bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Natural Cellulose Fibers for Surgical Suture Applications
Authors: Guambo María Paula Romero , Spencer Lilian , Vispo Nelson Santiago , Vizuete Karla , Debut Alexis , Whitehead Daniel C. , Santos-Oliveira Ralph , Alexis Frank
Published: December 2020

Suture biomaterials are critical in wound repair by providing support to the healing of different tissues including vascular surgery, hemostasis, and plastic surgery. Important properties of a suture material include physical properties, handling characteristics, and biological response for successful performance. However, bacteria can bind to sutures and become a source of infection. For this reason, there is a need for new biomaterials for suture with antifouling properties. Here we report two types of cellulose fibers from coconut (Cocos nucifera) and sisal (Agave sisalana), which were purified with a chemical method, characterized, and tested in vitro and in vivo. According to SEM images, the cellulose fiber from coconut has a porous surface, and sisal has a uniform structure without internal spaces. It was found that the cellulose fiber from sisal has mechanical properties closer to silk fiber biomaterial using Ultimate Tensile Strength. When evaluating the cellulose fibers biodegradability, the cellulose from coconut showed a rapid weight loss compared to sisal. The antifouling test was negative, which demonstrated that neither possesses intrinsic microbicidal activity. Yet, a weak biofilm was formed on sisal cellulose fibers suggesting it possesses antifouling properties compared to cellulose from coconut. In vivo experiments using healthy mice demonstrated that the scarring and mechanical connection was like silk for both cellulose fibers. Overall, our results showed the potential use of cellulose fibers from vegetal for surgical sutures due to excellent mechanical properties, rapid degradation, and no bacterial adhesion.
New Insight into the Mechanism of Drug Release from Poly(d,l-lactide) Film by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance
Authors: Chumakova Natalia A. , Golubeva Elena N. , Kuzin Sergei V. , Ivanova Tatiana A. , Grigoriev Igor A. , Kostjuk Sergey V. , Melnikov Mikhail Ya.
Published: December 2020

A novel approach based on convolution of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra was used for quantitative study of the release kinetics of paramagnetic dopants from poly(d,l-lactide) films. A non-monotonic dependence of the release rate on time was reliably recorded. The release regularities were compared with the dynamics of polymer structure changes determined by EPR, SEM, and optic microscopy. The data obtained allow for the conclusion that the main factor governing dopant release is the formation of pores connected with the surface. In contrast, the contribution of the dopant diffusion through the polymer matrix is negligible. The dopant release can be divided into two phases: release through surface pores, which are partially closed with time, and release through pores initially formed inside the polymer matrix due to autocatalytic hydrolysis of the polymer and gradually connected to the surface of the sample. For some time, these processes co-occur. The mathematical model of the release kinetics based on pore formation is presented, describing the kinetics of release of various dopants from the polymer films of different thicknesses.
The Effect of Halloysite Nanotubes on the Fire Retardancy Properties of Partially Biobased Polyamide 610
Authors: Marset David , Dolza Celia , Fages Eduardo , Gonga Eloi , Gutiérrez Oscar , Gomez-Caturla Jaume , Ivorra-Martinez Juan , Sanchez-Nacher Lourdes , Quiles-Carrillo Luis
Published: December 2020

The main objective of the work reported here was the analysis and evaluation of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) as natural flame retardancy filler in partially biobased polyamide 610 (PA610), with 63% of carbon from natural sources. HNTs are naturally occurring clays with a nanotube-like shape. PA610 compounds containing 10%, 20%, and 30% HNT were obtained in a twin-screw co-rotating extruder. The resulting blends were injection molded to create standard samples for fire testing. The incorporation of the HNTs in the PA610 matrix leads to a reduction both in the optical density and a significant reduction in the number of toxic gases emitted during combustion. This improvement in fire properties is relevant in applications where fire safety is required. With regard to calorimetric cone results, the incorporation of 30% HNTs achieved a significant reduction in terms of the peak values obtained of the heat released rate (HRR), changing from 743 kW/m2 to about 580 kW/m2 and directly modifying the shape of the characteristic curve. This improvement in the heat released has produced a delay in the mass transfer of the volatile decomposition products, which are entrapped inside the HNTs’ lumen, making it difficult for the sample to burn. However, in relation to the ignition time of the samples (TTI), the incorporation of HNTs reduces the ignition start time about 20 s. The results indicate that it is possible to obtain polymer formulations with a high renewable content such as PA610, and a natural occurring inorganic filler in the form of a nanotube, i.e., HNTs, with good flame retardancy properties in terms of toxicity, optical density and UL94 test.
Experimental Study on Ramp Shock Wave Control in Ma3 Supersonic Flow Using Two-Electrode SparkJet Actuator
Authors: Xie Wei , Luo Zhenbing , Zhou Yan , Wang Lin , Peng Wenqiang , Gao Tianxiang
Published: December 2020

