bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Earth Observation Data Cubes for Brazil: Requirements, Methodology and Products
Authors: Ferreira Karine R. , Queiroz Gilberto R. , Vinhas Lubia , Marujo Rennan F. B. , Simoes Rolf E. O. , Picoli Michelle C. A. , Camara Gilberto , Cartaxo Ricardo , Gomes Vitor C. F. , Santos Lorena A. , Sanchez Alber H. , Arcanjo Jeferson S. , Fronza José Guilherme , Noronha Carlos Alberto , Costa Raphael W. , Zaglia Matheus C. , Zioti Fabiana , Korting Thales S. , Soares Anderson R. , Chaves Michel E. D. , Fonseca Leila M. G.
Published: December 2020

Recently, remote sensing image time series analysis has being widely used to investigate the dynamics of environments over time. Many studies have combined image time series analysis with machine learning methods to improve land use and cover change mapping. In order to support image time series analysis, analysis-ready data (ARD) image collections have been modeled and organized as multidimensional data cubes. Data cubes can be defined as sets of time series associated with spatially aligned pixels. Based on lessons learned in the research project e-Sensing, related to national demands for land use and cover monitoring and related to state-of-the-art studies on relevant topics, we define the requirements to build Earth observation data cubes for Brazil. This paper presents the methodology to generate ARD and multidimensional data cubes from remote sensing images for Brazil. We describe the computational infrastructure that we are developing in the Brazil Data Cube project, composed of software applications and Web services to create, integrate, discover, access, and process the data sets. We also present how we are producing land use and cover maps from data cubes using image time series analysis and machine learning techniques.
Temperature Measurement of a Bullet in Flight
Authors: Kerampran Corentin , Gajewski Tomasz , Sielicki Piotr W.
Published: December 2020

This study answers a primary question concerning how the temperature changes during the flight of a bullet. To answer the question, the authors performed unique research to measure the initial temperatures of bullet surfaces and applied it to four kinds of projectiles in a series of field experiments. The technique determines the temperature changes on metallic objects in flight that reach a velocity of 300 to 900 m/s. Until now, the tests of temperature change available in the literature include virtual points that are adopted to ideal laboratory conditions using classic thermomechanical equations. The authors conducted the first study of its kind, in which is considered four projectiles in field conditions in which a metallic bullet leaves a rifle barrel after a powder deflagration. During this process, heat is partly transferred to the bullet from the initial explosion of the powder and barrel-bullet friction. In this case, the temperature determination of a bullet is complex because it concerns different points on the external surface. Thus, for the first time the authors measured the temperatures at different position on the bullet surface. Moreover, the authors showed that basic thermodynamic equations allow for the credible prediction of such behavior if the initial conditions are identified correctly. This novel identification of the initial conditions of temperature and velocity of flying bullets was not presented anywhere else up to now.
Coastal Land Cover Classification of High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images Using Attention-Driven Context Encoding Network
Authors: Chen Jifa , Chen Gang , Wang Lizhe , Fang Bo , Zhou Ping , Zhu Mingjie
Published: December 2020

Low inter-class variance and complex spatial details exist in ground objects of the coastal zone, which leads to a challenging task for coastal land cover classification (CLCC) from high-resolution remote sensing images. Recently, fully convolutional neural networks have been widely used in CLCC. However, the inherent structure of the convolutional operator limits the receptive field, resulting in capturing the local context. Additionally, complex decoders bring additional information redundancy and computational burden. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel attention-driven context encoding network to solve these problems. Among them, lightweight global feature attention modules are employed to aggregate multi-scale spatial details in the decoding stage. Meanwhile, position and channel attention modules with long-range dependencies are embedded to enhance feature representations of specific categories by capturing the multi-dimensional global context. Additionally, multiple objective functions are introduced to supervise and optimize feature information at specific scales. We apply the proposed method in CLCC tasks of two study areas and compare it with other state-of-the-art approaches. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method achieves the optimal performances in encoding long-range context and recognizing spatial details and obtains the optimum representations in evaluation indexes.
Sensor for the Characterization of 2D Angular Actuators with Picoradian Resolution and Nanoradian Accuracy with Microradian Range
Authors: Pisani Marco , Astrua Milena , Raj Srijith Bangaru Thirumalai
Published: December 2020

High precision angular actuators are used for high demanding applications such as laser steering for photolithography. Piezo technology allows developing actuators with a resolution as low as a few nanoradians, with bandwidths as high as several kilohertz. In most demanding applications, the actual performance of these instruments needs to be characterized. The best angular measurement instruments available today do not sufficient resolution and/or bandwidth to satisfy these needs. At the Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, INRIM a device was designed and built aiming at characterizing precision 2D angular actuators with a resolution surpassing the best devices on the market. The device is based on a multi reflection scheme that allows multiplying the deflection angle by a factor of 70. The ultimate resolution of the device is 2 prad/√Hz over a measurement range of 36 µrad with a measurement band >10 kHz. The present work describes the working principle, the practical realization, and a case study on a top-level commercial angular actuator (Nano-MTA2 produced by Mad City Labs).
Setup, Test and Validation of a UHF RFID System for Monitoring Feeding Behaviour of Dairy Cows
Authors: Adrion Felix , Keller Markus , Bozzolini Giulia Bianca , Umstatter Christina
Published: December 2020

