bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Noise and Breakdown Characterization of SPAD Detectors with Time-Gated Photon-Counting Operation
Authors: Mahmoudi Hiwa , Hofbauer Michael , Goll Bernhard , Zimmermann Horst
Published: August 2021

Being ready-to-detect over a certain portion of time makes the time-gated single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) an attractive candidate for low-noise photon-counting applications. A careful SPAD noise and performance characterization, however, is critical to avoid time-consuming experimental optimization and redesign iterations for such applications. Here, we present an extensive empirical study of the breakdown voltage, as well as the dark-count and afterpulsing noise mechanisms for a fully integrated time-gated SPAD detector in 0.35-μm CMOS based on experimental data acquired in a dark condition. An “effective” SPAD breakdown voltage is introduced to enable efficient characterization and modeling of the dark-count and afterpulsing probabilities with respect to the excess bias voltage and the gating duration time. The presented breakdown and noise models will allow for accurate modeling and optimization of SPAD-based detector designs, where the SPAD noise can impose severe trade-offs with speed and sensitivity as is shown via an example.
Magnetic Field Sensors’ Calibration: Algorithms’ Overview and Comparison
Authors: Papafotis Konstantinos , Nikitas Dimitris , Sotiriadis Paul P.
Published: August 2021

The calibration of three-axis magnetic field sensors is reviewed. Seven representative algorithms for in-situ calibration of magnetic field sensors without requiring any special piece of equipment are reviewed. The algorithms are presented in a user friendly, directly applicable step-by-step form, and are compared in terms of accuracy, computational efficiency and robustness using both real sensors’ data and artificial data with known sensor’s measurement distortion.
Digital Biomarkers of Physical Frailty and Frailty Phenotypes Using Sensor-Based Physical Activity and Machine Learning
Authors: Park Catherine , Mishra Ramkinker , Golledge Jonathan , Najafi Bijan
Published: August 2021

Remote monitoring of physical frailty is important to personalize care for slowing down the frailty process and/or for the healthy recovery of older adults following acute or chronic stressors. Taking the Fried frailty criteria as a reference to determine physical frailty and frailty phenotypes (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, inactivity), this study aimed to explore the benefit of machine learning to determine the least number of digital biomarkers of physical frailty measurable from a pendant sensor during activities of daily living. Two hundred and fifty-nine older adults were classified into robust or pre-frail/frail groups based on the physical frailty assessments by the Fried frailty criteria. All participants wore a pendant sensor at the sternum level for 48 h. Of seventeen sensor-derived features extracted from a pendant sensor, fourteen significant features were used for machine learning based on logistic regression modeling and a recursive feature elimination technique incorporating bootstrapping. The combination of percentage time standing, percentage time walking, walking cadence, and longest walking bout were identified as optimal digital biomarkers of physical frailty and frailty phenotypes. These findings suggest that a combination of sensor-measured exhaustion, inactivity, and speed have potential to screen and monitor people for physical frailty and frailty phenotypes.
Robust Heartbeat Classification for Wearable Single-Lead ECG via Extreme Gradient Boosting
Authors: Zhu Huaiyu , Zhao Yisheng , Pan Yun , Xie Hanshuang , Wu Fan , Huan Ruohong
Published: August 2021

Wearable electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring devices have enabled everyday ECG collection in our daily lives. However, the condition of ECG signal acquisition using wearable devices varies and wearable ECG signals could be interfered with by severe noises, resulting in great challenges of computer-aided automated ECG analysis, especially for single-lead ECG signals without spare channels as references. There remains room for improvement of the beat-level single-lead ECG diagnosis regarding accuracy and efficiency. In this paper, we propose new morphological features of heartbeats for an extreme gradient boosting-based beat-level ECG analysis method to carry out the five-class heartbeat classification according to the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation standard. The MIT-BIH Arrhythmia Database (MITDB) and a self-collected wearable single-lead ECG dataset are used for performance evaluation in the static and wearable ECG monitoring conditions, respectively. The results show that our method outperforms other state-of-the-art models with an accuracy of 99.14% on the MITDB and maintains robustness with an accuracy of 98.68% in the wearable single-lead ECG analysis.
Intuitive Cognition-Based Method for Generating Speech Using Hand Gestures
Authors: Holdengreber Eldad , Yozevitch Roi , Khavkin Vitali
Published: August 2021

