bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cyber-Physical System of Psychophysiological Support of Professional Self-Realization in Professions of the ‘Man-Nature’ Type in the Formation of Specialists for Sustainable Development
Authors: Ruda Mariia , Moroz Oleksandr , Kuz Olha , Boyko Taras
Published: July 2021

The article deals with the issue of developing a cyber-physical system of a psychological profile of a specialist in professions of the ‘man-nature’ type in the formation of specialists for sustainable development. The proposed cyber-physical system of psychophysiological support of professional self-realization in professions of the ‘man-nature’ type is presented in the form of a hierarchical structure, the upper level of which reflects the vision of the customer (client) and contains the necessary properties and their significance coefficients, and the lower level is a set of characteristics that affect the corresponding properties as well as the corresponding weight values. The cyber-physical system makes it possible to clearly represent the psychophysiological profile of a specialist when working on building a standard of a specialist using the method of expert assessments. This system also allows you to easily automate the process of creating a reference model of a specialist for professions of the ‘man-nature’ type and will provide estimates of the significance of each of the obtained characteristics. The novelty of the cyber-physical system lies in the integration of points of view on the professional self-realization of a specialist on the part of the customer and on the part of psychologists. The significance of the upper-level elements comes from experts (customers) for each profile, while the weights of the relationship between characteristics and a certain quality are constant regardless of the specialty and can be obtained from expert psychologists in advance. Based on the analysis of a formalized description of available psychodiagnostic techniques, a generalized model of psychodiagnostic techniques and a structural model of a set of psychodiagnostic techniques have been developed. This approach differs from the known ones in a formalized representation, as well as taking into account the vector of resources necessary for the implementation of the technique. The proposed approach made it possible for the first time to formulate the problem of choosing a set of psychodiagnostic techniques as an optimization problem. The developed complex of algorithms, containing all the characteristics of cybernetic systems, is controllable and consists of a set of subsystems that act as mechanisms for the restoration and implementation of self-preserving reactions. That is, this complex of algorithms is effective, which is characterized by a certain set of parameters. Hence, the key role of the system of transmission and processing of information in training specialists for sustainable development becomes clear, and the importance of intellectualization of management processes is explained.
Synthesis of β-Ca2P2O7 as an Adsorbent for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Water
Authors: Griesiute Diana , Gaidukevic Justina , Zarkov Aleksej , Kareiva Aivaras
Published: July 2021

In the present work, beta-calcium pyrophosphate (β-Ca2P2O7) was investigated as a potential adsorbent for the removal of heavy metal ions from water. Single-phase β-Ca2P2O7 powders were synthesized by a simple, scalable and cost-effective wet precipitation method followed by annealing at 800 °C, which was employed for the conversion of as-precipitated brushite (CaHPO4∙2H2O) to β-Ca2P2O7. Physicochemical properties of the sorbent were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis (TGA/DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and low temperature adsorption–desorption of nitrogen (BET method). The synthesized powders consisted of porous plate-like particles with micrometer dimensions. Specific surface area calculated by the BET method was found to be 7 m2 g−1. For the estimation of sorption properties, the aqueous model solutions containing different metal ions (Al3+, Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Pb2+, Sn2+, Sr2+ and Zn2+) were used. The adsorption test revealed that β-Ca2P2O7 demonstrates the highest adsorption capacity for Pb2+ and Sn2+ ions, while the lowest capacity was observed towards Sr2+, Ni2+ and Co2+ ions. The optimal pH value for the removal of Pb2+ ions was determined to be 2, which is also related to the low solubility of β-Ca2P2O7 at this pH. The adsorption capacity towards Pb2+ ions was calculated as high as 120 mg g−1.
The Socioeconomic Welfare of Urban Green Areas and Parks; A Literature Review of Available Evidence
Authors: Kolimenakis Antonios , Solomou Alexandra D. , Proutsos Nikolaos , Avramidou Evangelia V. , Korakaki Evangelia , Karetsos Georgios , Maroulis Georgios , Papagiannis Eleftherios , Tsagkari Konstantinia
Published: July 2021

