bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors Contributing to Efficient Forest Production in the Region of the Three-North Shelter Forest Program, China
Authors: Wang Chao , Chu Xi , Zhan Jinyan , Wang Pei , Zhang Fan , Xin Zhongling
Published: January 2020

Forests are the most important renewable resources and provide critical ecosystem services worldwide, especially the provisioning service, making a great contribution to human well-being. The Three-North Shelter Forest Program (TNSFP) is a large-scale ecological project aimed at improving ecological environments and consolidating economic construction in China through the development of artificial forests. In our study, stochastic frontier analysis was adopted to estimate forest production efficiency (FPE) by using dynamic panel data. Based on the FPE of 13 provinces located within the TNSFP region during the period 2000–2016, the effects of the natural and socioeconomic influencing factors on FPE were further explored by using the Tobit regression model. The estimated results confirmed the validity of the constructed model and revealed an increasing trend of the mean annual FPE value, which ranged from 0.3147 in 2000 to 0.5681 in 2016. The FPE was declining from the eastern region to the western region in 2000. However, this spatial distribution characteristic changed enormously in 2016; regions with low FPE were in the center of the TNSFP region, surrounded by the regions with high FPE. Moreover, the following factors positively influenced FPE: average temperature (1.4476), total annual rainfall (0.0800), per capita GDP (0.0882), the education levels of forestry employees (0.2120), the number of forest technology stations in townships (0.0149), and disease and pest control areas (0.0190). However, the impacts of the policy relating to the Natural Forest Protection Program on FPE were insignificant. These influencing factors had differential effects on FPE within the TNSFP’s three sub-regions during the period 2000–2016. These findings can contribute to more efficient forest management and strengthen resource and environment management.
Analysis of the Behaviors of Polish Consumers in Relation to Food Waste
Authors: Bilska Beata , Tomaszewska Marzena , Kołożyn-Krajewska Danuta
Published: January 2020

Food waste occurs at all stages of the food chain, but it is households in developed countries that have the largest share in the production of food waste. In order to develop and implement effective programs to combat consumers throwing away food, the factors that determine food waste in a household must first be known. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of food waste by Polish consumers and identify the effect of demographics on the respondents’ behavior related to food management. The results show that factors such as age, gender, place of residence, and education influence consumer behavior in terms of food management at home. It was found that young people and those with university-level education were more likely to buy unplanned products and waste food. The causes of the risk of wasting food were identified and their frequency determined. The most common causes for the risk of food waste include food being spoiled, missing the expiry date, and failure to arrange food in cabinets according to the expiry date. Bread was the most frequently wasted product, especially by young respondents.
Understanding the Relation between BIM Application Behavior and Sustainable Construction: A Case Study in China
Authors: Zhang Lei , Chu Zhenwei , Song Huanbin
Published: January 2020

Building information modeling (BIM) is based on 3D models for collaborative management of information, which leads the innovative development of information transformation in the construction industry. In recent years, sustainable construction has become a hot topic in construction research. With the concept of sustainable development, this type of construction advocates for the sustainable optimization of construction models and processes. A person’s good behavior can bring enormous potential, which is critical for the promotion of new technology in new areas. Nowadays, the integration of BIM technology and sustainable construction has increasingly attracted attention in the industry of construction. But many issues and gaps still exist when using them. The aim of this study is to investigate the intrinsic relationship between BIM application and sustainable construction from the perspective of user application behavior, and to reveal the key influential factors of BIM application behavior in order to improve the application efficiency of BIM in sustainable construction. Specifically, the present study builds a theoretical model by integrating the theory of planned behavior and BIM application. Based on a questionnaire survey of 353 BIM users, we conducted an empirical analysis using the structural equation model method. The results showed that the perceived usefulness and ease of use of BIM technology are the key influential factors in behavior attitude. BIM behavior intention, actual behavior, and behavior attitude have a positive effect on sustainable construction. Ultimately, practical support is provided for the effective integration of BIM with sustainable construction in China.
Priorities of Urban Transport System Stakeholders According to Crowd Logistics Solutions in City Areas. A Sustainability Perspective
Authors: Szmelter-Jarosz Agnieszka , Rześny-Cieplińska Jagienka
Published: January 2020

This article presents assessment results for the priorities of different urban logistics stakeholders in order to launch crowd logistics (CL) solutions within a city area. Additionally, this analysis was conducted by using various dimensions of sustainable city development. The unique character of this study lies in presenting the priorities of the interviewed stakeholders. Therefore, the purpose of this publication is to analyze the priorities of various stakeholders in relation to the introduction of CL solutions within a city area. The reason for such analysis is the rapid development of a large number of sharing-economy initiatives, including services. For this study, a few methods were used to achieve the research goal. Firstly, text mining and text analysis methods were implemented to analyze the opinions of the interviewees. Then, two chi-square tests allowed us to determine whether the groups of stakeholders are statistically different or not. Finally, the AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and DEMATEL (decision making trial and evaluation laboratory) methods were applied in order to define the priorities of the stakeholders. The needs of particular groups of respondents were derived from the interview based on the questionnaire. The results of the analysis allow for defining the demand characteristics for CL solutions by presenting the areas that are crucial for particular groups of stakeholders.
Sustainability Assessment Using Economic Value Added
Authors: Jankalová Miriam , Kurotová Jana
Published: January 2020

