bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DetectFormer: Category-Assisted Transformer for Traffic Scene Object Detection
Authors: Liang Tianjiao , Bao Hong , Pan Weiguo , Fan Xinyue , Li Han
Published: June 2022

Object detection plays a vital role in autonomous driving systems, and the accurate detection of surrounding objects can ensure the safe driving of vehicles. This paper proposes a category-assisted transformer object detector called DetectFormer for autonomous driving. The proposed object detector can achieve better accuracy compared with the baseline. Specifically, ClassDecoder is assisted by proposal categories and global information from the Global Extract Encoder (GEE) to improve the category sensitivity and detection performance. This fits the distribution of object categories in specific scene backgrounds and the connection between objects and the image context. Data augmentation is used to improve robustness and attention mechanism added in backbone network to extract channel-wise spatial features and direction information. The results obtained by benchmark experiment reveal that the proposed method can achieve higher real-time detection performance in traffic scenes compared with RetinaNet and FCOS. The proposed method achieved a detection performance of 97.6% and 91.4% in AP50 and AP75 on the BCTSDB dataset, respectively.
Making Sense of Mandatory Reporting: A Qualitative Study of Reporting Practices from the Perspectives of Schools and Child Welfare Services in Sweden
Authors: Dahlberg Hanna , Khoo Evelyn , Skoog Viktoria
Published: June 2022

Schools play an important role in ensuring the well-being of children, although the process of mandatory reporting of concern for children is not widely understood. This qualitative focus group study investigated the process from the perspectives of school and child welfare service professionals. Using theories of human service organizations and professional discretion, we analyzed viewpoints on an individual duty being handled by an organization. We investigated the expectations that a report be simultaneously simple and value-free, while providing depth and clear examples of concerns. Finally, we investigated the views of the supportive and protective functions supposedly underlying the duty to report. The results indicated problems associated with a collective reporting process. Ambiguity in how information in a report is communicated may also contribute to a more problematic reporting process from schools and then in interpretations and the follow up reports made by social workers.
A New Longevity Design Methodology Based on Consumer-Oriented Quality for Fashion Products
Authors: Benkirane Romain , Thomassey Sébastien , Koehl Ludovic , Perwuelz Anne
Published: June 2022

Design for longevity is known as an eco-design opportunity and could help to reduce the environmental footprint of energy-free items. However, extending the lifespan of products is not always desirable and the focus should be on achieving an optimal lifespan. Operationally, recommendations for design for longevity usually refer to durability, repairability, upgradability or emotional attachment. The use of high-quality and robust material is frequently stated, although it is not obvious what high-quality material is. Based on a quality by design approach, this study aims to propose a methodology to design for optimal longevity with a consumer-oriented approach. To do so, it includes data collection of product quality and manufacturing processes and then embeds consumers’ knowledge. These are combined into data analysis to help to highlight relationships and the most appropriate quality contributors. This methodology relies on three-steps: first, a single quality score which includes consumers’ knowledge; secondly, a multi-scale reverse-engineering process; and finally a data analysis using principal component analysis. The originality of such a proposal is that it enables the consumers’ knowledge to be considered in the identification of appropriated quality contributors. The proposed methodology is implemented in the fashion sector as it is said to be the second most polluting one. Moreover, given the huge variety of materials and production processes available in textiles, the selection of the most suitable recommendations to support a longer lifespan is very complex. The presented case study involves 29 T-shirts and reveals the mechanical-related strengths to be the main quality contributors.
Research on the Characteristics of Infrared Radiation and Energy Evolution Law of Red Sandstone with Different Porosity during Uniaxial Compression
Authors: Lin Yun , Zheng Zhibin , Zhou Keping , Gu Zhongyuan , Pan Zheng
Published: June 2022

Infrared radiation thermal imaging technology is proposed for rock mechanics tests. Through the infrared radiation temperature and stress–strain curves of sandstone with different porosity during the process of uniaxial compression loading obtained by an infrared camera and uniaxial compression testing machine, the characteristics of infrared radiation on sandstone are systematically analyzed during uniaxial compression loading. The results show that: (1) The strength of sandstone decreases with the increase of porosity, the infrared thermography of sandstone has obvious characteristics of stage evolution and is closely related to the deformation and failure stage of rock in the process of uniaxial compression; (2) During the rock failure process, infrared thermography is differentiated, and the high-temperature radiation zone can reflect the location, size and shape of rock fractures; (3) During the uniaxial compression loading process, the evolution law of the average infrared radiation temperature (AIRT) is closely related to the porosity and uniaxial compressive of the rock, and it is possible to invert all processes of rock failure. The research results demonstrate that the technique of infrared thermal imaging can be applied to rock mechanics tests, and the evolution law of the infrared radiation characteristics can provide a reference for stability analysis of the underground rock engineering.
A Novel PV Maximum Power Point Tracking Based on Solar Irradiance and Circuit Parameters Estimation
Authors: Malkawi Ahmad M. A. , Odat Abdallah , Bashaireh Ahmad
Published: June 2022

