bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Negative Curvature Hollow Core Fiber Based All-Fiber Interferometer and Its Sensing Applications to Temperature and Strain
Authors: Liu Dejun , Li Wei , Wu Qiang , Zhao Haoyu , Ling Fengzi , Tian Ke , Shen Changyu , Wei Fangfang , Han Wei , Farrell Gerald , Semenova Yuliya , Wang Pengfei
Published: August 2020

Negative curvature hollow core fiber (NCHCF) is a promising candidate for sensing applications; however, research on NCHCF based fiber sensors starts only in the recent two years. In this work, an all-fiber interferometer based on an NCHCF structure is proposed for the first time. The interferometer was fabricated by simple fusion splicing of a short section of an NCHCF between two singlemode fibers (SMFs). Both simulation and experimental results show that multiple modes and modal interferences are excited within the NCHCF structure. Periodic transmission dips with high spectral extinction ratio (up to 30 dB) and wide free spectral range (FSR) are produced, which is mainly introduced by the modes coupling between HE11 and HE12. A small portion of light guiding by means of Anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) mechanism is also observed. The transmission dips, resulting from multimode interferences (MMI) and ARROW effect have a big difference in sensitivities to strain and temperature, thus making it possible to monitor these two parameters with a single sensor head by using a characteristic matrix approach. In addition, the proposed sensor structure is experimentally proven to have a good reproducibility.
Bragg Grating Assisted Sagnac Interferometer in SiO2-Al2O3-La2O3 Polarization-Maintaining Fiber for Strain–Temperature Discrimination
Authors: Wu Zhifang , Wu Peili , Kudinova Maryna , Zhang Hailiang , Shum Perry Ping , Shao Xuguang , Humbert Georges , Auguste Jean-Louis , Dinh Xuan Quyen , Pu Jixiong
Published: August 2020

Polarization-maintaining fibers (PMFs) have always received great attention in fiber optic communication systems and components which are sensitive to polarization. Moreover, they are widely applied for high-accuracy detection and sensing devices, such as fiber gyroscope, electric/magnetic sensors, multi-parameter sensors, and so on. Here, we demonstrated the combination of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and Sagnac interference in the same section of a new type of PANDA-structure PMF for the simultaneous measurement of axial strain and temperature. This specialty PMF features two stress-applied parts made of lanthanum-aluminum co-doped silicate (SiO2-Al2O3-La2O3, SAL) glass, which has a higher thermal expansion coefficient than borosilicate glass used commonly in commercial PMFs. Furthermore, the FBG inscribed in this SAL PMF not only aids the device in discriminating strain and temperature, but also calibrates the phase birefringence of the SAL PMF more precisely thanks to the much narrower bandwidth of grating peaks. By analyzing the variation of wavelength interval between two FBG peaks, the underlying mechanism of the phase birefringence responding to temperature and strain is revealed. It explains exactly the sensing behavior of the SAL PMF based Sagnac interference dip. A numerical simulation on the SAL PMF’s internal stress and consequent modal effective refractive indices was performed to double confirm the calibration of fiber’s phase birefringence.
A Robust Multilevel DWT Densely Network for Cardiovascular Disease Classification
Authors: Zhang Gong , Si Yujuan , Yang Weiyi , Wang Di
Published: August 2020

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Immediate and accurate diagnoses of cardiovascular disease are essential for saving lives. Although most of the previously reported works have tried to classify heartbeats accurately based on the intra-patient paradigm, they suffer from category imbalance issues since abnormal heartbeats appear much less regularly than normal heartbeats. Furthermore, most existing methods rely on data preprocessing steps, such as noise removal and R-peak location. In this study, we present a robust classification system using a multilevel discrete wavelet transform densely network (MDD-Net) for the accurate detection of normal, coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI) and congestive heart failure (CHF). First, the raw ECG signals from different databases are divided into same-size segments using an original adaptive sample frequency segmentation algorithm (ASFS). Then, the fusion features are extracted from the MDD-Net to achieve great classification performance. We evaluated the proposed method considering the intra-patient and inter-patient paradigms. The average accuracy, positive predictive value, sensitivity and specificity were 99.74%, 99.09%, 98.67% and 99.83%, respectively, under the intra-patient paradigm, and 96.92%, 92.17%, 89.18% and 97.77%, respectively, under the inter-patient paradigm. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrate that our model is robust to noise and class imbalance issues.
Minimum Eigenvector Collaborative Representation Discriminant Projection for Feature Extraction
Authors: Hu Haoshuang , Feng Da-Zheng
Published: August 2020

