bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sports Training during COVID-19 First Lockdown—A Romanian Coaches’ Experience
Authors: Teodorescu Silvia , Bota Aura , Popescu Veronica , Mezei Mariana , Urzeala Constanta
Published: September 2021

COVID-19 restrictions impacted sports training and its human resources. The purpose of this study was to highlight the difficulties faced by Romanian coaches while carrying out online training during the first lockdown. It was assumed that the training coordinates were significantly influenced by distance coaching and that the coaches’ self-perceived efficacy was related to their digital skills. The study involved 407 coaches (62.16% men, 37.84% women), with a mean age of 41.7 ± 10.01 years, who completed an online questionnaire with 16 items. The statistics analysis was both quantitative and qualitative, with a significance level of 95%. T test was used for the training duration and for the differences between the coaches’ seniority. Chi-squared test was applied between sports branches and Anova for the non-parametric data. Correlations and regression model were performed to estimate the relationship between variables. It was revealed that 87.22% of the coaches adjusted their initial objectives and that the IT tools were provided through coaches’ own financial resources for 83.05% of them. Overall, 51.84% of the coaches failed to engage all athletes in online training; for the rest of them, an association with their professional experience and sports branches was demonstrated (χ2(8) = 34.688, p = 0.001). ANOVA confirmed that the ability to use IT tools influenced online training efficiency at p < 0.005. The results emphasized that Romanian coaches encountered difficulties related to training programming, IT use, with consequences on their professional self-efficacy.
Obtaining Data Values from Tourist Preferences
Authors: Frias Armindo , Raskova Erza , Costa Álvaro , Cabral João
Published: September 2021

Satisfied customers are the main sustainability factor for the viability of any activity, and tourism has increasing relevance to the global economy and the economic development of many regions. In order to create better matches between tourist demands and preferences and the local supply, an understanding of tourists as decision makers is necessary. The aim of this work is to introduce a mathematical model that explains the decision-making process of tourists, other consumers, and tourism business managers. We used a mathematical model, taking into consideration the preferences of individuals and their strengths during the exploration and use of tourism resources. The integration of preferences into an IT tool provided extra support to the decisions of tourists and allowed better choices to be made in the execution of travel plans. In addition, the model can be used by resource managers. Understanding how tourists make decisions in each different situation can improve the allocation of available resources to satisfy their expectations. The proposed model is also adaptable to situations where it is necessary to decide among different options with a high degree of complexity.
A Technology-Based Innovation Adoption and Implementation Analysis of European Smart Tourism Projects: Towards a Smart Actionable Classification Model (SACM)
Authors: Križaj Dejan , Bratec Miha , Kopić Peter , Rogelja Tadej
Published: September 2021

Similar to the concept of “Smart Cities”, “Smart Tourism” has undoubtedly become a promising field of research, and “the” buzzword in the last five years. But how much of this is “smart washing”, and how much progress has really been made? We focus on the adoption and implementation of technological innovations to analyze the publicly available descriptions of Smart Tourism projects implemented in Europe according to the stringent technological criteria of contemporary Smart Tourism definitions. The results show that the vast majority of projects branded as “smart” predominantly pursue environmental sustainability goals, but do not feature advanced technology that meets the Smart Actionable attribute criteria, and do not address social sustainability issues to the same extent as the environmental ones.
Embodied CO2 Reduction Effects of Free-Form Concrete Panel Production Using Rod-Type Molds with 3D Plastering Technique
Authors: Son Seunghyun , Lee Dongjoo , Oh Jinhyuk , Kim Sunkuk
Published: September 2021

When using concrete to produce exterior finishing panels of free-form building structures, different panel shapes make it difficult to reuse the forms. This results in increased formwork cost as well as a significant amount of embodied CO2 (ECO2) generation. Through years of research, we have developed a free-form panel (FCP) production technique engaging the 3D plastering technique (3DPT) without using conventional plywood forms. When 3DPT becomes available for free-form building projects, a great deal of ECO2 reduction effects is expected in addition to reduced time and cost in FCP production. The purpose of this study is to prove this by analyzing ECO2 reduction effects achieved through sustainable FCP production using 3DPT. The study involved project case selection, calculation of resources consumed for conventional plywood forms, and analysis of the reduction effects. As a result, it was demonstrated from the case project that 1196 tons of CO2 were reduced using 3DPT, accounting for approximately 99% of the amount produced from conventional plywood forms (CPF). The study findings will be used as a basic reference for sustainable production of FCPs ensuring speed and precision in production as well as innovative ECO2 reduction effects.
The Misunderstanding of China’s Investment, and a Clarification: “Faustian Bargain” or “Good Bargain”? On the OFDI Data of Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Duan Cheche , Zhou Yicheng , Shen Dehong , Lin Shengqiao , Gong Wei , Popp József , Oláh Judit
Published: September 2021

