bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of a Horse-Riding Simulator with Virtual Reality on Gross Motor Function and Body Composition of Children with Cerebral Palsy: Preliminary Study
Authors: Jung Yong Gi , Chang Hyun Jung , Jo Eun Sol , Kim Da Hye
Published: April 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a horse-riding simulator (HRS) with virtual reality (VR) on gross motor function, balance control, and body composition in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Seventeen preschool and school-aged children with spastic CP were included; 10 children in the intervention group (HRS group) received 30 min of HRS with VR training twice a week for a total of 16 sessions in addition to conventional physiotherapy. Seven children in the control group were instructed to perform home-based aerobic exercises twice a week for 8 weeks in addition to conventional physiotherapy. Gross motor function measure (GMFM) and body composition were evaluated before the first session and after the last session. Before and after the 2-month intervention, Pediatric Balance Scale and Timed Up and Go test were evaluated for the HRS group. GMFM scores and body composition changed significantly in the HRS group (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were observed in the control group. Changes in the GMFM total scores, GMFM dimension D scores, and skeletal muscle mass significantly differed between the HRS and control groups (p < 0.05). HRS with VR may be an effective adjunctive therapeutic approach for the rehabilitation of children with CP.
A Cascaded Adaptive Network-Based Fuzzy Inference System for Hydropower Forecasting
Authors: Rathnayake Namal , Rathnayake Upaka , Dang Tuan Linh , Hoshino Yukinobu
Published: April 2022

Hydropower stands as a crucial source of power in the current world, and there is a vast range of benefits of forecasting power generation for the future. This paper focuses on the significance of climate change on the future representation of the Samanalawewa Reservoir Hydropower Project using an architecture of the Cascaded ANFIS algorithm. Moreover, we assess the capacity of the novel Cascaded ANFIS algorithm for handling regression problems and compare the results with the state-of-art regression models. The inputs to this system were the rainfall data of selected weather stations inside the catchment. The future rainfalls were generated using Global Climate Models at RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 and corrected for their biases. The Cascaded ANFIS algorithm was selected to handle this regression problem by comparing the best algorithm among the state-of-the-art regression models, such as RNN, LSTM, and GRU. The Cascaded ANFIS could forecast the power generation with a minimum error of 1.01, whereas the second-best algorithm, GRU, scored a 6.5 error rate. The predictions were carried out for the near-future and mid-future and compared against the previous work. The results clearly show the algorithm can predict power generation’s variation with rainfall with a slight error rate. This research can be utilized in numerous areas for hydropower development.
Harmonic and Supraharmonic Emissions of Plug-In Electric Vehicle Chargers
Authors: Mariscotti Andrea
Published: April 2022

Electric vehicle (EV) charging represents a relevant electric load with a rapid evolution in terms of number, power rating and distortion, in particular, considering the connection to the low-voltage public grid: available short-circuit power may be limited and particularly susceptible loads may co-exist in the same grid portion. Standards can partially address the problem covering only the harmonic interval, but they necessitate significant extension and improvement in the supraharmonic range. In addition, EV chargers have been observed to violate in some scenarios the applicable harmonic limits, so that the mechanisms of emission and distortion should be better understood and evaluated, including phenomena of mutual influence between EV chargers and with pre-existing grid distortion. Although models can help simulate large-scale scenarios in terms of fundamental frequency phenomena, such as power flow, voltage fluctuation and imbalance, substantial and reliable information can come from experimental results, providing measured harmonic and supraharmonic emissions, accompanied by details on loads mix, grid characteristics and EV charger operating conditions. This work thus defines the applicable constraints in terms of limits and compatibility levels for public and light industrial low-voltage grids, discusses the available experimental results and datasets, analyzing the typical distortion behavior and providing indication of sources of information for further studies.
Liquid Science and Digital Transformation: How Knowledge between Researchers Flows in Their Scientific Networks
Authors: Belli Simone , Ponsot Ernesto
Published: April 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore how information and communication technologies have affected the way in which research groups are connected in their professional setting. It also analyses the techniques of interaction and cooperation of research groups, the exploration of information and the gateway to information, as well as the main tendencies and variations that researchers have observed during the last years. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was proposed to 305 scholars from different areas observing 159 variable responses. In order to complement and correctly interpret the information gathered within the survey, selected researchers were interviewed, and some of their opinions are reported in this work. Findings: Researchers see how their scientific networks expand thanks to digital tools, establishing professional relationships with other researchers. Moreover, researchers want to increase the amount of their scientific collaboration but they also need analogical meetings with others researchers, where face-to-face relations can accomplish the lack of this in digital communication. Originality: The dominance of tools used in scientific network activity is mixed, composed of analogical and digital ones. Researchers recognize the primary role assumed by digital practices in their work, increasing the quantity and the quality of it thanks to the efficiency and the access to information from different parts of the world. Social implication: Digital transformation has modified the research practices of researchers, from communication among them to the management of data. This new context of professional relations opens innovative implications and approaches for sharing knowledge between researchers and international collaborations.
Being a Parent during COVID-19: Risk for Psychological Distress in the United States and Italy
Authors: Lai Jocelyn , Pham Phoebe T. , Bate Jordan , Prout Tracy A. , Carollo Alessandro , Setoh Peipei , Esposito Gianluca , Borelli Jessica L.
Published: April 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant effects on people worldwide, yet the psychological impact of collective traumas may differ at the individual and societal level. Parents may be exposed to greater pandemic-related stressors, yet also are more likely than non-parents to have social interactions during social distancing mandates. Furthermore, varying degrees of pandemic severity in countries may alter the adverse outcomes of pandemic stressors on psychopathology across nations. The purpose of this investigation was to cross-nationally explore how COVID-19 stress exposure relates to psychological distress and whether the association differed by parental status and nationality. Individuals from the United States (n = 2449) and Italy (n = 579) completed assessments measuring traumatic stress, depressive symptoms, and COVID-19-related stressors. COVID-19-related stressors were positively associated with traumatic stress and depressive symptoms. The association between COVID-19-related stressors and psychological distress did not differ by parental status or nationality. We also found that being a young adult, having a lower educational status, not being a parent, and being Italian were related to exposure to COVID-19-related stressors. We discuss these findings and their implications for our understanding of unique contexts that may pose as risk or resiliency factors during a global collective trauma, particularly on parental psychological distress as a way of promoting whole-family wellness.
Interaction of a House’s Rooftop PV System with an Electric Vehicle’s Battery Storage and Air Source Heat Pump
Authors: Stamatellos George , Zogou Olympia , Stamatelos Anastassios
Published: April 2022

