bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting Depth from Single RGB Images with Pyramidal Three-Streamed Networks
Authors: Chen Songnan , Tang Mengxia , Kan Jiangming
Published: February 2019

Predicting depth from a monocular image is an ill-posed and inherently ambiguous issue in computer vision. In this paper, we propose a pyramidal third-streamed network (PTSN) that recovers the depth information using a single given RGB image. PTSN uses pyramidal structure images, which can extract multiresolution features to improve the robustness of the network as the network input. The full connection layer is changed into fully convolutional layers with a new upconvolution structure, which reduces the network parameters and computational complexity. We propose a new loss function including scale-invariant, horizontal and vertical gradient loss that not only helps predict the depth values, but also clearly obtains local contours. We evaluate PTSN on the NYU Depth v2 dataset and the experimental results show that our depth predictions have better accuracy than competing methods.
A Nafion Film Cover to Enhance the Analytical Performance of the CuO/Cu Electrochemical Sensor for Determination of Chemical Oxygen Demand
Authors: Carchi Tanya , Lapo Byron , Alvarado José , Espinoza-Montero Patricio J. , Llorca Jordi , Fernández Lenys
Published: February 2019

We modified and evaluated the performance of a CuO/Cu electrochemical electrode for chemical oxygen demand (COD) determination by covering it with a Nafion (Nf) film. The resulting modified CuONf/Cu electrode sensor was used for the electrochemical determination of COD in river, slaughterhouse and estuarine water samples in order to evaluate its performance for this particular task. It was compared with the CuO/Cu sensor with no Nafion. The main electrochemical characteristics of interest, resistance, sensitivity, accuracy and reproducibility, were assessed by means of Linear Sweep Voltammetry using glucose as a standard. Results of these essays indicate that the procedure used produced smooth and firmly attached Nf films covering the whole copper surface. This sensor was shown to be resistant to interferences and effective in electro-oxidation of a wide range of organic compounds and therefore very useful for COD determination. Using the newly developed CuONf/Cu electrode an analytical linear range of 50 to 1000 mg·L−1 COD, with a detection limit of 2.11 mg·L−1 (n = 6) COD was achieved. The comparison shows that the CuONf/Cu sensor is more appropriate for COD determination than its counterpart with no Nafion.
Views on Public Transport and How Personal Experiences Can Contribute to a More Positive Attitude and Behavioural Change
Authors: Forward Sonja E.
Published: February 2019

To reduce car usage, several strategies are needed, one of which focuses on social psychological factors. The aim of this study was to predict and explain bus usage using the theory of planned behaviour and the transtheoretical model of change in a sample of 983 residents. The study also evaluated the effect of providing a group of regular car users (n = 34) with a free travel pass, to be used on busses and trains in the region. A regression analysis showed that the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) explained 26% of the variance in intention to use the bus, increasing to 59% when past behaviour was added. The use of the free travel pass resulted in a more positive attitude towards bus usage, with a large number having either changed or having started to change their behaviour. When the same people were contacted three months later, 50% still used public transport. The conclusion is that negative attitudes and travel habits can be altered by experience. Although, a reduction of car use can only be achieved if several measures are implemented that make car driving less attractive and sustainable modes of transport more attractive.
Technology and School Unit Improvement: Researching, Reconsidering and Reconstructing the School Context through a Multi-Thematic Digital Storytelling Project
Authors: Kouvara Theodora K. , Karasoula Stavroula A. , Karachristos Christoforos V. , Stavropoulos Elias C. , Verykios Vassilios S.
Published: February 2019

Digital stories comprise a technological tool which can engage learners in collaborative learning as well as lead them to experientially acquire knowledge through a constructive process. The aim of the current action research, for which a cooperative network between academics and teachers was created, is to show how digital storytelling can emerge as an inclusive education tool through investigating the changes brought about by its implementation on the academic and social context of a school unit. The research was conducted in a Greek primary school and lasted seven months, involving two fifth grade classes and an integration class. It followed the three stages of a multi-thematic digital story project (preparation, implementation, and evaluation) and learners were called to research and process information, at their own pace, from diverse cognitive domains (art, science, coding). The research tools employed were participatory observation, diary research, and semi-structured interviews. The research positively influenced the reconstruction of the school unit since teachers reconsidered some of their educational techniques as non-inclusive, utilized technology as an instrument of constructive and experiential learning based on the diversity of each student, and reinforced learners’ critical thinking and imagination while cultivating a climate of empathy and self-confidence among students.
Likelihood Confidence Intervals When Only Ranges Are Available
Authors: Nemes Szilárd
Published: February 2019

