bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RTK/Pseudolite/LAHDE/IMU-PDR Integrated Pedestrian Navigation System for Urban and Indoor Environments
Authors: Zhu Ruihui , Wang Yunjia , Cao Hongji , Yu Baoguo , Gan Xingli , Huang Lu , Zhang Heng , Li Shuang , Jia Haonan , Chen Jianqiang
Published: March 2020

This paper presents an evaluation of real-time kinematic (RTK)/Pseudolite/landmarks assistance heuristic drift elimination (LAHDE)/inertial measurement unit-based personal dead reckoning systems (IMU-PDR) integrated pedestrian navigation system for urban and indoor environments. Real-time kinematic (RTK) technique is widely used for high-precision positioning and can provide periodic correction to inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based personal dead reckoning systems (PDR) outdoors. However, indoors, where global positioning system (GPS) signals are not available, RTK fails to achieve high-precision positioning. Pseudolite can provide satellite-like navigation signals for user receivers to achieve positioning in indoor environments. However, there are some problems in pseudolite positioning field, such as complex multipath effect in indoor environments and integer ambiguity of carrier phase. In order to avoid the limitation of these factors, a local search method based on carrier phase difference with the assistance of IMU-PDR is proposed in this paper, which can achieve higher positioning accuracy. Besides, heuristic drift elimination algorithm with the assistance of manmade landmarks (LAHDE) is introduced to eliminate the accumulated error in headings derived by IMU-PDR in indoor corridors. An algorithm verification system was developed to carry out real experiments in a cooperation scene. Results show that, although the proposed pedestrian navigation system has to use human behavior to switch the positioning algorithm according to different scenarios, it is still effective in controlling the IMU-PDR drift error in multiscenarios including outdoor, indoor corridor, and indoor room for different people.
Integrated Circuit Angular Displacement Sensor with On-chip Pinhole Aperture
Authors: Wijesinghe Udumbara , Dey Akash Neel , Marshall Andrew , Krenik William , Duan Can , Edwards Hal , Lee Mark
Published: March 2020

Sensors that remotely track the displacement of a moving object have a wide range of applications from robotic control to motion capture. In this paper, we introduce a simple, small silicon integrated circuit sensor that tracks the angular displacement of an object tagged with a small light source, such as a light-emitting diode (LED). This sensor uses a new angular transduction mechanism, differential diffusion of photoelectrons generated from the light spot cast by the light tag onto a Si anode, that is described by a simple physics model using pinhole optics and carrier diffusion. Because the light spot is formed by a pinhole aperture integrated on the sensor chip, no external focusing optics are needed, reducing system complexity, size, and weight. Prototype sensors based on this model were fabricated and their basic characteristics are presented. These sensors transduce angular displacement of an LED across orthogonal latitudinal and longitudinal arcs into normalized differential photocathode currents with signal linearly proportional to LED angular position across a ± 40° field-of-view. These sensors offer potential performance and ease-of-use benefits compared to existing displacement sensor technologies.
An Optimal Multi-Channel Trilateration Localization Algorithm by Radio-Multipath Multi-Objective Evolution in RSS-Ranging-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Fang Xuming , Chen Lijun
Published: March 2020

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is unable to provide precise localization services indoors, which has led to wireless sensor network (WSN) localization technology becoming a hot research issue in the field of indoor location. At present, the ranging technology of wireless sensor networks based on received signal strength has been extensively used in indoor positioning. However, wireless signals have serious multipath effects in indoor environments. In order to reduce the adverse influence of multipath effects on distance estimation between nodes, a multi-channel ranging localization algorithm based on signal diversity is herein proposed. In real indoor environments, the parameters used for multi-channel localization algorithms are generally unknown or time-varying. In order to increase the positioning accuracy of the multi-channel location algorithm in a multipath environment, we propose an optimal multi-channel trilateration positioning algorithm (OMCT) by establishing a novel multi-objective evolutionary model. The presented algorithm utilizes a three-edge constraint to prevent the traditional multi-channel localization algorithm falling into local optima. The results of a large number of practical experiments and numerical simulations show that no matter how the channel number and multipath number change, the positioning error of our presented algorithm is always smaller compared with that of the state-of-the-art algorithm.
Bio-Inspired Strategies for Improving the Selectivity and Sensitivity of Artificial Noses: A Review
Authors: Hurot Charlotte , Scaramozzino Natale , Buhot Arnaud , Hou Yanxia
Published: March 2020

