bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Cloud Water Content in Arid Region of Central Asia
Authors: Zhao Kailiang , Zhu Guofeng , Liu Jiawei , Sang Liyuan , Jiao Yinying , Lin Xinrui , Wang Lei , Liu Yuwei , Xu Yuanxiao , Zhang Wenhao , Ye Linlin
Published: November 2022

To evaluate the distribution characteristics of water vapor content (WVC), cloud liquid water content (CLWC) and cloud ice water content (CIWC) in arid areas of central Asia from 1980 to 2019 were analyzed by using average data of ERA5 in the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. The results show that: On the spatial scale, the WVC in the arid area of central Asia is mainly between 2 and 26 kg·m−2. The area of maximum water vapor content is distributed in southwestern Kazakhstan and southwestern Tajikistan, with a maximum value of 26 kg·m−2. The minimum areas are distributed in eastern Tajikistan, central Kyrgyzstan, central Tajikistan, and western Xinjiang, China, with the lowest WVC of 2 kg·m−2. The maximum of CLWC areas were mainly distributed in northwest Kazakhstan, with a maximum value of 0.08 kg·m−2, while the minimum areas were distributed in Tajikistan, eastern Kyrgyzstan, and northwest China, with a minimum value of 0.02 kg·m−2. The maximum areas of CIWC were distributed in the north of Tajikistan and the west of Kyrgyzstan, possessing a maximum value of 0.06 kg·m−2. The minimum area is distributed in the western part of Central Asia with a minimum value of 0.01 kg·m−2. From 1980 to 2019, the WVC generally increased, while the annual average CIWC and CLWC appeared a downward trend.
Community Tourism Strategic Planning—Convergent Model Proposal as Applied to a Municipality in Mexico
Authors: Zárate-Altamirano Stefanie , Rebolledo-López Deisy Coromoto , Parra-López Eduardo
Published: November 2022

The planning of tourism activity in the global context has generally been short-term and without inclusion of local communities. This situation has affected the territorial identity and the use of tourist activity itself as a development strategy both globally and locally. In the search for balance, community tourism emerges as a link between economic activity and community participation in a context of changes and new challenges. The objective of this research project was to propose a model built from the theoretical review that shows the convergence between the variables of strategic planning and community tourism applicable to local contexts. The methodology applied focused on the inductive method, with a descriptive and propositional scope. Two types of data collection instruments were developed and applied: a semi-structured interview guide and a questionnaire. The exercise was carried out in a tourist municipality in Mexico and the results reflect the deterioration of territorial identity and social cohesion. Therefore, it is essential to promote the re-evaluation of natural, cultural, and historical resources. Likewise, it was concluded that the proposed model is a diagnostic tool and generator of strategies for community tourism.
The Sustainable Development of Psychological Education in Students’ Learning Concept in Physical Education Based on Machine Learning and the Internet of Things
Authors: Zong Xingxing , Lipowski Mariusz , Liu Taofeng , Qiao Meng , Bo Qi
Published: November 2022

Aim: This paper aims to enhance the emphasis of college physical education (P.E.) in the psychological education of P.E. students and provide a reference for the innovation of P.E. teaching methods. Methodology and procedures: On the basis of the Internet of Things (IoT) and a deep-learning algorithm, combined with psychological education, the teaching effect and the influence on learning philosophy are comprehensively evaluated through the construction of teaching evaluation index system for college P.E. students. Results: The theoretical courses of P.E. students in colleges and universities lack the integration of psychological-education concepts. It is found that the new teaching mode not only has a significant effect on improvement of training courses, but also promotes learning enthusiasm and theoretical courses. In the aspect of psychological quality evaluation, emotional-control ability significantly improved, the average score increased from below 60 to above 79, and self-challenge ability and adaptability to adversity also effectively improved. In the evaluation of deep-learning ability, students’ critical thinking ability improved most obviously, and their complex problem-solving ability also improved to some extent. Conclusions: Based on the IoT and machine learning, college P.E. teaching mode can effectively improve students’ psychological quality and ability, effectively improve students’ training and theoretical achievements, and significantly improve their academic achievements. It can also improve students’ self-learning ability. Practical applications: This paper reforms the traditional P.E. teaching mode, effectively demonstrates the hypothesis through practical teaching, designs the teaching evaluation index system of college P.E. students, and improves their learning ability and comprehensive achievements.
Students’ Skills and Experiences Using Information and Communication Technologies in Remote Physical Education Lessons
Authors: Rutkauskaite Renata , Koreivaite Milda , Karanauskiene Diana , Mieziene Brigita
Published: November 2022

