bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lanthanum Diffusion in Fluorapatite at 400 °C, 50 MPa and 4–16 wt %
Authors: Liu Xiqiang , Zhang Hui , Liu Yunlong
Published: May 2021

Apatite is an important carrier of rare earth elements (REEs) and phosphorite is a potential REEs resource. However, the influence of hydrothermal fluids on the migration and enrichment of REE in apatite remains controversial. The experimental study of the interaction between REE-bearing fluid and apatite is one of the essential ways to understand the chemical behavior of rare earth elements in apatite. In this study, we conducted the fluid–mineral reaction experimental study (at 400 °C, 50 MPa and 4–16 wt %) between high lanthanum (La) content hydrothermal solution and low REE content to reveal the influence of different salinities on the diffusion of rare earth elements in fluorapatite. Based on in situ geochemical analyses of experimental products, we show that the diffusion coefficients of La in fluorapatite are between 3.24 × 10−15 and 5.88 × 10−15 m2/s. The salinity of the fluid has a great influence on the diffusion coefficient, with the increase of salinity, the diffusion coefficient increase.
Unaccompanied Migrant Children’s Rights: A Prerequisite for the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals in Spain and Sweden
Authors: Francia Guadalupe , Neubauer Adrián , Edling Silvia
Published: May 2021

Starting from a child rights-based approach to sustainable development, this contribution underlines and compares the discourses in selected Spanish and Swedish migration and education policies on the rights of unaccompanied minors to education and discusses their impact on the enactment of the 2030 Agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals in both countries. Based on critical discourse analysis, this research shows the co-existence of two different discourses: one on unaccompanied minors as global rights holders and the other on unaccompanied minors as foreign citizens. By describing unaccompanied migrant minors as citizens rather than children, international migration agreements make it possible for the Spanish and Swedish governments to deprioritize other international agreements on refugees’ rights, such as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 2030 Agenda. Furthermore, as child rights and sustainable development are mutually reinforcing, the negotiation of rights shows that there are obstacles to accomplishing rights-based Sustainable Development Goal 4 in the 2030 Agenda.
Evidence-Based Assessment of Readiness to Solve Wicked Problems: The Case of Migration Crisis in Croatia and Slovenia
Authors: Rijavec Danila , Štambuk Ana , Pevcin Primož
Published: May 2021

The migration crisis was and, in some aspects, still is one of the biggest challenges that the European Union (EU) has faced recently. In the crisis peak in 2015/16, most of its member states were affected in different ways. This paper contributes to the ex-post dialog of this transboundary crisis and attempts to present the level of readiness to solve wicked problems and manage a transboundary crisis, looking at the perspective of two countries—Slovenia and Croatia. The paper focuses on the following areas of migration governance: (1) border management, (2) reception policies, (3) migrant protection regimes, and (4) national security, which represented the main issues for transit countries and are embedded in the capacity assessing tool Survey Tool used in the paper. With its set of questions and using a multiple case studies methodology and comparative analysis, the paper’s results show the rather immature level of mass migration capacities at both transit levels studied. In the absence of migration crisis studies, the proposed paper retains its originality and adds value, especially in multi-level systems, in assessing the complexity of the crisis from a national perspective and providing the numerical assessment of crisis management capacity.
Golf as a Physical Activity to Potentially Reduce the Risk of Falls in Older Adults with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Bliss Rebecca R. , Church Frank C.
Published: May 2021

Advanced age is associated with an increased risk for falls in aging adults. Older adults are also more likely to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD), with advanced age as the most significant risk factor. PD is a neurodegenerative disorder with four Cardinal motor symptoms: rigidity, bradykinesia, postural instability, and tremor. Thus, people (person)-with-Parkinson’s disease (PwP) have an even greater risk of falling than non-disorder age-matched peers. Exercise is an activity requiring physical effort, typically carried out to sustain or improve overall health and fitness, and it lowers the risk of falls in the general population. The sport of golf provides a low-impact all-around workout promoting a range of motion, activation of muscles in the upper and lower body, flexibility, and balance. Swinging a golf club offers a unique combination of high amplitude axial rotation, strengthening postural musculature, coordination, and stabilization, demonstrating the potential to impact PD symptoms positively. Golf may be a novel exercise treatment regimen for PD to use in conjunction with traditional medical therapy. We completed a literature review to determine the relationship between the game of golf, PD, and the risk of falls. We concluded that regularly playing golf can lower the risk for falls in community ambulating older adults with PD and demonstrates the potential to improve quality of life for PwP.
Exploring the Role of Tourists: Responsible Behavior Triggered by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Eichelberger Sarah , Heigl Manuela , Peters Mike , Pikkemaat Birgit
Published: May 2021