Research papers represent an important and rich source of comparative data. The change is to extract the information of interest. Herein, we look at the possibilities to construct confidence intervals for sample averages when only ranges are available with maximum likelihood estimation with order statistics (MLEOS). Using Monte Carlo simulation, we looked at the confidence interval coverage characteristics for likelihood ratio and Wald-type approximate 95% confidence intervals. We saw indication that the likelihood ratio interval had better coverage and narrower intervals. For single parameter distributions, MLEOS is directly applicable. For location-scale distribution is recommended that the variance (or combination of it) to be estimated using standard formulas and used as a plug-in.
Environmental Consciousness and Green Customer Behavior: The Moderating Roles of Incentive Mechanisms
Authors: Ting Chung-Te , Hsieh Chi-Ming , Chang Hsiao-Ping , Chen Han-Shen
Published: February 2019

Consumer awareness of environmental protection and energy conservation concepts has prompted businesses in the hotel industry to adopt green operations. Most studies of the hotel industry have discussed the behavioral intentions (BIs) of consumers based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), but they have not considered emotional and motivational factors. The present study incorporated two incentive mechanisms and the anticipated positive and negative emotions of consumers into the TPB to explore the relationship between BIs and green hotel development. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that (1) a positive correlation exists between environmental attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control (PBC), positive anticipated emotion, and desire intention (DI), and a negative correlation exists between negative anticipated emotions and DI; (2) a positive correlation exists between PBC, DI, and BI; and (3) an incentive mechanism has a moderating effect on the relationship between DI and BI.
Locus of Control: The Mediation Effect between Emotional Stability and Pro-Environmental Behavior
Authors: Chiang Yi-Te , Fang Wei-Ta , Kaplan Ulas , Ng Eric
Published: February 2019

Locus of control is a crucial factor in pro-environmental behavior. However, studies on pro-environmental behavior investigating the predisposing factors of internal locus of control are limited. Therefore, the objective of this study further explored the predisposing factors of locus of control and revealed that emotional stability may be a predisposing factor for internal locus of control and pro-environmental behavior. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Taiwan (n = 473) and the responses were explored using structural equation modeling path analysis. The results revealed that emotional stability can promote pro-environmental behavior through the mediation effect of internal locus of control, indicating that emotional stability is a predisposing factor for locus of control-generated pro-environmental behavior. Thus, the study results indicated that people with higher emotional stability and a stronger internal locus of control are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior. Hence, to promote pro-environmental behavior through environmental protection education, people’s self-control awareness must be strengthened to enable them to remain calm and peaceful.
Financing for Water—Water for Financing: A Global Review of Policy and Practice
Authors: Alaerts Guy J.
Published: February 2019

The relationship between the water and financial sectors is explored through a review of past and current policies and practices, and new needs driven by growing water insecurity (i.e., drought and floods) and climate change. This paper focuses on emerging markets and developing economies. The “conventional” agenda of providing safe drinking water supply and sanitation has met with growing success. The newer water resources agenda covering flood, drought and irrigation, in contrast, has to address rapid alterations in the landscape due to destruction of catchments, and rapid water use growth. By approximately 2045 the world will transition from a predominantly water-abundant place to a predominantly water-scarce one. Though this masks large regional differences, pressure will grow to improve water management and broaden adoption of technologies and policies for recycling, desalination and water efficiency. Climate change will exacerbate these trends. Finance for the water agenda has been dominated by public budgets. To meet the SDGs, the need for finance in emerging markets and developing economies is 2–4 times larger than current practice. National budgets have grown significantly while international development assistance has grown modestly. Commercial finance holds promise but is constrained by high-risk profiles of many water investments: deals are small or risky and creditworthiness of water utilities and municipalities is weak. Access to commercial finance can be enhanced through blended finance, intermediary institutions and, increasingly, local capital markets. However, though the capacity to access finance is constrained in many developing economies, the capacity to absorb finance and prepare “bankable” proposals proves even more constraining. Climate change is emerging as a systemic threat to corporate and financial assets. Water insecurity undercuts the financial viability of production assets, services and real estate. It is argued that the longer-term interests of the water and financial sectors will converge.
Reconciling Energy and Heritage: Retrofit of Heritage Buildings in Contexts of Energy Vulnerability
Authors: Piderit María Beatriz , Agurto Susan , Marín-Restrepo Laura
Published: February 2019

