bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diminishing Farm Diversity of East African Highland Bananas in Banana Bunchy Top Disease Outbreak Areas of Burundi—The Effect of Both Disease and Control Approaches
Authors: Simbare Alice , Sane Cheikh Amet Bassirou , Nduwimana Innocent , Niyongere Celestin , Omondi Bonaventure Aman
Published: September 2020

Disease-driven selection favours evasive, tolerant, and resistant cultivars, changing cultivar diversity significantly. Since its outbreak in Burundi in the late 1980s, Banana Bunchy Top Disease (BBTD) has now spread to 5 out of 18 provinces across the country, principally through informal seed exchanges. Control approaches have focused on using tissue culture clean planting material and eradicating infected mats. This study investigated the impact of BBTD and its control measures on seed selection practices and banana cultivars diversity in Burundi, by comparing two BBTD endemic sites and one where the disease wasn’t reported. Results have shown that in addition to agronomic traits used in all sites, some BBTD-typical symptoms were used in seed selection in the endemic areas. Own seed provisioning and formal seed sources networks were more likely to be observed in BBTD-endemic areas, compared with the non-endemic area. Disease control using certified tissue culture planting materials reduced the varietal diversity of local cultivars but enabled the introduction of new cultivars. A general reduction in the diversity of local cultivars grown by farmers in the BBTD endemic zones was observed, with about half of the diversity per farmer compared to the non-endemic zone. Farmer demand for varieties (local and improved) was not different between the two areas. Sustainable conservation of crop genetic diversity in the presence of disease invasions remains a problem to be addressed. Thus, implementing seed system-linked intervention with an explicit and monitored diversity conservation objective would increase the sustainability of agricultural production in such situations.
Impacts Generated by a Large-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant Can Lead to Conflicts between Sustainable Development Goals: A Review of Key Lessons Learned in Madagascar
Authors: Brunet Carole , Savadogo Oumarou , Baptiste Pierre , Bouchard Michel A , Rakotoary Jean Chrysostome , Ravoninjatovo Andry , Cholez Céline , Gendron Corinne , Merveille Nicolas
Published: September 2020

In a context of energy transition towards renewable energies, this case study situated in Madagascar allows us to verify the extent to which an on-grid photovoltaic solar power plant represents a vector for sustainable development. The article proposes a model for assessing sustainability from a qualitative multi-criteria perspective. This analysis fits into the theoretical question of the science of sustainability by challenging the theory of endogenous development. The innovation of this research is based on the use of a qualitative approach to a technological issue filling a literature gap in the major issue of the effective sustainability of renewable energy (particularly in the context of an island state). The study emphasizes that the plant can only represent a vector for sustainable development with the collaboration of the concerned parties, which implies considering the electrification needs at the local level. The article confirms that the impacts generated by the power plant can lead to conflicts between different sustainable development goals. Theoretically, the study emphasizes that the evaluation of the sustainability of solar power plants should follow a process that: (i) uses a preferably qualitative methodology likely to understand the local conditions of the communities in which they are established; (ii) identifies dissociated indicators while taking into account the context; and (iii) analyzes the possible negative interactions between the impact areas by highlighting the key areas linked to land management and the well-being of women within a poverty reduction approach.
Resilience for Whom? A Case Study of Taiwan Indigenous People’s Struggle in the Pursuit of Social-Ecological Resilience
Authors: Tai Hsing-Sheng
Published: September 2020

While the notion of social-ecological system resilience is widely accepted and applied, the issue of “resilience for whom” is clearly ignored. This phenomenon has also occurred in Taiwan. This article explores the roots of, and a possible solution to, this issue through a case study in the context of Taiwan’s indigenous peoples. The Danungdafu area, the focal social-ecological system, was studied. Qualitative research methods and an action-oriented research approach were employed. For a long period, the central government shaped the political, economic, social, institutional, and ecological contexts; dominated resilience discourses and determined the problem-framing and problem-solving agenda; defined the scale and levels at which social-ecological system governance issues were addressed; and determined the knowledge system used to define and solve problems. After 2011, a new participatory governance regime emerged. Multiple stakeholders, including indigenous communities, began to contribute to resilience discourses and influenced governance and trade-offs among differing governance goals. However, under the established structures dominated by Han people, indigenous views, rights, and well-being continue to be ignored. Affirmative action is required to recognize and safeguard indigenous rights. A practical institutional pathway is available to facilitate the transformation from “resilience for mainstream society” to “resilience for indigenous people” in indigenous territories.
Detection of Financial Inclusion Vulnerable Rural Areas through an Access to Cash Index: Solutions Based on the Pharmacy Network and a CBDC. Evidence Based on Ávila (Spain)
Authors: Náñez Alonso Sergio Luis , Jorge-Vazquez Javier , Reier Forradellas Ricardo Francisco
Published: September 2020