High-dimensional signals, such as image signals and audio signals, usually have a sparse or low-dimensional manifold structure, which can be projected into a low-dimensional subspace to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of data processing. In this paper, we propose a linear dimensionality reduction method—minimum eigenvector collaborative representation discriminant projection—to address high-dimensional feature extraction problems. On the one hand, unlike the existing collaborative representation method, we use the eigenvector corresponding to the smallest non-zero eigenvalue of the sample covariance matrix to reduce the error of collaborative representation. On the other hand, we maintain the collaborative representation relationship of samples in the projection subspace to enhance the discriminability of the extracted features. Also, the between-class scatter of the reconstructed samples is used to improve the robustness of the projection space. The experimental results on the COIL-20 image object database, ORL, and FERET face databases, as well as Isolet database demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, especially in low dimensions and small training sample size.
Women in the Extreme and Radical Right: Forms of Participation and Their Implications
Authors: Campion Kristy
Published: August 2020

The recent inclusion of male supremacy under the umbrella of right-wing extremism (RWE) can obscure the allure that the extreme and radical right holds for some women. This study examines women’s participation in the extreme and radical right to advance a novel conceptualization for engagement. Accordingly, six forms of participation are proposed, being violent actors, thinkers, facilitators, promoters, activists, and as gendered exemplars for others. This has implications for operations, ideology, and identity. First, women’s participation in violence has commonly been in conjunction with a group or a two-person dyad; it is rare that they operate as lone actors. Women also facilitate or sustain violent operations, through engaging in support activities that contribute to mission completion. Second, women create and promote radical right-wing ideology, challenge select discourses and magnify others to cultivate ideologically symbolic expressions of femininity. Third, such expressions contribute to extreme and radical belief systems, and provides select women with identity security and personal meaning. It is therefore possible to observe an ideological ecosystem spanning the extreme and radical right, in which women participate and interact.
Recovering Yield Curves from Dynamic Term Structure Models with Time-Varying Factors
Authors: Kawakatsu Hiroyuki
Published: August 2020

A dynamic version of the Nelson-Siegel-Svensson term structure model with time-varying factors is considered for predicting out-of-sample maturity yields. Simple linear interpolation cannot be applied to recover yields at the very short- and long- end of the term structure where data are often missing. This motivates the use of dynamic parametric term structure models that exploit both time series and cross-sectional variation in yield data to predict missing data at the extreme ends of the term structure. Although the dynamic Nelson–Siegel–Svensson model is weakly identified when the two decay factors become close to each other, their predictions may be more accurate than those from more restricted models depending on data and maturity.
On the Economic Effects of a Res Local Industry Deployment in Morocco: A Case of Study Defining Scenarios from a Survey to Stakeholders
Authors: Mahia Ramon , de Arce Rafael
Published: August 2020

The aim of this article is to simulate the economic impact on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employment of renewable energy sources investment in Morocco over the next 40 years. In this sense, several potential scenarios of energy component evolution have been used based on the results of a specific survey to sector stakeholders. We obtain accurate results, avoiding speculative/theoretical assumptions in terms of scenario design. As usual in the sector, a Dynamic Input–Output Model (DI–O) is used to estimate the direct and indirect effects of such a large investment and, avoiding the criticism of this type of model in the context of long-term simulations, the alternative of de Arce et al. (2012) is used. In this framework, substantial results derive from the three scenarios considered: the increase in Moroccan GDP as a result of this investment could be around 1.2–1.7 points and, on average, 42,000 new jobs could be created.
Canonical Correlation Analysis and a New Composite Index on Digitalization and Labor Force in the Context of the Industrial Revolution 4.0
Authors: Androniceanu Ane-Mari , Georgescu Irina , Tvaronavičienė Manuela , Androniceanu Armenia
Published: August 2020

The current phenomenon of the economy-accelerated digitalization, known as the “Industry 4.0”, will generate both an increased productivity, connectivity and several transformations on the labor force skills. Our research objectives are to determine the influence that digitalization has had on the workforce in several developed countries and to propose a new composite indicator that reflects these dynamics over time. We have used the Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) in order to identify and analyze the correlations between two sets of variables, an independent one and a dependent one. Data were collected from the World Bank and World Economic Forum for the years 2018–2019. Based on the results of our research we have determined and made a consistent analysis of the new composite index of digitalization and labor force in 19 countries. The results of our research are relevant and show not only the impact of digitalization on the labor force in different countries, but also the structural changes required by the new economic and social models. Our research can help decision-makers get in advance the necessary measures in the field of labor force in order to ensure a proper integration of these measures into the new economic model based on digitalization.
Safe and Ecological Speed Control for Heavy-Duty Vehicles on Long–Steep Downhill and Sharp-Curved Roads
Authors: Jiang Huifu , Zhou Wei , Liu Chang , Zhang Guosheng , Hu Meng
Published: August 2020

