bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Has the Market Started to Collapse or Will It Resist?
Authors: Kuang Yao , Douady Raphael
Published: April 2022

Many people are concerned about the stock market in 2022 as it faces several threats, from rising inflation rates to geopolitical events. The S&P 500 Index has already dropped about 10% from the peak in early January 2022 until the end of February 2022. This paper aims at updating the crisis indicator to predict when the market may experience a significant drawdown, which we developed in Crisis Risk Prediction with Concavity from Polymodel (2022). This indicator uses regime switching and Polymodel theory to calculate the market concavity. We found that concavity had not increased in the past 6 months. We conclude that at present, the market does not bear inherent dynamic instability. This does not exclude a possible collapse which would be due to external events unrelated to financial markets.
Omnibus Tests for Multiple Binomial Proportions via Doubly Sampled Framework with Under-Reported Data
Authors: Rahardja Dewi
Published: April 2022

Previously, Rahardja (2020) paper (in the first reference list) developed a (pairwise) multiple comparison procedure (MCP) to determine which (proportions) pairs of Multiple Binomial Proportions (with under-reported data), the significant differences came from. Generally, such an MCP test (developed by Rahardja, 2020) is the second part of a two-stage sequential test. In this paper, we derived two omnibus tests (i.e., the overall equality of multiple proportions test) as the first part of the above two-stage sequential test (with under-reported data), in general. Using two likelihood-based approaches, we acquire two Wald-type (Omnibus) tests to compare Multiple Binomial Proportions (in the presence of under-reported data). Our closed-form algorithm is easy to implement and not computationally burdensome. We applied our algorithm to a vehicle-accident data example.
Climate Change in Africa and Vegetation Response: A Bibliometric and Spatially Based Information Assessment
Authors: Idris Oladayo Amed , Opute Prosper , Orimoloye Israel Ropo , Maboeta Mark Steve
Published: April 2022

The impact of climate change over the coming decades will increase the likelihood of many species undergoing genetic alterations or even becoming extinct. Vegetation and belowground organisms are more vulnerable to the intensified impact of climate change due to a possible lack of genetic plasticity and limited mobility. Organisms are inter-dependable in ecosystems; hence, this study focused on the impact of climate change, examining the soil condition in Africa, vegetation responses and the overview of species’ responses to climate change through a bibliometric study and an analysis of remote sensing information. The bibliometric study examines climate change-related literature published from 1999 to 2019, collected from the Web of Science and Scopus database platforms, and this reveals an overall rapid increase in the number of climate change publications in Africa, with South Africa occupying a leading position in all the studied parameters. The spatially based information on soil moisture, temperature and the photosynthetic activities of vegetation affirmed that there is increasing amount of drought in Africa with more impact in northern, southern and eastern Africa. African countries, especially in the above-mentioned regions, need to urgently invest in support programs that will ease the impact of climate change, particularly on food security.
Performance Improvement of a Novel Trapezoid Air-Cooling Battery Thermal Management System for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Zhao Gang , Wang Xiaolin , Negnevitsky Michael , Zhang Hengyun , Li Chengjiang
Published: April 2022

An air-cooling battery thermal management system is a reliable and cost-effective system to control the operating temperatures of the electric vehicle battery pack within an ideal range. Different from most designs of the rectangular battery pack in previous research, this one proposed a novel isosceles trapezoid layout to improve system heat dissipations. The simulation results showed that the trapezoid design delivered better cooling performances than the rectangular one with a maximum temperature reduction of 0.9 °C and maximum temperature difference reduction of 1.17 °C at the inlet air flow rate of 60 L/s. Moreover, the cooling performance was further boosted by an aluminum heat spreader. The boosted design delivers an average Max T (32.95 °C) and an average ΔT (3.10 °C) at five different flow rates, which are 8.8% and 66.1% lower the one without the spreader (35.85 °C and 5.15 °C). Compared with the rectangular design without the spreader, the average Max T and ΔT of the boosted trapezoid design are reduced by 10.4% and 91.9% in addition to a space-saving of about 5.26%.
Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of Chicken Manure Compost Using Tobacco Residue, Mushroom Bran, and Biochar as Additives
Authors: Zhang Bangxi , Fu Tianhong , Guan Chung-Yu , Cui Shihao , Fan Beibei , Tan Yi , Luo Wenhai , Wei Quanquan , Li Guoxue , Peng Yutao
Published: April 2022

