bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ARBIN: Augmented Reality Based Indoor Navigation System
Authors: Huang Bo-Chen , Hsu Jiun , Chu Edward T.-H. , Wu Hui-Mei
Published: October 2020

Due to the popularity of indoor positioning technology, indoor navigation applications have been deployed in large buildings, such as hospitals, airports, and train stations, to guide visitors to their destinations. A commonly-used user interface, shown on smartphones, is a 2D floor map with a route to the destination. The navigation instructions, such as turn left, turn right, and go straight, pop up on the screen when users come to an intersection. However, owing to the restrictions of a 2D navigation map, users may face mental pressure and get confused while they are making a connection between the real environment and the 2D navigation map before moving forward. For this reason, we developed ARBIN, an augmented reality-based navigation system, which posts navigation instructions on the screen of real-world environments for ease of use. Thus, there is no need for users to make a connection between the navigation instructions and the real-world environment. In order to evaluate the applicability of ARBIN, a series of experiments were conducted in the outpatient area of the National Taiwan University Hospital YunLin Branch, which is nearly 1800 m2, with 35 destinations and points of interests, such as a cardiovascular clinic, x-ray examination room, pharmacy, and so on. Four different types of smartphone were adopted for evaluation. Our results show that ARBIN can achieve 3 to 5 m accuracy, and provide users with correct instructions on their way to the destinations. ARBIN proved to be a practical solution for indoor navigation, especially for large buildings.
Nonintrusive Fine-Grained Home Care Monitoring: Characterizing Quality of In-Home Postural Changes Using Bone-Based Human Sensing
Authors: Chen Sinan , Saiki Sachio , Nakamura Masahide
Published: October 2020

In contrast to the physical activities of able-bodied people at home, most people who require long-term specific care (e.g., bedridden patients and patients who have difficulty walking) usually show more low-intensity slow physical activities with postural changes. Although the existing devices can detect data such as heart rate and the number of steps, they have been increasing the physical burden relying on long-term wearing. The purpose of this paper is to realize a noninvasive fine-grained home care monitoring system that is sustainable for people requiring special care. In the proposed method, we present a novel technique that integrates inexpensive camera devices and bone-based human sensing technologies to characterize the quality of in-home postural changes. We realize a local process in feature data acquisition once per second, which extends from a computer browser to Raspberry Pi. Our key idea is to regard the changes of the bounding box output by standalone pose estimation models in the shape and distance as the quality of the pose conversion, body movement, and positional changes. Furthermore, we use multiple servers to realize distributed processing that uploads data to implement home monitoring as a web service. Based on the experimental results, we conveyed our findings and advice to the subject that include where the daily living habits and the irregularity of home care timings needed improvement.
Beyond TTM and ABC: A Practice Perspective on Physical Activity Promotion for Adolescent Females from Disadvantaged Backgrounds
Authors: Hopkins Ellyse , Bolton Nicola , Brown David , Matthews Nic , Anderson Melissa
Published: October 2020

This paper builds on a growing body of literature on the promise of practice theory in understanding and promoting behavior change in society and develops upon Blue (2017) and Spotswood et al.’s (2019) rationale for evolving theories of practice into the domain of contemporary physical activity research. We begin by considering the intersectional nature of the problem. Statistics reveal that physical activity gradients exist based on gender, as well as socio-economic position. Women, girls, and disadvantaged populations report lower levels of activity than more affluent males and females. More problematic still is what StreetGames (2017) call the “double jeopardy”, where these characteristics intersect, intensifying the negative gradient. Our argument then comprises three parts. First, we provide a critical discussion of intervention studies seeking to transform exercise behavior amongst these populations. The issue we identify is that studies typically rely on behavior change models, such as the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and the ABC framework. However, these models tend to take insufficient account of the practical and social aspects of behavior change in physical activity, and thus their subjects often succumb to value-action gaps (Shove, 2010). Second, in contrast, we propose that practice theory provides a promising alternative theoretical lens for promoting behavior change in disadvantaged and often resistant populations. Third, the paper highlights a range of conceptual considerations for exploring the relationship between young, disadvantaged women and physical activity, as well as the development of tangible solutions to improve participation.
Territorial Effects of Shared-Living Heritage Regeneration
Authors: Cattaneo Tiziano , Giorgi Emanuele , Flores Mauricio , Barquero Viviana
Published: October 2020

