bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Progression of Bikeways Policy Change in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Sheng-Chieh , Lee Ping-Chao
Published: August 2022

This study examined the development of the bikeway policy which was promoted by the Taiwanese government from 2002 to 2021. Identifying the degree and types of policy dynamics, our analytical framework is based on that of three detection indicators of policy change, namely organization, legal framework, and budget as proposed by Hogwood and Peters (1983). Regarding the research method, a major goal of this study was to synthesize evidence by reviewing references of documentary materials. The findings revealed that from 2002 to 2007, the type of overall policy change was biased towards policy innovation, from 2008 to 2016, the type of overall policy change was between policy succession and policy innovation, and from 2017 to 2021, the type of overall policy change was biased towards policy succession. This study concluded that local bikeways were built because of the needs for urban or township development, and they have driven the trend of opening up bikeways throughout Taiwan. The trend of bikeway construction plans is closely related to the national policies of development. Moreover, cross-departmental cooperation enabled the bikeway policies to work successfully. Importantly, the support of policy makers or high-level decision makers, and the emergence of specialized bikeway organizations are key factors contributing to the development of bikeways in Taiwan.
Techno-Economic Viability Assessment of a Household Scale Agricultural Residue Composite Briquette Project for Rural Communities in Nigeria
Authors: Kpalo Sunday Yusuf , Zainuddin Mohamad Faiz , Manaf Latifah Abd , Roslan Ahmad Muhaimin , Nik Ab Rahim Nik Nor Rahimah
Published: August 2022

This study evaluated the technical and economic viability of a household scale composite briquette project. The objectives were to assess the quality of briquettes, estimate the cost of production, and determine the feasibility of the project. Briquettes were made from a blend of corncobs and the bark of oil palm trunk using a manual press. Production cost was estimated from the market price of commodities and specific economic indicators were used for feasibility analysis. Sensitivity analysis was performed on some essential input parameters that may affect the profitability of the project. Economic analysis revealed that the unit production cost of the briquettes was USD 0.16 per kg. The net present value was USD 6755.91 from the sale of briquettes at USD 0.26 per kg. An accounting profit is possible once briquette sales are above the break-even point of 7329.8 kg. Households could save about 25% from their per-capita expenditure on fuelwood when briquettes are utilized. Overall, the household briquette project is technically and economically viable in Nigeria. The significance of this study lies in the provision of a piece of baseline information to encourage local bio-energy development and serve as a guide for stakeholders in Nigeria with a potential interest in investing in briquette technology.
Declining Labour Income Share and Personal Income Inequality in Advanced Countries
Authors: Szymańska Anita , Zielenkiewicz Małgorzata
Published: August 2022

Growing income inequality currently poses a significant threat to sustainable development. Hence, it is important to monitor this phenomenon, in particular to identify determinants favouring the deepening of income inequality. One of the significant determinants in this respect is the declining labour income share in national income. The theoretical justification of the presumption of a negative relationship between the share of labour in the national income and income inequality has strong logical foundations. Existing studies indicate, however, some ambiguities as to the strength of this relationship and the existence of various factors cancelling this relationship. The following study attempts to verify the existence, direction, and intensity of the relationship between the labour income share and income inequality in a relatively homogeneous group of 33 OECD countries studied in 1990–2018. The main hypothesis verified in the study is the assumption that there is a negative relationship between labour share and income inequality. Our results show that the relationship between the share of employees’ and self-employed workers’ income in the national income and income inequality at the general level (i.e., in a group study of 33 countries in total) exists, is negative and statistically significant, but has a very small share in explaining the behaviour of income inequality.
The Influence of Consumer Preferences and Perceived Benefits in the Context of B2C Fashion Renting Intentions of Young Women
Authors: Helinski Cindy , Schewe Gerhard
Published: August 2022

Fashion consumption has continually increased in recent decades, leading to severe environmental problems. Apparel renting provides an opportunity to foster sustainable fashion consumption. However, fashion rentals are rarely used. Previous research identified participation drivers in fashion renting but neglected the potential influence of consumer preferences which were found to be essential drivers of decision-making in fashion shopping. Therefore, this study extends previous research by investigating the role of fundamental consumer preferences and existing intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in fashion renting. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the effects of fundamental consumer preferences, i.e., quality, brand, and novelty preference, and perceived economic and sustainability benefits on fashion renting intentions in a B2C context. The final dataset included 327 Generation Y and Z women in Germany. The results indicate that fashion renting relates positively to quality and novelty preference. Brand preference did not display a significant effect. Furthermore, economic benefits positively relate to fashion renting, indicating that financial motivations encourage commercial renting but might crowd out sustainability gains. Recommendations are provided to make fashion renting more attractive to consumers.
Enactment of Ideal Parenthood through Consuming a Multi-Functional Space Named “Nature”—Blogging Family Camping in Taiwan
Authors: Chao Pei-Hua , Chueh Ho-chia
Published: August 2022

