bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teacher Entrepreneurship, Co-Creation Strategy, and Medical Student Entrepreneurship for Sustainability: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhao Guojing , Li Guobiao , Jiang Yujia , Guo Liying , Huang Yangjie , Huang Zhaoxin
Published: October 2022

The volatile and changing healthcare landscape, heavily influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic and other contemporary crises, poses challenges to the sustainable development of medical education, and integrating innovation and entrepreneurship into medical education is the avenue by which to address the current and future medical challenges. Medical student entrepreneurship education (MSEE) contributes to the individual and social sustainable development of students in terms of their future careers. To investigate the effect of teacher entrepreneurship on MSEE, a hypothesis model of MSEE that includes teachers’ entrepreneurial competence (TEC), teachers’ entrepreneurial behaviors (TEB), and co-creation strategy (CCS) was constructed on the basis of symbolic interactionism. A total of 714 samples were collected from entrepreneurial teachers in Chinese medical universities for quantitative analysis. This study confirmed our hypothesis that TEC and TEB have a positive and statistically significant direct impact on MSEE. As demonstrated in the mediation effect test, when CCS was added as the mediating variable, TEC and TEB had a statistically significant indirect effect on MSEE. With empirical evidence from China, the study provided a new perspective for deepening the research on MSEE and laid the foundation for interdisciplinary research on medical education and entrepreneurship education. The findings contribute to entrepreneurial learning and pedagogical practices in medical education for the sustainable development of medical students.
CSR Commitment, Alignment and Firm Performance: The Case of the Australia-China Tourism Supply Chain
Authors: Keating Byron W.
Published: October 2022

This paper examines corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices among travel agents and tour operators within the Australia–China tourism supply chain. A sequential, exploratory mixed-methods approach was employed, combining key-informant interviews with a reduced form of discrete choice analysis—best-worst scaling. The findings highlight that while Australian and Chinese travel intermediaries differed significantly in terms of their preferences regarding the different CSR factors, they were unanimous in regard to their belief that commitment to CSR was critical to firm performance. The research also reports universal support for a partial-mediating relationship, suggesting that firm performance is enhanced by strong alignment in the CSR orientation of supply chain intermediaries. This finding reinforces the inter-dependent nature of tourism supply chains, emphasizing that firms and society can benefit from supply chain partners working more closely together.
AI-Based Chatbots Adoption Model for Higher-Education Institutions: A Hybrid PLS-SEM-Neural Network Modelling Approach
Authors: Mohd Rahim Noor Irliana , A. Iahad Noorminshah , Yusof Ahmad Fadhil , A. Al-Sharafi Mohammed
Published: October 2022

Chatbot implementation for assisting customers as a virtual agent can be seen as a tool in helping an organisation to serve better customer service. Malaysia is among the countries forging ahead with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. One of the core technologies mentioned is adopting artificial intelligence tools such as chatbots. In the last few years, there has been a growing interest in AI-based chatbot adoption in the non-HEI context. However, most higher-education institutions (HEIs) are reported not ready to adopt AI-based chatbots as one of the solutions for virtual student services support. The research of chatbot adoption in the HEI context is still new and is a less explored and examined topic in the information systems domain. Moreover, most of the existing research regarding chatbot adoption in the HEI context focuses more on the benefit of chatbot usage and is not specialised in a student services solution perspective. Furthermore, most of the studies were not guided by the information systems (IS) theories. Therefore, this study aims to identify factors that influence the effectiveness of chatbot adoption in the HEI context by adapting the UTAUT2 model as the IS theory reference. A survey method was applied using the purposive sampling technique. For 3 months, data were collected online from 302 users of Malaysia’s HEI postgraduate students from various public and private universities. A two-stage analytical procedure (SEM-ANN) was used to validate the research model and assess the presented research hypotheses. This research reveals that perceived trust is influenced by interactivity, design, and ethics. Meanwhile, behavioural intention is influenced by perceived trust, performance expectancy, and habit towards the use of chatbot applications in the HEI context. Lastly, the findings of this study can be helpful to the HEI student services unit and can be a guide towards productivity and marketing strategy in serving the students better.
Well-Being during the Pandemic–Insights from a Rapid Review on the Mental Health of Disadvantaged Youth and Young Adults
Authors: Kuchler Maja , Beckmann Saskia , Habig Celine , Heid Karen , Rademaker Anna Lena , Quilling Eike
Published: October 2022

