bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Steganography-Based Pattern for Print Matter Anti-Counterfeiting by Smartphone Cameras
Authors: Zheng Hong , Zhou Chengzhuo , Li Xi , Guo Zhongyuan , Wang Tianyu
Published: April 2022

Print matter authentication based on anti-counterfeiting techniques has received continuously increasing concern from academia and industry. However, the existing printing anti-counterfeiting solutions often have the defects of poor identification experience, high cost, or weak anti-counterfeiting ability, and cannot achieve pre-sale anti-counterfeiting. Therefore, a novel steganography-based pattern for print matter anti-counterfeiting by smartphone cameras is proposed in this study. Firstly, every pixel in the original binary message image (such as QR code) is replaced by a square pixel block with the same binary gray value of 0 or 255 (the first-level expansion). Secondly, the obtained image is encrypted based on the logistic chaotic sequence, and then scrambled by Arnold transform. Lastly, once again every pixel in the generated image is replaced with a square pixel block (the second-level expansion), the size and gray value of which can be set to control the semi-fragile ability to distinguish an originally printed pattern from its illegitimate copy. If the message extracted from the printed pattern through the inverse procedure is complete enough to decode and read, the pattern is assumed to be an original print. Experimental results verify the advancement and effectiveness of the proposed scheme in distinguishing the copied pattern.
Online Condition Monitoring of Rotating Machines by Self-Powered Piezoelectric Transducer from Real-Time Experimental Investigations
Authors: Khazaee Majid , Rosendahl Lasse Aistrup , Rezania Alireza
Published: April 2022

This paper investigates self-powering online condition monitoring for rotating machines by the piezoelectric transducer as an energy harvester and sensor. The method is devised for real-time working motors and relies on self-powered wireless data transfer where the data comes from the piezoelectric transducer’s output. Energy harvesting by Piezoceramic is studied under real-time motor excitations, followed by power optimization schemes. The maximum power and root mean square power generation from the motor excitation are 13.43 mW/g2 and 5.9 mW/g2, which can be enough for providing autonomous wireless data transfer. The piezoelectric transducer sensitivity to the fault is experimentally investigated, showing the considerable fault sensitivity of piezoelectric transducer output to the fault. For instance, the piezoelectric transducer output under a shaft-misalignment fault is more than 200% higher than the healthy working conditions. This outcome indicates that the monitoring of rotating machines can be achieved by using a self-powered system of the piezoelectric harvesters. Finally, a discussion on the feasible self-powered online condition monitoring is presented.
An Automatic Clock-Induced-Spurs Detector Based on Energy Detection for Direct Digital Frequency Synthesizer
Authors: Lei Xin , Zhang Junan , Deng Jun , Yin Peng , Shu Zhou , Tang Fang
Published: April 2022

A clock-induced-spurs detector, composed of a programmable low-pass filter (LPF), energy detector and spur detection algorithm, is presented and applied to a four-channel 1 gigabit-samples-per-second (GSPS) direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDS). The proposed detector realizes the detection of spurs based on energy-detection, and the spur detection algorithm is adopted to automatically extract the amplitude and phase of clock-induced spurs, generated by the intermodulation of harmonic spurs and multiple clocks. Finally, the extracted features are sent to auxiliary DDS to decrease the target spur, following which the detector can be turned off to save power. Additionally, the detected characteristics under different output conditions can be read out through the interface for rapid frequency switching. The proposed detector integrated into a DDS is fabricated with a 65 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process and has an area of 190 μm × 320 μm. The measured power consumption is roughly 38 mW, consuming 6% that of a single-channel DDS. The test results show that the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of this DDS can be successfully enhanced from −43.1 dBc to roughly −59.9 dBc without any off-chip instruments. This effectively proves that the detection accuracy of this detector can reach around −81 dBm.
Analyzing the Selection Effect in the Private Korean Annuity Market
Authors: Yun Jiyeon , Zi Hongmin
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this study is to investigate the degree of adverse selection in the Korean individual annuity market using the money’s worth calculations. The insurers’ pricing of different annuity products reflects individual’s self-selection into products based on private information about their mortality prospects. Using payments offered for different products, money’s worth calculations were higher for younger and male annuitants, annuity with a bigger premium size and longer guarantee period, frontloaded (as opposed to level) annuity, joint (as opposed to single) annuity, tax-qualified (as opposed to non-tax-qualified) annuity, and deferred (as opposed to immediate) annuity. In a cross-country analysis, we observe that the cost of adverse selection is higher in countries with more generous social security income.
Correlation of Climatic Factors with the Weight of an Apis mellifera Beehive
Authors: Ziegler Cristiano , Ueda Renan Mitsuo , Sinigaglia Tiago , Kreimeier Felipe , Souza Adriano Mendonça
Published: April 2022

