bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colocated MIMO Radar Waveform-Array Joint Optimization for Sparse Array
Authors: Yin Jinrong , Ma Rui , Lin Mingcong , Zhou Shenghua
Published: April 2023

Colocated multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar can transmit a group of distinct waveforms via its colocated transmit antennas and the waveform diversity leads to several advantages in contrast to conventional phased-array radar. The performance depends highly on the degrees available, and element spacing can be deemed as another source of degrees of freedom. In this paper, we study the joint waveform and element spacing optimization problem. A joint waveform and array optimization criterion is proposed to match the transmit beampattern, the suppression range, and the angular sidelobes, under the constraints of minimal element spacing and total array aperture. Meanwhile, the effect of receive beamforming on suppressing mutual correlation between returns from different spatial directions is also incorporated into the optimization criterion. The optimization problem is solved by the sequential quadratic programming algorithm. Numerical results indicate that with more degrees of freedom from array spacings, colocated MIMO radar achieves a better transmit beampattern matching performance and a lower sidelobe level, compared with a fixed half-wavelength spaced array, but the benefits from additional degrees of freedom from array spacing optimization have a limit.
Secrecy Capacity Enhancement in Active IRS-Assisted UAV Communication System
Authors: Miao Jiansong , Li Tongjie , Bai Shanling , Yan Shi , Zhao Yan
Published: April 2023

As a new technology for reconstructing communication environments, intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRSs) can be applied to UAV communication systems. However, some challenges exist in IRS-assisted UAV communication system design, such as physical layer security issues, IRS design, and power consumption issues owing to the limitation of the hardware. Therefore, a secrecy capacity optimization scheme for an active IRS-assisted unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) communication system is proposed to solve multi-user security issues. In particular, controllable power amplifiers are integrated into reflecting units to solve the problem of blocked links, and the UAV can dynamically select the served user according to the channel quality. In order to maximize the system average achievable secrecy capacity and ensure the power constraints of the UAV and active IRS, user scheduling, UAV trajectory, beamforming vector, and reflection matrix are jointly optimized, and the block coordinate descent (BCD) algorithm is applied to solve this non-convex problem. Simulation results show that the active IRS-assisted UAV communication scheme can significantly weaken the “multiplicative fading” effect and enhance the system secrecy capacity by 55.4% and 11.9% compared with the schemes with passive IRS and without optimal trajectory, respectively.
Mobile Devices and Sensors for an Educational Multimedia Opera Project
Authors: Dannenberg Roger B. , Sastre Jorge , Scarani Stefano , Lloret Nuria , Carrascosa Elizabeth
Published: April 2023

Interactive computer-based music systems form a rich area for the exploration of collaborative systems where sensors play an active role and are important to the design process. The Soundcool system is a collaborative and educational system for sound and music creation as well as multimedia scenographic projects, allowing students to produce and modify sounds and images with sensors, smartphones and tablets in real time. As a real-time collaborative performance system, each performance is a unique creation. In a comprehensive educational project, Soundcool is used to extend the sounds of traditional orchestral instruments and opera singers with electronics. A multidisciplinary international team participates, resulting in different performances of the collaborative multimedia opera The Mother of Fishes in countries such as Spain, Romania, Mexico and the USA.
Intelligent Health Assessment of Aviation Bearing Based on Deep Transfer Graph Convolutional Networks under Large Speed Fluctuations
Authors: Zhao Xiaoli , Zhu Xingjun , Yao Jianyong , Deng Wenxiang , Cao Yudong , Ding Peng , Jia Minping , Shao Haidong
Published: April 2023

As a critical support and fixed component of aero engines, electro-hydrostatic actuators, and other equipment, the operation of aviation bearings is often subject to high speed, high-temperature rise, large load, and other continuous complex fluctuation conditions, which makes their health assessment tasks more difficult. To solve this problem, an intelligent health assessment method based on a new Deep Transfer Graph Convolutional Network (DTGCN) is proposed for aviation bearings under large speed fluctuation conditions. First, a new DTGCN algorithm is designed, which mainly uses the domain adaptation mechanism to enhance the performance of Graph Convolutional Network (GCN) and the generalization performance of transfer properties. Specifically, order spectrum analysis is employed to resample the vibration signals of aviation bearings and transform them into order spectral signals. Then, the trained 1dGCN is used as the feature extractor, and the designed Dynamic Multiple Kernel Maximum Mean Discrepancy (DMKMMD) is calculated to match the difference in edge distribution. Finally, the aligned features are fed into the softmax classifier for intelligent health assessment. The effectiveness of the proposed diagnostic algorithm and method are validated by using aviation bearing fault data set under large speed fluctuation conditions.
Digital Documentation and Conservation of Architectural Heritage Information: An Application in Modern Chinese Architecture
Authors: Chen Yuheng , Wu Yanming , Sun Xueyun , Ali Naubada , Zhou Qi
Published: April 2023

