bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Land Surface Temperature Variation Following the 2017 Mw 7.3 Iran Earthquake
Authors: Zhu Chuanhua , Jiao Zhonghu , Shan Xinjian , Zhang Guohong , Li Yanchuan
Published: October 2019

During an earthquake, crustal deformation, fluid flow, and temperature variation are coupled; however, earthquake-related land surface temperature (LST) variations remain unclear. To determine whether post-seismic fluid migration can cause changes in LST, and taking the Mw 7.3 2017 Iran earthquake as an example, we modeled surface cooling (CA) and warming (WA) areas induced by co-seismic slip and fluid migration using a thermo-hydro-mechanical (THM) coupled numerical simulation. Moreover, using nighttime LST data with 15-min resolution, the daily attenuation coefficient k of nighttime LST was extracted by attenuation function fitting, and the trend of the k time series was analyzed using the Mann–Kendall and Sen’s methods. Based on the comparison of k trends between the post-seismic and 2010–2016 periods, we obtained cooling and warming trends for the modeled CA and WA. The numerical simulation and observational data show good consistency, and both indicate that fluid migration caused by crustal deformation can lead to changes in LST. The numerical simulations show that after the Iran earthquake, the surface projection area of co-seismic slip correlated with a cooling area (CA), while the surrounding area correlated with a warming area (WA). For the LST observational data, the post-seismic k trends of the calculated CA and WA are positive and negative, indicating sustained cooling and warming processes, respectively. This study provides evidence that LST variation is caused by co-seismic crustal deformation and fluid migration and reveals the coupled evolution of deformation, fluid, and temperature fields. The results provide new insights into the mechanisms of seismic thermal anomalies.
Project-Based Learning Applied to Unmanned Aerial Systems and Remote Sensing
Authors: Mesas-Carrascosa Francisco Javier , Pérez Porras Fernando , Triviño-Tarradas Paula , Meroño de Larriva Jose Emilio , García-Ferrer Alfonso
Published: October 2019

The development of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology and the miniaturization of sensors have changed the way remote sensing (RS) is used, popularizing this geoscientific discipline in other fields, such as precision agriculture. This makes it necessary to implement the use of these technologies in teaching RS alongside the classical platforms (satellite and manned aircraft). This manuscript describes how The Higher Technical School of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Córdoba (Spain) has introduced UAV RS into the academic program by way of project-based learning (PBL). It also presents the basic characteristics of PBL, the design of the subject, the description of the teacher-guided and self-directed activities, as well as the degree of student satisfaction. The teaching and learning objectives of the subject are to learn how to determine the vigor, temperature, and water stress of a crop through the use of RGB, multispectral, and thermographic sensors onboard a UAV platform. From the onset, students are motivated, actively participate in the tasks related to the realization of UAV flights, and subsequent processing and analysis of the registered images. Students report that PBL is more engaging and allows them to develop a better understanding of RS.
Driving Behaviour in Depression: Findings from a Driving Simulator Study
Authors: Tsoutsi Vagioula , Dikeos Dimitris , Basta Maria , Papadakaki Maria
Published: October 2019

Depression is characterized by mental, emotional and executive dysfunction. Among its symptoms, sleep disturbance and anxiety are very common. The effects of depression and its treatment may have an impact on driving behaviour. In order to evaluate driving performance in depression, 13 patients and 18 healthy controls completed questionnaires and scales and were tested in a driving simulator. Driving simulator data included lateral position (LP), speed and distance from the preceding vehicle. History of collisions was associated with depression, body mass index (BMI) and next-day consequences of sleep disturbance. Aggressive driving was associated with fatigue and sleep disturbances. Concerning driving simulator data, a reduced ability to maintain constant vehicle velocity was positively correlated to BMI and insomnia. An LP towards the middle of the road was associated with anxiety. On the other hand, an LP towards the shoulder was associated with depression and next-day consequences of sleep disturbance, while a positive correlation was found between distance from the preceding vehicle and use of drugs with potential hypnotic effects; both these findings show that patients suffering from depression seem to realize the effects of certain symptoms on their driving ability and thus drive in a more defensive way than controls.
Insight or Intrusion? Correlating Routinely Collected Employee Data with Health Risk
Authors: Taylor Mark J. , Prictor Megan
Published: October 2019

