bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodology for Determining the Nearest Destinations for the Evacuation of People and Equipment from a Disaster Area to a Safe Area
Authors: Korolov Volodymyr , Kurowska Krystyna , Korolova Olha , Zaiets Yaroslav , Milkovich Igor , Kryszk Hubert
Published: June 2021

Floods are the most frequent natural disasters in the world. In the system of warning and flood protection of areas at risk of flooding in the event of its occurrence, it seems advisable to initially work out the possibility of evacuating the population, animals, equipment, material values, etc. In this article, a methodology for determining destinations (points of destination) for the evacuation of people and equipment from a predicted flood zone (of a natural disaster) to a safe area is proposed based upon the criterion of the shortest possible distance. In the paper, a scenario is considered that involves the contours of the flood zone boundaries for several variants of the intensity of the probable development of future events (with the aid of geoinformation technologies), and the coordinates of the objects to evacuate are permanent and known in advance. With the known coordinates of the objects and the closest points of the boundary of the predicted flood zone, the shortest distances can be calculated. Based on these calculations, the appropriate destinations for evacuation are determined. The proposed methodology can be used for flood forecasting and flood zone modeling to assess the economic and social risks of their aftereffects and to allow the public, local governments, and other organizations to better understand the potential risks of floods and to identify the measures needed to save lives and avoid damage to and loss of property and equipment. This methodology, in contrast to known approaches, allows the determination of the nearest locations for the evacuation of people and equipment from a flood zone (of a natural disaster) to safe areas, to be determined for several variants, depending on the possible development of future events. The methodology is algorithm-driven and presented in the form of a flowchart and is suitable for use in the appropriate software. The proposed methodology is an introduction to the next stages of research related to the determination of safe places for evacuation of people and their property (equipment) to safe places. This is especially important in case of sudden weather events (flash floods).
A Novel Muscle Synergy Extraction Method Used for Motor Function Evaluation of Stroke Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ma Yehao , Shi Changcheng , Xu Jialin , Ye Sijia , Zhou Huilin , Zuo Guokun
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we present a novel muscle synergy extraction method based on multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) to overcome the limitation of the nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) method for extracting non-sparse muscle synergy, and we study its potential application for evaluating motor function of stroke survivors. Nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) is the most widely used method for muscle synergy extraction. However, NMF is susceptible to components’ sparseness and usually provides inferior reliability, which significantly limits the promotion of muscle synergy. In this study, MCR-ALS was employed to extract muscle synergy from electromyography (EMG) data. Its performance was compared with two other matrix factorization algorithms, NMF and self-modeling mixture analysis (SMMA). Simulated data sets were utilized to explore the influences of the sparseness and noise on the extracted synergies. As a result, the synergies estimated by MCR-ALS were the most similar to true synergies as compared with SMMA and NMF. MCR-ALS was used to analyze the muscle synergy characteristics of upper limb movements performed by healthy (n = 11) and stroke (n = 5) subjects. The repeatability and intra-subject consistency were used to evaluate the performance of MCR-ALS. As a result, MCR-ALS provided much higher repeatability and intra-subject consistency as compared with NMF, which were important for the reliability of the motor function evaluation. The stroke subjects had lower intra-subject consistency and seemingly had more synergies as compared with the healthy subjects. Thus, MCR-ALS is a promising muscle synergy analysis method for motor function evaluation of stroke patients.
Impact of COVID-19 on IoT Adoption in Healthcare, Smart Homes, Smart Buildings, Smart Cities, Transportation and Industrial IoT
Authors: Umair Muhammad , Cheema Muhammad Aamir , Cheema Omer , Li Huan , Lu Hua
Published: June 2021

COVID-19 has disrupted normal life and has enforced a substantial change in the policies, priorities and activities of individuals, organisations and governments. These changes are proving to be a catalyst for technology and innovation. In this paper, we discuss the pandemic’s potential impact on the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in various broad sectors, namely healthcare, smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, transportation and industrial IoT. Our perspective and forecast of this impact on IoT adoption is based on a thorough research literature review, a careful examination of reports from leading consulting firms and interactions with several industry experts. For each of these sectors, we also provide the details of notable IoT initiatives taken in the wake of COVID-19. We also highlight the challenges that need to be addressed and important research directions that will facilitate accelerated IoT adoption.
Does Intercultural Contact Increase Anti-Racist Behavior on Social Network Sites?
Authors: Imperato Chiara , Keum Brian T. , Mancini Tiziana
Published: June 2021

