bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of Microplastics by Various Types of Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in the Korean Sea
Authors: Yoon Heejung , Park Beomseok , Rim Junghye , Park Hanbai
Published: November 2022

Microplastic pollution in the ocean has a major impact on marine organisms, including digestive system damage and reduced growth and fertility. This study investigated the amount, size, color, type, and presence of heads and intestines of microplastics by size in Litopenaeus vannamei, a type of marine organism. Microplastic analysis was performed using FTIR and digital microscopy. The number of microplastics by the size of the shrimp ranged from 1.73 to 3.8 MPs per 10 g, and the microplastic size of less than 100 μm was 77–92%, with blue showing the highest ratio. As for the type of plastic, PE and PP showed the highest ratio, and PET, PS, nylon, and PVC were found. Microplastics were found to be 11.83 MPs/10 g for heads and intestines and 3.16 MPs/10 g for samples without heads and intestines. This study adds to evidence for the presence of high levels of microplastics in the intestines and heads of shrimp. It also enhances our understanding of the need for efficient plastic waste management in the ocean and the impact of microplastics on marine biota.
Ultrahigh-Sensitivity Capillary Electrophoresis Analysis of Trace Amounts of Nitrate and Nitrite in Environmental Water Samples
Authors: Farsang Robert , Kovacs Zsofia , Jarvas Gabor , Guttman Andras
Published: November 2022

The role of nitrite (NO2−) and nitrate (NO3−) is essential in the global nitrogen cycle. Monitoring their concentration in environmental and industrial aqueous samples, surface water, soil, food and agricultural products are of high importance. Especially, the effect of anthropogenic emission, i.e., intensified agriculture is essential due to the overuse of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers. The most widely utilized methods for nitrate and nitrite determination are colorimetry, potentiometry, UV absorption and liquid chromatography. Among them, UV spectroscopy is the most frequently used technique due to the fact of its versatility and simplicity. However, there are industrial and academic needs to develop new methods to overcome some drawbacks of the currently used techniques such as an inadequate limit of detection and potential interferences with organic compounds in the sample. In this paper, we report on the development of a new analytical method based on capillary electrophoresis separation with high-sensitivity UV detection, capable of measuring trace concentrations of nitrite and nitrate well below the current limits of UV spectroscopy methods. During the development process special attention was paid to practical aspects, i.e., the method was tested to quantify nitrate and nitrite in various surface water samples.
Achillea fragrantissima Essential Oil: Composition and Detailed Pharmacodynamics Study of the Bronchodilator Activity
Authors: Rehman Najeeb Ur , Salkini Mohammad Ayman A. , Alanizi Hatem M. K. , Alharbi Abdulrahman G. , Alqarni Mohammed H. , Abdel-Kader Maged S.
Published: November 2022

The bronchodilator effect of the Achillea fragrantissima essential oil (AFO) was studied in guinea pigs’ tracheas and the influence of drying on the quantity and composition of AFO was studied using GC-MS and GC analyses. AFO produced a complete and potent relaxation against carbachol (CCh), while lower potency and partial efficacy were observed against high K+ (80 mM), thus producing dual inhibitory effects similar to dicyclomine. The anticholinergic-like action was further confirmed when pre-incubation tracheal tissues were used at lower concentrations with AFO displacing the CCh concentration‒response curves (CRCs) to the right in a competitive manner similar to atropine. However, non-parallel shifts in CCh CRCs were observed with higher doses, similar to dicyclomine. Further confirmation of the CCB-like effect was obtained from the non-specific deflection of Ca++ CRCs toward the right using the pre-incubated tissues with AFO in Ca++ free medium, similar to verapamil. When AFO was tested against low K+-mediated contractions to explore the possible involvement of additional antispasmodic mechanism(s), AFO interestingly showed a complete inhibition with a higher potency. This inhibition was found to be sensitive to tetraethylammonium (TEA) and 4-aminopyridine (4-AP), whereas glibenclamide (Gb) remained inactive. These results show that AFO possesses bronchodilator effects predominantly from its anticholinergic and K+ channel activation followed by weak Ca++ channels inhibition.
Extraction of Phenolic Compound from Model Pyrolysis Oil Using Deep Eutectic Solvents: Computational Screening and Experimental Validation
Authors: Hizaddin Hanee F. , Wazeer Irfan , Huzaimi Nur Afrina Muhammad , El Blidi Lahssen , Hashim Mohd Ali , Lévêque Jean-Marc , Hadj-Kali Mohamed K.
Published: November 2022

