bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolutionary Game and Numerical Simulation of Enterprises’ Green Technology Innovation: Based on the Credit Sales Financing Service of Supply Chain
Authors: Wang Liping , Wang Zhijia , Tian Lili , Li Chuang
Published: January 2023

In the context of economic transformation and ecological civilization construction, breaking financing constraints and carrying out green technology innovation has become an urgent task for enterprises to achieve green and sustainable development in China. As a financing method of the supply chain, can credit sales effectively promote enterprises’ green technology innovation? This paper constructs an evolutionary game model between upstream and downstream enterprises. Firstly, the interaction between credit sales and green technology innovation is explored through an evolutionary equilibrium analysis. Secondly, the influencing factors of credit sales and green technology innovation decisions are analyzed through a numerical simulation. The study found that: (1) Under the condition of evolutionary equilibrium, the credit sales of upstream enterprises and the green technology innovation of downstream enterprises can form a virtuous circle mode of “financing—income generation—benefit sharing”. That is, a win-win situation can be achieved through the internal circulation of the supply chain. (2) Profit distribution is one of the key issues in the game between upstream and downstream enterprises. The willingness of upstream enterprises to provide credit sales and downstream enterprises to carry out green technology innovation is positively related to the benefits they enjoy from green technology innovation. (3) The supervision cost is an obstacle for upstream enterprises’ credit sales. A practical and inexpensive account recovery guarantee mechanism is an effective way to improve the willingness of upstream enterprises to provide credit sales. (4) The government’s green subsidy is beneficial to the whole supply chain’s “credit sales—green technology innovation” mode, which not only directly stimulates downstream enterprises’ green technology innovation but also stimulates upstream enterprises’ credit sales through benefit sharing. This paper enriches the relevant research on green technology innovation of the supply chain and provides a reference for green technology innovation and financing interaction between upstream and downstream enterprises.
Analysis of the Drivers of Highway Construction Companies Adopting Smart Construction Technology
Authors: Zhou Zhichao , Su Yikun , Zheng Zhizhe , Wang Yilin
Published: January 2023

In this study, we aimed to identify the influencing factors that drive highway construction companies to adopt smart construction technologies. Using expert interviews and expert scoring, we collected interview data from 25 experts in the field and we proposed the TOSE framework based on the TOE framework, identifying four dimensions and fourteen influencing factors. We analyzed the results using the Fuzzy DEMATEL-ISM method, and we then summarized the findings according to the evaluation criteria to determine the validity of the fourteen hypotheses and the extent to which they drive highway construction companies to adopt smart construction technologies. The findings of this paper are of high value to decision makers and participants in highway construction companies, as well as to other companies in the construction industry, in their decision to adopt smart construction technologies.
Managerial Myopia and Long-Term Investment: Evidence from China
Authors: Cao Qilong , Ju Meng , Li Jinglei , Zhong Changbao
Published: January 2023

A corporation’s ability to uphold valuable long-term investments is a critical component of the business’s sustainability. Combining the views of the upper echelons theory and agency theory, this study argues that myopic managerial behavior is detrimental to a firm’s long-term investment. We construct an indicator assessing managerial myopia based on the textual analysis approach. The moderating effect analysis suggested that the negative impact of managerial myopia on long-term investments is lessened with an increase in institutional investor ownership and analyst coverage. In addition, we found that managerial myopia negatively correlates with capital expenditures and R&D investments. Furthermore, the cross-sectional analysis suggested that the correlation between managerial myopia and long-term investment is stronger among firms with higher industry competition, poor performance levels, and in non-state-owned enterprises.
Finite Element Analysis of Different Infill Patterns for 3D Printed Tidal Turbine Blade
Authors: Galvez Glecelyn M. , Olivar Karl Andrie M. , Tolentino Francis Rey G. , Danao Louis Angelo M. , Abuan Binoe E.
Published: January 2023

The fabrication route for tidal turbine blades has been compounded with the appearance of additive manufacturing; with the use of infill patterns, improvement of mechanical strength and material reduction for 3D printed parts can be obtained. Through finite element analysis and three-point bend tests, the optimal infill lattice pattern, and the viability of the shell–infill turbine blade model as an alternative to the conventional shell-spar model was determined. Out of a selection of infills, the best infill pattern was determined as the hexagonal infill pattern oriented in-plane. A representative volume element was modeled in ANSYS Material Designer, resulting in the homogenized properties of the in-plane hexagonal lattice. After validation, the homogenized properties were applied to the tidal turbine blade. The shell–infill model was based on the volume of the final shell-spar model which had a blade deflection of 9.720% of the blade length. The difference in the deflection between the homogenized infill and the spar cross-section was 0.00125% with a maximum stress of 170.3 MPa which was within the tensile strength and flexure strength of the carbon fiber with onyx base material. Conclusively, the homogenized infill was determined as a suitable alternative to the spar cross-section. The best orientation of the infill relative to the horizontal orientation of the blade was 0 degrees; however, the lack of trend made it inconclusive whether 0 degrees was the absolute optimal infill orientation.
Preparation and Photoelectric Properties of C-LaFeO3 Composites
Authors: Li Shudan , Li Man , Xu Mingjian , Li Xueying , Gao Kun
Published: January 2023

