bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Training the Next Industrial Engineers and Managers about Industry 4.0: A Case Study about Challenges and Opportunities in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Benis Arriel , Amador Nelke Sofia , Winokur Michael
Published: April 2021

Training the next generation of industrial engineers and managers is a constant challenge for academia, given the fast changes of industrial technology. The current and predicted development trends in applied technologies affecting industry worldwide as formulated in the Industry 4.0 initiative have clearly emphasized the needs for constantly adapting curricula. The sensible socioeconomic changes generated by the COVID-19 pandemic have induced significant challenges to society in general and industry. Higher education, specifically when dealing with Industry 4.0, must take these new challenges rapidly into account. Modernization of the industrial engineering curriculum combined with its migration to a blended teaching landscape must be updated in real-time with real-world cases. The COVID-19 crisis provides, paradoxically, an opportunity for dealing with the challenges of training industrial engineers to confront a virtual dematerialized work model which has accelerated during and will remain for the foreseeable future after the pandemic. The paper describes the methodology used for adapting, enhancing, and evaluating the learning and teaching experience under the urgent and unexpected challenges to move from face-to-face university courses distant and online teaching. The methodology we describe is built on a process that started before the onset of the pandemic, hence in the paper we start by describing the pre-COVID-19 status in comparison to published initiatives followed by the real time modifications we introduced in the faculty to adapt to the post-COVID-19 teaching/learning era. The focus presented is on Industry 4.0. subjects at the leading edge of the technology changes affecting the industrial engineering and technology management field. The manuscript addresses the flow from system design subjects to implementation areas of the curriculum, including practical examples and the rapid decisions and changes made to encompass the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on content and teaching methods including feedback received from participants.
Constructing an Emotion Estimation Model Based on EEG/HRV Indexes Using Feature Extraction and Feature Selection Algorithms
Authors: Suzuki Kei , Laohakangvalvit Tipporn , Matsubara Ryota , Sugaya Midori
Published: April 2021

In human emotion estimation using an electroencephalogram (EEG) and heart rate variability (HRV), there are two main issues as far as we know. The first is that measurement devices for physiological signals are expensive and not easy to wear. The second is that unnecessary physiological indexes have not been removed, which is likely to decrease the accuracy of machine learning models. In this study, we used single-channel EEG sensor and photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor, which are inexpensive and easy to wear. We collected data from 25 participants (18 males and 7 females) and used a deep learning algorithm to construct an emotion classification model based on Arousal–Valence space using several feature combinations obtained from physiological indexes selected based on our criteria including our proposed feature selection methods. We then performed accuracy verification, applying a stratified 10-fold cross-validation method to the constructed models. The results showed that model accuracies are as high as 90% to 99% by applying the features selection methods we proposed, which suggests that a small number of physiological indexes, even from inexpensive sensors, can be used to construct an accurate emotion classification model if an appropriate feature selection method is applied. Our research results contribute to the improvement of an emotion classification model with a higher accuracy, less cost, and that is less time consuming, which has the potential to be further applied to various areas of applications.
Dynamic Biomechanical Analysis of Vocal Folds Using Pipette Aspiration Technique
Authors: Scheible Florian , Lamprecht Raphael , Semmler Marion , Sutor Alexander
Published: April 2021

The voice producing process is a complex interplay between glottal pressure, vocal folds, their elasticity and tension. The material properties of vocal folds are still insufficiently studied, because the determination of material properties in soft tissues is often difficult and connected to extensive experimental setups. To shed light on this less researched area, in this work, a dynamic pipette aspiration technique is utilized to measure the elasticity in a frequency range of 100–1000 Hz. The complex elasticity could be assessed with the phase shift between exciting pressure and tissue movement. The dynamic pipette aspiration setup has been miniaturized with regard to a future in-vivo application. The techniques were applied on 3 different porcine larynges 4 h and 1 d postmortem, in order to investigate the deterioration of the tissue over time and analyze correlation in elasticity values between vocal fold pairs. It was found that vocal fold pairs do have different absolute elasticity values but similar trends. This leads to the assumption that those trends are more important for phonation than having same absolute values.
The Missing Ingredient for Successful Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships: Cooperative Capacity
Authors: Vayaliparampil Mary , Page Frank , Wolterstorff Eric
Published: April 2021

Multi-stakeholder partnerships are an essential vehicle for solving complex societal problems. Agreements governing these partnerships often lack equitable partner agency in framing and enforcing multi-stakeholder agreements. This challenges the partner cooperation needed of partnerships to be effective. This theoretical paper introduces a new original model to measure and develop the cooperative capacity of multi-stakeholder partnerships so that future agreements involving the partnership are framed to share governance equitably among all partners and hence, increase partnership performance and effectiveness. The model provides a methodology to measure and develop the cooperative capacity of multi-stakeholder partnerships through key performance indicators that identify the cooperative state of partners and predicts partnership effectiveness in achieving common goals. The paper traces the theoretical genesis of the model, presents a comprehensive explanation of the model, and provides cases of the model’s application.
Testimonio and Counterstorytelling by Immigrant-Origin Children and Youth: Insights That Amplify Immigrant Subjectivities
Authors: Mangual Figueroa Ariana , Barrales Wendy
Published: April 2021

