bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Sustainable Agricultural Development for Edible Beans in China: Evidence from 848 Households
Authors: Ma Jiliang , Qu Jiajia , Khan Nawab , Zhang Huijie
Published: August 2022

Minor beans other than soybeans or peanuts are edible beans (EBs) that significantly contribute to the Chinese agricultural sector and play a vital role in the sustainability of agricultural production, diversification of food consumption, and income generation for producers. These beans are an important source of protein in a healthy diet, helping to improve national food security. In addition, adjusting and optimizing the industrial structure promotes the sustainable development of agriculture and diversifies staple food crops and introduction of new revenue streams for EB products. The current study examines the responses of mung bean and broad bean producers to environmental and internal input constraints. This study uses the production function with a multilevel mixed-effects method and is based on 848 households from two major EB-producing provinces of China in 2018 and 2019. The results show that local climatic conditions influence planting behavior. These types of beans are considered as a supplement and backup crop to the staple crop. Commercialization encourages cultivation. Producers show variable price responses to output prices, but very strong responses to product costs. Minor bean production is favored by small households because of its low labor intensity. For households growing these beans for consumption, soil fertility and environmental outcomes are improved. Findings from research on planting behavior have strong policy implications for guiding research and development for drought and pest resistance, market monitoring for price stabilization, promoting EB production through low-cost technologies, and encouraging sustainable agriculture.
Diversity in the Rice–Wheat System with Genetically Modified Zinc and Iron-Enriched Varieties to Achieve Nutritional Security
Authors: Pradhan Gourisankar , Meena Ram Swaroop
Published: August 2022

The rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system (RWCS) feeds more than 6 billion people in South Asia and across the world. In developing countries, almost 2 billion individuals are suffering from Zn and Fe micronutrient deficiency. This study aimed to adopt genetically enriched varieties of rice and wheat to manage the Zn and Fe deficiency with organic and inorganic fertilization in the food system. The experiment was designed for two years (2018–2019) under the split-plot design and was replicated three times. The results of the study indicate that the highest grain yield of wheat and rice was increased by 67.09 and 58.41 and 44.10 and 33.21% more NPKFeZn in the applied treatments compared to the control treatment during both years, respectively. The treatment carpet waste and Trichoderma viride was performed for higher yields (grain, straw, and biological) as compared to the rest of the treatment. In the main-plot, with application of NPKFeZn, higher Fe and Zn ranges of 54.27 and 52.91 and 35.71 and 34.29 parts per million (ppm), respectively, were recorded during both years. Similarly, the residual effects of NPKFeZn treatment in rice Fe and Zn concentration were recorded at 44.17 and 41.22 and 27.55 and 24.19 ppm during both years, respectively. It was found that there was 49.18 and 42.12 and 25.28 and 19.94% more Fe and Zn content, respectively, in grain as compared to the traditional varieties range of 33 and 14 ppm for Fe and Zn, respectively. Ina sub-plot, for the wheat in carpet waste and Trichoderma viride treatment, the Fe and Zn contents were recorded as 55.21 and 54.62 and 37.05 and 35.53 ppm for the two years, respectively. In the traditional varieties of wheat, the range of Fe and Zn contents was 30 and 32 ppm, respectively. In the sub-plot of succeeding rice in carpet waste and Trichoderma viride treatment contents of Fe and Zn of 43.27 and 40.43 and 26.67 and 23.37 ppm were recorded during both years, respectively. On the basis of the interaction effect, the maximum total Fe and Zn uptake by wheat of 0.84 and 0.50 kg ha−1, respectively, were recorded in the N3 × B1C3 treatments. Likewise, the maximum total Fe and Zn uptakes by rice of 0.62 and 0.39 kg ha−1, respectively, were recorded with the interaction effect of N3 × B1C3 treatments. The hypothesis of the experiment was to manage malnutrition in society by diversifying genetically modified rice–wheat varieties in the RWCS. This research might assist in increasing nutritional security.
Prediction of China’s Economic Structural Changes under Carbon Emission Constraints: Based on the Linear Programming Input–Output (LP-IO) Model
Authors: Xu Xiaoxiang , Liao Mingqiu
Published: August 2022

China has established a carbon emission reduction goal for 2030. For the Chinese government, there is a dilemma between reducing carbon emissions while still striving to maintain continuous economic growth in future. To achieve these “dual goals”, it is necessary to predict the optimal industrial structure under these constraints in 2030. By integrating the linear programming input–output model (LP-IO) with the RAS updating technique, this paper predicts the industrial structure in China in 2030 and compares it with the year 2018. The results show that China’s industry structure will experience major changes. In particular, most of the industries related to manufacturing, such as mining, petroleum, and metal, will lose their important positions in the economic system, while service industries such as culture, sports, and public service will take over the position as pillars of the economy. Additionally, carbon emissions in 2030 will be at least 12.8 billion tons. Based on these findings, it is suggested that the Chinese government should increase investment in service industries in advance to meet the goal of reducing carbon emissions earlier.
Satisfaction with the Pedestrian Environment and Its Relationship to Neighborhood Satisfaction in Seoul, South Korea
Authors: Lee Sangwan
Published: August 2022