The volume, variety and velocity of data available to companies about their employees is already significant and likely to increase. Employers hold data about employees that could be used to explore the relationship between workplace practice in their organisation and risks to employee health. However, there is significant uncertainty about whether employers subject to English law are permitted to use this data for this purpose, and even whether they may be under a legal obligation to do so. In this article, the question of whether employers are legally permitted or legally obliged to use employee data to identify associations between workplace practice and risk to employee health is answered through an analysis of two spheres of English Law: data protection law, and health and safety law. The authors establish a hypothetical case study concerning a company that wishes to use employee data in this way, to illuminate a set of detailed legal issues. In particular, the question of whether a reasonable and prudent employer is under an obligation under health and safety law to use the data and analytic tools at his or her disposal to assess risk and inform his or her actions is considered. Also addressed is the question of whether such processing would satisfy the data protection law principles of “lawful, fair, and transparent” processing and that of “purpose limitation”. A complex picture emerges. The analysis reveals that data protection legislation may not support a trend towards the re-use of employee data to enhance workplace health and safety; nor is there currently a clear mandate that responsible employers use data in this way. The line between useful insight into workplace practices and intrusion into employees’ privacy remains blurred.
Innovation, the Flying Geese Model, IPR Protection, and Sustainable Economic Development in China
Authors: Xu Jian , Cao Yongrong
Published: October 2019

China has achieved an “economic miracle” with 40 years of continual high-speed growth and the simultaneous realization of global innovation prowess. In this study, a large panel dataset from 1985 to 2017 was used in an effort to explore how innovation (at the enterprise level), the flying geese model (at the global and national level), and intellectual property rights (IPR) protection (at the governmental level) have facilitated China’s sustainable economic development (SED). We employed ridge regression to compensate for the obvious multicollinearity among independent variables. For control purposes, we included multiple variables, namely, population, the labor force, the exchange rate, human capital, and research and development (R&D) expenditures. The results show that all three factors have significant explanatory power for China’s SED. First, either Total domestic patent applications or Total domestic patent grants by Chinese enterprises have overtaken those by their foreign counterparts and become a powerful engine for China’s SED. However, we understand that patent applications as a measure of innovation could overestimate China’s innovation capability more than patent grants. Second, the flying geese model can explain not only China’s SED but also China’s innovation diffusion at the global and national levels. From 1985 to 1992, China’s industrialization and innovation were mainly driven endogenously; from 1993 to 2008, they were simultaneously driven exogenously and endogenously. Since 2009, they have gradually become predominantly endogenously driven. Third, China’s IPR protection has grown increasingly tighter at the governmental level, which has further facilitated China’s SED. About 98.5% (annually) of patent infringement disputes through the administrative protection system could be closed promptly between 2014 and 2017. Additionally, the proportion of infringed patent rights holders from foreign countries has been declining in recent years. The results significantly enrich the extant theories, and the analysis also has several key implications for actions that should be taken to maintain China’s sustainable economic growth; specifically, China should (1) keep its opening-up policy so as to continually expand exports and attract foreign direct investment (FDI); (2) encourage innovation activities from domestic enterprises since they have been the stimulus of China’s SED; (3) improve its IPR protection system, particularly its judicial protection system, so as to form a virtuous circle of innovation in China.
A Novel Method of Developing Construction Projects Schedule under Rework Scenarios
Authors: Ma Guofeng , Jiang Shan , Zhu Tiancheng , Jia Jianyao
Published: October 2019

Construction projects have faced serious schedule delays caused by rework risks. However, it appears that traditional methods are of limited value in developing applicable project schedules. This study presents an analysis on construction projects schedule development under rework scenarios by a novel method named the improved critical chain design structure matrix (CCDSM). Research data are collected from a real estate development project in China. As a result, predictions of project completion duration and probability have been made. A reliable schedule considering information interactions has been developed and visualized. Rework impact areas of activities have been examined to quantitatively record the impact on project duration. To meet different demands, the method generates two more schedules setting different rework buffers. Furthermore, these activities have the potential of causing rework and have been quantified based on the calculation of two criticalities, providing an identification of rework-intensive works that should be payed close importance to, which have not be realized by previous methods. The results proved the feasibility and effectiveness of this method in developing a schedule for construction projects disturbed by rework, helping practitioners adopt measures to avoid rework-caused schedule delays and achieve sustainable development of such projects.
Uncertainty of Energy and Economic Performance of Manual Solar Shades in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Regions of China
Authors: Yao Jian , Zheng Rongyue
Published: October 2019

Occupant behavior is recognized as a major source of discrepancy between simulated and actual energy consumption. This study investigates the uncertainty of energy and economic performance of manual solar shades for the south facade. A developed stochastic model for manual solar shades based on a discrete-time Markov chain method was constructed in Building Controls Virtual Test Bed (BCVTB) for co-simulation with EnergyPlus. The stochastic shade model was compared with deterministic models concerning energy savings potential and life cycle economic performance at different building scales (i.e., from a single room to a whole building). The results show that annual energy uncertainty, due to occupant behavior, on manual shades can be neglected at the building level, whereas for sizing heating equipment, energy uncertainty should be considered. The payback period for manual shades is about 10 years and, in general, a larger building has a higher economic performance. Comparative analysis shows that there is a relatively big performance overestimation or underestimation by commonly used deterministic models in building simulation tools, and thus may lead to a biased economic analysis or even an inappropriate design decision when comparing different energy-saving measures.
A Novel Evaluation Approach of County-Level City Disaster Resilience and Urban Environmental Cleanliness Based on SDG11 and Deqing County’s Situation
Authors: Wang Yani , Du Mingyi , Zhou Lei , Cai Guoyin , Bai Yongliang
Published: October 2019

