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The purpose of this paper is to bring out the shortcomings of the EIA model imported from developed countries when it is assessed for its focus on poverty alleviation in a developing nation (India) and to suggest improvements in the existing framework.

The paper explores the current performance of EIA process in India, critically analyses the philosophy of continued sidelining of environmental protection in favour of unrestricted economic growth in the light of evidence regarding growing inequality.

The paper finds that for the proponent driven EIA model to contribute towards poverty alleviation, a new “socio‐ecological linkage document” is needed. This will bring out the fragile linkages that marginalized communities have with their local ecosystems and can be prepared with the help of local ecological knowledge. A framework to integrate the socio‐ecological linkage document into the EIA‐SEA‐SA domain is presented.

The paper shows that the supportive framework of generating the “socio‐ecological linkage document” has the potential to enhance the EIA‐SEA‐SA process in terms of ensuring that plans, policies, programs and projects are sensitive to the need of ecosystem dependent poor.

The paper proposes a framework to support the alternative thinking that poverty alleviation can be enhanced through preservation of ecosystem linkages, in contrast to the modern paradigm of economic growth at the cost of ecosystem.

The issue of dropout looms large in the context of school education in India despite various flagship programs that have been initiated in school education. According to U-DISE report (2019–2020), girls drop out more than boys at the upper primary level. An analysis of the dropout problem demands probing deeper into intrahousehold dynamics that involves bargaining at the household level on investment decision. These decisions are often influenced by the social context in which the girl child in the family faces discrimination which gets reflected in terms of dropout of girl children. Apart from the issue of gender, birth order also determines which child is more likely to drop out. Using NSSO data (2017–2018), we observe that not all children of a household are equally susceptible to the dropout problem. Moreover, the eldest sibling is found to be more susceptible to the dropout problem and dropout rate goes down with the other younger siblings in the same household. First-born girl children drop out more than their male counterparts showing gender bias. The chapter concludes that the factors pushing a child to drop out become more effective for the eldest sibling. The major reason is the family structure of India as the eldest sibling is expected to be more responsible and look after other younger siblings. Consequently, a certain number of the younger siblings try to follow the elder siblings and discontinue going to school.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the interactions of factors impacting the widespread adoption of prefabricated building technologies and the intervention strategies to facilitate the development of prefabrication based on fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs).

Through in-depth interviews with six stakeholder groups, namely, the government, developers, designers, contractors, manufacturers and researchers, 13 critical factors were identified and used to construct stakeholder-grouped FCMs, which were further aggregated into a collective FCM. The complexity and density of the collective FCM and the centrality of factors in the FCM were examined. Subsequently, a series of “what-if” simulations of the collective FCM were conducted to analyze the effectiveness of different interventions in promoting prefabrication.

The results show that three factors including market demand, cost, and policies and regulations have been mentioned by all stakeholder groups. However, these factors were ranked differently by stakeholder groups, implying that different stakeholder groups perceive the barriers to prefabricated building technologies differently. FCM simulations show that strengthening policies and regulations yield the strongest overall effect stimulating prefabrication, alleviating the organizational and environmental barriers more than the technological barriers, while improving the knowledge and expertise alleviate the technological barriers more. These measures need to be accompanied by other approaches, such as reducing cost and improving quality.

It is a tough task to promote prefabrication as it is affected by numerous barriers with complex interactions, which have been overlooked by previous studies. This study clearly shows which strategy could tackle which barriers to prefabrication through the FCM simulations. This provides valuable references for the enterprises’ decision making and the governments’ policy making to facilitate the diffusion of prefabricated building technologies.

Few studies aim to analyze the interactions among the barriers to prefabrication, while this study specifically investigates this issue by illustrating the complex interactions using FCMs. Few studies also aim to identify the intervention strategies promoting prefabrication based on a quantitative approach, while this study employs FCM simulations to directly simulate the effectiveness of different strategies to facilitate prefabrication in a quantitative manner.

The purpose of this paper is to compare parameters and properties of optimal structures of a line-start permanent magnet synchronous motor (LSPMSM) for the cage winding of a different rotor bar shape.

The mathematical model of the considered motor includes the equation of the electromagnetic field, the electric circuit equations and equation of mechanical equilibrium. The numerical implementation is based on finite element method (FEM) and step-by-step algorithm. To improve the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm convergence, the velocity equation in the classical PSO method is supplemented by an additional term. This term represents the location of the center of mass of the swarm. The modified particle swarm algorithm (PSO-MC) has been used in the optimization calculations.

The LSPMSM with drop type bars has better performance and synchronization parameters than motors with circular bars. It is also proved that the used modification of the classical PSO procedure ensures faster convergence for solving the problem of optimization LSPMSM. This modification is particularly useful when the field model of phenomena is used.

The authors noticed that to obtain the maximum power factor and efficiency of the LSPMSM, the designer should take into account dimensions and the placement of the magnets in the designing process. In the authors’ opinion, the equivalent circuit models can be used only at the preliminary stage of the designing of line-start permanent magnet motors.

This study aims to investigate the prediction of the nonlinear response of three-dimensional-printed polymeric lattice structures with and without structural defects. Unlike metallic structures, the deformation behavior of polymeric components is difficult to quantify through the classical numerical analysis approach as a result of their nonlinear behavior under mechanical loads.

Geometric models of periodic lattice structures were designed via PTC Creo. Imperfections in the form of missing unit cells are introduced in the replica of the lattice structure. The perfect and imperfect lattice structures have the same dimensions – 10 mm × 14 mm × 30 mm (w × h × L). The fused deposition modelling technique is used to fabricate the parts. The fabricated parts were subjected to physical compression tests to provide a measure of their transverse compressibility resistance. The ensuing nonlinear response from the experimental tests is deployed to develop a support vector machine surrogate model.

Results from the surrogate model’s performance, in terms of correlation coefficient, rose to as high as 99.91% for the nonlinear compressive stress with a minimum achieved being 98.51% across the four datasets used. In the case of deflection response, the model accuracy rose to as high as 99.74% while the minimum achieved is 98.56% across the four datasets used.

The developed model facilitates the prediction of the quasi-static response of the structures in the absence and presence of defects without the need for repeated physical experiments. The structure investigated is designed for target applications in hierarchical polymer packaging, and the methodology presents a cost-saving method for data-driven constitutive modelling of polymeric parts.

This paper analyses the impact of digitalization in the marketing of geographic indication (GI) products. Specifically, the objective is to provide a systemic and comprehensive view of marketing issues and challenges arising from evolving digitalization in the agriculture sector.

The authors employed an explorative cognitive mapping technique on a sample of key informants among Italian companies and a consortium of registered food, spirits and wine products.

This study describes the key concepts dominant in the discourse of informants concerning digitalization and its influence on the GI market. Three clusters and two loops were also identified to explain the relationship among key concepts, which stress changes regarding the relationship with the consumer, product experience and innovation, and the integration between physical and virtual space.

This is the first attempt to apply cognitive maps to GIs. However, the study does have limitations: it was conducted on a small number of producers and was restricted to only Italy. Another limitation is that interviews were conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results suggest important practical implications that stress the need for learning and increased digital competences for the efficient embedding of digital technologies in all business areas, increase product value and innovation, and the need for governance in support of digital transformation.

This work creates the new and valuable literature on food marketing and, specifically, on a changing market environment resulting from digitalization, by providing a holistic overview of digitalization in reference to the marketing of GIs.

A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) enables providers and customers to communicate without a fixed infrastructure. Databases are extended on MANETs to have easy data access and update. As the energy and mobility limitations of both servers and clients affect the availability of data in MANETs, these data are replicated. The purpose of this paper is to provide a literature review of data replication issues and classify the available strategies based on the issues they addressed.

The selected articles are reviewed based on the defined criteria. Also, the differences, the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are described. The methods in the literature can be categorized into three groups, including cluster-based, location-based and group-based mechanisms.

High flexibility and data consistency are the features of cluster-based mechanisms. The location-based mechanisms are also appropriate for replica allocation, and they mostly have low network traffic and delay. Also, the group-based mechanism has high data accessibility compared to other mechanisms. Data accessibility and time have got more attention to data replication techniques. Scalability as an important parameter must be considered more in the future. The reduction of storage cost in MANETs is the main goal of data replication. Researchers have to consider the cost parameter when another parameter will be influenced.

Data replication in MANETs has been covered in different available sources such as Web pages, technical reports, academic publications and editorial notes. The articles published in national journals and conferences are ignored in this study. This study includes articles from academic main international journals to get the best capability.

The paper reviews the past and the state-of-the-art mechanisms in data replication in MANET. Exclusively, data replication’s main goal, existing challenges, research terminologies and mechanisms in MANET are summarized using the answers to the research questions. This method will help researchers in the future to develop more effective data replication method in MANET.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the determinants of malnutrition of primary school‐age (five to ten years) children in urban and slum areas. The ultimate objective is to frame policy proposals for children's nutritional welfare.

In this empirical study, logit model is applied to 882 observations of primary data. The composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) is constructed to use an indicator of malnutrition.

The probability for anthropometric failure increases by age, birth‐order, female sex and activity of the child (child labor or home‐care activity) other than schooling. The parents' education, specifically mothers' education, can play an important role for child's nutritional status. Malnutrition is positively related with congestion in the household (number of household members per room), while provision of electricity, safe drinking water and underground drainage turns out to be negatively affecting children's malnutrition. The children living in slums are more likely to experience anthropometric failure.

From the policy perspective awareness about gender equity of child, adult education, growth of household income specifically of slum areas and improvement in living conditions (through public health works program) may contribute to enhance children's nutritional status.

The slums need targeted policy for children welfare regarding their nutrition in the form of provision of public utilities and income support.

From the methodological point of view, CIAF has been estimated as a measure of malnutrition. The findings of study may support academicians, policy makers and social activists for human development programs.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of graphite content on the properties of aluminum alloy/silicon carbide/granite (Al/SiC/Gr) composites.

Hardness and wear tests were applied to the powder metallurgical composites, and microstructural characterization was conducted.

Optimum graphite content for maximum wear resistance is reported as weight 6 per cent.

Results of this study may help light weight Al/SiC/Gr composites to be used in different industrial applications.

The prevalence of stunting in children under five years old is high (37.9 percent). The health advantage of breast milk as a prevention is recognized. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of early initiation to breastfeeding, wherein a child is breastfed within an hour of birth, as a means of preventing stunted growth in 6–59 month old children in Jambi province, Indonesia.

This paper used data from the 2015 National Nutrition Survey in Jambi province. A total of 2,502 children aged 6–59 months were analyzed by binary logistic regression.

The results showed that as many as 27.5 percent (95% CI: 25.2–29.9) children aged 6–59 months were stunted and 54.1 percent (95% CI: 51.1–57.1) had not been introduced to breastfeeding soon after birth. The analysis showed that delayed initiation to breastfeeding is a significant factor in stunting amongst 6–59 month old children. (p=0.024; AOR=1.3; 95% CI: 1.0–1.6). Other results of the analysis showed a significant association between water source and birth weight issues as causes for stunting.

Research revealed that delayed initiation into breastfeeding results in a 1.3 times higher risk of stunting. Furthermore, early initiation to breastfeeding reduces the risk of consuming polluted river water that is a health risk and cause of stunting.