Artificial noses are broad-spectrum multisensors dedicated to the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Despite great recent progress, they still suffer from a lack of sensitivity and selectivity. We will review, in a systemic way, the biomimetic strategies for improving these performance criteria, including the design of sensing materials, their immobilization on the sensing surface, the sampling of VOCs, the choice of a transduction method, and the data processing. This reflection could help address new applications in domains where high-performance artificial noses are required such as public security and safety, environment, industry, or healthcare.
Thiazole-Bearing 4-Thiazolidinones as New Anticonvulsant Agents
Authors: Mishchenko Mariia , Shtrygol Sergiy , Kaminskyy Danylo , Lesyk Roman
Published: March 2020

Here, we describe the synthesis and anticonvulsant activity of thiazole-bearing hybrids based on 2-imino-4-thiazolidinone and 2,4-dioxothiazolidine-5-carboxylic acid cores. The structure of target compounds was based on the following: (i) A combination of two thiazole cores; (ii) similarity to ralitolin’s structure; (iii) the compliance with structural requirements for the new anticonvulsants. Target compounds were synthesized via known approaches based on Knoenavegel reaction, alkylation reaction, and one-pot three-component reaction. Anticonvulsant properties of compounds were evaluated in two different models—pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures and maximal electroshock seizure tests. Among the tested compounds 5Z-(3-nitrobenzylidene)-2-(thiazol-2-ylimino)-thiazolidin-4-one Ib, 2-[2,4-dioxo-5-(thiazol-2- ylcarbamoylmethyl)-thiazolidin-3-yl]-N-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)acetamide IId and (2,4-dioxo-5- (thiazol-2-ylcarbamoylmethylene)-thiazolidin-3-yl)acetic acid ethyl ester IIj showed excellent anticonvulsant activity in both models. The directions of compounds modification based on SAR aspects were discussed. The results of the study provide a basis for further study of the anticonvulsant properties of selected thiazole-thiazolidinones.
Experimental Study on Wake Evolution of a 1.5 MW Wind Turbine in a Complex Terrain Wind Farm Based on LiDAR Measurements
Authors: Zhao Fei , Gao Yihan , Wang Tengyuan , Yuan Jinsha , Gao Xiaoxia
Published: March 2020

To study the wake development characteristics of wind farms in complex terrains, two different types of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) were used to conduct the field measurements in a mountain wind farm in Hebei Province, China. Under two different incoming wake conditions, the influence of wind shear, terrain and incoming wind characteristics on the development trend of wake was analyzed. The results showed that the existence of wind shear effect causes asymmetric distribution of wind speed in the wake region. The relief of the terrain behind the turbine indicated a subsidence of the wake centerline, which had a linear relationship with the topography altitudes. The wake recovery rates were calculated, which comprehensively validated the conclusion that the wake recovery rate is determined by both the incoming wind turbulence intensity in the wake and the magnitude of the wind speed.
Possibilities for the Development of Building Plots with an Unfavorable Structure in the Context of Spatial Justice: A Case Study of Poland
Authors: Bielska Anna , Wendland Agnieszka , Delnicki Maciej
Published: March 2020

To balance interests among local communities and increase awareness of the need to protect the environment, landscape and spatial order, there is a need for active participation, cooperation and mutual learning of participants in the planning process, including urban planners, specialists from other disciplines (among others, ecologists, landscape architects and surveyors), local authorities and residents. This article presents the problems associated with housing development in suburban areas within the context of rules for sustainable development, and spatial and social justice. It presents an assessment of the spatial configuration of plots and the possibilities for development and management of these in the selected communes located in suburban area of Warsaw, the capital city of Poland. A methodology was developed for the preparation of planning documents in the commune, allowing the minimization of the problem of spatial injustice resulting from the flawed structure of registered plots.
Seaweed Invasion! Temporal Changes in Beach Conditions Lead to Increasing Cenote Usage and Contamination in the Riviera Maya
Authors: Casas-Beltrán Diego Armando , Gallaher Courtney Maloof , Hernandez Yac Emely , Febles Moreno Karelys , Voglesonger Kenneth , Leal-Bautista Rosa María , Lenczewski Melissa
Published: March 2020

Since 2011, tourism to Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula has been heavily impacted by large masses of sargassum seaweed washing up on the beaches, with the largest seaweed event occurring in 2019. Seaweed deters beach tourism, potentially shifting tourism inland towards other activities such as swimming in cenotes (sinkholes). Our mixed methods study combined data from surveys of visitors to the region, interviews with tourists and tour operators, thematic analysis of newspaper articles, laws and policies and analysis of water samples from a cenote to understand the environmental impact on cenotes of this shifting tourism industry. We identified intentional efforts by the tourism industry to encourage cenote tourism in response to the seaweed problem, and our survey and interview data confirmed that tourists are choosing to visit cenotes in lieu of beaches. Water samples from one tourist cenote in 2019 indicated increased pollution relative to previous years. Current regulations and management of tourist cenotes are weak, creating the potential for significant long term harm to the environment and to the water sovereignty of surrounding communities. Regulation of cenotes should be strengthened to protect these fragile karst ecosystems and to give local and indigenous residents a formal voice in the management process.
Female Entrepreneurship: Can Cooperatives Contribute to Overcoming the Gender Gap? A Spanish First Step to Equality
Authors: Bastida Maria , Pinto Luisa Helena , Olveira Blanco Ana , Cancelo Maite
Published: March 2020