This research paper presents a novel maximum power point taking (MPPT) algorithm. The algorithm uses an adaptive calculation block to estimate the solar irradiance and the PV I–V curve circuit parameters based on the PV panel’s measured output current and voltage. In the proposed algorithm, the output power does not oscillate around the maximum power point (MPP) compared to conventional MPPT methods. Moreover, the proposed algorithm does not require expensive solar irradiance sensors compared with trackers that depend on measured solar irradiance. In addition, the proposed MPPT can handle the fast variation in solar irradiance. The PV panel nonlinear I–V curve was modeled using a single-diode PV. The algorithm with the adaptive block was tested separately to verify the ability of the system to estimate the solar irradiance and the circuit parameters. The solar system was then simulated using MATLAB/Simulink to evaluate the robustness of the proposed method under steady-state and during sudden changes in solar irradiance and load. The proposed solar system reaches the steady-state in 8 ms after a step-change in the solar irradiance. In the worst-case scenario, the proposed system achieves a relative error of around 2.64% in estimating the solar irradiance at 600 W/m2 with an efficiency of 99.3%.
Factors Related to Cognitive Reasoning of Pre-Service Teachers’ Science Process Skills: Role of Experiments at Home on Meaningful Learning
Authors: Hacıeminoğlu Esme , Yıldız Nadire Gülçin , Şeker Renan
Published: June 2022

This study aims to ascertain the level of science process skills (SPSs) among pre-service science teachers and to describe how these skills are reflected in their learning approach during the knowledge acquisition process. Additionally, we intend to explore those factors (i.e., those related to cognitive reasoning) that are utilized by pre-service teachers during science experiments conducted at home, in terms of the attainment of SPSs. The course documents of 36 pre-service science teachers were used to help further our understanding of the nature of learning about science through active participation in the inquiry process. Data collection procedures were conducted during a Laboratory Application Course; the participating students were required to undergo the Science Process Skills Test, completed to ascertain their pre-existing skills, as well as a project report investigating the factors affecting plant growth to ascertain levels of SPSs. These data were analyzed using a document analysis method. Data from a Science Process Skills Test were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 program, along with the descriptive statistics. The findings indicate that the skills that achieved the highest averages included the formulation of preparation predations, as well as experimentation, while the lowest point averages went to the subcategories of proof through experience and communication. Upon an examination of the project reports, several pre-service teachers soon realized they had made certain errors during the design phase of the experiment, and returned to the initial stage. Still others made errors in the descriptions of variables, findings, and inferences, with the smallest minority committing errors in terms of observation. Students who possessed a meaningful learning approach were deemed as having internalized and recalled concepts in a meaningful way.
Application of the EFQM Model in the Education Institution for Driving Improvement of Processes towards Sustainability
Authors: Sütőová Andrea , Teplická Katarína , Straka Martin
Published: June 2022

Effective process management is a basic prerequisite for increasing the quality and performance of educational organizations. The aim of the paper is to point out the potential for the application of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Model 2020 to improve and perfect the processes in a Slovakian vocational school towards sustainability. We used the latest version of the EFQM Model and applied the questionnaire method to conduct a self-assessment. A study of the documentation was also carried out to get more insight into the processes of the school. The application of the EFQM Model 2020 pointed out weaknesses in areas such as those titled Organizational Culture, Driving Performance & Transformation, and Stakeholder Perceptions—namely, the perceptions of employees and partners. Improvements were primarily recommended in the fields of culture management to support changes, motivational processes to support creativity and innovation, human resource planning processes, employee training and development, performance indicators and performance management, and employees’ and partners’ perception measurement to enhance sustainable value for the students and key stakeholders. The paper contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of quality and performance management of Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers.
Participatory Biodiversity Governance: A Comparison of Two French Initiatives
Authors: Bedessem Baptiste , Morère Lucie , Roblin Louise , Dozières Anne , Prévot Anne-Caroline
Published: June 2022