To contribute to the development of sustainable transport that is safe, eco-friendly, and efficient, this research proposed a safe and ecological speed control system for heavy-duty vehicles on long–steep downhill and sharp-curved roads under a partially connected vehicles environment consisting of connected heavy-duty vehicles (CHDVs) and conventional human-driven vehicles. This system prioritizes braking and lateral motion safety before improving fuel efficiency and ensuring traffic mobility at optimal status, and optimizes the speed trajectories of CHDVs to control the entire traffic. Speed optimization is modelled as an optimal control problem and solved by the iterative Pontryagin’s maximum principle algorithm. The simulation-based evaluation shows that the proposed system effectively reduces the peak temperature of the brake drums, the lateral slip angle of the vehicle wheels, and the lateral load transfer rate of the vehicle body; all these measurements of effectiveness are limited to safe ranges. A detailed investigation reveals that the proposed system reduces fuel consumption by up to 15.49% and inhibits the adverse effects on throughput. All benefits increase with the market penetration rate (MPR) of CHDVs and the traffic congestion level and reach significant levels under low MPRs of CHDVs. This indicates that the proposed system has good robustness for the impedance from conventional vehicles and could be implemented in the near future.
Configurational Theory in Traditional Manufacturing Industries: A New Model of High-Performing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Pla-Barber José , Villar Cristina , Benito-Sarriá German
Published: August 2020

The goal of this study is to provide a model of high-performing small and medium-sized companies to address the new environmental challenges in traditional manufacturing industries. Adopting a configurational logic and following an inductive approach based on four high-performing firms, this paper provides new empirical evidence on how the steps followed by these firms are adjusted to the high-performance models prescribed by the literature. In doing so, it also offers a dynamic view of the interrelationships between the strategy and the new conditions of the environment. At a practitioner level, the paper illustrates which recipes are more appropriate to prescribe recommendations for a more robust model that reinforces competitiveness in these industries. This research suggests that competitive success in traditional manufacturing industries requires movement along five complementary and interlinked strategic-development axes: the use of cooperation agreements, the combination of local and international manufacturing, the greater control of the distribution channel, the sale of customized products, and an increasing concern for sustainability.
The Reuse of Sediments Dredged from Artificial Reservoirs for Beach Nourishment: Technical and Economic Feasibility
Authors: Bagarani Massimo , De Vincenzo Annamaria , Ievoli Corrado , Molino Bruno
Published: August 2020

Sedimentation has significant impacts on the useful capacity of an artificial reservoir, a resource to preserve. Interventions of dredging are therefore often unavoidable, even because decommissioning of dams is often impossible in many contexts and entails high costs. Dredging generates an undesired accumulation of materials that represent an environmental cost, but that could be used as intermediate products in other processes, such as beach nourishment. The study develops a method for the evaluation of the feasibility of an investment aimed at coastal nourishment with sediments dredged from artificial reservoirs. The method considers the set of technical conditions that make such use possible. The presence of economies of scope, with environmental diseconomies utilized as joint product, modifies the evaluation approach. The results of the approach show a possible environmental and economic sustainability of the proposed investment even in the presence of highly unfavorable scenarios. The study applies the feasibility appraisal to the case of the Guardialfiera reservoir in Molise, Italy.
Modifiable Campus-Wide Appraisal Model (MOCAM) for Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions
Authors: Adenle Yusuf A. , Chan Edwin H. W. , Sun Yi , Chau C.K.
Published: August 2020

Institutions of higher education across the globe have commenced the appraisal of their sustainability performance via the utilization of various existing campus sustainability assessment tools. A comprehensive review of these existing tools reveals insufficient utilization of weighting methods and theoretical approaches that allow for the monitoring, review, and enhancement of the appraisal process and tools. Social media and spatial-based indicators usage are also deficient in the existing tools. This paper addresses these research gaps and develops a Modifiable Campus-wide Appraisal Model (MOCAM) for a comprehensive spatial-based information and assessment framework for policymakers, local authorities, and campus planners in countries with unknown campus sustainability status. In this model, the specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) approach was utilized to identify environmental-dimension indicators with campus-wide and spatial-based attributes. The Twitter social media platform, Elastic stack, and Python Library were used for the extraction and analysis of local stakeholders’ user-generated content for the identification of localized indicators. The analytic hierarchy process was used for the determination and analysis of the attribute level of importance and weights. The model also broadens the application of symbolic interactionism by translating it from the predominant field of social science to sustainable campus appraisal.
Combining Indigenous Knowledge and Modern Education to Foster Sustainability Competencies: Towards a Set of Learning Design Principles
Authors: Demssie Yared Nigussie , Biemans Harm J. A. , Wesselink Renate , Mulder Martin
Published: August 2020

