A Transition from Wood Fuel to LPG and Its Impact on Energy Conservation and Health in the Central Himalayas, India

The aim of the study was to evaluate the impacts of the transition from wood fuel to Liquefied Petroleum Gas （LPG） from energy use and health perspectives along an altitudinal gradient （viz., lower altitude; middle altitude; and higher altitude） of the Central Himalayas. Empirical field study and questionnaire based survey was conducted for obtaining the data. A total of 2o households from each altitude were selected for obtaining reliable information on the actual quantity of fuelwood consumed. Of the 2o households, five households each based on the family size i.e., small families （〈4 members）, medium （5-8 members） and large （〉9 members） from all the altitudinal regions were selected. This was followed by an administration of a questionnaire on the quantity of fuelwood consumed. After the completion of the questionnaire survey, the data was validated using a weighted survey for the randomly selected households for obtaining precise information on the actual quantity of fuelwood consumed. Energy analysis is done with respect to the time spent on fuelwood collection and energy value of burning of per kg of fuelwood. Study indicates that declining biomass requirement from forests contributes significantly towards energy conservation, also has positive impact on human health. Per capita annual energy expenditure on collection of fuelwood is 752 MJ which is higher than any other activity in villages of Central Himalaya. The LPG substitution has contributed to energy saving which is equivalent to 2976-3,742 MJ per capita per year in middle and lower altitudes respectively. In the higher altitude the energy saving is calculated to be about 257 MJ per capita per year. Replacing fuelwood with LPG has made positive impact on society in terms of improving the health while reducing diseases that are caused due to indoor air pollution.

Modeling the capability of penetrating a jammed crowd to eliminate freezing transition

Frozen state from jammed state is one of the most interesting aspects produced when simulating the multidirectional pedestrian flow of high density crowds. Cases of real life situations for such a phenomenon are not exhaustively treated.Our observations in the Hajj crowd show that freezing transition does not occur very often. On the contrary, penetrating a jammed crowd is a common aspect. We believe the kindness of pedestrians facing others whose walking is blocked is a main factor in eliminating the frozen state as well as in relieving the jammed state. We refine the social force model by incorporating a new social force to enable the simulated pedestrians to mimic the real behavior observed in the Hajj area.Simulations are performed to validate the work qualitatively.

Probe into the “Mania for School District Houses”——Research into the Motivations for Purchasing School District Houses from the Perspective of Cultural Capital

In recent years,the"mania for school district houses"has disrupted the housing market and undermined education equity and class mobility,thus becoming a common concern.Most existing research focus on market motivations for purchasing school district houses while neglecting the connections between school district houses and cultural and social elements in the process of class reproduction.To make up for this deficiency this article introduces the neighborhood-based cultural capital theory to explore the diversified motivations,the processes of motivation formation,and the determining factors in purchasing school district houses.Reviews and analysis of interview materials revealed that while theories based on western experience can explain the basic purchasing motivations and their formation processes,there are distinct and varied purchasing motivations in China,more comprehensive and complex forms of capital exchange,and more dynamic factors that impact purchases of school district houses.Suggestions on solving the"mania for school district houses"are also presented.

China’s Consultation Mechanisms during Social Transition——Speech at the Symposium on the Tenth Founding Anniversary of the Tokyo Foundation

I am happy to attend this symposium at the invitation of the Tokyo Consortium. China and Japan are close neighbors, separated only bya narrow strip of sea. Exchanges have been frequent between the Chinese and Japanese peoples since ancient times. In striving for modernization,

公平视角下的TOD模式研究进展与展望

在传统TOD模式中,尽管城市发展得到了促进,但地价上涨等导致的社会不公平问题逐渐显现。ETOD(equitable transit-oriented development)则通过强调公平性,为弱势群体提供更多的保障性住房和便捷的交通服务,文章探讨了公平导向下的交通发展模式,分析了其在国内外的研究进展和应用前景。通过系统的文献综述,结合国内外相关文献,识别了ETOD领域的研究趋势和空白。重点分析了ETOD模式下的住房公平性和交通公平性问题,并强调了拓展ETOD研究范围以涵盖环境可持续性和无障碍设计原则的必要性,充分揭示了ETOD在解决社会不公平问题方面的潜力。

