bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do CSR Perceptions Influence Work Outcomes in the Health Care Sector? The Mediating Role of Organizational Identification and Employee Attachment
Authors: Hassanie Souad , Karadas Georgiana , Lawrence Emeagwali Okechukwu
Published: September 2021

A limited number of studies have emphasized the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation in the health care sector. Based on social exchange theory and social identity theory, this paper examines the relationships between employees’ CSR perceptions, employee attachment, organizational identification, corporate reputation, employee organization relationship, and extra-role performance utilizing structural equation modeling. Data were obtained from Lebanese health care workers in private hospitals in two questionnaires. The results indicate that CSR perceptions positively affect employee attachment and organizational identification. Moreover, employees’ CSR perceptions positively affect work outcomes directly and indirectly via employee attachment. On the other hand, although organizational identification has a negative but significant relationship with employee organization relationships, it does not significantly influence corporate reputation and extra-role performance. Examining the two intervening variables that link CSR to work outcomes provides theoretical and practical implications. Contributions to health care management literature, as well as future research recommendations, are also presented.
Responsive and Minimalist App Based on Explainable AI to Assess Palliative Care Needs during Bedside Consultations on Older Patients
Authors: Blanes-Selva Vicent , Doñate-Martínez Ascensión , Linklater Gordon , Garcés-Ferrer Jorge , García-Gómez Juan M.
Published: September 2021

Palliative care is an alternative to standard care for gravely ill patients that has demonstrated many clinical benefits in cost-effective interventions. It is expected to grow in demand soon, so it is necessary to detect those patients who may benefit from these programs using a personalised objective criterion at the correct time. Our goal was to develop a responsive and minimalist web application embedding a 1-year mortality explainable predictive model to assess palliative care at bedside consultation. A 1-year mortality predictive model has been trained. We ranked the input variables and evaluated models with an increasing number of variables. We selected the model with the seven most relevant variables. Finally, we created a responsive, minimalist and explainable app to support bedside decision making for older palliative care. The selected variables are age, medication, Charlson, Barthel, urea, RDW-SD and metastatic tumour. The predictive model achieved an AUC ROC of 0.83 [CI: 0.82, 0.84]. A Shapley value graph was used for explainability. The app allows identifying patients in need of palliative care using the bad prognosis criterion, which can be a useful, easy and quick tool to support healthcare professionals in obtaining a fast recommendation in order to allocate health resources efficiently.
The Interaction of Civil Engineering Students in Group Work through the Social Network Analysis
Authors: Castillo Tito , Herrera Rodrigo F. , Guffante Tania , Paredes Ángel , Paredes Oscar
Published: September 2021

A sustainable approach in the construction industry requires civil engineering professionals with technical and soft skills. Those skills complement each other and facilitate the professional to work effectively in multidisciplinary groups during the development of construction projects. Universities apply collaborative learning methods such as group work (GW) in the classroom to achieve these skills. There is disagreement on the best way to select the members of the GW to achieve their best performance, but it is clear that it should favor the interaction of diverse actors to promote the development of soft skills. A random or criteria-based selection could bring groups of people very close together, leading to the academic homogeneity of GW members and impairing performance and learning. Even the most alert instructors lack information about the closeness of their students, so they rely on their intuition without having tools that allow them to confirm their assumptions or relate them to GW performance. The objective of this paper was to discover the social structures within the classrooms and to identify the groups of people close by trust, knowledge, and informal conversation to relate them to their GW performance. For this purpose, a social network analysis (SNA) was applied to Civil Engineering degree students. In addition, a correlation analysis between SNA metrics and GW grades was performed. The results show that beyond the way in which members are selected, there is a social structure that affects such selection and GW performance. This study presents information that can be used for instructors for a better GW selection that propitiates the development of soft skills in Civil Engineering students.
Beneficial Use of Water Treatment Sludge in Geotechnical Applications as a Sustainable Alternative to Preserve Natural Soils
Authors: Boscov Maria E. G. , Tsugawa Juliana K. , Montalvan Edy L. T.
Published: September 2021

This paper explores the feasibility of employing drinking water treatment sludge (WTS) mixed with soils, lime, or rock powder in geotechnical applications, as well as discusses the sustainability of the approach based on experimental results, aiming at the beneficial reuse of waste and the preservation of natural geomaterials. The selected materials were two soils largely used in earthworks, two WTSs, a high purity calcium hydrated lime, and rock powder from a granitic–gneissic quarry, all occurring in São Paulo State, Brazil. The mixtures were chemically, mineralogically, and geotechnically characterized, and the geotechnical properties permeability, shear strength, and deformability were investigated. Soil-WTS mixtures showed hydraulic conductivity (10−10–10−6 m/s, depending on soil and WTS), effective cohesion (10–30 kPa), friction angle (34°–40°), undrained strength (>50 kPa), and compression index (0.1–0.4) compatible with those of soils usually employed in earthworks. Lime:WTS and rock powder:WTS mixtures achieved 50 kPa undrained strength for WTS contents lower than 24% and 8%, respectively, and could be used as daily and intermediate covers of waste landfills, as well as in other applications with low soliciting stresses. The possibility of WTS being pumped instead of transported by trucks was analyzed in the light of results from rheological tests.
An Institutional Perspective for Evaluating Digital Transformation in Higher Education: Insights from the Chilean Case
Authors: Valdés Karen Núñez , y Alpera Susana Quirós , Cerdá Suárez Luis Manuel
Published: September 2021

