bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sustainability Reporting Quality and Stakeholder Engagement Assessment: The Case of the Paper Sector at the Iberian Level
Authors: Henriques Rita , Gaio Cristina , Costa Marisa
Published: November 2022

Materiality assessment identifies the main issues to be disclosed in non-financial reports to respond to the concerns of stakeholders, thus improving the quality of those reports. The purpose of this research is to understand whether there is a relationship between the quality of non-financial reports and the application of standards such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC), as well as between the impact of stakeholder engagement and the adoption of the materiality principle. To do so, manual content analysis was performed on companies from the paper industry in the Iberian Peninsula that published non-financial reports in accordance with the GRI and/or IIRC standards during the period between 2015 and 2020. The sample consists of 133 company-year observations, and data were collected through content analysis of the reports. The results show that companies that more scrupulously follow the GRI and/or IIRC standards and those that pay more attention to the relationship with their stakeholders show higher levels of materiality, meaning higher quality of reports. In addition, it is also noticeable that, over the years, the concern with these disclosures has increased, reflecting an increase in attention given to materiality.
A Review of Economic Incentives to Promote Decarbonization Alternatives in Maritime and Inland Waterway Transport Modes
Authors: Camargo-Díaz Clara Paola , Paipa-Sanabria Edwin , Zapata-Cortes Julian Andres , Aguirre-Restrepo Yamileth , Quiñones-Bolaños Edgar Eduardo
Published: November 2022

Public policies and economic incentives are widely used as a strategy to stimulate the use of green technologies and low-emission practices in the waterborne transport sector. Since the Paris Agreement, countries have been encouraged to implement more strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to build resilience against climate change impacts in developing countries. This article presents a literature review on policies, regulations, and programs that represent economic incentives to promote alternatives to decarbonize maritime and inland waterway transport in sixteen countries, including Colombia. More than one hundred thirty sources of information were reviewed, including official portals of governments, port authorities and organizations, and scientific articles; therefore, the incentives found were grouped into three categories: project financing, differentiated port tariffs, and incentives to cover onshore power service fees. As a result of this review, it was found that differentiated port tariffs were the most common type of incentive. Finally, the specific case of Colombia was analyzed, which provides a deeper perspective of current policies and measures aimed at encouraging the decarbonization of waterborne transport and compares them with the international panorama.
Vocabulary Learning Strategies in a Multilingual Academic Environment: Ιs Morphological Segmentation Quite Sustainable?
Authors: Rousoulioti Thomais , Melissaropoulou Dimitra
Published: November 2022

Τhis article contributes to the ongoing research on the importance of the strategy of morphological segmentation to vocabulary growth in foreign language learning. A total of 45 students of the department of Italian Language and Literature at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece) were to segment 21 Italian words—among which there were 6 pseudo-words—and write their meaning with the use of an e-questionnaire. In turn, 10 out of 45 students participated in a focus group discussion. Results reveal no correlation between morphological segmentation and understanding of the meaning of words, except in the case of pseudo-words that were completely unknown to the participants. During the focus group, students attempted to recognize the productive and transparent suffixes of the words and discover their contribution to the building and the meaning of them. Other languages, such as English—L2/first foreign language for the majority of the interviewed students—assisted multilingual students in retrieving the meaning of the words implementing translanguaging practices. The students’ responses show that they managed to segment the words correctly at a rate of 49.3%, while they understand their meaning due to their frequent use at a rate of 57.8%, without having been taught the morphology of L2.
An Effective Force-Temperature-Humidity Coupled Modeling for PEMFC Performance Parameter Matching by Using CFD and FEA Co-Simulation
Authors: Zhang Zhiming , Wu Sai , Li Kunpeng , Zhou Jiaming , Zhang Caizhi , Wang Guofeng , Zhang Tong
Published: November 2022

High-performance proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) vehicles are important for realizing carbon neutrality in transportation. However, the optimal power density of the fuel cell performance is difficult to achieve due to the internal complex operating conditions of a fuel cell stack. Moreover, there is a lack of effective models to solve the coupled multi-physical fields (force, temperature and humidity, etc.) in the PEMFC, particularly considering the gas diffusion layer (GDL) compression. Thus, a force-temperature-humidity coupled modeling method is introduced to evaluate the effects of key operating conditions for the fuel cell performance parameter matching. Firstly, the interfacial contact resistance and GDL porosity are obtained by a force-temperature coupled simulation using a finite element analysis (FEA) modeling, then the obtained results are introduced into a temperature-humidity coupled simulation using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling. An iteration algorithm is proposed to realize the force-temperature-humidity coupled simulation for the PEMFC performance. The main characteristics of the PEMFC performance parameters are revealed and the optimum matching criteria of the main performance parameters (temperature, stoichiometric ratio and relative humidity) are determined. The presented co-simulation method is significant and effective for realizing the PEMFC performance parameter matching condition, and it provides a design direction for an optimal power density of a fuel cell stack.
Posidonia-Based Compost and Dredged Sediment in Growing Media Improve Tolerance and Nutrient Uptake in Ornamental Plants
Authors: Vannucchi Francesca , Macci Cristina , Doni Serena , Longo Vincenzo , Ugolini Francesca , Masciandaro Grazia , Peruzzi Eleonora
Published: November 2022

