bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regional Assessments of Surface Ice Elevations from Swath-Processed CryoSat-2 SARIn Data
Authors: Andersen Natalia Havelund , Simonsen Sebastian Bjerregaard , Winstrup Mai , Nilsson Johan , Sørensen Louise Sandberg
Published: June 2021

The Arctic responds rapidly to climate change, and the melting of land ice is a major contributor to the observed present-day sea-level rise. The coastal regions of these ice-covered areas are showing the most dramatic changes in the form of widespread thinning. Therefore, it is vital to improve the monitoring of these areas to help us better understand their contribution to present-day sea levels. In this study, we derive ice-surface elevations from the swath processing of CryoSat-2 SARIn data, and evaluate the results in several Arctic regions. In contrast to the conventional retracking of radar data, swath processing greatly enhances spatial coverage as it uses the majority of information in the radar waveform to create a swath of elevation measurements. However, detailed validation procedures for swath-processed data are important to assess the performance of the method. Therefore, a range of validation activities were carried out to evaluate the performance of the swath processor in four different regions in the Arctic. We assessed accuracy by investigating both intramission crossover elevation differences, and comparisons to independent elevation data. The validation data consisted of both air- and spaceborne laser altimetry, and airborne X-band radar data. There were varying elevation biases between CryoSat-2 and the validation datasets. The best agreement was found for CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 over the Helheim region in June 2019. To test the stability of the swath processor, we applied two different coherence thresholds. The number of data points was increased by approximately 25% when decreasing the coherence threshold in the processor from 0.8 to 0.6. However, depending on the region, this came with the cost of an increase of 33–65% in standard deviation of the intramission differences. Our study highlights the importance of selecting an appropriate coherence threshold for the swath processor. Coherence threshold should be chosen on a case-specific basis depending on the need for enhanced spatial coverage or accuracy.
A Burned Area Mapping Algorithm for Sentinel-2 Data Based on Approximate Reasoning and Region Growing
Authors: Sali Matteo , Piaser Erika , Boschetti Mirco , Brivio Pietro Alessandro , Sona Giovanna , Bordogna Gloria , Stroppiana Daniela
Published: June 2021

Sentinel-2 (S2) multi-spectral instrument (MSI) images are used in an automated approach built on fuzzy set theory and a region growing (RG) algorithm to identify areas affected by fires in Mediterranean regions. S2 spectral bands and their post- and pre-fire date (Δpost-pre) difference are interpreted as evidence of burn through soft constraints of membership functions defined from statistics of burned/unburned training regions; evidence of burn brought by the S2 spectral bands (partial evidence) is integrated using ordered weighted averaging (OWA) operators that provide synthetic score layers of likelihood of burn (global evidence of burn) that are combined in an RG algorithm. The algorithm is defined over a training site located in Italy, Vesuvius National Park, where membership functions are defined and OWA and RG algorithms are first tested. Over this site, validation is carried out by comparison with reference fire perimeters derived from supervised classification of very high-resolution (VHR) PlanetScope images leading to more than satisfactory results with Dice coefficient > 0.84, commission error < 0.22 and omission error < 0.15. The algorithm is tested for exportability over five sites in Portugal (1), Spain (2) and Greece (2) to evaluate the performance by comparison with fire reference perimeters derived from the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) database. In these sites, we estimate commission error < 0.15, omission error < 0.1 and Dice coefficient > 0.9 with accuracy in some cases greater than values obtained in the training site. Regression analysis confirmed the satisfactory accuracy levels achieved over all sites. The algorithm proposed offers the advantages of being least dependent on a priori/supervised selection for input bands (by building on the integration of redundant partial burn evidence) and for criteria/threshold to obtain segmentation into burned/unburned areas.
Improved Transformer Net for Hyperspectral Image Classification
Authors: Qing Yuhao , Liu Wenyi , Feng Liuyan , Gao Wanjia
Published: June 2021

In recent years, deep learning has been successfully applied to hyperspectral image classification (HSI) problems, with several convolutional neural network (CNN) based models achieving an appealing classification performance. However, due to the multi-band nature and the data redundancy of the hyperspectral data, the CNN model underperforms in such a continuous data domain. Thus, in this article, we propose an end-to-end transformer model entitled SAT Net that is appropriate for HSI classification and relies on the self-attention mechanism. The proposed model uses the spectral attention mechanism and the self-attention mechanism to extract the spectral–spatial features of the HSI image, respectively. Initially, the original HSI data are remapped into multiple vectors containing a series of planar 2D patches after passing through the spectral attention module. On each vector, we perform linear transformation compression to obtain the sequence vector length. During this process, we add the position–coding vector and the learnable–embedding vector to manage capturing the continuous spectrum relationship in the HSI at a long distance. Then, we employ several multiple multi-head self-attention modules to extract the image features and complete the proposed network with a residual network structure to solve the gradient dispersion and over-fitting problems. Finally, we employ a multilayer perceptron for the HSI classification. We evaluate SAT Net on three publicly available hyperspectral datasets and challenge our classification performance against five current classification methods employing several metrics, i.e., overall and average classification accuracy and Kappa coefficient. Our trials demonstrate that SAT Net attains a competitive classification highlighting that a Self-Attention Transformer network and is appealing for HSI classification.
Enhancement of Detecting Permanent Water and Temporary Water in Flood Disasters by Fusing Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Imagery Using Deep Learning Algorithms: Demonstration of Sen1Floods11 Benchmark Datasets
Authors: Bai Yanbing , Wu Wenqi , Yang Zhengxin , Yu Jinze , Zhao Bo , Liu Xing , Yang Hanfang , Mas Erick , Koshimura Shunichi
Published: June 2021

