bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Three-Dimensional Microstructure Reconstruction Framework for Permeable Pavement Analysis Based on 3D-IWGAN with Enhanced Gradient Penalty
Authors: Feri Ludia Eka , Ahn Jaehun , Lutfillohonov Shahrullohon , Kwon Joonho
Published: May 2021

Owing to the increasing use of permeable pavement, there is a growing need for studies that can improve its design and durability. One of the most important factors that can reduce the functionality of permeable pavement is the clogging issue. Field experiments for investigating the clogging potential are relatively expensive owing to the high-cost testing equipment and materials. Moreover, a lot of time is required for conducting real physical experiments to obtain physical properties for permeable pavement. In this paper, to overcome these limitations, we propose a three-dimensional microstructure reconstruction framework based on 3D-IDWGAN with an enhanced gradient penalty, which is an image-based computational system for clogging analysis in permeable pavement. Our proposed system first takes a two-dimensional image as an input and extracts latent features from the 2D image. Then, it generates a 3D microstructure image through the generative adversarial network part of our model with the enhanced gradient penalty. For checking the effectiveness of our system, we utilize the reconstructed 3D image combined with the numerical method for pavement microstructure analysis. Our results show improvements in the three-dimensional image generation of the microstructure, compared with other generative adversarial network methods, and the values of physical properties extracted from our model are similar to those obtained via real pavement samples.
New Sensor Device to Accurately Measure Cable Tension in Cable-Driven Parallel Robots
Authors: Rubio-Gómez Guillermo , Juárez-Pérez Sergio , Gonzalez-Rodríguez Antonio , Rodríguez-Rosa David , Corral-Gómez Lis , López-Díaz Alfonso I. , Payo Ismael , Castillo-García Fernando J.
Published: May 2021

Cable-driven parallel robots are a special type of robot in which an end-effector is attached to a fixed frame by means of several cables. The position and orientation of the end-effector can be controlled by controlling the length of the cables. These robots present a wide range of advantages, and the control algorithms required have greater complexity than those in traditional serial robots. Measuring the cable tension is an important task in this type of robot as many control algorithms rely on this information. There are several well-known approaches to measure cable tension in cable robots, where a trade-off between complexity and accuracy is observed. This work presents a new device based on strain gauges to measure cable tension specially designed to be applied in cable-driven parallel robots. This device can be easily mounted on the cable near the fixed frame, allowing the cable length and orientation to change freely, while the measure is taken before the cable passes through the guiding pulleys for improved accuracy. The results obtained from the device show a strong repeatability and linearity of the measures
Identification of Sleeper Support Conditions Using Mechanical Model Supported Data-Driven Approach
Authors: Sysyn Mykola , Przybylowicz Michal , Nabochenko Olga , Kou Lei
Published: May 2021

The ballasted track superstructure is characterized by a relative quick deterioration of track geometry due to ballast settlements and the accumulation of sleeper voids. The track zones with the sleeper voids differ from the geometrical irregularities with increased dynamic loading, high vibration, and unfavorable ballast-bed and sleeper contact conditions. This causes the accelerated growth of the inhomogeneous settlements, resulting in maintenance-expensive local instabilities that influence transportation reliability and availability. The recent identification and evaluation of the sleeper support conditions using track-side and on-board monitoring methods can help planning prevention activities to avoid or delay the development of local instabilities such as ballast breakdown, white spots, subgrade defects, etc. The paper presents theoretical and experimental studies that are directed at the development of the methods for sleeper support identification. The distinctive features of the dynamic behavior in the void zone compared to the equivalent geometrical irregularity are identified by numeric simulation using a three-beam dynamic model, taking into account superstructure and rolling stock dynamic interaction. The spectral features in time domain in scalograms and scattergrams are analyzed. Additionally, the theoretical research enabled to determine the similarities and differences of the dynamic interaction from the viewpoint of track-side and on-board measurements. The method of experimental investigation is presented by multipoint track-side measurements of rail-dynamic displacements using high-speed video records and digital imaging correlation (DIC) methods. The method is used to collect the statistical information from different-extent voided zones and the corresponding reference zones without voids. The applied machine learning methods enable the exact recent void identification using the wavelet scattering feature extraction from track-side measurements. A case study of the method application for an on-board measurement shows the moderate results of the recent void identification as well as the potential ways of its improvement.
Compensation Techniques Aimed at Mitigating Vibrations in Optical Ground-Based Telescopes: A Systematic Review
Authors: Palacios-Navarro Guillermo , Arranz Martínez Fernando , Martín Ferrer Raúl , Ramos Lorente Pedro
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the different systems and techniques aimed at suppressing vibrations on optical ground-based telescopes. We identified the studies by searching three electronic databases (Science Direct, IEEE library and Web of Science) from the year 2000 to December 2020. The studies were eligible if they proposed systems focused on mitigating the effects of vibrations in optical telescopes and brought performance data. A total of nine studies met our eligibility criteria. Current evidence confirms the feasibility of adaptative optics (AO) systems based on closed-loop control to mitigate vibrations, although variations and additions should be made depending on their nature and characteristics in order to improve the performance of the proposed techniques. This systematic review was conducted to provide a state-of-the-art of the methods and techniques that have been developed over the past two decades. The review also points out some issues that demand future research.
Wideband Circular Polarized Dielectric Resonator Antenna Array for Millimeter-Wave Applications
Authors: Kesavan Arun , Al-Hassan Mu’ath , Ben Mabrouk Ismail , Denidni Tayeb A.
Published: May 2021

