bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Importance of In Situ Characterisation for the Mitigation of Poor Indoor Environmental Conditions in Social Housing
Authors: Oliveira Rui , Vicente Romeu , Almeida Ricardo M. S. F. , Figueiredo António
Published: September 2021

The energy efficiency improvements in existing buildings have become priority concerns of the European Union to encourage energy efficiency amongst residents and buildings as well as facility managers. The characterisation of the building stock plays an important role in the definition of energy renovation strategies. In Portugal, there are over 120,000 social housing flats. This paper focused on the holistic characterisation of a social housing neighbourhood concerning the “in situ” assessment of the indoor environmental conditions and thermal comfort over one year as well as air permeability tests of the flats and evaluation of the energy consumption. The hygrothermal monitoring campaign was carried out using thermo-hygrometer sensors to record the indoor air temperature and relative humidity of a large number of flats over a 12-month period. The airtightness of these flats was determined resourcing fan pressurisation test (blower door test). A relationship between the users’ modifications in the flats and their consequence over the air permeability was pursued and the importance of balconies and exhaust fans for the flats’ air permeability was discussed. The hygrothermal monitoring campaign of the case study was carried out, in order to assess the indoor thermal comfort according the ASHRAE 55 standard. The results show a significant discomfort rate, suggesting that the users are living in unhealthy environmental conditions and the issues that most contribute to the poor indoor environmental conditions that characterise this building stock. In addition, the energy, gas, and water consumption of the flats were collected, and a statistical analysis was performed. Correlations between the variables were observed and two clusters were identified. Cluster 1 includes the lower energy consumption flats, but no real impact on the thermal comfort was found as the entire dataset presented low indoor air temperatures.
Monitor Activity for the Implementation of a Pavement—Management System at Cagliari Airport
Authors: Di Mascio Paola , Ragnoli Antonella , Portas Silvia , Santoni Marco
Published: September 2021

The conditions of airport movement-area pavements play a primary role on safety and regularity of airport operations; for this reason, the aerodrome operator needs to periodically survey their condition and provide their maintenance and rehabilitation in order to ensure the required operational characteristics. To meet these needs efficiently and effectively, the Airport Pavement-Management System (APMS) has proved to be a strategic tool to support decisions, aimed at defining a technically and economically sustainable management plan. This paper aims to investigate the theoretical elements and structure of the APMS; the appropriate methodologies to guarantee a constant updating of the system in all its aspects are presented, focusing on the specific case study of a medium-dimension Italian airport. The article describes the methods and the equipment used for the high-performance surveys and the condition indexes used for collecting and analyzing the data implemented to populate the APMS of Cagliari airport. Two major survey campaigns were carried out: the first in 2016 and the second in 2019. Both surveys were carried out using the same subdivision into sample units, following the ASTM D5340-12 criteria, to correctly compare data collected in different years. In order to sufficiently populate the APMS database, the measured and back-calculated data were stored and integrated using daily acquired pavement reports since 2009 and stored with the specific intention to develop customized decay curves for Cagliari Airport pavements. Preliminary results on the sustainable use of the APMS were reported even with data collected in a limited period and successfully applied to runway flexible pavement.
Hydrogeophysical Study of Sub-Basaltic Alluvial Aquifer in the Southern Part of Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Metwaly Mohamed , Abdalla Fathy , Taha Ayman I.
Published: September 2021

Groundwater is extremely important in a water-scarce country such as Saudi Arabia, where permanent surface water resources are absent. Sustainable and future developments plans are essentially relying on the clear understanding of water resources. To evaluate the water resources in arid countries, the groundwater should be quantified through either traditional or scientifically advanced techniques. Aquifer characteristics, particularly the hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity, are essential for the evaluation the aquifer properties as well as the management and development of groundwater modelling for specific aquifers. The present study aims to evaluate the sub-basaltic alluvial aquifer in the northern part of Harrat Rahat, south of Al-Madinah city, and then estimates the principal aquifer’s hydraulic parameters based on the interpreted 1D resistivity-depth models along the study area. For that, 49 Vertical Electrical Soundings (VES’s) utilizing a Schlumberger electrode array were performed along the southern part of Al-Madinah city. The resistivity of the water-bearing formation, thickness, porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and transmissivity parameters were calculated along the measured longitudinal profile from the interpreted VES data. The estimated porosity, hydraulic conductivity, and transmissivity were achieved along the whole profile with average values of 0.2, 3.5 m/day, and 369.6 m2/day, respectively. The resulting transmissivity values from the VES models were compared with those of previous pumping test measurements carried out in the area and a reasonable correlation between the two data sets was observed. These results indicate that surface geoelectrical resistivity techniques may provide an alternative, rapid, and cost-effective method of estimating the aquifer hydraulic parameters where pumping data is rare or unavailable.
Optimum Detailed Standards to Control Non-Point Source Pollution Priority Management Areas: Centered on Highland Agriculture Watershed
Authors: Kim Jinsun , Park Baekyung , Choi Jiyeon , Park Minji , Lee Jong Mun , Kim Kyunghyun , Kim Yongseok
Published: September 2021

