bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Study of the Sustainable Development of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Indigenous Peoples’ Diets—Take the Protection of Geographical Indications as an Example
Authors: Ma Teng-Fei , Chai Chang-Wei , Chao Tseng-Wei
Published: October 2022

From the perspective of geographical indications, this article introduces the methods used by the geographical indication system to protect indigenous peoples’ diets as an intangible part of their cultural heritage. By collecting and analyzing the data of the five major intellectual property offices of the world, we can understand the protection status of the intangible cultural heritage of indigenous peoples’ diets. Difficulties and controversies in the protection of food-related intangible cultural heritage geographical indications; the solution method is based on an in-depth understanding of development strategies, and four suggestions are provided; finally, the self-check sheet for the protection of indigenous peoples’ dietary intangible cultural heritage geographical indications is supplemented. Combining the questionnaire surveys and field visits, the conclusions are: The protection of indigenous peoples’ food culture is not a deliberate attempt at preserving traditions, but instead the market demand that is most directly oriented to the times and food; while protecting indigenous peoples’ food culture through geographical indications, revitalizing the inheritance and development of community food culture; giving more rights to the indigenous peoples, and providing a good legal protection environment for the inheritance, dissemination and innovation of intangible cultural food heritage; give full play to the potential of geographical indications and their associated benefits.
Resilient and Sustainability Analysis of Flexible Supporting Structure of Expansive Soil Slope
Authors: Zhang Rui , Tang Panxuan , Lan Tian , Liu Zhaojing , Ling Shiguang
Published: October 2022

In order to improve the ability of the flexible support structure to resist, recover and adapt to the failure of expansive soil slope, it is necessary to analyze and study its structural resilience systematically. Based on the long-term field monitoring test of expansive soil slope with flexible support along the south line of the Guinan key project, combined with the whole life cycle assessment (LCA), this paper discusses the theory and method of resilient design of expansive soil slope with a flexible support structure. The results show that the variation trend of geogrid strain is basically consistent with that of soil pressure at the side of the slope. It increases gradually with the increase in rainfall in the rainy season. When the rainfall decreases significantly in the dry season, the geogrid will shrink accordingly to realize the periodic regulation of lateral deformation of expansive soil. The life cycle assessment analysis shows that the carbon emission of the flexible support structure is 10% of that of the rigid support structure, and the resource and energy consumption of the flexible support structure is about 50% lower than that of the rigid support structure.
Blockchain-Based Anti-Counterfeiting Management System for Traceable Luxury Products
Authors: Chen Chin-Ling , Guo Long-Hui , Zhou Ming , Tsaur Woei-Jiunn , Sun Hongyu , Zhan Wanbing , Deng Yong-Yuan , Li Chun-Ta
Published: October 2022

In recent years, counterfeit luxury products have become a major concern for consumers worldwide. The reason for the proliferation of counterfeit products is that the manufacturing and distribution process is not transparent to consumers and this information can be easily falsified or altered by others. To solve this problem, this paper proposes the development of a management system using blockchain and smart contract technology to solve the problems of data forgery and data tampering, while tracking the information related to luxury products and ensuring the accuracy and authenticity of the relevant data, to achieve the purpose of luxury product anti-counterfeiting. When using Hyperledger Fabric to deploy the blockchain and execute smart contracts, all information related to the production and logistics process of luxury goods will be uploaded to the blockchain. No human intervention is required to create a complete, traceable, tamper-proof, and trusted repository. Compared to previous work, this paper combines blockchain technology with specific processes in the supply chain, employing a variety of security methods to secure the communication process. Moreover, our proposed solution is more flexible in transmission, with more secure protocols also making data harder to tamper with and falsify, thereby solving the problem of forgery and tracking of luxury products.
A Novel Approach for Secure Hybrid Islanding Detection Considering the Dynamic Behavior of Power and Load in Electrical Distribution Networks
Authors: Jhuma Umme Kulsum , Ahmad Shameem , Ahmed Tofael
Published: October 2022

In the arena of modern electrical power distribution systems, distributed generators (DGs) are emerging as a manifestation of electric power personalization. Even though DGs have various advantages, unintentional islanding phenomena caused by DGs during abnormal grid operations can damage equipment connected to the grid. Therefore, islanding detection mechanisms are essential for DGs in grid-connected mode to disconnect the DG from the grid in case of grid abnormalities by obeying to specific grid codes. In this regard, a novel approach to develop a secure hybrid islanding detection method (IDM) is presented in this paper. The proposed hybrid IDM is developed by combining two passive IDMs known as rate of change of active power and rate of change of reactive power with an active IDM called load connecting strategy. An 11 kV Malaysian distribution system integrated with three types of DGs, namely synchronous generator, photovoltaic, and biomass, has been chosen as a testbed for the verification of the proposed hybrid IDM. Seven different case studies have been conducted in the PSCAD/EMTDC platform to validate the performance of the proposed IDM for islanding and non-islanding events. The simulation results confirm that the proposed IDM can detect islanding within 0.09 s, which is within 2 s complying with IEEE and IEC standards. Further, a comparative study based on the detection time and non-detection zone has been carried out, which has confirmed that the proposed IDM demonstrates better performance compared to the previously developed hybrid IDMs.
Editorial for the Special Issue “Circular Economy Strategies for Sustainable Development: Applications and Impacts”
Authors: Ramos Ana
Published: October 2022