The bee Apis mellifera plays an important role in the balance of the ecosystem. New technologies are used for the evaluation of hives, and to determine the quality of the honey and the productivity of the hive. Climatic factors, management, flowering, and other factors affect the weight of a hive. The objective of this research was to explain the interrelationship between climatic variables and the weight of an Apis mellifera beehive using a vector autoregressive (VAR) model. The adjustment of a VAR model was carried out with seven climatic variables, and hive weight and its lags, by adjusting an equation that represents the studied hive considering all interrelationships. It was proven that the VAR (1) model can effectively capture the interrelationship among variables. The impulse response function and the variance decomposition show that the variable that most influences the hive weight, during the initial period, is the minimum dew point, which represents 5.33% of the variance. Among the variables analyzed, the one that most impacted the hive weight, after 20 days, was the maximum temperature, representing 7.50% of the variance. This study proves that it is possible to apply econometric statistical models to bee data and to relate them to climatic data, contributing significantly to the area of applied and bee statistics.
Characterization of Seasonal Phytoplankton Pigments and Functional Types around Offshore Island in the East/Japan Sea, Based on HPLC Pigment Analysis
Authors: Lee Minji , Kim Yun-Bae , Park Chan-Hong , Baek Seung-Ho
Published: April 2022

In this study, we investigated the seasonal phytoplankton community and phytoplankton functional types (PFTs) in the vicinity of Dokdo Island, located in the East/Japan Sea, in 2019. With strong seasonal winds, the water column was well mixed in winter. In spring and autumn, the upper mixed layer depth (MLD) was relatively deep, and the Subsurface Chlorophyll Maximum (SCM) formed in the middle layer. Small phytoplankton were dominant in the summer, which is a time of high water temperatures and strong stratification associated with a shallower MLD. Based on CHEMTAX analysis, in spring, the high phytoplankton biomass was mainly derived from cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates. In summer, >73.2% of the surface biomass was comprised of cyanobacteria. In autumn, pelagophytes accounted for the highest proportion of the biomass. The fraction of microphytoplankton (fmicro) was highest in winter and spring, whereas the fraction of nanophytoplankton (fnano) was highest in autumn and summer. A high fraction of picophytoplankton (fpico) was evident in the surface layers in summer. Values for both the photoprotection index (PI) and the ratio of photoprotective carotenoids (PPC) to photosynthetic carotenoids (PSC) indicate that this study area had high primary productivity in 2019. In order to predict long-term changes in marine food webs due to climate change, it is important to evaluate the size and composition of phytoplankton.
Unpacking the Psychosocial Dimension of Decarbonization between Change and Stability: A Systematic Review in the Social Science Literature
Authors: Biddau Fulvio , Brondi Sonia , Cottone Paolo Francesco
Published: April 2022

This paper provides a systematic overview of the psychosocial contribution to decarbonization studies and critically discusses current trends. Following the PRISMA protocol, we reviewed 404 articles informing how socio-psychological processes affect decarbonization, and vice versa, and highlighting research gaps and biases. Contrary to criticisms about methodological individualism and reductionism of socio-psychological research on sustainability, the review illustrates that the field is equally attentive to psychosocial processes operating at different levels, including the individual (e.g., attitudes, stress, environmental concerns), community (e.g., collective identity, justice, sense of place), and socio-cultural levels (e.g., social norms, values, memory). However, evidence shows some problematic trends in the literature: (i) A bias toward specific agents and geographies, which overlooks mesoscale actors (e.g., media, unions, NGOs) and developing and eastern countries; (ii) instrumental and normative views of transitions, which coincide with a prevailing focus on cognitive processes and a selective bias toward technologies, policies, places, and natural resources conceived as instrumental to decarbonization. This also emphasizes how biophysical processes, people–nature relationships, and the role of emotions in understanding the psychology of agents and decarbonization processes are almost absent; (iii) a research gaze normatively oriented toward the future, which risks neglecting continuity–discontinuity dynamics and the timing and pace of transitions.
Evaluation of the Use of Sewage Sludge Biochar as a Soil Amendment—A Review
Authors: Goldan Elena , Nedeff Valentin , Barsan Narcis , Culea Mihaela , Tomozei Claudia , Panainte-Lehadus Mirela , Mosnegutu Emilian
Published: April 2022

In recent decades, minimization and recycling/reuse policies were introduced to reduce the quantities of generated waste and for alternative waste recovery. Organic wastes represent 46% of total global solid waste. Possible uses of organic wastes include using it as fertilizer and amendment for soil, for energy recovery and for the production of chemical substances. Sewage sludge disposal and reuse are identified as future problems concerning waste. The total amount of sludge generated in the entire world has increased dramatically, and this tendency is expected to increase significantly in the years to come. In most developed countries, special attention is given to sewage sludge treatment in order to improve the quality and safety of using it on the ground surface. Sewage sludge pyrolysis is considered an acceptable method, from an economic and ecological perspective, for the beneficial reuse of sewage sludge. This method has many advantages because, during the pyrolysis process, the sludge volume is reduced by 80%, pathogenic agents and hazardous compounds from sewage sludge are eliminated, metals are immobilized in solid residue and organic and inorganic fractions are immobilized in a stabilized form of pyrolytic residues (biochar). The biochar generated by sewage sludge pyrolysis does not contain pathogenic agents and is rich in carbon and nutrients.
Introduction to the Special Issue “Bringing Governance Back Home: Lessons for Local Government Regarding Rapid Climate Action”
Authors: Tyfield David , Yuille Andy
Published: April 2022

