bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of CMOS Pixel and Electronic Circuitry in the Performance of a Hartmann-Shack Wavefront Sensor
Authors: Abecassis Úrsula Vasconcelos , De Lima Monteiro Davies William , Salles Luciana Pedrosa , De Moraes Cruz Carlos Augusto , Agra Belmonte Pablo Nunes
Published: October 2018

This work presents a numerical simulation of a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor (WFS) that assesses the impact of integrated electronic circuitry on the sensor performance, by evaluating a full detection chain encompassing wavefront sampling, photodetection, electronic circuitry and wavefront reconstruction. This platform links dedicated C algorithms for WFS to a SPICE circuit simulator for integrated electronics. The complete codes can be easily replaced in order to represent different detection or reconstruction methods, while the circuit simulator employs reliable models of either off-the-shelf circuit components or custom integrated circuit modules. The most relevant role of this platform is to enable the evaluation of the applicability and constraints of the focal plane of a given wavefront sensor prior to the actual fabrication of the detector chip. In this paper, we will present the simulation results for a Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor with an orthogonal array of quad-cells (QC) integrated along with active-pixel (active-pixel sensor (APS)) circuitry and analog-to-digital converters (ADC) on a “complementary metal oxide semiconductor” (CMOS) process and deploying a modal wavefront reconstructor. This extended simulation capability for wavefront sensors enables the test and verification of different photosensitive and circuitry topologies for position-sensitive detectors combined with the simulation of sampling microlenses and reconstruction algorithms, with the goal of enhancing the accuracy in the prediction of the wavefront-sensor performance before a detector CMOS chip is actually fabricated.
An Optimized Two-Step Magnetic Correction Strategy by Means of a Lagrange Multiplier Estimator with an Ellipsoid Constraint
Authors: Xia Linlin , Geng Jingtong , Yang Hanrui , Wang Yunqi , Fu Zhaolong , Meng Bo
Published: October 2018

The geomagnetic field is as fundamental a constituent of passive navigation as Earth’s gravity. In cases where no other external attitude reference is available, for the direct heading angle estimation by a typical magnetic compass, a two-step optimized correction algorithm is proposed to correct the model coefficients caused by hard and soft iron nearby. Specifically, in Step 1, a Levenberg-Marquardt (L-M) fitting estimator with an ellipsoid constraint is applied to solve the hard magnetic coefficients. In Step 2, a Lagrange multiplier estimator is used to deal with the soft magnetic iron circumstance. The essential attribute of “the two-step” lies in its eliminating the coupling effects of hard and soft magnetic fields, and their mutual interferences on the pure geomagnetic field. Under the conditions of non-deterministic magnetic interference sources with noise, the numerical simulation by referring to International Geomagnetic Reference Field (IGRF), and the laboratory tests based upon the turntable experiments with Honeywell HMR3000 compass (Honeywell, Morristown, NJ, USA) conducted, the experimental results indicate that, in the presence of the variation of multi-magnetic interferences, the RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) value of the estimated total magnetic flux density by the proposed two-step estimator falls to 0.125 μT from its initial 2.503 μT, and the mean values of the heading angle error estimates are less than 1°. The proposed solution therefore, exhibits ideal convergent properties, fairly meeting the accuracy requirements of non-tactical level navigation applications.
Integrating Early Growth Information to Monitor Winter Wheat Powdery Mildew Using Multi-Temporal Landsat-8 Imagery
Authors: Ma Huiqin , Jing Yuanshu , Huang Wenjiang , Shi Yue , Dong Yingying , Zhang Jingcheng , Liu Linyi
Published: October 2018

Powdery mildew is one of the dominant diseases in winter wheat. The accurate monitoring of powdery mildew is important for crop management and production. Satellite-based remote sensing monitoring has been proven as an efficient tool for regional disease detection and monitoring. However, the information provided by single-date satellite scene is hard to achieve acceptable accuracy for powdery mildew disease, and incorporation of early period contextual information of winter wheat can improve this situation. In this study, a multi-temporal satellite data based powdery mildew detecting approach had been developed for regional disease mapping. Firstly, the Lansat-8 scenes that covered six winter wheat growth periods (expressed in chronological order as periods 1 to 6) were collected to calculate typical vegetation indices (VIs), which include disease water stress index (DSWI), optimized soil adjusted vegetation index (OSAVI), shortwave infrared water stress index (SIWSI), and triangular vegetation index (TVI). A multi-temporal VIs-based k-nearest neighbors (KNN) approach was then developed to produce the regional disease distribution. Meanwhile, a backward stepwise elimination method was used to confirm the optimal multi-temporal combination for KNN monitoring model. A classification and regression tree (CART) and back propagation neural networks (BPNN) approaches were used for comparison and validation of initial results. VIs of all periods except 1 and 3 provided the best multi-temporal data set for winter wheat powdery mildew monitoring. Compared with the traditional single-date (period 6) image, the multi-temporal images based KNN approach provided more disease information during the disease development, and had an accuracy of 84.6%. Meanwhile, the accuracy of the proposed approach had 11.5% and 3.8% higher than the multi-temporal images-based CART and BPNN models’, respectively. These results suggest that the use of satellite images for early critical disease infection periods is essential for improving the accuracy of monitoring models. Additionally, satellite imagery also assists in monitoring powdery mildew in late wheat growth periods.
An Improved Strapdown Inertial Navigation System Initial Alignment Algorithm for Unmanned Vehicles
Authors: Zhang Ya , Yu Fei , Gao Wei , Wang Yanyan
Published: October 2018