Muteness at its various levels is a common disability. Most of the technological solutions to the problem creates vocal speech through the transition from mute languages to vocal acoustic sounds. We present a new approach for creating speech: a technology that does not require prior knowledge of sign language. This technology is based on the most basic level of speech according to the phonetic division into vowels and consonants. The speech itself is expected to be expressed through sensing of the hand movements, as the movements are divided into three rotations: yaw, pitch, and roll. The proposed algorithm converts these rotations through programming to vowels and consonants. For the hand movement sensing, we used a depth camera and standard speakers in order to produce the sounds. The combination of the programmed depth camera and the speakers, together with the cognitive activity of the brain, is integrated into a unique speech interface. Using this interface, the user can develop speech through an intuitive cognitive process in accordance with the ongoing brain activity, similar to the natural use of the vocal cords. Based on the performance of the presented speech interface prototype, it is substantiated that the proposed device could be a solution for those suffering from speech disabilities.
MRI-Based Image Signal-to-Noise Ratio Enhancement with Different Receiving Gains in K-Space
Authors: Wu Lin , Zhang Shuang , Zhang Tao
Published: August 2021

Echo signals in different regions in the k-space of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data possess different amplitudes. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of a received signal can be improved by differentially setting the receiving gain (RG) parameter in different areas of the k-space. Previously, the k-space data splicing method and the gain normalization implementation method were not specifically investigated; however, this study focuses on this aspect. Specifically, to improve the SNR, three RGs and MRI scans are herein designed for each gain parameter using the gradient echo sequence to obtain one group of k-space data. Subsequently, the three groups of experimental k-space data obtained using MRI scans are spliced into one group of k-space data. For the splicing process, a method for gain and phase correction and compensation is developed that normalizes different RG parameters in the k-space. The experimental results indicate that the developed methods improve the SNR by 5–13%. When the RGs are set to other combinations, the k-space data splicing and gain normalization methods presented in this paper are still applicable.
Gait Analysis Accuracy Difference with Different Dimensions of Flexible Capacitance Sensors
Authors: Nam DongWoo , Ahn Bummo
Published: August 2021

Stroke causes neurological pathologies, including gait pathologies, which are diagnosed by gait analysis. However, existing gait analysis devices are difficult to use in situ or are disrupted by external conditions. To overcome these drawbacks, a flexible capacitance sensor was developed in this study. To date, a performance comparison of flexible sensors with different dimensions has not been carried out. The aim of this study was to provide optimized sensor dimension information for gait analysis. To accomplish this, sensors with seven different dimensions were fabricated. The dimensions of the sensors were based on the average body size and movement range of 20- to 59-year-old adults. The sensors were characterized by 100 oscillations. The minimum hysteresis error was 8%. After that, four subjects were equipped with the sensor and walked on a treadmill at a speed of 3.6 km/h. All walking processes were filmed at 50 fps and analyzed in Kinovea. The RMS error was calculated using the same frame rate of the video and the sampling rate of the signal from the sensor. The smallest RMS error between the sensor data and the ankle angle was 3.13° using the 49 × 8 mm sensor. In this study, we confirm the dimensions of the sensor with the highest gait analysis accuracy; therefore, the results can be used to make decisions regarding sensor dimensions.
Game-Theoretic Decision Support for Cyber Forensic Investigations
Authors: Nisioti Antonia , Loukas George , Rass Stefan , Panaousis Emmanouil
Published: August 2021

The use of anti-forensic techniques is a very common practice that stealthy adversaries may deploy to minimise their traces and make the investigation of an incident harder by evading detection and attribution. In this paper, we study the interaction between a cyber forensic Investigator and a strategic Attacker using a game-theoretic framework. This is based on a Bayesian game of incomplete information played on a multi-host cyber forensics investigation graph of actions traversed by both players. The edges of the graph represent players’ actions across different hosts in a network. In alignment with the concept of Bayesian games, we define two Attacker types to represent their ability of deploying anti-forensic techniques to conceal their activities. In this way, our model allows the Investigator to identify the optimal investigating policy taking into consideration the cost and impact of the available actions, while coping with the uncertainty of the Attacker’s type and strategic decisions. To evaluate our model, we construct a realistic case study based on threat reports and data extracted from the MITRE ATT&CK STIX repository, Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), and interviews with cyber-security practitioners. We use the case study to compare the performance of the proposed method against two other investigative methods and three different types of Attackers.
Renegotiating Identity and Agency in Everyday Oppression: Experiences of Forced Migrant Youth in Malaysia
Authors: Torok Debra , Ball Jessica
Published: August 2021