Given the evident paucity of parenthood–consumption research on family leisure/tourism, the present study set family camping into the framework of consumption culture research, to explore how nature (space) consumption is related to parenthood displays. Family camping blog posts were chosen as the data source for this study because of the commonality of tourists using self-media (blogs) to record their travels and display their identity these days, and a thematic method with an inductive nature was adopted to do the data analysis in order to dig deeper into the interwoven relationship between parenthood and consumption. The study results indicate that the campground and its natural surroundings are homogeneously consumed as a multi-functional space named “nature”, as well as a symbol of ideal parenthood for the connotations of purity and pristineness associated with nature, which allow camping parents to satisfy their children’s needs and enjoy their own leisure at the same time. However, the highly standardized nature (space) equipped with artificial facilities is obviously contradictory to the sentiment of pristine nature. We argue that manipulating ideology on social media normalizes and reproduces a dominant but controversial discourse of parenthood and nature consumption, which not only stereotypes the means of family leisure in nature but also fosters perceptions about the commoditization and othering of nature. This study makes an empirical contribution to consumption culture and offers an insight into the importance of identity issue in sustainability research.
Understanding Needs and Potentials for Gender-Balanced Empowerment and Leadership in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Africa
Authors: Kovaleva Marina , Leal Filho Walter , Borgemeister Christian , Kalungu Jokastah Wanzuu
Published: August 2022

The past years were marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downfall, the 5th anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement, and the end of the African Women’s Decade. According to the latest projections, African countries will continue to face increasing inequalities, as well as risks to human health, water and food security, due to climate change. African countries are also struggling to reduce gender-related power imbalances in adaptation and mitigation that magnify existing vulnerabilities, particularly those of women. Therefore, any advances made in this narrative are significant. This paper investigates the needs and potential for gender-balanced leadership/empowerment in adaptation and mitigation based on climate change experts’ views on the advances made in Africa. This is complemented by a bibliometric analysis of the literature published on the topic between the years 2015 and 2022. The study suggests that although women’s influence on climate change related decisions is growing, a series of barriers need to be overcome, among which are lack of knowledge and political will. The COVID-19 pandemic is seen as having both positive and negative potentials for gender-balanced leadership/empowerment. The findings provide a premise for identifying possible directions of further actions towards gender-balanced leadership/empowerment in climate change in African countries.
System Thinking Approach toward Reclamation of Regional Water Management under Changing Climate Conditions
Authors: Sheikhbabaei Ali , Hosseini Baghanam Aida , Zarghami Mahdi , Pouri Sepideh , Hassanzadeh Elmira
Published: August 2022

This paper represents a streamflow prediction model with the approach of ensemble multi-GCM downscaling and system dynamics (SD) for the Aji-Chay watershed located in northwest Iran. In this study, firstly, the precipitation and temperature projection for the future was assessed according to the climate change impact using a statistical downscaling technique, i.e., Long Ashton Research Station Weather Generator (LARS-WG); secondly, a rainfall-runoff model for future horizons was developed according to artificial neural networks (ANN); finally, an SD model was developed according to plausible reclamation scenarios, i.e., cloud seeding, increasing the irrigation efficiency and reducing agricultural production, controlling policies on groundwater withdrawal as well as environmental awareness, and cultivation to reduce domestic consumption to achieve sustainable development. For downscaling purposes, the outputs of four general circulation models (GCMs) including EC-EARTH, HadGEM2, MIROC5, MPI-ESM from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 (CMIP5) were applied. The results of multi-GCM downscaling indicated an ascending trend of 0.1 °C to +1.3 °C for temperature and a descending trend of 17 to 23% for precipitation by 2040 under representative concentration pathways (RCPs) of 4.5 and 8.5, respectively. Moreover, the results of the SD model revealed that none of the individual reclamation scenarios were impressive on water balance sustainable conditions; instead, the simultaneous implementation of all plausible scenarios managed to meet the requirements of socio-environment aspects as well as sustainability approaches.
Fair Virtual Energy Storage System Operation for Smart Energy Communities
Authors: Oh Eunsung
Published: August 2022

A virtual energy storage system (VESS) logically shares a physical energy storage system among multiple units. In resource sharing, the distribution of benefits is a critical problem. As a resolution, this study proposes a fair VESS operation method for smart energy communities that involve groups of energy consumption units. First, the cost and resource fairness indices are defined as the benefit and VESS usage proportional to the investment cost, respectively. The fair VESS operation problem is formulated considering the fairness indices that could be solved optimally by applying gradient methods without additional computational burden. The simulation results using the dataset in Korea demonstrate that the proposed operation allows the fair distribution of the benefit and resource usage among units with a marginal benefit reduction of approximately 5% in relation to the VESS operation to maximize the benefit. Moreover, it is shown that the resource fairness that controls the VESS usage limits the total benefit, and the cost fairness distributes the benefit among units according to the cost contribution. Furthermore, the proposed VESS operation can manage the VESS lifetime and improve the system performance of the utility grid.
The Optimization of Coal Pillars on Return Air Sides and the Reasonable Horizon Layout of Roadway Groups in Highly Gassy Mines
Authors: Ma Qi , Zhang Yidong , Gao Linsheng , Li Zexin , Song Guangyuan , Zheng Yu
Published: August 2022