Along with the development of computer technology and informatization, the unmanned vehicle has become an important equipment in military, civil and some other fields. The navigation system is the basis and core of realizing the autonomous control and completing the task for unmanned vehicles, and the Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS) is the preferred due to its autonomy and independence. The initial alignment technique is the premise and the foundation of the SINS, whose performance is susceptible to system nonlinearity and uncertainty. To improving system performance for SINS, an improved initial alignment algorithm is proposed in this manuscript. In the procedure of this presented initial alignment algorithm, the original signal of inertial sensors is denoised by utilizing the improved signal denoising method based on the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) firstly to suppress the high-frequency noise on coarse alignment. Afterwards, the accuracy and reliability of initial alignment is further enhanced by utilizing an improved Robust Huber Cubarure Kalman Filer (RHCKF) method to minimize the influence of system nonlinearity and uncertainty on the fine alignment. In addition, real tests are used to verify the availability and superiority of this proposed initial alignment algorithm.
A Customer Feedback Platform for Vehicle Manufacturing Compliant with Industry 4.0 Vision
Authors: Silva Marianne , Vieira Elton , Signoretti Gabriel , Silva Ivanovitch , Silva Diego , Ferrari Paolo
Published: October 2018

In the last decade, the growth of the automotive market with the aid of technologies has been notable for the economic, automotive and technological sectors. Alongside this growing recognition, the so called Internet of Intelligent Vehicles (IoIV) emerges as an evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT) applied to the automotive sector. Closely related to IoIV, emerges the concept of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), which is the current revolution seen in industrial automation. IIoT, in its turn, relates to the concept of Industry 4.0, that is used to represent the current Industrial Revolution. This revolution, however, involves different areas: from manufacturing to healthcare. The Industry 4.0 can create value during the entire product lifecycle, promoting customer feedback, that is, having information about the product history throughout it is life. In this way, the automatic communication between vehicle and factory was facilitated, allowing the accomplishment of different analysis regarding vehicles, such as the identification of a behavioral pattern through historical driver usage, fuel consumption, maintenance indicators, so on. Thus, allowing the prevention of critical issues and undesired behaviors, since the automakers lose contact with the vehicle after the purchase. Therefore, this paper aims to propose a customer feedback platform for vehicle manufacturing in Industry 4.0 context, capable of collecting and analyzing, through an OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics) scanner, the sensors available by vehicles, with the purpose of assisting in the management, prevention, and mitigation of different vehicular problems. An intercontinental evaluation conducted between Brazil and Italy locations shown the feasibility of platform and the potential to use in order to improve the vehicle manufacturing process.
Low-Cost Graphite on Paper Pressure Sensor for a Robot Gripper with a Trivial Fabrication Process
Authors: Fastier-Wooller Jarred , Dinh Toan , Dau Van Thanh , Phan Hoang-Phuong , Yang Fuwen , Dao Dzung Viet
Published: October 2018

A flexible pressure sensor with a rudimentary, ultra-low cost, and solvent-free fabrication process is presented in this paper. The sensor has a graphite-on-paper stacked paper structure, which deforms and restores its shape when pressure is applied and released, showing an exceptionally fast response and relaxation time of ≈0.4 ms with a sensitivity of −5%/Pa. Repeatability of the sensor over 1000 cycles indicates an excellent long-term stability. The sensor demonstrated fast and reliable human touch interface, and successfully integrated into a robot gripper to detect grasping forces, showing high promise for use in robotics, human interface, and touch devices.
Enhancing the Number of Modes in Metasurfaced Reverberation Chambers for Field Uniformity Improvement
Authors: Sun Hengyi , Gu Changqing , Li Zhuo , Xu Qian , Song Jiajia , Xu Baijie , Dong Xiaohang , Wang Kuan , Martín Ferran
Published: October 2018

