bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Application of A Simple Landsat-MODIS Fusion Model to Estimate Evapotranspiration over A Heterogeneous Sparse Vegetation Region
Authors: Jamshidi Sajad , Zand-Parsa Shahrokh , Naghdyzadegan Jahromi Mojtaba , Niyogi Dev
Published: March 2019

A simple Landsat-MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) fusion model was used to generate 30-m resolution evapotranspiration (ET) maps for the 2010 growing season over a heterogeneous sparse vegetation, agricultural region using the METRIC (mapping evapotranspiration with internalized calibration) algorithm. The fusion model performance was evaluated, and experiments were undertaken to investigate the frequency for updating Landsat-MODIS data into the fusion model during the growing season, to maintain model accuracy and reduce computation. Initial evaluation of the fusion model resulted in high bias stemming from the landscape heterogeneity and small landholdings. To reduce the bias, the fusion model was modified to be applicable pixel-wise (i.e., implementing specific pixels for generating outputs), and an NDVI-based (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) coefficient was added to capture crop phenology. A good agreement that resulted from the comparison of the fused and non-fused maps with root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.15 mm day−1 with coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.83 indicated successful implementation of the modifications. Additionally, the fusion model performance was evaluated against in-situ observation at the pixel level as well as the watershed level to estimate seasonal ET for the growing season. The default METRIC model (Landsat only) yielded relative error (RE) of 31% and RMSE of 2.44 mm day−1, while using the modified fusion model improved the accuracy resulting in RE of 3.5% with RMSE of 0.37 mm day−1. Considering different data frequency update, the optimal fusion experiment (RMSE of 0.61 mm day−1, and RE of 6.5%) required the consideration of the crop phenology and weekly updates in the early growing stage and harvest time, and bi-weekly for the rest of the season. The resulting fusion model for ET output is planned to be a part of ET mapping and irrigation scheduling systems.
Editorial for the Special Issue “Optical and Laser Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere”
Authors: Killinger Dennis K. , Menzies Robert T.
Published: March 2019

This Special Issue of Remote Sensing continues a long line of related research papers covering the use of optical and laser remote sensing for quantitative measurement and imaging of chemical species and physical parameters of the atmosphere [...]
An Attempt to Observe Vertical Land Motion along the Norwegian Coast by CryoSat-2 and Tide Gauges
Authors: Idžanović Martina , Gerlach Christian , Breili Kristian , Andersen Ole Baltazar
Published: March 2019

Present-day climate-change-related ice-melting induces elastic glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) effects, while paleo-GIA effects describe the ongoing viscous response to the melting of late-Pleistocene ice sheets. The unloading initiated an uplift of the crust close to the centers of former ice sheets. Today, vertical land motion (VLM) rates in Fennoscandia reach values up to around 10 mm/year and are dominated by GIA. Uplift signals from GIA can be computed by solving the sea-level equation (SLE),

S
˙

=

N
˙

−

U
˙

. All three quantities can also be determined from geodetic observations: relative sea-level variations (

S
˙

) are observed by means of tide gauges, while rates of absolute sea-level change (

N
˙

) can be observed by satellite altimetry; rates of VLM (

U
˙

) can be determined by GPS (Global Positioning System). Based on the SLE,

U
˙

can be derived by combining sea-surface measurements from satellite altimetry and relative sea-level records from tide gauges. In the present study, we have combined 7.5 years of CryoSat-2 satellite altimetry and tide-gauge data to estimate linear VLM rates at 20 tide gauges along the Norwegian coast. Thereby, we made use of monthly averaged tide-gauge data from PSMSL (Permanent Service for Mean Sea Level) and a high-frequency tide-gauge data set with 10-min sampling rate from NMA (Norwegian Mapping Authority). To validate our VLM estimates, we have compared them with the independent semi-empirical land-uplift model NKG2016LU_abs for the Nordic-Baltic region, which is based on GPS, levelling, and geodynamical modeling. Estimated VLM rates from 1 Hz CryoSat-2 and high-frequency tide-gauge data reflect well the amplitude of coastal VLM as provided by NKG2016LU_abs. We find a coastal average of 2.4 mm/year (average over all tide gauges), while NKG2016LU_abs suggests 2.8 mm/year; the spatial correlation is 0.58.
Assimilation of Earth Observation Data Over Cropland and Grassland Sites into a Simple GPP Model
Authors: Meroni Michele , Fasbender Dominique , Lopez-Lozano Raul , Migliavacca Mirco
Published: March 2019

