bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Data Storage Optimization Model Based on Improved Simulated Annealing Algorithm
Authors: Wang Qiang , Yu Dong , Zhou Jinyu , Jin Chaowu
Published: May 2023

Since there is a longitudinal and horizontal penetration problem between multi-level data centers in the smart grid information transmission network. Based on the improved Simulated Annealing algorithm, this paper proposes a data storage optimization model for smart grids based on Hadoop architecture. Combining the characteristics of distributed storage in cloud computing, the smart grid data are equivalent to a task-oriented data set. The smart grid information platform is flattened, equal to a collection of multiple distributed data centers. The smart grid data over time were counted to derive the dependencies between task sets and data sets. According to the dependency between task sets and data sets, the mathematical model was established in combination with the actual data transmission of the power grid. The optimal transmission correspondence between each data set and the data center was calculated. An improved Simulated Annealing algorithm solves the longitudinal and horizontal penetration problem between multi-level data centers. When generating a new solution, the Grey Wolf algorithm provides direction for finding the optimal solution. This paper integrated the existing business data and computational storage resources in the smart grid to establish a mathematical model of the affiliation between data centers and data sets. The optimal distribution of the data set was calculated, and the optimally distributed data set was stored in a distributed physical disk. Arithmetic examples were used to analyze the efficiency and stability of several algorithms to verify the improved algorithm’s advantages, and the improved algorithms’ effectiveness was confirmed by simulation.
Perceptions and Patterns of Use of Blue Spaces in Selected European Cities: Tartu, Tallinn, Barcelona, Warsaw and Plymouth
Authors: Wilczyńska Anna , Niin Gloria , Vassiljev Peeter , Myszka Izabela , Bell Simon
Published: May 2023

Urban blue infrastructure is an important component of the urban landscape for ecological, economic, social, and cultural reasons. However, there is a clear research gap in relation to preferences and patterns of use in the context of different blue spaces, considering the citywide context and different cultural and geographical settings. Additionally, when compared to green spaces, the location and morphology of urban blue elements are usually geographically predefined, and it is much less possible to ensure their equitable distribution with respect to population. To fill this gap, we decided to explore the effect of distance from residential areas, the role of water, the level of facilities, and the character of blue spaces in attracting visitors of different demographic characteristics in a sample of different European cities. We used a public participatory geographic information system approach (PPGIS) to collect data about residents’ favourite blue spaces in each city and categorize the most popular of these according to whether they were close to or distant from respondents’ homes. We also categorized the types of blue spaces and the level of facilities present. The results show that certain key blue spaces, such as the seaside or beaches, attract more distant visitors and that the pattern of the blue spaces within the city also affects visitation. There are many differences among the studied cities due to the morphology determined by geography. The usage of blue spaces is very site-specific and should be studied in more detail at the city and place levels, focusing on the different roles of everyday and destination places.
Out-of-the-Box Learning: Digital Escape Rooms as a Metaphor for Breaking Down Barriers in STEM Education
Authors: Sidekerskienė Tatjana , Damaševičius Robertas
Published: May 2023

The traditional lecture-based model of teaching and learning has led to the exploration of innovative approaches including digital escape rooms. Digital escape rooms offer an immersive and engaging experience that promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork, making them a unique opportunity to address the challenges of STEM education, which is often perceived as difficult, boring, and intimidating. In this study, the goal is to explore the application of digital escape rooms as an innovative practice in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) education in Europe. More specifically, the study aims to evaluate the influence of digital escape rooms on student engagement and learning outcomes in mathematics education as well as to provide valuable insights into the efficacy of this approach as a means of teaching mathematics and fostering active and experiential learning in STEAM education. In order to investigate the potential of digital escape rooms as a metaphor for breaking down barriers and escaping from the ”box” in STEM education, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding the pedagogical value of digital escape rooms in STEM education. It outlines the design process, including learning paths and scenarios, storyline, puzzles, challenges, and feedback mechanisms, and presents a concept of escape room design patterns. An example case study of a digital escape room designed to teach mathematics to university students is also presented, providing insights into the effectiveness of this approach. By using digital escape rooms as a metaphor for breaking down barriers in STEM education, a more inclusive, engaging, and impactful learning environment can be created to prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Investigation of the Relationship between Supply and Demand of Ecosystem Services and the Influencing Factors in Resource-Based Cities in China
Authors: Zhao Hu , Li Cheng , Gao Minghui
Published: May 2023

