bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biased, Bitopic, Opioid–Adrenergic Tethered Compounds May Improve Specificity, Lower Dosage and Enhance Agonist or Antagonist Function with Reduced Risk of Tolerance and Addiction
Authors: Root-Bernstein Robert
Published: February 2022

This paper proposes the design of combination opioid–adrenergic tethered compounds to enhance efficacy and specificity, lower dosage, increase duration of activity, decrease side effects, and reduce risk of developing tolerance and/or addiction. Combinations of adrenergic and opioid drugs are sometimes used to improve analgesia, decrease opioid doses required to achieve analgesia, and to prolong the duration of analgesia. Recent mechanistic research suggests that these enhanced functions result from an allosteric adrenergic binding site on opioid receptors and, conversely, an allosteric opioid binding site on adrenergic receptors. Dual occupancy of the receptors maintains the receptors in their high affinity, most active states; drops the concentration of ligand required for full activity; and prevents downregulation and internalization of the receptors, thus inhibiting tolerance to the drugs. Activation of both opioid and adrenergic receptors also enhances heterodimerization of the receptors, additionally improving each drug’s efficacy. Tethering adrenergic drugs to opioids could produce new drug candidates with highly desirable features. Constraints—such as the locations of the opioid binding sites on adrenergic receptors and adrenergic binding sites on opioid receptors, length of tethers that must govern the design of such novel compounds, and types of tethers—are described and examples of possible structures provided.
“The Two Sides of the Same Coin”—Medical Cannabis, Cannabinoids and Immunity: Pros and Cons Explained
Authors: Khoury Mona , Cohen Idan , Bar-Sela Gil
Published: February 2022

Cannabis, as a natural medicinal remedy, has long been used for palliative treatment to alleviate the side effects caused by diseases. Cannabis-based products isolated from plant extracts exhibit potent immunoregulatory properties, reducing chronic inflammatory processes and providing much needed pain relief. They are a proven effective solution for treatment-based side effects, easing the resulting symptoms of the disease. However, we discuss the fact that cannabis use may promote the progression of a range of malignancies, interfere with anti-cancer immunotherapy, or increase susceptibility to viral infections and transmission. Most cannabis preparations or isolated active components cause an overall potent immunosuppressive impact among users, posing a considerable hazard to patients with suppressed or compromised immune systems. In this review, current knowledge and perceptions of cannabis or cannabinoids and their impact on various immune-system components will be discussed as the “two sides of the same coin” or “double-edged sword”, referring to something that can have both favorable and unfavorable consequences. We propose that much is still unknown about adverse reactions to its use, and its integration with medical treatment should be conducted cautiously with consideration of the individual patient, effector cells, microenvironment, and the immune system.
Artemisinin-Type Drugs in Tumor Cell Death: Mechanisms, Combination Treatment with Biologics and Nanoparticle Delivery
Authors: Zhou Xinyu , Suo Fengzhi , Haslinger Kristina , Quax Wim J.
Published: February 2022

Artemisinin, the most famous anti-malaria drug initially extracted from Artemisia annua L., also exhibits anti-tumor properties in vivo and in vitro. To improve its solubility and bioavailability, multiple derivatives have been synthesized. However, to reveal the anti-tumor mechanism and improve the efficacy of these artemisinin-type drugs, studies have been conducted in recent years. In this review, we first provide an overview of the effect of artemisinin-type drugs on the regulated cell death pathways, which may uncover novel therapeutic approaches. Then, to overcome the shortcomings of artemisinin-type drugs, we summarize the recent advances in two different therapeutic approaches, namely the combination therapy with biologics influencing regulated cell death, and the use of nanocarriers as drug delivery systems. For the former approach, we discuss the superiority of combination treatments compared to monotherapy in tumor cells based on their effects on regulated cell death. For the latter approach, we give a systematic overview of nanocarrier design principles used to deliver artemisinin-type drugs, including inorganic-based nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, polymer-based nanoparticles, carbon-based nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers and niosomes. Both approaches have yielded promising findings in vitro and in vivo, providing a strong scientific basis for further study and upcoming clinical trials.
A Low-Frequency Magnetic Field Sensor Based on Fiber Bragg Gratings
Authors: Chen Jeson , Huang Si-Yu , Lin Cheng-Yu , Liu Wen-Fung
Published: February 2022

A new type of low-frequency magnetic-field sensor based on fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) was experimentally demonstrated for measuring the DC to low-frequency magnetic field. The operating mechanism of this AC magnetic sensor is based on the strain exerted by a loaded magnet on the sensing structure, which causes center-wavelength shifts of FBG. The achieved sensitivity was 8.16 pm/G with a resolution of 3 Gauss at ambient conditions. The proposed FBG magnetic sensor is easy to use, compact, and suitable for DC to low-frequency magnetic sensing applications.
Current Status of Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation of Wild Olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sylvestris)
Authors: Fanelli Valentina , Mascio Isabella , Falek Wahiba , Miazzi Monica Marilena , Montemurro Cinzia
Published: February 2022