An important step in the endeavor towards a more socially, environmentally, and economically sustainable world is identifying and fostering sustainability competencies (SCs). There are major international initiatives that identify sustainability-related goals (the Sustainable Development Goals) and those that recognize the crucial role of education in achieving such goals (the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development). There are also academic studies that address education for sustainable development. Usually, such initiatives and studies take western worldviews for granted. This limits opportunities for other worldviews which could contribute to sustainability. It is unclear what indigenous knowledge and pedagogies, apart from the dominant western approaches, could help to enhance SCs. To address this gap, a qualitative study was conducted in Ethiopia, a country with more than seventeen centuries old indigenous education system and indigenous knowledge. To utilize alternative worldviews and pedagogies vis-à-vis fostering SCs and incorporating them in modern education systems, five learning design principles were proposed. These are: define worldviews, utilize indigenous knowledge, use sustainability-oriented pedagogies, engage learners, and build on students’ experiences. Theoretically, the study contributes to sustainability, education for sustainable development, and indigenous knowledge. The findings may serve as a starting point in designing education and training for broader sustainability approaches.
Management of Tourist Destinations: The Expectations of Guests on eWOM Generation in Maldonado (Uruguay)
Authors: Sánchez-Fernández María Dolores , Álvarez-Bassi Daniel , Ramón-Cardona José
Published: August 2020

The purpose of this paper is to examine the importance of exceeding the expectations of guests to generate greater satisfaction, in order to offer an unforgettable experience and generate more comments on the Web 2.0 in the context of tourism. Structural equation models were used. The data for the analysis were obtained from a sample of residents of the Maldonado-Punta del Este conurbation (Uruguay), who were asked about their last overnight stay. The proposed structural equation model was tested using the partial least square (PLS) technique. The results show that exceeding the expectations of guests is essential for the clients’ experience and very important for the satisfaction with the stay at the hotel. The generation of online comments (electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM)) is also strongly influenced by emotional experiences. Exceeding the expectations of trained clients and surprising them with new services and experiences is the essence of luxury offers. The main practical implication is that exceeding expectations is the key to eWOM, and this means that managers must be involved in a perpetual process of service innovation.
Business Process Management and Digital Innovations: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Ahmad Tahir , Van Looy Amy
Published: August 2020

Emerging technologies have capabilities to reshape business process management (BPM) from its traditional version to a more explorative variant. However, to exploit the full benefits of new IT, it is essential to reveal BPM’s research potential and to detect recent trends in practice. Therefore, this work presents a systematic literature review (SLR) with 231 recent academic articles (from 2014 until May 2019) that integrate BPM with digital innovations (DI). We position those articles against seven future BPM-DI trends that were inductively derived from an expert panel. By complementing the expected trends in practice with a state-of-the-art literature review, we are able to derive covered and uncovered themes in order to help bridge a rigor-relevance gap. The major technological impacts within the BPM field seem to focus on value creation, customer engagement and managing human-centric and knowledge-intensive business processes. Finally, our findings are categorized into specific calls for research and for action to let scholars and organizations better prepare for future digital needs.
An Intelligent Waste Removal System for Smarter Communities
Authors: Zhang Qi , Li Hongyang , Wan Xin , Skitmore Martin , Sun Hailin
Published: August 2020

With the continuous progress of urbanization, the discharge of municipal solid waste has profoundly affected human production/living and social ecological health, and waste disposal has become one of the key issues all over the world. In the context of intelligent technology, this paper innovates the way of waste disposal according to the development direction of a smart city and the requirement of sustainable development strategy. An intelligent urban waste removal system is developed using a ROS (Route Operation System) robot operating system and RRT (Rapid Exploration of Random Trees) path planning algorithm. With a background of data management, the entire process of intelligent automatic waste removal is triggered by automatic communication from individual waste bins to a waste collection vehicle (WCV) where the bin needs to be emptied, and the automatic collection and transportation by the WCV in response. In combination with the IoT (Internet of Things), the system provides scientific data support for the intelligent layout of communities and even urban waste bins to greatly enhance the development of intelligence communities and smart cities.
Preparing Adolescents for the Uncertain Future: Concepts, Tools and Strategies for Teaching Anthropogenic Environmental Change
Authors: Xiang Xi , Meadows Michael E
Published: August 2020

Humankind is increasingly being challenged by anthropogenic environmental changes and society needs to be better equipped with knowledge, skills and values to adapt to these changes. This poses new challenges for school education. We propose a framework towards future-oriented education by addressing three issues: a) How can the school curriculum be reframed to take account of anthropogenic environmental changes? b) What difficulties do students encounter when learning about these changes? c) What learning tools and pedagogical strategies are best suited to effectively and efficiently teach about environmental changes? An example is provided, whereby secondary school students engage with the topic of deforestation using geospatial technology. This study informs curriculum makers and instructors in providing education that enhances adolescents’ understanding of the uncertain world and increases their ability to be proactive, rather than merely responding to change.
Sustainable Conservation of a Difficult Heritage in South Korea: Mapping the Conservation Resources of Sorok-do Island, Hansen’s Disease Site
Authors: Jang Seong-Gon , Lee Hyun Kyung , Kang Dong-Jin
Published: August 2020

