bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Advances in the Determination of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids: From Standard Practices to Tailor-Designed Multidisciplinary Approaches
Authors: Huml Lukáš , Tauchen Jan , Rimpelová Silvie , Holubová Barbora , Lapčík Oldřich , Jurášek Michal
Published: December 2021

Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs), a group of compounds frequently misused by athletes and, unfortunately, also by the general population, have lately attracted global attention; thus, significant demands for more precise, facile, and rapid AAS detection have arisen. The standard methods ordinarily used for AAS determination include liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. However, good knowledge of steroid metabolism, pretreatment of samples (such as derivatization), and well-trained operators of the instruments are required, making this procedure expensive, complicated, and not routinely applicable. In the drive to meet current AAS detection demands, the scientific focus has shifted to developing novel, tailor-made approaches leading to time- and cost-effective, routine, and field-portable methods for AAS determination in various matrices, such as biological fluids, food supplements, meat, water, or other environmental components. Therefore, herein, we present a comprehensive review article covering recent advances in AAS determination, with a strong emphasis on the increasingly important role of chemically designed artificial sensors, biosensors, and antibody- and fluorescence-based methods.
The Dependence of Flue Pipe Airflow Parameters on the Proximity of an Obstacle to the Pipe’s Mouth
Authors: Węgrzyn Damian , Wrzeciono Piotr , Wieczorkowska Alicja
Published: December 2021

This paper describes the influence of the presence of an obstacle near the flue pipe’s mouth on the air jet, which directly affects the parameters of the sound generated by the flue pipe. Labial pipes of the most common types of mouth were tested. The method of interval calculus was used instead of invasive measuring instruments. The obtained results prove that the proximity of an obstacle affects the sound’s fundamental frequency, as the airflow speed coming out of the flue pipe’s mouth changes. The relationship between the airflow speed, the value of the Reynolds number, and the Strouhal number was also established. The thesis of the influence of the proximity of an obstacle on the fundamental frequency of the sound of a flue pipe was generalized, and formulas for calculating the untuning of the sound of the pipe were presented for various types of mouth.
A Survey of 802.15.4 TSCH Schedulers for a Standardized Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Urke Andreas , Kure Øivind , Øvsthus Knut
Published: December 2021

Concepts such as Industry 4.0 and Cyber-Physical Systems may bring forward a new industrial revolution. These concepts require extensive connectivity far beyond what is provided by traditional industrial networks. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) bridges this gap by employing wireless connectivity and IP networking. In order for wireless networks to meet the strict requirements of the industrial domain, the Time Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) MAC is often employed. The properties of a TSCH network are defined by the schedule, which dictates transmission opportunities for all nodes. We survey the literature for these schedulers, describe and organize them according to their operation: Centralized, Collaborative, Autonomous, Hybrid, and Static. For each category and the field as a whole, we provide a holistic view and describe historical trends, highlight key developments, and identify trends, such as the attention towards autonomous mechanisms. Each of the 76 schedulers is analyzed into their common components to allow for comparison between schedulers and a deeper understanding of functionality and key properties. This reveals trends such as increasing complexity and the utilization of centralized principles in several collaborative schedulers. Further, each scheduler is evaluated qualitatively to identify its objectives. Altogether this allows us to point out challenges in existing work and identify areas for future research, including fault tolerance, scalability, non-convergecast traffic patterns, and hybrid scheduling strategies.
Data-Driven Performance Evaluation Framework for Multi-Modal Public Transport Systems
Authors: Rodríguez González Ana Belén , Vinagre Díaz Juan José , Wilby Mark R. , Fernández Pozo Rubén
Published: December 2021

Transport agencies require accurate and updated information about public transport systems for the optimal decision-making processes regarding design and operation. In addition to assessing topology and service components, users’ behaviors must be considered. To this end, a data-driven performance evaluation based on passengers’ actual routes is key. Automatic fare collection platforms provide meaningful smart card data (SCD), but these are incomplete when gathered by entry-only systems. To obtain origin–destination (OD) matrices, we must manage complete journeys. In this paper, we use an adapted trip chaining method to reconstruct incomplete multi-modal journeys by finding spatial similarities between the outbound and inbound routes of the same user. From this dataset, we develop a performance evaluation framework that provides novel metrics and visualization utilities. First, we generate a space-time characterization of the overall operation of transport networks. Second, we supply enhanced OD matrices showing mobility patterns between zones and average traversed distances, travel times, and operation speeds, which model the real efficacy of the public transport system. We applied this framework to the Comunidad de Madrid (Spain), using 4 months’ worth of real SCD, showing its potential to generate meaningful information about the performance of multi-modal public transport systems.
Review of New Approaches for Fouling Mitigation in Membrane Separation Processes in Water Treatment Applications
Authors: El Batouti Mervette , Alharby Nouf F. , Elewa Mahmoud M.
Published: December 2021

