bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proposed Orbital Products for Positioning Using Mega-Constellation LEO Satellites
Authors: Wang Kan , El-Mowafy Ahmed
Published: October 2020

With thousands of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to be launched in the near future, LEO mega-constellations are supposed to significantly change the positioning and navigation service for ground users. The goal of this contribution is to suggest and discuss the feasibility of possible procedures to generate the LEO orbital products at two accuracy levels to facilitate different positioning methods—i.e., Level A orbits with meter-level accuracy as LEO-specific broadcast ephemeris, and Level B orbits with an accuracy of centimeters as polynomial corrections based on Level A orbits. Real data of the LEO satellite GRACE FO-1 are used for analyzing the error budgets. For the Level A products, compared to the orbital user range errors (OUREs) of a few centimeters introduced by the ephemeris fitting, it was found that the orbital prediction errors play the dominant role in the total error budget—i.e., at around 0.1, 0.2 and 1 m for prediction intervals of 1, 2 and 6 h, respectively. For the Level B products, the predicted orbits within a short period of up to 60 s have an OURE of a few centimeters, while the polynomial fitting OUREs can be reduced by a few millimeters when increasing the polynomial degree from one to two.
On the Long-Period Accuracy Behavior of Inductive and Low-Power Instrument Transformers
Authors: Mingotti Alessandro , Bartolomei Lorenzo , Peretto Lorenzo , Tinarelli Roberto
Published: October 2020

The accuracy evaluation of instrument transformers is always a key task when proper control and management of the power network is required. In particular, accuracy becomes a critical aspect when the grid or the instrumentation itself is operating at conditions different from the rated ones. However, before focusing on the above non-rated conditions, it is important to fully understand the instrument transformer behavior at rated conditions. To this end, this work analyzed the accuracy behavior of legacy, inductive, and low-power voltage transformers over long periods of time. The aim was to find patterns and correlations that may be of help during the modelling or the output prediction of voltage transformers. From the results, the main differences between low-power and inductive voltage transformers were pointed out and described in detail.
Tests of Belt Linear Speed for Identification of Frictional Contact Phenomena
Authors: Bortnowski Piotr , Gladysiewicz Lech , Krol Robert , Ozdoba Maksymilian
Published: October 2020

In the locations where driving forces are transmitted, the changing tensile forces cause rapid elastic deformations of the belt. The deformation changes the belt speed. Measurement of the belt speed on the friction contact sections is essential to identify elastic slippage. However, the scale of the phenomenon is small, so it is necessary to use precise measuring equipment. The article presents measurements of the linear belt speed with the use of various sensors and measuring devices. A measurement error was determined for each of the presented measurement methods. The method with the highest accuracy was used to identify the elastic slippage on the drive pulley.
Parkinson’s Disease Tremor Detection in the Wild Using Wearable Accelerometers
Authors: San-Segundo Rubén , Zhang Ada , Cebulla Alexander , Panev Stanislav , Tabor Griffin , Stebbins Katelyn , Massa Robyn E. , Whitford Andrew , de la Torre Fernando , Hodgins Jessica
Published: October 2020

Continuous in-home monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) symptoms might allow improvements in assessment of disease progression and treatment effects. As a first step towards this goal, we evaluate the feasibility of a wrist-worn wearable accelerometer system to detect PD tremor in the wild (uncontrolled scenarios). We evaluate the performance of several feature sets and classification algorithms for robust PD tremor detection in laboratory and wild settings. We report results for both laboratory data with accurate labels and wild data with weak labels. The best performance was obtained using a combination of a pre-processing module to extract information from the tremor spectrum (based on non-negative factorization) and a deep neural network for learning relevant features and detecting tremor segments. We show how the proposed method is able to predict patient self-report measures, and we propose a new metric for monitoring PD tremor (i.e., percentage of tremor over long periods of time), which may be easier to estimate the start and end time points of each tremor event while still providing clinically useful information.
Micromagnetic Simulations of Submicron Vortex Structures for the Detection of Superparamagnetic Labels
Authors: Wetterau Lukas , Abert Claas , Suess Dieter , Albrecht Manfred , Witzigmann Bernd
Published: October 2020

We present a numerical investigation on the detection of superparamagnetic labels using a giant magnetoresistance (GMR) vortex structure. For this purpose, the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation was solved numerically applying an external z-field for the activation of the superparamagnetic label. Initially, the free layer’s magnetization change due to the stray field of the label is simulated. The electric response of the GMR sensor is calculated by applying a self-consistent spin-diffusion model to the precomputed magnetization configurations. It is shown that the soft-magnetic free layer reacts on the stray field of the label by shifting the magnetic vortex orthogonally to the shift direction of the label. As a consequence, the electric potential of the GMR sensor changes significantly for label shifts parallel or antiparallel to the pinning of the fixed layer. Depending on the label size and its distance to the sensor, the GMR sensor responds, changing the electric potential from 26.6 mV to 28.3 mV.
Design and Evaluation of LYSO/SiPM LIGHTENING PET Detector with DTI Sampling Method
Authors: Deng Zhenzhou , Deng Yushan , Chen Guandong
Published: October 2020

