bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking Corporate Environmental Performance to Financial Performance of Pakistani Firms: The Roles of Technological capability and Public awareness
Authors: Wu Weiwei , Ullah Rizwan , Shah Syed Jamal
Published: February 2020

This research investigates the corporate environmental performance (CEP) literature toward its financial performance of the firm. CEP is defined as the exercise and practices of companies to choose sensible measures to save and develop environment-friendly green activities. The influence of CEP on the financial performance of the firm via technological capability was examined. Furthermore, public awareness was hypothesized to moderate the impact of CEP on technological capability indicating moderation mediation. When public awareness was high, the relationship between the CEP and technological capability should be stronger. Content analysis was used for data collection. The model was tested using a sample of 1491 observations from the manufacturing companies of Pakistan. The data were collected between the period 2008 and 2017 from the annual reports of the companies, State Bank of Pakistan, and Pakistan Stock exchange. A hierarchical regression analysis was used for data analysis. Using bootstrap analysis, we used model 8 in Stata to examine conditional direct and indirect effects. Results supported the indirect effect of CEP on financial performance through strengthening technological capability. Both direct and indirect effects were significant. Consistent with theoretical assumptions, the indirect effect becomes stronger with high public awareness and diminished with low public awareness. Both theoretical and practical contributions are discussed based on the outcomes.
Squeezed from All Sides: Urbanization, Invasive Species, and Climate Change Threaten Riparian Forest Buffers
Authors: Johnson Lea , Trammell Tara , Bishop Tracie , Barth Joshua , Drzyzga Scott , Jantz Claire
Published: February 2020

Streamside forests of urbanizing coastal regions lie at the nexus of global changes: rising sea levels, increasing storm surge, expanding urban development, and invasive species. To understand how these combined stressors affect forest conditions, we identified forest patches adjacent to urban land, analyzed adjacent land cover, modeled forest inundation, and sampled 100 sites across the Chesapeake Bay and Delaware Bay watersheds. We found that the majority of forest patches are adjacent to urban land and projected flooding will affect 8–19% of regional forested land. We observed non-native invasive plants in 94% of forest plots. Trees were predominantly native, but over half of shrub stems were invasive species and more than 80% of plots contained invasive woody vines. Disturbance of human origin was correlated with abundance of invasive trees. Signs of deer activity were common. Richness and number of growth forms of invasive plants were related to adjacent agricultural land cover. These data reveal that streamside forests are impacted by the interacting stressors of urbanization, climate change, and invasive species spread. Our results emphasize the importance of protection and restoration of forests in urban regions and point to the need for a social-ecological systems approach to improve their condition.
Urban Circular Policies and Employment through Greenfield FDI
Authors: Stavropoulos Spyridon , Burger Martijn J. , Dufourmont Joke
Published: February 2020

This paper examines the association between circular strategies imposed by European cities on the attraction of greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) and the creation of circular gross employment through greenfield FDI. We utilize a recently developed database of circular strategies employed by local authorities in 43 European cities with information on greenfield FDI in these cities and other city characteristics for the years 2016–2017. We find that urban circular policies are positively and significantly associated with the attraction of greenfield FDI–generated employment, where the effect is stronger for regulatory and economic instruments compared to soft instruments.
Research on Relationship Strength under Personalized Recommendation Service
Authors: Tao Wanqiong , Ju Chunhua , Xu Chonghuan
Published: February 2020

Relationship of users in an online social network can be applied to promote personalized recommendation services. The measurement of relationship strength between user pairs is crucial to analyze the user relationship, which has been developed by many methods. An issue that has not been fully addressed is that the interaction behavior of individuals subjected to the activity field preference and interactive habits will affect interactive behavior. In this paper, the three-way representation of the activity field is given firstly, the contribution weight of the activity filed preferences is measured based on the interactions in the positive and boundary regions. Then, the interaction strength is calculated, integrating the contribution weight of the activity field preference and interactive habit. Finally, user relationship strength is calculated by fusing the interaction strength, common friend rate and similarity of feature attribute. The experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively improve the accuracy of relationship strength calculation.
Collaborating with Local Communities to Identify Improvement Priorities for Historic Urban Landscape Based on Residents’ Satisfaction: An Application of Asymmetric Impact-Performance Analysis in Dandong, China
Authors: Ji Xian , Shao Long , Du Yu
Published: February 2020

