bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Uncertainties in Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate Generating in the UK
Authors: Amirkhani Shiva , Bahadori-Jahromi Ali , Mylona Anastasia , Godfrey Paulina , Cook Darren , Tahayori Hooman , Zhang Hexin
Published: July 2021

In light of the recent launch of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard targeting the energy performance of commercial buildings, this study compares the energy performance certificates of three UK hotels generated by two different software, EDSL TAS and SBEM, both accredited by the UK government for the purpose. Upon finding the results discrepant, the study finds that the two software’s different assumptions for the air permeability rate contribute to the discrepancy. While modifying this value makes the results from the two software more aligned, further issues regarding the validation process arise. The study continues to find that the underlying issue can be found within the National Calculation Methodology’s assumption about domestic hot water consumption in hotels. These assumptions are compulsory to follow when generating a non-domestic energy performance certificate in the UK, therefore, any uncertainties within them can affect all the buildings seeking an energy performance certificate within that sector. Finally, the study discusses that, for meeting the carbon dioxide mitigation goals, it is necessary to make changes to the current procedure of energy performance certificate generating in the UK to increase its reliability.
Individual and Interpersonal Factors and Their Interaction Predicting the Intentional Physical Education Skipping Behavior among Lithuanian High School Students
Authors: Mieziene Brigita , Emeljanovas Arunas , Kawachi Ichiro , Gasiuniene Laima , Tumynaite Laura , Novak Dario
Published: July 2021

The promotion of physical activity in physical education (PE) might be enabled only in the case that PE is attended. Intentional skipping of PE, while widespread, is understudied. The aim of the study is to identify individual and interpersonal correlates as well as their interaction effect on the intentional PE skipping behavior in Lithuanian high school students. This cross-sectional population-based study included 1285 students aged from 14 to 18 years old. Among them, 42.2 were male. PE skipping, sociodemographic, individual and interpersonal indicators were measured. Results revealed that 58.4% of high school students intentionally skip their PE class at least once per week. The main correlates of PE skipping are sedentary behavior and social participation. The main preventive factors are perception of PE usefulness, better self-rated health among direct predictors. Indirectly, social capital played a protective role for PE skipping classes through a more positive perception of PE usefulness. Raising awareness of physical education benefits, providing a rationale for physical education in the social contexts of family and school, in terms of family support and building trust with teachers, strengthening reciprocity at school indirectly prevents students’ PE skipping behaviors.
Retail Policies and Urban Change in Naples City Center: Challenges to Resilience and Sustainability from a Mediterranean City
Authors: Sommella Rosario , D’Alessandro Libera
Published: July 2021

Political discourses, public discussions, and studies in different fields have increasingly focused on the vulnerabilities affecting cities and on the possible responses to them, which are often traced back to urban resilience and sustainability. Research and debates in the field of retailing and consumption geographies are no exception. To carry out a critical analysis on the retail policies associated with the urban commercial change of the Naples city center, the case study is placed in the context of the literature review focusing on three concepts: spatial vulnerability, adaptive resilience, and territorialized sustainability. The analysis is conducted combining data, policy, and planning documents with long-term field research. The changing relationship between consumption practices, retail dynamics, and policies highlights a sort of hybridization of commercial and consumption central cityscapes, which is produced by the coexistence between retail-led phenomena of regeneration and forms of local resistance. The results of the research highlight, from a Mediterranean perspective, new general insights on the impact of selective forms of vulnerability and on the adaptive resilience strategies adopted, but most of all on the indispensable rethinking of the urban retail governance for the enhancement of urban livability, social cohesion, and locally sustainable lifestyles, activities, and places.
Policy in Practice: Social Procurement Policies in the Swedish Construction Sector
Authors: Troje Daniella
Published: July 2021

Procurement has long been used to fulfil policy goals, and social procurement policies can mitigate issues connected to social exclusion, unemployment and segregation. The target groups for such policies are disadvantaged people such as immigrants, young people and people with disabilities. Due to its close connection to exclusion and segregation issues, the construction and real estate sector has often been seen by policymakers as an appropriate sector for social procurement. However, practices to implement such policies are underdeveloped, which creates uncertainty and hinders the transition towards sustainability in the construction sector. This paper investigates how construction clients and contractors perceive the implementation of social procurement policies in practice. Drawing on policy-in-practice literature and interviewing 28 actors in the Swedish construction sector, the findings show a misalignment between: (1) social procurement policies, (2) the sector and its existing practices, and (3) the target group and their skills and needs. Although this misalignment adversely impacts policy implementation and practice formation, it can likely be mitigated if actors co-create policy goals and practices that mesh with existing practices, and provide more resources to enable policy implementation. This paper shows how procurement can help fulfil social policies and the difficulties of achieving that in practice.
Simulating Historical Earthquakes in Existing Cities for Fostering Design of Resilient and Sustainable Communities: The Ljubljana Case
Authors: Babič Anže , Dolšek Matjaž , Žižmond Jure
Published: July 2021