Influence of social capital on the livelihood strategies of farmers under China's rural revitalization strategy in poor mountain areas: A case study of the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture

Social capital in the form of social resources or social networks is one of the most important livelihood capital of farmers, which can increase the labor productivity of poor households and increase income. It is important to explore the reasons underlying the livelihood strategy choices of farmers from the perspective of social capital under China’s rural revitalization strategy. In this study, the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, a povertystricken mountainous area in southwestern China, was selected as the case study area, and multivariable linear regression models were constructed to analyze the influence of social capital on livelihood strategies.The results are as follows:(1) Individual social capital had a positive effect on non-agricultural livelihood strategies. On average, with a one-unit increase in individual social capital, the ratio of farmers’ nonagricultural income to total productive income(Income_Rto) increased by 0.002% and 0.062%,respectively. Collective social capital, with the Peasant Economic Cooperation Organization(PECO) as the carrier, had a negative effect on the non-agricultural livelihood strategies of farmers;on average, with a oneunit increase in PECO, Income_Rto decreased by approximately 0.053%. However, this effect was only significant in the river valley area.(2) The income differences among the different livelihood strategy types were explained by the livelihood strategy choices of farmers. As non-agricultural work can bring more benefits, the labor force exhibited one-way migration from villages to cities, resulting in a lack of the subject of rural revitalization. It is necessary to implement effective measures to highlight the role of PECO in increasing agricultural income for farmers. Finally,based on the above conclusions,policy recommendations with respect to livelihood transformation of farmers and rural sustainable development are discussed.

The role of capital deepening in China's energy transition

This paper provides a theoretical model to explain the causality between China's energy transition and capital deepening found by the empirical study.We prove that in the equilibrium,China's energy transition is endogenously determined by capital deepening due to the homogeneity of electricity and the monopolistic competition features of China's electricity market.Price effect,which is the effect of change in relative factor price,will affect energy transition only if the policy intervenes electricity price in terms of the primary sources from which it is generated.We propose that investment can promote energy transition by stimulating capital deepening which is biased to clean energy development.In this regard,our paper provides a new way of thinking for other developing countries to design an effective energy transition policy.

The Dialectical Relationship between "Changing" and "Unchanging" in GIS Practice Teaching in the Social Transition Period

New requirements have been proposed for GIS practice teaching in colleges and universities in response to the developmental changes of national and industrial sectors during the social transition.Meanwhile,the underlying core characteristics of GIS should remain unchanged in GIS teaching to ensure they serve as the inherent attributes distinguishing GIS from other disciplines.Therefore,the clarification of the dialectical relationship between “changing” and “unchanging” in GIS practice teaching becomes the primary issue to address in relevant teaching reform.To address this issue,the present study systematically analyzes the structural contradictions in GIS practice teaching in the social transition period,and then closely examines the dialectical relationship between “changing” and “unchanging” from the key aspects of educational philosophy,teaching content,teaching methodology,and teaching assessment.Next,using the course of “GIS Practice Design” at the Central South University as an example,the present study describes this university’s reform and inheritance in GIS practice teaching,aiming to provide reference for GIS practice teaching in other universities or majors.

Topological phase transition in network spreading

This paper investigates information spreading from the perspective of topological phase transition.Firstly,a new hybrid network is constructed based on the small-world networks and scale-free networks.Secondly,the attention mechanism of online users in information spreading is studied from four aspects:social distance,individual influence,content richness,and individual activity,and a dynamic evolution model of connecting with spreading is designed.Eventually,numerical simulations are conducted in three types of networks to verify the validity of the proposed dynamic evolution model.The simulation results show that topological structure and node influence in different networks have undergone phase transition,which is consistent with the phenomenon that followers and individual influence in real social networks experience phase transition within a short period.The infection density of networks with the dynamic evolution rule changes faster and reaches higher values than that of networks without the dynamic evolution rule.Furthermore,the simulation results are compared with the real data,which shows that the infection density curve of the hybrid networks is closer to that of the real data than that of the small-world networks and scale-free networks,verifying the validity of the model proposed in this paper.