With the rapid advancement of technology, accurate and reliable architectural heritage information is increasingly in demand in the fields of cultural heritage and architectural conservation. This study aimed to establish a positive and harmonious relationship between architectural heritage and urban renewal in China’s sustainable urbanization process by documenting and conserving Chinese architectural heritage information. This work focuses on integrating architectural heritage information into multilevel and multi-dimensional information using scientific and standardized classification methods for documenting and conserving Chinese architectural heritage. The former site of the provisional Senate of the Nanjing National Government was studied and documented for this purpose. A precise 3D modeling for the components of architectural heritage and building information modeling (BIM) technology based on the two-dimensional (2D) drawings and component information were studied, analyzed, and used for restoration. Finally, a component “family” library was created using the common components of existing historical buildings. The results showed that the proposed method could provide both 3D and 2D drawings directly in the digital protection of historical buildings to monitor, repair, and protect architectural heritage, particularly historical buildings, throughout their life cycle. Overall, this work highlights the importance of protecting architectural heritage in sustainable urbanization and proposes an effective method for achieving this goal.
Investigating the Relationship between Users’ Behavioral Intentions and Learning Effects of VR System for Sustainable Tourism Development
Authors: Su Po-Yuan , Hsiao Peng-Wei , Fan Kuo-Kuang
Published: April 2023

Macao is a tourist city. It is home to the Ruins of Saint Paul’s, a unique 100-year-old landmark, which is still standing with manual maintenance, even after three fires and reconstruction events. Therefore, the continuous preservation of its culture, heritage education, and construction are important issues for Macao. With the development of digital technology in recent years, users can quickly search historical sites and save two-dimensional and three-dimensional images and videos through smartphones. These methods also enhance the communication power of culture. Virtual browsing on a smartphone requires computing power and storage space; yet, virtual reality devices are not widely used. Therefore, augmented reality and virtual reality are rarely used simultaneously for three-dimensional interactive guided tours and operation experiences on the same theme. However, by quickly creating virtual reality scenarios and preserving historical sites on mobile devices, 4DAGE’s 4DKanKan technology can provide augmented reality and metaverse virtual reality experiences. 4DKanKan can also integrate mobile guides and navigation software to connect mobile devices and assist in cultural inheritance and conduct sustainable education. This research linked this technology to the web by incorporating augmented reality and virtual reality technology to make designs and discussed the influences among service design, behavioral intentions, and learning effects. We collated and analyzed relevant data and text materials through systematic testing, observation, operation processes, and semi-structured interviews. The PLS multigroup structural model was used to explore and analyze the degree of influence and explanatory power of system quality, information quality, behavioral intention, and learning effects among themselves. The results of this study show that most users accepted the proposed innovative mode of operation and found it to be interesting and fun. Augmented reality is not limited by space or time; however, virtual reality devices taking too long to operate, switching too frequently, and having too many functional interfaces can cause operational problems. This study identified and modified the influencing factors and problems of the proposed system, with the aim of continuing to expand the applications of 4DKanKan to other cultural attractions or museums in the future. In addition, the research results can provide a reference for the sustainable development of related cultural sites.
The Impact of VR/AR-Based Consumers’ Brand Experience on Consumer–Brand Relationships
Authors: Zeng Jing-Yun , Xing Yisitie , Jin Chang-Hyun
Published: April 2023

This study aims to identify types of virtual/augmented reality–based brand experiences (VR/AR experiences) to understand their impacts on consumer–brand relationships. For this study, brand experiences were divided into four types: entertainment, aesthetic, educational, and real-escape experiences. Today, consumers can experience virtual/augmented reality–based brand experiences. In this study, a survey of consumers who participated in brand experiences was conducted. A total of 518 consumers participated in the survey. To verify the study hypotheses, structural equation modeling was conducting using the EQS 6 program. The results confirmed that entertainment, aesthetic, educational, and real-escape experiences were the main types of brand experiences that consumers accessed through AR/VR technologies. Additionally, brand experiences utilizing VR/AR technologies were found to affect consumer–brand relationship-building. Moreover, consumer–brand relationships were found to have a positive effect on consumer satisfaction, which, in turn, had a positive effect on purchase intentions. Furthermore, perceived brand authenticity played an important role in moderating the relationship between the brand experience types and consumer–brand relationship-building. It was found that there were interactions between study participants who perceived brand authenticity as high or low with all regulatory variables. These empirical studies of actual consumers’ AR and VR have the advantage of being able to present the most reliable analysis method for researchers to access their goals through various statistical data and analysis techniques. One of the most important factors in empirical research is sample size. This is because samples have a significant impact on generalizing the results. This means that the validity of the research results is high. The impact of VR and AR on sustainability examined in this study, the impact of VR and AR, and consumer-brand relationship building tried to deviate from the existing perspective in explaining sustainable behavior. It is judged that it contributed to grasping the causal relationship by establishing the relationship with the variables of brand experience with VR and AR and purchase intention. The fact that this study established the impact of VR and AR experience in predicting sustainable behavior of consumers contributed to the field of sustainable marketing.
Protective Relaying Coordination in Power Systems Comprising Renewable Sources: Challenges and Future Insights
Authors: Agwa Ahmed M. , El-Fergany Attia A.
Published: April 2023