The close development of the economic relations between China and Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) since 2012 has triggered the European Union’s criticism of China’s foreign policy towards Eastern European countries. The European Union believes that China’s investment growth has led to a governance crisis in CEE countries. Based on the global governance indicators of the World Bank and the outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) data of the Ministry of Commerce of China, this paper conducts a test using the panel data model and the regression discontinuity method. An imbalanced panel dataset is adopted, covering 16 CEE countries from 2000 to 2018. The empirical research results indicate that, representing a small proportion of the investment inflows to CEE countries, China is not yet able to exert a domination effect on the region, and China’s economic power is far less than the European Union’s regulatory influence. Furthermore, China’s share of the OFDI in CEE has a U-shaped effect on the regulatory quality of host countries, and the two have a mutually causal relationship. Specifically, the impact on the host country’s regulatory quality is first manifested in the Shanghai effect, and when China’s share reaches a certain level, it is manifested in the California effect. The U-shaped effect is associated with the strategic factors of CEE countries and China’s positive contribution to good global governance.
Sustainability of Financial Performance in Relation to Gender Diverse Boards: A Comparative Analysis of French and Romanian Listed Companies on Stock Exchanges
Authors: Suciu Anda Adelina , Păun Dragoș , Duma Florin Sebastian
Published: September 2021

While the moral argument for gender diversity has already been made and is incontestable, and more and more economical arguments have been brought to support the business case for the presence of women on the boards of directors of publicly listed companies, the bottom-line issue of what kind of impact gender diverse boards have on firm financial performance is still unclear. The aim of this paper is to deliver a comparative analysis of the impact of gender diverse boards on firm financial performance in France and Romania. Our results do not to provide any evidence of a link between boards’ gender diversity and companies’ financial performance, but while the analysis has failed to find a positive link between female presence and firm financial performance, it has not outlined a negative one.
Innovative Circular Economy Models for the European Pulp and Paper Industry: A Reference Framework for a Resource Recovery Scenario
Authors: Sopelana Amaia , Auriault Camille , Bansal Anurag , Fifer Karmen , Paiva Helena , Maurice Christian , Westin Gunnar , Rios Javier , Oleaga Asier , Cañas Antonio
Published: September 2021

According to recent literature in the field of sustainability, the circular economy (CE) appears to be a thriving opportunity for creating new businesses, although less attention has been paid to the form in which its principles fit into a comprehensive framework that enables companies to design it in a practical way. This paper presents the methodology that has been adopted to pave the way to a coherent reference framework for circular business model innovation and its outstanding design and implementation, taking into consideration the entire value and supply chain. A unique analysis of recent innovations in circular economy models is provided herein, together with an exhaustive analysis of those elements that enable or hinder their implementation. The main interactions among all those critical elements influencing how organisations innovate and operate cooperatively within a CE ecosystem are also evaluated. In addition, a study of five industrial cases in the pulp and paper industry allowed searching for industrial insights and empirical evidence of the relevance of those elements, including observation, document analysis, and interviews. Lastly, the main outcomes of this research are illustrated using the CE reference framework designed when applied to the aforementioned industrial cases, and relevant insights into future improvements are also provided.
Exploring Themes of Sustainable Practices in Manufacturing Industry: Using Thematic Networks Approach
Authors: Khan Noor Ullah , Wei Haoqiang , Yue Guiling , Nazir Nabila , Zainol Noor Raihani
Published: September 2021

Sustainability is a vital strategy for manufacturing industries to address major environmental issues. Stakeholders’ growing ecological awareness is forcing manufacturers to adopt green human resource management practices (green HRM practices) and environmental management systems (EMS) to improve sustainable performance (SP). This research explores the key themes of green HRM practices, EMS, and OCBE, and how these themes affect the environment and explain SP among ISO14001-certified manufacturing firms. This research used a qualitative methodology following an interpretivist approach. It employed the thematic networks technique, using qualitative data to achieve the objectives. The qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews conducted with HR managers and then analyzed using NVivo 12. Thematic network analysis explores basic and organizing themes within qualitative data. Four central (parent) themes, i.e., green HRM practices, OCBE, EMS, and SP, emerged. First, green HRM was sub-divided into three sub-themes: (i) green recruitment and selection, (ii) green training and development, and (iii) green assessment and rewards. Consequently, OCBE was then sub-divided into three themes: (i) eco-helping behavior, (ii) eco-initiatives behavior, and (iii) eco-civic engagement behavior emerged. Likewise, EMS was sub-divided into three themes: (i) ISO14001, (ii) EMS key benefits, and (iii) EMS key motives. Lastly, SP was further divided into three sub-themes: (i) economic, (ii) social, and (iii) environmental. This research also discusses important implications for managers and organizations.
Creating Shared Value in BoP Communities with Micro-Manufacturing Factories: A Systematized Literature Review
Authors: Chihambakwe Zviemurwi J. , Grobbelaar Sara S. (Saartjie) , Matope Stephen
Published: September 2021