City disaster resilience and urban environmental cleanliness are two representative indicators used to assess the safety of human settlements in China’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs). Traditional research on SDGs mainly concentrated at large-scale spatial level, such as global level or national level. It brings unclear significance to the implementation of SDGs in the county-level. The goal of this paper is to find a new calculation method to apply the index of urban disaster resilience and urban environmental cleanliness to the evaluation of county-level areas. A localization of county-level city disaster resilience and urban environmental cleanliness based on Deqing County’s situation was carried out. With quantification and projections of local data, the assessments of city disaster resilience and urban environmental cleanliness have completed. The evaluation showed that city disaster resilience is maintained at a low level, while indicators of urban cleanliness are lower than standards. The prediction of urban per capita environmental impact index based on Grey Time-Series Prediction Model was finished. The forecast showed that the urban per capita impact indicators in the next three years have not exceeded the standard line. The two indicators used to assess the safety of human settlements were consistent with the sustainable development of urban settlement. Partial results of this research were reported as a “county sample” at the first UN Geographic Information Conference held in Deqing in 2018.
One-Stage Calcium Carbonate Oil-Based Filter Cake Removal Using a New Biodegradable Acid System
Authors: Elkatatny Salaheldin
Published: October 2019

Removal of the oil-based filter cake is a complex task especially in horizontal and multilateral wells. The presence of oil makes the removal process more challenging because the oil coats the weighting materials and prevents acid–filter cake interaction. Therefore, different additives are required to change the wettability of the filter cake to enhance the removal efficiency. This paper introduces a new biodegradable acid system (NBAS) that can efficiently remove oil-based filter cake in horizontal and multilateral wells where calcium carbonate is used as a weighting agent. The new biodegradable acid system (NBAS) consists of 50 vol.% biodegradable acid and 5 vol.% mutual solvent, and the remaining percent is deionized water. High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) filtration experiments were performed to evaluate the filter cake removal efficiency and the retained permeability. The filtration and removal experiments were conducted using real core samples (Indiana limestone and Berea sandstone) at a temperature of 212 °F and 300 psi differential pressure. Afterward, the NBAS was evaluated by measuring physical properties and conducting corrosion, compatibility, and thermal stability studies. The obtained results showed that the NBAS was compatible and thermally stable for more than 48 h at 212 °F and 300 psi. The NBAS has a density of 1.05 g/cm3, viscosity of 1.47 cP, and surface tension of 32 dynes/cm at room temperature. The corrosion rate of the developed system was 0.03 lb/ft2, which is acceptable according to oil and gas industry best practices. Removal experiments showed that the filter cake was completely removed from the core samples. For Berea sandstone, 100% of the permeability was regained, while the retained permeability for Indiana limestone was 122.5%, confirming the complete removal of external and internal filter cake as well as core samples stimulation. The new acid system can be considered as an efficient solution for oil-based filter cake removal that is biodegradable and cost-effective, where the reservoir permeability can be regained in one-stage only.
Development of Sustainability Competencies for the Labour Market: An Exploratory Qualitative Study
Authors: Jelonek Magdalena , Urbaniec Maria
Published: October 2019

The aim of this paper is to explore the key sustainability competencies increasing the employability of higher education graduates in Poland. Based on the results of a broad literature review on key sustainability competencies, the substantive contribution to a coherent framework of typologies of sustainability competencies will be synthesised. The developed research framework will subsequently be analysed with empirical data, collected by in-depth interviews (IDI) and focus group interviews (FGI) on the relevant employability competencies for the Polish labour market. This enables the elimination of critical gaps in the conceptualisation of the key sustainability competencies of higher education (HE) graduates related to the current and future labour market needs. The results of the analysis can make a contribution to sustainable HE graduate employability literature by exploring the links between employability and sustainability competencies. The results may be relevant to institutional support in the design and review of educational programs and training in order to foster sustainability competencies development.
Review of Sustainability Assessment Approaches Based on Life Cycles
Authors: Wulf Christina , Werker Jasmin , Ball Christopher , Zapp Petra , Kuckshinrichs Wilhelm
Published: October 2019

