bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Are Young People Ready to Have a Pro-Environmental Sustainable Behaviour as Tourists? An Investigation of Towel Reuse Intention
Authors: Georgescu Maria-Ana , Herman Emilia
Published: November 2020

Tourism, one of the economic sectors that has experienced great development in recent decades and must face unexpected challenges related to the evolution of the global context, needs a sustainable approach to harmonise its effects and impact on the natural and social environment. The aim of this research was to investigate the pro-environmental behaviour of young tourists in hotels versus at home and the main influencing factors of behavioural intention to reuse towels in hotels. The primary data were collected using a survey that was applied to Romanian young people. Eight hypotheses were formulated and tested through paired samples t-tests, a correlation analysis and a hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Our results showed the higher pro-environmental conduct of young guests at home than in hotels, both through their general behaviour regarding the reduction of resource consumption and through their specific behaviour of reusing towels. Our empirical findings also highlighted that tourists’ behavioural intention to reuse towels was positively influenced by an eco-friendly attitude, pro-environmental past experiences and habits to reuse towels at home. In order to achieve sustainable tourism, hotel management should convince guests to bring their ecological habits with them, and educational institutions should use specific methods of raising awareness among young people about an environmentally friendly attitude.
The Commons, the Common Good and Extraterritoriality: Seeking Sustainable Global Justice through Corporate Responsibility
Authors: Wen Shuangge , Zhao Jingchen
Published: November 2020

Despite their laudable intent, extraterritorial legal initiatives to promote corporate sustainability development have not been well received in practice, and are often seen as a window-dressing exercise. This article aims to conduct a conceptual and doctrinal analysis, offering a theoretical foundation that interprets corporate extraterritorial legislative attempts as legitimate in the context of globalisation, using the lens of “the commons” and “the common good”. We try to link the values and dimensions of “the commons” to the goals of corporate extraterritorial legislation, so that lawmaking attempts with extraterritorial reach will gain additional foundational support and achieve more effective and better controlled compliance. In particular, the article makes an original attempt to justify and develop a new notion, namely “the extraterritorial commons”. This notion is in harmony with, rather than contradicting, progressive legal attempts to address the mismatching and conflicting nature of the relationship between the traditional voluntarism of corporate extraterritorial responsibilities, particularly in relation to sustainability issues, and global trends towards more regulation in this area.
A Review on Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials for Latent Energy Storage in Buildings
Authors: Gandhi Monika , Kumar Ashok , Elangovan Rajasekar , Meena Chandan Swaroop , Kulkarni Kishor S. , Kumar Anuj , Bhanot Garima , Kapoor Nishant R.
Published: November 2020

Many countries in the Global South have hot and dry climates with large diurnal temperature variations, which leads to large demand for space cooling—which is likely to increase with climate change. A common approach to dampen the indoor temperature fluctuations and thus reduce cooling energy demand is the use of thermal mass. However, the use of lightweight structures in many cities (e.g., high-rise structures, or for earthquake protection) precludes the use of traditional forms of thermal mass. Therefore, phase change materials (PCMs) are being widely developed as thermal energy storage systems for building applications. However, challenges such as leakage of PCMs in liquid state and their low thermal conductivity, still limit their applications in buildings. In this paper, we review the potential of Form or Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials (SSPCMs), which are developed by incorporating the PCM into a supporting matrix to prevent leakage in liquid state whilst improving thermal conductivity. We review different methods of preparation and the resultant thermal properties and chemical stability. We find good evidence in the literature for SSPCMs to reduce PCM leakage in liquid state, dampen indoor temperature fluctuations, and potentially alleviate peak energy demand by shifting peak loads to off-peak periods.
Informing the Sustainable Pursuit of Happiness
Authors: Cloutier Scott , Angilletta Michael , Mathias Jean-Denis , Onat Nuri C.
Published: November 2020

Although most people want to be happy, the pursuit of happiness involves an overwhelming number of choices and great uncertainty about the consequences. Many of these choices have significant implications for sustainability, which are rarely considered. Here, we present an optimality model that maximizes subjective happiness, which can eventually account for sustainability outcomes. Our model identifies the optimal use of time or energy to maximize happiness. Such models tell people how to invest in domains of happiness (e.g., work vs. leisure) and how to choose activities within domains (e.g., playing a computer game vs. playing a board game). We illustrate this optimization approach with data from an online survey, in which people (n = 87) either recalled or imagined their happiness during common activities. People reported decelerating happiness over time, but the rate of deceleration differed among activities. On average, people imagined spending more time on each activity than would be needed to maximize happiness, suggesting that an optimality model has value for guiding decisions. We then discuss how such models can address sustainability challenges associated with overinvesting (e.g., excessive CO2 emissions). To optimize happiness and explore its implications for sustainability over long periods, models can incorporate psychological processes that alter the potential for happiness and demographic processes that make lifespan uncertain. In cases where less objective approaches have failed, a quantitative theory may improve opportunities for happiness, while meeting sustainability outcomes.
Assessment of Nitrate Hazards in Umbria Region (Italy) Using Field Datasets: Good Agriculture Practices and Farms Sustainability
Authors: Paladino Ombretta , Massabò Marco , Gandoglia Edoardo
Published: November 2020

