bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Ducted Photovoltaic Façade Unit with Forced Convection Cooling
Authors: Elbakheit Abdel Rahman , Waheeb Sahl , Mahmoud Ahmed
Published: October 2022

This paper explores the potential of forced convection cooling in a ducted photovoltaic façade unit. Where a photovoltaic panel is backed by a 5 cm thick insulated duct at a depth of 50 cm. The potential of heat removal from the photovoltaic unit due to forced convection is investigated with a range of fan speeds from 1 m/s to 6 m/s. It is found that the ΔT between the inlet and outlet of the duct ranged from 2.6–24.6 °C. A fan speed of 4 m/s yielded the highest cooling potential by removing 550 W with a cooling efficiency of 51%. Whereas a fan speed of 6 m/s yielded the lowest mean PV cell temperature of 62.7 °C. This would improve the cell’s efficiency by 17.53%. This very experimental setup has been tested previously with natural convection cooling, which removed 529 W with a maximum efficiency of 48.98% This improves PV panel efficiency by 12.69%. The addition of heat removed and power recovered by the ducted system was 68.53% of the former (i.e., forced convection), while it was 61.67% for the latter. A 12 V DC fan with a variable speed electric circuit powered by a fraction of the PV generated power (i.e., 0.75 W) yielded better cooling that translated into nearly 19 W of further energy generation.
Risk Assessment Model Based on Set Pair Analysis Applied to Airport Bird Strikes
Authors: Wang Rui , Zhao Qiang , Sun Hui , Zhang Xuedong , Wang Yuyue
Published: October 2022

In order to comprehensively evaluate the risk of bird strike at airports and effectively prevent the occurrence of bird strike events, this paper constructs the risk assessment index system of airport bird strike from five perspectives of “personnel-bird-equipment-environment-management”. For the purpose of maximizing variances, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the entropy weight method are combined and used to obtain the comprehensive weights. The five-element connection number of Set Pair Analysis (SPA) is introduced to establish the identical-discrepancy-contrary airport bird strike risk assessment model, and the risk trend is analyzed according to the partial connection number for each order. The experiment results show that the combined weighting method can minimize the weight deviation and demonstrate good accuracy in determining the weights of indicators at all levels. The established airport bird strike risk assessment model can reasonably predict the risk trend, which is significant for airport personnel to carry out bird strike prevention works.
Sustainability Promotion by Digitalisation to Ensure the Quality of Less-Than-Truck Load Shipping
Authors: Jarašūnienė Aldona , Čižiūnienė Kristina , Petraška Artūras
Published: October 2022

Freight transport by road is constantly increasing, therefore it is very important to ensure efficient distribution of flows by optimizing/reducing transport costs. With the recent increase in the demand for small loads, less-than-truckload transportation services are becoming increasingly popular among representatives of small and large businesses. This method of cargo transportation is more economically accessible and useful. The increasing competition between companies encourages the search for ways to improve the offered services, thereby reducing costs for customers. Digitization tools are among the most important in order to implement the principles of green logistics, ensure long-term competitive advantages by systematically improving logistics results and reducing costs. Automated service management, services based on customer data and intelligent solutions must help companies create a digital business model. The purpose of this article is the identification of problem areas in the service quality of companies carrying out less-than-truckload transportation on international routes and ways of solving them by applying digitization technologies. Research methods/methodology used: the work was carried out based on the analysis of scientific literature, statistical data analysis and survey methods, an expert survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire. The analysis of scientific literature made it possible to identify that the transportation of less-than-truckload shipments is not considered as a separate element, but included in the process of transportation of general loads. Considering the fact that less-than-truckload cargo transportation is becoming increasingly popular globally, this renders it possible to justify the novelty of the article and for a more detailed study. The result of the work is a conceptual model of service quality improvement based on digitization technologies.
Sustainability in the Supply Chain: Analyzing the Role of the Focal Company and Training in the Implementation of SDGs
Authors: Teixeira Talita Borges , Battistelle Rosane A. G. , Teixeira Adriano Alves , Bonacina Camila Zanchettin , Vitoreli Marinez Cristina
Published: October 2022

Understanding how training can contribute to employee awareness, development of skills, competencies, and knowledge of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in supply chains and the role of the focal company still remains unanswered. Thus, this article had the purpose of investigating the performance of a company in the Brazilian electricity sector in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the supply chain. A review of the literature on the SDGs and the importance of focal companies and training for their execution was carried out in order to theoretically support the study. Then, the case study technique was used to understand “how” and “which” training practices are being implemented in the supply chain to make the management of the SDGs more effective. The results indicate: (i) that the systematic application of training by the focal company is crucial for the implementation of SDGs in the supply chain, (ii) that the focal company plays an important role in leading the implementation of the SDGs in the supply chain, and (iii) that the partnerships between supply chain members are important and facilitate sustainable management in the supply chains. Additionally, we present a robust set of training practices conducted in the supply chain and the results achieved.
Synthesis of Novel MOF-5 Based BiCoO3 Photocatalyst for the Treatment of Textile Wastewater
Authors: Sarwar Bazla , Khan Asad , Fazal Tahir , Aslam Muhammad , Qaisrani Naeem , Ahmed Ashfaq
Published: October 2022

