bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterising Smartness to Make Smart Cities Resilient
Authors: Samarakkody Aravindi , Amaratunga Dilanthi , Haigh Richard
Published: October 2022

In broader terms, a Smart City improves the quality of life of its citizens through the effective use of innovative (digital) solutions. While innovative Smart City solutions keep growing, attention has been paid to resilience-making within Smart Cities, recognising that disasters are unavoidable. In light of the characteristics of a Smart City (smartness requirements) being inchoate and vague, different Smart Cities develop their own smartness criteria. Regardless of the Smart City type, smartness criteria need to adequately embed resilience. Integrating the resilience concept provides a strategic direction for Smart Cities and there is a significant positive relationship between the two concepts, Smart Cities, and urban resilience. Although Smart Cities are increasingly growing in popularity all around the world, there is a lack of research to guide a Smart City to define its smartness reflecting on disaster resilience. This paper intends to address this research gap by setting out a set of smartness criteria (with particular reference to urban (city) resilience) which should compulsorily feature in any type of Smart City that desires to be resilient. The study undertakes a systematic literature review to provide a new dimension, depth, and value to existing research discoveries. The findings are presented by structuring ten urban (city) resilience dimensions built upon six Smart City dimensions: smart economy, smart governance, smart people, smart mobility, smart living, and smart environment. Our findings make a niche contribution to knowledge by guiding Smart Cities that intend to build, enhance, and/or sustain resilience, to develop smartness criteria/smart characteristics reflecting on urban resilience. The research outcomes will be of large importance to Smart City policymakers, administrators, project managers, etc. to efficiently manage extreme events timely with optimal resource allocation and will be of specific interest to all the stakeholders (for instance, the innovators) in a Smart City ecosystem who may use the research outcomes as a decision-making tool.
Digital Competence, Validation and Differential Patterns between Spanish and Portuguese Areas as Assessed from the Latest PISA Report as a Pathway to Sustainable Education and Social Concerns
Authors: Gutiérrez-Ángel Nieves , García-Sánchez Jesús-Nicasio , Mercader-Rubio Isabel , García-Martín Judit , Brito-Costa Sonia
Published: October 2022

PISA reports aim both to analyze and describe the educational reality of each country and to assess different academic competences, including digital competence. In this paper, we are committed to the vision of digital literacy as an indispensable element of sustainable education and social concerns, which, together with the environment, the economy, social justice and human rights, form the basis of the concept of sustainability. From this point of view, it is considered that an improvement in digital competence has a positive impact on the use made of ICT and also on its link with sustainable development. The aim of this research is to comparatively analyze the results in terms of literacy itself, digital skills and digital resources and experiences according to the PISA 2018 report in four OECD countries: Spain, Portugal, Colombia and Brazil, specifically, two Latin countries (Brazil and Colombia) and two Hispanic countries (Spain and Portugal), and for the enjoyment in the use of digital devices between one country in each area (Brazil and Spain). The sample is composed of 54,323 participants (18,073 participants from Brazil and Colombia, Latin America, and 36,250 from Spain and Portugal, Iberian Peninsula), using as an instrument the surveys developed and implemented in the PISA 2018 dataset for the OECD sample, which is related to some aspect of digital skills. The main findings of this study confirm that the variables related to digital resources, digital literacy and digital skills are statistically significant in the four countries. Therefore, in view of this, we want to support the promotion of digital competence as a key element in the sustainable, educational and social development of a community. At a pedagogical level, this means that we are committed to different specific programs, innovative educational practices and the creation of resources that promote inclusion and educational quality, focusing on social concerns and the fit of each country and area for promoting sustainable education.
Ecological Efficiency Evaluation, Spatial Difference, and Trend Analysis of Logistics Industry and Manufacturing Industry Linkage in the Northeast Old Industrial Base
Authors: Wu Chong , Gan Jiahua , Jiang Zhuo , Jiang Anding , Zheng Wenlong
Published: October 2022

