bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the Possibility of Using Microspectrometers Based on CMOS Photodiode Arrays in Small-Sized Devices for Optical Diagnostics
Authors: Hotra Oleksandra , Firago Vladimir , Levkovich Nikolay , Shuliko Konstantin
Published: May 2022

The article considers the potential applicability of C12880MA and C11708MA Hamamatsu microspectrometers, which are characterized by an extremely compact design, occupying a small volume of several cubic centimeters, in portable spectrometric equipment with spatial resolution for monitoring the optical properties of condensed scattering media. The development of methods for determining the reduced scattering and absorption spectral coefficients of radiation from various scattering materials and products allows us to speak about the possibility of real-time control of the volume concentration of optically active components included in them, for example, fat and water in dairy products. For this, it is necessary to provide sufficiently accurate spectra of diffusely reflected broadband light radiation at different distances between the points of radiation entrance and registration. The aim of the manuscript is to assess the possibility of using the considered microspectrometers in compact devices for optical diagnostics and control of the optical properties of condensed scattering media. The features of the connection diagram of these microspectrometers and the necessary methods for correcting the initially obtained spectral dependencies of diffusive reflection, which will be of interest to developers of spectral diagnostic equipment, are considered in detail. The need to eliminate the influence of the inhomogeneity of dark counts of a CMOS photodiode array is shown. The hardware functions of the C12880MA and C11708MA Hamammatsu microspectrometers, as well as the AvaSpec 2048L fiber-optic spectrometer, were experimentally measured and compared. Methods for correcting the nonlinearity of their reading scales and light characteristics, as well as improving their equivalent spectral resolution using digital Wiener filtering, are described. It is shown that the equivalent spectral resolution of C12880MA and C11708MA microspectrometers can be improved by about 40% when recording smooth spectra, subject to the condition that the resulting side oscillations are small. It is pointed out that in order to reduce the level of side oscillations in the corrected spectra with improved resolution, it is necessary to ensure the smoothness of the original spectra and a good signal-to-noise ratio. A conclusion is made about the possibility of using the considered microspectrometers in portable spectrometric equipment with careful consideration of their characteristics, the features of their switching circuit, and the necessary software.
Changing Care: Applying the Transtheoretical Model of Change to Embed Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Long-Term Care Research in Canada
Authors: Finnegan Heather A. , Daari Laura , Jaiswal Atul , Sinn Chiling Joanna , Ellis Kate , Kallan Lismi , Nguyen Duyen , Gallant Natasha L.
Published: May 2022

Healthcare policy reform is evident when considering the past, present and future of long-term care (LTC) in Canada. Some of the most pressing issues facing the LTC sector include the changing demographic composition in Canadian LTC homes, minimal consideration for the role of intersectionality in LTC data collection and analysis, and the expanding need to engage diverse participants and knowledge users. Using the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTMC) as a framework, we consider opportunities to address intersectionality in LTC research. Engaging diverse knowledge users in LTC (e.g., unpaid caregivers, paid care staff), community (e.g., advocacy groups, service providers) and policy decision-makers (e.g., provincial government) is crucial. Empowering individuals to participate, modifying environments to support engagement, and facilitating ongoing partnerships with knowledge users are critical aspects of change efforts. Addressing structural barriers (e.g., accessibility, capacity, jurisdictional policies, and mandates) to research in LTC is also essential. The TTMC offers a framework for planning and enacting individual, organizational, and system-level changes for the future of LTC.
Family Structure through the Adolescent Eyes: A Comparative Study of Current Status and Time Trends over Three Decades of HBSC Study
Authors: Zaborskis Apolinaras , Kavaliauskienė Aistė , Eriksson Charli , Dimitrova Elitsa , Makari Joana
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to investigate how family structure varies and identify its time trends in European and North American countries using data from seven surveys conducted between 1994 and 2018 according to the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. The current family structure in 44 countries was described and time trend analysis of 28 countries was performed. Adolescents were asked whom they lived with in their home to describe family structures. Family structures showed distinct patterns and dynamics between countries. In 2018, in all countries, 73% of adolescents lived with both their mother and father; 14% and 5% of adolescents lived in a single-parent family and stepfamily, respectively; and around 9% of adolescents lived in another family type. In the period 1994–2018, the proportion of young people living in intact families decreased from 79.6% to 70.0%, on average about 10 percentage points. There were no significant changes in the prevalence of single-parent families and stepfamilies, but a significant increase in the number of adolescents living without either parent was revealed. The findings have implications for cross-national adjustment of adolescent health, well-being, and behaviours, and for critical analysis of socioeconomic family resources.
Searching for a Definition of Information Literacy as a Socially Cohesive Component of Community: A Complementarity of Experts and Student Approach
Authors: Černý Michal
Published: May 2022