Multiple roadways are opened to solve the difficulties in gas control in the high seam working face of high gassy mines, resulting in a large width of coal pillars between roadway groups. Moreover, recovering coal pillars is challenging during stoping, which causes serious resource waste. While the size of coal pillars is optimized, the reasonable horizon layout of roadway groups is performed to ensure a fine recovery rate of coal resources, mine safety, and efficient production. Theoretical analysis was applied to calculate the stress distribution of surrounding rocks around coal pillars based on the engineering practice of the W2302 working face in the Sihe Coal Mine. The MathCAD software Prime 2.0 combined with the on-site measured stress was used to draw the stress distribution under different coal pillar widths, which can derive the stress distribution data of the floor. The vertical stress concentration factors tended to be consistent at 10 m below the coal pillars and about 12 m from the centerline of coal pillars under different coal pillar widths, this area was suitable for the layout of floor rock roadways with a stress concentration factor of about 1. Numerical simulations were used to compare the stress distributions of the roadway floor and the deformation features of surrounding rocks under different coal pillar widths. The coal pillar width was finally determined to be 45 m, which optimized the size of coal pillars. The return air roadways were arranged at 9.8 m below the coal seam combined with the strata distribution on-site. According to the industrial test on-site, the return air roadways were available during the service period, which showed reliable theoretical analysis and simulation results. A reasonable horizon layout of return air roadways can provide a scientific basis and reference for similar projects.
Dynamics of Fire Foci in the Amazon Rainforest and Their Consequences on Environmental Degradation
Authors: Filho Helvécio de Oliveira , Oliveira-Júnior José Francisco de , Silva Marcos Vinícius da , Jardim Alexandre Maniçoba da Rosa Ferraz , Shah Munawar , Gobo João Paulo Assis , Blanco Claudio José Cavalcante , Pimentel Luiz Claudio Gomes , da Silva Corbiniano , da Silva Elania Barros , Machado Thelma de Barros , Pereira Carlos Rodrigues , Modon Valappil Ninu Krishnan , Hamza Vijith , Haq Mohd Anul , Khan Ilyas , Mohamed Abdullah , Attia El-Awady
Published: August 2022

Burns are common practices in Brazil and cause major fires, especially in the Legal Amazon. This study evaluated the dynamics of the fire foci in the Legal Amazon in Brazil and their consequences on environmental degradation, particularly in the transformation of the forest into pasture, in livestock and agriculture areas, mining activities and urbanization. The fire foci data were obtained from the reference satellites of the BDQueimadas of the CPTEC/INPE for the period June 1998–May 2022. The data obtained were subjected to descriptive and exploratory statistical analysis, followed by a comparison with the PRODES data during 2004–2021, the DETER data (2016–2019) and the ENSO phases during the ONI index for the study area. Biophysical parameters were used in the assessment of environmental degradation. The results showed that El Niño’s years of activity and the years of extreme droughts (2005, 2010 and 2015) stand out with respect to significant increase in fire foci. Moreover, the significant numbers of fire foci indices during August, September, October and November were recorded as 23.28%, 30.91%, 15.64% and 10.34%, respectively, and these were even more intensified by the El Niño episodes. Biophysical parameters maps showed the variability of the fire foci, mainly in the south and west part of the Amazon basin referring to the Arc of Deforestation. Similarly, the states of Mato Grosso, Pará and Amazonas had the highest alerts from PRODES and DETER, and in the case of DETER, primarily mining and deforestation (94.3%) increased the environmental degradation. The use of burns for agriculture and livestock, followed by mining and wood extraction, caused the degradation of the Amazon biome.
Dual Commitment to Leader and Organization: Alternative Models Based on the Employees’ Emotional Awareness
Authors: Santana-Martins Marisa , Sanchez-Hernandez Maria Isabel , Nascimento José Luís
Published: August 2022

Management has been considering employee commitment as one of the strategic priorities, due to many studies suggesting the positive influence of commitment on high performance, innovative work behavior, employee retention, and many other important business outcomes. Nevertheless, commitment is considered an abstract construct, from which human resources management needs to create policies and practices that effectively support the business strategy and organizational culture. The existence of many foci of commitment in the workplace has been a challenge in that scenario, being important to understand how different foci relate to each other and how they influence the employee commitment process. To contribute to filling this gap, this research aims to compare two different models, analyzing the relationship between two foci of commitment, namely the affective commitment to the leader and organizational commitment. For this purpose, the employees’ emotional awareness has been considered as an independent variable. Hence, this study seeks to identify which model has higher explanatory power, and consequently, a more significant impact on the process of the employees’ commitment. The implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Forecasting Fine Particulate Matter Concentrations by In-Depth Learning Model According to Random Forest and Bilateral Long- and Short-Term Memory Neural Networks
Authors: Zhao Jie , Yuan Linjiang , Sun Kun , Huang Han , Guan Panbo , Jia Ce
Published: August 2022

