bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vertical Transportation System Power Usage: Behavioural Case Study of Regulated Buildings in Bangkok
Authors: Marsong Supapradit , Kongjeen Yuttana , Plangklang Boonyang
Published: October 2022

Sustainable urban development worldwide is crucial for the development of living spaces in high-rise buildings and infrastructures, which leads to the inevitability of increased energy consumption and demand of vertical transportation systems. The evaluation of the energy consumption of transportation systems is needed to verify and analyse the power usage related to traffic demands and patterns. In addition, efficient vertical transportation systems are central to the formulation of more sustainable cities. Therefore, this trend represents a substantial portion of the overall energy consumption of the building types. The benchmarking of the energy needs of the vertical transportation systems in five different building types via the comparison of granular load profile patterns (in conjunction with population densities) to the energy consumed was conducted, and it will be used to infer some impactful design strategies for the future. This study demonstrated a systematic approach to determine the power usage patterns in vertical transportation systems by actual measurement and traffic data collection from elevator monitoring. This may be used to develop a prediction for other cases in different types of installed vertical transportation systems. Therefore, the power usage of the vertical transportation systems can be used to determine the correlation between energy consumption and load pattern based on building characteristics and the overall energy consumption of each presented system.
Promoting Sustainability through Synchromodal Transportation: A Systematic Literature Review and Future Fields of Research
Authors: Rentschler Johannes , Elbert Ralf , Weber Felix
Published: October 2022

Synchromodal transportation is a novel multimodal transportation concept. It builds on a collaboration of shippers and logistic service providers to enable real-time switching between transport modes and mode-free transport bookings, enabling more flexible and sustainable freight transportation. This paper summarizes the current state of research since 2010 by means of a systematic literature review. A comprehensive taxonomy consisting of five dimensions and 13 categories for both qualitative and quantitative papers is developed. The results reveal a mixed picture, with high consistency in geographical areas of synchromodal transportation implementation and suitable modeling of operational disruptions and uncertainties. However, compared to multimodal or road transportation, there is little alignment in the forms of collaboration, network organization, or the advantages of synchromodal transportation. Finally, the main fields for future research are identified, namely business, legal, technological, modeling, and awareness.
Mechanical Mechanism and Shaping Effect of Tunnel Blasting Construction in Rock with Weak Interlayer
Authors: Lei Mingfeng , He Rui , Liu Linghui , Sun Ningxin , Qin Guifang , Zhang Yunliang
Published: October 2022

The weak interlayer, as a problematic geological body during tunnel construction, greatly influences the propagation of the blasting stress wave, the blasting excavation qualities, and the explosion efficiency. A series of numerical models were established to study the changes in the propagation process of blasting stress waves and the failure morphology of the surrounding rock mass, aiming to reveal the weak interlayer’s influence mechanism. The result indicates that the weak interlayer’s existence reduces the propagation velocity and stress peak of the stress wave at barred zones but strengthens the peak stress at reflection zones, which leads to an asymmetrical distribution of rock damage. Furthermore, the type and distribution of the weak interlayer were classified and generalized into four types. The tunnel blasting outlines under different types of weak interlayers are derived through numerical modeling for designing references. A strategy to resist tunnel overbreak and underbreak was proposed combined with previous work. The actual blasting solution is compared to the designed blasting solution with optimised blasting parameters.
Evaluation of Urban Intensive Land Use Degree with GEE Support: A Case Study in the Pearl River Delta Region, China
Authors: Shang Yiqun , Liu Dongya , Chen Yi
Published: October 2022

Evaluation of intensive land use (ILU) over long time series is essential for the rational use of land and urban development. We propose a novel framework for analyzing ILU in the Pearl River Delta (PRD) region of China. First, we used Google Earth Engine (GEE) to obtain cities’ built-up land information. Second, we calculated the ILU degree and constructed an evaluation index system based on the Pressure–State–Response (PSR) theoretical framework. Third, we employed Geodetector to determine the dominant influencing factors on ILU. The findings are as follows: (1) It is accurate and effective to extract land use data using GEE. From 2000 to 2020, all cities’ built-up areas increased, but the increases differed by city. (2) While the ILU level in all cities has increased over the past 20 years, the ILU level in each city varies. Specifically, Shenzhen had the highest ILU degree in 2020, followed by core cities such as Guangzhou, Dongguan, and Zhuhai, while cities on the PRD region’s periphery, such as Zhaoqing and Jiangmen, had relatively low ILU levels. (3) In terms of time, the dominant factors influencing ILU in the PRD region have shifted over the past two decades. During this period, however, two factors (economic density and disposable income per capita) have always played a dominant role. This suggests that improving economic output efficiency and the city’s economic strength is a feasible way to raise the ILU level at this time.
Microalgae Cultivated under Magnetic Field Action: Insights of an Environmentally Sustainable Approach
Authors: Deamici Kricelle Mosquera , Dziergowska Katarzyna , Silva Pedro Garcia Pereira , Michalak Izabela , Santos Lucielen Oliveira , Detyna Jerzy , Kataria Sunita , Brestic Marian , Sarraf Mohammad , Islam Monirul
Published: October 2022