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are rapidly invading education and leading to transformation in this area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional educational process was moved to a remote environment, and educators faced many challenges in maintaining the same quality as face-to-face teaching. Physical education (PE) lessons should be marked out as a special case. The aim of this research was to determine the relationship of 8–12th-grade Lithuanian students to information and communication technologies and to reveal students’ experiences of participating in remote PE lessons. A total of 268 students selected by the convenience sampling method filled out a questionnaire consisting of four blocks with 53 closed and 4 open questions divided into topics. The relationships between physical activity during quarantine and its predictors were assessed using linear and hierarchical regression analyses. It was estimated that students’ computer literacy skills were slightly higher than average, and positive attitudes of students towards ICT in the educational process would prevail. In remote PE lessons, students usually exercised independently or together using a video communication program. Students’ expectations for remote PE lessons included the performance of sports, interesting and active challenges, and the opportunity to be independent. Older students and students who spent more time with ICT and had lower computer literacy skills were less physically active and fit. During the quarantine, students’ physical activity and fitness decreased.
Employing Robotics in Education to Enhance Cognitive Development—A Pilot Study
Authors: Kálózi-Szabó Csilla , Mohai Katalin , Cottini Milvia
Published: November 2022

(1) Background: Info-communication technology (ICT) offers opportunities for innovations in teaching and learning methods, bringing significant changes in the world of pedagogy. The field called educational robotics is both a motivational basis for teaching and learning coding and programming, and a tool for linking STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Moreover, it might contribute to the development of cognitive and social skills. The aim of the present paper is to report on a pilot study at the intersection of neurodiversity and educational robotics. (2) Methods: The pilot study was part of a larger project, namely Robotics for the Inclusive Development of Atypical and Typical Children (RIDE). A pre-test/post-test design was used to examine the development of different cognitive processes in sixth-grade students, such as computational thinking (CT), spatial relations, visuo-constructive ability, attention, and reading ability, in relation to a robotics development program employed in the classroom. (3) Results: The results suggest a general improvement on nearly all measures. Specifically, participants’ performance improved significantly from pre-test to post-test in the visuo-constructive abilities test, they made significantly fewer reading errors, and improved substantially in their reading comprehension. (4) Conclusions: The RIDE project’s curriculum development has resulted in a highly innovative, sustainable, and inclusive package of pedagogical methods, and the pilot research shows promising results regarding the implementation of robotics in education.
Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Pro-Poor Tourism Villages in China
Authors: Zhu Lei , Hu Jing , Xu Jiahui , Li Yannan , Liang Mangmang
Published: November 2022

This paper aims to contribute to the effectiveness of pro-poor tourism in rural areas. We use 5770 pro-poor tourism villages in China as the research objects; the spatial distribution characteristics of pro-poor tourism villages in China are analyzed using a combination of disequilibrium index, kernel density analysis, and spatial autocorrelation; their influencing factors are detected using a geographical detector and overlay analysis. The study results show the following: (1) The distribution of pro-poor tourism villages is exceptionally uneven in three zones, eight regions, and inter-provincial levels, forming a high-density cluster belt that includes Hebei, Henan, Anhui, and Hubei, and five high-density cluster cores that include southern Gansu, Sichuan–Gansu–Shaanxi border area; Guizhou, Hunan, and Chongqing border area; southern Sichuan; and southwest Guizhou. (2) Regarding spatial correlations, the pro-poor tourism villages in central and western regions are in hot spots, while those in eastern regions are in cold spots. The hot spots gradually increase, while cold spots gradually decrease, and the clustering trend of the distribution of the pro-poor tourism villages is increasingly apparent. (3) Pro-poor tourism villages are affected by social, economic, industrial, and other human factors as well as natural geographical factors such as terrain, precipitation, river, and climate, among which the industrial factors have a more significant impact. Pro-poor tourism villages are concentrated in humid mountainous areas with an altitude of about 1000 m and an annual precipitation of more than 800 mm, and they are mostly distributed in the subtropical monsoon climate zone closer to the river and more suitable climate. (4) It is suggested that pro-poor tourism villages can be divided into four types: the resource underutilization type, mountain environment restriction type, traffic location non-optimization type, and industrial development lagging type, and the sustainable development strategies of different types of pro-poor tourism villages are proposed.
Innovation Systems and Sustainability. Development of a Methodology on Innovation Systems for the Measurement of Sustainability Indicators in Regions Based on a Colombian Case Study
Authors: Zartha Sossa Jhon Wilder , Gaviria Suárez Juan Fernando , López Suárez Natalia María , Rebolledo José Luis Solleiro , Orozco Mendoza Gina Lía , Vélez Suárez Valentina
Published: November 2022

