bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Extraction Techniques for the Recovery of Sugars, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Compounds from Agro-Industrial Wastes
Authors: Casas-Godoy Leticia , Campos-Valdez Amador Roberto , Alcázar-Valle Montserrat , Barrera-Martínez Iliana
Published: May 2022

Agro-industrial wastes can be used to obtain high-value compounds rich in antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. This study aimed to compare different extraction techniques for the recovery of sugars, antioxidants, and antimicrobial compounds from brewer’s spent grain (BSG), blue agave bagasse (BAB), spoiled blackberries (BB), and raspberries (RB). Aqueous (AQ), enzymatic (E), chemical-enzymatic (CE), and hydroalcoholic (EOH) extractions were assessed, and sugars, phenolics, flavonoids, and anthocyanin contents were quantified. Antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated using the ABTS and DPPH assays, and antimicrobial activity was tested against three yeasts and six bacteria. The CE process gave the highest total and reducing sugars content for the four residues tested, and the highest antioxidant activity, phenolics, flavonoids and anthocyanin content for BAB and BSG. Regarding BB and RB, the best treatment to obtain total and reducing sugars and antioxidant activity with ABTS was CE; the highest content of anthocyanins, phenolic, flavonoids and antioxidant activity with DPPH was obtained with EOH treatment. CE extracts of BSG and RB showed the highest inhibition against the strains studied. Results show that BSG, BB, and RB can be a source of antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Depending on the desired application and component of interest, one of the extraction techniques evaluated here could be used.
Adaptability in Public Procurement of Engineering Services Promoting Carbon Reduction: An Organizational Control Perspective
Authors: Granheimer Klara , Eriksson Per-Erik , Karrbom Gustavsson Tina
Published: May 2022

Many studies have emphasized the importance of engineering services and their adaptability to reduce carbon emissions in the construction sector. As public clients procure these services, selecting efficient (procurement-related) control modes is critical. However, studies of control modes and their effect on adaptability are scarce. The purpose of this study is to investigate how, through the choice of control modes, a public client may create incentives for service providers to deliver carbon reduction solutions in the construction phase. In this study, a procurement model and a classification model are developed, and a single case study of an engineering service contract aiming for carbon reduction is used to illustrate the models. The empirical data include 16 interviews with respondents from the 2 contract parties, i.e., the client and service provider. The findings show that it is important to create incentives for adaptability when procuring engineering services with the aim of reducing carbon emissions in the construction phase. The findings also highlight the importance of these incentives being created both in relation to the selection of service providers and to the responsibility between the contract parties. The models developed in the study may serve as important tools for both practitioners and researchers.
Mode of Transport and Inequity in a Least Developed Country: The Case of Vientiane, Lao PDR
Authors: Vongpraseuth Thanousorn , Song Eun Yeong , Choi Chang Gyu
Published: May 2022

In 1986, Laos opened its doors to the global market. With new economic policy mechanisms in place, the country has developed dramatically over the years. The rapid growth brought forth opportunities as well as challenges. This study analyzes traffic congestion in Vientiane, the capital, with a focus on transport mode choices and inequity among commuters. Due to the lack of a reliable database in Laos, the initial step entailed collecting a set of origin–destination data. A total of 498 samples were randomly processed in the data survey, consisting of personal data, household conditions, and travel behaviors. To identify the flow of transport and mode choices, descriptive analysis and a multilevel logit model were employed. The findings reveal the insufficiency of public transit in Vientiane. The preferred modes of transport are motorbikes and private cars. Commuters who use private cars lie in the higher income group, while the low-income group consists of residents who use motorbikes. In addition, the low-income group takes longer to commute as compared to the high-income group. Overall, the lack of public mode choices encourages the use of private cars, leading to critical inequality between low and high-income groups.
Taneyan Lanjang Shared Home Gardens and Sustainable Rural Livelihoods of Ethnic Madurese in Madura Island, Indonesia
Authors: Setiani Setiani , Setiawan Eko , Huang Wen-Chi
Published: May 2022