Accurate prediction of fine particulate matter concentration in the future is important for human health due to the necessity of an early warning system. Generally, deep learning methods, when widely used, perform better in forecasting the concentration of PM2.5. However, the source information is limited, and the dynamic process is uncertain. The method of predicting short-term (3 h) and long-term trends has not been achieved. In order to deal with the issue, the research employed a novel mixed forecasting model by coupling the random forest (RF) variable selection and bidirectional long- and short-term memory (BiLSTM) neural net in order to forecast concentrations of PM2.5/0~12 h. Consequently, the average absolute percentage error of 1, 6, and 12 h shows that the PM2.5 concentration prediction is 3.73, 9.33, and 12.68 μg/m3 for Beijing, 1.33, 3.38, and 4.60 μg/m3 for Guangzhou, 1.37, 4.19, and 6.35 μg/m3 for Xi’an, and 2.20, 7.75, and 10.07 μg/m3 for Shenyang, respectively. Moreover, the results show that the suggested mixed model is an advanced method that can offer high accuracy of PM2.5 concentrations from 1 to 12 h post.
Investigation of Acoustic Efficiency of Wood Charcoal in Impedance Tube for Usage in Sound-Reflective Devices
Authors: Khrystoslavenko Olga , Grubliauskas Raimondas
Published: August 2022

Charcoal is an environmentally friendly, biodegradable, and economical material. This material is usually produced by slow pyrolysis—the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen. The aim of this study was to investigate the acoustic efficiency of charcoal and design an acoustic diffuser that utilizes charcoal. Samples of different types of tree charcoal—birch (Betula pendula), pine (Pinus sylvestris), and oak (Quercus robur)—with different thicknesses were used for the acoustic efficiency measurements. The sound absorption and sound reflection properties of charcoal were investigated. The bulk density of charcoal was measured. In this study, an impedance tube with two microphones was employed as the measurement method. The results of the impedance tube measurements showed that the charcoal samples had high sound reflection coefficients, the highest value of which was 1. The 50 mm samples of birch had a high bulk density of 473 kg/m3. The sample of 50 mm thick oak had the best reflection coefficient at 0.99. Reflection depended on the surface’s acoustic properties, and the sound reflection coefficient increased with the increase in the density. Charcoal measurements, due to the high reflection coefficient of the material, were used for the design of a sound diffuser, which included wooden perforated plates filled with cylindrical elements of wood charcoal.
How Does Enterprises’ Digital Transformation Impact the Educational Structure of Employees? Evidence from China
Authors: Liu Yituan , Bian Yabin , Zhang Wenhao
Published: August 2022

Digital transformation has had extensive impacts on enterprises and increased the concern that employees will be replaced by digital technologies. Achieving sustainability at the human resource level is a problem for enterprises. In this case, improving academic qualifications is regarded by most Chinese employees as an approach to improving their competitive advantages. Based on the panel data of China’s listed enterprises from 2014 to 2020, the twice fixed effects (TWFE) and continuous difference-in-differences (DID) methods are used to study the impact of enterprises’ digital transformation on employees’ educational structure (EES). The results show that enterprises’ digital transformation has a significantly positive impact on EES. For enterprises, specifically, the digital transformation increases the demand for employees with undergraduate degrees and reduces the demand for employees with high school degrees and below. The above results remain significant after controlling for endogeneity. However, the impact of digital transformation on employees with graduate degrees and above and associate degrees is not significant. We explain the above phenomena from the technological change assumption, the concept of human capital specificity, and the resource-based view. Results in this study provide references for employees to balance study or find a job and are beneficial for enterprises seeking to take advantage of digital transformation. Furthermore, the results can provide suggestions for achieving sustainability at the human resource level for enterprise development.
Social Media Usage and SME Firms’ Sustainability: An Introspective Analysis from Ghana
Authors: Bruce Emmanuel , Shurong Zhao , Egala Sulemana Bankuoru , Amoah John , Ying Du , Rui Huang , Lyu Tai
Published: August 2022