This review investigates antifouling agents used in the process of membrane separation (MS), in reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), microfiltration (MF), membrane distillation (MD), and membrane bioreactors (MBR), and clarifies the fouling mechanism. Membrane fouling is an incomplete substance formed on the membrane surface, which will quickly reduce the permeation flux and damage the membrane. Foulant is colloidal matter: organic matter (humic acid, protein, carbohydrate, nano/microplastics), inorganic matter (clay such as potassium montmorillonite, silica salt, metal oxide, etc.), and biological matter (viruses, bacteria and microorganisms adhering to the surface of the membrane in the case of nutrients) The stability and performance of the tested nanometric membranes, as well as the mitigation of pollution assisted by electricity and the cleaning and repair of membranes, are reported. Physical, chemical, physico-chemical, and biological methods for cleaning membranes. Biologically induced biofilm dispersion effectively controls fouling. Dynamic changes in membrane foulants during long-term operation are critical to the development and implementation of fouling control methods. Membrane fouling control strategies show that improving membrane performance is not only the end goal, but new ideas and new technologies for membrane cleaning and repair need to be explored and developed in order to develop future applications.
Mass Timber Building Life Cycle Assessment Methodology for the U.S. Regional Case Studies
Authors: Gu Hongmei , Liang Shaobo , Pierobon Francesca , Puettmann Maureen , Ganguly Indroneil , Chen Cindy , Pasternack Rachel , Wishnie Mark , Jones Susan , Maples Ian
Published: December 2021

The building industry currently consumes over a third of energy produced and emits 39% of greenhouse gases globally produced by human activities. The manufacturing of building materials and the construction of buildings make up 11% of those emissions within the sector. Whole-building life-cycle assessment is a holistic and scientific tool to assess multiple environmental impacts with internationally accepted inventory databases. A comparison of the building life-cycle assessment results would help to select materials and designs to reduce total environmental impacts at the early planning stage for architects and developers, and to revise the building code to improve environmental performance. The Nature Conservancy convened a group of researchers and policymakers from governments and non-profit organizations with expertise across wood product life-cycle assessment, forest carbon, and forest products market analysis to address emissions and energy consumption associated with mass timber building solutions. The study disclosed a series of detailed, comparative life-cycle assessments of pairs of buildings using both mass timber and conventional materials. The methodologies used in this study are clearly laid out in this paper for transparency and accountability. A plethora of data exists on the favorable environmental performance of wood as a building material and energy source, and many opportunities appear for research to improve on current practices.
Key Success Factors for Medical Service Quality of Early Treatment and Rehabilitation for Children in Taiwan
Authors: Lin Chieh-Yu , Shih Fu-Chiang , Chou Ming-Tao , Ho Yi-Hui
Published: December 2021

Early treatment and rehabilitation medical service is one of the important items in rehabilitation medicine. The service quality is critical for developing organizational sustainability. Therefore, the key success factors for the quality of such services are worthy of study. The main focus of this study is to explore the key success factors of the quality of early treatment and rehabilitation medical service in Taiwan. This study adopted an expert questionnaire for professional therapists related to rehabilitation care in Taiwan, and developed a total of 5 evaluation dimensions and 17 key success factors according to the concept of SERVQUAL. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method was used to analyze the expert questionnaires. The research results show that reliability is the most important dimension to construct quality early treatment and rehabilitation medical services. The seven key success factors affecting the quality of early treatment and rehabilitation medical services are in the order of “Professional treatment meets the needs of the case”, “Therapists have professional knowledge and skills”, “Professionalism gives parents and the case confidence”, “Professional advice can be understood by parents”, “The treatment equipment is consistent with the treatment provided by the therapists”, “Provide professional treatment in a timely and appropriate manner”, and “Therapists are enthusiastic and professional in handling case problems”. The practical implications of the research findings are also discussed in the study.
Participatory Mapping for Strengthening Environmental Governance on Socio-Ecological Impacts of Infrastructure in the Amazon: Lessons to Improve Tools and Strategies
Authors: Mere-Roncal Carla , Cardoso Carrero Gabriel , Chavez Andrea Birgit , Almeyda Zambrano Angelica Maria , Loiselle Bette , Veluk Gutierrez Felipe , Luna-Celino Vanessa , Arteaga Marliz , Schmitz Bongiolo Eduardo , Segura Tomasi André , Van Damme Paul André , Lizarro Zapata Dennis Edgar , Broadbent Eben North
Published: December 2021