Chile is a resilient country which has been struck by a series of natural disasters, affecting heritage areas whose inhabitants live under a great economic and energy vulnerability. Although there are some advances that have been made in the country to recover its heritage, these do not include energy efficiency parameters. In this context, intervention in heritage properties requires a specific, complementary treatment above and beyond what is currently applied. Consequently, this research aims to develop a methodology that balances heritage and energy in energy vulnerability contexts. The proposed methodology analyzes heritage and energy aspects separately through attribute matrices, as well as the building pathologies, to later integrate the results in a final matrix which allows defining an energy-heritage intervention plan. In this way, it includes the systematic identification of elements that require intervention because of pathological issues, as well as the type of intervention that would be acceptable given its heritage significance and whether they mean a possibility to optimize the energy performance. The methodology, for its validation, was applied in a heritage residential building inhabited by low-income occupants. The case study presents physical damages and is located in the city of Lota, an area with an outstanding cultural heritage from the mining era.
Assessing the Influence of Adverse Weather on Traffic Flow Characteristics Using a Driving Simulator and VISSIM
Authors: Chen Chen , Zhao Xiaohua , Liu Hao , Ren Guichao , Zhang Yunlong , Liu Xiaoming
Published: February 2019

The occurrence of adverse weather exacerbates traffic flow conditions, often leading to severe traffic congestions. Many studies have been conducted based on field-collected data to obtain the effects of weather on traffic flow characteristics. However, there is a limitation for filed data-based studies, in that weather conditions and traffic conditions are both noncontrollable and nonrepeatable, making it difficult to comprehensively assess the influence of weather conditions, especially the rare extreme weather conditions, on traffic flow characteristics. This paper proposes to assess these effects with the combination of driving simulator and traffic simulation. A driving simulator can collect driving behavior by conducting weather-related driving simulation experiments, while a microscopic traffic simulation program can evaluate the changes in traffic flow characteristics by inputting driving behavior parameters coming from the driving simulator. The proposed method can overcome the limitation of the field data-based approach. In this paper, the structure of the assessment platform is introduced at first. Then a verification experiment is conducted to measure the influences of adverse weather conditions on traffic flow characteristics. The verification experiment results show that the influences of adverse weather on traffic flow characteristics have consistent tendencies with outcomes from previous research and demonstrate that the method is practicable for the analysis of the influence of weather on traffic flow characteristics. This paper provides a practical way to analyze the influence of weather on traffic flow from driving behavior’s point of view.
Does Public Infrastructure Breed Consumption Downgrade and Overcapacity in China? A DSGE Approach on Macroeconomic Effects
Authors: Lang Youze , Yang Qiuyi
Published: February 2019

As the most influential emerging and developing country in Asia, China has attached great importance to the construction of infrastructural facilities, laying stress on its pivotal role in sustainable growth. Recently, however, a pessimistic mood about the term “consumption downgrade” continues to emerge, ascribing the dip in people’s disposable income to real estate bubbles stemming from too much government infrastructure spending. This paper collects empirical evidence, develops a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) framework, regards Productive Government Expenditure (PGE) as a critical endogenous variable, and investigates thoroughly its overall effects on key indicators concerning economic growth and sustainable development. Results show that household consumption indeed responds directly and negatively confronting a sudden increase of public infrastructure investment in China, yet aggregate output is instead boosted. On top of that, productive capacity does not present a supposed reduction, but a promotion under the PGE shock. These findings indicate that so-called “consumption downgrade” delivers the wrong message of weak productivity; capacity utilization is in essence improved by vigorous government support for infrastructure construction, which ultimately benefits continuously-stable social sustainability in the long term.
Local Perception of Drivers of Land-Use and Land-Cover Change Dynamics across Dedza District, Central Malawi Region
Authors: Munthali Maggie G. , Davis Nerhene , Adeola Abiodun M. , Botai Joel O. , Kamwi Jonathan M. , Chisale Harold L. W. , Orimoogunje Oluwagbenga O. I.
Published: February 2019

Research on Land Use and Land Cover (LULC) dynamics, and an understanding of the drivers responsible for these changes, are very crucial for modelling future LULC changes and the formulation of sustainable and robust land-management strategies and policy decisions. This study adopted a mixed method consisting of remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based analysis, focus-group discussions, key informant interviews, and semi-structured interviews covering 586 households to assess LULC dynamics and associated LULC change drivers across the Dedza district, a central region of Malawi. GIS-based analysis of remotely sensed data revealed that barren land and built-up areas extensively increased at the expense of agricultural and forest land between 1991 and 2015. Analysis of the household-survey results revealed that the perceptions of respondents tended to validate the observed patterns during the remotely sensed data-analysis phase of the research, with 57.3% (n = 586) of the respondents reporting a decline in agricultural land use, and 87.4% (n = 586) observing a decline in forest areas in the district. Furthermore, firewood collection, charcoal production, population growth, and poverty were identified as the key drivers of these observed LULC changes in the study area. Undoubtedly, education has emerged as a significant factor influencing respondents’ perceptions of these drivers of LULC changes. However, unsustainable LULC changes observed in this study have negative implications on rural livelihoods and natural-resource management. Owing to the critical role that LULC dynamics play to rural livelihoods and the ecosystem, this study recommends further research to establish the consequences of these changes. The present study and future research will support decision makers and planners in the design of tenable and coherent land-management strategies.
Integrating GeoDesign with Landscape Sustainability Science
Authors: Huang Lu , Xiang Weining , Wu Jianguo , Traxler Christoph , Huang Jingzhou
Published: February 2019

