bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paying for the Past: The Importance of Fulfilling Promises as a Key Component to Resolving Human–Wildlife Conflict
Authors: Anthony Brandon P.
Published: July 2021

Damage-causing animals (DCAs) originating from protected areas which inflict damage on persons and property are particularly contentious when promises to satisfactorily address such conflicts, either by protected areas or other management institutions, are left unfulfilled. Human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) of this nature can erode trust and if not adequately resolved, assure the maintenance of tense relationships between parks and neighboring communities. This paper, based on archival research, interviews and community focus groups, examines management responses to the long history of DCAs exiting the Kruger National Park (KNP), South Africa. First, I document historical promises of compensation and the subsequent responses by conservation agencies to local communities to address these past injustices. Recent strategies to the DCA problem at KNP have been multi-faceted and include a wildlife damage compensation scheme initiated in 2014 which entails financial retribution given to affected farmers who have lost, and continue to lose, livestock to DCAs originating from the park from 2008 to date. I then present livestock farmers’ recent perceptions of DCAs, the compensation scheme itself, and proposed avenues for going forward. Despite continuing challenges in the process, I demonstrate that fulfilling promises is a key step to building relational trust and legitimacy and must be considered in similar contexts where protected areas and other conservation agencies are key actors in managing HWC.
Reducing Socioeconomic Inequalities in the European Union in the Context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Authors: Szymańska Agata
Published: July 2021

The paper analyzes selected indicators monitoring the socioeconomic conditions of the European Union with regard to reducing inequalities. The main attention is paid to the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goal 10, which calls for reducing inequalities within and among countries. The empirical part of the study is based on two separate studies and the data source is Eurostat. The first study focuses on the dynamics of the SDG10 indicators for the EU27. Due to the limited availability of all SDG10 indicators, the timeframe of this study covers the years 2010–2019. As a result, the SDG10 indicators for the EU27 as a whole are analyzed over that period or via a comparison of disparities between the two extreme dates, i.e., between 2010 and 2019. The second study focuses on the analysis of (dis)similarities of 27 individual European Union member states with respect to a set of variables capturing the socioeconomic conditions of these countries. The method used is cluster analysis, supported by the linear ordering method and principal component analysis. Due to the limited availability of indicators measuring the progress towards SDG10, especially those related to the evaluation of a citizenship gap, the second research does not use all indicators directly assigned to SDG10 (because most of them are not available for all countries), but rather employs a set of additional variables that may potentially affect the levels and dynamics of inequalities among and within countries. The general conclusion of the study is that the analysis of SDG10 indicators over the medium term (i.e., over the period 2010–2019) implies that the EU27 was able to make progress in reducing inequalities among countries; however, the income inequalities within countries persist or have even deepened. The insights from multivariate statistical methods emphasize the existing disparities between a group of countries, including Spain, Bulgaria, and Romania, and the rest of the EU countries in both analyzed years (i.e., in 2010 and 2019), regardless of the set of variables applied in analyses. Moreover, the results highlight the persistence in disparities between “old” and “new” member states and suggest the disparity between the “peripheral” and the rest of the “old” EU countries. Furthermore, the role of expenditure on social protection in affecting income disparities is emphasized, as is the impact of demographic factors in emphasizing the differences in socioeconomic situations across EU member states.
Effects of Dietary Tannins’ Supplementation on Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation, and Enteric Methane Emissions in Beef Cattle: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Orzuna-Orzuna José , Dorantes-Iturbide Griselda , Lara-Bueno Alejandro , Mendoza-Martínez Germán , Miranda-Romero Luis , Hernández-García Pedro
Published: July 2021

The environmental sustainability of beef production is a significant concern within the food production system. Tannins (TANs) can be used to minimize the environmental impact of ruminant production because they can improve ruminal fermentation and ruminants’ lifetime performances and mitigate methane (CH4) emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with TANs as sustainable natural alternative to reduce the environmental impact on growth performance, rumen fermentation, enteric CH4 emissions, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency of beef cattle through a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of studies published in scientific journals that investigated the effects of TANs’ supplementation on the variables of interest was performed using the Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. The data analyzed were extracted from 32 peer-reviewed publications. The effects of TANs were assessed using random-effects statistical models to examine the standardized mean difference (SMD) between TANs’ treatments and control (non-TANs). The heterogeneity was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analysis was performed for the covariates that were significant. TANs’ supplementation did not affect weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, or N use efficiency (p > 0.05). However, it reduced the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in rumen (SMD = −0.508, p < 0.001), CH4 emissions per day (SMD = −0.474, p < 0.01) and per unit dry matter intake (SMD = −0.408, p < 0.01), urinary N excretion (SMD = −0.338, p < 0.05), and dry matter digestibility (SMD = −0.589, p < 0.001). Ruminal propionate (SMD = 0.250) and butyrate (SMD = 0.198) concentrations and fecal N excretion (SMD = 0.860) improved in response to TANs’ supplementation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible to use TANs as a CH4 mitigation strategy without affecting cattle growth rate. In addition, the shift from urinary to fecal N may be beneficial for environment preservation, as urinary N induces more harmful emissions than fecal N. Therefore, the addition of tannins in the diet of beef cattle could be used as a sustainable natural alternative to reduce the environmental impact of beef production.
“Is Sharing Really Caring?”: The Role of Environmental Concern and Trust Reflecting Usage Intention of “Station-Based” and “Free-Floating”—Carsharing Business Models
Authors: Kuhn Marc , Marquardt Viola , Selinka Sarah
Published: July 2021