Understanding the implications of introducing increasing shares of low-carbon technologies such as heat pumps and electric vehicles on the electricity network demand patterns is essential in today’s fast changing energy mixture. Application of heat pumps for heating and cooling, combined with the rooftop installation of photovoltaic panels, is already considered as a convenient retrofitting strategy towards building electrification. This may further profit from the parallel, rapid electrification of the automotive powertrain, as demonstrated in the present study. Exploitation of the combined battery storage of the house owners’ electric car(s) may help cover, to a significant degree, the building’s and cars’ electricity needs. To this end, an efficient single family house’s energy system with an optimized rooftop PV installation, heat pump heating and cooling, and two high efficiency electric cars is studied by transient simulation. The use of TRNSYS simulation environment makes clear the interaction of the house’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the house’s and cars’ batteries, and the rooftop PV system in transient operation. The building’s and EV’s energy performance on a daily, monthly, and seasonal level is compared with the respective demand curves and energy sources of the Greek electricity network. The specific design of the house’s energy system makes it a net exporter of electricity to the grid, to an annual amount of 5000 kWh. On the other hand, electricity imports are slightly exceeding 400 kWh and limited to the first two months of the year. In addition to the self-sufficiency of the household, the impact to the electricity grid becomes favorable due to the phase shift of the electricity export towards the late afternoon hours, thus assisting the evening ramp-up and adding to the grid’s stability and resilience. Based on the results of this study, the possibility of combining the financial incentives for the purchase of an EV with those for the installation of rooftop PV in the owners’ house is very promising and worth considering, due to the demonstrated synergy of electrical storage with the rooftop photovoltaic installations.
Talent Identification in Elite Adolescent Ice Hockey Players: The Discriminant Capacity of Fitness Tests, Skating Performance and Psychological Characteristics
Authors: Lemoyne Jean , Brunelle Jean-François , Huard Pelletier Vincent , Glaude-Roy Julien , Martini Gaëtan
Published: April 2022

Background: The process of talent identification in ice hockey occurs during middle adolescence when players are selected to participate in “off-season” evaluation camps, where coaches observe their fitness levels and status of development. Recently, the Quebec ice hockey federation opted for a holistic approach by evaluating players based on three criteria: (1) fitness, (2) skating abilities and (3) personality traits and psychological assets. This study aimed to analyze the discriminant validity of a multi-dimensional talent identification testing protocol in competitive ice hockey. Method: Data were collected from 160 adolescent hockey players who took part in Team Quebec summer evaluation camps. Off-ice fitness, skating abilities and psychological variables were measured on two consecutive days. Descriptive statistics, group comparisons (gender, positions) and discriminant analyses (selected versus non-selected) were performed. Results: No differences were observed among males in which selected players were similar to non-selected. Results from discriminant analyses also showed no discriminant function for male players. For females, selected players displayed higher fitness, on-ice agility and psychological characteristics. Nine performance markers were significantly discriminant. Conclusions: A holistic evaluation protocol allows for the discrimination of selected and non-selected players in elite ice hockey. Developing more discriminant tests is a promising avenue of research in male ice hockey. Knowing the factors that are associated with team selection in competitive ice hockey allow to focus on the specific attributes to work with young promising players.
Hydrological Modeling of Aquifer’s Recharge and Discharge Potential by Coupling WetSpass and MODFLOW for the Chaj Doab, Pakistan
Authors: Aslam Muhammad , Arshad Muhammad , Singh Vijay P. , Shahid Muhammad Adnan
Published: April 2022

