bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Inhibitory Activity of Citral against Malassezia furfur
Authors: Liu Yi-Tsz , Lee Meng-Hwan , Lin Yin-Shen , Lai Wen-Lin
Published: April 2022

The lipophilic yeast Malassezia furfur, is a member of the cutaneous commensal microbiota and is associated with several chronic diseases such as dandruff, pityriasis versicolor, folliculitis, and seborrheic dermatitis, that are often difficult to treat with current therapies. The development of alternatively effective antifungal therapies is therefore of paramount importance. In this study, we investigated the treatment effect of citral on M. furfur. The minimal inhibitory concentration of citral for M. furfur was 200 μg/mL, and the minimal fungicidal concentration was 300 μg/mL. Citral significantly increased the proportion of yeast cells to mycelial forms 2.6-fold. Phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA fragmentation, and metacaspase activation supported a citral-induced apoptosis in M. furfur. Moreover, citral at sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations reduced the invasion of M. furfur in HaCaT keratinocytes. Finally, we demonstrated that citral inhibited IL-6 and TLR-2 expression and enhanced HBD-2 and TSLP expression in M. furfur-infected HaCaT keratinocytes. These results showed that citral has antifungal activity at high concentrations and can decrease the infection of M. furfur by modulating the keratinocyte immune responses at low concentrations. Our results suggest that citral is a potential candidate for topical therapeutic application for M. furfur-associated human skin diseases.
Risk Assessment of Exposure to Natural Radiation in Soil Using RESRAD-ONSITE and RESRAD-BIOTA in the Cobalt-Nickel Bearing Areas of Lomié in Eastern Cameroon
Authors: Dieu Souffit Gondji , Saïdou Saïdou , Bobbo Modibo Oumar , Lepoire David , Tokonami Shinji
Published: April 2022

Nkamouna-Kongo is a cobalt–nickel deposit located in Lomié, Eastern Cameroon. Mining creates radiation exposure pathways that must be considered in risk management scenarios. RESRAD-ONSITE and RESRAD-BIOTA, developed by the US DOE, assess contaminated sites by deriving cleanup criteria and estimating the radiation dose and risk associated with residual radioactive materials using site-specific parameters. This paper evaluated the radiation dose in biota and the health risk from exposure to naturally occurring radionuclides. The activity of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K was determined by γ-spectrometry. The internal doses were 2.13 × 10−07, 1.42 × 10−06, and 8.38 × 10−05 Gy d−1 for animals and 2.38 × 10−07, 2.04 × 10−06, and 9.07 × 10−05 Gy d−1 for plants. The maximum total dose of 0.7234 mSv yr−1 was obtained at t = 1 year. The external dose contribution obtained at t = 1 year for all nuclides summed and all component pathways was 0.4 mSv yr−1, above the background radiation dose limit of 2.5 × 10−01 mSv yr−1. A maximum cancer risk of 1.36 × 10−03 was observed at t = 1 year. It was also shown in the RESRAD calculations that the total cancer morbidity risks from plant ingestion, radon (independent of water), and external gamma exposure pathways were greater than those from other exposure pathways. The high risk calculated for 226Ra relative to 232Th and 40K makes it the primary human health concern in the study area. The use of a 1 m cover thickness would remediate the contaminated site to a dose on the order of 10−5 mSv yr−1 for a period of 0 to 100 years. The values of these doses are below the US DOE recommended limits.
Dynamic Harvest Index Estimation of Winter Wheat Based on UAV Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Considering Crop Aboveground Biomass Change and the Grain Filling Process
Authors: Ren Jianqiang , Zhang Ningdan , Liu Xingren , Wu Shangrong , Li Dandan
Published: April 2022

