bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shared Mobility in Rural Contexts: Organizational Insights from Five Mobility-as-a-Service Pilots in Sweden
Authors: Hult Åsa , Perjo Liisa , Smith Göran
Published: September 2021

Despite a growing interest in using Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) as a tool to address rural transport problems, the question of how to organize such a concept remains unanswered. To address this knowledge gap, this article explores organizational elements of rural MaaS pilots. The analysis, which is based on participatory observation and interviews with actors involved in five pilots in rural areas of Sweden, reveals that the motives of the actors involved in rural MaaS both overlap with and diverge from the frequently stated objectives of urban MaaS developments. Both concepts center on complementing and extending public transport, but while urban MaaS is underpinned by the fight against climate change, congestion, and local pollution, the main objective of rural MaaS is to reduce transport poverty. The analysis, moreover, illustrates that despite the geographic differences, actors involved in rural MaaS pilots face similar organizational challenges as have been reported from urban MaaS developments. In both cases, actors struggle with finding their roles, mitigating uncertainties, distributing responsibilities, and negotiating business models. Finally, the analysis finds that rural MaaS puts higher expectations on user involvement than urban MaaS and identifies a risk that rural MaaS developments might contribute to spatial injustice since the studied pilots only supported rural communities with high social capital.
Convergence or Divergence? Emission Performance in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Countries
Authors: Yang Fan , Choi Yongrok , Lee Hyoungsuk
Published: September 2021

Emission convergence is a fundamental ground for cooperative CO2 emission mitigation. We investigate the emission convergence in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) countries using a modified dynamic β-convergence model. From 2000 to 2017, the per capita emissions of the RCEP countries and its subgroups show a statistically significant diverging pattern. Nonetheless, upon accounting for multiple inputs and outputs using data envelopment analysis, we find that two out of the three emission performance indicators show statistically significant absolute convergence. The carbon emission efficiency (CEE) of the 15 RCEP countries grew from 0.5719 in 2000 to 0.6725 in 2017 and will converge at a value of 0.8187, while the carbon–population performance (CPP) increases from 0.4534 to 0.5690 and will converge at 0.7831. Furthermore, using a conditional β-convergence model, we find that trade volume has no significant effect on the growth rates of CEE and CPP, but can accelerate their speed of convergence, which indicates that the establishment of the RCEP may facilitate the convergence of its 15 member countries on CEE and CPP. Our findings suggest that emission mitigation agreement in the RCEP countries is feasible. CEE- or CPP-based indicators can be used for emission budget allocation.
Incidents and Disaster Avoidance: The Role of Communication Management and the Organizational Communication Climate in High-Risk Environments
Authors: Nordin Shahrina Md , Rizal Ammar Redza Ahmad , Rashid Rafidah Abd , Che Omar Rohayu , Priyadi Unggul
Published: September 2021

Health, safety and the working environment are of paramount importance, especially in the high-risk environments found at facilities in the oil and gas industry, where hazards are inevitable and accidents may lead to regrettable situations such as explosions, oil spills and other disasters. The high number of accidents and disasters at such facilities bring safety-related matters to the fore. The complexity of the communication process is very often underestimated, where failures in communication could lead to major disasters. This paper investigates the role of communication management and the organizational communication climate and their impact on incidents and disaster avoidance. This study embarks on a quantitative approach involving 260 personnel from high-risk workplaces at oil and gas facilities, based on purposive sampling. Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM to identify causal relationships and for mediation analysis. The findings of this study show that communication management and the organizational communication climate have a significant impact on disaster avoidance. The organizational communication climate is also found to be a significant mediator for the relationship between communication management and disaster avoidance. Communication management and the organizational communication climate need to be enhanced and to be integrated with other technology and innovation to improve safety regulation adherence in the oil and gas industry.
Sustainable Development of Smart Manufacturing Driven by the Digital Twin Framework: A Statistical Analysis
Authors: Warke Vivek , Kumar Satish , Bongale Arunkumar , Kotecha Ketan
Published: September 2021

