bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultimate Spatial Resolution Realisation in Optical Frequency Domain Reflectometry with Equal Frequency Resampling
Authors: Guo Zhen , Han Gaoce , Yan Jize , Greenwood David , Marco James , Yu Yifei
Published: July 2021

A method based on equal frequency resampling is proposed to suppress laser nonlinear frequency sweeping for the ultimate spatial resolution in optical frequency domain reflectometry. Estimation inaccuracy of the sweeping frequency distribution caused by the finite sampling rate in the auxiliary interferometer can be efficiently compensated by the equal frequency resampling method. With the sweeping range of 130 nm, a 12.1 µm spatial resolution is experimentally obtained. In addition, the sampling limitation of the auxiliary interferometer-based correction is discussed. With a 200 m optical path delay in the auxiliary interferometer, a 21.3 µm spatial resolution is realised at the 191 m fibre end. By employing the proposed resampling and a drawing tower FBG array to enhance the Rayleigh backscattering, a distributed temperature sensing over a 105 m fibre with a sensing resolution of 1 cm is achieved. The measured temperature uncertainty is limited to ±0.15 °C.
A Novel Crowdsourcing Model for Micro-Mobility Ride-Sharing Systems
Authors: Elhenawy Mohammed , Komol Mostafizur R. , Masoud Mahmoud , Liu Shi Qiang , Ashqar Huthaifa I. , Almannaa Mohammed Hamad , Rakha Hesham A. , Rakotonirainy Andry
Published: July 2021

Substantial research is required to ensure that micro-mobility ride sharing provides a better fulfilment of user needs. This study proposes a novel crowdsourcing model for the ride-sharing system where light vehicles such as scooters and bikes are crowdsourced. The proposed model is expected to solve the problem of charging and maintaining a large number of light vehicles where these efforts will be the responsibility of the crowd of suppliers. The proposed model consists of three entities: suppliers, customers, and a management party responsible for receiving, renting, booking, and demand matching with offered resources. It can allow suppliers to define the location of their private e-scooters/e-bikes and the period of time they are available for rent. Using a dataset of over 9 million e-scooter trips in Austin, Texas, we ran an agent-based simulation six times using three maximum battery ranges (i.e., 35, 45, and 60 km) and different numbers of e-scooters (e.g., 50 and 100) at each origin. Computational results show that the proposed model is promising and might be advantageous to shift the charging and maintenance efforts to a crowd of suppliers.
The Performance of Post-Fall Detection Using the Cross-Dataset: Feature Vectors, Classifiers and Processing Conditions
Authors: Koo Bummo , Kim Jongman , Nam Yejin , Kim Youngho
Published: July 2021

In this study, algorithms to detect post-falls were evaluated using the cross-dataset according to feature vectors (time-series and discrete data), classifiers (ANN and SVM), and four different processing conditions (normalization, equalization, increase in the number of training data, and additional training with external data). Three-axis acceleration and angular velocity data were obtained from 30 healthy male subjects by attaching an IMU to the middle of the left and right anterior superior iliac spines (ASIS). Internal and external tests were performed using our lab dataset and SisFall public dataset, respectively. The results showed that ANN and SVM were suitable for the time-series and discrete data, respectively. The classification performance generally decreased, and thus, specific feature vectors from the raw data were necessary when untrained motions were tested using a public dataset. Normalization made SVM and ANN more and less effective, respectively. Equalization increased the sensitivity, even though it did not improve the overall performance. The increase in the number of training data also improved the classification performance. Machine learning was vulnerable to untrained motions, and data of various movements were needed for the training.
Real-World Marine Radar Datasets for Evaluating Target Tracking Methods
Authors: Fowdur Jaya Shradha , Baum Marcus , Heymann Frank
Published: July 2021

As autonomous navigation is being implemented in several areas including the maritime domain, the need for robust tracking is becoming more important for traffic situation awareness, assessment and monitoring. We present an online repository comprising three designated marine radar datasets from real-world measurement campaigns to be employed for target detection and tracking research purposes. The datasets have their respective reference positions on the basis of the Automatic Identification System (AIS). Together with the methods used for target detection and clustering, a novel baseline algorithm for an extended centroid-based multiple target tracking is introduced and explained. We compare the performance of our algorithm to its standard version on the datasets using the AIS references. The results obtained and some initial dataset specific analysis are presented. The datasets, under the German Aerospace Centre (DLR)’s terms and agreements, can be procured from the company website’s URL provided in the article.
Cumulative Risks of Excipients in Pediatric Phytomucolytic Syrups: The Implications for Pharmacy Practice
Authors: Zupanets Kateryna O. , Shebeko Sergii K. , Ratushna Kseniia L. , Katilov Oleksandr V.
Published: July 2021

