bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The House Is on Fire but We Kept the Burglars Out: Racial Apathy and White Ignorance in Pandemic-Era Immigration Detention
Authors: Liao Wenjie , Ebert Kim , Hummel Joshua R. , Estrada Emily P.
Published: September 2021

Past research shows that crises reveal the sensitive spots of established ideologies and practices, thereby providing opportunities for social change. We investigated immigration control amid the pandemic crisis, focusing on potential openings for both challengers and proponents of immigration detention. We asked: How have these groups responded to the pandemic crisis? Have they called for transformative change? We analyzed an original data set of primary content derived from immigrant advocates and stakeholders of the immigration detention industry. We found as the pandemic ravaged the world, it did not appear to result in significant cracks in the industry, as evidenced by the consistency of narratives dating back to pre-pandemic times. The American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) criticisms of inhumane conditions in immigration detention resembled those from its pre-pandemic advocacy. Private prison companies, including CoreCivic and GEO Group, emphasized their roles as ordinary businesses rather than detention managers during the pandemic, just as they had before the crisis. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), however, manufactured an alternative storyline, emphasizing “COVID fraud” as the real threat to the “Homeland.” Although it did not call for radical change, it radically shifted its rhetoric in response to the pandemic. We discuss how these organizations’ indifference towards structural racism contributes to racial apathy and how the obliviousness and irresponsibility of industry stakeholders resembles white ignorance.
Exploring the Games’ Intangible Legacy on Individuals: A Longitudinal Study of Teacher’s Community
Authors: Ribeiro Tiago , Correia Abel , Marôco João
Published: September 2021

Hosting the Olympics is subject to socio-educational outcomes, which can represent intangible and peripheral assets for host communities. The current study explores the Games’ intangible legacy on teachers’ attitudes at different points in time. Data were collected among teachers who attended the Rio 2016 Education Program at three different stages: 2016 (n = 611), 2017 (n = 451), and 2020 (n = 286). A longitudinal trend study was designed using multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA tests and latent growth modelling. Results show that the teachers’ perceptions of Olympic knowledge had a significant growth rate, while skills development and network/social exchange do not show significant changes over the time periods. Longitudinal findings suggest the continuity of the Olympic education programs as the basis for strengthening the Olympic intellect and social capital formation.
Machine Learning for Predicting Field Soil Moisture Using Soil, Crop, and Nearby Weather Station Data in the Red River Valley of the North
Authors: Acharya Umesh , Daigh Aaron L. M. , Oduor Peter G.
Published: September 2021

Precise soil moisture prediction is important for water management and logistics of on-farm operations. However, soil moisture is affected by various soil, crop, and meteorological factors, and it is difficult to establish ideal mathematical models for moisture prediction. We investigated various machine learning techniques for predicting soil moisture in the Red River Valley of the North (RRVN). Specifically, the evaluated machine learning techniques included classification and regression trees (CART), random forest regression (RFR), boosted regression trees (BRT), multiple linear regression (MLR), support vector regression (SVR), and artificial neural networks (ANN). The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of these machine learning techniques and evaluate the importance of predictor variables. The RFR and BRT algorithms performed the best, with mean absolute errors (MAE) of <0.040 m3 m−3 and root mean square errors (RMSE) of 0.045 and 0.048 m3 m−3, respectively. Similarly, RFR, SVR, and BRT showed high correlations (r2 of 0.72, 0.65 and 0.67 respectively) between predicted and measured soil moisture. The CART, RFR, and BRT models showed that soil moisture at nearby weather stations had the highest relative influence on moisture prediction, followed by 4-day cumulative rainfall and PET, subsequently followed by bulk density and Ksat.
Survival Augmented Patient Preference Incorporated Reinforcement Learning to Evaluate Tailoring Variables for Personalized Healthcare
Authors: Zhong Yingchao , Wang Chang , Wang Lu
Published: September 2021

In this paper, we consider personalized treatment decision strategies in the management of chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease, which typically consists of sequential and adaptive treatment decision making. We investigate a two-stage treatment setting with a survival outcome that could be right censored. This can be formulated through a dynamic treatment regime (DTR) framework, where the goal is to tailor treatment to each individual based on their own medical history in order to maximize a desirable health outcome. We develop a new method, Survival Augmented Patient Preference incorporated reinforcement Q-Learning (SAPP-Q-Learning) to decide between quality of life and survival restricted at maximal follow-up. Our method incorporates the latent patient preference into a weighted utility function that balances between quality of life and survival time, in a Q-learning model framework. We further propose a corresponding m-out-of-n Bootstrap procedure to accurately make statistical inferences and construct confidence intervals on the effects of tailoring variables, whose values can guide personalized treatment strategies.
Partially Linear Generalized Single Index Models for Functional Data (PLGSIMF)
Authors: Alahiane Mohamed , Ouassou Idir , Rachdi Mustapha , Vieu Philippe
Published: September 2021