The Amazon region has been viewed as a source of economic growth based on extractive industry and large-scale infrastructure development endeavors, such as roads, dams, oil and gas pipelines and mining. International and national policies advocating for the development of the Amazon often conflict with the environmental sector tasked with conserving its unique ecosystems and peoples through a sustainable development agenda. New practices of environmental governance can help mitigate adverse socio-economic and ecological effects. For example, forming a “community of practice and learning” (CoP-L) is an approach for improving governance via collaboration and knowledge exchange. The Governance and Infrastructure in the Amazon (GIA) project, in which this study is embedded, has proposed that fostering a CoP-L on tools and strategies to improve infrastructure governance can serve as a mechanism to promote learning and action on factors related to governance effectiveness. A particular tool used by the GIA project for generating and sharing knowledge has been participatory mapping (Pmap). This study analyzes Pmap exercises conducted through workshops in four different Amazonian regions. The goal of Pmap was to capture different perspectives from stakeholders based on their experiences and interests to visualize and reflect on (1) areas of value, (2) areas of concern and (3) recommended actions related to reducing impacts of infrastructure development and improvement of governance processes. We used a mixed-methods approach to explore textual analysis, regional multi-iteration discussion with stakeholders, participatory mapping and integration with ancillary geospatial datasets. We believe that by sharing local-knowledge-driven data and strengthening multi-actor dialogue and collaboration, this novel approach can improve day to day practices of CoP-L members and, therefore, the transparency of infrastructure planning and good governance.
Birds of a Feather Flocking Together: Sustainability of Tax Aggressiveness of Shared Directors from Coercive Isomorphism
Authors: Chughtai Sumayya , Rasool Tayyaba , Awan Tahira , Rashid Abdul , Wong Wing-Keung
Published: December 2021

The purpose of the study is to examine the sustainability of the tax aggressiveness of shared directors from coercive isomorphism and whether social networks of directors have an impact on their tax aggressiveness. Specifically, the study intends to examine how tax knowledge diffuses across firms and how this knowledge diffusion affects connected firms. To test the constructed hypothesis, the panel logistic regression model is estimated using a firm-level panel dataset for the US and Pakistan to analyze cross-country differences, as the USA holds more legislation and effective governance mechanisms. The study covers the period of 2007–2019. The data required for the empirical analysis was collected from the Thompson Reuters database. The results of panel logistic regression show a significant relationship between tax aggressiveness and director’s connections, suggesting that information diffuses by board interlocks. Specifically, the estimates suggest that there is a positive and significant influence of connected directors on the probability that the tax aggressiveness spreads through coercive isomorphism, inferring that the sustainability of the tax aggressiveness of shared directors from coercive isomorphism is strong. Findings reveal that Pakistani firms, when compared to the USA, are more likely involved in tax aggression because of fewer legislations and tax reforms. The results also reveal that coercive isomorphism significantly mediates the relationship between board interlocks and tax aggressiveness. These findings provide valuable insights into detecting the tax aggressiveness of firms and the channels through which this spread. The study contributes to the scarce research on the impact of board interlocks on tax aggressiveness and the influence of coercive isomorphism on these impacts. This study can help tax authorities in identifying tax-saving strategies through connected directors. Secondly, this study provides empirical evidence to support the diffusion of information regarding tax aggression and provides mechanisms with which to detect tax aggression. Third, our choice of empirical context also helps us contribute to the management practice of firms. CEOs and boards should be wary of interlocks with organizations, lest they inadvertently become reticent and hence prove to be of no good.
Designing a Resilient and Sustainable Logistics Network under Epidemic Disruptions and Demand Uncertainty
Authors: Aloui Aymen , Hamani Nadia , Delahoche Laurent
Published: December 2021

To face the new challenges caused by modern industry, logistics operations managers need to focus more on integrating sustainability goals, adapt to unexpected disruptions and find new strategies and models for logistics management. The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that unforeseen fragilities, negatively affecting the supply chain performance, can arise rapidly, and logistics systems may confront unprecedented vulnerabilities regarding network structure disruption and high demand fluctuations. The existing studies on a resilient logistics network design did not sufficiently consider sustainability aspects. In fact, they mainly addressed the independent planning of decision-making problems with economic objectives. To fill this research gap, this paper concentrates on the design of resilient and sustainable logistics networks under epidemic disruption and demand uncertainty. A two-stage stochastic mixed integer programming model is proposed to integrate key decisions of location–allocation, inventory and routing planning. Moreover, epidemic disruptions and demand uncertainty are incorporated through plausible scenarios using a Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, two resiliency strategies, namely, capacity augmentation and logistics collaboration, are included into the basic model in order to improve the resilience and the sustainability of a logistics chain network. Finally, numerical examples are presented to validate the proposed approach, evaluate the performance of the different design models and provide managerial insights. The obtained results show that the integration of two design strategies improves resilience and sustainability.
Using Machine Learning Algorithms Based on GF-6 and Google Earth Engine to Predict and Map the Spatial Distribution of Soil Organic Matter Content
Authors: Ye Zhishan , Sheng Ziheng , Liu Xiaoyan , Ma Youhua , Wang Ruochen , Ding Shiwei , Liu Mengqian , Li Zijie , Wang Qiang
Published: December 2021