Identifying permanent water and temporary water in flood disasters efficiently has mainly relied on change detection method from multi-temporal remote sensing imageries, but estimating the water type in flood disaster events from only post-flood remote sensing imageries still remains challenging. Research progress in recent years has demonstrated the excellent potential of multi-source data fusion and deep learning algorithms in improving flood detection, while this field has only been studied initially due to the lack of large-scale labelled remote sensing images of flood events. Here, we present new deep learning algorithms and a multi-source data fusion driven flood inundation mapping approach by leveraging a large-scale publicly available Sen1Flood11 dataset consisting of roughly 4831 labelled Sentinel-1 SAR and Sentinel-2 optical imagery gathered from flood events worldwide in recent years. Specifically, we proposed an automatic segmentation method for surface water, permanent water, and temporary water identification, and all tasks share the same convolutional neural network architecture. We utilize focal loss to deal with the class (water/non-water) imbalance problem. Thorough ablation experiments and analysis confirmed the effectiveness of various proposed designs. In comparison experiments, the method proposed in this paper is superior to other classical models. Our model achieves a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 52.99%, Intersection over Union (IoU) of 52.30%, and Overall Accuracy (OA) of 92.81% on the Sen1Flood11 test set. On the Sen1Flood11 Bolivia test set, our model also achieves very high mIoU (47.88%), IoU (76.74%), and OA (95.59%) and shows good generalization ability.
Squint Model InISAR Imaging Method Based on Reference Interferometric Phase Construction and Coordinate Transformation
Authors: Li Yu , Zhang Yunhua , Dong Xiao
Published: June 2021

The imaging quality of InISAR under squint geometry can be greatly degraded due to the serious interferometric phase ambiguity (InPhaA) and thus result in image distortion problems. Aiming to solve these problems, a three-dimensional InISAR (3D ISAR) imaging method based on reference InPhas construction and coordinate transformation is presented in this paper. First, the target’s 3D coarse location is obtained by the cross-correlation algorithm, and a relatively stronger scatterer is taken as the reference scatterer to construct the reference interferometric phases (InPhas) so as to remove the InPhaA and restore the real InPhas. The selected scatterer needs not to be exactly in the center of the coarsely located target. Then, the image distortion is corrected by coordinate transformation, and finally the 3D coordinates of the target can be accurately estimated. Both simulation and practical experiment results validate the effectiveness of the method.
Prebiotic Food Intake May Improve Bone Resorption in Japanese Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ishizu Tatsuya , Takai Eri , Torii Suguru , Taguchi Motoko
Published: June 2021

The aim of the present study was to clarify the influence of inulin and lactulose-fortified prebiotic food intakes on bone metabolism turnover among Japanese female athletes. The participants included 29 female athletes aged 18–25 years. They were requested to consume their habitual foods or drinks with one pack of prebiotic food every day for 12 weeks. Dietary intake, training time, body composition, blood sample, and fecal microbiota were assessed during this intervention period. Body composition, total energy intake, and training time of the participants revealed no significant changes during the intervention period. The occupation ratio of Bifidobacterium spp. was significantly increased at 3 and 4 weeks (18.0 ± 8.3% and 17.6 ± 8.5%, respectively) compared to that of pre-intervention (11.7 ± 7.3%) (p = 0.019 and p = 0.035, respectively). The serum TRACP-5b level was significantly decreased at 12 weeks (363 ± 112 mU/dL) compared to that at baseline (430 ± 154 mU/dL) (p = 0.018). These results suggest that the prebiotic food used in this study might have beneficial effects on bone health and gut microbial environment among female athletes. Further studies are warranted to identify the mechanism of the prebiotics–gut–bone axis.
Troubleshooting a Nonresponder: Guidance for the Strength and Conditioning Coach
Authors: Gleason Benjamin H. , Hornsby William G. , Suarez Dylan G. , Nein Matthew A. , Stone Michael H.
Published: June 2021