The paper presents further steps of study started by authors in recent years, as part of the widest international research collaboration, which focuses on shared life and regeneration of abandonment of rural settlements as strategies for the development of sustainable territories. This research aims to understand how the regeneration of ancient community buildings impacts on the sustainable development of the local context. To understand these effects, the research considered four traditional typologies of community buildings, from different cultures: Tulou (China), Cascina (Italy), Hacienda (Mexico), and Marae (New Zealand). Among the tens/hundreds of contemporary regeneration interventions, three contemporary projects per each of these typologies have been selected. To assess the territorial impact of the projects a new approach has been defined using Expert Interviews as the methodology, so as to be able to have an assessment directly by experts in the fields of regenerative projects and sustainable development. The Expert Interviews were held based on a questionnaire that assessed the effects of the projects. For the evaluation of the projects, two categories of indicators have been selected: (1) United Nations SDGs, (2) architectural regeneration indicators generated by the study “The Role of Cultural Heritage in Sustainable Development: Multidimensional Indicators as Decision-Making Tool”, by Francesca Nocca, published in Sustainability (2017, 9, 1882). The research outputs show how the urban-architectural regeneration of these historical typologies can be clearly associated with indications of sustainable development. The results also show that in all four cultures the regeneration of historic buildings provides many benefits to local communities by successfully mixing different income groups and the inclusion of marginalized or vulnerable groups.
Project Management and Sustainability: Playing Trick or Treat with the Planet
Authors: Toljaga-Nikolić Danijela , Todorović Marija , Dobrota Marina , Obradović Tijana , Obradović Vladimir
Published: October 2020

The incorporation of the social, environmental, and economic dimensions of sustainability in different aspects of human life and business provides a guarantee for our future. Organizations have shown a great interest in incorporating sustainability into managerial concepts, both at the strategic and operational levels. Sustainable business strategies are being implemented in many projects, which has led to a recent expansion of interest in exploring the potential of integrating sustainability dimensions in project management. With the intention of contributing to a better understanding of sustainable project management, this paper examines whether project management methodologies, applied in different sectors, support the introduction of sustainability dimensions. It also surveys the level of integration of sustainability dimensions in groups of project management processes. Considering that the incorporation of sustainability in project management poses numerous challenges for project managers, this paper examines the necessary knowledge and skills required for sustainable project management in different sectors. As part of this research, an empirical survey was conducted in project-oriented organizations from both the public and private sectors. The findings reveal that the application of project management methodologies promotes the introduction of sustainability dimensions, particularly the social aspect, irrespective of the sector, since the processes in projects managed by a specific methodology are consistent with the social elements of sustainability. In the public sector, there is a noticeable lack of knowledge of the meaning and dimensions of sustainability and, accordingly, an urgent need for project managers to gain knowledge and skills pertaining to sustainable project management.
Taboos/Norms and Modern Science, and Possible Integration for Sustainable Management of the Flyingfish Resource of Orchid Island, Taiwan
Authors: Chang Shui-Kai
Published: October 2020

Coastal management without scientific data or modern techniques has been implemented successfully by many coastal communities, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which is regarded as a culturally framed belief system, has played an important role in the successful cases. TEK of flyingfish culture in the Orchid Island was proved to have a theoretical basis and advantages in managing the flyingfish resource. However, modernization, introduction of modern techniques (motorized boats), development of tourism, and numerous other factors have caused TEK to change or disappear, and integration of TEK with the modern science of environmental management may be a solution to sustain the marine resource. TEK constitutes numerous taboos and norms (T&N). This study, for the first time, itemized the T&N of the flyingfish culture by category, with plausible motives explained by the respondents through in-depth interviews of tribespeople in 2014 and 2015, and identified the T&N with ecological conservation implications. The study also implemented a sampling scheme to provide the first records of fishery composition, flyingfish catch amount (about 260,000–280,000 fish per year), and the catch rate for the island. Finally, this study discussed three interrelated approaches for sustainable management of the flyingfish resource, including integration of TEK with science-based monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS), and research.
Rethinking the Role of M&As in Promoting Sustainable Development: Empirical Evidence Regarding the Relation Between the Audit Opinion and the Sustainable Performance of the Romanian Target Companies
Authors: Dicu Roxana Manuela , Robu Ioan-Bogdan , Aevoae George-Marian , Mardiros Daniela-Neonila
Published: October 2020

External growth strategies face crucial barriers when taken into consideration for investing if the involved companies are not audited. The integrity of a company’s financial information, its control systems, and its sustainable behavior represent cornerstones when participating in mergers and acquisitions (henceforth M&As). Thus, the audit function became a must and its role increased over the years, becoming an intrinsic part of faithfully disclosing financial and nonfinancial information (sustainable reporting included). M&As are ideal when the need for rapid innovation is required, in order to maintain or develop a sustainability policy. Given the environmental issues, we analyzed a sample of 1491 target companies listed on Bucharest Stock Exchange, clustered into three categories: polluters, medium polluters, and low polluters. The study reveals that the investors’ decision to purchase a certain amount of stake in target companies is influenced by the audit opinion and the sector in which they operate, depending on their pollution status.
Evaluation and Factor Analysis of the Intensive Use of Urban Land Based on Technical Efficiency Measurement—A Case Study of 38 Districts and Counties in Chongqing, China
Authors: Wang Jingyi , Sun Kaisi , Ni Jiupai , Xie Deti
Published: October 2020

