bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increasing the Geometrical and Interpretation Quality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Photogrammetry Products using Super-Resolution Algorithms
Authors: Burdziakowski Pawel
Published: March 2020

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have now become very popular in photogrammetric and remote-sensing applications. Every day, these vehicles are used in new applications, new terrains, and new tasks, facing new problems. One of these problems is connected with flight altitude and the determined ground sample distance in a specific area, especially within cities and industrial and construction areas. The problem is that a safe flight altitude and camera parameters do not meet the required or demanded ground sampling distance or the geometrical and texture quality. In the cases where the flight level cannot be reduced and there is no technical ability to change the UAV camera or lens, the author proposes the use of a super-resolution algorithm for enhancing images acquired by UAVs and, consequently, increase the geometrical and interpretation quality of the final photogrammetric product. The main study objective was to utilize super-resolution (SR) algorithms to improve the geometric and interpretative quality of the final photogrammetric product, assess its impact on the accuracy of the photogrammetric processing and on the traditional digital photogrammetry workflow. The research concept assumes a comparative analysis of photogrammetric products obtained on the basis of data collected from small, commercial UAVs and products obtained from the same data but additionally processed by the super-resolution algorithm. As the study concludes, the photogrammetric products that are created as a result of the algorithms’ operation on high-altitude images show a comparable quality to the reference products from low altitudes and, in some cases, even improve their quality.
The Role of Sea Surface Temperature Forcing in the Life-Cycle of Mediterranean Cyclones
Authors: Stathopoulos Christos , Patlakas Platon , Tsalis Christos , Kallos George
Published: March 2020

Air–sea interface processes are highly associated with the evolution and intensity of marine-developed storms. Specifically, in the Mediterranean Sea, the air–ocean temperature deviations have a profound role during the several stages of Mediterranean cyclonic events. Subsequently, this enhances the need for better knowledge and representation of the sea surface temperature (SST). In this work, an analysis of the impact and uncertainty of the SST from different well-known datasets on the life-cycle of Mediterranean cyclones is attempted. Daily SST from the Real Time Global SST (RTG_SST) and hourly SST fields from the Operational SST and Sea Ice Ocean Analysis (OSTIA) and the NEMO ocean circulation model are implemented in the RAMS/ICLAMS-WAM coupled modeling system. For the needs of the study, the Mediterranean cyclones Trixi, Numa, and Zorbas were selected. Numerical experiments covered all stages of their life-cycles (five to seven days). Model results have been analyzed in terms of storm tracks and intensities, cyclonic structural characteristics, and derived heat fluxes. Remote sensing data from the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals (IMERG) for Global Precipitation Measurements (GPM), Blended Sea Winds, and JASON altimetry missions were employed for a qualitative and quantitative comparison of modeled results in precipitation, maximum surface wind speed, and wave height. Spatiotemporal deviations in the SST forcing rather than significant differences in the maximum/minimum SST values, seem to mainly contribute to the differences between the model results. Considerable deviations emerged in the resulting heat fluxes, while the most important differences were found in precipitation exhibiting spatial and intensity variations reaching 100 mm. The employment of widely used products is shown to result in different outcomes and this point should be taken into consideration in forecasting and early warning systems.
The Field Monitoring Experiment of the Roof Strata Movement in Coal Mining Based on DFOS
Authors: Hu Tao , Hou Gongyu , Li Zixiang
Published: March 2020

Mining deformation of roof strata is the main cause of methane explosion, water inrush, and roof collapse accidents amid underground coal mining. To ensure the safety of coal mining, the distributed optical fiber sensor (DFOS) technology has been applied in the 150,313 working face by Yinying Coal Mine in Shanxi Province, north China to monitor the roof strata movement, so as to grasp the movement law of roof strata and make it serve for production. The optical fibers are laid out in the holes drilled through the overlying strata on the roadway roof and BOTDR technique is utilized to carry out the on-site monitoring. Prior to the on-site test, the coupling test of the fiber strain in the concrete anchorage, the calibration test of the fiber strain coefficient of the 5-mm steel strand (SS) fiber, and the test of the strain transfer performance of the SS fiber were carried out in the laboratory. The approaches for fiber laying-out in the holes and fiber’s spatial positioning underground the coal mine have been optimized in the field. The indoor test results show that the high-strength SS optical fiber has a high strain transfer performance, which can be coupled with the concrete anchor with uniform deformation. This demonstrated the feasibility of SS fiber for monitoring strata movement theoretically and experimentally; and the law of roof strata fracturing and collapse is obtained from the field test results. This paper is a trial to study the whole process of dynamic movement of the deformation of roof strata. Eventually the study results will help Yinying Coal Mine to optimize mining design, prevent coal mine accidents, and provide detailed test basis for DFOS monitoring technique of roof strata movement.
An Approach for In Situ Rapid Detection of Deep-Sea Aromatic Amino Acids Using Laser-Induced Fluorescence
Authors: Du Ranran , Yang Dingtian , Jiang Guangjia , Song Youren , Yin Xiaoqing
Published: March 2020