Microalgae and cyanobacteria include procaryotic and eucaryotic photosynthetic micro-organisms that produce biomass rich in biomolecules with a high value. Some examples of these biomolecules are proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, pigments, antioxidants, and vitamins. Currently, microalgae are also considered a good source of biofuel feedstock. The microalga-based biorefinery approach should be used to promote the sustainability of biomass generation since microalga biomass production can be performed and integrated into a circular bioeconomy structure. To include an environmentally sustainable approach with microalga cultures, it is necessary to develop alternative ways to produce biomass at a low cost, reducing pollution and improving biomass development. Different strategies are being used to achieve more productivity in cultivation, such as magnets in cultures. Magnetic forces can alter microalga metabolism, and this field of study is promising and innovative, yet remains an unexplored area. This review presents the current trends in the magnetic biostimulation of microalgae for the application of cultivated biomass in different areas of biotechnology, biofuel, and bioenergy production, as well as environmental protection.
Self-Efficacy and Attitudes of Physical Education Teachers towards Inclusion of Pupils with Disabilities
Authors: Antala Branislav , Průžek Michal , Popluhárová Monika
Published: October 2022

The aim of the research was to investigate teachers’ self-efficacy and attitudes towards inclusion of pupils with disabilities in mainstream education. The research group consisted of 253 physical education teachers (125 male and 128 female) with an average age of 40.52 ± 10.69 working in primary (62%) and secondary (38%) Slovak schools. To obtain empirical data, the standardized questionnaire methods SE-PETE-D and PEATID-III were used. In the analysis of self-efficacy, using the Mann–Whitney U test, significant differences were found in practical experience with pupils with disabilities and (a) teachers’ self-efficacy (p ≤ 0.01) and (b) their attitudes (p ≤ 0.05). The same significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were found between participation in APA/APE courses and both (a) self-efficacy as well as (b) attitudes. Moreover, the research found the same significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) between the type of disability and both (a) self-efficacy and (b) attitudes. A significantly positive correlation with a moderate relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and their attitudes towards pupils with disabilities (p ≤ 0.01) were also found. Based on our findings, recommendations with specific proposals for physical and sports education practice were formulated.
Prospective Life Cycle Costing of Electricity Generation from Municipal Solid Waste in Nigeria
Authors: Nubi Oluwaseun , Morse Stephen , Murphy Richard J.
Published: October 2022

Waste management and electricity supply have always been among the main challenges faced by developing countries. So far, the use of waste to energy (WtE) is one strategy that could simultaneously address these two challenges. However, the use of such technologies requires detailed studies to ensure their sustainability. In this paper, the potential of WtE in two cities in Nigeria (Abuja and Lagos) using anaerobic digestion (AD), incineration, gasification and landfill gas to energy (LFGTE), is presented with the aim of evaluating their economic viability using life cycle costing (LCC) as an analytical tool. This economic feasibility analysis includes LCC, levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and payback period. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate the influence of several parameters on the economic viability of the selected technologies for the two cities. The economic assessment revealed that all the WtE systems were feasible and viable in both cities except for LFGTE in Abuja where the NPV was negative (−USD 105.42/t), and the IRR was 4.17%. Overall, incineration for both cities proved to be the most favourable economic option based on its positive LCC (Lagos USD 214.1/t Abuja USD 232.76/t), lowest LCOE (Lagos USD 0.046/t Abuja USD 0.062/t), lowest payback period (Lagos 1.6 years Abuja 2.2 years) and the highest IRR (Lagos 62.8% Abuja 45.3%). The results of the sensitivity analysis also indicated that variation in parameters such as the capital cost and discount rate have significant effects on the LCC. This paper provides information for potential investors and policy makers to enhance optimal investment in WtE technologies in Nigeria.
Impact Assessment of Diverse EV Charging Infrastructures on Overall Service Reliability
Authors: Almutairi Abdulaziz
Published: October 2022

A higher penetration of EVs may pose several challenges to the power systems, including reliability issues. To analyze the impact of EVs on the reliability of power systems, a detailed EV charging infrastructure is considered in this study. All possible charging locations (home, workplace, public locations, and commercial fast chargers) and different charging levels (level 1, level 2, and DC fast charging) are considered, and seven charging infrastructures are determined first. Then, the reliability impact of each charging infrastructure is determined using the two widely used reliability indices, i.e., the loss of load expectation (LOLE) and the loss of energy expectation (LOEE). The impact of mixed charging infrastructure portfolios is also analyzed by considering two different cases, which included the equal share of all charging infrastructure and charging infrastructure share based on consumer preferences. The performance is analyzed on a well-known reliability test system (Roy Billinton Test System) and different penetration levels of EVs are considered in each case. Test results have shown that fast-charging stations have the worst reliability impact. In addition, it was also observed that mixed charging portfolios have lower reliability impacts despite having a fair share of fast-charging stations.
Optical Properties and Gamma Radiation Shielding Capability of Transparent Barium Borosilicate Glass Composite
Authors: Ehab Mohamed , Salama Elsayed , Ashour Ahmed , Attallah Mohamed , Saleh Hosam M.
Published: October 2022