Reasonable evaluation of the intensive urban land use has emerged as an important issue and hot topic for urban development. This paper aims to construct a unified framework for evaluating the intensive use of urban land and analyzing its influence channels. It combines the advantages of the approach of the indicator system and that of efficiency measurement, and provides an empirical test to apply this analytical framework using the panel data of 38 districts and counties in Chongqing, China, ranging from 2009 to 2018. To achieve our goals, we used the panel data model and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model with decomposed technical inefficiency. Our results show that: (1) the level of intensive use of urban land in all districts and counties of Chongqing is steadily increasing, and the gap among regions is narrowing, (2) all districts and counties of Chongqing face severe and increasing difficulty in improving their intensive urban land use, and, (3) currently, the degree of external dependence is not a stable influential factor for land-use efficiency and intensive potential in these districts and counties, and improving the land use structure, increasing population density, strengthening fiscal expenditure on education, and promoting transportation convenience can markedly reduce land use inefficiency and simultaneously increase intensive land use. In conclusion, the framework for evaluating intensive use of urban land based on the SFA model with decomposed technical inefficiency can better integrate intensive land-use evaluation and the factor analysis process, and retain the scalability of factor analysis. For all districts and counties in Chongqing, we clarify several effective channels to promote the intensive use of urban land, which provides reference and technical support for formulating land policies.
Innovation Adoption: Empirical Analysis on the Example of Selected Factors of Organizational Culture in the IT Industry in Poland
Authors: Ober Józef
Published: October 2020

Positive adoption of innovation by staff is a current and crucial issue for proper operation of businesses, industry, and socio-economic environment. The article discusses variables affecting innovation adoption and analyses selected organisational culture factors in terms of their impact on innovation adoption in Polish IT companies. A novelty here is a study of their impact separately at each stage of innovation. The objective was to assess the perception of the impact of selected organisational culture factors on adoption of innovation by Polish IT industry staff at different stages. Due to the complexity of the different research aspects, a method triangulation strategy was used, combining survey techniques, desk research, expert opinions and statistical analysis. The survey used an original questionnaire called “The Process of Innovation Adoption and Perception” to examine opinions on 15 organisational culture factors in the context of innovation adoption. The research confirmed that selected organisational culture factors have a different impact on innovation adoption at different stages of innovation introduction in the Polish IT industry. On this basis, groups of factors perceived similarly in terms of innovation adoption at the individual stages were identified, forming guidelines for the proper implementation of innovation in Polish IT companies.
The Effect of COVID-19 in University Tutoring Models
Authors: Pérez-Jorge David , Rodríguez-Jiménez María del Carmen , Ariño-Mateo Eva , Barragán-Medero Fernando
Published: October 2020

This research is part of the Educational Research Project developed at the University of La Laguna during the academic year 2019–2020, which included the period of confinement by COVID-19. The study was carried out with a sample of 193 student teachers in Early Childhood Education, Primary and four master’s degree programs offered by the Faculty of Education of the University of La Laguna. Four tutoring models were analyzed; in person, by e-mail, using virtual tutoring (Hangout/Google Meet) and WhatsApp. The results confirm the need to enhance synchronous models, as the most effective models for the development of the process of academic orientation and support for students, compared to asynchronous models. These delay the processes of academic decision-making and have a significant effect on them, as well as the pace of study and the motivation of the students, hindering the processes of learning, adaptation and fulfilment.
Effect of a Padel Match on Biochemical and Haematological Parameters in Professional Players with Regard to Gender-Related Differences
Authors: Pradas Francisco , García-Giménez Alejandro , Toro-Román Víctor , Sánchez-Alcaraz Bernardino Javier , Ochiana Nicolae , Castellar Carlos
Published: October 2020

Haematological and biochemical parameters have not yet been analysed in professional padel players. The aim of this study was to determine the basal values of these parameters and to observe the effect of a simulated competition on them, including gender-related differences. A total of 14 male professional players (age: 28.2 ± 7.9 years), and 16 female professional players (age: 29.7 ± 3.7 years) participated in this study. Players were allowed to hydrate ad libitum during the matches. Haematological and biochemical values were obtained before and after a simulated competitive padel match. The men’s group showed higher baseline values in red blood cells, haematocrit, haemoglobin, urea, creatinine, uric acid, albumin, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) (p < 0.01) than the women’s group. Attending to match effect, significant differences were obtained in urea, creatinine, CK and glucose (p < 0.05). Finally, the group x match interaction revealed significant differences in serum concentrations of sodium and chloride (p < 0.05). In conclusion, high-level padel matches provoke several changes in biochemical parameters related to muscle damage and protein catabolism. Recovery and fluid intake strategies could be added regarding gender. The results obtained could be due to the differences in the intensity and volume of the simulated competition.
Art-Science Collaborative Competencies: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study for Improving Problem Solving for Sustainability Challenges
Authors: Cardenas Edgar , Rodegher Sandra L.
Published: October 2020