Green Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are considered here as an alternative to conventional organic solvents and ionic liquids (IL) for the extraction of phenolic compounds from pyrolysis oil. Although ionic liquids have shown a promising future in extraction processes, DESs possess not only most of their remarkable physico-chemical properties, but are also cheaper, easier to prepare and non-toxic, increasing the infatuation with these new moieties to the detriment of ionic liquids. In this work, phenol was selected as a representative of phenolic compounds, and toluene and heptane were used to model the pyrolysis oil. COSMO-RS was used to investigate the interaction between the considered Dess, phenol, n-heptane, and toluene. Two DESs (one ammonium and one phosphonium based) were subsequently used for experimental liquid–liquid extraction. A ternary liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) experiment was conducted with different feed concentrations of phenol ranging from 5 to 25 wt% in model oil at 25 °C and at atmospheric pressure. Although both DESs were able to extract phenol from model pyrolysis oil with high distribution ratios, the results showed that ammonium-based DES was more efficient than the phosphonium-based one. The composition of phenol in the raffinate and extract phases was determined using gas chromatography. A similar trend was observed by the COSMO-RS screening for the two DESs.
The Influence of Religious Identity, Culture, and Values on the Practice of American Muslim Physicians
Authors: Abu-Ras Wahiba , Senzai Farid , Laird Lance , Decker Eliza
Published: November 2022

Many believe religion has no place in modern medical and professional fields. Nevertheless, recent studies show that religion remains integral to many people’s lives and professional practices, such as physicians. This study addresses the significance that American Muslim physicians (AMPs) attribute to their religious values in shaping their identity; and examines how the values held by self-identified Muslim physicians affect their medical practice, specialization, public roles, and civic engagement. This paper also discusses how complex lives may not be adequately addressed by theories of value derived from modernization theory and more normatively conceived Muslim ethical principles. Individual interviews were conducted with 62 AMPs. Grounded thematic analysis guided the processing of qualitative interview data. The results suggest that many of the AMPs’ religious values converge with shared cultural and professional values in the United States and elsewhere. The authors suggest that focusing on how AMPs articulate their values will lead to more humane professional, community, and healthcare settings. Regardless of the religious beliefs of professional providers, they should not ignore the impact of religion on their medical practice, especially since religion is still a vital part of many patients’ lives.
Reliability and Validity of a Novel Reactive Agility Test with Soccer Goalkeeper-Specific Movements
Authors: Abe Yosuke , Ambe Hisataka , Okuda Tomoyasu , Nakayama Masao , Morita Noriteru
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study was to develop a reactive agility test with soccer goalkeeper (GK)-specific movements (G-RAT) and to examine the reliability and validity of college-aged GKs. We designed a five-branch star-shaped course with diving and ball-catching movements under reactive conditions. In the setup, a start–goal line was set on the top of a branch and 3.5 m away from the center of the star-shaped setting. Content validity was assessed by six experts, and the item-content validity index (I-CVI) was calculated. Thirty-three male GKs performed the test trial twice. One test trial of G-RAT consists of three shuttles from the start–goal line to diving and ball-catching. For the reactive condition, GKs were instructed on which ball directions should dive when their body trunk reached 1.5 m away from the start–goal line. GKs were classified into regular (R) or non-regular (NR) groups. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to assess the reliability and predictive power as convergent validity. The I-CVI was 0.83, which was greater than the acceptable level of 0.78. The ICC value was 0.94 (p < 0.01; 95% confidence interval (95%CI), 0.88–0.97). The GKs completed the test 14.3 ± 0.7 and 15.3 ± 1.0 s in the R and NR group (p < 0.01; Cohen’s d = 0.89), respectively. The area under the curves of G-RAT was 0.80 (95%CI, 0.64–0.96). These results show that a GK-specific agility test under reactive conditions would have sufficient reliability and both content and convergent validity in college-aged GKs.
Effectiveness of Different Modalities of Remote Online Training in Young Healthy Males
Authors: Daveri Michael , Fusco Andrea , Cortis Cristina , Mascherini Gabriele
Published: November 2022

Since 2020 there has been an increase in demand for home workouts. Therefore, different ways of delivering distance training have been proposed to promote “stay active at home.” This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of three different training programs consisting of a total of 15 workouts (three sessions per week): supervised livestreaming (LS), unsupervised following a video recording (VR), and unsupervised following a written program (WP). Changes in anthropometric and cardiovascular variables, muscle fitness, and physical activity levels were evaluated. To provide a meaningful analysis for significant comparisons between small groups, mean differences (∆), 95% confidence interval (95% C.I.), and Cohen’s effect sizes (E.S.) were also calculated. The three training modalities increased physical activity levels, with an adherence rate of LS = 93.3%, VR = 86%, and WP = 74%. Although there was no reduction in body weight, waist circumference decreased by 1.3 cm (95% C.I. = −2.1, −0.5; E.S. = 0.170; p < 0.004). Furthermore, where LS, VR, and WP resulted in improvements in muscle fitness, only LS showed changes in cardiovascular variables, such as resting heart rate (∆ = −7.3 bpm; 95% C.I. = −11.9, −2.7; E.S. = 1.296; p < 0.001) and Ruffier’s index (∆ = −2.1bpm; 95% C.I. = −3.5, −0.8; E.S. 1.099; p < 0.001). Remote online training proved its effectiveness over a short period of time. However, supervised training proved to be the most effective, highlighting the importance of an experienced trainer.
Observation of a Signal Suppressing Effect in a Binary Mixture of Glycol-Water Contamination in Engine Oil with Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Holland Torrey , Karunanithy Robinson , Mandrell Christopher , Abdul-Munaim Ali Mazin , Watson Dennis G. , Sivakumar Poopalasingam
Published: November 2022