The severe extraction of fossil resources and the extreme degradation of natural capital to attend to the increasing demands of production and consumption has generated a surplus of waste and emissions, the final destination of which is commonly landfills [...]
A Model between Cohesion and Its Inter-Controlled Factors of Fine-Grained Sediments in Beichuan Debris Flow, Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Wang Qinjun , Xie Jingjing , Yang Jingyi , Liu Peng , Chang Dingkun , Xu Wentao
Published: October 2022

Cohesion is the attraction between adjacent particles within the same material, which is the main inter-controlled factor of fine-grained sediment stability, and thus plays an important role in debris flow hazard early warning. However, there is no quantitative model of cohesion and its inter-controlled factors, including effective internal friction angle, permeability coefficient and density. Therefore, establishing a quantitative model of cohesion and its inter-controlled factors is of considerable significance in debris flow hazard early warning. Taking Beichuan county in southwestern China as the study area, we carried out a series of experiments on cohesion and its inter-controlled factors. Using the value of cohesion as the dependent variable and values of normalized density, normalized logarithm of permeability coefficient and normalized effective internal friction angle as the independent variables, we established a quantitative model of cohesion and its inter-controlled factors by the least-squares multivariate statistical method. Fitting of the model showed that its determination coefficient (R2) was 0.61, indicating that the corresponding correlation coefficient (R) was 0.78. Furthermore, t-tests of the model showed that except for the p value of density, which was 0.05, those of other factors were less than 0.01, indicating that cohesion was significantly correlated to its inter-controlled factors, providing a scientific basis for debris flow hazard early warning.
Microfluidic Devices and Microfluidics-Integrated Electrochemical and Optical (Bio)Sensors for Pollution Analysis: A Review
Authors: Alhalaili Badriyah , Popescu Ileana Nicoleta , Rusanescu Carmen Otilia , Vidu Ruxandra
Published: October 2022

An overview of the recent research works and trends in the design and fabrication of microfluidic devices and microfluidics-integrated biosensors for pollution analysis and monitoring of environmental contaminants is presented in this paper. In alignment with the tendency in miniaturization and integration into “lab on a chip” devices to reduce the use of reagents, energy, and implicit processing costs, the most common and newest materials used in the fabrication of microfluidic devices and microfluidics-integrated sensors and biosensors, the advantages and disadvantages of materials, fabrication methods, and the detection methods used for microfluidic environmental analysis are synthesized and evaluated.
The Measurement and Spatiotemporal Evolution Analysis of an Ecological Niche for the High-Quality Development of Resource-Based Cities in China
Authors: Lu Zhaohan , Wu Yuping , An Shiwei , Zhang Yun , Zhu Jiahao
Published: October 2022

The global carbon neutrality target and policy context of China’s high-quality development cause pressure to and are the driving forces of the transformation and development of resource-based cities. The current paper constructs an indicator system based on the ecological niche theory to measure and spatiotemporally analyze the ecological niche for the high-quality development in 115 resource-based cities in China. The results show that, firstly, the high-quality-development niches in resource-based cities are clustered on a medium level. Secondly, the differences in the sub-dimensional niche breadths are greater overall, with minor differences in the niche of resource and energy and considerable differences in the niche of innovation potential. Thirdly, we characterize the overall development imbalance following a more pronounced temporal evolution from the low to high niche over the decade. Based on the results, recommendations are made for resource-based cities to pinpoint and classify their strategies. The exploration of the comparative status, evolutionary dynamics and development paths for high-quality development in Chinese resource-based cities in this paper provides a systematic reference for building a new pattern of synergistic and sustainable development under the new normal of China’s economy.
Commercial Real Estate Market at a Crossroads: The Impact of COVID-19 and the Implications to Future Cities
Authors: Wen Yijia , Fang Li , Li Qing
Published: October 2022

This paper aims to examine the responses of commercial real estate markets to COVID-19 and the implications for post-pandemic cities. Using data of Florida’s metropolitan areas in a fixed effect regression model, we find that sales volumes of retail properties decline instantly under the shock of COVID-19 but are followed by a strong recovery after one quarter. Meanwhile, COVID-19 depresses the growth rate of rent for office property, but the impact is short-term, and the office rental market bounces back to about 70 percent one quarter later. In comparison, industrial properties witness a rise in the growth rate of sales and rent price. Results indicate that urban planners may consider adjusting the amount of lands allocated to different usages to meet the evolving demands of urban space in the post-pandemic era.
Sustainable Green Human Resource Management Practices in Educational Institutions: An Interpretive Structural Modelling and Analytic Hierarchy Process Approach
Authors: Goel Pankaj , Mehta Sandhya , Kumar Raman , Castaño Fernando
Published: October 2022