The control of a shock wave produced by a ramp (ramp shock) in Ma3 supersonic flow using a two-electrode SparkJet (SPJ) actuator in a single-pulse mode is studied experimentally. Except for schlieren images of the interaction process of SPJ with the flow field, a dynamic pressure measurement method is also used in the analysis of shock wave control. In a typical experimental case, under the control of single-pulsed SPJ, the characteristic of ramp shock changes from “short-term local upstream motion” in the initial stage to “long-term whole downstream motion” in the later stage. The angle and position of the ramp shock changes significantly in the whole control process. In addition, the dynamic pressure measurement result shows that the ramp pressure is reduced by a maximum of 79% compared to that in the base flow field, which indicates that the ramp shock is significantly weakened by SPJ. The effects of some parameters on the control effect of SPJ on the ramp shock are investigated and analyzed in detail. The increase in discharge capacitance helps to improve the control effect of SPJ on the ramp shock. However, the control effect of the SPJ actuator with medium exit diameter is better than that with a too small or too large one. In addition, when the SPJ exit is located in the separation zone and outside, the change in the ramp shock shows significant differences, but the control effect in the case of medium ramp distance is better when the SPJ exit is located outside the separation zone.
Ultrasonically Induced Polymerization and Polymer Grafting in the Presence of Carbonaceous Nanoparticles
Authors: Cohen Sarah , Zelikman Evgeni , Suckeveriene Ran Yosef
Published: December 2020

Nanotechnology refers to technologies using at least one nanometric dimension. Most advances have been in the field of nanomaterials used in research and industry. The vast potential of polymeric nanocomposites for advanced materials and applications such as hybrid nanocomposites with customized electrical conductivity, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fog properties have attracted considerable attention. The number of studies on the preparation of nanocomposites in the presence of carbon materials, i.e., carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene, has intensified over the last decade with the growing interest in their outstanding synergic properties. However, the functionality of such nanocomposites depends on overcoming three key challenges: (a) the breakdown of nanoparticle agglomerates; (b) the attachment of functional materials to the nanoparticle surfaces; and (c) the fine dispersion of functional nanoparticles within the polymeric matrices. Ultrasonic polymerization and grafting in the presence of nanoparticles is an innovative solution that can meet these three challenges simultaneously. These chemical reactions are less well known and only a few research groups have dealt with them to date. This review focuses on two main pathways to the design of ultrasonically induced carbon-based nanocomposites: the covalent approach which is based on the chemical interactions between the carbon fillers and the matrix, and the non-covalent approach which is based on the physical interactions.
An Integrated Approach to the Design of Centralized and Decentralized Biorefineries with Environmental, Safety, and Economic Objectives
Authors: López-Molina Antioco , Sengupta Debalina , Shi Claire , Aldamigh Eman , Alandejani Maha , El-Halwagi Mahmoud M.
Published: December 2020

Biorefineries provide economic, environmental, and social benefits towards sustainable development. Because of the relatively small size of typical biorefineries compared to oil and gas processes, it is necessary to evaluate the options of decentralized (or distributed) plants that are constructed near the biomass resources and product markets versus centralized (or consolidated) facilities that collect biomass from different regions and distribute the products to the markets, benefiting from the economy of scale but suffering from the additional transportation costs. The problem is further compounded when, in addition to the economic factors, environmental and safety aspects are considered. This work presents an integrated approach to the design of biorefining facilities while considering the centralized and decentralized options and the economic, environmental, and safety objectives. A superstructure representation is constructed to embed the various options of interest. A mathematical programming formulation is developed to transform the problem into an optimization problem. A new correlation is developed to estimate the capital cost of biorefineries and to facilitate the inclusion of the economic functions in the optimization program without committing to the type of technology or the size of the plant. A new metric called Total Process Risk is also introduced to evaluate the relative risk of the process. Life cycle analysis is applied to evaluate environmental emissions. The environmental and safety objectives are used to establish tradeoffs with the economic objectives. A case study is solved to illustrate the value and applicability of the proposed approach.
Characterization of a Wireless Vacuum Sensor Prototype Based on the SAW-Pirani Principle
Authors: Toto Sofia , Jouda Mazin , Korvink Jan G. , Sundarayyan Suparna , Voigt Achim , Davoodi Hossein , Brandner Juergen J.
Published: December 2020

A prototype of a wireless vacuum microsensor combining the Pirani principle and surface acoustic waves (SAW) with extended range and sensitivity was designed, modelled, manufactured and characterised under different conditions. The main components of the prototype are a sensing SAW chip, a heating coil and an interrogation antenna. All the components were assembled on a 15 mm × 11 mm × 3 mm printed circuit board (PCB). The behaviour of the PCB was characterised under ambient conditions and in vacuum. The quality of the SAW interrogation signal, the frequency shift and the received current of the coil were measured for different configurations. Pressures between 0.9 and 100,000 Pa were detected with sensitivities between 2.8 GHz/Pa at 0.9 Pa and 1 Hz/Pa close to atmospheric pressure. This experiment allowed us to determine the optimal operating conditions of the sensor and the integration conditions inside a vacuum chamber in addition to obtaining a pressure-dependent signal.
The Endless Metamorphoses of Sacrifice and Its Clashing Narratives
Authors: Beriain Josetxo
Published: December 2020