The ethnic Madurese are among the top five most populous ethnic groups in Indonesia. Their traditional settlements have a special design called Taneyan Lanjang (TL). TL settlements consist of several elements, which are arranged in a specific pattern that is affected by local and Islamic culture. The gardening space of a TL settlement—here referred to as the shared home garden (SHG)—is shared by several family households. The ethnic Madurese apply traditional knowledge to manage their home gardens. This study investigated the features of TLs and SHGs, mostly in relation to cultural matters, the utilization of plants, management based on local knowledge, and their contribution to rural livelihoods. The study area consisted of the four regencies of Madura Island, Indonesia. A total of 200 TL settlements were observed, and 4 key informants and 400 respondents who were engaged in TL were questioned through in-depth interviews. The plant species cultivated in the SHGs were recorded and identified according to the database of The Plant List. In total, 108 plant species within 40 plant families were recorded. Fabaceae had the highest number of species, with 10 species (9.26%), most of which are used as food (65.7%). We identified and characterized the most important services and functions provided by SHGs to rural livelihoods that directly benefit rural communities.
Investigation of Whether People Are Willing to Pay a Premium for Living in Food Swamps: A Study of Edmonton, Canada
Authors: Tu Juan , Qiu Feng , Yang Meng
Published: May 2022

Extensive studies have examined how unfavorable food environments, especially food swamps (neighborhoods with oversaturated unhealthy food sources), influence people’s dietary behaviors and health. Although excess fast-food consumption may have an adverse effect on health, it also benefits consumers due to its convenience, time saving, and affordability. Therefore, people’s preference for an unhealthy food environment is not necessarily negative. Understanding how people value or disvalue unhealthy food environments is a prerequisite for developing effective policies to promote good diet habits and improve public health. Thus, this study adopts spatial hedonic pricing models to estimate people’s willingness to pay to live in food swamps. The results show that people are willing to pay a premium to live in food swamps when taking low income and low healthy-to-unhealthy food ratios into consideration. On average, a household is willing to pay a premium of C$12,309 to reside in a food swamp neighborhood. Potential reasons for the positive willingness to pay among low-income communities and households with relatively limited access to healthy food may include the unaffordability of healthy diets, preference for better tastes, and time saved in fast-food consumption. These findings can help policymakers evaluate the effectiveness of relevant policies and develop targeted strategies to improve the local food environment.
Water Footprint Inventory Construction of Cathode Copper Products in a Chinese Eco-Industry
Authors: Zhang Long , Luan Xiaoyu , Chen Xinyi , Zhang Shuhao , Liang Yukun , Cui Zhaojie
Published: May 2022

Copper is an important strategic resource for the national economy and social security of China. Water use is a significant component of copper production. However, water shortages and water pollution are two global crises in water resource management. In this study, a copper production industry in China was studied from the perspective of water footprint (WF) and ecological industry (eco-industry). A WF inventory was built by accounting for the entire production and supply chain process, including mining, ore dressing, transportation, smelting, and electrolysis. An index system comprising target, criterion, and variable layers was established to evaluate the sustainable utilization of water resources. It was observed that the studied industry showed a good sustainability for water resource utilization. Only 65.67 tons of freshwater per ton of product was inputted in the entire process due to virtual water (VW) and the use of reclaimed water. However, the WF of each ton of cathode copper product was 162.58 t, and the imported VW of the eco-industry accounted for 92.45%. Increasing the VW import and reducing the VW export can alleviate water shortages. A detailed WF analysis showed that the effects of evaporation and different types of losses on the blue WF (BWF) were significant and should be considered. Upstream water consumption of electricity and other energy sources were also observed to be an important part of the BWF. Regardless of whether freshwater or recycled water was used, the WF can be reduced only by effectively reducing water consumption.
Effect of Word-of-Mouth Communication and Consumers’ Purchase Decisions for Remanufactured Products: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Qi Xiaolie , Kuik Swee
Published: May 2022

In this study, we explored the interactive relationship between social media online word-of-mouth and offline word-of-mouth and its impact on consumers’ decision process for purchasing remanufactured products in China. This study adopted an exploratory approach, and we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with 30 Chinese consumers in Guangdong, China. As per our findings, it was determined that social media online word-of-mouth, offline word-of-mouth, and information source credibility are the main factors that affect Chinese consumers in the decision process for purchasing remanufactured products. In addition, offline word-of-mouth was noted to play a moderating role in the influence of social media online word-of-mouth in terms of purchase decisions. Information source credibility influences consumers’ purchase decisions and also plays a mediating role in the influence of offline word-of-mouth on the purchase decision. The result of our study provides managerial insights for Chinese remanufactured product enterprises to improve consumer awareness, influence purchase decisions, and cultivate habits toward remanufactured products.
Prediction of Ozone Hourly Concentrations Based on Machine Learning Technology
Authors: Li Dong , Ren Xiaofei
Published: May 2022