The ecological efficiency of industrial linkage considering unexpected output is an important indicator to measure the coordinated development of industrial linkage, resources, and the environment. It is an important basis for realizing the sustainable development of industry linkage. Taking the composite index of carbon emissions of the logistics industry and pollution emissions of the manufacturing industry as the unexpected output, we used the unexpected SBM model to evaluate the ecological efficiency of industrial linkage between the logistics industry and the manufacturing industry in Northeast China from 2011 to 2019, and used the spatial autocorrelation analysis method to analyze the spatial differences in industrial linkage efficiency. The results show that (1) considering the unexpected output, in Northeast China, the ecological efficiency cannot reach a high level of linkage development stage. (2) The results of the spatial correlation show that there are spatial differences between H-H agglomeration and L-L agglomeration in the linkage ecological efficiency of the two industries, and the spatial agglomeration attribute is relatively stable. (3) The analysis results of spatial agglomeration characteristics show that the spatial agglomeration of the two industries has a spatial evolution process from the southern coastal area to the central region. (4) Spatial trend analysis shows that in Northeast China, the western region is slightly higher than the eastern region, while the southern region is higher than the northern region. (5) From the development trend of linkage ecological efficiency, the linkage ecological efficiency of the study area will be improved in the future, but in the short term, the linkage ecological development level is not high and may still be at the primary linkage level.
Research on the Cooperation Model of New Energy Vehicle Supply Chain under the Background of Government Subsidies Declining
Authors: Han Xiaobo , Han Yin , Ke Rong , Zhao Jinghua
Published: October 2022

This paper studies the impact of the decrease in government subsidies on the selection of the cooperation model of vehicle manufacturers’ in the new energy vehicle supply chain, and uses the mathematical modeling method to establish MA (cooperation between vehicle manufacturers and battery suppliers with better battery life), MB (cooperation between vehicle manufacturers and battery suppliers with similar battery life) MAB (vehicle manufacturer cooperates with both) and N (does not cooperate with both) four cooperation models. The results show that vehicle manufacturers and battery suppliers A and B have cooperation motives, but whether vehicle manufacturers prefer to cooperate with battery supplier A or battery supplier B is related to the decrease in subsidies. In addition, it studies the impact of the decrease in subsidies on the sales price, market demand and supply chain profit of new energy vehicles.
Development of Thermoplastic Cassava Starch Composites with Banana Leaf Fibre
Authors: Sivakumar Aburpa Avanachari , Canales Cristian , Roco-Videla Ángel , Chávez Manuel
Published: October 2022

Growing environmental concerns have heightened interest in the development of environmentally friendly materials. The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the mechanical and thermal properties of thermoplastic cassava starch (TPCS) are affected by the presence of banana leaf fibre (BLF). By incorporating between 10% and 80% by weight of banana leaf fibre into the TPCS matrix, the biocomposites were created. The thermal and mechanical parameters of the samples were determined. The results revealed that the material’s flexural and tensile characteristics improved significantly, with 50% BLF content in the matrix achieving the highest strength of 20.86 MPa, a flexural strength of 32 MPa, and tensile modulus values. Thermogravimetric examination observed that the addition of BLF improved the material’s thermal stability. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) morphological tests demonstrated an even spread of banana leaf fibre and a matrix with strong adhesion, which improved the mechanical properties of the biocomposites. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) testing, which confirmed the biocomposite presence of O-H bonds, also confirmed the strong intermolecular hydrogen bonding between TPCS and banana leaf fibre.
Is the Soil-Cement Brick an Ecological Brick? An Analysis of the Life Cycle Environmental and Energy Performance of Masonry Walls
Authors: Leão Adriano Souza , Araujo Monique Cerqueira , de Jesus Thiago Barbosa , Almeida Edna dos Santos
Published: October 2022

Masonry wall is a key construction subsystem, but it embodies significant environmental and energy burdens within the life cycle of buildings. Soil-cement bricks and blocks stand as an alternative low-cost masonry material, but despite the widespread claim to be environmentally friendly, more systematic investigation is lacking. This study aimed to assess the life cycle environmental and energy performance of 1.0 m2 of a soil-cement brick masonry wall from cradle-to-construction in terms of carbon, energy, and water footprints, and fossil and mineral resource use, as well as compare it with conventional technologies such as ceramic and concrete block masonries in Brazil. Results showed that raw materials are a major contribution to soil cement masonry walls, followed by the joints and links with columns, in which cement stands out among other inputs. Hydraulic pressing in brick production had a negligible burden increase compared with manual pressing. The PVA mortar joint outperformed the PVA glue one, whereas resin coating performed better than cement mortar. In comparison with ceramic and concrete masonry walls, the soil cement masonry presented overall better environmental and energy performance and was the least affected by the inclusion of finishing coating layers and transport of materials in the sensitivity analysis scenarios, although improved scenarios of conventional options could be competitive, e.g., ceramic masonry with blocks produced by firing reforested wood for the carbon footprint. Scale-up analysis revealed that widespread deployment of soil cement masonry in the built environment would substantially avoid environmental and energy burdens compared with conventional technologies.
Comparative Study of Park Evaluation Based on Text Analysis of Social Media: A Case Study of 50 Popular Parks in Beijing
Authors: Cheng Siya , Huang Ziling , Pan Haochen , Wang Shuaiqing , Ge Xiaoyu
Published: October 2022