The ability to access quality financial services and cash has been indicated by various organizations, such as the World Bank or UN, as a fundamental aspect to guarantee regional sustainable development. However, access to cash is not always guaranteed, especially in rural regions. The present study is based in the Ávila region of Spain. A parameter called the “access to cash index” is constructed here. It is used to detect rural areas where the ability to access cash and banking services is more difficult. Based on the “access to cash index”, two sustainable solutions are proposed: The first (in the short term), based on extending access to cash, takes advantage of the existing pharmacy network. With this measure, a notable reduction of more than 55% of the average distance required to access this service is verified here. The second is based on the implementation of a central bank digital currency. Here, the results show an acceptance of 75%. However, it is known that elderly people and those without relevant education and/or low incomes would reject its widespread use. Such a circumstance would require the development of training and information policies on the safety and effectiveness of this type of currency.
Deep Neural Network Design for Modeling Individual-Level Travel Mode Choice Behavior
Authors: Nam Daisik , Cho Jaewoo
Published: September 2020

Individual-level modeling is an essential requirement for effective deployment of smart urban mobility applications. Mode choice behavior is also a core feature in transportation planning models, which are used for analyzing future policies and sustainable plans such as greenhouse gas emissions reduction plans. Specifically, an agent-based model requires an individual level choice behavior, mode choice being one such example. However, traditional utility-based discrete choice models, such as logit models, are limited to aggregated behavior analysis. This paper develops a model employing a deep neural network structure that is applicable to the travel mode choice problem. This paper uses deep learning algorithms to highlight an individual-level mode choice behavior model, which leads us to take into account the inherent characteristics of choice models that all individuals have different choice options, an aspect not considered in the neural network models of the past that have led to poorer performance. Comparative analysis with existing behavior models indicates that the proposed model outperforms traditional discrete choice models in terms of prediction accuracy for both individual and aggregated behavior.
Integrating Transparent and Conventional Solar Cells TSC/SC
Authors: Al-Nimr Moh’d , Milhem Abdallah , Al-Bishawi Basel , Al Khasawneh Khaleel
Published: September 2020

Conventional photovoltaic cells are able to convert the visible light spectrum of solar radiation into electricity; the unused wavelengths of the solar radiation spectrum are dissipated as heat in the system. On the other hand, certain types of transparent solar cells are able to utilize the rest of the solar radiation spectrum. The integration of transparent solar cells with conventional photovoltaic cells enables the system to absorb and utilize both wavelengths of the solar radiation spectrum. In this paper, two models for integrating transparent solar cells with conventional photovoltaic cells are proposed, simulated, and analyzed theoretically. ANSYS software was used to obtain the results for the proposed models. It is an initial theoretical study that shows some first results; it is almost a work in progress. The results showed that the highest efficiency was for the model that had two cooling spaces. The efficiency was increased as the ambient air temperature decreased and the mass flow rate increased. The percentage drop in photovoltaic (PV) cell efficiency decreased as the mass flow rate increased and the ambient temperature decreased, and it had the lowest value when air/water was used for cooling. The efficiency of the transparent solar cell (TSC) increased as the transparency decreased; in order to have higher efficiency, PV efficiency should be high, with low transparency. When added, the transparent solar cell was supposed to increase the harvested energy due to the utilization of the unconverted solar radiation, but it left two negative side effects. The first negative side effect was the reduction of the transmitted radiation to the conventional solar cell due to the transmissivity of the transparent cell. The second negative impact was the increase in the conventional cell temperature due to the additional thermal resistance, which reduced the effectiveness of cooling the cell from above. The proposed models were verified by comparing the results of the standalone PV that were available in the literature with the two models that are proposed in this paper.
Impact of a Mindfulness and Self-Care Program on the Psychological Flexibility and Well-Being of Parents with Children Diagnosed with ADHD
Authors: Salgado-Pascual Carlos F. , Martín-Antón Luis J. , Carbonero Miguel Á.
Published: September 2020

Families with children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to display unpleasant psychological reactions arising from the pressure exerted by the social and school context, and from experiences linked to difficulties their children have. The present research seeks to examine the effectiveness of a mindfulness program on various dimensions related to well-being and psychological flexibility in parents of children with ADHD. The program is based on protocols of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), enhanced through the specific inclusion of relational keys, self-compassion exercises and framed within self-care. Participants were 22 fathers and mothers of children and teenagers diagnosed with ADHD. Psychological flexibility (AAQ II), cognitive fusion (CFQ), mindfulness (FFMQ), coping (COPE), and self-compassion (SCS) measures were used. Results showed a significant increase in mindfulness skills, psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and in the use of humor (COPE) as a strategy for coping with personal problematic events. We discuss the results which emerged, the limitations of the study, as well as proposals for improvement.
A Worldwide Hotspot Analysis on Food Loss and Waste, Associated Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and Protein Losses
Authors: Guo Xuezhen , Broeze Jan , Groot Jim J. , Axmann Heike , Vollebregt Martijntje
Published: September 2020

