bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protein Intake in NCAA Division 1 Soccer Players: Assessment of Daily Amounts, Distribution Patterns, and Leucine Levels as a Quality Indicator
Authors: Kwon Jun , Nishisaka Morgan M. , McGrath Alexandra F. , Kristo Aleksandra S. , Sikalidis Angelos K. , Reaves Scott K.
Published: February 2023

Dietary protein is required to support recovery and adaptation following exercise training. While prior research demonstrates that many athletes meet total daily protein needs, intake seems to be predominantly skewed toward the evening meal. An even distribution of protein doses of ≥0.24 g/kg BW consumed throughout the course of a day is theorized to confer greater skeletal muscle anabolism outcomes compared to a skewed pattern of intake. Protein quality is also an important dietary consideration for athletes, with the amino acid leucine seemingly serving as the primary driver of the postprandial anabolic response. The present study investigates protein consumption characteristics among a cohort of NCAA D1 soccer players and evaluates differences between male and female athletes. Athletes were instructed to complete 3-day food diaries, which were subsequently analyzed and compared to UEFA expert group-issued nutrition guidelines for soccer players. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner accounted for 81.4% of the total daily dietary protein intake. Most athletes (77.8%) ingested optimum amounts of protein at dinner but not at breakfast (11.1%) or lunch (47.2%). In addition, statistically significant sex-based differences in daily dietary protein intake, meal-specific protein amounts, and protein quality measures were detected. Findings indicate suboptimal dietary protein intake practices among the collegiate soccer athletes.
Which Landscape for Which Community? Opportunities and Pitfalls in the Application of the European Landscape Convention in Uncollaborative Context
Authors: Giampino Annalisa , Lisi Gloria , Schilleci Filippo
Published: February 2023

This article attempts to assess the various ambiguities in the application of the principles of the European Landscape Convention (ELC) in Italy and is divided into two main sections. In the first, a theoretical framework is constructed, analyzing the link between “environment”, “territory” and “landscape”. Attention is focused on the consequences that the different perspectives open up on both the value and operational levels, as well as dealing with attempts at definition. The idea of community is then questioned and some theoretical and practical challenges related to involvement and participation in landscape planning processes are analyzed. In the second part of the paper, the relationship between the city of Palermo (IT) and the Oreto River is taken as an extreme example in the theoretical argumentation and is examined from the perspective of development and current bottom-up practices. The aim of the research is to provide a divergent point of view on the concept of community and identity as this constitutes the foundation of the ELC definition of landscape, through an argumentation that is applicable in general and not only related to particular circumstances, in order to fully apply the ELC also in controversial and peripheral situations where landscape struggles to be accepted by local communities as a common good.
Exploring the Challenges and Strategies of the Sustainable Development of Female Teachers in China’s World-Class Universities: Stakeholder Perspectives
Authors: Li Jian , Xue Eryong , Li Kun
Published: February 2023

The sustainable development of female university teachers in China faces a range of societal and workplace challenges, especially since the advent of China’s ‘Universal Three-Child Policy’. We applied ‘ecofeminism’ and ‘intersectionality’ perspectives to investigate the role of conflict and endogenous/exogenous environmental culture pressure on the sustainable development of female teachers in world-class Chinese universities. Semi-structured qualitative interviews took place with 28 female teachers in 6 Chinese universities and colleges. The findings indicated that individuals experience deep role conflicts and stereotypes of traditional society. The inherent thinking and behavior patterns brought about through the socialization of female teachers make it difficult for them to achieve self-identity in their professional development. Female teachers should strengthen their subjective consciousness rather than be consumed by multiple identities and role conflicts. Universities and colleges have a duty to protect women’s reproductive rights and prevent gender discrimination linked to these rights. Cultural identification should be promoted and embedded culturally-based gender bias must be avoided to promote gender equality and a change in customs.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Vegetation Index in an Oasis-Desert Transition Zone and Relationship with Environmental Factors
Authors: Lu Jiaqi , Zhang Xifeng , Liang Shuiming , Cui Xiaowei
Published: February 2023

