bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Robust Adaptive HCS MPPT Algorithm-Based Wind Generation System Using Model Reference Adaptive Control
Authors: Alrowaili Ziyad A. , Ali Mustafa M. , Youssef Abdelraheem , Mousa Hossam H. H. , Ali Ahmed S. , Abdel-Jaber Gamal T. , Ezzeldien Mohammed , Gami Fatma
Published: August 2021

To treat the stochastic wind nature, it is required to attain all available power from the wind energy conversion system (WECS). Therefore, several maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques are utilized. Among them, hill-climbing search (HCS) techniques are widely implemented owing to their various features. Regarding current HCS techniques, the rotor speed is mainly perturbed using predefined constants or objective functions, which makes the selection of step sizes a multifaceted task. These limitations are directly reflected in the overall dynamic WECS performance such as tracking speed, power fluctuations, and system efficiency. To deal with the challenges of the existing HCS techniques, this paper proposes a new adaptive HCS (AD-HCS) technique with self-adjustable step size using model reference adaptive control (MRAC) based on the PID controller. Firstly, the mechanical power fluctuations are detected, then the MRAC continuously optimizes the PID gains so as to generate an appropriate dynamic step size until harvesting the maximum power point (MPP) under the optimal tracking conditions. Looking specifically at the simulation results, the proposed AD-HCS technique exhibits low oscillations around the MPP and a small settling time. Moreover, WECS efficiency is increased by 5% and 2% compared to the conventional and recent HCS techniques, respectively. Finally, the studied system is confirmed over a 1.5 MW, gird-tied, double-fed induction generator (DFIG) WECS using MATLAB/Simulink.
Conception of a Phantom in Agar-Agar Gel with the Same Bio-Impedance Properties as Human Quadriceps
Authors: Peixoto Margaux , Moreno Marie-Valérie , Khider Nassim
Published: August 2021

The physiology of the patient can be reflected by various data. Serious games, using an intelligent combination, could be based on this data to adjust to the specificities of the patient. Rehabilitation would therefore be personalized to the patient. This smart suit would use dry electrodes in order to be easily usable. Before performing dry electrode validation tests on a population, it is necessary to perform preliminary tests on a phantom. Agar-Agar (AA) gel, combined with NaCl and graphite which directly impact the resistivity and reactance values of the phantom, are generally used. Depending on the part of the body simulated by the phantom, it is necessary to adapt the concentrations of NaCl and graphite in order to obtain values of physiological reactance and resistance. The anisotropy of a muscle must also be considered. Different concentrations of NaCl and graphite have been tested in order to present charts linking the concentrations to the resistance and reactance values of the AA phantom. Electrical properties similar to those of human quadriceps are achieved at a concentration of 7 g/L of NaCl and 60 g/L of graphite. These values can be used as a conversion table to develop an AA phantom with electrical properties similar to different muscles. Furthermore, an AA phantom has an anisotropy of 0° and 90°. This anisotropy corresponds to a human quadriceps, where 0° is the direction of the muscle fiber. This will allow us to study and characterize the behavior of the electrodes on an anisotropic model. Thus it can be used as a first test phase for dry electrodes in order to propose the most suitable conditions for a connected garment application.
Smarter Open Government Data for Society 5.0: Are Your Open Data Smart Enough?
Authors: Nikiforova Anastasija
Published: August 2021

Nowadays, governments launch open government data (OGD) portals that provide data that can be accessed and used by everyone for their own needs. Although the potential economic value of open (government) data is assessed in millions and billions, not all open data are reused. Moreover, the open (government) data initiative as well as users’ intent for open (government) data are changing continuously and today, in line with IoT and smart city trends, real-time data and sensor-generated data have higher interest for users. These “smarter” open (government) data are also considered to be one of the crucial drivers for the sustainable economy, and might have an impact on information and communication technology (ICT) innovation and become a creativity bridge in developing a new ecosystem in Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0. The paper inspects OGD portals of 60 countries in order to understand the correspondence of their content to the Society 5.0 expectations. The paper provides a report on how much countries provide these data, focusing on some open (government) data success facilitating factors for both the portal in general and data sets of interest in particular. The presence of “smarter” data, their level of accessibility, availability, currency and timeliness, as well as support for users, are analyzed. The list of most competitive countries by data category are provided. This makes it possible to understand which OGD portals react to users’ needs, Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 request the opening and updating of data for their further potential reuse, which is essential in the digital data-driven world.
Computational–Experimental Design Framework for Laser Path Length Controller
Authors: Fenercioğlu Tevfik Ozan , Yalçinkaya Tuncay
Published: August 2021