South Korea’s Sorok-do island bears witness to the 100-year history of the Sorok-do hospital and the village for Hansen’s disease (leprosy) patients. All the facilities of Sorok-do were established by the Japanese imperial authorities, and the collective memories of social isolation and discrimination against Hansen’s disease patients were deeply embedded in this island during the colonial and post-colonial periods. Despite changing perceptions toward the conservation of the island’s history since the 1990s, the island’s deep collective memory remains at risk due to the increasing number of incoming settlers and the shrinking number of Hansen’s disease patients since the opening of the Sorok Bridge in 2009. Taking into consideration the historical lack of critical engagement with difficult heritage conservation in South Korea, this paper introduces a novel approach to sustainable conservation, using as a case study the Sorok-do island. We collected data using archival research, participant observation and semi-structured in-depth interviews, and analyzed them by using a position-mapping method. This paper examines the island’s multifaceted, shifting processes within its history, urban structure, and changing social meanings, and offers a new set of criteria for long-term strategies that will ensure both tangible and intangible types of conservation resources.
Assessment of Debris Flow Risk Factors Based on Meta-Analysis—Cases Study of Northwest and Southwest China
Authors: Wang Yuzheng , Nie Lei , Zhang Min , Wang Hong , Xu Yan , Zuo Tianyu
Published: August 2020

Debris flow is a type of special torrent containing numerous solid materials. With many types of factors affecting debris flow, there is no reliable basis for the selection of risk factors for debris flow risk assessment. Therefore, to study the factors affecting debris flow, exploring a reliable method for assessing the relative importance of these factors is a significant endeavor in debris flow prevention and control work. In this research, debris flow risk assessment was combined with meta-analysis to analyze quantitatively the relative importance of risk factors of debris flow in northwest and southwest China. The final relative importance of each factor in northwest China is as follows, maximum relative height difference > slope of main channel > maximum daily precipitation > ratio of longitudinal slope > drainage area > length of main channel. In addition, in southwest China, maximum relative height difference > maximum daily precipitation > slope of main channel > ratio of longitudinal slope > length of main channel > drainage area. The meta-analysis results were accurate, which can provide a reliable basis for the selection of debris flow risk factors in debris flow risk assessment. Furthermore, it provides strong support for the application of meta-analysis in risk assessment of other geological hazards.
Bibliometric and Social Network Analysis of Civil Engineering Sustainability Research from 2015 to 2019
Authors: Zhou Shuowen , Zhou Min , Wang Yuanfeng , Gao Yuanlin , Liu Yinshan , Shi Chengcheng , Lu Yongmao , Zhou Tong
Published: August 2020

With the development of civil engineering sustainability, the scope of corresponding research covers a broader range. It is difficult for researchers to master the holistic situation of the study, leading to duplication and lag of their research. Therefore, this paper aims to present a state-of-the-art of the research of civil engineering sustainability by adopting two new methods (bibliometric and social network analysis) to review the literature of this field. It is concluded that the existing research takes engineering as the main subject to improve its sustainability through technologies. Current research mainly focuses on technological innovations and evaluations of environmental impacts in the fields of construction technology, energy consumption, material preparation, and design. The countries with the largest number of published articles are the United States and China. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is the institution that has published more articles than others. Journal of Cleaner Production and Sustainability are the journals that have published the most articles. For the researchers, a professor of the University of Adelaide is the researcher who has published the most articles, and experts from South China University of Technology, Chongqing University, and University of Brighton are the main hubs among different researchers.
Passenger Flow Prediction Based on Land Use around Metro Stations: A Case Study
Authors: Lin Ciyun , Wang Kang , Wu Dayong , Gong Bowen
Published: August 2020

High-density land uses cause high-intensity traffic demand. Metro as an urban mass transit mode is considered as a sustainable strategy to balance the urban high-density land uses development and the high-intensity traffic demand. However, the capacity of the metro cannot always meet the traffic demand during rush hours. It calls for traffic agents to reinforce the operation and management standard to improve the service level. Passenger flow prediction is the foremost and pivotal technology in improving the management standard and service level of metro. It is an important technological means in ensuring sustainable and steady development of urban transportation. This paper uses mathematical and neural network modeling methods to predict metro passenger flow based on the land uses around the metro stations, along with considering the spatial correlation of metro stations within the metro line and the temporal correlation of time series in passenger flow prediction. It aims to provide a feasible solution to predict the passenger flow based on land uses around the metro stations and then potentially improving the understanding of the land uses around the metro station impact on the metro passenger flow, and exploring the potential association between the land uses and the metro passenger flow. Based on the data source from metro line 2 in Qingdao, China, the perdition results show the proposed methods have a good accuracy, with Mean Absolute Percentage Errors (MAPEs) of 11.6%, 3.24%, and 3.86 corresponding to the metro line prediction model with Categorical Regression (CATREG), single metro station prediction model with Artificial Neural Network (ANN), and single metro station prediction model with Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), respectively.
Effects of Green Space Patterns on Urban Thermal Environment at Multiple Spatial–Temporal Scales
Authors: Song Yu , Song Xiaodong , Shao Guofan
Published: August 2020

