bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Three New Alien Taxa for Europe and a Chorological Update on the Alien Vascular Flora of Calabria (Southern Italy)
Authors: Laface Valentina Lucia Astrid , Musarella Carmelo Maria , Cano Ortiz Ana , Quinto Canas Ricardo , Cannavò Serafino , Spampinato Giovanni
Published: September 2020

Knowledge on alien species is needed nowadays to protect natural habitats and prevent ecological damage. The presence of new alien plant species in Italy is increasing every day. Calabria, its southernmost region, is not yet well known with regard to this aspect. Thanks to fieldwork, sampling, and observing many exotic plants in Calabria, here, we report new data on 34 alien taxa. In particular, we found three new taxa for Europe (Cascabela thevetia, Ipomoea setosa subsp. pavonii, and Tecoma stans), three new for Italy (Brugmansia aurea, Narcissus ‘Cotinga’, and Narcissus ‘Erlicheer’), one new one for the Italian Peninsula (Luffa aegyptiaca), and 21 new taxa for Calabria (Allium cepa, Asparagus setaceus, Bassia scoparia, Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris, Bidens formosa, Casuarina equisetifolia, Cedrus atlantica, Chlorophytum comosum, Cucurbita maxima subsp. maxima, Dolichandra unguis-cati, Fagopyrum esculentum, Freesia alba, Juglans regia, Kalanchoë delagoënsis, Passiflora caerulea, Portulaca grandiflora, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus dulcis, Solanum tuberosum, Tradescantia sillamontana, and Washingtonia filifera). Furthermore, we provide the first geolocalized record of Araujia sericifera, the confirmation of Oxalis stricta, and propose a change of status for four taxa (Cenchrus setaceus, Salpichroa origanifolia, Sesbania punicea, and Nothoscordum gracile) for Calabria. The updated knowledge on the presence of new alien species in Calabria, in Italy and in Europe could allow for the prevention of other new entries and to eliminate this potential ecological threat to natural habitats.
Enhanced Agronomic Efficiency Using a New Controlled-Released, Polymeric-Coated Nitrogen Fertilizer in Rice
Authors: Gil-Ortiz Ricardo , Naranjo Miguel Ángel , Ruiz-Navarro Antonio , Atares Sergio , García Carlos , Zotarelli Lincoln , San Bautista Alberto , Vicente Oscar
Published: September 2020

Fertilizer-use efficiency is one of the most critical concerns in rice cultivation to reduce N losses, increase yields, and improve crop management. The effects of a new polymeric-coated controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) were compared to those of other slow-release and traditional fertilizers in a microscale experiment, which was carried out in cuvettes under partly controlled ambient conditions, and a large-scale field experiment. To evaluate the fertilizer’s efficiency, nitrogen and water-use efficiency were calculated using the measurement of different photosynthetic and crop yield parameters. Improved responses regarding some of the analyzed physiological and growth parameters were observed for those plants fertilized with the new CRF. In the microscale experiment, significantly increased yields (ca. 35%) were produced in the plants treated with CRF as compared to traditional fertilizer. These results were in accordance with ca. 24% significant increased levels of N in leaves of CRF-treated plants, besides increased P, Fe, Mn, and cytokinin contents. At the field scale, similar yields were obtained with the slow-release or traditional fertilizers and CRF at a 20% reduced N dose. The new controlled-release fertilizer is a urea-based fertilizer coated with lignosulfonates, which is cheaply produced from the waste of pulp and wood industries, containing humic acids as biostimulants. In conclusion, CRF is recommended to facilitate rice crop management and to reduce contamination, as it can be formulated with lower N doses and because it is ecological manufacturing.
Two-Step Dopamine-to-Polydopamine Modification of Polyethersulfone Ultrafiltration Membrane for Enhancing Anti-Fouling and Ultraviolet Resistant Properties
Authors: Mulyati Sri , Muchtar Syawaliah , Arahman Nasrul , Syamsuddin Yanna , Mat Nawi Normi Izati , Yub Harun Noorfidza , Bilad Muhammad Roil , Firdaus Yuliar , Takagi Ryosuke , Matsuyama Hideto
Published: September 2020

Polydopamine has been widely used as an additive to enhance membrane fouling resistance. This study reports the effects of two-step dopamine-to-polydopamine modification on the permeation, antifouling, and potential anti-UV properties of polyethersulfone (PES)-based ultrafiltration membranes. The modification was performed through a two-step mechanism: adding the dopamine additive followed by immersion into Tris-HCl solution to allow polymerization of dopamine into polydopamine (PDA). The results reveal that the step of treatment, the concentration of dopamine in the first step, and the duration of dipping in the Tris solution in the second step affect the properties of the resulting membranes. Higher dopamine loadings improve the pure water flux (PWF) by more than threefold (15 vs. 50 L/m2·h). The extended dipping period in the Tris alkaline buffer leads to an overgrowth of the PDA layer that partly covers the surface pores which lowers the PWF. The presence of dopamine or polydopamine enhances the hydrophilicity due to the enrichment of hydrophilic catechol moieties which leads to better anti-fouling. Moreover, the polydopamine film also improves the membrane resistance to UV irradiation by minimizing photodegradation’s occurrence.
The Thermal Properties and Degradability of Chiral Polyester-Imides Based on Several l/d-Amino Acids
Authors: Qi Chen , Yang Wenke , He Fuyan , Yao Jinshui
Published: September 2020