In recent years, the need for changes in the current consumption and development patterns has become evident. To achieve this, it is necessary to innovate, create, and devise new methodologies and ways of thinking that allow for a reorientation towards economically prosperous, socially equitable, and environmentally reasonable practices. The purpose of this study is to identify sustainability variables within the framework of the innovation system concept, and to propose a methodology for diagnosing regions and identifying their gaps in a sustainability-oriented innovation system. The methodology was based on a literature review of different documents, where sustainability variables related to innovation were extracted from this search, consisting of the identification of concepts made by different authors regarding what should be considered an innovation system aligned with sustainable development. These concepts were identified as study variables and a questionnaire was formulated based on them, which was reviewed by experts to determine their relevance and congruence. After obtaining the final questionnaire, which was subsequently referenced as the diagnostic tool, it was applied in a Colombian study region consisting of the states of Quindío and Risaralda, with sustainability stakeholders. As a result, a great lack of knowledge on the subject on the part of the respondents, low accessibility to sources of information, and a high percentage of disarticulation between policies were found, which led to the conclusion that the evaluated region has a low understanding of sustainability. Based on the information discussed in this research, it can be concluded that there are currently no specific methodologies to measure the sustainability of a region or territory. Therefore, the tool is determined to be a guide for the measurement of sustainability in the context of innovation in any region. Finally, from the studies reviewed, the potential to include sustainability in the innovation systems of a region was detected, enabling economic development, the production of goods and services, and strengthening the socio-environmental considerations involved in the adequate use of natural resources and the increase in the quality of life.
The Importance of Receiving Training in Computerized Technology for Nurses to Maintain Sustainability in the Health System
Authors: Tsarfati Becky , Cojocaru Daniela
Published: November 2022

The purpose of the study was to examine nurses’ perceptions regarding the usage of computerized technology and to understand the meaning of this technological change in nurses’ work in the context of sustainability. The study was designed as a mixed method and included the following research tools: questionnaires for data collection that were sent via email and semi-structured interviews of nurses, chosen voluntarily and randomly. The data were collected from 214 questionnaires in total, using technology acceptance model questionnaires, and the professional self-identity questionnaire (PSIQ). Moreover, data was collected from 10 in-depth interviews. Subsequently, the data was analyzed to understand the influence of personal, professional, and social factors concerning the usage of computer technology in nursing. The study was undertaken within the understanding that the participation of nurses is essential for the creation of sustainable developments, such as the use of computer technology, eventually leading to an improvement in the quality of care and the health of the community. Years of seniority in nursing, ease of use of technology, technology relevant to the job, and higher output quality, were associated with the most perceived benefits of using technology in a positive correlation. Relative to nurses’ sense of professionalism, there is an understanding that adopting new behavioral functions for their role will lead to promoting the quality of care and improving the health of the community. From the perspective of global sustainability, there is a need to develop methods involving multi-professional teamwork to implement computerized technologies within the country and between countries to improve sustainable conditions in the world.
Food Producers in The Peri-Urban Area of Mexico City. A Study on the Linkages between Social Capital and Food Sustainability
Authors: Bertran-Vilà Miriam , Pasquier Merino Ayari G. , Villatoro Hernández Jessica Geraldine
Published: November 2022

Small producers in peri-urban areas have been identified as key actors in building more sustainable urban food systems, but they often have limited capacities to develop and consolidate their initiatives. This article describes the conditions of peri-urban farmers in Mexico City who work with agroecological schemes, analyzing the role of social and cultural capital in their ability to consolidate their economic-productive projects and establish links with consumers in the city. The research was developed from an anthropological perspective based on field visits and interviews conducted in 60 production units located in the peri-urban area of Mexico City. The article discusses the literature on peri-urban agriculture and the contextual particularities of the case study and then describes a typology constructed based on the analysis of the documented cases, considering the objectives of the initiatives and the different types of social and cultural capital on which their activities and marketing strategies are based are considered. The discussion argues that the social and cultural capital of the production units are key elements in determining the viability of the agroecological transition, reaffirming the importance of social articulation and other sociocultural aspects for the promotion of sustainable food projects.
Arborists and Urban Foresters Support for Urban Wildlife and Habitat Sustainability: Results of an Urban Ecology-Focused Survey of Arborists
Authors: Martin Alexander James Fricke , Almas Andrew
Published: November 2022