Familial and Territorial Values for Sustainable Entrepreneurship in Italy： Some Reflections in Theory and Practice]

This study reflects the specificities of family small- and medium-sized enterprises （SMEs） which are related to values, culture, and relationships with the territory （local context）. In the following sustainable and corporate social responsibility （CSR）-oriented strategies, family businesses are ＂assisted＂ by the presence of entrepreneurial values which are tied to and derived from the social system in the territory in which they are located. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that the consolidation of stable and durable relations between the family business and the local context depends on the presence of shared values between the members of the family and the stakeholders, all components of civil society are within the same territory. Such values are the fruit of a given territory＇s civic traditions. They are the result of an anthropological culture which is typical of the socioeconomic environment in which the entrepreneur, the family, and the business are all rooted, thus, they are expressions of a culture ＂of the place＂.

Lost Women in Social Transitional Period——A Comparative Study of the Tragic Fate of Sister Carrie and Guo Haizao

Sister Carrie and Dwelling depict two heroines who share similarities in many aspects. They all live in the social transitional period and suffer a lot. This paper will make a comparison about the two ladies' tragic fates and aims to investigate the impact on females brought about by the social transition.

Governments′ Path Selection of Promoting Rural Information Development——From the Perspective of Social Capital Theory

In introduction of the connoted meaning of rural information and its important role in the development of modern agriculture in our country and the development of urban and rural areas, the paper analyzes the difficulties in information construction: the first is the inadequate attendance of farmers, the low efficiency of information platform use; the second is the backward construction of information sources, which cannot meet the practical needs of information by farmers; the third is the bad situation of information exchanging. From perspective of social capital, it discusses the roles social capital factors playing in the rural information construction, among which, the information relations between farmers and information are the basis; net attendance is the necessary condition of sustainable development of rural information construction; customs afford management resources in rural information construction. Based on the above materials, the paper puts forward that it is the government who must accelerate the construction of rural information: the first is planting technic net in rural credit systems, accelerating the admission and supporting of farmers to information construction; the second is to strengthen the exchanging abilities among information platforms, upgrading the attendance degrees of farmers in rural information construction; the third is to introduce and make use of the management power of rural customs to complete an information management norm.

Social Capital and Depressive Ill-Health——An Evaluative Approach to the Implementation of the Chronic Care Model (CCM)

Background: Social capital has been described as a person’s sense of belonging as a result of the number and type of relationships she/he has, in which trust and reciprocity are especially important. Aim: To illuminate older persons’ experiences of social capital and depressive ill-health after implementation of the CCM. Methods: Data were collected from nine participants resident in two districts of Norway by means of individual in-depth interviews. A qualitative hermeneutic analysis was performed. Results: Two overall themes, desire for a guardian and a wish for independence despite being dependent, and two themes emerging from the analysis. The first theme—searching for protection was based on three sub-themes overwhelmed by the emotional pain of other people, a sense of exclusion and worries about the future, while the second theme—the need for a relationship with trustworthy persons comprised two sub-themes, namely, emotional pain was not understood and powerlessness to change the situation. The result of this study highlights the need for greater understanding on the part of healthcare professionals of how older persons manage their social relationships. Healthcare professionals require more knowledge about how negative self-beliefs held by older persons suffering from emotional pain, which can lead to reduced ability to trust other people. Another consequence is that fear of being dependent on other people can result in unwillingness to admit the need for help. Conclusion: This study highlights the lack of social capital in older persons who suffer from depressive ill-health. The implementation of the CCM does not appear to improve the situation. Older persons need to be more aware of their social needs and productive interactions in order to protect themselves and obtain support from their social network.

The association of various social capital indicators and physical activity participation among Turkish adolescents

Background: Physical activity participation(PAP) has been proven to improve health and promote optimal growth among adolescents. However,most adolescents do not meet the current physical activity(PA) recommendations in Turkey. The role of the social environment and social factors on PAP is being increasingly recognized. Although social capital(SC) indicators have been examined in high-income countries, there are few studies on developing countries. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between SC indicators and PAP among Turkish adolescents.Methods: A survey was conducted among 19 high schools in 4 different cities in Turkey in 2016. A total of 506 female and 729 male high school students participated in this study. The dependent variable was overall PAP, which was measured using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The independent variables included self-perceived family, neighborhood, and school SC. Self-rated health and obesity status, measured by body mass index, were other study covariates in multiple binary logistic regression models. Chi-square tests were used to assess the differences between genders.Results: PAP levels were significantly different between males and females. A higher percentage of males reported PAP(77.4%) compared to females(51.0%). Among males, teacher–student interpersonal trust and informal social control were inversely associated with PAP, while high students interpersonal trust was positively associated with increased odds of PAP. For females, students interpersonal trust was inversely associated with PAP.Conclusion: Various SC indicators are associated with PAP for males and females. These associations are different from findings of studies conducted in developed countries. Therefore, health-promotion interventions and policies should consider gender and different social agents on the social and cultural background to improve PAP among Turkish adolescents.