In the process of urbanization and globalization, urban conservation reinforces the links among past, present, and future, which enhances local identity and is indispensable for urban sustainability. The concept of Historic Urban Landscape (HUL), as both a notion and an approach, has been playing an increasingly important role in urban conservation discourse. Prioritizing actions is one of the pivotal procedures to perform the HUL approach. Instead of simply focusing on values selected and graded by experts, more attention should be paid to local residents’ satisfaction. A collaborative approach involving communities to prioritize actions in urban conservation and regeneration is proposed. Using the data from residents in the old town of Dandong, China, this study pioneers the application of the Asymmetric Impact-Performance Analysis (AIPA) technique in the urban conservation field. HUL attributes are categorized into basic factors, excitement factors, and performance factors based on their potential asymmetric impact on residents’ satisfaction. By taking performance levels of the attributes into consideration, this study further identifies improvement priorities for HUL, which helps planners and city managers to make rational choices in managing historic cities.
Measures to Promote Renewable Energy for Electricity Generation in Algeria
Authors: Bouznit Mohammed , Pablo-Romero María del P. , Sánchez-Braza Antonio
Published: February 2020

Algeria has enormous renewable energy potential. However, fossil fuels remain the main electricity generation source, and the country is the third largest CO2 emitter in Africa. Algeria is also particularly vulnerable to climate change. Therefore, a set of actions related to energy, forests, industry and waste sectors have been programmed, over the period 2015–2030, and the government action program has given priority to promote renewable energy. In this sense, Algeria is committed to significantly promote investment in renewable energy, during the period 2020–2030. Thus by 2030, renewable electricity production capacity will achieve 22,000 MW, representing 27% of total electricity generation. This paper analyzes the electricity generation measures implemented in Algeria to reach the required energy mix, the legislative framework, financial aid, the feed-in tariff system, the tax incentives, and the tender and auctions undertaken. The analyses reveal that, although the electricity price premium policy has not been revoked, the newly enacted tender scheme is designed to become the standard procedure for launching renewable energy projects in Algeria in the coming years.
Spatial Integration of the Milk Market in Poland
Authors: Roman Monika
Published: February 2020

The production of milk is an essential branch of agricultural production in Poland. There have been considerable changes in the milk market in Poland over the last 20 years (such as, e.g., the adjustment of the market to the EU requirements, which had an impact on the functioning of this market as well as its spatial integration. This research mainly aimed to assess the processes of spatial integration on the Polish milk market in the period 1999–2018. In order to process the material collected, the author applied the analysis of price differences, the analysis of correlation, the Johansen test of cointegration and the Granger causality test. As a result of the research conducted, it was found that there is a long-term balance between prices in various voivodeships in Poland. Moreover, the closer the voivodeships were to one another, the greater the co-variability of prices was between them. In addition, it was indicated which voivodeships were crucial from the point of view of the process of revealing and determining raw milk prices in Poland by two distinguished periods (1999–2008 and 2009–2018).
Sovereign Credit Spread Spillovers in Asia
Authors: Guo Biao , Han Qian , Liang Jufang , Ryu Doojin , Yu Jinyoung
Published: February 2020

Sovereign credit default swap (CDS) spreads exhibit strong co-movements across Asian countries and regions, including both emerging and developed economies. After controlling for global impacts, we examine the regional lead-lag relationships among changes in ten Asian sovereign CDS spreads. We use the pairwise Granger causality test to find that lagged changes in Kazakhstan’s sovereign CDS spreads significantly predict changes in other Asian sovereign CDS spreads. By estimating the news-diffusion model, we find evidence that this predictive relationship may be explained by information diffusion. Furthermore, we find that lagged changes in Kazakhstan’s CDS spreads have significant out-of-sample predictive power for other Asian economies, providing practical implications for sustainable investments and risk management.
Anthropization and Growth of the Electricity Grid as Variables for the Analysis of Urban Infrastructure
Authors: Ayala Manuel , Huaraca Diego , Varela-Aldás José , Ordóñez Andrea , Riba Genís
Published: February 2020

City growth goes together with the development of infrastructure, and the power network is one of the most relevant towards economic development. The study of urban infrastructure through the analysis of anthropization coupled with power network growth can produce a tool that supports sustainable infrastructure planning, both economic and environmental. The case study focuses on Ambato, Ecuador, in the period from 1950 to 2019, and assesses quantitatively the changes in the city layout and the evolution of its power network. The data are adjusted to a sigmoid-type objective function through a non-linear least squares problem, that is solved using the Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno (BFGS) method. Anthropization data show how the urban area grew during the study period: 37% (1950–1960), 53% (1960–1970), 80% (1970–1980), 35% (1980–1990), 39% (1990–2000), 38% (2000–2010), and 11% (2010–2019), mostly at the expense of agricultural land. The forecast for new power network users by 2050 yields a result of 203,630 total users with a population density of 4850 people/km2. The conclusion is that this type of analysis can help city planners and decision makers further understand city and infrastructure growth dynamics and produce policies that bolster sustainable city growth.
Synergy Degree Evaluation of Container Multimodal Transport System
Authors: Fang Xiaoping , Ji Zhang , Chen Zhiya , Chen Weiya , Cao Chao , Gan Jinrong
Published: February 2020