Background: Shared value creation in base of the pyramid (BoP) communities is a crucial process towards building sustainable societies. BoP communities in developing countries represent more than 4 billion people who live on low incomes with limited access to basic products and services. Current or emerging technologies offer promising solutions for organisations pursuing manufacturing opportunities in BoP communities. This study seeks to explore the literature on how BoP communities may become active participants in sustainably manufacturing products using micro-manufacturing factories. The research question posed is: What are the core concepts that need to be taken into consideration for creating shared value through micro-manufacturing factories in BoP communities? Method: A systematised literature review (SLR) was completed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) method for data selection criteria and analysis. The SLR is used to explore the state of literature with regards to creating manufacturing shared value in BoP communities with the objective to identify study gaps and to explore manufacturing shared value creation concepts. Results: Literature indicates initiatives to engage BoP communities through various innovation strategies. The findings of the review are organised under three strategic pillars: capability building strategy, implementation process, and growth strategy. The capability building strategy defines the users’ intention to create shared value in BoP communities with micro-manufacturing factories (MMF). It is followed by the implementation process which guides the users to create manufacturing shared value in BoP communities. This is followed by a growth strategy to scale for impact.
Stochastic Particle Tracking Application in Different Urban Areas in Central Europe: The Milano (IT) and Jaworzno (PL) Case Study to Secure the Drinking Water Resources
Authors: Colombo Loris , Gzyl Grzegorz , Mazzon Pietro , Łabaj Paweł , Frączek Robert , Alberti Luca
Published: September 2021

Urban areas are typically characterized by the presence of industrial sites, which are often sources of groundwater contamination, posing a serious threat for the groundwater. In such cases, a crucial step is to find a link between the contaminant sources and freshwater supply wells at risk. As a part of the AMIIGA Project, two different stochastic approaches were applied to assess drinking water supply wells vulnerability in Functional Urban Areas in the presence of several chlorinated hydrocarbons sources in an alluvial aquifer in Milano and a pesticide mega site in a complex geological setting in Poland. In the first case study, the innovative Pilot Point Null-Space Monte Carlo forward particle tracking was used, applying a forward solution instead of the classical backtracking, while in the second case was chosen the classical Monte Carlo methodology. Both case studies represent useful application examples, allowing an effective prioritization of expensive remediation actions in order to protect freshwater wells.
Systems Engineering for Sustainable Development Goals
Authors: Haskins Cecilia
Published: September 2021

Sustainability is expanding the discipline and practice of systems engineering [...]
Examining the Antecedents of Environmentally Responsible Behaviour: Relationships among Service Quality, Place Attachment and Environmentally Responsible Behaviour
Authors: Cheng Tian E , Li Shasha , Zhang Heng , Cao Mingming
Published: September 2021

This study investigates the antecedents of environmentally responsible behaviour by creating a theoretical model of relationships between service quality, place attachment and environmentally responsible behaviour. A questionnaire survey was conducted among tourists who visited six famous tourist attractions in Shaanxi, China. The results of the research demonstrate that service quality exerts influence on environmentally responsible behaviour and place attachment in a positive manner. Additionally, the findings suggest that place attachment affects environmentally responsible behaviour in a direct and positive manner. Moreover, it is also found that service quality strengthens its effect on environmentally responsible behaviour through place attachment, indicating the mediating role of place attachment in the link between service quality and environmentally responsible behaviour. The current research contributes to tourism literature in that it helps to better understand the tourists’ environmentally responsible behaviour and provides management with evidence of the significance for improving the service quality at tourist attractions.
Responsibility beyond the Board Room? A Systematic Review of Responsible Leadership: Operationalizations, Antecedents and Outcomes
Authors: Foldøy Sylvelin , Furunes Trude , Dagsland Åse Helene Bakkevig , Haver Annie
Published: September 2021

For more than two decades, researchers have aimed to measure responsible leadership. This has resulted in several survey instruments and parallel streams of research, making it difficult to carve out the core. We systematically review 28 studies measuring responsible leadership (RL). A qualitative content analysis of RL survey instruments is conducted to identify the core aspects across measures, as well as synthesizing the evidence, mapping antecedents, and mapping the outcomes of RL. Findings show that 24 studies in the sample were published during the last two years, indicating a growth spurt in the field. Most survey instruments on RL measure leadership of the individual direct leader, while a few have a wider focus, such as leadership of the organization. Four themes were identified across RL survey instruments: accountable role model, inclusive facilitator, inventive planner and benevolent value creator. Our review contributes to the establishment of a joint platform for future research. In addition to providing a systematic account of evidence, our analysis points at research gaps and gives a basis for a critical discussion on nature as a stakeholder. Avenues for future research are outlined.
Contracts to Coordinate Healthcare Providers in the Telemedicine Referral System
Authors: Wang Xianyi , Wang Xiaofang , He Hui
Published: September 2021