Empirical attention on online intercultural contact and prejudice reduction are increasing. Nevertheless, still little is known on processes that could influence the contact–prejudice relation as well as the relation between online contact and anti-racist behavior. Based on literature on intergroup contact, the present study aims to fill these gaps, focusing on online intergroup relationships between people from different countries. Specifically, it examines whether and to what extent empathic feelings and online community commitment mediate the relationship between online intergroup contact and both perceived ethnic discrimination and anti-racist behavior on Facebook. We collected data from a predominantly Italian sample of 1018 Facebook users (Mage = 30.03, SDage = 11.09; females: 80.01%); participants filled in an online questionnaire. A semi-full Structural Equation Modeling was used to test hypotheses. The results confirmed that when intergroup contact was established, such contact was able to increase the sense of being committed to the online community, which increased the perception of online discrimination towards ethnic and racial minorities, which in turn was able to increase the anti-racist behavior. The ambivalent role of the empathy in online contexts will be discussed.
Robust Fitting of a Wrapped Normal Model to Multivariate Circular Data and Outlier Detection
Authors: Greco Luca , Saraceno Giovanni , Agostinelli Claudio
Published: June 2021

In this work, we deal with a robust fitting of a wrapped normal model to multivariate circular data. Robust estimation is supposed to mitigate the adverse effects of outliers on inference. Furthermore, the use of a proper robust method leads to the definition of effective outlier detection rules. Robust fitting is achieved by a suitable modification of a classification-expectation-maximization algorithm that has been developed to perform a maximum likelihood estimation of the parameters of a multivariate wrapped normal distribution. The modification concerns the use of complete-data estimating equations that involve a set of data dependent weights aimed to downweight the effect of possible outliers. Several robust techniques are considered to define weights. The finite sample behavior of the resulting proposed methods is investigated by some numerical studies and real data examples.
Smart Visualization of Mixed Data
Authors: Grané Aurea , Manzi Giancarlo , Salini Silvia
Published: June 2021

In this work, we propose a new protocol that integrates robust classification and visualization techniques to analyze mixed data. This protocol is based on the combination of the Forward Search Distance-Based (FS-DB) algorithm (Grané, Salini, and Verdolini 2020) and robust clustering. The resulting groups are visualized via MDS maps and characterized through an analysis of several graphical outputs. The methodology is illustrated on a real dataset related to European COVID-19 numerical health data, as well as the policy and restriction measurements of the 2020–2021 COVID-19 pandemic across the EU Member States. The results show similarities among countries in terms of incidence and the management of the emergency across several waves of the disease. With the proposed methodology, new smart visualization tools for analyzing mixed data are provided.
Open Data Based Urban For-Profit Music Venues Spatial Layout Pattern Discovery
Authors: Wang Xueqi , Zou Zhichong
Published: June 2021

The spatial pattern of music venues is one of the key decision-making factors for urban planning and development strategies. Understanding the current configurations and future demands of music venues is fundamental to scholars, planners, and designers. There is an urgent need to discover the spatial pattern of music venues nationwide with high precision. This paper aims at an open data solution to discover the hidden hierarchical structure of the for-profit music venues and their dynamic relationship with urban economies. Data collected from the largest two public ticketing websites are used for clustering-based ranking modeling and spatial pattern discovery of music venues in 28 cities as recorded. The model is based on a multi-stage hierarchical clustering algorithm to level those cities into four groups according to the website records which can be used to describe the total music industry scale and activity vitality of cities. Data collected from the 2018 China City Statistical Year Book, including the GDP per capita, disposable income per capita, the permanent population, and the number of patent applications, are used as socio-economic indicators for the city-level potential capability of music industry development ranking. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and the Kendall rank correlation coefficient are applied to test the consistency of the above city-level rankings. The results are 0.782 and 0.744 respectively, which means there is a relatively significant correlation between the scale level of current music venue configuration and the potential to develop the music industry. Average nearest neighbor index (ANNI), quadrate analysis, and Moran’s I are used to identify the spatial patterns of music venues of individual cities. The results indicate that music venues in urban centers show more spatial aggregation, where the spatial accessibility of music activity services takes the lead significantly, while a certain amount of venues with high service capacity distribute in suburban areas. The findings can provide decision support for urban planners to formulate effective policies and rational site-selection schemes on urban cultural facilities, leading to smart city rational construction and sustainable economic benefit.
Food Loss and Waste in Meat Sector—Why the Consumption Stage Generates the Most Losses?
Authors: Karwowska Małgorzata , Łaba Sylwia , Szczepański Krystian
Published: June 2021