Broadening citizen participation in biodiversity governance is often presented as a priority by public institutions. Citizens’ engagement in policy design fostering the protection of biodiversity would indeed allow two-way knowledge transfers between expert knowledge and local knowledge; it would also enable citizens to influence collective choices; and it would finally lead to inclusive decision-making processes. However, the achievement of these promises depends strongly on the capacity of public participation exercises to be fair and efficient. By focusing on these two concepts, this paper aims to contribute to identifying obstacles and tools for public participation in biodiversity governance through a comparative analysis of two case studies. The first one consists of three one-day open space technology meetings, which aimed to engage citizens in orienting biodiversity research during Paris COP21. The second one was a two-year long experiment of Citizens Committees-based participatory governance led by the French Office for Biodiversity. These two case studies are representative of two complementary dimensions of biodiversity governance: the orientation of scientific research and the regulation of individual and collective actions through laws, rules and institutional communication. Among other insights, our results determine the existence of strong skepticism regarding the political outputs of public participation, which is reinforced when the objectives and the means of the exercises are not clear enough. Second, we argue that the efficiency of participative biodiversity governance depends on the capacity of institutions to propose diversity of citizen engagement formats and objectives in order to reflect the diversity of citizens’ motivations and preferences.
Spatial and Temporal Variations in the Potential Yields of Highland Barley in Relation to Climate Change in Three Rivers Region of the Tibetan Plateau from 1961 to 2020
Authors: Liu Jiandong , Du Jun , Liu De-Li , Linderholm Hans W. , Zhou Guangsheng , Song Yanling , Shen Yanbo , Yu Qiang
Published: June 2022

Spatial and temporal variations in the potential yields of highland barley is important for making policies on adaptation of agriculture to climate change in the Three Rivers Region (TRR), one of the main highland barley growing areas on the Tibetan Plateau. This research tries to explore a suitable strategy for simulating potential yields of highland barley by the WOFOST (WOrld FOod STudies) crop growth model, and further to identify variations in climate conditions and potential yields in TRR from 1961 to 2020 for making policies on adaptation of agricultural production to the climate change impacts on the Tibetan Plateau. Validation results indicated that WOFOST could accurately simulate the potential yields of highland barley with the global radiation estimated by the calibrated Angstrom model. The global radiation during the growth periods decreased at a rate of 0.047 MJ/m2a, while the temperature during the growth periods increased at rates ranging from 0.019 to 0.087 °C/a, which was greater than the average warming rate of the globe. The simulated potential yields ranged from 10,300 to 14,185 kg/ha in TRR, with an average decreasing rate of 28 kg/ha/a. The decrease in the potential yields was mainly attributed to the shortened critical period caused by warming effects, so cultivation of new varieties of highland barley with longer growth periods is suggested as an achievable strategy for the adaptation of highland barley to climate change in TRR.
A Transportation Network Optimization Model for Livestock Manure under Different Terrains Considering Economic and Environmental Benefits
Authors: Deng Bing , Chen Taoyu , Pu Zhenyu , Peng Xia , Qin Xiner , Zhan Xiaomei , Wen Jianghui
Published: June 2022

Optimizing the path of livestock manure used for farmland is a hugely significant issue, which not only improves the utilization efficiency of manure but also reduces the cost of the transportation of manure. However, some factors such as different terrains and the density of surrounding farmland may lead to more difficulty in further improving the resource utilization rate. Therefore, this paper aims to establish a transport network optimization model for a complex livestock manure distribution scheme. Using basic information from livestock and poultry farms, cultivated land, water areas and forestland in Xinzhou District, Wuhan City, Hubei Province, the relationship between farmland and livestock farms is divided into farm-intensive and water-intensive farmland areas by using the Voronoi diagram subdivision method. Then, according to the supply–demand balance of manure and crop demand, an optimization model is proposed to discuss the manure return scheme for these two types of terrain. The results show that our model can help significantly improve manure utilization efficiency under different terrain situations, which is proposed comprehensively, considering the economic and environmental benefits.
Comparison of Adsorption Capacity and Removal Efficiency of Strontium by Six Typical Adsorption Materials
Authors: Li Hu , Han Kexue , Shang Jinhua , Cai Weihai , Pan Minghao , Xu Donghui , Du Can , Zuo Rui
Published: June 2022

The rapid development and application of nuclear technology have been accompanied by the production of large amounts of radioactive wastes, of which Sr is a typical nuclide. In this study, six typical materials with strong adsorption properties, namely activated carbon, kaolin, montmorillonite, bentonite, zeolite, and attapulgite, were selected. Their adsorption mechanisms were investigated by analyzing their adsorption isotherms, adsorption kinetics, micromorphologies, element contents, specific surface areas, crystal structures, and functional groups. The results showed that the adsorption efficiency of Sr by the six adsorbents can be ranked as zeolite, bentonite, attapulgite, montmorillonite, activated carbon, and kaolin, among which the maximum adsorption capacity of zeolite was 4.07 mg/g. Based on the adsorption kinetic and thermodynamic fitting results, the adsorption of Sr by zeolites, bentonite and attapulgite is consistent with Langmuir model, the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption process of Sr (II) by montmorillonite, activated carbon and kaolinite is consistent with the Freundlich model and corresponds to non-uniform adsorption. The main mechanisms of the six materials are physical adsorption, ion exchange and complexation. In summary, zeolite, bentonite, and attapulgite, especially zeolite, are highly effective for the treatment of radioactive wastewater containing strontium and have great application value in the treatment of radioactive wastes.
Learning from Neighbors: The Spatial Spillover Effect of Crisis Learning on Local Government
Authors: Tang Yun , Wang Ying
Published: June 2022

