bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accessibility to Cultural Tourism: The Case of the Major Museums in the City of Seville
Authors: Reyes-García María Eugenia , Criado-García Fernando , Camúñez-Ruíz José Antonio , Casado-Pérez María
Published: March 2021

The present work contains an evaluation of the accessibility of museums in the city of Seville, as part of the tourism offerings of the city from a cultural perspective. From an evaluation questionnaire on the city’s museums, we obtained an aggregate indicator of compliance with accessibility regulations. The instrument was designed based on the legal requirements in force at the EU (European Union) level, as well as international standards such as ISO 170001 and accessibility conventions such as those from the United Nations Organization (UN). In a complementary manner, a questionnaire with open and semi open questions was designed and used for interviews carried out with the personnel responsible for the museums examined. A variety of quantitative and qualitative information of great value was obtained for setting guidelines or priorities for action in this area. At the level of the political powers and other interest groups involved, our results allow for homogeneous evaluations that can facilitate the setting of priorities in the planning and development of tourism accessibility policies for all types of families.
Multi-Domain and Multi-Material Topology Optimization in Design and Strengthening of Innovative Sustainable Structures
Authors: Tajs-Zielińska Katarzyna , Bochenek Bogdan
Published: March 2021

Expectations and challenges of modern sustainable engineering and architecture stimulate intensive development of structural analysis and design techniques. Designing durable, light and eco-friendly constructions starts at the conceptual stage, where new efficient design and optimization tools need to be implemented. Innovative methods, like topology optimization, become more often a daily practice of engineers and architects in the process of solving more and more demanding up-to-date engineering problems efficiently. Topology optimization is a dynamically developing research area with numerous applications to many research and engineering fields, ranging from the mechanical industry, through civil engineering to architecture. The motivation behind the present study is to make an attempt to broaden the area of topology optimization applications by presenting an original approach regarding the implementation of the multi-domain and multi-material topology optimization to the design and the strengthening/retrofitting of structures. Moreover, the implementation of the design-dependent self-weight loading into the design model is taken into account as a significantly important issue, since it influences the final results of the topology optimization process, especially when considering massive engineering structures. As an optimization tool, the original efficient heuristic algorithm based on Cellular Automata concept is utilized.
The Effects of Mobility Expectation on Community Attachment: A Multilevel Model Approach
Authors: Song Taesoo , Lim Up
Published: March 2021

According to the systemic model of community attachment, high residential stability serves as a precondition on which residents build formal and informal social ties within their communities, ultimately resulting in increased community attachment. However, previous studies have only measured residents’ length of residence in the community to measure residential stability, not considering whether expectations of staying in the community in the future affect residents’ community attachment. This study aims to test if mobility expectation influences residents’ community attachment by employing the logistic multilevel model to analyze 31,159 householders from 31 municipalities in Gyeonggi Province, Korea. The results show that residents’ mobility expectation, in addition to the length of residence, is a significant determinant of community attachment after controlling for individual and regional-level covariates. The results provide implications for urban and regional policies aiming to promote community attachment and participation among residents in the age of increasing residential mobility.
Investigation of Corrosion Rate and Rust Expansion Form of Segment Reinforcement for Shield Tunnel by Combined Action of Soil Loading, Chloride Ion and Stray Current
Authors: Li Zheng , Jin Hao , Yu Shuo
Published: March 2021

Segment reinforcement corrosion can cause bearing-capacity degradation of shield tunnel, which is unsafe for the metro operation. Therefore, a three-dimensional computational model was proposed in this paper to study the corrosion rate and rust expansion form of segment reinforcement by the combined action of soil loading, chloride ion and stray current. The results show that the arch waist segment steel corrosion rate in the middle is larger than the ends. The rust expansion form of segment reinforcement appears be an eccentric circle. The radius size and circular center are related to the non-uniform corrosion coefficient and the maximum corrosion current density.
Intra-Household Handling and Consumption Dynamics of Milk in Peri-Urban Informal Markets in Tanzania and Kenya: A Gender Lens
Authors: Galiè Alessandra , Farnworth Cathy Rozel , Njiru Nelly , Alonso Silvia
Published: March 2021

