Sustainability

In 2014, the Thai government initiated the Young Smart Farmer (YSF) programme to counter the decline in the number of young people involved in farming. The YSF programme has three desired outcomes: first, to increase participants’ financial independence; second, to enhance the adoption of innovative farming methods; and third, to retain participants in the long-run by satisfying them. This study aimed to evaluate if these outcomes have been achieved. A Propensity Score Matching (PSM) method was applied to analyse the data collected from programme participants (61 responses) and non-participants (115 responses) through a survey in the Prachin Buri province in Thailand. Participation was determined by education, farmland size, farming experience, and challenges to farming. Most participants (~79%) stated that they were satisfied with the programme; however, the programme did not increase financial independence and the adoption of innovative farming methods. As such, the programme might not be very effective in motivating young people to continue, return to, or enter farming. We recommend that the programme can be improved by adjusting training and field trips to meet the needs of participants in different production systems. The programme should also be expanded beyond providing knowledge and information, and it could offer additional monetary and non-monetary support to participants, such as loans for technology investments needed for farm expansion and competitive advantages. Full article

The utilization of waste materials in cement-stabilized materials (CSMs) is an important way to promote the sustainable development of road engineering construction and solve the environmental problems caused by the accumulation of waste materials. With the increasingly prominent global environmental problems, the exploitation of natural aggravate and the production of cement are subject to strict management and restrictions. Different waste materials, such as industrial and mining wastes, construction and demolition wastes, municipal wastes, waste rubber and waste fiber, are utilized in CSMs, and this is beneficial to promote the sustainable development of CSMs. In order to promote the rational application of waste materials in CSMs, this paper systematically reviews the research on the durability and sustainable development of CSMs. The types and mixing forms of waste materials reutilized in CSMs are discussed. The effect of different waste materials on the durability of CSMs is objectively evaluated. The potential challenges of sustainable development of CSMs are proposed. This review may help to alleviate the apprehension of road workers about the utilization of waste materials in CSMs and provide useful suggestions for the large-scale application of different waste materials. Full article

In the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the role of space in the learning process. However, there is limited research about how different Learning Spaces (LS) can lead to Sustainable Development (SD). Therefore, this paper presents a systematic literature review aimed to identify how physical, virtual, and hybrid LS have been designed and used to support SD. From an initial sample of 204 articles between 2009 and 2021 found in the Scopus database, 33 were included after inclusion criteria were applied. Findings show a wide variety of focus in the uses of LS (e.g., promote education quality, accessibility, or environmental sustainability). In general, the design process of LS implies a top-bottom approach, where students remain as passive actors. Nevertheless, it has been identified a growing interest in codesign processes that promote broader participation and bottom-top perspectives. This study contributes to orientate the understanding of the concept of LS, and looks towards inspiring new teaching and learning practices. Full article

Indigenous technical knowledge derived from traditional wisdom is an asset of farmers in developing countries. To ensure the continuity of these practices for future generations, we need to understand the scientific rationality and their communication patterns, and then document them. This study aimed to document the indigenous pest management practices, test their scientific rationality, and determine their communication pattern among the farmers. A total of 120 farmers from district Bageshwar in Uttarakhand, India, were selected through the simple random sampling method. Interviews and focussed group discussions were used to collect data. Out of a total of 32 documented indigenous practices, 27 were found to be rational by the scientists. Neighbours ranked first as the source of information, followed by friends and relatives. Knowledge related to managing pests through indigenous methods was shared by the farmers, mainly in temples. They learned the practical application of these indigenous practices during childhood while working with parents in the fields, followed by observing their friends and relatives. The indigenous technical knowledge should be conserved and combined with the scientific cognizance for sustainable agriculture. Next- generation farmers need to be motivated to adopt these practices. Full article

Real estate has two major characteristics, representing a consumption good and an investment good. Family housing demands are affected by various factors such as family members, the stage that the current house is at in its life cycle, income, location preferences, and so on. To understand which kind of homebuyer backgrounds will increase the proportion of residential investment, this study applies a multinomial logit model to analyze the probability of investment or consumption decisions made by home buyers from different backgrounds in Taiwan. Empirical data show that middle-aged singles and middle-aged couples are less likely to purchase houses to be their personal residence. For young couples and young families, having a personal residence is still a primary consideration, which means that this need is a result of how they are in the early stages of their life cycle when they are not yet financially stable and may expect to have (or already have) children. Families with children show a higher demand for changing residences, which is why full-nest families and three-generation families are more frequently the owners of their personal residence. In addition, the purchase motives of full-nest families include their view of real estate as an investment good, which means that the purchasers have a stable family structure and a degree of financial stability. It also means that with their children growing up, these purchasers exhibit a higher demand for purchasing real estate as an investment the next time they change residence. Full article