Many different approaches have been developed to quantify and evaluate sustainability. Here a review is performed on sustainability assessment based on Life Cycle Thinking, which mostly means Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA). Until the end of 2018, 258 publications can be found, from which 146 include a case study. The highest number of publications appeared between 2016 and 2018 and, compared to the years before 2016, the number of authors has increased. However, in recent years the focus has been more on case studies than on methodological aspects of LCSA. The presented holistic approaches for LCSA are either too broad or too narrow for scientific guidance. Therefore, many questions concerning LCSA are still open, e.g., regarding definition of sustainability dimensions and the desire or need for multi-criteria decision-analysis. An underlying problem is the lack of discussion about sustainability concepts. The momentum in the community to perform case studies for LCSA should be used to also develop more guiding principles.
Exploring the Moral Hazard Evolutionary Mechanism for BIM Implementation in an Integrated Project Team
Authors: Du Yanchao , Zhou Hengyu , Yuan Yongbo , Xue Hong
Published: October 2019

Integrated project delivery (IPD) is a new emerging delivery system, contributes to increase value to the owner, reduces waste and maximizes efficiency in the life cycle of projects. However, IPD system has not yet shifted from pilot-alike or particular-purposed cases to large-scale applications. The huge advantages of building information modeling (BIM) are far from being exploited, which directly leads to the delivered outcomes below expectations, thereby causing obstacles to widespread application of IPD system. The reasons impeding the successful application of BIM has been a hot topic. Previous studies suggested that moral hazard behavior is a critical inducer leading to the undesirable outcomes. However, very few studies have studied the evolution mechanism of moral hazard behavior for BIM application. To fill this knowledge gap, this study proposed a novel model, aiming to capture dynamically the interactive behavior of BIM-based strategy selections using evolutionary game theory. Five parameters of monitoring cost, proprietary cost, incentive payment, punishment and speculative benefit are extracted and defined in the proposed model. Numerical simulations are conducted with MATLAB 2016a. The simulation results showed that when incentive payment is higher than the sum of speculative benefit and proprietary cost, interactive behavior of both game players will move toward the optimal portfolio strategy. Incentive payment and punishment have negative correlations with the probability of moral hazard behavior for BIM application. Parameters of speculative benefit and proprietary cost affect positively implementation probability of moral hazard behavior of employing BIM. This study can provide theoretical and managerial implications for integrated project managers and related government department to improve implementation of BIM and IPD system, and also contribute to its sustainable development.
A Comparison of the Environmental Performance of Cooling and Heating among Different Household Types in China’s Hot Summer–Cold Winter Zone
Authors: Su Shu , Li Xiaodong , Lin Borong , Li Hongyang , Yuan Jingfeng
Published: October 2019

Cooling and heating consume a large amount of energy during the operation of residential buildings in the hot summer–cold winter zone. It causes serious ecological damage and negatively affects natural resources. Occupant usage behaviors of cooling and heating systems are driven by various factors, and correlations between the driving factors and corresponding environmental impacts (EIs) are not well quantified. This study focuses on two occupant-related driving factors: household size and age composition, and combines a questionnaire survey, an energy simulation, and an EIs assessment into an integrated model. A case study is conducted in Jiangsu, China, to demonstrate the model. Nearly 1800 samples are collected from a large sample questionnaire survey and then classified into nine household types according to their household sizes and age compositions. The EIs due to cooling and heating of different household types in a typical year are then assessed and compared. The assessment results show that different household types have various environmental performance. Households with larger size, elderly people, and children have higher EIs. This newly established model is applicable and builds a bridge between driving factors and the environmental performance of cooling and heating. These assessment results will help better understand the role of household type.
A Robust Fuzzy Optimization Model for Closed-Loop Supply Chain Networks Considering Sustainability
Authors: Zhang Xin , Zhao Gang , Qi Yingxiu , Li Botang
Published: October 2019

Supply chain network design (SCND) is an important strategic decision determining the structure of each entity in the supply chain, which has an important impact on the long-term development of a company. An efficient and effective supply chain network is of vital importance for improving customer satisfaction, optimizing the allocation of resources, and increasing profitability. The environmental concerns and social responsibility awareness of the whole society have spurred researchers and managers to design sustainable supply chains (SSCs) integrating the economic, environmental, and social factors. In addition, the innate uncertainty of the SCND problem requires an integrated method to cope. In this regard, this study develops a multi-echelon multi-objective robust fuzzy closed-loop supply chain network (CLSCN) design model under uncertainty including all three dimensions of sustainability. This model considers the total cost minimization, carbon caps, and social impact maximization concurrently to realize supply chain sustainability, and is able to make a balance between the conflicting multiple objectives. Meanwhile, the uncertainty of the parameters is divided into two categories and addressed with two approaches: the first category is missed working days related to social impact, which is solved by the fuzzy membership theory; the second category is the demand and remanufacturing rate, which is settled by a robust optimization method. To validate the ability and applicability of the model and solution approach, a numerical example is conducted and solved using ILOG CPLEX. The result shows that the supply chain network structure and the value of the optimization objectives will change when considering sustainability and different degrees of uncertainty. This will enable supply chain managers to reduce the environmental impact and enhance the social benefits of their supply chain activities, and design a more stable supply chain to better cope with the influence of uncertainty.
The Impact of Air Well Geometry in a Malaysian Single Storey Terraced House
Authors: Leng Pau Chung , Ahmad Mohd Hamdan , Ossen Dilshan Remaz , Ling Gabriel H.T. , Abdullah Samsiah , Aminudin Eeydzah , Liew Wai Loan , Chan Weng Howe
Published: October 2019

