bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LCA of Wood Waste Management Systems: Guiding Proposal for the Standardization of Studies Based on a Critical Review
Authors: Pinho Giusilene Costa de Souza , Calmon João Luiz
Published: January 2023

In environmental management, there are many opportunities to improve wood waste (WW) management practices. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), according to ISO 14040, is a tool used to assess the environmental impacts related to a product throughout its life cycle. Thus, this article aims to propose guidelines for the creation of future LCAs of wood waste management systems in a consistent and standardized way based on the deficiencies and examples found in the studies that comprise the extensive bibliographic review of this research. During the selection of studies, the methodology termed Methodi Ordinatio was used, which considers the three most relevant points to qualify a scientific study: the impact factor; the year of publication; and the number of citations. Fifty (50) articles were identified to create a general map of the literature relevant to the topic under study. We carried out a critical review that highlights the lack of standardization and clarity of the research in this area. For example, in relation to the total number of studies analyzed, 67% did not clarify the type of analysis (attributional or consequential). Several recommendations and perspectives within the LCA of WW management were highlighted, such as the need to analyze impact categories other than climate change and to include economic and social analyses in new studies. In order to leverage all these research opportunities, it is important that LCA practitioners adopt global standardization. In future research, the guiding proposal presented in this study can improve the comparison between scenarios and the consistency of results.
Ethylene Recovery via Pebax-Based Composite Membrane: Numerical Optimization
Authors: Suhaimi Nadia Hartini , Jusoh Norwahyu , Rashidi Syafeeqa Syaza , Ch’ng Christine Wei Mann , Sambudi Nonni Soraya
Published: January 2023

Membrane technology, particularly polymeric membranes, is utilized in major industrial ethylene recovery owing to the very convenient and robust process. Thus, in this paper, a composite membrane (CM) comprising SAPO-34 and Pebax-1657 was employed to conduct a separation performance under two operating conditions, including temperatures and pressures, ranging from 25.0–60.0 °C and 3.5–10.0 bar, respectively. CO2 permeability and CO2/C2H4 ideal selectivity values that ranged from 105.68 to 262.86 Barrer and 1.81 to 3.52, respectively, were obtained via the experimental works. The separation of carbon dioxide (CO2) from ethylene (C2H4) has then been optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) by adopting a central composite design (CCD) method. As a result, the ideal operational conditions were discovered at a temperature of 60.0 °C and pressure of 10.0 bar with the maximum CO2 permeability of 233.62 Barrer and CO2/C2H4 ideal selectivity of 3.22. The typical discrepancies between experimental and anticipated data for CO2 permeability and CO2/C2H4 ideal selectivity were 1.67% and 3.10%, respectively, demonstrating the models’ validity. Overall, a new combination of Pebax-1657 and SAPO-34 composite membrane could inspire the latest understanding of the ethylene recovery process.
Can Low-Carbon Pilot City Policies Improve Energy Efficiency? Evidence from China
Authors: Li Yuexing , Liu Jun , Wang Xuefei , Forrest Jeffrey Yi-Lin
Published: January 2023

This study examines how the low-carbon pilot city policy (LCPCP) affects energy efficiency from the angles of green technology innovation and upgrading industrial structure by using panel data collected from Chinese cities between 2007 and 2019. The research results include: (1) Based on the time-varying difference-in-differences method, LCPCP has significantly improved energy efficiency, while such results remain significant after replacing the method of measuring the dependent variable and testing with the placebo test and the method of PSM-DID. (2) The heterogeneity analysis shows that compared to resource-based cities (RBC), LCPCP has a greater impact in non-resource-based cities (NRBC). Compared to the Central regions (CR) and Western regions (WR), LCPCP has a stronger impact in the Eastern region (ER). (3) A mechanism inspection shows that LCPCP can promote energy efficiency through both upgrading industrial structure and green technology innovation. LCPCP is of great importance for improving energy efficiency.
Mapping LULC Dynamics and Its Potential Implication on Forest Cover in Malam Jabba Region with Landsat Time Series Imagery and Random Forest Classification
Authors: Junaid Muhammad , Sun Jianguo , Iqbal Amir , Sohail Mohammad , Zafar Shahzad , Khan Azhar
Published: January 2023