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic had a wide range of impacts on living conditions, opportunities and mental health. As discussed by society and supported by some studies, young people were particularly affected. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of research that explicitly addressed the mental health outcomes of adolescents’ and young adults’ transition. A systematic literature search in PubMed, PsycInfo, PSYNDEX, Embase and LIVIVO was conducted in February 2022. 42 of 2562 screened publications from industrialized/high-income countries were included and analyzed. All included publications show that the mental health of young people worsened during the pandemic. Several studies suggest(ed) that youths with less education and low socioeconomic status were affected most. Regarding different stages of adolescence, study results are heterogeneous. Evidence indicates that schools as institutions are important settings for everyday lives, personal development and education of young people. The review shows that there is a need for research and scientifically validated recommendations for practice. Further consideration should focus on the implementation of sustainable structures on the local level to strengthen resilience, minimize risk factors for young people’s mental health and create opportunities for valuable transitions.
Contamination and Ecological Risk Assessment of Metal(loid)s in Sediments of Two Major Seaports along Bay of Bengal Coast
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Belal , Aftad Md. Yeamim , Yu Jimmy , Choudhury Tasrina Rabia , Noman Md. Abu , Hossain Md. Solaiman , Paray Bilal Ahamad , Arai Takaomi
Published: October 2022

Pollution from shipping, industrial, and municipal wastewater discharges is a major source of heavy-metal contamination at seaports located near estuaries or along the coast. In this study, for the first time, nine metal(loid)s (Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, Fe, and As) were analyzed from the surface sediment of two major seaports on the Bay of Bengal coast to evaluate the degree of pollution and ecological risk. The average concentrations of metal(loid)s followed the decreasing order of Fe (53,800 ± 4002 mg/kg) > Mn (590 ± 116.8 mg/kg) > Zn (67.59 ± 13.5 mg/kg) > Ni (62.8 ± 22.5 mg/kg) > Cr (36.59 ± 7.22 mg/kg) > Cu (32.63 ± 6.78 mg/kg) > Pb (16.78 ± 3.93 mg/kg) > As (6.33 ± 1.9 mg/kg) > Cd (0.71 ± 0.16 mg/kg). Both sites had much greater Fe concentrations (compared to other metals) than the levels that had been previously recorded at nearby localities. Furthermore, elements such as Fe and Ni surpassed the recommended NOAA and EPA limits for maximum samples from both ports. However, with the exception of one sampling point in Chattogram Port, the pollution-load-index (PLI) values were <1, indicating no heavy-metal contamination. For all metals except Cd, the enrichment factor (EF) values were also <1, indicating that the metals came from natural sources. Besides, the contamination factor (CF) was 1 < CF < 3 for Cd and <1 for other metals, therefore, the study area was under moderate risk for Cd contamination. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo) values indicated that the study area is moderately polluted with Cd (Igeo > 0). In addition, the potential ecological-risk index (PERI) revealed that the both areas are under considerable (PERI > 80) to moderate (PERI > 40) risk due to Cd pollution. Correlation and Principal Component Analyses (PCA), demonstrated the anthropogenic sources of some metals, especially Fe, Ni, and Cd. As a result, it is suggested that the study area should be followed up on, to track changes and design a pollution-control strategy to reduce future pollution hazards.
Research on Optimization Method and Algorithm Design of Green Simultaneous Pick-up and Delivery Vehicle Scheduling under Uncertain Demand
Authors: Xiao Yongmao , Zhou Jincheng , Zhu Xiaoyong , Yu Fajun
Published: October 2022

In order to solve the problem that the existing low-carbon vehicle scheduling model ignores the economic benefits of enterprises and cannot fully reflect the fuzzy needs of customers, the green simultaneous pick-up and delivery vehicle scheduling problem is studied here. With the goal of minimizing the total cost composed of service cost, fuel consumption cost, and carbon emission cost, a multi-objective comprehensive model of green simultaneous pick-up and delivery under fuzzy demand is established. In order to fully consider the objective uncertainty of customer demand and customer service time, triangular fuzzy numbers are introduced and simultaneous delivery demand is considered. An improved genetic tabu search algorithm is proposed to solve this problem. In the improved GA-TS algorithm, the penalty factor is introduced into the fitness function, the selection operator combined with elite strategy is adopted, and a mutation operator combined with tabu search algorithm is proposed. The Taguchi analysis method is used to obtain reasonable parameter settings of the GA-TS algorithm. Finally, a case study is used to verify the effectiveness of the model and hybrid algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed comprehensive model can effectively optimize the scheduling of low-carbon simultaneous pick-up and delivery vehicles under fuzzy demand, and the effectiveness and feasibility of genetic tabu search algorithm are verified by comparing the experimental results of different algorithms and different case sizes.
Absorptive Capacity and Its Dual Effect on Technological Innovation: A Structural Equations Model Approach
Authors: Cuevas-Vargas Héctor , Cortés-Palacios Héctor Abraham , Leana-Morales Cid , Huerta-Mascotte Eduardo
Published: October 2022

