bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integration and Exploitation of Sensor Data in Smart Cities through Event-Driven Applications
Authors: Garcia Alvarez Manuel , Morales Javier , Kraak Menno-Jan
Published: March 2019

Smart cities are urban environments where Internet of Things (IoT) devices provide a continuous source of data about urban phenomena such as traffic and air pollution. The exploitation of the spatial properties of data enables situation and context awareness. However, the integration and analysis of data from IoT sensing devices remain a crucial challenge for the development of IoT applications in smart cities. Existing approaches provide no or limited ability to perform spatial data analysis, even when spatial information plays a significant role in decision making across many disciplines. This work proposes a generic approach to enabling spatiotemporal capabilities in information services for smart cities. We adopted a multidisciplinary approach to achieving data integration and real-time processing, and developed a reference architecture for the development of event-driven applications. This type of applications seamlessly integrates IoT sensing devices, complex event processing, and spatiotemporal analytics through a processing workflow for the detection of geographic events. Through the implementation and testing of a system prototype, built upon an existing sensor network, we demonstrated the feasibility, performance, and scalability of event-driven applications to achieve real-time processing capabilities and detect geographic events.
CitySAC: A Query-Able CityGML Compression System
Authors: Siew Chengxi Bernad , Kumar Pankaj
Published: March 2019

Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) are frequently used to exchange 2D & 3D data, in areas such as city planning, disaster management, urban navigation and many more. City Geography Mark-up Language (CityGML), an Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standard has been developed for the storage and exchange of 3D city models. Due to its encoding in XML based format, the data transfer efficiency is reduced which leads to data storage issues. The use of CityGML for analysis purposes is limited due to its inefficiency in terms of file size and bandwidth consumption. This paper introduces XML based compression technique and elaborates how data efficiency can be achieved with the use of schema-aware encoder. We particularly present CityGML Schema Aware Compressor (CitySAC), which is a compression approach for CityGML data transaction within SDI framework. Our test results show that the encoding system produces smaller file size in comparison with existing state-of-the-art compression methods. The encoding process significantly reduces the file size up to 7–10% of the original data.
Keeping It in the Family: Intersectionality and ‘Class A’ Drug Dealing by Females in the West of Scotland
Authors: Holligan Chris , Mclean Robert , Irvine Adele , Brick Carlton
Published: March 2019

Post-industrial urban landscapes connected with neo-liberalism may provide novel opportunities for the emancipation of working-class women who were traditionally, like women of other social classes, largely subjugated to men socially and economically in the period of collective male-led unionization and manufacturing. Based on qualitative data, our interpretative study locates itself in an international field of criminality and illuminates the criminal practices of women connected with the criminal world of illicit drugs. Our contribution extends this field of scholarship into the culture of the West of Scotland. We identify through an intersectional sensibility of ‘doing femininity’ on the street and the nexus of a familial domicile, the ways in which women’s agency remains restricted, contrary to an emancipation argument. We conclude that their ‘liberation’ is negatively truncated for two reasons: firstly, criminality necessarily distorts freedoms and secondly, subtle ties with an overarching violent masculinity were retained.
Monitoring Training and Match Physical Load in Junior Soccer Players: Starters versus Substitutes
Authors: Dalen Terje , Lorås Håvard
Published: March 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the physical (locomotor activities) and physiological (Banister’s training impulse) in-season training load between starters and substitutes in a well-trained junior soccer team. Physical performance variables from the Polar Team Pro system were collected and analyzed from a sample of junior soccer players (N = 18; age = 15.7 ± 0.5 years; stature, 177.9 ± 4.6 cm; body mass, 67.1 ± 5.5 kg). The study analyzed a total of 10 matches and 38 training sessions during the 2018 season with linear mixed models. The players from the starting line-ups demonstrated significantly higher average weekly physical load compared to the non-starters with respect to all variables: distance (total, running, high-speed running, and sprint) [F (1, 573) ≥ 66, p < 0.001, eta = 0.10], number of accelerations and sprints [F (1, 573) ≥ 66, p < 0.001, eta = 0.10], as well as Banister’s training impulse (TRIMP) [F (1, 569) = 10, p < 0.001, eta = 0.02]. Evidence from this study indicates that a large amount of weekly accumulated high-speed running and sprint distances is related to match playing time. Therefore, weekly fitness-related adaptations in running at high speeds seem to favor the starters in a soccer team.
Rice-Residue Management Practices of Smallholder Farms in Vietnam and Their Effects on Nutrient Fluxes in the Soil-Plant System
Authors: Trong Hung Dao , Hughes Harold J. , Keck Markus , Sauer Daniela
Published: March 2019