To date, entrepreneurship research has rarely focused on cooperatives. Recent research has suggested there is a positive association between cooperatives and women’s entrepreneurial activity based on the assumption that this model is especially suitable for women’s expectations and is favourable to their economic entrepreneurial development. However, few studies have empirically tested these propositions. This research, which analysed data from 264 Spanish cooperatives, confirms these findings. A mixed-methods approach was used. In the first stage, a Delphi study was run with 11 cooperative entrepreneurship experts to ask what factors may be decisive for women preferring a cooperative model. In the second stage, the factors derived from the Delphi study were used in a survey targeting female cooperative associates. The findings confirmed that female cooperative owners perceived this business model to be aligned with their values and best fit their work and lifestyle. This research contributes to the existing social entrepreneurship literature by providing empirical evidence from the Spanish context that highlights the role of women in cooperatives. The findings also emphasize the need for responsive policies and programmes that promote the cooperative model since it promotes female employment and women’s entrepreneurial activity even in periods of economic austerity.
How Are Landscapes under Agroecological Transition Perceived and Appreciated? A Belgian Case Study
Authors: Boeraeve Fanny , Dufrêne Marc , Dendoncker Nicolas , Dupire Amandine , Mahy Grégory
Published: March 2020

An increasing number of agricultural transition initiatives are taking place, seeking more autonomy and resilience on the farms. This undeniably reshapes the landscape and the delivery of ecosystem services (ES). To date, little research includes the knowledge and perceptions of local communities on rural landscapes in agricultural transition. Yet, farmers shape the landscape and ES delivery, and local inhabitants are directly impacted. The present work aims at assessing the extent to which locals (local inhabitants and farmers) appreciate and view landscapes undergoing agricultural transitions. To do so, questionnaires were submitted to locals enquiring about appreciation and ES perceptions of transitioning landscapes. These landscapes were shown in manipulated photographs simulating an agroecological landscape, a conventional agriculture landscape, and landscapes including each isolated agroecological practice (resulting in six ‘scenarios’). In order to put locals’ perceptions in perspective, the same questionnaire was submitted to ‘ES experts’, and ES perceptions were compared to field-based ES measurements in agroecological and conventional parcels of the same study region. The results show that locals and ES experts appreciate and perceive these scenarios similarly. The agroecological scenario was seen as the most appreciated and the one delivering the most ES, while the conventional one was the least appreciated and seen as the one delivering the least ES. These perceptions of ES delivery partially correspond to the ES field measurements, which showed a similar productivity within agroecological and conventional parcels and more regulating ES in agroecological parcels. We discuss how our results call for the assessment of the multi-performance of agricultural systems in terms of ES rather than focusing on yield only, and how future research addressing agroecological transition should rely on integrated valuations and mixed methods to better embrace the complexity of such transitioning systems.
Detection of Road Surface Changes from Multi-Temporal Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Images Using a Convolutional Siamese Network
Authors: Nguyen Truong Linh , Han DongYeob
Published: March 2020

Road quality commonly decreases due to aging and deterioration of road surfaces. As the number of roads that need to be surveyed increases, general maintenance—particularly surveillance—can be quite costly if carried out using traditional methods. Therefore, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and deep learning to detect changes via surveys is a promising strategy. This study proposes a method for detecting changes on road surfaces using pairs of UAV images captured at different times. First, a convolutional Siamese network is introduced to extract the features of an image pair and a Euclidean distance function is applied to calculate the distance between two features. Then, a contrastive loss function is used to enlarge the distance between changed feature pairs and reduce the distance between unchanged feature pairs. Finally, the initial change map is improved based on the preliminary differences between the two input images. Our experimental results confirm the effectiveness of this approach.
Understanding Users’ Intention to Use Park-and-Ride Facilities in Malaysia: The Role of Trust as a Novel Construct in the Theory of Planned Behaviour
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmad Nazrul Hakimi , Borhan Muhamad Nazri , Rahmat Riza Atiq O.K.
Published: March 2020

