bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protection of Superconducting Industrial Machinery Using RNN-Based Anomaly Detection for Implementation in Smart Sensor
Authors: Wielgosz Maciej , Skoczeń Andrzej , De Matteis Ernesto
Published: November 2018

Sensing the voltage developed over a superconducting object is very important in order to make superconducting installation safe. An increase in the resistive part of this voltage (quench) can lead to significant deterioration or even to the destruction of the superconducting device. Therefore, detection of anomalies in time series of this voltage is mandatory for reliable operation of superconducting machines. The largest superconducting installation in the world is the main subsystem of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) accelerator. Therefore a protection system was built around superconducting magnets. Currently, the solutions used in protection equipment at the LHC are based on a set of hand-crafted custom rules. They were proved to work effectively in a range of applications such as quench detection. However, these approaches lack scalability and require laborious manual adjustment of working parameters. The presented work explores the possibility of using the embedded Recurrent Neural Network as a part of a protection device. Such an approach can scale with the number of devices and signals in the system, and potentially can be automatically configured to given superconducting magnet working conditions and available data. In the course of the experiments, it was shown that the model using Gated Recurrent Units (GRU) comprising of two layers with 64 and 32 cells achieves 0.93 accuracy for anomaly/non-anomaly classification, when employing custom data compression scheme. Furthermore, the compression of proposed module was tested, and showed that the memory footprint can be reduced four times with almost no performance loss, making it suitable for hardware implementation.
Joint Relay Selection and Power Allocation through a Genetic Algorithm for Secure Cooperative Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Rahman Md Arifur , Lee YoungDoo , Koo Insoo
Published: November 2018

In cooperative cognitive radio networks (CCRNs), there has been growing demand of transmitting secondary user (SU) source information secretly to the corresponding SU destination with the aid of cooperative SU relays. Efficient power allocation (PA) among SU relays and multi-relay selection (MRS) are a critical problem for operating such networks whereas the interference to the primary user receiver is being kept below a tolerable level and the transmission power requirements of the secondary users are being satisfied. Subsequently, in the paper, we develop the problem to solve the optimal solution for PA and MRS in a collaborative amplify-and-forward-based CCRNs, in terms of maximizing the secrecy rate (SR) of the networks. It is found that the problem is a mixed integer programming problem and difficult to be solved. To cope with this difficulty, we propose a meta-heuristic genetic algorithm-based MRS and PA scheme to maximize the SR of the networks while satisfying transmission power and the interference requirements of the networks. Our simulation results reveal that the proposed scheme achieves near-optimal SR performance, compared to the exhaustive search scheme, and provides a significant SR improvement when compared with some conventional relay selection schemes with equal power allocation.
An Energy-Efficient Clustering Routing Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks Based on AGNES with Balanced Energy Consumption Optimization
Authors: Zhao Zhidong , Xu Kaida , Hui Guohua , Hu Liqin
Published: November 2018

To further prolong the lifetime of wireless sensor network (WSN), researchers from various countries have proposed many clustering routing protocols. However, the total network energy consumption of most protocols is not well minimized and balanced. To alleviate this problem, this paper proposes an energy-efficient clustering routing protocol in WSNs. To begin with, this paper introduces a new network structure model and combines the original energy consumption model to construct a new method to determine the optimal number of clusters for the total energy consumption minimization. Based on the balanced energy consumption, then we optimize the AGglomerative NESting (AGNES) algorithm, including: (1) introduction of distance variance, (2) the dual-cluster heads (D-CHs) division of the energy balance strategy, and (3) the node dormancy mechanism. In addition, the CHs priority function is constructed based on the residual energy and position of the node. Finally, we simulated this protocol in homogeneous networks (the initial energy = 0.4 J, 0.6 J and 0.8 J) and heterogeneous networks (the initial energy = 0.4–0.8 J). Simulation results show that our proposed protocol can reduce the network energy consumption decay rate, prolong the network lifetime, and improve the network throughput in the above two networks.
A Hybrid Approach to Short-Term Load Forecasting Aimed at Bad Data Detection in Secondary Substation Monitoring Equipment
Authors: Martín Pedro , Moreno Guillermo , Rodríguez Francisco Javier , Jiménez José Antonio , Fernández Ignacio
Published: November 2018