Feeding behaviour can be used as an important indicator to support animal management. However, using feeding behaviour as a tool for dairy cow management an automatic sensor system is needed. Hence, the objective of this study was to setup, test and validate a ultra-high frequency (UHF) radio-frequency identification (RFID) system for measuring time dairy cows spent at the feed fence using two types of passive UHF ear tags. In a first experiment, the reading area of the system was evaluated in two antenna positions. Subsequently, the UHF RFID system was validated with video observations and compared to the measurements of chewing time of a noseband pressure sensor and of the time spent at the feed fence registered by a sensor system with real-time localisation. Differences in the reading area were detected between the two antenna positions and types of ear tag. The antenna position leading to less false positive registrations was chosen for the experiment with cows. The validation with video data showed a high average sensitivity (93.7 ± 5.6%, mean ± standard deviation), specificity (97.8 ± 1.1%), precision (93.8 ± 2.3%) and accuracy (96.9 ± 0.9%) of the UHF RFID system for measuring the time spent at the feed fence. The comparison with the noseband pressure sensor and the real-time localisation resulted in high correlations with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.95 and r = 0.93, respectively. However, substantial absolute differences between the three systems pointed out differences between direct and indirect measures of feeding behaviour in general and between the different sensors in particular. Thus, detailed considerations are necessary before interpreting automatically measured feeding data generally.
Adaptive Rehabilitation Bots in Serious Games
Authors: Afyouni Imad , Murad Abdullah , Einea Anas
Published: December 2020

In recent years, we have witnessed a growing adoption of serious games in telerehabilitation by taking advantage of advanced multimedia technologies such as motion capture and virtual reality devices. Current serious game solutions for telerehabilitation suffer form lack of personalization and adaptiveness to patients’ needs and performance. This paper introduces “RehaBot”, a framework for adaptive generation of personalized serious games in the context of remote rehabilitation, using 3D motion tracking and virtual reality environments. A personalized and versatile gaming platform with embedded virtual assistants, called “Rehab bots”, is created. Utilizing these rehab bots, all workout session scenes will include a guide with various sets of motions to direct patients towards performing the prescribed exercises correctly. Furthermore, the rehab bots employ a robust technique to adjust the workout difficulty level in real-time to match the patients’ performance. This technique correlates and matches the patterns of the precalculated motions with patients’ motions to produce a highly engaging gamified workout experience. Moreover, multimodal insights are passed to the users pointing out the joints that did not perform as anticipated along with suggestions to improve the current performance. A clinical study was conducted on patients dealing with chronic neck pain to prove the usability and effectiveness of our adjunctive online physiotherapy solution. Ten participants used the serious gaming platform, while four participants performed the traditional procedure with an active program for neck pain relief, for two weeks (10 min, 10 sessions/2 weeks). Feasibility and user experience measures were collected, and the results of experiments show that patients found our game-based adaptive solution engaging and effective, and most of them could achieve high accuracy in performing the personalized prescribed therapies.
High Sensitivity Snapshot Spectrometer Based on Deep Network Unmixing
Authors: Xie Hui , Zhao Zhuang , Han Jing , Bai Lianfa , Zhang Yi
Published: December 2020

Spectral detection provides rich spectral–temporal information with wide applications. In our previous work, we proposed a dual-path sub-Hadamard-s snapshot Hadamard transform spectrometer (Sub-s HTS). In order to reduce the complexity of the system and improve its performance, we present a convolution neural network-based method to recover the light intensity distribution from the overlapped dispersive spectra, rather than adding an extra light path to capture it directly. In this paper, we construct a network-based single-path snapshot Hadamard transform spectrometer (net-based HTS). First, we designed a light intensity recovery neural network (LIRNet) with an unmixing module (UM) and an enhanced module (EM) to recover the light intensity from the dispersive image. Then, we used the reconstructed light intensity as the original light intensity to recover high signal-to-noise ratio spectra successfully. Compared with Sub-s HTS, the net-based HTS has a more compact structure and high sensitivity. A large number of simulations and experimental results have demonstrated that the proposed net-based HTS can obtain a better-reconstructed signal-to-noise ratio spectrum than the Sub-s HTS because of its higher light throughput.
Assessing Effects of Salinity on the Performance of a Low-Cost Wireless Soil Water Sensor
Authors: Peddinti Srinivasa Rao , Hopmans Jan W. , Abou Najm Majdi , Kisekka Isaya
Published: December 2020