This article provides a comprehensive review of optimal relay coordination (ORC) in distribution networks (DNs) that include distributed generators (DGs). The integration of DGs into DNs has become a real challenge for power system protection, as the power flow changes from unidirectional to bidirectional, which complicates the relay settings. The introduction of DGs in DNs requires changes and modifications in the protective schemes to maintain proper operation, reliability, stability, and security of the system. This paper focuses on the impacts of DGs penetration into DNs, including the effects on protective scheme coordination. Various expressions for characterizing the overcurrent (OC) coordination problem, as well as related solution attempts, are discussed. Several optimization strategies and techniques are suggested by scientists to deal with coordination optimization problems aiming to achieve less computation time and better accuracy. All these efforts ultimately aim to define optimal relay settings to achieve ORC by generating the optimal setting of cascading relative OC relays. This comprehensive review provides a broad overview of the contributions of scholars in recent publications in this field, with more than 210 articles reviewed and analyzed. It is a valuable resource for other researchers in the same field who aim to tackle ORC problems in their future endeavors.
Teacher Evaluation in Primary and Secondary Schools: A Systematic Review of SSCI Journal Publications from 2012 to 2022
Authors: Wei Xiangdong , Chow Man-Kong , Huang Lisha , Huang Xinyi , Cheng Gary
Published: April 2023

This study revealed the current situation and developments in teacher evaluation in primary and secondary schools by reviewing 54 articles published in the recent decade (i.e., from January 2012 to October 2022). The coding scheme was developed based on the three components of effective teacher evaluation systems: “what”, “how”, and “who”. Specifically, we investigated the frameworks used for teacher evaluation, methods of evaluation, and participants in teacher evaluation. Based on our results, most studies evaluated teachers from the dimension of Instructional Support. Evaluation through video recording became popular due to technological advancement. Further, an increasing number of schools invited external experts to conduct teacher evaluations to ensure fairness. We also identified several crucial factors for teacher development: effective use of teaching resources and technology, high-quality feedback and communication, emotional support, classroom organization, and professional responsibilities. Due to COVID-19, many schools adopted distance learning, prompting the need to develop technological skills for teachers. Through the in-depth analysis of the current situation and development trends in the various dimensions of teacher evaluation in primary and secondary education, future research directions and issues were discussed and explored in this review.
e-Learning as a Doubled-Edge Sword for Academic Achievements of University Students in Developing Countries: Insights from Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Md Jahangir , Ogawa Keiichi , Islam Sheikh Rashid Bin
Published: April 2023

e-Learning is popular in various developed countries, but it is still underutilized in many developing countries. During COVID-19, when technology was utilized to overcome these obstacles in delivering education globally, e-Learning became widespread in developing nations. In turn, this promoted e-Learning in all types of educational institutions, specifically in higher-level institutions, such as universities. e-Learning has become vital to students’ learning and academic achievement. Despite the positive global impact of e-Learning, Bangladesh’s situation is quite different. Where socio-economic inequality and the digital divide are pervasive, it results in unequal learning gains and opportunities for university students. Consequently, this affects students’ academic achievements. Despite the importance of the topic, there is an existing knowledge gap. This study aims to fill the gap by investigating the effect of e-Learning on the academic achievements of university students in Bangladesh. The study utilizes a mixed methodology. A total of 275 university students participated in this study. The findings of this study demonstrated that students lack access to technological devices and digital literacy, which, in turn, has negatively affected their academic achievement in conjunction with the advancement of e-Learning. Hence, this study recommends that the government offset adverse effects to ensure students utilize e-Learning appropriately.
Plant Diversity and Species Composition in Relation to Soil Enzymatic Activity in the Novel Ecosystems of Urban–Industrial Landscapes
Authors: Bierza Wojciech , Czarnecka Joanna , Błońska Agnieszka , Kompała-Bąba Agnieszka , Hutniczak Agnieszka , Jendrzejek Bartosz , Bakr Jawdat , Jagodziński Andrzej M. , Prostański Dariusz , Woźniak Gabriela
Published: April 2023

