bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing Mechanical Properties of Rock Bolt under Different Supports Using Fiber Bragg Grating Technology
Authors: Guo Xinxin , Wang Bo , Ma Zhenwang , Wang Zhenyu
Published: September 2019

Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, which can accurately measure strain, can be integrated with rock bolts with small fingerprints. In this paper, according to the force mechanism of prestressed anchor and non-prestressed anchor, different loading modes were designed, named active loading mode and passive loading mode. Then, FBG technology was used to monitor the axial force variation of prestressed anchor and non-prestressed anchor in different loading modes. Based on the test results, it is found that when the anchoring force is relatively small (<35 kN), prestressed anchors need to be tested by active loading mode, and non-prestressed anchors need to be tested by passive loading mode. For the prestressed anchor, the force condition of the bolt-shaft was similar to that of the two-force bar, and the axial force of the bolt-shaft was nearly the same along its entire length. Taking the applied load as the reference, the change rate of the axial force of the bolt-shaft was less than 10%. For non-prestressed anchor, due to the plate, there is a certain area surrounding the plate where the axial force of the bolt-shaft was greatly influenced. With applied loads of less than 15 kN, the change rate of the axial force on FBG1 was greater than 10%. With applied loads of greater than 20 kN, this was less than 10%. In this area, influenced by the plate, the axial force of the bolt-shaft increases, and as the applied load of the pullout test increases, the influence decreases.
Characteristics Regarding Lift-Off Intersection of Pulse-Modulation Eddy Current Signals for Evaluation of Hidden Thickness Loss in Cladded Conductors
Authors: Li Yong , Wang Yi , Liu Zhengshuai , Zainal Abidin Ilham Mukriz , Chen Zhenmao
Published: September 2019

The cladded conductor is broadly utilized in engineering fields, such as aerospace, energy, and petrochemical; however, it is vulnerable to thickness loss occurring in the clad layer and nonconductive protection coating due to abrasive and corrosive environments. Such a flaw severely undermines the integrity and safety of the mechanical structures. Therefore, evaluating the thickness loss hidden inside cladded conductors via reliable nondestructive evaluation techniques is imperative. This paper intensively investigates the pulse-modulation eddy current technique (PMEC) for the assessment of thickness loss in a cladded conductor. An analytical model of the ferrite-cored probe is established for analyzing PMEC signals and characteristics of lift-off intersection (LOI) in testing signals. Experiments are conducted for evaluation of the thickness loss in cladded conductors. An inverse scheme based on LOI for estimation of the thickness-loss depth is proposed and further verified. Through simulations and experiments, it is found that the influences of the thickness loss in the clad layer and protective coating on the PMEC signals can be decoupled in virtue of the LOI characteristics. Based on LOI, the hidden thickness loss can be efficiently evaluated without much of a reduction in accuracy by using the PMEC probe for dedicated inspection of the cladded conductor.
A New Configurable Wireless Sensor System for Biomedical Applications with ISO 18000-3 Interface in 0.35 µm CMOS
Authors: Fedtschenko Tatjana , Utz Alexander , Stanitzki Alexander , Hennig Andreas , Lüdecke Andre , Haas Norbert , Kokozinski Rainer
Published: September 2019

This article presents a new configurable wireless sensor system. The system is used to perform amperometric measurements and send the measurement data to a handheld reader using a wireless transponder interface. The two-chip sensor system was implemented in a 0.35 μm CMOS technology. The system consists of an integrated nano-potentiostat that performs the actual measurements and an ISO 18000-3 compliant frontend that enables wireless telemetric data transmission and powering of the entire sensor system. The system was manufactured in combination with a chronoamperometric glucose sensor which allows the measurement of the glucose content in tear fluid and thus a non-invasive determination of the blood sugar level. For a range of sensor currents from 0.1 μA to 10 μA, the potentiostat achieved an accuracy of better than 5 % with a total power dissipation of less than 600 μW. With the realized antenna geometry a wireless communication distance of more than 7 cm has been achieved.
An Adaptation Multi-Group Quasi-Affine Transformation Evolutionary Algorithm for Global Optimization and Its Application in Node Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Nengxian , Pan Jeng-Shyang , Wang Jin , Nguyen Trong-The
Published: September 2019