The seismic exposure of urban areas today is much higher than centuries ago. The 2020 Zagreb earthquake demonstrated that European cities are vulnerable even to moderate earthquakes, a fact that has been known to earthquake-engineering experts for decades. However, alerting decision-makers to the seismic risk issue is very challenging, even when they are aware of historical earthquakes that caused natural catastrophes in the areas of their jurisdiction. To help solve the issue, we introduce a scenario-based risk assessment methodology and demonstrate the consequences of the 1895 Ljubljana earthquake on the existing building stock. We show that a 6.2 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre 5 km north of Ljubljana would cause many deaths and severe damage to the building stock, which would likely lead to direct economic losses higher than 15% of the GDP of the Republic of Slovenia. Such an event would be catastrophic not only for the community directly affected by the earthquake but for the entire country. We have disseminated this information over the course of a year together in addition to formulating a plan for enhancing the community seismic resilience in Slovenia. Hopefully, local decision-makers will act according to their jurisdiction in Slovenia and persuade decision-makers across Europe to update the built environment renovation policy at the European level.
Effects of Teacher Training in Systems Thinking on Biology Students—An Intervention Study
Authors: Streiling Stefan , Hörsch Christian , Rieß Werner
Published: July 2021

Systems thinking provides many advantages in solving complex scientific, economic and sociocultural problems in the field of education for sustainable development. Various studies have shown that systems thinking can be promoted in students at all levels of school education. Previous studies have mainly focused on how to directly develop and support systems thinking in students. The present study focused on biology teachers by investigating the extent that their content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) augments systems thinking in students attending biology classes. On the basis of the finding that content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) are an essential aspect of any type of training, we investigated in a teacher training program the effects of varying amounts of CK and PCK to the ability of biology teachers to foster systems thinking in students. Therefore, a quasi-experimental intervention study was implemented in a pre- and posttest control group design. The results revealed that biology teacher training can sufficiently improve systems thinking in biology students and that PCK plays an at least equally important role as CK in promoting systems thinking.
Smallholder Farms in Bulgaria and Their Contributions to Food and Social Security
Authors: Fredriksson Lena , Rizov Marian , Davidova Sophia , Bailey Alastair
Published: July 2021

Bulgaria has a long tradition of smallholder farming, predominantly producing for self-consumption. As a result of land reform and farm restructuring, many rural households received agricultural land. Some developed commercial farms but most households stayed as subsistence farmers and used their small pieces of land to produce for self-consumption and market the excess output to top up their non-farm incomes or meagre pensions. They had little capital and insecure access to markets. The paper employs semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 10 smallholders for obtaining detailed information about individuals’ behaviour and exploring issues in greater detail. In particular, the study looks at the drivers of the diverse strategies pursued by smallholder farms, their importance for household food security and incomes, and the prospects of smallholder farms in the future, especially the possibilities for productivity increases. The Bulgarian study on contemporary smallholder farms shows that subsistence production constitutes a valuable safety net for households with low incomes, and therefore, it acts as an extension of the limited social security system of the country. Despite all the challenges faced by smallholders, half of the interviewed households succeeded to commercialise and increase marketable surplus. Policies for increased commercialisation of smallholder farms and a structural change in agriculture should address, besides market factors, the socioeconomic aspects which contribute to the persistence of subsistence farming. Furthermore, when prioritising different policies, the chosen livelihood strategies of the households should be taken into account.
Can Architectural Surfaces Capture Atmospheric Particulate Matter Like Trees? A Design Strategy to Mimic Leaf Traits
Authors: Lee Taekyoung , Cha Jieun , Sung Sohyun
Published: July 2021

