bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth Responses, Physiological Alterations and Alleviation of Salinity Stress in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Amended with Gypsum and Composted Cow Dung
Authors: Naveed Muhammad , Aslam Muhammad Kamran , Ahmad Zulfiqar , Abbas Tasawar , Al-Huqail Asma A. , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Ali Hayssam M. , Ashraf Irfan , Mustafa Adnan
Published: June 2021

Salt accumulation in soils poses severe challenges for crop production in arid and semi-arid regions. Scarcity of rainfall and a high evaporation rate in these regions are considered major reasons for salt accumulation. It drastically reduces the leaching of excessive salts below the root zone of crops. The toxic effects of salts on plants can be greatly reduced with the use of biological and inorganic amendments. The present study was conducted to investigate the positive influence of gypsum (GP), composted cow dung (CCD) and the combined use of gypsum and composted cow dung (GP+CCD) on the growth, seed yield, and physiological and chemical attributes of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) in salty soil conditions. Saline-sodic soil was prepared using salts that include NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2. It contained three levels of electrical conductivity (EC), i.e., 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m−1, and had a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 15. We noted significant deleterious effects of excessive salt stress on multiple attributes of the growth, produce, physiology, and chemical factors of sunflowers. However, treatment with GP+CCD improved all these attributes in all these conditions over the control treatment. Treatment with GP+CCD also significantly increased N, P and K contents over the control in the absence of salt stress, i.e., normal conditions. Conversely, treatment with GP+CCD caused an extreme decline in antioxidant enzyme activity (APX, GPX, CAT and SOD) and Na+/K+ ratio in seeds of up to 90, 75, and 71% over control at an EC level of 1.8, 6, and 12 dS m−1, respectively. This study suggests the combined application of gypsum and composted cow dung for better production of sunflowers in salt-affected soils, and augmented growth, yield, physiology, biochemistry and nutritional value in the sunflower seeds.
Preliminary Assumptions for Identification of the Common Hamster (Cricetus cricetus) as a Service Provider in the Agricultural Ecosystem
Authors: Hędrzak Magdalena Joanna , Badach Elżbieta , Kornaś Sławomir Adam
Published: June 2021

The common hamster is a critically endangered species, but it is also perceived as a pest. Searching for an economic reason for its protection can be an argument to prevent its extinction. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the identification services provided by hamsters in the agricultural ecosystem and the determination of their correlation with human welfare. We propose the methods that can be applied for this purpose, and we check if the knowledge of the species is sufficient in order to use available methods for estimating the value of the services. The common hamster is a provider of supporting, regulating, and cultural services. Estimating their value is difficult because (1) available knowledge on the species’ ecology requires an update, in many aspects, due to changes to agricultural practices that have taken place since the 1970s (e.g., assessment of actual losses to cereal, vegetable, or root crops), and also extending by context, enabling the economic valuation of services (e.g., determination of impact range on various habitat components); it is also necessary to identify the correlations between profits and losses caused by this species; (2) there is a low level of public knowledge on the presence of hamsters and their role in the ecosystem. Education, primarily for consumers, followed by the promotion of hamsters as an umbrella and key species for agricultural areas, may result in the development of cultural services, which will increase the economic value of the services provided by hamsters.
Membrane Purification Techniques for Recovery of Succinic Acid Obtained from Fermentation Broth during Bioconversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass: Current Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Sadare Olawumi O. , Ejekwu Olayile , Moshokoa Moloko F. , Jimoh Monsurat O. , Daramola Michael O.
Published: June 2021

Recently, the bioconversion of biomass into biofuels and biocommodities has received significant attention. Although green technologies for biofuel and biocommodity production are advancing, the productivity and yield from these techniques are low. Over the past years, various recovery and purification techniques have been developed and successfully employed to improve these technologies. However, these technologies still require improvement regarding the energy-consumption-related costs, low yield and product purity. In the context of sustainable green production, this review presents a broad review of membrane purification technologies/methods for succinic acid, a biocommodity obtained from lignocellulosic biomass. In addition, a short overview of the global market for sustainable green chemistry and circular economy systems or zero waste approach towards a sustainable waste management is presented. Succinic acid, the available feedstocks for its production and its industrial applications are also highlighted. Downstream separation processes of succinic acid and the current studies on different downstream processing techniques are critically reviewed. Furthermore, critical analysis of membrane-based downstream processes of succinic acid production from fermentation broth is highlighted. A short review of the integrated-membrane-based process is discussed, as well, because integrating “one-pot” lignocellulosic bioconversion to succinic acid with downstream separation processing is considered a critical issue to address. In conclusion, speculations on outlook are suggested.
Analysis of the Internal Relationship between Ecological Value and Economic Value Based on the Forest Resources in China
Authors: Geng Jianxin , Liang Chengzhi
Published: June 2021