Green Human Resources Management (GHRM) is an alignment of traditional human resource practices such as strategies, policies, procedures, and rules to the latest green and sustainable environment responsive practices. Unlike corporates, the adoption of GHRM in educational institutes (EIs) is still in its infancy stage. Through an extensive literature survey, this study identified eleven challenges in adopting the GHRM “strategy”, ten on “policy”, nine on the “procedures”, and eight on framing the GHRM “rules” aspect. The aim is to identify and develop the relationship between major and minor challenges in adopting GHRM practices in EIs. Hence, this study has applied the Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) technique to each GHRM practice and developed interrelation among such challenges and results verified with Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The rankings of both techniques have been statistically verified with the Spearman Rank Correlation technique. The study concludes the lacking or insufficient considered four main pillars: clear vision and top management cooperation among these EIs to ensure sustainable GHRM practices from the strategy aspect perspective, benchmark in fixing accountability considering the policy aspect, suitable course curricula in universities focused on GHRM practices from procedural viewpoint, and transparency in EIs from the perspective of rules as significant challenges in GHRM adoption. The findings of the reported results can be further extended in cross-sectional and cross-cultural studies in further studies.
Technical Feasibility Assessment for a Novel Fifth-Generation District Heating Model of Interconnected Operation with a Large-Scale Building
Authors: Youn Young-Jik , Im Yong-Hoon
Published: October 2022

In this study, a novel fifth-generation district heating (DH) model was proposed that implements the energy-prosumer concept of bilateral heat trading (BHT) process between the DH network and the building. The newly proposed BHT model can be characterized by the feature of using the low temperature of DH return pipe’s water. The technical feasibility of the proposed BHT model was evaluated through operation simulation analysis based on the actual operation data of the hybrid pilot system combined with the fuel cell and heat pump and the annual hourly temperature profile of the existing DH return pipe. The main objective of this study is to examine the technical feasibility of the interconnection operation model with the existing DHN as an alternative to overcome the limitations of the current fuel cell cogeneration model, which suffers from the low production volume caused by the high initial investment cost. From the simulation results, it was confirmed that considerable operational benefit, more than 30% in terms of primary energy savings, can be achieved with the proposed model, and compared to the stand-alone model of the fuel cell cogeneration system for the building, it can provide a more flexible technical environment to improve the system utilization rate by about 40%.
Financial Feasibility Analysis of Residential Rainwater Harvesting in Maringá, Brazil
Authors: Istchuk Rodrigo Novais , Ghisi Enedir
Published: October 2022

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems are key solutions to improve water resource management in cities, and financial feasibility is essential for their diffusion. Moreover, studies about rainwater often adopt diverse design approaches, leading to incompatible results for direct comparison. This study introduces a categorised item-by-item outlay procedure and evaluates indirect (gravity) and direct (pressuriser) rainwater distribution schemes. Computer simulations were used to design 54 generic RWH system scenarios in Maringá based on a range of design variables. For each scenario, a monthly cost–benefit balance was built, and discounted payback, net present value, and internal rate of return were obtained. Similar outlays were obtained for direct and indirect rainwater distribution schemes (∆ = BRL 21.81) with an average of BRL 13,484.87 among all scenarios. Average operational costs were estimated at BRL 1.31/month.m3 of rainwater demand. On average, paybacks of 14.7 years and internal rates of return of 0.99% per month were obtained among feasible scenarios. Like in other studies, financial feasibility indicators presented significant correlations (0.88 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.94) with rainwater demand. The initial outlay distribution proposed herein provides an objective reference for result comparison among similar studies. Similar results for both rainwater distribution schemes point towards investigating alternative technical solutions for RWH systems.
Efficacy of Online-Based Intervention for Anxiety during COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Kurniawan Kurniawan , Yosep Iyus , Maulana Sidik , Mulyana Aep Maulid , Amirah Shakira , Abdurrahman Muhammad Fahd , Sugianti Aulia , Putri Enzel Gabriela , Khoirunnisa Khoirunnisa , Komariah Maria , Kohar Kelvin , Rahayuwati Laili
Published: October 2022

