bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determining the Antenna Phase Center for the High-Precision Positioning of Smartphones
Authors: Shen Fei , Hu Qianlei , Gong Chengkai
Published: March 2024

In recent years, smartphones have emerged as the primary terminal for navigation and location services among mass users, owing to their universality, portability, and affordability. However, the highly integrated antenna design within smartphones inevitably introduces interference from internal signal sources, leading to a misalignment between the antenna phase center (APC) and the antenna geometric center. Accurately determining a smartphone’s APC can mitigate system errors and enhance positioning accuracy, thereby meeting the increasing demand for precise and reliable user positioning. This paper delves into a detailed analysis of the generation of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver antenna phase center errors and proposes a method for correcting the receiver antenna phase center. Subsequently, a smartphone positioning experiment was conducted by placing the smartphone on an observation column with known coordinates. The collected observations were processed in static relative positioning mode, referencing observations from geodetic-grade equipment, and the accuracy of the static relative positioning fixed solution was evaluated. Following weighted estimation, we determined the antenna phase center of the Xiaomi Mi8 and corrected the APC. A comparison of the positioning results of the Xiaomi Mi8 before and after APC correction revealed minimal impact on the standard deviations (STDs) but significant influence on the root mean square errors (RMSEs). Specifically, the RMSEs in the E/N/U direction were reduced by 59.6%, 58.5%, and 42.0%, respectively, after APC correction compared to before correction. Furthermore, the integer ambiguity fixing rate slightly improved after the APC correction. In conclusion, the determination of a smartphone’s APC can effectively reduce system errors in the plane direction of GNSS positioning, thereby enhancing smartphone positioning accuracy. This research holds significant value for advancing high-precision positioning studies related to smartphones.
Deep Reinforcement Learning-Based Resource Management in Maritime Communication Systems
Authors: Yao Xi , Hu Yingdong , Xu Yicheng , Gao Ruifeng
Published: March 2024

With the growing maritime economy, ensuring the quality of communication for maritime users has become imperative. The maritime communication system based on nearshore base stations enhances the communication rate of maritime users through dynamic resource allocation. A virtual queue-based deep reinforcement learning beam allocation scheme is proposed in this paper, aiming to maximize the communication rate. More particularly, to reduce the complexity of resource management, we employ a grid-based method to discretize the maritime environment. For the combinatorial optimization problem of grid and beam allocation under unknown channel state information, we model it as a sequential decision process of resource allocation. The nearshore base station is modeled as a learning agent, continuously interacting with the environment to optimize beam allocation schemes using deep reinforcement learning techniques. Furthermore, we guarantee that grids with poor channel state information can be serviced through the virtual queue method. Finally, the simulation results provided show that our proposed beam allocation scheme is beneficial in terms of increasing the communication rate.
The BowTie as a Digital Twin: How a BowTie Looks Different from a Data Perspective
Authors: Singh Paul , van Gulijk Coen , Sunderland Neil
Published: March 2024

This work follows from a research project for safety management system re-engineering that turned a safety BowTie into a digital twin. A digital twin is a model embedded in software that mirrors a specific aspect of a real system; the aspect in this case is the risk space associated with a process. The well-known BowTie is the model that turns out to be singularly well suited as a digital twin from the risk perspective as it maps out the risk space together with real-life controls. However, for a BowTie to be a high-fidelity digital twin of a real system, the rules and processes for designing and operating a BowTie are changed.
Comparison of the Efficiency of Deep Eutectic and Organic Solvents in the Extraction of Phytochemicals from Cannabis sativa L.
Authors: Kanyairita Getrude G. , Mortley Desmond G. , Boersma Melissa , Collier Willard E.
Published: March 2024

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is an attractive candidate for sustainable pest management due to its abundance of bioactive compounds with potential pesticidal properties. Solvent choice has a significant impact on the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds. Deep Eutectic Solvents (DESs) are gaining popularity in extraction because they are safe and environmentally friendly, making them viable alternatives to organic solvents (OSs). This research first compared the extraction efficiency of OSs in the extraction of phytochemicals from the infloresences of two hemp varieties, Citrus and Cherry Dwarf. Inflorescences were extracted using three OSs, ethanol, ethyl acetate, and hexane. The highest level of cannabidiol (CBD; 0.69%) was extracted from Cherry Dwarf using ethanol, while the level of delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol THC (0.19%) was essentially the same in both. Therefore, Cherry Dwarf was selected to compare the extraction efficiency of DESs with OSs. The DESs were choline chloride/ethylene glycol, citric acid/ethylene glycol, menthol/lauric acid, choline chloride/urea, and choline chloride/glycerol. In the targeted analysis, choline chloride/ethylene glycol extracted the highest amount of CBD (0.87%) followed by choline chloride/urea (0.78%). As some DESs outperformed ethanol, the popular solvent for extracting cannabinoids, DESs are viable candidates for replacement of organic solvents.
A Scoping Review of Children, Empowerment, and Smartphone Technology Regarding Social Construction Theory with the Aim of Increasing Self-Direction in Democracies
Authors: Nash Carol
Published: March 2024