Land use/land cover (LULC) pattern change due to human activity is one of the key components of regional and global climate change drivers. Urban green space plays a critical role in regulating urban thermal environment, and its cooling effect has received widespread attention in urban heat island (UHI) related studies. To fully understand the effects of the landscape pattern of an urban green space in regulating the urban thermal environment, it is necessary to further study the thermal effects of the landscape pattern of the urban green space and its characteristics under varied spatial–temporal scales. In this paper, we took the urban core area of Hangzhou City as the study area and analyzed the relationships between the landscape metrics of the urban green space and land surface temperature (LST) under varied spatial scales by using correlation analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) methods. Multi-temporal Landsat 8 thermal infrared sensor data were used to retrieve the spatial and temporal dynamics of LSTs in four consecutive seasons, and the land use classification was interpreted using SPOT (Systeme Probatoire d’Observation de la Terre) satellite imagery. The results showed that landscape dominance metrics—e.g., percentage of landscape (PLAND) and largest patch index (LPI)—were the most influential factors on urban LST. The spatial configuration of urban landscape, as represented by the fragmentation and aggregation and connectedness, also showed significant effects on LST. Furthermore, landscape pattern metrics had varied spatial scale effects on LST. Specifically, the landscape dominance metrics of urban forest showed an increased influence on LST as the spatial scale increased, while for urban water, the trend was opposite. These findings might have some practical significance for urban planning about how to spatially arrange urban green space to alleviate UHI at local and regional scales.
Impacts of UV Filters in Mytilus galloprovincialis: Preliminary Data on the Acute Effects Induced by Environmentally Relevant Concentrations
Authors: Bordalo Diana , Leite Carla , Almeida Ângela , Soares Amadeu M. V. M. , Pretti Carlo , Freitas Rosa
Published: August 2020

Ultraviolet (UV) filters are present in a broad range of personal hygiene products, which may be transported via aquatic environments and domestic wastewaters due to inefficient treating station sewage removal and direct human contact. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential effects of a UV filter, in particular benzophenone-3 (BP3) (also known as oxybenzone) on the mussel species Mytilus galloprovincialis. Mussels were exposed to this organic substance for 96 h in environmentally relevant concentrations (10, 100, and 1000 ng/L). After exposure, biomarkers related with the mussels’ metabolism and oxidative stress were evaluated. The results revealed significantly higher activity of electron transport system and energy reserves (glycogen and protein (PROT)) at the intermediate concentration of 100 ng/L, suggesting that at lower concentrations mussels’ metabolism was not activated due to low stress. Conversely, at the highest concentration (1000 ng/L), mussels were no longer able to continue to increase their metabolic activity. Higher metabolic capacity was accompanied by increased PROT content associated with increased enzyme production to activate their antioxidant system. Nevertheless, at the highest concentration, cellular damage occurred as a consequence of ineffective activation of antioxidant and biotransformation enzymes. The results of the present study address uncertainties that are fundamental to the environmental risk assessment and management of these economically important near-shore bivalves and other marine species. Although an acute exposure was performed, alterations observed indicate the negative impacts of BP3 towards marine bivalves, which could be enhanced after longer exposure periods or if mussels are simultaneously exposed to other stressors (e.g., other pollutants or climate change related factors). The present study may thus contribute to the definition of fundamental knowledge for the establishment of appropriate regulatory guidelines and practices that ensure the preservation and sustainability of biological resources, allowing for prediction and mitigation of the impacts from these compounds.
Characterization and Use of Absorbent Materials as Slow-Release Fertilizers for Growing Strawberry: Preliminary Results
Authors: Costamagna Giulia , Chiabrando Valentina , Fassone Enrica , Mania Ilaria , Gorra Roberta , Ginepro Marco , Giacalone Giovanna
Published: August 2020

Anaerobic digestion is one of the most important and advantageous processes in livestock manure treatment. Digestate, one of its byproducts, contains particularly high nitrogen levels that determine storage and disposal costs. Excess nitrogen can be managed through sequestration processes. This study assesses the potential of natural zeolite to adsorb ammonium ions from a simulated ammonium-rich digestate, and to verify its absorbency and efficiency to release fertilizer slowly to strawberry plants. The assessment considered the effects on the plant, fruit quality, prokaryotic abundances and relative abundance of bacterial and archaeal functional genes related to nitrification. Our results confirm that ammonium-enriched zeolites possess positive implications for strawberry plants and favorably influence bacterial nitrification. Natural zeolites demonstrated high sorption properties and were shown to be an efficient carrier of N to plants.
Analysis of Driver’s Reaction Behavior Using a Persuasion-Based IT Artefact
Authors: Goikoetxea Gonzalez Javier , Casado-Mansilla Diego , López-de-Ipiña Diego
Published: August 2020