Oleaster (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) is the ancestor of cultivated olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. europaea) and it is spread through the whole Mediterranean Basin, showing an overlapping distribution with cultivated olive trees. Climate change and new emerging diseases are expected to severely affect the cultivations of olive in the future. Oleaster presents a higher genetic variability compared to the cultivated olive and some wild trees were found adapted to particularly harsh conditions; therefore, the role of oleaster in the future of olive cultivation may be crucial. Despite the great potential, only recently the need to deeply characterize and adequately preserve the wild olive resources drew the attention of researchers. In this review, we summarized the most important morphological and genetic studies performed on oleaster trees collected in different countries of the Mediterranean Basin. Moreover, we reviewed the strategies introduced so far to preserve and manage the oleaster germplasm collections, giving a future perspective on their role in facing the future agricultural challenges posed by climatic changes and new emerging diseases.
Effect of Solution Properties in the Development of Cellulose Derivative Nanostructures Processed via Electrospinning
Authors: Sánchez-Cid Pablo , Rubio-Valle José Fernando , Jiménez-Rosado Mercedes , Pérez-Puyana Víctor , Romero Alberto
Published: February 2022

In the last few years, electrospinning has proved to be one of the best methods for obtaining membranes of a micro and nanometric fiber size. This method mainly consists in the spinning of a polymeric or biopolymeric solution in solvents, promoted by the difference in the electric field between the needle and collector, which is finally deposited as a conjunction of randomly oriented fibers. The present work focuses on using cellulose derivatives (namely cellulose acetate and ethylcellulose), based on the revaluation of these byproducts and waste products of biorefinery, to produce nanostructured nanofiber through electrospinning with the objective of establishing a relation between the initial solutions and the nanostructures obtained. In this sense, a complete characterization of the biopolymeric solutions (physicochemical and rheological properties) and the resulting nanostructures (microstructural and thermal properties) was carried out. Therefore, solutions with different concentrations (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%) of the two cellulose derivatives and different solvents with several proportions between them were used to establish their influence on the properties of the resulting nanostructures. The results show that the solutions with 10 wt% in acetic acid/H2O and 15 wt% in acetone/N,N-dimethylformamide of cellulose acetate and 5 wt% of ethylcellulose in acetone/N,N-dimethylformamide, exhibited the best properties, both in the solution and nanostructure state.
Intelligent Predicting of Product Quality of Injection Molding Recycled Materials Based on Tie-Bar Elongation
Authors: Chang Hanjui , Su Zhiming , Lu Shuzhou , Zhang Guangyi
Published: February 2022

In the process of injection molding, a certain percentage of recycled material is usually used in order to save costs. The material properties of recycled materials can change significantly compared with raw materials, and the quality of their molded products is more difficult to control. Therefore, it is crucial to propose a method that can effectively maintain the yield of the recycled material products. In addition, the variation of clamping force during the injection molding process can be determined by measuring the tie-bar elongation of the injection molding machine. Therefore, this study proposes a real-time product quality monitoring system based on the variation of clamping force during the injection molding process for the injection molding of recycled materials for plastic bottle caps. The variation of clamping force reflects the variation of cavity pressure during the injection molding process and further maps the variation of injection parameters during the injection molding process. Therefore, this study evaluates the reliability of the proposed method for three different injection parameters (residual position, metering end point and metering time). Experiments have shown that there is a strong correlation between the quality (geometric properties) and weight of the product under different molding parameters. Moreover, the three main injection parameters have a strong influence on the weight and quality of the plastic caps. The variation of the clamping force is also highly correlated with the weight of the plastic bottle cap. This demonstrates the feasibility of applying the variation of clamping force to monitor the quality of injection molded products. Furthermore, by integrating the clamping force variation index with the calibration model of the corresponding injection parameters, it is possible to control the weight of the plastic cap within the acceptable range of the product in successive production runs.
Investigation of Polyester Tire Cord Glycolysis Accompanied by Rubber Crumb Devulcanization
Authors: Kirshanov Kirill , Toms Roman , Melnikov Pavel , Gervald Alexander
Published: February 2022