The primary producers and processes of matter and energy flow, reflected by the soil enzyme activity, are the basics of all ecosystem functioning processes. This paper reviews the relationships between the plant diversity, the physicochemical substrate parameters, and the soil enzymatic activity in novel ecosystems of the urban–industrial landscape, where the factors driving soil enzyme activity are not fully understood and still need to be studied. The relationship between the biotic and abiotic factors in the development of novel ecosystems on de novo established habitats, e.g., sites of post-mineral excavation, are shaped in ways unknown from the natural and the semi-natural habitats. The main criteria of de novo established ecosystems are the vegetation patches of the non-analogous species composition created as a result of human impact. The non-analogous species assemblages are associated with different microorganism communities because the biomass and the biochemistry of soil organic matter influence the enzyme activity of soil substrates. Moreover, the soil enzyme activity is an indicator that can dynamically reflect the changes in the microbial community structure dependent on the best-adapted plant species, thanks to the particular traits and individual adaptive adjustments of all the plant species present. This way, soil enzyme activity reflects the sum and the interactions of the elements of the ecosystem structure, irrespective of the vegetation history and the habitat origin.
Analyzing the Influence of eWOM on Customer Perception of Value and Brand Love in Hospitality Enterprise
Authors: Alshreef Mohamed A. , Hassan Thowayeb H. , Helal Mohamed Y. , Saleh Mahmoud I. , Tatiana Palei , Alrefae Wael M. , Elshawarbi Nabila N. , Al-Saify Hassan N. , Salem Amany E. , Elsayed Mohamed A. S.
Published: April 2023

Studying brand love is vital for hospitality establishments because it helps them understand their customers’ feelings and perceptions toward their brands, especially with the growing number of hospitality brands. However, previous hospitality research has neglected the relationship between customer value and brand love. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of customer value on brand love of fast-food restaurants with a moderating role of electronic word of mouth. The research model was empirically evaluated on 385 fast-food restaurant brand customers in Greater Cairo, Egypt, who had previously participated in restaurants’ online communities. We used structural equation modeling to examine the research data. Results indicated that customer value is crucial in increasing brand love sub-dimensions (i.e., intimacy, passion, and commitment). The results also confirmed that the utilitarian value affects more than the hedonic value of brand love sub-dimensions, and the latter significantly impacted customer loyalty. In addition, electronic word of mouth moderated the relationship between the two types of customer value and brand love sub-dimensions. Hence, the current study adds a new factor (i.e., customer value) that affects the brand love of restaurants to the hospitality literature. Accordingly, the study will present several practical implications to increase customer value and, thus, brand love and customer loyalty.
Tourism Recovery and Sustainability Post Pandemic: An Integrated Approach for Kenya’s Tourism Hotspots
Authors: Chiawo David , Haggai Collins , Muniu Veronica , Njuguna Rose , Ngila Peggy
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry, leading to global economic and societal disruptions, and a growing risk of a global recession. This project aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on conservation, communities, and businesses in Masai Mara, and identify critical factors for sustainable tourism recovery. Four objectives were explored: (1) awareness of critical factors for tourism recovery and sustainability during and after the pandemic period; (2) socio-economic vulnerabilities of indigenous communities to COVID-19; (3) lessons learned to enhance adaptation and resilience; and (4) the impact of COVID-19 on conservation management of the destination. We used mixed methods, including field observations, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, to collect data from tourism industry businesses and policymakers in the Masai Mara conservation area. The findings indicated a negative large-scale effect on conservation, tourism business, and communities in the area. The study recommends integrated interventions by both county and national governments, targeting small, medium, and micro enterprises. The persistence of the economic damage to the tourism sector will depend on how both county and national governments handle policy interventions towards the funding of tourism SMMEs, the community livelihood programme, and conservation partnerships to incentivize tourism recovery.
“This Is Where We Have Scored”: Exploring the Interface between Project and Institutional Sustainability Facilitated by a Faith-Based Development Organisation in Sierra Leone
Authors: Morse Stephen , McNamara Nora
Published: April 2023

This paper explores the issue of project sustainability through an analysis of the experiences of a Faith-Based Development Organisation (FBDO) in Bo, Sierra Leone. The FBDO in question was approached by members of their local Catholic Women Association (CWA) to help them with the planning and management of a farm that had been donated to them by a chief. They agreed to this, and a series of workshops were held in June 2014, along with follow-up discussions with local experts and businesses as to what could be done to help support the women in their endeavour. Amongst other priorities, the women identified the need for the farm to produce food, income and help with their development. However, an outbreak of the Ebola virus that occurred between 2014 and 2016, following as it did on the back of an 11-year (1991–2002) civil war in Sierra Leone, led to a re-evaluation of the farm project in the eyes of the FBDO as they decided to shift to earlier priorities in education and health care. Given the constraints regarding resources and personnel, community projects, such as the CWA farm project, became of much lesser importance even though it resonated strongly with the goals of the FBDO and government, and had garnered much support amongst international donors. The paper sets out that story, beginning with the workshops and discussions held in 2014, and the ramifications of these responses to various ‘shocks’, such as those presented by the civil war and disease outbreaks (Ebola and COVID-19); it also provides recommendations that might be of use regarding the interface between project and institutional sustainability within FBDOs and, indeed, the wider community of development organisations.
Acceptance of Social Media for Study Purposes—A Longitudinal Case Study
Authors: Černá Miloslava , Borkovcová Anna
Published: April 2023