The oasis-desert transition zone (TZ) is an ecological buffer zone between a mobile desert and an oasis, which are important in reducing the forward mobility of sand dunes and wind and sand hazards in an oasis. In this study, the Dunhuang Oasis and its TZ in the Hexi Corridor (China) were examined. Based on the annual normalized vegetation index (NDVI) at each buffer distance of the TZ from 1987 to 2015, combing the watershed hydrology, oasis crop cultivation structure and industrial economic status, partial least squares regression models and a correlation analysis were used to examine the spatial and temporal changes in the vegetation gradient of the oasis TZ and the factors influencing those changes. (1) Spatially, the NDVI values in the TZ generally decreased gradually before stabilizing with a buffer distance (average decrease of 0.01–0.03 per 300 m). (2) Temporally, the mean values of the NDVI in the TZ show an overall wavelike variation across years. The annual average maximum NDVI value was 0.11 in 1987, whereas the annual average minimum value was 0.07 in 2014. (3) During the 1987–2015, runoff, tourist populations and water consumption for orchards were significantly and positively correlated with the NDVI; the year-end arable land area and the total industrial output value were significantly and negatively correlated with the NDVI; the rural per capita net income and water consumption for grain planting were not significantly and positively correlated with the NDVI; water consumption for the sum of vegetable and melon planting, water consumption for cotton planting, urbanization and rural populations were not significantly and negatively correlated with the NDVI. (4) The farm TZ NDVI is more strongly influenced by human activities than the undisturbed natural TZ.
From Debt to Green Growth: A Policy Proposal
Authors: Efthimiadis Tilemahos , Tsintzos Panagiotis
Published: February 2023

Concurrent and overlapping crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and increases in energy and food costs, are particularly affecting developing and poor countries, in addition to the continuous and growing negative impacts from climate change. In this paper, we develop a policy proposal and show through a model how an implicit debt servicing standstill for a country with large external debt can be combined with a policy for promoting power generation from renewable energy sources, with positive effects for economic growth and for ensuring debt sustainability. Through a typical decentralized competitive general equilibrium endogenous growth model, we show the long term effects of partially redirecting debt payments to green energy infrastructure to facilitate economic growth and achieve a sustained debt-to-output level. The results indicate that a higher percentage of external public debt increases public capital accumulation, resulting in a higher long-run growth rate, albeit with a slower transition to a steady state. Equivalent results are found regarding the level of financial aid provided for public productive capital.
Monitoring Cadmium Content in the Leaves of Field Pepper and Eggplant in a Karst Area Using Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Yi Xingsong , Wen Ximei , Lan Anjun , Dai Quanhou , Yan Youjin , Zhang Yin , Yao Yiwen
Published: February 2023

The ability to quickly and non-destructively monitor the cadmium (Cd) content in agricultural crops is the basic premise of effective prevention and control of Cd contamination in agricultural products. Hyperspectral technology provides a solution for this issue. The potential capability for the spectral prediction of the Cd content in the leaves of pepper and eggplant in the field was explored, and a spectral prediction model of the Cd content in these leaves was established. In this study, based on the indoor spectrum, the sensitive wavebands for predicting the Cd content in leaves were determined preliminarily by correlation analysis. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and support vector machine regression (SVMR) were used to establish spectral prediction models, and the final sensitive wavebands were determined by the size of the model index. The results show that the SVMR model exhibited higher prediction accuracy than the PLSR model. The RPDp (relative percent different of prediction set) values of the best SVMR prediction models for the pepper leaves and the eggplant leaves were 1.82 and 1.49, respectively. The values of Rp2 (coefficient of determination of prediction set), which can quantitatively estimate the Cd content in leaves, were 0.897 (p < 0.01) and 0.726 (p < 0.01), respectively. This study demonstrated that the leaf spectra of pepper and eggplant in the field can be used to predict the Cd content in leaves, providing a reference for monitoring the Cd content in the fruits of pepper and eggplant in the future.
Configuration Analysis of Integrated Project Delivery Principles’ Obstacle to Construction Project Level of Collaboration
Authors: Mei Tingting , Zhong Shuda , Lan Huabin , Guo Zeng , Qin Yi
Published: February 2023

Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) with collaborative work as its core is supported by increasing numbers of scholars and practitioners, due to the performance improvement of project construction and projects’ success promotion. However, some factors such as the contract, the technology, and the personnel behaviors hinder the application of IPD, which has negative impacts on the collaboration level of construction projects. On the basis of the configuration analysis, the purpose of this paper is to increase the effectiveness of collaborative management of construction projects by encouraging the application of IPD principles. This is achieved by introducing the proof of contradiction and thoroughly examining the impact of the application of IPD principles’ barrier with the level of collaboration. Added to that, the research necessity of configuration analysis on IPD principles’ obstacle to construction project collaboration is demonstrated through bibliometric analysis; thus, a questionnaire survey is applied to collect opinions related to IPD principles from 235 industry practitioners. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is deployed to gather IPD principles’ obstacles for construction project collaboration. The results show that (1) the absence of contractual and behavioral principles obstructs significantly the level of collaboration of construction projects in several cases, (2) catalysts for IPD have no significant impact in most cases, and (3) the unfamiliarity with IPD has negative impacts on the application of its principles. The theoretical contribution consists of filling the gap in IPD’s collaborative management research and improving the research method in related fields. As for the practical contribution, it aims to prioritize the importance of IPD principles and provide valuable suggestions.
Wine Quality Control Parameters and Effects of Regional Climate Variation on Sustainable Production
Authors: Markopoulos Theodoros , Stougiannidou Dimitra , Kontakos Stavros , Staboulis Christos
Published: February 2023

