bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Invisible Vulnerabilities: Ethical, Practical and Methodological Dilemmas in Conducting Qualitative Research on the Interaction with IVF Embryos
Authors: Delaunay Catarina , Augusto Amélia , Santos Mário
Published: December 2019

The burden of deciding the fate of the supernumerary human embryo created in vitro in the context of Assisted Reproductive Technologies rests on the beneficiary couples or individuals who conceived the parental project. The beneficiaries must also take on the responsibility of choosing whether to donate surplus embryos either to others or to scientific research, or to request their destruction. Vulnerable beings, weakened from the point of view of their identity (facing the social stigma still associated with some circumstances such as being infertile, lesbian or a single mother), are required to have skills such as reflexivity and autonomy in dramatic situations that concern their relationship with their own reproductive body. Given the urgency of this issue at the socio-anthropological level, we are conducting ethnographic research aimed at analysing how specialists and lay people objectivate, evaluate and circulate different conceptions of the human embryo in vitro. Based on our research experience within this ongoing project, we intend to discuss some ethical, practical and methodological concerns for the researcher in accessing the field and conducting fieldwork. We take into account the fact that this research is focused on sensitive topics and on individuals who can be considered people in vulnerable situations.
Remittances, Migration and Gross Domestic Product from Romania’s Perspective
Authors: Mehedintu Anca , Soava Georgeta , Sterpu Mihaela
Published: December 2019

This study analyzes the evolution and trends of the share of remittances in gross domestic product (GDP) and the influence of migration on remittances in Romania. The analysis on data from Eurostat over 2008–2017 has three components: a statistical analysis, an estimation of evolution of indicators, and an estimation of impact of migration on remittances, using polynomial-time regression and difference equation models, respectively. The results showed that GDP and GDP/capita had a permanent increase, meaning an improvement in the standard of living in Romania, while the other indicators had an evolution with a period of sharp decline triggered by the global crisis, followed by a slow growth. We may conclude that the remittances represented and still represent a relatively stable financial resource for Romania as for the other emerging countries in Europe, affecting in a positive way the standard of living of the citizens, although their value has a tendency to decrease. At the same time, the negative effects of remittances, dependence on money received from migrants and the exodus of “brains” and skilled workers, must be considered, implying the necessity of government policies for a better use of remittances, i.e., mainly for investments and less for consumption.
A Conceptual Framework for Value Co-Creation in Service Enterprises (Case of Tourism Agencies)
Authors: Hamidi Fatemeh , Shams Gharneh Naser , Khajeheian Datis
Published: December 2019

Traditional companies used to design products, evaluate marketing messages, and control product distribution channels with a low level of customer contribution. Nonetheless, with the advancements in communication and information technologies, the interaction between customers and company is much higher compared to the past, and it is no longer solely controlled by the companies; thus, users can now impact companies by simultaneously playing two roles as value creators and as consumers. The present study develops a conceptual framework for value co-creation in small- and medium-sized tourism agencies. The sample consisted of 23 purposefully selected employees and managers of small- and medium-sized tourism agencies. Data were extracted from semi-structured interviews and analyzed with open and axial coding. For validity, an eight-person panel of experts was asked to review the framework and to apply corrective comments. The reliability was tested using a re-test method, which confirmed the reliability of the coding with a re-test reliability of 79%. Based on the findings, the proposed framework contains eight components including value inception, value conception, value risk, resource planning, platform, actors, co-creation process, co-created value, and learning process, whose components were identified and encoded.
Sustainable Smart Cities and Smart Villages Research: Rethinking Security, Safety, Well-being, and Happiness
Authors: Visvizi Anna , Lytras Miltiadis D.
Published: December 2019

This Special Issue of Sustainability was devoted to the topic of “Sustainable Smart Cities and Smart Villages Research: Rethinking Security, Safety, Well-being, and Happiness”. It attracted significant attention of scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers from all over the world. Locating themselves at the expanding cross-section of the information systems and policy making research, all papers included in this Special Issue contribute to the debate on the exploitation of advanced information and communication technologies (ICT) for smart applications and computing for smart cities and rural areas research. By promoting a thorough scientific debate on multi-faceted challenges that our villages, cities, urban and rural areas are exposed to today, this Special Issue offers a very useful overview of the most recent developments in the multifaceted and, frequently overlapping, fields of smart cities and smart villages research. A variety of topics including well-being, happiness, security, Open Democracy, Open Government, Smart Education, Smart Innovation, and Migration have been addressed in this Special Issue. In this way they define the direction for future research in both domains.
Farmers’ Willingness to Pay for Improved Agricultural Technologies: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Tanzania
Authors: Shee Apurba , Azzarri Carlo , Haile Beliyou
Published: December 2019