Sustainability assessments should be based on financial and non-financial indicators. To describe the financial situation of companies and to calculate the actual economic profit of a company, the Economic Value Added methodology appears as a suitable solution. The aim of the paper is to apply the Economic Value Added methodology to real-life corporate data and present the company’s value through a case study. This study is based on information that was gathered through an extensive literature review (research publications and research studies (documents) about sustainability, corporate social responsibility, Sustainable Value concept, and Economic Value Added (EVA) methodology; and the company’s financial statements with notes of the selected company) using Internet and research databases and the author’s own experience. Methods of analysis, comparison, selection, abstraction, induction, deduction, determination, and statistics were used. In addition to the positives, this evaluation method also has negatives, including limitations (problems) in measuring a company’s value.
The Development Simulation of Urban Green Space System Layout Based on the Land Use Scenario: A Case Study of Xuchang City, China
Authors: Liu Jie , Zhang Lang , Zhang Qingping
Published: January 2020

The development and evolution of an urban green space system is affected by both natural effects and human intervention. The simulation and prediction of an urban green space system can enhance the foresight of urban planning. In this study, several land use change scenarios of the main urban area of Xuchang City were simulated from 2014 to 2030 based on high-resolution land use data. The layout of each scenario was evaluated using landscape indexes. A Cellular Automata–based method (i.e., future land use simulation, FLUS) was applied to develop the urban green space system, which we combined with urban land use evolution. Using recent data, the FLUS model effectively dealt with the uncertainty and complexity of various land use types under natural and human effects and solved the dependence and error transmission of multiperiod data in the traditional land use simulation process. The root mean square error (RMSE) of probability of the suitability occurrence module and the Kappa coefficient of the overall model simulation accuracy verification index both met accuracy requirements. It was feasible to combine the evolution of the urban green space system with urban land development. Moreover, under the Baseline Scenario, the urban land use layout was relatively scattered, and the urban green space system showed a disordered development trend. The Master Plan Scenario had a compact urban land use layout, and the green space system was characterized by networking and systematization, but it did not consider the service capacity of the green space. The Planning Guidance Scenario introduced constraint conditions (i.e., a spatial development strategy, green space accessibility, and ecological sensitivity), which provided a more intensive and efficient urban space and improved the service function of the green space system layout. Managers and planners can evaluate the urban future land use development mode under different constraints. Moreover, they would be able to adjust the urban planning in the implementation process. This work has transformed the technical nature of the planning work from “static results” to a “dynamic process”.
Effects of Inter-Basin Water Transfer on Water Flow Condition of Destination Basin
Authors: Tien Bui Dieu , Talebpour Asl Dawood , Ghanavati Ezatolla , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Khezri Saeed , Chapi Kamran , Amini Ata , Thai Pham Binh
Published: January 2020

In recent years, the intensification of drought and unsustainable management and use of water resources have caused a significant decline in the water level of the Urmia Lake in the northwest of Iran. This condition has affected the lake, approaching an irreversible point such that many projects have been implemented and are being implemented to save the natural condition of the Urmia Lake, among which the inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) project from the Zab River to the lake could be considered an important project. The main aim of this research is the evaluation of the IBWT project effects on the Gadar destination basin. Simulations of the geometrical properties of the river, including the bed and flow, have been performed, and the land cover and flood map were overlapped in order to specify the areas prone to flood after implementing the IBWT project. The results showed that with the implementation of this project, the discharge of the Gadar River was approximately tripled and the water level of the river rose 1 m above the average. In April, May, and June, about 952.92, 1458.36, and 731.43 ha of land adjacent to the river (floodplain) will be inundated by flood, respectively. Results also indicated that UNESCO’s criteria No. 3 (“a comprehensive environmental impact assessment must indicate that the project will not substantially degrade the environmental quality within the area of origin or the area of delivery”) and No. 5 (“the net benefits from the transfer must be shared equitably between the area of origin and the area of water delivery”) have been violated by implementing this project in the study area. The findings could help the local government and other decision-makers to better understand the effects of the IBWT projects on the physical and hydrodynamic processes of the Gadar River as a destination basin.
Second Use Value of China’s New Energy Vehicle Battery: A View Based on Multi-Scenario Simulation
Authors: Zhang Lei , Liu Yingqi , Pang Beibei , Sun Bingxiang , Kokko Ari
Published: January 2020