Reducing food loss and waste (FLW) is prioritized in UN sustainable development goals (SDG) target 12.3 to contribute to “ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns”. It is expected to significantly improve global food security and mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Identifying “hotspots” from different perspectives of sustainability helps to prioritize the food items for which interventions can lead to the largest reduction of FLW-related impacts. Existing studies in this field have limitations, such as having incomplete geographical and food commodity coverage, using outdated data, and focusing on the mass of FLW instead of its nutrient values. To provide renewed and more informative insights, we conducted a global hotspot analysis concerning FLW with its associated GHG emissions and protein losses using the most recent data (the new FAO Food Balance Sheets updated in 2020). The findings of this research are that there were 1.9 Gt of FLW, 2.5 Gt of associated GHG emissions, and 0.1 Gt of associated protein losses globally in 2017. The results of the FLW amounts, GHG emissions, and protein losses per chain link are given on the scale of the entire world and continental regions. Next to this, food items with relatively high FLW, GHG emissions, and protein losses are highlighted to provide the implications to policymakers for better decision making. For example, fruits and vegetables contribute the most to global FLW volumes, but the product with the highest FLW-associated GHG emissions is bovine meat. For bovine meat, FLW-associated GHG emissions are highest at the consumer stage of North America and Oceania. Oil crops are the major source of protein losses in the global food chain. Another important finding with policy implications is that priorities for FLW reduction vary, dependent on prioritized sustainability criteria (e.g., GHG emissions versus protein losses).
Ethiopian Mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun) as an Alternative Energy Source and Sustainable Crop
Authors: Hagos Rahiel , Shaibu Abdulwahab Saliu , Zhang Lei , Cai Xu , Liang Jianli , Wu Jian , Lin Runmao , Wang Xiaowu
Published: September 2020

Energy and food source crop demand claims to be vulnerable to climate change impacts. The new and orphan crops, which in the past have received only limited research attention but are sustainable to environmental systems, are needed. In this review, we summarize the available literature about Ethiopian mustard as an alternative energy source and its sustainable economic importance as a new promising Brassicacea crop for new opportunities in the face of producing sustainable environment and energy development. Ethiopian mustard has many advantages and can be adopted to replace crops that are susceptible to adverse environmental conditions. Ethiopian mustard is becoming a new promising Brassicaceae crop with the current global energy demand increases. However, researchers have only focused on energy source production which has resulted in developing high erucic acid varieties. This results partly in limited studies on developing Ethiopian mustard edible oil varieties. The adoption and scaling-up of this promising crop as an oilseed crop in developing countries and Mediterranean conditions can sustain the impact of climate change with the demand for food and energy debate concepts. Indeed, further agronomic, quality and genomic studies on oilseed nutritional traits for efficient breeding and utilization are needed.
Identifying Barriers and Enablers for Climate Change Adaptation of Farmers in Semi-Arid North-Western China
Authors: Mu Lan , Fang Lan , Liu Yuhong , Wang Chencheng
Published: September 2020

The changing climate represents a large challenge for farmers, and adaptation responses are necessary to minimize impacts. Mixed approaches, which involve the analysis of meteorological data, web-based surveys, and face-to-face interviews, explore producers’ barriers and pressing needs to enhance climate resilience based on the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach in semi-arid north-western China. According to the main categories of farming activity, 85 crop farmers, 68 animal farmers, and 81 agro-tourism operators were interviewed. We found that most of the producers perceived climate impacts, and they encountered multiple adaptation obstacles, of which institutional and normative obstacles were more serious, such as farmers unable to obtain resources or government incentives, lacked scientific, and efficient coping measures. The survey also observed that crop farmers had a pressing need for agricultural subsidies, while animal farmers and agro-tourism operators had a strong enabler for animal housing infrastructure and credit facilities, respectively. Given the heterogeneity of the context and climate change experience of different categories of farmers, it is necessary to formulate flexible adaptation strategies and adjust them according to specific climate stress and farming conditions. To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and implement the 2015 Paris Agreement, policymakers should plan and introduce appropriate adaptation strategies to minimize the adverse effects of climate change such as improving irrigation and weather forecasting system through technological advancement, cost reduction of farm inputs, ensuring availability of information, providing agricultural subsidies to the farmers, and increasing the access to agricultural markets.
Quick Wins Workshop and Companies Profiling to Analyze Industrial Symbiosis Potential. Valenciaport’s Cluster as Case Study
Authors: Artacho-Ramírez Miguel A. , Pacheco-Blanco Bélgica , Cloquell-Ballester Víctor A. , Vicent Mónica , Celades Irina
Published: September 2020