With China’s urban renewal, parks have developed into significant green recreational areas in cities. This paper analyzed social media texts and compared the evaluation outcomes of the 50 most popular urban parks in Beijing from various perspectives, such as the characteristics of various groups of people, park types, and the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of recreational activities. The importance–performance analysis method was used to analyze the main factors affecting visitors’ satisfaction with parks. The research found the following: (1) Positive evaluation of parks was related to environmental construction, event organization, etc., and negative evaluations focused on ticket supply, consumer spending, etc. (2) Visitors of different genders and from different regions focused on different aspects of parks. (3) In terms of traffic accessibility, historical and cultural display, parent–child activity organization, and ecological environment experience, people had diverse demands from various types of parks. (4) People were more likely to visit parks located within the range of all green belts in springs and parks located in the second green isolation belt in the fall. (5) The number of non-holiday reviews of parks was higher than that of holiday reviews. (6) Managers could improve visitor satisfaction by improving the infrastructure and management of parks.
Model and Approach of Solid Line Setting Based on Merge Safety and Merge Probability
Authors: Gao Pei , Zhou Ronggui , Zhao Qian , Zhou Jian , Li Xin , Peng Weiyuan
Published: October 2022

To improve the safety of merging vehicles and reduce the possibility of accidents, the easiest and most effective way is to adjust the existing traffic facilities. This study examines the requirements and approach of setting a new merge marking. First, a marking calculation model for the acceleration lane was constructed by taking the vehicle-merging probability as the limiting condition and combining the acceptable gap theory. Second, considering the limitation of ramp speed and acceleration lane length, the length of the solid merge line under different volumes and speeds was determined, and the value under different cases was given. Third, the safe change clearance and the length of the solid merge line under different scenarios were analyzed with numerical simulations using MATLAB. Finally, VISSIM was used for the simulation verification of the actual merging zone. The calculation results are that at the same probability, the increase of the volume outside the mainline, the longer the length of the solid merge line. When the volume of the outer lane is 100 pcu/h and 500 pcu/h, the actual gap value is greater than the minimum gap value, and vehicles can safely merge into the mainline. When the volume is 1000 pcu/h, the gap value is less than the minimum safe gap and cannot meet the safe merging, and control measures need to be taken for the lane. The results of the TTC conflict analysis show that it is recommended to set the solid merge line at service level two and above and that the service level three can be set in some cases. The setting of the solid merge line can further increase the vehicle acceleration space, improve the merge speed, and enhance the safety of the merge.
Optimistic Belief in One’s Own Capableness as a Factor of Entrepreneurial Sustainability: The Assessments of Self-Efficacy from the Perspective of Serbian Entrepreneurs
Authors: Ratković Njegovan Biljana , Vukadinović Maja , Šiđanin Iva , Bunčić Sonja , Njegovan Milica
Published: October 2022

The aim of this study is to explore how entrepreneurs assess their self-efficacy in relation to their amount of monthly income, years of entrepreneurial experience, and job satisfaction. Moreover, the relationship between entrepreneurs’ self-efficacy and the indicators of entrepreneurial skills was explored. A total of 335 entrepreneurs aged between 25 and 64, who were mostly men (70.1%), participated in the study. The participants answered 10 questions from the pilot version of the Checklist of the Indicators of entrepreneurial skills and General Self-Efficacy (GSE). The results have shown that the amount of monthly income and job satisfaction both have a significant effect on the entrepreneurs’ assessments regarding their self-efficacy. Moreover, the results have shown that two indicators of entrepreneurial skills singled out as significant predictors of self-efficacy. The indicator “I have a hard time dealing with stressful situations at work” has a negative relationship with the entrepreneurs’ assessments self-efficacy, while the predictor “I learn from wrong business moves” has a significant and positive relationship with entrepreneurs’ assessments of self-efficacy. The relationship between self-efficacy and stress management is discussed in the context of successful and sustainable entrepreneurship. It is concluded that the entrepreneurs’ assessments of self-efficacy are “stress sensitive”, whether the challenge is imposed or defined by the social surroundings, e.g., the amount of monthly income, or the entrepreneur’s personality, e.g., job satisfaction, risk management and self-confidence.
Characteristics of High-Technology Industry Migration within Metropolitan Areas—A Case Study of Beijing Metropolitan Area
Authors: Zhang Peiyuan , Li Jiaming , Zhang Wenzhong
Published: October 2022