The Nitrates Directive, EU 91/676/EEC, obliged all European Union member states to introduce laws that guarantee the use of proper agriculture and farm methods, with the aim to reduce pollution resulting from the excessive use of nitrates. In this work, we estimated the potential and effective nitrogen load from agriculture, farms, civil, and industrial sources in Umbria region, Italy, and assessed the previous (and actual) contamination by nitrates at different scales. The adopted methodology uses databases of the sources, such as the type of fertilizer (inorganic or manure), the type of industrial site, the census of livestock and field data at a local, basin, and regional scale. Hydrological and geological models are used to compute infiltration. The study shows that the contribution of farms to nitrate pollution is in the order of swine > cattle > sheep and goats; while the highest agricultural load is due to arable land, followed by olive and grape. The study also shows that municipalities that have values of nitrates over the threshold for both groundwater and surface water can rapidly change their status during consecutive years. This means that rules for farm sustainability, complying with the Nitrates Directive, EU 91/676/EEC, should be defined at a sub-basin scale, where the hydrogeological conditions strongly influence infiltration.
Efficient Expenditure Allocation for Sustainable Public Services?—Comparative Cases of Korea and OECD Countries
Authors: Shin Dong Jin , Cha Byung Sub , Kim Brian H.S.
Published: November 2020

There have been contrasting trends in government expenditures spending among OECD countries. This study analyzed and compared the efficiency of government expenditures of OECD countries and Korea, focused on the health and welfare and social overhead capital (SOC) sectors, using data envelop analysis (DEA) and Tobit methods. Based on the indicator values of national ranking, Korea ranked 19th in the health and welfare sector and 10th in the SOC sector. However, compared to other countries in the OECD, Korea’s government expenditure has shown the highest efficiency in health and welfare (rank 1 with efficiency score of 2.401), while transportation SOC was at a level below the average (rank 13 with efficiency score of 0.813). In order to maintain a high level of efficiency in health and welfare expenditures, it is important for the Korean government to understand and improve conditions of the rates of poverty, unemployment, life expectancy, and low fertility. Moreover, in order to overcome the low level of efficiency in the SOC sector, the government needs to improve the quality of transport infrastructures along with implementation of an effective infrastructure-linking system between various modes of transportation, thereby enhancing its transport network density.
Mechanical Properties and Durability of Polypropylene and Steel Fiber-Reinforced Recycled Aggregates Concrete (FRRAC): A Review
Authors: Zhang Peng , Yang Yonghui , Wang Juan , Hu Shaowei , Jiao Meiju , Ling Yifeng
Published: November 2020

With the development of concrete engineering, a large amount of construction, demolition, excavation waste (CDEW) has been produced. The treated CDEW can be used as recycled aggregate to replace natural aggregate, which can not only reduce environmental pollution and construction-related resource waste caused by CDEW, but also save natural resources. However, the mechanical properties and durability of Recycled Aggregates Concrete (RAC) are generally worse than that of ordinary concrete. Various fiber or mineral materials are usually used in RAC to improve the mechanical properties and durability of the matrix. In RAC, polypropylene (PP) fiber and steel fiber (SF) are two kinds most commonly used fiber materials, which can enhance the strength and toughness of RAC and compensate the defects of RAC to some extent. In this paper, the literature on PP fiber- and SF-reinforced RAC (FRRAC) is reviewed, with a focus on the consistence, mechanical performance (compressive strength, tensile strength, stress–strain relationship, elastic modulus, and shear strength), durability (water absorption, chloride permeability, carbonation, freeze–thaw cycling, and shrinkage), and microstructure. The research findings regarding FRRAC were analyzed and compared. The results showed that adding mineral additives and fiber in RAC had a good synergistic effect, which made FRRAC have good mechanical properties, high durability and high temperature resistance, and several application prospects. The information and summary presented in this paper exhibit new knowledge and information on the application of FRRAC.
Developing an Environmental Justice Index for Small Island States: The Case of Malta
Authors: Portelli Maria-Stella , Conrad Elisabeth , Galdies Charles
Published: November 2020