Social media is gradually transforming diverse business ecosystems due to the limitless capabilities they offer. Given this, emerging businesses across the globe are leveraging this innovation to improve their operations. While the literature on the usage of social media by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is still emerging, the outcomes from existing research have not been coherent. Amid this, limited empirical evidence has been adduced on the affordance of the technology for the SME ecosystem in developing economies, particularly Ghana. Following this, this study aims to fill this research gap by investigating the impact of social media usage on the long-term sustainability of SMEs, specifically in Ghana. Using empirical data from 424 respondents who are representatives of manufacturing SMEs in Ghana, using SmartPLS techniques, the study confirmed that, generally, social media usage does not only have a positive impact on SMEs but drastically drives their motivations towards resilience and sustainability. The results further revealed a positive and significant effect of social media usage value creation, business connections and opportunities on SMEs’ sustainability. This study contributes to knowledge of social media usage and sustainability from a developing country’s perspective. This study offers several implications for theory and practice.
Has Urban Construction Land Achieved Low-Carbon Sustainable Development? A Case Study of North China Plain, China
Authors: Wang Qing , Xiao Yuhang
Published: August 2022

The rapid expansion of urban construction land (UCL) provides a guarantee to support rapid economic development and meet the social needs of urban residents. However, urban construction land is also an important source of carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, it is of great research value to investigate the relationship between UCL and carbon emissions in depth. Based on this, using panel data of 57 cities in the North China Plain from 2007 to 2018, the study found that there is a strong positive correlation between UCL and CO2 emissions. It can be seen that the expansion of UCL is an important source of CO2 emissions. On the basis of this research conclusion, first, this paper uses the Tapio decoupling model to analyze the decoupling relationship between UCL and carbon emissions in the North China Plain. Then, the spatial autocorrelation analysis was applied to explore the spatial correlation characteristics of the carbon emission intensity of UCL in cities in the North China Plain. Finally, using the GTWR model to analyze the influencing factors of the carbon emission intensity of UCL, the following conclusions were drawn. In 2007–2015, the decoupling relationship performed well, but it deteriorated significantly from 2015 to 2018; in addition, there was a significant positive spatial correlation of carbon emission intensity of UCL. Various influencing factors have a significant impact on the carbon emission intensity of UCL, for example, the urbanization rate, industrial structure, economic development level, and population density have a positive impact, and environmental regulations, foreign investment intensity, land use efficiency and greenery coverage have a negative impact. The research results of this paper provide a scientific basis for making decisions and optimizing pathways to achieve carbon emission reduction from UCL in the North China Plain, as well as certain reference values for other regions to achieve low-carbon development of UCL. This is significant for exploring the optimal solution of land and carbon emissions and building a harmonious human–land relationship.
Seeking Ways for Dealing with the Impacts of Sandstorms on the Railway Network in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almujibah Hamad , Elamary Ahmed , Alwetaishi Mamdooh
Published: August 2022

Sandstorms that cause shifting dunes are a huge technical challenge in the development of the railway network in Saudi Arabia, and are known as one of the most concerning atmospheric aspects. In this case, the weather or climate change makes railways more problematic and costly in Saudi Arabia compared to other countries. The purpose of this article is to develop Saudi Arabia’s rail system in order to overcome environmental difficulties and obstacles such as wind–sand flow behavior and other impediments (e.g., camels) by constructing obstructions such as protective walls and dykes. Theoretical analysis is used to investigate the major components that influence wind velocity and density. The wind velocity in the majority of the locations in Saudi Arabia was employed as a control value in this study, which was based on the Saudi building standard SBC301. Sandstorm protection is best achieved by combining four different building solutions, including ditches, dykes, trees, and concrete barriers. The site parameters, such as sand particle size, air velocity, and the required downwind strip distance, all influence which of the four recommended approaches is optimal. From this study, it is concluded that the wind speed at the height of interest (barrier height) should be calculated using wind shear exponents ranging from 0.2 to 0.5 depending on the topography and surface roughness aspects. A new equation based on two parameters, Q1 and n, as a function of the wind shear exponent is suggested to predict the percentage of wind velocity increase (Vinc %) over the barriers. This study found that the protected distance between the downwind strip and the receiver might be anywhere between 20 and 40 m.
Sustainable Textiles in the Past “Wisdom of the Past: Inherited Weaving Techniques Are the Pillars of Sustainability in the Handloom Textile Sector of Sri Lanka”
Authors: Memon Hafeezullah , Ranathunga Gayathri Madubhani , Karunaratne Virajini Medagedara , Wijayapala Samudrika , Niles Nilhan
Published: August 2022

The paper aims to identify characteristics of the driving force of the domestic handloom textile industry of Sri Lanka. A qualitative data analysis methodology was chosen for the research. Data were gathered from observational studies and semi-structured interviews. The observational study was carried out in museum collections, scholarly written books, and research journal articles. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with weavers, designers, technical instructors, and administrative officers. Data were analyzed according to observational study, coding, and concept development. Identified characteristics are interlinked with inherited craft knowledge, Buddhist culture, and the networks of people who live and work in a particular industrial society. The industry is developed through hands-on experience and prolonged engagement, where human resources are the key factor. The research scrutinized seven concepts related to the sustainable survival of the weaving structures. Learning is the direct enforcer. The infrastructure is supplied by the Textile Department. The research suggests recognition of a consistent infrastructure supply chain as national policy. The paper recommends to policymakers with the factors found to connect culture with an active action plan.
Pedagogical Approaches to Responsible Entrepreneurship Education
Authors: Igwe Paul Agu , Madichie Nnamdi O. , Chukwuemeka Okechukwu , Rahman Mahfuzur , Ochinanwata Nonso , Uzuegbunam Ikenna
Published: August 2022