Urban green areas present a lucid example for the harmonious co-existence of the artificial and natural environments best illustrated by their interdependence and interconnection in urban spaces. Urban green areas are essential for the health and wellbeing of citizens. The present study aimed to investigate those multiple benefits for citizens that arise through the existence of urban green areas, as well as important policy dimensions that should be considered when designing the expansion of urban green spaces in urban development. The study was based on a literature review to examine for available evidence on the benefit levels derived by the existence of urban green areas. An extended literature review was followed by a structured review, based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria, which partly followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was conducted in two databases, and a total of 1674 articles and abstracts were identified through the database searches. After removing 114 duplicates, 1560 records were initially screened based on title and abstract. Following inclusion and exclusion criteria, 14 articles were incorporated in the structured review and a total of 47 in the extended review. The extended literature review identified 33 additional articles examining aspects of benefits that did not fall under the pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria used in the structured review, such as health benefits and other social parameters associated with urban green spaces. The selected studies were allocated in five principal groups according to study types: three of the them consisted of studies employing “willingness to pay” (WTP) methods, five were based on property values, two studies assigned monetary values, while another two assigned CO2 values, and, finally, two studies were based on qualitative criteria. The results indicated benefits to citizens and increased welfare levels gained by the existence of urban green areas. The conducted review revealed a number of findings and recommendations that could direct future research and urban policy. Those hints could assist local authorities as well as stakeholders in order to measure and assess the benefits of green spaces and urban parks and promote measures and programs to assist their further deployment.
Volunteer Urban Environmental Stewardship, Emotional Economies of Care, and Productive Power in Philadelphia
Authors: Foster Alec
Published: July 2021

Recent efforts to increase urban forests and greenspaces rely on the volunteer labor of individuals and environmental nonprofits. The estimation of market values has often justified urban greening. These neoliberal approaches to urban environmental governance have been heavily critiqued, revealing the uneven power relationships and urban environments that result. This paper aims to move beyond such critiques by exploring how the reproduction of urban nature can be valued outside of the market. Fieldwork with volunteers participating in environmental stewardship in Philadelphia revealed their participation was motivated by intense emotional attachments to their neighborhoods, other participants, and nonhuman others, leading me to propose emotional economies of care as an alternative framework. The circulation of emotions and affects between participants, places, and nonhuman others forms an emotional economy. The generative power of this circulation makes emotional economies of care collective bodies or multiplicities. Furthermore, these multiplicities produce power from below, in counterpoint to the top down power of neoliberal environmentalities. However, just as these multiplicities come together, they can come apart or change directions. I close with ideas on how emotional ecologies and economies of care can be brought into being and processes of change within them shepherded in progressive ways.
A Bioeconomic Analysis of the Sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus) Management Policies of the Eastern Sea Danish Fishery in Korea
Authors: Choi Ji-Hoon , Lee Jae-Bong , Yoon Sang-Chul , Kim Do-Hoon
Published: July 2021

Before implementing resource management measures, it is essential to establish the goals of fisheries resource management by assessing the current biomass status and the level of fishing effort. This study aims to compare surplus production models, i.e., process-error and state-space models, based on how they fit the observed data. The effects of the Sandfish Stock Rebuilding Plan are analyzed using a bioeconomic model. The analytical results show that the least error is between the estimated and observed catch per unit effort using the state-space model. Therefore, the analysis results obtained using the state-space model are considered as the most reliable. The total allowable catch for Korean sandfish is set at 2196 tons per year. However, if we increase the current management regulation standard for available annual catch by 50%, the sandfish resource could be depleted. Furthermore, NPV decreased to 172,599 thousand won after ten years, in 2029. Therefore, a recommendation of this study is that when management policies for sandfish stock prioritize recovery, this would facilitate fisheries rebuilding.
Choice Modelling of a Car Traveler towards Park-and-Ride Services in Putrajaya to Create Green Development
Authors: Memon Irfan Ahmed , Sahito Noman , Kalwar Saima , Hwang Jinsoo , Napiah Madzlan , Zaly Shah Muhammad
Published: July 2021

Putrajaya is facing an increasing number of private car ownership and its usage. Integrated transportation infrastructure connecting the city with suburban areas and comparatively low-cost housing schemes are at the fringes of Putrajaya City. It creates a discrepancy between housing and employment attentiveness. Due to the attractiveness of jobs in the city centre, commuters’ travelling pattern is morning/evening peak hours, and it leads to traffic congestion on a few major artilleries leading to and from the city. In contrast, Putrajaya was designed to achieve a 70:30 modal split ratio. This policy was introduced to target 70% of the commuters towards a sustainable mode of transport as their mode choice. Currently, congestion in Putrajaya is due to the use of single-occupant vehicles (SOV). The SOV users cannot be convinced to use the park-and-ride services (P&RS) without understanding their travel behaviors. Therefore, the mode choice models (MCM) were developed through binary logit regression (BLR) approaches to determine the factors that influence the SOV travelers’ decisions to adopt the P&RS. As a result, several factors, which included the socio-demographic factors, travel time, travel expenses, environmental protection, avoiding stress, parking problems, vehicles sharing, and traveling directly, were found to be significant and will promote green development. Furthermore, the quality of the developed mode choice model was validated through the training and testing approach of logistic regression. Ultimately, this study can help stakeholders to encourage SOV users towards P&RS by overcoming these factors.
Applications of Blockchain Technology in Sustainable Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Review
Authors: Khanfar Ahmad A. A. , Iranmanesh Mohammad , Ghobakhloo Morteza , Senali Madugoda Gunaratnege , Fathi Masood
Published: July 2021