Urbanization is causing fragmentation of natural areas and impacting urban wildlife populations. Sustainability of wildlife and their habitat in arboriculture has focused on three key areas: retaining wildlife snags and beneficial-tree features (e.g., hollows/cavities), education of arborists and the public, and the adoption of systems-level thinking into arboriculture (i.e., the consideration of wildlife in risk matrices and pruning objectives). We surveyed 805 arborists using an international online survey to examine how arborists perceive these key areas of wildlife conservation and sustainability in urban forest management. Systems-level thinking was the highest rated method for arborists to support urban wildlife, followed by the retaining of wildlife snags. Education and the involvement of conservation groups received lower ratings, and the retainment of branches with hollows or cavities received the lowest ratings. In selecting important factors for wildlife snag retainment, arborists were most concerned with tree risk and targets, followed by setting (urban versus rural) and use of the tree by wildlife. Other factors that are the concern of urban ecologists were less important to respondents. Our findings support continued urban ecology education for arborists which focuses on whole/complex systems thinking to develop sustainable urban forest management practices which benefit urban wildlife.
Morphology and Genetic Structure Profile of Farmed Snails Cornu aspersum aspersum and Cornu aspersum maximum in Greece
Authors: Kougiagka Efkarpia , Gkafas Georgios A. , Exadactylos Athanasios , Hatziioannou Marianthi
Published: November 2022

The subspecies of the species Cornu aspersum, C. a. aspersum, and C. a. maximum are the dominant farmed species in Greece. The morphological and molecular polymorphism of the two aforementioned subspecies has not been studied in depth. In this study, the polymorphism of snails of the two subspecies derived from seven snail farms throughout Greece was studied using morphological and molecular markers. Firstly, the snail samples of both subspecies were categorized in three shell patterns based on shell color and existence of bands. The conducted population structure analysis revealed three major clusters among the farmed snail populations. As concerns genetic diversity, six loci (Ha5, Ha6, Ha8, Ha9, Ha10, and Ha11) were tested for their polymorphism. Genetic variation was reported within populations rather than among populations. Finally, the obtained data highlighted a common gene pool broodstock for snail farms throughout Greece.
Seismotectonics of Shallow-Focus Earthquakes in Venezuela with Links to Gravity Anomalies and Geologic Heterogeneity Mapped by a GMT Scripting Language
Authors: Lemenkova Polina , Debeir Olivier
Published: November 2022

This paper presents a cartographic framework based on algorithms of GMT codes for mapping seismically active areas in Venezuela. The data included raster grids from GEBCO, EGM-2008, and vector geological layers from the USGS. The data were iteratively processed in the console of GMT, converted by GDAL, formatted, and mapped for geophysical data visualisation; the QGIS was applied for geological mapping. We analyzed 2000 samples of the earthquake events obtained from the IRIS seismic database with a 25-year time span (1997–2021) in order to map the seismicity. The approach to linking geological, topographic, and geophysical data using GMT scripts aimed to map correlations among the geophysical phenomena, tectonic processes, geological setting, seismicity, and earthquakes. The practical application of the GMT scripts consists in automated mapping for the visualization of geological risks and hazards in the mountainous region of the Venezuelan Andes. The proposed method integrates the approach of GMT scripts with state-of-the-art GIS techniques, which demonstrated its effectiveness as a tool for mapping spatial datasets and rapid data processing in an iterative regime. In this context, using GMT and GIS to find similarities between the regional earthquake distribution and the geological and topographic setting is essential for hazard risk assessment. This study can serve as a basis for predictive seismic analysis in geologically vulnerable regions of Venezuela. In addition to a technical demonstration of GMT algorithms, this study also contributes to geological and geophysical mapping and seismic hazard assessments in South America. We present the full scripts used for mapping in a GitHub repository.
Morphological Characterization of Some Local Varieties of Fig (Ficus carica L.) Cultivated in Southern Italy
Authors: Nuzzo Vitale , Gatto Antonio , Montanaro Giuseppe
Published: November 2022

Figs (Ficus carica L.) are ancient fruits of the Mediterranean basin. In Southern Italy, they are particularly important in the traditional course of local cuisine. In Southern Italy, fig trees are rarely cultivated in specialized orchards but are present in association with other fruit trees (for example, olive, almond, pear, pomegranate, and grapevine). These mixed orchards are particularly important in the traditional agroecosystems of the south of Italy. This study reports preliminary results on the local fig variety’s leaf morphological characterization, aiming to elucidate the presence of synonymousness or homonymy for in situ and ex situ conservation and further exploitation. A field survey was carried out during the summer of 2018 in some areas of the Basilicata district. Thirty local putative varieties were collected, and each of them was identified by GPS coordinates and recorded photographically. Moreover, they were cataloged with the name of the Municipality of origin, year, details of growing location (main crop, mixed orchard, gardens, and single plants), approximate age, and the local name supplied by the donor. All relevant information was included in the accession code. Leaf samples were collected from each accession from medium-length shoots. A digital image of each leaf sample was captured using a digital camera. Leaf morphometric traits were recorded using ImageJ and statistically analyzed using the software PAST 4.11 to discriminate among fig accessions. The multivariate morphometric approach applied correctly classified more than 90% of the leaves and helped to discriminate among accession. Moreover, linear discriminant analysis helped to recognize the presence of different synonymousness and homonymy of different accessions. The results revealed that measured leaf morphometric aided by image analysis could be a simple and inexpensive accessions classification tool.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Waste to Energy Technologies and Their Perspectives in Australia
Authors: Dastjerdi Behnam , Strezov Vladimir , Kumar Ravinder , Behnia Masud
Published: November 2022