An in-depth experimental study of the matrix effect of antifreeze (ethylene glycol) and water contamination of engine oil through FT-IR spectroscopy. With a comparison of the percent by volume concentration of contaminated fresh 15W-40 engine oil, there appeared to be a noticeable reduction in the O–H stretching signal in the infrared spectrum when ethylene glycol based antifreeze was included as a contaminant. The contaminants of distilled water, a 50/50 mixture of water and commercial ethylene glycol antifreeze, and straight ethylene glycol antifreeze were compared and a signal reduction in the O–H stretch was clearly evident when glycol was present. Doubling the volume of the 50/50 mixture as compared to water alone still resulted in a weaker O–H stretching signal. The possibility that this signal reduction was due to the larger ethylene glycol molecule having fewer O–H bonds in a given sample size was eliminated by comparing samples with the same number of O–H bonds per unit volume. The strong hydrogen bonding between that of water and glycol appeared to reduce the O–H stretching signal, even after comparing the different sample types at concentrations with the same number of O–H bonds per unit volume. Tukey’s highly significant difference was used to show that samples of the 50/50 mixture and straight glycol were not reliably distinguishable from one another when comparing the same number of O–H bonds per unit volume but readily distinguishable from that of water as the lone contaminant.
A Micro-Metal Inserts Based Microchannel Heat Sink for Thermal Management of Densely Packed Semiconductor Systems
Authors: Abo-Zahhad Essam M. , Ghenai Chaouki , Radwan Ali , Abdelrehim Osama , Salem Mohamed S. , Elmarghany Mohamed R. , Khater Asmaa , Shouman Mahmoud A.
Published: November 2022

The thermal management of high-heat-density devices is essential for reliable operation. In this work, a novel procedure is proposed and investigated for the efficient thermal management of such devices. The proposed procedure introduces different arrangements of metal inserts within a cooling channel heat sink. The objective of those inserts is to form boundary layers to prevent any hot spots from appearing within the flow and increase temperature uniformity. Five different arrangements are introduced and numerically investigated using the commercial software package ANSYS FLUENT 2021R1. The model was validated against previous findings and showed a good agreement with errors of less than 5.5%. The model was then used to study the heat transfer characteristics of the proposed cases compared to traditional straight channels under the same operating conditions. All the proposed arrangements displayed better heat transfer characteristics than the traditional configuration within the studied range. They also exhibited lower temperature nonuniformities, implying better temperature distribution. The temperature contours over the heat source top surface and the flow streamlines are also introduced. Among all the proposed arrangements cases, a microchannel with micro metal insert located at the top wall along with a second row of inserts covering two-thirds of the bottom wall is studied. This case achieved the best heat transfer characteristics and highest temperature uniformity, making it a viable candidate for high power density devices’ thermal management.
Morphometric, Meteorological, and Hydrologic Characteristics Integration for Rainwater Harvesting Potential Assessment in Southeast Beni Suef (Egypt)
Authors: Musaed Hakeem , El-Kenawy Ahmed , El Alfy Mohamed
Published: November 2022

In arid areas, the forecast of runoff is problematic for ungauged basins. The peak discharge of flashfloods and rainwater harvesting (RWH) was assessed by the integration of GIS, the RS tool and hydrologic modeling. This approach is still under further improvement to fully understand flashflood and rainwater harvesting potentialities. Different morphometric parameters are extracted and evaluated; they show the most hazardous sub-basins. Vulnerability potential to flooding is high relative to steep slopes, high drainage density, and low stream sinuosity. Using hydrologic modeling, lag time, concentration time, peak discharge rates, runoff volume, rainfall, and total losses are calculated for different return periods. The hydrologic model shows high rainfall rates, and steep slopes are present in the southeastern part of the study area. Low rainfall rates, moderate–high runoff, and gentle slopes are found in the central and downstream parts, which are suitable sites for rainwater harvesting. An analytic hierarchy process is utilized for mapping the best sites to RWH. These criteria use land-cover, average annual max 24 h rainfall, slope, stream order, and lineaments density. About 4% of the basin area has very high potentialities for RWH, while 59% of the basin area has high suitability for RWH. Ten low dam sites are proposed to impact flooding vulnerability and increase rainwater-harvesting potentialities.
Research Trends in Corporate Social Responsibility and Innovation: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Chu Mingyue , Muhamad Haslinah Binti , Mustapha Mazlina Binti , San Ong Tze , Zan Fangfang , Jia Xiaoxiao
Published: November 2022

The relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and innovation has received considerable attention in the last two decades. While several studies have explored the impact of CSR on innovation. While several studies have explored the impact of CSR on innovation, few studies have attempted to use bibliometric methods to analyze and visualize the evolution and trends in the CSR and innovation fields. In this research, 1279 Web of Science (WoS) published papers on CSR and innovation were collected and analyzed using VOSviwer, CiteSpace, and Bibliometrix R-package and the MK trend test. The analysis was conducted in terms of the number of articles published per year, most productive journals, authors, and countries, as well as collaboration between countries and authors, keyword analysis, co-citation clustering analysis, and research frontiers. The results showed that: (a) The MK trend test shows that the amount of CSR and innovation research is increasing. The top three journals in terms of productivity are Sustainability, Journal of Cleaner Production, and Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. The collaboration between authors forms a loose network and Ahmad, N has the most extensive network of international collaborations. There is close cooperation between countries, with a predominance of Asian, European, and North American collaborations, and the MK trend test shows that each country’s publications on the relationship between corporate social responsibility and innovation in the past 20 years have an obvious upward trend. (b) Through the analysis of keywords, it is necessary to research “corporate social responsibility”, “sustainability”, “innovation”, “financial performance “, and other topics associated with these themes. (c) The intellectual structure of CSR and innovation establishes five core clusters, including social innovation, CSR practice, sustainable global value chain, sustainable business model, and buyer–supplier collaboration. (d) Two forward-looking directions for future CSR and innovation research are proposed, and the limitations of the research are discussed.
Challenges in Planning of Integrated Nuclear Waste Management
Authors: Drace Zoran , Ojovan Michael I. , Samanta Susanta Kumar
Published: November 2022

Planning for integrated nuclear waste management (INWM) entails consideration of all generated waste from energy generation, nuclear fuel cycle and institutional facilities as well as waste from decommissioning and remediation of nuclear facilities, legacy waste, and eventual accident waste and requires establishment of different planning scenarios as well as control milestones to allow for adequate flexibility to address inevitable changes. An early assessment of waste management needs from development and use of advanced reactors and innovative nuclear fuel cycles is required to aid design and operation of such facilities as well as to understand their impact to overall waste management planning. Major prerequisites for approach to planning and establishment of INWM plans are discussed briefly. It is pointed out that five most important challenges in establishing and implementing the INWM plan needs to be addressed: (i) inventory; (ii) time frame for an integrated plan; (iii) assessment of facility needs; (iv) costs estimation (life-cycle cost analyses) and (v) funding and financing. The INWM has to promote strategic thinking within a broad framework resulting in a sustainable and sensible outcome for nuclear waste management at a strategic and national level.
Ciprofloxacin Removal from Aqueous Media Using Floating Treatment Wetlands Supported by Immobilized Bacteria
Authors: Shah Syed Wajid Ali , Rehman Mujaddad ur , Tauseef Muhammad , Islam Ejazul , Hayat Azam , Iqbal Samina , Arslan Muhammad , Afzal Muhammad
Published: November 2022

The unwanted occurrence of antibiotics in the environment is an emerging concern of non-target toxicity and antimicrobial resistance. Floating treatment wetland (FTW) is a low-cost and ecofriendly wastewater remediation strategy; however, the effect of immobilized bacteria on its efficacy during the remediation of ciprofloxacin (CIP)-contaminated water has not been documented. In this study, Phragmites australis was planted to develop FTW, and it was augmented with a bacterial consortium (Acinetobacter lwoffii ACRH76, Bacillus pumulis C2A1, and Acinetobacter sp. HN3), with and without immobilization for the remediation of CIP-contaminated (100 mg L−1) water. The augmentation of bacteria (immobilized or in suspension) in the FTWs significantly increased the elimination of CIP from the water. Maximum removal of CIP (97%), COD (92%), BOD (93%), and TOC (90%) from the water was observed in the FTWs having immobilized bacteria. This research revealed that the FTWs have tremendous potential to remove the CIP from the water and its removal efficiency can be enhanced via immobilized bacterial augmentation strategies.
Lattice-Based Verifiably Encrypted Signature Scheme without Gaussian Sampling for Privacy Protection in Blockchain
Authors: Lu Xiuhua , Yin Wei , Zhang Pingyuan
Published: November 2022

Before the transaction data in the blockchain is successfully linked, its signature must be publicly verified by a large number of nodes in the blockchain, which is also one of the ways to leak transaction information. To alleviate the contradiction between the public verifiability of signatures and the protection of transaction privacy, we introduce a verifiably encrypted signature scheme into the blockchain. A verifiably encrypted signature scheme contains two parts of signature information: the encrypted signature is used for public verification, and the ordinary signature is used for internal verification. To reach this goal even better, we design a new lattice-based verifiably encrypted signature scheme, which separates the parameter settings of the signer and the adjudicator, and replaces the Gaussian sampling algorithm with a small range of uniform random sampling, achieving better efficiency and security.
Improving Energy Management through Demand Response Programs for Low-Rise University Buildings
Authors: Noppakant Akeratana , Plangklang Boonyang
Published: November 2022