The application areas of piezoelectric materials are expanding rapidly in the form of piezo harvesters, sensors and actuators. A path length controller is a high-precision piezoelectric actuator used in laser oscillators, especially in ring laser gyroscopes. A path length controller alters the position of a mirror nanometrically by means of a control voltage to stabilize the route that a laser beam travels in an integral multiple of laser wavelength. The design and verification of a path length controller performance requires long (up to 3 months), expensive and precise production steps to be successfully terminated. In this study, a combined computational–experimental design framework was developed to control, optimize and verify the performance of the path length controller, without the need for ring laser gyroscope assembly. A novel framework was structured such that the piezoelectric performance characteristics were calculated using finite element analysis. Then, a stand-alone measurement system was developed to verify the finite element analysis results before system integration. The final performance of the novel framework was verified by a direct measurement method called mode-scanning, which is founded on laser interferometry. The study is concluded with the explanation of measurement errors and finite element correlations.
The Long-Term Maintenance of Upper Limb Motor Improvements Following Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Combined with Rehabilitation in People with Stroke: A Systematic Review of Randomized Sham-Controlled Trials
Authors: Navarro-López Víctor , del Valle-Gratacós Manuel , Fernández-Matías Rubén , Carratalá-Tejada María , Cuesta-Gómez Alicia , Molina-Rueda Francisco
Published: August 2021

Background: The effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the upper limb (UL) motor rehabilitation of stroke has been widely studied. However, the long-term maintenance of its improvements has not yet been proven. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE/Pubmed, Web of Science, PEDRo, and Scopus databases from inception to April 2021. Randomized controlled trials were included if they performed a tDCS intervention combined with UL rehabilitation in stroke patients, performed several sessions (five or more), and assessed long-term results (at least three-month follow-up). Risk of bias and methodological quality were evaluated with the Cochrane RoB-2 and the Oxford quality scoring system. Results: Nine studies were included, showing a high methodological quality. Findings regarding UL were categorized into (1) functionality, (2) strength, (3) spasticity. All the studies that showed significant improvements retained them in the long term. Baseline functionality may be a limiting factor in achieving motor improvements, but not in sustaining them over the long term. Conclusion: It seems that the improvements achieved during the application of tDCS combined with UL motor rehabilitation in stroke were preserved until the follow-up time (from 3 months to 1 year). Further studies are needed to clarify the long-term effects of tDCS.
Crowdsensing IoT Architecture for Pervasive Air Quality and Exposome Monitoring: Design, Development, Calibration, and Long-Term Validation
Authors: De Vito Saverio , Esposito Elena , Massera Ettore , Formisano Fabrizio , Fattoruso Grazia , Ferlito Sergio , Del Giudice Antonio , D’Elia Gerardo , Salvato Maria , Polichetti Tiziana , D’Auria Paolo , Ionescu Adrian M. , Di Francia Girolamo
Published: August 2021

A pervasive assessment of air quality in an urban or mobile scenario is paramount for personal or city-wide exposure reduction action design and implementation. The capability to deploy a high-resolution hybrid network of regulatory grade and low-cost fixed and mobile devices is a primary enabler for the development of such knowledge, both as a primary source of information and for validating high-resolution air quality predictive models. The capability of real-time and cumulative personal exposure monitoring is also considered a primary driver for exposome monitoring and future predictive medicine approaches. Leveraging on chemical sensing, machine learning, and Internet of Things (IoT) expertise, we developed an integrated architecture capable of meeting the demanding requirements of this challenging problem. A detailed account of the design, development, and validation procedures is reported here, along with the results of a two-year field validation effort.
Carbon Nanotube Far Infrared Detectors with High Responsivity and Superior Polarization Selectivity Based on Engineered Optical Antennas
Authors: Ren Xiansong , Ji Zhaoyu , Chen Binkai , Zhou Jing , Chu Zeshi , Chen Xiaoshuang
Published: August 2021

Single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films are promising for sensitive uncooled infrared detection based on the photothermoelectric effect. The SWCNT film is usually shaped into a belt and diversely doped to form a p-n junction at the center. Under the illumination of a focused incident light, the temperature gradient from the junction to the contacts leads to photoresponse. When the SWCNTs are aligned in one direction, the photoresponse becomes polarization selective. Although a typical bowtie antenna can improve the responsivity and polarization extinction ratio by deep-subwavelength light focusing, the absolute absorptance of the junction region is only 0.6%. In this work, the antenna was engineered for a higher light coupling efficiency. By integrating a bottom metal plane at a specific distance from the SWCNT film and optimizing the antenna geometries, we achieved ultra-efficient impedance matching between the antenna and the SWCNTs, thus the absorptance of the junction region was further enhanced by 21.3 times and reached 13.5%, which is more than 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of the device without the engineered antenna. The peak responsivity was further enhanced by 19.9 times and responsivity reached 1500 V/W at 1 THz. The resonant frequency can be tuned by changing the size of the antenna. Over the frequency range of 0.5 THz to 1.5 THz, the peak responsivity was further enhanced by 8.1 to 19.9 times, and the polarization extinction ratio was enhanced by 2.7 to 22.3 times. The highest polarization extinction ratio reached 3.04 × 105 at 0.5 THz. The results are based on the numerical simulations of the light and the thermal fields.
Investigation and Optimization of a Line-Locked Quartz Enhanced Spectrophone for Rapid Carbon Dioxide Measurement
Authors: Zhang Hui , Jin Wenling , Hu Mengpeng , Hu Mai , Liang Jingqiu , Wang Qiang
Published: August 2021