In Vietnam, approximately 39 million tons of rice (Oryza sativa) residues accrue every year. In this study, we quantified soil nutrient balances of paddy rice fields under different crop-residue management practices in northern Vietnam. On twelve farms, we calculated nutrient balances for the four prevalent rice-residue management practices, i.e., (1) direct incorporation of rice residues into the soil, (2) application of rice-residue compost, (3) burning of rice residues on the field, and (4) the use of rice residues as fodder for livestock. Soils under practices (1) to (3) showed a positive nutrient balance, which indicates that soil fertility can be maintained under these practices and that the amounts of chemical fertilizers can be considerably reduced. If not, there is a risk of eutrophication in the surrounding surface waterbodies. Practice (4), in contrast, resulted in a negative nutrient balance, which indicates the need for returning nutrients to the soils. From our findings we conclude that knowledge about the effects of rice-residue management practices on nutrient cycles may help to optimize the use of fertilizers, resulting in a more sustainable form of agriculture.
The Type of Land We Want: Exploring the Limits of Community Forestry in Tanzania and Bolivia
Authors: Gross-Camp Nicole , Rodriguez Iokine , Martin Adrian , Inturias Mirna , Massao Glory
Published: March 2019

We explore local people’s perspectives of community forest (CF) on their land in Tanzania and Bolivia. Community forest management is known to improve ecological conditions of forests, but is more variable in its social outcomes. Understanding communities’ experience of community forestry and the potential benefits and burdens its formation may place on a community will likely help in predicting its sustainability as a forest and land management model. Six villages, two in Tanzania and four in Bolivia, were selected based on the presence of community forestry in varying stages. We found that communities were generally supportive of existing community forests but cautious of their expansion. Deeper explorations of this response using ethnographic research methods reveal that an increase in community forest area is associated with increasing opportunity costs and constraints on agricultural land use, but not an increase in benefits. Furthermore, community forests give rise to a series of intra- and inter-community conflicts, often pertaining to the financial benefits stemming from the forests (distribution issues), perceived unfairness and weakness in decision–making processes (procedure/participation), and also tensions over cultural identity issues (recognition). Our findings suggest that communities’ willingness to accept community forests requires a broader consideration of the multifunctional landscape in which it is embedded, as well as an engagement with the justice tensions such an intervention inevitably creates.
Opportunities and Challenges in the Ethiopian Bamboo Sector: A Market Analysis of the Bamboo-Based Value Web
Authors: Lin Jessie , Gupta Saurabh , Loos Tim , Birner Regina
Published: March 2019

Bamboo is one of the more important natural resources in Ethiopia and contributes to the bioeconomy as a potential source for high-value products. While the country is the largest producer of bamboo in Africa, the existing utilization of the bamboo sector in Ethiopia remains under-developed, with little value addition. This study identifies the current market challenges and opportunities for future developments of the northern Ethiopian bamboo sector, with a focus on the Injibara township. This research adopts the “value web” approach to assess the potentials of different product lines that create the bamboo biomass value web. We utilize qualitative data collection methods, in particular, semi-structured interviews and informal focus group discussions with key stakeholders. Our findings suggest that bamboo farmers in Injibara are constrained by a lack of local demand and market for bamboo products with high-value addition, leading to an absence of product diversification and innovation. Furthermore, there is an overreliance on foreign technology and methods that are poorly matched for local needs. We recommend that policymakers invest in targeted and effective training strategies on bamboo cultivation and processing. Furthermore, farmers can benefit from decreasing their reliance on middle men with cooperatives or contract arrangements.
Development of an Indoor Environmental Quality Assessment Tool for the Rating of Offices in Real Working Conditions
Authors: Devitofrancesco Anna , Belussi Lorenzo , Meroni Italo , Scamoni Fabio
Published: March 2019

The Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) refers to the quality of indoor spaces in relation to the health and well-being of users. IEQ is a holistic concept considering various components of the overall indoor comfort: thermo-hygrometric, lighting, air quality and acoustics. Each component is described through specific performance indicators and benchmarks. The quality of the built environment is assessed at different stages from design to operational phase. The scientific literature reports several case studies related to the assessment of the individual components of the IEQ Tools aimed at the evaluation of the overall IEQ. The paper proposes an assessment tool based on the SB Method (Sustainable Building Method) and the Multi Criteria Analysis for the evaluation of IEQ during the operational phase of a building. Each component of IEQ is analysed through objective indicators and calculation methods. The tool provides two main outcomes: a global score expressing the overall performance of the building from the IEQ perspective; quantitative evaluations of all indoor comfort components through monitoring and measurement of the environmental variables. The above contributes to select intervention areas to optimize indoor design and to identify technologies aimed at ensuring the best IEQ levels for users at the operational stage. The system was applied to an open-plan working space of an office building. Monitoring activities and measurements are carried out to detect the indoor and outdoor variables affecting the IEQ. All aspects of IEQ were analysed and quantified so to evaluate the overall performance of the building and provide data to improve the working conditions.
Conceptual Approach for Positioning of Fish Guidance Structures Using CFD and Expert Knowledge
Authors: Feigenwinter Linus , Vetsch David F. , Kammerer Stephan , Kriewitz Carl Robert , Boes Robert M.
Published: March 2019