The application of detailed process-oriented simulation models for gross primary production (GPP) estimation is constrained by the scarcity of the data needed for their parametrization. In this manuscript, we present the development and test of the assimilation of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) observations into a simple process-based model driven by basic meteorological variables (i.e., global radiation, temperature, precipitation and reference evapotranspiration, all from global circulation models of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). The model is run at daily time-step using meteorological forcing and provides estimates of GPP and LAI, the latter used to simulate MODIS NDVI though the coupling with the radiative transfer model PROSAIL5B. Modelled GPP is compared with the remote sensing-driven MODIS GPP product (MOD17) and the quality of both estimates are assessed against GPP from European eddy covariance flux sites over crops and grasslands. Model performances in GPP estimation (R2 = 0.67, RMSE = 2.45 gC m−2 d−1, MBE = −0.16 gC m−2 d−1) were shown to outperform those of MOD17 for the investigated sites (R2 = 0.53, RMSE = 3.15 gC m−2 d−1, MBE = −1.08 gC m−2 d−1).
High-Resolution Urban Land Mapping in China from Sentinel 1A/2 Imagery Based on Google Earth Engine
Authors: Sun Zhongchang , Xu Ru , Du Wenjie , Wang Lei , Lu Dengsheng
Published: March 2019

Accurate and timely urban land mapping is fundamental to supporting large area environmental and socio-economic research. Most of the available large-area urban land products are limited to a spatial resolution of 30 m. The fusion of optical and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data for large-area high-resolution urban land mapping has not yet been widely explored. In this study, we propose a fast and effective urban land extraction method using ascending/descending orbits of Sentinel-1A SAR data and Sentinel-2 MSI (MultiSpectral Instrument, Level 1C) optical data acquired from 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2016. Potential urban land (PUL) was identified first through logical operations on yearly mean and standard deviation composites from a time series of ascending/descending orbits of SAR data. A Yearly Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maximum and modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) mean composite were generated from Sentinel-2 imagery. The slope image derived from SRTM DEM data was used to mask mountain pixels and reduce the false positives in SAR data over these regions. We applied a region-specific threshold on PUL to extract the target urban land (TUL) and a global threshold on the MNDWI mean, and slope image to extract water bodies and high-slope regions. A majority filter with a three by three window was applied on previously extracted results and the main processing was carried out on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. China was chosen as the testing region to validate the accuracy and robustness of our proposed method through 224,000 validation points randomly selected from high-resolution Google Earth imagery. Additionally, a total of 735 blocks with a size of 900 × 900 m were randomly selected and used to compare our product’s accuracy with the global human settlement layer (GHSL, 2014), GlobeLand30 (2010), and Liu (2015) products. Our method demonstrated the effectiveness of using a fusion of optical and SAR data for large area urban land extraction especially in areas where optical data fail to distinguish urban land from spectrally similar objects. Results show that the average overall, producer’s and user’s accuracies are 88.03%, 94.50% and 82.22%, respectively.
Multispectral Transforms Using Convolution Neural Networks for Remote Sensing Multispectral Image Compression
Authors: Li Jin , Liu Zilong
Published: March 2019

A multispectral image is a three-order tensor since it is a three-dimensional matrix, i.e., one spectral dimension and two spatial position dimensions. Multispectral image compression can be achieved by means of the advantages of tensor decomposition (TD), such as Nonnegative Tucker Decomposition (NTD). Unfortunately, the TD suffers from high calculation complexity and cannot be used in the on-board low-complexity case (e.g., multispectral cameras) that the hardware resources and power are limited. Here, we propose a low-complexity compression approach for multispectral images based on convolution neural networks (CNNs) with NTD. We construct a new spectral transform using CNNs, where the CNNs are able to transform the three-dimension spectral tensor from large-scale to a small-scale version. The NTD resources only allocate the small-scale three-dimension tensor to improve calculation efficiency. We obtain the optimized small-scale spectral tensor by the minimization of original and reconstructed three-dimension spectral tensor in self-learning CNNs. Then, the NTD is applied to the optimized three-dimension spectral tensor in the DCT domain to obtain the high compression performance. We experimentally confirmed the proposed method on multispectral images. Compared to the case that the new spectral tensor transform with CNNs is not applied to the original three-dimension spectral tensor at the same compression bit-rates, the reconstructed image quality could be improved. Compared with the full NTD-based method, the computation efficiency was obviously improved with only a small sacrifices of PSNR without affecting the quality of images.
A SAR Dataset of Ship Detection for Deep Learning under Complex Backgrounds
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Wang Chao , Zhang Hong , Dong Yingbo , Wei Sisi
Published: March 2019

With the launch of space-borne satellites, more synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images are available than ever before, thus making dynamic ship monitoring possible. Object detectors in deep learning achieve top performance, benefitting from a free public dataset. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a large volume of labeled datasets, object detectors for SAR ship detection have developed slowly. To boost the development of object detectors in SAR images, a SAR dataset is constructed. This dataset labeled by SAR experts was created using 102 Chinese Gaofen-3 images and 108 Sentinel-1 images. It consists of 43,819 ship chips of 256 pixels in both range and azimuth. These ships mainly have distinct scales and backgrounds. Moreover, modified state-of-the-art object detectors from natural images are trained and can be used as baselines. Experimental results reveal that object detectors achieve higher mean average precision (mAP) on the test dataset and have high generalization performance on new SAR imagery without land-ocean segmentation, demonstrating the benefits of the dataset we constructed.
A Bayesian Kriging Regression Method to Estimate Air Temperature Using Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Zhang Zhenwei , Du Qingyun
Published: March 2019