Exploring the coupling coordination degree between supply and demand and its key influencing factors is important for ecological security and socioeconomic sustainable development in resource-based cities. On the basis of measuring the supply and demand of ecosystem services in 125 resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020, we analyzed the matching pattern and coupling coordination degree between supply and demand. The Spearman correlation analysis and quantile regression models were used to explore the impacts of the natural and socioeconomic factors on the coupling coordination degree between supply and demand. The results indicate that the supply and demand of ecosystem services in resource-based cities exhibits obvious spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Cities with a higher ecosystem service demand are mainly located in Eastern China. Cities with a higher ecosystem service supply are mainly concentrated in Western China. The ecosystem service supply decreased, while the demand increased over time. In addition, the coupling coordination degree between supply and demand is low and increased slowly over time. Population density, economic density, construction land, arable land and grassland have significant effects on the supply–demand relationship in resource-based cities. The elasticity coefficients obtained from the quantile regression model imply that the effects are significantly heterogeneous in terms of time and the level of coupling coordination degree.
Impact of Fuel Production Technologies on Energy Consumption and GHG Emissions from Diesel and Electric–Hydrogen Hybrid Buses in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Authors: Padovan Camila , Fagundes Júlia A. G. , D’Agosto Márcio de Almeida , Angelo Ana Carolina M. , Carneiro Pedro J. P.
Published: May 2023

In view of the GHG reduction targets to be met, Brazilian researchers are looking for cleaner alternatives to energy sources. These alternatives are primarily to be applied in the transport sector, which presents high energy consumption, as well as high CO2 emissions. In this sense, this research developed an LCI study considering two bus alternatives for the city of Rio de Janeiro: diesel-powered internal combustion buses (ICEB) and a hydrogen-powered polymer fuel cell hybrid bus (FCHB). For the FCHB, three hydrogen production methods were also included: water electrolysis (WE), ethanol steam reforming (ESR) and natural gas steam reforming (NGSR). The research was aimed at estimating energy consumption, including the percentage of energy that is renewable, as well as CO2 emissions. The results show diesel as the energy source with the highest emissions as well as the highest fossil energy consumption. Regarding the alternatives for hydrogen production, water electrolysis stood out with the lowest emissions.
Energy-Based Evaluation on Soil–Structure-Interaction-Related Damping of Inelastic Bridge Pier Structure Subjected to Pulse-like Velocity Ground Motion
Authors: Chao Kuo-Hung , Sung Yu-Chi , Liu Xiao-Qin , Su Chin-Kuo
Published: May 2023

This study proposed a procedure of using the energy method to evaluate the SSI-related damping effect when the soil–structure interaction (SSI) was considered in a bridge pier system, which can thus be deemed a soil–foundation–superstructure (SFS) inelastic system. Firstly, the SSI is implemented by adopting a discrete-time recursive filter approach as well as frequency-dependent foundation–soil impedance functions to solve for the external soil forces exerted onto the foundation. Then, by integrating such external soil forces into the motion equations of the SSI-based SFS system, the energy equations can be formulated during the ground motions. To demonstrate the proposed procedure, an implementation study involving a bridge pier was carried out, considering two earthquake recordings. The resultant energy quantities and SSI-related damping ratio shed light on how the aspects of earthquake characteristics affected the energy dissipation mechanism of the bridge pier SSI-based SFS system. This proposed procedure renders a promising solution for quantifying the soil role in the seismic energy dissipation of arbitrary single- and multiple-degree-of-freedom systems considering the SSI effect. The results obtained show that the SSI effect was suppressed when the SFS system underwent near-fault earthquakes, which illustrated that the stiffness and damping contribution from the soil was not pronounced. Furthermore, near-fault earthquakes with large incremental velocities may lead to a low SSI-related damping ratio (SSIDR).
Stakeholders’ Perceptions of the Vocational Competences Acquired by Students Enrolled in Accounting Master’s Programmes in Romania
Authors: Bunea Ștefan , Guinea Flavius-Andrei
Published: May 2023

The objective of this research was to analyse the differences in stakeholders’ perceptions of the vocational competences acquired by students enrolled in master’s programmes for preparing future accounting professionals in Romania. We collected rich information on twelve master’s programmes at the four biggest universities in Romania. We proposed two indicators for the comparative analysis: the integration index (INTINDEX) and convergence index (CONVINDEX). We expected very specialised programmes focused on several competences necessary for certain professional certifications to have a lower integration level than general programmes aimed at making students familiar with various professional services they may further provide for the labour market. A low level of convergence was expected for the disciplines providing vocational rather than technical competences. The qualitative analysis of the syllabi pertaining to the disciplines studied helped us establish the existence of provisions concerning vocational competences. Two surveys were conducted (among students and educators). We applied Howcroft’s model (2017) to identify the differences in the stakeholders’ perceptions. For a deeper understanding of different perceptions, we conducted interviews with students, educators and employers. Our results may have a series of positive implications for the academic environment, the business environment and professional bodies. This study brings forward evidence that may be used by students when making decisions such as pursuing a career in accounting, or may be used to improve the educational process to train the youth who meet employers’ needs and continue their professional training within professional bodies.
A Comprehensive Analysis of Clustering Public Utility Bus Passenger’s Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Utilization of Machine Learning with Metaheuristic Algorithm
Authors: Cahigas Maela Madel L. , Zulvia Ferani E. , Ong Ardvin Kester S. , Prasetyo Yogi Tri
Published: May 2023