The Ministry of Environment in Korea aims to reduce non-point source (NPS) pollution and improve soil water management by expanding NPS priority management areas. Six NPS priority management areas to reduce suspended solids (SS) according to soil loss were chosen as they either constitute serious hazards to the natural ecosystem due to NPS pollutants or they are areas with unusual geologic structure or strata. Although more comprehensive standards are required for effective NPS management, however, no detailed consideration factors and standards are available in the legal provisions. Therefore, in this study, based on the existing six priority NPS management areas and using results from previous studies, we present detailed legal designation standards. We found that the higher the altitude, slope, and field area ratio, the higher the effect of SS on water quality during rainfall. Additionally, there is a high correlation as R2 0.9813 between SS and the habitat and riparian index. These results are useful for establishing detailed standards for areas requiring an NPS management system, future expansion of the NPS priority management area designation, and policymaking and research for reducing NPS pollution in Korea.
Implications for Agricultural Producers of Using Blockchain for Food Transparency, Study of 4 Food Chains by Cumulative Approach
Authors: Commandré Ysé , Macombe Catherine , Mignon Sophie
Published: September 2021

In agro-food, Blockchain has been recently implemented in order to improve transparency. Blockchain raises great expectations of data decentralization and better efficiency–cost ratio, integration speed, and data protection that appear as promises of gains in all areas. The fundamental assumption was that transparency prevents or reduces illegitimate forms of power. However, discussions are emerging about how digitization is likely to exacerbate power inequalities in food systems, as transparency can become tyrannical when it contributes to the proliferation of audits, evaluations, and assessment measures. The objective of this research is to contribute by providing knowledge about the implications of this digitization for farmers. For a first exploratory study, we conducted 53 interviews with actors of digitalization of agri-food, and we used 9 press releases, 3 webinars, and 1 article published in a specialized French journal. These materials evoke 12 different agro-food chains recently equipped with blockchain in France. From this pool of chains, we focused on four through in-depth analysis of interviews and literature readings using NVivo software. The first results highlight that the use of blockchain for transparency rarely delivers on its promises. Blockchain tends to centralize control since few actors have access to the distributed ledger, and the visibility brought to farmers, at the consumer level, tends to become a form of control. While blockchain seems to provide some benefits to producers, it raises the issue of overloaded technology and the problem of their data privacy.
Characteristics of Soil C, N, and P Stoichiometry as Affected by Land Use and Slope Position in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area, Southwest China
Authors: Feng Mengdie , Zhang Dengyu , He Binghui , Liang Ke , Xi Peidong , Bi Yunfei , Huang Yingying , Liu Dongxin , Li Tianyang
Published: September 2021

Land use change and slope position are commonly identified as the key factors affecting the soil organic carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and total phosphorus (P) traits in distinct ecological scales. However, the directions of these effects are still unclear in some fragile terrestrial ecosystems. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of soil C, N, and P concentrations and stoichiometry as affected by different land uses and slope positions in a representative purple soil hillslope in Three Gorges Reservoir Area (TGRA), China, which is experiencing severe soil erosion and non-point source pollution. A total of 108 soil samples were collected from secondary forest, orchard plantation, and cropland on the upper, middle, and lower slopes, respectively. Soil C, N, and P concentrations and their stoichiometric ratios were determined. The results showed that soil C concentration was not affected by land use, while soil N and P concentrations were both the highest in orchard plantation rather than in secondary forest and cropland, resulting in the lowest C:N, C:P, and N:P ratios in the orchard plantation. Soil C and N concentrations synchronously decreased from upper slope to the lower slope, and soil P concentration was not markedly different among slope positions. This also caused the insignificant difference in soil C:N ratio and the remarkably lowest C:P and N:P ratios on the lower slope. There were significant interactive effects of land use and slope position on the study soil variables except soil P concentration. Our results highlight the effects of land use and slope position on soil C, N, and P traits and point to the decoupling of linkages between soil P and soil C as well as N due to the severe soil erosion and overuse of fertilization in the TGRA.
Pursuing Development behind Heterogeneous Ideologies: Review of Six Evolving Themes and Narratives of Rural Planning in China
Authors: Tian Tian , Speelman Stijn
Published: September 2021