COVID-19 has caused widespread psychological suffering. Anxiety is one of the several psychological disorders that are escalating globally, yet social distance constraints restrict in-person mental health therapy. Anxiety and other psychological disorders whose treatments are limited due to social distancing continue to grow, so there is an increasing need to use mental healthcare that can be offered remotely, especially in the pandemic era. This study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy of online-based interventions for anxiety during COVID-19. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Item for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). We collected data from three databases, namely PubMed, CINAHL, and Oxford Library Press, published in 2020–2022. Additionally, we collected data using the snowball technique. This meta-analysis analyzed the pooled mean difference (MD) and its p-value using random-effects models. Critical appraisal and risk of bias were assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias (Rob) 2. We retrieved 34 RCTs for systematic review and 14 RCTs for meta-analysis, yielding 9159 participants for general anxiety disorder (GAD-7) measurement and 1303 participants for depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21) measurement. This study shows that online-based interventions significantly reduce GAD-7 score (a pooled MD of 1.30; 95% CI: 2.83–4.65; p = 0.00001) and insignificantly reduce DASS-21 (0.05; 95% CI: −2.63–2.72; p = 0.97) according to pre- and post-test in intervention group. Additionally, there is a significant difference between the intervention and control groups, where the intervention group performed statistically progressively better than the controls (−7.26; 95% CI: −11.58–−2.95; p = 0.001) (−2.08; 95% CI: −6.71–2.55; p = 0.001). Online-based interventions have proved effective for reducing general anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, this meta-analysis can be adapted as a model for mental health services in the new normal.
ESG Controversies: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis for the Sociopolitical Determinants in EU Firms
Authors: Passas Ioannis , Ragazou Konstantina , Zafeiriou Eleni , Garefalakis Alexandros , Zopounidis Constantin
Published: October 2022

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria are novel and exciting tools of corporate disclosure for decision making. Using quantitative and qualitative analyses, the present study examined the key characteristics and trends of ESG controversies in the European market. At the same time, it identified the controversies’ determinants. A bibliometric analysis was the qualitative method employed on the data derived from Scopus using Biblioshiny software, an R package. The quantitative analysis involved an international sample of 2278 companies headquartered in Europe from 2017–2019 being studied using a Generalized Linear Model. The findings of this research highlighted the role of the “S” and the “G” dimensions of the ESG controversies as the most crucial in affecting controversies. Women are under-represented in the business hierarchy, but their natural characteristics such as friendliness and peaceability lead to a low level of illegal business practices. However, independent of gender, executives have personal gains that they want to satisfy. Thus, executives may become involved in unethical practices and harm their colleagues and the business’s reputation. On the other hand, democracy emerged as one of the most disputed factors. Democracy gives people the voice to express themselves and publicly support their ideas without restrictions. Although, the regression results showed that democracy is not always operated as the “pipe of peace” and can affect, to some extent, controversies.
Urban Sustainable Development Empowered by Cultural and Tourism Industries: Using Zhenjiang as an Example
Authors: Liu Run , Qiu Ziyue
Published: October 2022

Mitigating global warming is a grand challenge for sustainable development in the increasingly urbanized world. How to build a low-carbon society and achieve economic growth at the same time remains less clear. In this paper, using Zhenjiang City in East China as a case study, we analyze the contribution of cultural and tourism industries (CTI) and important low-carbon industries to the sustainable development of the metropolitan area. We found that the CTI in Zhenjiang has accounted for 25% of its total gross domestic product (GDP); the forest recovery for the development of CTI sequestrates 150,000 Mt of carbon dioxide annually, which substantially decreases its carbon emission per GDP and promotes the development of a low-carbon city. With the development of CTI and the transformation of the traditional industrial structure, the tertiary industry has gradually emerged and expanded. CTI-related employment has also increased, contributing to poverty eradication and the achievement of global sustainable development goals. The low-carbon and sustainable development model in Zhenjiang will provide a successful example for other cities, not only within China, but also beyond.
Multi-Dimensional Threshold Effects of the Digital Economy on Green Economic Growth?—New Evidence from China
Authors: Jiang Yunyan , Deng Feng
Published: October 2022

China’s economy has shifted from a high-speed growth stage to a high-quality development stage. Achieving green and sustainable growth driven by the digital economy is its most important purpose. Based on provincial panel data from 2013 to 2019, this paper examines the spatial heterogeneity of the digital economy (Dig) and its nonlinear impact on green economic growth (Geg) from multiple dimensions, using threshold models and spatiotemporal geographic weighting models. The study found that: (1) Dig can significantly promote Geg, but it presents a typical nonlinear characteristic: double thresholds with a trend of “weak negative → strong positive → weak positive”; (2) in this process, the three critical nonlinear factors are financial agglomeration (Fina) with a single threshold of “0.186” and the trend of “weak negative → strong positive”, the marketization level (Market) with double thresholds of “4.448 and 9.06” and the trend of “weak negative → strong positive → positive”, and green technology innovation (Grti) with double thresholds of “5.236 and 9.152” and the trend of “strong negative → strong positive → positive”; (3) the multi-dimensional composite threshold effect indicates that when 0.061 < Dig < 0.539, 5.236 < Grti < 9.152, 4.448 < Market < 9.06, and 0.186 < Fina, the digital economy has the greatest effect on the promotion of green economic growth; and (4) the spatial distribution regression results show that there is obvious regional heterogeneity. The paper has reference value in maximizing the promotion effect of the digital economy on green economic growth.
Career Adaptability as a Strategy to Improve Sustainable Employment: A Proactive Personality Perspective
Authors: Zhao Li , Li Wei , Zhang Hongru
Published: October 2022