Accident prevention is an important prerequisite for achieving sustainable development, and effective crisis learning is a necessary path to it. This article focuses on whether local governments in non-accident areas learn from crises in accident areas, that is “learn from the mistakes of neighbors” and “grow in wisdom.” Using panel data from 2006–2017 for 30 provinces in China, our empirical test discovered that there is not a one-to-one relationship between “learning from neighbors” and “growing in wisdom”; it is a U-shaped relationship between the frequency of major accidents and the crisis learning effect of local government. When the occurrence frequency of major accidents is low, the regulatory effect caused by major accidents leads to the effective crisis learning of local governments. However, when major accidents occur frequently and reach a certain threshold, the crisis learning effect will deteriorate due to an excessive deterrent effect. In this non-linear relationship, the impact of political pressure occurs on two fronts, a gentle U-shaped curve and a shift in the inflection point to the left, implying that political pressure plays a dual role in the crisis learning process of local government. Accordingly, local governments should fully seize the window of time to initiate crisis learning with regulatory effects and delegate political authority to supervise local crisis learning with reasonable compliance.
The Cultural Ecosystem Services as an Element Supporting Manor Landscape Protection
Authors: Sikora Dorota , Kaczyńska Małgorzata
Published: June 2022

Nowadays, agricultural landscapes of suburban zones may undergo rapid urbanization that destroys their identity. This phenomenon is particularly problematic for areas connected compositionally with historical residences. The aim of the research is to determine a framework for urban policies appropriate for cultural landscapes of agricultural origin associated with significant historic palace-garden complexes. As an example of such a landscape, the area around the historic Wilanów residence was chosen for study. The research focused on the degree of preservation of the agricultural surroundings of this historic site, the directions of contemporary urban policies towards it, and its potential to provide cultural ecosystem services to local residents and tourists. The research showed that the character of the landscape under study is changing—apart from cultivated fields, wastelands have appeared, indicating a gradual abandonment of agricultural use. The analysis of local spatial development plans confirmed that many fragments of the landscape are not sufficiently protected, which causes their degradation. The study of the potential of this area to provide cultural ecosystem services using statistical methods proved its many values: aesthetic, cultural, educational, spiritual, recreational, and touristic which predestine it to perform Urban Green Spaces and Informal Green Spaces functions. The research was compared to the findings of other authors, studying analogous landscapes. Based on our results, general guidelines were developed for further protection and maintaining function of cultural landscapes of agricultural origin associated with significant historic palace-garden complexes in similar situations to that of Wilanów.
Techno-Economic Analysis and Optimisation of Campus Grid-Connected Hybrid Renewable Energy System Using HOMER Grid
Authors: Riayatsyah T. M. I. , Geumpana T. A. , Fattah I. M. Rizwanul , Rizal Samsul , Mahlia T. M. Indra
Published: June 2022

This study aimed to conduct a techno-economic performance and optimisation analysis of grid-connected PV, wind turbines, and battery packs for Syiah Kuala University, situated at the tip of Sumatra island in the tsunami-affected region. The simulation software Hybrid Optimisation Model for Electric Renewables (HOMER) was used to analyse and optimise the renewable energy required by the institution. The methodology began with the location specification, average electric load demand, daily radiation, clearness index, location daily temperature, and system architecture. The results revealed that the energy storage system was initially included in the simulation, but it was later removed in order to save money and optimise the share of renewable energy. Based on the optimisation results, two types of energy sources were chosen for the system, solar PV and wind turbine, which contributed 62% and 20%, respectively. Apart from the renewable energy faction, another reason for the system selection is cost of energy (CoE), which decreased to $0.0446/kWh from $0.060/kWh. In conclusion, the study found that by connecting solar PV and wind turbines to the local grid, this renewable energy system is able to contribute up to 82% of the electricity required. However, the obstacle to implementing renewable energy in Indonesia is the cheap electricity price that is mainly generated using cheap coal, which is abundantly available in the country.
The Potential of Blockchain Technology in the Transition towards Sustainable Food Systems
Authors: Wünsche Julia Francesca , Fernqvist Fredrik
Published: June 2022