By focusing predominantly on cities or larger regions, environmental justice (EJ) studies have tended to overlook the challenges faced by small island states. This study explores the feasibility of constructing an EJ index for Malta, as a case study of these territories. EJ issues were identified by consulting relevant literature and local experts. Based on this, five environmental variables (air pollution, noise pollution, lack of greenery, overcrowding and overdevelopment, and proximity to locally unwanted land uses) and three social variables (education, unemployment, and health) were selected for inclusion in the index. For the identified variables, indicators were chosen and calculated for each locality, while using a Geographic Information System to process and visualize spatial data. Cumulative environmental burden and social vulnerability scores were calculated based on quintile ranking of indicators. After normalization, cumulative scores were aggregated to derive the EJ index. The preliminary evaluation of EJ distribution in Malta demonstrated significant spatial differences. A statistically significant positive correlation of moderate strength between cumulative environmental burden and social vulnerability scores showed that EJ issues are present in Malta, notwithstanding its small size. Despite limitations, this exploratory index provides a basis for further EJ research in small island states.
From a Three-Legged Stool to a Three-Dimensional World: Integrating Rights, Gender and Indigenous Knowledge into Sustainability Practice and Law
Authors: DiPrete Brown Lori , Atapattu Sumudu , Stull Valerie Jo , Calderón Claudia Irene , Huambachano Mariaelena , Houénou Marie Josée Paula , Snider Anna , Monzón Andrea
Published: November 2020

“Sustainable Development” has come a long way since the World Commission on Environment and Development first popularized the term in 1987. Virtually everyone is now familiar with the term Sustainable Development, from states to multinational corporations, and from affluent communities in the Global North to impoverished communities in the Global South. It received a new lease of life in 2015 when the United Nations General Assembly adopted Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It is recognized that sustainable development requires an inter-disciplinary, multi-level, and bottom-up approach, and that this ideal is easy to state but difficult to operationalize. Pursuant to deliberations at an international workshop at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which aimed at fostering the exchange of ideas among diverse experts and developing solutions for effective inclusion of women and youth in climate change response strategies, we propose an innovative, practical three-dimensional model that enhances sustainability theory and practice with cross-cutting integration of human rights, gender equity, and Indigenous and local knowledge. We evaluate the utility of the model in two ways: First, we analyze how the model informs current approaches to environmental sustainability and human wellbeing including the SDGs, agroecology, de-growth principles, and planetary health metrics. Then, we explore the feasibility and added value of the approach through seven case studies from Guatemala, Sri Lanka, Malawi, Peru, Côte D’Ivoire, and Aotearoa—New Zealand. We conclude that the proposed model is congruent with current theory and practice. It builds on existing principles by identifying and addressing gaps. It enables practical action in a variety of settings and fosters a more integrated approach to sustainable wellbeing for humanity and our earth. We recommend continued development of this theoretical framework and related guidelines for program design, implementation and evaluation.
Variability of Seismic Loading over the Surface of a Concrete Slab in Interaction with the Subsoil
Authors: Stolarik Martin , Pinka Miroslav , Nedoma Jan , Fridrich Michael
Published: November 2020

This article is aimed at the analysis of the behavior of a fiber-reinforced concrete slab in contact with subsoil during dynamic loading in close proximity. The properties of such slabs are important for evaluating their dynamic response, though the properties of the subsoil environment through which the vibrations propagate must also be taken into account. The analysis itself was performed on the basis of the results obtained from experimental measurements during seismic excitation with a calibrated impact. There were three concrete slabs tested, with varying amounts of fiber. The standard Vistec seismic instrumentation was used for measuring the dynamic response. The results of the experiment were processed in both the amplitude and frequency domains, and a graphic comparison in the waveform and frequency fields was made. The results acquired from this experimental research may support a more objective approach during the evaluation of dynamic impacts ranging from anthropogenic impacts to building structures.
Effect of Spatial and Temporal Resolution Data on Design and Power Capture of a Heaving Point Absorber
Authors: Aderinto Tunde , Li Hua
Published: November 2020

For a heaving point absorber to perform optimally, it has to be designed to resonate to the prevailing ocean wave period. Hence, it is important to make the ocean wave data analysis to be as accurate as possible. In this study, existing wave condition data is used to investigate the effect of the temporal resolution (daily vs. hourly) of wave data on the design of the device and power capture. The temporal resolution effect on the estimation of ocean wave resource theoretical potential is also investigated. Results show that the temporal resolution variation of the ocean wave data affects the design of the device and its power capture, but the theoretical power resource assessment is not significantly affected. The device designed for the Gulf of Mexico is also analyzed with wave condition in Oregon, which has about 40 times the wave resource theoretical potential compared to the Gulf of Mexico. The results confirmed that a device should be designed for a specific location as the device performed better in the Gulf of Mexico, which has much less ocean wave resource theoretical potential. At last, the effect of the design, diameter and season (summer and winter) on the power output of the device is also investigated using statistical hypothesis testing methods. The results show that the power capture of a device is significantly affected by these parameters.
Shaping Multi-Level Energy and Climate Policy within the SET Plan Framework
Authors: Manni Mattia , Coccia Valentina , Paoletti Diletta , Raspadori Fabio , Ritonummi Timo , Cotana Franco
Published: November 2020