The use of interactive technology to change behavior, which is commonly known as persuasive technology, is currently gaining attention in information systems research. It has been assessed in many application domains and the field of private mobility is not an exception, notably with the advent of self-driven cars. However, the reviewed body of research shows that when it comes to linking persuasion-based systems and mobility, most of the approaches focus on engaging drivers to use the car in a safer way, leaving the cost-efficiency aspect of driving less explored. Therefore, this article focuses on the study of a persuasion-based IT (Information Technology) artefact devised to make drivers more aware of car expenses (e.g., maintenance control, engine failures, enhance driving, etc.). Specifically, it aims to identify persuasive design principles for a smart IT solution that is tailored for the enhancement of the cost-efficiency of private cars. To this purpose, the results of a survey, where respondents (N = 301) were asked to rank different principles of persuasion which might result in increased efficiency to save time and money within their car, are presented. This work aims to contribute a persuasion-based IT artefact to help and influence drivers, enhancing their management of costs related to car mobility in real-time. The implications of the proposed solution, according to the responses of the survey, are discussed in line with its implementation and adoption by car holders.
Energy and Resource Utilization of Refining Industry Oil Sludge by Microwave Treatment
Authors: Lee Chien Li , Tsai Cheng-Hsien , Jou Chih-Ju G.
Published: August 2020

The oily sludge from crude oil contains hazardous BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) found in the bottom sediment of the crude oil tank in the petroleum refining plant. This study uses microwave treatment of the oily sludge to remove BTEX by utilizing the heat energy generated by the microwave. The results show that when the oily sludge sample was treated for 60 s under microwave power from 200 to 300 W, the electric field energy absorbed by the sample increased from 0.17 to 0.31 V/m and the temperature at the center of the sludge sample increased from 66.5 °C to 96.5 °C. In addition, when the oily sludge was treated for 900 s under microwave power 300 W, the removal rates were 98.5% for benzene, 62.8% for toluene, 51.6% for ethylbenzene, and 29.9% for xylene. Meanwhile, the highest recovery rates of light volatile hydrocarbons in sludge reached 71.9% for C3, 71.3% for C4, 71.0% for C5, and 78.2% for C6.
Working for a Sustainable Surfing Community: Becoming a Local Surfer at a New Home Destination
Authors: Kim Hanbeom , Kwon Sun-Yong
Published: August 2020

South Korea used to be a non-surfing region until it experienced a remarkable realization of the surfing phenomenon, the so-called “surfing boom”, during the past couple of decades. The nonexistence of surfing communities or cultures offers a unique context that surfers have to deal with to become local surfers. The migration status of surfers further complicates the process of local surfer identity construction. This particular context provided migrant surfers with unique socio-spatial challenges and tasks that led them to a certain desire for sustainable surfing milieu. This paper aims to explore the experiences of early migrant surfers when constructing their local surfer identity. Data were collected through fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The early migrant surfers perceived becoming local surfers to be a process of making a new life while they were settling on their new “home”. Thus, they desired a sustainable surfing environment not only with the surf breaks but also with the whole regional community they live in. Hence, becoming a local surfer was becoming a local villager at the same time. They put forth multilateral community endeavors to construct and maintain social and emotional bonds with local authorities, local native residents, and the community environment. Through their interactions with the wider rural community, it was hoped that they would also actually contribute to the formation and maintenance of that rural community for sustainable surfing.
Local Knowledge and Perspectives of Change in Homegardens: A Photovoice Study in Kandy District, Sri Lanka
Authors: deHaan Rachel , Hambly Odame Helen , Thevathasan Naresh , Nissanka Sarath P.
Published: August 2020

Kandyan homegardens are traditional agroforestry systems that exist to support rural livelihoods in Kandy District, Sri Lanka. These agro-ecosystems have been sustained over generations of socio-ecological change and are recognized today for their biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services. The main drivers of adaption and the sustainability of homegardens are the local farmers who manage them on a daily basis. However, despite being key stakeholders, local communities have seldom been included in research, especially through participatory approaches. This study utilized a participatory and visual method called photovoice to reveal the local perspectives and experiences of socio-ecological change as viewed by 24 Kandyan homegardeners. The results highlight visual documentation and narrative that publicly displayed farmers’ perspectives of their current homegardening situation and the major challenges they face. The priorities for future conservation of homegardens include addressing wildlife conflict and crop damage, the lack of land to grow, and a decline in available labor and interest in agriculture, especially among younger household members. Our results indicate that the photovoice process allowed for rich, varied, and in-depth stories of the human-ecological relationship in homegardens to emerge. Consideration of these relationships and the knowledge of local communities are necessary for understanding socio-ecological change in homegardens, and key to sustainable development. Photovoice, we conclude, is a robust method for research in agroforestry systems that can effectively engage local farmers and produce participant-driven data that are potentially well suited to complement other methods for a more holistic approach to understanding homegardens.
Does the Choice of IJV under Institutional Duality Promote the Innovation Performance of Chinese Manufacturing Firms? Evidence from Listed Chinese Manufacturing Companies
Authors: Wu Chong , Bo Siyi , Wan Xing , Ji Min , Chen Meihua , Zhang Shifan
Published: August 2020