Low-cost, accurate soil water sensors combined with wireless communication in an internet of things (IoT) framework can be harnessed to enhance the benefits of precision irrigation. However, the accuracy of low-cost sensors (e.g., based on resistivity or capacitance) can be affected by many factors, including salinity, temperature, and soil structure. Recent developments in wireless sensor networks offer new possibilities for field-scale monitoring of soil water content (SWC) at high spatiotemporal scales, but to install many sensors in the network, the cost of the sensors must be low, and the mechanism of operation needs to be robust, simple, and consume low energy for the technology to be practically relevant. This study evaluated the performance of a resistivity–capacitance-based wireless sensor (Sensoterra BV, 1018LE Amsterdam, Netherlands) under different salinity levels, temperature, and soil types in a laboratory. The sensors were evaluated in glass beads, Oso Flaco sand, Columbia loam, and Yolo clay loam soils. A nonlinear relationship was exhibited between the sensor measured resistance (Ω) and volumetric soil water content (θ). The Ω–θ relationship differed by soil type and was affected by soil solution salinity. The sensor was extremely sensitive at higher water contents with high uncertainty, and insensitive at low soil water content accompanied by low uncertainty. The soil solution salinity effects on the Ω–θ relationship were found to be reduced from sand to sandy loam to clay loam. In clay soils, surface electrical conductivity (ECs) of soil particles had a more dominant effect on sensor performance compared to the effect of solution electrical conductivity (ECw). The effect of temperature on sensor performance was minimal, but sensor-to-sensor variability was substantial. The relationship between bulk electrical conductivity (ECb) and volumetric soil water content was also characterized in this study. The results of this study reveal that if the sensor is properly calibrated, this low-cost wireless soil water sensor has the potential of improving soil water monitoring for precision irrigation and other applications at high spatiotemporal scales, due to the ease of integration into IoT frameworks.
Interface Pressure System to Compare the Functional Performance of Prosthetic Sockets during the Gait in People with Trans-Tibial Amputation
Authors: Ibarra Aguila Salvador , Sánchez Gisel J. , Sauvain Eric E. , Alemon B. , Fuentes-Aguilar Rita Q. , Huegel Joel C.
Published: December 2020

The interface pressure between the residual limb and prosthetic socket has a significant effect on the amputee’s mobility and level of comfort with their prosthesis. This paper presents a socket interface pressure (SIFP) system to compare the interface pressure differences during gait between two different types of prosthetic sockets for a transtibial amputee. The system evaluates the interface pressure in six critical regions of interest (CROI) of the lower limb amputee and identifies the peak pressures during certain moments of the gait cycle. The six sensors were attached to the residual limb in the CROIs before the participant with transtibial amputation donned a prosthetic socket. The interface pressure was monitored and recorded while the participant walked on a treadmill for 10 min at 1.4 m/s. The results show peak pressure differences of almost 0.22 kgf/cm2 between the sockets. It was observed that the peak pressure occurred at 50% of the stance phase of the gait cycle. This SIFP system may be used by prosthetists, physical therapists, amputation care centers, and researchers, as well as government and private regulators requiring comparison and evaluation of prosthetic components, components under development, and testing.
Wavefront Shaping Concepts for Application in Optical Coherence Tomography—A Review
Authors: Kanngiesser Jonas , Roth Bernhard
Published: December 2020

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables three-dimensional imaging with resolution on the micrometer scale. The technique relies on the time-of-flight gated detection of light scattered from a sample and has received enormous interest in applications as versatile as non-destructive testing, metrology and non-invasive medical diagnostics. However, in strongly scattering media such as biological tissue, the penetration depth and imaging resolution are limited. Combining OCT imaging with wavefront shaping approaches significantly leverages the capabilities of the technique by controlling the scattered light field through manipulation of the field incident on the sample. This article reviews the main concepts developed so far in the field and discusses the latest results achieved with a focus on signal enhancement and imaging.
Sensor Technology for Smart Homes
Authors: Ye Juan , O’Grady Michael , Banos Oresti
Published: December 2020

As advances in technology continue relentlessly, intriguing possibilities for smart home services have emerged [...]
Shape Sensing of Plate Structures Using the Inverse Finite Element Method: Investigation of Efficient Strain–Sensor Patterns
Authors: Roy Rinto , Tessler Alexander , Surace Cecilia , Gherlone Marco
Published: December 2020

Methods for real-time reconstruction of structural displacements using measured strain data is an area of active research due to its potential application for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and morphing structure control. The inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM) has been shown to be well suited for the full-field reconstruction of displacements, strains, and stresses of structures instrumented with discrete or continuous strain sensors. In practical applications, where the available number of sensors may be limited, the number and sensor positions constitute the key parameters. Understanding changes in the reconstruction quality with respect to sensor position is generally difficult and is the aim of the present work. This paper attempts to supplement the current iFEM modeling knowledge through a rigorous evaluation of several strain–sensor patterns for shape sensing of a rectangular plate. Line plots along various sections of the plate are used to assess the reconstruction quality near and far away from strain sensors, and the nodal displacements are studied as the sensor density increases. The numerical results clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of the strain sensors distributed along the plate boundary for reconstructing relatively simple displacement patterns, and highlight the potential of cross-diagonal strain–sensor patterns to improve the displacement reconstruction of more complex deformation patterns.
Image Stitching Based on Nonrigid Warping for Urban Scene
Authors: Deng Lixia , Yuan Xiuxiao , Deng Cailong , Chen Jun , Cai Yang
Published: December 2020