Reaching full employment and reducing the unemployment rate is one of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) issued by the United Nations to face COVID-19 and the complex global economic situation. Although governments, society, and organizations have made efforts towards SDGs, how employees exert their subjective initiative and enhance their career adaptability is fundamental to solve the employment issue. How to enhance employees’ career adaptability to strengthen their psychological ability to face career changes is the guarantee of sustainable employment. In the light of the main force role and the unique characteristics of the new generation of employees in the workplace, this study aims to explore the relation between a proactive personality and career adaptability. According to the career construction theory, this study constructed a moderated mediation model to test the effect of a proactive personality on career adaptability through career identity and thriving at work, and the moderating role of task interdependence. Surveying 285 new-generation employees in China, this research found that a proactive personality had a significant positive impact on career adaptability, and that career identity and thriving at work mediate the relation. Task interdependence moderated this relation. Our findings extend the research of career construction theory on individual factors and contextual factors, and offer insights into enhancing the sustainability of human resource management and supporting sustainable economic development.
Local Support on Sports Tourism Development: An Integration of Emotional Solidarity and Social Exchange Theory
Authors: Giango Marie Kris , Hintapan Rodel , Suson Michael , Batican Ivy , Quiño Looverville , Capuyan Ludimie , Anoos Jose Marie , Batoon Jannen , Aro Joerabell Lourdes , Maturan Fatima , Yamagishi Kafferine , Gonzales Gamaliel , Burdeos Angelo , Ocampo Lanndon
Published: October 2022

Globally, sports tourism is considered a vital type of tourism that combines sports and tourism to attract tourists, contribute to the economy, and promote local culture. Despite its straightforward relevance, the current literature finds some drawbacks of the social exchange theory (SET) in modeling local support in tourism development, particularly when dealing with emotional interactions among tourists and locals. Thus, this study integrates the emotional solidarity construct (i.e., welcoming nature, sympathetic understanding, and emotional closeness), residents’ attitudes, and the extension of SET (i.e., support for sports tourism, community contribution, and future support for sports tourism development) to model the residents’ support for future sports tourism development, with personality traits as a moderating variable between emotional solidarity and attitude. This study uses random sampling to obtain the response from 1004 residents in Danao City (Philippines)—an emerging destination for sporting events. Furthermore, partial least squares—structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is utilized to examine the direct relationships among the exogenous and endogenous constructs and the moderating effect of personality traits (i.e., Big Five personality traits). The results revealed that all direct relationships were supported, indicating that those emotional interactions among tourists and residents would affect the latter’s view on their support for sports tourism which would consequently translate to support for future development agenda. However, the moderating effect of the personality traits was not supported. Furthermore, a multigroup analysis was conducted to gain more profound implications on the varying attitudes of the residents towards sports tourism. Based on the study’s findings, insights were drawn for governments to design specific measures for developing sports tourism in view of local support.
Research on the Coupling and Coordination of Systems of Citizenization, Regional Economy, and Public Service in China from the Perspective of Sustainable Development
Authors: Qi Mingzhu , Miao Peng , Wang Ya , Song Yuge
Published: October 2022

Based on the perspective of sustainable development, this paper introduces the circular economy dimension into the economic system, the ecological environmental protection dimension into the public service system, and constructs index evaluation systems for citizenization, regional economy, and public service, respectively. Then, the paper establishes a coupling coordination model to study the mutual relationship between citizenization, regional economy, and public service at provincial levels, so as to promote the sustainable development of population, economic society, and resource environment. The main research conclusions are as follows: (1) the level of citizenization is generally low, and the dimensions of income and social security are weak; (2) the development trend of circular economy in the eastern regions is better than that in other regions; (3) the “Citizenization, Regional Economy, Public Service” System has an overall low coupling and coordination degree and it shows a trend of “high in the east and low in the west”; (4) the contradictory characteristics between the systems vary greatly by province. Most of the provinces’ systems of the regional economy and public service lag behind their citizenization and some developed provinces have a lag in their citizenization systems. In order to promote a high-quality coordinated development between the systems of citizenization, regional economy, and public service, a sustainable development path that adapts to local conditions must be sought. It should focus on improving the social security level of rural-to-urban migrants, establishing a circular economy, and strengthening the construction of an ecological environment.
Exploring the Differences of Sustainable Urban Development Levels from the Perspective of Multivariate Functional Data Analysis: A Case Study of 33 Cities in China
Authors: Guo Jia , Ma Shiyan , Li Xiang
Published: October 2022

