bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sorghum Production Constraints, Trait Preferences, and Strategies to Combat Drought in Tanzania
Authors: Mwamahonje Andekelile , Eleblu John Saviour Yaw , Ofori Kwadwo , Deshpande Santosh , Feyissa Tileye , Bakuza William Elisha
Published: December 2021

Sorghum is an important food crop for people in drought-prone areas of the world. The production in Tanzania has been ≤1 t ha−1 for a decade. The study was conducted in Iramba, Ikungi, and Kongwa districts to identify factors influencing the sorghum production, adoption rate, and strategies to address drought in Tanzania. The study involved 240 respondents for individual interviews and focus group discussions. Thirty respondents participated in individual interviews while ten farmers participated in the focus group discussion per village. Our study found that birds, poor soil fertility, and drought were the major constraints across the study districts. Drought tolerance, high yield, and early maturity were the most preferred traits by farmers across the study areas. Farmers addressed drought stress in sorghum by practicing early planting early maturing varieties in November and using drought-tolerant varieties. However, most farmers failed to name the diseases and pests affecting sorghum. This study highlights basic information for plant breeders to incorporate traits preferred by farmers in breeding programs when developing new sorghum varieties for sustainable production. The study shows the importance of involving farmers to identify the problems and solutions of sorghum production to increase the adoption rate.
Growth of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Reared on Organic Side-Streams
Authors: Broeckx Laurens , Frooninckx Lotte , Slegers Laurien , Berrens Siebe , Noyens Isabelle , Goossens Sarah , Verheyen Geert , Wuyts Ann , Van Miert Sabine
Published: December 2021

Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae may play a role in a circular economy by upcycling low-value organic streams into high value biomass. In this paper, the capacity of BSF larvae to process 12 organic side-streams (mono-streams) and two standard substrates (chicken start mash and Gainesville diet) was investigated. Survival, larval mass, feed conversion ratio, and waste reduction were evaluated in relation to the proximate composition of the side-streams used. Survival rates larger than 80% were observed for 10 of the organic mono-streams and the two standard substrates. Maximum mean larval weight ranged from 38.3 mg up to 176.4 mg regardless of high survival and was highly correlated with substrate crude protein content. Feed conversion ratio (range 1.58–8.90) and waste reduction (range 17.0–58.9%) were similar to values reported in other studies in the literature. On low protein substrates (e.g., apple pulp), survival rates remained high, however, possibly due to protein deficiency, limited larval growth was observed. It is concluded that several low value organic side-streams can successfully be processed by BSF larvae, thereby opening the possibility of lowering the costs of BSF farming. Potentially mixing nutritionally distinct mono-streams into a mixed substrate might improve BSF performance. However, more research is needed for optimizing diets to guarantee production of BSF larvae of constant yield and quality.
The Status of Embodied Carbon in Building Practice and Research in the United States: A Systematic Investigation
Authors: Hu Ming , Esram Nora Wang
Published: December 2021

The building construction industry accounts for 5% of global energy use and 10% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A primary source of these emissions is the manufacture of building construction materials such as steel, cement, and glass. As aggressive building energy codes push new construction towards net-zero-energy and net-zero-carbon operations, corresponding efforts to reduce embodied energy and carbon from building construction materials must be pursued to achieve the decarbonization goals of the building sector. In the past few decades, progressive building energy codes as well as the underlying research on reducing the operational energy and its related greenhouse gas emissions have stimulated changes of practice in building design and operation. In contrast, strategies to reduce embodied carbon in the substitute remaining life-cycle stages of a building are less defined and studied. The selection of building materials and systems is largely unregulated, as long as minimum health, safety, and performance standards are met. In addition, it is unclear whether we have adequate knowledge infrastructure to incorporate embodied carbon into national model codes. This study provides a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge of existing methods, databases, and tools on embodied carbon studies, and identifies the knowledge gaps. It provides a basis for the governments, academia, industry, and other institutes to collaboratively fill in these gaps and develop standards and codes to decarbonize buildings and their interface with other sectors.
Cr(VI) Adsorption from Aqueous Solution by UiO-66 Modified Corncob
Authors: Xie Hongzhong , Wan Yanlei , Chen Hao , Xiong Guangcheng , Wang Lingqing , Xu Qi , Li Xiang , Zhou Qiuhong
Published: December 2021