Surface air temperature (Ta) is an important physical quantity, usually measured at ground weather station networks. Measured Ta data is inadequate to characterize the complex spatial patterns of Ta field due to low density and unevenness of the networks. Remote sensing can provide satellite imagery with large scale spatial coverage and fine resolution. Estimating spatially continuous Ta by integrating ground measurements and satellite data is an active research area. A variety of methods have been proposed and applied in this area. However, the existing studies primarily focused on daily Ta and failed to quantify uncertainties in model parameter and estimated results. In this paper, a Bayesian Kriging regression (BKR) method is proposed to model and estimate monthly Ta using satellite-derived land surface temperature (LST) as the only input. The BKR is a spatial statistical model with the capacity to quantify uncertainties via Bayesian inference. The BKR method was applied to estimate monthly maximum air temperature (Tmax) and minimum air temperature (Tmin) over the conterminous United States in 2015. An exploratory analysis shows a strong relationship between LST and Ta at the monthly scale, indicating LST has the great potential to estimate monthly Ta. 10-fold cross-validation approach was adopted to compare the predictive performance of the BKR method with the linear regression method over the whole region and the urban areas of the contiguous United States. For the whole region, the results show that the BKR method achieves a competitively better performance with averaged RMSE values 1.23 K for Tmax and 1.20 K for Tmin, which are also lower than previous studies on estimation of monthly Ta. In the urban areas, the cross-validation demonstrates similar results with averaged RMSE values 1.21 K for Tmax and 1.27 K for Tmin. Posterior samples for model parameters and estimated Ta were obtained and used to analyze uncertainties in the model parameters and estimated Ta. The BKR method provides a promising way to estimate Ta with competitively predictive performance and to quantify model uncertainties at the same time.
Research on the Earth Pressure and Internal Force of a High-Fill Open-Cut Tunnel Using a Bilayer Lining Design: A Field Test Using an FBG Automatic Data Acquisition System
Authors: Xu Tianyuan , Wang Mingnian , Yu Li , Lv Cheng , Dong Yucang , Tian Yuan
Published: March 2019

When there are railway tunnels on both sides of a valley, a bridge is usually built to let trains pass. However, if the valley is very close to an urban area, building an open-cut tunnel at the portal and then backfilling it to create available land resources for the city and to prevent excavation slag from polluting the environment would be a wise choice. This has led to the emergence of a new type of structure, namely, the high-fill open-cut tunnel. In this paper, by performing an automatic long-term field test on the first high-fill open-cut tunnel using a bilayer design in China, the variations of earth pressure and structural internal force during the backfilling process were obtained, and different tunnel foundation types were studied. The results showed that the earth pressure significantly exceeded the soil column weight, with a maximum earth pressure coefficient between 1.341 and 2.278. During the backfilling process, the earth pressure coefficient increased at first and then decreased slowly to a relatively stable value, and a stiffer foundation would make the structure bear higher earth pressure (1.69 times the normal one observed during monitoring). The change of internal force had two stages during backfilling: before the backfill soil reached the arch crown, the internal force of the lining changed slowly and then grew linearly as the backfill process continued. Moreover, the axial force ratio of the inner and outer linings was close to their thickness proportion, and the interaction mode between the two layers was very similar to the composite beam.
Approaches to Enhancing Gas Sensing Properties: A Review
Authors: Yuan Zhenyu , Li Rui , Meng Fanli , Zhang Junjie , Zuo Kaiyuan , Han Erchou
Published: March 2019

A gas nanosensor is an instrument that converts the information of an unknown gas (species, concentration, etc.) into other signals (for example, an electrical signal) according to certain principles, combining detection principles, material science, and processing technology. As an effective application for detecting a large number of dangerous gases, gas nanosensors have attracted extensive interest. However, their development and application are restricted because of issues such as a low response, poor selectivity, and high operation temperature, etc. To tackle these issues, various measures have been studied and will be introduced in this review, mainly including controlling the nanostructure, doping with 2D nanomaterials, decorating with noble metal nanoparticles, and forming the heterojunction. In every section, recent advances and typical research, as well mechanisms, will also be demonstrated.
Design of a Wearable 12-Lead Noncontact Electrocardiogram Monitoring System
Authors: Hsu Chien-Chin , Lin Bor-Shing , He Ke-Yi , Lin Bor-Shyh
Published: March 2019

A standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is an important tool in the diagnosis of heart diseases. Here, Ag/AgCl electrodes with conductive gels are usually used in a 12-lead ECG system to access biopotentials. However, using Ag/AgCl electrodes with conductive gels might be inconvenient in a prehospital setting. In previous studies, several dry electrodes have been developed to improve this issue. However, these dry electrodes have contact with the skin directly, and they might be still unsuitable for patients with wounds. In this study, a wearable 12-lead electrocardiogram monitoring system was proposed to improve the above issue. Here, novel noncontact electrodes were also designed to access biopotentials without contact with the skin directly. Moreover, by using the mechanical design, this system allows the user to easily wear and take off the device and to adjust the locations of the noncontact electrodes. The experimental results showed that the proposed system could exactly provide a good ECG signal quality even while walking and could detect the ECG features of the patients with myocardial ischemia, installation pacemaker, and ventricular premature contraction.
Enhanced Fully Generalized Spatial Modulation for the Internet of Underwater Things
Authors: Qasem Zeyad A. H. , Esmaiel Hamada , Sun Haixin , Wang Junfeng , Miao Yongchun , Anwar Sheraz
Published: March 2019

