bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Plant Biostimulant from Ascophyllum nodosum Potentiates Plant Growth Promotion and Stress Protection Activity of Pseudomonas protegens CHA0
Authors: Patel Jai Singh , Selvaraj Vinodkumar , More Prashant , Bahmani Ramin , Borza Tudor , Prithiviraj Balakrishnan
Published: March 2023

Abiotic stresses, including salinity stress, affect numerous crops, causing yield reduction, and, as a result, important economic losses. Extracts from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum (ANE), and compounds secreted by the Pseudomonas protegens strain, CHA0, can mitigate these effects by inducing tolerance against salt stress. However, the influence of ANE on P. protegens CHA0 secretion, and the combined effects of these two biostimulants on plant growth, are not known. Fucoidan, alginate, and mannitol are abundant components of brown algae and of ANE. Reported here are the effects of a commercial formulation of ANE, fucoidan, alginate, and mannitol, on pea (Pisum sativum), and on the plant growth-promoting activity of P. protegens CHA0. In most situations, ANE and fucoidan increased indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and siderophore production, phosphate solubilization, and hydrogen cyanide (HCN) production by P. protegens CHA0. Colonization of pea roots by P. protegens CHA0 was found to be increased mostly by ANE and fucoidan in normal conditions and under salt stress. Applications of P. protegens CHA0 combined with ANE, or with fucoidan, alginate, and mannitol, generally augmented root and shoot growth in normal and salinity stress conditions. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses of P. protegens revealed that, in many instances, ANE and fucoidan enhanced the expression of several genes involved in chemotaxis (cheW and WspR), pyoverdine production (pvdS), and HCN production (hcnA), but gene expression patterns overlapped only occasionally those of growth-promoting parameters. Overall, the increased colonization and the enhanced activities of P. protegens CHA0 in the presence of ANE and its components mitigated salinity stress in pea. Among treatments, ANE and fucoidan were found responsible for most of the increased activities of P. protegens CHA0 and the improved plant growth.
Mass and Charge Transfer in a Polymeric NiSalen Complex at Subzero Temperatures
Authors: Alekseeva Elena V. , Novoselova Julia V. , Anischenko Dmitrii V. , Potapenkov Vasiliy V. , Levin Oleg V.
Published: March 2023

Electrochemical energy storage systems have a wide range of commercial applications. They keep energy and power even at temperatures up to +60 °C. However, the capacity and power of such energy storage systems reduce sharply at negative temperatures due to the difficulty of counterion injection into the electrode material. The application of organic electrode materials based on salen-type polymers is a prospective approach to the development of materials for low-temperature energy sources. Poly[Ni(CH3Salen)]–based electrode materials synthesized from different electrolytes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and quartz crystal microgravimetry at temperatures from −40 °C to 20 °C. By analyzing data obtained in various electrolyte solutions, it was shown that at subzero temperatures, the process of injection into the polymer film, together with slow diffusion within the film, predominantly limit the electrochemical performance of electrode materials based on poly[Ni(CH3Salen)]. It was shown that the deposition of the polymer from solutions with larger cations allow the enhancement of the charge transfer due to the formation of porous structures facilitating the counter-ion diffusion.
Geometric Analysis of Three-Dimensional Woven Fabric with in-Plane Auxetic Behavior
Authors: Zeeshan Muhammad , Hu Hong , Etemadi Ehsan
Published: March 2023

Auxetic textiles are emerging as an enticing option for many advanced applications due to their unique deformation behavior under tensile loading. This study reports the geometrical analysis of three-dimensional (3D) auxetic woven structures based on semi-empirical equations. The 3D woven fabric was developed with a special geometrical arrangement of warp (multi-filament polyester), binding (polyester-wrapped polyurethane), and weft yarns (polyester-wrapped polyurethane) to achieve an auxetic effect. The auxetic geometry, the unit cell resembling a re-entrant hexagon, was modeled at the micro-level in terms of the yarn’s parameters. The geometrical model was used to establish a relationship between the Poisson’s ratio (PR) and the tensile strain when it was stretched along the warp direction. For validation of the model, the experimental results of the developed woven fabrics were correlated with the calculated results from the geometrical analysis. It was found that the calculated results were in good agreement with the experimental results. After experimental validation, the model was used to calculate and discuss critical parameters that affect the auxetic behavior of the structure. Thus, geometrical analysis is believed to be helpful in predicting the auxetic behavior of 3D woven fabrics with different structural parameters.
The Effects of Solvent on Superhydrophobic Polyurethane Coating Incorporated with Hydrophilic SiO2 Nanoparticles as Antifouling Paint
Authors: Kanthasamy Ramesh , Algarni Mohammed , Peng Leo Choe , Zakaria Nur Ain , Zwawi Mohammed
Published: March 2023

