Zhixin Wang

This work investigates the joint daytime and overnight charging scheduling problem associated with battery electric buses (BEBs) at a single charging station. The objective is to minimize the total charging costs of all BEBs. Two important factors, i.e., peak–valley price and time-varying charging power, are considered to depict real-world charging situations. We establish a mixed-integer programming model for the considered problem, and then conduct a case study together with sensitivity analysis. Numerical results show that compared with the existing first come, first serve rule-based charging solution, the charging schedule obtained by solving the established model via the CPLEX solver can save 7–8% of BEB charging costs. Hence, our model could be applied to improve the BEB charging schedule in practice.

A virtual learning community (VLC) is a learning-based integrated platform based on a network sharing mechanism. In a VLC, users are not only the extractors of knowledge results but also the source of the platform knowledge base. The continuous knowledge sharing and communication of VLC users promote the sustainable development of the community. Studying the continuous use behavior of users in the VLC for the sustainable development of the community is of great importance. This study introduces the perceptual normativeness, perceptual enjoyment, perceptual interactivity, and perceptual value variables on the basis of the extended expectation confirmation model of the information system continuance model. After checking and correcting the prediction questionnaire twice, we adopted the "Questionnaire Star" network system to distribute the questionnaire and conducted offline questionnaire surveys of borrowers of Shandong University Library, University of Jinan Library, and Shandong Library. A theoretical model of the continuous use behavior of users in the VLC is constructed using the structural equation model. The survey data were empirically analyzed to explore the influencing factors and mechanism of the continuous use behavior of users in the VLC. Interaction perception, value perception, and perceptual normativeness exerted a significant positive impact on user-perceived usefulness and expectation confirmation, whereas perceptual enjoyment had little effect on perceived usefulness. This study also summarized the relationship between users’ continuous use behavior, continuous willingness and perceived usefulness, expectation confirmation, satisfaction, self-efficacy, and contributing factors in the VLC on the basis of the data results. Suggestions for solving the identified problems are put forward.