This study investigated the relationship between the degree of satisfaction with the pedestrian environments in their neighborhoods and the degree of neighborhood satisfaction in Seoul, South Korea. This study employed proportional odds logistic regression and gradient boosting decision tree models, using the 2021 Seoul Urban Policy Indicator Survey. The key findings are as follows. First, there was a significant and positive relationship between the two factors. Second, respondents’ satisfaction levels with pedestrian environments showed higher feature importance than other factors. Third, the partial dependence plots show non-linear relationships; specifically, when respondents reported being satisfied or very satisfied with pedestrian environments, the partial dependence on the dependent variable increased significantly. This study contributes to (1) finding the association between the two factors, (2) offering insights into how to improve residents’ satisfaction with their neighborhood through pedestrian environment satisfaction, and (3) unfolding what active mobility means to people.
Sustainable Development of Chinese Family Firms: A Perspective from Downward Earnings Management before Successions
Authors: Guo Chan
Published: August 2022

Most initial entrepreneurs of Chinese family firms are approaching retirement, and intra-family successions have occurred frequently in recent years. However, both founders and the public have concerns about successors’ ability of assuming the responsibility of long-term sustainable development of their family business. This paper aims to explore whether and how founders manage earnings before within-family successions for the purpose of smooth successions. Based on a sample of Chinese family firms from 2004 to 2018 and using the ordinary least square (OLS) regression method, this study finds that Chinese family firm founders tend to manage earnings downward in the year before they transfer business to their heirs. Furthermore, founders with poverty experiences and political connections have more incentives to manipulate earnings downward. Firms’ institutional investors and the legal environment inhibit founders’ earnings management behavior before within-family successions, but independent directors do not have any significant impact on the association between successions and earnings management. Finally, it is documented that the downward earnings management leads to more favorable market reactions in the short term but do harm to firms’ long-term sustainable development. The results are robust to the Heckman two-stage analysis and using the alternative measures of earnings management. This study contributes to research on family firm succession and earnings management, and is also informative to policy makers, market participants, and family firm founders.
Observing Earthquake-Induced Velocity Change on the Rock Slope Following the 2021 M 7.4 Maduo Earthquake 780 km Away
Authors: Huang Huibao , Dai Shigui , Yu Yingdong , Xie Fan
Published: August 2022

Velocity changes (dv/v) during and after earthquakes are important indicators for understanding the earthquake-induced mechanical damage evolution of rock slopes. However, studying slope responses associated with various seismic loading still remains challenging due to limited in situ observations. In this article, we conduct a 20 min temporal resolution monitoring of dv/v at the frequency band between 2 and 20 Hz by applying ambient noise interferometry on the Pubugou rock slope in Southwest China. We observe an instantaneous ∼0.41% dv/v drop on the slope caused by the 2021 M 7.4 Maduo earthquake at a distance of 780 kM, following a characterized logarithmic recovery process of ∼31.39 h towards its pre-earthquake state. Moreover, the dv/v in five narrow frequency bands show a similar drop and subsequently increased recovery times associated with the deceased frequencies due to the long-distant earthquake shaking. We discuss two possible mechanisms related to the heterogeneous rock slope excited by the long-distant earthquake at a low frequency. The study motivates the damage assessment of the rock slope using in situ dv/v and furthers the understanding of subsurface geological risks under diverse seismic loadings.
Landslide Fatality Occurrence: A Systematic Review of Research Published between January 2010 and March 2022
Authors: Petrucci Olga
Published: August 2022

Landslides triggered by rainfall kill people worldwide, and frequent extreme events that are expected to be an effect of climate change could exacerbate this problem. This review aims to identify recent research, highlighting both the dynamics of landslide accidents and the characteristics of victims. From SCOPUS and WOS databases, using the PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis) approach, 25 articles written in English, published in the January 2010–March 2022 period and focused on landslide fatalities, were mined. The selected articles recognized a worldwide underestimation of landslide fatalities and analyzed landslide mortality from three perspectives, indicating the importance of this topic for a multidisciplinary research community. The papers focused on (a) fatal landslides and their geographic distribution, seasonality, trends, and relationships with socioeconomic indicators; (b) landslide fatalities and their behaviors and the dynamics of accidents; and (c) clinical causes of death or injury types, aiming to improve emergency rescue procedures. The gaps that emerged include (a) the insufficient reuse of valuable fatality databases; (b) the absence of simple take-home messages for citizens, practitioners, schoolteachers, and policymakers, aiming to set educational campaigns and adaptation measures; and (c) the lack of joint research projects between researchers working on landslides and doctors treating victims to provide complete research results that would be able to actually reduce landslide mortality.
Avoiding Buffer Tank Overflow in an Iron Ore Dewatering System with Integrated Control System
Authors: Junior Ênio L. , da Silva Moisés T. , Euzébio Thiago A. M.
Published: August 2022