Water pollution, having organic dyes, has lethal impacts on aquatic life and public health. To eliminate or degrade dyes, a metal-organic framework (MOF) based BiCoO3 semiconductor is considered a potential photocatalyst for the degradation of dyes. In this study, the MOF-5-based BiCoO3 (MOF-5/BiCoO3) composite was successfully synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal process. Different analytical techniques were used to characterize MOF-5/BiCoO3 composite and pure MOF-5 samples. When compared to pure MOF-5, the experimental and characterization analysis showed that the MOF-5/BiCoO3 composite has better photocatalytic activity (99.6%) for the degradation of Congo-red (CR) dye due to the formation of heterostructure between MOF-5 and BiCoO3, which improve the separation of charge carriers. Meanwhile, the introduction of BiCoO3 with MOF-5 changes the surface morphology of MOF-5/BiCoO3 composite, increasing the surface area for CR adsorption and thus improving photocatalytic efficiency. Based on radical trapping experiments, the superoxide and hydroxyl radicals are dominant species in the CR degradation process. The reusability results demonstrate that MOF-5/BiCoO3 composite can be used effectively for up to five cycles, which makes the process more economical. Hence, MOF-5/BiCoO3 composite offers a promising approach to developing a highly effective, stable, efficient, economical, and sustainable photocatalyst for the dissociation of organic pollutants from wastewater streams.
Red Ceramics Produced with Primary Processing Fine Waste of Ornamental Stones According to the Circular Economy Model
Authors: Aguiar Mariane Costalonga de , Gadioli Mônica Castoldi Borlini , Sant’Ana Maria Angelica Kramer , Almeida Kayrone Marvila de , Vidal Francisco Wilson Hollanda , Vieira Carlos Maurício Fontes
Published: October 2022

The ornamental stone industry is growing and has a large production in Brazil, mainly in Espírito Santo, where the largest production in the country is concentrated. Brazil is part of the group of countries that produce the most ornamental stones in the world; however, the generation of waste in this sector is very large. These ornamental stone wastes when used for the manufacture of new materials, such as red ceramics, contribute to the reduction in the raw material clay and to the reduction in the environmental impact. The objective of this work was to incorporate fine wastes from the processing of ornamental stones called FIBRO in red ceramics and later, to contribute to the standardization of the use of these wastes in the ceramic industry, contributing to the manufacture of more economical and sustainable products. Wastes were incorporated in the proportion of 0 to 50% by mass that were prepared by extrusion and fired at 900 °C, 950 °C, and 1000 °C. After firing, the physical and mechanical properties of the ceramic material were evaluated. Specific mass apparent, water absorption, porosity, and flexural strength by three points tests were carried out. The results showed that from 30% at the lowest temperature, tile is already fabricated within the values stipulated by the standards, thus saving energy. The analyzed waste is a material with excellent chemical characteristics to be used in the ceramic mass, in addition to having improved the technological properties of the material, such as less water absorption and greater flexural strength.
Beyond Total Cost Management (TCM) to Systemic Value Management (SVM): Transformational Trends and a Research Manifesto for an Evolving Discipline
Authors: Margherita Alessandro , Banchi Emanuele , Biffi Alfredo , di Castri Gianluca , Morelli Rocco
Published: October 2022

Total cost management (TCM) has developed as a systematic approach to managing resources, costs, profitability, and risks throughout the lifecycle of any enterprise, program, facility, project, product or service. However, a number of trends are today creating a new socio-technical scenario, characterized by increasing volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), which is affecting the strategic scope and applicative dimensions of TCM. A logic of sustainability and multi-stakeholder value is increasingly required to account for the competing and multi-dimensional needs of customers, employees, partners, and large stakeholder ecosystems. This article presents a review of cross-disciplinary literature and the use of authors’ engagement and consolidated expertise in the field to drive a group model building process aimed to design a conceptual framework and a research manifesto for the evolving TCM discipline. The study provides a classification of nine major trends and evaluates the impact of those trends on a number of TCM dimensions. Next, a research agenda is showed, including nine trajectories for scholars and practitioners engaged to support the evolution of TCM towards a new idea of systemic value management (SVM). The study advances the current knowledge on value-based and sustainable approaches to management and offers to experts and practitioners a basis to implement innovative development projects in the field of TCM.
Land Use and Soil Type Exert Strongly Interactive Impacts on the pH Buffering Capacity of Acidic Soils in South China
Authors: Yang Jiayue , Wei Hui , Zhang Jiaen , Shi Zhaoji , Li Hongru , Ye Yanqiong , Abdo Ahmed Ibrahim
Published: October 2022