A novel circular polarized dielectric antenna array (DRA) for millimeter-wave applications at 30 GHz is presented in this paper. The unit element array is a flower-shaped DRA fed with a cross slot. To obtain circular polarization, a sequential network combined with the cross slots is used to feed the 2×2 array. The prototype of the proposed antenna array is fabricated and measured to obtain a wide resonance bandwidth from 27 GHz to 38 GHz frequency band. Furthermore, this left-hand polarized antenna array has achieved a peak gain of 9.5 dBi with 3-dB axial ratio at 30 GHz. The proposed DRA array with wideband resonance and gain bandwidth has the potential to be used for millimeter-wave wireless communications at the 30 GHz band.
Early Detection of Exposure to Toxic Chemicals Using Continuously Recorded Multi-Sensor Physiology
Authors: van Baardewijk Jan Ubbo , Agarwal Sarthak , Cornelissen Alex S. , Joosen Marloes J. A. , Kentrop Jiska , Varon Carolina , Brouwer Anne-Marie
Published: May 2021

Early detection of exposure to a toxic chemical, e.g., in a military context, can be life-saving. We propose to use machine learning techniques and multiple continuously measured physiological signals to detect exposure, and to identify the chemical agent. Such detection and identification could be used to alert individuals to take appropriate medical counter measures in time. As a first step, we evaluated whether exposure to an opioid (fentanyl) or a nerve agent (VX) could be detected in freely moving guinea pigs using features from respiration, electrocardiography (ECG) and electroencephalography (EEG), where machine learning models were trained and tested on different sets (across subject classification). Results showed this to be possible with close to perfect accuracy, where respiratory features were most relevant. Exposure detection accuracy rose steeply to over 95% correct during the first five minutes after exposure. Additional models were trained to correctly classify an exposed state as being induced either by fentanyl or VX. This was possible with an accuracy of almost 95%, where EEG features proved to be most relevant. Exposure detection models that were trained on subsets of animals generalized to subsets of animals that were exposed to other dosages of different chemicals. While future work is required to validate the principle in other species and to assess the robustness of the approach under different, realistic circumstances, our results indicate that utilizing different continuously measured physiological signals for early detection and identification of toxic agents is promising.
UWB Radio-Based Motion Detection System for Assisted Living
Authors: Bregar Klemen , Hrovat Andrej , Mohorčič Mihael
Published: May 2021

Because of the ageing population, the demand for assisted living solutions that can help prolonging independent living of elderly at their homes with reduced interaction with caregivers is rapidly increasing. One of the most important indicators of the users’ well-being is their motion and mobility inside their homes, used either on its own or as contextual information for other more complex activities such as cooking, housekeeping or maintaining personal hygiene. In monitoring users’ mobility, radio frequency (RF) communication technologies have an advantage over optical motion detectors because of their penetrability through the obstacles, thus covering greater areas with fewer devices. However, as we show in this paper, RF links exhibit large variations depending on channel conditions in operating environment as well as the level and intensity of motion, limiting the performance of the fixed motion detection threshold determined on offline or batch measurement data. Thus, we propose a new algorithm with an online adaptive motion detection threshold that makes use of channel impulse response (CIR) information of the IEEE 802.15.4 ultra-wideband (UWB) radio, which comprises an easy-to-install robust motion detection system. The online adaptive motion detection (OAMD) algorithm uses a sliding window on the last 100 derivatives of power delay profile (PDP) differences and their statistics to set the threshold for motion detection. It takes into account the empirically confirmed observation that motion manifests itself in long-tail samples or outliers of PDP differences’ probability density function. The algorithm determines the online threshold by calculating the statistics on the derivatives of the 100 most recent PDP differences in a sliding window and scales them up in the suitable range for PDP differences with multiplication factors defined by a data-driven process using measurements from representative operating environments. The OAMD algorithm demonstrates great adaptability to various environmental conditions and exceptional performance compared to the offline batch algorithm. A motion detection solution incorporating the proposed highly reliable algorithm can complement and enhance various assisted living technologies to assess user’s well-being over long periods of time, detect critical events and issue warnings or alarms to caregivers.
Shallow-Tapered Chirped Fiber Bragg Grating Sensors for Dual Refractive Index and Temperature Sensing
Authors: Ayupova Takhmina , Shaimerdenova Madina , Tosi Daniele
Published: May 2021