Expectorant phytomucolytic syrups are widely used pediatric OTC-medicines. Physicians, pediatricians, and pharmacists are traditionally concerned with the efficacy of the active ingredients in cough syrups, and rarely consider the safety aspects of excipients that however are not absolutely “inactive” and are proved to initiate some negative reactions and interactions with other drugs. This paper presents a review, categorization, and comparative analysis of the safety profile of excipients contained in the 22 best-selling OTC pediatric phytomucolytic syrups available in pharmaceutical markets in Ukraine and Germany and proposes an approach to the consideration of the excipients’ safety risks for a pharmacist in the process of pharmaceutical care. The study has revealed that only one of the twenty-two analyzed syrups does not contain any potentially harmful excipients. The results of this analysis were used for developing a specific decision tool for pharmacists that can be used for minimizing excipient-initiated reactions when delivering OTC phytomucolytic syrups for children.
Sustainable Campus: Reducing Environmental and Financial Burdens by Using Pruned Branches for On-Campus Energy
Authors: Makino Sota , Onishi Takeshi , Itoh Akika , Sato Issei , Huzita Tomohumi , Kayo Chihiro
Published: July 2021

Sustainability activities on university campuses are an important part of building a sustainable society. As a part of this effort, the present study quantitatively evaluated the reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and disposal costs upon use of pruned branches for on-campus energy use in a Japanese university. The pruned branches are currently used off campus as fuel for biomass power generation, whereas the proposed systems include their on-campus use for heating through wood-chip heaters in a greenhouse or through wood stoves in buildings. The GHG balance was evaluated using a life-cycle assessment, and the cumulative costs over a 20 y period were estimated. Using pruned branches for on-campus heating was 70–180% more effective in reducing GHG emissions than the current off-campus power generation system. Using branches for heating eliminated the emissions produced by the transportation of pruned branches off campus and had higher thermal efficiency than power generation, which was conducive to the replacement of larger quantities of fossil fuel. In addition, the payback period of the proposed systems was estimated at 2 and 4 y for wood stove and wood-chip heater systems, respectively. For the 20 y period, the cumulative costs can be reduced by approximately 20%.
Evaluation and Research on the Level of Inclusive Green Growth in Asia-Pacific Region
Authors: Li Meng , Zhang Yifan , Fan Ziyu , Chen Hao
Published: July 2021

Focusing on the Asia-Pacific region and the concept of inclusive green growth, this paper designs a four-dimensional analysis framework of economic prosperity, social inclusion, resource utilization, and environmental sustainability. It constructs a scientific and reasonable inclusive green growth indicator system for the Asia-Pacific region. In order to make the research results more robust, the research method mainly uses factor analysis, supplemented by clustering method and entropy method to evaluate and cross-validate the inclusive green growth level of 37 countries and regions in the Asia-Pacific region. The study finds that the level of inclusive green growth in the Asia-Pacific region is highly affected by the country’s economic development level. The latent heterogeneity in the distinct development stages of various countries explains why the in-region countries differ vastly regarding their inclusive green development levels. The inclusive green growth indicator system integrates the availability, accuracy, and standardization of data in selecting indicators, making the measurement results more referentially valuable. It helps grasp the actual state of inclusive green growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The paper summarizes the policy suggestions to promote inclusive green growth in the Asia-Pacific region, involving accelerating economic development and institutional improvement, and reinforcing regional cooperation in the Asia-Pacific area for elevating the overall regional inclusive green transformation.
Impact of Evictions and Tourist Apartments on the Residential Rental Market in Spain
Authors: Gonzalez-Morales Juan-Gabriel , Checa-Olivas Marina , Cano-Guervos Rafael
Published: July 2021

In recent decades, the analysis of residential rental prices in Spain has gained increasing attention. From a socio-economic viewpoint, the increase in long-term rentals compared to new home purchases by the new generations has led researchers to examine phenomena such as the growth of the tourism sector or foreclosures. This paper uses a panel data model to analyze the influence of the rate of foreclosure evictions and number of tourist apartments on residential rental prices in 50 provinces of Spain for the period 2015–2018. The results show that an increase in the number of tourist apartment vacancies increases residential rental prices, while an increase in the rate of foreclosure evictions causes residential rental prices to fall.
Potential Toxic Effects of Airport Runoff Water Samples on the Environment
Authors: Sulej-Suchomska Anna Maria , Przybyłowski Piotr , Polkowska Żaneta
Published: July 2021

Despite the positive aspects of the intensive development of aviation, airports are considered large-scale polluters. Pollution caused by runoff water (stormwater) is one of the major problems related to airport operations. The aim of this study was to characterize the potential toxic impact on aquatic life from runoff water discharges from four international airports in Europe. Samples of stormwater were collected at airports with different capacities of passenger movement in four seasons of the year from 2011 to 2013. Within the ecotoxicological analyses, a battery of biotests incorporating organisms of different trophic levels (Microtox® test, Thamnotoxkit F™) were used. A relatively high number of runoff water samples collected at the investigated airports in Europe was recorded as having very high acute hazard (16.8%), acute hazard (27.7%), and slight acute hazard (18.1%) levels. The results of the research indicate that winter and autumn present a greater toxic threat than the rest of the year. The highest number of toxic samples was observed for samples collected in the de-icing area, the runway and the vicinity of airport terminals. The ecotoxicological assessment applied in this research can be used as a tool for assessing the environmental effect of airports.
Influence of Tree Canopy Coverage and Leaf Area Density on Urban Heat Island Mitigation
Authors: Tamaskani Esfehankalateh Atefeh , Ngarambe Jack , Yun Geun Young
Published: July 2021

