bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using Gamification to Facilitate Students’ Self-Regulation in E-Learning: A Case Study on Students’ L2 English Learning
Authors: Li Xiuhan , Xia Qi , Chu Samuel Kai Wah , Yang Yuqin
Published: June 2022

E-learning has been an important learning approach in the information era by providing flexible environments and rich resources for learners. However, it also faces several challenges, the biggest one being that students need to have strong self-regulation competence to control and manage their e-learning. As gamification has been widely used in primary education to facilitate children’s learning motivation and engagement, it is valuable to explore the impacts of gamification on children’s self-regulated learning. In this study, the role of gamification in children’s English learning in Hong Kong was investigated through a gamified e-learning system. A quasi-experiment with pre-test/post-test design was conducted among primary level 3 students over a semester. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through academic tests, questionnaires, and interviews to provide comprehensive insights into the research questions. The key findings enable the identification of: (1) students’ gaining of self-regulated learning interest and academic performance from the gamified learning system; (2) students’ developed self-regulated learning strategies; and (3) the connection between gamification and students’ self-regulated learning. These findings have implications for e-learning designers and educators with regards to the practice of gamified learning to enhance students’ self-regulated learning and second language learning.
Sustainable Development of Economic Growth, Energy-Intensive Industries and Energy Consumption: Empirical Evidence from China’s Provinces
Authors: Ji Yanli , Xue Jie , Fu Zitian
Published: June 2022

At present, there is much literature on economic growth and energy consumption, but there is little literature combined with the industry perspective. This paper aims to clarify whether the development of energy-intensive industries is an indirect way for economic growth to affect energy consumption, which can provide a reference for the coordination of economic growth goals, industry development and reducing energy consumption. Based on China’s provincial panel data from 2000 to 2019, this paper measures the scale of provincial energy-intensive industries by entropy method and uses the panel regression model to test its transmission effect on energy consumption. The results show that 23.96% of the effects of economic growth on energy consumption are indirectly generated through the transmission of energy-intensive industries. Moreover, the transmission effects are only established in the eastern and western regions but are not significant in the central region. Therefore, controlling the rapid development of energy-intensive industries is an effective way to curb the expansion of China’s energy consumption scale. Green technology innovation, new-type urbanization construction and other supportive measures should be taken in accordance with local conditions. This research contributes to the coordinated and sustainable development of the economy, industry, and energy.
Will the Interest Triggered by Virtual Reality (VR) Turn into Intention to Travel (VR vs. Corporeal)? The Moderating Effects of Customer Segmentation
Authors: Geng Lili , Li Yufei , Xue Yongji
Published: June 2022

Under the new normal of COVID-19, interest in e-production/e-services has, increasingly, included Virtual Reality (VR) tourism. However, the relationship between the perceived need for VR tourism and the stimulation of intention to corporeal tourism is, yet, vague, where corporeal tourism refers to visiting actual tourism destinations. To investigate the preferred intention of particular tourist modes (VR vs. corporeal), an integrated framework was proposed, by merging key elements from the attention, interest, desire, and action (AIDA) model and the technology-acceptance model (TAM). A sample of 657 respondents was collected, during February 2022, and hypotheses were tested using a partial least square structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The findings showed that interest in VR tourism had a strong hierarchical effect on the behavioral intention to a particular tourist mode, mediated by perceived usefulness or ease of use, attitude, and desire. Interest was significantly linked to two key constructures of TAM, whilst both determined attitude. Attitude significantly influenced the preference intention toward a particular tourism mode, directly and indirectly with users’ desires, as a crucial mediator in the relationship. The individual characteristics moderate the paths, from evaluation to attitude and attitude to the mediator of desire to intention. This study contributes to both theories as well as practices in tourism management and marketing.
How Gender Affects Motor Vehicle Crashes: A Case Study from San Antonio, Texas
Authors: Billah Khondoker , Sharif Hatim O. , Dessouky Samer
Published: June 2022

Traffic crashes are among the leading causes of injuries and fatalities worldwide. The main assumption of this study is that traffic crash rates, injury severity, and driving behaviors differ by the driver’s gender. Utilizing ten years (2011–2020) of data from the Texas Crash Record and Information System database, this study investigates how some of the most prominent driving behaviors leading to crashes and severe injuries (distracted driving, speeding, lane departure, and driving under influence) vary by gender in San Antonio, Texas. The spatial distribution of crashes associated with these driving behaviors by gender is also investigated, as well as the influence of some environmental and temporal variables on crash frequency and injury severity. This study adopted bivariate analysis and logistic regression modeling to identify the effect of different variables on crash occurrence and severity by gender. Male drivers were more likely to be involved in a speeding/DUI/lane departure-related crash and subsequent severe injuries. However, female drivers were slightly more associated with distracted-driving crashes and subsequent injuries. Nighttime, interstate/highway roads, the weekend period, and divider/marked lanes as the primary traffic control significantly increased the crash and injury risk of male drivers. Driving behavior-related crashes were mostly concentrated on some interstate road segments, major intersections, and interchanges. The results from this study can be used by authorities and policy-makers to prioritize the use of limited resources, and to run more effective education campaigns to a targeted audience.
Diagnostic Appraisal of the Sorghum Farming System and Breeding Priorities in Sierra Leone
Authors: Okot Francis , Laing Mark , Shimelis Hussein , de Milliano Walter A. J.
Published: June 2022