To optimize the accuracy of ozone (O3) concentration prediction, this paper proposes a combined prediction model of O3 hourly concentration, FC-LsOA-KELM, which integrates multiple machine learning methods. The model has three parts. The first part is the feature construction (FC), which is based on correlation analysis and incorporates time-delay effect analysis to provide a valuable feature set. The second part is the kernel extreme learning machine (KELM), which can establish a complex mapping relationship between feature set and prediction object. The third part is the lioness optimization algorithm (LsOA), which is purposed to find the optimal parameter combination of KELM. Then, we use air pollution data from 11 cities on Fenwei Plain in China from 2 January 2015 to 30 December 2019 to test the validity of FC-LsOA-KELM and compare it with other prediction methods. The experimental results show that FC-LsOA-KELM can obtain better prediction results and has a better performance.
Prediction of Dust Abatement Costs in Construction Demolition Projects
Authors: Liu Wei , He Zhuan , Chen Huapeng , Lin Cheng , Qiu Zeyi
Published: May 2022

Dust pollution arising out of building demolition has serious health implications on workers, as well as the neighboring communities. Existing research has shown that regulatory and engineering control methods are the most popular for dust pollution control on demolition sites. Though engineering control methods are effective in suppressing dust pollution, they have enormous cost implications for demolition companies. Therefore, accurate prediction of dust treatment costs is an important element of the demolition planning process. However, very little information is available in the existing research about treatment costs. In addition, there has not been any attempt to develop a model which can accurately predict the cost of dust treatment during building demolition. To overcome this knowledge gap, a grey prediction model is built according to the information obtained from twenty previous demolition projects. The historical trend of demolition project cost is combined to establish the prediction model based on GM (1, 1), which can be used to obtain the dust treatment cost of a project with very high accuracy. To further improve the prediction accuracy, this paper also builds a Single Function Residual Identifiability (SFRI) model. The relative error between the actual and predicted dust treatment costs from 2013 to 2021 ranges from 0.003% to 0.077%. Through detailed assessment of various treatment measures using a case study, it was found that the results obtained by the prediction model are very close to the actual costs incurred, which verifies the accuracy of the proposed model.
Research on Synergy between Entrepreneurial Service and Financial Support in Crowd Innovation Space Ecosystem
Authors: Jin Xin , Chen Chunwu , Zhang Min
Published: May 2022

Crowd innovation space ecosystem (CISE) can realize the combination of innovation and entrepreneurship and that of incubation and investment. Based on synergetics, this paper defines the agent interactions and subsystem synergy of the CISE, explores the co-evolution mechanism of the CISE and the development trend of the agents in the CISE through simulation experiments, and studies the impact of synergy on the operation scale of the CISE through empirical analysis. The research findings reveal the following: (1) The synergy between financial support and entrepreneurial services affects the evolution and development of the CISE, and the synergy has a positive impact on the operating scale of the CISE. (2) The CISE should focus on improving the quality of financial support and the efficiency of entrepreneurial services, ensuring the coordinated development of financial support and entrepreneurial service, optimizing internal operating mechanisms, and achieving high-quality development. (3) Small and micro startups can rely on the CISE, with the help of entrepreneurial services provided by MMS service platforms and financial support provided by financial institutions, to optimize the external environment, integrate resource endowments, and enhance core values, thereby promoting business model innovation and sustainable development.
Toxic and Trace Elements in Seaweeds from a North Atlantic Ocean Region (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
Authors: Paz Soraya , Rubio-Armendáriz Carmen , Frías Inmaculada , Guillén-Pino Fernando , Niebla-Canelo Daniel , Alejandro-Vega Samuel , Gutiérrez Ángel J. , Hardisson Arturo , González-Weller Dailos
Published: May 2022

Canary Islands is a North Atlantic Ocean archipelago in the Macaronesian region that stand out for its great algae diversity and its climatic conditions. However, even in this low industrialised area, human activities tend to increase the marine pollution. Asparagopsis spp. and Liagora spp. algae are red algae frequent in the Canary Islands’ coasts. Therefore, they could be used as bio-indicators of marine pollution for trace elements. A total of 30 samples of both algae’s species from Tenerife’s southern coast, specifically in Playa Grande, Porís de Abona, in Arico (Tenerife, Spain) were used to determine trace element content (Mn, B, Ba, Cu, Cd, Co, Fe, Li, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sr, V, Zn, Al, Cr) through inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP—OES). Highest Fe concentrations were found in Liagora spp. concentrations (1190 ± 1545 mg/kg dw) and Al (288 ± 157 mg/kg dw) was more significant in Asparagopsis spp. High concentrations of B were also registered in both species 80.2 ± 34.2 mg/kg dw and 77.9 ± 34.2 mg/kg dw, respectively. The recorded concentrations show a high contamination scenario in the collected area. Porís is known by its marine diversity and by its higher pollution levels, compared with other locations of Tenerife, due to the currents present on the Canary Island and its singular north orientation, actions must be taken to reduce pollution.
An Inner Dependence Analysis Dynamic Decision-Making Framework
Authors: Liu Yun-Ning , Wu Hsin-Hung
Published: May 2022