With an increasing world population and accelerated urbanization, the development of landscape sustainability remains a challenge for scientists, designers, and multiple stakeholders. Landscape sustainability science (LSS) studies dynamic relationships among landscape pattern, ecosystem services, and human well-being with spatially explicit methods. The design of a sustainable landscape needs both landscape sustainability–related disciplines and digital technologies that have been rapidly developing. GeoDesign is a new design method based on a new generation of information technology, especially spatial information technology, to design land systems. This paper discusses the suitability of GeoDesign for LSS to help design sustainable landscapes. Building on a review of LSS and GeoDesign, we conclude that LSS can utilize GeoDesign as a research method and the designed landscape as a research object to enrich and empower the spatially explicit methodology of LSS. To move forward, we suggest to integrate GeoDesign with LSS from six perspectives: strong/weak sustainability, multiple scales, ecosystem services, sustainability indicators, big data application, and the sense of place. Toward this end, we propose a LSS-based GeoDesign framework that links the six perspectives. We expect that this integration between GeoDesign and LSS will help advance the science and practice of sustainability and bring together many disciplines across natural, social, and design sciences.
Market-Oriented Sustainability of Sjenica Sheep Cheese
Authors: Filipović Jelena
Published: February 2019

This study investigated the nature and level of market-oriented sustainability of Sjenica sheep cheese, a Serbian Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)-registered product. In the analysis of the supply chain market sustainability, three theories were used: Resource dependence theory, upper echelons theory, and signaling theory. The data were collected using a stepwise research design, applying techniques of observation and in-depth and telephone interviewing. The results show that the low recognition of the PDO label among Serbian consumers and all participants in the supply chain and the lack of the presence in the markets and large packages negatively impact domestic consumers in their decisions to purchase higher amounts of Sjenica sheep cheese. Small producers lack bargaining power, whereas their perceptions hinder formation of inter-organizational arrangements. The insufficient education of big producers and distributors impede the achievement of better business results. The main challenges for the export of Sjenica sheep cheese are the inadequate certification of this food product for the European Union market, the lack of standardized production process that results in variations in the product quality, and the unawareness of the regional consumers of Sjenica sheep cheese due to insufficient communication efforts.
Healthy Diets and Reduced Land Pressure: Towards a Double Gain for Future Food Systems in Nigeria
Authors: Smeets-Kristkova Zuzana , Achterbosch Thom , Kuiper Marijke
Published: February 2019

Nigeria is one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Strong GDP and population growth coupled with urbanization trends place tremendous pressures on natural resources and the food systems that are dependent on them. Understanding the impact of these “mega trends” is important to identify key leverage points for navigating towards improved nutrition and food security in Nigeria. This paper contributes to the Foresight Project of the Food Systems for Healthier Diets which aims to analyse how the food system in Nigeria is expected to transform in the next decades, and to identify the leverage points for making sure that the transformation contributes to balanced consumer diets. For the food systems foresight, a well-established global economy-wide model, MAGNET, is applied that enables to capture the interlinkages among different food industry players in one consistent framework. By linking MAGNET to the GENUS nutritional database, it is further possible to relate the developments occurring on a macro-level with detailed macro and micronutrient consumption. Model projections suggest that a process of intensification of agriculture in combination with land substitution appears critical for the evolution of food and nutrition security, and for shifts towards healthy diets for the population. Intensification results in greater diversity of the production systems, which in turn cascades into positive effects on the diversity in the food supply and better food security outcomes.
Critical Infrastructures: The Operational Environment in Cases of Severe Disruption
Authors: Heino Ossi , Takala Annina , Jukarainen Pirjo , Kalalahti Joanna , Kekki Tuula , Verho Pekka
Published: February 2019