Amino acids are the material basis of almost all life activities. An improved understanding of the source, state, and cycle of amino acids is essential for determining the energy flow and material circulation of marine ecosystems. In the present study, an in situ rapid detection method of ultraviolet (UV; 266 nm) laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technology was used to detect three natural, aromatic amino acids in the seawater. The laser-induced fluorescence peaks of aromatic amino acids tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine were located at 350 nm, 300 nm, and 280 nm, respectively. High, linear correlations between the concentrations of the aromatic amino acids and the fluorescence peak heights were observed, and the lowest detectable concentrations of tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine were 4.70 × 10−9 mol/L, 2.76 × 10−8 mol/L, and 6.05 × 10−7 mol/L, respectively, which allowed us to quantify their concentrations by using laser-induced fluorescence. This paper not only provides a practical method for the detection of aromatic amino acids in seawater, but a new means to further understand the biogeochemical processes of carbon cycles in the deep sea.
High-Pressure Hydrogen Sulfide Experiments: How Did Our Safety Measures and Hazard Control Work during a Failure Event?
Authors: Adeniyi Kayode I. , Wan Herman H. , Deering Connor E. , Bernard Francis , Chisholm Molly A. , Marriott Robert A.
Published: March 2020

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a hazardous, colorless, flammable gas with a distinct rotten-egg smell at low concentration. Exposure to a concentration greater than 500 ppm of H2S can result in irreversible health problems and death within minutes. Because of these hazards, operations such as oil and gas processing and sewage treatment that handle or produce H2S and/or sour gas require effective and well-designed hazard controls, as well as state-of-the-art gas monitoring/detection mechanisms for the safety of workers and the public. Laboratories studying H2S for improved understanding must also develop and continually improve upon lab-specific safety standards with unique detection systems. In this study, we discuss various H2S detection methods and hazard control strategies. Also, we share our experience regarding a leak that occurred as a result of the failure of a perfluoroelastomer O-ring seal on a small stirred autoclave vessel used for studying H2S hydrate dissociation/formation conditions in our laboratory, and discuss how our emergency response plan was activated to mitigate the risk of exposure to the researchers and public.
Rastafarianism in Bullet Tree Falls, Belize: Exploring the Effects of International Trends
Authors: Gordon Andrew
Published: March 2020

In 1991, a group of Rastafarians in the village of Bullet Tree Falls, Belize, started out adhering to the principles of piety and protest that characterized the Rastafarians when began in Jamaica in the 1930s. After being Rastafarian for several years, village adherents gravitated to new values and lifestyles, not the protest and piety that kicked off the movement in Jamaica and Belize. The beginnings resembled a revitalization movement, an attempt at making a more satisfying culture. Yet over time, individual Rastafarians in Bullet Tree Falls sought material advantages, and the Rastafarians were flattered by the attention of tourists and others. Changes in the Rastafarians’ orientation and practices are examined as a consequence of global trends and local cultural influences. The article examines how international and local trends dissolved a revitalization movement.
Digital, Three-Dimensional Visualization of Root Systems in Peat
Authors: Gribbe Stella , Blume-Werry Gesche , Couwenberg John
Published: March 2020

Belowground plant structures are inherently difficult to observe in the field. Sedge peat that mainly consists of partly decayed roots and rhizomes offers a particularly challenging soil matrix to study (live) plant roots. To obtain information on belowground plant morphology, research commonly relies on rhizotrons, excavations, or computerized tomography scans (CT). However, all of these methods have certain limitations. For example, CT scans of peat cores cannot sharply distinguish between plant material and water, and rhizotrons do not provide a 3D structure of the root system. Here, we developed a low-cost approach for 3D visualization of the root system in peat monoliths. Two large diameter (20 cm) peat cores were extracted, frozen and two smaller peat monoliths (47 × 6.5 × 13 cm) were taken from each core. Slices of 0.5 mm or 1 mm were cut from one of the frozen monoliths, respectively, using a paper block cutter and the freshly cut surface of the monolith was photographed after each cut. A 3D model of the fresh (live) roots and rhizomes was reconstructed from the resulting images of the thinner slices based on computerized image analysis, including preprocessing, filtering, segmentation and 3D visualization using the open-source software Fiji, Drishti, and Ilastik. Digital volume measurements on the models produced similar data as manual washing out of roots from the adjacent peat monoliths. The constructed 3D models provide valuable insight into the three-dimensional structure of the root system in the peat matrix.
Water Irrigation Decision Support System for Practical Weir Adjustment Using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Suntaranont Benya , Aramkul Somrawee , Kaewmoracharoen Manop , Champrasert Paskorn
Published: March 2020