Positron emission tomography (PET) has a wide range of applications in the treatment and prevention of major diseases owing to its high sensitivity and excellent resolution. However, there is still much room for optimization in the readout circuit and fast pulse sampling to further improve the performance of the PET scanner. In this work, a LIGHTENING® PET detector using a 13 × 13 lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate (LYSO) crystal array read out by a 6 × 6 silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) array was developed. A novel sampling method, referred to as the dual time interval (DTI) method, is therefore proposed to realize digital acquisition of fast scintillation pulse. A semi-cut light guide was designed, which greatly improves the resolution of the edge region of the crystal array. The obtained flood histogram shown that all the 13 × 13 crystal pixels can be clearly discriminated. The optimum operating conditions for the detector were obtained by comparing the flood histogram quality under different experimental conditions. An average energy resolution (FWHM) of 14.3% and coincidence timing resolution (FWHM) of 972 ps were measured. The experimental results demonstrated that the LIGHTENING® PET detector achieves extremely high resolution which is suitable for the development of a high performance time-of-flight PET scanner.
Cognitive and Affective Assessment of Navigation and Mobility Tasks for the Visually Impaired via Electroencephalography and Behavioral Signals
Authors: Lupu Robert-Gabriel , Mitruț Oana , Stan Andrei , Ungureanu Florina , Kalimeri Kyriaki , Moldoveanu Alin
Published: October 2020

This paper presented the assessment of cognitive load (as an effective real-time index of task difficulty) and the level of brain activation during an experiment in which eight visually impaired subjects performed two types of tasks while using the white cane and the Sound of Vision assistive device with three types of sensory input—audio, haptic, and multimodal (audio and haptic simultaneously). The first task was to identify object properties and the second to navigate and avoid obstacles in both the virtual environment and real-world settings. The results showed that the haptic stimuli were less intuitive than the audio ones and that the navigation with the Sound of Vision device increased cognitive load and working memory. Visual cortex asymmetry was lower in the case of multimodal stimulation than in the case of separate stimulation (audio or haptic). There was no correlation between visual cortical activity and the number of collisions during navigation, regardless of the type of navigation or sensory input. The visual cortex was activated when using the device, but only for the late-blind users. For all the subjects, the navigation with the Sound of Vision device induced a low negative valence, in contrast with the white cane navigation.
A Novel Bilinear Feature and Multi-Layer Fused Convolutional Neural Network for Tactile Shape Recognition
Authors: Chu Jie , Cai Jueping , Song He , Zhang Yuxin , Wei Linyu
Published: October 2020

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) can automatically learn features from pressure information, and some studies have applied CNNs for tactile shape recognition. However, the limited density of the sensor and its flexibility requirement lead the obtained tactile images to have a low-resolution and blurred. To address this issue, we propose a bilinear feature and multi-layer fused convolutional neural network (BMF-CNN). The bilinear calculation of the feature improves the feature extraction capability of the network. Meanwhile, the multi-layer fusion strategy exploits the complementarity of different layers to enhance the feature utilization efficiency. To validate the proposed method, a 26 class letter-shape tactile image dataset with complex edges was constructed. The BMF-CNN model achieved a 98.64% average accuracy of tactile shape. The results show that BMF-CNN can deal with tactile shapes more effectively than traditional CNN and artificial feature methods.
Innovative Apparatus for Testing Filtration, Sorption and CO2/CH4 Exchange Sorption Processes Under Isobaric Conditions on Sorbent Subjected to Confining Pressure in Terms of Laboratory Tests of CO2-ECBM Technology
Authors: Kudasik Mateusz , Skoczylas Norbert , Pajdak Anna
Published: October 2020

In recent years, the interest in the sorption properties of coal in conditions corresponding to in situ has increased due to the continuous development of research on CO2-ECBM (Enhanced Coal Bed Methane recovery) technology. In order to gain a better insight into a number of phenomena related to filtration, sorption and CO2/CH4 exchange sorption occurring in coal loaded with confining pressure, which corresponds to the in situ conditions, an innovative research apparatus was built to enable temporal and spatial analysis of these phenomena. The constructed apparatus consists of three systems: a high-pressure system, a gas injection system and a gas emission system. The work presents the results of basic apparatus tests, which were aimed at checking its correct operation and determining its specifications. These tests involved carrying out trial measurements of methane (CH4) filtration processes, CH4 sorption and CO2/CH4 exchange sorption on a coal sample. The results of the tests showed among other things that the apparatus ensured the regulation of the confining pressure in the range of 0.1–40 MPa, the regulation of the pressure at the inlet and outlet of the sample in the range of 0.1–1.6 MPa and 0.1–1.0 MPa and the measurement of changes in the sample volume in the range of 0–7.85 cm3. The results of the tests confirmed the correct functioning of the constructed apparatus.
Demonstration of a Filterless, Multi-Point, and Temperature-Independent Fiber Bragg Grating Dynamical Demodulator Using Pulse-Width Modulation
Authors: Rosolem Joao B. , Argentato Marcio C. , Bassan Fábio R. , Penze Rivael S. , Floridia Claudio , Silva Artur de A. , Vasconcelos Deleon , Ramos Junior Marcelo A.
Published: October 2020