Soil acidification is a severe environmental problem around the world. Soil pH buffering capacity (pHBC) is the intrinsic factor affecting the soil acidification rate and is intensively impacted by anthropogenic and natural conditions. However, composite assessments of the effects of land use and soil type on soil pHBC are still limited. Therefore, we collected samples of five soil types (red soil, lateritic red soil, latosol, paddy soil and acid sulphate soil) from two land use patterns of agricultural and adjacent forest fields at different depths (0–10 cm, 10–20 cm and 20–30 cm) in South China, aiming to investigate the effects of land use and soil type on soil pHBC in this region. The results show that land use, soil type and their interactions greatly influence soil pHBC and physico-chemical properties. Forest soils have a significantly higher pHBC (11.40–49.50 mmol·kg−1 soil·unit−1 pH), cation exchange capacity (CEC), exchangeable Al3+ (EAl3+) and clay content than agricultural soils. Acid sulphate soil has the highest pHBC (49.27–117.83 mmol·kg−1 soil·unit−1 pH) values and exchangeable acid (EA) content among all investigated soil types, whereas lateritic red soil has the lowest pHBC (10.56–31.71 mmol·kg−1 soil·unit−1 pH). In agricultural fields, soil pHBC is positively related to CEC, soil organic carbon (SOC) and EA, indicating that agricultural soils may be in a cation exchange buffering stage. The soil pHBC of forest fields is positively correlated with SOC and EAl3+, implying that forest soils may be in the Al buffering stage. In conclusion, soil pHBC would vary with different land use forms and soil types, in which a series of key complex physico-chemical processes and interactions would occur to regulate soil pH buffering capacity.
A New Measure of the Rogerian Schema of the Good Listener
Authors: Kluger Avraham N. , Borut Limor , Lehmann Michal , Nir Tal , Azoulay Ella , Einy Ofri , Gordoni Galit
Published: October 2022

Sustainable social relationships can be produced by good listening. Good listening may be exhibited by people who endorse Carl Rogers’s schema of good listening; a set of beliefs about what constitutes high-quality listening. To measure it, in Study One, we constructed 46 items. In Study Two, we administered them to 476 participants and discovered three factors: belief that listening can help the speaker, trusting the ability of the speaker to benefit from listening, and endorsing behaviors constituting good listening. These results suggested a reduced 27-item scale. In Study Three, we translated the items to Hebrew and probed some difficulties found in the last factor. In Study Four, we administered this scale in Hebrew to a sample of 50 romantic couples, replicated the factorial structure found in Study Two, and showed that it predicts the partner’s listening experience. In Study Five, we administered this scale to 190 romantic couples, replicated Study Four, and obtained evidence for test–retest reliability and construct validity. In Study Six, we obtained, from the same couples of Study Five, eight months after measuring their listening schema, measures of relationship sustainability—commitment, trust, and resilience. We found that the listening schema of one romantic partner predicts the relationship sustainability reported by the other romantic partner and showed incremental validity over the listener’s self-reported listening. This work contributes to understanding the essence of good listening, its measurement, and its implications for sustainable relationships.
The Influence of the Internet on Regional Economic Development—An Empirical Study Based on China’s Provincial Panel Data
Authors: Wang Yan , Dai Youyu , Wang Zhengyin
Published: October 2022

With the rapid development of the digital economy, the level of Internet development has become increasingly important to the national economy. The development and application of the Internet have brought new impetus to economic development. At present, China’s economic growth is slowing down. Finding new support points to maintain high-quality economic growth has become the focus of current research. Therefore, at the moment of Internet economic development, it is of great significance to study whether the Internet development level can promote economic development, how to promote economic development and the size of its influence on economic development. Based on this, this paper constructs an indicator system for evaluating the Internet development level from four dimensions: Internet popularization level, information infrastructure development level, scientific and cultural development level, and industrial development and application level. With the Internet development level as the core explanatory variable, this paper establishes a fixed effect model based on the Hausman test by analyzing China’s provincial panel data from 2010 to 2019. The research results show that the Internet development level in all regions of China has risen from 2010 to 2019. The Internet development level has a promoting effect on economic growth, and there are regional differences. The promoting effect on the eastern region is higher than that in the central and western regions. The Internet development level has a significantly higher role in promoting the per capital GDP in the eastern region than in the central and western regions. It is expected to provide valuable ideas for the government to fully harness the role of the Internet in promoting economic development.
A Fast and Accurate Obstacle Segmentation Network for Guava-Harvesting Robot via Exploiting Multi-Level Features
Authors: Yao Jiayan , Yu Qianwei , Deng Guangkun , Wu Tianjun , Zheng Delin , Lin Guichao , Zhu Lixue , Huang Peichen
Published: October 2022