Urban heat islands (UHI) are a widely documented phenomenon that adversely increases urban overheating and, among other effects, contributes to heat-related mortalities and morbidities in urban areas. Consequently, comprehensive UHI-mitigating measures are essential for improving urban microclimate environments and contributing to salutogenic urban design practices. This study proposed urban cooling strategies involving different tree percentages and leaf area densities in a dense urban area during the summertime in Korea. The cooling effects of sixteen various combinations of proposed scenarios based on common urban tree types were studied via in-situ field measurements and numerical modeling, considering both vegetated and exposed areas. It was observed that by changing the characteristics of the leaf area density (LAD) per plant of our vegetated base area—for instance, from 4% trees to 60% trees, from a low LAD to a high LAD—the daily average and daily maximum temperatures were reduced by approximately 3 °C and 5.23 °C, respectively. The obtained results demonstrate the usefulness of urban trees to mitigate urban heating, and they are particularly useful to urban designers and policymakers in their efforts to minimize UHI effects.
A Farm Management Information System for Semi-Supervised Path Planning and Autonomous Vehicle Control
Authors: Wang Hao , Ren Yaxin , Meng Zhijun
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a farm management information system targeting improvements in the ease of use and sustainability of robot farming systems. The system integrates the functionalities of field survey, path planning, monitoring, and controlling agricultural vehicles in real time. Firstly, a Grabcut-based semi-supervised field registration method is proposed for arable field detection from the orthoimage taken by the drone with an RGB camera. It partitions a complex field into simple geometric entities with simple user interaction. The average Mean Intersection over Union is about 0.95 when the field size ranges from 2.74 ha to 5.06 ha. In addition, a desktop software and a web application are developed as the entity of an FMIS. Compared to existing FMISs, this system provides more advanced features in robot farming, while providing simpler user interaction and better results. It allows clients to invoke web services and receive responses independent of programming language and platforms. Moreover, the system is compatible with other services, users, and devices following the open-source access protocol. We have evaluated the system by controlling 5 robot tractors with a 2 Hz communication frequency. The communication protocols will be publicly available to protentional users.
Towards a Territorially Just Climate Transition—Assessing the Swedish EU Territorial Just Transition Plan Development Process
Authors: Moodie John , Tapia Carlos , Löfving Linnea , Gassen Nora Sánchez , Cedergren Elin
Published: July 2021

The move towards a climate neutral economy and society requires policymakers and practitioners to carefully consider the core technical, social, and spatial dimensions of a just transition. This paper closely examines the processes undertaken during the development of EU Territorial Just Transition Plans (TJTPs) for the three Swedish regions of Gotland, Norrbotten, and Västra Götaland. The aim is to establish whether the content and actions outlined in the TJTPs were driven by the technical, social, or spatial dimensions of a just transition. The analysis is primarily based on a socio-economic and governance impact assessment conducted in each region as part of the TJTP formulation process. These data are also supported by observations of the TJTP development process by the article authors who were part of the team put together by DG Reform to work with the preparation of the TJTPs. The paper finds that the TJTPs development process was largely driven by technical considerations, rather than spatial and socio-economic issues. This indicates that a more open and inclusive place-based territorial approach to climate transition policy formulation and implementation is required. A balance between the technical, social, and spatial elements of a just transition is needed if policies are going to meet the requirements of local and regional citizens and provide sustainable socio-economic growth and environmental protection, without risks of delocalizing energy-intensive processes to other regions.
Experimental and Informational Modeling Study on Flexural Strength of Eco-Friendly Concrete Incorporating Coal Waste
Authors: Dabbaghi Farshad , Rashidi Maria , Nehdi Moncef L. , Sadeghi Hamzeh , Karimaei Mahmood , Rasekh Haleh , Qaderi Farhad
Published: July 2021