Global use of carsharing has increased. The dominant model is station-based carsharing, but free-floating providers are continuously increasing their businesses volumes. Carsharing customers have been described as environmentally conscious with a high preference for mobility providers who show responsibility and trustworthiness. This generalization of usage determinants appears to be questionable given the background of current market developments. Existing research in the area is lacking a context-sensitive view of the antecedents of potential carsharing usage. Do environmental concerns and trust have similar effects on usage intention of carsharing, when free-floating providers implement business models that are more flexible, digital, and sophisticated? Using a standardized online survey, this study paper applied a framework adapted from the Theory of Planned Behavior (ToPB) that included the constructs of trust and environmental concern. The focus was on Share Now and Stadtmobil, which are the largest free-floating and station-based providers, respectively, in Germany. Using structural equation modeling, the study explored potential perception differences between both business models among German consumers. Although not significant, results indicate slightly higher total effects of environmental concern and initial trust on the usage intention of station-based compared to free-floating carsharing. Depending on the type of carsharing, different priorities should be set in the respective business model.
Biodegradable Material for Oyster Reef Restoration: First-Year Performance and Biogeochemical Considerations in a Coastal Lagoon
Authors: Nitsch Chelsea K. , Walters Linda J. , Sacks Joshua S. , Sacks Paul E. , Chambers Lisa G.
Published: July 2021

Oyster reef restoration efforts increasingly consider not only oyster recruitment, but also the recovery of ecological functions and the prevention of deploying harmful plastics. This study investigated the efficacy of a biodegradable plastic-alternative, BESE-elements®, in supporting oyster reef restoration in east-central Florida (USA) with consideration for how this material also influences biogeochemistry. Four experiments (two laboratory, two field-based) were conducted to evaluate the ability of BESE to serve as a microbial substrate, release nutrients, support oyster recruitment and the development of sediment biogeochemical properties on restored reefs, and degrade under field conditions. The results indicated BESE is as successful as traditional plastic in supporting initial reef development. In the lab, BESE accelerated short-term (10-day) sediment respiration rates 14-fold and released dissolved organic carbon, soluble reactive phosphorus, and nitrate to the surface water (71,156, 1980, and 87% increase, respectively) relative to without BESE, but these effects did not translate into measurable changes in reef sediment nutrient pools under field conditions. BESE lost 7–12% mass in the first year, resulting in a half-life of 4.4–6.7 years. Restoration practitioners should evaluate the biogeochemical properties of biodegradable materials prior to large-scale deployment and consider the fate of the restoration effort once the material degrades.
An Optimization Model of a Sustainable City Logistics Network Design Based on Goal Programming
Authors: Li Shuangyan , Liang Yijing , Wang Zhenjie , Zhang Dezhi
Published: July 2021

This paper investigates the joint optimization problem on the logistics infrastructure investment and CO2 emission taxes for a sustainable city logistics network design by a goal programming approach where the cost recovery, service level and CO2 emission reduction goals are involved. The above multi-objective logistics infrastructure capacity investment and CO2 emission taxes problem is formulated as a bi-level goal programming model. Given the priority structure of the goals, the total deviations from predetermined goals are minimized in the upper level, while the lower level of the model serves as the service route choice equilibrium problem of logistics users. To solve the proposed model, a genetic algorithm is developed, where the method of successive average (MSA) is embedded. The case study focusing on the urban logistics network of Changsha, China demonstrates the effectiveness of the bi-level goal programming model and the genetic algorithm. The findings reveal that the priority rankings of the goals have a significant impact on the joint decisions of CO2 emission taxes and logistics infrastructure capacity investment. The proposed methodology provides an avenue to balance multiple conflicting objectives and obtain an economical and environmental city logistics network.
Influencing Factor Analysis and Demand Forecasting of Intercity Online Car-Hailing Travel
Authors: Wang Jincheng , Wu Qunqi , Mao Feng , Ren Yilong , Chen Zilin , Gao Yaqun
Published: July 2021

