bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute Effects of Heavy Strength Training on Mechanical, Hemodynamic, Metabolic, and Psychophysiological Parameters in Young Adult Males
Authors: Andrade João , Esteves Dulce , Ferraz Ricardo , Marques Diogo Luís , Branquinho Luís , Marinho Daniel Almeida , Marques Mário Cardoso , Neiva Henrique Pereira
Published: November 2022

This study analyzed the acute effects of heavy strength training on mechanical, hemodynamic, metabolic, and psychophysiological responses in adult males. Thirteen recreational level males (23.3 ± 1.5 years) randomly performed two heavy strength training sessions (3 sets of 8 repetitions at 80% of one repetition maximum [1RM]) using the bench press (HST-BP) or full squat (HST-FS)). The repetition velocity was recorded in both sessions. Moreover, before and after the sessions, the velocity attained against the ~1.00 m·s−1 load (V1Load) in the HST-BP, countermovement jump (CMJ) height in the HST-FS, blood pressure, heart rate, blood lactate, and psychophysiological responses (OMNI Perceived Exertion Scale for Resistance Exercise) were measured. There were differences between exercises in the number of repetitions performed in the first and third sets (both <8 repetitions). The velocity loss was higher in the HST-BP than in the HST-FS (50.8 ± 10.0% vs. 30.7 ± 9.5%; p < 0.001). However, the mechanical fatigue (V1Load vs. CMJ height) and the psychophysiological response did not differ between sessions (p > 0.05). The HST-FS caused higher blood pressure and heart rate responses than the HST-BP (p < 0.001 and p = 0.02, respectively) and greater blood lactate changes from pre-training to post-set 1 (p < 0.05). These results showed that the number of maximal repetitions performed in both sessions was lower than the target number and decreased across sets. Moreover, the HST-BP caused a higher velocity loss than the HST-FS. Finally, the HST-FS elicited higher hemodynamic and metabolic demand than the HST-BP.
Trust in Government and Its Determinants: An Empirical Study of Public Acceptability for Carbon Tax in Malaysia
Authors: Muhammad Izlawanie , Mohd Hasnu Norfakhirah Nazihah , Ibrahim Mohd Adha , Abdul Hamid Suhaila , Mohd Hanefah Mustafa
Published: November 2022

Trust in government is a significant factor influencing the public acceptability of environmental tax. Without trust, implementing and sustaining a new tax policy is challenging due to public resistance. However, gaining trust from the public is even more challenging in developing countries where corruption is a common issue. Despite the risk of policy rejection, many developing countries, including Malaysia, are adopting the carbon tax as a policy to reduce carbon emissions. This has raised the question of the impact of trust in the government on public acceptability for carbon tax implementation in Malaysia. Another critical concern is identifying the predictors of trust in government, to which researchers have given less attention. Three main features of good governance—accountability, integrity, and competence—were examined as the predictors of trust in government. A nationwide survey in Malaysia was conducted using an online questionnaire, and 566 respondents completed the survey. The data were analysed using the Structural Equation Model (SEM) via Amos. The results show that trust in the government is influenced by the government’s accountability, integrity, and competence. In contrast with many past studies, trust in the government does not influence Malaysian acceptance behaviour. Instead, only the government’s accountability influences the acceptance of carbon tax implementation among the public. The public is concerned about the government’s spending; hence, the government must be transparent in its spending and redistributing the tax revenue to the public must be the top priority to gain public trust in implementing a carbon tax policy.
Study on Properties of Regenerated Fluorinated Polyurethane Rigid Foam Prepared by Degrading Waste Polyurethane
Authors: Zhang Da-Sheng , Gu Xiao-Hua , Liu Si-Wen , Liu Yan , Zhou Qing-Yun , Zhu Shang-Wen , Zhu Yan-Wei
Published: November 2022

Polyurethane (PU) has become one of the most widely used materials in the industrial field due to its excellent performance and wide range of applications. The increasing consumption of polyurethane materials has resulted in significant polyurethane waste. We can recycle waste polyurethane to obtain recycled polyurethane, but to make the recycled polyurethane meet different performance requirements in terms of utility and cost and enable the recycled polyether polyol to be further applied to high-end applications, it is necessary to improve the use value of recycled polyether polyol. In this paper, self-made Fluorodiol was added to the degradation process of waste polyurethane to obtain fluorinated regenerated polyether polyol. Recycled fluorinated polyurethane with excellent performance was prepared using fluorine-containing recycled polyether polyol. The regenerated fluorinated polyether polyols were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, viscosity, hydroxyl value, and GPC molecular weight distribution. The density, apparent morphology, water absorption, mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, and thermal stability of RFPU rigid foams with different fluorine contents were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that when the addition of Fluorodiol was 8% of the mass of waste polyurethane, the density was 41.2 kg/m3, the immersion loss rate was 2.125%, the compressive strength was 0.315 Mpa, and the thermal conductivity was 0.0227 W/m·K. The RFPU prepared by Fluorodiol has low surface energy, good compressive strength, hydrolysis resistance, and is expected to be widely used in special insulation materials. Thus, the sustainable recycling of polyurethane is achieved.
Using Phenol Formaldehyde Resin, Hexamethylenetetramine and Matrix Asphalt to Synthesize Hard-Grade Asphalts for High-Modulus Asphalt Concrete
Authors: Xia Quanping , Li Yingyong , Xu Haining , Luo Haoyuan , Zheng Yangzezhi , Zhao Runming , Xu Haichuan
Published: November 2022

