bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Further Evaluation of the Base Stability of Hydrophilic Interaction Chromatography Columns Packed with Silica or Ethylene-Bridged Hybrid Particles
Authors: Walter Thomas H. , Boissel Cheryl , Field Jessica A. , Lawrence Nicole L.
Published: March 2023

One of the fundamental attributes of a liquid chromatography column is its stability when exposed to acidic and basic mobile phases. However, there have been relatively few reports to date on the stability of hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) columns. Here, we report the results of stability evaluations carried out for HILIC columns packed with ethylene-bridged hybrid or silica particles using accelerated conditions, employing a 100% aqueous pH 11.3 ammonium bicarbonate mobile phase at 70 °C. Under these conditions, the primary mode of column failure was a loss of efficiency due to the formation of voids resulting from the hydrolysis of the particles. We investigated the dependence of stability on the surface area of both unbonded and sulfobetaine-bonded ethylene-bridged hybrid stationary phases. The results show a clear trend of stability increasing as the surface area decreases. Several commercially available HILIC columns that are recommended for use with high-pH mobile phases were also evaluated. The results show times to 50% loss of the initial efficiency ranging from 0.3 to 9.9 h. Columns containing unbonded, sulfobetaine-bonded or diol-bonded ethylene-bridged hybrid stationary phases had longer lifetimes than amino-bonded silica or sulfobetaine-bonded, hybrid-coated, superficially porous silica columns.
The Role “Chief Digital Officer (CDO)” in Public Municipalities—The Conceptual Effect of a Functional Profile for Successful Transformation
Authors: Schachtner Christian
Published: March 2023

The objectives of this study are to demonstrate the effect of a function called ‘Chief Digital Office’ as a responsible positioning of digitization at the C-level. This is intended to show both the importance of digitization measures and the effect of change projects with a methodical approach in cross-sectional tasks for strategic work. The previous work shows different functional layouts and individual responsibilities without conceptual foundations in the implementation of digital strategies. To provide the first contribution to a common framework for the work of CDOs, a basic concept for public administration based on the municipalities is to be launched. The results lead to statements about the optimization potentials of the status of the study survey of the digitization of German municipalities: “Digital Vorangehen [Leading the way digitally] (2020)”. In particular, this includes the development of a holistic digital agenda, the use of future technologies and the mindset for the development of innovative implementation solutions in both internal service provision and outward-looking services. The value lies in contributing to the establishment of the framework of ‘Public Digital Transformation Governance’ to transfer the fundamental standardization of the action strands into a functional profile.
“Refugees in the Amphitheatre”: An Intercultural Action Research on Co-Educating Student Teachers and Peer Refugees
Authors: Magos Kostas
Published: March 2023

The contribution of action research to teacher education as well as to refugee education has been highlighted in the international literature. Through action research, teachers can link educational theories with everyday school practices. In addition, the participation of refugees in action research, especially in cooperation with members of the dominant ethnic and cultural group, could play a significant role in their empowerment and social inclusion. This article describes the content and the results of an action research, which took place in the context of an academic course in a Greek University. The aim of the action research was the interaction between students and peer refugees and, through it, the development of intercultural competence and empathy. The action research developed in three cycles, featuring the students and refugees’ participation in intercultural routes–walks. The action research findings showed that the participation in the abovementioned walks supported the intercultural communication and interaction among the group members, as well as the reflection on refugee identity stereotypes.
Rate of Responders for Post-Exercise Hypotension after Beach Tennis, Aerobic, Resistance and Combined Exercise Sessions in Adults with Hypertension
Authors: de Oliveira Carpes Leandro , Domingues Lucas Betti , Fuchs Sandra Costa , Ferrari Rodrigo
Published: March 2023

Post-exercise hypotension (PEH) is typically reported as mean values, but a great inter-individual variation in blood pressure (BP) response after a single exercise session is expected, especially when comparing different modalities of exercise. The purpose was to evaluate the inter-individual BP responses after beach tennis, aerobic, resistance and combined exercise sessions in adults with hypertension. We conducted a post hoc analysis of pooled crossover randomized clinical trials from six previously published studies of our research group, and analyzed data from 154 participants with hypertension (≥35 years). BP was assessed using office BP, and the mean changes throughout the 60 min after recreational beach tennis (BT, n = 23), aerobic (AE, n = 18), combined (COMB, n = 18), and resistance (RES, n = 95) exercise sessions were compared to a non-exercising control session (C). To categorize the participants as responders and non-responders for PEH, the typical error (TE) was calculated as follows: TE = SDdifference/√2, where SDdifference is the standard deviation of the differences in BP measured before the interventions in the exercise and control sessions. Participants who presented PEH greater than TE were classified as responders. The TE was 7 and 6 mmHg for baseline systolic and diastolic BP, respectively. The rate of responders for systolic BP was as follows: BT: 87%; AE: 61%; COMB: 56%; and RES: 43%. For diastolic BP, the rate of responders was as follows: BT: 61%; AE: 28%; COMB: 44%; and RES: 40%. Results evidenced that there was a high inter-individual variation of BP after a single bout of different physical activity modalities in adults with hypertension, suggesting that exercise protocols with aerobic characteristics (i.e., BT, AE, and COMB sessions) presented PEH in most of its practitioners.
Environmental and Community Regeneration: Exploring Design Approach for Inclusive Tourism Based on Visualization Methods
Authors: Wang Weijia , Watanabe Makoto , Zhou Donghong , Ono Kenta
Published: March 2023