Food systems are both contributing to and affected by environmental degradation and climate change. The transition towards resilient and sustainable food systems is essential to ensure food security and minimise negative environmental impacts. Innovative technologies can accelerate this transition. Blockchain technology (BCT) is attracting attention as it can deliver transparency to complex global food supply chains and has the potential to guide current food production towards better sustainability and efficiency. This case study investigated the opportunities that BCT can offer to food supply chains. Qualitative interviews with eight main BCT providers were conducted to evaluate the current state of BCT and put it into perspective by mapping out advantages, disadvantages, incentives, motives, and expectations connected to its implementation in global food systems. A thematic analysis showed that, while BCT was considered beneficial by all interviewees, uptake is slow due to high implementation costs and the lack of incentives for companies throughout the food chain from farms to food industry and retail. Results further revealed that the advantages of BCT go beyond communication of trustworthy information and development of closer producer–consumer relationships. In fact, it can provide the opportunity to decrease food waste, enhance working conditions throughout the supply chain, and promote sustainable consumption habits. As BCT may be increasingly used in the food supply chain, the results give a basis for future research that may leverage both qualitative and quantitative methods to examine actors’ behaviours. Also, the importance of improving user experiences through functional applications and software to facilitate the adoption of the technology is stressed.
Italian Consumer Preferences for Eucalyptus Honey: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Palmieri Nadia , Stefanoni Walter , Latterini Francesco , Pari Luigi
Published: June 2022

The growing concern for environmental issues has underlined the need to promote sustainable consumption and production. Taking into consideration the three pillars of sustainability, honey should be seen as an important food from a sustainability perspective. Among honey varieties, the eucalyptus one is becoming increasingly popular with people for its aroma and the plant’s therapeutic properties. However, the beekeeping sector in Italy does not yet have sufficient knowledge and understanding of consumer needs with a view to increasing earnings. This paper aimed to analyze the drivers that make people pick eucalyptus honey and tries to investigate which extrinsic and intrinsic quality attributes affect consumer behavior. Data came from an online survey of 403 Italian honey consumers. An ordered Probit model was applied. The results show that consumers consider the taste, viscosity, therapeutic properties, brand reputation, variety, geographical indication, Italian origin, and organic certification of honey as the most important factors that drive the consumption of eucalyptus honey. The findings of the study should help the beekeepers and provide them with the right tools of communication, such as quality or sustainability labeling, thereby increasing their competitiveness.
Research on Evolution Characteristics and Factors of Nordic Green Patent Citation Network
Authors: Li Zhenfu , Wang Yixuan , Deng Zhao
Published: June 2022

Dealing with the environmental and climate risks caused by global warming has become a global consensus. As a sensitive area with particularly fragile ecological environment, the Nordic countries took the lead in making the commitment of “carbon neutrality” by the middle of this century. The green industry will play an important role during this process. Based on the patent data related to the green industry in Nordic countries, this paper studies the evolution characteristics and dynamic changes of influencing factors of patent citation network from 1980 to 2019 by using the social network analysis method and exponential random graph model. The research results show that: Nordic green technologies have gradually changed from passive development to active innovation from the source, and gradually diversified and subdivided in the development process; the connectivity and transitivity of the patent citation network are good and relatively stable in the evolution process; the connections of Nordic countries with non-Nordic countries are strong and gradually spread to distant regions; the awareness of patent property rights protection has gradually increased, and industry and academia are increasingly integrated, which all promote the formation of patent citation relationship.
Developing and Enhancing the Competitiveness of the Palestinian National Product: The Leather and Footwear Sector—Analysis and Evaluation of Government Interventions
Authors: Hoja Haya , Yu Pei
Published: June 2022

In view of the leather and footwear industry’s declining market share and production activity, our study aims to identify the most important challenges facing the leather and footwear sector related to the decline in its market share and production activity. It also aims to assess government interventions that have sought to enhance the competitiveness of the sector. In this framework, data on the values and quantities of imported shoes for the West Bank during the period 2010–2021 were used to compare the change in their direction relative to another selected commodity under the appropriate conditions for the use of this model, where the study sample included a selected sample of shoe factories and tanneries owners in the city of Hebron, which numbered 232 factories. This study focused on the “Difference in Difference” methodology. The results showed that there are no indications that the import of shoes from China is affected by these politics, and the success of this policy lies in subjecting the flow of imported goods to the scrutiny of the Palestinian customs department. Furthermore, the study also provides a vision for the Palestinian government to create a legislative structure to protect and support the national product.
An Impact Evaluation of the Application of Sharing Products in Tourism Services
Authors: Ye Jialei , Yang Luyi , Yun Ruwei
Published: June 2022