Online car-hailing travel has become an important part of the urban transportation system and is gradually changing the mode of intercity travel. Analyzing and understanding the influencing factors of intercity online car-hailing travel hold great significance for planning and designing intercity transportation and transfer systems. However, few studies have analyzed the influencing factors of intercity car-hailing travel or forecast travel demand. This paper takes trips between Yinchuan and Shizuishan, China, as the research case and analyzes the influence of time, space, passengers, and the environment on intercity online car-hailing travel. The relationship between the urban built environment and intercity online car-hailing travel demand is also investigated through a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model. We find that the peak hours for intercity car-hailing trips are between 9:00 and 10:00 and between 16:00 and 18:00, which are significantly different from those for intracity trips. Weather conditions strongly affect the mobility of intercity trips. The urban built environment also has a significant impact on intercity car-hailing ridership, and residential districts and transportation facilities are the factors with the greatest influence on intercity online car-hailing travel. These results can provide practical help to city managers improve the management of intercity traffic and develop better transportation policies.
Advanced Air Mobility: Demand Analysis and Market Potential of the Airport Shuttle and Air Taxi Markets
Authors: Goyal Rohit , Reiche Colleen , Fernando Chris , Cohen Adam
Published: July 2021

Advanced air mobility (AAM) is a broad concept enabling consumers access to on-demand air mobility, cargo and package delivery, healthcare applications, and emergency services through an integrated and connected multimodal transportation network. However, a number of challenges could impact AAM’s growth potential, such as autonomous flight, the availability of take-off and landing infrastructure (i.e., vertiports), integration into airspace and other modes of transportation, and competition with shared automated vehicles. This article discusses the results of a demand analysis examining the market potential of two potential AAM passenger markets—airport shuttles and air taxis. The airport shuttle market envisions AAM passenger service to, from, or between airports along fixed routes. The air taxi market envisions a more mature and scaled service that provides on-demand point-to-point passenger services throughout urban areas. Using a multi-method approach consisting of AAM travel demand modeling, Monte Carlo simulations, and constraint analysis, this study estimates that the air taxi and airport shuttle markets could capture a 0.5% mode share. The analysis concludes that AAM could replace non-discretionary trips greater than 45 min; however, demand for discretionary trips would be limited by consumer willingness to pay. This study concludes that AAM passenger services could have a daily demand of 82,000 passengers served by approximately 4000 four- to five-seat aircraft in the U.S., under the most conservative scenario, representing an annual market valuation of 2.5 billion USD.
Exploring the Nature and Antecedents of Employee Energetic Well-Being at Work and Job Performance Profiles
Authors: Peeters Tina , Van De Voorde Karina , Paauwe Jaap
Published: July 2021

While it is generally assumed that employees who feel well are also productive, research has shown that this is not always the case. Specifically, some employees seem to experience low well-being while performing, and vice versa. As employee well-being and performance are both required to achieve corporate sustainability, the purpose of this research was to identify energy-related well-being/job performance profiles among 5729 employees from the Dutch division of a large bank and identify their antecedents. Using latent profile analysis, we found five profiles: 1. low well-being/low performance, 2. low well-being/medium performance, 3. high well-being/medium performance, 4. high well-being/high performance, and 5. high well-being/top performance. Using multinomial regression, we found that more learning and development opportunities, more social support from colleagues, more autonomy, and less role-conflict were related to the high well-being profiles. Second, more role clarity, more performance feedback, more autonomy, and less work-pressure were related to the high- and top-performance profiles. Finally, communication and social support from the manager were found to be relatively weak antecedents of the different profiles. This study thus highlights that the job demands and resources of employees may affect their well-being and performance.
Integrated Energy System Planning Optimization Method and Case Analysis Based on Multiple Factors and A Three-Level Process
Authors: Qian Kang , Lv Tong , Yuan Yue
Published: July 2021

Now that China has outlined its goals of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality”, the development of clean energy will accelerate, the connection between different energy systems will be closer, and the development prospects of the integrated energy service industry will be broader. Integrated energy services are promoting energy transformation and services. “Carbon peaking, carbon neutrality” and other aspects will also have multiple values and far-reaching significance. Before implementing integrated energy services, the top-level design of integrated energy system planning must be carried out, and how to achieve the optimal allocation of capacity in the field of integrated energy systems is an urgent problem to be solved in integrated energy system planning. This paper combines practical engineering experience and the latest theoretical research results to creatively introduce, for the first time, a comprehensive evaluation into the initial planning stage, and proposes, also for the first time, a three-level multi-element comprehensive energy system planning optimization method which combines multi-element requirements to carry out comprehensive energy system planning and optimization. The three-tier planning and optimization solution results in the optimal planning scheme of the integrated energy system, thereby making the scheme more specific and reliable. According to the demand data of an industrial park, this method was applied to complete a case analysis of integrated energy system planning, which verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the method. This method is easy to popularize, and it will guide the planning of integrated energy systems, promote integrated energy services, promote energy transition, and make positive contributions to achieve carbon neutrality as soon as possible.
The Landscape Change in the Alps—What Postcards Have to Say about Aesthetic Preference
Authors: Tattoni Clara , Grilli Gianluca , Araña Jorge , Ciolli Marco
Published: July 2021