Traditional hard-grade asphalts for high-modulus asphalt concrete (HMAC) are produced by using natural hard-grade asphalt to modify matrix asphalts. However, natural hard-grade asphalts are scarce and expensive. To find a sustainable alternative, this study presented a method to synthesize hard-grade asphalts using phenol formaldehyde resin (PFR), hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and matrix asphalts. Infrared radiation (IR) spectra analysis and fraction analysis for the modifiers and synthesize asphalts show that asphalt molecules can be cross-linked into larger polymeric groups by the thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin (TPFR) which is the reaction product of PFR and HMTA. This process increased the asphaltene and resin fraction in asphalt, thus transforming a matrix asphalt into hard grade. With the dosing combinations of 4% PFR/15~20% HMTA, 6% PFR/8~10% HMTA and 8% PFR/5~5.7% HMTA, dynamic modules of HMAC were 14,000~16,000 MPa, which satisfied the basic application requirements for HMAC. The rutting resistance of the new hard-grade asphalts with the above dosage combinations completely exceeds the traditional product using the Trinidad Lake asphalt as the raw material. Increasing the amount of PFR/HMTA can further improve the rutting resistance. However, to ensure the fatigue and cracking resistance of the HMAC can get a level like the traditional product, the dosages of HMTA should be controlled below 15%.
Green Credit Policy and Enterprise Green M&As: An Empirical Test from China
Authors: Sun Ying , Liu Li
Published: November 2022

Green credit is an important financial tool to coordinate the relationship between economic development and environmental protection. The Green Credit Guidelines (GCGs) issued in 2012 comprise the first formal, dedicated green credit policy. To test the effectiveness of the GCGs in green governance, in this study, we use the differences-in-differences (DID) method to test the impact of the implementation of the GCGs on enterprise green mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and further examine the performance of green M&As. The results show that the implementation of the GCGs have significantly promoted the green M&A activities of heavily polluting enterprises, and the promotion effect is more significant in enterprises with poor green innovation ability and enterprises with low financial marketization levels. Further research reveals that green M&As can improve the green innovation performance of enterprises. From the perspective of green M&As, in this paper, we expand the research on the effect of green credit policy, providing a decision-making reference for the promotion and improvement of subsequent green credit policy.
Farmers’ Willingness to Participate in Voluntary Field Water Management Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Projects Based on a Context–Attitude–Behavior Framework
Authors: Rong Yiyuan , Hou Yanping
Published: November 2022

The development of the greenhouse gas (GHGs) voluntary emission reduction market has created a new way for all agricultural GHGs emission reduction projects. Figuring out how to drive farmers to participate in the market is the key to the development of the agricultural voluntary emission reduction project mechanism. Current research on farmers’ participation in voluntary emission reduction projects has mostly been conducted from the perspective of the economic, social, and ecological benefits of the project and lacks research on analyzing farmers’ willingness to participate in combination with specific GHGs operational mechanisms. To find out how the operational mechanism of the field water management voluntary emission reduction (FWMVER) projects influences farmers’ willingness to participate in the project, this study constructed the attitude–context–behavior theoretical framework to consider the FWMVER operational mechanism. Based on the survey data of 789 rice farmers in GuangXi, China, the structural equation model (SEM) was adopted to analyze the impact of social networks, social trust, social norms, profit expectations, cost expectations, and satisfaction with the government in relation to the farmers’ willingness to participate in FWMVER projects. Results showed that social networks, social trust, social norms, profit expectations, cost expectations, and satisfaction with the government had significant impacts on the willingness of farmers to participate in FWMVER projects. Satisfaction with the government can effectively regulate the profit expectations and cost expectations for farmers to participate in the FWMVER projects. Policy implications were proposed based on analytical results to advise local governments to develop agricultural carbon finance, to improve public services in agricultural production, and to encourage establishing non-governmental organizations in rural areas involved in voluntary agricultural GHGs emission reduction projects.
Advanced Analysis of Collision-Induced Blast Fragmentation in V-Type Firing Pattern
Authors: Chouhan Lalit Singh , Raina Avtar K. , Murthy V. M. S. R. , Sabri Sabri Mohanad Muayad , Mohamad Edy Tonnizam , Bhatawdekar Ramesh Murlidhar
Published: November 2022