Public utility bus (PUB) systems and passenger behaviors drastically changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the clustered behavior of 505 PUB passengers using feature selection, K-means clustering, and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The wrapper method was seen to be the best among the six feature selection techniques through recursive feature selection with a 90% training set and a 10% testing set. It was revealed that this technique produced 26 optimal feature subsets. These features were then fed into K-means clustering and PSO to find PUB passengers’ clusters. The algorithm was tested using 12 different parameter settings to find the best outcome. As a result, the optimal parameter combination produced 23 clusters. Utilizing the Pareto analysis, the study only considered the vital clusters. Specifically, five vital clusters were found to have comprehensive similarities in demographics and feature responses. The PUB stakeholders could use the cluster findings as a benchmark to improve the current system.
Assessment of Electric Two-Wheelers Development in Establishing a National E-Mobility Roadmap to Promote Sustainable Transport in Vietnam
Authors: Hiep Dinh Van , Tran Nam Hoai , Tuan Nguyen Anh , Hung Tran Manh , Duc Ngo Viet , Tung Hoang
Published: May 2023

Faced with increasing environmental pollution due to traffic concentration in big cities, Vietnam, as well as many countries worldwide, has encouraged its people to use environmentally-friendly vehicles. Because the transport mode is dominated by two-wheelers (i.e., motorcycles and mopeds) (2Ws), electrifying 2Ws has the potential for significant air pollution reductions as an alternative to gasoline-powered vehicles in Vietnam. Therefore, there has recently been an increasing trend of shifting from traditional gasoline two-wheeler vehicles to electric two-wheelers (E2Ws). Depending on different local contexts, some countries/regions quickly adopted the policies/incentives, and new technologies for E2W usage, while others acted more slowly. In order to advance the use of E2Ws in Vietnam, assessing E2W user preferences is essential to classify and prioritize further solutions, which would be instrumental in fulfilling user expectations. However, a few academic works pay attention to this field of the Vietnamese E2W market. In response to this research gap, this paper aims to overview the current status of E2W usage, assess the market development of E2Ws, and evaluate the battery charging business models in Vietnam. The questionnaire survey was carried out to evaluate the preferences of E2W users in the Vietnamese market, while the assessment of E2W development was conducted based on the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis. The results demonstrated that E2W deployment is still at an exploratory stage in the transportation industry and is growing significantly in Vietnam. This study also revealed significant challenges for E2W adoption, especially the E2W battery charging/swapping system. Thus, it is recommended that incentives for E2W uptake and the battery charging infrastructure system should be improved and implemented. The evaluation of E2W perceptions in the three-city context is realized as exploratory, generating the baseline for further research when the survey can engage more respondents in other places to confirm the current research findings. The study can also assist policymakers and investors in comprehensively assessing the opportunities and challenges and provide recommendations for accelerating the growth of E2Ws in Vietnam for establishing a national e-mobility roadmap and thereby promoting sustainable transport in alignment with the COP26.
Behavioral Science and Education for Sustainable Development: Towards Metacognitive Competency
Authors: Hanisch Susan , Eirdosh Dustin
Published: May 2023

Behavioral science is increasingly considered foundational for addressing various sustainable development challenges. Behavioral change and action competence have also become important goals in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), complementing and interacting with other educational goals such as the development of sustainability-relevant knowledge, skills, values, and attitudes. We argue that these interconnected learning goals of ESD can be advanced by integrating interdisciplinary behavioral science concepts, methods, and insights into the design of curricula, learning environments, and processes for participatory whole-school approaches. Specifically, we highlight the role of metacognitive competency in self-directed individual and collective behavior change and we present our educational design concept for teaching human behavior as an interdisciplinary theme in ESD.
Do Financial Investment, Disciplinary Differences, and Level of Development Impact on the Efficiency of Resource Allocation in Higher Education: Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Biao , Chen Yan , Qu Xianghua , Huang Wanyu , Wang Panyu
Published: May 2023