In this study, both radiation shielding capability and optical properties of prepared SiO2-ZnO-Na2CO3-H3BO3-BaCO3 glass composite with different concentrations of barium carbonate (0–30 mol%) have been studied. Gamma attenuation properties, such as the mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), mean free path (MFP), and exposure build-up factor (EBF), are experimentally and theoretically investigated. The detected XRD patterns for the prepared glass composites confirm their amorphous nature. It is evident from the obtained data that all tested parameters, such as mass density, molar volume, refractive index, dielectric constant, refraction loss (%), and molar refraction, have been increased as BaCO3 mol% increased. At the same time, the results of the optical bandgap show a gradual decrease with increasing barium concentration. It was also found that the mass attenuation coefficients increased with BaCO3 concentration from 0.078 at zero mol% BaCO3 to 0.083 cm2/g at 30 mol%. Moreover, the half-value layer (HVL) and the exposure build-up factor (EBF) up to 40 mfp penetration depth were investigated in addition to the effective atomic number (Zeff) and the corresponding equivalent atomic number (Zeq) at the energy range of 0.015–15 MeV. The produced glass composite might be considered for many shielding applications based on the obtained results that require a transparent shielding material.
Towards Maximizing Hosting Capacity by Optimal Planning of Active and Reactive Power Compensators and Voltage Regulators: Case Study
Authors: Mahmoud Ahmed M. , Abdel Aleem Shady H. E. , Abdelaziz Almoataz Y. , Ezzat Mohamed
Published: October 2022

Improving the performance of distribution systems is one of the main objectives of power system operators. This can be done in several ways, such as network reconfiguration, system reinforcement, and the addition of different types of equipment, such as distributed generation (DG) units, shunt capacitor banks (CBs), and voltage regulators (VRs). In addition, the optimal use of renewable and sustainable energy sources (RSESs) has become crucial for meeting the increase in demand for electricity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This requires the development of techno-economic planning models that can measure to what extent modern power systems can host RSESs. This article applies a new optimization technique called RUN to increase hosting capacity (HC) for a rural Egyptian radial feeder system called the Egyptian Talla system (ETS). RUN relies on mathematical concepts and principles of the widely known Runge–Kutta (RK) method to get optimal locations and sizes of DGs, CBs, and VRs. Furthermore, this paper presents a cost-benefit analysis that includes fixed and operating costs of the compensators (DGs, CBs, and VRs), the benefits obtained by reducing the power purchased from the utility, and the active power loss. The current requirements of Egyptian electricity distribution companies are met in the formulated optimization problem to improve the HC of this rural system. Uncertain loading conditions are taken into account in this study. The main load demand clusters are obtained using the soft fuzzy C-means clustering approach according to load consumption patterns in this rural area. The introduced RUN optimization algorithm is used to solve the optimal coordination problem between DGs, CBs, and VRs. Excellent outcomes are obtained with a noteworthy reduction in the distribution network power losses, improvement in the system’s minimum voltage, and improvement of the loading capacity. Several case studies are investigated, and the results prove the efficiency of the introduced RUN-based methodology, in which the probabilistic HC of the system reaches 100% when allowing reverse power flow to the utility. In comparison, this becomes 49% when allowing reverse power to flow back to the utility.
The Effect of Company Characteristics and Gender Diversity on Disclosures Related to Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Wahyuningrum Indah Fajarini Sri , Oktavilia Shanty , Utami Sri
Published: October 2022

A sustainability report is a means of conveying information related to the sustainable development goals that have been agreed by the nations of the world for the safety of humans and the environment. The existence of sustainability report is influenced by several factor such as profitability, leverage, firm size, industry type, and gender diversity. Therefore, this study is performed to examine empirically the effect of profitability, leverage, firm size, industry type, and gender diversity on sustainability reports. The population in this study comprises all manufacturing companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) in 2020. The sample was taken using the purposive sampling method, and 112 samples were obtained. The data analysis technique was multiple regression analysis performed using the SPSS. The result indicates that the variables of leverage, industry type, and gender diversity have a significant effect on sustainability reports, while profitability and firm size do not have a significant effect.
Spatiotemporal Evolution of Ecosystem Services in the Wanhe Watershed Based on Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov and InVEST Models
Authors: Zhong Cheng , Bei Yiming , Gu Hongliang , Zhang Pengfei
Published: October 2022