Polyurethane (PU) paint with a hydrophobic surface can be easily fouled. In this study, hydrophilic silica nanoparticles and hydrophobic silane were used to modify the surface hydrophobicity that affects the fouling properties of PU paint. Blending silica nanoparticles followed by silane modification only resulted in a slight change in surface morphology and water contact angle. However, the fouling test using kaolinite slurry containing dye showed discouraging results when perfluorooctyltriethoxy silane was used to modify the PU coating blended with silica. The fouled area of this coating increased to 98.80%, compared to the unmodified PU coating, with a fouled area of 30.42%. Although the PU coating blended with silica nanoparticles did not show a significant change in surface morphology and water contact angle without silane modification, the fouled area was reduced to 3.37%. Surface chemistry could be the significant factor that affects the antifouling properties of PU coating. PU coatings were also coated with silica nanoparticles dispersed in different solvents using the dual-layer coating method. The surface roughness was significantly improved by spray-coated silica nanoparticles on PU coatings. The ethanol solvent increased the surface hydrophilicity significantly, and a water contact angle of 18.04° was attained. Both tetrahydrofuran (THF) and paint thinner allowed the adhesion of silica nanoparticles on PU coatings sufficiently, but the excellent solubility of PU in THF caused the embedment of silica nanoparticles. The surface roughness of the PU coating modified using silica nanoparticles in THF was lower than the PU coating modified using silica nanoparticles in paint thinner. The latter coating not only attained a superhydrophobic surface with a water contact angle of 152.71°, but also achieved an antifouling surface with a fouled area as low as 0.06%.
Evaluation of Relative Permeability Curves in Sandstone Core Flooding Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Acharya Tathagata , Song Liaosha , Duginski Elizabeth , Goodwin Andrew
Published: March 2023

Geological carbon sequestration is a proven method of safely storing carbon dioxide in formations, thereby reducing atmospheric carbon imprint and mitigating global warming. The relative permeability to carbon dioxide versus brine/water in geological formations determines flow characteristics of one fluid in the presence of another. The objective of this research is to evaluate the relative permeability to carbon dioxide in both the gas phase and the supercritical state in the presence of water in a Vedder sandstone core sample. The sandstone sample used is medium- to fine-grain arkosic artenite containing primarily quartz, potassium feldspar, plagioclase, and biotite. The effect of the viscosity ratio between the non-wetting phase and the wetting phase, on the relative permeability to the non-wetting phase, is studied. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used for this study. Results show that with the same amount of irreducible water fraction, the endpoint relative permeability to the non-wetting phase is approximately one order of magnitude lower for supercritical carbon dioxide than for gaseous carbon dioxide. The endpoint relative permeability does not change significantly with the change in inlet pressure for gaseous carbon dioxide. Additionally, the endpoint relative permeability to the non-wetting phase increases with an increase in the viscosity ratio. Results suggest that CFD can be effectively used to study relative permeability, precluding expensive experiments.
Buildability Analysis of 3D Concrete Printing Process: A Parametric Study Using Design of Experiment Approach
Authors: Khan Shoukat Alim , Koç Muammer
Published: March 2023

Plastic collapse and buckling are the key structural failure criteria in 3D concrete printing (3DCP). This study aims to analyze the effect of different geometrical designs and printing factors on the buildability performance of 3DCP structures. Due to the high number of variables involved, the Design of Experiment (DOE) has been used to reduce the number of simulations. In geometrical design parameters, the structure’s design is more sensitive, followed by the width and length of the printed design. The buildability increases when we move from sharp corners to more stable structures like fillets and circular geometry. For geometrical design parameters, a maximum buildability of 74% of the designed height is achieved for circular design with the highest width and lowest diameter. For printing parameters, the highest buildability of 486 mm (81%) is achieved for the lower values of printing speed and layer height. The study analyzed failure phenomena of buckling and yield strength for the tested combination of parameters. The study analyzed the sensitivity analysis of individual parameters and their combination for maximum buildability and developed the low order polynomial regression equation for each printing parameter and geometrical factors. Based on the analysis of the results, the study also proposed different new printing strategies to increase the overall performance of the printing process.
Thermodynamic Simulation of O Content Variation Roadmap in Submerged Arc Welding Process: From Droplet to Weld Metal
Authors: Zhang Jin , Zhang Dan
Published: March 2023

Submerged arc welding is a complex metallurgical system involving various phases with a temperature higher than 2000 °C. Since the hot weld pool is shielded beneath the flux, thermodynamic investigation on the O content variation during the welding process remains nebulous. Within this framework, a thermodynamic approach has been proposed to estimate the variation tendency of O content in metal during the overall submerged arc welding process. The modeling is based on the assumptions of Oxygen Layer Theory, Local Attained Equilibrium, and Scheil Solidification. The simulated and measured data show that this approach is capable of predicting the variation of the O content roadmap when typical CaO–Al2O3 based fluxes are employed. Then, factors pertinent to the level of O content are evaluated from thermodynamic perspectives. Additionally, it is revealed that the decomposition mechanisms of the oxides in welding can be constrained via the incumbent approach.
Scholarly Communication over a Decade of Publications
Authors: Heck Tamara , Tunger Dirk , Rittberger Marc
Published: March 2023

