bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Communication Network Architectures for Driver Assistance Systems
Authors: Giuliano Romeo , Mazzenga Franco , Innocenti Eros , Fallucchi Francesca , Habib Ibrahim
Published: October 2021

Autonomous Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are of increasing importance to warn vehicle drivers of potential dangerous situations. In this paper, we propose one system to warn drivers of the presence of pedestrians crossing the road. The considered ADAS adopts a CNN-based pedestrian detector (PD) using the images captured from a local camera and to generate alarms. Warning messages are then forwarded to vehicle drivers approaching the crossroad by means of a communication infrastructure using public radio networks and/or local area wireless technologies. Three possible communication architectures for ADAS are presented and analyzed in this paper. One format for the alert message is also presented. Performance of the PDs are analyzed in terms of accuracy, precision, and recall. Results show that the accuracy of the PD varies from 70% to 100% depending on the resolution of the videos. The effectiveness of each of the considered communication solutions for ADAS is evaluated in terms of the time required to forward the alert message to drivers. The overall latency including the PD processing and the alert communication time is then used to define the vehicle braking curve, which is required to avoid collision with the pedestrian at the crossroad.
In-Tire Distributed Optical Fiber (DOF) Sensor for the Load Assessment of Light Vehicles in Static Conditions
Authors: Fontaine Martin , Coiret Alex , Cesbron Julien , Baltazart Vincent , Bétaille David
Published: October 2021

Modern vehicles are using control and safety driving algorithms fed by various evaluations such as wheel speeds or road environmental conditions. Wheel load evaluation could be useful for such algorithms, particularly for extreme vehicle loading or uneven loads. For now, smart tires are only equipped by tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) and temperature sensors. Manufacturers are still working on in-tire sensors, such as load sensors, to create the next generation of smart tires. The present work aims at demonstrating that a static tire instrumented with an internal optical fiber allows the wheel load estimation for every wheel angular position. Experiments have been carried out with a static tire loaded with a hydraulic press and instrumented with both an internal optical fiber and an embedded laser. Load estimation is performed both from tire deflection and contact patch length evaluations. For several applied loads from 2800 to 4800 N, optical fiber load estimation is realized with a relative error of 1% to 3%, almost as precisely as that with the embedded laser, but with the advantage of the load estimation regardless of the wheel angular position. In perspective, the developed methodology based on an in-tire optical fiber could be used for continuous wheel load estimation for moving vehicles, benefiting control and on-board safety systems.
Optimal UAV Deployment and Resource Management in UAV Relay Networks
Authors: Han Sang Ik , Baek Jaeuk
Published: October 2021

UAV equipped three-dimensional (3D) wireless networks can provide a solution for the requirements of 5G communications, such as enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and massive Machine Type Communications (mMTC). Especially, the introduction of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) as a relay node can improve the connectivity, extend the terrestrial base station (BS) coverage and enhance the throughput by taking advantage of a strong air-to-ground line of sight (LOS) channel. In this paper, we consider the deployment and resource allocation of UAV relay network (URN) to maximize the throughput of user equipment (UE) within a cell, while guaranteeing a reliable transmission to UE outside the coverage of BS. To this end, we formulate joint UAV deployment and resource allocation problems, whose analytical solutions can be hardly obtained, in general. We propose a fast and practical algorithm to provide the optimal solution for the number of transmit time slots and the UAV relay location in a sequential manner. The transmit power at BS and UAV is determined in advance based on the availability of channel state information (CSI). Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms can significantly reduce the computational effort and complexity to determine the optimal UAV location and transmit time slots over an exhaustive search.
Algorithm for Evaluating Energy Detection Spectrum Sensing Performance of Cognitive Radio MIMO-OFDM Systems
Authors: Lorincz Josip , Ramljak Ivana , Begusic Dinko
Published: October 2021

Cognitive radio technology enables spectrum sensing (SS), which allows the secondary user (SU) to access vacant frequency bands in the periods when the primary user (PU) is not active. Due to its minute implementation complexity, the SS approach based on energy detection (ED) of the PU signal has been analyzed in this paper. Analyses were performed for detecting PU signals by the SU in communication systems exploiting multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) transmission technology. To perform the analyses, a new algorithm for simulating the ED process based on a square-law combining (SLC) technique was developed. The main contribution of the proposed algorithm is enabling comprehensive simulation analyses of ED performance based on the SLC method for versatile combinations of operating parameter characteristics for different working environments of MIMO-OFDM systems. The influence of a false alarm on the detection probability of PU signals impacted by operating parameters such as the signal-to-noise ratios, the number of samples, the PU transmit powers, the modulation types and the number of the PU transmit and SU receive branches of the MIMO-OFDM systems have been analyzed in the paper. Simulation analyses are performed by running the proposed algorithm, which enables precise selection of and variation in the operating parameters, the level of noise uncertainty and the detection threshold in different simulation scenarios. The presented analysis of the obtained simulation results indicates how the considered operating parameters impact the ED efficiency of symmetric and asymmetric MIMO-OFDM systems.
Joint Sparsity for TomoSAR Imaging in Urban Areas Using Building POI and TerraSAR-X Staring Spotlight Data
Authors: Pang Lei , Gai Yanfeng , Zhang Tian
Published: October 2021