The crop harvest index (HI) is of great significance for research on the application of crop variety breeding, crop growth simulation, crop management in precision agriculture and crop yield estimation, among other topics. To obtain spatial information on the crop dynamic HI (D-HI), taking winter wheat as the research object and fully considering the changes in crop biomass and the grain filling process from the flowering period to the maturity period, the dynamic fG (D-fG) parameter was estimated as the ratio between the aboveground biomass accumulated in different growth periods, from the flowering stage to the maturity stage, and the aboveground biomass in the corresponding periods. Based on the D-fG parameter estimation using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral remote sensing data, a technical method for obtaining spatial information on the winter wheat D-HI was proposed and the accuracy of the proposed method was verified. A correlation analysis was performed between the normalized difference spectral index (NDSI), which was calculated using pairs of any two bands of the UAV hyperspectral spectrum, and the measured D-fG. Based on this correlation analysis, the center of gravity of the local maximum region of R2 was used to determine the sensitive band center to accurately estimate D-fG. On this basis, remote sensing estimation of the D-fG was realized by using the NDSI constructed by the sensitive hyperspectral band centers. Finally, based on the D-fG remote sensing parameters and the D-HI estimation model, spatial information on the D-HI of winter wheat was accurately obtained. The results revealed five pairs of sensitive hyperspectral band centers (i.e., λ(476 nm, 508 nm), λ(444 nm, 644 nm), λ(608 nm, 788 nm), λ(724 nm, 784 nm) and λ(816 nm, 908 nm)) for D-fG estimation, and the results of the D-fG remote sensing estimation showed high precision. The root mean square error (RMSE) was between 0.0436 and 0.0604, the normalized RMSE (NRMSE) was between 10.31% and 14.27% and the mean relative error (MRE) was between 8.28% and 12.55%. In addition, the D-fG parameter estimation, using the NDSI constructed by the above five sensitive remote sensing band centers, yielded highly accurate spatial D-HI information with an RMSE between 0.0429 and 0.0546, an NRMSE between 9.87% and 12.57% and an MRE between 8.33% and 10.90%. The D-HI estimation results based on the hyperspectral sensitive band centers λ(724 nm, 784 nm) had the highest accuracy, with RMSE, NRMSE and MRE values of 0.0429, 9.87% and 8.33%, respectively. The proposed method of acquiring spatial information on the winter wheat D-HI in this study was shown to be feasible, and it might provide a technical reference toward developing satellite-based indices to monitor large-scale crop HI information.
Fusing Spatial Attention with Spectral-Channel Attention Mechanism for Hyperspectral Image Classification via Encoder–Decoder Networks
Authors: Sun Jun , Zhang Junbo , Gao Xuesong , Wang Mantao , Ou Dinghua , Wu Xiaobo , Zhang Dejun
Published: April 2022

In recent years, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely used in hyperspectral image (HSI) classification. However, feature extraction on hyperspectral data still faces numerous challenges. Existing methods cannot extract spatial and spectral-channel contextual information in a targeted manner. In this paper, we propose an encoder–decoder network that fuses spatial attention and spectral-channel attention for HSI classification from three public HSI datasets to tackle these issues. In terms of feature information fusion, a multi-source attention mechanism including spatial and spectral-channel attention is proposed to encode the spatial and spectral multi-channels contextual information. Moreover, three fusion strategies are proposed to effectively utilize spatial and spectral-channel attention. They are direct aggregation, aggregation on feature space, and Hadamard product. In terms of network development, an encoder–decoder framework is employed for hyperspectral image classification. The encoder is a hierarchical transformer pipeline that can extract long-range context information. Both shallow local features and rich global semantic information are encoded through hierarchical feature expressions. The decoder consists of suitable upsampling, skip connection, and convolution blocks, which fuse multi-scale features efficiently. Compared with other state-of-the-art methods, our approach has greater performance in hyperspectral image classification.
Optimal Self-Calibration Strategies in the Combined Bundle Adjustment of Aerial–Terrestrial Integrated Images
Authors: Xie Linfu , Hu Han , Zhu Qing , Li Xiaoming , Ye Xiang , Guo Renzhong , Zhang Yeting , Qin Xiaoqiong , Wang Weixi
Published: April 2022

Accurate combined bundle adjustment (BA) is a fundamental step for the integration of aerial and terrestrial images captured from complementary platforms. In traditional photogrammetry pipelines, self-calibrated bundle adjustment (SCBA) improves the BA accuracy by simultaneously refining the interior orientation parameters (IOPs), including lens distortion parameters, and the exterior orientation parameters (EOPs). Aerial and terrestrial images separately processed through SCBA need to be fused using BA. Thus, the IOPs in the aerial–terrestrial BA must be properly treated. On one hand, the IOPs in one flight should be identical for the same images in physics. On the other hand, the IOP adjustment in the cross-platform-combined BA may mathematically improve the aerial–terrestrial image co-registration degree in 3D space. In this paper, the impacts of self-calibration strategies in combined BA of aerial and terrestrial image blocks on the co-registration accuracy were investigated. To answer this question, aerial and terrestrial images captured from seven study areas were tested under four aerial–terrestrial BA scenarios: the IOPs for both aerial and terrestrial images were fixed; the IOPs for only aerial images were fixed; the IOPs for only terrestrial images were fixed; the IOPs for both images were adjusted. The cross-platform co-registration accuracy for the BA was evaluated according to independent checkpoints that were visible on the two platforms. The experimental results revealed that the recovered IOPs of aerial images should be fixed during the BA. However, when the tie points of the terrestrial images are comprehensively distributed in the image space and the aerial image networks are sufficiently stable, refining the IOPs of the terrestrial cameras during the BA may improve the co-registration accuracy. Otherwise, fixing the IOPs is the best solution.
A 90 GHz Broadband Balanced 8-Way Power Amplifier for High Precision FMCW Radar Sensors in 65-nm CMOS
Authors: Lee Hyeonseok , Trinh Van-Son , Park Jung-Dong
Published: April 2022