This article seeks to amplify our scholarly view of immigrant identity by centering the first-person narratives of immigrant-origin children and youth. Our theoretical and methodological framework centers on testimonio—a narrative practice popularized in Latin American social movements in which an individual recounts a lived experience that is intended to be representative of a collective struggle. Our goal is to foreground first-person narratives of childhood as told by immigrant-origin children and youth in order to gain insight into what they believe we should know about them. We argue for the power of testimonio to communicate both extraordinary hardship and everyday experiences and that—through this storytelling—immigrant-origin children and youth also express imagined futures for themselves and their loved ones. Through our analysis of ethnographic recordings of testimonio shared by Latin American immigrant children and multimedia testimonios created by immigrant-origin adolescents with roots in the Caribbean and West Africa, we gain a fuller understanding of immigrant subjectivities and push the boundaries of “the immigrant experience” still prevalent in mainstream discussions today.
Multiscale Integral Assessment of Habitability in the Case of El Raval in Barcelona
Authors: Vima-Grau Sara , Cornadó Còssima , Ravetllat Pere-Joan , Garcia-Almirall Pilar
Published: April 2021

The understanding of habitability conditions of existing housing stock plays a central role in the quantification and qualification of sustainability from the architectural field. This research assessed habitability as a fundamental social benefit by means of a multiscale approach to the case study of the Raval neighborhood that can be replicated in other settings. We described a sample of six hundred dwellings located in two urban blocks spatially and typologically. This analysis of architectural features incorporated information on the current occupancy and use of spaces and the assessment of the state of conservation and maintenance of building envelopes and common elements. Although the scale of most analyzed aspects was larger (building, urban block or urban fabric), the discussion of results by housing unit provided a close picture of the existing diversity and heterogeneity of socio-spatial and architectural realities within buildings and urban blocks. Results from this paper allow for the valuation and discussion of substandard housing cases that call for an immediate improvement and adaptation, while providing evidence that most dwellings fail to fulfill residents’ right to adequate housing. In conclusion, the results obtained highlight the importance of designing rehabilitation programs and instruments to improve existing spaces with a focus on current use, occupancy, and residents’ needs.
Experimental Winter Monitoring of a Light-Weight Green Roof Assembly for Building Retrofit
Authors: Frota de Albuquerque Landi Fabiana , Fabiani Claudia , Pisello Anna Laura
Published: April 2021

Green roofs are a recurrent solution for improving environmental quality in buildings. Such systems can, among other things, reduce the urban heat island effect, improve indoor thermal comfort and visual quality, and reduce energy consumption in buildings, therefore promoting human comfort. This work presents the winter monitoring of a light-weight green roof assembly with the potential to be implemented in extensive urban areas. The green roof monitoring was compared to those of previous bituminous and cool-coating applications. Results show that the system was able to decrease heat losses maintaining a positive energy flow from solar radiation gains and a more constant indoor temperature. In a well-insulated construction, the impact during the cold season was discreet. However, compared to the reference building, a slightly lower indoor air temperature (about 1 °C) was registered.
Physio-Morphological and Biochemical Trait-Based Evaluation of Ethiopian and Chinese Wheat Germplasm for Drought Tolerance at the Seedling Stage
Authors: Belay Gizie Abeje , Zhang Zhengbin , Xu Ping
Published: April 2021

For Ethiopia’s wheat production, drought is a major natural disaster. Exploration of drought-resistant varieties from a bulk of wheat germplasm conserved in the gene bank is of paramount importance for breeding climate change-resilient modern cultivars. The present study was aimed at identifying the best performing drought-resistant genotypes under non-stress and polyethylene glycol simulated (PEG) stress conditions in a growth chamber. Forty diverse Ethiopian bread and durum wheat cultivars along with three Chinese bread wheat cultivars possessing strong drought resistance and susceptibility were evaluated. After acclimation with the natural environment, the seedlings were imposed to severe drought stress (20% PEG6000), and 15 seedling traits including photosynthetic and free proline were investigated. Our findings indicated that drought stress caused a profound decline in plant water consumption (83.0%), shoot fresh weight (64.9%), stomatal conductance (61.6%), root dry weight (55.2%), and other investigated traits except root to shoot length ratio and proline content which showed a significant increase under drought stress. A significant and positive correlation was found between photosynthetic pigments in both growth conditions. Proline exhibited a negative correlation with most of the investigated traits except root to shoot length ratio and all photosynthetic pigments which showed a positive and non-significant association. Our result also showed a wide range of genetic variation (CV) ranging from 3.23% to 47.3%; the highest in shoot dry weight (SDW) (47.3%) followed by proline content (44.63%) and root dry weight (36.03%). Based on multivariate principal component biplot analysis and average sum of ranks (ASR), G12, G16 and G25 were identified as the best drought tolerant and G6, G42, G4, G11, and G9 as bottom five sensitive. The potential of these genotypes offers further investigation at a molecular and cellular level to identify the novel gene associated with the stress response.
A New Approach for Design Optimization and Parametric Analysis of Symmetric Compound Parabolic Concentrator for Photovoltaic Applications
Authors: Masood Faisal , Nallagownden Perumal , Elamvazuthi Irraivan , Akhter Javed , Alam Mohammad Azad
Published: April 2021

A compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) is a non-imaging device generally used in PV, thermal, or PV/thermal hybrid systems for the concentration of solar radiation on the target surface. This paper presents the geometric design, statistical modeling, parametric analysis, and geometric optimization of a two-dimensional low concentration symmetric compound parabolic concentrator for potential use in building-integrated and rooftop photovoltaic applications. The CPC was initially designed for a concentration ratio of “2×” and an acceptance half-angle of 30°. A MATLAB code was developed in-house to provoke the CPC reflector’s profile. The height, aperture width, and concentration ratios were computed for different acceptance half-angles and receiver widths. The interdependence of optical concentration ratio and acceptance half-angle was demonstrated for a wide span of acceptance half-angles. The impact of the truncation ratio on the geometric parameters was investigated to identify the optimum truncation position. The profile of truncated CPC for different truncation positions was compared with full CPC. A detailed statistical analysis was performed to analyze the synergistic effects of independent design parameters on the responses using the response surface modeling approach. A set of optimized design parameters was obtained by establishing specified optimization criteria. A 50% truncated CPC with an acceptance half-angle of 21.58° and receiver width of 193.98 mm resulted in optimum geometric dimensions.
Green Growth Policy, De-Growth, and Sustainability: The Alternative Solution for Achieving the Balance between Both the Natural and the Economic System
Authors: Vazquez-Brust Diego A. , Plaza-Úbeda José A.
Published: April 2021

“We are ethically obliged and incited to think beyond what are treated as the realistic limits of the possible” [...]
Managing Sustainable Urban Public Transport Systems: An AHP Multicriteria Decision Model
Authors: Rivero Gutiérrez Lourdes , De Vicente Oliva María Auxiliadora , Romero-Ania Alberto
Published: April 2021

The current combination of sustainable social awareness and the improved decision support systems, including multiple criteria decision models for sustainable development, creates the need for more efficient and accurate public policy decisions based on available technology. The continuous growth of urban public road transport in large cities, and therefore the worsening of air quality, along with recent economic crisis derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, is forcing public administrations to analyze the viability of current models, taking into consideration sustainable alternative energies. This study proposes a novel and consistent analytic hierarchy process (AHP) multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) model that combines both economic and environmental criteria, to evaluate public road transportation vehicles according to their alternative engine technologies and combustion characteristics. The proposed model has been applied to evaluate Madrid’s urban public road transport, based on 2020 data published by the Madrid City Council, compiled by authors, and assessed by a panel of 20 experts to identify criteria and factors included in the AHP-MCDM model. The findings illustrate the economic and environmental impact of alternative vehicles, show that the most sustainable alternative is the plug-in electric vehicle in economic and environmental terms, and assist policymakers and firms in future strategic decisions regarding sustainable urban transport policies.
A Conceptual Hybrid Approach from a Multicriteria Perspective for Sustainable Third-Party Reverse Logistics Provider Identification
Authors: Abdel-Basset Mohamed , Gamal Abduallah , Elhoseny Mohamed , Chakrabortty Ripon K. , Ryan Michael
Published: April 2021

Reverse logistics (RL) is considered the reverse manner of gathering and redeploying goods at the end of their lifetime span from consumers to manufacturers in order to reutilize, dispose, or remanufacture. Whereas RL has many economic benefits, it presents compromises to businesses that wish to remain competitive but be responsible global citizens in terms of social, environmental, risk, and safety aspects of sustainable development. Managing RL systems therefore is considered a multifaceted mission that necessities a significant level of technology, infrastructure, experience, and competence. Consequently, various commerce institutions are looking to outsourcing their RL actions to third-party reverse logistics providers (3PRLPs). In this work, a novel hybrid multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) framework is proposed to classify and choose 3PRLPs, which comprises the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique, and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) technique under neutrosophic environment. Accordingly, AHP is availed for defining weights of key dimensions and their subindices. In addition, TOPSIS was adopted for ranking the specified 3PRLPs. The efficiency of the proposed approach is clarified through application on a considered car parts manufacturing industry case in Egypt, which shows the features of the combined MCDM methods. A comparative and sensitivity analyses were performed to highlight the benefits of the incorporated MCDM methods and for clarifying the effect of changing weights in selecting the sustainable 3PRLP alternative, respectively. The suggested framework is also shown to present more functional execution when dealing with uncertainties and qualitative inputs, demonstrating applicability to a broad range of applications. Ultimately, the best sustainable 3PRLPs were selected and results show that social, environmental, and risk and safety sustainability factors have the greatest influence when determining 3PRLPs alternatives.
Ageing in Place in Disaster Prone Rural Coastal Communities: A Case Study of Tai O Village in Hong Kong
Authors: Kwan Crystal , Tam Ho Chung
Published: April 2021