Trees’ ability to capture atmospheric Particular Matter (PM) is related to morphological traits (shape, size, and micro-morphology) of the leaves. The objectives of this study were (1) to find out whether cluster pattern of the leaves is also a parameter that affects trees’ PM capturing performance and (2) to apply the cluster patterns of the leaves on architectural surfaces to confirm its impact on PM capturing performance. Two series of chamber experiments were designed to observe the impact of cluster patterns on PM capturing performance whilst other influential variables were controlled. First, we exposed synthetic leaf structures of different cluster patterns (a large and sparsely arranged cluster pattern and a small and densely arranged cluster pattern) to artificially generated PM in a chamber for 60 min and recorded the changing levels of PM2.5 and PM10 every minute. The results confirmed that the small and densely arranged cluster pattern has more significant effect on reducing PM2.5 and PM10 than the large and sparsely arranged cluster pattern. Secondly, we created three different types of architectural surfaces mimicking the cluster patterns of the leaves: a base surface, a folded surface, and a folded and porous surface. The surfaces were also exposed to artificially generated PM in the chamber and the levels of PM2.5 and PM10 were recorded. The results confirmed that the folded and porous surface has a more significant effect on reducing PM2.5 and PM10 than other surfaces. The study has confirmed that the PM capturing performance of architectural surfaces can be improved by mimicking cluster pattern of the leaves.
Trends in Flowering Phenology of Herbaceous Plants and Its Response to Precipitation and Snow Cover on the Qinghai—Tibetan Plateau from 1983 to 2017
Authors: Jiang Yuhao , Li Baolin , Yuan Yecheng , Sun Qingling , Zhang Tao , Liu Yan , Li Ying , Li Rui , Li Fei
Published: July 2021

Based on limited controlled experiments, both advanced and delayed shifts in flowering phenology induced by precipitation and snow cover have been reported on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). To clarify the impact of precipitation and snow cover on flowering phenology, we conducted a comprehensive statistical analysis of the temporal change in flowering phenology and its responses to precipitation and snow cover changes using regression models built on the largest collection of ground phenological observation data on the QTP. We found that first flowering date (FFD) for the early-flowering time series significantly advanced at the rate of −0.371 ± 0.149 days/year (p < 0.001), whereas FFD mid-to-late-flowering time series showed no trend at the rate of 0.158 ± 0.193 days/year (p = 0.108). Cumulative pre-season precipitation regressed with FFD positively for early-flowering time series, with the explained variation ranging from 11.7 to 49.4% over different pre-season periods. The negative impact of precipitation on flowering phenology is unexpected, because an increase in precipitation should not hamper plant growth in the semi-arid and arid environments on the QTP. However, precipitation was found to be inversely correlated with temperature. Thus, it is likely that temperature, and not precipitation, regulated flowering phenology over the study period. No relationship was found between FFD and snow-cover melt date or duration. This result indicated that snow cover may not affect flowering phenology significantly, which may be because plant flowering time was much later than the snow-cover melt date on the QTP. These findings contrast the results of controlled experiments on the QTP, which showed that precipitation regulated flowering phenology, and with other studies that showed that snow-cover melting time determined flowering dates of early-flowering species in high latitude and Arctic zones in Europe and North America, where the low-temperature environment is similar to the QTP. These findings can improve flowering phenology models, assist in the prediction of phenological responses of herbaceous plants to climate change, and forecast changes in the structure and function of the grassland ecosystem on the QTP.
Residual Stand Damage under Different Harvesting Methods and Mitigation Strategies
Authors: Kizha Anil Raj , Nahor Evan , Coogen Noah , Louis Libin T. , George Alex K.
Published: July 2021

A major component of sustainable forest management are the stands left behind after the logging operation. Large mechanized harvesting equipment involved in current forest management can inflict damage on residual trees; and can pose a risk of mortality from diseases, natural calamities, and/or degrade future economic value. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the residual stand damage under different harvesting methods and silvicultural prescriptions i.e., crop tree release (CTR), diameter limit cut (DLC), and overstory removal (OSR). The second objective was to evaluate the intensity and frequency of damage occurring on the bole, canopy, and root at tree and stand level. The third objective was to document strategies adopted globally to minimize stand damage due to timber harvesting. Five harvest blocks implementing three silvicultural prescriptions, were selected as the treatments across two different industrial timberlands in central and northern Maine (Study Site (SS) I and II, respectively). A hybrid cut-to-length (Hyb CTL) and whole-tree (WT) harvesting method were employed for conducting the harvest in SS I and II, respectively. Systematic transect sampling was employed to collect information on type, frequency, and intensity of damages. The inventory captured 41 and 8 damaged trees per hectare with 62 and 22 damages per hectare from SS I and SS II respectively. Bole damage was the most frequent damage across all treatments. The Hyb CTL had lower damage density (damage per ha) and severity compared to WT. The average number of trees damaged per ha was higher for CTR prescriptions compared to DLC. There were no significant differences in the height of the damages from the ground level between treatments within each study site; however, there was a significant difference between the study sites. Species damaged was directly related to the residual trees left behind and was dominated by American beech, yellow birch, sugar maple, and eastern hemlock. Finally, the study provides strategies that can be adopted at different forest managerial phases to mitigate residual stand damage.
Long-Term Changes in Floristic Diversity as an Effect of Transforming the Lake into a Retention Reservoir
Authors: Sender Joanna , Urban Danuta , Różańska-Boczula Monika , Grzywna Antoni
Published: July 2021