Understanding demographic structures, production constraints, and trait preferences is essential for setting up crop breeding goals and enhancing adoption strategies for new varieties. The objective of this study was to document the sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) production constraints and preferred sorghum traits to guide breeding in Sierra Leone. A participatory rural appraisal was used to collect data from 210 farmers across seven districts in Sierra Leone in 2019. Results showed that all sorghum varieties in cultivation are landraces. Poor access to fertilizer (91%), lack of suitable varieties (85%), poor agronomic knowledge (79%), low yielding varieties (78%), storage pests (75%), field pests (67%), low soil fertility (52%), lack of market (49%), sorghum disease (43%), drought (16%), and heavy rainfall (12%) are key production constraints limiting sorghum production. Farmers expressed interest in adopting new varieties with high yield (99%), disease (84%) and pest (81%) resistance, drought tolerance (50%), white grain (59%), and short height (53%). The prioritized traits will form the basis for farmer-oriented sorghum breeding.
Coevolution and Evaluation of Electric Vehicles and Power Grids Based on Complex Networks
Authors: Zhang Di , Kang Yaxiong , Ji Li , Shi Ruifeng , Jia Limin
Published: June 2022

The connection of electric vehicles to the power grid has a significant impact on the structure and stability of the power grid. To evaluate the performance index of a power grid, this paper introduces a collaborative evolution model of a power grid containing electric vehicles based on a complex network. The location of the electric vehicle network node is obtained by combining the evolution mode of the complex network and the restrictive conditions of the electric vehicle access network. Due to the dual attributes of electric vehicles, such as load and battery, electric vehicle access points will be used as special nodes in the network to calculate their effect on the power grid. In this paper, the Monte Carlo method is used to evaluate the effect of electric vehicle nodes on the whole network in the case of each probability failure in the power grid. The proposed method is numerically illustrated in the test case of the rbt-bus-f4 feeder system.
Effects of Technology Commercialization Proactiveness on Commercialization Success: The Case of ETRI in Korea
Authors: Kim Jin-Kyung , Cho Keun-Tae
Published: June 2022

Public technology transfer and technology commercialization are attracting worldwide attention, but the research on the commercialization of technology transferred from government-funded research institutes (GRIs) to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is scarce. This study aims to identify and prioritize the factors contributing to the commercialization success of technologies transferred from GRIs to SMEs and to quantitatively present their importance. We proposed novel concepts of SMEs’ and GRIs’ technology commercialization proactiveness (SME TCP and GRI TCP) as two main success factors. We conducted hierarchical logistic regression analysis and decision tree analysis for 301 SME cases that adopted technology between 2013 and 2016 from Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), a representative GRI in Korea. As a result, SME TCP was measured based on technology transfer expenditure (TTE), and frequency (TTF) was confirmed to be the most important factor. In particular, the success rate was higher when TTE exceeded 151 M KRW, or TTF was three or more. In addition, the success rate varied greatly depending on GRI TCP, namely the degree and the type of GRI researchers’ support. These findings can be used as primary data when establishing policies to promote cooperation between SMEs and other GRIs and provide practical implications for both technology providers and adopters.
Assessing the Influence of Financial Inclusion on Environmental Degradation in the ASEAN Region through the Panel PMG-ARDL Approach
Authors: Ahmad Seemab , Khan Dilawar , Magda Róbert
Published: June 2022

The rise of financial inclusion in recent years has attracted the attention of environmental economists to assess its role in environmental degradation. Therefore, this study was carried out with the aim of exploring the impact of financial inclusion on environmental degradation in the ASEAN region using balanced panel data for the period 2000–2019. First, panel unit root tests were employed to examine each data series for stationarity. Findings of the panel unit root tests depicted that all data series are stationary at the first difference. Second, Westerlund and Edgerton’s error correction panel cointegration test was employed to handle heterogeneity and cross-sectional dependence. Third, the PMG-ARDL approach was used to explore the long- and short-term effects of financial inclusion on environmental degradation. Findings of the PMG-ARDL found that financial inclusion, energy use, economic growth and urbanization are causing environmental degradation in the ASEAN region. Furthermore, the financial inclusion coefficient is 0.15, which is statistically significant at 5%. In the short run, a 1% increase in financial inclusion results in a 0.15% increase in environmental degradation, ceteris paribus. In the long run, financial inclusion and CO2 have a positive association that is statistically significant at 5% and has a coefficient value of 0.42. This implies that a 1% increase in financial inclusion results in a 0.42% increase in environmental degradation in the long run. Finally, this study recommends that financial inclusion must be incorporated into climate change adaptation efforts at the local, national and regional levels to address the side effects of increased CO2 emissions.
Shifting Safeties and Mobilities on the Land in Arctic North America: A Systematic Approach to Identifying the Root Causes of Disaster
Authors: Davis Katy , Ford James D. , Quinn Claire H. , Mosurska Anuszka , Flynn Melanie ,   IHACC Research Team, Harper Sherilee L.
Published: June 2022