The longitudinal connectivity of many rivers is interrupted by man-made barriers preventing the up- and downstream migration of fishes. For example, dams, weirs, and hydropower plants (HPP) are insuperable obstructions for upstream migration if no special measures like fish passes are put into effect. While upstream fishways have been implemented successfully and are still being optimized, the focus of current research is more and more on effective fish protection and guiding devices for downstream migration. According to current knowledge fish guidance structures (FGS) have a high potential in supporting the downstream migration by leading fishes to a bypass as an alternative to turbine passage. This work presents a structured and straightforward approach for the evaluation of potential locations of FGS combining traditional dimensioning principles with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and novel findings from etho-hydraulic research. The approach is based on three key aspects: fish fauna, structural conditions, and hydraulic conditions, and includes three assessment criteria, which are used in an iterative process to define potential FGS locations. The hydraulic conditions can be investigated by means of hydrodynamic 3D simulations and evaluated at cross sections of potential FGS positions. Considering fundamentals of fish biology and ethology allows for rating of the flow conditions and thus for a suitability assessment of various locations. The advantage of the proposed procedure is the possibility to assess FGS configurations without implementing the FGS in the numerical model, thus limiting the computational expense. Furthermore, the implementation of various operation conditions is straightforward. The conceptual approach is illustrated and discussed by means of a case study.
Spatial Dynamics of Intercity Technology Transfer Networks in China’s Three Urban Agglomerations: A Patent Transaction Perspective
Authors: Liu Chengliang , Niu Caicheng , Han Ji
Published: March 2019

Technology transfer has become a vital pipeline for acquiring external knowledge. The purpose of this paper is to portray the spatial dynamics of intercity technology transfer networks in China’s three urban agglomerations based on patent right transaction data from 2008 to 2015. The integration of social networks and spatial visualization is used to explore spatial networks and influencing variables of the networks. The results demonstrate that Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen are emerging as hubs in the three urban agglomerations. The spatial distributions of degree and weighted degree are significantly heterogeneous and hierarchical. The larger cities play the role of a knowledge and technology incubator, highly related to their economic scale, research and development (R&D) input, and innovation output. The evolution of intercity technology linkages is driven by the networking mechanisms of preferential attachment, hierarchical and contagious diffusion, path dependence, and path breaking. Moreover, we found that the geographical proximity and technology gaps are determinants of the strength of intercity technology linkages. As a result, it has been discovered that the network in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei agglomeration is organized in a tree network, while the Yangtze River Delta features a polycentric network and the Pearl River Delta has multi-star characteristics.
A Study of the Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Migration in Russia
Authors: Wang Li , Huang Jixia , Cai Hongyan , Liu Hengzi , Lu Jinmei , Yang Linsheng
Published: March 2019

Russia has experienced population decline in years and the economic development in Russia is largely restricted by labor shortage, particularly for the Far North and East region. In order to explore the migration mechanisms, six socioeconomic factors were selected to explore the influences on the net migration. Data from the 82 regions covering four time periods (2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015) was processed use spatial panel econometric analysis and the time-period fixed effects Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) was selected as the best fit model after tests. The results indicates that, unemployment and infant death rate are significantly negatively associated with net migration, while urbanization rate, urban scale and life expectancy are significantly positively associated with net migration; every 100 USD increase in per capita GRP (Gross Regional Product) is positively related with averagely 5.4 net migrates in the region; every 1 year increase in life expectancy would increase 1052 net migrates; every 1sqm increase in urban scale would increase the net migrates by 11.75 and every 1% increase in unemployment would lead to a decrease of 0.54 net migrates. Spillover effect was also found for per capita GRP and life expectancy, indicating that the increase of per capita GRP and life expectancy in neighboring regions can also increase the attractiveness in one region. It can be concluded that better job market, better economic status and health related wellbeing are all attracting factors for migrates and these factors can even make the neighborhood region more attractive for immigrates. Considering the ambitious development plan for the Russia Far North and East regions, related suggestions on attracting migrates are provided.
Does an Ecological Industry Chain Improve the Eco-Efficiency of an Industrial Cluster? Based on Empirical Study of an Energy-Intensive Industrial Cluster in China
Authors: Zheng Jiliang , Peng Xiaoting
Published: March 2019