Responsible tourism implies that all actors involved in tourism take responsibility for their actions. The concept of responsible tourism has been extensively addressed in tourism research and practice. However, studies analyzing the tourists’ contribution to responsible tourism have been neglected. Considering that tourists have the potential to contribute to economic, environmental socio-cultural, and institutional sustainability, this study focuses on the role tourists can play in responsible tourism. It also examines how responsible behavior among tourists has been triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, drawing on a planned behavior perspective by concentrating on the tourist contribution to sustainable tourism, responsible tourism behavior is investigated by means of 19 semi-structured interviews. The study found that tourists are not only sensitive to sustainability but that they also behave responsibly both on site and in their travel choices. At the same time, tourists pass the buck to suppliers and providers by requesting rules, information and opportunities for responsible tourism to be created. In this regard, implications for theory and practice can be derived by informing suppliers and providers about their requested responsibilities, as well as by adding a crisis perspective to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).
Sustainable Earnings: How Can Herd Behavior in Financial Accumulation Feed into a Resilient Economic System?
Authors: Charles Aurelie , Sguotti Damiano
Published: May 2021

The paper applies a methodological tool able to frame national policies with sustainable financial flows between social groups. In effect, exchange entitlement mapping (E-mapping) shows the interdependency of capital and labor earnings across social groups, which is then accounted for in the policy planning of future financial flows for the green transition. First, the paper highlights the extent to which herd behavior feeds into capital and labor earnings by social, occupational, demographic, and regional groups for the United Kingdom, France, and Italy over the past 40 years. Second, learning from these past trends, the paper proposes a policy framing of “sustainable earning trends” to hamper or facilitate financial flows towards sectors, occupations, and regions prone to herd behavior. The paper concludes that for an economic system to be resilient, it should be able to recycle external shocks on group earnings into economic opportunities for the green transition.
Multilevel Annoyance Modelling of Short Environmental Sound Recordings
Authors: Orga Ferran , Mitchell Andrew , Freixes Marc , Aletta Francesco , Alsina-Pagès Rosa Ma , Foraster Maria
Published: May 2021

The recent development and deployment of Wireless Acoustic Sensor Networks (WASN) present new ways to address urban acoustic challenges in a smart city context. A focus on improving quality of life forms the core of smart-city design paradigms and cannot be limited to simply measuring objective environmental factors, but should also consider the perceptual, psychological and health impacts on citizens. This study therefore makes use of short (1–2.7 s) recordings sourced from a WASN in Milan which were grouped into various environmental sound source types and given an annoyance rating via an online survey with N=100 participants. A multilevel psychoacoustic model was found to achieve an overall R2=0.64 which incorporates Sharpness as a fixed effect regardless of the sound source type and Roughness, Impulsiveness and Tonality as random effects whose coefficients vary depending on the sound source. These results present a promising step toward implementing an on-sensor annoyance model which incorporates psychoacoustic features and sound source type, and is ultimately not dependent on sound level.
Characterizing Risk Communication and Awareness for Sustainable Society: The Case of Foreign Residents in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area of Japan
Authors: Adu-Gyamfi Bismark , Shaw Rajib
Published: May 2021

Many disasters occur in Japan, and therefore many initiatives to educate and integrate foreign residents into its society to overcome systematic barriers and enhance disaster preparedness have been implemented. Nevertheless, studies have highlighted foreign residents as a vulnerable group who are at risk of disasters in the country. The country anticipates and prepares for potential mega-disasters in the future; therefore, effective risk communication is vital to creating the required awareness and preparation. Therefore, this study looked at the changing foreigner–Japanese population mix in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area to ascertain its level of diversity and risk communication characteristics. It used secondary and primary data to analyze how heterogeneity among foreigners translates into a different understanding of their awareness. The study reveals that the 23 special wards within the Tokyo Metropolitan area can be compared to other recognized diverse cities in the world, with Shinjuku city, Minato city, Arakawa, and Taito cities being the most heterogeneous cities in Tokyo. Nevertheless, diversity within foreign residents creates diversity in information-gathering preferences, disaster drill participation preferences, and the overall knowledge in disaster prevention. The study suggests the use of these preferences as a tool to promote targeted risk communication mechanisms.
Artificial Intelligence in the Industry 4.0, and Its Impact on Poverty, Innovation, Infrastructure Development, and the Sustainable Development Goals: Lessons from Emerging Economies?
Authors: Mhlanga David
Published: May 2021