The functioning and resilience of modern societies have become more and more dependent on critical infrastructures. Severe disturbance to critical infrastructure is likely to reveal chaotic operational conditions, in which infrastructure service providers, emergency services, police, municipalities, and other key stakeholders must act effectively to minimize damages and restore normal operations. This paper aims to better understand this kind of operational environment resulting from, for example, a terrorist attack. It emphasizes mutual interdependencies among key stakeholders in such situations. The empirical contribution is based on observations from a workshop, in which participants representing the critical services and infrastructures in Finland discussed in thematic groups. Two scenarios guided the workshop discussions; nationwide electricity grid disruption and presumably intentionally contaminated water supply in a city. The results indicate that more attention should be paid to the interdependencies between critical infrastructures, as well as to the latent vulnerabilities hidden inside the systems. Furthermore, producing security seems to require continuous interaction and creation of meanings between extremely different actors and logics. This implies a need for changes in thinking, particularly concerning the ability to define problems across conventional administrative structures, geographical boundaries and conferred powers.
Sustainability Assessment of Constructive Solutions for Urban Spain: A Multi-Objective Combinatorial Optimization Problem
Authors: Martínez Simón , González Cristina , Hospitaler Antonio , Albero Vicente
Published: February 2019

Industrial areas are set up on plots of roads and associated infrastructure. These use materials and machinery that have environmental impacts, and thus require constructive solutions throughout their lifecycles. In turn, these solutions and their components cause environmental impacts that can be measured by sustainability indicators. The concept of sustainability is closely tied to sustainable development, which is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. The large number of possible and available solutions means that identifying the best one for a given road section must employ a set of heuristic techniques, which conceptualize the issue as a combinatorial optimization problem that is purely discrete and non-differential. The system chosen can be based on a genetic algorithm method that differentiates individuals based on three sustainability indicators: CO2 emissions, embedded energy (also known as embodied energy, defined as the energy expended to manufacture a product), and economic cost. In this paper, we supplement traditional cost analyses using a three-objective multi-objective genetic algorithm that considers the aforementioned criteria, thus addressing sustainability in aggregate planning. The procedure is applied to three objective functions—CO2 emissions, economic cost and embedded energy—for each possible solution. We used the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) to implement multi-objective optimization in MATLAB. Additional results for a random walk and multi-objective search algorithm are shown. This study involved 26 design variables, with different ranks of variation, and the application of the algorithm generates results for the defined Pareto fronts. Our method shows that the optimal approach effectively solves a real-world multi-objective project planning problem, as our solution is one of the Pareto-optimal solutions generated by the NSGA-II.
Sociocultural Impacts of Tourism on Residents of World Cultural Heritage Sites in China
Authors: Zhuang Xiaoping , Yao Yong , Li Jun (Justin)
Published: February 2019

The development of tourism induces changes in the social character of a destination. Tourism is a globalized business activity and thus presents growing challenges in terms of traditional social culture. With the continuous development of the tourism industry, traditional social culture has changed dramatically at many World Heritage sites (WHSs). Additionally, the growing dependence of many regions’ economies on the tourism industry has brought about an inexorable shift in the perception of many rural residents. These transformations include the impact of tourism development and its economic efficiency on inhabitants’ traditional values, lifestyles, and interpersonal relationship in ancient villages serving as WHSs. A qualitative analysis including participatory in-depth interviews was conducted to compare changes in the social culture induced by tourism development at the WHS comprising three ancient villages in China. Furthermore, a qualitative content analysis was chosen to examine the impact of tourism development on residents’ perceptions of changes in moral values. The results demonstrate that tourism development is the major catalyst for change in local residents’ moral values.
The Role of Law in Transformative Environmental Policies—A Case Study of “Timber in Buildings Construction in Germany”
Authors: Ludwig Grit
Published: February 2019

Over the last decades, environmental law has significantly contributed to limiting the environmental impacts of our mode of living. Yet environmental problems still prevail and are strongly linked to our production and consumption systems. Therefore, the current challenges must be tackled with a systemic approach. The concept of transformative environmental policy identifies approaches for policymakers to interfere in socio-economic systems in order to give them a more sustainable structure. This article seeks to identify the contributions that law can make to a transformation towards sustainability. For illustrative purposes, I point out the concrete steps in a case study on increasing the use of timber in buildings construction in Germany. I argue that law plays a role in all three phases of a transformation/transition. The legal framework must enable innovations and experiments in the first transformation phase, come up with restricting regulations for old non-sustainable structures in the second phase, and in the third phase provide course stability for the new system. I conclude that the concept of transformative environmental policy helps to design adaptations of the legal framework in order to transform socio-economic and socio-technical systems towards more sustainability.
Can Trade Credit Maintain Sustainable R&D Investment of SMEs?—Evidence from China
Authors: Chen Langzi , Chen Zhihong , Li Jian
Published: February 2019