The use of metasurfaces to increase the number of modes, lower the operating frequency, and improve the field uniformity in reverberation chambers (RCs) is investigated in this paper. The method used to improve the field uniformity and decrease the resonance frequencies is based on increasing the number of modes by using the concept of subwavelength cavities. The resonance frequencies of a RC with metasurface wall are derived and expressed analytically in terms of macroscopic characteristics. Simulation of the reflection phase of the unit cell is then given as a guideline to choose the required microscopic parameters of the designed metasurface. The mode density in such subwavelength RCs is then obtained using a numerical eigenmode solver. Compared to traditional RCs, a much higher modal density is obtained at low frequencies. The standard deviation of the field uniformity in the test volume of the RC corresponding to different types of metasurface walls is finally compared. It is shown that by increasing the number of modes in the RC at the lower band, the operating frequency decreases and the field uniformity of the RC is improved.
Testing of Automated Photochemical Reflectance Index Sensors as Proxy Measurements of Light Use Efficiency in an Aspen Forest
Authors: Castro Saulo , Sanchez-Azofeifa Arturo
Published: October 2018

Commercially available autonomous photochemical reflectance index (PRI) sensors are a new development in the remote sensing field that offer novel opportunities for a deeper exploration of vegetation physiology dynamics. In this study, we evaluated the reliability of autonomous PRI sensors (SRS-PRI) developed by METER Group Inc. as proxies of light use efficiency (LUE) in an aspen (Populus tremuloides) forest stand. Before comparisons between PRI and LUE measurements were made, the optical SRS-PRI sensor pairs required calibrations to resolve diurnal and seasonal patterns properly. An offline diurnal calibration procedure was shown to account for variable sky conditions and diurnal illumination changes affecting sensor response. Eddy covariance measurements provided seasonal gross primary productivity (GPP) measures as well as apparent canopy quantum yield dynamics (α). LUE was derived from the ratio of GPP to absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR). Corrected PRI values were derived after diurnal and midday cross-calibration of the sensor’s 532 nm and 570 nm fore-optics, and closely related to both LUE (R2 = 0.62, p < 0.05) and α (R2 = 0.72, p < 0.05). A LUE model derived from corrected PRI values showed good correlation to measured GPP (R2 = 0.77, p < 0.05), with an accuracy comparable to results obtained from an α driven LUE model (R2 = 0.79, p < 0.05). The automated PRI sensors proved to be suitable proxies of light use efficiency. The onset of continuous PRI sensors signifies new opportunities for explicitly examining the cause of changing PRI, LUE, and productivity over time and space. As such, this technology represents great value for the flux, remote sensing and modeling community.
Reputation-Aware Recruitment and Credible Reporting for Platform Utility in Mobile Crowd Sensing with Smart Devices in IoT
Authors: Ahmad Waqas , Wang Shengling , Ullah Ata , Sheharyar  , Yasir Shabir Muhammad
Published: October 2018

The Internet of things (IoT) comprises a huge collection of electronic devices connected to the Internet to ensure the dependable exchange of sensing information. It involves mobile workers (MWs) who perform various activities to support enormous online services and applications. In mobile crowd sensing (MCS), a massive amount of sensing data is also generated by smart devices. Broadly, in the IoT, verifying the credibility and truthfulness of MWs’ sensing reports is needed for MWs to expect attractive rewards. MWs are recruited by paying monetary incentives that must be awarded according to the quality and quantity of the task. The main problem is that MWs may perform false reporting by sharing low-quality reported data to reduce the effort required. In the literature, false reporting is improved by hiring enough MWs for a task to evaluate the trustworthiness and acceptability of information by aggregating the submitted reports. However, it may not be possible due to budget constraints, or when malicious reporters are not identified and penalized properly. Recruitment is still not a refined process, which contributes to low sensing quality. This paper presents Reputation, Quality-aware Recruitment Platform (RQRP) to recruit MWs based on reputation for quality reporting with the intention of platform profit maximization in the IoT scenario. RQRP comprises two main phases: filtration in the selection of MWs and verifying the credibility of reported tasks. The former is focused on the selection of suitable MWs based on different criteria (e.g., reputation, bid, expected quality, and expected platform utility), while the latter is more concerned with the verification of sensing quality, evaluation of reputation score, and incentives. We developed a testbed to evaluate and analyze the datasets, and a simulation was performed for data collection scenario from smart sensing devices. Results proved the superiority of RQRP against its counterparts in terms of truthfulness, quality, and platform profit maximization. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to study the impact of truthful reporting on platform utility.
Self-Adaptive Spectrum Analysis Based Bearing Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Wu Jie , Tang Tang , Chen Ming , Hu Tianhao
Published: October 2018