The Fourth Industrial Revolution drives industries from traditional manufacturing to the smart manufacturing approach. In this transformation, existing equipment, processes, or devices are retrofitted with some sensors and other cyber-physical systems (CPS), and adapted towards digital production, which is a blend of critical enabling technologies. In the current scenario of Industry 4.0, industries are shaping themselves towards the development of customized and cost-effective processes to satisfy customer needs with the aid of a digital twin framework, which enables the user to monitor, simulate, control, optimize, and identify defects and trends within, ongoing process, and reduces the chances of human prone errors. This paper intends to make an appraisal of the literature on the digital twin (DT) framework in the domain of smart manufacturing with the aid of critical enabling technologies such as data-driven systems, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and deep learning. This paper also focuses on the concept, evolution, and background of digital twin and the benefits and challenges involved in its implementation. The Scopus and Web of Science databases from 2016 to 2021 were considered for the bibliometric analysis and used to study and analyze the articles that fall within the research theme. For the systematic bibliometric analysis, a novel approach known as Proknow-C was employed, including a series of procedures for article selection and filtration from the existing databases to get the most appropriate articles aligned with the research theme. Additionally, the authors performed statistical and network analyses on the articles within the research theme to identify the most prominent research areas, journal/conference, and authors in the field of a digital twin. This study identifies the current scenarios, possible research gaps, challenges in implementing DT, case studies and future research goals within the research theme.
Environmental Sustainability in Viticulture as a Balanced Scorecard Perspective of the Wine Industry: Evidence for the Portuguese Region of Alentejo
Authors: Gomes Maria José , Sousa António , Novas Jorge , Jordão Ricardo Vinícius Dias
Published: September 2021

The traditional four-perspective Balanced Scorecard (BSC) model is suitable for a wide variety of organizations. Other dimensions of analysis can be carried out and other perspectives can be considered in each BSC, depending on the specific characteristics of each organization or industry. This paper presents evidence that justifies and validates the inclusion of a new perspective: ‘environmental sustainability in viticulture’in a BSC that has been developed for the Wine Industry of the Alentejo Region (Portugal) for 2021–2030. The research was performed according to the exploratory sequential design method, which combines in vivo (interviews and questionnaires) and in vitro (literature review and secondary data) research. The content analysis technique, supported by the NVivo software, was used to treat and analyze the data obtained from the interviews, to discover the explicit meanings of the interviewees’ speeches. A principal component analysis and a set of statistical analyses were performed to support the identification of perspectives to be considered in this industrial BSC. The results suggest that environmental sustainability (in viticulture) should be considered as a new strategic perspective to be included in the BSC, with a focus on future certification of environmentally sustainable production (grapes, wine, and wineries). The new perspective represents the competitive challenge of environmental sustainability and enhancement of endogenous resources for the Alentejo Wine Industry, as well as for other wine regions that share the same challenges and concerns. The results also offer an opportunity for competitive benchmarking for companies, industries and governments that operate in similar situations.
School-Aged Students’ Sustainable Online Learning Engagement during COVID-19: Community of Inquiry in a Chinese Secondary Education Context
Authors: Li Fangfei , Jin Tinghe , Edirisingha Palitha , Zhang Xi
Published: September 2021

As the COVID-19 pandemic began to spread all over the world, many educational institutions have shifted to a full-time online teaching mode. Although online teaching has been widely explored, the unprecedented initiatives of mass-scale full-time online education at the secondary school level are yet to be unravelled. By using a qualitative approach and drawing on the conceptualisation of learning engagement and Community of Inquire model as conceptual frameworks, this study explored how secondary school students in China engaged with online education during the COVID-19 pandemic and what factors influenced their sustainable online learning engagement. This research examined the perspectives of twenty-four students and five teachers through semi-structured interviews and observations of online classes. Findings indicate that the students’ online learning engagement involved three inter-related categories: emotional, cognitive and behavioural engagement. Contextual factors influencing the sustainability of students’ online learning engagement were identified by the participants, including teacher presence, parental involvement, and a supportive learning environment/community. The findings in this paper have implications for teacher development, family support and establishment of e-teaching platforms in emergency remote teaching for young students. Finally, the study puts forward best practices for the sustainable development of the emergency remote teaching in the future public crises.
Effect of Elevation on Variation in Reference Evapotranspiration under Climate Change in Northwest China
Authors: Liu Wei , Yang Linshan , Zhu Meng , Adamowski Jan F. , Barzegar Rahim , Wen Xiaohu , Yin Zhenliang
Published: September 2021

Through its effects on water and energy cycles, elevation plays an important role in modulating the spatial distribution of climatic changes in mountainous regions. A key hydrological indicator, reference evapotranspiration (ET0) reflects the maximum amount of water transferred to the atmosphere from the land surface. The current scarcity of information regarding elevation’s impact on variation in ET0 under climate change limits our understanding of the extent to which elevation modulates interactions between ET0 and climate change and of the attendant processes involved. Drawing upon long-term (1960–2017) meteorological observations from 84 stations in Northwest China (NWC), we examined (i) spatial and temporal variations in ET0; (ii) the sensitivity and contribution of air temperature (T), sunshine duration (SD), relative humidity (RH), and wind speed (WS) to ET0; (iii) the existence of a relationship between elevation and ET0 trends; and (iv) the major factor in controlling this relationship by using attribution analysis. Overall, annual ET0 in NWC showed a declining trend between 1960 and 2017, though at a change point in 1993, the trend shifted from a decline to a rise. A significant correlation between temporal change in ET0 and elevation confirmed the existence of a relationship between elevation and ET0 variation. The effect of elevation on changes in ET0 depended mainly on the elevation-based tradeoff between the contributions of T and WS: WS was the primary factor contributing to the decrease in ET0 below 2000 m, and T was the dominant factor contributing to the increase of ET0 above 2000 m. The rate of reduction in WS declined as elevation increased, thereby diminishing its contribution to variation in ET0. The present study’s results can serve to guide agricultural irrigation in different elevation zones under NWC’s evolving climatic conditions.
Emotionally Sustainable Design Toolbox: A Card-Based Design Tool for Designing Products with an Extended Life Based on the User’s Emotional Needs
Authors: Wu Jianfeng , Jin Chuchu , Zhang Lekai , Zhang Li , Li Ming , Dong Xuan
Published: September 2021