Industrial symbiosis (IS) improves resource efficiency and creates sustainable opportunities by encouraging synergies between industries. However, managers still have difficulties in promoting IS, given the lack of appropriate managerial tools to efficiently obtain an overview of IS potential. In this paper, a procedure merging the Quick Wins Workshop format with clustering techniques is proposed, in order to both identify IS opportunities and support IS creation in the industrial cluster of Valenciaport. A total of 18 stakeholders took part in the study. As a result, 79 different resources classified into eight categories—materials (16), goods (14), space (11), expertise (11), energy (9), services (8), hydrocarbons (7), and water (3)—were derived and a total of 78 possible matchings were found. The creation of IS was supported by the clustering methods, which allow for the definition of common symbiotic features among stakeholders, classifying them into groups with similar IS potential. Three IS profiles were identified (high, medium, and low IS potential) and two strategic projects were devised, accordingly. It can be concluded that the proposed procedure provides useful managerial tools to identify resource flows, uncover patterns of exchange, identify possible matchings, and devise projects in communities interested in fostering IS from scratch.
Factor Affecting Attitude and Purchase Intention of Luxury Fashion Product Consumption: A Case of Korean University Students
Authors: Islam Maidul , Singh Bidhanchandra Nahakpam
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this study was to look into the factors affecting South Korean college students’ luxury goods purchases and their intent to buy them. A conceptual model was proposed and was tested by several hypotheses. Data were collected from Seoul, Daegu, and Daejeon in South Korea. A total of 153 respondents took part in this survey, which was conducted on brand awareness, social contrast, acquisitive, innovation in fashion, engagement in fashion, buying luxury brand attitudes, and buying interest of luxury products. Factor analysis and regression analysis were done to test the hypotheses by using SPSS. The results of this study indicated a significant positive relationship between the buying intention of luxury products and brand awareness, social contrast, and innovation in fashion. This paper help manufacturer and marketing managers to make better marketing strategies for college students.
Sustainable Mobility: A Review of Possible Actions and Policies
Authors: Gallo Mariano , Marinelli Mario
Published: September 2020

In this paper, a review of the main actions and policies that can be implemented to promote sustainable mobility is proposed. The work aims to provide a broad, albeit necessarily not exhaustive, analysis of the main studies and research that from different points of view have focused on sustainable mobility. The structure of the paper enables the reader to easily identify the topics covered and the studies related to them, so as to guide him/her to the related in-depth studies. In the first part of the paper, there is a preliminary analysis of the concept of sustainable mobility, the main transport policies implemented by the European Union and the USA, and the main statistical data useful to analyze the problem. Next, the main policies that can promote sustainable mobility are examined, classifying them into three topics: Environmental, socio-economic, and technological. Many of the policies and actions examined could be classified into more than one of the three categories used; for each of them, there is a description and the main literature work on which the topic can be analyzed in more detail. The paper concludes with a discussion on the results obtained and the prospects for research.
Renewable Energy Products through Bioremediation of Wastewater
Authors: Bhatia Ravi Kant , Sakhuja Deepak , Mundhe Shyam , Walia Abhishek
Published: September 2020

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, the population density of the world is intense in developing countries. This overgrowing population has resulted in the production of huge amounts of waste/refused water due to various anthropogenic activities. Household, municipal corporations (MC), urban local bodies (ULBs), and industries produce a huge amount of waste water, which is discharged into nearby water bodies and streams/rivers without proper treatment, resulting in water pollution. This mismanaged treatment of wastewater leads to various challenges like loss of energy to treat the wastewater and scarcity of fresh water, beside various water born infections. However, all these major issues can provide solutions to each other. Most of the wastewater generated by ULBs and industries is rich in various biopolymers like starch, lactose, glucose lignocellulose, protein, lipids, fats, and minerals, etc. These biopolymers can be converted into sustainable biofuels, i.e., ethanol, butanol, biodiesel, biogas, hydrogen, methane, biohythane, etc., through its bioremediation followed by dark fermentation (DF) and anaerobic digestion (AD). The key challenge is to plan strategies in such a way that they not only help in the treatment of wastewater, but also produce some valuable energy driven products from it. This review will deal with various strategies being used in the treatment of wastewater as well as for production of some valuable energy products from it to tackle the upcoming future demands and challenges of fresh water and energy crisis, along with sustainable development.
Development of a Multi-Criteria Model for Sustainable Reorganization of a Healthcare System in an Emergency Situation Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pamučar Dragan , Žižović Mališa , Marinković Dragan , Doljanica Dragan , Jovanović Saša Virijević , Brzaković Pavle
Published: September 2020