Information literacy can be seen as a fundamental prerequisite for a sustainable complex information society. As a lack of information literacy, information poverty represents a significant social and educational issue. Information literacy and information poverty will be the new dividing lines of a complex world, as the “rich north and poor south” metaphor became in the 20th century. A careful study of discourses in information literacy allows for effective educational and social policies aimed at its development. The aim of this study is to present an analysis of different approaches and discourses to define the concept of information literacy based on a review of papers from Web of Science. The study identifies four important directions of definitions or new grasps of information literacy, with an emphasis on social justice, the analysis of social and technological change, and a demand for higher quality information literacy education. Based on this analysis, the discourses present in the responses of undergraduate information studies and library science students (n = 132) collected between 2019 and 2022 are studied. The qualitative study shows that these underlying discourses are present in the students’ responses but, at the same time, offer specific perspectives on their fulfilment.
The Family Transmission of Ethnic Prejudice: A Systematic Review of Research Articles with Adolescents
Authors: Zagrean Ioana , Barni Daniela , Russo Claudia , Danioni Francesca
Published: May 2022

Ethnic prejudice is one of the most studied topics in social psychology. Empirical research on its development and intergenerational transmission is increasing but still scarce. This systematic review collected and analyzed psychosocial studies focused on the transmission of ethnic prejudice within families with adolescents. Specifically, it aimed at addressing the following research questions: (a) To what extent is there a vertical (between parents and children) and horizontal (between siblings) transmission of ethnic prejudice within the family? (b) Is this process unidirectional (from parents to children) or bidirectional (between parents and children)? (c) Which individual and/or relational variables influence this process? (d) Can adolescents’ intergroup contact experiences affect the family influence on adolescents’ ethnic prejudice? The literature search of four databases (Ebsco, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science), carried out from February 2021 to May 2021, following the PRISMA guidelines, yielded 22 articles that matched the eligibility criteria. The findings highlighted a moderate bidirectional transmission of ethnic prejudice between parents and adolescents, which was influenced by several individual and relational variables (e.g., the adolescents’ age and sex and the family relationship quality). Moreover, the adolescents’ frequent and positive contacts with peers of different ethnicities reduced the parents’ influence on the adolescents’ ethnic prejudice. The findings are discussed, and their limitations and implications for intervention and future research are considered.
Towards a Global Solvency Model in the Insurance Market: A Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Garayeta Asier , De la Peña J. Iñaki , Trigo Eduardo
Published: May 2022

In recent years, there has been a change in the main regulations governing the solvency of the world’s main insurance markets. Sustainability is an issue that is becoming increasingly important among to the various stakeholders in the insurance industry. It is a complex concept that has many different dimensions that can be included in these regulations, allowing for a more sustainable solvency. The paper uses a qualitative model previously designed and tested in the literature to analyse the solvency regulations of the European Union, United States of America, China, Australia, Brazil and South Africa and determine their level of convergence. It also links the criteria set out in these models to the dimensions of sustainability in order to determine the degree of sustainability of solvency systems and the questions that regulators will need to consider in the near future in order to achieve more sustainable solvency.
Characteristics and Assessment of Soil Heavy Metals Pollution in the Xiaohe River Irrigation Area of the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Meng Zhilong , Liu Ting , Bai Xinru , Liang Haibin
Published: May 2022

Heavy metals in soil are a potential threat to ecosystems and human well−being. Understanding the characteristics of soil heavy metal pollution and the prediction of ecological risk are crucial for regional eco−environment and agricultural development, especially for irrigation areas. In this study, the Xiaohe River Irrigation Area in the Loess Plateau was taken as the study area, and the concentration, as well as their accumulation degree and ecological risk and distribution of soil heavy metals, were explored based on the geo−accumulation index (Igeo) and Hakanson potential ecological risk index methods. The results showed that the concentrations of soil heavy metals were all lower than the second grade Environmental Quality Standard for Soils of China. However, the average concentrations of Cu, Hg, Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni and As were higher than the above−mentioned standard. Compared with the soil background values of Shanxi Province, eight heavy metals of all samples presented different accumulation degrees, with the highest accumulation degree in Hg, followed by Cd, and the values were 11.3 and 4.0 times more than the background value, respectively. Spatially, the distribution of soil heavy metals in the Xiaohe River irrigation area was quite different, generating diverse pollution patterns with significant regional differences and complex transportation routes. The content of soil heavy metals in the Xiaohe River irrigation area was highly affected by land use types. The pollution degree varied with the distance to an urban area, declining from the urban area to suburban farmland, and the outer suburban farmland. Among these heavy metals, Hg and Cd were the principal contamination elements, and transportation, service industry and agricultural activities were the main potential contamination sources. The potential ecological risk of soil heavy metal positioned as follows: Hg > Cd > Pb > Zn > Cu > As > Ni > Cr. As indicated by the Hakanson potential ecological risk index strategies, except for the Wangwu examining site, the other six sampling sites experienced extremely strong risks, and as a whole, the entire study region was in a condition of incredibly impressive perils. Consequently, these results suggest that improving soil environmental investigation and assessment, setting up soil heavy metal contamination prevention and control innovation framework and reinforcing contamination source control are effective approaches for soil heavy metal contamination anticipation and control in irrigated areas of the Loess Plateau.
Organizational Innovativeness in the Circular Economy: The Interplay of Innovation Networks, Frugal Innovation, and Organizational Readiness
Authors: Yousaf Zahid , Mihai Daniela , Tanveer Umair , Brutu Mădălina , Toma Smaranda , Zahid Sheikh Muhammad
Published: May 2022