According to the national and European Community legislation and the quality control regulations for wine, a series of analyses are carried out by government agencies on locally produced wines in Greece. The present study examines the analyses of dry white wines produced in the regions of Ioannina in the Epirus region and the Ionian Islands, correlating them with the climatic conditions of each region. The purpose of this correlation is to evaluate the effect of the local climate on the wines’ individual characteristics, as identified by the analyses. Another crucial objective of this study is the evaluation of the effects caused by the continual changes in climate on these characteristics, as determined by the analyses. Results indicate that the prevailing climatic conditions, in conjunction with climate change, can affect all the parameters evaluated in the analyses for the wines produced in the two regions under this study.
Strategic Approaches to Realize Sustainable Neighborhoods in Urban Renewal: A Case Study of Banan, Chongqing, China
Authors: Yan Wei , Zhang Liting , Duan Xuejun , Wu Fan
Published: February 2023

Due to the lack of effective impact assessment, urban renewal in China is facing many challenges and dilemmas. Residents’ perceptions are important for the sustainability of urban renewal. This study evaluated the impacts of urban renewal on the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of a neighborhood via a case study of Banan, Chongqing, China. According to the analysis of the questionnaires and in-depth interviews and with local residents, Banan’s urban renewal led to both positive and negative impacts. This study proposed strategic approaches to realizing sustainable neighborhood during urban renewal in China according to impacts. Based on the analysis, strategies for creating sustainable neighborhoods during urban renewal were developed, including balancing of economic, social, and environmental interests, satisfying residents’ needs, and enhancing innovation. The impact of urban renewal in Banan was evaluated based on the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of a neighborhood, and the findings will be useful for policy makers and researchers engaged in sustainable urban renewal to refine their strategy.
Exploring Soil Particle Size Fraction and Spatial Redistribution of 137Cs in Sloping Landscapes with Different Lynchet Heights of Terracing Hedgerows in the Remote Mountain Region of Southwestern China
Authors: Zhou Ping , Zhuang Wenhua , Zhao Nan , Fang Ke , Zhang Dan
Published: February 2023

Soil erosion is a global environmental problem related to anthropogenic activities which are influenced by natural factors. The sloping cultivated lands, with serious soil erosion, constitute a significant proportion of the landscape in the remote mountain regions of southwestern China. The traditional soil conservation strategy, involving a certain height of lynchets on the edge of the terracing hedgerows of the sloping lands, plays an effective part in soil and water conservation. A typical sloping landscape with a lynchet of terracing hedgerows was chosen in this study. The objective of this study was to explore soil particle size fraction and spatial redistribution of 137Cs in sloping landscapes with different lynchet heights of terracing hedgerows. The results showed that fine-grained sediments were deposited in front of the lynchet of terracing hedgerows, especially particle sizes grouped at <0.002 mm clay and 0.002–0.02 mm silt. The 137Cs concentration profiles of the lynchet from the upper to the lower sloping landscape showed first increasing and then decreasing trends when the soil depth increased. 137Cs inventory generally increased along with the whole sloping landscapes. Moreover, the results suggested that the mean 137Cs inventory and erosion rate could be represented by the average value of the middle slope position. The highest value of annual erosion modulus reached 4917.06 t km−2 a−1 on the upper site of the sloping lands. Moreover, the annual erosion modulus was synchronously reduced from the upper to the lower sloping landscape and the erosion rate had a similar trend. Meanwhile, the K values of soil erodibility changed from 0.0338 t hm2 h (hm−2 MJ−1 mm−1) to 0.0375 t hm2 h (hm−2 MJ−1 mm−1) along the slope length. There was a logarithmic relationship between the K value and the 137Cs inventory. Therefore, it is useful to study spatial patterns of soil erosion in different slope positions with different heights of lynchet of terracing hedgerows of the whole sloping landscape. Moreover, it is important to implement a soil conservation strategy in the remote mountain regions of China.
Environmental Change and Inclusive Finance: Does Governance Quality Matter for African Countries?
Authors: Borgi Hela , Mabrouk Fatma , Bousrih Jihen , Mekni Mohamed
Published: February 2023