Children are Dependents in a version of social construction theory regarding their inability to self-direct their behavior in democratic society. In this regard, childhood represents a lack of self-direction, a life period when people require the guidance and protection of adults. The assumed necessity of adults supervising children in democracies necessitates substantial social resources, reducing the self-direction of those charged with overseeing children. Given that self-direction defines the optimal experience of people within a democratic society, finding ways to increase the self-direction of children is an individual and a social benefit. In this regard, smartphones have improved self-direction in children. How children have become empowered to self-direct their lives with smartphone use considering social construction theory—as Advantaged, Contenders, or Deviants—is the focus of a scoping review conducted on “children, empowerment, smartphones” of the following databases: OVID, JSTOR, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The result is that children permitted to self-direct their activities aided by smartphone technology have comparable social behavior to adults positioned as Advantaged, Contenders, or Deviants, and as such, they should be encouraged to utilize smartphone technology to improve their self-direction, as doing so will augment individual and caregiver self-direction, providing increased social benefit.
Perception and Relocation Intentions of Japanese Youth towards Rural Areas: A Case Study of Visitors in Hanyu-shi, Saitama Prefecture
Authors: Mao Yingming , He Lei , Danniswari Dibyanti , Furuya Katsunori
Published: March 2024

As a highly urbanized country, Japan is facing the phenomenon of a continuous migration of young people from rural areas to cities, leading to an aging and decreasing population in rural communities. Influenced by the pandemic, people began to reconsider the issue of population concentration in large cities, causing urban residents to become interested in returning to rural areas. The focus of this study is on the perceptions and relocation intentions of Japanese youth towards rural areas, particularly in Hanyu-shi, Saitama Prefecture. Through semi-structured interviews with 26 urban university students who live in urban areas, this study explores the factors that attract or hinder them from having rural lives. The survey results show that childhood experiences and current lifestyle preferences have influenced their views on rural areas. The main hindering factors include backwards infrastructure, communication difficulties, and limited job prospects. This study reveals a significant cognitive gap in urban youth’s attitudes towards rural life in Japan. The study emphasizes the need to eliminate these hindrances and enhance the attractiveness of rural areas to promote reverse urban migration. This study provides important insights for policymakers and urban planners, highlighting the necessity of formulating development strategies that meet the needs of urban youth residents, which is crucial for the sustainable revitalization of rural Japan.
Force Production and Electromyographic Activity during Different Flywheel Deadlift Exercises
Authors: Maroto-Izquierdo Sergio , García-López David , Beato Marco , Bautista Iker J. , Hernández-Davó José L. , Raya-González Javier , Martín-Rivera Fernando
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to characterize and compare force production and muscle activity during four flywheel deadlift exercises (bilateral [Bi] vs. unilateral [Uni]) with different loading conditions (vertical [Ver] vs. horizontal [Hor]). Twenty-three team-sport athletes underwent assessments for exercise kinetics (hand-grip force), along with surface electromyography (sEMG) of the proximal (BFProx) and medial biceps femoris (BFMed), semitendinosus (ST), and gluteus medius (GM). Mean and peak force were highest (p < 0.001) in Bi + Ver compared with Bi + Hor, Uni + Ver, and Uni + Hor. Although no significant differences were observed between Bi + Hor and Uni + Ver, both variants showed higher (p < 0.001) average force and peak eccentric force when compared with Uni + Hor. The presence of eccentric overload was only observed in the vertically loaded variants. Bi + Ver and Uni + Ver showed higher (p < 0.05) sEMG levels in BFProx and BFMed compared with the Uni + Hor variant. In addition, Uni + Ver registered the largest GM and ST sEMG values. In conclusion, the vertical variants of the flywheel deadlift exercise led to higher muscle force production and sEMG compared with their horizontal counterparts. Both Bi + Ver and Uni + Ver may be effective in promoting an increase in hamstring muscles activity and muscle force at long muscle length, while the Uni + Ver variant may be more effective in promoting GM and ST involvement.
Perceived Coach-Created Empowering and Disempowering Climate Effects on Athletes’ Intentions to Use Doping: The Mediational Role of Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Attitudes towards Doping
Authors: Hoppen Beatrice , Sukys Saulius
Published: April 2024