Pakistan has an annual deforestation rate of 4.6% which is the second highest in Asia. It has been described by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that the deforestation rate increased from 1.8–2.2% within two decades (1980–2000 and 2000–2010). KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Pakistan’s northwestern province, holds 31% of the country’s total forest resources, the majority of which are natural forests. The Malam Jabba region, known for its agro-forestry practices, has undergone significant changes in its agricultural, forestry, and urban development. Agricultural and built-up land increased by 77.6% in the last four decades, and significant changes in land cover especially loss in forest, woodland, and agricultural land were observed due to flood disasters since 1980. For assessing and interpreting land-cover dynamics, particularly for changes in natural resources such as evergreen forest cover, remote sensing images are valuable assets. This study proposes a framework to assess the changes in vegetation cover in the Malam Jabba region during the past four decades with Landsat time series data. The random forest classifier (RF) was used to analyze the forest, woodland, and other land cover changes over the past four decades. Landsat MMS, TM, ETM+, and OLI satellite images were used as inputs for the random forest (RF) classifier. The vegetation cover change for each period was calculated from the pixels using vegetation indices such as NDVI, SAVI, and VCI. The results show that Malam Jabba’s total forest land area in 1980 was about 236 km2 and shrank to 152 km2 by 2020. The overall loss rate of evergreen forests was 35.3 percent. The mean forest cover loss rate occurred at 2.1 km2/year from 1980 to 2020. The area of woodland forest decreased by 87 km2 (25.43 percent) between 1980 and 2020. Other landcover increased by 121% and covered a total area of 178 km2. The overall accuracy was about 94% and the value of the kappa coefficient was 0.92 for the change in forest and woodland cover. In conclusion, this study can be beneficial to researchers and decision makers who are enthusiastic about using remote sensing for monitoring and planning the development of LULC at the regional and global scales.
Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion: An Advancement towards Enhanced Biogas Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass
Authors: Singh Richa , Hans Meenu , Kumar Sachin , Yadav Yogender Kumar
Published: January 2023

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD) technology has been adopted worldwide mainly due to it being a pathogen-free process in addition to the enhanced biogas yield and short hydraulic retention time (HRT). Taking the high metabolic rate of the thermophilic microbial community with highly efficient enzymatic systems into consideration, thermophiles are being widely explored as efficient inocula for lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) degradation and improved biomethane production. The advantages of TAD over mesophilic anaerobic digestion (MAD), including improved kinetics, efficient degradation of organic matter, and economic and environmental sustainability, make it one of the best strategies to be operated at moderately high temperatures. This review sheds light on the relevant role of thermophilic microorganisms as inocula in the anaerobic digestion of organic matter and factors affecting the overall process stability at high temperatures. Further, the discussion explains the strategies for enhancing the efficiency of thermophilic anaerobic digestion.
Socio-Ecological Controversies from Chilean and Brazilian Sustainable Energy Transitions
Authors: Poque González Axel Bastián , Masip Macia Yunesky , Ferreira Lúcia da Costa , Valdes Javier
Published: January 2023

Chile and Brazil have been historically recognised in South America for having a high share of renewable sources in their primary energy matrices. Furthermore, in the last two decades, aligned with the global efforts to conduct a sustainable energy transition, both countries have experienced a successful introduction of nonconventional renewable energy for power production. Nevertheless, some experiences with renewable sources have been demonstrated to be not entirely societally and environmentally friendly, as some local human communities and ecosystems are threatened, and conflicts have emerged, regardless of low-emission technology. Using the cases of Chile and Brazil, we aim to explore the socio-ecological dimension of sustainable energy transition—which has sometimes been ignored. We analyse the controversies regarding renewable energy and the emergence of socio-ecological conflicts through the principles of justice in transitions. Critical renewable conflicting power projects are identified using the Atlas of Environmental Justice’s database. Considering those experiences, we believe that reinforcing decision-making processes should be in synergy with identifying new alternatives to develop energy in both countries. Placing justice approaches at the centre of public policies is imperative to developing sustainable policies in the future.
Environmental Sustainability of Industrial Waste-Based Cementitious Materials: A Review, Experimental Investigation and Life-Cycle Assessment
Authors: Navaratnam Satheeskumar , Tushar Quddus , Jahan Israt , Zhang Guomin
Published: January 2023

Wall plaster production induces significant environmental impacts during its entire life as it consumes a high amount of cement and natural resources. Therefore, in sustainable development, industrial wastes are partially replaced to produce cementitious material to reduce environmental impacts. This study aims to identify the optimal environmental benefits from the waste-based cementitious materials that are used to produce wall plaster. Thus, this study involved conducting a comprehensive review of the mechanical and sustainable performance of industrial waste-based cementitious materials focused on wall construction. Then, an experimental test was conducted to ensure the appropriate mix design to enable the required compressive strength. A comparative analysis of mortar showed that it contained 15% (by weight) of fly ash, blast furnace slag, bottom ash, recycled glass, ferronickel slag, expanded polystyrene and wood ash using life-cycle assessment. The results show that mortar containing fly ash has lower environmental impacts in almost all impact categories (i.e., human health, the ecosystem and natural resources). Endpoint damage assessment of mortar mixtures expresses resource extraction cost as the most affected impact criteria. The replacement of globally consumed cement with 15% fly ash can contribute to monetary savings of up to USD 87.74 billion. The assessment clarifies the advantage of incorporating waste products in cement mortar, which allows policymakers to interpret the analysis for decision making. This study also found that the production of industrial wastes for mortar mixes has a significant impact on the environment.
The Spatial Spillover Effects of Environmental Regulations on Forestry Ecological Security Efficiency in China
Authors: Lu Hongliang , Zhang Min , Nian Wei
Published: January 2023