Land use changes in the Alps over the last few decades have been characterised by a significant increase in forest coverage as a result of the abandonment of marginal agricultural sites. Natural afforestation and species protection laws affected the ecosystem, and therefore the services provided by the mountain environment, including landscape structure and aesthetics, changed. This work assess the changes in the ecosystem services offered by forests since 1954 in a region of the Italian Alps. Some ES were estimated in this work with GIS, and others were taken from the literature or the authors’ previous works. Since the 1950s, forest ecosystem services such as growing stock, protection from hydro-geological hazards and carbon storage have increased. Deer and other forest species have risen in number. On the other hand, there has been a depletion of open space for priority habitats and species such as black grouse and capercaillie. Old postcards were used to understand land use change and people’s aesthetic preferences. To determine people’s preferences for the landscape, we used records of over 300,000 postcards, sold during nearly two decades. The most often chosen postcard portrayed a landscape of the 1970s with a mix of forest and open space, different from the scenario that the buyers could observe. The sales records for over 20 years of postcard business and the dates of the postcards that we obtained in this research allowed us to perform a quantitative analysis of landscape preferences. The main subject of the photo was a good predictor of the number of postcards sold, according to generalised linear models (GLM); and postcards of overly exploited landscapes, dense forest coverage or buildings were significantly less likely to be chosen. Artificially reinstating open areas will boost biodiversity and could recreate a landscape that resembles the historical agro-ecosystem without interfering with the forest’s other functions. These findings will help managers and policy makers evaluate cultural ecosystem resources in the face of changing mountain landscapes.
Consumers’ Perception of In-Vitro Meat in New Zealand Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour Model
Authors: Malavalli Maya Murthy , Hamid Nazimah , Kantono Kevin , Liu Ye , Seyfoddin Ali
Published: July 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of in-vitro meat (IVM) among New Zealand consumers and to understand their purchase and consumption behaviour using the Theory of Planned Behaviour framework developed in this study. An online survey questionnaire was created using the Qualtrics software to understand the perception of IVM, based on the conceptual framework. Participants (n = 206) were recruited in this survey, and the data collected were subjected to PLS-PM analysis. The conceptual framework was tested for validity, and Goodness of fit (GoF). The internal validity was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, KMO value, inter-item correlation values (β-coefficients) and p-values. The findings suggest that variables such as environment and sustainability, health and safety, as well as current purchase and consumption behaviour have a strong relationship and a robust effect on IVM purchase and consumption behaviour. Consumers’ cultural beliefs had minimal influence on IVM purchase likelihood. Results in this study also indicated that most New Zealand consumers had neutral opinions in terms of engaging with IVM.
Cross-Cultural Perspectives on the Role of Empathy during COVID-19’s First Wave
Authors: Butovskaya Marina L. , Burkova Valentina N. , Randall Ashley K. , Donato Silvia , Fedenok Julija N. , Hocker Lauren , Kline Kai M. , Ahmadi Khodabakhsh , Alghraibeh Ahmad M. , Allami Fathil Bakir Mutsher , Alpaslan Fadime Suata , Al-Zu’bi Mohammad Ahmad Abdelaziz , Biçer Derya Fatma , Cetinkaya Hakan , David Oana Alexandra , Dural Seda , Erickson Paige , Ermakov Alexey M. , Ertuğrul Berna , Fayankinnu Emmanuel Abiodun , Fisher Maryanne L. , Hromatko Ivana , Kasparova Elena , Kavina Alexander , Khun-Inkeeree Hareesol , Koç Fırat , Kolodkin Vladimir , MacEacheron Melanie , Maruf Irma Rachmawati , Meskó Norbert , Mkrtchyan Ruzan , Nurisnaeny Poppy Setiawati , Ojedokun Oluyinka , Adebayo Damilola , Omar-Fauzee Mohd S. B. , Özener Barış , Ponciano Edna Lúcia Tinoco , Popov Igor V. , Rizwan Muhammad , Sabiniewicz Agnieszka , Spodina Victoriya I. , Stoyanova Stanislava , Tripathi Nachiketa , Upadhyay Satwik , Weisfeld Carol , Yaakob Mohd Faiz Mohd , Yusof Mat Rahimi , Zinurova Raushaniia I.
Published: July 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has spread throughout the world, and concerns about psychological, social, and economic consequences are growing rapidly. Individuals’ empathy-based reactions towards others may be an important resilience factor in the face of COVID-19. Self-report data from 15,375 participants across 23 countries were collected from May to August 2020 during the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this study examined different facets of empathy—Perspective-Taking, Empathic Concern, and Personal Distress, and their association with cross-cultural ratings on Individualism, Power Distance, The Human Development Index, Social Support Ranking, and the Infectious Disease Vulnerability Index, as well as the currently confirmed number of cases of COVID-19 at the time of data collection. The highest ratings on Perspective-Taking were obtained for USA, Brazil, Italy, Croatia, and Armenia (from maximum to minimum); on Empathetic Concern, for the USA, Brazil, Hungary, Italy, and Indonesia; and on Personal Distress, from Brazil, Turkey, Italy, Armenia, Indonesia. Results also present associations between demographic factors and empathy across countries. Limitations and future directions are presented.
Historical Variation of IEA Energy and CO2 Emission Projections: Implications for Future Energy Modeling
Authors: Fazendeiro Luís M. , Simões Sofia G.
Published: July 2021