This study is a discussion on the feasibility of, application, and promotion of sharing products in tourism services. The promotion and application of the current sharing concept are mostly aimed at a wide range of urban populations or urban service systems, while research on applications of the concept that target tourism services are few. This study hopes to demonstrate that, with the introduction of the sharing concept into the tourism industry, tourism services will benefit from sharing tourism products. Adopting the TAM model, the study surveyed tourists in the form of a questionnaire and obtained its data from 410 participants. The research investigated tourists’ attitudes towards sharing tourism products and the impact of sharing products in tourism services. In the SEM model test and analysis, we found that: (1) sharing tourism products is acceptable to tourists; (2) sharing tourism products brings tourists good travel experiences and improves the quality of tourism services in scenic spots; and (3) tourists can have their special needs and concerns met by sharing tourism products. These prove that tourist sharing products are a scientific and effective way for the tourism industry to improve the travel experience of tourists and to optimize the tourism service industry, and that the sharing concept is in agreeance with the climate of current economic development and the diversified needs of consumers. This research focuses on the promotion of the sharing concept in seaside tourism services. In future research, we can also try to improve the user experience, assist service management, and build a healthy economic ecological model with the application of the sharing concept in different service models and business venues.
Forecasting the Volume of Tourism Services in Uzbekistan
Authors: Safarov Bahodirhon , Al-Smadi Hisham Mohammad , Buzrukova Makhina , Janzakov Bekzot , Ilieş Alexandru , Grama Vasile , Ilieș Dorina Camelia , Csobán Vargáné Katalin , Dávid Lóránt Dénes
Published: June 2022

The aim of the present research is to assess the impact of factors such as welfare, infrastructure, security, and the environment on inbound tourism as well as to develop its forecast. Six proxy indicators of the above-mentioned factors were selected as variables, namely, welfare (real GDP per capita, life expectancy, consumer price index), infrastructure (passenger transportation volume), security (total recorded crimes), and the environment (CO2 emissions). We used a time series-univariate ARIMA model to forecast the inbound tourism in the Republic of Uzbekistan, and applied the ARDL model to assess the impact of lagged real GDP per capita on inbound tourism in both the short and long terms. The results of our research show that security and welfare significantly affect the inflow of foreign tourists in the country, along with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, the effects of which are expected to persist beyond 2026.
Developing a Multilevel Decision Support Tool for Urban Mobility
Authors: Salanova Josep Maria , Ayfantopoulou Georgia , Magkos Evripidis , Mallidis Ioannis , Maleas Zisis , Narayanan Santhanakrishnan , Antoniou Constantinos , Tympakianaki Athina , Martin Ignacio , Fajardo-Calderin Jenny
Published: June 2022

Decisions on transport policy measures have long-term and important impacts on the economy, environment and society. Transport policy measures can lock up capital for decades and cause manifold external effects. In order to allow policymakers to evaluate transport policies, the developed decision support tool facilitates the evaluation of the multidimensional impacts of the implementation of transport policies. The objective of the decision support toolset presented in this paper is to support transportation planning and design practices based on an integrated transportation analysis of the area of examination to determine the most applicable combination of mobility services. This paper provides a comprehensive description of the interactive decision support tool implemented to help cities and decision makers design their strategies and shape the urban mobility of the future.
Design Thinking for Public R&D: Focus on R&D Performance at Public Research Institutes
Authors: Lim Seonyeong , Kim Minseo , Sawng Yeong-wha
Published: June 2022

Korean public research institutes (PRIs) have shown noteworthy technological innovation over the past years, but they have been lagging in the commercialization of technological results. To ensure sustainable technology commercialization, not only technological innovation but also a shift towards a market-oriented approach is required. As such, it has become even more important for the public sector to have a demand-oriented approach for responding to market failures or demand issues in the private sector. Yet the public sector has been geared to a supply-oriented approach, while adopting a demand-oriented perspective, in its inception. In an ever-increasingly complex society, the process of Design Thinking is necessary in the both the public and private sectors. However, Design Thinking-related studies have concentrated on the latter. Studying the impacts of Design Thinking as a demand-based innovation methodology of public institutions, this research aims to expand the traditional scope of the study of Design Thinking to include PRIs—owing to relevant key research experts, PRIs will prompt changes in the overall public sector going forward. With the Design Thinking process requiring empathy, integrative thinking, and experimentalism, this study examines the impacts of Design Thinking on PRIs. This research also aims to demonstrate that Design Thinking boosts innovation, specifically through PRIs, promoting higher discourse on Design Thinking. Concluding that Design Thinking improves technology performance in public research institutes, the study evaluates that Design Thinking leads to research innovation in a demand-driven R&D environment, producing innovations in the overall public sector.
The Extreme Heat Wave of Summer 2021 in Athens (Greece): Cumulative Heat and Exposure to Heat Stress
Authors: Founda Dimitra , Katavoutas George , Pierros Fragiskos , Mihalopoulos Nikolaos
Published: June 2022