Supercritical carbon dioxide injection in tight reservoirs is an efficient and prominent enhanced gas recovery method, as it can be more mobilized in low-permeable reservoirs due to its molecular size. This paper aimed to perform a set of laboratory experiments to evaluate the impacts of permeability and water saturation on enhanced gas recovery, carbon dioxide storage capacity, and carbon dioxide content during supercritical carbon dioxide injection. It is observed that supercritical carbon dioxide provides a higher gas recovery increase after the gas depletion drive mechanism is carried out in low permeable core samples. This corresponds to the feasible mobilization of the supercritical carbon dioxide phase through smaller pores. The maximum gas recovery increase for core samples with 0.1 mD is about 22.5%, while gas recovery increase has lower values with the increase in permeability. It is about 19.8%, 15.3%, 12.1%, and 10.9% for core samples with 0.22, 0.36, 0.54, and 0.78 mD permeability, respectively. Moreover, higher water saturations would be a crucial factor in the gas recovery enhancement, especially in the final pore volume injection, as it can increase the supercritical carbon dioxide dissolving in water, leading to more displacement efficiency. The minimum carbon dioxide storage for 0.1 mD core samples is about 50%, while it is about 38% for tight core samples with the permeability of 0.78 mD. By decreasing water saturation from 0.65 to 0.15, less volume of supercritical carbon dioxide is involved in water, and therefore, carbon dioxide storage capacity increases. This is indicative of a proper gas displacement front in lower water saturation and higher gas recovery factor. The findings of this study can help for a better understanding of the gas production mechanism and crucial parameters that affect gas recovery from tight reservoirs. Full article

It is of practical significance to evaluate whether enhancing outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) can promote carbon mitigation under the new urbanization background toward China’s sustainable development and carbon neutrality. The impact of OFDI on carbon emissions is investigated from the dual perspectives of the urbanization threshold and the mediating path by using panel data from China’s 30 provinces during the period of 2003–2015 and considering both population and land. The results show that there is a significant impact from interprovincial OFDI on CO₂ emissions with the double threshold effect of urbanization, and that OFDI expansion will increase CO₂ emissions with urbanization; however, the different stages of urbanization show inverted U-shaped characteristics that first rise and then fall. The optimization of industrial structures has not passed the mediating effects test during the sample period, while the rationalization of the industrial structure provides a mediating effect in the primary stage of urbanization and a suppressing effect in the high level stage of urbanization. Import dependence only shows a masking effect in the intermediate stage of urbanization, while the technical level shows an intermediary effect in the primary stage of urbanization and a masking effect in the intermediate stage. The intensification of OFDI has brought different effects on economic and social production in various regions of China under urbanization, which has further affected regional carbon emissions. Discussing these effects would help to provide constructive suggestions for the regional coordination of development, new urbanization construction and urban low carbon transformation. Full article

Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak onboard the cruise ship Diamond Princess, both the flag State and the port State should act according to international obligations during the sailing stage, quarantine period after ships’ berthing, and the time when the quarantine period expires. However, the potential danger of the absence of a “genuine link” between the cruise shipowners and the flag State, the lack of coordination of jurisdiction in different sea areas and between different States, and also the lack of special or systematic regulations for infection prevention and control (IPC) at sea and for cruise ships increase the risk of a State’s breach of international obligations. Therefore, it is deemed necessary to improve the responsive measures in international law. This paper, after review and analysis, sheds light on various recommendations on how to improve the responsive measures in international law, including (i) strengthening of the jurisdiction of the flag State, (ii) establishment of a special international cooperation mechanism with an alliance between the WHO and the IMO, and (iii) construction of an IPC mechanism for home ports of cruise ships. Full article