The prediction of soil organic matter is important for measuring the soil’s environmental quality and the degree of degradation. In this study, we combined China’s GF-6 remote sensing data with the organic matter content data obtained from soil sampling points in the study area to predict soil organic matter content. To these data, we applied the random forest (RF), light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM), gradient boosting tree (GBDT), and extreme boosting machine (XGBoost) learning models. We used the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error (MAE) to evaluate the prediction model. The results showed that XGBoost (R2 = 0.634), LightGBM (R2 = 0.627), and GBDT (R2 = 0.591) had better accuracy and faster computing time than that of RF (R2 = 0.551) during training. The regression model established by the XGBoost algorithm on the feature-optimized anthrosols dataset had the best accuracy, with an R2 of 0.771. The inversion of soil organic matter content based on GF-6 data combined with the XGBoost model has good application potential.
Determining Hydrological Variability Using a Multi-Catchment Model Approach for the Western Cape, South Africa
Authors: Watson Andrew , Midgley Guy , Künne Annika , Kralisch Sven , Helmschrot Jörg
Published: December 2021

Understanding the impacts of climate change requires the development of hydrological modelling tools. However, data scarcity hinders model application, performance, process simulation and uncertainty, especially for Sub-Saharan Africa. In this study, a multi-catchment approach was used to assess hydrological process variability in the Western Cape (WC) of South Africa using the JAMS/J2000 rainfall–runoff model and a Monte Carlo analysis (MCA). Due to much steeper slopes and lower evapotranspiration, the models suggest that WC is dominated by surface runoff from mountainous regions and regional groundwater flow. The results highlight the impact of the catchment size, availability and position of hydroclimatic and anthropogenic factors and the frequency of the signal-to-noise ratio (water balance). For large catchments (>5000 km2), the calibration was able to achieve a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.61 to 0.88. For small catchments (<2000 km2), NSE was between 0.23 to 0.39. The large catchments had an overall surface runoff, interflow and baseflow contribution of 44, 19 and 37%, respectively, and lower overall uncertainty. The simulated flow components for the small catchments were variable and these results are less certain. The use of a multi-catchment approach allows for identifying the specific factors impacting parameter sensitivities and in turn provides a means to improve hydrological process simulation.
Evaluating Urban Green Public Spaces: The Case Study of Krasnodar Region Cities, Russia
Authors: Danilina Nina , Tsurenkova Ksenia , Berkovich Vladislav
Published: December 2021

The 21st century challenges, in particular those of climate change, population growth, air pollution and the COVID-19 pandemic global health crisis, demand greater emphasis on infrastructure facilities capable of keeping pace with population needs in well-being, health and economic prosperity. Green infrastructure aimed to intensify ecological processes in built-up areas and deliver vital ecosystem services is of a key significance for Russia, one of the most urbanized countries in the world. The article is dedicated to the issue of providing cities sustainability through creating a basic element of the urban green infrastructure—a public green network—by incorporating and linking a variety of already existing urban environmental components, both spatial and linear, such as natural areas, squares, parks, streets, boulevards, embankments and others. The territory of the case study is Krasnodar region located in the southwestern part of the North Caucasus, the warmest region of Russia characterized by highly varied urban areas. The authors propose the multiple criteria method for evaluating the existing GreenPS and creating a GreenPS framework for six cities located in Krasnodar region both on the southern seaward part and on the northern steppe part. This approach is focused on the sustainable development of the cities, adaptation to climate change and the prevention of local risks with respect to the preservation of ecosystem functions and cultural heritage. The methodology includes three stages: investigating and evaluating the present state of the existing urban GreenPS; defining sustainability potential; and the submission of master plan proposals for the improvement and further development and management of the GreenPS network implementing nature-based solutions. In addition, it follows seven main integral criteria, namely, Accessibility, Density, Sufficiency, Continuity, Diversity, Value and Clean and Sanitary, illustrated by ray diagrams. The results of the study show good potential for construction in Krasnodar region cities of an efficient GreenPS network integrating ecological and social city components. The flexibility of the method proposed makes it replicable for any other city aimed at creating a GreenPS network in sustainable, climate-change-adapted cities.
Relationship between Marriage Immigrant Mothers’ Acculturative Stress and Their Adolescent Children’s Career Decidedness in South Korea: Mediating Roles of Parenting and School Adjustment
Authors: Lim Yangmi
Published: December 2021