Amid the surge in research on mobility and migration in the context of environmental change, little research has focused on the experiences of people for whom travel is cyclical and a part of daily, weekly, or seasonal life. For Inuit in Arctic North America, the land is the heart of cultural and community life. Disruption to time spent on the land is reported to impact the emotional health and well-being of individuals and communities. There is concern that environmental change is creating barriers to safe travel, constituting a creeping disaster. We systematically review and evaluate the literature for discussion of barriers to travel for Inuit in Arctic North America, using an approach from the field of disaster anthropology to identify root causes of constraints to mobility. We identify root causes of risk and barriers to time spent on the land. These emerge from historic and contemporary colonial policy and inequality, as opposed to environmental hazards per se, impacting people’s mobility in profound ways and enacting a form of slow violence. These results suggest a need to understand the underlying processes and institutions that put people at risk.
Cavitation Inception on Hydrokinetic Turbine Blades Shrouded by Diffuser
Authors: Picanço Hamilton Pessoa , Kleber Ferreira de Lima Adry , Dias do Rio Vaz Déborah Aline Tavares , Lins Erb Ferreira , Pinheiro Vaz Jerson Rogério
Published: June 2022

Diffuser technology placed around hydrokinetic rotors may improve the conversion of the fluid’s kinetic energy into shaft power. However, rotor blades are susceptible to the phenomenon of cavitation, which can impact the overall power efficiency. This paper presents the development of a new optimization model applied to hydrokinetic blades shrouded by a diffuser. The proposed geometry optimization takes into account the effect of cavitation inception. The main contribution of this work to the state of the art is the development of an optimization procedure that takes into account the effects of diffuser efficiency, ηd, and thrust, CTd. The authors are unaware of any other work available in the literature considering the effect of ηd and CTd on the cavitation of shrouded hydrokinetic blades. The model uses the Blade Element Momentum Theory to seek optimized blade geometry in order to minimize or even avoid the occurrence of cavitation. The minimum pressure coefficient is used as a criterion to avoid cavitation inception. Additionally, a Computational Fluid Dynamics investigation was carried out to validate the model based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes formulation, using the κ−ω Shear-Stress Transport turbulence and Rayleigh–Plesset models, to estimate cavitation by means of water vapor production. The methodology was applied to the design of a 10 m diameter hydrokinetic rotor, rated at 250 kW of output power at a flow velocity of 2.5 m/s. An analysis of the proposed model with and without a diffuser was carried out to evaluate the changes in the optimized geometry in terms of chord and twist angle distribution. It was found that the flow around a diffuser-augmented hydrokinetic blade doubles the cavitation inception relative to the unshrouded case. Additionally, the proposed optimization model can completely remove the cavitation occurrence, making it a good alternative for the design of diffuser-augmented hydrokinetic blades free of cavitation.
Public Policy and Incentives for Socially Responsible New Business Models in Market-Driven Real Estate to Build Green Projects
Authors: Voland Natalie , Saad Mostafa M. , Eicker Ursula
Published: June 2022

The construction industry and the built environment accounts for 38% of global greenhouse gases. Significant efforts are being implemented across stakeholder categories to provide supportive guidelines and ways to address the negative impact; however, market developers need to be engaged to create the scale of impact due to large portfolios. Unfortunately, the short-term interests of private developers in real estate are to maximize profits and not to invest in long-term climate mitigation strategies. This paper will address the barriers and opportunities to incentivize, regulate real estate developers, and account for the market to adopt the lens of the B-Corp movement’s triple bottom line business practices, using business to address social and environmental challenges. Academically, accepted theories addressed through a literature review will be analyzed by a socially-oriented developer in Montreal and demonstrated through an eco-district case study. This study will identify the key stakeholders and address the life cycle thinking process to tackle the carbon impacts in the building development sector through the lens of real estate developers. This literature review will be complemented by the empirical study of one of the authors being a private developer, to link academic best practices with the market realities of real estate development. The findings of the process will outline possible solutions to real estate development that suggest cities have the opportunity to play the role of an educator, mediator, regulator, and incentivizing body to private real estate developers. Generally, critical factors of collaboration and capacity building through business modelling lists of barriers and opportunities could promote positive adoption opportunities for large-scale green development projects with a high impact on climate mitigation strategies, which could transform how the construction industry adapts to building green and socially inclusive communities.
Application of Intelligent Technology in Facade Style Recognition of Harbin Modern Architecture
Authors: Shan Linlin , Zhang Long
Published: June 2022

