bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Hydrologic Sand and Dust Storm Sources in the Middle East
Authors: Papi Ramin , Attarchi Sara , Darvishi Boloorani Ali , Neysani Samany Najmeh
Published: November 2022

Due to diverse hydroclimatic conditions and human interventions, the Middle East hosts a variety of active sources of sand and dust storms (SDS). Discrimination of different types of SDS sources is the most important factor for adopting optimal mitigation measures to combat SDS. This study employed a binary mask-based modeling framework to identify Middle East SDS sources. Accordingly, using time series of remotely sensed data of land surface and atmospheric aerosol parameters, SDS sources covering an area of 1 million Km2 were identified with an overall accuracy of 82.6%. Considering the type of land use and spatial-temporal changes in water bodies, SDS sources were categorized into seven types in terms of origin. Desert sources have the largest share (>79%), whereas hydrologic sources accounted for about 8.4%. The results showed that water bodies had a declining trend after 2000. The occurrence of two severe drought periods in 2000–2001 and 2007–2012 led to a 52% decrease in water bodies and a 14–37% increase in SDS emission compared to the pre-2000 period. The latter drought period also led to a sharp decrease in groundwater resources across the region. Our results revealed that natural circumstances and drought actively contribute to the depletion of water resources that led to the formation of SDS sources in the Middle East, while the role of anthropogenic factors is predominant in the case of hydrologic SDS sources.
Exploring the Status Quo of Adopting the 17 UN SDGs in a Developing Country—Evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Helfaya Akrum , Bui Phuong
Published: November 2022

This paper develops the multiple-theoretical framework of legitimacy, stakeholders, and voluntary perspective to assess the adoption of Vietnamese listed firms to the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The paper’s primary objective is to use content analysis to discover the status quo of the SDGs practices of the largest 100 Vietnamese listed firms on the two biggest Vietnamese stock exchanges (Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange–HOSE and Hanoi Stock Exchange–HNX). By drawing a unique framework, the paper contributes to the extant literature review of SDG-related research. Our research framework enables corporate decision-makers significantly access corporate SDG adoptions and the implementation process. With the direct pressure of stakeholders, high environmental sensitivity industries are keen on disclosing SDG-related information. Notwithstanding, the findings reveal that Vietnamese listed firms indicate “green talks” in their corporate reporting rather than “green actions”. Thus, our findings encourage firms to engage in SDGs through substantive sustainability strategies and need greater attention from governments, practitioners, and policymakers.
The Ecological Footprint and Allocation of Guangxi Beibu Gulf Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Pang Jie , Yin Juan , Li Shimei , Zou Yunnan , Zhang Yunlan , Liang Xinyue , Huang Rui
Published: November 2022

To understand the allocation efficiency and fairness of natural capital in the Guangxi Beibu Gulf urban agglomeration, its ecological footprint from 2007 to 2020 was calculated based on the emergy ecological footprint (EEF) model, and the 10,000 Yuan GDP and Gini coefficient were introduced. The results show that (1) in the past 14 years, the per capita ecological footprint of the urban agglomeration slowly increased, the ecological pressure index rapidly increased with an average annual growth rate of 6.55%, and the regional ecological safety showed an unsafe trend. (2) The regional ecological footprint was mainly based on cultivated land, construction land and fossil energy land, of which the latter two significantly increased. For construction land, the average annual per capita growth rate in the central city of Nanning and the coastal cities (Fangchenggang, Beihai and Qinzhou) exceeded 10%, ranging from 11.39%–25.70%. For fossil energy land, the annual average per capita growth rate in Fangchenggang and Chongzuo exceeded 10%, at 19.64% and 11.40%, respectively. During urbanization, increasing population density leads to increased regional consumption of electricity and energy, thus affecting the regional ecological security. (3) The resource utilization efficiency improved annually, and the resource allocation was generally fair. Nanning and Beihai had high economic contributions and low ecological carrying capacities, Qinzhou and Chongzuo had low economic contributions and high ecological carrying capacities, and Yulin and Fangchenggang had low economic contributions and low ecological carrying capacities. These results clarify the differences among cities in the development of the Guangxi Beibu Gulf urban agglomeration, improve the efficiency of natural resource allocation, and provide a reference for the achievement of regional sustainable development.
Effect of Zero Growth of Fertilizer Action on Ecological Efficiency of Grain Production in China under the Background of Carbon Emission Reduction
Authors: Zhang Zhongfang , Hou Lijun , Qian Yuhao , Wan Xing
Published: November 2022