The C spheres synthesized by a hydrothermal method were used as a C source, which was doped with LaFeO3 to obtain C-LaFeO3 composites with different C contents (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%). The effects of C content on the structure, morphology, and photoelectric properties of LaFeO3 were investigated experimentally. The results show that C doping does not change the crystal structure of LaFeO3. The proper amount of C doping improves the photocatalytic and electrochemical activities of the composites. However, excessive C reduces the photocatalytic and electrochemical activities of the C-LaFeO3 composites. Comparing the different C contents, when the C content is 15%, the photocatalytic performance of C-LaFeO3 photodegrading methylene blue solution (MB) under visible light is the best, reaching an efficiency of 97%. In addition, electrochemical tests in a 6 M KOH electrolyte solution demonstrate that C doping significantly improves the redox reaction capacity, and the specific capacitance of 15% C-LaFeO3 (466.08) F/g) at a current density of 0.5 A/g is about 2.5 times that of LaFeO3 (180.10 F/g). Furthermore, EIS studies show that that the ion diffusion resistance of the 15% C-LaFeO3 electrode decreased, which is indicative of good electrochemical performance.
A Survey on IoT-Enabled Smart Grids: Technologies, Architectures, Applications, and Challenges
Authors: Kirmani Sheeraz , Mazid Abdul , Khan Irfan Ahmad , Abid Manaullah
Published: January 2023

The state of the power system has changed over the last decades. Recently, the power system has faced several challenges and issues. On the one side, demands for electrical energy are increasing day-by-day, with power losses, grid failure, and lack of smart technology; on the other side, security threats are also increasing. The current power grid cannot deal with these issues. The Internet of things (IoT) has grown quickly in a very short time because of its main features. By using IoT in the power grid, we can enhance the conventional grid’s efficiency, capacity, reliability, sustainability, scalability, and stability. Using the IoT in smart grids resolves the numerous problems faced by current smart grids. According to the latest research on IoT-enabled smart grid (SG) systems, security issues have been identified as one of the key problems. This paper reviews the different security aspects and applications while integrating the IoT with smart grids and discusses various frameworks. Apart from this, we also focus on various IoT and non-IoT technologies used in the smart grid network, such as sensing, communication, and computing technologies, as well as their standards.
Social Impact Assessment of Circular Construction: Case of Living Lab Ghent
Authors: Kayaçetin Nuri Cihan , Piccardo Chiara , Versele Alexis
Published: January 2023

The construction industry is considered to have a high potential in achieving the sustainable development goals. The circular economy is a promising framework that supports the shift from a linear-construction industry to an environmental-friendly and efficient sector. On the other hand, there is a lack of effort in measuring the impact of construction-related activities on users and society. The gap is greater when the context of social impacts is related to circular and bio-based construction. For this purpose, a social impact assessment framework was developed in the Interreg 2 seas CBCI project and tested on a residential prototype: Living Lab (LL) Ghent. Under 13 impact categories relevant to 4 stakeholder categories, circular and bio-based construction materials and methods were assessed for production and construction phases. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through expert workshops and questionnaires. The results include identification of new indicators (urban mining, social economy, and post-intervention manuals) for several circular construction methods. The social impacts of the LL were discussed depending on each stakeholder category. It was seen that there are several positive impacts related to workers and the local community. Certain recommendations were also provided specifically on a construction-sector basis which may be integrated into existing social impact assessment guidelines.
The Method of Soundscape Naturalness Curves in the Evaluation of Mountain Trails of Diversified Anthropopressure—Case Study of Korona Beskidów Polskich
Authors: Malec Magdalena , Kędzior Renata , Ziernicka-Wojtaszek Agnieszka
Published: January 2023

Sound in the landscape is an element of the multisensory experience of the environment. In areas that are naturally valuable and additionally used for tourism, the quality of this element is much more important than in urban areas. The aim of the study was to assess the soundscape diversity of mountain trails included in the Crown of the Polish Beskids (Korona Beskidów Polskich). Two methods were used in the study: The first was sound intensity measurement using a sonometer, which provided information on the physical aspect of the landscape. The second method involved recording all sounds divided into two basic categories: anthropogenic and natural. These results made it possible to propose a new method for assessing the naturalness of the soundscape by plotting naturalness curves. In contrast to frequently used survey-based methods, in this method we minimise subjectivity, which is mainly due to the different perceptions of sounds by the assessors. Given how many psychophysical aspects can affect the reception and perception of sounds, the method of naturalness curves allows for a universal assessment of landscape quality. On all the mountain trails surveyed, the average sound intensity values exceeded 40 dB, which the authors considered to be borderline for areas of natural value and recreational use. In the study area, the influence of anthropopression on soundscape formation was found to be diverse and dependent on many factors. However, there was no clear evidence that tourism was the main negative influence. The plotted naturalness curves showed a large variation between trails, but not all trails showed a correlation between this parameter and the number of tourists on the trail.
From Farmers’ Entrepreneurial Motivation to Performance—The Chain Mediating Effect of Entrepreneurial Learning and Entrepreneurial Ability
Authors: Yang Shiyuan , Li Mengjia , Yue Longhua , Yu Lina , Li Wei
Published: January 2023