In this study, we applied gross ecosystem product (GEP) theory in a case study to analyze and explain the natural resource asset value and ecosystem service value of forest resources in Jiaokou County, Shanxi Province, Northern China, in 2018. GEP refers to the total value of various final material products and services provided by ecosystems. In this paper, six service functions of a forest system, including water conservation, soil conservation, carbon fixation and oxygen release, forest nutrients, purification of atmospheric environment, and biodiversity, are valued by three calculation methods: the alternative cost method, market value method, and control cost method. The study revealed the following: (1) There is a parallel relationship between the value of natural resource assets and the value of ecosystem services. GEP includes the market value of natural resource assets, but it is mostly the value of ecosystem services. (2) The measurement of the physical quantity of forest ecosystem services depends on parameter data, and the monetary calculation often has no mature pricing basis, which leads to the large scale and uncertainty surrounding the evaluation results of ecosystem services. (3) The ecosystem service value and natural resource asset value have different practical significance, as well as alternate theoretical bases. The value of natural resource assets can be used as the asset valuation basis of economic transactions, which plays a role in macroeconomic management. The value of ecosystem services can be used as the basis of ecological compensation, providing information for the preparation of the balance sheet of natural resources.
Women in Transport Research and Innovation: A European Perspective
Authors: Hortelano Alejandro Ortega , Grosso Monica , Haq Gary , Tsakalidis Anastasios
Published: June 2021

Several gender differences exist in the transport sector. These include accessibility to transport modes, safety and security when travelling, and the participation of women in transport research and innovation (R&I). In order to achieve sustainable and inclusive transport, planners and policymakers should consider all impacts on gender equality. This paper sheds light on two main issues which interconnect through the decision-making process. The first relates to women’s behaviour in the transport system (i.e., studies the gender mobility gap). The second concerns the role of women in transport R&I, particularly the topics covered by research projects and relevant descriptive statistics of their participation in the sector. Based on a literature review, this paper identifies critical issues in the European transport sector and key European Union policy initiatives and regulations that address gender equality and transport. The European Commission’s Transport Research and Innovation Monitoring and Information System (TRIMIS) is used to summarise the status and evolution of European research in addressing women’s issues in transport. It also analyses the participation of women in European transport research and innovation activities. The paper assesses progress to date and identifies challenges and opportunities for women, mobility, and transport. It concludes by providing policy recommendations to overcome the major barriers to gender equality in the European transport sector and to transport research and innovation.
Machine Learning for Optimization of Energy and Plastic Consumption in the Production of Thermoplastic Parts in SME
Authors: Willenbacher Martina , Scholten Jonas , Wohlgemuth Volker
Published: June 2021

In manufacturing companies, especially in SMEs, the optimization of processes in terms of resource consumption, waste minimization, and pollutant emissions is becoming increasingly important. Another important driver is digitalization and the associated increase in the volume of data. These data, from a multitude of devices and systems, offer enormous potential, which increases the need for intelligent, dynamic analysis models even in smaller companies. This article presents the results of an investigation into whether and to what extent machine learning processes can contribute to optimizing energy consumption and reducing incorrectly produced plastic parts in plastic processing SMEs. For this purpose, the machine data were recorded in a plastics-producing company for the automotive industry and analyzed with regard to the material and energy flows. Machine learning methods were used to train these data in order to uncover optimization potential. Another problem that was addressed in the project was the analysis of manufacturing processes characterized by strong non-linearities and time-invariant behavior with Big Data methods and self-learning controls. Machine learning is suitable for this if sufficient training data are available. Due to the high material throughput in the production of the SMEs’ plastic parts, these requirements for the development of suitable learning methods were met. In response to the increasing importance of current information technologies in industrial production processes, the project aimed to use these technologies for sustainable digitalization in order to reduce the industry’s environmental impact and increase efficiency.
Evaluation and Dynamic Evolution of Eco-Efficiency of Resource-Based Cities—A Case Study of Typical Resource-Based Cities in China
Authors: Ge Xingcheng , Xu Jun , Xie Yong , Guo Xin , Yang Deyan
Published: June 2021

Evaluation and dynamic evolution of eco-efficiency of resource-based cities is of great significance for ecological restoration, industrial transformation and sustainable development of resource-based cities. Based on the data of 40 resource-based cities from 2012 to 2017, we first study eco-efficiency of resource-based cities from both static and dynamic aspects by super-efficiency DEA and the Malmquist index. Additionally, then, we analyze its dynamic evolution trend by Kernel density estimation. The main results are as follows: First, the eco-efficiency shows a steady growth trend; growing cities are the highest, followed by regenerative cities and mature cities, declining cities are the lowest. Second, technological progress has the greatest contribution to growth of eco-efficiency, and scale efficiency restricts its growth. Third, efficiency distribution of resource-based cities with different life cycles show different characteristics of evolution, and the regional gap is narrowing gradually. Finally, management implications are put forward based on the empirical conclusions.
Trends and Interannual Variability of Extreme Rainfall Indices over Cameroon
Authors: Vondou Derbetini A. , Guenang Guy Merlin , Djiotang Tchotchou Lucie Angennes , Kamsu-Tamo Pierre Honore
Published: June 2021