International marriages between Korean men and foreign women from other Asian countries have been increasing since the late 1990s in Korea. This study examines the mediating effects of parenting self-efficacy, career-specific parenting behaviors, and school adjustment on the relationship between immigrant mothers’ acculturative stress and their adolescent children’s career decidedness. Data were collected from 1181 third grade students (583 boys, 598 girls) in Korean middle schools and their foreign mothers who participated in the Multicultural Adolescents Panel Study. A structural equation modeling analysis revealed the following multiple mediation process: immigrant mothers’ acculturative stress is indirectly related to their adolescent children’s career decidedness through (1) the dual mediation of parenting self-efficacy and career-specific parenting behaviors; (2) the serial mediation of parenting self-efficacy, career-specific parenting behaviors, and adolescents’ school adjustment; (3) the dual mediation of parenting self-efficacy and adolescents’ school adjustment; and (4) the mediation of adolescents’ school adjustment. This study provides directions for parent education and career counseling to enhance immigrant mothers’ parenting competence and support the positive career development of adolescents from multicultural families. The study, therefore, helps them grow into well-adjusted adults in Korean society, which, in turn, contributes to the well-being of immigrant mothers and their adolescent children.
Long-Term Urbanization Dynamics and the Evolution of Green/Blue Areas in Eastern Europe: Insights from Romania
Authors: Halbac-Cotoara-Zamfir Rares , Ferreira Carla Sofia Santos , Salvati Luca
Published: December 2021

Urbanization is a dynamic process performed at the expense of natural and/or semi-natural areas, with direct impacts on the ecosystem services provided to human society. The increasing population density in urban areas and the associated demand for housing and public services have led to progressive changes in the structure, architecture, and design of urban areas. The present study analyzes long-term urban development in Western Romania, focusing on green/blue areas’ strategies in Timisoara over centuries. The empirical results of a literature review carried out with a historical perspective have delineated the time periods that favored “urban green development” (1716–1918 and 1918–1940) and those restricting their development (1940–2000), as well as the factors that influenced long-term urbanization dynamics and the evolution of green/blue areas. These factors can be generalized to other socioeconomic contexts in Eastern Europe. Characteristic issues of this geographical area impacting the evolution of urban green/blue areas include (i) common historical aspects (e.g., the influence of geo-political and strategic dimensions, the dominations of former great empires such as the Turkish empire and the communist period) and (ii) population migration after 1990.
Towards a Trusted and Unified Consortium-Blockchain-Based Data Sharing Infrastructure for Open Learning—TolFob Architecture and Implementation
Authors: Xiao Jun , Jiao Yi , Li Yin , Jiang Zhujun
Published: December 2021

Open learning is now facing a complex higher education ecosystem that involves a variety of heterogeneous information systems and comprises decentralized stakeholders, such as universities, professors, students, and software vendors. Authentic, non-repudiable, and fast available data sharing among open learning information systems and stakeholders is a key issue that remains unresolved. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a consortium blockchain extended architecture featuring integration and cross-chain functions to provide a unified and trusted data-sharing infrastructure for open learning. The overall architecture consists of three elements: a blockchain-integrated open learning scenario schema; a blockchain-integrated open learning application model; and a pragmatic blockchain integration framework. The proposed blockchain integration framework is implemented based on Hyperledger Fabric 1.4. A trusted open-learning behavior and achievement management application is developed as a proof-of-concept which integrates two educational institutions’ four productional learning systems into a blockchain network and has stably run over six months. A suite of experiments is designed and executed to verify our blockchain system’s viability and scalability. The test result shows the implementation of the blockchain system is competent for the production environment and outperforms related works investigated. However, it does have limitations and optimization potential, which will be studied in the future.
The Role of GI Products or Local Products in the Environment—Consumer Awareness and Preferences in Albania, Bulgaria and Poland
Authors: Muça Etleva , Pomianek Iwona , Peneva Mariya
Published: December 2021