Studies have extensively explored inclusive tourism in rural areas in the recent past. However, several forms of inclusive tourism are associated with several limitations. Firstly, few tourists travel to rural places because they consider the developed areas unattractive. Secondly, the area is not attractive because the design and services do not match the area. Thirdly, the people living in rural areas are not content and happy. The aim of the present study is to propose a visualization method-based dynamic design strategy for exploring a new balance between tourism experience and local development. The research and application of the method were conducted in two traditional Chinese villages in western Zhejiang, China. The classification of landscape services (LS) and historical landscape elements (HLE) was used to define the design goals. The visualization method was used during the whole design and construction process of revitalizing Yuan Touli village. The results showed that the method allows for easy analysis and is an efficient tool for developing participant designs based on the different roles in village tourism. The visualization method can circumvent the limitations of ensuring inclusive tourism. The design definition, study’s limitations and future research directions are presented in the study.
Embedding Green Product Attributes Preferences and Cultural Consideration for Product Design Development: A Conceptual Framework
Authors: Ghazali Ihwan , Abdul-Rashid Salwa Hanim , Dawal Siti Zawiah Md , Irianto Irianto , Herawan Safarudin Gazali , Ho Fu-Haw , Abdullah Rohana , Abdul Rasib Amir Hamzah , Padzil Nur Wardah Sufina
Published: March 2023

In the past ten years, the increasing customer awareness of environmental sustainability has driven the development of green products. As the initiator of product development, this situation can challenge product designers. Since customers may have varied expectations and preferences for green products, it depends on the green attributes embedded in the product and cultural value influences. As the natural behavior setting, cultural value has been proven to influence customer preferences in the literature. However, it was identified that previous studies had not clearly defined the consideration of cultural values in green product design. Therefore, this study aimed to generate a conceptual framework for embedding cultural value consideration in green product design. A comprehensive review of green product design and cultural values has been performed to align the relevancies for constructing the conceptual framework. Bibliographic analysis using the PRISMA approach was also performed to identify the current trend of green product design. It was expected that the proposed conceptual framework could be used as supporting insight in determining the customers’ preferences as an essential process for green product development.
Positive Matrix Factorization as Source Apportionment of Paddy Soil Heavy Metals in Black Shale Areas in Western Zhejiang Province, China
Authors: Xu Changyan , Lu Xinzhe , Huang Chunlei , Sun Rui , Gu Anqing , Pan Weifeng , He Li , Bao Jiayu , Zou Ruosong , Fu Cheng , Cai Zihua
Published: March 2023

The source apportionment of pollutants is the key to preventing and controlling the pollution caused by heavy metals in soils. The aim of this study was to investigate the main sources of heavy metals in the soils of black shale areas in western Zhejiang, China. Based on geostatistical spatial analysis, this research employed positive matrix factorization (PMF) for the source apportionment of heavy metals in paddy soil. The results showed that contaminated arable soils were concentrated in the western and southern study areas. At least five major sources of heavy metals were screened in this study: natural sources (39.66%), traffic emissions (32.85%), industrial emissions (9.23%), agricultural activities (9.17%), and mining (9.10%). To be specific, Cd was mainly from mining; As originated from agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides; and Hg, as an industrial pollutant, was transported by atmospheric deposition in the study area. The accumulation of Pb, Zn, and Cu was mainly influenced by natural sources and anthropogenic sources, i.e., traffic emissions, while that of Cr and Ni was controlled by natural sources.
Geothermal Imaging of the Saudi Cross-Border City of NEOM Deduced from Magnetic Data
Authors: Aboud Essam , Alqahtani Faisal , Abdulfarraj Murad , Abraham Ema , El-Masry Nabil , Osman Helmy
Published: March 2023