High water usage is necessary while ore passes through the many stages of a mineral processing plant. However, a dewatering system filters the final ore pulp product to remove the water, which is reutilized in the previous processes. This step is fundamental to reducing the fresh new water consumption. Usually, several tanks, pumps, and filters form a dewatering system—any failure or shutdowns from those components disbalance the pulp flow. The waste of many tons of water and ore products for a tailing dam is the worst consequence of a mass disbalance in a dewatering system. This paper proposes an advanced regulatory control strategy composed of cascade and override loops for a dewatering system. The main purpose is to increase the production period, even under filter failure and changes in the inlet pulp characteristics. This control strategy is evaluated using a digital model of a large-scale Brazilian iron ore processing plant. Two scenarios are investigated: the simultaneous failure of two filters and disturbances in the flow and density of the thickener. The simulation results show that the proposed control strategy could extend the period of operation of the dewatering plant under failures in the disc filters and reject significant disturbances. For the considered simulation period, the proposed solution increases the time to overflow by 72% when compared to the previous control strategy. Thus, it is possible to avoid the waste of approximately 2448.36 tons of ore pulp that would be sent to the tailings dam.
Citizen Science in the Promotion of Sustainability: The Importance of Smart Education for Smart Societies
Authors: Sá Maria José , Serpa Sandro , Ferreira Carlos Miguel
Published: August 2022

Digital society is already a reality and is increasingly shaping many aspects of social, economic and political life, among other aspects. The concept of Society 5.0 is a proposed form of a possible political nature to fulfil this digital society through a super-smart society. Based on document analysis of articles and books on this topic, this conceptual paper aims to critically discuss some aspects of Society 5.0, such as the dimensions of digitalization and sustainability. It is concluded that Society 5.0 is not an inevitability, and that the transformations it entails, as well as its advantages, also have challenges and limitations that should be considered, such as the risk of reproducing old forms of micro, meso and macrosocial inequalities within each country and between countries and regions, and, at the same time, creating new forms of social, cultural, economic and political inequalities, among others. A critical spirit seems to be necessary in the follow-up of this Society 5.0 and for which citizen-science logic, in an interdisciplinary way, can potentially provide tools for previous and prospective analysis of its implementation. We justify the need for smart education in these smart societies as a way of contributing to responding to the pressing problem of sustainability. It is smart education in and for a super smart society.
GIS-Based Assessment of the Potential for Treated Wastewater Reuse in Agricultural Irrigation: A Case Study in Northern Italy
Authors: Mancuso Giuseppe , Parlato Monica C. M. , Lavrnić Stevo , Toscano Attilio , Valenti Francesca
Published: August 2022

Agriculture is the major water user worldwide and it is expected to be negatively affected by climate change and water scarcity. The use of non-conventional water resources could be the solution to overcome this issue. In fact, treated wastewater has a constant availability during the year and it contains nutrients needed for crop growth. The aim of this research was a GIS-based assessment of the potential for treated wastewater agricultural reuse in the Forlì-Cesena province within the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy). The results showed that, for the selected study area, treated wastewater could satisfy up to 316% of yearly and 210% of irrigation season crop water needs at the actually irrigated areas. Furthermore, the availability of this alternative water resource could lead to an increase in irrigated areas. For the proposed scenario, which considered both the actually irrigated areas as well as the irrigable areas, crop water needs could be satisfied by up to 107% on the yearly level and 71% in the case of the irrigation season. Treated wastewater reuse feasibility was also investigated considering the minimum water quality requirements that were recently provided by the new Regulation (EU) 2020/741.
Heterogeneity Perspective on the Dynamic Identification of Low-Income Groups and Quantitative Decomposition of Income Increase: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhang Xiangxiang , Liu Hong
Published: August 2022

Common prosperity is an essential requirement of socialism. To achieve common prosperity, unbalanced urban–rural development, insufficient regional development, and progressively increasing income disparity between groups must be solved. The measure of raising the low and expanding the middle is receiving more and more attention in gradually achieving common prosperity. In order to formulate long-term income increase strategies for low-income groups with regional characteristics, this article, based on income group data, uses the weak relative poverty criterion to dynamically identify low-income groups and decomposes the changes in the income increase in low-income groups from urban–rural, regional and provincial perspectives to explore the causes and the extent of their influence on the income increase in low-income groups. This paper concludes that the size of low-income groups is generally on a declining trend, while the size of urban low-income groups has increased. Inequality in income distribution reduces the income increase in low-income groups; individual heterogeneity is a key factor that promotes the income increase in low-income groups. It is more difficult to increase the income of low-income groups in central and western rural areas than in eastern rural areas. In the future, on the basis of classifying the paths of income increase for low-income groups in provincial districts and implementing the corresponding income increase policies by combining the characteristics of different categories, it helps to formulate a long-term income increase mechanism for low-income groups that combines the characteristics of regional development and meets the actual regional development. It will promote the long-term income increase in low-income groups and gradually realize common prosperity.
The Path Constitution of Platform Evolution: An Organizational Momentum View
Authors: Shi Bixiang , Tang Fangcheng , Wei Fenfen
Published: August 2022