To adsorb hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) in polluted water, this paper prepared a UiO-66 (Zr6O4(OH)4(BDC)12) modified granular corncob composite adsorbent by hydrothermal method with in situ loading of UiO-66 on pretreated corncob particles. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized samples were characterized. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted to investigate the adsorption process of aqueous Cr(VI) under various conditions (different ionic strength, pH and co-existing anions). The results showed that UiO-66 was successfully loaded on the modified corncob particles. The isothermal adsorption data of Cr(VI) adsorption by the UiO-66 modified corncob fit well with the Langmuir model with the maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) on UiO-66@Corn+ being 90.04 mg/g. UiO-66 loading could increase Cr(VI) adsorption capacity of Corn+. The kinetic study showed that the equilibrium time for Cr(VI) adsorption on UiO-66 modified corncob was about 180 min and the kinetic data followed the pseudo-secondary kinetic model. The Cr(VI) adsorption capacity on UiO-66@Corn+ decreased with the increasing solution pH, and the optimum pH range was 4–6. The ionic strength has little effect on the Cr(VI) adsorption capacity, but the coexistence of CO32−, SO42− and PO43− in the solution could significantly decrease the equilibrium adsorption capacity of Cr(VI). The adsorption mechanism analysis showed that Cr(VI) was adsorbed on the surface of adsorbents through electrostatic attraction and was reduced further to the less toxic Cr(III) by the electron donor on the surface of adsorbent. The electrostatic interaction was the main force affecting the adsorption of Cr(VI) by UiO-66. UiO-66@Corn+ had an excellent removal efficiency of Cr(VI) and excellent reusability. UiO-66@Corn+ could effectively remove Cr(VI) from water and have a promising application.
Food: Not Only Safety, but Also Sustainability. The Emerging Trend of New Social Consumers
Authors: Civero Gennaro , Rusciano Vincenzo , Scarpato Debora , Simeone Mariarosaria
Published: December 2021

Consumers’ purchasing choices are no longer based only on economic factors but also on ethical reasons related to environmental sustainability and food safety. However, nutritional information on food labels is underused by consumers. Often the lack or incompleteness of information available on the market obstructs the complex transition towards sustainable consumption patterns. This empirical study analysed a sample of 359 consumers from an area in Southern Italy (city of Naples) to identify homogeneous consumer clusters with respect to the assessment of the level of consumer attention to sustainable environmental, social behaviours in daily life, and also to safety attributes. The most important sources of information influencing the consumers’ choices, food safety knowledge, and future purchasing behaviour were analysed. The research sample was self-selected, and the questionnaire for the survey was administrated through a non-probability sample from a reasoned choice. The results indicate that the ideal solution is a five-cluster partition that confirms a good level of attention to intrinsic attributes, in particular food expiry, transparency of food information, food traceability, and seller confidence. In addition, the research could provide an opportunity to consider collaborative actions between policy makers and industries to increase consumer awareness of environmental attributes.
Assessing Parental Preferences Regarding a Plant-Based Game for Educating Children about More Sustainable and Healthier Diets
Authors: Uldemolins Pilar , de Magistris Tiziana
Published: December 2021

Environmental damage or health concerns related to diet are some alarming consequences of our behaviour in the near future. Consumers can make a difference depending on their eating behaviour and conscientiousness about minimizing environmental damage. One way to make children more aware of the environment and induce them to eat healthier food in the future might be educational games where they could learn the importance of the environment and the effect of the food they eat on their health status. In this study, we investigated parental behaviour when feeding their children and their willingness to pay for a game product with educational and eating functions. The sample consisted of 300 parents of children aged from 4 to 12. A hypothetical choice experiment has been used and a latent class model estimated the parents’ preferences for a plant-based product game carrying two attributes, namely, the price and narrative context of the game The results indicated that parents were willing to pay more for a product with a storybook related to healthy eating habits or recycling than one with no storybook. Moreover, two dominant feeding styles in households were found: indulgent parents and uninvolved parents. This alternative approach is oriented toward educating people from the early stages of their lives, creating a favourable environment for the development of preferences for healthier food.
Harnessing the Wild Relatives and Landraces for Fe and Zn Biofortification in Wheat through Genetic Interventions—A Review
Authors: Sharma Vivek , Choudhary Mukesh , Kumar Pawan , Choudhary Jeet , Khokhar Jaswant , Kaushik Prashant , Goli Srinivas
Published: December 2021

Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn), in human diets are affecting over three billion people globally, especially in developing nations where diet is cereal-based. Wheat is one of several important cereal crops that provide food calories to nearly one-third of the population of the world. However, the bioavailability of Zn and Fe in wheat is inherently low, especially under Zn deficient soils. Although various fortification approaches are available, biofortification, i.e., development of mineral-enriched cultivars, is an efficient and sustainable approach to alleviate malnutrition. There is enormous variability in Fe and Zn in wheat germplasm, especially in wild relatives, but this is not utilized to the full extent. Grain Fe and Zn are quantitatively inherited, but high-heritability and genetic correlation at multiple locations indicate the high stability of Fe and Zn in wheat. In the last decade, pre-breeding activities have explored the potential of wild relatives to develop Fe and Zn rich wheat varieties. Furthermore, recent advances in molecular biology have improved the understanding of the uptake, storage, and bioavailability of Fe and Zn. Various transportation proteins encoding genes like YSL 2, IRT 1, OsNAS 3, VIT 1, and VIT 2 have been identified for Fe and Zn uptake, transfer, and accumulation at different developing stages. Hence, the availability of major genomic regions for Fe and Zn content and genome editing technologies are likely to result in high-yielding Fe and Zn biofortified wheat varieties. This review covers the importance of wheat wild relatives for Fe and Zn biofortification, progress in genomics-assisted breeding, and transgenic breeding for improving Fe and Zn content in wheat.
Adaptive Travel Behaviors to Cope with COVID-19: A Swedish Qualitative Study Focusing on Everyday Leisure Trips
Authors: Strömblad Emma , Winslott Hiselius Lena , Smidfelt Rosqvist Lena , Svensson Helena
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rapid change in travel behavior for different types of trips, including everyday social and recreational leisure trips. People have used adaptive travel behaviors to cope with the new circumstances for activities and transport. Due to the Swedish strategy focusing on more voluntary restrictions, people have had reason to consider which trips and activities to skip and which to keep. The overall aim of the study is to explore and deepen the knowledge about adaptive behaviors used and seek to understand its possible implications for future travel behavior change towards sustainable mobility through the use of qualitative interviews focusing on everyday leisure trips. The results illustrate how people have used a range of adaptive behaviors to cope with the implications of the pandemic, with cancellation and change of transport mode being the ones most reflected upon by the interviewees. Further, the results reveal how the overall label “everyday leisure trips” in fact includes a variety of trip purposes that differ in terms of flexibility and importance and must thus be approached in different ways in transport policy measures.
Physicochemical Properties of Choline Chloride-Based Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents (NaDES) and Their Applicability for Extracting Oil Palm Flavonoids
Authors: Che Zain Mohamad Shazeli , Yeoh Jen Xen , Lee Soo Yee , Shaari Khozirah
Published: December 2021

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) leaf (OPL) is abundantly generated from oil palm plantations as biomass that is rich in bioactive metabolites, primarily flavonoids. Six natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) were synthesized using a direct heating technique from different combinations of choline chloride with 1,2-propanediol (PD), 1,4-butanediol (BD), glycerol (GLY), glucose (GLU), maltose (MAL) and lactic acid (LA). The synthesized NaDES were subjected to physicochemical and biological evaluations comprising physical appearance, density, water activity, viscosity, polarity, thermal behaviors, spectroscopic analysis, cytotoxicity, radical scavenging activities and solubility tests. Compared to aqueous methanol, the synthesized NaDES, which appeared as a slightly to moderately viscous transparent liquid, showed favorable physicochemical properties as extraction solvents with a low cytotoxicity profile on cultured fibroblast cells. Further, the NaDES obtained from the choline chloride:lactic acid (LA) combination showed high free radical scavenging characteristics. Hydrogen bonding interactions were shown to play a significant role in the formation of the NaDES. Further, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet/photodiode array (UHPLC-UV/PDA) analysis revealed that the NaDES from the choline chloride:glycerol (GLY) combination had comparable efficiencies with aqueous methanol regarding extracting flavonoids (luteolin and apigenin derivatives) from OPLs. The results of the present study suggested that the tailor-made NaDES were not only easy-to-use, stable and safe solvents but also suitable for extracting bioactive phytochemical compounds. The study highlighted their potential as an alternative green technology for applications in oil palm biomass utilization programs.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) for Construction and Demolition Waste Management in Australia: A Research Agenda
Authors: Han Dongchen , Kalantari Mohsen , Rajabifard Abbas
Published: December 2021

Construction and demolition waste (C&DW) contribute to approximately 30% of the total waste generation worldwide, by which heterogeneous ecological impacts, such as resource depletion, global warming, and land degradation, are engendered. Despite ongoing research efforts to minimize construction waste via the Building Information Modeling (BIM)-aided design, there is a paucity of research on integrating BIM in demolition waste management (DWM). This study investigates prominent barriers and future research directions toward the wider adoption of BIM in C&DWM by conducting a systematic literature review. First, this study identifies the barriers that hinder the implementation of C&DWM in Australia; then, it explores the benefits and challenges of leveraging BIM applications for C&DWM. The findings suggest that, for existing buildings without up-to-date design drawings, it is imperative to improve the accuracy of data capturing and object recognition techniques to overcome the bottlenecks of BIM-DWM integration. Moreover, the development of regional-oriented material banks and their harmonization with life cycle assessment databases can extend the potential of BIM-based sustainability analysis, making it applicable to the DWM domain. This study proposes a research agenda on tackling these challenges to realize BIM’s full potential in facilitating DWM.
Factors Influencing Urban Residents’ Intention of Garbage Sorting in China: An Extended TPB by Integrating Expectancy Theory and Norm Activation Model
Authors: Wang Huajie , Gui Herong , Ren Chong , Liu Guijian
Published: December 2021