This research aimed to use the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to determine whether it can explain users’ intention to use the bus-based park-and-ride (P&R) facilities in Putrajaya, Malaysia. This research introduced a new predictor related to the use of P&R facilities, namely trust. The survey involved 437 respondents. A structural equation model is used to show that trust positively influence the attitude and perceived behavioural control (PBC) towards the use of P&R facilities. However, the intention to use P&R facilities is not profoundly influenced by trust and subjective norm. Results also revealed that attitude, subjective norm, and PBC have a strong positive influence on the intention to use P&R facilities. In addition, several policy recommendations are discussed in this study. All things considered, the theory of planned behaviour was able to predict users’ intention to use P&R facilities in Malaysia. It is hoped that this research would increase researchers’ interest in conducting further investigation in this field and that the model is beneficial to service providers in helping them identify the factors that increase the number of P&R users.
Novel Advanced Composite Bamboo Structural Members with Bio-Based and Synthetic Matrices for Sustainable Construction
Authors: Mofidi Amir , Abila Judith , Ng Jackson Tsz Ming
Published: March 2020

This paper experimentally investigates the properties of unprecedented new advanced composite structural members in compressions made of bamboo culms formed with different bio-based and synthetic matrices. Due to extensive CO2 emissions corresponded to the production of construction materials, it is essential to produce high-performance environmental-friendly construction materials from bio-based renewable resources such as bamboo. However, the use of bamboo culms in construction has been hindered by their inherent specific geometric hollow shape. To address this issue, small-diameter bamboo species were used in this study to form solid structural composite cross-sections to desired shapes. An experimental study was conducted on the compressive properties of six composite structural members made of commonly available bamboo species (Phyllostachys edulis or Moso) with different matrices including a bio-based furan resin, a cementitious grout, and epoxy. In order to prevent premature buckling of bamboo components within the engineered columns, and in an attempt to propose a bio-based structural column, three layers of hemp wrap where applied to provide confinement for bamboo culms. The results of the tests confirm that the bamboo-furan and bamboo-grout composite columns both have the potential to reach a remarkable compressive strength of 30 MPa. However, the bamboo-epoxy composite specimen, considering the excellent mechanical properties of the epoxy matrix, delivered a benchmark to demonstrate the potentials of bamboo-based structural sections by reaching 76 MPa compressive strength before crushing. The bamboo-epoxy composite provided new prospects for future work on the 100% bio-based versions of the bamboo-based sections with improved bio-matrices (by using bio-epoxy and improved furan resins with compatible mixes) and innovative confinement types. With the promising results of this study, there is a real opportunity of creating contemporary engineered bamboo-based structures as a sustainable replacement to the existing steel, concrete and timber structures.
What Factors Affect the Level of Green Urbanization in the Yellow River Basin in the Context of New-Type Urbanization?
Authors: Shi Luping , Cai Zhongyao , Ding Xuhui , Di Rong , Xiao Qianqian
Published: March 2020

Promoting new-type urbanization with the concept of green development has become an inevitable requirement for high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin. Grasping the development trend and influencing factors of green urbanization level in the Yellow River Basin is of great significance for implementing the international conventions on environmental protection and participating in global environmental governance. This paper selects the green urbanization level panel data of nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin from 2006 to 2018. Then, principal component analysis and factor analysis are applied to measure and evaluate the green urbanization level of each province. Furthermore, this paper constructs a dynamic panel estimation model and uses differential generalized method of moments (DIF-GMM) model and system generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) model to explore the influencing factors. The results show that the overall level of green urbanization in the Yellow River Basin has steadily and rapidly increased, and there are significant spatial differences. The green urbanization level of eastern provinces is significantly higher than that of central and western provinces. In addition, the overall level of green urbanization shows a convergence trend. From the perspective of influencing factors, the factors that have significant positive effects on the level of green urbanization include economic development level, technological innovation level, and urban size. Industrial structure, foreign direct investment (FDI), and education level counteract the level of green urbanization. However, environmental regulation strength and opening degree fail to pass the significance test. Therefore, it is necessary to promote and upgrade industrial transformation, improve the quality of opening up, and strengthen cooperation in technological innovation and environmental governance. There are requirements that the government control the urban size and population scientifically and implement the environmental access system strictly in order to improve the level of green urbanization in the Yellow River Basin. It is more possible to achieve harmonious economic and ecological environment development.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis for Earth-Fill Dam Seepage
Authors: Al-Janabi Ahmed Mohammed Sami , Ghazali Abdul Halim , Ghazaw Yousry Mahmoud , Afan Haitham Abdulmohsin , Al-Ansari Nadhir , Yaseen Zaher Mundher
Published: March 2020