There is a growing recognition both that rapid action on climate change is urgently necessary, and that many of the responsibilities for this action (e [...]
Environmental “Fee-to-Tax” and Heavy Pollution Enterprises to De-Capacity
Authors: Ji Li , Zeng Tian
Published: April 2022

Will environmental “fee-to-tax”, which strengthens the rigidity of levies and increases the environmental costs of heavy pollution enterprises, force heavy pollution enterprises to de-capacity. This paper examines the impact and heterogeneity of the environmental “fee-to-tax” on heavy pollution enterprises’ de-capacity by taking the official implementation of the Environmental Protection Tax Law of the People’s Republic of China in 2018 as the institutional impact and the listed industrial enterprises in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2015 to 2019 as the sample. The study found that environmental “fee-to-tax” pushed heavy pollution enterprises to de-capacity. After parallel trend tests, placebo tests, eliminate policy interference, propensity score matching, and replacement variables, the findings of this paper are robust. Further analysis shows that the effect of environmental “fee-to-tax” on heavy pollution enterprises’ de-capacity is more significant in state-owned enterprises, high financing constraints enterprises, and areas with higher tax collection and management; this effect is still effective and more significant in areas with low economic development because all environmental tax revenues are included in local finance. This paper follows up and tests the implementation effect of environmental regulations in China and provides a valuable reference for the government to promote the task of de-capacity and green transformation and upgrading of industrial structure through actively playing the role of environmental protection.
Assessment of CI Engine Performance and Exhaust Air Quality Outfitted with Real-Time Emulsion Fuel Injection System
Authors: Ramalingam Krishnamoorthy , Perumal Venkatesan Elumalai , Aabid Abdul , Baig Muneer
Published: April 2022

The main target of the current research work is effectively eliminating fossil fuel dependency and improving the exhaust air quality of conventional Compression Ignition (CI) engines. This research paper demonstrates for the first time that a nanofluid (water without surfactant) stored in separate tanks can be quantified, collected, and immediately emulsified by a high shear mixer before transfer into the combustion chamber of a diesel engine. The experiment was carried out under different load states (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) with a constant speed of 1500 rpm. Biofuel was extracted from citronella leaves using an energy-intensive process. The 5% water share was used for preparing the biofuel emulsion and nano-biofuel emulsion. A cobalt chromate nanoadditive was used to make the nanofluid. An experimental investigation was performed with prepared test fuels, namely, ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD), 100% Citronella (B100), surfactant-free Diesel emulsion (SDE), surfactant-free bioemulsion (SBE), and Surfactant free nano-bioemulsion (SNBE), in a test engine. The properties of the sample test fuels was ensured according to EN and ASTM standards. The observation performance results show that the SNBE blend exhibited lower BTE (by 0.5%) and higher SFC (by 3.4%) than ULSD at peak load. The emission results show that the SNBE blend exhibited lower HC, CO, NOx, and smoke emissions by 23.86%, 31.81%, 2.94%, and 24.63%, respectively, compared to USD at peak load. The CP and HRR results for SNBE were closer to ULSD fuel. Overall, the novel concept of an RTEFI (Real-time emulsion fuel injection) system was proved to be workable and to maintain its benefits of better fuel economy and greener emissions.
An Experimental Demonstration of the Effective Application of Thermal Energy Storage in a Particle-Based CSP System
Authors: Alaqel Shaker , Saleh Nader S. , Saeed Rageh S. , Djajadiwinata Eldwin , Alswaiyd Abdulelah , Sarfraz Muhammad , Al-Ansary Hany , El-Leathy Abdelrahman , Al-Suhaibani Zeyad , Danish Syed , Jeter Sheldon , Almutairi Zeyad
Published: April 2022