Ideally an athlete would continue to improve performance indefinitely over time, however improvement slows as the athlete approaches their genetic limits. Measuring performance is complex—performance may be temporarily depressed following aggressive training for multiple reasons, physiological and psychosocial. This reality may be vexing to the strength and conditioning coach, who, as a service provider, must answer to sport coaches about an athlete’s progress. Recently an evaluation mechanism for strength and conditioning coaches was proposed, in part to help coaches establish their effectiveness within the organization. Without formal guidance and realistic expectations, if an athlete is not bigger, leaner, stronger, etc. as a result of training within a specified timeframe, blame is often placed upon the strength and conditioning coach. The purpose of this article is to explore possible causes of what may be perceived as athlete non-responses to training and to provide guidance for the coach on how to handle those issues within their domain. A process of investigation is recommended, along with resources to assist coaches as they consider a broad range of issues, including enhancing existing testing methods, improving athlete behaviors, and adjusting processes designed to bring about performance improvement.
Training Load Monitoring Considerations for Female Gaelic Team Sports: From Theory to Practice
Authors: Duggan John D. , Moody Jeremy A. , Byrne Paul J. , Cooper Stephen-Mark , Ryan Lisa
Published: June 2021

Athlete monitoring enables sports science practitioners to collect information to determine how athletes respond to training loads (TL) and the demands of competition. To date, recommendations for females are often adapted from their male counterparts. There is currently limited information available on TL monitoring in female Gaelic team sports in Ireland. The collection and analysis of female athlete monitoring data can provide valuable information to support the development of female team sports. Athletic monitoring can also support practitioners to help minimize risk of excessive TL and optimize potential athletic performance. The aims of this narrative review are to provide: (i) an overview of TL athlete monitoring in female team sports, (ii) a discussion of the potential metrics and tools used to monitor external TL and internal TL, (iii) the advantages and disadvantages of TL modalities for use in Gaelic team sports, and (iv) practical considerations on how to monitor TL to aid in the determination of meaningful change with female Gaelic team sports athletes.
Use of Flat Interwoven Wooden Strips in Architecture and Construction. Simulation and Optimization Using 3D Digital Models
Authors: Casado Amaia , Sánchez Antonio , Marieta Cristina , Leon Iñigo
Published: June 2021

This research aims to promote the use of natural materials in construction. Its purpose is to rediscover the interlacing of flat wooden strips. Attending to environmental criteria, it focuses on the study of wood from a locally produced tree, the chestnut, in the north of Spain. However, the proposed methodology can be universally replicated with local wood productions anywhere. The interweaving of flat wooden strips is linked to traditional basketry, which is at serious risk of disappearing in many places. A combined method based on the design of interlaced artifacts is proposed. For this purpose, the mechanical characteristics of the specific material tested were analyzed in advance. The elastic limit of the material was obtained, and this allowed simulating and optimizing the maximum curvatures of the flat strips in a 3D digital model. New geometric shapes were designed with new interlacing wefts and were built with the tested material. The digital models used serve as a record of the artifacts built, and can be posted on web platforms so that they can be universally replicated. This will allow for the preservation of this heritage of built artifacts using basketry techniques, enabling the proposed objective to be achieved.
Italy Is Fragile: Soil Consumption and Climate Change Combined Effects on Territorial Heritage Maintenance
Authors: Fabian Lorenzo , Bertin Mattia
Published: June 2021

The article looks for relations between growth of expanding cities, number of catastrophes and reduction of inhabitants in inland regions. The study explores these aspects through cartographic readings aimed at highlighting the relationship between soil consumption, the abandonment of peripheral areas, and environmental risks due to floods, landslides and earthquakes. The research analyzes the whole of Italy as a case study between 1990 and 2019 to get an accurate interpretation of the relations between these phenomena. The conclusions alert us to the need to redirect Italy’s development and its resilience projects. The study outlines the need of a re-living plan for Italian inner areas. It would be the only security process really capable of taking care of the territory.
Optimizing the Biosorption Behavior of Ludwigia stolonifera in the Removal of Lead and Chromium Metal Ions from Synthetic Wastewater
Authors: El-Amier Yasser A. , Elsayed Ashraf , El-Esawi Mohamed A. , Noureldeen Ahmed , Darwish Hadeer , Fakhry Hala
Published: June 2021

In this study, a natural low-coast, efficient, and eco- bio-sorbent plant material (Ludwigia stolonifera), with both parts of the root and shoot, were studied for the removal of the cationic metal ions, lead Pb2+ and chromium Cr6+, via batch mode experiments to evaluate their maximum adsorption capacity, and held a comparison between the used bio-sorbent roots and shoots, based on the highest bio-sorption potential. Optimization of the bio-sorption parameters, such as contact time, pH, bio-sorbent (root and shoot) dosage, and initial ion concentration was conducted. The results indicated that 1.6 g of the used bio-sorbent shoot material removed 81.4% of Pb2+, and 77% of Cr6+ metal ions from liquid media under the conditions of 100 ppm of initial metal ions concentration at room temperature for 60 min of contact time with the static condition. Different isotherms and kinetic models were fit to the experimental data to understand the nature of the bio-sorption process. The experimental data were best fit by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model with a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.999), which reveals the chemisorption nature of the bio-sorption process. The chemical and structural analysis of the used bio-sorbent, before and after Cr6+ and Pb2+ bio-sorption, were performed using different techniques of characterization, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The used bio-sorbent proved to be a low-cost, efficient, and eco-friendly material to remove heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions.
Fostering Sustainability and Critical Thinking through Debate—A Case Study
Authors: Rodriguez-Dono Alfonso , Hernández-Fernández Antoni
Published: June 2021