Optimizing the allocation of university resources to improve the efficiency of inputs and outputs is an important issue for the high-quality development of universities. In recent years, China has become an important growth pole for the development of global higher education. In particular, Chinese agricultural universities, with their distinctive disciplinary characteristics and outstanding professional advantages, have made important contributions to the sustainable development of agricultural education around the world. In contrast, academic research on the efficiency of resource allocation in Chinese agricultural universities is very limited. To fill this gap, this study was guided by econometrics and took high-level agricultural universities in China as the research object to measure the effects of financial investment, disciplinary differences, and development level on the level of resource allocation efficiency of universities. With the help of a data envelopment model (DEA) and a Malmquist index decomposition model, we found that the overall level of resource allocation efficiency in the sample universities was high, but there were great disparities in resource input–output effectiveness between universities. In many universities, marginal inputs exceeded marginal outputs, resulting in input redundancy and resource wastage. In addition, this study shows that for high-level agricultural universities, the regression of capital input technology is preventing a sustained increase in productivity, which places the total factor productivity of resource allocation in a diminishing state.
Fine–Scale Spatiotemporal Distribution Assessment of Indoor Population Based on Single Buildings: A Case in Dongcheng Subdistrict, Xichang, China
Authors: Wei Benyong , Hu Bin , Qi Wenhua
Published: May 2023

Population exposure is an important element of disaster loss assessment. High–resolution spatiotemporal distribution assessment of population exposure could improve disaster preparation and reduce the risk. This study proposed a model for assessing the spatiotemporal distribution of indoor people at the scale of single buildings by distinguishing the differences in people densities for various functional buildings. The empirical study results in the Dongcheng Subdistrict, Xichang City, China, showed that this method could determine the indoor population change in different single buildings at different times of day and map fine–scale spatiotemporal distribution of the regional indoor population. Due to the difference in the use function of buildings and human activities, the distribution of indoor populations in different functional buildings changes significantly during the day. Compared with the spatiotemporal changes in the indoor population on non–weekdays, the changes were more obvious on weekdays. The change in indoor population exposure during the daytime is significantly stronger than that at night. The results could provide an important reference for regional disaster preparedness and post–disaster emergency rescue.
Searching for Dependencies between Business Strategies and Innovation Outputs in Manufacturing: An Analysis Based on CIS
Authors: Pangsy-Kania Sylwia , Golejewska Anna , Wierzbicka Katarzyna , Mosionek-Schweda Magdalena
Published: May 2023

A modern enterprise can use changes in its environment as an opportunity to create new products and services, constituting a competitive advantage. This ability is in turn determined by its adopted business strategy. The aim of this study is an attempt to find the relationship between business strategies used in industrial enterprises and their effects in the form of various types of innovations. Our research covered innovative manufacturing companies from selected EU member states and Turkey. Two research hypotheses were formulated: H1: The importance of business strategies to innovative companies is different between countries. H2: The clusters identified are not homogeneous in terms of the innovation outputs achieved by the companies. Our analyses are based on data derived from the CIS 2018 for the period of 2016–2018. To verify these hypotheses, statistical methods were used, including a cluster analysis. The results of the analysis indicate that the manufacturing companies in the surveyed countries apply various combinations of business strategies, which may translate into results in terms of innovation. Business process innovations are dominated by new or improved methods for producing goods or providing services.
Utilization of Sludge from African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Recirculating Aquaculture Systems for Vermifiltration
Authors: Klein Jan , Schüch Andrea , Sandmann Phillip , Nelles Michael , Palm Harry Wilhelm , Bischoff Adrian
Published: May 2023

Vermifiltration is a low-energy and low-cost option to reduce the environmental impact of aquaculture. A comparative study was performed for two different stocking densities of the epigeic worm Dendrobaena veneta (Michaelsen, 1890, Annelida: Oligochaeta), which were fed with sediment sludge from African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822), recirculation aquaculture systems (RAS). The intensive (I) and extensive (E) systems were stocked with 15 and 10 g of worm/L filter substrate, respectively, and were compared with a control (C) for four weeks. The total weight gain was 9.4–13.5% for (I) and 13.8–19.5% for (E), with low mortality rates of 3.46–5.84% (I) and 3.57–5.19% (E). The temperature inside the vermifilters was slightly higher than that in the control, indicating a favorable milieu for microbial activity. The worms supported the pH buffering capacity in the systems, with the effluent reaching 7.10 ± 0.02 (I) and 7.26 ± 0.04 (E) at the end of the experiment while the pH in the (C) was significantly higher (7.51 ± 0.05). The removal rates were 68.02–98.84% (I), 71.85–98.67% (E), and 72.80–98.68% (C) for the total nitrogen bound (TNb); 82.77–96.64% (I), 81.65–94.84% (E), and 77.79–94.74% (C) for the total organic carbon (TOC); and 50.43–97.51% (I), 50.89–96.84% (E), and 48.23–96.34% (C) for the chemical oxygen demand (COD). By utilizing the sludge as feed, the worms and associated microbiota significantly altered the African catfish sediments, removing organic loads, upgrading the composition, and reducing the possible environmental impacts.
Examining the Purchase Intentions of Indonesian Investors for Green Sukuk
Authors: Faisal Yudi Ahmad , Gunawan Indra , Cupian  , Hayati Amelia , Apriliadi Ardi , Fajri Muhammad
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of functional, social, emotional, religious, and knowledge values on customers’ intentions to purchase green sukuk (Islamic bonds) products. This study employs the Theory of Consumption Value (TCV) and analyzes data from a sample of 300 respondents using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM). The results suggest that these values significantly influence the choice to purchase the products. The study is limited to the western area of Indonesia, one of the most populated and dominated economic powers in the country, and focuses specifically on green sukuk using TCV. Nevertheless, it provides valuable insights for understanding the determinants that stimulate potential investors in purchasing green financial products in Islamic finance industry, which has emerged as an important element in the country’s economic engines.
Prediction of Ship Trajectory in Nearby Port Waters Based on Attention Mechanism Model
Authors: Jiang Junhao , Zuo Yi
Published: May 2023