Central African citizens are highly vulnerable to extreme hydroclimatic events due to excess precipitation or to dry spells. This study makes use of CHIRPS precipitation data gridded at 0.05° × 0.05° resolution and extended from 1981 to 2019 to analyze spatial variabilities and trends of six extreme precipitation indices defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) over Cameroon. They are the number of wet days (RR1), the simple daily intensity index (SDII), the annual total precipitation from days greater than the 95th percentile (R95ptot), the maximum number of consecutive wet days (CWD), the maximum number of consecutive dry days (CDD), the number of very heavy rainfall (RR20). The standard precipitation index (SPI) time series were also examined in the five agro-climatic regions of the domain. The pattern of annual precipitation was first checked over the entire domain. We obtain a well-known pattern showing a decreased precipitation northward with the highest values around the Atlantic Ocean coast. The analysis shows that all indices represent patterns approximately similar to that of annual rainfall except CDD where the spatial south-north gradient is reversed. RR20 shows the lowest spatial variability. Trend study of RR1 indicates negative values south of the domain and predominated positive values in the northern part, where CDD, on the contrary, shows a decreased trend. The highest trends are observed in the northernmost area for CWD and around the coast for SDII and R95ptot. SPI time series indicate an alternative dry and wet period and the years between 1990 and 2000 witnessed more annual wet conditions. Such a study is very important in this domain where variabilities of climatic components are very high due to climate change impact and diversified relief. The results can serve as a reference for agricultural activity, hydropower management, civil engineering, planning of economic activities and can contribute to the understanding of the climate system in Cameroon.
Cooperative Multi-UAV Conflict Avoidance Planning in a Complex Urban Environment
Authors: Wang Kaiping , Song Mingzhu , Li Meng
Published: June 2021

Trajectory planning is of great value and yet challenging for multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications in a complex urban environment, mainly due to the complexities of handling cluttered obstacles. The problem further complicates itself in the context of autonomous multi-UAV trajectory planning considering conflict avoidance for future city applications. To tackle this problem, this paper introduces the multi-UAV cooperative trajectory planning (MCTP) problem, and proposes a bilevel model for the problem. The upper level is modeled as an extended multiple traveling salesman problem, aiming at generating trajectories based on heuristic framework for multi-UAV task allocation and scheduling and meanwhile considering UAV kinodynamic properties. The lower level is modeled as a holding time assignment problem to avoid possible spatiotemporal trajectory conflicts, where conflict time difference is analyzed based on the proposed state-time graph method. Numerical studies are conducted in both a 1 km2 virtual city and 12 km2 real city with a set of tasks and obstacles settings. The results show that the proposed model is capable of planning trajectories for multi-UAV from the system-level perspective based on the proposed method.
Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies in Spanish Electric Cooperatives. Analysis of Stakeholder Engagement
Authors: Campillo-Alhama Concepción , Igual-Antón Diego
Published: June 2021

Cooperative organizations try to balance economic viability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) management through strategic policies that involve dialogue, participation, and engagement with stakeholders. To measure the impact of CSR management, the electricity sector implements monitoring processes and models, such as the sustainability reporting standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), which measure contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda. This research analyses the strategic management of CSR in the 28 electric cooperatives that market electricity in Spain with the aim of determining their level of commitment to CSR and stakeholder participation in their corporate policies. The analysis is based on the descriptive-exploratory study of the whole population of electric cooperatives. The results indicate that the CSR management of most electric cooperatives is still in an emerging stage within the Value Curve. Importantly, there is a significant percentage of cooperatives that have already advanced towards the consolidating and institutionalized stages. However, most of these social-economy organizations are not developing programs that link their CSR strategies with their priority SDGs and sustainability as a commitment to their community.
The Effect of Food Sustainability and the Food Safety Climate on the Job Stress, Job Satisfaction and Job Commitment of Kitchen Staff
Authors: Min Kyungcheon , Hong Wansoo
Published: June 2021