Due to technological advancements, all types of businesses confront new opportunities. In the contemporary era of technology, innovation performs a key role in successful commercial landscape operations. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine the effect of the innovation network (IN) on organizational innovativeness (OI). Moreover, the mediating effects of frugal innovation (FI) and the moderating role of organizational readiness (OR) have also been examined. Data collection through a cross-sectional method was conducted for this study from SMEs. Some 442 managers and owners provided correct responses, which were used for further analysis. SEM was used for testing the hypotheses of the current study. The results showed that the innovation network positively affects organizational innovativeness. Furthermore, the outcomes also validated that frugal innovation plays a mediating role between the innovation network and the organizational innovativeness link. The SMEs working in the circular economy are mainly dependent on their innovative activities/actions. In the current dynamic scenario, the survival of SMEs is linked to continuous organizational innovativeness in their products/services.
A Vision-Based Motion Control Framework for Water Quality Monitoring Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Authors: Panetsos Fotis , Rousseas Panagiotis , Karras George , Bechlioulis Charalampos , Kyriakopoulos Kostas J.
Published: May 2022

In this paper, we present a vision-aided motion planning and control framework for the efficient monitoring and surveillance of water surfaces using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The ultimate goal of the proposed strategy is to equip the UAV with the necessary autonomy and decision-making capabilities to support First Responders during emergency water contamination incidents. Toward this direction, we propose an end-to-end solution, based on which the First Responder indicates visiting and landing waypoints, while the envisioned strategy is responsible for the safe and autonomous navigation of the UAV, the refinement of the way-point locations that maximize the visible water surface area from the onboard camera, as well as the on-site refinement of the appropriate landing region in harsh environments. More specifically, we develop an efficient waypoint-tracking motion-planning scheme with guaranteed collision avoidance, a local autonomous exploration algorithm for refining the way-point location with respect to the areas visible to the drone’s camera, water, a vision-based algorithm for the on-site area selection for feasible landing and finally, a model predictive motion controller for the landing procedure. The efficacy of the proposed framework is demonstrated via a set of simulated and experimental scenarios using an octorotor UAV.
The Impact of Firm Heterogeneity and External Factor Change on Innovation: Evidence from the Vehicle Industry Sector
Authors: Feng Danlei , Hu Mingzhao , Zhao Lingdi , Liu Sha
Published: May 2022

We explore the connection between firms’ technological innovation capabilities and their internal and external factors. To empirically test this relationship, we use panel data for new energy vehicle (NEV) firms and traditional fuel vehicle firms in China from 2010 to 2020. Our findings show that public subsidies do have a positive impact on firms’ technology innovation capability, and there are consistent findings for both NEV and traditional fuel vehicle firms. Firms have a supportive effect on their innovative ability when they satisfy conditions of high profitability, low leverage, high equity concentration, and highly educated employees. The inability to maximize the effectiveness of public subsidies is due to an imbalance in the internal and external factors of firms. Therefore, we innovatively analyze the internal and external factors of NEV firms as an integrated system, taking into account the high correlation between them, rather than discussing them separately. The paper is not only of academic significance to the development of NEV firms to improve their technological innovation capability and the transformation of traditional fuel vehicle firms, but also of practical significance to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the achievement of the “double carbon” goal.
Counter-Urban Activity Out of Copenhagen: Who, Where and Why?
Authors: Andersen Hans Thor , Egsgaard-Pedersen Aske , Hansen Høgni Kalsø , Lange Elise Stenholt , Nørgaard Helle
Published: May 2022

