bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Two-Level Speaker Identification System via Fusion of Heterogeneous Classifiers and Complementary Feature Cooperation
Authors: Al-Qaderi Mohammad , Lahamer Elfituri , Rad Ahmad
Published: July 2021

We present a new architecture to address the challenges of speaker identification that arise in interaction of humans with social robots. Though deep learning systems have led to impressive performance in many speech applications, limited speech data at training stage and short utterances with background noise at test stage present challenges and are still open problems as no optimum solution has been reported to date. The proposed design employs a generative model namely the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and a discriminative model—support vector machine (SVM) classifiers as well as prosodic features and short-term spectral features to concurrently classify a speaker’s gender and his/her identity. The proposed architecture works in a semi-sequential manner consisting of two stages: the first classifier exploits the prosodic features to determine the speaker’s gender which in turn is used with the short-term spectral features as inputs to the second classifier system in order to identify the speaker. The second classifier system employs two types of short-term spectral features; namely mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) and gammatone frequency cepstral coefficients (GFCC) as well as gender information as inputs to two different classifiers (GMM and GMM supervector-based SVM) which in total leads to construction of four classifiers. The outputs from the second stage classifiers; namely GMM-MFCC maximum likelihood classifier (MLC), GMM-GFCC MLC, GMM-MFCC supervector SVM, and GMM-GFCC supervector SVM are fused at score level by the weighted Borda count approach. The weight factors are computed on the fly via Mamdani fuzzy inference system that its inputs are the signal to noise ratio and the length of utterance. Experimental evaluations suggest that the proposed architecture and the fusion framework are promising and can improve the recognition performance of the system in challenging environments where the signal-to-noise ratio is low, and the length of utterance is short; such scenarios often arise in social robot interactions with humans.
Management of Green Intellectual Capital: Evidence-Based Literature Review and Future Directions
Authors: Benevene Paula , Buonomo Ilaria , Kong Eric , Pansini Martina , Farnese Maria Luisa
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a systematic, evidence-based review of Green Intellectual Capital (GIC) management, a construct first introduced in 2008 and increasingly recognized as a management concept in recent years. This review covers the literature on GIC from 2008 to 2020 and addresses the role played by intellectual capital as a framework to promote sustainability in organizations. With the aim of clarifying our knowledge on the application of the GIC paradigm, this paper reviews the findings on the outcomes achieved by organizations that adopt the GIC paradigm, the antecedents and possible mediation-moderation factors that enhance this process, and the contexts in which such outcomes emerge. Findings show that GIC offers a significant framework for promoting sustainability in organizations. However, even though this study underlines the increasing trend of GIC, there remains very little reliable data on the subject, particularly addressing the role played by GIC as a framework to promote sustainability in organizations. This literature review is valuable for both researchers and practitioners. From a theoretical point of view, it allows one to synthesize the outcomes of GIC to better delineate how it affects organizations and the environment. From a practical point of view, opening a debate about the actual outcomes of GIC allows one to overcome the theory–practice divide, making the value of GIC more accessible to practitioners and managers and pushing them to opt for a green shift in their organizations.
UK Consumers’ Preferences for Ethical Attributes of Floating Rice: Implications for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture in Vietnam
Authors: Tu Vo Hong , Kopp Steven W. , Trang Nguyen Thuy , Kontoleon Andreas , Yabe Mitsuyasu
Published: July 2021

Vietnam plays an important role in bearing global food security. However, Vietnamese rice farmers face several challenges, including pressures to develop sustainable livelihoods while reducing the environmental impacts of their production activities. Various Vietnamese agricultural restructuring policies were promulgated to promote the adoption of environmentally friendly practices to generate high value added for rice farmers, but the farmers are reluctant to adopt them because of perceived lack of demand. Decreasing consumption of rice in Asia and increasing demands in Europe shaped Vietnamese rice exporting policies. New trade agreements, such as the UK–Vietnam Free Trade Agreement, offer new target markets for Vietnamese rice farmers. This research provides empirical evidence related to the preferences of UK consumers for ethical attributes for floating rice imported from Vietnam. Floating rice represents a traditional method of rice cultivation that relies on the natural flooding cycle. Its cultivation uses very few agrochemical inputs and provides several other environmental, economic, and social benefits. In an online survey, the study used a choice experiment that asked 306 UK consumers to report their preferences for one kilo of floating rice with three non-market attributes: reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, allocation of profits to the farmers, and restitution of biodiversity. Overall, study participants favored the attributes of floating rice, but reported utility for only the “fair trade” attribute and for a marginal willingness to pay premiums for profit allocations to farmers. Consumers did not find value in either CO2 emission reduction or biodiversity improvement. Results from the study provide recommendations to develop agricultural programs, distribution strategies, and informational methods to encourage floating rice consumption in the UK.
Epistemological and Bibliometric Analysis of Ethics and Shared Responsibility—Health Policy and IoT Systems
Authors: Radanliev Petar , De Roure David
Published: July 2021