Construction activities have been a primary cause for depleting natural resources and are associated with stern environmental impact. Developing concrete mixture designs that meet project specifications is time-consuming, costly, and requires many trial batches and destructive tests that lead to material wastage. Computational intelligence can offer an eco-friendly alternative with superior accuracy and performance. In this study, coal waste was used as a recycled additive in concrete. The flexural strength of a large number of mixture designs was evaluated to create an experimental database. A hybrid artificial neural network (ANN) coupled with response surface methodology (RSM) was trained and employed to predict the flexural strength of coal waste-treated concrete. In this process, four influential parameters including the cement content, water-to-cement ratio, volume of gravel, and coal waste replacement level were specified as independent input variables. The results show that concrete incorporating 3% recycled coal waste could be a competitive and eco-efficient alternative in construction activities while attaining a superior flexural strength of 6.7 MPa. The RSM-modified ANN achieved superior predictive accuracy with an RMSE of 0.875. Based on the experimental results and model predictions, estimating the flexural strength of concrete incorporating waste coal using the RSM-modified ANN model yielded superior accuracy and can be used in engineering practice to save the effort, cost, and material wastage associated with trial batches and destructive laboratory testing while producing mixtures with enhanced flexural strength.
Job Demands and Negative Outcomes after the Lockdown: The Moderating Role of Stigma towards Italian Supermarket Workers
Authors: Ramaci Tiziana , Pagliaro Stefano , Teresi Manuel , Barattucci Massimiliano
Published: July 2021

The Job Demands-Resources model hypothesises that some variables (especially personal and social resources/threats) moderate the relationship between job demands and work outcomes. Based on this model, in this study we examine the role of stigma towards customers as a moderator of the relationship between job demands and a series of work outcomes: that is, fatigue, burnout, and satisfaction. We advance that the relationships between work demands and outcomes should be influenced by the employee’s perceptions regarding resources and constraint. In particular, we hypothesised that social stigma towards customers can represent a reliable moderating variable. Hypotheses were tested among 308 Italian supermarket workers in five supermarkets in the same chain, just after the end of the Italian lockdown caused by COVID-19. Results showed that stigma towards customers moderates the relationship between job demands and the consequences on the professional quality of life. The implications of these findings for the JD-R model are discussed.
Methodological Proposal for Recognition Systems in Sustainable Freight Transport
Authors: Freitas Rodrigo Rodrigues de , D’Agosto Márcio de Almeida , Marujo Lino Guimarães
Published: July 2021

Establishing a recognition system for sustainable freight transport is a process of change that requires the commitment of those involved and application of good practices. The pressures from consumers and competitors do not allow greater engagement with economic, social, and environmental aspects, and the maintenance stages require a long-term effort to obtain credibility, because the participation of external members of society in the evaluation contributes to reduce the influences and uncertainties of the recognition criterion. In light of the difficulties of establishing a green supply chain, we propose a method with multiple approaches with an emphasis on fuzzy logic. The purpose is to reduce the indecision of judgment, to debug the qualitative variables and to reduce interference from competitors. The procedure was applied to six companies that have carbon reduction programs, but we found that firms with a core business in transport had greater success in the transition to low carbon operations than contractors or shippers. The certification levels allowed visual contact between consumers and the company, making it possible to monitor sustainability actions in freight transportation operations and the competitiveness to achieve higher labeling levels.
Patterns of Urban Shrinkage: A Systematic Analysis of Romanian Cities (1992–2020)
Authors: Eva Mihail , Cehan Alexandra , Lazăr Alexandra
Published: July 2021

EU post-socialist countries are nowadays the epicenter of urban shrinkage, despite economic growth trajectories reported during the last decades. However, systematic assessments of urban shrinkage patterns for this part of the continent are surprisingly insufficiently addressed in the literature, and the relationship between urban demographic decline/growth and economic decline/growth is still to be understood. This paper first delivers a state-of-the-art of the peculiarities of urban shrinkage in East-Central EU countries. Secondly, it employs an analysis grid to assess severity, prevalence, persistence, speed and regional incidence of urban decline in Romania—one of the most affected post-socialist countries within the European Union. Thirdly, it explores the statistical association between urban shrinkage severity and economic growth, on one hand, and between urban shrinkage severity and municipality revenues, on the other. Results show that urban shrinkage is currently increasing in prevalence and severity among Romanian cities, thus continuing an alarming trend that started in 1990. Secondly, the results pinpoint a statistically significant association between demographic shrinkage, local economic output and municipalities’ own-source revenues. However, the size effects are rather weak, suggesting a more nuanced relationship between economic and demographic urban growth than that predicted by some theories of urban change.
Predictive Modeling Approach for Surface Water Quality: Development and Comparison of Machine Learning Models
Authors: Shah Muhammad Izhar , Alaloul Wesam Salah , Alqahtani Abdulaziz , Aldrees Ali , Musarat Muhammad Ali , Javed Muhammad Faisal
Published: July 2021