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) tomography (TomoSAR) can obtain 3D imaging models of observed urban areas and can also discriminate different scatters in an azimuth–range pixel unit. Recently, compressive sensing (CS) has been applied to TomoSAR imaging with the use of very-high-resolution (VHR) SAR images delivered by modern SAR systems, such as TerraSAR-X and TanDEM-X. Compared with the traditional Fourier transform and spectrum estimation methods, using sparse information for TomoSAR imaging can obtain super-resolution power and robustness and is only minorly impacted by the sidelobe effect. However, due to the tight control of SAR satellite orbit, the number of acquisitions is usually too low to form a synthetic aperture in the elevation direction, and the baseline distribution of acquisitions is also uneven. In addition, artificial outliers may easily be generated in later TomoSAR processing, leading to a poor mapping product. Focusing on these problems, by synthesizing the opinions of various experts and scholarly works, this paper briefly reviews the research status of sparse TomoSAR imaging. Then, a joint sparse imaging algorithm, based on the building points of interest (POIs) and maximum likelihood estimation, is proposed to reduce the number of acquisitions required and reject the scatterer outliers. Moreover, we adopted the proposed novel workflow in the TerraSAR-X datasets in staring spotlight (ST) work mode. The experiments on simulation data and TerraSAR-X data stacks not only indicated the effectiveness of the proposed approach, but also proved the great potential of producing a high-precision dense point cloud from staring spotlight (ST) data.
Measuring and Evaluating the Effectiveness of Active Citizenship Education Programmes to Support Disadvantaged Youth
Authors: Liu Liyuan , Donbavand Steven , Hoskins Bryony , Janmaat Jan Germen , Kavadias Dimokritos
Published: October 2021

The current Special Issue has been inspired by the Seventh Annual Conference on Citizenship Education that was held in Roehampton University London, on 26–27 September 2019 [...]
Is There a Real Need for the Preparatory Years in Higher Education? An Educational Data Analysis for College and Future Career Readiness
Authors: Brdesee Hani , Alsaggaf Wafaa
Published: October 2021

Universities seek to qualify students for their academic and career futures and meet labor market requirements. Hence, a preparatory year is provided to bridge the gap between high school outcomes and the needs of university study plans. The preparatory year is the first year of support in the life of university students, and for decades, it has been recognized as important. It is considered the most crucial stage in the life of university students, where they build and refine their skills and choose their academic major, in which they complete their academic and career life. Due to the importance of this year, which requires the full attention and care of the higher authorities in terms of preparation, development, and renewal, this research outlines the importance of the preparatory year at a local level and in international institutions. Moreover, it sheds light on the details of King Abdulaziz University (KAU) students as a case study. It measures the relationship between the admission weighted ratio (AWR), the college enrollment allocation weighted ratio (CEAWR), and the performance of three batches of male and female students (three consecutive years), with details of students’ college allocation after the end of the preparatory year. More importantly, it aims to realize students’ progress through their weighted averages during their preparatory year, and the extent to which the goals of the preparatory year are achieved. After an analytic survey of the reality of the preparatory year, based on the statistical tests conducted, this study found that it is not possible to be satisfied with the weighted ratio for colleges’ direct allocation of high school students. The tests showed a difference between the AWR and that of the CEAWR, which indicates a change in the level of students’ performance from high school to university, due to the positive impact of the preparatory year. More precisely, it was noted that there is a possibility of studying the sufficiency of the weighted ratio for the direct allocation of some colleges in future research.
Adaptation of an Evidence-Based Online Depression Prevention Intervention for College Students: Intervention Development and Pilot Study Results
Authors: Gladstone Tracy R. G. , Rintell L. Sophia , Buchholz Katherine R. , Myers Taylor L.
Published: October 2021