Ten years after the journal’s first publication, we are taking a closer look at the knowledge flows of the output of the journal Publications. We analyzed the papers, topics, their authors and countries to assess the development of scholarly communication within Publications. Our bibliometric analyses show the research journal’s community, where the knowledge of this community is coming from, where it is going, and how diverse the community is based on its internationality and multidisciplinarity. We compare these findings with the scopes and topical goals the journal specifies. We aim at informing the editors and editorial board about the journal’s development to advance the journal’s role in scholarly communication. The results show that regarding topical diversity and internationality, the journal has remarkably developed. Moreover, the journal tends towards the field of library and information science, but strengthens its multidisciplinary status via its topics and author backgrounds.
Effects of Wind Wave Spectra, Non-Gaussianity, and Swell on the Prediction of Ocean Microwave Backscatter with Facet Two-Scale Model
Authors: Wu Yuqi , Fan Chenqing , Yan Qiushuang , Meng Junmin , Song Tianran , Zhang Jie
Published: March 2023

The image intensity of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is closely related to the facet scattering distribution. In this paper, the effects of wind wave spectra, non-Gaussianity of the sea surface, and swell on the distribution of the facet normalized radar cross section (NRCS) simulated by the facet two-scale model (TSM) are analyzed by comparing the simulated results with the Sentinel-1 SAR data, the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) data, and the geophysical model function (GMF) at the wind speed range of 3–16 m/s, the wind direction range of 0°–360°, and the incidence angle range of 30°–50° under VV and HH polarizations. The results show that the Apel spectrum achieves a more consistent mean NRCS and NRCS distribution with the reference data at low incidence angles, while the composite spectra perform better at high incidence angles under VV polarization. Under HH polarization, the Apel spectrum always has a better performance. The upwind–downwind asymmetry of backscattering can be predicted well by the modified TSM, which is constructed by incorporating bispectrum correction into the conventional TSM. The distribution of the scattering simulated by the modified TSM deviates from the Gaussian distribution significantly, which is in good agreement with the Sentinel-1 data. Additionally, the introduction of swell widens the spread of the NRCS distribution, and the fluctuation range of the NRCS profile considering swell is larger than that without swell. All these changes caused by the introduction of swell make the distribution of the facet scattering more consistent with the Sentinel-1 data. Moreover, the scattering image patterns and scattering image spectrum of the Sentinel-1 data can be successfully simulated at various sea states with the consideration of swell.
Recognition of Area without Understory Vegetation Based on the RGB-UAV Ultra-High Resolution Images in Red Soil Erosion Area
Authors: Han Chunming , Liu Jia , Ding Yixing , Chai Peng , Bian Xiaolin
Published: March 2023

Understory vegetation plays an important ecological role in maintaining the diversity of the ecosystem, the stability of ecosystem services, and the accumulation of nutrient elements, as an important part of a forest ecosystem. In this study, a new method of recognizing areas without understory vegetation is proposed. The method makes full use of the advantages of spectral characteristics, spatial structure information and temporal resolution of UAV images, and can quickly and simply distinguish understory, without vegetation cover. Combined with fractional vegetation coverage (FVC) and vegetation dispersion, understory, with no vegetation area, can be successfully recognized, and the Pr, Re and F1 are all above 85%. The proportion of bare soil under forest in our study area is 20.40%, 19.98% and even 41.69%. The study area is located in Changting County, Fujian Province, which is a typical red soil area in China where serious soil erosion is taking place in the forest. The method provides a promising, quick and economic way of estimating understory vegetation coverage with high spatial accuracy.
Remote Sensing Monitoring and Analysis of Jinwuco Lateral Moraine Landslide-Glacial Lake Outburst in Southeast Tibet
Authors: Gao Yaping , Yang Wenguang , Guo Rui , Jiang Liming
Published: March 2023

On 25 June 2020, a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) occurred in Jinwuco, Nidou Zangbo, and southeast Tibet, causing catastrophic damage to multiple infrastructures such as roads, bridges, and farmlands in the surrounding and downstream areas. Due to the lack of long-term monitoring of glacial lake and glacier changes in the region and the surrounding surface, the spatial and temporal evolutionary characteristics and triggering factors of the disaster still need to be determined. Here, we combine multi-temporal optical remote sensing image interpretation, surface deformation monitoring with synthetic aperture radar (SAR)/InSAR, meteorological observation data, and corresponding soil moisture change information to systematically analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and triggering factors of this GLOF disaster. Optical images taken between 1987 and 2020 indicate that the glacial lake’s initial area of 0.39 km2 quickly grew to 0.56 km2, then plummeted to 0.26 km2 after the catastrophe. Meanwhile, we found obvious signs of slippage beside the lateral moraine at the junction of the glacier’s terminus and the glacial lake. The pixel offset tracking (POT) results based on SAR images acquired before and after the disaster reveal that the western lateral moraine underwent a 40 m line of sight (LOS) deformation. The small baseline subset InSAR (SBAS-InSAR) results from 2017 to 2021 show that the cumulative deformation of the slope around the lateral moraine increased in the rainy season before the disaster, with a maximum cumulative deformation of −52 mm in 120 days and gradually stabilized after the disaster. However, there are three long-term deformation areas on the slope above it, showing an increasing trend after the disaster, with cumulative deformation exceeding −30 mm during the monitoring period. The lateral moraine collapse occurred in a warm climate with continuous and intense precipitation, and the low backscatter intensity prior to the slide suggests that the soil was very moist. Intense rainfall is thought to be the catalyst for lateral moraine collapse, whereas the lateral moraine falling into the glacier lake is the direct cause of the GLOF. This study shows that the joint active–passive remote sensing technique can accurately obtain the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics and triggering factors of GLOF. It is helpful to understand the GLOF event caused by the slide of lateral moraine more comprehensively, which is essential for further work related to glacial lake hazard assessment.
A Comprehensive Study of Clustering-Based Techniques for Detecting Abnormal Vessel Behavior
Authors: Farahnakian Farshad , Nicolas Florent , Farahnakian Fahimeh , Nevalainen Paavo , Sheikh Javad , Heikkonen Jukka , Raduly-Baka Csaba
Published: March 2023