The firing pattern of blastholes influences the geometric aspects of a blast design in terms of change in blasting burden and spacing. This in turn changes the effective stiffness of a blasthole and confinement of the explosive and aids in better fragmentation. However, during the blasting, the fragments tend to collide and further fragment the rock. In comparison with other patterns, the V-type firing pattern increases the chances of collision between the fragments during flight. The process is scantly documented and accordingly field experiments were conducted using three firing patterns, viz., line, diagonal, and V-type, in a mine with minor variation in rock factor and minor to moderate changes in blast design variables. Sixteen blast design variables such as burden, spacing, charge per hole, in-hole charge density, etc. along with firing pattern were considered for the analysis and fragmentation modeled with the help of surface response analysis and artificial neural networks. The analysis revealed that there is a significant influence of firing patterns on fragmentation. The V-type pattern showed significant reduction in fragment sizes that can be ascribed to in-flight collision processes. A surface response model was developed using advanced ANOVA and resulted in an adjusted R2 and RMSE of 0.89, 0.025, respectively. Further, modeling with ANN was attempted that showed better results than ANOVA with R2 and RMSE of 0.96 and 0.040 in training, and 0.884 and 0.049 in validation tests. Since, diagonal and V-type patterns have similar design parameters, the reduction in fragment size in the former pattern can be ascribed to the collision of rock fragments during their flight in blasting.
How to Simplify Life Cycle Assessment for Industrial Applications—A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Kiemel Steffen , Rietdorf Chantal , Schutzbach Maximilian , Miehe Robert
Published: November 2022

Life cycle assessment (LCA) has established itself as the dominant method for identifying the environmental impact of products or services. However, conducting an LCA is labor and time intensive (especially regarding data collection). This paper, therefore, aims to identify methods and tools that enhance the practicability of LCA, especially with regard to product complexity and variance. To this end, an initial literature review on the LCA of complex products was conducted to identify commonly cited barriers and potential solutions. The obtained information was used to derive search strategies for a subsequent comprehensive and systematic literature review of approaches that address the identified barriers and facilitate the LCA process. We identified five approaches to address the barriers of time and effort, complexity, and data intensity. These are the parametric approach, modular approach, automation, aggregation/grouping, and screening. For each, the concept as well as the associated advantages and disadvantages are described. Especially, the automated calculation of results as well as the automated generation of life cycle inventory (LCI) data exhibit great potential for simplification. We provide an overview of common LCA software and databases and evaluate the respective interfaces. As it was not considered in detail, further research should address options for automated data collection in production by utilizing sensors and intelligent interconnection of production infrastructure as well as the interpretation of the acquired data using artificial intelligence.
Assessment of the Sustainability of the Resource-Based Province Shanxi, China Using Emergy Analysis
Authors: Hou Feiyu , Chang Dunhu , Wang Qinxia
Published: November 2022

According to the BP Statistical Yearbook of World Energy, China’s coal production and consumption have ranked first in the world in recent years. Shanxi, a central China province, plays an important role in China’s energy supply because of its large coal reserves, long mining history, and high output. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of the eco-economic system in Shanxi Province, a typical resource-based region. Through emergy analysis, this study quantified the sustainable development of the eco-economic system in Shanxi Province from 2013 to 2020 from five dimensions: basic emergy quantity, social subsystem, economic subsystem, environmental subsystem, and capacity for sustainable development. The results show that Shanxi Province has made great progress in recent years in terms of the emergy value of renewable resources, per capita emergy consumption, and electricity emergy ratio, but the proportion of nonrenewable emergy is still large, the intensity of emergy is high, and the exchange rate of emergy is low. Lastly, the sustainable development indicators ESI and EISD reflect that Shanxi Province is gradually improving the utilization efficiency of resources, and Shanxi Province has achieved certain results after experiencing transition pains. This study, combined with the actual situation of Shanxi Province and the problems found, puts forward corresponding countermeasures. The analysis method used in this study provides a theoretical basis for the scientific evaluation of the sustainable development of a resource-based region, and the research results have profound practical significance for improving the quality of Shanxi’s economic development and helping Shanxi’s economic transformation.
Does the Digital Economy Improve Urban Tourism Development? An Examination of the Chinese Case
Authors: Tang Hong , Cai Chaoyue , Xu Chunxiao
Published: November 2022