Initiatives on the sustainable intensification of agriculture have introduced improved technologies tailored to farmers’ local conditions by trial demonstration with free provision of improved seeds and fertilizers. It is not clear, though, whether smallholder farmers would be willing to pay for these technologies, and what factors determine their informed demand. Using a contingent valuation experiment, combined with information at baseline among 400 households in Northern Tanzania, this study measured farmers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for hybrid maize seed and local inorganic fertilizer. Farmers’ WTP was estimated using a dichotomous contingent valuation with follow-up model. Results showed that the average WTP was 61% higher for hybrid maize seed, and 15% lower for inorganic fertilizer, than their respective average local market prices during the reference period, suggesting that farmers were willing to pay a premium for hybrid maize seed, while they did not seem to be interested in fertilizer purchase at current market price. Moreover, since improved access to extension services was found to positively affect farmers’ WTP, strengthening extension services could be a suitable policy intervention to increase farmers’ demand for improved technologies. On the other hand, farmers’ risk aversion was negatively correlated with WTP for both technologies. This result suggests that encouraging risk reduction options, such as agricultural insurance, could be a useful policy strategy for boosting farmers’ demand for improved agricultural technologies.
The Impact of Enviropreneurial Orientation on Small Firms’ Business Performance: The Mediation of Green Marketing Mix and Eco-Labeling Strategies
Authors: Khan Eijaz Ahmed , Royhan Pradip , Rahman M. Ashiqur , Rahman Mohammed Mizanur , Mostafa Ahmed
Published: December 2019

Global green trends are creating new challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs worldwide with customers now more environmentally aware and willing to pay extra for green services and products. In considering this phenomenon, the current study focuses on the positive influence of enviropreneurial orientation on the business performance of small firms and explores the mediation effects of green marketing mix and eco-labeling strategies. Drawing upon the natural resource-based view (NRBV) and the dynamic capability view (DCV), we tested our multiple mediation model with a sample of owners/managers of 160 small firms from Bangladesh, with these firms coming from the sectors of trading, manufacturing, and services. To test the study’s hypotheses, we employed the variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) method, using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The results reveal that green marketing mix and eco-labeling strategies transmit the effect of enviropreneurial orientation to business performance of small firms. Both strategies are found to be mediators in the relationship between enviropreneurial orientation and business performance of small firms. The study also offers suggestions for future research.
Methodology to Analyze the Effectiveness of ESD in a Higher Degree in Education. A Case Study
Authors: Valderrama-Hernández Rocío , Sánchez-Carracedo Fermín , Alcántara Rubio Lucía , Limón-Domínguez Dolores
Published: December 2019

This paper presents a methodology to evaluate (1) to what extent students of a higher degree in the field of education acquire sustainability competencies, and (2) to determine whether the subjects that develop Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) achieve their learning objectives. The methodology is applied to a case study. The instruments used are the sustainability survey and the sustainability presence map developed by the EDINSOST project. The survey consists of 18 questions, and has been answered by 104 first-year students and 86 fourth-year students belonging to the Bachelor Degree in Primary Education Teaching at the University of Seville. The Mann-Whitney U test has been used to compare the results of the two students groups, and Cohen’s D has been used to measure the effect size. Students only obtain significant improvements, with 95% confidence, in three questions: Q4 (I know procedures and resources to integrate sustainability in the subjects), Q5 (I analyze the opportunities presented in the subjects to plan educational projects to integrate sustainability) and Q6 (I design educational projects from the perspective of sustainability), all concerning critical thinking and creativity. An improvement is also detected in question Q11 (I know how to develop myself satisfactorily in community educational projects, encouraging participation), with a confidence of 90%. Surprisingly, no subject in the curriculum develops the learning outcomes concerning questions Q4, Q5 and Q6, and only one subject develops the learning outcomes regarding question Q11. However, up to five subjects declare development of the learning outcomes regarding questions in which there is no improvement in student learning. These results suggest that the subjects are failing to reach their ESD learning objectives, and that the students are either trained in sustainability outside the university or the subject learning guides do not reflect the work done by the students throughout their studies.
Impact of Apartment Tightness on the Concentrations of Toxic Gases Emitted During a Fire
Authors: Gałaj Jerzy , Saleta Damian
Published: December 2019

Due to the thermal modernization process of old residential buildings, there has been a significant increase in the air-tightness of apartments, which may contribute to the deterioration of the safety of users and rescue teams in a fire, for example, the emergence of a very dangerous backdraft phenomenon. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of air-tightness of premises on selected fire parameters in particular toxic gas concentrations, which is the most common cause of deaths of people due to fires. In the research, an experimental method was used, consisting of the measurement of concentrations of gases such as oxygen, carbon monoxide and dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, propylene, acetylene, hydrogen and nitric oxide, and dioxide, which most often give off during a fire due to modern interior design materials. Two fire tests were carried out, one in a sealed apartment and the other unsealed (one window wing half-open). The concentrations of the previously mentioned gases obtained in both tests are presented and then compared with each other. Based on the analysis, conclusions have been formulated, which suggest that increasing the tightness may increase the toxicity of the fire environment.
Probabilistic and Fuzzy Approaches for Estimating the Life Cycle Costs of Buildings under Conditions of Exposure to Risk
Authors: Plebankiewicz Edyta , Meszek Wiesław , Zima Krzysztof , Wieczorek Damian
Published: December 2019