Developing metaheuristic algorithms has been paid more recent attention from researchers and scholars to address the optimization problems in many fields of studies. This paper proposes a novel adaptation of the multi-group quasi-affine transformation evolutionary algorithm for global optimization. Enhanced population diversity for adaptation multi-group quasi-affine transformation evolutionary algorithm is implemented by randomly dividing its population into three groups. Each group adopts a mutation strategy differently for improving the efficiency of the algorithm. The scale factor F of mutations is updated adaptively during the search process with the different policies along with proper parameter to make a better trade-off between exploration and exploitation capability. In the experimental section, the CEC2013 test suite and the node localization in wireless sensor networks were used to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm. The experimental results are compared results with three quasi-affine transformation evolutionary algorithm variants, two different evolution variants, and two particle swarm optimization variants show that the proposed adaptation multi-group quasi-affine transformation evolutionary algorithm outperforms the competition algorithms. Moreover, analyzed results of the applied adaptation multi-group quasi-affine transformation evolutionary for node localization in wireless sensor networks showed that the proposed method produces higher localization accuracy than the other competing algorithms.
Validation of a Video-Based Performance Analysis System (Mediacoach®) to Analyze the Physical Demands during Matches in LaLiga
Authors: Felipe Jose Luis , Garcia-Unanue Jorge , Viejo-Romero David , Navandar Archit , Sánchez-Sánchez Javier
Published: September 2019

The aim of the present study was to assess the accuracy of a multi-camera tracking system (Mediacoach®) to track elite football players’ movements in real time. A total of 207 observations of 38 official matches from Liga 1, 2, 3™ (2nd Spanish Division, season 2017/18) were included in the study (88 defenders, 84 midfielders, and 35 attackers of the same team). Total distance (TD, m) distance in zone 4 (DZ4) at a speed of 14–21 km/h, distance in zone 5 (DZ5) at a speed of 21–24 km/h (DZ5), distance in zone 6 (DZ6) at a speed of ≥24 km/h, maximum speed (km/h), and number of sprints (actions above 24 km/h) were registered with the Apex® GPS system (STATSports™, Newry, N. Ireland) and Mediacoach® semi-automatic tracking system (LaLiga™, Madrid, Spain). The level of agreement between variables estimated by the two systems was analyzed. Bias was also calculated by deducting the GPS estimated value from the video estimated value, and then dividing the difference score by the GPS estimated value. All variables showed high ICC values (>0.75) and very large correlations (r > 0.70). However the video-based performance analysis system overestimated the results obtained in the different speed zones (DZ5: +16.59 ± 62.29 m; LOA95%: −105.49 to 138.68; DZ6: +93.26 ± 67.76 m; LOA95%: −39.55 to 226.07), the number of sprints (+2.27 ± 2.94; LOA95%: −3.49 to 8.02), and the maximum speed (+0.32 ± 1.25 km/h; LOA95%: −2.13 to 2.77). The maximum bias was found in DZ6 (47%). This demonstrates that Mediacoach® is as accurate as a GPS system to obtain objective data in real time, adapted to physical and movement demands of elite football, especially for total distance and distances traveled at medium speeds.
Analysis of Efficient Spectrum Handoff in a Multi-Class Hybrid Spectrum Access Cognitive Radio Network Using Markov Modelling
Authors: Shakeel Atif , Hussain Riaz , Iqbal Adeel , Khan Irfan Latif , Hasan Qadeer ul , Malik Shahzad Ali
Published: September 2019

Cognitive radio networks (CRNs) rely on sensing of the licensed spectrum of a primary network to dynamically ascertain underutilized portion of the spectrum, thus affording additional communication opportunities. In a CRN, a single homogeneous spectrum access, such as interweave only deprives the secondary users (SUs) of channel access during handoff, particularly at high primary network traffic. Therefore, providing quality-of-service (QoS) to multi-class SUs with diverse delay requirements during handoff becomes a challenging task. In this paper, we have evolved a Markov-based analytical model to ascertain the gain in non-switching spectrum handoff scheme for multi-class SUs employing hybrid interweave-underlay spectrum access strategy. To satisfy the QoS requirements of the delay-sensitive traffic, we have analyzed the impact of hybrid spectrum access scheme for prioritized multi-class SUs traffic. The results show substantial improvement in spectrum utilization, average system throughput and extended data delivery time compared to conventional CRN using interweave only spectrum access. This demonstrates the suitability of the proposed scheme towards meeting QoS requirements of the delay-sensitive SU traffic while improving the overall performance for delay-tolerant SU traffic as well.
The Vulnerable Subject
Authors: Waiton Stuart
Published: September 2019

Academic freedom is formally supported but often challenged, through activities like no-platforming and through a sentiment of sensitivity and an understanding that ideas can be harmful. This development is discussed here as a reflection of the rise of the ‘vulnerable subject.’ This paper demonstrates the growing importance of vulnerability as the central human characteristic in (post) modern times and with reference to law and justice practices explains the ‘collapse of the harm principle.’ Developed through Frank Furedi’s theory of diminished subjectivity we will demonstrate the extent to which the vulnerable subject has been institutionalised and adopted as a new (fragmented) norm. Within the framework of diminished subjectivity, the inner logic of vulnerability has a spiralling dynamic—once adopted as a norm, the vulnerable subject’s answer to the question ‘vulnerable to what?’ constantly expands, drawing in ever more areas of life, behaviour, relationships as well as words and ideas into a regulatory framework. Concerns about overcriminalisation are understood here to be a product of this vulnerable subject, something that cannot be resolved at the level of law but must relate to the wider cultural and political sense of human progress and a defence of the robust liberal subject in society.
How Measurements “Affect” the Importance of Social Influences on Household’s Photovoltaic Adoption—A German Case Study
Authors: Kastner Ingo , Wittenberg Inga
Published: September 2019