Bad data as a result of measurement errors in secondary substation (SS) monitoring equipment is difficult to detect and negatively affects power system state estimation performance by both increasing the computational burden and jeopardizing the state estimation accuracy. In this paper a short-term load forecasting (STLF) hybrid strategy based on singular spectrum analysis (SSA) in combination with artificial neural networks (ANN), is presented. This STLF approach is aimed at detecting, identifying and eliminating and/or correcting such bad data before it is provided to the state estimator. This approach is developed to improve the accuracy of the load forecasts and it is tested against real power load data provided by electricity suppliers. Depending on the week considered, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values which range from 1.6% to 3.4% are achieved for STLF. Different systematic errors, such as gain and offset error levels and outliers, are successfully detected with a hit rate of 98%, and the corresponding measurements are corrected before they are sent to the control center for state estimation purposes.
Biosorption and Bioaccumulation Abilities of Actinomycetes/Streptomycetes Isolated from Metal Contaminated Sites
Authors: Timková Ivana , Sedláková-Kaduková Jana , Pristaš Peter
Published: November 2018

Heavy metal pollution is of great concern. Due to expansion of industrial activities, a large amount of metal is released into the environment, disturbing its fragile balance. Conventional methods of remediation of heavy metal-polluted soil and water are expensive and inefficient. Therefore, new techniques are needed to provide environmentally friendly and highly selective remediation. Streptomycetes, with their unique growth characteristics, ability to form spores and mycelia, and relatively rapid colonization of substrates, act as suitable agents for bioremediation of metals and organic compounds in polluted soil and water. A variety of mechanisms could be involved in reduction of metals in the environment, e.g., sorption to exopolymers, precipitation, biosorption and bioaccumulation. Studies performed on biosorption and bioaccumulation potential of streptomycetes could be used as a basis for further development in this field. Streptomycetes are of interest because of their ability to survive in environments contaminated by metals through the production of a wide range of metal ion chelators, such as siderophores, which provide protection from the negative effects of heavy metals or specific uptake for specialized metabolic processes. Many strains also have the equally important characteristic of resistance to high concentrations of heavy metals.
Building Engaged Communities—A Collaborative Leadership Approach
Authors: Cleveland Marisa , Cleveland Simon
Published: November 2018

Community engagement is essential for building smart cities. While leaders who participate in community leadership development programs create engaged communities, there is a gap in literature on the role leadership programs play in the formation of engaged communities. This conceptual paper examines the relationship between collaborative leadership and leadership development programs in order and their role in fostering engaged communities. Recommendations for future research on building effective leadership programs are proposed.
Effect of Plyometric Training on Speed and Change of Direction Ability in Elite Field Hockey Players
Authors: Singh Jasdev , Appleby Brendyn B. , Lavender Andrew P.
Published: November 2018

This study investigated the effects of two plyometric training protocols on sprint and change of direction (COD) performance in elite hockey players. A parallel-group randomized controlled trial design was used and seventeen elite male and female field hockey players were randomly allocated into either low-to-high (L-H, n = 8) or high-to-low (H-L, n = 9) training groups. Each group performed separate variations of the drop jump exercise twice weekly for six weeks, with an emphasis on either jump height (L-H) or drop height (H-L). Performance variables assessed included sprint times over 10 m and 20 m, as well as 505 time. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was performed and Cohen’s d effect sizes (ESs) were calculated. The H-L group displayed a significant small ES improvement from baseline to post-training in the 10 m sprint (1.893 ± 0.08 s pre vs. 1.851 ± 0.06 s post) (ES = −0.44) (p < 0.05). Differences between groups for 10 m and 20 m sprint performance failed to reach statistical significance, and no significant differences were observed within or between groups for 505 time. These findings highlight the difficulty in substantially enhancing speed and COD ability in highly trained athletic populations through the addition of a low volume, short duration plyometric training protocol.
Physiological and Fitness Adaptations after Eight Weeks of High-Intensity Functional Training in Physically Inactive Adults
Authors: Brisebois Matthew F. , Rigby Brandon R. , Nichols David L.
Published: November 2018

The purpose of this study was to characterize high-intensity functional training (HIFT) in physically inactive adults. Four men and 10 women who were inexperienced with HIFT and not performing regular physical activity performed HIFT 3 days/week for 8 weeks. Health and fitness measures were assessed before and after the intervention. Resting heart rate (73 ± 12 vs. 68 ± 11 bpm) and resting diastolic blood pressure (71 ± 7 vs. 65 ± 6 mmHg) were reduced, while resting systolic blood pressure remained unchanged. Absolute VO2max (2.53 ± 0.68 vs. 2.69 ± 0.66 L/min) and relative VO2max (32.51 ± 8.84 vs. 34.31 ± 8.63 mL/kg/min) were improved. Lean body mass (48.20 ± 13.37 vs. 49.26 ± 13.81 kg) was increased, but fat mass was unchanged. Performance on the leg press (164.61 ± 54.35 vs. 201.62 ± 67.50 kg), bench press (39.12 ± 20.15 vs. 46.43 ± 21.18 kg), YMCA bench press (26 ± 13 vs. 37 ± 16 reps), one-minute sit-up (25 ± 9 vs. 32 ± 10 reps), and sit-and-reach (30.36 ± 11.36 vs. 32.14 ± 9.66 cm) were all increased. High-intensity functional training may be useful for improving health-related physical fitness parameters in physically inactive adults.
Carbohydrate Supplementation Does Not Improve 10 km Swimming Intermittent Training
Authors: Baldassarre Roberto , Sacchetti Massimo , Patrizio Federica , Nicolò Andrea , Scotto di Palumbo Alessandro , Bonifazi Marco , Piacentini Maria Francesca
Published: November 2018