The judgment of facade styles is an important part of the sustainable utilization and restorative process of historical architectures. Contemporary Harbin needs the help of modern architectural facade forms in the planning of the famous historic city, especially with the facade renovation of old architectures with non-cultural heritage. This paper discusses the possibility of applying advanced image recognition algorithms to the classification of the modern Harbin architectural facade styles and argues that the keys to the classification and positioning of the styles are the forms, the details, and the decorative patterns of the architectural facades, together with the deformation and the quantitative variation factors of the facade decoration symbols. Based on the conventional classification method, the facade styles of Harbin modern architecture were divided into 12 categories after data analysis. To better capture the overall structure information and the style features of the local components in the architectural images, the group convolution and the dilated convolution were added into the ResNet model, and then, the improved channel attention mechanism was introduced to construct a novel CA-MSResNet model. The CA-MSResNet model could more accurately identify the morphological elements and the style categories of the architectures, and the average accuracy reached 87.5%. These techniques, with their promising results, are expected to be further applied in the future research on the sustainable utilization and renovation of Harbin modern architecture.
Identifying the Key Big Data Analytics Capabilities in Bangladesh’s Healthcare Sector
Authors: Uddin Murad Md Ahsan , Cetindamar Dilek , Chakraborty Subrata
Published: June 2022

The study explores the crucial big data analytics capabilities (BDAC) for healthcare in Bangladesh. After a rigorous and extensive literature review, we list a wide range of BDAC and empirically examine their applicability in Bangladesh’s healthcare sector by consulting 51 experts with ample domain knowledge. The study adopted the DEcision MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Findings highlighted 11 key BDAC, such as using advanced analytical techniques that could be critical in managing big data in the healthcare sector. The paper ends with a summary and puts forward suggestions for future studies.
Employee Satisfaction, Talent Management Practices and Sustainable Competitive Advantage in the Northern Cyprus Hotel Industry
Authors: Jibril Ibrahim Almahdi , Yeşiltaş Mehmet
Published: June 2022

In this study, we have examined talent management practices’ impact on achieving sustainable competitive advantage in five-star hotels located in the TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus) as well as the mediating effect of employee satisfaction. After the questionnaire was tested for validity and reliability, we used bootstrapping, Mplus and SPSS to conduct an analysis using data from 368 employees from 14 five-star hotels located in North Cyprus. The study’s hypotheses were verified through SEM (structural equation modelling). Our results revealed that talent development practices had no effect on the hotels’ SCA, whereas talent practices (identify, engage, manage performance and retain) had a significant and beneficial influence on the hotels’ SCA. Although in most hotels, talent management practices are the responsibility of the human resource management. The measured constructs specifically were employee responses. The findings of this study provide benefits for numerous stakeholders, including hotel and hospitality service industries and the government. Results can be used as a guideline for building more appealing workplaces for employees and to inform the management on how to encourage employees to be committed to a sustainable service in the hotel business. To acquire a better grasp of the organisational limits of talent management policies, it is crucial to further examine the perspectives of employers who may include hotel owners or top managers. Furthermore, future research may expand the sample and include three- and four-star hotels as well.
What Influence Does Conventional Tillage Have on the Ability of Soils to Sequester Carbon, Stabilise It and Become Saturated in the Medium Term? A Case Study in a Traditional Rainfed Olive Grove
Authors: Aguilera-Huertas Jesús , Parras-Alcántara Luis , González-Rosado Manuel , Lozano-García Beatriz
Published: June 2022