Artificial intelligence in the fourth industrial revolution is beginning to live up to its promises of delivering real value necessitated by the availability of relevant data, computational ability, and algorithms. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the influence of artificial intelligence on the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals with a direct focus on poverty reduction, goal one, industry, innovation, and infrastructure development goal 9, in emerging economies. Using content analysis, the result pointed to the fact that artificial intelligence has a strong influence on the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals particularly on poverty reduction, improvement of the certainty and reliability of infrastructure like transport making economic growth and development possible in emerging economies. The results revealed that Artificial intelligence is making poverty reduction possible through improving the collection of poverty-related data through poverty maps, revolutionizing agriculture education and the finance sector through financial inclusion. The study also discovered that AI is also assisting a lot in education, and the financial sector allowing the previously excluded individuals to be able to participate in the mainstream economy. Therefore, it is important that governments in emerging economies need to invest more in the use of AI and increase the research related to it so that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to innovation, infrastructure development, poverty reduction are attained.
Strengthening Efforts to Protect and Safeguard the Industrial Cultural Heritage in Montilla-Moriles (PDO). Characterisation of Historic Wineries
Authors: Merino-Aranda Antonia , Castillejo-González Isabel Luisa , Velo-Gala Almudena , de Paula Montes-Tubío Francisco , Mesas-Carrascosa Francisco-Javier , Triviño-Tarradas Paula
Published: May 2021

Industrial heritage is linked to the cultural processes that human society sets through the traces from the past. The conservation and dissemination of this industrial–cultural heritage are crucial for sustainable urban development, and positively influences the transition to resilient and sustainable cities. The wine industry around Montilla has suffered as a result of a sharp reduction of the vineyard area in the last 25 years. Wineries, as one of the historic typologies of wine-making facilities in the Montilla-Moriles Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), as well as their materials and construction techniques, are a reference in the agricultural landscape of Montilla. Many historic wineries are the result of the abandonment and cessation of the wine industry. These buildings are linked to the agrarian activity in this area, mostly wine-making, although in some cases, they coexist with similar production processes, such as milling the fruit of the olive grove. This research characterises and analyses four historic wineries in the Montilla-Moriles PDO, which represent an example of architecture in the wine-making transformation during the 19th–20th centuries. This manuscript contributes to the attainment of some objectives set in one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), protecting and disseminating the industrial cultural heritage in Montilla-Moriles.
A Simulation Model of Construction Projects Executed in Random Conditions with the Overlapping Construction Works
Authors: Biruk Sławomir , Rzepecki Łukasz
Published: May 2021

Reducing the duration of construction works requires additional organizational measures, such as selecting construction methods that assure a shorter realization time, engaging additional resources, working overtime, or allowing construction works to be performed simultaneously in the same working units. The simultaneous work of crews may affect the quality of works and the efficiency of construction processes. This article presents a simulation model aimed at assessing the impact of the overlap period on the extension of the working time of the crews and the reduction of a repetitive project’s duration in random conditions. The purpose of simulation studies is to provide construction managers with guidelines when deciding on the dates of starting the sequential technological process lines realized by specialized working crews, for sustainable scheduling and organization of construction projects.
A Model to Manage Cooperative Project Risks to Create Knowledge and Drive Sustainable Business
Authors: Nunes Marco , Abreu António , Saraiva Célia
Published: May 2021

Efficient cooperation between organizations across all the phases of a project lifecycle is a critical factor to increase the chances of project success and drive sustainable business. However, and according to research, despite the large benefits that efficient organizational cooperation provides to organizations, they are still often reluctant to engage in cooperative partnerships. The reviewed literature argues that the major reason for such a trend is due to the lack of efficient and actionable supportive models to manage organizational cooperative risks. In this work we propose a model to efficiently support the management of organizational cooperative risks in project environments. The model, MCPx (management of cooperative projects), was developed based on four critical scientific pillars, (1) project risk management, (2) cooperative networks, (3) social network analysis, and (4) business intelligence architecture, and will analyze in a quantitative way how project cooperative behaviors evolve across a bounded time period, and to which extent they can turn into a cooperative project risk (essentially potential threats). For this matter, the MCPx model will quantitatively analyze five key project cooperative behavioral dimensions, (1) communication, (2) information sharing, (3) trust, (4) problem solving and (5) decision making, which show how dynamic interactions between project stakeholders evolve across time. The implementation and functioning principles of the MCPx model are illustrated with a case study.
Effectiveness of the Portugal 2020 Programme: A Study from the Citizens’ Perspective
Authors: Nishimura Adriana Z. F. C. , Moreira Ana , Au-Yong-Oliveira Manuel , Sousa Maria José
Published: May 2021

The European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) are the main instrument of the European Union (EU) Cohesion Policy to promote convergence, economic growth and reduce imbalances between EU members. The objectives of the 2014–2020 programming period follow the agenda of the Europe 2020 Strategy to promote smart, sustainable and inclusive growth of EU members. Since before joining the EU, in 1986, until the end of the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement (PT2020), Portugal will have received more than EUR 130 billion. Have the subsidies that Portugal has received been well applied? Our study fills a gap in the literature by portraying citizens’ perceptions about the effectiveness of EU funds for the development of the country and its regions. The study is quantitative in nature, and a non-probabilistic sample of 1119 participants answered our survey. A high proportion (76%) of the respondents considered that EU funds contributed to the development of the region where they live, although a significant percentage of the respondents (more than half) considered that there may be corruption in Portugal. The Portuguese also mentioned the existence of practices such as favouritism and lobbying regarding the approval of projects. Our findings are supported by the literature, which refers to “lost opportunities” in the inefficient application of ESIF, while recognising that EU funds have played a significant role in Portugal’s development over the last three decades.
WhatsApp! Does Culture Matter to Persuasive System Design and Brand Loyalty?
Authors: Faisal Serri , Allil Kamaal , Hamid Nor Aziati Abdul , Abdullah Nor Hazana
Published: May 2021