We present a W-band 8-way wideband power amplifier (PA) for a high precision frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar in 65-nm CMOS technology. To achieve a broadband operation with an improved output power for a high range resolution and high distance coverage of FMCW radar sensors, a balanced architecture is employed with the Lange coupler which naturally combines the output powers from two 4-way push-pull PAs. By utilizing a transformer-based push-pull structure with a cross-coupled capacitive neutralization technique, the gate-drain capacitance of the 4-way PA is compensated for the stabilization with an improved power gain. Interstage matching was performed with transformers for a reduced loss from the matching network and minimal area occupation. The implemented balanced 8-way PA achieved a saturated output power (Psat) of 16.5 dBm, a 1-dB compressed output power (OP1dB) of 13.3 dBm, a power-added efficiency (PAE) of 9.9% at 90 GHz and 3-dB power bandwidth was 20.4 GHz (79.2–99.6 GHz).
σ-Hole Bonds and the VSEPR Model—From the Tetrahedral Structure to the Trigonal Bipyramid
Authors: Grabowski Sławomir J.
Published: April 2022

Complexes linked by various interactions are analysed in this study. They are characterized by the tetrahedral configuration of the Lewis acid centre. Interactions, being a subject of this study, are classified as σ-hole bonds, such as the halogen, chalcogen, pnicogen, and tetrel bonds. In the case of strong interactions, the tetrahedral configuration of the Lewis acid centre changes into the trigonal bipyramid configuration. This change is in line with the Valence-Shell Electron-Pair Repulsion model, VSEPR, and this is supported here by the results of high-level ab initio calculations. The theoretical results concerning the geometries are supported mainly by the Natural Bond Orbital, NBO, method.
Analyzing Stakeholder Perceptions of Water Ecosystem Services to Enhance Resilience in the Middle Drâa Valley, Southern Morocco
Authors: Mahjoubi Imane , Bossenbroek Lisa , Berger Elisabeth , Frör Oliver
Published: April 2022

Freshwater ecosystems deliver an extensive range of ecosystem services (ESs), which are the benefits people obtain from their interaction with nature. Increasing pressure on water resources threatens the sustainable supply of water-related ecosystem services, especially in arid regions, as is the case for the Drâa Valley located in southern Morocco. With the long-term objective of contributing to a sustainable supply of important ecosystem services in the Drâa Valley, this paper analyzes stakeholder perceptions of water-related ecosystem services (WESs). To assess the different perceptions of WES, 35 semi-structured interviews were conducted with the inhabitants of three oases in the middle Drâa Valley, as well as 12 other interviews with key government officials. Based on our interviews, we reflect on two of the policy-relevant generic principles proposed by the Stockholm Resilience Centre for enhancing the resilience of WESs. Our results reveal similarities in perceptions of WES among stakeholder groups regarding provisioning services but marked differences regarding regulating and cultural services. The analysis suggests that these differences stem from stakeholders’ different roles and activities in the area. In addition, socio-demographic, biophysical, and spatial aspects also shape how WESs are perceived in the area. Learning about similarities in WES perceptions can help build common ground among stakeholders. The recognition of differences can also assist the balancing of the different needs and interests of these groups. ESs perception assessment can contribute to strengthened stakeholder knowledge of the categories of ESs and provide a common ground for participating in ES-related decision making, hence enhancing resilience in social–ecological systems.
COVID-19 Pandemic: New Prevention and Protection Measures
Authors: Cirrincione Luigi , Plescia Fulvio , Ledda Caterina , Rapisarda Venerando , Martorana Daniela , Lacca Guido , Argo Antonina , Zerbo Stefania , Vitale Ermanno , Vinnikov Denis , Cannizzaro Emanuele
Published: April 2022

As of the end of February 2021, more than 420,000,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide, with 5,856,224 deaths. Transmission of the different genetically engineered variants of SARS-CoV-2, which have been isolated since the beginning of the pandemic, occurs from one infected person to another by the same means: the airborne route, indirect contact, and occasionally the fecal–oral route. Infection is asymptomatic or may present with flulike symptoms such as fever, cough, and mild to moderate and severe respiratory distress, requiring hospitalization and assisted ventilation support. To control the spread of COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have indicated that the appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as the adoption of effective hygiene systems, is one of the primary prevention measures for the entire population. Companies and institutions around the world are therefore trying to find the best ways to reorganize their operations, minimizing the risk of infection among their employees, in order to protect their health and prevent internal outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2, including through the development of new technologies that could also be an innovative and driving factor for the relaunch of companies in a more sustainable, ethically correct, and safe for the health of employees perspective. On the basis of the above premises, in view of the coexistence with SARS-CoV-2 that will most likely accompany us in the coming years, and in view of the vaccination campaign adopted worldwide, the purpose of our narrative review is to update the previous operational protocols with the latest scientific knowledge to be adopted in the workplace even when the emergency crisis is over.
Improving Older Drivers’ Behaviors Using Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Ni Dingan , Guo Fengxiang , Zhang Hui , Li Mingyuan , Zhou Yanning
Published: April 2022

