bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a Win-Win Solution for Dietary Health and Carbon Reduction—Evidence from the Yangtze River Delta in China
Authors: Wang Chengjun , Lv Mengshan , Li Lei
Published: February 2023

Considering the contradiction between the need to change the food consumption structure of Chinese residents and the constraints of resources and the environment, as well as the changes in the consumption structure of Chinese residents in the Yangtze River Delta, we explore the path to achieve environmental sustainability while maintaining residents’ dietary health. Based on 1995–2019 Yangtze River Delta food consumption data, this paper uses the two-stage Engel–QUAIDS model to conduct an empirical analysis of the food consumption and carbon emissions of urban and rural residents in the Yangtze River Delta and simulates the impact of income growth and food price changes on per capita food consumption carbon emissions and nutrient intake. The results show that the residents of the Yangtze River Delta consume too much meat and poultry, and the carbon emissions are high; the consumption of eggs and fruits is obviously insufficient, and the carbon emissions are low. With an increase in income, the increase in food carbon emissions among rural residents (0.406%) is greater than that among urban residents (0.247%); higher prices of meat, poultry, and aquatic products can significantly reduce food carbon emissions, and higher prices of fruits will promote food carbon emissions. The nutritional intake of residents can still be guaranteed under the low-carbon policy. It is worth mentioning that after the price adjustment simulation, residents’ fat intake will be significantly reduced within the recommended range, which is also beneficial to residents’ health. Therefore, appropriately regulating food prices and increasing people’s income would not only ensure nutritional health but also contribute to reducing carbon emissions and creating a sustainable agricultural food system.
The Role of Sustainability Reporting and Governance in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: An International Investigation
Authors: Alsayegh Maha Faisal , Ditta Allah , Mahmood Zeeshan , Kouser Rehana
Published: February 2023

This article explores the role of sustainability reporting and governance in achieving national sustainable development goals. Sustainable development goals focus on economic, societal, and environmental issues and have been set up to address issues regarding environmental degradation, global imbalances, economic instability, social instability, and political instability. Using data from 42 countries over six years, the authors apply panel regression techniques and find a positive relationship between national governance and sustainability reporting; sustainability reporting and national sustainable development goals; sustainability governance and sustainability reporting. We found a negative relationship between national governance and sustainable development goals. Sustainability reporting is also found to mediate between national governance and sustainable development goals. Thus, this paper contributes to the body of existing knowledge by highlighting the role of governance and sustainability reporting in the achievement of sustainable development goals. The findings have several implications for governing bodies and decision-makers in government, including changing the governance model and taking strict actions against companies that fail to focus their attention on sustainability reporting. The findings involve society, business, and other stakeholders in sustainability reporting measures to achieve sustainable development goals.
Sustainability in Logistics Service Quality: Evidence from Agri-Food Supply Chain in Ukraine
Authors: Dovbischuk Irina
Published: February 2023

The purpose of this paper is to explore which attributes of logistics service quality (LSQ) are associated with the superior LSQ in rural territories of the developing economy of Ukraine. The data were collected from 52 Ukrainian agrarian companies. Ukraine was chosen because of the high potential of its agricultural sector, which has been one of the world’s largest exporters of agricultural goods for years. This paper investigates LSQ from the perspective of agri-businesses and addresses sustainability. The primary data were obtained in a survey of clustered samples of agri-businesses in rural Ukraine. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with the Stata 16 software to test one hypothesis. This study builds on the expectancy–disconfirmation paradigm in service management research and the related service quality in order to compare the perceived and expected quality of social and environmental sustainability-related aspects of LSQ to test two hypotheses. The findings revealed that service quality in agricultural logistics is a five-dimensional construct. Its five dimensions are reliability, digital transformation, corporate image, environmental sustainability, and quality of customer focus. Furthermore, the study delivers evidence that the perceived and expected quality of the social sustainability-related aspects of LSQ are substantially different. As the study’s data collection process was interrupted by the Russian–Ukrainian war, the proposed model was only tested with 52 enterprises in an agri-food supply chain in rural Ukraine. Such a small sample is one of the study’s limitations. The research has great managerial implications as managers can use the explored attributes as a basis for customer satisfaction analyses or benchmarking in agricultural logistics. This is the first work exploring LSQ in rural Ukraine. The major contributions of this paper are the explored dimensions of LSQ with EFA. The study presents the first and most current data about LSQ from four united territorial communities in the rural center of Ukraine.
Vision-Based Ingenious Lane Departure Warning System for Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Anbalagan Sudha , Srividya Ponnada , Thilaksurya B. , Senthivel Sai Ganesh , Suganeshwari G. , Raja Gunasekaran
Published: February 2023

