean age of air for different metabolic rates decrease by 64.1%, 4.74%, 24.83% and 7.39% on average, respectively. Moreover, the relative energy saving rate increases as the metabolic rate increases, and the strategy facilitates adaptation to outdoor weather changes and meets the individual needs of occupants for the indoor environment. This has important implications for achieving the global goal of energy efficiency and emission reduction.
Thermodynamic Performance Comparisons of Ideal Brayton Cycles Integrated with High Temperature Fuel Cells as Power Sources on Aircraft
Authors: Ji Zhixing , Guo Fafu , Zhu Tingting , Cheng Kunlin , Zhang Silong , Qin Jiang , Dong Peng
Published: February 2023

Developing hybrid electric aircraft is propitious to reducing carbon dioxide emissions and fuel consumption. Combustion engines coupled with solid oxide fuel cells are proposed for aircraft propulsion systems, where the compressor is powered by fuel cells instead of turbines. The thermal cycle of the new engine is obviously different from that of conventional combustion engines and can be characterized in the temperature entropy diagram under some reasonable assumptions, which were analyzed and investigated. Performance parameters, such as the specific thrust, are derived and can be expressed by several fundamental thermal parameters. Three different cycles integrating Brayton cycles and SOFC are shown. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) The maximum operating pressure ratio of the Brayton cycles integrated with fuel cells is 32. The maximum thermal efficiency of the cycle at the lowest combustion temperature is 82.2%, while that of the BC is 65.1% at the high combustion temperature. (2) The new cycles can not work if the combustion temperature is lower than 1350 K. Otherwise, the fuel utilization will be too huge.
Collision Analysis of Transverse Stops Considering the Vertical Separation of the Main Beam and Bent Cap
Authors: An Wenjun , Zhou Lin , Fang Ting , Wu Yiren , Li Qi
Published: February 2023

In this study, a two-span continuous beam bridge is used as the model to calculate the theoretical solution of the lateral collision between the main beam and the retaining block under the vertical separation of the main beam and the bent cap, and the most unfavorable separation condition for the analysis is selected. The impact of the vertical separation of the bridge on the impact of the block is verified by calculating the lateral collision force of the block when the main beam and bent cap are separated. We calculate the changes in the vertical positions of the main beam and pier under multiple separation collision processes and select two characteristic parameters, the collision force and the collision position. According to the specifications, the impact of the structural collision caused by the separation conditions on the failure mode of the block is verified.
The Performance of Alkali-Activated Self-Compacting Concrete with and without Nano-Alumina
Authors: Younus Shimal Jameel , Mosaberpanah Mohammad Ali , Alzeebaree Radhwan
Published: February 2023

The environmental pollution crisis has infiltrated all aspects of life, making it hard to avoid the hazards. To address this, it is essential to recycle industrial waste through green concrete technology, such as ground-granulated blast furnace slag (S), silica fume, and fly ash (FA). In this study, the effect of nano-alumina (NA) on the fresh and hardened stag of fly ash and/or slag-based alkali-activated self-compacting concrete (A-ASCC) cured in an ambient environment was investigated. Three different types of binders were used: 100% slag, 50% slag and 50% fly ash, and 100% fly ash. Four ratios of nano-alumina (0%, 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%) were used as partial replacements for binder materials. The fresh characteristics of A-ASCC were evaluated by indicating the slump flow, T50 value, V-funnel, and L-Box tests. The mechanical properties of A-ASCC were evaluated by measuring the compressive strength, flexural tensile strength, and splitting tensile strength test values to assess the qualities of the hardened state. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also used to clarify the microstructure of the A-ASCC specimens. Regardless of the binder materials used, the addition of NA has a negative effect on fresh state performance. The mechanical performance of alkali-activated A-ASCC was significantly improved by the incorporation of NA. The incorporation of NA with 50% slag and 50% fly ash showed better properties than other binder materials. However, the highest flexural and compressive strengths were achieved with 1% NA and 100% FA, and the maximum splitting tensile strength was achieved with 1.5% NA. Furthermore, using NA significantly increases the A-ASCC setting time and may be used to produce A-ASCC in an ambient environment.
Much More Than Food: The Malaysian Breakfast, a Socio-Cultural Perspective
Authors: Poulain Jean-Pierre , Mognard Elise , Kong Jacqui , Yuen Jan Li , Tibère Laurence , Laporte Cyrille , Yang Fong-Ming , Dasgupta Anindita , Nair Pradeep Kumar , Ragavan Neethiahnanthan Ari , Noor Ismail Mohd
Published: February 2023