We demonstrated in this work a filterless, multi-point and temperature-independent FBG (fiber Bragg grating) dynamical demodulator using pulse-width-modulation (PWM). In this approach, the FBG interrogation system is composed of a tunable laser and a demodulator that is designed to detect the wavelength shift of the FBG sensor without any optical filter making it very suitable to be used in harsh environments. In this work, we applied the proposed method that uses the PWM technique for FBG sensors placed in high pressure and high-temperature environments. The proposed method was characterized in the laboratory using an FBG sensor modulated in a frequency of 6 Hz, with a 1 kHz sweeping frequency in the wavelength range from 1527 to 1534 nm. Also, the method was evaluated in a field test in an engine of a thermoelectric power plant.
Impact-Driven Energy Harvesting: Piezoelectric Versus Triboelectric Energy Harvesters
Authors: Thainiramit Panu , Yingyong Phonexai , Isarakorn Don
Published: October 2020

This work investigated the mechanical and electrical behaviors of piezoelectric and triboelectric energy harvesters (PEHs and TEHs, respectively) as potential devices for harvesting impact-driven energy. PEH and TEH test benches were designed and developed, aiming at harvesting low-frequency mechanical vibration generated by human activities, for example, a floor-tile energy harvester actuated by human footsteps. The electrical performance and behavior of these energy harvesters were evaluated and compared in terms of absolute energy and power densities that they provided and in terms of these energy and power densities normalized to unit material cost. Several aspects related to the design and development of PEHs and TEHs as the energy harvesting devices were investigated, covering the following topics: construction and mechanism of the energy harvesters; electrical characteristics of the fabricated piezoelectric and triboelectric materials; and characterization of the energy harvesters. At a 4 mm gap width between the cover plate and the stopper (the mechanical actuation components of both energy harvesters) and a cover plate pressing frequency of 2 Hz, PEH generated 27.64 mW, 1.90 mA, and 14.39 V across an optimal resistive load of 7.50 kΩ, while TEH generated 1.52 mW, 8.54 µA, and 177.91 V across an optimal resistive load of 21 MΩ. The power and energy densities of PEH (4.57 mW/cm3 and 475.13 µJ/cm3) were higher than those of TEH (0.50 mW/cm3, and 21.55 µJ/cm3). However, when the material cost is taken into account, TEH provided higher power and energy densities per unit cost. Hence, it has good potential for upscaling, and is considered well worth the investment. The advantages and disadvantages of PEH and TEH are also highlighted as main design factors.
TADILOF: Time Aware Density-Based Incremental Local Outlier Detection in Data Streams
Authors: Huang Jen-Wei , Zhong Meng-Xun , Jaysawal Bijay Prasad
Published: October 2020

Outlier detection in data streams is crucial to successful data mining. However, this task is made increasingly difficult by the enormous growth in the quantity of data generated by the expansion of Internet of Things (IoT). Recent advances in outlier detection based on the density-based local outlier factor (LOF) algorithms do not consider variations in data that change over time. For example, there may appear a new cluster of data points over time in the data stream. Therefore, we present a novel algorithm for streaming data, referred to as time-aware density-based incremental local outlier detection (TADILOF) to overcome this issue. In addition, we have developed a means for estimating the LOF score, termed "approximate LOF," based on historical information following the removal of outdated data. The results of experiments demonstrate that TADILOF outperforms current state-of-the-art methods in terms of AUC while achieving similar performance in terms of execution time. Moreover, we present an application of the proposed scheme to the development of an air-quality monitoring system.
Twelve-Year Analysis of NO2 Concentration Measurements at Belisario Station (Quito, Ecuador) Using Statistical Inference Techniques
Authors: Hernandez Wilmar , Mendez Alfredo
Published: October 2020