Due to the long-term nature and information asymmetry, SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) experience serious financial constraints that affect their R&D investments. This article examines the effect of trade credit maintaining sustainable R&D investment of SMEs under financial constraints. Using the panel data of Chinese SMEs from 2002–2014, it was found that although the R&D investments of SMEs are restricted by financial constraints, trade credit can maintain the sustainability of enterprises’ R&D investment. Private enterprises are more reliant on trade credit, which can be intensified during periods of monetary tightening. Considering the counterfactual framework and the endogenous problems, the empirical results were also robust when using propensity score matching. To summarize, this article develops a new explanation for maintaining sustainable R&D investment of SMEs under financial constraints in developing countries.
Tourism and Poverty Reduction in Mexico: An ARDL Cointegration Approach
Authors: Garza-Rodriguez Jorge
Published: February 2019

The objective of this paper was to investigate, with respect to the case of Mexico, the relationship between international tourism and the magnitude of poverty during the period of 1980–2017, through the use of an autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) cointegration model with a structural break. The econometric results obtained in this paper indicate that there is a long-term relationship between international tourism and the reduction of poverty. It was found that for every 1% increase in international tourism, household consumption per capita increases 0.46% (and, therefore, poverty decreases). In the short term, it was found that a 1% increase in international tourism leads to a 0.11% increase in household consumption per capita (a decrease in poverty). The coefficient of the error correction model indicates that 23.9% of any movement into disequilibrium is corrected within one year. To corroborate these results, a Toda–Yamamoto Granger causality test was carried out, indicating a unidirectional causality relationship from international tourism towards the reduction of poverty.
Probabilistic Analysis of Major Construction Materials in the Life Cycle Embodied Environmental Cost of Korean Apartment Buildings
Authors: Roh Seungjun , Tae Sungho , Kim Rakhyun , Park Suroh
Published: February 2019

This study employs probabilistic analysis to evaluate the life cycle embodied environmental cost of Korean apartment buildings, with a focus on six major construction materials. To this end, the bill of materials was analyzed for 443 Korean apartment buildings according to the type and plan form, and probability density functions (PDFs) were established for the input quantities of the six materials under consideration. Life cycle scenarios were then examined for each material, and their respective life cycle embodied environmental cost factors were established, using a monetary valuation-based damage cost life cycle analysis model. The estimated environmental costs were evaluated by apartment structural type and plan form, based on probability distributions using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). Building life cycle embodied environmental cost was estimated between 16.87 USD/m2 and 23.03 USD/m2 (90% confidence interval). Among the structure types analyzed, the highest costs were associated with the wall structure, followed by rigid frame and flat plate structures; at the plan form level, costs followed the sequence plate-type > mixed-type > tower type for a given type of structure.
The Challenge of Food Waste Governance in Cities: Case Study of Consumer Perspectives in Los Angeles
Authors: Warshawsky Daniel N.
Published: February 2019

Food waste has been linked with food insecurity, environmental degradation, and economic inefficiency. Although research on food waste has increased recently, food waste tends to be poorly conceptualized and is often disproportionality focused on local consumer decisions. For this reason, this paper critically analyzes perspectives on food waste in Los Angeles (LA) as a case study in order to understand the structural challenges of food waste governance in cities. To achieve this goal, this study uses content analysis of interview data of key stakeholders in LA’s food system and descriptive statistical analysis of survey data of university undergraduate students in LA. Findings in this paper suggest that students purchase, consume, and waste food in line with broader national trends in the U.S. Additionally, students indicated that the causes and solutions of food waste management lies with more responsible individual decisions and sustainable local food practices. While students noted that they may have acted differently towards food waste reduction if structural opportunities existed, results from the survey reveal that the role of corporations, global food system flows, and the political economy of food production remain relatively unrecognized by students in their perceptions of food waste. Although responsible consumer practices are clearly an important aspect of food waste reduction, findings in this paper suggest that food waste governance may be limited by a narrow local consumer focus.
Differential Game Analysis of Optimal Strategies and Cooperation in Omni-Channel Organic Agricultural Supply Chain
Authors: Hu Qifan , Xu Bing
Published: February 2019