Logistics activities are an important source of energy consumption and environmental issues. Research conclusions and practical experience show that promoting the development of container multimodal transport is an effective way to reduce the level of carbon footprint. The key to influencing the development of container multimodal transport lies in the cooperation of all participants and links (modes of transport, transport businesses). Evaluating the synergy degree is a key step in this development process. This paper takes the whole process of container multimodal transportation as the research perspective, analyzes the operation process, and treats the process as a production system composed of four subsystems: facilities and equipment, organizational management, business operations, and information interactions. Through in-depth interviews and an analysis of the academic literature and policy documents, we establish a synergy degree evaluation index system and measurement model of container multimodal transport based on synergy theory and case studies. The research results are consistent with the actual situation. From 2015 to 2018, the synergy of container multimodal transport system of China’s G port developed slowly, but generally moved in a more orderly direction.
The Global Potential Distribution of Invasive Plants: Anredera cordifolia under Climate Change and Human Activity Based on Random Forest Models
Authors: Zhang Xuhui , Wei Haiyan , Zhao Zefang , Liu Jing , Zhang Quanzhong , Zhang Xiaoyan , Gu Wei
Published: February 2020

The potential distribution of the invasive plant Anredera cordifolia (Tenore) Steenis was predicted by Random Forest models under current and future climate-change pathways (i.e., RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 of 2050s and the 2070s). Pearson correlations were used to select variables; the prediction accuracy of the models was evaluated by using AUC, Kappa, and TSS. The results show that suitable future distribution areas are mainly in Southeast Asia, Eastern Oceania, a few parts of Eastern Africa, Southern North America, and Eastern South America. Temperature is the key climatic factor affecting the distribution of A. cordifolia. Important metrics include mean temperature of the coldest quarter (0.3 °C ≤ Bio11 ≤ 22.9 °C), max temperature of the warmest month (17.1 °C ≤ Bio5 ≤ 35.5 °C), temperature annual range (10.7 °C ≤ Bio7 ≤ 33 °C), annual mean air temperature (6.8 °C ≤ Bio1 ≤ 24.4 °C), and min temperature of coldest month (−2.8 °C ≤ Bio6 ≤ 17.2 °C). Only one precipitation index (Bio19) was important, precipitation of coldest quarter (7 mm ≤ Bio19 ≤ 631 mm). In addition, areas with strong human activities are most prone to invasion. This species is native to Brazil, but has been introduced in Asia, where it is widely planted and has escaped from cultivation. Under the future climate scenarios, suitable habitat areas of A. cordifolia will expand to higher latitudes. This study can provide a reference for the rational management and control of A. cordifolia.
A Scientometric Study on Depression among University Students in East Asia: Research and System Insufficiencies?
Authors: Nguyen Minh-Hoang , Ho Manh-Tung , La Viet-Phuong , Nguyen Quynh-Yen Thi. , Ho Manh-Toan , Vuong Thu-Trang , Le Tam-Tri , Nguyen Manh-Cuong , Vuong Quan-Hoang
Published: February 2020

Given that mental health issues are acute in Asian countries, particularly Japan and Korea, and university students are more vulnerable to depression than the general population, this study aims to examine the landscapes of scientific research regarding depressive disorders among university students and evaluate the effectiveness of international collaboration and funding provision on the scientific impact in Korea, Japan, and China. Based on articles retrieved from the Web of Science database during the period 1992–2018, we found that the number of scientific publications, international collaborations, and allocated funds regarding depressive disorder among university students in China (97 articles, 43 international collaborations, and 52 funds provided, respectively) overwhelmingly surpassed the case of Korea (37 articles, 12 international collaborations, and 15 funds provided, respectively) and Japan (24 articles, 5 international collaborations, and 6 funds provided, respectively). The differences in collaboration patterns (p-value < 0.05) and the proportion of allocated funds (p-value < 0.05) among Korea, Japan, and China were also noted using Fisher’s exact test. Based on the Poisson regression analysis, China’s associations of scientific impact with international collaboration (β = −0.322, p-value < 0.01) and funding provision (β = −0.397, p-value < 0.01) are negative, while associations of the scientific impact and scientific quality with funding provision and international collaboration were statistically insignificant. These findings hint that Korea and Japan lacked scientific output, diversity in research targets, international collaboration, and funding provision, compared to China, but the quality of either China’s internationally collaborated or funded articles was contentious. As a result, policymakers in Korea and Japan are suggested to raise the importance of mental health problems in their future policy planning and resource distribution. Moreover, it would be advisable to establish a rigorous system of evaluation for the quality of internationally collaborated and funded studies in order to increase scientific impact and maintain public trust, especially in China.
Biennial Mowing Maintains the Biomass and Functional Diversity of Semi-Arid Grassland
Authors: Zhao Tianqi , Zhang Feng , Suo Rongzhen , Gu Chen , Chen Daling , Yang Tony , Zhao Mengli
Published: February 2020