In recent years, the prediction of ship trajectory based on automatic identification system (AIS) data has become an important area of research. Among the existing studies, most focus on a single ship to extract features and train models for trajectory prediction. However, in a real situation, AIS contains a variety of ships and trajectories that need a general model to serve various cases. Therefore, in this paper, we include an attentional mechanism to train a multi-trajectory prediction model. There are three major processes in our model. Firstly, we improve the traditional density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) algorithm and apply it to trajectory clustering. According to the clustering process, ship trajectories can be automatically separated by groups. Secondly, we propose a feature extraction method based on a hierarchical clustering method for a trajectory group. According to the extraction process, typical trajectories can be obtained for individual groups. Thirdly, we propose a multi-trajectory prediction model based on an attentional mechanism. The proposed model was trained using typical trajectories and tested using original trajectories. In the experiments, we chose nearby port waters as the target, which contain various ships and trajectories, to validate our model. The experimental results show that the mean absolute errors (MAEs) of the model in longitude (°) and latitude (°) compared with the baseline methods were reduced by 8.69% and 6.12%.
Evaluation of Biochar as an Additive in the Co-Composting of Green Waste and Food Waste
Authors: Parra-Orobio Brayan , Soto-Paz Jonathan , Hernández-Cruz Jhon , Gómez-Herreño Martha , Domínguez-Rivera Isabel , Oviedo-Ocaña Edgar
Published: May 2023

Green waste (GW) represents 11% of municipal solid waste. Managing this waste is challenging due to its physicochemical variability, low density, and presence of hard-to-degrade lignocellulosic compounds. Composting is an alternative for GW transformation and valorization. However, due to the substrate characteristics, processing times are long, and the end product typically does not meet quality standards. Incorporating additives and co-substrates are operational strategies that contribute to overcoming these challenges. An essential step is the determination of a mixture’s composition that ensures synergistic effects on the process and end-product quality. This research assessed the effect of adding biochar (Bch) in the co-composting of GW and food waste (FW). A previously studied co-composting mixture (M) of GW, raw and processed FW, sawdust (Sd), and phosphoric rock (Pr) with four treatments by duplicate were assessed at the pilot scale: T1: 100% GW, T2: M1, T3: M2 + 2% Bch, y T4: M3 + 5% Bch. The results show that Bch treatments maintained the range of thermophilic temperatures for longer than the other two treatments (between four and five additional days), showing greater biological activity and better end-product hygienization. Likewise, in the Bch treatments, the hemicellulose and cellulose degradation improved compared to treatments without Bch by 33.9% and 23.3%, respectively, and nitrogen losses were reduced by up to 70%. Regarding the end product, adding a 2% dose of Bch allowed the highest fertility index compared to the other three treatments, showing its potential for agricultural use. This work demonstrates that adding biochar to FW and GW co-composting improves organic matter degradation rates, lignocellulosic degradation, and end-product quality.
The Non-Linear Impact of the Digital Economy on Carbon Emissions Based on a Mediated Effects Model
Authors: Lei Xiaoying , Ma Yifei , Ke Jinkai , Zhang Caihong
Published: May 2023

In an increasingly digital age, studying how the digital economy affects carbon emissions is important for China’s dual carbon goals. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces and regions in China from 2012 to 2020, the impact of the digital economy on carbon emissions in China and the mechanism of its effect are empirically analyzed. This study reveals that the digital economy has an inverted U-shaped impact on China’s carbon emissions. Initially, it promotes carbon emissions but later inhibits them. The carbon emission reduction effect is more significant after the digital economy reaches the inflection point of the inverted U-shape in the more economically developed regions. Energy structure and energy use efficiency are the two key factors through which the digital economy affects China’s carbon emissions. Among them, the digital economy shows an inverted U-shaped effect on energy structure, which is first positive and then negative, and a positive U-shaped effect on energy use efficiency, which is first negative and then positive. Based on the above findings, this paper suggests that: First, to achieve peak carbon and carbon neutrality, the digital economy needs to be strengthened and the foundations of the digital economy need to be consolidated. Second, the digital transformation of the energy sector should be accelerated, and digitalization should lead to the low-carbon energy transformation. Finally, in the process of developing the digital economy, attention should be paid to the rebound in energy consumption caused by a large number of basic digital facilities, and the low-carbon integration of the digital economy and traditional industries is of great significance in reducing carbon emissions.
Environmental Impact of the Recycling of Ni-Co-Containing Saggars—A LCA Case Study in China
Authors: Li Zehong , Sun Zhenhua , Zhang Wenbiao , Li Shaopeng
Published: May 2023