The focus in this paper is placed on shared responsibility and ethics in health policy, specific to Internet of Things (IoT) devices in healthcare systems. The article assesses how the introduction of IoT brings risks to the security of medical systems. The justification for this research emerges from the opportunities emerging from digital technologies for medical services, but also creating a range of new cyber risks in the shared healthcare infrastructure. Such concerns are often not visible to individual departments in an integrated healthcare system. In addition, many healthcare organisations do not possess cyber skills and are faced with barriers to the adoption of smart manufacturing technologies, e.g., cost. These barriers trigger ethical concerns related to responsibility of cyber risks in shared healthcare systems.
Examining the Structural Relationships among Heritage Proximity, Perceived Impacts, Attitude and Residents’ Support in Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism
Authors: Wei Yuqian , Liu Hengyu , Park Keun-Soo
Published: July 2021

Among the many methods of revitalizing intangible cultural heritage (ICH), tourism undoubtedly has the largest social and economic benefits. Taijiquan, also known as Tai Chi, was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020. It provides the local destination with a unique selling point for strengthening local tourism competitiveness. The research on the relationship between the heritage proximity and residents’ perceived impacts to ICH tourism is not sufficient within the tourism literature, whereas they have recently attracted numerous interests worldwide. In response, this study aims to examine the relationships among residents’ heritage proximity, perceived impacts of ICH tourism, attitude and support. Structural equation modelling has been performed and a total of 262 residents were investigated in Wen County, China. Results indicates that residents’ heritage proximity has positive influence on perceived positive impacts, while has no influence on perceived negative impacts. Residents’ heritage proximity and perceived impacts significantly influence their attitude, so that to influence residents’ support for tourism development. This study makes a significant theoretical contribution to the ICH tourism literature. Furthermore, this study has a number of practical implications for the local departments of tourism and ICH.
Impact of Environmental Orientation on Proactive and Reactive Environmental Strategies: Mediating Role of Business Environmental Commitment
Authors: Saleem Farida , Qureshi Saiqa Saddiqa , Malik Muhammad Imran
Published: July 2021

Although they are significant contributors to environmental concerns, emerging economies provide a very different context concerning corporate environmental behavior. The study investigates the impact of environmental orientation and business environmental commitment on proactive and reactive environmental strategies by firms in an emerging economy. Based on stakeholder perspective, organizational legitimacy concept, and natural-resource-based view, we have proposed a model where business environmental commitment is presented as an explanatory mechanism for the relationship of internal and external environmental orientation and proactive and reactive environmental strategies. A convenient sampling method was used for data collection from 152 SMEs operating in three industrial cities of Pakistan. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used as an analysis technique. Results revealed that internal environmental orientation has a more profound impact on proactive stance than the impact of external environmental orientation on reactive environmental strategies. Similarly, the business environmental commitment was also identified as an important mediating force. Our results draw important implications for theory and practice.
Strength Development and Shrinkage of Superabsorbent Polymer Concrete with Calcium Sulfoaluminate Clinker and Shrinkage Reducing Admixture
Authors: Jeon Sung-Il , Jung Dong-Hyuk , Nam Jeong-Hee , Nho Jae-Myun
Published: July 2021

In this study, we analyzed the strength and shrinkage properties of concrete with three additives, superabsorbent polymer (SAP), calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) clinker, and shrinkage-reducing admixture (SRA), to verify the internal curing and shrinkage reduction effects. According to compressive strength tests, the use of SAP as an additive resulted in a slight decrease in compressive strength, whereas using 10% CSA clinker as an additive resulted in a compressive strength 8 MPa higher than that of ordinary concrete. In the shrinkage tests, we observed the shrinkage behavior at the surface and in the middle of the concrete while exposing the surface to ambient air for 80 days. According to the results, SAP and SRA had greater shrinkage reduction effects on the concrete than CSA clinker. In particular, the shrinkage reduction rate achieved by adding SAP to the mixture was approximately 32% compared with ordinary concrete. Based on this result, we concluded that the shrinkage of the mixture reduced due to the internal curing effect (humidity adjustment within the concrete) of the SAP. In addition, the shrinkage reduction effect was maximized when we added these materials simultaneously. In particular, the shrinkage reduction rate achieved by adding SAP and SRA together was found to be approximately 69% compared with ordinary concrete. When we added CSA, SAP, and SRA to the concrete mixture, the shrinkage reduction rate was approximately 96% compared with ordinary concrete, making this the best shrinkage reduction effect achieved.
A Decision Support System for Corporate Tax Arrears Prediction
Authors: Siimon Õie Renata , Lukason Oliver
Published: July 2021