Understanding the functional diversity relationship between biomass and plants is a key issue in biodiversity–ecosystem functionality and the utility of grassland. We conducted a five-year mowing experiment to examine the effects of the mowing frequency on biomass, plant species, and functional diversity of a natural plant community in a semiarid region of Inner Mongolia. A secondary objective was to test whether unmowed refuge areas within plots would mitigate the disturbance effect of mowing. The result showed that mowing disturbance reduced biomass by the greatest amount with mowing once every year (M1) and the least with M2. The biomass composition of M2 consisted of a greater mass of perennial species than in the other mowing treatments but was equivalent to the control (CK). However, mowing disturbances increased the plant species richness and M2 had the largest number of species. The community-weighted means (CWM) indices indicated that M2 produced the least detrimental effects on the grassland. Retaining unmowed refuge areas appeared to be ineffective in promoting beneficial community traits under M1 mowing regimes. Based on our results, we recommend that the semi-arid grassland be mowed every other year in order to optimize sustainable production.
Food Heritage Makes a Difference: The Importance of Cultural Knowledge for Improving Education for Sustainable Food Choices
Authors: Kapelari Suzanne , Alexopoulos Georgios , Moussouri Theano , Sagmeister Konstantin J. , Stampfer Florian
Published: February 2020

This paper presents findings from a study carried out as part of BigPicnic, a European Commission’s Horizon 2020 project. BigPicnic brought together members of the public, scientists, policy-makers and industry representatives to develop exhibitions and science cafés. Across 12 European and one Ugandan botanic gardens participating in the study, we surveyed 1189 respondents on factors and motives affecting their food choices. The study highlights the importance that cultural knowledge holds for understanding food choices and consumer preferences. The findings of this study are discussed in the wider context of food security issues related to sustainable food choice, and the role of food as a form of cultural heritage. Specifically, the findings underline the importance of the impact of food preferences and choices on achieving sustainability, but also indicate that heritage is a key parameter that has to be more explicitly considered in definitions of food security and relevant policies on a European and global level.
Research on Investment Decision-Making in Waterway Engineering Based on the Hub Economic Index
Authors: Ren Jiarui , Mao Guangxiong , Zhang Fei , Wei Yuhang
Published: February 2020

Due to the wide range of waterway engineering strategies, the government often has the view that investment in hardware (such as construction, equipment renewal, etc.) is more important than that in software (such as information systems, service concepts, etc.) in the investment decision-making of waterway engineering. Besides, some government departments lack a consideration of coordinated development among different industries, resulting in the waterway industry lagging behind other industries (such as expressways, high-speed railway, etc.). To facilitate a more balanced infrastructure investment, we create a novel index, the Hub Economic Index (HEI), by incorporating the theory of the hub economy into the investment decision-making of waterway engineering. HEI consists of two major criteria, tangible and intangible assets, further divided into 10 indices. In particular, investment allocation between tangible and intangible assets is evaluated for the four major reaches of the North Jiangsu Canal. Multiple years of HEI values for the water transport industry are calculated for trend analysis and comparison with other industries. The results show that (1) through the comparison between the calculated values of the HEI investment model and the actual investment, the deviation of the tangible investment is 2.8% lower, and that of the intangible hub investment is 7.2% higher, which is basically in line with the actual situation. At the same time, it promotes the development of software; and (2) through the variation trends in HEI for various industries from 2008 to 2018, the HEI values of the different industries in the transportation system show a trend of steady growth. This is basically consistent with China’s economic development trend, but also reflects the development gap between the different industries. The research results are of great significance to help the government to make investment decisions in different fields and industries. The investment based on HEI values will further promote the integrated development of the water transport industry and other industries.
Use of the Value Chain in the Process of Generating a Sustainable Business Strategy on the Example of Manufacturing and Industrial Enterprises in the Czech Republic
Authors: Straková Jarmila , Rajiani Ismi , Pártlová Petra , Váchal Jan , Dobrovič Ján
Published: February 2020