The study assessed the environmental impacts of landfilling, anaerobic digestion and incineration technologies and investigated the effect of the replaced source of electricity on the environmental impacts of these waste to energy (WtE) technologies. Data published in the national pollutant inventories and ReCiPe impact assessment method were employed in this study. The study showed that electricity generation through incineration had the highest impacts on human health and ecosystems, followed by landfilling. Compared to the electricity of the Australian national grid, electricity generated from all three WtE technologies have a lower environmental impact. The results revealed that global warming and fine particulate matter formation with more than 97.6% contribution were the main impact factors for human health, while terrestrial acidification, global warming and ozone formation were contributing to more than 99% of the impacts to ecosystems. Global warming was the most impactful category on human health and ecosystems from incineration with over 85% contribution to both endpoint categories. Incineration revealed significantly higher avoided global warming impacts to human health and ecosystems than landfilling from the treatment of one tonne of solid waste by replacing electricity from brown coal, black coal or the Australian power grid. The growing share of renewable energy in the Australian power grid is expected to decrease the grid GHG emissions and the effect of the avoided impacts of replaced electricity. The results revealed that if the GHG emissions from the Australian power grid (757 kg CO2 eq/MWh) decrease to break-even point (621 kg CO2 eq/MWh), incineration loses the climate advantage over landfilling.
A Simple Methodology for Estimating the Potential Biomethane Production in a Region: Application in a Case Study
Authors: Sánchez Nocete Eduardo , Pérez Rodríguez Javier
Published: November 2022

Biomethane is an example of a biofuel that is currently gaining interest due to its possible use as a substitute for natural gas and due to its generation in a “power to gas” production scheme. It can be injected into the gas network under certain purity requirements. It can also act as a source for the production of “green hydrogen”. This paper proposes a simple methodology to estimate the potential to obtain biomethane through the anaerobic digestion of biowaste in a delimited region. The mentioned methodology consists of the following main steps: (i) estimation of the potential biowaste from different sources in the region; (ii) characterization of each type of biowaste production; (iii) estimation of biogas production for each type of biowaste according to the selected anaerobic digestion process; and (iv) estimation of potential biomethane production through the purification of the biogas produced. The different types of biowaste that this methodology considers are the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, agroindustrial solid biowaste (biowaste from the food industry and livestock), and sewage sludge (urban and industrial). Energy crops are not considered because they are not treated as biowaste. After defining the proposed methodology, it is applied to a Spanish case study, in which the potential to obtain biomethane in Spain in 2019 is estimated. The results show that in Spain, around 4499 ktoe could be obtained if all biowaste was destined to produce biomethane, which would allow 31.6% of the final demand for natural gas to be satisfied in a sustainable way. In that sense, a double effect on climate change mitigation can be obtained, reducing use of fossil fuels and minimizing the final biowaste disposal into landfills.
The Impact of Science and Technology Finance on Regional Collaborative Innovation: The Threshold Effect of Absorptive Capacity
Authors: Li Zibiao , Li Han , Wang Siwei , Lu Xue
Published: November 2022

The collaborative innovation of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is faced with prominent problems such as the large gap in innovation resources and capability. In addition, science and technology (S&T) finance provides the approach to promote the flow of regional capital, technology and talents, which can facilitate the coordinated development of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Therefore, this study takes the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as an example to explore the mechanism of different S&T finance on regional S&T collaborative innovation. Based on the provincial panel data of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from 2009 to 2020, this paper constructs a dynamic panel threshold model with different regional absorptive capacities (technology level and economic base) as threshold variables to analyze the impact of public and market S&T finance on regional collaborative innovation. The main findings of this paper are as follows: first, the overall level of regional collaborative innovation in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei is low, and public and market S&T finance significantly affects regional collaborative innovation in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei. Specifically, public S&T finance plays an inhibitory role on regional collaborative innovation, and market S&T finance positively affects regional collaborative innovation. Secondly, both types of S&T finance have obvious heterogeneous threshold characteristics of absorptive capacity on regional collaborative innovation. Once the absorptive capacity of both regions breaks through the critical scale, the inhibiting effect of public S&T finance on regional collaborative innovation shows a weakening trend; with the improvement of technology level, the positive influence of market S&T finance on regional collaborative innovation keeps increasing. With the improvement of economic base, it shows a shift from negative to positive. The research findings provide theoretical and practical guidance for accelerating the pace of S&T innovation and the implementation mechanism of regional coordinated development.
Climate-Smart Agriculture, Non-Farm Employment and Welfare: Exploring Impacts and Options for Scaling Up
Authors: Yitbarek Eleni , Tesfaye Wondimagegn
Published: November 2022