Background: The food safety climate within an organization represents the job environment that affects the safe management of food and reveals the characteristics of employees. This study aimed to help establish a food safety climate in hotel kitchens that would reduce job stress and increase job satisfaction and employee engagement. Methods: This study was conducted with 570 chefs in 12 five-star hotels in South Korea using a questionnaire-based survey. A total of 570 questionnaires were distributed; 504 usable responses were used in the empirical analysis. Results: The results of this study are summarized as follows. First, among the food safety climate factors perceived by hotel chefs, leadership, resources and communication affect job stress. Second, all five factors of the food safety climate affect the job satisfaction of hotel chefs. Among these factors, leadership, responsibility and communication have positive effects on job satisfaction, while risk awareness and resources have negative effects. Third, the leadership and resources of the food safety climate have positive effects on job commitment. (4) Conclusions: This study has useful recommendations for the service industry, especially the hotel industry, for better human resource management, emphasizing food sustainability in kitchen staff job performance enhancement.
The Impact of the EU IUU Regulation on the Sustainability of the Thai Fishing Industry
Authors: Wongrak Garnchanok , Hur Nany , Pyo Insoo , Kim Jungsuk
Published: June 2021

In recent years, the implementation of and compliance with general values such as the protection of human rights, labor, environment, and democracy has become a very important agenda in global trade policy. The new Secretary General of the WTO emphasized her strong interest in the WTO negotiations in reforming various subsidies for fishing industries, which are to be concluded by the upcoming Twelfth MC (Ministerial Conference) in November 2021. Sustainability has become another critical issue in the international trade context. Plurilateral initiatives among 50 WTO member countries have already been taken regarding the Structured Discussion on Trade and Environmental Sustainability (SDTES). In these circumstances, this study on the EU’s IUU case toward Thailand helped to understand how Thailand’s compliance with the EU IUU Regulation has affected Thailand in achieving the goal of “sustainability” of both fishing practice and working conditions in its fishing industry. The EU’s imposition of the “Status of IUU Nations Carded“ has created the grounds to combat IUU fishing in Thailand by converting an issue of public interest into a private sector issue, for which the sharp decline in fish exports is a matter of concern. This EU–Thailand case also indicated that along with intensifying international cooperation and surveillance for improving the working environment, the inclusion of a human rights issue as a tool for correcting trade distortion is most urgent and essential. For the sustainability of both economic and societal values of developing countries such as Thailand, a firm and solid implementation of adequate working conditions should be employed among global trade participants.
Municipal Wastewater Reuse: Is it a Competitive Alternative to Seawater Desalination?
Authors: Crutchik Dafne , Campos José Luis
Published: June 2021

Water scarcity is becoming a global challenge to attempts to narrow the water demand–supply gap. To overcome this problem, it is sensible to consider alternative technologies that can exploit non-conventional water resources. The choice of such technologies should be, however, carefully analyzed, because any choice might be unfeasible from an economic point of view. In this work, a methodology to select the most appropriate non-conventional water resource, out of municipal wastewater and seawater, was proposed. Specifically, we attempted to determine which alternative provides cheaper water supply and production costs for domestic uses, depending on the wastewater treatment system used and the water plant capacity. The production of water under three scenarios was analyzed: (i) a city that has a conventional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP); (ii) a city that uses primary treatment and submarine outfalls to treat municipal wastewater; (iii) seawater desalination. The proposed methodology was tested in Chilean cities that are located in areas where water is a scarce resource. The results showed that the reuse of municipal wastewater represents a cost-competitive alternative to seawater desalination, mainly when municipal wastewater is treated in a conventional WWTP and when water flow demand is higher than 1500 m3/d. In contrast, seawater desalination becomes more profitable than wastewater reuse when the treatment of municipal wastewater is based on the use of submarine outfalls. This study provides a useful economic tool for promoting municipal wastewater reuse as a non-conventional water source for supplying water to cities that suffer from water scarcity in Chile and in similar areas of the world.
Anaerobic Degradability of Commercially Available Bio-Based and Oxo-Degradable Packaging Materials in the Context of their End of Life in the Waste Management Strategy
Authors: Zaborowska Magdalena , Bernat Katarzyna , Pszczółkowski Bartosz , Wojnowska-Baryła Irena , Kulikowska Dorota
Published: June 2021