Abnormal behavior detection is currently receiving much attention because of the availability of marine equipment and data allowing maritime agents to track vessels. One of the most popular tools for developing an efficient anomaly detection system is the Automatic Identification System (AIS). The aim of this paper is to explore the performance of existing well-known clustering methods for detecting the two most dangerous abnormal behaviors based on the AIS. The methods include K-means, Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN), Affinity Propagation (AP), and the Gaussian Mixtures Model (GMM). In order to evaluate the performance of the clustering methods, we also used the AIS data of vessels, which were collected through the Finnish transport agency from the whole Baltic Sea for three months. Although most existing studies focus on ocean route recognition, deviations from regulated ocean routes, or irregular speed, we focused on dark ships or those sets of vessels that turn off the AIS to perform illegal activities and spiral vessel movements. The experimental results demonstrate that the K-means clustering method can effectively detect dark ships and spiral vessel movements, which are the most threatening events for maritime safety.
Blockchain in the Construction Industry between 2016 and 2022: A Review, Bibliometric, and Network Analysis
Authors: Shishehgarkhaneh Milad Baghalzadeh , Moehler Robert C. , Moradinia Sina Fard
Published: March 2023

In recent years, applications of Blockchain technology (BCT) have been progressing at a galloping rate in miscellaneous fields, such as finance, education, travel, healthcare, and insurance. However, BCT has gained much popularity in the construction industry, especially in developed nations worldwide, as it can solve real-world problems, including poor payments, inadequate cooperation and collaboration, inappropriate data sharing among stakeholders, and poor efficiency. The current research employs a bibliometric and systematic literature review (SLR) on utilizing BCT in the construction industry. Using co-occurrence and co-citation studies, network visualization and other methodologies concerning the Web of Science (WOS) database and the research contacts’ patterns were investigated in 482 academic papers. Notable publications, conferences, significant writers, nations, organizations, and funding organizations have been acknowledged. Our research reveals that the primary study topics are BCT in the construction industry, supply chain management, smart contracts, sustainability, building information modeling (BIM), the Internet of Things (IoT) and energy efficiency. Several possible fields for further research are mentioned, including the use of BCT in: (i) circular economy, (ii) risk management, (iii) smart villages, and (iv) infrastructure construction projects.
Emergent Research Themes on Sustainability in the Beef Cattle Industry in Brazil: An Integrative Literature Review
Authors: Casagranda Yasmin Gomes , Wiśniewska-Paluszak Joanna , Paluszak Grzegorz , Mores Giana de Vargas , Moro Leila Dal , Malafaia Guilherme Cunha , Azevedo Denise Barros de , Zhang Debin
Published: March 2023

Brazil is one of the world’s biggest beef producers and its largest exporter. However, beef cattle ranching is a leading cause of deforestation and habitat conversion in the Brazilian Amazon, which challenges sustainable development. We adopted the triple bottom line (TBL) as a guiding theory of sustainability and assumed the necessity of a production system-specific approach. Based on an integrative literature analysis, we aimed to assess sustainability pillars in beef cattle production. The Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases were searched for studies on mitigating the adverse impacts of beef cattle production before the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. We found 108 references in these databases, 46 of which met the criteria for eligibility assessment, and ten studies were selected for textual cluster analysis and thematic synthesis. The review shows emergent research themes on sustainability in beef cattle production. It also elaborates a conceptual model of the sustainability pillars in the technique, science, and social aspects of the beef cattle sector that may guide the managerial and political strategies for the beef cattle supply chain in Brazil and other emerging markets. This study indicates that sustainable beef cattle development requires new digital technologies and ideas about sustainable supply chain management, which provides human, environmental, and animal welfare.
A 3D Study of the Darrieus Wind Turbine with Auxiliary Blades and Economic Analysis Based on an Optimal Design from a Parametric Investigation
Authors: Asadbeigi Mohammadreza , Ghafoorian Farzad , Mehrpooya Mehdi , Chegini Sahel , Jarrahian Azad
Published: March 2023