An energy-intensive industrial cluster is a combination and integration of energy-intensive industries formed by ecological industry chains. Eco-efficiency may reflect the effect of ecological industry chains in an energy-intensive industrial cluster. To evaluate the eco-efficiency of energy-intensive industries, industry chains, and industrial clusters with different level of eco-industry chains, the eco-efficiency is decomposed into two dimensions of resource efficiency and environment efficiency. The eco-efficiency evaluation index system and models of energy-intensive industries are constructed to analyze the eco-efficiency using a two-dimensional three-layer matrix framework, including energy-intensive industries, ecological industry chains, and industrial clusters. This paper presents an empirical and comparative analysis based on data from the chemical industry, building materials industry, metallurgy industry, and thermal power industry from 2004 to 2015. The results show that the eco-efficiency of energy-intensive industry, energy-intensive industry chains, and energy-intensive industrial clusters are all on the rise. The eco-efficiency of energy-intensive industrial clusters and energy-intensive industry chains are obviously higher than that of any single energy-intensive industry. This finding indicates that the ecological industry chains of an energy-intensive industrial cluster have improved the eco-efficiency. In recent years, the effect of ecological industry chains and network construction has been significant, but not tight enough.
The Influence of Herbicide Underdosage on the Composition and Diversity of Weeds in Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L. var. oleifera D.C.) Mediterranean Fields
Authors: Deligios Paola A. , Carboni Gianluca , Farci Roberta , Solinas Stefania , Ledda Luigi
Published: March 2019

Weed flora is considered harmful for crop growth and yield, but it is fundamental for preserving biodiversity in agroecosystems. Two three-year trials were conducted in Italy (two different sites) to assess the effect of six herbicide treatments on the weed flora structure of an oilseed rape crop. We applied metazachlor during the pre-emergence stage at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the labelled dose (M25, M50, M75, M100); trifluralin (during the first growing season); post-emergence treatment (PE); and a weedy control (W). Species richness, and diversity indices were used to characterize weed flora composition and to evaluate the effect of herbicide treatments on the considered variables. Results highlighted that the weed community is characterized by a higher diversity in underdosed than in M100 treated plots. Raphanus raphanistrum and Sinapis arvensis were the most common species in M75 and M100 treatments in both sites, while more weed species were detected in underdosed treatments and in weedy plots. The highest Shannon index values were observed in the underdosed treatments. In general, only a slightly similar trend was observed between sites, weed abundance and diversity being positively affected both by low-input herbicide management and by environmental factors (e.g., pedoclimatic situation and previous crop).
Improving the Life Cycle Impact Assessment of Metal Ecotoxicity: Importance of Chromium Speciation, Water Chemistry, and Metal Release
Authors: Hedberg Jonas , Fransson Kristin , Prideaux Sonja , Roos Sandra , Jönsson Christina , Odnevall Wallinder Inger
Published: March 2019

Investigations of metal ecotoxicity in life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) are becoming important tools for evaluating the environmental impact of a product or process. There is, however, improvement needed for LCIA of metal ecotoxicity in order to make this assessment more relevant and robust. In this work, three issues within the LCIA of metal ecotoxicity are investigated, mainly focusing on topics related to stainless steel manufacturing. The first issue is the importance of considering regional water chemistry when constructing the characterization factor (CF). A model freshwater of relevance for stainless steel manufacturing in a region of Sweden was created with chemistry different from available options. The second issue is related to the lack of consideration on changes in speciation of Cr(VI) in freshwater for a given emission, as Cr(VI) to some extent will be reduced to Cr(III). Two new options are suggested based on relationships between the Cr(VI)–total Cr ratio as a way to improve the relevancy of LCIA for Cr(VI) in freshwater. The last issue is how to treat metal release from slags in LCIA. Metal release from slags was shown to vary significantly between different ways of modelling slag emissions (differences in total metal content, slag leaching tests, estimated emissions to groundwater).
Assessment of Resilience of Pistachio Agroecosystems in Rafsanjan Plain in Iran
Authors: Darijani Fatemeh , Veisi Hadi , Liaghati Houman , Nazari Mohammad Reza , Khoshbakht Kours
Published: March 2019