In Malaysia, terraced housing hardly provides thermal comfort to the occupants. More often than not, mechanical cooling, which is an energy consuming component, contributes to outdoor heat dissipation that leads to an urban heat island effect. Alternatively, encouraging natural ventilation can eliminate heat from the indoor environment. Unfortunately, with static outdoor air conditioning and lack of windows in terraced houses, the conventional ventilation technique does not work well, even for houses with an air well. Hence, this research investigated ways to maximize natural ventilation in terraced housing by exploring the air well configurations. By adopting an existing single storey terraced house with an air well, located in Kuching, Sarawak, the existing indoor environmental conditions and thermal performance were investigated and monitored using scientific equipment, namely HOBO U12 air temperature and air humidity, the HOBO U12 anemometer and the Delta Ohm HD32.3 Wet Bulb Globe Temperature meter. For this parametric study, the DesignBuilder software was utilized. The field study illustrated that there is a need to improve indoor thermal comfort. Thus, the study further proposes improvement strategies to the existing case study house. The proposition was to turn the existing air well into a solar chimney taking into account advantages of constant and available solar radiation for stack ventilation. The results suggest that the enhanced air well was able to improve the indoor room air velocity and reduce air temperature. The enhanced air well with 3.5 m height, 1.0 m air gap width, 2.0 m length was able to induce higher air velocity. During the highest air temperature hour, the indoor air velocity in existing test room increased from 0.02 m/s in the existing condition to 0.29 m/s in the hottest day with 2.06 °C air temperature reduction. The findings revealed that the proposed air well could enhance the thermal and ventilation performance under the Malaysia tropical climate.
Sustainable Construction Project Management (SCPM) Evaluation—A Case Study of the Guangzhou Metro Line-7, PR China
Authors: Dong Na , Fu Yanting , Xiong Feng , Li Lujie , Ao Yibin , Martek Igor
Published: October 2019

As a pillar industry of the Chinese national economy, the construction sector needs to improve its level of management to embrace sustainable development. Sustainable construction project management (SCPM) performance evaluation can help to raise the level of management. However, the existing evaluation system that takes into account both the sustainable development and the dimension of traditional project management is meager. In order to address this problem, this study sets out an integrated sustainable performance evaluation method for SCPM, along with a comprehensive analysis of both traditional and future management directions. Through literature review and enterprise data analysis of the relevant factors of finance, schedule, quality, and safety, etc., indicators are filtered and classified. In order to determine the strength of each indicator, a questionnaire is administered to construction professionals within a large construction enterprise (group). From the result of the weight with an improved Group-G1 (iG1) method (finance 0.206, schedule 0.206, quality 0.185, safety 0.134, informatization 0.134, and greenization 0.134), it indicates that finance, schedule and quality management are still top three important dimensions in SCPM. However, amazingly, the greenization and informatization management is as significant as safety management. Finally, based on set pair analysis, the Guangzhou Metro Line 7 project is used as a verifying case, affirming the validity of the sustainable performance evaluation model. The above SCPM evaluation model can not only provide a guideline for construction companies’ sustainable management in China, but also serve as reference cases for other countries/regions to carry out relevant research work.
Supply Chain Coordination in the Context of Green Marketing Efforts and Capacity Expansion
Authors: Chang Shan , Hu Bin , He Xiuhong
Published: October 2019

This paper focuses on coordination issues related to the green supply chain with capacity constraints and green marketing efforts. We build a two-stage green supply chain, in which the upstream manufacturer has a certain amount of installed capacity to produce green product, yet can expand its capacity through a Cloud Manufacturing (CM) Platform once its existing capacity becomes insufficient, while the downstream retailer expends green marketing effort to promote the green product. In particular, we analyze the interaction between the capacity expansion options of the manufacturer and the green marketing efforts of the retailer. Aiming to mitigate the inefficiency under a decentralized green supply chain, we design a contract that combines cost-sharing and revenue-sharing in green marketing in order to coordinate the supply chain. The results show that: (1) when the manufacturer’s existing capacity falls below a certain threshold, it will choose to expand its capacity. The threshold is related to existing capacity, capacity expansion cost coefficient, green marketing cost coefficient, and sensitivity coefficient of demand to green marketing. (2) Under low capacity, if the capacity expansion cost coefficient is large, a higher consumer environmental awareness or preference for green products will weaken the retailer’s motivation for expending green effort. (3) A contract for cost-sharing and revenue-sharing in green marketing can fully coordinate the green supply chain, whereby the two share proportions are equal and meet certain constraints.
Unveiling Key Drivers of Indirect Carbon Emissions of Chinese Older Households
Authors: Zhang Hongwu , Zhang Lequan , Wang Keying , Shi Xunpeng
Published: October 2019