With the help of telemedicine, healthcare providers can increase patients’ access to high-quality services while reducing the medical expenditure, especially for patients in remote areas. Once advanced care is needed, local patients will first be referred to an online health service and then be referred to the offline hospital if the online healthcare fails. In practice, local community hospitals and the advanced tertiary hospitals generally lack financial incentives to exert costly, but non-reimbursable, effort to avoid poor patient outcomes. Therefore, we build a new model to analyze the interaction between these two service providers, promoting them to exert the right effort by designing payment contracts. Our results show that neither fee-for-service nor bundled payment contracts can achieve the social optimum. Tertiary hospitals always exert less effort than the socially-optimal effort while the community hospital may exert less or more effort depending on the online treatment cost. Then, we propose a performance-based bundled payment contract that can coordinate both hospitals’ decisions to achieve socially optimal outcomes. Finally, we numerically show the impact of the referral service fee and the online treatment cost on the efficiency of these contracts.
A Novel Non-Intrusive Vibration Energy Harvesting Method for Air Conditioning Compressor Unit
Authors: Yang Chuan Choong , Bin Noor Hanafi Noor Fiqri Razqi , Bt Mohamad Hanif Noor Hazrin Hany , Ismail Ahmad Faris , Chang Hsueh-Hsien
Published: September 2021

The purpose of harvesting vibration energy is to obtain clean and sustainable energy by converting vibration energy from ambient sources into a voltage output. In this work, a piezoelectric sensor, PZT-5H is attached to a 3D printed and custom-made mounting to be placed at an air conditioning condenser unit, to harvest vibration energy. The configuration of the harvester is non-intrusive, in which the harvester did not intrude into compressor unit operation. Temperature (20 °C, 22 °C, and 24 °C) and air volume flow rates (3 levels of air volume flow rate at 245 L/second, 274 L/second, and 297 L/second) were taken into consideration in this investigation. An accelerometer was first used to investigate the optimum vibration frequency in Hertz, and six locations were identified. Next, the piezoelectric sensor was mounted at these six locations, and the output root-mean-square (RMS) voltage from the piezoelectric sensor was obtained. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that temperature and air volume flow rates factors were significant. It was found that the location identified with the highest amount of vibration at 830.2 Hz from accelerometer measurement, was also the highest amount of RMS voltage, at 510.82 mV, harvested by the piezoelectric, from the temperature of 20 °C and air volume flow rates at high level (air flow volume flow rate at 297 L/second). From this work, it is feasible to utilize this novel method of harvesting waste vibration energy from the air conditioning compressor unit.
Decision-Making Behavior and Risk Perception of Chinese Female Wildlife Tourists
Authors: Cong Li , Wang Qiqi , Wall Geoffrey , Su Yijing
Published: September 2021

Prior to the global pandemic, wildlife tourism was increasing rapidly globally but was in the early stages of development in China, where it faces great challenges and opportunities. Women comprise a substantial proportion of the market but their decision-making behavior and their perceptions of risk in wildlife tourism have not yet been explored. This paper explores relationships between risk perception and decision-making in tourism. A survey of female tourists was undertaken at non-captive and semi-captive wildlife sites in western China, as well as through internet website posting, resulting in 415 completed questionnaires. Quantitative methods were used to examine four sequential stages of decision-making in wildlife tourism: destination selection, trip itinerary, travel mode and security assurance, and entertainment consumption. Three dimensions of risk perception in wildlife tourism were identified: physical safety, personal comfort, and quality of experience. Decision-making behavior and risk perceptions are related. Perceived risks greatly impact tourists’ travel mode and security assurance decisions. The higher the perceived risk, the greater the likelihood of female tourists participating in decisions on destination selection, travel methods and other entertainment activities undertaken on their wildlife tourism trips. Concerns regarding personal comfort positively influence destination selection, the trip itinerary, and recreation and consumption decisions. Assurance of acquiring a quality experience influences entertainment consumption decisions. The study contributes to the understanding of risk, decision-making behavior and gender research, and confirms the practical importance of safety considerations at wildlife destinations.
Experimental Analysis of CO2 Concentration Changes in an Apartment Using a Residential Heat Recovery Ventilator
Authors: Cho Kyungjoo , Cho Dongwoo , Kim Taeyeon
Published: September 2021