Milk, provided it is safe, provides important micronutrients that can combat hidden hunger (undernutrition). Many peri-urban poor people in Tanzania and Kenya use informal markets to purchase milk in order to provide nutritional benefits to their families. Household decision-making processes play an influential role in how much milk to buy and how it is treated. This exploratory qualitative study, conducted in peri-urban Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, examined how access to milk, control over milk handling and safety, and intra-household milk distribution are affected by gender dynamics and by changes in milk availability and price. Focus group discussions with 48 women and 45 men and key informant interviews with 8 men and 8 women, all of whom were parents or caretakers to young children, were conducted. The results indicate that gender roles in milk purchase and handling vary. Generally, providing enough milk is a man’s responsibility, whilst a woman is expected to ensure a nutritious diet. Yet women’s limited decision-making power regarding milk purchase can restrict their ability to provide sufficient milk. Interventions to promote safe milk consumption need to consider gender norms, strengthen intra-household collaborative decision-making, include men in nutrition programming, and increase women’s control over food expenditures.
Role of Spatial Analysis in Avoiding Climate Change Maladaptation: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chi Chia-Fa , Lu Shiau-Yun , Hallgren Willow , Ware Daniel , Tomlinson Rodger
Published: March 2021

With the rapid development of climate change adaptation over recent decades, a considerable amount of evidence has been collected on maladaptation associated with climate change adaptation initiatives, particularly in terms of risk transfer and risk substitution. Increasing our understanding of maladaptation is important for avoiding negative outcomes of adaptation project implementation. However, maladaptation has received limited research attention. Previous research has focused on frameworks that can assist in defining and avoiding maladaptive risk and be applied to adaptation initiative planning processes. Adaptation may cause more significant influences on spatial land change than the direct effect of climate change does. Identifying the adaptation consequences that are likely to result in maladaptation is crucial. A combination of spatial land analysis and climate change analysis can be used for the aforementioned identification. However, empirical case studies on methods that can assess and evaluate the risk of maladaptation by integrating spatial and temporal aspects in a land spatial modeling tool have not been conducted. The present study aimed to fill this research gap by exploring the existing knowledge on maladaptation to climate change. We examined the interaction among spatial analysis, evaluated maladaptation frameworks, and project design to extend our conceptual understanding on maladaptation to climate change. We adopted a systematic review method that involved considering several questions including the following: (a) What are the definitions and categories of maladaptation? (b) What methods and theoretical frameworks exist for the assessment and evaluation of maladaptive risk? (c) How have climate-related research communities considered issues of maladaptation? (d) What are the experimental studies on land use change that can be referred to for minimizing maladaptive risks in future adaptation planning? In conclusion, further research on maladaptation should integrate spatial land analysis methods to facilitate the identification and avoidance of maladaptive risk in the initial stage of adaptation planning.
Sustainable Management for Fresh Food E-Commerce Logistics Services
Authors: Jiang Yi , Lai Polin , Chang Chia-Hsun , Yuen Kum Fai , Li Sihang , Wang Xinchen
Published: March 2021

This article determines the quality factors which improve the satisfaction of logistics services, and the specific evaluation items that customers value. Moreover, this study verifies the moderating effect of consumers on the perceived importance of last-mile logistics services, and its impact on logistics service satisfaction. Through a literature review, the conceptual model is determined, and measurement scales are developed. Furthermore, we collect data through online surveys and employ structural equation modeling, hierarchical regression analysis, and importance–performance analysis methods in order to analyze the collected data, and to test the research hypotheses. The findings of this study are as follows. First, the qualities of personal contact, timeliness, and empathy in the fresh food e-commerce logistics service quality evaluation system have a significant positive impact on the fresh food e-commerce logistics service consumer satisfaction, but the delivery quality and information quality are not significant. Second, consumers’ perceived importance of last-mile logistics services has a positive and significant impact on the consumer satisfaction of fresh food e-commerce logistics services. Moreover, as a moderating variable, its moderating effect has limitations: it only affects the relationship between information quality, timeliness quality, empathy quality, and consumer satisfaction. Finally, in the three evaluation dimensions of information quality, timeliness quality, and empathy quality, specific items that need to be further improved are identified. This study enriches and supplements the empirical research in the field of fresh food e-commerce logistics, and provides academic literature with a reference value for fresh food e-commerce logistics enterprises.
Post-Disaster Infrastructure Delivery for Resilience
Authors: Chester Mikhail , El Asmar Mounir , Hayes Samantha , Desha Cheryl
Published: March 2021