The evaluation of habitat quality and its genesis is of great significance to ecological protection of the watershed. Based on land use data, Digital Elevation Model (DEM), and road network data and population data, the Cellular Automata (CA)-Markov model and InVEST model were used to analyzed the land use change in the Wanhe Watershed, predicting the land use in 2025. Based on this, the degree of the habitat degradation and habitat quality in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, 2020, and 2025 were predicted and analyzed, and combined with the particularity of the terrain in the study area, the topography was introduced. Landform relief gradient was used to discuss the relationship between habitat quality and topographic factors in the Wanhe Watershed, and to reveal the distribution law. The result shows that from 2000 to 2025, farmland and forestland are the main land use types in the study area, and the main change is due to the expansion of the construction land, whereby the area increased by 62.86 km2, with an increase of 34.41%, mainly from farmland and forestland. From 2000 to 2020, mainly due to the expansion in urban land and the reduction in forestland, the habitat degradation tends to be serious, and the habitat quality generally shows a downward trend, with areas with low habitat quality having had the largest increase from 452.67 km² in 2000 to 526.15 km² in 2025. The topography of the study area affects the distribution of natural landscapes and the intensity of human activities, resulting in significant differences in the landscape pattern of habitat degradation and habitat quality. The western mountains are relatively better. After 2020, due to the implementation of environmental protection policies, the habitat quality has tended to improve. This study can promote the adjustment of land use planning policies in the study area, maintain the biodiversity in the watershed, and realize the coordinated development of environmental benefits and social and economic development. The research results have theoretical significance and practical value for ecological environmental protection and land use layout in Wanhe Watershed.
Authenticity Mediates the Relationship between Risk Perception of COVID-19 and Subjective Well-Being: A Daily Diary Study
Authors: Xu Xizheng , Fan Ying , Wu Yunpeng , Zhou Senlin
Published: October 2022

The present research investigated whether risk perception of COVID-19 relates to subjective well-being and the mediating role of authenticity in this association. We conducted a 12-day daily diary study with 133 undergraduates (Mage = 19.9 years, SD = 1.27 years; 64 females). Participants self-reported risk perception of COVID-19, authenticity, and subjective well-being every day. Results revealed that (1) risk perception of COVID-19 was negatively related to subjective well-being at the interindividual level; (2) authenticity mediated the relationship between risk perception of COVID-19 and subjective well-being at the interindividual level but not at the intraindividual level. In general, findings suggested that risk perception of COVID-19 is negatively related to subjective well-being only at the interindividual level, and authenticity plays a mediating role in this relationship. The finding suggested that keeping authenticity is a good strategy for avoiding the disruption caused by COVID-19. Longitudinal studies on samples with a broader age range, larger sample size, and extended sociodemographic background, as well as experimental studies, should be conducted to explore the causal relationship among interested variables that the current research has not detected.
Laccase-Oriented Immobilization Using Concanavalin A as an Approach for Efficient Glycoproteins Immobilization and Its Application to the Removal of Aqueous Phenolics
Authors: Othman Abdelmageed M. , Sanroman Angeles , Moldes Diego
Published: October 2022

An expanding number of human activities are contributing to the rising levels of aromatic compounds, which pose a major threat to the ecosystem. However, readily available microbial enzymes might be used to remediate contaminated wastewater in an economical and environmentally benign manner. In this study, an efficient method of laccase-oriented immobilization on modified Immobead 150P was proposed. The oriented immobilization technique using aminated laccase exceeds in both protein loading onto the carrier (4.26 mg/g) and immobilization yield (93.57%) due to the availability of more active sites. The oriented aminated laccase preserves 100% and 95% of its original activity after six and ten cycles of operation, respectively. The thermal stability performance of the oriented enzyme was the best among both free and random immobilized forms, since it was able to conserve 79% and 44% of its initial activity after 6 h at 50 °C and 60 °C, respectively. The ideal pH of oriented immobilized laccase was altered from 3.0 to 4.0, and it was more stable than both free and random immobilized laccases at pH 7.0. Finally, the integration of the adsorption capacity of Immobead 150P and the biodegradation ability of laccase promises the efficient removal of aqueous phenolics. Oriented immobilized laccase may provide a significant new approach for wastewater treatment, according to these findings.
Applying the Theory of Constraints to Explore the UK Renewable-Energy Supply Chain
Authors: Mason-Jones Rachel , Davies Paul G. , Thomas Andrew
Published: October 2022