Tests were performed at the particle-based CSP test facility at King Saud University to demonstrate a viable solution to overcome the limitations of using molten salt as a working medium in power plants. The KSU facility is composed of a heliostat field, particle heating receiver (PHR) at the top of a tower, thermal energy storage (TES) bin, a particle-to-working fluid heat exchanger (PWFHX), power cycle (microturbine), and a particle lift. During pre-commissioning, a substantial portion of the collected solar energy was lost during particle flow through the TES bin. The entrained air is shown to be the primary cause of such heat loss. The results show that the particle temperature at the PHR outlet can reach 720 °C after mitigating the entrained air issue. Additionally, during on-sun testing, a higher temperature of the air exiting the PWFHX than that of the air entering is observed, which indicates the effective solar contribution. Half-hour plant operation through stored energy was demonstrated after heliostat defocusing. Lastly, a sealable TES bin configuration for 1.3 MWe pre-commercial demonstration unit to be built in Saudi Arabia by Saudi Electric Company (SEC) is presented. This design modification has addressed the heat loss, pressure build-up, and contamination issues during TES charging.
How Efficient Is the Cohesion Policy in Supporting Small and Mid-Sized Enterprises in the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy?
Authors: Henriques Carla , Viseu Clara , Trigo António , Gouveia Maria , Amaro Ana
Published: April 2022

Funds from the European Union that are devoted to fostering a low-carbon economy are aimed at assisting Member States and regions in implementing the required investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and smart distribution electricity grids, and for research and innovation in these areas. In this context, we assessed the implementation of these funds in small and medium-sized enterprises across different beneficiary countries and regions of the European Union. Therefore, this study uses a non-radial slack-based data envelopment analysis model coupled with cluster analysis that covers multiple aspects of evaluation, including two inputs and two outputs, to assess 102 programs from 22 countries. Overall, we were able to ascertain that there are 25 efficient operational programs that remain robustly efficient, whereas 51 remain robustly inefficient for data perturbations of 5 and 10%. Under the current output level, there was almost no input surplus. Therefore, to promote a low-carbon economy, operational program managers should concentrate on solving the problems behind the poor results achieved, both in terms of greenhouse gas emissions reduction and the pace of the programs’ implementation.
Road Safety Policy in Addis Ababa: A Vision Zero Perspective
Authors: Abebe Henok Girma
Published: April 2022

In this article, the Addis Ababa city road safety policies are examined and analysed based on the Vision Zero approach to road safety work. Three major policy documents are explored and assessed in terms of how they compare with Vision Zero policy in Sweden, concerning how road safety problems are conceptualised, the responsibility ascriptions promoted, the nature of goal setting concerning road safety objectives, and the specific road safety interventions promoted. It is concluded that there is a big difference between the Swedish Vision Zero approach to road safety work and the Addis Ababa road safety approach in terms of how road safety problems are framed and how responsibility ascriptions are made. In Addis Ababa, policy documents primarily frame road safety problems as individual road user problems and, hence, the responsibility for traffic safety is mainly left to the individual road users. The responsibility extended to other system components such as the vehicles, road design, and the operation of the traffic is growing but still very limited. It is argued that in order to find and secure long-term solutions for traffic safety in the city, a paradigm shift is needed, both regarding what are perceived to be the main causes of road safety problems in the city and who should be responsible for ensuring that road fatalities and injuries are prevented.
Influence of Core Self-Evaluations on Work Engagement: The Mediating Role of Informal Field-Based Learning and the Moderating Role of Work Design
Authors: Ma Yu , Qian Zhichao , Zhong Lifeng
Published: April 2022

This study aims to examine the effect of employees’ CSE on their work engagement, along with its underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions. Based on the job demands–resources (JD-R) model and conservation of resources (COR) theory, we propose and test a moderated mediation model that examines IFBL as the mediator and work design as the moderator in the relationship between CSE and work engagement. We use time-lagged data from 231 employees to analyze the data. The results indicate that: (1) CSE is positively related to work engagement of employees; (2) IFBL mediates the relationship between CSE and work engagement; (3) problem solving reinforces the effect of IFBL on work engagement, which consequently enhances the mediated relationship between CSE and work engagement via IFBL. We further discuss the limitations and future research directions of this study.
Regional Social Relationships Evaluation Using the AHP and Entropy Weight Method: A Case Study of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, China
Authors: Zhang Chenyang , Jin Jianjun , Qiu Xin , Li Lin , He Rui
Published: April 2022

The quality of social relationships is recognized as an important aspect of human well-being. Improving social relationships can help to promote other aspects of human well-being, such as health and income. The development of individual social relationships relies on regional social relationships. However, few studies have focused on social relationships evaluation at the regional level. Therefore, the study aims to construct a comprehensive evaluation index system and to evaluate regional social relationships by calculating the regional social relationships index (RSRI). The weights of the indicators were calculated by using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and entropy weight method. The social relationships of prefecture-level cities in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau were evaluated based on statistical data. The results showed that (1) the top three indicators of comprehensive weight were number of community service agencies, number of vehicles operated on highway, and telephone penetration; (2) the regional social relationships on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau showed an upward trend from 2010 to 2019; (3) the average RSRI scores of prefecture-level cities in Qinghai and Gansu were higher than other provinces; and (4) the number of community service agencies was the main obstacle factor for the development of regional social relationships in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The finding of this study can provide further insights about social relationships research from a regional analysis perspective and cover the gap in the literature on regional social relationships.
Capturing Stakeholders’ Challenges of the Food–Water–Energy Nexus—A Participatory Approach for Pune and the Bhima Basin, India
Authors: Karutz Raphael , Omann Ines , Gorelick Steven M. , Klassert Christian J. A. , Zozmann Heinrich , Zhu Yuanzao , Kabisch Sigrun , Kindler Annegret , Figueroa Anjuli Jain , Wang Ankun , Küblböck Karin , Grohs Hannes , Burek Peter , Smilovic Mikhail , Klauer Bernd
Published: April 2022