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived coach-created empowering and disempowering motivational climate and doping likelihood among athletes and whether the attitudes towards doping and doping self-regulatory efficacy mediates these relationships. Methods: Athletes (N = 948; 50% male; mean age, 20.32, SD = 2.45) recruited from a variety of sports completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions of coach-created motivational climate, attitudes towards doping, doping self-regulatory efficacy, and doping likelihood. Results: The study’s results showed significant negative direct effects of a perceived empowering climate on doping likelihood (β = −0.50) and attitudes towards doping (β = −0.48), and a positive effect on self-regulatory efficacy (β = 0.48). On the contrary, a disempowering climate had positive direct effects on doping likelihood (β = 0.53) and attitudes towards doping (β = 0.45), and a negative effect on self-regulatory efficacy (β = −0.49). Significant indirect effects on doping likelihood via attitudes and self-regulatory efficacy were found. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that athletes who perceive a more empowering climate created by the coach are less likely to use banned substances due to their more negative attitudes towards doping and stronger belief in their ability to resist the temptation to use doping.
Long Short-Term Memory and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory Modeling and Prediction of Hexavalent and Total Chromium Removal Capacity Kinetics of Cupressus lusitanica Bark
Authors: Cruz-Victoria Juan Crescenciano , Netzahuatl-Muñoz Alma Rosa , Cristiani-Urbina Eliseo
Published: March 2024

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a high-priority environmental pollutant because of its toxicity and potential to contaminate water sources. Biosorption, using low-cost biomaterials, is an emerging technology for removing pollutants from water. In this study, Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and bidirectional LSTM (Bi-LSTM) neural networks were used to model and predict the kinetics of the removal capacity of Cr(VI) and total chromium [Cr(T)] using Cupressus lusitanica bark (CLB) particles. The models were developed using 34 experimental kinetics datasets under various temperature, pH, particle size, and initial Cr(VI) concentration conditions. Data preprocessing via interpolation was implemented to augment the sparse time-series data. Early stopping regularization prevented overfitting, and dropout techniques enhanced model robustness. The Bi-LSTM models demonstrated a superior performance compared to the LSTM models. The inherent complexities of the process and data limitations resulted in a heavy-tailed and left-skewed residual distribution, indicating occasional deviations in the predictions of capacities obtained under extreme conditions. K-fold cross-validation demonstrated the stability of Bi-LSTM models 38 and 43, while response surfaces and validation with unseen datasets assessed their predictive accuracy and generalization capabilities. Shapley additive explanations analysis (SHAP) identified the initial Cr(VI) concentration and time as the most influential input features for the models. This study highlights the capabilities of deep recurrent neural networks in comprehending and predicting complex pollutant removal kinetic phenomena for environmental applications.
Recycling Product Model and Its Application for Quantitative Assessment of Product Recycling Properties
Authors: Diakun Jacek
Published: March 2024

The consideration of environmental factors is common in current product design. For the purpose of the assessment of recycling properties of a product, quantitative measures have been defined in the literature. The main obstacle in using these measures in practical design is lack of data in typical product models. In this article, a Recycling Product Model (RPM) is presented. The RPM enables calculations of quantitative assessment measures defined in the literature directly from a CAD 3D product model. The term RPM and elements of the RPM are described. The functionality of the software dedicated for the RPM is presented. The use of the RPM is demonstrated based on a case study of an actual CAD 3D product model. The article concludes by outlining the potential use of the RPM for other purposes; the limitations of the RPM are elucidated in the conclusions of the article.
Research on Green Design Strategy of Electrical and Electronic Manufacturing Enterprises Based on the Perspective of Tripartite Evolutionary Game
Authors: Si Yujing , Yang Yi , Shao Ze
Published: March 2024

Green design emphasizes the environmental attributes of the product life cycle, which can prevent environmental pollution at the source and reduce resource consumption. Based on the evolutionary game theory, this paper constructs a tripartite game model between “government-electrical and electronic manufacturing companies-consumers”, explores the influence of participants’ strategic choices and parameters on the evolutionary behavior of the three parties in different situations, and uses Matlab software to conduct numerical simulation analysis. Simulation analysis is the process of simulating real-world events and system behavior through computer models to assess, validate, and predict their performance and response. The research results show that the strategic choices of the three parties influence each other and government supervision and green consumption are conducive to incentivizing manufacturing companies to carry out green design. Consumer green preferences, environmental tax rates, corporate recycling revenue, and increases in consumer recycling revenue are all conducive to product design. Compared to environmental taxes, corporate subsidy policies have a greater impact on the behavior of the government, manufacturing companies, and consumers. Compared to consumer subsidies, corporate subsidy policies have a more significant effect on the behavior of governments and manufacturing companies, while for consumers, the opposite is true.
Contribution of Photosynthetic, Root and Phenotypic Traits to Soybean Plant Height
Authors: Suo Rongzhen , Wang Mingjiu , Zhao Tianqi
Published: March 2024