During the last decade, with the rapid development of information technology, the immense volume of data poses a challenge to decision-makers. We use a combined dynamic decision-making approach based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to select the best supplier. In this paper, we discuss the interaction between criteria that can lead to expanding our proposed dynamic framework to consider the inner dependencies among criteria. The main contributions are: (1) identifying the most important criteria of supplier selection in a steel bar manufacturer in Taiwan; (2) proposing a simple and rapid analysis of the appropriate supplier selection evaluation framework; and (3) using the AHP and transformation matrix to present the inner dependence among the criteria.
Drivers, Barriers, and Strategies in the Community-Based Supply of Bamboo for Industrial-Scale Bamboo Utilization in Ngada Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Authors: Ekawati Desy , Karlinasari Lina , Soekmadi Rinekso , Machfud
Published: May 2022

Bamboo has been part of the history and the socio-cultural and economic or livelihood aspects of Indonesia. Bamboo has been recommended as a potential species that could be utilized for community-based development in the rural part of the country as well as for utilization in various products, from traditional to modern and contemporary processes. However, there is a lack of integrated research on the community’s bamboo for industrial-scale products. This study aimed to determine and assess drivers-barriers to enable the formulation of strategic recommendations aimed at promoting the success of community-based supply of the commodity for the modern bamboo industry in Ngada Regency in Indonesia. The methods were applied by collecting quantitative and qualitative data using literature reviews, questionnaires, interviews, focus group discussions, and direct field observations. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive analysis and assessing both for internal and external factors of drivers-barriers. Research findings showed that the community proceeds from a traditional mindset with regard bamboo resources and utilization but that the community actually already owned social capital to strengthen and drive modern bamboo utilization. However, there is still a lack of capacity building for bamboo management. This study also provides policymakers with strategic recommendations to develop integrated programs and regulations, support community-based bamboo utilization, improve livelihood, and support rural inclusive economic growth.
Assessment of Coastal Locations Safety Using a Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process-Based Model
Authors: Dávila-Lamas Alberto D. , Carbajal-Hernández José J. , Sánchez-Fernández Luis P. , Niebla-Zatarain Virginia B. , Hoil-Rosas César A.
Published: May 2022

Worldwide tourist beaches have been an ideal destination for people searching for a recreational place to visit; however, several conditions could generate risks for these visitors. At present, the main efforts to assess these risks and prevent people from danger are essentially focused on monitoring tidal height in the zone, ignoring other risk sources. Therefore, this work generates an overall evaluation that considers the tidal height, bathymetry, temperature, solar radiation, and wind speed, establishing a relationship between parameters and safe beach conditions using a fuzzy logic approach. In addition, this paper presents the design and implementation of a computational model, based on a fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), to evaluate coastal and climatological parameters involved in tourist safety, which can be continuously monitored. Tourist beaches in South Baja California, México, with diverse environmental and coastal conditions, were assessed with the proposed model, providing several safety scenarios that contrast the results between sites and demonstrate the capacity of the model to evaluate them. The evaluation, obtained as a result of the computational model, presents information about the safety conditions in the assessed zone, considering the possible risks for all the parameters analyzed, which could be presented to beach visitors to prevent dangerous situations and avoid accidents.
Climate Change Risk and Vulnerabilities Analysis in Trieste SECAP
Authors: Manzan Marco , Bacaro Giovanni , Nardini Andrea , Casagrande Giulia , Pezzi Amedeo , Petruzzellis Francesco , Tordoni Enrico , Fontolan Giorgio
Published: May 2022

Climate change is affecting more and more local communities, which are now facing different hazards; in answer to this threat, specific actions at the local level should be taken. The Covenant of Mayors (CoM) is an initiative that tries to involve municipalities and communities in developing SECAPs, i.e., plans for sustainable energy and climate with the aim to develop adaptation and mitigation measures. In order to identify and evaluate hazards, the CoM developed a template relative to the current risk level and expected changes in the future. This paper develops a methodology to fill the template using a data driven approach instead of a heuristic one. The methodology was applied to the city of Trieste in northeast Italy and uses local weather station data and projections obtained from GCM-RCM models. Data were manipulated using different approaches for current risk levels and the Mann–Kendall test is proposed as a method to identify the future evolution of hazard intensity and frequency. The results showed that the developed approach could help municipalities in developing their SECAPs and in identifying the present and future evolution of hazards.
Review of Effects of Dam Construction on the Ecosystems of River Estuary and Nearby Marine Areas
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Fang Changling , Wang Yuan , Lou Xiaoyi , Su Ying , Huang Dongmei
Published: May 2022