As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of disasters and associated infrastructure damage, Alternative Project Delivery Methods are well positioned to enable innovative contracting and partnering methods for designing and delivering adaptation solutions that are more time- and cost-effective. However, where conventional “build-back-as-before” post-disaster reconstruction occurs, communities remain vulnerable to future disasters of similar or greater magnitude. In this conceptual paper, we draw on a variety of literature and emergent practices to present how such alternative delivery methods of reconstruction projects can systematically integrate “build-back-better” and introduce more resilient infrastructure outcomes. Considering existing knowledge regarding infrastructure resilience, post-disaster reconstruction and project delivery methods, we consider the resilience regimes of rebound, robustness, graceful extensibility, and sustained adaptability to present the potential for alternative project delivery methods to improve the agility and flexibility of infrastructure against future climate-related and other hazards. We discuss the criticality of continued pursuit of stakeholder engagement to support further improvements to project delivery methods, enabling new opportunities for engaging with a broader set of stakeholders, and for stakeholders to contribute new knowledge and insights to the design process. We conclude the significant potential for such methods to enable resilient infrastructure outcomes, through prioritizing resilience alongside time and cost. We also present a visual schematic in the form of a framework for enabling post-disaster infrastructure delivery for resilience outcomes, across different scales and timeframes of reconstruction. The findings have immediate implications for agencies managing disaster recovery efforts, offering decision-support for improving the adaptive capacity of infrastructure, the services they deliver, and capacities of the communities that rely on them.
The Effect of an Adapted Physical Activity Intervention Program on Pre-Service Physical Education Teachers’ Self-Efficacy towards Inclusion in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alhumaid Majed M. , Khoo Selina , Bastos Tânia
Published: March 2021

Self-efficacy of pre-service physical education (PE) teachers is an effective predictor of successful inclusion of students with disabilities. However, physical disability is one of the most challenging disabilities to include in PE settings. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a 6-week intervention program on the self-efficacy of Saudi pre-service PE teachers towards including students with physical disabilities in general PE classes. Two groups of pre-service PE teachers (35 each in the experimental and control groups; mean age: 22.69 ± 1.17 years) enrolled in two universities in Saudi Arabia were recruited into this study. Self-efficacy was measured before and after the intervention program using the Arabic version of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Education Teacher Education Majors toward Children with Disabilities (SE-PETE-D). One-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that a significant improvement in self-efficacy was demonstrated for the experimental group after participation in the intervention program compared to the control group (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.53, large). The results support the systematic implementation of this type of intervention program as an integral part of physical education teacher education programs.
Dynamic Model of a Transcritical CO2 Heat Pump for Residential Water Heating
Authors: Diniz Hélio A. G. , Paulino Tiago F. , Pabon Juan J. G. , Maia Antônio A. T. , Oliveira Raphael N.
Published: March 2021

This paper presents a distributed mathematical model for a carbon dioxide direct expansion solar-assisted heat pump used to heat bath water. The main components are a gas cooler, a needle valve, an evaporator/collector, and a compressor. To develop the heat exchange models, mass, energy, and momentum balances were used. The model was validated for transient as well as steady state conditions using experimental data. A reasonably good agreement was observed between the predicted temperatures and experimental data. The simulations showed that the time step required to demonstrate the behavior of the heat pump in the transient regime is greater than the time step required for the steady state. The results obtained with the mathematical model revealed that a reduction in the water mass flow rate results in an increase in the water outlet temperature. In addition, when the carbon dioxide mass flow rate is reduced, the compressor inlet and outlet temperatures increase as well as the water outlet temperature.
Performance of a Combined Treatment Approach on the Elimination of Microbes from Poultry Slaughterhouse Wastewater
Authors: Meiramkulova Kulyash , Temirbekova Aliya , Saspugayeva Gulnur , Kydyrbekova Assel , Devrishov Davud , Tulegenova Zhanar , Aubakirova Karlygash , Kovalchuk Nataliya , Meirbekov Abdilda , Mkilima Timoth
Published: March 2021

The efficiency of microbial inactivation in water is highly dependent on the type of treatment technology used as well as the characteristics of the water to be treated. Wastewater from poultry slaughterhouses carries a significant number of microorganisms posing threats to humans and the environment in general. Therefore, the treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater requires the use of appropriate purification systems with high removal efficiency for microbial agents. In this study, the performance of an integrated treatment plant with electrolysis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet radiation as the principal treatment units was investigated in terms of microbial inactivation from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. In this case, total microbial number, total coliform bacteria, thermo-tolerant coliform bacteria, pathogenic flora, including salmonella coliphages, spores of sulfite-reducing clostridia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus were studied. Approximately 63.95% to 99.83% of the microbes were removed by the electrochemical treatment unit as well as a 99.86% to 100% removal efficiency was achieved after the combined treatment. However, Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the only microbial agent detected in the final effluent after the combined treatment. The phenomenon suggests that an upgrade to the treatment plant may be required to achieve 100% removal assurance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
The Ethnobiology of Contemporary British Foragers: Foods They Teach, Their Sources of Inspiration and Impact
Authors: Łuczaj Łukasz , Wilde Monica , Townsend Leanne
Published: March 2021