Emotionally sustainable design helps users to develop an emotional attachment to a product and motivates them to continue using it, thus extending the product lifecycle, minimizing the need for new products and achieving product sustainability. However, the existing relevant design principles are still very scattered, and they could not effectively guide the emotionally sustainable design practice in a systematic way. We proposed an emotionally sustainable design (ESD) toolbox for product design based on the literature review and expert argumentation. The toolbox consists of seven themes and 20 principles under the three levels of emotional design. The usability of the ESD toolbox was then validated through design practice for the teapot product. The result shows that the ESD toolbox improved the efficiency of the sustainable design process and was helpful to the product’s sustainability.
Influence of Land Use Change on the Surface Albedo and Climate Change in the Qinling-Daba Mountains
Authors: Zhao Fang , Lan Xincan , Li Wuyang , Zhu Wenbo , Li Tianqi
Published: September 2021

Land use changes affect the surface radiative budget and energy balance by changing the surface albedo, which generates radiative forcing, impacting the regional and global climate. To estimate the effect of land use changes on the surface albedo and climate change in a mountainous area with complex terrain, we obtained MODIS data, identified the spatial–temporal characteristics of the surface albedo caused by land use changes, and then calculated the radiative forcing based on solar radiative data and the surface albedo in the Qinling-Daba mountains from 2000 to 2015. The correlation between the land use changes and the radiative forcing was analyzed to explore the climate effects caused by land use changes on a kilometer-grid scale in the Qinling-Daba mountains. Our results show that the primarily land use changes were a decrease in the cultivated land area and an increase in the construction land area, as well as other conversions between six land use types from 2000 to 2015. The land use changes led to significant changes in the surface albedo. Meanwhile, the radiative forcing caused by the land use had different magnitudes, strengths, and occurrence ranges, resulting in both warming and cooling climate change effects.
Explanatory Factors of Business Failure: Literature Review and Global Trends
Authors: Zambrano Farias Fernando , Valls Martínez María del Carmen , Martín-Cervantes Pedro Antonio
Published: September 2021

This study aims to provide a bibliometric analysis of business failure research, recognise the main existing research topics and establish future research challenges. The results, based on a sample of 588 articles, show that the number of published papers and citations has grown steadily, especially in the last 14 years. The most productive and relevant journals, countries, institutions and authors are presented using bibliometric performance indicators. In addition, through the graphical mapping of strategic diagrams, this study identifies the most significant research trends and proposes several directions for future research. The results of this research may be helpful for beginner researchers and experts in business failure, as they contribute to bringing clarity to this line of investigation. These results reveal all the aspects involved in business failure research, analysing its temporal and methodological characterisation, and the most prolific authors who have participated in its study (see, i.e., H. Li), leading journals (see, i.e., Expert Systems with Applications) or academic institutions that have headed the scientific analysis of this business phenomenon. Likewise, it has been possible to identify three main areas in which the research on business failure has been focused: business, management and accounting; economics, econometrics and finance; and social sciences. In addition, a complete, synthesised and organised summary of the various definitions, perspectives and research trends are presented.
Understanding Public Environmental Awareness and Attitudes toward Circular Economy Transition in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Almulhim Abdulaziz I. , Abubakar Ismaila Rimi
Published: September 2021

Circular economy (CE) has been globally acknowledged as a national sustainable development (SD) strategy to confront resource shortages and environmental contamination challenges. Although public behaviors and lifestyles play an essential role in achieving sustainability, in developing countries, few studies explored the role of public awareness, attitudes, and lifestyles on CE transition. Thus, it is necessary to elicit public opinion to understand their awareness and attitude regarding CE strategy to determine obstacles to CE implementation and approaches of overcoming them. This study thus focuses on understanding public awareness and attitudes to CE transition in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey distributed to 402 residents of the Dammam Metropolitan Area. The results indicated that the respondents had little understanding of the CE concept due to limited awareness of the topic. However, they held an optimistic attitude towards trash separation and classified their trash as “can be sold”, “reused”, and “exchanged for a new one”. Furthermore, the respondents’ level of awareness regarding the CE transition is positively related to their level of education. In contrast, the inclination towards resource conservation and pro-environmental behavior positively correlates to the age demographic. This paper thus contributes to the empirical literature on CE transition by exploring the public awareness and attitudes towards its implementation in Saudi Arabia.
An Integrative Review of Socio-Technical Factors Influencing Travel Decision-Making and Urban Transport Performance
Authors: Dingil Ali Enes , Rupi Federico , Esztergár-Kiss Domokos
Published: September 2021