A new method for the recycling of a polyester tire cord under the action of oligoethylene terephthalates, bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate and ethylene glycol has been proposed. The method involves simultaneous homogeneous glycolysis of polyethylene terephthalate and devulcanization of crumb rubber. Polyester cord and glycolysates were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The devulcanization process was investigated by swelling-based methods. The rate of the proposed method of homogeneous glycolysis in a melt phase was proved to be higher than one of the heterogeneous glycolysis. The assumption of a more efficient devulcanization in the presence of a softener was also confirmed. The degree of devulcanization 46.07%, the apparent degree of swelling 167.4%, and the apparent swelling rate constant 0.0902 min−1 were achieved. The results indicate that the proposed method made it possible to carry out the glycolysis of the polyester cord of the tire more deeply than the known heterogeneous glycolysis with various agents, but further research is needed for industrial implementation.
A Review on Data-Driven Process Monitoring Methods: Characterization and Mining of Industrial Data
Authors: Ji Cheng , Sun Wei
Published: February 2022

Safe and stable operation plays an important role in the chemical industry. Fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) make it possible to identify abnormal process deviations early and assist operators in taking proper action against fault propagation. After decades of development, data-driven process monitoring technologies have gradually attracted attention from process industries. Although many promising FDD methods have been proposed from both academia and industry, challenges remain due to the complex characteristics of industrial data. In this work, classical and recent research on data-driven process monitoring methods is reviewed from the perspective of characterizing and mining industrial data. The implementation framework of data-driven process monitoring methods is first introduced. State of art of process monitoring methods corresponding to common industrial data characteristics are then reviewed. Finally, the challenges and possible solutions for actual industrial applications are discussed.
Everynight Accounting: Nighttime Lights as a Proxy for Economic Performance of Regions
Authors: Rybnikova Nataliya
Published: February 2022

Artificial nighttime lights, emitted from residential, industrial, commercial and entertainment areas, and captured by satellites, have proven to be a reliable proxy for on-ground human activities [...]
Evaluating Street Lighting Quality in Residential Areas by Combining Remote Sensing Tools and a Survey on Pedestrians’ Perceptions of Safety and Visual Comfort
Authors: Liu Ming , Zhang Baogang , Luo Tong , Liu Yue , Portnov Boris A. , Trop Tamar , Jiao Weili , Liu Huichan , Li Yiwei , Liu Qingyuan
Published: February 2022

The perceived quality of street lighting influences pedestrians’ perceptions of safety and visual comfort, as well as outdoors activities at night. This study explores the association between street lighting attributes, such as illuminance and wavelength, and pedestrians’ feeling of safety (FoS) and perceived lighting quality (PLQ) in eight residential districts in Dalian, China. To achieve this goal, we combine remote sensing technology with ground investigation. The ground research includes physical measurements of lighting attributes, such as intensity, color temperature, and glare, as well as survey evaluations of pedestrians’ perceptions of safety and visual comfort. We also analyze the influence of several environmental factors, such as traffic volumes and vegetation, while accounting for personal characteristics of the observers, such as gender and age. Findings from the remote sensing reveal that Dalian’s residential districts differ substantially by their nighttime light emissions, with high concentration of strong red band (i.e., long wavelength) emissions occurring in Zhongshan and Jinzhou, and strong blue band (i.e., short wavelength) emissions found in central Zhongshan. Results from the ground surveys further indicate that a satisfactory level of FoS reaches at the illumination levels of 5–17 lx, and that people feel safer if nighttime light is warm and uniform. From a multiple regression analysis, it is also found that illuminance and uniformity are the main factors affecting PLQ under conditions of low or high illuminance, while glare and color temperature play a more significant role under high illuminance. In addition, a satisfactory level of PLQ is found at illuminance levels of 25–35 lx and light color temperature of 4000 K–5500 K.
UAV Mapping of the Chlorophyll Content in a Tidal Flat Wetland Using a Combination of Spectral and Frequency Indices
Authors: Zhuo Wei , Wu Nan , Shi Runhe , Wang Zuo
Published: February 2022

The chlorophyll content of leaves is an important indicator of plant environmental stress, photosynthetic capacity, and is widely used to diagnose the growth and health status of vegetation. Traditional chlorophyll content inversion is based on the vegetation index under pure species, which rarely considers the impact of interspecific competition and species mixture on the inversion accuracy. To solve these limitations, the harmonic analysis (HA) and the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT) were introduced to obtain the frequency index, which were combined with spectral index as the input parameters to estimate chlorophyll content based on the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) image. The research results indicated that: (1) Based on a comparison of the model accuracy for three different types of indices in the same period, the estimation accuracy of the pure spectral index was the lowest, followed by that of the frequency index, whereas the mixed index estimation effect was the best. (2) The estimation accuracy in November was lower than that in other months; the pure spectral index coefficient of determination (R2) was only 0.5208, and the root–mean–square error (RMSE) was 4.2144. The estimation effect in September was the best. The model R2 under the mixed index reached 0.8283, and the RMSE was 2.0907. (3) The canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) estimation under the frequency domain index was generally better than that of the pure spectral index, indicating that the frequency information was more sensitive to subtle differences in the spectrum of mixed vegetation. These research results show that the combination of spectral and frequency information can effectively improve the mapping accuracy of the chlorophyll content, and provid a theoretical basis and technology for monitoring the chlorophyll content of mixed vegetation in wetlands.
Quantitatively Assessing the Impact of Driving Factors on Vegetation Cover Change in China’s 32 Major Cities
Authors: Mu Baohui , Zhao Xiang , Zhao Jiacheng , Liu Naijing , Si Longping , Wang Qian , Sun Na , Sun Mengmeng , Guo Yinkun , Zhao Siqing
Published: February 2022