Using secondary analysis of data from the Malaysian Food Barometer (MFB), this article highlights ethnocultural dimensions and social functions of breakfasts in the Malaysian population. MFB uses a 24-h dietary recall that lets the interviewee give the name of the food intake. It shows that breakfasts from the Asian food register dominate with 50.7% (Malays, 50.4%; Indians, 51.9%; Chinese, 47.6%; non-Malay Bumiputra 50.1%), whereas 26.1% eat a westernised breakfast and 17.6% eat no breakfast. If we add those who just have a beverage, 20% do not eat a “proper” breakfast. The Asian breakfasts are characterised by including cooked dishes. These sometimes require real craftmanship to prepare. Therefore, they are mostly purchased outside and consumed either at home, at the workplace, or outside, in restaurants or food courts, such as “mamaks” or “nasi kandar “. Breakfast dishes can be attached to the food culture of the three main ethnic groups of Malaysia, but the boundaries between breakfast cultural styles are fluid and there is a sort of pooling of the breakfast dishes. This porosity of the boundaries between culinary styles is one of the main characteristics of Malaysian breakfast culture. It is so important that when asked, “What could represent Malaysia the best for submission to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list?”, the sample of a national representative population places two breakfast dishes first (nasi lemak and roti canai). This knowledge of the ethno-cultural dimensions of breakfast will help public health nutritionists and policymakers consider cultural characteristics and avoid the risk of a (non-conscious) neo-colonial attitude in promoting western style breakfasts. However, bearing in mind the influence of the British colonisation, the so-called westernised breakfast could also be considered as part of a cosmopolitanised breakfast culture. Finally, the understanding of breakfast culture will feed the debate around, and the progress towards, sociocultural sustainable healthy diets.
Life Cycle Costing Implementation in Green Public Procurement: A Case Study from the Greek Public Sector
Authors: Orfanidou Varvara S. , Rachaniotis Nikolaos P. , Tsoulfas Giannis T. , Chondrokoukis Gregory P.
Published: February 2023

Green Public Procurement (GPP) is an essential strategy for achieving goals related to public environmental policy, including sustainable production and consumption, streamlined use of resources and mitigation of climate change. The European Union has adopted policies towards “greening” public procurement for member states in order to promote environmental sustainability. Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is a method that measures the financial impact of an investment over the life cycle of a product. The current EU Procurement Directives (2014) are designed to position LCC centrally to sustainable sourcing. Although the literature identifies the links between the environmental dimension through GPP and the economic dimension through the use of LCC, the interaction between them in the context of public procurement has not been adequately captured. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the results of the LCC tools implementation in the context of GPP in Greece and study the economic impact of green procurement in public organizations. The urgent need of reducing energy consumption in the public sector due to the continuing energy crisis and climate change is an additional incentive to evaluate this impact. LCC tools developed by the EU were used, fed with data from public procurement contracts carried out in the Greek public sector. The results show that the adoption of environmental criteria requires market research, planning and coordination to make it cost-effective, especially under the legislative mandate of GPP in Greece by 2022.
A Historical–Projected Analysis in Land Use/Land Cover in Developing Arid Region Using Spatial Differences and Its Relation to the Climate
Authors: Hasan Nivin Abdelrahim , Yang Dongkai , Al-Shibli Fayha
Published: February 2023

Land resources are under relentless pressure from metropolitan regions, pollution, and climate shifts. The urge to monitor Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) and climate changes based on technology and sustainable management are addressed. This study analyzes the historical land cover maps to calculate growth patterns for the years 1985–2022 and uses Logistic Regression (LR) and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to project future dynamics forecasts for the years 2030–2040 in the Amman-Zarqa Basin (AZB). The state of the climate and the extreme indices projections of CMIP5 under RCP8.5 are linked to the corrected historical LULC maps and assessed. Given greater dry covering of large surface runoff, little rainfall, and high evapotranspiration rates, the state of the climate across the AZB notably showed instability in key climatic indices and a major exacerbation of warmth and drier soil in the basin. Both climate change and land use are contributing dynamics, but land-use alterations are much more dramatic changes than climate changes. Since the effects of climate alterations are mostly identifiable through land cover forms, land use practices put the phase that may be influenced by climate change. The results revealed that the daily extremes in 1992 are aligned with the corresponding increase of barren lands and diminished the half area of forest, cultivated, rainfed, and pasture lands in 1995. Rainfed regions were converted to agriculture or shrubland with an accuracy of 0.87, and urban encroachment caused the acreage of woodland, cultivated, rainfed, and grazing fields to decrease by almost half. Predicted land cover maps were created using LR in 2030 (Kappa = 0.99) and 2040 (Kappa = 0.90), in contrast to the ANN approach (Kappa = 0.99 for 2030 and 0.90 for 2040). By combining ANN and LR, decreasing bare soil was anticipated between 325 km2 and 344 km2. As a result, 20% of the total area of the major AZB cities’ urban areas will be doubled. More subjective analysis is required to study and predict drought in the future to improve the resilience of various LULC types.
Effects of COVID-19 on Residential Planning and Design: A Scientometric Analysis
Authors: Chen Qingchang , Sun Zhuoyang , Li Wenjing
Published: February 2023

