bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do Knowledge Economy Indicators Affect Economic Growth? Evidence from Developing Countries
Authors: Mohamed Maha Mohamed Alsebai , Liu Pingfeng , Nie Guihua
Published: April 2022

The competitiveness of national economies is increasingly dependent on their ability to produce and use knowledge, as knowledge, education, and innovation are the main indicators of economic growth in a globalizing world. Many countries have adopted policies related to the production of knowledge and its transformation into wealth that stimulates the growth and competitiveness of their economies. Through our study, we measured some knowledge economy (KE) variables for a sample of 20 developing countries. During the period (1996–2020), using panel data, the estimate was made using three models: the cumulative regression model, the fixed-effects model, and the random-effects model. The results of the statistical tests indicated that the fixed-effects model is the appropriate model, and that the estimates of the proposed model parameters do not contradict the assumptions of economic theory, nor do they contradict the practical reality. In addition, the results showed that 93% one of the changes that occur in economic growth in the developing countries under study is due to the dependence on the knowledge economy. It became clear through the study that the use of cross-sectional time-series models increases the accuracy of statistical forecasting, because it considers the information with a time dimension in the time series, as well as the cross-sectional dimension in different units. Our study found a positive impact on economic growth of the internet and mobile phone users, control of corruption, political stability, foreign direct investment, and the total value of international trade. Additionally, spending on education, patents for residents, and trade openness had a negative impact on economic growth. Accordingly, the knowledge economy in developing countries contributed greatly to their economic growth and had a prominent role in maintaining high rates of growth for decades. Our study contributes by expanding the scope of developing countries in deciding to focus on the important indicators in the knowledge economy (KE), so that they can increase the added value of their economic growth.
Genetic Identification of Hybrid Walnuts (Juglans × intermedia Carr.) in Hungary, the Hidden Potential for Future Breeding
Authors: Cseke Klára , Bujdosó Géza , Báder Mátyás , Mertl Tamás , Benke Attila , Kámpel József Dezső
Published: April 2022

The question of the hybrid walnut (Juglans × intermedia Carr.) is still under debate in the Central European region. There is not simply just an underutilization, rather, even the existence of these hybrid forms is not broadly accepted. On the contrary, there is an intensive cross-breeding activity in the western part of Europe resulting in commercially available hybrid clones. In Hungary, several individuals have been reported with intermediate morphology from different old black walnut plantations. Due to the lacking information, a preliminary study was conducted in order to prove the difference of these selected trees and to test the hybrid state. For this purpose, DNA fingerprinting was used by applying 13 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for the identification of 22 hybrid genotypes selected from one study plot. A comparative analysis with a reference sample set of the ‘parental’ species and other known hybrids was performed as well. The genetic analysis resulted distinct, unique genotypes for all of the samples. Based on the genetic pattern, the analyzed hybrid group was clearly distinguishable from the other two walnut groups. The result of this study also highlights the hidden potential in walnut breeding in the Central European region. Future concepts concerning hybrid walnut utilization in plantation forestry, agroforestry or as breeding material are also discussed.
Environmental Impact Assessment of an Ignition Pencil Coil by a Combination of Carbon Footprint and Environmental Priority Strategies Methodology
Authors: Chen Chih-Ming , Chang Huey-Ling
Published: April 2022

This study presents a combined carbon footprint (CF) and environment damage assessment with a cradle-to-gate approach for an ignition coil. The process considers a data flow of product as the phases: raw materials preparation, part processing, final-product finishing, and packaging. The assessment was performed to explore an automotive ignition pencil coil during its developing phase. This study illustrated that a green product problem could be evaluated as a carbon footprint and environmental hazard. By using the conceptual flow to set up the assessment procedure, a product can be decomposed into several material ingredients to specify the input parameters in a Life Cycle Assessment. A total CF of an ignition coil can be investigated individually by each of the materials. The total CF of an ignition pencil coil equal to 0.5254 kgCO2eq was calculated. The insulated filling and copper winding of an ignition coil generated the two most impacting processes in terms of CF (21.83% and 17.50%, respectively). EPS (Environmental Priority Strategies) methodology evaluates the environmental damage of the product in the product design process. As a result, the metal material has a seriously damaging impact on human health and inanimate resources, especially inanimate resources. The total CF generated by the newly devised ignition coil is over 39~62 percent less than a general type one that exists in the current market. The new ignition pencil coil also uses fewer raw materials and therefore reduces environmental damage to the Earth.
Effects of Task Complexity on Linguistic Complexity for Sustainable EFL Writing Skills Development
Authors: Wang Liping , Jin Chunlan
Published: April 2022