The report of the 20th national congress of the communist party of China (NCCPC) announced the long-term goal of promoting green development by adhering to ecological priorities and expanding green areas. Ensuring forestry ecological security is necessary to achieve this. This article studies the impact of environmental regulations (ER) on forestry ecological security efficiency (FESE) based on provincial panel data from 2005 to 2019 using a spatial econometric model, which evaluates the spatial spillover effect of FESE and analyzes the improvement path of FESE. This study shows the following: (1) China’s FESE is at a low level. (2) The current increase in FESE is heavily based on scale expansion; it is necessary to further release the technological dividend, and the coordinated development of technical efficiency and scale efficiency promotes forestry development. (3) FESE has a negative spatial spillover effect, emphasizing spatial linkage effects and achieving optimal allocation of production factors. (4) The indirect effect of ER on FESE is linear in the positive direction and the direct effect of the quadratic term ER on FESE is inverted “U” shaped. The provincial governments separately formulate ER to form a horizontal linkage for pollution control, improve the forestry ecological compensation system, incorporate a green economy assessment into political performance, and comprehensively coordinate environmental policy implementation to promote FESE.
Fuzzy Modelling and Optimization of Yeast-MFC for Simultaneous Wastewater Treatment and Electrical Energy Production
Authors: Rezk Hegazy , Olabi A. G. , Abdelkareem Mohammad Ali , Maghrabie Hussein M. , Sayed Enas Taha
Published: January 2023

Microbial fuel cells convert the chemical energy conserved in organic matter in wastewater directly to electrical energy through living microorganisms. These devices are environmentally friendly thanks to their ability to simultaneously produce electrical energy and wastewater treatment. The output power of the yeast microbial fuel cell (YMFC) depends mainly on glucose concentration and glucose/yeast ratio. Thus, the paper aims to boost the power of YMFC by identifying the best values of glucose concentration and glucose/yeast ratio. The suggested approach comprises fuzzy modelling and optimization. Fuzzy is used to build the model based on the measured data. In the optimization stage, the marine predators’ algorithm (MPA) is applied to identify the best glucose concentration values and glucose/yeast ratio corresponding to the maximum output power of YMFC. The results revealed the superiority of the combination of fuzzy and MPA compared with the response surface methodology (RSM) approach. Regarding the modelling accuracy, the coefficient of determination increased by 13.32% and 8.37%, respectively, for without methylene blue and with methylene blue compared with RSM. The integration between fuzzy and MPA succeeded in maximizing the output power from YMFC. Without MB, the power density increased by 25% and 29.3%, respectively, compared with measured data and RSM. In addition, with MB, the power density increased by 22.4% and 26%, compared with measured data and RSM.
On the Club Convergence in China’s Provincial Coal Consumptions: Evidence from a Nonlinear Time-Varying Factor Model
Authors: He Yinnan , Qin Ruxiang , Wang Bangjun
Published: January 2023

Coal has been the fundamental energy source supporting China’s energy supply and consumption. This paper examines convergence clubs for per capita coal consumption among 30 provinces of China between 1997 and 2019 by means of a nonlinear time-varying factor model. Meanwhile, the ordered probit model is further used to identify the causes affecting convergence. The results of analyses of data strongly support the existence of convergence clubs, indicating that there are four convergence clubs and one divergence group at the interprovincial level. Among the factors that potentially influence provincial coal consumption, the GDP-per capital, industrial structure, intensity of environment regulations and carbon emissions are positively related to per capita coal consumption, while investment in fixed assets, degree of openness to the outside world and technological progress are negatively related to per capita coal consumption. Increases in GDP-per capital, industrial structure, intensity of environment regulations and carbon emissions enhance the odds of belonging to a high coal consumption intensity club. Increases in investment in fixed assets, degree of openness to the outside world and technological progress reduce the odds of belonging to a high coal consumptions intensity club. These findings help policy makers to set coal production and consumption targets for different regions and reduce the differences in coal consumption across regions.
Use of Shredded Recycled Plastic as Filter Bed Packing in a Vertical Flow Filter for Onsite Wastewater Treatment Plants: Preliminary Findings
Authors: Chmielowski Krzysztof , Halecki Wiktor , Masłoń Adam , Bąk Łukasz , Kalenik Marek , Spychała Marcin , Niedziółka Arkadiusz , Łaciak Mariusz , Roman Michał , Mazurkiewicz Jakub
Published: January 2023