Nowadays, many countries are actively seeking ways to solve the energy crisis and environmental pollution. New Energy Vehicle (NEV) has become an important way to solve these problems. With the rapid development of NEV, its batteries need to be replaced with new batteries after 5–8 years. Therefore, whether the second use of NEV’s battery has commercial or social value becomes a research hotspot. The innovation of this paper is to use the cost-benefit method to determine the value influencing factors of NEV’s battery second use, and use system dynamics to perform scenario simulation analysis. The methods used in this paper are the cost-benefit method and system dynamics method. Firstly, this paper systematically analyzes the cost and benefit factors that affect the second use value of China’s NEV batteries and uses system dynamics to establish the relationship and value model among various factors. Then, this paper compares the value of battery energy storage between old batteries and new batteries. According to the cost-income factor analysis, this paper eventually selects specific factors and uses VENSIM software to carry out the multi-scenario simulation. The results show that NEV’s battery second use has commercial and social value compared to new battery energy storage. Moreover, battery cost, government subsidies, and electricity prices are three important factors that affect the second use value of China’s NEV battery. Changing the government’s cash subsidy methods, such as providing free batteries or combining new energy to reduce on-grid tariffs, will help increase the second use value of the NEV battery. In the future, the second use value of China’s NEV battery industry will be more significant, with the update of the technology, the surge in the number of NEV’s used batteries, and government support.
Spatial Distribution Patterns and Ethnobotanical Knowledge of Farmland Demarcation Tree Species: A Case Study in the Niyodo River Area, Japan
Authors: Tokuoka Yoshinori , Yamasaki Fukuhiro , Kimura Kenichiro , Hashigoe Kiyokazu , Oka Mitsunori
Published: January 2020

Isolated trees in farmlands serve various ecological functions, but their distribution patterns and planting history are often unknown. Here, we examined the spatial distribution, uses, and folk nomenclature of farmland demarcation trees planted in the Niyodo River area in Japan. Hierarchical clustering using the data from 33 locations distinguished four tree composition groups characterized by the combination of Euonymus japonicus, Ligustrum obtusifolium, Deutzia crenata, and Celtis sinensis. Near the upper to middle reaches of the river, the group characterized by E. japonicus dominated. Near the middle to lower reaches, the group characterized by L. obtusifolium occurred relatively frequently. The other two groups were found sporadically near the upper to lower reaches. The locally unique plant name nezu, used for L. obtusifolium, seems to have originated from a word meaning “the tree does not sleep and keeps the watch” in Japanese. In the study area, D. crenata was one of the plant species utilized for the sticks (magozue) used in traditional funeral ceremonies, which might help to explain why local people maintain D. crenata around homesteads as a demarcation tree. These findings highlight both the commonalities and uniqueness of demarcation tree culture in different regions of Japan and contribute to deepening our understanding of agricultural heritage.
Application of Life Cycle Energy Assessment in Residential Buildings: A Critical Review of Recent Trends
Authors: Omrany Hossein , Soebarto Veronica , Sharifi Ehsan , Soltani Ali
Published: January 2020

Residential buildings are responsible for a considerable portion of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Correspondingly, many attempts have been made across the world to minimize energy consumption in this sector via regulations and building codes. The focus of these regulations has mainly been on reducing operational energy use, whereas the impacts of buildings’ embodied energy are frequently excluded. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in analyzing the energy performance of buildings via a life cycle energy assessment (LCEA) approach. The increasing amount of research has however caused the issue of a variation in results presented by LCEA studies, in which apparently similar case studies exhibited different results. This paper aims to identify the main sources of variation in LCEA studies by critically analyzing 26 studies representing 86 cases in 12 countries. The findings indicate that the current trend of LCEA application in residential buildings suffers from significant inaccuracy accruing from incomplete definitions of the system boundary, in tandem with the lack of consensus on measurements of operational and embodied energies. The findings call for a comprehensive framework through which system boundary definition for calculations of embodied and operational energies can be standardized.
Investigating Critical Non-Value Adding Activities and Their Resulting Wastes in BIM-Based Project Delivery
Authors: Liao Longhui , Teo Evelyn Ai Lin , Chang Ruidong , Li Linhui
Published: January 2020