Developing sustainable products and processes is essential for the survival of manufacturers in the current competitive market and the industry 4.0 era. The activities of manufacturers and their supply chain partners should be aligned with sustainable development goals. Manufacturers have faced many barriers and challenges in implementing sustainable practices along the entire supply chain due to globalisation, outsourcing, and offshoring. Blockchain technology has the potential to address the challenges of sustainability. This study aims to explain the applications of blockchain technology to sustainable manufacturing. We conducted a systematic literature review and explained the potential contributions of blockchain technology to the economic, environmental, and social performances of manufacturers and their supply chains. The findings of the study extend our understanding of the blockchain applications in sustainable manufacturing and sustainable supply chains. Furthermore, the study explains how blockchain can influence the sustainable performance of manufacturers by creating transparency, traceability, real-time information sharing, and security of the data capabilities.
Anthropic Effects on the Biodiversity of the Habitats of Ferula gummosa
Authors: Moradi Parviz , Aghajanloo Farhad , Moosavi Ahmad , Monfared Hossein Hosseini , Khalafi Jafar , Taghiloo Mehdi , Khoshzaman Tooraj , Shojaee Mohammad , Mastinu Andrea
Published: July 2021

The uncontrolled exploitation of soil and plants by people has generated important ecological imbalances all over the world. This manuscript focuses its attention on the ecosystem of Ferula gummosa (FG). FG belongs to the Apiaceae family and has a vast distribution from central Asia to South Africa, as well as northwest Iran, including the Zanjan Province. This plant has diverse applications across industrial, forage and medicinal fields. To investigate the effective factors on the FG distribution, four main natural habitats were selected based on field visits and a literature review. Then, environmental factors, such as climate features, topography conditions, and soil characteristics, were collected and analysed. According to the results, the slope is mainly north-northeast with a slope of 55 to 70 degrees, and an elevation range above 2200 m is suitable for the growth of FG in the Zanjan Province. The main companion plants were Silene bupleuroides L. and Thymus kotschyanus. The results show that in the habitats where FG grew, the soil was mostly shallow, sometimes semi-deep and consisting mainly of loam, loamy sand, loamy clay and mostly clay loam with very low salinity (less than 0.7 dS/m), and was in the neutral range of soil acidity (6.9 to 7.33). Soil organic carbon was relatively high, but the amount of nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, was less than optimal in these soils. Next, using a Geographic Information System (GIS), maps of homogeneous areas for possible FG establishment across the province were created. In conclusion, the main factors affecting the FG distribution in the Zanjan Province were land use conversion, harvesting fodder and grazing livestock, improper exploitation of rangelands, pests and diseases of Ferula gummosa in the region. The ecological data collected on FG may be useful to understand how human action can affect the existence and extinction of many plant species.
How Do Students Become Good Workers? Investigating the Impact of Gender and School on the Relationship between Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Career Exploration
Authors: Chen Shi , Chen Huaruo , Ling Hairong , Gu Xueying
Published: July 2021

In the field of vocational psychology, career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and career exploration (CE) are considered the crucial factors for developing a sustainable career. This study investigated the relationship between CDMSE and CE among Chinese high-school students, as well as the moderating effects of gender and school. From 2019 to 2021, 24,273 students from 13 different high schools were recruited in the study (male = 15,050, female = 9223; urban schools = 12,327, rural schools = 11,946). The results showed that (i) male students scored significantly higher than female students in both CDMSE and CE, (ii) students from urban schools scored significantly higher than students from rural schools in both CDMSE and CE, (iii) CDMSE positively predicted CE, and (iv) school moderated the relationship between CDMSE and CE, with the effect of CDMSE on CE stronger among rural school students; a moderating effect of gender was not found. These findings indicate that promoting CDMSE can lead high-school students, especially rural school students, to engage more in CE to ensure sustainable career development under the protean and boundaryless career orientation.
Unemployment Rates Forecasting with Grey-Based Models in the Post-COVID-19 Period: A Case Study from Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Phi-Hung , Tsai Jung-Fa , Kayral Ihsan Erdem , Lin Ming-Hua
Published: July 2021