Investment determinants on residential photovoltaic (PV) in Germany were measured via questionnaire. The survey covered social influences in terms of injunctive and descriptive norms, and economic, ecological and autarkic motives for the investment. Descriptive norms were more relevant for the investment decisions than injunctive norms, but both were considerably less important than all of the other three investment motives. Additionally, we observed the actual distribution of PV systems in the participants’ living area; we gathered the observation data on PV distribution from governmental databases. We found survey data on descriptive and objective norms and observation data to be unrelated. These findings indicate that multiple approaches are necessary to assess the relevance of social influences reliably.
Hydrologic Alteration at the Upper and Middle Part of the Yangtze River, China: Towards Sustainable Water Resource Management Under Increasing Water Exploitation
Authors: Ali Rawshan , Kuriqi Alban , Abubaker Shadan , Kisi Ozgur
Published: September 2019

The human influence on the river ecosystem has increased in recent years to feed the growing demand for water to communities by constructing different water structures. It is essential to understand the potential impacts of water structures on river hydrologic regimes. Thus, this study investigates the influence of the cascade dams located upstream of the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River on the river ecosystem. The study was carried out for the period 2003–2015 for both Cuntan and Miaohe stations. The analysis was conducted considering two periods, pre-impact; before the dam construction and post-impact; after the dam construction. The assessment was carried out using “Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration.” The results of this study revealed that the cascade dams built upstream of Three Gorges Dam has both positive and negative impacts at both stations. Flows were found to have positive impacts in July while low in October for both stations. The 1-day minimum flows were found to decrease by 7% over Miaohe Station while the 1-day maximum was decreased up to 2% in Cuntan. Overall, the results of the study indicate that there are undesirable impacts which should be adjusted to maintain the river ecosystem at an acceptable level compared to its natural state. It is expected that the findings of the study can guide water managers to adjust the hydropower operation sustainably.
How Does Entrepreneurial Orientation Influence the Sustainable Growth of SMEs? The Role of Relative Performance
Authors: Ok Chiho , Ahn He Soung
Published: September 2019

The answer to the question, “Which factors determine the sustainable growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)?” is still fragmented. While previous studies have paid attention to a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation (EO) as a key driver of SME growth, it is often overlooked that contextual factors can be crucial in order for EO to be effective in yielding sustainable growth in SMEs. This paper focuses on the role of relative performance as a boundary condition in the relationship between EO and sustainable growth of SMEs. We predict that the effect of EO on SMEs’ sustainable growth would differ depending on performance feedback based on their past performance. Our empirical analysis based on panel analysis shows that SMEs strongly pursue sales growth immediately after they achieve lower levels of performance than historical aspiration. However, when their performance goes beyond the historical aspiration level, their growth patterns appear to show a different pattern depending on their level of EO. SMEs with greater EO are more likely to pursue firm growth when performance is above historical aspirations while those with lesser EO are not. Our findings suggest that relative performance is an important boundary condition in the relationship between EO and SMEs’ sustainable growth.
A System-Approach for Recoverable Spare Parts Management Using the Discrete Weibull Distribution
Authors: Patriarca Riccardo , Hu Tianya , Costantino Francesco , Di Gravio Giulio , Tronci Massimo
Published: September 2019

Optimal spare parts management strategies allow sustaining a system’s availability, while ensuring timely and effective maintenance. Following a systemic perspective, this paper starts from the Multi-Echelon Technique for Recoverable Item Control (METRIC) to investigate the potential use of a Weibull distribution for modelling items’ demand in case of failure. Adapting the analytic formulation of METRIC through a Discrete Weibull distribution, this study originally proposes a METRIC-based model (DW-METRIC) to be used for modelling the stochastic demand in multi-item systems, in order to ensure process sustainability. The DW-METRIC has been tested in a case study related to an industrial plant constituted by 98 items in a passive redundancy configuration. Comparing the results via a simulation model, the outcomes of the study allow defining applicability criteria for the DW-METRIC, in those settings where the DW-METRIC offers more accurate estimations than the traditional METRIC.
Fake News and Propaganda: Trump’s Democratic America and Hitler’s National Socialist (Nazi) Germany
Authors: Allen David E. , McAleer Michael
Published: September 2019