Guava fruit is readily concealed by branches, making it difficult for picking robots to rapidly grip. For the robots to plan collision-free paths, it is crucial to segment branches and fruits. This study investigates a fast and accurate obstacle segmentation network for guava-harvesting robots. At first, to extract feature maps of different levels quickly, Mobilenetv2 is used as a backbone. Afterwards, a feature enhancement module is proposed to fuse multi-level features and recalibrate their channels. On the basis of this, a decoder module is developed, which strengthens the connection between each position in the feature maps using a self-attention network, and outputs a dense segmentation map. Experimental results show that in terms of the mean intersection over union, mean pixel accuracy, and frequency weighted intersection over union, the developed network is 1.83%, 1.60% and 0.43% higher than Mobilenetv2-deeplabv3+, and 3.77%, 2.43% and 1.70% higher than Mobilenetv2-PSPnet; our network achieved an inference speed of 45 frames per second and 35.7 billion floating-point operations per second. To sum up, this network can realize fast and accurate semantic segmentation of obstacles, and provide strong technical and theoretical support for picking robots to avoid obstacles.
Comparative Analysis of Dynamic Responses of Different Types of High-Speed Railway Noise Barriers under the Influence of Fluctuating Wind Pressure
Authors: Wu Xiaoping , He Xuanyi , Huang Jie
Published: October 2022

The fluctuating wind pressure generated when a high-speed train passes through the noise barrier will cause deformation and damage to the noise barrier, affecting the safety of train operation and causing serious economic losses. In this paper, a research method for the dynamic response of noise barriers is proposed, and a comparative study of vertical noise barriers and semi-enclosed noise barriers is carried out. The study shows that when trains pass through the noise barrier, the fluctuating wind pressure on the surface of the two different types of noise barriers both exhibit the characteristics of head and tail waves; the time course curve of fluctuating wind pressure has the same change rule, the wind pressure reaches the maximum value at the bottom measuring point, the maximum value of fluctuating wind positive pressure and negative pressure of the semi-closed noise barrier is larger than that of the vertical noise barrier. In terms of natural frequency, the natural frequency range of the vertical noise barrier is 16~85 Hz, and the natural frequency range of the semi-enclosed noise barrier is 3~13 Hz. The natural frequency of the semi-enclosed noise barrier partially coincides with the main frequency of fluctuating wind pressure, which may lead to resonance damage. When the train speed is raised from 200 km/h to 350 km/h, the maximum equivalent force of the semi-enclosed noise barrier reaches 17.21 Mpa, which is much larger than the maximum equivalent force of the vertical noise barrier. At the same time, the displacement of the two noise barriers increases with the height of the noise barrier, and the maximum displacement of the semi-closed noise barrier unit board reaches 3.63 mm, which is much larger than that of the vertical noise barrier unit board.
Assessment of Sand and Glass Industry in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Mahmoud Essam R. I. , Shaharoun Awaluddin Mohamed , Aljabri Abdulrahman , Almohamadi Hamad , Farhan Mohammed
Published: October 2022

Although the economic value of glass products and its importance to the Saudi National Economy is vast, not much information is available about the current state of the art of the industry. Likewise, little information is available about geography, potential sites for mining sand and the sand quality. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by presenting a feasibility study of fabricating normal glass and glass ceramics from Saudi Arabia’s domestically available raw materials. It discusses the current status of the glass industry in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East region. It also gives a brief explanation about the sand topography in Saudi Arabia. In order to determine the feasibility of fabricating glass using these raw materials, experimental data on the fabrication of normal glass and glass ceramics from indigenously available raw materials was obtained and reported as part of the findings of this paper. Firstly, normal transparent glass was able to be fabricated without any apparent large defects using sand collected from the Ar Rayis region in Saudi Arabia. Four nano-sized crystallization catalysts, namely VC, WC, TiC and Y2O3, were added to the constituents of the glass in 3 wt.%. For VC, the crystallization process was limited. The glass ceramics of WC consisted of multi-dimensional edges crystals which covered all the matrix. Gray crystalline whiskers were obtained by addition of TiC. The Y2O3- glass ceramics consisted of multi-directionally rosette crystals. Finally, the microhardness values of the added crystallization catalysts glass ceramics were obtained and found to be much higher compared to normal glass. The results show that glass of high quality can be produced specifically for the Ar Rayis region which would be of interest to researchers, the glass industry personnel and potential investors.
A Systematic Review of the Scientific Literature on Pollutant Removal from Stormwater Runoff from Vacant Urban Lands
Authors: Wang Yang , Yin Hao , Liu Zhiruo , Wang Xinyu
Published: October 2022