This research proposes a decision support system for weir sluice gate level adjusting. The proposed system, named AWARD (Appropriate Weir Adjustment with Water Requirement Deliberation), is composed of three modules, which are (1) water level prediction, (2) sluice gates setting period estimation, and (3) sluice gates level adjusting calculation. The AWARD system applies an artificial neural network technique for water level prediction, a fuzzy logic control algorithm for sluice gate setting period estimation, and hydraulics equations for sluice gate level adjusting. The water requirements and supplies are deducted from the field-survey and telemetry stations in Chiang Rai Province, Thailand. The results show that the proposed system can accurately estimate the water volume. Water level prediction shows high accuracy. The standard error of prediction (SEP) is 2.58 cm and the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 7.38%. The sluice gate setting period is practically adjusted. The sluice gate level is adjusted according to the water requirement.
Does Structural Capital Affect SDGs Risk-Related Disclosure Quality? An Empirical Investigation of Italian Large Listed Companies
Authors: De Luca Francesco , Cardoni Andrea , Phan Ho-Tan-Phat , Kiseleva Evgeniia
Published: March 2020

In a context of widespread acceptance and implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper discusses the possible relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and nonfinancial information (NFI), particularly related to SDGs and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a stakeholder engagement perspective. Prior studies called for further investigation about nonfinancial risk disclosure and claimed that companies mandated to disclose risk-related information tend to focus mainly on financial risks. Therefore, given the growing attention of regulators to the content of mandatory companies’ NFI brought to the Directive 2014/95/EU, this study intends to contribute to fill this literature gap by investigating the drivers of risk-related disclosure quality (RDQ) and to what extent it could be affected by the structural capital (SC), as one of the components of IC. The empirical analysis is based on a sample made of 51 Italian large undertakings and groups. The study uses content analysis to assess the RDQ from firms’ corporate reports. Regression analysis is used to examine if there is an influence of SC toward RDQ, both considered as a single information package and with specific reference to environmental disclosure. Results reveal that a positive association exists between RDQ and SC. Moreover, it is providing some support for the positive correlation between SC and the firm’s size. In this sense, the paper contributes to existing risk reporting literature as a pioneering study identifying an IC driver to determine the quality of risk and risk management information. For regulators, this study highlights how, in a context of mandatory disclosure, the quality of information could also depend on firm characteristics (SC). For practitioners, the paper helps in understanding the role of IC in order to increase the quality of the corporate risk reporting.
Performance-Based Characterization of Bituminous Mortars Prepared With Ladle Furnace Steel Slag
Authors: Pasetto Marco , Baliello Andrea , Pasquini Emiliano , Skaf Marta , Ortega-López Vanesa
Published: March 2020

A circular approach to managing resources that will promote their reuse and recycling is nowadays of crucial importance for a sustainable society. In this regard, the substitution of natural aggregates by steel slag in construction materials represents a promising option. In this paper, the use of Ladle Furnace Slag (LFS) as sustainable filler and fine aggregate for asphalt mixtures is studied. In particular, the evaluation of the LFS contribution in mastic and mortar mixes at mid-range and high-service temperatures is investigated, employing a dynamic shear rheometer to assess the main viscoelastic properties as well as the fatigue and the permanent deformation resistance of the blends. The experimental findings showed that the addition of LFS led to a clear stiffening effect, altering the chemo-physical interaction with the bitumen and producing an appreciable difference in complex stiffness moduli and phase angles. Regardless of the aging condition, the use of LFS lowered the linear viscoelastic limits and increased the elasticity of blends in the case of both mastics and mortars. It caused also a slightly higher thermal dependence of the linear viscoelastic properties even if the enhanced stiffness and elasticity produced appreciable improvements in the permanent deformation resistance. In contrast, a slight reduction of fatigue resistance was observed under the test conditions and was reasonably ascribed to the higher stiffness of LFS blends. Further research is needed to strengthen these promising results and to address the issues at a multiscale level, in particular to evaluate possible lower workability and reduced ductility due to the encountered higher stiffness of slag-based materials.
Research on Self-Organizing Evolution Level of China’s Photovoltaic Industry Chain System
Authors: Liu Yiping , Chen Jian , Wang Lingjun
Published: March 2020