A full design of the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT) with a high data rate is one of the greatest underwater communication difficulties due to the unavailability of a sustainable power source for the battery supplies of sensor nodes, electromagnetic spread weakness, and limited acoustic waves channel bandwidth. This paper presents a new energy-efficient communication scheme named Enhanced Fully Generalized Spatial Modulation (EFGSM) for the underwater acoustic channel, where the different number of active antennas used in Fully Generalized Spatial Modulation (FGSM) is combined with multiple signal constellations. The proposed EFGSM enhances energy efficiency over conventional schemes such as spatial modulation, generalized spatial modulation, and FGSM. In order to increase energy and spectral performance, the proposed technique conveys data bits not just by the number of active antenna’s index as in the existing traditional FGSM, but also using the type of signal constellation to increase the data bit rate and improve power saving without increasing the receiver’s complexity. The proposed EFGSM uses primary and secondary constellations as indexes to carry information, they are derived from others by geometric interpolation signal space. The performance of the suggested EFGSM is estimated and demonstrated through Monte Carlo simulation over an underwater acoustic channel. The simulation results confirm the advantage of the suggested EFGSM scheme not just regarding energy and spectral efficiency but also concerning the average bit error rate (ABER).
Simulation and Analysis of SAR Images of Oceanic Shear-Wave-Generated Eddies
Authors: Wang Yuhang , Yang Min , Chong Jinsong
Published: March 2019

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is widely used in oceanic eddies research. High-resolution SAR images should be useful in revealing eddy features and investigating the eddy imaging mechanism. However, SAR imaging is affected by various radar parameters and environmental factors, which makes it quite difficult to learn directly from SAR eddy images. In order to interpret and evaluate eddy images, developing a proper simulation method is necessary. However, seldom has a SAR simulation method for oceanic eddies, especially for shear-wave-generated eddies, been established. As a step forward, we propose a simulation method for oceanic shear-wave-generated eddies. The Burgers-Rott vortex model is used to specify the surface current field of the simulated eddies. Images are then simulated for a range of different radar frequencies, radar look directions, wind speeds, and wind directions. The results show that the simulated images are consistent with actual SAR images. The effects of different radar parameters and wind fields on SAR eddy imaging are analyzed by qualitative and quantitative methods. Overall, the simulated images produce a surface pattern and brightness variations with characteristics resembling actual SAR images of oceanic eddies.
An Instant Donning Multi-Channel EEG Headset (with Comb-Shaped Dry Electrodes) and BCI Applications
Authors: Kim Jeehoon , Lee Jeongsu , Han Chungmin , Park Kwangsuk
Published: March 2019

We developed a new type of electroencephalogram (EEG) headset system with comb-shaped electrodes that enables the wearer to quickly don and utilize it in daily life. Two models that can measure EEG signals using up to eight channels have been implemented. The electrodes implemented in the headsets are similar to a comb and are placed quickly by wiping the hair (as done with a comb) using the headset. To verify this headset system, donning time was measured and three brain computer interface (BCI) application experiments were conducted. Alpha rhythm-based, steady-state visual evoked potential (SSVEP)-based, and auditory steady state response (ASSR)-based BCI systems were adopted for the validation experiments. Four subjects participated and ten trials were repeated in the donning experiment. The results of the validation experiments show that reliable EEG signal measurement is possible immediately after donning the headsets without any preparation. It took approximately 10 s for healthy subjects to don the headsets, including an earclip with reference and ground electrodes. The results of alpha rhythm-based BCI showed 100% accuracy. Furthermore, the results of SSVEP-based and ASSR-based BCI experiments indicate that performance is sufficient for BCI applications; 95.7% and 76.0% accuracies were obtained, respectively. The results of BCI paradigm experiments indicate that the new headset type is feasible for various BCI applications.
Research about DoS Attack against ICPS
Authors: Gao Jianlei , Chai Senchun , Zhang Baihai , Xia Yuanqing
Published: March 2019

This paper studies denial-of-services (DoS) attacks against industrial cyber-physical systems (ICPSs) for which we built a proper ICPS model and attack model. According to the impact of different attack rates on systems, instead of directly studying the time delay caused by the attacks some security zones are identified, which display how a DoS attack destroys the stable status of the ICPS. Research on security zone division is consistent with the fact that ICPSs’ communication devices actually have some capacity for large network traffic. The research on DoS attacks’ impacts on ICPSs by studying their operation conditions in different security zones is simplified further. Then, a detection method and a mimicry security switch strategy are proposed to defend against malicious DoS attacks and bring the ICPS under attack back to normal. Lastly, practical implementation experiments have been carried out to illustrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the method we propose.
The Key Role of Variety and Method of Sowing Selection in Pea Roots’ Parameters Development under Sustainable Practice
Authors: Klimek-Kopyra Agnieszka , Głąb Tomasz , Strojny Jacek
Published: March 2019