Image stitching based on a global alignment model is widely used in computer vision. However, the resulting stitched image may look blurry or ghosted due to parallax. To solve this problem, we propose a parallax-tolerant image stitching method based on nonrigid warping in this paper. Given a group of putative feature correspondences between overlapping images, we first use a semiparametric function fitting, which introduces a motion coherence constraint to remove outliers. Then, the input images are warped according to a nonrigid warp model based on Gaussian radial basis functions. The nonrigid warping is a kind of elastic deformation that is flexible and smooth enough to eliminate moderate parallax errors. This leads to high-precision alignment in the overlapped region. For the nonoverlapping region, we use a rigid similarity model to reduce distortion. Through effective transition, the nonrigid warping of the overlapped region and the rigid warping of the nonoverlapping region can be used jointly. Our method can obtain more accurate local alignment while maintaining the overall shape of the image. Experimental results on several challenging data sets for urban scene show that the proposed approach is better than state-of-the-art approaches in both qualitative and quantitative indicators.
The Role of Citizen Science in Meeting SDG Targets around Soil Health
Authors: Head Josephine S. , Crockatt Martha E. , Didarali Zahra , Woodward Mary-Jane , Emmett Bridget A.
Published: December 2020

Healthy soils are vital for sustainable development, yet consistent soil monitoring is scarce, and soils are poorly represented in United Nations Sustainable Development Goals targets and indicators. There is a clear need for specific ambitions on soil health, accompanying metrics, and cost-effective monitoring methodologies. In this paper, we review citizen science methods and platforms which could compliment structured soil monitoring programmes and contribute to filling this knowledge gap. We focussed on soil structure, organic carbon, biodiversity, nutrients, and vegetation cover. Each method was classified as red, amber, or green (RAG) in terms of time requirements, cost, and data reliability. Toolkits were assessed in terms of cost and requirement for specialist kit. We found 32 methods across the five indicators. Three soil monitoring methods scored green on all criteria, and 20 (63%) scored green on two criteria. We found 13 toolkits appropriate for citizen science monitoring of soil health. Three of them are free, easy to use, and do not require specialist equipment. Our review revealed multiple citizen science methods and toolkits for each of the five soil health indicators. This should pave the way towards a cost-effective, joined-up approach on soil health, informing national and international policy and supporting the move towards farmer-led, data-driven decision-making.
Toward Regeneration of Public Open Spaces within Large Housing Estates–A Case Study of Niš, Serbia
Authors: Bogdanović Protić Ivana , Mitković Petar , Vasilevska Ljiljana
Published: December 2020

Despite the multiple contributions of public open spaces (POSs) to the quality of life in large housing estates (LHEs), the comprehensive treatment of their improvement has so far been a rare occasion in post-socialist countries. This paper aimed to explore the transformations of POSs in inherited LHEs in the socialist and post-socialist period and the potential for their regeneration. The investigation was based on a comparative analysis of two case studies in Niš, Serbia, which represent typical modes of POS devastation. The performed research study has shown that POSs have succumbed to dilapidation, displaying a wide array of problems and that their regeneration is neglected. The paper proposes a comprehensive set of measures to regenerate POSs based on contemporary concepts of urban planning and design with a special focus on long-term actions and residents’ needs. Particular importance is given to establishing the development guidelines as future prerequisites for overcoming current institutional, economic, legislative, and social obstacles for sustainable implementation of regeneration measures. These findings might encourage future studies of creating a model option for improving POSs at the city of Nis scale, as well in other Serbian cities towards sustainable urban development.
Evaluating the Roadmap of 5G Technology Implementation for Smart Building and Facilities Management in Singapore
Authors: Chew Michael Yit Lin , Teo Evelyn Ai Lin , Shah Kwok Wei , Kumar Vishal , Hussein Ghassan Fahem
Published: December 2020

The concepts of smart building (SB) and smart facilities management (SFM) are crucial as they aim to uplift occupants’ living standards through information and communication technology. However, the current network possesses several challenges to SFM, due to low bandwidth, high latency, and inability to connect a high amount of IoT (Internet of things) devices. 5G technology promises high-class network services with low latency, high bandwidth, and network slicing to achieve real-time efficiency. Moreover, 5G promises a more sustainable future as it will play a crucial role in reducing energy consumption and shaping future applications to achieve higher sustainability goals. This paper discusses the current challenges and benefits of implementing 5G in various use cases in SFM applications. Furthermore, this paper highlights the Singapore government rollout plan for 5G implementation and discusses the roadmap of SFM use case development initiatives undertaken by 5G Advanced BIM Lab (Department of Building, National University of Singapore) in alignment with the 5G implementation plan of Singapore. Under these 5G SFM projects, the lab seeks to develop state-of-the-art 5G use cases in collaboration with various industry partners and developed a framework for teaching and training to enhance students’ learning motivation and help mid-career professionals to upskill and upgrade themselves to reap multiple benefits using the 5G network. This article will serve as a benchmark for researchers and industries for future progress and development of SFM systems by leveraging 5G networks for higher sustainability targets and implementing teaching and learning programs to achieve greater organizational excellence.
Adjustment of the Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment Field for Taif City-Saudi Arabia
Authors: Shamseldin Amal , Balabel Ashraf , Alwetaishi Mamdooh , Abdelhafiz Ahmed , Issa Usama , Sharaky Ibrahim , Al-Surf Mohamed , Al-Harthi Mosleh
Published: December 2020