The paper discusses issues related to life cycle costs in construction. Life cycle cost is a key element in the assessment of environmental sustainability in construction and it provides a tool for the economic evaluation of alternative sustainability options exhibiting different capital, operating costs or resource usage. The authors reviewed selected models of estimating life cycle costs in construction, drew attention to the complex mathematical models developed so far, namely those which take into account only financial risks and those which involve the possibility of the influence of other risk factors and described the main assumptions accompanying the original model for estimating the whole life costs of buildings, including: reasons for choosing theory of possibility, division and parametrization of input data. The aim of this paper is to confirm the validity of the model structure assumptions adopted by the authors by comparing the originally selected fuzzy approach to calculating life cycle costs taking into account the risk with the probabilistic approach, as well as indicating the domain in which the probabilistic approach will complement the fuzzy approach chosen by the authors. The paper presents a comparison analysis of two approaches used in the authors’ model, a fuzzy and a probabilistic approach, recommended by the ISO standard 15686-5:2008. The authors used the Oracle Crystall Ball software in their simulations.
The Attitude of Tourist Destination Residents towards the Effects of Overtourism—Kraków Case Study
Authors: Szromek Adam R. , Kruczek Zygmunt , Walas Bartłomiej
Published: December 2019

Scientific research into the effect of tourist traffic in a tourist area have shown that the excessive concentration of tourist traffic leads to overcrowding in attractive locations, over-advertising, and aggressive commercialization, which lower the aesthetic quality of tourists’ experiences and result in the degradation of natural and cultural resources. The effect of excessive tourist numbers is an increase in the price of services, rental fees, and real estate. In historical cities, it causes the gentrification of historical districts. One of the social effects of an increase in tourist numbers is a change in attitude amongst residents towards tourists. This change is dependent on how residents perceive the positive and negative effects of tourism. The appearance of a negative attitude among residents towards tourists is a result of exceeding the social carrying capacity limits, that is, the ability to accept changes as they take place. This article assesses the attitudes of residents and tourist service providers in Kraków with regard to increasing tourist traffic and the ongoing process of change in the cityscape leading to the gentrification of districts most often visited by tourists. On the basis of a study of 518 respondents, including 371 city residents and 147 representatives of the tourist industry (hotel owners, restaurateurs, and tourist service providers), an assessment is made of their attitudes towards the specific problems of tourism development in Kraków. The research results indicate a variety of attitudes among interested parties, thus confirming the research hypothesis that actors display varied approaches with regard to the further development of tourism in Kraków. The conclusions drawn could prove useful in shaping the city’s policy on tourism according to the idea of sustainable development, by taking into consideration the current and future needs of all interested parties.
Erratum: Cao, Y., et al. Assisted Deposition of PM2.5 from Indoor Air by Ornamental Potted Plants. Sustainability 2019, 11, 2546
Authors: Cao Yanxiao , Li Fei , Wang Yanan , Yu Yu , Wang Zhibiao , Liu Xiaolei , Ding Ke
Published: December 2019

The authors would like to make the following corrections to the published paper [...]
Restaurant’s Multidimensional Evaluation Concerning Food Quality, Service, and Sustainable Practices: A Cross-National Case Study of Poland and Lithuania
Authors: Trafialek Joanna , Czarniecka-Skubina Ewa , Kulaitiené Jurgita , Vaitkevičienė Nijolė
Published: December 2019

The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze consumer choices and evaluate the restaurant service quality, including quality of meals and services, and sustainability practices in restaurants in Warsaw and Kaunas. Our research was conducted using a sample of 1200 adult Poles and Lithuanians. Polish and Lithuanian consumers used catering services with varying frequencies. Different elements influenced their choice of restaurant. However, the common feature was the quality of meals, which in Lithuania was compared only with the price of meals, and with other elements in Poland. In the context of restaurant’s sustainable practices, it has been revealed that surveyed consumers had only partially fit into the contemporary consumption trends. In both countries, consumers have appreciated the use of reusable cutlery and crockery, as well as local and seasonal ingredients, while they did not pay attention to sustainable restaurant practices, such as the use of alternative sources of protein, environmentally friendly forms of energy, and reducing waste and minimization of food losses. The use of cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) allowed a comprehensive assessment of consumer opinions on restaurants in terms of meal quality and service as well as sustainable practices. Restaurateurs should monitor the satisfaction of their customers and recognize the changing needs and habits of consumers.
Motivating Sustainable Change in Tourism Behavior: The First- and Third-Person Effects of Hard and Soft Messages
Authors: Skeiseid Heidi , Derdowski Lukasz Andrzej , Grahn Åsa Helen , Hansen Håvard
Published: December 2019