The potential use of food residues for pet food could significantly contribute to food waste reduction. In the present study, the effects of the inclusion of dried food residues (DFR) (0, 5, 10 and 15%) in a complete diet were evaluated in seven healthy adult cats. At the end of each three-week feeding period, feces were collected. The analysis of the fecal microbiota by 16S rDNA sequencing demonstrated a marked increase of the bacterial alpha-diversity with increasing dietary inclusion levels of DFR. In addition, an increase in the relative abundance of Coriobacteriales, Collinsella and Lachnoclostridum, as well as of propionate and n-valerate in the feces of the cats, was detected. The dietary inclusion of DFR decreased the apparent crude protein digestibility and tended to decrease the apparent crude fat digestibility. Overall, the DFR seemed to be highly fermentable in the intestine of cats, which markedly affected the diversity of the fecal microbiota. As this effect might be critical for a balanced gut microbiota, but also along with the observed depressing effects of DFR on the apparent crude protein and crude fat digestibility, lower inclusion levels are recommended if used as a potential ingredient for cat food in the future. Full article

New and natural antimicrobials as an alternative control system are now an urgent need to overcome stubborn bacterial infections. Salmonella Typhimurium has become the most frequent serovar responsible for salmonellosis in humans around the world. The high antimicrobial resistance and biofilm production make this pathogen more dangerous. We aimed to isolate a broad lytic phage to prevent Salmonella infection and reduce its biofilms. Using S. Typhimurium (ST-4) as a host, seven phages were isolated, and only three phages showed clear lytic plaques, two members of the Siphoviridae family (vB_STS-1 and vB_STS-3) and one of the Myoviridae family (vB_STM-2). The vB_STM-2 phage was the most potent broad lytic phage, infecting 100% of tested S. Typhimurium serovars and non-Salmonella strains. Additionally, the vB_STM-2 phage was thermostable at −20 to 55 °C up to 24 h, while at 65 and 75 °C, a significant (p < 0.05) titer reduction was observed after 7 days. Moreover, the phage seemed to be stable at different pHs (4–11) after one to twelve hours (hrs), while increasing the time made the phage more sensitive to the alkaline medium rather than the acidic medium. Interestingly, the vB_STM-2 phage had the capacity to diminish or eradicate the biofilms of tested S. Typhimurium, e.g., ST-4, ST-19, ST-30, ST-37, ST-45 and ST-49 by 81.2%, 76.4%, 43.6%, 41%, 39.8% and 93.4%, respectively, at a titer concentration of 10⁶ PFU/mL. Eventually, the vB_STM-2 phage showed significant (p < 0.05) efficacy in the elimination of S. Typhimurium (ST-4) from contaminated chicken breasts at both storage periods with high titer stability. The Salmonella count showed a severe decline from 7.00 ± 0.63 log₁₀ CFU/cm² to 0.88 ± 0.17 log¹⁰ CFU/cm² on the seventh day of the short-term storage, and from 5.13 ± 0.44 log₁₀ CFU/cm² to 1.10 ± 0.12 log₁₀ CFU/cm² on day 27 of the long-term assay. In both periods, the phage titers remained stable, with insignificant (p < 0.05) loss. Therefore, this phage is considered a prime candidate to combat multi-drug-resistant S. Typhimurium and its biofilms. Full article

Governments formulate different subsidy policies to incentivize manufacturers to produce green products, and these policies may have different subsidy effects. The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the dynamic effects of different subsidy policies to the manufacturer in a green supply chain composed of a manufacturer and a retailer. Three differential game models, considering the consumers preference, are established under three subsidy policies, and the corresponding optimal equilibrium strategies of the supply chain members are analyzed. An example is used to compare the effects of the three policies under the equal government subsidy expenditure. The study finds that the rankings of indexes to evaluate steady-state subsidy effects under the different subsidy policies are time invariant, and the government can preliminarily evaluate these policies according to different subsidy goals. The rankings of indexes to evaluate phased subsidy effects under these policies are time varying. If both subsidy effects and subsidy efficiencies in steady state are taken into account, the optimal selection paths of subsidy policies in the whole period can be obtained. The subsidy effects of the same policy are amplified under the condition of equal steady-state subsidy expenditure, but the rankings of effect indexes under the different subsidy policies are not affected. Full article