This paper proposes a decision support system to predict corporate tax arrears by using tax arrears in the preceding 12 months. Despite the economic importance of ensuring tax compliance, studies on predicting corporate tax arrears have so far been scarce and with modest accuracies. Four machine learning methods (decision tree, random forest, k-nearest neighbors and multilayer perceptron) were used for building models with monthly tax arrears and different variables constructed from them. Data consisted of tax arrears of all Estonian SMEs from 2011 to 2018, totaling over two million firm-month observations. The best performing decision support system, yielding 95.3% accuracy, was a hybrid based on the random forest method for observations with previous tax arrears in at least two months and a logical rule for the rest of the observations.
Investigating Maturity Requirements to Operate Mobility as a Service: The Rome Case
Authors: Corazza Maria Vittoria , Carassiti Giordano
Published: July 2021

The maturity of a city to operate a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) ecosystem has been often analyzed in the literature. This and the consideration that MaaS is mostly found in areas with long-enforced transit-oriented policies and efficient multimodal supply raise the research question of whether it would be possible to operate MaaS in urban areas where mobility management is addressed according, on the contrary, to a conservative approach. A field study developed in Rome as a case in point, aimed at analyzing the actual feasibility of local MaaS operations, indicates that limitations are due to the citizens’ low willingness to pay. This is originated by a general underestimation of transit costs and made harsher by the inveterate use of passenger cars as the prevailing modal choice. The paper analyzes the results achieved, collected via a questionnaire, and highlights additional barriers to implement MaaS strictly related to its social acceptance, rather than to its technical viability, as to which the city, instead, is mature. The lesson learnt is that MaaS might be operationally (or technically) feasible even in challenging contexts, like Rome’s, but the prerequisite is to create supporting policies, for which a number of actions are outlined and elaborated, with the research goal to advance knowledge in this field, especially for decision-makers and potential stakeholders who might perceive MaaS as a too-demanding option for the context they operate in.
Impact of Earthing System Designs and Soil Characteristics on Tower Footing Impedance and Ground Potential Rise: A Modelling Approach for Sustainable Power Operation
Authors: Mohamad Nasir Nur Alia Farina , Ab Kadir Mohd Zainal Abidin , Osman Miszaina , Abd Rahman Muhamad Safwan , Ungku Amirulddin Ungku Anisa , Mohd Nasir Mohd Solehin , Zaini Nur Hazirah , Nik Ali Nik Hakimi
Published: July 2021

Improving a tower earthing system by reducing the impedance is an effective solution to prevent back flashover from occurring and thus maintaining the sustainable operation of power supply. Knowledge of the soil and earthing structure is an important element when designing an earthing system and to determine the parameters of a transmission line (TL). This paper presents the computation of soil structure interpretation based on several earthing designs using current distribution, electromagnetic interference, grounding, and soil structure analysis (CDEGS) software. The results showed that each tower has a multi-layer soil structure and it was also found that the soil resistivity at the surface layer strongly affected the earthing impedance. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that soil structure and the earthing design arrangement are the two parameters that significantly affected the ground potential rise (GPR). This aspect affects the resistance and impulse impedance of a tower and thus influences the performance of the TL system when subjected to lightning strike, which is undoubtedly one of the major culprits of power outages in Malaysia.
The Transformation of Food Culture on the Case of Kyrgyz Nomads—A Historical Overview
Authors: Otunchieva Aiperi , Borbodoev Jorobek , Ploeger Angelika
Published: July 2021

The society in Kyrgyzstan experiences a triple burden of malnutrition which occurs when undernutrition, overnutrition and micronutrient deficiency coexists, straining the public health system. This research investigates historical trends of nutrition transition of nomadic and semi-nomadic Kyrgyz and foods consumed earlier before industrialisation and intensification of agriculture started. Qualitative research design inspired by historical analysis and sociological methods were employed. Saturation sampling was used to conduct 15 semi-structural interviews and informal conversations with non-participant observation. Secondary data analysis was conducted based on Kyrgyz nomads’ scientific studies from history and anthropology, agricultural politics and nutrition studies. Results suggest that Kyrgyz nomads have undergone several periods of change of social and political order since the mid-19th century till nowadays from nomadic tribe-based system to predominantly sedentarism and limited semi-nomadic lifestyle. The collectivisation of farms, urbanisation and planned type of economy led to shifts in lifestyle and diets. Furthermore, with trade liberalisation and open economy policies, the entrance of food corporations impacted the nutritional status of the population. The study also reveals several traditional foods rich in nutrients. Consumption of forgotten and neglected plants might improve the nutrition status of the current population. Nutrition intervention programs should definitely consider locally available foods as part of public nutrition.
Updating National Air Passenger Demand from Traffic Counts: The Case of a Secondary Airport in an Underdeveloped Region
Authors: Russo Francesco , Fortugno Giuseppe , Merante Marco , Pellicanò Domenica Savia , Trecozzi Maria Rosaria
Published: July 2021