Sustainable urban development is a dynamic, continuous, and long-term process. However, only a few studies have considered the continuous changes in urban development levels over time. From a novel perspective of multivariate functional data, this study aims to analyze the sustainable development capability of cities through dynamic evaluation, and to explore the differences in the level of sustainable development of cities. Firstly, a sustainable urban development evaluation system with 18 indicators across the economic, social, and environmental indices is established. Secondly, based on the index system, an entropy weight method for functional data is developed to assign weights to the indicators. The time weight is used to consider the effects of missing values. Then, a new method of urban development level clustering is proposed. Thirdly, the differences in sustainable urban development levels among the 33 cities in China from 2005 to 2019 are analyzed, and the cities are separated into 5 categories. The results show that the coordinated development of the economy, society, and environment can promote the sustainable development of cities. The overall level of sustainable development in Chinese cities is not high, and significant differences are observed in sustainable urban development. Notable differences and significant imbalances are observed between the sustainable development level of the cities in the central and western regions of China and the cities in the eastern coastal areas. Finally, relevant conclusions and suggestions are proposed to improve sustainable urban development.
The Effects of Osmosis and Thermo-Priming on Salinity Stress Tolerance in Vigna radiata L.
Authors: Ali Saqib , Ullah Sami , Khan Muhammad Nauman , Khan Wisal Muhammad , Razak Sarah Abdul , Wahab Sana , Hafeez Aqsa , Khan Bangash Sajid Ali , Poczai Peter
Published: October 2022

A plant’s response to osmotic stress is a complex phenomenon that causes many abnormal symptoms due to limitations in growth and development or even the loss of yield. The current research aimed to analyze the agronomical, physiological, and biochemical mechanisms accompanying the acquisition of salt resistance in the Vigna radiata L. variety ‘Ramzan’ using seed osmo- and thermopriming in the presence of PEG-4000 and 4 °C under induced salinity stresses of 100 and 150 mM NaCl. Seeds were collected from CCRI, Nowshera, and sowing was undertaken in triplicate at the Department of Botany, Peshawar University, during the 2018–2019 growing season. Rhizospheric soil pH (6.0), E.C (2.41 ds/m), field capacity, and moisture content level were estimated in the present study. We observed from the estimated results that the agronomic characteristics, i.e., shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight in T9 (4oC + 150 mM NaCl), root fresh weight and root dry weight in T4 (PEG + 100 mM NaCl), shoot moisture content in T5 (PEG + 100 mM NaCl), and root moisture content in T6 (PEG + 150 mM NaCl) were the highest, followed by the lowest in T1 (both shoot and root fresh weights) and T2 (shoot and root dry weights). Similarly, the shoot moisture content was the maximum in T5 and the minimum in T6, and root moisture was the highest in T6. We observed from the estimated results that agronomical parameters including dry masses (T4, T6, T4), leaf area index, germination index, leaf area, total biomass, seed vigor index under treatment T9, and relative water content and water use efficiency during T5 and T6 were the highest. Plant physiological traits such as proline, SOD enhanced by T1, carotenoids in treatment T2, and chlorophyll and protein levels were the highest under treatment T4, whereas sugar and POD were highest under treatments T7 and T8. The principal component analysis enclosed 63.75% of the total variation among all biological components. These estimated results confirmed the positive resistance by Vigna radiata during osmopriming (PEG) and thermopriming (4 °C) on most of the features with great tolerance under a low-saline treatment such as T4 (PEG), T5 (PEG + 100 mM NaCl), T7 (4 °C), and T8 (4 °C + 100 mM NaCl), while it was susceptible in the case of T6 (PEG + 150 mM NaCl) and T9 (4 °C + 150 mM NaCl) to high salt application. We found that the constraining impact of several priming techniques improved low salinity, which was regarded as economically inexpensive and initiated numerous metabolic processes in plants, hence decreasing germination time. The current study will have major applications for combatting the salinity problem induced by climate change in Pakistan.
Virtual Field Trips in Binational Collaborative Teacher Training: Opportunities and Challenges in the Context of Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Leininger-Frézal Caroline , Sprenger Sandra
Published: October 2022