Industrial migration is a hot topic in economic geography. This study traces the migratory process of key high-tech enterprises in Beijing during 2008–2016, revealing the migratory characteristics and patterns of high-tech enterprises within the metropolitan area by using spatial analysis methods and mathematical statistics. The results show that: (1) Migrating enterprises are mainly mixed-ownership and foreign-funded or privately-owned enterprises. Medium-sized enterprises are more likely to relocate than small and large enterprises, especially in lucrative sectors. (2) The migration of high-tech enterprises is mainly based on proximity migration. More than 77.19% of enterprises tend to move to agglomerations or agglomeration expansion areas such as Jiuxianqiao and the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (BDA) in Daxing District. In addition, 33 enterprises experience varying degrees of scale expansion after relocation. (3) Most high-tech manufacturing enterprises are in the growth stage of their life cycle. They initially relocate between 7 and 16 years after their establishment, which means that there is roughly a 7-year adaptation or development period for firms within a region after their establishment. During the adaptation period, companies do not tend to relocate; afterwards, as they grow, they need to find other spaces in which to do so. For reasons such as familiarity with the environment, enterprises give priority to finding new locations within the agglomeration and the surrounding area. These results deepen the understanding of the temporal and spatial characteristics of the migration of enterprises within the city from the microscopic perspective and provide a scientific basis for the optimization of industrial space in a metropolis.
Public Health System and Socio-Economic Development Coupling Based on Systematic Theory: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Jian , Wang Chuhan , Zhang Xinyu , Wang Shuang
Published: October 2022

This paper focus on the quantitative measurement of public health systems and its mismatch with socio-economic development. Based on systematic theory, we divide the public health system into four sub-systems: resource inputs, planning in decision-making, operations, and service outputs. We also provide a method to analyse the ability to match between the public health system and social-economic development by using the grey correlation and coupling method. Then we introduce data from China as a case of empirical research. The main findings are as follows: (1) China’s public health system has progressed from 2012 to 2019, and the development of China’s public health system is typically “input-driven”. Second, the level of public health management in China lacks sustainability. (2) The main reason for this problem is the mismatch between the central and local governments in China in terms of public health management authority. (3) Third, the coupling between China’s public health system and socio-economics development has shown a decreasing trend, which indicates an increasingly significant mismatch problem between public health and economic growth, urbanization, and population aging. Our study will enrich the understanding of the relationship between the public health system and socio-economics development.
Innovation in SMEs, AI Dynamism, and Sustainability: The Current Situation and Way Forward
Authors: Chaudhuri Ranjan , Chatterjee Sheshadri , Vrontis Demetris , Chaudhuri Sumana
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine artificial intelligence (AI) dynamism and its impact on sustainability of firms, including small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In addition, this study investigates the moderating effects of technological and leadership support for AI technology deployment and sustainability for manufacturing and production firms. We developed a theoretical model through the lenses of expectation disconfirmation theory (EDT), technology–trust–fit (TTF) theory, contingency theory, and the knowledge contained in the existing literature. We tested the proposed theoretical model using factor-based PLS-SEM technique by analyzing data from 343 managers of SMEs. The findings of this study demonstrate that organizational characteristics, situational characteristics, technological characteristics, and individual characteristics all impacted SMEs’ deployment of AI technologies for the purpose of achieving sustainability, with technological and leadership support acting as moderators.
Study on the Calculation Method of Water Inflow Velocity of Loose Rock Landslide
Authors: Wang Meili , Tian Ye , Yang Shengfa , Wang Pingyi
Published: October 2022

Landslide surges pose a serious threat to the ecological environment and human life safety. Based on rock structure mechanics and water sediment dynamics, considering the additional resistance caused by the interference of loose landslide particles on flow structure, this paper deduces the resistance calculation formula of loose-rock landslide particles when entering water. It modifies the landslide velocity formula (ASCE) recommended by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The acceleration calculation formula and velocity calculation formula of bulk-rock landslides entering water are obtained, and the determination method of the main parameters in the formula is given. Based on the data of the Xintan Landslide into the Yangtze River, the rationality of the calculation results of this formula and the ASCE formula are compared and analyzed. It shows that the ASCE formula calculates the average velocity of landslide movement on land, and there will be a noticeable deviation from the actual situation when it is used to calculate the water entry velocity of a loose-rock landslide. The formula given in this paper is more practical and can be used to calculate the velocity of loose-rock landslides entering water.
Celebrity vs. Product: A Neuroscientific Approach to the Distractors in Food Advertising for Sustainable Marketing
Authors: Pelau Corina , Nistoreanu Puiu , Lazar Laura , Badescu Ruxandra
Published: October 2022