As an environmental management method, the (life cycle assessment) LCA method can be used to compare the differences between various waste treatment processes in order to provide an environmentally friendly and economically feasible method for waste management. This study focused on the reutilization of typical organic waste to produce organic fertilizer in southwest China and used the life cycle assessment method to evaluate three aerobic chicken manure composting scenarios modified with three additives (biochar, mushroom bran, and tobacco residue) from an environmental and economic perspective. The results show that the total environmental loads of the optimized treatments using mushroom bran and biochar mixed with mushroom bran as additives were reduced by 30.0% and 35.1%, respectively, compared to the control treatment (viz. chicken manure composted with tobacco residue). Compared to the control treatment, the optimized composting treatment modified by mushroom bran with and without biochar improved the profit by 23.9% and 35.4%, respectively. This work reflected that the combined composting mode of chicken manure, tobacco residue, mushroom bran, and biochar is an environmentally friendly and economically feasible composting process, which is more suitable for the resource utilization of the typical organic waste in southwest China.
Acclimatization of Mediterranean Native Sages (Salvia spp.) and Interspecific Hybrids in an Urban Green Roof under Regular and Reduced Irrigation
Authors: Papafotiou Maria , Martini Aikaterini N. , Tassoula Lamprini , Stylias Eleftherios G. , Kalantzis Anastasios , Dariotis Eleftherios
Published: April 2022

Native-to-Greece sage species, namely, Salvia fruticosa, S. officinalis, S. pomifera ssp. pomifera, S. ringens, S. tomentosa and interspecific hybrids, were evaluated for their acclimatization in an extensive Mediterranean green roof during summer under regular and reduced irrigation (every 2–3 days with substrate moisture 16–22% v/v and 4–5 days with substrate moisture 7–11% v/v, respectively). A substrate (grape-marc compost:perlite:pumice, 3:3:4, v/v) that was 10 cm deep was used. Regardless of the irrigation frequency, S. pomifera ssp. pomifera × S. ringens and S. officinalis × S. pomifera ssp. pomifera showed the highest survival of all hybrids and species, along with satisfactory growth, while S. fruticosa showed the lowest survival. Reduced irrigation resulted in the reduction of aboveground and root biomass, with no damage to the photosynthetic apparatus. S. fruticosa showed the highest (53%) aboveground biomass reduction and S. officinalis, S. officinalis × S. ringens and S. pomifera ssp. pomifera × S. ringens showed the lowest (28, 23 and 3%, respectively), while S. officinalis × S. pomifera ssp. pomifera and S. pomifera ssp. pomifera × S. ringens showed the lowest reduction in root biomass (13 and 16%, respectively). With a reservation for S. fruticosa, Greek Salvia spp. and their interspecific hybrids studied in the present work are recommended for sustainable exploitation in extensive green roofs in arid regions and generally in xeriscaping.
Multi-Asset Defect Hotspot Prediction for Highway Maintenance Management: A Risk-Based Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Karimzadeh Arash , Shoghli Omidreza , Sabeti Sepehr , Tabkhi Hamed
Published: April 2022

Transportation agencies constantly strive to tackle the challenge of limited budgets and continuously deteriorating highway infrastructure. They look for optimal solutions to make intelligent maintenance and repair investments. Condition prediction of highway assets and, in turn, prediction of their maintenance needs are key elements of effective maintenance optimization and prioritization. This paper proposes a novel risk-based framework that expands the potential of available data by considering the probabilistic susceptibility of assets in the prediction process. It combines a risk score generator with machine learning to forecast the hotspots of multiple defects while considering the interrelations between defects. With this, we developed a scalable algorithm, Multi-asset Defect Hotspot Predictor (MDHP), and then demonstrated its performance in a real-world case. In the case study, MDHP predicted the hotspots of three defects on paved ditches, considering the interrelation between paved ditches and five nearby assets. The results demonstrate an acceptable accuracy in predicting hotspots while highlighting the interrelation between adjacent assets and their contribution to future defects. Overall, this study offers a scalable approach with contribution in data-driven multi-asset maintenance planning with potential benefits to a broader range of linear infrastructures such as sewers, water networks, and railroads.
Loss of Coastal Wetlands in Lake Burullus, Egypt: A GIS and Remote-Sensing Study
Authors: Keshta Amr E. , Riter J. C. Alexis , Shaltout Kamal H. , Baldwin Andrew H. , Kearney Michael , Sharaf El-Din Ahmed , Eid Ebrahem M.
Published: April 2022