Dams have made great contributions to human society, facilitating flood control, power generation, shipping, agriculture, and industry. However, the construction of dams greatly impacts downstream ecological environments and nearby marine areas. The present manuscript presents a comprehensive review of the influence of human activities on the environment, especially the effect of dam construction on the ecosystems of river estuaries and nearby marine areas, so as to provide a scientific basis for ecological environment protection. To summarize these impacts, this review used recent studies to comprehensively analyze how dam construction has affected river hydrology, geomorphology, and downstream ecosystems globally. Effects of dams on ecosystems occur through reduced river flow, reduced sediment flux, altered water temperature, changed estuary delta, altered composition and distribution of nutrients, altered structure and distribution of phytoplankton populations, habitat fragmentation, and blocked migration routes in river sections and adjacent seas. Effects of dam construction (especially the Three Gorges Dam) on the Yangtze River were also reviewed. Performing community and mitigation planning before dam construction, exploring new reservoir management strategies (including targeted control of dam storage and flushing sediment operations), banning fishing activities, and removing unnecessary dams (obsolete or small dams) are becoming crucial tools for ecosystem restoration.
The Significance of Digital Network Platforms to Enforce Musicians’ Entrepreneurial Role: Assessing Musicians’ Satisfaction in Using Mobile Applications
Authors: Psomadaki Ofilia , Matsiola Maria , Dimoulas Charalampos A. , Kalliris George M.
Published: May 2022

Digital entrepreneurship through the employment of smartphones and other handheld device applications is an innovative form of customer approach. Particularly, in the cultural marketing sector, new technologies, such as social media, YouTube channels, and mobile applications may increase the artists’ visibility and attract new partnerships and audiences. In this framework, entrepreneurs-musicians who attended a seminar on Management of Cultural Heritage, Communication and Media in Greece were asked to promote their activities through the creation of a smartphone application. After having completed their endeavor and further evaluated it, they participated in qualitative research based on the theory of experts’ interviews, as a case study. The aim of this paper, through thematic analysis of the conducted interviews, is to reflect upon the dynamics of new technologies in music entrepreneurship. As derived by the analysis, the use of mobile applications may effectively approach prospective partnerships and audiences, especially if combined with other contemporary forms of communication, and results in presenting enhanced professionalism. Audience engagement, which is an issue that is sought while attempting to optimize promotion processes, may be achieved if a further practice is performed. As the research was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for this form of making publicly known their artwork was considered essential.
Sodium-Ion Batteries with Ti1Al1TiC1.85 MXene as Negative Electrode: Life Cycle Assessment and Life Critical Resource Use Analysis
Authors: Carvalho Maria Leonor , Mela Giulio , Temporelli Andrea , Brivio Elisabetta , Girardi Pierpaolo
Published: May 2022

Electrochemical storage systems are an enabling solution for the electric system ecological transition, allowing a deeper penetration of nonprogrammable renewable energy resources, such as wind and solar energy. Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are state of the art energy storage technology. Nevertheless, LIBs show critical problems linked to their production, especially for what concerns energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and rare raw materials use. Finding alternative storage technologies seems crucial for support energy transition, but at the same time, it is important to study their sustainability from the very beginning of their technological development. Using this framework, this paper presents a life cycle based environmental-economic assessment, comparing Na-ion coin cells (Ti1Al1TiC1.85 MXene as anode material) with LIBs. LCA results show that the assessed Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are less environmentally friendly than LIBs, an outcome driven by the SIBs’ lower energy density. However, if results are shown by mass, SIBs can represent potential alternatives to LIBs. On the other hand, the analysis shows that even Na-ions already use less critical resources, both in absolute and in relative values, highlighting the need, at least for the European Union, to find valid alternatives to LIBs if the 2050 decarbonization targets are to be met.
Historic Gardens Heritage in Portugal: From the Originality of an Art to the Inventory Process
Authors: Silva Susana , Carvalho Paulo
Published: May 2022