The complexity and interconnectedness of sustainability issues has led to the joining of disciplines. This effort has been primarily within the sciences with minimal attention given to the relationship between science and art. The exclusion of art is problematic since sustainability challenges are not only scientific and technical; they are also cultural, so the arts, as shapers of culture, are critical components that warrant representation. Hence, it stands to reason that understanding art-science integration will benefit sustainability’s focus on use-inspired basic research. In this paper, we focus on artist-scientist team dynamics and the impact of those team dynamics on the quality of their outputs, in service of gleaning insight into how interdisciplinary teams can better work together to address sustainability challenges. In other words, we ask the question “How do art-science teams reason together, validate ideas, and produce robust outcomes when facing a task related to complex socio-ecological systems, which sit at the crux of sustainability challenges?” To address this question, we conducted a small-group pilot study of artist-scientist teams tasked with developing interpretive signage for the Tres Rios wetland site. We collected survey and ethnographic data to account for intra- and interpersonal interactions in teams. Specifically, this study focuses on variables we call barriers or carriers, which aid or hinder the collaborative interactions of deeply diverse teams. We found that successful art-science collaborations appear to result in improved communication skills, better problem articulation, more creative problem solving, and the questioning of personal and disciplinary mental models.
Report from a Chinese Village 2019: Rural Homestead Transfer and Rural Vitalization
Authors: Zhang Yongchao , Westlund Hans , Klaesson Johan
Published: October 2020

With the economic transition and changes in the urban–rural relationships, rural revitalization has become a great political concern in China. Reforming the rural land system is considered an important prerequisite for the revitalization of the countryside as the homestead transfer can provide new land utilization space for industries. This case study of the “hollow village” (villages with abandoned houses) reconstruction of Wantang in Yiwu city, which is a homestead system reforming pilot, aims at making a detailed analysis of the specific practice of homestead transfer. It analyzes the roles and functions of the local village collective organization in the reform of homestead transfer. From the capitalization on homestead value, the effect of densification of housing, and the effect of labor resource diversification of homestead transfer, this paper analyzes how the village collective uses the policy of the “hollow village reconstruction” to realize rural revitalization and farmers’ welfare. A conclusion is that the village collective’s leadership and mobilization played an indispensable role in the process of homestead system reform. Building up industry is the key factor for the village’s revitalization. It is significant not only for the use of the homestead resource but also for creating off-farm employment. Our findings also emphasize the need for bottom-up village collective initiatives to align with top-down government policy, regional resource endowments and enterprises, to achieve rural revitalization.
The Effect of Sensory Satiety on Perceived Benefits: The Case of Aesthetic Consumption in South Korea
Authors: Jeon Joo-Eon , Lee Eun Mi
Published: October 2020

Repeated exposure to aesthetic design results in consumers experiencing satiation because of sensory satiety. In other words, being consistently exposed to aesthetic stimuli activates consumers’ sensory satiety, defined as the drop in sensory pleasure, and the resulting reduction of their value of aesthetic products ultimately leads to switching intentions. That is, sensory satiety reduces functional and emotional benefits. Furthermore, consumers are unlikely to recall every item they have consumed, and are instead likely to focus on a particular option. Thus, this study predicts that consumers can recover from satiation over time. This research proposes that both satiation and accustomedness negatively affect functional benefit. As an empirical study, the research uses a multiple regression model for two purposes: The first is to test the impact of sensory satiety on perceived benefits, and the second is to observe the change in sensory satiety over time. We find that satiation and accustomedness, as sub-dimensional scales of sensory satiety, reduce perceived benefits. The results showed that it is clear that only satiation reduced functional benefits, whereas both satiation and accustomedness reduced emotional benefits. In addition, our study confirms the change in sensory satiety over time. Consumers who have been continuously exposed to, and used, aesthetic products become accustomed to them and feel satiated. Based on these results, this study will be useful for the sustainability of the product life cycle.
Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), Traveler Behaviors, and International Tourism Businesses: Impact of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Knowledge, Psychological Distress, Attitude, and Ascribed Responsibility
Authors: Han Heesup , Lee Soyeun , Kim Jinkyung Jenny , Ryu Hyungseo Bobby
Published: October 2020