This paper examines the effect of environmental change on inclusive finance in African countries during the period 1996–2020. It also investigates the moderating role of government quality on the association between environmental change and inclusive finance. We collected five-year average data from various sources such as the World Development Indicators, the World Governance Indicators, and the International Monetary Fund. Government quality is measured by six dimensions: political stability, voice and accountability, government effectiveness, regulation quality, the rule of law, and corruption control. Environmental change is measured by CO2 emissions. Inclusive finance is measured by the financial development index through depth, access, and efficiency ratios. These variables represent the most used in prior studies as they are published by international organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which represent a reputable source of timely information related to the business environment in which business executives operate in several countries. The results show a significant impact of environmental change on inclusive finance. Including economic governance induces a significant and positive effect on financial inclusion in all instances. Our results also show that the coefficients of the interaction between environmental change and governance dimensions are positive and significant. The moderator role of governance is improved when taking into account political, institutional, and economic governance. Our findings offer more motivation for regulators and governments to develop environmental policies that integrate inclusive finance to meet sustainable development goals. Our results are important as they can help regulators, investors, and policymakers to assess and better understand the potential moderation role of governance quality in the relationship between inclusive finance and environmental change.
The Impact of Hygiene Factors on Online Hotel Consumption in China during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sun Chuanming , Chai Xingyu , Fan Qing , Zhang Wenyuan
Published: February 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic, with its risk of repeated fluctuations, has shifted the basis for decisions on tourism spending. Thus, it is crucial for the hospitality industry to understand the factors that influence accommodation consumption. Grounded in signaling theory, our empirical analysis is based on analyzing data from eLong on 7209 Chinese hotels using binary logistic regression and the ordinary least squares method (OLS). The main findings are as follows: (1) completeness of information, online hygiene rating and hygiene recommendation tags have a significant impact on hotel consumption; (2) online hygiene rating has a positively significant moderating effect on the relationship between information completeness and hotel sales; and (3) there is variability in the factors that influence the generation and growth of hotel sales. In addition, we discuss the role of online travel agencies (OTAs) and provide relevant advice for practitioners.
Mitigating Drought Stress Effects in Arid and Semi-Arid Agro-Ecosystems through Bioirrigation Strategies—A Review
Authors: Rajanna Gandhamanagenahalli A. , Suman Archna , Venkatesh Paramesha
Published: February 2023

Drought stress is most alarming and destructive among the abiotic stresses that increased in intensity in recent years affecting global food and nutritional security. The main resource limiting global agricultural productivity is water. The previous two decades have seen a surprising amount of study reports on genetically modifying plants to increase their ability to withstand drought, but actual progress has lagged behind expectations. Applying bioirrigation techniques in drought-prone areas might be a workable alternative strategy. It does apply to the usage of living things or biological creatures, such as potential microorganisms that can move soil moisture from a zone with enough water to plants that are drought-stressed through the modification of agricultural microclimate using agronomic strategies. Potential microorganisms include Gram+ and Gram− bacterial consortiums, as well as plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). In addition to PGPR, the utilization of soil macro-fauna in agriculture, such as earthworms, lugworms, termites, etc., can be utilized and explored in the near future towards bioirrigation. Earthworms and other macro-fauna are abundant in soil, digging deep burrows in the sediment and providing aeration to the plants. PGPR evolved with plant roots to enhance plant resilience under biotic and abiotic stresses. Benthic microorganisms, which include bacteria and microalgae, for instance, have a 70–80% higher water-holding capacity. Through research findings, these benthic microorganisms can be successfully identified and used in agriculture, and they may prove to be a cutting-edge method to increase plant-water-use efficiency. Similarly, plant roots of legume plants act as bioindicators under drought-stress conditions. These new developments make a significant contribution to addressing the problems of food security that come with changing climate. This review article offers information on bioirrigation techniques, their potential, estimating techniques, etc. Overall, this article goes into detail about how bioirrigation techniques aid crop plants in overcoming drought stress. Future research should focus on creating the most appropriate and effective microbes, dealing with the problem of delivery systems, and evaluating potential organisms in the field for microbial formulations to improve plant performance under drought stress and significantly lower yield losses in drought-affected areas.
Spatial Concentration in Relation to Industrial Resilience
Authors: Cheng An-Ting
Published: February 2023

The resilience of industry has caught much attention since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the literature argues that spatial concentration is beneficial to industrial development, but few reports discuss its impact on industrial survival from a long-term perspective, namely resilience. Therefore, this study tries to answer whether spatial patterns impact the long-term survival performance of the industry through investigating the longevity of production sites. We take the semiconductor industry in the Hsinchu area, Taiwan as a case study and hypothesize that the survival period of production sites in clustered areas is longer than that in non-clustered areas. After conducting the research, it was found that the survival period of production sites in clustered areas is not always longer than non-clustered areas. Our results show that only larger clusters and those with higher degrees of clustering might have advantages toward longer survival, rather than the number of average-sized clusters. Our research pioneers in the field of sustainability by bridging spatial studies and industrial resilience theories. As it explores the resilience of an influential industry in the world, its outputs provide new suggestions for future industrial planning, resource distribution and regional development.
Has Digital Financial Inclusion Narrowed the Urban–Rural Income Gap? A Study of the Spatial Influence Mechanism Based on Data from China
Authors: Liu Pengju , Zhang Yitong , Zhou Shengqi
Published: February 2023