Recently, energy costs have increased significantly, and energy savings have become more important, leading to the use of different patterns to align with the characteristics of demand-side load. This paper focused on the energy management of low-rise university buildings, examining the demand response related to air conditioning and lighting by measuring the main parameters and characteristics and collecting and managing the data from these parameters and characteristics. This system seeks to control and communicate with the aim of reducing the amount of peak energy using a digital power meter installed inside the main distribution unit, with an RS-485 communication port connected to a data converter and then displayed on a computer screen. The demand response and time response were managed by power management software and an optimization model control algorithm based on using a split type of air conditioning unit. This unit had the highest energy consumption in the building as it works to provide a comfortable environment based on the temperatures inside and outside the building. There was a renewable energy source that compensated for energy usage to decrease the peak load curve when the demand was highest, mostly during business hours. An external power source providing 20 kWh of solar power was connected to an inverter and feeds power into each phase of the main distribution. This was controlled by an energy power management program using a demand response algorithm. After applying real-time intelligent control demand-side management, the efficient system presented in this research could generate energy savings of 25% based on AC control of the lighting system. A comparison of the key system parameters shows the decrease in power energy due to the use of renewable energy and the room temperature control using a combination of split-type air conditioning.
Environmental Regulation, Environmental Knowledge Spillover, and Regional Economic Growth in China: An Empirical Test Based on the Spatial Durbin Model
Authors: Shi Xiaoli , Chen Ying , Cheng Qianju
Published: November 2022

Considering the evolution of the spatial pattern of regional economic growth in China, this paper analyzes whether environmental regulation (ER) and environmental knowledge spillover (EKS) contribute to regional economic growth using panel data and the spatial Durbin model of China’s 31 provinces and cities from 2005 to 2020. The findings indicate that (1) there are significant characteristics of economic agglomeration in the spatial distribution of economic growth in China’s different provinces and cities according to the Moran’s index; (2) the environmental regulation has a nonlinear “U”-shaped effect on the regional economic growth, which is first suppressed and then promoted, and the spatial effect presents the same “U” shape as that of the local effect; (3) the environmental knowledge spillover, as measured by the number of green patents, shows a positive contribution on the economic growth and is significantly active in terms of both the local spillover and inter-regional spillover; (4) Eastern China enjoys a larger ER dividend than the central and western regions, and EKS shows a significant positive contribution to economic growth in the eastern, central, and western regions; (5) other factors also influence the regional economic growth besides the core explanatory variables, including the research and development expenditure (RD), human capital (Edu), urbanization level (Urb), government intervention (Gov), and opening-up level (Open), all of which show a positive effect on the economic growth, whereas the science and technology expenditure (Ti) has not played a positive role in promoting economic growth.
Evaluation of Ecological Vulnerability and Analysis of Its Spatiotemporal Evolution Based on the Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation/Catastrophe Progression Method: A Case Study of the Danjiang River Basin (Henan Section)
Authors: Wang Shidong , Bai Zilong , Si Jinjin , Zhao Cunwei
Published: November 2022

In recent years, with the implementation of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the land use problem and its ecological effects on the Danjiang River Basin (DRB), which is a water source in the project, have become some of the focal points of current research in ecology and environmental science. Selecting the DRB (Henan section) as the study area, an ecological vulnerability evaluation model based on the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation/catastrophe progression method was constructed to evaluate the ecological vulnerability of the study area. The spatiotemporal evolution patterns of ecological vulnerability in the study area were quantitatively analyzed, and the main evolutionary drivers were identified by using GeoDetector. The results showed that: (1) the ecological vulnerability of the DRB (Henan section) was mainly moderate and mild, with areas of 2535.26 km2 and 2717.33 km2, respectively, by 2020, accounting for 30.14% and 32.30%, respectively, of the total area of the basin, with an overall vulnerability distribution characteristic of “low in the north and high in the south”; (2) the ecological vulnerability indices of the DRB (Henan section) in 2000, 2010, and 2020 were 0.56, 0.61, and 0.58, indicating that the ecological quality first decreased and then increased; and (3) the influence of vegetation factors on ecological vulnerability was large, with explanatory power above 4%. The influence of economic pressures and surface factors on ecological vulnerability gradually increased. This study can provide a reference for ecological environmental protection in the water source of the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
Assessing the Influence of Collaborative Technology Adoption—Mediating Role of Sociotechnical, Organizational, and Economic Factors
Authors: Zemlyak Svetlana , Gusarova Olga , Sivakova Svetlana
Published: November 2022