Single-index models are potentially important tools for multivariate non-parametric regression analysis. They generalize linear regression models by replacing the linear combination α0⊤X with a non-parametric component η0α0⊤X, where η0(·) is an unknown univariate link function. In this article, we generalize these models to have a functional component, replacing the generalized partially linear single index models η0α0⊤X+β0⊤Z, where α is a vector in IRd, η0(·) and β0(·) are unknown functions that are to be estimated. We propose estimates of the unknown parameter α0, the unknown functions β0(·) and η0(·) and establish their asymptotic distributions, and furthermore, a simulation study is carried out to evaluate the models and the effectiveness of the proposed estimation methodology.
A Study on Appearance Acceptance Appraisal of Elderly Mobility Assists
Authors: Lo Chi-Hung
Published: September 2021

Given the low birth rate and the rapid aging of the population in Taiwan, the issues such as long-term care, high dependency ratio, and labor shortage are no longer avertible. The mobility assists shall play a significant role in helping the elder community to live independently with dignity, and the appearance of the mobility assists should make them feel comfortable as well. Hence this study recommends the development of assistive devices, barrier-free environments, and other solutions that allows the elderly to remain independent. This study explores the influencing factors of the willingness to use exoskeleton mobility assists on the psychological aspects. The purpose of this study is to explore the key factors of the willingness to use Wearable Robotic Exoskeleton. By sorting the style of the assistive devices based on various appreciation levels, the semantic difference scale was used to investigate the influence on the appearance of the assistive device on the wearing acceptance. Lastly, this study aims to acquire the factors that affect the style of the model and the influencing factors on the wearing acceptance, providing a reference for future assistive device design and developers to increase user’s willingness to accept the product.
Application of the Water–Energy–Food Nexus Approach to the Climate-Resilient Water Safety Plan of Leh Town, India
Authors: Páez-Curtidor Natalie , Keilmann-Gondhalekar Daphne , Drewes Jörg E.
Published: September 2021

Climate-resilient water safety plans (CR-WSPs) have been developed as a risk-based approach to ensure a safe drinking-water supply while addressing the increasing stress on water resources resulting from climate change. Current examples of the application of CR-WSPs show a strong sectoral approach that fails to explore the potential synergies between other climate-sensitive sectors related to water, such as food and energy. This can increase the vulnerability or decrease the overall resilience of urban systems when planning climate change adaptation measures. In this work, the Water–Energy–Food (WEF) Nexus approach was applied in the formulation of a CR-WSP in Leh Town, India, a city with rapid development and population growth located in the Himalayas—one of the most sensitive ecosystems to climate change. The WEF Nexus approach was applied in the system description using a critical infrastructure approach and in the formulation of scenarios for risk management which exploited intersectoral synergies through water reclamation with resource recovery using constructed wetlands. The improvements in WEF security and risk reduction were demonstrated through indicators and risk mapping with geographical information systems (GISs). The methods for integrating the WEF Nexus approach in CR-WSPs provided through this work can serve as a base for a trans-sectoral, resilient approach within risk-based approaches for water security.
Climate Adaptation Finance in World Bank Economic Development Programs: The Challenges of Systemic Transformation via “Scaling Up”
Authors: Eisenstadt Todd A. , Olawole Ifeoluwa , Toman Michael A.
Published: September 2021

Worldwide only about four percent of the estimated $500 billion-plus in public and private climate finance in 2017 was destined for adaptation. However, institutions like the World Bank are positioning themselves for a transformation in adaptation finance, seeking to provide substantially more adaptation finance as distinct from financial support for greenhouse gas mitigation. This article explores the recent emergence of adaptation as a higher priority and how a longer-term time horizon is necessary if a transformation in climate change governance is to occur which places greater emphasis on sustainable development goals relating to improvement of circumstances of citizens in the most climate-vulnerable nations, mostly in the Global South. The article also considers the important debate in the climate change policy literature over the extent to which funds supporting adaptation are going to lower-income nations or people, as might be anticipated given the view that the poor are more vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change. Data linking World Bank project funding to climate change adaptation and mitigation, derived from a keyword-matching approach, show that from 2010 to 2018, the share of climate-change-related finance devoted to adaptation in World Bank projects increased considerably. The data indicate that adaptation funding tends to be directed more to more climate-vulnerable nations and those with greater state fragility, but not to low-income countries versus high-income countries. Implications are considered for how this change might be “scaled up” to achieve a transformational status.
The Effect of Food Safety-Related Attributes on Customer Satisfaction of Ready-to-Eat Foods at Hypermarkets
Authors: Wei Yu-Ping
Published: September 2021