This study explored how forced migrant youth in transit renegotiated their identity and agency after fleeing their homes and sociocultural connections, and while enduring ongoing precarity in a new, oppressive sociopolitical environment in Malaysia. As Malaysia is a non-signatory state that denies legal status to forced migrants, youth face significant structural barriers that constrain their capacities to participate in society and explore their identity. Using an innovative Peer Mediated Storyboard Narrative method (PMSN), thirteen adolescents visually depicted and then explained how their experiences of forced migration affected their sense of self, belonging, and future. Participants were receiving non-formal education and services from a migrant-serving agency in Malaysia while awaiting UNHCR adjudication of their application for resettlement. Youths’ transcribed narratives were the focus of analysis using constructivist grounded theory (CGT). Youth described a process whereby renegotiating identity was inextricably linked to (re)claiming agency, if only in situated ways, as they navigated oppression, discrimination, and rejection. Their renegotiation of identity involved (re)evaluating loss and opportunity, (re)constructing belonging, and working through prescribed identities. As youth renegotiated identities, they continuously sought to recreate agency, or a sense of ownership, over their experiences and stories. Their agency was situated within seemingly ordinary assertions of preserving and expanding their identities, forging spaces of belonging, and defining their own narratives rather than accepting prescribed identities. Perceived family support, duration of stay in Malaysia, and experiences as a girl or boy within their communities were key elements that shaped youths’ negotiation. Far from being passive recipients of circumstance, forced migrant youth strategically navigated systemic oppression and actively strove to reconstruct their identity and ownership over their experiences.
A Contribution to Soil Fertility Assessment for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands
Authors: Hag Husein Hussam , Lucke Bernhard , Bäumler Rupert , Sahwan Wahib
Published: August 2021

Soil fertility must be viewed as a dynamic concept that involves the constant cycling of nutrients between organic and inorganic forms. In this context, it refers also to supply adequate amounts of water and aeration for plant growth. Soil fertility under arid and semi-arid lands is constrained not only by limited water availability but also by small organic matter contents. Most fertility assessment systems are based on organic matter contents as the main parameter. However, crop experiments from various irrigated arid and semi-arid soils indicate that productivity is less-affected by organic matter contents than assumed. Therefore, we propose a new soil fertility system for dryland soils. It is a rule-based set of algorithms, mainly using additions and subtractions. Soil, climate, and landscape factors are integrated to calculate the numerical value of fertility for a given soil. We expect the system, which is focused on soil properties that keep or increase optimum soil moisture (such as texture), to be applicable in arid and semi-arid lands and to provide more realistic estimates of fertility regarding agricultural purposes. The manuscript will provide an outline of the main aspects of the system, illustrated by various case applications.
Comparing Wetland Ecosystems Service Provision under Different Management Approaches: Two Cases Study of Tianfu Wetland and Nansha Wetland in China
Authors: Zhang Yuchao , Loiselle Steven , Zhang Yimo , Wang Qian , Sun Xia , Hu Minqi , Chu Qiao , Jing Yuanyuan
Published: August 2021

The largest blue-green infrastructures in industrialized, urbanized and developed regions in China are often multiuse wetlands, located just outside growing urban centers. These areas have multiple development pressures while providing environmental, economic, and social benefits to the local and regional populations. Given the limited information available about the tradeoffs in ecosystem services with respect to competing wetland uses, wetland managers and provincial decision makers face challenges in regulating the use of these important landscapes. In the present study, measurements made by citizen scientists were used to support a comparative study of water quality and wetland functions in two large multiuse wetlands, comparing areas of natural wetland vegetation, tourism-based wetland management and wetland agriculture. The study sites, the Nansha and Tianfu wetlands, are located in two of the most urbanized areas of China: the lower Yangtze River and Pearl River catchments, respectively. Our results indicated that the capacity of wetlands to mitigate water quality is closely related to the quality of the surrounding waters and hydrological conditions. Agricultural areas in both wetlands provided the lowest sediment and nutrient retention. The results show that the delivery of supporting ecosystem services is strongly influenced by the location and use of the wetland. Furthermore, we show that citizen scientist-acquired data can provide fundamental information on quantifying these ecosystem services, providing needed information to wetland park managers and provincial wetland administrators.
Superposed Natural Hazards and Pandemics: Breaking Dams, Floods, and COVID-19
Authors: Hariri-Ardebili Mohammad Amin , Lall Upmanu
Published: August 2021

Within the engineering domain, safety issues are often related to engineering design and typically exclude factors such as epidemics, famine, and disease. This article provides a perspective on the reciprocal relationship and interaction between a natural hazard and a simultaneous pandemic outbreak and discusses how a catastrophic dam break, combined with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, poses a risk to human life. The paper uses grey- and peer-reviewed literature to support the discussion and reviews fundamentals of dam safety management, potential loss of life due to a dam break, and the recent evolution in dam risk analysis to account for the COVID-19 outbreak. Conventional risk reduction recommendations, such as quick evacuation and sheltering in communal centers, are revisited in the presence of a pandemic when social distancing is recommended. This perspective manuscript aims to provide insight into the multi-hazard risk problem resulting from a concurring natural hazard and global pandemic.
A Data-Driven Approach to Evaluation of Sustainability Reporting Practices in Extractive Industries
Authors: Perdeli Demirkan Cansu , Smith Nicole M. , Duzgun H. Sebnem , Waclawski Aurora
Published: August 2021