Celebrity endorsement is nowadays a frequently used technique in marketing and advertising. On the one hand, celebrities have the ability to attract attention towards the advertising while on the other hand, their behavior is imitated by consumers, having a greater impact on buying decisions. One of the main challenges in advertising endorsed by celebrities is the overshadowing effect, by which consumers tend to watch the celebrity and not necessarily the advertised product. In three eye tracking experiments, we investigated the attention of consumers towards advertising with celebrities. The results showed that the celebrity was the eye-catcher of the advertising, being the first and longest object watched, but at the same time the product or the logo was also watched. The results also showed that the number of objects in advertising influenced the attention of the consumer. Across the three studies, we manipulated the number of objects and the results showed that in the case of information overload, the participants tended to watch the most familiar elements, which in our case were the celebrities. Therefore, the design and the number of objects in advertising endorsed by celebrities are also important in having a significant impact on the consumer.
Yield Performance of Forage Shrubs and Effects on Milk Production and Chemical Composition under the Tropical Climatic Conditions of Peru
Authors: Durand-Chávez Luz Marlene , Vásquez Pérez Héctor Vladimir , Ushiñahua-Ramírez Daniel , Carrasco Chilón William , Depaz-Hizo Benjamín Alberto , Saucedo-Uriarte José Américo
Published: October 2022

Forage shrubs have the potential to substantially contribute to pasture and increase the milk production of cows in tropical environments. The yield performance of forage shrubs and its effects on the production and chemical composition of milk in Bos indicus and Bos taurus crossbred cows in the tropics of Peru were studied. Fifteen cows were divided into M. alba, L. leucocephala, M. oleifera, and C. argentea treatments and only one of B. brizantha (control). Analysis of variance (p < 0.05) and comparison of means with Tukey’s test were performed. The highest plant height, stem diameter, fresh forage, and dry matter were observed in L. leucocephala and M. oleifera. The highest milk production was observed in cows fed B. brizantha with M. alba, and the highest milk production was in the rainy season. The highest concentration of fat and total solids was observed in milk from cows fed B. brizantha with L. leucocephala. The highest utility was observed in cows fed B. brizantha with M. alba; however, the highest operational profitability was observed in the treatment of only B. brizantha and B. brizantha with L. leucocephala. The use of forage shrubs can contribute to cattle feeding, especially in the dry season when there is a shortage of pastures, and possibly contribute to improving the soil and overcoming climate change.
Analyzing Pilot Projects of Creative Tourism in an Ultra-Peripheral Region: Which Guidelines Can Be Extracted for Sustainable Regional Development?
Authors: Santos Carlos , Couto Gualter , Albergaria Isabel Soares de , Silva Leonor Sampaio da , Medeiros Pilar Damião , Simas Rosa Maria Neves , Castanho Rui Alexandre
Published: October 2022

Several authors have shown that some tourism typologies—i.e., rural tourism, nature-based tourism, or creative tourism—have a more predominant role in attaining regional sustainability. In this regard, this paper explores the impacts of five pilot projects of creative tourism on the sustainable development of the insular Autonomous Region of the Azores. Through direct exploratory tools, such as interviews and site analyses, the present study enabled us to provide greater insight into creative tourism projects and their relevance to the development of an ultra-peripheral island region. As part of the CREATOUR AZORES Project, this study is based on five creative tourism pilot projects operating in the Azores, Portugal. As such, it is recommended that the regional government, local authorities, and other relevant actors and players in this region actively support and create strategies to strengthen these projects (and similar initiatives) once they not only contribute to regional development and destination promotion but also promote much-desired sustainable development—once these kinds of tourism, in theory, and practice, counteract the dire effects of mass tourism.
Changes in Patterns of Consumer Spending in European Households
Authors: Piekut Marlena , Piekut Kamil
Published: October 2022

Consumption is an important concept in economics and many social sciences. The aim of the study is to compare consumption in European households in the years 2004–2020 and to identify groups of countries with similar consumption–expenditure structures. Statistical methods were used: trend analysis, cluster analysis. Between 2004 and 2019, the consumption expenditures of European households gradually increased. In all countries, spending on categories such as food, housing maintenance, and food and accommodation rose. Most countries also saw an increase in spending on other categories of consumer goods and services, although there were also countries where some types of spending decreased during the period under study. Our research grouped countries according to their consumption structure in 2004, 2019 and 2020. In Europe, several groups of countries can be distinguished according to their consumption structure. Similarities between EU countries’ consumption change through time. Ward’s clustering and k-means methods allowed to reduce a large number of countries to a few basic groups, which can be perceived as the subject and direction of further analysis.
A Native American Perspective on Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure in Southern California
Authors: Miletić Marta , Shahine Fatima , Sarkar Mahasweta , Quandt Amy
Published: October 2022