Knowledge absorptive capacity (ACAP) is a key dynamic capability that boosts business innovation, particularly in developing economies. However, scarce studies focus on ACAP and technological innovation (TI) in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, this study aims to examine the effects of two different types of knowledge absorptive capacities to generate TI in the context of the Mexican manufacturing industry and determine whether realized absorptive capacity (RACAP) mediates the relationship between potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and TI. This analysis was carried out through an empirical study of predictive type and quantitative approach. A survey-type questionnaire was randomly applied to a sample of 249 SMEs. The survey confers 200 managers’ opinions on the manufacturing industry in Mexico. The outcomes obtained through the variance-based structural equations (PLS-SEM) approach revealed that PACAP significantly influences RACAP, whereas, RACAP does impact TI and has a full mediating effect on the relationship between PACAP and TI. Nevertheless, although the significant direct effect of PACAP on TI is not verified, this research demonstrated the significant indirect effect of PACAP on TI. The findings reveal important implications for managers and decision-makers who must direct their strategies and ensure that the external knowledge acquired is assimilated by their employees so that PACAP will result in the transformation and exploitation of the internal and external knowledge acquired (RACAP), converting it into new products and processes.
The Design of the Outer-Rotor Brushless DC Motor and an Investigation of Motor Axial-Length-to-Pole-Pitch Ratio
Authors: Tosun Ozturk , Serteller Necibe Fusun Oyman
Published: October 2022

In this study, the effects of the ratio of a motor’s axial length to its pole pitch on efficiency, magnetic flux density distribution, torque, torque/weight, and motor volume were investigated in an outer-rotor (hub) brushless direct current motor. The weight and volume of an electrical machine affects the output power, efficiency and output torque, and it is advantageous to design an electric motor at an appropriate power and high efficiency with an appropriate weight and volume. Therefore, the aim of this study was to optimize the motor’s axial length and stator outer diameter, which affects the motor volume. Initially, the axial-length-to-pole-pitch ratio of the hub BLDC motor was taken at 0.75. According to this ratio, the dimensions of the rotor outer diameter, rotor inner diameter, stator outer diameter, stator inner diameter, slot height, motor axial length, and magnet thickness were optimally determined. Then, the axial-length-to-pole-pitch ratio was considered as 1, 1.50, 2, and 3, respectively. The effects of the change in the motor’s axial-length-to-pole-pitch ratio on the efficiency, torque, speed, torque/volume, torque/weight, and cogging torque were examined in a simulation environment. According to the motor’s axial-length-to-pole-pitch ratio, the torque value in the final state was 28.65% higher than the torque value in the initial state. In the last part, the motor axial length and the stator outer diameter were defined as variables in a genetic algorithm procedure and optimized. The number of poles and the number of slots were fixed parameters. Simulation studies were carried out using the finite element method via AN-SYS/Maxwell software.
Lugeon Test and Grouting Application Research Based on RQD of Grouting Sections
Authors: Ren Sheng , Zhao Yanlin , Liao Jian , Liu Qiang , Li Yang
Published: October 2022

Rock quality designation (RQD) and permeability coefficient are important reference indexes for grouting application. Based on the readily available RQD, RQD is found to have no relationship with the depth of rock stratum, and a method for calculating the mean RQD (RQDm) of long stratum is proposed, which is applied to the calculation of RQD of grouting sections. Through Lugeon and grouting tests on the grouting sections, RQDm of the grouting sections is found to be directly related to the average permeability coefficient, permeability, and units of grouting per amount of rock mass. It is found that RQDm has a symmetrical relationship with permeability and grouting volume as well as a negative exponential correlation with unit grouting volume and average permeability coefficient. According to the curve of RQD varying with depth, the grouting amount at different depths can be obtained by using the fitting formula of unit grouting amount and RQDm.
Sustainable Hotel Building Local Assessment Model: A Case of Northern Cyprus
Authors: Mousavi Soad Abokhamis
Published: October 2022

Sustainable building design has grown in importance over the past three decades on every scale, from the global to the small, and in every industry, including the building and tourist sectors. While there are many different types of hotel buildings around the world to meet the demands of guests, their diverse existence can also benefit the local environment and communities through sustainable building design. Hotel buildings have the potential to influence and inspire global transmission of sustainable building methods and their advantages since they are built to attract guests and are reflective of the local culture. Thus, this research aims to build a model to assess the sustainability of hotel buildings as a flexible model according to the different regions’ conditions and priorities. The primary method used in this study is to synthesize sustainable building evaluation criteria and various other sustainability measurement methods developed for buildings. The outcome of this model can be used to assess hotel buildings at the early stages of design, new construction, and amid existing building’s renovations. This study further suggested adapting the model according to the local requirements and goals of a selected region after designing the assessment model as a globally applicable one. A mixed-method approach utilizing both qualitative and quantitative data methods was used in this article. The qualitative method was developed based on observation and interviews with different stakeholders, and the LEED certification was used as a platform for the quantitative method. With the assessment parameters model in mind, a localized version of the model was applied to one hotel building as a case study. Results indicate that the hotel building should be assessed using a localized rather than a global model to have a more sustainable hotel building in the selected area. The selected hotel was tested with the developed LEED model and the results show that the hotel, as an independent building, could be more sustainable in terms of environmental sustainability but that when the social and cultural indicators were applied from the localized model, the results indicate that the hotel would not be sustainable. Finally, this study revealed that the localized model could work over all the countries by considering each region’s existing conditions. Subsequently, this model may help the tourism sector and hotel industries in selected contexts to benefit from sustainability in terms of environmental, socio-cultural, and economic aspects. In turn, these improvements help the local people in numerous ways to have a better quality of life.
Study on Performance of a Modified Two-Stage Piston Expander Based on Spray Heat Transfer
Authors: Yu Qihui , Li Xiaodong , Wei Zhigang , Sun Guoxin , Tan Xin
Published: October 2022

