bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Rigorous Feature Extraction Algorithm for Spherical Target Identification in Terrestrial Laser Scanning
Authors: Yang Ronghua , Li Jing , Meng Xiaolin , You Yangsheng
Published: March 2022

Precise and rapid extraction of spherical target features from laser point clouds is critical for achieving high-precision registration of multiple point clouds. Existing methods often use linear models to represent spherical target characteristics, which have several drawbacks. This paper proposes a rigorous estimation algorithm for spherical target features based on least squares configurations, in which the point-cloud data error is used as a random parameter, while the spherical center coordinates and radius are used as nonrandom parameters, emphasizing correlation between spherical parameters. The implementation details of this algorithm are illustrated by deriving calculation formulas for three variance–covariance matrices: variance–covariance matrices of the new observations, variance–covariance matrices of the new observation noise, and variance–covariance matrices of random parameters and the new observation noise. Experiments show that the estimation accuracy of sphere centers using our method is improved by at least 5.7% compared to classical algorithms, such as least squares, total least squares, and robust weighted total least squares.
Three-Dimensional Simulation Model for Synergistically Simulating Urban Horizontal Expansion and Vertical Growth
Authors: Zhao Linfeng , Liu Xiaoping , Xu Xiaocong , Liu Cuiming , Chen Keyun
Published: March 2022

Urban expansion studies have focused on two-dimensional planar dimensions, ignoring the impact of building height growth changes in the vertical direction on the urban three-dimensional (3D) spatial expansion. Past 3D simulation studies have tended to focus on simulating virtual cities, and a few studies have attempted to build 3D simulation models to achieve the synergistic simulation of real cities. This study proposes an urban 3D spatial expansion simulation model to achieve a synergistic simulation of urban horizontal expansion and vertical growth. The future land use simulation model was used to simulate urban land use changes in the horizontal direction. The random forest (RF) regression algorithm was used to predict building height growth in the vertical direction. Furthermore, the RF algorithm was used to mine the patterns of spatial factors affecting building heights. The 3D model was applied to simulate 3D spatial changes in Shenzhen City from 2014 to 2034. The model effectively simulates the horizontal expansion and vertical growth of a real city in 3D space. The crucial factors affecting building heights and the simulation results of future urban 3D expansion hotspot areas can provide scientific support for decisions in urban spatial planning.
A Reconstructed Global Daily Seamless SIF Product at 0.05 Degree Resolution Based on TROPOMI, MODIS and ERA5 Data
Authors: Hu Jiaochan , Jia Jia , Ma Yan , Liu Liangyun , Yu Haoyang
Published: March 2022

Satellite-derived solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) has been proven to be a valuable tool for monitoring vegetation’s photosynthetic activity at regional or global scales. However, the coarse spatiotemporal resolution or discrete space coverage of most satellite SIF datasets hinders their full potential for studying carbon cycle and ecological processes at finer scales. Although the recent TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) partially addresses this issue, the SIF still has drawbacks in spatial insufficiency and spatiotemporal discontinuities when gridded at high spatiotemporal resolutions (e.g., 0.05°, 1-day or 2-day) due to its nonuniform sampling sizes, swath gaps, and clouds contaminations. Here, we generated a new global SIF product with Seamless spatiotemporal coverage at Daily and 0.05° resolutions (SDSIF) during 2018–2020, using the random forest (RF) approach together with TROPOMI SIF, MODIS reflectance and meteorological datasets. We investigated how the model accuracy was affected by selection of explanatory variables and model constraints. Eventually, models were trained and applied for specific continents and months given the similar response of SIF to environmental variables within closer space and time. This strategy achieved better accuracy (R2 = 0.928, RMSE = 0.0597 mW/m2/nm/sr) than one universal model (R2 = 0.913, RMSE = 0.0653 mW/m2/nm/sr) for testing samples. The SDSIF product can well preserve the temporal and spatial characteristics in original TROPOMI SIF with high temporal correlations (mean R2 around 0.750) and low spatial residuals (less than ±0.081 mW/m2/nm/sr) between them two at most regions (80% of global pixels). Compared with the original SIF at five flux sites, SDSIF filled the temporal gaps and was better consistent with tower-based SIF at the daily scale (the mean R2 increased from 0.467 to 0.744. Consequently, it provided more reliable 4-day SIF averages than the original ones from sparse daily observations (e.g., the R2 at Daman site was raised from 0.614 to 0.837), which resulted in a better correlation with 4-day tower-based GPP. Additionally, the global coverage ratio and local spatial details had also been improved by the reconstructed seamless SIF. Our product has advantages in spatiotemporal continuities and details over the original TROPOMI SIF, which will benefit the application of satellite SIF for understanding carbon cycle and ecological processes at finer spatial and temporal scales.
Glacier Mass Balance in the Manas River Using Ascending and Descending Pass of Sentinel 1A/1B Data and SRTM DEM
Authors: Yan Lili , Wang Jian , Shao Donghang
Published: March 2022