Demand models allow to estimate the choices made by users on different alternatives. Demand models depend on the characteristic attributes of the users and transport networks, as well as on parameters. Their significance translates into the reliability of the model in reproducing users’ choices as demand values. Traffic counts are aggregated data that can be used to update demand values of O/D matrix and/or for re-calibrating parameters from sets of parameters obtained in different situations or at different times in the same scenario using a reverse assignment modal. This paper provides the use of passenger counts to update national air transport demand by calibrating a hierarchical logit model. The application focuses on estimating the demand values for a secondary airport of an underdeveloped European region with the calibration of the logsum parameter working between distribution and modal choice. The updated model can be used to test new conditions for the supply of a new service or to increase the frequency or to modify the ticket level by means of public service obligations. The results show that the introduction of public obligations in the secondary airport in an underdeveloped region is crucial for future sustainability. Considering the decline in the economic, social and environmental sustainability in the region, the airport is central to economic and social development at the same time as being important for environmental sustainability, as it limits the impacts on the territory related to the construction of large transport infrastructures.
A Genetic Algorithm with Quantum Random Number Generator for Solving the Pollution-Routing Problem in Sustainable Logistics Management
Authors: Lo Shih-Che , Shih Yi-Cheng
Published: July 2021

The increase of greenhouse gases emission, global warming, and even climate change is an ongoing issue. Sustainable logistics and distribution management can help reduce greenhouse gases emission and lighten its influence against our living environment. Quantum computing has become more and more popular in recent years for advancing artificial intelligence into the next generation. Hence, we apply quantum random number generator to provide true random numbers for the genetic algorithm to solve the pollution-routing problems (PRPs) in sustainable logistics management in this paper. The objective of the PRPs is to minimize carbon dioxide emissions, following one of the seventeen sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. We developed a two-phase hybrid model combining a modified k-means algorithm as a clustering method and a genetic algorithm with quantum random number generator as an optimization engine to solve the PRPs aiming to minimize the pollution produced by trucks traveling along delivery routes. We also compared the computation performance with another hybrid model by using a different optimization engine, i.e., the tabu search algorithm. From the experimental results, we found that both hybrid models can provide good solution quality for CO2 emission minimization for 29 PRPs out of a total of 30 instances (30 runs each for all problems).
The Structure of the Start-Up Business Model—Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Slávik Štefan , Bednár Richard , Mišúnová Hudáková Ivana
Published: July 2021

The aim of the research is an in-depth and detailed knowledge of the start-up business model, which is structured according to Canvas visualization. The research sample contains 106 start-ups operating in Slovakia. Each start-up was researched by a member of the research team, who personally recorded the statements of the founder. The research results are based on qualitative analysis and synthesis of statements of the founders of start-ups. The main results of the research are a summary view of the business model of the examined start-ups, which expresses the peculiarities of the start-up business making, including priorities within its blocks, and the identification of space for variations in the business model of start-ups. A secondary result of the research is the subjective and objective circumstances of the creation of a business idea, its content, confirmation of its originality, and the peculiarity of the start-up development process. The practical use of the results consists in providing a pattern of the business model and the possibilities of its variation, which are the result of field research of real and functioning start-ups. The originality and value of the research lie in the direct collection of qualitative data, immediate knowledge of business reality, and the synthesis of results into a comprehensive and detailed picture of the start-up business model.
Sustainable Educational Robotics. Contingency Plan during Lockdown in Primary School
Authors: Alamo Judit , Quevedo Eduardo , Coll Alejandro Santana , Ortega Samuel , Fabelo Himar , Callico Gustavo M. , Zapatera Alberto
Published: July 2021

New technologies have offered great alternatives for education. In this context, we place robotics and programming as innovative and versatile tools that adapt to active methodologies. With the arrival of COVID-19 and lockdowns, physical resources were kept out of use, and the virtual lectures did not propose to incorporate these elements in a meaningful way. This recent situation raises as an objective of study the need to evaluate if robotics and programming are content that can be taught virtually in these circumstances, without physical resources and without face-to-face lectures. To do this, a mixed methodology consisting of questionnaires and interviews has been incorporated, aimed at primary education teachers, families, and primary education grade students. The results suggest that the virtualization of robotics and programming is a feasible and beneficial alternative for students, which allows the development of digital skills, while it is enhanced with the use of audiovisual materials and online resources. Even though face-to-face classes have other benefits not offered by virtualization, and teacher training needs to be up to the task to face this situation, it is a matter of time to respond to these situations and to guarantee a high-quality distance education.
The Effect of Grazing Intensity on Vegetation Coverage and Nitrogen Mineralization Kinetics of Steppe Rangelands of Iran (Case Study: Nodoushan Rangelands, Yazd, Iran)
Authors: Karimipoor Zahra , Rashtian Anahita , Amirkhani Masoume , Ghasemi Somayeh
Published: July 2021