Along with the global concern of the Environmental Assessment of Buildings, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) had recently used its system, Mostadam, to provide a suitable method to assess its buildings environmentally. Nevertheless, Mostadam still cannot be used for all Saudi Arabia regions without having misleading results, which is due to its various internal regions with their various characteristics. Taif city has its unique environmental characteristics, which affect all the environmental buildings’ assessment fields. This research aimed to adjust the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) field of Mostadam according to Taif characteristics. The research analyzed Taif characteristics that have an impact on the IEQ field, which are mainly related to the occupants’ different comfort needs and health requirements. Then, according to an analytical methods, authors proposed some changes to adjust Mostadam IEQ field according to these characteristics. The research resulted in an obvious difference between the resulted IEQ items weights and formulation versus the origin one of Mostadam, which proves the need for such adjustment to achieve a fair and trusted assessment to achieve the utmost credible assessment results when assessing buildings environmentally in Taif. It is recommended to adjust other assessment fields similarly later on, and then globally.
Multidisciplinary Composition of Climate Change Commissions: Transnational Trends and Expert Perspectives
Authors: Abraham-Dukuma Magnus C. , Dioha Michael O. , Bogado Natalia , Butu Hemen Mark , Okpaleke Francis N. , Hasan Qaraman M. , Epe Shari Babajide , Emodi Nnaemeka Vincent
Published: December 2020

Climate change governance has metamorphosed from multilateral pacts such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement to the enactment of country-specific dedicated legislation for mitigation and adaptation. A common feature of this phenomenon is the establishment of an expert committee on climate change, or simply, a climate change commission (CCC). For effective climate change governance, a multidisciplinary CCC will play a key role. The objective of this study is to inquire into the multidisciplinary requirements of a CCC and how multidisciplinarity can influence the efficacy of climate governance measures. Accordingly, it inquires into transnational circumstances on the disciplinary/multidisciplinary composition of CCCs and samples the perspectives of over 120 climate policy experts—through a structured survey—to draw insights into how countries could establish a suitable multidisciplinary CCC in legislative and policy processes. Key results from transnational circumstances and expert perspectives reveal the propriety of establishing CCCs to drive robust mitigation and adaptation policies. As the study shows, multiple countries have already incorporated diverse domains and backgrounds of expertise in the composition of their CCCs. Furthermore, our experts’ survey reveals overwhelming support among respondents (98%) for CCCs, and all those who support these commissions believe they should be, to some degree, independent and multidisciplinary. Experts’ perspectives reveal a spectrum of specific desirable multidisciplinary categories—legal, physical science, biosciences, energy and engineering, economics, planning, social sciences, ethics, governance, health, and communication. We also highlight some caveats regarding multidisciplinarity and reflect on the existence of quasi-institutions across countries without dedicated CCCs.
Other- versus Self-Referenced Social Impacts of Events: Validating a New Scale
Authors: Taks Marijke , Oshimi Daichi , Agha Nola
Published: December 2020

Publicly funded sport events are partially justified based on positive social impacts. Past research generally measured social impact for a generic and global “other” with claims such as “Events create new friendships in the community”. These other-referenced (OR) social impacts are generally higher pre-event than post-event and are inflated for both methodological and theoretical reasons. In the pre-event period of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we empirically tested OR items compared to self-referenced (SR) items, such as “Because of the event, I create new friends in the community” and allowed projection bias to vary between scales. Results of the experiment between an OR-Social Impact Scale (OR-SIS) and a similar SR-SIS confirmed OR-measures to be significantly higher than SR-measures. While artificially inflated OR scores may be useful for event organizers and politicians to gain support for hosting, estimates based on circumscribed self (SR) are a methodologically appropriate measurement of social impact.
Climate Variation—A Perceived Drag on Rural Business Performance
Authors: Clune Timothy , Horta Ana
Published: December 2020

The financial capacity of the Australian agriculture sector to capture the benefits of the growing food and fibre demands of the burgeoning global population has been questioned, particularly in the face of a projected climate change impacts. This paper reports on the first phase of a multi-stage project that seeks to understand the causes of rural business failure, illustrated through the metaphorical voice of the farmer. It has been constructed in three parts comprising an overview of the rationale for the consideration of the rural business failure as it is understood by the operators of stressed rural businesses; description of the method and results; and thirdly, the implications of the results and direction for future research. This paper reports on the analysis of responses of approximately 33,000 clients collected as part of the Rural Financial Counselling Services (RFCS) during the period 2012–2016. A key finding of the paper is the perception that climate variation is the primary cause for the hardship experienced; that is, in the absence of the variable climate operators would not have found themselves in need of the RFCS. However, this result necessarily requires a more objective review before consideration as the basis of new policy.
Balancing Socio-Ecological Risks, Politics, and Identity: Sustainability in Minnesota’s Copper-Nickel-Precious Metal Mining Debate
Authors: Bergstrom Ryan D. , Clarke-Sather Afton
Published: December 2020