According to the self-organizing theory, we first constructed an index system of the self-organizing evolution level of China’s photovoltaic (PV) industry chain system from two aspects: of development level and synergy level. Furthermore, according to the relevant data of China’s PV industry, the self-organizing evolution level of the system from 2008 to 2017 was measured and evaluated by using the system evolution level measurement model and cloud model. Finally, the GM (1, 1) model was used to predict the self-organizing evolution level of the system from 2018 to 2022. The results show that the overall self-organizing evolution level of China’s PV industry chain system shows a rising trend in the ten years from 2008 to 2017, gradually transitioning from a low evolution level to a relatively low evolution level, with the evolution level declining in 2012 and 2015. It is expected that the self-organizing evolution level will continue to maintain a stable and orderly growth trend in the next five years, entering a medium evolution level stage from 2021. If the current evolution speed can be maintained, it is expected to reach a self-organizing evolution state in the next 20 years or so.
Implementing Sustainable Human Resources Practices: Leadership Style Matters
Authors: Yang Jaewan , Lew Joon Yeol
Published: March 2020

Findings of a positive relationship between high-performance work systems (HPWSs) and organizational performance indicate that an investment in a set of well-configured HR practices can promote strategic organizational goals. However, recent strategic human resource management (SHRM) research indicates that the positive link between HPWSs and performance might not hold universally across organizations because of poor implementation of the adopted HR systems. Drawing on leadership literature, we address this implementation problem by focusing on the moderating effect of frontline managers’ three leadership styles on the association between HPWSs and employees’ perceived support for innovation. Data collected in mainland China (429 employees on 66 work teams in 14 firms) showed that some leadership styles had significant moderating effects on that association and, subsequently, on team effectiveness. The findings contribute to the SHRM literature by demonstrating the importance of frontline managers’ leadership styles in the effective implementation of HPWSs to promote organizational innovation and team effectiveness.
Building Sustainable Development through Technology Transfer Offices: An Approach Based on Levels of Maturity
Authors: Soares Adriano Mesquita , Kovaleski João Luiz , Gaia Silvia , Chiroli Daiane Maria de Genaro
Published: March 2020

This study focuses on how technology transfer offices’ (TTO) maturity level influences sustainable development in developing countries. A method for defining the maturity level of technology transfer offices was developed based on criteria, dimensions and variables from a comprehensive literature review. Technology transfer specialists were responsible for attaching weight to elements using the multicriteria method, fuzzy simple additive weighting. Results provided an important overview of 105 Brazilian TTOs, their maturity level and the impact on sustainable development.
A Contribution to a UHS-Based Seismic Risk Assessment in Croatia—A Case Study for the City of Osijek
Authors: Pavić Gordana , Hadzima-Nyarko Marijana , Bulajić Borko
Published: March 2020

Due to increases in the number of inhabitants and their concentrations in densely populated areas, there is a growing need in modern society to be cautious towards the impact of catastrophic natural events. An earthquake is a particularly major example of this. Knowledge of the seismic vulnerability of buildings in Europe and around the world has deepened and expanded over the last 20 years, as a result of the many devastating earthquakes. In this study, a review of seismic risk assessment methods in Croatia was presented with respect to the hazard, exposure, and vulnerability of buildings in the fourth largest city (Osijek) in Croatia. The proposed algorithm for a detailed risk assessment was applied to a database and is currently in its initial stage.
Homo Interneticus—The Sociological Reality of Mobile Online Being
Authors: NADOLU Bogdan , NADOLU Delia
Published: March 2020

The digitalization of everyday life has become a common place reality for more than half of the global population. Being connected 24/7 on several devices, being only one click/touch away from a huge amount of digital content, being available for interactions with almost any users from around the globe have become routine. In this paper, we identify the main sociological dimensions of the so-called Homo interneticus—a new manifestation of the human condition—on the basis of new communication technologies. The main research question was: Is time spent online a valid predictor of smartphone addiction? We conducted an experimental survey using a standard online questionnaire incorporating the Smartphone Addiction Scale—Short Version, followed by a request to upload screen captures recording respondents’ phone use during the previous week. We gathered 140 responses between May and July 2019. These were anonymously analyzed. The consistency between self-estimates and phone logs that we found gives encouragement for the development of this approach. A main finding is that the daily time spent on smartphone use is not in itself a strong predictor of addiction. Our research suggests that future studies should distinguish types of usage and investigate motivational springs.
A Combined Approach to Address Road Traffic Crashes beyond Cities: Hot Zone Identification and Countermeasures in Indonesia
Authors: Satria Romi , Tsoi Ka Ho , Castro Maria , Loo Becky P.Y.
Published: March 2020