With the deepening of the garbage classification policy strength, making urban household garbage sorting mandatory in China, it is imperative to clarify the key factors affecting the urban residents’ intention to behave in garbage classification. Though it has attracted the attention of researchers, there are still several aspects that need to be supplemented and improved. Thus, this study aims to investigate the critical factors affecting the urban residents’ intention of garbage sorting and develop an extended model of planned behavior by integrating expectancy theory (ET) and norm activation model (NAM). Given the positive externalities of urban residents’ garbage sorting behaviors, awareness of consequences and attribution of responsibility are correspondingly interpreted as environmental benefits (EB) and environmental concerns (EC). The sample data of 668 urban residents who lived in four pilot cities of garbage classification in China were collected and adopted to the structural equation modeling (SEM) with bootstrapping estimation method to assess the causal relationship between variables. The results indicated that the expectation (Exp) was a significant positive predictor of garbage sorting intention. Attitude (AT), perceived behavior control (PBC) and subjective norm (SN) positively affected urban residents’ expectation of garbage sorting, with SN having the most significant direct impact. The results also found that the EB has significant influences EC, which strongly influences urban residents’ expectation of garbage sorting. Furthermore, the total effect of EC on Exp is higher than other paths, and the mediating effect of SN on Exp by AT and PBC is greater than other indirect paths, which accounted for about 27.1% of the total effect. Finally, we discuss both theoretical and practical implications, along with recommendations for future research.
Feed Parameters Influencing the Breeding of Mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)
Authors: Mlček Jiří , Adámek Martin , Adámková Anna , Matyáš Jiří , Bučková Martina , Mrázková Martina , Vícha Robert , Vychodil Radek , Knížková Ivana , Volek Zdeněk
Published: December 2021

With the growing public interest in edible insects, breeders are forced to increase the volume of production and shorten the life cycle of farmed insects. The exact composition of the feed is the know-how of each manufacturer. The aim of this work was to determine the general impact of individual conventional types of feed (bran, whey, raw ware potatoes) on the life cycle rate of Tenebrio molitor (TM), larval mortality and the content of fats, fatty acids and nitrogenous substances in larvae and their excrements. For the reasons of sustainability of the state of nature and waste disposal, polystyrene foam was added to the experiment as feed. The experiment was performed in two phases—rearing for 21 weeks and 5 weeks. The nitrogen content was determined using the Kjeldahl method (ISO 1871: 2009), the fat content by the Soxhlet method and the fatty acid profile using a gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector (FID). The results of the work show that the basis of the TM feed is wheat bran, not only due to the observed low larval mortality (45% over 21 weeks) and their optimal nutritional value (nitrogenous substances 53.6% DM, fat 37.1% DM, the highest total fatty acid content) but also due to the higher speed of TM development. Lower larval mortality during rearing was found when feeding dried whey and raw ware potatoes, but the development cycle rate was low. This confirmed that the bran as a feed allowed a fast life cycle with good larval nutritional parameters. From a nutritional and reproductive point of view, TM appeared to be a suitable alternative to animal production. Polystyrene as a feed, tested for biodegradation by TM larvae, caused the highest larval mortality (75% in 21 weeks). However, the content of nitrogenous substances in the larvae increased to 69.77%, in the excrement, it even increased to 82.68%, and there was no cannibalism among the larvae. The work thus demonstrated the possibility of biodegradation of polystyrene using TM larvae with an increase in nitrogenous substances in both larvae and excrement.
Participatory Research for the Evaluation of Satisfaction with Solar Decathlon Competitions: A Survey Analysis
Authors: Amaral Richard , Arranz Beatriz , Vega Sergio
Published: December 2021

With its first edition held in 2002 organized by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon is a university competition focused on training the next generation of architects and engineers with the aim of spreading the concept of efficient houses powered by the sun, fostering a more sustainable and efficient world. To date, 18 competitions have been held around the world with approximately 291 teams, involving thousands of students, professors, organizers, visitors, etc. With almost two decades of history, there is no information on the performance of competitions in the eyes of those who have gone through this experience. This study, developed in the Annex 74 “Competition and Living Lab Platform” of the International Energy Agency’s Energy in Building and Communities Technology Collaboration Program, seeks to provide insight into the experience of former decathletes, faculties, organizers, and professionals who have attended some of the competitions held so far. To reach this objective, a worldwide survey was conducted in 2020 and an analysis of the responses was carried out. With this information, it is possible to assess the performance of Solar Decathlon competitions and associated events in order to improve them.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Labor Market: An Analysis of Supply and Demand in the Spanish Municipalities
Authors: Raimo Nicola , Martínez-Córdoba Pedro-José , Benito Bernardino , Vitolla Filippo
Published: December 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic represents the largest health and economic crisis in recent history. It has particularly affected the countries of the Mediterranean area, with serious repercussions in terms of not only infections and deaths, but also economic losses. In particular, social distancing measures, severe restrictions, and lockdowns imposed by governments have had serious repercussions on the labor market. The impact of the pandemic on the labor market has prompted numerous researchers to examine and quantify its consequences. However, mainly macroeconomic analyses have been carried out and there is a lack of studies aimed at examining the impact on the labor market in the individual municipalities. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the supply and demand of labor in Spanish municipalities, and the factors that can influence these levels of employment. The results show the relevance of the characteristics of the business fabric in the supply and demand for employment during the first months of the pandemic. In addition, they show that the economic activity of the municipality and the demographic features of the population condition the labor market.
Evaluating Green Technology Strategies for the Sustainable Development of Solar Power Projects: Evidence from Pakistan
Authors: Ali Shahid , Yan Qingyou , Sajjad Hussain Muhammad , Irfan Muhammad , Ahmad Munir , Razzaq Asif , Dagar Vishal , Işık Cem
Published: December 2021