Rural coastal communities face unique disaster risks that will impact interventions throughout the disaster risk reduction (DRR) cycle (mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery). At the same time, these communities are experiencing an ageing population. As climate change contributes to rising sea levels and an increase in the intensity and frequency of climate-related disasters, older populations living in rural coastal communities face heightened risks. This is a qualitative case study examining the ageing in place (AIP) experiences of older people living in a disaster-prone rural coastal community in Hong Kong—Tai O Village. Findings highlight that: (i) a critical dimension of AIP is their ability to sustain and continue their work, which played a multidimensional role, (ii) local community-based organizations play an instrumental role in providing social support in a disaster context, (iii) more support and resources for mitigation activities are needed, and (iv) while supports exist for AIP and in a disaster situation, the older residents may not utilize such supports. In addition to informing age-friendly DRR programmes and research, these findings inform AIP practices, policies, and research relevant to rural coastal communities.
Knowledge Criticality Assessment and Codification Framework for Major Maintenance Activities: A Case Study of Cement Rotary Kiln Plant
Authors: Iheukwumere-Esotu Lilian. O. , Yunusa-Kaltungo Akilu
Published: April 2021

Maintenance experts involved in managing major maintenance activities such as; Major overhauls, outages, shutdowns and turnarounds (MoOSTs) are constantly faced with uncertainties during the planning and/or execution phases, which often stretches beyond the organisation’s standard operating procedures and require the intervention of staff expertise. This underpins a need to complement and sustain existing efforts in managing uncertainties in MoOSTs through the transformation of knowledgeable actions generated from experts’ tacit-based knowledge. However, a vital approach to achieve such transformation is by prioritising maintenance activities during MoOSTs. Two methods for prioritising maintenance activities were adopted in this study; one involved a traditional qualitative method for task criticality assessment. The other, a quantitative method, utilised a Fuzzy inference system, mapping membership functions of two crisp inputs and output accompanied by If-Then rules specifically developed for this study. Prior information from a 5-year quantitative dataset was obtained from a case study with appreciable frequency for performing MoOSTs; in this case, a Rotary Kiln system (RKS) was utilised in demonstrating practical applicability. The selection of the two methods was informed by their perceived suitability to adequately analyse the available dataset. Results and analysis of the two methods indicated that the obtained Fuzzy criticality numbers were more sensitive and capable of examining the degree of changes to membership functions. However, the usefulness of the traditional qualitative method as a complementary approach lies in its ability to provide a baseline for informing expert opinions, which are critical in developing specific If-Then rules for the Fuzzy inference system.
Cycling in the Era of COVID-19: Lessons Learnt and Best Practice Policy Recommendations for a More Bike-Centric Future
Authors: Nikitas Alexandros , Tsigdinos Stefanos , Karolemeas Christos , Kourmpa Efthymia , Bakogiannis Efthimios
Published: April 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected our cities in monumental ways with no sector likely being more severely impacted than transport. Lockdowns, physical spacing, transport restrictions and stay-at-home guidelines have transformed personal mobility and highlighted the mistakes of an unbalanced pro-car culture that defined a century of urban planning. One immediate effect of the virus in relation to travel demand and supply was the emergence of active travel modes because of their unique ability to provide a socially distanced way of transport. Cycling is one of the modes that has enjoyed significant attention. Numerous cities have reallocated street and public space to cyclists and introduced pro-bike interventions like pop-up cycle lanes, e-bike subsidies, free bike-share use and traffic calming measures. This newly found outbreak-induced momentum creates an opportunity to establish a new ethos that allows the promotion of potentially permanent strategies that may help cycling to be (re-)established as a robust, mainstream and resilient travel mode for inner city trips and not as a second-class alternative operating under the automobile’s giant shadow. This paper provides a state-of-the-art description of the anti-COVID cycling-friendly initiatives that have been introduced globally, the successes and failures of these initiatives, the lessons learnt that can help us redefine the bicycle’s role in local societies today and a best cycling practice policy guide for planning a more bike-centric future.
The Community Integration of New Residents in the Community Reorganization at a Heritage Site: A Model Based on Tangkou in Huangshan
Authors: Wu Wenzhi , Dai Yuxi , Qiu Fudong
Published: April 2021