Although extant literature has extensively discussed the poverty reduction effect of digital financial inclusion, few papers have explored the association from a spatial perspective. Based on the Peking University Digital Financial Inclusive Index, this study empirically tests the impact of digital financial inclusion on the urban–rural income gap in China. To perform the analysis, this paper employs the spatial Durbin model (SDM) with double fixed effects and a mediating effect model. We find that (1) there is a significant positive spatial correlation between digital financial inclusion and the urban–rural income gap, and both variables have certain spatial agglomeration characteristics; (2) digital financial inclusion has a significant promotion effect and a positive spatial spillover effect on reducing the urban–rural income gap; and (3) the test of the spatial influence mechanism shows that the above effect is achieved by promoting industrial structure upgrading. This paper combines the above results to propose corresponding policy recommendations, which are valuable for other developing countries and emerging economies with similar backgrounds to China.
Unveiling the Impact of Digital Financial Inclusion on Low-Carbon Green Utilization of Farmland: The Roles of Farmland Transfer and Management Scale
Authors: Zhang Hua , Zhang Qiwang , An Man , Zhang Zixuan , He Nanqiao
Published: February 2023

Low-carbon green utilization of farmland, which is a significant driver of high-quality development of agriculture, has aroused wide concern in the recent years. In practice, the expansion of digital financial inclusion seems to provide valuable opportunities for the development of low-carbon green utilization of farmland. In these conditions, using Chinese provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020 and structural equation model (SEM) analysis in STATA 16.0, this paper empirically verified that: (1) digital financial inclusion is positively related to low-carbon green utilization of farmland; (2) farmland transfer mediates the relationship between digital financial inclusion and low-carbon green utilization of farmland; (3) farmland management scale positively moderates the relationship between farmland transfer and low-carbon green utilization of farmland and it is in support of moderated mediating effects. This paper attempts to investigate whether, how, and when digital financial inclusion can affect low-carbon green utilization of farmland, which provides new empirical evidence for the improvement of farmland green utilization.
Will the Tax Reduction and Exemption Policy for High Technology Enterprises Improve the GVC Position of Chinese Firms?
Authors: Li Muwu , Zhang Yabin , Wang Zhenguo
Published: February 2023

Figuring out how government innovation incentive policies affect the GVC (global value chain) position at a micro level is essential for choosing anaccurate policy to encourage self-dependent innovation. We examined whether and how China’s preferential tax policies enhance the GVC position of firms via firm-level data using the method of difference in differences (DID), taking the tax reduction and exemption policy of high-technology enterprises as an example. In addition, the firm heterogeneity of different factor intensities and regions was also examined. The empirical results show that, firstly, the tax reduction and exemption policy of high-technology enterprises has a significant positive impact on the firm GVC position. Secondly, this positive effect is more prominent in labor-intensive firms, capital-intensity firms and eastern enterprises. Thirdly, analysis of the mechanism indicated that the tax reduction and exemption policy of high-technology enterprises improves the firm GVC position by stimulating growth in production efficiency.
Can a Change in Agriculture Management Practice Improve Soil Physical Properties
Authors: Abu-hashim Mohamed , Lilienthal Holger , Schnug Ewald , Lasaponara Rosa , Mohamed Elsayed Said
Published: February 2023

Soil conventional tillage has been associated with deterioration of its characteristics, while organic farming has been promoted as an approach to conserve a favorable soil environment. With the interest in nominating the tillage strategies without ploughing for maintaining long-term soil quality and subsequently increasing yields, this study set to identify if and how conservation tillage practices in organic management (OM) do improve soil physical properties compared to conventional management (CM). This study was conducted on matched field pairs in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. The conservation tillage treatment effects of OM (superficial tillage using chisel at 10 cm depth) was compared with conventional tillage practices CM (mouldboard ploughing at 30 cm depth). The field pairs were homogenous in most respects that would reflect tillage impacts. Measurements included soil infiltration capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, penetration resistance, and effective bulk density. Infiltration rate, measured using a hood infiltrometer at 10 parcels, was computed using Wooding’s analytical method, while Gardner’s equation was used to calculate the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). The steady infiltration rate qs (h) was two times higher under OM than under CM with an average of 624 mm/h and 303 mm/h, respectively. Penetration resistances of OM were lower than under CM irrespective of the clay content. The degree of compactness (effective bulk density) was greater under CM than OM. That small change in soil compactness affects the water infiltration rate and the hydraulic properties rather than intrinsic soil matrix such as texture. Numerical model Hydrus-1D results were more representative for simulating the soil water transfer and hydraulic parameters under tillage changes.
Variable-Weight Suitability Evaluation of Underground Space Development Considering Socioeconomic Factors
Authors: Peng Zhaoliang , Zhang Yu , Tan Fei , Lv Jiahe , Li Lianghui
Published: February 2023

