Environmental Information Research Articles

Confucian Culture, Climate Risk, and Corporate Environmental Information Disclosure Quality: Evidence from China

Confucian Culture, Climate Risk, and Corporate Environmental Information Disclosure Quality: Evidence from China

Evolution of cooperation in the public goods game with Q-learning

Recent paradigm shifts from imitation learning to reinforcement learning (RL) is shown to be productive in understanding human behaviors. In the RL paradigm, individuals search for optimal strategies through interaction with the environment to make decisions. This implies that gathering, processing, and utilizing information from their surroundings is crucial. However, existing studies on public good games using the Q-learning algorithm typically adopt a self-regarding setup, where individuals adjust their strategies based solely on their own strategic information, neglecting the environmental factors. In this work, we investigate the evolution of cooperation with the multiplayer game — the public goods game using the Q-learning algorithm by leveraging the environmental information. Specifically, the decision-making of players is based on the cooperation information in their neighborhood. Our results show that cooperation is more likely to emerge compared to the case of imitation learning by using Fermi-function-based update rule. Of particular interest is the observation of an anomalous non-monotonic dependence which is revealed when voluntary participation is further introduced. The analysis of the Q-table explains the mechanisms behind the cooperation evolution. Our findings indicate the fundamental role of environment information in the RL paradigm to understand the evolution of cooperation, and human behaviors in general.

Acoustic cognitive map-based navigation in echolocating bats.

Bats are known for their ability to use echolocation for obstacle avoidance and orientation. However, the extent to which bats utilize their highly local and directional echolocation for kilometer-scale navigation is unknown. In this study, we translocated wild Kuhl's pipistrelle bats and tracked their homing abilities while manipulating their visual, magnetic, and olfactory sensing and accurately tracked them using a new reverse GPS system. We show that bats can identify their location after translocation and conduct several-kilometer map-based navigation using solely echolocation. This proposition was further supported by a large-scale echolocation model disclosing how bats use environmental acoustic information to perform acoustic cognitive map-based navigation. We also demonstrate that navigation is improved when using both echolocation and vision.

Heavy metal exposure reduces larval gut microbiota diversity of the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis.

Cadmium (Cd), a widely distributed environmental pollutant in agroecosystems, causes negative effects on crops and herbivores through bottom-up processes. The gut microbial community of an insect can play a critical role in response to metal stress. To understand how microbiota affect the stress responses of organisms to heavy metals in agroecosystems, we initially used 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize the larval gut microbiota of Chilo suppressalis, an important agricultural pest, exposed to a diet containing Cd. The species richness, diversity, and composition of the gut microbial community was then analyzed. Results revealed that while the richness (Chao1 and ACE) of gut microbiota in larvae exposed to Cd was not significantly affected, diversity (Shannon and Simpson) was reduced due to changes in species distribution and relative abundance. Overall, the most abundant genus was Enterococcus, while the abundance of the genera Micrococcaceae and Faecalibaculum in the control significantly superior to that in Cd-exposed pests. Phylogenetic investigation of microbial communities by the reconstruction of unobserved states (PICRUSt) showed that the intestinal microorganisms appear to participate in 34 pathways, especially those used in environmental information processing and the metabolism of the organism. This study suggests that the gut microbiota of C. suppressalis are significantly impacted by Cd exposure and highlights the importance of the gut microbiome in host stress responses and negative effects of Cd pollution in agroecosystems.

Lightweight consortium blockchain-enabled secured Vehicular ad Hoc Network using certificateless conditional privacy-preserving authentication mechanism.

Towards the intelligent transportation systems, Location Based Service (LBS) are widely engaged in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs) that are becoming as significant application that change the human driving experience in today's world. LBS systems facilitate the users with intelligent services by collecting an accurate location information. Due to the frequent exchange rate of the location information in an open environment, VANETs are inherently susceptible to privacy and security attacks. In past, many schemes have been proposed to ensure the privacy and security of exchanged location information; but fail to deploy in practical VANETs. At the same time, system efficiency is compromised which is another primary requirement of VANETs. Leveraging the semi-decentralized and lightweight nature of consortium blockchain technology, and Certificateless conditional privacy protection scheme to reduce the node authentication overhead, this paper introduces Consortium Blockchain assisted Certificateless Conditional Privacy Protection scheme to address the aforementioned challenges. Additionally, the proposed scheme has ability to develop anonymous regions for a particular time stamp ensuring the location privacy of vehicles. Rigorous security analysis and experiments show the practicality and resilience to various attack models, and achieve ADP 83% with maximum malicious attacks. Comparing with existing state of the art methods, the proposed scheme exhibits the privacy improvement and low computational complexity.