This paper presents a method of generating a business strategy using value chain analysis. There were 186 manufacturing and industrial enterprises from the Czech Republic. The analysis was carried out using mathematical–statistical methods (dimensional reduction, logit regression and its transformation in order to objectify the opinion level of the managers) and with a neural network in terms of validation of the results of the mathematical–statistical methods. The aim was to determine the significance of different parts of the value chain in terms of their impact on the profitability of an enterprise and to demonstrate its important role in the process of generating business strategy. The significance for the profitability of the enterprises was statistically proven in the area of scientific and technological development, input logistics and human resource management. These parts were identified by the authors as the golden triangle of manufacturing and industry. Purchasing and output logistics were identified as the parts with a negative impact to the profitability of the enterprises. Strong underestimation of scientific and technological development by the top managers of the manufacturing and industrial enterprises is seen as a very negative finding. Neural networks showed higher statistical sensitivity compared to the mathematical–statistical methods (dimensional reduction and logit regression). They defined the value sector chain with the following structure (ranked from the highest degree of positive impact on the profitability of the enterprise): human resource management, scientific and technological development, production, input logistics, purchasing, material management, output logistics, enterprise infrastructure, marketing and sales, service and other supporting services. In conclusion, it is stated that the sector value chain of manufacturing and industrial enterprises will be further decomposed into value chain models of specific industries of the production and industry, such as engineering and construction, intended for direct use in different business entities to generate their unique value chains and corporate strategies.
A Framework to Evaluate Community Resilience to Urban Floods: A Case Study in Three Communities
Authors: Zhong Ming , Lin Kairong , Tang Guoping , Zhang Qian , Hong Yang , Chen Xiaohong
Published: February 2020

Community resilience is a key index for describing the response of human habitat systems to hazards. Evaluating and enhancing the community resilience requires indicators, identification, and quantitative measurements, especially for urban flooding management. In this study, an advanced index framework for measuring community resilience to urban flooding is proposed, integrating the fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) and the analytic network process (ANP). Seven indicators (public facilities, spatial structure of land use, flood management organizations, rescue capability, accuracy of weather forecasts, vulnerable population, and individual capability) of community resilience are identified using the fuzzy Delphi method. The indicators are classified into four dimensions, and the weights are determined by the analytic network process. This approach is applied to three different types of communities, namely, a newly built neighborhood, an ancient college, and a flood-prone village in the city of Nanning, China, using data collected from questionnaires, interviews, and field investigations. The neighborhood (with a total averaged score of 2.13) has the largest community resilience to urban flooding, followed by the college (1.8), and finally the village (0.91). Flooding management organizations play a leading role in the urban flooding resilience of the neighborhood and college, while the vulnerable population has a great impact on the community resilience of the village. Results of the strategy analysis suggest that science and technology improvement (0.543) is more important than social–economic status improvement (0.325) and built-environment improvement (0.132) for mitigating urban hazards in Nanning. The proposed framework in this study contributes to the interdisciplinary understanding of community resilience for urban flooding and is expected to be applied to sustain urban planning and flood evacuations.
Local Communities’ Attitudes and Support Towards the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park in Southwest Botswana
Authors: Moswete Naomi , Thapa Brijesh , K. Darley William
Published: February 2020

Protected areas are of national importance and have developed into sources of benefits while in other situations have sparked conflicts among stakeholders, including residents from adjacent local communities, and park authorities. In this study, we examined community residents’ attitudes towards the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (KTP) in the Kalahari region (SW Botswana). This study assessed factors that influence support for, or opposition to, the KTP. A questionnaire with semi-structured questions was used to gather information from head of households (N = 746) in nine villages in the Kalahari region. Overall, positive attitudes and support for the KTP as a transfrontier park were documented, though tangible benefits were limited. Further based on analyses, literacy, proximity, and employment status were key variables that influenced support. In addition, any increase in residents’ perceived benefits, land ownership, conservation awareness, and local benefits resulted in increased support for KTP. The implications indicated that communities near the KTP (Botswana side) need to be consulted, while further communications between the KTP management and authorities and adjacent villages are required to initiate effective community conservation programs. Additional programs and community outreach initiatives would also enable positive attitudes and support of KTP.
A Scalable IoT Protocol via an Efficient DAG-Based Distributed Ledger Consensus
Authors: Son Bumho , Lee Jaewook , Jang Huisu
Published: February 2020

The Internet of Things (IoT) suffers from various security vulnerabilities. The use of blockchain technology can help resolve these vulnerabilities, but some practical problems in terms of scalability continue to hinder the adaption of blockchain for application in the IoT. The directed acyclic graph (DAG)-based Tangle model proposed by the IOTA Foundation aims to avoid transaction fees by employing a different protocol from that used in the blockchain. This model uses the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to update a distributed ledger. However, concerns about centralization by the coordinator nodes remain. Additionally, the economic incentive to choose the algorithm is insufficient. The present study proposes a light and efficient distributed ledger update algorithm that regards only the subtangle of each step by considering the Bayesian inference. Experimental results have confirmed that the performance of the proposed methodology is similar to that of the existing methodology, and the proposed methodology enables a faster computation time. It also provides the same resistance to possible attacks, and for the same reasons, as does the MCMC algorithm.
The Distributional Effect of A Carbon Tax on Income in Taiwan
Authors: Feng Chun-Chiang , Chang Kuei-Feng , Lin Jin-Xu , Lin Shih-Mo
Published: February 2020