As a result of the emerging energy crisis and the requirement for countries to utilize more energy derived from renewable sources, demand for renewable energy technologies is likely to rise. Therefore, it is critical that production of such technologies is ramped up in order to meet this demand. However, evidence suggests that engineering and manufacturing companies in the UK are not entering the renewables market at the desired rate and, hence, renewable supply chains currently lack the ability to respond to increased demand due to the lack of businesses willing to move into supplying the renewables sector. Through a three phased research approach, this paper will identify the barriers and risks that are suggested as reasons why companies do not invest and operate within the renewables sector. Through further analysis obtained from the survey work and focus groups, the paper goes on to identify and categorize these barriers and risks in the form of ‘system constraints’ which are then used to construct a current reality tree (CRT) that connects the constraints into a comprehensive characterization map of the sector which suggests why companies fail to enter the renewables supply chain market. The CRT identifies the complex arrangement of issues which act as risks and barriers. These issues include; poor supply chain readiness leading to a company’s inability to respond quickly and correctly to opportunities, a lack of suitable policies and government investment in the renewables infrastructure (which leads to a lack of opportunities for supply-chain companies) and a lack of knowledge of the sector by companies, meaning that supply-chain companies are resistant to investing in the sector for fear of poor return on investment. This work provides key insights into the UK manufacturing supply chain and its attitudes to entering the renewables sector. Furthermore, the paper also applies and evaluates the use of the CRT technique and ascertains its suitability to effectively characterize sector issues and its current problems.
Profiling of Shelter Campers, Their Attitudes, and Perceptions towards Environmental Impacts of Campsite Use and Management: Evidence from National Parks of Sri Lanka
Authors: Perera Priyan , Mallikage Shashini Tara , Newsome David , Vlosky Richard
Published: October 2022

There is a dearth of research describing the campsite user segment and in assessing camp-site users’ perceptions of the bio-physical impacts of campsite use in Sri Lanka. Using a structured questionnaire, we evaluated campsite user characteristics, visitor motivations, behaviors, and how visitor experience is affected by visible biophysical impacts at campsites. Based on underlying visitor motivations derived through a Factor Analysis and Cluster Analysis, we identified three distinct segments of campsite users: Eco-tourists, Prestige seekers, and Adventure seekers. Results indicate that the overall cleanliness of the campsite is an important attribute that affects the visitor experience. The Ecotourist segment reported environmentally desired motives, attitudes and behaviours. However, majority of campsite users belong to the Prestige-seeker and Adventure-seeker segments. Prestige seekers in particular demand better facilities and proper maintenance of campsites. Additionally, Prestige seekers are more attractive as a market segment to target because they are high-income, well-educated individuals with pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors. Recommended management actions include increasing visitor awareness, monitoring, zonation of activity areas, and enforcement of park campsite user policies to ensure enhanced visitor experience.
Invasive Plants Diversity, Ecological Status, and Distribution Pattern in Relation to Edaphic Factors in Different Habitat Types of District Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Jamil Muhammad Danish , Waheed Muhammad , Akhtar Shamim , Bangash Nazneen , Chaudhari Sunbal Khalil , Majeed Muhammad , Hussain Mumtaz , Ali Kishwar , Jones David Aaron
Published: October 2022

Our understanding of the diversity and distribution of living things is crucial to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Because biological invasions by alien species pose a significant threat to native biodiversity, tracking alien species at various geographical scales has recently gained prominence. The current study is designed to evaluate the diversity and composition of invasive plants in different habitats of Mandi Bahuddin, Punjab, Pakistan. The investigation explores the impact of environmental factors on the distribution of alien species in association with edaphic and geographic patterns. Diversity patterns, ecological impact, and the distribution of alien species with respect to environmental variables were recorded. A randomized sampling technique was used taking data from 120 sites with triplet quadrates in each, 360 overall, between 2019 and 2021 to record the data on alien flora and associated environmental variables. Important value indices for each alien species were determined with respect to environmental data, by cluster and ordination analysis. Overall, 43 invasive alien plants from 37 genera and 18 families were documented in the district Mandi Bahuddin. The prominent family was Poaceae with ten species (23.25%) followed by Leguuminosae with six species (13.95%), Compositae with five species (11.62%), Amaranthaceae with three species (6.97%), and Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Malvaceae, Polygonaceae, and Scrophulariaceae with two species each (4.65%). Out of 65 alien species comprised herbs 52.13%, grasses 23.25%, shrubs 9.30%, and trees 9.30%. In case life form Therophyte (48.83%) was leading, followed by Chamaephyte with (16.27%) species, Nanophanerophyte and Megaphanerophyte with (11.62%) species each, Geophyte with (6.97%) species, and Hemicryptophyte with (4.65%) species. With leaf size spectra, microphylls (41.86%) were dominating and followed by mesophylls (27.90%), leptophylls (13.95%), nanophylls (11.62%), and macrophylls (4.65%). PCA was applied in order to further understand the species distribution and abundance pattern and to find significant connections among the species with sampling locations comprising various habitats. Ward’s agglomerative clustering technique classified the one hundred and twenty transects into four major groups. Ordination analysis showed that different ecological factors had a significant (p ≤ 0.002) influence on vegetation. The current study provides a foundation from which to comprehend the influences of environmental variables on alien plants’ composition, diversity, structure, and links. These will be useful for developing scientifically informed management strategies for use by administrative agencies in the ecological restoration of the degraded habitat of the studied area.
Epistemological Foundations of Complexity Theory
Authors: Bustamante-Ubilla Miguel , Arenas-Torres Felipe
Published: October 2022