From a managerial perspective, the rapid diffusion of actions and strategies accelerating the digital transformation of institutions is critical for success. However, in education, business, and management studies, digital transformation can be understood as simple evolutionary processes that enable business models, operational processes, and experiences to be made quickly and efficiently by institutions and agents. This aspect can sometimes lead to opposition, especially when little information is available or in situations of high uncertainty. This research aims to evaluate the involvement of an institutional ecosystem in the digital transformation at universities. Using data collected in Chile, this paper analyzes how the adoption of technologies by universities provides a context for understanding digitalization, measured by the IAU World Higher Education Database (UNESCO). The main finding of this paper is that there is a wide and relevant range of impacts of technological change in higher education institutions, particularly in the categories of values and operations. Additionally, this work serves as a repository of knowledge applicable to similar situations considering the specificities of each particular case. The importance to intervene in relation to certain variables at different levels of managerial performance is described and the implications for higher education institutions are discussed in these pages.
Environmental Impact Assessment of Flexible Package Printing with the “LUNAJET®” Aqueous Inkjet Ink Using Nanodispersion Technology
Authors: Kozake Katsuyuki , Egawa Tsuyoshi , Kunii Satoshi , Kawaguchi Hiroki , Okada Toru , Sakata Yushi , Shibata Manabu , Itsubo Norihiro
Published: September 2021

The share of digital printing on flexible plastic packaging has been increasing rapidly in response to the market demand for agility in Japan. To meet all these challenges, our response is the aqueous inkjet ink “LUNAJET®”. By combining aqueous pigment nanodispersions with precise interfacial control technologies, “LUNAJET®” can contribute to the rapid digitization of flexible package printing while, at the same time, improving the environmental performance. Our analysis includes an evaluation of the environmental impact due to the conversion from gravure printing with an analog press to digital printing using an inkjet printer with water-based inks. In addition, inventory analyses and characterizations were carried out. It is shown that a 75% reduction in CO2 emissions and 33% reduction in VOC (volatile organic compounds) emissions can be expected, particularly in small-lot printing, where digital printing is most desirable. An environmental impact assessment was conducted in Japan, based upon the LIME3 (life cycle impact assessment method based on endpoint modeling version 3) approach. It was found that the waste reduction rate for aqueous inkjet printing, compared to analog printing, was as high as 57% for small-lot production, assuming a large variety of products; surprisingly, the reduction rate remained at 15%, even for long production runs. As the market rushes to embrace digital printing technologies for packaging, these results indicate that implementing inkjet printing using aqueous ink for flexible plastic substrates can reduce waste and decrease the environmental burden, both for short as well as long printing runs.
The Importance of Context and the Effect of Information and Deliberation on Opinion Change Regarding Environmental Issues in Citizens’ Juries
Authors: Thompson Andrew G.H. , Escobar Oliver , Roberts Jennifer J. , Elstub Stephen , Pamphilis Niccole M.
Published: September 2021

Citizens’ juries have become a popular method for engaging citizens in deliberation about complex public policy issues, such as climate action and sustainable development. Empirical evidence routinely indicates that jurors change their minds throughout the process. What is less clear is when and why this occurs and whether the causes are consistent across juries that consider the same topic but are situated within different contexts. We present evidence of opinion change in citizens’ juries through a natural experiment, contrasting three local contexts of onshore windfarm development in Scotland; viz. existing, planned, and absent. Jurors’ individual opinions of climate change, wind energy, and windfarms were measured through questionnaires at four time points: the start, following information-giving, reflection, and deliberation. Statistical examination of jurors’ responses, through paired sample t-tests, Wilcoxon sign-tests, and Generalised Least Squares regression, reveals to what extent substantive changes were associated with different phases and locational contexts. In all three juries, opinion change occurs throughout the process, on different topics, and to different degrees. While the information phase consistently influences jurors’ opinions the most, jury composition affects the magnitude and direction of opinion change, with outcomes contingent on contexts. Our findings are important for informing how mini-publics are designed and used to inform environmental policy-making at different scales.
Contribution of Conservation Agriculture to Soil Security
Authors: Mugandani Raymond , Mwadzingeni Liboster , Mafongoya Paramu
Published: September 2021