This study assessed the resilience of pistachio production systems in the Rafsanjan plain in Iran using an index of behavior-based indicators. One-hundred fifty pistachio orchards located in five major production areas were studied in 2016. The data was subjected to three-step multi-criteria analysis, including (i) normalization and aggregation; (ii) determination of the weights representing the priorities for each criterion and evaluation of the performance of each indicator; and (iii) comparison. The results showed that the study areas had problematic statuses regarding the indicators of membership in grassroots organizations, innate abilities, water sources, production stability, and insurance. They had critical or moderate statuses concerning the indicators of use of organic fertilizers, use of pesticides, soil fertility index, water-use efficiency (kg/m3), trust in government, access to advisor services (extension), on-the-job training, and diversity of marketing. They had positive levels for the indicators of productivity, diversity of cultivars, diversity of on-farm practices, and exchange of information. We recommend the enhancement of the transformability capacity in PPSs by changing the focus from optimal states and the determinants of maximum sustainable yield (MSY paradigm) to adaptive resource management that includes developing participatory platforms for collaboration of usage of water resources.
Spatial Correlation of Formats in the Central Districts of a Megacity: The Case of Shanghai
Authors: Hu Xinyu , Zhang Zhonghu , Yang Junyan
Published: March 2019

A “format” is an essential component of a city’s central districts and reflects their economic characteristics. In the urban context, individual formats relate to and mutually influence each other. Using data from two central districts in Shanghai—People’s Square and Lujiazui—and a case study approach, we investigated the mutual influences and relations among formats in these districts. We collected and categorized data on formats and assessed the degree of format aggregation. We also identified and described three different types of spatial relationships that may exist among formats: Strong two-way correlations, strong one-way correlations, and weak two-way correlations. These spatial relationships reflect the spatial distribution structure in an urban central district, embodying the systemicity and integrity of formats. The relationships we found have significance for future research on spatial relationships in other urban central districts.
Use of Automated Control Systems and Advanced Energy Simulations in the Design of Climate Responsive Educational Building for Mediterranean Area
Authors: Fantozzi Fabio , Hamdi Hassan , Rocca Michele , Vegnuti Stefano
Published: March 2019

Over the decades, a rapidly changing climate has prompted the world’s most influential leaders and institutions to take action against such an imminent threat. The introduction of Nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB) concept, though, has barely triggered a major shift, while voluntary labelling systems do not seem to offer any reasonable alternative. Building design ought to be readdressed from the ground up, with climate-responsive constructions servings as a valuable starting point for the purpose. In this paper, conventional bioclimatic design is enhanced and supported by the introduction of Building Automation Control Systems: Typically, the former determines long-term seasonal patterns, whereas the latter only affects the short-term behavior. Their schedules are based on realistic assumptions, while set-points are fine-tuned following energy simulations. Good results have been achieved for a case-study facility in Porto, both in terms of indoor adaptive thermal comfort (the simulated operative temperature complies the adaptive comfort model for more than 98% of the reference year) and energy use (reduced by 53%, compared to a baseline building, devoid of any automation system). Being focused on the decision-making rather than on specific items of design, the authors claim that such an approach may be employed in any climate, regardless of the building type or size, as long as the process is driven by a genuine analysis of the local context (i.e., climate) and by purposefully devised energy simulations.
Comparison of Carbon Emission Reduction Modes: Impacts of Capital Constraint and Risk Aversion
Authors: Deng Weisheng , Liu Lu
Published: March 2019

The need for low-carbon development has become a social consensus. Increasing numbers of enterprises implement carbon emission reduction by using carbon cap-and-trade mechanisms to cater to consumers and practice social responsibility. From the manufacturer’s perspective, they can implement carbon emission reduction investment by themselves or outsource it to the retailer or energy service company (referred as ESCO). To explore the best carbon emission reduction mode selection strategy, we built and compared three carbon emission reduction modes—manufacturer emission reduction, retailer emission reduction, and ESCO emission reduction—by using Stackelberg game models. The joint decisions of operation, finance, and environment were obtained by using the backward induction approach. The impacts of key parameters were analyzed, such as the retailer’s initial capital amount and the decision-makers’ risk aversion degree on the low carbon supply chain operation. Our results show that the optimal carbon emission reduction mode for the manufacturer is changed as the retailer’s initial capital amount changes. Carbon emission reduction by the ESCO (retailer) becomes the dominant strategy for both the economy and environment when the cost advantage (cash investment ratio) of the ESCO (retailer) carbon emission reduction mode is sufficiently high (low). Overall, decision-makers’ risk aversion is detrimental to both the economic and environmental developments of the supply chain. We also designed contracts to realize the coordination of risk-neutral, risk-averse, capital-adequate, and capital-constrained low-carbon supply chains. These results give guidance for decision-makers to better manage the low-carbon supply chain in the context of fully considering the influential factors of risk aversion and capital constraint.
The Interactive Impact of Building Diversity on the Thermal Balance and Micro-Climate Change under the Influence of Rapid Urbanization
Authors: Makvandi Mehdi , Li Baofeng , Elsadek Mohamed , Khodabakhshi Zeinab , Ahmadi Mohsen
Published: March 2019