The aim of this paper is to present data on the scale of food waste in the meat sector and to emphasize the need to disseminate measures to reduce the number of losses in this sector. The article discusses food loss and waste in the meat sector as a current, widespread and serious problem. The Web of Science database was searched up to March 2021 to find publications reporting studies of the food loss and waste with particular emphasis on the meat sector. Due to the relatively high consumption of meat and meat products, the level of losses during production and of product waste by consumers in consumer stage becomes significant. It is estimated that as much as 23% of production in the meat sector is lost and wasted. The largest share is generated at the consumption level, representing 64% of the total food waste, followed by manufacturing (20%), distribution (12%) and primary production and post-harvest (3.5%). Data on food losses and wastage in the meat sector are very limited, and at the same time the production of meat and meat products is characterized by an unfavorable impact on the environment (meat has the highest emissions per kilogram of food compared to other food products), which requires rational management of these products in the entire chain (production, processing, transport and consumer stage). Therefore, determining the size and causes of formation as well as the methods of reducing food losses and food waste throughout the meat sector is important both for economic and environmental reasons. The idea behind food loss and waste reduction should be as an opportunity to improve efficiency within businesses, redirect food to those who need it and reduce environmental impacts.
Unhealthy Neighbourhood “Syndrome”: A Useful Label for Analysing and Providing Advice on Urban Design Decision-Making?
Authors: AlWaer Husam , Speedie Joshua , Cooper Ian
Published: June 2021

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was growing interest in designing healthier neighbourhoods. Adopting this perspective brings attention to how conditions in neighbourhoods (directly and indirectly) affect their inhabitants’ physical health and mental wellbeing. However, considerably less attention has been paid to how to alleviate such conditions through integrated interventions designed to operate specifically at the neighbourhood scale. To address this gap, this paper introduces the term “unhealthy neighbourhood syndrome” (UNS). The conceptual clarity and practical utility offered by using this term are critically examined. The paper contains a rigorous review and critical analysis of academic and grey literature on what are held to be the relationships between key features of the built environment and people’s health and wellbeing. It also examines literature offering advice on how urban designers should make neighbourhoods healthier. It illustrates the complexity of the range of issues involved and the complicated web of top down, bottom up and middling out actors that need to be involved in making decisions about them. Despite having inherent weaknesses, the term “unhealthy neighbourhood syndrome” is judged to be useful. It illustrates how seemingly separate issues operate in urban design, promoted for tackling specific symptoms of ill health, need to be addressed jointly through an integrated programme of parallel work streams operating at the neighbourhood scale. The paper is innovative in identifying the wide cluster of symptoms used to describe unhealthy neighbourhoods in the literature as being a “syndrome”. Its significance lies in its injunction that this syndrome needs to be tackled through integrated streams of remedial action drawing on experience and expertise that lie beyond those offered by the traditional membership of urban design teams.
Status of Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): A Case Study of South Korea
Authors: Odey Golden , Adelodun Bashir , Kim Sang-Hyun , Choi Kyung-Sook
Published: June 2021

The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as an environmental-impact assessment tool has received increasing attention over the years. Unlike the water footprint (WF) and carbon footprint (CF) assessments, whose focus is only on a single environmental aspect, the LCA systematically analyzes the different impacts along the entire life cycle, making possible the identification of potential environmental tradeoffs. In Korea, LCA has drawn much attention from both industry and academia since the mid-1990s. However, the level of Korean-related LCA studies with respect to different sectors in the last 20 years has not been analyzed. This study, therefore, sought to assess the status of environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies in South Korea. Specifically, the study focused on a bibliometric review of LCAs conducted in South Korea in the last 20 years and identified potential research gaps. Online searches of English-written articles published between 2000 and 2019 were conducted on Google, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, using eligible keywords. At the end of the search, about 91 LCA-related studies were discovered for South Korea within the study period. The majority of these studies focused on the construction (47%) and energy (30%) sectors, with fewer environmental studies on manufacturing (11%), transportation (9%), agriculture (2%), and information and communication (1%) industries. Based on publication trends, results show that LCA studies in South Korea have been on the rise in the past 20 years, even though the number of publications has not followed a constant pace. In comparison with the economic sectors of the country, reports show an inadequacy in the coverage of major industries of growing economic relevance, such as tourism, health, and agriculture, suggesting a need to increase and improve LCA-related studies in these sectors.
A Holistic Assessment of Construction and Demolition Waste Management in the Nigerian Construction Projects
Authors: Aboginije Ademilade , Aigbavboa Clinton , Thwala Wellington
Published: June 2021

This study provides a holistic assessment of the current waste management strategies implemented in Nigerian construction projects. The data used in this study were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data were collected through survey questionnaires distributed via emails of the targeted respondents who are construction professionals in the study area of Lagos metropolis, while the secondary data were collected via the review of related literature. Out of the 200 questionnaires distributed, only 168 valid forms were retrieved. The collected data accounted for 84% of the entire survey and were suitable for the analysis. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted while the reliability of the research survey instrument was tested using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient reliability. The result indicated that the waste management strategies were clustered into three groups, comprising practical legal framework and modular construction, sustainable procurement and material optimisation, and proper construction detailing and design. In conclusion, the waste management strategies implemented in Nigeria were assessed as being “not sustainable enough”. However, it is recommended that there is an upgrading in either the approach or method of application of waste management strategies in order to ensure its sustainability.
A Comprehensive Framework for Evaluating Sustainable Green Building Indicators under an Uncertain Environment
Authors: Abdel-Basset Mohamed , Gamal Abduallah , Chakrabortty Ripon K. , Ryan Michael , El-Saber Nissreen
Published: June 2021