Household wastewater is a problem, especially in areas with a dispersed settlement where there is no wastewater collection system or wastewater treatment plant. In this case, it is necessary to build a local or onsite wastewater treatment plant. This paper is an attempt to analyse the possibility of using recycled shredded ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) as packing media in an experimental vertical flow filter for use in on-site wastewater treatment plants. Studies have shown that shredded recycled ABS is a promising filtration material that has several features important in the treatment process, like a large surface area, high mechanical strength and chemical inertness. The system was operated with a hydraulic load of 50 dm3/m2 (3 months). BOD5 (biochemical oxygen demand), COD (chemical oxygen demand), and total suspended solids (TSS) reduction efficiency in the primary effluent was high; 94.4%, 77.8%, and 92.8%, respectively.
Technological Characteristics of Wheat-Fiber-Based Fat Mimetics in Combination with Food Additives
Authors: Nikolić Ivana , Pajin Biljana , Lončarević Ivana , Šubarić Drago , Jozinović Antun , Lončarić Ante , Petrović Jovana , Šereš Zita , Dokić Ljubica , Šoronja-Simović Dragana
Published: January 2023

In addition to the fact that the “ideal” fat mimetic should have all functional characteristics of fat, it is preferable to be from natural sources. Dietary fibers from different natural sources have large potential for fat mimetic roles in low-energy food products. This work observes the functional characteristics of wheat-fiber-based fat mimetics (microstructure, rheological and textural properties), as well as the influence of addition of small molecules of additives, which are usually necessary during the production of food products. Different concentrations of fat mimetics were analyzed (from 1–10% of fibers) alone and also in combination with a mixture of additives (sodium ascorbate, trisodium citrate and sodium acetate). The concentration of hydrated wheat fibers above 3% formed viscoelastic gel structures with an antithixotropic type of Newtonian flow, with a domination of elastic properties (G′) and ability for partial recover. Firmness and consistency were also stable at higher fiber concentration (5–10%). Thus, these fat mimetics have high ability to imitate fat functional properties and to provide the role of continuous phase in food systems. The application of food additives significantly reduced all observed properties of wheat fibers’ fat mimetics by disturbing the proper hydration process during gel formation and crosslinking of the three-dimensional structure of fat mimetics.
Combining PCA-AHP Combination Weighting to Prioritize Design Elements of Intelligent Wearable Masks
Authors: Chen Zibin , Zhang Xi , Lee Jaehwan
Published: January 2023

Intelligent wearable masks are gaining increasing interest due to COVID-19 and the problems and limitations of existing masks. This paper prioritizes the design elements of personal protective equipment-intelligent wearable masks from the perspective of the product design domain. Using principal component analysis (PCA), the principal components of the design elements were selected first in this paper. Using the combined weights (PCA-AHP) method, the intelligent wearable masks’ prioritized design elements at each level were determined. The highest priority among the primary elements is comfort (0.3422), with the adjustable ear strap (0.1870) receiving the highest priority among the primary elements of comfort. The highest priority in functionality (0.2733) is anti-respiratory droplets/air purification (0.1097), the highest priority in usability (0.1686) is the easy removal and replacement of filters (0.0761), the highest priority in the aesthetic design (0.1192) is styling (0.0509), and the highest priority in material (0.0967) is flexible fabric material (0.0355). Finally, the six prioritized design elements were evaluated using fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE), and overall, 76% of the experts considered them “appropriate” or “very appropriate” and 18% considered them “fair.” Therefore, this study’s six most prioritized design elements proposed for intelligent wearable masks can satisfy users’ needs.
Treatment of Agricultural Waste Using a Combination of Anaerobic, Aerobic, and Adsorption Processes
Authors: Trouli Kyriaki , Dokianakis Spyros , Vasilaki Evangelia , Katsarakis Nikos
Published: January 2023