The traditional paradigm prioritizes local culture in application design; however, popular applications with persuasive systems design (PSD) like WhatsApp appeal to a global audience beyond local cultural attributes. The purpose of this study is to test the moderating role of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on PSD and the relationship to loyalty in the context of WhatsApp. By employing an online survey, data were collected from the Netherlands, Germany, KSA, and Malaysia (N = 488). Using regression moderation analyses, the hypotheses were tested. Findings suggest that only two cultural dimensions, namely power distance and individualism, have a moderating role: power distance in Germany, and individualism in both KSA and Malaysia. This implies that managers must consider the possible influence of some cultural dimensions on loyalty. The study contributes to the literature by focusing on smartphone apps in countries with varying cross-cultural dimensions scores and utilizing the user’s perspective instead of the designer’s perspective.
Impact of Application of Abscisic Acid, Benzothiadiazole and Chitosan on Berry Quality Characteristics and Plant Associated Microbial Communities of Vitis vinifera L var. Mouhtaro Plants
Authors: Miliordos Dimitrios-Evangelos , Tsiknia Myrto , Kontoudakis Nikolaos , Dimopoulou Maria , Bouyioukos Costas , Kotseridis Yorgos
Published: May 2021

The phenolic profile of the grape berries is a key quality factor for the red grapevine varieties and several techniques have been applied to improve it. An innovative technique is the application of resistance elicitors and phytohormones. In the present study, leaves and berries of a Greek red indigenous variety (Mouhtaro) sprayed with two elicitors, benzothiadiazole and chitosan and a plant hormone abscisic acid, during veraison. Physicochemical and phenolic characteristics of the berries and microbial communities of rhizosphere, phyllosphere and carposphere were analyzed at harvest. Differences in the microbial communities on different plant compartments were observed after the application of the plant activators. Chitosan treatment increased the abundance of the beneficial lactic acid bacteria, while the abscisic acid treatment decreased the presence of spoilage fungi on the carposphere. Treatments differentiate total phenolics, anthocyanins and in the chemical characteristics of grape must with chitosan treated grapes had increased anthocyanins and skin-derived phenolics that correlated positively with the microbial taxa that was discriminant by LefSe analysis. This research provides an overview of the effect of plant activators on the microbial ecology and grape quality of the Greek variety Mouhtaro and presents the potential of new and innovative approaches in the field of sustainable viticulture.
Towards Sustainable Innovative Business Models
Authors: López-Nicolás Carolina , Ruiz-Nicolás Jesús , Mateo-Ortuño Enrique
Published: May 2021

This paper addresses two research questions: (1) How do firms innovate their business models to deal with the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainability, and their interconnections? (2) How do managers design the process toward more sustainable innovative business models? Starting from the triple-layered canvas as a theoretical framework, a pattern matching technique is used to compare that theoretical pattern to the empirical pattern observed. The study is based on qualitative methods and data from a Spanish company in the wine sector. The findings indicate that the triple-layered canvas is applicable and useful for micro firms, although the process to design sustainable innovative business models might be even more important. A new theoretical model is inferred and proposed to incorporate the perspective of the process of the business model innovations for sustainability, and to add several relevant aspects to make the process more successful. Besides this, non-family firms introducing sustainable business model innovations in their economic, ecological, and social aspects move closer to family firms’ distinctive behavior. Finally, the implications and future lines of research are summarized.
The Effect of Potentially Groundwater-Contaminating Ecological Disaster on Adolescents’ Bottled Water Consumption and Perceived Risk to Use Tap Water
Authors: Poškus Mykolas Simas , Balundė Audra , Jovarauskaitė Lina , Kaniušonytė Goda , Žukauskienė Rita
Published: May 2021

We compared the extent to which a potentially groundwater-contaminating ecological disaster affected adolescents’ bottled water consumption and perceived risk to use tap water. The affected group consists of 221 adolescents (56.6% were girls, Mage = 15.44, SDage = 0.60), while the control group consisted of 156 adolescents (56.4% were girls, Mage = 15.50, SDage = 0.55). The Comprehensive Action Determination Model that explains pro-environmental actions was used as a basis for the comparison of adolescents’ bottled water use, both on mean and model-path levels. Perceived risk of tap water use was compared among affected and control groups (i.e., quasi-experimental manipulation check). The affected group perceived tap water use as riskier than the control group, although the difference was marginal. The affected group also demonstrated significantly lower intention not to consume bottled water than the control. Interestingly, however, path-level comparisons indicated that affected adolescents were more effective in translating their perceived control over sources of clean drinking water into intention to consume tap water.
Traditional Foods and Sustainable Rural Development: Exploiting the Case of the Comoros Tea as a Potential Source of Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Donno Dario , Hassani Saandia , Sofoini Toilibou , Mellano Maria Gabriella , Riondato Isidoro , Gamba Giovanni , Beccaro Gabriele Loris
Published: May 2021