Breeding new high-yield and high-quality forage soybean cultivars is an effective approach to addressing the shortage of feed protein and sustainable agricultural development. Plant height is a key indicator of forage soybean genotypes and is closely related to forage yield. However, the determinants affecting soybean plant height remain highly uncertain. In order to analyze the factors contributing to plant height differences among soybean cultivars, two tall-stemmed soybean cultivars (“Neinong S001” and “Neinong S002”) and two short-stemmed soybean cultivars (“Neinong 0004” and “Neinong 0005”) were used in this study as test materials for examining aboveground phenotypic characteristics, root traits, and photosynthetic characteristics. The test materials were planted in 2018 at Chakintai Ranch (122°15′ E, 43°38′ N) using the potting method, and the indicators were measured in June. The results showed that the leaf area, root volume, and root surface area of high-stemmed soybean cultivars were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than those of short-stemmed soybean cultivars. Additionally, the dry weight of a single plant and transpiration rate were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in high-stemmed soybean cultivars compared to short-stemmed soybean cultivars. It was found that soybean plant height was significantly (p < 0.05) correlated with leaf area, leaf shape index, intercellular CO2 concentration, transpiration rate, SPAD, root weight, root length, root surface area, and root volume. Further path analyses revealed that intercellular CO2 concentration and root surface area had a direct impact on plant height, with direct effect coefficients of 0.22 and −0.91, respectively. These results provide new insights into the sustainability development and genetic enhancement of plant height characteristics in forage soybean.
The Influence of Biowaste Type on the Physicochemical and Sorptive Characteristics of Corresponding Biochar Used as Sustainable Sorbent
Authors: Mourgkogiannis Nikolaos , Nikolopoulos Ioannis , Kordouli Eleana , Lycourghiotis Alexis , Kordulis Christos , Karapanagioti Hrissi K.
Published: March 2024

Biowaste raw materials were used for biochar preparation through pyrolysis at 850 °C under a limited oxygen atmosphere. Raw materials and the corresponding biochar samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, TGA, N2-sorption, pH-equilibrium, and ash content measurements. These samples were evaluated as sustainable sorbents for use in methylene blue (MB) removal from artificial fresh water. All biochar samples exhibited high specific surface areas (367–870 m2·g−1), low crystallinity, and low population of functional groups (C–O–C, –COOH, –N–O, –N–H, and –OH) on their surfaces. They were mainly micro-porous materials with a significant fraction of pores in the meso-porous range. The specific surface area of the latter pores proved very important for the physical adsorption of MB from aqueous solution. Although the raw materials exhibited low MB sorption capacity, ranging from 29 to 54 mg·g−1, the corresponding biochar samples exhibited important MB sorption efficiency ranging from 58 to 370 mg·g−1. Among the biochar samples studied, those produced from coffee residues proved most promising for MB removal from water solution (sorption capacity: 280–370 mg·g−1), addressing the United Nations Sustainability Development Goal (SDG) 6: Clean Water and Sanitation by improving the index related to anthropogenic wastewater that has received treatment.
Day-Ahead and Intraday Two-Stage Optimal Dispatch Considering Joint Peak Shaving of Carbon Capture Power Plants and Virtual Energy Storage
Authors: Zou Yichao , Hu Zhenda , Zhou Shengcun , Luo Yi , Han Xinyi , Xiong Yi
Published: March 2024

The anti-peaking characteristics of a high proportion of new energy sources intensify the peak shaving pressure on systems. Carbon capture power plants, as low-carbon and flexible resources, could be beneficial in peak shaving applications. This paper explores the role of carbon capture devices in terms of peak shaving, valley filling, and adjustment flexibility and constructs a virtual energy storage model utilizing various flexible loads on the demand side. Also, it proposes a joint peak shaving strategy involving carbon capture devices and virtual energy storage. Considering the predictive error characteristics of wind power and load across different time scales, this study establishes a day-ahead and intraday two-stage rolling regulation peaking model based on carbon capture power plants and virtual energy storage to fully leverage the diverse response speeds and peak shaving capabilities of various types of flexible loads. Initially, the model calculates the net load curve after implementing a demand response system, aiming to minimize the load peak–valley difference. Subsequently, within the intraday period, it seeks to minimize system operating costs by precisely allocating peak shaving resources as per demand, thus aiming for economic efficiency while ensuring the system’s peak shaving capability.
A Comparative Study of AI Methods on Renewable Energy Prediction for Smart Grids: Case of Turkey
Authors: Unsal Derya Betul , Aksoz Ahmet , Oyucu Saadin , Guerrero Josep M. , Guler Merve
Published: March 2024