In this work, we present a gold-coated shallow-tapered chirped fiber Bragg grating (stCFBG) for dual refractive index (RI) and temperature sensing. The stCFBG has been fabricated on a 15-mm long chirped FBG, by tapering a 7.29-mm region with a waist of 39 μm. The spectral analysis shows two distinct regions: a pre-taper region, in which the stCFBG is RI-independent and can be used to detect thermal changes, and a post-taper region, in which the reflectivity increases significantly when the RI increments. We estimate the RI and thermal sensitivities as 382.83 dB/RIU and 9.893 pm/°C, respectively. The cross-talk values are low (−1.54 × 10−3 dB/°C and 568.1 pm/RIU), which allows an almost ideal separation between RI and thermal characteristics. The stCFBG is a compact probe, suitable for long-term and temperature-compensated biosensing and detection of chemical analytes.
Trustworthy Wireless Sensor Networks for Monitoring Humidity and Moisture Environments
Authors: Prodanović Radomir , Sarang Sohail , Rančić Dejan , Vulić Ivan , Stojanović Goran M. , Stankovski Stevan , Ostojić Gordana , Baranovski Igor , Maksović Dušan
Published: May 2021

Wireless sensors networks (WSNs) are characterized by flexibility and scalability in any environment. These networks are increasingly used in agricultural and industrial environments and have a dual role in data collection from sensors and transmission to a monitoring system, as well as enabling the management of the monitored environment. Environment management depends on trust in the data collected from the surrounding environment, including the time of data creation. This paper proposes a trust model for monitoring humidity and moisture in agricultural and industrial environments. The proposed model uses a digital signature and public key infrastructure (PKI) to establish trust in the data source, i.e., the trust in the sensor. Trust in data generation is essential for real-time environmental monitoring and subsequent analyzes, thus timestamp technology is implemented here to further ensure that gathered data are not created or changed after the assigned time. Model validation is performed using the Castalia network simulator by testing energy consumption at the receiver and sender nodes and the delay incurred by creating or validating a trust token. In addition, validation is also performed using the Ascertia TSA Crusher application for the time consumed to obtain a timestamp from the free TSA. The results show that by applying different digital signs and timestamps, the trust entity of the WSN improved significantly with an increase in power consumption of the sender node by up to 9.3% and receiver node by up to 126.3% for a higher number of nodes, along with a packet delay of up to 15.6% and an average total time consumed up to 1.186 s to obtain the timestamp from the best chosen TSA, which was as expected.
First-Wave COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece: The Role of Demographic, Social, and Geographical Factors in Life Satisfaction during Lockdown
Authors: Anastasiou Evgenia , Duquenne Marie-Noelle
Published: May 2021

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic led to profound changes in populations’ everyday lives. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the factors that affected life satisfaction during the first-wave lockdown in Greece. A web-based survey was developed, and 4305 questionnaires were completed corresponding to all Greek regional units. Statistical modeling (multivariate logistic regression) was performed to evaluate to which extent significant geographical attributes and socioeconomic characteristics are likely to influence life satisfaction during lockdown due to the pandemic. In the course of the present work, some key findings emerged: social distancing and confinement measures affected mostly women in relation to men; there was a strong positive association between life satisfaction and age, especially as regards the older population; changes to employment status, increase in psychosomatic disorders, and increased usage of social media were also likely to negatively impact people’s life satisfaction. By contrast, trust in the government and the media and limited health concerns seem to have a strong association with subjective wellbeing. Finally, life satisfaction does not depend much on geographical characteristics such as urbanity or insularity, highlighting that the lockdown had an impact on the Greek population regardless of the physical isolation.
The Use of Cluster Analysis to Evaluate the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Daily Water Demand Patterns
Authors: Dzimińska Paulina , Drzewiecki Stanisław , Ruman Marek , Kosek Klaudia , Mikołajewski Karol , Licznar Paweł
Published: May 2021

Proper determination of unitary water demand and diurnal distribution of water consumption (water consumption histogram) provides the basis for designing, dimensioning, and all analyses of water supply networks. It is important in the case of mathematical modelling of flows in the water supply network, particularly during the determination of nodal water demands in the context of Extended Period Simulation (EPS). Considering the above, the analysis of hourly water consumption in selected apartment buildings was performed to verify the justification of the application of grouping by means of k-means clustering. The article presents a detailed description of the adopted methodology, as well as the obtained results in the form of synthetic distributions of hourly water consumption, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their change.
Regional Inclusive Development: An Assessment of Russian Regions
Authors: Rytova Elena , Gutman Svetlana , Sousa Cristina
Published: May 2021