Sustainability reporting is one of the tools that contribute to incorporating sustainable development in the design of extractive operations (i.e., “Design for Sustainability”), and the demand for sustainability reports is increasing due to the increased focus on sustainable development and sustainable financing efforts. The extractive industries are believed to have unique strengths to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Nonetheless, companies are expected to be transparent and accountable not only to investors but to all stakeholders, including communities, suppliers, clients, employees, and governments. Therefore, extractive industries require effective sustainability accounting and reporting to transition and contribute to sustainable development. Through a data-driven approach, this paper examines the scope and consistency of sustainability indicators used in the sustainability reports of eight oil and gas and eight mining companies from 2012 to 2018. Through content analysis and relevant statistical methods, we analyze the ways in which companies reported on their contributions to sustainable development, with a focus on indicators used and trends over time both within each industry and between industries. We demonstrate that extractive industries’ sustainability reporting practices are not consistent over time and that internal issues are better represented than external issues, in particular transportation and supply chain issues. Furthermore, while there are similar trends across the industries in terms of social and environmental indicator reporting, there are significant differences in economic reporting. We conclude that although both industries have established sustainability reporting practices, there are trends that demonstrate what companies are focusing on more, as well as areas for improvement. We see this as an initial step for conceptualizing how these industries can more objectively, consistently, and effectively assess and contribute to sustainable development.
Teaching and Researching in the Context of COVID-19: An Empirical Study in Higher Education
Authors: Rodrigues Margarida , Silva Rui , Franco Mário
Published: August 2021

There is increasing recognition worldwide of the importance of academic activities, specifically in situations of pandemics. Therefore, this study aimed to understand the effects of COVID-19 on lecturers/researchers and Ph.D. and master students who have faced unexpected and continuous disruption in their teaching and research activities. To fulfil the aims, the study focused on a mixed method approach quantitative study based on a questionnaire administered on social networks and open questions. The unit of analysis was lecturers/researchers and Ph.D. and master students. The results obtained show that this lengthy interruption had severe impacts on their activities, requiring new competencies and capacities to deal with changes in a short period of time, including less positive feelings affecting them and their families. The main contribution of this study lies in identifying the barriers and opportunities created by this virus in the academic world and in presenting a theoretical framework to improve the situation, given that the confinement exponentiated negative and psychological feelings in academics, although telework is seen as a positive factor with continuity in the future, as a way to foster the social, environmental sustainability of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the wellbeing of their human capital. As implications for practice, the evidence points to the need for academics to be provided with training in E-learning, about technological tools for use in distance-learning and to reconsider how they carry out their research on the ground.
Attitudes and Preferences towards Soil-Based Ecosystem Services: How Do They Vary across Space?
Authors: Eusse-Villa Luisa Fernanda , Franceschinis Cristiano , Thiene Mara , Meyerhoff Jürgen , McBratney Alex , Field Damien
Published: August 2021

Soil ecosystem services (ES) provide multiple benefits to human well-being, but the failure to appreciate them has led to soil degradation issues across the globe. Despite an increasing interest in the threats to soil resources, economic valuation in this context is limited. Importantly, most of the existing valuation studies do not account for the spatial distribution of benefits that soil ES provide to the population. In this study, we present the results of a choice experiment (CE) aimed at investigating spatial heterogeneity of attitudes and preferences towards soil conservation and soil ES. We explored spatial heterogeneity of both attitudes and welfare measures via GIS techniques. We found that citizens of the Veneto Region (Northeast Italy) generally have positive attitudes towards soil conservation. We also find positive willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for soil ES in most of the study area and a considerable degree of heterogeneity in the spatial taste distribution. Finally, our results suggest that respondents with pro-environmental attitudes display a higher WTP based on the geographic pattern of the distribution of WTP values and attitudinal scores across the area.
How Attributes of Green Advertising Affect Purchase Intention: The Moderating Role of Consumer Innovativeness
Authors: Kim Woohyuk , Cha Seunghee
Published: August 2021

Although the importance of green advertising has increased, there is still little research in terms of attributes of green advertising. The purpose of our study was to investigate the relationship between attributes of green advertising and purchase intention when moderated by consumer innovativeness. After collecting data from consumers in South Korea, we analyzed 200 usable surveys in structural equation modeling. The analysis revealed positive relationships between three attributes of green advertising (i.e., attractiveness, informativity, and reliability) and purchase intention and identified the moderating role of consumer innovativeness in those relationships. Our findings have implications for marketing, especially for the development of green advertising strategies.
Joint Capacity Investment, Collecting and Pricing Decisions in a Capacity Constraint Closed-Loop Supply Chain Considering Cooperation
Authors: Wang Jian , Shao Wenxuan
Published: August 2021