In this paper, a robust analysis of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration measurements taken at Belisario station (Quito, Ecuador) was performed. The data used for the analysis constitute a set of measurements taken from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2019. Furthermore, the analysis was carried out in a robust way, defining variables that represent years, months, days and hours, and classifying these variables based on estimates of the central tendency and dispersion of the data. The estimators used here were classic, nonparametric, based on a bootstrap method, and robust. Additionally, confidence intervals based on these estimators were built, and these intervals were used to categorize the variables under study. The results of this research showed that the NO2 concentration at Belisario station is not harmful to humans. Moreover, it was shown that this concentration tends to be stable across the years, changes slightly during the days of the week, and varies greatly when analyzed by months and hours of the day. Here, the precision provided by both nonparametric and robust statistical methods served to comprehensively proof the aforementioned. Finally, it can be concluded that the city of Quito is progressing on the right path in terms of improving air quality, because it has been shown that there is a decreasing tendency in the NO2 concentration across the years. In addition, according to the Quito Air Quality Index, most of the observations are in either the desirable level or acceptable level of air pollution, and the number of observations that are in the desirable level of air pollution increases across the years.
Improved Design via Simulation of Micro-Modified PVDF and Its Copolymer Energy Harvester with High Electrical Outputs
Authors: Liu Yizhi , Huang Ziyu , Liu Chen
Published: October 2020

In this work, micro-modified polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and its copolymer poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE)) with salient enhancement in current output are demonstrated. The influence of surface-modified structure characteristics on electrical properties of energy harvester is systematically analyzed based on the finite element method. For vertical load mode, eight structures consisting of banded and disjunctive groups are compared to evaluate the voltage performance. The cylinder is proved to be the best structure of 3.25 V, compared to the pristine structure of 0.99 V (P(VDF-TrFE)). The relevant experiment has been done to verify the simulation. The relationship between radius, height, force and distance to the voltage output of the cylinder allocation is discussed. For periodical changing load mode, the cylinder modified structure shows a conspicuous enhancement in current output. The suitable resistance, current–voltage and frequency, the relationship between loading speed and current, and the ductility of current loading are studied. For 30 kHz, the peak current is 20 times larger than the flat plate structure. Tip shape mode and fusiform shape mode are found, which show the different shapes of the peak current-frequency curves. Four electrical loading circuit properties are also discussed: the suitable resistance of the system, synchronism of current and voltage, time delay nature of energy harvester and current-loading relationship. The simulation results can provide some theoretical basis for designing the energy harvester and piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG).
Sensor-Enabled Context-Aware and Pro-Active Queue Management Systems in Intelligent Environments
Authors: Klimek Radosław
Published: October 2020

Queue systems are practically used in various institutions and commercial enterprises constituting a challenge for the intelligent environments in smart cities. The management of the flow of customers guarantees the elimination or reduction of the queues as well as the economic benefits which follow the clients’ satisfaction of a better quality of service. An intelligent queue management system has been proposed which is designed as the pro-active and context-aware ecosystem based on multiple low-level sensors and devices constituting the IoT (Internet of Things) network. The designed context-driven system is characterised by user friendliness, as well as the client behaviour recognition and understanding which generate actions that support clients, establishing wealthy environments. A prototype version of the system has been proposed which has been validated by formal analysis and simulation. This prototype can be used as a necessary experience and as a reference point when building a target system and meeting requirements typical for context-aware and pro-active systems based on IoT networks which process massive data streams.
Intelligent Sensory Pen for Aiding in the Diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease from Dynamic Handwriting Analysis
Authors: Júnior Eugênio Peixoto , Delmiro Italo L. D. , Magaia Naercio , Maia Fernanda M. , Hassan Mohammad Mehedi , Albuquerque Victor Hugo C. , Fortino Giancarlo
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we propose a pen device capable of detecting specific features from dynamic handwriting tests for aiding on automatic Parkinson’s disease identification. The method used in this work uses machine learning to compare the raw signals from different sensors in the device coupled to a pen and extract relevant information such as tremors and hand acceleration to diagnose the patient clinically. Additionally, the datasets composed of raw signals from healthy and Parkinson’s disease patients acquired here are made available to further contribute to research related to this topic.
Inspiratory and Lower-Limb Strength Importance in Mountain Ultramarathon Running. Sex Differences and Relationship with Performance
Authors: Martinez-Navarro Ignacio , Montoya-Vieco Antonio , Collado Eladio , Hernando Bárbara , Hernando Carlos
Published: October 2020