The estimation of the groundwater (GW) potential in irrigated areas is crucial for the sustainable management of water resources in order to ensure its sustainable use. This study was conducted in a selected area of the Chaj doab, Punjab, Pakistan, to quantify the impacts of the pumping and the recharge on the aquifer therein. To that end, a groundwater flow model (MODFLOW) and a groundwater recharge model (WetSpass) were coupled to assess the conditions of the aquifer. The model was calibrated manually on twelve-year data (2003–2014) against the observed groundwater levels, and it was validated with five-year data (2015–2019). Three main scenarios (divided into ten subscenarios) were simulated for the future prediction of the groundwater: Scenario-I (to assess the impact of the pumping if the prevailing conditions of the years from 2003 to 2019 were to continue until 2035); Scenario-II (to assess the impact of the pumping on the aquifer by increasing the pumping capacity by 25, 50, 75, and 100% for the coming 10 years); and Scenario-III (to assess the impact on the aquifer of the decrease in the average groundwater recharge from the river by 50% by following the same pumping trend). The Scenario-I results show that there would be an 18.1 m decrease in the groundwater table at the end of the year 2035. The Scenario-II results predict decreases in the water table by 2.0, 5.5, 9.8, and 14.3 m in the year 2029 as a result of increases in the pumping capacity of 25, 50, 75, and 100%, respectively. The results of Scenario-III show that, with the decrease in the recharge from the rainfall, there would be a 0.7 m decrease in the water table, and that, from open-water bodies, there would be a 2.4 m decrease in the water table. These results are very helpful for determining the recharge and discharge potential of the aquifer.
Assessing the Potential Impacts of Urban Expansion on Hydrological Ecosystem Services in a Rapidly Urbanizing Lake Basin in China
Authors: Guo Hongwei , Han Ji , Qian Lili , Long Xinxin , Sun Xiaoyin
Published: April 2022

Hydrological ecosystem services (HESs) such as water purification and water supply are important for providing other ecosystem services such as drinking water, recreation, and human health. Land use change caused by urbanization is a direct driver affecting the provision of HESs. The quantification and integration of HES into watershed management and urban planning have become increasingly important. In this study, we highlighted an integration of the InVEST and CLUE-S models to simulate and predict future changes of HES in a rapidly urbanizing lake basin, namely the Nansihu Lake basin of China. The spatiotemporal patterns of HESs including water yield, water purification, and sediment export in the past five decades (from 1980 to 2015) have been revealed through our integrated modeling approach. Furthermore, urbanization and land use change scenarios till 2030 were developed using land use, topography, climate, and soil data. It is found that due to the rapid expansion of urban land, water yield, total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) export has increased by 5.5%, 7.38%, and 7.02%, respectively, while the sediment export has decreased by 4%. As a result, the risks of flooding and water quality degradation increased. Under a hybrid ecological and farmland redline policy (EFRP) scenario, the HESs have all been significantly improved compared to the level in 2015. This research can help to predict the future changes in HESs for land use management and ecological and environmental protection in the Nansihu Lake basin.
Students’ Perceptions of ILS as a Learning-Style-Identification Tool in E-Learning Environments
Authors: Marosan Zoran , Savic Ninoslava , Klasnja-Milicevic Aleksandra , Ivanovic Mirjana , Vesin Boban
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the evaluation of the Index of Learning Styles, an assessment tool of the Felder–Silverman learning model. A few studies have previously evaluated this tool, but as far as we know, none of them considered the learners’ opinion to achieve their goals. Considering that many studies suggest continuing with the Index of Learning Styles’ evaluation, an experimental study was conducted using Protus, developed as an adaptive learning system. Analysing the concurrent validity of the Index of Learning Styles, students’ learning preferences were acquired via two different tools: the Index of Learning Styles and the subjective questionnaire. Results suggest that the Index of Learning Styles is valid for defining learning style at the beginning of the learning process, resolving the cold-start problem. We found some differences between the results of the Index of Learning Styles and subjective assessment. By enhancing the Protus user interface with new functionality, which allows a free choice of the learning style during the learning process, we overcome the observed limitations of the Index of Learning Styles. This solution could be implemented in different personalised e-learning environments, regardless of the applied assessment tool, leading to a more reliable student model.
Cloud Cover Forecast Based on Correlation Analysis on Satellite Images for Short-Term Photovoltaic Power Forecasting
Authors: Son Yongju , Yoon Yeunggurl , Cho Jintae , Choi Sungyun
Published: April 2022