Food safety issues have become increasingly important in the retail sector. This study focused on the perception of the safety of ready-to-eat (RTE) foods at hypermarkets. The objectives of the current study were to evaluate the perception of food safety-related attributes of RTE food and identify the key influencing factors to satisfaction at hypermarkets. A survey was conducted through a structured questionnaire that was administered at a hypermarket in Taipei, Taiwan. The hypermarket had a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points certification for RTE foods, while the target population was employees who had purchased RTE foods there. In total, 130 of the obtained questionnaires were valid. The statistical analysis encompassed descriptive statistics (means, percentages, and frequencies), exploratory factor analysis, and regression analysis. Four dimensions, i.e., facility, food, ambience/layout, and work staff, were identified to evaluate the food safety-related attributes of RTE foods at the hypermarket. A significant relationship between the food safety-related attributes and the overall customer satisfaction exists for ready-to-eat foods at hypermarkets. The facility, food, and work staff are all significantly impacting customer satisfaction. The results of this study promote a better understanding of consumer behavior toward food safety, thereby encouraging and supporting hypermarkets to design their layout and marketing strategies vis à vis RTE food.
An Attribute-Based Access Control for IoT Using Blockchain and Smart Contracts
Authors: Zaidi Syed Yawar Abbas , Shah Munam Ali , Khattak Hasan Ali , Maple Carsten , Rauf Hafiz Tayyab , El-Sherbeeny Ahmed M. , El-Meligy Mohammed A.
Published: September 2021

With opportunities brought by the Internet of Things (IoT), it is quite a challenge to maintain concurrency and privacy when a huge number of resource-constrained distributed devices are involved. Blockchain have become popular for its benefits, including decentralization, persistence, immutability, auditability, and consensus. Great attention has been received by the IoT based on the construction of distributed file systems worldwide. A new generation of IoT-based distributed file systems has been proposed with the integration of Blockchain technology, such as the Swarm and Interplanetary File System. By using IoT, new technical challenges, such as Credibility, Harmonization, large-volume data, heterogeneity, and constrained resources are arising. To ensure data security in IoT, centralized access control technologies do not provide credibility. In this work, we propose an attribute-based access control model for the IoT. The access control lists are not required for each device by the system. It enhances access management in terms of effectiveness. Moreover, we use blockchain technology for recording the attribute, avoiding data tempering, and eliminating a single point of failure at edge computing devices. IoT devices control the user’s environment as well as his or her private data collection; therefore, the exposure of the user’s personal data to non-trusted private and public servers may result in privacy leakage. To automate the system, smart contracts are used for data accessing, whereas Proof of Authority is used for enhancing the system’s performance and optimizing gas consumption. Through smart contracts, ciphertext can be stored on a blockchain by the data owner. Data can only be decrypted in a valid access period, whereas in blockchains, the trace function is achieved by the storage of invocation and the creation of smart contracts. Scalability issues can also be resolved by using the multichain blockchain. Eventually, it is concluded from the simulation results that the proposed system is efficient for IoT.
Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Porous Concrete
Authors: Sánchez-Mendieta Carlos , Galán Juan Jose , Martinez-Lage Isabel
Published: September 2021

The work presented includes a review of the state of art of porous concrete. Its purpose is to evaluate the potential use of porous concrete in constructions where the level of surface runoff justifies it. A review of the literature presented here has been necessary where parameters of special consideration have been defined in the dosage of permeable mixtures. The study includes the definition of porous concrete in terms of its main components: cement, coarse aggregate, water, additives, and sand, in little or no quantity, to cause the generation of an effective content of interconnected voids that allow rapid storm drainage. Given the reports of variables of high incidence in the mechanical behavior of porous concrete (resistance/permeability relationship), an investigation is warranted to synthesize the effects of the variables in the preparation of the mixture: water–cement ratio, granulometry, and morphology of the aggregates, compaction pressure, and curing techniques, among others. Likewise, the protocols for the characterization of porous concrete and additional aspects relevant to support the experimental phase are exposed, constituting a reference or anchor point for developing technologies associated with the manufacture of this material and the possibilities of its implementation in constructions.
A Digital Tale of Two Cities—Observing the Dynamics of the Artificial Intelligence Ecosystems in Berlin and Sydney
Authors: Lammers Thorsten , Cetindamar Dilek , Borkert Maren
Published: September 2021

In entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs), geographical and contextual factors play a big role in shaping the knowledge bases for digital innovation. While cities around the world compete to be perceived as successful “tech startup hubs”, proactive urban strategies are needed to create knowledge spillovers into EEs. This study explores the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) knowledge practices in the EEs of Berlin and Sydney by using knowledge-spillover theory of entrepreneurship. The study utilizes a bibliometric analysis of secondary data in combination with exploratory stakeholder interviews conducted for both cities. Findings underline the critical role of experimental knowledge in driving the momentum of the EEs and the supporting role of policies imprinting knowledge practices. The paper shows how the dynamics of EEs can be explored empirically and raises awareness of the role of specialised and integrated policies in determining a city’s overall success in building EEs.
Improvement of Temperature and Humidity Control of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Xiong Shusheng , Wu Zhankuan , Li Wei , Li Daize , Zhang Teng , Lan Yu , Zhang Xiaoxuan , Ye Shuyan , Peng Shuhao , Han Zeyu , Zhu Jiarui , Song Qiujie , Jiao Zhixiao , Wu Xiaofeng , Huang Heqing
Published: September 2021

Temperature and humidity are two important interconnected factors in the performance of PEMFCs (Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells). The fuel and oxidant humidity and stack temperature in a fuel cell were analyzed in this study. There are many factors that affect the temperature and humidity of the stack. We adopt the fuzzy control method of multi-input and multi-output to control the temperature and humidity of the stack. A model including a driver, vehicle, transmission motor, air feeding, electrical network, stack, hydrogen supply and cooling system was established to study the fuel cell performance. A fuzzy controller is proven to be better in improving the output power of fuel cells. The three control objectives are the fan speed control for regulating temperature, the solenoid valve on/off control of the bubble humidifier for humidity variation and the speed of the pump for regulating temperature difference. In addition, the results from the PID controller stack model and the fuzzy controller stack model are compared in this research. The fuel cell bench test has been built to validate the effectiveness of the proposed fuzzy control. The maximum temperature of the stack can be reduced by 5 °C with the fuzzy control in this paper, so the fuel cell output voltage (power) increases by an average of approximately 5.8%.
Identifying the Long-Term Thermal Storage Stability of SBS-Polymer-Modified Asphalt, including Physical Indexes, Rheological Properties, and Micro-Structures Characteristics
Authors: Wang Peng , Wei Hong-Rui , Liu Xi-Yin , Ren Rui-Bo , Wang Li-Zhi
Published: September 2021

The thermal storage stability of styrene–butadiene–styrene tri-block copolymer modified bitumen (SBSPMB) is the key to avoid performance attenuation during storage and transportation in pavement engineering. However, existing evaluation index softening point difference within 48 h (ΔSP48) cannot effectively distinguish this attenuation of SBSPMB. Thus, conventional physical indexes, rheological properties, and micro-structure characteristics of SBSPMB during a 10-day storage were investigated in this research. Results showed that during long-term thermal storage under 163 °C for 10 days, penetration, ductility, softening point, recovery rate (R%), and anti-rutting factor (G*/sinδ) were decayed with storage time increasing. This outcome was ascribed to the phase separation of SBS, which mainly occurred after a 4-day storage. However, ΔSP48 after a 6-day storage met the specification requirements (i.e., below 2.5 °C). Thus, the attenuation degree of asphalt performance in field storage was not effectively characterized by ΔSP48 alone. Results from network strength (I) and SBS swelling degree tests revealed that the primary cause was SBS degradation and base asphalt aging. Moreover, conventional indexes, including penetration, ductility, and softening point, were used to build a prediction model for rheological properties after long-term storage using partial least squares regression model, which can effectively predict I, R, Jnr, G*/sinδ, and SBS amount. Correlation coefficient is above 0.8. G*/sinδ and I at the top and bottom storage locations had high coefficient with SBS amount. Thus, phase separation of SBSPMB should be evaluated during thermal storage.
Understanding E-Scooter Incidents Patterns in Street Network Perspective: A Case Study of Travis County, Texas
Authors: Jiao Junfeng , Bai Shunhua , Choi Seung Jun
Published: September 2021

Dockless electric scooter (E-scooters) services have emerged in the United States as an alternative form of micro transit in the past few years. With the increasing popularity of E-scooters, it is important for cities to manage their usage to create and maintain safe urban environments. However, E-scooter safety in U.S. urban environments remains unexplored due to the lack of traffic and crash data related to E-scooters. Our study objective is to better understand E-scooter crashes from a street network perspective. New parcel level street network data are obtained from Zillow and curated in Geographic Information System (GIS). We conducted local Moran’s I and independent Z-test to compare where and how the street network that involves E-scooter crash differs spatially with traffic incidents. The analysis results show that there is a spatial correlation between E-scooter crashes and traffic incidents. Nevertheless, E-scooter crashes do not fully replicate characteristics of traffic incidents. Compared to traffic incidents, E-scooter incidents tend to occur adjacent to traffic signals and on primary roads.
Field Quality Control of Spectral Solar Irradiance Measurements by Comparison with Broadband Measurements
Authors: Marzo Aitor , Ballestrín Jesús , Alonso-Montesinos Joaquín , Ferrada Pablo , Polo Jesús , López Gabriel , Barbero Javier
Published: September 2021