Lane detection is necessary for developing intelligent Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). Using vision-based lane detection is more cost-effective, requiring less operational power. Images captured by the moving vehicle include varying brightness, blur, and occlusion caused due to diverse locations. We propose a Vision-based Ingenious Lane Departure Warning System (VILDS) for AV to address these challenges. The Generative Adversarial Networks (GAN) of the VILDS choose the most precise features to create images that are identical to the original but have better clarity. The system also uses Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) to learn the average behavior of the samples to forecast lanes based on a live feed of processed images, which predicts incomplete lanes and increases the reliability of the AV’s trajectory. Further, we devise a strategy to improve the Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) by determining the angle and direction of deviation to predict the AV’s Lane crossover. An extensive evaluation of the proposed VILDS system demonstrated the effective working of the lane detection and departure warning system modules with an accuracy of 98.2% and 96.5%, respectively.
Effects of Rejuvenator Dosage, Temperature, RAP Content and Rejuvenation Process on the Road Performance of Recycled Asphalt Mixture
Authors: Jiang Tingting , Fan Qiaojuan , Hou Mingye , Mi Shuzhen , Yan Xiaohui
Published: February 2023

In this paper, the key technologies in the construction process of hot in-place recycling were investigated in order to improve the utilization rate of waste asphalt mixture; traditional lab tests including penetration, softening point and ductility tests, atomic force microscope test of recycled asphalt under different rejuvenator content, and the test of milling on grading at different temperatures were carried out. The influence of RAP content and rejuvenation processes on road performance were studied, and the low-temperature performance of mixture was analyzed by the energy analysis method, and the evaluation index was proposed. Test results indicated that the penetration and ductility increases, the softening point decrease with the rejuvenator content increasing, and the optimum rejuvenator content is 4%. The optimum mixing and compaction temperature will decrease by 2–6 °C on average for every 10% increase of RAP content by analyzing the mixture volume index. The results showed enhance rutting resistance of the mixture but lower moisture resistance and low-temperature crack resistance by adding the RAP content. The strain energy density of 10 KJ/m3 is proposed to evaluate the low-temperature performance of the mixture, and 30% RAP produces optimal mixture. The higher rutting resistance and moisture resistance can be obtained by using the construction process of RAP+ rejuvenator co-heating, and higher low-temperature crack resistance with RAP+ rejuvenator without heating.
Psychological and Emotional Responses to Climate Change among Young People Worldwide: Differences Associated with Gender, Age, and Country
Authors: Clayton Susan D. , Pihkala Panu , Wray Britt , Marks Elizabeth
Published: February 2023

Recent research has described concern and anxiety about climate change, especially among young people, but limited data are available looking at the responses of adolescents. Based on further analysis of an existing dataset that obtained survey responses from young people aged 16–25 in 10 different countries, this paper examines differences associated with gender and age, which are important predictors of vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Gender differences were small but consistent, with female respondents expressing greater levels of concern and negative emotions, while male respondents were more optimistic and expressed greater faith in the government. Within this narrow age group, there were small but significant positive correlations showing that concern and negative emotions about climate change were higher among older respondents. There were complex differences among countries; in general, respondents in the Philippines, India, and Nigeria reported a stronger psychological impact of climate change than respondents in the United States and Finland. These results help to describe the extent and patterns of climate anxiety in multiple locations around the world in an age range that is relatively understudied.
China’s Sustainable Talent Cultivations for Basic Disciplines: Evaluating the Reformed National College Enrollment Policy
Authors: Zhao Teng
Published: February 2023

Understanding the effectiveness of the implementation of higher education policies could help stakeholders make informed decisions. As a relatively new policy, research on the evaluation of the reformed national college enrollment policy—Strengthening Basic Disciplines Plan (SBDP), especially from the perspective of policy innovation and implementation is limited. This study attempts to evaluate SBDP at an early stage, thereby understanding how effectively SBDP has been implemented and what its innovations are. Utilizing the policy documentation and institutional admission documents, this study operated qualitative data using a semi-quantitative method, primarily focusing on two comparisons: the SBDP policy documentation vs. institutional SBDP admission documents, and institutional SBDP vs. Independent Enrollment Policy (IEP) admission documents. Results showed that most pilot institutions regulate SBDP admission documents in accordance with the policy documentation. However, institutional divergence in practical implementations still exists, even under centralized governance. In addition, four major demand-oriented innovations such as cultivating talents in basic disciplines and cultivation strategies in SBDP were found, compared to IEP. These findings have implications in helping Chinese higher education stakeholders to effectively implement SBDP and achieve sustainable talent cultivation for national strategies.
The Effects of Objective and Perceived Neighborhood Amenities on Youths’ Wellbeing: The Case of the City of Al Ain, UAE
Authors: Elmubarak Marwan , AlHosani Naeema , Yagoub Mohamed , Khamis Amar
Published: February 2023