The Łęczna-Włodawa Lake District is one of the most valuable natural regions in Europe. It is an area of numerous lakes, peat bogs, swamps and forests, which has been undergoing intensive transformation for decades. Among the largest projects were the creation of the Wieprz Krzna Canal system along with the drainage system and the transformation of natural lakes into retention reservoirs. Among the transformed lakes is Lake Wytyckie. The land was used for analyses near the lake, and floristic and habitat analyses were carried out within the boundaries of the contemporary embankment. The studies were carried out from the 1950s, when the lake functioned as a natural reservoir, through to the 1980s (the transformation of the lake), to the 2020s. Lake Wytyckie was transformed into a retention reservoir by increasing its size and flooding the areas inhabited mainly by peat bog, meadow and forest vegetation, which contributed to the impoverishment of both species and habitat diversity of the area, while it increased the nutrient richness of the water. This was reflected both in the decline in the value of individual diversity indices as well as in the ecological index numbers. In the first period of the research, the area was dominated by wetlands, not drained, with a large variety of species that preferred good lighting conditions. Additionally, the habitat was characterized by low reaction, temperature and trophic values. In the following period, there was an increase in the depth of the water of the reservoir, characterized by high water visibility values, which contributed to the presence of protected species, as did the low moisture content of the areas within the embankment and a neutral pH. The factors currently influencing the formation of the vegetation structure are the high humidity of the entire embankment area, the increase in pH, and the significant increase in the share of built-up areas in the immediate vicinity.
Adaptive Management of Sustainable Tourism in Antarctica: A Rhetoric or Working Progress?
Authors: Cajiao Daniela , Benayas Javier , Tejedo Pablo , Leung Yu-Fai
Published: July 2021

Growth and diversification of tourism activities in Antarctica have not been matched by proactive strategies for planning or management. Recognizing that the adaptive management approach has been effectively implemented in managing tourism in protected areas, we examine to what extent this approach has been incorporated into the Antarctic tourism research and management, and what constraints exist for its implementation. To better understand the extent of literature contributions, we conducted an appraisal of 72 peer-reviewed journal articles published from 1992 to 2020 and Antarctic management documents. From a scientific perspective, researchers have been advocating for adaptive management approaches to Antarctic tourism and have applied different elements, particularly ecological assessments, design of management measures, monitoring, and regulatory mechanisms. However, these contributions have not been necessarily translated into management policy and regulations. We acknowledge that full implementation of an adaptive management approach is not easily achievable due to the unique Antarctic regime. However, we argue that comprehensive site-specific and regional adaptive management models could be applied as the first step for a more systematic implementation. This incremental approach could contribute to enhanced stakeholder participation and improved decision-making processes, ultimately leading to a more proactive and effective management of Antarctic tourism, essential for the conservation of the continent.
Assessment of the Dependence of GHG Emissions on the Support and Taxes in the EU Countries
Authors: Miceikienė Astrida , Gesevičienė Kristina , Rimkuvienė Daiva
Published: July 2021

The reduction of GHG emissions is one of the priorities of the EU countries. The majority of studies show that financial support and environmental taxes are one of the most effective measures for the mitigation of the negative consequences of climate change. The EU countries employ different environmental support measures and environmental taxes to reduce GHG emissions. There is a shortage of new studies on these measures. The aim of the present study is to compare the effectiveness of the environmental support measures of the EU countries with the effectiveness of environmental taxes in relation to the reduction of GHG emissions. This study is characterized by the broad scope of its data analysis and its systematic approach to the EU’s environmental policy measures. An empirical study was performed for the EU countries with the aim of addressing this research problem and substantiating theoretical insights. A total of 27 EU member states from 2009 to 2018 were selected as research samples. The research is based on a cause-and-effect relationship, where the factors affecting environmental pollution (environmental taxes and subsidies) are the cause, and GHG emissions are the effect. Statistical research methods were used in the empirical study: descriptive statistics, the Shapiro–Wilk test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), simple regression and cluster analysis. The results show that the older member countries of the EU, which had directed the financial measures of environmental policy towards a reduction in energy consumption, managed to achieve a greater reduction in GHG emissions compared to the countries which had not applied those measures. The Central and Eastern European countries are characterized by lower environmental taxes and lower expenditure allocated to environmental protection. The countries with a higher GDP per capita have greater GHG emissions that the countries with lower GDP per capita. This is associated with greater consumption, waste, and energy consumption. The study conducted gives rise to a discussion regarding data sufficiency in the assessment and forecasting of GHG emissions and their environmental consequences.
Integrated Strategies for Household Food Waste Reduction in Bangkok
Authors: Bunditsakulchai Pongsun , Liu Chen
Published: July 2021