This paper features an analysis of President Trump’s two State of the Union addresses, which are analysed by means of various data mining techniques, including sentiment analysis. The intention is to explore the contents and sentiments of the messages contained, the degree to which they differ, and their potential implications for the national mood and state of the economy. We also apply Zipf and Mandelbrot’s power law to assess the degree to which they differ from common language patterns. To provide a contrast and some parallel context, analyses are also undertaken of President Obama’s last State of the Union address and Hitler’s 1933 Berlin Proclamation. The structure of these four political addresses is remarkably similar. The three US Presidential speeches are more positive emotionally than is Hitler’s relatively shorter address, which is characterised by a prevalence of negative emotions. Hitler’s speech deviates the most from common speech, but all three appear to target their audiences by use of non-complex speech. However, it should be said that the economic circumstances in contemporary America and Germany in the 1930s are vastly different.
A Double Hurdle Estimation of Sales Decisions by Smallholder Beef Cattle Farmers in Eswatini
Authors: Dlamini Sicelo Ignatius , Huang Wen-Chi
Published: September 2019

Beef cattle farmers are in an ideal position to advance their income through marketing; however, the subsector is characterized by low market participation. Wealth preservation and prestige from cattle accumulation outweigh market incentives, thereby jeopardizing the integration of farmers into organized market systems. Therefore, the study was set to examine the determinants of farmers’ sales decisions in cattle marketing. Understanding determinants of sales decisions is an indispensable base for establishing sustainable development policy frameworks that maximize rural economic growth. Descriptive statistics and a double-hurdle model were applied on cross-sectional data collected from 397 farmers through personal interviews aided by a structured questionnaire. Herd size (74.1%), ecological zone (32.4%), slaughters (22.1%), pregnant cows (18.2%), experience (15.0%) and breed type (11.4%) revealed statistically significant effects on the probability of market participation. The key determinants of the level of market participation (p < 0.01) included extension, married marital status, pasture availability, cows, heifers, market distance, market information and market channel 2 (individual). Education, experience, non-farm income, expenses and laborers were significant at p < 0.05. Widowed marital status and market channel 1 (processor) were found to be significant at p < 0.1. Extension adjustments and institutionalization of market linkages are recommended to assist farmers in increasing marketable surplus.
Preparation of NH2-Functionalized Fe2O3 and Its Chitosan Composites for the Removal of Heavy Metal Ions
Authors: Qian Jing , Yang Tianjiao , Zhang Weiping , Lei Yuchen , Zhang Chengli , Ma Jianhua , Zhang Chaosheng
Published: September 2019

NH2-Fe2O3 and NH2-Fe2O3/chitosan (NH2-Fe2O3/CS) with excellent physical properties and high adsorption capacities for several heavy metal ions were synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal method. The materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Physicochemical properties were determined by the Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR) and nitrogen adsorption analysis (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method). The results of the characterization studies show that the material is uniformly dispersed and has good crystallinity and well-defined porous particles. The material is mesoporous, and the particles have a specific surface area of 55.41–233.03 m2·g−1, a total pore volume of 0.24–0.54 cm3·g−1, and a diameter of 3.83–17.56 nm. Additional results demonstrate that NH2-Fe2O3 and NH2-Fe2O3/CS are effective adsorbents for the removal of heavy metal ions from solution. In a ternary system, the order of their selective adsorption was determined to be Pb(II) > Cu(II) > Cd(II), and the adsorption rate of Pb(II) was much higher than that of Cu(II) and Cd (II). The metal ion adsorption capacity of NH2-Fe2O3 and NH2-Fe2O3/CS makes them promising adsorbents for wastewater cleanup.
The Structure and Dynamic of Scientific Collaboration Network among Countries along the Belt and Road
Authors: Gui Qinchang , Liu Chengliang , Du DeBin
Published: September 2019

Although a number of studies have discussed the economic, geopolitical and environmental impacts of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), there is a scarcity of analysis on the importance of science in the Belt and Road (B&R). Adopting bibliographical data from Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science database for the period 2000–2018, this study investigates the network properties, topological structure, spatial pattern, position of countries, core-periphery sets, and the hierarchy of the network from a dynamic perspective. The results show that scientific collaboration is increasingly frequent. The “hub-and-spoke” and triangulated structures coexist, shaping the landscape of the network. With the decline of Central and Eastern Europe, and the rise of the Asia-Pacific region, the spatial pattern evolves from ‘‘strong Western and weak Eastern” to ‘‘weak Western and strong Eastern’’. The central position has been occupied by India, China, and Turkey, while Russia’s influence has lessened over time. Moreover, the collaboration network is a typical core–periphery structure with prominent hierarchical features. China, Poland, and Saudi Arabia are the top-tier coordination centers within sub-networks. Finally, this study provides policy recommendations and prospective research directions.
Assessing the Impact of Land Cover Changes on Surface Urban Heat Islands with High-Spatial-Resolution Imagery on a Local Scale: Workflow and Case Study
Authors: Ren Peng , Zhang Xinxin , Liang Haoyan , Meng Qinglin
Published: September 2019