Mountain glaciers monitoring is important for water resource management and climate changes but is limited by the lack of a high-quality Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and field measurements. Sentinel 1A/1B satellites provide alternative data for glacier mass balance. In this study, we tried to generate DEMs from C-band Sentinel 1A/1B ascending and descending pass SLC images and evaluate the overall accuracy of INSAR DEMs based on Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM and ICESat/GLAS. The low Standard Deviation (STD)and Root Means Square Error (RMSE) displayed the feasibility of Sentinel 1A/1B satellites for DEM generation. Glacier elevation changes and glacier mass balance were estimated based on INSAR DEM and SRTM DEM. The results showed that the most glaciers have exhibited obvious thinning, and the mean annual glacier mass balance between 2000 and 2020 was −0.18 ± 0.1 m w.e.a−1. The south-facing and-east facing aspects, slope and elevation play an important role on glacier melt. This study demonstrates that ascending and descending orbit data of Sentinel-1A/1B satellites are promising for the detailed retrieval of surface elevation changes and mass balance in mountain glaciers.
Wireless Technologies for Social Distancing in the Time of COVID-19: Literature Review, Open Issues, and Limitations
Authors: Murad Sallar Salam , Yussof Salman , Badeel Rozin
Published: March 2022

This research aims to provide a comprehensive background on social distancing as well as effective technologies that can be used to facilitate the social distancing practice. Scenarios of enabling wireless and emerging technologies are presented, which are especially effective in monitoring and keeping distance amongst people. In addition, detailed taxonomy is proposed summarizing the essential elements such as implementation type, scenarios, and technology being used. This research reviews and analyzes existing social distancing studies that focus on employing different kinds of technologies to fight the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study main goal is to identify and discuss the issues, challenges, weaknesses and limitations found in the existing models and/or systems to provide a clear understanding of the area. Articles were systematically collected and filtered based on certain criteria and within ten years span. The findings of this study will support future researchers and developers to solve specific issues and challenges, fill research gaps, and improve social distancing systems to fight pandemics similar to COVID-19.
Automated Feature Extraction on AsMap for Emotion Classification Using EEG
Authors: Ahmed Md. Zaved Iqubal , Sinha Nidul , Phadikar Souvik , Ghaderpour Ebrahim
Published: March 2022

Emotion recognition using EEG has been widely studied to address the challenges associated with affective computing. Using manual feature extraction methods on EEG signals results in sub-optimal performance by the learning models. With the advancements in deep learning as a tool for automated feature engineering, in this work, a hybrid of manual and automatic feature extraction methods has been proposed. The asymmetry in different brain regions is captured in a 2D vector, termed the AsMap, from the differential entropy features of EEG signals. These AsMaps are then used to extract features automatically using a convolutional neural network model. The proposed feature extraction method has been compared with differential entropy and other feature extraction methods such as relative asymmetry, differential asymmetry and differential caudality. Experiments are conducted using the SJTU emotion EEG dataset and the DEAP dataset on different classification problems based on the number of classes. Results obtained indicate that the proposed method of feature extraction results in higher classification accuracy, outperforming the other feature extraction methods. The highest classification accuracy of 97.10% is achieved on a three-class classification problem using the SJTU emotion EEG dataset. Further, this work has also assessed the impact of window size on classification accuracy.
UWB and IMU-Based UAV’s Assistance System for Autonomous Landing on a Platform
Authors: Ochoa-de-Eribe-Landaberea Aitor , Zamora-Cadenas Leticia , Peñagaricano-Muñoa Oier , Velez Igone
Published: March 2022

This work presents a novel landing assistance system (LAS) capable of locating a drone for a safe landing after its inspection mission. The location of the drone is achieved by a fusion of ultra-wideband (UWB), inertial measurement unit (IMU) and magnetometer data. Unlike other typical landing assistance systems, the UWB fixed sensors are placed around a 2 × 2 m landing platform and two tags are attached to the drone. Since this type of set-up is suboptimal for UWB location systems, a new positioning algorithm is proposed for a correct performance. First, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm is used to calculate the position of each tag, and then both positions are combined for a more accurate and robust localisation. As a result, the obtained positioning errors can be reduced by 50% compared to a typical UWB-based landing assistance system. Moreover, due to the small demand of space, the proposed landing assistance system can be used almost anywhere and is deployed easily.
A Lightweight Secure Adaptive Approach for Internet-of-Medical-Things Healthcare Applications in Edge-Cloud-Based Networks
Authors: Lakhan Abdullah , Sodhro Ali Hassan , Majumdar Arnab , Khuwuthyakorn Pattaraporn , Thinnukool Orawit
Published: March 2022