The generation of waste in agricultural and livestock industries, followed by inadequate treatment and uncontrolled disposal to natural recipients, results in significant environmental pollution. Thus, the efficient and integrated management of high-organic-load waste produced in such activities is a key factor for sustainability and the protection of aqueous matrices. In this work, we investigate an integrated management approach for the treatment of agricultural, high-organic-load waste via a combination of processes, with an ultimate goal to improve the characteristics of the final waste and enhance the valorization of the nutrients contained in it. Towards this direction, a waste mixture comprising pig waste, cheese dairy, and food residues was sequentially treated in a laboratory scale by anaerobic digestion, followed by activated sludge (aerobic–anoxic treatment), and last by adsorption using natural zeolite. The efficiency of two different adsorption routes was examined (magnetically agitated zeolite or packed zeolite column), while the effect of the granule sizes of zeolite (0–1 mm or 1.5–3 mm) was also evaluated with regards to the remediation of the final effluent. Excellent adsorption capacities were observed in all cases, with the larger-sized zeolite exhibiting a superior performance, while the granule size of zeolite significantly affected the lifetime of the packed columns, as the smaller-sized zeolite columns reached their saturation point faster than the larger-sized zeolite analogue. The average ammonium nitrogen removal in the column experiment was ~92%, while total phosphorus was ~68%, respectively. Overall, an almost complete remediation of the final effluent was observed when compared with the physicochemical parameters of the initial waste, with a ~96% chemical oxygen demand, ~79% total nitrogen, ~96% total phosphorus, and ~82% phenols concentration decrease, signifying the high performance of the sequential treatment strategy proposed herein.
Relationship between Highway Geometric Characteristics and Accident Risk: A Multilayer Perceptron Model (MLP) Approach
Authors: Yan Jie , Zeng Sheng , Tian Bijiang , Cao Yuanwen , Yang Wenchen , Zhu Feng
Published: January 2023

The traffic safety of mountain highway has always been one of the taking point. This study aims to collect road design data in large-scale research and analyzes the accident risk of highway geometric alignment. Accordingly, a method based on satellite maps and clustering algorithms is proposed to calculate the geometric alignment of the highway plane and its longitudinal section. The reliability of the method was verified on Nanfu highway in Chongqing, China. The planar and longitudinal sectional geometries of the four highways in Chongqing were obtained by the above method, and the corresponding 36,439 traffic accidents which occurred from 2010 to 2016 were used as the research objects. The accident risk of the highway geometry was analyzed based on the SHAP and MLP theories. The results show that the fitting and prediction abilities of the MLP model are better than those of the negative binomial model, and its correlation coefficient is improved by 33.2%. In addition, compared with the negative binomial model, the MLP model can estimate more accurately and flexibly the complex nonlinear relationship between the independent and the dependent variables.
Impact of COVID-19 on University Activities: Comparison of Experiences from Slovakia and Georgia
Authors: Sirotkin Alexander V. , Pavlíková Martina , Hlad Ľubomír , Králik Roman , Zarnadze Irina , Zarnadze Shalva , Petrikovičová Lucia
Published: January 2023

The paper examines the recent trends in international mobility, attractivity for international students, and the number of publications of two universities (Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia, CPU and Tbilisi State Medical University, Georgia, TSMU) to understand whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected these processes and whether the adverse consequences of the pandemic were still retained after its end. In addition, we examined the influence of EU support for these processes. For this purpose, we analyzed the rates of international mobility (the number of outgoing and incoming students and employees, the number of international students, and the number of publications indexed in SCOPUS and the WoS database of CPU and TSMU before, during, and after the abolishment of administrative restrictions induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The comparison of CPU and TSMU demonstrated the similarity between these universities in the development of international contacts and cooperation. The indexes of international mobility and the number of publications in the EU university CPU were higher than those in the non-EU TSMU. On the other hand, before COVID-19, the indexes of international mobility and the number of publications of TSMU were stable or tended to decline, but in CPU, they increased. COVID-19 had a negative impact on all indexes of international mobility, but the number of international students continued to increase in both universities, even during the pandemic. The use of home offices during the pandemic promoted an increase in the number of international publications among authors from CPU but not among those from TSMU. After the end of the pandemic, in both universities, the indexes of international mobility increased but sometimes did not return to pre-pandemic levels. In the post-COVID-19 period, in both CPU and TSMU, the number of international students continued to grow, and the number of publications declined. These observations highlight the trend of internalization experienced by both universities, the negative impact of COVID on their international mobility, and the importance of EU support for research.
Investigating Lifelong Learners’ Continuing Learning Intention Moderated by Affective Support in Online Learning
Authors: Tang Wen , Zhang Xiangyang , Tian Youyi
Published: January 2023

During the pandemic crises, online learning has moved from the margin to the centre of education, thus making a change in the educational paradigm. The degrees of technology acceptance, therefore, pose a major challenge to administrators, educators, and students, including lifelong learners from all fields of work. This paper aims to investigate how technology acceptance facilitates lifelong learners’ continuing learning intention. By constructing a structural equation model based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) theory and verifying the mediating role of learning satisfaction and the moderating role of affective support empirically, this study addresses the online learning characteristics in terms of self-efficacy, satisfaction, and willingness to learn in the context of lifelong learners. Data were collected from the questionnaires embedded in the courses at a distance teaching university. A total of 513 questionnaires have been retrieved and 488 valid questionnaires have been processed and analysed via SPSS 26.0 and Amos 24.0. The findings indicate that positive relationships and positive correlations between learning satisfaction and continuing learning intention juxtapose, and satisfaction is positively correlated with continuing intention. Moreover, affective support moderates the three components significantly. The results of this research help expand the applicability of the TAM theory with more practical significance, conveying positive messages to the administrators, educators and lifelong learners in continuance of online learning, and thus maintaining retention, particularly in the post-pandemic new normal for the sustainability of higher education.
Association between Regional Digitalization and High-Quality Economic Development
Authors: Luo Chunhua , Wei Dianlong , Su Wunhong , Lu Jinjing
Published: January 2023