The present investigation studies the evolution of complexity based on the epistemological analysis of various documentary sources, some related to changes in society as a whole and others with the new concepts that have progressively been shaping and content to the concept of complexity. For this, the multisystemic conformation of society, the relationships and interdependence of its parts or subsystems, and how they operate in interdependence, promoting new spaces for growth, development, and new complexity, were studied. The work makes a systematic approach to the concept of complexity, seeking to achieve an epistemological synthesis that relates the theories that interpret society as an empirical construct and the various theories that seek to explain it, distinguishing those that address the micro-social level from those that refer to the society as a whole. Among the findings, it can be seen that the concept of complexity has evolved, moving from the fundamental concepts of systems theory to those that analyze the origin and behavior of societies. For this, the sources of complexity are identified, some from people, others from subsystems, and finally from society. Conceptually, new terms such as particles, waves, waves, and surges appear, seeking to explain the genesis of complexity and those factors that describe its evolution through attractors that move between order and chaos, generating structures catalytic or dissipative as required by society. Finally, based on complex thinking and available analytical tools, this work contributes significantly to the study of complexity theory.
A Numerical Parametric Study of a Double-Pipe LHTES Unit with PCM Encapsulated in the Annular Space
Authors: Paroutoglou Evdoxia , Fojan Peter , Gurevich Leonid , Furbo Simon , Fan Jianhua , Medrano Marc , Afshari Alireza
Published: October 2022

Latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) with Phase Change Materials (PCM) represents an interesting option for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) applications in a wide temperature range. A tubular encapsulation model of an LHTES with PCM was developed, and the calculated data were analyzed. In addition, a parametric analysis for the preferable system geometry is presented. Organic paraffin RT18 with a melting point of 18 °C was utilized as PCM for different geometries of LHTES, and the addition of internal and external fins and their influence on LHTES thermal conductivity was investigated. One-step heat exchange from outdoor air to PCM and from PCM to water characterizes the LHTES system in solidification and melting processes, respectively. A 2D axisymmetric model was developed using Comsol Multiphysics 6.0. The LHTES unit performance with PCM organic paraffin RT18 encapsulated in electrospun fiber matrices was analyzed. The study results show that longer internal fins shorten the melting and solidification time. Direct contact of PCM electrospun fiber matrix with 23 °C water showed instant melting, and the phase change process was accelerated by 99.97% in the discharging cycle.
Independent User Circular Behaviors and Their Motivators and Barriers: A Review
Authors: Ali Mohammed I. M. , Choe Pilsung
Published: October 2022

The promotion, facilitation, and adoption of circular behaviors are extremely vital for the success of the transition toward a Circular Economy. Thus, many studies have been conducted on circular behaviors and designing for them. Nevertheless, most of the previous studies adopted a macro perspective (across different business models and product types) to investigate circular behaviors related to product purchasing, product disposal, or a particular circular strategy, such as repair or recycling. Intending to address a serious gap, this study aimed to identify a specific, important set of circular behaviors: independent user circular behaviors. These are the behaviors that can be solely performed by the same product user, during use or at the end of the product life, in relation to a shopping product owned under a product-oriented or pure product business model. After critically reviewing the key literature, we present a model for independent user circular behaviors (CURA model). It includes four behaviors: care, upgrade, repurpose, and appreciate. The latter is a concept we are introducing in this paper. We also identified and categorized the motivators of, and the barriers to, these behaviors. The study outcomes are hoped to encourage and guide researchers toward an in-depth exploration of independent user circular behaviors. Moreover, they are expected to assist researchers, product designers, and business strategists in conceptualizing and realizing products of higher circularity, and, ultimately, stimulate sustainable consumption patterns.
Stability Governance of E-commerce Supply Chain: Social Capital and Governance Mechanism Design Perspective
Authors: He Jun , Liang Kun , Wu Peng
Published: October 2022