The study was aimed at comparing lower-limb strength and respiratory parameters between male and female athletes and their interaction with performance in a 107 km mountain ultramarathon. Forty seven runners (29 males and 18 females; mean ± SD age: 41 ± 5 years) were enrolled. Lower-limb strength assessment comprised a squat jump test, an ankle rebound test, and an isometric strength test. Respiratory assessment included pulmonary function testing and the measurement of maximal inspiratory pressure. Male athletes performed largely better in the squat jump (26 ± 4 vs. 21 ± 3 cm; p < 0.001; d = 1.48), while no sex differences were found in the other two lower-limb tests. Concerning the respiratory parameters, male athletes showed largely greater values in pulmonary expiratory variables: forced vital capacity (5.19 ± 0.68 vs. 3.65 ± 0.52 L; p < 0.001; d = 2.53), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (4.24 ± 0.54 vs. 2.97 ± 0.39 L; p < 0.001; d = 2.69), peak expiratory flow (9.9 ± 1.56 vs. 5.89 ± 1.39 L/min; p < 0.001; d = 2.77) and maximum voluntary ventilation in 12 s (171 ± 39 vs. 108 ± 23 L/min; p < 0.001; d = 1.93); while no sex differences were identified in maximal inspiratory pressure. Race time was associated with ankle rebound test performance (r = −0.390; p = 0.027), isometric strength test performance (r = −0.349; p = 0.049) and maximal inspiratory pressure (r = −0.544; p < 0.001). Consequently, it seems that athletes competing in mountain ultramarathons may benefit from improving lower-limb isometric strength, ankle reactive strength and inspiratory muscle strength. Nevertheless, further interventional studies are required to confirm these exploratory results. In addition, the fact that the magnitude of the sex difference for isometric strength was minor, as compared with the other strength tests, could represent one of the factors explaining why the performance gap between males and females is reduced in ultramarathons.
Associations between Multimodal Fitness Assessments and Rowing Ergometer Performance in Collegiate Female Athletes
Authors: Holmes Clifton J. , Hornikel Bjoern , Sullivan Katherine , Fedewa Michael V.
Published: October 2020

The purpose was to examine the association of critical power from a three-minute all-out row (CP3-min) and peak power from a one-stroke maximum test (1-Stroke) with laboratory-based fitness assessments (peak oxygen consumption [V.O2peak] and Wingate anaerobic test [WAnT]) and 6000 m (6K) and 2000 m (2K) rowing ergometer performance. Thirty-one female collegiate rowers (20.2 ± 1.1 years, 70.9 ± 6.9 kg, and 172.2 ± 4.8 cm) participated in fitness and rowing performance testing. Pearson’s correlations, linear regression, and Cohen’s q were used to determine statistical relationships. Absolute V.O2peak values displayed significant correlations with 6Ktotal (−0.68), 6Ksplit (−0.68), 2Ktotal (−0.64), and 2Ksplit (−0.43). Relative V.O2peak displayed significant correlations with 6Ktotal (−0.36), and 6Ksplit (−0.37). CP3-min demonstrated significant correlations with 6Ktotal (−0.62), 6Ksplit (−0.62), 2Ktotal (−0.61), and 2Ksplit (−0.99). For 2Ksplit, a significant difference was observed between relative V.O2peak and CP3-min correlations with a “large” effect size (q = 2.367). Furthermore, 1-Stroke showed significant associations with 6Ktotal (−0.63), 6Ksplit (−0.63), 2Ktotal (−0.62), and 2Ksplit (−0.44), while WAnT produced non-significant correlations. Absolute V.O2peak CP3-min accounted for significant proportions of variance observed with performance measures (p < 0.05). Practitioners should consider incorporating CP3-min and 1-Stroke as additional tests for gauging rowing performance.
An Integrated Organisational Culture for Sustainable Environmental Performance in the Nigerian Context
Authors: Adebayo Olufunke P. , Worlu Rowland E. , Moses Chinonye L. , Ogunnaike Olaleke O.
Published: October 2020

To remain competitive within the present inherent business environment, there is a demand for organisations to embrace an integrated culture-behaviour for performance that enables them to adopt a critical engine for a more sustainable working environment. Organisational culture, which is a reflection of predominant valued beliefs, is expected to influence a sustainable environmental performance. Evidence abounds of several organisational activities with adverse impacts on humans and the environment. The study examines an organisation’s processes that can be incorporated as a culture to ensure a more sustainable working environment. This paper proposes the use of six organisational culture practices (core value, reporting system, task performance, clarity of roles, careful deliberations, and distinctive identity) to find out organisation values, as well as individual preferences in enhancing an immediate sustainable environment. The study selected 480 employees of Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCGs) firms who are active in their organisational work processes; 358 responded, and as such, was deemed as a valid research sample. The empirical analysis was carried out using a variance-based Structural Equation Modelling with partial least squares for the path-modelling (PLS-SEM), both for the Algorithm Model, and the Bootstrapping Model with β and p-values obtained from the findings. The findings provide empirical evidence that there is a significant level of influence of organisational culture on environmental performance. However, among the organisational practices, task performance has the least influence on environmental performance. This implies that organisations should invest more in the dimensions of organisational culture with higher performance-importance, while adequate attention should be given to variables with the least influence on the target construct of environmental performance.
Towards the Healthy Community: Residents’ Perceptions of Integrating Urban Agriculture into the Old Community Micro-Transformation in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Ma Yuan , Liang Heng , Li Han , Liao Yaping
Published: October 2020