This paper sets out (1) to provide an affirmative genealogy that shed light on the different forms taken by sacrifice, the origins of its various conceptual layers and the various social practices from which they come; (2) to analyze the initial conceptual layer proposed by Marcel Mauss and Henri Hubert and followed by Marcel Hénaff based on farming societies; (3) to analyze the rise of the anti-sacrificial narrative and its main landmarks, the problems of victims and the responses given by René Girard and Talcott Parsons; and finally (4) to analyze the dynamic tension between the tragic-apocalyptic narrative and the defensive-progressive narrative in modern times, and the main landmarks of each one.
Rating Iron Deficiency in Soybean Using Image Processing and Decision-Tree Based Models
Authors: Hassanijalilian Oveis , Igathinathane C. , Bajwa Sreekala , Nowatzki John
Published: December 2020

The most efficient way of soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) management is to select a tolerant cultivar suitable for the specific growing condition. These cultivars are selected by field experts based on IDC visual ratings. However, this visual rating method is laborious, expensive, time-consuming, subjective, and impractical on larger scales. Therefore, a modern digital image-based method using tree-based machine learning classifier models for rating soybean IDC at plot-scale was developed. Data were collected from soybean IDC cultivar trial plots. Images were processed with MATLAB and corrected for light intensity by using a standard color board in the image. The three machine learning models used in this study were decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost). Calculated indices from images, such as dark green color index (DGCI), canopy size, and pixel counts into DGCI ranges and IDC visual scoring were used as input and target variables to train these models. Metrics such as precision, recall, and f1-score were used to assess the performance of the classifier models. Among all three models, AdaBoost had the best performance (average f1-score = 0.75) followed by RF and DT the least. Therefore, a ready-to-use methodology of image processing with AdaBoost model for soybean IDC rating was recommended. The developed method can be easily adapted to smartphone applications or scaled-up using images from aerial platforms.
Detecting Individual Tree Attributes and Multispectral Indices Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Applications in a Pine Clonal Orchard
Authors: Gallardo-Salazar José Luis , Pompa-García Marín
Published: December 2020

Modern forestry poses new challenges that space technologies can solve thanks to the advent of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This study proposes a methodology to extract tree-level characteristics using UAVs in a spatially distributed area of pine trees on a regular basis. Analysis included different vegetation indices estimated with a high-resolution orthomosaic. Statistically reliable results were found through a three-phase workflow consisting of image acquisition, canopy analysis, and validation with field measurements. Of the 117 trees in the field, 112 (95%) were detected by the algorithm, while height, area, and crown diameter were underestimated by 1.78 m, 7.58 m2, and 1.21 m, respectively. Individual tree attributes obtained from the UAV, such as total height (H) and the crown diameter (CD), made it possible to generate good allometric equations to infer the basal diameter (BD) and diameter at breast height (DBH), with R2 of 0.76 and 0.79, respectively. Multispectral indices were useful as tree vigor parameters, although the normalized-difference vegetation index (NDVI) was highlighted as the best proxy to monitor the phytosanitary condition of the orchard. Spatial variation in individual tree productivity suggests the differential management of ramets. The consistency of the results allows for its application in the field, including the complementation of spectral information that can be generated; the increase in accuracy and efficiency poses a path to modern inventories. However, the limitation for its application in forests of more complex structures is identified; therefore, further research is recommended.
Detection of Two Different Grapevine Yellows in Vitis vinifera Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Bendel Nele , Backhaus Andreas , Kicherer Anna , Köckerling Janine , Maixner Michael , Jarausch Barbara , Biancu Sandra , Klück Hans-Christian , Seiffert Udo , Voegele Ralf T. , Töpfer Reinhard
Published: December 2020

Grapevine yellows (GY) are serious phytoplasma-caused diseases affecting viticultural areas worldwide. At present, two principal agents of GY are known to infest grapevines in Germany: Bois noir (BN) and Palatinate grapevine yellows (PGY). Disease management is mostly based on prophylactic measures as there are no curative in-field treatments available. In this context, sensor-based disease detection could be a useful tool for winegrowers. Therefore, hyperspectral imaging (400–2500 nm) was applied to identify phytoplasma-infected greenhouse plants and shoots collected in the field. Disease detection models (Radial-Basis Function Network) have successfully been developed for greenhouse plants of two white grapevine varieties infected with BN and PGY. Differentiation of symptomatic and healthy plants was possible reaching satisfying classification accuracies of up to 96%. However, identification of BN-infected but symptomless vines was difficult and needs further investigation. Regarding shoots collected in the field from different red and white varieties, correct classifications of up to 100% could be reached using a Multi-Layer Perceptron Network for analysis. Thus, hyperspectral imaging seems to be a promising approach for the detection of different GY. Moreover, the 10 most important wavelengths were identified for each disease detection approach, many of which could be found between 400 and 700 nm and in the short-wave infrared region (1585, 2135, and 2300 nm). These wavelengths could be used further to develop multispectral systems.
The Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Surface Conditions during Katabatic Wind Events over the Terra Nova Bay Polynya
Authors: Wenta Marta , Cassano John J.
Published: December 2020