Translation of a Bipolar Fuzzy Set in Hilbert Algebras

This study explores the application of bipolar fuzzy set theory within Hilbert algebras, introducing and examining the concept of bipolar fuzzy (β, α)-translations of a bipolar fuzzy set φ =(φ+, φ−) in two distinct forms: Type I and Type II. Fundamental properties of these bipolar fuzzy translations are investigated in depth, alongside the introduction of bipolar fuzzy extensions andintensities, broadening the utility and flexibility of bipolar fuzzy sets in capturing nuanced bipolar information. Moreover, this work addresses the intricate relationships between the complement of a bipolar fuzzy subalgebra, bipolar fuzzy ideal, and bipolar fuzzy deductive system with respect to their level cuts. The findings significantly contribute to the broader theoretical foundation and potential applications of bipolar fuzzy logic in Hilbert algebras, offering valuable insights for managing complex bipolar information in uncertain environments.

Robot skill acquisition for precision assembly of flexible flat cable with force control

Abstract The flexible flat cable (FFC) assembly task is a prime challenge in electronic manufacturing. Its characteristics of being prone to deformation under external force, tiny assembly tolerance, and fragility impede the application of robotic assembly in this field. To achieve reliable and stable robotic automation assembly of FFC, an efficient assembly skill acquisition strategy is presented by combining a parallel robot skill learning algorithm with adaptive impedance control. The parallel robot skill learning algorithm is proposed to enhance the efficiency of FFC assembly skill acquisition, which reduces the risk of damaging FFC and tackles the uncertain influence resulting from deformation during the assembly process. Moreover, FFC assembly is also a complex contact-rich manipulation task. An adaptive impedance controller is designed to implement force tracking during the assembly process without precise environment information, and the stability is also analyzed based on the Lyapunov function. Experiments of FFC assembly are conducted to illustrate the efficiency of the proposed method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is robust and efficient.

Investigation on the Optimization Strategy of DWA Algorithm for Path Planning of the USVs with the Consideration of Environmental Factors

Unmanned surface vessels (USVs) are generally subjected to wind force, wave and undercurrent action. Some unidentified objects such as underwater obstacles and submerged reefs should be monitored and evaded with converged communication, autonomous control and network system so as to achieve autonomous and automatic avoidance of danger and real-time control of flight path. Next, based on performing interference mechanics analysis on the USVs under the disturbance of wind force and wave on water surface, the relationship parameters between the bow angle, the deviation angle, safety evaluation function and the external force were obtained, and the comprehensive information of water surface environment was evaluated in combination with the dynamic window approach (DWA) algorithm. Further, the related model was established for simulation by using the simulation software MATLAB, and both reliability and stability of the modified DWA algorithm were designed and examined. Accordingly, the modified DWA algorithm can enhance the safety of the USVs in autonomous path planning and achieve rapid obstacle avoidance and autonomous path planning of the USVs. Our simulation revealed that the modified DWA algorithm can safely and rapidly correct the bow angle and the deviation angle, optimize the path trajectory and reduce the risk of roll-over of the USVs under sudden external force.

Using Artificial Intelligence tools to create a smart university to employ digital transformation in the sustainability of higher education development Applied study, White Nile University - Sudan, 2023

The study aimed to introduce artificial intelligence and design a smart technology educational environment that works to develop digital capabilities and smart digitization in universities by using artificial intelligence methods to achieve the maximum level of education according to different capabilities and skills, raise the value of higher education and improve the quality of education. The problem of the study lies in the presence of real challenges in The field of education, due to the lack of interest in developing innovative tools to meet the needs of society. The study relied on the descriptive analytical approach to define and analyze the conceptual framework for building a smart university that has all the elements of development and electronic renaissance. The study reached the most important results, including the impact of digital transformations on smart universities, and digital transformation achieves many goals. For students and faculty members, digital transformation helps faculty members cope with the increasing number of students, provides thousands of educational sites, and the most important recommendations of the study are preparing an integrated vision between the components of digital transformation and applying it to the smart university, providing the necessary insurance and security of information in the smart digital environment.