Measurement of solar spectral irradiance is required in an increasingly wide variety of technical applications, such as atmospheric studies, health, and solar energy, among others. The solar spectral irradiance at ground level has a strong dependence on many atmospheric parameters. In addition, spectroradiometer optics and detectors have high sensitivity. Because of this, it is necessary to compare with a reference instrumentation or light source to verify the quality of measurements. A simple and realistic test for validating solar spectral irradiance measurements is presented in this study. This methodology is applicable for a specific spectral range inside the broadband range from 280 to 4000 nm under cloudless sky conditions. The method compares solar spectral irradiance measurements with both predictions of clear-sky solar spectral irradiance and measurements of broadband instruments such as pyrheliometers. For the spectral estimation, a free atmospheric transmittance simulation code with the air mass calculation as the mean parameter was used. The spectral direct normal irradiance (Gbλ) measurements of two different spectroradiometers were tested at Plataforma Solar de Almería, Spain. The results are presented in this article. Although only Gbλ measurements were considered in this study, the same methodology can be applied to the other solar irradiance components.
Design Optimization and Comparative Analysis of 100% Renewable Energy Systems for Residential Communities in Typical Areas of China When Considering Environmental and Economic Performance
Authors: Ling Zaixun , Cui Yibo , Zheng Jingwen , Guo Yu , Cai Wanli , Chen Xiaofei , Yuan Jiaqi , Gang Wenjie
Published: September 2021

A 100% renewable energy system (RES) satisfies a user’s energy demand using only renewable energy, which is an important energy supply in China given that the government aims to realize carbon neutrality by 2060. The design and operation of 100% RESs in different areas would vary significantly due to the impacts of climates and geographical features. This study aimed to investigate the economic and environmental performance of 100% RESs for residential communities in different areas of China. In total, 30 typical cities were chosen based on the climate characteristics and the availability of renewable energy resources. The genetic algorithm was selected to obtain the optimal design of the 100% RES in each area by taking the minimum total annual cost and the minimum CO2 emissions as optimization objectives. The results showed that 100% RESs were dominated by solar energy and biomass. The investment could be recovered in 8 years if the economic performance was optimized in most areas, but the payback period became longer when the 100% RES was optimized when considering environmental performance. The emissions could be reduced by 86–99% for CO2 and 64–97% for NOx. The results of this study would provide data support for the investment of 100% RESs in rural or suburban areas of China.
Supporting Renewable Energy Market Growth through the Circular Integration of End-of-Use and End-of-Life Photovoltaics
Authors: Marsillac Erika
Published: September 2021

Energy demand continues to grow with the world’s burgeoning population. Meeting energy needs through renewable sources allows for market growth with limited environmental impact, but sourcing constraints can limit production, creating industrial and environmental problems. The exploitation of end-of-use and end-of-life photovoltaic (PV) options that are traditionally treated as waste offers a valuable opportunity to support renewable energy market growth with fewer sourcing constraints and minimal environmental impacts, but this circular investment has not yet been broadly implemented, nor is broad guidance widely available to aid its implementation. From a business perspective, this paper discusses the technical issues, assesses the anticipated market growth issues, and proposes a combination of circular economy, industrial ecology, and process integration principles to contribute a theoretically supported, practical framework to improve the management of end-of-use/life PV products and support renewable energy market growth.
A Long-Term Ecological Vulnerability Analysis of the Tibetan Region of Natural Conditions and Ecological Protection Programs
Authors: Jiang Yunxiao , Shi Yu , Li Rong , Guo Luo
Published: September 2021