Rural planning is in a state of flux, covering a range of topics. The objectives of planning have evolved over the years. To get an overview of the evolving themes and narratives on rural planning in China, a literature review is conducted here using text mining considering 145 papers published in Web of Science. Attention is given to trends over time in terms of the topics covered. Six evolving themes are revealed, namely: providing affordable and decent life under industrialization and urbanization progress, national ecological programs and practices, building a new (socialist) countryside and rural−urban relationship in planning, land planning and restructuring, rural tourism planning and activities, and other themes. It is highlighted that strategies and knowledge of “development” are a common instructional epistemology among agro-industrialism, agro-ruralism, scientific rationalism, and “economy oriented” humanism.
Sustainable Urban Development for Older Australians: Understanding the Formation of Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities in the Greater Brisbane Region
Authors: E Jiaxuan , Xia Bo , Buys Laurie , Yigitcanlar Tan
Published: September 2021

As most older Australians prefer to age-in-place, providing sustainable and age-friendly communities poses a significant challenge to urban policymakers. The naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) have organically emerged as a collaborative model of care to support older adults to age-in-place, but neither academic research nor government policies recognise this housing option for older Australians. This paper aims to analyse the distributions and temporal patterns of NORCs in the Greater Brisbane Region, Australia, to understand the formation and development of NORCs. The geovisualisation method was employed to identify the distribution changes of NORCs between 2006 and 2016. The Global Moran’s I and Local Moran’s I measures were utilised to analyse the spatial correlation and the clusters of NORCs. The results show that NORCs increased significantly from 2006 to 2016, and their distribution was mainly clustered or co-located along the coastline and Brisbane River areas. The evolvement of NORCs reflected the change of aggregation pattern of older population between 2006 and 2016. Understanding the distribution trend of NORCs informs government policy and decisions in addressing issues of service delivery and community cooperation, and eventually leads to sustainable urban development and successful ageing in place for older Australians.
Consideration of Uncertainty and Multiple Disciplines in the Determination of Sustainable Criteria for Rural Roads Using Neutrosophic Logic
Authors: Sierra Leonardo , Araya Felipe , Yepes Víctor
Published: September 2021

In Latin America, there is a wide gap between kilometers of paved ways and those with no type of protection. This situation is worse in rural areas, limiting development opportunities and inhabitants’ quality of life. In Chile, there are state programs that seek to reduce the territorial gap through basic low-cost paving solutions; however, the prioritization criteria for rural roads are unclear. Multiple actors affect the rural territories, and the non-existence of reference patterns increases subjectivity in infrastructure decision making. This study attempts to determine criteria that influence the selection of rural roads in southern Chile to promote sustainable territorial development considering multiple actors and the uncertainty of the selection process. For this, a documentary review, field visits, and 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted. The criteria are validated through a multidisciplinary panel of experts and the application of neutrosophic numbers to address the uncertainty derived from the expert consultations. The results of this study contribute 14 sustainable criteria in order to support the planning of basic rural roads in southern Chile.
A Model for Sustainable Tourism Development of Hot Spring Destinations Following Poverty Alleviation: Understanding the Tourists’ Perspective
Authors: Wang Wei-Ching , Lin Chung-Hsien
Published: September 2021

Few studies have examined the issue of the sustainable destination development of hot spring from tourists’ perspective. This study thus proposes a model for sustainable tourism development of hot spring destinations following poverty alleviation in local communities. This model is based on environmental (environmental cognition), sociocultural (hot spring experience, food experience, and attitude toward cultural landscape), and economic (revisit intention) dimensions (factors) of sustainability. The analysis of 271 valid on-site questionnaires about the Conghua hot spring destination in Guangzhou, China, showed that the attitude toward cultural landscape, hot spring experiences, and environmental cognition are the important factors that influence the intention of tourists to revisit hot spring. These findings are based on the level of importance; however, food experience did not play a significant role. Through the cultural landscape, the connection between tourists and destinations is strengthened, which helps to increase the likelihood of tourists revisiting the destination. This study found that the purpose of cultural legacy can be achieved while balancing environmental development issues, and is one of the guidelines for sustainable development in poverty alleviation in destination.
Tri-tert-butyl(n-alkyl)phosphonium Ionic Liquids: Structure, Properties and Application as Hybrid Catalyst Nanomaterials
Authors: Arkhipova Daria M. , Ermolaev Vadim V. , Miluykov Vasili A. , Valeeva Farida G. , Gaynanova Gulnara A. , Zakharova Lucia Ya. , Minyaev Mikhail E. , Ananikov Valentine P.
Published: September 2021