Lake Burullus is the second largest lake at the northern edge of the Nile Delta, Egypt, and has been recognized as an internationally significant wetland that provides a habitat for migrating birds, fish, herpetofauna, and mammals. However, the lake is experiencing severe human impacts including drainage and conversion to agricultural lands and fish farms. The primary goal of this study was to use multispectral, moderate-spatial-resolution (30 m2) Landsat satellite imagery to assess marsh loss in Lake Burullus, Egypt, in the last 35 years (1985–2020). Iterative Self-Organizing Data Analyses (ISODATA) unsupervised techniques were applied to the Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager–Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI–TIRS) satellite images for classification of the Lake Burullus area into four main land-use classes: water, marsh, unvegetated land surfaces (roads, paths, sand sheets and dunes), and agricultural lands and fish farms. The overall classification accuracy was estimated to be 96% and the Kappa index was 0.95. Our results indicated that there is a substantial loss (44.8% loss) in the marsh aerial coverage between 1985 and 2020. The drainage and conversion of wetlands into agricultural lands and/or fish farms is concentrated primarily in the western and southern part of the lake where the surface area of the agricultural lands and/or fish farms doubled (103.2% increase) between 2000 and 2020. We recommend that land-use-policy makers and environmental government agencies raise public awareness among the local communities of Lake Burullus of the economic and environmental consequences of the alarming loss of marshland, which will likely have adverse effects on water quality and cause a reduction in the invaluable wetland-ecosystem services.
Factors That Influence the Safe Disposal Behavior of E-Waste by Electronics Consumers
Authors: Laeequddin Mohammed , Kareem Abdul Waheed , Sahay Vinita , Tiwari Aviral Kumar
Published: April 2022

This study investigated the factors that influence the safe disposal intention and behavior of consumers, considering the mobile phone as an example. Specific hypotheses linking the factors that influence safe disposal intention and behavior with the support of extant literature on theories of reasoned action and planned behavior were developed. A questionnaire was designed based on the following factors: awareness, convenience, subjective norms, producer interventions, and regulations that influence the intentions and behavior of consumers in the safe disposal of e-waste. The data was collected by conducting a cross-sectional survey in India. The collected data was analyzed for descriptive statistics and measurement properties and further tested the hypotheses using partial least squares-structural equations modeling (PLS-SEM). All the measures used in the study were found to have satisfactory reliability and validity testing. The findings of hypotheses testing suggest that the factors such as awareness (Std. coefficient = 0.109 with p value < 0.05 level), convenience (Std. coefficient = 0.341 with p value < 0.01 level), subjective norms (Std. coefficient = 0.242 with p value < 0.01 level), producer interventions (Std. coefficient = 0.228 with p value < 0.01 level), and regulations (Std. coefficient = 0.148 with p value < 0.01 level) were found to significantly impact safe disposal intentions. However, the direct effect of regulation on safe disposal behavior was found to be non-significant (Std. coefficient = 0.091). Therefore, the significant finding of our study is that without the intention of behaving in a certain manner, the direct regulations may not influence the consumers to behave as intended. Our study’s results emphasize two areas that may trigger the consumer’s intentions for safe disposal of e-waste. First, the social norms, and second, the importance of producer responsibility in creating the required reverse logistics infrastructure and clear communication to customers for the safe disposal of e-waste.
Temporal Variation of Nitrogen and Sulfur Species of Food Waste and Sludge during Anaerobic Co-Digestion
Authors: Kang Pengzhou , Zhang Yuxiu , Ge Xiaopeng , Qian Zhi
Published: April 2022

Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) has been a widely accepted method to treat food waste (FW) and sewage sludge (SS). However, there is a knowledge gap regarding the key speciation transformation of nitrogen and sulfur in AcoD. Here, we explored the changes of nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) compounds in liquid digestion and biogas, as well as the composition of microbial community structure and related metabolic functions. The results showed that H2S in the biogas was the main form of S in the early stage, and then, it was converted into SO42− and SO32−, while NH3 and NH4+ were the main forms of N during the AcoD. In addition, bacterial diversity was associated with N and S compounds; Syntrophomonas and Aminobacterium were positively correlated to H2S, NH3, NH4+ and SO32−, and Saccharibacteria_genera_incertae_sedis, Candidatus_Cloacamonas and Thermomonas were positively correlated to SO42− and NO2−. Additionally, the FAPROTAX prediction showed that the functional composition related to N and S metabolism was different from SS and inoculum after the AcoD. This study provides detailed information of conversion of N and S of the AcoD, which could lay a foundation for the subsequent regulation of the mechanism of nitrogen and sulfur compounds in the methanogenic process.
How to Integrate On-Street Bikeway Maintenance Planning Policies into Pavement Management Practices
Authors: Chang Carlos M. , Vavrova Marketa , Mahnaz Syeda Lamiya
Published: April 2022

As more on-road bikeways are built, the timely application of maintenance treatments becomes critical to ensure safe and comfortable conditions for bicyclists. Longitudinal and transverse cracks that evolve to potholes, rough cut utility patching, raveling, and weathering are flexible pavement distresses that pose safety threats to bicyclists. Faulting and spalling are also safety hazards to bicyclists on rigid pavements. Despite of the need to adopt preventive maintenance policies to preserve on-street bikeways in good condition, bikeway maintenance practices are mostly reactive. The main contribution of this paper is to integrate bikeways maintenance criteria into a policy planning approach for pavement management practices. This planning approach articulates inventory data, condition assessment, maintenance treatment selection, budget needs, funding prioritization, and reports for the implementation of enhanced pavement management systems. Information Technology Systems (ITS) should also support data collection and analysis in the implementation of an integrated maintenance approach. With the adoption of ITS tools, traffic flow, space occupancy and congestion information can be registered in real-time for efficient management. As a result, transportation agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, and cities should make better-informed maintenance decisions for the benefit of all road users.
Study on Splitting Damage Characteristics of a Rock–Shotcrete Interface Subjected to Corrosive Water
Authors: Tian Sisi , Shen Yanjun , Li Shuguang , Ma Wen , Lv You , Li Xueting
Published: April 2022