The aim of the present study was to test the effectiveness of carbohydrate (CHO) feeding supplemented every 2.5-km, as in official races, on the performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE), and glycaemia during a 10-km intermittent training workout in elite open-water swimmers. A randomized crossover design was used. Participants completed two 10-km intermittent training sessions (20 × 500-m). The relative velocity was expressed in percentage of a single 500-m. Glycaemia was monitored by continuous glucose monitoring. Participants had to ingest either 1 L of tap water (WAT; 0.50 L·h−1) or 120 g of CHO in the form of 8% solution (60 g·h−1). The 15-point RPE scale was used during the trials. A two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was performed (p < 0.05). The relative velocity of each 500-m was not significantly different between the two trials. No significant differences emerged in the relative velocity of the last 500-m between trials. Average RPE was not statistically different between the two trials (11 ± 3 in WAT and 12 ± 3 in CHO). In the last 500-m, glycaemia was significantly higher in the CHO trial (5.92 ± 0.47 mmol·L−1 in CHO; 5.61 ± 0.61 mmol·L−1 in WAT). CHO ingestion did not improve performance or affect RPE during a 10-km intermittent training in elite open-water swimmers.
Performance Evaluation of Root Zone Heating System Developed with Sustainable Materials for Application in Low Temperatures
Authors: Ameen Muhammad , Xiaochan Wang , Yaseen Muhammad , Umair Muhammad , Yousaf Khurram , Yang Zhenjie , Soomro Skakeel Ahmed
Published: November 2018

The proposed system was developed to help the farmers of the Yangtze River Delta to grow greenhouse plants over winter, as the region has very low winter temperatures. For this reason, the experiment was undertaken during winter in extremely low temperatures to obtain optimal results. Keeping in mind the importance of sustainable practices, the authors developed the system using sustainable materials. The system was heated for 6 hours and then the hourly heat transfer rates were measured for 12 hours. The power consumption data of the heating system during different ambient temperatures were collected. Additionally, a simulation model of the heating system was developed using the COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3a package. The heat transfer in a porous media model was used in this study. Finally, the simulation results obtained from the COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3a package were analyzed and compared to the experimental results; these results were found to be in good agreement, thus authenticating the simulation model. After analyzing the data obtained from both methods, the power consumption of the heating system during different ambient temperature conditions were also calculated, which ranged from 15.73 W to 70.02 W in the simulated method and 28.2 W to 91.2 W in the experimental method. It was found that the root zone temperature remained in the range of 0–35 °C. This range of root zone temperature is suitable for many greenhouse horticultural crops such as tomato, cucumber, pepper, strawberry, lettuce, etc. The optimal root zone temperatures of many greenhouse horticultural plants are verified by many researchers.
Is Transportation Infrastructure Important to the One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative? Empirical Evidence from the Selected Asian Countries
Authors: Yii Kwang-Jing , Bee Kai-Ying , Cheam Wei-Yong , Chong Yee-Lee , Lee Ching-Mei
Published: November 2018

The One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative is implemented to improve the linkage between China and its neighboring countries in terms of economic ties, connectivity, partnership, and security cooperation. The crucial challenge encountered in OBOR initiative is the different gauge standards from different countries in the development of railway along the Silk Road. Another issue arose from the regulation of education sector in the aspect of quality, cost, and efficiency. To the best of our knowledge, there is still lack of study on the transportation infrastructure and education towards the GDP in the selected Asian countries, especially for Central Asia. Therefore, this study aims to examine the impact of OBOR initiative and its importance towards economic growth by further investigating the determinants such as transportation infrastructure, education, labor, trade, and inflation rate. This study employs panel data analysis using the annual data from the period of 2000–2015. The selected Asian countries are divided into three regions, namely Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan), ASEAN (Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia), and East Asia (China, Mongolia). Besides, we use fixed effect model (FEM) to obtain the results based on the support of Hausman test and Poolability F-test. The findings reveal that transportation infrastructure possess a positive effect on GDP. Surprisingly, education is negatively related to GDP. With this, policy makers are suggested to encourage OBOR countries to expand and upgrade their system in terms of transportation infrastructure, human capital, culture, and education. In future studies, the advanced model is recommended to investigate the pre- and post-efficiency of OBOR initiative.
Escape from Working Poverty: Steps toward Sustainable Livelihood
Authors: Haar Jarrod , Carr Stuart C. , Arrowsmith James , Parker Jane , Hodgetts Darrin , Alefaio-Tugia Siautu
Published: November 2018