Fossil fuels still have emerged as the predominant energy source for power generation on a global scale. In recent years, Turkey has experienced a notable decrease in the production of coal and natural gas energy, juxtaposed with a significant rise in the production of renewable energy sources. The study employed neural networks, ANNs (artificial neural networks), and LSTM (long short-term memory), as well as CNN (convolutional neural network) and hybrid CNN-LSTM designs, to assess Turkey’s energy potential. Real-time outcomes were produced by integrating these models with meteorological data. The objective was to design strategies for enhancing performance by comparing various models of outcomes. The data collected for Turkey as a whole are based on average values. Machine learning approaches were employed to mitigate the error rate seen in the acquired outcomes. Comparisons were conducted across light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), gradient boosting regressor (GBR), and random forest regressor (RF) techniques, which represent machine learning models, alongside deep learning models. Based on the findings of the comparative analyses, it was determined that the machine learning model, LightGBM, exhibited the most favorable performance in enhancing the accuracy of predictions. Conversely, the hybrid model, CNN-LSTM, had the greatest rate of inaccuracy. This study will serve as a guide for renewable energy researchers, especially in developing countries such as Turkey that have not switched to a smart grid system.
Biodiesel Production through the Transesterification of Non-Edible Plant Oils Using Glycerol Separation Technique with AC High Voltage
Authors: Almady Saad S. , Moussa Ali I. , Deef Mohammed M. , Zayed Moamen F. , Al-Sager Saleh M. , Aboukarima Abdulwahed M.
Published: March 2024

The biodiesel industry is a promising field globally, and is expanding significantly and quickly. To create a biodiesel business that is both sustainable and commercially feasible, a number of studies have been conducted on the use of non-edible oils to produce biodiesel. Thus, this study highlights biodiesel synthesis from non-edible plant oils such as pongamia and jatropha using a glycerol separation technique with an AC high voltage method through the transesterification reaction. In this context, non-edible plant oil has emerged as an alternative with a high potential for making the biodiesel process sustainable. Moreover, the study introduces how the created biodiesel fuel behaves when burned in a diesel engine. The results showed that the optimum conditions for creating biodiesel were a temperature of 60 °C, a potassium hydroxide catalyst percentage by weight of oils of 1%, and a stirring time of 60 min at a 5:1 (v/v) ratio of methanol to oil. A high-voltage procedure was used to separate glycerol and biodiesel using two electrodes of copper with different distances between them and different high voltages. The results showed that, for a batch of 15 L, the minimum separating time was 10 min when the distance between the copper electrodes was 2.5 cm, and the high voltage was 15 kV. The density, kinematic viscosity, and flash point of jatropha oil were reduced from 0.920 to 0.881 g/cm3 at 15 °C, from 37.1 to 4.38 cSt at 40 °C, and from 211 to 162 °C, respectively, for the production of biodiesel. Additionally, the density, kinematic viscosity, and flash point of pongamia oil were reduced from 0.924 to 0.888 g/cm3 at 15 °C, from 27.8 to 5.23 cSt at 40 °C, and from 222 to 158 °C, respectively, for the production of biodiesel. The calorific value of jatropha oil was increased from 38.08 to 39.65 MJ/kg for the production of biodiesel, while that of pongamia oil was increased from 36.61 to 36.94 MJ/kg. The cetane number increased from 21 for oil to 50 for biodiesel and from 32 for oil to 52 for jatropha and pongamia biodiesel, respectively. In order to run an air-cooled, single-cylinder, four-stroke diesel engine at full load, the produced biodiesel fuel was blended with diesel fuel at different percentages—10, 20, and 30%—for jatropha and pongamia methyl esters. The produced engine power values were 3.91, 3.69, and 3.29 kW for B10, B20, and B30, respectively, compared with the engine power value of jatropha methyl ester, which was 4.12 kW for diesel fuel (B00); meanwhile, the values were 3.70, 3.36, and 3.07 kW for B10, B20 and B30, respectively, for pongamia methyl ester. The findings suggest that the biodiesel derived from non-edible oils, such as pongamia and jatropha, could be a good alternative to diesel fuel.
Reference Power Cable Models for Floating Offshore Wind Applications
Authors: Janocha Marek Jan , Ong Muk Chen , Lee Chern Fong , Chen Kai , Ye Naiquan
Published: March 2024

The present study aims to address the knowledge gaps in dynamic power cable designs suitable for large floating wind turbines and to develop three baseline power cable designs. The study includes a detailed database of structural and mechanical properties for three reference cable models rated at 33 kV, 66 kV, and 132 kV to be readily used in global dynamic response simulations. Structural properties are obtained from finite element method (FEM) models of respective cable cross-sections built in UFLEX v2.8.9—a non-linear stress analysis program. Extensive mesh sensitivity studies are performed to ensure the accuracy of the predicted structural properties. The cable’s structural design is investigated using global response simulations of an OC3 5MW reference wind turbine coupled with the dynamic power cable in a lazy wave configuration. The feasibility of the present reference cable in floating offshore wind applications is assessed through a simplified analysis of cable fatigue life and structural integrity analysis of the cable in extreme environmental conditions. The analysis results suggest that the dynamic power cable does not significantly affect the response characteristics of the floating wind turbine in the analyzed lazy wave configuration. Furthermore, a simplified fatigue analysis demonstrates that the proposed cable design can sustain representative environmental loading scenarios and shows favorable dynamic performance in a lazy wave configuration.
Study on the Influence of Mining Stress on the Sustainable Utilization of Floor Roadway in Qinan Coal Mine
Authors: Chen Yiqi , Liu Huaidong , Liu Changyou , Liu Shibao
Published: March 2024