We have developed a rapid quartz enhanced spectrophone for carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement, in which the laser wavelength was tightly locked to a CO2 absorption line and a custom quartz tuning fork (QTF) operating at 12.5 kHz was employed. The intrinsic QTF oscillation-limited response time, as well as the optimal feedback interval, was experimentally investigated. By tightly locking the laser to the R(16) transition of CO2, we obtained a stable laser operation with its center wavelength variation kept within 0.0002 cm−1, merely three times the laser linewidth. The reported CO2 sensor achieved a detection limit of 7 ppm, corresponding to a normalized noise equivalent absorption coefficient (NNEA) of 4.7 × 10−9 W·cm−1·Hz−1/2, at a response time of 0.5 s. The detection limit can be further improved to 0.45 ppm at an integration time of 270 s, illustrating a good system stability. This spectrophone enables the realization of compact and fast-response gas sensors for many scenarios, where CO2 concentration from sub-ppm to hundreds of thousands of ppm is expected.
Classifying Ingestive Behavior of Dairy Cows via Automatic Sound Recognition
Authors: Li Guoming , Xiong Yijie , Du Qian , Shi Zhengxiang , Gates Richard S.
Published: August 2021

Determining ingestive behaviors of dairy cows is critical to evaluate their productivity and health status. The objectives of this research were to (1) develop the relationship between forage species/heights and sound characteristics of three different ingestive behaviors (bites, chews, and chew-bites); (2) comparatively evaluate three deep learning models and optimization strategies for classifying the three behaviors; and (3) examine the ability of deep learning modeling for classifying the three ingestive behaviors under various forage characteristics. The results show that the amplitude and duration of the bite, chew, and chew-bite sounds were mostly larger for tall forages (tall fescue and alfalfa) compared to their counterparts. The long short-term memory network using a filtered dataset with balanced duration and imbalanced audio files offered better performance than its counterparts. The best classification performance was over 0.93, and the best and poorest performance difference was 0.4–0.5 under different forage species and heights. In conclusion, the deep learning technique could classify the dairy cow ingestive behaviors but was unable to differentiate between them under some forage characteristics using acoustic signals. Thus, while the developed tool is useful to support precision dairy cow management, it requires further improvement.
Examining the Idea of the ‘Vulnerable Student’ to Assess the Implications for Academic Freedom
Authors: Waiton Stuart
Published: August 2021

This paper analyses the concept of vulnerability as it is applied to university students, and also staff, to assess the extent to which it has become a new norm that transforms the understanding of the individual—from being more robust, towards a more fragile sense of personhood. We examine the changing use of the term ‘vulnerable’ over time and with reference to the institutionalisation of the ‘vulnerable subject’. The paper relates this to the theoretical discussion about postmodernism and the ‘end of truth’ within academia, with the subsequent emergence of safe spaces as a mechanism for protecting the vulnerable student. Using snowball sampling, a pilot ethnographic study of academics who have experienced, or claim to have experienced, limits on their academic freedom is developed. One conclusion is that limits to academic freedom stem from within the academy itself. This conclusion is related to the growing understanding that student ‘wellbeing’ necessitates the regulation and ‘policing’ of knowledge and ideas that are deemed to be offensive to the vulnerable student.
University Graduate Students and Digital Competence: Are Future Secondary School Teachers Digitally Competent?
Authors: Pérez-Navío Eufrasio , Ocaña-Moral María Teresa , Martínez-Serrano María del Carmen
Published: August 2021

Information and communication technology is very important both for teacher training and for delivering quality education. Therefore, university graduates must have a level of qualification in digital competencies suitable for their entry into the world of work. The research analyzes various aspects related to the use of technological resources by graduate students who were currently studying for a university master’s degree in compulsory secondary education, and the relationship between their use based on gender and/or age. A descriptive cross-sectional survey is carried out. We use an ad hoc questionnaire that shows acceptable reliability. The results show that graduate students make traditional use of ICT—both for searching for information and using digital resources for teaching. Moreover, differences were found based on gender and age regarding participants’ perception of their digital competence.
An Infodemiology and Infoveillance Study on COVID-19: Analysis of Twitter and Google Trends
Authors: Alshahrani Reem , Babour Amal
Published: August 2021