Because of the high costs and environmental impacts of peat and chemical fertilizers, the search for sustainable alternatives is increasing. Posidonia-based compost (C) has been widely tested as a growing media, while the combination with decontaminated dredged sediments (S) has only recently been studied. Moreover, little information is available on the relationship between plants and growing media. In this work, the suitability of growing media (CS) composed of 100% C, 70% C + 30% S and 30% C + 70% S were investigated compared to peat, for ornamental plants (Elaeagnus macrophylla, Photinia × fraseri and Viburnum tinus). Plant growth, physiological, nutritional and antioxidant responses were also investigated. The CS were compliant with current legislation on growing media. The Cu (+60%; +70%), Mg (+11%; +23%) and Ca (+66%; +72%) concentrations were higher in CS with 30% and 70% of S, respectively, than peat. The plants growing in CS had lower antioxidant activities than those on peat, suggesting a better plant tolerance to abiotic stress. In conclusion, the use of CS growing media, especially those with 30% and 70% of S, can be a valuable strategy to replace peat and reduce the application of fertilizers.
Green Advertising on Social Media: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ktisti Evangelia , Hatzithomas Leonidas , Boutsouki Christina
Published: November 2022

Consumer interest in environmental protection has grown in recent decades, alongside a shift in companies’ strategies to embrace a greener way of doing business. Green advertising is rapidly expanding and gaining popularity. With more and more consumers being actively involved in social media searching and purchasing products, social media advertising is transformed into a principal way of communication. Although prior research has addressed green marketing and advertising, their presence in social media has been largely neglected. Based on a systematic review approach, the present study addresses recent trends and developments in green advertising on social media. We used PRISMA for the systematic review of eighty-one articles published between 2011 and 2022. Green advertising content, and greenwashing in particular have attracted significant research interest. Green skepticism and the role of generations are gaining popularity. The descriptive analysis provides article, author, and journal-related information (i.e., citations, year of publications, journals, etc.). This systematic literature review reports the trends in the topic, highlights existing research gaps, and suggests future research avenues. Research and managerial implications are discussed.
Fields Touched by Digitalization: Analysis of Scientific Activity in Scopus
Authors: Espina-Romero Lorena , Guerrero-Alcedo Jesús
Published: November 2022

This study aims to analyze the publications in Scopus around digitalization in the space of time between 2018 and 2022. A bibliometric review is carried out with a bibliographic approach for 658 documents, which were processed by RStudio and VOSviewer software. The findings show the ten fields where digitization is most applied: “Archives, Corruption and Economy”, “Industry 4.0, Internet of Things, Sustainability and Big Data”, “Cultural Heritage, Deep Learning, Preservation and BIM”, “Photogrammetry and 3D Digitalization”, “Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Supply Chain Management”, “Augmented Reality, Machine Learning and Virtual Reality”, “Innovation, Business Model and Publishing Industry”, “Algorithms, E-government and Biometrics”, “Digital Collections” and “Healthcare”. It should be noted that this document is based on 88.14% original studies, validating the results obtained, and it is also one of the most updated studies.
Recent Advances in Capacitive Deionization: Research Progress and Application Prospects
Authors: Liu Meijun , He Mengyao , Han Jinglong , Sun Yueyang , Jiang Hong , Li Zheng , Li Yuna , Zhang Haifeng
Published: November 2022

With the increasing global water shortage issue, the development of water desalination and wastewater recycling technology is particularly urgent. Capacitive deionization (CDI), as an emerging approach for water desalination and ion separation, has received extensive attention due to its high ion selectivity, high water recovery, and low energy consumption. To promote the further application of CDI technology, it is necessary to understand the latest research progress and application prospects. Here, considering electric double layers (EDLs) and two typical models, we conduct an in-depth discussion on the ion adsorption mechanism of CDI technology. Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive overview of recent advances in CDI technology optimization research, including optimization of cell architecture, electrode material design, and operating mode exploration. In addition, we summarize the development of CDI in past decades in novel application fields other than seawater desalination, mainly including ionic pollutant removal, recovery of resource-based substances such as lithium and nutrients, and development of coupling systems between CDI and other technologies. We then highlight the most serious challenges faced in the process of large-scale application of CDI. In the conclusion and outlook section, we focus on summarizing the overall development prospects of CDI technology, and we discuss the points that require special attention in future development.
Analytical Procedures for the Evaluation of Infrastructural Measures for Increasing the Capacity of Railway Lines
Authors: Bulková Zdenka , Gašparík Jozef , Mašek Jaroslav , Zitrický Vladislav
Published: November 2022