A series of sterically hindered tri-tert-butyl(n-alkyl)phosphonium salts (n-CnH2n+1 with n = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17) was synthesized and systematically studied by 1H, 13C, 31P NMR spectroscopy, ESI-MS, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and melting point measurement. Formation and stabilization palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) were used to characterize the phosphonium ionic liquid (PIL) nanoscale interaction ability. The colloidal Pd in the PIL systems was described with TEM and DLS analyses and applied in the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. The PILs were proven to be suitable stabilizers of PdNPs possessing high catalytic activity. The tri-tert-butyl(n-alkyl)phosphonium salts showed a complex nonlinear correlation of the structure–property relationship. The synthesized family of PILs has a broad variety of structural features, including hydrophobic and hydrophilic structures that are entirely expressed in the diversity of their properties
Planning for Vita Activa—Labor, Work, and Action in a Communal Urban Gardening Project in Vienna
Authors: Mayrhofer Rita
Published: September 2021

Today, communal urban gardening (CUG) is a widespread phenomenon in European cities. Gardening has many positive qualities, ranging from growing healthy food to meaningful everyday life activities and political action. However, its integration into existing urban planning processes remains a challenge. Planning has a great influence on the qualities that can actually be realized by the gardeners. In order to develop a more appropriate planning process for CUG, a deeper understanding of the different activities that people engage in when they are gardening in an urban environment under given conditions is needed. In this paper, a garden project from Vienna is discussed against the background of Arendt’s theory of political action to advance the theoretical debates on the planning of CUGs. The case study shows that the three central spaces of a vita activa can emerge in one place if the appropriate framework conditions are provided through planning: containment, sovereign rights of use, egalitarian participation, plurality, and spatial organization towards the three activities of a vita activa: labor, work, and action.
Intangible Cultural Heritage in China: A Visual Analysis of Research Hotspots, Frontiers, and Trends Using CiteSpace
Authors: Dang Qiong , Luo Zhongming , Ouyang Chuhao , Wang Lin , Xie Mei
Published: September 2021

In recent years, the development and utilization of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) has become an increasingly significant research topic. Worldwide, however, little research has been systematically and comprehensively conducted to review relevant ICH literature. The application CiteSpace was used to identify the research hotspots, frontiers, and trends in China’s ICH field from 2003 to 2020. The results showed that the quantity of published literature has steadily increased throughout the respective period. Scholars and research institutions alike have shown poor cooperation whereby ICH protection received most of the attention. In addition, the digitalization of ICH is an inevitable trend in ICH protection and inheritance, while the combination of ICH and cultural industries constitutes an important approach to ICH utilization and communication. Hence, the ultimate goal of ICH research consists of seeking ways to achieve its sustainable development to satisfy the increasing cultural demands. Findings furthermore show that ICH for rural revitalization constitutes a unique research topic with Chinese characteristics. This study provides insights for scholars and practitioners worldwide to facilitate a better understanding of ICH in China.
A Challenge-Based Learning Experience in Industrial Engineering in the Framework of Education 4.0
Authors: Gutiérrez-Martínez Yadira , Bustamante-Bello Rogelio , Navarro-Tuch Sergio A. , López-Aguilar Ariel A. , Molina Arturo , Álvarez-Icaza Longoria Inés
Published: September 2021

Current tendencies of product, project and services development focus on a higher consideration of the User Experience (UX). Therefore, traditional training and teaching methodologies need to adapt to prepare the students to develop strategies for problem solving for their professional education. Such needs have risen and interest in tendencies such as education and Industry 4.0 has grown. This paper presents and analyzes the process and results of a teaching implementation methodology based on Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). The paper describes the process followed, explaining the methodology precedents that led to the final implementation case. It also mentions previous experiments on product analysis and home automation developments that are linked to implementation of the technology. This case’s implementation, analysis and experimentation integrated the use of Emotional Domotics (ED) Tools for the UX analysis, to grant feedback and compare the students’ results with the bio-metrical and emotional computational analysis. The methodology, described through this document, allowed the students to better understand and experience some of the implications of an interconnected system with instant information feedback. This allowed them to better grasp part of the impact that the tendency towards the Internet of Things (IoT) is currently having, and the impact of the improvement proposals from the students.
Power Quality Disturbances Recognition Using Modified S-Transform Based on Optimally Concentrated Window with Integration of Renewable Energy
Authors: Su Dan , Li Kaicheng , Shi Nian
Published: September 2021