Foraging in the British Isles is an increasingly popular activity for both personal consumption and for commercial purposes. While legislation and guidelines exist regulating the sustainable collection of wild edibles, the founding principles of the British foraging movement are not well documented. For this research, 36 of the most active foraging instructors of the Association of Foragers were interviewed to understand their background, species collected, sources of knowledge, and problems faced during collection. Altogether, 102 species of leafy vegetables, fruits, fungi, and seaweeds were mentioned as frequently used, while 34 species of roadkill animals were listed, mostly for personal consumption. Instructors reported learning from wild food guidebooks, other foragers, or personal experience. Frequent contact among foragers has led to the standardisation of knowledge and practices among them forming a “new tradition”, partly based on old British traditions but modified by influences from other countries and cultures, both in terms of choice of species and processing techniques. Contrary to expectations, foragers rarely reported clashes with nature conservation or forestry managers. The authors argue that knowledge and practice developed by the Association of Foragers (AoF) are sustainable and could be integrated into the British food and nature conservation system.
Study on the Bending and Joint Performances of Reinforced Concrete Beams Using High-Strength Rebars
Authors: Cho Seoungho , Lim Myungkwan , Lee Changhee
Published: March 2021

High-strength reinforcing bars have high yield strengths. It is possible to reduce the number of reinforcing bars placed in a building. Accordingly, as the amount of reinforcement decreases, the spacing of reinforcing bars increases, workability improves, and the construction period shortens. To evaluate the structural performance of high-strength reinforcing bars and the joint performance of high-strength threaded reinforcing bars, flexural performance tests were performed in this study on 12 beam members with the compressive strength of concrete, the yield strength of the tensile reinforcing bars, and the tensile reinforcing bar ratio as variables. The yield strengths of the tensile reinforcement and joint methods were used as variables, and joint performance tests were performed for six beam members. Based on this study, the foundation for using high-strength reinforcing bars with a design standard yield strength equal to 600 MPa was established. Accordingly, mechanical joints of high-strength threaded reinforcing bars (600 and 670 MPa) can be used. All six specimens were destroyed under more than the expected nominal strength. Lap splice caused brittle fractures because it was not reinforced in stirrup. Increases of 21% to 47% in the loads of specimens using a coupler and a lock nut were observed. Shape yield represents destruction—a section must ensure sufficient ductility after yielding. Therefore, a coupler and lock nut are effective.
Calibrating the Wiedemann 99 Car-Following Model for Bicycle Traffic
Authors: Kaths Heather , Keler Andreas , Bogenberger Klaus
Published: March 2021

Car-following models are used in microscopic simulation tools to calculate the longitudinal acceleration of a vehicle based on the speed and position of a leading vehicle in the same lane. Bicycle traffic is usually included in microscopic traffic simulations by adjusting and calibrating behavior models developed for motor vehicle traffic. However, very little work has been carried out to examine the following behavior of bicyclists, calibrate following models to fit this observed behavior, and determine the validity of these calibrated models. In this paper, microscopic trajectory data collected in a bicycle simulator study are used to estimate the following parameters of the psycho-physical Wiedemann 99 car-following model implemented in PTV Vissim. The Wiedemann 99 model is selected due to the larger number of assessable parameters and the greater possibility to calibrate the model to fit observed behavior. The calibrated model is validated using the indicator average queue dissipation time at a traffic light on the facilities ranging in width between 1.5 m to 2.5 m. Results show that the parameter set derived from the microscopic trajectory data creates more realistic simulated bicycle traffic than a suggested parameter set. However, it was not possible to achieve the large variation in average queue dissipation times that was observed in the field with either of the tested parameter sets.
Framing Twitter Public Sentiment on Nigerian Government COVID-19 Palliatives Distribution Using Machine Learning
Authors: Adamu Hassan , Lutfi Syaheerah Lebai , Malim Nurul Hashimah Ahamed Hassain , Hassan Rohail , Di Vaio Assunta , Mohamed Ahmad Sufril Azlan
Published: March 2021