The issues that determine the capacity of railway infrastructure are topical in situations that are reaching operating limits. According to the objectives of the European transport policy, it is assumed that up to 30% of road freight over 300 km should shift to other modes such as rail or waterborne transport by 2030. The transport system should become more competitive and efficient in the use of resources. This places high demands on the railway infrastructure, which is mainly operated in a mixed transport mode, with both passengers and freight. It is necessary to increase the capacity of these lines as a priority. The intent of this paper is to propose procedures that will simply and accurately determine the quantification of benefits for increasing the throughput performance of the line. For the initial estimates and assessments of investment measures, it is advantageous to use analytical methods to determine the throughput performance. The methodological approach for determining the throughput performance in the anticipated timetable and case study were approximated on the example of the rail freight corridor marked “Amber” that passes through Slovakia. Analytical procedures have been proposed according to the methodology used on the railways of Slovakia, and the quality issues were assessed using a new approach for determining the optimal and critical throughput performance. The mentioned procedures are advantageous for assessing infrastructural measures from the point of view of a railway infrastructure manager.
A Novel Analytical Model of Mining Subsidence Considering Time Effect Based on the Probability Integral Theory
Authors: Li Peng , Li Yingchun , Li Qiang , Cao Zhiguo , Wang Lujun
Published: November 2022

Surface subsidence caused by underground coal mining has received wide attention due to its impact on the ecological environment. To obtain first-hand data on mining subsidence, we arranged line measurement stations in the mining area of the Weiqiang coalfield and implemented surface movement observation at its first mining working face and obtained the dynamic subsidence curve. The subsidence curves reflected the initial, active and declining stages of subsidence at each measurement point at a basic level, and were consistent with the general rule of surface subsidence. To accurately analyze the surface movement caused by coal mining, based on the probability integral method and considering the actual advancement progress of the working face, a new three-dimensional dynamic prediction model, namely the strip unit mining model, was proposed. The core assumption of this model was that the longwall mining is regarded as the result of superposition of many units of mining. Considering the influence of different mining times and periods after mining, the subsidence time function of two-time factors was introduced into the strip unit mining model, and the final formulation of the dynamic subsidence prediction of the three-dimensional surface is derived by considering the time factor. Based on the analysis of the measured data of the Weiqiang coalfield, the prediction parameters of surface movement were obtained, and the surface movement and deformation are predicted via the probability integral method. Finally, the measured surface subsidence was compared with the theoretically-predicted one. The good match showed that the parameters of the probability integral method, determined according to the measured data, meet the requirements of geological conditions and mining settings in the mining area, and the predicted subsidence curves agreed well with the field measurements, demonstrating the effectiveness of the newly-developed strip unit mining model.
Thermal Comfort in a Greened Office Building: Investigation and Evaluation through Measurement and Survey
Authors: Hollands Jutta , Sesto Eldira , Korjenic Azra
Published: November 2022

The productivity, health, and well-being of office workers are known to be influenced by the indoor thermal conditions, most significantly the temperature and air humidity. This article is based on measurements and calculated predictions, as well as surveys of the employees in a newly renovated office building in Vienna, Austria. The renovation measures include street-side facade greening. The aim of this study was to determine the possible effects these renovation measures have on thermal comfort inside the building. The evaluation is carried out in accordance with the standards based on the predicted mean vote (PMV), calculated with the collected measurement data. Based on the survey, the calculation results are compared with the subjective perception of the employees. Even though the measurements and the survey were carried out only one year after the renovation, about 70% of the employees’ statements speak about noticeable positive changes due to the renovation measures. Regarding daylight and artificial lighting conditions, a total of 80% of employees are neutral or satisfied. The majority also expresses neutrality or satisfaction regarding spatial conditions and air quality. The satisfaction of the employees is reflected in their work performance. The goal is therefore to achieve the highest possible satisfaction of the building’s users.
Supply Chain Finance: A Research Review and Prospects Based on a Systematic Literature Analysis from a Financial Ecology Perspective
Authors: Zhou Lele , Chen Maowei , Lee Hyangsook
Published: November 2022