Splitting tensile real time acoustic emission tests were carried out on rock–shotcrete binary specimens under the action of different corrosive waters in different periods. The effect of corrosion on the damage process of the binary interface was studied from a mesoscopic point of view. The results showed that the physical and chemical properties of the binary specimens were changed due to corrosion, resulting in a decrease in the tensile strength. Moreover, the corrosion effect of the acid solution is relatively strong throughout the whole corrosion cycle. It can be seen that the acoustic emission signal can reflect the interface microcrack propagation and inoculation process from the stress–strain curve, the ringing count, and the cumulative energy correspondence. Furthermore, the peak point of each parameter decreases with deepening the corrosion degree in different corrosive environments. The same-step variation in numerical value can provide certain early warning information. The application of acoustic emission B value indicates that the failure mode of the interface of the binary body develops from the failure of large internal cracks to the failure of continuous small cracks as the corrosion intensifies. The damage model established based on acoustic emission cumulative ringing count can better characterize the coupling relationship between corrosion-load-damage of the binary.
Resident Perceptions of Environment and Economic Impacts of Tourism in Fiji
Authors: Prasad Navneel Shalendra , Kumar Nikeel Nishkar
Published: April 2022

Knowledge of the negative impacts of tourism is an essential prerequisite for sustainability. This study explores the resident perceptions of an educated population on the environment and economic impacts of tourism in Fiji. Using a sample of 298 respondents based on the triple bottom line framework, we construct a model for sustainable tourism planning for Fiji. The structural equation modelling (SEM) approach indicates that awareness of the adverse effects of tourism is vital for the sustainable expansion of the sector and economic development. The current level and type of awareness are nonspecific. The study implies adaptation of sustainability into the education curriculum, enacting uncompromising sustainable acts and policies and forming an independent sustainability national council to vet all tourism developments.
The Pentagon Model of Urban Social Sustainability: An Assessment of Sociospatial Aspects, Comparing Two Neighborhoods
Authors: Akcali Seyda , Cahantimur Arzu
Published: April 2022

Social concerns have caused a critical rethinking of urban space in today’s society, with sociospatial issues at the forefront of discussions. This study aims to better understand the relationship between sociospatial aspects of urban space and social sustainability. We provide a pentagon model for urban social sustainability by identifying five dimensions: person (demographic and household characteristics), place (accessibility, social infrastructure, open spaces, and places for daily operations), people (sense of community, social relations, and social network), perception (sense of place, and security and safety), and process (participation, and future of space). The research methodology includes a spatial analysis, questionnaire survey, and statistical analyses, applied to two study areas in Izmir, Turkey. The findings show that the two study areas have significantly different scores in terms of social sustainability criteria. Residents who reported their neighborhood as being more accessible and having better places for daily operations indicated a higher sense of place and participation. Residents who rated their open spaces more highly reported better social relations and social networks, and greater security and safety. In addition, there are a variety of positive associations between indicators of social sustainability. The study summarizes the relationship between social sustainability indicators, followed by a discussion.
Influence of Climatic Factors on the Phenology of Chokeberry Cultivars Planted in the Pedoclimatic Conditions of Southern Romania
Authors: Dinu Marinela Diaconescu , Mazilu Ivona Enescu , Cosmulescu Sina
Published: April 2022

This paper aimed to study the adaptation of a crop to the specific climatic conditions of southern Romania, Pitești-Mărăcineni, Romania, in terms of the phenology of two chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) cultivars (‘Melrom’ and ‘Nero’). The BBCH (Biologische Bundesantalt, Bundessortenamt and Chemische Industrie) scale was used for phenological observations. The recorded data were statistically processed, calculating the average onset time and duration of fruiting phenophases and dormancy duration, average air temperatures, total solar radiation, and the cold and heat accumulation. Bud swelling was registered between 28 January and 8 February, budburst occurred starting on 3 March, while flowering began in stages, between 15 April and 1 May, and was completed between 27 April and 14 May. During the 154 days of 53–87 BBCH, the average air temperature, 16.1 °C, ranged between the extremes of −6.1 and 36.8 °C. The onset data and spring–summer phenophases were mainly related to the minimum air-temperature oscillations. The flowering timing shortened as the maximum temperature and total solar radiation increased. The relation between the environmental factors and the flowering strategy indicates the A. melanocarpa as a species adapted to the temperate continental climate of southern Romania.
An Improved Equilibrium Optimizer for Solving Optimal Power Flow Problem
Authors: Lan Zhouxin , He Qing , Jiao Hongzan , Yang Liu
Published: April 2022