Working poverty affects over half the world’s working population, yet we know remarkably little about the role of wages in transitioning toward sustainable livelihood. We develop and test a model whereby as pay approaches a living wage range, pay fairness becomes clearly associated with work–life balance; this in turn links to job satisfaction, which is a four-step process at the psychological level. We further extend this by testing a moderated mediated model, whereby income level is tested as a boundary condition. Using data from N = 873 New Zealand employees, we focus on relatively low-waged employees across three levels of income: up to $20,000, $20–40,000, and $40–60,000, with the last band straddling the New Zealand Living Wage. We find strong support for pay fairness predicting work–life balance and job satisfaction, with work–life balance mediating the relationship toward job satisfaction. In addition, we find direct effects from income to work–life balance, although not job satisfaction. Furthermore, two-way moderation is supported toward work–life balance and job satisfaction, with higher income employees reporting higher outcomes when fairness is high. The index of moderated mediation is also significantly supporting, indicating that work–life balance has a stronger mediation effect as income rises. Thus, as workers emerged from working poverty, pay fairness, and in turn work–life balance, became psychologically more salient for happiness at work, implying that a pathway to Sustainable Development Goal 8 includes at least three psychological steps, in addition to the pecuniary issue of pay: fairness, work–life balance, and job satisfaction.
Lessons Learned from Co-Design and Co-Production in a Portable Health Clinic Research Project in Jaipur District, India (2016–2018)
Authors: Yokota Fumihiko , Biyani Manish , Islam Rafiqul , Ahmed Ashir , Nishikitani Mariko , Kikuchi Kimiyo , Nohara Yasunobu , Nakashima Naoki
Published: November 2018

Co-design and co-production with non-academic stakeholders has been recognized as a key approach in transdisciplinary sustainability research. The majority of transdisciplinary studies have been conducted in Europe and North America, with a marked lack of such research in the Asian context—particularly with regard to healthcare. Utilizing a case study involving mobile health check-ups performed using a portable health clinic system in Jaipur, India, from March 2016 to March 2018, this study identifies key factors in co-design and co-production that should be considered to ensure the project’s sustainability. Thoroughly reviewing all of the documents and materials related to the case study’s co-design and co-production, this study identifies the following key factors: (1) mutual stakeholder agreement on a long-term research plan, protocol, and budget; (2) harmonizing research objectives, frames, and the scale of stakeholder expectations; (3) stakeholders’ commitment and a sense of ownership derived from their needs and priorities; (4) stakeholder trust; (5) effective coordinators; (6) personality type and characteristics of stakeholder leaders; (7) capacity building and the empowerment of local research staff and participants; and (8) continuous efforts to involve stakeholders throughout the co-design and co-production processes. Facilitating effective co-design and co-production, these factors will help ensure the future sustainability of projects.
Decoupling Analysis of CO2 Emissions in Transportation Sector from Economic Growth during 1995–2015 for Six Cities in Hebei, China
Authors: Zhang Lijun , Kou Caiyun , Zheng Ji , Li Yu
Published: November 2018

The transport sector is one of the most important and potential sectors to achieve low-carbon development in China. As economic growth is desirable, but high-level traffic CO2 emissions are not. This paper estimated the on-road traffic CO2 emissions and investigated the decoupling states of traffic CO2 emissions from economic growth for six cities in Hebei province from 1995 to 2015. In 2015, the on-road traffic CO2 emissions were ranked, as follows: Tangshan (4.75 Mt) > Handan (3.38 Mt) > Baoding (1.38 Mt) > Zhangjiakou (1.05 Mt) > Langfang (1.01 Mt) > Chengde (0.46 Mt). Two turning points of traffic CO2 emissions during the study period were found. From 2008 to 2013, the traffic CO2 emissions increased more rapidly than before. After 2013, the traffic CO2 emissions of three cities (Baoding, Handan and Chengde) began to decrease, and the traffic CO2 emissions’ growth rates of the other three cities (Zhangjiakou, Langfang and Tangshan) became lower than before. The decoupling states during 1996–2015 can be divided into four phases: decoupling-coupling concurrence stage (1996–2000), decoupling dominant stage (2001–2008), coupling dominant stage (2009–2013), and improvement stage (2014–2015). Chengde and Baoding were identified due to their good local practice on decoupling CO2 emissions in transport sector from economic growth. These results will enrich the greenhouse gas inventory of China at city level and provide scientific support to achieve the mitigation of CO2 emissions in the transport sector.
Fostering Cross-Sector Collaboration to Promote Innovation in the Water Sector
Authors: Compagnucci Lorenzo , Spigarelli Francesca
Published: November 2018