This paper reports the findings from a study that explored the effects of task complexity on linguistic complexity in EFL writing with a within-and-between-subject design for the sustainability of EFL writing skills. A total of 178 English majors and non-English majors participated in the study. They each performed two writing tasks that were manipulated using two variables: the number of elements and prior knowledge. Linguistic complexity was measured from both syntactic and lexical aspects with 39 indices. Data analysis indicated that task complexity produced different effects on different dimensions of linguistic complexity, suggesting that research on task complexity needs to break away from simplicity and that the Cognition Hypothesis and Limited Attentional Capacity Hypothesis require further verification and refinement. This study contributes to a better understanding of task complexity and linguistic complexity in EFL writing, yielding meaningful implications for pedagogy and assessment in this field.
E-Device Purchase and Disposal Behaviours in the UAE: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Siddiqua Ayisha , El Gamal Maisa , Kareem Abdul Waheed , Mahmoud Lama , Howari Fares M
Published: April 2022

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the high-income countries in the Middle Eastern region and is vying for sustainable development in every sector. One of the UAE sustainable development goals is to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns; hence, the emphasis is on circular economy. UAE is one of largest consumers of e-devices, and their proper disposal is of paramount importance. E-waste disposal awareness leads to better disposal behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to understand the e-device purchase and disposal behaviour among university communities in the UAE. A survey was conducted among the students and staff members of a federally funded university in the UAE, namely Zayed University, and quantitative methodology was adopted to analyze the collected data. The study found that 47.95% of respondents purchased mobile phones, and 65% of the respondents purchased 1–3 electronic devices every year. Through chi-square test, gender of the respondents was found to be related with e-device ownership. Through the analysis of variance (ANOVA), age and field of specialization were found to affect the knowledge about e-waste. Older and the respondents with science specialization were more aware about e-waste. Most of the respondents disposed e-devices, such as batteries, earphones/headphones, and electronic toys, along with the household trash. A very small percentage of respondents disposed e-devices such as laptops, phones, and tablets with the household trash. Mostly, these were either repaired, donated, or sold to second-hand users. Many respondents were neither aware of the government initiatives on e-waste collection nor participated in government-sponsored e-waste recycling. The study further identified that 67% of the respondents were aware of the toxicity of e-waste, and 61% of the respondents were keen to join e-waste recycling drives at university. The findings of the study imply that the policy makers need to incentivize e-waste-disposal systems and develop targeted awareness approaches to enhance e-waste disposal in the UAE.
Experimental Characterization of Memory Effect, Anomalous Self-Preservation and Ice-Hydrate Competition, during Methane-Hydrates Formation and Dissociation in a Lab-Scale Apparatus
Authors: Gambelli Alberto Maria , Rossi Federico
Published: April 2022

This study explores the process of methane hydrate formation and dissociation in a small-scale confined environment and in the presence of a porous sediment. The research is focused on answering the shortage of information about the intrinsic properties of the hydrate formation and dissociation processes, such as memory effect and anomalous self-preservation, in a lab-scale apparatus. Experiments were carried out consecutively and with the same gas–water mixture. The temperature reached during dissociation was high enough to ensure the complete dissolution of water cages. At the same time, it was sufficiently low to keep the system able to retain the memory of the previous formation of hydrates. Different well-known phenomena were observed and described; memory effect, anomalous self-preservation and competition between ice and hydrates were shown in detail. Experiments confirmed that the memory effect improves the process mainly during the initial nucleation phase, while it does not provide significant changes in the following massive growth phase. Finally, experiments proved that the formation process can be divided in two different steps: the initial intense growth, due to the small difference in local equilibrium conditions, and the subsequent asymptotic growth, which continues until the process is completed.
Are Tourists Willing to Pay for a Marine Litter-Free Coastal Attraction to Achieve Tourism Sustainability? Case Study of Libong Island, Thailand
Authors: Panwanitdumrong Kansinee , Chen Chung-Ling
Published: April 2022