The rapid urbanization and growing population aging have become salient features in China. Understanding their impacts on household emissions is crucial for designing mitigation policies for household carbon emissions. By integrating Chinese older household survey data with an unconditional quantile regression model, this paper examines the heterogeneous impacts of household characteristics on indirect carbon emissions of older Chinese households. There are three main findings: (1) The effects of urbanization on emissions at different quantiles of carbon emissions appear to be inverted U-shaped, which means that the rise of urbanization level increases carbon emissions more at the middle than at the bottom or the top, and helps to alleviate carbon emission inequality, (2) though carbon emissions rise with the increase of income, there is a clear urban-rural divide in the effects of income on carbon emissions, and (3) the rise in the share of well-educated people contributes to the increase in carbon emissions. The higher the degree of education is, the larger the impact is. These findings contribute to understanding the determinants of carbon emissions and are helpful for policymakers to design targeted policies in reducing carbon emissions from the consumption-side.
Analysis of the Risk and Protective Roles of Work-Related and Individual Variables in Burnout Syndrome in Nurses
Authors: Pérez-Fuentes María del Carmen , Molero Jurado María del Mar , Martos Martínez África , Gázquez Linares José Jesús
Published: October 2019

Aims: Burnout syndrome is a phenomenon that is becoming ever more widespread, especially in workers such as nurses who have heavy workloads and time pressures. The progression of burnout syndrome has been shown to be related to both individual and work-related variables. The objective of this study is to examine the risk and protective roles played by work-related and personal variables, both sociodemographic and psychological, in the development of burnout in nurses. Method: The sample was composed of 1236 nurses aged between 21 and 57 years, with a mean age of 31.50 years (SD = 6.18). Women accounted for 84.5% (n = 1044), and the remaining 15.5% (n = 192) were men. Exploratory tests were performed to understand the relationships between burnout and other variables, and a binary logistic regression was conducted to understand the roles of these variables in the incidence of this syndrome. Lastly, a regression tree was constructed. Results: The results show that the sociodemographic variables examined are not related to the level of burnout in nurses. However, certain work-related variables, such as spending more time with colleagues and patients and reporting good-quality relationships, exhibit a negative relationship with the occurrence of burnout. Of the psychological variables, the stress factors conflict-social acceptance and irritability-tension-fatigue, as well as informative communication, are shown to be risk factors for the appearance of burnout in nurses. In contrast, the communication skills factor, empathy, and energy-joy exert a protective function. Conclusion: Identifying the variables that influence the occurrence of burnout syndrome and understanding the manner in which they exert their influence are key elements in the development of effective prevention and intervention of burnout in nursing.
A Peer Review System for BIM Learning
Authors: Tsai Meng-Han
Published: October 2019

This research proposed a peer review system for the instruction of building information modeling (BIM). With the rapid growth of BIM technology, 3D modeling has become an essential skill for civil engineers. However, it is difficult for an engineer to gain 3D modeling skills through conventional lecture-based learning. The peer review approach has been recently introduced as an educational method and is widely utilized to promote learners’ active learning that is hard to teach using conventional approaches; however, no peer review system has been developed thus far for teaching 3D modeling. Therefore, this research developed a peer review system for 3D modeling courses and proposed guidelines for developing a peer review-based BIM course. Additionally, this study developed a web-based reviewing system, which allows the learner to review others’ works online. The system was implemented in an undergrad-level course for validation. The results revealed that using the peer review system for 3D modeling instruction can help learners to gain more detailed skills; it also allows learners to learn from others’ works. The system can also help the instructor to identify potential mistakes that the students may make while constructing the BIM model and to make continuous improvements for future courses.
Sustainability of Agricultural Diversity in the Farm Households of Southern Tibet
Authors: Brown Colin , Yadav Lava Prakash , Zhang Jing , Zhouma Deqing
Published: October 2019

Farming systems in Tibet are undergoing significant change as farm households are encouraged to shift from more subsistence-oriented staple cereals to more intensive, diverse, and integrated forage crop livestock systems reliant on engagement with external input and product markets. This is occurring at a time of rapid agrarian transition with more and more of the livelihoods, income, and expenditures of farm households dependent on off-farm sources. Modernizing an agricultural sector that can sustain the livelihoods of smallholder farmers and meet the demands of an ever more discerning customer base all within the confines of a limited resource base has proved a major R&D and policy challenge for Tibetan and Chinese officials, let alone the farmers and market actors impacted by these developments. In this paper, key drivers impacting diversity in Tibetan farm households, including agrarian transition and demographic, infrastructure, and food price developments, are outlined. The impact on household economics and on the environment of the more intensive and diverse farming systems are then discussed, along with the attitudes of farm households to the changing farming systems and to their future in farming. The paper finds significant labor and environmental challenges that farm households and policy makers must grapple with if the farming system and agrarian transition trajectories are to be sustained.
Unit-Based Emissions Inventory for Electric Power Systems in Kuwait: Current Status and Future Predictions
Authors: Alhajeri Nawaf S. , Al-Fadhli Fahad M. , Aly Ahmed Z.
Published: October 2019