With the rapid development of the economy, the quality of power systems has assumed an increasingly prominent influence on people’s daily lives. In this paper, an improved equilibrium optimizer (IEO) is proposed to solve the optimal power flow (OPF) problem. The algorithm uses the chaotic equilibrium pool to enhance the information interaction between individuals. In addition, a nonlinear dynamic generation mechanism is introduced to balance the global search and local development capabilities. At the same time, the improved algorithm uses the golden sine strategy to update the individual position and enhance the ability of the algorithm to jump out of local optimums. Sixteen benchmark test functions, Wilcoxon rank sum test and 30 CEC2014 complex test function optimization results show that the improved algorithm has better global searching ability than the basic equilibrium optimizer, as well as faster convergence and a more accurate solution than other improved equilibrium optimizers and metaheuristic algorithms. Finally, the improved algorithm is applied to the standard IEEE 30-bus test systems for different objectives. The obtained results demonstrate that the improved algorithm has better solutions than other algorithms in the literature for solving the optimal power flow problem.
Different Technologies’ Impacts on the Economic Viability, Energy Flows and Emissions of Energy Communities
Authors: Fina Bernadette , Schwebler Miriam , Monsberger Carolin
Published: April 2022

The aim of this study is to provide insights regarding the economic viability of and energy flows within a renewable energy community based on a linear optimisation model with peer-to-peer electricity trading. Different technologies, such as PV, heat pumps, electric vehicles, and a community battery storage, are modelled. With the objective of achieving a cost-optimal solution for the whole community, the individual impacts of different technologies, as well as their permutations, are investigated. Therefrom, financial and environmental advantages and disadvantages for individual participants and the whole community can be derived. The results indicate that customers who are equipped with a combination of PV systems, heat pumps, and EVs achieve better individual results compared to those with lower levels of technology. Especially when heat pumps are involved, the amounts of PV electricity generated can be used with high efficiency, increasing the benefits of energy community participation. Moreover, the higher the level of electricity-based technologies within the community is, the lower the conventional grid feed-in becomes. An additional implementation of a community battery storage can further reduce these amounts and, thus, the grid burden. Apart from the financial benefits, the installation of additional assets and, thus, reduced grid feed-in contribute to the reduction of CO2-emissions. This study’s results can aid in making decisions regarding investments and energy community composition, as well as in the funding decisions of policymakers.
Environmental Conflicts and Social Innovation on the Balearic Islands (Spain)
Authors: Vercher Néstor
Published: April 2022

New environmental conflicts arise all the time as a consequence of the industrial economy and economic growth. The search for new energy and new materials jeopardizes the margin to promote sustainable development in many local communities. In this paper, we examine a conflict related to hydrocarbons projects in the Balearic Sea (Spain) from the social innovation perspective. This novel approach allows us to focus on how socially innovative responses can be triggered by environmental threats. A set of mixed methods (qualitative analysis and social network analysis) are implemented to study the emergence and development of Alianza Mar Blava in Ibiza–Formentera. This is an initiative that successfully activates new social relations and new collective practices that contribute to transform the environmental conflict. In this study, we highlight the strategic factors that allow the conflict to be transformed as well as other social processes that ultimately promote local sustainable development beyond the conflict.
Corruption as a Moderator in the Relationship between E-Government and Inward Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Kim Keunwoo , An Jaehyung
Published: April 2022

E-government initiatives help a country to publicize information with greater transparency and efficiency and are expected to reduce corruption in the country. The present study investigates the impact of a host country’s e-government system on inward foreign direct investment (FDI) which plays an important role in the sustainable growth of countries. Using a logistic regression method to model whether the inward FDI is positive or negative, this study provides empirical evidence on the effects of the e-government development level on inward FDI. In addition, the authors point out that the positive influence of e-government on FDI becomes greater when the target country is more corrupted, and they hypothesize that the impact of e-government is moderated by corruption. The estimation results show that the e-government effect becomes greater when the host country is more corrupted. The findings have practical implications for policymakers for sustainable development of their economies on how they can attract more FDI by controlling the market environment.
Exploring Motivations and Barriers to Participate in Skill-Sharing Service: Insights from Case Study in Western Part of Tokyo
Authors: Mitake Yuya , Nagayama Atsuto , Tsutsui Yusuke , Shimomura Yoshiki
Published: April 2022