The last 20 years have witnessed steady research originating in Western societies on the possible correlation between spatial qualities of places and individual wellbeing. Cultural and place-specific factors, however, may limit generalizability to different settings. This study explored whether the spatial qualities of neighborhoods in the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), influence the wellbeing of the city’s youths. A questionnaire was developed based on a conceptual framework (CP) delineating wellbeing and its relationship to spatial qualities. The CP was drawn from the literature on wellbeing, positive psychology, and urban design. Results indicated that the city of Al Ain youths regard specific neighborhood amenities and a few neighborhood spatial qualities relatively highly but generally tend to respond neutrally to most other features. High use of individual cars may have given the youths other options to form communities of interest beyond their neighborhoods. Recommendations to enhance youths’ engagement at the neighborhood level were discussed together with suggestions for future research. The study has implications for both policy and planning decisions, particularly as several government initiatives and programs continue to be oriented toward youth empowerment with the objective of enhancing their effectiveness and wellbeing.
Geothermal Characteristics and Productivity Potential of a Super-Thick Shallow Granite-Type Enhanced Geothermal System: A Case Study in Wendeng Geothermal Field, China
Authors: Jiang Haiyang , Guo Liangliang , Kang Fengxin , Wang Fugang , Cao Yanling , Sun Zhe , Shi Meng
Published: February 2023

Super-thick shallow granites without a cap layer are widely distributed in the Wendeng geothermal field. To evaluate the field’s productivity potential for an enhanced geothermal system (EGS), we carried out field tests, laboratory tests and numerical simulations in succession. The geothermal characteristics and deep rock mechanical properties were identified based on real geological and core data from the borehole ZK1 in Wendeng geothermal field. Then, a numerical model of reservoir hydraulic fracturing based on a discrete fracture network was established. Thermal extraction simulations were then conducted to assess the long-term productivity of an EGS project based on the fracturing results. Possible well layout patterns and operational parameters were considered. Results indicated that, for naturally fractured formations, large well spacings should be used and reservoirs with overdeveloped natural fractures should not be selected. For the same reservoir, created by stimulation, the production performances of five-spot and triplet-well modes were different. The pressure indicator was more sensitive to the choice of well layout mode than the temperature indicator. The power generation of the five-spot well mode was slightly improved above that of the triplet-well mode. When selecting the target reservoir, the formations with high temperatures, moderate natural fractures, and high in-situ stress shielding are preferable. On this basis, a large volume of fracturing fluids should be injected to stimulate the reservoir, making the reservoir length and width as large as possible. If the desired large-scale reservoir is created, the five-point well mode should be selected.
Secure One-Way Hash Function Using Cellular Automata for IoT
Authors: Wu Shyi-Tsong , Chang Jieh-Ren
Published: February 2023

In the era of the Internet of Things (IoT), security is a very important issue. Recently, some security studies have been proposed based on the applications of Cellular Automata (CA). These works have the simplicity and high speed computation of CA, and are suitable for the resource-constrained IoT. In this paper, we make use of CA and propose a sliding-window CA (SWCA)-based one-way hash function. The sliding-window captures input data randomly for operation and promotes the chaos of the hash function. The proposed one-way hash function possesses high sensitivity to the input data and the one-way feature. Its performance exhibits good collision resistance along with well cryptographic characteristics. For statistical analysis, the mean changed probability is close to 50%. It can resist differential attack under the NPCR and UACI values, which are at least 99% and 33%, respectively.
Board Characteristics and Corporate Sustainability Reporting: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Anyigbah Emmanuel , Kong Yusheng , Edziah Bless Kofi , Ahoto Ahotovi Thomas , Ahiaku Wilhelmina Seyome
Published: February 2023

This paper investigates the impact of board characteristics (such as board size, board independence, CEO Duality, board meetings, and committee) on corporate sustainability reporting (CSR) in China. Unlike previous studies, we examine this relationship in light of the three pillars of corporate sustainability reporting: economic, environmental, and social. Using both the Fully Modified Ordinary Least Square (FMOLS) and Dynamics Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) empirical models, our data, which comprises 9842 firm-year observations from both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges covering the 2006–2019 fiscal periods, reveals that board independence, a larger board size, and a board sustainability committee promote CSR in the three CSR pillars. However, the study shows that CEO duality is more likely to impede CSR. While the current study seems to provide some understanding regarding the relationship between board characteristics and corporate sustainability reporting to corporate boards, regulators, and practitioners interested in advancing the course of CSR, some significant knowledge gaps still need to be explored in future studies. Future research may consider other board characteristics as well as explore other CSR indices like integrated reporting and triple-bottom-line approaches.
Crop Monitoring in Smallholder Farms Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Facilitate Precision Agriculture Practices: A Scoping Review and Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Gokool Shaeden , Mahomed Maqsooda , Kunz Richard , Clulow Alistair , Sibanda Mbulisi , Naiken Vivek , Chetty Kershani , Mabhaudhi Tafadzwanashe
Published: February 2023