To fully use high-pressure air, the two-stage piston expander (TSPE) has been widely studied. The following factors obstruct the use of the TSPE: A high expansion ratio will inevitably result in a lower air temperature in the cylinder, causing adverse effects such as ice blockage and lubricating oil freezing; the residual air from the I-stage cylinder will all flow into the II-stage cylinder, causing a large reverse force to the I-stage piston during the working process. To address the above problems, a modified two-stage piston expander (M-TSPE) based on spray heat transfer is proposed. Firstly, the working principle of the M-TSPE is introduced, followed by the construction of a mathematical model of the M-TSPE. Secondly, the valve-timing of the M-TSPE is determined and compared with the output power and efficiency of the TSPE. The output power and efficiency of the M-TSPE are increased by 57.58% and 13.28%, respectively. Then, the performance parameters of the M-TSPE with and without spray are compared and analyzed. Finally, parameter analysis is carried out on the air/water mass ratio and water mist particle size. Results show that when the intake pressure and load torque are set to 3 MPa and 150 N·m, respectively, the output power of the M-TSPE without spray is 14.22 kW and the output power of the M-TSPE with spray is 16.08 kW, which is a 13.08% increase in output power. The average air temperatures in the I-stage cylinder of the M-TSPE with and without spray are 321 K and 263 K, respectively, and the average air temperature in the I-stage cylinder is enhanced by 58 K. The output performance of the M-TSPE can be improved by increasing the mass ratio of the water mist in the cylinder and decreasing the particle size of the water mist.
The Existence of Indigenous Knowledge and Local Landslide Mitigation: A Case Study of Banyumas People in Gununglurah Village, Central Java, Indonesia
Authors: Suwarno  , Nirwansyah Anang Widhi , Sutomo  , Demirdag Ismail , Sarjanti Esti , Bramasta Dhi
Published: October 2022

This study examines the indigenous knowledge and local mitigation of the Banyumas people in Gununglurah village, Central Java, against landslides. Here, the local community practices local mitigation strategies to overcome its impacts based on local beliefs and traditional practical solutions. The method of the study mainly employs field observations and semi-structured interviews with sixteen informants, including twelve villagers, four local leaders at RT/RW level, and two government officers. The research finds how indigenous knowledge is used across core belief systems and fundamental understanding of marking, imitating, and adding. In addition, this study also reveals that farmers have practiced traditional terracing methods (nyabuk gunung) to plant crops on slope hills. Other than that, Banyumas people are still practicing the usage of the local seasonal calendar for cropping (pranata mangsa), as well as community-level vegetative strategies and practices. Finally, the study also addresses the threat of global technology and modernization to local knowledge preservation for the future generation.
The Eco-Efficiency of Russian Regions in North Asia: Their Green Direction of Regional Development
Authors: Lubsanova Natalia Borisovna , Maksanova Lyudmila Bato-Zhargalovna , Eremko Zinaida Sergeevna , Bardakhanova Taisiya Borisovna , Mikheeva Anna Semenovna
Published: October 2022

The green economy is one of the important and practical tools of sustainable development, which balances the two directions of regional development: economic growth and preservation of the natural environment. In this paper, we have developed a methodology for investigating the development and implementation of regional green economy policies, using the Russian regions in North Asia as an example. Three main tasks have been accomplished for this purpose: (1) assessment of how sustainable the socio-economic development of the Russian regions in North Asia is; (2) comparative analysis of the sustainability of regional policies (to what extent the federal targets and priorities for the green agenda implementation are reflected in the regional strategic documents); and (3) determination of the green direction for regional development by comparing the results of previous assessments. To assess the sustainability of regional development, we have used a methodology for DEA of eco-efficiency of socio-economic development in the Russian North Asian regions, using a non-oriented slacks-based measure (SBM) model. To assess the sustainability of regional policies, we used a content analysis of regional socio-economic development strategies. We have identified considerable variations among the Russian North Asian regions in the extent to which their socio-economic development is consistent with the principles of a green economy (both in the priorities, tools of regional policies, and the level of eco-efficiency). The content analysis of the regional strategic documents of the Russian North Asian regions, as well as the assessment of the eco-efficiency of their socio-economic development, show that regions with low actual eco-efficiency are planning in their strategies greater efforts for green development than more eco-efficient regions. The approaches we propose can support decision making in the field of eco-economic development as a tool to measure the degree of compliance of regional development with the principles of a green economy.
Examining the Regional Disparity of Agricultural Development: A Distribution Dynamics Approach
Authors: Li Jing , Cheong Tsun Se , Huang Wenyang , Shum Wai Yan
Published: October 2022