The combined impacts of drastic natural environment change and increasing human interference are making the uncertainty of the Tibetan Plateau’s ecological vulnerability the world’s largest. In this study, an ecological vulnerability index (EVI) of Tibet in the core area of the Tibetan Plateau was assessed using a selected set of ecological, social, and economic indicators and using a spatial principal component analysis (SPCA) to calculate their weights. The data included Landsat images and socio-economic data from 1990 to 2015 in five-year intervals. The results showed that the total EVI remained at a high vulnerability level, with drastic fluctuation from 1990 to 2000 (a peak in 1995, when there was a sudden increase in light vulnerability, which moved to extreme vulnerability in the next period), and minor fluctuations after 2000, gradually increasing from southeast to northwest. In addition, the spatial analysis showed a distinct positive correlation between the EVI and grassland area (0.33), land use degree (0.15), NDVI (0.14), livestock husbandry output, and a negative correlation in terms of desertification area. The artificial afforestation program (AAP) had a positive significant correlation with NDVI (R2 = 0.88), preventing the environment from becoming more vulnerable. The results provide practical information and suggestions for planners to improve the land use degree in urban areas and the vegetation coverage in pastoral regions of the Tibetan Plateau based on the spatial–temporal heterogeneity patterns of the EVI of Tibet.
Figuring the Transition from Circular Economy to Circular Society in Australia
Authors: Melles Gavin
Published: September 2021

The combined pressure of economic, environmental, and social crises, including bushfires, waste management, and COVID created conditions for a turn to the circular economy in Australia. In addition to a dominant circular discourse of ecological modernization in state and federal policy and business and public consultations, other more socially inclusive and ecologically sensitive discourses are circulating. The two main competing discourses are a techcentric circular economy and a reformist circular society, the latter reflected in ‘growth agnostic’ doughnut economics. In the context of unambitious federal and state policies, the circular transition is being supported by a range of intermediary organizations whose key representatives envision or ‘figure’ the sustainability transition in hybrid discursive combinations. Few studies of the circular economy transition in Australia exist and none focus on competing discourses and intermediation for sustainability transition. Since intermediary organizations both discursively reflect and lead the circular change, fuller understanding of how circularity is interpreted or ‘figured’ by key actors is crucial. This study identifies how twenty representatives from intermediating organizations actively ‘figure’ the process of the circular transition for Australia, including while managing the tension between personal positions and organizational missions. Employing the concept of figured worlds this qualitative thematic discourse interview study analyses how, drawing on available circular discourses, key actors and their organisations actively ‘figure’ the present and future circular transition. The study contributes to debates on circular discourses, nature, and the limitations of the circular economy in Australia, the relational space of intermediation, and the nature of MLP transitions for a sustainable circular transition economy in Australia.
Urban Green Infrastructure and Green Open Spaces: An Issue of Social Fairness in Times of COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: Reinwald Florian , Haluza Daniela , Pitha Ulrike , Stangl Rosemarie
Published: September 2021

At the time of the restrictions and lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, it became apparent how difficult it is for city dwellers to adhere to the prescribed behavioural measures and the protective distance in densely built urban areas. Inner-city parks and green spaces were heavily used for recreational purposes and were thus periodically overcrowded. These observations highlight the need for green open spaces in urban areas, especially in exceptional situations regarding pandemics and climate-related heat periods. Green open spaces and greened buildings help cities and the population cope with the consequences of climate change and have a decisive positive effect on human health and well-being. This paper aims to outline which social issues are related to the availability of green infrastructure close to home and which health consequences need to be considered. The COVID-19 challenges could offer a chance and an opportunity to increase the resilience of cities and their inhabitants in various terms. A cross-disciplinary team of authors (public health, urban and landscape planning, landscaping and vegetation technologies science) describes and discusses challenges and opportunities that arise from this crisis for cities from an inter-disciplinary perspective, concluding that urban green infrastructure helps in two ways: to adapt to climate change and the challenges posed by COVID-19.
Sustaining the Arctic in Order to Sustain the Global Climate System
Authors: Bodansky Daniel , Pomerance Rafe
Published: September 2021

The unraveling of the Arctic is bad enough for the Arctic itself, but it will have enormous consequences for the entire planet since the Arctic is a crucial component of the global climate system. Current policies do not provide much hope to prevent these harms. We have committed the earth to too much warming to take a step-by-step approach. We have entered a period of history when planetary management has become unavoidable and must move forward on many fronts simultaneously. Key components of a multiprong approach include decarbonization, focus on short-lived climate forcers, greenhouse gas removal, adaptation, Arctic interventions, and solar climate intervention. This article discusses the last option, which may be the only means of cooling the earth quickly enough to save Arctic ice and permafrost. Scientific research is essential to better understand its feasibility, effectiveness, and safety. However, research is not enough; we need to be ready to respond right away if Arctic or global temperatures need to be lowered quickly. This means we need significant technology research and development so that solar climate intervention technologies are deployment-ready in the relatively near future, perhaps in a decade or two, and could be used should the need arise and should research show that they are effective and safe.
Synchronizing the Logic of Inquiry with the Logic of Action: The Case of Urban Climate Policy
Authors: Barton Chris J. , Wang Qingqing , Anderson Derrick M. , Callow Drew A.
Published: September 2021