To meet power quality requirements, it is necessary to classify and identify the power quality of the power grid connected with renewable energy generation. S-transform (ST) is an effective method to analyze power quality in time and frequency domains. ST is widely used to detect and classify various kinds of non-stationary power quality disturbances. However, the long taper and scaling criteria of the Gaussian window in standard ST (SST) will lead to poor time domain resolution at low frequency and poor frequency resolution at high frequency. To solve the discrete side effects, it is necessary to select the optimal window function to locate the time frequency accurately. This paper proposes a modified ST (MST) method. In this method, an improved window function of energy concentration in time-frequency distribution is introduced to optimize the shape of each window function. This method determines the parameters of Gaussian window to maximize the product of energy concentration in a time-frequency domain within a given time and frequency interval, so as to improve the energy concentration. The result shows that compared with the SST with Gaussian window, ST based on the optimally concentrated window proposed in this paper has better energy concentration in time-frequency distribution.
Microaerobic Digestion of Low-Biodegradable Sewage Sludge: Effect of Air Dosing in Batch Reactors
Authors: Morello Raffaele , Di Capua Francesco , Pontoni Ludovico , Papirio Stefano , Spasiano Danilo , Fratino Umberto , Pirozzi Francesco , Esposito Giovanni
Published: September 2021

The adoption of prolonged solid retention times during the biological treatment of urban wastewaters is a well-known strategy to reduce sewage sludge production. However, it also results in the production of a biological sludge with low percentages of biodegradable organic matter, also characterized by high humification degrees, which may hamper the anaerobic digestion treatment aimed at sludge stabilization. To accelerate the hydrolytic stage, the application of microaerobic conditions during the anaerobic digestion of low-biodegradable sewage sludge was investigated in this study. In particular, six bio-methanation tests of a real sewage sludge were carried out, introducing air in the bioreactors with doses ranging between 0 and 16.83 L air/kg VSin d, in order to evaluate the air dosage that optimizes the biomethane production and organic matter degradation. Notably, the lower air loading rates investigated in this study, such as 0.68 and 1.37 L air/kg VSin d, led to an increase in methane production of up to 19%, due to a higher degradation of total lipids and proteins. In addition, these microaerobic conditions also resulted in a decrease in the sludge humification degree and in lower volatile fatty acid accumulation.
Economic Fluctuation, Local Government Bond Risk and Risk-Taking of City Commercial Banks
Authors: Zheng Changjun , Chen Shiying , Dong Zhenhuan
Published: September 2021

Countercyclical fiscal regulation can mitigate economic risk, but this is bound to increase the scale of local government debt during an economic downturn, and then spread risk to the banking sector, forming potential financial instability factors. We extracted the three most important variables in this process: economic fluctuation, local debt risk and bank risk-taking to build an econometric model and found that: (1) both economic fluctuations and local government bond risks have a significant impact on bank risk-taking, which is negatively correlated with local economic growth, while the increase of local government bond risks tends to increase bank risk-taking in the long run; (2) the impact of local government debt risk significantly increases the loans of city commercial banks flowing into the construction industry. Therefore, the impact of local government bond risk on city commercial banks is concentrated in the impact on their construction loans. This study has an important reference value for timely and moderate countercyclical regulation, preventing local debt risk from spreading to banks, constructing a sustainable local government−bank ecology, and promoting sustainable economic development.
Sustainable Management of Animal Genetic Resources to Improve Low-Input Livestock Production: Insights into Local Beninese Cattle Populations
Authors: Vanvanhossou Sèyi Fridaïus Ulrich , Dossa Luc Hippolyte , König Sven
Published: September 2021

Persistent food insecurity, along with climate change pressures, urges on the definition of suitable strategies to support the transformation of low-input livestock farming in developing countries. Advances in genomics and information technologies are valuable opportunities for achieving the required improvement, but their implementation implies access to technical and financial resources with appropriate adjustment in the local context. Addressing extensive cattle production in Benin, we focus on animal genetic resources (AnGR) and corresponding approaches aiming for a durable breeding improvement based on sustainable management strategies. Specifically, smallholder breeding goals are revised, and novel strategies for proper organization, sound data collection, and scientific investigations are explored. Further emphasis addresses the enhancement of farmer management practices, including valuable traditional knowledge; and breeding strategies to improve animal performances considering robustness and further traits favored by the farmers. Against such a background, it is imperative that political, institutional, and scientific collaborations reinforce research capacities and technical and financial resources. In the given context, the current review article provides policymakers and national and international researchers with practical guidance based on scientific criteria for a smallholder livestock amelioration in Benin, scalable to other countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
COVID Face Masks: Policy Shift Results in Increased Littering
Authors: Spennemann Dirk H. R.
Published: September 2021

The introduction of the mandatory use of fitted face masks in indoor spaces to limit the transmission of COVID-19 resulted in increased municipal waste of discarded single-use surgical face masks and other personal protective equipment (PPE) such as latex gloves. In parallel, the occurrence of intentionally or accidentally discarded masks has created a major environmental problem. This paper presents the data of a longitudinal study of the occurrence of discarded face masks in an urban environment of a community in regional Australia. It demonstrates that the shift from voluntary to mandatory use of fitted face masks resulted in an immediate increase of publicly discarded masks and other items of PPE. The overserved spatial and temporal patterns allow us to draw inferences on human behavior.
Role of Servitization, Digitalization, and Innovation Performance in Manufacturing Enterprises
Authors: Shen Lei , Sun Cong , Ali Muhammad
Published: September 2021