Many scholars have argued that the increased disparity in agricultural development among countries is the crux of the regional inequality problem and exerts adverse effects on individuals’ well-being. This study thus aims to examine the distribution dynamics of global agricultural development. Specifically, it examines whether the disparity in agricultural development among countries vanishes over time and whether convergence can be achieved. On that account, a new distribution dynamics analysis method based on the stochastic kernel approach is employed at the country level. The proposed model can address the inadequacies of traditional econometric modelling methods and visualisation tools in the distribution dynamics literature. The research outcomes are as follows. Firstly, the global agricultural income disparity is primarily due to the Global South countries’ low productivity level, which lowers the world average, indicating that these countries need more fiscal and financial aid from Global North countries to boost their agricultural sector productivity levels. Secondly, regarding income division, upper-middle-income countries have been above the average output levels, indicating the invalidity of the middle-income trap for these countries’ agricultural sectors. This finding suggests that increased investment in agricultural productivity can overcome the middle-income trap. Thirdly, from a geographical perspective, Europe, Central Asia, and North America have a technological edge in the agricultural sector. In contrast, East Asia and Pacific countries have the potential to boost agricultural sector productivity. As a result, this study helps policymakers to design better schemes to improve the development of agriculture for each group and country type to improve the development of agriculture for each group and country type.
Carbon Stocks Assessment in a Disturbed and Undisturbed Mangrove Forest in Ghana
Authors: Adotey Joshua , Acheampong Emmanuel , Aheto Denis Worlanyo , Blay John
Published: October 2022

Mangroves and other blue carbon ecosystems have long been recognised for their carbon sink function, yet the organic carbon stocks of mangroves in many countries in Africa remain to be assessed. This study evaluates the impact of traditional forest conservation on long-term carbon sequestration in a non-degraded (Amanzule) and a degraded (Kakum) mangrove forest system in Ghana (West Africa). The amount of carbon stored in mangrove trees was estimated from diameter-based allometric equations. Tree (above- and below-ground) carbon was ~34-fold higher in the Amanzule forest (mean = 0.89 ± 0.10 t/ha) than in the Kakum forest (mean = 0.026 ± 0.019 t/ha). Soil carbon density was estimated as organic carbon and bulk density at specific depths in both forests. Soil organic carbon density was ~5-fold higher in the Amanzule forest (mean = 2935.79 ± 266 t/ha) than the Kakum forest (mean = 554.01 ± 83 t/ha). The variation in the vertical distribution of soil carbon was not significant in either forest (F = 0.57; p > 0.05). These findings underscore the role of traditional conservation on mangrove carbon stocks and the need to consider the governance of coastal ecosystems when estimating blue carbon.
A Method of Cyanobacterial Concentrations Prediction Using Multispectral Images
Authors: Zhao Xiyong , Li Yanzhou , Chen Yongli , Qiao Xi
Published: October 2022

With the increasingly serious eutrophication of inland water, the frequency and scope of harmful cyanobacteria blooms are increasing, which affects the ecological balance and endangers human health. The aim of this study was to propose an alternative method for the quantification of cyanobacterial concentrations in water by correlating multispectral data. The research object was the cyanobacteria in Erhai Lake, Dali, China. Ten monitoring sites were selected, and multispectral images and cyanobacterial concentrations were measured in Erhai Lake from September to November 2021. In this study, multispectral data were used as independent variables, and cyanobacterial concentrations as dependent variables. We performed curve estimation, and significance analysis for the independent variables, and compared them with the original variable model. Here, we chose about four algorithms to establish models and compare their applicability, including Multivariable Linear Regression (MLR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Extreme Learning Machine (ELM). The prediction performance was evaluated by the coefficient of determination (R2), Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE), and Mean Relative Error (MRE). The results showed that the variable analysis model outperformed the original variable model, the ELM was superior to other algorithms, and the variable analysis model based on the ELM algorithm achieved the best results (R2 = 0.7609, RMSE = 4197 cells/mL, MRE = 0.044). This study confirmed the applicability of cyanobacterial concentrations prediction using multispectral data, which can be characterized as a quick and easy methodology, and the deep neural network has great potential to predict the concentration of cyanobacteria.
Optimization Approaches for Multiple Conflicting Objectives in Sustainable Green Supply Chain Management
Authors: Asha Labiba Noshin , Dey Arup , Yodo Nita , Aragon Lucy G.
Published: October 2022