Korean law requires at least three levels of control for apartment ventilation systems, including 0.5 air change per hour (ACH). When this law was enacted, it was believed that a 0.5 ACH air flow rate would be sufficient for apartments following building completion. However, ventilation systems cause different air qualities in each space within a unit, depending on infiltration rate and number of occupants. In addition, the current ventilation rate standard is based on an apartment unit’s total area, assuming that all room doors are open. In this study, changes in CO2 concentration were experimentally analyzed based on the number of occupants and various ventilation frequencies with closed doors to analyze air quality differences among rooms in a typical 85 m2 apartment unit in Korea. When the 0.5 ACH ventilation was performed, maintaining 1000 ppm or less was difficult if four people stayed for more than two hours in the living room or two people stayed for more than one hour in the bedroom with closed doors. Our results indicate that it is challenging to maintain a CO2 concentration of 1000 ppm when doors are closed as standards are calculated based on a unit’s total area. Therefore, ventilation systems should be required to provide different air volumes for each room.
Measuring the Supply of Ecosystem Services from Alternative Soil and Nutrient Management Practices: A Transdisciplinary, Field-Scale Approach
Authors: White Alissa , Faulkner Joshua W. , Conner David , Barbieri Lindsay , Adair E. Carol , Niles Meredith T. , Mendez V. Ernesto , Twombly Cameron R.
Published: September 2021

Farmers and policy makers pursue management practices that enhance water quality, increase landscape flood resiliency, and mitigate agriculture’s contribution to climate change, all while remaining economically viable. This study presents a holistic assessment of how two practices influence the supply of these ecosystem services—the use of an aerator prior to manure application in haylands, and the stacked use of manure injection, cover crops, and reduced tillage in corn silage production. Field data are contextualized by semi-structured interviews that identify influences on adoption. Causal loop diagrams then illustrate feedbacks from ecosystem services onto decision making. In our study, unseen nutrient pathways are the least understood, but potentially the most important in determining the impact of a practice on ecosystem services supply. Subsurface runoff accounted for 64% to 92% of measured hydrologic phosphorus export. Average soil surface greenhouse gas flux constituted 38% to 73% of all contributions to the equivalent CO2 footprint of practices, sometimes outweighing carbon sequestration. Farmers identified interest in better understanding unseen nutrient pathways, expressed intrinsic stewardship motivations, but highlighted financial considerations as dominating decision making. Our analysis elevates the importance of financial supports for conservation, and the need for comprehensive understandings of agroecosystem performance that include hard-to-measure pathways.
Prospective Environmental and Economic Assessment of a Sensor Network
Authors: Portillo Francisco , García Rosa María , Alcayde Alfredo , Gázquez José Antonio , Fernández-Ros Manuel , Novas Nuria
Published: September 2021

Sustainability is becoming of vital importance in project management, and a life cycle assessment (LCA) can ensure a body of knowledge to bear in mind the environmental burdens the project involves. In this study, two different ways of supplying energy to a sensor network are analyzed. Firstly, we analyze the environmental impact of the devices connected to the public grid. Secondly, we analyze the completely full off-grid system, with the sensor connected to a photovoltaic (PV) panel. Our findings show that the off-grid option has a greater number of benefits than the grid-connected option in terms of environmental impacts, although it is less economically advantageous. In a detailed analysis of the off-grid scenario, it can be observed that the battery is the component with the highest impact, so actions to try to reduce consumption, and, therefore, the battery size and its negative impact are taken. After reducing the battery size, the break-even point was reached, providing a net economic benefit of EUR 0.23 sensor/year. However, this analysis refers to a single sensor, and although the environmental and economic benefits seem low, in an economy of scale, this could result in large savings if these types of sensors are massively installed.
Influence of Iron Plaque on Accumulation and Translocation of Cadmium by Rice Seedlings
Authors: Siddique Abu Bakkar , Rahman Mohammad Mahmudur , Islam Mohammad Rafiqul , Shehzad Muhammad Tahir , Nath Bibhash , Naidu Ravi
Published: September 2021

This study investigated the impact of soil type and rice cultivars on variations in the iron plaque formation and cadmium (Cd) accumulation by different portions of rice seedlings under the influence of Fe amendment. The experiments were performed in pots under glasshouse conditions using two typical paddy soils. Rice seedlings were exposed to three concentrations of Cd (0, 1 and 3 mg kg−1 soil) and Fe (0, 1.0 and 2.0 g kg−1 soil). The results revealed that shoot biomass decreased by 12.2–23.2% in Quest and 12.8–30.8% in Langi in the Cd1.0 and Cd3.0 treatments, while shoot biomass increased by 11.2–19.5% in Quest and 26–43.3% in Langi in Fe1.0 and Fe2.0 as compared to the Fe control. The Cd concentration in the roots and shoots of rice seedlings were in the order of Langi cultivar > Quest cultivar, but the Fe concentration in rice tissues showed the reverse order. Fe plaque formations were promoted by Fe application, which was 7.8 and 10.4 times higher at 1 and 2 g kg−1 Fe applications compared to the control Fe treatment. The Quest cultivar exhibited 13% higher iron plaque formation capacity compared to the Langi cultivar in both soil types. These results indicate that enhanced iron plaque formation on the root surface was crucial to reduce the Cd concentration in rice plants, which could be an effective strategy to regulate grain Cd accumulation in rice plants.
The Risks of Global Heating to Energy Systems and Energy Security
Authors: Hughes Larry , de Jong Moniek
Published: September 2021