Water pollution is an increasing global issue that societies are facing and is threating human health, ecosystem functions and agriculture production. The distinguished features of artificial intelligence (AI) based modeling can deliver a deep insight pertaining to rising water quality concerns. The current study investigates the predictive performance of gene expression programming (GEP), artificial neural network (ANN) and linear regression model (LRM) for modeling monthly total dissolved solids (TDS) and specific conductivity (EC) in the upper Indus River at two outlet stations. In total, 30 years of historical water quality data, comprising 360 TDS and EC monthly records, were used for models training and testing. Based on a significant correlation, the TDS and EC modeling were correlated with seven input parameters. Results were evaluated using various performance measure indicators, error assessment and external criteria. The simulated outcome of the models indicated a strong association with actual data where the correlation coefficient above 0.9 was observed for both TDS and EC. Both the GEP and ANN models remained the reliable techniques in predicting TDS and EC. The formulated GEP mathematical equations depict its novelty as compared to ANN and LRM. The results of sensitivity analysis indicated the increasing trend of input variables affecting TDS as HCO3− (22.33%) > Cl− (21.66%) > Mg2+ (16.98%) > Na+ (14.55%) > Ca2+ (12.92%) > SO42− (11.55%) > pH (0%), while, in the case of EC, it followed the trend as HCO3− (42.36%) > SO42−(25.63%) > Ca2+ (13.59%) > Cl− (12.8%) > Na+ (5.01%) > pH (0.61%) > Mg2+ (0%). The parametric analysis revealed that models have incorporated the effect of all the input parameters in the modeling process. The external assessment criteria confirmed the generalized outcome and robustness of the proposed approaches. Conclusively, the outcomes of this study demonstrated that the formulation of AI based models are cost effective and helpful for river water quality assessment, management and policy making.
Toward Sustainability: Bike-Sharing Systems Design, Simulation and Management
Authors: Caggiani Leonardo , Camporeale Rosalia
Published: July 2021

Bike-sharing systems (BSSs) are a mobility service of public bicycles available for shared use that is becoming increasingly popular in urban contexts [...]
Plastic Waste Sorting Intentions among University Students
Authors: Aikowe Loveth Daisy , Mazancová Jana
Published: July 2021

This paper focuses on plastic waste sorting intentions to address municipal solid waste challenges in developing countries. This study also adapts the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in evaluating the determinants of plastic waste sorting intentions among Nigerian students. Nine hundred and thirty-nine respondents participated through questionnaire surveys. Findings of structural equation modelling depict that perceived behavioral control had the highest impact on the respondents’ plastic waste sorting intentions, followed by subjective norms; however, attitude was found to be insignificant and TPB explained 77% of the variance in waste sorting intentions. The importance of other influencing factors is also considered such as environmental awareness, volunteering, and study program in evaluating plastic waste sorting intentions and these factors were found to be statistically significant. Therefore, the results from this study add to the limited body of information on the application of TPB and other influencing factors in the study of plastic waste sorting in Nigeria. The findings also provide suggestions to current and prospective policymakers on the relevance of introducing waste sorting management practices such as recycling bins in Nigerian university premises and campaigns for waste sorting and recycling activities.
Energy Evaluation and Energy Savings Analysis with the 2 Selection of AC Systems in an Educational Building
Authors: Balbis-Morejón Milen , Cabello-Eras Juan J. , Rey-Hernández Javier M. , Rey-Martínez Francisco J.
Published: July 2021

This paper presents an energy performance assessment on an educational building in Barranquilla, Colombia. The electricity consumption performance was assessed using the software DesignBuilder for two different Air Conditioning (AC) systems. The current electricity intensity is 215.3 kWh/m2-year and centralized AC systems with individual fan coils and a water chiller share 66% of the total consumption and lighting at 16%. The simulation of the AC technology change to Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) resulted in an improvement of 38% in AC energy intensity with 88 kWh/m2-year and significant savings in electricity consumption and life-cycle cost of AC systems in buildings.
Nutritional Values of Foods on a Population of the Czech Republic
Authors: Vesela Kamila , Severova Lucie , Krizek David
Published: July 2021

The aim of this text is to present the results of the research we carried out on a group of inhabitants of the Czech Republic who actively (or at least occasionally) engage in sports activities. The aim of the research was to analyse the consumer behavior of athletes in the Czech Republic with an emphasis on their use of health food stores and their habits in monitoring the nutritional values of food, in the content of sugar and carbohydrates in the food they consume. Excess sugar consumption; obesity; and, conversely, the issue of a healthy lifestyle and the growing interest in healthy “alternative” lifestyles, have often been a subject of debate. The research has shown, among other things, that 58% of respondents consume sugar; 70% of men and 88% of women shop at health food stores at least occasionally; and the most monitored values are calories, carbohydrates, and sugar.
Women as Victims of Court Rulings: Consequences of Workplace Harassment in the Hospitality Industry in Spain (2000–2016)
Authors: Reguera Consuelo , García-Izquierdo Antonio L.
Published: July 2021