There are discrepancies concerning the time frame for biodegradation of different commercially available foils labeled as biodegradable; thus, it is essential to provide information about their biodegradability in the context of their end of life in waste management. Therefore, one-year mesophilic (37 °C) anaerobic degradation tests of two bio-based foils (based on starch (FS), polylactic acid (FPLA)) and oxo-degradable material (FOXO) were conducted in an OxiTop system. Biodegradation was investigated by measuring biogas production (BP) and analyzing structural changes with differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing and digital microscopic analyses, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. After 1 year, FOXO had not degraded; thus, there were no visible changes on its surface and no BP. The bio-based materials produced small amounts of biogas (25.2, FPLA, and 30.4 L/kg VS, FS), constituting 2.1–2.5% of theoretical methane potential. The foil pieces were still visible and only starting to show damage; some pores had appeared in their structure. The structure of FPLA became more heterogeneous due to water diffusing into the structure. In contrast, the structure of FS became more homogenous although individual cracks and fissures appeared. The color of FS had changed, indicating that it was beginning to biodegrade. The fact that FS and FPLA showed only minor structural damage after a one-year mesophilic degradation indicates that, in these conditions, these materials would persist for an unknown but long amount of time.
(Not) Doing the Right Things for the Wrong Reasons: An Investigation of Consumer Attitudes, Perceptions, and Willingness to Pay for Bio-Based Plastics
Authors: Zwicker Maria V. , Brick Cameron , Gruter Gert-Jan M. , van Harreveld Frenk
Published: June 2021

Fossil-based plastics are significant contributors to global warming through CO2 emissions. For more sustainable alternatives to be successful, it is important to ensure that consumers become aware of the benefits of innovations such as bio-based plastics, in order to create demand and a willingness to initially pay more. Given that consumer attitudes and (inaccurate) beliefs can influence the uptake of such new technologies, we investigated participants’ attitudes towards fossil-based and bio-based plastic, their perceived importance of recycling both types of plastic, their willingness to pay, and their perceptions of bio-based plastic in four studies (total N = 961). The pre-registered fourth study experimentally manipulated information about bio-based plastic and measured willingness to pay for different types of plastic. The results suggest participants hold very favourable attitudes and are willing to pay more for bio-based products. However, they also harbour misconceptions, especially overestimating bio-based plastic’s biodegradability, and they find it less important to recycle bio-based than fossil-based plastic. Study 4 provided evidence that educating consumers about the properties of bio-based plastic can dispel misconceptions and retain a favourable attitude and a high willingness to pay. We found mixed evidence for the effect of attitudes on willingness to pay, suggesting other psychological factors may also play a role. We discuss how attitudes and misconceptions affect the uptake of new sustainable technologies such as bio-based plastics and consumers’ willingness to purchase them.
Context in Landscape Planning: Improving Conservation Outcomes by Identifying Social Values for a Flagship Species
Authors: Ernoul Lisa , Wardell-Johnson Angela , Mathevet Raphaël , Sandoz Alain , Boutron Olivier , Willm Loïc , Arnassant Stephan , Béchet Arnaud
Published: June 2021

Sustainable conservation planning depends on understanding local context including the way social values impact a landscape. Flamingos are used here as a flagship species to focus the social values of a broad range of people living in and working in the Camargue in France. A survey questionnaire (n = 87) was used to identify the range of ways in which people value the landscape and their perception of effectiveness of flamingo management strategies. Survey analysis was conducted through a multi-method approach, triangulating standard descriptive statistics, qualitative data analysis, and multivariate analysis applying numerical taxonomy. Applying numerical taxonomy allowed us to identify and define six social assemblages. Each assemblage had geographical characteristics with distinct values and perceptions in relation to management. The primary residence and geographic identity of the participants was defining, showing clear value differences from participants living in different parts of the delta. The participants most frequently agreed that flamingos contributed to the aesthetic, economic, biodiversity, and recreational values of the landscape. We show how identifying points of consensus and points in contest is necessary for navigating differences in values for conservation planning. This research shows the importance of the local social context in sustainably managing landscape change.
Genetic Diversity among Some Walnut (Juglans regia L.) Genotypes by SSR Markers
Authors: Guney Murat , Kafkas Salih , Keles Hakan , Zarifikhosroshahi Mozhgan , Gundesli Muhammet Ali , Ercisli Sezai , Necas Tomas , Bujdoso Geza
Published: June 2021

The food needs for increasing population, climatic changes, urbanization and industrialization, along with the destruction of forests, are the main challenges of modern life. Therefore, it is very important to evaluate plant genetic resources in order to cope with these problems. Therefore, in this study, a set of ninety-one walnut (Juglans regia L.) accessions from Central Anatolia region, composed of seventy-four accessions and eight commercial cultivars from Turkey, and nine international reference cultivars, was analyzed using 45 SSR (Simple Sequence Repeats) markers to reveal the genetic diversity. SSR analysis identified 390 alleles for 91 accessions. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 19 alleles with a mean value of 9 alleles per locus. Genetic dissimilarity coefficients ranged from 0.03 to 0.68. The highest number of alleles was obtained from CUJRA212 locus (Na = 19). The values of polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.42 (JRHR222528) to 0.86 (CUJRA212) with a mean PIC value of 0.68. Genetic distances were estimated according to the UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Average), Principal Coordinates (PCoA), and the Structure-based clustering. The UPGMA and Structure clustering of the accessions depicted five major clusters supporting the PCoA results. The dendrogram revealed the similarities and dissimilarities among the accessions by identifying five major clusters. Based on this study, SSR analyses indicate that Yozgat province has an important genetic diversity pool and rich genetic variance of walnuts.
Influence of Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) and Relationship Marketing on Brand Resonance: A Mediation Analysis
Authors: Habib Sufyan , Hamadneh Nawaf N. , Khan Mohammed Arshad
Published: June 2021