Coastal areas around the world are under increasing environmental pressures from marine litter. In particular, tourism in coastal tourist areas suffers with waste littering on the coast, as well as in the water. Therefore, substantial costs are required for the handling of marine litter in order to achieve sustainable development in the tourism sector. The introduction of an entrance fee as an economic tool is a feasible way to provide alternative financing, in addition to limited government funding. The objective of this study was to estimate tourists’ willingness to pay (WTP) for visiting a marine litter-free coastal attraction, and examine the factors affecting the WTP. A questionnaire was employed using a single-bound dichotomous choice method on Libong Island, Thailand, between September and December 2020. A logistic model was used to estimate the WTP of the 1655 respondents. The mean WTP obtained is THB 92.24 per person per visit (approximately USD 3). The expected benefit of charging an entrance fee is THB 27.52 million (USD 0.88 million) for 2019. The factors influencing WTP are bid amount, age, education, monthly income, marine litter perception, and environmentally responsible behaviors. Associated initiatives were recommended to achieve coastal destination sustainability, including regular clean-up operations at beaches, seagrass beds, and surrounding waters; the placement and maintenance of litter facilities; and the promotion of marine litter awareness and environmentally responsible behaviors.
Sustaining the Benefits of Social Media on Users’ Health Beliefs Regarding COVID-19 Prevention
Authors: Chuang Huan-Ming , Liao Yi-Deng
Published: April 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, social media has facilitated the efficient and effective dissemination of healthcare information and helped governments keep in touch with their citizens. Research has indicated that social media can exert negative and positive influences on users’ mental health. One negative effect is social media fatigue caused by information overload. However, under the current pandemic, comprehensive research has yet to be executed on the effect exerted by social media on users’ health beliefs and subjective well-being (SWB). Consequently, we conducted our research to probe the influence of social media on users’ perceptions of COVID-19 prevention. This study established a research model based on 340 valid responses to an online questionnaire survey from Taiwan. SmartPLS 3.0 was used to verify the developed measurement and structural models. We found social media users’ incidental and focused knowledge gain positively related to their social media intensity. In addition, social media intensity positively correlated with health beliefs and SWB. Accordingly, we can determine that proper social media use can enhance health beliefs. Based on our derived findings, we propose a set of practical recommendations to leverage social media effectively and sustainably during, and after, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Evaluating the Flow Accelerated Corrosion and Erosion–Corrosion Behavior of a Pipeline Grade Carbon Steel (AISI 1030) for Sustainable Operations
Authors: Irshad Hafiz Muzammil , Toor Ihsan Ulhaq , Badr Hassan Mohamed , Samad Mohammed Abdul
Published: April 2022

Erosion–corrosion behavior of pipeline grade carbon steel alloy (AISI 1030) was investigated using a state-of-the-art jet impingement flow loop. Different impingement velocities (3 to 12 m/s) and angles (15°, 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90°) were employed (with/without sand particles) to study the degradation behavior of this pipeline grade steel in 0.2 M NaCl solution at room temperature. Experiments were conducted for a duration of 24 h at room temperature. The maximum erosion–corrosion (EC) rate was observed at an impingement angle of 45° at all velocities (3 to 12 m/s), as both the shear and normal impact stresses were of the same order of magnitude at this angle. At lower impingement angles, the effect of shear stress was more dominant and vice versa at higher impingement angles. The synergistic affect was found to be maximum at 45° due to enhancement of erosion by corrosion and/or corrosion by erosion. Ploughing, deep craters, raised lips, dimples, micro-forging/plastic deformation, and extrusion were the dominant erosion–corrosion mechanisms as observed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM). The maximum corrosion wear scar depth was found to be 57 µm (average) at an impingement angle of 45°, as measured using an optical profilometer. The obtained results are very significant and can be used in process parameter optimizations to enhance infrastructure reliability. These results will also be the part of in-house database to develop a comprehensive erosion and erosion–corrosion model for erosion–corrosion prediction of different materials under various operational conditions.
Eco-Friendly Clothing Market: A Study of Willingness to Purchase Organic Cotton Clothing in Bangladesh
Authors: Hasan Md Mehedi , Cai Liling , Ji Xiaofen , Ocran Francisca Margarita
Published: April 2022

This research study aims to achieve a developing country’s sustainable development in the clothing industry by exploring consumer behavior to a willingness to purchase organic cotton clothing (OCC) and apparel retailers’ responsibilities. Organic cotton clothing development in the fashion industry could play an important role in textile and environmental pollution and create new business opportunities for green clothes. Survey data was collected from top cities in Bangladesh, and 303 useable responses were collected (81.5% male and 18.5% female). In our survey, 60.7% of the participant was employed. This research model was inspired by the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) and added some new variable that influences purchase willingness under OCC fashion in developing countries like Bangladesh. The findings of this study stated that consumer environmental concerns and consumer attitudes positively impact the OCC purchase willingness of Bangladeshi consumers. Also, the authenticity and fashionable of OCC products have a significant impact on Bangladeshi consumer purchase intention. Product Performance found an indirect effect on Bangladeshi consumers’ intention. Furthermore, this study will find that the Bangladeshi market is already very aware of the sustainability movement and concerned about environmental issues. Retailers should focus more on environmental awareness of OCC textile and authentic OCC items. Also, this study will update previous research findings on consumer attitudes toward OCC fashion in the Bangladesh market.
The Impact of Potential Risks on the Use of Exploitable Online Communities: The Case of South Korean Cyber-Security Communities
Authors: Jang Jaeyoung , Kim Beomsoo
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study is to gain a comprehensive understanding of how risk and value factors affect the intention to use South Korean exploitable cyber-security communities based on the value-maximisation perspective of economics. According to the research model—applying the theory of planned behaviour, prospect theory and perceived risk theory—the test results revealed that intention is negatively affected by security threats, privacy concerns, performance risk and social risk of malicious use. Security threats had a positive impact on privacy concerns. The test results also indicated that perceived value affects both attitude and intention significantly and positively. The findings demonstrate that online-community users, such as computer experts and hackers, are influenced by various sources of perceived risks and perceived value when using exploitable cyber-security communities.
‘AReal-Vocab’: An Augmented Reality English Vocabulary Mobile Application to Cater to Mild Autism Children in Response towards Sustainable Education for Children with Disabilities
Authors: Hashim Haida Umiera , Yunus Melor Md , Norman Helmi
Published: April 2022