The development of sustainable green buildings (GBs) is a major contribution to the preservation of the environment. Sustainable thinking in GB construction is not a supplementary element, but rather necessary to achieve the building’s functional, economic, and environmental efficiency in order to preserve resources and meet current and future needs. In particular, developing countries can apply the idea of sustainability in GBs by following international policies and standards, combined with their local characteristics, to construct GBs that are aligned with the environment and are in line with the available local capabilities and resources. The paper focuses on the dimensions and indicators of sustainable design for GBs in developing countries to achieve the positive dimensions of building sustainability, such as preserving energy and natural resources, water management, adaptation to the surrounding environment, and respecting the needs of its users. We assess and prioritize the dimensions and indicators of GBs through the use of a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method under a neutrosophic environment. Initially, the Delphi method is employed to capture preference and to determine the dimensions and their indicators in addition to provide preference among sub-indicators. The relative importance of the selected dimensions and indicators is assessed through the analytical hierarchy method (AHP) method. The results indicate that the water efficiency dimension is the most significant, with a weight of 0.330, while the energy efficiency dimension is the least significant for GBs in developing countries, with a weight of 0.100. The paper concludes with a set of administrative implications for applying sustainable development strategies in GBs.
Crafting a Sustainable Next Generation Infrastructure: Evaluation of China’s New Infrastructure Construction Policies
Authors: Wu Jun , Zhang Yuanjie , Shi Zhun
Published: June 2021

How to boost the economy and achieve more sustainable development with enhanced quality, efficiency, and fairness by leveraging digital technology in the post-COVID-19 era has been an important agenda faced by many countries. As China’s new infrastructure initiative has the potential to open a new pathway for economic resilience, its policy characteristics and orientation have attracted more and more attention by policy makers and researchers. Taking the new infrastructure policies issued by Chinese local governments since 2020 as a data source, this paper, on the one hand, uses text mining and social network analysis to reveal the scope and coverage of the construction of new infrastructure and its orientation. On the other hand, a quantitative evaluation of 12 provincial policies grounded on a revised framework and policy modeling consistency index approach was conducted. The results show that Chinese governments adopt a bottom-up incrementalism planning mode for the policy steering of the construction of new infrastructure. This policy arrangement is a kind of goal-oriented modulation that makes planning more adaptive and participatory to enhance the infrastructure sustainability.
Active Learning as a Beyond-the-Classroom Strategy to Improve University Students’ Career Adaptability
Authors: Hui Tracy , Lau Sam S. S. , Yuen Mantak
Published: June 2021

Geopolitical changes worldwide, together with rapid advances in technology, have created a situation where an individual’s working life can present many new challenges. Helping students develop the attitudes and skills necessary to adapt to constant change along a career path has become a priority in education. Developing this career adaptability is becoming increasingly important to the sustainability of democracy, the economy, justice, human values, and equality. The authors of this paper argue that to improve the quality of our education system in universities, active learning should play a more important role to enrich the typical lecturing–learning processes. The aim of the study reported here was to examine the impact from implementing a 3-month active learning program that took university students beyond the classroom to increase their career adaptability and self-esteem and to strengthen their meaning in life. A mixed-method approach was adopted and conducted in two phases with 119 undergraduate students in human resources management at a university in Hong Kong. Findings suggested a significant improvement in career adaptability of the students after participating in the program when compared to a control group. However, data did not indicate any significant change in self-esteem and meaning in life in the training group. The findings support the valuable role of active learning as a strategy to enhance students’ career adaptability in a changing but sustainable world of employment.
Impacts of Recreational SCUBA Diving on a Natural Area in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Authors: Balzaretti Merino Natalia , Bravo-Olivas Myrna Leticia , Chávez-Dagostino Rosa María , Medina-Rosas Pedro
Published: June 2021