Eight kinds of chiral diacid monomers were prepared with amino acids with different side groups or configurations. Polyester-imides (PEIs) were synthesized from these diacid monomers and diphenol monomers through polycondensation reaction, and the performances and properties were compared with the chiral polyamide-imides (PAIs) previously synthesized by our work group. Their thermal properties were analyzed by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DMA), and it was found that the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PEI was mainly affected by the volume of side groups. Their degradability was studied through buffer degradation experiments, and the changes in their water contact angle, molecular weight, structure and appearance during the degradation process were characterized by contact angle tester, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With degradation, the hydrophilicity of PEI was improved, and when amino acids with larger side groups or D configuration were introduced into the backbone of PEI, the degradability decreased.
Multifunctionality of Polypyrrole Polyethyleneoxide Composites: Concurrent Sensing, Actuation and Energy Storage
Authors: Khuyen Nguyen Quang , Kiefer Rudolf , Zondaka Zane , Anbarjafari Gholamreza , Peikolainen Anna-Liisa , Otero Toribio F. , Tamm Tarmo
Published: September 2020

In films of conducting polymers, the electrochemical reaction(s) drive the simultaneous variation of different material properties (reaction multifunctionality). Here, we present a parallel study of actuation-sensing-energy storage triple functionality of polypyrrole (PPy) blends with dodecylbenzenesulfonate (DBS-), PPy/DBS, without and with inclusion of polyethyleneoxide, PPy-PEO/DBS. The characterization of the response of both materials in aqueous solutions of four different salts indicated that all of the actuating, sensing and charge storage responses were, independent of the electrolyte, present for both materials, but stronger for the PPy-PEO/DBS films: 1.4× higher strains, 1.3× higher specific charge densities, 2.5× higher specific capacitances and increased ion-sensitivity towards the studied counterions. For both materials, the reaction energy, the material potential and the strain variations adapt to and sense the electrical and chemical (exchanged cation) conditions. The driving and the response of actuation, sensing and charge can be controlled/read, simultaneously, via just two connecting wires. Only the cooperative actuation of chemical macromolecular motors from functional cells has such chemical multifunctionality.
Metal-Organic Framework Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Heo Do Yeon , Do Ha Huu , Ahn Sang Hyun , Kim Soo Young
Published: September 2020

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and MOF-derived materials have been used for several applications, such as hydrogen storage and separation, catalysis, and drug delivery, owing to them having a significantly large surface area and open pore structure. In recent years, MOFs have also been applied to thin-film solar cells, and attractive results have been obtained. In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), the MOF materials are used in the form of an additive for electron and hole transport layers, interlayer, and hybrid perovskite/MOF. MOFs have the potential to be used as a material for obtaining PSCs with high efficiency and stability. In this study, we briefly explain the synthesis of MOFs and the performance of organic and dye-sensitized solar cells with MOFs. Furthermore, we provide a detailed overview on the performance of the most recently reported PSCs using MOFs.
Solar Photo-Assisted Degradation of Bipyridinium Herbicides at Circumneutral pH: A Life Cycle Assessment Approach
Authors: Teutli-Sequeira Alejandra , Vasquez-Medrano Ruben , Prato-Garcia Dorian , Ibanez Jorge G.
Published: September 2020

This study investigated the degradation of the herbicides diquat (DQ) and paraquat (PQ) by a solar photo-Fenton process that is mediated by Fe(III)-oxalate complexes at circumneutral pH = 6.5 in compound parabolic collectors (CPC)-type reactors. The photo-Fenton process operates efficiently at acidic pH; however, circumneutral operation was key to overcome drawbacks, such as acidification and neutralization steps, reagent costs, and the environmental footprint of chemical auxiliaries. This work revealed a remarkable reduction of total organic carbon for PQ (87%) and DQ (80%) after 300 min (at ca. 875 kJ L−1). Phytotoxicity assays confirmed that the treatment led to a considerable increase in the germination index for DQ (i.e., from 4.7% to 55.8%) and PQ (i.e., from 16.5% to 59.7%) using Cucumis sativus seeds. Importantly, treatment costs (DQ = USD$8.05 and PQ = USD$7.72) and the carbon footprint of the process (DQ = 7.37 and PQ = 6.29 kg CO2-Eqv/m3) were within the ranges that were reported for the treatment of recalcitrant substances at acidic conditions in CPC-type reactors. Life cycle assessment (LCA) evidenced that H2O2 and electricity consumption are the variables with the highest environmental impact because they contribute with ca. 70% of the carbon footprint of the process. Under the studied conditions, a further reduction in H2O2 use is counterproductive, because it could impact process performance and effluent quality. On the other hand, the main drawback of the process (i.e., energy consumption) can be reduced by using renewable energies. The sensitivity study evidenced that carbon footprint is dependent on the energy share of the local electricity mix; therefore, the use of more renewable electrical energy sources, such as wind-power and photovoltaic, can reduce greenhouse gases emissions of the process an average of 26.4% (DQ = 5.57 and PQ = 4.51 kg CO2-Eqv/m3) and 78.4% (DQ = 3.72 and PQ = 2.65 kg CO2-Eqv/m3), respectively. Finally, from the economic and environmental points of view, the experimental results evidenced that photo-assisted treatment at circumneutral pH is an efficient alternative to deal with quaternary bipyridinium compounds.
Research on the Application of Partial Similarity for a 1-1/2 Axial Compressor
Authors: Xie Hong , Song Moru , Yang Bo
Published: September 2020