Systems models of the Food–Water–Energy (FWE) nexus face a conceptual difficulty: the systematic integration of local stakeholder perspectives into a coherent framework for analysis. We present a novel procedure to co-produce and systematize the real-life complexity of stakeholder knowledge and forge it into a clear-cut set of challenges. These are clustered into the Pressure–State–Response (PSIR) framework, which ultimately guides the development of a conceptual systems model closely attuned to the needs of local stakeholders. We apply this approach to the case of the emerging megacity Pune and the Bhima basin in India. Through stakeholder workshops, involving 75 resource users and experts, we identified 22 individual challenges. They include exogenous pressures, such as climate change and urbanization, and endogenous pressures, such as agricultural groundwater over-abstraction and land use change. These pressures alter the Bhima basin’s system state, characterized by inefficient water and energy supply systems and regional scarcity. The consequent impacts on society encompass the inadequate provision with food, water, and energy and livelihood challenges for farmers in the basin. An evaluation of policy responses within the conceptual systems model shows the complex cause–effect interactions between nexus subsystems. One single response action, such as the promotion of solar farming, can affect multiple challenges. The resulting concise picture of the regional FWE system serves resource users, policymakers, and researchers to evaluate long-term policies within the context of the urban FWE system. While the presented results are specific to the case study, the approach can be transferred to any other FWE nexus system.
Romania’s Perspectives on the Transition to the Circular Economy in an EU Context
Authors: Dobre-Baron Oana , Nițescu Alina , Niță Dorina , Mitran Cătălin
Published: April 2022

The main objective of the paper is to highlight Romania’s perspectives on the transition process towards the circular economy, in respect with the tendencies registered at the level of the European Union. To this end, our methodology involved the selection of four indicators, each one being viewed as representative for one area of interest specified in the circular economy monitoring framework established by the European Commission, namely: Generation of waste excluding major mineral wastes per domestic material consumption; Recycling rate of municipal waste; Circular material use rate; Gross investment in tangible goods—percentage of gross domestic product. On the basis of data series provided by the Eurostat database, our study employed a quantitative approach, by using the econometric analysis of time series. For each selected indicator, time series-specific approximation and prediction models were constructed; against this background, we were able to reveal accurate forecasts of the analysed variables, with respect to different time horizons. Detailed analysis of the data series resulting from the research proved that on the long run, there are favourable premises for improving Romania’s performance in adopting the circular economic model, on the basis of low values for the indicator “Generation of waste excluding major mineral wastes per domestic material consumption”, of an ascending trend for the indicator ”Circular material use rate” and of maintaining the values of the “Gross investment in tangible goods—percentage of gross domestic product” indicator above the EU-27 average.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Investors’ Investment Intention of Sustainability-Related Investment: Evidence from China
Authors: Xu Xin , Xie Yi , Xiong Feng , Li Yan
Published: April 2022

This paper investigates how investors respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding their intention to invest in sustainability-related investment (SRI) funds. We conduct two experiments online with participants who have experience with stock and fund investments. The first one includes 292 participants, which aims to explore investors’ attitudes and investment intention of different sustainability-related components, and the second one includes 432 participants, which aims to examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affects individuals’ attitudes and investment intention. Our results show that investors tend to invest in SRI funds when the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic is salient. Specifically, we find that although investors perceive environmental issues to be more important than economic and social issues, their investment intention of economic-focused SRI funds significantly increases in response to the COVID-19 pandemic threat. These findings suggest that fund managers can focus on particular types of investors when designing SRI funds, such as active investors with a preference for technical analysis and young female investors with a high level of income and education.
Development of an Online Holistic Standardized Recipe: A Design Science Approach
Authors: Silvestre Daniela , Serra Manuel , Afonso Carlos M. , Pinto Ezequiel , de Almeida Carlos M.
Published: April 2022