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on most countries’ social and economic perspectives worldwide. Unemployment has become a vital challenge for policymakers as a result of COVID-19′s negative impact. Because of the nonstationary and nonlinear nature of the dataset, researchers applied various time series models to forecast the unemployment rate. This study aims to ensure a better forecasting approach for predicting the unemployment rates with an uncertainty of insufficient knowledge and tiny data throughout Vietnam. The study proposes the Grey theory system-based GM (1,1), the Grey Verhulst Model (GVM), and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model that can more precisely predict unemployment rates. The model’s applications are shown using the Vietnamese unemployment rate at six different rural and urban areas with data sets from 2014–2019. The results indicate that the lower Mean Average Percentage Error (MAPE) values obtained with the GM (1,1) model at all regions for rural and urban areas (excluding Highlands Region in urban area) are extremely encouraging in comparison to other traditional methods. The accurate level of the ARIMA and GVM models follows the GM (1,1) model. The findings of this study show that the effects of the modeling assist policymakers in shaping future labor and economic policies. Furthermore, this study can contribute to the unemployment literature, providing future research directions in the unemployment problems.
Analysis of the EU Secondary Biomass Availability and Conversion Processes to Produce Advanced Biofuels: Use of Existing Databases for Assessing a Metric Evaluation for the 2025 Perspective
Authors: Di Gruttola Francesca , Borello Domenico
Published: July 2021

Nowadays in Europe, the production of advanced biofuels represents a very important objective, given the strong interest in increasing sustainability throughout the transport sector. Production and availability of advanced biofuels are cited as a relevant issue in the most important international actions, such as the Sustainable Development Goals in UN Agenda 2030, EU RED II, and EU Mission Innovation 4, to cite a few of them. However, an important aspect to be considered is the prediction of feedstocks availability to produce advanced biofuel. The first aim of this paper is to assess the availability of European agricultural residues, forestry residues, and biogenic wastes in 2025. The data were collected through a deep review on open FAOSTAT and EUROSTAT databases and then elaborated by the authors. The analysis focuses on the fraction of feedstocks that can be used for advanced biofuels production, i.e., incorporating specific information on sustainable management practices, competitive uses, and environmental risks to preserve soil quality. An autoregressive model is developed to predict future availability, while also considering corrections due to the current pandemic. The results suggest that several European countries could produce enough sustainable advanced feedstocks to meet the European binding target. In particular, France, Germany, and Romania will have high production of agricultural feedstocks; while Austria, Finland, and Sweden will be rich of forestry residues; finally, Italy, France, and United Kingdom will have the highest availability of wastes. To complete the picture, a proper metric is introduced, aiming at generating a technology ranking of the examined alternative fuels, in terms of several relevant parameters such as biomass availability, Technology Readiness Level (TRL), quality of the biofuel, and costs. This analysis allows us to compare advanced biofuels and first-generation biofuels, whose utilization can impact the food market, while also contributing to the increase in the indirect land use change (ILUC). Although the first-generation biofuels remain the most common choice, the renewable (or green) diesel, pyrolysis bio-oil, green jet fuel, and the second-generation bioethanol are promising for different applications in the transport sector. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils (HVO), Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), Anaerobic Digestion (AD), and transesterification from vegetable oil represent the most widespread and mature technologies. Thus, it seems mandatory that the transport sector will rely more and more on such fuels in the future. For such reason, a specific support for advanced biomass collection, as well as specific programs for conversion technologies development, are strongly suggested.
Opening a Path towards Sustainable Corporate Behaviour: Public Participation in Criminal Environmental Proceedings
Authors: Kotlán Pavel , Kozlová Alena , Machová Zuzana
Published: July 2021

Establishing criminal liability for environmental offences remains daunting, particularly with regard to the ‘no plaintiff—no judge’ element as a result of which the public seems to be ultimately deprived of the possibility to participate in criminal environmental proceedings. While there is arguably a lack of specific instruments at the European Union (EU) level which would prescribe such legal obligation on the part of the State, there has been a shift in understanding the role of the public and its participation in criminal liability cases, namely under the auspices of the so-called effective investigation and the concept of rights of victims in general. Using the example of the Czech Republic as a point of reference, this article aims to assess the relevant legal developments at both EU and Czech levels to illustrate why the non-governmental organizations (NGOs), essentially acting as public agents, should be granted an active role in environmental criminal proceedings. After examining the applicable legal framework and case law development, the article concludes that effective investigation indeed stands as a valid legal basis for human rights protection which incorporates an entitlement to public participation. Despite that, this pro-active shift is far from being applied in practice, implying that the legislation remains silent where it should be the loudest, and causing unsustainable behaviour of companies.
Statistical Assessment of the Effects of Grain-Structure Representation and Micro-Properties on the Behavior of Bonded Block Models for Brittle Rock Damage Prediction
Authors: Contreras Inga Carlos Efrain , Walton Gabriel , Holley Elizabeth
Published: July 2021