Despite the protection status of the marine area in Los Arcos, it has experienced reef deterioration associated with tourism activities. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze SCUBA divers’ impacts by quantifying and typifying their contact with the seabed, and to determine if the diving leader’s performance is related to the behavior of the divers being guided. The number and type of impacts on the seabed were counted and categorized as intentional and non-intentional. A total of 9811 contacts were made by 101 divers. The highest frequency type of non-intentional contact identified was “lifting sediment”, following by non-intentional—fins. The “hands” intentional contact type was found to occur most often. The highest frequency of total contacts per diver was “very high” (31.7%). By analyzing the profile of the divers related to their certification level, number of dives, SCUBA center attended, and leader, it was possible to establish a relationship between the number of contacts made by the leader and the number of contacts made by the divers guided by each leader. Our findings suggest the need for a joint approach of key players toward good practices to highlight the important role of diving leaders on their clients’ behavior, and thus preserve the ecological and aesthetic qualities of the dive site.
Spatiotemporal Response of Vegetation to Rainfall and Air Temperature Fluctuations in the Sahel: Case Study in the Forest Reserve of Fina, Mali
Authors: Sanogo Karamoko , Birhanu Birhanu Zemadim , Sanogo Souleymane , Aishetu Abdulkadir , Ba Abdramane
Published: June 2021

Forests constitute a key component of the Earth system but the sustainability of the forest reserves in the semi-arid zone is a real concern since its vegetation is very sensitive to the climate fluctuation. The understanding of the mechanisms for the vegetation–climate interaction is poorly studied in the context of African Sahel. In this study, the characteristics of the vegetation response to the fluctuations of precipitation and temperature is determined for the forest reserve of Fina. Rainfall estimates, air temperature and NDVI were re-gridded to a same spatial resolution and standardized with respect to their respective long-term mean. Lag-correlations analysis was used to estimate lag times between changes of climate variables and vegetation response at both seasonal and interannual bases. Results show increasing tendency of NDVI started from the 1990s coinciding the recovery of the rainfall from the 1980s drought, and the obtained correlation (r = 0.66) is statistically significant (p value < 0.01). The strongest responses of vegetation to rainfall and temperature fluctuations were found after 30 and 15 days, respectively. Moreover, at a shorter time lag (e.g., 15 days), more pronounced vegetation responses to both rainfall and temperature were found in agriculturally dominated land while at a longer time lag (e.g., 30 days), a stronger response was observed in Bare-dominated land. The vegetation response to the climate fluctuation is modulated by the land-use/cover dynamics.
The Nexus between Proactive Eco-Innovation and Firm Financial Performance: A Circular Economy Perspective
Authors: Johl Satirenjit Kaur , Toha Md Abu
Published: June 2021

Eco-innovation has gained considerable attention in the academic and corporate world due to its potential in mitigating a firm’s sustainability issues. Most previous studies focused on the reactive approaches of eco-innovation using primary data. This study mitigates the existing research gap by highlighting proactive eco-innovation and using a secondary panel dataset. The prime objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between proactive eco-innovation and firms’ financial performance. Hence, the study will introduce the proactive eco-innovation index with the help of secondary panel data. In addition to that, the paper will also explore how proactive eco-innovation relates to circular economy. The theory of Resource-Based View (RBV) was used to explain the relationship among the variables. This study was conducted on 31 Malaysian public listed energy companies from 2015 to 2019. A proactive eco-innovation index was inferred by adapting three dimensions of eco-innovation (product, process, and technology) which is applicable for the energy sector. By applying random-effects GLS regression equation modeling, it was found that proactive eco-innovation (product eco-innovation, process eco-innovation, and technology eco-innovation) has a direct effect on firm financial performance. Furthermore, product and process eco-innovation is directly related to a circular economy through a sustainable product development process. The findings suggest that policymakers in the firm should proactively adopt eco-innovative practices. It will positively affect the circular economy as it will be cost-effective and help to reduce potential industrial pollution in the environment.
Development of a Mosque Design for a Hot, Dry Climate Based on a Holistic Bioclimatic Vision
Authors: Ahriz Atef , Mesloub Abdelhakim , Elkhayat Khaled , Alghaseb Mohammed A , Abdelhafez Mohamed Hassan , Ghosh Aritra
Published: June 2021

Over 50% of the total energy consumed by buildings in a hot and dry climate goes toward the cooling regime during the harsh months. Non-residential buildings, especially houses of worship, need a tremendous amount of energy to create a comfortable environment for worshipers. Today, mosques are regarded as energy-hungry buildings, whereas in the past, they were designed according to sustainable vernacular architecture. This study was aimed at improving the energy performance of mosques in a hot and dry climate using bioclimatic principles and architectural elements. To achieve this aim, a process-based simulation approach was applied together with a generate and test technique on 86 scenarios based on 10 architectural elements, with various arithmetic transition rates organized in 9 successive steps. Starting from a simplified hypothetical model, the final model of the mosque design was arrived at based on a holistic bioclimatic vision using 10 architectural elements. The findings of this research were limited to a specific mosque size in a hot and dry climate, but the proposed holistic bioclimatic concept can be developed to take into account all mosque models in several harsh environments.
Going Intellectually Green: Exploring the Nexus between Green Intellectual Capital, Environmental Responsibility, and Environmental Concern towards Environmental Performance
Authors: Shah Syed Mir Muhammad , Ahmed Umair , Ismail Abdussalaam Iyanda , Mozammel Soleman
Published: June 2021