Impact of the Community-Based Active Monitoring Program on the Long Term Care Services Use and In-Patient Admissions of the Over-74 Population

Introduction: Social isolation increases in the over-74 population and it is a risk factor for death and Long Term Care (LTC) use. In order to prevent the negative consequences of social isolation on this population community interventions focused on strengthening the social network should be intensified. The aim of this paper is to describe the impact on health care use of a Community-based pro-Active Monitoring Program (CAMP) providing phone monitoring to all the clients and home visits according to the individual’s needs. Methodology: In order to provide an evaluation of the program outcomes, the rates of clients’ hospitalization and admissions to Long Term Care facilities during 2011 have been assessed. The observed rates have been compared with expected ones calculated on available information for similar population. A cost-analysis has been also carried out to analyze the program sustainability. Results: The studied sample is made up by 1408 over-74 citizens followed up during 2011 in Rome (Italy) by CAMP. The cumulative observation time was 1362 p/y;61 individuals died during 2011 (death rate 4.3%). The hospital admission rate observed among CAMP’s clients was 254‰ (357/1408;CL95% ± 91‰), lower than the 282‰ reported for the over-74 population of Rome. This translates into 39 averted hospitalization. The LTC admission rate is also reduced among CAMP’s clients (9/1,408, 6.6‰ CL95% ± 0.8‰ vs. 9.7‰ reported for a comparable sample);it translates into 4 averted LTC admissions. The averted cost ranged between 47,153 € and 220,117 € according to the range of services used by the clients, which translates into a percentage of estimated cost reduction on yearly basis ranged between 3% and 12.5% of the whole cost of services used by the studied population. Discussion: The paper suggests the capacity of CAMP to reduce both the over-74 hospitalization rate and use of LTC. Cost analysis also indicates a cost reduction as a consequence of the CAMP implementation. Further studies including a control group and a detailed cost-benefit analysis are needed to check the program sustainability on larger population.

Assessment of challenges and strategies for driving energy transitions in emerging markets:A socio-technological systems perspective

The pursuit of improved quality of life standards has significantly influenced the contemporary mining model in the 21st century.This era is witnessing an unprecedented transformation driven by pressing concerns related to sustainability,climate change,the just energy transition,dynamic operating environments,and complex social challenges.Such transitions present both opportunities and obstacles.The aim of this study is to provide an extensive literature review on energy transition to identify the challenges and strategies associated with navigating transformations in energy systems.Understanding these transformations is particularly critical in the face of the severe consequences of global warming,where an accelerated energy transition is viewed as a universal remedy.Adopting a socio-technological systems perspective,specifically through the application of Actor Network Theory(ANT),this research provides a theoretical foundation while categorising challenges into five distinct domains and outlining strategies across these different dimensions.These insights are specifically tailored for emerging market countries to effectively navigate energy transition while fostering the development of resilient societies.Furthermore,our findings highlight that energy transition encompasses more than a mere technological shift;it entails fundamental changes in various systemic socio-economic imperatives.Through focusing on the role of social structures in transitions,this study makes a significant and innovative contribution to ANT,which has historically been criticised for its limited acknowledgement of social structures.Consequently,we propose an emerging market energy transition framework,which not only addresses technological aspects,but also integrates social considerations.This framework paves the way for future research and exploration of energy transition dynamics.The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights to policymakers,researchers,and practitioners engaged in the mining industry,enabling them to comprehend the multifaceted challenges involved and providing practical strategies for effective resolution.Through incorporating the social dimension into the analysis,we enhance the understanding of the complex nature of energy system transformations,facilitating a more holistic approach towards achieving sustainable and resilient energy transitions in emerging markets and beyond.