Livestock grazing can affect the cycling of nutritional elements in soil by making changes to the vegetation coverage. This study aimed to investigate the effect of rangeland exploitation on vegetation coverage and nitrogen kinetics. To this end, three experimental sites of light, moderate, and heavy grazing in Nodoushan rangelands of Yazd province were selected. The vegetation properties were then measured through systematic random sampling method and three to five bases along the transect were sampled from the current year growth of the dominant plants in the region. The soil samples were collected from 0–15 cm depth in five replications and mixed together to obtain a single composite soil sample on each site. In the first stage, nitrogen (N), carbon (C), C/N, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin of the sampled plant as well as nitrogen, carbon, lime, soil texture, saturation moisture percentage, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil were measured. As the soil properties did not differ for light and moderate grazing soils, different treatments were conducted on the dominant species of light and heavy grazing sites with 1% organic carbon added to the rangeland soil. Nitrogen mineralization treatments were selected based on vegetation changes that, with increasing livestock grazing intensity, changed the predominance of plant composition from Artemisia sieberi and steppe to percentage Artemisia sieberi and Peganum harmala. The treatments included control, 100% Artemisia sieberi, 75% Artemisia sieberi and 25% Peganum harmala, 50% Artemisia sieberi and 50% Peganum harmala, 25% Artemisia sieberi and 75% Peganum harmala, and 100% Peganum harmala. The soil samples were incubated for pure nitrogen mineralization in three replications of 3 months. The results of nitrogen mineralization revealed that the immobilization of the treated soil with higher Artemisia sieberi and lower Peganum harmala was done at a more rapid rate during the first week. The immobilization was slowly reduced by the third week and then followed a growing rate. Overall, the results show that an increase in grazing intensity was associated with a change in vegetation coverage toward Peganum harmala species, the biochemical characteristics of which elevated the levels of pure nitrogen mineralization in soil.
The Academic Portfolio System (APS) Usage Intention of Senior High School Students in Taiwan
Authors: Chang Tsen-Yao , Chiu Yu-Chieh
Published: July 2021

Taiwan began to implement a new high school syllabus nationwide, in 2019. The Ministry of Education has also established a high school student Academic Portfolio System (APS) to collect the learning process of high school students for future university admissions references. However, during this period, high school students and their parents had many opinions on the implementation of the new system. There were even groups of students protesting. The main purpose of this research is to explore the factors that affect the system usage intentions of high school students. Based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and the technology acceptance model (TAM), this research established a research model. The research variables include system interface design, usefulness, ease of use, attitude, subjective norms, and usage intentions. A total of 712 questionnaires were collected from high school students in northern Taiwan. Data analysis is carried out in three stages: descriptive analysis, measurement model verification, and structural equation modeling. The results of the study found that system interface design has a significant impact on the perceived ease of use. Factors such as ease of use, usefulness, attitude, and subjective norms also have a significant positive impact on usage intention; ease of use and usefulness positively affect attitudes toward using. Finally, according to the results, some practical implications were proposed for implementation references from the perspectives of education authority, high schools, teachers, and students.
Women’s Role in Organizational Commitment and Job Satisfaction in the Travel Industry—An Evidence from the Urban Setting
Authors: Gajić Tamara , Petrović Marko D. , Radovanović Milan M. , Vuković Darko , Dimitrovski Darko , Yakovenko Natalia V.
Published: July 2021

Employee satisfaction is the main factor achieving high work performance, providing quality services in the tourism sector, which directly affects the increase in productivity and commitment to the organization. The research is focused on determining the factors of job satisfaction and commitment to the institution by the female workforce. The authors conducted a survey in tourism companies in Novi Sad (the second-largest city in Serbia), based on a sample of 610 women in total, using a standardized MSQ questionnaire for job satisfaction, and Meyer and Allen’s organizational commitment scale. Three multiple regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between job satisfaction factors and organizational commitment factors. The results confirm the existence and strength of correlation between satisfaction factors and types of organizational commitment, and the fact that the position of women in the tourism sector is not at an enviable level, and that they remain in the same organization because of the small number of alternatives and moral obligations.
Impact of External Human–Machine Interface Communication Strategies of Automated Vehicles on Pedestrians’ Crossing Decisions and Behaviors in an Urban Environment
Authors: Wilbrink Marc , Lau Merle , Illgner Johannes , Schieben Anna , Oehl Michael
Published: July 2021