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) has been receiving increasing attention in recent policy dialogues for its potential to improve agricultural transformation, risk management, and welfare. This study seeks to provide evidence on the welfare impacts of CSA adoption and its complementarity with non-farm employment using household-level data from Ethiopia combined with novel historical weather data. The study uses a multinomial endogenous switching regression model to deal with selection bias and farmer heterogeneity. The results show that households adopting CSA enjoy higher welfare benefits than non-adopter households. Households experience a higher welfare impact (lower monetary and multidimensional poverty rate) when CSA and non-farm employment are adopted simultaneously. However, there is less evidence regarding the complementarity between CSA and non-farm employment when considering per capita consumption expenditure. The study findings will have important policy implications for climate change adaptation, resilience, and poverty reduction in low-income countries.
Adoption Patterns and Intensity for Multiple BananaTechnologies in Uganda
Authors: Kiconco Stella , Babu Suresh Chandra , Akankwasa Kenneth
Published: November 2022

The adoption of improved technologies is widely recognized as key to improving agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study analyzes adoption patterns and intensity of multiple banana technologies in Uganda which have been promoted over time. We used primary data collected from 383 banana farmers sampled using a multi-stage sampling procedure. Multivariate probit (MVP) and ordered probit analyses were applied to establish the adoption patterns and adoption intensity, respectively, and any factors affecting them. The findings highlight that 15 pairwise correlation coefficients among banana technologies were statistically significant implying that banana farmers adopt technologies simultaneously. The household size, total banana area, ecological location, membership to farmer groups, access to formal credit sources, and the type of market accessed had significant effects on household adoption patterns and intensity. Thus, it is recommended that such factors should be seriously considered in addition to technology characteristics when planning promotion programs. Simultaneous adoption implies that each of the technologies should be considered as a package which contributes to the increased farmer options and maximum synergistic effects among them. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the key variables which affect the pattern and intensity of adopting technological packages involving both input intensification and low-external-input technologies in Uganda.
Dynamic Monitoring of the Ecological Vulnerability for Multi-Type Ecological Functional Areas during 2000–2018
Authors: Yuan Xingming , Guo Bing
Published: November 2022

Studies that consider both the differences of evaluation systems and index weights among different ecological areas in different study periods for ecological vulnerability evaluation have not been reported yet. In addition, the comparability of vulnerability assessment results among different study areas is poor. This paper proposed a novel quantitative vulnerability evaluation method for multi-type and multi-temporal ecological functional areas using a dynamic weighting method: Three-River Source region grassland–wetland ecological functional area (TRSR), Guiqiandian karst rocky desertification control ecological functional area (GQD), Hunshandake desertification control ecological functional area (HSDK), and Chuandian forest and biodiversity ecological functional area (CD), and then introduced net primary productivity (NPP) to realize the determination of multi-type ecological vulnerability thresholds, which is helpful to compare the vulnerability evaluation results of different ecological functional areas in a unified and comparable level. The proposed novel quantitative vulnerability evaluation method had higher applicability in vulnerability assessment for multi-type ecological functional areas (91.1% for TRSR, 91.9% for HSDK, 91.7% for CD, and 94.2% for GQD) based on the dynamic weight determination method. The determination of vulnerability thresholds based on NPP could provide a comparable level to investigate the spatial distribution patterns of ecological vulnerability in multi-type ecological functional areas for different periods. The average ecological vulnerability of the TRSR, GQD, and CD was classified as mild vulnerability, while that of the HSDK was classified as moderate vulnerability. The research results could provide a novel method for the support of ecological protection for multi-type ecological zones on a national scale.
Research on Carbon Emissions Prediction Model of Thermal Power Plant Based on SSA-LSTM Algorithm with Boiler Feed Water Influencing Factors
Authors: Wang Xindong , Yan Chun , Liu Wei , Liu Xinhong
Published: November 2022