The Saudi Arabia government announced the $500 billion mega project “NEOM City”, to build a cross-border mega city to connect Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordon for attracting foreign investments to the region. NEOM city is situated on the eastern region of the Gulf of Aqaba with its western side in the Sinai Peninsula. The selected site for NEOM city is geographically remarkable; nevertheless, this site needs a detailed geological and geophysical investigation. Sinai Peninsula is a microplate between the Arabian and African plates. Its southern tip is located at a triple junction comprising the Gulf of Aqaba–Dead Sea Transform fault, the Gulf of Suez, and the Red Sea, leading to relatively higher seismic activities in the region. The current study aims to understand the thermal structure of the vicinity of NEOM city to address the potential geohazards and indicate geological attractions within and around the planned city. We use the magnetic data from which geothermal images can be obtained. The preliminary results indicate that there is geologic similarity between the southern part of Sinai Peninsula and the northern part of the Arabian shield. This is because the Gulf of Aqaba separates what was once a continues Neoproterozoic crust. In addition, the magnetic data showed the presence of prominent lineaments on either side of the Gulf of Aqaba. The notable lineaments might represent faults that could still be active. Hence, selecting a site of NEOM city to be east of the Gulf of Aqaba needs to be guided by the careful understanding of the potential hazards. In addition, shallow Curie depths near the Gulf of Aqaba are recognized as a source for renewable geothermal energy.
Empowering Cooperative Teamwork for Community Service Sustainability: Insights from Service Learning
Authors: Zainuri Ahmad , Huda Miftachul
Published: March 2023

In the past decades, the demand for providing soft skills among higher learners has been met through cooperative teamwork commitment. The need to continue empowering such initiatives should entail finding a balance between accountabilities and capabilities to play a significant role in academic achievement and social community engagement. This paper aims to examine the strategies to empower cooperative teamwork to provide insights into community service sustainability, where this would entail designing its key roles to engage with higher learners’ practices. The literature from recent reviews was developed to construct a critical examination of the role of service learning in strengthening cooperative teamwork to contribute to community service sustainability. This approach used the keywords cooperative teamwork, community service, and service learning. The findings reveal that there are three main points representing the core attempts to help empower cooperative teamwork to support community service sustainability: expanding strategic management of cooperative-based experiential learning, community service with commitment to civic responsibility, and incorporating service learning into higher education (HE) contexts. The value of this paper aims to contribute to the knowledge development of service learning, specifically addressed with the experiential skills obtained through planning, implementing, and evaluating the service learning process. The ultimate aim was also to enhance cooperative teamwork with critical, creative, and innovative thinking as key performance skills.
A Dynamic Risk Analysis Model Based on Workplace Ergonomics and Demographic-Cognitive Characteristics of Workers
Authors: Tasdelen Ahmet , Özpinar Alper M.
Published: March 2023

Background: This study aimed to examine the effect of perception, attention, and sleep levels on the number of occupational accidents and near-misses in the mining and metal sectors. Methods: The data were collected from 53 employees in the mining (n = 30) and metal (n = 23) sectors in 2021 from a mining and metal company. The study collected the following data from the sample: demographic information forms, previous accident and previous near-miss histories, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality (PSQI) scale, pulse, sleep levels, and attention tests. Results: Having an education at primary school and below (B = 0.235; p < 0.05), and having an education at the high school level (B = 0.710; p < 0.01), being single (B = −0.291; p < 0.01), time working in the department (B = 0.027; p < 0.05), time working in the company (B = −0.034; p < 0.05), and the number of near-misses (B = 0.354; p < 0.01), had a significant impact on accidents. Having an education in primary school or below (B = −1.532; p < 0.01), not having had an accident (B = −3.654; p < 0.01), age (B = 0.074; p < 0.01), correct score (B = 0.014; p < 0.01), incorrect time (B = 0.228; p < 0.01) and unanswered score averages (B = −0.029; p < 0.01) had a significant impact on near-misses. Conclusion: Education, the working year, and working time had significant effects on workplace accidents.
Investigating Asphalt Self-Healing with Colorless Binder and Pigmented Rejuvenator
Authors: Ribeiro Tiago , Freire Ana Cristina , Sá-da-Costa Margarida , Canejo João , Cordeiro Vinicius , Micaelo Rui
Published: March 2023

Despite asphalt self-healing with encapsulated rejuvenators having been intensively researched over the last decade, there is still uncertainty about the performance advantages granted by this technology. As a way of adding to the existing set of research methodologies, this study aimed to test the feasibility of a visual method to investigate the working mechanism of encapsulated rejuvenators in the bituminous mixture. For this purpose, clear bituminous mixtures were produced using a colorless synthetic binder and a pigment was added to the rejuvenator incorporated in the calcium alginate capsules. The internal structure of the bituminous mixtures containing these capsules was inspected both on loaded and unloaded specimens. The colored rejuvenator was also directly added to cracked specimens and its distribution was studied, along with the interaction between the rejuvenator and the synthetic binder. The results show that the rejuvenator could modify the binder to a limited extent, and the bituminous mixtures containing capsules showed evidence of rejuvenator release. It is demonstrated that the aggregate gradation of mixtures has a significant effect on capsule damage and rejuvenator release. However, the pigment can be filtrated from the rejuvenator by the capsule polymer structure and the asphalt. Even though the methodology presented some constraints, it has been proven to be capable of achieving the initial goal, while also acting as an important first step in the visual study of rejuvenator release in asphalt.
A State-of-the-Art Review of Sharing Economy Business Models and a Forecast of Future Research Directions for Sustainable Development: A Bibliometric Analysis Approach
Authors: Duan Carson
Published: March 2023