Ongoing global climate change, growing population and the intensification of economic activities, increase pressure on water resources, a situation many see as a water governance crisis. Water-related issues are becoming a limiting factor for sustainable economic growth and require a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, to foster innovative solutions. This paper provides an evidence-based contribution to understanding Triple Helix Model (THM) relations and the path to innovation policy in the water sector. The analysis focuses on the interaction between university–industry–government, with specific reference to the Murcia region in Southeast Spain. This region combines a chronic shortage of water and a leading role for agriculture. Starting from the experience of a researcher, working for the General Water Council of the Murcia Region, this paper is based on both desk research and in-depth personal interviews with representatives of THM actors. In addition, a questionnaire was forwarded to all those companies in charge of providing water services in the Murcia region. The study has found that stakeholders are not fully cooperative in seeking innovation. The main challenges are the renewal of water-related facilities and the improvement of remote control systems, denitrification and desalination technologies and achieving better energy efficiency. To this aim, THM approach is suggested as a source of local innovation policies, identifying a series of tools to foster a collaborative approach.
Barriers to Knowledge Management in the Health Sector of Pakistan
Authors: Karamat Jawad , Shurong Tong , Ahmad Naveed , Waheed Abdul , Khan Shahbaz
Published: November 2018

Knowledge management (KM) is the source for creating a sustainable competitive advantage, and it helps the organizations to retain, develop, organize and utilize their knowledge. Due to globalization, the organizations must maintain their knowledge assets to survive. Many organizations have realized the potential of KM and are applying it. Since the healthcare industry is growing significantly, it is continuously generating a wealth of knowledge. This knowledge can be recorded, communicated and used by many health care professionals with the help of KM. There is a wealth of research on KM in healthcare of developed countries, but very few studies regarding KM implementation can be found in developing countries i.e., Pakistan. Pakistan is now looking towards the implementation of KM; it is in its initial stages. The implementation of KM in the healthcare of Pakistan is affected by different barriers. In this study, the barriers will be identified and analyzed. An interrelationship between the barriers will be determined, and how the different barriers support each other (driving power), and how they influence each other (dependence power). The results of interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and MICMAC (Matrice d’Impacts croises-multipication appliqué an classment i.e., cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification) approach show that lack of support from top management, insufficient strategic planning and lack of support from organizational structure are the main barriers to KM adoption in the healthcare of Pakistan. This study provides a solution in determining the main barriers that need to be solved first, and to ensure effective implementation of KM in the healthcare of Pakistan.
Do Tourists’ Preferences Match the Host Community’s Initiatives? A Study of Sustainable Tourism in One of Africa’s Oldest Conservation Areas
Authors: Tekalign Meron , Groot Zevert Nicole , Weldegebriel Amanuel , Poesen Jean , Nyssen Jan , Van Rompaey Anton , Norgrove Lindsey , Muys Bart , Vranken Liesbet
Published: November 2018

Involvement of stakeholders in sustainable tourism, particularly in developing countries, is crucial for the success of tourism development. However, its implementation is often criticized for not considering stakeholders’ needs. This study explores tourists’ preferences for tourism activities, designed by local stakeholders, in one of the oldest conserved parks in East Africa—the Menagesha Suba Forest, in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia. The study area is endowed with natural, cultural and historical, yet undeveloped, tourist attractions. The host community benefits little from tourism and is in continual conflict with the park administration. This study aims to provide new insights on potential engagement of stakeholders in sustainable tourism planning. In particular, we explored tourists’ preferences for activities designed by local stakeholders, as well as their preferences concerning the improvement of the park infrastructure. The local community has been engaged in group discussions to design community involvement activities in tourism, while park guest books have been consulted to identify infrastructure improvements suggested by tourists. A survey that embedded a discrete choice experiment was conducted among tourists that visited the Menagesha Suba Forest. Data were analyzed with mixed logit and latent class models. We identified preferences for infrastructure improvement in the park. Tourists’ preferences are heterogeneous and vary with their profile as foreigners, foreign residents, and locals. Furthermore, the study indicates that there is a mismatch between tourists’ preferences and activities designed by the host community for their engagement in tourism. Tourists might be unaware of the importance of such activities for local communities. On the other hand, the findings also imply that increasing host residents’ awareness of tourism and tourists’ preferences is required, prior to tourism activities planning. Hence, sustainable tourism planning and development needs to understand perception gaps between host residents and tourists for its smooth implementation.
Signalling Responsibility? Applying Signalling Theory to the ISO 26000 Standard for Social Responsibility
Authors: Moratis Lars
Published: November 2018