Although modern medicine is available in many developing countries, such as the Comoros Islands, the primary health-care needs of the local population are based on traditional foods and beverages derived from natural resources and medicinal plants for cultural and historical reasons. Aphloia theiformis (Vahl) Benn. (‘Mfandrabo’), Cinnamomum verum J.Presl (‘Mani yamdrara’), Ocimum gratissimum L. (‘Roulé’), Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng. (‘Ynadombwe’), Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle (‘Sandze monach’) and Ocimum americanum L. (‘Kandza’) are six wild plants that are largely utilised to treat many diseases. The leaves of these plants are used in the traditional Comorian tea (aqueous infusion). This study aimed to identify and quantify the main health-promoting compounds in the traditional formulation of Comorian tea by HPLC profiling together with a preliminary assessment of antioxidant capacity to confirm the traditional use of these plants by the local population. The single plants were also studied. The Comoros tea presented a total polyphenolic content (TPC) of 4511.50 ± 74.41 mgGAE/100 g DW, a value higher than the TPCs of the different plants included in the Comorian tea. Moreover, the Comorian tea showed an antioxidant capacity (AOC) of 578.65 ± 6.48 mmol Fe2+/Kg DW, a value higher if compared to all the AOC values obtained in the single plants. The polyphenolic fraction (771.37 ± 35.76 mg/100 g DW) and organic acids (981.40 ± 38.38 mg/100 g DW) were the most important phytochemical classes in the Comorian tea (40.68% and 51.75% of the total phytocomplex, respectively), followed by the monoterpenes (5.88%) and vitamin C (1.67%), while carotenoids were detected in trace (0.02%). The Comorian tea could be important in meeting the high demand in the Comoros Islands and other developing countries for cost-effective and natural health-promoting foods and/or beverages to be produced by agri-food industries and used by the local population. This study may promote traditional foods in rural communities in the Comoros Islands and contribute to sustainable rural development and a commercial valorisation of these plants for health-promoting and food applications.
Spatial–Temporal Heterogeneity and the Related Influencing Factors of Tourism Efficiency in China
Authors: Liu Zhiliang , Lu Chengpeng , Mao Jinhuang , Sun Dongqi , Li Hengji , Lu Chenyu
Published: May 2021

Tourism efficiency is an effective index of measuring the development quality of the tourism industry. In this study, the tourism efficiency of 30 provinces in China during the period from 2006 to 2018 was measured with the SBM model and Malmquist index. On the basis of ESDA and GWR models, we explored the spatial pattern of China’s tourism efficiency and the spatial heterogeneity of the influencing factors in depth. The results revealed that China’s tourism efficiency has been constantly enhanced with an increasingly balanced pattern. Meanwhile, the utilization degrees of various input factors have constantly been improving. Both technological efficiency and technological progress jointly promote rapid growth of total-factor productivity. Accompanied with constant enhancement of the spatial agglomeration effect, the local spatial pattern also showed obvious differentiation. In general, low-efficiency regions were mainly concentrated in northern China, while high-efficiency regions were concentrated in southern China. The distinct spatial–temporal differentiation characteristics of tourist economic efficiency can be attributed to different influencing strengths of various factors in various regions and different action tendencies. The level of economic development, traffic conditions, the professional level of tourism, and openness degree can significantly promote tourism efficiency. Tourism resource endowment and environmental cost impose slight effects and differ in action direction, thereby inhibiting the tourism efficiency of many regions.
Performance Analysis of Urban Cleaning Devices Using Human–Machine Interaction Method
Authors: Alonso-García María , García-Sánchez Ana , Jaén-Moreno Paula , Fernández-Rubio Manuel
Published: May 2021

Presently, several jobs require the collaboration of humans and machines to perform different services and tasks. The ease and intuitiveness of the worker when using each machine will not only improve the worker’s experience but also improve the company’s productivity and the satisfaction that all users have. Specifically, electromechanical devices used to provide cleaning services require complex interactions. These interactions determine the usability and performance of devices. Therefore, devices must have appropriate ergonomic arrangements for human–machine interactions. Otherwise, the desired performance cannot be achieved. This study analyzes the performance of an urban cleaning device (pressure washer on a power take-off van) using human–machine interaction method. The method measures visceral and behavioral levels (set by Norman) and service times. Using these measurements, the usability of the pressure washer is determined according to different factors that facilitate the operator’s well-being in the working environment. A pressure washer from Feniks Cleaning and Safety, Limited Company, has been studied. Sixteen errors related to ergonomics, usability and safety were identified in this machine, which operates in more than 40 locations in Spain. Therefore, this study provides valuable information on the usability and performance of pressure washers, as well as possibilities for improvement.
Effectiveness of a Collaborative Platform for the Mastery of Competencies in the Distance Learning Modality during COVID-19
Authors: Domínguez-Lloria Sara , Fernández-Aguayo Sara , Marín-Marín José-Antonio , Alvariñas-Villaverde Myriam
Published: May 2021