China’s power industry is a major energy consumer, with the carbon dioxide (CO2) generated by coal consumption making the power industry one of the key emission sectors. Therefore, it is crucial to explore energy conservation and emissions reduction strategies suitable for China’s current situation. Taking a typical cogeneration enterprise in North China as an example, this paper aims to establish a generalized regression prediction model for carbon emissions of coal-fired power plants, which will provide a reference for China to seek strategies for carbon peaking and carbon neutralization in the future. Firstly, in terms of the selection of influencing factors, this paper uses objective index screening methods, simulation means, and the eXtreme Gradient Boosting algorithm (XG-Boost) to analyze the feature importance of various influencing factors. It is concluded that the relevant influencing factors of the boiler feed water system have a strong correlation and characteristic importance with the carbon emissions results of coal-fired power plants. Therefore, this paper proposes to introduce these factors into the regression prediction model as auxiliary variables to more scientifically reflect the carbon emissions results of coal-fired power plants. Secondly, in the aspect of regression prediction model establishment, inspired by the sparrow’s foraging behavior and anti-predation behavior, this paper selects the sparrow search algorithm (SSA) with strong optimization ability and fast convergence speed to optimize the super parameters of the long short-term memory network algorithm (LSTM). It is proposed to use the SSA-LSTM algorithm to establish the carbon emissions regression prediction model of coal-fired power plants. The advantage of the SSA-LSTM algorithm is that it can effectively simplify the super parameter selection process of the LSTM algorithm, effectively solve the global optimization problem, prevent the model from falling into overfitting and local optimization, and make the carbon emissions regression prediction model of coal-fired power plants achieve a better fitting effect. By comparing the performance indicators of the model before and after the improvement, it is found that the regression prediction effect of the SSA-LSTM coal-fired power plant carbon emissions regression prediction model, which introduces boiler feed water influencing factors, has been effectively improved. Therefore, the model proposed in this paper can be used to conduct a comprehensive impact factor analysis and regression prediction analysis on the carbon emissions intensity of China’s coal-fired power plants, formulate targeted carbon emissions reduction countermeasures, and provide a theoretical basis for energy conservation and emissions reduction of China’s coal-fired power plants.
Effects of Idiosyncratic Deals, Psychological Contract, Job Satisfaction and Environmental Turbulence on Unethical Pro-Organizational Behavior
Authors: Huang Yan , Liu Xin , Kim Jaehyoung , Na Sanggyun
Published: November 2022

Corporate ethics is an important part of corporate sustainable development. Sustainability is not only about the environment but also about the well-being of employees, including job satisfaction (JS), the Psychological contract (PC), etc. Among them, to organize relationships with other stakeholders, the unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) of employees not only damages the corporate image and reputation but even threatens the sustainable development of the enterprise. In this context, the influencing factors that induce UPB should be analyzed and considered. Based on social exchange theory and social cognitive theory, this research explores how idiosyncratic deals (I-deals) affect employees’ intention to perform UPB through the PC and JS from the viewpoint of employee-organization relationships, and the moderating role of environmental turbulence in it. The research sample was drawn from 377 employees working in China, manufacturing companies. The questionnaire was distributed at two time points. In the first questionnaire, the employees who participated in the survey answered information such as idiosyncratic deals, the PC, JS and environmental turbulence (ET). After 1 month, employees responded to UPB messages. The research hypotheses were tested analytically using SPSS 23.0 and Amos 23.0. The survey showed that I-deals had a beneficial impact on UPB. The psychological contract and JS also mediated the influence on I-deals on UPB. The positive relationship between I-deals and UPB through the chain mediated effect of PC and JS. Moreover, ET positively moderates the relationship between I-deals and UPB, the higher the ET, the stronger the relationship between I-deals and UPB. Conversely, the lower.
Measuring the Entrepreneurial Mindset: The Motivations behind the Behavioral Intentions of Starting a Sustainable Business
Authors: Zemlyak Svetlana , Naumenkov Alexey , Khromenkova Galina
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study was to investigate the entrepreneurial mindset that underlies the behavioral intentions of starting a sustainable business. The research was driven by the factors that are the key drivers of the economy through fostering growth, job creation, technology adoption, and innovation, as well as poverty alleviation. The research adopted a descriptive research design, with the primary data collected from those respondents with at least two years of sustainable business experience. The model comprised entrepreneurial education, innovativeness, and risk-taking as the independent variables, creativity as a mediating variable, and entrepreneurial intention as the dependent variable. The research adopted structural equation modeling to analyze the research objective and verify the hypothesis. The findings indicate that entrepreneurial education, innovativeness, and creativity significantly and positively influence entrepreneurs’ intention to start a sustainable business. Creativity was found to be influenced significantly and positively by entrepreneurial education, risk-taking, innovativeness, and creativity. The research recommends that to enhance the entrepreneurial mindset and the intention to start a sustainable business, the factors that should be enhanced are entrepreneurial education, innovativeness, and creativity. Innovation leads to the development of new products and services in the market; entrepreneurship education equips a person with entrepreneurship fundamentals, while creativity fosters the progress of a sustainable business toward achieving its objectives.
Teachers’ Frequency of ICT Use in Providing Sustainable Opportunity to Learn: Mediation Analysis Using a Reading Database
Authors: Hu Jingdan , Hu Jie
Published: November 2022