Transversal competences such as sustainability or critical thinking have become more important in the last decades in University teaching. The objective of this article is to assess the effectiveness of debate as a teaching method capable of fostering such competences in engineering students. To do this, a debate activity has been held facing two reasonable positions: Sustainable Development versus Degrowth. The research methodology consisted of performing this activity in the classroom (with 13 students in this particular case study), and conducting some tests before and after the debate that served as feedback to assess the effectiveness of the debate on the learning process. This feedback is composed of different documents, including a pre-post test, a specific survey about the debate, a pre-post knowledge survey and the Student Evaluation of Educational Quality (SEEQ) survey. A methodology for the organization of the debate is proposed and the answers of the students to these feedback documents are analyzed. As it can be inferred from the different surveys, the debate has been an efficient learning tool to acquire knowledge and to develop sustainability and critical thinking competences.
Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Tourist Risk Perceptions—The Case Study of Porto
Authors: da Silva Lopes Hélder , Remoaldo Paula C. , Ribeiro Vitor , Martín-Vide Javier
Published: June 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic outbreak (in early 2020) has dictated significant changes in society and territories by anticipating trends, changing priorities, and creating challenges, which are manifested in the territories. These are influenced by the levels of economic, cultural, and social restructuring, in the measures implemented by public administration or in attempts to redefine strategies for tourism destinations. This paper examines the perceptions and behaviors of tourists before and during COVID-19 in the municipality of Porto, the main area of the Porto Metropolitan Area, in Portugal. Research was based on the application of a questionnaire survey, probing the sensitivity of tourists to the crisis in the decision-making of daily routines, as well as future travel plans in the presence of a serious health concern. A total of 417 surveys were collected in the summers of 2019 and 2020. In addition to descriptive statistics, this paper also includes the results of the analysis of explanatory factors, being a reference for future studies. There were significant changes in the use of public space and the way tourist visits are handled, namely: (i) the concentration of visiting time (shorter visit than usual in certain tourist profiles); (ii) spatially limited visiting areas; and (iii) the ability to attract standard tourists from certain countries where tighter lockdown rules were imposed. Main implications of this study are reflected in the challenges that are imposed on the local agenda, where traditional problems are added to the responsibilities in crisis management and the ability to establish a third order of intervention in tourism.
A Landscape Persistence Assessment of Częstochowa Upland: A Case Study of Ogrodzieniec, Poland
Authors: Żemła-Siesicka Anna , Myga-Piątek Urszula
Published: June 2021

Landscape permanence is understood as the temporal extent of the dominance of a given type of landscape, expressed by the temporal continuity of its use. This issue, already being the subject of much research, is important in proper landscape protection and management. In this paper, spatial landscape persistence and persistence of particular landscape types are presented for the Ogrodzieniec municipality, Częstochowa Upland, Poland. In addition, a background of landscape types and their changes in the Częstochowa Upland has been presented. Based on current and historical topographic maps, landscape types (forest, agriculture, settlement, fortified and industrial) were identified for the following studied periods: 1831, 1944, 1965, 2007, 2014 and 2020. After overlapping the maps, the persistence index was calculated, and isochrones of landscape persistence were determined. The term ‘landscape isochrones’ introduced in this paper is defined as theoretical lines of equal landscape time duration (iso-persistence line). The results show that the landscape of Ogrodzieniec can be considered to be persistent. The largest area of the municipality is occupied by the most permanent landscapes dating from before 1831. The most persistent is the fortified landscape. The method applied is important for planning sustainable development of the region, which is currently under intense tourist and economic pressure.
The Application Potential of Hop Sediments from Beer Production for Composting
Authors: Kopeć Michał , Mierzwa-Hersztek Monika , Gondek Krzysztof , Wolny-Koładka Katarzyna , Zdaniewicz Marek , Suder Aleksandra
Published: June 2021