In this study, we conducted a scoping review and bibliometric analysis to evaluate the state-of-the-art regarding actual applications of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies to guide precision agriculture (PA) practices within smallholder farms. UAVs have emerged as one of the most promising tools to monitor crops and guide PA practices to improve agricultural productivity and promote the sustainable and optimal use of critical resources. However, there is a need to understand how and for what purposes these technologies are being applied within smallholder farms. Using Biblioshiny and VOSviewer, 23 peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science were analyzed to acquire a greater perspective on this emerging topical research focus area. The results of these investigations revealed that UAVs have largely been used for monitoring crop growth and development, guiding fertilizer management, and crop mapping but also have the potential to facilitate other PA practices. Several factors may moderate the potential of these technologies. However, due to continuous technological advancements and reductions in ownership and operational costs, there remains much cause for optimism regarding future applications of UAVs and associated technologies to inform policy, planning, and operational decision-making.
Use of Tangerine Waste as Fuel for the Generation of Electric Current
Authors: Rojas-Flores Segundo , Cabanillas-Chirinos Luis , Nazario-Naveda Renny , Gallozzo-Cardenas Moisés , Diaz Félix , Delfin-Narciso Daniel , Rojas-Villacorta Walter
Published: February 2023

Fruit waste has increased exponentially worldwide, within which tangerine is one of those that generates a greater amount of organic waste, which is currently not fully used. On the other hand, microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are presented as an opportunity to take advantage of organic waste to generate electricity, which is why the main objective of this research is to generate bioelectricity using tangerine waste as a substrate in microbial fuel cells using zinc and copper electrodes. It was possible to generate current and voltage peaks of 1.43973 ± 0.05568 mA and 1.191 ± 0.035 V on days eighteen and seventeen, respectively, operating with an optimum pH of 4.78 ± 0.46 and with electrical conductivity of the substrate of 140.07 ± 3.51 mS/cm, while the Brix degrees gradually decreased until the last day. The internal resistance determined was 65.378 ± 1.967 Ω, while the maximum power density was 475.32 ± 24.56 mW/cm2 at a current density of 5.539 A/cm2 with a peak voltage of 1024.12 ± 25.16 mV. The bacterium (Serratia fonticola) and yeasts (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa) were identified in the substrate with an identity of 99.57 and 99.50%, respectively. Finally, the cells were connected in series, managing to generate 3.15 V, which allowed the turning on of a red LED light.
Slope Stability Analysis for a Large Hydropower Station in China
Authors: Yin Dongbin , Liu Huifen , Yan Jingwen , Wang Jianqiang
Published: February 2023

Hydropower plants (including the switching station) built in the middle and southern section of the north–south zone of China are always situated in complex geological settings of transition zones from strong to weak earthquakes with active faults. It is of great importance to carry out careful evaluation of the slope stability considering various loading scenarios to ensure safe operation of the power stations. By using the rigid body limit equilibrium method and the finite element method, the effects of long-term load and seismic load on slope stability for a large hydropower station were studied. The results show that the slope safety factors of the station meet the stability requirements when the slope is under long-term load and under the action of the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquake loads. The stability of the slope is guaranteed. However, the risk analysis of the slope stability under the action of the design earthquake load shows that the slope safety factor is less than the accidental working condition safety factor of 1.05. Under the action of a strong earthquake, the crumbling block gravel soil layer in the shallow natural slope slides and destabilizes, which is obviously beyond its protection capacity, and therefore, effective seismic defense measures should be developed to ensure the safety of the personnel and equipment operating in the power station and switching station.
Climate Comfort Due to Spatial Organization: A Major Factor of Urban Resilience in Complex Gentrification Nodes in New Urban Communities
Authors: Mahmoud Randa A. , Elbardisy Wesam M.
Published: February 2023

Gentrification nodes act as city centers in new urban communities where people can work, meet, eat, and exchange. The spatial organization of these nodes, considered complex adaptive systems, is a crucial factor in achieving climate comfort. This paper aims to demonstrate how the spatial organization of these nodes affects their microclimate comfort and can accordingly lead to their spatial resilience. Four predominant gentrification nodes, located in New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed, were selected, playing an essential role in the Egyptian real estate market and affecting urban dynamics in both areas. We argue that their spatial organization and how it affects climate comfort play a crucial role in their urban resilience. We believe that the climate comfort they offer will help them keep attracting the same socioeconomic categories of the population despite the changes in the real estate market and the displacement of urban anchors. Moreover, the findings highlighted that climate comfort, as a component of urban resilience, can be used to acknowledge the behavior of these nodes in the urban fabric. These findings were supported by simulations, interviews with the owners, the architect, and the users’ “closed-ended” questionnaire. The results show that the spatial resilience of two of these nodes is effectively related to climate comfort and the spatial organization that corresponds to users’ needs. Moreover, the results underline that in the case of linear nodes, building massing and materials with high albedo should be considered, as in the multiaxial nodes, the aspect of ratio dimensions and orientation of the space should be well studied.
Perspectives and Challenges on Sustainability: Drivers, Opportunities and Policy Implications in Universities
Authors: D’Adamo Idiano , Gastaldi Massimo
Published: February 2023