Educating and changing consumers´ attitudes towards sustainable and more environmentally friendly holiday choices is often seen as a key challenge for the tourism industry. The primary objective of this study is, therefore, to increase our understanding of psychological mechanisms underlying consumers’ responses to communication that aims to alter their holiday behavior in a more sustainable direction. Drawing on reactance theory, as well as first- and third-person perception effects, we present an experimental study designed to test how different levels of message assertiveness (i.e., hard versus soft pressure) affect consumers’ intentions to change their traveling behavior. The results suggest that when respondents are presented with a socially desirable message, their individual intentions to change one’s holiday plans are affected to a greater extent compared to their perception of how others would react to such cuing. Furthermore, this first-person effect is most prominent under lower levels of message assertiveness, and when conveyed messages address socially desirable behavior in line with one’s current values. Hard pressure messages loaded with highly assertive prompts, on the other hand, are likely to evoke motivational reactance, especially when a consumer holds a weaker attitude towards sustainability and environmental issues. Practical and theoretical implications of the provided findings as well as avenues for future research are discussed.
Why Employees Contribute to Pro-Environmental Behaviour: The Role of Pluralistic Ignorance in Chinese Society
Authors: Chumg Hao-Fan , Shi Jia-Wen , Sun Kai-Jun
Published: December 2019

In light of the importance of sustainable development, this study aims to deepen and extend our understanding of employees’ pro-environmental behaviour in the workplace in a Chinese context. Drawing on the complex phenomenon of social norms theory concerning misperceptions (i.e., pluralistic ignorance) and supervisor–subordinate guanxi (which is a Chinese term signifying human connection), we present a novel model in which employees’ pro-environmental behaviour is the result of multiple social and individual psychological factors. Through the integration of previous literature from the fields of the psychology of individuals, social psychology, and environmental psychology, the major assumption is that the pro-environmental behaviour of employees is affected by their level of pluralistic ignorance, environmental concern, and subjective norms; these, in turn, are influenced by supervisor–subordinate guanxi and social identity in the collective spirit of Chinese society. Data, which were analysed empirically, were gathered from 548 Chinese employees from the Jiangsu province of China. This study consequently reveals the subtle interplay among employees’ pluralistic ignorance, supervisor–subordinate guanxi, social identity, subjective norms, environmental concern, and their pro-environmental behaviour, while the deeper analysis offers considerable support for environmental management research and practice.
Cultural Heritage Management Using Remote Sensing Data and GIS Techniques around the Archaeological Area of Ancient Jeddah in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Elfadaly Abdelaziz , Shams eldein Ayaat , Lasaponara Rosa
Published: December 2019

Historic Jeddah is located on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. Historic Jeddah was designated as a UNESCO world heritage site in 2014. The new urban development for the city of Jeddah has resulted in different spatial patterns. The southern part of Jeddah city falls within the moderate zone, because this area is well developed in regard to infrastructure with rainstorm and sewage networks. The middle area of the city falls within high vulnerability risk due to its high population, shallow water depth, flat slopes, and various incomplete network services (i.e., leakage from septic tanks and water pipes). The western and northwestern parts of the city are subject to very high pollution risk, due to the highly permeable area with coralline formation, very shallow water depth, and depressions. Unfortunately, historic Jeddah has been affected by the unplanned development and shallow water depth. Most of the construction and decoration of the ancient buildings are suffering from deterioration. The paper aims to detect the environmental changes, assessing the geo-environmental status, and creating some of the innovative solutions while using the integration between remote sensing and GIS techniques. The combination of SRTM, Corona 1966, Spot 1986, Landsat 1987, Orbview 2003, and Sentinel2A 2017 data will help in monitoring the changes around the study area. The Bands combination and the spatial statistical analysis are considered to be the most effective methods in the examination of the new built-up indices. GIS techniques and some models would be suggested as solutions to protect the archaeological area, according to UNESCO recommendations.
Investigation of Interference Effects Between Wind Turbine and Spar-Type Floating Platform Under Combined Wind-Wave Excitation
Authors: Huang Yang , Wan Decheng
Published: December 2019