The coronavirus disease pandemic has led to college students spending more time at home. “Stay-at-home exercise” videos to mitigate inactivity are currently available on various digital platforms; however, it is unclear whether these videos lead to behavioral changes among college students. This study aimed to investigate the improvement in physical activity (PA) resulting from “stay-at-home exercise” among college students. Overall, 150 college students were recruited, and 125 students (control group: 65; intervention group: 60) who completed baseline surveys were analyzed. The preliminary outcomes were PA, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), subjective well-being (SWB), and psychological stress (K6). Mixed model repeated-measure analysis of variance compared the outcomes before and after the intervention. After 8 weeks of “stay-at-home exercise”, there was no significant interaction in PA (F = 0.02, P = 0.89); however, a significant interaction for the general health subscale of HRQoL (F = 9.52), SWB (F = 6.70), and K6 (F = 7.83) was detected (P < 0.05). On comparing the pre- and post-intervention results, we found that only distributing an 8-week streaming video of “stay-at-home exercise” did not increase the amount of physical activity among participants, but it did have a positive effect on their mental health during the pandemic. Full article

The occurrence of fire in road tunnels poses high risks to the life and health of people. The resulting smoke, fire gases and high temperatures can be the cause of poisoning and burns. Additionally, dense smoke can significantly reduce visibility, which can result in difficulties during evacuation. This paper aims to investigate the effect of specific wavelengths of visible light on visibility in smoke conditions and to determine the wavelength of light (colour) that can improve visibility in smoke-filled environments. A rubber mixture with polyester and polyamide spacers was selected as a combustible material in order to obtain more realistic conditions with respect to smoke parameters. These plastics are commonly used, among others, in tires, elements of engine plating, upholstery or truck trailer covers. Then, in a test fire chamber laboratory, the colour of light (wavelength) was determined, obtaining the highest transmittance value, understood as the amount of radiation transmitted through the substance. It has been shown that devices emitting a light wave of a specific length can significantly improve visibility in smoke-filled environment. Full article

Household waste utilization has been regarded as an important pathway to promote the circular economy paradigm and sustainable development for a long time. However, relevant enterprises are facing dilemmas in terms of the backward disposal methods for food waste, inadequate recycling of low-value recyclable waste and the lack of leading enterprises, resulting in unsustainable expansion of the industry. To address these problems, we investigated governmental departments and 20 household waste utilization enterprises in China. From the investigation, three typical enterprises, representing the advanced technology for food waste, the recycling mode of recyclable waste and the cultivation mode of leading enterprises, were selected for case studies. The results indicate that applying the technology of bioconversion by maggots could improve the utilization of food waste and adopting the “online and offline” dual-channel mode could benefit the recycling of low-value recyclable waste. Additionally, leading enterprises can be cultivated by franchise mode, which can drive the utilization of household waste in China effectively. The findings enrich the theory of household waste utilization in terms of disposal methods, recycling modes and enterprise operation. Practically, this research should enlighten decision-makers to improve household waste utilization. Furthermore, the research results could be generalized in other countries, thereby advancing the household waste management worldwide. Full article

The Slovak automotive industry consists of various companies and suppliers, with different positions in the supply chain for automotive manufacturers. The accuracy of component deliveries and their quality affect the ultimate competitiveness of the entire automotive industry. The creation of strategic partnerships and stable supplier–customer relationships is currently a necessity. The aim of the article is to design the model for optimizing the ratio of the company suppliers in the Slovak automotive industry. The basis for designing the model was the results of our own research focused on the quality and timeliness of component deliveries from various suppliers. Supply chain members work with multiple subcontractors, using multiple subcontractors to supply the same components. We analyzed the overall quality of delivered components at a certain stage of the supply chain. The quality of the supplied components was the sum of all items from all suppliers. The aim of the proposed model is to determine the optimal percentage of individual suppliers of a particular part so as to minimize the overall risk associated with the supply and inventory of a particular part for the customer. Research methodology was focused on identification of the key performance indicators and key risk indicators of components deliveries by different suppliers. Those indicators provide a basis for the effective results of further research. We designed and used an algorithm for preparing and evaluating the model for optimizing the ratio of the company suppliers in the Slovak automotive industry. This research used modeling methods, simulations, and optimization models. The proposed model was verified in the specific conditions of the automotive supply chain. Deliveries from two subcontractors were simulated. Based on the results of the simulations, the optimal supply ratio of the two subcontractors was determined for a specific component of a member of the supply chain at a higher level. The results of the research can be useful for different suppliers in the Slovak automotive industry. By partially modifying the model and adapting it for different conditions in other industries, the model of optimizing the distribution of supply from individual suppliers can be used for other supply chains. Full article