Off the coast of Victoria Land, Antarctica an area of open water—the Terra Nova Bay Polynya (TNBP)—persists throughout the austral winter. The development of this coastal polynya is driven by extreme katabatic winds blowing down the slopes of Transantarctic Mountains. The surface-atmosphere coupling and ABL transformation during the katabatic wind events between 18 and 25 September 2012 in Terra Nova Bay are studied, using observations from Aerosonde unmanned aircraft system (UAS), numerical modeling results and Antarctic Weather Station (AWS) measurements. First, we analyze how the persistence and strength of the katabatic winds relate to sea level pressure (SLP) changes in the region throughout the studied period. Secondly, the polynya extent variations are analysed in relation to wind speed changes. We conclude that the intensity of the flow, surface conditions in the bay and regional SLP fluctuations are all interconnected and contribute to polynya development. We also analyse the Antarctic Mesoscale Prediction System (AMPS) forecast for the studied period and find out that incorrect representation of vertical ABL properties over the TNBP might be caused by overestimated sea ice concentrations (SIC) used as model input. Altogether, this research provides a unique description of TNBP development and its interactions with the atmosphere and katabatic winds.
Sensitivity of Multispectral Imager Liquid Water Cloud Microphysical Retrievals to the Index of Refraction
Authors: Platnick Steven , Meyer Kerry , Amarasinghe Nandana , Wind Galina , Hubanks Paul A. , Holz Robert E.
Published: December 2020

A cloud property retrieved from multispectral imagers having spectral channels in the shortwave infrared (SWIR) and/or midwave infrared (MWIR) is the cloud effective particle radius (CER), a radiatively relevant weighting of the cloud particle size distribution. The physical basis of the CER retrieval is the dependence of SWIR/MWIR cloud reflectance on the cloud particle single scattering albedo, which in turn depends on the complex index of refraction of bulk liquid water (or ice) in addition to the cloud particle size. There is a general consistency in the choice of the liquid water index of refraction by the cloud remote sensing community, largely due to the few available independent datasets and compilations. Here we examine the sensitivity of CER retrievals to the available laboratory index of refraction datasets in the SWIR and MWIR using the retrieval software package that produces NASA’s standard Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer suite (VIIRS) continuity cloud products. The sensitivity study incorporates two laboratory index of refraction datasets that include measurements at supercooled water temperatures, one in the SWIR and one in the MWIR. Neither has been broadly utilized in the cloud remote sensing community. It is shown that these two new datasets can significantly change CER retrievals (e.g., 1–2 µm) relative to common datasets used by the community. Further, index of refraction data for a 265 K water temperature gives more consistent retrievals between the two spectrally distinct 2.2 µm atmospheric window channels on MODIS and VIIRS. As a result, 265 K values from the SWIR and MWIR index of refraction datasets were adopted for use in the production version of the continuity cloud product. The results indicate the need to better understand temperature-dependent bulk water absorption and uncertainties in these spectral regions.
Weed Identification in Maize, Sunflower, and Potatoes with the Aid of Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Peteinatos Gerassimos G. , Reichel Philipp , Karouta Jeremy , Andújar Dionisio , Gerhards Roland
Published: December 2020

The increasing public concern about food security and the stricter rules applied worldwide concerning herbicide use in the agri-food chain, reduce consumer acceptance of chemical plant protection. Site-Specific Weed Management can be achieved by applying a treatment only on the weed patches. Crop plants and weeds identification is a necessary component for various aspects of precision farming in order to perform on the spot herbicide spraying or robotic weeding and precision mechanical weed control. During the last years, a lot of different methods have been proposed, yet more improvements need to be made on this problem, concerning speed, robustness, and accuracy of the algorithms and the recognition systems. Digital cameras and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) have been rapidly developed in the past few years, providing new methods and tools also in agriculture and weed management. In the current work, images gathered by an RGB camera of Zea mays, Helianthus annuus, Solanum tuberosum, Alopecurus myosuroides, Amaranthus retroflexus, Avena fatua, Chenopodium album, Lamium purpureum, Matricaria chamomila, Setaria spp., Solanum nigrum and Stellaria media were provided to train Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Three different CNNs, namely VGG16, ResNet–50, and Xception, were adapted and trained on a pool of 93,000 images. The training images consisted of images with plant material with only one species per image. A Top-1 accuracy between 77% and 98% was obtained in plant detection and weed species discrimination, on the testing of the images.
Study on Visual Detection Algorithm of Sea Surface Targets Based on Improved YOLOv3
Authors: Liu Tao , Pang Bo , Ai Shangmao , Sun Xiaoqiang
Published: December 2020