This study investigates how electronic work of mouth (eWOM) mediates the relationship between marketing relations and brand resonance. Based on the information obtained from 473 customers using an online questionnaire, this study analyses the relationship between eWOM, relationship marketing practices and the brand resonance of lifestyle products in an Indian context. The results from the multiple regression analysis indicate that the proposed hypotheses are valid, that relationship marketing significantly affects brand resonance, and that eWOM significantly mediates the relationship between the relationship marketing and brand resonance of branded apparel. The findings suggest that personalized attention and tangible rewards are effective relationship marketing strategies, and that these relationship-marketing practices—in association with eWOM—build up the strong brand resonance of branded apparel. The present study recommends that marketers should place emphasis on effective online and offline relationship marketing strategies, and should design appropriate eWOM strategies to enhance brand loyalty, brand attachment, brand community and brand engagement. Some of the managerial implications and the future scope of study based on the empirical findings are also highlighted in the present research work.
Holistic Evaluation of Digital Applications in the Energy Sector—Evaluation Framework Development and Application to the Use Case Smart Meter Roll-Out
Authors: Weigel Paul , Fischedick Manfred , Viebahn Peter
Published: June 2021

The development of digital technologies is accelerating, enabling increasingly profound changes in increasingly short time periods. The changes affect almost all areas of the economy as well as society. The energy sector has already seen some effects of digitalization, but more drastic changes are expected in the next decades. Besides the very positive impacts on costs, system stability, and environmental effects, potential obstacles and risks need to be addressed to ensure that advantages can be exploited while adverse effects are avoided. A good understanding of available and future digital applications from different stakeholders’ perspectives is necessary. This study proposes a framework for the holistic evaluation of digital applications in the energy sector. The framework consists of a combination of well-established methods, namely the multi-criteria analysis (MCA), the life cycle assessment (LCA), and expert interviews. The objective is to create transparency on benefits, obstacles, and risks as a basis for societal and political discussions and to supply the necessary information for the sustainable development and implementation of digital applications. The novelty of the proposed framework is the specific combination of the three methods and its setup to enable sound applicability to the wide variety of digital applications in the energy sector. The framework is tested subsequently on the example of the German smart meter roll-out. The results reveal that, on the one hand, the smart meter roll-out clearly offers the potential to increase the system stability and decrease the carbon emission intensity of the energy system. Therefore, the overall evaluation from an environmental perspective is positive. However, on the other hand, close attention needs to be paid to the required implementation and operational effort, the IT (information technology) and data security, the added value for the user, the social acceptance, and the realization of energy savings. Therefore, the energy utility perspective in particular results in an overall negative evaluation. Several areas with a need for action are identified. Overall, the proposed framework proves to be suitable for the holistic evaluation of this digital application.
The Order Selection Strategy of Polluting OEMs under Environmental Regulations
Authors: Zuo Naiqian , Qu Shiyou , Li Chengzhang , Zhan Wentao
Published: June 2021

Under environmental regulations, the government restricts the economic activities of polluting OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) in order to improve ecological and economic efficiency. The most direct measure is to limit the production capacity of the companies. Under the condition of limited capacity, the order selection strategy of OEMs will be the direct determinant of the company’s own profits. In the foundry market, there are many low-profit orders, while the number of high-profit orders is limited and uncertain. Companies who choose to wait for high-profit orders must bear the waiting costs and the risk of losing a certain profit. Therefore, it is of great significance for the long-term development of the company to select orders to obtain the best profit under the condition of limited production capacity. This paper takes polluting OEMs as the research object and studies the optimal order selection problems of companies under environmental regulations by establishing order selection decision models for different foundry cycles under the condition of limited production capacity. The study found that in the single foundry cycle, there will be an optimal waiting-time threshold for high-profit orders. Based on this optimal waiting-time threshold, the corresponding order selection strategy can be effectively formulated. However, in the multi-foundation cycle, since the optimal waiting-time threshold of high-profit orders is affected by the long-term average profit, the company’s optimal order selection strategy is based on the long-term average profit maximization.
The Importance of Sustainable Leadership amongst Female Managers in the Spanish Logistics Industry: A Cultural, Ethical and Legal Perspective
Authors: Bulmer Elena , Riera Magalí , Rodríguez Raquel
Published: June 2021