Addressing fatalities on road is a major concern in most countries in the world. South-East Asian countries are no exception. In Indonesia, three persons die on road every hour. Understanding where and how road traffic crashes happen is imperative before the most efficient countermeasures can be devised and implemented. In this paper, three tools—hot spots, hot zones and hot clusters—are used to identify sections of two main highways in the Province of Aceh that require most urgent action. Many countermeasures have been developed to address the problem of black sites (hot spots). Examples of implementation often come from Australia, Europe or North America. Less research exists on countermeasures in hot zones, even less so in the Global South (less developed countries from Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America). This research applies quantitative spatial analysis that builds on existing works using the hot zone methodology and goes a step further by suggesting relevant countermeasures. More precisely, by taking into consideration the global urban-rural divide, this paper attempts to identify the most dangerous highway sections, in Indonesia, and to suggest appropriate hot zone countermeasures based on the characteristics of these hot zones. The results showed that urban highways, when compared to rural highways, were characterized by higher crash rates and a larger number of hot zones. Formulating hot zone countermeasures in urban environments should therefore consider their associated dangerousness and environmental features. Proposed countermeasures in urban roads include a stricter monitoring of the use of helmet, seat belt and cellphone, and the development of periodic communication and awareness campaigns.
An Integrated Sensor Data Logging, Survey, and Analytics Platform for Field Research and Its Application in HAPIN, a Multi-Center Household Energy Intervention Trial
Authors: Wilson Daniel Lawrence , Williams Kendra N. , Pillarisetti Ajay
Published: March 2020

Researchers rely on sensor-derived data to gain insights on numerous human behaviors and environmental characteristics. While commercially available data-logging sensors can be deployed for a range of measurements, there have been limited resources for integrated hardware, software, and analysis platforms targeting field researcher use cases. In this paper, we describe Geocene, an integrated sensor data logging, survey, and analytics platform for field research. We provide an example of Geocene’s ongoing use in the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN). HAPIN is a large, multi-center, randomized controlled trial evaluating the impacts of a clean cooking fuel and stove intervention in Guatemala, India, Peru, and Rwanda. The platform includes Bluetooth-enabled, data-logging temperature sensors; a mobile application to survey participants, provision sensors, download sensor data, and tag sensor missions with metadata; and a cloud-based application for data warehousing, visualization, and analysis. Our experience deploying the Geocene platform within HAPIN suggests that the platform may have broad applicability to facilitate sensor-based monitoring and evaluation efforts and projects. This data platform can unmask heterogeneity in study participant behavior by using sensors that capture both compliance with and utilization of the intervention. Platforms like this could help researchers measure adoption of technology, collect more robust intervention and covariate data, and improve study design and impact assessments.
Threat and Anxiety in the Climate Debate—An Agent-Based Model to Investigate Climate Scepticism and Pro-Environmental Behaviour
Authors: Kapeller Marie Lisa , Jäger Georg
Published: March 2020

In order to meet the challenges of sustainable development, it is of utmost importance to involve all relevant decision makers in this process. These decision makers are diverse, including governments, corporations and private citizens. Since the latter group is the largest and the majority of decisions relevant to the future of the environment is made by that group, great effort has been put into communicating relevant research results to them. The hope is that well-informed citizens make well-informed choices and thus act in a sustainable way. However, this common but drastic simplification that more information about climate change automatically leads to pro-environmental behaviour is fundamentally flawed. It completely neglects the complex social-psychological processes that occur if people are confronted with threatening information. In reality, the defence mechanisms that are activated in such situations can also work against the goal of sustainable development, as experimental studies showed. Based on these findings, we propose an agent-based model to understand the relation between threatening climate change information, anxiety, climate change scepticism, environmental self-identity and pro-environmental behaviour. We find that the exposure to information about climate change, in general, does not increase the pro-environmental intent unless several conditions regarding the individual’s values and information density are met.
Examining the Quasi-Public Spaces in Commercial Complexes
Authors: Sahito Noman , Han Haoying , Thi Nguyen Thuy , Kim Insin , Hwang Jinsoo , Jameel Arif
Published: March 2020

Commercial complexes are steadily expanding in size and function and plying roles as quasi-public spaces. This study investigated quasi-public spaces in contemporary commercial complexes by posting two questions: the physical features of quasi-public spaces in commercial complexes and how these characteristics promote sociability in commercial complexes? To answers these questions, a questionnaire survey was administered, and various observations were made in Intime City, Wanda Plaza and Western City Square, three prominent commercial complexes in Hangzhou City (Zhejiang Province, China), to enrich the analysis. Confirmatory factor analyses were used to examine the collected data. The results show that commercial complexes are also used as quasi-public spaces: they provide a more secure and well-maintained environment, playful conversations take place freely and democratically, promote socialization, and also increase consumption. In the existing literature, there is a dearth of theoretical and empirical studies on the emergence of quasi-public spaces.
Structuration of Natural Resource-Based Innovations in Universities: How Do They Get Institutionalized?
Authors: Cinar Ridvan
Published: March 2020