Soil securitization is increasingly becoming a quintessential currency for attaining sustainable development given the mounting global concerns of land degradation, loss of biological diversity and associated ecosystem services, climate change, food insecurity, and water stress. A well-functioning soil is a panacea to address these global concerns. This paper describes the contribution of conservation agriculture (CA) to biological diversity protection, climate change adaptation and mitigation, ecosystem service delivery, food security, and water security as a potential entry point for soil securitization. Using a review of literature, we share some insights into the contribution of CA to the soil security discourse. In our review, we also make key recommendations for good practices under each soil security pillar. Thus, we conclude that empirical research is required to deepen our understanding of the benefits of CA in soil security, especially in developing countries.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Using Geographical Information System (GIS): An Integrated Land Suitability Analysis of Filling Stations
Authors: Ajman Nadiatul Nazleen , Zainun Noor Yasmin , Sulaiman Noralfishah , Khahro Shabir Hussain , Ghazali Farid Ezanee Mohamed , Ahmad Mohd Hilton
Published: September 2021

A stable methodology for conserving the natural environment has been a concern for developing countries. The fast-paced growth of urbanization generated significant demand for automobiles, leading to greater utilization of fuel. The consumption of fuel is fulfilled by the Filling Station (FS). An FS is undoubtedly an important facility, but it is reported that it has high potential for degradation of natural resources, pollution problems, environmental degradation, and hydrological, geological, and socio-economic hazards, and therefore the site selection of such facilities is an essential problem. The traditional approach utilizes EIA assessments and GIS separately and existing models lacks integration. Thus, this study provides an integrated GIS-based land suitability modeling using EIA assessments, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) has been used as key land use feature prioritization for the appropriate selection of FS locations. A case study is also carried out to assess the precision of the suggested model. The findings indicate that more than 73% of the present FS are in the acceptable region, while 27% of the FS are not in the adequate region using the local code. Furthermore, 58% of the present FS are in the acceptable region, while 42% of current FS are not in the adequate region using the international code. The findings of the comparative code analysis show a difference in the codes. The international code looks safer compared to the local code because it has higher buffer distances. This model will assist decision-makers in making better decisions for such land suitability problems for filling stations, and this model can also be extended to other facilities by some modifications in the filters and data layers of the model.
Impacts of COVID-19 on Diverse Farm Systems in Tanzania and South Africa
Authors: Tripathi Hemant G. , Smith Harriet E. , Sait Steven M. , Sallu Susannah M. , Whitfield Stephen , Jankielsohn Astrid , Kunin William E. , Mazibuko Ndumiso , Nyhodo Bonani
Published: September 2021

Emerging information on the interactions between the COVID-19 pandemic and global food systems have highlighted how the pandemic is accentuating food crises across Africa. Less clear, however, are how the impacts differ between farming systems. Drawing on 50 key informant interviews with farmers, village leaders and extension officers in South Africa and Tanzania, we identify the effects of COVID-19 and associated measures to curb the spread of the disease on farming production systems, the coping mechanisms adopted by farmers, and explore their longer-term plans for adaptation. We focus on a diverse range of production systems, from small-scale mixed farming systems in Tanzania to large-scale corporate farms in South Africa. Our findings highlight how COVID-19 restrictions have interrupted the supply chains of agricultural inputs and commodities, increasing the storage time for produce, decreasing income and purchasing power, and reducing labour availability. Farmers’ responses were heterogeneous, with highly diverse small-scale farming systems and those less engaged with international markets least affected by the associated COVID-19 measures. Large-scale farmers were most able to access capital to buffer short-term impacts, whereas smaller-scale farms shared labour, diversified to subsistence produce and sold assets. However, compounded shocks, such as recent extreme climate events, limited the available coping options, particularly for smaller-scale and emerging farmers. The study highlights the need to understand the characteristics of farm systems to better equip and support farmers, particularly in contexts of uncertainty. We propose that policy actions should focus on (i) providing temporary relief and social support and protection to financially vulnerable stakeholders, (ii) job assurance for farmworkers and engaging an alternative workforce in farming, (iii) investing in farming infrastructure, such as storage facilities, digital communication tools and extension services, and (iv) supporting diversified agroecological farming systems.
Photocatalytic Advanced Oxidation Processes for Neutralizing Free Cyanide in Gold Processing Effluents in Arequipa, Southern Peru
Authors: Vuono David C. , Vanneste Johan , Figueroa Linda A. , Hammer Vincent , Aguilar-Huaylla Fredy N. , Malone Aaron , Smith Nicole M. , Garcia-Chevesich Pablo A. , Bolaños-Sosa Héctor G. , Alejo-Zapata Francisco D. , Polanco-Cornejo Henry G. , Bellona Christopher
Published: September 2021