The development of automated vehicles (AVs) and their integration into traffic are seen by many vehicle manufacturers and stakeholders such as cities or transportation companies as a revolution in mobility. In future urban traffic, it is more likely that AVs will operate not in separated traffic spaces but in so-called mixed traffic environments where different types of traffic participants interact. Therefore, AVs must be able to communicate with other traffic participants, e.g., pedestrians as vulnerable road users (VRUs), to solve ambiguous traffic situations. To achieve well-working communication and thereby safe interaction between AVs and other traffic participants, the latest research discusses external human–machine interfaces (eHMIs) as promising communication tools. Therefore, this study examines the potential positive and negative effects of AVs equipped with static (only displaying the current vehicle automation status (VAS)) and dynamic (communicating an AV’s perception and intention) eHMIs on the interaction with pedestrians by taking subjective and objective measurements into account. In a Virtual Reality (VR) simulator study, 62 participants were instructed to cross a street while interacting with non-automated (without eHMI) and automated vehicles (equipped with static eHMI or dynamic eHMI). The results reveal that a static eHMI had no effect on pedestrians’ crossing decisions and behaviors compared to a non-automated vehicle without any eHMI. However, participants benefit from the additional information of a dynamic eHMI by making earlier decisions to cross the street and higher certainties regarding their decisions when interacting with an AV with a dynamic eHMI compared to an AV with a static eHMI or a non-automated vehicle. Implications for a holistic evaluation of eHMIs as AV communication tools and their safe introduction into traffic are discussed based on the results.
Issues and Potential Solutions to the Clean Heating Project in Rural Gansu
Authors: Qv Dehu , Duan Xiangjie , Wang Jijin , Hou Caiqin , Wang Gang , Zhou Fengxi , Li Shaoyong
Published: July 2021

Rural clean heating project (RCHP) in China aims to increase flexibility in the rural energy system, enhance the integration of renewable energy and distributed generation, and reduce environmental impact. While RCHP-enabling routes have been studied from a technical perspective, the economic, ecological, regulatory, and policy dimensions of RCHP are yet to be analysed in depth, especially in the underdeveloped areas in China. This paper discusses RCHP in rural Gansu using a multi-dimensional approach. We first focus on the current issues and challenges of RCHP in rural Gansu. Then the RCHP-enabling areas are briefly zoned into six typical regions based on the resource distribution in Gansu Province, and a matching framework of RCHP is recommended. Then we focus on the economics and sustainability of RCHP-enabling technologies. Based on the medium-term assessment of RCHP in the demonstration provinces, various technical schemes and routes are analysed and compared in order to determine which should be adopted in rural Gansu. In addition to technical and economic effects of those schemes, the corresponding ecology, policy, finance, and market implications are also concerned. We briefly discuss how the national regulators incentivise the implementation of RCHP in rural Gansu. Major barriers to RCHP are identified as the sustainability of technology, economy, ecology, policy, finance, and market. Subsequently, some policy solutions to overcome these barriers are proposed.
Promoting Customer Engagement Behavior for Green Brands
Authors: Leckie Civilai , Rayne Daniel , Johnson Lester W.
Published: July 2021

This study aims to investigate the impact of desired self-identity, green perceived value and altruistic values on brand loyalty towards green brands (i.e., electric and hybrid cars) and the mediating role of customer engagement behavior on these relationships. Further, this study proposes that greenwashing perception, which can be defined as consumers perceiving organizations to be dishonest about their environmental claims, moderates the indirect effect of desired self-identity, green perceived value and altruistic values on brand loyalty via customer engagement behavior. Data were collected from a nationwide online survey of 170 customers who have purchased and used electric and hybrid cars. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) using Smart-PLS and PROCESS were employed to test the hypotheses. This study’s findings indicate that desired self-identity, green perceived value and altruistic values positively influence consumer engagement behavior with the focal green car brands. Further, the mediating effect of customer engagement behavior on brand loyalty was generally found. Additionally, greenwashing perception was found to moderate the indirect effect of desired self-identity and altruistic values on brand loyalty via customer engagement behavior. The indirect effect of desired self-identity and altruistic values on brand loyalty via consumer engagement behavior was stronger at lower levels of greenwashing perception than at higher levels. This study offers key managerial implications on how green brands can promote customer engagement behavior and brand loyalty.
Tourists’ Perceptions Regarding Traveling for Recreational or Leisure Purposes in Times of Health Crisis
Authors: Cretu Carmen-Mihaela , Turtureanu Anca-Gabriela , Sirbu Carmen-Gabriela , Chitu Florentina , Marinescu Emanuel Ştefan , Talaghir Laurentiu-Gabriel , Robu Daniela Monica
Published: July 2021