In this paper, a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) consisting of one manufacturer and one supplier is considered. The capacity of the manufacturer is limited, the manufacturer can increase capacity by investing in capacity, and there are different cooperation contracts among the supply chain members. This paper pushes collecting activities upstream, assumes that the collecting activity can be completed by the supplier, and accepts that there is cooperation between the members, which increases supplier involvement. Dynamic game models among CLSC members are formulated. The optimal decisions of pricing, capacity investment, and collecting channels of the CLSC members are obtained, and the impacts of some important factors, for example, the capacity investment cost coefficient and the cost-sharing factors, on optimal decisions are investigated. The results reveal that the supplier collecting mode performs better in some scenarios; therefore, the management enlightenment desired by the supplier can be obtained. Additionally, the coordination between the manufacturer and the supplier sometimes fails to increase the closed-loop supply chain’s sustainability, which is a finding quite different from some current research results.
Exploring the Potential in LID Technologies for Remediating Heavy Metals in Carwash Wastewater
Authors: Talebzadeh Mahta , Valeo Caterina , Gupta Rishi , Constabel C.
Published: August 2021

Carwash wastewater (CWW) can be a significant source of environmental pollution due to the diversity and high concentrations of contaminants it contains. This toxic wastewater can contain several different heavy metals that if left untreated, can enter surface and sub-surface waters. Innovative, nature-based solutions such as low-impact development (LID) technologies may provide an eco-friendly CWW treatment process that is both effective and affordable. This research reviews the available literature to provide definitive values of flowrate and contaminant concentrations found in CWW around the globe. Dividing LID technologies into two groups, vegetated and unvegetated systems, the authors explored the literature for the general performance of these technologies to sustainably treat heavy metals in CWW. Depending on the car wash’s size and intended purpose, whether cleaning vehicles in agriculture-based rural communities, mining, or in high-density urban environments, volumetric flowrates requiring treatment found in six different countries ranged from 35–400 L/car. CWW also contains a wide range of contaminants at various levels, including COD, turbidity, TDS and TSS, surfactants, oils and greases, and heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, chromium, and iron. Heavy metal removal by both vegetated and unvegetated LIDs shows mixed results in the literature, but given the different processes involved in both types, the authors propose a system that combines these types in order to provide all the necessary removal processes, including mechanical filtration, adsorption, sedimentation, chemical and biological treatment processes.
Performance of Anisole and Isobutanol as Gasoline Bio-Blendstocks for Spark Ignition Engines
Authors: Wojcieszyk Michał , Knuutila Lotta , Kroyan Yuri , de Pinto Balsemão Mário , Tripathi Rupali , Keskivali Juha , Karvo Anna , Santasalo-Aarnio Annukka , Blomstedt Otto , Larmi Martti
Published: August 2021

Several countries have set ambitious targets for the transport sector that mandate a gradual increase in advanced biofuel content in the coming years. The current work addresses this transition and indicates two promising gasoline bio-blendstocks: Anisole and isobutanol. The whole value chains of these bio-components were considered, focusing on end-use performance, but also analyzing feedstock and its conversion, well-to wheel (WTW) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs. Three alternative fuels, namely a ternary blend (15% anisole, 15% isobutanol, 70% fossil gasoline on an energy basis) and two binary blends (15% anisole with fossil gasoline and 30% isobutanol with fossil gasoline), were tested, focusing on their drop-in applicability in spark ignition (SI) engines. The formulated liquid fuels performed well and showed the potential to increase brake thermal efficiency (BTE) by 1.4% on average. Measured unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions were increased on average by 12–29% and 17–51%, respectively. However, HC and CO concentrations and exhaust temperatures were at acceptable levels for proper catalyst operation. The studied blends were estimated to bring 11–22% of WTW GHG emission reductions compared to base gasoline. Additionally, the fleet performance and benefits of flexi-fuel vehicles (FFV) were modeled for ternary blends.
Current Practices and Future Pathways towards Competencies in Education for Sustainable Development
Authors: Cebrián Gisela , Junyent Mercè , Mulà Ingrid
Published: August 2021

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development reflects the urgency to embed the principles of education for sustainable development (ESD) into all levels of education. ESD, understood as an integral part of quality education and where all educational institutions, from preschool to higher education and in non-formal and informal education, can and should foster the development of sustainability competencies. This Special Issue entitled “Competencies in Education for Sustainable Development II” responds to this urgency and the papers presented deliver recent developments in the field of sustainability and ESD competencies. They focus on various perspectives: systematic literature reviews and conceptual contributions; curriculum developments and pedagogical approaches to explore competencies’ development, such as action research, serious games, augmented reality, multi-course project-based learning and group model building processes; testing and validation of assessment tools and processes for linking sustainability competencies to employability and quality assurance processes. The contributions show how the field of sustainability and ESD competencies has become a major focus in recent years and present emerging research developments. Further research efforts need to be put into operationalizing sustainability competencies and developing tools that help measure and assess students’ and educators’ competencies development.
Performance Implications of Aligning Supply Chain Practices with Competitive Advantage: Empirical Evidence from the Agri-Food Sector
Authors: Reklitis Panagiotis , Sakas Damianos P. , Trivellas Panagiotis , Tsoulfas Giannis T.
Published: August 2021