The concept of inclusive development is gaining momentum in both the academic and policy-making arenas. There are a plethora of definitions and several indicators with which to monitor its progress at the national level. However, the regional level has been relatively overlooked in the analyses carried out by academics. This is particularly serious for large countries marked by deep regional disparities. The aim of this paper is to address this gap by proposing and applying a framework to assess inclusive development at the regional level. Drawing on a critical analysis of the concept and existing indexes, the paper proposes an index of Regional Inclusive Development and applies it to the regions of the Russian Federation. Moreover, it compares the suggested index with established indicators of regional socio-economic development, namely quality of life and gross product. The results support the idea that at the regional level, there is a significant correlation and interdependence between all dimensions of the sustainable development concept—environment, the economy, and society—and that inclusiveness should not be ignored or undervalued in the analysis of development processes. Furthermore, the results show significant differences in the positioning of the regions in terms of the inclusive development rankings as compared to their positions in the quality of life and gross product rankings. The results also reveal small interregional differences among Russian regions, which are unexpected given the size of the country.
The Effect of Cultural City on Regional Activation through the Consumer Reactions of Urban Service
Authors: Um Hyemi , Dong Jingwen , Choi Myeonggil , Jeong Jaeyeob
Published: May 2021

Many countries have adopted culture policies such as the European Capital of Culture program to revitalize cities. Culture brings economic benefit to a city through creative industries as well as vitalizes cities by allowing excellent workforce to stay in the city. In order to achieve urban growth through culture, appropriate urban policies or services should be implemented. In addition, citizens should recognize the positive brand value of cities as a result of such policies. In this study, we considered the cultural city as one of city branding and studied how the cultural cities’ characteristics, urban services, and the city’s brand value had the effect on regional activation. Online survey was conducted from 18 September to 18 October 2019 with residents residing in Xi’an, China. In total, 345 valid questionnaires were received and analyzed. As a result of this study, the characteristics of the cultural city had positive effects on urban brand value and regional activation. Urban services had positive effects on cultural city characteristics, city brand value, and regional activation. City brand value had a positive effect on regional activation. This study contributes to the study of the cultural city and the field of public service, city brand, culture, and arts. City planners and leaders will be able to use the results of this study to establish city branding and urban revitalization policies through culture.
Development of a Matrix Analysis Methodology for Characterization of Short-Term Aging in Asphalt Binders Modified by Synthetic Wax
Authors: Jamshidi Ali , White Greg , Van den bergh Wim , Omranian Seyed Reza , Hamzah Meor Othman
Published: May 2021

In this study, an innovative methodology is proposed to characterize the short-term aging of asphalt binders using the matrix analysis method. The rotational viscosity and complex shear modulus of asphalt binders were chosen as target rheological properties for the analysis of aging. A set of square matrices was developed based on test temperatures and the synthetic additive wax content. Transformational short-term aging matrices were obtained that characterize the trend of the aging process as a function of binder type, temperature sweep, and additive percentage. The results of the matrix analysis show that the trend of short-term aging depends on the binder performance grade and the rheological characteristic chosen for the analysis of aging. In addition, transformational aging matrices can provide detailed information about the range of the aging rate and the trend in aging for each binder type. Furthermore, the components of the transformational matrices clearly show the sensitivity of the binders to aging. In conclusion, the matrix analysis of aging can be used to compare the effects of short-term aging of different asphalt binders.
Spatial Configurations and Walkability Potentials. Measuring Urban Compactness with Space Syntax
Authors: van Nes Akkelies
Published: May 2021

This contribution demonstrates how space syntax methods on various scale levels can be used to identify and describe the spatial features of a compact city. Firstly, the term urban compactness is discussed. A short discussion of some writings on the compact city are elaborated. As it transpired, urban compactness can best be approached from a spatial topological point of view, since compactness is a topological property. Secondly, urban compactness will be reconsidered in spatial configurative terms through the use of space syntax and urban micro scale tools. Examples from car-, pedestrian-, and public transport-based centres in Oslo and Bergen will be used throughout this contribution. Discussions of the examples in this contribution are discussed with references to other space syntax research results. As the case studies show, enhancing compact neighbourhoods with good walkability potential from a spatial perspective relies on spatial interaccessibility on all scale levels. Accessibility depends on spatial configurative compactness. Seemingly, it depends on the following complex set of sufficient conditions: a spatially integrated street network on all scale levels, short urban blocks and streets with building entrances with windows and doors on the ground floor level.
The Influence of the Textural Characteristics of the Hierarchical Porous Carbons on the Removal of Lead and Cadmium Ions from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Baroud Turki N.
Published: May 2021