In order to further understand the coupled aero-hydrodynamic performance of the floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) in realistic ocean environment, it is necessary to investigate the interference effects between the unsteady aerodynamics of the wind turbine and different degree-of-freedom (DOF) platform motions under combined wind-wave excitation. In this paper, a validated CFD analysis tool FOWT-UALM-SJTU with modified actuator line model is applied for the coupled aero-hydrodynamic simulations of a spar-type FOWT system. The aero-hydrodynamic characteristics of the FOWT with various platform motion modes and different wind turbine states are compared and analyzed to explore the influence of the interference effects between the wind turbine and the floating platform on the performance of the FOWT. The dynamic responses of local relative wind speed and local attack angle at the blade section and wind-wave forces acting on the floating platform are discussed in detail to reveal the interaction mechanism between the aerodynamic loads and different DOF platform motions. It is shown that the surge motion and the pitch motion of the floating platform both significantly alter the local attack angle, while only the platform pitch motion have significant impacts on the local relative wind speed experienced by the rotating blades. Besides, the shaft tilt and the pro-cone angle of the wind turbine and the height-dependent wind speed all contribute to the variation of the local attack angle. The coupling between the platform motions along different DOFs is obviously amplified by the aerodynamic forces derived from the wind turbine. In addition, the wake deflection phenomenon is clearly observed in the near wake region when platform pitch motion is considered. The dynamic pitch motion of the floating platform also contributes to the severe wake velocity deficit and the increased wake width.
Environmental Sustainability of Open-Pit Coal Mining Practices at Baganuur, Mongolia
Authors: Park Jonghoon , Kwon Eunhye , Chung Euijin , Kim Ha , Battogtokh Batbold , Woo Nam C.
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we studied one of the largest coal mines in Mongolia, the Baganuur Coal Mine, in terms of environmental sustainability related to mining practices, with a focus on discharged water and waste sediments. The present quality and potential for future pollution were assessed. Based on World Health Organization and Mongolian guidelines, groundwater pumped from the mining operations could be used for drinking and domestic purposes. In addition, based on the Na absorption ratio, groundwater samples from GW-2 and GW-3 could be used as agriculture water supplies with salinity reduction, or used to grow halophytes as a measure for desertification control and pasture production. All waste soil samples appeared to have a desertification potential. Dust particles smaller than 150 μm comprised more than 80% of soil samples, which had arsenic levels higher than the Mongolian soil pollution standards. In addition, soil collected between coal seams (S-5) showed high sulphur content based on X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) spectroscopy analyses, strong potential for producing acid mine drainage in the analysis of pH of net acid generation and net acid production potential, and potential for leaching of metals, such as Co. Therefore, the Baganuur Coal Mine requires soil pollution control measures to mitigate the risks of dust and desertification. In this perspective, mine groundwater could be used to reduce environmental stresses by supporting pasture crops such as halophytes on waste disposal sites, thereby preventing dust issues and desertification. Continuous efforts, including monitoring and enacting environmental management measures, are needed from both the mining company and the government to ensure sustainable mine development.
Product Redesign for Service Considerations Using Affordances for Service Activities
Authors: Kim Yong Se , Suzuki Kumiko , Hong Seok Jin
Published: December 2019

It is critical to design for affordances, which is the messages of products and services that help human activities when properly perceived, in both product design and service design. Although research on product design for user activities or user-friendly design has been conducted, few efforts have been dedicated to product design for diverse service considerations. In the context of servitization and product-service systems, many new services are devised starting with a product. A systematic method is proposed to redesign products so that value propositions through services can be enhanced by dealing with service activities specifically. By integrating service activities and product functions, affordances for service activities are identified. Affordance features for those affordances are designed and combined into the redesign of a product to support service activities. An illustrative case of a standing wheelchair redesign is described to validate the applicability of the proposed method for product redesign for service considerations. The proposed method enhances through the redesign of products diverse life-cycle services in which many stakeholders are participating to co-create values for societal, entrepreneurial, and ecological sustainability.
SVD-Based Image Watermarking Using the Fast Walsh-Hadamard Transform, Key Mapping, and Coefficient Ordering for Ownership Protection
Authors: Khanam Tahmina , Dhar Pranab Kumar , Kowsar Saki , Kim Jong-Myon
Published: December 2019

Proof of ownership on multimedia data exposes users to significant threats due to a myriad of transmission channel attacks over distributed computing infrastructures. In order to address this problem, in this paper, an efficient blind symmetric image watermarking method using singular value decomposition (SVD) and the fast Walsh-Hadamard transform (FWHT) is proposed for ownership protection. Initially, Gaussian mapping is used to scramble the watermark image and secure the system against unauthorized detection. Then, FWHT with coefficient ordering is applied to the cover image. To make the embedding process robust and secure against severe attacks, two unique keys are generated from the singular values of the FWHT blocks of the cover image, which are kept by the owner only. Finally, the generated keys are used to extract the watermark and verify the ownership. The simulation result demonstrates that our proposed scheme is highly robust against numerous attacks. Furthermore, comparative analysis corroborates its superiority among other state-of-the-art methods. The NC of the proposed method is numerically one, and the PSNR resides from 49.78 to 52.64. In contrast, the NC of the state-of-the-art methods varies from 0.7991 to 0.9999, while the PSNR exists in the range between 39.4428 and 54.2599.
Quantum Correction for Newton’s Law of Motion
Authors: Kamalov Timur F.
Published: December 2019

A description of the motion in noninertial reference frames by means of the inclusion of high time derivatives is studied. Incompleteness of the description of physical reality is a problem of any theory, both in quantum mechanics and classical physics. The “stability principle” is put forward. We also provide macroscopic examples of noninertial mechanics and verify the use of high-order derivatives as nonlocal hidden variables on the basis of the equivalence principle when acceleration is equal to the gravitational field. Acceleration in this case is a function of high derivatives with respect to time. The definition of dark metrics for matter and energy is presented to replace the standard notions of dark matter and dark energy. In the Conclusion section, problem symmetry is noted for noninertial mechanics.
β−-Decay Half-Lives of Even-Even Nuclei Using the Recently Introduced Phase Space Recipe
Authors: Nabi Jameel-Un , Ishfaq Mavra , Niţescu Ovidiu , Mirea Mihail , Stoica Sabin
Published: December 2019