Socio-technical systems have a very complex structure presenting multidimensional co-evolutionary dynamics between people and technical factors. Each urban area has a different sociocultural structure, where the built environment and user choices vary. Understanding how urban transportation is shaped by socio-technical factors as well as how these factors affect transportation users and system performance is important to support sustainable transportation planning. This paper aims to provide a holistic view of socio-technical factors shaping urban transportation for the use of transport planners and decision-makers. The current review focuses on understanding which alternative transport modes can be sustainable under specific socio-technical conditions and how to attract travelers toward these sustainable modes. Moreover, under which socio-technical conditions an urban transport system can minimize its socio-economic costs and environmental impacts are investigated. Furthermore, the interrelations among system dynamics, their influence on transport users as well as on system externalities are identified and integrated as a system model perspective for a holistic view.
Smallholders’ Challenges: Realizing Peri-Urban Opportunities in Bengaluru
Authors: Rajeev Meenakshi , Scherrer Christoph
Published: September 2021

Urban expansion creates potential for increased incomes among previously rural smallholders from sources other than traditional agriculture. Harnessing this potential, however, requires investments into agricultural upgrading or non-farm activities. The article addresses the question concerning to what extent these investments are realised in the peri-urban space of Bengaluru. Its answers are based on a review of the literature and extensive field surveys in two differentially developed districts assessing the smallholders’ economic situation in 2019 and as a recall in 2009. Our findings are that only a few smallholders were able to realise the peri-urban opportunities. Household income increased in real terms only by a little, especially from farming. Instead of a traditional farm to non-farm production linkage, surpluses from the non-farm sector were seen to meet the working capital needs of the farm sector. While physical access to formal financial institutions has significantly improved, formal borrowing is dominated by small-sized loans from registered self-help groups or traditional priority sector loans. Only a few households took up non-farm activities as many others failed to obtain sufficient credit and lacked knowledge about remunerative non-farm projects. Overall, rising outlays for education and health services leave little resources for any productive investments.
The Effects of Gamified Flipped Learning Method on Student’s Innovation Skills, Self-Efficacy towards Virtual Physics Lab Course and Perceptions
Authors: Ahmed Hana Dler , Asiksoy Gulsum
Published: September 2021

Laboratory courses are extremely important in Physics education in terms of providing a better understanding of the theoretical course subjects by the students. However, since the COVID-19 epidemic caused education to be carried out remotely and digitally all over the world, practical as well as theoretical courses were moved to digital platforms. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of the Gamified Flipped Learning (GFL) method on students’ physics self-efficacy and innovation skills in a virtual physics laboratory course. The study was carried out with true experimental design and the participants were a total of 70 first-year engineering students, which were randomly divided into two groups. The experimental group was trained with the GFL method, the control group was trained with Classical Flipped Learning (CFL) method. Data were collected from a physics self-efficacy questionnaire, innovative skills questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews form. The research results showed that GFL method has a positive impact on the innovation skills of students although insignificant improvement was introduced by gamified-flipped learning on students’ self-efficacy. In addition, the interviews with the students revealed a positive perception of gamification, by mentioning some important aspects of the process that were extremely beneficial.
Analysis of the Company of Adults and the Interactions during School Recess: The COVID-19 Effect at Primary Schools
Authors: del Arco Isabel , Ramos-Pla Anabel , Flores Òscar
Published: September 2021

The main objective of the study was to evaluate the interactions between students and schoolteachers during recess before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in primary schools in Catalonia (Spain). In a first phase, using an observational methodology, the behaviors of adults and students were diagnosed according to the type of school. The sample consisted of 23 schools, with 69 observations at different times of the school day. The COVID-19 outbreak made it necessary to extend the present study to identify changes in school recess forced by the pandemic. In this second phase, 34 school schoolteachers were interviewed. The results show little or no adult involvement during recess, beyond mere supervision, and the need for training to improve school recess management. Regarding the changes made during the pandemic, it is concluded that there was a good implementation of protocols, an increase in organization and a reduction in conflicts. The design of school recesses with the participation of schoolteachers and students is important, although during the pandemic, this idea has taken a back seat, with schoolteachers assuming the role of dividing groups and spaces, and supervising transitions. We emphasize the importance of training students to be more proactive in conflict resolution, to ensure self-care and individual and collective responsibility.
Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy—Feasibility of Recycled Nutrients for Biomass Production within a Pulp and Paper Integration in Indonesia, Southeast Asia
Authors: Mikkilä Mirja , Utanun Papitchaya , Luhas Jukka , Horttanainen Mika , Linnanen Lassi
Published: September 2021