Developing efficient adsorbent materials for water treatment is deemed as one of the key solutions towards mitigating the contaminated water problem. Herein, several Hierarchical Porous Carbons (HPCs) with large mesopore volumes (up to 3 cm3/g) and a wide range of BET surface areas (747–1037 m2/g) were synthesized, and their heavy metal removal behaviors were investigated. Specifically, simulated lead and cadmium aqueous solutions were used to investigate the HPCs adsorption performance towards lead and cadmium removal. All the HPCs demonstrated high affinities towards lead removal compared with cadmium. Additionally, a systematic investigation was carried out to understand the structure—performance relationships for the HPCs. Interestingly, varying the adsorbent pore structure leads to different adsorbent behavior for lead compared with cadmium. The textural characteristics of the HPCs have a limited effect on the removal of cadmium ions. Accordingly, to expedite cadmium removal from aqueous samples, factors other than textural characteristics (i.e., surface chemistry) might enhance the removal process. Conversely, the removal of lead ions can be significantly controlled by the HPCs pore structure. HPC1221 (with 17 nm mesopore size, 2.8 cm3/g pore volume, 907 m2/g) showed the maximum adsorption capacity value of 12.32 mg/g for Cd2+ and 89 mg/g for Pb2+ compared to other HPCs. The significant adsorption parameters were evaluated using the response surface methodology (RSM) design. We believe that the reported insights for the structure–performance relationships will be useful for better designing highly efficient adsorbent materials.
Analysis of Key Competencies and Curriculum Expertise of Korean Dance Programs to Assist in Their Long-Term Sustainability
Authors: Kwon In-Seon
Published: May 2021

Graduate programs should be operated based on professionalism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the professionalism of thirteen doctoral dance programs in Korea. The study included thirteen doctoral programs from 10 universities in Korea. Data on the dance programs were collected using school bulletins, websites, and booklets. Educational goals, doctoral program requirements, and syllabi were analyzed based on the documents of each graduate school. Although most graduate school dance programs offered similar characteristics of courses, programs majorly comprised theory, performance, and workshops. Dance performance appeared to be an important aspect of dance programs in Korea. Interestingly, three different genres of dance (Korean folk dance, modern dance, and ballet) were overwhelmingly present in doctoral programs. This study recommended that more research- and scholastic-oriented programs should be provided in doctoral programs to enhance the fundamentals of the dance academic environment. Overall, more specialized programs are required to meet the various needs and choices of the doctoral students. It is certain that students’ interests and academic excellence are the greatest assets for doctoral dance major students. The concepts of diversity, culture, and interdisciplinary cooperation should be applied more to the description and research of graduate courses. Operationalizing these efforts through rigorous assessments of students’ mastery of key competencies in the curriculum is another evolving task for sustainable education leaders.
Correction: Kazungu et al. Household-Level Determinants of Participation in Forest Support Programmes in the Miombo Landscapes, Zambia. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2713
Authors: Kazungu Moses , Zhunusova Eliza , Kabwe Gillian , Günter Sven
Published: May 2021

The authors would like to make the following corrections about the published paper [...]
Regenerative Democracy for Envisioning and Fostering Flourishing Societies
Authors: Casarejos Fabricio , Rufin Carlos , Engel Ivan
Published: May 2021

The main objective of this article is to propose a new concept of Regenerative Democracy for envisioning and fostering flourishing societies. In pursuing this goal, this study is structured in three research strands, as follows: (i) the proposition of a cohesive set of indices for assessing global democracy and its historical crisis, stability, and transitioning regimes; (ii) an evaluation of empirical correlations and interdependencies between global sustainability and democracy; and (iii) the proposition of a new concept of Regenerative Democracy and its respective system dynamics modeling archetype for portraying societal transitions and their respective patterns of behavior over time. The overall results and discussion of this study indicate an empirical trend of democratic instability, comprising a decline in quality distribution among democratic states and an increasing risk of socio-ecological degeneration. These results also reveal a highly interdependent relationship between historical achievements of essential societal needs and global democratic stability and consolidation. Finally, flourishing societies relies on social equity, political participation, intergenerational justice and solidarity, long-term thinking, and synergistic relationships between societies and Earth’s life-giving systems.
A Comparative Time-Series Investigation of China and U.S. Manufacturing Industries’ Global Supply-Chain-Linked Economic, Mid and End-Point Environmental Impacts
Authors: Saber Mustafa , Eğilmez Gökhan , Gedik Ridvan , Park Yong Shin
Published: May 2021