The American Psychiatric Association defines autism spectrum disorder as a neurological illness, in which children with the disorder have trouble communicating socially or have a set of behaviours that are recurrent or restricted. Autism learners are mostly visual method learners who learn best through pictures and visuals. Most learners with autism struggle to learn new terminology due to their cognitive difficulties, and with the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, technology is no longer a foreign concept in the educational sphere. The usage of augmented reality technology has proven to be beneficial in offering more relevant learning sessions for autism learners. As a result, underpinned by the learning theories of behaviourism, constructivism, connectives and cognitivism, altogether with the theory of mind and Frame model, an augmented reality smartphone application, called ‘AReal-Vocab’, was created to assist children with mild autism in acquiring English vocabulary. The design and development research approach was employed in this study, in which later, the developed mobile augmented reality application was then tested on six mildly autistic youngsters to see how well the designed and developed augmented reality mobile application aided them in acquiring the English language. The AReal-Vocab mobile application, which was planned and built, has had an impact on the English-vocabulary learning of children with moderate autism, according to the findings. Not only has AReal-Vocab helped mildly autistic children learn English vocabulary in a more engaging and meaningful way, sparking their interest in the language learning process, but it also serves as a platform for instilling leisure learning at home, as well as stimulating pronunciation skills and language articulation. The findings of this study are expected to benefit all parties involved, particularly children with autism, autism educators, and parents of children with autism.
An Integrated Fuzzy MCDM Hybrid Methodology to Analyze Agricultural Production
Authors: Rouyendegh Babak Daneshvar , Savalan Şeyda
Published: April 2022

A hybrid model was developed by combining multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) with the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and a fuzzy set to give decision support for choosing sustainable solutions to agricultural problems. Six steps were taken to build the suggested hybrid model: identifying and weighing criteria; normalizing data using fuzzy membership functions; calculating the weighting of the criteria using AHP; and selecting the best alternative for the agricultural problem. The objective of this case study is to demonstrate how agricultural production techniques (APTs) are becoming more complex as agricultural production becomes more complex. Organic agriculture aims to protect both the environment and consumer satisfaction by utilizing organic management practices that do not have the negative effects associated with conventional and genetic engineering production. Meanwhile, products obtained through conventional and genetic engineering techniques are more cost-effective. To present the superiority of the proposed fuzzy MCDM hybrid model, this problem is used as the causative agent’s dataset. Because the challenge involves a large number of competing quantitative and qualitative criteria, the assessment approach should improve the ratio of input data to output data. As a result, agricultural productivity should be controlled holistically. However, because the problem may contain both qualitative and quantitative facts and uncertainties, it is necessary to represent the uncertainty inherent in human thinking. To achieve superior outcomes, fuzzy set theory (FST), which enables the expression of uncertainty in human judgments, can be integrated with). The purpose of this study is to present a novel MCDM approach based on fuzzy numbers for analyzing decision-making scenarios. The proposed methodology, which is based on Buckley’s fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (B-FAHP) and the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (F-TOPSIS), uses Buckley’s fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (B-FAHP) and fuzzy TOPSIS to determine weights and rank alternatives, respectively. As a result, we attempted to include both the uncertainty and hesitancy of experts in the decision-making process through the use of fuzzy numbers. We have three main criteria in this study: Satisfaction (C1), Economy (C2), and Environment (C3). An important objective of the current research is to build a complete framework for evaluating and grading the suitability of technologies. A real-world case study is used to demonstrate the suggested paradigm’s validity.
The Impact of Financial Shock, Behavior, and Knowledge on the Financial Fragility of Single Youth
Authors: Ramli Zaimah , Anak Nyirop Henry Borromeo , Md Sum Sarmila , Awang Abd Hair
Published: April 2022