Since the global financial crisis of 2008, research on supply chain finance (SCF) based on supply chain management (SCM) has increased rapidly. The context of SCF development is continuously changing, which means that it cannot function in isolation and financial ecology must be taken into consideration. Previous research has shown that comprehensive SCF studies incorporating financial ecology are lacking; although it was mentioned, it was at a descriptive level with fragmented dimensions, limiting the broader understanding of SCF. Therefore, to address this research gap and reveal future study prospects, we conducted a systematic literature search, focusing on 132 selected papers published between 2002 and February 2022. The present study provides insights into the development stages of SCF, and the understanding of ‘Supply Chain’ and ‘Finance’ in the context of the financial ecosystem. This study reiterates the necessity of studying SCF from a financial ecology perspective and contributes to the SCF ecosystem understanding framework, bridging the theoretical inadequacies in investigating SCF.
Incorporation of Silica Fumes and Waste Glass Powder on Concrete Properties Containing Crumb Rubber as a Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregates
Authors: Singh Gurwinder , Tiwary Aditya Kumar , Singh Sandeep , Kumar Raman , Chohan Jasgurpreet Singh , Sharma Shubham , Li Changhe , Sharma Prashant , Deifalla Ahmed Farouk
Published: November 2022

Waste management is the first priority for many countries, so the focus of this research is on using waste materials in concrete as fillers and substituting concrete ingredients such as crumb rubber (CR) for fine aggregates. The utilization of waste rubber in concrete has gained attention recently, but CR substitution results in a reduction in mechanical and durability properties due to weak bonding and lower stiffness of CR. To overcome this issue, the addition of strength-increasing waste materials as cement substitutes is investigated along with CR (5%, 10%, and 15%) as fine aggregates and tested for the mechanical and durability behavior of concrete. Constant 10% waste glass powder (WGP) and 10% silica fume (SF) were substituted with cement in separate mixes. The main goal of this study is to investigate the suitable proportion of the materials from SF and WGP for enhancing rubberized concrete’s properties and to evaluate waste materials’ uses considering various parameters. The concrete is compared for both materials used as well as with control concrete and CR concrete for properties such as workability, compressive strength, tensile strength, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and dynamic modulus of elasticity. The reduction in compressive strength, tensile strength, workability, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, and dynamic modulus of elasticity was observed due to the incorporation of CR, but also an increase in these properties with the incorporation of silica fumes (SF) and waste glass powder (WGP) as cement. It was observed that SF enhanced the properties of rubberized concrete better as compared to WGP. The 10% SF with 5% CR enhanced the compressive strength of rubberized concrete without SF by 11%. Similarly, 10% of WGP with 5% of CR enhanced the compressive strength of rubberized concrete by 6%.
Potential Hormetic Effects of Cimetidine on Aerobic Composting of Human Feces from Rural China
Authors: Li Xiaowei , Wang Xuan , Pan Xusheng , Zhu Ping , Zhang Qianzhi , Huang Xiang , Deng Xiuquan , Wang Zhipu , Ding Yao , Liu Ximing , Zhou John L.
Published: November 2022

Aerobic composting is widely used worldwide as a natural process for handling human waste. Such waste often contains pharmaceutical residues from human consumption, yet their impact on composting has not been studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of the antihistamine cimetidine (10 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg) on the aerobic composting of human feces. The key results show that 10 mg/kg of cimetidine accelerates temperature increase and moisture removal of the composting substrate. The organic matter in all the groups gradually decreased, and the pH values increased first and then declined with the composting time, with no significant differences between the groups. The NH4+-N concentrations and NH3 emission reached the maximum at 1.5 days and then declined rapidly, while the NO2−-N concentrations increased and then decreased, and the NO3−-N contents tended to increase all the time during the composting. The 100 mg/kg cimetidine caused a higher maximal NH4+-N concentration of compost, and a lower maximal NH3 emission at 1.5 days, while 10 mg/kg cimetidine led to more NO2−-N and NO3−-N contents. In addition, 10 mg/kg cimetidine enhanced the aromatization and humification of dissolved organic matter and promoted the degradation of aliphatic substances. Furthermore, 100 mg/kg cimetidine generated a larger influence on the microorganisms than 10 mg/kg cimetidine, especially for the microorganisms related to nitrogen transformation. The findings imply that cimetidine has a dose-dependent impact on the decomposition of organic matter and the conversion of nitrogen in human feces during composting. It deserves further investigation of the possible hormesis effect.
The Evaluation and Fidelity of an Interdisciplinary Educational Programme
Authors: Jiménez-Parra José Francisco , Manzano-Sánchez David , Valero-Valenzuela Alfonso
Published: November 2022