The area of sharing economy business models (SEBMs) is expanding worldwide. To date, a few qualitative literature reviews concentrating on specific business models have been undertaken, while several have focused on the general concept of the sharing economy. Meanwhile, there is a lack of quantitative reviews in this area. Therefore, a retrospective review of the evolution of the SEBM area and prospective forecasts based on quantified data are urgently needed. In order to fill the gaps and critically evaluate the extant literature on the SEBM area and its scientometrics-related topics, this paper combines the Scopus and Web of Science databases to establish a dataset for a thorough bibliometric analysis. With 951 studies from 552 sources identified, this research provides comprehensive and nuanced information covering the most influential authors and their contributions to the subject, impactful articles with their citation details, ranked sources with their h_, g_ and m-index as well as collaboration maps for authors, affiliations and countries. Graphical representation of knowledge mapping depicts the evolution of publications over time and the emerging trends of current interests and potential directions for future research for sustainable development. This study revealed that Sustainability is the most relevant and second most impactful journal in SEBM research. More importantly, this research deployed keyword dynamic and thematic evolution to detect the current and future trending topics, providing seven future research directions: (1) drivers-, location- and competition-related topics; (2) SEBMs in emerging economies; (3) country-, region- and culture-oriented SEBMs; (4) the link between e-commerce and social media frameworks and SEBMs; (5) sustainability and SEBMs; (6) new technologies and SEBMs and (7) COVID-19 effects on SEBMs. Overall, the results of this study theoretically enrich the sharing economy business model literature and have substantial implications for policymakers and practitioners.
Dynamic-Bayesian-Network-Based Project Cost Overrun Prediction Model
Authors: Leu Sou-Sen , Lu Cheng-Yu , Wu Pei-Lin
Published: March 2023

One common problem in the construction industry is project cost overrun. Cost overrun can have significant impacts on financial profitability, project completion, project quality, and stakeholder satisfaction. The average percentage of construction project overrun can vary widely depending on the project type, size, complexity, and location. Many approaches can be adopted to prevent or mitigate project cost overrun, and one of them is a more accurate cost estimate and prediction. Several studies on the construction project cost overrun estimation and prediction have been conducted based on historical data; nevertheless, each project has its project characteristics and cost trend. Real-time, project-specific cost data are more reliable for forecasting the cost trend of the project itself. There are many influence factors that may interdependently affect the construction project cost overrun. This paper proposes a real-time predict cost overrun risk prediction model based on the influence factors and their interdependence as well as the corrective actions if adopted. This study used a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) to formulate problem architecture and to use the input–output hidden Markov method (I/O HMM) with particle filter (PF) to run inference. Six building and mass rapid transit projects in Taiwan were used as model validation and comparison. The posterior probabilities from the DBN-based cost overrun risk prediction model were highly consistent with the cost overrun ratios of real construction projects. Moreover, it is superior to other prediction models in terms of accuracy. The proposed model could provide project managers with an early alert for cost overrun.
Deformation Information Extraction from Multi-GNSS Coordinate Series Based on EWT-ICA-R
Authors: Tong Runfa , Liu Chao , Tao Yuan , Fan Ya , Chen Jian
Published: March 2023