Bearings are critical parts of rotating machines, making bearing fault diagnosis based on signals a research hotspot through the ages. In real application scenarios, bearing signals are normally non-linear and unstable, and thus difficult to analyze in the time or frequency domain only. Meanwhile, fault feature vectors extracted conventionally with fixed dimensions may cause insufficiency or redundancy of diagnostic information and result in poor diagnostic performance. In this paper, Self-adaptive Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and a SSA-based diagnosis framework are proposed to solve these problems. Firstly, signals are decomposed into components with better analyzability. Then, SSA is developed to extract fault features adaptively and construct non-fixed dimension feature vectors. Finally, Support Vector Machine (SVM) is applied to classify different fault features. Data collected under different working conditions are selected for experiments. Results show that the diagnosis method based on the proposed diagnostic framework has better performance. In conclusion, combined with signal decomposition methods, the SSA method proposed in this paper achieves higher reliability and robustness than other tested feature extraction methods. Simultaneously, the diagnosis methods based on SSA achieve higher accuracy and stability under different working conditions with different sample division schemes.
Integration of a 2D Touch Sensor with an Electroluminescent Display by Using a Screen-Printing Technology on Textile Substrate
Authors: Ferri Josue , Perez Fuster Clara , Llinares Llopis Raúl , Moreno Jorge , Garcia‑Breijo Eduardo
Published: October 2018

Many types of solutions have been studied and developed in order to give the user feedback when using touchpads, buttons, or keyboards in textile industry. Their application on textiles could allow a wide range of applications in the field of medicine, sports or the automotive industry. In this work, we introduce a novel solution that combines a 2D touchpad with an electroluminescent display (ELD). This approach physically has two circuits over a flexible textile substrate using the screen-printing technique for wearable electronics applications. Screen-printing technology is widely used in the textile industry and does not require heavy investments. For the proposed solution, different layer structures are presented, considering several fabric materials and inks, to obtain the best results.
Effects of 3-Week Work-Matched High-Intensity Intermittent Cycling Training with Different Cadences on VO2max in University Athletes
Authors: Tomabechi Nobuyasu , Takizawa Kazuki , Shibata Keisuke , Mizuno Masao
Published: October 2018

The aim of this study is to clarify the effects of 3-week work-matched high-intensity intermittent cycling training (HIICT) with different cadences on the VO2max of university athletes. Eighteen university athletes performed HIICT with either 60 rpm (n = 9) or 120 rpm (n = 9). The HIICT consisted of eight sets of 20 s exercise with a 10 s passive rest between each set. The initial training intensity was set at 135% of VO2max and was decreased by 5% every two sets. Athletes in both groups performed nine sessions of HIICT during a 3-week period. The total workload and achievement rate of the workload calculated before experiments in each group were used for analysis. VO2max was measured pre- and post-training. After 3 weeks of training, no significant differences in the total workload and the achievement rate of the workload were found between the two groups. VO2max similarly increased in both groups from pre- to post-training (p = 0.016), with no significant differences between the groups (p = 0.680). These results suggest that cadence during HIICT is not a training variable affecting the effect of VO2max.
The Improved Canopy Shading Model Based on the Apple Intercropping System (Case Study: Loess Plateau, China)
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Bi Huaxing , Sun Yubo , Duan Hangqi , Peng Ruidong
Published: October 2018

The canopy shading model is widely used in agroforestry systems. However, the canopy shading model cannot be verified by the measured shading distribution of an apple tree due to the uneven ground and adjacent apple trees. This paper measures the spatial‒temporal distribution of the shading of apple trees based on the similarity principle of parallel solar light combined with 3D printing technology to improve the canopy shading model. The following results are drawn: (1) The current widely used canopy shading model does not consider the effect of the canopy penumbra, resulting in poor simulation accuracy in the shading distribution compared to the actual measurement; (2) The effect of canopy penumbra causes the deflection of sunlight. Hence, the paper presents the deflection equation of sunlight with statistically defined parameters derived using measured data of the shading distribution. The deflection equation of sunlight is added to the improved canopy shading model. The improved model can accurately simulate the shading distribution of an apple tree, and the simulation accuracy exceeds 94.12% when compared with the shading distribution of an apple tree; (3) The improved canopy shading model is applied to simulate the spatial‒temporal distribution of the shading of apple trees in a conventional arrangement (4 m × 5 m), and the simulation accuracy exceeds 89%. Thus, the improved canopy shading model can be applied to simulate the spatial‒temporal distribution of shading of apple trees.
The Role of Government Support in Sustainable Competitive Position and Firm Performance
Authors: Songling Yang , Ishtiaq Muhammad , Anwar Muhammad , Ahmed Hamid
Published: October 2018