Coronavirus disease has caused city blockades, making people spend longer in residential areas than ever before. Human well-being and health are directly affected by the suppression of the epidemic through residential planning and design. In this regard, scholars from all over the world have made significant efforts to explore the links between COVID-19 and residential planning and design, trying to adjust the states in time to cope with the effects of COVID-19 in the long run. This study is based on Bibliometrix to conduct a scientometric analysis of the literature on “Effects of COVID-19 on residential planning and design (ECRPD)” published in Web of Science and Scopus from 2019 to October 2022. The aim of this study is to comprehensively present the scientific knowledge of ECRPD research through general characteristics’ analysis, citation analysis, and horizontal conceptual structure analysis, and try to summarize how residential planning and design responds to COVID-19, so as to provide support and advice for urban planners, builders, and policy makers. According to the results, ECRPD research is growing significantly, and the scientific productivity of it has increased exponentially. The main effects and feedback are characterized by three aspects: residential environment, residential building space and planning space, and residential traffic and community management. Generally, ECRPD research has expanded beyond the disciplines of architecture and planning. Environmental and energy concerns have attracted the most attention, though practical research into residential building space is relatively limited. To fully deal with COVID-19’s multiple negative facets, it is imperative to promote cross-disciplinary and multi-field collaboration, implement new technologies and methods for traditional disciplines, develop bioclimatic buildings to cope with environmental changes, and strengthen practical research in residential building and planning to ensure that a sustainable and resilient living environment is created in the post-pandemic era.
Recycling and Reuse of Building Materials in a Historical Landscape—Viminacium Natural Brick (Serbia)
Authors: Nikolić Emilija , Delić-Nikolić Ivana , Jovičić Mladen , Miličić Ljiljana , Mijatović Nevenka
Published: February 2023

During the MoDeCo2000 scientific and research project on mortars used in the territory of the Roman Danube Limes in Serbia, the biggest challenge was the quest for the provenance of raw materials. The area where Viminacium, the largest city in the province of Moesia Superior developed, with millennial continuity of land use and settlement, was selected as research case study and is presented in this research. People throughout history have always used what they had at hand, and the building remains were not only reused but also recycled for new constructions. Thus, the building material of Roman Viminacium has survived in the landscape through the in situ preserved remains of Roman buildings, as well as in the structures from the later periods, up to today. To the best of our knowledge, the use of natural sediments baked during the self-combustion or combustion of underneath layers (coal in our case) for the purpose of construction was extremely rare in the Roman Empire. In this study, we follow the presence of this type of material precisely in Viminacium construction, naming it natural brick, while focusing on its potential use in lime mortars whose production was perfected in the Roman period and has never been surpassed afterward. Archaeological contexts in which this material was found have been studied, along with simultaneous work in the laboratory and in the field during the research and experimental use of the natural brick in lime mortars. We sought to determine whether this material could have been recognised by Romans in Viminacium as a potential valuable pozzolanic component of mortar, along with or instead of fired brick, being locally available and recyclable. The final confirmation of its pozzolanic features and later discussion open completely new directions for the future research of Viminacium lime mortars.
Association between Loneliness, Well-Being, and Life Satisfaction before and during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lorber Mateja , Černe Kolarič Jožica , Kmetec Sergej , Kegl Barbara
Published: February 2023