In this paper, a method based on the partial similarity principle is presented to improve the aerodynamic design with low cost and high accuracy for a 1-1/2 axial compressor. By means of this method, during the process of a similar design, the machine Mach number and flowrate coefficient are maintained. The flow similarity between the prototype and its large-scaled alternative was observed, according to a detailed analysis of flow fields of rotor and stator. As well, the relative discrepancies of isentropic efficiency and pressure ratio between two models are 1.25% and 0.4% at design point, respectively. Besides, their performance curves agreed very well in the whole operating range. Moreover, it was also found that the flow similarity between the two models can be maintained under unsteady working conditions. Thereafter, in order to investigate the impact of stability optimization method on the similarity principle, casing treatment with single circumferential groove was applied to these two models. The flow similarity was still maintained and the flowrate near the stall was reduced about 1.1% with negligible deterioration of the overall performance.
A Spirituality Mind-Body Wellness Center in a University Setting; A Pilot Service Assessment Study
Authors: Scalora Suza , Anderson Micheline , Crete Abigail , Drapkin Jennifer , Portnoff Larissa , Athan Aurélie , Miller Lisa
Published: September 2020

Increasing rates of mental illness among college students over the past 10 years suggest a collective deficit in meaning and purpose unattended to by many university campuses. Psychopathology among young adult college students is associated with developmental tasks such as spiritual individuation, suggesting that interventions aimed at spiritual wellbeing may support the stated need for comprehensive mental health services. The aim of this pilot service assessment study is to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and helpfulness of spiritually integrated programs at a Spirituality Mind Body (SMB) Wellness Center at a graduate-level academic institution. Wellness Center demographic and attendance data of N = 305 adult graduate students (M = 27.7 years, SD = 6.05) were used to assess acceptability and feasibility. To evaluate helpfulness, measures assessing symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress (PTS), spirituality, mindfulness, and psychological inflexibility were completed before and after eight-week programs on a subset of participants (n = 141). SMB users completed a total of 64% of sessions and reported significant pre/post gains in spirituality and mindfulness and decreases in psychological inflexibility, symptoms of depression and PTS. The preliminary findings of this open-trial are encouraging but inherently limited by the design; foremost, the results offer support for future research, which might draw on a larger sample and a study design involving a comparison group.
Georeferencing of Multi-Channel GPR—Accuracy and Efficiency of Mapping of Underground Utility Networks
Authors: Gabryś Marta , Ortyl Łukasz
Published: September 2020

Due to the capabilities of non-destructive testing of inaccessible objects, GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) is used in geology, archeology, forensics and increasingly also in engineering tasks. The wide range of applications of the GPR method has been provided by the use of advanced technological solutions by equipment manufacturers, including multi-channel units. The acquisition of data along several profiles simultaneously allows time to be saved and quasi-continuous information to be collected about the subsurface situation. One of the most important aspects of data acquisition systems, including GPR, is the appropriate methodology and accuracy of the geoposition. This publication aims to discuss the results of GPR measurements carried out using the multi-channel Leica Stream C GPR (IDS GeoRadar Srl, Pisa, Italy). The significant results of the test measurement were presented the idea of which was to determine the achievable accuracy depending on the georeferencing method using a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) receiver, also supported by time synchronization PPS (Pulse Per Second) and a total station. Methodology optimization was also an important aspect of the discussed issue, i.e., the effect of dynamic changes in motion trajectory on the positioning accuracy of echograms and their vectorization products was also examined. The standard algorithms developed for the dedicated software were used for post-processing of the coordinates and filtration of echograms, while the vectorization was done manually. The obtained results provided the basis for the confrontation of the material collected in urban conditions with the available cartographic data in terms of the possibility of verifying the actual location of underground utilities. The urban character of the area limited the possibility of the movement of Leica Stream C due to the large size of the instrument, however, it created the opportunity for additional analyses, including the accuracy of different location variants around high-rise buildings or the agreement of the amplitude distribution at the intersection of perpendicular profiles.
The Effect of Climatological Variables on Future UAS-Based Atmospheric Profiling in the Lower Atmosphere
Authors: Jacobs Ariel , Bell Tyler , Greene Brian , Chilson Phillip
Published: September 2020