The study investigated the factors that influence the adoption of collaborative robots in the manufacturing sector in Russia from sociotechnical, organizational, and economic point of views. The study was driven by the increasing technological innovation in the manufacturing sector, especially in the use of robots and collaborative robot applications in daily manufacturing, flexibility, and operations activities. The study was a quantitative, descriptive survey that relied on primary data from respondents with varied experiences in the manufacturing sector in Russia. The study employed a total of 351 respondents selected for their insights into the application of robotics in the manufacturing process in Russia. The model adopted for the study was tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), reliability, and validity analysis. The hypotheses of the study were evaluated using partial least-squares analysis. The results revealed that the adoption of collaborative robots was influenced by organizational factors and economic factors. Perceived performance improvement was significantly influenced by collaborative robot adoption and sociotechnical systems. The study recommended that the stakeholders in Russia’s manufacturing sector should improve their training, management support, perceived innovativeness, and prior experience to enhance the adoption of collaborative robots and flexibility in design.
An Alternative Carbon Source from Cassava Residue Saccharification Liquid for In-Situ Fabrication of Polysaccharide Macromolecule/Bacterial Cellulose Composite Hydrogel: A Comparative Study
Authors: Ji Li , Xue Wenwen , Zhu Liwei , Jiang Jianxin
Published: November 2022

Bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biopolymer with vast application prospects, and its production demands culture media rich in carbon sources. Here, we researched a modified in situ strategy for preparing composite hydrogels comprising BC and sodium alginate (SA) or sodium hyaluronate (SH), termed as SA-BC and SH-BC, respectively. A new carbon source for BC generation was successfully developed from cassava residue saccharification liquid (CSL), in an attempt to better exploit the residue and decrease the costs of BC production. SA or SH was mechanically hydrogen-bonded with BC nanofibers to form porous nanostructures. Compared to the native BC, the mechanical strength of SH-BC with 1% SH was 61% higher and the thermal stability was also improved. A considerable difference in the cumulative drug-release rate of 93% in 66 h revealed that SA-BC with 0.5% SA exhibited a higher pH sensitivity due to its abundant fibrous layers, the -COO--electrostatic repulsion, and the weakened hydrogen-bonding at pH 7.4. Such in situ-derived composite hydrogels could provide insights for BC functionalization and advance understanding of polysaccharides’ conversion to biomaterials with favorable biocompatibility and sustainability.
Sustainability Management Accounting and Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Environmental Management System
Authors: Fuzi Nursyazwani Mohd , Adam Sabrinah , Ramdan Mohamad Rohieszan , Ong Sharon Yong Yee , Osman Juliana , Kolandan Subramaniam , Ariffin Siti Zubaidah Mohd , Jamaluddin Nor Sa’adah , Abdullah Karmilah
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between sustainability management accounting, environmental management system, and organizational performance for the Malaysian manufacturing industry. The data were collected from 350 manufacturing companies in Malaysia using online questionnaires. Structural equation modeling was used to investigate the relationship between sustainability management accounting, environmental management system, and organizational performance. The findings showed that there was a significant positive relationship between sustainability management accounting and organizational performance (β = 0.530, p < 0.001), sustainability management accounting and environmental management system (β = 0.583, p < 0.001), and environmental management system and organizational performance (β = 0.168, p < 0.05). The findings also found an indirect effect of sustainability management accounting on organizational performance (β = 0.271, p < 0.05) through environmental management system implementation. Results show that environmental management systems can be considered as partial mediators. The environmental management system as a mediator for the Malaysian manufacturing industry increased the impact of sustainability management accounting on organizational performance. This study provides a fundamental approach for practitioners and manufacturing researchers to improve organizational performance through the implementation of sustainability management accounting and environmental management systems.
Models of Future Teachers’ Adaptation to New Post-Pandemic Digital Educational Scenarios
Authors: Martín-Gutiérrez Ángela , Díaz-Noguera María Dolores , Hervás-Gómez Carlos , Morales-Pérez Gloria Luisa
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the post-pandemic learning adaptation scenarios from the perspective of university students from the Faculty of Education Science of the University of Seville (Spain) as a function of the competencies identified in the context of digital transformation. This was a non-experimental, descriptive study that used a short version of the Scale of Attitudes on the Perceptions of Future Teachers toward the New Post-pandemic Educational Scenarios (SANPES). The sample consisted of 972 students of the University of Seville (Spain) (72% women, 28% men), registered in the academic year 2021–2022. A cluster analysis was performed, using a hierarchical procedure (dendrogram), followed by a non-hierarchical procedure (k-means algorithm). The results show significant differences in the responses of the university students. Conclusions: progressive models or scenarios of adaptation to post-pandemic learning based on some student competencies, such as motivation, collaboration, self-learning and digital methodology: (a) initial adaptation model, (b) moderate adaptation model, and (c) advanced adaptation model.
Can Agricultural Insurance Improve the Nutritional Status of Rural Residents?—Evidence from China’s Policy-Based Agricultural Insurance
Authors: Fu Shuang , Li Wenzhong , Jiang Shengzhong
Published: November 2022