Aiming at the problem of large deformations and difficult maintenance of cross-mining floor roadways, taking the track transportation roadway of the cross-mining east wing floor in Qinan Coal Mine as the engineering background, the stress field distribution of mining stress in floor strata and surrounding rock of floor roadway during the cross-mining process of the working face is studied by combining theoretical analysis with numerical simulation. The results show that the influence of mining stress on the vertical stress of floor strata is reflected in the stress-increasing area in front of the coal wall and the stress-decreasing area in the rear of the coal wall. With the increase in the depth of the floor strata, the peak value of the vertical stress gradually decreases, and the distance from the peak value of the vertical stress to the coal wall and the influence range of the vertical stress gradually increases. When the width of the coal pillar is greater than the influence range of advance abutment pressure of the working face, the development speed of the plastic zone is slow. When the roadway is located in the influence range of advance abutment pressure, the plastic zone of the roadway’s surrounding rock develops rapidly. When the working face crosses the floor roadway more than 10 m, the depth of the plastic zone of the surrounding rock of the roadway is no longer increased; the siltstone above the roadway is the key layer of fracturing, and the deformation of the roadway has been effectively improved after hydraulic fracturing. Through the analysis of numerical simulation results, the fracturing scheme has a significant effect on the stability control of the surrounding rock of the cross-mining floor roadway. This study has certain guiding significance for the maintenance and sustainable utilization of floor roadways in the cross-mining process, which is conducive to ensuring the sustainable mining of underground coal and the safety of personnel and equipment and is of great significance to the sustainable development of the coal mining industry.
The Impact of Blockchain on the Administrative Efficiency of Provincial Governments Based on the Data Envelopment Analysis–Tobit Model
Authors: Fan Jiongan , Wang Qingnian , Wang Yunpei
Published: March 2024

Since its reform and opening up in 1978, China has maintained strong economic growth for more than four decades. For a long time, China’s economic growth has been characterized by a crude growth mode, which is mainly manifested in growth driven by large amounts of capital, energy and raw materials, and labor inputs, with little contribution from innovation and technology, which will make it difficult to promote sustainable development in the era of the knowledge economy. On the other hand, improving administrative efficiency is one of the key paths to realizing China’s sustainable development strategy. The Chinese government emphasizes high-quality development, and long-term development and stable management can be achieved only if administrative efficiency is improved on the basis of achieving sustainable development. For the purpose of transforming and developing the Chinese government to a higher standard, this study examined how blockchain affects administrative effectiveness across different provinces. The three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model was chosen to evaluate China’s regional administrative efficiency. It used the typical markers found in both the international and domestic literature. The input–output indicators were determined using the Delphi method, and the findings showed that while most provinces had reasonably high administrative efficiency, there were notable regional variations. This article empirically employed the Tobit model to examine the effect of blockchain on administrative efficiency based on administrative efficiency calculations. The findings showed that administrative efficiency was significantly impacted by blockchain research investment, blockchain research output, the number of blockchain policies, and the size of the population. In contrast, there was not a significant impact on administrative efficiency due to the quantity of procurements for blockchain government initiatives.
Short Food Supply Chains as a Practical Implication of Sustainable Development Ideas
Authors: Raftowicz Magdalena , Solarz Krzysztof , Dradrach Agnieszka
Published: March 2024

The subject of this article is the issue of short food supply chains. The research problem formulated in the paper aims to address whether short food supply chains ensure the sustainable development of rural areas and whether they are being displaced by longer chains for narrowly defined economic reasons. The research was conducted based on a critical analysis of literature on short food supply chains and statistical data. The findings of the research indicate that short food supply chains are a necessary condition for the sustainable development of rural areas. Unfortunately, there is a conflict between the pursuit of narrowly defined economic efficiency of farms and the preservation of the social potential of rural areas, which stems from the fact that the principle of price competition does not favor the development of local supply markets, especially when it comes to high-quality food.
Assessment of Crop Water Footprint and Actual Agricultural Water Consumption in Arid Inland Regions: A Case Study of Aksu Region
Authors: Ma Jiali , Zhang Pei , Deng Xiaoya , Lai Xiaoying , Ren Cai , Zhang Ji , Liu Jing , Zhang Yanfei , Long Aihua
Published: March 2024