Sustainability calls for contributions from all countries in the evaluation of all its components: nations and regions should invest in research and development, prioritizing the use of green and circular resources [...]
Integration between Sustainability and Value Engineering in the Production of Eco-Friendly Concrete
Authors: Albarbary Mahmoud M. , Tahwia Ahmed M. , Elmasoudi Islam
Published: February 2023

The global concrete and construction industry’s growth has led to a shift in priorities, with a greater emphasis placed on sustainability. Hence, with technological advances, the concrete industry seeks additional cementitious materials to produce value-added products. By emphasizing the financial, ecological, and technological benefits of using fly ash as a partial cement replacement, the study constructed a framework which integrates the economic, environmental, and social pillars of sustainability through value engineering. Experimental results from 42 previous studies are analyzed and presented to underline the unique characteristics of fly ash concrete alternatives across five criteria (replacement, strength gain, compressive strength, slump, and permeability), showing how they differ from conventional concrete, and how they can be used to implement sustainable practices with positive financial outcomes. This study showed that the alternatives’ value gradually increases up to two times at 50% cement replacement. On the other hand, while the construction cost gradually increased to a peak of 19.69%, the life cycle cost went down by 41.45% at the same percentage. Thus, customers can emphasize the superiority of eco-friendly concrete while also highlighting the economic benefits, making it a more competitive option for them and expanding its market.
Teachers’ Perceptions of Online Teaching Do Not Differ across Disciplines: A Survey
Authors: Jiang Yanyun , Ruan Xiaomeng , Feng Zirong , Jiang Peijie
Published: February 2023

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, online teaching has been widely practiced. Ensuring the quality and efficiency of online teaching has become an important research topic. Teachers’ views of online teaching directly affect the quality of instruction. The study aimed to understand whether there are differences in the basic perceptions of online teaching among teachers in different disciplines. Through a web-based questionnaire, the researchers surveyed 198 teachers from different disciplines about their perceptions of online teaching. The research method was a convergent mixed-method design. SPSS 22.0 was used to analyze quantitative data, and qualitative data were analyzed using NVivo 11. The results showed significant differences in the attitudes of teachers to adopt online teaching as the norm in different disciplines. Social science teachers preferred online education not to be the norm, while natural science teachers preferred online education to be the norm. In addition, there was little difference in the perceptions of online teaching among teachers of different disciplines. Most of them pointed out the problem of interactive communication in online teaching and gave suggestions about it. Online teaching has value, but there is still much room for improvement. It is necessary to strengthen the construction of facilities for online education, consider the characteristics of disciplines, and train teachers in teaching methods, learning psychology, and technology.
Land Use/Land Cover Change Detection and NDVI Estimation in Pakistan’s Southern Punjab Province
Authors: Hu Yongguang , Raza Ali , Syed Neyha Rubab , Acharki Siham , Ray Ram L. , Hussain Sajjad , Dehghanisanij Hossein , Zubair Muhammad , Elbeltagi Ahmed
Published: February 2023

Land use/land cover (LULC) changes are among the most significant human-caused global variations affecting the natural environment and ecosystems. Pakistan’s LULC patterns have undergone huge changes since the 1900s, with no clear mitigation plan. This paper aims to determine LULC and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) changes as well as their causes in Pakistan’s Southern Punjab province over four different periods (2000, 2007, 2014, and 2021). Landsat-based images of 30 m × 30 m spatial resolution were used to detect LULC changes, while NDVI dynamics were calculated using Modis Product MOD13Q1 (Tiles: h24 v5, h24 v6) at a resolution of 250 m. The iterative self-organizing (ISO) cluster method (object meta-clustering using the minimal distance center approach) was used to quantify the LULC changes in this research because of its straightforward approach that requires minimal human intervention. The accuracy assessment and the Kappa coefficient were calculated to assess the efficacy of results derived from LULC changes. Our findings revealed considerable changes in settlements, forests, and barren land in Southern Punjab. Compared to 2000, while forest cover had reduced by 31.03%, settlement had increased by 14.52% in 2021. Similarly, forest land had rapidly been converted into barren land. For example, barren land had increased by 12.87% in 2021 compared to 2000. The analysis showed that forests were reduced by 31.03%, while settlements and barren land increased by 14.52% and 12.87%, respectively, over the twenty year period in Southern Punjab. The forest area had decreased to 4.36% by 2021. It shows that 31.03% of forest land had been converted to urban land, barren ground, and farmland. Land that was formerly utilized for vegetation had been converted into urban land due to the expansion of infrastructure and the commercial sector in Southern Punjab. Consequently, proper monitoring of LULC changes is required. Furthermore, relevant agencies, governments, and policymakers must focus on land management development. Finally, the current study provides an overall scenario of how LULC trends are evolving over the study region, which aids in land use planning and management.
Elucidating Finance Gaps through the Clean Cooking Value Chain
Authors: Coldrey Olivia , Lant Paul , Ashworth Peta
Published: February 2023