Scrapped saggars, used for the calcination of the cathode materials of lithium-ion batteries, contain large amounts of nickel, cobalt and manganese compounds, which have high economic value and significance to the ecological environment if recycled. This paper uses the life cycle assessment method to evaluate the environmental impact of the recycling process, compares its impact intensity with that of the direct disposal of Ni-Co-containing saggars and the production of corresponding products with alternative processes, and then compares the impact of each process. Sensitivity analysis of each material input and output item is carried out to find whether the input or output item that has a greater impact on the environment. The results show the following: (1) the environmental impact of the recovery of Ni-Co-containing saggars is much lower than that of equivalent products produced by alternative production methods, and the weighted person equivalent is only 14.5% of the alternative process; (2) from the perspective of processes, the crystallization and leaching processes demonstrate the greatest impact; and (3) among all input and output items, the sulfuric acid input in the reduction and leaching process, the potassium carbonate and steam input in the crystallization process, the potassium carbonate and potassium hydroxide input in the cascade separation process, and the ammonia input in the purification process are the items with the greatest environmental impact, accounting for 86.05% of the overall environmental impact sensitivity and becoming the focus of future process improvement.
The Influence of Passenger Car Banning Policies on Modal Shifts: Rotterdam’s Case Study
Authors: Attia Maha , Alade Taslim , Attia Shady
Published: May 2023

Low-emission zones (LEZs), incentivizing electric cars, park-and-ride systems, and other traffic reduction schemes, are all single measures aimed at achieving low-/zero-emission mobility. This paper aims to investigate the impact of LEZs’ passenger car banning and argues that such single measures cannot achieve significant traffic or emission reduction levels without being integrated into a well-designed policy package that ensures the sufficient provision of mobility alternatives. Featuring Rotterdam as a single case study, this paper follows a mixed methodology consisting of (1) quantitative real-time data on transport usage that mirror the users’ behavior and (2) qualitative data acquired from in-depth interviews and documents that explain the government’s intention and the users’ behavior. The results show that between 2016 and 2020, after applying the LEZ policy for restricting passenger cars and vans of Euro 3 and lower, there was a 50% decrease in the number of polluting passenger cars and vans entering Rotterdam. However, this decrease is insignificant, since the number of vehicles targeted by the policy was less than 2% of the overall vehicles that entered the LEZ area. The results also shed light on the role of systematic policy packaging in ensuring a change in user behavior. Among other initiatives, a successful LEZ implantation should be supported by inner-city parking reduction, electric vehicle charging facilities, incentive schemes, and alternative sustainable mobility options. Above all, the number of restricted vehicles must be significant. The conclusion and discussion develop a well-structured, educational, evaluative framework and recommend a comprehensive package of policy measures for cities seeking low-emission mobility. The research, however, did not consider the impact of different land-use distributions on the application of the LEZ, which can be an interesting angle for future researchers.
Assessing Public Acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles for Smart and Sustainable Public Transportation in Urban Areas: A Case Study of Jakarta, Indonesia
Authors: Sitinjak Charli , Tahir Zurinah , Toriman Mohd Ekhwan , Lyndon Novel , Simic Vladimir , Musselwhite Charles , Simanullang Wiyanti Fransisca , Hamzah Firdaus Mohamad
Published: May 2023

This study examines the benefits and drawbacks of autonomous public transit vehicles among 210 Indonesians. Some 25% of respondents knew nothing about driverless vehicles, whereas 14% did. The average 5-point Likert scale response was 3.12 (SD = 1.05), indicating intermediate expertise. Some 42% of respondents used autonomous vehicle sources such as public transport, 47% had no experience, and 11% were doubtful. The survey items’ Cronbach’s alpha score is 0.873, indicating strong internal consistency and reliability. Most respondents supported the deployment of autonomous road vehicles for public transportation and said they would improve public transportation quality and accessibility. Technical issues and legal liabilities worried responders. The mean scores for the seven autonomous car benefits were similar, showing that respondents did not strongly prefer any benefit. After assessing the socioeconomic status and concerns, the study indicated that people who saw greater benefits were more tolerant of autonomous vehicles. Most respondents also wanted a clearer explanation of their legal responsibilities in case of an accident, thought human operators should play a major role in the future, and supported government trials of autonomous vehicles before their widespread usage. The study’s findings can help policymakers and stakeholders increase public acceptance of new transportation solutions such as autonomous vehicles, and improve future mobility safety and sustainability.
Reptile Bushmeat, an Alternative for the Supply of High Biological Value Proteins?
Authors: Mazaratti Micaela R. , Valli Florencia E. , Pierini Sofía E. , Simoncini Melina S. , Piña Carlos I. , González Marcela A. , Leiva Pamela M. L.
Published: May 2023