At present, the logistics industry in Spain is one that is mostly male-dominated, and women middle and top managers make up less than 10% of the workforce at these management levels. There is therefore an obvious lack of parity in this sector. Spanish regulation at present supports and promotes gender parity in different sectors including the logistics industry. Our article uses as a basis the fifth Sustainable Development Goal, “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. Twenty-four female middle and top managers of the logistics sector were interviewed via a questionnaire of 52 questions. The research for this study was based on Avery and Bergsteiner’s 2011 Honeybee and Locust Sustainable Leadership Model and strived to determine how female middle and top managers in the logistics sector in Spain perceived leadership in their workplace and whether these perceptions were aligned with Avery and Bergsteiner’s sustainability leadership model. Findings showed interesting results, indicating that the Spanish logistics industry seemed to be a mixture of bee- and locust-type leadership. Respondents agreed that organizations were not very open to knowledge sharing and indicated that there is still a considerable need for improvement with regard to leadership practices in the logistics sector. Finally, our study is innovative in the sense that sustainable leadership and gender equality are two elements that have not been researched together.
The Psychology of Sharing: Multigroup Analysis among Users and Non-Users of Carsharing
Authors: Ramos Érika Martins Silva , Bergstad Cecilia Jakobsson
Published: June 2021

The present study investigates the determinants of intention to use carsharing services by an integrated model of psychological predictors of travel behavior. The model proposed is tested by multigroup confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) in structural equation modeling (SEM) with further discussion about analysis of invariance and its relevance for comparisons between groups. The sample was classified into four groups: Italian users, Italian non-users, Swedish users, and Swedish non-users of carsharing. The users were respondents who have used or are currently using carsharing, while non-users reported never using the carsharing services. The analysis of data from 6072 respondents revealed that control was the main predictor of intention to use carsharing; driving habits had stronger negative effects for users of carsharing than for non-users; subjective norms positively predicted the intention to use carsharing among all groups; trust was a predictor of intention only for the Italian groups; and climate morality had a small negative effect on the Swedish groups only. The outcomes of this investigation will increase the knowledge about the use of carsharing and help to identify the behavioral and psychological factors that primarily influence people’s intention to use it.
A Study in Reducing Cockling of Chinese Hanging Scrolls
Authors: Shyu Jiann-Gwo , Yu Shih-Tsung , Perng Yuan-Shing
Published: June 2021

In this study, we attempted to investigate factors affecting the cockling of Chinese hanging scrolls from several practical aspects. From the experimental results, we found that artworks become more stable if they remain attached to a drying board for more than a month. After 3 months, they are nearly completely unaffected by changes in atmospheric humidity in the display space. Trimming the mounting silk in a direction either parallel or perpendicular to the weft makes a difference in the degree of cockling. If the lateral sides and top and bottom weft are perpendicular to the artwork height, the mounted artwork will cockle more than twice as much as when the weft of the painting as well as the top, bottom, and side borders are cut in the same direction. Artwork with a dry last backing mount will cockle less and have a more-uniform cockle height than that with a seated last backing mount. Regardless of whether a dry or seated backing mount is used, artwork that is attached to a drying board a second time will cockle less than one attached to a drying board only once. Waxing and stone polishing can also reduce the degree of cockling.
A Revised Systematic Layout Planning to Fit Disabled Workers Contexts
Authors: Micheli Guido J. L. , Rampoldi Annamaria , Baccanti Fabrizio
Published: June 2021

Some people may be disadvantaged on the labor market because of their lower productivity; still, they have the same right to be employed as any other citizen. Social cooperatives employ disabled workers who are trained and supported in developing their abilities through individualized paths and targeted techniques. For the cooperatives to survive on the labor market, an improvement of management procedures and internal organization is required. To achieve this result, an optimal arrangement of activities must be determined to streamline the production processes, which is why Systematic Layout Planning (SLP) has been modified and adapted to fit disabled workers contexts. The factors of social cooperatives influencing the layout study have been determined and introduced into the classic SLP; the new methodology has been applied at L’Iride, a social cooperative developed through the years. The new layout has shown an improvement in space saturation of 219.2% and 197.5% considering the years 2019 and 2020. This paper provides social cooperatives with a revised SLP, including social factors, to enhance the disabled workers situation.
Intra-Block Correlation Based Reversible Data Hiding in Encrypted Images Using Parametric Binary Tree Labeling
Authors: Rai Arun Kumar , Kumar Neeraj , Kumar Rajeev , Om Hari , Chand Satish , Jung Ki-Hyun
Published: June 2021