Obtaining accurate estimates of emissions from electric power systems is essential for predicting air quality and evaluating the effectiveness of any future control technologies. This paper aimed to develop unit-based emissions inventories for electric power systems in Kuwait using different parameters, including fuel specifications and consumption, combustion technology and its efficiency, unit capacity, and boiler type. The study also estimated the future emissions of NOx, SO2, CO, CO2, and PM10 up to the year 2030 using a multivariate regression model in addition to predicting future energy demand. The results showed that annual (2010–2015) emissions of all air pollutants, excluding SO2 and PM10, increased over the study period. CO had the greatest increase of 41.9%, whereas SO2 levels decreased the most by 13% over the 2010 levels, due to the replacement of heavy fuel oil. Energy consumption in 2015 stood at approximately 86 PJ, with natural gas, gas oil, crude oil, and heavy fuel oil making up 51.2%, 10.7%, 3.1%, and 35%, respectively. Energy demand was projected to grow at an annualized rate of 2.8% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels. The required installed capacity to meet this demand was estimated to be approximately 21.8 GW (a 34% increase in capacity compared to 2015 levels). The projected emission rates showed that, of the five air pollutants, SO2 and PM10 are expected to decrease by 2030 by 34% and 11%, respectively. However, peak monthly emissions of SO2 would still only be 14% lower compared to the 2015 monthly average. In contrast, emission levels are projected to increase by 34.3%, 54.8%, and 71.8% for CO2, NOx, and CO, respectively, by 2030 compared to 2015 levels. Accordingly, a more ambitious target of renewables penetration needs to be adopted to reduce emission levels going forward.
Feed Intake of Small Ruminants on Spring and Summer Pastures in the Mongolian Altai Mountains
Authors: Tsevegemed Munkhnasan , Norovsambuu Togtokhbayar , Jordan Greta , Schlecht Eva
Published: October 2019

Climate variability, rising livestock numbers, decreasing herd mobility, and clustered grazing patterns have incited concern about the sustainable use of Mongolia’s natural pastures as the nutritional backbone of the country’s livestock sector. In 2013 and 2014 we studied daily itineraries, grazing behaviour, and feed and nutrient intake of small ruminants on spring and summer pastures in the southern Mongolian Altai, a remote livestock-dependent region. Offer of herbage dry matter (DM, kg ha−1) along the daily itinerary was higher in 2014 than in 2013 (837 versus 711; p > 0.05) but was comparable to previously reported values. Concentration of cell wall constituents in herbage increased from June to August in both years, whereas crude protein and phosphorus concentrations declined (p < 0.05). Animals grazed most actively at noon and in the afternoon; their daily DM intake amounted to 1151 ± 300.8 g per head, with 60–72% of the ingested feed being digested. Feed intake enabled the animals to cover their nutritional requirements for maintenance, locomotion, and sizeable growth, rebutting the notion of unsustainable use of the regional spring and summer pastures. However, crude protein and phosphorus intake were deficient, pointing to a decline in vegetation quality that has to be counteracted with appropriate herd and pasture management strategies.
Doing Good Better: Impure Altruism in Green Apparel Advertising
Authors: Song So Young , Kim Youn-Kyung
Published: October 2019

In this study, we identify impure altruism as a duality of altruistic and egoistic warmth. We examine how these feelings motivate consumers to buy green apparel in response to advertisements. We test the effectiveness of the message orientation and its interactivity with a beneficiary and propose modeling impure altruism as the reason why consumers purchase green apparel. The study uses a quasi-experiment to estimate a comparison effect among advertising stimuli. We conduct an online survey among US consumers that garnered 586 responses for the main data analysis. The results indicate that egocentric appeals increase perceived uniqueness and that human beneficiary appeals lead to higher communal harmony. The findings show that communal harmony and global wellbeing prompt altruistic warmth and that uniqueness and product quality encourage egoistic warmth. Notably, altruistic warmth contributes to egoistic warmth, which indicates the existence of impurely altruistic consumers. Both altruistic and egoistic warmth lead to the intention of purchasing green apparel. We recommend “feel-good” marketing strategies to publicize the benefits of a sustainable lifestyle. The study contributes to the theoretical development of sustainability and can serve as an extension of a discrete model of altruism and egoism on consumers’ sustainable behavior.
The Impact of Rural Labor Migration on Elderly Health from the Perspective of Gender Structure: A Case Study in Western China
Authors: Cao Sha , Xu Dingde , Liu Yi , Liu Shaoquan
Published: October 2019