Vertical profiles of wind, temperature, and moisture are essential to capture the kinematic and thermodynamic structure of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Our goal is to use weather observing unmanned aircraft systems (WxUAS) to perform the vertical profiles by taking measurements while ascending through the ABL and subsequently descending to the Earth’s surface. Before establishing routine profiles using a network of WxUAS stations, the climatologies of the flight locations must be studied. This was done using data from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) model. To begin, NARR data accuracy was verified against radiosondes. While the results showed variability in individual profiles, the detailed statistical analyses of the aggregated data suggested that the NARR model is a viable option for the study. Based on these findings, we used NARR data to determine fractions of successful hypothetical flights of vertical profiles across the state of Oklahoma given thresholds of visibility, cloud base level (CBL) height, and wind speed. CBL height is an important parameter because the WxUAS must stay below clouds for the flight restrictions being considered. For the purpose of this study, a hypothetical WxUAS flight is considered successful if the vehicle is able to reach an altitude corresponding to a pressure level of 600 hPa. Our analysis indicated the CBL height parameter hindered the fractions of successful hypothetical flights the most and the wind speed tolerance limited the fractions of successful hypothetical flights most strongly in the winter months. Northwest Oklahoma had the highest fractions of successful hypothetical flights, and the southeastern corner performs the worst in every season except spring, when the northeastern corner performed the worst. Future work will study the potential effect of topology and additional variables, such as amount of rainfall and temperature, on fractions of successful hypothetical flights by region of the state.
Object-Based Building Change Detection by Fusing Pixel-Level Change Detection Results Generated from Morphological Building Index
Authors: Javed Aisha , Jung Sejung , Lee Won Hee , Han Youkyung
Published: September 2020

Change detection (CD) is an important tool in remote sensing. CD can be categorized into pixel-based change detection (PBCD) and object-based change detection (OBCD). PBCD is traditionally used because of its simple and straightforward algorithms. However, with increasing interest in very-high-resolution (VHR) imagery and determining changes in small and complex objects such as buildings or roads, traditional methods showed limitations, for example, the large number of false alarms or noise in the results. Thus, researchers have focused on extending PBCD to OBCD. In this study, we proposed a method for detecting the newly built-up areas by extending PBCD results into an OBCD result through the Dempster–Shafer (D–S) theory. To this end, the morphological building index (MBI) was used to extract built-up areas in multitemporal VHR imagery. Then, three PBCD algorithms, change vector analysis, principal component analysis, and iteratively reweighted multivariate alteration detection, were applied to the MBI images. For the final CD result, the three binary change images were fused with the segmented image using the D–S theory. The results obtained from the proposed method were compared with those of PBCD, OBCD, and OBCD results generated by fusing the three binary change images using the major voting technique. Based on the accuracy assessment, the proposed method produced the highest F1-score and kappa values compared with other CD results. The proposed method can be used for detecting new buildings in built-up areas as well as changes related to demolished buildings with a low rate of false alarms and missed detections compared with other existing CD methods.
Hyperspectral Imaging for Fine to Medium Scale Applications in Environmental Sciences
Authors: Vohland Michael , Jung András
Published: September 2020

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combines conventional imaging and spectroscopic techniques in a way of spatially organized spectroscopy [...]
Analysis of the Contribution Rate of the Influencing Factors to Land Subsidence in the Eastern Beijing Plain, China Based on Extremely Randomized Trees (ERT) Method
Authors: Li Fengkai , Gong Huili , Chen Beibei , Zhou Chaofan , Guo Lin
Published: September 2020