Due to the high consumption of energy in recent years and global efforts to replace fossil fuels with clean energy, the need for high-efficiency renewable energy systems has become necessary. Small VAWTs are suitable candidates for clean energy production, due to their advantages over other power systems; nevertheless, their aerodynamic performance is modest. This paper attempts to improve the Darrieus VAWT performance by examining the turbine design parameters through the CFD method by adopting the SST k-ω turbulence model and finding the optimum turbine by utilizing the Kriging optimization model. Finally, by using the suggested optimized turbine, the economic analysis conducted to assess the total net present cost indicated the ideal hybrid power. The CFD results from different parameters show that the three-bladed turbine achieved maximum Cp and turbine with σ = 1.2 and optimal Cp by 34.4% compared to the medium solidity. The symmetrical airfoil t/c of 21% registered 19% and 48% performance enhancement at λ = 2.5 in comparison to t/c = 15% and 12%, respectively. Increasing the H/D ratio results in a better performance at the initial TSR, while a low H/D attained the highest Cp value. The stall condition can be delayed in low TSRs with toe-out blades upstream and obtained an increase of 22.4% in power obtained by β= −6° compared to the zero pitch angle. The assistance of auxiliary blades working in a wider range of TSR is shown and the turbine starting power augmented by 75.8%. The Kriging optimization model predicted the optimal Cp = 0.457, which can be attained with an optimal turbine with N = 3, σ = 1.2, NACA 0021 airfoil, AR = 0.8, and β= −6° operating at λ = 2.8. Finally, the results of the economic analysis indicate that the hybrid energy system consisting of a VAWT, a battery, and a converter can be applied for satisfying the site load demand with a lower net present cost and cost of energy compared to other feasible hybrid energy systems.
Does the Development of the Digital Economy Promote Common Prosperity?—Analysis Based on 284 Cities in China
Authors: Chen Li , Zhang Yuanbo
Published: March 2023

Common prosperity is the essential requirement of socialism and an important feature of Chinese-style modernization. Data from 284 cities in China from 2011 to 2020 were collected to construct an evaluation system of the digital economy and common prosperity and establish relevant econometric models to explore their impact, spatial spillover, and mechanism. It is found that: (1) the digital economy has an obvious role in promoting common prosperity, this promotion role is dynamic and nonlinear, and the digital economy’s promotion is more obvious in low-level digital economy regions; (2) the digital economy has obvious externalities, and there is a spatial spillover effect in the process of promoting common prosperity; (3) resource allocation efficiency plays a mediating role in the process of promoting common prosperity development in the digital economy. Finally, countermeasures and suggestions are proposed in four aspects: strengthening the development of the digital economy, increasing investment in digital infrastructure, enhancing the digital governance capacity of the government, and building a digital economy demonstration zone. The research results deepen the understanding of the digital economy and common prosperity and provide some insights for the ultimate realization of common prosperity.
Removal of Arsenate from Contaminated Water via Combined Addition of Magnesium-Based and Calcium-Based Adsorbents
Authors: Sugita Hajime , Oguma Terumi , Hara Junko , Zhang Ming , Kawabe Yoshishige
Published: March 2023

The effects of the combined addition of Mg- and Ca-based adsorbents (MgO, Mg(OH)2, MgCO3, CaO, Ca(OH)2, and CaCO3) were systematically tested for improving arsenic-removal performance and inhibiting the leaching of base material components from the adsorbent. Arsenic-removal tests were conducted with each single type or combination of two types of adsorbents. Results obtained after the combined-addition tests were compared with those obtained from the single-addition test with each adsorbent. The arsenic-removal performance improved in most combined additions but decreased in certain combined additions of MgO or Mg(OH)2 with Ca-based adsorbents. The arsenic-removal performance of the combined addition of MgCO3 and Ca(OH)2 was the highest. The combination of Mg-based adsorbents with CaO or Ca(OH)2 inhibited Mg-leaching, whereas that of CaO or Ca(OH)2 with MgCO3 inhibited Ca-leaching. Improvement in arsenic-removal performance for the combination of MgCO3 with CaO or Ca(OH)2 was caused by the incorporation and co-precipitation with arsenic when Mg(OH)2 and CaCO3 were produced. MgCO3-Ca(OH)2 and MgCO3-CaO are recommended for both arsenic removal and environmental adsorbent stability that can be effectively applied over a wide range of arsenic concentrations.
Influencing Factors of Sports Activities of Urban Migrant Children Based on Intelligent Evaluation
Authors: Wang Xiaofen , Jiang Ying
Published: March 2023

In this paper, a cluster sampling method was used to randomly select 1308 young children from the southern part of Fujian Province, China, and the short format of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to investigate their physical activity. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of children’s moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time. Results: The MVPA time deficit rate of urban migrant children in southern Fujian was 90.1%, and that of girls (92.2%) was significantly higher than that of boys (88.5%); Multivariate logistic regression analysis found that gender, parents’ support on sports, and sports grounds near their homes were the main factors affecting the lack of MVPA time for urban migrant children.
Beyond the Traditional: A Systematic Review of Digital Game-Based Assessment for Students’ Knowledge, Skills, and Affections
Authors: Zhu Sha , Guo Qing , Yang Harrison Hao
Published: March 2023