The Effect of Noise and Reverberation on Spatial Perception in Sequential Bilateral Cochlear Implant Users

Abstract Background Spatial orientation is an executive function which includes vital activities and auditory organization according to daily bodily movements, directionality, and environmental information. It is directly linked to the vision and hearing and used throughout life, building complex relationships with these systems, based on learning. Purpose Our purpose in our study is to try to see the effects of noise and reverberation on the users by comparing the localization and auditory performances of the cochlear implant (CI) user individuals in a silent, noisy environment and reverberation. Research Design All subjects were subjected to immitancemetric/audiological tests, language development test (TIFALDI, Receptive/Expressive Language Test score 7 years and above), localization determination in noise, and localization determination test in reverberation. Study sample: In our study, 18 female and 16 male bilateral CI users with profound sensorineural hearing loss were included. The age range of subjects was 8 years 4 months and 10 years 11 months. Data Collection and Analysis Data from subjects were collected prospectively. Data analysis was analyzed with SPSS 21 program. Results It was observed that the subjects did not have difficulty in determining the direction in silent condition, but they had a significant difficulty in localizing the 135-, 225-, and 315-degree angles especially when the noise was signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) –10 dB and the reverberation was 06 and 09 second (p ≤ 0.005). Subjects' performances were significantly altered in sequential implanted users both when the SNR was changed and in the presence of reverberation (p < 0.05). Conclusion As a result of our study, it is thought that individuals with hearing loss will experience intense difficulties, especially in noisy and reverberant environments such as schools, and using assistive listening devices in these environmental conditions will contribute positively to their academic development.

Design and Application of Real‐Time and High‐Precision Seismic Acquisition Station in Antarctic Region

ABSTRACTIn this study, a polar seismic acquisition station based on the FPGA + ARM architecture was successfully developed. This system can achieve real‐time multifunctional acquisition and transmission of seismic signals and environmental information in the extreme low‐temperature environment of Antarctica at −40°C. The system adopts a modular design, with high‐precision data acquisition encoded by the main controller and uploaded to the host computer in real‐time. Integrated display controls enable real‐time data display and acquisition station location mapping for user interaction. We propose improving data transmission in traditional seismic acquisition stations by adopting a distributed computing model with data segment return. Integrating the first arrival picking algorithm as an IP core will reduce computational demands on the data processing center. This acquisition system features high precision (24‐bit), a wide dynamic range (> 130dB), low noise (0.5 V rms@40dB), and high‐precision timing control (200 ns). It supports real‐time wireless data transmission over 120 channels up to 1 km. The system also implements a self‐storage plus wired and wireless networking solution, allowing flexible networking based on actual needs. Test results indicate that the ice sheet thickness at the acquisition site is approximately 526.49 m, validating the experimental design's effectiveness and providing technical support for subsequent drilling and seismic exploration.

Bluetooth Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) Technology: Principles, Integration, Applications, and Performance Evaluation

Thanks to the development of wireless audio transmission technology, Bluetooth technology made it possible to give users a seamless and convenient connection experience. However, in a noisy environment, preserving the audio quality is still difficult, which motivated people to explore the technology of Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). This paper aims to analyze integration of ANC technology and the potential of Bluetooth audio transmitting to improve the audio effect, especially in application scenarios where clear audio is required. At the beginning of this paper, how Bluetooth and ANC are evolved is reviewed for the preparatory works. Then, the technology mechanism of the ANC and the advantages in particular application scenarios such as Industrial automation and autonomous vehicles are described in detail. In addition, this paper give experimental data to illustrate that the ANC systems is effective in reducing ambient noise. The central technology of ANC system is using a microphone to detect environmental noise information and then creates a sound wave phase-inverted to the original noise to cancel. Furthermore, by connecting artificial intelligence technique, the ANC system dynamically fits from different acoustic environment to improve the audio quality. Finally, the experimental results that are quoted reveal that the advanced ANC system can reduce the noise level in a wide range of environments, cutting down the sound pressure level to 65 dB. It is clearly demonstrated that the ANC technology is widely applicable and effective to enhance the audio experience.