Earth-fill dams are the most common types of dam and the most economical choice. However, they are more vulnerable to internal erosion and piping due to seepage problems that are the main causes of dam failure. In this study, the seepage through earth-fill dams was investigated using physical, mathematical, and numerical models. Results from the three methods revealed that both mathematical calculations using L. Casagrande solutions and the SEEP/W numerical model have a plotted seepage line compatible with the observed seepage line in the physical model. However, when the seepage flow intersected the downstream slope and when piping took place, the use of SEEP/W to calculate the flow rate became useless as it was unable to calculate the volume of water flow in pipes. This was revealed by the big difference in results between physical and numerical models in the first physical model, while the results were compatible in the second physical model when the seepage line stayed within the body of the dam and low compacted soil was adopted. Seepage analysis for seven different configurations of an earth-fill dam was conducted using the SEEP/W model at normal and maximum water levels to find the most appropriate configuration among them. The seven dam configurations consisted of four homogenous dams and three zoned dams. Seepage analysis revealed that if sufficient quantity of silty sand soil is available around the proposed dam location, a homogenous earth-fill dam with a medium drain length of 0.5 m thickness is the best design configuration. Otherwise, a zoned earth-fill dam with a central core and 1:0.5 Horizontal to Vertical ratio (H:V) is preferred.
Grain Area Yield Index Insurance Ratemaking Based on Time–Space Risk Adjustment in China
Authors: Li Xiaotao , Ren Jinzheng , Niu Beibei , Wu Haiping
Published: March 2020

The foundation and sustainable development of agricultural insurance involve accurately determining a premium and establishing a dynamic premium adjustment mechanism that matches the agricultural production risk. Based on the theoretical analysis of the impact of time–space risk adjustment on agricultural insurance ratemaking, we constructed a pure premium ratemaking model based on time-varying risk adjustment and a safety premium ratemaking model based on spatially dependent risk adjustment. Choosing the county grain area-yield index insurance (GAYI) in China as the research object, we obtained the following results: (1) the risk of grain yield per unit area (YPUA) and pure premium rate in most counties decreased significantly with time-varying adjustment, and we observed differences between regions; (2) grain’s spatially dependent risk has a strong negative adjustment effect on the loading factor, but the expansion of insurance underwriting can still rapidly reduce the safety premium rate, mainly due to the reduction in the spatially dependent risk; and (3) based on time-varying risk adjustment and underwriting expansion, the reduction effect of premium rates is obvious, which supports the sustainable commercial operation of agricultural insurance. These research results help to clarify the relationships of premium rates and provide implications on the sustainability of catastrophe management.
Executive Incentives Matter for Corporate Social Responsibility under Earnings Pressure and Institutional Investors Supervision
Authors: Ding Lili , Zhao Zhongchao , Wang Lei
Published: March 2020

This paper theoretically explores the impact of the incentive preferences of executives (i.e., short-term incentives and long-term incentives) on corporate social responsibility (CSR) decisions (i.e., institutional CSR and technical CSR). Further, the paper presents the mechanism through which executives influence CSR activities by the pressures from financial analysts and institutional investors supervision. Using a large sample of China-listed firms over 2007–2017, we achieve some helpful empirical results. The executives with short-term incentives tend to implement technical CSR strategy, while those with long-term incentives tend to implement institutional CSR strategy. Executives with short-term incentives, compared with those with long-term incentives, show stronger inter-temporal tradeoffs behaviors in the earnings pressure context. Furthermore, dedicated institutional investors can effectively attenuate the hypocritical behaviors of executives, and the effectiveness of governance shows a positive relationship with investors’ horizon. Our findings enrich the understanding on the relationship between the executives and CSR decisions in the earnings pressure context and further helps to perfect the institutional design in China’s listed companies.
Sustainability, Entrepreneurship, and Disability: A New Challenge for Universities
Authors: Muñoz Rosa M. , Salinero Yolanda , Fernández M. Valle
Published: March 2020

There is a considerable amount of research concerning the issue of entrepreneurial intentions, which has attained mixed findings. Integrating sustainability, in the sense of considering disabled people, into the current entrepreneurial intention research makes it possible to fill an important research gap. The main objective of this paper is to clarify the contribution that education, students’ traits, and contextual factors make to an individual’s entrepreneurial intent when disabled students are incorporated into the analysis as an innovative field of study. The aim of this research is to analyze the entrepreneurial intentions of disabled people who are studying in higher education and compare them with non-disabled students while considering the main factors described in previous studies. In order to achieve this objective, we have carried out a logistic regression with a sample of Spanish students. The main findings are: Education does not influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions, which are affected by only some of the students’ traits and background conditions. Regarding the disabled students’ entrepreneurial intentions, we have found no significant differences compared with those of students who are not disabled. Initiatives such as those of the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM) described in the paper should, therefore, be encouraged, keeping in mind that disabled students do not always show a lack of confidence in themselves as some studies have claimed.
Multilevel Service-Provisioning-Based Autonomous Vehicle Applications
Authors: Khayyat Mashael , Alshahrani Abdullah , Alharbi Soltan , Elgendy Ibrahim , Paramonov Alexander , Koucheryavy Andrey
Published: March 2020