At the dawn of a new European Green Deal (EGD), it is necessary to reconsider the plans and actions that have characterized the European energy policies during recent decades by tuning and updating the priorities and targets. The present work moves from the systematic review of the documents, laws, and scientific studies concerning energy and climate initiatives to the analysis of the role of the Strategic Energy and Technology Plan (SET Plan) in the energy transition. Thus, the principal research question addresses the influence of the SET Plan on multi-level energy policies. To answer this, firstly, the juridical framework in which the SET Plan was instituted is provided; secondly, its correlation to the upcoming EDG is described and the targets identified by each Implementation Working Group (IWG) are discussed. Such a dissertation is followed by the investigation of the activities at various levels from the IWG on Renewable Fuels and Bioenergy. The study has confirmed that the SET Plan contributed to shaping the energy and climate policy at European, national, and regional levels by implementing synergies among different levels of governance, different sectors, and various stakeholders (both public and private). Furthermore, it eased the sharing of data on flagship projects by periodically monitoring the achieved results.
Food Security Challenges in Rapidly Urbanizing Developing Countries: Insight from Indonesia
Authors: Putra Andi Syah , Tong Guangji , Pribadi Didit Okta
Published: November 2020

Urbanization has become a global phenomenon that affects the food system. Some studies revealed that urbanization increases income/capita, thus transforming food consumption from cereals to animal products, vegetables, and fruits. Urbanization, particularly in developing countries, not only produces economic benefits but also various issues that might lessen peoples’ capacity to afford food. This study aims to analyze the impact of urbanization on food consumption, food composition, as well as farming performance. Series of consumption data since 1976 and statistical descriptive approaches were employed. The results showed a trend of declining the share of food expenditures, especially in urban areas, which is commonly regarded as a sign of increasing prosperity. Surprisingly, food composition remained stable, dominated by rice, due to lower-income and higher non-food expenditures of urban inhabitants mainly for housing, transportation, water and energy. The stagnancy of food composition provides less incentive for farmers; thus, farming is dominated by low-revenue paddy fields, uneducated laborers, and older farmers. Based on these findings, some recommendations can be suggested: (1) incorporating food composition and farming performance into food security policies, instead of merely focusing on the compliance of food supply and demand, (2) linking food issues with non-food issues, especially with urban planning, housing development, and transportation management to increase the income capacity of the society to purchase a greater variety of food, and (3) developing food diversification served by urban food vendors to support the benefits of the farming business.
Measurement of Service Quality in Trade Fair Organization
Authors: Jiménez-Guerrero José Felipe , Burgos-Jiménez Jerónimo de , Tarifa-Fernández Jorge
Published: November 2020

The success of a trade fair depends on the close collaboration between organizers and exhibitors with potential visitors. While the literature has invested a great deal of interest in the role of the exhibitor and, to a lesser extent, to the visitor, scarce attention has been paid to the vital role played by the fair organizer. The present work analyzes the latter and their importance to the success of a trade fair, which is measured by the quality of the services offered to exhibitors. Using a sample of exhibitors at an International Spanish trade fair, regression analysis is used to examine, at the exploratory level, some quality aspects linked to organizers that can affect the fulfillment of objectives established by exhibitors prior to attending a fair. The results obtained reveal that two dimensions of quality linked to the organizer (event design and quality of results) highly correlate with the final perceptions of exhibitors, and that their deficient quality level prevents the exhibitors from reaching their fair goals.
Exploring the Cognitive and Emotional Impact of Online Climate Change Videos on Viewers
Authors: Chen Nai-Hua
Published: November 2020

Climate change is a significant challenge for the international community. A significant part of addressing this challenge involves informing people about climate change to try and change behavior. Organizations like Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED) use social media as a means of disseminating information about the complexities of climate science. In this study, we investigate viewers’ responses to 50 TED videos associated with climate change that are posted on YouTube. We elucidate the opinions of both speakers and viewers through sentiment analysis of 59,023 comments and negative binomial regression techniques of viewers’ reactions. The most frequently mentioned keywords are emission, temperature, environment, nature, renewable energy, and economics. The top three emotions evoked by reviewer are trust, fear, and anticipation. The issue of economics is largely responsible for triggering these emotional responses.
Agritourism and Sustainability: What We Can Learn from a Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ammirato Salvatore , Felicetti Alberto Michele , Raso Cinzia , Pansera Bruno Antonio , Violi Antonio
Published: November 2020