In the northeastern corner of Minnesota, two of the state’s most iconic symbols, mining and pristine wilderness, are on a collision course. The Duluth Complex, considered by many to be the world’s largest undeveloped deposit of copper-nickel and precious metals, is the site of mining proposals for several controversial mines. Proponents suggest that mining can be accomplished in an environmentally benign manner, and in the process create nearly 1000 jobs and $500 million in economic benefits annually. Opponents counter that the tourism and recreation industries already provide nearly 18,000 jobs and bring over $900 million in economic benefits annually, and that mining will permanently impair the regions environment. Thus, the copper-nickel and precious metal mining debate has become highly polarized, and serves as an ideal example of how people address national and global sustainability issues at local and regional scales. This study examines this polarization through a Q-sort analysis of subjectivities of residents of the state of Minnesota. Results suggest that partisanship is a strong predictor of attitudes towards mining, and that the strongest differences between respondents were not based on perceptions comparing jobs and the environment, the typical partisan divide, but rather on respondents’ perceived identity with relation to the mining industry or water resources.
Linking Perceived Organizational Support, Affective Commitment, and Knowledge Sharing with Prosocial Organizational Behavior of Altruism and Civic Virtue
Authors: Ficapal-Cusí Pilar , Enache-Zegheru Mihaela , Torrent-Sellens Joan
Published: December 2020

The study of prosocial organizational behaviors has been receiving increasing attention, due to their relevant contribution to sustainable organizational and personal development. This research proposes and tests a model that tackles the factors that drive two unrewarding extra-role behaviors of individual or organizational citizenship, altruism, and civic virtue, and assesses multiple mediation relationships. The sample data are derived from a questionnaire survey of 1350 Spanish workers and were analyzed using partial least squares structural equations modelling. Research findings reflect the mediating role of knowledge sharing behavior in the relationship between affective commitment and altruism. Moreover, a significant relationship was found between affective commitment and civic virtue, which is stronger under the mediating role of knowledge sharing behavior. Finally, affective commitment plays a mediating role in the relationship between perceived organizational support and knowledge sharing behavior. Implications for sustainable human resource management, practical interventions, and future research recommendations are provided.
Cross-sectoral video consultation in cancer care: GPs’ evaluation of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Trabjerg Theis Bitz , Jensen Lars Henrik , Sondergaard Jens , Wehberg Sonja , Sisler Jeffrey James , Hansen Dorte Gilså
Published: December 2020

Background

Shared care models present an opportunity for patients to receive the benefits of specialist care combined with the continuity of care provided by a GP.

Aim

To test the effects on GP-perceived involvement in cancer care and their satisfaction with this cross-sectoral information after bringing the patient, GP, and oncologist together in a shared video consultation.

Design & setting

GPs from the Region of Southern Denmark evaluated a randomised controlled trial testing shared video consultations.

Method

This study describes secondary outcomes based on a 4 months' follow-up survey from GPs participating in The Partnership Project (PSP). Patient perception of coordination of care at 7 months' follow-up was the primary outcome of the PSP. A tripartite video consultation was conducted during cancer treatment to share tasks and roles between health professionals with the patient.

Results

The study included 281 patients, and 105 unique GPs returned 124 questionnaires. Video consultations were accomplished in 68% of scheduled cases. The study found an increased odds ratio (OR) of 3.03 for GP satisfaction with the distribution of tasks and roles, and they experienced more involvement in the cancer patients' trajectory. The study found an increased OR of 6.95 for the GP perception of more direct contact and dialogue with the Department of Oncology. There was a decreased OR of 0.88 for the GP to be engaged in handling anxiety and psychological concerns.

Conclusion

The study showed that involving the GP in one shared consultation increased the odds of the GP being satisfied with the distribution of tasks and roles, and feeling more involved in the cancer patient’s trajectory. However, recruitment and response rates from GPs were limiting factors.
Evaluating the delay prior to primary care presentation in patients with lung cancer: a cohort study
Authors: Kotecha Jalpa , Clark Allan , Burton Matthew , Chan Wei Yee , Menzies Di , Dernedde Ulrike , Banham Rachel , Wilson Andrew , Martin William Craig
Published: December 2020

Background

Little is known about 'within-patient delay', which is the time from first symptom of lung cancer to contacting primary care.

Aim

Primary outcomes were length of within-patient delay and the proportion of total delay it represents. Secondary outcomes were factors causing delay and survival.

Design & setting

A cohort study of newly diagnosed patients with lung cancer at two hospitals in Norfolk.

Method

Patients completed questionnaires regarding onset of symptoms, whether they had delayed, and their reasons. GPs completed correlating questionnaires. Pathway times and other data were extracted from cancer registry and hospital records, and outcomes obtained prospectively. Factors causing delay were compared using ratios of geometric means.