At present, the problem of non-point source pollution and carbon emissions caused by excessive application of fertilizer is increasingly serious and has caused damage to the ecological environment. The “zero growth of fertilizer use by 2020 action plan” was introduced to solve the related ecological and environmental problems. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 1998 to 2020, this paper used the super efficiency SBM model to measure the ecological efficiency of grain production in China, and further verified the mediating effect of fertilizer application amount on the effect of zero growth of fertilizer on the ecological efficiency of grain production using the mediating effect model. The results showed that (1) zero growth of fertilizer action had a significant effect on the ecological efficiency of grain production. That is, the implementation of zero growth of fertilizer action can help improve the ecological efficiency of grain production. (2) The application amount of fertilizer played a mediating role in the mechanism of the effect of zero growth of fertilizer action on the ecological efficiency of grain production. (3) The implementation of the zero growth of fertilizer action effectively reduced the amount of fertilizer application and reduced fertilizer non-point source pollution and carbon emissions, which improved the ecological efficiency of grain production. According to the results of empirical research, to promote the sustainable development of agricultural production, more relevant ecological and environmental protection policies should be introduced and relevant subsidies should be increased.
Crowd Evacuation through Crossing Configurations: Effect of Crossing Angles and Walking Speeds on Speed Variation and Evacuation Time
Authors: SayedMohammed Shabna , Verma Anshi , Dias Charitha , Alhajyaseen Wael , Almukdad Abdulkarim , Aghabayk Kayvan
Published: November 2022

The design of safe and efficient pedestrian facilities necessitates the knowledge of complex human movements, such as intersecting pedestrian streams, under different conditions. This study aims to experimentally investigate the impact of intersecting angles on collective crowd dynamics under two different urgency levels. Data were collected from a controlled laboratory experiment with scenarios consisting of three intersection angles (30°, 90°, and 150°) and two desired speed levels (normal walking and slow running). Trajectory data of individual experiment participants were extracted from the recorded video footage. The results indicate that the 30° intersection has the lowest bottleneck effect compared to the other angles. Moreover, the time-to-target analysis shows that the 150° intersection has a higher waiting time at the intersection compared to the other angles for the jogging scenarios. The speed distribution and space utilization maps implied an asymmetrical reduction in speed in the two corridors of the intersection, even though the physical and geometrical configurations are symmetric. The lane-based analysis of collective speeds revealed that the inner lane (the lane that initially encounters the intersecting flow) has the maximum reduction in speed. The outcomes of this study may be useful to evaluate the congestion effects associated with crossing configurations and in calibrating and validating simulation tools to reproduce such effects accurately.
Epidemiological Study on Health Risk Assessment of Exposure to PM2.5-Bound Toxic Metals in the Industrial Metropolitan of Rayong, Thailand
Authors: Kawichai Sawaeng , Bootdee Susira , Sillapapiromsuk Sopittaporn , Janta Radshadaporn
Published: November 2022

The concentrations of PM2.5 and metallic elements were measured in Rayong during the dry season (November 2021 to April 2022). The mean PM2.5 concentration was 20.1 ± 10.9 µg/m3 (4.9–52.3 µg/m3). Moreover, the percentages of days when those PM2.5 concentrations exceeded the daily WHO and US-EPA NAAQS limit were 56.8% and 10.2%, respectively. However, the levels did not exceed 50 µg/m3, which is the limit of the 24 h standard defined by the PCD in Thailand. The dominant heavy metals and elements in PM2.5 samples were Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, V, and Zn, which constituted 70%. In Rayong, the PCA results showed that industrial emissions (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) and traffic emissions (As, Cd, Cr, K, and Ni) were the major sources of PM2.5-bound heavy metals. Exposure to toxic metals in PM2.5 through the inhalation pathway in Rayong obviously entails a high potential risk of cancer (>10−4) based on the total lung cancer risk (TCRinh). It was found that the TCRinh values of Cr for combined age groups were higher than 10−6, which implies a high cancer risk in Rayong.
Exploring the Continuous Motivation of Algorithm Engineers under Multiple Objectives: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Zhang Fangqing , Wu Xiaolong , Zhang Shujun
Published: November 2022

There is a multi-objective coordination relationship between online platform enterprises and algorithm engineers. Based on principal–agent theory, this study builds a multi-objective coordination incentive model for the two using a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative analysis reveals three main attributes of algorithm items: completion time, difficulty, and quality. The quantitative analysis had two results: first, the level of effort of algorithm engineers on the three indicators—time, difficulty coefficient, and quality—is correlated positively with their own technical competence and negatively with the change rate of their marginal effort costs. Second, the company’s incentive coefficient for algorithm engineers depends on two factors: (1) comprehensive technical level, risk aversion coefficient, and marginal effort cost change rate of each algorithm engineer; and (2) the importance of the project for the company. The research findings suggest that enterprises adopt different incentive methods for different projects and enact hierarchical incentives for algorithm engineers with different levels of technical competence.
‘Multi-SWOT’ Multi-Stakeholder-Based Sustainability Assessment Methodology: Applied to Improve Slovenian Legume-Based Agri-Food Chains
Authors: Dergan Tanja , Ivanovska Aneta , Kocjančič Tina , Iannetta Pietro P. M. , Debeljak Marko
Published: November 2022