College and university students across the United States are experiencing increases in depressive symptoms and risk for clinical depression. As college counseling centers strive to address the problem through wellness outreach and psychoeducation, limited resources make it difficult to reach students who would most benefit. Technology-based prevention programs have the potential to increase reach and address barriers to access encountered by students in need of mental health support. Part 1 of this manuscript describes the development of the Willow intervention, an adaptation of the technology-based CATCH-IT depression prevention intervention using a community participatory approach, for use by students at a women’s liberal arts college. Part 2 presents data from a pilot study of Willow with N = 34 (mean age = 19.82, SD = 1.19) students. Twenty-nine participants (85%) logged onto Willow at least once, and eight (24%) completed the full intervention. Participants positively rated the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of Willow. After eight weeks of use, results suggested decreases in depressive symptoms (95% CI (0.46–3.59)), anxiety symptoms (95% CI (0.41–3.04)), and rumination (95% CI (0.45–8.18)). This internet-based prevention intervention was found to be acceptable, feasible to implement, and may be associated with decreased internalizing symptoms.
The Impact of Environmental Governance on the Development of Fishery Economy—The Intermediary Role of Technological Innovation
Authors: Hou Na , Zhu Qianying , Yang Jinlin , Zhang Dahong , Liu Wenwen , Chang Hong
Published: October 2021

In the context of the “new normal” of China’s economic development, it is urgent to solve the contradiction between fishery development and environmental protection. To promote the construction of a modern fishery power, we must return to ecological priority. Based on this, the research used relevant data samples from various provinces during 2004–2017. The level of fishery economic development is measured using fishery added value and total fishery output value; the industrial pollution control investment and environmental pollution control investment represent the intensity of environmental control; the relationship between environmental governance and fishery economic development is explored, and the intermediary role of technological innovation is further analyzed. Empirical results show that environmental governance has a significant positive impact on fishery economic development, and this influence shows both spatial and temporal heterogeneity, regionally showing the distribution characteristic of “in the eastern region > in the central region > in the western region”, and the time series show the “strengthened influence − weakened influence” i.e., “inverted U” variations. In addition, technological innovation plays a certain intermediary role in the impact of environmental governance on fishery economic development. The research provides a theoretical basis for breaking through the bottleneck of fishery development and realizing high-quality and sustainable development.
Psychological and Physical Health of Organic and Conventional Farmers: A Review
Authors: David Lucas , Dambrun Michaël , Harrington Rosie , Streith Michel , Michaud Audrey
Published: October 2021

Farmers’ health compared to the general population has been the object of some studies and reviews. Among all factors implied in psychological and physical health, the farming system (i.e., organic or conventional farming) was identified as one of the relevant factors to investigate. This article aims to review the literature established on the comparison between organic and conventional farmers’ health and its correlates. Twenty-nine quantitative or qualitative articles were identified for inclusion (n = 29). Results showed that organic farmers had globally better psychological and physical health than conventional farmers. Effect sizes were small to large; they differed according to the target outcome. In addition, factors correlated with farmers’ health were usually psychological, social, financial, and agricultural. This review of literature encourages further research in this area, particularly on developing agricultural models.
On the Evolution of Hierarchical Urban Systems in Soviet Russia, 1897–1989
Authors: Kumo Kazuhiro , Shadrina Elena
Published: October 2021

One piece of evidence of the inefficiency of the spatial economy of modern Russia presented in the seminal work of Hill and Gaddy (2004) is that Russian urban agglomerations are non-viable. This was demonstrated using Zipf’s rank-size distribution, which does not hold for Russian urban systems. Hill and Gaddy explained this through the legacy of the Soviet command-administrative planning. Having constructed an original dataset, which incorporated comprehensive historical data for all the cities in the former Soviet Union republics and tested the rank-size distributions for the respective years, the study yielded more nuanced findings. First, unlike the modern Russian hierarchical urban systems, the Soviet ones followed rank-size distribution fairly well. Second, the Soviet urban systems were evolving. In the late Imperial era and early Soviet period, they followed the Zipf’s law prediction. However, between 1939 and 1959, the rank-size distribution diverged from the predicted one. Yet again, the Soviet hierarchical urban systems revealed a trend of convergence toward the traditional rank-size distribution in the late Soviet era. A corollary to such evidence from data trajectory appears that the evolution of the Soviet hierarchical urban systems was not necessarily the ultimate product of the urban development policies of the command-administrative system. It can be thus presumed that, contrary to the established belief, command administrative urban development might be ineffectual even in centrally planned socialist economies.
Towards Social Identity in Socio-Cognitive Agents
Authors: Rato Diogo , Prada Rui
Published: October 2021

Current architectures for social agents are designed around some specific units of social behavior that address particular challenges, such as modeling beliefs and motivations, establishing social relationships, or understanding group memberships. Although their performance might be adequate for controlled environments, deploying these agents in the wild is difficult. Moreover, the increasing demand for autonomous agents capable of living alongside humans calls for the design of more robust social agents that can cope with diverse social situations. We believe that to design such agents, their sociality and cognition should be conceived as one. This includes creating mechanisms for constructing social reality as an interpretation of the physical world with social meanings and selective deployment of cognitive resources adequate to the situation. We identify several design principles that should be considered while designing agent architectures for socio-cognitive systems. Taking these remarks into account, we propose a socio-cognitive agent model based on the concept of cognitive social frames that allow the adaptation of an agent’s cognition based on its interpretation of its surroundings, its social context. Our approach supports an agent’s reasoning about other social actors and its relationship with them. Cognitive social frames can be built around social groups, and form the basis for social group dynamics mechanisms and construct of social identity.
Changes in Regional Economic Resilience after the 2008 Global Economic Crisis: The Case of Korea
Authors: Yu Seoyoung , Kim Donghyun
Published: October 2021