After 2000, China’s vegetation underwent great changes associated with climate change and urbanization. Although many studies have been conducted to quantify the contributions of climate and human activities to vegetation, few studies have quantitatively examined the comprehensive contributions of climate, urbanization, and CO2 to vegetation in China’s 32 major cities. In this study, using Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) fractional vegetation cover (FVC) between 2001 and 2018, we investigated the trend of FVC in China’s 32 major cities and quantified the effects of CO2, urbanization, and climate by using generalized linear models (GLMs). We found the following: (1) From 2001 to 2018, the FVC in China generally illustrated an increasing trend, although it decreased in 23 and 21 cities in the core area and expansion area, respectively. (2) Night light data showed that the urban expansion increased to varying degrees, with an average increasing ratio of approximately 168%. The artificial surface area increased significantly, mainly from cropland, forest, grassland, and tundra. (3) Climate factors and CO2 were the major factors that affected FVC change. The average contributions of climate factors, CO2, and urbanization were 40.6%, 39.2%, and 10.6%, respectively. This study enriched the understanding of vegetation cover change and its influencing factors, helped to explain the complex biophysical mechanism between vegetation and environment, and guided sustainable urban development.
Understanding Combustion Mechanism of Magnesium for Better Safety Measures: An Experimental Study
Authors: Nam Ki-Hun , Lee Jun-Sik , Park Hye-Jeong
Published: February 2022

With the growth of the magnesium recycling market, the risk of fire and explosion has been raised over time. In particular, dross generated in the process of magnesium recycling is not considered as a hazardous material even though it contains a lot of pure magnesium and/or magnesium compounds. There are few safety measures to prevent and respond to potential fires and explosions in the magnesium recycling process and to protect employees. Therefore, this study aims to identify appropriate safety measures to reduce the risk of fire and explosion in the magnesium recycling process by looking at two actual magnesium fire cases and relevant criteria in South Korea, the US, and Japan. Also, a combustion experiment using magnesium powder was conducted to identify the significant combustion phenomena of magnesium. Lastly, we developed a fire safety mechanism of magnesium, including chemical reaction, smoldering, and ignition. Each phase presents five contents for different safety measures in the visibility of combustion reaction, the velocity of the combustion reaction, identification methods, response measure, and possible responders. Although this study focused on dross from the magnesium recycling process, it is expected to be useful to develop a better risk management strategy to reduce the risks in the recycling process of metals.
Can the Theory of Salutogenesis Offer a Framework to Enhance Policy Coherence during Policy Development and Implementation in Municipalities?
Authors: Maass Ruca , Lillefjell Monica
Published: February 2022

Health promotion efforts in municipalities demands extensive collaboration, between sectors (multi-sector) as well as between levels (multi-level). To develop, adopt and implement policies that contribute to reduce health inequity demands for policy coherence: consistent approaches across sectors and levels. In this conceptual paper, we discuss how the theory of Salutogenesis, and its inherent concept of coherence, can contribute to structure such collaboration processes in coherent ways, and contribute to experiences of policy coherence for both collaborators (practitioners and stakeholders) and inhabitants. We discuss how challenges with fragmented knowledge as well as lack of resources and motivation might be met through an explicit application of Salutogenesis core concepts. First, we argue that framing HP-efforts in terms of positive goals that can be achieved can contribute to motivation for change. Next, we discuss how the concepts of comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness can be applied to describe challenges, and plan for coherent policies and processes vertically (between levels) and horizontally (between sectors). Last, we discuss limitations and challenges with this approach, including the need to further develop the theoretical foundation of Salutogenesis, and how it can be applied at a setting- and/or policy-level.
E-Learning: Direct Effect of Student Learning Effectiveness and Engagement through Project-Based Learning, Team Cohesion, and Flipped Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Umar Muhammad , Ko Ilsang
Published: February 2022