In the workplace, green prospects are gaining much importance these days, although not much is known about the green intellectual capital and its contribution towards pro-environment behavior and outcomes. As the world experiences environmental concerns, it has become imperative for businesses to look into ways through which they can improve their environmental footprints. Hence, the current study examines the nexus between green intellectual capital (green human capital, green structural capital, and green relational capital) and environmental performance. The study also tested if environmental responsibility mediates the association and examined the role of environmental concern as a moderator. Data were gathered from the hotel sectors in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates and analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach via Smart PLS. The results show a significant association between green human and relational capital with environmental performance; a strong association was also found between environmental responsibility and environmental performance. The results also report a significant association between the three factors of green intellectual capital and environmental responsibility. The results found a mediating effect of environmental responsibility, whereas environmental concern only moderated the association between green human capital and environmental performance. The study presents prominent implications for theory and practice, followed by recommendations for future studies.
Configuration of Allocated Mangrove Areas and Protection of Mangrove-Dominated Muddy Coasts: Knowledge Gaps and Recommendations
Authors: Phong Nguyen Tan , Luom Thai Thanh
Published: June 2021

Mangrove-dominated muddy coasts have been allocated for developing livelihood models, particularly in developing countries. Uncontrolled allocation causes the mangrove forests to be vulnerable and even severely eroded. Restoration of vulnerable and eroded coastal areas has been merely conservation-driven, leaving livelihood-oriented mangrove forests unprotected. As a consequence, mangrove-dominated muddy coasts have not been well-protected. How livelihood-oriented mangrove forests are configured towards protecting coasts and protecting local livelihoods remains a challenge. This study employed a critical review for addressing this matter. The results reveal that there is limited practical knowledge of configuring livelihood-oriented models for protecting the coasts. The configuration process reported in this study is merely based on technical recommendations in South East Asia to date. The recommended configuration commences with the first stage of voluntarily designating a certain percentage of allocated forests on the seaward side to protect coasts, relocating livelihood models in the gaps among current stands of mangrove forests landward. Abandoned ponds are ecologically restored using sediment trapping structures for providing suitable substrate for promoting regrowth of local mangrove species as the second stage, followed by designation of an appropriate percentage as mangrove belts on the seaward side. The two-step configuration is highly likely to be replicable and applicable nationally and regionally due to full consideration of different political, sociocultural, and environmental characteristics in Vietnam and Indonesia.
Reflective Practice in Times of Covid-19: A Tool to Improve Education for Sustainable Development in Pre-Service Teacher Training
Authors: Fuertes-Camacho M. Teresa , Dulsat-Ortiz Carles , Álvarez-Cánovas Isabel
Published: June 2021

Crisis situations such as the current Covid-19 pandemic are a catalyst for change. This study stresses the need to work towards achieving quality education, and to prepare future teachers in sustainability competencies. The research questions are related to the key competencies necessary to accelerate change and to how to increase awareness and literacy of the SDGs in higher education. A quantitative methodology aimed at improving the training of future teachers who engage in reflective and critical thinking was used. Data were gathered on the level of reflection of students from three Spanish universities. The instrument used, the Reflective Practice Questionnaire, includes concepts defined in the literature related to reflective capacity such as Reflection in Action, Reflection on Action and Reflection with Others. The results of the study provide quantitative data showing a positive impact of reflective practice on future teachers. Education for sustainable development requires participatory methods that motivate and empower students to change their behaviour. Reflective practice must be accompanied by processes of communication and supervision that encourage confidence and the desire to improve. Training future teachers in reflective practice should be a differentiating element to achieve quality education, allowing adaptation to current and future adverse situations.
Comparison of Biochar Materials Derived from Coconut Husks and Various Types of Livestock Manure, and Their Potential for Use in Removal of H2S from Biogas
Authors: Su Lianghu , Chen Mei , Zhuo Guihua , Ji Rongting , Wang Saier , Zhang Longjiang , Zhang Mingzhu , Li Haidong
Published: June 2021