New Estimates of China＇s Infrastructure and Non- Infrastructure Capital Stocks and Their Output Elasticities

This paper classifies total fixed capital into three categories,namely,economic infrastructure capital,social infrastructure capital and non-infrastructure capital,and then offers complete and detailed estimates of the national time series data(1981-2012) and the provincial panel data of 31 administrative regions(1997-2012).On this basis,this paper estimates the output elasticities of the three categories of capital and then tests whether or not the production function of China shows constant returns to scale.

An Extended Fuzzy-DEMATEL System for Factor Analyses on Social Capital Selection in the Renovation of Old Residential Communities

China has been promoting the renovation of old residential communities vigorously.Due to the financial pressure of the government and the sustainability of the renovation of old residential communities,public-private partnerships(PPP)have already gained attention.The selection of social capital is key to improving the efficiency of the PPP model in renovating old residential communities.In order to determine the influencing factors of social capital selection in the renovation of old residential communities,this paper aims to find an effective approach and analyze these factors.In this paper,a fuzzy decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory(fuzzy-DEMATEL)technique is extended and amore suitable systemis developed for the selection of social capital using the existing group decisionmaking theory.In the first stage,grounded theory is used to extract the unabridged key influencing factors for social capital selection in the renovation of old residential communities.Secondly,by considering the impact of expert weights,the key influencing factors are identified.The interactions within these influencing factors are discussed and the credibility of the results is verified by sensitivity analysis.Finally,these key influencing factors are sorted by importance.Based on the results,the government should focus on a technical level,organizationalmanagement abilities,corporate reputation,credit status,etc.This study provides the government with a theoretical basis and a methodology for evaluating social capital selection.

Community Based Flood Risk Management: Local Knowledge and Actor’s Involvement Approach from Lower Karnali River Basin of Nepal

Connecting to the disaster risk reduction (DRR) studies, community-based initiatives are found to be more effective in both developed and developing countries, with a specific focus on the empowerment of local communities to build resilience. Building on social capital theory, the paper investigates on local knowledge (LK) practices experienced by the actors in an emerging economy using the community-based flood risk management (CB-FRM) approach. The qualitative research method was used by collecting data from focused group discussions, and interviews with the key informants including actors from local governments and non-government organizations. Additionally, informal discussions, field visits, and desk studies were undertaken to support the findings. The findings reveal that the local communities carry out various local knowledge experiences to respond during disaster management phases. They own a creative set of approaches based on the LK and that empowers them to live in the flood-prone areas, accepting the paradigm shift from fighting with floods to living with that. The local actor’s involvement is recognized as an essential component for CB-FRM activities. Yet, their program’s implementation is more oriented towards humanitarian assistance in emergency responses. Even, they often overlook the role of LK. Additionally, the results show a high level of presence of local communities during the preparedness and recovery phases, while NGOs and local governments have a medium role in preparedness and low in recovery phase. The lack of local ownership has also emerged as the major challenge. The research provides valuable insights for integrated CB-FRM policies by adopting to LK practices.

What Influences Cooperative Motivation of Foreign Brides From Southeast Asian Countries in Taiwan？

Because women in Taiwan have had more and more opportunities to receive higher education and engage in different kinds of work, they have had developed increasingly higher standards for their marriage partners. Men who are in the lower socioeconomic working classes such as those who work in agriculture, or fishing, or who are disabled can no longer compete in local marriage market. As a result, these men have begun to look for their brides from other countries to continue the family line, do the housework, and take care of their parents-in-law. In addition to the fact that these foreign brides are often young and from rural areas, language barriers and cultural differences make it difficult for them to raise and educate their children in Taiwan. The inability of these brides often leads to a higher percentage of children who are developmentally delayed, have poor pronunciation, behavior problems, and low academic achievement. Governmental agencies and schools recognize these issues and have tried to help foreign-born mothers take better care of their children. However, there are several influential factors that can limit the cooperative motivation of these foreign-born mothers, including language barriers, parenting stresses, low socioeconomic status, and cultural limitations. Therefore, governmental agencies and related professionals must take these factors into consideration to provide comprehensive services and a better learning environment.