Building information modeling (BIM) is deemed a useful innovation for technological and sustainable development of the economy. It is partially used in building projects in Singapore, although its implementation is mandated by the local government, resulting in various wastes and suboptimal productivity. Little is known about how non-value adding (NVA) BIM implementation practices were perceived by the local practitioners and how these practices affected productivity in building projects in Singapore. This study aimed to identify critical NVA BIM implementation activities and investigate the criticality of their resulting wastes to productivity performance in the current project delivery process in Singapore. The results from a questionnaire survey of 73 experts and four post-survey interviews in Singapore revealed that 38 NVA BIM implementation activities were deemed critical, among which “lack of involvement by contractors to contribute site knowledge” in the design development phase was ranked top; the top five resulting wastes with highest criticalities were reworks/abortive works, requests for information, design deficiencies, defects, and waiting/idle time. Furthermore, an independent-samples t-test was conducted to examine whether construction firms and upfront stakeholders perceived the NVA activities differently. It was discovered that most NVA activities exerted more agreement from construction firms than upfront non-construction organizations. Six strategies were proposed to mitigate the NVA activities and wastes. The findings can help practitioners identify weak areas of their BIM implementation practices and prioritize resources accordingly to eliminate the wastes and foster sustainability, as well as help overseas project teams, with minor adjustments, customize their own NVA BIM implementation activities and management strategies.
Nutrient Recapture from Insect Farm Waste: Bioconversion with Hermetia illucens (L.) (Diptera: Stratiomyidae)
Authors: Jucker Costanza , Lupi Daniela , Moore Christopher Douglas , Leonardi Maria Giovanna , Savoldelli Sara
Published: January 2020

Hermetia illucens is an efficient bioconverter able to grow on various different organic materials, producing larvae, which are a good source of protein and fat with applications in the animal feed and biochemical industries. This fly’s capacity to reduce huge amounts of waste presents an interesting opportunity to establish a circular food economy. In this study, we assessed the suitability of using organic wastes from cricket and locust farming to rear H. illucens. Larvae developed until adult emergence on all the wastes, with a mean survival of over 94%. Cricket waste allowed faster development of heavier larvae than locust waste. Substrate reduction was particularly interesting on cricket waste (<72%), while locust waste was only reduced by 33%. The nutritional composition of the larvae reflected that of the growing substrates with a high protein and fat content. These results demonstrate the potential of using H. illucens to reduce and valorise waste generated when farming various insects through the production of a larval biomass for use as a protein meal in animal feeds or industrial applications.
Evolution of the Individual Attitude in the Risk Decision of Waste Incinerator Construction: Cellular Automaton Model
Authors: Zhao Jinbu , Nie Yongyou , Liu Kui , Zhou Jizhi
Published: January 2020

In current work, the phenomenon of NIMBY (not in my back yard) for a municipal solid waste incinerator was recognized through an investigation for the evolution of individual risk attitude to group risk attitude (ItGRA). The cellular automaton model was employed to evaluate the risk attitude status with different frequencies of social interaction between residents. In the simulation case, the risk attitude of residents in the pseudo-rational state and non-pseudo-rational state was evaluated, which indicates the sheep-flock effect on the exaggeration of public NIMBY attitude. To the incinerator, the individual risk attitude evolved to supportive group risk attitude at a social interaction frequency 100 times higher than that in family or local neighborhoods, when the initial number of residents in opposition and support was equal. This was supported by the result of the model in the evaluation of resident risk attitude around the incinerator in Shanghai. On the contrary, for those in a non-pseudo-rational state, the ultimate group risk attitude depends on the probability that the residents have a supportive or opposing risk attitude as the concept of individuals was difficult to change. Accordingly, the decision strategy of incinerator construction should consider the influence of the sheep-flock effect, which can increase the attitude of residents in support and lead to the evolution of a group risk attitude to support attitude. Therefore, this study provides insight into the evolution of public attitude to NIMBY attitude and a promising evaluation method to quantify and guide the individual and group risk attitudes.
Managerial Ability and Tax Planning: Trade-Off between Tax and Nontax Costs
Authors: Lee KangYoung , Yoon SungMan
Published: January 2020

This study aims to investigate the effects of managerial ability (MA) on the trade-off between tax and nontax costs in the sustainability perspectives of firms. An effective tax planning for corporate sustainability is to consider tax and financial reporting costs at the same time and find the optimal cost balance that exists between these two costs. MA is measured by the data envelopment analysis (DEA) frontier and Tobit regression model. DEA frontier methods can be measured by capturing the changes in market value, excluding the characteristics of firms, which are beyond management control. The interest variables of this study are tax costs, nontax costs, and the trade-off between them. This study has three main findings. First, a significantly positive relationship exists between MA and the tax cost variable. Second, a significantly negative relationship exists between MA and the nontax cost variable. Third, MA has a negative relation with the trade-off between tax and nontax costs. Therefore, this study is the first to analyze the relationship between MA and the trade-off between tax and nontax costs. This study implies that a manager should consider the trade-off between tax and nontax costs to improve the firm’s value as MA is reflected by tax and financial reporting simultaneously.
Towards a Low-Carbon Economy: A Nexus-Oriented Policy Coherence Analysis in Greece
Authors: Papadopoulou Chrysaida-Aliki , Papadopoulou Maria , Laspidou Chrysi , Munaretto Stefania , Brouwer Floor
Published: January 2020