The main goal of this paper is to measure and compare the awareness and preferences of consumers in relation to local products in three countries: Albania, Bulgaria, and Poland. (1) Background: The analysis focused on consumer choices when presented with local products, specifically knowledge as to their environmentally friendly status. The study was evoked by the need to recognize and evaluate changes in consumer behavior as a result of the pandemic and the global challenges related to climate change and the widespread call for nature preservation. (2) Methods: An online survey was conducted with 300 respondents from Poland, 262 from Albania, and 250 from Bulgaria. Statistical analysis was applied. (3) Results: The study answered research questions about consumer readiness to pay a premium price and awareness about the impact of regional products on the environment and livelihood of rural communities. (4) Conclusions: The study proved that consumer perceptions and behavior are influenced by a variety of factors and driving forces in the three countries surveyed depending on socioeconomic characteristics and relevant policies. COVID-19 accelerated the demand for products derived from nature-friendly production systems. Products with geographical indication (GI products) are a better choice from the perspective of sustainable consumption.
Ransomware Detection, Avoidance, and Mitigation Scheme: A Review and Future Directions
Authors: Kapoor Adhirath , Gupta Ankur , Gupta Rajesh , Tanwar Sudeep , Sharma Gulshan , Davidson Innocent E.
Published: December 2021

Ransomware attacks have emerged as a major cyber-security threat wherein user data is encrypted upon system infection. Latest Ransomware strands using advanced obfuscation techniques along with offline C2 Server capabilities are hitting Individual users and big corporations alike. This problem has caused business disruption and, of course, financial loss. Since there is no such consolidated framework that can classify, detect and mitigate Ransomware attacks in one go, we are motivated to present Detection Avoidance Mitigation (DAM), a theoretical framework to review and classify techniques, tools, and strategies to detect, avoid and mitigate Ransomware. We have thoroughly investigated different scenarios and compared already existing state of the art review research against ours. The case study of the infamous Djvu Ransomware is incorporated to illustrate the modus-operandi of the latest Ransomware strands, including some suggestions to contain its spread.
Research Trend of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology Theory: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Wang Jing , Li Xinchun , Wang Peng , Liu Quanlong , Deng Zhiwen , Wang Jingzhi
Published: December 2021

Information technology-acceptance research has always been a research hotspot. In 2003, Venkatesh established the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), which pushed information technology-acceptance research to a new climax. This study uses bibliometrics, Bibliometrix, and CiteSpace software to conduct data mining and quantitative analysis on 1694 research papers in the UTAUT in the Web of Science core collection database from 2003 to 2021 (the data update time is 13 August 2021). Combined with a visual bibliometric analysis, this paper makes an in-depth discussion on the UTAUT model from the aspects of research trends, research fields, main research journals, authors/institutions, national or regional cooperation networks, etc. This study comprehensively and systematically shows the evolution track and characteristics of the UTAUT. On this basis, the future development trend of the UTAUT is put forward.
Assessing the Effects of Delivery Attributes on E-Shopping Consumer Behaviour
Authors: Dias Emília Guerra , Oliveira Leise Kelli de , Isler Cassiano Augusto
Published: December 2021

E-consumer behaviour plays a vital role in e-commerce worldwide. This paper addresses the importance of delivery time, delivery fee, and delivery reception, and the influence of delivery fee and reception on e-consumers’ behaviour by analysing the following hypotheses: delivery attributes affect e-shopping behaviour, and delivery attributes affect e-consumers’ behaviour according to their sociodemographic characteristics. Data were obtained from a web-based survey with Brazilian e-consumers, and logistic regression and artificial neural network models were estimated to assess consumer behaviour. We found that delivery fee willingness to pay and privacy are affected by delivery times according to gender. Delivery fees affect the e-consumer according to gender, the habit of purchasing books and leisure products, privacy, promotions, and pricing, and influence the e-shopping decision by age, purchase of electronic products, and promotions. Delivery reception is relevant according to age, income, gender, frequency of e-shopping, privacy, and pricing. Furthermore, delivery fees influence the e-shopping decision by age, purchase of electronic products, and promotions. Finally, delivery fee, willingness-to-pay, and privacy are characteristics influenced by reception on the e-shopping decision. Further analyses would include the dynamic aspects of e-consumer behaviour and the impacts of COVID-19 in the e-consumption patterns and its effects on e-commerce deliveries.
Evaluation of Transport and Location Policies to Realize the Carbon-Free Urban Society
Authors: Muto Shinichi , Toyama Hiroto , Takai Akina
Published: December 2021

The Japanese Government has declared that it will become carbon-free by 2050. Urban planning to realize a carbon-free society is proposed in the context of urban transport policy, which are policies to agglomerate urban facilities and link among them by public transport. However, transport and location policies to regulate land use are afraid to generate an economic loss. It is important to evaluate not only the effects of reducing GHG emissions but also economic influence. In this paper, we built the Computable General Equilibrium and Urban Economic (CGEUE) model, which modeled the transport and location behavior of each economic agent for a detailed area explicitly. We evaluated some transport and location policies such as (1) conversion from fossil fuel vehicles to electric vehicles, (2) improvement of public transport, (3) environmental tax and (4) making city compact by using the CGEUE model. As a result, it can be concluded that the combination policy of improving the public transport policy and environmental tax is the most effective under the conditions of these simulation results.
Tourism Environmental Impacts Assessment to Guide Public Authorities towards Sustainable Choices for the Post-COVID Era
Authors: Candia Selena , Pirlone Francesca
Published: December 2021