Mobile-cloud-based healthcare applications are increasingly growing in practice. For instance, healthcare, transport, and shopping applications are designed on the basis of the mobile cloud. For executing mobile-cloud applications, offloading and scheduling are fundamental mechanisms. However, mobile healthcare workflow applications with these methods are widely ignored, demanding applications in various aspects for healthcare monitoring, live healthcare service, and biomedical firms. However, these offloading and scheduling schemes do not consider the workflow applications’ execution in their models. This paper develops a lightweight secure efficient offloading scheduling (LSEOS) metaheuristic model. LSEOS consists of light weight, and secure offloading and scheduling methods whose execution offloading delay is less than that of existing methods. The objective of LSEOS is to run workflow applications on other nodes and minimize the delay and security risk in the system. The metaheuristic LSEOS consists of the following components: adaptive deadlines, sorting, and scheduling with neighborhood search schemes. Compared to current strategies for delay and security validation in a model, computational results revealed that the LSEOS outperformed all available offloading and scheduling methods for process applications by 10% security ratio and by 29% regarding delays.
Employee Readiness for Organizational Change in the SME Internalization Process: The Case of a Medium-Sized Construction Company
Authors: Moric Milovanovic Bojan , Bubas Zoran , Cvjetkovic Matea
Published: March 2022

A growing body of research, especially in the domain of psychology and business, is aimed at identifying the link between work-related factors and employee readiness to accept change. Moreover, change management is a topic that rapidly attracts the attention of the academic and business communities as well. Therefore, this study is conducted in order to identify the antecedents of the effective implementation of change(s) within a context of a medium-sized construction company that went through numerous changes during its lifetime. A total of 12 different hypotheses and sub-hypotheses was tested to better understand what factors affect employee readiness for change. A multiple regression analysis was used on a sample of 54 employees indicating that organizational commitment, career commitment, and job satisfaction positively affect employee readiness for organizational change. The research contributes to the fields of human resources, organizational psychology, management of small and medium-sized enterprises, and change management.
Aesthetic Representation of Antisocial Personality Disorder in British Coming-of-Age TV Series
Authors: Lopera-Mármol Marta , Jiménez-Morales Manel , Jiménez-Morales Mònika
Published: March 2022

TV series’ depictions of mental disorders have received considerable scholarly attention. However, few studies have considered the role of aesthetic elements in representing mental disorders. Therefore, in this study, we analysed how aesthetic features influence the representation of “psychopathy” in British coming-of-age TV series through the case study of The End of the F***ing World. We chose to analyse psychopathy due to its over-representation in the media and its often-mistaken conflation with the actual mental disorder of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD). We applied an aesthetic methodology in our analysis. We analysed the series in terms of language, appearance, behaviour, music and sound, technical devices, and intertextuality, closely observing three sequences of various episodes that correspond to the character’s symptoms, diagnosis, medication, and treatment. Our findings show that the aesthetic characteristics, characters, and events of the plot can act as expressive means through which the experience of living with a mental disorder can be accurately represented and simultaneously entertain viewers with drama and suspense. The series challenges the reductionist perspective and previous stereotypes of audio–visual pieces related to ASPD, suggesting that future TV series can better represent mental disorders with the correct use of television aesthetics and cinematic devices.
The Working Informal Caregiver Model: A Mixed Methods Approach to Explore Future Informal Caregiving by Working Caregivers
Authors: Vos Eline E. , Hilderink Henk B. M. , de Bruin Simone R. , van der Beek Allard J. , Proper Karin I.
Published: March 2022

A growing number of informal caregivers of older adults combine caregiving with a paid job, raising the question of whether they will be able to meet the increasing demand for informal care. The aims of our study are twofold: first, to describe the development of a model providing insight into the factors that play a role in the availability and provision of informal care by working caregivers of older adults, and second, to investigate which societal developments will impact the factors in the model, and thus the future availability of informal care by workers. A mixed-methods approach was applied to integrate evidence from academic and grey literature, with insights from experts through a Group Model Building exercise and a Delphi study. The resulting Working Informal Caregiver (WIC) model presents a range of individual, social and environmental factors that are related to working caregivers’ ability and their willingness to engage in informal care. Experts foresee that future informal care will be impacted most by the increasing participation of women in the workforce, while changing household structures may diminish opportunities to share care tasks within their households or families. The WIC model can be used to gain better insight into the availability of informal care by workers, now and in the future.
Probability Model of Riding Behavior Choice of Two-Wheelers under the Influence of the Subsidence Area of a Manhole Cover
Authors: Zhou Dan , Hu Qingwei , Sun Xin , Yao Weizhen , Gu Guobin , Yang Ruixin , Ma Congruo
Published: March 2022