The sustainable management of natural resources under climate change conditions is a critical research issue. Among the many approaches emerged in recent times, the so-called ‘nexus approach’ is gaining traction in academic and policy circles. The nexus approach presupposes the analysis of bio-physical, socio-economic and policy interlinkages among sectors (e.g., water, energy, food) for the identification of integrated solutions and the support of policy decisions. Ultimately, the nexus approach aims to identify synergies and trade-offs among the nexus dimensions. Concerning policy, the nexus approach focuses on policy coherence, i.e., the systematic identification and management of trade-offs and synergies between policies across sectors. This paper investigates the coherence between policies on the water-land-energy-food-climate nexus in Greece. The systematic analysis of policy documents led to the elicitation of nexus-related policy objectives and instruments. Then, the coherence among objectives and between objectives and instruments was assessed using the methodology proposed by Nilsson et al. A stakeholder (trans-disciplinary) orientation was adopted and the need to incorporate stakeholders’ recommendations as to policy coherence assessment was highlighted. Overall, the findings revealed that climate and food/agricultural policies represent critical future priorities in Greece by stimulating progress in other nexus-related policies (energy, water, land policies) and being positively influenced by them.
RES Implementation in Urban Areas: An Updated Overview
Authors: Delponte Ilaria , Schenone Corrado
Published: January 2020

In the past, national energy planning guided the development of a central program for infrastructure investment over a defined time period. However, in the current geopolitical context, environmental damage, fossil fuel depletion, and territorial imbalance caused by the centralised energy model are all factors that require a change of energy structure, establishing actions to invest in energy diversification, and solid commitment to local renewable energies. This also implies an enhancement of the role played by local bodies, and particularly by municipalities, in achieving the targets of the Kyoto Protocol and now of the Paris Agreement, because renewable sources need to be studied, applied, and exploited at the local scale. Within this framework, this paper is organized as an overview on the promotion and implementation of the major RES technologies in the deployment of the new energy paradigm at the urban scale, taking into account multiple targets. A survey of existing literature underlines how the RES topic is mostly approached as a problem of energy supply and implementation of technology, but actual sustainability in terms of a social development process and improvement of quality of life by residents is often neglected. Then, this overview stimulated the authors to highlight three main critical issues and gaps and support the need of an all-encompassing approach as a final recommendation for a general RES urban planning advancement.
Sustainable Welfare in Swedish Cities: Challenges of Eco-Social Integration in Urban Sustainability Governance
Authors: Khan Jamil , Hildingsson Roger , Garting Lisa
Published: January 2020

In this paper, we study the integration of ecological sustainability and social welfare concerns in cities. Efforts to handle ecological challenges risk having negative impacts on equality and social welfare. While current levels of consumption and material welfare are unsustainable, there is a need for more sustainable approaches to welfare and wellbeing. Still, ecological and social concerns in urban governance are treated as separated topics. Based on text analysis of policy documents and qualitative interviews, we study how ecological and social welfare concerns are being addressed and integrated into urban planning in three Swedish cities (Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö). Theoretically, the paper draws on conceptualizations of sustainable welfare, social and ecological sustainability, and policy integration. We find ecological and social welfare concerns being acknowledged as interconnected and we see signs of an emerging sustainable welfare agenda in the cities, e.g., around Agenda 2030. However, in practice, eco-social policy integration is only established to a limited degree, for instance in neighborhood development, transport planning, and green city planning. Issues of ecological justice and equity and the relationship between socioeconomic factors and consumption-related environmental impacts are hardly addressed. Thus, much remains to be done for eco-social policy integration to materialize at the urban level.
Genetic Diversity and Stability of Performance of Wheat Population Varieties Developed by Participatory Breeding
Authors: van Frank Gaëlle , Rivière Pierre , Pin Sophie , Baltassat Raphaël , Berthellot Jean-François , Caizergues François , Dalmasso Christian , Gascuel Jean-Sébastien , Hyacinthe Alexandre , Mercier Florent , Montaz Hélène , Ronot Bernard , Goldringer Isabelle
Published: January 2020

Modern agricultural systems rely on reduced crop genetic diversity, due in particular to the use of homogeneous elite varieties grown in large areas. However, genetic diversity within fields is a lever for a more sustainable production, allowing greater stability and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In France, a Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) project on bread wheat, involving farmers, facilitators and researchers, has led to the development of heterogeneous populations whose within-variety genetic diversity is expected to confer the ability to adapt to farmers’ practices and environments. We studied the stability and local adaptation of ten of these farmers’ populations as well as two commercial varieties in relation to their within-variety genetic diversity. Although no clear evidence of local adaptation was detected, we found that populations’ grain yield and protein content were more stable over space and time respectively than those of commercial varieties. Moreover, the varieties’ stability over time in terms of protein content was positively correlated with within-variety genetic diversity with no significant drawback on protein yield. These results demonstrate the wide adaptive potential of PPB populations, highlighting the importance of seed exchange networks for agrobiodiversity management and use. They emphasize the benefits of genetic diversity for stability over time, which is of great interest to farmers.
Simultaneous Removal of Hexane and Ethanol from Air in a Biotrickling Filter—Process Performance and Monitoring Using Electronic Nose
Authors: Rybarczyk Piotr , Szulczyński Bartosz , Gębicki Jacek
Published: January 2020