Even though the common acknowledgment that vacant urban lands (VUL) can play a positive role in improving stormwater management, little synthesized literature is focused on understanding how VUL can take advantage of different stormwater control measures (SCMs) to advance urban water quality. The project aims to provide urban planners with information on the remediation of vacant lands using urban runoff pollutant removal techniques. To find the most effective removal method, relevant scholarly papers and case studies are reviewed to see what types of vacant land have many urban runoff pollutants and how to effectively remove contaminants from stormwater runoff in the city by SCMs. The results show that previously developed/used land (but now vacant) has been identified as contaminated sites, including prior residential, commercial, industrial, and parking lot land use from urban areas. SCMs are effective management approaches to reduce nonpoint source pollution problems runoff. It is an umbrella concept that can be used to capture nature-based, cost-effective, and eco-friendly treatment technologies and redevelopment strategies that are socially inclusive, economically viable, and with good public acceptance. Among these removal techniques, a bioretention system tends to be effective for removing dissolved and particulate components of heavy metals and phosphorus. Using different plant species and increasing filter media depth has identified the effectiveness of eliminating nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N). A medium with a high hydraulic conductivity covers an existing medium with low hydraulic conductivity, and the result will be a higher and more effective decrease for phosphorus (P) pollutants. In addition, wet ponds were found to be highly effective at removing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, with removal rates as high as 99%. For the removal of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) pollutants, despite the implementation of SCMs in urban areas to remove PFAAs and particulate-related contaminants in stormwater runoff, the current literature has little information on SCMs’ removal of PFAAs. Studies have also found that VUL’s size, shape, and connectivity are significantly inversely correlated with the reduction in stormwater runoff. This paper will help planners and landscape designers make efficient decisions around removing pollutants from VUL stormwater runoff, leading to better use of these spaces.
Computer-Based Scaffolding for Sustainable Project-Based Learning: Impact on High- and Low-Achieving Students
Authors: Peng Jun , Yuan Bei , Sun Meng , Jiang Meilin , Wang Minhong
Published: October 2022

Project-based learning, in which students engage in meaningful learning with authentic projects and building agency and autonomy for sustainable learning, has been increasingly promoted in higher education. However, completing an authentic project involves a complex process, which may pose challenges to many students, especially low-achievers. This study incorporated computer-based scaffolding into a project-based programming course to make complex project learning accessible to students. The scaffolding was designed based on the four-component instructional design (4C/ID) model. The results show that with the support of computer-based scaffolding, all participants maintained a high level of motivation during the course. At the end of the course, their performance was improved by 35.49% in product quality and 38.98% in subject knowledge; their programming thinking skills were improved by 20.91% in problem understanding, 21.86% in modular design, and 25.70% in process design. Despite academic achievement discrepancies among the participants at the beginning of the course, low-achievers’ post-study performance in product quality and programming thinking skills became similar to that of high-achievers, and their post-study performance in subject knowledge became similar to that of medium-achievers. The findings reveal the promising role of computer-based scaffolding in making complex learning with real-world projects accomplishable by a wide range of students and reducing the gaps between high- and low-achieving students.
The Impact of Industrial Green Transformation on Regional Economic Development in China: An Empirical Study Based on Spatial and Threshold Effects
Authors: Gu Xinan , Pan Lingying
Published: October 2022

At present, the high energy consumption, heavy pollution emissions, serious ecological damage and other problems of China’s industry are particularly prominent. Therefore, industrial governance is crucial and it is imperative to carry out industrial green transformation (IGT). Due to the differences in economic development, industrial structure and other aspects, the influence of IGT on different regions’ economic development has not been fully discussed. Using the provincial panel data of China from 2005 to 2019, this paper calculated each region’s IGT by constructing an index system and we discuss its impact on regional economic development, based on the spatial and threshold models. The results show that IGT in the eastern region is significantly higher than in the central and western regions. The IGT has a positive correlation in space and a significant positive spatial spillover effect on regional economic development. Moreover, there is a significant threshold effect of technological innovation in the influence of IGT on regional economic development. When technological innovation is low, the impact of IGT on regional economic development is not significant. As technological innovation rises and finally exceeds the critical point, the IGT will significantly promote regional economic development. This paper provides a scientific analysis and objective conclusions that may help to avoid radical measures in some regions in the process of “green development”.
Nitrogen Availability in Organic Fertilizers from Tannery and Slaughterhouse By-Products
Authors: Rapisarda Salvatore , Di Biase Giampaolo , Mazzon Martina , Ciavatta Claudio , Cavani Luciano
Published: October 2022