To objectively evaluate the influence of the subsidence area of a manhole cover on the riding behavior of two-wheeler riders in urban bicycle lanes, a probability model of riding behavior of two-wheeler riders was established. The main factors influencing the probability of riding behaviors under the condition of the subsidence area of a manhole cover are investigated. Based on the field data of 10 survey sections in Guilin, the regression models between the selected probability of independent riding behavior, combined riding behavior and the main influencing factors are respectively established by using the multiple regression analysis method. The results show that the selected probabilities of deceleration riding behavior and original-speed riding behavior have a linear regression relationship with the subsidence depth of the manhole cover and the lane integrity. The subsidence depth of manhole covers is positively correlated with the probability of deceleration riding behavior and negatively correlated with the probability of original-speed riding behavior; lane integrity is positively correlated with both the probability of deceleration riding behavior and the probability of original-speed riding behavior. The data goodness-of-fit value for the relevant influence factors in the two models is 0.941 and 0.900, respectively. The probability of acceleration riding behavior has a linear regression relationship with the lane integrity and section flow. Lane integrity is negatively correlated with the probability of acceleration riding behavior and positively correlated with section flow. The data goodness-of-fit value for the relevant influence factors is 0.821. The probabilities of straight riding behavior and detour riding behavior have a linear regression relationship with the subsidence depth of manhole covers and the minor width of the flat part. The subsidence depth of a manhole cover is negatively correlated with the probability of straight riding behavior and positively correlated with the probability of detour riding behavior. The minor width of flat part is negatively correlated with the probability of straight riding behavior and positively correlated with the probability of detour riding behavior. The data goodness-of-fit value for the relevant influence factors in the two models is 0.601 and 0.603, respectively. The results provide the theoretical basis for the evaluation of the severity and optimization design of the subsidence of manhole covers in urban bicycle lanes.
Education and Employment of Refugees and Migrants in the Formal Elderly Healthcare Sector: Results from an Online Survey in Italy
Authors: Santini Sara , Finco Matteo , Galassi Flavia
Published: March 2022

The increase in older people with long-term care needs and the shortfall in the formal elderly healthcare workforce are questioning the healthcare system sustainability in Italy. Migrants have been employed for many years in the informal care sector as live-in carers often experience unfair working conditions. Appropriate training can help migrants and refugees enter the formal care sector, improve their quality of life, and bring new workforce into the hospital wards and nursing homes. This study is aimed at understanding practices and difficulties of educational and elderly healthcare organisations in training and employing migrants and refugees in Italy, and the latter’s educational needs. An online survey, carried out in Spring 2021, reached 17 care facilities managers, 13 educational organisations and five migrants/refugees, who answered three different questionnaires with close and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analysed statistically and qualitative data by means of the content analysis. Findings showed the need for training specifically designed for migrants and refugees, focusing on language, healthcare terminology and culture of the host country, and on care provider organisations working culture, mission, and vision. Suggestions for boosting migrant and refugees’ elderly care education are given to policy makers, elderly care facilities and training organisations.
The Experience and Enlightenment of Asian Smart City Development—A Comparative Study of China and Japan
Authors: Su Yuan , Miao Ziyu , Wang Chanjuan
Published: March 2022

With the urbanization level advancing in cities, increasingly significant urban ecological environment problems must be solved. The construction of a smart city with the overall development of information technology also regards environmental friendliness as the primary goal. The “smart” idea of urban environment innovation and governance has become a new model. In this paper, we first expound on the development process of low-carbon cities, eco-cities, and smart cities in Japan and China. Then, we analyze the coordinated development of intelligent environmental protection measures in government policies, transportation, energy utilization, resource recovery, and community management. Finally, we compare Japan and China’s smart city development characteristics. We discuss the improvement measures for energy utilization, urban transportation, and urban operation, including developing renewable energy systems, efficient energy use, and citizen participation policy. These experiences can provide feasible measures for constructing Asian smart cities and have great significance for the city’s sustainable applications and practice.
Pollution Contribution Response in Governance and Potential Pollution Factors in Licun River
Authors: Zhang Minghui , Wang Lin , Huang Xuda , Zhang Xiaofeng
Published: March 2022

The development of the city results in deterioration of the water quality of the Licun River. As a result, years of governance have been conducted to improve its water quality. In order to clarify the response changes of water quality in the water governance, the governance process is divided into three stages (2000–2007, 2008–2016, 2017–2020) according to different priorities. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and the comprehensive pollution index are applied to analyze the variation of water quality response at various stages. In addition, the main pollution contributions with the governance changes were obtained. It is concluded that flood control and incomplete river pollution interception have a limited effect on water quality improvement, with NH3-N (ammonia nitrogen) and COD (chemical oxygen demand) being the main pollution contributions at the first stage. At the second stage, the point source control and sewage treatment facilities significantly improve water quality, and the main pollution contributions are NH3-N and TP (total phosphorus). At the third stage, sewage treatment facilities and supporting pipelines are improved, water sources are replenished, and the main pollution contribution is TN (total nitrogen). For further treatment, the factors affecting pollution are analyzed, including the contradiction of sewage system, point source pollution caused by pipe network problems, shortage of water resources, sludge pollution, and non-point source pollution.
Analysis of the Radiological, Mineralogical and Long-Term Sustainability of Several Commercial Aswan Granites Used as Building Materials
Authors: Zakaly Hesham M. H. , Awad Hamdy A. , Moghazy Nasser M. , Tekin Huseyin O. , Rabie Abdalla , Fawzy Mona M. , El-Tohamy Amira M. , Ene Antoaneta , Issa Shams A. M.
Published: March 2022