The proportion of older drivers has increased with the aging population. In order to improve the driving behavior and safety of older drivers, we aim to analyze behavior differences between older and younger drivers and then study an improvement strategy based on the older drivers’ behavioral characteristics. Older drivers’ behaviors can be enhanced through training, thereby improving driving safety. Simulated scenarios for behavior analysis and training are constructed for drivers who are recruited from the general driving population. Data on the drivers’ eye movement, physiological and psychological conditions, operation behavior, and vehicle status are collected and analyzed. The theory of planned behavior is adopted to construct a driving behavior enhancement training model for older drivers. Finally, a structural equation model is developed to comprehend the relationship between training level, driver characteristics, and traffic safety. The ability and speed of older drivers to obtain traffic information is worse than those of young and middle-aged drivers, and the vehicle control capability of older drivers has a larger volatility. The driving behavior training model can improve older drivers’ driving stability and safety, as follows: the positive effect of training on driving behavioral improvement is larger than the negative effect of aging; the negative effect of training level on dangerous driving tendency is larger than the positive effect of driver’s aging. The driving behavior of older drivers should be improved for the safety and stability of driving operations through the PNE (perceived-norm-execution) model. The relationship between training level, driving behavior characteristics, and traffic safety is discussed using the structural equation model, and results show that the training can improve the effect of the drivers’ age on the characteristics of driving behavior, and that older drivers tend to decrease dangerous driving tendencies.
Distributed Generation Management in Smart Grid with the Participation of Electric Vehicles with Respect to the Vehicle Owners’ Opinion by Using the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm
Authors: Shokouhandeh Hassan , Ahmadi Kamarposhti Mehrdad , Asghari Fariba , Colak Ilhami , Eguchi Kei
Published: April 2022

In this paper, a modified version of Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) is proposed for the optimal energy management of a Microgrid (MG) with Parking Lots (PL) and Distributed Generation (DG) units. A 24-h scheduling for participation in DG units and electric vehicles PLs in two scenarios is done. The PLs are divided into seven group that each group has different trip behavior. Therefore, energy management should be done in such a way as to minimize operating costs according to the charging status of electric vehicles as well as the production capacity of distributed generation sources. Finally, the results of the two scenarios are reviewed separately and compared. The simulation results proved the effectiveness of the proposed method. The MG operation cost is decreased about 63%. Also, the optimization results. The optimization results by the proposed ICA algorithm are compared with the results of genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarming optimization (PSO) algorithms. The optimization results confirm better performance of the proposed algorithm compared to GA and PSO algorithms.
Impact of Dynamic Capabilities on Customer Satisfaction through Digital Transformation in the Automotive Sector
Authors: Miguel Pablo Martínez de , De-Pablos-Heredero Carmen , Montes Jose Luis , García Antón
Published: April 2022

Technology has impacted businesses in different areas, and, consequently, many companies have found it necessary to make changes in their structures and business models to improve customer satisfaction. The objective was to quantify the effect of dynamic capabilities on customer satisfaction, through digital transformation within the automotive sector. A random sample of 42 questionnaires on 127 surveyed industries was collected during the period 2019–2020 in a pre-COVID-19 context. A structural equation model (SEM) in two stages was applied. In the first stage, two reflective models were built. In a second stage, a structural equation model was evaluated. The results obtained in this study showed that the capabilities of sensing, seizing and innovation were suitably grouped in a construct called “Dynamic Capabilities”. A positive influence of Dynamic Capabilities on customer satisfaction was found. Therefore, the companies in this industry should focus on developing dynamic capabilities to improve customer satisfaction. Once the opportunities have been identified, managers take advantage of their potential (seizing) to transform and exploit knowledge in the creation, innovation, process improvement, and definition of strategies to combine new knowledge with that already existing. The digital transformation has contributed to identify the real needs for customers, to contact them and solve their problems, as well as offering products and services by anticipating their needs.
Industrial Processes Online Teaching: A Good Practice for Undergraduate Engineering Students in Times of COVID-19
Authors: Ricaurte Marvin , Ordóñez Paola E. , Navas-Cárdenas Carlos , Meneses Miguel A. , Tafur Juan P. , Viloria Alfredo
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic required higher education institutions to change the modality of face-to-face to online learning overnight. Adaptations were needed, particularly in industrial process training in Chemical Engineering and related careers. Students could not access companies and industries for internships or industrial visits, intended to allow undergraduate students to observe the process engineers’ work in professional spaces. This paper describes a pedagogical strategy to overcome this limitation. Here, we report an approach applied in an Industrial Processes course, with students from the 8th to 10th semesters and alumni, from the undergraduate Petrochemical Engineering program at Yachay Tech University (Ecuador). In this course, the students developed group projects involving an industrial process analysis focused on economic sectors of interest in the country. The projects also included a revision of official figures and statistics on production data, consumption, and perspectives of the different markets. The execution of these projects promoted students’ active participation through technical discussions by exchanging ideas. A high level of attendance at synchronic classes reflected a high motivation. Through feedback and interviews, the students’ comments confirmed the relevance and value of the strategy applied in the course.
Comprehensive Energy Consumption of Elevator Systems Based on Hybrid Approach of Measurement and Calculation in Low- and High-Rise Buildings of Tropical Climate towards Energy Efficiency
Authors: Ang Jia Hui , Yusup Yusri , Zaki Sheikh Ahmad , Salehabadi Ali , Ahmad Mardiana Idayu
Published: April 2022