The cross-impact of project-based learning, team cohesion, and flipped learning was investigated by examining their direct effects on student learning effectiveness, engagement, and engagement effects on learning effectiveness. The results of hypotheses testing were achieved using hierarchical regression analysis with SPSS-25 statistical packages for data analysis. The research model was empirically verified with quantitative data collected from 247 graduate/undergraduate business students based on their own experiences, observations, and engagement. The analysis found that project-based learning (PBL) and team cohesion increased positive direct effects both in student learning effectiveness and engagement. However, flipped learning showed increased positive direct effects in student learning effectiveness and negative effects on engagement. Furthermore, the engagement (itself) had a positive direct effect on student learning effectiveness. The proposed study was performed with the intention to inform practice in terms of increasing retention and enhancing teaching along with student learning quality.
Landslide Susceptibility Mapping with Deep Learning Algorithms
Authors: Habumugisha Jules Maurice , Chen Ningsheng , Rahman Mahfuzur , Islam Md Monirul , Ahmad Hilal , Elbeltagi Ahmed , Sharma Gitika , Liza Sharmina Naznin , Dewan Ashraf
Published: February 2022

Among natural hazards, landslides are devastating in China. However, little is known regarding potential landslide-prone areas in Maoxian County. The goal of this study was to apply four deep learning algorithms, the convolutional neural network (CNN), deep neural network (DNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, and recurrent neural network (RNN) in evaluating the possibility of landslides throughout Maoxian County, Sichuan, China. A total of 1290 landslide records was developed using historical records, field observations, and remote sensing techniques. The landslide susceptibility maps showed that most susceptible areas were along the Minjiang River and in some parts of the southeastern portion of the study area. Slope, rainfall, and distance to faults were the most influential factors affecting landslide occurrence. Results revealed that proportion of landslide susceptible areas in Maoxian County was as follows: identified landslides (13.65–23.71%) and non-landslides (76.29–86.35%). The resultant maps were tested against known landslide locations using the area under the curve (AUC). This study indicated that the DNN algorithm performed better than LSTM, CNN, and RNN in identifying landslides in Maoxian County, with AUC values (for prediction accuracy) of 87.30%, 86.50%, 85.60%, and 82.90%, respectively. The results of this study are useful for future landslide risk reduction along with devising sustainable land use planning in the study area.
Optimization of All-Renewable Generation Mix According to Different Demand Response Scenarios to Cover All the Electricity Demand Forecast by 2040: The Case of the Grand Canary Island
Authors: Vargas-Salgado Carlos , Berna-Escriche César , Escrivá-Castells Alberto , Díaz-Bello Dácil
Published: February 2022

The decarbonization of the electric generation system is fundamental to reaching the desired scenario of zero greenhouse gas emissions. For this purpose, this study describes the combined utilization of renewable sources (PV and wind), which are mature and cost-effective renewable technologies. Storage technologies are also considered (pumping storage and mega-batteries) to manage the variability in the generation inherent to renewable sources. This work also analyzes the combined use of renewable energies with storage systems for a total electrification scenario of Grand Canary Island (Spain). After analyzing the natural site’s resource constraints and focusing on having a techno-economically feasible, zero-emission, and low-waste renewable generation mix, six scenarios for 2040 are considered combining demand response and business as usual. The most optimal solution is the scenario with the maximum demand response, consisting of 3700 MW of PV, around 700 MW of off-shore wind system, 607 MW of pump storage, and 2300 MW of EV batteries capacity. The initial investment would be EUR 8065 million, and the LCOE close to EUR 0.11/kWh, making the total NPC EUR 13,655 million. The payback is 12.4 years, and the internal rate of return is 6.39%.
Development of Innovation Studies in Korea from the Perspective of the National Innovation System
Authors: Oh HyounJeong , Yi Chan-Goo
Published: February 2022