Workplace harassment is a psychosocial risk factor that increasingly affects workers in the hospitality industry. Although this risk factor is recognised by legal regulations in Spain, in many cases the scope of these regulations and their interpretation by the courts remains unclear. The aim of this research is to conduct a qualitative, documentary, and descriptive study of the content of 61 rulings obtained from a search of 2335 rulings in the database of the Judicial Documentation Centre (CENDOJ) for the years 2000 to 2016. The main results show a steady increase in complaints over sixteen years; that women are predominantly the victims of work-related and sexual harassment; and that most harassment is carried out by men, is vertical in nature, and is frequently perpetrated by employers or bosses. Approximately half of the cases resulted in the awarding of some form of financial compensation, and although the amounts were small, over half of these cases involved workplace harassment, with the rest relating to sexual harassment at work. Most cases resulted in the termination of the victim’s contract, either through dismissal or employee abandonment. Based on the results found, we develop proposals that may facilitate future lines of action designed to enhance the defence and legal protection of workers and thus contribute to the promotion and sustainability of wellbeing in the workplace.
A Test of the Sustainability Vision Theory: Is It Practical?
Authors: Vongariyajit Nijsiree , Kantabutra Sooksan
Published: July 2021

Since little is theoretically and empirically known about the characteristics of organizational visions that support corporate sustainability, the present study attempts to answer the following questions: (1) What are the characteristics of an organizational vision that promotes sustainability performance? (2) How does such a vision lead to corporate sustainability? The present study examines a Sustainability Vision theory by simulating a retail store environment that comprises Sustainability Vision, Vision Communication, Empowerment of Staff, Motivation of Staff, and Staff Satisfaction variables. A model expressing the relationships among these variables was quantitatively tested by using data from a sample of retail stores in the Bangkok Metropolitan area. Results revealed that visions characterized by brevity, clarity, future orientation, stability, challenges, abstractness and an ability to inspire, and which contain imageries about improving sales, leadership, and customer and staff satisfaction indirectly and directly predict improved store sustainability prospects via Staff Satisfaction. The vision realization variables of Vision Communication, Empowerment of Staff and Motivation of Staff also enhance the vision effects. The present study is among the first few reported studies which identifies vision characteristics supportive of corporate sustainability. It also contributes to the theoretical literature by endorsing the Sustainability Vision theory and offering some directions for further theoretical development. In terms of its contribution to policy and practice, the present study offers some important managerial implications for retail store managers as to how they should espouse a vision that improves the prospect of store sustainability performance.
Employee Representatives and a Good Working Life: Achieving Social and Communicative Sustainability for HRM
Authors: Koinig Isabell , Weder Franzisca
Published: July 2021

This article examines the role of employee representatives, who support HRM in positioning itself and the organization as “socially responsible”. Based on a constructivist understanding of organizational communication, employee representatives are examined as previously unrecognized entities that are responsible—and also essential—for guaranteeing a good working life, which also originates through communication. The article provides an overview of existing studies on employee representatives and their positions in companies and tries to bridge the gaps among organizational communication, CSR communication, and management theory by redesigning the role of employee representatives—who have received limited academic attention to date—as communicators. The insights from an international comparative study confirm that employee representatives perceive themselves not only as a “grief box” or “control body” of management, but also as a responsible agent and “medium” for the realization of social and communicative sustainability. This not only opens up new research perspectives, but also highlights the need to conceptually deal and theoretically discuss employee representatives and their roles in internal communication processes from the perspectives of organizational communication, HRM, CSR, and sustainability.
Can HCI Help Increase People’s Engagement in Sustainable Development? A Case Study on Energy Literacy
Authors: Pestana Carla , Barros Luísa , Scuri Sabrina , Barreto Mary
Published: July 2021

The adoption of energy efficiency practices and increased penetration of renewable energy sources in the power system are estimated to play a key role in the decarbonization of the energy sector, helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ultimately fight climate change. To foster energy transition, energy education initiatives should primarily target the citizens and be designed adopting a User-Centered Design (UCD) approach and HCI methodologies. This paper describes how UCD/HCI can inform the design of citizens’ energy education initiatives by presenting a case study—the development of an information platform targeting Madeiran citizens. The article describes the design process, from ideation to prototype and validation. Methods used in each phase (card sorting, semi-structured interviews, brainstorming sessions, think-aloud protocol and surveys) are described. Results of each phase and how they have informed the following steps are presented, together with a detailed description of the resulting information platform and initial results in terms of acceptance and interaction with the system. Our initial results support the hypothesis that adopting an HCI perspective can nurture the development of energy education initiatives targeting citizens, bringing a user-centered approach to the design of such initiatives.
Do Neighborhoods with Highly Diverse Built Environment Exhibit Different Socio-Economic Profiles as Well? Evidence from Shanghai
Authors: Grekousis George , Pan Zhuolin , Liu Ye
Published: July 2021

The link between the built environment and residential segregation has long been of interest to the discussion for sustainable and socially resilient cities. However, direct assessments on how extensively diverse built environments affect the social landscapes of cities at the neighborhood level are rare. Here, we investigate whether neighborhoods with a diverse built environment also exhibit different socio-economic profiles. Through a geodemographic approach, we scrutinize the socio-economic composition of Shanghai’s neighborhoods. We statistically compare the top 10% (very high values) to the bottom 10% (very low values) of the following built environment variables: density, land use mix, land use balance, and greenness. We show that high-density areas have three times the percentage of divorced residents than low-density areas. Neighborhoods with a high level of greenness have median values of 30% more residents aged between 25–44 years old and five times the percentage of houses between 60 to 119 m2 than low-greenness areas. In high land-use mix areas, the share of people that live on a pension is 30% more than the low land-use mix areas. The findings of this study can be used to improve the designs of modern, sustainable cities at the neighborhood level, significantly improving quality of life.
Illuminating the Plant Rhabdovirus Landscape through Metatranscriptomics Data
Authors: Bejerman Nicolás , Dietzgen Ralf G. , Debat Humberto
Published: July 2021