In the renewal of old communities, one of the development directions is to improve health and enhance well-being. A healthy community includes four aspects of health, namely, healthy production, healthy lifestyle, healthy environment and ecosystem, and healthy physical and mental states of residents living in the community. Urban agriculture (UA), as a form of the community garden, is a supplementary form for the lack of production function in the urban community. It also has the potential to contribute to sustainable and resilient urban communities. This study focuses on analysing the health benefits of UA and attempts to identify old community residents’ attitudes and perceptions towards UA and understand their confusion and worry. The purpose of this study is to promote the healthy and sustainable development of old communities by integrating UA into the micro-transformation of old communities and provide planning and design strategies and community development ideas for the micro-transformation. Surveys were conducted on 10 old communities in Yuexiu district, located in Guangzhou, China. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM Statistical SPSS version 26 to obtain information on the factor structure of residents’ perceptions towards the health benefits of UA. The analysis results showed significant differences between gender groups and the status of children on old community residents’ perceptions towards general UA benefits. The main factors accounting for old community residents’ perceptions towards the health benefits of UA were environmental health benefits, physical and psychological health benefits, and community health benefits. When developing UA in old communities, co-construction and co-sharing mode, public participation mode, and promotion mode are three important development strategies. Construction location, design style, and seasonal design are also critical for the construction of UA in old communities.
Analysis of Space Usage on Train Station Platforms Based on Trajectory Data
Authors: Küpper Mira , Seyfried Armin
Published: October 2020

The functionality of railway platforms could be assessed by level of service concepts. They describe interactions between humans and the built environment and allow one to rate risks due to overcrowding. To improve existing concepts, a detailed analysis of how pedestrians use the space was performed, and new measurement and evaluation methods are introduced. Trajectories of passengers at platforms in Bern and Zurich Hardbrücke (Switzerland) were analysed. Boarding and alighting passengers show different behaviour, considering the travel paths, waiting times and mean speed. Density, speed and flow profiles were exploited and a new measure for the occupation of space is introduced. The analysis has shown that it is necessary to filter the data in order to reach a realistic assessment of the level of service. Three main factors should be considered: the time of day, the times when trains arrive and depart and the platform side. Therefore, density, speed and flow profiles were averaged over one minute and calculated depending on the train arrival. The methodology developed in this article is the basis for enhanced and more specific level of service concepts and offers the possibility to optimise planning of transportation infrastructures with regard to functionality and sustainability.
How to Shape the Employees’ Sustainable Work Attitude: The Moderating Effect of Supervisor Attitudes
Authors: Ma Hsiang-Yu , Kao Jui-Chung , Kao Rui-Hsin , Cho Cheng-Chung
Published: October 2020

Education and training not only play the key role to promote the sustainable ability of employees, but in the establishment of employees’ work attitudes as well. Moreover, leaders play an important role in promoting the effectiveness of education and training. The objectives of this study were to explore the effect of the police department’s annual subject training on the work attitudes of harbor police. This study also examined the moderating effect of supervisor attitudes on the association between police training effectiveness and police’s work attitudes in expectation to more concretely understand the role of supervisor attitudes in the harbor police’s annual subject training, to consolidate the good work attitude of the police for sustainability. The frontline police officers of Taiwan’s harbor police agency were chosen as the study population. This study adopted the convenience sampling method to conduct the questionnaire survey in August 2019. It requested for the respondents who replied to the questionnaire within 15 days after receiving the questionnaire to be considered as the first respondents. For those who replied to the questionnaire no later than one month were considered as the second respondents. This paper collected a total of 584 questionnaires and 492 were valid. The result of this study showed that education and training had a highly positive effect on the work attitudes of police officers. Moreover, the overall attitudes of supervisors toward police education and training were found to have a significantly positive moderating effect on the association between education and training effectiveness and the police’s work attitudes. The results of this study prove the linkage between the effectiveness of education and training and the supervisor attitudes.
Knowledge of Student Teachers on Sustainable Land Use Issues–Knowledge Types Relevant for Teacher Education
Authors: Richter-Beuschel Lisa , Bögeholz Susanne
Published: October 2020

For restructuring educational processes and institutions toward Sustainable Development, teachers’ knowledge and competences are crucial. Due to the high relevance of teachers’ content knowledge, this study aimed to (i) assess Sustainable Development-relevant knowledge by differentiating between situational, conceptual and procedural knowledge, (ii) find out via item response theory modelling how these theoretically distinguished knowledge types can be empirically supported, and (iii) link the knowledge dimension(s) to related constructs. We developed a paper-and-pencil test to assess these three knowledge types (N = 314). A two-dimensional structure that combines situational and conceptual knowledge and that distinguishes situational/conceptual knowledge from procedural knowledge, fits the data best (EAP/PV situational/conceptual: 0.63; EAP/PV procedural: 0.67). Student teachers at master level outperformed bachelor level students in situational/conceptual knowledge but master level students did not differ from students at bachelor level regarding procedural knowledge. We observed only slight correlations between the two knowledge dimensions and the content-related motivational orientations of professional action competence. Student teachers’ deficits in procedural knowledge can be attributed to the small number of Education for Sustainable Development-relevant courses attended. Systematically fostering procedural knowledge in teacher education could promote achieving cognitive learning objectives associated with Sustainable Development Goals in the long term.
A Review of the Financial Value of Faecal Sludge Reuse in Low-Income Countries
Authors: Mallory Adrian , Holm Rochelle , Parker Alison
Published: October 2020