Photovoltaic power generation must be predicted to counter the system instability caused by an increasing number of photovoltaic power-plant connections. In this study, a method for predicting the cloud volume and power generation using satellite images is proposed. Generally, solar irradiance and cloud cover have a high correlation. However, because the predicted solar irradiance is not provided by the Meteorological Administration or a weather site, cloud cover can be used instead of the predicted solar radiation. A lot of information, such as the direction and speed of movement of the cloud is contained in the satellite image. Therefore, the spatio-temporal correlation of the cloud is obtained from satellite images, and this correlation is presented pictorially. When the learning is complete, the current satellite image can be entered at the current time and the cloud value for the desired time can be obtained. In the case of the predictive model, the artificial neural network (ANN) model with the identical hyperparameters or setting values is used for data performance evaluation. Four cases of forecasting models are tested: cloud cover, visible image, infrared image, and a combination of the three variables. According to the result, the multivariable case showed the best performance for all test periods. Among single variable models, cloud cover presented a fair performance for short-term forecasting, and visible image presented a good performance for ultra-short-term forecasting.
On Risk Probability of Prefabricated Building Hoisting Construction Based on Multiple Correlations
Authors: Wan Peng , Wang Junwu , Liu Ye , Lu Qizhi , Yuan Chunbao
Published: April 2022

With growing concern about environmental pollution and occupational safety in construction industry globally, prefabricated building has become a popular building model in sustainable society. In China, management specifications of prefabricated buildings are far from mature, and safety accidents occur frequently in construction. In order to comprehensively analyze risks in hoisting construction of prefabricated buildings, this study, in view of characteristics of hoisting construction process and correlations in complex system, summarizes risk factors and classifies them according to Wuli-Shili-Renli (WSR) system. From perspective of multiple correlations, evolution mechanism of multi-system correlation and multi-risk correlation is carried out, so as to explore risk probability of hoisting construction of prefabricated buildings. At the same time, this study extends Two Additive Choquet Integral (TACI) operator and Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) in dynamic stochastic environment to construct a two-stage model for risk probability research of hoisting construction, hoping to profoundly reveal influence of risk factors and their dynamic evolution. The results show that: (1) risk probability presented a seasonal, dynamic change trend, which meant rising first, then falling, and finally keeping rising, thus regular inspection and dynamic monitoring are required in hoisting construction in these regions in the first three quarters. (2) the influence of each risk factor demonstrated dynamic changes, and risk sources that need to prevent and defuse at different time points are varied, thus targeted measures catering to different risk sources are required. (3) the degree of risk controllability is in dynamic change, but classification of cause or result in the region at the period remains the same, thus necessitating targeted response measures aimed at various risk types. (4) Individual risks like hoisting job climated break out periodically, so the law of risk occurrence should be mastered and relative precautionary measures should be taken in advance.
The Utilization of Recycled Sewage Sludge Ash as a Supplementary Cementitious Material in Mortar: A Review
Authors: Liang Chaofeng , Le Xinqian , Fang Weijiong , Zhao Jianming , Fang Liuji , Hou Shaodan
Published: April 2022

The output of sewage sludge has been increasing in recent years in China. Traditional treatment methods, such as incineration and landfilling, cannot meet the requirement of sustainability in various industries. As one of the efficient recycling methods for sewage sludge, previous studies have proven that sewage sludge ash (SSA) can be used as a supplementary cementitious material to partly replace cement in mortar or concrete. To understand the performance of SSA comprehensively, which contributes to its better utilization, this study reviews the basic properties of SSA and the effect of SSA on the performance of mortar. Firstly, the basic properties of SSA, such as chemical composition, heavy metal content, activity, and microstructure, are investigated. Then, the effects of SSA on the workability, setting time, and mechanical properties of mortar are reviewed. The results show that the particle size distribution of SSA is in the range of 2.5–250 μm. SSA contains active oxides such as SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, and CaO, which are similar to fly ash, indicating that SSA has potential pozzolanic properties. The leaching concentration of SSA is much lower than the required values in the relevant specifications, leading to an allowable environment influence. The incorporation of SSA has a negative impact on the workability, setting time, water absorption, compressive strength, and flexural strength of the mortar. The 90-day compressive strength of the SSA mortar is 71.72–98.6% of the cement mortar, when the replacement ratio of SSA is in the range of 10–30%. However, performance can be improved by increasing the grinding time or adding an admixture. The drying shrinkage and capillary water absorption of SSA mortar are higher than those of normal mortar, which is mainly related to an increase of porosity. In conclusion, it is proven that SSA can be used to partly replace cement in mortar with appropriate properties. Source and production process have a great influence on the basic properties of SSA, leading to varied, even opposite, effects on the mechanical properties and durability of mortar. In the future, the selected raw materials and a standard preparation method should be proposed for promoting the application of SSA.
Estimating Carbon Budget from Growth and Management of Urban Street Trees in South Korea
Authors: Kim Jin-Young , Jo Hyun-Kil
Published: April 2022