In this paper, we present the

β

-decay half-lives calculation for selected even-even nuclei that decay through electron emission. The kinematical portion of the half-life calculation was performed using a recently introduced technique for computation of phase space factors (PSFs). The dynamical portion of our calculation was performed within the proton-neutron quasiparticle random phase approximation (pn-QRPA) model. Six nuclei (

20

O,

24

Ne,

34

Si,

54

Ti,

62

Fe and

98

Zr) were selected for the present calculation. We compare the calculated PSFs for these cases against the traditionally used recipe. In our new approach, the Dirac equation was numerically solved by employing a Coulomb potential. This potential was adopted from a more realistic proton distribution of the daughter nucleus. Thus, the finite size of the nucleus and the diffuse nuclear surface corrections are taken into account. Moreover, a screened Coulomb potential was constructed to account for the effect of atomic screening. The power series technique was used for the numerical solution. The calculated values of half-lives, employing the recently developed method for computation of PSFs, were in good agreement with the experimental data.
Bovine Astrovirus Surveillance in Uruguay Reveals High Detection Rate of a Novel Mamastrovirus Species
Authors: Castells Matías , Bertoni Estefany , Caffarena Rubén Darío , Casaux María Laura , Schild Carlos , Victoria Matías , Riet-Correa Franklin , Giannitti Federico , Parreño Viviana , Colina Rodney
Published: December 2019

Viral infections affecting cattle lead to economic losses to the livestock industry worldwide, but little is known about the circulation, pathogenicity and genetic diversity of enteric bovine astrovirus (BoAstV) in America. The aim of this work was to describe the prevalence and genetic diversity of enteric BoAstV in dairy cattle in Uruguay. A total of 457 fecal and 43 intestinal contents from dairy calves were collected between July 2015 and May 2017 and tested by RT-PCR, followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analyses of the polymerase and capsid regions. Twenty-six percent (128/500) of the samples were positive. Three different species within the Mamastrovirus genus were identified, including Mamastrovirus 28, Mamastrovirus 33 (3 samples each) and an unclassified Mamastrovirus species (19 samples). The unclassified species was characterized as a novel Mamastrovirus species. BoAstV circulates in Uruguayan dairy cattle with a high genetic diversity. The eventual clinicopathological significance of enteric BoAstV infection in cattle needs further investigation.
Modeling the Ecological Response of a Temporarily Summer-Stratified Lake to Extreme Heatwaves
Authors: Chen Weiyu , Nielsen Anders , Andersen Tobias Kuhlmann , Hu Fenjuan , Chou Qingchuan , Søndergaard Martin , Jeppesen Erik , Trolle Dennis
Published: December 2019

Climate extremes, which are steadily increasing in frequency, can have detrimental consequences for lake ecosystems. We used a state-of-the-art, one-dimensional, hydrodynamic-ecosystem model [General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM)-framework for aquatic biogeochemical models (FABM)-PCLake] to determine the influence of extreme climate events on a temperate and temporarily summer stratified lake (Lake Bryrup, Denmark). The model was calibrated (eight years data) and validated (two years data), and the modeled variables generally showed good agreement with observations. Then, a span of extreme warming scenarios was designed based on weather data from the heatwave seen over northern Europe in May–July 2018, mimicking situations of extreme warming returning every year, every three years, and every five years in summer and all year round, respectively. We found only modest impacts of the extreme climate events on nutrient levels, which in some scenarios decreased slightly when looking at the annual mean. The most significant impacts were found for phytoplankton, where summer average chlorophyll a concentrations and cyanobacteria biomass peaks were up to 39% and 58% higher than during baseline, respectively. As a result, the phytoplankton to nutrient ratios increased during the heat wave experiments, reflecting an increased productivity and an increased cycling of nutrients in the pelagic. The phytoplankton blooms occurred up to 15 days earlier and lasted for up to half a month longer during heat wave years relative to the baseline. Our extreme scenarios illustrated and quantified the large impacts of a past heat wave (observed 2018) and may be indicative of the future for many temperate lakes.
Feed Types Driven Differentiation of Microbial Community and Functionality in Marine Integrated Multitrophic Aquaculture System
Authors: Deng Yale , Zhou Fan , Ruan Yunjie , Ma Bin , Ding Xueyan , Yue Xiaomei , Ma Wenjun , Yin Xuwang
Published: December 2019

Integrated multi trophic aquaculture (IMTA) improves the production of aquatic animals by promoting nutrient utilization through different tropical levels. Microorganisms play an important role in elements cycling, energy flow and farmed-species health. The aim of this study was to evaluate how feed types, fresh frozen fish diet (FFD) or formulated diet (FD), influence the microbial community diversity and functionality in both water and sediment in a marine IMTA system. Preferable water quality, higher animal yields and higher cost efficiency were achieved in the FD pond. Feed types changed the pond bacterial community distribution, especially in the rearing water. The FFD pond was dominated with Cyanobacteria in the water, which played an important role in nitrogen fixation through photosynthesis due to the high nitrogen input of the frozen fish diet. The high carbohydrate composition in the formulated diet triggered higher metabolic pathways related to carbon and lipid metabolism in the water of the FD pond. Sediment had significantly higher microbial diversity than the rearing water. In sediment, the dominating genus, Sulfurovum and Desulfobulbus, were found to be positively correlated by network analysis, which had similar functionality in sulfur transformation. The relatively higher rates of antibiotic biosynthesis in the FFD sediment might be related to the pathogenic bacteria introduced by the trash fish diet. The difference in microbial community composition and metabolic pathways may be associated with the different pathways for nutrient cycling and animal growth performance. The formulated diet was determined to be more ecologically and economically sustainable than the frozen fish diet for marine IMTA pond systems.
Convolutional Neural Network Coupled with a Transfer-Learning Approach for Time-Series Flood Predictions
Authors: Kimura Nobuaki , Yoshinaga Ikuo , Sekijima Kenji , Azechi Issaku , Baba Daichi
Published: December 2019