Over the years, the global supply chain has evolved into a more extensive interconnected complex network with multiple suppliers, manufacturers, and customers. Since environmental issues have become a burning question in recent years, the focus has shifted to attaining sustainability in supply chain management. The green supply chain or sustainable network is a concept to reduce environmental impacts in the life cycle of a product. However, green supply chain management is often challenged with additional operating costs and difficulty monitoring the implications within the complex network system. Additionally, many stakeholders are unaware of the importance of sustainability analysis, which eventually complicates adopting green cultures in actual applications. Since green supply chain management deals with multiple aspects, such as cost and carbon emission, the multiobjective optimization method is widely used to evaluate supply chain performance. This paper intensively reviews the state-of-the-art literature on applying multiobjective optimization techniques in green supply chain management. The study highlights aspects of green supply chain structures, model formulation techniques considering multiple objectives simultaneously, and solution methods for multiobjective optimization problems. Finally, a conclusion is drawn with the scope of the potential research opportunities for integrating economic and environmental considerations in sustainable supply chain management practice.
Antiviral and Antifungal of Ulva fasciata Extract: HPLC Analysis of Polyphenolic Compounds
Authors: El-Bilawy Emad H. , Al-Mansori Al-Naji A. , Alotibi Fatimah O. , Al-Askar Abdulaziz A. , Arishi Amr A. , Teiba Islam I. , Sabry Abd El-Naser , Elsharkawy Mohsen Mohamed , Heflish Ahmed A. , Behiry Said I. , Abdelkhalek Ahmed
Published: October 2022

The increasing usage of chemical control agents, as well as fungicides to manage plant diseases, causes human and environmental health problems. Macroalgae represent a reservoir for a tremendous variety of secondary metabolites that display a wide range of biological activities. However, their anti-phytopathogenic properties are still being studied. The current study was conducted to investigate whether or not the macroalgae Ulva fasciata extract exhibits antifungal and antiviral activities. In this regard, the organic extracts of U. fasciata were tested for their capabilities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and three molecularly identified fungal isolates, Fusarium verticillioides, Alternaria tenuissima, and Botrytis cinerea with accession numbers OP363619, OP363620, and OP363621, respectively. Among the three tested extract concentrations, 100 µg/mL had the best biological activity against B. cinerea and TMV, with 69.26%and 81.25% inhibition rates, respectively. The HPLC analysis of chemical profiling of the extract showed the presence of a number of phenolic and flavonoid compounds widely known to display many biological activities. In this line, the 4-Hydroxybenzoic acid was the highest phenolic compound (12.3 µg/mL) present in the extract, followed by ferulic acid (9.05 µg/mL). The 7-hydroxyflavone (12.45 µg/mL) was the highest flavonoid in the organic extract of U. faciata followed by rutin, which recorded a concentration of 7.62 µg/ mL. The results of this study show that the U. fasciata extract has antiviral and antifungal properties, which makes it a possible source of natural antimicrobial agents.
A Pilot Study on the Impact of the BumptUp® Mobile App on Physical Activity during and after Pregnancy
Authors: Tinius Rachel A. , Blankenship Maire M. , Colao Alison M. , Hawk Gregory S. , Perera Madhawa , Schoenberg Nancy E.
Published: October 2022

To combat maternal morbidity and mortality, interventions designed to increase physical activity levels during and after pregnancy are needed. Mobile phone-based interventions show considerable promise, and BumptUp® has been carefully developed to address the lack of exercise among pregnant and postpartum women. The primary goal of this pilot study was to test the potential efficacy of BumptUp® for improving physical activity among pregnant and postpartum women. A randomized controlled clinical trial was performed (N = 35) with women either receiving access to the mhealth app or an educational brochure. Physical activity and self-efficacy for exercise data were collected at baseline (in mid-pregnancy) and at three additional timepoints (late pregnancy, 6 and 12 weeks postpartum). For moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, a clear trend is observed as the mean estimated difference between groups increases from −0.35 (SE: 1.75) in mid-pregnancy to −0.81 (SE: 1.75) in late pregnancy. For self-efficacy for exercise, the estimated difference of means (control–intervention) changed from 0.96 (SE: 6.53) at baseline to −7.64 (SE: 6.66) in late pregnancy and remained at −6.41 (SE: 6.79) and −6.70 (SE: 6.96) at 6 and 12 weeks postpartum, respectively. When assessing the change in self-efficacy from mid-to -ate pregnancy only, there was a statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.044). BumptUp® (version 1.0 (3)) shows potential for efficacy. Pilot data suggest key refinements to be made and a larger clinical trial is warranted.
Characterizing Undergraduate Students’ Systems-Thinking Skills through Agent-Based Modeling Simulation
Authors: Jaiswal Aparajita , Karabiyik Tugba
Published: October 2022