The widespread usage of granite in the building sector motivated us to conduct this research and examine the material’s sustainability in terms of the investigated characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the statistical analysis results for the mineralogical impact on radiological hazards indices, such as the equivalent of radium, absorbed gamma dose rate, annual effective dose, internal and external hazard indices, as well as the gamma-ray index, that were calculated to estimate the environmental risks associated with these granites used as building materials, to protect the public from excessive radioactivity exposure. We focused primarily on statistical significance at a 95% confidence level. We employed a non-parametric test (Kruskal–Wallis Test) rather than a one-way ANOVA, to determine the statistical significance of the samples due to the lack of homogeneity or normality among them. To assess the difference between the samples, we used the Mann–Whitney Test on each pair of samples. Additionally, Pearson correlation coefficients for all the mineralogical results are computed. The presence of K-rich minerals (Kefeldspars, biotite) and accessories such as uranophane, uranothorite, allanite, xenotime, fergusonite, aeschynite, zircon, cassiterite, apatite, and sphene, which are mostly found in granitic rocks, determines the level of natural radioactivity of the investigated granites. Most of the rock samples analyzed have indicators of radioactive dangers that are within the acceptable level range, indicating that they are suitable for use as building materials. On the other hand, some samples have environmental criteria that are higher than international standards, indicating that they are unsuitable for use as construction materials.
Maritime or Rail: Which of These Will Save the Planet? EU Macro-Regional Strategies and Reality
Authors: Krzykowska-Piotrowska Karolina , Piotrowski Marek , Organiściak-Krzykowska Anna , Kwiatkowska Emilia
Published: March 2022

A well-thought-out strategy for shaping the transport of the future is a challenge for countries and integration groups. The answer to which modes of transport should become a priority in the context of incurred and planned investments should largely depend on their observed and forecasted environmental impact. This paper focuses on the scope and content of EU macro-regional strategies. The main objectives of the study were to identify common assumptions and differences between the Adriatic and Ionian Region and the Baltic Sea Region in terms of sustainable transport and provide a critical assessment of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR) and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) compliance with the assumptions of the White Paper on Transport, as well as the attempt to answer the question of which modes of transport should be prioritized by the analyzed macro-regions, making transport decarbonization one of their main goals. It is possible to state that the assumptions of both the strategies of the macro-regions seem to be partially consistent with the White Paper on Transport vision. However, the emphasis of the macro-regions on the development of maritime transport is somewhat omitted in the White Paper. Among the countries of both areas (EUSAIR, EUSBSR), estimates showed a statistically significant (p < 0.05) positive impact on the volume of loads transported by road transport. An increase in the volume loads by 1% resulted in an increase in air pollution by 0.446% (EUSAIR) and 0.728% (EUSBSR). The elasticity of air pollution, regarding loads’ road transport changes, was the highest compared to other transport modes in the studied areas. This proves the highest emissivity of road transport. In the EUSAIR countries, an increase by 1% of the volume of transport by railway resulted in a decrease in air pollution, with emissions of greenhouse gases decreasing by 0.063%. Considering the analyzed documentation, reports, strategies, and assumptions, it seems right to clearly emphasize the role of rail transport in the decarbonization of transport. According to the authors, mainly, this branch of transport can significantly reduce the emission of gases into the atmosphere and thus contribute to the so-called “green deal”. However, many activities must be undertaken for this to happen, not only investment ones. First of all, it is worth paying attention to the coherence of regional strategies with the European transport development plan contained in the White Paper.
Consequences of Sustainable Agricultural Productivity, Renewable Energy, and Environmental Decay: Recent Evidence from ASEAN Countries
Authors: Zhang Jianwen , Cherian Jacob , Parvez Ashak Mahmud , Samad Sarminah , Sial Muhammad Safdar , Ali Mohammad Athar , Khan Mohammed Arshad
Published: March 2022