The chemical composition of hop sediments from beer brewing and fermentation gives them the potential for further use. These wastes are not generated in large amounts, but the absence of proper characteristics may lead to processing errors. This study examines the possibility of using hop waste for aerobic biological transformation processes (composting). The study was carried out on two hop sediments from two different technological stages of beer production: hot trub and spent hops. Chemical, microbiological, and biochemical analyses were performed in the composted hop sediments, as was the assessment of phytotoxicity to Lepidium sativum L. The tested feedstocks were partially inhabited by microorganisms and thus safe from an epidemiological point of view, and they were not a source of microbial contamination. Inhibitory properties for plant development were found for hot trub, which most likely result from the organic compound content. If it is only a small portion of its biomass, the mineral composition of hot trub does not exclude the possibility of its composting. Spent hops were characterized by a significant total nitrogen content, which affected the composting process. Composting this sediment required the selection of substrates with a widely C:N ratio.
Teachers’ Perceptions Analysis on Students’ Emotions in Virtual Classes during COVID19 Pandemic: A Lexical Availability Approach
Authors: Salcedo-Lagos Pedro , Morales-Candia Sergio , Fuentes-Riffo Karina , Rivera-Robles Susan , Sanhueza-Campos Cristian
Published: June 2021

Virtual education has grown exponentially in the past year due to the global COVID19 pandemic. In this context, the exploration of teachers’ perceptions of their students’ emotions when using ICTs has become more relevant. The aim of this study was two-fold, on the one hand, to analyze how teachers perceived their students’ emotions and, on the other hand, to analyze the emotions teachers wanted to modulate in their students when using ICTs. To this end, an interpretative and comparative study was implemented using the Lexical Availability technique. The sample was formed by 178 Chilean teachers who took a lexical availability test. The analysis included general vocabulary through network graphs and a comparison across gender, academic background, school type and knowledge area. The results made it possible to identify the latent mental lexicon of teachers, revealing significant differences in the perception of emotions, according to gender and ICTs use and according to gender and knowledge area. The study further projects the potential of lexical availability to determine the emotions required by Affective Informatics in the adaptability of educational systems and to make adjustments to the instructional design.
How Does Service Environment Enhance Consumer Loyalty in the Sport Fitness Industry? The Role of Servicescape, Cosumption Motivation, Emotional and Flow Experiences
Authors: Jeon Yunkyung , Kim Daehwan , Han Seungjin , Huang Yihan , Kim Jinjae
Published: June 2021

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the structural relationship between the servicescape, the emotional experience, space flow, satisfaction, and consumer loyalty in the context of sport fitness centers. Furthermore, the present study aimed to examine the moderating role of knowledge acquisition motivation in the effect of the servicescape on the emotional experience and space flow. For these research purposes, a survey study targeting 400 consumers of sport fitness centers was conducted via online and offline survey platforms in South Korea. After deleting 16 incomplete cases, 384 cases were included in the final data analysis. The results of latent moderated equations modeling (LMS) showed that the servicescape directly enhances the emotional experience and space flow. Also, it indirectly affects consumer loyalty via the emotional experience, space flow, and consumer satisfaction. Meanwhile, knowledge acquisition motivation was found to moderate the effect of the servicescape on space flow. The present study has several theoretical implications. First, the current study illuminates the process mechanism of the effect of the servicescape in sport fitness centers on consumer loyalty. Second, the present study empirically shows different patterns of consumer experiences and decision-making depending on consumption motivation. Based on the results, sport fitness center managers should not only pay more attention to the convenience of their servicescape but they should also design service environments maximizing consumers′ emotional experiences. Additionally, the results imply that assigning exercise beginners to an attractive physical environment is an effective strategy, because they are more likely to evaluate their experiences based on the perceived servicescape.
Multi-Reservoir Water Quality Mapping from Remote Sensing Using Spatial Regression
Authors: Chu Hone-Jay , He Yu-Chen , Chusnah Wachidatin Nisa’ul , Jaelani Lalu Muhamad , Chang Chih-Hua
Published: June 2021

Regional water quality mapping is the key practical issue in environmental monitoring. Global regression models transform measured spectral image data to water quality information without the consideration of spatially varying functions. However, it is extremely difficult to find a unified mapping algorithm in multiple reservoirs and lakes. The local model of water quality mapping can estimate water quality parameters effectively in multiple reservoirs using spatial regression. Experiments indicate that both models provide fine water quality mapping in low chlorophyll-a (Chla) concentration water (study area 1; root mean square error, RMSE: 0.435 and 0.413 mg m−3 in the best global and local models), whereas the local model provides better goodness-of-fit between the observed and derived Chla concentrations, especially in high-variance Chla concentration water (study area 2; RMSE: 20.75 and 6.49 mg m−3 in the best global and local models). In-situ water quality samples are collected and correlated with water surface reflectance derived from Sentinel-2 images. The blue-green band ratio and Maximum Chlorophyll Index (MCI)/Fluorescence Line Height (FLH) are feasible for estimating the Chla concentration in these waterbodies. Considering spatially-varying functions, the local model offers a robust approach for estimating the spatial patterns of Chla concentration in multiple reservoirs. The local model of water quality mapping can greatly improve the estimation accuracy in high-variance Chla concentration waters in multiple reservoirs.
Can Digital Inclusive Finance Narrow the Chinese Urban–Rural Income Gap? The Perspective of the Regional Urban–Rural Income Structure
Authors: Yu Naishu , Wang Yanzhe
Published: June 2021