Energy is the main element for a modern lifestyle that must be considered in economically reliable and sustainable development dialogues. The financial performance of solar power projects has become the main issue, especially in developing countries such as Pakistan, where it has gained the special attention of government and regulatory authorities. The present study evaluates green technology strategies for the sustainable development of solar power projects in Pakistan. We examine the moderating role of cost and riskiness of the methods between the nexus of capital budgeting techniques and the financial performance of solar power projects. The analysis is performed on data collected from 44 respondents (chief financial officers and chief executive officers) by accompanying an inclusive questionnaire survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is used to assess the formulated suppositions. The results reveal that green technology strategies positively impact the sustainable development of solar power projects. The profitability index is a good source of higher financial performance of the solar power projects. The results further demonstrate that the cost and riskiness of the methods significantly moderate the nexus of capital budgeting techniques and the financial performance of solar power projects. These findings provide a valuable manual for policymakers, government institutions, and regulators to select the appropriate green technology strategy to increase cleaner production and sustainable development of solar power projects.
Requirements for Project Managers—What Do Job Advertisements Say?
Authors: Wyskwarski Marcin
Published: December 2021

The growing number of projects and the key role of project managers in their implementation makes the competencies of managers a subject of many studies. An attempt can be made to determine the project manager competencies that employers appreciate the most through analyses of job advertisements. Due to a very large number of job advertisements, it may be difficult or even impossible to analyze their content manually. A solution may be to fetch and process job advertisements automatically. The main purpose of this paper was to identify the project manager competencies that are the most desired by employers. An analysis of job advertisements was performed to identify the project manager competencies required by employers. Job advertisements were automatically downloaded from online job boards. Fragments of job advertisements that described requirements were analyzed with text mining. The analysis included preprocessing, building of corpora of documents, construction of document-term matrices, application of traditional data mining methods, and Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), which is a popular topic modeling algorithm. After the initial text processing (all characters except letters were removed, uppercase letters were converted to lowercase letters, words deemed useless were removed, and words were converted to their basic form), n-grams were built, and topics identified with LDA were generated. The most frequently used words and n-grams, along with the identified topics, were graphically represented. The meanings of the words and sentences were not analyzed in the text mining analysis of the job advertisements. The analysis did not take into account whether the words appeared side by side in the document-except for the intentional creation of n-grams (such as “communication skill”). The analysis, however, facilitated the identification of certain patterns and regularities in the occurrence of specific strings in the documents (fragments of advertisements describing the requirements). The interpretation of the results is based on the frequency of words and n-grams and frequency of words in topics identified by the LDA algorithm. This paper contributes to science by showing that text mining of job offers can, to some extent, help determine project manager competencies in demand. The method can be used by organizations training future project managers to modify and better adapt curricula to the needs of the labor market. It can be used to monitor the current trends in project manager requirements as well.
A Resident Fish Guild as a Higher Trophic Level Indicator of Oyster Reef Restoration Success
Authors: Lewis Dakota M. , Durham Katie E. , Walters Linda J. , Cook Geoffrey S.
Published: December 2021

Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are critical foundation species in estuarine waters, but due to a combination of natural and anthropogenic pressures, oyster abundance has declined. Restoring oyster reefs and monitoring restoration success often focuses on oyster metrics, but relatively infrequently, responses of higher trophic level species and the production of related ecosystem services are accounted for. To address this, we compare the response of a resident reef fish guild (gobies, blennies, toadfish) to standard metrics of oyster restoration success. Using lift nets and seines, natural and restored reefs were monitored over a two-year period within Mosquito Lagoon, Florida, USA. Standard metrics are indicative of restoration success; live oyster density and reef thickness increased in restored reefs after 12 and 24 months. Combined, live oyster density and reef thickness were the best predictors of annual resident reef fish abundance compared to water quality metrics. These results suggest that the benefits of restoring oyster reef habitat are conferred to broader components of the food web, with benefits accruing to reef resident fishes that are a key trophic linkage between lower trophic level foundation species and higher trophic level predators inhabiting coastal ecosystems.
A Q-Learning Rescheduling Approach to the Flexible Job Shop Problem Combining Energy and Productivity Objectives
Authors: Naimi Rami , Nouiri Maroua , Cardin Olivier
Published: December 2021