Cyanide (CN−) from gold processing effluents must be removed to protect human health and the environment. Reducing the use of chemical reagents is desirable for small centralized and decentralized facilities. In this work, we aimed to optimize the use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation coupled with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to enhance the rate and extent of CN− removal in synthetic and actual gold processing effluents, from one centralized and one decentralized facility in southern Peru. Bench-scale studies conducted using H2O2 and ambient UV showed no significant effects on CN− destruction; however, experiments with higher UV intensity and H2O2 accelerated free CN− degradation. When a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of CN−:H2O2 was tested, the highly concentrated effluent (1 g CN−/L) had a slower pseudo first-order rate constant (k = 0.0066 min−1) and took ~5 h longer to reach 99% destruction, compared with the low concentration effluent (100 mg CN−/L; k = 0.0306 min−1). Lastly, a TiO2 photocatalyst with low stoichiometric CN−:H2O2 ratios (1:0.1 and 1:0.2), in a compound parabolic solar concentrator, was tested to investigate the degradation of a high concentration effluent (1.28 g CN−/L). These results show a significant improvement to degradation rate within a 20 min period, advancing treatment options for mineral processing facilities.
Development of a Design Catalog for Bonded Concrete Overlay Pavements Considering the Regional Characteristics of Korea
Authors: Park Hae-Won , Seo Jin-Seok , Lee Jae-Hoon , Jeong Jin-Hoon
Published: September 2021

The design of overlay pavement in Korea, using the American empirical method, does not consider the unique Korean climate, pavement material, and traffic conditions. Therefore, in this study, a mechanistic–empirical design catalog for bonded concrete overlays (BCO) that are appropriate for Korean pavement conditions was developed. First, the thickness of the new pavement slab was determined through the Korean pavement design method, which uses a mechanistic–empirical design program according to the traffic volume of the region with the worst climatic conditions in Korea. Then, finite element analysis models of new jointed concrete and BCO pavements were developed to determine the BCO thickness by adjusting it until the stress–strength ratio of an existing slab of BCO pavement was equal to that of a new concrete pavement slab. By repeating this procedure, a design catalog was developed for the sustainable management of concrete pavement according to the traffic volume, elastic modulus, and thickness of the existing slab after milling. The appropriateness of the BCO thickness predicted by the design catalog was verified by comparing it with that predicted by other design methods.
Detection of Financial Statement Fraud Using Deep Learning for Sustainable Development of Capital Markets under Information Asymmetry
Authors: Jan Chyan-Long
Published: September 2021

Information asymmetry is everywhere in financial status, financial information, and financial reports due to agency problems and thus may seriously jeopardize the sustainability of corporate operations and the proper functioning of capital markets. In this era of big data and artificial intelligence, deep learning is being applied to many different domains. This study examines both the financial data and non-financial data of TWSE/TEPx listed companies in 2001–2019 by sampling a total of 153 companies, consisting of 51 companies reporting financial statement fraud and 102 companies not reporting financial statement fraud. Two powerful deep learning algorithms (i.e., recurrent neural network (RNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM)) are used to construct financial statement fraud detection models. The empirical results suggest that the LSTM model outperforms the RNN model in all performance indicators. The LSTM model exhibits accuracy as high as 94.88%, the most frequently used performance indicator.
Why Do People Hide Knowledge in the Online Knowledge Community? An Integrated Framework of Protection Motivation, Self-Determination, and Social Exchange Beliefs
Authors: Yang Qin , Lee Young-Chan
Published: September 2021

Suppressing knowledge hiding is a prerequisite for achieving positive knowledge interactions among people. Most previous studies concentrate on knowledge hiding in organizations, but the quantitative examination of knowledge hiding antecedents in the online knowledge community has been limited. This study investigates individuals’ knowledge hiding intentions in the context of the online knowledge community through an integrated framework of protection motivation theory, self-determination theory, and social exchange beliefs. We tested the research model through a valid sample of 377 respondents from Chinese online knowledge community users. The results demonstrate that individuals’ threat appraisal (perceived severity and perceived vulnerability) and intrinsic motivation (perceived autonomy and perceived relatedness) are negatively associated with interdependence. Additionally, interdependence within the online knowledge community is proved to negatively affect individuals’ knowledge hiding intention. Furthermore, reciprocity and trust moderate the relationship between interdependence and knowledge hiding intentions. This study enriches the academic literature in the knowledge hiding field, and the findings provide an in-depth understanding of knowledge hiding in the context of the online knowledge community.
The Sharing Economy in the Context of Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility: The Example of the Czech Republic
Authors: Jelinkova Martina , Tetrevova Libena , Vavra Jan , Munzarova Simona
Published: September 2021