Healthcare systems worldwide are facing problems in providing health care to patients in a pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19). The pandemic causes an extreme disease to spread with fluctuating needs among patients, which significantly affect the capacity and overall performance of healthcare systems. In addition, its impact on the sustainability of the entire economic and social system is enormous and certain sustainable management strategies need to be selected. To meet the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure sustainable performance, national healthcare systems must adapt to new circumstances. This paper proposes an original multi-criteria methodology for the sustainable selection of strategic guidelines for the reorganization of a healthcare system under the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The selection of an appropriate strategic guideline is made on the basis of defined criteria and depending on infection capacity and pandemic spread risk. The criteria for the evaluation of strategic guidelines were defined on the basis of a survey in which the medical personnel engaged in the crisis response team during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Serbia participated. The Level-Based Weight Assessment (LBWA) model and Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical-Based Evaluation Technique (MACBETH) method were used to determine the weight coefficient criteria, while a novel fuzzy Ranking of Alternatives through Functional Mapping of Criterion Subintervals into a Single Interval (RAFSI) model was used to evaluate the strategic guidelines. The proposed multi-criteria methodology was tested in a case study in the Republic of Serbia. The validity of the proposed methodology is shown through the simulation of changes in input parameters of Bonferroni aggregation functions and through a comparison with other multi-criteria methodologies.
Joint Analysis of Cost and Energy Savings for Preliminary Design Alternative Assessment
Authors: De Gaetani Carlo Iapige , Macchi Andrea , Perri Pasquale
Published: September 2020

The building sector plays a central role in addressing the problem of global energy consumption. Therefore, effective design measures need to be taken to ensure efficient usage and management of new structures. The challenging task for designers is to reduce energy demands while maintaining a high-quality indoor environment and low costs of construction and operations. This study proposes a methodological framework that enables decision-makers to resolve conflicts between energy demand and life cycle costs. A case study is analyzed to validate the proposed method, adopting different solutions for walls, roofs, floors, windows, window-to-wall ratios and geographical locations. Models are created on the basis of all the possible combinations between these elements, enriched by their thermal properties and construction/management costs. After the alternative models are defined, energy analyses are carried out for an estimation of consumption. By calculating the total cost of each model as the sum of construction, energy and maintenance costs, a joint analysis is carried out for variable life cycles. The obtained results from the proposed method confirm the importance of a preliminary assessment from both energy and cost points of view, and demonstrate the impact of considering different building life cycles on the choice of design alternatives.
Uncertainty Analysis of Monthly Precipitation in GCMs Using Multiple Bias Correction Methods under Different RCPs
Authors: Song Young Hoon , Chung Eun-Sung , Shiru Mohammed Sanusi
Published: September 2020

This study quantified the uncertainties in historical and future average monthly precipitation based on different bias correction methods, General Circulation Models (GCMs), Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), projection periods, and locations within the study area (i.e., the coastal and inland areas of South Korea). The GCMs were downscaled using deep learning, random forest, and nine quantile mapping bias correction methods for 22 gauge stations in South Korea. Data from the Korean Meteorology Administration (1970–2005) were used as the reference data in this study. Two statistical measures, the standard deviation and interquartile range, were used to quantify the uncertainties. The probability distribution density was used to assess the similarity/variation in rainfall distributions. For the historical period, the uncertainty in the selection of bias correction methods was greater than that in the selection of GCMs, whereas the opposite pattern was observed for the projection period. The projection period had the lowest level of uncertainty in the selection of RCP scenarios, and for the future, the uncertainly related to the time period was slightly lower than that for the other sources but was much greater than that for the RCP selection. In addition, it was clear that the level of uncertainty of inland areas is much lower than that of coastal areas. The uncertainty in the selection of the GCMs was slightly greater than that in the selection of the bias correction method. Therefore, the uncertainty in the selection of coastal areas was intermediate between the selection of bias correction methods and GCMs. This paper contributes to an improved understanding of the uncertainties in climate change projections arising from various sources.
Evaluation and Improvement of Technological Innovation Efficiency of New Energy Vehicle Enterprises in China Based on DEA-Tobit Model
Authors: Fang Siran , Xue Xiaoshan , Yin Ge , Fang Hong , Li Jialin , Zhang Yongnian
Published: September 2020