The objective of this study is to explore how extant studies on innovation have contributed to the distribution of knowledge required for improving the national innovation system (NIS) in Korea. Korea was chosen as the context for this study because it is one of the leading countries that has succeeded in establishing an NIS. Using a systematic review method, we selected 739 articles published in two representative innovation journals in Korea, and analyzed the critical topics of these articles from the perspective of NIS studies. Overall, we found that these studies helped establish a knowledge base necessary for developing the NIS in Korea. Results showed that, over time, the scope of the studies shifted attention from building the NIS to implementing it. As a subsystem of the NIS, the industrial fields that sectoral innovation systems (SIS) were interested in were also changing in line with Korea’s economic growth over time. This study contributes to innovation studies by offering a comprehensive picture of findings on NIS studies in the innovation literature in Korea, and providing a theoretical framework that organizes the literature. This study expands our understanding of the NIS, which has been recognized as an effective tool to compare and measure innovative performance and economic achievements.
An Analysis of Situations and Perspectives of Secondary Education Korean Dance Teachers’ Task Presentation Sustainable Teaching Effectiveness
Authors: Kwak Eunchang , Kwon Inseon
Published: February 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the task presentation situations and perspectives of secondary education Korean dance teachers in terms of sustainable teaching effectiveness. The subjects included two teachers with 5 years of experience, two with 6–15 years of experience, and one with more than 16 years of experience. Jazz dance and Korean folk dance were the tasks for the study. For data collection, 20 classes were videotaped by research assistants. Data were analyzed using the Qualitative Measurement Teacher Performance System (QMTPS) and reliability was set to 90. Interviews were also conducted to collect more detailed information on their task presentation. The results of this study show that the less experienced the teacher, the lower their QMTPS scores, as well as their students’ attention to and perception of task presentation. Checking for students’ understanding of the task was unclear and stereotyped. All teachers indicated that their knowledge on task presentation was very poor and few specified that education was provided during their in-service teacher training programs. The findings indicate that teacher training programs should provide specific information and experience on task presentation for sustainable effective teaching skills.
Understanding the Spread of COVID-19 Based on Economic and Socio-Political Factors
Authors: Dinia Lorenzo , Iannitti Valerio , Mangini Fabio , Di Lascio Francesca , Frezza Fabrizio
Published: February 2022

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, one of the main focuses worldwide has been to collect data on cases and deaths in the widest collaborative innovation to better understand the epidemic spread and keep its evolution under control. Under an “Open Innovation in Science” approach, researchers can contribute to producing new scientific knowledge on the features and, thus, the evolution of the epidemic, by which policymakers can have the tools to adopt optimal containment measures in order to maximize the economic growth and minimize the social impact. Little focus was given to identifying economic and socio-political factors that could drive the spreading of the coronavirus. In its initial stages, the spread of the virus seemed to follow specific paths without a clear explanation. The study aimed to analyze the relationships between mathematical factors obtained from the curves characterizing the COVID-19 spread during its first wave and economic and socio-political factors of the considered countries with an exploratory approach based on data available from different sources. The intent was to identify the elements affecting the contagion and, thus, the COVID-19 cases. Twenty factors for specific countries were selected. In MATLAB environment, a homemade software was used to obtain the mathematical factors, and statistical software was used to identify the potential correlations existing between the mathematical parameters and the economic and socio-political factors. Interesting relationships were found with economic factors such as economic growth forecast and health spending as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), just to cite a few, with the spread of the epidemic. This study shows that a better understanding of the link between the epidemic and the economic and socio-political factors of human society can be the key to forecast more accurately the evolution of the pandemic, and even to predict the progress of future insurgencies. Vulnerabilities and weaknesses of our societies could also have the opportunity to be addressed with the ultimate goal of improving the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of human society.
The Triple Blow Effect: Retailing in an Era of Disasters and Pandemics—The Case of Christchurch, New Zealand
Authors: Dyason David , Fieger Peter , Prayag Girish , Hall C. Michael
Published: February 2022

In the last two decades, the retail sector has experienced unprecedented upheaval, having severe implications for economic development and sustenance of traditional inner-city retail districts. In the city of Christchurch, New Zealand, this effect has been exacerbated by a series of earthquakes in 2010/2011 which destroyed much of the traditional retail precinct of the city. After extensive rebuild activity of the city’s infrastructure, the momentum of retailers returning to the inner city was initially sluggish but eventually gathered speed supported by increased international visitation. In early 2020, the return to retail normality came to an abrupt halt after the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study uses spending and transaction data to analyze the compounding impact of the earthquake’s aftermath, shift to online shopping, and the retail disruption in the Christchurch central retail precinct because of COVID-19. The findings illustrate how consumers through their spending respond to different types of external shocks, altering their consumption patterns and retail mode (offline and online) to cope with an ever-changing retail landscape. Each event triggers different spending patterns that have some similarities but also stark differences, having implications for a sustainable and resilient retail industry in Christchurch. Implications for urban retail precinct development are also discussed.
Modeling and Optimization of Water–Food–Energy Nexus for Malaysia’s Agricultural Sector
Authors: Siah Qi , Zabiri Haslinda
Published: February 2022