Environmental issues have become more important worldwide. A carbon tax is a strong tool for cutting carbon emissions directly through the internalization of the external costs of pollution. To mitigate the impact of carbon taxation, it is necessary to recycle the tax revenue into other taxes, subsidies, and transfers. In Taiwan, carbon tax policy has been under consideration. To analyze the effect of carbon tax and tax revenue recycling, this paper adopts a recursive dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE) model—General Equilibrium Model for Energy, Environment, and Technology (GEMEET)—under a comprehensive economic systems framework. The results show that a suitable recycling mechanism is a key factor for the success of green tax reform for a significant improvement in the economy, environment, and in income distribution, simultaneously.
Ultraviolet Fluorescence in the Assessment of Quality in the Mixing of Granular Material
Authors: Matuszek Dominika Barbara
Published: February 2020

The aim of the study was to determine the possibility of using ultraviolet fluorescence to evaluate the quality of the mixing process of industrial feed. A laboratory funnel-flow mixer was used for the mixing process. The studies were carried out using three different feeds for pigs. A key component in the form of ground grains of yellow maize covered with the fluorescent substance Rhodamine B was introduced into the mixer before the mixing process began. After the illumination of the sample by UV lamps, the images were taken with a digital camera. The images were analyzed in Patan® software. The information obtained on the percentage content of the key component was used for further calculations. At the same time, the tracer content was determined using the control method (weight method). The comparison of the results obtained by the two methods (statistical comparative analysis) did not indicate significant differences. Therefore, the usefulness of the proposed method to track the share of the key component by inducing it to glow in the ultraviolet light has been proven. The introduced tracer is also one of the components of the feed, which translates into the possibility of observing the material having the characteristics of a mixed material.
The Design and Application of Non-Pressure Infiltrating Irrigation in Desertification Control
Authors: Qu Yongping , Zhang Zengzhi
Published: February 2020

The key restriction factor of desertification is water control. Non-pressure infiltrating irrigation was invented aimed at the efficient use of water, and its core technology is the key water-conducting material prepared by montmorillonite and polyacrylamide. In this study, both the water absorption and desorption performances of the key material were tested, and then the binding condition of the water-conducting materials and the fiber substrate was also studied. Lastly, the water infiltrating performances and its application in deserts were tested. Non-pressure infiltrating irrigation could self-regulate the water conducting speed according to the external soil deserticola, but also significantly reduce water consumption. The results provide a reference for the application of this new water-saving irrigation technology, which could play an important role in desertification control.
Corporate Governance and Disclosure of Information on Corporate Social Responsibility: An Analysis of the Top 200 Universities in the Shanghai Ranking
Authors: Garde Sánchez Raquel , Flórez-Parra Jesús Mauricio , López-Pérez María Victoria , López-Hernández Antonio Manuel
Published: February 2020

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its disclosure in the university environment is a topic of current relevance, as it makes the entities’ commitments visible and provides indicators that enable them to improve the institution management and communication with stakeholders. The goal of this study is to determine to what extent the structure and mechanisms for governance and the demands of stakeholders influence policy for disclosing CSR information, both in general (more related to a strategic perspective) and specifically (more focused on specific social, environmental, economic, and educational issues). The results of our analysis of a sample of the top 200 universities in the Shanghai Ranking show no association of the profile and gender of the university’s rector and frequency of board meetings with CSR disclosure policy, but leadership team, the size of governance board, committees in the governance board and stakeholder participation are factors determining disclosure of information on matters of CSR. The results show that proximity to the day-to-day, diversification of functions, and communication with interest groups are crucial to transparency and disclosure of CSR information.
Method of Predicting Ore Dilution Based on a Neural Network and Its Application
Authors: Zhao Xingdong , Niu Jia’an
Published: February 2020

A back-propagation neural network prediction model with three layers and six neurons in the hidden layer is established to overcome the limitation of the equivalent linear overbreak slough (ELOS) empirical graph method in estimating unplanned ore dilution. The modified stability number, hydraulic radius, average deviation of the borehole, and powder factor are taken as input variables and the ELOS of quantified unplanned ore dilution as the output variable. The training and testing of the model are performed using 120 sets of data. The average fitting degree r2 of the prediction model is 0.9761, the average mean square error is 0.0001, and the relative error of the prediction is approximately 6.2%. A method of calculating the unplanned ore dilution is proposed and applied to a test stope of the Sandaoqiao lead–zinc mine. The calculated unplanned ore dilution is 0.717 m, and the relative error (i.e., the difference between calculation and measurement of 0.70 m) is 2.4%, which is better than the relative errors for the empirical graph method and numerical simulation (giving dilution values of 0.8 and 0.55 m, respectively). The back-propagation neural network prediction model is confirmed to predict the unplanned ore dilution in real applications.
An Extended Car-Following Model Considering the Drivers’ Characteristics under a V2V Communication Environment
Authors: Jiao Shuaiyang , Zhang Shengrui , Zhou Bei , Zhang Zixuan , Xue Liyuan
Published: February 2020