As a potential adsorbent material, loose, porous livestock manure biochar provides a new approach to livestock manure resource utilization. In this study, coconut husks (CH) and livestock manure, i.e., cow dung (CD), pig manure (PM), and chicken manure (CM) were used as biomass precursors for preparation of biochar via high-temperature pyrolysis and CO2 activation. Characterization technologies, such as scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, adsorption–desorption isotherms, and pore size distributions, were used to study the microscopic morphologies and physicochemical properties of unactivated and activated biochar materials. The results showed that CD biochar provides better adsorption performance (up to 29.81 mg H2S/g) than CM or PM biochar. After activation at 650° for 1 h, the best adsorption performance was 38.23 mg H2S/g. For comparison, the CH biochar removal performance was 30.44 mg H2S/g. Its best performance was 38.73 mg H2S/g after 1 h of activation at 750 °C. Its best removal performance is equivalent to that of CH biochar activated at a temperature that is 100 °C higher. Further material characterization indicates that the H2S removal performance of livestock-manure–derived biochar is not entirely dependent on the specific surface area, but is closely related to the pore size distribution.
Management to Support Multiple Ecosystem Services from Productive Grasslands
Authors: Savage Joanna , Woodcock Ben A. , Bullock James M. , Nowakowski Marek , Tallowin Jeremy R. B. , Pywell Richard F.
Published: June 2021

Sustainable intensification will require the development of new management systems to support global food demands, whilst conserving the integrity of ecosystem functions. Here, we test and identify management strategies to maintain or enhance agricultural production in grasslands whilst simultaneously supporting the provision of multiple ecosystem services. Over four years, we investigated how the establishment of three plant functional groups (grasses, legumes, and other flowering forbs), using different cultivation (minimum tillage and deep ploughing) and management (cutting, grazing and their intensity) techniques, affected provision and complementarity between key ecosystem services. These ecosystem services were agronomic production, pollination, pest control, food resources for farmland birds, and soil services. We found that the establishment of floristically diverse swards, particularly those containing grasses, legumes and forbs, maximised forage yield and quality, pollinator abundance, soil nitrogen, and bird food resources, as well as enhancing populations of natural predators of pests. Cutting management increased bird food resources and natural predators of pests without depleting other services considered. However, a single management solution to maximise the delivery of all ecosystem services is unlikely to exist, as trade-offs also occurred. Consequently, management options may need to be tailored to strategically support localised deficits in key ecosystem services.
Toward a Sustainable Decommissioning of Offshore Platforms in the Oil and Gas Industry: A PESTLE Analysis
Authors: Capobianco Nunzia , Basile Vincenzo , Loia Francesca , Vona Roberto
Published: June 2021

The growing complexity of environmental challenges has progressively led to the emergence of Sustainable Business Models (SBMs) able to embed economic, environmental, and social flows in a unified value network. All sectors are demanding innovative and sustainable solutions, including the oil and gas industry, which aims to address the issues about the decommissioning of offshore platforms. However, although the relevant literature highlighted the potentialities related to a multi-reuse of these structures, the effect of Sustainable Decommissioning (SD) on macro-environmental factors is still an open question. Based on these considerations, this study follows a Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, and Environmental (PESTLE) analysis according to semi-structured interviews conducted with oil and gas key informants and stakeholders in the Italian context. The results of the analysis can provide a novel thinking for addressing the challenges related to a sustainable decommissioning of offshore platforms and shed light on the importance of synergistic efforts by local entrepreneurship and institutional arrangements to combine economic and environmental sustainability with social needs. This paper can contribute to the emerging field of sustainable business models related to the decommissioning of offshore platforms and suggests avenues for future research.
Modeling Corporate Environmental Responsibility Perceptions and Job-Seeking Intentions: Examining the Underlying Mechanism
Authors: Chowdhury Md Sohel , Kang Dae-seok
Published: June 2021

This study aims to propose and empirically test a research model to examine the relationship between prospective employees’ corporate environmental responsibility (CER) perceptions and their attraction to an organization based on social theories. This may be the first study to elucidate how CER perceptions can influence prospective employees’ job-seeking intentions by exploring the sequential mediating mechanism of organizational trust and job-seeking attitudes in a prehire context. Collecting data from a sample of 357 young prospective employees, the research hypotheses were tested using path analysis with AMOS (version 24), a structural equation modeling (SEM) program. The study results revealed direct association of CER perceptions and job-seeking attitudes with job-seeking intentions. Observably, the organizational trust could not predict job-seeking intentions. However, organizational trust and job-seeking attitudes together sequentially and partially mediated the direct effects of CER perceptions on job-seeking intentions. In line with the research findings, some notable theoretical contributions and practical implications for HR professionals have been discussed. The paper concludes by presenting some limitations and future research directions.
The Pandemic of Productivity: A Narrative Inquiry into the Value of Leisure Time
Authors: Klaver Jessica S. , Lambrechts Wim
Published: June 2021