Policymakers often rely on scientific knowledge for making policy decisions, and many scientists aim to produce knowledge that is useful to policymakers. However, the logic of action (which guides policy) and the logic of inquiry (which guides research) do not always align. We introduce the term “logic synchronization” to characterize the degree to which the logic of policy action aligns with the logic of scientific inquiry. We use the case of urban climate policy to explore this dynamic using a purposive literature review. The framework presented here is helpful in identifying areas in which the logic of inquiry and the logic of action synchronize, creating the opportunity for both policy-relevant science and science-informed policy. It also reveals where the logics do not yet synchronize, which indicates where scientists and policy makers can productively focus their efforts. The framework introduced here can be both theoretically and practically useful for linking scientific knowledge to policy action.
An Action Research on the Long-Term Implementation of an Engineering-Centered PjBL of Sustainable Energy in a Rural Middle School
Authors: Chen Chin-Sung , Lin Jing-Wen
Published: September 2021

(1) Background: Due to the high proportion of disadvantaged students in a rural school in Taiwan and the gap between students’ concepts and practices of environmental protection and sustainable energy, four science and mathematics teachers in this school planned an engineering-centred PjBL of sustainable energy curriculum in a Makers Club to enhance students’ creativity, engineering technical skills, practices of environmental protection and sustainable energy, and learning attitudes; (2) Methods: This study is a four-year action research. Teachers and students initiated the idea from rebuilding an old fan in a classroom; (3) Results: The students in the Makers Club improved their engineering technical skills and created various green-power generation devices (evolved from a ventilation ball generator, hydropower, ocean current power generators to tiny, 3D-printing wind power generators). They turned environmental protection and sustainable energy concepts into actions during practices and won awards from science and engineering fairs every year. This creative and supportive atmosphere spread from the club to the whole school and improved the students’ practices of environmental protection and learning attitudes after long-term implementation; (4) Conclusions: The design principles of the engineering-centred PjBL of sustainable energy curriculum played a critical role and were outlined at the end of the study.
Perceptions of Heritage among Students of Early Childhood and Primary Education
Authors: López-Fernández José A. , Medina Silvia , López Miguel J. , García-Morís Roberto
Published: September 2021

In recent decades, a growing awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage as a means of promoting sustainable development has been accompanied by a similar re-evaluation of the role of heritage education as a key driver of citizen engagement. The development and implementation of heritage education at all levels, particularly in the context of teacher training, is of vital importance. The aim of this study is to analyse student teachers’ understanding of heritage and its potential as an educational tool, in order to identify measures to enhance teacher training and practice with respect to heritage and heritage education. The research design consists of a comparative study of a non-random sample of 149 trainee teachers undertaking Bachelor’s degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education at the University of Córdoba (Spain). The results reveal a mainly cultural conception of heritage among both groups, based on local material elements, and little sense of the link between heritage and present-day life. The students studying early childhood education were found to display a more specific knowledge of heritage in their answers, while the primary education students showed a greater awareness of identity and values as features of cultural heritage.
Comparison of Explicit and Implicit Methods of Cross-Cultural Learning in an International Classroom
Authors: Jarosiński Mirosław , Kozma Miklós , Sekliuckiene Jurgita
Published: September 2021

The paper addresses a gap in the literature concerning the difference between enhanced and not enhanced cross-cultural learning in an international classroom. The objective of the described research was to clarify if the environment of international classrooms could enhance cross-cultural competences significantly enough or if additional focus on cross-cultural learning as an explicit objective of learning activities would add substantially to the experience. The research question was defined as “how can a specific exercise focused on cross-cultural learning enhance the cross-cultural skills of university students in an international classroom?”. Surveys were conducted among international students in three leading Central-European Universities in Lithuania, Poland and Hungary to measure the increase of their cross-cultural competences. The Lithuanian and Polish classes were composed of international students and concentrated on International Management/Business topics (explicit method). The Hungarian survey was done in a general business class that just happened to be international in its composition (implicit method). Overall, our findings prove that the implicit method resulted in comparable, somewhat even stronger effectiveness than the explicit method. The study method included the analyses of students’ individual increases in each study dimension and construction of a compound measure to note the overall results. Our findings confirm the power of the international classroom as a stimulating environment for latent cross-cultural learning even without specific exercises focused on cross-cultural learning itself. However, the specific exercise did induce additional learning, especially related to cross-cultural awareness and communication with representatives of other cultures, even though the extent of that learning may be interpreted as underwhelming. The main conclusion from the study is that the diversity of the students engaged in a project provided an environment that supported cross-cultural learning, even without specific culture-focused reflections or exercises.
Key Elements and Their Roles in Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem: Comparative Review and Suggestions for Sustainability
Authors: Liu Haibin , Kulturel-Konak Sadan , Konak Abdullah
Published: September 2021