Countries around the world have paid increasing attention to the issue of marine security, and sea target detection is a key task to ensure marine safety. Therefore, it is of great significance to propose an efficient and accurate sea-surface target detection algorithm. The anchor-setting method of the traditional YOLO v3 only uses the degree of overlap between the anchor and the ground-truth box as the standard. As a result, the information of some feature maps cannot be used, and the required accuracy of target detection is hard to achieve in a complex sea environment. Therefore, two new anchor-setting methods for the visual detection of sea targets were proposed in this paper: the average method and the select-all method. In addition, cross PANet, a feature fusion structure for cross-feature maps was developed and was used to obtain a better baseline cross YOLO v3, where different anchor-setting methods were combined with a focal loss for experimental comparison in the datasets of sea buoys and existing sea ships, SeaBuoys and SeaShips, respectively. The results showed that the method proposed in this paper could significantly improve the accuracy of YOLO v3 in detecting sea-surface targets, and the highest value of mAP in the two datasets is 98.37% and 90.58%, respectively.
Paying Attention: Big Data and Social Advertising as Barriers to Ecological Change
Authors: Kish Kaitlin
Published: December 2020

Big data and online media conglomerates have significant power over the behavior of individuals. Online platforms have become the largest canvas for advertising, and the most profitable commodity is users’ attention. Large tech companies, such as Facebook and Alphabet, use historically effective psychological advertisement tactics in tandem with enormous amounts of user data to effectively and efficiently meet the needs of their customers, who are not the end-users, but the corporations competing for advertising space on users’ screens. This commodification of attention is a serious threat to socio-ecological sustainability. In this paper, I argue that big data and social advertising platforms, such as Facebook, use commodified attention to take advantage of psycho-social neuroticisms and commodity fetishism in modern individuals to perpetuate conspicuous consumption. They also contribute to highly fragmented information ecologies that intentionally obscure scientific facts regarding ecological emergencies. The commitment to stakeholders and growth economics makes social advertising conglomerates a significant barrier to a socio-ecological future. I provide a series of solutions to this problem at the institutional, research, policy, and individual levels and areas for future sustainability research.
Efficient and Selective Catalytic Conversion of Hemicellulose in Rice Straw by Metal Catalyst under Mild Conditions
Authors: Yang Xiaorui , Zhao Jing , Liang Jinhua , Zhu Jianliang
Published: December 2020

Rice straw is an abundant material with the potential to be converted into a sustainable energy resource. Transition-metal catalysis activated the C–O bond in the hemicellulose of raw rice straw, cleaving it to form monosaccharides. The mechanism of rice straw catalytic conversion had a synergistic effect due to in situ acid catalysis and metal catalysis. The conditions for the hydrogenation of hemicellulose from rice straw were optimized: catalyst to rice straw solid/solid ratio of 3:10, stirring speed of 600 r/min, temperature of 160 °C, time of 3 h, solid/liquid ratio of 1:15, and H2 gas pressure of 1.5 MPa. An excellent hemicellulose conversion of 97.3% with the yields of xylose and arabinose at 53.0% and 17.3%, respectively, were obtained. The results from FTIR and SEM experiments also confirmed the destruction of the rigidity and reticulate structure of rice straw after the catalytic reaction.
The Potential Role of Hybrid Constructed Wetlands Treating University Wastewater—Experience from Northern Italy
Authors: Lavrnić Stevo , Zapater Pereyra Maribel , Cristino Sandra , Cupido Domenico , Lucchese Giovanni , Pascale Maria Rosaria , Toscano Attilio , Mancini Maurizio
Published: December 2020

University wastewater is a type of wastewater with higher pollutants load and flow rate variability than typical domestic wastewater. Constructed wetlands (CW) could be used for university wastewater treatment and consequently for wastewater reuse. A hybrid CW pilot plant, at the University of Bologna (Italy), was monitored to assess its potential to be used at the university. Its treatment performance was monitored for one year and public acceptance explored through a survey. The pilot plant had two treatment lines, (1) a vertical flow CW (VFCW) and a planted horizontal flow CW (HFCW), and (2) the same VFCW and an unplanted horizontal flow filter (HFF). The HFCW achieved higher removals than the HFF, but it was also found to be prone to higher water losses. However, both treatment lines met the Italian limits for discharge in natural water bodies and some of the limits for wastewater reuse in Italy and the EU. The VFCW alone was not able to meet the same limits, demonstrating the advantages of hybrid over single stage CWs. A positive attitude towards CWs and wastewater reuse was found among the survey participants. Therefore, hybrid CWs (planted and unplanted) are considered a feasible technology for application at universities.
Assessing Walking and Cycling around Schools
Authors: Shaaban Khaled , Abdur-Rouf Khadija
Published: December 2020