Low-altitude remote sensing platform has been increasingly applied to observing local thermal environments due to its obvious advantage in spatial resolution and apparent flexibility in data acquisition. However, there is a general lack of systematic analysis for land cover (LC) classification, surface urban heat island (SUHI), and their spatial and temporal change patterns. In this study, a workflow is presented to assess the LC’s impact on SUHI, based on the visible and thermal infrared images with high spatial resolution captured by an unmanned airship in the central area of the Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City in 2012 and 2015. Then, the accuracy assessment of LC classification and land surface temperature (LST) retrieval are performed. Finally, the commonly-used indexes in the field of satellites are applied to analyzing the spatial and temporal changes in the SUHI pattern on a local scale. The results show that the supervised maximum likelihood algorithm can deliver satisfactory overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient for LC classification; the root mean square error of the retrieved LST can reach 1.87 °C. Moreover, the LST demonstrates greater consistency with land cover type (LCT) and more fluctuation within an LCT on a local scale than on an urban scale. The normalized LST classified by the mean and standard deviation (STD) is suitable for the high-spatial situation; however, the thermal field level and the corresponded STD multiple need to be judiciously selected. This study exhibits an effective pathway to assess SUHI pattern and its changes using high-spatial-resolution images on a local scale. It is also indicated that proper landscape composition, spatial configuration and materials on a local scale exert greater impacts on SUHI.
The Impact of High-Tech Industry Agglomeration on Green Economy Efficiency—Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Chen Weiliang , Huang Xinjian , Liu Yanhong , Luan Xin , Song Yan
Published: September 2019

Development is the eternal theme of the times. However, the transformation of the development mode is imminent, and we should abandon the extensive economic development mode and turn to the efficient development of an intensive mode. The high-tech industry will be the decisive force in future industrial development. The agglomeration of the industry will help form economies of scale, thereby improving the effective allocation of resources and promoting productivity. The increase in green economy efficiency is a key factor in achieving green development and an important indicator of achieving the coordinated development of economic development and environmental protection. Therefore, in this study, we try to improve the efficiency of the green economy through industrial agglomeration to achieve green development. In order to solve this problem, we took the Yangtze River Economic Belt as the research object, used Super Slacks-based Measure (SBM) data envelopment analysis (DEA) and general algebraic modeling system (GAMS) to study the green economy efficiency, and then used the system generalized moment method (SGMM) to study the impact of high-tech industry agglomeration on green economy efficiency. According to the empirical test, we found that (1) the green economy efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt shows a volatile upward trend, (2) the green economy efficiency of the Yangtze River Economic Belt differs with time and by region, (3) the agglomeration of the high-tech industry has a lagging effect on the improvement of green economy efficiency, and (4) the regression coefficients of economic development and foreign direct investment are positive and those of environmental regulation and urbanization are negative. Finally, in this paper, we provide corresponding policy recommendations to promote the agglomeration of high-tech industries, thereby improving the efficiency of the green economy.
Spatial Correlation Network of Format in the Central Districts of a Megacity: The Case of Shanghai
Authors: Hu Xinyu , Yang Huiya , Yang Junyan , Zhang Zhonghu
Published: September 2019

The format of different industries within a city is an essential part of a megacity’s development and reflects its central districts’ economic characteristics and development trends. This study takes two central districts in the megacity of Shanghai as its research object and explores the inter-spatial relationships among business format, as well as the mutual spatial relationships within the format network, using the quantitative and qualitative methods of case selection and spatial connectivity. Based on the degree of connectivity, the inter-related formats form a format model association network. Two related characteristics of a format type-related network are hierarchy and stability, and two levels are determined according to the importance of each format in the network: core dominant and non-core dominant. By exploring these relationships, the internal spatial correlation structure of format in the city center, and the hierarchy and systematization of each format, is explained. The results simultaneously contribute to the spatial planning of the central district and provide a valuable policy basis for urban planning managers.
Stakeholders of Cultural Heritage as Responsible Institutional Tourism Product Management Agents
Authors: Moreno-Mendoza Héctor , Santana-Talavera Agustín , J. León Carmelo
Published: September 2019

Increased competition in tourist destinations and the recent economic crisis directly affect various institutions that manage cultural heritage. In the case of museums, we may need to reflect more on the challenges that stem from the new financial and social situation for their management. The long-term analysis of relationships with stakeholders is a more reliable way of achieving stability to counteract the effects of income reduction. This study involved conducting interviews with directors of four museums, one for each existing management model, contrasting with direct observation and unstructured interviews conducted in Gran Canaria, Canary Islands (Spain). The data obtained were analyzed with UCINET (a software package for analyzing social network data), to determine relationship indicators. The research suggests that stakeholder networks, as a competitive advantage in cultural institutions, play an important role in creating or improving cultural heritage products, as well as helping to develop responsible tourism.
Learning and Parenting in Spanish Environments: Prosocial Behavior, Aggression, and Self-Concept
Authors: Bagán Gema , Tur-Porcar Ana M. , Llorca Anna
Published: September 2019