As recent events have shown, global heating is increasing the risk to many sectors of society, from agriculture to the built environment, to transportation. The energy security of most energy systems, regardless of their size, is also at risk from the effects of global heating: The reliable supply of power to end users can be threatened by extreme weather events affecting transformers and transmission and distribution networks. It can also be a threat to generators that are vulnerable to unpredictable supplies of water, such as thermal or hydroelectric generation facilities. In this paper, we use an energy security methodology to examine some of the possible climate risks to the supply of power from hydroelectricity produced by one of western Canada’s electricity suppliers. The work is of particular interest because it shows how the increasing number of heatwaves that are affecting parts of western Canada and the Pacific Northwest could affect electricity supply in some western Canadian provinces and northern U.S. states.
Negligible Levels of Mycotoxin Contamination in Durum Wheat and Groundnuts from Non-Intensive Rainfed Production Systems
Authors: De Santis Paola , Mengistu Dejene K. , Kidane Yosef Gebrehawaryat , Nankya Rose , De Santis Barbara , Moracci Gabriele , Debegnach Francesca , Marsiglia Riccardo , Reverberi Massimo
Published: September 2021

Mycotoxins are chemical contaminants that are invisible, tasteless, chemically stable and survive food processing. Contamination along the agri-food chain is difficult to control since their production and spreading are due to numerous factors including temperature, relative humidity, insect infestation, and susceptibility of the host plant. This is a pilot study which aims at assessing the contamination level of deoxynivalenol (DON), and its plant metabolites (3AcDON, 15 AcDON, DON 3G), nivalenol, T-2 and HT-2 toxins, and ochratoxin A in thirty-seven traditional varieties of Ethiopian durum wheat, and aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, and G2 in thirty-one varieties of Ugandan groundnuts grown in non-intensive rainfed production systems. Results indicate absence of mycotoxin contamination in all durum wheat samples and negligible levels of contamination (below the maximum levels tolerated by international standards) in groundnut samples. Further studies are required to assess if non-intensive production systems and varieties have a role in preventing and/or reducing mycotoxin contamination of the crops.
Advancement on Thermal Comfort in Educational Buildings: Current Issues and Way Forward
Authors: Lamberti Giulia , Salvadori Giacomo , Leccese Francesco , Fantozzi Fabio , Bluyssen Philomena M.
Published: September 2021

The thermal environment in educational buildings is crucial to improve students’ health and productivity, as they spend a considerable amount of time in classrooms. Due to the complexity of educational buildings, research performed has been heterogeneous and standards for thermal comfort are based on office studies with adults. Moreover, they rely on single dose-response models that do not account for interactions with other environmental factors, or students’ individual preferences and needs. A literature study was performed on thermal comfort in educational buildings comprising of 143 field studies, to identify all possible confounding parameters involved in thermal perception. Educational stage, climate zone, model adopted to investigate comfort, and operation mode were then selected as confounding parameters and discussed to delineate the priorities for future research. Results showed that children often present with different thermal sensations than adults, which should be considered in the design of energy-efficient and comfortable educational environments. Furthermore, the use of different models to analyse comfort can influence field studies’ outcomes and should be carefully investigated. It is concluded that future studies should focus on a more rational evaluation of thermal comfort, also considering the effect that local discomfort can have on the perception of an environment. Moreover, it is important to carefully assess possible relationships between HVAC systems, building envelope, and thermal comfort, including their effect on energy consumption. Since several studies showed that the perception of the environment does not concern thermal comfort only, but it involves the aspects of indoor air, acoustic, and visual quality, their effect on the health and performance of the students should be assessed. This paper provides a way forward for researchers, which should aim to have an integrated approach through considering the positive effects of indoor exposure while considering possible individual differences.
Participation in Active Sport Tourism and Life Satisfaction: Comparing Golf, Snowboarding, and Long-Distance Running
Authors: Mirehie Mona , Sato Shintaro , Krohn Brian
Published: September 2021