This article explores innovations in and pedagogical approaches to Responsible Entrepreneurship Education (REE), with a specific focus on how to advance responsible entrepreneurial competencies (“know-how”) and entrepreneurial practices (“know-that”). Consequently, this article proposes the “4Rs” framework (re-imagining, reconfiguring, reshaping, and reforming) to guide entrepreneurship educators’ actions. Firstly, it is necessary to “re-imagine” the intended and enacted curriculum to develop a contemporary awareness and knowledge of social and environmental enterprises. Secondly, it is essential to “reconfigure” teaching pedagogies to problematize the entrepreneurship environment and outer world. Thirdly, it is required for educators to “reshape” the attained curriculum with the stakeholders to offer learners co-curricular and extracurricular experiences. Finally, pedagogical “reforms” provide an opportunity to incorporate innovations into the discovery of new knowledge and paths of responsibilities. These pedagogical approaches support entrepreneurial learning as “processes” and entrepreneurship as a “process” aligned to the achievement of responsible entrepreneurial behavior.
Why Governance Is Never Perfect: Co-Evolution in Environmental Policy and Governance
Authors: Van Assche Kristof , Gruezmacher Monica , Beunen Raoul
Published: August 2022

This Special Issue explores evolutionary perspectives on environmental policy and governance [...]
How Can the Modern Chinese Family Retirement Function Be Separated and Sustainable?
Authors: Liu Jiayun , Huang Jianyuan , Li Huimin
Published: August 2022

In the context of hybrid changes taking place in population and family structures, it is widely perceived that the function of the family as a place where older people retire has weakened. Family support has lost its vitality and has been replaced by public support. However, since the elderly are inseparably connected to their family, it is relevant to rethink and analyze how modern families’ pension functions can be sustainable. Based on structural functionalism and the family modernization theory, we construct an analytical framework to understand how the family ageing function operates separately. Fieldwork was carried out in Nantong, a place where the population has drastically aged. We documented different types of households to explain the changes and differences in modern family ageing. The results show that it is not simply a general weakening, but that a differentiated development pattern has separated the family functions and that there is a functional alternative path to compensate for sustainable development. That is, the economic function is strengthened and compensates for the weakened service function. Based on our research, we argue that families and the government should share the responsibility of meeting the diversified and specialized needs of older people in families where economic functions have strengthened and service functions have weakened. In families where both sets of functions have weakened, the government needs to overtake those functions. Today, family retirement function has been revitalized and redeveloped.
Assessment of a Cocoa-Based Agroforestry System in the Southwest of Colombia
Authors: Ballesteros-Possú William , Valencia Juan Carlos , Navia-Estrada Jorge Fernando
Published: August 2022

Cocoa-based agroforests play an important role in farmer livelihood and the global environment; however, despite these facts, their low yields and tree aging put at risk their fate. This project investigated the carbon storage potential, productivity, and economics of different agroforestry arrangements of cocoa (Theobroma cacao) with Melina (Gmelina arborea) trees, in the southwest of Colombia. We established the experiment under a Randomized Complete Blocks design with seven treatments and three repetitions. Different allometric models were tested. Allometric models were made for G. arborea trees with dbh, ranging between 30.24 and 50.11 cm. The total carbon accumulation fluctuated between 49.2 (Treatment 4) and 88.5 t ha−1 (Treatment 2), soil organic matter (SOM) ranged between 9 and 17%, bulk density decreased from 0.83 to 0.77 g cm−3. Cocoa yield ranged between 311 kg ha−1 year−1 (Treatment 7, traditional farm) and 922 kg ha−1 year−1 (Treatment 6). Treatment 6 showed the best performance with a net present value (NPV) of COP 1,446,467 (US $337.6), an internal rate of return (IRR) of 42%, and a cost-benefit ratio (B/C) of 1.67%. The benefits of AFS were also evidenced in some of the physical and chemical soil properties. Despite local marginality, these cocoa agroforest arrangements are a viable alternative to improve the traditional (local) cocoa systems because cacao agroforest arrangements increased cacao yield and carbon storage becoming a suitable alternative to improve traditional systems.
Uncertainty Theory-Based Resilience Analysis for LEO Satellite Communication Systems
Authors: Ma Ji , Kang Rui , Li Ruiying , Zhang Qingyuan , Liu Liang , Wang Xuewang
Published: August 2022