Rhabdoviruses infect a large number of plant species and cause significant crop diseases. They have a negative-sense, single-stranded unsegmented or bisegmented RNA genome. The number of plant-associated rhabdovirid sequences has grown in the last few years in concert with the extensive use of high-throughput sequencing platforms. Here, we report the discovery of 27 novel rhabdovirus genomes associated with 25 different host plant species and one insect, which were hidden in public databases. These viral sequences were identified through homology searches in more than 3000 plant and insect transcriptomes from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Sequence Read Archive (SRA) using known plant rhabdovirus sequences as the query. The identification, assembly and curation of raw SRA reads resulted in sixteen viral genome sequences with full-length coding regions and ten partial genomes. Highlights of the obtained sequences include viruses with unique and novel genome organizations among known plant rhabdoviruses. Phylogenetic analysis showed that thirteen of the novel viruses were related to cytorhabdoviruses, one to alphanucleorhabdoviruses, five to betanucleorhabdoviruses, one to dichorhaviruses and seven to varicosaviruses. These findings resulted in the most complete phylogeny of plant rhabdoviruses to date and shed new light on the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary landscape of this group of plant viruses. Furthermore, this study provided additional evidence for the complexity and diversity of plant rhabdovirus genomes and demonstrated that analyzing SRA public data provides an invaluable tool to accelerate virus discovery, gain evolutionary insights and refine virus taxonomy.
Comparison of Online Sensors for Liquid Phase Hydrogen Sulphide Monitoring in Sewer Systems
Authors: Despot Daneish , Pacheco Fernández Micaela , Barjenbruch Matthias
Published: July 2021

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) related to wastewater in sewer systems is known for causing significant problems of corrosion and odor nuisance. Sewer systems severely affected by H2S typically rely on online H2S gas sensors for monitoring and control. However, these H2S gas sensors only provide information about the H2S emission potential at the point being monitored, which is sometimes inadequate to design control measures. In this study, a comparison of three market-ready online sensors capable of liquid-phase H2S detection in sewer systems was assessed and compared. Two of the three sensors are based on UV/Vis spectrophotometry, while the other adapted the design and principles of a Clark-type electrochemical microsensor. The H2S measurements of the sensors were statistically compared to a standard laboratory method at first. Following that, the performance of the online sensors was evaluated under realistic sewer conditions using the Berlin Water Company (BWB) research sewer pilot plant. Test applications representing scenarios of typical H2S concentrations found in sulfide-affected sewers and during control measures were simulated. The UV/Vis spectrometers showed that the performance of the sensors was highly dependent on the calibration type and measurements used for deriving the calibration function. The electrochemical sensor showed high sensitivity by responding to alternating anaerobic/anoxic conditions simulated during nitrate dosing. All sensors were prone to measurement disturbances due to high amounts of sanitary solids in wastewater at the study site and required continuous maintenance for reliable measurements. Finally, a summary of the key attributes and limitations of the sensors compared for liquid phase H2S detection is outlined.
Mining Transition and Hydropower Energy in Greece—Sustainable Governance of Water Resources Management in a Post-Lignite Era: The Case of Western Macedonia, Greece
Authors: Farmaki Polytimi , Tranoulidis Apostolos , Kouletsos Thanos , Giourka Paraskevi , Katarachia Androniki
Published: July 2021

The present study explores the process of Greece’s current decarbonisation transition and its energy policy regarding the country’s two coal-mining areas. Using the Region of Western Macedonia as a case study, we aimed at providing a holistic approach—as until now only few attempts have been made to systematise the ‘Just Transition Plans’ in European Union (EU)—for raising awareness on issues related to water resource management in post-lignite areas and analysing the use of hydropower in Greece. Our research draws on a flexible method approach, serving as a tool to identify gaps in current knowledge and practices, based on two stages—first the analysis of existing literature, reviews, and sources from government’s core strategies, as well as policy and decision-making papers, and then formulating research questions by synthesising relevant data. In Greece, both ‘Just Transition Development Plan of Lignite Areas’ and hydropower production practices overlook water resources management. By summarising our findings and identifying gaps that remain in current approaches, this work indicates future directions by suggesting processes necessary for addressing the complex issue of adoption of sustainable water resources management measures in post-lignite eras in accordance with EU’s water policy.
Charity Foundation as a Subject of Social Partnership (Case Study of «Metallurg» Charity Foundation, Magnitogorsk)
Authors: Ispulova Svetlana
Published: July 2021