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) has been widely used in many deformation monitoring fields in recent years and can achieve centimeter-level or even sub-centimeter-level real-time monitoring accuracy through the carrier phase double-differenced technique. However, this technique cannot eliminate or weaken multipath errors, which become the main error source for GNSS deformation monitoring. Therefore, extracting deformation information from coordinate series mixed with multipath errors has become a key issue for further improving the accuracy of GNSS deformation monitoring. In this paper, we propose an approach to overcome this issue called empirical wavelet transform-independent component analysis with reference (EWT-ICA-R). The specific process is as follows. First, EWT is employed to model the multipath errors from a priori GNSS coordinate series, and the model is input to ICA-R as a reference signal. Then, the GNSS deformation monitoring series mixed with multipath errors and deformation information is decomposed into sub-series of different scales using EWT, and these sub-series are input to ICA-R as multi-channel signals. Finally, ICA-R is used to calculate the input signals together to obtain the multipath errors in the GNSS deformation monitoring series and then subtract the multipath errors from the GNSS deformation monitoring series to obtain accurate deformation information. Experiments show the following: (1) For the vibration deformation experiments, the correlation coefficients between the deformation information extracted by the proposed method and the real values reached 0.981, 0.981, and 0.885 in the E, N, and U directions, respectively, and the corresponding root mean square errors decrease to 0.694 mm, 0.694 mm, 1.852 mm, respectively. (2) For the slow-deformation experiment, the correlation coefficients in the three directions were all higher than 0.98, and the corresponding root mean square errors decrease to 1.345 mm, 1.546 mm, and 3.866 mm, respectively. The experiments verified the feasibility of the proposed method to accurately extract deformation information, which makes it possible to obtain sub-millimeter GNSS deformation information and provide effective technical support for deformation monitoring in related fields.
When Aging and Climate Change Are Brought Together: Fossil Fuel Divestment and a Changing Dispositive of Security
Authors: Himick Darlene
Published: March 2023

Pension funds have become major targets for the incorporation of climate change into their investment decisions. Recently, divestment from carbon intensive companies or industries has been the object of a wave of campaigns directed at these institutional investors. This paper uses Foucault’s dispositive of security to investigate the decisions of one organization, the New York State Common Retirement Fund, which in 2021 divested from seven oil sands companies. Conceptualizing divestment within a security dispositive helps us build theory which understands divestment within existing security-oriented arrangements. It shows how changes build upon the existing dispositive, and that by looking to existing governing arrangements we can see elements that act as operators to change their direction and emphasis. In the case of pension fund divestment, risk is the operator that both sustains the investment function and also tilts the arrangement towards climate change. In these existing arrangements lay the ingredients for future social relations.
Assessment of Object-Level Flood Impact in an Urbanized Area Considering Operation of Hydraulic Structures
Authors: Cui Yunsong , Liang Qiuhua , Xiong Yan , Wang Gang , Wang Tianwen , Chen Huili
Published: March 2023

Urban flooding has become one of the most common natural hazards threatening people’s lives and assets globally due to climate change and rapid urbanization. Hydraulic structures, e.g., sluicegates and pumping stations, can directly influence flooding processes and should be represented in flood modeling and risk assessment. This study aims to present a robust numerical model by incorporating a hydraulic structure simulation module to accurately predict the highly transient flood hydrodynamics interrupted by the operation of hydraulic structures to support object-level risk assessment. Source-term and flux-term coupling approaches are applied and implemented to represent different types of hydraulic structures in the model. For hydraulic structures such as a sluicegate, the flux-term coupling approach may lead to more accurate results, as indicated by the calculated values of NSE and RMSE for different test cases. The model is further applied to predict different design flood scenarios with rainfall inputs created using Intensity-Duration-Frequency relationships, Chicago Design Storm, and surveyed data. The simulation results are combined with established vehicle instability formulas and depth-damage curves to assess the flood impact on individual objects in an urbanized case study area in Zhejiang Province, China.
Iterative Reflect Perceptual Sammon and Machine Learning-Based Bagging Classification for Efficient Tumor Detection
Authors: Bose S. Subash Chandra , Natarajan Rajesh , H L Gururaj , Flammini Francesco , Praveen Sundar P. V.
Published: March 2023

A tumor is an abnormal development of cells in the human body. A tumor develops when cells divide without any control. Tumors change their size from a small to large lump. Tumors appear anywhere in the body. The early stage of diagnosis is an essential one in disease treatment. Many researchers carried out their research on different tumor detection methods. However, the tumor detection accuracy level was not improved and tumor detection time consumption not minimized. In order to address these problems, an Iterative Reflect Perceptual Sammon Bagging Classification (IRPS-BAC) Method is introduced. The aim is to accurately detect brain tumors as early as possible and make the method suitable for real-time applications. The IRPS-BAC Method comprises two processes, namely, feature selection and classification using the iterative reflect perceptual sammon feature selection process and bagging classification process. In the IRPS-BAC Method, an input of medical data are gathered from the Epileptic Seizure Recognition Data Set and Cervical Cancer Risk Classification database. After that, iterative reflect perceptual sammon feature selection process is carried out to select the relevant features. Iterative reflect perceptual divergence computes the variation between two features. After that, sammon mapping projects the similar and dissimilar features into feature space. By this manner, the relevant features get selected using the IRPS-BAC Method. With the help of selected relevant features, bagging classification process is carried out. In bagging classification process, internal node processes the selected features and leaf node to make the tumor decision as normal or cancerous one based on information gain. This, in turn, helps to reduce the time complexity and error rate. The performance of the proposed IRPS-BAC Method is determined by two benchmark datasets through comparing the parameter such as tumor detection time, tumor detection accuracy and error rate with the existing approaches. In the Epileptic Seizure Recognition Data Set, the proposed IRPS-BAC Method improves tumor detection accuracy by 16%, with minimum time period and the error rate of 41 ms and 58% for tumor detection as compared to existing methods. By using Cervical Cancer Risk Classification, the proposed IRPS-BAC Method exhibited higher classification performance measures, including accuracy (14%), time (46 ms), and error rate (61%), than the current conventional approaches.
Benefits and Barriers of Digital Procurement: Lessons from an Airport Company
Authors: Motaung Joel R. , Sifolo Portia Pearl Siyanda
Published: March 2023