Urban food waste issues in developing economies have recently attracted the attention of policymakers, practitioners, and academics in the course of implementing the Paris Agreement and the SDGs. In our case study city of Bangkok, Thailand, household food waste generation doubled from 2003 to 2018, with a similar increase in per capita amounts. Using an extensive literature review, statistical models, and a questionnaire survey, the authors clarified factors influencing food waste generation and separation before disposal, and reuse/recycling activity in urban households. Results showed that pre-purchase checks can not only prevent food waste but can also increase the reuse/recycling of food waste. Citizens with higher levels of education and those showing more concern about social issues and global warming are more likely to separate food waste before disposal and to participate in reuse/recycling activities. Finally, this paper proposes a seven-stage action-based model of integrated strategies for improving household food and food waste management to prevent/reduce food waste generation as well as remedy existing policy gaps in Bangkok.
The Determinants of Tax Aggressiveness in Family Firms: An Investigation of Italian Private Family Firms
Authors: Flamini Giulia , Vola Paola , Songini Lucrezia , Gnan Luca
Published: July 2021

A recent stream of research has focused on tax aggressiveness, the downward management of taxable income through tax planning activities, and has analyzed its antecedents and consequences, mainly on public companies. Only very few studies, however, have been carried out in the context of private family business and have investigated whether some family firms are more tax aggressive than others, considering some specific features of family firms, such as their distinctive agency conflicts and socioemotional wealth. In this paper, we investigate the antecedents of tax aggressiveness in a sample of private Italian family firms. Our research findings show that tax aggressiveness is positively associated with ownership concentration, the presence of independent members in the board, and the adoption of reporting mechanisms. Instead, we found a negative relation between tax aggressiveness and the use of both strategic planning and a combination of managerial control systems (both planning and reporting mechanisms). We did not find any relation between family CEO and tax aggressiveness. In summary, overall, our findings show that family involvement in ownership, an independent board. and managerialization (the use of managerial mechanisms) are relevant antecedents of tax aggressiveness in private family businesses.
Applying Remotely Sensed Environmental Information to Model Mosquito Populations
Authors: Kofidou Maria , de Courcy Williams Michael , Nearchou Andreas , Veletza Stavroula , Gemitzi Alexandra , Karakasiliotis Ioannis
Published: July 2021

Vector borne diseases have been related to various environmental parameters and environmental changes like climate change, which impact their propagation in time and space. Remote sensing data have been used widely for monitoring environmental conditions and changes. We hypothesized that changes in various environmental parameters may be reflected in changes in mosquito population size, thus impacting the temporal and spatial patterns of vector diseases. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of environmental variables on mosquito populations using the remotely sensed Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) obtained from Landsat 8, along with other factors, such as altitude and water covered areas surrounding the examined locations. Therefore, a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model was developed and tested for its ability to predict mosquito populations. The model was applied in NE Greece using mosquito population data from 17 locations where mosquito traps were placed from June to October 2019. All performance metrics indicated a high predictive ability of the model. LST was proved to be the factor with the highest relative importance in the prediction of mosquito populations, whereas the developed model can predict mosquito populations 13 days ahead to allow a substantial window for appropriate control measures.
Applying Machine Learning to Develop Lane Control Principles for Mixed Traffic
Authors: Hsu Tien-Pen , Wen Ku-Lin , Zhang Taiyi
Published: July 2021

The mixed traffic environment often has high accident rates. Therefore, many motorcycle-related traffic improvements or control methods are employed in countries with mixed traffic, including slow-traffic lanes, motorcycle two-stage left turn areas, and motorcycle waiting zones. In Taiwan, motorcycles can ride in only the two outermost lanes, including the curb lane and a mixed traffic lane. This study analyzed the new motorcycle-riding space control policy on 27 major arterial roads containing 248 road segments in Taipei by analyzing before-and-after accident data from the years 2012–2018. In this study, the equivalent-property-damage-only (EPDO) method was used to evaluate the severity of crashes before and after the cancelation of the third lane prohibition of motorcycles (TLPM) policy. After EPDO analysis, the random forest analysis method was used to screen the crucial factors in accidents for specific road segments. Finally, a classification and regression tree (CART) was created to predict the accident improvement effects of the road segments with discontinued TLPM in different situations. Furthermore, to provide practical applications, this study integrated the CART results and the needs of traffic authorities to determine four rules for canceling TLPM. In the future, on the accident-prone road segment with TLPM, the inspection of the four rules can provide the authority to decide whether to cancel TLPM to improve the accident or not.
Tilapia Farming in Bangladesh: Adaptation to Climate Change
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Lutfar , Shahjahan Md , Ahmed Nesar
Published: July 2021