This study aimed to explore the perceptions of tourists regarding traveling for recreational or leisure purposes in times of health crisis. All areas of activity have been affected by the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (associated with a disease called COVID-19), and all countries are experiencing health crises. The tourism industry, together with its associated fields, experienced a decline during this period that is still difficult to assess. This study examined intentions to travel in the current conditions imposed by the health crisis. Various measures have been recommended or imposed by governments to control the spread of COVID-19. Travel has been significantly influenced by such measures. However, people have various travel needs, from shopping to work and leisure to exploration. The data were collected through an online questionnaire survey addressed to the active population in Romania. The application of this questionnaire coincided with the third wave of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Romania. The conditions related to the degree of incidence of infections in the respondents’ areas and also the connection between the expression of the intention to travel and the protection conditions in the destination areas were analyzed. The entire study was based on office research, statistical analysis, case study methods, and analysis of empirical data obtained through the survey of the active population in Romania. The results explain the travel tendencies of Romanians in the following period. Fear of infection and perceived risk have significantly influenced travel behaviors, but intentions to travel for recreational or leisure purposes have been maintained. The results of this study could be useful in planning and rethinking the activities of the tourism industry in the coming period.
Performance Investigation of the Effects of Nano-Additive-Lubricants with Cutting Parameters on Material Removal Rate of AL8112 Alloy for Advanced Manufacturing Application
Authors: Okokpujie Imhade Princess , Tartibu Lagouge Kwanda
Published: July 2021

The implementation of nano-additives in machining fluid is significant for manufacturers to attain a sustainable manufacturing process. The material removal rate (MRR) is a significant process of transforming solid raw materials into specific shapes and sizes. This process has many challenges due to friction, vibration, chip discontinuity when machining aluminum alloy, which has led to poor accuracy and affected the fatigue life of the developed material. It is worth noting that aluminum 8112 alloy is currently being applied in most engineering applications due to its lightweight-to-strength ratio compared to some other metals. This research aims to compare the effects of copra oil-based-titanium dioxide (TiO2)- and Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)-nano-lubricant with cutting parameter interactions by conducting a study on MRR for advanced machining of aluminum 8112 alloys. The biodegradable nano-additive-lubricants were developed using two-step preparation techniques. The study employed a quadratic rotatable central composite design (QRCCD) to carry out the interaction study of the five machining parameters in the three lubrication environments on MRR. The results show that the copra-based-TiO2 nano-lubricant increases the MRR by 7.5% and 16% than the MWCNTs and copra-oil-lubrication machining environments, respectively. In conclusion, the eco-friendly nano-additive-lubricant TiO2-Copra oil-based should be applied to manufacture machine parts for high entropy applications for sustainable production systems.
Racemic and Meso Crystal Structures of an Axial-Chiral Spirobi-(dinaphthoazepin)ium Salt: Emergence of an S4-Symmetric Molecule
Authors: Honegger Philipp , Gajic Natalie , Prado-Roller Alexander , Widhalm Michael
Published: July 2021

To date, only a few instances of S4-symmetric organic molecules exist. In principle, spirobi-(dinaphthoazepin)ium cations can achieve this highly symmetric point group. Heating racemic 2,2′-bis(bromomethyl)-1,1′binaphthyl with aqueous ammonia afforded a mixture of rac- and meso-3,3′,5,5′-tetrahydro-4,4′-spirobi[dinaphtho[2,1-c:1′,2′-e]azepin]-4-ium bromide which was separated by fractional crystallisation. Both stereoisomers were characterised spectroscopically, and their crystal structures were determined and compared. The rac crystal structure differs significantly from the known enantiopure one. The meso molecules display a near-perfect S4 symmetry. Upon treatment with KOtBu, both isomers undergo Stevens rearrangement.
Deficits in Performance on a Mechanically Coupled Asymmetrical Bilateral Task in Chronic Stroke Survivors with Mild Unilateral Paresis
Authors: Jayasinghe Shanie A. L. , Maenza Candice , Good David C. , Sainburg Robert L.
Published: July 2021

Typical upper limb-mediated activities of daily living involve coordination of both arms, often requiring distributed contributions to mechanically coupled tasks, such as stabilizing a loaf of bread with one hand while slicing with the other. We sought to examine whether mild paresis in one arm results in deficits in performance on a bilateral mechanically coupled task. We designed a virtual reality-based task requiring one hand to stabilize against a spring load that varies with displacement of the other arm. We recruited 15 chronic stroke survivors with mild hemiparesis and 7 age-matched neurologically intact adults. We found that stroke survivors produced less linear reaching movements and larger initial direction errors compared to controls (p < 0.05), and that contralesional hand performance was less linear than that of ipsilesional hand. We found a hand × group interaction (p < 0.05) for peak acceleration of the stabilizing hand, such that the dominant right hand of controls stabilized less effectively than the nondominant left hand while stroke survivors showed no differences between the hands. Our results indicate that chronic stroke survivors with mild hemiparesis show significant deficits in reaching aspects of bilateral coordination, but no deficits in stabilizing against a movement-dependent spring load in this task.
Evolution of Heavy Ion Beam Probing from the Origins to Study of Symmetric Structures in Fusion Plasmas
Authors: Melnikov Alexander
Published: July 2021