Faecal sludge reuse could promote responsible waste management and alleviate resource shortages. However, for this reuse to be carried out at scale, it needs to be financially viable. This paper reviews the financial values of resource recovery from 112 data points from 43 publications from academic and grey literature. The results found 65% of the existing literature is projected rather than being based on observed data from products in practice, with limited studies providing actual experiences of revenue in practice. Some of the estimates of the potential value were ten times those observed in data from operating businesses. Reasons for this include pricing of products against unrealistic competitors, for example, pricing briquettes against diesel fuel, or difficulties in marketing or regulation of products in practice. The most common form of reuse in practice is agricultural composting, which is also the lowest value product. Few cases were able to achieve more than $5/person/year from sludge reuse, therefore other drivers are needed to promote proper human waste disposal, including the health and dignity of citizens, but which are not easily monetised. Certification and recognition of product safety can improve the perception of value and products. Resource recovery has a limited role in the financial viability of providing Circular Economy sanitation in low-income countries. Instead, there is a need to focus on supportive policies and subsidies enabling the transition towards a Circular Economy supporting environmental quality, ecological health and human health.
Comparative Study on the Adsorption Capacities of the Three Black Phosphorus-Based Materials for Methylene Blue in Water
Authors: Wang Juanhong , Zhang Zhaocheng , He Dongyang , Yang Hao , Jin Dexin , Qu Jiao , Zhang Yanan
Published: October 2020

Dye effluent has attracted considerable attention from worldwide researchers due to its harm and toxicity in recent years; as a result, the treatment for dye has become one of the focuses in the environmental field. Adsorption has been widely applied in water treatment owing to its various advantages. However, the adsorption behaviors of the new materials, such as the 2D black phosphorus (BP), for pollution were urgently revealed and improved. In this work, BP, black phosphorene (BPR), and sulfonated BPR (BPRS) were prepared by the vapor phase deposition method, liquid-phase exfoliating method, and modification with sulfonation, respectively. The three BP-based materials were characterized and used as adsorbents for the removal of methylene blue (MB) in water. The results showed that the specific surface areas (SSAs) of BP, BPR, and BPRS were only 6.78, 6.92, and 7.72 m2·g−1, respectively. However, the maximum adsorption capacities of BP, BPR, and BPRS for MB could reach up to 84.03, 91.74, and 140.85 mg·g−1, which were higher than other reported materials with large SSAs such as graphene (GP), nanosheet/magnetite, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). In the process of BP adsorbing MB, wrinkles were generated, and the wrinkles would further induce adsorption. BPR had fewer layers (3–5), more wrinkles, and stronger adsorption capacity (91.74 mg·g−1). The interactions between the BP-based materials and MB might cause the BP-based materials to deform, i.e., to form wrinkles, thereby creating new adsorption sites between layers, and then further inducing adsorption. Although the wrinkles had a certain promotion effect, the adsorption capacity was limited, so the sulfonic acid functional group was introduced to modify BPR to increase its adsorption sites and promote the adsorption effect. These findings could provide a new viewpoint and insight on the adsorption behavior and potential application of the BP-based materials.
Sustainable Investing Model for Decision Makers (Based On Research of Manufacturing Industry in the Czech Republic)
Authors: Kocmanová Alena , Dočekalová Marie Pavláková , Meluzín Tomáš , Škapa Stanislav
Published: October 2020

Sustainable investing is an investment approach in line with the values of sustainable development and compliance with environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria. The aim of the article is to propose a sustainable investing model (SIM) to support the decision-making of responsible individual investors. The proposed model aggregates economic indicators of investment decision-making, positive and negative ESG criteria, the market value of the stock, a systematic and unsystematic risk (expressed by the capital asset pricing model (CAPM)), thus widening the investment triangle by another peak—and that is sustainability. The research methodology is based on four key areas (environmental, social, corporate governance, and economic) associated with sustainable investments, stock market value, and risk. The research methodology of structural equation models is applied for the construction of the SIM. Mathematical equations are used to apply the SIM, which expresses values, the so-called factor scores. For the classification of sustainable investments, a classification scale is created that divides investments into three groups: above-average, average, and below-average. The SIM comprehensively evaluates individual ESG criteria and economic areas of sustainable investments, thus assisting the investor in deciding on sustainable investments of Czech joint-stock companies in the manufacturing industry, including benchmarking with other sustainable investments.
Application of Quantitative Computer-Based Analysis for Student’s Learning Tendency on the Efficient Utilization of Mobile Phones during Lecture Hours
Authors: Mortazavi Mohsen , Tansu Hocanın Fatma , Davarpanah Afshin
Published: October 2020