Although the needs for sustainable urban infrastructure systems are increasingly being recognized and addressed, the same is not true for Native American communities, where existence, condition, and access to a collection of infrastructure systems is often lagging behind urban and non-native communities. To date, there has been a quite limited number of studies exploring Native American perspectives on infrastructure challenges and how to build sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems in their communities. Thus, the purpose of this study is to identify the challenges and opportunities for building sustainable infrastructure systems for Native American communities in Southern California and investigate how those communities experience, understand, and apply engineering practice in the context of their community and culture. Drawing from six group interviews, our study highlights challenges and opportunities for building sustainable and resilient infrastructure systems on tribal reservations in San Diego County, California, from the perspectives offered by Native Americans themselves. We focus on infrastructure systems fundamental to well-being: built environment, water/wastewater, telecommunications, transportation, energy, human capital, and education. Our research participants emphasized the importance of their cultures, sovereignty, and care for the welfare of their communities in innovating sustainable and resilient infrastructure. To accomplish this, a key priority should be to train native engineers, who are best positioned to understand the infrastructure needs and opportunities in their own communities.
Study on the Spatial Convergence Club and Growth Momentum of China’s Regional Economies
Authors: Xiao Qiaoli , Wang Yue
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the convergence pattern of China’s regional economies, explore the driving force of their coordinated development, and provide policy suggestions for coordinated and high-quality development. We used nighttime light data from 1992 to 2020 and combined an exploratory spatial data analytical method and a log-t test of a nonlinear time-varying factor model to identify the spatial convergence clubs of regional economic growth and the economic growth drivers of different clubs based on a spatial econometric model. We found that the eastern region is strong while the development of the central, western, and northeastern regions follows China’s long-term trend. Three high-level economic clubs (Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang belong to Club 1; Shandong, Hebei, Anhui, Henan, and Liaoning belong to Club 2; Hainan, Fujian, and Guangdong belong to Club 3) have formed in the eastern coastal and central regions, while a low-level one (Inner Mongolia, Hubei, Chongqing, Qinghai, Guizhou, Sichuan, Guangxi, Yunnan, Xizang, Shaanxi, Gansu, Hunan, Ningxia, Xinjiang, Jiangxi, Heilongjiang, and Jilin) has formed in the central, western, and northeastern regions. Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanxi are not convergent. The coordinated development of these regions requires improving the levels of economic growth in the western and northeastern regions to give full play to the role of the Yangtze River Delta as a growth pole and its economic radiation capacity. An analysis of the influence mechanism and spatial spillover effects shows that industrial development and market vitality are the most important driving forces for economic growth. For the low-level club, service industry development, human capital, and resource consumption are also key factors for achieving sustained and stable economic growth.
Seabed Liquefaction around Pipeline with Backfilling Trench Subjected to Strong Earthquake Motions
Authors: Wang Qiuzhe , Bian Jiang , Huang Wenting , Lu Qingrui , Zhao Kai , Li Zhaoyan
Published: October 2022

As an indispensable part of the lifeline for the offshore gas and oil industry, submarine pipelines under long-term marine environmental loadings have historically been susceptible to earthquakes. This study investigates the impact of trench backfilling on the residual liquefaction around a pipeline and the induced uplift of a pipeline under the combined action of an earthquake, ocean wave and current loading. A fully coupled nonlinear effective stress analysis method, which can consider the nonlinear hysteresis and the large deformation after liquefaction of the seabed soil, is adopted to describe the interaction between the seabed soil and the submarine pipeline. Taking a typical borehole in the Bohai strait as the site condition, the nonlinear seismic response analysis of the submarine pipeline under the combined action of seismic loading and ocean wave and current is carried out. The numerical results show that trench backfilling has a significant impact on the seismic response of the pipeline. The existence of trench backfilling reduces the accumulation of the residual excess pore water pressure, so that the seabed liquefaction around the pipeline is mitigated and the uplift of the pipeline is also decreased.
Team Creativity and Green Human Resource Management Practices’ Mediating Roles in Organizational Sustainability
Authors: Zahrani Aida Ahmed
Published: October 2022

The study of green human resource management (GHRM) can help with the creation of organizational strategies that are sustainable for businesses. The main purpose of this research was to examine the underlying strategies for enhancing green teams’ creativity as well as green human resource management practices and their effects on the sustainability of companies. We contribute to filling this gap by developing and testing a set of hypotheses in order to provide a first attempt at analyzing the antecedents and outcomes of green team creativity (GTC) and green human resource management practice (GHRM) in Saudi organizations. A questionnaire survey served as the primary method of data collection for the green team creativity and green human resource management practice studies. A total of 198 Saudi Arabian employees from one company completed the data gathering form, and the data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) 3.3.3. Quantitative structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the results. The analysis showed that independent variables positively influence green team creativity and green human resource management practices, which in turn have a significant positive impact on organizational sustainability. The results also provide evidence for the mediating effect of team creativity and green human resource management practice on the links between green recruitment and selection; green training, involvement, and development; green performance and compensation; green performance management and appraisal; green employee involvement practices; top management support and environmental orientation; and organizational sustainability. The implications of these results for theory and HRM practices in Saudi organizations are taken into consideration.
A Particle Swarm Optimization and Deep Learning Approach for Intrusion Detection System in Internet of Medical Things
Authors: Chaganti Rajasekhar , Mourade Azrour , Ravi Vinayakumar , Vemprala Naga , Dua Amit , Bhushan Bharat
Published: October 2022