Financial fragility is an important issue in the well-being of individuals. Previous studies have shown that many young people are vulnerable to financial fragility. To add value to previous findings, the issue of financial fragility was focused on single youths in the middle-income group (M40) in urban areas. The objective of the study was to determine the factors influencing the financial fragility of single youth (M40) in urban areas. A quantitative approach using a survey method was applied. The study’s sample consisted of 25–34-year-old single urban youths. Questionnaires were used as research instruments and were distributed online. A total of 374 samples were analyzed using multilevel regression. The results of the analysis show that spending knowledge, financial behavior, saving behavior, and financial shock are the determining factors of financial fragility among M40 single youth in urban areas.
Effects of a Cool Roof System on the Mitigation of Building Temperature: Empirical Evidence from a Field Experiment
Authors: Park Jaehong , Lee Sugie
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to examine the effects of a cool roof system on the building temperature mitigation using a field experiment under current climate conditions in Seoul, Korea. Particularly, this study analyzed which meteorological factors affect the performance of the cool roof system based on the results of a field experiment during four seasons at the study site with real-time changes in various urban meteorological variables. This study also examined the extent to which each meteorological variable affects a cool roof system. Automatic temperature data loggers were installed on the roof of a Dobong eco-class building with reduced experimental models that included both conventional and cool roofs. A multiple regression analysis showed that when applying the cool roof system with other explanatory variables being controlled, the surface temperature of the building roof decreased by approximately 5.6 °C, and the indoor air temperature of the experimental model decreased by approximately 0.56 °C. These temperature reduction effects are meaningful, as the annual average reduction effects include nighttime and daytime. In addition, the most influential weather condition variable for roof surface or indoor temperature is external temperature, followed by insolation and humidity. Finally, the surface temperature reduction values in the actual roof of the study site and those of the roof surface of the experimental model were different. This suggests that the effect of temperature change on cool roofs is related to environmental factors as well as roofing materials. Therefore, the study suggests that cool roof policies should consider not only solar reflectivity but also other building environmental conditions and roofing materials.
Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown on Wildlife-Vehicle Collisions in NW of Spain
Authors: García-Martínez-de-Albéniz Íñigo , Ruiz-de-Villa Juan Antonio , Rodriguez-Hernandez Jorge
Published: April 2022

Wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) in many places have a significant impact on wildlife management and road safety. The COVID-19 lockdown enabled the study of the specific impact that traffic has on these events. WVC variation in the Asturias and Cantabria regions (NW of Spain) because of the COVID-19 lockdown reached a maximum reduction of −64.77% during strict confinement but it was minimal or nonexistent during “soft” confinement. The global average value was −30.22% compared with the WVCs registered in the same period in 2019, but only −4.69% considering the average throughout the period 2010–2019. There are huge differences between conventional roads, where the traffic reduction was greater, and highways, where the traffic reduction was lesser during the COVID-19 lockdown. The results depend on the season, the day of the week and the time of day, but mainly on the traffic reduction occurring. The results obtained highlight the need to include the traffic factor in WVC reduction strategies.
Mechanical and Hydraulic Properties of Recycled Concrete Aggregates Mixed with Clay Brick Aggregates and Particle Breakage Characteristics for Unbound Road Base and Subbase Materials in Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Trong Lam , Nguyen Van Tuan , Nguyen Hoang Giang , Matsuno Akihiro , Sakanakura Hirofumi , Kawamoto Ken
Published: April 2022

The construction industry is one of the key industries with high potential for the circular economy; the promotion of reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste (CDW) is essential for sustainable urban development. In this study, a series of compaction, California bearing ratio, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and particle breakage tests of well– and poor–graded mixtures of recycled clay brick aggregates (RCBs) and recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) with maximum aggregate diameters of 19, 25, and 37.5 mm were carried out to examine the practical application of those mixtures to unbound roadbed materials in Vietnam. The experimental results suggest that the maximum amount of RCBs added to RCAs should be less than 30% when applied to unbound roadbed materials. In addition, it was found that the mixing proportions of RCBs and RCAs and the maximum aggregate diameter, gradation of aggregates, and initial moisture condition control the saturated hydraulic conductivity. Further, the particle breakage characteristics under compaction were carefully examined, and it was found that the percentage increment/decrement, as well as a newly introduced method of estimating the mixing proportions of RCAs and RCBs in the fine fraction (<2.36 mm), is effective in understanding the mechanism of particle breakage of RCA and RCB mixtures.
Decisions on Pricing, Sustainability Effort, and Carbon Cap under Wholesale Price and Cost-Sharing Contracts
Authors: Lee Doo-Ho , Yoon Jong-Chul
Published: April 2022