The international tourism industry is among the hardest-hit by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Due to this tourism crisis, this research attempted to uncover the possible influence of the corporate social responsibility efforts of the international tourism businesses and of the knowledge of COVID-19 on the US travelers’ decision formation for international tourism products. A quantitative approach and survey methodology were used. The findings revealed that corporate social responsibility improves travelers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions. In addition, the travelers’ knowledge perception of COVID-19 was significantly associated with their psychological distress. Decreasing this psychological distress related to overseas tourism was of importance to boost a positive attitude toward international traveling, which directly leads to increased behavioral intentions. Testing for the metric invariance revealed that an association between the corporate social responsibility and intentions was only significant when the travelers strongly felt an ascription of responsibility for the COVID-19 outbreak and the pandemic. The theoretical uses and the practical values of this research are discussed.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) Usage in Organizations: Impact on Environmental and Economic Performance
Authors: Tajudeen Farzana Parveen , Jaafar Noor Ismawati , Sulaiman Ainin , Moghavvemi Sedigheh
Published: October 2020

Environmental sustainability is receiving serious attention from organizations. Green practices and the use of green technologies such as Light Emitting Diode (LED) among organizations can reduce energy consumption, besides providing numerous benefits to the environment as well as organizations. Using the Belief–Action–Outcome framework, the stakeholder and social contract theory, this study aims to investigate the external and internal factors that influence LED usage, and the subsequent impact this may have on organizational outcomes. Data were collected from 300 Malaysian organizations that were LED users. Findings showed that social expectation had a significant positive influence on organizations’ environmental concern while stakeholder pressure and organizations’ environmental concern had a direct significant positive influence on LED usage. The findings further revealed that LED usage has a positive impact on organizations’ environmental and economic performance. This study contributes to the green and sustainability literature by identifying the relationship between specific macro level and micro level factors, and its link to organizations’ use of LED, and the subsequent impact on organizational outcomes. The identification of the antecedents and consequences of LED usage can help managers to formulate strategies that contribute to green climate within organizations, thereby supporting green technology usage and environmental sustainability.
Evaluation of Biological Reference Points for Conservation and Management of the Bigeye Thresher Shark, Alopias superciliosus, in the Northwest Pacific
Authors: Tsai Wen-Pei , Liu Kwang-Ming , Chang Yi-Jay
Published: October 2020

Full stock assessment of sharks is usually hindered by a lack of long time-series catch and effort data. In these circumstances, demographic and per-recruit analyses may provide alternate approaches to describe population status because these methods can be applied to estimate biological reference points (BRPs) for shark stocks. However, the appropriate level of BRPs for sharks is difficult to determine, given the expected low reproductive rates. To determine which BRPs are most appropriate for the CITES-listed species—bigeye thresher shark, Alopias superciliosus, a stochastic demographic model with Monte Carlo simulations and per-recruit models were used to estimate BRPs in this study. The results indicated that conventional fishing mortality-based BRPs (FBRPs) derived from per-recruit models may result in a clear population decline. Our analyses also demonstrated that the bigeye thresher population in the Northwest Pacific will stabilize only if demographic-based FBRP is implemented. The FBRP estimated based on the stochastic demographic model was 0.079–0.139 y−1, which was equivalent to SPR = 50–70%. The findings strongly suggested that more conservative threshold FBRPs should be implemented to ensure sustainable utilization of the bigeye thresher stock. The present study provides new and strategically important information on the population dynamics of the bigeye thresher in the Northwest Pacific, which can be used to help fishery managers to adopt more efficient management measures for this stock. It is also suggested that this approach can be applied to other shark species with limited catch and effort data.
Effects of Perceived Sustainability Level of Sportswear Product on Purchase Intention: Exploring the Roles of Perceived Skepticism and Perceived Brand Reputation
Authors: Kim Yunjeong , Oh Kyung Wha
Published: October 2020

Fashion companies are trying to increase the efficiency of their communication with consumers by providing information on sustainable activities or product levels. This study explored the effects of the perceived sustainability level of products offered by sports brands. An online survey was conducted of consumers in their 20s and 30s, and a total of 316 questionnaires were used for the analysis. The structural equation model analysis using AMOS showed that the perceived sustainability level had a positive effect on purchase intention and a negative effect on perceived skepticism. Furthermore, perceived skepticism was confirmed to have a negative effect on purchase intention. By verifying the moderating effect of the perceived brand reputation, it was confirmed that the effect of the perceived sustainability level on purchase intention and the influence of the perceived skepticism on purchase intention differ between high and low brand reputation groups. When the perceived brand reputation is high, the perceived sustainability level has only a direct effect on purchase intention, whereas when the perceived brand reputation is low, only the indirect effect of perceived skepticism appears. This study contributes to the literature and practice by verifying that perceived skepticism plays an important role in the purchasing behavior of sustainable products in fashion.
Impact of Feeding Schedule on the Growth Performances of Tilapia, Common Carp, and Rice Yield in an Integrated Rice-Fish Farming System
Authors: Billah Md M. , Uddin Md Kamal , Samad Mohd Y. A. , Hassan Mohd Z. B. , Anwar Md Parvez , Talukder Isa , Shahjahan Md , Haque Ahmad Numery Ashfaqul
Published: October 2020