The psychology of sustainability and sustainable development is related to improvements in people’s quality of life in different environments, including the family. Based on this theoretical approach, this study explores the relationships between parenting styles (maternal and paternal support, control, and neglect) and prosocial behavior, aggression, and self-concept of children from Spain aged 4–7 years (M = 5.81; DS = 1.05). Participants were 635 boys and girls (53.7% boys; 46.3% girls) from Valencia and Castellón (Spain). Most parents had low educational levels and low-qualified, temporary jobs. Over 82% of participants were from Spain. The other participants were from Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. The results indicate that maternal support and control have the strongest relationships with children’s prosocial behavior, aggression, and self-concept, fundamentally as predictors of self-concept and aggression. According to children’s perceptions, maternal parenting plays a more prominent role than paternal parenting. Authoritarian and neglectful parenting at these ages seems to be perceived less negatively than at other ages, and the effects of such parenting may arise at a later age. Furthermore, prosocial behavior and self-concept curb aggression. These results can support the design of interventions in childhood.
Design of An Integration Model for Air Cargo Transportation Network Design and Flight Route Selection
Authors: Lee Carman K.M. , Zhang Shuzhu , Ng Kam K.H.
Published: September 2019

Air cargo transportation is an essential component in the freight transportation market, primarily due to the transportation requirements of time-sensitive products. Air cargo transportation plays an increasingly important role alongside economic development. Cargo flight network design and fleet routing selection significantly affect the performance of the air cargo transportation. In this research, we propose an integrated model simultaneously considering cargo flight network design and the fleet routing selection for the air cargo transportation. Two transportation modes, the direct transportation mode in point-to-point networks and the transshipment mode in hub-and-spoke networks, are compared. In order to solve the proposed optimization problem, a swarm-intelligence-based algorithm is adapted. Numerical experiments were conducted to examine and validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm. The computational results suggest that the proper settings of hub and transshipment route selection in an air cargo transportation network can significantly reduce the transportation cost, which can provide practical managerial insights for the air cargo transportation industry.
‘A Nut We Have Officially yet to Crack’: Forcing the Attention of Athletic Departments Toward Sustainability Through Shared Governance
Authors: Barrett Martin , Bunds Kyle S. , Casper Jonathan M. , Edwards Michael B. , Showalter D. Scott , Jones Gareth J.
Published: September 2019

In many ways, intercollegiate athletics represents the ‘sustainable’ front porch of higher education. The high-visibility, high-impact nature of elite-level college athletics make athletic departments a central player in the sustainable development journey. However, not all athletic departments respond to this responsibility, nor are all responses uniformly successful. According to national reporting frameworks, an increasing number of universities in the United States are choosing to involve their athletic departments in university-level sustainability governance structures, but the benefits and limitations of this remain unclear. Using the theory of loosely coupled systems, and more specifically, the voice of compensations (which views loose coupling as an unsatisfactory state), the purpose of this paper is to explore perceptions of athletic department engagement in shared sustainability governance, and, thus, a whole-of-institution approach. Semi-structured interviews with sustainability office personnel were conducted and analyzed, and the findings imply that shared sustainability governance has the potential to focus the attention of athletic departments toward sustainability, as well as to reaffirm shared values. Yet, to maximize the impact of athletic departments toward the sustainable development goals of a university, sustainability office personnel suggest the deployment of additional change levers, in a multi-dimensional fashion, as supplementary coupling mechanisms. These would include more rigorous sustainability goals (top-down), continued collaboration on ‘low-hanging fruit’ initiatives (lateral), student-athlete engagement (bottom-up), and the development of an internal sustainability framework (inside-out).
Repair of Fire-Damaged Reinforced Concrete Flexural Members: A Review
Authors: Ma Wenxian , Yin Chunxiang , Zhou Jun , Wang Lu
Published: September 2019

The mechanical properties of both concrete and steel reinforcement, and the load-bearing capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) structures are well known to be temperature-sensitive, as demonstrated by the severe damage that major fires cause in buildings, followed—in extreme cases—by their collapse. Since in most cases RC structures survive a fire, retrofitting fire-damaged RC members is a hot subject today. In this paper, after a recall on the performance of RC beams and slabs in fire, different repair techniques are considered, among them externally bonded reinforcement, near surface-mounted fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), bolted side plating, jacketing with high- and ultra-high performance concretes or mortars, and damaged-concrete replacement. Last but not least, the design equations aimed at evaluating the residual load-bearing capacity after repairing are also presented and discussed.
Improving Safety and Efficiency of Roundabouts Through an Integrated System of Guide Signs
Authors: Wan Hongliang , Chen Xiaohong , Du Zhigang
Published: September 2019