Skill-sharing services have the potential to foster regional development and mutual aid within a community through residents’ social participation. Despite the growing social demand for skill-sharing services, few cases have utilized individuals’ knowledge, skills, and other intellectual assets. To widely diffuse such services, it is necessary to clarify user factors (motivations and barriers to use services) and reflect on the service design process. However, there is limited knowledge regarding user analysis and skill-sharing services. Thus, this study explores user factors that affect the intention to use skill-sharing services and derives guidelines for skill-sharing service design and development. A hypothetical user factor model was constructed through a literature review of user research in sharing services and empirical analysis of actual skill-sharing services. The hypothetical model was applied to a survey on the use of skill-sharing services by residents in Hino city, the western part of Tokyo (n = 358). The results revealed that social motivation and self-actualizational motivation significantly affected the service use intention of skill providers. Economic motivations and enjoyment of service activities derive the service use intention of skill receivers. Moreover, familiarity was identified as a significant factor for both skill providers and receivers. These findings generated practical propositions for service designers to foster the further diffusion of skill-sharing services.
Investigation on Subjects’ Seasonal Perception and Adaptive Actions in Naturally Ventilated Hostel Dormitories in the Composite Climate Zone of India
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Singh Manoj Kumar , Al-Tamimi Nedhal , Alotaibi Badr S. , Abuhussain Mohammed Awad
Published: April 2022

A seasonal adaptive thermal comfort study was done on university students in naturally ventilated dormitories in the composite climate zone of India. A total of 1462 responses were collected from the students during the field study spread over the autumn, winter, spring, and summer seasons of the academic year for 2018 and 2019. A “Right Here Right Now” type of surveying method was adopted, and the indoor thermal parameters were recorded simultaneously using high-grade instruments. The subjects’ mean thermal sensation (TS) was skewed towards a slightly cool feeling for the combined data. Most occupants preferred a cooler thermal environment during the summer season, while hostel residents desired a warmer temperature during autumn, winter, and spring seasons. During the summer season, the PMV−PPD model overestimated the subjects’ actual thermal sensation, while it underestimated the their thermal sensation in the winter season. The mean comfort temperature  Tcomf was observed to be close to 27.1 (±4.65 °C) for the pooled data. Mean clo values of about 0.57 (±0.25), 0.98 (±0.12), 0.45 (±0.27), and 0.36 (±0.11) were recorded during the autumn, winter, spring, and summer seasons, respectively. Furthermore, switching on ceiling fans and opening doors and windows improved occupants’ thermal satisfaction during different seasons. The study results show the effective use of environmental controls and the role of thermal adaptation in enhancing the subjects/overall thermal satisfaction in the composite climate of India.
Clean Cruise Shipping: Experience from the BSR
Authors: Olaniyi Eunice , Prause Gunnar , Gerasimova Vera , Inkinen Tommi
Published: April 2022

The study calculates the costs of the environmental impact of cruise shipping to determine how and to what extent the cruise industry has evolved towards clean shipping in the Baltic Sea Region. While environmental regulations connect directly to emissions reduction, measures to ensure a clean shipping industry are beyond regulatory measures. The sector should be able to fully operate within an environmentally, socially, and financially acceptable structure. A holistic shipping pollution and emissions index, for example, must also include financial or economic quantification of the major environmental impacts. Thus, using empirical data collated from the industry, uncontrolled observations, and experts’ interviews, we present the annual CO2 emissions and the related emissions costs of a typical 7-day cruise that operates within the Baltic Sea region (BSR) as well as a waste management report from the port of Saint Petersburg. The result is a detailed energy demand and cost inventory assessment of cruise trips and their overall impact on the clean shipping campaign of the maritime industry. The focus on a BSR cruise and a port city led to realistic and reliable results since the Baltic Sea represents a well-defined macroregion with clear ports and cruising structures suitable for cross-sectoral activities.
What Brought Me Here? Different Consumer Journeys for Practices of Sustainable Disposal through Takeback Programmes
Authors: Radtke Manoela Lawall , de Almeida Stefânia Ordovás , Espartel Lélis Balestrin
Published: April 2022

Despite being considered a consumption behaviour, disposal is still treated in an incipient way in the consumer literature. In addition, little is known about the entire journey of those who practice sustainable consumption disposal. In order to fill this gap, this exploratory, qualitative study used semi-structed interviews with 15 consumers who already discarded items through return programmes for recycling purposes of two products: slow fashion wallets and coffee capsules. The products are from two companies in Brazil, Dobra and Terra Cycle, whose managers were also interviewed. Records of photos and videos made by these consumers were also part of the research material, in addition to the analysis of brands’ social media. Content analysis with deductive coding was used to analyse the data. The results allow for the proposition of a disposal journey framework and the understanding of this journey and its touchpoints for the products as a different trajectory. Still, it was found that detachment, emotional and mental separation from the product, only happens in some circumstances. The theoretical, managerial, and social implications of this journey of sustainable consumption disposal are discussed.
A Joint Scheduling Strategy for Wind and Solar Photovoltaic Systems to Grasp Imbalance Cost in Competitive Market
Authors: Das Shreya Shree , Das Arup , Dawn Subhojit , Gope Sadhan , Ustun Taha Selim
Published: April 2022