Integrating the internet of things (IoT) in medical applications has significantly improved healthcare operations and patient treatment activities. Real-time patient monitoring and remote diagnostics allow the physician to serve more patients and save human lives using internet of medical things (IoMT) technology. However, IoMT devices are prone to cyber attacks, and security and privacy have been a concern. The IoMT devices operate on low computing and low memory, and implementing security technology on IoMT devices is not feasible. In this article, we propose particle swarm optimization deep neural network (PSO-DNN) for implementing an effective and accurate intrusion detection system in IoMT. Our approach outperforms the state of the art with an accuracy of 96% to detect network intrusions using the combined network traffic and patient’s sensing dataset. We also present an extensive analysis of using various Machine Learning(ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques for network intrusion detection in IoMT and confirm that DL models perform slightly better than ML models.
Willingness to Pay for the Public Electric Bus in Nepal: A Contingent Valuation Method Approach
Authors: Son Ji-Hee , Kim Jeawon , Lee Wona , Han Songhee
Published: October 2022

The rapid increase in conventional diesel and gasoline vehicles in developing countries draws attention to clean energy vehicles, including electric buses. From socioeconomic and environmental perspectives, the benefits of electric buses are well described; however, there is a lack of studies to analyze the willingness to pay (WTP). This study aims to estimate 500 residents’ WTP in Pokhara Metropolitan City in Nepal, based on a contingent valuation method (CVM). The survey results show that 78% of respondents are willing to pay a special monthly tax for introducing electric buses in the city primarily due to the fact that electric buses are likely to be helpful to the environment (82.3%). Using the logistic regression analysis, it is estimated that the mean WTP is 758.6 NPR per person, with the most influencing factors of ‘willingness to ride electric buses for free’ and ‘the average usage of the main transportation per week’. The variables that show a positive relationship with the WTP are ‘the average usage of the main transportation per week’, ‘willingness to ride electric buses for free’, and ‘age’. The variable that negatively correlates with the WTP is ‘age’. The study’s findings provide references for developing funding options and budgeting plans for local policymakers.
A Numerical Simulation of the Interaction of Aggregate and Rockfill in a Gangue Fluidized Filling Method
Authors: Wang Jiaqi , Zhang Jixiong , Li Meng , Sartaj Majid , Wang Yunbo
Published: October 2022

To solve the problem of gangue discharge in coal mining, fluidized gangue filling technology was developed. The key scientific problem of this technology is the diffusion characteristics of the gangue in the goaf. Therefore, a discrete element fluidized gangue model was established based on the ARR contact model. Based on the Rblock module, a goaf model with a certain void ratio was created, and the meso-parameters of fluidized gangue were calibrated. The fluidized gangue diffusion and rock displacement laws were explored under different grouting speeds, void ratios, and gangue particle sizes. The research results show that with the increase in the grouting speed and void ratio, and the decrease in the gangue particle size, the diffusion radius gradually increases, and the rock displacement in the goaf also gradually increases. Under given geological conditions, the total grouting mass of a single hole can reach 5.63 × 104 kg.
Pyrolytic Conversion of Vomitoxin-Contaminated Corn into Value-Added Products
Authors: Karami Shokooh , Papari Sadegh , Klinghoffer Naomi B. , Berruti Franco
Published: October 2022

Deoxynivalenol (DON) (also called vomitoxin) is a mycotoxin caused by pathogens that periodically contaminate crops such as maize, wheat, barley, oats, and rye, making them unusable. We explored pyrolysis as a process for the decontamination of vomitoxin-corn grains and their transformation into value-added products. Pyrolysis was carried out in a bench-scale batch reactor at maximum temperatures between 450 and 650 °C. This resulted in the total destruction of DON, from 5–7 ppm in raw corn grains to non-detectable levels in the treated bio-char. The effect of pyrolysis conditions, including temperature and heating rate, on the conversion of toxic corn grains was investigated. The maximum bio-oil yield was achieved at 650 °C (47 wt.%). The co-products were bio-char (29 wt.%) and non-condensable gases (24 wt.%). Acetic acid and levoglucosan were the two major valuable components in the bio-oil, corresponding to 26 g/kg and 13 g/kg of bio-oil, respectively. The bio-chars were analyzed and upgraded by physical activation using CO2 at 900 °C. Activation increased the bio-char surface area to 419 m2g−1 and promoted pore development, which was verified by SEM. Proximate analysis illustrated that stable carbon increased to 88.8% after activation compared to 10.9% in the raw corn. FT-IR results showed that the thermally unstable functional groups had been completely eliminated after activation. All characterization results confirmed that the activated corn bio-char has excellent potential for adsorption processes. The HHV of the non-condensable gas stream was 16.46 MJ/Nm3, showing the potential application of this product as an energy source.
Assessing the Structural Behavior of a New UHPC-Infilled Top Chords Integrated Deck Plate System at Construction Stage
Authors: Son Hong-Jun , Kim Young-Ho , Hong Sung-Gul , Kim Dae-Jin
Published: October 2022