Results

In 379 patients, mean within-patient delay and pre-secondary care delay were 188.6 days and 241 days (61.4% and 78.5% of total delay, respectively). It was found that 38.8% of patients felt they had delayed. Patient-related causes of delay were denial (ratio of means [ROM] = 4.36; P = 0.002, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.71 to 11.1); anxiety (ROM = 3.36; P = 0.026; 95% CI = 1.16 to 9.76); non-recognition of symptoms (ROM = 2.80; P = 0.004; 95% CI = 1.41 to 5.59); and smoking (ROM = 1.76; P = 0.021; 95% CI = 1.09 to 2.86), respectively. These symptoms were associated with delay: finger swelling or discomfort (ROM = 2.72; P = 0.009, 95% CI = 1.29 to 5.74); cough (ROM = 2.53; P<0.001; 95% CI = 1.52 to 4.19); weight loss (ROM = 2.41; P<0.001; 95% CI = 1.49 to 3.88); weakness (ROM = 2.35; P = 0.001; 95% CI = 1.45 to 3.83); dyspnoea (ROM = 2.30; P = 0.001; 95% CI = 1.40 to 3.80); voice change (ROM = 1.90; P = 0.010; 95% CI = 1.17 to 3.10); and sputum (ROM = 1.66; P = 0.039; 95% CI = 1.03 to 2.67), respectively, also having more than five symptoms (compared with 1–3) (ROM = 3.69; P<0.001; 95% CI = 2.05 to 6.64). No overall relation between within-patient delay and survival was seen.

Conclusion

Using smoking registers, awareness literature, and self-care manuals, primary care staff could liaise with people who have ever smoked regarding their symptoms to ensure early referral to secondary care.
Promoting parkrun to patients using the general practice website: a qualitative exploration of ‘parkrun practice’ websites
Authors: Fleming Joanna , Mensah Rebecca
Published: December 2020

Background

The parkrun practice initiative is a widely accessible and low-cost approach in primary care, which promotes patient and staff health and wellbeing through increased physical activity and volunteering opportunities. The parkrun practice Toolkit offers guidance to practices on how to promote parkrun. One recommendation is to include a parkrun page on the practice website, or a link to the parkrun website. How practices are presenting this information is unknown.

Aim

To explore how parkrun practices are using their websites to promote parkrun, including the content and format of information presented and variety of promotion methods used, in order to provide recommendations for inclusion in the Toolkit.

Design & setting

Qualitative content analysis of a sample of parkrun practice websites.

Method

The websites of 114 practices that reported using their websites for parkrun promotion were systematically searched and the content analysed.

Results

Five main types of content were identified, namely: what parkrun or parkrun practice is; activities and events; addressing patients’ concerns; benefits of parkrun; and practical information. While there were similarities in the information provided, there were variations in presentation. Websites ranged from being extensive and highly informative, to minimal amounts of text or solely images.

Conclusion

Findings highlight the variability that currently exists across parkrun practice websites. Including a link on the homepage would assist patients to find information on parkrun and clarify the information that can be found. Suggestions are made on the type of information and how it could be presented to be further developed for inclusion in the Toolkit.
Recommendations for clinical research in children presenting to primary care out-of-hours services: a randomised controlled trial with parallel cohort study
Authors: Weghorst Anouk AH , Holtman Gea A , Wolters Pien I , Russchen Heleen A , Fickweiler Freek , Verkade Henkjan J , Post Johan , Vermeulen Karin M , Kollen Boudewijn J , Bonvanie Irma J , Berger Marjolein Y
Published: December 2020

Background

Research in primary care is essential, but recruiting children in this setting can be complex and may cause selection bias. Challenges surrounding informed consent, particularly in an acute clinical setting, can undermine feasibility. The off-protocol use of an intervention nearing implementation has become common in pragmatic randomised controlled trials (RCTs) set in primary care.

Aim

To describe how the informed consent procedure affects study inclusion and to assess how off-protocol medication prescribing affects participant selection in a paediatric RCT.

Design & setting

A pragmatic RCT evaluating the cost-effectiveness of oral ondansetron in children diagnosed with acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in primary care out-of-hours services and a parallel cohort study.

Method

Consecutive children aged 6 months to 6 years attending primary care out-of-hours services with AGE were evaluated to assess the feasibility of obtaining informed consent, the off-protocol use of ondansetron, and other inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results

The RCT's feasibility was reduced by the informed consent procedure because 39.0% (n = 325/834) of children were accompanied by only one parent. GPs prescribed ondansetron off-protocol to 34 children (4.1%) of which 19 children were eligible for the RCT. RCT-eligible children included in the parallel cohort study had fewer risk factors for dehydration than children in the RCT despite similar dehydration assessments by GPs.

Conclusion

The informed consent procedure and off-protocol use of study medication affect the inclusion rate, but had little effect on selection. A parallel cohort study alongside the RCT can help evaluate selection bias, and a pilot study can reveal potential barriers to inclusion.
Failure and Value Creation: A Discriminant Analysis Applied to Moroccan Industrial Companies Listed on the Casablanca Stock Exchange
Authors: Derbali Abdelkader
Published: December 2020

This article purposes to assess the contribution of shareholder value creation as an explanatory variable for the failure of Moroccan industrial companies listed on the Casablanca stock exchange. It also offers a scoring that reflects the probabilities of the financial difficulties to occur. There were used data for 30 Moroccan industrial companies listed on the Casablanca stock exchange during the period of study from 2010 to 2018. Methodologically, a linear discriminant analysis was employed. The empirical results of the discriminant analysis applied during the period of 2010-2018 show that value creation, liquidity and the size of the company are the most determining variables in classifying companies according to the degree of financial difficulties. Thus, the results received make it possible to create a relationship among recurrent scientific knowledge about forecasting the companies’ failure and empirical findings in the context of Moroccan industrial companies listed on the Casablanca stock exchange.
How Can the Aviation Sector Survive after COVID-19?
Authors: Salman Doaa , Seiam Dina , Fayaz Eman
Published: December 2020