This study investigated Korea’s regional economic resilience after the 2008 economic crisis and analyzed the spatial patterns therein from the perspective of evolution and engineering. We analyzed the employee statistics of 229 si-gun-gu (city-county-district) administrative units for the 2002–2016 period sourced from Business Census data using shift-share analysis, a panel data model, and exploratory spatial data analysis (ESDA). According to the analysis, most regions showed resilience after the crisis, revealing various patterns within the economic regions. Regarding the capital area, there were more structural improvements in Gyeonggi-do than in Seoul. For other regions, there were also more structural improvements in and around metropolitan areas. When comparing the absolute levels of post-crisis employment, the capital area showed low employment resilience in the CBD, while areas where industries such as IT and finance were clustered showed great employment resilience. In addition, non-capital areas showed a significant recovery in the manufacturing areas. This means that regional inequalities in the process of responding to economic crises are likely to include both quantitative and qualitative aspects, and that policies that accompany more structural improvements should be implemented.
Implementing a Proxy-Basin Strategy to Assess the Transposability of a Hydrological Model in Geographically Similar Catchments
Authors: Donmez Cenk , Cilek Ahmet , Paul Carsten , Berberoglu Suha
Published: October 2021

Hydrological modelling is the most common way to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of regional water resources. The reliability and uncertainty of a model depend on the efficient calibration of hydrological parameters. However, in complex regions where several subcatchments are defined, calibration of parameters is often difficult due to a lack of observed data. The transposability of hydrological models is of critical importance for assessing hydrological effects of land use and climatic changes in ungauged watersheds. Our study implemented a Proxy-Catchment Differential Split-Sample (PBDSS) strategy to assess the transposability of the conceptual hydrological model J2000 in three different subcatchments with similar physiographic conditions in Western Turkey. For dry and wet scenarios, the model was calibrated and validated for five years (2013–2017) in two selected catchments (Kayirli and Ulubey). Afterwards, it was validated by predicting the streamflow in the Amasya catchment, which has similar physical and climatic characteristics. The approach comprises transferring J2000 model parameters between different catchments, adjusting parameters to reflect the prevailing catchment characteristics, and validating without calibration. The objective functions showed a reliable model performance with Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (E) ranging from 0.72 to 0.82 when predicting streamflow in the study subcatchments for wet and dry conditions. An uncertainty analysis showed good agreement between the ensemble mean and measured runoff, indicating that the sensitive parameters can be used to estimate discharge in ungauged catchments. Therefore, the J2000 model can be considered adequate in its transposability to physically similar subcatchments for simulating daily streamflow.
Agroforestry Systems: A Systematic Review Focusing on Traditional Indigenous Practices, Food and Nutrition Security, Economic Viability, and the Role of Women
Authors: Gonçalves Claudia de Brito Quadros , Schlindwein Madalena Maria , Martinelli Gabrielli do Carmo
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to identify from the literature review whether agroforestry systems have been an agricultural practice adopted by indigenous peoples for income generation and food and nutritional security. For this, a systematic review was conducted in the period from 2010 to 2020 of 92 articles, dissertations, and theses. Thus, it is found that agroforestry practices are traditional indigenous forms of farming that provide food security, income generation, and medicines, in addition to preserving biodiversity. Indigenous agroforestry is fundamental to indigenous culture, strengthening spiritual practices and the relationship with nature. Women have vital importance in the management of agroforestry practices because, through this productive practice, they ensure the food consumption of the family, besides generating income. However, women still face many difficulties in the countryside because their working hours are longer than those of men; besides not participating in decisions on the choice of species and form of management, in some countries, they still face difficulty accessing and owning land. The studies provide evidence on the economic viability of agroforestry systems. However, research gaps are identified that verify the economic and financial analysis of agroforestry models, which address the concerns of indigenous communities, aiming at food security. These analyses are essential for the implementation and continuity of the production system.
Decentralized Control of DC Microgrid Based on Droop and Voltage Controls with Electricity Price Consideration
Authors: Habibullah Al Faris , Padhilah Faris Adnan , Kim Kyeong-Hwa
Published: October 2021