Feeding frequency, among various factors, greatly influences the production costs of aquaculture. In the present investigation, the effects of feeding schedule on the growth and production of tilapia and common carp were evaluated, along with rice yield, in an integrated rice-fish culture system. The experiment comprised 11 treatments, each with three replications, and a control treatment with no fish (T0). The fish in treatments T1–T5 were fed with rice bran once per week at 09:00 for T1, two days per week at 12:00 for T2, three days per week at 15:00 for T3, four days per week at 18:00 for T4, and five days per week at 09:00 and 18:00 for T5. The fish in treatments T6–T10 were fed an artificial floating feed with the same scheduled feeding frequency as T1–T5. The highest specific growth rate (SGR) in common carp (2.4%) and tilapia (4.3%) was found in T10. Similarly, the highest weight gains of tilapia (322.7 g) and common carp (180.9 g) were observed in T10 after 75 days of culture. In terms of rice, however, the highest recorded grain, straw, and biological yields of 5.6, 6.8, and 12.3 t ha−1, respectively, were observed for control T0. Overall, the highest net return (USD 30,051 ha−1) was found in T10. There was a 1504% greater net return and 98% higher benefit–cost ratio (BCR) in T10 compared to the control (T0). Five days of feeding per week at 09:00 and 18:00 was found to be the feeding schedule that resulted in the highest economic net return of those tested.
Atmospheric Emission Changes and Their Economic Impacts during the COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown in Argentina
Authors: Bolaño-Ortiz Tomás R. , Puliafito S. Enrique , Berná-Peña Lucas L. , Pascual-Flores Romina M. , Urquiza Josefina , Camargo-Caicedo Yiniva
Published: October 2020

This work studied the emission changes and their economic effects during the Argentina’s COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. We have analyzed the atmospheric emissions of the main greenhouse gases (GHG: CO2, CH4, and N2O) and other pollutants (NOx, CO, NMVOC, SO2, PM10, PM2.5, and BC) from various sectors such as private road transport, freight, public transport, agriculture machines, thermal power plants, residential, commercial, and governmental from January 2005 to April 2020. We focused on the months with the greatest restrictions of COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina (March and April 2020). The results show emissions reduction up to 37% for PM10, PM2.5, and BC, consistent with observed from satellite images and up to 160% for NOx, CO, NMVOC, and SOx. However, the residential sector has increased their emissions by 8% for the same period. As a consequence, 3337 Gg of CO2eq of GHG emissions were reduced, corresponding to a 20% reduction compared to the same period in 2019. Besides, a 26% reduction in gross domestic product (GDP) was observed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that each Tg of GHG reduction was associated to a 0.16% reduction of the GDP from the analyzed sectors. Thus, without a voluntary reduction in consumption associated to significant cultural and technological changes, reduction in GHG would still be associated with deepening inequalities and asymmetries between high and low consumption sectors (i.e., with better (lesser) education, health, and job opportunities), even within countries and cities.
Smart Grids and Their Role in Transforming Human Activities—A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Verdejo-Espinosa Ángeles , Espinilla-Estévez Macarena , Mata Mata Francisco
Published: October 2020

In this work, a systematic review of the literature has been carried out to analyse the design of intelligent networks in environments inhabited by people and the applications of sensors to improve quality of life and aid human activities. This study aims to answer three research questions. The first question is whether the design of smart grids is made with people in mind. The second question focuses on whether intelligent networks are being taken account of in the research on human activity recognition, the Internet of Things, and the recognition of activities of daily living. The third question looks at whether there are synergies and multidisciplinary teams studying state-of-the-art technologies applied to environments inhabited by elderly or disabled people. Installations with sensors deployed for the improvement of the quality of human life will also help to improve the quality of the intelligent network, thus integrating the Human–Technology binomial. This study concludes with an analysis of the results of the sources examined, putting forward a protocol of seven proposals to guide future work.
Literature Trend Identification of Sustainable Technology Innovation: A Bibliometric Study Based on Co-Citation and Main Path Analysis
Authors: Zhang Ben , Ma Lei , Liu Zheng
Published: October 2020