With the transition of a heritage community from a living community to one based on servicing tourists, an influx of new residents seeking to run businesses and work in the tourism sector generates an intense process of community reorganization. In turn, changes in the external environment that take place during this community restructuring combine with psychological factors to affect the integration of these new residents. Based on an investigation of Tangkou town in the Huangshan district, a theoretical model of the factors in the community integration of new residents of a heritage site was constructed using a grounded theory approach. Three external factors such as support for the government, economic integration, and community environment and one internal factor was psychological integration were identified as affecting new residents’ community integration. The model shows that the external factors influence the psychology of new residents, generating a sense either of closeness or of alienation and affecting their community integration behavior accordingly. In the process of community restructuring, heritage sites might benefit from the smoother integration of new residents, so we should give full play to the participation and driving role of external business entities, and looking to improve the community environment.
Who Benefits from the Housing Provident Fund System in China? An Analysis of the Internal Rate of Return for Typical Employees with Different Incomes
Authors: Zhang Xiang , Zheng Yanhuang , Tian Chuanhao
Published: April 2021

The Housing Provident Fund System (HPFS) was established in China in the 1990s as a welfare program to offer low-cost loans and encourage the purchasing of houses. However, there has been some controversy over the income redistribution effect of HPFS. Previous studies focused on the effect of low-interest-rate loans but ignored the effects of tax exemptions and low-interest-rate deposits. This paper introduces a lifetime cash flow model which considers the effects of low-interest-rate loans, tax exemptions, and low-interest-rate deposits together. It compares the internal rate of return (IRR) for typical employees with different incomes in four situations: whether or not HPFS participation and whether or not house purchasing. We found that the IRRs of the typical low-income HPFS participants who buy houses with HPFS loans were lower than the IRRs of non-participants who buy houses with commercial mortgages without HPFS participation. For the typical middle-income employees, there is not much difference in IRR between the two situations. Only the typical high-income employees can benefit from HPFS participation, and this is mostly due to the effect of the tax exemptions, rather than the effect of low-interest-rate loans. Increasing the coverage of HPFS and HPFS loans among low-income employees will not improve the income redistribution effect of HPFS.
Examining Evacuee Response to Emergency Communications with Agent-Based Simulations
Authors: van der Wal C. Natalie , Formolo Daniel , Robinson Mark A. , Gwynne Steven
Published: April 2021

To improve communication during emergencies, this research introduces an agent-based modeling (ABM) method to test the effect of psychological emergency communication strategies on evacuation performance. We follow a generative social science approach in which agent-based simulations allow for testing different candidate solutions. Unlike traditional methods, such as laboratory experiments and field observations, ABM simulation allows high-risk and infrequent scenarios to be empirically examined before applying the lessons in the real world. This is essential, as emergency communication with diverse crowds can be challenging due to language barriers, conflicting social identities, different cultural mindsets, and crowd demographics. Improving emergency communication could therefore improve evacuations, reduce injuries, and ultimately save lives. We demonstrate this ABM method by determining the effectiveness of three communication strategies for different crowd compositions in transport terminals: (1) dynamic emergency exit floor lighting directing people to exits, (2) staff guiding people to exits with verbal and physical instructions, and (3) public announcements in English. The simulation results indicated that dynamic emergency exit floor lighting and staff guiding people to exits were only beneficial for high-density crowds and those unfamiliar with the environment. Furthermore, English public announcements actually slowed the evacuation for mainly English-speaking crowds, due to simultaneous egress causing congestion at exits, but improved evacuation speed in multicultural, multilingual crowds. Based on these results, we make recommendations about which communication strategies to apply in the real world to demonstrate the utility of this ABM simulation approach for risk assessment practice.
Physio-Chemical Characterization of Biochar, Compost and Co-Composted Biochar Derived from Green Waste
Authors: Mujtaba Ghulam , Hayat Rifat , Hussain Qaiser , Ahmed Mukhtar
Published: April 2021