Scholars from different perspectives agree that agritourism can be the right tool to balance the needs of tourists with those of rural communities, offering real opportunities for economic and social development, while mitigating undesirable impacts on the environment. This paper aims to provide a holistic outlook of the different perspectives under which scientific literature deals with the topic of agritourism as a means to support the sustainable development of rural areas. To reach this aim, we performed a systematic review of the scientific literature in order to point out the linkages between agritourism and sustainability. We analyzed papers through a text mining solution based on the Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) technique to point out the main topics around which the scientific literature on agritourism and sustainability has grown. Topics are further categorized in themes by means of an agglomerative hierarchical clustering procedure. Results are further analyzed to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the current streams of the literature.
Price Differentiation and Inventory Decisions in a Socially Responsible Dual-Channel Supply Chain with Partial Information Stochastic Demand and Cannibalization
Authors: Raza Syed Asif
Published: November 2020

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received much of the attention in supply chain management, in particular the pricing decisions. Most existing models that enable CSR integration into pricing decisions in a supply chain context assume deterministic demand and focus on a single distribution channel. Despite the fact that dual-channel supply chain (DCSC) has received popularity, most pricing decisions models in DCSC assume fixed and deterministic market share distribution between channels, and no demand leakages (cannibalization). This paper addresses these gaps by proposing a CSR enabled DCSC model pricing in which the demand is considered to be stochastic and market share distribution between channels in DCSC is optimally determined using a differentiation price, and the impact of demand leakages is also taken into consideration. Unlike existing studies, which only enable pricing decisions due to deterministic demand consideration, comprehensive DCSC models are proposed that provide joint decisions framework on CSR investment, pricing, and inventories. We have also considered the extension of the demand scenario when the distribution of demand is unknown. The two most common coordination schemes, the centralized (integrated) and the decentralized coordination is explored for the three demand situations: (i) deterministic demand; (ii) stochastic with full information; and (iii) stochastic with partial information. We are able to find analytical (closed-form) solutions for most demand situations. The centralized coordination performed better compared to the decentralized for all demand scenarios. The models are benchmarked when the demand is stochastic with known and unknown distributions, as well as, the case of the deterministic demand. A detailed numerical analysis is also presented in order to study the impact of using the price differentiation for market segmentation, the demand leakage, and partial knowledge on the stochastic demand on the players’ decisions and revenues in the supply chain.
Development of a Life Cycle Assessment Allocation Approach for Circular Economy in the Built Environment
Authors: Malabi Eberhardt Leonora Charlotte , van Stijn Anne , Nygaard Rasmussen Freja , Birkved Morten , Birgisdottir Harpa
Published: November 2020

Transitioning the built environment to a circular economy (CE) is vital to achieve sustainability goals but requires metrics. Life cycle assessment (LCA) can analyse the environmental performance of CE. However, conventional LCA methods assess individual products and single life cycles whereas circular assessment requires a systems perspective as buildings, components and materials potentially have multiple use and life cycles. How should benefits and burdens be allocated between life cycles? This study compares four different LCA allocation approaches: (a) the EN 15804/15978 cut-off approach, (b) the Circular Footprint Formula (CFF), (c) the 50:50 approach, and (d) the linearly degressive (LD) approach. The environmental impacts of four ‘circular building components’ is calculated: (1) a concrete column and (2) a timber column both designed for direct reuse, (3) a recyclable roof felt and (4) a window with a reusable frame. Notable differences in impact distributions between the allocation approaches were found, thus incentivising different CE principles. The LD approach was found to be promising for open and closed-loop systems within a closed loop supply chain (such as the ones assessed here). A CE LD approach was developed to enhance the LD approach’s applicability, to closer align it with the CE concept, and to create an incentive for CE in the industry.
Improving Liquefied Natural Gas Bunkering in Korea through the Chinese and Japanese Experiences
Authors: Yong Ung Yu , Sung Ho Park , Dong Ho Jung , Chang Hee Lee
Published: November 2020