It is vital to promote and optimize the technological innovation efficiency of new energy vehicle (NEV) enterprises for the green transformation of China’s automobile industry. However, China’s NEV enterprises still have problems such as insufficient research of technology and unreasonable innovative resource allocation. To improve the technological innovation efficiency of China’s NEV enterprises, the NEVs’ technological innovation process is divided into two stages: the research and development (R&D) stage and the achievement transformation stage in this research. Combining Tobit regression with data envelopment analysis (DEA), an evaluation framework of technological innovation efficiency of the NEV enterprises is constructed. Then, the innovation efficiency of 23 NEV listed enterprises from 2013 to 2018 is analyzed. The result reveals three findings. First, the overall technological innovation efficiency of NEV enterprises is low. Second, enterprises’ R&D efficiency is generally higher than the achievement transformation efficiency. Third, according to two-stage efficiency, 23 NEV enterprises are divided into four categories. For different types of enterprises, targeted guidance to improve innovation efficiency is proposed. This research provides a theoretical and practical basis for improving the innovation efficiency of NEV enterprises.
The Combat against COVID-19 in Portugal: How State Measures and Data Availability Reinforce Some Organizational Values and Contribute to the Sustainability of the National Health System
Authors: Correia Pedro Miguel Alves Ribeiro , Mendes Ireneu de Oliveira , Pereira Sandra Patrícia Marques , Subtil Inês
Published: September 2020

Countries are facing a pandemic crisis in the context of a new disease from the coronavirus family, referred to as COVID-19. This article aims to present the main facts related to the fight against the pandemic from the perspective of the Portuguese governance, aiming to contribute to the knowledge of crisis management by political leaders as well as the performance of public entities. The present research was conducted through a quantitative approach, using data publicly provided by the Portuguese Directorate General of Health. An explanatory and descriptive study is presented about the current panorama, and yet to be shared good practices of crisis management and the relevance of organizational values in crisis management and crisis coordination are also discussed. Based on the lessons from Portugal, the authors suggest the relevance of organizational values and stakeholders’ coordination as key factors in crisis situations, such as the current one.
Teaching Challenges in COVID-19 Scenery: Teams Platform-Based Student Satisfaction Approach
Authors: Rodriguez-Segura Leticia , Zamora-Antuñano Marco Antonio , Rodriguez-Resendiz Juvenal , Paredes-García Wilfrido J. , Altamirano-Corro José Antonio , Cruz-Pérez Miguel Ángel
Published: September 2020

At the onset of the crisis caused by COVID-19, the Mexican education system chose to join the global context and suspend face-to-face classes for all educational levels. For the continuity of educational processes, a transition from a traditional educational model (face-to-face) to emergency remote teaching (ERT) was made through virtual learning platforms and learning management system (LMS) schemes. Universidad del Valle de Mexico (UVM), in a collaboration agreement with Microsoft Co., chose to use Teams to continue its educational process. In this work, we intend to identify the factors that can be taken into account regarding the level of student satisfaction in the teaching–learning process in ERT using Teams, and validate the established educational strategy. Statistical analysis was carried out to analyze the academic environment for these scenario changes while considering knowledge assessment, and competencies achievement. A combined sampling method was applied with convenience and statistical analysis. The main results established significant percentages, where more than 60% of the students surveyed were manifested in the use of the teams and the organization of the class sessions by the teachers, and the activities developed. Using the Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient, the reliability of the data collection instruments was determined. The correlations of each of the survey questions were calculated to determine the relationship between themselves and the total answers, giving results similar to those obtained through data science tools. Taking advantage of the situation, data science tools were applied to compare the results with obtained values from RapidMiner software in the correlation of factors in of 0.440, 0.384, 0.246, 0.048 and 0.384.
Unilateral Deforming Warthin’s Tumor: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Porfire Ioana , Pers Nicoleta , Apostol Anda , Albu Silviu
Published: September 2020

Warthin’s tumor (WT) is the second most common benign tumor of the parotid gland. Located almost exclusively in the parotid gland and presenting a slow growth rate, WT usually does not exceed 4 cm and rarely benefits from early surgical treatment. The aim of this paper is to present a case of giant parotid Warthin’s tumor. The occurrence of large and deforming WT is rare, previous research showed a single similar reported case. The patient’s computed tomography scans showed a solid and cystic 15 × 13 cm2 mass of the parotid gland, without visible signs of invading the adjacent structures. Superficial parotidectomy with tumor excision was performed, with preservation of glandular and facial nerve functions. The paper also presents a brief literature review addressing the main controversies regarding etiopathology, epidemiology, diagnostic methods and treatment options for this parotid gland tumor.
E-Wastes: Bridging the Knowledge Gaps in Global Production Budgets, Composition, Recycling and Sustainability Implications
Authors: Ghimire Hem , Ariya Parisa A.
Published: September 2020