Organic wastes are naturally biodegradable, but they contribute to environmental pollution and management issues. Composting and pyrolysis are widely used technologies for recycling these wastes into valuable organic products for soil health and crop production. In the current study, fruits vegetables waste (FVW) was converted to biochar, compost, and co-composted biochar. The microcrystal structure, functional groups, surface morphology, and nutrient contents of organic materials were investigated by XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDS, AAS, multi C-N analyzer, and ICP-OES techniques. Heavy metals contamination was not detected in the biomass used for pyrolysis and compost preparation. FVW had an acidic pH (5.92), while biochar, compost, and co-composted biochar had an alkaline pH. Total macronutrient (K, Na, S) and micronutrient (Cu, Fe) concentrations were higher in compost and co-composted biochar, with the exception of K, which was higher in biochar. Biochar had the highest surface area (4.99 m2g), followed by FVW, compost, and co-composted biochar. Co-composted biochar had a porous structure. Si, Ca, and Al contents were common in all organic materials, while P, K, Mg, and S were found with lower concentrations in both biochar and compost. Iron was only found in compost and co-composted biochar. Quartz, sylvite, and calcite were common minerals found in all organic treatments. Biochar contained more aromatic carbon ring structure C=C/C=O and aromatic C-H bending as compared to FVW and compost, thus, making biochar a stable carbon rich material suitable for soil carbon sequestration.
Chromium Stress in Plants: Toxicity, Tolerance and Phytoremediation
Authors: Srivastava Dipali , Tiwari Madhu , Dutta Prasanna , Singh Puja , Chawda Khushboo , Kumari Monica , Chakrabarty Debasis
Published: April 2021

Extensive industrial activities resulted in an increase in chromium (Cr) contamination in the environment. The toxicity of Cr severely affects plant growth and development. Cr is also recognized as a human carcinogen that enters the human body via inhalation or by consuming Cr-contaminated food products. Taking consideration of Cr enrichment in the environment and its toxic effects, US Environmental Protection Agency and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry listed Cr as a priority pollutant. In nature, Cr exists in various valence states, including Cr(III) and Cr(VI). Cr(VI) is the most toxic and persistent form in soil. Plants uptake Cr through various transporters such as phosphate and sulfate transporters. Cr exerts its effect by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) and hampering various metabolic and physiological pathways. Studies on genetic and transcriptional regulation of plants have shown the various detoxification genes get up-regulated and confer tolerance in plants under Cr stress. In recent years, the ability of the plant to withstand Cr toxicity by accumulating Cr inside the plant has been recognized as one of the promising bioremediation methods for the Cr contaminated region. This review summarized the Cr occurrence and toxicity in plants, role of detoxification genes in Cr stress response, and various plants utilized for phytoremediation in Cr-contaminated regions.
Competency-Industry Relatedness (C-IR) Framework for Sustained Business Growth in Startups during and Beyond Pandemic: Myths and Lessons from Publicly Funded Innovative Startups
Authors: Gupta Varun , Rubalcaba Luis
Published: April 2021

Context: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a turbulent business environment, resulting in market uncertainties, frustrations, and rumors. Wrongly held beliefs—or myths—can hinder startups from turning new market opportunities into their favor (for example, by failing at diversification decisions) or undertaking wrong business decisions, e.g., diversifying in industries that have products of no real market value). Objectives: The objective of the paper is to identify the beliefs that drive the business decisions of startups in a pandemic and to isolate those beliefs that are merely myths. Further, this paper proposes strategic guidelines in the form of a framework to help startups make sound decisions that can lead to market success. Method: The two-step research method involved multiple case studies with five startups based in India, France, Italy, and Switzerland, to identify perceptual beliefs that drove strategic business decisions, followed by a case study of 36 COVID-19-solution focused startups, funded by the European Union (EU). The findings were validated through a survey that involved 102 entrepreneurs. The comparative analysis of two multiple case studies helped identify beliefs that were merely “myths”; myths that drove irrational strategic decisions, resulting in business failures. Results: The results indicate that startups make decisions in pandemic situations that are driven by seven myths, pertaining to human, intellectual, and financial resources. The decision on whether to diversify or continue in the same business operation can be divided into four strategic options of the Competency-Industry Relatedness (C-IR) framework: ignore, delay, phase-in, and diversify. Diversification in the same (or different industry) is less risky for startups if they have the skills, as needed, to diversify in related industries. Diversification in related industries helps startups leverage their experiences and learning curves (those associated with existing product lines) to adapt their existing products in new markets, or utilize their technologies to solve new problems via new products. The desired outcome for these startups should be sustainable business growth—to meet sustainability goals by contributing to the society and the economy. Conclusion: The C-IR framework is a strategic guide for startups to make business decisions based on internal factors, rather than myths. Accurately assessing skill diversity and the nature of new industries (or markets) will help startups leverage their existing resources optimally, without the need for (pricey) external funding. This will foster sustained business growth resulting in a nation economic development. Knowledge transfer from the Innovation ecosystem will further strengthen the C-IR framework effectiveness.
Smart Steaming: A New Flexible Paradigm for Synchromodal Logistics
Authors: Giusti Riccardo , Manerba Daniele , Tadei Roberto
Published: April 2021