Regional digitization became an important driving force for high-quality economic development. Digital empowerment can effectively balance factor supply and demand and promote high-quality economic development. This study selects a sample of Chinese cities from 2011 to 2018 to investigate the association between regional digitalization and high-quality economic development. This study further examines the non-linear relationship between regional digitalization and high-quality economic development using market and government governance as threshold variables. This study uses a two-way fixed effects model with a threshold effects model for the econometric analysis. The study finds that regional digitalization effectively contributes to high-quality economic development from three major changes: quality, efficiency, and power. Thresholds of effective markets and productive government characterize the impact of regional digitalization on quality economic development. The more effective the marketization process or the building of a productive government, the more effectively the digitization of the region contributes to high-quality economic development. The contribution of this paper is to reveal the internal logic of the regional digitalization process in advancing quality economic development and to provide new theoretical evidence for action plans to strengthen the construction of efficient markets and responsive government.
To Align Technological Advancement and Ethical Conduct: An Analysis of the Relationship between Digital Technologies and Sustainable Decision-Making Processes
Authors: Riso Teresa , Morrone Carla
Published: January 2023

Digitalization and sustainability is widely investigated; however, only few studies have analyzed the role of sustainable decision-making processes in the business strategy field for achieving sustainable development goals: The study proposes a structured literature review (SLR), analyzing 318 documents published in the period 2019–2023. The results of the SLR bring to light that the publications on the topic mainly regard seven research areas. Green supply chains, logistics and digital management is the principal one, followed by sustainable goals, green indicators, and digital advancement. Furthermore, the analysis marks future research lines: although this document offers an overview of the main studies in literature, the major limitation is the use of only one database and a time span of 5 years. This study could contribute to generate further research on sustainable decision-making processes, promoting a different organizational approach to value creation and sustainable performance.
CO2 Impact Analysis for Road Embankment Construction: Comparison of Lignin and Lime Soil Stabilization Treatments
Authors: Perri Giusi , De Rose Manuel , Domitrović Josipa , Vaiana Rosolino
Published: January 2023

The last decade has witnessed increased attention toward products, services, and works with reduced environmental impacts. In the field of road construction, the use of alternative materials, wastes, or by-products obtained from industries is attracting considerable interest. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a powerful project-level tool that allows the assessment of the environmental impacts of a road infrastructure, from raw materials production to end of life phase. In this study, the environmental impacts (in terms of global warming potential-GWP) of an embankment construction project are investigated by a cradle-to-gate approach. The analysis focuses on all the processes involved in the construction of an embankment section, from the base to the preparation of the pavement formation level. The results are provided for two different road types and two different stabilization methods, including the use of lignin and lime. All processes that contribute towards global warming are investigated and described in detail. The most important finding of the LCA, in terms of GWP, is that the production of materials is the phase that contributes the significant share of the total environmental impact (more than 90%) for all scenarios. The lowest production-related emissions can be recorded for the scenarios involving lignin treatment for the stabilization of the embankment body. Furthermore, the percentage increase in GWP ranges between 51% and 39% for transportation activities and 10–11% for construction activities, comparing the scenarios including lime stabilization with the scenarios involving lignin treatment.
Strategic Orientation, Dynamic Capabilities, and Digital Transformation of Commercial Banks: A Fuzzy-Set QCA Approach
Authors: Cheng Songsong , Fan Qunpeng , Huang Minghao
Published: January 2023

Digital transformation is a critical challenge for commercial banks to achieve sustainable competitive advantages in the digital economy. However, conventional research focuses too much on constructing linear models to explain the non-linear relationships between and among the factors relevant to digital transformation. By adopting the configurational framework, we propose that the interactions between strategy and dynamic capabilities determine the paths of how digital transformation may succeed or fail. The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of digital transformation practices by Chinese commercial banks shows that: (1) a single condition of strategic orientation or dynamic capabilities does not constitute the necessary condition for high digital transformation, yet market orientation plays a more general role in generating high digital transformation. (2) There are three configurational paths that can contribute to high digital transformation of commercial banks, such as sensing capability-driven paths dominated by strategic orientation, integrating capability-driven paths dominated by strategic orientation, and the market orientation-driven paths dominated by dynamic capabilities. (3) There are two configurational paths that lead to non-high digital transformation, which verifies the existence of the asymmetrical relationship compared to the configurational paths of high digital transformation; (4) In the pathways dominated by strategic orientation, there is a substitutive relationship between sensing capability and integrating capability. The findings make contributions to the literature on digital transformation and provide implications for the digital transformation of commercial banks.
Geographic Exploration of the Driving Forces of the NDVI Spatial Differentiation in the Upper Yellow River Basin from 2000 to 2020
Authors: Han Jinxu , Zhang Xiangyu , Wang Jianhua , Zhai Jiaqi
Published: January 2023