Biofiltration is a well-accepted method for the removal of malodorous compounds from air streams. Interestingly, the mechanisms underlying this process are not fully understood. The aim of this paper was to investigate the simultaneous removal of hydrophobic hexane with hydrophilic ethanol, resulting in the enhanced removal of hexane in the presence of ethanol. Investigations were performed in a peat-perlite packed biotrickling filter and the process performance was monitored using both gas chromatography and electronic nose techniques. The results indicate that the length as well as the efficiency of biofiltration during the start-up period depend on the feed composition, with higher efficiency obtained when hexane and ethanol were fed together from the process initiation. The experiments in the steady-state period present the biofilter performance when different ratios of hydrophilic to hydrophobic compounds were fed to the biofilter. The obtained results show the synergistic effects of the addition of a hydrophilic compound on the removal efficiency of hydrophobic hexane. The influence of the ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic compounds is discussed in terms of enhancing the mass transfer phenomena for hydrophobic volatile organic compounds.
Predicting Nurses Burnout through Quality of Work Life and Psychological Empowerment: A Study Towards Sustainable Healthcare Services in Malaysia
Authors: Permarupan P Yukthamarani , Al Mamun Abdullah , Samy Naresh Kumar , Saufi Roselina Ahmad , Hayat Naeem
Published: January 2020

The nursing profession is a much-demanded profession that requires the individual capacity to work under intense physical and emotional dynamics in the workplace. Work related factors cause burnout and need attention from scholars and professionals to reduce the effects of the burnout among nursing staff. This study aimed to examine the meditational role of psychological empowerment and work-life quality on the burnout experiences of nursing staff in Malaysia. This study investigated a sample of 432 nursing staff from 10 registered hospitals in the Selangor area that have been listed on the Malaysian Health Tourism Council (MHTC) website. The responses collected via a self-reported questionnaire, and the data was analyzed using partial least square regression structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings statistically support the argument that the provision of quality of work-life (adequate and fair compensation, constitution in the work organization, safe and healthy working conditions, social integration in the work organization, social relevance of work-life, and work and life span) could promote psychological empowerment among nurses. Psychological empowerment statistically resulted in reducing the burnout effects by mediating the effect of work-life quality (QWL) on burnout. This study contributes to the literature that QWL factors need to be studied separately, and its affects on psychological empowerment, and how psychological empowerment permits curtails the effects of the burnout among nursing staff providing the services to health tourists. This study also provided important implications for the management staff of the nursing industry to initiate the management of burnout with the provision of psychological employment. The present study contributed to the current literature of burnout management through the psychological empowerment provided by the factors of the quality of work life.
Evolution of Land Cover and Ecosystem Services in the Frame of Pastoral Functional Categories: A Case Study in Swedish Lapland
Authors: Courault Romain , Cohen Marianne
Published: January 2020

Ecosystem services (ES) are a key-component for sustainable management of human–environment systems, particularly in polar environments where effects of global changes are stronger. Taking local knowledge into account allows the valuation of ES experienced by stakeholders. It is the case for reindeer herders in Scandinavia, the ungulate being a keystone specie for subarctic socio-ecosystems. We adapt the ecosystem services assessment (ESA) proposed in Finland to the case study of the Gabna herders’ community (Sweden), considering its cultural, geographical, and dynamic specificities. We used Saami ecological categories over the land-use categories of the CORINE Land Cover (CLC). We reassessed ES at the scale of the Gabna community and its seasonal pastures. We studied their evolution over 2000–2018, using CLC maps and Change CLC maps. Integration of Saami ecological categories in the classification of land cover did not substantially change the land cover distributions. However, ES were greater in Saami land use compared to other CLC categories. Cultural services were higher for summer and interseasonal pastures, dedicated to the reindeer reproduction, suggesting interactions between provisioning and cultural ES. Land cover changes are mostly represented by intensive forestry (5% of winter pastures) impeding reindeer grazing activity, while other seasonal pasture landscape composition stayed comparable along time. Consequently, forest activity, and in a lesser extent glacier melting and urbanization are the main drivers of the temporal evolution of ES. In the frame of pastoral landscapes conservation, the use of local terminologies opens perspectives for a holistic approach in environmental science. It raises the importance of local stakeholders as co-researchers in nature conservation studies.
Watershed-Based Evaluation of Automatic Sensor Data: Water Quality and Hydroclimatic Relationships
Authors: Cantoni Jacopo , Kalantari Zahra , Destouni Georgia
Published: January 2020