The selection of varieties is extremely important for decreasing fertilizer consumption. However, little attention is devoted to assessing the effectiveness of row spacing in tandem with types of varieties of pea on root development in the context of limited nutrition. As essential knowledge in this area is lacking, a study was conducted with two objectives using an ordinal regression model. (i): To determine whether qualitative variables (cultivar, fertilization, and row spacing) or quantitative variables (root parameters) affect the root dry mass density, and (ii): To assess the variation in root architecture of two pea cultivars (fodder vs. edible type) grown under different P supply levels (0, 45, and 90 kg P2O5) and row spacing (narrow—15 cm—and wide—30 cm). The ordinal regression model showed that row spacing and cultivar type are meaningful predictors of root dry mass density (RDMD). The root dry mass density increased at wider row spacing in the fodder pea cultivar. As root surface area density (RSAD) and SRL-specific root length (SRL) most accurately describe root mass, it was concluded that the cultivar type and row spacing are crucial factors for increasing root plasticity, which can improve soil utilization.
Life Cycle Assessment of SEWGS Technology Applied to Integrated Steel Plants
Authors: Petrescu Letitia , Chisalita Dora-Andreea , Cormos Calin-Cristian , Manzolini Giampaolo , Cobden Paul , van Dijk H. A. J.
Published: March 2019

The environmental evaluation of the sorption-enhanced water–gas shift (SEWGS) process to be used for the decarbonization of an integrated steel mill through life cycle assessment (LCA) is the subject of the present paper. This work is carried out within the STEPWISE H2020 project (grant agreement No. 640769). LCA calculations were based on material and energy balances derived from experimental activities, modeling activities, and literature data. Wide system boundaries containing various upstream and downstream processes as well as the main integrated steel mill are drawn for the system under study. The environmental indicators of the SEWGS process are compared to another carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology applied to the iron and steel industry (e.g., gas–liquid absorption using MEA). The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for SEWGS technology is about 40%. For the other impact indicators, there is an increase in the SEWGS technology (in the range of 7.23% to 72.77%), which is mainly due to the sorbent production and transportation processes. Nevertheless, when compared with the post-combustion capture technology, based on gas–liquid absorption, from an environmental point of view, SEWGS performs significantly better, having impact factor values closer to the no-capture integrated steel mill.
Revisiting Water Supply Rule Curves with Hedging Theory for Climate Change Adaptation
Authors: Wan Wenhua , Zhao Jianshi , Wang Jiabiao
Published: March 2019

Conventional reservoir operation rule curves are based on the assumption of hydrological stationarity. The aggravating non-stationarity under the changing environment rocked this foundation. The hedging theory is one of the options for adaptive operation based on hydrological forecasts, which can provide a practical tool for optimal reservoir operation under a changing environment. However, the connections between hedging theory and rule curves are not clear. This paper establishes the linkage of rule curves and hedging theory by analyzing three fundamental problems surrounding the design of conventional rule curves, namely the law and design of water supply rule curves, the determination of flood control storage, and the division of refill and drawdown circle. The general interpretation of the conventional water supply rule curves with hedging theory is conducted. Both the theoretical analyses and the Danjiangkou Reservoir case study reveal that, based on the historical records, the rule curves can be interpreted as a specific expression of hedging theory. This intrinsic linkage allows us to propose a more general and scientific method of updating rule curves in the context of non-stationarity. On this basis, the rule-curve-based climate adaptation strategies are figured out using hedging theory. This research is helpful for practical adaptive operation of reservoirs in the changing environment.
Variation of Greenhouse Gases Fluxes and Soil Properties with Addition of Biochar from Farm-Wastes in Volcanic and Non-Volcanic Soils
Authors: Muñoz Cristina , Ginebra Milagros , Zagal Erick
Published: March 2019

The decomposition of organic wastes contributes to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and global warming. This study evaluated the effect of biochar (BC) produced from different farm wastes (chicken, pig and cow manures) on greenhouse gas emissions and soil chemical and biological properties in different grassland soils (volcanic and non-volcanic soils). A 288-day laboratory experiment was carried out, monitoring CO2, N2O and CH4 emissions and evaluating total C, soil pH, microbial biomass and enzymatic activity in three grassland soils. The results varied depending on the soil type and feedstock of BC produced. BC-cow decreased emissions of CO2 and CH4 fluxes for volcanic and non-volcanic soils, probably due to decreases in β-glucosidase activity. Biochars from cow and pig manures increased soil C content, favouring the persistence of C into the soil at 288-days of incubation. Soil pH increased with the application of BC in the soils.
Corporate Social Performance, Financialization, and Real Investment in US Manufacturing Firms
Authors: Cupertino Sebastiano , Consolandi Costanza , Vercelli Alessandro
Published: March 2019