Although they are one of the richest expressions of cultural and landscape heritage, gardens are at the same time one of the most delicate. The preservation and protection of these landscapes are based on what we know of them from the inventories which, in the particular case of historic gardens, have increased since the 1980s, as recommended by the Florence Charter. Portugal has a vast and varied range of historic gardens defined as original and unique. The concern to protect them resulted in lists and inventories being drawn up over time, prompted by academic and institutional initiatives. This article proposes to analyze the inventories of Portuguese historic gardens, specifically in terms of their main characteristics, content, achievements and drawbacks, and to discuss their effectiveness. Twelve inventories were considered. The information was collected from several sources and organized in databases, which were then sampled for a content analysis. The findings show that each study unequivocally added to knowledge about Portuguese landscape art, but also revealed important structural weaknesses. These were found in the different approaches and data standards used and in the information itself, which was often incomplete and was not updated. In addition, information tended to be scattered and there was a lack of interaction between preservation tools. This led to the conclusion that this task is far from being completed and fully effective. The present analysis could provide useful insights and be a starting point to trigger discussion among garden heritage professionals and organizations about centralizing the information on gardens, and to combine efforts to plug the gaps in it, so that the inventory can play an effective part in the sustainable maintenance, management and safeguarding of these assets.
Accessing the Influence of User Relationship Bonds on Continuance Intention in Livestream E-Commerce
Authors: Jong Din , Tseng Yafen , Wang Tzongsong
Published: May 2022

With the rapid development of livestream e-commerce, enhancing user’s continuous use of livestream e-commerce has become a focus of livestream e-commerce operators, but the mechanisms have not gone through much exploration by which relationship bonds affect continuance intention. Therefore, this study proposes and validates a new theoretical model based on relational bonds to systematically investigate the relationship between relational bonds, cumulative satisfaction and continuance intention in livestream e-commerce scenario, and discusses the boundary role of affective commitment in it. A valid sample of 546 livestream e-commerce users was used for structural equation modeling analysis. The results found that the effects of social bonds and structural bonds on cumulative satisfaction were significant, but the effects of financial bonds were not significant; the effects of cumulative satisfaction on continuance intention were significant; and affective commitment had a positive moderating effect on the relationship between cumulative satisfaction and continuance intention. This study examines the practical effects of continuance intention of livestream e-commerce users and provides a reference for the operation management and business practice of livestream e-commerce.
A Comparative Analysis of Homogenous Groups’ Preferences by Using AIP and AIJ Group AHP-PROMETHEE Model
Authors: Oubahman Laila , Duleba Szabolcs
Published: May 2022

Preference surveys often strive to reveal the perceptions of respondents with different demographic and habitual characteristics to reflect the features of a local community or city. However, the target group can be considered a priori homogenous in some cases, which requires an adjusted survey methodology. Apart from the smaller sample size, the aggregation technique of the individual preferences into a global common priority is also different in these types of problems according to the decision science principles. Interestingly, this feature is often ignored in group multi-criteria decision-making problems, especially in PROMETHEE model applications. This paper aims to apply the Aggregation of Individual Judgement technique in PROMETEHEE AIJ-PROMETHEE via the introduction of a hybrid Group AIJ-AHP-PROMETHEE model, specifically designed for homogenous group preference problems, to be compared with the conventional Aggregation of Individual Priorities (AIP). The new AIJ-AHP-PROMETHEE model, which is more suitable for homogenous groups, is less costly and less time-consuming than the general aggregations. The effectiveness of this new model is emphasized with real data, surveying university students’ perceptions of different transport modes in the city of Budapest. Results show considerable findings of the introduced model and its general applicability to the evaluation of the public transport service quality system.
Sustainable Utilization of Waste Oyster Shell Powders with Different Fineness Levels in a Ternary Supplementary Cementitious Material System
Authors: Liu Shanglai , Wang Yuan , Liu Bonan , Zou Zhen , Teng Yina , Ji Yidi , Zhou Yubo , Zhang Lei V. , Zhang Yannian
Published: May 2022

As cement manufacturing accounts for 8% of global CO2 emissions, there is an urgent need to tackle the environmental impacts of cement production and address the decarbonization of construction materials. Adopting supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), including fly ash, slag, silica fume, etc., can be used as a partial replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC) to reduce CO2 emissions related to the OPC industry, while providing benefits for waste valorization. This study aims to explore the sustainable utilization of a waste oyster shell powder (OSP)–lithium slag (LS)–ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) ternary SCM system in green concrete. The effect of OSP fineness on compressive strength, hydration products, pore structure, and transport properties in ternary SCM-based mortars was studied using a wide array of experimental techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), the water absorption test and the rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT). The results revealed that the concrete with the ternary SCMs showed equivalent compressive strength compared to reference specimens. The water absorption and chloride ion charge of the RCPT in the concrete containing the ternary SCMs decreased by up to 30% and 81.4%, respectively. It was observed that the specimens incorporating the OSP with a mesh size of 3000 exhibited the highest compressive strength and the most refined microstructure.
Phenotypic Diversity Analysis of Lens culinaris Medik. Accessions for Selection of Superior Genotypes
Authors: Sharma Rajat , Chaudhary Lakshmi , Kumar Mukesh , Yadav Rajesh , Devi Uma , Amit  , Kumar Vinay
Published: May 2022