The rapid pace of development and technology enhancements revolutionize the way people communicate and subsequently exert a considerable influence on a student’s involvement and motivation. Mobile phones are considered among the most important devices to have made a breakthrough in every aspect of human life. Students’ persistence in using mobile phones during classroom hours has become a significant concern because of distractions, disruptions, cheating, and inappropriate use. The objective of this paper is to identify the reasons why students use mobile phones during lecture hours by quantitative computer-based analysis. The participants were 520 undergraduate students who completed a questionnaire that is significantly based on the comparison of three principal perceptions of age, gender, and grades. To investigate the reliability of the proposed factors, Cronbach’s alpha parameter was adequately utilized in this study to check the consistency adaptation of these factors and to provide questions on the questionnaire. To validate the measurement scales, qualitative content validity was taken into consideration. The analysis of the correlation matrix that is based on the six administered variables in this study has been conducted in the statistic correlation level of 0.01, which is ranged from 0.043 to 0.601. Although no statistically significant differences were found in the students’ perception regarding their gender and age, the differences were significant regarding their grades as far as the addiction reason was concerned. Consequently, the overwhelming majority of the students tended to use mobile phones during the lecture hours for class-related purposes.
Environmental Justice in the Case of the Chagos Marine Protected Area: Implications for International Social Work
Authors: Rambaree Komalsingh
Published: October 2020

Between the late 1960s and the early 1970s, the British government forcibly removed about 15,000 Chagossians from the Chagos Archipelago. Current legislation based on the declaration of the Chagos-Marine Protected Area (MPA) plays a crucial role in preventing the Chagossians from returning to their homeland. In this particular case study, the article aims to analyze discourses related to the establishment of the Chagos-MPA using an environmental justice framework, to consider the implications for international social work practice. Materials from court rulings, official government reports, and academic/journalist publications on the MPA, as well as from seven semi-structured interviews with key informants from three Chagossian communities based in Mauritius, Seychelles, and the United Kingdom were analyzed using ATLAS-ti 8.4 software. The main findings of the deductive critical discourse analysis are discussed concerning substantive, distributive, and procedural environmental justice for the Chagossian community (This term is used for referring different Chagossian communities from Mauritius, Seychelles, and the United Kingdom as a single homogenous group). This article calls for international social work interventions through transnational alliances between international organizations in challenging the socio-political forces that are having deleterious impacts upon the marginalized and disenfranchised populations and their biophysical environment.
Using Group Model Building to Foster Learning for Strategic Sustainable Development
Authors: Watz Matilda
Published: October 2020

Capability for strategic planning and decision-making toward sustainability requires both individuals and organizations from different sectors and disciplines to develop necessary skills and competencies. Therefore, a growing discussion has emerged within academia and practice around how pedagogical methods and tools can be utilized for this purpose. This paper seeks to contribute to this discussion by asking ‘in which way may group model building be used to foster learning that leads to competency for strategic sustainable development?’. The potential of the group model building (GMB) process’ steps and associated modeling to foster learning for strategic sustainable development (SSD) was analyzed using four case examples. Theory on learning for sustainability and key sustainability competencies were linked to elements of a process for strategic planning toward sustainability within the framework for strategic sustainable development (FSSD) as a reference model. The results provide a discussion on how GMB can be utilized to foster sustainability competencies and learning for sustainability that can contribute to SSD, hence a basis for continued research and ideas for course and curriculum development.
The Role of Single End-Users and Producers on GHG Mitigation in Pakistan—A Case Study
Authors: Ahmed Waqas , Sheikh Jamil Ahmed , Kouzani Abbas Z. , Mahmud M. A. Parvez
Published: October 2020

End energy user is dependent on fossil fuel-based main-grid and contributes toward greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions. Changing its energy source will change the dynamics of the power plant, contribution towards GHG production. This case study aims to highlight the minute but positive role of a single end energy user, invisible to the main grid in GHG mitigations through photovoltaic energy source, selected among Pakistan’s top 10 most populous cities as per census 2017. Quetta is a selected city in Pakistan as the best fit location based on annual average daily solar radiations (AADSR) data retrieved from National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) meteorological data. Helioscope software is used to select −15° tilt and 180° azimuthal angles, which further increased Quetta’s AADSR value from 5.54 kWh/m2/d to 5.93 kWh/m2/d. For research significance, a realistic approach is undertaken by proper selection of solar panel type based on Quetta’s annual average temperature, load categorization, user selection and inputs from a solar energy expert. Finally, initial cost, investment and GHG mitigation analysis are carried out in RETScreen Expert software, which validates the minute but the prominent role of a single, end energy user by mitigating 122 tons of CO2 in 25-year project life span. Further, the proposed project favors end-user financially by recovering its $4501 initial cost in less than four years by effectively meeting its energy demand and saving $1195 per annum.