Sustainable biomass production based on efficient carbon and nutrient recycling is crucial in materially efficient, sustainable biobased production. A circular bioeconomy model of the replacement of mineral fertilizers with recycled nutrients from pulp and paper mill sludge is tested here within a hypothetical case from Indonesia, Southeast Asia. First, the financial feasibility of the use of recycled nutrients originating from pulp and paper processes was analyzed in fast-growing pulpwood production. Secondly, the comprehensive social and environmental benefits of the practice were analyzed through qualitative sustainability analysis. The availability of the basic material of all required parameters referring to Indonesia limited the analysis period to be from 1996 to 2013. The establishment costs of a pulpwood plantation were adjusted according to a reference study, while the other data were compiled from various sources. The financial profitability of the circular model was analysed by using two indicators, net present value (NPV) and internal rate on return (IRR). The application of sludge-based recycled nutrients slightly increased the establishment costs in some circumstances but had no direct impact on the financial profitability, as the financial profitability was not sensitive to the establishment costs. The results showed that the financial profitability of biomass production is not sensitive to the plantation establishment and management costs. The profitability depends on the mean annual increment and product price. The qualitative analysis showed a holistic value of the practice that goes beyond the direct benefits. The use of sludge-based recycled nutrients in the production of pulpwood closed the economic loop, which is illustrative of the circular bioeconomy within the integrated pulp and paper sector including the raw material source, forest plantation.
Non-Farm Activities and Impacts beyond the Economy of Rural Households in Vietnam: A Review and Link to Policies
Authors: Mulia Rachmat , Simelton Elisabeth , Nguyen Tan Quang , Jirström Magnus
Published: September 2021

Rural households in Asian developing countries such as Vietnam have been participating in non-farm activities for decades, yet impacts beyond the economy of these households are little understood. Using evidence from available literature and two case studies from rural Vietnam, this paper exposes a range of socio-cultural impacts of non-farm activities. An increased social tension driven by a widening economic gap between poor and better-off households or ethnic majority and minority groups was the most frequently reported impact in the literature. The case studies reveal additional impacts, notably those associated with public security, preservation of local culture, and safety of farm households with migrants during and following climate-related disasters. An increasing number of young migrants who exited family farms to access non-farm jobs partially led to the latter two impacts. The rural development and poverty reduction policies of Vietnam enacted in the past two decades (2000–2020) that promoted livelihood diversification had limited measures addressing socio-cultural impacts of non-farm activities. An amendment of these two categories of policies for the implementation beyond 2020 or a strengthened synergy in implementation with other categories of policy such as social policies is necessary to ensure sustainable rural development in Vietnam.
Understanding Sustainability Reporting in Non-Governmental Organisations: A Systematic Review of Reporting Practices, Drivers, Barriers and Paths for Future Research
Authors: Asogwa Ikenna Elias , Varua Maria Estela , Humphreys Peter , Datt Rina
Published: September 2021

NGOs are expected by their social mission not only to assess but to report on sustainability issues in response to the growing public awareness of the sustainability agendas. Since NGOs are globally renowned as watchdogs for advancing socio-economic development and sustainable societies, research on their efforts in this regard will help develop recommendations on how they can be better positioned as the watchdog. The purpose of this article is to review and assess the understanding of sustainability (reporting) in NGO literature as well as the barriers and drivers. The study investigates various practices of sustainability and identifies the drivers and barriers in sustainability reporting (SR). The authors reviewed 61 articles published between 2010 and 2020 on sustainability and assessed the strengths and weaknesses in the understanding of sustainability in literature as well as the reporting phenomenon in NGOs. The misconceptions in the definition of SR tend to weaken its relevance and applicability, and the reporting process is often focused on demonstrating the legitimacy of NGOs rather than improving their performance. As such, it provides more evidence in support of the need for a more holistic and all-inclusive definition that will aid regulation and enforcement. We also found that, although it is often assumed all NGOs share similar objectives, it is not always the case as there are as diverse objectives as there are numbers of NGOs and their reporting pattern varies in accordance with this diversity. The review makes a case for a more comprehensive definition of SR suitable for NGOs using four elements as well as providing suggestions for where research in this area might focus to enhance the overall body of knowledge. The study contributes to theory and practice by introducing new elements guiding the definition of SR in NGOs which supports accountability and proper functioning of a circular economy and promotes sustainable development.
SMEs during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis. The Sources of Problems, the Effects of Changes, Applied Tools and Management Strategies—The Example of Poland
Authors: Siuta-Tokarska Barbara
Published: September 2021