Although the evolutionary pathways are critical to the success of platforms, extant literature has provided little insight into the dynamic processes of the platform evolution, let alone how platforms constitute the evolutionary pathways over time. Against this backdrop, this study examines the evolutionary path constitution of platforms by adopting an organizational momentum lens. Through an exploratory case study of Pinduoduo, it provides evidence of path dependence under the network effects and of path creation resulting from the deliberate actions conducted by the platform firms. Moreover, this study identifies three platform strategies to manage its momentum to facilitate platform evolution and sustainability. Furthermore, this study develops a holistic framework to explain the interactions between platform momentum and path constitution by considering the outcomes of these strategies. The findings and developed framework shed novel light on the path constitution of platform evolution and provide new insight into the sustainability of the platform firms and platform-based markets by leveraging momentum thinking.
A Study of Foam Bitumen Preparation for Effective Recycling of Pavement Layers
Authors: Cheng Haiying , Luo Zhun , Seliverstov Nd
Published: August 2022

Foamed asphalt recycling technology can effectively recover waste asphalt pavement materials and achieve the sustainable utilization of resources. This technology’s core equipment is asphalt foaming equipment. Since the asphalt foaming device’s fault data are uncertain, this work proposes a method for evaluating the device’s reliability, combining triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, and expert knowledge. Using the proposed evaluation method, the failure probability of the asphalt foaming device and the importance of the bottom event were calculated. The obtained model results were found to be consistent with the actual collected data, verifying the reliability and validity of the model. Furthermore, the asphalt viscosity is one of the key factors affecting the asphalt foaming recycling technology. In this work, the influence of different viscosities on the asphalt foaming mechanism was investigated using a theoretical analysis. Then, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis method was employed to simulate the different viscosity asphalt foaming processes, aiming to identify the most suitable one for the production of high-quality foam asphalt in the foaming asphalt viscosity range. Finally, experiments were carried out to verify the results of the analysis. The results show that the asphalt foaming device’s failure probability was around 7.512 × 10−2, and the best foaming asphalt viscosity was in the range of 0.3~0.5 Pa·s.
Canola Seed Priming and Its Effect on Gas Exchange, Chlorophyll Photobleaching, and Enzymatic Activities in Response to Salt Stress
Authors: Iqbal Waleed , Afridi Muhammad Zahir , Jamal Aftab , Mihoub Adil , Saeed Muhammad Farhan , Székely Árpád , Zia Adil , Khan Muhammad Awais , Jarma-Orozco Alfredo , Pompelli Marcelo F.
Published: August 2022

Canola is the second-largest oil seed crop in the world, providing oil mainly composed of long-chain fatty acids (C14 to C20). When mixed with fossil-diesel, canola-based biofuel can be used in passenger vehicles, trucks, or even in aviation. Canola is the most productive type of biofuel due to its oil’s long-chain and unbranched fatty acid composition, which makes it more fluid. However, canola yields are constrained by drought and salinity that can aggravate climate change, resulting in negative consequences. Therefore, it is becoming necessary for studies that involved the canola salt-tolerant genotypes to consider soil salinization by use of saline soil or salinized soil by a non-efficient irrigation method. This study was carried out to assess the effects of salinity on seed germination and the effect of CaCl2 (ψs = −1.2 MPa) on the promotion of regenerated plant memory when a new cycle of stress occurs. Our experiment shows that salt-stressed canola plants resulted in a high reduction in chlorophylls and carotenoids, with a high impact on gas exchange and a reduction in the efficiency of the chloroplast electron chain transporter, producing the negative effect of reduced molecules that affect the membrane integrity. However, canola seed priming could produce a memory in the regenerated plants when the second round of salt stress was applied. This research concludes that canola genotypes appear to have a tolerance mechanism against salt stress which could be an important trait for developing high-yielding canola varieties in future breeding programs under salt stress conditions.
Intelligent Driver Assistance and Energy Management Systems of Hybrid Electric Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Al-Saadi Ziad , Phan Van Duong , Moradi Amani Ali , Fayyazi Mojgan , Sadat Sajjadi Samaneh , Ba Pham Dinh , Jazar Reza , Khayyam Hamid
Published: August 2022