In Bangladesh, aquaculture is critically important in terms of providing food and nutrition, sustainable livelihoods, income, and export earnings. Nevertheless, aquaculture in Bangladesh has faced recent concerns due to climate change. Aquaculture is vulnerable to a combination of climatic factors, such as global warming, rainfall variation, flood, drought, temperature fluctuation, and salinity change. Considering the vulnerability of fish production to the impacts of climate change, tilapia farming is one of the possible strategies for adaptation to climate change. The positive culture attributes of tilapia are their tolerance to low water levels and poor water quality with rainfall variation, temperature fluctuation, and salinity change. In fact, tilapia farming is possible in a wide range of water environments, including freshwater, brackish water, and saltwater conditions. We suggest that appropriate tilapia culture strategies with institutional support and collaboration with key stakeholders are needed for adaptation to environmental change.
Farmers as Bodies-in-the-Field, Becoming-With Rice
Authors: Leung Kei Yan , Darnhofer Ika
Published: July 2021

Research on farmers has predominately focused on how they think through the mind, i.e., their reflexivity regarding farming practices and values, as well as their cultural and symbolic representations of farming. While this literature offers valuable insights, it builds on an underlying mind/body duality. Based on qualitative interviews with 25 rice farmers in Japan, this paper focuses on the body of farmers, in terms of how bodily senses shape how farmers make sense of their farming practices. We show that the body, as the site of interaction with matter, shapes the farmers’ ability to be affected by rice plants. By honing their senses, the farmers learn to make differences and to perceive new possibilities, engaging in a reciprocal process of becoming-with the rice. This ability to develop sensuous engagements may contribute to farmers developing production practices that are in harmony with the local agro-ecosystem and more generally enable new imaginations, strengthening the possibility that things could be otherwise.
Individual Identification of Radar Emitters Based on a One-Dimensional LeNet Neural Network
Authors: Chen Yue , Wu Zi-Long , Lei Ying-Ke
Published: July 2021

Specific emitter identification involves extracting the fingerprint features that represent the individual differences of the emitter through processing the received signals. By identifying the extracted fingerprint features, one can also identify the emitter to which the received signals belong. Due to differences in transmitter hardware, this fingerprint cannot be duplicated. Therefore, SEI plays an important role in the field of information security and can reduce the information leakages caused by key theft. This method can also be used in the military field to support communication countermeasures via emitter individual identification. In this paper, empirical mode decomposition is carried out for each radar pulse signal, and then the bispectral features are extracted. Dimensionality reduction is carried out according to the symmetry of the bispectral features. The features after dimensionality reduction are input into a one-dimensional LeNet neural network as the fingerprint features of the emitter, and the identification of 10 radar emitter sources is completed. Based on the verification of real signals, the SEI identification strategy in this paper achieved a recognition rate of 96.4% for 10 radar signals, 98.9% for 10 data emitter signals, and 88.93% for 5 communication radio signals.
Solvent Effect on the Stability and Reverse Substituent Effect in Nitropurine Tautomers
Authors: Jezuita Anna , Wieczorkiewicz Paweł A. , Szatylowicz Halina , Krygowski Tadeusz M.
Published: July 2021

The solvent effect on the stability and electron-accepting properties (EA) of the nitro group attached to the C2, C6, or C8 position of nitropurine NH tautomers is investigated. For this purpose, the density functional theory (DFT) and the polarizable continuum model (PCM) of solvation in a wide range of solvents (1 < ε < 109) are used. We show that the EA properties of the NO2 group, described by the charge of the substituent active region (cSAR) model, are linearly dependent on the reciprocal of the solvent dielectric constant; in all cases, solvation enhances the EA properties of this group. Furthermore, the sensitivity of EA properties of the nitro group to the solvent effect depends on the proximity effects. It has been shown that the proximity of two endocyclic N atoms (two repulsive interactions) results in higher sensitivity than the asymmetric proximity of the endocyclic N atom and NH group (one repulsive and one attractive interaction). To explain this phenomenon, the geometry of the nitro group in coplanar form and after forcing its rotation around the CN bond is discussed. Relative stabilities of nitropurine tautomers in different solvents are also presented. Differences in the stabilities and solvation energies are explained by aromaticity, electronic structure, and intramolecular interactions of the nitropurine tautomers.
Two-Roller Continuous Calibration Process by Compression for Submarine Pipelines
Authors: Peng Deping , Gong Zhongwang , Zhang Shumin , Yu Gaochao
Published: July 2021