Manufacturing activities of China and the U.S. account for a substantial portion of the global manufacturing output and environmental sustainability impacts. The two countries’ economies account for one third of the global economic output. Their supply chains are critically linked with and serve most of the production and service industries across the globe. Recent global trends in manufacturing necessitate a study that comparatively analyzes the two countries’ manufacturing industries from an economic and environmental perspective. In this paper, U.S. and China manufacturing industries were investigated to analyze the economic and mid and endpoint environmental impacts over a 20-year study period. The literature is abundant with single period and single country focused works, and this study contributes to the state-of-art by extending the temporal dimension to 20 years and spatial focus to the global economy (40 countries and rest of the world). In terms of the methodology, Multi-region input-output (MRIO) models were built using the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) as the primary database, global input-output tables, environmental impact and economic output multipliers, and manufacturing industries’ final demand. Twenty MRIO models, each comprised of 40 major economies and the rest of the world (ROW), were built to cover the global trade linkages, which yielded the global supply chain linked cradle-to-gate life cycle inventory (LCI) of economic outputs and environmental impacts. The environmental LCI was extended to midpoint (Global Warming Potential (GWP) and Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP)) and endpoint (human health and ecosystem) impact dimensions by ReCipe framework. Lastly, the relative impact of a unit change in Leontief inverse, final demand and Green House Gas (GHG) emission multipliers on the total economic output and environmental impacts were explored with structural decomposition analysis (SDA). Results indicated that both countries’ manufacturing industries experienced positive economic output growth, in which China was more dominant in recent years. Both countries’ manufacturing industries’ midpoint and endpoint impacts were found to be steeply rising despite the negative growth observed in emissions intensities. The amount of GHG emissions and related midpoint (global warming and ozone depletion) and endpoint (damage to ecosystems and human life) impacts seemed to be quickly worsening in China compared to the USA.
“Imported Buddhism” or “Co-Creation”? Buddhist Cultural Heritage and Sustainability of Tourism at the World Heritage Site of Lumbini, Nepal
Authors: Shinde Kiran
Published: May 2021

Lumbini—the birthplace of Buddha—was declared a World Heritage Site (WHS) in 1997. This recognition came following sustained efforts by many international organizations and the UN-led master plan that was prepared in the 1970s. Almost 50 years in the making, the Lumbini sacred precinct (WHS) is still a work in progress. Based on the fieldwork conducted in December 2019, this paper examines international and domestic visitation patterns and the complexities of tourism management in Lumbini, and explores the challenges it faces in attracting an international community of Buddhist followers and those interested in Buddhist heritage. Situated amidst a rural hinterland comprising non-Buddhist populations, the Lumbini Sacred Garden master plan covers an area of about 4.5 km2. It has a special “monastic zone” for the construction of 39 international monasteries (13 plots for followers of Theravada and 29 plots for Mahayana monasteries) of which 13 have been built (notable are the Thai, Japanese, Burmese, Sri Lankan, Chinese, Bhutanese, Korean, and European monasteries). The unique architectural styles and following of rituals and cultural practices traditional to the sponsoring native country make these international monasteries into “attractions” for foreign and domestic tourists. This mixing pot of Buddhist cultural heritage can be understood using the conceptual approach of co-creation. However, in practical terms, it is perceived as “imported Buddhism”, based on the resources (both tangible and intangible) that international communities bring to Lumbini. The active role of international monasteries constrains opportunities for the participation of local businesses in the religious tourism economy. Moreover, the limited opportunities for interpretation of this co-created heritage reinforces a sense of alienation for the local community, and poses challenges for the sustainability of tourism and the vitality of Lumbini as a WHS.
Increasing Urban Walkability through Citizens’ Participation Processes
Authors: Scorza Francesco , Fortunato Giovanni , Carbone Raffaella , Murgante Beniamino , Pontrandolfi Piergiuseppe
Published: May 2021

The work is focused on the integration of space syntax analysis (SSA) in a process of participatory planning focused on a neighbourhood scale where the challenge of promoting pedestrian-friendly regeneration process is a bottom-up priority. The promotion of active mobility is one of the main themes of the urban regeneration project CAST operating on the western part of the city of Potenza (capital of the Basilicata region, Italy). Both the state of the art of the case study area and the potential effects of the intervention proposed on the basis of the participatory process have been assessed by SSA as a walkability assessment method. By measuring a street network’s syntactic parameters, it was possible to further enrich the cognitive framework relating to the current situation and to simultaneously evaluate the effects (in terms of potential movement and social usage) deriving from design interventions. The paper presents a methodology to evaluate the urban pedestrian environment and to provide an insight for walking-related intervention and improvements in neighbourhood-scale planning, according to a participatory approach. The research, based on specific local characteristics, represents a transferable approach to supporting and informing policy-makers and designers engaged in inclusive and participative urban regeneration projects.
Sustainability of Investment Projects with Energy Efficiency and Non-Energy Efficiency Costs: Case Examples of Public Buildings
Authors: Đukić Mališa , Zidar Margareta
Published: May 2021