The need to adapt to new learning scenarios due to the impact of COVID-19 on our education system is undeniable. This fact means that we must adapt teaching to non-face-to-face scenarios in order to adapt the teaching processes without the students losing the acquisition of competences. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital application for the development of competences of primary education undergraduate students in a non-face-to-face teaching context derived from the pandemic through a service-learning project. To achieve this objective, a specific programme was designed using a collaborative platform. Numerous instruments were used to assess the acquisition of basic, specific, general and transversal competences. On a quantitative level, the Teamworks Skills Questionnaire and an evaluation rubric were used, and on a qualitative level, a student field diary, a survey to measure satisfaction and an observational record were used. The main results show that after the implementation of the use of the platform, both the level of competence of the students and their satisfaction with the project were very high and that the impact on their training was very positive. Among the main conclusions, we highlight that the use of this type of platform allows students to acquire competences in non-classroom contexts. On the other hand, we conclude that training in the use of digital tools in initial teacher training is necessary for good professional performance. On the other hand, this experience allowed future teachers to realise the need to master new technologies in order to be able to adapt to the new needs that different educational scenarios pose in the information society.
The Effects of Managerial Competency and Local Religiosity on Corporate Environmental Responsibility
Authors: Tsendsuren Chuluunbat , Yadav Prayag Lal , Kim Sangsoo , Han Seunghun
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the influence of local religious beliefs to evaluate managerial motives towards corporate environmental engagement, considering the growing attention of the role of external factors in shaping corporate behavior. Using Newsweek’s green rankings of the largest publicly traded US firms by market capitalization from 2014–2016, we find that competent managers show a higher strategic preference for corporate environmental practices in firms located in low-Protestant or high-Catholic areas exhibiting higher risk and uncertainty, which tend to mitigate the negative effects of risky environments. We find that corporate environmental practices positively influence the sales of firms in high risk-taking states. This study provides significant contributions to the literature documenting the consequences of local religious risk-taking behavior and elaborates on the perceptions of competent managers on environmental management. The results provide valuable insights for practitioners and policymakers looking to incorporate environmental practices.
Changing Technology or Behavior? The Impacts of a Behavioral Disruption
Authors: Pedinotti-Castelle Marianne , Pineau Pierre-Olivier , Vaillancourt Kathleen , Amor Ben
Published: May 2021

Transportation is a key factor in the fight against climate change. Consumer behavior changes in transportation are underrepresented in energy policies, even if they could be essential to achieve the fixed GHG emission reduction targets. To help quantify the role of behaviors in energy transition and their implications on the dynamics of an energy system, this study is conducted using the North American TIMES Energy Model, adapted to Quebec (Canada). A behavioral disruption scenario (an increase in carpooling) is introduced in the model’s transportation sector and is compared to a massive electrification scenario. Our results highlight the fact that a behavioral disruption can lead to the same GHG emission reductions (65%) by 2050 as an electrification policy, while alleviating different efforts (such as additional electrical capacity and additional costs) associated with massive electrification. Moreover, the results are sensitive to behavior-related parameters, such as social discount rates and car lifetimes.
Environmental Effects of Credit Allocation Structure and Environmental Expenditures: Evidence from China
Authors: Yang Qiming , He Jun , Liu Ting , Zhu Zhitao
Published: May 2021

This article studies how the allocation structure of bank credit capital between state-owned and private enterprises and government environmental expenditures affect environmental pollution in China. The present literature argues that credit allocation and government environmental expenditures may play an important role in environmental quality improvement. However, these studies rarely consider the credit allocation structure between State-owned enterprises (SOEs) and private enterprises; in addition, they overlook the interaction effects of credit allocation and government environmental expenditures. Based on these, we put forward three hypotheses. Moreover, the study applies relevant spatial data for 2011–2017 from 31 provinces in China to a spatial econometric model, and the results indicate that (1) environmental pollution among provincial regions shows a significant positive spatial autocorrelation. (2) Environmental expenditures and environmental pollution display an inverse U-shaped relationship, which supports the numerical simulation results. (3) The interaction effect of credit allocation structure and environmental expenditures on environmental pollution is significantly positive, which means that the allocation of more credit capital to private enterprises will restrain the effect of government environmental expenditures. With the increasing significance of environmental protection in China, it is necessary to strengthen the supervision of private enterprises’ environmental pollution behavior, expand government expenditures on ecological protection, and promote regional collaborative environmental governance to improve environmental quality.
Do Economic Policy Uncertainty and Geopolitical Risk Lead to Environmental Degradation? Evidence from Emerging Economies
Authors: Anser Muhammad Khalid , Syed Qasim Raza , Lean Hooi Hooi , Alola Andrew Adewale , Ahmad Munir
Published: May 2021