Rapid economic growth and industrialization have brought material abundance and convenience, but also social and environmental problems such as global warming, climate change, and ozone depletion. For this reason, the public and governments have continued to make efforts to reduce carbon oxide emissions worldwide over the past few decades. To achieve this mission, cap-and-trade regulations have been introduced as one of the most effective market-based mechanisms to control carbon emissions. Accordingly, sustainability efforts, including the development of green products and innovating manufacturing technologies, are being made by companies in supply chains to reduce their carbon emissions. In the context of sustainability innovations and carbon emission constraints, this article investigates pricing decisions, the degree of sustainability efforts, and carbon caps under two different supply chain contracts—in this case, wholesale price contract and cost-sharing contract. This article establishes a Stackelberg game model under each of the supply chain contract types and presents the equilibrium decisions made by players of the game. Major findings of this article reveal that (i) the performance of the supply chain is considerably affected by the presence of a carbon cap; (ii) the higher the carbon cap set by a government is, the more sustainability innovation efforts the supply chain makes; and (iii) the supply chain can improve its profitability and its sustainability under a cost-sharing contract.
Air Conditioning Load Forecasting and Optimal Operation of Water Systems
Authors: Huang Zhijia , Chen Xiaofeng , Wang Kaiwen , Zhou Binbin
Published: April 2022

In order to conduct a data-driven load forecasting modeling and its application in optimal control of air-conditioning system, this study used a hotel’s central air conditioning system as the research object. Based on the data of the hotel energy management system, the load-forecasting model of the central air conditioning system based on support vector regression (SVR) was established by MATLAB. Based on the working principle of a chiller, chilled water pump, cooling water pump, and cooling tower, the energy consumption models were established, respectively. Finally, based on the load-forecasting results and the equipment energy consumption model, the energy consumption optimization objective function of the hotel water system was established, the objective function was solved to optimize the operating parameters of the water system at different load rates, the operation control strategy for each piece of equipment was obtained, and the energy-saving analysis was carried out. The results show that in the range of a load rate of 25~90%, the optimization strategy has an energy-saving effect, and the system’s energy-saving rate is the highest when the load rate is 25.4%. The average energy-saving rate of the system is 12.4%.
How Do Different Types of University Academics Perceive Work from Home Amidst COVID-19 and Beyond?
Authors: Rathnayake Nilmini M. , Kumarasinghe Pivithuru J. , Kumara Ajantha S.
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a massive and unintentional shift to work from home (WFH) or working remotely, as well as broad adoption of web-based platforms. The goal of this research is to uncover the attitudes to WFH among different types of academics in the Sri Lankan higher education sector. An online questionnaire survey was conducted amidst a severe COVID-19 wave during June–September 2021, and 337 valid responses were received. The questionnaire contained 49 questions under four sections excluding demographic questions. The gathered data were analysed using multiple regression models. Results of the study ascertained a significant (p < 0.01) positive attitude among academics towards online teaching (academic orientation), other than academics who from disciplines with more practical components, and there was a significant (p < 0.01) positive attitude among academics to conducting research (research orientation) while WFH. Further, the findings indicate a significant (p < 0.01) negative attitude to WFH when disseminating knowledge and engaging in community services with various stakeholders. When considering the criticality of demographics variables in the new normal, a hybrid working model can be introduced by reaping the benefits of WFH based on different types of academic orientations and their favourability towards the WFH model, rather than reverting to a full physical academic working environment. As a developing country, Sri Lanka can formulate policies on effective hybrid working models for academics to realise the potential from the lessons learned. This experience will enable the country to accomplish or move towards accomplishing the fourth goal of SDGs, quality education by 2030.
Phenotypic and Molecular Characterization of Rice Genotypes’ Tolerance to Cold Stress at the Seedling Stage
Authors: Akter Nasira , Biswas Partha Sarathi , Syed Md. Abu , Ivy Nasrin Akter , Alsuhaibani Amnah Mohammed , Gaber Ahmed , Hossain Akbar
Published: April 2022

Rice plants are affected by low-temperature stress during germination, vegetative growth, and reproductive stages. Thirty-nine rice genotypes including 36 near-isogenic lines (NILs) of BRRI dhan29 were evaluated to investigate the level of cold tolerance under artificially induced low temperature at the seedling stage. Three cold-related traits, leaf discolouration (LD), survivability, and recovery rate, were measured to determine the level of cold tolerance. Highly significant variation among the genotypes was observed for LD, survivability, and recovery rate. Three NILs, IR90688-74-1-1-1-1-1, IR90688-81-1-1-1-1-1, and IR90688-103-1-1-1-1-1, showed tolerance in all three traits, while IR90688-118-1-1-1-1-1 showed cold tolerance with LD and recovery rate. IR90688-92-1-1-1-1-1, IR90688-125-1-1-1-1-1, IR90688-104-1-1-1-1-1, IR90688-124-1-1-1-1-P2, IR90688-15-1-1-1-1-1, and IR90688-27-1-1-1-1-1 showed significantly higher yield coupled with short growth duration and good grain quality. Genetic analysis with SSRs markers revealed that the high-yielding NILs were genetically 67% similar to BRRI dhan28 and possessed cold tolerance at the seedling stage. These cold-tolerant NILs could be used as potential resources to broaden the genetic base of the breeding germplasm to develop high-yielding cold-tolerant rice varieties.
Dynamic Impact of the Perceived Value of Public on Panic Buying Behavior during COVID-19
Authors: Mao Qing-Hua , Hou Jiang-Xiao , Xie Peng-Zhen
Published: April 2022