In this paper, a power flow control strategy (PFCS) for the decentralized control of DC microgrids (DCMGs) is proposed to enhance the flexibility and scalability of the microgrid power system. The proposed scheme is achieved by combining the droop control and DC-link voltage control with the consideration of the electricity price condition. Generally, the droop control method can be used effectively in decentralized DCMGs to achieve power-sharing without additional communication links. However, the deviation of the DC-link voltage caused by the droop control affects the amount of power delivered to the load. As an alternative, the DC-link voltage control can be used to prevent such a deviation. To combine both control schemes in this study, the utility grid (UG) unit uses the DC-link voltage control to exchange the power between the DC-link and a UG in the grid-connected mode, while a distributed generator (DG) and energy storage system (ESS) units use the droop control method in the islanded mode. The operating modes of the UG, DG, ESS, and load units are determined by the deviation values of the DC-link voltage to maintain DCMG power balance. The overall PFCS is also developed for a decentralized DCMG system by taking into consideration several uncertainties such as DG power variation, battery state of charge (SOC) level, load demand, and grid availability. The proposed PFCS also considers electricity price conditions to adaptively change the DC-link voltage level for the purpose of minimizing the utility cost. When the DC-link voltage level is reduced due to the high electricity price condition, the proposed droop controller is designed such that the ESS unit operates with a discharging mode, which leads to the required minimum power support from the UG. The effectiveness of the proposed PFCS is demonstrated by comprehensive simulation and experimental results under various conditions. Those test results clearly confirm the control flexibility and overall performance of the proposed PFCS for a decentralized DCMG system.
Impact of Noah-LSM Parameterizations on WRF Mesoscale Simulations: Case Study of Prevailing Summer Atmospheric Conditions over a Typical Semi-Arid Region in Eastern Spain
Authors: Gómez Igor , Molina Sergio , Galiana-Merino Juan José , Estrela María José , Caselles Vicente
Published: October 2021

The current study evaluates the ability of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF) to forecast surface energy fluxes over a region in Eastern Spain. Focusing on the sensitivity of the model to Land Surface Model (LSM) parameterizations, we compare the simulations provided by the original Noah LSM and the Noah LSM with multiple physics options (Noah-MP). Furthermore, we assess the WRF sensitivity to different Noah-MP physics schemes, namely the calculation of canopy stomatal resistance (OPT_CRS), the soil moisture factor for stomatal resistance (OPT_BTR), and the surface layer drag coefficient (OPT_SFC). It has been found that these physics options strongly affect the energy partitioning at the land surface in short-time scale simulations. Aside from in situ observations, we use the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (SEVIRI) sensor to assess the Land Surface Temperature (LST) field simulated by WRF. Regarding multiple options in Noah-MP, WRF has been configured using three distinct soil moisture factors to control stomatal resistance (β factor) available in Noah-MP (Noah, CLM, and SSiB-types), two canopy stomatal resistance (Ball–Berry and Jarvis), and two options for surface layer drag coefficients (Monin–Obukhov and Chen97 scheme). Considering the β factor schemes, CLM and SSiB-type β factors simulate very low values of the latent heat flux while increasing the sensible heat flux. This result has been obtained independently of the canopy stomatal resistance scheme used. Additionally, the surface skin temperature simulated by Noah-MP is colder than that obtained by the original Noah LSM. This result is also highlighted when the simulated surface skin temperature is compared to the MSG-SEVIRI LST product. The largest differences between the satellite data and the mesoscale simulations are produced using the Noah-MP configurations run with the Monin–Obukhov parameterization for surface layer drag coefficients. In contrast, the Chen97 scheme shows larger surface skin temperatures than Monin–Obukhov, but at the expense of a decrease in the simulated sensible heat fluxes. In this regard, the ground heat flux and the net radiation play a key role in the simulation results.
Border Tourism Development Strategies in Kaleybar Compared to Regional Rivals
Authors: Safdari Molan Amin , Farhadi Ebrahim , Saganeiti Lucia , Murgante Beniamino
Published: October 2021