The suitability evaluation of urban underground space (UUS) development can aid in making the planning, construction, and operation management of underground spaces more scientific, orderly and systematic. Taking the starting area of Changjiang New Town as an example, this study considered socioeconomic factors as a crucial cost indicator in the suitability evaluation index system of underground space development, and 15 evaluation factors affecting underground space utilization were selected in combination with geological environment conditions. The subjective weights of each evaluation factor were calculated using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and variable-weight theory was introduced to calculate the comprehensive variable weights. The comprehensive variable weights were modified, taking socioeconomic factors into consideration, so as to quantitatively evaluate the development suitability of underground space in the research area. A comparison between the evaluation results of the constant-weight and variable-weight methods showed that the latter can correct the efficaciously determined subjective weight using the AHP and make the evaluation result more scientific and reasonable. A comprehensive consideration of the impact of socioeconomic factors on development costs and benefits made the evaluation results more instructive. The evaluation results showed that the area with the best suitability for underground space development in the study area accounted for approximately 18.6%, and the second-best suitable area accounts for approximately 60.8%. Hence, the development prospect of the study area is good.
Recent Progress and Future Perspectives for Zero Agriculture Waste Technologies: Pineapple Waste as a Case Study
Authors: Sarangi Prakash Kumar , Singh Akhilesh Kumar , Srivastava Rajesh Kumar , Gupta Vijai Kumar
Published: February 2023

Worldwide, a huge production of agro-industrial wastes is observed every year in the milling, brewing, agricultural, and food industries. Biochemical and bioactive substances can be produced from these agricultural wastes. Pineapple by-products, which consist of the peeled skin, core, crown end, etc., account for 60% of the weight of pineapple fruit and are disposed of as waste, causing disposal and pollution problems. The bioconversion process can utilize these wastes, which are rich in cellulose and hemicellulose, the main components, to produce value-added biochemicals/bioactive compounds such as pectin, citric acid, bromelain, ferulic acid, vanillin, and so on. Therefore, the sustainable solution for food and nutrition security can be supported by the utilization of pineapple waste. The proposed review article addresses approaches that do not generate waste while adding value. This can be achieved by using innovative biorefinery techniques such as green extraction and the use of green solvents. Microbial fermentation with an effective pretreatment (such as hydrothermal treatment and enzymatic treatment) to convert complex waste (pineapple fruit) into simple sugars and later fuel production are also discussed. The proposed review also provides a concise overview of the most recent research and developments in the field of advanced pineapple waste processing technologies.
Techno-Economic Analysis of Photovoltaic Hydrogen Production Considering Technological Progress Uncertainty
Authors: Huang Xiang , Qu Yapan , Zhu Zhentao , Wu Qiuchi
Published: February 2023

The application of photovoltaic (PV) power to split water and produce hydrogen not only reduces carbon emissions in the process of hydrogen production but also helps decarbonize the transportation, chemical, and metallurgical industries through P2X technology. A techno-economic model must be established to predict the economics of integrated PV–hydrogen technology at key time points in the future based on the characteristics, variability, and uncertainties of this technology. In this study, we extracted the comprehensive technical factors (including PV tracking system coefficient, PV conversion efficiency, electrolyzer efficiency, and electrolyzer degradation coefficient) of an integrated PV–hydrogen system. Then, we constructed a PV hydrogen production techno-economic (PVH2) model. We used the levelized cost of hydrogen production (LCOH) method to estimate the cost of each major equipment item during the project lifetime. We combined the PVH2 and learning curve models to determine the cost trend of integrated PV–hydrogen technology. We developed a two-dimensional Monte Carlo approach to predict the variation interval of LCOH for PV–hydrogen projects in 2030 and 2050, which described the current technology variability with variable parameters and the uncertainty in the technology advancement with uncertain parameters. The results showed that the most critical factors influencing LCOH are PV conversion efficiency and the capital cost of the electrolyzer. The LCOH of PV to hydrogen in China will drop to CNY 18–32/kg by 2030 and CNY 8–18/kg by 2050. The combination of a learning curve model and a Monte Carlo method is an effective tool to describe the current variability in hydrogen production technologies and the uncertainty in technological progress.
Evaluation Method for Node Importance of Urban Rail Network Considering Traffic Characteristics
Authors: Chen Ting , Ma Jianxiao , Zhu Zhenjun , Guo Xiucheng
Published: February 2023