Water scarcity is a major issue in arid regions, and it is crucial to have an accurate understanding of water resource utilization for informed decision-making regarding water-related issues. However, due to various reasons such as inadequate measuring facilities, the actual agricultural water usage is often underestimated. The concept and methodology of the water footprint, based on a life-cycle perspective, provide a powerful tool for studying the actual water usage in agriculture. By utilizing the theories and models of water footprints, a method for reviewing the actual agricultural water usage in arid regions is proposed. Taking the Aksu region as an example, the evolution patterns and water consumption of 15 major crops over a 31-year period from 1990 to 2020 were calculated and analyzed. The research shows that the total water footprint of crops in the Aksu region has increased by nearly 3.13 times over the 31-year period, with significant accelerations in 2003 and 2016. The green water footprint accounts for an average of about 8% of the major crops, while the average water footprint of cotton accounts for over 57.2% of the total water footprint of major crops in the study area. Based on the calculation of the blue water footprint, the actual water usage in the Aksu region in 2020 was estimated to be 11.128 billion cubic meters, which is 1.30 times higher than the reported water usage, with groundwater extraction being 2.46 times higher than reported. This method of water footprint analysis for reviewing actual water usage and its application examples provide a methodological foundation and technical support for regional water resource management and policymaking.
Every Second Counts: A Comprehensive Review of Route Optimization and Priority Control for Urban Emergency Vehicles
Authors: Hao Zhengbo , Wang Yizhe , Yang Xiaoguang
Published: March 2024

Emergency vehicles (EMVs) play an important role in saving human lives and mitigating property losses in urban traffic systems. Due to traffic congestion and improper priority control strategies along the rescue route, EMVs may not be able to arrive at rescue spots on time, which also increases traffic risk and has a negative impact on social vehicles (SVs). The greater the negative impact on SVs, such as increased delay times and queue length, the more profound the negative impacts on urban environmental sustainability. Proper rescue route selection and priority control strategies are essential for addressing this problem. Consequently, this paper systematically reviews the studies on EMV routing and priority control. First, a general bibliometric analysis is conducted using VOSviewer. This study also classifies the existing studies into three parts: EMV travel time prediction (EMV-TTP), EMV routing optimization (EMV-RO), and EMV traffic priority control (EMV-TPC). Finally, this study provides future research suggestions on five aspects: 1. uncovering authentic demand characteristics through EMV data mining, 2. incorporating the distinct characteristics of EMV in EMV-RO models, 3. implementing active EMV-TPC strategies, 4. concentrating more on the negative impacts on SVs, and 5. embracing the emerging technologies in the future urban traffic environment.
Opportunities for China’s Agricultural Heritage Systems under the “Digital Nomadism” Trend—A Stakeholder-Weighted Approach
Authors: Zhang Menghan , Yu Yue , Liu Meizi , Liu Jingyi
Published: March 2024

Agricultural heritage systems are appreciated worldwide for their significant environmental and cultural values. However, the sustainability of these systems has been compromised by environmental issues due to intensive human activities and socio-economic changes. Research has noticed that “digital nomadism” is providing a new opportunity for the sustainable development and transformation of these systems, regarded as “digital nomad-friendly” destinations. Nevertheless, comprehensive research on this new trend has been limited except for a few individual case studies. This study is the first to investigate the sustainable development of agricultural heritages considering the growing phenomenon of digital nomadism on a large scale. Based on in-depth stakeholder interviews, we introduced the Digital Nomad-Friendly (DNF) score—a comprehensive indicator system chosen and weighted by stakeholders. The DNF scores of 189 China National Important Agricultural Heritage System (China-NIAHS) sites were evaluated, and their distributions were analyzed on a national scale in China. The results highlight the importance of natural landscape and cultural value in the eyes of digital nomads, particularly emphasizing aesthetic landscape features, climatic suitability, and a community atmosphere. Sites with the highest DNF scores are located mostly in the Zhejiang and Yunnan provinces, sharing characteristics that appeal to digital nomads. The DNF scores exhibit regional variations, with high-DNF-score sites being concentrated in southwestern and southeastern China. By enhancing our understanding of digital nomads’ preferences and the influencing factors, this study provides valuable insights for the environmental management, policymaking, and sustainable development of China-NIAHS sites considering contemporary environmental and social changes.
Land-Use Change Dynamics in Areas Subjected to Direct Urbanization Pressure: A Case Study of the City of Olsztyn
Authors: Biłozor Andrzej , Cieślak Iwona , Czyża Szymon , Szuniewicz Karol , Bajerowski Tomasz
Published: March 2024

Urbanization is one of the most visible symptoms of global changes. This process has been driven by the evolution of life on Earth, and it gradually modifies the structure of land use. Urban development is the most apparent indicator and measure of urbanization. The demand for vacant land and sustainable spatial development plans require new methods that support decision-making in the process of changing land use in suburban areas. The aim of this study was to describe a methodology for identifying and localizing urban development boundaries with the use of fuzzy set theory, to evaluate the degree of urbanization, and to analyze the dynamics of land-use changes in areas subjected to direct urbanization pressure with the use of photogrammetric data for 2005, 2010, 2017, and 2022. A case study was conducted in the Polish city of Olsztyn. The study’s results determined the degree of urbanization of the areas in the [0, 1] range, as well as the dynamics of change in each of the twenty-four adopted forms of land use. The results indicate that the proposed methods are useful for identifying the rate and direction of urbanization, and can be applied to optimize and counterbalance the development of settlements and infrastructure.
Analysis of Magnetohydrodynamic Free Convection in Micropolar Fluids over a Permeable Shrinking Sheet with Slip Boundary Conditions
Authors: Tangsali Param R. , Katagi Nagaraj N. , Bhat Ashwini , Shettar Manjunath
Published: March 2024