The ability to predict the mechanical behavior of brittle rocks using bonded block models (BBM) depends on the accuracy of the geometrical representation of the grain-structure and the applied micro-properties. This paper evaluates the capabilities of BBMs for predictive purposes using an approach that employs published micro-properties in combination with a Voronoi BBM that properly approximates the real rock grain-structure. The Wausau granite, with Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of 226 MPa and average grain diameter of 2 mm, is used to evaluate the effectiveness of the predictive approach. Four published sets of micro-properties calibrated for granites with similar mineralogy to the Wausau granite are used for the assessment. The effect of grain-structure representation in Voronoi BBMs is analyzed, considering grain shape, grain size and mineral arrangement. A unique contribution of this work is the explicit consideration of the effect of stochastic grain-structure generation on the obtained results. The study results show that the macro-properties of a rock can be closely replicated using the proposed approach. When using this approach, the micro-properties have a greater impact on the realism of the predictions than the specific grain-structure representation. The grain shape and grain size representations have a minor effect on the predictions for cases that do not deviate substantially from the real average grain geometry. However, the stochastic effect introduced by the use of randomly-generated Voronoi grain-structures can be significant, and this effect should be considered in future studies.
Saline Soils: A Potentially Significant Geoheritage of the Vojvodina Region, Northern Serbia
Authors: Zeremski Tijana , Tomić Nemanja , Milić Stanko , Vasin Jovica , Schaetzl Randall J. , Milić Dubravka , Gavrilov Milivoj B. , Živanov Milorad , Ninkov Jordana , Marković Slobodan B.
Published: July 2021

Halomorphic (or saline) soils, are characterized by high concentrations of soluble salts or sodium, or both. Saline soils have unfavorable agricultural properties but provide the natural habitats for a variety of highly specialized plants, animals, and other organisms. It is these special interactions that create the typical landscape of saline soils, known as “slatina”. The aim of this study is to assess and evaluate the geotouristic potential of six of the most attractive slatina sites in the Vojvodina region, Northern Serbia: Jegrička, Slano Kopovo, Rusanda, Okanj, Pečena slatina, and Pašnjaci Velike Droplje. Overall, all analyzed sites have significant tourism potential, based on both natural and tourist values. In addition to the tourism potentials, analyzed sites have high value as a natural endemic ecosystem inhabited with highly specialized plants and birds.
How Digital Inclusion Increase Opportunities for Young People: Case of NEETs from Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey
Authors: Neagu Gabriela , Berigel Muhammet , Lendzhova Vladislava
Published: July 2021

This paper examines the perspectives of rural NEETs in the information society. Our analysis focuses on the situation of three European countries—Bulgaria, Romania, and Turkey—characterized by a high share of rural areas and a population of NEETs. From a methodological point of view, we use alternative research methods (secondary data analysis) with statistical methods (simple linear regression). From a theoretical point of view, we will opt for a multidimensional analysis perspective: the theory of digital divide, digital inclusion, virtual mobility, etc. Through data analysis, we expect to obtain a more complete and detailed picture of the ICT situation in rural areas (level of digital skills, level of digital inclusion) to demonstrate the importance of ICT in optimizing virtual mobility for the living conditions of the population, especially the NEET population.
Field Monitoring the Effects of Overnight Shift Work on Specialist Tactical Police Training with Heart Rate Variability Analysis
Authors: Tomes Colin , Schram Ben , Orr Robin
Published: July 2021

Police work exposes officers to high levels of stress. Special emergency response team (SERT) service exposes personnel to additional demands. Specifically, the circadian cycles of SERT operators are subject to disruption, resulting in decreased capacity to compensate in response to changing demands. Adaptive regulation loss can be measured through heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. While HRV Trends with health and performance indicators, few studies have assessed the effect of overnight shift work on HRV in specialist police. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects overnight shift work on HRV in specialist police. HRV was analysed in 11 SERT officers and a significant (p = 0.037) difference was found in pRR50 levels across the training day (percentage of R-R intervals varying by >50 ms) between those who were off-duty and those who were on duty the night prior. HRV may be a valuable metric for quantifying load holistically and can be incorporated into health and fitness monitoring and personnel allocation decision making.
Effects of Date Labels and Freshness Indicators on Food Waste Patterns in the United States and the United Kingdom
Authors: Weis Carter , Narang Anjali , Rickard Bradley , Souza-Monteiro Diogo M.
Published: July 2021

To meet the target for Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, household food waste will need to be reduced by at least 284 million tonnes globally by 2030. American and British households waste a significant amount of food, and date labels are considered to be a contributor to this situation. Using a split-plot experimental design implemented on a survey administered to a convenience sample of UK and US consumers, we aimed to determine how different types of date labels and freshness indicators affect the stated likelihoods of discarding 15 foods. We find that not all date labels would lead to reductions in waste, and that semantics matter. Overall, the likelihood to waste across products was similar between the US and the UK; however, American consumers showed a larger response to the additional information provided by the freshness indicators. Our results shed new light on the ongoing policy debate related to national strategies for simplifying and harmonizing the use of date labels for packaged foods, as well as the potential effects from the use of freshness indicators.
Polish-Ukrainian Borderland Cultural Heritage Bridges—Lesson Drawn from Forced Population Relocation
Authors: Cherkes Bohdan , Hernik Józef , Król Karol , Wilkosz-Mamcarczyk Magdalena
Published: July 2021