Background: Social media is a ubiquitous phenomenon that serves as a tool for communication, collaboration, and creativity. In the long term, it has an indispensable place in the field of education. The research paper discusses the use of certain social networking sites where learning management systems are extensively and consistently used in the teaching and learning process at universities. The rapid transition to online platforms had a tremendous impact on the educational process, exposing and promoting the effectiveness of heutagogy. The circumstances made it necessary to emphasize the value of self-directed learning and the capacity to identify educational requirements and strategies for reaching study objectives. This kind of research corresponds to the increased need to develop desired self-study skills in students. Objectives: The goal of the paper is to demonstrate how undergraduate students perceive the trends in acceptance and the degree of appropriateness of social media for academic purposes. Methods: Research on social media use in education was inspired by a review of the literature. The purpose of the questionnaire is to track awareness, use, general satisfaction, communication, testing, and revision. The set of social media examined in the survey (years 2021 and 2022) was modified to reflect the social media landscape at the time. This study compares the findings of four different studies. The outcomes are displayed in graphs. Results: Two areas are analyzed: social media as a means of communication in the process of education and social media as a tool enabling students’ revision and testing of study materials. The first two studies, which were conducted in 2014 and 2019, are based on the same set of examined social media and fit the comparison, enabling to define the trend in students’ perceived satisfaction with social media for study purposes. The third and fourth studies discussed in this paper were run during the winter semesters of 2021 and 2022. Conclusions: The most significant differences between 2021 and 2022 can be seen in Instagram, Twitch, and other platforms, where a substantial drop in satisfaction in the communication field can be seen. The biggest difference in revision and testing is found in Facebook, Twitch, and Teams, which are abandoning online teaching and learning after the COVID-19 event. Social media use for studying has significantly decreased, with noteworthy decreases in Wiki, Facebook, and video calls.
Using the DTFM Method to Analyse the Degradation Process of Bilateral Trade Relations between China and Australia
Authors: Han Xiaoyang , Ye Sijing , Ren Shuyi , Song Changqing
Published: April 2023

Quantitative assessment and visual analysis of the multidimensional features of international bilateral product trade are crucial for global trade research. However, current methods face poor salience and expression issues when analysing the characteristics of China—Australia bilateral trade from 1998 to 2019. To address this, we propose a new perspective that involves period division, feature extraction, construction of product space, and spatiotemporal analysis by selecting the display competitive advantage index using the digital trade feature map (DTFM) method. Our results reveal that the distribution of product importance in China—Australia bilateral trade is heavy-tailed, and that the number of essential products has decreased by 68% over time. The proportion of products in which China dominates increased from 71% to 77%. Furthermore, Australia consistently maintains dominance in the most crucial development in trade, and the supremacy of the head product is becoming stronger. Based on these findings, the stability of bilateral trade between Australia and China is declining, and the pattern of polarisation in the importance of traded products is worsening. This paper proposes a novel method for studying Sino—Australian trade support. The analytical approach presented can be extended to analyse the features of bilateral trade between other countries.
Coupling and Coordination between Digital Economy and Urban–Rural Integration in China
Authors: Man Jiacheng , Liu Jianxu , Cui Baomin , Sun Yuanqing , Sriboonchitta Songsak
Published: April 2023

The positive interaction between digital economy development and urban–rural relationship adjustment can both expand the contribution of technological factors and enhance the balance of urban–rural development. This paper aims to explore the trends and barriers to the coupled and coordinated development of the digital economy and urban–rural integration. This paper measures the degree of coupled coordination between the digital economy and urban–rural integration based on provincial panel data from 2013 to 2020 in China. Based on this, this paper investigates the characteristics and driving forces of the coupled coordination relationship through the chronological evolution method and geographically weighted regression. The results show that (1) the coupling relationship between the digital economy and urban–rural integration has improved substantially in Chinese provinces; (2) heterogeneity still exists at the provincial level; (3) this relationship is expected to be optimized over time; and (4) information construction, rational distribution, balanced growth, equalization of public services and digital-industry development does have a positive effect on the improvement of the coupled coordination relationship, and the popularity of the internet has a negative effect. Accordingly, this paper mainly draws the following conclusions. The coupling relationship between the digital economy and urban–rural integration in the Chinese provinces shows a tendency to be more coordinated. It is necessary to promote the development of the five positive drivers and to guide and regulate the negative drivers.
Climate-Risk Assessment Framework for Airports under Extreme Precipitation Events: Application to Selected Italian Case Studies
Authors: De Vivo Carmela , Barbato Giuliana , Ellena Marta , Capozzi Vincenzo , Budillon Giorgio , Mercogliano Paola
Published: April 2023