While migration is often understood as movement towards cities, it can also assume another direction, traditionally termed counter-urbanisation. This paper contributes to the study of counter-urbanisation by investigating data on settlement patterns to places outside commuting distance to the Copenhagen labour market. Counter-urban migration outside of the Copenhagen commuting area is compared with out-migration from Copenhagen to suburbs and commuting areas in the period from 2005 to 2020, reflecting periods of both economic growth and recession. In this paper, we explore this development in terms of the numbers and characteristics of migrants moving out of commuting distance in comparison to those migrants who leave the city to settle in the suburbs or within commuting distance. The quantitative findings are combined with qualitative findings from a survey of the motives of migrants. In line with earlier studies, this study finds that family, friends, place-specific relations and job opportunities are important motives for moving. However, the results also show that an increasing share of migrants have higher education. This will contribute to the future economic and social sustainability of rural and peripheral places in Denmark.
A Review of Future Household Waste Management for Sustainable Environment in Malaysian Cities
Authors: Cheng Kin Meng , Tan Jia Yue , Wong Shen Yuong , Koo Ah Choo , Amir Sharji Elyna
Published: May 2022

In recent years, Malaysia has faced environmental challenges caused by municipal solid waste, especially household waste, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among all the household waste, plastic and paper are the most unmanaged waste that cause environmental issues. Several recycling associations in Malaysia have carried out their practices for better waste sustainability and management to curb the increasing amount of household waste. However, the effectiveness is still vague in achieving smart and effective household waste management. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate Malaysia’s household waste management, mainly in three significant municipalities in Malaysia, namely Kuala Lumpur, Penang, and Melaka, in becoming a resilient and sustainable city by addressing two main research questions: (1) What are the key factors for ensuring the more successful moves for future household waste management in cities? and (2) How do each of the three municipalities of Malaysia cities address their waste issues based on the key factors from RQ1? This paper reviewed 13 waste management articles and explores the potential of the four factors of waste management from the perspective of technology and data, economy, social, and governance. The discussed factors and models contributed to an integrated future-proofing framework that focuses on smart waste tracking, a gamified awareness education, and strict policies to control waste management are the way forward for the future of smart cities household waste management.
Parametric Urban-Scale Analysis of Space Cooling Energy Needs and Potential Photovoltaic Integration in Residential Districts in South-West Europe
Authors: Zambito Andrea , Pernigotto Giovanni , Pezzutto Simon , Gasparella Andrea
Published: May 2022

The energy needs for space cooling are becoming a significant share of the energy balance of different Member States of the European Union, in particular the Mediterranean countries. This trend has been observed and monitored by the European Union, which has started a number of initiatives to promote the reduction in the energy demand for space cooling and have it satisfied by renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaic electrical energy. Nevertheless, even if the potential of those solutions has been widely investigated at the single-building level, this scale of analysis seems not fully adequate to support the definition of the energy policies addressed towards the renovation of the current cities into smart ones, with a large share of their energy demand satisfied with renewable energy. In this framework, this research aims to investigate the topic of building energy performance for space cooling services by adopting an urban-scale approach. In detail, a parametric simulation plan was run with CitySim in order to assess the impact of different quantities, i.e., climate conditions, districts’ and buildings’ geometry features, and the thermal quality of the building envelope, on the overall cooling energy need for districts and the specific building energy performance. Furthermore, the advantages of the integration of photovoltaic systems to supply power to the cooling system were analyzed, identifying the district configurations with the highest potential. For instance, in Athens, the share of space cooling demand satisfied by PV in high-rise nZEB configurations ranges between 64% (Building Density = 0.25) and 87% (Building Density = 1), while in the low-rise nZEB configurations it ranges between 81% (Building Density = 0.25) and 75% (Building Density = 1).
Students’ Motivation for a Sustainable Career in the Hospitality Industry in Portugal
Authors: Cesário Francisco , Sabino Ana , Moreira Ana , Portugal Miguel , Correia Antónia
Published: May 2022

Based on the intersection between Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 “Quality Education” and SDG 8 “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, the main purpose of this study, framed by the self-determination theory, was to identify the relationship between the factors that motivate students to pursue a career in the hospitality and tourism industry and their commitment to the university and to their program, guaranteeing a more sustainable career. Methodologically, a survey was used to assess students’ perceptions about their commitment to conclude their BA academic program and their time at university, and to identify the types of motivation to pursue a future career in hospitality and tourism. The study took place, with the participation of 305 students, in one of the leading Portugal universities in hospitality and tourism. By leveraging the structural equation modelling technique, we tested how extrinsic and intrinsic motivations for a career in the hospitality and tourism industry contribute to the commitment to the program and the university. Results suggested that students’ commitment to remain in the university and their commitment to conclude their BA program are mainly associated with introjected motivation. This study highlights the need to study higher education systems to boost sustainable human resources management, mainly creating bridges between education systems and industry to allow individuals to have more sustainable careers.
In the Pursuit of Environmental Sustainability: The Role of Environmental Accounting
Authors: Majid Muhammad Faisal , Meraj Muhammad , Mubarik Muhammad Shujaat
Published: May 2022