The overview discusses development of the unique fusion plasma diagnostics—Heavy Ion Beam Probing (HIBP) in application to toroidal magnetic plasma devices. The basis of the HIBP measurements of the plasma electric potential and processing of experimental data are considered. Diagnostic systems for probing plasma in tokamaks TM-4, TJ-1, TUMAN-3M and T-10, stellarators WEGA, TJ-II and Uragan-2M are presented. Promising results of the HIBP projects for various existing modern machines, such as TCV, TCABR, MAST, COMPASS, GLOBUS-M2, T-15 MD and W7-X and the international fusion tokamak reactor ITER are given. Results from two machines with similar size and plasma parameters, but with different types of the magnetic con-figuration: axisymmetric tokamak T-10 and helically symmetric stellarator TJ-II are compared. The results of studies of stationary potential profiles and oscillations in the form of quasimonochromatic and broadband fluctuations, turbulent particle flux, fluctuations of density and poloidal magnetic field are presented. The properties of symmetric structures—zonal flows and geodesic acoustic modes of plasma oscillations as well as Alfvén Eigenmodes excited by fast particles from neutral beam injection heating are described. General trends in the behavior of electric potential and turbulence in magnetized fusion plasmas are revealed.
Geometric Authentication Mechanism for Enhancing Security in IoT Environment
Authors: Chuang Ming-Chin , Yen Chia-Cheng
Published: July 2021

In the Internet of things (IoT) environment, many applications access services through remote methods. In this paper, we designed a new geometric authentication mechanism to enhance security. The solution is based on geometric characteristics to achieve rapid authentication at low computational cost. In addition, we use the user’s biometrics to improve the security level of the system. Our solution meets the following security features: anonymity, resistance to forgery attacks and replay attacks, fast error detection, resistance to offline password guessing attacks, resistance to server overload attacks, mutual authentication, session key agreement, and flexibility in users choosing and changing their passwords easily.
High Rate of False Negative Diagnosis of Silent Patent Ductus Arteriosus on the Chest CT with 3 mm Slice-Thickness, Suggesting the Need for Analysis with Thinner Slice Thickness
Authors: Lee Dongjun , Son Minji , Yoo Seungmin , Jung Sanghoon , Chun Eunju , White Charles S.
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of patent with ductus arteriosus (PDA) based on the availability of pretest information on routine chest CT with 3 mm slice-thickness. We retrospectively evaluated CT of 64 patients with PDA. The enrolled patients were categorized as group 1 (presence of pretest information) and 2 (absence of pretest information, silent PDA). CTs were read by eleven board-certified radiologists, and subsequently by two blind readers. We investigated whether a PDA was mentioned on the initial CT reading. Correct diagnosis of PDA was made in all patients with group 1 (n = 42). In contrast, only 13.7% were correctly diagnosed in group 2. All cases of missed PDA in group 2 were also missed by two blind readers. It is important to realize that the diagnostic accuracy of silent PDA is poor on the chest CT with 3 mm slice-thickness. Thus, use of axial CT images with the thinnest slice-thickness and multi-planar reformatted images (i.e., sagittal and coronal images) may be one way to reduce the number of missed PDA.
Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND): Virulence, Pathogenesis and Mitigation Strategies in Shrimp Aquaculture
Authors: Kumar Vikash , Roy Suvra , Behera Bijay Kumar , Bossier Peter , Das Basanta Kumar
Published: July 2021

Shrimp, as a high-protein animal food commodity, are one of the fastest growing food producing sectors in the world. It has emerged as a highly traded seafood product, currently exceeding 8 MT of high value. However, disease outbreaks, which are considered as the primary cause of production loss in shrimp farming, have moved to the forefront in recent years and brought socio-economic and environmental unsustainability to the shrimp aquaculture industry. Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), caused by Vibrio spp., is a relatively new farmed penaeid shrimp bacterial disease. The shrimp production in AHPND affected regions has dropped to ~60%, and the disease has caused a global loss of USD 43 billion to the shrimp farming industry. The conventional approaches, such as antibiotics and disinfectants, often applied for the mitigation or cure of AHPND, have had limited success. Additionally, their usage has been associated with alteration of host gut microbiota and immunity and development of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens. For example, the Mexico AHPND-causing V. parahaemolyticus strain (13-306D/4 and 13-511/A1) were reported to carry tetB gene coding for tetracycline resistance gene, and V. campbellii from China was found to carry multiple antibiotic resistance genes. As a consequence, there is an urgent need to thoroughly understand the virulence mechanism of AHPND-causing Vibrio spp. and develop novel management strategies to control AHPND in shrimp aquaculture, that will be crucially important to ensure food security in the future and offer economic stability to farmers. In this review, the most important findings of AHPND are highlighted, discussed and put in perspective, and some directions for future research are presented.