A roundabout can improve intersection capacity in some extent by reducing conflict points and traffic delays. However, the complex environment in a large roundabout does not provide essential directional information to motorists. Therefore, drivers must spend more time identifying the exit they want, which may influence the intersection capacity and safety. Using perceptual constancy, a new guide sign system for roundabouts was developed to improve sense of direction. In order to observe how the guide sign system would affect drivers’ sense of direction, a series of driving simulator experiments were conducted to evaluate driving performance. The test results revealed that the guide sign system can effectively improve the accuracy of exit identification and reduce travel time driving through a roundabout despite the gender and age differences among drivers. This paper proposes a continuous and gradual guide sign system for roundabouts that can be used to help improve drivers’ sense of direction, which is beneficial to improve the safety and efficiency of roundabout operations. These findings are indicative of the future development of traffic sign design and practice in a roundabout.
Health and Heating in the City of Temuco (Chile). Monetary Savings of Replacing Biomass with PV System in the Residential Sector
Authors: Cansino José M. , Moreno Roberto , Quintana Daniela , Roman-Collado Rocio
Published: September 2019

The paper conducts a comprehensive analysis of replacing residential use of wood burning stoves for heating with photovoltaic systems for the generation of electricity using storage batteries (PV + storage systems). The research focuses on the city of Temuco (Southern Chile) as a case study, since this city has a high use of firewood for heating (80% of households) and also because this city has been declared by authorities as an area saturated with suspended particles. The total cost corresponds to the acquisition of systems. The reduction of monetary value of the impact of polluting emissions, resulting from the combustion of firewood, on health and traffic accidents is calculated. The interactive tool GDB Compare has been used to calculate the impact of pollution on health both in terms of attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life years. The monetary value of the impact on health has been calculated using two alternative approaches: the value of statistical life and the human capital approach. To identify firewood use requirements, heating degree–days has been used for temperatures ≤15 °C and ≤18 °C. The emissions avoided calculations have been refined, including emissions associated with the manufacture and transport of systems through the life cycle analysis. For all scenarios, the main results show that the savings outweigh the costs.
Identifying Significant Risks and Analyzing Risk Relationship for Construction PPP Projects in China Using Integrated FISM-MICMAC Approach
Authors: Jiang Xiaoyan , Lu Kun , Xia Bo , Liu Yong , Cui Caiyun
Published: September 2019

To meet the growing demand for public facilities and services, many developing countries, including China, have adopted the concept of public–private partnership (PPP). However, there are many risks in PPP projects. Furthermore, these risks affect each other, which may lead to project failure. However, the existing research on the PPP risk relationship has not gone into sufficient detail. Therefore, in order to fill this literature gap, this study proposes a procedural method to analyze the correlation between PPP risks. Firstly, this study, identifies the risks of construction PPP projects in China by combining the literature review with a case study and interviews. Then, fuzzy interpretative structural modeling (FISM) is used to reflect the relationships between these risks and reveal the failure mechanisms of PPP projects. In addition, based on matrix impact cross-reference multiplication applied to a classification (MICMAC) analysis, the risk is divided into four clusters, according to the driving and dependence power, to show the relationship level of the risk. Finally, the paper compares and discusses the research results with other studies and puts forward some suggestions on PPP risks. The FISM-MICMAC method adopted in this study considers the fuzzy of the PPP risk relationship and improves upon previous studies. In addition, the method of FISM-MICMAC can provide a new risk assessment tool for risk management strategies in the field of construction engineering and management.
Pollution and Health Risk Assessment of Carcinogenic Elements As, Cd, and Cr in Multiple Media—A Case of a Sustainable Farming Area in China
Authors: Cai Kui , Li Chang , Song Zefeng , Gao Xin , Wu Moxin
Published: September 2019

The high concentrations of trace elements in the environment, especially the carcinogenic elements Cr, Cd, and As, in populated areas can lead to an increased non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk in humans via the effective exposure pathways (inhalation and dermal contact). In this study, the concentrations of the trace elements Cd, Cr, and As in four media were comprehensively evaluated by collecting samples from atmospheric precipitates (A), wheat (W), soil (S), and groundwater (G) in the agricultural plain. This study not only considers the health risk level, but also focuses on the relationship between soil properties and the soil–wheat system. First, according to the results of the analysis, the concentration of carcinogenic elements in atmospheric precipitates was higher than that in other media. The sequence follows the order A > S > W > G. Moreover, the input flux of A was at a relatively higher level (determined via an input flux calculation) than other farming areas. Second, the pollution of Cr, Cd, and As in A and S were analyzed using the geoaccumulation method, and the level of Cd reached mild to moderate pollution. In addition, it was found that the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) of Cd were much higher than those of As and Cr in the soil–wheat system. Furthermore, it was found that the negative relationship between BAFs and pH, CEC (cation exchange capacity), Corg (soil organic carbon), and clay was significant. Lastly, the hazard quotient (HQ) of the non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk (CR) of the three elements in multiple media were calculated using the health risk model. The HQ results showed that the total non-carcinogenic risk index (HI) of Cd, As, and Cr in the multiple-media did not exceed the risk limit (1.00), and there was no significant risk to the locally exposed population. However, the total carcinogenic risk index (TCR) indicated that the risk index of Cr, As and Cd in multiple media exceeded the safety index range (≈10−6–10−4), and the three elements posed a significant carcinogenic risk to local residents via the main pathways. In terms of individual elements, the risk of cancer was highest via the ingestion of the carcinogenic element Cd in G and W.
Central Kentuckians’ Willingness to Pay for Horse Farm Preservation
Authors: Troske SuZanne , Waters Stephanie , Allen James , Davis Alison , Stowe C. Jill
Published: September 2019