Based on the provincial panel data from 2008 to 2019, this paper constructs a mediating effect model to analyze the impact of China’s agricultural insurance development on the nutritional status of rural residents theoretically and empirically. This study found that agricultural insurance significantly affects the nutritional status of rural residents through two mediators: increased income level and the regional crop diversity. Meanwhile, regional heterogeneity exists in the impact of agricultural insurance on the nutritional status of rural residents. Overall, this paper argues that agricultural insurance should be one of the tools to improve the nutritional status of rural residents in China. Specifically, the design and implementation process of policy-based agricultural insurance should put the nutritional health of rural residents and their complex impact into consideration. Therefore, this paper suggests that even though agricultural insurance can facilitate rural residents’ income stability and generation, relevant stakeholders also need to draw awareness, popularize the importance of nutrition and health, and optimize the supply structure of agricultural products.
Research Trends of Board Characteristics and Firms’ Environmental Performance: Research Directions and Agenda
Authors: Lei Jingsheng , Lin Sha , Khan M. Riaz , Xie Siman , Sadiq Muhammad , Ali Rashid , Bashir Muhammad Farhan , Shahzad Luqman , Eldin Sayed M. , Amin Ali H.
Published: November 2022

The current study investigates the association of board characteristics with firms’ environmental performance to provide further research and policy implications by carrying out systematic bibliometric analysis. The most potent contribution of the current study was to evaluate the performance of authors, geographical regions, journals and academic institutions to document their impact on the development of current literature. Moreover, the current study has used analytical statistics to examine how current research themes have evolved, and how impediments in existing literature can be overcome. Our analysis allows us to conclude that there is a lack of research collaboration between researchers and institutions in developing and developed countries. Finally, we summarize that the economic literature focuses more on BOD diversity, and there is less focus on theoretical development; non-listed firms, geographical proximity and mediating variables are research areas that need further academic attention. We conclude the current research investigation by identifying new research avenues.
Efficient Degradation of 4-Acetamidoantipyrin Using a Thermally Activated Persulfate System
Authors: Wang Qinghong , Li Siyu , Wang Xin , Li Zhuoyu , Zhan Yali , Chen Chunmao
Published: November 2022

The extensive use of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) causes high concentrations of pharmaceutical metabolites to exist in aquatic environments. Though the removal of parent PPCPs has raised concerns, the degradation of pharmaceutical metabolites was rarely investigated. In this study, the degradation of 4-acetylaminoantipyrine (4-AAA), a typical dipyrone metabolite frequently detected worldwide in surface water and wastewater, was initially studied using persulfate (PDS)-based advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Compared with commonly used activation methods of alkali, ultrasonic, ultraviolet, and Fe2+, 4-AAA achieved its best degradation (98.9%) within 30 min in a thermally activated PDS system due to the promotion of both radical production and the reaction rate with the rise in temperature. The optimum degradation of 4-AAA could be achieved with the temperature of 80 °C regardless of initial pH values, indicating a wide suitable pH range. Moreover, over 80% of the degradation of 4-AAA could be achieved with the presence of Cl− (0–16 mM), HCO3− (0–8 mM), and humic acid (0–30 mg/L), further indicating the application potential of the system. Both sulfate radicals (SO4•−) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH) contributed to 4-AAA degradation and the contribution of •OH increased with the pH rising from 3 to 11 due to the transformation from SO4•− when reacting with OH−. Three hydroxylated and ring-opening intermediates were detected during the 4-AAA degradation. The ECOSAR prediction indicated that the acute toxicity of most intermediates decreased than 4-AAA while the chronic toxicity increased, which suggested the transformation of intermediates should be further focused on in SO4•− and •OH based AOPs. This study would provide technical reference for the control of 4-AAA in wastewater treatment processes, raise concerns on the influence of PPCPs metabolites, and throw light on reducing the harm of PPCPs and their metabolites in aquatic environments.
Comprehensive Utilization and Sustainable Development of Bauxite in Northern Guizhou on a Background of Carbon Neutralization
Authors: Yang Wu , Zhang Min , Tao Cui , Yan Jun
Published: November 2022

As a developing country, China is also a major producer and consumer of mineral resources. At present, China is still in a critical period of rapid development of industrialization and urbanization, which will inevitably lead to huge resource consumption. It is only 30 years between the peak carbon consumption and the timepoint planned to achieve the goal of carbon neutrality. Coming from a background of dual pressure in terms of the total amount and intensity of “carbon neutrality”, the development and utilization of mineral resources has become one of the important factors in affecting and realizing carbon neutrality in China, and comprehensive utilization has become increasingly important. There are abundant bauxite resources in northern Guizhou, more than 700 million tons, and an industrial resource chain could be built around bauxite. The ore-forming process of bauxite is very complex, and there are enrichment phenomena of other useful elements in the ore-bearing rock series, among which the enrichment of associated Ga, Li and rare earth elements is very obvious. It is of great economic and scientific significance to study the migration law of associated Ga, Li and rare earth elements and to find out whether these elements in bauxite have development value. On the basis of systematically collecting and sorting previous research results, this study carried out supplementary tests on some areas with insufficient data; summarized and studied the migration law of associated Ga, Li and rare earth elements in the Wuzhengdao bauxite deposit in northern Guizhou; and conducted a feasibility analysis on the development and utilization prospects of associated Ga, Li and rare earth elements.
Study on the “Space Gene” Diversity of Traditional Dong Villages in the Southwest Hunan Province of China
Authors: Xiang Huiwen , Qin Yu , Xie Mingjing , Zhou Bo
Published: November 2022