Extreme weather phenomena are increasing due to climate change and having a severe impact on critical infrastructure, including airports. In this context, conducting climate risk assessments is an essential step to implement appropriate adaptation strategies. In the present study, a climate-risk assessment framework is applied to evaluate the risk of extreme precipitation events for specific Italian airports: Malpensa, Bergamo, Linate, Fiumicino, Ciampino, Napoli, Catania, Palermo, and Cagliari. This analysis is based on the definition of risk as reported by Sixth Assessment Report of IPCC. The assessment of the climate hazard over the recent-past period (1981–2010) is evaluated through indicators developed from re-analysis data, using the Uncertainties in Ensemble of Regional Re-Analyses dataset are provided by Copernicus Climate Change Service. The expected climate variations are evaluated using an ensemble of high-resolution climate projections from the EURO-CORDEX initiative for the short- (2021–2050), medium- (2041–2070), and long-term future period (2071–2100), under RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5 climate scenarios. The information related to exposure and vulnerability indicators are collected from official documents and website of selected airports, and are freely available. The final risk index provides elements allowing stakeholders to implement adaptation measures to increase their resilience.
Citizen Participation for Sustainability and Resilience: A Generational Cohort Perspective on Community Brand Identity Perceptions and Development Priorities in a Rural Community
Authors: Paunovic Ivan , Müller Cathleen , Deimel Klaus
Published: April 2023

Citizen participation is deemed to be crucial for sustainability and resilience planning. However, generational equity has been missing from recent academic discussions regarding sustainability and resilience. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to reintroduce the topic of the existence or absence of an intergenerational consensus on the example of a rural community and its perceived brand image attributes and development priorities. The research is based on primary data collected through an online survey, with a sample size of N = 808 respondents in Neunkirchen-Seelscheid, Germany. The data were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test for the presence and/or absence of consensus among the five generations regarding brand image attributes and development priorities. The findings point to divergence between what the median values indicate as the most relevant brand image attributes and development priorities among the citizens and the areas where the Kruskal–Wallis test shows that an intergenerational consensus either does or does not exist. The results imply the need for new concepts and applied approaches to citizen participation for sustainability and resilience, where intergenerational dialogue and equity-building take center stage. In addition to the importance of the theory of citizen participation for sustainability and resilience, our results provide ample evidence for how sustainability and resilience planning documents could potentially benefit from deploying the concept of intergenerational equity. The present research provides sustainability and political science with new conceptual and methodological approaches for taking intergenerational equity into account in regional planning processes in rural and other areas.
An Analytical Solution for Unsteady Aerodynamic Forces on Streamlined Box Girders with Coupled Vibration
Authors: Wu Lianhuo , Zhang Mingjin , Jiang Fanying , Zhou Zelin , Li Yongle
Published: April 2023

This paper is a contribution to analyzing the aerodynamic forces on a streamlined box girder (SBG) with coupled vibration in a potential flow. The key enabling step was to assume that the normal velocity of the airflow at an arbitrary point on the surface of the SBG was equal to the normal velocity of the surface motion. The aerodynamic drag force, lift force, and pitching moment were expressed as functions of the motion state of the SBG and the SBG’s shape-related parameters. To investigate the applicability of this force model, the analytical solution at various angles of attack was compared with a numerical simulation in a viscous flow. The results imply that the amplitude of the analytical lift force and pitching moment agree well with the numerical results under the angles of attack of 0° and ±3°. Furthermore, the analytical drag force effectively predicts the second-order phenomenon resulting from the multiplication of the vertical and torsional vibration velocities. As a consequence, the present analytical solution provides an effective method for analyzing the aerodynamic forces acting on SBGs with coupled vibration.
Sustainable Business Performance: Examining the Role of Green HRM Practices, Green Innovation and Responsible Leadership through the Lens of Pro-Environmental Behavior
Authors: Liu Rangpeng , Yue Zhuo , Ijaz Ali , Lutfi Abdalwali , Mao Jie
Published: April 2023