The sustainable use of wildlife is considered a tool for conservation in addition to generating benefits for the local population. Commercial reptile hunting targets skins, generating other by-products such as meat and fat. Meat from hunted reptiles is widely available in localities where management plans are in place and is evaluated as easily accessible for hunters and their families. The objective of our research was to evaluate the percent composition, protein composition and microbiological quality of black and white tegu and yellow anaconda meat. For this study, we obtained meat samples of both species from wild specimens. The composition of both meats showed a proportion of moisture greater than 70%, a good proportion of protein (around 20%) and a low proportion of intramuscular fat (<2%). In the meat of black and white tegu, we found all of the essential amino acids in the recommended proportions, while the meat of yellow anaconda tryptophan did not reach the recommended levels to meet adult requirements. Both meats had good microbiological quality and were free from pathogenic bacteria. The results obtained reveal distinctive nutritional qualities of the meats analyzed, which can be recommended as an alternative and/or complementary source of good quality protein for human consumption.
Green Policymaking in Japanese Municipalities: An Empirical Study on External and Internal Contextual Factors
Authors: Couckuyt Dries , Arimura Toshi H. , Miyamoto Takuro , Yajima Naonari
Published: May 2023

This article examines the establishment and publication of green plans and green public procurement (GPP) policies in Japanese municipalities. The purpose of the study was to investigate these green policymaking initiatives from a contingency theory perspective. The first research question examined contextual factors for green policymaking. The second research question focused on barriers and enablers. For RQ1, through hypothesis testing and a regression analysis (n = 1663), we found that green policymaking differs by organization location, organization size, and organizational green capabilities. More specifically, we identified prefectures where municipalities score relatively higher as well as lower. Second, we found that larger (vs. smaller) municipalities undertake more (vs. less) green policymaking initiatives. Third, we observed that organizations with more (vs. less) green capabilities develop more (vs. less) green initiatives. For RQ2, through a descriptive and cluster analysis, we identified dominant barriers and enablers to establishing a GPP policy. The dominant barriers include a lack of information, lack of staff, and cost concerns, whereas manuals and example forms are important enablers. These findings are highly relevant to understanding and supporting green policymaking in Japanese municipalities.
Can the Digital Economy Improve the Level of High-Quality Financial Development? Evidence from China
Authors: Zhou Hao , Li Xinyi , Li Xiaoli
Published: May 2023

Background: High-quality development has permeated all aspects of China’s economic and social development. Nevertheless, few scholars have studied high-quality financial development. Purpose: Explore the spatial spillover impact of the digital economy on high-quality financial development by adding a spatial dimension to existing studies. Methods: We construct a high-quality financial development indicator system and explore the digital economy’s impact on high-quality financial development through the spatial Durbin model. Results: The digital economy helps promote high-quality financial development with spatial spillover and feedback effects. Control variables, such as the number of employees and the degree of openness, contribute to high-quality financial development. Conclusions: The digital economy contributes significantly to high-quality financial development.
Performance of Equity Investments in Sustainable Environmental Markets
Authors: Gurrib Ikhlaas , Kamalov Firuz , Starkova Olga , Makki Adham , Mirchandani Anita , Gupta Namrata
Published: May 2023