In the past 20 years, there have been increasingly more studies on sustainable technology innovation (STI), possessing a significance for sustainable development. This paper aims to provide a research landscape, since the systematic understanding of STI is still inadequate. Through bibliometric analysis, it explores the literature distribution characteristics and the literature citation network. Based on the relevant literature data in the Web of Science (WOS), the study visually analyzes the development trend, topic distribution, burst literature, and co-citation network of the research literature, and extracts the evolution path of literature citation by using the main path analysis method. Through the analysis of co-citation and main path, 13 clusters in the co-citation network are found, which are further extracted as the main path network containing 82 nodes. Furthermore, this paper summarized the bibliometric landscape and discussed the frontier STI research topics. The comprehensive framework contributes to the understanding of STI themes and identifying future research agenda.
Remote Teaching of Building Information Modeling During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study
Authors: Boton Conrad
Published: October 2020

This article reports on a Building information modeling (BIM) distance learning experience in a pandemic context. Based on a description of the experience and a survey completed by the learners at the end of the course, the article presents and discusses various aspects of the training, including the overall satisfaction of the learners, their evaluation of the technical aspects and the practical work, as well as the proposals made to improve the course. The analysis shows that some elements of the teaching functioned well, while others were rated as being less satisfactory by the students. More specifically, the learners highlighted the need to find ways and means to improve the level of interaction, which is reduced by online education. The use of video clips as a support for practical work was recognized as being effective, but it seems useful also to resort to the use of collaborative platforms dedicated to the construction industry. A critical aspect is the remote access to computer labs with computers where the taught software is installed, as not all of the learners will always have the option of having it on their personal computers. Although the results of the experiment are difficult to generalize due to its particular context, they identify interesting avenues for improvement while paving the way to unique opportunities for the use of active pedagogy principles in BIM education.
The Impact of Hydropeaking on Juvenile Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) in a Norwegian Regulated River
Authors: Saltveit Svein Jakob , Brabrand Åge , Juárez Ana , Stickler Morten , Dønnum Bjørn Otto
Published: October 2020

The Norwegian electrical energy supply system is based on hydropower. The now deregulated energy market has led to increased use of hydropeaking production, leading to greater fluctuations in discharge and water levels below hydropower stations. The power station HOL 1, with an outlet to the Storåne River, is a large hydropeaking facility. With over 300 rapid flow increases and decreases per year since 2012, it is a river subjected to frequent hydropeaking. To quantify the stranding risk downstream of the power plant, the effect of a series of different turbine shutdown scenarios was simulated in an earlier study. The residual flow of 6 m3·s−1 and a full production of 66 m3·s−1 were considered as the baselines for the calculation of dewatered areas. A three-year study of juvenile fish density both upstream as a reference and downstream of the power plant was undertaken. There were very low densities or even an absence of brown trout (Salmo trutta) older than young-of-the-year (YoY) below the outlet of the power station, despite high densities of YoY in previous years. This is probably due to the large and rapid changes in flow below the power station. Hydropeaking has less impact on the earliest life stages of brown trout during spring and summer, as well as on spawning and egg development during winter. This is attributed spawning in late autumn occurring at a low flow seldom reached during hydropeaking. The high survival of YoY during the first summer and early autumn is likely due to a lower frequency of hydropeaking and higher residual flows, leaving a larger wetted area.
Sustainability Viewed from Farmers’ Perspectives in a Resource-Constrained Environment
Authors: Baccar Mariem , Bouaziz Ahmed , Dugué Patrick , Gafsi Mohamed , Le Gal Pierre-Yves
Published: October 2020

The way farmers perceive the concept of sustainability as applied to their own farms must be better understood in order to help them evolve towards more sustainable production systems. Based on extensive discussions with 36 farmers on the Saïs plain (Morocco), this article explores farmers’ perceptions of sustainability and the strategies they are implementing for their farms to endure. Although these farmers are not formally aware of the concept of sustainability, they have several perceptions expressed through seven sustainability-related themes. The most frequently mentioned is the profitability of their agricultural activities (31% of responses). Three groups of perception were identified through a multiple component analysis (MCA) and an ascending hierarchical cluster (AHC) analysis: A combination of economic profitability and maintenance of the farm’s natural resources (Environment); a combination of economic profitability and a capacity to seize opportunities (Profitability); and setting up a modern agricultural model (Modernism). Additionally, farmers implement three types of strategies to endure also identified through MCA and AHC analysis: (1) Income security and farm survival with low-intensity practices involving farmers with low levels of investment (Security); (2) adaptation and valorization of the flexibility of the farm, bringing together farmers who intensify their practices according to economic opportunities (Adaptation); and (3) quest for productivity and income maximization for farmers with high levels of capital (Entrepreneurship). A certain coherence emerges between these two ways of grouping farms: Environment and Security linked to threats related to the degradation of soil fertility or water scarcity; Profitability and Adaptation in relation to land and economic opportunities; and Modernism and Entrepreneurship, which links economic sustainability, a modern production model, and capital accumulation.
Non-Monotone Projected Gradient Method in Linear Elasticity Contact Problems with Given Friction
Authors: Pospíšil Lukáš , Čermák Martin , Horák David , Kružík Jakub
Published: October 2020