During this pandemic crisis, supply chain management (SCM) has emerged as a critical source of competitive advantage driving organizational performance, especially in the agri-food sector, since public health and consumers’ confidence as well as firms’ survival depend on the effectiveness of supply chain networks. This study adopts two central SCM practices, namely strategic suppliers’ partnerships and partners’ information quality & sharing and tests their relationships with competitive advantage (quality, process flexibility, and time to market) and business performance (profitability and market share), based on an empirical study of 300 enterprises in the agri-food sector in Greece. After data collection, we deploy a diagnostic-exploratory model, utilizing fuzzy cognitive mapping, with agent-based modeling following up for development for data prediction and simulation. Consequently, we found that supply chain firms’ compelling and robust relationships with supply chain partners and suppliers can promote their profitability and market share. Relationships of this kind focus on quality information sharing and are strongly connected with businesses’ quality, process flexibility, and time to market competitive capabilities. Hence, our study provides salutary info to supply chain firms regarding potential implementation to existing and new collaborators.
Impact of Learning in the COVID-19 Era on Academic Outcomes of Undergraduate Psychology Students
Authors: Martín Ayala Juan Luis , Castaño Castaño Sergio , Hernández Santana Alba , Martí González Mariacarla , Brito Ballester Julién
Published: August 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic, and the containment measures adopted by the different governments, led to a boom in online education as a necessary response to the crisis posed against the education system worldwide. This study compares the academic performance of students between face-to-face and online modalities in relation to the exceptional situation between the months of March and June 2020. The academic performance in both modalities of a series of subjects taught in the Psychology Degree at the European University of the Atlantic (Santander, Spain) was taken into account. The results show that student performance during the final exam in the online modality is significantly lower than in the face-to-face modality. However, grades from the continuous evaluation activities are significantly higher online, which somehow compensates the overall grade of the course, with no significant difference in the online mode with respect to the face-to-face mode, even though overall performance is higher in the latter. The conditioning factors and explanatory arguments for these results are also discussed.
Analysis of Psychometric Properties and Validation of the Personal Learning Environments Questionnaire (B-PLE) in Higher Education Students
Authors: Carrasco-Sáez José Luis , Butter Marcelo Careaga , Badilla-Quintana María Graciela , Molina-Farfán Juan
Published: August 2021

We are living through a cultural transition, characterized by technological disruption and the erosion of the modern ideology, which are redefining the behavior of citizens in their physical and digital spaces. Virtuality emerges as a new human dimension, making it necessary to rethink social and educational paradigms for a new two-dimensional citizen. In this context, the psychometric features and validation procedure of an instrument (B-PLE) for analyzing Personal Learning Environments (PLE) in students of higher education institutions in the Biobío Region of Chile are described. There were four phases to the validation method: (i) content validity, as determined by six experts in education and ICT; (ii) pilot test, with a non-probabilistic sample of 327 subjects; (iii) principal components analysis (PCA); and (iv) confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The results of the dimensional analysis made it possible to define the structure of the new instrument, explaining 72% of the total variance. The reliability analysis yielded an alpha coefficient of 0.92. The confirmatory factor analysis showed fit indexes that support the proposed theoretical model. In conclusion, the instrument was composed of three latent variables: Open learning (OL), with six questions, Information management (IM), with two questions, and Knowledge creation and transfer (KCT), with three questions.
Public Transport Network Vulnerability and Delay Distribution among Travelers
Authors: Malandri Caterina , Mantecchini Luca , Paganelli Filippo , Postorino Maria Nadia
Published: August 2021

Methodologies and approaches for assessing the vulnerability of a public transport network are generally based on quantifying the average delay generated for passengers by some type of disruption. In this work, a novel methodology is proposed, which combines the traditional approach, based on the quantitative evaluation of averaged disruption effects, with the analysis of the asymmetry of effects among users, by means of Lorenz curves and Gini index. This allows evaluating whether the negative consequences of disruptions are equally spread among passengers or if differences exist. The results obtained show the potential of the proposed method to provide better knowledge about the effects of a disruption on a public transport network. Particularly, it emerged that disrupted scenarios that appear similar in terms of average impacts are actually very different in terms of the asymmetry of effects among users.
Essence of the Compensation Plan in the Process of Motivation in Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). A Case Study
Authors: Roman Michał , Wasiak Marta , Roman Monika , Roman Kamil , Niedziółka Arkadiusz , Krasnodębski Andrzej , Królak Sylwia
Published: August 2021