Assessing the sustainability of agri-food chains is challenging for several reasons. It should account for the impacts on environmental, social, and economic wellbeing simultaneously, considering both the individual links in the chain and the chain as a whole. The primary aim of this study is to assess the conditions for meeting the sustainability criteria of a legume-based agri-food chain in Slovenia. Therefore, a quantitative sustainability assessment methodology was developed, using a multi-stakeholder approach, which upgraded the traditional SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. Our approach, called ‘Multi-SWOT’, aggregates the SWOT table inputs identified by stakeholders into factors, themes and focus areas, according to their importance for the agri-food chain, for each sustainability pillar, and links in the chain. By accounting for the relative number of incentives (beneficial factors) and barriers (constraint factors) we identified those factors that enhance the sustainability of the Slovenian legume-based agri-food chain and the factors jeopardising it. The incorporation of multi-stakeholder perspectives presents an innovative approach that adds value to a standard SWOT analysis. The study serves as a guide to help decision-makers better understand the multidimensionality of sustainability and identify effective activities to support and strengthen the current legume agri-food chain in Slovenia.
The Hydrochemistry, Ionic Source, and Chemical Weathering of a Tributary in the Three Gorges Reservoir
Authors: Zhang Qianzhu , Jin Ke , Dong Linyao , Zhao Ruiyi , Liu Wenxiang , Lu Yang , Gan Xiaoqing , Hu Yue , Zhao Cha
Published: November 2022

Riverine dissolved matter reflects geochemical genesis information, which is vital to understand and manage the water environment in a basin. The Ganjing River located in the hinterland of the Three Gorges Reservoir was systematically investigated to analyze the composition and spatial variation of riverine ions, probe the source and influencing factors, and assess the chemical weathering rates and CO2 consumption. The results showed that the total dissolved solid value (473.31 ± 154.87 mg/L) with the type of “HCO3−–Ca2+” was higher than that of the global rivers’ average. The hydrochemical parameters were relatively stable in the lower reservoir area of the Ganjing River, which was largely influenced by the backwater of Three Gorges Reservoir. The carbonate weathering source contributed 69.63% of TDS (Total dissolved solids), which generally dominated the hydrochemical characteristics. The contribution rates of atmospheric rainfall were relatively low and stable in the basin, with an average of 4.01 ± 1.28%. The average contribution rate of anthropogenic activities was 12.05% in the basin and even up to 27.80% in the lower reservoir area of the Ganjing River, which illustrated that the impoundment of Three Gorges Reservoir had brought great challenges to the water environment in the reservoir bay. The empirical power functions were tentatively proposed to eliminate the dilution effect caused by runoff discharge on the basis of previous studies. Accordingly, the rock weathering rate was calculated as 23.54 t/km2 in the Ganjing River Basin, which consumed atmospheric CO2 with a flux of 6.88 × 105 mol/y/km2. These results highlight the geochemical information of tributaries in the hinterland of the Three Gorges Reservoir, have significant implications for understanding the impact of impoundment, and provide data support for the integrated management of water resources in the Ganjing River Basin.
Spatial Distribution Analysis of Community Radio Stations as Means for Promoting Climate Change Adaptation Measures in Agriculture under COVID-19 Scenario, Southern Province, Zambia
Authors: Somanje Albert Novas , Mwansa Lauraine Mwila , Chisanga Kafula
Published: November 2022

Community Radio Stations (CRS) play an important role in information dissemination at local and context-specific levels. This study aimed to analyze the point data distribution of the CRS and their role in promoting climate change adaptation measures in agriculture in times of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). The study’s methodological approach included the geospatial mapping of point data of CRS in Arc GIS 10.3, surveys and interviews with thirty-nine (39) experts. In addition, the interview data were analyzed using SPSS 28.0 for frequency and descriptive analysis and excel for graphical outputs. The study found 19 operational CRS in 13 districts, and their radii completely cover the Southern Province of Zambia. Out of the time allocated to agricultural programs, an average of 47% is on climate change adaptation measures in local languages. However, the CRS have limited access to experts to provide information and program sponsorship. This study has established that CRS have the potential to disseminate climate change adaptation measures. Sixty-nine percent (69%) of the CRS noticed an increase in the demand for agricultural programs during the COVID-19 era, with the rapid growth of CRS. The study recommends stakeholders’ collaboration to provide appropriate information to enhance the agricultural climate programmes on CRS and address the challenges of limited access to experts and associated costs.
Complex Network-Based Evolutionary Game for Knowledge Transfer of Social E-Commerce Platform Enterprise’s Operation Team under Strategy Imitation Preferences
Authors: Wang Shumei , Xu Yaoqun
Published: November 2022