Infodemiology uses web-based data to inform public health policymakers. This study aimed to examine the diffusion of Arabic language discussions and analyze the nature of Internet search behaviors related to the global COVID-19 pandemic through two platforms (Twitter and Google Trends) in Saudi Arabia. A set of Twitter Arabic data related to COVID-19 was collected and analyzed. Using Google Trends, internet search behaviors related to the pandemic were explored. Health and risk perceptions and information related to the adoption of COVID-19 infodemic markers were investigated. Moreover, Google mobility data was used to assess the relationship between different community activities and the pandemic transmission rate. The same data was used to investigate how changes in mobility could predict new COVID-19 cases. The results show that the top COVID-19–related terms for misinformation on Twitter were folk remedies from low quality sources. The number of COVID-19 cases in different Saudi provinces has a strong negative correlation with COVID-19 search queries on Google Trends (Pearson r = −0.63) and a statistical significance (p < 0.05). The reduction of mobility is highly correlated with a decreased number of total cases in Saudi Arabia. Finally, the total cases are the most significant predictor of the new COVID-19 cases.
Prediction Models of Barite Crystallization and Inhibition Kinetics: Applications for Oil and Gas Industry
Authors: Dai Chong , Dai Zhaoyi , Zhao Yue , Wang Xin , Paudyal Samiridhdi , Ko Saebom , Kan Amy T. , Tomson Mason B.
Published: August 2021

Barite is one of the most common mineral scales in the oilfield and its formation can sequester toxic strontium (Sr) and radium (Ra). Various scale inhibitors are widely used to inhibit its formation. The inhibition efficiencies of 18 common inhibitors were tested using an improved kinetic turbidity method over broad oil and gas production conditions. A theoretical and a semi-empirical barite crystallization and inhibition model were developed for the 18 most used scale inhibitors. Both models can work under a broad range of production conditions and are carefully reviewed against all available experimental data. These models have shown wide applications in industrial operations, field testing, and laboratory testing. Using the new models and testing method, a novel fast inhibitor performance testing method was proposed and validated. Furthermore, the barite crystallization and inhibition models also work well to predict the inhibition performance of mixed inhibitors. This study not only advanced barite scale inhibition in an efficiency and low-cost way during oil and gas production, but also provided new insights on understanding the fate and transport of toxic Sr and Ra.
Sulfur Application Combined with Planomicrobium sp. Strain MSSA-10 and Farmyard Manure Biochar Helps in the Management of Charcoal Rot Disease in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)
Authors: Ijaz Muhammad , Sattar Abdul , Sher Ahmad , Ul-Allah Sami , Mansha Muhammad Zeeshan , Khan Kashif Ali , Shahzad Muhammad Asif , Al-Sadi Abdullah M. , Arif Muhammad , Aljuaid Bandar S. , El-Shehawi Ahmed M. , Farooq Shahid
Published: August 2021

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), a member of the Asteraceae, is one of the major oilseed crops around the world. Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid is the most damaging disease of sunflowers globally. Fungicides are mostly used to control charcoal rot; however, these cause environmental pollution and pose adverse effects on the ecosystem. Therefore, ecofriendly management options are inevitable for the management of charcoal rot disease. Plant mineral nutrition, the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria and biochar have recently been manipulated for the management of different plant diseases. However, the interactive effects of all these treatments have rarely been tested on charcoal rot suppression in sunflowers. This study assessed the influence of sulfur (0 and 2.25 mg/kg) combined with farmyard manure biochar (2%), NPK (20:20:20 mg/kg) and three different plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) strains on the charcoal rot suppression growth, yield, biochemistry and physiology of sunflower. The PGPR strains included in the study were Bacillus sp. strain MR-1/2 (regarded as PGPR1), Achromobacter sp. strain FB-14 (regarded as PGPR2) and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10 (regarded as PGPR3). The charcoal rot infestation was induced by inoculating the soil with M. phaseolina, and the impacts of the different treatments were studied on the disease infestation, growth, yield, biochemistry and physiology of sunflowers under 0 and 2.25-mg/kg S application. The results revealed that farmyard manure biochar and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10 in combination with 2.25-mg/kg S proved effective for the management of charcoal rot disease through regulating the antioxidant enzymes’ activities and strengthening the immune system of sunflower plants. The studied health markers (total chlorophyll content and carotenoids) and stress markers (total protein content, catalase and peroxidase) were significantly altered by the applied treatments under 0 and 2.25-mg/kg S applications. The findings of the experiment indicated that both farmyard manure biochar and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10, combined with 2.25-mg/kg S, could be used to enhance the crop yield and manage charcoal rot disease in sunflowers. Farmyard manure biochar and Planomicrobium sp. strain MSSA-10 are an easy-to-apply, cost-effective, ecofriendly and sustainable option for the management of charcoal rot disease in sunflowers.
Making Sense of Resilience
Authors: Cañizares Jose Carlos , Copeland Samantha Marie , Doorn Neelke
Published: August 2021