Purpose: The aim of the theoretical deliberations and empirical research conducted is to determine the basic sources of problems in the SME sector of enterprises in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, and to present how enterprises are responding to external changes and adapting to these changes. The consideration of four types of enterprise strategies in the context of a large scale and a strong influence of external conditions on their activities is the leitmotif of the undertaken research. Design/methodology/approach: The research work used the analysis of the literature of the subject within the research methods of social studies with respect of the analysis and criticism of literature, as well as for logical analysis and structure. The empirical part applied desk research which concerned quantitative methods in the form of a survey. The survey was conducted among SME sector firms, that is micro-, small-, and medium-sized business entities whose economic activity was registered in Poland. The detailed information on sample sizes (based on three report sources) was given in the methodological part of the article. The research period is related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistical data presented in the paper primarily include the period of 2019 and 2020. Findings: The research revealed the basic sources of problems that SMEs in Poland struggled with during the COVID-19 pandemic in the period 2019–2020. The article presents the effects of changes related to the bankruptcy and restructuring processes of enterprises, expressed in an increase in their number in the compared years. In particular, the negative effects of the COVID-19 reality were experienced by SMEs conducting service activities. The paper also shows ways of responding and adapting to the turbulent reality of the studied enterprises, indicating the transformation and adaptation types of the actions taken. Originality/value: The presented research into SMEs is an original combination of theoretical issues related to business management during a crisis and distinguished strategies of responding to changes in the conditions of uncertainty, and the actual picture of changes in those entities in the days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The value of the research is manifested in the uniqueness of linking theoretical references of problems of management studies with respect to organisation management in the strategic aspect to specific research findings in firms defined as the core of the national economy, namely small- and medium-sized enterprises under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
Review of Existing Energy Retrofit Decision Tools for Homeowners
Authors: Seddiki Mohammed , Bennadji Amar , Laing Richard , Gray David , Alabid Jamal M.
Published: September 2021

Energy retrofit tools are considered by many countries as one of the strongest incentives to encourage homeowners to invest in energy renovation. These tools help homeowners to get an initial overview of suitable retrofit measures. Although a large number of energy retrofit tools have been developed to inspire and educate homeowners, energy renovation by individual homeowners is still lagging and the impact of current tools is insufficient as awareness and information issues remain one of main obstacles that hinder the uptake of energy retrofitting schemes. This research extends the current knowledge by analysing the characteristics of 19 tools from 10 different countries. The selected tools were analysed in terms of energy calculation methods, features, generation and range of retrofit measures, evaluation criteria, and indications on financial support. The review indicates that: (1) most toolkits use empirical data-driven methods, pre-simulated databases, and normative calculation methods; (2) few tools generate long-term integrated renovation packages; (3) technological, social, and aesthetic aspects are rarely taken into consideration; (4) the generation of funding options varies between the existing tools; (5) most toolkits do not suggest specific retrofit solutions adapted to traditional buildings; and (6) preferences of homeowners in terms of evaluation criteria are often neglected.
On the Eventual Exponential Positivity of Some Tree Sign Patterns
Authors: Yu Ber-Lin , Li Zhongshan , Xu Sanzhang
Published: September 2021

An n×n matrix A is called eventually exponentially positive (EEP) if etA=∑k=0∞tkAkk!>0 for all t≥t0, where t0≥0. A matrix whose entries belong to the set {+,−,0} is called a sign pattern. An n×n sign pattern A is called potentially eventually exponentially positive (PEEP) if there exists some real matrix realization A of A that is EEP. Characterizing the PEEP sign patterns is a longstanding open problem. In this article, A is called minimally potentially eventually exponentially positive (MPEEP), if A is PEEP and no proper subpattern of A is PEEP. Some preliminary results about MPEEP sign patterns and PEEP sign patterns are established. All MPEEP sign patterns of orders n≤3 are identified. For the n×n tridiagonal sign patterns Tn, we show that there exists exactly one MPEEP tridiagonal sign pattern Tno. Consequently, we classify all PEEP tridiagonal sign patterns as the superpatterns of Tno. We also classify all PEEP star sign patterns Sn and double star sign patterns DS(n,m) by identifying all the MPEEP star sign patterns and the MPEEP double star sign patterns, respectively.
Update of the Planktonic Diatom Genus Pseudo-nitzschia in Aotearoa New Zealand Coastal Waters: Genetic Diversity and Toxin Production
Authors: Nishimura Tomohiro , Murray J. Sam , Boundy Michael J. , Balci Muharrem , Bowers Holly A. , Smith Kirsty F. , Harwood D. Tim , Rhodes Lesley L.
Published: September 2021