The digital economy, a new economic form based on Information and Communications Technology (ICT), has profoundly changed the tourism industry. Based on a theoretical analysis framework, this paper measured the digital economy index and urban tourism development index. It empirically tested the impact of the digital economy on urban tourism development through the benchmark regression model, panel threshold model (PTM), and spatial Durbin model (SDM) according to panel data of 284 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2011 to 2019. The results show that the digital economy can directly drive urban tourism development. The positive impact in mid-western, non-tourist, key urban agglomerations, and low-level cities is more fully realised. Moreover, the digital economy has positive, nonlinear effects on urban tourism development, and the marginal effects are increasing. Additionally, the impact of the digital economy on the tourism development of neighbouring cities can be realised through spatial spillover effects, which are more dependent on inclusive digital finance; this impact has a boundary effect, reaching a maximum at 300 km. Furthermore, the conclusions are still valid after a robustness test and quasi-natural implementation based on smart cities. Finally, specific recommendations are proposed for the digital economy to improve urban tourism development according to the above findings.
Exploring the Sustainable Development Path of a Green Financial System in the Context of Carbon Neutrality and Carbon Peaking: Evidence from China
Authors: Bai Xiaolong
Published: November 2022

In the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Chinese government first proposed the goal of carbon neutrality and carbon peaking. Since then, China’s economy and society have undergone a comprehensive green and sustainable development upgrade and transformation. The development of green finance can provide financial support for the achievement of the dual carbon goals and mitigate the impact of climate change, and more importantly can contribute to the sustainable development of the national economy and society. In this study, we innovatively draw on the quality function deployment theory in marketing to logically formulate the research idea of this paper. The greatest advantage of this approach is that it enhances the readability of this paper and enriches the research logic system of this paper. On this basis, we also applied the G1-entropy value method from fuzzy mathematical theory for quantitative research. In fact, it should be noted that the G1 method we propose in this study is actually an improved subjective assessment method, in which we introduce expert ratings to improve the reliability of the subjective assessment results. As we all know, financial system architecture and research is a common academic topic, but unlike the classical research on the development quality of financial systems, we innovatively addressed the actual national conditions in China and fully integrated green elements in the construction of the index system from the perspective of green finance and sustainability. Finally, we calculated the index weights through G1-entropy quantification, and qualitatively propose countermeasures for the development quality of China’s green finance for key index factors. In conclusion, we sort the contributions of this paper into the following three aspects: (1) we innovatively combined the quality function deployment theory and built the quantitative analysis process architecture in this paper, which enhanced the readability of this paper; (2) we realized the use of quantitative research for qualitative analysis and proposed the G1-entropy value method, which made up for the defects of the subjective and objective methods in the traditional evaluation methods; and (3) we realized the organic combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, and proposed relevant countermeasure suggestions based on the quantitative index calculation results, which provided relevant countermeasure suggestions for promoting the sustainable and high-quality development of green finance in China.
An Overview of Agro-Waste Management in Light of the Water-Energy-Waste Nexus
Authors: El-Ramady Hassan , Brevik Eric C. , Bayoumi Yousry , Shalaby Tarek A. , El-Mahrouk Mohammed E. , Taha Naglaa , Elbasiouny Heba , Elbehiry Fathy , Amer Megahed , Abdalla Neama , Prokisch József , Solberg Svein Ø. , Ling Wanting
Published: November 2022

It is urgent that we increase global food production to support population growth. Food production requires significant resources, amongst them water and energy. Therefore, any losses of food or other agricultural products also means a waste of water and energy resources. A significant amount of these losses occurs during the postharvest stage, primarily during processing and storage. This is considered avoidable food waste. The water-energy-waste nexus (WEW), and its relationship to food production, needs to be investigated from a circular bioeconomy lens. Furthermore, alternative uses of the wastes should be investigated. This review focuses on agro-wastes and their management as sources for bioactive compounds, biofertilizers, biomaterials, nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals and medicinal agents, and growth media, e.g., for plant tissue culture. We also investigated the potential contribution of agro-wastes to bioenergy production (bioethanol, biogas, and biofuel). Proper management of agro-wastes may support the mitigation of climate change, produce innovative bio-ingredients and biodegradable materials, and enhance green growth and a circular bioeconomy. We argue that the management of agro-wastes cannot be discussed without referring to the role of water and energy within the food system. Thus, this review focuses on agricultural wastes and their handling, applications, environmental impacts, and potential benefits in the agricultural and medical industries in light of the WEW nexus.
Characteristics of Parking Lots Located along Main Roads in Terms of Cargo Truck Requirements: A Case Study of Poland
Authors: Betkier Igor , Macioszek Elżbieta
Published: November 2022