Farmers’ entrepreneurship is an important measure to achieve the stable development of rural areas. However, the performance of farmers’ entrepreneurship is generally low. How to improve the performance to promote farmers’ sustainable entrepreneurship has become the primary problem. Therefore, based on the entrepreneurial process theory, this paper takes entrepreneurial farmers who participated in the cultivation of new vocational farmers in Sichuan Province from 2018 to 2021 as the research object, collects 329 valid sample data through questionnaires, and empirically tests the impact of farmers’ dual entrepreneurial motivation on entrepreneurial performance, as well as the chain intermediary role of entrepreneurial learning and entrepreneurial ability. The results show that: survival entrepreneurial motivation and opportunity entrepreneurial motivation both have significant positive impacts on entrepreneurial learning, entrepreneurial ability, and entrepreneurial performance; entrepreneurial learning plays a complete intermediary role between dual entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial performance, entrepreneurial ability plays a complete intermediary role between dual entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial performance, and entrepreneurial learning and entrepreneurial ability play a complete chain intermediary role between dual entrepreneurial motivation and entrepreneurial performance. The research expands a new perspective on the path and mechanism of entrepreneurial motivation on entrepreneurial performance, and proposes measures to stimulate farmers’ entrepreneurial motivation, improve the entrepreneurial training system, and build a learning and exchange platform, which are of great practical significance to improve farmers’ entrepreneurial performance.
The Cooperative Game Study of Chinese Overseas Direct Investment in the Construction of Green Ports
Authors: Feng Lin , Wang Xinmiao , Qu Mengru
Published: January 2023

With the development of Chinese overseas direct investment (ODI) in green ports, a series of conflicts and contradictions among the participating parties have emerged, which in turn affect and hinder the process of project construction. This paper analyzes the current situation of Chinese ODI in green ports, constructs a cooperative game model between Chinese port investment enterprises and the host government with introduces the effort level, and selects three actual green port projects for calculation and analysis to show that Chinese ODI in green ports can bring economic and environmental benefits to both parties. It is found that the expected revenues and effort levels of both the Chinese port enterprises and the host government are positively correlated with each other’s effort levels, and there exists an optimal effort level and an optimal investment amount of the Chinese port enterprises to maximize the benefits obtained by both parties in the green port project. At the same time, the cases studied find that the benefits obtained by the host government are higher; Therefore, Chinese port investment enterprises can promote green ports projects by finding their own optimal effort level. Additionally, active cooperation is the optimal choice of the host government.
Sustainable City Evaluation Using the Database for Estimation of Road Network Performance
Authors: Kunkler Jan , Kellner Florian
Published: January 2023

This article introduces the Database for Estimation of Road Network Performance (DERNP) to enable wide-scale estimation of relevant Road Network Performance (RNP) factors for major German cities. The methodology behind DERNP is based on a randomized route sampling procedure that utilizes the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) in combination with the tile-based HERE Maps Traffic API v7 and a digital elevation model provided by the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme Copernicus to generate a large set of independent and realistic routes throughout OpenStreetMap road networks. By evaluating these routes using the PHEMLight5 framework, a comprehensive list of RNP parameters is estimated and translated into polynomial regression models for general usage. The applicability of these estimations is demonstrated based on a case study of four major German cities. This case study considers network characteristics in terms of detours, infrastructure, traffic congestion, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. Our results show that DERNP and its underlying randomized route sampling methodology overcomes major limitations of previous wide-scale RNP approaches, enabling efficient, easy-to-use, and region-specific RNP comparisons.
Effects of Flooding Duration and Growing Stage on Soybean Growth Based on a Multi-Year Experiment
Authors: Shen Tao , Jiao Pingjin , Yuan Hongwei , Su Hui
Published: January 2023