The structure of the manufacturing industry has forced manufacturing companies to understand the importance of digitalization and servitization transformation, in terms of production and R&D. In this study, we examine the relationship between servitization, digitization, and enterprise innovation performance through the lens of dynamic capabilities within enterprises. We also discuss the impact of the transformation servitization strategy on business innovation, and the mechanisms by which it impacts business innovation performance. The study’s findings indicate that servitization significantly contributes to innovation performance, and digitalization acts as a mediating mechanism between the proposed relationships. Thus, this article argues for the integration and growth of servitization and digitization.
Energy Consumption of Beverage-Bottling Machines
Authors: Osterroth Isabel Anna , Voigt Tobias
Published: September 2021

Sustainability is a megatrend influencing the beverage industry. Knowledge of the consumption behavior and suitable metrics are required for energy optimization strategies. Machine efficiency and energy consumption are intermixed in common parameters, e.g., customary specifications refer to the energy consumption for a specific number of products (e.g., kWh/1000 fillings). This does not reflect the influence that inevitable breakdown times have on the energy consumption (e.g., malfunction, lack, and tailback situations within the material flow). While specific energy performance indicators are useful as a benchmark, it does not provide reliable information to verify plant specifications, or to have a source-related cost allocation as a basis for a weak point analysis. In this work, energy and operational data were analyzed, in order to find a generic description of the operational-state related consumption behavior. Therefore, empirical data on the effective electrical energy and operational state data were collected on machine level of two representative bottling plants and for additional single machines. In the frequency distributions of the discrete values of the measured electrical energy data, three main peaks were found. These can be correlated to operational states such as state-related energy demand level. The change from one demand level to another was found to be reproducible.
Investigating Moderators of the Influence of Enablers on Participation in Knowledge Sharing in Virtual Communities
Authors: Lee Ae Ri
Published: September 2021

Virtual communities (VCs) are emerging as a cyberspace where active knowledge exchange between people occurs without time or space constraints. For VCs to be sustainable, a major challenge is ensuring that members voluntarily contribute and share knowledge. Therefore, many VCs provide anonymity as a means of encouraging members to participate more in knowledge-sharing activities. Given the recent prevalence of anonymity-based VCs, this study aimed to examine what has a significant impact on human behavior, such as knowledge sharing in VCs. This study focused on governance-related factors of VCs and intrinsic motivation factors of users as participation-enabling factors in VCs. Particularly, this study analyzed the differences based on two types of self-awareness (public and private) and the level of anonymity. A web-based survey was conducted to collect data and the research model was tested using structural equation modeling. The results of this study show that members’ willingness to conform to group norms, which control and govern VCs, and intrinsic motivation have significant effects on knowledge sharing in VCs, and the influence can vary depending on the type of self-awareness and level of anonymity. This study provides implications for VC management strategy and the establishment of Internet culture for sharing high-quality knowledge.
Pandemic-Induced Qualitative Changes in the Process of University Studies from the Perspective of University Authorities
Authors: Navickiene Vida , Dagiene Valentina , Jasute Egle , Butkiene Rita , Gudoniene Daina
Published: September 2021

The pandemic COVID-19 period in education has brought many challenges to all organizations. The activities of the higher educational institutions are being affected and the situation may last for a long time. Under the current circumstances, it is important to shift to distance learning through online processes and improve educational processes at all organizational levels. Institutions have to ensure successful distance or remote learning process by identifying their opportunities, meeting challenges, and establishing the sustainable quality factors for remote or distance learning. This study aimed at identifying the pandemic-induced qualitative changes in studies that have occurred at the levels of university authorities, lecturers, and students. Universities of Lithuania were taken as a case study. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that the focus of analysis is not on the negative effects of the pandemic observed in higher education studies but on finding positive qualitative changes that are also of importance to future studies. Phenomenographic qualitative research strategy was chosen in the research and 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with experts in university studies were conducted. Seven categories were distinguished during the research representing qualitative changes in studies at three levels—authorities, lecturers, and students. The discussed levels seemed to have a mutual effect on each other. The external motivation of leaders and the support and establishment of work and online study conditions encouraged both external and internal qualitative changes in studies from the perspective of lecturers as well as students.
Analysis of Uncertainties and Levels of Foreknowledge in Relation to Major Features of Emerging Technologies—The Context of Foresight Research for the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Authors: Magruk Andrzej
Published: September 2021