The objective of the article is to present the compensation plan and the possibilities resulting from cooperation with FM World. The study provides the characteristics of the market economy compensation system, especially the functions, goals and traditional compensation forms as well as the essence of the key motivation theories for organization management and the characteristics of the most important ones. The term Multi-Level Marketing (network marketing) is discussed, especially the nature of that sector, controversies and possibilities. The company, FM World, is covered, especially the information on the products distributed and services. The compensation plan and the incentive programme offer applied in the company are provided in detail. The study involved the use of a diagnostic survey. The group of respondents included 107 FM World distributors and cooperants with the Rentierzy.FM structure. The level of satisfaction of the respondents with the cooperation and the compensation plan offered are investigated; satisfaction with the incentive programmes available and the perspectives of further cooperation with the company were determined.
Entrepreneurship Competence in Pre-Service Teachers Training Degrees at Spanish Jesuit Universities: A Content Analysis Based on EntreComp and EntreCompEdu
Authors: Arruti Arantza , Morales Cristina , Benitez Estibaliz
Published: August 2021

Entrepreneurship competence is one of the eight key competences for promoting lifelong learning, employability, and ensuring success in the knowledge society. The main objective of this study is to analyse to what extent entrepreneurship competence, as contemplated in the main European reference frameworks (EntreComp and EntreCompEdu), is incorporated into the competences that make up pre-service teachers training degrees offered by Spanish Jesuit universities. A content analysis of 631 competences was carried out by means of an expert judgement. The results of the study allow us to conclude, among others, that: with the exception of Assessment (EntreCompEdu), the remaining areas of both frameworks are covered by 30% of the competences proposed by the universities; none of the universities incorporate the competences Motivation and perseverance, Financial and economic literacy and Coping with uncertainty, ambiguity and risk of EntreComp, nor Checking and reporting on progress, Share feedback and Recognising progress and achievement of EntreCompEdu; the EntreComp competences Mobilising others, Planning and managing, and Working with others, and the EntreCompEdu Creating an empowering entrepreneurial learning environment are recognised the most; it is in the specific and general competences of the University of Deusto and Ramon LLull University that the above-mentioned competences are most frequently recognised. In conclusion, although there is still much to be done, entrepreneurship competence is included in initial teacher training at Jesuit universities in Spain.
Research on the Impact Factors of Green Economy of China—From the Perspective of System and Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Chai Bohan , Gao Junwei , Pan Lingying , Chen Yishu
Published: August 2021

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had an immeasurable impact on the global economy. It has damaged parts of the real economy, but also provided new opportunities for China’s green development. Both the system and foreign direct investment (FDI) have an important impact on China’s green recovery path. Based on the provincial panel data of China from 2007 to 2016, this paper uses a slacks-based measure (SBM) model and Malmquist–Luenberger (ML) index to measure the green total factor productivity (GTFP), and empirically analyzes the regulatory role of system in the influencing mechanism of FDI on GTFP. The results show that the overall level of FDI significantly inhibits the improvement of GTFP, and the interaction between system and FDI makes it shift from inhibition to promotion, but the promotion would be weakened with the improvement of the system. FDI in the eastern region shows a positive effect on GTFP, which will be weakened with the improvement of the system. FDI in central and western regions shows a negative effect on GTFP, and the negative effect in western regions will be increased with the improvement of the system. Then this article puts forward targeted policy suggestions for further improving the level of regional systems and introducing FDI of high quality.
Elasticity of the Number of World Cruise Tourists Using the Vector Error Correction Model
Authors: Ahn Young-Gyun , Lee Min-Kyu
Published: August 2021

Along with the growth of the marine tourism industry, the number of global cruise tourists is rapidly increasing; the competition among regions to attract cruise tourists is increasing. The current study aims to verify that the global cruise tourism industry can be sustainable through its inherent power for long-term balanced convergence within the industry and can flexibly respond to external shocks such as COVID-19. This study applies the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) to estimate the long-term balance function that determines the number of world cruise tourists. This study reveals that the number of world cruise tourists finally converges to long-term balance if the number of world cruise tourists at present is lower than the one at long-term equilibrium. In summary, the results of the VECM in the present study suggest the presence of an “invisible hand” in the global cruise tourism industry converging to a long-term balance. A few previous studies have suggested ways to increase global cruise tourists and promote the cruise tourism industry through qualitative methods, however, little research has estimated the decision function of the number of cruise tourists at a long-term equilibrium point. This study shows the dynamic characteristics of the cruise tourism market using the VECM.
Comprehensive Operation Risk Assessment of a Highway Maintenance Area Based on Reliability
Authors: Ouyang Nan
Published: August 2021