The rapid development of the sharing economy that has been registered in recent years is caused by a number of factors. The increasingly pronounced effort on the part of all economic entities to contribute towards sustainable development through the application of socially responsible behavior is deemed to be a key factor. The objective of the article is to analyze and evaluate the attitudes of customers towards the benefits of the sharing economy in the field of economic, social, and environmental responsibility using the example of a small post-communist economy—the Czech Republic. Primary data were obtained on the basis of a questionnaire survey. This was elaborated using descriptive and inferential statistics tools. The study that was performed shows that the majority of customers regard sharing as a source of benefits in the field of economic, social, and environmental responsibility, whereas in a complex sense, they perceive these benefits to be equal. Women perceive the investigated benefits of sharing with regard to environmental responsibility as more important compared to men. In comparison with the older generation, the younger generation perceives selected benefits of sharing as more important in all three investigated areas of responsibility. People with a higher education perceive selected benefits of sharing with regard to economic responsibility as more important compared to people with a lower level of education. The article provides original insights into the perception of the benefits of sharing for sustainable development by actors in the sharing economy and is a source of knowledge about their motivations for both policymakers and managers of companies involved in the sharing economy.
School Failure in the Region of Madrid (Spain): An Approximation through Diagnostic Assessment in 2019
Authors: Pires Luis , Santero-Sánchez Rosa , Macías Cristian
Published: September 2021

Education is considered to be one of the main factors of development, economic growth and social progress. No country can achieve sustainable economic development without substantial investment in human capital. In Spain, school failure represents one of the main problems in the educational system, with potentially dramatic consequences for the basic competences required in the labour market and job instability, with the risk of economic and social exclusion. In this paper, we aim to identify the factors that define the risk of school failure in Madrid (Spain) by applying logit models. In this process we use a definition of school failure risk which relates to the probability of scoring below level 2 in the evaluation of competences (diagnostic assessment), and we use grade retention as a proxy of school failure. The variables included in the model cover several areas, such as personal, family and school characteristics. The results show that it is important that the policies to strengthen the educational system begin with early childhood education, as educational delay symptoms are detected, and it is necessary to intensify efforts towards personalized assistance to help identify potential learning problems, especially in those groups in the worst socioeconomic situations, which are most at risk of school failure.
Predicting the Degree of Dissolved Oxygen Using Three Types of Multi-Layer Perceptron-Based Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Yang Fen , Moayedi Hossein , Mosavi Amir
Published: September 2021

Predicting the level of dissolved oxygen (DO) is an important issue ensuring the sustainability of the inhabitants of a river. A prediction model can predict the DO level using a historical dataset with regard to water temperature, pH, and specific conductance for a given river. The model can be built using sophisticated computational procedures such as multi-layer perceptron-based artificial neural networks. Different types of networks can be constructed for this purpose. In this study, the authors constructed three networks, namely, multi-verse optimizer (MVO), black hole algorithm (BHA), and shuffled complex evolution (SCE). The networks were trained using the datasets collected from the Klamath River Station, Oregon, USA, for the period 2015–2018. We found that the trained networks could predict the DO level of 2019. We also found that both BHA- and SCE-based networks could predict the level of DO using a relatively simple configuration compared to that of MVO. From the viewpoints of absolute errors and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, MVO- and SCE-based networks performed better than BHA-based networks. In synopsis, the authors recommend MVO- and MLP-based artificial neural networks for predicting the DO level of a river.
Improving the Food and Nutritional Security of Smallholder Farmers in South Africa: Evidence from the InnovAfrica Project
Authors: Myeni Lindumusa , Moeletsi Mokhele Edmond , Nyagumbo Isaiah , Modiselle Salome , Mokoena Lebohang , Kgakatsi Ikalafeng Ben
Published: September 2021

This article highlights evidence and lessons learned from the InnovAfrica project conducted by the Agricultural Research Council in collaboration with other international organizations between 2017 and 2021. This project aimed to test and upscale best-bet Sustainable Agricultural Intensification (SAI) practices through Multi-Actor Platforms (MAPs) and improved dissemination strategies across six African countries (viz. Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania). The goal of the project was to improve the food and nutritional security of smallholder farmers in Africa. The article briefly discusses some of the key challenges that smallholder agriculture is facing, results from the agricultural interventions brought in by the InnovAfrica project, evidence-based actions and policy recommendations to improve the sustainable agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers in the South African case study. The study showed that SAI practices increased crop yields and build climate-resilient farming communities. It is recommended that the promotion of SAI practices should be supported by enabling institutions and conducive policies that will enhance access to inputs, market linkages, improved access to credit and good agricultural lands, the establishment of functional farmer groups and participatory learning models. These recommendations can be used by the government and other agencies to develop effective interventions to improve food and nutrition security.
Drought Stress Alleviation by Potassium-Nitrate-Containing Chitosan/Montmorillonite Microparticles Confers Changes in Spinacia oleracea L.
Authors: Bukhari Syed Abu Bakr Haider , Lalarukh Irfana , Amjad Syeda Fasiha , Mansoora Nida , Naz Maliha , Naeem Muhammad , Bukhari Syeda Aqsa , Shahbaz Muhammad , Ali Saleha Ahmad , Marfo Theodore Danso , Danish Subhan , Datta Rahul , Fahad Shah
Published: September 2021