This paper aims to analyse the adaptation of the airline industry after the hit of the coronavirus pandemic. This virus is affecting the global economy by targeting the most profitable industries and making them collapse. By making a qualitative analysis of the topic this research paper examines how the airline industry faces such a challenge. Also, it analyses how several airline companies shut down through the huge debt that they faced and how tourism declined sharply in all countries. This paper also examines the slow comeback which was experienced by the airline industry. Finally, the paper proposes a set of policies to overcome the current crisis and future setbacks.
Masa Tenisi Antrenmanlarının Çocukların Öz-Yeterlik Algıları ve Problem Çözme Becerilerine Etkileri
Authors: VURGUN Nilgün , VURGUN Hikmet , ALDIRMAZ Canan , MUTLUTÜRK Nevzat
Published: December 2020

Sporun, özellikle gelişim çağındaki çocukların fiziksel ve psikolojik iyi oluşlarına katkısı olukça fazladır. Kırsal ve küçük yerleşim yerlerinde yaşayan çocukların büyükşehirlerde yaşayanlara kıyasla sportif aktivitelere katılma fırsatları daha kısıtlıdır. Masa tenisi, her yaştan insanın katılmasına olanak tanıyan, hareketli ve eğlenceli, raket ve top gibi temel malzemenin rahatlıkla sağlanabildiği bir spordur. Bu özellikleri sayesinde özellikle okullarda hem öğrenciler hem de öğretmenler için uygulanması birçok avantaj sağlamaktadır. Bu araştırmanın amacı 10-14 yaş grubu çocuklarda sekiz haftalık masa tenisi antrenmanlarının, çocukların öz-yeterlik ve problem çözme becerilerine yönelik algıları üzerindeki etkisini ortaya koymaktır.
Araştırmaya, yaşları 10 ile 14 arasında değişen (x̄= 12,45, S=1,11) 20 çalışma – 20 kontrol grubunda olmak üzere toplamda 40 öğrenci (16 kız, 24 erkek) katılmıştır. Çalışma ve kontrol gruplarının ön-test ve son-test verileri Çocuk Öz-Yeterlik Ölçeği ve İlköğretim Düzeyindeki Çocuklar İçin Problem Çözme Envanteri kullanılarak elde edilmiştir. Çalışma grubu ön-test ölçümünü takip eden hafta itibariyle sekiz haftalık masa tenisi antrenmanlarına katılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Mann-Whitney U testi kullanılmıştır.
Çalışma ve kontrol gruplarının Çocuk Öz-Yeterlik Ölçeği ön-test verileri karşılaştırıldığında gruplar arasında fark olmamasına karşın, son-test verilerinde akademik ve duygusal öz-yeterlik altboyutlarında çalışma grubunun anlamlı olarak yüksek puan aldığı görülmüştür (p<.01). Gruplar arasında İlköğretim Düzeyindeki Çocuklar İçin Problem Çözme Envanterine yönelik karşılaştırmada ise öz-denetim altboyutunda ön-test sonuçlarında anlamlı farklılık olduğu, son-test sonuçlarında da gruplar arasındaki yüksek anlamlı farklılığın olduğu ortaya konmuştur (p<.01).
Sonuçlar, sekiz haftalık masa tenisi antrenmanlarının çocukların öz-yeterlik algılarını olumlu yönde etkilediğini ortaya koyarken, problem çözme becerilerinde beklenen şekilde bir etki yaratmadığını göstermektedir.
Presencia de las redes sociales en los museos argentinos de gestión nacional. Avances significativos en su implementación (2015-2017)
Authors: Ristol Marcela
Published: December 2020

Los recursos Web 2.0 favorecen la comunicación y posibilitan, entre otros aspectos, la interacción con la comunidad. La presencia de las redes sociales en las instituciones museísticas es todavía un desafío para la acción cultural. En una investigación previa, año 2015, se analizó la visibilidad de las redes sociales en los museos argentinos. Los principales resultados proporcionaron una escasa aplicación de este recurso. En esta oportunidad se examina, con relación al 2017, la existencia de avances significativos en aspectos que reconcilien su implementación.
Pies de imprenta y colofones falsos: repertorio bibliográfico de impresos fingidos en la Navarra del siglo XVII
Authors: Ruiz Astiz Javier
Published: December 2020

Entre las ediciones surgidas de la imprenta áurea encontramos muestras evidentes de textos que trataron de saltarse la legislación existente en la Monarquía Hispánica. Así aparecen impresos falsificados fingiendo haber sido editados en Pamplona, lo que se comprueba no solo por los pies de imprenta y los colofones, sino también gracias a su análisis material. Se estudian estos casos para comprobar el grado de incidencia que tuvieron las ediciones falsas vinculadas al reino de Navarra y así actualizar el panorama bibliográfico local.