Although street trees take up carbon by vegetation growth, they emit carbon directly or indirectly into the atmosphere due to the need for regular management, such as pruning and, irrigation, etc. This study estimates the annual carbon budget from the growth and management of urban street trees in South Korea and suggests management strategies to minimize the degree of management and annual carbon emissions. Annual carbon emissions from management practices such as pruning, irrigation, pesticide and fungicide application, and fertilization were estimated based on maintenance data, interviews with managers, and actual measurements. Annual carbon emissions from the management of urban street trees were calculated to be 2.4 kg/tree/year. From this total, pruning was the largest contributor at 91%. The average net carbon uptake for each street tree was 5.5 kg/tree/year. The street trees included in this study played an important role in carbon uptake, which was equivalent to 90–550% of the annual carbon emissions from street tree management. Based on these results, suggested management strategies include pruning, irrigation, pesticide and fungicide application, and fertilization. These study results will be useful for designing practical low-carbon landscapes with minimal management and carbon emissions.
Education for Environmental Sustainability and the Emotions: Implications for Educational Practice
Authors: Dunlop Lynda , Rushton Elizabeth A. C.
Published: April 2022

Increasing attention is being paid to the emotions in education and in communication about the climate crisis and other sustainability challenges. This has tended to focus on the relationship between emotions and environmental perceptions and behaviours. In this study, we understand emotions as evaluative feelings which meaningfully connect people and their environment. We draw on data from teachers, teacher educators, and young people (n = 223) to describe educationally-relevant emotions and identify the implications for educational practice. We argue that emotionally-responsive pedagogies are needed to identify responsibilities, develop coping potential, and improve future expectations. These pedagogies must act on the causes and consequences of environmental damage and develop teachers’ and students’ capabilities to take action and ultimately transform emotional appraisals. A more enabling policy environment is needed for teachers to adopt these approaches and empower them to take action relating to climate and ecological crises.
A Fuzzy Risk Assessment Model for Small Scale Construction Work
Authors: Topal Sabriye , Atasoylu Emine
Published: April 2022

Occupational risk assessment is important for providing employees with a safe and healthy work environment. When compared with other industries, the construction industry poses a higher risk for accidents due to the variety and complexity of skills required for different types of work in the sector. Small-sized construction sites have a higher risk of occupational injury. Countries without occupational safety and health (OSH) enforcement pose an additional risk increasing the need of an effective and easy-to-apply risk assessment approach. This research aims to develop and study an easy to apply risk assessment model for small-scale construction sites. The method includes opinions from experts on safety, checklists to estimate the possibility of occurrence of accidents, the identification of current site-specific safety levels, the severity of risk, and safety barriers. The model uses both historical data and fuzzy approaches to calculate risk level and was applied to four different construction sites in North Cyprus. Results reveal the risk level for each accident type and the aggregate safety level of the construction sites. Falling from height was identified as the most common accident type with the highest risk level. This study contributes to the development of sustainable OSH management systems for construction companies by highlighting the measures that must be taken to reduce occupational accidents.
Accessibility and Economic Connections between Cities of the New Western Land–Sea Corridor in China—Enlightenments to the Passageway Strategy of Gansu Province
Authors: Qin Xueyi , Qian Yongsheng , Zeng Junwei , Wei Xuting
Published: April 2022

In 2019, China proposed the New Western Land–Sea Corridor (NWLSC) to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between China and Southeast Asia. As an important province in western China, Gansu plays a crucial role in transportation and cultural exchange in the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB). Thus, how to develop the strategic passageway of Gansu Province becomes the research focus. In order to enhance the radiation effect of the NWLSC on the northwestern region and help Gansu Province expand its pattern of expanding, this paper firstly selects 16 core cities in this Corridor by using an accessibility method and an urban flow intensity method; then, analyzing the status of accessibility and the economic connection patterns between those cities; and lastly, obtaining conclusions that the accessibility of space layout is “corridor style”, the spatial distribution of urban flow intensity is balanced, and Gansu should actively participate in southbound gateway and gain the full advantages of the “golden passageway”. To sum up, this paper is innovative in terms of regional selection, research methods, and theoretical significance.
Retrofitting Strategies Based on Orthogonal Array Testing to Develop Nearly Zero Energy Buildings
Authors: Wang Pengying , Zhang Shuo
Published: April 2022