This study aims to evaluate the mediating role of sustainability in the relationship between environmental-accounting (EA) disclosures and audit quality (AQ) and firm performance (FP) by using GDP and firm size as the controlled variables. Data were collected from the annual and sustainability reports of 80 manufacturing firms that were listed on the PSX during the last 10 years (2011–2020). STATA 13 software and a multiple-regression model were used. The findings that were deduced from the empirical results indicate that EA with sustainability has a significant negative effect on both proxies of the FP (ROA and ROE). By contrast, AQ with sustainability has an insignificant negative impact on firm performance. This research contributes to the scarce literature and compares the level of EA with sustainability reporting and its impact on the FP with the controlled variables GDP and firm size. This study also contributes to the execution of the reporting and the assurance of sustainability, and it helps regulatory bodies with the integral development of reporting and the assurance of EA.
Destination Personality and Behavioral Intention in Hainan’s Golf Tourism during COVID-19 Pandemic: Mediating Role of Destination Image and Self-Congruity
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Kim Kyungsik , Yim Brain H. , Hyun Boram , Chai Weiqi
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study was (a) to investigate the relationship between destination personality (DP), destination image (DI), self-congruity (SC), and behavioral intention (BI) in the context of golf tourism and (b) to examine the mediating roles of DI and SC in the relationship between DP and BI. We collected valid data about 519 golf tourists who visited Hainan, China in 2021. The results show that DP positively affected DI, DP positively affected BI, DP positively affected SC, SC positively affected BI, and DI positively affected BI. In addition, DI positively mediated the relationship between DP and BI, and SC positively mediated the relationship between DP and BI. The findings enrich the tourism literature, contribute to the exploration of golf tourism theory, and provide recommendations for golf tourism researchers and marketers.
Coordination Analysis of Sustainable Dual-Channel Tourism Supply Chain with the Consideration of the Effect of Service Quality
Authors: Wang Xiangping , Lai Ivan Kai Wai , Tang Huajun , Pang Chuan
Published: May 2022

The development of the Internet has changed the way that tourism products are sold. More and more tourism product providers (TPPs) use online travel agencies (OTAs) and offline travel agencies (TA) to sell their tourism products. With increasing consumption, service quality has also become an important factor for consumers to choose tourism products. Analysing the effect of service quality on pricing, demand, and profits under centralised and decentralised decisions helps the tourism industry development more sustainably. The study found that the level of the TPP service quality has a positive effect on channel pricing and demand, while the effects of the OTA and TA service quality on channel pricing and profits are affected by the sensitivity of consumer testing to cross-channel prices and services. The results of a comparative analysis of centralised and decentralised decisions show that supply chain members cannot reach an optimal state under the decentralised decision method. Supply chain optimisation is achieved through wholesale price contracts coordinating the distribution of profits among supply chain members. This study used numerical examples to verify the validity of the relevant conclusions and to the coordination mechanism, and propose some managerial implications. This work is pioneering in that it develops a dual-channel tourism supply chain with OTA channel participation, taking into account the service quality of all the members in the tourism supply chain. It suggests further research direction in studying sustainable tourism supply chain development.
Transforming the Plastic Production System Presents Opportunities to Tackle the Climate Crisis
Authors: Jankowska Emilia , Gorman Miranda R. , Frischmann Chad J.
Published: May 2022

Due to the rapid growth in global plastic production, in short-term applications, and negative impacts on natural ecosystems, plastics have received much attention. Additionally, the entire plastic value chain generates a significant amount of GHGs, and plastic use reductions should be considered as interventions addressing the climate crisis. This work investigates the life cycle of plastics in non-durable goods holistically. It identifies interventions to improve the sustainability and circularity of the system of production and analyzes the potential benefit of these interventions as climate change solutions. A baseline global market for plastics is defined and forecast to 2050, to which four interventions are applied: (1) plastic reduction through elimination and reuse; (2) replacement with paper; (3) replacement with recycled feedstock, (4) replacement with bioplastics. The highest potential in GHG emissions reduction lies in plastic reduction, followed by replacement with recycled plastics, paper, and, finally, bioplastics. Together the integrated system can reduce between 9.5 and 14.9 Gt CO2-eq from 2020 to 2050. The environmental and social impact of applying all these interventions in parallel is significant, as plastics are at the intersection of many challenges, including waste production, energy use, ocean pollution, and land disruption from fossil extraction.
Antibacterial Efficacy and Physiochemical Effects of Ozone Microbubble Water on Tomato
Authors: Hou Chih-Yao , Chen Yun-Ru , Wu Jong-Shinn , Chen Hsiu-Ling , Hsiao Chun-Ping , Liu Chih-Tung , Lin Chia-Min
Published: May 2022