Meteorological factors and human activities are important factors affecting vegetation change. The change in the Upper Yellow River Basin’s (UYRB’s) ecological environment greatly impacts the ecological environment in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. The purpose of this study was to evaluate remotely sensed imageries and vegetation indices as tools for accurately quantifying the driving forces of vegetation distribution. To accomplish this, we utilized the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) to examine the temporal and spatial variability of the vegetation distribution in the UYRB between 2000 and 2020. Based on the geographic detector method, the spatial differentiation, driving force, interaction, and suitability of the NDVI were detected. From 2000 to 2020, the estimated annual NDVI value of the UYRB was 0.515, with notable geographic variation in the distribution. The NDVI showed an obvious upward trend with a rate of 0.038 per 10 years. The vegetation coverage significantly improved. However, the vegetation coverage at the source area of the Yellow River marginally deteriorated. The primary driving factors affecting the spatial distribution of the NDVI were yearly precipitation, elevation, soil type, vegetation type, and annual average temperature, with a predictive power of 47%, 46%, 44%, 41%, and 40%, respectively. The interplay of the components had a stronger impact on the NDVI, and the interaction between the yearly precipitation and the soil type had the highest predictive power, reaching 61%. Natural factors and human activities influence NDVI change, with natural factors playing a significant role. Therefore, we should continue to implement the project of returning farmland to forest (grass), increase the efficiency of vegetation precipitation use, and promote the growth of vegetation so that ecological restoration continues to be effectively improved.
CRITIC-TOPSIS Based Evaluation of Smart Community Governance: A Case Study in China
Authors: Yin Jiyao , Wang Jueqi , Wang Chenyang , Wang Linxiu , Chang Zhangyu
Published: January 2023

As the basic unit of a smart city, the smart community has received considerable attention and problems in community governance have appeared simultaneously. Previous studies of smart community governance have failed to encompass all aspects, especially the evaluation tools for ensuring its outcomes. Therefore, this paper developed a comprehensive evaluation framework based on the CRITIC-TOPSIS method combined with the identified evaluation indicators. Seven smart communities from four cities in China were selected as cases to show how this evaluation framework could be applied to decision-making. The results indicated that the evaluation indicator ”Mediation of Conflict” had the highest weight while ”The participation of social enterprises in governance” had the lowest weight. Furthermore, the Yucun community presented the highest governance performance among these seven smart communities. Several strategies are proposed for improving the level of smart community governance, such as devoting significant resources to develop infrastructure in smart communities, facilitating communication among multiple participants, and increasing funding for the implementation of smart communities. This research contributes both to the innovation of community governance evaluation and to the improvement of smart communities.
Travel-Energy-Based Timetable Optimization in Urban Subway Systems
Authors: Li Jian , Zhang Lu , Liu Bu , Shi Ningning , Li Liang , Yin Haodong
Published: January 2023

Timetable optimization for urban subways is aimed at improving the transportation service. In congested subway systems, the effects of crowding at stations and inside the vehicles have not been properly addressed in timetabling. Moreover, it is difficult to show the time of values in different riding conditions. In this paper, we consider the passenger-travel process as a physical activity expending energy and formulate a travel energy expenditure function for a heavily congested urban subway corridor. A timetable optimization model is proposed to minimize the total energy expenditure, including waiting on the platform and travelling in the vehicle. We develop a heuristic generic algorithm to solve the optimization problem through a special binary coding method. The model is applied to the Yi-zhuang line in the Beijing subway system to obtain a passenger-oriented energy-minimizing timetable. Compared with using the existing timetable, we find a 20% reduction in average energy expenditure per passenger and a RMB 47,500 increase in social profits as the result of the timetable optimization.
Using an Axiomatic Design Approach to Develop a Product Innovation Process with Circular and Smart Design Aspects
Authors: Adilah Muna , Rau Hsin , Procopio Katrina Mae
Published: January 2023