Agriculture can play a primary role in the context of nutrients recovery by promoting the use of organic fertilizers (OFs). In order to use them efficiently, it is necessary to predict the nitrogen (N) bioavailability, which is a challenging matter due to the different physical-chemical characteristics of commercially available OFs. This study aims to evaluate hot-water extractable N as a rapid and cheap chemical indicator of bioavailable N. The trial was conducted on nine animal-based OFs obtained from different raw materials and treatment processes. They were fully characterized and the bioavailable N was determined by a 7-week soil incubation experiment. The results showed that hot-water extractable N underestimated bioavailable N in the case of leather meal based OFs; however, a significant linear regression fitting was achieved (R2 = 0.53). The C:N ratio was also assessed, which showed a negative correlation (−0.87) and a better linear regression fitting (R2 = 0.76) with the bioavailable N, but manifested some limitations in the prediction of leather meal based products. This experiment showed that both hot-water extractable N and C:N ratio can provide useful information for farmers in managing this class of OFs.
Effect and Mechanism of Economic Circulation in the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yellow River: Multiregional Input–Output Model and Industrial Complex Network Approaches
Authors: Yin Chong , Cui Yingxin , Liu Yue
Published: October 2022

China has implemented the Yellow River strategy, and the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River (MLYR) play an important role in promoting the sustainable economic growth of China. However, the economic circulation of the MLYR is constricted by the imbalance and heterogeneity in the economy in the regions, and it is necessary to explore how economic circulation and sustainable development in the MLYR can be improved. In this study, based on the multiregional input–output tables for 2012 and 2017, we developed a MLYR multiregional input–output model; applied indicators, such as intraregional multiplier, interregional feedback, and spillover, to measure economic circulation effects; further developed the industrial circular network; and designed indicators of cycle length distribution, average cycle correlation, influence of the industrial cycle, and interactions of the weighted cycle to analyze the industrial circulation mechanism in the MLYR. We also analyzed the spatial and industrial structures of the economic circulation flows. The results show that economic linkages have been strengthened to a certain extent, but the imbalance in economic circulation is still prominent, and the imbalanced circular effects are determined by the characteristics of the cycles in the MLYR. The empirical findings contribute to several aspects of the theory of imbalanced economic development and provide an important perspective on, and feasible path for, achieving economic development. We suggest that policymakers should build a multi-dimensional innovation cooperation system, improve the digital connectivity of regions, and promote the green and low-carbon development of industry and the application of new energy technologies to achieve balanced, common, and sustainable economic development in the MLYR.
COVID-19 Lockdown Stress and the Mental Health of College Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey in China
Authors: Hu Ziao , Li Jun , Pan Ling , Zhang Xiaoying
Published: October 2022

To prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world adopted varying degrees of lockdown. The lockdowns restricted the freedom of college students, which led to stress and mental health issues. This study constructed a mediating model to explore the relationship between COVID-19 lockdown stress and Chinese college students’ mental health; the mediating role of fear of missing out (FoMO) was also investigated. A 7-item COVID-19 student stress questionnaire (CSSQ), a 6-item mental health scale, and a 10-item FoMO scale were distributed among 695 college students who experienced lockdown in China. The results showed that COVID-19 lockdown stress was significantly and negatively correlated with mental health, significantly and positively correlated with FoMO, and FoMO was significantly and negatively correlated with mental health. COVID-19 lockdown stress significantly and negatively influenced Chinese college students’ mental health directly and indirectly via the complementary partial mediating effect of FoMO. The results intensify our comprehension of the influence of COVID-19 lockdown stress and mental health problems in Chinese college students and also provide practical suggestions for college educators to address such scenarios.
Financial Stability and Economic Activity in China: Based on Mixed-Frequency Spillover Method
Authors: Lv Xuan , Li Menggang , Zhang Yingjie
Published: October 2022

To improve financial sustainability and promote economic stability, it is important to understand the intricate relationship between finance and macroeconomy. Thus, focusing on financial stress and macroeconomic sectors, this paper investigates macro-financial spillovers in China. First, we develop a high-frequency financial stress index based on eight daily financial indicators to measure the stability of China’s financial markets. Through event identification, we find that China’s Financial Stress Index can effectively reflect the stress situation of China’s financial market. Then, given that the traditional co-frequency method fails to deal with financial stress index and macroeconomic data with different frequencies, we employ the mixed-frequency spillover method to evaluate macro-financial spillovers to examine the connectedness between China’s financial market and the real side of the economy. We find that financial stress is the leading net risk output and primarily affects the loan sector; deterioration of economic conditions can lead to more apparent fluctuations in spillover effects, with spillovers from financial stress to others being the most susceptible; within the sample, the 2015 stock crash, U.S.–China trade friction, and COVID-19 have the most impact on macro-financial spillover effects. In addition, we track the results of different risk events on spillover effects across sectors.
Effect of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Soil Properties, Growth Yield, and Physiochemical Properties of Sunflower Seeds and Oils
Authors: Alzamel Nurah M. , Taha Eman M. M. , Bakr Abeer A. A. , Loutfy Naglaa
Published: October 2022