Sustainable development plays a vital role in information and communication technology. In times of pandemics such as COVID-19, vulnerable people need help to survive. This help includes the distribution of relief packages and materials by the government with the primary objective of lessening the economic and psychological effects on the citizens affected by disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there has not been an efficient way to monitor public funds’ accountability and transparency, especially in developing countries such as Nigeria. The understanding of public emotions by the government on distributed palliatives is important as it would indicate the reach and impact of the distribution exercise. Although several studies on English emotion classification have been conducted, these studies are not portable to a wider inclusive Nigerian case. This is because Informal Nigerian English (Pidgin), which Nigerians widely speak, has quite a different vocabulary from Standard English, thus limiting the applicability of the emotion classification of Standard English machine learning models. An Informal Nigerian English (Pidgin English) emotions dataset is constructed, pre-processed, and annotated. The dataset is then used to classify five emotion classes (anger, sadness, joy, fear, and disgust) on the COVID-19 palliatives and relief aid distribution in Nigeria using standard machine learning (ML) algorithms. Six ML algorithms are used in this study, and a comparative analysis of their performance is conducted. The algorithms are Multinomial Naïve Bayes (MNB), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Logistics Regression (LR), K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), and Decision Tree (DT). The conducted experiments reveal that Support Vector Machine outperforms the remaining classifiers with the highest accuracy of 88%. The “disgust” emotion class surpassed other emotion classes, i.e., sadness, joy, fear, and anger, with the highest number of counts from the classification conducted on the constructed dataset. Additionally, the conducted correlation analysis shows a significant relationship between the emotion classes of “Joy” and “Fear”, which implies that the public is excited about the palliatives’ distribution but afraid of inequality and transparency in the distribution process due to reasons such as corruption. Conclusively, the results from this experiment clearly show that the public emotions on COVID-19 support and relief aid packages’ distribution in Nigeria were not satisfactory, considering that the negative emotions from the public outnumbered the public happiness.
KPIs for Operational Performance Assessment in Flexible Packaging Industry
Authors: Cristea Ciprian , Cristea Maria
Published: March 2021

The flexible packaging industry has registered a significant growth over the last years, especially due to rising demand from healthcare, automotive, construction, food, beverage, and retail industries. It is essential for the production plants to regularly assess their ability to achieve performance target objectives and, at the same time, to compare their performance with that of factories from the same industry. By combining qualitative and quantitative research, this study proposes a set of thirty-two key performance indicators (KPIs), grouped into six activity areas, believed to be adequate to the flexible packaging industry, for assessing the operational performance. The analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method was employed to obtain the weights of the KPIs and to select the best manufacturing facility from a leading flexible packaging company in line with the opinions of experts that activate in this field. The results indicated that the main aspects considered by experts for assessing manufacturing plants operational performance were financial issues followed by production, customers contentment, quality, employee satisfaction and environmental protection. The proposed practical framework for assessing the operational performance along with the detailed information obtained in the paper are expected to represent important benchmarks for stakeholders involved in the decision-making process for flexible packaging industry.
Banks’ Capital Requirements in Terms of Implementation of the Concept of Sustainable Finance
Authors: Pyka Irena , Nocoń Aleksandra
Published: March 2021

In 2015, the governments of 193 United Nations member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, followed by the Paris Agreement. Their detailed solutions assume the inclusion of the concept of sustainable finance into investment decision-making processes, including directing capital towards sustainable investments and stopping climate change. The main subject of the study is sustainable finance, which is one of the pillars of the sustainable development of the global economy, which has also become an important objective of the European Union, enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon. The main aim of the paper is an extrapolation of risks appearing in the unstable environment of credit institutions, which are increasingly boldly directing their expectations on their inclusion in the sustainable finance concept implementation. The empirical research included in the first stage a questionnaire survey, while in the second one, a quantitative comparative analysis. The research was aimed at verifying the research hypothesis stating that after the global financial crisis, banks meet the new prudential capital regulations, however by their inclusion in the concept of green finance, they will increase a share of mitigation in the bank risk management strategy. The research, carried out in the Polish banking sector, has shown that domestic banks meet all prudential requirements resulting from the new capital norms. However, investment strategies, based on the composition of the portfolio in accordance with the principles of sustainable finance and on high rates of return in the long term, will change banks’ resilience to key risks from the perspective of sustainable development.
Dynamic Voltage Restorer Integrated with Photovoltaic-Thermoelectric Generator for Voltage Disturbances Compensation and Energy Saving in Three-Phase System
Authors: Kanagaraj N. , Rezk Hegazy
Published: March 2021