We are focusing on the algorithms for solving the large-scale convex optimization problem in linear elasticity contact problems discretized by Finite Element method (FEM). The unknowns of the problem are the displacements of the FEM nodes, the corresponding objective function is defined as a convex quadratic function with symmetric positive definite stiffness matrix and additional non-linear term representing the friction in contact. The feasible set constraints the displacement subject to non-penetration conditions. The dual formulation of this optimization problem is well-known as a Quadratic Programming (QP) problem and can be considered as a most basic non-linear optimization problem. Understanding these problems and the development of efficient algorithms for solving them play the crucial role in the large-scale problems in practical applications. We shortly review the theory and examine the behavior and the efficiency of Spectral Projected Gradient method modified for QP problems (SPG-QP) on the solution of a toy example in MATLAB environment.
Calcination Improves the In Vivo Efficacy of a Montmorillonite Clay to Bind Aflatoxin G1 in Broiler Chickens: A Toxicokinetic Approach
Authors: Rejeb Roua , Baere Siegrid De , Devreese Mathias , Ducatelle Richard , Croubels Siska , Ayed Madiha Hadj , Ghorbal Achraf , Antonissen Gunther
Published: October 2020

The goal of this study was to investigate the toxicokinetic characteristics of aflatoxin G1 (AFG1) in broiler chickens and the effect of calcination of a Tunisian montmorillonite clay on the in vivo absorption of AFG1. In this study, broiler chickens were randomly distributed into four groups of 10 animals. Group 1 was administered AFG1 (2 mg/kg body weight (BW)) by single intravenous injection (IV), group 2 received an intra-crop bolus (PO) of AFG1 without any clay, group 3 was dosed AFG1 PO together with an oral bolus of purified clay (CP), and group 4 received AFG1 PO with an oral bolus of calcined clay. A significant difference in the area under the curve (AUC0-t) was observed for group 4 (6.78 ± 4.24 h*ng/mL) in comparison with group 2 (12.83 ± 4.19 h*ng/mL). A significant reduction of the oral bioavailability of AFG1 was observed for group 4 (7.61 ± 4.76%) compared with group 2 (14.40 ± 4.70%), while no significant effect was observed of CP. In this experiment, no phase I nor phase II metabolites of AFG1 were observed. These findings confirm that calcination of the purified montmorillonite clay enhances the adsorption of AFG1 in the gastrointestinal tract after oral administration, thereby reducing its bioavailability, thus reducing its toxic effects.
Disruption of Zika Virus xrRNA1-Dependent sfRNA1 Production Results in Tissue-Specific Attenuated Viral Replication
Authors: Sparks Hadrian , Monogue Brendan , Akiyama Benjamin , Kieft Jeffrey , Beckham J. David
Published: October 2020

The Zika virus (ZIKV), like other flaviviruses, produces several species of sub-genomic RNAs (sfRNAs) during infection, corresponding to noncoding RNA fragments of different lengths that result from the exonuclease degradation of the viral 3′ untranslated region (UTR). Over the course of infection, these sfRNAs accumulate in the cell as a result of an incomplete viral genome degradation of the 3′ UTR by the host 5′ to 3′ exoribonuclease, Xrn1. The halting of Xrn1 in the 3′ UTR is due to two RNA pseudoknot structures in the 3′ UTR, termed exoribonuclease-resistant RNA1 and 2 (xrRNA1&2). Studies with related flaviviruses have shown that sfRNAs are important for pathogenicity and inhibiting both mosquito and mammalian host defense mechanisms. However, these investigations have not included ZIKV and there is very limited data addressing how sfRNAs impact infection in a whole animal model or specific tissues. In this study, we generate a sfRNA1-deficient ZIKV (X1) by targeted mutation in the xrRNA1 3′ UTR structure. We find that the X1 virus lacks the production of the largest ZIKV sfRNA species, sfRNA1. Using the X1 virus to infect adult Ifnar1−/− mice, we find that while the lack of sfRNA1 does not alter ZIKV replication in the spleen, there is a significant reduction of ZIKV genome replication in the brain and placenta compared to wild-type ZIKV infection. Despite the attenuated phenotype of the X1 ZIKV, mice develop a robust neutralizing antibody response. We conclude that the targeted disruption of xrRNA1 results in tissue-specific attenuation while still supporting robust neutralizing antibody responses. Future studies will need to investigate the tissue-specific mechanisms by which ZIKV sfRNAs influence infection and may utilize targeted xrRNA mutations to develop novel attenuated flavivirus vaccine approaches.