This paper aims to investigate the optimal strategies for both centralized and decentralized modes in a two-echelon omni-channel organic agricultural supply chain (OASC) which consists of one farmer cooperative and one online retailer. Furthermore, the contracts of cooperation between the members in OASC are discussed. Based on both theory differential game and bi-level programming, we utilize the Nerlove–Arrow model and Stackelberg model to examine five cases of decision modes for both agents in the OASC. Then, we achieve the optimal strategies where the specified sets of organic growing effort, organic traceability technology effort, propaganda input, and service input can guarantee the maximization of the related profits. As a result, we could obtain the values of the corresponding optimal profits. For the centralized decision mode, the farmer cooperative and the online retailer make decisions with the goal of maximizing the overall profits of the OASC. Meanwhile, for the decentralized decision mode with four different cases, each member will independently make a decision with the goal of maximizing his own profit respectively. In detail, as for the fully decentralized decision mode, no contracts exist in OASC; regarding the decentralized decision mode with an information traceability cost sharing contract, two members pay the information traceability cost together; and for the decentralized decision mode with a revenue sharing contract, two members share the revenue together; as to the decentralized decision mode with a comprehensive contract, there are two cooperative ways that information traceability cost sharing and revenue sharing can be achieved. In addition, we also considered factors such as the consumer preferences of organic products and the cross influence between channels in models. Finally, through sensitivity analysis and comparison of optimal strategies and profits, we found that: (1) high consumer preferences of organic products and high cross influence between channels are profitable; and (2) the choice of contract is influenced by the relative size of the offline marginal income ratio and the online marginal income ratio.
An Analysis of the Process of Adopting Local Digital Currencies in Support of Sustainable Development
Authors: Corrons Giménez August Francesc , Garay Tamajón Lluís
Published: February 2019

Local digital currencies (LDCs) can be defined as technological platforms in which transactions occur between users without the use of any form of official tender. Although there is empirical evidence with regard to the sustainable development-related benefits of this type of currency, its use is still highly marginal and incipient, with relatively short lifecycles. To understand why LDCs have not gained a firmer footing or implementation in society and subsequently gain the ability to define a series of actions making this possible, an integrated model has been developed. Based on a review of the available literature, this model permits an analysis of the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudinal factors impacting upon the process of adopting this kind of currency. Based on a sample of 1559 subjects, the results obtained from the structural equation modelling performed provide important conclusions in terms of both the theory and the management of LDC-based communities, whether this is for the creation of new communities or the attraction of new users, or to consolidate existing communities or the participation of users once they have registered with them. Perceptions (attitude, subjective regulation, and perceived control), beliefs (compatibility, perceived utility, interpersonal influences, self-efficacy, and enabling conditions) and previous experience have a significant influence on the intention to be part of a community based on a local digital currency, with all that this implies for the defining of strategies to promote the use of LDCs.
Analysis of Self-Reported Walking for Transit in a Sprawling Urban Metropolitan Area in the Western U.S.
Authors: Coughenour Courtney , de la Fuente-Mella Hanns , Paz Alexander
Published: February 2019

Walkability is associated with increased levels of physical activity and improved health and sustainability. The sprawling design of many metropolitan areas of the western U.S., such as Las Vegas, influences their walkability. The purpose of this study was to consider sprawl characteristics along with well-known correlates of walkability to determine what factors influence self-reported minutes of active transportation. Residents from four neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, targeted for their high and low walkability scores, were surveyed for their perceptions of street-connectivity, residential-density, land-use mix, and retail–floor-area ratio and sprawl characteristics including distance between crosswalks, single-entry-communities, high-speed streets, shade, and access to transit. A Poisson model provided the best estimates for minutes of active transportation and explained 11.28% of the variance. The model that included sprawl characteristics resulted in a better estimate of minutes of active transportation compared to the model without them. The results indicate that increasing walkability in urban areas such as Las Vegas requires an explicit consideration of its sprawl characteristics. Not taking such design characteristics into account may result in the underestimation of the influence of sprawl on active transportation and may result in a missed opportunity to increase walking. Understanding the correlates of walkability at the local level is important in successfully promoting walking as a means to increase active transportation and improve community health and sustainability.
A Fuzzy Logic Algorithm for Optimizing the Investment Decisions within Companies
Authors: Boloș Marcel-Ioan , Bradea Ioana-Alexandra , Delcea Camelia
Published: February 2019

As companies operate in a competitive environment, where the struggle for survival on the market is rather tough, the top management face new challenges to identify methods, and even techniques, which allows it to select from the market those assets that provide an optimal ratio between the acquisition cost and the economic performance. In this context, a fuzzy logic managerial decision tool for the assets acquisition is proposed with the paper. The algorithm has three main components: the matrix of the membership degree of the existing bids to asset selection criteria, using fuzzy triangular numbers; the vector of the global membership degree of the bids to the selection criteria and the maximum of the global membership degree as an inference operator for establishing the validated bids by the algorithm. Two scenarios of asset acquisition were tested. After simulations, it was determined that the proposed fuzzy logic managerial decision tool combines, with very good results, the acquisition cost of the assets with their economic performance.
Venom in Furs: Facial Masks as Aposematic Signals in a Venomous Mammal
Authors: Nekaris K. Anne-Isola , Weldon Ariana , Imron Muhammad Ali , Maynard Keely Q. , Nijman Vincent , Poindexter Stephanie A. , Morcatty Thais Queiroz
Published: February 2019