According to the European Commission Energy Union strategy from 2015, some of the main objectives are to improve energy efficiency, reduce dependence on energy imports, cut emissions, and drive jobs and growth. Achieving the objectives of the Energy Union requires significant financing, particularly for investments in energy efficiency. Serbia and Croatia included the objectives of the Energy Union in their national strategies and have implemented various investment projects in this area. This paper focuses on the sustainability of energy efficiency projects for public buildings which include not only energy efficiency investment cost but also non-energy efficiency investments. By applying the European Commission methodology for cost-benefit analysis, we assessed the sustainability of several projects in Serbia and Croatia. The sustainability assessment is done by quantifying energy savings, greenhouse gas emission reductions and the social and economic benefits that are related to non-energy efficiency project components. The values of economic performance indicators imply that society would be better off with projects that would contribute to achieving not only the targets set in national energy strategies but also to creating broader social benefits.
Water, Food Availability, and Anthropogenic Influence Determine the Nesting-Site Selection of a Desert-Dwelling Bird, Xinjiang Ground-Jay (Podoces biddulphi)
Authors: Tong Yuping , Xu Feng , Blank David , Yang Weikang
Published: May 2021

Nesting-site selection is an important aspect of the breeding process in birds, as it usually determines nesting and breeding successes. Many factors can affect bird nest-site selection, including anthropogenic disturbance. In an extreme desert environment, such as the Taklamakan Desert in China, birds’ survival pressure is high, especially for rare species such as the Xinjiang Ground-jay (Podoces biddulphi). We studied nest-site selection in this species from March 2017 to May 2019. A Chi-square test, independent sample t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and generalized linear models were applied to possible nest-site selection factors for Xinjiang Ground-jays. The main determining factors were the distances to human settlements, water, and the edge of the oasis. Xinjiang Ground-jays nested near available water resources for easier access, which is important in arid environments. Individuals chose to nest far from the oasis edges and settlements to increase food availability and reduce interference from human activities, respectively. Overall, water, food availability, and anthropogenic influence were the main factors affecting the nest-site selection of Xinjiang Ground-jays in this study. Therefore, these results suggest that there is a trade-off between survival and reproduction. Further studies are required to verify whether similar site preferences may also apply to other desert-dwelling species.
Online Analytics for Shrimp Farm Management to Control Water Quality Parameters and Growth Performance
Authors: Kajornkasirat Siriwan , Ruangsri Jareeporn , Sumat Charuwan , Intaramontri Pete
Published: May 2021

An online analytic service system was designed as a web and a mobile application for shrimp farmers and shrimp farm managers to manage the growth performance of shrimp. The MySQL database management system was used to manage the shrimp data. The Apache Web Server was used for contacting the shrimp database, and the web content displays were implemented with PHP script, JavaScript, and HTML5. Additionally, the program was linked with Google Charts to display data in various graphs, such as bar graphs and scatter diagrams, and Google Maps API was used to display water quality factors that are related to shrimp growth as spatial data. To test the system, field survey data from a shrimp farm in southern Thailand were used. Growth performance of shrimp and water quality data were collected from 13 earthen ponds in southern peninsular Thailand, located in the Surat Thani, Krabi, Phuket, and Satun provinces. The results show that the system allowed administrators to manage shrimp and farm data from the field sites. Both mobile and web applications were accessed by the users to manage the water quality factors and shrimp data. The system also provided the data analysis tool required to select a parameter from a list box and shows the association between water quality factors and shrimp data with a scatter diagram. Furthermore, the system generated a report of shrimp growth for the different farms with a line graph overlay on Google Maps™ in the data entry suite via mobile application. Online analytics for the growth performance of shrimp as provided by this system could be useful as decision support tools for effective shrimp farming.
Digital Tools to Foster Inclusiveness: Porto’s System of Accessible Itineraries
Authors: Lopes Miguel , Alves Fernando
Published: May 2021

The recognition, by public authorities, of the shared nature of urban places and the extent and variety of disabling conditions associated with the emergence of phenomena of social exclusion and a steadily ageing population has motivated the creation of new legislation and strategic tools under the umbrella of inclusive design and accessibility for all. This study aims to show how the use of a new interactive accessibility instrument—the System of Accessible Itineraries (SIA)—can help decision-makers, municipality services and citizens to develop pedestrian-friendly networks in their cities. An in loco analysis of the main features, weaknesses, and potential of public spaces was undertaken within a selected survey area in the city of Porto, with the aim of improving the inclusiveness of public spaces. The integration of several concerns and regulations, pertaining to inclusiveness in the design of public spaces, into an easy-to-understand summary specific to this territory constitutes an important first step towards changing the existing paradigm. Apart from the inherent advantages to citizens with reduced mobility, the SIA also has the ability to inform urban planners concerning areas in need of intervention, prioritizing the execution of corrective actions within the public space. Additionally, due to the morphological similarity of the consolidated urban fabric of most Portuguese and European cities, the adopted interactive framework also reveals a considerable potential for comprehensive replication in many city centres, reducing the physical barriers, in a more integrative land strategy.
What Does It Take to Be a Good Lawyer? The Underpinnings of Success in a Rapidly Growing Legal Market
Authors: Bialowolski Piotr , Weziak-Bialowolska Dorota
Published: May 2021