While resilience is a major concept in development, climate adaptation, and related domains, many doubts remain about how to interpret this term, its relationship with closely overlapping terms, or its normativity. One major view is that, while resilience originally was a descriptive concept denoting some adaptive property of ecosystems, subsequent applications to social contexts distorted its meaning and purpose by framing it as a transformative and normative quality. This article advances an alternative philosophical account based on the scrutiny of C.S. Holling’s original work on resilience. We show that resilience had a central role among Holling’s proposals for reforming environmental science and management, and that Holling framed resilience as an ecosystem’s capacity of absorbing change and exploiting it for adapting or evolving, but also as the social ability of maintaining and opportunistically exploiting that natural capacity. Resilience therefore appears as a transformative social-ecological property that is normative in three ways: as an intrinsic ecological value, as a virtue of organizations or management styles, and as a virtuous understanding of human–nature relations. This interpretation accounts for the practical relevance of resilience, clarifies the relations between resilience and related terms, and is a firm ground for further normative work on resilience.
Technical Efficiency of Traditional Village Chicken Production in Africa: Entry Points for Sustainable Transformation and Improved Livelihood
Authors: Birhanu Mulugeta Y. , Alemayehu Tesfahun , Bruno Jasmine E. , Kebede Fasil Getachew , Sonaiya Emmanuel Babafunso , Goromela Ezekiel H. , Bamidele Oladeji , Dessie Tadelle
Published: August 2021

Increasing poultry product consumption trends have attracted researchers and development practitioners to look for interventions that transform the low-input low-output-based village chicken production to a high yielding production system. However, due to the intricate nature of the production system, there is a dearth of evidence that helps design comprehensive interventions at the smallholder level. Using national-level representative data collected from 3555 village chicken producers in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, this study examines the technical efficiency of village chicken production and investigates the main factors that explain the level of inefficiency. We applied a stochastic frontier analysis to simultaneously quantify the level of technical efficiency and identify factors associated with heterogeneity in inefficiency. We found that the level of technical efficiency is extremely low in the three countries, suggesting enormous opportunities to enhance productivity using available resources. The heterogeneity in technical efficiency is strongly associated with producers’ experience in breed improvements and flock management, limited technical knowledge and skills, limited access to institutions and markets, smaller flock size, gender disparities, and household livelihood orientation. We argue the need to adopt an integrated approach to enhance village producers’ productivity and transform the traditional subsistence-based production system into a commercially oriented semi-intensive production system.
Stormwater Runoff Treatment Using Pervious Concrete Modified with Various Nanomaterials: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Alimohammadi Vahid , Maghfouri Mehdi , Nourmohammadi Delaram , Azarsa Pejman , Gupta Rishi , Saberian Mohammad
Published: August 2021

Clean water is a vital need for all living creatures during their lifespan. However, contaminated stormwater is a major issue around the globe. A wide range of contaminants, including heavy metals, organic and inorganic impurities, has been discovered in stormwater. Some commonly utilized methods, such as biological, physical and chemical procedures, have been considered to overcome these issues. However, these current approaches result in moderate to low contaminant removal efficiencies for certain classes of contaminants. Of late, filtration and adsorption processes have become more featured in permeable concretes (PCs) for the treatment of stormwater. As nanoparticles have vast potential and unique characterizations, such as a higher surface area to cure polluted stormwater, employing them to improve permeable concretes’ capabilities in stormwater treatment systems is an effective way to increase filtration and adsorption mechanisms. The present study reviews the removal rate of different stormwater contaminants such as heavy metals, organic and other pollutants using nanoparticle-improved PC. The application of different kinds of nanomaterials in PC as porous media to investigate their influences on the properties of PC, including the permeability rate, compressive strength, adsorption capacity and mix design of such concrete, was also studied. The findings of this review show that different types of nanomaterials improve the removal efficiency, compressive strength and adsorption capacity and decrease the infiltration rate of PC during the stormwater treatment process. With regard to the lack of comprehensive investigation concerning the use of nanomaterials in PC to treat polluted stormwater runoff, this study reviews 242 published articles on the removal rate of different stormwater contaminants by using PC improved with nanoparticles.
Proposing Stewardship Theory as an Alternate to Explain the Relationship between CSR and Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behavior
Authors: Murtaza Shah Ali , Mahmood Asif , Saleem Saima , Ahmad Naveed , Sharif Muhammad Suhail , Molnár Edina
Published: August 2021