Soils have the capacity to store three times more carbon (C) than the atmosphere. This fact has focused scientific and governmental attention because it is one way to mitigate climate change. However, there comes a time when the capacity of soils to store C reaches a limit, considering soil organic carbon (SOC) saturation. In the Mediterranean area, agricultural soils are traditionally exposed to conventional tillage (CT), causing soil properties and quality degradation. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether CT modifies the carbon storage capacity (carbon saturation), linked to soil mineral fractions <20 µm in olive grove soil in a Mediterranean area over 15 years. The results showed losses of SOC and soil organic carbon stock (SOC-S) over the period studied. Moreover, CT significantly affected aggregate grain size, reducing the percentage of small macro-aggregates (2000–250 µm) by 51.1%, 32.9%, 46.6%, and 50.6% for the Ap, Bw, BC, and C horizons, respectively, and promoting an increase in fine fractions (large micro-aggregates (250–53 µm), silt + clay fraction (53–20 µm) and fine silt + clay (<20 µm)). After 15 years, SOC fractionation showed a decrease in SOC concentration within the large macro-aggregate fraction (>2000 µm) of 38.6% in the Bw horizon; however, in the small macro-aggregates (2000–250 µm), an increase in SOC concentration over time, of 33.5%, was observed in the Ap and Bw horizons. This increasing trend continued in the fine soil fractions. Concerning SOC bound to the fine mineral fraction (<20 µm), evolution over time with CT led to an increase in soil sequestration capacity in the first horizons of 44.7% (Ap horizon) and 42.9% (Bw horizon), and a decrease in depth (BC horizon) of 31.3%. Finally, the total saturated soil organic carbon stock (T-SOC-Ssat), after 15 years, experienced an increase of 30.5 Mg ha−1, and these results conditioned the soil organic carbon stock deficit (SOC-Sdef), causing a potential increase in the capacity of soils to sequester carbon, of 15.2 Mg ha−1 in 15 years. With these results, we can affirm that the effect of CT in the medium term has conditioned the degradation of these soils and the low SOC concentrations, and has therefore made it possible for these soils, with the application of sustainable management practices, to have a high carbon storage capacity and become carbon sinks.
How to Monitor and Evaluate Quality in Adaptive Heritage Reuse Projects from a Well-Being Perspective: A Proposal for a Dashboard Model of Indicators to Support Promoters
Authors: Dabbene Daniele , Bartolozzi Carla , Coscia Cristina
Published: June 2022

Among the research discourse concerning cultural heritage in the post-COVID-19phase, a greater awareness of the social value of heritage and its repercussions on collective well-being has emerged. This attention requires overcoming the top-down approach of public policies in favour of public–private partnership tools that are more effective at capturing the multidimensional components of value generated by cultural heritage. However, it is necessary to refine the tools used to evaluate and guide actions towards a perspective capable of integrating the conservation needs of the asset with collective well-being. This contribution investigates the calls for funding and public notices on the architectural heritage in Italy in the period from 2014–2020. In this field, the Third Sector is assuming a crucial role, showing specific attention to the issue of well-being consistent with its social goals. The calls were collected and structured in a database, with a specific focus on the calls aimed at adaptive heritage reuse that were categorised and analysed. Finally, the research proposed an assessment method based on a dashboard model of indicators to evaluate the quality of reuse interventions. The selected indicators consider both the production of plus-value in terms of improving well-being, and the need to bring the interventions on the existing architecture to a procedural circularity in line with the theoretical orientations of restoration.
Weathering and Antimicrobial Properties of Laminate and Powder Coatings Containing Silver Phosphate Glass Used as High-Touch Surfaces
Authors: Blomberg Eva , Herting Gunilla , Kuttuva Rajarao Gunaratna , Mehtiö Tuomas , Uusinoka Mikko , Ahonen Merja , Mäkinen Riika , Mäkitalo Tiina , Odnevall Inger
Published: June 2022

Increasing the use of hygienic high-touch surfaces with antimicrobial properties in health care and public spaces is one way to hinder the spread of bacteria and infections. This study investigates the antimicrobial efficacy and surface reactivity of commercial laminate and powder coated surfaces treated with silver-doped phosphate glass as antimicrobial additive towards two model bacterial strains, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, in relation to surface weathering and repeated cleaning. High-touch conditions in indoor environments were simulated by different extents of pre-weathering (repeated daily cycles in relative humidity at constant temperature) and simplified fingerprint contact by depositing small droplets of artificial sweat. The results elucidate that the antimicrobial efficacy was highly bacteria dependent (Gram-positive or Gram-negative), not hampered by differences in surface weathering but influenced by the amount of silver-doped additive. No detectable amounts of silver were observed at the top surfaces, though silver was released into artificial sweat in concentrations a thousand times lower than regulatory threshold values stipulated for materials and polymers in food contact. Surface cleaning with an oxidizing chemical agent was more efficient in killing bacteria compared with an agent composed of biologically degradable constituents. Cleaning with the oxidizing agent resulted further in increased wettability and presence of residues on the surfaces, effects that were beneficial from an antimicrobial efficacy perspective.
Carbon Footprints and Life Cycle Assessments of Inhalers: A Review of Published Evidence
Authors: Fulford Brett , Mezzi Karen , Aumônier Simon , Finkbeiner Matthias
Published: June 2022