Coral skeletal proxy records database for the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Abstract. The Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, has a long history of palaeoenvironmental coral research. However, it can be logistically difficult to find the relevant research and records, which are often unpublished or exist as “grey literature”. This hinders researchers' abilities to efficiently assess the current state of coral core studies on the GBR and thus identify any key knowledge gaps. This study presents the Great Barrier Reef Coral Skeletal Records Database (GBRCD), which compiles 208 records from coral skeletal research conducted since the early 1990s. The database includes records from the Holocene, from ∼8000 years ago, to the present day; records are from the northern, central, and southern GBR from inshore and offshore locations. Massive Porites spp. coral records comprise the majority (92.5 %) of the database, and the remaining records are from Acropora, Isopora, or Cyphastrea spp. The database includes 78 variables, with Sr/Ca, U/Ca, and Ba/Ca being the most frequently measured. Most records measure data over 10 or more years and are at monthly or lower resolution. The GBRCD is machine readable and easily searchable so that users can find records relevant to their research, e.g. by filtering for site name, time period, or coral type. It is publicly available as comma-separated values (CSV) data and metadata files with entries linked by the unique record ID and as Linked Paleo Data (LiPD) files. The GBRCD is publicly available from the NOAA National Center for Environmental Information World Data Service for Paleoclimatology at https://doi.org/10.25921/hqxk-8h74 (Arzey et al., 2024). The intention is to update the GBRCD annually, depending on the availability of relevant new GBR records or submission of legacy records to the GBRCD for archiving. The collection and curation of existing GBR coral research data provide researchers with the ability to analyse common proxies such as Sr/Ca across multiple locations and/or examine regional to reef-scale trends. The database is also suitable for multi-proxy comparisons and combination or composite analyses to determine overarching changes recorded by the proxies. This database represents the first comprehensive compilation of coral records from the GBR. It enables the investigation of multiple environmental factors via various proxy systems for the GBR, northeastern Australia, and potentially the broader Indo-Pacific region.

Does Environmental Information Disclosure Affect Customer Stability?

Does Environmental Information Disclosure Affect Customer Stability?

The U.D.C.A. on the Road to Environmental Sustainability in Its Infrastructure and Environment

The Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales U.D.C.A. has been walking a path from Sustainable Development to Environmental Sustainability, which is evidenced through initiatives in infrastructure and its environment, according to the Institutional Educational Project, which recognizes the Campus as a Living Classroom. In this opportunity, the process that is being advanced in terms of infrastructure and environmental management with three initiatives will be presented: 1. The U.D.C.A. environmental memory trail, an ecological trail under construction, which allowed articulating teaching, research, and social projection from a research seedbed of Environmental History, which collects environmental information related to biological, ecological and cultural aspects of the species of fauna and flora that are present on Campus. 2. The Tingua Refuge, an emblematic site of the UniversityUniversity recognized for its conservation of wild species such as Tinguas and ducks, where classroom projects are being developed with students of the Environmental Analysis Technology program to measure the quality of the water as a first step for its ecological restoration process, to turn it into a bio-indicator of environmental health for the UniversityUniversity. 3. The development of infrastructure as an axis of change toward the environmental sustainability of the University is part of the University's Infrastructure Master Plan, which defines the conditions under which the U.D.C.A. advances the necessary actions in environmental, urban, rural, and architectural aspects to adapt the academic spaces.

Environmental Public Health Tracking in England- support for Health Impact Assessments

Abstract Environmental epidemiology is a key function for the public health service with regards to investigating the public health effects of environmental hazards, monitoring the public health efforts to control the environmental risks, and providing the evidence that informs decisions making and preparedness. At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the Environmental Public Health Tracking (EPHT) Programme, initiated in 2010, has developed a number of data streams to help link environment and health data, to support Health Impact Assessment (HIA). The main aims of the EPHT programme in England are to: 1. Identify populations at risk from exposure to significant environmental and chemical hazards 2. Investigate relationships between hazard and disease 3. Inform public health policy making 4. Optimise intervention and prevention strategies 5. Generate hypotheses for further research. Such EPHT functions are based on three key components: a) by building a national EPHT program that integrates surveillance of environmental hazards, exposures and related health outcomes, to allow data linkage and assessment of environmental and health information; b) strengthening the epidemiology science, by conducting research and training of the workforce and c) developing strategies for response to immediate risks, incidents and preparing for future risks. Examples to support HIA include a) developing an air pollution exposure surveillance work programme, that has designed a pilot population vulnerability indicator; b) developing indicators for climate change impacts for public health, c) reporting regularly on the health impacts of public fluoridation water supply schemes (as mandated by Government) and d) exploring risk factors associated with elevated blood lead concentration in children, through laboratory reporting to surveillance systems. The talk will highlight some examples of practice and outline how the EPHT programme in England has supported HIA practices.