The aim of the current analysis is to test the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employee’s pro-environmental behavior (E-PEB) with the mediating effect of servant leadership (SL). The data of the current study were collected from banking employees (n = 392) serving in different banks of Pakistan through a self-administered (paper–pencil method) questionnaire and analyzed by employing structural equation modeling (SEM). The empirical results revealed that CSR directly influences E-PEB; however, this relationship is better explained in the presence of SL as a mediator (mediation explained 35% variation in E-PEB). The findings of this analysis will help academia and the banking industry improve their understanding of CSR to shape employees’ environment-specific behavior. Further, these findings will also help to deal with climate change by engaging the bank employees in different environment-specific activities to improve the overall environmental footprint of a bank.
Effect of Methyl Jasmonate, Cytokinin, and Lavender Oil on Antioxidant Enzyme System of Apricot Fruit (Prunus armeniaca L.)
Authors: Cavusoglu Seyda , Yilmaz Nurettin , Islek Firat , Tekin Onur , Sagbas Halil Ibrahim , Ercisli Sezai , Rampáčková Eliška , Nečas Tomáš
Published: August 2021

Various treatments are carried out in order to extend both the shelf life and storage life of fresh fruit and vegetables after harvest and among them non-toxic for humans, environmentally and economically friendly alternative treatments are gained more importance. In the current study, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), cytokinin, and lavender oil which are eco-friendly and safe for human health were applied on apricot fruit. The treated fruit were stored at 0 °C and 90–95% relative humidity for 25 days and catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation of apricots after treatments were studied. According to the findings obtained from the study, it was observed that 5 ppm cytokinin and 1000 ppm lavender oil treatments of apricot fruit gave better APX and CAT enzyme activity, respectively. In addition, better SOD enzyme activity in fruit was obtained with MeJA + lavender oil treatments. As a result, it can be emphasized that the product quality of apricot fruit is preserved as both the eco-friendly application of MeJA, cytokinin, and lavender oil separately from each other and the treatment of combinations between these compounds activate the enzymatic antioxidant defense systems of apricot fruit after harvest.
Integrated Evaluation Model of Construction Vulnerability in Anthropic Fill Areas (IALV). Case Study: District of Villaverde in the City of Madrid, Spain
Authors: Sánchez Félix Escolano , Idreos Francisco Parra , Aguado Manuel Bueno
Published: August 2021

Over the coming years, developments of large urban areas are expected, many of them on plots where soil conditions may not be the most suitable for building. This is the case of plots that previously have been used for dumping anthropic fill deposits. The term anthropic fill included a large variety of materials, all of them related with human activity; but this paper is mainly focused on natural materials extracted from nearby excavations or construction debris that form non-contaminated lands. In a review of literature related to risks, it is observed that in the last 10 years there have been abundant investigations to determine vulnerability in urban areas. However, the risks derived from the presence of anthropic landfills have generally been overlooked. For this reason, there is a real need to quantify construction vulnerability in areas settled on anthropic landfills. A methodology, up to now unknown, must be created to estimate and extrapolate it to any part of the world. The aim is to avoid the likelihood of pathologies appearing in urban areas. Hence, and to address this lack of knowledge, an Integrated Evaluation Model has been developed. Its purpose is to quantify, simply but effectively, the construction vulnerability index in already consolidated areas of historic landfills. The proposed model has been validated in a very popular district of the city of Madrid. Its surface, the number of buildings affected and population involved make it truly representative.
A Freeway Travel Time Prediction Method Based on an XGBoost Model
Authors: Chen Zhen , Fan Wei
Published: August 2021

Travel time prediction plays a significant role in the traffic data analysis field as it helps in route planning and reducing traffic congestion. In this study, an XGBoost model is employed to predict freeway travel time using probe vehicle data. The effects of different parameters on model performance are investigated and discussed. The optimized model outputs are then compared with another well-known model (i.e., Gradient Boosting model). The comparison results indicate that the XGBoost model has considerable advantages in terms of both prediction accuracy and efficiency. The developed model and analysis results can greatly help the decision makers plan, operate, and manage a more efficient highway system.
A Systematic Review of Drivers of Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Technology Adoption
Authors: Poškus Mykolas Simas , Jovarauskaitė Lina , Balundė Audra
Published: August 2021

In this systematic review we explore the forces that encourage or hinder the adoption of wastewater treatment and/or management technology. Our literature search uncovered 37 sources that discuss these issues. Retrieved sources were then subjected to qualitative synthesis. We adopted a systems-theory perspective in analyzing the qualitative data and provide insights into the interaction between the political environment and societal and organizational systems. Our findings indicate that sustainable change can best be achieved through understanding the interaction between systems and their actual capability to meet the needs of related systems. Societal-level systems emerge as having the possibility to influence the political environment as well as organizations.
Information Modelling Management and Green Public Procurement for Waste Management and Environmental Renovation of Brownfields
Authors: Pellegrini Laura , Locatelli Mirko , Meschini Silvia , Pattini Giulia , Seghezzi Elena , Tagliabue Lavinia Chiara , Di Giuda Giuseppe Martino
Published: August 2021