Flood stress on crops severely constrains food production. From 2011 to 2018, a plot test was conducted to investigate the effects of flooding duration and growth stage on soybean plant height, the number of solid pods, 100-grain weight, yield, and dry matter mass, and their interannual variation. The results showed that the soybean indicators were significantly influenced by the year, flooding duration and growth stage, and their interaction. Under the same flooding duration and growth stage, the smallest plant height, number of solid pods, 100-grain weight, and dry matter mass were observed in 2016; and the largest plant height, number of solid pods, yield, and dry matter mass were observed in 2011. The soybean critical flooding duration for the number of solid pods, yield, and dry matter mass was 3 days, and that for 100-grain weight was 6 days. The flooding duration had no significant effect on plant height. The flooding-sensitive growth stage for soybean plant height and dry matter mass was the seedling stage, and that for the number of solid pods, 100-grain weight, and yield was the flowering-podding stage. When investigating the effects of flooding stress on soybeans, the impacts of interannual variation such as high temperatures and drought on soybean growth and yield should be integrated.
Go Sustainability—Willingness to Pay for Eco–Agricultural Innovation: Understanding Chinese Traditional Cultural Values and Label Trust Using a VAB Hierarchy Model
Authors: Wang Yuyang , Chung Tinfah , Lai PC
Published: January 2023

This study aims to develop a nuanced understanding of the link between Chinese cultural values, the “Green food” label, and consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for Green food based on the value–attitude–behavior hierarchy model. Structural equation modeling (SEM-AMOS24.0), the bootstrapping test, and the ANOVA test are used to analyze data collected through an on-site questionnaire survey of 402 valid Green food consumers in China. The hypotheses and the theoretical model are verified. The results show that trust in the Green food label directly influences willingness to pay for Green food and indirectly through attitude. Chinese cultural value orientations significantly influence Chinese consumers’ WTP for Green food through both attitude and label trust. The findings provide a valuable reference for Green food suppliers and governments to promote Green food consumption worldwide and to create a more sustainable food production system in China. Although limitations of the cross-sectional study are narrowed using SEM, to fully grasp consumers’ psychological development and the influence of cultural values, a longitudinal study with strict condition controls is recommended for future research.
Effects of Multiple Defects on Welded Joint Behaviour under the Uniaxial Tensile Loading: Fem and Experimental Approach
Authors: Aranđelović Mihajlo , Petrović Ana , Đorđević Branislav , Sedmak Simon , Sedmak Aleksandar , Dikić Stefan , Radu Dorin
Published: January 2023

The research represents the ongoing investigation of the welded joints behavior made of low-carbon low-alloyed steel in the presence of different multiple defects. Following the initial experimental and numerical analyses performed on low-grade steel, a set of experiments were performed with specimens made of steel EN 1.0044 (commercial designation S275JR), along with development of new numerical models. Four combinations were made, including defects like undercuts, excess weld metal, misalignment, weld face sagging and incomplete root penetration, considering that these defects are often encountered in practice, and can appear simultaneously. The finite element method (FEM) was used to simulate the experiments. Tensile properties of the HAZ and weld metal were calculated using strain measurements by the digital image correlation (DIC) method. The finite element method (FEM) results were in good agreement with the experimental ones.
Shuttle-Based Storage and Retrieval Systems Designs from Multi-Objective Perspectives: Total Investment Cost, Throughput Rate and Sustainability
Authors: Ekren Banu Y. , Kaya Berk , Küçükyaşar Melis
Published: January 2023

This paper studies performance comparison of two shuttle-based storage and retrieval system (SBS/RS) configurations developed on flexible or non-flexible travel policies of shuttles in the system. In the non-flexible SBS/RS, a shuttle is dedicated to a tier so that it cannot travel out of its dedicated aisle and tier. A lifting mechanism is installed in each aisle to provide vertical travel for loads. In flexible SBS/RS, shuttles can travel between tiers by a separate lifting mechanism installed on the other edge point of each aisle. The advantage of that flexible design is that there might be decreased number of shuttles settling in the system compared to the non-flexible design. We simulate the two system configurations and conduct an experimental design for the comparison purpose. Based on the three-performance metrics: total investment cost, throughput rate and energy consumption per transaction, the results show that mainly the flexible system provides better results which might be considered as future system investment for SBS/RS.
Blockchain Traceability in Trading Biomasses Obtained with an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture
Authors: Mileti Antonio , Arduini Daniele , Watson Gordon , Giangrande Adriana
Published: January 2023

This study explores the application and critical issues related to the implementation of blockchain technology (BT) to the aquaculture sector, in order to understand the possibilities of improving the relationship with the supply chain and the end consumer, with a view to a sustainability for the marine environment and circular economy. Starting from considerations of commercial and political challenges related to credibility and fairness for all parties involved—from producers, to retailers, to end consumers—the procedure adopted was applied to the case of an Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture project, developed in the sea of Taranto (Italy). Furthermore, it considered two different end markets: the food market for farmed fish and the ornamental fish market for marine aquariums. The results of the study confirm that although the implementation of BT by industries and producers of marine species has the potential to lead to successful sustainability solutions, such adoption is feasible over time only if all actors in the supply chain, from aquaculture companies, to retailers, to consumers, are actively and consciously involved and can access common benefits.
Prediction of Solar Energy Yield Based on Artificial Intelligence Techniques for the Ha’il Region, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Kolsi Lioua , Al-Dahidi Sameer , Kamel Souad , Aich Walid , Boubaker Sahbi , Ben Khedher Nidhal
Published: January 2023