With the recent advances and development of autonomous control systems of cars, the design and development of reliable infrastructure and communication networks become a necessity. The recent release of the fifth-generation cellular system (5G) promises to provide a step towards reliability or a panacea. However, designing autonomous vehicle networks has more requirements due to the high mobility and traffic density of such networks and the latency and reliability requirements of applications run over such networks. To this end, we proposed a multilevel cloud system for autonomous vehicles which was built over the Tactile Internet. In addition, base stations at the edge of the radio-access network (RAN) with different technologies of antennas are used in our system. Finally, simulation results show that the proposed system with multilevel clouding can significantly reduce the round-trip latency and the network congestion. In addition, our system can be adapted in the mobility scenario.
A Performance Evaluation of Environmental Education Regional Centers: Positioning of Roles and Reflections on Expertise Development
Authors: Chao Yu-Long
Published: March 2020

Emulating the practice of regional centers for expertise on education for sustainable development, a new type of environmental education (EE) centers with a multi-county jurisdiction was established in Taiwan. Reflections on the functional roles and EE expertise are crucial for these EE regional centers after implementing initiatives while trying to lead environmental educators. The operation team members of these centers and the practitioners and educators from EE institutions, facilities, and venues in Taiwan all participated in this investigation on the roles of these centers and evaluated their performance. Results show that at this initial stage of EE regional center development, the mixed views of center operation teams were averaged into a position close to the mean between a practice-orientated and a strategy-orientated methodology on a spectrum of the center roles. The evaluation results revealed a certain insufficiency in the experiences and expertise in EE of some EE regional centers. As these centers are endowed with a central status by policy to promote and guide regional EE, they need to learn from local grass-root environmental educators as well as other EE regional center personnel to substantiate their expertise, which could be achieved through practical experiences and co-research with local environmental educators.
Sustainability of Agritourism Activity. Initiatives and Challenges in Romanian Mountain Rural Regions
Authors: Adamov Tabita , Ciolac Ramona , Iancu Tiberiu , Brad Ioan , Peț Elena , Popescu Gabriela , Șmuleac Laura
Published: March 2020

Sustainability has become a priority in the last decades. If we consider rural regions, agritourism, an activity strongly related to local communities, represents an opportunity to ensure the sustainability of rural settlements and of the environment, and at the same time an innovative and diversifying possibility for the economic support of rural settlements. Many studies have shown that the sustainability trend of the current period can be achieved by combining rural and local resources and traditional products specific to the rural regions with tourist activities, the challenge being the revitalization of rural economy. A large number of Romanian mountain rural regions can provide opportunities for sustaining agritourism activity; some of them may succeed to capitalize on the niche characteristic of agritourism, and through appropriate and effective strategies to move from the pioneering stage to an economically and socially valuable chance for improving the living conditions from rural area and finally to ensure sustainable development of rural communities. This paper begins from the importance of agritourism for rural regions. It aims at identifying the current situation of the agritourism activity in three regions and at developing proposals that are based strictly on the specific needs of the regions. In our opinion, the implementation of these specific actions would represent future challenges and at the same time ways of supporting the sustainable development of agritourism activities and of local settlements.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Norwegian Agriculture: The Regional and Structural Dimension
Authors: Mittenzwei Klaus
Published: March 2020

This paper studies the hypothesis that farm structure and the regional distribution of agricultural activity themselves have a significant impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture. Applying a dynamic model for the Norwegian agricultural sector covering the entire farm population, the model results support the hypothesis. Even without mitigation options, GHG emissions decline by 1.4 per cent if agriculture becomes regionally concentrated and increase by 1.5 per cent if a policy that favors a small-scale farm structure is put in place. Adding a carbon tax to a policy that leads to regional concentration, may help to reconcile competing policy objectives. A switch from animal production to crop production, and an extensification of animal production keeps a large resource base across the country while cutting GHG emissions.
The Influence of Leaders’ Positive and Implicit Followership Theory of University Scientific Research Teams on Individual Creativity: the Mediating Effect of Individual Self-Cognition and the Moderating Effect of Proactive Personality
Authors: Wang Lei , Liang Xinya
Published: March 2020