The collapse of tourism caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing many destinations to rethink their economic model, by focusing on sustainability and innovation. Advances in tourism impact assessment can not only improve tourism products and services, but also guide the sector towards responsible choices for the post-COVID era. The paper proposes a new way to assess tourism products using the Life Cycle Assessment—LCA methodology. Thanks to this method the authors quantify the environmental impacts of tourism choices and propose alternative green solutions. Innovation is therefore aimed at promoting a new awareness to support sustainable tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic. Once the impacts have been quantified, local governments can make decisions in their plans to promote the most sustainable solutions. The application of the methodology to a typical case study for the Mediterranean area—Cinque Terre National Park in the Liguria Region (Italy)—further helps administrations to transfer and replicate the authors’ proposal. The proposed methodology is applied taking into account several priority issues for host territories such as the activities carried out by tourists, tourism mobility, and accommodation.
The Wattled-Wall House of Salar People and Its Conservation and Development
Authors: Zhu Mingjing , Luo Binsheng , La Ben , Chen Ruijie , Liu Fenggui , Long Chunlin
Published: December 2021

Salar people are Turkic-speaking Islamic people and an ethnic group with a small population in China. Wattled-wall house of Salar people is a type of traditional house threatened by extinction. In 2008, the wattled-wall house construction skills were selected for the national intangible cultural heritage list. It is mainly distributed in Xunhua Salar Autonomous County, Qinghai Province of China. So far, Salar people′s traditional wattled-wall house knowledge has been poorly documented. Therefore, a study supporting cultural preservation efforts is needed, including preserving plants used in its construction. This study mainly applied ethnobotanical methods based on data collection through observation, interviews, and documentation. Additionally, ArcGIS data analysis is also used to supplement the evaluation of the traditional wattled-wall house. This study aimed to (1) document traditional knowledge about the wattled-wall house construction, (2) and evaluate the current status of the wattled-wall house from different angles like the environmental adaptability and internal advantages and disadvantages. The result showed that the local people still apply the knowledge about the wattled-wall house from generation to generation. However, due to some practical reasons, the wattled-wall house is on the verge of extinction. There are 11 plant taxa used as construction materials in wattled-wall house. Conservation efforts for species involved in the wattled-wall house are needed, especially the ones with limited availability. Re-use of wattled-wall house is needed in order to maximize the economic benefits and to safeguard its historical and architectural values. It is recommended that the conservation of this cultural heritage needs more attention and effort from the local government or the society.
Ecodesign Strategy for Demand-Oriented Electrical and Electronic Products
Authors: Zhong Yongguang , Wang Qian
Published: December 2021

Governments of various countries have formulated relevant EPR environmental regulations for environmental pollution caused by electrical and electronic products, and enterprises mainly respond to this regulation through product ecodesign strategies. In view of this, this paper takes a three-stage supply chain system composed of a manufacturer, a retailer and a third-party recycler as the research object, and develops a demand-oriented product ecodesign strategy for five scenarios under different environmental regulations, including eco-input subsidy, sales subsidy, consumption subsidy and recycling subsidy. This study finds that the manufacturer does not actively engage in product ecodesign if the government does not implement subsidy policies; when the government implements subsidy policies such as eco-input subsidy, sales subsidy, or consumption subsidy, the manufacturer will design a high-level ecological product. However, under the recycling subsidy policy, the manufacturer will design a low-level ecological product. These results suggest that different subsidy policies may lead to different eco-product strategies of the manufacturer. In particular, the recycling subsidy policy can encourage a recycler to recycle actively, thus reducing the environmental pollution cost of a manufacturer, but the manufacturer is reluctant to improve the ecological level of the finished product.
Impact of Model Resolution on the Simulation of Precipitation Extremes over China
Authors: Luo Neng , Guo Yan
Published: December 2021