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the fidelity of the implementation of an interdisciplinary educational programme and to examine the differences between the teaching strategies and interpersonal teaching style used by teachers who apply an interdisciplinary educational programme and those teachers who use a conventional methodology. This is a quasi-experimental repeated measures research with a non-randomised Experimental Group (EG) and Control Group (CG). A total of 4 teachers, aged 27–52 years (M = 38.5), and 104 6th grade primary school students, aged 11–13 years (M = 11.59; SD = 0.60), participated. The intervention programme lasted 16 weeks in which the EG implemented a teaching methodology based on the incorporation of active breaks (AB) into the structure of the Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR) model, while the CG used a conventional methodology. The results show that the teachers who adhered to the educational programme significantly improved the implementation of strategies related to the TPSR + AB throughout the intervention, particularly when compared with the CG. In addition, the strategies used by the EG had a positive impact on the improvement of the students’ educational values and physical activity during the classes, as well as their perception of the transfer of autonomy. In conclusion, the present study evidences the compatibility and feasibility of combining the TPSR and AB in any educational matrix to improve teachers’ teaching strategies, students’ behavioural and motor responses, as well as the autonomy support style.
Laboratory and In Situ Stabilization of Compacted Clay through Granite Waste Powder
Authors: Shah Syed Husnain Ali , Habib Umer , Mohamed Abdullah , Aziz Mubashir , Rehman Qasim ur , Saleem Asma
Published: November 2022

The main objective of this study is to investigate the effect of granite waste powder on the behavior of compacted clay soil in both field and laboratory environments. Samples were collected from clay soil exposed at Karak, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The sampled soils contain kaolinite, illite, and montmorillonites. The samples were mixed with various quantities, i.e., 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% by weight of granite waste powder collected from various stone industries in district Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. They were then subjected to a variety of geotechnical testing in both the laboratory and the field, following the standard ASTM procedures. The results show that mixing with granite-cutting waste enhances the quality of the soil in both the field and laboratory settings by increasing its bearing capacity (BC), dry density (DD), California-bearing ratio (CBR), unconfined compressive strength (UCS), penetration resistance, and angle of internal friction and by reducing the optimum moisture content, cohesion, porosity, void ratio, and saturation potential. The resulting improvement is mainly due to the stronger, denser, and less hydrophilic character of the constituents of the added rock powders than the raw soil. It is observed that adding 40% granite waste powder produces the best outcome. However, there is a significant difference in the magnitude of the impact on soil quality between the laboratory and field testing. Owing to differences in the testing environment, soil volume, and compaction effort and energy, the amount of improvement is higher in laboratory testing than in field testing.
Sustainability of Floodplain Wetland Fisheries of Rural Indonesia: Does Culture Enhance Livelihood Resilience?
Authors: Hidayat Achmad Syamsu , Rajiani Ismi , Arisanty Deasy
Published: November 2022

Preserving small-scale fisheries is the main concern of governments in sustainable growth development because more than 90% of fishers and workers make a living in this business including in floodplain wetlands currently affected by external shocks. Applying the sustainable livelihoods approach (SLA) and framework, this research aimed to analyse the impact of environmental changes on fishing livelihoods in South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Questionnaire administration and in-depth interviews were employed as data collection methods, and structural equation modelling was tested on samples of 550 fishers. We found that environmental changes in natural conditions and human activities had adverse effects on the sustainability of fishing livelihoods. Fishers found massive development disruptive to their fishing activities, putting their livelihoods at risk and making them vulnerable. The findings further acknowledge cultural significance with livelihood resilience. Since The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines culture as “the entire and distinguishing way of society life”, this dimension is integrated into the study’s well-recognised framework. The government is recommended to re-evaluate its approach to balancing economic, social, environmental, and cultural factors.
Reviewing the Role of Key Performance Indicators in Architectural and Urban Design Practices
Authors: Mosca Francesca , Perini Katia
Published: November 2022

Energy use and relative CO2 emissions drive climate change that affects both the environment and human health. Extreme events caused by climate change, such as heat waves, flooding, and droughts are increasingly frequent and dangerous and the quality of life in cities is progressively decreasing. The building sector is among the most energy intensive sectors and mitigation and adaptation strategies are needed to reduce the emissions and impacts of climate change. This article presents a literature review created using the SCOPUS database on 515 articles setup to investigate the role of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in architectural and urban design processes and to understand how KPIs can be used to improve sustainability in the design of buildings and cities. Findings from the literature review highlights the potentiality of KPIs as a tool for managing complexity and for measure performances starting from the early design stages up to the lifetime of buildings and, in general, design. In parallel, the analysis of results showed that KPIs are commonly used to evaluate performance at a very different scale, but the building scale is the most considered. The use of KPIs in architecture, focusing on sustainability, should be implemented more in the future to allow for a better control of architectural performances.
Dynamic Pricing Strategy of Charging Station Based on Traffic Assignment Simulation
Authors: Tan Jiyuan , Liu Fuyu , Xie Na , Guo Weiwei , Wu Wenxiang
Published: November 2022