Leaders’ positive and implicit followership theory (LPIFT) in a university scientific research team influences innovation in university scientific research. Individual creativity is an important aspect of innovation in university scientific research. However, the influence mechanism of LPIFT of a university scientific research team on individual creativity remains unclear. Based on social cognitive theory and the input–process–output (IPO) theoretical model, we selected a postgraduate supervisor and postgraduates of a university scientific research team as the research objects. We explored the influence between LPIFT of a university scientific research team leader and individual creativity using a questionnaire. A total of 413 valid paired samples were collected from the postgraduate and postgraduate supervisor. We drew the following conclusions: LPIFT of the university scientific research team had a direct positive effect on individual creativity. Individual creative role identity, individual creative self-efficacy, and individual willingness to create knowledge had completely mediating effects on the relationship between LPIFT of the university scientific research team and individual creativity. Proactive personality positively moderated the relationship between LPIFT of the university scientific research team and individual creative role identity, as well as LPIFT of the university scientific research team and individual creative self-efficacy. Proactive personality also positively moderated the mediating effect of individual creative role identity and individual creative self-efficacy. However, the moderating effect of proactive personality between LPIFT of university research teams and individual willingness to create knowledge was not significant. Proactive personality also did not positively moderate the mediating effect of individual willingness to create knowledge.
Selected Properties of Soils for Long-Term Use in Organic Farming
Authors: Niemiec Marcin , Chowaniak Maciej , Sikora Jakub , Szeląg-Sikora Anna , Gródek-Szostak Zofia , Komorowska Monika
Published: March 2020

The goal of organic farming with respect to plant production is to create high-quality products while minimizing human impacts. The aim of this paper was to assess soil properties in selected organic farms in terms of the achievement of general and specific objectives of organic farming. Fifty five (55) organic farms were selected for the research; twenty five (25) of those farms additionally had conventional animal production with cattle breeding. Soil samples were collected from each farm and, the following parameters, deciding about the suitability for agriculture were determined: pH, content of organic carbon, available phosphorus and potassium, mineral nitrogen, and Total nitrogen content. The content of available phosphorus and mineral nitrogen was very low or low in most of the studied soils, which can lead to disturbance of homeostasis of agroecosystems. Potassium content in these soils was high. The properties of the studied soils indicate a high risk of chemical and biological degradation. Without implementing actions that control the pH and increase the content of nitrogen and phosphorus elements, the degradation will increase. Soil properties in the group of farms with animal production were more beneficial from the point of view of crop production, compared with farms that do not breed animals.
Spin Crossover in 3D Metal Centers Binding Halide-Containing Ligands: Magnetism, Structure and Computational Studies
Authors: Martinho Paulo N. , Martins Frederico F. , Bandeira Nuno A. G. , Calhorda Maria José
Published: March 2020

The capability of a given substance to change its spin state by the action of a stimulus, such as a change in temperature, is by itself a very challenging property. Its interest is increased by the potential applications and the need to find sustainable functional materials. 3D transition metal complexes, mainly with octahedral geometry, display this property when coordinated to particular sets of ligands. The prediction of this behavior has been attempted by many authors. It is, however, made very difficult because spin crossover (SCO), as it is called, occurs most often in the solid state, where besides complexes, counter ions, and solvents are also present in many cases. Intermolecular interactions definitely play a major role in SCO. In this review, we decided to analyze SCO in mono- and binuclear transition metal complexes containing halogens as ligands or as substituents of the ligands. The aim was to try and find trends in the properties which might be correlated to halogen substitution patterns. Besides a revision of the properties, we analyzed structures and other information. We also tried to build a simple model to run Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations and calculate several parameters hoping to find correlations between calculated indices and SCO data. Although there are many experimental studies and single-crystal X-ray diffraction structures, there are only few examples with the F, Cl, Br and series. When their intermolecular interactions were not very different, T1/2 (temperature with 50% high spin and 50% low spin states) usually increased with the calculated ligand field parameter (Δoct) within a given family. A way to predict SCO remains elusive.
Regional Differences and Influential Factors of Open Public Space in Chinese Cities Based on Big Earth Data
Authors: Wang Penglong , Ma Yanyan , Zhao Xueyan , Wang Bao , Wang Jianghao , Gao Feng
Published: March 2020

Urban open public spaces that provide multiple services for residents are essential for improving life quality and urban ecosystem function and promoting healthy development, the safety of human settlements and the sustainable development of urban cities. Based on Sustainable Development Goal 11.7 of the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda, this study combines the big earth data with the Theil index, a coefficient of variation and Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA) to analyze the regional differences and spatial distribution of urban open public space in 2015 for China, and uses the geographical detector to identify key factors that affect the distribution of open public spaces. The results show that (1) open public space scales in provincial-level cities have an ‘East–Central–West’ low-lying land pattern in spatial distribution, where the eastern region has a relatively larger open public space scale. (2) In the prefecture-level cities, the open public space scale increases with an increase in city size and economic development level, and the differences in urban open public space reduce with an increase in city size and increase with a decrease in the economic development level. (3) Factors including economic development level, residents’ living standards, the urbanization level and the population size have sound explanatory powers in varying degrees on the scale of open public spaces; interactions between these factors have improved the explanatory power of the scale of urban open public space.
GIS Based Assessment and Design for Areas Vulnerable to Soil Disasters: Case Study of Namhyeun-dong, South Korea
Authors: Jeon Hyeji , Kang Junsuk
Published: March 2020