The INPHET- a global approach to Environmental Public Health Tracking

Abstract Environment and health monitoring and information systems are fundamental infrastructure for evidence provision for policy making. The International Network for Public Health and Environment Tracking (INPHET) was formed by a community of environmental public health practitioners to address common interests and activities that advance environmental public health surveillance (EPHS) and data systems, and their uses to inform public health actions. Its main goal is to address the vast inequalities across countries and communities in their ability to monitor, assess, inform and mitigate environmental and health issues. INPHET supports the relevant role of environmental epidemiology as the pillar science providing evidence for decision making and interventions aiming at reducing and preventing environmental related diseases and contributes to an overall vision for public health. As a “Community of Practice”, INPHET focuses on sharing experiences and expertise; addressing common challenges for implementing and enhancing the science of EPHS/tracking; improving understanding of the link between the environment and health; and providing the appropriate evidence that informs public policy. The network, initiated in conference meetings in 2012-13 and formally launched in Modena, Italy in 2014, has carried out several activities which aim at sharing expertise and learning from different models of environmental and health data integration and surveillance systems that directly inform policy. These include Twinning cooperation with Euro-Asian and Balkan countries and sharing of expertise with African Public Health Agencies. Some experiences are presented in this workshop and highlight the EPHS/EPHT model adopted by several national public health agencies. It promotes that such integration and uses of environmental and health data is key for EPHS, including their accessibility and usability for communities of public health researchers, practitioners and policy makers.

Using EEA environment and health data to communicate with the public: the European Environment and Health Atlas

Abstract The EEA European Environment and Health Atlas presents information on how pollution and other environmental risks affect the health and well-being of Europeans. It is almost exclusively built on the datasets that the EEA collects from its network, and it summarizes only environmental information of relevance to public health, as well as health impacts from key environmental risks like air pollution, noise and industrial emissions.

Effect of attention on ensemble perception: Comparison between exogenous attention, endogenous attention, and depth.

Ensemble perception is an important ability of human beings that allows one to extract summary information for scenes and environments that contain information that far exceeds the processing limit of the visual system. Although attention has been shown to bias ensemble perception, two important questions remain unclear: (1) whether direct manipulations on different types of spatial attention could produce similar effects on ensembles and (2) whether factors potentially influencing the attention distribution, such as depth perception, could evoke an indirect effect of attention on ensemble representation. This study aims to address these questions. In Experiments 1 and 2, two types of precues were used to evoke exogenous and endogenous attention, respectively, and the ensemble color perceptions were examined. We found that both exogenous and endogenous attention biased ensemble representation towards the attended items, and the latter produced a greater effect. In Experiments 3 and 4, we examined whether depth perception could affect color ensembles by indirectly influencing attention allocation in 3D space. The items were separated in two depth planes, and no explicit cues were applied. The results showed that color ensemble was biased to closer items when depth information was task relevant. This suggests that ensemble perception is naturally biased in 3D space, probably through the mechanism of attention. Computational modeling consistently showed that attention exerted a direct shift on the ensemble statistics rather than averaging the feature values over the cued and noncued items, providing evidence against an averaging process of individual perception.

Research Dynamics and Frontiers of Environmental, Social, and Governance Disclosure: Bibliometric Visual Analysis Based on CiteSpace

Abstract: With the increasing global attention on sustainable development and corporate social responsibility, studying the dynamics and frontiers of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) disclosure is of great significance to academia, corporate practice, and policy-making. This study employs CiteSpace for bibliometric visual analysis, utilizing methods such as keyword co-occurrence analysis, cluster analysis, and research theme evolution analysis to comparatively analyze the differences in ESG research between domestic and international contexts. The study reveals the hotspots, trends, and development directions of ESG disclosure research. The findings indicate a steady growth in the number of publications in the ESG disclosure research field, with research themes shifting from singular environmental information disclosure to a more comprehensive focus on social responsibility and governance structures. This study not only provides researchers with new perspectives, expanding and deepening the themes of ESG research, but also offers references for companies to enhance ESG disclosure and for policy-making, thus holding significant theoretical and practical implications.