Natural resource-based innovations (NRBIs), especially through the valorization of waste and side streams, have recently become a significant element of the bioeconomy agenda in several countries across the world. Accordingly, a variety of institutions, including universities, have been expected to contribute to such innovations. While there have been serious efforts within universities to play a key role in NRBIs, questions of the extent of institutional continuity of these efforts over time and how this can be achieved remain unanswered in the literature. This paper, therefore, seeks to identify the determinants of a highly institutionalized structure that is supportive of NRBIs in universities. By mobilizing a literature in which the level of structuration is conceptualized as the degree of institutionalization and by using a single case study of a Portuguese public university, it was found that several internal and external factors have contributed to the institutionalization process, which has led to the emergence of a sedimented structure. Despite a high degree of institutionalization, several challenges that have either impeded the harnessing of the full potential of NRBIs or that have posed a threat to the university’s highly institutionalized structure were also found. The paper concludes that the institutionalization of NRBIs within universities not only requires orchestrated organizational efforts but also more consideration of the social, economic, and political dynamics that have recently engulfed universities.
Living as Residents in a Tourist Destination: A Phenomenological Approach
Authors: Lim Jee-Eun , Lee Hyung Ryong
Published: March 2020

Many people have lived in tourist destinations even before such areas became well known, and will continue to live in these areas whether tourism is successful or not. This study explores residents’ subjective thoughts and perspectives by using a phenomenological methodology. Phenomenology is a theory that seek to understand an individual’s recognition of their own subjectivity rather than explaining objective factors about an individual. We collected data from interviews with 13 residents of Bulguk-dong Gyeongju City, which has long experienced the ups and downs of being a tourist destination. The phenomenological results were expressed as three themes: (1) Being a resident with an inevitable choice, (2) the meaning of tourism in the lived experience as a resident, (3) the formation of conflicts. In conclusion, the lived experience of the residents at the tourist destination is considered “a route for individuals to protect themselves within an ever-changing social structure”. From this perspective, the tourism industry must have multilateral and detailed information about residents, and not just assume that the residents have either a positive or negative attitude towards tourism development.
Cognitive Dissonance in Sustainability Scientists Regarding Air Travel for Academic Purposes: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Schrems Isabel , Upham Paul
Published: March 2020

The purpose of this study is to investigate in depth the perspectives of sustainability scientists regarding academic air travel, with an emphasis on cognitive dissonance and associated coping and rationalisation strategies. The research design is case study-based, focusing on a sustainability-focused academic unit in Germany. Thematic content analysis was applied to the transcripts of 11 interviews with sustainability scientists. Analytic codes were informed by prior previously identified cognitive dissonance reduction strategies. The research design is interpretative rather than seeking representativeness. Most of the academics questioned experience some degree of cognitive dissonance relating to the disjunction between their sustainability knowledge, attitudes and flight behaviour. While this dissonance relates—as expected—to the inconsistency between pro-environmental attitudes and flying, it also relates to the contradiction of social norms that support academic flying. To resolve feelings of dissonance, the interviewees report behavioural change, suppress inconsistencies and use various justifications that include denial of control, denial of responsibility, comparisons and compensation through benefits.
An Innovative Industry 4.0 Cloud Data Transfer Method for an Automated Waste Collection System
Authors: Cotet Costel Emil , Deac Gicu Calin , Deac Crina Narcisa , Popa Cicerone Laurentiu
Published: March 2020

Moving to Industry 4.0 involves the collection of massive amounts of data and the development of big data applications that can ensure a quick data flow between different systems, including massive amounts of data and information collection from smart sensors, and sending them to cloud applications that allow real-time data monitoring and processing. Securing and protecting the transmitted data represents a big issue to be discussed and resolved. In the paper, we propose a new method of data encoding and encryption for cloud applications using PNG format images. The proposed method is described in comparison with one of the classical methods of data encoding and transmission used currently. The paper includes a case study in which the proposed method was used to collect and transmit data from an automated waste collection system. The results show that the proposed method represents a secure, fast and efficient way to send and store the data in the cloud compared to the methods currently used. The proposed method is not limited to being used only in waste management but can be used successfully for any type of manufacturing system from smart factories.
Development of an Assessment Method for Evaluation of Sustainable Factories
Authors: Pirouz Behrouz , Arcuri Natale , Pirouz Behzad , Palermo Stefania Anna , Turco Michele , Maiolo Mario
Published: March 2020