The World Energy Outlook reports produced by the International Energy Agency have long been considered the “gold standard” in terms of energy modeling and projecting future trends. It is thus extremely important to assess how well its projections are aligned with sustainable development goals as well as closely tracking observed, historical values. In this work we analyzed thirteen sets of World Energy Outlook projections from the last 25 years. Different scenarios were considered for the following regions and countries: world, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD North America, China, India, Russia, and Africa. The maximum variation between the projections for 2030 CO2 emissions from the energy sector, made between 2006 and 2018 for OECD, Europe and North America were found to be comparable with the gap between the Paris Agreement goals and the voluntary (unconditional) nationally determined contributions to remain below a 2 °C global temperature increase. For the same period, projections for the percentage of renewable electricity exhibited maximum variations between 51% and 96%, signaling a huge underestimation. We discuss the significance of overestimating energy demand and underestimating the rate of renewable energy implementation in the context of 2030 climate and energy policy targets, as well as desirable methodological changes to energy modeling under aggressive climate mitigation policies.
Friendly Locals and Clean Streets?—Evaluating Jakarta’s Destination Brand Image
Authors: Setiawan Chandra , Meivitawanli Bryna , Arrieta-Paredes Mary-Paz , Morrison Alastair M. , Coca-Stefaniak J. Andres
Published: July 2021

Destination image and city branding are accumulating a growing body of knowledge in urban studies and tourism literature. Although several visitor destination image models have been proposed, the most prevalent in Asia remains the comprehensive destination image model. This is the first research to test the applicability of this model beyond the United States and with international (rather than domestic) visitors. Jakarta is chosen as the geographical test area for this study, which incorporates structural equation modeling on a data sample of international leisure visitors in Jakarta. The findings indicate that the destination image model could be generalized beyond the US and applied to Jakarta. This study finds that tourism policymakers in Jakarta should focus on promoting the friendliness of local residents and improving the city’s cleanliness, as these are the two most positive and negative perceptions. Overall, this study showed that a unique destination image—a largely under-researched topic in place branding—is a variable that should be considered when formulating the overall place image of city destinations around the world.
Farmers’ Market Usage, Fruit and Vegetable Consumption, Meals at Home and Health–Evidence from Washington, DC
Authors: Hu Xiaochu , Clarke Lorraine W. , Zendehdel Kamran
Published: July 2021

Using a survey of 440 residents in Washington, DC metropolitan area conducted in 2018, we empirically examined the causal relationship between farmers’ market usage and indicators of health, such as fruit and vegetable consumption, meal preparation time, meals away from home, and body mass index (BMI). On average, we found that a one percent increase in farmers’ market usage increases consumers’ fruit and vegetable consumption by 6.5 percent (p < 0.01) and daily time spent on meal preparing by 9.4 percent (p < 0.05). These impacts were enhanced by 2SLS models with instrumental variables which indicates causal effects. Farmers’ market usage is also associated with decreased amount of meals away from home (p < 0.05). We also found qualitative evidence that shopping at farmers’ markets improves access to and increases consumption of healthy food. However, we did not find that farmers’ market usage has statistical association with grocery shopper’s body mass index. Our study established causality that farmers’ market usage positively impacts consumers’ fruit and vegetable consumption and meals at home. It provided concrete evidence for interventions aiming to increase dietary consumption and promote healthy eating habits through farmers’ markets.
Economic and Financial Sustainability Dependency on Subsidies: The Case of Goat Farms in Greece
Authors: Tsiouni Maria , Aggelopoulos Stamatis , Pavloudi Alexandra , Siggia Dario
Published: July 2021

Goat farming is an important production sector not only for Greece, but also for other Mediterranean countries, as it contributes to the family economy in rural areas. Despite the importance of goat farming, this sector has experienced economic difficulties due to poor management and increased production costs. The aim of our research is to determine goat farm profitability by surveying goat farmers for revenues, variable costs, and fixed costs of their farms. With the use of Principal Component Analysis, all economic factors contributing to overall production costs are examined, as well as their specific impacts on cost formulation. According to our results, goat farms in Greece are not profitable and they cannot survive without government subsidies. Farm economics and agricultural policies could be leveraged to improve community and environmental outcomes in order for farms to be economically and financially sustainable.
Contributions to Sustainability through Young Children’s Nature Play: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ernst Julie , McAllister Kerri , Siklander Pirkko , Storli Rune
Published: July 2021