In this paper, a high capacity reversible data hiding technique using a parametric binary tree labeling scheme is proposed. The proposed parametric binary tree labeling scheme is used to label a plaintext image’s pixels as two different categories, regular pixels and irregular pixels, through a symmetric or asymmetric process. Regular pixels are only utilized for secret payload embedding whereas irregular pixels are not utilized. The proposed technique efficiently exploits intra-block correlation, based on the prediction mean of the block by symmetry or asymmetry. Further, the proposed method utilizes blocks that are selected for their pixel correlation rather than exploiting all the blocks for secret payload embedding. In addition, the proposed scheme enhances the encryption performance by employing standard encryption techniques, unlike other block based reversible data hiding in encrypted images. Experimental results show that the proposed technique maximizes the embedding rate in comparison to state-of-the-art reversible data hiding in encrypted images, while preserving privacy of the original contents.
ICLSTM: Encrypted Traffic Service Identification Based on Inception-LSTM Neural Network
Authors: Lu Bei , Luktarhan Nurbol , Ding Chao , Zhang Wenhui
Published: June 2021

The wide application of encryption technology has made traffic classification gradually become a major challenge in the field of network security. Traditional methods such as machine learning, which rely heavily on feature engineering and others, can no longer fully meet the needs of encrypted traffic classification. Therefore, we propose an Inception-LSTM(ICLSTM) traffic classification method in this paper to achieve encrypted traffic service identification. This method converts traffic data into common gray images, and then uses the constructed ICLSTM neural network to extract key features and perform effective traffic classification. To alleviate the problem of category imbalance, different weight parameters are set for each category separately in the training phase to make it more symmetrical for different categories of encrypted traffic, and the identification effect is more balanced and reasonable. The method is validated on the public ISCX 2016 dataset, and the results of five classification experiments show that the accuracy of the method exceeds 98% for both regular encrypted traffic service identification and VPN encrypted traffic service identification. At the same time, this deep learning-based classification method also greatly simplifies the difficulty of traffic feature extraction work.
AdvAndMal: Adversarial Training for Android Malware Detection and Family Classification
Authors: Wang Chenyue , Zhang Linlin , Zhao Kai , Ding Xuhui , Wang Xusheng
Published: June 2021

In recent years, Android malware has continued to evolve against detection technologies, becoming more concealed and harmful, making it difficult for existing models to resist adversarial sample attacks. At the current stage, the detection result is no longer the only criterion for evaluating the pros and cons of the model with its algorithms, it is also vital to take the model’s defensive ability against adversarial samples into consideration. In this study, we propose a general framework named AdvAndMal, which consists of a two-layer network for adversarial training to generate adversarial samples and improve the effectiveness of the classifiers in Android malware detection and family classification. The adversarial sample generation layer is composed of a conditional generative adversarial network called pix2pix, which can generate malware variants to extend the classifiers’ training set, and the malware classification layer is trained by RGB image visualized from the sequence of system calls. To evaluate the adversarial training effect of the framework, we propose the robustness coefficient, a symmetric interval i = [−1, 1], and conduct controlled experiments on the dataset to measure the robustness of the overall framework for the adversarial training. Experimental results on 12 families with the largest number of samples in the Drebin dataset show that the accuracy of the overall framework is increased from 0.976 to 0.989, and its robustness coefficient is increased from 0.857 to 0.917, which proves the effectiveness of the adversarial training method.
Late Relapse and Reinfection in HCV Patients Treated with Direct-Acting Antiviral (DAA) Drugs
Authors: Minosse Claudia , Gruber Cesare E. M. , Rueca Martina , Taibi Chiara , Zaccarelli Mauro , Grilli Elisabetta , Montalbano Marzia , Capobianchi Maria R. , Antinori Andrea , D’Offizi Gianpiero , McPhee Fiona , Garbuglia Anna Rosa
Published: June 2021

The risk of hepatitis C virus (HCV) recurrence after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment is <0.5%. However, the distinction between HCV RNA late relapse and reinfection still represents a challenge in virological diagnostics. The aim of this study was to employ next-generation sequencing (NGS) to investigate HCV RNA recurrence in patients achieving a sustained virologic response (SVR) at least six months post-treatment. NGS was performed on plasma samples from six HCV-positive patients (Pt1–6) treated with DAA. NGS of HCV NS5B was analyzed before treatment (T0), after HCV RNA rebound (T1), and, for Pt3, after a second rebound (T2). Reinfection was confirmed for Pt5, and for the first rebound observed in Pt3. Conversely, viral relapse was observed when comparing T0 and T1 for Pt6 and T1 and T2 for Pt3. Z-scores were calculated and used to predict whether HCV-positive patient samples at different time points belonged to the same quasispecies population. A low Z-score of <2.58 confirmed that viral quasispecies detected at T0 and T1 were closely related for both Pt1 and Pt2, while the Z-score for Pt4 was suggestive of possible reinfection. NGS data analyses indicate that the Z-score may be a useful parameter for distinguishing late relapse from reinfection.