Domoic acid (DA) is produced by almost half of the species belonging to the diatom genus Pseudo-nitzschia and causes amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP). It is, therefore, important to investigate the diversity and toxin production of Pseudo-nitzschia species for ASP risk assessments. Between 2018 and 2020, seawater samples were collected from various sites around Aotearoa New Zealand, and 130 clonal isolates of Pseudo-nitzschia were established. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of partial large subunit ribosomal DNA and/or internal transcribed spacer regions revealed that the isolates were divided into 14 species (Pseudo-nitzschia americana, Pseudo-nitzschia arenysensis, Pseudo-nitzschia australis, Pseudo-nitzschia calliantha, Pseudo-nitzschia cuspidata, Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima, Pseudo-nitzschia fraudulenta, Pseudo-nitzschia galaxiae, Pseudo-nitzschia hasleana, Pseudo-nitzschia multiseries, Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata, Pseudo-nitzschia plurisecta, Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, and Pseudo-nitzschia cf. subpacifica). The P. delicatissima and P. hasleana strains were further divided into two clades/subclades (I and II). Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to assess the production of DA and DA isomers by 73 representative strains. The analyses revealed that two (P. australis and P. multiseries) of the 14 species produced DA as a primary analogue, along with several DA isomers. This study is the first geographical distribution record of P. arenysensis, P.cuspidata, P. galaxiae, and P. hasleana in New Zealand coastal waters.
Microbial Reduction of Fumonisin B1 by the New Isolate Serratia marcescens 329-2
Authors: Keawmanee Pisut , Rattanakreetakul Chainarong , Pongpisutta Ratiya
Published: September 2021

The mycotoxin fumonisin (FB) has become a major problem in maize products in southeastern Asia. Fumonisin can affect the health of humans and many animals. Fumonisin contamination can be reduced by detoxifying microbial enzyme. Screening of 95 potent natural sources resulted in 5.3% of samples yielding a total of five bacterial isolates that were a promising solution, reducing approximately 10.0–30.0% of fumonisin B1 (FB1). Serratia marcescens, one of the dominant degrading bacteria, was identified with Gram staining, 16S rRNA gene, and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Cell-free extract showed the highest fumonisin reduction rates, 30.3% in solution and 37.0% in maize. Crude proteins from bacterial cells were analyzed with a label-free quantification technique. The results showed that hydrolase enzymes and transferase enzymes that can cooperate in the fumonisin degradation process were highly expressed in comparison to their levels in a control. These studies have shown that S. marcescens 329-2 is a new potential bacterium for FB1 reduction, and the production of FB1-reducing enzymes should be further explored.
The Use of Botulinum Toxin A as an Adjunctive Therapy in the Management of Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Authors: Battista Simone , Buzzatti Luca , Gandolfi Marialuisa , Finocchi Cinzia , Falsiroli Maistrello Luca , Viceconti Antonello , Giardulli Benedetto , Testa Marco
Published: September 2021

Several studies have investigated the effect of botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) for managing chronic musculoskeletal pain, bringing contrasting results to the forefront. Thus far, however, there has been no synthesis of evidence on the effect of BoNT-A as an adjunctive treatment within a multimodal approach. Hence, Medline via PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library-CENTRAL were searched until November 2020 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the use of BoNT-A as an adjunctive therapy for chronic musculoskeletal pain. The risk of bias (RoB) and the overall quality of the studies were assessed through RoB 2.0 and the GRADE approach, respectively. Meta-analysis was conducted to analyse the pooled results of the six included RCTs. Four were at a low RoB, while two were at a high RoB. The meta-analysis showed that BoNT-A as an adjunctive therapy did not significantly decrease pain compared to the sole use of traditional treatment (SDM −0.89; 95% CI −1.91; 0.12; p = 0.08). Caution should be used when interpreting such results, since the studies displayed very high heterogeneity (I = 94%, p < 0.001). The overall certainty of the evidence was very low. The data retrieved from this systematic review do not support the use of BoNT-A as an adjunctive therapy in treating chronic musculoskeletal pain.
A Combined Transcriptomics and Proteomics Approach Reveals the Differences in the Predatory and Defensive Venoms of the Molluscivorous Cone Snail Cylinder ammiralis (Caenogastropoda: Conidae)
Authors: Abalde Samuel , Dutertre Sébastien , Zardoya Rafael
Published: September 2021