Rapid population growth and urbanization contribute to an ever-increasing global energy demand, of which the building sector accounts for one-third. The increasing average height and density of buildings escalate the need for vertical transportation, expanding elevator usage and energy needs. This phenomenon accounts for a significant amount of the total building energy use, necessitating a study of elevator system energy consumption. This study aimed to analyze the energy consumption and carbon emissions of elevator systems in low- and high-rise buildings towards energy-efficient estimations. A comprehensive analysis was performed based on a hybrid approach of measurement and calculation using a formula and reference values derived from previous studies. Four buildings were selected and thoroughly studied, representing the low- and high-rise categories. Data were collected based on on-site sampling and observation, as well as information from the building management offices. The mechanical parameters of the elevator system in each building and operational factors in terms of speed, number of trips, load, travel distance, and time were studied. In this analysis, the energy consumption calculation was performed according to International Standard ISO 25745. Annual carbon emissions were calculated in accordance with the USA EPA and IPCC guidelines. The elevator energy efficiency class was determined based on daily energy consumption. It was found from this study that the annual energy consumption of an elevator system is positively correlated to an elevator’s daily energy consumption. The annual carbon emissions of the elevator systems are dependent on increasing annual energy consumption, which is also connected to building height indirectly. The low-rise buildings showed better energy efficiency compared to the high-rise buildings due to lower travel distance, less trips, and fewer floors. The annual number of trips, travel distances, and energy consumption had an effect on the energy efficiency of the elevator systems in this study.
Technology-Enhanced Education through VR-Making and Metaverse-Linking to Foster Teacher Readiness and Sustainable Learning
Authors: Lee HyeJin , Hwang Yohan
Published: April 2022

The main purpose of this paper is to bring pioneering insights into the core line of sustainable education research by investigating the multi-dimensional aspects of teachers’ readiness to design technology-enhanced learning environments. In order to achieve this goal, this study documents the experiences of pre-service English teachers in instructional Virtual Reality (herein, VR) content design of K–12 English digital textbooks. Furthermore, it examines how their VR creation can be linked to a metaverse platform for learning adaptivity and sustainable education. The data are collected by pre-/post-surveys as well as reflective papers. The pre-/post-survey responses are analyzed with a t-test to determine significance; the reflective paper entries are scrutinized with sentiment analysis and text mining. The study findings suggest that such transformative experiences of VR-Making (herein, VRM) for instructional contents are conducive to capacitate pre-service teachers’ technological readiness, 4Cs (Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration, Communication) in digital citizenship, and perceived pedagogical benefits. Based on findings, this study continues to support the need for providing teaching practitioners with hands-on learning-to-teach opportunities with emerging technology as a tool to fulfill sustainable education.
The Feeding Landscape: Bird and Human Use of Food Resources across a Biocultural Landscape of the Colombian Andes
Authors: Ortega-Álvarez Rubén , Casas Alejandro
Published: April 2022

Agriculture impacts both human welfare and biodiversity at the same time. Still, social and ecological assessments have commonly analyzed the relevance of agroecosystems separately. We evaluated the human and avian feeding use of the biocultural landscape in Jardín, Colombia, using a socioecological approach. Together with farmers, we identified the main socioecological units of the landscape (i.e., fincas, grazing lands, town, forests) and determined the use of each unit in terms of food foraging from forests, crop cultivation, cattle grazing, food commercialization, and food industrialization. We compared the richness of the food resources produced among finca sections (i.e., gardens, coffee–banana plantations, grazing lands). Then, we surveyed avian behavior to contrast the richness of bird species, feeding use and intensity, and food types consumed by birds among the units. Fincas were shown to play a pivotal role in feeding both humans and birds. Gardens provide food for people as well as nectarivore and frugivore birds. Coffee–banana plantations are economically relevant, but their food provision is limited and could be enhanced by increasing the diversity of the food crops within them. The town supports commerce and granivorous birds, whereas grazing lands have limited feeding importance. Forests are used by birds to capture invertebrates but do not supply much food for the people. Our approach fosters the identification of key socioecological units, demonstrating that studying both humans and wildlife enhances the comprehension of biocultural landscapes.
A Global Assessment: Can Renewable Energy Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050?
Authors: Holechek Jerry L. , Geli Hatim M. E. , Sawalhah Mohammed N. , Valdez Raul
Published: April 2022