To encourage students to walk and cycle to school and ensure their health and safety, it is essential to provide safe and operationally efficient infrastructure around schools. This study used an audit tool to assess the infrastructure and environment around schools in the city of Doha, Qatar, with a particular emphasis on active transport (walking and cycling). The aim was to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. Twenty-two schools with varied education levels were assessed. Among all assessed categories, active transport items scored the lowest, requiring the most improvements. A detailed analysis was conducted based on school type (elementary, primary, high, and mixed-schools) and revealed similar results except for elementary schools (scored acceptable for active transport). The study revealed that adding bike lanes, installing bicycle parking, and providing good separation of travel modes are the most needed improvements at school sites. In summary, improving active transport could significantly improve the overall quality of the infrastructure around schools in Qatar. Such improvements could greatly encourage more school children to walk and cycle to school instead of being primarily dropped-off and picked up by their parents’ vehicles or school buses.
A Framework to Manage Coastal Squeeze
Authors: Silva Rodolfo , Martínez María Luisa , van Tussenbroek Brigitta I. , Guzmán-Rodríguez Laura Odette , Mendoza Edgar , López-Portillo Jorge
Published: December 2020

The coastal zone is in a critical state worldwide, due to the loss and fragmentation of its ecosystems. Much of this is caused by long-term anthropic local, regional, or global actions, which drive coastal squeeze processes. Most of the criteria to evaluate the effects of coastal squeeze are focused on merely identifying its effect on the coastal zone. Here, we propose a framework to manage (identify, analyze, quantify, and tackle) the effect of coastal squeeze. This DESCR framework examines the relations between Drivers, Exchanges, and States of the environment to subsequently evaluate the chronic, negative Consequences and determine possible Responses. To illustrate the application of the DESCR framework, the coastal zone of Puerto Morelos, in the Mexican Caribbean, was studied using this approach. We analyzed the systemic interactions among the coastal ecosystems in this area, such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, beach, coastal dunes, and mangroves, which have been altered over the last decades, resulting in a severe coastal squeeze. Recommended responses include urgent measures for ecosystem management to mitigate the coastal squeeze.
Towards Local Sustainability of Mega Infrastructure: Reviewing Research on the New Silk Road
Authors: Thees Hannes
Published: December 2020

The Belt and Road Initiative is the leading project in the regions along the ancient Silk Road. This aims to revive the New Silk Road (NSR) as a transnational space towards an era of new regional integration and globalization. Despite the potential economic effects on a global scale, local sustainability remains questionable. Building upon the central engagement in infrastructure improvements, this article aims to investigate the role of local sustainability in research along the New Silk Road. Starting with 597 scientific articles, this article conducts a systematic literature review on four levels of concretization to characterize the research field of the New Silk Road, and to develop in-depth insights systematically. The results reveal a research focus on economic growth, which is lacking in environmental considerations and especially the socio-cultural dimension of sustainability on a local scale. Future directions in local sustainability should therefore include local stakeholders to build a joint understanding of sustainability by recognizing the characteristics of regionalism upon which manifold local support of mega infrastructure can evolve. Given these findings, the New Silk Road emerges as a field of study that calls for interdisciplinary research on different spatial levels.
Environmental Outcomes of Green Entrepreneurship Harmonization
Authors: Meirun Tang , Makhloufi Lahcene , Ghozali Hassan Mohamad
Published: December 2020

Establishing equilibrium between business growth and environmental sustainability is one of the core focuses of green entrepreneurship. However, the scarcity of resources, ecological concerns, business growth, and survival are among the issues that are recognized by entrepreneurs. In the light of the Natural Resource-Based View (NRBV) and Dynamic Capability View, this study aims to examine the effects of Green Innovation Performance (GIP) on Green Entrepreneurship Orientation (GEO) and Sustainability Environmental Performance (SEP). As advocated by NRBV, this study emphasizes the importance of pursuing the three types of distinct yet interrelated environmental strategies and its association impact on GEO. The results indicated that internal green dynamic capabilities, namely, green absorptive capacity, environmental cooperation, and managerial environmental concern to have significant positive effects on GIP, where GIP positively impacted GEO and SEP. Besides, GIP partially mediated the relationship between internal green dynamic capabilities on GEO and SEP. The results also demonstrated that environmental regulations significantly moderated the relationship between GEO and SEP. Furthermore, by linking these three concepts in a single model, this study theoretically pioneering and responding to bridge significant gaps emerged in the NRBV theory. This study provides crucial practical implications for entrepreneurs, policymakers, and academicians. Limitations were also discussed.
Climate Change and Ski Tourism Sustainability: An Integrated Model of the Adaptive Dynamics between Ski Area Operations and Skier Demand
Authors: Scott Daniel , Steiger Robert , Rutty Michelle , Pons Marc , Johnson Peter
Published: December 2020