Agriculture is critical for meeting the needs of the world’s population, in terms of food production. As a result, it has become a significant contributor to economic growth. According to various studies, agricultural production is one of the most widely recognized sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. This study explores the causal link between aggregate energy consumption resources, trade liberalization, CO2 emissions, and modern agriculture in selected ASEAN nations from 2000 to 2020, through the use of panel FMOLS data from the United Nations Development Program (fully modified ordinary least square). According to scientific research, the value addition of agricultural commodities helps to reduce CO2 emissions in polluted countries such as the United States. In addition, it was revealed that the quantity of CO2 released per unit of energy spent was positively associated with the amount of energy consumed. The reduction of CO2 emissions is possible in nations where environmental pollution is reducing due to trade liberalization. Although fossil fuels have increased CO2 emissions, research has shown that adopting renewable energy can help mitigate environmental damage. Revenues and productivity in agriculture are increased due to climate-smart agricultural-favored institutions, while greenhouse gas emissions are reduced. As an example of renewable energy, new energy resources may contribute to the preservation of a clean and healthy environment. The use of renewable energy in agriculture reduces the dependency on fossil fuels, which is beneficial for farmers. Trade policy, on the other hand, may stimulate the movement of money and technology, in order to specialize in economies of scale and manufacturing. It is imperative that ASEAN countries examine policies that will improve living standards, while also protecting the environment. This includes measures that will stimulate agricultural sector production and create active marketplaces for international trade
The Identification of Common Models Applied for the Integration of Management Systems: A Review
Authors: Ispas Lucian , Mironeasa Costel
Published: March 2022

The paper presents a synthesis of strategies, benefits, and barriers in the integration management systems (IMS) implementation at the organizational level. The research is based on an assessment of 103 papers, 7 books, 12 standards, and 7 sites. The analysis of works aims to highlight the common integration models of several IMS, aspects related to IMS implementation, benefits of IMS implementations, and the nature of integration strategies. The research results present valuable information which can be used by top managers of organizations, certification bodies, and consulting organizations to encourage the implementation of integrated management systems.
A Bi-Level Programming Model for China’s Marine Domestic Emission Control Area Design
Authors: Tian Xuecheng , Yan Ran , Qi Jingwen , Zhuge Dan , Wang Hans
Published: March 2022

Due to the adverse impact of seaborne sulfur emissions on coastal areas, the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China is planning to implement a 0.1% sulfur cap on bunker fuel in the domestic emission control area (DECA) on 1 January 2025. As the current DECA width is only 12 NM, ships can bypass the DECA to reduce the use of high-priced ultra-low sulfur fuel oil (ULSFO) and thus save on fuel costs. The purpose of this study is first to assess the effect of China’s 12-NM-wide DECA policy and then to assist the government in determining the optimal DECA width. We develop a bi-level programming model to capture the relationship between the government policy and ship operators’ operations. In the lower-level programming model, we capture ship operators’ decisions regarding their ships’ sailing routes and speeds while considering the time required for fuel switching, which aims to minimize the total fuel costs over a given voyage. The optimal solution to the lower-level programming model is then embedded in the upper-level programming model to determine the optimal DECA width for the government, with the aim of minimizing the impact of seaborne sulfur emissions on the coastal area environment. The final results, obtained from computational experiments, validate the idea that ships tend to bypass the 12-NM-wide DECA and reduce their sailing speeds inside the DECA to decrease their use of ULSFO. Therefore, we recommend that the government increase the current DECA width to at least 112 NM to prevent ships from bypassing it and to achieve the desired sulfur reduction target.
Changes in People’s Mobility Behavior in Greece after the COVID-19 Outbreak
Authors: Baig Farrukh , Kirytopoulos Konstantinos , Lee Jaeyoung , Tsamilis Evangelos , Mao Ruizhi , Ntzeremes Panagiotis
Published: March 2022

The lockdown and social distancing policies to reduce COVID-19 spread and perceived safety threats of COVID-19 significantly affected people’s travel behavior. Greece has been suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic, and people’s mobility behavior has been greatly affected. This study aims at: (1) exploring the variations in individuals’ trip frequencies by mode and purpose before and after the COVID-19 outbreak; (2) understanding the effects of individual differences (i.e., sociodemographic details) and perceptions towards COVID-19 (i.e., the perceived threats of COVID-19) on people’s mobility behavior changes after the outbreak; (3) underlining the individuals’ perceptions of the COVID-19 threat on the willingness of public transportation usage. Overall, 403 responses were collected in late 2020. A series of random parameter Probit modeling results reveal multiple individual and perception factors affecting the changes in mobility behavior in Greece. The results from structural equation modeling indicate that perceived COVID-19 threats affect the attitudes and subjective norms towards people’s intentions to use public transportation. The results from this study provide valuable insights for transportation authorities to develop effective strategies to manage traffic during the spread of disease for a possible future epidemic.
Outdoor Space Quality Mapping by Combining Accessibility, Openness, and Microclimate: A Case Study in a Neighborhood Park in Shanghai, China
Authors: Tao Cong , Li Jiaxin , Zhou Dao , Sun Jiamin , Peng Di , Lai Dayi
Published: March 2022