Automotive companies continue to develop integrated safety, sustainability, and reliability features that can help mitigate some of the most common driving risks associated with autonomous vehicles (AVs). Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) offer practical solutions to use control strategies to cut down fuel usage and emissions. AVs and HEVs are combined to take the advantages of each kind to solve the problem of wasting energy. This paper presents an intelligent driver assistance system, including adaptive cruise control (ACC) and an energy management system (EMS), for HEVs. Our proposed ACC determines the desired acceleration and safe distance with the lead car through a switched model predictive control (MPC) and a neuro-fuzzy (NF) system. The performance criteria of the switched MPC toggles between speed and distance control appropriately and its stability is mathematically proven. The EMS intelligently control the energy consumption based on ACC commands. The results show that the driving risk is extremely reduced by using ACC-MPC and ACC-NF, and the vehicle energy consumption by driver assistance system based on ACC-NF is improved by 2.6%.
Dual-Channel Supply Chain Financing Operation Strategy Considering Free-Riding Effect under Different Power Structures
Authors: Wang Wen-Bin , Sun Qiang , Yan Xiu-Xia , Liu Yuan-Qing
Published: August 2022

This paper considers a dual-channel supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a capital-constrained retailer, where the retailer makes certain sales efforts and the manufacturer may hitch a ride on the retailer’s sales efforts. Deferred payment and bank loan financing models under Retailer- and Manufacturer-Stackelberg settings are established, respectively. The equilibrium price and sales effort strategies of both sides of the supply chain under two power structures and financing modes are obtained by the backward solution method, and then the influence of free-riding behavior and financing interest rate on equilibrium strategies is explored, as well as how the power structure affects the financing decisions of enterprises. The results show that deferred payment is more conducive to retailers’ sales effort and order volume, which is the optimal financing model for the retailers under each power structure. Power structure affects the initial capital threshold of retailers and the manufacturers’ financing decisions. The impact of free-riding behavior and financing rate on equilibrium prices exists and varies, depending on the power structure and financing model. Numerical simulation results show that manufacturers should give priority to publishing price strategies, while retailers should decide whether to give priority to publishing price strategies according to financing mode and cross-price sensitivity. This paper’s findings can provide valuable guidance for decision-making in financing, price, and sales effort for the capital-constrained dual-channel supply chain.
Applying Circulating and Ecological Sphere (CES) Concept for Post-Pandemic Development: A Case of Hingna Tahsil, Nagpur (India)
Authors: Joshi Shreya , Morey Bhumika , Deshkar Sameer , Mitra Bijon Kumer
Published: August 2022

COVID-19 has become one of the most significant events in the history of globalization. The prolonged ‘lockdown’ adopted across various countries in the world as a countermeasure for containing the spread of the virus profoundly brought forth socio-economic and infrastructural vulnerabilities in urban as well as rural parts of India. While urban and rural areas have been greatly studied with respect to the environment, human health, safety, livelihoods, associated risks, etc., in the context of pandemics, many of these studies seldom accommodate their interdependency as a pragmatic approach to planning. This is observed to be primarily due to the dynamic and diverse nature of interactions coupled with the development disparities between rural and urban areas, thereby adding complexity to development decision making. The present study, therefore, applies the lens of the circulating and ecological sphere (CES), introduced by the Japanese government for the localization of resource flows between urban–rural regions, to consider possible alternative development approaches to achieve smooth transitions during pandemics through the case study area located in Hingna tahsil in the Nagpur Metropolitan Area, India. The methodology uses the critical examination of rural–urban linkages amidst the crisis through key-informant surveys involving representatives from local governments. Using this feedback and spatial analysis tools, the research identifies probable entry points in post-pandemic regional planning. The research contributes to understanding the impact of spatial development during pandemics through ground-based evidence. The findings from this research highlight the need to manage rural dependencies on urban areas and underline the potential of the rural–urban linkage as an approach, acknowledged and emphasized through CES, for managing such regional-scale hazards. The investigation concludes with the discussion and future research scope for achieving the pronounced needs reflected through the study.
Impacts of Anaerobic Co-Digestion on Different Influencing Parameters: A Critical Review
Authors: Ibro Mohammed Kelif , Ancha Venkata Ramayya , Lemma Dejene Beyene
Published: August 2022