The International Maritime Organization has strengthened global environmental regulations related to sulfur and nitrogen oxides contained in ship fuel oil since the beginning of 2020. One strategy to comply with the regulations is to fuel ships with liquefied natural gas (LNG) rather than with traditional heavy fuel oil. China and Japan are both developing a business structure for the bunkering of LNG through public–private partnerships to expand their leadership in the field in Northeast Asia and secure a competitive advantage. Compared to China and Japan, Korea has relatively inadequate laws, policy support, and best practices for safe and efficient LNG bunkering for ships. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the LNG bunkering regulation systems in China and Japan and addresses how these systems can be mirrored by Korea to improve the Korean system. It compares the legislative and normative rules of China and Japan regarding the complex global scenario of maritime transportation. The results show that Korea must revise its guidelines and create the advanced institutional framework required for the LNG bunkering market to support an eco-friendly shipping industry and maintain a competitive edge against China and Japan.
Divisibility Networks of the Rational Numbers in the Unit Interval
Authors: Solares-Hernández Pedro A. , García-March Miguel A. , Conejero J. Alberto
Published: November 2020

Divisibility networks of natural numbers present a scale-free distribution as many other process in real life due to human interventions. This was quite unexpected since it is hard to find patterns concerning anything related with prime numbers. However, it is by now unclear if this behavior can also be found in other networks of mathematical nature. Even more, it was yet unknown if such patterns are present in other divisibility networks. We study networks of rational numbers in the unit interval where the edges are defined via the divisibility relation. Since we are dealing with infinite sets, we need to define an increasing covering of subnetworks. This requires an order of the numbers different from the canonical one. Therefore, we propose the construction of four different orders of the rational numbers in the unit interval inspired in Cantor’s diagonal argument. We motivate why these orders are chosen and we compare the topologies of the corresponding divisibility networks showing that all of them have a free-scale distribution. We also discuss which of the four networks should be more suitable for these analyses.
Geometric and Differential Features of Scators as Induced by Fundamental Embedding
Authors: Kobus Artur , Cieśliński Jan L.
Published: November 2020

The scator space, introduced by Fernández-Guasti and Zaldívar, is endowed with a product related to the Lorentz rule of addition of velocities. The scator structure abounds with definitions calculationally inconvenient for algebraic operations, like lack of the distributivity. It occurs that situation may be partially rectified introducing an embedding of the scator space into a higher-dimensonal space, that behaves in a much more tractable way. We use this opportunity to comment on the geometry of automorphisms of this higher dimensional space in generic setting. In parallel, we develop commutative-hypercomplex analogue of differential calculus in a certain, specific low-dimensional case, as also leaned upon the notion of fundamental embedding, therefore treating the map as the main building block in completing the theory of scators.
Learning Representations of Network Traffic Using Deep Neural Networks for Network Anomaly Detection: A Perspective towards Oil and Gas IT Infrastructures
Authors: Naseer Sheraz , Faizan Ali Rao , Dominic P.D.D , Saleem Yasir
Published: November 2020

Oil and Gas organizations are dependent on their IT infrastructure, which is a small part of their industrial automation infrastructure, to function effectively. The oil and gas (O&G) organizations industrial automation infrastructure landscape is complex. To perform focused and effective studies, Industrial systems infrastructure is divided into functional levels by The Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society (ISA) Standard ANSI/ISA-95:2005. This research focuses on the ISA-95:2005 level-4 IT infrastructure to address network anomaly detection problem for ensuring the security and reliability of Oil and Gas resource planning, process planning and operations management. Anomaly detectors try to recognize patterns of anomalous behaviors from network traffic and their performance is heavily dependent on extraction time and quality of network traffic features or representations used to train the detector. Creating efficient representations from large volumes of network traffic to develop anomaly detection models is a time and resource intensive task. In this study we propose, implement and evaluate use of Deep learning to learn effective Network data representations from raw network traffic to develop data driven anomaly detection systems. Proposed methodology provides an automated and cost effective replacement of feature extraction which is otherwise a time and resource intensive task for developing data driven anomaly detectors. The ISCX-2012 dataset is used to represent ISA-95 level-4 network traffic because the O&G network traffic at this level is not much different than normal internet traffic. We trained four representation learning models using popular deep neural network architectures to extract deep representations from ISCX 2012 traffic flows. A total of sixty anomaly detectors were trained by authors using twelve conventional Machine Learning algorithms to compare the performance of aforementioned deep representations with that of a human-engineered handcrafted network data representation. The comparisons were performed using well known model evaluation parameters. Results showed that deep representations are a promising feature in engineering replacement to develop anomaly detection models for IT infrastructure security. In our future research, we intend to investigate the effectiveness of deep representations, extracted using ISA-95:2005 Level 2-3 traffic comprising of SCADA systems, for anomaly detection in critical O&G systems.
A Study on Domination in Vague Incidence Graph and Its Application in Medical Sciences
Authors: Rao Yongsheng , Kosari Saeed , Shao Zehui , Cai Ruiqi , Xinyue Liu
Published: November 2020