Knowledge of genetic diversity in lentil is imperative for selection of parental genotypes that could yield heterotic combinations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic diversity among 43 diverse lentil genotypes to identify complementary and unique genotypes for breeding programmes. Field experimentation was carried out in two winter seasons (2019–2020 and 2020–2021) in Hisar (29°10′ N, 75°46′ E) using randomized block design (RBD) with three replications. The chi-square test analysis showed significant genotypic variation for qualitative traits. There was substantial genetic variation among the genotypes for most quantitative traits, connoting the need to exploit a high degree of genetic variation through selection. Multiple-trait selection would also be beneficial, as seed yield was positively associated with most quantitative traits. The principal component analysis recognized seed yield (SY), days to 50% flowering (DTF), days to maturity (DTM), number of pods per plant (NPP), number of primary branches (NPB), plant height (PH) and biological yield (BY) as target traits that prominently described variation within lentil genotypes. The cluster analysis discriminated the lentil genotypes into five discrete clusters. Cluster III and V were the most distant groups, implying wider diversity among the genotypes of these groups. Furthermore, cluster analysis identified genotypes IPL 316, LH 17-19, LH 18-04, LH 17-17, IPL 81 and Pant L-8 as high-yielding genotypes, while L 4717 was identified as an early-maturing genotype. Therefore, to obtain a broad spectrum of early-maturing high-yielding segregants, the selected genotypes may serve as superior parental lines for structuring breeding strategies.
Using the Flipped Classroom to Promote Learner Engagement for the Sustainable Development of Language Skills: A Mixed-Methods Study
Authors: Li Zhiyong , Li Jiaying
Published: May 2022

In second language education, the flipped classroom has been widely researched and increasingly applied as a teaching approach to improve the academic performance and engagement of English as a foreign language learners. However, learner engagement is a multidimensional construct, and not much empirical evidence exists about whether the flipped classroom can lead to a significant improvement in learners’ behavioural, emotional, cognitive, and social engagement in the EFL class. To fill this gap, this study adopted a mixed-methods research approach to evaluate the impact of the flipped College English Listening and Speaking class on four-dimension learner engagement in a mainland China context. After an eight-week intervention we compared the experimental group (the flipped class, N = 34) and the control group (the non-flipped class, N = 35). Findings demonstrate that after eight weeks of flipped instruction, students in the flipped class achieved higher mean scores on the post-test engagement questionnaires in behavioural, emotional, cognitive, and social engagement. However, the difference in emotional engagement between the flipped and non-flipped classes was not statistically significant. Semi-structured interviews revealed several factors responsible for learner engagement in the flipped EFL classroom. Positive influencing factors were learning environment, instructor presence, learning content, and learner presence, whereas negative aspects included the excessive workload on learners, lack of learning preparedness, lengthy videos, and technical challenges. Based on the findings, we would argue that the instructor and other educational stakeholders should provide more support to cater to learners’ emotional engagement and help learners cope with the challenges encountered throughout the flipped learning process. The study may assist teaching professionals and researchers obtain a clearer understanding of flipped instruction in the EFL context and design and implement the flipped class by considering the positive and negative elements affecting learner engagement.
Effect of Farmers’ Perceptions of Sustainable Development Value on Their Willingness for Agricultural Land Secured Financing
Authors: Kan Lina , Liu Ranran , Su Fang , Bao Yan
Published: May 2022

Farmers’ perceptions of land value determine how land is used, which, in turn, can affect the ecological protection and sustainable development of land resources. This study constructed an index system of farmers’ perceptions of the sustainable development value of agricultural land in four aspects: economic value, security value, ecological value, and emotional value. Using data from 1652 farm households in Shaanxi Province, China, we empirically analyzed the influence of farmers’ perceptions of sustainable development value on their intention to obtain financing secured by agricultural land. Farmers’ perceptions of sustainable development value were found to have a significant negative effect on their willingness for agricultural land secured financing, and social capital played a negative moderating role in the relationship between the two. Further, we found differences between ordinary farmers and new management entities in their value perceptions of agricultural land; thus, there was heterogeneity in the effect on intention to obtain financing secured by agricultural land. Based on the findings, we suggested ways to promote the market development of agricultural land financing, including guiding farmers to form sustainable perceptions of agricultural land value, and innovating mortgages secured by agricultural land with new management entities as the main demanders.
Recent Advances in Energy Storage Systems for Renewable Source Grid Integration: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Worku Muhammed Y.
Published: May 2022