The number of electric vehicles is increasing rapidly worldwide, leading to increasing demand for charging. This will negatively impact the grid. Therefore, it is essential to relieve the power grid operation pressure by changing the charging behaviour of users. In this paper, the charging behaviour of electric vehicles was guided by price instruments to maintain grid balance This paper uses travel simulation to establish the relationship between travel demand and electricity prices. The results were evaluated through the amount of grid voltage drop and network loss. Furthermore, we used the differential evolutionary algorithm to calculate the optimal operation status of the grid, which contains the minimal network loss and maximal voltage drop at different charging stations and the charging price. Finally, the effectiveness of the mechanism proposed in this paper was compared with other simulation examples. The results showed that the pricing strategy could guide users’ charging choices and maintain the grid load balancing. The simulation results show that the average bus voltage increases by 1.26% and 6.59%, respectively, under different requirements.
The “Perfect Village” Model as a Result of Research on Transformation of Plant Cover—Case Study of the Puchaczów Commune
Authors: Barwicka Sylwia , Milecka Małgorzata
Published: November 2022

Contemporary efforts to create “ideal” rural areas are carried out in accordance with the concept of sustainable development. It should be emphasized that in the process of planning the directions of development of rural areas, the economic factor is very often placed above the ecological one. It is the conditions of the natural environment that should form the basis for their shaping. Research on natural resources, including vegetation, makes it possible to recognize the quality of the landscape and adapt future directions of its transformations to the existing condition. The main aim of the article is to present the model of the “perfect village”—the principles of shaping natural systems that support sustainable development. The territorial scope of the research covered the Puchaczów commune. It is a rural area with an additional industrial character. The guidelines of the “perfect village” model have been organized hierarchically, taking into account the scope of the planned activities. There are three basic types of them: protection, strengthening and reconstruction of the vegetation. Another equally important goal is to present the spatial transformations taking place in the commune’s landscape and to generate a forecast of its possible development in 2050. The authors also performed a simulation of land cover taking into account the guidelines of the “perfect village”. The research was carried out using the QGIS 2.18 program and the MOLUSCE plugin. Both forecasts were subject to a comparative analysis. Research has shown that by applying the principles of shaping the natural system of the Puchaczów commune presented in the article, it is possible to inhibit the pressure of anthropogenic factors on the natural environment.
The Effects of Social Networking Services on Tourists’ Intention to Visit Mega-Events during the Riyadh Season: A Theory of Planned Behavior Model
Authors: Al-Khaldy Dayal Ali W. , Hassan Thowayeb H. , Abdou Ahmed Hassan , Abdelmoaty Mostafa A. , Salem Amany E.
Published: November 2022

The economic, cultural and environmental benefits of mega-events justify conducting tourism research articles based on tourists’ intention to visit the event destination. These decisions are likely influenced by behavioral attributes and social interaction. In the current study, we assessed potential predictors of tourists’ intention to visit the Riyadh Season using a theory of planned behavior (TPB) model and three variables of social networking service (SNS) variables, including SNS use, SNS content and trip experience sharing (TES). Results showed that the perceived behavioral control and subjective norms were antecedent TPB predictors of participants’ intentions to visit the destination. Additionally, the benefits of SNS content in organizing/planning events were independently associated with behavioral motivations. SNS attributes were not significant moderators of the relationship between subjective norms and tourists’ intentions. National authorities are required to focus on improving the content of SNS while planning for future mega-events to enrich tourists’ experience and support their motivation and decision.
Country Life in the Digital Era: Comparison of Technology Use and Cybercrime Victimization between Residents of Rural and Urban Environments in Slovenia
Authors: Bernik Igor , Prislan Kaja , Mihelič Anže
Published: November 2022