The consumption of fresh produce is steadily increasing and chlorine washing is the most commonly used method of disinfecting fresh produce. However, chlorine washing possesses a potential risk. Hence, this study used ozone microbubble (OMB) water to disinfect Salmonella Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli on tomatoes. After injecting ozone into the microbubble generator, OMB was fulfilled in a 10 L tank for 10 or 20 min. The inoculated tomatoes were washed for 30 or 60 s. Control groups included unwashed, water-washed, microbubble-only, and ozone-only. The microbial populations were significantly lower on the OMB-treated tomatoes than controls (p < 0.05), but not between various fulfilling or treatment time (p > 0.05). When tomatoes were treated with OMB with 10 min fulfilling and 30-s washing, the differences of tested bacteria and water washing, ozone-only, and microbubble-only were: S. Enteritidis: 4.11, 3.37, 2.54 log CFU/tomato; S. Typhimurium: 4.83, 4.50, 2.78 log CFU/tomato; E. coli: 4.31, 4.08, 2.09 log CFU/tomato; S. aureus: 4.12, 3.93, 2.82 log CFU/tomato. In addition, significant higher ozone concentrations and conductivity were detected in OMB water than other groups (p < 0.05). Color, texture, and sensory characteristics of the OMB-treated tomatoes were not significantly different from other groups (p > 0.05). This study demonstrated that OMB effectively inactivated bacteria on tomatoes and did not affect the physical and sensory characteristics of tomatoes.
Hong Kong Citizens’ Socio-Demographic Dynamics of Urban Yard Waste Facilities Siting and Legislation Preferences
Authors: Law Caroline M. Y. , Lee Ernest K. S. , Au K. L.
Published: May 2022

The public opinions on yard waste (YW) facility siting and legislation reflect public needs and anticipations on the ways they perceive and deal with such urban yard waste, which aid to ascertain why and how people participate in YW treatment activities and support future urban yard waste policy development. However, such relevant and specific social survey on above issues remains limited, thereby scant attention has been given to the related socio-demographic explorations. This study focuses on the YW facility siting and legislation public opinions, and relevant associations across socio-demographic groups in Hong Kong, China. Data were obtained from 202 mostly cultured respondents randomly gleaned by online questionnaire survey. More than half of respondents did not reject to having the YW treatment facilities in their neighborhood. The statistical association between the opposing opinion toward having YW treatment facility near home and education level was rather strong. The majority of the tertiary-educated group expressed the strongest counter-opposition view towards YW facility within the community, while those with secondary education background had no comment. Nearly 62% of respondents supported the outlawing of direct dumping of YW to landfill, and the majority of them were cultured citizens. Decision makers should prudently consider the expressed needs and hopes of the socio-demographically differentiated subpopulations, and factor in their public opinions into the decision-making process for progressing local urban yard waste governance and overall environmental sustainability.
Enabling Open Innovation in Digital Startups through the Incubation Program—A Case of Qatar
Authors: Al Sharif Reem , Pokharel Shaligram , Ayari Mohamed Arselene , Essam Marwa , Aqeel Salwa
Published: May 2022

Researchers have studied open innovation by focusing primarily on big organizations. With digitization, the adoption of open innovation has become widespread, as there is broader access to cheaper and better information and communication technology. Private or public companies will also support individuals, or a group of individuals, to promote an innovative economy. Some countries also provide incubation opportunities and technical and financial support to encourage digital startups. This paper presents insights on the incubation program organized by one of the prominent centers in Qatar that incubate interested potential entrepreneurs to utilize open innovation for digital startups. The paper uses a qualitative analysis method on the data obtained from the interviews with the trainers (staff) of the center and the entrepreneurs who went through the incubation process. Four hypotheses were developed to understand various aspects of open innovation, the collaboration of startups, and the role of the incubation center. A nonparametric statistical test was used to assess the validity of the hypotheses. The results show that incubation and open innovation can contribute to digital startups. The paper concludes with suggested enhancements for incubation. This paper complements the literature by providing a study of open innovation in digital startups and introducing future research in this field.
The Sustainability of Mexican Municipal Public Debt
Authors: del Castillo Ernesto , Cabral René , Saucedo Eduardo
Published: May 2022