Virtual field trips (VFTs) are a way to overcome travel restrictions and continue to explore distant spaces, foreign issues, and learning opportunities. The intent of this article is to show how VFTs are used in learning geography in the context of education for sustainable development (ESD). The goal is to develop a didactic approach to the use of virtual fieldwork in ESD with geography teachers in pre-service and in-service teacher training at two universities. This article has the following aims. The first is to explain what a VFT is from a theoretical and technical perspective, which raises questions about forms and tools. The second is to explain how a remote intercultural seminar was conceived and implemented to create virtual fieldwork. The third is to present the methodology on which this experimentation is based and to explore the opportunities and limitations of VFTs. The last is to present and discuss the results.
A Scientometric Analysis of Climate Change Adaptation Studies
Authors: Iancu Tiberiu , Tudor Valentina Constanta , Dumitru Eduard Alexandru , Sterie Cristina Maria , Micu Marius Mihai , Smedescu Dragos , Marcuta Liviu , Tonea Elena , Stoicea Paula , Vintu Catalin , Jitareanu Andy Felix , Costuleanu Luiza Carmen
Published: October 2022

In recent years, climate change has begun to put pressure on humanity and affect natural and human systems. The aim of this paper is to provide an improved understanding of the state of the literature on the impacts of climate change that can be addressed through measures related to disaster risk reduction, sustainable agricultural practices, and the circular economy. This review also represents a valuable and fundamental reference for both researchers and practitioners in these fields. A total of 74,703 articles (climate change adaptation, 45,030; disaster risk reduction, 5920; sustainable agricultural practices, 7940; circular economy, 15,813) published between 1990 and 2022 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection, and the links between these areas were mapped using VOSviewer. There has been an increase in the amount of published research on these four topics since 2007, indicating the increasing involvement of researchers to address these topics, influenced by the concerns of national and international bodies to address these changes.
Structural Model of Community Social Capital for Enhancing Rural Communities Adaptation against the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence from Pujon Kidul Tourism Village, Malang Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Prayitno Gunawan , Hayat Ainul , Efendi Achmad , Auliah Aidha , Dinanti Dian
Published: October 2022

Pujon Kidul Village, Pujon District, Malang Regency, is an area with tourism potential that has been developed since 2017 with the concept of agricultural tourism. Throughout the development of tourism villages, Pujon Kidul Village has succeeded in accelerating economic growth and providing jobs for the community. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism villages have been severely affected, leading to the temporary closure of tourist attractions and community businesses. This research aimed to identify what indicators form social capital variables and the relationship between social capital variables and community adaptation patterns in dealing with pandemics in the study location. This was quantitative research with confirmatory factor analysis to determine the indicators of forming social capital and structural equation modeling analysis to determine the relationship between the variables. Based on the findings, it is known that trust in forming a social network is 0.468. Furthermore, the social network forms community actions of 0.046 and influences community resilience by 0.007. Therefore, good social capital will make it easier for the community to participate in collective action as a form of caring for each other during the pandemic. This action also influences the community to survive in a pandemic crisis, thus creating an adaptation pattern for the Pujon Kidul Tourism Village community in facing a pandemic.
Energy-Efficient and Secure Load Balancing Technique for SDN-Enabled Fog Computing
Authors: Singh Jagdeep , Singh Parminder , Amhoud El Mehdi , Hedabou Mustapha
Published: October 2022

The number of client applications on the fog computing layer is increasing due to advancements in the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. Fog computing plays a significant role in reducing latency and enhancing resource usage for IoT users’ tasks. Along with its various benefits, fog computing also faces several challenges, including challenges related to resource overloading, security, node placement, scheduling, and energy consumption. In fog computing, load balancing is a difficult challenge due to the increased number of IoT devices and requests, which requires an equal load distribution throughout all available resources. In this study, we proposed a secure and energy-aware fog computing architecture, and we implemented a load-balancing technique to improve the complete utilization of resources with an SDN-enabled fog environment. A deep belief network (DBN)-based intrusion detection method was also implemented as part of the proposed techniques to reduce workload communication delays in the fog layer. The simulation findings showed that the proposed technique provided an efficient method of load balancing in a fog environment, minimizing the average response time, average energy consumption, and communication delay by 15%, 23%, and 10%, respectively, as compared with other existing techniques.
Hydrochar Derived from Spent Mushroom Substrate Ameliorates Soil Properties and Nutrient Levels in Saline–Sodic Soil: An Incubation Study
Authors: Chen Yuanhui , Sun Zhengxiao , Su Yingjie , Yang Jinxia , Li Mingtang , Hong Bo , Chen Guang
Published: October 2022