Achievement of sustainable competitive position and superior performance is the first priority of business organizations. However, small firms, due to fairly known reasons; lack of resources, financial capabilities and lack of managerial skills are often unable to succeed in their mission. Hence, they often look for less risky and convenience sources to compete in the market. A variety of factors has been tested towards a firm competitive position and performance but the role of government support in this perspective has received minor attention. The present study examines the influence of government financial support and nonfinancial support on firm performance with mediating role of the sustainable competitive position. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling in Analysis Moment of Structure (AMOS) on a data set of 326 Pakistani Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SMEs). The results indicate that government financial and nonfinancial support have a significant influence on sustainable competitive position and firm performance. Additionally, a sustainable competitive position partially mediates the relationship between government support and firm performance. Government bodies and policy makers are advised to provide financial and nonfinancial support to SMEs which in turn can upsurge economic growth and sustainability.
Energy Efficient Deployment of a Service Function Chain for Sustainable Cloud Applications
Authors: Sun Jian , Chen Yue , Dai Miao , Zhang Wanting , Sangaiah Arun Kumar , Sun Gang , Han Han
Published: October 2018

With the increasing popularity of the Internet, user requests for cloud applications have dramatically increased. The traditional model of relying on dedicated hardware to implement cloud applications has not kept pace with the rapid growth in demand. Network function virtualization (NFV) architecture emerged at a historic moment. By moving the implementation of functions to software, a separation of functions and hardware was achieved. Therefore, when user demand increases, cloud application providers only need to update the software; the underlying hardware does not change, which can improve network scalability. Although NFV solves the problem of network expansion, deploying service function chains into the underlying network to optimize indicators remains an important research problem that requires consideration of delay, reliability, and power consumption. In this paper, we consider the optimization of power consumption with the premise of guaranteeing a certain virtual function link yield. We propose an efficient algorithm that is based on first-fit and greedy algorithms to solve the problem. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm substantially improves the path-finding efficiency, achieves a higher request acceptance ratio and reduces power consumption while provisioning the cloud applications. Compared with the baseline algorithm, the service function chain (SFC) acceptance ratio of our proposed algorithms improves by a maximum of approximately 15%, our proposed algorithm reduces the power consumption by a maximum of approximately 15%, the average link load ratio of our proposed algorithm reduces by a maximum of approximately 20%, and the average mapped path length of our proposed algorithm reduces by a maximum of approximately 1.5 hops.
Classification and Estimation of Irrigation Waters Based on Remote Sensing Images: Case Study in Yucheng City (China)
Authors: Lu Qingshui , Liang Shangzhen , Xu Xinliang
Published: October 2018

The downstream plain of the Yellow River is experiencing some of the most severe groundwater depletion in China. Although the Chinese government has issued policies to ensure that the Yellow River can provide enough irrigation waters for this region, groundwater levels continue to decrease. Yucheng City was selected as a case study. A new method was designed to classify the cropland into various irrigated cropland. Subsequently, we analyzed data regarding these irrigated-cropland categories, irrigation norms, and the minimum amount of irrigation water being applied to cropland. The results showed that 91.5% of farmland can be classified as double irrigated (by both canal/river and well water), while 8.5% of farmland can be classified as well irrigated. During the irrigation season, the sediments brought in by the river have blocked portions of the canals. This has led to 23% of the double-irrigated cropland being irrigated by groundwater, and it is thus a main factor causing reductions in groundwater supply. These blocked canals should be dredged by local governments to mitigate local groundwater depletion. The method for classifying irrigated cropland from high-resolution images is valid and it can be used in other irrigated areas with a declining groundwater table for the sustainable use of groundwater resources.
Analyzing Trends of Dike-Ponds between 1978 and 2016 Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing Images in Shunde District of South China
Authors: Li Fengshou , Liu Kai , Tang Huanli , Liu Lin , Liu Hongxing
Published: October 2018