The relationship between the strategic choice of internationalization under institutional duality and the performance of emerging market multinational enterprises (EM-MNEs) will become a focal point for scholars, practitioners and policy makers in the future. In order to better understand the determinants of the entry mode choice under institutional duality for EM-MNEs, based on the sample of Chinese manufacturing listed companies ‘going out’ from 2003 to 2015, we investigated the impact of organization institutional inertia and host-country institutional quality on the choice of the international joint venture (IJV) of Chinese manufacturing firms, as well as the effect and potential problems of the IJV choice on the firms’ innovation performance under institutional duality. The main results of our empirical analyses provide evidence that the response to institutional duality means that Chinese firms have the possibility to choose IJV in entry modes ahead of their capability support, and subject to insufficient professional field accumulation, cross-cultural management and joint governance capability, this premature choice of IJV actually hinders their innovation efficiency. Furthermore, the test on the influence of firm heterogeneity found that, when the firm is privately owned or has a lower internationalization breadth, the above negative moderating effect of IJV choice is more significant. Our findings enrich the literature on the relationship between the strategic choice of internationalization and innovation performance of EM-MNEs, and provide inspiring and straightforward empirical evidence.
Analysis of Environmental Purification Effect of Riparian Forest with Poplar Trees for Ecological Watershed Management: A Case Study in the Floodplain of the Dam Reservoir in Korea
Authors: Bahn Gwon-Soo , An Byung-Chul
Published: August 2020

The Total Nitrogen(T-N) and Total Phosphors(T-P) contents in the soils of three riparian forests with poplar trees were compared with the surrounding cultivated and uncultivated lands. Three key results were obtained by analyzing poplar tree volume and the T-N and T-P content in the plant body. First, in soil surveys covering 36 points, the T-N and T-P content in the riparian forests were 0.064% and 0.036%, respectively, whereas in non-riparian forests, they were 0.147% and 0.101%, respectively. The two areas had significantly different T-N and T-P values. Within the non-riparian-forest category, the T-N and T-P content in cultivated land was 0.174% and 0.103%, respectively, showing significant differences from riparian forest values. When comparing riparian forests and uncultivated land, the T-N contents were not significantly different (p > 0.113), but the T-P content of 0.095% showed a significant difference (p < 0.006). Second, the total poplar tree volumes of the riparian forest test sites 1, 2, and 3 were 466.46 m3, 171.34 m3, and 75.76 m3, respectively. The T-N and T-P accumulation per unit area was the largest in site 1, at 497.75 kg/ha and 112.73 kg/ha, respectively. The larger the tree volume, the larger the T-N and T-P accumulation in the plant body, and the lower the T-N and T-P content in the soil. Third, analyzing the T-N and T-P removal rate in relation to the environmental conditions of the riparian forests showed that site 3 had the smallest total poplar tree content, and the T-N and T-P accumulation per unit area (ha) was also relatively low at just 56% and 68% of the average value. The main causes of this outcome are thought to be the differences in environmental conditions, such as the crop cultivated before poplar planting began and the terrain. The research results verify that riparian forests with poplar trees reduced T-N and T-P content in the soils. The growth of poplar is expected to increase the removal of T-N and T-P from the soil and contribute to the reduction of various nonpoint source pollution flows into rivers and lakes and to the purification of soil in flooded areas. Therefore, riparian forests can act as a form of green infrastructure and as a system to remove nonpoint source pollution in ecological watershed management.
Towards Sustainable Food Services in Hospitals: Expanding the Concept of ‘Plate Waste’ to ‘Tray Waste’
Authors: Sahal Alharbi Nouf , Yahia Qattan Malak , Haji Alhaji Jawaher
Published: August 2020

Early debates on the sustainability of food-plating systems in hospitals have concentrated mostly on plate waste food served, but not eaten. This study aims to address the need for more comprehensive studies on sustainable food services systems by expanding the concept of plate waste, to that of tray waste (organic and inorganic materials), through a case study of a hospital in Saudi Arabia. Tray waste arising at the ward level was audited for three weeks, covering 939 meals. It was found that, on average, each patient threw away 0.41, 0.30, 0.12, and 0.02 kg of food, plastic, paper, and metal, respectively, each day. All this equated to 4831 tons of food, 3535 tons of plastic, 1414 tons of paper, and 235 tons of metal each year at hospitals across Saudi Arabia. As all of this waste ends up in landfills, without any form of recycling, this study proposes the need for a more comprehensive, political approach that unites all food system stakeholders around a shared vision of responsible consumption and sustainable development.