Research has shown that participation in sport tourism can enhance wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between wellbeing generated through participation in active sport tourism and overall life satisfaction. Three different types of active sport tourism (i.e., golf, snowboarding, and long-distance running) were compared to explore whether the type of experience impacts the relationship between active sport tourism wellbeing and life satisfaction. Broaden-and-build theory was used as a theoretical foundation. Data were collected via an online self-administered questionnaire. Respondents were recruited via a Qualtrics panel (N = 418). Analysis of variance indicated that snowboarders rated the positive emotions acquired from active sport tourism significantly lower than golfers and runners. Furthermore, hierarchical multiple regression showed a significantly stronger relationship between positive emotions and life satisfaction for golfers and runners compared to snowboarders. Theoretical contributions and practical implications are discussed.
Towards an Understanding of Project Finance in the Mining Sector in the Sustainability Context: A Scientometric Analysis
Authors: González-Ruiz Juan David , Mejia-Escobar Juan Camilo , Franco-Sepúlveda Giovanni
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this study is to analyze the extant literature on Project Finance (PF) with a comprehensive understanding of the status quo and research trends in the mining industry. Thus, this study utilizes a scientometric review of global trends and structure of PF and mining research from 1977 to 2020 using techniques such as co-author, co-word, co-citation, and cluster analyses. A total of 80 bibliographic records from the Scopus database were analyzed to generate the study’s research through scientometric networks. The findings indicate a steady growth of the research field, which includes Environmental, Social, and Governance criteria. The most significant contributions have originated mainly from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. The main research trends identified several issues related to risk, management, and financing concerns. This study provides researchers and practitioners with a comprehensive understanding of the status quo and research trends of ontology research within PF in the mining context and promotes further studies in this domain.
Sustainability in the Case of Small Vegetable Farmers: A Matrix Approach
Authors: Brumă Ioan Sebastian , Ulman Simona-Roxana , Cautisanu Cristina , Tanasă Lucian , Hoha Gabriel Vasile
Published: September 2021

Considering that sustainability is a relative concept, but also that this limitation could be avoided through continuous adaptation of the evaluation tools by taking into account the directions of change (such as time, space, application domain), the goal of the present study is to elaborate a matrix for measuring the level of sustainability for small vegetable farms. Thus, looking at what sustainability could represent under such circumstances, we divided its characteristics into four main dimensions (economic, social, environmental, cultural), while adding the private dimension. Inclusion of the private dimension may provide potential added value to this study, and thus enrich the general perspective of producers’ capacity to meet the sustainability goals in their entrepreneurial activity. To quantify these five dimensions of the sustainability matrix, a questionnaire was built up and used as support for face-to-face interviews conducted at the level of the North-East Development Region of Romania. Our results showed associations between diverse components of the dimensions considered, revealing their synergy in farm activity, along with the occurrence of some differences in the levels of sustainability dimensions and sub-dimensions, which differ as a function of the specific types of vegetable production (conventional, ecologic, natural, mixed).
Formulation and Prioritization of Sustainable New Product Design in Smart Glasses Development
Authors: Lee Carman-Ka-Man , Lui Lucas , Tsang Yung-Po
Published: September 2021

Due to fierce competition in the global market, success in product innovation has always been challenging for most enterprises to be able to stand out in business values and product novelty. Typically, available technological features in the market are taken into consideration in the innovation process for differentiation from existing products. In order to enhance the likelihood of innovation success, project portfolio management (PPM) has recently been advocated to examine the supply chain performance of new product development (NPD) projects in terms of economic, social, and sustainable aspects. In this study, a two-stage methodology is proposed to formulate and select the most appropriate NPD project portfolio by means of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches in probabilistic and group decision-making processes. In stage one, the available product features on the market are searched for and ranked to indicate a number of potential NPD projects. In stage two, such projects are evaluated by the sustainable supply chain operation reference (SustainableSCOR) model to select the most sustainable NPD project for product development. Moreover, a case study of developing augmented reality (AR) smart glasses is conducted to demonstrate the above methodology, with the result indicating that the functions of voice commands, 3D visualization, and phone calls should be focused on for the next generation of smart glasses.
Optimal Battery Energy Storage System Based on VAR Control Strategies Using Particle Swarm Optimization for Power Distribution System
Authors: Prabpal Prakasit , Kongjeen Yuttana , Bhumkittipich Krischonme
Published: September 2021

We designed a battery energy storage system (BESS) based on the symmetrical concept where the required control is by the symmetrical technique known as volt/var control. The integration of BESS into the conventional distribution has significantly impacted energy consumption over the past year. Load demand probability was used to investigate optimal sizing and location of BESS in an electrical power system. The open electric power distribution system simulator (OpenDSS) was interfaced with MATLAB m-file scripts and presented by using time series analysis with load demand. The optimal BESS solution was adapted by using a genetic algorithm (GA) optimization technique and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The simulation results showed that the BESS was directly connected to the power grid with GA and PSO, and it was observed that BESS sizing also varied for these two values of 1539 kW and 1000 kW, respectively. The merit of those values is the power figure of the system, which is necessary for installation. Therefore, optimal sizing and location of the BESS are helpful to reduce the impact from the load demand to the total system loss and levelling of the energy demand from the power system network. The integration of the BESS can be applied to improve grid stability and store surplus energy very well. The grid increased the stability of the power system and reduced the impact from the large scale of BESS penetration.
Experimental Study on Abstract Expression of Human-Robot Emotional Communication
Authors: Wang Jianmin , Wang Yuxi , Liu Yujia , Yue Tianyang , Wang Chengji , Yang Weiguang , Hansen Preben , You Fang
Published: September 2021