Hydrothermal carbonization is a promising strategy for the resource utilization of agricultural wastes. However, the effect of hydrochar on ameliorating saline–sodic soil remains unclear. In the present study, a novel hydrochar amendment was prepared from spent mushroom substrate (SMSHC), followed by an incubation study of saline–sodic soil samples with different pH values (A, pH 9.83; B, pH 8.98; C, pH 8.21). The results demonstrated that SMSHC reduced the adverse effects of saline–sodic soil effectively, and the best effect was obtained when 6% SMSHC was added. Soil pH and ESP decreased by 0.34–0.75 units and 1.0–13.0% at 6% SMSHC loading, respectively. The maximum percentage increase in the soil’s available N, available P, and DOC was 72.3, 221, and 408%, respectively. In the subsequent rice pot seedling experiment, decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content and increased K+/Na+ ratio, proline, soluble sugar, total N, and total P in plant samples were observed. This study verifies hydrothermal carbonization as an alternative method, except for the widely used pyrolysis, to recycle biomass wastes into valuable products for soil remediation.
LAO-3D: A Symmetric Lightweight Block Cipher Based on 3D Permutation for Mobile Encryption Application
Authors: Zakaria Abdul Alif , Ab Halim Azni Haslizan , Ridzuan Farida , Zakaria Nur Hafiza , Daud Maslina
Published: October 2022

Data transmissions between smartphone users require security solutions to protect communications. Hence, encryption is an important tool that must be associated with smartphones to keep the user’s data safe. One proven solution to enhance the security of encryption algorithms is by using 3D designs on symmetric block ciphers. Although a 3D cipher design could improve the algorithms, the existing methods enlarge the block sizes that will also expand the key sizes and encryption rounds, thus decreasing their efficiency. Therefore, we propose the LAO-3D block cipher using a 3D permutation that offers security by providing confusion and diffusion characteristics. Five security analyses were conducted to assess the strengths of LAO-3D. The findings suggest that LAO-3D achieves better results compared to other existing lightweight block ciphers, with 98.2% non-linearity, 50% bit error rates for both plaintext and key modifications, surpasses 100% of the randomness test, and is immune to differential and linear cryptanalysis attacks. Moreover, the block cipher obtains competitive performance results in software applications. From the security analyses and performance tests, it is proven that LAO-3D can provide sufficient security at low costs in mobile encryption applications.
Postface for Applied Designs in Chemical Structures with High Symmetry
Authors: Jäntschi Lorentz
Published: October 2022

Probably the best example to start with with regard to structures with high symmetry (SHS) is C60 fullerene (buckminsterfullerene) [...]
Hand Gesture Recognition with Symmetric Pattern under Diverse Illuminated Conditions Using Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Haroon Muhammad , Altaf Saud , Ahmad Shafiq , Zaindin Mazen , Huda Shamsul , Iqbal Sofia
Published: October 2022

This paper investigated the effects of variant lighting conditions on the recognition process. A framework is proposed to improve the performance of gesture recognition under variant illumination using the luminosity method. To prove the concept, a workable testbed has been developed in the laboratory by using a Microsoft Kinect sensor to capture the depth images for the purpose of acquiring diverse resolution data. For this, a case study was formulated to achieve an improved accuracy rate in gesture recognition under diverse illuminated conditions. For data preparation, American Sign Language (ASL) was used to create a dataset of all twenty-six signs, evaluated in real-time under diverse lighting conditions. The proposed method uses a set of symmetric patterns as a feature set in order to identify human hands and recognize gestures extracted through hand perimeter feature-extraction methods. A Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) is used in the identification of significant key points of ASL-based images with their relevant features. Finally, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) trained on symmetric patterns under different lighting environments was used to classify hand gestures utilizing selected features for validation. The experimental results showed that the proposed system performed well in diverse lighting effects with multiple pixel sizes. A total aggregate 97.3% recognition accuracy rate is achieved across 26 alphabet datasets with only a 2.7% error rate, which shows the overall efficiency of the ANN architecture in terms of processing time.
Quantumness’ Degree of Thermal Optics’ Approximations
Authors: Pennini Flavia , Plastino Angelo
Published: October 2022

We assess the degree of quantumness of the P, Q, and W quantum optics’ approximations in a thermal context governed by the canonical ensemble treatment. First, we remint the reader of the bridge connecting quantum optics with statistical mechanics using the abovementioned approximations at the temperature T. With the ensuing materials, we explore with some detail some features of the above bridge, related to the entropy and to thermal uncertainties. Some new relations concerning the degree of quantumness of the P, Q, and W are obtained by comparison between them and the exact and classical treatments.
One’s Fixing Method for a Distinct Symmetric Fuzzy Assignment Model
Authors: Gomathi S. V. , Jayalakshmi M.
Published: October 2022

This paper hinges upon the subject of an (n × n) assignment problem and the distinct symmetric fuzzy assignment problem byassigning n machines to n jobs. One’s orientation algorithm is developed for solving the assignment problems based on the position of one’s chosen in every row as well as every column to perform allocations and obtain the assignment cost at every (n − 1) reduced matrix. We also extended the two different symmetric concept to the problem to find the optimum solution based on symmetrical data and also used the ranking concept in our fuzzy assignment problem. In this proposed algorithm, the one’s position is associated with the successor of one in each iteration toobtain the optimal schedule and assignment cost. The comparative analysis is properly considered and discussed. The proposed technique is elaborated with the help of numerical computations and it gives clarity to the idea of this concept.