Systems thinking is an essential skill for the future workforce. This study focuses on understanding students’ systems-thinking process via an agent-based model simulation. This study aimed to help students to improve their systems-thinking skills. We used a systems-thinking skills development framework to investigate and characterize students’ agent-based simulation assignment in the undergraduate level systems-methods course at a university in the American Midwest. We identified and characterized patterns of students’ systems-thinking processes based on four criteria: thinking, decision making, action, and interpretation. We classified students into three categories based on their systems-thinking abilities and qualitatively identified the least and most prominent patterns the students exhibited.
Analysis of the Influencing Factors of the High-Quality Utilization of Territorial Space Based on the Perspective of Spatial Equilibrium: A Case Study of Hunan Province, China
Authors: Liu Qing , Su Zengzeng , Huang Weihao
Published: October 2022

In order to promote the efficient and coordinated utilization of counties’ territorial space in Hunan Province, this paper identifies the state of high-quality utilization of territorial space based on the perspective of spatial equilibrium from 2010 to 2020, and uses the spatial econometric model to analyze its influencing factors and propose effective optimization strategies. The results show that: (1) From 2010 to 2020, the quality of agricultural space utilization continued to decline in some areas, and elsewhere to decreased first and then increased. The core area of Chang-Zhu-Tan and the central urban areas of some prefectures have always been high-value areas for the quality of urban space utilization; the agricultural space utilization quality in the Dongting Lake Plain area and the Chang-Zhu-Tan area were high. By 2020, the range of Chang-Zhu-Tan agricultural space categorized as of high-value utilization quality areas has been significantly reduced; the high-value ecological space utilization quality areas were located in areas with large ecological scales, such as counties in the Wuling Mountains, etc. (2) From 2010 to 2020, the near-imbalance and barely balanced development have always been the main types of balanced development, and the balanced development in the core area of Chang-Zhu-Tan and Dongting Lake plain is high. (3) From 2010 to 2020, the types of high-quality utilization of territorial space in Hunan Province were mainly urban-agricultural-ecological spaces with low-quality equilibrium, and high-quality utilization of county areas were rare. The number of high-quality utilization counties was gradually decreasing, and by 2020, there was only one in Wuling District, Changde City. Therefore, the other 121 counties’ territorial space utilization status needs to be improved. (4) The high-quality utilization of territorial space in Hunan province was influenced by both regional background factors and external factors, and the external factors were more significant. Among them, population density, consumption level and other factors played an important role. Relevant departments can take effective measures to promote the efficient and coordinated use of county territorial space by taking such measures as relaxing the conditions for the introduction of talents, increasing financial investment, and so on.
A System Dynamics Model of Multi-Airport Logistics System under the Impact of COVID-19: A Case of Jing-Jin-Ji Multi-Airport System in China
Authors: Zhao Bing , Wu Hao
Published: October 2022

The development of a multi-airport logistics system (MLS) is closely linked to factors such as regional economy, international and domestic trade, competitive synergies between airports, and the impact of unforeseen events such as the COVID-19 outbreak. There are various causal relationships and feedback loops within the MLS, and it is always in a dynamic state of change, so it is ideal to use a system dynamics model to depict the MLS. Taking the Jing-Jin-Ji MLS as an example, a system dynamics model consisting of an economy subsystem, a trade subsystem, and an airport cluster subsystem is constructed, and the sustainable development of the MLS is studied by simulating three pandemic scenarios with different impact levels. At the same time, different policy simulations and sensitivity analyses are used to find effective strategies to enhance the sustainable development of the Jing-Jin-Ji MLS. The results can provide an effective method for forecasting air cargo volumes in the MLS under the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a basis for the relevant departments to formulate policies for the development of the MLS.
Energy Efficiency of Personal Computers: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Prieto Beatriz , Escobar Juan José , Gómez-López Juan Carlos , Díaz Antonio F. , Lampert Thomas
Published: October 2022

The demand for electricity related to Information and Communications Technologies is constantly growing and significantly contributes to the increase in global greenhouse gas emissions. To reduce this harmful growth, it is necessary to address this problem from different perspectives. Among these is changing the computing scale, such as migrating, if possible, algorithms and processes to the most energy efficient resources. In this context, this paper explores the possibility of running scientific and engineering programs on personal computers and compares the obtained power efficiency on these systems with that of mainframe computers and even supercomputers. Anecdotally, this paper also shows how the power efficiency obtained for the same workloads on personal computers is similar to that obtained on supercomputers included in the Green500 ranking.
A Systematic Review of the Relationship between Geotechnics and Disasters
Authors: Solórzano Joselyne , Morante-Carballo Fernando , Montalván-Burbano Néstor , Briones-Bitar Josué , Carrión-Mero Paúl
Published: October 2022