Fuzzy graphs (FGs), broadly known as fuzzy incidence graphs (FIGs), have been acknowledged as being an applicable and well-organized tool to epitomize and solve many multifarious real-world problems in which vague data and information are essential. Owing to unpredictable and unspecified information being an integral component in real-life problems that are often uncertain, it is highly challenging for an expert to illustrate those problems through a fuzzy graph. Therefore, resolving the uncertainty accompanying the unpredictable and unspecified information of any real-world problem can be done by applying a vague incidence graph (VIG), based on which the FGs may not engender satisfactory results. Similarly, VIGs are outstandingly practical tools for analyzing different computer science domains such as networking, clustering, and also other issues such as medical sciences, and traffic planning. Dominating sets (DSs) enjoy practical interest in several areas. In wireless networking, DSs are being used to find efficient routes with ad-hoc mobile networks. They have also been employed in document summarization, and in secure systems designs for electrical grids; consequently, in this paper, we extend the concept of the FIG to the VIG, and show some of its important properties. In particular, we discuss the well-known problems of vague incidence dominating set, valid degree, isolated vertex, vague incidence irredundant set and their cardinalities related to the dominating, etc. Finally, a DS application for VIG to properly manage the COVID-19 testing facility is introduced.
Extremal Cosmological Black Holes in Horndeski Gravity and the Anti-Evaporation Regime
Authors: Ayuso Ismael , Sáez-Chillón Gómez Diego
Published: November 2020

Extremal cosmological black holes are analysed in the framework of the most general second order scalar-tensor theory, the so-called Horndeski gravity. Such extremal black holes are a particular case of Schwarzschild-De Sitter black holes that arises when the black hole horizon and the cosmological one coincide. Such metric is induced by a particular value of the effective cosmological constant and is known as Nariai spacetime. The existence of this type of solutions is studied when considering the Horndeski Lagrangian and its stability is analysed, where the so-called anti-evaporation regime is studied. Contrary to other frameworks, the radius of the horizon remains stable for some cases of the Horndeski Lagrangian when considering perturbations at linear order.
Phase I and II Clinical Trial Comparing the LBSap, Leishmune®, and Leish-Tec® Vaccines against Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: Aguiar-Soares Rodrigo Dian de Oliveira , Roatt Bruno Mendes , Mathias Fernando Augusto Siqueira , Reis Levi Eduardo Soares , Cardoso Jamille Mirelle de Oliveira , Brito Rory Cristiane Fortes de , Ker Henrique Gama , Corrêa-Oliveira Rodrigo , Giunchetti Rodolfo Cordeiro , Reis Alexandre Barbosa
Published: November 2020

In this study, we performed a phase I and II clinical trial in dogs to evaluate the toxicity and immunogenicity of LBSap-vaccine prototype, in comparison to Leishmune® and Leish-Tec® vaccines. Twenty-eight dogs were classified in four groups: (i) control group received 1 mL of sterile 0.9% saline solution; (ii) LBSap group received 600 μg of Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes protein and 1 mg of saponin adjuvant; (iii) Leishmune®; and (iv) Leish-Tec®. The safety and toxicity of the vaccines were measured before and after three immunizations by clinical, biochemical, and hematological parameters. The clinical examinations revealed that some dogs of LBSap and Leishmune® groups presented changes at the site of vaccination inoculum, such as nodules, mild edema, and local pain, which were transient and disappeared seventy-two hours after vaccination, but these results indicate that adverse changes caused by the immunizations are tolerable. The immunogenicity results demonstrate an increase of B lymphocytes CD21+ regarding the Leishmune® group and monocytes CD14+ concerning LBSap and Leishmune® groups. In the in vitro analyses, an increase in lymphoproliferative activity in LBSap and Leishmune® groups was observed, with an increase of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes in the LBSap group. A second approach of in vitro assays aimed at evaluating the percentage of antigen-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes producers of IFN-γ and IL-4, where an increase in both IFN-γ producing subpopulations in the LBSap group was observed, also showed an increase in IFN-γ producers in CD8+ lymphocytes in the Leish-Tec® group. Our data regarding immunogenicity indicate that the vaccination process, especially with the LBSap vaccine, generated a protective immune response compatible with L. infantum parasite control. Based on the foregoing, the LBSap vaccine would be suitable for further studies of phase III clinical trial in endemic areas with high prevalence and incidence of canine visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases.
An Inverse Problem for Quantum Trees with Delta-Prime Vertex Conditions
Authors: Avdonin Sergei , Edward Julian
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we consider a non-standard dynamical inverse problem for the wave equation on a metric tree graph. We assume that the so-called delta-prime matching conditions are satisfied at the internal vertices of the graph. Another specific feature of our investigation is that we use only one boundary actuator and one boundary sensor, all other observations being internal. Using the Neumann-to-Dirichlet map (acting from one boundary vertex to one boundary and all internal vertices) we recover the topology and geometry of the graph together with the coefficients of the equations.
Surface Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Monitoring Reveals Karst Unsaturated Zone Recharge Dynamics during a Rain Event
Authors: Mazzilli Naomi , Chalikakis Konstantinos , Carrière Simon D. , Legchenko Anatoly
Published: November 2020