Many global challenges cannot be addressed by one single actor alone. Achieving sustainability requires governance by state and non-state market actors to jointly realise public values and corporate goals. As a form of public–private governance, voluntary standards involving governments, non-governmental organisations and companies have gained much traction in recent years and have been in the limelight of public authorities and policymakers. From a firm perspective, sustainability standards can be a way to demonstrate that they engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a credible way. To capitalise on their CSR activities, firms need to ensure their stakeholders are able to recognise and assess their CSR quality. However, because the relative observability of CSR is low and since CSR is a contested concept, information asymmetries in firm–stakeholder relationships arise. Adopting CSR standards and using these as signalling devices is a strategy for firms to reduce these information asymmetries, by revealing their true CSR quality. Against this background, this article investigates the voluntary ISO 26000 standard for social responsibility as a form of public-private governance and contends that, despite its objectives, this standard suffers from severe signalling problems. Applying signalling theory to the ISO 26000 standard, this article takes a critical stance towards this standard and argues that firms adhering to this standard may actually emit signals that compromise rather than enhance stakeholders’ ability to identify and interpret firms’ underlying CSR quality. Consequently, the article discusses the findings in the context of public-private governance, suggests a specification of signalling theory and identifies avenues for future research.
Institutional Quality and Sustainable Development of Industries’ Exports: Evidence from China
Authors: Wu Feifei , Yan Xinyu
Published: November 2018

The knowledge about the relations between domestic institutional quality and the sustainable development of exports in emerging markets remains limited, since most research into the relations between the institutional environment and the sustainable development of exports has been conducted in developed market economies, especially in those of North America and Europe. With dynamic changes in the institutional environment of emerging countries over the years, this paper provides a novel perspective for investigating the relations above. This is the first paper to investigate the impact of institutional quality on the sustainable development of industries’ exports in emerging countries from a comprehensive perspective of multiple institutional environments and multi-dimensional industries’ heterogeneity. On the basis of defining institutional quality and industry heterogeneity, this paper explores the underlying mechanisms of institutional quality affecting sustainable development of industries’ exports and conducts empirical analyses by using the data from China’s 20 industries’ exports to 117 countries for the period of 1996–2011. The results show that: (a) Industries with higher degrees of financial dependence or higher product technical complexities have export comparative advantages in better financial environments; (b) Industries with higher research and development (R&D) intensity or a higher concentration of intermediate inputs have export comparative advantages in better legal environments; (c) The differences in the level of financial development or in the efficiency of legal system would influence the effects of interactions between institutional quality and industry heterogeneity on the sustainable development of industries’ exports. The present paper provides new evidence that institutional quality does promote the sustainable development of industries’ exports in emerging countries. These results indicate that exports of heterogeneous industries in emerging economies are an adaptive response to the specific institutional environment, as well as a continuous release of institutional dividends with the improvement of the institutional environment.
Inferring the Economic Attributes of Urban Rail Transit Passengers Based on Individual Mobility Using Multisource Data
Authors: Zhu Yadi , Chen Feng , Li Ming , Wang Zijia
Published: November 2018

Socioeconomic attributes are essential characteristics of people, and many studies on economic attribute inference focus on data that contain user profile information. For data without user profiles, like smart card data, there is no validated method for inferring individual economic attributes. This study aims to bridge this gap by formulating a mobility to attribute framework to infer passengers’ economic attributes based on the relationship between individual mobility and personal attributes. This framework integrates shop consumer prices, house prices, and smart card data using three steps: individual mobility extraction, location feature identification, and economic attribute inference. Each passenger’s individual mobility is extracted by smart card data. Economic features of stations are described using house price and shop consumer price data. Then, each passenger’s comprehensive consumption indicator set is formulated by integrating these data. Finally, individual economic levels are classified. From the case study of Beijing, commuting distance and trip frequency using the metro have a negative correlation with passengers’ income and the results confirm that metro passengers are mainly in the low- and middle-income groups. This study improves on passenger information extracted from data without user profile information and provides a method to integrate multisource big data mining for more information.
Analysis of Stability-To-Chaos in the Dynamic Evolution of Network Traffic Flows under a Dual Updating Mechanism
Authors: Liu Shixu , Yan Hao , Easa Said M. , Guo Lidan , Tang Yingnuo
Published: November 2018