Numerous cities face the serious problems of rapid urbanization and climate change, especially in recent years. Among all cities, Wuhan is one of the most affected by these changes, accompanied by the transformation of water surfaces into urban lands and the decline of natural ventilation. This study investigated the impact of surface urban heat island enlargement (SUHI) and block morphology changes in heat balance. Accordingly, the interactive impact of building diversity with major building forms (low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise) on thermal balance and microclimate changes under the influence of urban land expansion at the residential block scale was studied. To investigate the heat balance changes by air temperature intensification and air movement reduction, a long-term and field observational analysis (1980–2018) coupled with computational fluid dynamic simulation (CFD) was used to evaluate the impact of building diversity on thermal balance. Outcomes show that urban heat island intensity (UHII) increased by 2 °C when water surfaces in urban areas decreased; consequently, there was a deterioration in the air movement to alleviate UHII. Thus, the air movement declined substantially with UHII and SUHI enlargement, which, through increased urban surfaces and roughness length, will become worse by 2020. Furthermore, the decline in air movement caused by the transformation of urban water bodies cannot contribute to the heat balance unless reinforced by the morphology of the urban blocks. In the design of inner-city blocks, morphological indicators have a significant impact on microclimate and heat balance, where increasing building density and plot ratio will increase UHII, and increasing water surfaces will result in an increase in urban ventilation. Lastly, a substantial correlation between air temperature and relative humidity was found, which, together with the block indicators, can help control the air temperature and adjust the urban microclimate.
Sustainable Business Models: A Review
Authors: Nosratabadi Saeed , Mosavi Amir , Shamshirband Shahaboddin , Kazimieras Zavadskas Edmundas , Rakotonirainy Andry , Chau Kwok Wing
Published: March 2019

During the past two decades of e-commerce growth, the concept of a business model has become increasingly popular. More recently, the research on this realm has grown rapidly, with diverse research activity covering a wide range of application areas. Considering the sustainable development goals, the innovative business models have brought a competitive advantage to improve the sustainability performance of organizations. The concept of the sustainable business model describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value, in economic, social, cultural, or other contexts, in a sustainable way. The process of sustainable business model construction forms an innovative part of a business strategy. Different industries and businesses have utilized sustainable business models’ concept to satisfy their economic, environmental, and social goals simultaneously. However, the success, popularity, and progress of sustainable business models in different application domains are not clear. To explore this issue, this research provides a comprehensive review of sustainable business models literature in various application areas. Notable sustainable business models are identified and further classified in fourteen unique categories, and in every category, the progress -either failure or success- has been reviewed, and the research gaps are discussed. Taxonomy of the applications includes innovation, management and marketing, entrepreneurship, energy, fashion, healthcare, agri-food, supply chain management, circular economy, developing countries, engineering, construction and real estate, mobility and transportation, and hospitality. The key contribution of this study is that it provides an insight into the state of the art of sustainable business models in various application areas and future research directions. This paper concludes that popularity and the success rate of sustainable business models in all application domains have been increased along with the increasing use of advanced technologies.
Energy Analysis, and Carbon and Water Footprint for Environmentally Friendly Farming Practices in Agroecosystems and Agroforestry
Authors: Platis Dimitrios P. , Anagnostopoulos Christos D. , Tsaboula Aggeliki D. , Menexes Georgios C. , Kalburtji Kiriaki L. , Mamolos Andreas P.
Published: March 2019

Agriculture accounts for 5% of the entire energy used worldwide. Most of it is not in a renewable form, so it can be linked to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Paris Agreement, on climate change, one of its major targets is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the agricultural production process must drastically change. Currently, the sustainable use of water is critical for any agricultural development. Agricultural production effects water quality and sufficiency, as well as, freshwater wetlands. Energy balance, carbon, and water footprint are crucial for sustainable agricultural production. Agroforestry systems are important in reducing high inputs of non-renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions, along with better water use, leading to the most minimal influence on climate change. Energy analysis, carbon, and water footprint can be applied to agroforestry systems’ production. An outline could be applied by adopting a modified—for agricultural production—life cycle assessment methodology to assess energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, and water consumption in agroforestry ecosystems.
The Effect of Tree-Planting Patterns on the Microclimate within a Courtyard
Authors: Li Junying , Liu Jiying , Srebric Jelena , Hu Yuanman , Liu Miao , Su Lei , Wang Shunchang
Published: March 2019