The supply chain is an important part for firms to maintain competitive advantages. With the development of the Internet industry, the complexity of the business environment faced by E-commerce firms has greatly increased. Additionally, unexpected events have occurred from time to time, which have seriously affected the stability of the E-commerce supply chain. Supply chain social capital comprises the resources obtained by firms in the supply chain network through reputation, status, trust, commitment, etc., which allows the firms in the supply chain to form an interdependent relationship. Supply chain social capital can generate sustainable competitive advantages for supply chain firms. Based on the theory of social capital, this paper analyzes the impact on supply chain collaboration and stability from the three dimensions of supply chain capital: structural capital, cognitive capital, and relational capital. The results show that supply chain social capital positively affects supply chain collaboration and affects the stability of the supply chain in indirect ways. At the same time, this paper also found that under different supply chain governance modes, there are differences in the relationship between supply chain social capital and supply chain collaboration, that the moderation effects of contractual governance are not significant, while relational governance has positive moderation effects on the relationship between supply chain structural capital, relational capital, and supply chain collaboration. The conclusion of this study provides a theoretical basis for E-commerce firms to improve the level of supply chain social capital, adopt informal relational governance to face market uncertainty, and then promote the stability of the supply chain. At the same time, it also provides practical reference for the management department to issue policies so as to promote mutual understanding between supply chain cooperative firms, and to form a harmonious supply chain relationship.
The Effects of Organizational Justice on Employee Performance Using Dimension of Organizational Citizenship Behavior as Mediation
Authors: Hermanto Yustinus Budi , Srimulyani Veronika Agustini
Published: October 2022

One of the important factors that can affect employee performance (EP) is the employee’s perception of organizational justice (OJ) in the workplace and the employee’s willingness to carry out the employee’s primary role (in the role) optimally and the employee’s willingness to carry out tasks outside the employee’s primary job (extra-role), commonly called organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). OCB is divided into two dimensions: OCB at the individual level (OCBI) and OCB at the organizational level (OCBO). In educational organizations, the OCB of teachers is a strategic matter, so it needs to be a concern for school management if schools want to continue to survive and develop in the era of globalization characterized by changes in a dynamic and competitive environment. OCB from teachers can be said to be a form of teacher gratitude because the school has supported the welfare of teachers a lot, appreciates the contributions of teachers, and feels organizational justice practiced by the school. The respondents to the study were 820 full-time teachers from high schools and vocational high schools spread across several regions in East Java Province and Central Java Province, Indonesia, who were taken using convenient sampling techniques. This study aims to analyze: (1) the effect of OJ on OCBI and OCBO; (2) the direct effects of OJ and indirect effects on EP with OCBI and OCBO as mediation. Data analysis used the structural equation model (SEM) and Sobel test. The results of hypothesis testing show that: (1) OJ can significantly improve OCBI; (2) OJ can significantly improve OCBO; (3) the OJ was found to have a significant positive effect on EP; (4) OCBI can significantly improve EP; (5) OCBO can significantly improve EP; (6) OCBI partially mediates the influence of OJ on EP; (7) OCBO partially mediates the influence of OJ on EP. The results of this study explain the essential aspects of behaviour in the workplace, such as OJ, OCB, and EP, with a particular focus on high schools and vocational high schools in several regions in East Java Province and Central Java Province, Indonesia. The results showed that improving the EP of teachers can be achieved by organizational management through OJ practices in the work environment as well as organizational management efforts in improving the OCB of employees, considering that employees play an essential role in improving organizational performance.
Symmetric and Asymmetric Distributions: Theoretical Developments and Applications III
Authors: Gómez-Déniz Emilio , Calderín-Ojeda Enrique , Gómez Héctor W.
Published: October 2022

A summary of the eleven papers published in this special issue is presented here. This volume was the last in a series of special issues dealing with symmetric and non-symmetric continuous probability distributions. The works presented in this issue propose new probabilistic models and extend the properties of other existing models in the statistical literature.
Diverse Variety of Exact Solutions for Nonlinear Gilson–Pickering Equation
Authors: Allahyani Seham Ayesh , Rehman Hamood Ur , Awan Aziz Ullah , Tag-ElDin ElSayed M. , Hassan Mahmood Ul
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this article is to achieve new soliton solutions of the Gilson–Pickering equation (GPE) with the assistance of Sardar’s subequation method (SSM) and Jacobi elliptic function method (JEFM). The applications of the GPE is wider because we study some valuable and vital equations such as Fornberg–Whitham equation (FWE), Rosenau–Hyman equation (RHE) and Fuchssteiner–Fokas–Camassa–Holm equation (FFCHE) obtained by particular choices of parameters involved in the GPE. Many techniques are available to convert PDEs into ODEs for extracting wave solutions. Most of these techniques are a case of symmetry reduction, known as nonclassical symmetry. In our work, this approach is used to convert a PDE to an ODE and obtain the exact solutions of the NLPDE. The solutions obtained are unique, remarkable, and significant for readers. Mathematica 11 software is used to derive the solutions of the presented model. Moreover, the diagrams of the acquired solutions for distinct values of parameters were demonstrated in two and three dimensions along with contour plots.
FFireNet: Deep Learning Based Forest Fire Classification and Detection in Smart Cities
Authors: Khan Somaiya , Khan Ali
Published: October 2022