Lignocellulosic feedstocks are year-round, available bio-residues that are the right candidates for counteracting the energy crises and global warming facing the world today. However, lignin leads to a slow hydrolysis rate and is a major bottleneck for biogas production via anaerobic digestion. Anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) is an economical method available, which overcomes the limitation of a single feedstock’s properties in an anaerobic digestion process. This paper critically reviews the impacts of co-digestion on lignocellulosic biomass degradation, process stability, various working parameters, and microbial activities that improve methane yields. A combination of compatible substrates is chosen to improve the biomethane yield and conversion rate of organic matter. AcoD is a promising method in the delignification of lignocellulosic biomass as an acid pretreatment. Ultimate practices to control the impact of co-digestion on system performances include co-feed selection, in terms of both carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) and mixing ratios, and other operating conditions. A detailed analysis is performed using data reported in the recent past to assess the sensitivity of influencing parameters on the resultant biogas yield. For the investigators motivated by the basic principles of AcoD technology, this review paper generates baseline data for further research work around co-digestion.
Indoor Thermal Environment and Energy Characteristics with Varying Cooling System Capacity and Restart Time
Authors: Jin San , Lee Chanuk , Kim Dongsu , Lee Donghoon , Do Sunglok
Published: August 2022

Office cooling systems are controlled with on/off control according to typical occupancy patterns. During unoccupancy, the cooling systems remain switched off to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. During occupancy, however, the cooling systems are in operation to decrease the indoor air temperature, which is increased during unoccupancy, to the cooling set-point temperature. The time required to decrease the indoor air temperature to the cooling set-point temperature is defined as the “recovery time”. According to the recovery time, the indoor thermal comfort at the occupancy start time may worsen, and unnecessary energy may be consumed. Moreover, a cooling system capacity affects the recovery time and the energy consumption because the amount of heat that the cooling system can remove varies according to its size. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the indoor thermal environment and the energy consumption according to the capacity and the restart time of the cooling system. This study implemented a building system energy simulation using EnergyPlus to evaluate the indoor air temperature, recovery time, and energy consumption of the cooling system while varying the capacity and restart time. As a result, the recovery time was between 49 and 425 min. and energy consumption varied between 419.0 and 521.4 kWh for various capacities. The recovery time was between 26 and 153 min. and energy consumption was between 426.0 and 439.0 kWh for various restart times.
Carbon Emissions, Economic Growth, Urbanization, and Foreign Trade in China: Empirical Evidence from ARDL Models
Authors: Jiang Jikun , Zhu Shenglai , Wang Weihao
Published: August 2022

Based on the autoregressive distribution lag (ARDL) model, this paper conducts an empirical study on the relationship between carbon emissions, economic growth, urbanization, and foreign trade in China from 1971 to 2020. The results show that when carbon emissions, economic growth, and urbanization are used as explained variables, there is a long-term cointegration relationship with other variables. In the long-term relationship, urbanization has a significant positive effect on economic growth and carbon emissions, with coefficients of 2.2172 and 0.2921, respectively. The long-term elasticity coefficient of economic growth to urbanization is 0.4864, passing the 1% significance test. In the short-term relationship, economic growth and carbon emissions, urbanization and carbon emissions, and economic growth and urbanization are all mutually reinforcing relationships, and foreign trade will suppress carbon emissions in the short term. Therefore, policymakers should transform the urbanization model and develop a green economy to achieve environmental sustainability.
What Influences Home Gardeners’ Food Waste Composting Intention in High-Rise Buildings in Dhaka Megacity, Bangladesh? An Integrated Model of TPB and DMP
Authors: Rahman Ashikur , Ai Ping Teoh , Mubeen Syeda Khadija , Mahmud Imran , Abbasi Ghazanfer Ali
Published: August 2022

Composting is a sustainable way of transforming organic waste into valuable organic fertilizers which have the potential to act as soil conditioners by controlling various biological processes. The prime objective of the current study was to determine the influencing factors behind the intent of home food waste composting, by employing the combined model of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and Dualistic Passion Model (DMP). The combined model showed a higher predictive ability in comparison to the individual TPB model. The fit statistic of the integrated model was deemed good, and 65% of the variance for home composting intention was explained. Using a face-to-face questionnaire survey, a total of 203 valid responses were gathered from home gardeners and tested via a unique two-step methodology: the PLS-SEM and the artificial neural network (ANN). The results revealed that the composting intention can be significantly influenced by attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. The study also confirmed the positive effect of harmonious passion and the negative effect of obsessive passion on the intention of food waste composting. Furthermore, the hybrid method produced more reliable results because HP was found to be the most important variable in both ANN and PLS-SEM results, while PBC was observed to be the second most important variable in ANN and the fourth most important in PLS-SEM. The results of the current study not only highlight the importance of passion in determining food waste composting intention in Dhaka, Bangladesh, but also provide helpful information for designing effective, sustainable tactics for encouraging residents to compost food waste at home.
Estimating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Customers’ Dining-Out Activities in South Korea
Authors: Suh Bowon , Kang Shinyoung , Moon Hyeyoung
Published: August 2022