The dynamic voltage restorer (DVR) combined with a photovoltaic–thermoelectric generator (PV-TEG) system is proposed for voltage disturbance compensation in the three-phase four-wire distribution system. The PV-TEG hybrid energy source is used in the DVR system to improve the system ability for deep and long-period power quality disturbance compensation. In addition, the DVR will save grid energy consumption when the hybrid PV-TEG module generates sufficient power to meet the load demand. An enhanced variable factor adaptive fuzzy logic controller (VFAFLC)-based maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control scheme is proposed to extract the maximum possible power from the PV module. Since the PV and TEG combine a hybrid energy source for generating power, the DVR can work efficiently for the voltage sag/swell, outage compensation, and energy conservation mode with minimum energy storage facilities. The in-phase compensation method and the three-leg voltage source inverter (VSI) circuit are chosen in the present system for better voltage and/or power compensation. To confirm the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid PV-TEG integrated DVR system, a simulation-based investigation is carried out with four different operational modes with MATLAB software. The study results confirm that the proposed DVR system can compensate power quality disturbances of the three-phase load with less total harmonics distortion (THD) and will also work efficiently under energy conservation mode to save grid energy consumption. Moreover, the proposed VFAFLC-based control technique performs better to achieve the maximum power point (MPP) quickly and accurately, thereby improving the efficiency of the hybrid energy module.
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis for Renewable Energies: Research Trends, Gaps and the Challenge of Improving Participation
Authors: Estévez Rodrigo A. , Espinoza Valeria , Ponce Oliva Roberto D. , Vásquez-Lavín Felipe , Gelcich Stefan
Published: March 2021

The global increase in renewable energy initiatives has been followed by the need to include the social impact of any project as a core element. Significant challenges for renewable energy development include uncertainty in assessing social impacts at local scales, participation and social acceptance. Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approaches have been widely used in energy planning to address these challenges. This article reviews how social criteria and participation mechanisms have been incorporated into decision-making processes for renewable energy projects. A total of 184 articles were analyzed. A total of 490 indicators that estimated social impacts were identified and organized into nine criteria: employment, social acceptance, social development, health impact, governance, visual impact, knowledge and awareness, cultural value and social justice. Most research included analytical hierarchy process methodologies, and the articles were geographically concentrated in Asia and Europe. Most articles included a participative component (92.3%), and the majority of them were based on expert consultation (75.4%). Of the articles that exclusively considered experts, almost 40% did not provide any description of the expert elicitation process. Results revealed advances in the use of MCDA but highlighted important challenges—related to improving expert consultation methodologies and broadening the participation of stakeholders—when developing renewable energy initiatives and policies.
Prediction of Potential Geographical Distribution Patterns of Actinidia arguta under Different Climate Scenarios
Authors: Ma Yining , Lu Xiaoling , Li Kaiwei , Wang Chunyi , Guna Ari , Zhang Jiquan
Published: March 2021

Actinidia arguta (Siebold and Zucc.) Planch.ex Miq, called “hardy kiwifruit”, “baby kiwi” or “kiwi berry”, has a unique taste, is rich in nutrients and has high economic value and broad market prospects. Active research on the potential geographic distribution of A. arguta in China aims to provide a reference basis for its resource investigation, conservation, development and utilization and introduction of cultivation. In this study, the Maxent model was used to combine climatic factors, soil factors and geographical factors (elevation, slope and aspect) to predict the current and future (2041–2060 and 2081–2100) potential distribution of A. arguta and to analyze the impact of climate change on it. The results showed that the suitable distribution range of A. arguta in China was 23–43 N and 100–125 E, with a total area of about 3.4451 × 106 km2. The highly suitable area of A. arguta was mainly concentrated in the middle and low mountain areas of the south of Shaanxi, the east of Sichuan, the middle and west of Guizhou and the west of Yunnan, presenting a circular distribution. The Jackknife test was used to calculate the main environmental factors affecting the distribution of A. arguta. The first four main factors were annual mean temperature (bio_1), precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio_18), elevation (ELE) and mean temperature of the warmest quarter (bio_10), which provided a contribution up to 81.7%. Under the scenarios of three representative concentrations (SSP1_2.6, SSP2_4.5 and SSP5_8.5) in the future, the area of low and moderate suitable habitat decreased, while the area of highly suitable habitat increased. The migration direction of the centroid in the highly suitable habitat moved to the southwest in the future scenario period.
Digital Sustainability in the Organization: Scale Development and Validation
Authors: Wut Tai Ming , Lee Daisy , Ip Wai Man , Lee Stephanie W.
Published: March 2021