This paper examines the sustainability of subnational governments in Mexico, focusing on its top 110 most indebted municipalities. We employ dynamic panel data techniques to assess whether municipal debt remained sustainable during 2007–2017. Our study finds that the subnational fiscal position of Mexican municipalities remains sustainable despite the rapid growth of public debt following the 2008 global financial crisis. However, using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that random disturbances can significantly impact municipal governments’ debt, deteriorating governments’ finances after the shocks materialize.
The Potential of Digitally Enabled Disaster Education for Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Sakurai Mihoko , Shaw Rajib
Published: May 2022

A sustainable and resilient local community requires a learning culture that allows them to evolve over time. Disaster education in this context is expected to be an important element for local communities. Conventionally, disaster education in Japan is provided in elementary and junior high school as an evacuation drill. After that age, the attachment with the local community becomes relatively low, which we call the black box of disaster education. This paper reports on a practical research project in Muroran City, Japan. It aimed to use digital technology to involve high school students in a disaster education program. Officials in Muroran City have been struggling with collecting young people to participate in a community leader development program for disaster risk reduction (DRR). The research project employed a cloud-based learning platform in order to appeal to high school students. A set of three workshops was conducted from November to December 2021. Three out of the five categories of DRR consciousness increased after the workshop, namely, imagination, mutual aid and interest. We observed that participants’ mindsets and behaviors changed during the workshop activities. Digital technology can contribute to context-specific disaster risk education, which we believe is important in designing a sustainable and resilient local community for the 2030s.
An Injury-Severity-Prediction-Driven Accident Prevention System
Authors: Alicioglu Gulsum , Sun Bo , Ho Shen Shyang
Published: May 2022

Traffic accidents are inevitable events that occur unexpectedly and unintentionally. Therefore, analyzing traffic data is essential to prevent fatal accidents. Traffic data analysis provided insights into significant factors and driver behavioral patterns causing accidents. Combining these patterns and the prediction model into an accident prevention system can assist in reducing and preventing traffic accidents. This study applied various machine learning models, including neural network, ordinal regression, decision tree, support vector machines, and logistic regression to have a robust prediction model in injury severity. The trained model provides timely and accurate predictions on accident occurrence and injury severity using real-world traffic accident datasets. We proposed an informative negative data generator using feature weights derived from multinomial logit regression to balance the non-fatal accident data. Our aim is to resolve the bias that happens in the favor of the majority class as well as performance improvement. We evaluated the overall and class-level performance of the machine learning models based on accuracy and mean squared error scores. Three hidden layered neural networks outperformed the other models with 0.254 ± 0.038 and 0.173 ± 0.016 MSE scores for two different datasets. A neural network, which provides more accurate and reliable results, should be integrated into the accident prevention system.
Mining Safety and Sustainability—An Overview
Authors: Dong Longjun , Zhao Yanlin , Chen Wenxue
Published: May 2022

The mining industry provides energy and raw material for global economic development and social progress [...]
Long-Term Impact of Interregional Migrants on Population Prediction
Authors: Oo Sebal , Tsukai Makoto
Published: May 2022

Japan is becoming depopulated, with declining fertility rates and massive urban agglomeration due to emigrations from rural areas, which results in rural–urban disparities. As demographic and social divisions between rural and urban areas increase, maintenance of infrastructure and social facilities becomes much more difficult. For social and demographic sustainability, accurate predictions of long-term population distributions are needed. This study improves the Cohort Component Analysis (CCA) into two aspects of “dependent structure” in the model system. The migration sub-model is expanded to include related structures between available job opportunities and the available workforce in each region, which are specified using the spatial autoregressive model. The advantage of the improved CCA to provides rational future projections by considering the longitudinal changes in the spatial distribution of the workforce. The simulation of the proposed model gives an alternative long-term impact of population distribution in Japan, which is compared with the conventional CCA. The results show that the future Japanese populations will become more concentrated in urban areas, with a lower fertility rate. Furthermore, the manufacturing employees will be attracted to metropolitan areas or to regions with industrial zones, and that the number of retailers will undergo changes over time, even in urbanized areas.
Sustainable Strategies for Urban and Landscape Regeneration Related to Agri-Cultural Heritage in the Urban-Periphery of South Milan
Authors: Tzortzi Julia Nerantzia , Guaita Laura , Kouzoupi Aspassia
Published: May 2022