Our study evaluated the effectiveness of using eight pathways in combination for a complete to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy by 2050. These pathways included renewable energy development; improving energy efficiency; increasing energy conservation; carbon taxes; more equitable balancing of human wellbeing and per capita energy use; cap and trade systems; carbon capture, utilization, and storage; and nuclear power development. We used the annual ‘British Petroleum statistical review of world energy 2021’ report as our primary database. Globally, fossil fuels, renewable (primarily hydro, wind and solar), nuclear energy accounted for 83%, 12.6%, and 6.3% of the total energy consumption in 2020. To achieve zero fossil fuel use by 2050, we found that renewable energy production will need to be increased by up to 6-fold or 8-fold if energy demand is held constant at, or increased 50% from, the 2020 energy demand level. Constraining 2050 world energy demand to a 25% increase over the 2020 level, improves the probability of achieving independence from fossil fuels. Improvements in energy efficiency need to accelerate beyond the current rate of ~1.5% per year. Aggressive application of energy conservation policies involving land use and taxation could potentially reduce world energy use by 10% or more by 2050. Our meta-analysis shows that the minimum level of per capita energy consumption that would allow 8 billion people to have a ‘Decent Living Standard’ is on average ~70 GJ per capita per year, which is 93% of the 2020 global average. Developed countries in temperate climates with high vehicle-dependency needed ~120 GJ per capita year−1, whereas equatorial countries with low vehicle-dependency needed 30 GJ per capita year−1. Our meta-analyses indicated replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy by 2050 may be possible but will require aggressive application of all eight pathways, major lifestyle changes in developed countries, and close cooperation among all countries.
Determinants of Household Nutrition Security in Countries in Protracted Crisis: Evidence from South Sudan
Authors: Sassi Maria
Published: April 2022

Undernutrition is a considerable challenge in sub-Saharan Africa, especially in countries affected by a protracted crisis, but the literature lacks information on the underlying mechanisms influencing micro- and macronutrients, and appropriate analytical tools are needed to assist policymakers and implementers. The paper contributes to filling this gap, focusing on the Western Bahr el Ghazal state in South Sudan and using primary data collected in May–June 2019 for a statistically representative sample of households. The literature typically uses one micro- or macronutrient as a proxy of nutritional status. On the contrary, the study applied a MANCOVA with an artificial dependent variable, including protein, vitamin A, and heme iron, in a single experiment to discover the variables that better explain household nutritional status. Dietary diversity explains the largest proportion of variance in household nutritional status. The importance of the variables in explaining the variance in the specific micro- and macronutrients depends on the explanatory variable. Therefore, the results suggest the possible misinterpretation of undernutrition using one nutrient. Moreover, they highlight the importance of a multisectoral approach to the problem with a central role played by agriculture and the urgency of the reinforcement of the humanitarian–development–peace nexus to improve household nutrition security in South Sudan.
Managing Resources Based on Influential Indicators for Sustainable Economic Development: A Case Study in Serbia
Authors: Milošević Mimica R. , Nikolić Miloš M. , Milošević Dušan M. , Dimić Violeta
Published: April 2022

The balance between resource consumption and the ability of natural systems to meet the needs of future generations emerges as a prerequisite of sustainability. Sustainability means aligning economic growth and development with the interest of the environment and social development. Decision-making is a significant responsibility in an environment and the business world because decisions affect the ecology and business performance. It is necessary to adopt new approaches in decision-making to find an appropriate method for assessing and setting priority goals. Various methods for multi-criteria decision-making have been developed, including the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The paper deals with the management of natural and human resources for the sustainable economic development of Serbia by selecting influential factors, relying on a multi-criteria decision-making framework. Appropriate methods have been applied: AHP and several fuzzy AHP (FAHP) approaches. These methods’ application enables the analysis of results from different aspects of expert opinion. Through a case study, this paper investigates the AHP method from several facets in which the identification of decision criteria is based on the perception of experts of different profiles. The findings of this research can be a guideline for decision-makers in resource management to enhance sustainable economic development. The case study confirms that the stability of the business environment and business sectors is the most influential indicator in all scenarios.
Green Economy—Green Jobs in the Context of Sustainable Development
Authors: Tănasie Anca Vasilica , Năstase Luiza Loredana , Vochița Luminița Lucia , Manda Andra Maria , Boțoteanu Geanina Iulia , Sitnikov Cătălina Soriana
Published: April 2022

Europe is in the middle of an energy crisis, exacerbated in large part by skyrocketing gas costs. Renewable energy is critical in this environment for decreasing Europe’s reliance on imported energy; boosting renewables in Europe requires a ‘New Energy Compact’—a coordinated effort throughout Europe to build more renewable energy capacity. The purpose of this research is to examine the structure of renewable energy production in Romania between 2010 and 2020, as well as the green employment produced by the renewable energy sector in Romania between 2010 and 2019. Using the Markov chain approach, it was predicted that in 2025, the hydropower industry’s employees would account for the biggest proportion of the overall average number of workers engaged in the renewable energy production sector in Romania (74.68%). Solar energy production employees will account for 14.31% of the average number of workers in the renewable energy production sector, biomass energy production employees will account for 5.8%, and wind energy production employees will account for 5.2% of the average number of workers in the green energy sector.
Adapting Fleming-Type Learning Style Classifications to Deaf Student Behavior
Authors: Luangrungruang Tidarat , Kokaew Urachart
Published: April 2022