The issue related to parking lots has a multidimensional nature. For the purposes of the article, the analysis covered 113 parking lots located directly next to national roads in the Mazovian Voivodeship (Poland), which is similar in terms of economic development and conditions of the linear infrastructure to other countries in Central Europe. The conducted research included analyzing the correlation of parameters in individual parking lots and those related to nearby roads (traffic volume, technical quality) and the type of area in which they occurred (population density). In addition, the presented results describe the capacity of parking in the analyzed region in terms of the number of available parking slots for heavy goods vehicles, the size of the additional operating area, and the presence of security-related elements (fencing, lighting, physical protection, monitoring). The analysis demonstrated a correlation between some parameters (type of nearby road and security rs = 0.35, area size and number of slots rs = 0.35) and significant differences in results between private and public parking lots (average number of slots 18 versus 34, percent of most secured parkings 45% versus 69%). The obtained innovative results can be used by public institutions and entities providing parking services to reorganize the space at parking places and to conduct more effective analyses from the point of view of future investments in infrastructure accompanying the public road network.
Incorporation of Acid Whey Yogurt By-Product in Novel Sauces Formulation: Quality and Shelf-Life Evaluation
Authors: Andreou Varvara , Chanioti Sofia , Xanthou Maria-Zaharoula , Katsaros George
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to develop high quality, added value novel sauces with acid whey (AW) (liquid or powder) incorporation. Liquid pasteurized AW was substituted (partly 10%—totally 100%) for the water added in the tomato sauces. AW in powder, was partly substituted for the fat in white sauces and compared to conventional ones. Physicochemical (pH, Brix, viscosity, color), nutritional (proteins, lactose, minerals), microbiological and sensory evaluations were conducted for both developed sauces. Accelerated shelf-life tests were performed. Based on the quality and sensory characteristics deterioration, the optimal water substitution by AW was 70% w/w for tomato sauces and 10% w/w (AW in powder) for white sauces, without limiting their shelf life compared to the control ones for both cases. Both AW-substituted sauces were of high quality and of higher nutrients content compared to conventional products, improving their health promoting profile (tomato sauces: up to 3-fold increase; white sauces: up to 5-fold increase in calcium content; increase in essential amino acids content in both sauces due to AW addition).
Innovation-Led FDI Sustainability: Clarifying the Nexus between Financial Innovation, Technological Innovation, Environmental Innovation, and FDI in the BRIC Nations
Authors: Huan Yu , Qamruzzaman Md.
Published: November 2022

Spatial adequacy and capital formation are impactful macro factors in achieving economic sustainability; therefore, offering a conducive ambiance for foreign investors entices them to the technology and capital mobilization in the host economy. The purpose of the study is to highlight the nexus of the innovation-led FDI in BRIC nations from 1990–2019. The study has implemented several econometric techniques to establish the empirical nexus, including a unit root test with a structural break, a combined cointegration test, an augmented autoregressive distributed lagged, a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lagged and the Fourier Toda–Yamamoto causality test. The structural break test divulged one break year in the data set, and the study incorporated the structural break effects in line with the explained variable. The long run association between the explanatory explained and the control variables has been unveiled with the test statistics of the combined cointegration. Furthermore, the long run cointegration in the empirical equation has been found in the linear and nonlinear assessment. In terms of the symmetric investigation, the coefficient of innovation, that is, TI, FI, and EI on FDI, were revealed to be positive and statistically significant at a 1% level, suggesting the innovation culture boosts the inflows of the FDI in the economy, both in the long run and short run. Furthermore, the asymmetric association has been confirmed by implementing the standard Wald test with the null of symmetry in the long and short runs. Inferring to the asymmetric coefficients, it is apparent that the positive and negative shocks of TI, FI and EI have established a positive tie to FDI, which is significant at a 1% level. According to the elasticities of the asymmetric shocks, the positive innovation disclosed a more prominent impact than the negative innovation on the FDI inflows. Thus this study advocated for ensuring a conducive innovation environment by mobilizing economic resources. Finally, the causality test documented the feedback hypothesis to explain the causal association between technological innovation and FDI and environmental innovation and FDI.
An Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the Training Offered to Smallholder Scavenging Chicken Farmers in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Authors: Yusuf Shehu Folaranmi Gbolahan , Popoola Oluwabunmi Oluwaseun
Published: November 2022

Smallholder scavenging chicken farmers (SCFs) are constantly faced with the challenge of improving productivity. One profound challenge is that many SCFs lack comprehensive knowledge and the skills necessary for operating an efficient production system. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the training offered to SCFs in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality (RMLM) on the best approach to improve scavenging chicken production. The data obtained was analysed quantitatively to assess differences in the management practices of the trained farmers before training (BT) and after training (AT). A paired sample t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to conduct the study’s analysis. The results showed that the average flock size of the birds significantly increased post-training. There was a significant increase in the farmers’ use of supplementary feeding, local feedstuffs, artificial brooding and care of chicks, amongst other practices. These results indicate a marked improvement in their management practices post-training. Therefore, building the capacities of SCFs through training significantly improves their knowledge and skillsets. Periodic training of SCFs is recommended to keep them abreast of evolving management practices in SC production, as continual improvement in related competencies is important for enhancing local and national economic development.
Multi-Scenario Simulation of Land Use Change and Ecosystem Service Value in the Middle Reaches of Yangtze River Urban Agglomeration
Authors: Hu Yangcheng , Liu Yi , Li Changyan
Published: November 2022