This paper examines two core issues of the university-based entrepreneurship education ecosystem by explicating the key elements of the ecosystem and their roles, and the development process and sustainable construction strategy of the ecosystem. Thirty stakeholders of ecosystems from the US universities were interviewed, and the transcripts of these interviews were coded through a three-phase process, including open, axial, selective coding, and were analyzed based on the grounded theory. It was found that (i) the key elements of the university-based entrepreneurship education ecosystem consist of six units (colleges and universities, learners, educators, government, industry, and community) acting as initiators and seven factors (entrepreneurship curriculum, entrepreneurial activities and practices, organizational structure, resources, leadership vision, core faculty, and operating mechanism) acting as the intermediaries; (ii) These key elements constitute three independent functional subsystems, namely, teaching and innovation, support, and operation that are interconnected by the universities; (iii) The development process of a university-based entrepreneurship education ecosystem involves seven steps as preparation, germination, growth, equilibrium, stagnation, recession, and collapse; (iv) For sustainability, suggestions on a solid foundation, continuous investment, and constant monitoring are provided to university administrators and policymakers to advance higher education’s contribution to social and economic development.
Modeling of 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) for Sustainable Construction Waste Reduction: A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)
Authors: Mohammed Musa , Shafiq Nasir , Elmansoury Ali , Al-Mekhlafi Al-Baraa Abdulrahman , Rached Ehab Farouk , Zawawi Noor Amila , Haruna Abdulrahman , Rafindadi Aminu Darda’u , Ibrahim Muhammad Bello
Published: September 2021

There is a lack of awareness and knowledge among the Malaysian construction industry about waste management reduction. Numerous nations worldwide have understood and have incorporated the concept of the 3R (reduce, reuse, and recycle) in waste management, and it has worked out well. This study investigated construction waste issues and developed a model for sustainable reduction by applying 3R using a partial least squares structural equation modeling PLS-SEM in Malaysia. The research methodology adopted the quantitative and qualitative approaches by sending a survey questionnaire to the relevant stakeholders to obtain their views or perceptions and interviewing an expert in the related field about waste reduction in the Malaysian construction industry. Three hundred thirty questionnaires were collected within six months of submission. The significant factors are determined using mean ranking for the reduce, reuse and recycle elements. Based on the results, the exploratory power of the study model is considered sustainable with R2 values of 0.83%. At the same time, the results of relationships between improving factors, policy-related factors, construction waste generated, and sustainable construction waste reduction were significant. Also, the findings revealed that the top factors for waste generation on reducing, reusing, and recycling are lack of design and documentation, and lack of guidance for effective construction waste-collecting. The paper will explore different and dynamic practices, such as recycling, reuse of construction waste management cost reduction, enabling stakeholders and managers to estimate and quantify the actual size of CWM costs and benefits for sustainable development goals.
Can Nationally Prescribed Institutional Arrangements Enable Community-Based Conservation? An Analysis of Conservancies and Community Forests in the Zambezi Region of Namibia
Authors: Mbidzo Meed , Newing Helen , Thorn Jessica P. R.
Published: September 2021

Community-based conservation is advocated as an idea that long-term conservation success requires engaging with, providing benefits for, and establishing institutions representing local communities. However, community-based conservation’s efficacy and impact in sustainable resource management varies depending on national natural resource policies and implications for local institutional arrangements. This paper analyses the significance of natural resource management policies and institutional design on the management of common pool resources (CPRs), by comparing Namibian conservancies and community forests. To meet this aim, we reviewed key national policies pertinent to natural resource governance and conducted 28 semi-structured interviews between 2012 and 2013. Key informants included conservancy and community forest staff and committee members, village headmen, NGO coordinators, regional foresters, wildlife officials (wardens), and senior government officials in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry. We explored the following questions: how do national natural resource management policies affect the operations of local common pool resource institutions? and how do external factors affect local institutions and community participation in CPRs decision-making? Our results show that a diversity of national policies significantly influenced local institutional arrangements. Formation of conservancies and community forests by communities is not only directly linked with state policies designed to increase wildlife numbers and promote forest growth or improve condition, but also formulated primarily for benefits from and control over natural resources. The often-assumed direct relationship between national policies and local institutional arrangements does not always hold in practice, resulting in institutional mismatch. We aim to advance theoretical and applied discourse on common pool resource governance in social-ecological systems, with implications for sustainable land management policies in Namibia and other landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa.