bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Remote Sensing-Based ET Estimates to Improve Global Hydrological Simulations in the Community Land Model Version 5.0
Authors: Wang Dayang , Wang Dagang , Mo Chongxun
Published: November 2021

Terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component of water and energy cycles, and improving global land evapotranspiration is one of the challenging works in the development of land surface models (LSMs). In this study, we apply a bias correction approach into the Community Land Model version 5.0 (CLM5) globally by utilizing the remote sensing-based ET dataset. Results reveal that the correction approach can alleviate both overestimation and underestimation of ET by CLM5 over the globe. The adjustment to overestimation is generally effective, whereas the effectiveness for underestimation is determined by the ET regime, namely water-limited or energy-limited. In the areas with abundant precipitation, the underestimation is effectively corrected by increasing ET without the water supply limit. In areas with rare precipitation, however, increasing ET is limited by water supply, which leads to an undesirable correction effect. Compared with the ET simulated by CLM5, the bias correction approach can reduce the global-averaged relative bias (RB) and the root mean square error (RMSE) by 51.8% and 65.9% against Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) ET data, respectively. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficient (CC) can also be improved from 0.93 to 0.98. Continentally, the most substantial ET improvement occurs in Asia, with the RB and RMSE decreased by 69.7% (from 7.04% to 2.14%) and 70.2% (from 0.312 mm day−1 to 0.093 mm day−1, equivalent to from 114 mm year−1 to 34 mm year−1), and the CC increased from 0.92 to 0.99, respectively. Consequently, benefiting from the improvement of ET, the simulations of runoff and soil moisture are also improved over the globe and each of the six continents, and the improvement varies with region. This study demonstrates that the use of satellite-based ET products is beneficial to hydrological simulations in land surface models over the globe.
Evaluation of Surface Upward Longwave Radiation in the CMIP6 Models with Ground and Satellite Observations
Authors: Xu Jiawen , Zhang Xiaotong , Feng Chunjie , Yang Shuyue , Guan Shikang , Jia Kun , Yao Yunjun , Xie Xianhong , Jiang Bo , Cheng Jie , Zhao Xiang
Published: November 2021

Surface upward longwave radiation (SULR) is an indicator of thermal conditions over the Earth’s surface. In this study, we validated the simulated SULR from 51 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) general circulation models (GCMs) through a comparison with ground measurements and satellite-retrieved SULR from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System, Energy Balanced and Filled (CERES EBAF). Moreover, we improved the SULR estimations by a fusion of multiple CMIP6 GCMs using multimodel ensemble (MME) methods. Large variations were found in the monthly mean SULR among the 51 CMIP6 GCMs; the bias and root mean squared error (RMSE) of the individual CMIP6 GCMs at 133 sites ranged from −3 to 24 W m−2 and 22 to 38 W m−2, respectively, which were higher than those found between the CERES EBAF and GCMs. The CMIP6 GCMs did not improve the overestimation of SULR compared to the CMIP5 GCMs. The Bayesian model averaging (BMA) method showed better performance in simulating SULR than the individual GCMs and simple model averaging (SMA) method, with a bias of 0 W m−2 and an RMSE of 19.29 W m−2 for the 133 sites. In terms of the global annual mean SULR, our best estimation for the CMIP6 GCMs using the BMA method was 392 W m−2 during 2000–2014. We found that the SULR varied between 386 and 393 W m−2 from 1850 to 2014, exhibiting an increasing tendency of 0.2 W m−2 per decade (p < 0.05).
Comparitive Study of the Geomorphological Characteristics of Valley Networks between Mars and the Qaidam Basin
Authors: Chen Lu , Xu Yi , Li Bo
Published: November 2021

The complex valley networks that cross the Martian surface offer geomorphologic evidence of the presence of liquid water at some point in its history. However, the derivation of both temporal and hydrological dimensions of this climate phase is far from settled. Studies comparing terrestrial fluvial networks of known formation environments with those on Mars can be used as a key to unlock the past. This work represents an analogy study and comparison between the river networks in the Qaidam Basin and those on Mars. As the Martian valley networks formed in different geologic periods with characteristic and unique features, three cases from the Noachian to the Amazonian were selected to be compared with streams in the Mangya area, where the climate is extremely arid. In terms of the maturity of the dendritic river system, shape, concave index, and branching angle (BA), the valley network in the Mangya area is comparable to Naktong Vallis, dated to the Hesperian. We also calculated throughout the valley networks on Mars the parameters of the BA and the concave index, both of which are important climatic indicators. The results show that the climate on Mars became progressively more arid, starting from the Noachian up to the Amazonian.
Deep Spectral Spatial Inverted Residual Network for Hyperspectral Image Classification
Authors: Zhang Tianyu , Shi Cuiping , Liao Diling , Wang Liguo
Published: November 2021

Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely used in hyperspectral image classification in recent years. The training of CNNs relies on a large amount of labeled sample data. However, the number of labeled samples of hyperspectral data is relatively small. Moreover, for hyperspectral images, fully extracting spectral and spatial feature information is the key to achieve high classification performance. To solve the above issues, a deep spectral spatial inverted residuals network (DSSIRNet) is proposed. In this network, a data block random erasing strategy is introduced to alleviate the problem of limited labeled samples by data augmentation of small spatial blocks. In addition, a deep inverted residuals (DIR) module for spectral spatial feature extraction is proposed, which locks the effective features of each layer while avoiding network degradation. Furthermore, a global 3D attention module is proposed, which can realize the fine extraction of spectral and spatial global context information under the condition of the same number of input and output feature maps. Experiments are carried out on four commonly used hyperspectral datasets. A large number of experimental results show that compared with some state-of-the-art classification methods, the proposed method can provide higher classification accuracy for hyperspectral images.
Causality between Foreign Remittance and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Croatia
Authors: Depken Craig A. , Nikšić Radić Maja , Paleka Hana
Published: November 2021

While human capital and foreign capital have received considerable attention in the study of economic growth, foreign remittances are less of a focus. Though some studies have identified the increasing importance of remittances, they have failed to analyze the relationship between foreign remittances and economic growth. The aim of this paper is to investigate the causal link between foreign remittances and economic growth in the Republic of Croatia over the period from 2000q1 to 2020q2. Any causal link is identified using Granger causality tests in vector autoregression models. In addition, variance decomposition and impulse response functions help determine any dynamic links. The empirical results suggest that, in the case of Croatia, there is a unidirectional causal relationship from foreign remittances to economic growth but no link in the opposite direction. The research results indicate that foreign remittances play a role in the Croatian economy and are one of the consequences of the large emigration processes that affected Croatia after joining the European Union.
Consumer Choice for Milk and Dairy in Romania: Does Income Really Have an Influence?
Authors: Ilie Diana Maria , Lădaru Georgiana-Raluca , Diaconeasa Maria Claudia , Stoian Mirela
Published: November 2021

Milk and dairy are basic food products and their importance in healthy human development is well known. However, this does not mean that the consumers’ requests for these products are not evolving and fitting into the new context of sustainable development. By conducting a quantitative analysis on 847 answers regarding milk and dairy consumption offered by Romanian consumers, the objective of this study is to reveal what are the main factors of influence for respondents when choosing a milk or dairy product, and to see if these factors are evolving towards including sustainability-related aspects. The results point out that while price and store availability are still present as choice criteria, new aspects that might be related to a sustainable behavior, such as ecologic certification, country of origin or traditional products, are considered by the respondents when purchasing milk and dairy. However, this depends on the level of income; higher incomes allow respondents to consider new criteria.
Chinese Tourists’ Perception of the Tourism Image of North Korea Based on Text Data from Tourism Websites
Authors: Li Rilong , Wang Huanjiong , Zhang Hao
Published: November 2021

A good tourism image can significantly enhance the travel willingness and experience of international tourists. Most related research focused on the tourism image perception of world-famous cities, but research on the tourism image of North Korea is insufficient. We extracted text data from travel notes and reviews on Chinese travel websites. Subsequently, we used text mining and semantic network analysis to investigate Chinese tourists’ perception of the tourism image of North Korea. The results of the semantic network analysis show that tourism in North Korea consisted mainly of visits to the main cities and famous scenic spots, always with tour guides. Changes in high-frequency words indicated that Chinese tourists’ interest in North Korea’s history has weakened in recent years, and their interest in scenic spots and tourism products has increased. The results of the iterative correlation convergence analysis show that the topics relevant to tourists’ image of North Korea are composed of representative scenic spots, the Korean War, Kaesong city, the Pyongyang City, people’s lives, and other notable experiences. This research makes an empirical case for the study of tourists’ perception of the tourism image of North Korea and provides targeted suggestions for the sustainable development of North Korean tourism.
Exploring the Problem Space of CO2 Emission Reductions from Academic Flying
Authors: Biørn-Hansen Aksel , Pargman Daniel , Eriksson Elina , Romero Mario , Laaksolahti Jarmo , Robért Markus
Published: November 2021

CO2 emissions from aviation have been predicted to increase over the coming decades. Within the academic world, flying is often perceived to be a necessary prerequisite to being a successful researcher. Many Swedish universities have ambitious climate goals, but are simultaneously among the top emitters in the public sector. Reaching stated climate goals could feasibly be met through a combination of measures, including decreased flying. One way to address the challenge is to support behavioural interventions with the help of interactive visualizations of CO2 emissions from flying. Those few examples that exist in the research literature are generally directed towards management and are less applicable to universities, given the large autonomy researchers enjoy and their discretionary control of research project funds. This paper uses a design-oriented research approach to present an analysis of the problem space at the intersection of interactive visualizations using air travel data to reduce CO2 emissions from business air travel at our own university, KTH Royal Institute of Technology. Through a number of design experiments, evaluations and investigations, we have unearthed needs, challenges and opportunities for the creation of visualization tools to support more sustainable travel practices at universities and in other knowledge-intensive organisations.
Biophilic Design Patterns for Primary Schools
Authors: Ghaziani Rokhshid , Lemon Mark , Atmodiwirjo Paramita
Published: November 2021

Existing frameworks for biophilic design have similar strategies and attributes as useful checklists for designers; however, the focus has been on adults rather than children, and there remains the need for more guidance related to school design by extension. The application of biophilia would be a design resolution in schools because of its impact on children’s health and well-being, which has been more important since the pandemic started; however, it remains quite unexplored in school design in many countries, including the UK. Biophilic design patterns can be used in school buildings and grounds for greater connectivity between spaces and nature in order to promote children’s well-being. This paper focuses on ten biophilic design patterns under two categories of ‘nature in the space’ and ‘natural analogues.’ This study presents the findings of case studies in various countries. The analysis focuses on the manifestations of biophilia to inform the application of biophilic design patterns for primary schools. Finally, this paper suggests how primary school children could be involved in a co-design process in order to evaluate biophilic design patterns.
A Bibliometric Analysis of Service Climate as a Sustainable Competitive Advantage in Hospitality
Authors: Palácios Hugo , Almeida Helena de , Sousa Maria José
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this study is to carry out a systematic literature review and map the service climate in hospitality to discuss the future of the construct as a sustainable competitive advantage. A bibliometric (Bibliometrix) and network (VOSviewer) analysis were conducted in order to review the literature of 63 hospitality service climate articles published between 2005 and 2021, covering 167 authors, 30 journals, 17 countries, and indexed with 241 authors keywords. The “International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management” presents the most considerable accumulated growth of the hospitality service climate articles. The content analysis showed a total sample with 3519 customers and 23,068 employees, and all include women and men. The studies were carried out mainly in Asia. The research trend topics revealed that performance is one of the most crucial link factors, and keywords such as service climate, performance, antecedents, and perceptions are closely related. Finally, it is essential to highlight that the new trends are related to technology, industrial revolution 4.0, big data, and HR analytics.
Stakeholders’ Attitudes about the Transplantations of the Mediterranean Seagrass Posidonia oceanica as a Habitat Restoration Measure after Anthropogenic Impacts: A Q Methodology Approach
Authors: Zenone Arturo , Pipitone Carlo , D’Anna Giovanni , La Porta Barbara , Bacci Tiziano , Bertasi Fabio , Bulleri Claudia , Cacciuni Anna , Calvo Sebastiano , Conconi Stefano , Gravina Maria Flavia , Mancusi Cecilia , Piazzi Alessandro , Targusi Monica , Tomasello Agostino , Badalamenti Fabio
Published: November 2021

Anthropogenic impacts on Posidonia oceanica meadows have led to a decline of this ecosystem throughout the Mediterranean. Transplantations have often been prescribed as a compensation measure to mitigate the impacts caused by coastal maritime works. Here a Q methodology approach was used to investigate the stakeholders’ attitudes in four case studies of P. oceanica transplants realized in Italian waters. Twenty-two respondents were asked to score 37 statements, and the resultant Q-sorting was analyzed via an inverse PCA using the KADE software. Four discourses, corresponding to the significant axes in the factorial analysis were identified: science and conservation (F1), oriented at a rigorous scientific approach; engineering and industry (F2), oriented at the economic development; environmentalism and participation (F3), oriented at the conservation of seagrass meadows; and transplantation-oriented (F4), oriented at the realization of transplants as compensation measures. The main conflicts and agreements between discourses are assessed and discussed, based on the analysis of the distinguishing statements that contributed to consensus or disagreement among discourses. The benefits of the Q methodology in the identification and mediation of conflicts in the four case studies are discussed, and its potential as a powerful aid in the development of a good environmental governance is acknowledged.
Suburban Morphology Dynamics: The Case of the Tricity Agglomeration, Poland
Authors: Korwel-Lejkowska Barbara
Published: November 2021

Suburbanization is a phase of the development of cities that consists in the growth of the suburban zone at the expense of the city center, which becomes gradually depopulated. The phenomenon of uncontrolled suburbanization (urban sprawl) causes infrastructural (including transport), environmental, social, economic, and legal problems. This paper presents the results of a study of the phenomenon of suburbanization conducted on the basis of vector data using two methods: one based on the use of a grid of primary square fields, and one based on the use of concentric zones/rings. The analyses were conducted in the surroundings of the Tricity agglomeration, which is located in the northern part of Poland on the Gulf of Gdansk, and covered the period from 2000 to 2018. Using a grid of primary fields, the areas of the greatest increase and decrease in the developed areas, irrespective of administrative boundaries, were determined for the selected periods, and the areas of the constant positive and negative balance of the buildings were identified. Using concentric rings, the process of the shifting of the new development zones was traced. The paper also refers to the route of the Pomeranian Metropolitan Railway (PKM), which was commissioned in 2015, and its potential impact on suburbanization in the Tricity area. The results made it possible to trace the suburbanization process in time and space and to learn the advantages and disadvantages of the use of vector data in spatial studies.
Neurobehavioral Alterations in Occupational Noise Exposure: A Systematic Review
Authors: Mucci Nicola , Traversini Veronica , Lulli Lucrezia Ginevra , Vimercati Luigi , Rapisarda Venerando , Galea Raymond Paul , De Sio Simone , Arcangeli Giulio
Published: November 2021

The psychology of sustainability and sustainable development emphasizes the value to ensure health and well-being in different environments, including workplaces. Chronic exposure to noise can cause several extraordinary effects and involve all the systems of the human organism. In addition to cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and immune effects, the data in the literature show alterations in behavioral disturbances, memory capacity, and cognitive performance. Through this systematic review, the authors try to find out the main neurobehavioral alterations in the case of occupational exposure to noise. The literature review included articles published in the major databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase), using a combination of some relevant keywords. This online search yielded 4434 references; after selection, the authors analyzed 41 articles (4 narrative reviews and 37 original articles). From this analysis, it appears that the main symptoms are related to psychological distress, annoyance, sleep disturbances, and cognitive performance. Regarding tasks, the most frequent employments concern school staff, followed by employees from various industrial sectors and office workers. Although the causes are still widely debated, it is essential to protect these workers against chronic exposure to noise. In fact, in addition to a hearing loss, they can manifest many other related discomforts over time and compromise their full working capacity, as well as expose them to a greater risk of accidents or absences from work.
Reviewer Experience vs. Expertise: Which Matters More for Good Course Reviews in Online Learning?
Authors: Du Zhao , Wang Fang , Wang Shan
Published: November 2021

With a surging number of online courses on MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platforms, online learners face increasing difficulties in choosing which courses to take. Online course reviews posted by previous learners provide valuable information for prospective learners to make informed course selections. This research investigates the effects of reviewer experience and expertise on reviewer competence in contributing high-quality and helpful reviews for online courses. The empirical study of 39,114 online reviews from 3276 online courses on a leading MOOC platform in China reveals that both reviewer experience and expertise positively affect reviewer competence in contributing helpful reviews. In particular, the effect of reviewer expertise on reviewer competence in contributing helpful reviews is much more prominent than that of reviewer experience. Reviewer experience and expertise do not interact in enhancing reviewer competence. The analysis also reveals distinct groups of reviewers. Specifically, reviewers with low expertise and low experience contribute the majority of the reviews; reviewers with high expertise and high experience are rare, accounting for a small portion of the reviews; the rest of the reviews are from reviewers with high expertise, but low experience, or those with low expertise, but high experience. Our work offers a new analytical approach to online learning and online review literature by considering reviewer experience and expertise as reviewer competence dimensions. The results suggest the necessity of focusing on reviewer expertise, instead of reviewer experience, in choosing and recommending reviewers for online courses.
Literature Review of Socioeconomic and Environmental Impacts of High-Speed Rail in the World
Authors: Momenitabar Mohsen , Bridgelall Raj , Dehdari Ebrahimi Zhila , Arani Mohammad
Published: November 2021

Countries considering high-speed rail (HSR) developments face enormous challenges because of their high deployment cost, environmental obstacles, political opposition, and their potentially adverse effects on society. Nevertheless, HSR services are importantly sustainable that can have positive and transformative effects on the economic growth of a nation. This paper systematically reviews and classifies impact areas of HSR deployments around the world as well as the analytical methods used to evaluate those impacts. We have utilized the scholarly scientific database to find articles in HSR systems. By defining some rules, we select 116 articles between 1997 and March 2020. The approach revealed interesting patterns and trends in space, time, and sentiment of the analyzed impacts on society, the economy, and the environment. The findings can inform decision-making about HSR developments and deployments, and the gaps identified in the literature can propose new research opportunities for future studies.
On European Green Deal and Sustainable Development Policy (the Case of Romania)
Authors: Ciot Melania-Gabriela
Published: November 2021

Reaching the EU climate-neutrality objective in 2050 is very ambitious, especially for the Member States from Central-Eastern Europe. All the Member States will face challenges of transformational changes, but a good preparation of their administrative capacity will be a consistent support. The aim of this article is to analyze Romania’s decision-making process for the implementation of the European Green Deal Strategy, reflected in its administrative capacity. For achieving this goal, an interesting model of analysis was elaborated, which takes into consideration three levels and dimensions: strategic (with executive and legislative dimensions), administrative (national and regional dimensions) and outcomes (assessed from a well-being lens and public opinions surveys). The model will be applied at the European and national levels (Romania). It uses qualitative research strategies and methods. The transversal character of the EGD strategy, the coordination needed for its implementation, and the interdependencies and regional approach are important components that pave the way for the elaboration of the National Green Deal Plan, which becomes compulsory for an adequate design of the sustainable, adaptive, and mature Romanian administrative capacity. In addition, the article proposes a few recommendations at the national and local levels for the preparation of a better implementation of the EGD.
CEO Characteristics, Family Ownership and Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting: The Case of Saudi Arabia
Authors: AL-Duais Shaker , Qasem Ameen , Wan-Hussin Wan , Bamahros Hasan , Thomran Murad , Alquhaif Abdulsalam
Published: November 2021

Only a few studies have investigated the association between the characteristics of the chief executive officer (CEO) (i.e., tenure and local or expatriate) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. Our study adds to the fledgling literature by providing new evidence from Saudi Arabia. Given the dominance of family control among Saudi Arabian listed firms, additionally, this study examined the moderating effect of family ownership on the CEO-CSR relationship. Using CSR scores from Bloomberg database from 2010 to 2019 and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, the findings reveal that the association between CEO tenure and CSR reporting is positively significant; however, the association between CEO nationality and CSR is not significant. In addition, the findings indicate that family ownership is an important contingency factor that explains the association between CEO tenure and CEO nationality, and CSR reporting. Our study contributes to an emerging line of CSR research that investigates the effects of foreign CEOs on CSR transparency, and supports prior evidence on the benefits to investors of having long-serving CEO and the costs of family entrenchment.
Can Fashion Be Circular? A Literature Review on Circular Economy Barriers, Drivers, and Practices in the Fashion Industry’s Productive Chain
Authors: de Aguiar Hugo Andreza , de Nadae Jeniffer , da Silva Lima Renato
Published: November 2021

Circular economy (CE) principles have gained prominence in the fashion industry since it is a highly polluting industry and requires sustainable changes. Even though there are several CE initiatives already in place within the fashion production chain, changes towards CE are still slow. This study seeks to identify the drivers, barriers, and practices that influence implementing circular economy concepts in the fashion industry production chain using a systematic literature review. The results show that some more barriers and criteria keep consumers away from circular fashion concepts than drivers. These barriers include fast fashion consumer culture, even though more consumers are environmentally conscious. This is because awareness has not reached large-scale populations, despite the world being more aware of social and environmental issues. Consumers still do not see ethical and ecological problems associated with the fashion industry and continue to be targeted for large fast fashion retailers that sell a misguided version of consumerism. This study contributes to both academia and new fashion business models that seek to become more sustainable since it presents opportunities for investments and the obstacles that must be overcome for reaching CE within this sector.
Studying Energy Performance and Thermal Comfort Conditions in Heritage Buildings: A Case Study of Murabba Palace
Authors: Al-Sakkaf Abobakr , Mohammed Abdelkader Eslam , Mahmoud Sherif , Bagchi Ashutosh
Published: November 2021

Heritage buildings are significant historical and architecture added value, which requires deep and precise preliminary brainstorming when considering upgrading or retrofitting these valuable buildings. In this study, we opted to highlight some passive design architecture interventions to improve the thermal comfort and the required cooling energy for buildings. The Murabba Palace in Riyadh was selected as a case study. DesignBuilder software was used to evaluate the energy performance of ten passive architectural design alternatives throughout different seasons in an attempt to improve the energy performance and thermal comfort of heritage buildings. The ten passive design scenarios encompassed double low-E glass, double reflected glass, double low-E glass and double wall with an air gap, double low-E glass and double wall with thermal insulation, double low-E glass and double wall with lightweight thermal insulation, double low-E glass and double wall with sprayed foam insulation, double reflected glass and double wall with an air gap, double reflected glass and double wall with thermal insulation, double reflected glass and double wall with lightweight thermal insulation, and double reflected glass and double wall with sprayed foam insulation. The results show that using double low-E glass and applying a double wall with polystyrene thermal insulation can enhance the thermal comfort inside the building and reduce the energy performance and CO2 emissions to 17% and 9%, respectively.
Analysis of Difference in Household Debt across Regions of Thailand
Authors: Maneejuk Paravee , Teerachai Sopanid , Ratchakit Atinuch , Yamaka Woraphon
Published: November 2021

This study analyzed the determinants of household debt in Thailand at both the regional and the national levels using the panel data of 76 provinces over the years 2009–2017. The Panel Quantile Regression Model was employed to enable the analysis of the formation of household debt ranging from low to high levels. The findings indicate that household indebtedness in different regions has been shaped by a variety of factors, and that households in the same region with different levels of debt burden would experience different impacts or outcomes. We also tested the convergence of household debt, which produced the thought-provoking finding that household debt convergence failed to occur at both the national and the regional levels, while household debt divergence was found instead at the statistical significance level in some regions. The growing debt divergence phenomenon might be an outcome indicator of the unequal access to credit sources among different households in Thai society.
Prevalence of Low Back Pain among School-Aged Children between 10 and 12 Years
Authors: Vidal-Conti Josep , Borràs Pere A , Palou Pere , Muntaner-Mas Adrià
Published: November 2021

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the biggest health problems worldwide that often begins during childhood. The existence of a previous episode of LBP is a premonitory sign of future back pain problems, therefore, prevention among youth will be essential. The main objective of the study was to determine the lifetime, point, and 7-day prevalence of LBP in children. This cross-sectional study evaluated 849 participants (47.1 boys and 52.9% girls) aged 10–12 from 10 primary schools using a self-administered questionnaire. The results demonstrated a lifetime prevalence of LBP of 73.6%, a last 7-days prevalence of 21.2%, and a point prevalence of 9.66%. LBP intensity reported in a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was 3.37 (SD 2.02). Chi-square analysis identified a significant difference between boys and girls in LBP lifetime prevalence (p < 0.001), 7-day prevalence (p = 0.035), and point prevalence (p = 0.014). The Student’s t-test in pain intensity showed the same differences (p = 0.007). Studies on LBP prevalence in young primary school students are scarce. Therefore, future studies investigating the prevention of LBP should focus on school interventions since schools are the most suitable institutions to participate in back pain prevention and health promotion.
Small-Scale Sport Events as Place Branding Platforms: A Content Analysis of Osona’s Projected Destination Image through Event-Related Pictures on Instagram
Authors: Taberner Isaac , Juncà Albert
Published: November 2021

Over the last few decades, various regions have taken advantage of sport as a tool for place branding. One of the most used strategies has been sporting events, which can help to position the regions and improve their image. With regard to destination image (DI), the penetration and popularity of social media such as Instagram has opened new avenues for place promotion and has turned the users of these platforms into active agents in the promotion of DI. This study aims to explore whether the participants and organisers of small-scale sport events (SSSEs) can contribute to the creation of destination image through the content they post on Instagram. For this purpose, the content of 1315 photographs posted by SSSE participants and organisers on Instagram was analysed. The results show that the photographs related to SSSEs reproduce destination attributes of the region and, consequently, are a source of DI creation. The results also show the importance of the specific moment of the event both in the DI and in the engagement of the posts. This research provides valuable information on the management of Instagram in the context of SSSEs, on the importance of the characteristics of the starting and finishing lines and of the course of the event; and on the desirability of aligning the perspective of the organisers and participants to maximise the potential for the creation of DI through SSSEs.
Agave and Opuntia Species as Sustainable Feedstocks for Bioenergy and Byproducts
Authors: Honorato-Salazar José Amador , Aburto Jorge , Amezcua-Allieri Myriam Adela
Published: November 2021

Currently, Mexico is facing an energy transition, therefore updated policy regulations pertaining to the sustainable use of biomass are needed. In particular, policy that favors the sustainable use of biomass to produce energy and bioproducts to privilege climate change mitigation is needed. This review describes the use of maguey (Agave spp.) and nopal (Opuntia spp.; also known as “cactus”) for biofuel production, especially in marginal areas. Emphasis is given on documented case studies discussing features of production and cultivation for both maguey and nopal, in addition to their potential for fuel production. Environmental and social sustainability issues in terms of waste value and new opportunities as bioenergy feedstocks and byproducts are also discussed. Although the paper does not deeply describe aspects of biomass transformation, such as bioprocess configurations, it gives characteristics of production in addition to cultivation. Agave and Opuntia species may represent a suitable feedstock for biofuels, bioproducts, bioenergy and biorefineries, especially in dry lands (semi-arid and dry sub-humid), deforested areas, agroforestry systems and agricultural semi-terraces known as metepantle in Mexico.
Hemarthria compressa—Aspergillus niger—Trichoderma pseudokoningii Mediated Trilateral Perspective for Bioremediation and Detoxification of Industrial Paper Sludge
Authors: Khilji Sheza Ayaz , Aqeel Muhammad , Maqsood Muhammad Faisal , Khalid Noreen , Tufail Aasma , Sajid Zahoor Ahmad , Al-Surhanee Ameena A. , Hashem Mohamed , Alamri Saad , Al-Mutairi Khalid Awadh , Noman Ali
Published: November 2021

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effects of different fungal species on the metal uptake from paper sludge by Hemarthria compressa L. Paper sludge (PS) in various concentrations (0, 30% and 60%) were used with four treatments of two fungal species (F0 = Control, F1 = Aspergillus niger, F2 = Trichoderma pseudokoningii, F3 = A. niger + T. pseudokoningii). Paper sludge as rooting medium steadily influenced growth and physio-biochemical attributes of H. compressa in F0. Results revealed discrete variations in growth attributes with different PS concentrations and each fungal treatment. The maximum damages in ionic homeostasis (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) due to PS toxicity were evident in parallel with declined chlorophyll concentration. The highest growth, total chlorophyll and biomass of the plants were observed when PS was treated with combined fungal strains (F3). Translocation factor decreased with F3 that is indicative of changes in Cd, Pb, and Cu movement to shoot from root. The plants with combined fungal treatment also showed greater catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) activity. Ions, such as Ca, Mg, and Na, also increased gradually with combined fungal treatment. The correlation matrix displayed a close association among diverse fungal and PS levels with multiple plant attributes. PCA-Biplot confirmed the outcome of correlational analyses among different characters of H. compressa. The combined fungal mediate the extraction of heavy metals from the paper sludge by H. compressa recommends the high accumulation of heavy metal (HM) and possible reutilization of metal free sludge as a fertilizer, for application in cultivated fields. Furthermore, the effects of fungal species on HM attenuation in PS are linear and can be used in different habitats. Advancement in such research work will also be helpful in understanding the mechanisms and enhancing the ability of other native microbes to remediate metals.
Value Creation for Sustainability in Port: Perspectives of Analysis and Future Research Directions
Authors: De Martino Marcella
Published: November 2021

The paper offers a theoretical advancement on sustainable port development strategies adopting a relational perspective, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and stakeholder interaction in achieving sustainable value creation. It provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of value creation, highlighting its evolution and the different perspectives of analysis in business model research: the conventional value creation perspective, where customers and suppliers are considered key stakeholders in the supply chain, and the sustainability-oriented one, which extends value creation processes to other stakeholders, such as civil society, policy makers, financial stakeholders, and employees. Based on the main gaps of the literature review and drawing on the previous progress on the sustainable business model, this paper develops a theoretical framework, which structures the relationships between the port business operator and its stakeholders at two interconnected levels: the supply chain and the institutional environment. These levels identify core value creation activities and resources, relational governance models, and the value created with and for different stakeholders. However, its implementation opens new avenues for future research that are currently lacking in port research.
Measuring Urban Low-Carbon Sustainability in Four Chinese Cities
Authors: Zhang Mingshun , Yang Yitong , Xia-Bauer Chun
Published: November 2021

Practices and research on measuring traditionally urban sustainability abound, therefore the challenge now is related to how the urban carbon issues are included into current measuring methods, thus there is a need to develop methods for measuring urban low-carbon sustainability. In this paper, a simple method, which is based on low-carbon sustainability index, is developed. The overall urban low-carbon sustainability index is the weighted sum of 11 single indices, and each single index is defined as the indicator assessing the development level against the baseline. The baseline is often the criteria or the minimum requirement of low-carbon sustainability. Case studies in four Chinese cities have put this method into practice, and the results show that all four selected cities fail to pass the testing of sensible low-carbon sustainability rule and they are all in weakly low-carbon sustainable development. Although the four cities have made great progress in their capacity building on pollution control and their capacities on wastewater treatment, main pollutants’ removal and household and hazardous wastes treatment are enough to meet the needs of local development, they are all facing the great challenges on using of sustainable energy, offsetting of CO2 emissions and adoptions of nature-based solutions. The method developed by this research is a useful tool for decision makers identifying whether the local development is not on a low-carbon sustainable path.
Access to Secondary HSR Stations in the Urban Periphery: A Generalised Cost-Based Assessment
Authors: Romero Carlos , Zamorano Clara , Ortega Emilio , Martín Belén
Published: November 2021

Investments in high-speed rail (HSR) development contribute to reducing regional disparities and improving territorial cohesion. When studying the efficacy of HSR investments, the travel time (and effort) spent on getting to and from the HSR station is crucial. In large urban areas there may be more than one station, and a peripheral station may complement the central stations and become a powerful vector for development. The rationale of this paper revolves around the possibility of applying a methodology based on generalised cost (GC) functions to study the advantages of new HSR-related projects in different locations. With this aim, we evaluate a real example in Seville (Spain) to determine whether the improvement in metropolitan accessibility to HSR services justifies the implementation of a new peripheral station, using a methodology to assess the territorial accessibility based on GC functions and modal travel times obtained with GIS methods, followed by an economic assessment based on a cost-benefit analysis. The paper ends with the main conclusions and a discussion of the methodology applied, the reductions in generalised costs resulting from the new station, the relevance of the case study, the limitations of the approach and further research stemming from this study.
Towards More Sustainable Diets: Investigating Consumer Motivations towards the Purchase of Green Food
Authors: Chang Min-Yen , Huang Lin-Jyun , Chen Han-Shen
Published: November 2021

The concept of green consumption has become an environmental topic that draws worldwide attention. In order to mitigate environmental damage, it is imperative to increase the recyclability of the food system, and therefore, novel, sustainable, and produced foods need to be supplied to the food system. Among such foods, precooked plant-based foods (PPBFs), which feature health, convenience, and functionality, have become a new trend of the food culture. This study uses the value–attitude–behavior (VAB) model as the theoretical framework and incorporates research variables, such as “environmental concern”, “time pressure”, and “cooking habit”, so as to discuss consumers’ behavioral intention toward PPBFs. The research results reveal the following: (1) consumers’ health value and interest in PPBFs will significantly affect their behavioral intention; (2) there is a significant relationship between environmental concern and behavioral intention; and (3) time pressure and cooking habits indicate an insignificant relationship with behavioral intention.
Ensemble Learning Models for Food Safety Risk Prediction
Authors: Wu Li-Ya , Weng Sung-Shun
Published: November 2021

Ensemble learning was adopted to design risk prediction models with the aim of improving border inspection methods for food imported into Taiwan. Specifically, we constructed a set of prediction models to enhance the hit rate of non-conforming products, thus strengthening the border control of food products to safeguard public health. Using five algorithms, we developed models to provide recommendations for the risk assessment of each imported food batch. The models were evaluated by constructing a confusion matrix to calculate predictive performance indicators, including the positive prediction value (PPV), recall, harmonic mean of PPV and recall (F1 score), and area under the curve. Our results showed that ensemble learning achieved better and more stable prediction results than any single algorithm. When the results of comparable data periods were examined, the non-conformity hit rate was found to increase significantly after online implementation of the ensemble learning models, indicating that ensemble learning was effective at risk prediction. In addition to enhancing the inspection hit rate of non-conforming food, the results of this study can serve as a reference for the improvement of existing random inspection methods, thus strengthening capabilities in food risk management.
Is Nut Consumption Related to a Sustainable Diet? A Pilot Study on Italian Male Consumers
Authors: Toti Elisabetta , Sogari Giovanni , Raguzzini Anna , Massaro Luca , Peluso Ilaria
Published: November 2021

(1) Background: In recent years, the EAT-Lancet Commission has suggested the inclusion of nuts among proteins from vegetable sources, but this inclusion would imply a higher consumption of nuts compared with a healthy Mediterranean diet. (2) Objective: In this work, we sought to provide a comparison between the macronutrient intakes and environmental impacts of two different types of diet: a diet including nuts and a diet without nuts. (3) Methods: In this pilot study, we recruited 89 Italians divided into two groups: nut consumers (44 individuals) and non-consumers (45 individuals). Food consumption was monitored by a seven-day diary, while the Mediterranean diet scores, habitual physical activity scores, and orthorexia nervosa scores were evaluated through standardized questionnaires. (4) Results: We found that nut consumers had higher physical activity and energy intake levels. High consumption of fat (p < 0.001) and protein (p < 0.001) was observed among nut consumers compared with the levels observed among non-consumers. Moreover, a higher environmental impact of total dietary intake was observed among nut consumers, in terms of carbon (p < 0.05) and land (p < 0.05) footprints; impacts on the water footprint was almost significant (p = 0.06). (5) Conclusions: We suggest that, among plant food proteins, the consumption of complementary proteins from legumes and cereals should be preferred to the consumption of proteins from nuts.
The Village Fund Program in Indonesia: Measuring the Effectiveness and Alignment to Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Permatasari Paulina , Ilman Assyifa Szami , Tilt Carol Ann , Lestari Dian , Islam Saiful , Tenrini Rita Helbra , Rahman Arif Budi , Samosir Agunan Paulus , Wardhana Irwanda Wisnu
Published: November 2021

This study analyzes the Indonesian Village Fund (VF) Program by mapping each VF-related activity to all 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), and then determines an SDG-based VF allocation in 2018, 2019, and 2020. This study used data from all villages in Indonesia and is the most comprehensive study in Indonesia to address the knowledge gap between VF allocation and SDGs by analyzing the distribution of the use of the VF. The objectives of this paper are: (1) to provide the extent of VF usage to provide evidence on whether this utilization was aligned with the targeted SDGs, and (2) to provide information regarding village activities funded by the VF that were linked to each SDG. The results from this analysis can be used to encourage the Government to socialize and provide an understanding of SDGs to village leaders. Moreover, since Indonesia has developed Village SDGs, which are based on national SDG targets and localization of global SDGs to adapt to local culture as well as social and environmental conditions, it is recommended that other developing countries could formulate similar strategies to help achieve their national SDG targets and to develop rural areas in a more targeted way by prioritizing the most relevant issues. The study shares lessons learned from Indonesian experience in managing fiscal policy to more than 70,000 autonomous villages through the village fund program in the last five years.