In recent years, the global financial and economic crisis are rewriting the relationship between business and society, focusing, among other things, on the role of the process of financialization, not only in the economy as a whole but also within non-financial companies. Shareholder value maximization, together with the commoditization of business, has led to a general short-term approach at the expense of capital accumulation and core business activity, to the detriment of not only firms’ competitiveness and productivity but also of human capital, strategic innovation, business ethics, and long-term growth. Within this framework, this study investigates the role of corporate sustainability, analyzing the nexus between financialization, accumulation of real capital, and corporate social performance, an issue that has been neglected so far. Using a sample of US manufacturing firms from 2002 to 2017, we found that, while financialization was negatively correlated with corporate real investment, the environmental and social firm performance positively impacted corporate capital accumulation. Our results support the belief that a focus on environmental, social, and governance standards, fostering real investments, may enhance a firm’s long-term growth with a positive effect on its long-term value.
Probabilistic Maintenance Cost Analysis for Aged Multi-Family Housing
Authors: Park Moonsun , Kwon Nahyun , Lee Joosung , Lee Sanghyo , Ahn Yonghan
Published: March 2019

To realize sustainable construction, planning for future maintenance costs is essential. In the case of multi-family housing, various maintenance issues can be expected to appear starting 10 years after completion. Therefore, preventive maintenance must be implemented in a systematic manner to cope with the problems caused by the natural aging of multi-family dwellings and to maintain a sustainable level of quality for the properties. In this study, maintenance costs were investigated for 224 multi-family housing units aged 20 years or older in Seoul, South Korea. Using Monte Carlo simulation in conjunction with expert interviews, a probabilistic maintenance cost analysis was conducted to analyze and estimate the variability in maintenance costs. The findings of the study propose that the use of probabilistic maintenance cost analysis can be developed into a useful planning tool for determining reasonable future maintenance costs in sustainable construction.
Determinants and Outcomes of Volunteer Satisfaction in Mega Sports Events
Authors: Kim Daehwan , Park Chanmin , Kim Hany , Kim Jeeyoon
Published: March 2019

The role of volunteers is an important factor for the sustainability of mega sports events. Key issues in the literature on sports event volunteers are volunteer satisfaction and its determinants and outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of the fulfillment of volunteers’ psychological needs and Volunteer Management Practices (VMP) on overall volunteer satisfaction, and to test their conditional effects depending on volunteer involvement. Additionally, the present study aimed to examine the effects of volunteer satisfaction on future volunteer activity, word-of-mouth, and host city visitation. For these purposes, a survey was conducted with 2442 volunteers in the context of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea. The results of a Latent Moderated Structural Equation (LMS) revealed that the fulfillment of volunteers’ general needs and volunteer satisfaction with the VMP have positive effects on overall volunteer satisfaction. Interestingly, these effects were differently moderated by the level of volunteer involvement. Overall volunteer satisfaction was found to positively affect future volunteering intention, spreading positive words regarding sports event volunteering, and intention to visit the host city as tourists. In conclusion, sports event managers need to design an optimal work environment that can fulfill volunteers’ psychological needs and improve VMP to enhance the sustainability of mega sports events.
Analysis of Three-Dimensional Space Expansion Characteristics in Old Industrial Area Renewal Using GIS and Barista: A Case Study of Tiexi District, Shenyang, China
Authors: Xu Yanyan , Liu Miao , Hu Yuanman , Li Chunlin , Xiong Zaiping
Published: March 2019

With rapid urban development in China in the last two decades, 3D characteristics have been the main feature of urban morphology. Nevertheless, the vast majority of urban growth research has only focused on area expansion horizontally, with few studies conducted in a 3D perspective. In this paper, the characteristics of 3D expansion that occurred in Tiexi from 1997 to 2011 were evaluated based on geographic information system (GIS) tools, remote-sensing images, and Barista software. Landscape index, the spatiotemporal distribution of changes in buildings’ renewal modes and variations in city skylines as well as the relationship between number and size of high-rise buildings are the specific phenomena and data utilized to quantify the 3D urban expansion. The results showed that the average height of Tiexi increased by 0.69 m annually, the average urban capacity increased by 490.15 m3 annually, and space congestion degree increased by 0.11% annually. The average annual increase of the building evenness index was 36.43. The renewal area occupied up to 75.38% of the total area. The change of the skyline was more consistent with the east–west direction. The change in the south direction was significant, while in the north direction it was relatively slow. The overall shape of the city was that of a weak pyramid, with the angle of the top of the pyramid gradually becoming larger. The methods proposed in this paper laid a foundation for a wide range of study of 3D urban morphology changes.
Committing to the Climate: A Global Study of Accountable Climate Targets
Authors: Boräng Frida , Felgendreher Simon , Harring Niklas , Löfgren Åsa
Published: March 2019

The Paris Agreement has been described by many as a historical event, a turning point in the United Nations’ climate negotiations. Its success is often attributed to the intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs), in which countries have committed themselves to individually set targets in order to reduce emissions. However, it still remains to be agreed upon how to review and compare countries’ efforts, as outlined in the INDCs (and at later stages in the nationally determined contributions—NDCs). In this paper we suggest (and construct) a simple quantitative measure which is transparent, ensures valid comparison over time, and which can be determined for a large share of countries; a comparable indicator of country commitments in terms of so called accountable climate targets (ACTs). This indicator is then combined with a global data set of political–institutional, economic and geographic variables to understand more about which factors may affect country commitments. The results from multivariate probability unit (probit) regressions show that egalitarian principles, as well as GDP per capita, tend to be positively associated with climate commitments, while a negative association is found for CO2 emissions per capita.
Assessment of Alkali Activation Potential of a Polish Ferronickel Slag
Authors: Komnitsas Konstantinos , Bartzas Georgios , Karmali Vasiliki , Petrakis Evangelos , Kurylak Witold , Pietek Grzegorz , Kanasiewicz Jarosław
Published: March 2019