Slow steaming, i.e., the possibility to ship vessels at a significantly slower speed than their nominal one, has been widely studied and implemented to improve the sustainability of long-haul supply chains. However, to create an efficient symbiosis with the paradigm of synchromodality, an evolution of slow steaming called smart steaming is introduced. Smart steaming is about defining a medium speed execution of shipping movements and the real-time adjustment (acceleration and deceleration) of traveling speeds to pursue the entire logistic system’s overall efficiency and sustainability. For instance, congestion in handling facilities (intermodal hubs, ports, and rail stations) is often caused by the common wish to arrive as soon as possible. Therefore, smart steaming would help avoid bottlenecks, allowing better synchronization and decreasing waiting time at ports or handling facilities. This work aims to discuss the strict relationships between smart steaming and synchromodality and show the potential impact of moving from slow steaming to smart steaming in terms of sustainability and efficiency. Moreover, we will propose an analysis considering the pros, cons, opportunities, and risks of managing operations under this new policy.
Food Loss–Food Waste–Food Security: A New Research Agenda
Authors: Santeramo Fabio Gaetano , Lamonaca Emilia
Published: April 2021

The food loss and waste (FLW)–food security nexus is a relevant issue in the societal debate, in that it contributes to understanding the challenges posed by a continuous and unsustainable development of agri-food systems and supply chains. An overview on the state-of-the-art academic research on the implications of FLW on food security is provided. The aim is to identify publication patterns and inform on key topics emerging from the literature on the FLW–food security nexus. Based on a systematic and a bibliometric approach, the analysis concludes that “Water-Energy-Food Security nexus” and “Reduction of FLW” are the dominant thematic areas within the literature on the nexus between FLW and food security. Future research should explore the FLW–food security nexus through evidence-based and scenario analyses, informing stakeholders about nexus interactions and highlighting synergies between different resource uses in a circular and green economy perspective.
Preliminary Proposal for an Alternative Wall Lining Panel Based on Molded Recycled Cellulose and Designed for Home Wiring Refurbishment of Building Interior Partitions
Authors: Serra-Fabregà Raül , Zamora-Mestre Joan-Lluís
Published: April 2021

Old dwellings usually have shortfalls in insulation, acoustic and thermal, and in security of electrical services in the interior partition walls. A common building solution is to add a wall lining with a laminate base gypsum board that improves both acoustic and thermal insulation and facilitates a new invisible cable layout without demolition. Conventional solutions have had limited success because of time consumption, environmental impact and cost. This research aimed to create an integrated building system to carry out these interior building refurbishment works quickly, cleanly and with low inconvenience and environmental impact. The research specifically focused on incorporating new molded materials that have a low environmental impact and improving the handling and future modification of the wall lining system. In response to the above goals, the product development methodology was applied to the design of an internal panel to be inserted between the existing partition wall and the closure wallboard, which is usually laminated base gypsum board (LGB). The proposed internalpanel is molded with recycled cellulose pulp (Biprocel) and has adequate relief designed to improve cable layout tasks and better join the laminate base gypsum board to the existing wall face. The development resulted from collaboration between the public administration, university researchers and undergraduate students in the co-design process. This research contributes to improving the applications of recycled cellulose fibers in molded panels for the building industry, particularly in refurbishment activities.
Thiamine in Lipid Systems vs. the Antioxidant Activity of Epigallocatechin Gallate and Caffeine
Authors: Piechocka Justyna , Szymandera-Buszka Krystyna
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study was to determine correlations between the concentration of thiamine hydrochloride or thiamine pyrophosphate and the antioxidant activity of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and caffeine, as well as thiamine stability. The study was conducted in model systems. Oxidation degree indices of soybean oil (peroxide value and anisidine value LAN) and concentrations of total thiamine were determined. To compare the dynamics of the changes in thiamine content during storage, half-life T1/2 was determined. There was a strong correlation between the stability of thiamine and the stability of the oil. Thiamine was particularly sensitive to secondary oxidation products. Higher losses of thiamine introduced in the form of thiamine pyrophosphate were found (4–6%). The addition of tea components increased fat stability and thus reduced thiamine losses. The dynamics of thiamine loss were found to be lower with EGCG than caffeine. The antioxidant activity of these components was significantly reduced when the content of thiamine (1.0–20.0 mg/100 g) was higher than the natural level in foods. In order to maintain thiamine stability and the high activity of the active tea ingredients, it is necessary to consider their simultaneous addition to the systems in concentrations that limit their interactions.
Perception of Self-Efficacy and Health-Related Behavior in Context of Taekwon-Do Sport Camps
Authors: Ortenburger Dorota , Wąsik Jacek , Mosler Dariusz
Published: April 2021