As a common geological hazard, land subsidence is widely distributed in the Eastern Beijing Plain. The pattern of evolution of this geological phenomenon is controlled by many factors, including groundwater level change in different aquifers, compressible layers of different thicknesses, and static and dynamic loads. First, based on the small baseline subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technique, we employed 47 ENVISAT ASAR images and 48 RADARSAT-2 images to acquire the ground deformation of the Beijing Plain from June 2003 to November 2015 and then validated the results using leveling benchmark monitoring. Second, we innovatively calculated additional stress to obtain static and dynamic load information. Finally, we evaluated the contribution rate of the influencing factors to land subsidence by using the Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (SRCC) and extremely randomized trees (ERT) machine learning methods. The SBAS-InSAR outcomes revealed that the maximum deformation rate was 110.7 mm/year from 2003 to 2010 and 144.4 mm/year from 2010 to 2015. The SBAS-InSAR results agreed well with the leveling benchmark monitoring results; the correlation coefficients were 0.97 and 0.96 during the 2003–2010 and 2013–2015 periods, respectively. The contribution rate of the second confined aquifer to the cumulative land subsidence was 49.3% from 2003 to 2010, accounting for the largest proportion; however, its contribution rate decreased to 23.4% from 2010 to 2015. The contribution rate of the third confined aquifer to the cumulative land subsidence increased from 2003 to 2015. Although the contribution of additional stress engendered from static and dynamic loads to the cumulative land subsidence was slight, it had a significant effect on the uneven land subsidence, with a contribution rate of 33.8% from 2003 to 2010 and 23.1% from 2010 to 2015. These findings provide scientific support for mitigating hazards associated with land subsidence.
The Impacts of Conservation Agriculture on Water Use and Crop Production on the Loess Plateau: From Know-What to Know-Why
Authors: Xiao Liangang , Ding Minglei , Wei Chong , Zhu Ruiming , Zhao Rongqin
Published: September 2020

Due to the scarce irrigation water supply in the Loess Plateau, efficient use of rainwater is critical for the improvement of sustainable crop production. Conservation agriculture (CA) has been regarded as an ideal field management strategy to profoundly benefit water use and therefore crop production. However, it remains unclear as to how crop production and water use respond to annual precipitation and how CA practices affect crop production through regulating water use. In this study, a meta-analysis based on field observations was conducted to investigate the relationship between water use and crop production. The results showed that annual precipitation of 300 mm yr−1 is a threshold to ensure relatively high crop production and water use efficiency (WUE), and 600 mm yr−1 is the most favorable rainfall level for crop production and WUE. Evapotranspiration (ET) was linearly related to annual precipitation, except that it was not the lowest when annual rainfall <300 mm yr−1. Although straw mulching is more important than tillage reduction, tillage reduction is still necessary to combine with straw mulching to obtain a higher production of crop. Crop production, ET, and WUE kept increasing as experimental duration increased, indicating that extending CA term is essential to further improve water use and crop production. We further proposed mathematical equations to prove that the increase in transpiration plays a critical role in water use and crop production improvement. WUE is not necessarily related to the increase in yield, and, therefore, higher transpiration rather than increased WUE should be the target for crop production improvement. The results also suggest that evaporation and transpiration are not presented separately, which limits investigation of the effective use of water by identifying transpiration. Overall, annual precipitation is essential for the levels of crop production, ET, and WUE on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Reasonable CA practices, especially long-term application, could improve water use and crop production through increasing transpiration. However, a better future understanding of the relationship between crop production and water use needs more detailed information about the effective use of water at field scales.
OHS Problems of Migrants in Turkey and the Order of Importance: Pareto Analysis
Authors: Akyildiz Cengiz , Ekmekci İsmail
Published: September 2020

In Turkey, no studies have been conducted on the listing of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) problems of legal and illegal migrant workers, especially of Syrian origin, in the order of importance and the need to address solution suggestions according to this order. This study aims to list the OHS problems of migrants, refugees, asylum-seekers, migrants under international protection, and irregular migrants employed in the production and service sectors in the order of importance and show their effect on solutions. The 40-item list of problems created by performing the literature review was weighted with the expert opinions of stakeholders related to migrants in Turkey, namely, universities, migrant NGOs, Syrian academicians, government units, migrant workers, and OHS specialists, and checked using Pareto analysis. In the table created by experts through the evaluation and weighting of the problems obtained from the literature review, the first eight questions (20%) constituted 79%, the next 12 questions (30%) constituted 16%, and the last 20 questions (50%) constituted 5%. When the first eight problems are analyzed, it is observed that the OSH problems of migrants are caused by the laws that are not enacted, the fact that the state institutions ignore migrant workers, and that migrant workers are completely vulnerable to OSH risks. Afterward, the same expert team was asked about solution proposals within the scope of the existing problems, and they were put in the order of importance via Pareto analysis. In Turkey, there is no law or legislation regarding OHS legislation for migrant workers. Migrant workers experience serious security and health problems. The state especially ignores illegal migrant workers. Illegal migrant workers are deprived of their security rights and the right to access health care. It is observed that 80% of the migrant workers’ problems will be resolved when the most important eight problems identified are resolved.
Learning Leaders: Teachers or Youtubers? Participatory Culture and STEM Competencies in Italian Secondary School Students
Authors: Gil-Quintana Javier , Malvasi Viviana , Castillo-Abdul Bárbara , Romero-Rodríguez Luis M.
Published: September 2020