Dike-ponds have experienced significant changes in the Pearl River Delta region over the past several decades, especially since China’s economic reform, which has seriously affected the construction of ecological environments. In order to monitor the evolution of dike-ponds, in this study we use multi-source remote sensing images from 1978 to 2016 to extract dike-ponds in several periods using the nearest neighbor classification method. A corresponding area weighted dike-pond invasion index (AWDII) is proposed to describe the spatial evolution of dike-ponds, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Furthermore, the evolution mechanisms of dike-ponds are determined, which can be attributed to both natural conditions and human factors. Our results show that the total area of dike-ponds in 2016 was significantly reduced and fragmentation had increased compared with the situation in 1978. The AWDII reveals that Shunde District has experienced three main phases, including steady development, rapid invasion and a reduction of invasion by other land use types. Most dike-ponds have now converted into built-up areas, followed by cultivated lands, mainly due to government policies, rural area depopulation, and river networks within Shunde. Our study indicates that the AWDII is applicable towards the evaluation of the dynamic changes of dike-ponds. The rational development, and careful protection, of dike-ponds should be implemented for better land and water resource management.
Da Nang Green Space System Planning: An Ecology Landscape Approach
Authors: Do Duy Thinh , Huang Jiayu , Cheng Yuning , Truong Thi Cat Tuong
Published: October 2018

Under the pressure of rapid urbanization, the development of urban land in Vietnam has invaded green lands and had a negative impact on their ecosystems and environments. The new urban development not only does not improve the demand for green urban space but makes the living environment worse. Studying the design seriously and putting forward solutions for green urban space is essential and urgent. Taking Da Nang as a case study, planning a network of multicenter urban green space would change ecological principles to create a sustainable urban ecosystem. This is based on a landscape metrics method to reveal the green space system characteristics and its spatial distribution, area, density, and shape. A set of shapes index including categories such as SHAPE, mean distance (m) between each cell (GYRATE) and mean Euclidean distance neighbour (ENN) was used to display the geometrical shape of patches and continuity. These indices stress the difference in spatial structure in various land-use types. This article draws upon ecological landscape theory to propose a green system of urban regions including green space wedges, greenways, corridors, greenbelts and green additions; these factors help to create a sustainable urban green space.
Adaptive Comfort Models Applied to Existing Dwellings in Mediterranean Climate Considering Global Warming
Authors: Sánchez-García Daniel , Rubio-Bellido Carlos , Pulido-Arcas Jesús A. , Guevara-García Fco. Javier , Canivell Jacinto
Published: October 2018

Comfort analysis of existing naturally ventilated buildings located in mild climates, such as the ones in the Mediterranean zones, offer room for a reduction in the present and future energy consumption. Regarding Spain, most of the present building stock was built before energy standards were mandatory, let alone considerations about global warming or adaptive comfort. In this context, this research aims at assessing adaptive thermal comfort of inhabitants of extant apartments building in the South of Spain per EN 15251:2007 and ASHRAE 55-2013. The case study is statistically representative housing built in 1973. On-site monitoring of comfort conditions and computer simulations for present conditions have been carried out, clarifying the degree of adaptive comfort at present time. After that, additional simulations for 2020, 2050, and 2080 are performed to check whether this dwelling will be able to provide comfort considering a change in climate conditions. As a result, the study concludes that levels of adaptive comfort can be considered satisfactory at present time in these dwellings, but not in the future, when discomfort associated with hot conditions will be recurrent. These results provide a hint to foresee how extant dwellings, and also dwellers, should adapt to a change in environmental conditions.
Dynamic Change in the Export Technology Structure of China’s Environmental Goods and Its International Comparison
Authors: Cao Xuping , Hanson-Rasmussen Nancy
Published: October 2018

Growing natural disaster intensity, ocean warming, air quality alerts, and a desire to emphasize sustainable practice has prompted countries to payincreased attention to the development of environmental industries. This has led to trade in environmental goods (EGs) and a need for export technology research. The purpose of this paper is to measure the evolution of the technological structure of China’s export EGs and its position in the international industrial value chain. Based on the 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) EGs list and United Nations Comtrade (COMTRADE) data, this study uses the technical complexity index to empirically calculate the technology structure and level changes of China’s EGs exports from 2007 to 2016. The results are then compared with those of the Asia-Pacific region and the world’s major exporters of EGs. Additionally, this study proposes a method called “Equalization Technology Classification” that divides all EGs into five technical levels: high, medium-high, medium, medium-low, and low. The research finds that (1) China’s EGs exports are predominately of medium-low technical complexity, and while the proportion of exported goods with high technical complexity is very low, the export technology structure is constantly being optimized. (2) Compared with Singapore, the United States, and the European Union, the overall technical level of China’s exported EGs is lagging behind. (3) The overall technical level of exported EGs in major exporting countries is rapidly increasing but is especially impressive in South Korea and China, where growth ranks first and second in the world, respectively.
Do Gender and Prior Experience Moderate the Factors Influencing Attitude toward Using Social Media for Festival Attendance?
Authors: Kim Taegoo Terry , Karatepe Osman M. , Lee Gyehee , Demiral Hande
Published: October 2018