The evolution of regional land use is a complex process under the combined effect of multiple factors, and it is important to understand this evolution process, as well as its characteristics and future trends, through land use change models in order to achieve scientific use of land space and optimize the regional development pattern. In this study, the PLUS model is used to simulate the land use in 2035 for the natural development scenario, the urban expansion scenario and the ecological protection scenario using the middle reaches of Yangtze River urban agglomeration (MRYRUA) as the study area, and then to calculate the ecosystem service values (ESV) and analyze the contribution of each driver to each land type and the spatial autocorrelation of the ESV at the grid scale. The results show that (1) the land use changes in the study area from 2015 to 2020 are mainly: the rapid expansion of construction land with an increase of 200,221 hm2 and an increase in arable land, specifically 85,982 hm2, and a decrease in all other land types. (2) The ESV of the study area was CNY 3,837,282 million and CNY 3,774,162 million from 2015 to 2020, respectively, with an general decreasing trend. (3) Three scenarios are simulated for the study area in 2035, and the ESVs under the natural development scenario, urban expansion scenario and ecological conservation scenario are CNY 3,618,062 million, CNY 3,609,707 million and CNY 3,625,662 million, respectively, which are all lower than those in 2020. (4) The global autocorrelation indices for 2020 and the three scenarios are 0.7126, 0.7104, 0.7144 and 0.7104, respectively, which are significantly positive. The simulation of MRYRUA land use and the comparative analysis of ESV provide some help in the strategic optimization of the spatial distribution pattern of land use in large regional urban agglomerations.
How Does the Digital Economy Empower Green Development? From the Perspective of the Division of Labor in New Classical Economics
Authors: Han Dongchu , Liu Mianfang
Published: November 2022

The rise of the digital economy provides an alternative path for global green development. On the basis of analyzing the connotations of green development, digital economy and division of labor, this paper studies the theoretical mechanisms of the digital economy empowering green development; this is based on the division of labor thought of as the new classical economics. From the research results, it can be seen that the digital economy, through technological change, is conducive to the improvement of transaction efficiency and the evolution of the division of labor model. Under the dual role of the government’s green system and the market regulation mechanism, it promotes the transaction from the “black division of labor” mode to the “green division of labor” mode, thereby empowering green development. The impact of the digital economy on the level of green development is not single linear. This paper creatively analyzes the theoretical mechanisms of the digital economy empowering green development, from the perspective of the division of labor. These research results have good theoretical value and practical significance for promoting the sustainable development of the global economy.
The Relationship between the Use of Non-Verbal Information in Communication and Student Connectedness and Engagement in Online Design Education
Authors: Zhang Xiaolin , Cao Suyang , Pan Younghuan
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to the sustainability of higher education. Connectedness and engagement, two characteristics crucial to design education, have weakened significantly in online courses. However, limited research has been conducted on online design education than on STEM fields. Based on the dual coding theory, the purpose of this study was to use non-verbal tools to enhance design student connectedness and engagement in online class communication. In a quasi-experiment, 122 design students from a Chinese university were questioned and analyzed. They were randomly assigned to four different teaching situations and the effectiveness of two non-verbal tools was tested: emoticons and shared whiteboards. The ANOVA revealed a positive correlation between the use of non-verbal information in online class communication and the connectedness and engagement of design students. Moreover, the students in the group who used plentiful personified-form emoticons gave feedback and reported a stronger sense of connectedness and engagement. The whiteboard group’s data did not significantly differ from the control group, unlike the STEM discipline. To better develop the sustainability of design education, we provide recommendations for the design of online-education software and the method of online design instruction.
Impact of Driver, Vehicle, and Environment on Rural Road Crash Rate
Authors: Tajnik Suzana , Luin Blaž
Published: November 2022

There is an abundance of research on road-crash-influencing factors; however, it often relies on a limited subset of variables. The aim of this work was to analyze the significance of road-crash-influencing variables on rural roads and to estimate the crash frequencies during different conditions by introducing a holistic approach and analyzing a wide range of driver–vehicle–road–environment variables. The input data comprised long-term vehicle speed data, obtained using inductive loop traffic counters, and short-term data, obtained using a calibrated police radar. A combination of both was augmented with driver traits and meteorological conditions, gender, age, years possessing a driver’s license, crashes, vehicle, and environmental data. The crash data used for the analysis was based on police records. The results indicate that crash frequencies and driving speed have strong daily and weekly seasonality. The average hourly crash frequencies per kilometer driven during the week varied between 0.2 and 2.2 crashes per million km; the major cause was speeding, which contributed to nearly 32% of fatal crashes. Speed choice could be affected by alcohol-consuming drivers involved in crashes, as the percentage of drivers with any level of alcohol detected expressed daily and weekly patterns similar to those of crash frequencies per kilometer. Contrary to the highest relative crash frequency, which occurred during nighttime, the majority of daily crashes occurred during the afternoon peak hours; thus, the societal impact of crashes is the highest during the day.
Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Agricultural-Plastic Wastes for Feasibility of Solid Fuel Briquette Production
Authors: Ab Jalil Nurul Ain , Mokhtaruddin Nur Asyikin , Chia Chin Hua , Ahmad Irfana Kabir , Saad Mohamad Jani , Sarif Mahanim
Published: November 2022