In intelligent transportation systems, vehicles can obtain more information, and the interactivity between vehicles can be improved. Therefore, it is necessary to study car-following behavior during the introduction of intelligent traffic information technology. To study the impacts of drivers’ characteristics on the dynamic characteristics of car-following behavior in a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication environment, we first analyzed the relationship between drivers’ characteristics and the following car’s optimal velocity using vehicle trajectory data via the grey relational analysis method and then presented a new optimal velocity function (OVF). The boundary conditions of the new OVF were analyzed theoretically, and the results showed that the new OVF can better describe drivers’ characteristics than the traditional OVF. Subsequently, we proposed an extended car-following model by combining V2V communication based on the new OVF and previous car-following models. Finally, numerical simulations were carried out to explore the effect of drivers’ characteristics on car-following behavior and fuel economy of vehicles, and the results indicated that the proposed model can improve vehicles’ mobility, safety, fuel consumption, and emissions in different traffic scenarios. In conclusion, the performance of traffic flow was improved by taking drivers’ characteristics into account under the V2V communication situation for car-following theory.
Knowledge Sharing of Medical Practices—Reducing the Negative Socio-Economic Effects of Lead Exposure due to Unhealthy Consumption Habits
Authors: Țincu Radu Ciprian , Radu Cătălina , Deaconu Alecxandrina , Frăsineanu Corina , Vrîncuț Mihai , Cobilinschi Cristian
Published: February 2020

The emergence of knowledge economy has created the necessary conditions for an interdisciplinary approach of medical practices. This paper explores, in an interdisciplinary manner, the case of lead exposure in the Romanian context. We consider it crucial to be aware of the socio-economic impact of lead exposure in Romania and prevent unhealthy consumption habits that generate economic and social costs. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the social, economic, and medical effects of lead poisoning, and, on this basis, to identify prevention recommendations. The research was conducted while using a descriptive survey based on qualitative and quantitative methods, by analyzing a group of 115 participants that were admitted in the Toxicology Department of the Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest with the diagnosis of lead exposure/intoxication. The study followed an Observational Retrospective Protocol that was based on the investigations of the participants registered in the Toxicology Department with signs and symptoms suggestive of lead exposure/intoxication. The data was statistically processed by while using Microsoft Excel 2013 and SPSS Statistics 22. Based on our research results, we facilitated the knowledge sharing process of medical practices and formulated a series of recommendations in an interdisciplinary manner, in order to diminish the negative socio-economic effects of unhealthy consumption habits.
A Spatiotemporal Assessment of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Peri-Urban Areas: A Case Study of Arshaly District, Kazakhstan
Authors: Alipbeki Onggarbek , Alipbekova Chaimgul , Sterenharz Arnold , Toleubekova Zhanat , Aliyev Meirzhan , Mineyev Nursultan , Amangaliyev Kaiyrbek
Published: February 2020

In this study, the spatiotemporal dynamics of land use and land cover (LULC) were evaluated in the peri-urban area of the Arshaly district, which borders the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Landsat multispectral images were used to study the changes in LULC. The analysis of LULC dynamics was carried out using supervised classification with a multi-temporal interval (1998, 2008, and 2018). During the study period, noticeable changes occurred in LULC. There was an increase in the area of arable land and forests and a reduction in the pastures. There was a sharp increase in the built-up area; that is, there was an intensification of land use through an increase in the share of arable land as well as the transformation of agricultural land for development. However, in general, the influence of urban sprawl in this peri-urban area has so far been accompanied by only a slight focus on its sustainable development.
Comparative Whole Building Life Cycle Assessment of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction Performance of Reinforced Concrete and Timber Stadiums—A Case Study in China
Authors: Dong Yu , Qin Tongyu , Zhou Siyuan , Huang Lu , Bo Rui , Guo Haibo , Yin Xunzhi
Published: February 2020

Many stadiums will be built in China in the next few decades due to increasing public interest in physical exercise and the incentive policies issued by the government under its National Fitness Program. This paper investigates the energy saving and carbon reduction performance of timber stadiums in China in comparison with stadiums constructed using conventional building materials, based on both life cycle energy assessment (LCEA) and life cycle carbon assessment (LCCA). The authors select five representative cities in five climate zones in China as the simulation environment, simulate energy use in the operation phase of stadiums constructed from reinforced concrete (RC) and timber, and compare the RC and timber stadiums in terms of their life cycle energy consumption and carbon emissions. The LCEA results reveal that the energy saving potential afforded by timber stadiums is 11.05%, 12.14%, 8.15%, 4.61% and 4.62% lower than those of RC buildings in “severely cold,” “cold,” “hot summer, cold winter,” “hot summer, warm winter,” and “temperate” regions, respectively. The LCCA results demonstrate that the carbon emissions of timber stadiums are 15.85%, 15.86%, 18.88%, 19.22% and 22.47% lower than those of RC buildings for the regions above, respectively. This demonstrates that in China, timber stadiums have better energy conservation and carbon reduction potential than RC stadiums, based on life cycle assessment. Thus, policy makers are advised to encourage the promotion of timber stadiums in China to achieve the goal of sustainable energy development for public buildings.
Assessment of Socio-Environmental Vulnerability Due to Tropical Cyclones in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Authors: Marín-Monroy Elvia Aida , Hernández Trejo Víctor , Ojeda Ruiz de la Pena Miguel Angel , Avilés Polanco Gerzain , Barbara Nuñez León
Published: February 2020