Nature play with young children has been criticized for lacking the transformative power necessary for meaningfully contributing to sustainability issues. The purpose of this systematic review was to identify outcomes associated with young children’s nature play that align with Education for Sustainability outcomes, toward addressing the question of its contribution to a more sustainable future. A total of 272 citation records were screened using eligibility and quality appraisal criteria, resulting in 32 studies that were reviewed. These studies’ outcomes were coded and then mapped to an education for sustainability framework. Results suggest that nature play supports education for sustainability benchmarks of applied knowledge, dispositions, skills, and applications. The multiple and varied relevant outcomes associated with nature play suggest practitioners should not abandon nature play in the pursuit of sustainability. Implications for practice and further research are discussed.
The Urban Rooftop Photovoltaic Potential Determination
Authors: Fakhraian Elham , Alier Marc , Valls Dalmau Francesc , Nameni Alireza , Casañ Guerrero Maria José
Published: July 2021

Urban areas can be considered high-potential energy producers alongside their notable portion of energy consumption. Solar energy is the most promising sustainable energy in which urban environments can produce electricity by using rooftop-mounted photovoltaic systems. While the precise knowledge of electricity production from solar energy resources as well as the needed parameters to define the optimal locations require an adequate study, effective guidelines for optimal installation of solar photovoltaics remain a challenge. This paper aims to make a complete systematic review and states the vital steps with their data resources to find the urban rooftop PV potential. Organizing the methodologies is another novelty of this paper to create a complete global basis for future studies and improve a more detailed degree in this particular field.
Evaluating Supply Chain Collaboration Barriers in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Mahmud Priom , Paul Sanjoy Kumar , Azeem Abdullahil , Chowdhury Priyabrata
Published: July 2021

The disruption has a significant impact on supply chain collaboration (SCC) which is an important task to improve performance for many enterprises. This is especially critical for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We developed a decision-modeling framework for analyzing SCC barriers in SMEs for the emerging economy in Bangladesh. Through literature review and expert opinion survey, we have identified a comprehensive list of SCC barriers under four main categories, namely, information-related, communication-related, intra-organizational, and inter-organizational barriers. Then we applied the Grey DEMATEL and Fuzzy Best-Worst methods to evaluate these SCC barriers and compared the results. We also conducted a sensitivity analysis to assess the robustness of the proposed approach. The study reveals that lack of communication is the most crucial barrier in SCC, providing a model for assessing barriers in other emerging economies. This study contributes to the literature by analyzing SCC barriers and by comparing the results obtained from two different MCDM methods. The findings of this study can help decision-makers to plan for overcoming the most prioritized SCC barriers which ultimately contribute to improving the resilience and sustainability performances of SMEs.
Use of the Molecular Dynamics Method to Investigate the Stability of α-α-Corner Structural Motifs in Proteins
Authors: Rudnev Vladimir R. , Kulikova Liudmila I. , Kaysheva Anna L. , Efimov Alexander V. , Tikhonov Dmitry A.
Published: July 2021

This study investigated the stability of structural motifs via molecular dynamics, using α-α-corners as an example. A molecular dynamics experiment was performed on a sample of α-α-corners selected by the authors from the PDB database. For the first time during a molecular dynamics experiment, we investigated the characteristics of structural motifs by describing their geometry, including the interplanar distance, area of polygon of the helices projections intersection, and torsion angles between axes of helices in helical pairs. The torsion angles for the constriction amino acids in the equilibrium portion of the molecular dynamics trajectory were analyzed. Using the molecular dynamics method, α-α-corners were found to be autonomous structures that are stable in aquatic environments.
Temperature Distribution Design Based on Variable Lattice Density Optimization and Metal Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Ueno Akira , Guo Honghu , Takezawa Akihiro , Moritoyo Ryota , Kitamura Mitsuru
Published: July 2021

Additive manufacturing (AM) is employed for fabricating industrial products with complex geometries. As topological optimization is suitable for designing complex geometries, studies have combined AM and topological optimization, evaluating the density optimization of lattice structures as a variant of topological optimization. The lattice structures of components fabricated via AM comprise voids. Models designed using topological optimization should be modified to ensure structures suitable for AM. As the lattice unit can be easily fabricated using AM with fewer design modifications, this study uses lattice density optimization for an industrial AM product. We propose a method of optimizing the lattice distribution for controlling the surface temperature uniformity of industrial products, such as molds. The effective thermal conductivity of the lattice is calculated using the homogenization and finite element methods. The effective thermal conductivity changes depending on the internal pore sizes. The proposed methodology is validated using a 3D example; the minimization problem of surface temperature variations in the target domain is considered. The variable density of the embedded lattice in the target domain is optimized, and we experimentally validated the performance of the lattice unit cell and optimal 3D structure using metal powder bed fusion AM.
Automobile Driver Fatigue Detection Method Based on Facial Image Recognition under Single Sample Condition
Authors: Xiao Cangyan , Han Liu , Chen Shuzhao
Published: July 2021