In recent years, the world has witnessed an enormous effort to find a replacement energy source that is more environmentally friendly and renewable. Face masks that contain plastics lead to another management problem as they are non-biodegradable. Thus, by turning agricultural waste with plastic waste as an additive into beneficial products like briquettes, a solid waste problem can be minimized. In this study, Imperata cylindrica and mango peel commonly found in Malaysia were anticipated to boost the properties of solid fuel briquettes. Thus, the characterization of Imperata cylindrica, mango peel, and face mask waste as raw materials for the production of solid fuel briquettes is discussed in this paper. Proximate and ultimate analyses as well as Fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) were conducted to obtain the properties of the raw materials. FTIR results showed that face mask waste contained a methyl type group (CH3), and both agricultural wastes contained an oxygen type group (C–O–H). Based on the proximate analysis, face mask waste, mango peel, and Imperata cylindrica had low moisture contents, where mango peel had the highest moisture content (5.2%) followed by Imperata cylindrica (<1%) and face mask waste (<1%). Imperata cylindrica had the highest volatile matter content (94.6%) and the lowest ash content (2.3%), while mango peel contained the highest fixed carbon value, which was 16.1%. From the analyses conducted, face mask waste had the highest calorific value (26.19 MJ/kg−1). Face mask waste contained 63.6% carbon and 10% hydrogen. Meanwhile, Imperata cylindrica and mango peel contained 44% and 40% carbon and 6.15% and 6.95% hydrogen, respectively. The characteristics and properties of face mask waste, mango peel, and Imperata cylindrica are significant for the contribution of the optimal ratio of these materials to form solid fuel briquettes.
Elemental Composition of Palm Kernel Expeller Used as Supplementary Stock Fodder
Authors: Thompson-Morrison Hadee , Moltchanova Elena , Gaw Sally , Robinson Brett
Published: November 2022

Palm kernel expeller (PKE) is a biowaste by-product of palm oil processing in Southeast Asia that is exported as stock fodder. Global production of PKE totals 11M t yr−1, of which New Zealand imports 1.9M t yr−1, worth >USD 325M, most of which supports NZ’s dairy herd of 5.5M cows. We aimed to determine the concentrations of the chemical elements in PKE imported into New Zealand and compare this to pasture, as well as to assess chemical concentrations against maximum tolerable levels (MTLs) in stockfeed for animal health and ruminant requirements. Palm kernel expeller was analysed for a suite of essential and trace elements using a HNO3 digestion and analysis by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Palm kernel expeller contained statistically significantly higher concentrations of B, Mg, P, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu and Zn than pasture. Magnesium, P and Fe exceeded MTLs in PKE, whereas Al, S, K and Cu were within 90% of their MTL. The N, P and K contained in PKE represent the equivalent of 14%, 20% and 28%, respectively, of dairy fertiliser use in New Zealand. As PKE contained 3.3 mg Cd kg P −1, there may be potential for PKE to offset fertiliser use in dairy systems, with a low Cd source of P. There were statistically significant differences in elemental concentrations between different batches of PKE indicating that this product is not uniform. Further research of the effects of PKE on animal health is recommended. The excess elements contained in PKE may present risks or benefits to dairy farming systems and determining these would be beneficial in protecting both animal health and environmental sustainability.
Comprehensive Evaluation of the Level of Water Ecological Civilization Construction in the Min River Basin, China
Authors: Wen Yuanyao , You Tiange , Xu Yihan , Lin Shuhui , Ning Jing , You Xuemin , Xiao Yanglan
Published: November 2022

Water Ecological Civilization Construction (WECC) is critical for promoting long-term resource, economic, and social development. The Min River is the longest in Fujian Province, China, and is known as the “golden canal” for shipping. In this study, data from cities around the Min River were used to build an evaluation index system for WECC in the Min River, incorporating the Pressure–State–Response model, and the matter element extension model was used to examine the WECC level in the Min River Basin. The results indicate that notable progress has been made for WECC in the Min River Basin, despite evident regional variation. The upper parts of the Min River have seen the most development; however, the downstream regions have been mainly stable and retained a high WECC level. Changes in industrial structure and government actions substantially affect the degree of WECC. This study can act as a reference for river basin WECC.
Effects of Eco-Friendly Product Application and Sustainable Agricultural Management Practices on Soil Properties and Phytosanitary Condition of Winter Wheat Crops
Authors: Bauza-Kaszewska Justyna , Breza-Boruta Barbara , Lemańczyk Grzegorz , Lamparski Robert
Published: November 2022