The vitality of outdoor space is largely determined by its quality, which encompasses many factors such as traffic accessibility, openness, microclimate, etc. Creating space with high quality can attract more visitors and contribute to urban vitality and sustainability. Visualization of quality distribution can aid the design and management of high-quality outdoor spaces. In this study, we developed a method for generating an integrated outdoor space quality map by normalizing, weighting, and summing up the traffic accessibility, openness, and microclimate distributions in the space. Field surveys were conducted on a neighborhood park in Shanghai, China, to obtain data to determine the relative importance of the studied factors. Integrated mapping was then performed on the park as a case study. As for accessibility, since the park only has one entrance, the metric step distance (MSD) increased with the distance from that entrance, indicating poor accessibility. The high openness found in the central areas of the park indicate that people may easily notice the central spaces and conduct activities there. The microclimate map denoted by physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) shows that in winter in Shanghai, the distribution of heat stress is mainly dominated by solar radiation. By integrating the distributions of accessibility, openness, and microclimate, we found that some spaces had better space quality than others. Based on the comprehensive map, we proposed a series of design strategies. The method developed in this study provides a quantitative tool to design outdoor spaces with high quality.
‘The Forgotten Sector’: An Integrative Framework for Future Research on Low- and Medium-Technology Innovation
Authors: Nouman Muhammad , Yunis Mohammad Sohail , Atiq Muhammad , Mufti Owais , Qadus Abdul
Published: March 2022

Despite apparent significance, innovation in low-technology (LT) and low-to-medium technology (LT/LMT) sectors has enticed relatively less consideration from scholars and policy-makers than high-technology (HT) sectors, thus, earning the label ‘the forgotten sector’. In this paper, we critically review the extant research on this forgotten sector, with the vital objective of proposing an integrated research framework from a diffuse literature base. We believe our findings can be utilized by innovation scholars to do more coherent research on the LT/LMT sector in the future. Our research presents important contributions and implications for scholars, business, and policy-makers as we propose a multi-level, integrated thematic framework that highlights the importance of LT/LMT sectors in innovation ecosystems (NIS) and offers avenues for future research.
Decision-Making Support for Housing Projects in Post-Industrial Areas
Authors: Radziszewska-Zielina Elżbieta , Adamkiewicz Dagmara , Szewczyk Bartłomiej , Kania Olga
Published: March 2022

Post-industrial areas, despite often showing immense damage and high soil contamination, equally often stand out via many positive assets, displaying immense potential. Post-industrial areas, in most cases, commemorate the modernisation and development of a country’s market in urban space. It is expressed in surviving buildings and urban complexes, many of which possess high historical and aesthetic value. We reviewed the literature, identified gaps and demonstrated that this subject is relevant and topical. Insofar as analyses of the urban and architectural structure of post-industrial heritage and assessments of their potential use appear often in the literature, we found that scholars rarely discussed redeveloping post-industrial areas via housing projects. The publications, methods and tools we discussed lacked solutions that could support decision-making in redeveloping post-industrial areas into housing while accounting for the needs and requirements of all stakeholders. Our initial study was based on an online survey performed among a group of specialist experts with close ties to the Polish construction market. Due to the specificity of decayed and degraded areas, any action taken entails high risk and requires a broad range of analyses, which are often not carried out due to said specificity. The main focus of our study was to determine the need to develop a new tool and the necessity of accounting for aspects that directly affect housing projects to be sited in post-industrial areas. As a result, we demonstrated that Polish practitioners displayed a need for a tool to be developed that could aid in decision-making and assessing the potential of redeveloping post-industrial areas into housing areas and that would account for the legal, organisational, technical and economic aspects and that of market analysis.
Delighting Hotel Guests with Sustainability: Revamping Importance-Performance Analysis in the Light of the Three-Factor Theory of Customer Satisfaction
Authors: Preziosi Michele , Acampora Alessia , Lucchetti Maria Claudia , Merli Roberto
Published: March 2022

Tourism has a key role in the global economy, and it is a significant contributor to environmental degradation and climate change. Concurrently, it is one of the most exposed businesses to the deterioration of environmental quality. Inside the tourism sector, the hospitality industry accounts for nearly 30% of emissions and in recent years has begun to introduce voluntary tools to manage the environmental impacts of its operations. Among these instruments, ecolabels ensure compliance with specific environmental performance criteria and reliable communication. In Italy, Legambiente Turismo is the most widespread tourism ecolabel that awards over 300 hotels. Previous investigations have shown that firms implementing environmental sustainability practices may gain economic advantages in terms of savings thanks to increased efficiency and reduced waste. At the same time, when evaluating firms’ performance, it is relevant to explore how customers perceive the actions implemented by the accommodation industry to minimize the environmental impact of its activities. Through a survey addressed to the customers of an eco-labeled hotel, this paper investigates if green practices form a specific dimension of service quality and if these green practices are considered by hotel guests as excitement factors among hotel service quality attributes. Results show that customers identify environmental practices as a specific dimension of eco-labeled hotels. Moreover, applying the three-factors theory of customer satisfaction, findings identify hotel green practices as delighting guests if properly delivered and communicated. Findings have significant implications both from a theoretical and managerial viewpoint, as they show that customers positively recognize the hotel’s commitment toward the natural environment, representing a significant differentiation strategy on the market.
Cross-Border E-Commerce Trade and Industrial Clusters: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Chenggang , Liu Tiansen , Wang Jinliang , Li Dongrong , Wen Duo , Ziomkovskaya Polina , Zhao Yang
Published: March 2022