Male and female consumers differ in terms of decision-making. This is also true for inexperienced and experienced consumers. Although the extant research delineates studies that have centered on the interrelationships between perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived enjoyment (PE), perceived usefulness (PU), attitude toward using social media (ATUSM), and users’ behavioral intentions, there is still a dearth of empirical research about gender and prior experience as the two potential moderators. With this recognition, our study examines gender and prior experience as moderators of the effects of PEU, PE, and PU on ATUSM. Our study also investigates ATUSM as a full mediator of the impacts of PEU, PE, and PU on users’ intentions to attend festivals (IAF). Data came from the students of the Korean Government Scholarship Program. The results from structural equation modeling reveal that the positive influence of PE on ATUSM is stronger among female users. As expected, the positive impact of PU on ATUSM is stronger for male users. As hypothesized, prior experience strengthens the positive effects of PE and PU on ATUSM. The results further reveal that ATUSM fully mediates the effects of PE and PU on IAF. Based on the aforesaid findings, theoretical implications are discussed and managerial implications to enhance business sustainability are offered.
Potentially Replaceable Car Trips: Assessment of Potential Modal Change towards Active Transport Modes in Vitoria-Gasteiz
Authors: Delso Javier , Martín Belén , Ortega Emilio
Published: October 2018

Road traffic is the most important contributor to noise and air pollutant emissions in cities. Its substitution by non-motorized modes therefore has great potential to improve the urban environment while increasing levels of physical activity among the population. This paper identifies car trips that could potentially be transferred to active modes such as walking and cycling, and analyses the barriers perceived by people who travel by car. We detect potentially replaceable car trips based on a mobility survey, distance calculation, and a distance threshold approach. The answers to a set of questions in the mobility survey allow us to identify the perceived barriers for use of the bicycle, applied to Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain). The results show that between 30% and 40% of car trips could be replaced by active modes. Personal safety and distance results are the most limiting barriers perceived by car users, while physical condition and technique are the most limiting ones for bicycle users. These results provide valuable information for implementing measures to promote the replacement of motorized trips with walking and cycling.
Introduction of Smart Grid Station Configuration and Application in Guri Branch Office of KEPCO
Authors: Whang Jaehong , Hwang Woohyun , Yoo Yeuntae , Jang Gilsoo
Published: October 2018

Climate change and global warming are becoming important problems around the globe. To prevent these environmental problems, many countries try to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and manage the consumption of energy. The Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) introduced smart grid (SG) technologies to its branch office in 2014. This was the first demonstration of a smart grid on a building, called the Smart Grid Station (SGS). However, the smart grid industry is stagnant despite of the efforts of KEPCO. The authors analyzed the achievements to date, and proved the effects of the SGS by comparing its early targets to its performance. To evaluate the performance, we analyzed the data of 2015 with the data of 2014 in three aspects: peak reduction, power consumption reduction, and electricity fee savings. Furthermore, we studied the economic analysis including photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage system (ESS) electricity fee savings, as well as running cost savings by electric vehicles. Through the evaluation, the authors proved that the performance surpassed the early targets and that the system is economical. With the advantages of the SGS, we suggested directions to expand the system.
The Use of E-Tools to Engage Citizens in Urban Green Infrastructure Governance: Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going?
Authors: Steen Møller Maja , Stahl Olafsson Anton
Published: October 2018

In the unfolding reality of advanced internet-based communication tools, the possibilities and implications for citizens’ e-engagement is revealing. The paper introduces different examples of e-tools used in participatory urban green infrastructure governance. E-tools here includes various location-based service apps, and volunteered geographic information stemming from social media activities, as well as public participation geographic information system approaches. Through an analytical framework describing five categories, we discuss the different scopes and possibilities, as well as general barriers and problems to participatory e-tools. We suggest some basic premises for the application of e-tools in urban green infrastructure governance and discussed future development of this field. E-tools can allow interaction between citizens, public authorities, and other stakeholders; however, research on the implications of such location-based governance is needed to make full use of the rapid on-going development of such information and communication technologies, and to avoid possible pitfalls. We suggest that future research into this area of environmental–social–technical solutions should test, discuss, and develop frameworks and standards, for the use of different e-tools in combination with offline approaches.
Tourism and Environmental Pollution: Evidence from the One Belt One Road Provinces of Western China
Authors: Ahmad Fayyaz , Draz Muhammad , Su Lijuan , Ozturk Ilhan , Rauf Abdul
Published: October 2018