The Mediterranean has been identified as a ‘climate change hot spot’, already experiencing faster warming rates than the global average, along with an increased occurrence of heat waves (HWs), prolonged droughts, and forest fires. During summer 2021, the Mediterranean faced prolonged and severe HWs, triggering hundreds of wildfires across the region. Greece, in particular, was hit by one of the most intense HWs in its modern history, with national all-time record temperatures being observed from 28 July to 6 August 2021. The HW was associated with extreme wildfires in many parts of the country, with catastrophic environmental and societal consequences. The study accentuated the rarity and special characteristics of this HW (HW2021) through the analysis of the historical climate record of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA) on a centennial time scale and comparison with previous HWs. The findings showed that HW2021 was ranked first in terms of persistence (with a total duration of 10 days) and highest observed nighttime temperatures, as well as ‘cumulative heat’, accounting for both the duration and intensity of the event. Exceptionally hot conditions during nighttime were intensified by the urban heat island effect in the city of Athens. Human exposure to heat-related stress during the event was further assessed by the use of bioclimatic indices such as the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). The study points to the interconnected climate risks in the area and especially to the increased exposure of urban populations to conditions of heat stress, due to the additive urban effect.
Defining Priority Areas for the Sustainable Development of the Desalination Industry in Chile: A GIS Multi-Criteria Analysis Approach
Authors: García-Bartolomei Enzo , Vásquez Vanesa , Rebolledo Gonzalo , Vivallo Andrés , Acuña-Ruz Tomás , Rebolledo José , Orrego Rodrigo , Barra Ricardo O.
Published: June 2022

The climate crisis is rapidly provoking water scarcity in several areas of the planet, where an exponential growth of the seawater desalination industry is expected. In this context, multiple efforts are currently under development to reduce potential impacts and promote the sustainability of this industry. The selection of a suitable site for a desalination plant is critical to ensure operational continuity and the environmental sustainability of its processes, optimizing the plant’s productive performance and thus safeguarding water security for final users. In this study, we apply a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Analysis (GIS-MCA) approach to explore and assess potential areas suitable for the construction and operation of desalination plants in Chile. Different environmental, social, and technical criteria were evaluated and weighted by expert criteria using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. From a total of 114,450 km2 analyzed, only 4.54% of the territory was classified as highly suitable, demonstrating the scarcity of space available to meet the growth expectations for the industry. These results suggest that GIS-based analysis provides a practical solution to determine suitable areas for developing desalination plants, highlighting the need to define priority areas for the sustainable development of the desalination industry in Chile with the required capacity to reach the national water security goals for the following decades.
A Numerical Model for the Optimization of Concentrated Suspensions for Sustainable Concrete Proportioning
Authors: Rémond Sébastien , Bouarroudj Mohamed El Karim
Published: June 2022

Concrete has a large environmental impact due to CO2 emissions related to cement manufacturing and the consumption of natural aggregates. More sustainable concretes can be developed, replacing part of the cement with mineral admixtures or natural aggregates with recycled ones. However, recycled materials are less regular than natural ones, and using new deposit changes concrete properties, which necessitates the re-optimization of mixture proportions. For small/medium-size waste deposits, the expensive experimental work needed to adapt concrete formulation containing these particular wastes is not profitable, which prevents from their valorization. The aim of this study is to develop a numerical model to optimize the mixture proportions of concentrated suspensions based on very limited entry data. In the model, spheres of small radii are seeded in the porosity and allowed to swell until reaching a target radius/density. On monosized suspensions, it is shown that the ratio between the number of random displacements to the number of particles varies with density, following a classical viscosity–density relationship, which allows identification of the packing fraction. The model is extended to bidisperse systems, with the viscosity of the whole suspension calculated by combining the viscosities of each granular class. The model is applied to bidisperse systems of size ratios 4:1 and 2:1 with varying proportions of large particles. The optimum proportions identified numerically are compared successfully to experimental results from the literature.
Machine Learning-Based Analysis of a Wind Turbine Manufacturing Operation: A Case Study
Authors: Lorenzo-Espejo Antonio , Escudero-Santana Alejandro , Muñoz-Díaz María-Luisa , Robles-Velasco Alicia
Published: June 2022