The role of the industrial sector in total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource consumption is well-known, and many industrial activities may have a negative environmental impact. The solution to decreasing the negative effects cannot be effective without the consideration of sustainable development. There are several methods for sustainability evaluation, such as tools based on products, processes, or plants besides supply chain or life cycle analysis, and there are different rating systems suggesting 80, 140, or more indicators for assessment. The critical point is the limits such as required techniques and budget in using all indicators for all factories in the beginning. Moreover, the weight of each indicator might change based on the selected alternative that it is not a fixed value and could change in a new case study. In this regard, to determine the impact and weight of different indicators in sustainable factories, a multi-layer Triangular Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (TFAHP) approach was developed, and the application of the method was described and verified. The defined layers are six; for each layer, the pairwise comparison matrix was developed, and the total aggregated score concerning the sustainability goal for each alternative was calculated that shows the Relative Importance Coefficient (RIC). The method is formulated in a way that allows adding the new indicators in all layers as the verification shows, and thus, there are no limits for using any green rating systems. Therefore, the presented approach by TFAHP would provide an additional tool toward the sustainable development of factories.
Spatial Dimension of the Employment Market Exposition to Digitalisation—The Case of Austria
Authors: Hat Kinga , Stoeglehner Gernot
Published: March 2020

Digitalisation, referred to as the fourth industrial revolution, is gradually becoming part of all areas of life. The progressing digitalisation inspires new business models, restructures production processes and provides new revenue and value-producing opportunities. Simultaneously jobs are becoming abdicable and livelihoods can get threatened. To analyse the spatial context of the susceptibility of regional labour markets to 4.0 technology in Austria, the occupation-based assessment of digitalisation probability was projected on the industry standard classification and linked to the statistical employee data at the municipal level. The outcomes reveal to what extent the economic sections and divisions are exposed to digitalisation. Results representing spatial distribution reveal that digitalisation risks cannot be explicitly assigned to certain spatial structures or localities. Still, it can be stated that urban areas and small towns are relatively less exposed to disappearing of existing jobs. Municipalities with the highest vulnerability to labour replaceability are located mainly in rural areas. The discussion focuses on regional resilience, social vulnerability and possible development paths for different frameworks and spatial context of consequences. The study emphasizes the importance of digitalisation processes for regional development and presents an approach of analysing their territorial dimensions.
Aging, Living Environment, and Sustainability: What Should be Taken into Account?
Authors: Grazuleviciute-Vileniske Indre , Seduikyte Lina , Teixeira-Gomes Armanda , Mendes Ana , Borodinecs Anatolijs , Buzinskaite Deimante
Published: March 2020

The aging population presents numerous challenges and the design and management of living environments are not an exception. This literature review and analysis brings together topics related to the living environment of the aging population and the concept of sustainability. The article presents the review of the existing design concepts that are applied to planning the environment for the elderly, including (i) design for all, (ii) universal design, and (iii) inclusive design. Furthermore, this review highlights the aspects of sustainability and the peculiarities of the aging population that should be taken into account in the design and management of their living environment. Key points related to sustainable aging are highlighted, and the possibility of complementing the existing design concepts with the concept of biophilic design is proposed in order to strengthen their social, psychological, and ecological aspects.
Phylogenetic Structure of Soil Bacterial Communities along Age Sequence of Subtropical Cunninghamia Lanceolata Plantations
Authors: Cao Jiling , Zheng Yuxiong , Yang Yusheng
Published: March 2020

Despite increasing investigations having studied the changing patterns of soil microbial communities along forest plantation development age sequences, the underlying phylogenetic assemblages are seldom studied for microbial community. Here, the soil bacterial taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity as well as the phylogenetic structure were examined to elucidate the community diversity and assembly in three typical ages (young, middle and mature) of Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations, a dominant economic tree species in southern China. Results indicated that the soil bacterial phylogenetic not taxonomic diversity increased with the increasing in stand age. The bacterial community composition differed significantly among the young, middle and mature plantations. Phylogenetic signals showed that bacterial communities were phylogenetically clustered and structured by environmental filtering in all studied plantations. In mature plantation, the effect of environmental filtering becomes stronger and bacteria taxa tend to intraspecific interact more complexly as characterized by co-occurrence network analysis. This suggests that ecological niche-based environmental filtering could be a dominant assembly process that structured the soil bacterial community along age sequences of Cunninghamia lanceolata plantations.
Application of Machine Learning in Evaluation of the Static Young’s Modulus for Sandstone Formations
Authors: Mahmoud Ahmed Abdulhamid , Elkatatny Salaheldin , Al Shehri Dhafer
Published: March 2020

Prediction of the mechanical characteristics of the reservoir formations, such as static Young’s modulus (Estatic), is very important for the evaluation of the wellbore stability and development of the earth geomechanical model. Estatic considerably varies with the change in the lithology. Therefore, a robust model for Estatic prediction is needed. In this study, the predictability of Estatic for sandstone formation using four machine learning models was evaluated. The design parameters of the machine learning models were optimized to improve their predictability. The machine learning models were trained to estimate Estatic based on bulk formation density, compressional transit time, and shear transit time. The machine learning models were trained and tested using 592 well log data points and their corresponding core-derived Estatic values collected from one sandstone formation in well-A and then validated on 38 data points collected from a sandstone formation in well-B. Among the machine learning models developed in this work, Mamdani fuzzy interference system was the highly accurate model to predict Estatic for the validation data with an average absolute percentage error of only 1.56% and R of 0.999. The developed static Young’s modulus prediction models could help the new generation to characterize the formation rock with less cost and safe operation.
Key Quality Attributes for Computational and Sustainable Higher Education Strategy Implementation in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alkhodhair Saleh , Alsanad Ahmed , Alghathbar Khaled , Gumaei Abdu
Published: March 2020