In order to satisfy increasing energy demand and mitigate global warming worldwide, the implementation of photovoltaic (PV) clean energy installations needs to become common practice. However, solar energy is known to be dependent on several random factors, including climatic and geographic conditions. Prior to promoting PV systems, an assessment study of the potential of the considered location in terms of power yield should be conducted carefully. Manual assessment tools are unable to handle high amounts of data. In order to overcome this difficulty, this study aims to investigate various artificial intelligence (AI) models—with respect to various intuitive prediction benchmark models from the literature—for predicting solar energy yield in the Ha’il region of Saudi Arabia. Based on the daily data, seven seasonal models, namely, naïve (N), simple average (SA), simple moving average (SMA), nonlinear auto-regressive (NAR), support vector machine (SVM), Gaussian process regression (GPR) and neural network (NN), were investigated and compared based on the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) performance metrics. The obtained results showed that all the models provided good forecasts over three years (2019, 2020, and 2021), with the naïve and simple moving average models showing small superiority. The results of this study can be used by decision-makers and solar energy specialists to analyze the power yield of solar systems and estimate the payback and efficiency of PV projects.
Monte Carlo Simulation and a Clustering Technique for Solving the Probabilistic Optimal Power Flow Problem for Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
Authors: Hashish Mohamed S. , Hasanien Hany M. , Ji Haoran , Alkuhayli Abdulaziz , Alharbi Mohammed , Akmaral Tlenshiyeva , Turky Rania A. , Jurado Francisco , Badr Ahmed O.
Published: January 2023

This paper proposes a new, metaheuristic optimization technique, Artificial Gorilla Troops Optimization (GTO), for a hybrid power system with photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy (WE) sources, solving the probabilistic optimum power flow (POPF) issue. First, the selected algorithm is developed and evaluated such that it applies to solve the classical optimum power flow (OPF) approach with the total fuel cost as the objective function. Second, the proposed algorithm is used for solving the POPF, including the PV and WE sources, considering the uncertainty of these renewable energy sources (RESs). The performance of the suggested algorithm was confirmed using the standard test systems IEEE 30-bus and 118-bus. Different scenarios involving different sets of the PV and WE sources and fixed and variable loads were considered in this study. The comparison of the obtained results from the suggested algorithm with other algorithms mentioned in this literature has confirmed the efficiency and performance of the proposed algorithm for providing optimal solutions for a hybrid power system. Furthermore, the results showed that the penetration of the PV and WE sources in the system significantly reduces the total cost of the system.
Water Security and Cross-Border Water Management in the Kabul River Basin
Authors: Moorthy Ravichandran , Bibi Sumayya
Published: January 2023

This paper investigates the collaborative and benefit-sharing approaches to conflict management in the management of cross-border water resources for the sustainable development of the Kabul River Basin riparian states of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The study offers an understanding of water management strategies concerning peace, progress and development, and sustainability. Using an interpretative social science approach, this paper investigates the impacts of water scarcity and stress, hydro-politics, water diplomacy, and water issues among co-riparian countries. It also investigates how cross-border river management impacts river water sustainability and sustainable cross-border water management strategies. The paper finds that the most significant factor in resolving and managing cross-border water disputes is to employ a collective and combined method of water management based on cooperation and benefit-sharing. This is in addition to providing an immediate cost-effective benefit of improving water supply, hydroelectric generation, and agricultural production, as well as future communal and monetary benefits for the public who reside and work the river basin. The paper proposes establishing a combined cross-border basin authority for both Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to effectively realize the benefits of the Kabul River Basin.
Effects of High Temperature Treatments on Strength and Failure Behavior of Sandstone under Dynamic Impact Loads
Authors: Guo Jinping , Lei Yanzi , Yang Yanguang , Cheng Ping , Wang Zhao , Wu Saisai
Published: January 2023

With the increasing demand for resource consumption, the mining depths gradually increase, resulting in increases of temperature at tens or even hundreds of degrees. High temperature could damage to interior structures and alter the mechanical properties of rock mass. Therefore, studying the effects of temperature on dynamic mechanical properties and failure behaviors are of great significance for deep resources exploitation. In this study, to study the effects of high temperature treatment on the strength and failure behavior of typical sandstones, specimens were prepared and heated to different degrees. The longitudinal wave velocity, volume, and density of specimens before and after high-temperature treatment were examined. Then, the Thomas Hopkinson (SHPB) test was conducted on specimens with different air pressures and the dynamic stress-strain curve, peak stress, peak strain, and other dynamic characteristics were obtained. The variations regulations and failure behavior of sandstone under the effects of high-temperature treatments and different impact loads were analyzed and discussed from the aspects of stress-strain, peak strength, and peak strain. It was observed that with the increase of heating temperature, the average density, average wave velocity, peak strength, and average elastic modulus of the sandstone specimens all showed a decreasing trend and the highest decreasing rated occurred at the temperature between 600 °C and 800 °C. The obtained results provided a certain theoretical basis for deep mine exploitation, especially for mines with high temperature.
Optimization, Characterization, and Biological Applications of Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Essential Oil of Aerial Part of Laggera tomentosa
Authors: Gonfa Yilma Hunde , Gelagle Abiy Abebe , Hailegnaw Bekele , Kabeto Samuel Abicho , Workeneh Getachew Adam , Tessema Fekade Beshah , Tadesse Mesfin Getachew , Wabaidur Saikh M. , Dahlous Kholood A. , Abou Fayssal Sami , Kumar Pankaj , Adelodun Bashir , Bachheti Archana , Bachheti Rakesh Kumar
Published: January 2023