Cybercrime is one of the most significant security challenges of the 21st century. However, official statistics do not provide insights into its prevalence and nature. Representative cross-sectional field studies may help fill this gap, focusing on differences between urban and rural technology users. We (a) investigated the association between the purpose of computers and other electronic device usage and perceived vulnerability, (b) compared the differences in the purpose of computers or other electronic device use and perceived vulnerability, and (c) compared the perceived cyber victimization between residents of rural and urban areas. We conducted a field study that resulted in a representative sample of the Republic of Slovenia in Europe. We found several significant differences in the purpose of technology use and perceived cyber victimization. Furthermore, the results indicate that the purpose of technology use is somehow associated with perceived vulnerability in cyberspace; however, such associations are different in cyberspace than in the material world.
New or Traditional Approaches in Argentina’s Bioeconomy? Biomass and Biotechnology Use, Local Embeddedness, and Sustainability Outcomes of Bioeconomic Ventures
Authors: Dürr Jochen , Sili Marcelo
Published: November 2022

The bioeconomy continues to be a contested field in the political debate. There is still no consensus on how a bioeconomy should be designed and anchored in society. Alternative bioeconomy concepts that deviate from the mainstream discourse and are based on small-scale, agro-ecological models are usually underrepresented in the debate. This also applies to Argentina, where the diversity of bioeconomic approaches has not yet been documented and analyzed. The objective of this paper is to identify bioeconomic approaches in Argentina, and characterize alternative, more socio-ecological and locally embedded approaches in order to make them more visible for the political debate. Based on literature research, categories were extracted that can be used to distinguish different types of the bioeconomy. Subsequently, these categories were used in an online survey of 47 enterprises representing different sectors of Argentina’s bioeconomy. Using cluster analysis, three groups can be distinguished: a biomass, a biotechnology, and a bioembedded cluster. Argentina’s bioeconomy seems to follow a path dependency logic, but new development paths are also opening up. The bioeconomic approaches discovered in Argentina are partly consistent with contemporary bioeconomy typologies, but there is also great diversity within the groups. All bioeconomic approaches have local connections, but are locally embedded in different ways. In addition to the differences between the bioeconomic approaches, two common elements could also be detected: an interest in sustainable use of natural resources and in building networks using synergies with other actors in the territory. These two elements mean that bioeconomic initiatives could pave the way for a new rural development model in Argentina.
The Effect of Heterogeneous Environmental Regulations on Carbon Emission Efficiency of the Grain Production Industry: Evidence from China’s Inter-Provincial Panel Data
Authors: Fan Bin , Li Mingyang
Published: November 2022

Examining the impact of heterogeneous environmental regulations on the carbon emission efficiency of the grain production industry will help to provide a theoretical basis and decision-making reference for achieving the goal of carbon peaking and sustainable agricultural development. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China, the DEA-SBM method was used to measure the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency from 2011 to 2019. Separating environmental regulations into formal environmental regulations and informal environmental regulations in two parts, then the two-way fixed effect model, threshold effect model, and intermediary effect model are used to test the influence of heterogeneous environmental regulations on the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency. The results show that: (1) the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency continues to improve but still has space for improvement. (2) the relationship between formal environmental regulations and the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency exhibits a “U-shaped” curve; informal environmental regulations have a significantly positive effect on improving the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency. The conclusion is still valid after the robustness test. (3) A threshold mechanism test found that there is a single threshold effect between the formal environmental regulations and the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency, but it does not cross the “U” inflection point. (4) there is a “U” shaped non-linear mediating effect in the influence of formal environmental regulations on the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency; informal environmental regulations also have an intermediary transmission path of production agglomeration of the grain production industry. This study supplies a new perspective for promoting the grain production industry’s carbon emission efficiency.
Study on Soil Desalination Process of Saline-Alkaline Grassland along the Yellow River in Western Inner Mongolia under Subsurface Drainage
Authors: Chen Gong , Wei Zhanmin , Liu Hu
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to explore the characteristics of water and salt transport in saline-alkali grassland, effectively guide the ecological construction of saline-alkali grassland along the Yellow River in western Inner Mongolia, and provide a theoretical basis and technical support for the ecological restoration of saline-alkali grassland and regional environmentally sustainable development. The desalination process of saline-alkali soil under the condition of subsurface pipe drainage was simulated using an indoor soil tank test. The variation in soil leaching water consumption, the salinity of the leaching filtrate with time, the accumulation of the filtrate, and the desalination rate of the filtrate under the condition of continuous leaching with a 25 mm head were analyzed. At the same time, the variation process of soil conductivity at 0~40 cm (upper layer), 40~80 cm (middle layer), and 80~120 cm (lower layer) was analyzed. Subsurface pipe drainage can reduce the soil salt content, while reducing the control area of the subsurface pipes can accelerate the soil desalination rate, thus improving the quality of saline-alkali soil. In addition, the leaching effect under 30 cm partition spacing was better than that under 35, 40, and 45 cm partition spacing, and the corresponding desalination rate was higher. Under stable continuous leaching with a 25 mm head, the entire leaching process can be divided into three stages: the rapid desalination, moderate desalination, and stable stages. During the desalination process, the upper, middle, and lower layers were desalinated synchronously, and the desalination rate of the upper layer was the highest, followed by the desalination rate of the middle and lower layers.
The Impact of COVID-19 on the Relationship between Non-Renewable Energy and Saudi Stock Market Sectors Using Wavelet Coherence Approach and Neural Networks
Authors: Elamer Ahmed A. , Elbialy Bassam A. , Alsaab Kholoud A. , Khashan Mohamed A.
Published: November 2022