Resilience, the ability of a system to withstand disruptions and quickly return to a normal state, is essential for a low-Earth-orbit satellite communication system (LEO-SCS), as its large number of satellites, may encounter various disturbances. As a developing system with asymmetrical and insufficient data, it is with both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties, which renders existing resilience measures inapplicable. This paper utilizes uncertainty theory to define belief instantaneous availability, based on which a new resilience measure for the LEO-SCS is proposed. As the resilience is mainly determined by the dynamic and uncertain characteristics of an LEO-SCS, an uncertain satellite network evolution model is developed to describe its operating patterns, and an evaluation method is proposed to estimate its resilience. To illustrate our proposed uncertain theory-based resilience evaluation method, an LEO-SCS case with 48 satellites is studied, and its resilience values under different backup strategies are compared to assist in system design decisions.
Extracting the Parameters of Three-Diode Model of Photovoltaics Using Barnacles Mating Optimizer
Authors: Agwa Ahmed M. , Elsayed Salah K. , Elattar Ehab E.
Published: August 2022

Modeling of solar generating systems (SGSs) is necessary for recognizing their performance under various conditions of solar irradiance, temperature, and loading. There are nine unbeknown parameters (UPs) in the three-diode model (3-DM); if they are accurately determined, it can exactly identify the real characteristics of SGSs. Parametrization of the 3-DM of SGSs is a nonlinear problem that can be solved via optimization due to its effectivity in determining the optimal parameters to a variety of symmetrical and asymmetrical problems with nonlinearity. Root-mean-squared errors amongst measured and extracted electric current points are the fitness functions to be minimized. The main contributions of this article are the innovative utilization of the barnacles mating optimization algorithm (BMOA) for precise parametrizing of the 3-DM of SGSs and the experimental validation of the SGS. The optimization procedure is based on real measurements of I/V at specific circumstances, in which BMOA is employed to identify the nine UPs of 3-DM of SGSs. Two SGSs are under study, the first of which (Kyocera KC200GT) is widely utilized in the literature for performing comparisons, and the second (Copex P-120) is experimentally set up during different sun irradiances and temperatures. The results of BMOA emphasize its preference over other optimizers for identifying the nine UPs of 3-DM of SGSs.
New Results on Higher-Order Differential Subordination and Superordination for Univalent Analytic Functions Using a New Operator
Authors: Theyab Sarab Dakhil , Atshan Waggas Galib , Lupaș Alina Alb , Abdullah Habeeb Kareem
Published: August 2022

We present several new results for higher-order (fourth-order) differential subordination and superordination in this paper by using the new operator Hα,β,δ,ξ,γ,nf(v) and offer numerous new findings for fourth-order differential subordination and superordination. The innovative discoveries presented here are connected to those mentioned in previous articles. The differential subordination theory’s characteristics and outcomes are symmetric to the properties gained. Sandwich-type theorems are created by merging differential superordination theory with sandwich-type theorems.
Study on Destructive Informational Impact in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Intergroup Communication
Authors: Marinenkov Egor , Chuprov Sergei , Tursukov Nikita , Kim Iuliia , Viksnin Ilia
Published: August 2022

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to formalize the impact of malicious intergroup informational attacks toward a group of unmanned aerial vehicles communication. Infrequent but critical situations arise when an already authorized group member starts to transmit false data to other group participants. These scenarios can be caused by a software or hardware malfunction or a malicious attack, and cannot be prevented by the conventional security measures. The impact of such actions can be critical for a group’s performance. To address this issue, we develop and formalize the model of unmanned aerial vehicles’ intergroup communication and provide the calculus for a group’s performance destructive impact. We employ a multi-agent-based approach to formalize the information interaction between the participants of the unmanned aerial vehicles group. The model we propose possesses such properties as symmetry and scalability, as it considers individual participants as separate homogeneous distributed agents that have to perform their tasks in parallel to achieve the joint group goal. We classify informational threats by the type of the destructive impact they cause: apparent and hidden. Data contained in informational messages is categorized according to the agent’s destructive impact premeditation degree: intentional and unintentional. To verify the model proposed, we conduct an empirical study. The results show that the false data transmitted during the intergroup communication adversely affects the group’s performance, and such an impact can be measured and quantified.
Improved LightGBM-Based Framework for Electric Vehicle Lithium-Ion Battery Remaining Useful Life Prediction Using Multi Health Indicators
Authors: Liu Huiqiao , Xiao Qian , Jin Yu , Mu Yunfei , Meng Jinhao , Zhang Tianyu , Jia Hongjie , Teodorescu Remus
Published: August 2022