Submarine pipeline is a key part in the development of deep sea and ultra-deep sea oil and gas. In order to reduce the ovality of pipes and improve their compressive strength, a two-roller continuous calibration (TRCC) process by compression is proposed. A springback analysis of compress bending is carried out, and an analytical model is established, which predicts ovality after calibration and provides a theoretical basis for roller shape design and process parameter formulation. Numerical simulation and physical experiments are carried out. The distribution of stress and strain is analyzed. The effects of initial ovality, reduction ratio and initial placement angle on the ovality after calibration are studied. When the reduction ratio is about 1%, the ovality is optimal. The theoretical analysis shows that the ovality after calibration is about 0.03%, and the ovality after calibration by numerical simulation and experiment is less than 0.45%, proving the feasibility of the process.
Scientometric Analysis for Mechanical Performance of Broken-Line Long-Span Steel Structure in Construction Considering Geometric Nonlinearity
Authors: Yao Gang , Wu Chaoyu , Yang Yang
Published: July 2021

A structure does not reach a stable state during the construction process, and hence its structural reliability is low. In order to ensure the safety of the construction process and final structural quality, it is necessary to analyze the safety and structural mechanical properties of large-span space steel structures during the construction process. Based on the engineering background of the polyline symmetrical large-span steel structure construction process, this research established a finite element model of the large-span steel structure on an ANSYS platform. The correctness of the model was verified by comparing the measured frequency of the large-span steel structure with the frequency calculated in the finite element model. Based on the life-death element method, the internal force and deformation response characteristics of the large-span steel structure in the construction process were analyzed, and the different effects of the on-time completion and step-by-step construction on the performance of the broken-line large-span steel structure were compared and analyzed. The study found that the long-span steel truss structure is more sensitive to the construction process, and the final forming state is greatly affected by the construction process. The construction sequence is different, and the structure process and size and distribution of the final stress and deformation are also different. The analysis result of the construction process is closer to that of the actual project. Therefore, appropriate construction paths should be used in the construction process to reduce the impact of path effects on structural performance. It is recommended to pay more attention to the displacement and stress response of the truss when it encounters similar a symmetrical long-span steel structure truss in-place of the forming construction.
Social Determinants of Health Influencing the New Zealand COVID-19 Response and Recovery: A Scoping Review and Causal Loop Diagram
Authors: Sharma Sudesh , Walton Mat , Manning Suzanne
Published: July 2021

The Coronavirus pandemic of 2019–20 (COVID-19) affected multiple social determinants of health (SDH) across the globe, including in New Zealand, exacerbating health inequities. Understanding these system dynamics can support decision making for the pandemic response and recovery measures. This study combined a scoping review with a causal loop diagram to further understanding of the connections between SDH, pandemic measures, and both short- and long-term outcomes in New Zealand. The causal loop diagram showed the reinforcing nature of structural SDH, such as colonization and socio-economic influences, on health inequities. While balancing actions taken by government eliminated COVID-19, the diagram showed that existing structural SDH inequities could increase health inequities in the longer term, unless the opportunity is taken for socio-economic policies to be reset. Such policy resets would be difficult to implement, as they are at odds with the current socio-economic system. The causal loop diagram highlighted that SDH significantly influenced the dynamics of the COVID-19 impact and response, pointing to a need for purposeful systemic action to disrupt the reinforcing loops which increase health inequities over time. This will require strong systems leadership, and coordination between policy makers and implementation at local level.
Innovation in 3D Braiding Technology and Its Applications
Authors: Emonts Caroline , Grigat Niels , Merkord Felix , Vollbrecht Ben , Idrissi Akram , Sackmann Johannes , Gries Thomas
Published: July 2021

Braids are generally divided into 2D braids and 3D braids. Two-dimensional braids include flat braids and circular braids. Circular braids represent three-dimensional textiles, as they enclose a volume, but consist of a two-dimensional yarn architecture. Three-dimensional braids are defined by a three-dimensional yarn architecture. Historically, 3D braids were produced on row and column braiding machines with Cartesian or radial machine beds, by bobbin movements around inlay yarns. Three-dimensional rotary braiding machines allow a more flexible braiding process, as the bobbins are moved via individually controlled horn gears and switches. Both braiding machines at the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) of RWTH Aachen University, Germany, are based on the principal of 3D rotary machines. The fully digitized 3D braiding machine with an Industry 4.0 standard enables the near-net-shape production of three-dimensionally braided textile preforms for lightweight applications. The preforms can be specifically reinforced in all three spatial directions according to the application. Complex 3D structures can be produced in just one process step due to the high degree of design freedom. The 3D hexagonal braiding technology is used in the field of medical textiles. The special shape of the horn gears and their hexagonal arrangement provides the densest packing of the bobbins on the machine bed. In addition, the lace braiding mechanism allows two bobbins to occupy the position between two horn gears, maximizing the number of bobbins. One of the main applications is the near-net-shape production of tubular structures, such as complex stent structures. Three-dimensional braiding offers many advantages compared to 2D braiding, e.g., production of complex three-dimensional geometries in one process step, connection of braided layers, production of cross-section changes and ramifications, and local reinforcement of technical textiles without additional process steps. In the following review, the latest developments in 3D braiding, the machine development of 3D braiding machines, as well as software and simulation developments are presented. In addition, various applications in the fields of lightweight construction and medical textiles are introduced.
Overview of Nano-Fiber Mats Fabrication via Electrospinning and Morphology Analysis
Authors: Ahmadian Amirhossein , Shafiee Abbas , Aliahmad Nojan , Agarwal Mangilal
Published: July 2021