This study analyzes the lead time of the bending operation in the wind turbine tower manufacturing process. Since the operation involves a significant amount of employee interaction and the parts processed are heavy and voluminous, there is considerable variability in the recorded lead times. Therefore, a machine learning regression analysis has been applied to the bending process. Two machine learning algorithms have been used: a multivariate Linear Regression and the M5P method. The goal of the analysis is to gain a better understanding of the effect of several factors (technical, organizational, and experience-related) on the bending process times, and to attempt to predict these operation times as a way to increase the planning and controlling capacity of the plant. The inclusion of the experience-related variables serves as a basis for analyzing the impact of age and experience on the time-wise efficiency of workers. The proposed approach has been applied to the case of a Spanish wind turbine tower manufacturer, using data from the operation of its plant gathered between 2018 and 2021. The results show that the trained models have a moderate predictive power. Additionally, as shown by the output of the regression analysis, there are variables that would presumably have a significant impact on lead times that have been found to be non-factors, as well as some variables that generate an unexpected degree of variability.
Experimental Study on the Carbon Sequestration Benefit in Urban Residential Green Space Based on Urban Ecological Carrying Capacity
Authors: Gong Yinglin , Luo Xiaoyong
Published: June 2022

The CO2 concentration of urban residential green space in Changsha was experimentally investigated. Based on the experimental results, the variation characteristics and influencing factors of CO2 concentration in residential areas were analyzed considering both the measuring time and ecological plant structure. Then, through the concept of urban ecological bearing capacity, the carbon sequestration index of the urban residential areas was proposed in this paper. Finally, the regulating effects of varieties of vegetation on CO2 concentration among four urban residential areas were deeply analyzed and discussed. Results showed that green space with an ecological plant structure of trees-shrubs-grass exhibited greater improvement in the environmental carbon balance than those of shrubs or grass, and the atmospheric carbon sequestration capacity was significantly affected by the total quantity of the green space.
Higher Education to Support Sustainable Development: The Influence of Information Literacy and Online Learning Process on Chinese Postgraduates’ Innovation Performance
Authors: Sun Chiyao , Liu Ji’an , Razmerita Liana , Xu Yanru , Qi Jia
Published: June 2022

Digitalization provides opportunities for sustainable development. Cultivating postgraduates’ digital skills is an important task of higher education to support sustainable development (HESD). As a crucial way of cultivating digital skills, high-quality online learning processes are of great significance to achieve “Quality Education”, in line with the 2030 sustainable development agenda. Based on Biggs’s 3P (Presage-Process-Product) learning model, this study focused on the whole learning process and explored the relationship among postgraduates’ information literacy, online platforms, online knowledge-sharing processes and their innovation performance. The analysis of a questionnaire survey of 501 Chinese postgraduates showed that (1) information literacy has a positively predictive effect on postgraduates’ innovation performance; (2) different online learning processes lead to different learning results. Compared to the quantity-oriented online knowledge sharing process (Qty-KSP), the quality-oriented online knowledge sharing process (Qlty-KSP) is related to better innovation performance, which opens onto this study’s third finding: (3) Qty-KSP and Qlty-KSP play a parallel mediating effect between postgraduates’ information literacy and their innovation performance. Compared to Qty-KSP, Qlty-KSP is a more powerful intermediary variable, which leads to this study’s fourth finding; (4) an efficient online learning environment can contribute to higher-quality online learning process, thus improving postgraduates’ innovative performance. This study suggests that policy makers should develop postgraduates’ digital skills for sustainable development in the digital age. This can be achieved by (1) cultivating postgraduates’ information literacy; (2) encouraging them to practice high-quality online learning processes; and (3) providing an efficient sharing platform for sustainability, resilience, and digitalization in higher education.
Supply Chain Coordination of Product and Service Bundling Based on Network Externalities
Authors: Gao Zhenhua , Zhao Luyao , Wang Hongjun
Published: June 2022

Since the commercialization of 5G, the government has actively encouraged 5G industry chain enterprises to accelerate the progress of 5G. Bundling is a popular means to expand 5G subscribers and improve 5G market coverage. Considering the characteristics of bundling, this study establishes a secondary supply chain composed of a terminal manufacturer and a telecom operator under the condition of network externality strength. In this supply chain, the product quality of the terminal manufacturer is complementary to the service quality of the telecom operator. Using Steinberg’s theory, we derive the optimal value of each decision variable in a centralized mode and a decentralized mode and take profit maximization as the goal. This paper also designs a contract of bidirectional cost sharing and revenue compensation for supply chain coordination. Finally, the influence of network externality strength and a mass-additive factor on the supply chain is discussed using numerical analysis. The results show that higher network externality strength has a significant impact on product pricing, the quality of each entity and the profit of the supply chain. At the same time, the degree of complementarity between the terminal product quality and the telecommunications service quality affects whether consumers choose to buy contract products. A higher degree of complementarity promotes the market inflow into high-end consumers.