Forests are a vital natural resource that directly influences the ecosystem. Recently, forest fire has been a serious issue due to natural and man-made climate effects. For early forest fire detection, an artificial intelligence-based forest fire detection method in smart city application is presented to avoid major disasters. This research presents a review of the vision-based forest fire localization and classification methods. Furthermore, this work makes use of the forest fire detection dataset, which solves the classification problem of discriminating fire and no-fire images. This work proposes a deep learning method named FFireNet, by leveraging the pre-trained convolutional base of the MobileNetV2 model and adding fully connected layers to solve the new task, that is, the forest fire recognition problem, which helps in classifying images as forest fires based on extracted features which are symmetrical. The performance of the proposed solution for classifying fire and no-fire was evaluated using different performance metrics and compared with other CNN models. The results show that the proposed approach achieves 98.42% accuracy, 1.58% error rate, 99.47% recall, and 97.42% precision in classifying the fire and no-fire images. The outcomes of the proposed approach are promising for the forest fire classification problem considering the unique forest fire detection dataset.
Fractional View Analysis of Emden-Fowler Equations with the Help of Analytical Method
Authors: Botmart Thongchai , Naeem Muhammad , Shah Rasool , Iqbal Naveed
Published: October 2022

This work aims at a new semi-analytical technique called the Adomian decomposition method for the analysis of time-fractional Emden–Fowler equations. The Laplace transformation and the iterative method are implemented to obtain the result of the given models. The suggested technique has the edge over other methods, as it does not need extra materials and calculations. The presented technique validity is demonstrated by examining four mathematical models. Due to the straightforward implementation, the proposed method can solve other non-linear fractional order problems.
A Note on Degenerate Catalan-Daehee Numbers and Polynomials
Authors: Khan Waseem Ahmad , Alatawi Maryam Salem , Duran Ugur
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we consider the degenerate forms of the Catalan–Daehee polynomials and numbers by the Volkenborn integrals and obtain diverse explicit expressions and formulas. Moreover, we show the expressions of the degenerate Catalan–Daehee numbers in terms of λ-Daehee numbers, Stirling numbers of the first kind and Bernoulli polynomials, and we also obtain a relation covering the Bernoulli numbers, the degenerate Catalan–Daehee numbers and Stirling numbers of the second kind. In addition, we prove an implicit summation formula and a symmetric identity, and we derive an explicit expression for the degenerate Catalan–Daehee polynomials including the Stirling numbers of the first kind and Bernoulli polynomials.
Review of Selected Issues in Anisotropic Plasticity under Axial Symmetry
Authors: Alexandrov Sergei , Rynkovskaya Marina
Published: October 2022

The present review paper consists of two main parts, which are not connected. The first part is devoted to a general axisymmetric elastic–plastic plane stress solution, assuming polar anisotropy. Strains are infinitesimal. The principal stress trajectories coincide with the principal axes of anisotropy. No restrictions are imposed on the yield criterion other than the conventional restrictions imposed on the yield criteria in plasticity. The plastic portion of the strain rate tensor is determined from the associated flow rule. A simple example illustrates the general solution. The second part is devoted to the stationary ideal flow theory for anisotropic materials under axial symmetry. The elastic portion of the strain tensor is neglected. A piece-wise linear yield criterion is adopted. This criterion generalizes Tresca’s yield criterion. The existence of ideal flow is proven. It is also shown that the available solutions for Tresca’s yield criterion can be used for deriving solutions for the yield criterion under consideration. Miscellaneous topics are shortly discussed in the third part of the paper.
On the Relationships among Nurse Staffing, Inpatient Care Quality, and Hospital Competition under the Global Budget Payment Scheme of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance System: Mixed Frequency VAR Analyses
Authors: Chen Wen-Yi
Published: October 2022

Background: Time series analyses on the relationship between nurse staffing and inpatient care quality are rare due to inconsistent frequencies of data between common observations of nurse-staffing (e.g., monthly) and inpatient care quality indicators (e.g., quarterly). Methods: In order to deal with the issue of mixed frequency data, this research adopted the MF-VAR model to explore causal relationships among nurse staffing, inpatient care quality, and hospital competition under the global budget payment scheme of Taiwan’s healthcare system. Results: Our results identified bi-directional causation between nurse staffing and patient outcomes and one-way Granger causality running between nurse staffing and reimbursement payments for inpatient care services. Impulse-response analyses found positive (negative) effects of the patient-to-nurse ratio on adverse patient outcomes (reimbursement payments) in all types of hospitals and detrimental effects of adverse patient outcomes on the patient-to-nurse ratio in medical centers and regional hospitals across a 12-month period. Conclusions: These findings suggest that nurse staffing is an essential determinant of both patient outcomes and reimbursement payments. Strategic policies such as direct subsidy and hospital accreditation for appropriate nurse staffing levels should be implemented for medical centers and regional hospitals to mitigate the harmful effects of adverse patient outcomes on nurse staffing.