In this paper, an evolutionary game model for the development of panic buying events in COVID-19 is constructed by studying the dynamic process of the public and the government adjusting their strategic choices and playing a continuous game. This paper uses regret theory to depict the public’s perceived value of the items in the panic buying situation, describes the characteristics of each stage of the rumors spreading process and the evolution process of panic buying events, and introduces the variable of public critical ability to measure the public’s panic buying willingness. The results show that the government’s intervention measures according to the characteristics of different stages can effectively control the continuous fermentation time and influence the scope of panic buying events. The implementation of the government’s rumor-refutation strategy will also significantly affect the volume of public panic buying, which will help the government timely understand the public’s epidemic prevention needs in COVID-19, relieve public panic, and provide a basis for the effective management and scheduling of emergency supplies.
VNursLab 3D Simulator: A Web-Based Nursing Skills Simulation of Knowledge of Nursing Skill, Satisfaction, and Self-Confidence among Nursing Students
Authors: Widiasih Restuning , Komariah Maria , Pramukti Iqbal , Susanti Raini Diah , Agustina Habsyah Saparidah , Arifin Hidayat , Kurniawati Yulia , Nelson Katherine
Published: April 2022

The use of technology-based learning methods in nursing education is necessary in the era of digitalization, but these methods are limited, especially in developing countries, including Indonesia. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Virtual Nursing Skills Simulation Lab (VNursLab), a web-based nursing skills simulation using 3D technology, to improve the knowledge of nursing skills for intravenous catheterization, satisfaction, and self-confidence of nursing students in Indonesia. A quasi-experimental design was used. A total of 139 nursing students participated and were divided into intervention and control groups (69 and 70 participants, respectively). The intervention group had access to the VNursLab 3D simulator for three weeks and had three meetings. The control group had traditional learning (lecture and three meetings). The data were analyzed using the paired t-test, Wilcoxon test, and Mann–Whitney U test. The means and standard deviations of the post-test values in the two groups for the three parameters were 12.26 + 4.11 vs. 9.67 + 3.13 for nursing skill knowledge, 23.00 + 2.32 vs. 21.70 + 2.68 for satisfaction, and 36.25 + 3.48 vs. 34.96 + 3.39 for self-confidence. We found significant differences between the intervention and control groups regarding knowledge of nursing skills (p < 0.001), satisfaction (p < 0.001), and self-confidence (p = 0.014). The VNursLab 3D simulator could be an alternative learning medium to improve nursing students’ understanding of nursing skills, satisfaction, and self-confidence. However, this medium cannot replace direct practical experience. A combination of the two learning methods, virtual-based learning and hands-on practical learning, is beneficial in helping nursing students achieve nursing competencies.
Air-Quality Prediction Based on the EMD–IPSO–LSTM Combination Model
Authors: Huang Yuan , Yu Junhao , Dai Xiaohong , Huang Zheng , Li Yuanyuan
Published: April 2022

Owing to climate change, industrial pollution, and population gathering, the air quality status in many places in China is not optimal. The continuous deterioration of air-quality conditions has considerably affected the economic development and health of China’s people. However, the diversity and complexity of the factors which affect air pollution render air quality monitoring data complex and nonlinear. To improve the accuracy of prediction of the air quality index (AQI) and obtain more accurate AQI data with respect to their nonlinear and nonsmooth characteristics, this study introduces an air quality prediction model based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) of LSTM and uses improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) to identify the optimal LSTM parameters. First, the model performed the EMD decomposition of air quality data and obtained uncoupled intrinsic mode function (IMF) components after removing noisy data. Second, we built an EMD–IPSO–LSTM air quality prediction model for each IMF component and extracted prediction values. Third, the results of validation analyses of the algorithm showed that compared with LSTM and EMD–LSTM, the improved model had higher prediction accuracy and improved the model fitting effect, which provided theoretical and technical support for the prediction and management of air pollution.
Sustainability Evaluation and Optimization on the Modern Agro-Pastoral Circular System Integrating Emergy Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Shen Yuan , Shi Linlin , Tao Yueyue , Wang Haihou , Lu Changying , Li Siyuan , Shen Mingxing
Published: April 2022