Respiratory inhalers have a substantial impact on the carbon footprint of the healthcare sector. Environmental factors, including carbon footprints, are gaining importance in choosing inhalers once medical considerations have been addressed. This paper provides a review of the carbon footprint (CFP) and life cycle assessment (LCA) environmental profile of dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and pressurized metered-dose inhalers (pMDIs). Despite methodological challenges, our analysis reveals that the CFP varies between DPIs ranging from 359 gCO2e per inhaler (Enerzair Breezhaler® DPI without digital companion 30-day pack) to 1250 gCO2e per inhaler (Seretide Accuhaler® 50/500) and from 6.13 gCO2e per dose (Enerzair Breezhaler® without digital companion 90-day pack) to 27 gCO2e per dose (Relvar Elipta 92/22). The breakdown of inhaler CFP by life cycle stage reveals that, although the use and end-of-life stages together contribute to most of the CFP of the MDIs, the largest contributions to the CFP of the DPI/SMI are made by the API and manufacturing stages of the life cycle. Although from a climate perspective our review aligns with the findings of Jeswani and Azapagic that DPIs have a lower CFP than pMDIs, we conclude that the performance against other environment impact categories depends on the design, choice of material and manufacturing process of the DPIs. The challenge of comparing the CFP of different inhalers can be made easier by the standardization of study boundaries and methods.
Invasive Apple Snail Diets in Native vs. Non-Native Habitats Defined by SIAR (Stable Isotope Analysis in R)
Authors: Scriber Kevin , France Christine , Jackson Fatimah
Published: June 2022

Invasive apple snails adversely impact the ecological function of non-native habitats, resulting in eutrophication as well as reduced biodiversity, which diminishes ecosystem goods and services, thereby [negatively] impacting human well-being. The onus here is to define the diet of an invasive apple snail (Pomacea canaliculata) in native (Maldonado, Uruguay) versus non-native habitats (Hangzhou, China, and Oahu, HI, USA). Diets for apple snails, in five sites, within both native and non-native habitats were defined via SIAR (Stable Isotope Analysis in R) with δ13C and δ15N stable isotope data collected therein. SIAR models indicate P. canaliculata shift diet from generalist (where myriad plant species comprise relatively small proportions of overall diet) to a specialist diet (where plants species constitute much larger proportions of said diet). What may be more telling is that in (anthropogenically disturbed) portions of the native habitat, and progressively more so in non-native habitats, invasive apple snail diets are increasingly composed of aquatic plants. The inherent and pronounced dietary differences amongst pristine and anthropogenically disturbed native habitats, as well as non-native habitats, provide a mechanism that may elucidate the variable ecological impacts of invasive apple snails within native and non-native habitats.
Empowering the Voiceless: Securing the Participation of Marginalised Groups in Climate Change Governance in South Africa
Authors: Sibiya Nomfundo , Sithole Mikateko , Mudau Lindelani , Simatele Mulala Danny
Published: June 2022

For many of the world’s poor people, adaptation to climate change is not a choice but a reality. Existing evidence suggests that the poor, particularly those in the developing world, are the most vulnerable to any changes in climate variability and change. Using research methods inspired by the tradition of participatory research, we explore and discuss community perceptions on climate change adaptation governance in South Africa. We examine the myriad ways in which climate change adaptation policies and strategies are developed, and we systematically discuss the factors which either facilitate or hamper the involvement of all stakeholders in the development of these intervention measures. Our findings indicate that women seem to be the group of people who are mostly unaware of community initiatives, policies, and strategies for the adaptation to climate change. Thus, it is argued that, although South Africa has developed good climate change initiatives, policies, and strategies, the implementation of these policies seems to present difficulties, as those for whom they have been developed do not seem to have any knowledge of their effectiveness in helping them build resilience against extreme weather events. This study recommends that, in order to achieve successful public participation in climate change adaptation policy development, there must be an all-inclusive system which incorporates all stakeholders, including vulnerable groups.
Fintech Attaining Sustainable Development: An Investor Perspective of Crowdfunding Platforms in a Developing Country
Authors: Rizwan Amina , Mustafa Faisal
Published: June 2022

Crowdfunding is a successful disruptive innovation of fintech that substitutes financial intermediaries and contributes toward financial inclusion and sustainable development. The present research aimed at exploring the underlying determinant factors that shape the investors’ intentions to fund in a crowdfunding platform, a phenomenon still under-researched in the developing world. To bridge this void in the literature, we investigated how calculus and relational trust mediate the effects of perceived accreditation, blockchain technology, structural assurance, and third-party seal on the investors’ intention using the SEM technique to analyze the data collected from 110 platform investors in Pakistan. Findings suggest that third-party seal and blockchain technology strongly influence the calculus trust. While the investors’ intention to invest is mediated by calculus trust, the relational trust fails to show any mediation effect, suggesting that investors make investment decisions based on what makes sense to them cognitively instead of affectively. The research was concluded with implications for both theory and practice.
Steam Distillation for Essential Oil Extraction: An Evaluation of Technological Advances Based on an Analysis of Patent Documents
Authors: Machado Carlos Alberto , Oliveira Fabricia Oliveira , de Andrade Matheus Antônio , Hodel Katharine Valéria Saraiva , Lepikson Herman , Machado Bruna Aparecida Souza
Published: June 2022