Electrospun nano-fibers exhibit two significant properties: a high surface-to-volume ratio and a relatively defect-free molecular structure. Due to the high surface-to-volume ratio, electro-spun materials are well suited for activities requiring increased physical contact, such as providing a site for a chemical reaction or filtration of small-sized physical materials. However, electrospinning has many shortcomings, including difficulties in producing inorganic nanofibers and a limited number or variety of polymers used in the process. The fabrication of nanofiber bundles via electrospinning is explored in this analytical study and the relationship between all effective electrospinning parameters and the relative abundance of various fiber morphologies. Numerous variables could impact the fabrication of nanofibers, resulting in a variety of morphologies such as uniform, entangled, individual beads, beads-on-string, etc. Therefore, adequate ambient conditions and selecting the appropriate polymer and solvent for achieving a homogenous polymer solution and uniform with desired nanofiber properties for different applications of electro-spun materials are examined. Finally, the promising applications of nano-fine fibers in various fields achieved via electrospinning are studied in this paper.
Design of Bio-Absorbent Systems for the Removal of Hydrocarbons from Industrial Wastewater: Pilot-Plant Scale
Authors: Silva-Castro Gloria , Rodríguez-Calvo Alfonso , Robledo-Mahón Tatiana , Aranda Elisabet , González-López Jesús , Calvo Concepción
Published: July 2021

The objective of this study was the development and design of a treatment system at a pilot-plant scale for the remediation of hydrocarbons in industrial wastewater. The treatment consists of a combined approach of absorption and biodegradation to obtain treated water with sufficient quality to be reused in fire defense systems (FDSs). The plant consists of four vertical flow columns (bioreactors) made of stainless steel (ATEX Standard) with dimensions of 1.65 × 0.5 m and water volumes of 192.4 L. Each bioreactor includes a holder to contain the absorbent material (Pad Sentec polypropylene). The effectiveness of the treatment system has been studied in wastewater with high and low pollutant loads (concentrations higher than 60,000 mg L−1 of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and lower than 500 mg L−1 of TPHs, respectively). The pilot-plant design can function at two different flow rates, Q1 (180 L h−1) and Q2 (780 L h−1), with or without additional aeration. The results obtained for strongly polluted wastewaters showed that, at low flow rates, additional aeration enhanced hydrocarbon removal, while aeration was unnecessary at high flow rates. For wastewater with a low pollutant load, we selected a flow rate of 780 L h−1 without aeration. Different recirculation times were also tested along with the application of a post-treatment lasting 7 days inside the bioreactor without recirculation. The microbial diversity studies showed similar populations of bacteria and fungi in the inlet and outlet wastewater. Likewise, high similarity indices were observed between the adhered and suspended biomass within the bioreactors. The results showed that the setup and optimization of the reactor represent a step forward in the application of bioremediation processes at an industrial/large scale.
Development of a LC–MS/MS Method for the Simultaneous Determination of the Mycotoxins Deoxynivalenol (DON) and Zearalenone (ZEA) in Soil Matrix
Authors: Kappenberg Arne , Juraschek Lena Marie
Published: July 2021

Mycotoxins, toxins of fungal origin, can directly or indirectly contaminate food and feed and are poisonous to livestock and humans. While a large amount is known about their occurrence in crops, food, and feeds, little is known about mycotoxin amounts in soil. However, soil is known as a major fungal habitat and a potential sink for mycotoxins in the environment. Furthermore, there is neither a reliable detection nor an extraction method for mycotoxins testing in different soil textures or for potential deficits due to aging processes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to present a reliable extraction and detection method for the simultaneous quantification of the most common mycotoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) and zearalenone (ZEA), via liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). This method was validated with six different samples with different textures and different soil organic matter (SOM). Deuterated standards were used to overcome possible matrix effects. This extraction method could eliminate potential aging processes. The recovery rate was always >80% for DON and >82% for ZEA. The quantification limits were 1 ng per g soil for DON and 0.5 ng per g soil for ZEA.