Drought and low amounts of mineral nutrients in the soil are the two leading global constraints in arid and semiarid regions. Their detrimental effects on soils and crops can be alleviated by applying controlled release and biodegradable fertilizers to better and sustain the crops. On a global scale, spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) is an essential leafy green vegetable that is biologically considered a reliable source of essential nutrients and minerals for human health. A comprehensive approach is needed to manage water stress to mitigate the impacts of stress-caused damage and to examine this for better and increased plant production. An experiment was conducted using potassium-nitrate-containing chitosan/montmorillonite microparticles (150 mg) under mild and severe drought stress (MDS: 50% and SDS: 35% FC, respectively). The treatments include control (no KNO3 and 70% FC as normal irrigation (NI)), KNO3 + NI, 50% FC as mild drought stress (MDS), KNO3 + MDS, 35% FC as severe drought stress (SDS) and KNO3 + SDS. Results revealed that drought stress decreased all studied physiological parameters and increased oxidative stress indicators in spinach. Applying KN significantly increased root (122%) and shoot length (4%), shoot fresh weight (32%) and shoot dry weight (71%), chlorophyll a (88%), carotenoids (39%), total soluble proteins (50%), soluble sugars (51%), potassium (80%), and phosphorous (32%) concentrations over No KN at severe drought. While stress indicators, like glycine betaine, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, electrolyte leakage, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbic acid levels, were increased in stress. Treatment KN was proved efficient and effective in improving spinach physiological status in both MDS and SDS.
The Heavy Burden of “Dependent Children”: An Italian Story
Authors: Betti Gianni , Gagliardi Francesca , Neri Laura
Published: September 2021

This paper analyses multidimensional fuzzy monetary and non-monetary deprivation in households with children by using two different definitions: households with children under 14 years old, and the EU definition of households with dependent children. Eight dimensions of non-monetary deprivation were found using 34 items from the EU-SILC 2016 survey. Dealing with subpopulations, it is essential to compute standard errors for the presented estimators. Thus, a relevant added value of the paper is fuzzy poverty measures and associated standard errors, which were also computed. Moreover, a comparison was made between the measures obtained concerning the two subpopulations across countries. With a focus on Italy, an Italian macro-region is presented.
Recognition and Prediction of Land Dynamics and Its Associated Impacts in Al-Qurayyat City and along Al-Shamal Train Pathway in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Alola Seham S. , Alogayell Haya M. , Alkadi Ibtesam I. , Mohamed Soha A. , Ismail Ismail Y.
Published: September 2021

Saudi Arabia has experienced substantial urban growth over the last few decades, transforming from rural to urban communities due to rapid economic growth. Saudi Arabia is ranked as one of the most urbanized countries, with more than 80% of its population existing in urban centers. Four Landsat imagery datasets acquired in 1989, 2002, 2013, and 2021 were used to estimate the dynamics of land cover and urban growth in Al-Qurayyat City and investigate the relationship between the construction of Al-Shamal train in 2011 and the land dynamics. The results emphasize a strong intercorrelation between the construction of the Al-Shamal train pathway and the land development and the rapid urbanization in Al-Qurayyat City. The results show that the urban and built-up area expanded from 1.96% to 7.25% between 1989 and 2021. Future prediction of land cover dynamics and urban growth in 2030 were estimated using the Markov chain and CA-Markov models. The findings of future prediction show that more than 60% of the total area of Al-Qurayyat City will transform into urban and built-up areas by 2030. The dramatic increase in urban and built-up areas and the subsequent reduction in other land cover types will impact the environmental sustainability of Al-Qurayyat City. The findings in this paper recommend smart growth, which guarantees environmentally friendly development for future land use/land cover planning in Al-Qurayyat City. This study will be beneficial to the urban planner and policymakers for proper sustainable development decisions by exploring the land cover changing pattern and the trends of urban expansion.
Sustainable Smart Cities and Industrial Ecosystem: Structural and Relational Changes of the Smart City Industries in Korea
Authors: Jo Sung-Su , Han Hoon , Leem Yountaik , Lee Sang-Ho
Published: September 2021