This paper empirically studies the impact of digital inclusive finance on the income structure of urban and rural residents in eastern, central, and western China. The results show that, first, digital inclusive finance is beneficial to narrowing the urban–rural per capita disposable income gap that has a disequilibrium effect among regions. Second, narrowing the wage income, property income, and transfer income gaps is beneficial but has little effect on the net operating income gap between urban and rural residents. Third, narrowing the wage income, property income, and transfer income gaps reduces the total income gap, and the wage income gap has the strongest intermediary force. In the end, the paper puts forward corresponding countermeasures for the development of digital inclusive finance to narrow each of these income gaps in different regions of China.
Tools for the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the Design of an Urban Environmental and Healthy Proposal. A Case Study
Authors: Herrera-Limones Rafael , LopezDeAsiain Maria , Borrallo-Jiménez Milagrosa , Torres García Miguel
Published: June 2021

This article presents a methodological proposal to address the urban issue from the perspective of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Different tools have been developed for this purpose: the Aura Method and the Aura Matrix. The Aura Matrix of relationships built from the SDGs, along with the conceptual proposals to which the project must respond, allows for the definition of a methodological framework of action, defined as the Aura Method, applicable to any project that aims to respond to the urban scale from a more sustainable and healthy approach and within the framework of the above-mentioned goals. Two proposals for the Solar Decathlon Latin America of the Aura Team from the University of Seville (2015 and 2019) in Cali, Colombia, and their comparison, are presented as case studies. The scope of the 2019 proposal based on the use of these tools is more rigorous and bold with respect to the requirements defined by the SDGs than the 2015 proposal, based on the millennium goals. This reinforces to a great extent the resilience of the urban scope under study and its capacity to face serious situations in terms of citizens’ health, such as the pandemic we are currently suffering, and improves life quality. The main findings lay on the defined Aura Matrix and Aura Method tools as pragmatic opportunities to translate conceptual approaches such as G3: ‘Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages’ into practical decisions and urban design proposals to improve the quality of life and health of citizens.
Public Attitudes towards Digital Water Meters for Households
Authors: Koop Steven Hendrik Andreas , Clevers Sharon Helena Pascale , Blokker Elisabeth Johanna Maria , Brouwer Stijn
Published: June 2021

In response to droughts, various media campaigns and water-saving instructions are released. However, these often only have temporary water conservation effects. A promising development in this regard is Digital Water Meters (DWM), which can provide near real-time water-use feedback. Despite extensive DWM experience in some water-stressed regions, a profound understanding of the initial attitude towards DWM and message-tailoring opportunities are rarely empirically explored. This study aims to obtain insights into the attitude towards the introduction of DWM and explore opportunities for message tailoring, a topic of extra relevance as we may be on the threshold of a large-scale DWM implementation in many world regions. Messages tailored to (i) normative beliefs and attitudes on drinking water, (ii) water-use activity and (iii) phase of decision-making, seem particularly compatible with DWM. Through a survey (n = 1037) in the Netherlands, we observe that 93% of respondents have no objections if their utility invests in DWM and that 78% would accept a (free) DWM because of improved leakage detection, lower costs and environmental considerations. Finally, instead of sociodemographic factors, we observe that an attitude-based customer segmentation approach is an especially useful predictor of respondent’s motivation to endorse DWM and forms a promising basis for water conservation message-tailoring strategies.
Performance Evaluation of Five GIS-Based Models for Landslide Susceptibility Prediction and Mapping: A Case Study of Kaiyang County, China
Authors: Qin Yigen , Yang Genlan , Lu Kunpeng , Sun Qianzheng , Xie Jin , Wu Yunwu
Published: June 2021

This study evaluated causative factors in landslide susceptibility assessments and compared the performance of five landslide susceptibility models based on the certainty factor (CF), logistic regression (LR), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), coupled CF–analytic hierarchy process (CF-AHP), and CF–logistic regression (CF-LR). Kaiyang County, China, has complex geological conditions and frequent landslide disasters. Based on field observations, nine influencing factors, namely, altitude, slope, topographic relief, aspect, engineering geological rock group, slope structure, distance to faults, distance to rivers, and normalized difference vegetation index, were extracted using the raster data model. The precision of the five models was tested using the distribution of disaster points for each grade and receiver operating characteristic curve. The results showed that the landslide frequency ratios accounted for more than 75% within the high and very high susceptibility zones according to the model prediction, and the AUC evaluating precision was 0.853, 0.712, 0.871, 0.873, and 0.895, respectively. The accuracy sequencing of the five models was CF-LR > CF-AHP > LR > CF > AHP, indicating that the CF-AHP and CF-LR models are better than the others. This study provides a reliable method for landslide susceptibility mapping at the county-level resolution.
Sustainable Beirut City Planning Post August 2020 Port of Beirut Blast: Case Study of Karantina in Medawar District
Authors: Aouad David , Kaloustian Noushig
Published: June 2021