The most-used method for essential oil extraction is steam distillation due to its simplicity and low investment requirements. Due to the importance of this extractive method, technological updates represent an immense opportunity for improving this component of essential oil production. In order to evaluate how such updates have been applied to essential oil production, in this study, we conducted a technological prospection. A total of 490 patent documents were retrieved and indicators were evaluated, which included publication trends, main applicants and inventors of the prospected technologies, main depositing countries and potential markets for the inventions, and classification codes assigned to the patent documents. The results indicated that steam distillation is used by different sectors and that it is an important industrial process that has been growing in recent years. In terms of associated technological updates, we observed that only some patent documents referred to the application of technological updates, indicating that processes could still be investigated and incorporated into the technology. Thus, the advancement of studies to improve this process could contribute even more to its visible growth, increasing its application potential and process yield.
Influence of Certain Social Aspects on Most Likely Internet Usage Scenarios
Authors: Popîrlan Claudiu-Ionuţ , Tudor Irina-Valentina , Dinu Constantin-Cristian , Stoian Gabriel , Popîrlan Cristina , Dănciulescu Daniela
Published: June 2022

This paper aims to analyze the influence that certain social factors (education and area of residence) have on the most likely scenarios people encounter in their online activities. Among the possible scenarios of using the internet, based on everyday individuals’ activities, we selected seeking information about health, goods, and services, taking online courses, internet banking, and participating in social networks. Using data acquired from international databases over the 2002–2020 period, we proposed five hypotheses and applied a multilinear regression model to the data collected for four European countries, namely, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Slovenia. We have analyzed the degree of confirmation for all five hypotheses. The results provided a better understanding of the influence of the above-mentioned factors on the considered scenarios, allowing stakeholders to define and propose specific development policies.
College Teaching Innovation from the Perspective of Sustainable Development: The Construction and Twelve-Year Practice of the 2P3E4R System
Authors: Li Na , Jiang Ping , Li Cuihong , Wang Wei
Published: June 2022

It is imperative to construct high-level, innovative and challenging courses in the teaching of colleges and universities. It is also of great significance to explore innovative teaching methods for improving students’ learning effect. In this paper, the course “Civil Engineering Construction” of a civil engineering major is taken as a reform example. In this teaching-innovation mode, guided by students’ moral education and students’ achievements, and the course platform is built in order to achieve the education concept of sustainable development and cultivate applied talents who can solve complex problems in civil engineering. In teaching practice, “Dual Platforms”, which combines course teaching platform and virtual simulation platform, is built mainly to expand the learning approaches. The “Three Educations” mode, which combines on-site education, classroom education, and mental health education, is established to improve the comprehensive quality of students. Comprehensive academic evaluation is carried out through “Four Reports”, including an open assignment report, special technical study report, BIM (building information modeling) technical work report, and final comprehensive written test report. Through studying this course, students not only master the knowledge of civil engineering construction, but also acquire knowledge-innovation ability, such as thesis publication, patent writing, discipline competition, and cultivating the craftsman spirit and social responsibility to abide by professional ethics in future work. This teaching innovation mode has been implemented for 12 years and achieved excellent results in cultivating students’ intelligent ability for sustainable development. It has been promoted in 14 courses, and has certain reference significance for engineering-course teaching.
The Incorporation of Service-Learning into a Management Course: A Case Study of a Charity Thrift Store
Authors: Chou Hsien-Ming , Lee Cheng-Wen , Cho Tsai-Lun
Published: June 2022

(1) Background: A charity thrift store commonly takes on employees with disabilities, but such a business model creates many challenges to overcome, as will be described. This research focuses on the satisfaction of such individuals taking service-learning courses. (2) Methods: The five management functions are planning, organization, leadership, coordination, and control. Service-learning students learn management theory to apply in practice. To test the quality of their learning, a reliability analysis, descriptive statistics, and T-test were carried out using the questionnaire survey method. (3) Results: First, there is a need for education, training, and process improvements for internal staff. Then, efforts must be made to improve customers’ perception of the charity thrift store, e.g., via beautification. Beyond that, institutional promotion may be an option, as are social media posting suggestions. Finally, real serving experience enables those in training to engage in critical self-reflection. The results of the questionnaire survey show that the students most satisfied with the service-learning training are those seeking to work in social care, rather than retail, but that all service-learning students were at least somewhat satisfied with the training provided. Significant differences were observed in service-learning satisfaction related to the students’ gender and identity. (4) Conclusions: Students’ self-reflections can enhance their self-growth and problem-solving skills. Additionally, this management course awakens respect among the students for those with disabilities. After their satisfaction is reviewed, college students are willing to continue to participate in the service-learning. This course offers sustainable results by supplying a steady stream of trained workers to charity thrift stores.
Spatial and Temporal Nutrient Dynamics and Water Management of Huanglongbing-Affected Mature Citrus Trees on Florida Sandy Soils
Authors: Atta Alisheikh A. , Morgan Kelly T. , Kadyampakeni Davie M.
Published: June 2022