To improve the prediction accuracy and prediction speed of battery remaining useful life (RUL), this paper proposes an improved light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM)-based framework. Firstly, the features from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and incremental capacity-differential voltage (IC-DV) curve are extracted, and the open circuit voltage and temperature are measured; then, those are regarded as multi HIs to improve the prediction accuracy. Secondly, to adaptively adjust to multi HIs and improve prediction speed, the loss function of the LightGBM model is improved by the adaptive loss. The adaptive loss is utilized to adjust the loss function form and limit the saturation value for the first-order derivative of the loss function so that the improved LightGBM can achieve an adaptive adjustment to multiple HIs (ohmic resistance, charge transfer resistance, solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film resistance, Warburg resistance, loss of conductivity, loss of active material, loss of lithium ion, isobaric voltage drop time, and surface average temperature) and limit the impact of error on the gradient. The model parameters are optimized by the hyperparameter optimization method, which can avoid the lower training efficiency caused by manual parameter adjustment and obtain the optimal prediction performance. Finally, the proposed framework is validated by the database from the battery aging and performance testing experimental system. Compared with traditional prediction methods, GBDT (1.893%, 4.324 s), 1D-CNN (1.308%, 47.381 s), SVR (1.510%, 80.333 s), RF (1.476%, 852.075 s), and XGBoost (1.119%, 24.912 s), the RMSE and prediction time of the proposed framework are 1.078% and 15.728 s under the total HIs. The performance of the proposed framework under a different number of HIs is also analyzed. The experimental results show that the proposed framework can achieve the optimal prediction accuracy (98.978%) under the HIs of resistances, loss modes, and isobaric voltage drop time.
The Study on the Performance Evaluation of Spatial Governance of Village and Town Business Communities
Authors: Zhu Xiaoqing , Shi Hanyuan , Li Zhixing , Zhong Yuebin , Zhu Kening
Published: August 2022

In order to study the performance evaluation of spatial governance of village and town business communities, this paper establishes a five-dimensional system: industrial upgrading (I), environmental renovation (E), life quality (L), humanistic characteristics (H), and governance of society (G) based on the PSR (pressure–state–response) model. In the study, twelve village and town business communities of different types in the Anji County of China are selected as empirical cases; field research and information interviews are conducted in each sample community; the constructed project libraries and constructed ledgers in the past three years are adopted. The GIS 10.2 software is used to draw a policy fund distribution map for spatial governance, compare and study the core characteristics of financial investment for spatial governance in each sample community, and reveal how important the application of the evaluation system is for its performance analysis. The “precise strategies” and “driving foundations” of the spatial governance of village and town business communities are summarized.
Distance-Based Decision Making, Consensus Building, and Preference Aggregation Systems: A Note on the Scale Constraints
Authors: Gürler İbrahim , Çakır Ozan , Gündüzyeli Bora
Published: August 2022

Distance metrics and their extensions are widely accepted tools in supporting distance-based decision making, consensus building, and preference aggregation systems. For several models of this nature, it may be necessary to elucidate the problem output in the original input domain. When a particular parameter of interest is desired to be produced in this original domain, i.e., the scale, the decision makers simply resort to constraints that function in parallel with this goal. However, there exist some cases where such a membership is guaranteed by the mathematical properties of the distance metric utilized. In this paper, we argue that the scale constraints utilized in this manner under the distance-metric optimization framework are, in some cases, completely redundant. We provide necessary mathematical proofs and illustrate our arguments through an abstract physical system, examples, a case study, and a brief computational experiment.
The Assessment of Organophosphate Pesticide Exposure among School Children in Four Regions of Thailand: Analysis of Dialkyl Phosphate Metabolites in Students’ Urine and Organophosphate Pesticide Residues in Vegetables for School Lunch
Authors: Wongta Anurak , Sawang Nootchakarn , Tongjai Phanika , Jatiket Marut , Hongsibsong Surat
Published: August 2022

In Thailand, pesticides containing organophosphates (OP) are frequently applied to crops to suppress insects. School children can be exposed to OPs on a daily basis, from food consumption to breathing and touching pesticides drifted near classrooms. Living in an agricultural area can also be one of the causes. As a result, it is important to monitor OPs residues in the food chain and biomarkers of exposure. The Gas Chromatography–Flame Photometric Detector method was employed to examine the relationship between OPs residue and DAPs (Diakly phosphate) in four targeted locations in Thailand, as well as to examine the residues of OPs in vegetable samples and DAPs in 395 school children’s urine samples. Vegetables were found to contain at least one OP, with chlorpyrifos being the most prevalent. The OPs detected frequencies for Sakon Nakhon, Chiang Mai, Phang Nga, and Pathum Thani are 96.1%, 94%, 91.7%, and 83.3%, respectively. The overall centration level of OPs showed 0.3261 mg/kg, 0.0636 mg/kg, 0.0023 mg/kg, 0.0150 mg/kg, 0.2003 mg/kg, 0.0295 mg/kg, and 0.0034 mg/kg for diazinon, dimethoate, pirimiphos-methyl, chlorpyrifos, profenofos, ethion, and triazophos, respectively. Nearly 98% of school children were detected with at least one DAP. The overall level of dimethyl phosphate metabolites (5.258 µmole/mole creatinine) in urine samples is higher than diethyl phosphate metabolites (2.884 µmole/mole creatinine), especially in the case of Pathum Thani. Our findings show a consistent relationship between OPs in vegetables from wet markets and DAPs in urine samples of school children in various parts of Thailand.