In this paper, a new deck plate system, in which the top chords are infilled with high-performance cement-based material such as high-strength mortar and UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete), was proposed. The bending capacity of the proposed deck plate system at the construction stage was investigated by performing a four-point bending test on seven specimens with a net span of 4.6 m. Test parameters included the type of top chords, type and amount of infilled material, and existence of inner shear connectors. The load versus displacement curves were plotted for all the specimens, and their failure modes were identified. In addition, a theoretical strength estimation process was developed for the proposed deck plate system. The strength values calculated by the estimation process were compared with the test results and analyzed. This comparison showed that the proposed system retained the peak strength and initial stiffness at a much higher level than the conventional system, and the theoretical strength estimation process can predict the failure modes and peak strength of the proposed system accurately.
Chemo-Sonic Pretreatment Approach on Marine Macroalgae for Energy Efficient Biohydrogen Production
Authors: Shankaran Shabarish , Karuppiah Tamilarasan , Jeyakumar Rajesh Banu
Published: October 2022

The core objective of this analysis is to implement a combination of alkaline (NaOH) and sonication pretreatment techniques to produce energy-efficient biohydrogen from the marine macroalgae Chaetomorpha antennina. Anaerobic fermentation was implemented in control, sonic solubilization (SS) and sonic alkali solubilization (SAS) pretreatment for 15 days. In control, a biohydrogen production of 40 mL H2/gCOD was obtained. The sonicator intensities varied from 10% to 90% for a period of 1 h during SS pretreatment. About 2650 mg/L SCOD release with a COD solubilization of 21% was obtained at an optimum intensity of 50% in a 30 min duration, in which 119 mL H2/gCOD biohydrogen was produced in the anaerobic fermentation. SAS pretreatment was performed by varying the pH from 8 to 12 with the optimum conditions of SS where a SCOD release of 3400 mg/L, COD solubilization efficiency of 26% and a maximum biohydrogen production of 150 mL H2/gCOD was obtained at a high pH range of 11 in the fermentation. The specific energy required by SS (9000 kJ/kgTS) was comparatively higher than SAS (4500 kJ/kg TS). SAS reduced half of the energy consumption when compared to SS. Overall, SAS pretreatment was found to be energetically favorable in a field application.
Cost Changes and Technical Efficiency of Grain Production in China against a Background of Rising Factor Prices
Authors: Zhu Xiaoli , Li Chenglong , Zhou Hong
Published: October 2022

Based on panel data for the inputs and outputs of the three major staple grains (rice, wheat and corn) in China from 2000 to 2020, we calculated the cost efficiency using the stochastic frontier cost function model and examined the effects of cost changes for the three major grains to explore the sources of cost increases for grain production. On this basis, the impact of the input factor structures on the technical efficiency of the three food grains was further analyzed under the conditions of price increases. We found that the labor prices and production costs showed the same trends of changes. Compared to 2000, the labor prices in 2020 increased 7.33-fold and the technical efficiency values for the three grains were all close to 0.9 (0.8689, 0.8912 and 0.8451). An efficiency decomposition showed that the adjustment effect of labor prices was the main factor in cost increases, but the effects of technological progress and efficiency improvement could effectively reduce the costs of grain production (the largest average value for technological progress was for rice at 0.4569). In comparison, the effects of technological progress on cost reduction were more obvious. By analyzing the influence of input factor structures on technical efficiency, it was found that the influence of different input factor structures on technical efficiency was heterogeneous among the different grains. This paper puts forward the following policy recommendations: first, improve the level of mechanization by developing social services to reduce the dependence on labor; secondly, promote the construction of agricultural informatization, such as accelerating the research and development of intelligent agricultural machinery and promoting the transformation of traditional agriculture to intelligent agriculture; finally, promote the marketization of land element price through land trusteeship to reduce the land transfer price.