This study aims to develop a measurement scale for the digital sustainability practices in the organization. Considering that digital sustainability practices vary across industries and context, this study develops a scale of digital sustainability metrics, which is based on a comprehensive literature review. The proposed model was then tested with partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Several phases of qualitative and quantitative investigations of employees were conducted to propose and validate the construct of digital sustainability. The scale development process consists of initial item generation, item refinement, validity assessment and model testing. Four dimensions, namely, content, technology, preservation and promotion, were identified. A 16-item scale was proposed and validated. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed. Practitioners should focus on investing behind organisational resources and technologies that enhance the operationalisation of digital sustainability rather than seeking to promote the understanding of the concept and importance of digital sustainability. This study addresses the research gap, combining a focus group interview and literature review, followed by conceptualization and validation of a measurement scale of digital sustainability. Digital sustainability was validated as a manifestation of the availability, preservation, promotion and technological aspect of digital content in corporations.
The ‘Oumuamua Encounter: How Modern Cosmology Handled Its First Black Swan
Authors: Coleman Les
Published: March 2021

The first macroscopic object observed to have come from outside the solar system slipped back out of sight in early 2018. 1I/2017 U1 ‘Oumuamua offered a unique opportunity to test understanding of gravity, planetary formation and galactic structure against a true outlier, and astronomical teams from around the globe rushed to study it. Observations lasted several months and generated a tsunami of scientific (and popular) literature. The brief window available to study ‘Oumuamua created crisis-like conditions, and this paper makes a comparative study of techniques used by cosmologists against those used by financial economists in qualitatively similar situations where data conflict with the current paradigm. Analyses of ‘Oumuamua were marked by adherence to existing paradigms and techniques and by confidence in results from self and others. Some, though, over-reached by turning uncertain findings into graphic, detailed depictions of ‘Oumuamua and making unsubstantiated suggestions, including that it was an alien investigator. Using a specific instance to test cosmology’s research strategy against approaches used by economics researchers in comparable circumstances is an example of reverse econophysics that highlights the benefits of an extra-disciplinary lens.
An Improved SPSIM Index for Image Quality Assessment
Authors: Frackiewicz Mariusz , Szolc Grzegorz , Palus Henryk
Published: March 2021

Objective image quality assessment (IQA) measures are playing an increasingly important role in the evaluation of digital image quality. New IQA indices are expected to be strongly correlated with subjective observer evaluations expressed by Mean Opinion Score (MOS) or Difference Mean Opinion Score (DMOS). One such recently proposed index is the SuperPixel-based SIMilarity (SPSIM) index, which uses superpixel patches instead of a rectangular pixel grid. The authors of this paper have proposed three modifications to the SPSIM index. For this purpose, the color space used by SPSIM was changed and the way SPSIM determines similarity maps was modified using methods derived from an algorithm for computing the Mean Deviation Similarity Index (MDSI). The third modification was a combination of the first two. These three new quality indices were used in the assessment process. The experimental results obtained for many color images from five image databases demonstrated the advantages of the proposed SPSIM modifications.
Casimir Effect for Fermion Condensate in Conical Rings
Authors: Saharian Aram , Petrosyan Tigran , Hovhannisyan Arshak
Published: March 2021

The fermion condensate (FC) is investigated for a (2+1)-dimensional massive fermionic field confined on a truncated cone with an arbitrary planar angle deficit and threaded by a magnetic flux. Different combinations of the boundary conditions are imposed on the edges of the cone. They include the bag boundary condition as a special case. By using the generalized Abel-Plana-type summation formula for the series over the eigenvalues of the radial quantum number, the edge-induced contributions in the FC are explicitly extracted. The FC is an even periodic function of the magnetic flux with the period equal to the flux quantum. Depending on the boundary conditions, the condensate can be either positive or negative. For a massless field the FC in the boundary-free conical geometry vanishes and the nonzero contributions are purely edge-induced effects. This provides a mechanism for time-reversal symmetry breaking in the absence of magnetic fields. Combining the results for the fields corresponding to two inequivalent irreducible representations of the Clifford algebra, the FC is investigated in the parity and time-reversal symmetric fermionic models and applications are discussed for graphitic cones.
Towards Development of an Anti-Vampire Bat Vaccine for Rabies Management: Inoculation of Vampire Bat Saliva Induces Immune-Mediated Resistance
Authors: Delpietro Horacio A. , Russo Roberto G. , Rupprecht Charles E. , Delpietro Gabriela L.
Published: March 2021