The function of colouration in animals includes concealment, communication and signaling, such as the use of aposematism as a warning signal. Aposematism is unusual in mammals, and exceptions help us to understand its ecology and evolution. The Javan slow loris is a highly territorial venomous mammal that has a distinctive facial mask and monochromatic vision. To help understand if they use aposematism to advertise their venom to conspecifics or predators with different visual systems, we studied a population in Java, Indonesia. Using ImageJ, we selected colours from the facial masks of 58 individuals, converted RBG colours into monochromatic, dichromatic and trichromatic modes, and created a contrast index. During 290 captures, we recorded venom secretion and aggressiveness. Using Non-metric Multidimensional Scaling and generalised additive models for location, scale and shape, we found that young slow lorises differ significantly from adults, being both more contrasting and more aggressive, with aggressive animals showing fewer wounds. We suggest aposematic facial masks serve multiple purposes in slow lorises based on age. Change in colouration through development may play a role in intraspecific competition, and advertise toxicity or aggressiveness to competitors and/or predators in juveniles. Aposematic signals combined with intraspecific competition may provide clues to new venomous taxa among mammals.
Treatment and Prevention of Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection with Functionalized Bovine Antibody-Enriched Whey in a Hamster Primary Infection Model
Authors: Heidebrecht Hans-Jürgen , Weiss William J , Pulse Mark , Lange Anton , Gisch Karina , Kliem Heike , Mann Sacha , Pfaffl Michael W. , Kulozik Ulrich , von Eichel-Streiber Christoph
Published: February 2019

Toxin-induced Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a major disease characterized by severe diarrhea and high morbidity rates. The aim with this study was to develop an alternative drug for the treatment of CDI. Cows were repeatedly immunized to establish specific immunoglobulin G and A titers against toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB) and against C. difficile cells in mature milk or colostrum. The effect of three different concentrations of anti-C. difficile whey protein isolates (anti-CD-WPI) and the standard of care antibiotic vancomycin were investigated in an animal model of CD infected hamsters (6 groups, with 10 hamsters each). WPI obtained from the milk of exactly the same cows pre-immunization and a vehicle group served as negative controls. The survival of hamsters receiving anti-CD-WPI was 50, 80 and 100% compared to 10 and 0% for the control groups, respectively. Vancomycin suppressed the growth of C. difficile and thus protected the hamsters at the time of administration, but 90% of these hamsters nevertheless died shortly after discontinuation of treatment. In contrast, the surviving hamsters of the anti-CD-WPI groups survived the entire study period, although they were treated for only 75 h. The specific antibodies not only inactivated the toxins for initial suppression of CDI, but also provoked the inhibition of C. difficile growth after discontinuation, thus preventing recurrence. Oral administration of anti-CD-WPI is a functional therapy of CDI in infected hamsters for both primary treatment and prevention of recurrence. Thus, anti-CD-WPI could address the urgent unmet medical need for treating and preventing recurrent CDI in humans.
Searching for Wormholes Beyond Horndeski Theories
Authors: Volkova Victoria
Published: February 2019

We discuss whether it is possible to construct a stable, static, spherically symmetric Lorentzian wormhole in beyond Horndeski theory. The deep analogy between the cosmological bounce and wormhole scenarios is described in detail. We show explicitly that going beyond Horndeski enables one to evade the no-go theorem formulated for the wormholes in the general Horndeski case.
Beyond Housing Preferences: Urban Structure and Actualisation of Residential Area Preferences
Authors: Hasanzadeh Kamyar , Kyttä Marketta , Brown Greg
Published: February 2019

The concept of residential housing preferences has been studied across multiple disciplines, with extensive literature supporting both stated and revealed preference methods. This study argues that both preference types, stated and revealed, should be assessed concurrently to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of residential housing choices. To provide evidence, this research used findings from a public participation GIS survey that identified the stated housing preferences associated with three categories of urban residents, which were called urban “tribes”. We implemented an analytical framework using fuzzy modelling to relate stated preferences with revealed preferences for the same individuals using empirical data describing the urban structure in Tampere, Finland. Following an analysis of the relationships between residents’ revealed preferences and urban structural variables, we examined the consistency of stated housing preferences with revealed preferences. The results show considerable mismatch between the stated and revealed preferences for the urban tribes that were examined i.e., the preferred housing environment was significantly different from the actual living environment. Further, the stated preferences showed disequilibrium within the current structure of the housing supply in Tampere. The findings can have important implications for housing policy making in Tampere. Further, the use of a novel fuzzy model approach demonstrated a flexible and tolerant method for working with imprecise and variable social data to capture subtle differences. Finally, this study elaborately discusses the remaining limitations and suggests how they should be addressed in future research.