Good psychological well-being contributes to a satisfying life, reduces loneliness, and enables a better quality of life. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people worldwide have faced various challenges, which manifest in mental health problems, dissatisfaction with life and increased loneliness. This study aimed to investigate the influence of loneliness on mental well-being and life satisfaction among the adult population during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2021 and January 2022. A total of 664 participants took part in the survey, of whom 484 (73%) were female and 180 (27%) were male. Our results show that loneliness can explain 48% of the total variability in mental well-being and 52% of the variability in life satisfaction. The results show a higher level of loneliness and use of information and communication technology and a lower level of contact with relatives and friends, life satisfaction, and well-being during COVID-19 than they considered before the time of COVID-19. Study findings can help improve loneliness and mental well-being, and, consequently, life satisfaction.
Impact of Anthropogenic Threats on Species Diversity: A Case Study of the Sub-Himalayan Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests of Pakistan
Authors: Alam Naveed , Bohnett Eve , Zafar Muhammad , Sher Hassan , Ahmad Bilal , Ramadan Mohamed Fawzy , Ahmad Mushtaq , Ullah Zahid , Ali Ahmad , Khan Shujaul Mulk , Syed Kashmala
Published: February 2023

Effective forest conservation and management needs to consider ecological factors and the susceptibility of different tree species to anthropogenic activity. Dry deciduous forests in the tropics have been undervalued because of their low timber production compared to temperate and boreal forests. In order to quantify the current significance of Pakistan’s tropical dry deciduous forests in relation to ecological variables and anthropogenic threats, a broad phytosociological survey was conducted. In the study area, a total of 140 species of woody plants belonging to 52 families were identified. The cluster analysis depicts the distribution of nine plant communities in five clusters, in which Dodonaea viscosa-Acacia modesta-Dulbergia sissoo community was the most dominant community, showing cosmopolitan distribution in the study area. The results are further authenticated by DCA and CCA analyses, which indicate that altitude, precipitation, and temperature are the most important factors influencing the distribution and composition of tropical dry deciduous forests along the Himalayan foothills. In the study area, an annual fuelwood consumption of 270.38 tons was recorded. It was discovered that high-altitude forests were subject to extensive tree harvesting, overgrazing, browsing, and high fuelwood consumption. In addition, these forests have a low regeneration rate from 4.5 to 4.8 seedlings/quadrat, due to extensive human activities. Remarkable differences in the anthropogenic pressure and disturbances were found in the protected and unprotected forests. Based on our findings, we recommend that: (i) Immediate management intervention and an in-situ conservation strategy must be implemented in areas exposed to high levels of anthropogenic threats. (ii) Unsustainable grazing and fuelwood collection must be managed, and high-threat areas must be immediately prohibited. (iii) The local populace must be made aware of the grave consequences of anthropogenic disturbances, and a collaborative management strategy must be implemented.
Prediction of Changes to the Suitable Distribution Area of Fritillaria przewalskii Maxim. in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs)
Authors: Song Daoguang , Li Zhilian , Wang Ting , Qi Yinglian , Han Hongping , Chen Zhi
Published: February 2023

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau has given birth to many indigenous highland plants due to its special geographical location and sensitivity to climate change. Relevantly, the impact of climate change on species distribution has been a hot issue for research in biogeography. Using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) model, the spatial distribution of habitat suitability for Fritillaria przewalskii Maxim. (FPM) on the Tibetan Plateau was predicted and ranked by combining ecological data and information on its actual current geographical distribution. The potential distribution and trends of FPM on the Tibetan Plateau from 2021 to 2040, 2041 to 2060, 2061 to 2080 and 2081 to 2100 under four current and future climate scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, SSP370 and SSP585) were also predicted. The predictions were found to be highly accurate with AUC values of 0.9645 and 0.9345 for the training and test sets, respectively. A number of conclusions could be drawn from the results. Firstly, the main ecological factors limiting the growth distribution of FPM were the Vegetation types, NPP (net primary production), Soil types, Bio7 (temperature annual range), Pop (population), Slope, GDP, Aspect, Bio1 (annual mean temperature) and Elevation, with a cumulative contribution of 97.6%. Secondly, in the recent past period of 1970–2000, the total suitable distribution area of FPM accounted for 5.55% of the plateau’s total area, which was about 14.11 × 104 km2, concentrated in its eastern and central regions. Thirdly, compared to the previous period, the aforementioned distribution area will, for the period spanning 2021–2040, increase by 14.48%, 16.23%, 16.99%, and 21.53% in the SSP126, SSP245, SSP370, and SSP585 scenarios, respectively. This comes with an overall expansion trend, and the areas predicted to be affected are concentrated in the eastern and central-western parts of the Tibetan Plateau. The other three future periods 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100 also show increases in these total areas to varying degrees. It is noteworthy that in the future periods 2061–2080 and 2081–2100, under the SSP370 and SSP585 scenarios, the area of high suitable distribution decreases or even disappears. Lastly, under the four climate scenarios, the FPM suitable distribution area will shift towards the western part of the Tibetan Plateau.
Community Development for Bote in Chitwan National Park, Nepal: A Political Ecology of Development Logic of Erasure
Authors: Rai Indra Mani , Melles Gavin , Gautam Suresh
Published: February 2023