Due to the turbulent history, unstable political situation, and the diverse ethnic composition of the population, there are numerous and varied cultural heritage objects in the Polish-Ukrainian borderland area, which has also developed characteristic landscape forms. The aim of the paper is to identify the elements of Polish cultural heritage that have remained in the collective memory of inhabitants of the Ukrainian side of the Polish-Ukrainian borderland 75 years after the forced relocation. The questionnaire survey was carried out in 2019 in selected cities of Eastern Galicia, namely, Zhovkva, Mostyska, Horodok, and Rava-Ruska. The study demonstrated that even 75 years after the forced relocation, Polish cultural heritage is still alive and has an effect on the development of the border towns and cities of Eastern Galicia. It is the elements of non-material culture, including the gastronomic culture of relocated nations, that have been preserved the best in the collective memory of borderland inhabitants. The Ukrainian population also demonstrated a good knowledge of Polish traditions and Catholic feasts as well as folk songs and Christmas carols. These are “cultural heritage bridges” that may serve as both a forum for mutual understanding and a platform for a dialogue and cooperation.
Evaluating Stress Relief from Architecture: A Case Study Based on Buildings in Taiwan, China and Japan
Authors: Ho Ming-Chyuan , Chiu Yung-Chia
Published: July 2021

The urban landscape can be improved to reduce the stress experienced by citizens. Therefore, stress-relieving buildings constitute a crucial topic and a future trend in architecture and design. In this study, different architectural styles were investigated to explore design methods for and characteristics of stress-relieving building shapes and to identify indicators for measuring participant stress relief while viewing buildings. To understand stress relief from architecture, we performed semi-structured interviews with 60 participants who viewed images of 30 buildings. The semantic differential method with a 7-point image scale was used to rate stress relief from different architectural styles. The study results revealed that the participants perceived curvilinear buildings as interesting but do not relieve stress. The participants identified as feeling high pressure considering rectilinear patterns to relieve more stress. To support this observation, we identified three principles—city image, identity, and spiritual atmosphere—as fundamental loci of designing cities for livability. We illustrate the three principles with several cases that facilitate a detailed understanding of their applicability in biodesign practices.
Sheltered Employment Centres: Sustainability and Social Value
Authors: Segovia-Vargas María Jesús , Camacho-Miñano María del Mar , Pedrosa Alberto Fernanda Cristina , Gelashvili Vera
Published: July 2021

Sheltered employment centres are social enterprises where at least 70% of their workers have disabilities. They are a way of helping people with disabilities to work in good working conditions and of allowing disadvantaged people to live a full life. However, some people criticise these businesses for being ghettos where public subsidies are used inefficiently. Our paper aims to test if this criticism is valid by analysing whether these companies provide social and economic value to society in return for public funding and are also economically sustainable over time. Using a sample of 997 Spanish sheltered employment centres, a descriptive analysis of the main variables has been carried out. Additionally, the results of a PART algorithm show the relationship between these companies and economic sustainability. Our findings corroborate that these firms are economically sustainable and, at the same time, socially sustainable. These results highlight the great work that such companies perform for society and the country’s economy.
The Impact of Impervious Surface Expansion on Soil Organic Carbon: A Case Study of 0–300 cm Soil Layer in Guangzhou City
Authors: Du Jifeng , Yu Mengxiao , Yan Junhua
Published: July 2021

Empirical evidence shows that the expansion of impervious surface threatens soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in urbanized areas. However, the understanding of deep soil excavation due to the vertical expansion of impervious surface remains limited. According to the average soil excavation depth, we divided impervious surface into pavement (IS20), low-rise building (IS100) and high-rise building (IS300). Based on remote-sensing images and published SOC density data, we estimated the SOC storage and its response to the impervious surface expansion in the 0–300 cm soil depth in Guangzhou city, China. The results showed that the total SOC storage of the study area was 8.31 Tg, of which the top 100 cm layer contributed 44%. The impervious surface expansion to date (539.87 km2) resulted in 4.16 Tg SOC loss, of which the IS20, IS100 and IS300 contributed 26%, 58% and 16%, respectively. The excavation-induced SOC loss (kg/m2) of IS300 was 1.8 times that of IS100. However, at the residential scale, renovating an IS100 plot into an IS300 plot can substantially reduce SOC loss compared with farmland urbanization. The gains of organic carbon accumulation in more greenspace coverage may be offset by the loss in deep soil excavation for the construction of underground parking lots, suggesting a need to control the exploitation intensity of underground space and promote residential greening.
Mobility Trends before and after the Pandemic Outbreak: Analyzing the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona through the Lens of Equality and Sustainability
Authors: Mejía-Dorantes Lucía , Montero Lídia , Barceló Jaume
Published: July 2021