A richness of tourism attractions has given Iran global importance within its border. Iran is a country with a huge cultural heritage, and is rich in historical monuments from different eras. The variety and diversity of cultural symbols allows tourists traveling in Iran to experience the cultures of other countries. The border areas of the country are therefore becoming increasingly attractive for tourism due to their distinctive social, economic and political position and the presence of many historical and natural attractions. This study analyzes border tourism in Kaleybar city using a descriptive–analytical method with a Meta-SWOT model (new strategic planning tool), with the final goal of economic development and the improvement of the welfare of the people. Through a literature review, the current and future capabilities and challenges of the county of Kaleybar as a border city are examined, and future goals and ways to achieve them have been developed using the opinions of experts and scholars via the Delphi technique. For this purpose, the Meta-SWOT model has been used. Meta-SWOT is based on resource-based theory (RBV). Data collection has been done several times using the opinions of 39 experts. After analyzing the conditions and recognizing and determining the capacities and skills of Kaleybar and its regional rivals, the results of the research show that the most important advantage of Kaleybar city concerns the existence of many attractions of a natural character. A higher strategic suitability is also ensured by the presence of parks and coastal sidewalks that attract important internal and foreign investments in this region. On the other hand, the component of political and governmental factors in attracting foreign tourists has the highest effective power, and the component of attention to integrated management in the field of tourism in the country has the highest degree of urgency.
The Environmental Impact of Organizations: A Pilot Test from the Packaging Industry Based on Organizational Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Rimano Michela , Simboli Alberto , Taddeo Raffaella , Del Grosso Michele , Raggi Andrea
Published: October 2021

This article presents and discusses a pilot test concerning the environmental impacts assessment of organizations. The study was conducted in a production site of a world leading group in the plastic packaging industry. The purpose was to deepen the knowledge of the methodologies currently available and also of the benefits and the difficulties related to their practical implementation. The analysis was conducted in the period 2018–2019, in line with ISO 14044 and ISO/TS 14072 standards and therefore inspired by the organizational life cycle assessment (O-LCA) procedures and standards. The O-LCA test application has proved useful in detecting a number of environmental hotspots usually not detected by other life cycle based approaches, on which the organization should focus to undertake improvement actions, both internal and external (e.g., the category “employees commuting”). The experience gained in the production site under study also led to the replication of the assessment approach to other facilities around the world and for informing corporate sustainability reporting activities (e.g., Global Reporting Initiative and Carbon Disclosure Project reporting standards). Such results can provide methodological and practical insights to both scholars and practitioners in that field of activities.
Czekanowski’s Diagram and Spatial Data Cluster Analysis for Planning Sustainable Development of Rural Areas
Authors: Oleniacz Grzegorz
Published: October 2021

Defects in the spatial structure of agricultural land resulting from the common phenomenon of land fragmentation constitute one of the most important factors that contribute to the lack of rational land management. Reconstruction of the spatial structure of rural areas is essential for their sustainable development. The process of land consolidation is a tool that can arrange space and lead to the desired structural changes. It is reasonable to select objects for land consolidation in such a way as to obtain the best possible effect. This article presents an algorithm for grouping areas with the concentration of the external land ownership patchwork with the use of Czekanowski’s method of cluster analysis. The clusters determined this way can be treated as the whole objects subjected to land consolidation, for which the process will bring the greatest benefits in terms of the elimination of the external land ownership patchwork. The described algorithm is relatively simple to use and the graphical final form is easy for the result interpretation. It allows for multi-variant examination of the analyzed phenomenon and can be applied wherever there is access to reliable information from land registry and cadastral and GIS databases that are used to obtain a complete picture of the spatial and ownership structure of the analyzed areas.
Detecting the Institutional Mediation of Push–Pull Factors on International Students’ Satisfaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Chang Dian-Fu , Chou Wen-Ching
Published: October 2021

In this study, we designed a structural model to determine the relationships among push–pull factors, institutional situations, and satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 17 selected indicators fell under five domains, namely push factors, pull factors, institutional leadership, international strategies, and satisfaction. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to verify the assumptions of the model. Based on 1005 degree-seeking international students’ views, this study found that push and pull factors may coincidentally exist, and their functions can be modified by institutional situations. The findings suggested pull factors will, through institutional leadership, impact students’ satisfaction, while push factors will not. Moreover, the detection of institutional mediation can provide useful information for specific institutes to develop their future recruiting or retaining strategies. These findings enriched our knowledge of the field for higher education sustainable development. For future studies, this design may be useful to interpret the phenomena of global student mobility in higher education settings.
The Relationship between CO2 Emissions, Air Pollution, and Tourism Flows in China: A Panel Data Analysis of Chinese Provinces
Authors: Zikirya Bahram , Wang Jieyu , Zhou Chunshan
Published: October 2021

This study quantitatively investigated the relationship between climate change (proxied by CO2 emissions), air pollution (proxied by PM2.5 concentration levels and PM10 and SO2 emissions), and tourism flows (proxied by inbound and domestic tourist arrivals) using panel data for 30 Chinese provinces from 2010 to 2017. The results demonstrate a long-term equilibrium relationship between CO2 emissions, air pollution variables, and tourism flows (including the number of inbound and domestic tourists). The panel data model results show that CO2 emissions have an opposite effect on inbound and domestic tourist arrivals, while domestic and inbound tourists positively affect CO2 emissions. PM2.5 level and PM10 and SO2 emissions all have a negative effect on the number of tourists. There is bidirectional causality between CO2 emissions and domestic tourist arrivals, which means CO2 emissions and domestic tourist arrivals have a two-way effect. A one-way causality running from PM2.5 to inbound tourist arrivals and SO2 emissions to domestic tourist arrivals was found. Moreover, we also found bidirectional causality between PM10 and inbound tourist arrivals and PM10 and domestic tourist arrivals. Variance decomposition function results suggest that PM10 and SO2 emissions have stronger effects on inbound tourist arrivals in the long term, while CO2 emissions and PM10 have stronger power in explaining innovations in domestic tourist arrivals. The movements in the domestic tourist arrivals do significantly affect CO2 emissions in the long run. The study provides theoretical implications and guidance for achieving a healthy and sustainable tourism industry.
Optimization of Piston Grooves, Bridges on Cylinder Head, and Inlet Valve Masking of Home-Fueled Diesel Engine by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Indudhar Mathad R. , Banapurmath Nagaraj R. , Rajulu K. Govinda , Patil Arun Y. , Javed Syed , Khan T. M. Yunus
Published: October 2021

Naturally replenished biodiesel fuels are more precise in place of diesel engine applications as they have complying thermal properties, which are extensively used by various researchers. However, there is necessity to optimize their utility to meet stringent emission norms as per Bharat Stage VI (BS VI) and Euro 6. From the exhaustive survey on the studies, number of piston grooves (NG), number of grooves-n-bridges on cylinder head (Gr-Br), and inlet valve masking (IVM) using the response surface methodologies (RSM) technique have not been reported on the competence, emissions, and combustion attributes of diesel engines running on Honge oil methyl ester (HOME), hence this is an identified gap in literature. The present simulation work is for optimizing the performance and lessoning exhaust emitted from the diesel prime mover tested on non-conventional and petro fuels. Experimentation was carried out to inquest the competence, combustion, and emittance of a vertical cylinder, overhead valve, water cooling, open or induction swirl diesel engine running on HOME as the injecting fuel. The object of the present effort is to optimize competence of diesel engines via a statistics inquest called designs of experiments (DoE). To curtail the diverse variations to be experimented on, full factorial designs (FFDs) array was employed. The response surface methodologies (RSM)-based nonlinear or quadratic predictors establish the relation between the input parameters and proposed attributes. The RSM-based mathematical predictors are established to prognosticate the distinguished engine output attributes at 95% confidence interval. The response surface assay discovered that a combination of 2B 3G, ‘IVM’ of 90°, and ‘NG’ of six grooves yields highest brake thermal efficiency (BTE), lessoning smoke, carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrocarbon (HC), but nitrogenous oxides (NOx) emissions increased slightly. Additionally, combustion attributes, such as Ignition delay (ID) and combustion duration (CD), were lessoned, but peak pressure (PP) and heat release rate (HRR) had a higher contrast to performance of HOME biodiesel in a conventional CI engine.
Examining Image Congruence and Its Consequences in the Context of Robotic Coffee Shops
Authors: Kim Heather Markham , Ryu Kisang
Published: October 2021

This study aimed to find the role of image congruence in the context of robotic coffee shops. More specifically, this study proposed that three types of image congruence including actual self-image congruence, ideal self-image congruence, and social self-image congruence aid to increase brand attitude. In addition, it was proposed that brand attitude positively affects brand attachment and brand loyalty. For this, this study collected data from 325 customers who used robotic coffee shops. The data analysis results indicated that the three types of image congruence have a positive influence on brand attitude. In addition, brand attitude was found to be an important factor affecting brand attachment and brand loyalty.
Promoting Environmental Citizenship in Education: The Potential of the Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire to Measure Impact of Interventions
Authors: Ariza Marta Romero , Boeve-de Pauw Jelle , Olsson Daniel , Van Petegem Peter , Parra Gema , Gericke Niklas
Published: October 2021

Policy documents across the globe call for citizen engagement to fight climate change emergencies and build more sustainable societies. They also recognize the key role of formal and non-formal education in preparing citizens to address those challenges. However, there is a need to identify appropriate instruments to evaluate the impact of educational interventions on people’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, which are essential components of the action competence required to become environmental citizens and agents of change. The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential of the Sustainability Consciousness Questionnaire (SCQ) to evaluate different educational interventions aimed at increasing environmental citizenship. It presents three sub-studies from Spain, Belgium, and Sweden using the SCQ with varying contexts, duration, and target groups yet sharing common pedagogical features in the interventions. Pre-intervention scores indicate a common pattern of high sustainability knowingness, moderate sustainability attitudes, and lower sustainability behaviors in the three dimensions (environmental, social and economic) of sustainability consciousness, and a positive impact on sustainability behavior after the intervention. These findings are especially significant when compared to previous studies. We therefore conclude that the SCQ is useful for detecting the effects of learning interventions of varying designs and contexts that address environmental citizenship. The results are discussed in terms of key pedagogical features of the educational interventions, and the appropriateness and sensitivity of the instrument in detecting changes in the intended direction. It concludes with implications for research and practice and suggestions for future lines of work.
Evolutionary Game Analysis on Behavioral Strategies of Government and Residents in Municipal Household Waste Separation
Authors: Wu Xueping , Zhang Liping , Huang Jianhua , Li Wei , Chen Yanhua , Qiu Wenhai
Published: October 2021