Since the turn of twenty first century, economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and geopolitical risk (GPR) have escalated across the globe. These two factors have both economic and environmental impacts. However, there exists dearth of literature that expounds the impact of EPU and GPR on environmental degradation. This study, therefore, probes the impact of EPU and GPR on ecological footprint (proxy for environmental degradation) in selected emerging economies. Cross-sectional dependence test, slope heterogeneity test, Westerlund co-integration test, fully modified least ordinary least square estimator, dynamic OLS estimator, and augmented mean group estimator are employed to conduct the robust analyses. The findings reveal that EPU and non-renewable energy consumption escalate ecological footprint, whereas GPR and renewable energy plunge ecological footprint. In addition, findings from the causality test reveal both uni-directional and bi-directional causality between a few variables. Based on the findings, we deduce several policy implications to accomplish the sustainable development goals in emerging economies.
“When” Does It Pay to Be Good? Attributions Mediate the Way CSR Elements Impact on Consumer Responses, and Are Controllable
Authors: Krystallis Athanasios , Zaharia Vlad , Zairis Antonis
Published: May 2021

Responding to the appeal for more research on the contingencies that shape the relationship between CSR and corporate performance, this paper incorporates environmental CSR, sets up an experimental survey and employs multiple mediation analysis with the aim to test the mediating role of consumer attributions on the CSR elements–consumer responses relationship; and further to examine the degree to which attributions are controllable, i.e., specific CSR elements activate specific type of attributions. Results support that attributions have a strong predicting power on consumer outcomes. The right time of appearance and the appropriate amount of resources committed to a CSR campaign, through the dual type of attributions they activate (more positive, i.e., values-driven and less negative, i.e., egoistic), impact positively on consumer reactions. In this respect, the study adds to past research showing that attributions are controllable, i.e., specific CSR initiative characteristics of a impact on the dimensionality of attributions and, through that, on specific target-types of consumer responses. This study thus shows that the activation of a dual-level attributions’ system is ambivalent, dependent on the character of the CSR campaign. The fact that specific CSR elements (i.e., CSR Timing) activate dual-level CSR motives that act complementarily indicates that managers should be clear about the capabilities of the elements of their CSR initiatives and how much impact they expect those elements to have on consumer response.
Special Issue: “Urban Agriculture, Forestry and Green-Blue Infrastructure as “Re-Discovered Commons”: Bridging Urban-Rural Interface”
Authors: Kohsaka Ryo , Uchiyama Yuta
Published: May 2021

This Special Issue re-explores research topics related to the relationships between urban and rural areas during the COVID-19 pandemic period in 2020 and beyond [...]
Evaluation of the Potential of Sewage Sludge Mycobiome to Degrade High Diclofenac and Bisphenol-A Concentrations
Authors: Conejo-Saucedo Ulises , Ledezma-Villanueva Alejandro , Ángeles de Paz Gabriela , Herrero-Cervera Mario , Calvo Concepción , Aranda Elisabet
Published: May 2021

One of the most challenging environmental threats of the last two decades is the effects of emerging pollutants (EPs) such as pharmaceutical compounds or industrial additives. Diclofenac and bisphenol A have regularly been found in wastewater treatment plants, and in soils and water bodies because of their extensive usage and their recalcitrant nature. Due to the fact of this adversity, fungal communities play an important role in being able to safely degrade EPs. In this work, we obtained a sewage sludge sample to study both the culturable and non-culturable microorganisms through DNA extraction and massive sequencing using Illumina MiSeq techniques, with the goal of finding degraders adapted to polluted environments. Afterward, degradation experiments on diclofenac and bisphenol A were performed with the best fungal degraders. The analysis of bacterial diversity showed that Dethiosulfovibrionaceae, Comamonadaceae, and Isosphaeraceae were the most abundant families. A predominance of Ascomycota fungi in the culturable and non-culturable population was also detected. Species such as Talaromyces gossypii, Syncephalastrum monosporum, Aspergillus tabacinus, and Talaromyces verruculosus had remarkable degradation rates, up to 80% of diclofenac and bisphenol A was fully degraded. These results highlight the importance of characterizing autochthonous microorganisms and the possibility of selecting native fungal microorganisms to develop tailored biotransformation technologies for EPs.
Differential Modulation of the Central and Peripheral Monoaminergic Neurochemicals by Deprenyl in Zebrafish Larvae
Authors: Bellot Marina , Bartolomé Helena , Faria Melissa , Gómez-Canela Cristian , Raldúa Demetrio
Published: May 2021

