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Digital transformation and innovation-driven development have become an international consensus. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of relationships, mechanisms and economic consequences between digital transformation and enterprise innovation quality in order to provide a benchmark for developing countries to implement digital transformation strategies and innovation-driven strategies and provide a major support for economic recovery in the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era.

Using microdata from A-share listed enterprises in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2021, this study examines the relationship between digital transformation and enterprise innovation quality and further reveals the internal logic and economic consequences of digital transformation to improve enterprise innovation quality through the mediating effect and moderating effect models.

The results demonstrate that digital transformation is beneficial for improving enterprise innovation quality. The heterogeneity test demonstrates that digital transformation has a larger effect on improving enterprise innovation quality in non-state-owned enterprises and eastern enterprises in China. The mechanism test demonstrates that digital transformation can improve enterprise innovation quality by improving internal control quality and analyst attention. Furthermore, with the increase in enterprise innovation inputs, digital transformation plays a significantly stronger role in improving enterprise innovation quality. The extended analysis demonstrates that digital transformation can significantly improve enterprise financial performance by improving innovation quality.

First, the construction of the core explanatory variable digital transformation index in this study is based on the Python data analysis software, which calculates the frequency of digital transformation in the text of the business situation analysis portion of the annual report of the listed companies and then obtains the degree of digital transformation of the company in this year. There may be some deviation from the degree of digital transformation in the actual production and operation of enterprises. Second, in addition to internal control quality and analyst attention, are there other mediating mechanisms for the impact of digital transformation on the quality of enterprise innovation? Third, whether the moderating effect of innovation input on digital transformation and innovation quality is related to human capital factors of the research and development (R&D) team, such as the technical background of R&D personnel, etc.

This study enriches the relevant theories of digital transformation and broadens the research boundaries of digital transformation and enterprise innovation. This study's result provides an empirical basis for enterprises to improve enterprise innovation quality and financial performance from the perspective of digital transformation at the micro level and points out specific practical directions, combining theory with practice.

Agricultural insurance has become increasingly important to farmers' livelihood and production in rural China. Yet despite the enormous governmental subsidizing efforts, the insurance participation rate remains below expectations. This study revisits the linkage between farmers' risk attitudes and crop insurance utilization by providing a cross-cutting perspective such that the role of risk aversion is re-scrutinized in Chinese “kindred” village economies.

The authors administrated a lottery-based multiple price list (MPL) experiment by recruiting rice farmers from 12 villages in Sichuan province in southwestern China. Using the experimental data, farmers' risk attitudes are assessed and coefficients of risk aversion are estimated within the rank-dependent expected utility (RDEU) framework by maximizing a structured likelihood function.

This study provides substantiating evidence that rice farmers in southwestern China exhibit relatively high risk aversion. The authors also provide suggestive evidence of the positive relationship between farmers' risk aversion and crop insurance utilization. In addition, findings reveal that kinship network has a negative effect on crop insurance utilization, such that farmers who are connected in higher degree of kinship network have lower likelihood of crop insurance utilization, which suggests that kinship network may be substitute for formal crop insurance. Result also demonstrates that the incentive effect of risk aversion on farmers' crop insurance participation manifests differently depending on the degree of kinship network in rural China.

This study provides a cross-cutting perspective by scrutinizing the effects of farmers' risk attitudes and kinship network on crop insurance participation in rural China, which has received relatively little attention in the literature. Conclusions on the effects of risk aversion on crop insurance participation have been mixed in previous studies. In addition, to the best of our knowledge, little has been done to explicitly examine the influence of social proximity and networks on farmers' insurance uptake. This study attempts to fill both gaps. This study provides new insights which might shed lights on the understanding of farmers' crop insurance participation in rural China.

The purpose of this research paper focused on studying the role of activated carbons (ACs), which were synthesized from long-chain aldehyde-based xerogels (Xs-AC), as benefit additives to enhance the application of a low-cost urea formaldehyde (UF) adhesive for production of rice straw (RS) composites complying with both the standard specifications of particle-board type and the board produced from using conventional adhesive of RS fibers (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, MDI). The results are supported by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, which indicated the curing and interaction of RS fibers with the adhesive systems.

RS-based composites of particle-board type were prepared from applying new Xs-AC–UF adhesive systems to RS particles. For comparison, particle boards by using commercial UF and 4 per cent MDI were also prepared. To clear the beneficial effect of X-ACs as new HCHO (formaldehyde)-scavengers, the properties of the resulted boards were compared with those produced from the previous investigated scavenger: amide-containing starch-UF (AM/St–UF), and treated RS. DSC analysis was performed on the RS adhesive system, to follow the curing and the interaction behavior of UF with fibers in the presence of Xs-ACs.

The promising results obtained of RS particle boards from using the investigated new HCHO-scavenger are modulus of rupture (MOR) = 17.2 MPa, modulus of elasticity (MOE) = 4,689 MPa and internal bond (IB) strength = 0.49 MPa. While, the thickness swelling (TS) and maximum reduction in free-HCHO are 48.5 and 44.6 per cent, respectively; this reduction value specified the particle-board of E1-E2 type.

The X-AC-UF adhesive systems and treated RS provided particle boards with mechanical properties (MOR, MOE and IB) that met the standard specification values (class M-2 according to ANSI standard and P-2 according to EN standard requirements), together with maximum reduction in toxicity of UF. However, the resistance in water swelling property is weak and needs further study to be solved.

The incorporation of small percentage of new HCHO-scavenger (X-AC) to UF is an effective way to improve its thermal behavior. Moreover, the mechanical properties of agro-based composites based on the treated RS waste together with the X-AC-UF system exceeded those values of panels produced from (AM/St-UF) and also from (4 per cent MDI).

Incorporating the Xs-AC to commercial UF will be of benefit for saving the health of wood co-workers and motivating the wood mill to export its wood products, as well as minimizing the export of MDI.

This paper was based on enhancing the potential utilization of both undesirable RS agro wastes and environmentally unacceptable low-cost UF adhesive in the production of agro-composites that comply with the International Standard Specifications of particle board type. In this respect, a new HCHO-scavenger was synthesized and applied, based on AC from non-conventional xerogels. This study presents a solution to protect the environment from pollution, as a result of burning the undesirable RS, as well as to protect the workers and users of wood panels from exposure to the toxic and carcinogenic gas (formaldehyde). It also benefits in replacing the high cost of the RS adhesive (MDI) by using low-cost modified UF.

The purpose of this paper is to study the pipe-type electromagnetic induction heating device under power frequency condition.

To reduce eddy current loss and improve heating efficiency, the structure of a pipe-type power-frequency electromagnetic heating device was optimized. Based on the maximum load flow formula, a parallel excitation winding structure is designed, and the distribution of electromagnetic field under four different powers is analyzed by simulation. Four heating modes were proposed according to the structure of diversion ring, inner wall and outer wall. Two heating modes with better heating effect were obtained by comprehensively considering the factors such as magnetic field distribution, thermal power and energy consumption.

The double-wall structure of the pipe-type electromagnetic heating device can make the heat source distribution more uniform, and the use of power-frequency power supply can increase security, the installation of diversion ring can make the heating more sufficient and the heating efficiency of the two heating methods selected according to the structural performance is more than 90%.

In view of the medium or high frequency of pipe-type electromagnetic heating device, it is necessary to configure high power electronic frequency conversion drive system, and eddy current can only be produced on the tube wall, resulting in uneven distribution of heat sources. A pipe-type power-frequency electromagnetic heating device with double-wall structure was proposed.