The water–food–energy (WFE) nexus is a strategic system that integrates different separated sectors by using their interconnectedness to reduce trade-offs and allow sustainable development by preventing future resource insecurity. Traditionally, the water, energy, and food sectors operate individually and result in different challenges such as resource scarcity, conflicts in the uses of upstream and downstream hydro systems, and power supply crises due to serious water pollution. Reports so far have only implemented the WFE nexus in countries and cities outside of Malaysia. In addition, there is yet to be a model in literature revolving only on optimizing the agricultural sector’s resources distribution. Hence, this paper aims to develop the first systematic and integrated model for optimal planning of resource allocation in Malaysia’s agricultural sector. The novelty and contribution of this research could be concluded as: (1) multi-objective planning incorporating economic and environmental factors such as economic benefits and carbon emission limit, (2) focusing on the agricultural sector considering geologically-specific crops, livestock, and residents, (3) considering the potential waste recycle systems including wastewater treatment and biomass treatment. The superstructure framework developed based on the case study in Perak, Malaysia aids the implementation of the WFE nexus system locally where trade-offs and synergies between the different sub-units are modelled. From the results, it can be concluded that irrigated paddy crops could contribute to a higher profit compared to palm oil and rubber crops. Thus, future development can be focused on irrigated paddy crops while meeting other constraints and demands to ensure the resources are optimally utilized. The multi-objective optimization solved using MINIMAX algorithm also provides decision-makers with a guideline on how to implement WFE nexus locally in the agricultural sector.
Identification of Sustainable Development Priorities for Agriculture through Sustainable Livelihood Security Indicators for Karnataka, India
Authors: Sridhara Shankarappa , Gopakkali Pradeep , Manoj Konapura Nagaraja , Patil Kiran Kumar R. , Paramesh Venkatesh , Jha Prakash Kumar , Prasad P. V. Vara
Published: February 2022

To cope with worsening climate change and widening intergenerational equity issues, more impetus should be given to sustainable development. India, predominantly an agrarian economy, faces most pressing issues of sustainable development with a complex territorial hegemony of the population and their dynamic food demands. Regional production systems play a vital role in strengthening national sustainable development priorities in India. Hence, to realize the dimensions of sustainable development in a more meaningful way, sustainability needs to be prioritized in an agrarian economy. Sustainability is a complex phenomenon encompassing economic, ecological and equity dimensions. A modest attempt in this regard has been made to estimate normative sustainable indicators for Karnataka state considering 20 crucial indicators or variables governing different dimensions. Using principal component analysis and linear scoring techniques, a minimum dataset including forest cover, livestock and human population density, and cropping intensity governing ecological issues, groundwater availability and milk availability governing social equity issues, and net cropped area, land productivity, labor productivity, food grain productivity and fertilizer use governing economic efficiency was identified, constituting crucial indicators for the development of the sustainable livelihood security index. The computed index was used to classify districts in Karnataka into various sustainable categories. Among 27 districts, 13 districts were grouped as less sustainable, 4 as highly sustainable and 10 as moderately sustainable categories. This classification and knowledge provide clues for policy makers to transform less sustainable districts into moderately/highly sustainable ones by formulating suitable policies related to crucial factors. Formulated policies on crucial factors have a domino effect/causation effect and bring about desirable changes in all other indicator variables, leading to the sustainable development of the target districts in Karnataka. This approach can be used at different scales in other states in India and in other developing countries.
How Should We Distribute Rewards in Social Sustainable Organizations? Investigating Individual Preferences for Justice Allocation Norms
Authors: Cugueró-Escofet Natàlia , Fortin Marion
Published: February 2022

The fair allocation of scarce resources is an important ethical and practical problem for sustainable organizations. Research has typically focused on the perceived equity of distributions to the neglect of alternative justice norms governing allocation, such as equality or need. In the present paper, we address this gap by considering people to differ in their preferences for allocation norms. In four studies, we developed and validated an instrument that captures individual preferences for equity of input, equity of output, equality, need, and status. Our data suggest that people differentiate between these five allocation norms and that they are consistent in their preferences over time. We present recommendations for research and organizational practice, which can benefit from a deeper understanding of employees’ and other stakeholders’ preferences for specific allocation norms. Finally, considering different norm choices also links organizational-psychological research on organizational justice and social sustainability with philosophical debates about value choices in organizations.
Effective Hybrid Soft Computing Approach for Optimum Design of Shallow Foundations
Authors: Khajehzadeh Mohammad , Keawsawasvong Suraparb , Nehdi Moncef L.
Published: February 2022

In this study, an effective intelligent system based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) and a modified rat swarm optimizer (MRSO) was developed to predict the ultimate bearing capacity of shallow foundations and their optimum design using the predicted bearing capacity value. To provide the neural network with adequate training and testing data, an extensive literature review was used to compile a database comprising 97 datasets retrieved from load tests both on large-scale and smaller-scale sized footings. To refine the network architecture, several trial and error experiments were performed using various numbers of neurons in the hidden layer. Accordingly, the optimal architecture of the ANN was 5 × 10 × 1. The performance and prediction capacity of the developed model were appraised using the root mean square error (RMSE) and correlation coefficient (R). According to the obtained results, the ANN model with a RMSE value equal to 0.0249 and R value equal to 0.9908 was a reliable, simple and valid computational model for estimating the load bearing capacity of footings. The developed ANN model was applied to a case study of spread footing optimization, and the results revealed that the proposed model is competent to provide better optimal solutions and to outperform traditional existing methods.
Protection Motivation and Food Waste Reduction Strategies
Authors: Jang Ha-Won , Lee Soo-Bum
Published: February 2022