East Asian regions in the North Pacific have recently experienced severe riverine flood disasters. State-of-the-art neural networks are currently utilized as a quick-response flood model. Neural networks typically require ample time in the training process because of the use of numerous datasets. To reduce the computational costs, we introduced a transfer-learning approach to a neural-network-based flood model. For a concept of transfer leaning, once the model is pretrained in a source domain with large datasets, it can be reused in other target domains. After retraining parts of the model with the target domain datasets, the training time can be reduced due to reuse. A convolutional neural network (CNN) was employed because the CNN with transfer learning has numerous successful applications in two-dimensional image classification. However, our flood model predicts time-series variables (e.g., water level). The CNN with transfer learning requires a conversion tool from time-series datasets to image datasets in preprocessing. First, the CNN time-series classification was verified in the source domain with less than 10% errors for the variation in water level. Second, the CNN with transfer learning in the target domain efficiently reduced the training time by 1/5 of and a mean error difference by 15% of those obtained by the CNN without transfer learning, respectively. Our method can provide another novel flood model in addition to physical-based models.
Two-Way Fluid–Solid Interaction Analysis for a Horizontal Axis Marine Current Turbine with LES
Authors: Gu Jintong , Cai Fulin , Müller Norbert , Zhang Yuquan , Chen Huixiang
Published: December 2019

Operating in the harsh marine environment, fluctuating loads due to the surrounding turbulence are important for fatigue analysis of marine current turbines (MCTs). The large eddy simulation (LES) method was implemented to analyze the two-way fluid–solid interaction (FSI) for an MCT. The objective was to afford insights into the hydrodynamics near the rotor and in the wake, the deformation of rotor blades, and the interaction between the solid and fluid field. The numerical fluid simulation results showed good agreement with the experimental data and the influence of the support on the power coefficient and blade vibration. The impact of the blade displacement on the MCT performance was quantitatively analyzed. Besides the root, the highest stress was located near the middle of the blade. The findings can inform the design of MCTs for enhancing robustness and survivability.
Eggshell-supported Catalysts for the Advanced Oxidation Treatment of Humic Acid Polluted Wastewaters
Authors: Oulego Paula , Laca Amanda , Calvo Sonia , Díaz Mario
Published: December 2019

Metal nanoparticles have been reported as effective catalysts for the removal of refractory compounds from industrial wastewaters in advanced oxidation processes. Additionally, hundreds of thousands of tons of eggshells are discarded worldwide each year. In this work, this waste has been evaluated as support for the synthesis of nanomaterials by wet impregnation method. Four supported catalysts, with a load of iron or copper of 5% and 15%, were prepared and thoroughly characterized by means of different techniques (elemental analysis, XRF, XRD, FTIR, N2 adsorption-desorption, SEM, TEM and TGA). The catalysts performance was evaluated in wet oxidation tests to degrade humic acids, analyzing the evolution with time of COD, biodegradability index (BOD5/COD), color number and pH. The best results were achieved with 15% Cu and 5% Fe catalysts (COD reduction being 82.3% and 75.1%, respectively), whereas a COD reduction of 58% was obtained employing non-impregnated eggshell. This can be mainly attributed to the metal loading and the good metal distribution on the surface of the support. The BOD5 value of humic acids was initially null and, in all assays, the oxidation treatment enhanced the biodegradability. Therefore, eggshell has proved to be an interesting material to be employed as support in nanoparticles preparation.
Advanced Oxidation Processes for the Removal of Antibiotics from Water. An Overview
Authors: Cuerda-Correa Eduardo Manuel , Alexandre-Franco María F. , Fernández-González Carmen
Published: December 2019

In this work, the application of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) for the removal of antibiotics from water has been reviewed. The present concern about water has been exposed, and the main problems derived from the presence of emerging pollutants have been analyzed. Photolysis processes, ozone-based AOPs including ozonation, O3/UV, O3/H2O2, and O3/H2O2/UV, hydrogen peroxide-based methods (i.e., H2O2/UV, Fenton, Fenton-like, hetero-Fenton, and photo-Fenton), heterogeneous photocatalysis (TiO2/UV and TiO2/H2O2/UV systems), and sonochemical and electrooxidative AOPs have been reviewed. The main challenges and prospects of AOPs, as well as some recommendations for the improvement of AOPs aimed at the removal of antibiotics from wastewaters, are pointed out.
Prediction of the Stability of Chemical Composition of Therapeutic Groundwater
Authors: Kurek Karolina , Operacz Agnieszka , Bugajski Piotr , Młyński Dariusz , Wałęga Andrzej , Pawełek Jan
Published: December 2019