The current supply of finance to enable universal access to clean fuels and technology for cooking does not match the scale of Sustainable Development Goal 7’s access challenge. To date, little attention has been given to the modalities of funding the clean cooking transition at the macro level. Grounded in a review of academic and recent grey literature, this study’s research objective was to provide a granular understanding of gaps in finance flows and financial instruments, mapped against the innovation cycle of companies that provide clean cooking solutions. In the context of wide-ranging barriers to the clean cooking sector’s development, we found a chronic shortfall of finance for companies at the early stages of their business growth and poorly targeted public finance to support innovation and mitigate risk for later-stage investors. This is exacerbated by limited data sharing and knowledge exchange among a small number of funders. We recommend reforms to public funding for clean cooking enterprises, especially for research, development and demonstration (RD&D) and innovation, to mitigate risk for later-stage investors, as well as more effective data sharing, to help catalyse sufficient, appropriate finance through the value chain for universal access.
Sustainable Mobilities in the Neighborhood: Methodological Innovation for Social Change
Authors: Kesselring Sven , Simon-Philipp Christina , Bansen Julian , Hefner Barbara , Minnich Lukas , Schreiber Jonathan
Published: February 2023

The German federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg with its regional capital Stuttgart is a major field for the mobility transition in Europe. As one of seven living labs in the state, MobiQ—Sustainable Mobility through Sharing in the Neighborhood follows a civil society, non-commercial approach. Utilizing the research design of living labs, research and practice work hand in hand to promote citizen participation in co-designing and co-producing neighborhood-based, and developing shared mobility solutions. The spatial focus is on three locations: A 10,500-inhabitant post-war settlement on the outskirts of Stuttgart (Stuttgart-Rot), a city-neighborhood with about 6000 inhabitants (Geislingen an der Steige) and a rural municipality of approximately 3000 inhabitants (Waldburg). In this article, we propose how theoretical considerations of the sustainability transitions of mobility systems can be deployed on the ground. Through this study, we offer first-hand insights into living lab experiences and inspire scholars worldwide to harness the networks of civic actors in order to contribute to a cultural change in mobility practice.
Dynamic Mechanical Properties and Failure Characteristics of Sandstone with Pre-Flaws Parallel to the Loading Direction
Authors: Li Ziyun , Zhu Yunhui , Song Qianghui , Wang Peiyong , Liu Dongyan
Published: February 2023

Investigations on rock dynamics have been comprehensively focused on when the dynamic impact is perpendicular to the trend of the flaws, while understanding the dynamic mechanical properties and failure characteristics of rock with pre-flaws parallel to the loading direction remains unrevealed. In this study, impact tests are performed to experimentally study the dynamic mechanical properties, failure characteristics, and energy evolution of pre-flawed sandstone using the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) apparatus, in which the pre-flaws are parallel to the loading direction. The results show that for specimens, the dynamic loading rate and the number of flaws greatly influence the dynamic strength, peak strain, energy absorption rate, and failure behaviors. The dynamic strength increases exponentially with an increase in loading rate and decreases with an increase in flaw numbers. The fractal dimension of triple-flawed specimens is the largest at the same loading rate range. The failure modes of different pre-flawed specimens show a transition from tensile failure to tensile-shear failure with the increase of dynamic loading rate.
Response Surface Methodology: The Improvement of Tropical Residual Soil Mechanical Properties Utilizing Calcined Seashell Powder and Treated Coir Fibre
Authors: Anggraini Vivi , Dassanayake Sandun , Emmanuel Endene , Yong Lee Li , Kamaruddin Fatin Amirah , Syamsir Agusril
Published: February 2023

Calcined seashell (CSS) powder and treated coir fibre (CF) are well-established additives for reinforcing poor soils. However, the absence of specific mix designs to optimize the mix additives makes it difficult to predict their combined effect on improving the mechanical behaviour of poor soils. This research explores the use of response surface methods to find the optimal proportions of CSS and CF for enhancing the mechanical properties of a tropical residual soil. This study uses a combination of Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and regression models to examine how the independent variables of the CSS content, CF content, and curing duration influence the responses of the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), Flexural Strength (FS), and Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS). The findings show that the optimal mix of 9.06% CSS, 0.30% CF, and 12 days of curing significantly improved the UCS, FS, and ITS by roughly six, four, and three times, respectively. Microstructural analysis revealed that the formation of calcium-aluminate-hydrate and calcium-silicate-hydrate are the primary components responsible for the enhanced mechanical properties of the treated soil.
Research on Forest Carbon Sink Potential in China
Authors: Meng Xiaoxuan , Li Jiahui , Jin Man , Su Xiaopai , Suo Guibin
Published: February 2023