Retrofitting existing buildings to be a nearly zero energy building (nZEB) is an effective solution for greenhouse gas emissions and primary energy consumption reduction. A hybrid approach that integrates the building energy simulation method and orthogonal array testing (OAT) to renovate buildings to nZEB is proposed in this paper. Within a residential building in Changchun, Jilin of China, the total energy consumption index (TECI) and CO2 emission factor for heating are used as evaluation criteria. The reliability of the building energy model is validated and adopted to forecast the energy performance of different building renovation strategies. According to OAT, four passive measures can be ranked by their influence on TECI in descending order as follows: external wall heat transfer coefficient, airtightness, window heat transfer coefficient, and roof heat transfer coefficient. The optimal renovation solution of the studied building can reduce the TECI by 43.18% by only reducing the external wall heat transfer coefficient from 0.5 to 0.2 W/m2·K and the infiltration N50 from 3.6 to 0.4 ac/h. Besides, combined heat and power (CHP) utilities emit less CO2 than heat pumps in providing heating under the current CO2 emission factor of the power grid in China, making it impossible to give up district heating systems until carbon emissions of electricity generation have declined significantly. The results can provide a reference for the application of the nZEB standard in actual retrofitting projects.
Prediction of Uplift Capacity of Cylindrical Caissons in Anisotropic and Inhomogeneous Clays Using Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines
Authors: Jearsiripongkul Thira , Lai Van Qui , Keawsawasvong Suraparb , Nguyen Thanh Son , Van Chung Nguyen , Thongchom Chanachai , Nuaklong Peem
Published: April 2022

The uplift capacity factor of cylindrical suction caisson in anisotropic and inhomogeneous clays considering the adhesion factor at the interface is investigated in this paper. The finite element limit analysis based on lower bound and upper bound analyses is used for analyzing purposes. The anisotropic undrained shear model is employed to describe the anisotropic and inhomogeneous clay. The impact of these dimensionless parameters on the ratio of inhomogeneity or strength gradient ratio, the adhesion factor, the ratio of depth over diameter, and the ratio of anisotropic undrained shear strengths on the uplift resistance and the collapse mechanisms of suction caisson foundations are determined. The multivariate adaptive regression splines technique is employed to access the sensitivity of all considered dimensionless parameters on the uplift capacity factor and to propose an empirical design equation as an effective tool for predicting the uplift capacity factor. The results presented in this paper can be guidance for the preliminary design of suction caissons in anisotropic and non-homogeneous clays that are useful for engineering practitioners.
Sensory and Emotional Components in Tourist Memories of Wildlife Encounters: Intense, Detailed, and Long-Lasting Recollections of Individual Incidents
Authors: Buckley Ralf C.
Published: April 2022

To quantify the role of senses and emotions in creating memorable tourism experiences, we need measurement frameworks that match how memories are created. This study examines that process through directed-content qualitative analysis of tourist encounters with wildlife. Data are derived from: interviews with 20 experienced wildlife tourism experts in 12 countries; 3000 social media posts on tourism enterprise and wildlife encounter websites; and participant observations and records of 168 memorable encounters involving >100 wildlife species, >850 tourists, and ~10,000 h in total, ranging over five decades. Across all data sources, senses and emotions differed between tourist interests and personalities, wildlife species and behaviours, and encounter circumstances. All senses were reported, with the most frequent being sight, followed by sound and smell, and, rarely, touch or taste. Descriptions were fine-grained and complex. The emotions reported were awe, joy, wonder, delight, thrill, amazement, envy, aww (cute-emotion), surprise, elation, satisfaction, interest, boredom, disappointment, sadness, embarrassment, concern, pity, distress, disgust, anxiety, shock, alarm, fear, and panic. Some experiences generated powerful recalls persisting for decades. Short-term, intense, and finely detailed senses and emotions defined experiences, created memories, and determined satisfaction, wellbeing, and subsequent outcomes. More accurate methods are needed to measure and characterise senses, emotions, and memories in tourism experience.
A Social Network Analysis of International Creative Goods Flow
Authors: Seok Hwayoon , Nam Yoonjae
Published: April 2022

This study used social network analysis to examine the structure of the international trade of creative goods. The results showed that the US, Canada, Europe, and certain Asian countries (e.g., China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Thailand) ranked high in terms of out-degree/in-degree, eigenvector, and betweenness centrality compared to other countries in the international creative goods trade network. A quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) revealed interrelations between each creative goods networks. In particular, the new media network strongly interacted with the design and art crafts network. Furthermore, multiple regression confirmed that each country’s gross domestic product (GDP), gross national income (GNI) per capita, population, inbound tourism expenditure, and gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) influenced their international trade of creative goods.
Impacts of Commuting Practices on Social Sustainability and Sustainable Mobility
Authors: Stein Melina , Nitschke Luca , Trost Laura , Dirschauer Ansgar , Deffner Jutta
Published: April 2022