Municipal household waste (MHW) separation is a fundamental way to achieve waste reduction and a recycling economy. This study takes the positions of government and residents in MHW separation as the research object, and aims to explore the change process and influencing factors of their decision-making behavior, which is of great significance to attract residents to participate in MHW separation and establish an effective MHW separation mechanism to solve MHW pollution. This paper firstly establishes an evolutionary game model between government and residents in MHW separation; secondly, the payoff matrix of the system is determined, and the replication dynamic equations under different constraints are calculated to obtain the evolutionary stability strategy of the system, and the stability conditions are analyzed; Finally, through numerical simulation, the decision-making behavior of MHW separation and its influencing factors are studied, and the rationality of the model is verified. The results show that: (1) In the process of MHW separation, residents often choose not to separate without government regulation; (2) Environmental fee rates and government effort have great impacts on residents’ decision-making behavior; (3) The increase of penalty intensity can significantly drive residents to separate MHW; (4) The sensitivity of residents’ behavior decision to subsidy coefficient is the lowest among all the variables, and the incentive effect of increasing subsidy coefficient is not obvious. The research results can not only provide theoretical guidance for policy makers to develop waste management policies, but also provide valuable insights for local communities to guide residents’ MHW separation behavior.
Revitalizing Traditional Agricultural Practices: Conscious Efforts to Create a More Satisfying Culture
Authors: Dahlin Johanna , Svensson Elin
Published: October 2021

This paper investigates how non-industrial agrarian traditions and practices are reworked and recontextualized in a contemporary context. Explorative in its nature, the paper uses in depth interviews with practitioners in eastern Sweden, several of whom are engaged in work to keep practices of the past alive, to discuss how the concept of revitalization can bear on sustainability. Traditional practices are revived as an alternative to industrialized agriculture, and as having a bearing on resilient cultivation systems as well as social relations. They are seen as means of increasing food security and reversing the negative biodiversity development caused by increased monoculture. We understand tradition as a process of negotiation and adaptation to the present, where revivals to some extent necessarily change the traditions that they attempt to revive. Tradition is thus a dynamic concept, always made in the present, never fixed but constantly evolving. In the challenges created by climate change and environmental degradation, it is increasingly voiced that true sustainability requires a transformation of the cultural system. In many cases, people are turning to tradition for sustainable alternatives to industrialized ways of life and to protect a diversity threatened by a dominant and unsustainable lifestyle.
Extraseasonal Production in a Soilless System and Characterisation of Landraces of Carosello and Barattiere (Cucumis melo L.)
Authors: Somma Annalisa , Palmitessa Onofrio Davide , Leoni Beniamino , Signore Angelo , Renna Massimiliano , Santamaria Pietro
Published: October 2021

Barattiere and Carosello are typical melon (Cucumis melo L.) landraces of Puglia’s (Southern Italy) biodiversity. Their unripe fruits are locally consumed as an alternative to cucumbers (C. sativus L.) and are appreciated for their qualitative profile. Nevertheless, they are underutilized crops. For the high variability and confusing denominations, a morphological characterization is essential to discriminate and valorise landraces; additionally, it is fundamental to implement the agronomic technique to allow the cultivation outside the natural growth period (summer) by soilless cultivation. Two genotypes of Barattiere (‘Allungato’ and ‘Tondo’), two of Carosello (‘Scopatizzo’ and ‘Tomentoso’ (CAT)) and two of cucumber (‘Baby Star’ and ‘Modan’ hybrids) were vertically grown in the winter–spring period in a rockwool soilless system in a glasshouse with supplemental light. Landraces were characterized by morpho-physiological descriptors of melon; fruit biometrics and colour were analysed for all genotypes; productive parameters, leaf fluorescence, and chlorophyll content were measured. Genotypes varied in seeds, stem, leaf, fruit traits and they were andromonoecious; Carosello flowered earlier and produced more than Barattiere; CAT fruits were hairy and elongate, while other genotypes tended to rounder and glabrous fruits. Although landraces grew slower than cucumbers, both produced marketable fruits and the production of Carosello was comparable to cucumbers. In conclusion, Barattiere and Carosello have a productive potential and one vertically trained stem in a soilless system is appropriate for their extra-seasonal production.