The flexible job shop problem (FJSP) has been studied in recent decades due to its dynamic and uncertain nature. Responding to a system’s perturbation in an intelligent way and with minimum energy consumption variation is an important matter. Fortunately, thanks to the development of artificial intelligence and machine learning, a lot of researchers are using these new techniques to solve the rescheduling problem in a flexible job shop. Reinforcement learning, which is a popular approach in artificial intelligence, is often used in rescheduling. This article presents a Q-learning rescheduling approach to the flexible job shop problem combining energy and productivity objectives in a context of machine failure. First, a genetic algorithm was adopted to generate the initial predictive schedule, and then rescheduling strategies were developed to handle machine failures. As the system should be capable of reacting quickly to unexpected events, a multi-objective Q-learning algorithm is proposed and trained to select the optimal rescheduling methods that minimize the makespan and the energy consumption variation at the same time. This approach was conducted on benchmark instances to evaluate its performance.
Augmenting Design Education for Sustainability through Field Exploration: An Experience of Learning from DIY Practices in a Rural Community
Authors: Raeva Alexandra , Usenyuk-Kravchuk Svetlana , Raev Anton , Surina Irina , Fionova Marina
Published: December 2021

This article (visual essay) provides a glimpse of a field trip ventured by design students as part of a larger study of developing a localised version of design education for sustainability, focusing on the wants and needs of non-urban populations in vast Russian hinterlands. The central goal is to introduce would-be designers to the concepts of locally appropriate technology and sustainable/circular living by real-life examples and, eventually, teach them to recognise the sustainable potential of place-based technologies and practices of their making, using and maintaining. The primary data came from the trip to Pozhva, a village in Permskiy Krai, Russia, that gained popularity among DIY activists and users of off-road vehicles in Russia in the early 2000s because of its unique, community-centred manufacture of lightweight ATVs on low-pressure tires, nicknamed “jeeps”. This article presents the students’ journey in a comic strip portraying a composite character of technologies and their user-designers as experts in local conditions and (subconsciously) agents of circularity. The article closes with a discussion on the expedition’s discoveries and learning outcomes, correlating them with broader implications for design education.
Investigation of the Relationship between the Perceived Public Transport Service Quality and Satisfaction: A PLS-SEM Technique
Authors: Ismael Karzan , Duleba Szabolcs
Published: December 2021

Public transportation (PT) service quality is recognized as a cornerstone of infrastructure development in many countries. Understanding the satisfaction level of public transport users towards provided service quality is vital. However, there is still a lack of research to identify the specific relationship between the experience of service quality and private vehicle (PV) users’ satisfaction. Therefore, this paper aimed to examine the different satisfaction attributes of PV users due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to make possible suggestions to policymakers on how to adapt to these changed attitudes. The paper highlights that some satisfaction issues became more significant, while the importance of others was mitigated due to the unusual circumstances. In this study, variance-based Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the proposed hypotheses. Further, Partial Least Squares Multi-Group Analysis (PLS-MGA) was conducted for investigating the perception of age and gender groups on the basis of gap analysis. An online panel and printed questionnaire survey were used to collect data in Budapest, Hungary in October and November 2020 during COVID-19 from the perception of 100 PV users. The findings show that perceived service quality and accessibility are statistically significant in the formation of PV users’ satisfaction but safety and security were not significantly related to satisfaction. Additionally, results from PLS-MGA reveal that there was a significant difference among gender and age groups in achieving satisfaction associated with safety and security. The conclusions of this study are not only beneficial for the theory of this field but also contribute to practice for policymakers in terms of providing better service with specific identification of how to encourage more private vehicle users to use public transportation.
Sustainability Reporting Disclosure in Islamic Corporates: Do Human Governance, Corporate Governance, and IT Usage Matter?
Authors: So Idris Gautama , Haron Hasnah , Gui Anderes , Princes Elfindah , Sari Synthia Atas
Published: December 2021