As classrooms have become increasingly digitized, information and communication technology (ICT) has been frequently used by teachers. On that basis, whether teachers’ ICT use could provide students with more and sustainable opportunities to learn (OTL) has aroused more attention in the relevant research field. However, there has been scarce evidence for teacher-related factors that elucidate the correlation between the ICT use of teachers and providing OTL in secondary education. Given this inefficiency of evidence, this study aimed to investigate the above correlation and explore the mediation effects of teachers’ self-efficacy and teachers’ flexible strategy use to solve individualized challenges (i.e., adaptive instruction). The data of 10,796 teachers in 389 secondary schools were analyzed using R based on a multilevel mediation model. As indicated by the results of this study, teachers achieved higher self-efficacy and adaptive instruction levels when ICT was used more frequently in reading classrooms, which would further enhance the provision of OTL for students. In addition, experienced teachers were better at facilitating adaptive instruction and self-efficacy using ICT. The above results could lay a solid foundation for future empirical studies to incorporate ICT in reading course design. Furthermore, it is imperative to carry out teacher training programs to improve teachers’ beliefs and practices in providing OTL for better sustainable education in ICT education contexts.
Banks’ Financial Stability and Macroeconomic Key Factors in GCC Countries
Authors: Mabkhot Hashed , Al-Wesabi Hamid Abdulkhaleq Hasan
Published: November 2022

Purpose: This study examines the impact of macroeconomic factors on GCC banks’ stability. As GCC countries still rely on oil export revenues to cover government expenses and perform an undiversified economy, hence, increased awareness of the financial diversifications in the GCC financial sectors is needed to contribute alongside oil sector revenues and then improve the non-oil sectors’ investments in order to eliminate the oil and macro-financial linkage that causes any changes in the oil price to impact the whole macroeconomic and financial system of the country. In this context, this research selected the most important macroeconomic factors such as GDP growth, inflation rate, exchange rate, global financial crisis period (2008/2009), oil price fluctuation, and political instability within the period from 2005 to 2020, which covers many economic and political events. Design/methodology/approach: We used panel cointegration analysis, starting with a panel unit root test and including PFMOLS and PDOLS estimations. Additionally, FGLS estimation was used due to the existence of heteroskedasticity and auto-correlation in the sample. Findings: The findings suggest that there is an adverse relationship between the inflation rate, global financial crisis (2008/2009) and oil price changes, and the financial stability of GCC Islamic and conventional banks. However, the Islamic bank is less adversely affected by a financial crisis, oil price changes, inflation rate and political instability. Originality/value: This proposed model provided better knowledge for regulators and policymakers about the external impacts on GCC banks’ stability, to commit an appropriate economic policy to help in reforming the economic and financial imbalances.
Integrating Blockchain with Artificial Intelligence to Secure IoT Networks: Future Trends
Authors: Alharbi Shatha , Attiah Afraa , Alghazzawi Daniyal
Published: November 2022

Recently, the Internet of Things (IoT) has gained tremendous popularity in several realms such as smart cities, healthcare, industrial automation, etc. IoT networks are increasing rapidly, containing heterogeneous devices that offer easy and user-friendly services via the internet. With the big shift to IoT technology, the security of IoT networks has become a primary concern, especially with the lack of intrinsic security mechanisms regarding the limited capabilities of IoT devices. Therefore, many studies have been interested in enhancing the security of IoT networks. IoT networks need a scalable, decentralized, and adaptive defense system. Although the area of development provides advanced security solutions using AI and Blockchain, there is no systematic and comprehensive study talking about the convergence between AI and Blockchain to secure IoT networks. In this paper, we focus on reviewing and comparing recent studies that have been proposed for detecting cybersecurity attacks in IoT environments. This paper address three research questions and highlights the research gaps and future directions. This paper aims to increase the knowledge base for enhancing IoT security, recommend future research, and suggest directions for future research.
Can the Smart City Pilot Policy Promote High-Quality Economic Development? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on 239 Cities in China
Authors: Liu Shuai , Jiang Guoxin , Chang Le , Wang Lin
Published: November 2022

By the end of 2020, more than 900 cities in China had made plans to construct smart cities. Based on the data of 239 cities in China from 2003 to 2019, this study developed difference-in-difference (DID) models to evaluate the promoting effect of the smart city pilot policy on high-quality economic development. The results show that the smart city pilot policy has significantly promoted high-quality economic development, and this conclusion is still valid after a series of robustness tests. The policy is more conducive to high-quality economic development in the small and medium-sized cities of mid-western regions than in the large cities in eastern regions. The impact mechanism test shows that the pilot policy affects the high-quality economic development of a region by improving the levels of innovative development, coordinated development, green development, open development and shared development.