Social e-commerce is an emerging e-commerce mode in response to the upgrading of consumption, which has become an important engine for the development of the digital economy. Knowledge transfer and sharing play vital roles in improving the competitiveness and the sustainability of social e-commerce platform enterprises. However, academic research on knowledge transfer for the social e-commerce platform enterprise’s operation team remains deficient. To help social e-commerce platform enterprises to improve performance and better seek survival and sustainable development, this paper constructs a knowledge transfer model for the social e-commerce platform enterprise’s operation team, in the self-centered sustainable ecological business mode, from the relationship between intra-organizational operation knowledge transfer and cross-organizational knowledge sharing for value co-creation, and explores knowledge transfer behaviors from the perspective of complex network-based evolutionary game under strategy imitation preferences. Simulation results indicate that relationships among knowledge transfer cost, knowledge synergy benefit, cross-organizational value co-creation benefit rate, and reward and punishment, along with strategy imitation preferences, significantly impact knowledge transfer behaviors of the social e-commerce platform enterprise’s operation team. When all the members of the social e-commerce platform enterprise’s operation team prefer to imitate the knowledge transfer strategies of the operation members with smaller knowledge transfer costs, the operation team is more likely to show a high proportion adopting the transfer strategy, requiring low knowledge synergy coefficient, reward, punishment, and cross-organizational value co-creation benefit rate to achieve stable and sustainable knowledge transfer. Conversely, the operation team is more likely to show a low proportion adopting the transfer strategy, requiring high knowledge synergy coefficient, reward, punishment, and cross-organizational value co-creation benefit rate to achieve stable and sustainable knowledge transfer. This study has significance as a guide for social e-commerce platform enterprises in deploying the self-centered sustainable ecological business mode.
Public Perceptions of Faecal Sludge Biochar and Biosolids Use in Agriculture
Authors: Nicholas Hannah Larissa , Halfacree Keith H. , Mabbett Ian
Published: November 2022

Full-scale pyrolysis of faecal sludge is a credible technology for the safe removal of pathogens and the concurrent creation of biochar, which has been shown to enhance crop productivity. Faecal sludge biochar has the potential to improve acidic, low nutrient soils and crop yield in developing nations more at risk of climate change and food insecurity. Little research has been conducted into public acceptance of faecal sludge biochar as a soil enhancer in agriculture. In this study of the public in Swansea, Wales, an online survey examines their awareness of, and comfort levels of eating food grown using biosolids, wood biochar and faecal sludge biochar. Our findings show that males were almost twice as likely than females to have a positive perception of biosolids (OR 1.91, p value 0.004) and faecal sludge biochar (OR 2.02, p value 0.03). Those in the oldest age group (65+) were almost five times more likely to have a positive view of faecal sludge biochar than the youngest age group (OR 4.88, p value 0.001). Deployment of faecal sludge biochar must overcome a “disgust effect” related to its human faecal origins. This factor must be centrally taken into account when implementing management and policy decisions regarding the land application of biosolids and faecal sludge biochar.
The Structural Features and Centrality Optimization of a Firm Interlocking Network of the Nodal Cities on the South Route of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road: The Case of Fujian Province
Authors: Ma Yan , Zhang Huanli
Published: November 2022

The 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road is an important part of the “Belt and Road Initiative”. It is intended to carry out broader and deeper regional cooperation and to provide a Chinese solution for reforming the world economic governance model. Fujian Province, as the starting point of the historical Maritime Silk Road, its development status, and the development strategy is of vital importance for the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’s sustainable and balanced regional development. Based on the data on the spatial distribution of the headquarters and branches of enterprises in information-related industries, this study, from the perspective of enterprise connection, constructed a firm interlocking network along the south route of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road covering nodal cities along the southeast coast of China and cities in Southeast Asian countries. In addition, this paper analyzed the structural features of the firm interlocking network in the region from the perspectives of centrality and connectivity and considered the goal of constructing the core area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road to extract the influencing factors of the firm interlocking network. The core factors influencing the centrality of cities were analyzed and identified by taking Fujian Province as an example. The study found that cities in Fujian Province generally have problems such as unremarkable centrality and weak connectivity in the firm interlocking network in the region and that the three dimensions of policy coordination, financial integration, and technology exchange in the three cities of Fujian Province need to be strengthened despite the achievements made in the three dimensions of facility connectivity, unimpeded trade, and closer people-to-people bonds. Policy suggestions for promoting the centrality of nodal cities in Fujian Province and accelerating the integration into regional city networks were made based on the above research findings and Fujian Province’s development goal of constructing a core area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.
Study on the Green Space Patterns and Microclimate Simulation in Typical Urban Blocks in Central China
Authors: Tang Haifang , Liu Junyou , Zheng Bohong
Published: November 2022