The 4 August 2020 Port of Beirut blast caused material damage to an estimated 77,000 apartments located across 10,000 buildings within a 3 km radius of the blast, impacting around 300,000, people predominantly in the municipality of Karantina, which is situated adjacent to the Port of Beirut. The blast shed light on the instability and unsustainable development approach of the city of Beirut since well before the French mandate circa 1921–1940. The impact of the blast provides an opportunity to reassess the relationship between many relevant aspects of the city planning including but not limited to: the relationship of the city to its suburbs, waterfront, and city center; the lack of local planning and cross sectorial master plans; the preservation of the heritage versus the complexity of its urban development; the city growth and increased haphazard urbanization; the infrastructure/service systems that have over the years become increasingly deficient; the lack of public spaces; impacts on urban climate; and the urban divide and inequality that have only grown deeper since the blast, all of which have a combined and adverse impact on the quality of city life. This paper analyzes the most suitable indicators that one must highlight within the context of Beirut city to propose a better and sustainable quality of life with a focus on areas that were significantly impacted by the recent POB blast, namely Karantina. Examples of indicators which were analyzed include sustainable urban design, open spaces, heritage, infrastructure, and urban fabric. The results indicated that the following four main urban design features help improve the quality of life in Karantina, including: (i) connecting areas of Karantina and Mar Mkhael through the reactivation of vacant lots; (ii) reactivation of Ibrahim Bacha and El-Khodr Streets; (iii) redefining the historical El Khodr Mosque boundary and reclaiming its role as an urban landmark; and (iv) integration of classified built heritage. These parameters are necessary to improve the quality of life. The benefits of community participation are also assessed in the improvement and sustainable planning of the city of Beirut.
Effectiveness of the Novel Rehabilitation Method of Seismically Damaged RC Joints Using C-FRP Ropes and Comparison with Widely Applied Method Using C-FRP Sheets—Experimental Investigation
Authors: Golias Emmanouil , Zapris Adamantis G. , Kytinou Violetta K. , Kalogeropoulos George I. , Chalioris Constantin E. , Karayannis Chris G.
Published: June 2021

The necessity of ensuring the long-term sustainability of existing structures is rising. An important issue concerning existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures in seismically active regions is that a significant number of them lack the required earthquake-resistant capacities to meet the increased design earthquake demands. Inexpensive, fast and long-term strengthening strategies for repairing/strengthening RC structures are urgently required, not only after destructive earthquakes, but even before they occur. Retrofitting existing buildings extending their service life rather than demolishing and rebuilding new ones is the best option in terms of economic gain and environmental protection. This paper experimentally investigates the effectiveness of externally applied (i) carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (C-FRP) ropes in X-type form and (b) C-FRP sheets that are bonded on both sides of the joint area of RC beam-column joint connections. Six comparative full-scale exterior RC beam-column joint specimens were tested under reverse cyclic deformation. Two of them were control specimens, two were strengthened using C-FRP ropes (novel technique) and two were retrofitted using C-FRP sheets (widely used technique). Extensive comparisons and discussion of the test results derive new quantitative and qualitative results concerning the seismic capacity and the service life extension of the strengthened RC members using the proposed retrofitting scheme.
Role of Urban Greening Strategies for Environmental Sustainability—A Review and Assessment in the Context of Saudi Arabian Megacities
Authors: Addas Abdullah , Maghrabi Ahmad
Published: June 2021

The review and assessment of urban greening patterns play a crucial role in sustainable urban planning and green spaces (GSs) management, helping to improve human well-being. In recent years, various methods and strategies were applied to examine the relationship between GSs and environmental sustainability, but so far, no studies on systematic review and empirical assessments were carried out in Saudi Arabian context. Thus, a comprehensive review and assessment of current GSs patterns and planning strategies are important for achieving urban environmental sustainability. This study aims to assess spatial pattern of GSs across the cities and a bibliographic review on the urban greening strategies in the Saudi context. These six urban strategies were further supported from empirical evidence on Saudi cities. Geographical information system (GIS) techniques and questionnaire surveys were performed for spatial mapping of GSs and the perceived role of GSs strategies of the respondent to environmental sustainability across cities. The findings showed that (i) highest PCGS was reported from Dammam (5.4 m2) followed by Riyadh (1.18 m2), and Jeddah (0.5 m2); (ii) most of the respondents use GSs for picnic (59%), mental well-being (53%), and physical activities (47%), respectively; (iii) GSs play a significant role for local climate regulation such as temperature control (78%) and UHI reduction (81%), and GSs provide thermal comfort (84%), respectively; and (iv) 40% respondents do not use GSs due to the lack of availability, accessibility, design, management, and safety of GSs. Thus, such findings of the study surely assist planners and policy makers to understand and implement the suggested GSs strategies to meet the satisfaction level of the respondents as well as to manage GSs at neighborhood and city level for urban environmental sustainability.
Equivalent Properties of Two Kinds of Hardy-Type Integral Inequalities
Authors: Rassias Michael Th. , Yang Bicheng , Raigorodskii Andrei
Published: June 2021