This study classified the types of dining-out activities into three categories: visiting restaurants, using delivery services, and using take-out services to understand how customers’ various dining-out activities were carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study used the Theory of Planed Behavior (TPB) model to analyze the structural relationship between the main factors and three dining-out activities. An online survey method was used to distribute and collect survey link addresses through respondents’ SNS and e-mail and a data analysis was performed on the final 429(85.8%) effective samples. A paired t-test and structural equation modeling (SEM) were used to investigate customers’ dining-out activities. This study is of significant contribution in that it compared and analyzed customers’ various dining-out activities using the TPB model, laid the theoretical foundation for related research, and suggested ways to help related industry workers establish marketing strategies under the pandemic.
Development of Eco-Friendly Cutting Fluid for Machining of AISI 1010 Steel in Automotive Industry
Authors: Marichelvam Mariappan Kadarkarainadar , Manimaran Parthasarathy , Khan Anish , Geetha Mariappan , Alosaimi Abeer Mohamed , Hussein Mahmoud Ali
Published: August 2022

In spite of better performance, the disposal of used petroleum-based cutting fluids threatens our environment. Thus, it is essential to develop eco-friendly cutting fluids for performing machining operations in industries. The main contribution of this paper is to develop an eco-friendly cutting fluid for the plain turning of AISI 1010 steel which is used in the automotive industry. In the present work, boric acid (H3BO3) was mixed with the neem seed. Neem seed oil is easily available in many countries including India. The effectiveness of the proposed cutting fluid was evaluated by conducting different tests as per the standards. The mean biodegradability value of the developed cutting fluid is 97% which is better than other cutting fluids. The average cutting force required by the proposed cutting fluid is only 127.2 N which is much less than the cutting force requirements of dry machining and conventional cutting fluids. The average surface roughness of the machined component using the proposed cutting fluid is 122.9 µm. The mean flank wear of the tool is only 289 µm. The flash point of the proposed cutting fluids is more than 250 °C which is better than the conventional cutting fluids. The fire point of the neem oil-based cutting fluids is 300 °C. The results of the stability test and the microhardness test revealed the effectiveness of the proposed cutting fluids. The results obtained in this work are superior to several other cutting fluids reported in the existing literature. Hence, it is suggested to replace the existing petroleum-based metal cutting fluid with this eco-friendly cutting fluid in the automotive industry in Hosur, India.
Changes in Contemporary Form in Gangneung City through Cadastral Data Analysis and Application of the Spatial Politics Concept
Authors: Park Hoon
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to reveal changes in urban forms by analyzing the modern and contemporary development history of Gangneung City, one of the major cities in the Yeongdong county of Gangwon-do, South Korea; it has been a central city in the Yeongdong area since the Japanese colonial period. The study’s scope and analysis focused on a space centered in the old downtown area of Gangneung City. The time span under review was divided into three periods in terms of spatial politics. The original cadastral map, a contemporary cadastral map, and photographic data were analyzed, including the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) Programs, for characteristics corresponding to each period. A field investigation and interviews with residents were also conducted. The results confirmed changes in the spatial environment centered on roads, blocks, plots, and architecture that have historical significance. In particular, the study verified the characteristics of the physical environment of the original downtown area centered on Yonggang-dong, Myeongju-dong, and Seongnae-dong and changes in the form of Lake Gyeongpo. Finally, the study presents the implications of these changes by comprehensively summarizing the history of the modern and contemporary development of Gangneung City through changes in the surrounding area.
Impact of General and Special Education Teachers’ Knowledge on Their Practices of Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) in Secondary Schools in Riyadh, Kingdome of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alenezy Huda Mutlaq , Yeo Kee Jiar , Kosnin Azlina Mohd
Published: August 2022

Teachers of students with disabilities have been assessed from various perspectives. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and practice of self-regulated learning (SRL) of teachers who teach students with learning disabilities (SLD) in secondary schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study focuses on the impact of teachers’ knowledge in their practices of SRL and identified the moderating effect of teachers’ gender on this impact. Using Pintirich’s model of SRL, the study designed the Teachers’ Knowledge of Self-Regulated Learning Scale, and it adopted Huh’s Teachers’ Practices Related to Developing Students’ SRL questionnaire to examine teachers’ knowledge and practices of SRL. The questionnaire was distributed online to over 318 Saudi teachers in secondary schools in Riyadh who were selected by using stratified sampling techniques. Teachers demonstrated high knowledge of SRL in all domains (cognition: M = 5.2, motivation: M = 5.38, behavior and emotions: M = 5.44) and medium SRL practices level in their classes (M = 3.5) with some reservation on their reaction and reflection, which were at the lowest average level. Furthermore, results revealed a direct and significant influence of teachers’ knowledge on the practice of self-regulated learning (SRL) (β = 0.183, t = 3.301, p = 0.000), and there was no moderate effect of teachers’ gender on the impact of teachers’ SRL knowledge on teachers’ SRL practices (β = −0.004, t = 0.064; p = 0.949). The results suggest the demand for more practical training programs for SLD teachers to increase their SRL application in practice.
Biometrics Innovation and Payment Sector Perception
Authors: Mróz-Gorgoń Barbara , Wodo Wojciech , Andrych Anna , Caban-Piaskowska Katarzyna , Kozyra Cyprian
Published: August 2022