The tremendous progress made in the field of deep learning allows us to accurately predict precipitation and avoid major and long-term disruptions to the entire socio-economic system caused by floods. This paper presents an LSTM–CP combined model formed by the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network and Chebyshev polynomial (CP) as applied to the precipitation forecast of Yibin City. Firstly, the data are fed into the LSTM network to extract the time-series features. Then, the sequence features obtained are input into the BP (Back Propagation) neural network with CP as the excitation function. Finally, the prediction results are obtained. By theoretical analysis and experimental comparison, the LSTM–CP combined model proposed in this paper has fewer parameters, shorter running time, and relatively smaller prediction error than the LSTM network. Meanwhile, compared with the SVR model, ARIMA model, and MLP model, the prediction accuracy of the LSTM–CP combination model is significantly improved, which can aid relevant departments in making disaster response measures in advance to reduce disaster losses and promote sustainable development by providing them data support. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the economic and environmental performance of a Brazilian sheep production system (in the São José do Rio Preto (SJRP) region). The cost of production and the emergy indicators were calculated, and compared with other scientific results. The study was divided into three stages: (i) construction of the conceptual model; (ii) transformation of all resources and stocks by unit emergy value; and (iii) analysis of emergy indices. For emergy analysis, imported purchased inputs (P) represented 59.84% of all emergy, in which soy and corn contributed 16.14% and 11.38%, respectively. These inputs also contributed significantly to the economic cost of production as 14.63% and 12.55% of the total cost, respectively. Compared to other production systems, the SJRP system presented a lower emergy production rate and a higher environmental load rate, reducing the emergy sustainability index. In addition, it had the highest level of investment in emergy, suggesting that its sustainability is inferior to other referenced production systems. However, the SJRP system had the lowest emergy exchange ratio, indicating that this system is the closest to a fair price. In conclusion, the system must be reconsidered to become more sustainable; mainly with regard to the confinement of lambs that consume large amounts of concentrate (corn and soybean) from outside the system. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced people to pay more attention to the negative impacts of economic policy uncertainty on energy poverty. Meanwhile, through financial expenditure, governments might play a critical role in energy poverty alleviation, but there is little focus on this factor in the literature. We employ a panel threshold model to investigate the threshold effect of economic policy uncertainty between financial expenditure and energy poverty. This model can keenly explore the time-varying characteristics of financial expenditure. In order to control the endogenous influence, the estimators of the panel least square method are used to replace the corresponding endogenous variables. We find that financial expenditure has a significant positive effect on energy poverty alleviation, and that the positive effect has the threshold characteristic of economic policy uncertainty. With the rise in economic policy uncertainty, the positive effect of financial expenditure on energy poverty is continuously enhanced. Furthermore, we find that financial expenditure plays a more significant role in alleviating energy poverty in emerging economies than it does in developed economies. Full article

A wind turbine (WT)-based doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) is the most often used generator in the wind conversion system market due to its advantages such as the ability of operating under variable wind speed and its high performance. However, nonlinear dynamical and parameter uncertainties of the DFIG make the controller design of this kind of system a challenging work. Thus, in this study, a novel control strategy was proposed to design the desired system dynamics, to highlight the efficacy of the proposed system, and to improve the performance of the closed-loop system. The proposed controller combines the twelve-sector direct torque control (12-DTC) and the fuzzy controller with modified rules to solve the limitations and shortcomings of the usual methods for the WT-DFIG system. All operation modes, successively and continually, were considered to reflect the true operation of WT-DFIG system subject to random wind speeds. The aims of this work was to ensure an optimal operation of the wind generator, extracting maximum power in the zone II of the WT characteristic, and limiting this power in its maximum value in the case (zone III), to transmit the power generated by the DFIG to the grid-side with minimum losses in the disturbances related to DFIG. Extensive numerical simulations were performed under MATALB/Simulink, where the proposed fuzzy twelve direct torque control (F12-DTC) was compared with conventional nonlinear controls: conventional DTC (C-DTC) and 12-DTC. The simulation results demonstrated clearly that the proposed one had the highest performance and robustness, with a significant reduction in rotor flux and electromagnetic torque ripples and better-generated power quality with low currents’ THD over the conventional strategies (C-DTC and 12-DTC). Full article