Information Modelling and Management (IMM) methods for Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) can promote the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices. Despite the wide regulatory framework and existing drivers, Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) trends are still growing. The literature review analyzed IMM and CDW management implementation during design phases although few studies focused on Green Public Procurement (GPP) and CDW management integration from the Public Client’s point of view. This research aims at investigating the integration and efficiency of MEAT and IMM to promote the application of sustainable strategies focused on waste reduction and resource valorization. The study investigates the Public Client’s role in promoting sustainable practices, introducing digital material inventory and BIM during the design phases, and including environmental award criteria in the call for tender documents. A Design Build (DB) procurement model was considered in the case study of a brownfield renovation and the construction of a new school in northern Italy. The methodology provided the Public Client and included a method to evaluate the environmental impact of the bids, allowing for proper selective demolition planning, CDW decrease, and organization while promoting their integration in companies’ expertise and procedures. The replicability of the methodology is demonstrated by positive results of present and previous case studies.
Understanding Preferences for Coastal Climate Change Adaptation: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Mallette Angela , Smith Timothy F. , Elrick-Barr Carmen , Blythe Jessica , Plummer Ryan
Published: August 2021

Lack of public support for coastal adaptation can present significant barriers for implementation. In response, policy makers and academics are seeking strategies to build public support for coastal adaptation, which requires a deeper understanding of peoples’ preferences for coastal adaptation and what motives those preferences. Here, we conduct a systematic literature review to understand preferences for coastal adaptation options and the factors influencing these preferences. Ninety peer-reviewed publications meet the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed that hard protection options were often the most frequently preferred, likely due to a desire to maintain current shoreline, for the protection of recreational spaces and private property, and a perceived effectiveness of hard protection options. Soft protection, including nature-based approaches, accommodation, and no action were the next most preferred options. Finally, retreat options were the least preferred, often due to strong place attachment. We identify twenty-eight factors that could influence preferences, with risk perception, place attachment, and financial considerations occurring most frequently in the literature. In the conclusion, we outline the most significant research gaps identified from our analysis and discuss the implication for adaptation research and practice.
Evaluating the Spatio-Temporal Distribution of Irrigation Water Components for Water Resources Management Using Geo-Informatics Approach
Authors: Mohsin Waqas Muhammad , Waseem Muhammad , Ali Sikandar , Kebede Leta Megersa , Noor Shah Adnan , Khalid Awan Usman , Hamid Hussain Shah Syed , Yang Tao , Ullah Sami
Published: August 2021

Spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water components was evaluated at the canal command area in Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) by using a remote sensing-based geo-informatics approach. Satellite-derived MODIS product-based Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) was used for the estimation of the actual evapotranspiration (ETa). The ground data-based advection aridity method (AA) was used to calibrate and validate the model. Statistical analysis of the SEBAL based ETa and AA shows the mean values of 87.1 mm and 47.9 mm during Kharif season (May–November) and 100 mm and 77 mm during the Rabi Season (December–April). Mean NSEs of 0.72 and 0.85 and RMSEs 34.9 and 5.76 during the Kharif and the Rabi seasons were observed for ETa and AA, respectively. Rainfall data were calibrated with the point observatory data of the metrological stations. The average annual ETa was found 899 mm for defined four cropping years (2011–2012 to 2014–2015) with the minimum average value of 63.3 mm in January and the maximum average value of 110.6 mm in August. Average of the sum of net canal water use (NCWU) and rainfall during the study period of four years was 548 mm (36% of ETa). Seasonal analysis revealed 39% and 61% of groundwater extraction proportion during Rabi and Kharif seasons, dependent upon the occurrence of rainfall and crop phenology. Overall, the results provide insight into the interrelationships between key water resources management components and the variation of these through time, offering information to improve the strategic planning and management of available water resources in this region.
Water Resource Management: Moving from Single Risk-Based Management to Resilience to Multiple Stressors
Authors: Bunney Sarah , Lawson Elizabeth , Cotterill Sarah , Butler David
Published: August 2021

Water resource management in the UK is multifaceted, with a complexity of issues arising from acute and chronic stressors. Below average rainfall in spring 2020 coincided with large-scale changes to domestic water consumption patterns, arising from the first UK-wide COVID-19 lockdown, resulting in increased pressure on nationwide resources. A sector wide survey, semi-structured interviews with sector executives, meteorological data, water resource management plans and market information were used to evaluate the impact of acute and chronic threats on water demand in the UK, and how resilience to both can be increased. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly acute threat: water demand increased across the country, it was unpredictable and hard to forecast, and compounding this, below average rainfall resulted in some areas having to tanker in water to ‘top up’ the network. This occurred in regions of the UK that are ‘water stressed’ as well as those that are not. We therefore propose a need to look beyond ‘design droughts’ and ‘dry weather average demand’ to characterise the management and resilience of future water resources. As a sector, we can learn from this acute threat and administer a more integrated approach, combining action on the social value of water, the implementation of water trading and the development of nationwide multi-sectoral resilience plans to better respond to short and long-term disruptors.
Life Cycle Economic and Environmental Impacts of CDW Recycled Aggregates in Roadway Construction and Rehabilitation
Authors: Zhao Yunpeng , Goulias Dimitrios , Tefa Luca , Bassani Marco
Published: August 2021