Sunflower is the most important source of edible oil and fourth-largest oilseed crop in the world. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using two organic fertilizers from various sources (compost coupled with biofertilizer (CCB), filter mud cake (FMC)) and comparing them to conventional inorganic fertilizers in their effect on the quality of sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, and soil properties. The data showed that the highest value of dry weight, plant height, disk dry weight in addition to chlorophyll content, and phenolic secondary metabolites in oil was measured after the application of inorganic fertilizer, while the use of organic fertilizer contributed to a substantial increase in the production yield of sunflower seeds, oil, and a high stalk yield compared with inorganic treatment. Oils produced from organic fertilizer (CCB and FMC) gave higher blue color values than inorganic ones and the most transparent oil was inorganic while the organic treatments produced darkest oils. The results for chemical composition of sunflower seeds showed nonsignificant differences for protein and ash among all treatments while a significant difference with regard to oil content was recorded, in which the FMC recorded the highest oil content followed by compost (CCB), and finally came the inorganic treatment. Organic fertilizers are a valuable source of organic material and nutrients essential for plants and can be safely used for soil, crops, and the environment.
Effect of Land Use/Cover Change on Soil Wind Erosion in the Yellow River Basin since the 1990s
Authors: Chi Wenfeng , Wang Yuetian , Lou Yuxin , Na Ya , Luo Qiancheng
Published: October 2022

“Ecological conservation and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin” is one of the fundamental national strategies related to national food security and ecological security in China. Evaluating the impact of land use/cover change (LUCC) on soil erosion is valuable to improving regional ecological environments and sustainable development. This study focused on the Yellow River Basin and used remote sensing data, the soil wind erosion modulus (SWEM) calculated with the revised wind erosion equation (RWEQ), to analyze the impact of regional scale LUCC from 1990 to 2018 on soil wind erosion. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) The total area of cultivated land, grass land, and unused land decreased, with a total reduction of 11,038.86 km²; total areas of forest land and built-up areas increased, increased by 2746.61 and 8356.77 km2, respectively, with differences within the region in these LUCC trends at different periods. From 1990 to 2000, the area of cultivated land increased by 1958.36 km2 and built-up land area increased by 1331.90 km2. The areas of forestland, grass land, water area, and unused land decreased. From 2000 to 2010, the area of cultivated land and grass land decreased by 4553.77 and 2351.39 km², respectively, whereas the areas of forestland and built-up land significantly increased. From 2010 to 2018, the area of cultivated land and grass land continued to decrease, and the area of built-up land continued to increase. (2) Since the 1990s, the SWEM has generally declined (Slope1990–2018 = −0.38 t/(ha·a)). Total amount of wind erosion in 2018 decreased by more than 50% compared with the amount in 1990. During this period, the intensity of wind erosion first increased and then decreased. In terms of the SWEM, 90.63% of the study area showed a decrease. (3) From 1990 to 2018, LUCC reduced the total amount of soil wind erosion by 15.57 million tons. From 1990 to 2000, the conversion of grass land/forest land to cultivated land and the expansion of desert resulted in a significant increase in soil wind erosion. From 2000 to 2018, the amount of soil wind erosion decreased at a rate of about 1.22 million tons/year, and the total amount of soil wind erosion decreased by 17.8921 million tons. During this period, the contribution rate of ecological programs (e.g., conversion of cultivated land to forest land and grass land, ecological engineering construction projects, etc.) to reduction of regional soil wind erosion was 59.13%, indicating that ecological programs have a positive role in reducing soil wind erosion intensity. The sustainable development of the ecological environment of the Yellow River Basin should be continued through strengthening ecological restoration and protection, to further consolidate gains made in this fragile ecosystem. This study provides scientific and technological support and relevant policy recommendations for the sustainable development of the Yellow River ecosystem under global change.
Energy and Economic Analysis of Power Generation Using Residual Pressure of a Circulating Cooling Water System
Authors: Wang Peng , Luo Xingqi , Lu Jinling , Xue Qiyao , Gao Jiawei , Chen Senlin
Published: October 2022

With rising energy prices and the intensification of environmental problems, researchers have paid increasing attention to the recovery of the residual pressure energy of the industrial circulating cooling water system (CCWS) in hydraulic turbines. Taking the existing CCWS as the research object, this study analyzes the feasibility of the transformation of the power generation using residual pressure from the perspectives of energy and economy. The energy flow analysis of the system reveals that the hydraulic optimization of the system should be carried out first to obtain the minimum total energy consumption of the pump and the turbine. Then, combined with the advantages of the traditional hydraulic optimization regulation strategy of the water supply network, a synchronous regulation strategy of the pipeline and the pump station is proposed. On the basis of the synchronous regulation strategy of the pipeline and the pump station, this research proposes a method for a comprehensive feasibility analysis of the CCWS’s power generation using residual pressure. Finally, taking a CCWS as an example, the simulation and comparison experiments of four transformations of the power generation using residual pressure are designed. The experiments not only prove the application value of the comprehensive analysis proposed in this research, but also prove the conclusion of the energy flow analysis mentioned above to be correct.
Experimental Study on Prevention and Control of Ground Fissures in Coal Mining Subsidence in Huaibei Plain of China
Authors: Cai Yi , Li Hu , Yan Jiaping , Huang He , Feng Yu , Huang Houxu
Published: October 2022