With the continuous development of intelligent product interaction technology, the facial expression design of virtual images on the interactive interface of intelligent products has become an important research topic. Based on the current research on facial expression design of existing intelligent products, we symmetrically mapped the PAD (pleasure–arousal–dominance) emotion value to the image design, explored the characteristics of abstract expressions and the principles of expression design, and evaluated them experimentally. In this study, the experiment of PAD scores was conducted on the emotion expression design of abstract expressions, and the data results were analyzed to iterate the expression design. The experimental results show that PAD values can effectively guide designers in expression design. Meanwhile, the efficiency and recognition accuracy of human communication with abstract expression design can be improved by facial auxiliary elements and eyebrows.
A Multi-Start Algorithm for Solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem with Two-Dimensional Loading Constraints
Authors: Fava Leandro Pinto , Furtado João Carlos , Helfer Gilson Augusto , Barbosa Jorge Luis Victória , Beko Marko , Correia Sérgio Duarte , Leithardt Valderi Reis Quietinho
Published: September 2021

This work presents a multistart algorithm for solving the capacitated vehicle routing problem with 2D loading constraints (2L-CVRP) allowing for the rotation of goods. Research dedicated to graph theory and symmetry considered the vehicle routing problem as a classical application. This problem has complex aspects that stimulate the use of advanced algorithms and symmetry in graphs. The use of graph modeling of the 2L-CVRP problem by undirected graph allowed the high performance of the algorithm. The developed algorithm is based on metaheuristics, such as the Constructive Genetic Algorithm (CGA) to construct promising initial solutions; a Tabu Search (TS) to improve the initial solutions on the routing problem, and a Large Neighborhood Search (LNS) for the loading subproblem. Although each one of these algorithms allowed to solve parts of the 2L-CVRP, the combination of these three algorithms to solve this problem was unprecedented in the scientific literature. In our approach, a parallel mechanism for checking the loading feasibility of routes was implemented using multithreading programming to improve the performance. Additionally, memory structures such as hash-tables were implemented to save time by storing and querying previously evaluated results for the loading feasibility of routes. For benchmarks, tests were done on well-known instances available in the literature. The results proved that the framework matched or outperformed most of the previous approaches. As the main contribution, this work brings higher quality solutions for large-size instances of the pure CVRP. This paper involves themes related to the symmetry journal, mainly complex algorithms, graphs, search strategies, complexity, graph modeling, and genetic algorithms. In addition, the paper especially focuses on topic-related aspects of special interest to the community involved in symmetry studies, such as graph algorithms and graph theory.
The Symmetry of Fatigue of Lower Limb Muscles in 400 m Run Based on Electromyography Signals
Authors: Iwańska Dagmara , Tabor Piotr , Grabowska Olga , Mastalerz Andrzej
Published: September 2021

Background: This study assesses curved track effects on fatigue symmetry and lower limb muscle activity while taking maximum velocity running kinematics into account. Methods: Polish master class athletes were examined (age 24.6 ± 3.67 years, bm 78.9 ± 6.02 kg, and bh 186.1 ± 6.63 cm). The measurements were made on a 400 m synthetic surface athletics track. The DelSys 16 channel system was employed to measure the activity of the right and left leg muscles. The kinematic variables of the run were obtained using a 3-axis accelerometer built into the recorder. Results: The study revealed curved track effects on asymmetric muscle activity and running kinematics in the first two sections of the run. On the first curve, the symmetry index (SI) was 8.1%, while in on straight, it was 11.5%. Moreover, significantly lower values of the fatigue index b were found for the right limb (F(3.36) = 6.504; p = 0.0152). Conclusions: A reduction of asymmetric muscle activity is linked with compensatory muscle stimulation triggered by the nervous system and with adjusting running kinematics to changing external conditions. Therefore, the main focus further research should be on the optimal interaction between stride length and frequency in relation to the muscle activity corresponding to the track geometry.
Dispersionless BKP Equation, the Manakov–Santini System and Einstein–Weyl Structures
Authors: Bogdanov Leonid V.
Published: September 2021

We construct a map from solutions of the dispersionless BKP (dBKP) equation to solutions of the Manakov–Santini (MS) system. This map defines an Einstein–Weyl structure corresponding to the dBKP equation through the general Lorentzian Einstein–Weyl structure corresponding to the MS system. We give a spectral characterisation of reduction in the MS system, which singles out the image of the dBKP equation solution, and also consider more general reductions of this class. We define the BMS system and extend the map defined above to the map (Miura transformation) of solutions of the BMS system to solutions of the MS system, thus obtaining an Einstein–Weyl structure for the BMS system.