Concerns around healthy and sustainable food, particularly regarding the standardization of production, cost control, and revenue maximization, are issues challenging food and beverages researchers and professionals. There are some available models to create standardized recipes for food and beverages, but they are weak in holistic terms from the point of view of management and legally required information. The purpose of this study was to develop an artifact, an online holistic standardized recipe, to allow the management of information in terms of recipes, costs, allergens, sustainability, nutrition facts, and menu pricing strategies. The research approach was conducted using a design science research methodology developed in two cycles. The artifact was produced from a literature review conducted to define the design principles, and it was evaluated across exploratory focus group and field study phases. The primary outcome of this research was the development of an online holistic standardized recipe. The artifact was considered relevant and useful by the stakeholders participating in the exploratory focus group and field study. However, studying the edible portion and the average weight of the recipe ingredients is necessary for the artifact to become more robust. The paper provides new insights and practical guidelines for academics and professionals in the food and beverage industry.
Based on the Time-Spatial Power-Based Cryptocurrency Miner Driving Force Model, Establish a Global CO2 Emission Prediction Framework after China Bans Cryptocurrency
Authors: Sang Xuejia , Leng Xiaopeng , Xue Linfu , Ran Xiangjin
Published: April 2022

The energy consumption and carbon footprint of cryptocurrencies have always been a popular topic. However, most of the existing studies only focus on one cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, and there is a lack of long-term monitoring studies that summarize all cryptocurrencies. By constructing a time series hash rate/power model, this research obtained the 10-year time series data on energy consumption dataset of global top-25 cryptocurrencies for the first time. Both the temporal coverage and the spatiotemporal resolution of the data exceed previous studies. The results show that Bitcoin’s power consumption only accounts for 58% of the top-25 cryptocurrencies. After China bans cryptocurrencies, the conservative change in global CO2 emissions from 2020 will be between −0.4% and 4.4%, and Central Asian countries such as Kazakhstan are likely to become areas of rapid growth in carbon emissions from cryptocurrencies.
Tailoring Resonant Energy Transfer Processes for Sustainable and Bio-Inspired Sensing
Authors: Caligiuri Vincenzo , Leone Francesca , Pane Alfredo , Favale Olga , De Luca Antonio , Annesi Ferdinanda
Published: April 2022

Dipole–Dipole interactions (DDI) constitute an effective mechanism by which two physical entities can interact with each other. DDI processes can occur in a resonance framework if the energies of the two dipoles are very close. In this case, an energy transfer can occur without the need to emit a photon, taking the name of Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). Given their large dependence on the distance and orientation between the two dipoles, as well as on the electromagnetic properties of the surrounding environment, DDIs are exceptional for sensing applications. There are two main ways to carry out FRET-based sensing: (i) enhancing or (ii) inhibiting it. Interaction with resonant environments such as plasmonic, optical cavities, and/or metamaterials promotes the former while acting on the distance between the FRET molecules favors the latter. In this review, we browse both the two ways, pointing the spotlight to the intrinsic interdisciplinarity these two sensing routes imply. We showcase FRET-based sensing mechanisms in a variety of contexts, from pH sensors to molecular structure measurements on a nano-metrical scale, with a particular accent on the central and still mostly overlooked role played between a nano-photonically structured environment and photoluminescent molecules.
Ukrainian Migrants in Poland and the Role of an Employer as the Channel of Information during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Adamczyk Anita , Trojanowska-Strzęboszewska Monika , Kowalewska Dorota , Bartłomiejski Robert
Published: April 2022

This paper examines communication processes between state institutions and migrants under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. It aims to determine where migrants obtain their information on specific legal regulations and restrictions on rules of conduct in the public space and professional environment. This issue is examined through the example of Ukrainian labour immigration in Poland. Referring to the results of our survey research, it is established that in a crisis, when the importance of information in the public sphere increases and, at the same time, direct social contacts are restricted, the special role of the employer is revealed. The employer is perceived not only as an entity offering work, but also as an important channel of information about state policy, regulations and rules of conduct applicable in a crisis. These findings are an indication, on the one hand, for state institutions to take this role of employers into account in migration policy and, on the other hand, for employers themselves to be aware of their social role towards migrants and play it responsibly. We believe that the study, conducted in the first two months of the pandemic, has become very timely with the outbreak of the Ukrainian–Russian war.
Scientometrics of Poverty Research for Sustainability Development: Trend Analysis of the 1964–2022 Data through Scopus
Authors: Chansanam Wirapong , Li Chunqiu
Published: April 2022

Over the last six decades, significant progress has been made in studying poverty. Poverty research is an important issue for ensuring the sustainable development and governance of the world, especially the lower-income regions. More attention from multiple dimensions shall be paid to poverty research. However, apart from a few research publications, less research has investigated their citations using the most widely used approach for citation mapping—Scientometric analysis. Therefore, this research utilized 319 published papers on poverty research from 1964 to 20 February 2022, from the Scopus database to conduct bibliometric and social network analysis. The bibliometrix package in R and the VOSviewer program were used to perform data analysis and visualization. Theme mapping, trend themes, bibliometric coupling, and co-occurrence networks were utilized to discover potential study areas for existing and future trends. The findings reveal that poverty research has increased by 10.18% each year since 2006. Additionally, the results indicate the most influential sections of the research based on the most often mentioned subjects, papers, authors, and keywords. The findings indicate that future studies should focus on the poverty line, social policies, and living standards. The contributions of the paper may provide a reference to the understanding of poverty research through bibliometric analysis and promote poverty research in theory and practice.
Modeling the Impact of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) Implementation Factors on Continuance Intention of Students: PLS-SEM Approach
Authors: Al-Mekhlafi Al-Baraa Abdulrahman , Othman Idris , Kineber Ahmed Farouk , Mousa Ahmad A. , Zamil Ahmad M. A.
Published: April 2022