The rapid economic development of China and the industrial shift from its eastern to western provinces have resulted in significant negative impacts on the environment. Recently, tourism has emerged as an alternative for economic and environmental development, but it is a double-edged sword. Without the required measures to protect environment, the opportunity cost of tourism is environmental degradation. The western part of China holds a significant advantage for the development of travel and tourism (T&T), due to One Belt One Road (OBOR), unique ancient culture and spectacular variety of natural scenic spots. This region is among the less explored and less developed, but important, parts of China. Taking this point into consideration, this paper aims to examine the impact of tourism on the environmental pollution of five provinces located in the heart of OBOR over the period of 1991–2016. To explore this link, we used the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) approach and Gregory-Hansen test for robustness check. We applied the Zivot-Andrews unit root test to deal with structural breaks in data. Our results confirm a negative impact of tourism on environment for Ningxia, Qinghai, Gansu, and Shanxi. However, tourism improves the environmental quality of Xinjiang. The negative impact of energy consumption and GDP growth is significant than tourism. Our findings suggest that the relationship varies for different provinces in the same region depending on the specific provincial features and government policies. Furthermore, tourism development has great potential to improve the economic and environmental sustainability in these provinces.
Sustainability in the Canadian Egg Industry—Learning from the Past, Navigating the Present, Planning for the Future
Authors: Pelletier Nathan , Doyon Maurice , Muirhead Bruce , Widowski Tina , Nurse-Gupta Jodey , Hunniford Michelle
Published: October 2018

Like other livestock sectors, the Canadian egg industry has evolved substantially over time and will likely experience similarly significant change looking forward, with many of these changes determining the sustainability implications of and for the industry. Influencing factors include: technological and management changes at farm level and along the value chain resulting in greater production efficiencies and improved life cycle resource efficiency and environmental performance; a changing policy/regulatory environment; and shifts in societal expectations and associated market dynamics, including increased attention to animal welfare outcomes—especially in regard to changes in housing systems for laying hens. In the face of this change, effective decision-making is needed to ensure the sustainability of the Canadian egg industry. Attention both to lessons from the past and to the emerging challenges that will shape its future is required and multi- and interdisciplinary perspectives are needed to understand synergies and potential trade-offs between alternative courses of action across multiple aspects of sustainability. Here, we consider the past, present and potential futures for this industry through the lenses of environmental, institutional (i.e., regulatory), and socio-economic sustainability, with an emphasis on animal welfare as an important emergent social consideration. Our analysis identifies preferred pathways, potential pitfalls, and outstanding cross-disciplinary research questions.
Understanding the Effects of Improving Transportation on Pilgrim Travel Behavior: Evidence from the Lhasa, Tibet, China
Authors: Cheng Gang , Zhao Shuzhi , Huang Di
Published: October 2018

Effective travel demand management measures provide the opportunity to fully utilize limited transportation resources, especially in underdeveloped areas. It is increasingly recognized that the improvement in existing transportation infrastructure and the optimization of traffic demand management method would result in a complicated urban transportation system with multiple travel modes. This paper aims to investigate the relationship between transportation improvements (e.g., pedestrian flow, free bus for the elderly, and parking space planning) and the mode choice behavior of pilgrimages in the Lhasa of Tibet, China. This study employed a distinctive survey conducted among pilgrims in Lhasa, including both individual questionnaires and interviews from 2010 to 2016. The analysis was undertaken using a multinomial logit model to identify the extent to which transportation improvements could affect the pilgrim’s travel mode choice behavior. The results show that transportation improvements, as an operational method in underdeveloped areas, play an important role in motivating the pilgrimage to travel that can increase the attractiveness of private car use, and make pedestrian traffic more prominent. However, improvements in the public transport need to be conducted to attract more travelers. These results confirm that increasing the attractiveness of low-carbon transportation (e.g., buses, walking, and cycling) to the public can reduce the usage on private vehicles and maintain the development of sustainable transportation in underdeveloped areas with limited transportation resources.
The Impact of Tourism on Sustainable Development of Rural Areas: Evidence from Romania
Authors: Ibănescu Bogdan-Constantin , Stoleriu Oana Mihaela , Munteanu Alina , Iațu Corneliu
Published: October 2018

Rural tourism has been seen during the last decades as a means for economic development of sensitive localities, especially in rural areas. However, little research has been conducted on the sustainability of the development induced by tourism activities in rural areas, and even so, with contradictory results. Our paper investigated how tourism impacted on the sustainable development of rural localities, focusing on three composite indexes: demographic stability, public utilities, and socio-economic sustainability. Mann–Whitney U test was used to determine the differences on each of the above-mentioned indexes between the rural localities with tourist arrivals and those without. The results showed that there is a significant positive effect of tourism on rural areas translated into higher values of all the indexes analyzed. This study brings valuable contributions to both academics and policy-makers: on one hand, it provides new insights into the impact of tourism activities; on the other hand, it offers valuable information to decisional actors regarding development strategies.