Biological synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) is a green, simple, cost-effective, time-efficient, and single-step method. This study mainly focused on the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using essential oil of Laggera tomentosa (LTEO) and investigates their potential applications. Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) result showed the characteristic Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) peak of LTEO-AgNPs at 420 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy indicated the functional groups present in LTEO and LTEO-AgNPs. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image depicted the synthesized AgNPs mainly has spherical shapes with average nanoparticles size 89.59 ± 5.14 nm. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) peak at 3.0 keV showed the presence of Ag element in LTEO-AgNPs. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks at 38°, 44° and 67° are assigned to (111), (200), and (220), respectively which displays the crystal nature of LTEO-AgNPs. The average particle size and zeta potential of LTEO-AgNPs were determined as 94.98 nm and −49.6 mV, respectively. LTEO-AgNPs were stable for six months against aggregation at room temperature. LTEO-AgNPs solutions exhibited potential activities for the treatment of some pathogenic bacteria species, agricultural productivity growth, determination of metallic ions, and catalytic reduction. This study is the first work to report nanoparticles synthesis using L. tomentosa extracts and evaluate their potential applications.
Symbiotic Mechanism of Multiple Subjects for the Resource-Based Disposal of Medical Waste in China in the Post-Pandemic Context
Authors: Zhao Shuwen , Ma Guojian , Ding Juan
Published: January 2023

In the post-pandemic era, the continuous growth in the rate of medical waste generation and the limited capacity of traditional disposal methods have posed a double challenge to society and the environment. Resource-based disposal is considered an efficient approach for solving these problems. Previous studies focused on the methods of medical waste disposal and the behavior of single stakeholders, lacking consideration of cooperation among different stakeholders. This study establishes an evolutionary game model of the resource-based disposal of medical waste to analyze the behavioral decision evolution of governments, medical institutions, and disposal enterprises. This study also explores the influencing factors in the achievement of the symbiotic state and investigates the conditions that participants need to meet. The results show that joint tripartite cooperation can be achieved when the subsidies and penalties from governments are sufficient, as well as the efficiency of resource-based disposal, which can effectively promote the evolution of the three subjects from the state of “partial symbiosis” to the state of “symbiosis”. However, the resource-based classification level cannot directly change the symbiotic state of the system due to the goal of minimizing cost and risk. When evolutionary subjects have reached the state of “symbiosis”, the improvement in the classification level can enhance the willingness of disposal enterprises to choose the resource-based classification strategy. Under such circumstances, governments reduce their corresponding level of intervention. At this time, the whole system is in a more idealized symbiotic state.
Weather-Related Fatalities in Australia between 2006 and 2019: Applying an Equity Lens
Authors: Peden Amy E , Heslop David , Franklin Richard C
Published: January 2023

Extreme weather events can cause significant human, economic and infrastructure losses. Within a changing climate, heatwaves, droughts, and floods are becoming more frequent and severe. Unfortunately, those who are most vulnerable are often disproportionately impacted. In this study, we examined the epidemiology of weather-related fatalities due to excessive heat (International Classification of Diseases [ICD]-10 codes X30); excessive cold (X31); storm and flood (X37; X38); and other causes (X32, X33, X39) in Australia between 2006–2019. There were 682 deaths due directly to weather-related events (41% excessive cold; 37% excessive heat; 15% storms and floods). The mean age of a weather-related victim in Australia was 60.8 years (SD = 24.1), with people aged 65+ years 12.8 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.23–17.6) more likely to die due to a weather-related event. As the planet warms our study identifies declining excessive cold-related deaths, while other types of weather events remain steady or increase. In the context of climate change we must protect those most at risk; children and adolescents due to storms and floods, those with co-morbidities (particularly circulatory system disorders) and the elderly. Special attention should be paid to preventing excessive heat-related death among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and international visitors.
Symmetry in Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos
Authors: Elaskar Sergio
Published: January 2023