The aim was to assess the stability of the chemical composition of the groundwater in terms of maintaining the status of therapeutic waters in accordance with the Geological and Mining Law in Poland. The basis for the analysis was the results of stationary observations for nine hydrogeological wells for the needs of the Mineral Water Bottling Plant “Piwniczanka”. The database used for the analysis covered the years 2008–2018 and concerned the content of selected ions as well as total dissolved solids and CO2 content. For each of the analyzed boreholes, the analysis of the variability of the content was performed using graphical Schoeller–Berkaloff plots and statistical investigations (GWSDAT and STATISTICA). This hydrogeochemical investigation has demonstrated that groundwater in the Piwniczna area occur as natural “carbonated waters” and “waters containing carbon dioxide”. Summing up the analysis, it can be stated that the content of basic ions of the exploited water show a small variability and does not threaten the loss of therapeutic water status for seven of the boreholes. Two of them have a little risk of loss of therapeutic water status. Variable content of sodium ions causes changes in the hydrogeochemical type of water without affecting the maintenance of the status.
La pax y la lex humana en la obra de Marsilio de Padua: ¿una lectura inédita sobre el origen de la comunidad política?
Authors: Sparano Antonio
Published: December 2019

El trabajo analiza la concepción de la paz en el pensamiento de Marsilio de Padua a partir de la noción de ley que desarrolla en el Defensor Pacis. Para poner en evidencia la novedad introducida por Marsilio, compara su teoría de la ley con las teorías de la ley de Aristóteles y Tomás de Aquino
De la causa, el principio y el uno, de Giordano Bruno
Authors: Bianchi Agustín Gabriel
Published: December 2019

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Boj za človekov jaz in pristnost: Kierkegaardova kritika javnosti, uveljavljenega reda, medijev in lažnega krščanstva
Authors: Pavlíková Martina , Žalec Bojan
Published: December 2019

Prispevek predstavlja Kierkegaardovo pojmovanje duhovno razvite oseb- nosti, ki jo Kierkegaard imenuje posamičnik, in dejavnikov, ki človeku prepreču- jejo, da bi to postal. Avtorja izpostavljata štiri take dejavnike: javnost, uveljavljeni red, novinarstvo in tisk ter lažno, nepristno krščanstvo. V tem kontekstu pojasnju- jeta Kierkegaardove pojme jaza oz. sebstva, množice, resnice ter pomen notra- njosti, radikalnosti in strasti. Analiza kaže, da je v samem središču Kierkegaardo- vega razumevanja človeka in družbe odnos »človek–Bog« v svoji kristocentrični obliki. Prav tako postane očitno, da so kljub Kierkegaardovemu poudarjanju su- bjektivnosti in pomena notranjosti trditve, da je Kierkegaard individualist, neu- temeljene. Kierkegaard je bil odnosni mislec, ne samo v vertikalnem odnosu »človek–Bog«, ampak tudi v horizontalnem, družbeno-socialnem odnosu »člo- vek–človek«, saj je bil njegov cilj in ideal oblikovanje skupnosti. Slednjo je razli- koval od množice kot skvarjene oblike socialnosti. V pravi skupnosti so ljudje po- vezani po Bogu, gre za vzorec »človek–Bog–človek«. Končna ugotovitev avtorjev je, da je Kierkegaardov ideal skupnost, ki jo prežema kristocentrična radikalna poslušnost Bogu – takšna skupnost pa je v nasprotju z omenjenimi štirimi nega- tivnimi dejavniki razvoja posamičnika. To ne preseneča, saj so temelj skupnosti v Kierkegaardovem smislu Bog in posamičniki, t.j. osebe, ki živijo iz svojega pristne- ga odnosa z Bogom in na tej podlagi gojijo tudi svoje odnose z drugimi.
Kateheza v službi vzgoje za kulturo poklicanosti
Authors: Vodičar Janez , Stala Józef
Published: December 2019

Poklicanost je vedno teže povezati s konkretnim poklicem. Zgodovinski oris razumevanja poklicanosti omogoči razumevanje nujnosti vzpostavljanja nove poklicne kulture. Biblično in teološko ozadje nas usmeri v razumevanje novih prizadevanj cerkvenega učiteljstva, da bi razširilo v preteklosti ozko razumevanje poklicanosti. Vedno bolj smo prepričani, da je božji klic v temelju vsakega krščanskega življenja. Klic, ki prihaja od zunaj, ni v nasprotju z osebnimi potrebami, hrepenenji. Prav vzgoja za kulturo poklicanosti vodi k zmožnosti, da povežemo klic od zunaj z notranjo držo posameznika. Kateheza, ki želi slediti svojemu temeljnemu namenu, mora slediti vzgoji za kulturo poklicanosti. Predstavimo tudi konkretne poteze takšne kateheze.