To study the influence of various working conditions on traffic safety in the maintenance area of a mountain expressway, 675 groups of PTV VISSIM traffic simulation experiments were designed with various traffic organization modes, traffic volumes, traffic compositions, activity area lengths, and speed limit values. The results show that the activity area length of a closed lane, a compressed lane, and a borrowed opposite lane had no marked influence on the traffic conflicts. There was a significant positive correlation between the proportion of trucks and the number of traffic conflicts, and the number of traffic conflicts increased significantly with an increase in traffic volume. In the closed lane and borrowed opposite lane scenarios, the increase in traffic conflicts was more obvious with the increase in traffic volume. There were obvious differences in the number of traffic conflicts under different forms of traffic organization. The number of conflicts in the compressed lane scenario was the lowest, and in the borrowed opposite lane scenario the number of conflicts was the highest. There was a significant correlation between a decrease in the speed limit and an increase in the number of traffic conflicts. Finally, with traffic volume, truck proportion, and speed limit values as independent variables and reliability as a dependent variable, linear regression equations of reliability were established for three traffic organization scenarios: closed lane, borrowed opposite lane, and compressed lane.
Evaluation of the Road Policy in the Light of Vision Zero in Jaworzno, Poland
Authors: Pistelok Paweł , Štraub Daniel
Published: August 2021

Vision Zero (VZ) is a systematic approach whose goal is to reduce the fatalities and serious injuries suffered in road accidents to zero, which was first adopted in Sweden in 1997. Besides assessing the policy implementation in the Polish town of Jaworzno, this paper applies VZ as a framework to describe transport policy development in Jaworzno. It concludes, that even without an explicitly defined strategical VZ document, the action taken by city officials in Jaworzno clearly overlaps with VZ, as evidenced in Sweden. Also, strong political commitment, clear leadership and a dynamic approach to adjust the development according to new evidence, show the city of Jaworzno to be a learning institution in its enhancement of road safety and its support of sustainable development.
Considering Family and Child Welfare in Lithuania in Terms of Social Sustainability Pursuant to Observations of Everyday Professional Practice
Authors: Naujanienė Rasa , Ruškus Jonas , Laitinen Merja , Motiečienė Roberta , Eidukevičiūtė Julija
Published: August 2021

This article investigates the family and child welfare system in Lithuania in terms of social sustainability, with an emphasis on children’s rights. The conceptual framework of Gilbert et al. (2011a) on child welfare was used as the substance of the research, identifying the problem frame, aim and mode of intervention, and parent–state relationship as the main dimensions for analyzing configurations of the child welfare systems. The analysis in this article focuses on how the family and child welfare system is observed in everyday professional practice in Lithuania by linking it with the social sustainability concept. The quantitative research sample comprised 501 respondents from Lithuania, representing different professionals of the family and child welfare system. An online questionnaire was distributed across regional municipal social services departments and to the national service of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service. Explorative factor analysis and multidimensional scaling were used for data analysis. The research demonstrated that family and child welfare dimensions are meaningfully related to the social sustainability concept through the rights of a child such as the child’s best interests, accessibility to services, the right to be heard, protection against violence, child identity, development assurance, and so forth. The research indicates the need for awareness raising, including education and training for professional actors regarding child and family welfare, as an integral part of the concept of social sustainability.
To Rebuild or Relocate? Long-Term Mobility Decisions of Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) Recipients
Authors: Seong Kijin , Losey Clare , Van Zandt Shannon
Published: August 2021

Limited funds and the demand for disaster assistance call for a broader understanding of how homeowners decide to either rebuild or relocate from their disaster-affected homes. This study examines the long-term mobility decisions of homeowners in Lumberton, North Carolina, USA, who received federal assistance from the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for property acquisition, elevation, or reconstruction following Hurricane Matthew in 2016. The authors situate homeowners’ decisions to rebuild or relocate in the context of property attributes and neighborhood characteristics. Logit and probit regressions reveal that homeowners with lower-value properties are less likely to relocate, and those subjected to higher flood and inundation risks are more likely to relocate. Additionally, homeowners in neighborhoods of higher social vulnerability—those with a higher proportion of minorities and mortgaged properties—are more likely to rebuild their disaster-affected homes. The authors discuss homeowners’ mobility decisions in the context of the social vulnerability of neighborhoods. Our results contribute to an ongoing policy discussion that seeks to articulate the housing and neighborhood attributes that affect the long-term mobility decisions of recipients of HMGP assistance. The authors suggest that local governments prioritize the mitigation of properties of homeowners of higher physical and social vulnerability to reduce socioeconomic disparities in hazard mitigation and build equitable community resilience.