The convective micropolar fluid flow over a permeable shrinking sheet in the presence of a heat source and thermal radiation with the magnetic field directed towards the sheet has been studied in this paper. The mathematical formulation considers the partial slip condition at the sheet, allowing a realistic representation of the fluid flow near the boundary. The governing equations for the flow, heat, and mass transfer are formulated using the conservation laws of mass, momentum, angular momentum, energy, and concentration. The resulting nonlinear partial differential equations are transformed into a system of ordinary differential equations using suitable similarity transformations. The numerical solutions are obtained using robust computational techniques to examine the influence of various parameters on the velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles. The impact of slip effects, micropolar fluid characteristics, and permeability parameters on the flow features and heat transfer rates are thoroughly analyzed. The findings of this investigation offer valuable insights into the behavior of micropolar fluids in free convection flows over permeable shrinking sheets with slip, providing a foundation for potential applications in various industrial and engineering processes. Key findings include the observation that the velocity profile overshoots for assisting flow with decreasing viscous force and rising magnetic effects as opposed to opposing flow. The thermal boundary layer thickness decreases due to buoyant force but shows increasing behavior with heat source parameters. The present result agrees with the earlier findings for specific parameter values in particular cases.
Novel Insights into Estimation of Bilinear Time Series Models with Exponential and Symmetric Coefficients
Authors: Abu Hammad Mamon , Laiche Nabil , Alomari Omar , Abuhammad Huthaifa , Alshorm Shameseddin
Published: March 2024

This paper focuses on the estimation and simulation of a specific subset of bilinear time series models characterized by dynamic exponential coefficients. Employing an exponential framework, we delve into the implications of the exponential function for our estimation process. Our primary aim is to estimate the coefficients of the proposed model using exponential coefficients derived from time-varying parameters. Through this investigation, our goal is to shed light on the asymptotic behaviors of the estimators and scrutinize their existence and probabilistic traits, drawing upon the foundational theorem established by Klimko and Nilsen. The least squares approach is pivotal in both estimating coefficients and analyzing estimator behavior. Moreover, we present a practical application to underscore the real-world implications of our research. By offering concrete examples of applications and simulations, we endeavor to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the implications of our work within the realm of time series analysis, specifically focusing on bilinear models and time-varying exponential coefficients. This multifaceted approach underscores the potential impact and practical relevance of our findings, contributing to the advancement of the field of time series analysis. To discern the symmetry characteristics of the model, we estimate it using coefficients that sum to zero and conduct a brief comparative analysis of two bilinear models.
Adsorption of Pyrene and Arsenite by Micro/Nano Carbon Black and Iron Oxide
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Yeerkenbieke Gulijiazi , Shi Shuai , Wang Zhaoyang , Yi Lijin , Lu Xiaoxia
Published: March 2024

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and arsenic (As) are common pollutants co-existing in the environment, causing potential hazards to the ecosystem and human health. How their behaviors are affected by micro/nano particles in the environment are still not very clear. Through a series of static adsorption experiments, this study investigated the adsorption of pyrene and arsenite (As (III)) using micro/nano carbon black and iron oxide under different conditions. The objectives were to determine the kinetics and isotherms of the adsorption of pyrene and As (III) using micro/nano carbon black and iron oxide and evaluate the impact of co-existing conditions on the adsorption. The microstructure of micro/nano carbon black (C 94.03%) is spherical-like, with a diameter of 100–200 nm. The micro/nano iron oxide (hematite) has irregular rod-shaped structures, mostly about 1 µm long and 100–200 nm wide. The results show that the micro/nano black carbon easily adsorbed the pyrene, with a pseudo-second-order rate constant of 0.016 mg/(g·h) and an adsorption capacity of 283.23 μg/g at 24 h. The micro/nano iron oxide easily adsorbed As (III), with a pseudo-second-order rate constant of 0.814 mg/(g·h) and an adsorption capacity of 3.45 mg/g at 24 h. The mechanisms of adsorption were mainly chemical reactions. Micro/nano carbon black hardly adsorbed As (III), but its adsorption capability for pyrene was reduced by the presence of As (III), and this effect increased with an increase in the As (III) concentration. The adsorbed pyrene on the micro/nano black carbon could hardly be desorbed. On the other hand, the micro/nano iron oxide could hardly adsorb the pyrene, but its adsorption capability for As (III) was increased by the presence of pyrene, and this effect increased with an increase in the pyrene concentration. The results of this study provide guidance for the risk management and remediation of the environment when there is combined pollution of PAHs and As.