Zebrafish embryos and larvae are vertebrate models increasingly used in translational neuroscience research. Behavioral impairment induced by the exposure to neuroactive or neurotoxic compounds is commonly linked to changes in modulatory neurotransmitters in the brain. Although different analytical methods for determining monoaminergic neurochemicals in zebrafish larvae have been developed, these methods have been used only on whole larvae, as the dissection of the brain of hundreds of larvae is not feasible. This raises a key question: Are the changes in the monoaminergic profile of the whole larvae predictive of the changes in the brain? In this study, the levels of ten monoaminergic neurotransmitters were determined in the head, trunk, and the whole body of zebrafish larvae in a control group and in those treated for 24 h with 5 M deprenyl, a prototypic monoamine-oxidase B inhibitor, eight days post-fertilization. In control larvae, most of the monoaminergic neurochemicals were found at higher levels in the head than in the trunk. Significant changes were found in the distribution of some neurochemicals after deprenyl-treatment, with serotonin and norepinephrine increasing in both the head and the trunk, whereas dopamine, L-DOPA, and homovanillic acid levels were only modulated in the head. In fact, the highly significant increase in dopamine levels observed in the head after deprenyl-treatment was not detected in the whole-body analysis. These results indicate that the analysis of neurotransmitters in the zebrafish larvae whole-body should not be used as a general surrogate of the brain.
A Meta-Analysis of the Protein Components in Rattlesnake Venom
Authors: Deshwal Anant , Phan Phuc , Datta Jyotishka , Kannan Ragupathy , Thallapuranam Suresh Kumar
Published: May 2021

The specificity and potency of venom components give them a unique advantage in developing various pharmaceutical drugs. Though venom is a cocktail of proteins, rarely are the synergy and association between various venom components studied. Understanding the relationship between various components of venom is critical in medical research. Using meta-analysis, we observed underlying patterns and associations in the appearance of the toxin families. For Crotalus, Dis has the most associations with the following toxins: PDE; BPP; CRL; CRiSP; LAAO; SVMP P-I and LAAO; SVMP P-III and LAAO. In Sistrurus venom, CTL and NGF have the most associations. These associations can predict the presence of proteins in novel venom and understand synergies between venom components for enhanced bioactivity. Using this approach, the need to revisit the classification of proteins as major components or minor components is highlighted. The revised classification of venom components is based on ubiquity, bioactivity, the number of associations, and synergies. The revised classification can be expected to trigger increased research on venom components, such as NGF, which have high biomedical significance. Using hierarchical clustering, we observed that the genera’s venom compositions were similar, based on functional characteristics rather than phylogenetic relationships.
Global Distribution and Genetic Heterogeneity of Border Disease Virus
Authors: Righi Cecilia , Petrini Stefano , Pierini Ilaria , Giammarioli Monica , De Mia Gian
Published: May 2021

Border disease virus (BDV) belongs to the genus Pestivirus of the family Flaviviridae. Interspecies transmission of BDV between sheep, cattle, and pigs occurs regularly, sometimes making diagnosis a challenge. BDV can yield substantial economic losses, including prenatal and postnatal infections in lambs, which are the primary source of infection and maintenance of the virus in the population. Since BDV is antigenically and genetically related to bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), it might pose a significant risk to cattle, influencing BVDV eradication campaigns. Similarly, the presence of BDV in swine herds due to pestivirus spillover between small ruminants and pigs might cause uncertainty in classical swine fever virus (CSFV) diagnostics. Therefore, knowledge of BDV epidemiology in different geographical regions will help prevent its spread and optimize control measures. Previous epidemiological studies have shown that various BDV genotypes are predominant in different countries. This review provides an overview of the spread of BDV world-wide in different host species.
Dysregulation of Pulmonary Responses in Severe COVID-19
Authors: Wu Dandan , Yang Xuexian O.
Published: May 2021

Patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) predominantly have a respiratory tract infection with various symptoms and high mortality is associated with respiratory failure second to severe disease. The risk factors leading to severe disease remain unclear. Here, we reanalyzed a published single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) dataset and found that bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of patients with severe disease compared to those with mild disease contained decreased TH17-type cells, decreased IFNA1-expressing cells with lower expression of toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) and TLR8, increased IgA-expressing B cells, and increased hyperactive epithelial cells (and/or macrophages) expressing matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), which may together contribute to the pulmonary pathology in severe COVID-19. We propose IFN-I (and TLR7/TLR8) and PAI-1 as potential biomarkers to predict the susceptibility to severe COVID-19.
Pneumococcal Vaccination in Immunocompromised Hosts: An Update
Authors: Froneman Claire , Kelleher Peter , José Ricardo J.
Published: May 2021

Infections with the pathogen, Streptococcus pneumoniae, are a common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It particularly affects those at the extremes of age and immunocompromised individuals. Preventing pneumococcal disease is paramount in at risk individuals, and pneumococcal vaccination should be offered. Here, we discuss the role of pneumococcal vaccination in specific groups of immunocompromised hosts.