As a sustainable means of public transport, the safety of the urban rail transit is a significant section of public safety and is highly important in urban sustainable development. Research on the importance of urban rail stations plays an important role in improving the reliability of urban rail networks. This paper proposed an improved method for evaluating the importance of urban rail stations in a topology network, which was used to identify the key stations that affect the urban rail network performance. This method was based on complex network theory, considering the traffic characteristics of the urban rail network that runs on specific lines and integrating the structural characteristics and interrelationship of the lines where the stations are located. Hereafter, this method will be abbreviated as CLI. In order to verify that the high importance stations evaluated by this method were the key stations that had a great impact on the urban rail network performance, this paper designed a comparative attack experiment of betweenness centrality and CLI. The experiment was carried out by taking the Suzhou Rail Transit (SZRT) network as an example and the largest connected subgraph as well as the network efficiency as indicators to measure the network performance. The results showed that CLI had a greater impact on network performance and could better evaluate the key stations in the urban rail network than node degree and betweenness centrality.
Misunderstood Gastric Perforation of a Pancreatic Acinar Cell Carcinoma: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Authors: Cuoghi Manuela , Baccaro Cinzia , Zorzetti Noemi , Fornelli Adele , Ferrara Francesco , Cennamo Vincenzo , Navarra Giuseppe Giovanni
Published: February 2023

A 70-year-old man was admitted to the Emergency Department (ED) for marked asthenia and severe anemia. In addition, a high level of lipase was found. During hospitalization, a locally advanced gastric cancer was diagnosed, with endoscopic evidence of a large polyploid formation originating under the cardias that occupied most of the gastric lumen. A total body CT scan was performed before surgery; the tumor affected the posterior gastric wall, with tenacious infiltration of the pancreatic body. Therefore, we performed a total gastrectomy with esophageal jejunum anastomosis and reconstruction of intestinal continuity according to Roux, distal spleno-pancreatectomy, and cholecystectomy. At histology, a pancreatic acinar cell carcinoma (PACC) with full thickness infiltration of the gastric wall was diagnosed. Acinar cell carcinomas are highly aggressive neoplasms, and surgical resection, when feasible, is the treatment of choice regardless of size, also because the role of neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy remains uncodified.
A Method for Solving Time-Fractional Initial Boundary Value Problems of Variable Order
Authors: Abuasbeh Kinda , Kanwal Asia , Shafqat Ramsha , Taufeeq Bilal , Almulla Muna A. , Awadalla Muath
Published: February 2023

Various scholars have lately employed a wide range of strategies to resolve specific types of symmetrical fractional differential equations. This paper introduces a new implicit finite difference method with variable-order time-fractional Caputo derivative to solve semi-linear initial boundary value problems. Despite its extensive use in other areas, fractional calculus has only recently been applied to physics. This paper aims to find a solution for the fractional diffusion equation using an implicit finite difference scheme, and the results are displayed graphically using MATLAB and the Fourier technique to assess stability. The findings show the unconditional stability of the implicit time-fractional finite difference method. This method employs a variable-order fractional derivative of time, enabling greater flexibility and the ability to tackle more complicated problems.
Exploring the Key Factors of Old Neighborhood Environment Affecting Physical and Mental Health of the Elderly in Skipped-Generation Household Using an RST-DEMATEL Model
Authors: Zhu Yonglin , Zhu Bo-Wei , Te Yingnan , Badarulzaman Nurwati Binti , Xiong Lei
Published: February 2023

Most elderly people choose to age in place, making neighborhood environments essential factors affecting their health status. The policies, economic status, and housing conditions of old neighborhoods have led many elderly people to live in skipped-generation households (SGHs), where they have gradually weakened physical functions and are responsible for raising grandchildren; this puts their health in a more fragile state than that of the average elderly person. Practical experience has shown that when faced with complex environmental renovation problems in old communities, many cases often adopt a one-step treatment strategy; however, many scholars have questioned the sustainability of such unsystematically evaluated renovation projects. Therefore, it is often valuable to explore the root causes of these old neighborhood problems and conduct targeted transformations and upgrades according to the interactive relationship between various influencing factors. This study attempted to establish a novel evaluation system to benefit the health of elderly families in old neighborhoods and develop an understanding of the impact relationship among the indicators, while avoiding any form of waste when collecting responses in regard to the future transformation of old neighborhoods. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the elderly in the Guangzhou Che Bei neighborhood in China, and by applying the rough set theory of the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory model, we established a preliminary evaluation system, obtained key environmental factors affecting the health of elderly people living in SGHs, and clarified their mutual relationships. Finally, on this basis, we proposed corresponding neighborhood renewal suggestions. The results of this study provide a theoretical basis for future research, and our research model can be applied to similar aging research in the future.
Risk Assessment of Heterogeneous IoMT Devices: A Review
Authors: Pritika Pritika , Shanmugam Bharanidharan , Azam Sami
Published: February 2023