The study identified the principal professional domains leading to success in legal professions. Based on a sample of 300 Polish attorneys, with the use of confirmatory factor analysis and 22 specific items, four principal domains of success were discerned—professional skills, marketing skills, reputation, and ethics. The evolution of these domains in Poland between 2005 and 2017 was examined, revealing that the importance of marketing skills significantly increased, while the remaining three domains lost importance over the study period. The results also indicated that legal professionals were more inclined to value professional skills, marketing skills, and ethics when their clients had an ability to measure the quality of legal service provided. The same domains transpired as important for lawyers, who attributed high importance to the role of the bar.
Workplace Innovation and Organizational Performance in the Hospitality Industry
Authors: Stoffers Jol , Eringa Klaes , Niks Jamie , Kleefstra Anne
Published: May 2021

Change has become continuous, and innovation is a primary approach for hospitality, i.e., hotel companies, to become or remain economically viable and sustainable. An increasing number of management researchers are paying more attention to workplace rather than technological innovation. This study investigates workplace innovation in the Dutch hotel industry, in three- and four-star hotels in the Netherlands, by comparing them to other industries. Two samples were questioned using the Workplace Innovation survey created by the Dutch Network of Social Innovation (NSI). The first was conducted in the hospitality industry, and these data were compared with data collected in a sample of other industries. Results suggest that greater strategic orientation on workplace innovation and talent development has a positive influence on four factors of organizational performance. Greater internal rates of change, the ability to self-organize, and investment in knowledge also had positive influences on three of the factors—growth in revenue, sustainability, and absenteeism. Results also suggest that the hospitality industry has lower workplace innovation than other industries. However, no recent research has assessed to what degree the hospitality industry fosters workplace innovation, especially in the Netherlands. Next to that, only few studies have examined management in the Dutch hotel industry, how workplace innovation is used there, and whether it improves practices.
Creating a Sustainable Education Environment with Augmented Reality Technology
Authors: Karagozlu Damla
Published: May 2021

As the COVID-19 epidemic caused new requirements in education, the use of various technologies and materials in science education has gained more importance for sustainability. Among other objectives, the subject of science aims to help students gain skills such as identifying problems, doing research, forming hypotheses, completing experiments, conducting analyses, and reporting the findings. Some of the problems experienced in science education are caused by the lack of tools and equipment. Through augmented reality (AR), a developing technology that is also used in the field of education, a digital layer is superimposed over authentic world images. The main aim of this study is to determine the views of students and teachers regarding augmented reality content developed for science education. The study group consists of 80 seventh-grade students and 4 science teachers. The study adopted a qualitative data collection method so the researchers developed and used semi-structured interview forms for the students and the teachers during the interviews. Both the students and the teachers reported the positive effects of AR practices on improving the understanding of science topics, offering a visual topic introduction, and contributing to the in-class interaction during class hours.
Reducing Environmental Risk by Applying a Polyvalent Model of Waste Management in the Restaurant Industry
Authors: Gruia Romulus , Florescu Gabriel-Iustin , Gaceu Liviu , Oprea Oana Bianca , Ţane Nicolae
Published: May 2021

A series of concerns regarding the circular economy and linked to a responsible attitude toward environmental protection, have been approached in this paper. These represent essential demands in order for restaurants to be profitable and sustainable in the future. The cost of food wastes has been taken into consideration as a strategic problem in the restaurant logistic chain. A literature review shows that there is a lack of appropriate knowledge and technology in dealing with eco-waste management. The paper presents a functional polyvalent model of the logistic chain of a restaurant, represented in the form of interconnected processes covered by the flows of food goods and wastes in different stages and operations, having associated the flows of optimized costs. The application of the sustainable technology model and waste management system is illustrated by a case study from Brașov County, Romania. The research proves that applying the “polyvalent model of improvement of waste management practices” has positive effects concerning the possibilities of minimizing physical waste to reduce the volume of waste from restaurant activity, to reduce costs with waste elimination, and to create value-added, by reusing and recycling food raw materials. Results show that by applying the TEWAMA-R model to food preparation, the total amount of reused beef waste per month increased to 33.4% and the recycling of waste increased to 41.1% (given that all waste was disposed of in application of standard technology). The disposal was reduced from 100% to 25.5%. The presented model allows for environmental impact reduction in the restaurant industry by reducing/eliminating waste or by-products that are carriers of huge resources of water and energy.