Despite the eco-political difficulties that accompany the application of principles of the European Green Deal policy on agriculture in the current world crisis, the need of their implementation seems to be absolutely necessary. The practices recommended within the sustainable agriculture strategy include replacing traditional fertilizers and pesticides with eco-friendly preparations and optimizing the management of biomass produced on farms. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of eco-friendly preparations application combined with straw incorporation on the chemical and microbiological soil parameters and plant sanitary status of winter wheat. The soil analyses included the determination of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) content; mineral nitrogen (MN), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg) content, and the pH value. The number of soil bacteria (B), actinobacteria (A), fungi (F), and the total number of microorganisms (TNM) were also analyzed. The application of Effective Microorganisms resulted in an increase in TOC and TN concentration. The influence of biostimulator Asahi was diversified. The beneficial effect of straw on TOC, TN, and K content and microbial growth was also observed. Despite a number of limitations, the potential benefits of application of eco-friendly preparations provide ample reasons to continue experiments with their use.
Effect of Iron Application on Rice Plants in Improving Grain Nutritional Quality in Northeastern of Thailand
Authors: Butsai Wipada , Kaewpradit Wanwipa , Harrell Dustin L. , Polthanee Anan
Published: November 2022

Iron (Fe) deficiency in humans caused by inadequate dietary intake is a global nutritional problem. The field experiments in this paper were conducted in the same paddy field over two consecutive years during the dry seasons of 2017 and 2018. The aims of the experiments were to evaluate the effects of iron application methods (soil or foliar alone and a combination of soil + foliar) on the Fe content in brown rice grain and to compare the grain yields of three rice cultivars, namely Chinat1 (poor Fe grain concentration), Riceberry and Tubtim Chumpae (rich Fe grain concentration). The results show that all iron application methods significantly increase the iron content of brown rice grains in comparison with non-iron application in two cropping years. The iron application to the soil combined with foliar gave the highest iron content in the brown rice grain. However, the responses to the iron application methods were different among rice cultivars. The highest grain iron contents of Chainat1 and Riceberry were shown in the combination of soil and foliar application, whereas Tubtim Chumpae had the highest grain iron content in the foliar application alone. The differences in grain yield were affected by the rice cultivar, but not by iron application methods. The Chainat1 produced the highest grain yield. In addition, Chainat1 had the strongest correlation between brown rice grain iron content and grain yield for both cropping years.
Climatic Elements as Development Factors of Health Tourism in South Serbia
Authors: Marić Stanković Anđelina , Radonjić Ivana , Petković Marko , Divnić Darko
Published: November 2022

The area of Southern Serbia is the most undeveloped tourist area and is marginalized in relation to the total tourist traffic of Serbia. With the purpose of health tourism development, special attention in this paper is focused on five spas and four mountain tourist destinations of South Serbia. The interaction of climatic elements is key for outdoor tourist activities, thus the potential of health tourism is presented through the results of the tourism climate comfort index (TCCI). According to TCCI values calculated for one climatological period 1991–2020, the spa tourist destinations of South Serbia are generally favorable during May, June and September. Four studied mountain destinations have favorable TCCI values generally during June, July and August. Spatio-temporal analysis utilizing ESRI ArcMap software showed that the most favorable conditions for health tourism development occur during spring and autumn for spas (May and June) and during summer for mountain destinations (July and August), which coincides with the ideal TCCI values. MatLab software through linear regression showed that in the period of 2010–2020, a negative tendency of tourists’ number in Vranjska banja spa and Niška banja spa is noticed, and a positive tendency for Prolom banja spa and Sijarinska banja spa. The paper also highlights the perspectives of other tourism forms of development in South Serbia.
Heterogeneous Firms and Benefits of ESG Disclosure: Cost of Debt Financing in an Emerging Market
Authors: Lavin Jaime F. , Montecinos-Pearce Alejandro A.
Published: November 2022

Current challenging environments pressure firms to improve their overall ESG performance. However, there is tension between the benefits of ESG disclosure and firm performance. We deepen the understanding of ESG disclosure’s contribution to firms’ cost of debt in an emerging economy context. This issue is critical in Latin America–a region with reduced financing, ample company heterogeneity, and scarce evidence associating ESG disclosure and firms’ debt financing. Using fixed effects models, for the 2015–2020 period, we study Chilean listed firms. We explore two association channels between ESG disclosure and the cost of debt financing. Through a direct channel, greater disclosure relates to a lower cost; however, through an indirect channel, disclosure interacts with growth opportunities–a proxy for firms’ prospective risk–and greater disclosure relates to a higher cost. Hence, evidence suggests that ESG disclosure affects the cost of financing in two opposite directions. Our results delve into how ESG disclosure encloses essential economic implications, particularly in countries that have recently adopted ESG practices: For regulators, on developing rules of ESG disclosure that consider their financial effects; for firms, on enhancing their ESG communications policies; and finally, for creditors, on the need to introduce ESG indicators in their financing decision-making.