The spatial arrangement of a metropolis is of utmost importance to carry out daily activities, which are constrained by space and time. Accessibility is not only shaped by the spatial and temporal dimension, but it is also defined by individual characteristics, such as gender, impairments, or socioeconomic characteristics of the citizens living or commuting in this area. This study analyzes mobility trends and patterns in the metropolitan area of Barcelona before and after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, with special emphasis on gender and equality. The study draws on multiple sources of information; however, two main datasets are analyzed: two traditional travel surveys from the transport metropolitan area of Barcelona and two coming from smartphone data. The results show that gender plays a relevant role when analyzing mobility patterns, as already highlighted in other studies, but, after the pandemic outbreak, some population groups were more likely to change their mobility patterns, for example, highly educated population groups and those with higher income. This study also highlights that e-activities may shape new mobility patterns and living conditions for some population segments, but some activities cannot be replaced by IT technologies. For all these reasons, city and transport planning should foster sustainable development policies, which will provide the maximum benefit for society.
RETRACTED: Żydek et al. Evacuation Simulation Focusing on Modeling of Disabled People Movement. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2405
Authors: Żydek Karolina , Król Małgorzata , Król Aleksander
Published: July 2021

The journal retracts the 23 February 2021 article [...]
Novel High-Efficiency Three-Port Bidirectional Step-Up/Step-Down DC–DC Converter for Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Wu Yu-En , Hsiao Shiu-Liang
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a novel high-efficiency three-port bidirectional DC–DC converter for photovoltaic (PV) systems. A PV system’s output is stepped up to supply a DC bus or DC load while charging the battery. When the PV output is insufficient, the battery voltage is stepped up to the DC bus; when the DC bus has excess energy, it is stepped down to charge the battery. Thus, a high-efficiency three-port bidirectional step-up/step-down converter is achieved. A common-core coupled inductor was designed and adopted in the proposed converter. Power switches and diodes in the circuit are shared to achieve bidirectional operation. In step-up mode, the clamp capacitor is used to reduce the voltage spike on the main switches. Moreover, the voltage-doubling capacitor recovers energy from the secondary-side leakage inductance. Furthermore, the input capacitors recover the primary-side leakage inductance energy in step-down mode. Thus, the converter can improve its conversion efficiency. Finally, this paper details the implementation of a 500 W three-port bidirectional converter to verify the feasibility and the practicability of the proposed topology. According to the measurement results, the highest efficiency levels of the PV and the battery in step-up mode were 94.3% and 94.1%, respectively; the highest efficiency in step-down mode was 95.2%.
Exploring Patterns of Evolution for Successful Global Brands: A Data-Mining Approach
Authors: Chang Yu-Yin , Huang Heng-Chiang
Published: July 2021

The sustainable development of a global brand needs to consider the balance between the economy, the environment, and society. Brands that want to be ranked among the best global brands over time need to have competitive strengths, but what defines a successful global brand’s profile is underexplored in the extant literature. This study adopts a data-mining approach to analyze the time-series data collected from Interbrand’s Best Global Brands ranking lists. A total of 168 global brands from 19 countries across 24 industries between 2001 and 2017 were examined. Using the affinity propagation clustering algorithm, this study identified certain patterns of brand evolution for different brand clusters, labeled as fast riser, top tier, stable, slow grower, decline, fall, potential, and so on. Finally, the rankings from 2018 to 2020 were also added to check the model’s predictive power. The findings of this study have important marketing implications.
3D Interactive Learning Environment as a Tool for Knowledge Transfer and Retention
Authors: Krajčovič Martin , Gabajová Gabriela , Matys Marián , Grznár Patrik , Dulina Ľuboslav , Kohár Róbert
Published: July 2021

The article deals with the design of virtual reality (VR) interactive training as a teaching method and its effect on knowledge transfer and retention of students. The first part presents the methodology of the VR interactive training design. The second part utilizes the created interactive training for a case study to evaluate its effect on the teaching process and to examine the potential of VR interactive training as a sustainable teaching method. The study took place at the Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Žilina. Volunteers were divided into two groups. The first group used VR interactive training as a teaching method, while the second group used the conventional method. Both groups then underwent tests. The main goal was to evaluate the effect of the VR interactive training on the teaching process in comparison to the conventional method while trying to identify the key elements of the VR interactive training design and its influence on knowledge transfer and retention in a sustainable learning environment. At the start of the case study, four hypotheses were formed, questioning the effect of interactive training on knowledge transfer and retention in the long and short term, and its overall influence on the teaching process. Obtained data were then used to evaluate these hypotheses.
Towards the Sustainable Development of Digital Educational Games for Primary School Students in China
Authors: Chen Juan , Yang Shuxia , Mei Bing
Published: July 2021