This paper examines the changing industrial ecosystem of smart cities in Korea using both input–output and structural path analysis from 1960 to 2015. The industry type of the input–output tables used in the Bank of Korea was reclassified into nine categories: Agriculture and Mining, Traditional Manufacturing, IT Manufacturing, Construction, Energy, IT Services, Knowledge Services, Traditional Services and other unclassified. The paper identified the changing patterns of an industrial ecosystem of smart cities in Korea. The study found that smart industries such as smart buildings and smart vehicles are anchor industries in Korean smart cities, and they are positively correlated with three other industries: IT Manufacturing, IT Services and Knowledge Services. The results of the input–output and structural path analysis show that the conventional industrial structure of labor-intensive manufacturing and diesel and petroleum cars has been transformed to the emerging high-tech industries and services in smart cities. Smart industries such as IT Manufacturing, IT Services and Knowledge Services have led to sustainable national economic growth, with greater value-added than other industries. The underlying demand for smart industries in Korea is rapidly growing, suggesting that other industries will seek further informatization, automatization and smartification. Consequently, smart industries are emerging as anchor industries which create value chains of new industries, serving as accelerators or incubators, for the development of other industries.
Investigation on the Optical Design and Performance of a Single-Axis-Tracking Solar Parabolic trough Collector with a Secondary Reflector
Authors: Subramaniyan Chinnasamy , Subramani Jothirathinam , Kalidasan Balasubramanian , Anbuselvan Natarajan , Yuvaraj Thangaraj , Prabaharan Natarajan , Senjyu Tomonobu
Published: September 2021

The design of solar concentrating collectors for the effective utilization of solar energy is a challenging condition due to tracking errors leading to different divergences of the solar incidence angle. To enhance the optical performance of solar parabolic trough collectors (SPTC) under a diverged solar incidence angle, an additional compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) is introduced as a secondary reflector. SPTC with CPC is designed and modeled for a single axis-tracking concentrating collector based on the local ambient conditions. In this work, the optical performance of the novel SPTC system with and without a secondary reflector is investigated using MATLAB and TRACEPRO software simulations for various tracking errors. The significance parameters such as the solar incidence angle, aperture length, receiver tube diameter, rim angle, concentration ratio, solar radiation, and absorbed flux are analyzed. The simulation results show that the rate of the absorbed flux on the receiver tube is significantly improved by providing the secondary reflector, which enhances the optical efficiency of the collector. It is found that the optical efficiency of the SPTC with a secondary reflector is 20% higher than the conventional collector system for a solar incidence angle of 2°. This work can effectively direct the choice of optimal secondary reflectors for SPTC under different design and operating conditions.
Research on the Influence Mechanism and Configuration Path of Network Relationship Characteristics on SMEs’ Innovation—The Mediating Effect of Supply Chain Dynamic Capability and the Moderating Effect of Geographical Proximity
Authors: Yang Hongxiong , Ren Wanru
Published: September 2021

Innovation is the continuous source of power for the survival and development of SMEs, but the complexity of innovation and the limitation of resources make SMEs trapped in the dilemma of “innovation difficulty”. A moderated mediating model was constructed based on social network theory and resource view, and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was used to empirically study the influence mechanism between network relationship characteristics and SMEs’ innovation and the configuration path to achieve SMEs’ high innovation performance. The results show that the characteristics of network relationships positively affect the innovation performance of SMEs. Supply chain dynamic capability plays an intermediary role between network relationships and SMEs’ innovation relationships. Different geographical proximity levels of the supply chain lead to different coordination interaction and knowledge sharing efficiency between upstream and downstream, which not only positively moderates the relationship between supply chain dynamic capability and SMEs’ innovation performance, but also moderates its mediating effect. Furthermore, the fs QCA analysis results show three configurations for SMEs’ high innovation performance based on the characteristics of network relations: geographic proximity regulating type, network relationship dominant type, and dynamic coordination and integration type.
Research and Practice on Filling Technology of Fully Mechanized Coal Mining Face through Trend Abandoned Roadway
Authors: Yu Yang , Lu Jianfei , Pan Yuxin , Zhao Xiangqian , Chen Dingchao
Published: September 2021

Taking the fully mechanized mining face (FMMF) through the abandoned roadway (AR) in a coal mine in Shanxi Province, China as the engineering background, the field investigation, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and field test were comprehensively used to study the instability mechanism of the trend AR. The deformation and failure evolution of the trend AR roof were deduced into four stages: initial deformation, bending and separation deformation, fracture failure, and collapse destruction. The high span ratio proved to be the key factor affecting the stability of the trend AR, and the control principle of timely support and reduction of roof span should be followed for controlling the roof of trend AR. Comparing the traditional method through the trend AR with the perspectives of technological and economic benefits, the technology of filling and controlling the trend AR with the high water material over in the FMMF was proposed, and the effect of the filling body on the roof of the trend AR was revealed. The key parameters of the filling body were identified: the strength of the filling body is 1.0 MPa, and the water-cement ratio corresponding to the high-water material is 8:1. Based on this information, the process of the trend AR filling was designed systematically. Industrial tests show that during the FMMF through the trend AR, the roof was effectively supported by the filling body and the normal coal mining was not significantly affected, so the safe mining of coal resources was guaranteed.
Determinants of Active Online Learning in the Smart Learning Environment: An Empirical Study with PLS-SEM
Authors: Wang Shaofeng , Shi Gaojun , Lu Mingjie , Lin Ruyi , Yang Junfeng
Published: September 2021

A smart learning environment, featuring personalization, real-time feedback, and intelligent interaction, provides the primary conditions for actively participating in online education. Identifying the factors that influence active online learning in a smart learning environment is critical for proposing targeted improvement strategies and enhancing their active online learning effectiveness. This study constructs the research framework of active online learning with theories of learning satisfaction, the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), and a smart learning environment. We hypothesize that the following factors will influence active online learning: Typical characteristics of a smart learning environment, perceived usefulness and ease of use, social isolation, learning expectations, and complaints. A total of 528 valid questionnaires were collected through online platforms. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis using SmartPLS 3 found that: (1) The personalization, intelligent interaction, and real-time feedback of the smart learning environment all have a positive impact on active online learning; (2) the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness in the technology acceptance model (TAM) positively affect active online learning; (3) innovatively discovered some new variables that affect active online learning: Learning expectations positively impact active online learning, while learning complaints and social isolation negatively affect active online learning. Based on the results, this study proposes the online smart teaching model and discusses how to promote active online learning in a smart environment.
Citizen Science, Plant Species, and Communities’ Diversity and Conservation on a Mediterranean Biosphere Reserve
Authors: Panitsa Maria , Iliopoulou Nikolia , Petrakis Emmanouil
Published: September 2021

Citizen science can serve as a tool to address environmental and conservation issues. Ιn the framework of Erasmus+ project CS4ESD, this study focuses on promoting the importance of plants and plant species and communities’ diversity by using available web-based information because of Covid-19 limitations and concerning the case study of Olympus mountain Biosphere Reserve (Greece). A questionnaire was designed to collect the necessary information, aiming to investigate pupils’ and students’ willing to distinguish and learn more about plant species and communities and evaluate information found on the web. Pupils, students, and experts participated in this study. The results are indicative of young citizens’ ability to evaluate environmental issues. They often underestimate plant species richness, endemism, plant communities, the importance of plants, and ecosystem services. They also use environmental or plant-based websites and online available data in a significantly different way than experts. The age of the young citizens is a factor that may affect the quality of data. The essential issue of recognizing the importance of plants and plant communities and of assisting for their conservation is highlighted. Education for sustainable development is one of the most important tools that facilitates environmental knowledge and enhances awareness.
A Review of Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of Diets: Plant-Based Solutions Are Truly Sustainable, even in the Form of Fast Foods
Authors: Kustar Anna , Patino-Echeverri Dalia
Published: September 2021

This paper’s purpose is to shed light on the current understanding of the environmental benefits of vegetarian and vegan diets, considering the inclusion of a significant share of processed foods, such as plant-based burgers. We review recent Environmental Life Cycle Assessments of the three main diet types, omnivore, vegetarian, and vegan, and then assesses the environmental impacts of adding two commercial brands of plant-based burgers to vegetarian and vegan diets. The recent literature confirms that compared to omnivore diets adhering to the same dietary guidelines, vegan diets reduce land-use impacts by 50–86%, water use by 22–70%, and greenhouse gas emissions by 21–70%, while vegetarian diets achieve reductions of 27–84% in land use, 15–69% in water use, and 24–56% in greenhouse emissions. The environmental benefits of vegan and vegetarian diets are not affected by the consumption of highly processed plant-based burgers. Consumers reduce land use, water use, and greenhouse gas emissions between 87% and 96% by choosing a Beyond or Impossible burger instead of a regular beef patty. These results are robust to the uncertainties associated with a variety of beef production systems; there is no indication that a situation or condition may make beef burgers more environmentally friendly than these two plant-based alternatives, or that the addition of plant-based meats to vegan and vegetarian diets may reduce their environmental benefits.
Safety of Constructions from the Point of View of Population Protection in the Context of Industry 4.0 in the Czech Republic
Authors: Slivkova Simona , Brumarova Lenka , Kluckova Barbora , Pokorny Jiri , Tomanova Katerina
Published: September 2021

The current safety situation and the conclusions of a number of strategic and conceptual works require a broader integration of the population protection system into the areas of construction management. The approaches adopted by individual countries to this matter differ greatly. In the Czech Republic, the definition of constructions to which it is necessary to apply population protection requirements has not been dealt with sufficiently. The construction technical requirements from the point of view of population protection are also not sufficiently dealt with. This article presents a new draft procedure for designating the requirements for the relevant constructions of population protection in the Czech Republic. In addition, possible external hazards affecting the constructions or their strategic importance functions were assessed. In conclusion, the general, specific, and strategic requirements for constructions are set. The procedure is applied to the conditions of the Czech Republic, but it is also applicable in other countries. The area of public protection is closely related to Industry 4.0. Ensuring the protection of the population, as well as the safety of workers, employers, and production facilities, is one of the basic preconditions for the development of the industry.