The original variables were 14 statistics in 31 provinces and cities in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan) in 2019, including forest area, forest tending area, afforestation area and timber production. Factor analysis was used to study the factors affecting development potential of forest carbon sinks in mainland China. The results show that the total forest resources factor extracted from the variables related to forest stock and forest land use area was the most important affecting this potential, followed by the forest climate and output value factor extracted from variables related to climate and output. Third was the forest ecological construction factor, which was extracted from forestry afforestation area related variables and fire-damaged areas. In last place was the forest disaster prevention factor extracted from forest nurturing and pest and rodent control area variables. According to systematic clustering of the comprehensive score, development potential of forest carbon sinks in 31 provinces and municipalities across the country was divided into five categories and, based on this, targeted suggestions were put forward for improvement of the above potential in various regions.
Optimum, Suboptimal and Solar Sailing Orbital Maneuvers for a Spacecraft Orbiting the Earth
Authors: Meireles Lucas Gouvêa , Gomes Vivian Martins , Prado Antônio Fernando Bertachini de Almeida , Melo Cristiano Fiorilo de
Published: February 2023

The present research performs numerical studies to search for the best maneuvers, from the point of view of minimum time, to make adjustments in the semi-major axis, eccentricity and inclination of a spacecraft traveling around the Earth. For those maneuvers, low thrust propulsion is used under optimal and sub-optimal assumptions, to verify the main differences in terms of transfer time. In addition, solar sail dynamics is used. The spacecraft is assumed to have a propulsion with a fixed magnitude and that the control is based on choosing the direction of the propulsion. It is found that optimal control gives the minimum transfer time, while sub-optimal control restricted the control to follow a predescribed function, which is assumed to be a constant or linear function in time. Finally, solar sails present themselves as an option where fuel is a critical factor, given their much longer maneuver duration, but with a zero fuel consumption. The numerical-analytical modeling of optimization methods developed in this study can break any type of symmetry in the solutions. In turn, they can increase their energetic efficiency. The present research compares those results in detail, in particular looking at the transfer time in all cases studied.
Quality of Service (QoS) Performance Analysis in a Traffic Engineering Model for Next-Generation Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Mazhar Tehseen , Malik Muhammad Amir , Mohsan Syed Agha Hassnain , Li Yanlong , Haq Inayatul , Ghorashi Sara , Karim Faten Khalid , Mostafa Samih M.
Published: February 2023

Quality of Service (QoS) refers to techniques that function on a network to dependably execute high-priority applications and traffic reliably run high-priority applications and traffic even when the network’s capacity is limited. It is expected that data transmission over next-generation WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks) 5G (5th generation) and beyond will increase significantly, especially for multimedia content such as video. Installing multiple IoT (Internet of Things refers to the network of devices that are all connected to each other) nodes on top of 5G networks makes the design more challenging. Maintaining a minimal level of service quality becomes more challenging as data volume and network density rise. QoS is critical in modern networks because it ensures critical performance metrics and improves end-user experience. Every client attempts to fulfill QoS access needs by selecting the optimal access device(s). Controllers will then identify optimum routes to meet clients’ core QoS needs in their core network. QoS-aware delivery is one of the most important aspects of wireless communications. Various models are proposed in the literature; however, an adaptive buffer size according to service type, priority, and incoming communication requests is required to ensure QoS-aware wireless communication. This article offers a hybrid end-to-end QoS delivery method involving customers and controllers and proposes a QoS-aware service delivery model for various types of communication with an adaptive buffer size according to the priority of the incoming service requests. For this purpose, this paper evaluates various QoS delivery models devised for service delivery in real time over IP networks. Multiple vulnerabilities are outlined that weaken QoS delivery in different models. Performance optimization is needed to ensure QoS delivery in next-generation WSN networks. This paper addresses the shortcomings of the existing service delivery models for real-time communication. An efficient queuing mechanism is adopted that assigns priorities based on input data type and queue length. This queuing mechanism ensures QoS efficiency in limited bandwidth networks and real-time traffic. The model reduces the over-provisioning of resources, delay, and packet loss ratio. The paper contributes a symmetrically-designed traffic engineering model for QoS-ensured service delivery for next-generation WSNs. A dynamic queuing mechanism that assigns priorities based on input data type and queue length is proposed to ensure QoS for wireless next-generation networks. The proposed queuing mechanism discusses topological symmetry to ensure QoS efficiency in limited bandwidth networks with real-time communication. The experimental results describe that the proposed model reduces the over-provisioning of resources, delay, and packet loss ratio.
Electrochemical Studies of Azulene Modified Electrodes
Authors: Anăstăsoaie Veronica , Matica Ovidiu Teodor , Lete Cecilia , Isopescu Raluca , Miskovic-Stankovic Vesna , Ungureanu Eleonora-Mihaela
Published: February 2023