Traditional methods of student assessment (SA) include self-reported surveys, standardized tests, etc. These methods are widely regarded by researchers as inducing test anxiety. They also ignore students’ thinking processes and are not applicable to the assessment of higher-order skills. Digital game-based assessment (DGBA) is thought to address the shortcomings of traditional assessment methods. Given the advantages of DGBA, an increasing number of empirical studies are working to apply digital games for SA. However, there is a lack of any systematic review of DGBA studies. In particular, very little is known about the characteristics of the games, the content of the assessment, the methods of implementation, and the distribution of the results. This study examined the characteristics of DGBA studies, and the adopted games on SA in the past decade from different perspectives. A rigorous systematic review process was adopted in this study. First, the Web of Science (WOS) database was used to search the literature on DGBA published over the last decade. Then, 50 studies on SA were selected for subsequent analysis according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results of this study found that DGBA has attracted the attention of researchers around the world. The participants of the DGBA studies were distributed across different educational levels, but the number of participants was small. Among all game genres, educational games were the most frequently used. Disciplinary knowledge is the most popular SA research content. Formative assessment modeling with process data and summative assessment using final scores were the most popular assessment methods. Correlation analysis was the most popular analysis method to verify the effectiveness of games on SA. However, many DGBA studies have reported unsatisfactory data analysis results. For the above findings, this study further discussed the reasons, as well as the meanings. In conclusion, this review showed the current status and gaps of DGBA in the SA application; directional references for future research of researchers and game designers are also provided.
Effects of Formula Fertilizer and Biochar on Cadmium and Plumbum Absorption in Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Ma Zhongwen , Tao Ronghao , Hu Jingyi , Cao Chi , Hu Zhaoyun , Chen Yong , Hu Hongxiang , Ma Youhua
Published: March 2023

Effective, economical and feasible remediation technology of heavy metal pollution in farmland is an important research concentration in the field of farmland soil remediation. In order to investigate the remediation effects of formula fertilizer and biochar on cadmium (Cd)–plumbum (Pb) contaminated farmland, blank (CK), lime (SH), biochar (SWT), formula fertilizer (FL), and biochar + formula fertilizer (FS) were set up in Cd–Pb contaminated farmland. The results demonstrated the following: (1) Compared with CK, SWT and FS increased the yield by 11.21% and 15.00%, respectively, which was significantly higher than other treatments. (2) The concentrations of Cd and Pb in maize kernels under all treatments were lower than the limited value stipulated by GB 2762-2022 in China. Compared with CK, FS reduced the concentration of Cd and Pb in maize kernels by 24.96% and 31.46%, respectively, which were the most significant. All the treatments can reduce the concentrations of Cd and Pb in maize cob and straw and inhibit the transfer of Cd and Pb from the lower part of the maize field to the overground part. (3) FL, SWT, and FS increased soil pH by 0.17, 0.10, and 0.19 units, respectively. FS can reduce the concentrations of available cadmium (DTPA-Cd) and available lead (DTPA-Pb) significantly, which are 31.05% and 38.57% lower than CK, respectively. (4) Each treatment can reduce the extraction state and reducible state of weak acid Cd and Pb in soil, while increasing the proportion of oxidizable state and residual state. FL and FS significantly increased the percentage of residual Cd and Pb by 18.00% and 24.32%, respectively, and 33.33% and 37.76%, respectively. (5) FL (1.747) and FS (1.679) were relatively higher than CK in input/output. In conclusion, the combined application of biochar and formula fertilizer in Cd/Pb polluted farmland can effectively reduce the concentration of Cd and Pb in maize and has high economic benefits and practicability.
Attention-Based Multiple Graph Convolutional Recurrent Network for Traffic Forecasting
Authors: Liu Lu , Cao Yibo , Dong Yuhan
Published: March 2023

Traffic forecasting is essential in the development of intelligent transportation systems, as it enables the formulation of effective traffic dispatching strategies and contributes to the reduction of traffic congestion. The abundance of research focused on modeling complex spatiotemporal correlations for accurate traffic prediction, however many of these prior works perform feature extraction based solely on prior graph structures, thereby overlooking the latent graph connectivity inherent in the data and degrading a decline in prediction accuracy. In this study, we present a novel Attention-based Multiple Graph Convolutional Recurrent Network (AMGCRN) to capture dynamic and latent spatiotemporal correlations in traffic data. The proposed model comprises two spatial feature extraction modules. Firstly, a dot product attention mechanism is utilized to construct an adaptive graph to extract the similarity of road structure. Secondly, the graph attention mechanism is leveraged to enhance the extraction of local traffic flow features. The outputs of these two spatial feature extraction modules are integrated through a gating mechanism and fed into a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) to make spatiotemporal interaction predictions. Experimental results on two real-world traffic datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed AMGCRN over state-of-the-art baselines. The results suggest that the proposed model is effective in capturing complex spatiotemporal correlations and achieving about 1% improvements in traffic forecasting.
Design of Key Parameters for Strip–Filling Structures Using Cemented Gangue in Goaf—A Case Study
Authors: Huang Wanpeng , Song Tianneng , Li Huanyu , Liu Yaxin , Hou Tao , Gao Mingtao , Zheng Yongsheng
Published: March 2023