This study explored narratives derived from in-depth interviews to demonstrate how an increase in leisure time could positively affect both our subjective well-being, through a better balance of work and “self”, and the environment, through a change in consumption practices. Firstly, the analysis of the interviews provided insight into the social function of work. Work creates feelings of connection and belonging; however, it can also create the opposite, negatively affecting our experience of leisure time, our productivity, and our well-being. Participants described how paid work provided structure and routine, which resulted in an increased feeling of subjective well-being. However, a lack of structure and routine during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected feelings of “usefulness” and “productivity”. Secondly, an increase in leisure time created more opportunities for autonomy, leading to more unforced leisure activities and a better balance between work and self. Moreover, an increase in autonomy could be achieved through both increased work flexibility and a shorter working week. Lastly, this study aimed to demonstrate that more leisure time during lockdown periods can change how we spend our free time, therefore resulting in more pro-environmental consumer behaviour. This study intended to contribute to a gap in the literature: effects of leisure time on the balance between work and the “self”. The research setting offered limited opportunities for researching intentional, sustainable consumer behaviour, which provides an opportunity for further research.
Universal Synthesizer of Mueller Matrices Based on the Symmetry Properties of the Enpolarizing Ellipsoid
Authors: Gil José J. , José Ignacio San
Published: June 2021

Polarimetry is today a widely used and powerful tool for nondestructive analysis of the structural and morphological properties of a great variety of material samples, including aerosols and hydrosols, among many others. For each given scattering measurement configuration, absolute Mueller polarimeters provide the most complete polarimetric information, intricately encoded in the 16 parameters of the corresponding Mueller matrix. Thus, the determination of the mathematical structure of the polarimetric information contained in a Mueller matrix constitutes a topic of great interest. In this work, besides a structural decomposition that makes explicit the role played by the diattenuation-polarizance of a general depolarizing medium, a universal synthesizer of Muller matrices is developed. This is based on the concept of an enpolarizing ellipsoid, whose symmetry features are directly linked to the way in which the polarimetric information is organized.
On Markov Moment Problem and Related Results
Authors: Olteanu Octav
Published: June 2021

We prove new results and complete our recently published theorems on the vector-valued Markov moment problem, by means of polynomial approximation on unbounded subsets, also applying an extension of the positive linear operators’ result. The domain is the Banach lattice of continuous real-valued functions on a compact subset or an Lν1 space, where ν is a positive moment determinate measure on a closed unbounded set. The existence and uniqueness of the operator solution are proved. Our solutions satisfy the interpolation moment conditions and are between two given linear operators on the positive cone of the domain space. The norm controlling of the solution is emphasized. The most part of the results are stated and proved in terms of quadratic forms. This type of result represents the first aim of the paper. Secondly, we construct a polynomial solution for a truncated multidimensional moment problem.
Role of Macrophages in Cytotoxicity, Reactive Oxygen Species Production and DNA Damage in 1,2-Dichloropropane-Exposed Human Cholangiocytes In Vitro
Authors: Ekuban Abigail , Zong Cai , Ekuban Frederick Adams , Kimura Yusuke , Takizawa Ryoya , Morikawa Kota , Kinoshita Kazuo , Ichihara Sahoko , Ohsako Seiichiroh , Ichihara Gaku
Published: June 2021

1,2-Dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), a synthetic chlorinated organic compound, was extensively used in the past in offset color proof-printing. In 2014, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) reclassified 1,2-DCP from its initial Group 3 to Group 1. Prior to the reclassification, cholangiocarcinoma was diagnosed in a group of workers exposed to 1,2 -DCP in an offset color proof-printing company in Japan. In comparison with other forms of cholangiocarcinoma, 1,2-DCP-induced cholangiocarcinoma was of early onset and accompanied by extensive pre-cancerous lesions in large bile ducts. However, the mechanism of 1,2-DCP-induced cholangiocarcinoma is poorly understood. Inflammatory cell proliferation was observed in various sites of the bile duct in the noncancerous hepatic tissues of the 1,2-DCP-induced cholangiocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to enhance our understanding of the mechanism of 1,2-DCP-related cholangiocarcinogenesis. We applied an in vitro system to investigate the effects of 1,2-DCP, using MMNK-1 cholangiocytes cultured alone or with THP-1 macrophages. The cultured cells were exposed to 1,2-DCP at 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 mM for 24 h, and then assessed for cell proliferation, cell cytotoxicity, DNA damage, and ROS production. Exposure to 1,2-DCP increased proliferation of MMNK-1 cholangiocytes cultured alone, but not those cultured with macrophages. 1,2-DCP also increased LDH cytotoxicity, DNA damage, and ROS production in MMNK-1 cholangiocytes co-cultured with macrophages but not those cultured alone. 1,2-DCP increased TNFα and IL-1β protein expression in macrophages. The results highlight the role of macrophages in enhancing the effects of 1,2-DCP on cytotoxicity, ROS production, and DNA damage in cholangiocytes.
Uterus Transplantation: Challenges and the Dawn of a New Organ Transplantation
Authors: Kisu Iori
Published: June 2021

For women with absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI), uterus transplantation (UTx) is now an alternative to gestational surrogacy or adoption in order to have a child [...]