The conflict between development and conservation concerns is a perennial topic in sustainable development, and especially significant for marginalized social groups. In Nepal, fortress conservation in protected areas (PA) gave way to a community-based development and natural resource management (CBNRM) narrative of inclusion and participation in so-called buffer zone (BZ) initiatives around national parks. Studies to date show mixed outcomes of the community-based model for marginalized communities, especially for traditional indigenous river and forest dwellers. Academic and government reports of successes and failures of community-based projects in Nepal assume progress is based on traditional indigenous livelihood practices being abandoned and participation in state modernization initiatives in parks and reserves. Thus, despite promises of participation, evidence to date shows a de facto continuation of fortress conservation thinking and erasure of customary knowledge and livelihoods. Based on an ethnographic inquiry informed by political ecology conducted in two villages of Bote IPs (in the buffer zone area) of the Nawalparasi District of Chitwan National Park (CNP), we describe how state interventions and regulations under the guise of community-based participation actively ignore the moral ecology of traditional riverine livelihoods while pursuing a modernization project. Echoing calls by other scholars and stakeholders, we argue that a new approach to conservation and development that respects the environmental ethics of traditional livelihoods is long overdue in Nepal.
Tea Culture Tourism Perception: A Study on the Harmony of Importance and Performance
Authors: Zhou Quan , Zhu Kai , Kang Ling , Dávid Lóránt Dénes
Published: February 2023

Tea culture tourism is a product of the combination of agricultural tourism and ecotourism. After the COVID-19 period, this product is more and more popular. Tourism performance is an important index for measuring the development level of tourist destinations, and research on the influencing factors of tourism performance is an important way to promote the high-quality development of tea culture tourism. Using the tea tourism town of Wushan as a case study, 452 valid questionnaires were used as research data, and exploratory factor analysis, paired sample t-test and IPA analysis were applied. The results indicate that: (1) tourism performance is mainly divided into 5 dimensions and 22 specific indicators, including service quality, resource environment, tourism transportation, tourism-supporting facilities and tea tourism products; (2) there is a significant difference between the degree of importance and performance of visitors to each indicator, and the overall tourism performance of the case sites at an average level; (3) convenient service, professional service, business management, park traffic, parking conditions, environmental design, shopping environment, tea quality, and tea culture characteristics are potential advantageous factors, and ‘service with a smile’, accessibility, trail layout, overall image, air quality, natural scenery, landscape vignettes, network communication, public toilets, sanitation facilities, tourist service centers, tea travel activities, and tourism souvenirs are areas in need of improvement.
Can Digital Transformation Drive Green Transformation in Manufacturing Companies?—Based on Socio-Technical Systems Theory Perspective
Authors: Zhang Xin , Nutakor Felix , Minlah Michael Kaku , Li Jinke
Published: February 2023

The current world’s green economy and digital economy collide at an accelerated pace, and the deep integration of digitalization and greening has become a new requirement for high-quality industrial transformation. Premised on a socio-technical system (STS)’s theoretical viewpoint from Chinese manufacturing firms, the study examines the effects of the digital transformation (DT) of companies on green transformation (GT), as well as the function of channels and processes. This study uses 70 samples of A-share-listed Chinese manufacturing companies from 2013 to 2020; a combination of linear regression and fsQCA is used to empirically test the research model and analyze the equivalence path. It is found that (1) DT significantly drives the GT of manufacturing firms; (2) DT influences the GT of manufacturing firms by alleviating the information asymmetry problem; and (3) executive team heterogeneity plays a positive mechanism role in the relationship between DT and GT. The qualitative comparative analysis yields two types of paths: (1) the main constructs that shape high GT levels are high DT intensity, low information asymmetry, and high TMT gender heterogeneity, which mainly arise in the eastern region and play a more pronounced role in state-owned enterprises, heavy pollution, and high-tech industries; (2) for non-state-owned enterprises in traditional industries in the central and western regions with average digital development, high TMT gender heterogeneity is the key to GT. The study expands the application of related theories and has practical implications for how Chinese manufacturing enterprises can effectively promote GT.