The article covers the role of a charity foundation in the social support of the population which is carried out through the development and implementation of programmes and projects aimed at certain groups of population: elderly people, large families, children with disabilities. The author paid special attention to the project 'Growing Together - Platform for Family Co-Creation’, which aims to provide assistance and support to families raising children with special needs. A charity foundation complements the measures of social support provided by the state.
Rehabilitation of People with Limited Health Abilities in Magnitigorsk «Rehabilitation Centre for People with Limited Health Abilities»
Authors: Vandysheva Anastasia , Mametyeva Olga
Published: July 2021

The article covers the evaluation of the activities of Magnitogorsk ‘Rehabilitation Centre for People with Limited Health Abilities’ and possible ways to improve the effi ciency of providing social services to people with limited health abilities.
Child-Parent Relationships in Adolescence as an Object of Socio-Pedagogical Research
Authors: Khudatyan Kristina , Danilova Marina
Published: July 2021

The authors address the classic problem of fathers and sons. To determine the specifics of child-parent relationships, the authors carried out the analysis of scientifi c psychological and pedagogical literature.
Impacto da pandemia da Covid 19 no Troféu Brasil de Atletismo
Authors:   , Machado Jhonatan Marques
Published: July 2021

Eventos e clubes esportivos de diversos lugares do mundo sofreram com modificações nos treinamentos e competições devido a pandemia da Covid-19. Seriam estas mudanças capazes de afetar no desempenho esportivo dos atletas? O presente estudo tem como objetivo testar a hipótese se o ano de 2020 foi capaz de influenciar no desempenho dos atletas finalistas do Troféu Brasil de Atletismo. Comparamos os resultados dos finalistas masculinos e femininos dos últimos 4 anos (2017-2020) das provas mais frequentes da competição. Somente a prova dos 10000 m apresentou diferença significativa no ano de 2020. Portanto, apesar de ser um ano atípico para treinamentos e competições, o ano de 2020 com a pandemia da Covid-19 não impactou a participação, nem os resultados dos atletas finalistas do Troféu Brasil de Atletismo 2020.
O sincretismo do morfema -r em latim: uma abordagem baseada em incorporação
Authors:   , Gonçalves Lydsson Agostinho
Published: July 2021

Este trabalho investiga o sincretismo da morfologia passiva em latim. Nessa língua, o sufixo que realiza a voz passiva (cujo default é realizado como -r) também é encontrado em construções impessoais, anticausativas e contextos médios, bem como nos verbos depoentes, classe definida por sempre se manifestar na forma passiva, embora possua sentido ativo. Esse tipo de sincretismo não se limita ao latim, sendo observado em outras línguas de diferentes famílias e, ocasionalmente, envolve também o domínio dos verbos reflexivos. No intuito de oferecer uma explicação de cunho amplo, parte-se dos trabalhos anteriores de Schäfer (2008) e Lazzarini-Cyrino (2015) e, sob o modelo teórico da Morfologia Distribuída (HALLE & MARANTZ, 1993; MARANTZ, 1997), apresenta-se uma proposta de derivação que postula que a marca sincrética é, na verdade, um argumento verbal não referencial – isto é, uma variável – que é incorporado ao verbo pós-sintaticamente. Os diferentes contextos em que a marca aparece são resultantes da posição original que esse argumento ocupava: interno ou externo. A presença da variável na posição de argumento interno faz com que ela se ligue ao argumento externo, produzindo a interpretação reflexiva. Na posição de argumento externo, não havendo outro DP mais alto com o qual se ligar, ela não pode receber papel-θ ou Caso. Como resultado da ausência de papel-θ, a variável é lida como um expletivo em LF. A ausência de Caso é um problema para PF, onde é checado o filtro do Caso (LEVIN, 2015). Para que a derivação não seja perdida, a variável sofre incorporação ao domínio verbal, via Deslocamento Local, nos termos de Levin (2014, 2015). Essa configuração, em diferentes sabores de Voice (FOLLI & HARLEY, 2005), produz diferentes interpretações. A voz passiva e o domínio impessoal, tratados como um mesmo fenômeno, diferenciado apenas pela presença de um agente da passiva, resultam da incorporação da variável na posição de argumento externo de um VoiceDO. Por sua vez, a variável no especificador de um VoiceCAUSE gera os anticausativos. Nos contextos médios, ocorre a incorporação de uma variável na posição de argumento externo, enquanto o argumento de um núcleo Appl (PYLKKÄNEN, 2008) é promovido à posição de sujeito sintático. Verbos depoentes se dividem em três tipos: seguindo Alexiadou (2013), propõe-se que os agentivos são, em verdade, médios, e, por isso, são derivados da mesma maneira; os depoentes que envolvem sujeitos experienciadores projetam tal argumento via um núcleo EXP e têm a posição de argumento externo ocupada pela variável, que se incorpora; depoentes anticausativos são o resultado da incorporação do argumento de Appl numa estrutura sem Voice.