Due to climate change, heavy rainfall events that trigger landslips are becoming common. This study investigates patterns in the soil’s response to major rainfall events in mountainous areas and proposes a new approach for resilient disaster prevention technology and recovery based on the effect of soil runoff. Namhyeon-dong within Seoul was selected for the case study because of its vulnerable location between two mountains. A master plan was developed to cope with the predicted soil runoff based on the annual rainfall, local land use and a series of 10-year forecasts covering the period from 2021 to 2100. A total of 22 catchments in the study area were analyzed with Arc Hydro, an ArcGIS plug-in and appropriate technologies proposed to deal with the soil runoff likely to be experienced in each catchment in an extreme disaster. The resulting model was deemed adequate to deal with disasters during the period predicted to represent the highest risk, 2051–2060. The study’s findings will help to forecast disasters from flood that could impact residential areas in mountainous regions, to predict the magnitude of potential soil disasters in individual regions and develop design guidelines for disaster prevention technology based on the predicted amount of soil runoff.
Detecting Green-Washing or Substantial Organizational Communication: A Model for Testing Two-Way Interaction Between Risk and Sustainability Reporting
Authors: Lueg Klarissa , Lueg Rainer
Published: March 2020

This paper contributes to the expanding landscape of methodological approaches and tools for investigating organizational sustainability communication. Our method allows for exploring two-way interactions between company risk and sustainability reporting. We present a basic but extendable method, while using only publicly available data. Our method adds additional features to established methods: It covers only risk (not returns), as theory mainly supports risk-reporting relationships and not return-reporting relationships. It tests for reverse causality of the risk-reporting relationship and links complementary explanations to different theoretical schools. Our method tests the model by employing data from a market with mandatory sustainability reporting to avoid self-selection bias.
Linking Corporate Social Responsibility to Customer Loyalty through Co-Creation and Customer Company Identification: Exploring Sequential Mediation Mechanism
Authors: Raza Ali , Saeed Amer , Iqbal Muhammad Khalid , Saeed Umair , Sadiq Imran , Faraz Naveed Ahmad
Published: March 2020

Promoting corporate social responsibility (CSR) and co-creation has become a crucial relationship marketing strategy for the banks. This research empirically investigates how banks’ CSR activities generate positive customer responses in the form of co-creation, customer–company identification (CCI), and loyalty. This research sheds light on the influence of CSR on customer behavior by analyzing the underlying psychological processes through the sequential mediation of co-creation and CCI. Working with a sample of 280 banking customers in Pakistan, partial least square based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the conceptual model. CSR is a multidimensional formative construct that affects customer loyalty both directly and indirectly. Sequential partial mediations of co-creation and CCI are found between CSR activities and customer loyalty. Lastly, CCI has a direct and significant impact on co-creation and customer loyalty. Banks must include CSR in their long-term marketing plans to improve overall customer behavior because banks’ CSR activities result in customer identification and co-creation. Similarly, banks should welcome the customers’ participation in service design and use their knowledge and skills to improve overall service culture.
Provincial-Level CO2 Emissions Intensity Inequality in China: Regional Source and Explanatory Factors of Interregional and Intraregional Inequalities
Authors: Jiang Wanbei , Liu Weidong
Published: March 2020

As the largest emitter in the world, China has pledged to reduce CO2 emissions intensity (CO2 emissions per unit of output) by 60–65% between 2005 and 2030. CO2 emissions intensity inequality analysis in China can provide a scientific basis for the Chinese government to formulate reasonable regional carbon emission abatement strategies, so as to realize the goal above. This paper adopted the Theil index to study the provincial-level CO2 emissions intensity inequality in China during 2005–2015. The regional decomposition was firstly conducted and then the factors of interregional and intraregional inequalities were explored. The results show: (i) a clear increase in provincial CO2 emissions intensity inequality in China has happened; (ii) this inequality and its increase were both mainly explained by the intraregional component; and (iii) the energy efficiency was the most important and positive contributor in the interregional, Eastern, Central, and Western China inequalities. Energy efficiency was also the key factor that caused the growth in interregional and Western China inequalities. However, most of the Eastern and Central China inequality increments over the whole period were respectively driven by the expanding carbonization gap and the changing GDP share, instead of the trajectory of energy efficiency. According to the results, regional emission mitigation strategies were proposed.