This study estimates the non-market value of horse farms of Central Kentucky’s equine economic cluster using a contingent valuation approach. Utilizing a payment card, respondents are asked to indicate how much they would be willing to pay in additional taxes for a hypothetical “horse farm preservation program.” Results from the study showed that, on average, a Central Kentucky household was willing to pay an additional $55.14–$67.78 in taxes annually to maintain the equine industry at its current levels. The additional taxes generated would compensate for lost tax revenue from development of the land.
Empirical Examination of Intention to Continue to Use Smart Home Services
Authors: Gu Wei , Bao Peng , Hao Wenyuan , Kim Jaewoong
Published: September 2019

With the continuous expansion of sub-ecological problems, it is the question of how to effectively reduce environmental pollution and improve energy efficiency that has become a major challenge. At the same time, the energy consumption of family homes accounts for a large proportion, and whether smart homes can become a part of sustainable development is getting more and more attention. Although there are hundreds of smart home products and many investors on the market, consumers are relatively less accepting of this technology. How to make consumers adopt and continue to use has become a key issue in the development of smart homes. From the perspective of consumers, this study aims first to explore the relevant factors that affect the sustainable use of smart homes, and second empirically analyze the hypothetical model by using structural equation modeling. The empirical analysis results are based on the sample data of 488 Chinese respondents with experience in smart home use. The results showed that the service quality and perceived usefulness of smart home services positively impact users’ degree of satisfaction, and a higher degree of satisfaction, in turn, contributes to users’ formation of habits. Users’ desire to continuously use smart home services is influenced by perceived usefulness, degree of satisfaction, and habit; among them, habit is the key factor affecting users’ willingness. These findings expand our understanding of users’ desire to continuously use smart homes and provide theoretical support for the sustainable development of the smart home industry.
eCLASS: Edge-Cloud-Log Assuring-Secrecy Scheme for Digital Forensics
Authors: Park Junyoung , Huh Eui-Nam
Published: September 2019

User activity logs are important pieces of evidence in digital forensic investigations. In cloud forensics, it is difficult to collect user activity logs due to the fact of virtualization technologies and the multitenancy environment, which can infringe upon user privacy when collecting logs. Furthermore, the computing paradigm is shifting from conventional cloud computing toward edge computing, employing the advances of 5G network technology. This change in the computing paradigm has also brought about new challenges for digital forensics. Edge nodes that are close to users are exposed to security threats, and the collection of logs with limited computing resources is difficult. Therefore, this study proposes a logging scheme that considers log segmentation and distributed storage to collect logs from distributed edge nodes and to protect log confidentiality by taking into account edge-cloud characteristics. This scheme protects the integrity of log data collected by a multi-index chain network. To demonstrate the performance of the proposed scheme, edge nodes with three different capacity types were used, and the proposed log-segmentation method performed 29.4% to 64.2% faster than the Cloud-Log Assuring-Secrecy Scheme (CLASS) using 2048 bit Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) in three types of edge nodes for log-confidentiality protection. The log segmentation of edge CLASS (eCLASS) reduced the log size to approximately 58% less than CLASS log encryption, and edge-node CPU usage was also reduced from 14% to 28%.
Symmetry Breaking in Stochastic Dynamics and Turbulence
Authors: Hnatič Michal , Honkonen Juha , Lučivjanský Tomáš
Published: September 2019

Symmetries play paramount roles in dynamics of physical systems. All theories of quantum physics and microworld including the fundamental Standard Model are constructed on the basis of symmetry principles. In classical physics, the importance and weight of these principles are the same as in quantum physics: dynamics of complex nonlinear statistical systems is straightforwardly dictated by their symmetry or its breaking, as we demonstrate on the example of developed (magneto)hydrodynamic turbulence and the related theoretical models. To simplify the problem, unbounded models are commonly used. However, turbulence is a mesoscopic phenomenon and the size of the system must be taken into account. It turns out that influence of outer length of turbulence is significant and can lead to intermittency. More precisely, we analyze the connection of phenomena such as behavior of statistical correlations of observable quantities, anomalous scaling, and generation of magnetic field by hydrodynamic fluctuations with symmetries such as Galilean symmetry, isotropy, spatial parity and their violation and finite size of the system.