One of the key roles in the development of Industry 4.0 systems is played by “emerging technologies” as new tools with promising—though with a high level of uncertainty—capabilities. The management of such systems should be based on a comprehensive—future-oriented—research approach. Such activities are enabled by the foresight methodology. The main purpose of this publication is to attempt to answer the following research question: “What levels of foreknowledge and knowledge in the context of the development of emerging technologies—in relation to their features in Industry 4.0—should be taken into account during the analysis of uncertainties in the sense of foresight research based on different anticipated options?” In detail, the examination covered the relationship of classes of research foresight methods with regard to types of future, scopes of uncertainty, cycles of knowledge and original levels of foreknowledge in the field of the development of emerging technologies in Industry 4.0. Emerging technologies combined with the research on foreknowledge and uncertainties is an interesting research area with many theoretical and practical potential implications. The study uses the results of the analysis and criticism of the literature, mental experiments, and the intuitive method as the main research methods. This provides a basis for performing conceptual modeling.
Making Pledges More Powerful: Effects on Pro-Environmental Beliefs and Conservation Behavior
Authors: Jacobs Tyler P. , Gottschalk Lauren L. , Dandignac Mitchell , McConnell Allen R.
Published: September 2021

We developed pledges that capitalized on several self-related properties (e.g., freedom of choice, actual-ought self-discrepancies, foot-in-door technique) and manipulated two experimental factors: pledge beneficiary and pledge audience. In two studies, participants received a recycling pledge based on a random assignment in a 2 (Beneficiaries: Nature vs. Self) × 2 (Audience: Ingroup vs. Outgroup) design. Afterwards, we assessed their pro-environmental beliefs and provided them with a behavioral opportunity to support conservation (i.e., recycling debriefing forms in Study 1, writing letters to congresspeople regarding an environmental policy in Study 2). In both studies, an interaction between beneficiaries and audience was observed, showing that a recycling pledge framed as benefitting nature and sponsored by a social ingroup led to more progressive environmental beliefs. In Study 2, individuals in the same condition (i.e., the nature-ingroup pledge) wrote more persuasive letters (longer and more sophisticated letters) supporting pro-environmental legislation. Implications for constructing effective pledges and for leveraging the self to promote pro-environmental action are discussed.
Fabrication of Bimetallic Oxides (MCo2O4: M=Cu, Mn) on Ordered Microchannel Electro-Conductive Plate for High-Performance Hybrid Supercapacitors
Authors: Li Mai , Meng Zheyi , Feng Ruichao , Zhu Kailan , Zhao Fengfeng , Wang Chunrui , Wang Jiale , Wang Lianwei , Chu Paul K.
Published: September 2021

AB2O4-type binary-transition metal oxides (BTMOs) of CuCo2O4 and MnCo2O4 were successfully prepared on ordered macroporous electrode plates (OMEP) for supercapacitors. Under the current density of 5 mA cm−2, the CuCo2O4/OMEP electrode achieved a specific capacitance of 1199 F g−1. The asymmetric supercapacitor device prepared using CuCo2O4/OMEP as the positive electrode and carbon-based materials as the negative electrode (CuCo2O4/OMEP//AC) achieved the power density of 14.58 kW kg−1 under the energy density of 11.7 Wh kg−1. After 10,000 GCD cycles, the loss capacitance of CuCo2O4/OMEP//AC is only 7.5% (the retention is 92.5%). The MnCo2O4/OMEP electrode shows the specific and area capacitance of 843 F g−1 and 5.39 F cm−2 at 5 mA cm−2. The MnCo2O4/OMEP-based supercapacitor device (MnCo2O4/OMEP//AC) has a power density of 8.33 kW kg−1 under the energy density of 11.6 Wh kg−1 and the cycle stability was 90.2% after 10,000 cycles. The excellent power density and cycle stability prove that the prepared hybrid supercapacitor fabricated under silicon process has a good prospect as the power buffer device for solar cells.
Measurement and Path Selection of Rural Development Level in Enclave Areas: A Case Study of Jingyuan County, Gansu Province
Authors: Qi Jianwu , Li Wei , Wang Zongxiang , Fang Haozhou
Published: September 2021