Nutrients are vital for plant growth, development, and aid in disease control because nutrients affect host plant and pathogen interactions. Once a citrus tree is infected with the phloem-limited, Gram-negative bacteria, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), huanglongbing (HLB; citrus greening), it would fall under threat of survival as the disease has no known control mechanism discovered thus far. The objective of this study was to determine if split soil applications of essential nutrients improve the availability and accumulation, reduce leaching of these nutrients beyond the root zone, and promote root growth and water dynamics of HLB-affected citrus trees in the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. Split soil applications of three N rates (168, 224, and 280 kg ha−1 year−1) were the main blocks. Micronutrients were randomly applied to the sub-blocks assigned in a split-split plot design, applied in three splits annually. The micronutrients were applied to foliage and soil as follows: foliar only 1× (1×), foliar 1× and soil-applied 1× (2×), and foliar 1× and soil-applied 2× (3×)× (1× = 9 kg ha−1 year−1 of Mn and Zn to each foliar and soil along with 2.3 kg ha−1 year−1 of B). Significant soil NH4-N and NO3-N, Zn, and Mn were retained within the active soil root zone (0–30 cm). Higher soil acidity was detected when trees received the highest micronutrient rate in the upper soil layers (0–15 cm) as compared with the middle (15–30 cm) and the lowest (30–45 cm) soil layers. Fine root length density (FRLD) was significantly lower at the highest micronutrient rates, manifesting root growth negatively associated with high Mn and low soil pH. Invariably, the water dynamics: stem water potential (ψstem), stomata conductance (gs), and sap flow were also negatively affected when trees received foliar 1× and soil 2× (3×) treatment as compared with the other treatments. Split application of nutrients had a significant effect on FRLD growth, retaining soil-applied nutrients within the active root zone, and improved water use efficiency.
The Role of Learning in Adaptation to Technology: The Case of Groundwater Extraction
Authors: Asadi Ghadir , Mostafavi-Dehzooei Mohammad H.
Published: June 2022

Learning may play an important role in adopting new technology. While the role of learning in the decision to adopt has been widely investigated in the literature, to the best of our knowledge its role in knowing how to best use technology and the speed of learning has not been studied extensively. An example of this situation is when farmers adopt groundwater extraction technology. In this case, they need to learn the exact cost and benefit of extracting water in is relation to how they use it in practice. By comparing the extraction behavior of farmers who own new wells with farmers who own old wells, this paper explores the role of experience in shaping farmers’ decisions. Three identification strategies are used in this study to test the hypothesis that owners with less experience (owners of new wells) with groundwater technology are able to extract more water than experienced owners. The first strategy employs panel data. The results of this model show that groundwater extraction rises as the growth rate in the number of new wells increases. The second strategy uses the exogenous variation in precipitation shocks in a double-difference approach. Employing census data at the well level, this study shows that 6–13% more water is extracted from new wells than from older wells, and that the difference in extraction increases in areas that experience negative precipitation shocks. The third strategy uses the nearest-neighbor matching method, which shows that new wells extract 11% more groundwater per year compared to old wells, indicating that old wells are more efficient in maintaining their inter-temporal extraction. These findings have important implications for discussions of regulating a common pool resource. In the literature regarding the common pool problem, firms are often considered entities with complete information about their true abatement costs. An implication of findings of this paper is that quantity instruments for regulating groundwater extraction fail to guarantee productive efficiency when farmers face uncertainty about their marginal abatement cost. The results of this study show that it takes a few years for farmers to adapt to new technologies. According to this finding, a recommendation to policy makers, therefore, is that they must consider this time lag in learning how to use new technologies when proposing policies to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Soil Chemical Pollution and Military Actions: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Stadler Tamás , Temesi Ágoston , Lakner Zoltán
Published: June 2022

Contrary to the optimistic expectations three decades ago, global military expenditure is increasing rather rapidly, fueled by the increasing intensity of international tensions. As a consequence of this, the military-caused soil pollution gains in importance. On the basis of a bibliometric analysis of 3500 articles, it is obvious that the level of interest in this topic has been rather fluctuating in the last decades, but in the last years, more than two hundred and fifty new publications have been appearing annually. The majority of publications are authored by US, Chinese, and Western European authors. Five main research areas could be identified by the cluster analysis of the following keywords: Heavy metal pollution, water resource pollution, consequences of soil pollution in the food chain, pollution by organic components and soil remediation, and analytic method development. The most central problem of research is heavy metal contamination. The basic topics of research are risk management, water contamination, and the depleted uranium problem. There is a further need to study the possibilities of decreasing of level of chemical pollutants, especially heavy metals.