Under the existing single sample condition, the fatigue detection method of an automobile driver has some problems, such as an improper camera calibration method, image denoising beyond the controllable range, low fatigue detection accuracy, and unsatisfactory effect. A fatigue detection method for drivers based on face recognition under a single sample condition is proposed. Firstly, the camera is calibrated by Zhang Zhengyou’s calibration method. The optimal camera parameters were calculated by linear simulation analysis, and the image was nonlinear refined by the maximum likelihood method. Then, the corrected image effect is enhanced, and the scale parameter gap in the MSRCR image enhancement method is adjusted to the minimum. The detection efficiency is improved by a symmetric algorithm. Finally, the texture mapping technology is used to enhance the authenticity of the enhanced image, and the face image recognition is carried out. The constraint conditions of fatigue detection are established, and the fatigue detection of car drivers under the condition of a single sample is completed. Experimental results show that the proposed method has a good overall detection effect: the fatigue detection accuracy is 20% higher than that of the traditional method, and the average detection time is over 30%. Compared with the traditional fatigue detection methods, this method has obvious advantages, can effectively extract more useful information from the image, and has strong applicability.
Transition Based Discount Factor for Model Free Algorithms in Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Sharma Abhinav , Gupta Ruchir , Lakshmanan K. , Gupta Atul
Published: July 2021

Reinforcement Learning (RL) enables an agent to learn control policies for achieving its long-term goals. One key parameter of RL algorithms is a discount factor that scales down future cost in the state’s current value estimate. This study introduces and analyses a transition-based discount factor in two model-free reinforcement learning algorithms: Q-learning and SARSA, and shows their convergence using the theory of stochastic approximation for finite state and action spaces. This causes an asymmetric discounting, favouring some transitions over others, which allows (1) faster convergence than constant discount factor variant of these algorithms, which is demonstrated by experiments on the Taxi domain and MountainCar environments; (2) provides better control over the RL agents to learn risk-averse or risk-taking policy, as demonstrated in a Cliff Walking experiment.
Symmetric Ground States for Doubly Nonlocal Equations with Mass Constraint
Authors: Cingolani Silvia , Gallo Marco , Tanaka Kazunaga
Published: July 2021

We prove the existence of a spherically symmetric solution for a Schrödinger equation with a nonlocal nonlinearity of Choquard type. This term is assumed to be subcritical and satisfy almost optimal assumptions. The mass of of the solution, described by its norm in the Lebesgue space, is prescribed in advance. The approach to this constrained problem relies on a Lagrange formulation and new deformation arguments. In addition, we prove that the obtained solution is also a ground state, which means that it realizes minimal energy among all the possible solutions to the problem.
Intracellular Sequestration of the NKG2D Ligand MIC B by Species F Adenovirus
Authors: Oliveira Edson R. A. , Li Lenong , Bouvier Marlene
Published: July 2021

The enteric human adenoviruses of species F (HAdVs-F), which comprise HAdV-F40 and HAdV-F41, are significant pathogens that cause acute gastroenteritis in children worldwide. The early transcription unit 3 (E3) of HAdVs-F is markedly different from that of all other HAdV species. To date, the E3 proteins unique to HAdVs-F have not been characterized and the mechanism by which HAdVs-F evade immune defenses in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is poorly understood. Here, we show that HAdV-F41 infection of human intestinal HCT116 cells upregulated the expression of MHC class I-related chain A (MIC A) and MIC B relative to uninfected cells. Our results also showed that, for MIC B, this response did not however result in a significant increase of MIC B on the cell surface. Instead, MIC B was largely sequestered intracellularly. Thus, although HAdV-F41 infection of HCT116 cells upregulated MIC B expression, the ligand remained inside infected cells. A similar observation could not be made for MIC A in these cells. Our preliminary findings represent a novel function of HAdVs-F that may enable these viruses to evade immune surveillance by natural killer (NK) cells in the infected gut, thereby paving the way for the future investigation of their unique E3 proteins.
First Survey of SNPs in TMEM154, TLR9, MYD88 and CCR5 Genes in Sheep Reared in Italy and Their Association with Resistance to SRLVs Infection
Authors: Arcangeli Chiara , Lucarelli Daniele , Torricelli Martina , Sebastiani Carla , Ciullo Marcella , Pellegrini Claudia , Felici Andrea , Costarelli Silva , Giammarioli Monica , Feliziani Francesco , Passamonti Fabrizio , Biagetti Massimo
Published: July 2021