Understanding karst unsaturated zone (UZ) recharge dynamics is crucial for achieving sustainable management of karst hydrosystems. In this paper, we provide the first report of the application of surface nuclear magnetic resonance (SNMR) monitoring of a karst UZ during a typical Mediterranean rain event. This 79 days’ SNMR monitoring is a part of a more than 2 years of SNMR monitoring at the Low Noise Underground Laboratory (LSBB) experimental site located within the Fontaine de Vaucluse karst hydrosystem (southeastern France). We present eight SNMR soundings conducted before and after the rain event that accumulated 168 mm in 5 days. The obtained results demonstrate the applicability and the efficiency of SNMR for investigating infiltration dynamics in karst UZs at the time scale of a few days. We present the SNMR amplitudes that highlight strong signal variations related to water dynamics in the karst UZ. Infiltrated water cause increased SNMR signal during 5 days after the rain event. A significant draining process of the medium starts 15 days after the main event. Finally, after 42 days, the SNMR signal returns close to the initial state.
Effect of Angle between Pier and Center of River Flow on Local Scouring around the Bridge Pier
Authors: Kadono Takuma , Okazaki Shinichiro , Kabeyama Yoshihiro , Matsui Toshinori
Published: November 2020

In recent years, heavy rainfall disasters have caused frequent damage to bridge piers due to scouring and have resulted in the fall of bridges in many areas in Japan. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of local scouring around the downstream of the piers on the local scouring around the center of the river flowing at an angle to the piers. It was found that when the center of the river flows at an angle to the piers, the scouring area becomes wider from the upstream to the downstream of the piers because of the longer inhibition width of the piers positioned perpendicular to the water flow. The downstream scouring depth tends to be smaller than the upstream scouring depth. In addition, the time to the onset of tilting deformation of the piers increases with the inhibition width of the piers positioned perpendicular to the flowing water.
An Evaluation of Irrigation Water Use Efficiency in Crop Production Using a Data Envelopment Analysis Approach: A Case of Louisiana, USA
Authors: Gautam Tej K. , Paudel Krishna P. , Guidry Kurt M.
Published: November 2020

The primary objective of this study is to estimate and evaluate the technical efficiency of irrigation water use in soybean (Glycine max L.) production in Louisiana, USA. We conducted a farm-level survey to assess information regarding irrigation cost, the volume of water application, and crop yield per acre during the crop year 2016. We use smoothed heterogeneous bootstrapping procedures in conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) and supplement it with a nonradial measure of efficiency known as the Russell measure. The irrigation efficiency scores obtained from both an input- and an output-based DEA approach indicate that producers are over-applying irrigation water by approximately 37 percent. The results provide evidence that an improvement in water management practices can optimize irrigation efficiency, leading to higher profits for the farmers by lowering the other input prices in the production process. The findings should provide a benchmarking tool to formulate an appropriate irrigation policy that enhances water conservation in crop production in regions with similar environmental conditions and soil characteristics.
Ensemble Model Development for the Prediction of a Disaster Index in Water Treatment Systems
Authors: Park Jungsu , Park Jae-Hyeoung , Choi June-Seok , Joo Jin Chul , Park Kihak , Yoon Hyeon Cheol , Park Cheol Young , Lee Woo Hyoung , Heo Tae-Young
Published: November 2020

The quantitative analysis of the disaster effect on water supply systems can provide useful information for water supply system management. In this study, a total disaster index (TDI) was developed using open-source public data in 419 water treatment plants in Korea with 23 input variables. The TDI quantifies the possible effects or damage caused by three major disasters (typhoons, heavy rain, and earthquakes) on water supply systems. The four components (regional factor, risk factor, urgency factor, and response and recovery factor) were calculated using input variables to determine the disaster index (DI) of each disaster. The weight of the input variables was determined using principal component analysis (PCA), and the weights of the DI of three natural disasters and four components used to calculate the TDI were determined by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Specifically, two ensemble machine learning models, random forest (RF) and XGBoost (XGB), were used to develop models to predict the TDI. Both models predicted the TDI with the coefficient of determination and root-mean-square error-observations standard deviation ratio of 0.8435 and 0.3957 for the RF model and 0.8629 and 0.3703 for the XGB model, respectively. The relative importance analysis suggests that the number of input variables can be minimized, which improves the models’ practical applicability.