This paper presents an analysis of innovations in the biometrics market, which have started to play a very important role in personal identification and identification systems. The aim of the study was to analyze current customs and opinions regarding payment methods, as well as to identify threats and opportunities for new biometric solutions in this area. First, the history of the biometrics market is presented. Acceptance patterns of new technologies are explored and modified. The authors used literature reviews, qualitative research (focus groups), and quantitative research (questionnaire survey) as methods. The main value and importance of biometrics is the uniqueness of biometric patterns (e.g., face, fingerprint, iris, etc.), which takes the security of these systems to a new level. The results of the quantitative study based on the qualitative survey show positive verification of the hypothesized reasons; e.g., importantly, that the age of potential users of biometric payments influences the fear about personal data. Fear of losing personal data affects the perceived safety of biometric payments. Perceived security has a very strong influence on attitudes towards biometric payments, which is the strongest predictor of behavioral intention to use biometric payments.
Mechanical Behavior of Epoxy Reinforced by Hybrid Short Palm/Glass Fibers
Authors: Mousa Saeed , Alomari Abdullah S. , Vantadori Sabrina , Alhazmi Waleed H. , Abd-Elhady Amr A. , Sallam Hossam El-Din M.
Published: August 2022

Natural fibers (NFs) have recently been the center of attention among researchers due to their low cost, availability, ease of manufacture, and potential environmental friendliness as reinforcing agents in composites. The present work deals with the mechanical behavior of palm fiber-reinforced epoxy-based composites with different weight percentage (Wt.%) ratios, ranging from 6% to 31.6%. Glass and hybrid fiber-reinforced epoxy-based composites were also examined. The indirect tensile test, i.e., diametral tensile test (DTT) and the small punch test (SPT), were used in the present work to determine the mechanical properties of the epoxy reinforced with discontinuous random oriented short fibers. Furthermore, short glass fibers were used to compare with palm fiber-reinforced epoxy. In addition, morphology observations of epoxy residue clinging to the natural fibers were carried out using the optical microscope and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the natural fiber has a better adhesion bonding between the palm fiber/epoxy than that of glass fiber/epoxy. Therefore, adding palm fibers improves epoxy’s mechanical properties compared with synthetic glass fibers. The composite with high Wt.% of NF showed the highest diametral tensile strength (DTS), 21.74 MPa, over other composites. The DTS of composites with medium and low Wt.% of NF was lower than that of the high Wt.% by 14% and 30%, respectively.
What Motivates Local Governments to Be Efficient? Evidence from Philippine Cities
Authors: Distor Charmaine B. , Khaltar Odkhuu
Published: August 2022

This study sought to identify the drivers of local government efficiency by investigating three key motivations: internal capacity, rewards for good performance, and compliance with the national government. This paper studied the business registration efficiency cases of 141 highly urbanized and component cities in the Philippines using the cities and municipalities competitiveness index dataset from 2017 to 2019. It was found that capacity-related factors are the most influential in motivating Philippine cities to be more efficient in their business registration processes. Having a higher institutional capacity, higher public service experiences, and good technology infrastructure contribute immensely to better service delivery. Compliance with the national government’s directions on public service standards also positively influences efficiency. In addition, it was confirmed that these factors may appear differently, depending on cities’ size statuses. Other policy implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Effect of Various Aqueous Mediums on the Microstructure of Compacted Bentonite–Sand Mixture Characterized by X-ray CT Investigation
Authors: Wang Zhe , Wang Yuping , Yi Facheng
Published: August 2022

Compacted bentonite–sand mixture (CBM) is a kind of candidate buffer material of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal in many countries. It is believed that the permeability of CBM is greatly related to its microstructure. The aim of this study was to search the effect of various aqueous mediums on the microstructure and pore characteristics of this buffer material. Permeation experiments and X-ray computerized tomography (X-ray CT) were used to explain the correlation between microstructure and permeability. Representative samples of CBM at a dry density of 1.7 g/cm3 were used. X-ray CT was used to study the CBM under the de-ionized water (DI) and three other aqueous medium conditions. After reconstruction with Dragonfly software, the pore characteristics and permeability of different solution-saturated samples were analyzed using AVIZO software, including pore size distribution (PSD), porosity, and connectivity. The results showed that the permeability coefficient of samples was NaOH > NaCl-Na2SO4 > Simulated Beishan groundwater > DI water, and the maximum swelling pressure of samples was NaOH < NaCl-Na2SO4 < Simulated Beishan groundwater < DI water. The permeability coefficient decreased with the increasing of maximum swelling pressure. Quantitative analysis indicated that the volume of interconnected pores increased owing to the infiltration of NaCl-Na2SO4 and NaOH.