Previous studies performed on 2-(azulen-1-yldiazenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole (T) showed that T is a ligand with complexing properties towards heavy metals (HMs) in solution and can be attached to electrode surfaces. Films of T were deposited on glassy carbon to obtain chemically modified electrodes (T-CMEs), either through scanning or using controlled potential electrolysis in tetrabutylammonium perchlorate in acetonitrile. They were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and spectroelectrochemistry. All methods provided evidence for showing the formation of insulating films, with properties depending on their electropolymerization potential. CV and EIS studies of T-CMEs in tetrabutylammonium perchlorate in acetonitrile as supporting electrolyte, and in the presence of a ferrocene redox probe resulted in a thickness of ~10 µm, an active surface area about 6 times higher than the geometrical one, and conductivity of about 10−6 S/cm. This characterization performed using voltammetric techniques reveals the symmetry of the reversible anodic and cathodic redox CV peaks for the polymer, while spectroelectrochemistry shows the intensification of the charge transport process through polarons, due to the anodic polarization of the film.
The Role of Empirical Formulae in the Design of Complex Systems
Authors: Curcio Alessandro , Dattoli Giuseppe , Di Palma Emanuele
Published: February 2023

We discuss the general concepts underlying the design strategies of complex devices like Tokamaks and Free Electron Lasers (FEL). Regarding the FEL, starting from the desired output performances, the key parameters are embedded to get a set of semi-analytical/empirical equations yielding straightforward and reliable estimates of gain and power. In a similar way, the guiding elements of a fusion reactor, to reach the prescribed fusion gain Q and power, are defined in terms of scaling relations involving pivotal quantities like radius and magnetic field. General formulae characterizing a physical system may be the consequence of an unknown symmetry. The onset of specific instabilities represent the breaking of a symmetry characterizing given equilibrium conditions. In this article, we comment on the analogy between two different physical devices, and even though we do not specify any underlying symmetry, we aim to stimulate further research in this direction.
Non-Trivial Band Topology Criteria for Magneto-Spin–Orbit Graphene
Authors: Eryzhenkov Alexander V. , Tarasov Artem V. , Shikin Alexander M. , Rybkin Artem G.
Published: February 2023

Band structure and topology of magneto-spin–orbit graphene is investigated using the proposed tight-binding model that incorporates both Rashba and sublattice-resolved collinear exchange couplings in a generic ferrimagnetic (FIM) setting for in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization directions. The resulting band structures were analyzed for possibilities to extract the strengths of exchange and Rashba couplings from experimental spin-resolved ARPES measurements of the valley gaps and π-state spin-splittings. It was shown that the topologically trivial in-plane FIM situation admits simple expressions for these quantities, whereas the out-of-plane FIM, which admits a nontrivial band topology, is harder to analyze. The obtained topological phase diagrams for the out-of-plane FIM case show that the anomalous Hall conductance is quite stable with respect to the antiferromagnetic (AFM) interaction, which tends to interfere with the QAHE phase; moreover, the topological phase transition has a rather smooth character with respect to the AFM coupling strength.
Some New Estimates of Fixed Point Results under Multi-Valued Mappings in G-Metric Spaces with Application
Authors: Ullah Naimat , Khan Muhammad Bilal , Aloraini Najla , Treanțǎ Savin
Published: February 2023

It is well known fact that fixed point results are very useful for finding the solution of different types of differential equations. In this paper, some new results of multi-valued functions involving rational inequality in G−metric spaces have been obtained. Some of the new concepts are also defined over G−metric spaces that are open set, interior of set, and limit point of set. Moreover, we have presented the application of our main results in the field of Homotopy. Some non-trivial examples are also provided to discuss the validation of the main finding.
Distant Magnon-Magnon Coupling Mediated by Nonresonant Photon
Authors: Zhang Qi , Sun Yitong , Xue Jianshu , Bai Lihui
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we theoretically and experimentally study the distant magnon-magnon coupling mediated by nonresonant photons. We establish a magnon-photon-magnon coupling model for two CrCl3 crystals spacial separated on a microstrip line. By changing the phase difference of the samples from 0 to π in order to manipulate the distant magnons from coherent coupling to dissipative coupling, our coupling model predicts that the dispersion is tunable from a level repulsion to a level attraction. In addition, we experimentally demonstrate that two spacial separated CrCl3 crystals over a distance of 1.2 cm couple each other indirectly via the microwave photons on the microstrip line. Our works for the distant magnon-magnon coupling mediated by nonresonant photons might provide new sight into long-distant information transmission.