Nonlinear dynamics and chaos have collaborated to increase our understanding of several phenomena [...]
Liquid Crystal-Based Geometric Phase-Enhanced Platform for Polarization and Wavefront Analysis Techniques with the Short-TeraHertz FEL Oscillator TerRa@BriXSinO
Authors: Piccirillo Bruno , Paparo Domenico , Rubano Andrea , Andreone Antonello , Rossetti Conti Marcello , Giove Dario , Vicuña-Hernández Verónica , Koral Can , Masullo Maria , Mettivier Giovanni , Opromolla Michele , Papari Gianpaolo , Passarelli Andrea , Pesce Giuseppe , Petrillo Vittoria , Piedipalumbo Ester , Ruijter Marcel , Russo Paolo , Serafini Luca
Published: January 2023

In this work, we propose to design a liquid crystal–based modular and extendable platform of cutting-edge optical technologies for studying materials based on the analysis of polarization and wavefront of light in the wavelength range of 10–50 μm, which is considered to work even in the longer wavelengths range. This platform will be driven by the future THz-FEL source TerRa@BriXSinO that produces high power radiation in THz-range from 6 THz up to 30 THz (Mid-/Far-IR). The lack of optical infrastructures in this range has been tackled by fabricating liquid crystal–based geometric phase components that have been specifically designed for this purpose. This is in order to optimally exploit all the source’s potential for maximum accuracy and efficiency in determining polarization- and wavefront-sensitive properties of materials. We present an overview of a few experiments for characterizing bulk inhomogeneities, dielectric anisotropy, surface roughness, cracks, impact damages, and stress and strain effects with special emphasis on non-destructive tests on composite structures. The tools for wavefront shaping developed within our platform will be exploited to add a further degree of freedom, i.e., orbital angular momentum, to nonlinear optics techniques, such as Terahertz Hyper-Raman spectroscopy, for investigating chiral agents’ properties.
Symmetry and Approximation Methods
Authors: Andrianov Igor V. , Gluzman Simon , Yukalov Vyacheslav I.
Published: January 2023

The overwhelming majority of mathematical problems, describing realistic systems and processes, contain two parts: first, the problem needs to be characterized by an effective mathematical model and, second, the appropriate solutions are to be found.
Maximizing the Influence Spread in Social Networks: A Learning-Automata-Driven Discrete Butterfly Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Tang Jianxin , Zhu Hongyu , Lan Jimao , Zhang Li , Song Shihui
Published: January 2023

Influence maximization aims at the identification of a small group of individuals that may result in the most wide information transmission in social networks. Although greedy-based algorithms can yield reliable solutions, the computational cost is extreme expensive, especially in large-scale networks. Additionally, centrality-based heuristics tend to suffer from the problem of low accuracy. To solve the influence maximization problem in an efficient way, a learning-automata-driven discrete butterfly optimization algorithm (LA-DBOA) mapped into the network topology is proposed in this paper. According to the LA-DBOA framework, a novel encoding mechanism and discrete evolution rules adapted to network topology are presented. By exploiting the asymmetry of social connections, a modified learning automata is adopted to guide the butterfly population toward promising areas. Based on the topological features of the discrete networks, a new local search strategy is conceived to enhance the search performance of the butterflies. Extensive experiments are conducted on six real networks under the independent cascade model; the results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves comparable influence spread to that of CELF and outperforms other classical methods, which proves that the meta-heuristics based on swarm intelligence are effective in solving the influence maximization problem.
Spectral Intensity of Electron Cyclotron Radiation Emerging from the Plasma to the First Wall in ITER
Authors: Minashin Pavel V. , Kukushkin Alexander B.
Published: January 2023

It is predicted that in ITER, due to high values of electron temperature and magnetic field strength, electron cyclotron (EC) radiation emitted by plasma will be a significant source (together with external EC radiation injected for auxiliary plasma heating and non-inductive current drive) of additional thermal and electromagnetic loads for microwave and optical diagnostics. The spectral distribution of plasma EC radiation is particularly important to consider in millimeter-wave diagnostics, namely for high- and low-magnetic-field side reflectometry, plasma position reflectometry, and collective Thomson scattering diagnostic, because the transmission lines of these diagnostics yield the transport of EC waves emitted by the plasma. The development of semi-analytical methods used to describe the spectral distribution of plasma-generated EC radiation in tokamaks, starting from the work of S. Tamor, is based on the dominance of multiple reflections of this radiation from the first wall in a toroidal axially symmetric vacuum chamber. Here, we present calculations using the CYNEQ code of the spectral intensity of the EC radiation emerging from the plasma to the first wall and port plugs for five scenarios of ITER operation. This code uses the symmetry-based effect of approximate isotropy and homogeneity of radiation intensity in a substantial part of the phase space and has been successfully tested by comparison with first-principles codes. The energy flux density in the range of 30–200 kW/m2 is predicted for wall reflectance in the range of 0.6–0.95. The possible effect of this radiation on in-vessel components and diagnostics is assessed by calculating the surface density of the energy absorbed by various materials of the ITER first wall.
Solving Inverse Scattering Problem with a Crack in Inhomogeneous Medium Based on a Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Yin Weishi , Yang Ziyuan , Meng Pinchao
Published: January 2023