Current landscape design within a courtyard usually does not take into account the influence of the tree-planting pattern, which has an important influence on the outdoor microclimate and occupants’ thermal comfort. At present, the extent of the influence on the microclimate has not yet been made clear. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was employed to run this model under hot summer weather conditions. Field measurements validated the performance of the CFD model. This study conducted numerical simulations for five different tree-planting patterns, including (i) focused tree-planting (F), (ii) cornered tree-planting (C), (iii) multi-row tree-planting (R), (iv) surround tree-planting (S) and (v) no tree-planting (N). Our study found that the tree-planting pattern affects both the distribution of air temperature and the degree of local heat transfer. Specifically, the C, S and N patterns allow for higher ventilation in the studied courtyard, while the F and R patterns cause lower wind velocities and associated courtyard ventilation. The average air temperature for the C pattern is lower during summer afternoons than the other patterns. The wind flow pattern in the studied courtyard does not vary significantly with different tree-planting patterns. Nevertheless, the general relative humidity in the courtyard does not vary significantly with different tree-planting patterns, except for the N pattern. A future analysis is needed to investigate the mechanisms of the phenomenon.
Trusting/Distrusting Auditors’ Opinions
Authors: Rodgers Waymond , Guiral Andrés , Gonzalo José A.
Published: March 2019

Trust relations are essential for effective interchanges in the financial markets. Investors (trustors), as well as other market participants, can only trust financial markets if they trust their auditors (trustees). In particular, the auditors’ assessment of the client’s financial condition and its ability to continue as a going concern is paramount to improving social capital and maintaining sustainable financial markets. Research shows that a going concern opinion may have immediate consequences for both the auditing profession and financial statement users. We use the Throughput Model to illustrate how different trust positions are aligned with a particular auditor’s decision-making pathway to enhance trust, distrust or no trust from the point of view of investors’ and creditors’.
Particle–Hole Transformation in Strongly-Doped Iron-Based Superconductors
Authors: Rodriguez Jose P.
Published: March 2019

An exact particle–hole transformation is discovered in a local-moment model for a single layer of heavily electron-doped FeSe. The model harbors hidden magnetic order between the iron d x z and d y z orbitals at the wavenumber ( π , π ) . It potentially is tied to the magnetic resonances about the very same Néel ordering vector that have been recently discovered in intercalated FeSe. Upon electron doping, the local-moment model successfully accounts for the electron-pocket Fermi surfaces observed experimentally at the corner of the two-iron Brillouin zone in electron-doped FeSe, as well as for isotropic Cooper pairs. Application of the particle–hole transformation predicts a surface-layer iron-based superconductor at strong hole doping that exhibits high T c, and that shows hole-type Fermi-surface pockets at the center of the two-iron Brillouin zone.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Magnus Force on an Axis-Symmetric, Disk-Type AUV with Symmetric Propulsion
Authors: Chen Chen-Wei , Jiang Yong
Published: March 2019

In this paper, the Magnus force induced by a disk-type, spinnable autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), i.e., autonomous underwater helicopter (AUH), was predicted to promote the spinning AUH moving away from a deep-sea region with temporary and shockable ocean current. The simulation technique of the ANSYS-CFX solver based on viscous computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was employed to analyze the hydrodynamic performance of the spinning AUH and its high-speed propellers in uniform flow conditions. The behavior of the spinning AUH in currents can obviously alter the pressure distribution on both sides of the disk-shaped hull form, resulting in a differential pressure force in the horizontal plane, i.e., Magnus force. The simulation results show that this induced force can enable an AUH at 1 knot service speed to successfully move away from a sudden, transient, and/or steady, uniform ocean current region with inflow velocities of 1–2 knots in deep-sea conditions. The Magnus force induced by symmetrically configurated propeller couple force can be more efficient and effective at driving the AUH’s escape from the current spoiler zone than driving the AUH using the two high-revolution propellers directly. A suitable mechanical power energy-saving matching point integrating the AUH and symmetric propulsion was determined to compare the proposed method and two conventional methods for AUH escape from currents. The comparison results prove that the proposed method is effective and efficient. This study provides a significant reference for the interdependent relationship between the effective spinning speed of an AUH, subject to couple force, controlled propeller revolution, AUH speed, and battery capacity, and the range of ocean currents.
Using Stochastic Decision Networks to Assess Costs and Completion Times of Refurbishment Work in Construction
Authors: Śladowski Grzegorz , Szewczyk Bartłomiej , Sroka Bartłomiej , Radziszewska-Zielina Elżbieta
Published: March 2019

According to the concept of sustainable development, the process of extending the life-cycle of existing buildings (including historical ones) through their restoration not only generates benefits from their layer use but also—and primarily—constitutes a chance for their substance to survive for use by future generations. Building restoration projects are usually difficult to plan, primarily due to the limited amount of information on the technical condition of existing structures and their historical substance, which often makes the scope of renovation works difficult to determine. At the stage of planning such a project, it is, therefore, reasonable to consider various scenarios of its implementation, the occurrence of which can be both random and can be generated by the decision-maker. Unfortunately, in practice, the right tools for planning such projects are not used, which in effect generates problems associated with underestimating their completion time and costs. In subject literature, there are proposals of the use of stochastic and decision networks to assess the course of various projects that are characterised by having indeterminate structures. However, these networks are limited to modelling tasks that either occur purely randomly or are fully generated by decision-makers. There are no studies that enable the modelling and optimisation of the structure of a project while taking into consideration both the random and decision-based nature of carrying it out. In the article, the authors proposed a stochastic decision network that enables the correct modelling of projects with a multi-variant structure of being carried out. For the purpose of analysing the network model, elements of mathematical programming were used to determine optimal decisions (in terms of expected costs and completion times of carrying out a project) that control the structure of the project being modelled. The entirety of the authors’ proposal was backed by a calculation experiment on an example of a refurbishment construction project, which confirmed the application potential of the proposed approach.
Angular Composite Facet Model with Shadowing Treatment for Backscattering from Two-Dimensional Rough Sea Surface
Authors: Wang Xiaojun , You Xingyuan , Bi Nan , Jiang Tao
Published: March 2019

Recent diverse applications on ocean wave synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images have a potential demand for individual facet scattering contribution rather than the total average radar cross-section (RCS) by statistical scattering models. However, only a few facet methods have been proposed and fewer have considered shadowing effects, which are thought to be non-negligible at large incident angle. In view of this, we proposed an angular composite facet model (ACFM) with shadowing treatment to investigate the backscattering from two-dimensional rough sea surface. First, a region division formula for ACFM without shadowing treatment is proposed to classified sea surface facets into specular facets and diffusion facets based on which kind of scattering is dominate from each facet, and the corresponding scattering contribution is calculated either by Kirchhoff approximation (KA) or by a small perturbation method (SPM) with a tilting process. Second, an electromagnetic shadowing algorithm based on facets grouping is adopted to handle the shadowing effects in a geometric manner with moderate computation complexity gained. Finally, comparisons between numerical backscattering evaluations and experimental data demonstrate that this new ACFM can attain accurate numerical results and the geometric facets grouping method is a practical way to tackle shadowing effects despite a certain acceptable gap. Therefore, the whole ACFM can simulate ocean wave SAR imaging, especially for those electrically large surfaces and to evaluate the scattering from sea surface with different local nature, such as sea spikes, foams, spilled oil, swells, and ship wake.
Aristolochic Acids: Newly Identified Exposure Pathways of this Class of Environmental and Food-Borne Contaminants and its Potential Link to Chronic Kidney Diseases
Authors: Chan Chi-Kong , Liu Yushuo , Pavlović Nikola M. , Chan Wan
Published: March 2019

Aristolochic acids (AAs) are nitrophenanthrene carboxylic acids naturally produced by Aristolochia plants. These plants were widely used to prepare herbal remedies until AAs were observed to be highly nephrotoxic and carcinogenic to humans. Although the use of AA-containing Aristolochia plants in herbal medicine is prohibited in countries worldwide, emerging evidence nevertheless has indicated that AAs are the causative agents of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), an environmentally derived disease threatening numerous residents of rural farming villages along the Danube River in countries of the Balkan Peninsula. This perspective updates recent findings on the identification of AAs in food as a result of the root uptake of free AAs released from the decayed seeds of Aristolochia clematitis L., in combination with their presence and fate in the environment. The potential link between AAs and the high prevalence of chronic kidney diseases in China is also discussed.
The Dual Prey-Inactivation Strategy of Spiders—In-Depth Venomic Analysis of Cupiennius salei
Authors: Kuhn-Nentwig Lucia , Langenegger Nicolas , Heller Manfred , Koua Dominique , Nentwig Wolfgang
Published: March 2019

Most knowledge of spider venom concerns neurotoxins acting on ion channels, whereas proteins and their significance for the envenomation process are neglected. The here presented comprehensive analysis of the venom gland transcriptome and proteome of Cupiennius salei focusses on proteins and cysteine-containing peptides and offers new insight into the structure and function of spider venom, here described as the dual prey-inactivation strategy. After venom injection, many enzymes and proteins, dominated by α-amylase, angiotensin-converting enzyme, and cysteine-rich secretory proteins, interact with main metabolic pathways, leading to a major disturbance of the cellular homeostasis. Hyaluronidase and cytolytic peptides destroy tissue and membranes, thus supporting the spread of other venom compounds. We detected 81 transcripts of neurotoxins from 13 peptide families, whereof two families comprise 93.7% of all cysteine-containing peptides. This raises the question of the importance of the other low-expressed peptide families. The identification of a venom gland-specific defensin-like peptide and an aga-toxin-like peptide in the hemocytes offers an important clue on the recruitment and neofunctionalization of body proteins and peptides as the origin of toxins.