Commuting is an integral part of many people’s everyday life providing a transition between private and working life. It does, however, lead to negative impacts at a personal and social-ecological level (health impacts, lack of time, climate emissions, etc.). This article is based on the transdisciplinary research project “CommuterLab” (PendelLabor), which investigates commuting practices in the German Rhine-Main region. Using a practice-theoretical approach, we conducted a qualitative empirical study to explore how commuters organise the transition between their personal life and job. Through our analysis, we were able to identify different meanings of commuting and its strong interconnection with other everyday practices. This allowed us to gain deep insight into the social (non-)sustainability of commuting. At the core of our results are four different types of commuting practice whose impact on social sustainability differs widely. Furthermore, since the interviews were conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, respondents had their first experience of strongly reduced commuting. This in turn allowed insights into the changing organisation of everyday life and the impact of reconfigured commuting practices on social sustainability. Based on these results, we drew conclusions about the dynamics of commuting in terms of social sustainability.
Non-Cooperative Game Forwarding Leveraging User Trustworthiness in Mobile Edge Networks
Authors: Li Jirui , Li Xiaoyong , Li Guozhi , Zhang Rui
Published: April 2022

Given frequent changes of network topology caused by limited computing power, strong mobility and weak reliability of most nodes in mobile edge computing (MEC) networks, a Non-Cooperative Game forwarding strategy based on user Trustworthiness (NCGT) is proposed to deal with low security and efficiency of data transmission. NCGT firstly considers device residual energy ratio, contact probability, service degree and link stability between devices to measure the reliability of nodes. Then, leverages Entropy Weight (EW) method and Golden Section Ratio (GSR) to develop a security optimal neighbors screening model based on multi-attribute decision-making, which ensures that high-performance security nodes are selected as forwarding game objects. Third, NCGT takes forwarding and non-forwarding as the policy set, designs the benefit function, and gets forwarding probability of nodes through Nash equilibrium, to reduce a large number of redundancy, competition and conflict in forwarding requests and improve its broadcasting efficiency. The simulation results show, NCGT is more effective against black hole and witch attacks than S-MODEST and AODV+FDG when there exists malicious nodes. Meanwhile, with the increasing of network load, NCGT with or without GSR always performs best in the terms of data delivery rate, delay, transmission energy consumption and system throughput in MEC environment.
A Risk Assessment Model for Cyber-Physical Water and Wastewater Systems: Towards Sustainable Development
Authors: Abdel-Basset Mohamed , Gamal Abduallah , Moustafa Nour , Askar S. S. , Abouhawwash Mohamed
Published: April 2022

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) and their Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) have attracted great interest for automatic management of industrial infrastructures, such as water and wastewater systems. A range of technologies can be employed for wastewater treatment CPS to manage risks and protect the infrastructures of water systems and their wastewater against cyberattacks. In this paper, we develop a novel risk assessment framework, named RAF-CPWS, which perfectly estimates the risks of water and wastewater technologies. To do this, a multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) approach is designed by neutrosophic theory to assess the risks of wastewater treatment technologies (WWTTs). The proposed approach evaluates the best WWTTs, considering various economic, environmental, technological and cybersecurity, and social factors. A decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) is employed to evaluate the significance of the adopted factors in a real testbed setting. The proposed approach contributes to a comprehensive measure of WWTTs through several factors, revealing its high sustainability and security in assessing the risks of cyber-physical water and wastewater systems.
Valuing Intangible Cultural Heritage in Developing Countries
Authors: Vondolia Godwin Kofi , Kusi Albert Mensah , King Sylvana Rudith , Navrud Ståle
Published: April 2022

The disappearance of intangible cultural heritages (ICHs) together with associated symbols and meanings in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) undermines 2003 UN Convention for Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. To contribute to reversing this trend, the present study estimates the economic value of preserving traditional kente weaving and interpretation of kente symbols by establishing national demonstration centers in Ghana. Contingent valuation (CV) surveys of both the public and kente weavers are used to elicit their preferences for these national centers. As CV surveys of cultural heritage have often been criticized for lacking both policy and payment consequentiality, we have used a specific preservation measure and a non-voluntary payment vehicle to make the decision context realistic and consequential. Households show significant, positive mean willingness-to-pay (WTP) for establishing national centers to preserve both the kente weaving technique and the interpretation of kente symbols. Furthermore, we find no distance decay in WTP for preservation of this ICH; indicating that people have strong preferences for preserving this ICH independent of how far they live from the center of kente weaving activities. This leads to larger aggregated benefits of preservation compared to built cultural heritage and local environmental goods, for example, where strong distance decay occurs in many cases. This makes the net present value of centers for demonstration of kente weaving and interpretation of kente symbols positive and an economically worthwhile investment. The policy implication of these results is that higher investments in preserving ICHs can be justified not only from a cultural heritage perspective, but also from an economic point of view.
The Advantages of Using Kaolin-Based Particle Films to Improve Coffee Production in the Minas Gerais Cerrado Biome
Authors: Roda Newton de Matos , Branchi Bruna Angela , Longo Regina Márcia , Pontin João , Abreu Deivisson Pelegrino de , Santos Paulo Ricardo dos , Campostrini Eliemar
Published: April 2022