Venoms are complex mixtures of proteins that have evolved repeatedly in the animal kingdom. Cone snail venoms represent one of the best studied venom systems. In nature, this venom can be dynamically adjusted depending on its final purpose, whether to deter predators or hunt prey. Here, the transcriptome of the venom gland and the proteomes of the predation-evoked and defensive venoms of the molluscivorous cone snail Cylinder ammiralis were catalogued. A total of 242 venom-related transcripts were annotated. The conotoxin superfamilies presenting more different peptides were O1, O2, T, and M, which also showed high expression levels (except T). The three precursors of the J superfamily were also highly expressed. The predation-evoked and defensive venoms showed a markedly distinct profile. A total of 217 different peptides were identified, with half of them being unique to one venom. A total of 59 peptides ascribed to 23 different protein families were found to be exclusive to the predatory venom, including the cono-insulin, which was, for the first time, identified in an injected venom. A total of 43 peptides from 20 protein families were exclusive to the defensive venom. Finally, comparisons of the relative abundance (in terms of number of peptides) of the different conotoxin precursor superfamilies showed that most of them present similar abundance regardless of the diet.
ExlA Pore-Forming Toxin: Localization at the Bacterial Membrane, Regulation of Secretion by Cyclic-Di-GMP, and Detection In Vivo
Authors: Deruelle Vincent , Berry Alice , Bouillot Stéphanie , Job Viviana , Maillard Antoine P. , Elsen Sylvie , Huber Philippe
Published: September 2021

ExlA is a highly virulent pore-forming toxin that has been recently discovered in outlier strains from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ExlA is part of a two-partner secretion system, in which ExlA is the secreted passenger protein and ExlB the transporter embedded in the bacterial outer membrane. In previous work, we observed that ExlA toxicity in a host cell was contact-dependent. Here, we show that ExlA accumulates at specific points of the outer membrane, is likely entrapped within ExlB pore, and is pointing outside. We further demonstrate that ExlA is maintained at the membrane in conditions where the intracellular content of second messenger cyclic-di-GMP is high; lowering c-di-GMP levels enhances ExlB-dependent ExlA secretion. In addition, we set up an ELISA to detect ExlA, and we show that ExlA is poorly secreted in liquid culture, while it is highly detectable in broncho-alveolar lavage fluids of mice infected with an exlA+ strain. We conclude that ExlA translocation is halted at mid-length in the outer membrane and its secretion is regulated by c-di-GMP. In addition, we developed an immunological test able to quantify ExlA in biological samples.
Screening for Predictors of Chronic Ciguatera Poisoning: An Exploratory Analysis among Hospitalized Cases from French Polynesia
Authors: Gatti Clémence Mahana iti , Chung Kiyojiken , Oehler Erwan , Pierce T. J. , Gribble Matthew O. , Chinain Mireille
Published: September 2021

Ciguatera poisoning is a globally occurring seafood disease caused by the ingestion of marine products contaminated with dinoflagellate produced neurotoxins. Persistent forms of ciguatera, which prove to be highly debilitating, are poorly studied and represent a significant medical issue. The present study aims to better understand chronic ciguatera manifestations and identify potential predictive factors for their duration. Medical files of 49 patients were analyzed, and the post-hospitalization evolution of the disease assessed through a follow-up questionnaire. A rigorous logistic lasso regression model was applied to select significant predictors from a list of 37 patient characteristics potentially predictive of having chronic symptoms. Missing data were handled by complete case analysis, and a survival analysis was implemented. All models used standardized variables, and multiple comparisons in the survival analyses were handled by Bonferroni correction. Among all studied variables, five significant predictors of having symptoms lasting ≥3 months were identified: age, tobacco consumption, acute bradycardia, laboratory measures of urea, and neutrophils. This exploratory, hypothesis-generating study contributes to the development of ciguatera epidemiology by narrowing the list from 37 possible predictors to a list of five predictors that seem worth further investigation as candidate risk factors in more targeted studies of ciguatera symptom duration.
Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA to Diagnose Graft Rejection Post-Transplant: Past, Present and Future
Authors: Kumar Naveen , Rana Rashmi , Rana Devender Singh , Gupta Anurag , Sachdeva Mohinder Pal
Published: September 2021

Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) is a non-invasive biomarker that is more sensitive and specific towards diagnosing any graft injury or rejection. Due to its applicability over all transplanted organs irrespective of age, sex, race, ethnicity, and the non-requirement of a donor sample, it emerges as a new gold standard for graft health and rejection monitoring. Published research articles describing the role and efficiency of dd-cfDNA were identified and scrutinized to acquire a brief understanding of the history, evolution, emergence, role, efficiency, and applicability of dd-cfDNA in the field of transplantation. The dd-cfDNA can be quantified using quantitative PCR, next-generation sequencing, and droplet digital PCR, and there is a commendatory outcome in terms of diagnosing graft injury and monitoring graft health. The increased levels of dd-cfDNA can diagnose the rejection prior to any other presently used biochemistry or immunological assay methods. Biopsies are performed when these tests show any signs of injury and/or rejection. Therefore, by the time these tests predict and show any unusual or improper activity of the graft, the graft is already damaged by almost 50%. This review elucidates the evolution, physiology, techniques, limitations, and prospects of dd-cfDNA as a biomarker for post-transplant graft damage and rejection.