The integration of renewable energy sources with active thermal power plants contributes to the green environment all over the globe. To achieve maximum reliability and sustainability of the renewable-thermal hybrid system, plentiful constraints need to be considered for minimizing the situation, which creates due to the unpredictable nature of renewable energy. In wind integrated deregulated system, wind farms need to submit the power generation scenario for future days to Independent System Operator (ISO) before the date of operation. Based on their submitted bid, ISO scheduled the power generation from different generating stations, including thermal and renewable. Due to the uncertain nature of the wind flow, there is always a chance of not fulfilling the scheduling amount of power from the wind farm. This violation in the market can impose an economic burden (i.e., imbalance cost) on the generating companies. The solar photovoltaic cell can be used to decrease the adverse economic effects of unpredicted wind saturation in the deregulated system. This paper presents consistent, competent, and effective operating schemes for the hybrid operation of solar PV and wind farms to maximize the economic profit by minimizing the imbalance cost, which occurs due to the mismatch between the actual and predicted wind speed. Modified IEEE 14-bus and modified IEEE 30-bus test systems have been used to check the usefulness of the proposed approach. Three optimization techniques (i.e., Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP), Smart Flower Optimization Algorithm (SFOA), Honey Badger Algorithm (HBA)) have been used in this work for the comparative study. Bus Loading Factor (BLF) has been proposed here to identify the most sensitive bus in the system, used to place wind farms. The SFOA and HBA optimization technique has been used first time in this type of economic assessment problem, which is the novelty of this paper. The Bus Loading Factor (BLF) has been introduced here to identify the most sensitive bus in the system. After implementing the work, it has been seen that the operation of the solar PV system has reduced the adverse effect of imbalance cost on the renewable integrated deregulated power system.
A Study on Developing Marine Space Planning as a Transboundary Marine Governance Mechanism—The Case of Illegal Sand Mining
Authors: Cho Cheng-Chung , Kao Rui-Hsin
Published: April 2022

Kinmen’s coastline has gradually retreated in recently years, which has resulted in changes in coastal landforms. Research shows that possible factors are ocean currents, monsoons, tides, coastal development, and other anthropic factors such as unauthorized sand mining in the sea area between Kinmen and Xiamen. This study utilized a literature analysis, data collection, in-depth interviews, a field study, and expert opinion in order to establish a managing mechanism for marine spatial planning (MSP) for the sea area between Kinmen and Xiamen. To achieve the goal, the study analyzed law enforcement capacity in the sea area between Kinmen and Xiamen and explored how Taiwan and China can shelve sovereignty disputes and make a workable action plan for cooperating in maritime law enforcement based on a pragmatic and reciprocal principle. Finally, the study proposed to build an MSP-based managing mechanism that can be jointly operated by Kinmen, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, and Quanzhou, because they belong to the same sea area. The results of this study can provide information on marine issues encountered in the governance of countries surrounding seas, such as the marine pollution problems of the countries surrounding the Baltic Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
Acoustic Retrofit Approach of an Apartment Living Room Using Multi-Perforated Gypsum Boards in Terms of Heavy-Weight Impact Sounds
Authors: Kim Yong-Hee
Published: April 2022

In this study, the effects of multi-perforated gypsum boards on floor impact noises were investigated in a box-type test building and an actual apartment building. In a box-type test building with 150 mm thick slab, various design factors such as hole pattern, hole size, opening ratio, backing, or finishing materials were considered. Heavy-weight impact sources of bang machine and rubber ball were employed. The test procedure followed KS F 2810-2, and then, a single number rating was derived in accordance with KS F 2863-2. As a result, reduction of heavy-weight impact noise by applying multi-perforated gypsum boards as a ceiling material was expected maximumly up to 3 dB for bang machine and 5 dB for rubber ball. Regarding the reduction of floor impact sounds at frequencies above 125 Hz, the installed area of the employed multi-perforated gypsum board was shown as the most dominant factor. Then, an in situ investigation using standard impact sources and five children was carried out in an actual living space of an actual apartment dwelling unit. Comparing before and after installation of multi-perforated gypsum board, 1–2 dB of heavy-weight impact noises was reduced. In addition, subjective impressions of the reduced impact noise were discussed based on the field questionnaire survey using actual children’s running situations.
Green Purchasing: Past, Present and Future
Authors: Hazaea Saddam A. , Al-Matari Ebrahim Mohammed , Zedan Khaled , Khatib Saleh F. A. , Zhu Jinyu , Al Amosh Hamzeh
Published: April 2022