In this study, we examine the impact of COVID-19 on the relationship between non-renewable energy and Saudi stock market sectors for the period 11 January 2017–22 January 2022. We apply wavelet coherence and Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) models. Our results provide evidence that COVID-19 led to an increase in the strength of the relationship between oil as a main non-renewable energy source and Saudi stock market sectors and affected the nature and direction of this relationship. The relationships between oil and commercial and professional services, materials, banks, energy, and transportation sectors are the most affected. Our results will help hedge funds, mutual funds, and individual investors, forecast the direction of Saudi stock market sectors and the use of oil for hedging or diversification during periods of uncertainty and crisis. It will also help decision and policymakers in Saudi Arabia to make the necessary decisions and actions to maintain the stability of the stock market sectors during these periods.
Phytoextracts as Crop Biostimulants and Natural Protective Agents—A Critical Review
Authors: Akram Nudrat Aisha , Saleem Muhammad Hamzah , Shafiq Sidra , Naz Hira , Farid-ul-Haq Muhammad , Ali Baber , Shafiq Fahad , Iqbal Muhammad , Jaremko Mariusz , Qureshi Kamal Ahmad
Published: November 2022

Excessive application of synthetic chemicals to crops is a serious environmental concern. This review suggests that some potential natural compounds can be used as alternatives and could be applied directly to plants to improve crop growth and productivity. These phytoextracts can serve as biostimulants to induce abiotic and biotic stress tolerance in different crops growing under diverse environmental conditions. The biosynthesis and accumulation of a variety of chemical compounds such as glycinebetaine, vitamins, nutrients, and secondary metabolites in some plants are of great value and an environmentally friendly cheaper source than several synthetic substances of a similar nature. The review summarizes the information regarding the potential role of different plant phytoextracts and suggests subsequent applications to modulate crop stress tolerance. Future studies should focus on the relative effectiveness of these plant-based extracts compared with their synthetic counterparts and focus on practical applications to signify sustainable practices linked with the use of natural products.
The Migration Influence on the Forecasting of Health Care Budget Expenditures in the Direction of Sustainability: Case of Ukraine
Authors: Zatonatska Tetiana , Liashenko Olena , Fareniuk Yana , Dluhopolskyi Oleksandr , Dmowski Artur , Cichorzewska Marzena
Published: November 2022

The start of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war caused the largest wave of migration in the 21st century. More than five million Ukrainian citizens left for EU countries within a few months of the start of the conflict. The purpose of this paper is to forecast the level of health care expenditure in Ukraine for 2023–2024, considering the scale of migration and the fall in the level of GDP. The authors propose three scenarios for the development of Ukraine’s economy in 2023–2024, taking into account changes in the age structure of the population, migration, and the amount of health care expenditure: (1) Pessimistic, in which economic growth will resume only in 2024, with a GDP rise of 5.6%, provided that the war concludes at the end of 2022. Under this scenario, inflation will be about 21% in 2023–2024, a slight decrease compared with the previous year. Some 12% of the population of Ukraine will have emigrated, resulting in a corresponding 12% drop in health care expenditure in 2023–2024. (2) Basic (realistic), in which economic growth will be about 5% in 2023–2024, inflation will be under 10%, and migration will have accounted for 5% of the country’s population. Under this scenario, there will be an increase in health care expenditure of more than 40% in 2023–2024. (3) Optimistic, according to which rapid economic growth is expected in 2023–2024, inflation will not exceed 7%, the majority of those who left Ukraine in the early months of the war will return, and health care expenditure will increase by more than 70% in 2023–2024. The methodology of forecasting public expenditure on health care has been based on a six-step cohort method. The results have indicated that the cost of updating the age structure of Ukraine’s population every year will decrease due to the aging of the population, and the overall impact of demographic processes will be negative. The impact of mass migration due to the war creates a significant change in health care costs, requiring administrative bodies to monitor the situation promptly and make appropriate changes to the structure of budget expenditure.