Aging and rural labor migration have become two major demographic features in China. Using data of 400 rural households in Sichuan, China in 2015, this study constructs an ordered probit model containing instrumental variables to analyze the effect of rural labor migration on the health of the elderly in the family, from the perspective of the gender structure of migrant labor. The results indicate that the overall impact of labor migration on the elderly’s health is positive, and labor migration in the family has different effects on the health of the elderly by gender. Specifically, the results indicate the following: (1) the joint migration of both male and female labor or the migration of only male labor in a household can have a positive impact; (2) if only female labor migrates, the impact is negative; and (3) although the effect is negative, the migration of only female labor has a more prominent impact on the elderly’s self-rated health, whereas the migration of only male labor has a more significant effect on the elderly’s activities of daily living. Our findings suggest that the differential influence of labor migration by gender on rural elderly health should be considered to ensure the welfare of the elderly.
Does Ethical Behavior of Management Influence Financial Reporting Quality?
Authors: Im Chaechang , Nam Giseok
Published: October 2019

This paper aims to examine the relationship between managerial ethics level and financial reporting quality mainly focusing on accounting conservatism. Recently, there has been evidence to support the argument that managerial ethics level can affect reporting quality in the business world. Hence, this paper seeks to compare both fraud and non-fraud firms in terms of their ethical practice in the business. Furthermore, this study provides a more realistic perspective by making a comparison with previous studies. To test the hypotheses, we chose 243 fraud firms and compared them with the same number of non-fraud firms listed in the KOSPI and KOSDAQ from 2005 to 2012. The analysis using two groups across the time horizon reveals that the measured values of accounting conservatism do not show any meaningful difference between fraud and non-fraud firms. Additionally, fraud firms have greater absolute discretionary accruals than their counterparts. This result suggests that fraud firms are more likely to manipulate their earnings than the non-fraud firms. Also, accruals quality of fraud firms is lower than that of non-fraud firms. The significance of the paper lies in the fact that we used different criteria to judge a company’s comparative ethics level.
The Role of Experiments and Demonstration Projects in Efforts of Upscaling: An Analysis of Two Projects Attempting to Reconfigure Production and Consumption in Energy and Mobility
Authors: Ryghaug Marianne , Ornetzeder Michael , Skjølsvold Tomas Moe , Throndsen William
Published: October 2019

There is a multitude of experimentation, pilot and demonstration projects across Europe aiming to reconfigure energy consumption and production systems. Demo-projects and experiments have been recognized as important instruments to implement sustainability transitions in practice. Transition scholars have done much to clarify how we should understand experiments and pilot projects, focusing on involved actors, what is learned, and how the knowledge is used. In this paper we study two pilot project and discuss their qualities as sites that bundle new systemic properties, technologies, regulations, business models and user practices in new ways. We discuss these cases as new configurations with promising transformative implications. The two cases studied are a Norwegian and an Austrian smart grid demonstration. Both cases represent companies that have transformed their relation to and participation in the transport system as an outcome of pilot projects and experiments. The study analyses the complexity of factors influencing the effectiveness and success of these reconfigurations in providing destabilization and change within until now relatively stable regimes.
Evaluating the Performances of Taiwan’s International Tourist Hotels: Applying the Directional Distance Function and Meta-Frontier Approach
Authors: Lee Yi-Lung , Kuo Shew-Huei , Jiang Mei-Yi , Li Yang
Published: October 2019

This study employs the directional distance function in the meta-frontier model by expanding outputs, contracting inputs, and fastening quasi-fixed inputs simultaneously on a dataset of 170 observations obtained from the annual reports of international tourist hotels. Empirical results show that the meta-efficiency and technology gap (TG) of foreign-owned hotels are better than those of domestic hotels. In addition, employees of foreign-owned hotels are more productive than those of domestic hotels. The findings imply that Taiwan’s tourist hotels should structure a plan to augment their operating scales.
Quantum-Gravitational Trans-Planckian Energy of a Time-Dependent Black Hole
Authors: Nurmagambetov A. J. , Park I. Y.
Published: October 2019

We continue our recent endeavor in which a time-dependent black hole solution of a one-loop quantum-corrected Einstein-scalar system was obtained and its near-horizon behavior was analyzed. The energy analysis led to a trans-Planckian scaling behavior near the event horizon. In the present work, the analysis is extended to a rotating black hole solution of an Einstein–Maxwell-scalar system with a Higgs potential. Although the analysis becomes much more complex compared to that of the previous, we observe the same basic features, including the quantum-gravitational trans-Planckian energy near the horizon.