This study attempted to classify blocks in the second ring road of Changsha, a central city of urban agglomeration in central China, according to their green space patterns, and to explore the influence of green spaces in different blocks on the surrounding microclimate. Researchers divided the blocks into five types: green space enclosed by buildings type, green space parallel with buildings type, green space centralized in buildings type, green space interspersed in the block type, and green space dispersed in the block type. Thermal comfort conditions in the different blocks were studied by ENVI-met simulations and using the thermal comfort indicators physiological equivalent temperature (PET), predicted mean vote (PMV), and standard effective temperature (SET). Because the green space was more evenly distributed in the block of green space parallel type and green space interspersed type, the overall fluctuation of the thermal comfort value of all areas of the whole block was small, with more areas having a value close to the median value of the thermal comfort value of the block. In the green enclosed blocks, thermal comfort was better within the green space in the area enclosed in the middle when the surrounding buildings were lower. The green areas in the green space enclosure type significantly improved the thermal comfort around the buildings, and the thermal comfort in the areas decreased rapidly as the distance between the green areas and the buildings increased. The green space dispersion type was found more in older blocks that were not well planned and had poor thermal comfort in the areas. On the premise that the green space area in the different high-rise blocks was equal, if only the thermal comfort of the green space coverage area was considered, in the summer, the green space parallel type was the best (|ΔPET| = 7.96, |ΔPMV| = 1.22). In the winter, the green space centralized type was the best (|ΔPET| = 11.26, |ΔSET| = 10.88). On the premise of equal green space area in the different multilayer blocks, if only the thermal comfort of green space coverage area was considered, in the summer, the green space parallel type was the best (|ΔPET| = 8.89, |ΔPMV| = 1.49). In the winter, the green space centralized type (|ΔPET| = 11.04, |ΔSET| = 10.64) was the best. This shows that different greening patterns have different advantages and disadvantages in different seasons and different situations.
Methods for Calculation of Stormwater Treatment Required for Meeting Receiving Waters Quality: Application in a Case Study
Authors: Larm Thomas , Wahlsten Anna
Published: November 2022

There is a need for tools relating stormwater effluent quality data to the ambient water quality guidelines listed, e.g., in the EU Water Framework Directive. We conducted a literature study and identified four methods to calculate the annual required treatment loads (kg/year) to satisfy the guidelines: (1) StormTac Web, (2) the Vollenweider OECD load model, (3) the model developed by the Swedish Water Authorities and SMHI, and (4) the method using effluent concentration criteria. In this paper, we compile and derive new equations based on these methods to enable calculation of annual acceptable load (kg/year) and annual required treatment load (kg/year) for different types of receiving waters and substances, i.e., not only nutrients but also priority chemicals listed in the Water Framework Directive. Obligatory input data consist of calculated or measured annual flow (runoff and baseflow), actual concentrations and criteria concentrations in the receiving water, or criteria concentration for discharge to the receiving waters. The four methods were applied to address total phosphorus in the urban watercourse of Bällstaån, Sweden. Results showed agreement of the calculated required treatment removals with measured phosphorus concentrations in the receiving water when Methods 1–2 were used but more varied results for Methods 3–4, which neglect the receiving waters concentrations and criteria. Based on these results, we recommend Methods 1–2 for use and further evaluation in projects related to improvements in the quality of receiving waters, as they are based on water quality criteria in the receiving waters themselves. Further investigations regarding input data, complementary measurements, and an evaluation of the validity for substances other than nutrients are recommended to improve the accuracy of calculations.
Monthly Wind Power Forecasting: Integrated Model Based on Grey Model and Machine Learning
Authors: Gao Xiaohui
Published: November 2022

Wind power generation has been developed rapidly due to rising global interest in renewable clean energy sources. Accurate prediction of the potential amount of such energy is of great significance to energy development. As wind changes greatly by season, time series analysis is considered as a natural approach to characterize the seasonal fluctuation and exponential growth. In this paper, a dual integrated hybrid model is presented by using random forest (RF) to incorporate the extreme gradient boosting (XGB) with empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and a fractional order accumulation seasonal grey model (FSGM). For seasonal fluctuation in vertical dimension processing, the time series is decomposed into high and low frequency components. Then, high and low frequency components are predicted by XGB and extreme learning machine (ELM), respectively. For the exponential growth in horizontal dimension processing, the FSGM is applied in the same month in different years. Consequently, the proposed model can not only be used to capture the exponential growth trend but also investigate the complex high-frequency variation. To validate the model, it is applied to analyze the characteristics of wind power time series for China from 2010 to 2020, and the analysis results from the model are compared with popularly known models; the results illustrate that the proposed model is superior to other models in examining the characteristics of the wind power time series.
Exploring Technology Innovation Factors, Government Support and Performance of Development-Related Social Enterprises: Evidence from South Korea
Authors: Kim Yunjeong , Jun Hannah
Published: November 2022