This paper proposes a traffic-flow evolutionary model under a dual updating mechanism that describes the day-to-day (DTD) dynamics of traffic flow and travel cost. To illustrate the concept, a simple two-route network is considered. Based on the nonlinear dynamic theory, the equilibrium stability condition of the system is derived and the condition for the division between the bifurcation and chaotic states of the system is determined. The characteristics of the DTD dynamic evolution of network traffic flow are investigated using numerical experiments. The results show that the system is absolutely stable when the sensitivity of travelers toward the route cost parameter (θ) is equal to or less than 0.923. The bifurcation appears in the system when θ is larger than 0.923. For values of θ equal to or larger than 4.402, the chaos appears in the evolution of the system. The results also show that with the appearance of chaos, the boundary and interior crises begin to appear in the system when θ is larger than 6.773 and 10.403, respectively. The evolution of network traffic flow is always stable when the proportion of travelers who do not change the route is 84% or greater.
An Exploratory Study on Local Brand Value Development for Outlying Island Agriculture: Local Food System and Actor–Network Theory Perspectives
Authors: Tang Jia-Wei , Chen Ming-Lun , Chiu Tsai-Hsin
Published: November 2018

Due to the sweeping influence of capitalism, most food processing is now done through standardized production workflows in order to quickly replicate and churn out a large quantity of products. This has led to an increasing number of homogenized and delocalized products flooding the market and a disconnection between consumers and local food producers. Penghu outlying island is rich in unique local agricultural products but seriously lacks brand images and channel strategies, as manifested in an unstable demand and supply, a high degree of homogeneity (in products) and the majority of farmers producing and selling their products autonomously. This study applies the local food system and actor–network theory as the basis of theoretical frameworks as well as agricultural practices in Penghu as the research object. We used field investigation, in-depth interview and the means–end chain method to examine important contextual factors’ influence on the local agricultural food system, important actors and challenges and key influential factors for local brand value that affect the development of the local agricultural food system in Penghu outlying island. The actor–network perceptual map of local brand value proposed in this study can help agricultural practitioners when making decisions and can formulate strategies for their products to increase the product visibility and recognition. This perceptual map can also facilitate the expansion of the target customers and channel distributions suitable for individual agricultural products. Our study presents the following recommendations: increase the manpower of agricultural practices through the working holiday approach; local government should provide support enabling agriculture producers to gain professional knowledge in marketing; and agriculture producers should form cooperatives which focus on the unique local agricultural products that are produced and marketed locally in Penghu.
Evaluating the Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Craft Beer Industry: An Assessment of Challenges and Benefits of Greenhouse Gas Accounting
Authors: Shin Rachel , Searcy Cory
Published: November 2018

A growing number of companies in the brewery industry have made commitments to measure and reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, many brewers, particularly craft brewers with relatively low rates of production, have not made such commitments. The purpose of this research was to investigate the challenges and benefits of measuring and reducing GHG emissions in the craft brewery industry. The research was conducted in Ontario, Canada, which has seen strong recent growth in the craft brewery industry. A case study and semi-structured interviews among Ontario Craft Brewers were conducted. The case study found that indirect (scope 3 GHGs under the WBCSD & WRI GHG Protocol) GHG sources accounted for 46.4% of total GHGs, with major sources from barley agriculture, malted barley transportation, and bottle production. Direct emissions (scope 1) accounted for only 14.9% of GHGs, while scope 2 emissions, comprised mainly of energy consumption, accounted for 38.7% of GHGs. The case study used case company primary data, and secondary data such as emission factors from external sources. The case study and interviews found that the main challenges in calculating brewery GHGs are secondary data availability, technical knowledge, and finances. The semi-structured interviews, which used prepared interview questions and probes to encourage follow-up answers, also found that the main benefits for Ontario breweries to measure their GHGs include sustainability marketing and preserving the environment. The interviews also found a poor understanding of carbon regulation among Ontario Craft Brewers, which is interesting considering that Ontario implemented a provincial cap and trade program in 2017.
A Spatial Evolutionary Study of Technological Innovation Talents’ Sticky Wages and Technological Innovation Efficiency Based on the Perspective of Sustainable Development
Authors: Dai Xiao , Wu Jian , Yan Liang
Published: November 2018