The development of rural areas is a significant component in social and economic activities. It is very important for optimizing the allocation of rural production and living factors, promoting the integration of urban and rural areas and sustainable development to identify the characteristics and main types of regional rural development. In this paper, 169 villages in Jingyuan County were selected as the research object, and the evaluation index system of rural development level was constructed from the perspective of “Factor-structure-function”. The rural development level and spatial structure characteristics of Jingyuan County were analyzed by using rural development index, regional function index, nearest neighbor index, and exploratory spatial data analysis, and the types and specific paths of rural development were determined. The results showed the following: Rural development of Jingyuan County is at a low level, which is characterized by “high in the south and low in the north”. The level of rural development shows significant spatial dependence in the global space, and the spatial agglomeration characteristics are obvious, which are manifested as strong agglomeration dominated by resource endowment and cultural function and weak agglomeration dominated by production function and location relationship. The local space is characterized by stable high value and high value (H-H), low value and low value (L-L) bidirectional agglomeration. According to the spatial characteristics of the rural development level, the “4 + 10 + 6 + 2” system of rural development type identification in Jingyuan County was constructed, and finally it was determined that policy leading and characteristic protection are the dominant types of rural development. Based on this, this paper put forward specific paths and development models of different types of rural development in Jingyuan County from seven dimensions: industry, population, land, tourism, space, culture and ecology, so as to provide ideas and references for the integration of urban and rural areas, the implementation of rural revitalization strategy, and sustainable development in the western poverty-stricken areas.
Four Decades of Surface Temperature, Precipitation, and Wind Speed Trends over Lakes of Greece
Authors: Stefanidis Konstantinos , Varlas George , Papadopoulos Anastasios , Dimitriou Elias
Published: September 2021

Climate change is known to affect world’s lakes in many ways. Lake warming is perhaps the most prominent impact of climate change but there is evidence that changes of precipitation and wind speed over the surface of the lakes may also have a significant effect on key limnological processes. With this study we explored the interannual trends of surface temperature, precipitation, and wind speed over 18 lakes of Greece using ERA5-Land data spanning over a period of almost four decades. We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to conduct time-series analysis in order to identify significant trends of change. Our results showed that surface temperature has significantly increased in all lakes with an average rate of change for annual temperature of 0.43 °C decade−1. With regard to precipitation, we identified significant trends for most lakes and particularly we found that precipitation decreased during the first two decades (1981–2000), but since 2000 it increased notably. Finally, wind speed did not show any significant change over the examined period with the exception for one lake. In summary, our work highlights the major climatic changes that have occurred in several freshwater bodies of Greece. Thus, it improves our understanding on how climate change may have impacted the ecology of these important ecosystems and may aid us to identify systems that are more vulnerable to future changes.
Evaluating Climate-Smart Agriculture as Route to Building Climate Resilience in African Food Systems
Authors: Dougill Andrew J. , Hermans Thirze D. G. , Eze Samuel , Antwi-Agyei Philip , Sallu Susannah M.
Published: September 2021

Efforts to meet the growing demand for food across Africa have led to unsustainable land management practices that weaken the resilience of African Food Systems. Soil health is key to building more climate-resilient agricultural systems and can be improved through Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices that also enhance soil carbon storage. Many CSA practices are being implemented by African farmers, whereas others are being actively promoted but adoption remains low due to multiple factors including weak policy integration, limited institutional support, and inadequate agricultural extension advice. This Short Communications paper presents overview findings from trans-disciplinary research projects from Southern, East, and West Africa to evaluate the potential importance of integrated participatory soil health studies designed to inform context-specific recommendations and policies for resilient African food systems. The use of soil health indicators to measure the effectiveness of implemented CSA practices including Conservation Agriculture in maize-based systems and Soil and Water Conservation in Highland African systems are discussed. The paper identifies how more integrated research can help to enable shared learning and the enhanced knowledge exchange required for the upscaling of sustainable land management practices enabled through enhanced farmer participation in the chain of CSA activities from intervention design to community evaluation of impacts.
Interdependencies of Urban Behavioral Dynamics Whilst COVID-19 Spread
Authors: Ko Sanghyeon , Lee Dongwoo
Published: September 2021

The outbreak of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused many consequences in almost all aspects of our lives. The pandemic dramatically changes people’s behavior in urban areas and transportation systems. Many studies have attempted to analyze spatial behavior and to present analysis data visually in the process of spreading COVID-19 and provided limited temporal and geographical perspectives. In this article, the behavioral changes in urban areas and transportation systems were analyzed throughout the U.S.A. while the COVID-19 spread over 2020. Specifically, assuming the characteristics are not repetitive over time, temporal phases were proposed where spikes or surges of confirmed cases are noticed. The interdependencies between population, mobility, and additional behavioral data were explored at the county level by adopting the machine learning approaches. As a result, interdependencies with the COVID-19 cases were identified differently by phase. It appeared to have a solid relationship with population size at all phases. Furthermore, it revealed racial characteristics, residential types, and vehicle mile traveled ratio in the urban and rural areas had a relationship with confirmed cases with different importance by phase. Although other short-term analyses were also conducted in terms of the COVID-19, this article is considered more legitimate as it provides dynamic relationships of urban elements by Phase at the county level. Moreover, it is expected to be encouraging and beneficial in terms of phase-driven transportation policy preparedness against a possible forthcoming pandemic crisis.