In this study, the alkali activation potential of a Polish ferronickel slag (PS), for the production of inorganic polymers (IPs), is investigated. The effect of the main synthesis parameters, i.e., strength of the activating solution, consisting of NaOH and Na2SiO3 solutions and affecting (SiO2 + Al2O3)/Na2O and other important molar ratios in the reactive paste, pre-curing period, curing temperature and time and ageing period was investigated. The structural integrity of the produced specimens was tested after their (i) immersion in distilled water and acidic solutions for a period of 7–30 days, and (ii) firing at temperatures between 200 °C and 1000 °C. Several analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Differential scanning analysis-Thermogravimetry and Scanning Electron Microscopy were used for the characterization of the produced IPs. Results show that under the optimum synthesis conditions the IPs obtain compressive strength that exceeds 65 MPa. An innovative aspect of this study is that after heating at 400 °C, the specimens acquire compressive strength of 115 MPa and this indicates that they can be also used as fire resistant materials. This study highlights the potential of alkali activation for the valorization of a ferronickel slag and the production of IPs that can be used as binders or in several construction applications, thus improving the sustainability of the metallurgical sector.
Should All Cars Be Electric by 2025? The Electric Car Debate in Europe
Authors: Ortar Nathalie , Ryghaug Marianne
Published: March 2019

The car is still the most common mode of transport in Western countries, particularly so across the European Union, as it accounts for about two-thirds of daily commuting. So far, measures aiming to reduce automobile traffic and incentives for the modal shift to public transport and non-polluting methods of travel (walking, cycling, etc.) have had little effect. Moreover, the car lies at the core of a very complex system that has proven to be difficult to unlock. In light of these challenges, using new types of engine power may appear to be a solution. Electric vehicles have the potential to improve the efficiency, affordability, and sustainability of the transport system. However, there remains much uncertainty as to how such a transition from one type of engine to another may unfold, and where it could take place within the European context. In June 2017, the H2020 project SHAPE-ENERGY launched an online debate on the Debating Europe platform with the question: “Should all cars be electric by 2025?”. The aim of the debate was to elicit citizens views on whether the goal could be reached, how and with which consequences. The diversity of the vantage points that have appeared in the subsequent discussion generated by the strands of debate allows us to bring into discussion the viewpoints and arguments that are not often addressed in the literature on the adoption of electric cars in a comprehensive way. The article sheds light on those debates across Europe, in order to bring new insights to European policymakers that are seeking to promote the market for electric vehicles. It also broadens the scope and offers important contributions to scholarly debates on the diffusion and adoption of such vehicles.
Research on the Complex Characteristics of Freight Transportation from a Multiscale Perspective Using Freight Vehicle Trip Data
Authors: Zhang Ling , Hao Jingjing , Ji Xiaofeng , Liu Lan
Published: March 2019

To better guide the sustainable developing of freight transport aligning with environmental objectives it is of strategic importance to capture freight transportation characteristics more realistically. This paper characterizes freight transportation by using a complex network approach from multidimensional perspectives based on freight vehicle trips data. We first build two subnetworks from prefecture-level city-scale and county-level city-scale. Subsequently, network analysis indices based on complex network theory were applied to examine the topological structure and complexity of the freight transportation networks. Furthermore, the community detection method is introduced to reveal the networks’ clustering characteristics. The findings show that the prefecture-level city-scale network and the county-level city-scale network both have obvious small-world network characteristics, but the prefecture-level city-scale network has higher operating efficiency for goods movement. Additionally, the influence of the cross-border effect on the freight transportation network was verified. In terms of the community structure, the freight network shows distinct clustering features only at the county-level city-scale.
Nitrogen-Doped Ordered Mesoporous Carbons Supported Co3O4 Composite as a Bifunctional Oxygen Electrode Catalyst
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhang Shuwei , Zhong Haihong , Alonso-Vante Nicolas , Li Dianqing , Tang Pinggui , Feng Yongjun
Published: March 2019