“Ugly food” refers to agricultural products that are discarded because their appearance is not attractive, even though their nutritional content is unaffected. In this study, protection motivation theory (PMT) was applied to analyze whether an individual’s awareness of food waste problems affects their “ugly food” purchase intention. Hence, the relationships between awareness of food waste problems, threat appraisal (severity and vulnerability), coping appraisal (response efficacy and self-efficacy), and ugly food purchase intention were analyzed. Additionally, a moderating effect analysis was conducted per consumer age. Descriptive statistical analysis, frequency, and SPSS reliability analysis were used, including confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and multi-group analysis of the Amos program. For the final analysis, 361 samples were used. Results showed that awareness of food waste problems positively affected severity and vulnerability, response efficacy, and self-efficacy. Moreover, severity positively affected ugly food purchase intention and vulnerability did not. Response and self-efficacy positively affected ugly food purchase intention. In the moderating effect analysis per consumer age, the difference between severity and ugly food purchase intention and vulnerability and ugly food purchase intention was significant. This study has various academic and practical implications, and presents several strategies to reduce food waste to contribute to a sustainable future environment. It is also the first study linking the food waste problem, PMT, and ugly food purchase behavior.
Underrated Innovativeness of Micro-Enterprises Compared to Small to Medium Enterprises in the Slovenian Forest-Wood Sector
Authors: Slavec Ana
Published: February 2022

Although micro-enterprises represent most of the enterprises across different sectors, they are excluded from official statistics on innovation activities. What we know about micro-enterprises is based on smaller quantitative and qualitative studies that are country- and sector-specific. To understand the innovation activities of Slovenian enterprises in the forest-wood sector, we conducted our own quantitative study in 2019 based on the Eurostat’s Community Innovation Survey (CIS) questionnaire. Based on responses from 294 enterprises, we compare how micro-enterprises and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) differ in innovation strategies, product, and process innovations, co-operation with other organisations, innovation activities, and innovations with environmental benefits. The results indicate that, in some respects, enterprises with two to nine employees are at least as innovative as small to medium enterprises, or even more so. We argue that innovation surveys should lower the employee count threshold to attain better representative insight into the innovation landscape.
Higher Education Interdisciplinarity: Addressing the Complexity of Sustainable Energies and the Green Economy
Authors: Zacchia Giulia , Cipri Katiuscia , Cucuzzella Costanza , Calderari Gabriella
Published: February 2022

Universities play a strategic role towards a sustainable future, as they address the complex scientific research on green transition and enable students from diverse backgrounds to acquire different skills, integrate multiple perspectives, and handle the sustainability of the ongoing and future renewable energy sector. In this paper, we describe a collaborative project between multiple HEIs (European and African) and local institutions, which promotes an interdisciplinary approach to address climate change and green energy transitions in the curricula of universities, used in the context of the ERASMUS+ program (DALILA-Development of new Academic curricuLa on sustaInabLe energies and green economy in Africa). The project recognizes and values different kinds of knowledge in renewable energy and green economy to address the energy transition in higher education in African countries as a prerequisite for climate change mitigation and sustainable development.
Research on the Composite Performance of Aluminum Alloy Plate and Concrete-Based Material
Authors: Peng Luowen , Yang Delei , Zhang Jichao , Xin Youyang , Liu Yu , Ai Mingxing
Published: February 2022

The effects of 1061, 6061, and AZ31B alloy plates on the apparent properties of sleeve grouting material, the corrosion of concrete on fluorocarbon aluminum alloy plates, and the influence of fluorocarbon aluminum alloy plates on concrete’s strength and carbonization properties were studied. The deformation between the fluorocarbon aluminum alloy plate and the concrete was theoretically analyzed. The results show that there is no obvious corrosion of concrete with the aluminum alloy plate coated with fluorocarbon paint within a certain period of time. After the concrete is covered with the fluorocarbon aluminum alloy plate, there is a hydration space that is not affected by the outside world, and its compressive strength and anti-carbonization performance are further improved. When aluminum alloy plates are used for composite concrete in areas with higher temperatures, anchoring measures should be used to disperse the temperature expansion stress between the aluminum alloy plates and the hardened concrete.