In this paper, using weight functions as well as employing various techniques from real analysis, we establish a few equivalent conditions of two kinds of Hardy-type integral inequalities with nonhomogeneous kernel. To prove our results, we also deduce a few equivalent conditions of two kinds of Hardy-type integral inequalities with a homogeneous kernel in the form of applications. We additionally consider operator expressions. Analytic inequalities of this nature and especially the techniques involved have far reaching applications in various areas in which symmetry plays a prominent role, including aspects of physics and engineering.
Nanopesticides in Agriculture: Benefits and Challenge in Agricultural Productivity, Toxicological Risks to Human Health and Environment
Authors: Chaud Marco , Souto Eliana B. , Zielinska Aleksandra , Severino Patricia , Batain Fernando , Oliveira-Junior Jose , Alves Thais
Published: June 2021

Nanopesticides are nanostructures with two to three dimensions between 1 to 200 nm, used to carry agrochemical ingredients (AcI). Because of their unique properties, the loading of AcI into nanoparticles offers benefits when compared to free pesticides. However, with the fast development of new engineered nanoparticles for pests’ control, a new type of environmental waste is being produced. This paper describes the nanopesticides sources, the harmful environmental and health effects arising from pesticide exposure. The potential ameliorative impact of nanoparticles on agricultural productivity and ecosystem challenges are extensively discussed. Strategies for controlled release and stimuli-responsive systems for slow, sustained, and targeted AcI and genetic material delivery are reported. Special attention to different nanoparticles source, the environmental behavior of nanopesticides in the crop setting, and the most recent advancements and nanopesticides representative research from experimental results are revised. This review also addresses some issues and concerns in developing, formulating and toxicity pesticide products for environmentally friendly and sustainable agriculture.
Adrenergic and Glucocorticoid Receptors in the Pulmonary Health Effects of Air Pollution
Authors: Hodge Myles X. , Henriquez Andres R. , Kodavanti Urmila P.
Published: June 2021

Adrenergic receptors (ARs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are activated by circulating catecholamines and glucocorticoids, respectively. These receptors regulate the homeostasis of physiological processes with specificity via multiple receptor subtypes, wide tissue-specific distribution, and interactions with other receptors and signaling processes. Based on their physiological roles, ARs and GRs are widely manipulated therapeutically for chronic diseases. Although these receptors play key roles in inflammatory and cellular homeostatic processes, little research has addressed their involvement in the health effects of air pollution. We have recently demonstrated that ozone, a prototypic air pollutant, mediates pulmonary and systemic effects through the activation of these receptors. A single exposure to ozone induces the sympathetic–adrenal–medullary and hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axes, resulting in the release of epinephrine and corticosterone into the circulation. These hormones act as ligands for ARs and GRs. The roles of beta AR (βARs) and GRs in ozone-induced pulmonary injury and inflammation were confirmed in a number of studies using interventional approaches. Accordingly, the activation status of ARs and GRs is critical in mediating the health effects of inhaled irritants. In this paper, we review the cellular distribution and functions of ARs and GRs, their lung-specific localization, and their involvement in ozone-induced health effects, in order to capture attention for future research.
Effects of Phthalate Esters (PAEs) on Cell Viability and Nrf2 of HepG2 and 3D-QSAR Studies
Authors: Liu Huan , Huang Huiying , Xiao Xueman , Zhao Zilin , Liu Chunhong
Published: June 2021

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are a widespread environmental pollutant, and their ecological and environmental health risks have gradually attracted attention. To reveal the toxicity characteristics of these compounds, ten PAEs were selected as research objects to establish a cell model. CCK-8 was used to determine cell viability, Western blots were used to determine the content of Nrf2 in HepG2, and the LD50 collected for the 13 PAEs administered to rats. On this basis, 3D-QSAR models of IC50, LD50 and Nrf2 were established. The experimental results showed that as the time of PAEs exposure increased (24, 48 and 72 h), cell viability gradually decreased. The test concentration (62.5 /125/250 μM) of PAEs exposed for 48 h could significantly increase the content of Nrf2, and the 1000 μM PAEs could inhibit the content of Nrf2. The model is relatively stable and predicts well that the introduction of large and hydrophobic groups may significantly affect the toxic effects of PAEs on cells. The present study provided a potential tool for predicting the LD50 and Nrf2 of new PAEs, and provide a reference for the design of new less toxic PAEs in the future.