Water is a fundamental resource and, as such, the object of multiple environmental policies requiring systematic monitoring of its quality as a main management component. Automatic sensors, allowing for continuous monitoring of various water quality variables at high temporal resolution, offer new opportunities for enhancement of essential water quality data. This study investigates the potential of sensor-measured data to improve understanding and management of water quality at watershed level. Self-organizing data maps, non-linear canonical correlation analysis, and linear regressions are used to assess the relationships between multiple water quality and hydroclimatic variables for the case study of Lake Mälaren in Sweden, and its total catchment and various watersheds. The results indicate water discharge from dominant watersheds into a lake, and lake water temperature as possible proxies for some key water quality variables in the lake, such as blue-green algae; the latter is, in turn, identified as a potential good proxy for lake concentration of total nitrogen. The relationships between water discharges into the lake and lake water quality dynamics identify the dominant contributing watersheds for different water quality variables. Seasonality also plays an important role in determining some possible proxy relationships and their usefulness for different parts of the year.
Zero-Liquid Discharge Treatment of Wastewater from a Fertilizer Factory
Authors: Zueva Svetlana B. , Ferella Francesco , Taglieri Giuliana , De Michelis Ida , Pugacheva Inna , Vegliò Francesco
Published: January 2020

This article describes the improvement of wastewater treatment in a fertilizer plant located in Central Italy (municipality of Vasto). In this facility, water is used for the removal of dust and fluorinated gases from the air. The resulting wastewater contains fluorides and phosphates in hazardous forms. Its treatment ordinarily does not result in a Zero-Liquid Discharge (ZLD) process. To achieve this purpose, several reagents were tested, focusing on the correlation linking pH, type of reagent and the effect on the separation of fluorides and phosphates from the wastewater. It was eventually found, and explained with a model, that hydrated lime at pH = 12 was so effective as a precipitating agent that phosphate and fluoride separation reached a value of 99.9%, thus allowing for reuse of the water in the plant process. Furthermore, phosphates and fluorides precipitated in a non-hazardous form, so that the material could also be recycled. In synthesis, wastewater treatment of the fertilizer plant was upgraded so that it became a ZLD process coupled with the recovery and recycling of fluorides and phosphates.
Local Convergence of Solvers with Eighth Order Having Weak Conditions
Authors: Behl Ramandeep , Argyros Ioannis K.
Published: January 2020

In particular, the problem of approximating a solution of an equation is of extreme importance in many disciplines, since numerous problems from diverse disciplines reduce to solving such equations. The solutions are found using iterative schemes since in general to find closed form solution is not possible. That is why it is important to study convergence order of solvers. We extended the applicability of an eighth-order convergent solver for solving Banach space valued equations. Earlier considerations adopting suppositions up to the ninth Fŕechet-derivative, although higher than one derivatives are not appearing on these solvers. But, we only practiced supposition on Lipschitz constants and the first-order Fŕechet-derivative. Hence, we extended the applicability of these solvers and provided the computable convergence radii of them not given in the earlier works. We only showed improvements for a certain class of solvers. But, our technique can be used to extend the applicability of other solvers in the literature in a similar fashion. We used a variety of numerical problems to show that our results are applicable to solve nonlinear problems but not earlier ones.
Impact of Stair and Diagonal Matrices in Iterative Linear Massive MIMO Uplink Detectors for 5G Wireless Networks
Authors: Albreem Mahmoud A. , Alsharif Mohammed H. , Kim Sunghwan
Published: January 2020

In massive multiple-input multiple-output (M-MIMO) systems, a detector based on maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm attains optimum performance, but it exhaustively searches all possible solutions, hence, it has a very high complexity and realization is denied. Linear detectors are an alternative solution because of low complexity and simplicity in implementation. Unfortunately, they culminate in a matrix inversion that increases the computational complexity in high loaded systems. Therefore, several iterative methods have been proposed to approximate or avoid the matrix inversion, such as the Neuamnn series (NS), Newton iterations (NI), successive overrelaxation (SOR), Gauss–Siedel (GS), Jacobi (JA), and Richardson (RI) methods. However, a detector based on iterative methods requires a pre-processing and initialization where good initialization impresses the convergence, the performance, and the complexity. Most of the existing iterative linear detectors are using a diagonal matrix ( D ) in initialization because the equalization matrix is almost diagonal. This paper studies the impact of utilizing a stair matrix ( S ) instead of D in initializing the linear M-MIMO uplink (UL) detector. A comparison between iterative linear M-MIMO UL detectors with D and S is presented in performance and computational complexity. Numerical Results show that utilization of S achieves the target performance within few iterations, and, hence, the computational complexity is reduced. A detector based on the GS and S achieved a satisfactory bit-error-rate (BER) with the lowest complexity.
Symmetric Key Encryption Based on Rotation-Translation Equation
Authors: Stoyanov Borislav , Nedzhibov Gyurhan
Published: January 2020