Nowadays, smart and environmentally friendly products are gaining traction in consumers’ purchase intentions. Not only will it reduce the adverse impact on the environment, but it also provides convenience and efficiency due to the improved functionality. On the other hand, companies need to evaluate how to effectively integrate these features into their design process. Therefore, this research aims to provide a systematic design methodology utilizing an axiomatic design approach that will incorporate the exploration of circular design and smart design aspects. To achieve this, a literature review was conducted to identify the specific circular and smart design aspects that will serve as input for the design process. Then, customer preferences on the existing products were collected and mapped into the design aspects. The output of which will be translated into the product’s functional requirements, and finally, overall design alternatives. To assess the effectiveness of the proposed methodology, a case study for a water dispenser was presented. Results show that developed design was better than the existing models available in the market. With that, the proposed product innovation process can be used in practical application and can be used as a solution to increase customer satisfaction and offer companies a competitive advantage.
Involving Citizens in Heat Planning: A Participatory Process Design for Informed Decision-Making
Authors: Bouw Kathelijne , Wiekens Carina J. , Tigchelaar Casper , Faaij André
Published: January 2023

Participatory energy planning at the local level engages citizens, builds legitimacy and trust, and increases successful implementation of renewable energies. In the context of heat planning, technology choices highly vary depending on the local context and social conditions and including social input therefore benefits the planning process. This research adds to the current literature, which lacks concrete examples and verified approaches that clarify what the guiding principles of participatory energy planning are and how the opportunities and challenges can be dealt with. This paper elaborates on these opportunities and challenges and proposes a process design, using multiple tools (a survey, an Information-choice Questionnaire, and workshops) to collect the social input that is necessary to make technology choices in a participatory manner. The process design is applied and tested in a case study of a Dutch neighbourhood and lessons learned are drafted as a basis for further research.
An Overview of Poultry Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Mediterranean Area
Authors: Zisis Foivos , Giamouri Elisavet , Mitsiopoulou Christina , Christodoulou Christos , Kamilaris Charalampos , Mavrommatis Alexandros , Pappas Athanasios C. , Tsiplakou Eleni
Published: January 2023

The growing population and income drive the rapid increase in food demand. Greece and a few other Mediterranean countries are characterized as countries with a high proportion of mountains favoring goat and sheep breeding; however, poultry breeding is also important, and production is increasing rapidly. Poultry breeding is characterized by the millions of birds reared with increased quantities and prices of feedstuffs. There is a parallel increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions., since poultry production generates a significant amount of GHG. The aim of the present study was to provide an overview of poultry GHG in the Mediterranean area. Emissions’ sources and mitigation practices are presented. Future is promising given that sustainable practices are implemented.
Importance–Performance Analysis (IPA) in Analyzing the Satisfaction of Administrative Support in Teaching Practice Research Programs
Authors: Wu Chien-Hung , Kuo Pei-Ling , Yang Ching-Hsu , Chang Yun-Chen , Chen Tung-Liang
Published: January 2023

This study examined the effects of school administrative support on teaching practice research programs using the importance–performance analysis (IPA) model. Teachers’ emotions, the importance they attributed to certain elements of the administrative services, and their satisfaction with the service quality of the administrative system were explored. To satisfy teachers’ needs and improve the service quality of administrative support, gaps in service quality between expectations and reality need to be identified. Participants were full-time teachers who had applied for teaching practice research programs at a university in Taiwan. A questionnaire on satisfaction with administrative support was developed and distributed to 102 teachers, 86 of whom returned valid responses. The results were analyzed using a paired t-test, regression analysis, and IPA. The teachers were most concerned about briefings regarding the application process and the administrative services the received, and they were most satisfied with these administrative services (t = 4.595, p < 0.001). Administrative service was the main factor contributing to teachers’ satisfaction. Seminars or workshops on writing and consultation for budgeting were the top priorities to improve the administrative support system. Suggestions for enhancing school administrative services based on these results are also provided.
A New More Flexible Class of Distributions on (0,1): Properties and Applications to Univariate Data and Quantile Regression
Authors: Reyes Jimmy , Rojas Mario A. , Cortés Pedro L. , Arrué Jaime
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we will present a new, more flexible class of distributions with a domain in the interval (0,1), which presents heavier tails than other distributions in the same domain, such as the Beta, Kumaraswamy, and Weibull Unitary distributions. This new distribution is obtained as a transformation of two independent random variables with a Weibull distribution, which we will call the Generalized Unitary Weibull distribution. Considering a particular case, we will obtain an alternative to the Beta, Kumaraswamy, and Weibull Unitary distributions. We will call this new distribution of two parameters the type 2 unitary Weibull distribution. The probability density function, cumulative probability distribution, survival function, hazard rate, and some important properties that will allow us to infer are provided. We will carry out a simulation study using the maximum likelihood method and we will analyze the behavior of the parameter estimates. By way of illustration, real data will be used to show the flexibility of the new distribution by comparing it with other distributions that are known in the literature. Finally, we will show a quantile regression application, where it is shown how the proposed distribution fits better than other competing distributions for this type of application.