Climate change will increase the likelihood of adverse events such as droughts, forest fires, and intensification of tropical cyclones, which are known to cause flooding (IPCC, 2014). The effects of these events are a cause of concern for both authorities and citizens, so they prioritize actions that reduce adverse impacts, especially in cities with higher risk. Therefore, the objective of this work was to measure the degree of socio-environmental vulnerability of households to identify the risk areas in the city of La Paz, Baja California Sur, one of the regions with a high degree of incidence of hurricanes in the northwest of Mexico. For this, surveys were carried out with heads of households in 251 homes, and information was aggregated to calculate the vulnerability index through principal components analysis (PCA), which were stratified by the Dalenius–Hodges method, the degree of vulnerability was classified into three categories by the Opiyo method, considering three strata of the Likert scale, 1 = highly vulnerable, 2 = moderately vulnerable, 3 = less vulnerable. The results showed that households that are in the highly vulnerable category are 33% within a range of the index −3.77243 to −0.939141. Moderately vulnerable households constitute 36% with values from −0.929141 to 0.956385. While the least vulnerable represent 31% of households with an index range of 0.966385 to 5.6952. The results have revealed the levels of high and moderate socio-environmental vulnerability by tropical cyclones of 69% homes in La Paz. The above allowed to generate risk maps that will be taken into account in planning and civil protection over adverse events.
Evaluation of Building Construction-Induced Noise and Vibration Impact on Residents
Authors: Zou Chao , Zhu Ruijun , Tao Ziyu , Ouyang Daiqiao , Chen Yekai
Published: February 2020

Environmental noise and vibration induced by building construction are increasingly prominent in daily life. If the noise and vibration level exceeds the corresponding standard limits stipulated by the country, humans’ normal life, working, or studying efficiency would be interfered. This paper aims to explore how residents respond to noise and vibration mainly induced by the building construction. The noise and vibration measurements, as well as a questionnaire survey, were conducted. Through analysis and comparisons, it is shown that the noise impacts were concentrated in the area near the construction site. For the noise and vibration transmission within the building, the noise levels were amplified in the lower floors and gradually attenuated with floors, and the vibration levels decayed with the floors. The noise impact was much greater than the vibration impact. Building construction was found to be one of the most annoying noise and vibration sources, while the subway operation has little impact on residents according to either subjective or objective evaluation. The ratio of noise and vibration dissatisfaction was less than that of annoyance, which demonstrated that the residents’ psychological capacity was high toward the impact of noise and vibration. The proposed dose-response relationship can apply in a similar community environment. Once the noise levels within the building obtained, the residents’ noise annoyance can then be estimated.
Re-Introduction of Ancient Wheat Cultivars into Organic Agriculture—Emmer and Einkorn Cultivation Experiences under Marginal Conditions
Authors: Bencze Szilvia , Makádi Marianna , Aranyos Tibor J. , Földi Mihály , Hertelendy Péter , Mikó Péter , Bosi Sara , Negri Lorenzo , Drexler Dóra
Published: February 2020

Modern agriculture depends on the production of very few crop species, which provide lower nutritive value for consumers. The present work summarizes the results of a three-year experiment on hulled wheat varieties as potential candidates for food system diversification. The organic field cultivation tests with 10 emmer and five einkorn landraces and varieties were conducted on ~10m2 plots on sandy soil, and from 2017, under on-farm conditions in eastern Hungary. Most accessions adapted well to the marginal conditions, with some landraces even yielding higher than registered varieties—over 3 t per ha on average over three years. Compared to emmer, einkorn had higher maximum grain yields, but its yield performance varied more than that of emmer. Grain protein and the total phenolic content were high in both species. Compared to emmer, einkorn seeds exhibited a 3.8 times higher content of bound flavonoids and had 3.4 times higher antioxidant activity. Four einkorn accessions were resistant to leaf spot, as well as yellow and leaf rusts. Fusarium infected both species similarly. Our findings indicate that not only registered varieties of ancient wheat species but also their landraces can provide sustainable alternatives both for organic farmers and also for the diversification of agriculture.