This study presents the development of a novel integrated data fusion and assimilation technique to classify learning experiences and patterns among deaf students using Fleming’s model together with Thai Sign Language. Data were collected from students with hearing disabilities (Grades 7–9) studying at special schools in Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, Thailand. This research used six classification algorithms with data being resynthesized and improved via the application of feature selection, and the imbalanced data corrected using the synthetic minority oversampling technique. The collection of data from deaf students was evaluated using a 10-fold validation. This revealed that the multi-layer perceptron algorithm yields the highest accuracy. These research results are intended for application in further studies involving imbalanced data problems.
The Influence Mechanism of Strategic Partnership on Enterprise Performance: Exploring the Chain Mediating Role of Information Sharing and Supply Chain Flexibility
Authors: Yang Yanling , Zheng Yanling , Xie Guojie , Tian Yu
Published: April 2022

In the context of the digital economy, establishing close strategic partnerships to cope with market uncertainties is an important strategic choice for firms seeking to achieve sustainable development in developing countries, particularly in Eastern culture. However, research on how strategic partnerships affect enterprise performance remains controversial. To address this issue, based on the supply chain management practices of Chinese enterprises in the era of the digital economy, and according to resource dependence theory, social network theory, and transaction cost theory, a chain multiple intermediary model was constructed and 243 Chinese enterprises information was collected for an empirical test. The results show that strategic partnership has a significant direct positive impact on information sharing, supply chain flexibility, and enterprise performance. Information sharing has a significant direct positive impact on enterprise performance and plays a partial mediating role between strategic partnership and enterprise performance. Supply chain flexibility was also found to positively impact enterprise performance and plays a partial mediating role between strategic partnership and enterprise performance. The findings also showed that information sharing and supply chain flexibility play a chain mediating role between strategic partnership and enterprise performance. This study explores the effects of strategic partnership on enterprise performance, which provides an important supplement to theoretical studies of supply chain management. The results help provide targeted solutions on how to effectively implement supply chain management for enterprises in emerging and developing nations.
Potential of Using Selected Industrial Waste Streams in Loop-Closing of Material Flows—The Example of the Silesian Voivodeship in Poland
Authors: Jąderko-Skubis Karolina , Kruczek Mariusz , Pichlak Magdalena
Published: April 2022

Every year, the industrial sector produces a significant amount of waste. Bearing in mind the need to improve resource efficiency and reduce the impact of industrial plants on the environment, an attempt was made to identify and determine the processing potential of selected waste streams with respect to the circular economy, along with an indication of sectoral connections. The subject of the study was industrial waste, which is the dominant stream of waste generated in the Silesian Voivodeship—the area of research. The paper presents the results of quantitative and qualitative analysis of the selected industrial waste streams and provides a visual representation of the flow. The study was based on available statistical data covering quantities of industrial waste. The article also includes the characteristics and possibilities of closing their circulation in the economy. The conducted SWOT analysis identified factors that strongly affect the possibility of implementing the circular economy model. The research allowed us to indicate possible waste flows and identify sectors closing their loop according to the assumptions of industrial symbiosis. The research path carried out on the example of Silesia shows the potential of the model and thus the possibility of implementation in other locations. This study showed that the strongest connection exists between mining-related plants, industrial power plants and combined heat and power plants, cement plants, and construction plants, especially road construction.
The Combined Use of 137Cs Measurements and Zr-Methods for Estimating Soil Erosion and Weathering in Karst Areas of Southwestern China
Authors: Yin Chuan , Li Jinjin , Ji Hongbing , Song Changshun , Du Mingyi
Published: April 2022