The use of recycled materials in roadway construction and rehabilitation can achieve significant benefits in saving natural resources, reducing energy, greenhouse gas emissions and costs. Construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycled aggregate as an alternative to natural one can enhance sustainability benefits in roadway infrastructure. The objective of this study was to quantitatively assess the life cycle economic and environmental benefits when alternative stabilized-CDW aggregates are used in pavement construction. Comparative analysis was conducted on a pavement project representative of typical construction practices in northern Italy so as to quantify such benefits. The proposed alternative sustainable construction strategies considered CDW aggregates stabilized with both cement and cement kiln dust (CKD) for the base layer of the roadway. The life cycle assessment results indicate that using CDW aggregate stabilized with CKD results in considerable cost savings and environmental benefits due to (i) lower energy consumption and emissions generation during material processing and (ii) reduction in landfill disposal. The benefits illustrated in this analysis should encourage the wider adoption of stabilized CDW aggregate in roadway construction and rehabilitation. In terms of transferability, the analysis approach suggested in this study can be used to assess the economic and environmental benefits of these and other recycled materials in roadway infrastructure elsewhere.
Assessing the Road Traffic Crashes among Novice Female Drivers in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al-Garawi Najah , Dalhat Muhammad Abubakar , Aga Omer
Published: August 2021

Background: Recently (in 2018), females were legally allowed to drive and use automobiles in Saudi Arabia (SA) for the first time. This study investigated and analyzed the general fear of driving (GFDS), perceived self-confidence (PSCR), socio-economic variables, demographic distribution, and self-reported RTCs in novice female drivers from SA. Methods: The work was based on survey responses from 9608 participants from the first generation of female drivers from SA. Factor analysis was used to extract GFDS and PSCR scales. Results: Cronbach’s α values of 0.781 and 0.800 were observed for GFDS and PSCR, respectively. Logistic regression was employed to model road traffic collisions (RTCs) as a function of all significant variables. The results showed that of the 17.4% of geographically distributed respondents who reported RTCs, only 4% reported severe or minor injuries, and the rest (96.0%) of the accidents involved property damage. The GFDS and PSCR values showed a positive association with the RTCs of novice female drivers. Furthermore, age was not a significant influencing factor in the RTCs of novice female drivers. However, exposure factors were positively associated with the risk of RTC involvement. Conclusions: Female novice drivers who were single, divorced/widowed, employed, and had higher individual incomes were at higher risk of getting into RTCs. The female drivers who hired personal trainers, compared to those who did not, exhibited similar chances of getting involved in RTCs. An extra on-road in-traffic driving lesson is suggested to be included in the new-driver license training program for drivers with higher GFDS in SA.
Piloting a Weather-Index-Based Crop Insurance System in Bangladesh: Understanding the Challenges of Financial Instruments for Tackling Climate Risks
Authors: Al-Maruf Abdullah , Mira Sumyia Akter , Rida Tasnim Nazira , Rahman Md Saifur , Sarker Pradip Kumar , Jenkins J. Craig
Published: August 2021

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world to extreme climate events. With over 60% of its population living in rural areas, over a third of which lives under the poverty line and depends on agriculture, these climate stresses constitute a major challenge. The traditional financial instruments, e.g., microcredit and relief programs, continue today. However, how climate risk can be tackled through innovative financial instruments focusing on agriculture farms and farmers is crucial. Considering this issue, the Sadharan Bima Corporation and the Bangladesh Meteorological Department joined forces in 2014 to launch a $2.5 million three-year pilot project on weather-index-based crop insurance (WIBCI) executed by the Financial Institutions Division of the Bangladesh government’s Ministry of Finance. This study examined the basic strategy of this pilot project, the major challenges confronted, and possible solutions for creating a successful weather-index-based crop insurance scheme in Bangladesh. We relied on key informant interviews, informal discussions, focus group discussions, and in-depth interviews with the major stakeholders of the WIBCI pilot. These showed the WIBCI pilot to be a promising initiative that still faces problems from limited weather data, a costly business operations system, farmer insurance illiteracy, and fatalism, as well as problems with designing insurance products and recruiting qualified personnel. We compared this WIBCI pilot against the challenges of other projects, recommending best practices for a viable weather-index-based crop insurance system. The insurance mechanism of this study may apply to other vegetation sectors of Bangladesh, e.g., forest plantation or agroforestry for protecting natural resources from natural disasters.