Despite a significant increase in global clean energy investments, as part of the decarbonization process, it remains insufficient to meet the demand for energy services in a sustainable manner. This study investigates the performance of sustainable energy equity investments, with focus on environmental markets, using monthly equity index data from 31 August 2009 to 30 December 2022. The main contributions of our study are (i) assessment of the performance of trading strategies based on the trend, momentum, and volatility of Environmental Opportunities (EO) and Environmental Technologies (ET) equity indices; and (ii) comparison of the performance of sustainable equity index investments to fossil fuel-based and major global equity indices. Market performance evaluation based on technical analysis tools such as the Relative Strength Index (RSI), Moving Averages, and Average True Range (ATR) is captured through the Sharpe and the Sharpe per trade. The analysis is divided according to regional, sector, and global EO indices, fossil fuel-based indices, and the key global stock market indices. Our findings reveal that a momentum-based strategy performed best for the MSCI Global Alternative Energy index with the highest excess return per unit of risk, followed by the fossil fuel-based indices. A trend-based strategy worked best for the MSCI Global Alternative Energy and EO 100 indices. The use of volatility-based information yielded the highest Sharpe ratio for EO Europe, followed by the Oil and Gas Exploration and Production industry, and MSCI Global Alternative Energy. We further find that a trader relying on a system which simultaneously provides momentum, trend, or volatility information would yield positive returns only for the MSCI Global Alternative Energy, the S&P Oil and Exploration and Production industry, NYSE Arca Oil, and FTSE 100 indices. Overall, despite the superior performance of the MSCI Global Alternative Energy index when using momentum and trend strategies, most region and sector EOs performed poorly compared to fossil fuel-based indices. The results suggest that the existing crude oil prices continue to allow fossil fuel-based equity investments to outperform most environmentally sustainable equity investments. These findings support that sustainable investments, on average, have yet to demonstrate consistent superior performance over non-renewable energy investments which demonstrates the need for continued, rigorous, and accommodating regulatory policy actions from government bodies in order to reorient significant capital flows towards sustainable equity investments.
Transaction Costs in Agri-Environment-Climate Measures: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Espinosa Diaz Salomon , Riccioli Francesco , Di Iacovo Francesco , Moruzzo Roberta
Published: May 2023

Agri-environment-climate measures (AECMs) represent a transaction of ecological capital between the government as the buyer of the agri-environmental goods and services produced in the farmland and the farmer as the seller. As such, they involve transaction costs (TC) that serve to safeguard the transaction from opportunistic behavior, problems related measurement, and other risks that can occur in the contractual relationship. These costs are an important factor in the design and implementation of any policy. However, analyzing TC is not easy. Several definitions have been proposed, and different strategies have been used to measure these costs. Despite a growing interest in this topic, research addressing the analysis of TC in AECMs has been rather scarce and lacking a systematic approach to make the different studies comparable and their results generalizable. This review article aims to provide a detailed overview of the current state of research related to the analysis of TC in AECMs by exploring the differences in methodological approaches, objectives, and scope among the most relevant studies available and by summarizing their most significant findings. It was observed that there are differences across the studies linked to their objectives in terms of the geographical context in which they are implemented, the actors involved in the program, and the objectives aimed toward in their analysis. However, the sharpest difference observed across these studies is linked to their methodological approach, which in most cases is focused on quantitative analysis. Most of these studies observed a significant variation in the magnitude and determinants of TC across different AECMs, which often depended on the characteristics of the schemes and the institutional environment in which they were implemented, as well as factors linked to specific characteristics of the farmer and/or their farming business.
Improved Fracture Surface Analysis of Anticline Rocky Slopes Using a Modified AGA Approach: Feasibility and Effectiveness Evaluation
Authors: Xiao Yan , Li Dongchen , Huang Can , Ding Bosong , Wang You
Published: May 2023

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a modified adaptive genetic algorithm (AGA) with Universal Distinct Element Code (UDEC) simulation in analyzing fracture surface feature points of an anticline rocky slope. Using coordinate data from 30 fracture surface feature points, the traditional GA and modified AGA methods were compared, with the mean value of the normalized Mahalanobis distance indicating the reliability of the results. The study found that the modified AGA approach with UDEC had a significantly smaller mean value of normalized Mahalanobis distance than the traditional GA approach, demonstrating its higher accuracy and reliability in analyzing the fracture surface feature points of the rocky slope. Additionally, the research found that the location of the fracture surface of the anticline rocky slope is closely related to the inhomogeneous bulk density caused by weathering. These findings contribute to sustainability efforts by improving our understanding of the behavior of rocky slopes, informing better land management and infrastructure planning, and reducing uncertainties in predicting the behavior of rocky slopes for more sustainable infrastructure development and land management practices.
Load-Settlement Characteristics of Stone Column Reinforced Soft Marine Clay Deposit: Combined Field and Numerical Studies
Authors: Basack Sudip , Nimbalkar Sanjay
Published: May 2023

Foundations supporting infrastructure built on soft and compressible marine soil are unlikely to sustain due to possibility of undrained shear failure or excessive settlement of the supporting soil. This necessitates the importance of implementing an adequate ground improvement strategy. Among different techniques, soft soil reinforcing by the installation of stone columns is one of the most successful methods in terms of long-term stability of foundations. To investigate the load-settlement characteristics of such reinforced soil, a group of closely spaced stone columns was constructed at a location along the eastern coast of Australia. The site geology revealed thick layers of soft, compressible marine clay deposit. These stone columns were loaded by constructing earthen embankment and the resulting load-settlement characteristics were measured by an array of sensors. A two-dimensional plane strain analysis was performed using finite element modeling simulations. Comparison of numerical results with the field data demonstrated accuracy of the numerical model. Additional studies were carried out to investigate the efficiency of the model. This paper integrates the new findings from the full-scale field study and advanced numerical simulations while drawing pertinent conclusions.