The adaptation of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) has provided efficient and timely services and has transformed the healthcare industry to a great extent. Monitoring patients remotely and managing hospital records and data have become effortless with the advent of IoMT. However, security and privacy have become a significant concern with the growing number of threats in the cyber world, primarily for personal and sensitive user data. In terms of IoMT devices, risks appearing from them cannot easily fit into an existing risk assessment framework, and while research has been done on this topic, little attention has been paid to the methodologies used for the risk assessment of heterogeneous IoMT devices. This paper elucidates IoT, its applications with reference to in-demand sectors, and risks in terms of their types. By the same token, IoMT and its application area and architecture are explained. We have also discussed the common attacks on IoMT. Existing papers on IoT, IoMT, risk assessment, and frameworks are reviewed. Finally, the paper analyzes the available risk assessment frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, TARA, and the IEEE213-2019 (P2413) standard and highlights the need for new approaches to address the heterogeneity of the risks. In our study, we have decided to follow the functions of the NIST and ISO 270001 frameworks. The complete framework is anticipated to deliver a risk-free approach for the risk assessment of heterogeneous IoMT devices benefiting its users.
Assessment and Management of Mercury Leaching from a Riverbank
Authors: Ziaei Hasti , Rao Balaji , Wood Tea V. , Garza-Rubalcava Uriel , Alborzi Ashkan , Zhou Huayun , Bireta Paul , Grosso Nancy , Reible Danny
Published: February 2023

The South River located in the city of Waynesboro, Virginia, contains mercury (Hg) contamination due to historical releases from an industrial facility operating between 1929 and 1950. In 2015, two sampling events were conducted in two of the contaminated bank regions (Constitution Park and North Park) to evaluate non-particulate total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in bank interstitial waters during river base flows and during bank drainage after flooding events. Porewater THg and MeHg at the bank–water interface were measured using diffusive gradient in thin-film devices (DGTs). The results showed THg mercury concentrations during bank drainage were approximately a factor of 3 higher than during base flow conditions. To have a better understanding of the parameters that control Hg leaching, a series of laboratory experiments were designed using South River sediments. The field and laboratory assessment showed that drainage/inundation cycles can lead to high THg concentration leachate from contaminated sediment due to increased partitioning from solids under oxic bank conditions and mobilization by the drainage waters. The results also demonstrated that methyl mercury concentrations at the bank–water interface are highest under base flow when conditions are more reduced due to the absence of oxic water exchange with the surface water. A remedial approach was implemented involving partial removal of surficial sediments and placement of biochar (to reduce non-particulate THg) and an armoring layer (to reduce erosion). DGT Measurements after bank stabilization showed THg decreased by a factor of ~200 and MeHg concentration by a factor of more than 20.
Risk Assessment of Phthalate Esters in Baiyangdian Lake and Typical Rivers in China
Authors: Hou Yin , Tu Mengchen , Li Cheng , Liu Xinyu , Wang Jing , Wei Chao , Zheng Xin , Wu Yihong
Published: February 2023

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are frequently tracked in water environments worldwide. As a typical class of endocrine disruptor chemicals (EDCs), PAEs posed adverse effects on aquatic organisms at low concentration. Thus, they have attracted wide attention in recent years. In the present study, the concentrations of seven typical PAEs from 30 sampling sites in Baiyangdian Lake were measured, and the environmental exposure data of PAEs were gathered in typical rivers in China. Then, based on the aquatic life criteria (ALCs) derived from the reproductive toxicity data of aquatic organisms, two risk assessment methods, including hazard quotient (HQ) and probabilistic ecological risk assessment (PERA), were adopted to evaluate the ecological risks of PAEs in water. The sediment quality criteria (SQCs) of DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP and DEP were deduced based on the equilibrium partitioning method. Combined with the gathered environmental exposure data of seven PAEs in sediments from typical rivers in China, the ecological risk assessments of five PAEs in sediment were conducted only by the HQ method. The results of ecological risk assessment showed that in terms of water, DBP and DIBP posed low risk, while the risk of DEHP in Baiyangdian Lake cannot be ignored and should receive attention. In typical rivers in China, BBP and DEP posed no risk, while DIBP and DBP posed potential risk. Meanwhile, DEHP posed a high ecological risk. As far as sediment is concerned, DBP posed a high risk in some typical rivers in China, and the other rivers had medium risk. DEHP posed a high risk only in a few rivers and low to medium risk in others. This study provides an important reference for the protection of aquatic organisms and the risk management of PAEs in China.