The Engineers in Society (EIS) course is a common course unique to Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS. However, every semester, the course receives 300 to 500 students, making managing and delivering it a challenging task. The EIS course is thus in need of a suitable mode of delivery where the teaching and learning process can cater to a large number of participants from a variety of programs. The aim of this study is to address the effect of Massive Open Online Courses MOOC factors implementation on the continuance intention of students. The study employed a survey that was designed from a literature review. The survey adopted a series of questions to gather information about the problem under investigation. One hundred forty-eight responses were collected from the students in different engineering, project and operation management, quality, sustainability, and entrepreneurship programs. In addition, partial least squares regression-structural equation modelling was used to analyze data. Based on the results, there is a significant impact of MOOC implementation factors on the continuance intention of students. Nevertheless, students showed a high intention to continue studying engineering in society courses online MOOC. Therefore, the current study provides practical evidence for management and lecturers of the university to enhance MOOC factors to ensure the high quality of teaching and enhance the continuance intention of students to study in a MOOC environment.
Finding the Optimal Bus-Overtaking Rules for Bus Stops with Two Tandem Berths
Authors: Liu Lu , Bian Zhanglei , Nie Qinghui
Published: April 2022

Overtaking rule is a key factor for the estimation of bus discharge flow and bus delay at stops. In general, there are four kinds of overtaking rules, namely no-overtaking, enter-overtaking, exit-overtaking and free-overtaking. This paper studies a two-berth tandem bus stop in a saturated state and proposes calculation models for the maximum bus discharge flow and average berth blocking time under different overtaking rules. Cellular automata simulation is applied to verify the model’s reliability. Then the influence of bus dwell time characteristics and overtaking rules are analyzed. Results show that overtaking has a positive impact on the maximum bus discharge flow and average berth blocking time to a certain extent. If only one overtaking behavior is allowed, the exit-overtaking rule is recommended. The study reveals that overtaking behavior plays an important role in bus service level and operational efficiency. Bus-overtaking rules are suggested to be changed with different bus flow states to obtain the optimal berth effectiveness.
A Safe and Efficient Mining Method with Reasonable Stress Release and Surface Ecological Protection
Authors: Li Zhenghu , Zhang Junhui , Chen Hui , Shi Xiuzhi , Zhang Yanyang , Zhang Yanjun
Published: April 2022

Coal is an important basic energy source, widely distributed throughout the world, but resource abundance is uneven. Despite the need to develop and form new energy sources, coal energy maintains its dominant position. However, due to the uneven distribution and non-renewable nature of coal resources, the relationship between the supply and demand of coal resources is tight. The rational exploitation of coal and reducing resource mining wastes are particularly important at the present stage. The original mining method of the Zhangjiamao coal mine resulted in a large waste of coal resources. After replacing the “110 construction method”, the original advanced end-support was canceled, which saved a lot of process time and engineering costs and greatly improved the mine production efficiency. With an average mining depth of +300 m, the working face is in a safe and stable state, and the 110-mining process has little impact on surface subsidence. Its successful application provides a reference experience for other mines to promote resource-saving and efficient mining.
Landau–Lifshitz and Weinberg Energy Distributions for the Static Regular Simpson–Visser Space-Time Geometry
Authors: Radinschi Irina , Grammenos Theophanes , Spanou Andromahi , Chattopadhyay Surajit , Cazacu Marius Mihai
Published: April 2022

The symmetric Landau–Lifshitz and Weinberg energy–momentum complexes are utilized in order to determine the energy distribution in a four-dimensional, static and spherically symmetric regular Simpson–Visser space-time geometry. For different values of the metric parameter a, the static Simpson–Visser space-time geometry corresponds to the Schwarzschild black hole solution, to a regular black hole solution with a one-way spacelike throat, to a one-way wormhole solution with an extremal null throat, or to a traversable Morris–Thorne wormhole solution. Both symmetric prescriptions yield a zero momentum, while the energy distributions calculated have an expression dependent on the mass m, the radial coordinate r, and the metric parameter a. Some special limiting cases of the results derived are considered, while a possible astrophysical application to questions of gravitational lensing is indicated.
Flows Excited by Shear Stress in Freestanding Symmetric Smectic C Films
Authors: Sliwa Izabela , Maslennikov Pavel , Zakharov Alex
Published: April 2022