Rapid urbanization, advancements in science and technology, and the increase in tech-savviness of consumers have led to an exponential production of a variety of electronic equipment. The global annual growth rate of e-waste volume exceeds the growth rate of the human population. Electronic waste has now become a point of concern globally (53.6 million metric tons, 2019). However, merely 17.4% of all global e-waste is properly collected and recycled. China is the largest contributor to the global production of e-waste (~19%), the second being the United States. Indeed, only 14 countries generated over 65% of global e-waste production in 2019. E-wastes contain a wide range of organic, and inorganic compounds including various metals. Emerging contaminants like plastics are amongst the fastest growing constituents of electronic waste. The current challenges include the lack of reliable data, inadequate identification and quantification of new emerging materials, limited effectiveness of current recycling technologies, need for cutting-edge detection and recycling technologies, and the lack of e-waste management policies and international collaboration. In this review, we strive to integrate the existing data on production rates at different spatial scales, composition, as well as health, economical, and environmental challenges, existing recycling technologies; explore tangible solutions; and encourage further sustainable technology and regulatory policies.
Symmetry Breaking and Photomechanical Behavior of Photochromic Organic Crystals
Authors: Kitagawa Daichi , Bardeen Christopher J. , Kobatake Seiya
Published: September 2020

Photomechanical materials exhibit mechanical motion in response to light as an external stimulus. They have attracted much attention because they can convert light energy directly to mechanical energy, and their motions can be controlled without any physical contact. This review paper introduces the photomechanical motions of photoresponsive molecular crystals, especially bending and twisting behaviors, from the viewpoint of symmetry breaking. The bending (right–left symmetry breaking) and twisting (chiral symmetry breaking) of photomechanical crystals are based on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors like molecular orientation in the crystal and illumination conditions. The ability to design and control this symmetry breaking will be vital for generating new science and new technological applications for organic crystalline materials.
High-Sensitivity Capsule-Shaped Sensor Based on 2D Photonic Crystals
Authors: Maache Mouhssin , Fazea Yousef , Bile Hassan Ismail , Alkahtani Ammar Ahmed , Ud Din Ikram
Published: September 2020

This paper presents a new capsule-shaped sensor to detect the glucose concentration in the human body. The model under study was formulated by relying on the index change in the refractive index (RI) because of the change in the sample that infiltrated the cavity. The index of refraction change is accompanied by modifying the resonant wavelength. The recommended model has considered the simple shape and ease of manufacture, along with other characteristics such as sensitivity and a low detection limit. The results report a high sensitivity of S = 546.72 nm/RI unit (RIU), a high quality factor of Q = 2066.24, a low detection limit of DL = 1.44 × 10−4 RIU, and a high value of transmission of 97%, which are considered to be sufficient and efficient in detecting measured material. This proposed model provides many opportunities and is promising for the manufacture of different types of sensing detection devices.
Multi-Stage Quantum Secure Direct Communication Using Secure Shared Authentication Key
Authors: Harun Nur Ziadah , Ahmad Zukarnain Zuriati , Hanapi Zurina Mohd , Ahmad Idawaty
Published: September 2020

The security of Quantum Secure Direct Communication (QSDC) and its authentication procedure based on multiple stages is analyzed. The security analysis shows that the process of authentication is required to be done three times based on the usage of unitary transformation that is only known between Alice and Bob. In the proposed protocol, a secure quantum handshake is utilized to share the secret polarization angle and an authentication key at the initial stage of authentication over the quantum channel. The symmetry key is used in this work to protect user data communication within the QSDC protocol, where the same secret key is used to encrypt and decrypt the message. This work adopts the information travel time (ITT) by allowing the sender to detect any interference from third parties. In addition, the operation of the Pauli-X quantum gate increases Eve’s difficulty in stealing the information. The information transmitted is then continued by sending photons once in the quantum channel, which improves the efficiency without losing the message’s security. In addition, to securely transfer the stream of messages, the proposed protocol is operated in single-stage, and the authentication is applied bit-by-bit, thus reducing the transmission time. Security checks are carried out along the data transmission process. Compared to previous protocols, this new initial authentication protocol has remarkable advantages since it does not require public communication to pre-share the authentication key and secret angles before the onset of the transmission, therefore, reducing the communication cost. Moreover, the secret authentication key and polarization angles are updated after a number of bits are sent to increase the security level. The verification process is also conducted to ensure the symmetry of the sender and receiver. The analyses presented herein demonstrate that the proposed authentication protocol is simple and secure in order to ensure the legitimacy of the users.
ZZ Polynomials for Isomers of (5,6)-Fullerenes Cn with n = 20–50
Authors: Witek Henryk A. , Kang Jin-Su
Published: September 2020