Implementing a well-integrated procurement system and applying uniform practices to achieve the strategic goals of any company is a complex phenomenon. Navigating the digital procurement systems in achieving supply-chain resilience remains a predicament. Framed within the technology acceptance model (TAM), which is a key model in understanding the predictors of human behaviour toward the potential acceptance or rejection of the technology. This study explored the benefits and barriers of digital procurement at Airports Company South Africa (ACSA). A qualitative approach in a form of a single holistic case study design was adopted. The sample involved 18 employees and individuals who were supply chain management (SCM), information technology (IT), and programme management office (PMO) professionals. Semi-structured interviews conducted focused on those with extensive experience on procurement, digital technologies, procurement automation or the implementation of transformation programmes. Digital procurement is a value-adding function at ACSA with the possibilities of providing cost reduction in the supply chain. However, the participants highlighted job losses, cyber security, lack of interoperability, lack of skills and system downtimes as obstacles affecting the adoption of digital procurement and as organizational barriers. The infusion of digital technologies into various aspects of organisational processes and outcomes remains a complex, dynamic, fluid, and volatile phenomenon. A framework highlighting critical focus areas when it comes to the adoption of digital procurement of digitalization is presented.
Gamification for Learning Sustainability in the Blackboard System: Motivators and Obstacles from Faculty Members’ Perspectives
Authors: Alzahrani Fahd Kamis , Alhalafawy Waleed Salim
Published: March 2023

Gamification is one of the basic components that enhance the sustainability of learning management systems (LMSs) in improving learning outcomes and motivating learners to face challenges and continue effectively in implementing educational tasks. Some of the LMSs do not have an integrated structure for gamification, but there are some simple tools that can be relied upon in managing gamification processes, and among these is the Blackboard system. Blackboard is witnessing a high level of use in the educational process within King Abdulaziz University, as it has been the main e-learning system at the university since the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, the present study was an attempt to identify the motivators and obstacles of employing gamification through the Blackboard system from the faculty members’ point of view. The study relied on the interpretive paradigm, where a phenomenological approach was used to find out the motivators that encourage 12 faculty members at King Abdulaziz University to use gamification via Blackboard, and to identify the obstacles that might dissuade them. The results of the study were as follows: the main motivators included attracting attention, engaging in learning, motivation, and entertainment, while the main obstacles included time, digital skills, technical issues, lack of resources, contentment, and indifference. The results of this study suggest that while there are motivators for faculty members to employ gamification in electronic courses, there are still the same number of obstacles facing staff members in employing gamification in digital learning environments.
Digitalization as a Provider of Sustainability?—The Role and Acceptance of Digital Technologies in Fashion Stores
Authors: von der Assen Louisa
Published: March 2023

Digitalization, as well as sustainability, are gaining increased relevance and have attracted significant attention in research and practice. However, the research already published about this topic examining digitalization in the retail sector does not consider the acceptance of related innovations, nor their impact on sustainability. Therefore, this article critically analyzes the acceptance of customers towards digital technologies in fashion stores as well as their impact on sustainability in the textile industry. The comprehensive analysis of the literature and the current state of research provide the basis of this paper. Theoretical models, such as the Technology-Acceptance-Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT 2) enable the evaluation of expectations and acceptance, as well as the assessment of possible inhibitory factors for the subsequent descriptive and statistical examination of the acceptance of digital technologies in fashion stores. The research on this subject was examined in a quantitative way. The key findings show that customers do accept digital technologies in fashion stores. The final part of this contribution describes the innovative Digitalization 4 Sustainability Framework which shows that digital technologies at the point of sale (PoS) in fashion stores could have a positive impact on sustainability. Overall, this paper shows that it is particularly important for fashion stores to concentrate on their individual strengths and customer needs as well as to indicate a more sustainable way by using digital technologies, in order to achieve added value for the customers and to set themselves apart from the competition while designing a more sustainable future. Moreover, fashion stores should make it a point of their honor to harness the power of digitalization for sake of sustainability and economic value creation.
Wind Effects on Dome Structures and Evaluation of CFD Simulations through Wind Tunnel Testing
Authors: Li Tiantian , Qu Hongya , Zhao Yi , Honerkamp Ryan , Yan Guirong , Chowdhury Arindam , Zisis Ioannis
Published: March 2023