Large–scale underground coal mining is bound to cause serious surface subsidence problems. However, conventional filling and mining methods have problems such as high cost and process difficulty. In order to achieve the purpose of high efficiency and low cost, this paper proposes using the technology of CGSG. To achieve the effective control of overburden strata movement and ground surface settlement using cemented gangue strip filling in the goaf (CGSG), this paper studies the design principles and methods of the key parameters of the strip–filling structure including the strength, compressed deformation characteristics, and sizes. Based on the analysis of the structures and movement characteristics of the overburden strata above the coal seam, the mechanical relationship between the strip–filling structure and the overburden strata was established. Formulas for calculating the parameters of the strip–filling structure were derived. Guided by the obtained index parameters, the material ratios and mechanical experiments of the filling body were designed. The research results demonstrated that the strengths of the cemented gangue filling body at different ages should be greater than the compressive load of the strata roof movement on the filling body during the same period; under the compression of the maximum load, the ultimate compressive deformation of the filling body should be less than the ultimate subsidence deflection of the basic roof strata. The width of the strip–filling structure was inversely proportional to its ultimate strength, while the width of the non–filling area was greatly affected by the length of the rock beam formed after the basic roof strata fractured. The research results were applied in the No. 7402 experimental strip–filling workface in Zhaizhen coal mine, China. Reasonable parameters of the cemented gangue strip–filling structure were designed. The field application results demonstrated that, after using the technology of CGSG, there was no obvious pressure appearance when the working face was mined. The maximum sinking value of the ground surface was only 30 mm after the mining of the working face was completed; at the same time, the filling cost was about one–third less than the complete–filling technology in the goaf.
The Diffusion of Bioplastics: What Can We Learn from Poly(Lactic Acid)?
Authors: Teixeira Leonardo Vieira , Bomtempo José Vitor , Oroski Fábio de Almeida , Coutinho Paulo Luiz de Andrade
Published: March 2023

Environmental and social impacts caused by petrochemical plastics are generating significant concerns on a global scale. Bioplastics can contribute to the transition to more sustainable materials, but they did not expand at the expected rates in the early 2000s. With recent predictions indicating that the bioplastic capacities will almost triple in the next five years, what are the conditions that may now be combined to justify and enable such an expansion? This paper uses the case of PLA and general insights into other bioplastics (stylized facts) to detail these conditions. The results show that many bioplastics remained unused during the 20th Century, with interest increasing when plastic pollution became flagrant in the 1980s. For PLA, many efforts have been made to solve the technical and market issues, including through intense cooperation among stakeholders. While environmental concerns have propelled bioplastics, the general absence of structured end-of-life alternatives (e.g., recycling and composting infrastructures) hinders their diffusion. Conversely, the expanding regulations related to plastic pollution are now the primary driver of the growth of bioplastics. Therefore, for bioplastics, and especially PLA, the conditions seem to be emerging for them to diffuse at the predicted rates, but structural limitations in the bioplastics value chain still compromise the large-scale substitution of petrochemicals. This trend indicates that establishing end-of-life alternatives for bioplastics could help to remove the bottleneck in their diffusion process.
Removal of Dye from Aqueous Solution Using Ectodermis of Prickly Pear Fruits-Based Bioadsorbent
Authors: Al-Zahrani Fatimah A. M. , Al-Shehri Badria M. , El-Shishtawy Reda M.
Published: March 2023

Billions of grams of ectodermic fruits, such as prickly pear fruits, are removed and thrown as waste worldwide. In this study, an inexpensive approach was used to successfully transform the agricultural waste prickly pear fruit peels (PPFP) into a new adsorbent used to remove dye (PTZIDM). The adsorbent PPFP revealed a porous structure and a fair surface area. It was characterized and evaluated using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and surface area measurements (BET). The effectiveness of the PPFP’s adsorption was assessed in relation to pH, PPFP dose, contact time, and initial dye concentration. The kinetics and isotherm characteristics were investigated. More than 95% removal efficiency was obtained within 60 min at the adsorbent dose of 0.1 g for an initial dye concentration of 1 × 10−5 M at pH 3. The pseudo-second-order models and the Langmuir isotherm are excellent at explaining the characteristic of dye adsorption. This work offers a rapid and simple method for efficiently converting biomass waste and using it to remove pollutants.
Advanced Manufacturing Management: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Katina Polinpapilinho F. , Cash Casey T. , Caldwell Logan R. , Beck Chrystopher M. , Katina James J.
Published: March 2023