Youth is increasingly learning in non-conventional contexts, such as social networks or video platforms, courses, and tutorials. This research aims to diagnose the role of participatory culture, digital resources, social networks, and, specifically, YouTube, in learning processes and the acquisition of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills, specifically in mathematics, also analyzing the role of youtubers and, in contrast, teachers, both learning leaders in the formation of these skills. In order to accomplish this, mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) were used, based on a survey applied to 4845 Italian adolescents, as well as a content analysis of the videos and YouTube channel of the Italian educational influencer Elia Bombardelli, one of the most followed and best rated in this country. Also, an in-depth interview has been applied to 12 Italian secondary school teachers. Among the main findings, it is highlighted that all adolescents value YouTube videos as a key resource to improve their school performance, rating youtubers better than teachers. However, it is remarkable that in the processes of learning and acquisition of STEM competencies, they prefer to interact with teachers rather than with youtubers.
Integrating BIM-Based LCA and Building Sustainability Assessment
Authors: Carvalho José Pedro , Alecrim Ismael , Bragança Luís , Mateus Ricardo
Published: September 2020

With the increasing concerns about building environmental impacts, building information modelling (BIM) has been used to perform different kinds of sustainability analysis. Among the most popular are the life cycle assessment (LCA) and building sustainability assessment (BSA). However, the integration of BIM-based LCA in BSA methods has not been adequately explored yet. This study addresses the relation between LCA and BSA within the BIM context for the Portuguese context. By performing an LCA for a Portuguese case study, a set of sustainability criteria from SBTool were simultaneous assessed during the process. The possibility of integrating BIM-based LCA into BSA methods can include more life cycle stages in the sustainability assessment and allow for normalising and producing more comparable results. BIM automates and connects different stages of the design process and provides information for multi-disciplinary data storage. However, there are still some constraints, such as different BSA/LCA databases and the necessity to manually introduce the embodied life cycle impacts of building materials. The scope of the BSA analysis can be expanded by integrating a complete LCA and be fostered by the support of BIM, effectively improving building sustainability according to local standards.
Effects of the “MAMI Deporte®” Family Sports Program on Parents’ Motivation towards Sport Participation: A Randomized Controlled Intervention
Authors: Burgueño Rafael , Morales-Ortíz Esther , Macarro-Moreno José , Medina-Casaubón Jesús , Cueto-Martín Belén
Published: September 2020

As most parents do not meet physical activity (PA) recommendations, new PA promotion strategies need to be developed considering the role of motivation as an essential underlying factor of PA behavior. Recreational sports programs practiced in the family would represent an effective strategy to promote PA for the entire family in general, and for parents in particular. Building upon self-determination theory, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Active Methodology for Improving Sports Initiation (MAMI Deporte®) program on parents’ behavioral regulation. The participants were 58 parents (50% men) and 78 children (48.71% boys), who were randomized into a control group (29 parents and 39 children), which followed its habitual sports activity over 8 months, and an experimental group (29 parents and 39 children), which completed the MAMI Deporte® program. Specifically, the MAMI Deporte® program focused on simultaneous participation between parents and children in multisports activities, including 32 lessons distributed into 2 h/week for 8 months. Pre-and-post-intervention measures were collected. The results showed significant differences in the parents’ level of intrinsic motivation, integrated regulation, identified regulation and introjected regulation in favor of the experimental group. Nonsignificant effects were found for gender. These results were discussed, highlighting the internalization process of the value of sport in the family experienced by parents after the MAMI Deporte® family-based sports program.
The Influence of Brand Image on Brand Extension Evaluation: Design of the Living Intention Service Model and Brand Positioning of a Retirement Community
Authors: Tsai Tsai-Hsuan , Wong Alice M. K. , Lee Hsiu-Feng , Tseng Kevin C.
Published: September 2020

The proportion of the elderly in Taiwan’s population has been increasing in recent years. In the context of ageing and a low birth rate, retirement care for the elderly has become a serious challenge but remains underresearched. Choosing a retirement community that meets the needs of the elderly by considering their health and leisure activities and providing housing has become an important ageing-related topic. Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether the living intention of the elderly when choosing a retirement community is affected by brand attachment, high partner quality, brand trust and commitment, and brand self-congruence. A living intention service model is proposed and an empirical study is conducted with 101 random residents of Chang Gung Health and Culture Village (CGHCV) to measure the constructs proposed in the model. The results show that self-congruence and partner quality did not have a significant impact on the elderly’s brand trust and commitment, likely because when choosing their last residence, unlike when buying general consumer products, the elderly attach more importance to healthcare brands, which in turn affects their living intention.
Effect of Seasonal Flow Field on Inland Ship Emission Assessment: A Case Study of Ferry
Authors: Huang Hongxun , Zhou Chunhui , Xiao Changshi , Huang Liang , Wen Yuanqiao , Wang Jianxin , Peng Xin
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of the seasonal flow field on inland ship emissions and to improve calculation accuracy. Firstly, the flow field model is built through numerical simulation to correct the sailing speed of the ship from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) information in real-time. Then, an optimal emission estimation model for inland ships considering flow field factors is proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of the optimization model is demonstrated by a case study, and the influence of the seasonal flow field on emission calculation is analyzed. It indicates that the calculation results of the model considering the influence of the flow field are more accurate. Without considering the flow field, the results of emission calculations are often underestimated, especially in summer, which shows the importance of incorporating the flow field factors into the calculation of inland ship emissions.
Intercultural Learning Challenges Affecting International Students’ Sustainable Learning in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Yassin Amr Abdullatif , Abdul Razak Norizan , Qasem Yousef A. M. , Saeed Mohammed Murad Abdu
Published: September 2020