Growing demand for social services and products based on technological innovation has fueled expectations for technological innovation as a source of sustainable competitiveness for small- and medium-sized enterprises and, increasingly, social enterprises. This is especially the case for development cooperation programs that leverage social enterprises, which has resulted in increased funding from the public and private sectors for social enterprises promoting innovative development solutions. However, despite this enthusiasm, there is little clarity on whether this approach has actually been making substantial inroads in achieving intended development impacts. To fill this critical research gap, this study explores technology innovation factors as internal resources of a firm, based on the resource-based view (RBV), and investigates: (1) the relationship between technology innovation factors and performance of social enterprises; and (2) the moderating effect of government support between technology innovation and performance of social enterprises. Using an online survey method, this research collected sample data from 36 development-focused social enterprises headquartered in South Korea, from the 76 firms eligible to participate in the research. Based on a unique dataset of 36, first, this study performed multiple linear regression analysis to examine the effect of technology innovation factors, focusing on entrepreneurship, R&D capabilities and external cooperation of firms, on the social and economic performance of firms. Second, this study further employed a hierarchical regression to test whether government support moderates the causal effects of technology innovation factors on the social and economic performance of social enterprises. The results of this study present a positive relationship between innovative entrepreneurship and economic performance. In addition, this study identified a negative moderating effect of government support on the relationship between technology innovation, particularly R&D capabilities, and economic performance. Specifically, while R&D capabilities alone do not significantly influence a social enterprise’s economic performance, as companies receive more government support, the effect of R&D capabilities on economic performance becomes weak. As such, we contend that government support may, under certain circumstances (e.g., such as the level of technology), conflict with an enterprise’s pursuit of economic performance.
A Very Unusual Case of Physical Disability after Spinal Epidural Hematoma in the Course of Sport-Related Head Injury
Authors: Gnus Jan , Fedorowicz Sebastian , Radzikowska Karolina , Kołcz Anna
Published: November 2022

Spinal epidural hematoma (SEH) is blood accumulation between the dura mater of the spinal canal and the bone of the vertebrae. It is estimated to be an extremely rare incidence, affecting approximately 0.1 of 100,000 patients. When the suspected cause is a sport-related injury in the majority of cases it affects the trauma region. The aim of this case report was to outline the case of a 60-year-old man who was admitted to the Emergency Department due to acute, severe pain in the lumbar region which lasted 30 min. It occurred that 54 h prior to the admission, he suffered a head injury due to sport-related trauma during recreational skiing. When waiting for the laboratory and imaging test results the patient developed bilateral paralysis of the lower limbs. The MR examination results showed SEH at the level Th9-L1; therefore, immediate neurosurgical laminectomy was performed. After 36 months of rehabilitation, the patient can walk independently. In summary, SEH without immediate and appropriate treatment is linked with very poor clinical outcome. Moreover, a high mortality rate of 7% and the fact that more than half of patients do not return to full physical health incentives its inclusion in differential diagnosis every time when symptoms of spinal cord involvement are found. Furthermore, delayed aftermath in the form of paresis of the lower limbs requires long-term and intensive physical rehabilitation.
The Influence of the Transition to Ecological Farming on the Quality of Runoff Water
Authors: Trenčiansky Marek , Štěrbová Martina , Výbošťok Jozef
Published: November 2022

The aim of the paper is to analyze and evaluate the long-term impacts of the transition from agricultural production to ecological farming on the quality of runoff water in small catchments based on the analysis of water samples in the period 1986–2022. A total of 111 samples were analyzed. The following parameters were determined: nitrites, nitrates, chlorides, sulphates, phosphates, iron, coliform bacteria, and pH. Until 2006, the catchment was intensively managed by using artificial fertilizers and chemical preservatives. Since 2006, the catchment has been managed exclusively in an ecological way without the use of fertilizers and chemicals. The results of the analysis confirmed the positive impact of the transition of agricultural production to ecological farming, especially in the parameters of nitrates and chlorides. The greater use of organic fertilizers has caused an increase in coliform bacteria in the runoff water. The long period of the research also caused it to be possible to assess the impact of other potential factors. Changes in pH parameters and sulphates indicate an improvement in air quality. Changes in nitrite and iron parameters may indicate climate change associated with more intense precipitation activity.
Evaluation Study on a Novel Structure CCHP System with a New Comprehensive Index Using Improved ALO Algorithm
Authors: Ji Jie , Wang Fucheng , Zhou Mengxiong , Guo Renwei , Ji Rundong , Huang Hui , Zhang Jiayu , Nazir Muhammad Shahzad , Peng Tian , Zhang Chu , Huang Jiahui , Wang Yaodong
Published: November 2022