Background: The aim of this paper is to expand the knowledge on the subject matter of the relations between behavior that is geared towards health and the feeling of effectiveness in the context of martial arts tourism in the form of Taekwon-do training summer camps. Method: The research encompassed 58 people (32 men and 26 women) who train Taekwon-do (ITF) (aged: 26.36 ± 8.97; scope: 18–45 years of age). The measurement of the feeling of effectiveness and healthy behavior was conducted by means of standardized tools, including the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Results: The analyzed fighters who participated in the research in the majority of the sports meetings declared a higher level of the feeling of effectiveness (p < 0.001). Through cluster analysis emerged two groups, with a significant difference between self-efficacy (mean value of 20.05 points in contrast to 33.93 points in the second group). The group with higher psychological indices values attended a higher amount of summer camps during their practice history (at least two camps attended in the second cluster). Conclusion: Sports tourism connected with martial arts, as exemplified by training groups (professionally organized training camps) of Taekwon-do (ITF), is connected with the increased feeling of personal effectiveness, while also serving the enhancement of psycho-physical health, well-being, and the development of social skills.
Game-Based Social Learning for Socially Sustainable Water Management
Authors: de Kraker Joop , Offermans Astrid , van der Wal Merel M.
Published: April 2021

An important aspect of the social sustainability of a proposed solution is acceptance by societal stakeholders. Acceptance is determined by the extent to which the solution matches with stakeholder perspectives on the problem and preferred ways to deal with it. Social learning can contribute to the social sustainability of water management strategies by achieving a convergence in perspectives among societal stakeholders. Serious games have proven to be effective in generating this type of social learning outcomes, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. This article aims to clarify how a multi-player serious game on river management (Sustainable Delta) supports social learning among participants with initially diverging perspectives. Based on a conceptual framework for game-based social learning, hypotheses and expectations were formulated and tested with quantitative and qualitative analyses of game sessions. Convergence of perspectives was observed in 10 out of 12 gaming sessions, but could not, or could only to a limited extent, be explained by the presumed learning support mechanisms in the game’s design. This underlines the importance of opening up the black box of serious games to determine how and why they work. If this is neglected, there is a clear risk that the design of games will be based on wrong, untested assumptions and will be less effective in supporting social learning and social sustainability.
Suspended Sediment Modeling Using a Heuristic Regression Method Hybridized with Kmeans Clustering
Authors: Adnan Rana Muhammad , Parmar Kulwinder Singh , Heddam Salim , Shahid Shamsuddin , Kisi Ozgur
Published: April 2021

The accurate estimation of suspended sediments (SSs) carries significance in determining the volume of dam storage, river carrying capacity, pollution susceptibility, soil erosion potential, aquatic ecological impacts, and the design and operation of hydraulic structures. The presented study proposes a new method for accurately estimating daily SSs using antecedent discharge and sediment information. The novel method is developed by hybridizing the multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) and the Kmeans clustering algorithm (MARS–KM). The proposed method’s efficacy is established by comparing its performance with the adaptive neuro-fuzzy system (ANFIS), MARS, and M5 tree (M5Tree) models in predicting SSs at two stations situated on the Yangtze River of China, according to the three assessment measurements, RMSE, MAE, and NSE. Two modeling scenarios are employed; data are divided into 50–50% for model training and testing in the first scenario, and the training and test data sets are swapped in the second scenario. In Guangyuan Station, the MARS–KM showed a performance improvement compared to ANFIS, MARS, and M5Tree methods in term of RMSE by 39%, 30%, and 18% in the first scenario and by 24%, 22%, and 8% in the second scenario, respectively, while the improvement in RMSE of ANFIS, MARS, and M5Tree was 34%, 26%, and 27% in the first scenario and 7%, 16%, and 6% in the second scenario, respectively, at Beibei Station. Additionally, the MARS–KM models provided much more satisfactory estimates using only discharge values as inputs.
Sustainable Ventilation Strategies for a Medium-Sized Space with Regional Effect
Authors: Fong Ming-Lun Alan
Published: April 2021

The analysis of ventilation strategies is fundamentally affected by regional climate conditions and local cost databases, in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emission and cost-effective analysis. A systematic approach is covered in this paper to estimate a local economic and environmental impact on a medium-sized space located in two regions during supply-and-installation and operation phases. Three ventilation strategies, including mixing ventilation (MV), displacement ventilation (DV) and stratum ventilation (SV) were applied to medium-sized air-conditioned space with this approach. The trend of the results for three ventilation systems in the life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis is SV < DV < MV. The result of CO2 emission and regional LCC shows that SV is the lowest one in both regional studies. In comparison with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) during 20 Service years, the case analysis demonstrates that the percentage differences in LCC analysis of MV, DV & SV in Guangdong are less than 20.5%, 19.4% and 18.82% respectively. Their CO2 emission of MV, DV and SV in Guangdong are more than HKSAR in 10.69%, 11.22% and 12.05%, respectively. The present study could provide information about regional effects in the LCA and LCC analysis of three ventilation strategies emissions, and thereby help set up models for decision-making on high efficiency and cost-effective ventilation strategy plans.