In the study, a series of wind tunnel tests were conducted to investigate wind effects acting on dome structures (1/60 scale) induced by straight-line winds at a Reynolds number in the order of 106. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed as well, including a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) and Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulation, and their performances were validated by a comparison with the wind tunnel testing data. It is concluded that wind loads generally increase with upstream wind velocities, and they are reduced over suburban terrain due to ground friction. The maximum positive pressure normally occurs near the base of the dome on the windward side caused by the stagnation area and divergence of streamlines. The minimum suction pressure occurs at the apex of the dome because of the blockage of the dome and convergence of streamlines. Suction force is the most significant among all wind loads, and special attention should be paid to the roof design for proper wind resistance. Numerical simulations also indicate that LES results match better with the wind tunnel testing in terms of the distribution pattern of the mean pressure coefficient on the dome surface and total suction force. The mean and root-mean-square errors of the meridian pressure coefficient associated with the LES are about 60% less than those associated with RANS results, and the error of suction force is about 40–70% less. Moreover, the LES is more accurate in predicting the location of boundary layer separation and reproducing the complex flow field behind the dome, and is superior in simulating vortex structures around the dome to further understand the unsteadiness and dynamics in the flow field.
From One to Many Natures: Integrating Divergent Urban Nature Visions to Support Nature-Based Solutions in Australia and Europe
Authors: Ignatieva Maria , Dushkova Diana , Martin Daniel Jan , Mofrad Fahimeh , Stewart Katherine , Hughes Michael
Published: March 2023

Urban nature and ways of protecting, designing and even mimicking natural processes are some of the most popular themes inspiring humanities and natural science studies in different disciplines around the globe. Urban nature, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions are three intertwined concepts. This paper will highlight some of the many visions for urban nature (e.g., four urban natures: native, cultivated, designed/horticultural and spontaneous natures) and interpretations of nature-based solutions. While there are some similarities in the interpretation of urban natures by different disciplines, some significant differences exist. This paper analyses and synthesises knowledge from divergent theoretical concepts of urban natures in Europe and Australia, and the associated ecological concepts of novel and designed ecosystems. The complexity of urban natures and native landscapes has fostered the development of several typologies that often lead to misunderstanding between discipline areas and difficulties with practical implementation, such as in urban planning or landscape design. We argue that differences in interpreting the scope of urban nature are often underlined by the specific socio-political, historical, cultural and ecological contexts of a country or region (e.g., Australia and Europe). By applying an interdisciplinary approach, we explore the concept of urban natures by analysing and synthesising links between different disciplines. A transdisciplinary perspective is an important premise for collaboration between ecological sciences and landscape architecture in many restoration projects, or when social and ecological sciences jointly address societal challenges with the help of nature-based solutions co-created using participatory approaches. The latter highlights the role of transdisciplinary research to link practitioners, policymakers and scientists, helping to engage with citizens and inform design. The analysis of several examples from Europe and Australia allowed us to depict different approaches to existing urban natures and methods of their design, enhancement and conservation. These examples highlight that different urban natures are sources of inspiration for nature-based solutions that can be successfully implemented in contemporary landscape and planning practice.
A Scenario-Based Case Study: Using AI to Analyze Casualties from Landslides in Chittagong Metropolitan Area, Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Edris , Sufi Fahim , Islam Abu Reza Md. Towfiqul
Published: March 2023

Understanding the complex dynamics of landslides is crucial for disaster planners to make timely and effective decisions that save lives and reduce the economic impact on society. Using the landslide inventory of the Chittagong Metropolitan Area (CMA), we have created a new artificial intelligence (AI)-based insight system for the town planners and senior disaster recovery strategists of Chittagong, Bangladesh. Our system generates dynamic AI-based insights for a range of complex scenarios created from 7 different landslide feature attributes. The users of our system can select a particular kind of scenario out of the exhaustive list of 1.054 × 1041 possible scenario sets, and our AI-based system will immediately predict how many casualties are likely to occur based on the selected kind of scenario. Moreover, an AI-based system shows how landslide attributes (e.g., rainfall, area of mass, elevation, etc.) correlate with landslide casualty by drawing detailed trend lines by performing both linear and logistic regressions. According to the literature and the best of our knowledge, our CMA scenario-based AI insight system is the first of its kind, providing the most comprehensive understanding of landslide scenarios and associated deaths and damages in the CMA. The system was deployed on a wide range of platforms including Android, iOS, and Windows systems so that it could be easily adapted for strategic disaster planners. The deployed solutions were handed down to 12 landslide strategists and disaster planners for evaluations, whereby 91.67% of users found the solution easy to use, effective, and self-explanatory while using it via mobile.
The Effect of COVID-19 on Food Consumers’ Channel Purchasing Behaviors: An Empirical Study from Poland
Authors: Kusz Bożena , Witek Lucyna , Kusz Dariusz , Chudy-Laskowska Katarzyna , Ostyńska Paulina , Walenia Alina
Published: March 2023