Combining the theories of cross-border e-commerce trade, industrial cluster management, coordinated development, and sustainable development, this paper explores the problem of the coordinated development path of China’s cross-border e-commerce trade and industrial clusters. The research purpose of this paper is to propose relevant suggestions to promote the sustainable coordinated development of cross-border e-commerce trade and industrial clusters by revealing the inherent scientific laws of the sustainable coordinated development of them. By using a literature survey method, structural equation method, and system analysis method, on the basis of constructing a model for the coordinated development of cross-border e-commerce trade and industrial clusters, this paper conducts in-depth empirical analysis combined with relevant research data and draws research conclusions. The research conclusions of this paper are as follows: (1) This paper verifies all the research hypotheses proposed. All the research hypotheses proposed in this paper are supported by valid data and have passed the empirical test. (2) Using data to scientifically prove that there is an obvious positive correlation between cross-border e-commerce trade and industrial clusters. (3) There is an obvious positive interaction between the main components of cross-border e-commerce trade and the main components of industrial clusters. Moreover, under the influence of the external environment, the two component systems can also promote the sustainable coordinated development of cross-border e-commerce trade and the sustainability of industrial clusters. (4) This paper puts forward countermeasures and suggestions to promote the sustainable coordinated development of cross-border e-commerce trade and industrial clusters.
Climate Change Affects Crop Production Potential in Semi-Arid Regions: A Case Study in Dingxi, Northwest China, in Recent 30 Years
Authors: Jia Qiong , Li Mengfei , Dou Xuecheng
Published: March 2022

Crop production potential (CPP) is profoundly affected by the change in climate factors (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and solar radiation) brought about by climate change, which ultimately affects the quantity and yield of crops. In China, arid and semi-arid regions are mainly located in the western regions and occupy around 59% of the land area. In order to identify the most important climatic factors restricting the increase in CPP and planting systems in the arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China, the changes in climate factors, CPP, and their correlation and planting systems were analyzed based on a representative semi-arid location, Dingxi, of Gansu province, from 1989 to 2019. The results showed that the temperature and precipitation increased by 0.89 °C and 26.61 mm, respectively, whereas solar radiation decreased by 5–6 d. The standard CPP of five crops (wheat, corn, potato, Chinese herbal medicines, and vegetables) increased by 655.09 kg/ha (1.09-fold), and precipitation played a more important role in improving CPP than other climate factors. Although there were positive correlations between the standard CPP and the five crops’ actual yields, no significant relationships were observed. The total cultivation area of the five crops showed a 215.55 × 103 ha (1.75-fold) increase with a 8.91-, 2.33-, 8.73- and 3.10-fold increase for corn, potato, Chinese herbal medicines, and vegetables, respectively, plus a 2.58-fold decrease for wheat. The agricultural ecosystem’s adaptability presented an obvious increase, especially from 2013 to 2019, although the agricultural natural environment factor maintained a low level. These findings provide scientific and technological support for the adjustment of planting structure, optimization of agricultural arrangement and development of water-saving agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions of northwest China.
Adaptive Reuse of Heritage Houses and Hotel Conative Loyalty: Digital Technology as a Moderator and Memorable Tourism and Hospitality Experience as a Mediator
Authors: Elshaer Ibrahim A. , Fayyad Sameh , Ammar Salama , Abdulaziz Tamer Ahmed , Mahmoud Samy Wageh
Published: March 2022

Several studies have shown that the adaptive reuse of heritage houses as accommodation hotels could preserve their value and attain many financial, social, environmental, and cultural benefits for both tourist destinations and hotel firms. The current study examines to what extent the adaptive reuse of heritage houses can improve conative loyalty to hotels through the mediating roles of memorable tourism and hospitality experiences. Perceptions of 308 customers who frequently occupy heritage hotels were explored and examined with structural equation modelling. The empirical results show that the adaptive reuse of heritage houses has a positive influence on memorable tourism and hospitality experiences. The memorable tourism and hospitality experience has significantly mediated the relationship between the adaptive reuse of heritage houses and hotel conative loyalty. Lastly, theoretical and practical implications are included concerning how to apply these findings to the tourism and hospitality industry.