A compilation of ZZ polynomials (aka Zhang–Zhang polynomials or Clar covering polynomials) for all isomers of small (5,6)-fullerenes Cn with n = 20–50 is presented. The ZZ polynomials concisely summarize the most important topological invariants of the fullerene isomers: the number of Kekulé structures K, the Clar number Cl, the first Herndon number h1, the total number of Clar covers C, and the number of Clar structures. The presented results should be useful as benchmark data for designing algorithms and computer programs aiming at topological analysis of fullerenes and at generation of resonance structures for valence-bond quantum-chemical calculations.
Extending Legacy Industrial Machines by a Low-Cost Easy-to-Use IoT Module for Data Acquisition
Authors: Tarjan Laslo , Šenk Ivana , Erić Obućina Jelena , Stankovski Stevan , Ostojić Gordana
Published: September 2020

Industry 4.0 is a paradigm that enhances industrial automation systems with the recent advances in the domain of the Internet of Things (IoT), gaining new possibilities and providing new services. Traditional industrial machines do not have IoT capabilities, and in order to integrate such a machine into Industry 4.0, there is a need for an intermediary device or system that communicates with the machine through its supported communication interfaces and protocols and forwards the communication to the global network. This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a low-cost hardware module that can easily integrate the machine’s existing control unit into the IoT and enable synchronization of the measurements and states of the variables of the machine and its environment with a cloud server. The developed module is universal, can connect to any control unit that is able to communicate through basic RS232 serial communication, and does not require the control unit to have any higher level communication protocol implemented. On the other end, the presented solution uses a dedicated smartphone application to provide remote monitoring and control of the machine through the cloud by using the synchronized variable states, as well as further possibilities for storing, processing, and analyzing the historical data from the system. The developed solution was experimentally validated on an experimental setup consisting of a conveyor belt driven by a three-phase asynchronous electromotor controlled by a programmable logic controller through a variable-frequency drive.
Space Habitat Data Centers—For Future Computing
Authors: Periola Ayodele , Alonge Akintunde , Ogudo Kingsley
Published: September 2020

Data from sensor-bearing satellites requires processing aboard terrestrial data centres that use water for cooling at the expense of high data-transfer latency. The reliance of terrestrial data centres on water increases their water footprint and limits the availability of water for other applications. Therefore, data centres with low data-transfer latency and reduced reliance on Earth’s water resources are required. This paper proposes space habitat data centres (SHDCs) with low latency data transfer and that use asteroid water to address these challenges. The paper investigates the feasibility of accessing asteroid water and the reduction in computing platform access latency. Results show that the mean asteroid water access period is 319.39 days. The use of SHDCs instead of non-space computing platforms reduces access latency and increases accessible computing resources by 11.9–33.6% and 46.7–77% on average, respectively.
Symmetry Breaking of Phospholipids
Authors: Fiore Michele , Buchet René
Published: September 2020

Either stereo reactants or stereo catalysis from achiral or chiral molecules are a prerequisite to obtain pure enantiomeric lipid derivatives. We reviewed a few plausibly organic syntheses of phospholipids under prebiotic conditions with special attention paid to the starting materials as pro-chiral dihydroxyacetone and dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP), which are the key molecules to break symmetry in phospholipids. The advantages of homochiral membranes compared to those of heterochiral membranes were analysed in terms of specific recognition, optimal functions of enzymes, membrane fluidity and topological packing. All biological membranes contain enantiomerically pure lipids in modern bacteria, eukarya and archaea. The contemporary archaea, comprising of methanogens, halobacteria and thermoacidophiles, are living under extreme conditions reminiscent of primitive environment and may indicate the origin of one ancient evolution path of lipid biosynthesis. The analysis of the known lipid metabolism reveals that all modern cells including archaea synthetize enantiomerically pure lipid precursors from prochiral DHAP. Sn-glycerol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase (G1PDH), usually found in archaea, catalyses the formation of sn-glycerol-1-phosphate (G1P), while sn-glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) catalyses the formation of sn-glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) in bacteria and eukarya. The selective enzymatic activity seems to be the main strategy that evolution retained to obtain enantiomerically pure lipids. The occurrence of two genes encoding for G1PDH and G3PDH served to build up an evolutionary tree being the basis of our hypothesis article focusing on the evolution of these two genes. Gene encoding for G3PDH in eukarya may originate from G3PDH gene found in rare archaea indicating that archaea appeared earlier in the evolutionary tree than eukarya. Archaea and bacteria evolved probably separately, due to their distinct respective genes coding for G1PDH and G3PDH. We propose that prochiral DHAP is an essential molecule since it provides a convergent link between G1DPH and G3PDH. The synthesis of enantiopure phospholipids from DHAP appeared probably firstly in the presence of chemical catalysts, before being catalysed by enzymes which were the products of later Darwinian selection. The enzymes were probably selected for their efficient catalytic activities during evolution from large libraries of vesicles containing amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and meteorite components that induced symmetry imbalance.