In developing countries, particularly South Asia, there is scarce research on corporate governance and sustainability reporting disclosure. This study considers several insightful theories, including Stakeholder Theory, Agency Theory, and the TOE Framework, to understand the relationships and drivers of sustainability reporting. The study examines Indonesian Islamic corporates using data from the ISSI (Indonesia Shariah Stock Index). We gathered annual reports and sustainability reports from the ISSI database for the year 2019. The study investigates how human governance (HG), Islamic corporate governance (ICG), and information technology usage (ITU) are related to sustainability reporting disclosure (SR). The findings showed that the sustainability reporting disclosure was significantly influenced by human governance and Islamic corporate governance with firm size and leverage. Furthermore, the research showed that profitability was not significantly related to sustainability reporting disclosure, that Islamic corporate governance had a significant negative influence on SR, and that IT usage was only significant when human governance was not present. Finally, the results showed that human governance is the main driver of sustainability reporting disclosure. Therefore, we conclude that human governance is the best predictor for sustainability reporting disclosure.
Enterprise Activity Modeling in Walnut Sector in Ukraine
Authors: Lutsiak Vitalii , Hutsol Taras , Kovalenko Nataliia , Kwaśniewski Dariusz , Kowalczyk Zbigniew , Belei Svitlana , Marusei Tatiana
Published: December 2021

The main goal of this study was to provide a critical analysis of the oil and fat sub-complex for deep walnut processing, to determine and compare the profitability of enterprises’ activities under different business models for implementation in the agro-food value chain. The latter was considered as an important factor for the development of the domestic market of walnuts and export opportunities. Business modeling of the enterprise activity in the oil and fat sub-complex for deep walnut processing was carried out. The stages of production and marketing activities of the enterprise from the garden planting or the purchase of the processed raw materials to the sale of the processed raw materials and products obtained from walnut processing depending on the chosen business model were considered. A comparative analysis of profitability of the enterprise activity and absolute values of income and profitability indicators under various business models of the enterprise activity were shown. The most cost-effective business-model entailed the combination of walnut production and its processing, which will provide profitability of up to 4640.32% in the 20th year of the project implementation. The results of the given study are intended for the agricultural enterprises of central region of Ukraine.
Exploring the Microbial Dynamics of Organic Matter Degradation and Humification during Co-Composting of Cow Manure and Bedding Material Waste
Authors: Duan Haiyan , Ji Minghua , Xie Yukang , Shi Jiping , Liu Li , Zhang Baoguo , Sun Junsong
Published: December 2021

The present study investigated the effects of bedding material (BM) waste on physicochemical properties, organic matter (OM) degradation, microbial community structure and metabolic function during composting. The results showed that bedding material (CK-0, S1-40%, S2-25%) optimized the composting conditions for lignocellulose and OM biodegradation. The highest OM degradation and humic substance (HS) synthesis rates were observed in the 40% BM addition group. Firmicutes was more abundant in the bedding material addition groups, whereas Proteobacteria was more abundant in the group without bedding material. Functional prediction showed higher carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism in the BM groups than that in control group. Animal and plant pathogens were almost eliminated, and saprotrophs were the dominant fungal trophic modes after 40% BM addition composting. Cellulose, hemicellulose, and organic matter had strong associations with microbial communities, such as Lysinibacillus and Corynebacterium (bacteria), compared to the associations of Aspergillus, Candida, and Sordariomycetes (fungi) (p value < 0.05). Network analysis revealed closer microbial community interactions in 40% BM addition group than in other groups. These findings provide detailed information about the coupling of material conversion, of bacterial and fungal succession during composting, and that bedding materials waste can also be used as an effective compost amendment.
Fatty Acids and Triacylglycerols Profiles from Sicilian (Cold Pressed vs. Soxhlet) Grape Seed Oils
Authors: Di Stefano Vita , Bongiorno David , Buzzanca Carla , Indelicato Serena , Santini Antonello , Lucarini Massimo , Fabbrizio Antonio , Mauro Manuela , Vazzana Mirella , Arizza Vincenzo , Durazzo Alessandra
Published: December 2021

Among the Sicilian economic productive sectors, that of wine production has today a considerable economic value. However, with the growth of this sector, notable was the increase in the production of waste, which to date is not only an economic damage for companies, but also a threat to the environment. It is known that waste from wine production has properties (e.g., antioxidants) which have potential reuse at cosmetic, pharmaceutical and nutritional levels to obtain economically sustainable applications. A new goal is given by the recovery of added value compounds from agri-food wastes and by-products. Grape seed oil is a promising vegetable fat and cold pressing does not involve the use of chemicals, which are harmful to health. It implies that cold-pressed seed oils may contain phytochemicals, as well as natural antioxidants, more than refined oils. In this context, this works aims at studying the chemical characterization (triglycerides profile and composition in fatty acids) of grape seed oils obtained from Soxhlet and cold pressed extraction from Sicilian red grape seeds and white grape seeds. The possibility of obtaining high yields of triglycerides and fatty acids from the waste of wine production through new extraction methods would open up new perspectives for the reuse of waste in a human and animal food context. The results of this work allow the opening up of new perspectives to reuse and then reduce these wastes, helping not only to reduce the damage to the environment and costs for companies but also to create a new product that is environmentally sustainable and with an important economic value.
Assessing the Influence of Strategic Resources on the Quality of Life in Spanish Cities
Authors: Iglesias-Antelo Susana , López-López Vicente , Vázquez-Sanmartín Antonio
Published: December 2021