Despite considerable discussion on the benefits of digital educational games, empirical research on their effectiveness in primary schools in China is limited. This case study aimed to promote the sustainable development of digital educational games in primary schools in China by examining the effect of digital educational games on primary school students’ vocabulary acquisition and ascertaining their perceptions and attitudes toward this approach. Given the purposes of this study, an embedded mixed methods research design was employed. Two Grade 4 classes at a Chinese primary school were recruited in this study. During the quasi-experiment, the experimental class (n = 50) was provided with educational game software, Quizlet, while the control class (n = 50) was taught through a traditional teaching method. The results show that integrating educational games into language education in the primary schools was effective in improving students’ vocabulary acquisition. This study makes a case for further research of digital educational games in language classrooms at a primary level in China. Implications are made regarding the future sustainable implementation of digital educational games in primary schools in China.
Operation of Public Transportation Ticket Vending Machine in Kraków, Poland: An Eye Tracking Study
Authors: Pashkevich Anton , Szarata Andrzej , Burghardt Tomasz E. , Jaremski Rafał , Šucha Matúš
Published: July 2021

Whereas the majority of evaluations of self-service kiosks are based on interviews or observations and as such are burdened with personal bias, eye tracking was seen as a method for an objective analysis. To demonstrate the feasibility and usability of such an assessment technique, the task of purchasing a public transportation ticket from a modern ticket vending machine in Kraków, Poland was evaluated. The test participants relatively easily operated the machine with time taken to purchase a ticket ranging from 54 s for foreigners not familiar with the equipment to 29 s for local inhabitants. Even though the number of gazes recorded for the foreigners group was 2.4 times higher than for the local test participants, the fixation times were almost equal. Faulty or delayed operation of the payment terminal was a meaningful equipment issue encountered by eight test participants. The study demonstrated that the operation of the analysed ticket vending machine should not cause much trouble to anyone. The use of an eye tracker, which was employed for such an assessment for the first time, permitted the identification of possible operational ambiguities that could hinder the user experience without the bias associated with other assessment techniques. The used method was found to be efficient and the results provided valuable information.
Effects of a Fuel-Resistant Modifier on the High-Temperature Characteristics of Asphalt Binders
Authors: Liu Wenchang , Li Hongjun , Lin Hongwei , Du Xiaobo , Sun Mutian , Liu Shaohui
Published: July 2021

To effectively evaluate the high-temperature characteristics of a fuel-resistant modified asphalt (FRMA), five different types of asphalt were selected, and a fuel-resistant modifier (FRM) was added to the asphalt to prepare five kinds of FRMA, and the fuel resistance of the 10 above-mentioned asphalt samples was then evaluated. Moreover, the high-temperature performance of different asphalt samples was explored, the influences of the FRM on the penetration, softening point, and rheological indexes of the different asphalt samples were analyzed. A Pearson correlation analysis was conducted on the different high-temperature indexes. Based on the results, compared with the original asphalt, the fuel resistance of the FRMA was improved by about 22% on average; the FRM was able to reduce the penetration, phase angle, and non-recoverable creep compliance of the asphalt; increase the softening point, complex modulus, rutting factors, and creep recovery; and effectively improve the high-temperature performance of the asphalt. However, as the temperature increased, the effect of the FRM on the improvement of the high-temperature performance of the asphalt declined. In addition, compared with the base asphalt, the FRM exerted a more significant effect on the rheological properties of the modified asphalt. According to the Pearson correlation analysis of the high-temperature indexes, apart from penetration, the softening point and rheological indexes featured excellent accuracy and applicability in the evaluation of the high-temperature performance of FRMAs.
An Integrated Approach for Post-Disaster Flood Management Via the Use of Cutting-Edge Technologies and UAVs: A Review
Authors: Munawar Hafiz Suliman , Hammad Ahmed W. A. , Waller S. Travis , Thaheem Muhammad Jamaluddin , Shrestha Asheem
Published: July 2021

Rapid advances that improve flood management have facilitated the disaster response by providing first aid services, finding safe routes, maintaining communication and developing flood maps. Different technologies such as image processing, satellite imagery, synthetic imagery and integrated approaches have been extensively analysed in the literature for disaster operations. There is a need to review cutting-edge technologies for flood management. This paper presents a review of the latest advancements in the flood management domain based on image processing, artificial intelligence and integrated approaches with a focus on post-disaster. It answers the following research questions: (1) What are the latest developments in image processing for flood management in a post-disaster scenario? (2) What are the latest techniques for flood management based on artificial intelligence in a post-disaster scenario? (3) What are the existing gaps in the selected technologies for post-disaster? (4) How can the authorities improve the existing post-disaster management operation with cutting-edge technologies? A novel framework has been proposed to optimise flood management with the application of a holistic approach.