Urban Sprawl, and the fragmentation of the territory associated with it, are factors degrading the peri-urban areas in many European cities. The aim of this research is to investigate the role that Green Infrastructure (GI) and Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) can have in redefining peri-urban areas, relating urban and rural landscapes. The case study focuses on the Southern Milan periphery, at the rural-urban transition fringe; the transformation pressures, tendencies, and local activities are approached, and the main problems are juxtaposed to the potentialities, defining simultaneously the site’s vulnerability and latent resilience. The elaboration of a research-by-design approach focuses on the refurbishment and interconnection of disused open spaces and abandoned buildings: converting them in favor of a GI and NBS network, through a perspective of Ecosystem Services (ES) enhancement, but also encompassing cultural heritage and multicultural aspects. The overall design demonstrates the possibility of deploying an infiltration strategy, of the rural landscape into the urban fringe. The objective is to articulate a multiscalar methodology and give insights on how a GI network can rebalance urban-rural transitioning spaces and enhance ES, improving the quality of marginal spaces both in environmental and socio-cultural terms.
Assessment of the Validity of Introducing Nitrate Vulnerable Zones in Large Areas
Authors: Bawiec Aleksandra , Kajewska-Szkudlarek Joanna , Pulikowski Krzysztof , Pawęska Katarzyna
Published: May 2022

The rivers of agricultural catchment areas are particularly vulnerable to eutrophication, which causes nitrate nitrogen (N-NO3) that can be easily leached from the cropland. In 1991, the EU implemented the Nitrates Directive (ND) to identify and reduce the negative effects of nitrates in water. According to this regulation, in 2018, the whole territory of Poland was classified as Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the introduction of NVZs in large areas of the river catchment level. Statistical data on agricultural changes for individual provinces of Poland and for the whole country were analyzed. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the N-NO3 content in the water at different locations along the river within four rivers in the Odra basin. The results indicated that higher concentrations are observed in the upper part of the studied catchments, which reached a maximum of 25.0 mg N-NO3·dm−3. However, average values rarely exceeded 11.3 mg N-NO3·dm−3, the limit according to the Nitrates Directive. The large variability in N-NO3 content suggests the need to redefine the actual NVZs since it is essential for the appropriate implementation of programs aimed at restoring water quality according to ND.
Perceived Climate Change and Determinants of Adaptation Responses by Smallholder Farmers in Central Ethiopia
Authors: Megersa Girma Geleta , Jaleta Moti , Tesfaye Kindie , Getnet Mezegebu , Tana Tamado , Lakew Berhane
Published: May 2022

Climate change is a global phenomenon but disproportionately affects smallholder farmers, prompting them to use various coping and adaptation strategies to counter the problem. This study aimed to examine the trends of climate parameters, assess farmers’ perception of climate change, and identify the strategies of adaptation measures in central Ethiopia. Climate data were obtained from the National Meteorological Agency. Survey data were collected from 120 randomly selected households in 2017 and complemented with focus group discussions. The Mann–Kendall approach was used to detect climate trends, while a rainfall anomaly was calculated using the rainfall anomaly index. Multinomial logit model was used to examine determinants of farmers’ adaptation to the perceived change. In most of the cases, farmers’ perceptions were in accordance with climate trend analyses. Farmers used crop diversification, adjustments of planting dates, destocking of livestock, seasonal migration, crop rotation, and climate information services to adapt to climate-related shocks. Empirical results showed that the age and education of the household heads, family size, access to extension services, and farm and nonfarm incomes had a significant association with the adaptation practices farmers took. The existence of strong correlations between the demographic, socio-institutional variables, and the choice of adaptation strategies suggests the need to strengthen local institutions to enhance the adaptation of smallholder farmers to climate change.
Energy-Saving Task Scheduling Based on Hard Reliability Requirements: A Novel Approach with Low Energy Consumption and High Reliability
Authors: Chen Qingfeng , Han Yu , Wu Jing , Gan Yu
Published: May 2022

With the increasing complexity of application situations in multi-core processing systems, how to assure task execution reliability has become a focus of scheduling algorithm research in recent years. Most fault-tolerant algorithms achieve hard reliability requirements through task redundancy, which increases energy consumption and contradicts the concept of sustainable development. In this paper, we propose a new algorithm called HDFE (Heterogeneous-Dag-task-fault-tolerance-energy-efficiency algorithm) that combines DVFS technology and task replication technology to solve the scheduling problem of DAG applications concerning energy-saving and hard reliability requirements in heterogeneous multi-core processor systems. Our algorithm is divided into three phases: the priority calculation phase, the task replication phase, and the task assignment phase. The HDFE algorithm achieved energy savings while meeting hard reliability requirements for applications, which was based on the interrelationship between reliability and energy consumption in filtering task replicas. In the experimental part of this paper, we designed four comparison experiments between the EFSRG algorithm, the HRRM algorithm, and the HDFE algorithm. The experimental results showed that the energy consumption of task scheduling using the HDFE algorithm is lower than other algorithms under different scales, thus achieving energy savings and complying with the concept of sustainable development.