Climate change is an evolving business reality influencing the sustainability of ski tourism worldwide. A new integrated model of the co-evolution of supply (27 ski areas) and demand-side (skier behaviour) climate change adaptation in the ski tourism market of Ontario, Canada is presented. Ski area operations are modeled under a high-emission 2050s scenario, with skier responses to altered operations informed by a survey of 2429 skiers. These market adaptive dynamics reveal new insights into differential climate risk, capturing patterns not apparent when considering only operational conditions of ski resorts. A decoupling of ski season length and skier visitation was found at four ski areas, where, despite average season length losses, visitation increased as a result of reduced competition. Simulated skier visit losses were smaller than reductions in season length, contributing to an increase in crowding. Growing the market of skiers was also identified as a critical adaptation strategy that could offset skier visit losses from shortened seasons. Climate change challenges the future sustainability of ski areas in this market in several ways: profitability of ski areas with substantially shorter seasons, increased snowmaking costs, crowding impacts on visitor experience, and potential overtourism at the few most climate resilient destinations.
Reserves Estimation for Coalbed Methane Reservoirs: A Review
Authors: Altowilib Ali , AlSaihati Ahmed , Alhamood Hussain , Alafnan Saad , Alarifi Sulaiman
Published: December 2020

A continuous growth in the global economy and population requires a sustainable energy supply. Maximizing recovery factor out of the naturally occurring hydrocarbons resources has been an active area of continuous development to meet the globally increasing demand for energy. Coalbed methane (CBM), which is one of the primary resources of natural gas, associates complex storage mechanisms and requires some advanced recovery techniques, rendering conventional reserve assessment methods insufficient. This work presents a literature review on CBM in different aspects. This includes rock characteristics such as porosity, permeability, adsorption capacity, adsorption isotherm, and coal classification. In addition, CBM reservoirs are compared to conventional reservoirs in terms of reservoir quality, reservoir properties, accumulation, and water/gas saturation and production. Different topics that contribute to the production of CBM reservoirs are also discussed. This includes production mechanisms, well spacing, well completion, and petrophysical interpretations. The main part of this work sheds a light on the available techniques to determine initial-gas-in-place in CBM reservoirs such as volumetric, decline curve, and material balance. It also presents the pros and cons of each technique. Lastly, common development and economic challenges in CBM fields are listed in addition to environmental concerns.
4D Printing: Materials, Technologies, and Future Applications in the Biomedical Field
Authors: Bajpai Ankur , Baigent Anna , Raghav Sakshika , Brádaigh Conchúr Ó. , Koutsos Vasileios , Radacsi Norbert
Published: December 2020

4D printing can be defined as the fabrication of structures using smart materials that allow the final object to change its shape, properties, or function in response to an external stimulus such as light, heat, or moisture. The available technologies, materials, and applications have evolved significantly since their first development in 2013, with prospective applications within the aerospace, manufacturing, and soft robotic industries. This review focuses on the printing technologies and smart materials currently available for fabricating these structures. The applications of 4D printing within biomedicine are explored with a focus on tissue engineering, drug delivery, and artificial organs. Finally, some ideas for potential uses are proposed. 4D printing is making its mark with seemingly unlimited potential applications, however, its use in mainstream medical treatments relies on further developments and extensive research investments.
An Integrated Industry-Based Methodology to Unlock Full-Scale Implementation of Phosphorus Recovery Technology
Authors: Bianchini Augusto , Rossi Jessica
Published: December 2020

The recovery of phosphorus (P) from waste streams in specific industrial processes could really contribute to a more sustainable P supply chain, which is considered critical due to its high-risk economic relevance and to negative impacts on the environment. Although more than 30 types of P recovery technologies are already available, their full-scale implementation is not widespread. To make solutions for P recovery in the industrial sector mainstream, it is necessary to change the perception of companies that own flows rich in P, often considered an issue. The lack of decision-making tools and methodologies to identify the optimal solution for specific cases limits the diffusion of P recovery technologies. To unlock this situation, this paper proposes an integrated industry-oriented methodology to facilitate knowledge transfer from the scientific community to the industrial sector, supporting companies in the evaluation of technical, economic, environmental and social benefits/risks of P recovery. The methodology, applied to an Italian case study, uses both innovative and consolidated tools to provide quantitative information at the firm level to investigate a closed P loop: starting from mapping P flows in the industrial process, the methodology guides companies in the choice of the most suitable option for its business strategy, providing data to evaluate the economic feasibility of the investment and some Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess and monitor their efficiency in managing P. The methodology can be replicated in other contexts by both companies and consultants to explore and disseminate the opportunity to recover and reuse P from industries. The evaluation of the selected KPIs can be integrated into scientific analyses to compare solutions and to accelerate the shift from pilot to full-scale implementation of promising technologies. Finally, it can be used as an exercise for the training of new professionals in the P management sector.
Building Sustainable Contextual Ambidexterity through Routines: A Case Study from Information Technology Firms
Authors: Gil-Marques Maria , Moreno-Luzon Maria D.
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this paper is to explain the role that routines play in achieving sustainable organisational ambidexterity in information technology (IT) firms. Our exploratory analysis of four case studies reveals the key importance of routines in setting the context for sustainable ambidexterity. Companies build up contextual ambidexterity through routines derived from normalization of processes, normalization of skills, and normalization of results. The findings of the study show that routines support IT professionals to decide whether to exploit or explore in each particular case. Firstly, the enabling character of explicit routines as a result of the normalisation of work processes and the freedom that IT professionals have when implementing them, allows IT professionals to balance exploitation and exploration. Secondly, companies build up contextual ambidexterity through normalisation of skills. Hence, IT professionals develop embedded implicit routines as a result of training. Thirdly, the findings of the study reveal how routines are settled through the normalisation of results that orientates performance towards satisfying customer demands, as well as supporting professionals in their efforts to balance between exploitation and exploration which is necessary to achieve sustainable ambidexterity in IT firms.
Urban Blue Acupuncture: An Experiment on Preferences for Design Options Using Virtual Models
Authors: Vassiljev Peeter , Bell Simon , Balicka Jekaterina , Amrita Umme Aymona Ali
Published: December 2020