Developing modern circular agriculture is one of the important ways to promote agricultural sustainable development, facilitating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations. However, when agricultural production operators constructed particular systems, they often lacked accurate data support and parameter matching. Consequently, problems such as unknown input and output, low circulation efficiency, and lack of comprehensive evaluation occurred, increasing challenges for efficient circulation of the systems. Therefore, based on sufficient data collection and field investigation, this research integrated emergy analysis and life cycle assessment to conduct sustainability evaluation on the modern Straw–Sheep–Cropland agro-pastoral circular system. Then the system was optimized by means of coupling parameter adjustment and key technology regulation. The results showed that the whole system required lower total emergy input after optimization. And the total weighted value of potential environmental impacts of the optimized system was 47.12% of that of the original system. Meanwhile, annual environmental service emergy in air, water, and soil was reduced significantly compared with the original one. In general, the optimized system had good performance in reduction, reuse, and controllability, so its sustainability was also high. This research formed a systematic method suitable for evaluating and optimizing the modern agro-pastoral circular system, which provided accurate guidance for the scientific construction and sustainable development of circular agriculture systems.
Canadian Consumers’ Dining Behaviors during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Channel Decisions in the Foodservice Industry
Authors: Abebe Gumataw Kifle , Charlebois Sylvain , Music Janet
Published: April 2022

The past two years have been challenging for the restaurant industry in Canada and countries worldwide. This has led many casual and fine dining restaurants to adapt their business models to overcome the immediate and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper aims to understand how COVID-19 has impacted Canadian consumers’ on- and off-premise dining behaviors and how such behaviors vary among various sociodemographic groups, general knowledge of COVID-19, and telecommuting. Data were collected from a nationally representative consumer panel (n = 1091), from a survey administered online by Angus Reid. The results show that Canadian consumers increased their off-premise dining experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, which also varied across various sociodemographic groups. There was also an increased level of telecommuting during the pandemic, of which 68% started following the pandemic. However, telecommuting was negatively correlated with off-premise dining experiences during the pandemic. Canadian consumers perceived off-premise dining during the pandemic as reasonably expensive, lesser quality, and more convenient. The findings may have important implications for casual and dining restaurants in Canada to improve channel decisions and messaging as operators prepare for a full-service post-COVID-19. They can build on the infrastructure and capability that has been established during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer sustainable services beyond the pandemic.
Enabling Knowledge Discovery in Multi-Objective Optimizations of Worker Well-Being and Productivity
Authors: Iriondo Pascual Aitor , Smedberg Henrik , Högberg Dan , Syberfeldt Anna , Lämkull Dan
Published: April 2022

Usually, optimizing productivity and optimizing worker well-being are separate tasks performed by engineers with different roles and goals using different tools. This results in a silo effect which can lead to a slow development process and suboptimal solutions, with one of the objectives, either productivity or worker well-being, being given precedence. Moreover, studies often focus on finding the best solutions for a particular use case, and once solutions have been identified and one has been implemented, the engineers move on to analyzing the next use case. However, the knowledge obtained from previous use cases could be used to find rules of thumb for similar use cases without needing to perform new optimizations. In this study, we employed the use of data mining methods to obtain knowledge from a real-world optimization dataset of multi-objective optimizations of worker well-being and productivity with the aim to identify actionable insights for the current and future optimization cases. Using different analysis and data mining methods on the database revealed rules, as well as the relative importance of the design variables of a workstation. The generated rules have been used to identify measures to improve the welding gun workstation design.
Photosynthesis, Yield and Quality of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) under Different Soil-Tillage Systems
Authors: Buczek Jan , Bobrecka-Jamro Dorota , Jańczak-Pieniążek Marta
Published: April 2022

Due to current climate changes and drought periods, it is recommended to cultivate soybean in no-plowing tillage systems. The conducted research is to contribute to a partial explanation of the course of photosynthesis processes in soybean plants, which may facilitate the decision making before sowing this species in a given tillage system. The aim of the study was to assess the dependence of photosynthesis on the yield and variable hydrothermal conditions of tillage systems, as well as their impact on the productivity and quality of soybean. A field experiment was carried out using soybean cv. Merlin, between 2017 and 2019 in Boguchwała, Poland. The plant tested was soybean cv. Merlin. The tillage systems—conventional (CT), reduced (RT) and no-tillage (NT)—were the experimental factors. The use of CT and RT influenced growth in leaf area index (LAI) and soil plant analysis development (SPAD) and improved the photosynthesis process, which increased the values of the maximal quantum yield of the photolysis system of the donor side of PSII (Fv/F0), and performance index of PS II (PI) and net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs) parameters, compared to NT. CT treatment increased the yield of soybean plants to significantly higher compared with NT treatment, and seeds treated with the CT treatment contained more protein. The content of fat and phosphorus (P) were significantly higher in the NT system and the content of potassium (K) from RT. In 2017, under drought conditions (the June–September period), the seed yield of NT was similar to the yield of CT and significantly higher than the yield of RT. The higher value of hydrothermal coefficients in 2019 resulted in an increase in photosynthesis parameters, seed yield as well as the content of fat and elements P and K.