It is increasingly useful to develop bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution reaction (ORR and OER) for fuel cells, metal-air rechargeable batteries, and unitized regenerative cells. Here, based on the excellent conductivity and stability of ordered mesoporous carbons, and the best ORR and OER activity of Co3O4, the composite Co3O4/N-HNMK-3 was designed and manufactured by means of a solvothermal method, using ordered N-doped mesoporous carbon (N-HNMK-3) as substrate, and then the bifunctional electrocatalytic performance corresponding to ORR, OER in alkaline media was carefully investigated. The results showed that Co3O4/N-HNMK-3 composite, a non-precious metal centered electrocatalyst, displayed excellent ORR performance (activity, selectivity, and stability) close to that of commercial 20 wt.% Pt/C and a promising OER activity near 20 wt.% RuO2/C. The outstanding bifunctional activities of Co3O4/N-HNMK-3 was assessed with the lowest △E value of 0.86 V (EOER,10 mA cm−2-EORR,−3 mA cm−2) with respect to the two commercial precious metal-based electrocatalysts.
Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Surf Clams Mesodesma donacium during a Large Bloom of Alexandrium catenella Dinoflagellates Associated to an Intense Shellfish Mass Mortality
Authors: Álvarez Gonzalo , Díaz Patricio A. , Godoy Marcos , Araya Michael , Ganuza Iranzu , Pino Roberto , Álvarez Francisco , Rengel José , Hernández Cristina , Uribe Eduardo , Blanco Juan
Published: March 2019

In late February 2016, a harmful algal bloom (HAB) of Alexandrium catenella was detected in southern Chiloé, leading to the banning of shellfish harvesting in an extended geographical area (~500 km). On April 24, 2016, this bloom produced a massive beaching (an accumulation on the beach surface of dead or impaired organisms which were drifted ashore) of surf clams Mesodesma donacium in Cucao Bay, Chiloé. To determine the effect of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in M. donacium, samples were taken from Cucao during the third massive beaching detected on May 3, 2016. Whole tissue toxicity evidence a high interindividual variability with values which ranged from 1008 to 8763 μg STX eq 100 g−1 and with a toxin profile dominated by GTX3, GTX1, GTX2, GTX4, and neoSTX. Individuals were dissected into digestive gland (DG), foot (FT), adductor muscle (MU), and other body fractions (OBF), and histopathological and toxin analyses were carried out on the obtained fractions. Some pathological conditions were observed in gill and digestive gland of 40–50% of the individuals that correspond to hemocyte aggregation and haemocytic infiltration, respectively. The most toxic tissue was DG (2221 μg STX eq 100 g−1), followed by OBF (710 μg STX eq 100 g−1), FT (297 μg STX eq 100 g−1), and MU (314 μg STX eq 100 g−1). The observed surf clam mortality seems to have been mainly due to the desiccation caused by the incapability of the clams to burrow. Considering the available information of the monitoring program and taking into account that this episode was the first detected along the open coast of the Pacific Ocean in southern Chiloé, it is very likely that the M. donacium population from Cucao Bay has not had a recurrent exposition to A. catenella and, consequently, that it has not been subjected to high selective pressure for PSP resistance. However, more research is needed to determine the effects of PSP toxins on behavioral and physiological responses, nerve sensitivity, and genetic/molecular basis for the resistance or sensitivity of M. donacium.
The Dengue ED3 Dot Assay, a Novel Serological Test for the Detection of Denguevirus Type-Specific Antibodies and Its Application in a Retrospective Seroprevalence Study
Authors: Auerswald Heidi , Klepsch Leonard , Schreiber Sebastian , Hülsemann Janne , Franzke Kati , Kann Simone , Y Bunthin , Duong Veasna , Buchy Philippe , Schreiber Michael
Published: March 2019

There are four distinct antigenic serotypes of dengue viruses (DENV-1-4). Sequential infections with different serotypes lead to cross-reactive but also serotype-specific neutralizing antibody responses. Neutralization assays are considered as gold standard for serotype-specific antibody detection. However, for retrospective seroprevalence studies, access to large serum quantities is limited making neutralization assays well-nigh impossible. Therefore, a serological test, wasting only 10 µL serum, was developed using fusion proteins of maltose binding protein and E protein domain 3 (MBP-ED3) as antigens. Twelve MBP-ED3 antigens for DENV-1-4, three MBP-ED3 antigens for WNV, JEV, and TBEV, and MBP were dotted onto a single nitrocellulose strip. ED3 dot assay results were compared to virus neutralization and ED3 ELISA test results, showing a >90% accordance for DENV-1 and a 100% accordance for DENV-2, making the test specifically useful for DENV-1/-2 serotype-specific antibody detection. Since 2010, DENV-1 has replaced DENV-2 as the dominant serotype in Cambodia. In a retrospective cohort analysis, sera collected during the DENV-1/-2 endemic period showed a shift to DENV-2-specific antibody responses in 2012 paralleled by the decline of DENV-2 infections. Altogether, the ED3 dot assay is a serum-, time- and money-saving diagnostic tool for serotype-specific antibody detection, especially when serum samples are limited.
SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES OF COMPUTER MODELING TECHNOLOGIES APPLICATION IN THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF TECHNOLOGY TEACHERS
Authors: Yashanov Serhii , Dzus Sergii
Published: March 2019

Potential possibilities of teaching methods using computer-based learning tools based on computer modeling technologies, in connection with the emphasis on the technology teacher thinking development, which is three-component in its structure, subject to designing on the basis of pedagogical theory of teaching based on the interconnection and interaction of conceptual, figurative and active components of thinking can provide a higher level of implementation of such traditional requirements as science, visibility, activity and consciousness of learning as well as the unity of educational developmental and educational training functions.