The purpose of this study was to explore the effective prevention and control method of ground fissures in plain coal mining subsidence. Firstly, the model experiment was carried out, and then two typical working faces, working face A (WFA) and working face B (WFB), in the Huaibei plain mining area were selected for the case study of the moisturization method. Model experimental results show that water content had a significant effect on cohesive soil fissure development, and the results of the case study show that the humidification method could effectively reduce the development degree of ground fissures. Therefore, this study provided a new approach for the effective prevention and control of ground fissures in plain coal mining subsidence.
A Practical Methodology for Building a Municipality-Led Renewable Energy Community: A Photovoltaics-Based Case Study for the Municipality of Hersonissos in Crete, Greece
Authors: Efthymiou Emmanuel N. , Yfanti Sofia , Kyriakarakos George , Zervas Panagiotis L. , Langouranis Panagiotis , Terzis Konstantinos , Stavrakakis George M.
Published: October 2022

This paper presents a practical methodology to facilitate decision-making for the development of a renewable energy community (REC) in the municipality of Hersonissos in Crete, Greece. The impact of energy sharing produced from renewables through direct or indirect citizen participation presents an enormous opportunity to strengthen energy democracy and to alleviate energy poverty. Triggered by the latter being amongst the most essential goals for implementing policies towards low-carbon economies at the local level, the current study presents a step-by-step methodology to facilitate decision-making for building a municipality-led REC. Initially, potential sites and alternative sittings of photovoltaic (PV) plants are explored for detecting the optimal installation with respect to technical and possible legislative restrictions. The best REC business model is then selected based on a SWOT analysis, complemented with a detailed techno-economic analysis of the foreseen investments. According to the design calculations, the optimal PV plants/business-model option that emerged may achieve impressive environmental and economic benefits, i.e., reducing the municipality’s annual electricity-induced CO2 emissions and electricity expenses by at least 68.40% and 594,461.54 €, respectively.
Optimizing Customer Repurchase Intention through Cognitive and Affective Experience: An Insight of Food Delivery Applications
Authors: Riaz Hadiqa , Davidaviciene Vida , Ahmed Hassaan , Meidute-Kavaliauskiene Ieva
Published: October 2022

Mobile food order applications have become a phenomenal disruption in the food delivery industry. Customers demand better and more consistent experiences when making most purchases, including in food choices. Food delivery platforms have also been seen as the most convenient feature for customers during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Although food delivery applications have been widely used, there is only a scarce literature that focuses on the factors that optimize user experience and repurchase intention. The current study attempted to explore customer repurchase intention, driven through cognitive and affective experience, towards food delivery applications. In the current study, we conceptualized and empirically confirmed an integrated model of antecedents for cognitive and affective experience and its influence on application satisfaction and repurchase intention. The model also incorporated situational factors (distance to restaurant and availability of time to visit restaurant) as a moderating variable. To test the proposed model, data were collected from 350 regular users of different food delivery applications. Subsequently, the data were analyzed using partial least square-structural equation modeling where the findings substantially supported the significance of cognitive and affective experience on application satisfaction and repurchase intention towards food delivery applications. In addition, the results of multigroup analysis (MGA) also confirmed the positive impact of situational factors as a moderator between application satisfactions and repurchase intention. The findings of the study provide important insights into how food delivery applications can accelerate cognitive and affective experience and use application satisfaction to encourage repeat buying intention. The results also offer guidance in designing and implementing effective approaches and strategies for food delivery retailers.
Association between Park Visitation and Physical Activity among Adults in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Arifwidodo Sigit D. , Chandrasiri Orana , Rasri Niramon , Sirawarong Wipada , Rattanawichit Panitat , Sangyuan Natsiporn
Published: October 2022

Visiting parks regularly can provide multiple health benefits, including increased physical activity levels. However, empirical evidence connecting park visitation and physical activity in urban settings in Southeast Asia remains scarce. This study explores the association between park visitation and physical activity among adults. A cross-sectional study using a survey questionnaire of 585 respondents in Bangkok, Thailand was conducted. Two binomial logistic regressions (odds ratio = ORs, 95% confidence interval = CI) with park visitation and physical activity level as the dependent variables were employed. We found that park visitation was influenced by individual and neighborhood environment correlates. People with a healthy lifestyle and who lived near parks were more likely to visit parks. We also found that park visitation was a strong predictor of physical activity. People who visited parks were almost four times more likely to meet the 2020 WHO global recommendation for physical activity of 150 min of medium and vigorous physical activity per week. The findings suggested that parks and green spaces are important settings for physical activity. The results of this study can inform policymakers on how to plan and design active environments that are conducive to physical activity and health.