The CCHP system is a reasonable and effective method to improve the current situation of energy use. Capacity allocation is of great significance in improving the performance of the CCHP system. Due to the particularity of chemical enterprises’ production process, the demand for cooling, heating, and power load is also relatively particular, which makes the dynamic loads challenging to be satisfied. Because of the above problems, the structure of the typical CCHP system is improved, embodied in the collocation of multi-stage lithium bromide chiller, and the use of various energy storage devices. Based on the improved ant lion intelligent optimization (ALO) algorithm, the comprehensive evaluation index coupled with energy benefit, economic benefit, and environmental benefit, is taken as the objective function, and the equipment capacity configuration of the CCHP system for chemical enterprises is studied. Considering winter, summer, and transition seasons, the results show that the system is better than the typical CCHP system. The annual cost savings of the new structural system are up to 13%, and the carbon dioxide emissions of the new structural system are reduced by up to 36.39%. The primary energy utilization rate of the new structure system is increased by 18%, and the comprehensive evaluation index also performs better. The optimal index can reach 0.814.
A Method for the Definition of Emergency Rescue Routes Based on the Out-of-Plane Seismic Collapse of Masonry Infills in Reinforced-Concrete-Framed Buildings
Authors: Francini Mauro , Gaudio Sara , Salvo Carolina , Mazza Fabio , Donnici Angelo
Published: November 2022

One of the main goals of disaster management planning is to ensure the effectiveness of the emergency measures when a hazard occurs. This happens only if the decision-makers use operational tools considering the structural characteristics of urban systems. Starting from these assumptions, the authors proposed an emergency management method based on the integrated work between two different scientific sectors, the urban planning and construction engineering sectors. The proposed method aims to evaluate the practicability of the strategic road network, as well as defining the emergency rescue routes based on the out-of-plane (OOP) seismic collapse of masonry infills (MIs) in reinforced concrete (RC)-framed buildings. The OOP failure of MIs is predicted according to an innovative MI macro-model. The authors test the method on a geographic area in the municipality of Gioia Tauro (Reggio Calabria, Italy). The results show that due to the collapse of MIs, the functionality of the strategic road network in emergency conditions can be compromised, causing losses of the urban systems’ performance. Based on the obtained results, the authors recommend that decision-makers use the proposed methodology to identify the vulnerable rescue paths and to locate the strategic infrastructure while spending the financial resources in a more effective way.
Coupling Coordination between Cultural Heritage Protection and Tourism Development: The Case of China
Authors: Geng Yuqing , Zhu Hongwei , Zhu Renjun
Published: November 2022

The systems of cultural heritage protection and tourism development are intertwined, so enhancing the coupling coordination status between them is beneficial to stimulate their growth. This study first constructs the theoretical coupling coordination mechanism and explores the assessment structure with detailed indicators to explore their coordinated interactions. Moreover, it selects the provincial regions of China as the case study to compare the temporal and spatial variations of both systems’ growth statuses and their coupling coordination status. Moreover, it provides beneficial insights for different regions to enhance cultural heritage protection and tourism development with coordinated and differentiated approaches based on dynamic predictions. We find that for the coupling coordination status, the temporal fluctuations of the regions were mild and aggregated, and it is rare to find obvious exceptions. Moreover, the spatial distributions exhibit apparent geographical correlations, with distributions being “higher in the coastal, central, and southwestern areas”. This study boasts several novelties. First, we select multiple regions for comparison, which offsets previous research gaps focusing only on individual regions. What is more, we construct the coupling coordination mechanism with an assessment structure and indicators, which theoretically explains their interactive correlations and explores the evaluation approaches. Moreover, we predict the temporal and spatial changes of the coupling coordination status and provide differentiated suggestions, which could contribute to the future coordinated development of different regions.
Dominant Fungal Communities Aggregate in the Shallow Rhizosphere Soil of Anabasis aphylla
Authors: Wang Ying , Wang Mei , Yang Zhen’an , Jiao Yalin , Chu Guangming
Published: November 2022

Rhizosphere soil microorganisms are significant factors affecting plant growth, especially that of saline–alkali tolerant plants in the desert ecosystem. We performed high-throughput sequencing in order to identifying the fungal community structures and their relationships to the physicochemical properties of different soil layers for the desert plant, Anabasis aphylla, in its natural environment. The number of unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs) found in the bulk soil of the 0–20 cm layer contributed to the biggest percentage (24.13%) of the overall amount of unique OTUs. Despite the fact that there was a rather large variety of fungi in the bulk soil of A. aphylla, the number of dominating fungi, which included Ascomycota, Microascus, and Arachnomyces, was found to be in quite high abundance in the rhizosphere soil. In the 20–40 cm layer of rhizosphere soil, the phylum Ascomycota accounted for 84.78% of the total phyla identified, whereas the species Microascus and Arachnomyces accounted for 24.72% and 37.18%, respectively, of the total species identified. In terms of the soil physicochemical properties, electric conductivity was the primary environmental component influencing the dominant fungi. The findings of this research enhance our comprehension of dominant fungi distributions and relevant environmental factors affecting the saline–alkali tolerant desert plant, A. aphylla. The results also provide a theoretical basis to help elucidate fungi adaptation mechanisms to the saline–alkali environment and methods for their isolation and screening.
Impact of Sports Sponsorship Motivation on Consumer Purchase Intention: Mediating Effect Based on Consumer Attitude
Authors: Li Jianjun , Gu Zhenyu , Dai Yonghui
Published: November 2022