Due to the recent economic crisis, the requirement for sustainable company performance has spread across the globe, with green initiatives being seen as the best way to address it. Recent literature and regulators have taken notice of this predicament. The deployment of green innovation, responsible leadership induction, and green human resource management (GHRM) techniques have been made necessary by the significant focus on attaining business sustainability. This study aims to provide light on the banking industry’s perception of how GHRM practices, green innovation, and responsible leadership affect business sustainability practices. The data were provided by 396 banking professionals employed by the top five commercial sector banks nationwide. By using the Mplus program for analysis, the study’s hypotheses were evaluated using structural equation modeling. The findings show a positive relationship between GHRM practices, ethical leadership, green process innovation, and sustainable company performance. However, an intriguing finding between responsible leadership and sustainable business performance was the role that pro-environmental conduct played as a partial mediator. The findings offer scholars and practitioners interested in firms’ sustainable business performance additional context-specific social, ecological, and financial implications. The effectiveness of GHRM practices, responsible leadership, and green innovation as a strategy to increase business sustainability in a developing country environment has only received minimal academic attention so far. A literary gap exists as few studies have been conducted to test the role of green HRM, responsible leadership, and green innovation’s impact on sustainable business practices. Small number of studies taken pro-environmental behaviors as a mediator in the recent past. In light of this, the present study has taken these behaviors as a mediator to test the mediation effect in the banking sector of Pakistan. So, the present study removed the gap by exploring the mediation effect of pro-environmental behaviors. The selection of Pakistan’s banking sector for analysis in the present study is a significant contribution to the literature because no studies have previously been conducted on Pakistan’s banking sector to analyze the role of green HRM practices, responsible leadership, and green innovation’s impact on sustainable business performance through the mediating role of their pro-environmental behavior. The present study provides guidelines to senior management in the banking sector to understand the role of green HRM practices, responsible leadership, and green innovation practices’ importance for sustainable business performance as sustainable performance is essential to excel in this competitive business world.
A Smart Co-Operative Management Framework Based on an EA Concept for Sustainable Development
Authors: Chawviang Anassaya , Kiattisin Supaporn , Thirasakthana Montree , Mayakul Theeraya
Published: April 2023

A smart co-operative management framework aims to apply ICT to provide better services and increase management efficiency. The findings of previous studies suggest that the framework is suitable for any co-operative organization that uses information technology to improve its services, management, and governance. Therefore, this paper has applied a smart co-operative management conceptual model to a smart co-operative management framework. It is a smart co-operative management concept that complies with strategic management for responding to technological disruption. A smart co-operative management framework combines business and technology to align the concept to establish efficiency and governance in co-operative management. This paper presents a smart co-operative management framework based on the EA concept for sustainable development in co-operative management. This framework was developed through a smart co-operative conceptual model, comprehensive literature review, and requirement analysis based on the conceptual framework consisting of five layers: business, application, data and information, infrastructure and technology, and governance. Content validity was used for evaluation. This framework demonstrates that technology could enhance the co-operative sector through the layers of applications, data, and information supported by infrastructure and technology. This study shows the framework for sustainable development co-operatives in the co-operative sector. It also creates value through enterprise architecture (EA) and the smart co-operative management concept.
Photocatalytic Degradation and Adsorptive Removal of Emerging Organic Pesticides Using Metal Oxide and Their Composites: Recent Trends and Future Perspectives
Authors: Shanaah Haneen H. , Alzaimoor Eman F. H. , Rashdan Suad , Abdalhafith Amina A. , Kamel Ayman H.
Published: April 2023

For applications involving water cleanup, metal oxide nanoparticles are exceptionally successful. They are useful for the adsorption and photocatalytic destruction of organic pollutants due to their distinctive qualities, which include their wide surface/volume area, high number of active sites, porous structure, stability, recovery, and low toxicity. Metal oxide nanomaterials have drawn a lot of attention from researchers in the past ten years because of their various production pathways, simplicity in surface modification, abundance, and inexpensive cost. A wide range of metal oxides, such as iron oxides, MgO, TiO2, ZnO, WO3, CuO, Cu2O, metal oxides composites, and graphene–metal oxides composites, with variable structural, crystalline, and morphological features, are reviewed, emphasizing the recent development, challenges, and opportunities for adsorptive removal and photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants such as dyes, pesticides, phenolic compounds, and so on. In-depth study of the photocatalytic mechanism of metal oxides, their composites, and photocatalytically important characteristics is also covered in this paper. Metal oxides are particularly effective photocatalysts for the degradation of organic pollutants due to their high photodegradation efficiency, economically sound methods for producing photo-catalytic materials, and precise band-gap engineering. Due to their detrimental effects on human health, pesticides—one of the highly hazardous organic pollutants—play a significant part in environmental contamination. Depending on where they come from and who they are targeting, they are categorized in various ways. Researchers focusing on metal oxides and their composites for the adsorptive and photocatalytic degradation of pesticides would find the review to be a beneficial resource. Detailed information on many pesticides, difficulties associated with pesticides, environmental concentration, and the necessity of degradation has been presented.
Recovery of Metals from Printed Circuit Boards by Gold-REC 1 Hydrometallurgical Process
Authors: Ippolito Nicolò Maria , Passadoro Marco , Ferella Francesco , Pellei Giorgio , Vegliò Francesco
Published: April 2023