Quality of life (QoL) is both a main concern of good local governance and an indicator of city performance. A key question to answer is that of what resources have the potential to enhance city performance, thus providing added value to stakeholders. By adopting a resource-based view (RBV), this paper explores the relationships between a group of strategic resources (e-government, transparency, and reputation) and QoL in a sample of 78 Spanish municipalities. Our study makes a contribution by providing an original design of a set of relations among our own selected resources and between them and quality of life. In order to test those relations, we define and create four constructs by using four different data sources and structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show a positive influence of resources on QoL, which is supported by a number of positive direct and indirect interactions among them. This means that municipalities with better strategic resources in local governments exhibit a higher level of quality of life.
Parameter Estimation of Static/Dynamic Photovoltaic Models Using a Developed Version of Eagle Strategy Gradient-Based Optimizer
Authors: Ramadan Abdelhady , Kamel Salah , Hassan Mohamed H. , Tostado-Véliz Marcos , Eltamaly Ali M.
Published: December 2021

The global trend towards renewable energy sources, especially solar energy, has had a significant impact on the development of scientific research to manufacture high-performance solar cells. The issue of creating a model that simulates a solar module and extracting its parameter is essential in designing an improved and high performance photovoltaic system. However, the nonlinear nature of the photovoltaic cell increases the challenge in creating this model. The application of optimization algorithms to solve this issue is increased and developed rapidly. In this paper, a developed version of eagle strategy GBO with chaotic (ESCGBO) is proposed to enhance the original GBO performance and its search efficiency in solving difficult optimization problems such as this. In the literature, different PV models are presented, including static and dynamic PV models. Firstly, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed ESCGBO algorithm, it is executed on the 23 benchmark functions and the obtained results using the proposed algorithm are compared with that obtained using three well-known algorithms, including the original GBO algorithm, the equilibrium optimizer (EO) algorithm, and wild horse optimizer (WHO) algorithm. Furthermore, both of original GBO and developed ESCGBO are applied to estimate the parameters of single and double diode as static models, and integral and fractional models as examples for dynamic models. The results in all applications are evaluated and compared with different recent algorithms. The results analysis confirmed the efficiency, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed algorithm compared with the original one or the recent optimization algorithms.
Role of Microalgae in Global CO2 Sequestration: Physiological Mechanism, Recent Development, Challenges, and Future Prospective
Authors: Prasad Ravindra , Gupta Sanjay Kumar , Shabnam Nisha , Oliveira Carlos Yure B. , Nema Arvind Kumar , Ansari Faiz Ahmad , Bux Faizal
Published: December 2021

The rising concentration of global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) has severely affected our planet’s homeostasis. Efforts are being made worldwide to curb carbon dioxide emissions, but there is still no strategy or technology available to date that is widely accepted. Two basic strategies are employed for reducing CO2 emissions, viz. (i) a decrease in fossil fuel use, and increased use of renewable energy sources; and (ii) carbon sequestration by various biological, chemical, or physical methods. This review has explored microalgae’s role in carbon sequestration, the physiological apparatus, with special emphasis on the carbon concentration mechanism (CCM). A CCM is a specialized mechanism of microalgae. In this process, a sub-cellular organelle known as pyrenoid, containing a high concentration of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase (Rubisco), helps in the fixation of CO2. One type of carbon concentration mechanism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the association of pyrenoid tubules with thylakoids membrane is represented through a typical graphical model. Various environmental factors influencing carbon sequestration in microalgae and associated techno-economic challenges are analyzed critically.
Rural Landscape Changes in the Piedmont Region (Italy). A Method for the Interpretation of Possible Effects of CAP
Authors: Gottero Enrico
Published: December 2021

As a result of various regulatory reforms, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has gradually achieved value and environmental awareness. However, the most recent studies carried out in the fields of environmental assessment and spatial planning seem to indicate that agricultural policies have not been very effective in achieving landscape aims. Understanding how the CAP affects the landscape can help us to improve its effectiveness and foster a more efficient territorial and targeted approach. This paper aims to show a replicable method for evaluating rural landscape changes and understanding the possible role of CAP as one of the main driving forces. The analysis was conducted in the Piedmont Region (Italy) at the supra-local and local scales by observing land use changes and landscape changes. The main results show that the CAP seems quite effective in maintaining the territorial presence on rural landscapes and in preventing the spread of forests. However, it seems less effective in limiting urban and peri-urban sprawl. The research also shows that in areas with high CAP support, factors that produce negative effects on landscape have increased. In conclusion, the author shows a possible way for the CAP to achieve the landscape purposes.