Maedi-visna virus (MVV) and caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV), referred to as small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs), belong to the genus Lentivirus of the Retroviridae family. SRLVs infect both sheep and goats, causing significant economic losses and animal welfare damage. Recent findings suggest an association between serological status and allelic variants of different genes such as TMEM154, TLR9, MYD88 and CCR5. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of specific polymorphisms of these genes in SRLVs infection in some sheep flocks in Italy. In addition to those already known, novel variants in the TMEM154 (P7H, I74V, I105V) gene were detected in this study. The risk of infection was determined finding an association between the serological status and polymorphisms P7H, E35K, N70I, I74V, I105V of TMEM154, R447Q, A462S and G520R in TLR9 gene, H176H* and K190K* in MYD88 genes, while no statistical association was observed for the 4-bp deletion of the CCR5 gene. Since no vaccines or treatments have been developed, a genetically based approach could be an innovative strategy to prevent and to control SRLVs infection. Our findings are an important starting point in order to define the genetic resistance profile towards SRLVs infection.
Atopic Dermatitis in Domestic Animals: What Our Current Understanding Is and How This Applies to Clinical Practice
Authors: Marsella Rosanna
Published: July 2021

Atopic dermatitis is a clinical syndrome that affects both people and animals. Dogs closely mimic the complexity of the human skin disease, and much progress has been made in recent years in terms of our understanding of the role of skin impairment and the identification of new treatments. Cats and horses also develop atopic syndromes which include both cutaneous and respiratory signs, yet studies in these species are lagging. It is now recognized that atopic dermatitis is not a single disease but a multifaceted clinical syndrome with different pathways in various subgroups of patients. Appreciating this complexity is clinically relevant as we develop more targeted treatments which may work well in some patients but not in others. Different phenotypes of atopic dermatitis have been described in dogs, and it is possible that phenotypes related to breed and age may exist in other animals similar to how they are described in people. The awareness of different mechanisms of disease leads to the desire to correlate different phenotypes with specific biomarkers and responses to treatment. In this review, the current understanding and updated information on atopic syndrome in animals are described, highlighting opportunities for further studies in the future.
Pseudomembranous Cystitis: An Uncommon Ultrasound Appearance of Cystitis in Cats and Dogs
Authors: Puccinelli Caterina , Lippi Ilaria , Pelligra Tina , Mannucci Tommaso , Perondi Francesca , Mattolini Mirko , Citi Simonetta
Published: July 2021

In veterinary medicine, pseudomembranous cystitis (PC) is a rare condition described only in cats. The purposes of this retrospective study were to describe ultrasound features of PC in cats and dogs, predisposing factors, comorbidities and outcomes. Cats and dogs with an ultrasonographic diagnosis of PC were included in the study. The bladder ultrasound findings that were recorded were: pseudomembranes’ characteristics, abnormalities of the bladder’s wall and content and anomalies of the pericystic peritoneal space. Ten cats and four dogs met the inclusion criteria. Four pseudomembrane adhesion patterns were described. The presence of pseudomembrane acoustic shadowing was observed in the 60% of cats. A total of 80% of the cats included were presented for urethral obstruction (UO) and/or had at least one episode of UO in the previous 2 months. Thirteen patients out of fourteen received only medical therapy, and all of them survived. PC is a rare disorder in cats and dogs and there are some ultrasonographic differences between the two species, suggesting a greater severity of the pathology in cats. Chronic cystitis and UO may have a potential role in the development of feline PC. Finally, the medical approach can be a non-invasive and effective approach for PC.
Velocity Field and Turbulence Structure around Spur Dikes with Different Angles of Orientation under Ice Covered Flow Conditions
Authors: Jafari Rahim , Sui Jueyi
Published: July 2021

Spur dikes are well-known structures that are widely used in rivers and coastal regions. Depending on their types, sizes, and orientation angles, spur dikes can substantially change flow characteristics. Results of previous studies indicate that the presence of an ice cover in rivers can cause complicated flow structures. The present experimental study investigates velocity fields and turbulence structures in the vicinity of spur dikes under ice cover with different roughness coefficients. The spur dikes were set up at the following three angles of orientation, 90°, 60°, and 45°. Our results show that the strongest velocity fluctuation occurs immediately above the scour hole surface and very close to the dike tip. The increase in the dike angle toward upstream, the velocity component values increase, leads to a larger scour hole. Results show that an increase in dike angle of each 10° (from 45° to 90°) increases the scour depth between 5% and 10%, depending on flow conditions. Furthermore, the increase in the cover roughness coefficient and the blockage ratio of a spur dike leads to a further increase in turbulence kinetic energy and 3D velocity components values. The findings of this study imply that the appearance of an ice cover can increase turbulence intensities up to nearly 30%.