The paper describes a small full-scale plant based on the Gold-REC 1 process, designed and patented by the University of L’Aquila; the hydrometallurgical process allows the treatment of printed circuit boards (PCBs). The first step is a mechanical treatment to reduce the size of the scraps below 2 mm. The extraction of base metals occurs in a first reactor by a sulfuric acid/hydrogen peroxide solution. After filtration, the solid is leached again with thiourea and ferric sulfate in a sulfuric acid solution to extract gold and silver. This second solution is sent to an electrolytic cell where gold is recovered as metal powder. The resulting solution undergoes a second electrowinning, where silver is deposited on the cathode. The first pregnant solution undergoes recovery of Cu and Sn. A simulation was developed using lab-scale trial results. The 350 tons PCBs/year, running in a batch operating mode, produces around 43.8 kg/year of gold, 85.8 kg/year of silver, 42.4 tons/year of copper, and 7.2 tons/year of tin oxide. The results show the profitability of the process: the net present value is EUR 10.7 M, with an internal rate of return of 150% and a discounted payback time of 2 years.
An Exploration of Drivers for Abandonment or Continuation of Summer Pasture Grazing in South Tyrol, Italy
Authors: Stauder Julia , Meimberg Harald , Kriechbaum Monika
Published: April 2023

Summer pasture grazing is perceived as being under pressure from renewed wolf presence in the Italian Alpine province of South Tyrol. To investigate this, we combined a literature review with expert interviews to (1) get an overview of the situation of small ruminant farming and (2) identify drivers with an influence on summer pasture use, including wolf presence. Firstly, the results show an increase in small ruminant farms and stock numbers in the valley and on summer pastures during the last years. Secondly, subsidy programs, off-farm employment, lack of personnel and tourism are some of the main drivers for summer pasture development in the past and future. Thirdly, this analysis detects the potential pressure of wolf presence on small ruminant summer farming. Nevertheless, this impact should still be considered modest compared to other driving processes that have started before the return of the wolves. Based on this, the study finally discusses the importance of focusing on targeted funding, the revalorization of the shepherd profession and the balance between tourism and livestock farming to support summer pasture farming in the future.
Flood Influence Characteristics of Rail Transit Engineering of Tunnel, Viaduct, and Roadbed through Urban Flood Detention Areas
Authors: Zhang Hui , Shen Xizhong , Yuan Yuan
Published: April 2023

Many subways, light rails, and trains travel through urban flood retention regions via tunnels, viaducts, and roadbeds; however, less is known about the flood influence laws of rail transportation by the crossing ways. Rail transit projects were chosen as research objects for the ordinary subway, light rail, and railway passing through urban flood detention areas in Wuhan, and the flood influence characteristics were systematically compared for the three crossing ways. The study revealed that crossing ways primarily affected the flood storage volume occupied per unit length of lines and that the flood influence of rail projects on flood detention areas was proportionate to the flood storage volume occupied per unit length of lines. Specifically, the flood storage volume occupied per unit length of tunnels was about 1/8.9 that of viaducts and 1/19.7 that of roadbeds. Moreover, the tunnel way had the least influence on the main aspects, such as flood control, floods on engineering, and engineering-related aspects; the roadbed-based way had the largest; and the viaduct way was in the middle. These findings may provide technical support for the decision-making, engineering planning, construction, and management of rail transit and other projects in urban flood detention areas.
Nurture: A Novel Approach to PSS-Rebound Effect Identification
Authors: Alfarisi Salman , Mitake Yuya , Tsutsui Yusuke , Wang Hanfei , Shimomura Yoshiki
Published: April 2023

The product–service system is a significant research subject related to business model innovation and sustainability. However, the product–service system feature has affected the consumption behaviour, affecting nurture. The authors identified an apparent knowledge gap in the prior literature concerning nurture in the product–service system. This study examined whether nurture should be a prominent issue in the product–service system since certain features can significantly affect the achievement of set targets by generating a rebound effect. This study demonstrated that the business model system is complex, with interconnected solutions and issues. Solutions are not implemented in isolation, therefore, each decision affects the system. This study employed feedback system thinking using system dynamics. To validate its findings against the actual situation, this study employed car-sharing as a case study. The findings of this study indicate that the variable of nurture is a significant indicator of profit growth but generates a deterioration in the environmental and social performance of product–service system implementation, which leads to a rebound effect of the product–service system.