Traditional villages are essential carriers of traditional culture and ethnic culture. Hence, it is of great significance to study and protect them in the context of urban–rural integration. From the perspective of the “Space Gene”, this study proposes the identification and extraction of the space gene. Then, we examine six traditional Dong villages in the Pingtan River Basin selected as cases to quantify their space gene diversity. The results show that (i) traditional Dong villages are rich and diverse in terms of their space types. (ii) The important value of the public space reflects the social cohesion of the Dong people. (iii) However, the sample villages still have differences in their space gene diversity index values. (iv) The characteristic culture encapsulated by the spaces of traditional Dong villages is facing disappearance. Furthermore, we propose a conservation strategy for traditional villages. Through the space gene diversity index, we can examine the current state of the protection and development of the village. The main objective of this study was to deepen our interpretation of the space in order to study the cultural value behind it.
Comparative Study between Type-1 and Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Systems in Parameter Adaptation for the Cuckoo Search Algorithm
Authors: Guerrero Maribel , Valdez Fevrier , Castillo Oscar
Published: November 2022

The objective of this work is focused on improving the optimization ability of the cuckoo search algorithm (CS), and, for this reason, a comparison is made between type-1 and interval type-2 fuzzy logic to look for more promising results in the cuckoo search algorithm (CS), and to help performance, we dynamically adjust the alpha parameter. The idea is to enable CS in leaving the local optima, and then be able to reach the global optima. Currently, there are good results in improving the optimization of algorithms through intelligent fuzzy logic computing after finding the best adjustment parameters. The approach is based on finding the ideal rules with their respective linguistic variables to represent the real world as is perceived by humans. The membership functions that the fuzzy system uses are symmetrically defined for reducing the search space, and this symmetry is what makes the algorithm efficient. We plan to test the proposal in future works in the optimal design of control systems. In the present study, we use five benchmark mathematical functions with variation in the number of dimensions to validate the approach and perform the comparison of interval type-2 and type-1 fuzzy systems in parameter adaptation. For the dynamic adjustment of the parameters, we select the alpha parameter, and the values of Pa and Beta are defined based on the analysis of their behavior in previous works.
Mittag-Leffler Type Stability of Delay Generalized Proportional Caputo Fractional Differential Equations: Cases of Non-Instantaneous Impulses, Instantaneous Impulses and without Impulses
Authors: Agarwal Ravi P. , Hristova Snezhana , O’Regan Donal
Published: November 2022

In this paper, nonlinear differential equations with a generalized proportional Caputo fractional derivative and finite delay are studied in this paper. The eventual presence of impulses in the equations is considered, and the statement of initial value problems in three cases is defined: namely non-instantaneous impulses, instantaneous impulses and no impulses. The relations between these three cases are discussed. Additionally, some stability properties are investigated. We apply the Mittag–Leffler function which plays a vital role and which gives well-known bounds on the norm of the solutions. The symmetry of this function about a line and the bounds is a property that plays an important role in stability. Several sufficient conditions are presented via appropriate new comparison results and the modified Razumikhin method. The results generalize several known results in the literature.
Research on the Stability of Anti-Slip Pile Support Structures for Railway Pile Slopes
Authors: Dong Bi-Chang , Chen Shi-Long , Wang Ya-Xin , Yang Tao , Ju Bin-Bin
Published: November 2022

The accumulation slope is widely distributed in the mountainous area of China; this paper takes the slope of the Chengdu–Lanzhou Railway as the engineering background and analyzes the stability of the slope and the mechanical properties of the anti-slip pile under symmetrical train loads. First, the finite element software Midas GTS NX was used to analyze the effect of the slope after the anti-slip pile support and the stability of the slope at different pile spacings, pile row distances, and pile positions. Then, the finite element analysis results of the pile-side earth pressure and landslide thrust were compared with those of earth pressure theory, the standard method, and field-measured data. The results of this paper are as follows: (1) The anti-slip pile support increased the slope stability coefficient from 1.175 to 1.680. (2) The slope stability gradually decreased with increases in anti-slip pile spacing and pile row distance and rose first and then decreased with an increase in pile position. (3) The active earth pressure values behind the pile by Coulomb theory were slightly smaller than the finite element analysis result; the theoretical values of the passive pressure before the pile were much larger than the finite element analysis results. (4) The landslide thrust was calculated by the transfer coefficient method when the safety factor K = 1.00. The results of explicit method and implicit method were the same, which were 8–19% higher than the finite element simulation value; when the safety factor K = 1.35, the theoretical value of the explicit method was about three times the simulated value, and the theoretical value of the implicit method was about 2.3 times the simulated value. (5) The measured values verified that the simulated values had a certain degree of reliability, and the relative deviation between the two was 5–17%.