Within the BlueHealth project, funded under the Horizon 2020 European Union research framework, a number of targeted experimental design interventions created in virtual reality (VR) were used to test the effect and impact of planning and design on encouraging people to use various blue spaces. A set of designs in three different coastal landscape types—a cliff/steep slope; a sandy beach and an area of reed beds—located in Tallinn, Estonia, were used as the sites for nine different intervention designs. The designs were based on a combination of the site features and inspirations from solutions found in different locations internationally. Using 3D modelling and a Virtual Reality system, a set of nine videos, one to depict each intervention, was created and shown to a quota sample of 252 Estonian residents. Respondents were asked a set of questions associated with each option. The results were analysed statistically and qualitatively. The results uncovered key preferences for designs and revealed differences among age groups and the levels of personal interconnection with nature. However, there were problems associated with the interpretation and understanding of some of the options by some of the people due to the degree of realism of the VR representations, which may have affected the results. The project shows that VR could be a useful tool for testing design ideas as part of public participation approaches but that care is needed in ensuring that viewers understand what they are assessing.
Marketing Strategies of Travel Agencies: A Quantitative Approach
Authors: Bunghez Corina Larisa
Published: December 2020

The necessity of continuously analyzing and innovating the tourism industry is an essential prerequisite in developing this important branch of the economy in a sustainable manner in the context of our modern society. To this effect, the purpose of this quantitative research study is to determine the impact of sales promotion techniques used by different suppliers of tourism services, in the form of 240 travel agencies. Our research focused on determining the effect of utilizing certain sales promotion techniques in order to increase sales in tourism services. Furthermore, we analyzed the way in which travel agencies engage in utilizing sales promotion techniques. We found that grouped sales, early booking, and last-minute techniques are essential practices in the perceptions of the respondents, that associating accommodation with eating services is a very important aspect for the consumer, that including recreation services is preferred but not demanded, and that included transportation services represent additional motivation in the purchasing decision. Additionally, we found that offering free services differentiates agencies from the competition and increases customer loyalty. The important contribution offered in this research paper represents a basis for future studies in the continuous improvement of marketing strategies in the constantly evolving tourism sector.
Sustainable Smart Healthcare Information Portfolio Strategy Evaluation: An Integrated Activity-Based Costing Decision Model
Authors: Yang Chih-Hao , Lee Hsiu-Li , Tsai Wen-Hsien , Chuang Sophia
Published: December 2020

Smart city and smart hospital development comprise a mainstream strategy worldwide to enhance the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. The smart healthcare industry needs to optimize its smart healthcare information strategies, creating the process-activity value and reducing the cost of healthcare without sacrificing the quality of patient care. This study proposes an decision model of Activity-Based Costing (ABC) concept and Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) techniques that integrates the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL), Analytic Network Processes (ANP), the VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) and Zero-One Goal Programming (ZOGP) to achieve optimal smart healthcare information system portfolio strategy decisions. The resulting data shows that the perspective of government policy support and the criterion of Minimize Equipment Maintenance Costs are the most significant evaluation factors, and that the Health Data Informational System and Hospital Device and Drug Management System comprise by far the optimal portfolio of smart healthcare information system which strengthen the connection between ABC and MCDM techniques in evaluation process. The major contributions of this study are as follows: (1) the proposed model contributes to the management accounting innovation development of a sustainable city and Operation Research (OR) application; (2) the integrated model can promote the smart healthcare industry development and help decision makers to more accurately understand how to allocate resources and planning for intelligent-related activities to each smart healthcare information system through appropriate cost drivers.