In recent years, discussions on green purchasing have increased; most studies were concentrated in developed countries, with limited studies conducted in developing countries. This study aims to systematically analyze studies that have discussed green purchasing. Using the Scopus database, 142 studies from 61 journals published during the period 1998 to 2021 were analyzed. Our analysis focused on three fundamental aspects: the determinants, the effect of green purchasing, and exploring the theoretical foundations and the most common theories that the studies relied on. The analysis results focused on researchers’ demographic and physiological determinants based on the theory of planned behavior. There has been a development in discussing the determinants related to products and marketing and social and environmental determinants in recent years. The analysis results of the studies that addressed green purchasing show that green purchasing contributes to sustainable development. This study contributes to decision-makers by identifying the mechanisms of persuasion that motivate consumers to buy green products and provides a clear picture of the contribution of green purchasing to improving company performance and thus achieving sustainability, which encourages stakeholders to devise policies, promotional, and marketing strategies through which they can attract consumers.
Damage Mechanism and Stress Distribution of Gypsum Rock Pillar Subjected to Blasting Disturbance
Authors: Wang Shuli , Liu Zhihe , Zhang Kaizhi , Zheng Huaichang
Published: April 2022

The room-pillar mining technology of underground gypsum resources results in numerous gypsum rock pillars for controlling and supporting mined gobs, which forms a large area of roof hanging gobs. Owing to weathering and mining activities, gypsum rock pillar damage and failure will occur, thereby inducing a large area of gypsum mined-gob collapse accidents and disasters. Blasting is vital to the stability of gypsum rock pillars and is indispensable in mining engineering. Based on field blasting tests and using wave velocity as the basic parameter to characterise the integrity of gypsum rock, the damage mechanism of gypsum rock pillars subjected to blasting disturbance is investigated. With ten blasting tests, the maximum damage rate is 7.82% along the horizontal direction of pillar, and 3.52% along the vertical direction. The FLAC numerical simulation calculation software is used to analyse the stress distribution law of gypsum rock pillars with disturbances of different strengths from different distances. As the disturbance strength increased, the stress increased with no clear linear relationship; as the disturbance distance increased, the stress decreased gradually with a linear relationship. All stress after disturbance is greater than the original static stress, and lower than the ultimate compressive strength. However, the correlation between blasting tests results and numerical simulation results is poor and is discussed for many factors. The results can provide important guidance and reference for clarifying the damage mechanism of gypsum rock pillars subjected to blasting disturbance, as well as reveal the collapse mechanism of gypsum mined gobs.
Relationship between the Cost of Capital and Environmental, Social, and Governance Scores: Evidence from Latin America
Authors: Ramirez Ana Gabriela , Monsalve Julián , González-Ruiz Juan David , Almonacid Paula , Peña Alejandro
Published: April 2022

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores play a pivotal role in the strategic design of firms. The literature has demonstrated the importance of sustainability issues in the financial performance of firms around the world. In particular, understanding the relationship between sustainability and the cost of capital is crucial for determining financial strategy and decision making. We identify an opportunity in the literature to analyze this relationship within Latin America (LatAm) firms. Thus, this study analyzes the relationship between ESG scores with the cost of capital of firms with headquarters in LatAm using a data set that includes 606 observations corresponding to information about 202 firms from 2017 to 2019. To conduct our analysis, two fixed effects panel data models were estimated. We model this relationship by taking ESG scores and each of its ESG Pillar scores—i.e., Environmental, Social, and Governance pillar scores—as independent variables and analyzing how they affect the cost of capital. According to the results, there is an inverse effect relationship between ESG scores and the cost of capital. Additionally, we did not find a relationship between the Social Pillar score and the Environmental Pillar score with the cost of capital. By contrast, the Governance Pillar score shows a negative relationship with the cost of capital. This indicates that the increase in transparency about internal processes and governance entities can be an essential driver of value creation for firms and higher financing confidence in LatAm firms. This study represents a breakthrough in explaining the impact of ESG scores on the cost of capital in LatAm. Ultimately, the current study presents the potential for further research in this field.
The Factors Influencing Resident’s Intentions on E-Bike Sharing Usage in China
Authors: Li Ruiwei , Krishna Sinniah Gobi , Li Xiangyu
Published: April 2022

E-bike sharing is considered a new mode of transport that is rapidly developing in China. In order to better understand the factors affecting the intention to use e-bike sharing, this study is based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the technology acceptance model (TAM) and added the variable of policy support. A sample of 441 respondents in a small city in China was collected to analyze residents’ intention on e-bike sharing usage. The results show that the research model can explain well residents’ intention to use shared e-bikes. Perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control have direct positive effects on the intention to use shared e-bikes. Among them, the perceived ease of use has the greatest impact on the intention to use shared e-bikes. Moreover, policy support has an indirect positive influence on the intention to use shared e-bikes through partial mediation of attitude and subjective norms. Finally, some strategies to promote e-bike sharing are proposed. This study can provide a better understanding of the acceptance of e-bike sharing and the strategy for promoting e-bike sharing in urban transportation.