The direct and inverse scattering problems are a type of classical problem with symmetry. Numerical methods combined with machine learning are continuously being developed, and obtain good results in obstacle inversion problems. In this paper, we consider a crack shape with asymmetry; such problems are often ill-posed and nonlinear. Focusing on the inhomogeneous medium and limited-aperture far-field data, we propose a new sequence-to-sequence asymmetric convolutional neural network for recovering a crack via correlative far-field measurements. Taking the far-field data as the input and the shape parameters of a crack as the output, the features are quickly extracted using the convolutional and pooling layers. The Adam optimization algorithm is employed to update the weights and offsets of the neural network. Numerical experiments show that the proposed method can quickly and effectively reconstruct the shape of the crack.
Malware Detection Using Deep Learning and Correlation-Based Feature Selection
Authors: Alomari Esraa Saleh , Nuiaa Riyadh Rahef , Alyasseri Zaid Abdi Alkareem , Mohammed Husam Jasim , Sani Nor Samsiah , Esa Mohd Isrul , Musawi Bashaer Abbuod
Published: January 2023

Malware is one of the most frequent cyberattacks, with its prevalence growing daily across the network. Malware traffic is always asymmetrical compared to benign traffic, which is always symmetrical. Fortunately, there are many artificial intelligence techniques that can be used to detect malware and distinguish it from normal activities. However, the problem of dealing with large and high-dimensional data has not been addressed enough. In this paper, a high-performance malware detection system using deep learning and feature selection methodologies is introduced. Two different malware datasets are used to detect malware and differentiate it from benign activities. The datasets are preprocessed, and then correlation-based feature selection is applied to produce different feature-selected datasets. The dense and LSTM-based deep learning models are then trained using these different versions of feature-selected datasets. The trained models are then evaluated using many performance metrics (accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score). The results indicate that some feature-selected scenarios preserve almost the same original dataset performance. The different nature of the used datasets shows different levels of performance changes. For the first dataset, the feature reduction ratios range from 18.18% to 42.42%, with performance degradation of 0.07% to 5.84%, respectively. The second dataset reduction rate is between 81.77% and 93.5%, with performance degradation of 3.79% and 9.44%, respectively.
Momentum Gauge Fields and Non-Commutative Space–Time
Authors: Guendelman Eduardo , Singleton Douglas
Published: January 2023

In this work, we present a gauge principle that starts with the momentum space representation of the position operator (x^i=iℏ∂∂pi), rather than starting with the position space representation of the momentum operator (p^i=−iℏ∂∂xi). This extension of the gauge principle can be seen as a dynamical version of Born’s reciprocity theory, which exchanges position and momentum. We discuss some simple examples with this new type of gauge theory: (i) analog solutions from ordinary gauge theory in this momentum gauge theory, (ii) Landau levels using momentum gauge fields, and (iii) the emergence of non-commutative space–times from the momentum gauge fields. We find that the non-commutative space–time parameter can be momentum dependent, and one can construct a model where space–time is commutative at low momentum, but becomes non-commutative at high momentum.
Analysis of the Melting Time of Phase Change Material in a Heat Exchanger with Sinusoidal Inner Duct
Authors: Öztop Hakan F. , Akbal Ömer , Selimefendigil Fatih , Abu-Hamdeh Nidal H.
Published: January 2023

Three-dimensional computational analysis has been performed to investigate the melting time of the phase change material (PCM) in a sinusoidal pipe inserted into another pipe. The other pipe is filled with PCM and the system is heated from the inner sinusoidal pipe at different temperatures. The main aim of the study is to control the melting time. The finite volume method (FVM) is used to solve time-dependent governing equations. Four different cases are chosen for the sinusoidal wall to see the effects of geometry on melting. After the analysis, it is observed that melting time can be controlled via an adjustment of the geometrical parameter, namely a passive technique, without spending extra energy.
A Novel Approach for Minimizing Processing Times of Three-Stage Flow Shop Scheduling Problems under Fuzziness
Authors: Alburaikan Alhanouf , Garg Harish , Khalifa Hamiden Abd El-Wahed
Published: January 2023

The purpose of this research is to investigate a novel three-stage flow shop scheduling problem with an ambiguous processing time. The uncertain information is characterized by Pentagonal fuzzy numbers. To solve the problem, in this paper, two different strategies are proposed; one relies on the idea of a ranking function, and the other on the close interval approximation of the pentagonal fuzzy number. For persons that need to be more specific in their requirements, the close interval approximation of the Pentagonal fuzzy number is judged to be the best appropriate approximation interval. Regarding the rental cost specification, these methods are used to reduce the rental cost for the concerned devices. In addition, a comparison of our suggested approach’s computed total processing time, total machine rental cost, and machine idle time to the existing approach is introduced. A numerical example is shown to clarify the benefits of the two strategies and to help the readers understand it better.