The purpose of this paper is to show some useful routes in describing the shear-driving flows in a freely suspended symmetric smectic C film stretched between two circular frames, the rest outer and rotating inner frames. Our calculations, based on a corresponding extension of the Eriksen–Leslie theory, show that the shear-driving flow in the film, excited by a rotating inner circular frame, causes a twisting rotation of the c^-director around the normal to smectic layers. It is found that the shear flow excited by the rotating frame in a positive sense (counterclockwise) causes a twisting rotation of the c^-director in a negative sense (clockwise) around the normal to smectic film. It is also shown that the twisting of the c^-director’s field has a jumping nature when a large reorientation is carried out in a short space of time. It was also shown that the twisting dynamics of the c^-director field strongly depends on the curvature of the inner rotating frame.
Object Detection Algorithm Based on Context Information and Self-Attention Mechanism
Authors: Liang Hong , Zhou Hui , Zhang Qian , Wu Ting
Published: April 2022

Pursuing an object detector with good detection accuracy while ensuring detection speed has always been a challenging problem in object detection. This paper proposes a multi-scale context information fusion model combined with a self-attention block (CSA-Net). First, an improved backbone network ResNet-SA is designed with self-attention to reduce the interference of the image background area and focus on the object region. Second, this work introduces a receptive field feature enhancement module (RFFE) to combine local and global features while increasing the receptive field. Then this work adopts a spatial feature fusion pyramid with a symmetrical structure, which fuses and transfers semantic information and feature information. Finally, a sibling detection head using an anchor-free detection mechanism is applied to increase the accuracy and speed of detection at the end of the model. A large number of experiments support the above analysis and conclusions. Our model achieves an average accuracy of 46.8% on the COCO 2017 test set.
A Multi-Attention UNet for Semantic Segmentation in Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Sun Yu , Bi Fukun , Gao Yangte , Chen Liang , Feng Suting
Published: April 2022

In recent years, with the development of deep learning, semantic segmentation for remote sensing images has gradually become a hot issue in computer vision. However, segmentation for multicategory targets is still a difficult problem. To address the issues regarding poor precision and multiple scales in different categories, we propose a UNet, based on multi-attention (MA-UNet). Specifically, we propose a residual encoder, based on a simple attention module, to improve the extraction capability of the backbone for fine-grained features. By using multi-head self-attention for the lowest level feature, the semantic representation of the given feature map is reconstructed, further implementing fine-grained segmentation for different categories of pixels. Then, to address the problem of multiple scales in different categories, we increase the number of down-sampling to subdivide the feature sizes of the target at different scales, and use channel attention and spatial attention in different feature fusion stages, to better fuse the feature information of the target at different scales. We conducted experiments on the WHDLD datasets and DLRSD datasets. The results show that, with multiple visual attention feature enhancements, our method achieves 63.94% mean intersection over union (IOU) on the WHDLD datasets; this result is 4.27% higher than that of UNet, and on the DLRSD datasets, the mean IOU of our methods improves UNet’s 56.17% to 61.90%, while exceeding those of other advanced methods.
Evaluation of Toxicity of Crude Phlorotannins and Phloroglucinol Using Different Model Organisms
Authors: Harwanto Dicky , Negara Bertoka Fajar Surya Perwira , Tirtawijaya Gabriel , Meinita Maria Dyah Nur , Choi Jae-Suk
Published: April 2022

Phlorotannins have been proven to contain numerous bioactive compounds that have potential to be applied in variety industries, including cosmetics, functional foods, nutraceuticals, environmental management, and medicine. The larvicidal and growth-inhibiting properties of phlorotannins have been extensively studied in various organisms. However, the toxicity of the phloroglucinol oligomer of phlorotannin is unclear, especially in Artemia salina, Daphnia magna, Lactuca sativa, and Chlorella vulgaris, which are commonly used in many bioassays. Therefore, research using these four organisms should be designed to provide basic information about the toxic effects of phlorotannins and phloroglucinol. This study aimed to evaluate the larvicidal and inhibitory properties of phlorotannins and phloroglucinol on A. salina, D. magna, L. sativa, and C. vulgaris. Phlorotannin extract and phloroglucinol were administered at various concentrations to each test organism. The survival rate of A. salina nauplii and D. magna neonates was observed every 24 h to 72 h, whereas the L. sativa seed germination and inhibition rate of C. vulgaris were observed up to 96 h. The results showed that the 24 h LC50 of phlorotannin on A. salina and D. magna were 10.67 and 1.32 mg/mL, respectively. The germination inhibition of L. sativa was 53.3% with a seed growth of less than 4 mm after 96 h upon exposure to 1 mg/mL of phlorotannin. Freshwater and seawater C. vulgaris experienced yield inhibition of 39.47 and 43.46%, respectively, when 2 mg/mL of phlorotanin was added. These results indicate that phlorotannin affects the survival and growth of the test organisms, so its use as a pesticide, herbicide, and algaecide agent for environmental and aquaculture applications can be further studied.