Soil physical erosion and chemical weathering quantification at the slope scale are important to reveal the material cycle of the ecosystem in the karst region, because of the high heterogeneity due to the complex habitats. The Zr-based mass balance method has been widely used to quantify long-term physical erosion and chemical weathering at the slope scale, but the method is still in the exploratory research stage for quantifying short-term physical erosion and chemical weathering. In this paper, sloping fields (nine sampling sites and two sloping fields) in Zunyi, within the Guizhou karst region, were studied. We attempted to quantify the short-term physical erosion and chemical weathering rates by 137Cs combined with the Zr-based mass balance method, and an ideal distribution curve of the Zr concentration in the soil surface layer of a karst region is proposed. The results showed the following: (1) The average soil erosion rate on the slope of the study area is 580 t/(km2·a), which is equivalent to 14% of the average value of the Wujiang River basin in which it is located. This shows that the spatial distribution of soil erosion in this area varies significantly. (2) The Zr concentration in the erosion profile (EUC (1)) corresponds to 48% of that in the deposition profile (DUC (3)). This indicates that physical erosion in the study area survives chemical weathering, which is also consistent with the relationship model hypothesis. In addition, the vertical distribution characteristics of Zr concentration in all profiles are basically consistent with the ideal hypothesis curve. (3) The chemical weathering rate of the topsoil has been preliminarily estimated to be around 30 t/(km2·a), and the ratio between the physical soil erosion and chemical weathering is 20:1. The results show that the physical erosion is dominant over the chemical weathering of topsoil, and the chemical weathering rate was proportional to the physical erosion. This study provides a new method for quantifying short-term soil erosion and weathering erosion at the slope scale in karst regions, which is important for regional ecological restoration and sustainable development.
A Consideration of Wildlife in the Benefit-Costs of Hydraulic Fracturing: Expanding to an E3 Analysis
Authors: Caldwell Jennifer A. , Williams Christopher K. , Brittingham Margaret C. , Maier Thomas J.
Published: April 2022

High-volume hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale (underlying about 24 mil ha in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Ohio, and Virginia) has become a politically charged issue, primarily because of concerns about drinking water safety and human health. This paper examines fracking in the Marcellus region, and the tradeoffs between the energy and economic potential of natural gas extraction and the environmental impacts on wildlife. Therefore, we introduce a new E3 analysis that combines the costs and benefits as regards energy, economics, and the environment. The Marcellus Shale has the most proven reserves of natural gas of any basin in the United States, at 129 trillion cubic feet. Income from natural gas development comes primarily from direct and indirect jobs, and induced jobs (those created when direct workers spend their earnings in a community), taxes and fees, and royalty and lease payments to rights holders. Fracking, however, has detrimental effects on wildlife and wildlife habitats. Terrestrial habitat effects are primarily due to landscape fragmentation from the clearing of land for pipeline and well pad development, which often removes mature forest and creates open corridors and edge habitats. An increase in forest edge and open corridors is associated with shifts in the bird community, as generalist species that do well around people increase in abundance, while forest specialists decline. Invasive plants associated with disturbance further degrade forest habitats. Aquatic habitats are also affected, both directly and indirectly. Hydraulic fracturing requires up to 20 mil L of water per well fracture, most of which comes from surface water sources in the Marcellus region. The removal of water, especially in smaller headwaters, can increase sedimentation, alter water temperature and change its chemistry, resulting in reductions in aquatic biodiversity. Given the reality that hydraulic fracturing will continue, there is a need to develop practices that best minimize negative impacts on terrestrial and aquatic habitats, as well as policies and the resolve to enforce these practices. To achieve a more sustainable balance between economic, energy, and environmental costs and benefits, we recommend that industry, scientists, non-governmental organizations, mineral rights holders, landowners, and regulators work together to develop a set of best management practices that represent the best knowledge available.
Spatial-Temporal Pattern of Mismatch Degree of High-Quality Tourism Development and Its Formation Mechanism in Taihu Lake Basin, China
Authors: Wang Guiling , Ye Lei
Published: April 2022

High-quality development is the theme of China’s economic and social development in the new era, the only way to build a powerful tourism economy, and also the objective demand to solve the practical problems and promote the transformation and upgrading of tourism. However, problems such as inefficient operation, environmental pollution, and slow industrial upgrading have become prominent in the development process of China’s tourism industry in recent years, in which a gap exists with the realization of high-quality development goals. Therefore, scientific control of the gap and deviation between the actual development level and the high-quality development goals of tourism is helpful for promoting the green and sustainable development of regional tourism. This study, taking the Taihu Lake Basin as an example, made a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the spatial-temporal pattern of high-quality development mismatch of tourism from 2010 to 2019, using the health distance model to analyze its spatiotemporal evolution characteristics, and combining the obstacle degree model and qualitative comparative analysis of fuzzy set to analyze its influencing mechanism. The empirical results show that: (1) the mismatch degree of high-quality development of tourism in the Taihu Lake Basin shows a downward trend, and the regional imbalance is prominent, showing polarization characteristics; (2) among the six systems, only the green system and the cultural and tourism resource system are in the matching type, the dominant system of mismatch type is different in each city, and it shows the characteristics of the transformation from external environmental obstacle to internal environmental obstacle in the process of transition from mismatch type to matching type; (3) the spatiotemporal pattern of high-quality development mismatch of tourism is the result of six systems working together, in which the innovative development system is the core driving force, the coordinated development system is the potential driving force, the green development system is the direct driving force, the open development system has the guiding function, the shared development system is the external driving force, and the literature and tourism resource system is the basic driving force. Therefore, the paper puts forward three types of combination paths and corresponding suggestions that can promote the transformation and upgrading of tourism and achieve coordinated development of the Taihu Lake Basin.