The tendency for internationalization of higher education in many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) around the world, including those of Malaysia, is increasing with the current wave of globalization; however, the main challenge of international HEIs is how to manage intercultural diversity and overcome intercultural learning challenges that affect international students’ learning outcomes and learning sustainability. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate intercultural learning challenges that affect international students’ learning sustainability through a proposed measurement model. The data were collected from 273 international students in Malaysian HEIs through a survey and were analyzed using variance-based structural equation modeling (i.e., PLS-SEM). The results showed that intercultural challenges did not have a significant effect on students’ learning sustainability. Nevertheless, language challenges, academic challenges, and research challenges were found to have a significant negative impact on the learning sustainability of international students. The study concluded that intercultural learning barriers are considered to be intercultural learning challenges, which have a negative effect on international students’ learning sustainability even though international students might overcome such challenges with the passage of time. In addition, the study identified different factors pertaining to international students’ learning sustainability, such as students’ language and learning skills, Higher Education Institutions’ educational systems, and lecturers. Based on the finding of the study, Higher Education Institutions need to create a clear framework that encompasses these factors to improve learning sustainability among international students.
Traceability of Ready-to-Wear Clothing through Blockchain Technology
Authors: Bullón Pérez Juan José , Queiruga-Dios Araceli , Gayoso Martínez Víctor , Martín del Rey Ángel
Published: September 2020

Traceability and monitoring of industrial processes are becoming more important to assure the value of final products. Blockchain technology emerged as part of a movement linked to criptocurrencies and the Internet of Things, providing nice-to-have features such as traceability, authenticity and security to sectors willing to use this technology. In the retail industry, blockchain offers users the possibility to monitor details about time and place of elaboration, the origin of raw materials, the quality of materials involved in the manufacturing processes, information on the people or companies that work on it, etc. It allows to control and monitor textile articles, from their production or importing initial steps, up to their acquisition by the end consumer, using the blockchain as a means of tracking and identification during the whole process. This technology can also be used by the apparel industry in general and, more specifically, for ready-to-wear clothing, for tracing suppliers and customers along the entire logistics chain. The goal of this paper is to introduce the more recent traceability schemes for the apparel industry together with the proposal of a framework for ready-to-wear clothing which allows to ensure the transparency in the supply chain, clothing authenticity, reliability and integrity, and validity of the retail final products, and of the elements that compose the whole supply chain. In order to illustrate the proposal, a case study on a women’s shirt from an apparel and fashion company, where a private and open blockchain is used for tracing the product, is included. Blockchain actors are proposed for each product stage.
Understanding the Professional Practice of Teachers of Chinese as an Additional Language through the Lens of Teacher Agency
Authors: Bao Min , Ren Wei , Wang Danping
Published: September 2020

Teacher agency plays a key role in sustaining the professional practice of language teachers, including teachers of Chinese as an additional language (CAL), to ensure sustainable multilingualism in universities. This paper reports on an exploratory study that examined five CAL teachers’ experiences of using teaching materials in a leading Belarussian university. Drawing on theorization about teacher agency, the analysis of the participants’ experiences helped to reveal the manifestations of teacher agency in their engagement with teaching materials in their teaching, which emerged from interactions between individual aspirations and contextual conditions. In particular, the findings highlight that three factors, namely teachers’ beliefs, teacher identity, and relationships within their community, play significant roles in mediating the participants’ exercise of agency in using teaching materials. The findings not only contribute to the conceptualization of teacher agency, but suggest that pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and materials development of CAL teachers should be emphasized in supporting effective teaching, so that they can achieve sustainable professional practice to ensure sustainable multilingualism in universities.
Short- and Long-Term Impacts of Workplace Relocation: A Survey and Experience from the University of Luxembourg Relocation
Authors: Sprumont François , Benam Ali Shateri , Viti Francesco
Published: September 2020

Workplace relocation can have a significant impact on commuting trips as well as on the location and number of activities scheduled within the home-work tour. This often exogenous, non-voluntary event affects the entire activity-travel behavior of the employees. As response, employees can adopt several short- and long-term adaptation strategies to cope with such change, the most obvious being commuting mode shifting, acquire new mobility resources (e.g., buying a car) or changing residential location. As workplace relocation can be consequence of national policies aimed at decongesting the city centers or to favor the development of new business areas, undesired macroscopic changes in modal shares and in land developments may be observed. While a decrease in the commuting time after a workplace relocation is, in some cases, observed, an increase in car use for the commuting trip may be observed as well. This paper aims at providing an in-depth understanding of the effect of workplace relocation on travel behavior by reviewing and selecting the relevant scientific literature on the topic, which has in the last years gained popularity. The findings and observations summarized by the literature review are then complemented with the specific example of the relocation of the University of Luxembourg employees. Finally, we indicate potential directions for research, which are currently underexplored.
A Semi-Parametric Geographically Weighted Regression Approach to Exploring Driving Factors of Fractional Vegetation Cover: A Case Study of Guangdong
Authors: Jin Yuhao , Zhang Han , Yan Yuchao , Cong Peitong
Published: September 2020