The common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) is a hematophagous species responsible for paralytic rabies and bite damage that affects livestock, humans and wildlife from Mexico to Argentina. Current measures to control vampires, based upon coumarin-derived poisons, are not used extensively due in part to the high cost of application, risks for bats that share roosts with vampires and residual environmental contamination. Observations that vampire bat bites may induce resistance in livestock against vampire bat salivary anticoagulants encourage research into novel vaccine-based alternatives particularly focused upon increasing livestock resistance to vampire salivary components. We evaluated the action of vampire bat saliva-Freund’s incomplete adjuvant administered to sheep with anticoagulant responses induced by repeated vampire bites in a control group and examined characteristics of vampire bat salivary secretion. We observed that injections induced a response against vampire bat salivary anticoagulants stronger than by repeated vampire bat bites. Based upon these preliminary findings, we hypothesize the utility of developing a control technique based on induction of an immunologically mediated resistance against vampire bat anticoagulants and rabies virus via dual delivery of appropriate host and pathogen antigens. Fundamental characteristics of host biology favor alternative strategies than simple culling by poisons for practical, economical, and ecologically relevant management of vampire populations within a One Health context.
Functional Analysis of the Fusion and Attachment Glycoproteins of Mojiang Henipavirus
Authors: Cheliout Da Silva Sofia , Yan Lianying , Dang Ha V. , Xu Kai , Epstein Jonathan H. , Veesler David , Broder Christopher C.
Published: March 2021

Mojiang virus (MojV) is the first henipavirus identified in a rodent and known only by sequence data, whereas all other henipaviruses have been isolated from bats (Hendra virus, Nipah virus, Cedar virus) or discovered by sequence data from material of bat origin (Ghana virus). Ephrin-B2 and -B3 are entry receptors for Hendra and Nipah viruses, but Cedar virus can utilize human ephrin-B1, -B2, -A2 and -A5 and mouse ephrin-A1. However, the entry receptor for MojV remains unknown, and its species tropism is not well characterized. Here, we utilized recombinant full-length and soluble forms of the MojV fusion (F) and attachment (G) glycoproteins in membrane fusion and receptor tropism studies. MojV F and G were functionally competent and mediated cell–cell fusion in primate and rattine cells, albeit with low levels and slow fusion kinetics. Although a relative instability of the pre-fusion conformation of a soluble form of MojV F was observed, MojV F displayed significantly greater fusion activity when heterotypically paired with Ghana virus G. An exhaustive investigation of A- and B-class ephrins indicated that none serve as a primary receptor for MojV. The MojV cell fusion phenotype is therefore likely the result of receptor restriction rather than functional defects in recombinant MojV F and G glycoproteins.
Effects of Audiovisual Memory Cues on Working Memory Recall
Authors: Pearson Hilary , Wilbiks Jonathan
Published: March 2021

Previous studies have focused on topics such as multimodal integration and object discrimination, but there is limited research on the effect of multimodal learning in memory. Perceptual studies have shown facilitative effects of multimodal stimuli for learning; the current study aims to determine whether this effect persists with memory cues. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect that audiovisual memory cues have on memory recall, as well as whether the use of multiple memory cues leads to higher recall. The goal was to orthogonally evaluate the effect of the number of self-generated memory cues (one or three), and the modality of the self-generated memory-cue (visual: written words, auditory: spoken words, or audiovisual). A recall task was administered where participants were presented with their self-generated memory cues and asked to determine the target word. There was a significant main effect for number of cues, but no main effect for modality. A secondary goal of this study was to determine which types of memory cues result in the highest recall. Self-reference cues resulted in the highest accuracy score. This study has applications to improving academic performance by using the most efficient learning techniques.
Barriers and Drivers of Transition to Sustainable Public Transport in the Philippines
Authors: Guno Charmaine Samala , Collera Angelie Azcuna , Agaton Casper Boongaling
Published: March 2021

Electrification of public utility vehicles plays a vital role in the transition towards a more sustainable transport system. However, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) encounters varying challenges ranging from financing issues, government policies, and public acceptance. Using the Philippines as a case, this research applies political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental (PESTLE) analysis to determine how different drivers affect the adoption of EVs in the public transport system from various transport stakeholders’ vantage points. Survey results identified economic and technological factors as the main barriers to the adoption of electric public transport. This includes high investment and operational costs, lack of charging infrastructure, issues in driving range and use in different terrains, and the availability of EV parts and repair stations. On the other hand, the main enabler is the significant public support for the modernization of the public transport system through EVs, backed up by policy and legal drivers. For a zero-emission public transport system, this study recommends that the government should invest in sustainable sources of energy, develop more public infrastructure, diversify the transport sector, fund the development of locally made EVs, and initiate a massive information campaign in educating the public of its advantages.