Higher education institutions (HEIs) in many developed and developing countries are facing big challenges in terms of quality in the face of growing global demand. Ensuring quality education is necessary to secure future prosperity and promote sustainable development. Hence; to ensure the success and sustainability of higher strategy; it is necessary for HEIs to improve the quality of strategy implementation processes and address the dynamic complexities of their attributes to identify areas for improvement. However; there are obvious issues associated with strategy implementation related to process modeling; automation; dynamic complexity; and cognitive limitations. This research is a step toward bridging the gap in adopting computational models in the higher education strategy implementation process to foster its automation and promote its sustainability. The aim of this research is to study the phenomenon of computational strategy implementation in the higher education domain using grounded theory to understand the criteria and quality attributes of the strategy implementation process and to generate a descriptive and explanatory model for strategy quality attributes (SQAs) of higher education; which entails the implementation of automated technology and computational models for more effective and sustainable strategy.
“Methodology Comparative Analysis” in the Solar Decathlon Competition: A Proposed Housing Model based on a Prefabricated Structural System
Authors: Luna-Tintos J.F. , Cobreros Carlos , Herrera-Limones Rafael , López-Escamilla Álvaro
Published: March 2020

The construction sector, by direct or indirect actions, consumes more than 40% of the global energy produced and is responsible for 30% of CO2 emissions. It is a need of the construction industry to transform its practices and processes by proposing systems of lower demand to the environment. In this sense, closed prefabrication and industrialization as a constructive process could be the key to seek savings and efficiency from its origin to the end of life of buildings. In this context, this article presents a methodological proposal of quantitative, qualitative and comparative analysis of the structural systems of eight prototypes presented in the “Solar Decathlon” contest in its North-American and Latin-American editions (both of them in 2015) and the European edition (in 2014). This methodology deduces the characteristics of a structural system of lower environmental demand and the characteristics of these constructive processes, in favor of a new paradigm of sustainability and to be applied in innovative systems of new housing models.
Business Model, Open Innovation, and Sustainability in Car Sharing Industry—Comparing Three Economies
Authors: Yun JinHyo Joseph , Zhao Xiaofei , Wu Jinxi , Yi John C. , Park KyungBae , Jung WooYoung
Published: March 2020

This paper discusses dynamics and differences of business models in the car-sharing industry and focuses on open innovation as the trigger of diverse business models among Uber in the U.S., DiDi Chuxing in China, and KakaoT in Korea. We seek to answer the following two questions: What creates the differences in the business models of the car-sharing industry? Do the differences in open innovation motivate the diversity of business models among Uber, DiDi Chuxing, and KakaoT? We incorporated participatory observation, interviews, and semi-structured questionnaire methods in our study. We used two-step participatory observation and interview methods, hence carrying out observation and interviews two times by different researchers with Uber drivers in the U.S., DiDi-Chuxing drivers in Beijing, and KakaoT taxi drivers in Korea to confirm the interview and participatory observation results. First, business models of the car-sharing firms Uber, DiDi-Chuxing, and KakaoT are not fixed but rather are dynamically changing. Second, business models of car-sharing firms are the result of interaction with government regulations, the taxi industry, public transportation, and the automotive car industry. Third, open innovation strategies of car-sharing firms determine the contents and dynamics of car-sharing business models, such as the revenue business model, responsibility business model, and system business model upon interaction with four agencies.
Disaster and Climate Change Issues in Japan’s Society 5.0—A Discussion
Authors: Mavrodieva Aleksandrina V. , Shaw Rajib
Published: March 2020

Faced with a number of socio-economic challenges and a continuously rising risk of more frequent and higher-impact disasters, the Japanese government, in cooperation with the private sector, has formulated a new comprehensive strategy, under the name of “Society 5.0”, which is to utilize a number of various technological innovative solutions in an attempt to provide a secure future for its citizens, centering around several important sectors. The current paper aims to discuss disaster risk and climate change policies in Society 5.0 in particular, with some special focus on adaptation and inclusiveness. We start with giving details on the Society 5.0 concept and its goals, after which we focus more specifically on how disaster and climate change policies are integrated into the new strategy and proceed to discuss several contentious issues which represent both opportunities and risks or challenges for implementing the concept in a truly sustainable way. The paper tries to present various points of view and hopes to provide some food for future thought and research, rather than solutions or specific suggestions.