Landslides, earthquakes, and other natural events can change the landscape and generate human and economic losses, affecting transportation and public service infrastructure. In every geotechnical project, the investigation phase plays a fundamental role in reducing the risk of occurrence and mitigating catastrophes. As a result, governments have created entities to study disasters and identify triggering factors that generate huge losses worldwide. This research aims to conduct a systematic review of the relationship between geotechnics and disasters through bibliometric techniques, scientific production evaluation, and case studies analysis to recognize key topics, methods, and thematic development of the research worldwide. The research methodology consisted of three steps: (1) Database analysis, selection, and combination, (2) bibliometric analysis, and (3) systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. The systematic review with bibliometric analysis collected data from 1973 to 2021, with 1299 academic publications indexed in the Scopus and WoS database. These results indicated a growing trend of annual publications on disasters and their relationship with geotechnical studies, highlighting current issues and technological innovation. The main research trends in disaster risk assessment were topics mainly linked to landslides, earthquakes, liquefaction, and inappropriate analysis models with applications of geophysical methods, laboratory tests, remote sensing, and numerical models.
Structural Performance Assessment of Geothermal Asphalt Pavements: A Comparative Experimental Study
Authors: Al-Atroush Mohamed Ezzat , Marouf Abdulrahman , Aloufi Mansour , Marouf Mohamed , Sebaey Tamer A. , Ibrahim Yasser E.
Published: October 2022

This paper introduces shallow geothermal systems as a potential solution for improving the thermo-mechanical performance of asphalt under extreme climate events. With the recent changes experienced in the climate, earlier infrastructure failure can be expected, predominantly for temperature-sensitive flexible pavements. With that in mind, the efficiency of geothermal systems in terms of heating and cooling was comprehensively argued in many studies. However, very limited studies discussed the structural performance of geothermal pavements. This study conducted a comparative experimental study to assess the change in the compressive and flexural strengths of asphalt under extreme heating and cooling conditions and to evaluate the change in asphalt structural performance due to integrating different types of geothermal pipes into the asphalt structure. This comparative analysis employed thirty-three asphalt specimens with and without copper and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) geothermal pipes. The results of this study show that the geothermal pipes negatively affected the compressive strength of the asphalt at a normal average temperature. However, their effect was relatively minimal on the asphalt (AC) compressive strength under extreme heating and cooling conditions. In contrast, under three thermal conditions—normal, heating, and cooling temperatures—the flexure strength of the AC was significantly improved by 14.3%, 85%, and 70%, respectively, due to the copper pipe integration into the AC. The study concluded that copper pipes were superior to PVC ones in terms of enhancing the AC structural performance.
Optimization of Cargo Shipping Adaptability Modeling Evaluation Based on Bayesian Network Algorithm
Authors: Gao Siyuan , Zhang Fengrong , Ning Wei , Wu Dayong
Published: October 2022

Through shipping service adaptability measurement, selecting shipping services that are more adaptable to preferences such as low cost, high efficiency, safety, and obvious emission reduction can achieve synergistic optimization of green shipping management. The study takes green shipping service adaptability as the research theme; explores three aspects, i.e., shipping safety, shipping rate and shipping choice preference, related to the evaluation and selection of a green shipping service; constructs the green shipping service adaptability evaluation index system including safety index, freight rate index and choice preference index; and applies fuzzy-exact by processing the historical data from H shipping company in Hainan Province, China. Bayesian net is applied to calculate the shipping safety adaptation degree of the transportation object. The theory of shipping service adaptability proposed in the paper can be applied to the fields of shipping supplier selection and shipping company’s detection of shipping object status. The fuzzy-exact Bayesian network method chosen in the paper can solve the problem of incomplete state coverage of the Bayesian network and correct the situation that some edge probabilities are unreasonable.
Adsorption Mechanism between Corn Stalk Fiber and Asphalt
Authors: Chen Zining , Liu Boying , Feng Decheng , Li Gang
Published: October 2022

Corn stalk fibers are produced by physical and chemical means. To prove that corn stalk fibers can adsorb asphalt, the adsorption process of asphaltenes was studied. There are four main components in asphalt, and this study used asphaltenes as an adsorbate in an asphalt solution. The corn stalk fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, which indicated that the corn stalk fibers were composed of macroporous and mesoporous structures, with uneven surfaces. The amount of asphaltenes adsorption was found to increase with the weight of the corn stalk fiber, the initial concentration of asphaltenes and the adsorption time. The asphaltene adsorption gradually slowed with time. The Redlich-Peterson model can describe the adsorption process better than the Freundlich and Langmuir models. The pseudo-second-order model presented better suitability for adsorption equilibrium data than the pseudo-first-order model. The adsorption process can be separated into three parts: film diffusion, both film diffusion and intraparticle diffusion, and intraparticle diffusion through the Weber and Morris model. The Boyd model found that film diffusion is the rate-limiting step. The high-temperature performance of corn stalk fiber asphalt increased with increasing mass ratio of fibers and increasing asphaltene adsorption rate. Finally, the corn stalk fibers were proven to adsorb the asphalt effectively.