Climate models tend to overestimate light precipitation and underestimate heavy precipitation due to low model resolution. This work investigated the impact of model resolution on simulating the precipitation extremes over China during 1995–2014, based on five models from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6), each having low- and high-resolution versions. Six extreme indices were employed: simple daily intensity index (SDII), wet days (WD), total precipitation (PRCPTOT), extreme precipitation amount (R95p), heavy precipitation days (R20mm), and consecutive dry days (CDD). Models with high resolution demonstrated better performance in reproducing the pattern of climatological precipitation extremes over China, especially in the western Sichuan Basin along the eastern side of the Tibetan Plateau (D1), South China (D2), and the Yangtze-Yellow River basins (D3). Decreased biases of precipitation exist in all high-resolution models over D1, with the largest decease in root mean square error (RMSE) being 48.4% in CNRM-CM6. The improvement could be attributed to fewer weak precipitation events (0 mm/day–10 mm/day) in high-resolution models in comparison with their counterparts with low resolutions. In addition, high-resolution models also show smaller biases over D2, which is associated with better capturing of the distribution of daily precipitation frequency and improvement of the simulation of the vertical distribution of moisture content.
Geo-Locating and Identifying Wrong-Way Driving Entrance Points in Bexar County Highways by Implementing Mathematical Modeling and Land-Use Impact Assessment
Authors: Mia Md Farman , Dessouky Samer , Weissmann Jose , Sharif Hatim O. , Billah Khondoker
Published: December 2021

Wrong-way driving (WWD) leads to high severity crashes and is a major concern for transportation managers. This study aims to identify WWD entry points of urban highway ramps and develop an analysis methodology using basic knowledge of WWD occurrences. The methodology examines the origin and driving behavior of impaired drivers by utilizing a land-use impact assessment (alcohol-serving establishments (ASE) proximity to exit ramps) and analyzing three distinct mathematical models: wrong-way driving events excluding 911 call analysis, wrong-way driving events including 911 call analysis, and 911 calls without wrong-way driving crashes. Data were collected and implemented from Google Maps, the 911 call database, wrong-way crash database, ASE location database, and a video camera database of a recent WWD study. Out of a total 543 exit ramps, 213 exit ramps are associated with approximately 98% of total WWD entries. The hotspots analysis of WWD entrance locations have found four major hotspots locations in Bexar County, Texas study area: 410 Loop near Culebra Road and Jackson Keller Road, 1604 Loop near US-281 highway, and IH-10 near the Medical Drive area. Outcomes of this study include a methodology for determining WWD entry locations of regional highways.
Performance Evaluation of Temperature-Based Global Solar Radiation Models—Case Study: Arar City, KSA
Authors: Ghazouani Nejib , Bawadekji Abdulhakim , El-Bary Alaa A. , Elewa Mahmoud M. , Becheikh Nidhal , Alassaf Yahya , Hassan Gasser E.
Published: December 2021

Solar radiation is considered the main renewable energy source which reshapes the global sustainability plan for future development. Due to the lack of solar radiation measurements, this work investigates the performance of several temperature-based hybrid solar radiation models combining the parametric, statistical and satellite data approaches to estimate the global solar radiation on a horizontal surface. Over 35 years of meteorological data in the new location, Arar City, KSA (Latitude 30°96′ N and longitude 41°05′ E) are employed to establish and validate the models. These models are validated using two datasets with different averaging time spans to investigate the accuracy and reliability of different models as forecasting tools for the solar radiation. The mostly common statistical indicators are calculated to identify the most accurate model. The results show that Model (1) has the best performance among all models with high reliability as a solar radiation forecasting tool in this new location. This model is also validated against the widely-used datasets, namely NASA, On-Site measurements and PVGIS-SARAH data. The model shows excellent values for statistical indicators with high values of coefficient of determination, R2 > 0.955, presenting the best performance regardless of the time span of the validation datasets.
Factors Influencing the Intrinsic Seismic Risk of Open Spaces in Existing Built Environments: A Systematic Review
Authors: Russo Martina , Angelosanti Marco , Bernardini Gabriele , Severi Laura , Quagliarini Enrico , Currà Edoardo
Published: December 2021

Open spaces (OSs), such as streets, squares, and green areas, in existing built environments (BEs) are key places in disaster risk management. The seismic risk in the OSs is strictly related to BE characteristics. Scientific literature mainly focuses on extrinsic factors affecting risk, which are related to BE elements on the OSs frontier (e.g., buildings) that could cause indirect effects on the OSs. Conversely, just a few risk assessment studies consider intrinsic factors, which are related to OS elements that could suffer direct effects. Moreover, synoptic studies on such factors are still missing. Through literature-based research, the paper identifies specific factors influencing seismic risk in the OSs, focusing notably on intrinsic vulnerability. The literature review methodology includes both a systematic review from Scopus databases and a traditional bibliographic search using snowball analysis. According to the final selected papers, risk factors are classified into five categories of OS characteristics: morpho-typology; physical; construction; use and users; and context. Statistical analysis of the categories’ recurrence in the final papers firstly allows current literature gaps to be defined. The results also provide a preliminary OSs risk index weighting each category in terms of such recurrences, thus representing a first useful step to support non-expert stakeholders in a preliminary assessment of priorities to define the seismic risk of Oss.