One of the long-standing principles of phenomenological understanding is focused on the role of definition. Definitions are enablers in making something definite, distinct, or clear. This study aims to generate the definition of an emerging domain of Advanced Manufacturing Management using a literature review. First, an examination of Advanced Manufacturing Management (AMM) at an institutional level is provided, revealing institutions and courses that currently populate the domain. Second, a systematic literature review for AMM is conducted utilizing and triangulating between Web of Science, Science Direct/Elsevier, and Google Scholar. The results, supported by VOSviewer, suggest a dire need for a formal definition and conceptual foundations of AMM. Third, a proposed conceptual foundation that can enable a balanced development of AMM addressing the philosophical, theoretical, epistemological, ontological, axiological, axiomatic, methodology, methods, and applications aspects is suggested to support and holistically advance manufacturing and its problem domain. This conceptual foundation supports an alternative level of thinking, decision, action, and interpretation appropriate for the AMM problem domain, simultaneously advancing its science, engineering, applications, and practice. The article concludes with several challenges for the AMM field, a path forward for developing and advancing AMM as a field capable of providing a robust approach to dealing with emerging manufacturing-related issues.
Risk Influence of Employee Productivity on Business Failure: Evidence Found in Serbian SMEs
Authors: Damnjanovic Aleksandar M. , Dimitrijevic Vladimir , Nesic Sandra , Miskic Miroslav , Mrdak Gordana , Arsic Sinisa M.
Published: March 2023

This research paper analyzes low productivity of company workforce as the key risk factor to business sustainability of a company, with special attention to small and medium-sized companies. The scope of research involves for-profit, and small and medium-sized companies doing business in Serbia. This paper explores whether poor human resource management, and, more particularly, low productivity of employees represent one of the key reasons for poor business performance and eventually failure of the company. The quantitative part of this research was conducted during 2022, by analyzing 468 small and medium-sized companies with less than 250 employees, who ended their business during 2021. Current theory determines human resource management in companies, the influence of different sorts on overall business performance, and employee productivity and its causal effects on business survival. This study attempts to cover identified literature gaps by analyzing the risk influences of low productivity on the failure of small and medium-sized companies, with special diversification between manufacturing and service-oriented companies. Key findings from this research were defined with the help of statistical learning methods, suggesting direct correlation of low productivity in the case of small services-oriented businesses and medium-sized manufacturing companies. Future work on this research includes extension of the analysis to other countries in the West Balkans region and the comparation of all determined causalities.
Psychometric Properties of the Coach-Created Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire (EDMCQ-C) in a Brazilian Sample of Athletes: An ESEM Approach
Authors: Angelo Daniela Lopes , Duda Joan L. , Balaguer Isabel , Rosado Antônio , Corrêa Mariana , Anunciação Luis , Tutte Veronica , Júnior Marcelo Villas Boas , Bossio Mário Reyes , Brandão Regina
Published: March 2023

The objectives of this study were to assess the psychometric properties of the Coach-created Empowering and Disempowering Motivational Climate Questionnaire (EDMCQ-C) by testing four different hypotheses. A procedure of translation and adaptation of the instrument between different languages and cultures was carried out. A total of 350 national level Brazilian athletes (aged between 15 and 17 years; mean = 17.0, SD = 1.7) completed the questionnaire. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Exploratory Structural Equation Modelling (ESEM) were performed. Consistent with previous work on the EDMCQ-C, all solutions failed to achieve suitable levels of fit for a hierarchical model represented by five climate dimensions (autonomy-supportive, controlling, task-involving, ego-involving, and socially-supportive) and two global dimensions (empowering and disempowering). The 2-ESEM solution provided a satisfactory fit for the first-order model with two global factors supported. The 2-ESEM version of the questionnaire showed adequate predictive and discriminant validity, good internal consistency, and invariance across gender. Such results suggest that the EDMCQ-C is a promising scale to assess Brazilian athletes’ perception of the over-arching empowering and disempowering features of the coach-created motivational climate.
Green Production Management and Innovation Nexus: Evidence from Technology-Based SMEs of China
Authors: Zhou Lianjie , Dai Yuhui
Published: March 2023

This paper aims to study the relationship between green production management and enterprise innovation through empirical analysis of China’s technology-based small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It can promote the improvement of the production management efficiency of enterprises. The rapid development of information technology and the change in social productivity has changed lifestyles in ways that trigger certain challenges in production management, especially in technology-based SMEs. The main issue is the role of leaders and organizational practices. Therefore, this paper designs and improves the structural and operating mechanisms of technology-based SMEs by employing the person fit and evolutionary game models. This paper gathers data from technology-based SMEs of Zhejiang Province, China, by conducting a questionnaire-based survey. The principle of person-environment fit revealed the positive leadership skills of enterprise managers. In addition, the evolutionary game model revealed the re-optimization of SMEs to improve management efficiency through reforming enterprises’ organization, management, and supervision mechanisms. Finally, strengthening collaborative innovation, improving innovation support services, grasping the balanced scale of the system, and boosting the innovation habitat for the healthy and innovative ecosystem of technology-based SMEs are proposed. This paper provides suggestions for policymakers to expand and upgrade management, especially in technology-based enterprises.