Climate change, such as increases in atmospheric air temperature, threatens Brazilian coffee production, which is mainly carried out on small rural properties in a family farming model. Increases in air temperature causes heat stress to the plants, resulting in physiological damage. This work studied the application of processed kaolinite-based particle films (PKPF) as part of environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. This innovative technology aims to increase the productivity of coffee grown in full sunlight and evaluate the interest of coffee growers in incorporating this input in the management of crops as an alternative to the traditional model of increasing production through the expansion of cultivated areas. This is a review of the state of the art of the use of PKPF in coffee, and a descriptive and exploratory research, supported by a literature review and field data collected, through a structured questionnaire applied to a group of coffee producers from the Cerrado in Minas Gerais. The concept of environmentally sustainable coffee production is latent among coffee growers, who adopt practical actions to respect and preserve the environment during the production process. Increases in productivity are related to the adoption of technological innovations such as the use of PKPF in the management of plantations, being a viable alternative to increasing the plantation areas, and thus reducing native vegetation.
Human Factors in the Model of Urban Fire Spread in Madrid (Spain) Focused on the Poor Population
Authors: Cantizano Alexis , Caro Raquel , Fernández Mercedes , Ayala Pablo
Published: April 2022

This study aims to highlight the great potential advantages of bringing human and organizational factors (HOF) into the planning for building fire safety in deprived neighbourhoods (whose populations suffer from a lack of safety culture). Physics-based models were used to analyse fire-spread behaviour in a block of the district of Tetuán, located in the centre of Madrid (Spain), in which a high number of substandard dwellings presented a greater fire risk. GIS tools were used to model the real geometry of the buildings. The numerical models introduced more realistic fire load data related to the characteristics of the population living in these dwellings, which is also a parameter that directly affects the probability of ignition, defined as a Poisson distribution. Generally, the results show that vertical fire spread becomes faster for all buildings, which also contributes to increasing the number of affected rooms. The introduction of HOF in these numerical models can help citizens to better understand fire risk in their own dwellings, raising their risk awareness and subsequently improving their resilience to possible fire accidents.
Physical Activity, Exercise, and Sports in Individuals with Skeletal Dysplasia: What Is Known about Their Benefits?
Authors: Jacinto Miguel , Matos Rui , Alves Inês , Lemos Carolina , Monteiro Diogo , Morouço Pedro , Antunes Raul
Published: April 2022

There is a lack of knowledge about the practice of physical activity, exercise, and sports in people with skeletal dysplasia (SD). This study aimed to characterize the physical fitness of people with SD; investigate the benefits of physical activity, exercise, or sports programs for people with SD; identify the adapted physical activities that can be prescribed to individuals with SD; and identify the most common and effective structural characteristics and guidelines for the evaluation of individuals with SD and corresponding activity prescriptions. Electronic searches were carried out in the PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Psycinfo, and Web of Science databases in October 2021 and March 2022 and included papers published until 3 March 2022. The search strategy terms used were “dwarfism”, “dwarf”, “skeletal dysplasia”, “achondroplasia”, “pseudoachondroplasia”, “hypochondroplasia”, “campomelic dysplasia”, “hair cartilage hypoplasia”, “x-linked hypophosphatemia”, “metaphyseal chondrodysplasia schmid type”, “multiple epiphyseal dysplasia”, “three M syndrome”, “3-M syndrome”, “hypophosphatasia”, “fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive”, “type II collagen disorders”, “type II collagenopathies”, “type II collagenopathy”, “physical activity”, “exercise”, “sport”, “training”, and “physical fitness”, with the Boolean operators “AND” or “OR”. After reading the full texts of the studies, and according to previously defined eligibility criteria, fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria; however, there was not a single intervention study with physical exercise. Several cross-sectional, review, or qualitative studies presented a set of essential aspects that future intervention studies can consider when evaluating, prescribing, and implementing physical exercise programs, as they allowed the physical characterization of the SD population. This study demonstrated an apparent scarcity in the literature of experimental studies with physical exercise implementation in the SD population.