The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening the security of electric energy have gained enormous momentum recently. Integrating intermittent renewable energy sources (RESs) such as PV and wind into the existing grid has increased significantly in the last decade. However, this integration hampers the reliable and stable operation of the grid by posing many operational and control challenges. Generation uncertainty, voltage and angular stability, power quality issues, reactive power support and fault ride-through capability are some of the various challenges. The power generated from RESs fluctuates due to unpredictable weather conditions such as wind speed and sunshine. Energy storage systems (ESSs) play a vital role in mitigating the fluctuation by storing the excess generated power and then making it accessible on demand. This paper presents a review of energy storage systems covering several aspects including their main applications for grid integration, the type of storage technology and the power converters used to operate some of the energy storage technologies. This comprehensive review of energy storage systems will guide power utilities; the researchers select the best and the most recent energy storage device based on their effectiveness and economic feasibility.
Effect of Crop Establishment Methods and Microbial Inoculations on Augmenting the Energy Efficiency and Nutritional Status of Rice and Wheat in Cropping System Mode
Authors: Shahane Amit Anil , Shivay Yashbir Singh , Prasanna Radha , Kumar Dinesh , Bana Ram Swaroop
Published: May 2022

A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years with the aim to quantify the role of different nutrient management variables such as microbial inoculation, zinc (Zn) fertilization and optimal and sub-optimal fertilization of nitrogen and phosphorus on the energetic and nutritional status of the rice–wheat cropping system (RWCS). The said nutrient management variables were applied over six different crop establishment methods (CEMs) in RWCS viz. puddled transplanted rice (PTR), system of rice intensification (SRI) and aerobic rice system (ARS) in rice and conventional drill-sown wheat (CDW), system of wheat intensification (SWI) and zero-tillage wheat (ZTW) in wheat. Two microbial consortia viz. Anabaena sp. (CR1) + Providencia sp. (PR3) consortia (MC1) and Anabaena-Pseudomonas biofilmed formulations (MC2) were used in this study, while recommended dose of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) (RDN) (120 kg N ha−1 and 25.8 kg P ha−1), 75% RDN and Zn fertilization (soil applied 5 kg Zn ha−1 through zinc sulphate heptahydrate) were the other variables. The contribution of microbial consortia, Zn fertilization and RDN (over 75% RDN) to net energy production of RWCS was 12.9–16.1 × 103 MJ ha−1, 10.1–11.0 × 103 MJ ha−1 and 11.7–15.3 × 103 MJ ha−1. Among the CEMs, the highest gross and net energy production was recorded in ARS–ZTW with lowest energy required for production of one tonne of system yield (2366–2523 MJ). The system protein yield varies from 494.1 to 957.7 kg ha−1 with highest protein yield in 75% RDN + MC2 + Zn applied ARS–ZTW. Among micronutrients, the uptake of Zn and iron (Fe) is sensitive to all studied variables, while manganese (Mn) and cupper (Cu) uptake was found significantly affected by CEMs alone. The combination of 75% RDN + MC2 + Zn in ARS–ZTW was found superior in all respects with 288.3 and 286.9 MJ ha−1 net energy production and 2320 and 2473 MJ energy required for production of one tonne system yield in the first and second year of study, respectively.
Sustainability and Circular Economy Perspectives of Materials for Thermoelectric Modules
Authors: Castañeda Manuela , Gutiérrez-Velásquez Elkin I. , Aguilar Claudio E. , Neves Monteiro Sergio , Amell Andrés A. , Colorado Henry A.
Published: May 2022

The growing demand for energy and the environmental problems derived from this problem are arousing interest throughout the world in the development of clean and efficient alternative energy sources, which involve ecological processes and materials. The materials used in the processes associated with thermoelectric generation technology will provide solutions to this situation. Materials related to energy make it possible to generate energy from waste heat residues, which are derived from various industrial processes in which significant fractions of residual energy are deposited into the environment. However, despite the fact that thermoelectric technology represents some relative advantages in relation to other energy generation processes, it in turn faces some technical limitations such as its low efficiency with respect to the high costs that its implementation demands today, and this has been the subject of intense research in recent years. On the other hand, the sustainability of the processes when analyzed from a circular economy perspective must be taken into account for the implementation of this technology, particularly when considering its large-scale implementation. In this article, a systematic search focused on the sustainability of thermoelectric modules is carried out as a step towards a circular economy model. The review aims to examine recent developments and trends in the development of thermoelectric systems in order to promote initiatives in favor of the environment. The aim of this study is to present a current overview, including trends and limitations, in research related to thermoelectric materials. As a result of this analysis, it was found that aspects related to costs and initiatives related to circular economy models have been little explored, which represents not only an opportunity for the development of new approaches in the conception of thermoelectric systems, but also for the conception of optimized designs that address the current limitations of this technology.