In this paper, an improved encryption algorithm based on numerical methods and rotation–translation equation is proposed. We develop the new encryption-decryption algorithm by using the concept of symmetric key instead of public key. Symmetric key algorithms use the same key for both encryption and decryption. Most symmetric key encryption algorithms use either block ciphers or stream ciphers. Our goal in this work is to improve an existing encryption algorithm by using a faster convergent iterative method, providing secure convergence of the corresponding numerical scheme, and improved security by a using rotation–translation formula.
Multi-Criteria Group Decision-Making for Selection of Green Suppliers under Bipolar Fuzzy PROMETHEE Process
Authors: Akram Muhammad , Shumaiza  , Al-Kenani Ahmad N.
Published: January 2020

The preference ranking organization method for enrichment of evaluations (PROMETHEE) method considers a significant outranking class of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), as it is easy to deal with its simple computations. In the PROMETHEE, different preference functions are used according to the type and nature of attributes or criteria that demonstrate the clearness and reliability of this method. This study provides a new version of the PROMETHEE method using bipolar fuzzy information, named the bipolar fuzzy PROMETHEE method. Bipolar fuzzy sets or numbers constitute an asymmetrical relationship between two judgmental factors of human reasoning. Vague and imprecise knowledge is characterized by bipolar fuzzy linguistic terms which are further represented in the form of trapezoidal bipolar fuzzy numbers. The trapezoidal bipolar fuzzy numbers are used by analysts to assign the preferences of alternatives on the basis of criteria. Further, a ranking function of bipolar fuzzy numbers is considered to access the crisp real preferences of alternatives. The entropy weighting information is employed to calculate the weights of attributes by considering the condition of normality. A numerical example such as the selection of green suppliers by using the bipolar fuzzy PROMETHEE is performed on the basis of the usual criterion preference function in order to explain the procedure of the proposed method. Comparable results are derived by using the combination of linear and level preference functions. The results obtained by using different types of preference functions are the same, representing the authenticity of the proposed bipolar fuzzy PROMETHEE method.
Unified Fuzzy Divergence Measures with Multi-Criteria Decision Making Problems for Sustainable Planning of an E-Waste Recycling Job Selection
Authors: Rani Pratibha , Govindan Kannan , Mishra Arunodaya Raj , Mardani Abbas , Alrasheedi Melfi , Hooda D. S.
Published: January 2020

In the literature of information theory and fuzzy set doctrine, there exist various prominent measures of divergence; each possesses its own merits, demerits, and disciplines of applications. Divergence measure is a tool to compute the discrimination between two objects. Particularly, the idea of divergence measure for fuzzy sets is significant since it has applications in several areas viz., process control, decision making, image segmentation, and pattern recognition. In this paper, some new fuzzy divergence measures, which are generalizations of probabilistic divergence measures are introduced. Next, we review two different generalizations of the following measures. Firstly, directed divergence (Kullback–Leibler or Jeffrey invariant) and secondly, Jensen difference divergence, based on these measures, we develop a class of unified divergence measures for fuzzy sets (FSs). Then, a method based on divergence measure for fuzzy sets (FSs) is proposed to evaluate the multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems under the fuzzy atmosphere. Lastly, an illustrative example of the recycling job selection problem of sustainable planning of the e-waste is presented to demonstrate the reasonableness and usefulness of the developed method.
A Generative Network Model of the Human Brain Normal Aging Process
Authors: Liu Xiao , Si Shuaizong , Hu Bo , Zhao Hai , Zhu Jian
Published: January 2020

The human brain is approximately a symmetric structure, although the functional brain does not exhibit symmetry. Functional brain aging process modelling is essential for the understanding of hypothesized generative mechanisms for human brain networks throughout one’s lifespan. We present a novel generative network model of the human functional brain network, which is the hybrid of the local naïve Bayes model and the anatomical similarity correction (LNBE). We use LNBE, as well as published generative network models to simulate the aging process of the functional brain network, to construct artificial brain networks and to reveal the generative mechanisms and evolutionary patterns of human functional brain across human lifespans. It is suggested that the idea of classifying common neighbours while considering anatomical distances during network formation can provide a much more similar generative mechanism of the human fMRI brain aging process as well as a more practical generative network model of it. We hold that studies on brain normal aging process modelling have the potential to improve the way in which early warnings for latent injury or disease are practised today and advance healthcare.