Sponsorship is very important for the sustainable development of sports, and the motivation of sponsors will have an impact on consumers’ willingness to buy the products of sports sponsors. This paper takes China’s CBA sports sponsors, TCL Corporation and Li Ning Corporation, as examples to conduct an empirical stud. Structural equation model, regression analysis, and correlation analysis are used in our study. The results show that altruistic sponsorship motivation has a positive impact on consumer attitude and purchase intention. Sponsorship egoistic motivations have a reverse impact on consumer attitudes. However, the reverse impact on purchase intention is relatively low. Consumer attitude plays a mediating role in the process of sponsorship motivation influencing purchase intention. Based on SOR (Stimulus- Organism-Response) theory, this paper proposes a model to study the impact of sponsorship motivation on customers’ purchase intention and comes to the conclusion of the intermediary effect of consumer attitude in the impact of sponsorship motivation on customers’ purchase intention. Our study provides a reference for the study of the impact of sports sponsorship motivation on consumer purchase intention.
Impact of Mineral and Organic Fertilizer Management on the Performance of Oat-Chickpea Cropping Systems
Authors: Koireng R. Joseph , Shamurailatpam Diana , Devi T. Sunanda , Singh S. Dayananda , Senjam Pushparani , Yumnam Sonika , Karam Nilima , Devi L. Sophia , Mary Kholu
Published: November 2022

In India, particularly in Manipur, the cultivation of fodder crops is given the least attention as most of the agricultural land is devoted to food crops to meet the food demand of our enormous population. As a result, livestock productivity of the state is suffering. In addition, cultivation of single crops repeatedly over years using inorganic sources of nutrients as inputs for the growth and development of the crops in the same field leads to low production at the cost of soil quality deterioration and environmental issues. Therefore, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the productivity of the oat–chickpea intercropping system to assess the effect of mineral and organic fertilizer management using factorial randomized block design with three replications comprising four levels of the cropping system (CS1-sole oat, CS2-sole chickpea, CS3-intercropping of oat with chickpea in a 3:2 row ratio and CS4-intercropping of oat with chickpea in a 3:3 row ratio) in the main plot and three levels of nutrient management (F1—Full RDF(recommended dose of fertilizer)through inorganic source, F2—50% N of RDF + 50% N through FYM(farm yard manure)and F3—50% N of RDF + 50%N through vermicompost) in the sub plot to study their productivity and economic feasibility. Three years of pooled results revealed that the maximum green fodder yield (50.88 t/ha), dry matter yield (11.84 t/ha) and plant height (120.69 cm) of oat was recorded in CS1, which is among the intercropping systems with the highest green fodder yield (40.11 t/ha) and has a plant height of 115.06 cm; this was recorded in CS3 and the highest dry matter yield (8.44 t/ha) was recorded in CS4. Application of F3 to oats gave the highest green fodder yield, dry matter yield and maximum plant height in all three years of the growing period. The maximum seed yield (1.86 t/ha), harvest index (46.05%), stover yield (2.15 t/ha/ha) and plant height (53.55 cm) of chickpea was obtained in CS2, but among the intercropping system, CS4 was statistically significant at a 5% probability level and was superior in seed yield and stover yield, as compared to the CS3cropping system. The application of F2 showed a higher seed yield and stover yield of chickpea. The green forage equivalent yield (85.37 t/ha), land equivalent ratio (LER) (1.63), gross return ($1902/ha), net returns ($1436/ha) and benefit cost ratio (4.19) were recorded to be the highest in the CS4 cropping system of oat and chickpea. This study concludes that CS4, in combination with the application of F3, can be recommended as it provides a higher green forage equivalent yield, LER and other economic benefits, as compared to other cropping systems and nutrient management practices.
Are Sustainability Indices Infected by the Volatility of Stock Indices? Analysis before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Nogueira Manuel Carlos , Madaleno Mara
Published: November 2022

Considering the growing importance of sustainable investments worldwide, we explore the volatility transmission effects between the EURO STOXX Sustainability Index and the stock market indexes of its stocks. Using daily index return data, during 2000–2022, covering the COVID-19 pandemic, Multivariate Generalized Auto-Regressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (MGARCH) models are used to explore if volatility effects of the stock indices felt during the pandemic implied any evolution in the effects already felt between the volatilities existing in these stock indices and the effects of stock market indices’ volatility over the sustainability index. Results point to the great dependence that the sustainability index has on stock index movements. The volatility felt in stock indices during the pandemic period did not become decisive in reversing a previous correlation trajectory between the stock market and sustainability indexes. Provided that sustainability is not observed exclusively in financial and economic terms, but in a triple bottom line context (including the social and environmental sides), we should not verify a high influence of stock market indexes over the sustainability index, as the results point out. Policymakers and investors should be aware of the high influence and take measures to turn the sustainability index more independent.