The aim of the research was to analyze consumer behavior regarding changes in the place where the food was purchased during the COVID-19 pandemic. An analysis of the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and changes in the frequency of food purchases in specified retail outlets was presented. Different consumer reactions to the threats and restrictions that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic were found. Gender had a statistically significant impact on the changes in the place of purchase in the case of supermarkets and discount stores. Women were reported to be more cautious about the risks associated with shopping in supermarkets and discount stores. Age had a statistically significant impact on the frequency of grocery shopping in small local/rural stores, in medium-sized self-service stores, in supermarkets and in discount stores. Among the group of respondents aged 46 and over, greater trust in larger commercial units was observed. Education had a statistically significant impact on the frequency of shopping for groceries only in supermarkets. In turn, the place of residence had a statistically significant impact on the change in the frequency of making purchases in medium-sized self-service stores and discount stores. The results of our own research are not unambiguous, but they indicate certain tendencies in the perception of health safety when shopping among various social groups.
An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Digital Finance on the Efficiency of Commercial Banks
Authors: Zuo Lihua , Li Hongchang , Xia Xuanxuan
Published: March 2023

Based on the background of the digital transformation of commercial banks, the advantages and benefits of this study are to study the promotion effect of digital finance on the production efficiency of commercial banks from four aspects: technological innovation, financial innovation, deep integration of technology and finance, and industry advantages. This study verifies that digital finance has a positive impact on the total factor productivity of commercial banks. In order to study the impact of the development of digital finance on the efficiency of commercial banks, this paper puts forward two assumptions. Using the “text mining method” and taking the total factor productivity of commercial banks as the explanatory variable and the digital finance index as the core explanatory variable, this paper empirically studies the impact of digital finance on bank efficiency. Through empirical research, it is believed that through the analysis of total factor productivity, digital finance has strongly promoted the improvement of the total factor productivity of commercial banks through the technology spillover effect. The impact of digital finance on banks is therefore heterogeneous.
Sustainability as a Gateway to Textile International Markets: The Portuguese Case
Authors: Moreira Luis , Galvão Anderson Rei , Braga Vitor , Braga Alexandra , Teixeira Jaime
Published: March 2023

The textile industry sector is classified as the most polluting sector and has the greatest direct impact on the life of the entire ecosystem. The main objective of this article is to study the role of sustainability (eco-innovation and circular economy) in the internationalization of the textile industry in Portugal. For this, a qualitative methodology was used, through semi-structured interviews applied to four managers of the textile sector, in the north of Portugal. The results of the interviews were submitted to a content analysis and data coding system using the NVIVO software. The results show that sustainability is a pillar of direct and/or indirect internationalization, either through the demand of the consumer for sustainable products or through the availability of the products produced by companies; this is motivated mainly by customers, even if the high price of these products when they reach the market is concerning. With the results achieved, this article shows that the determining factor for eco-innovative and recycled products is the price factor. The high price that eco-innovative and recycled products have when they reach the market is the main concern that the companies interviewed have in terms of investing more in this type of product. However, they claim that there is a clear increase in demand for these products and that it is a differentiating factor in international markets. It also became evident that the existence of products from the circular economy increases the companies’ value and acceptance in international markets. This article provides empirical evidence that shows that the transition from a linear to a circular economy requires large investments in most cases; however, it is currently a competitive advantage and a positioning in a differentiating sector, increasing the brand’s social responsibility.
Transparency and E-Government in Electronic Public Procurement as Sustainable Development
Authors: Hochstetter Jorge , Vásquez Felipe , Diéguez Mauricio , Bustamante Ana , Arango-López Jeferson
Published: March 2023

The transparency of electronic procedures has become an important strategy to reduce corruption within state organizations and thus promote the sustainable and efficient management of fiscal resources, vital elements in the development of a country. E-government processes have become an important line of development, in which substantial investments have been made to have processes that allow for transparency in a large part of the country’s activities, specifically in the contracting and purchasing of public properties and services. The objective of the study is to present an overview of the work on initiatives that have been used around transparency and electronic procedures of electronic governments to identify which of these initiatives are associated with transparency and which effectively apply to electronic procedures for transparency to learn how these procedures allow for sustainable development of governments. The methodology used in this work was a systematic mapping of the literature, and the main findings suggest that this is a little-explored area.