Ecological degradation caused by rapid urbanisation has presented great challenges in southern China. Fractional vegetation cover (FVC) has long been the most common and sensitive index to describe vegetation growth and to monitor vegetation degradation. However, most of the studies have failed to adequately explore the complexity of the relationship between fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and impact factors. In this research, we first constructed a Semi-parametric Geographically Weighted Regression (SGWR) model to analyse both the stationary and nonstationary spatial relationships between FVC and driving factors in Guangdong province in southern China on a county level. Then, climate, topographic, land cover, and socio-economic factors were introduced into the model to distinguish impacts on FVC from 2000–2015. Results suggest that the positive and negative effects of rainfall and elevation coefficients alternated, and local urban land and population estimates indicated a negative association between FVC and the modelled factors in each period. The SGWR FVC make significantly improves performance of the geographically weighted regression and ordinary least squares models, with adjusted R2 higher than 0.78. The findings of this research demonstrated that, although urbanisation in the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong has encroached on the regional vegetation cover, the total vegetation area remained unchanged with the implementation of protection policies and regulations.
Copolymerization of a Bisphenol a Derivative and Elemental Sulfur by the RASP Process
Authors: Thiounn Timmy , Lauer Moira K. , Karunarathna Menisha S. , Tennyson Andrew G. , Smith Rhett C.
Published: September 2020

Fossil fuel refining produces over 70 Mt of excess sulfur annually from for which there is currently no practical use. Recently, methods to convert waste sulfur to recyclable and biodegradable polymers have been delineated. In this report, a commercial bisphenol A (BPA) derivative, 2,2′,5,5′-tetrabromo(bisphenol A) (Br4BPA), is explored as a potential organic monomer for copolymerization with elemental sulfur by RASP (radical-induced aryl halide-sulfur polymerization). Resultant copolymers, BASx (x = wt% sulfur in the monomer feed, screened for values of 80, 85, 90, and 95) were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and dynamic mechanical analysis. Analysis of early stage reaction products and depolymerization products support proposed S–Caryl bond formation and regiochemistry, while fractionation of BASx reveals a sulfur rank of 3–6. Copolymers having less organic cross-linker (5 or 10 wt%) in the monomer feed were thermoplastics, whereas thermosets were accomplished when 15 or 20 wt% of organic cross-linker was used. The flexural strengths of the thermally processable samples (>3.4 MPa and >4.7 for BAS95 and BAS90, respectively) were quite high compared to those of familiar building materials such as portland cement (3.7 MPa). Furthermore, copolymer BAS90 proved quite resistant to degradation by oxidizing organic acid, maintaining its full flexural strength after soaking in 0.5 M H2SO4 for 24 h. BAS90 could also be remelted and recast into shapes over many cycles without any loss of mechanical strength. This study on the effect of monomer ratio on properties of materials prepared by RASP of small molecular aryl halides confirms that highly cross-linked materials with varying physical and mechanical properties can be accessed by this protocol. This work is also an important step towards potentially upcycling BPA from plastic degradation and sulfur from fossil fuel refining.
Fractional Hermite-Hadamard Integral Inequalities for a New Class of Convex Functions
Authors: Mohammed Pshtiwan Othman , Abdeljawad Thabet , Zeng Shengda , Kashuri Artion
Published: September 2020

Fractional integral inequality plays a significant role in pure and applied mathematics fields. It aims to develop and extend various mathematical methods. Therefore, nowadays we need to seek accurate fractional integral inequalities in obtaining the existence and uniqueness of the fractional methods. Besides, the convexity theory plays a concrete role in the field of fractional integral inequalities due to the behavior of its definition and properties. There is also a strong relationship between convexity and symmetric theories. So, whichever one we work on, we can then apply it to the other one due to the strong correlation produced between them, specifically in the last few decades. First, we recall the definition of φ-Riemann–Liouville fractional integral operators and the recently defined class of convex functions, namely the σ˘-convex functions. Based on these, we will obtain few integral inequalities of Hermite–Hadamard’s type for a σ˘-convex function with respect to an increasing function involving the φ-Riemann–Liouville fractional integral operator. We can conclude that all derived inequalities in our study generalize numerous well-known inequalities involving both classical and Riemann–Liouville fractional integral inequalities. Finally, application to certain special functions are pointed out.