In China, with the deepening of the reform of industrial structures, the improvement of technological innovation has become a key issue. This is not only related to whether the strategic development of Chinese science and technology can be achieved, but also whether the Chinese economy and high-quality human capital can develop sustainably. Based on the theoretical boundary of sustainable development—free transfer of information—we see that sticky wages are the embodiment of information dissemination. Under the dual effects of profit-seeking behavior and information barriers, the relationship between the sticky wages of technological innovation talents (TIT), as the most profitable labor force, and technological innovation efficiency (TIE) has become more complex, and so far we still have a limited understanding of it. We explore this issue in an empirical study by using a two-stage chain Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) of TIE followed by modifying the wages of TIT; finally, we build a collaborative evolution model with spatial effects on a large dataset (from 2007 to 2016). The results show that the overall Chinese TIE is relatively low, and in the central and western regions the TIE has been seriously reversed; there are also divergences in the TIE at different stages in the regions we focus on. As the output of technological innovation, except for initial results (such as patents), the more important value is whether it has an ability to transform the initial results into production, and the core of it is whether it can match the market environment and technology transfer system (for example, market mechanism, transformation incentive mechanism, and institutional mechanism). So, considering these aspects, the central and west of China are obviously insufficient, while the east has obvious advantages; this can also explain the results of spatial diffusion, namely, in the eastern region it is higher than in other areas, but the gap between them is gradually narrowing; lastly, from the perspective of synergy, the wage stickiness of TIT in the central region is larger than that of the eastern and western regions, and the evolutionary relationship in the former is “extruding” while in the latter it is “cooperative.” Mainly due to the popularity of the eastern innovation network and the initial state of the west, the barriers of information transmission are relatively low, while the central part is undergoing economic transformation, so its extreme demand for TIT has pushed up the cost of information transmission.
Time-Varying Ultra-Wideband Channel Modeling and Prediction
Authors: M. Al-Sammna Ahmed , Hadri Azmi Marwan , Abd Rahman Tharek
Published: November 2018

This paper considers the channel modeling and prediction for ultra-wideband (UWB) channels. The sparse property of UWB channels is exploited, and an efficient prediction framework is developed by introducing two simplified UWB channel impulse response (CIR) models, namely, the windowing-based on window delay (WB-WD) and the windowing-based on bin delay (WB-BD). By adopting our proposed UWB windowing-based CIR models, the recursive least square (RLS) algorithm is used to predict the channel coefficients. By using real CIR coefficients generated from measurement campaign data conducted in outdoor environments, the modeling and prediction performance results and the statistical properties of the root mean square (RMS) delay spread values are presented. Our proposed framework improves the prediction performances with lower computational complexity compared with the performance of the recommended ITU-R UWB-CIR model. It is shown that our proposed framework can achieved 15% lower prediction error with a complexity reduction by a factor of 12.
Traffic Similarity Observation Using a Genetic Algorithm and Clustering
Authors: Oujezsky Vaclav , Horvath Tomas
Published: November 2018

This article presents a technique of traffic similarity observation based on the statistical method of survival analysis by using a genetic algorithm. The basis comes from the k-means clustering algorithm. The observed traffic is collected from different network sources by using a NetFlow collector. The purpose of this technique is to propose a process of finding spread malicious traffic, e.g., ransomware, and considers the possibility of implementing a genetic-based algorithm. In our solution, a chromosome is created from clustering k-means centers, and the Davies–Bouldin validity index is used as the second fitness value in the solution.
The Yellow Knight Fights Back: Toxicological, Epidemiological, and Survey Studies Defend Edibility of Tricholoma equestre
Authors: Klimaszyk Piotr , Rzymski Piotr
Published: November 2018

Rhabdomyolysis, a condition associated with the consumption of Yellow Knight mushrooms (Tricholoma equestre), was first reported in 2001. In response, some countries began to consider the mushroom as poisonous, whereas in others it is still consumed. In the present study, a nationwide survey of Polish mushroom foragers (n = 1545) was conducted to estimate the frequency of T. equestre consumption. The epidemiological database on mushroom poisonings in Poland was analyzed from the year 2008. Hematological and biochemical parameters were followed for a week in 10 volunteers consuming 300 g of molecularly identified T. equestre. More than half the foragers had consumed T. equestre at least once in their lifetime and a quarter had consumed it consecutively. The frequency of adverse events was low and no rhabdomyolysis was reported. The toxicological database indicated that mushrooms from the Tricholoma genus caused poisonings less frequently than mushrooms with well-established edibility and not a single case of rhabdomyolysis has been reported within the last decade. The volunteers consuming T. equestre revealed no hematological or biochemical alterations and no adverse effects were observed. The findings of this study support the view that T. equestre is edible if consumed in rational amounts by healthy subjects.
Quantum No-Scale Regimes and String Moduli
Authors: Partouche Hervé
Published: November 2018

We review that in no-scale models in perturbative string theory, flat, homogeneous and isotropic cosmological evolutions found at the quantum level can enter into “quantum no-scale regimes” (QNSRs). When this is the case, the quantum effective potential is dominated by the classical kinetic energies of the no-scale modulus, dilaton and moduli not involved in the supersymmetry breaking. As a result, the evolutions approach the classical ones, where the no-scale structure is exact. When the one-loop potential is positive, a global attractor mechanism forces the initially expanding solutions to enter the QNSR describing a flat, ever-expanding universe. On the contrary, when the potential can reach negative values, the internal moduli induce in most cases some kind of instability of the growing universe. The latter stops expanding and eventually collapses, unless the initial conditions are tuned in a tiny region of the phase space. Finally, in QNSR, no gauge instability takes place, regardless of the details of the potential.