bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attention-Based Joint Training of Noise Suppression and Sound Event Detection for Noise-Robust Classification
Authors: Son Jin-Young , Chang Joon-Hyuk
Published: October 2021

Sound event detection (SED) recognizes the corresponding sound event of an incoming signal and estimates its temporal boundary. Although SED has been recently developed and used in various fields, achieving noise-robust SED in a real environment is typically challenging owing to the performance degradation due to ambient noise. In this paper, we propose combining a pretrained time-domain speech-separation-based noise suppression network (NS) and a pretrained classification network to improve the SED performance in real noisy environments. We use group communication with a context codec method (GC3)-equipped temporal convolutional network (TCN) for the noise suppression model and a convolutional recurrent neural network for the SED model. The former significantly reduce the model complexity while maintaining the same TCN module and performance as a fully convolutional time-domain audio separation network (Conv-TasNet). We also do not update the weights of some layers (i.e., freeze) in the joint fine-tuning process and add an attention module in the SED model to further improve the performance and prevent overfitting. We evaluate our proposed method using both simulation and real recorded datasets. The experimental results show that our method improves the classification performance in a noisy environment under various signal-to-noise-ratio conditions.
Detection of the Deep-Sea Plankton Community in Marine Ecosystem with Underwater Robotic Platform
Authors: Wang Jiaxing , Yang Mingqiang , Ding Zhongjun , Zheng Qinghe , Wang Deqiang , Kpalma Kidiyo , Ren Jinchang
Published: October 2021

Variations in the quantity of plankton impact the entire marine ecosystem. It is of great significance to accurately assess the dynamic evolution of the plankton for monitoring the marine environment and global climate change. In this paper, a novel method is introduced for deep-sea plankton community detection in marine ecosystem using an underwater robotic platform. The videos were sampled at a distance of 1.5 m from the ocean floor, with a focal length of 1.5–2.5 m. The optical flow field is used to detect plankton community. We showed that for each of the moving plankton that do not overlap in space in two consecutive video frames, the time gradient of the spatial position of the plankton are opposite to each other in two consecutive optical flow fields. Further, the lateral and vertical gradients have the same value and orientation in two consecutive optical flow fields. Accordingly, moving plankton can be accurately detected under the complex dynamic background in the deep-sea environment. Experimental comparison with manual ground-truth fully validated the efficacy of the proposed methodology, which outperforms six state-of-the-art approaches.
Control of Dynamic Positioning System with Disturbance Observer for Autonomous Marine Surface Vessels
Authors: Tomera Mirosław , Podgórski Kamil
Published: October 2021

The main goal of the research is to design an efficient controller for a dynamic positioning system for autonomous surface ships using the backstepping technique for the case of full-state feedback in the presence of unknown external disturbances. The obtained control commands are distributed to each actuator of the overactuated vessel via unconstrained control allocation. The numerical hydrodynamic model of CyberShip I and the model of environmental disturbances are applied to simulate the operation of the ship control system using the time domain analysis. Simulation studies are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller and its robustness to external disturbances.
Architecture Design and VLSI Implementation of 3D Hand Gesture Recognition System
Authors: Tsai Tsung-Han , Tsai Yih-Ru
Published: October 2021

With advancements in technology, more and more research is being focused on enhancing daily life quality and convenience. Along with the increase in the development of gesture control systems, many controllers, such as the keyboard, mouse, and other devices, have been replaced with remote control products, which are gradually becoming more intuitive for users. However, vision-based hand gesture recognition systems still have many problems to overcome. Most hand detection methods adopt a skin filter or motion filter for pre-processing. However, in a noisy environment, it is not easy to correctly extract interesting objects. In this paper, a VLSI design with dual-cameras has been proposed to construct a depth map with a stereo matching algorithm and recognize hand gestures. The proposed system adopts an adaptive depth filter to separate interesting foreground objects from the background. We also propose dynamic gesture recognition using depth and coordinate information. The system can perform static and dynamic gesture recognition. The ASIC design is implemented in TSMC 90 nm with about 47.3 K gate counts, and 27.8 mW of power consumption. The average accuracy of each gesture recognition is 83.98%.
Determination of Metals in Walnut Oils by Means of an Optimized and Validated ICP-AES Method in Conventional and Organic Farming Type Samples
Authors: Manousi Natalia , Kalogiouri Natasa P. , Anthemidis Aristidis , Zachariadis George A.
Published: October 2021

Agricultural products are indispensable for equilibrated diets since they discharge minerals and several bioactive constituents. Considering the increasing demand for organic products, research has been conducted over recent years to investigate whether organically grown food products are chemically different compared to those produced with conventional farming. In this work, a novel inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric method was developed and validated for the determination of nutrient and toxic elements in walnut oils produced with conventional and organic farming. The method presented good linearity (r2 > 0.9990) for each element at the selected emission line. The limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged between 0.09 μg g−1 to 2.43 μg g−1 and 0.28 μg g−1 to 8.1 μg g−1, respectively. Method accuracy and was assessed by analyzing the certified reference materials BCR 278-R and spiked walnut oil samples. The determined metals were quantified, and the results were analyzed by Student’s t-test to investigate the differences in the elemental profile of the walnut oils according to type of farming (conventional or organic).
A Sensitive LC–MS/MS Method for the Quantification of 3-Hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene in Urine-Exposure Assessment in Smokers and Users of Potentially Reduced-Risk Products
Authors: Rögner Nadine , Hagedorn Heinz-Werner , Scherer Gerhard , Scherer Max , Pluym Nikola
Published: October 2021

Benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), a human carcinogen, is formed during the incomplete combustion of organic matter such as tobacco. A suitable biomarker of exposure is the monohydroxylated metabolite 3-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene (3-OH-BaP). We developed a sensitive LC–MS/MS (liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry) method for the quantification of urinary 3-OH-BaP. The method was validated according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guideline for bioanalytical method validation and showed excellent results in terms of accuracy, precision, and sensitivity (lower limit of quantification (LLOQ): 50 pg/L). The method was applied to urine samples derived from a controlled clinical study to compare exposure from cigarette smoking to the use of potentially reduced-risk products. Urinary 3-OH-BaP concentrations were significantly higher in smokers of conventional cigarettes (149 pg/24 h) compared to users of potentially reduced-risk products as well as non-users (99% < LLOQ in these groups). In conclusion, 3-OH-BaP is a suitable biomarker to assess the exposure to BaP in non-occupationally exposed populations and to distinguish not only cigarette smokers from non-smokers but also from users of potentially reduced-risk products.
Phytochemical Responses to Salt Stress in Red and Green Baby Leaf Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Varieties Grown in a Floating Hydroponic Module
Authors: Corrado Giandomenico , Vitaglione Paola , Giordano Maria , Raimondi Giampaolo , Napolitano Francesco , Di Stasio Emilio , Di Mola Ida , Mori Mauro , Rouphael Youssef
Published: October 2021

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is one of the most popular leafy vegetables, appreciated globally as a low-calorie food with bioactive compounds. The application of a low dose of abiotic stress is considered a sustainable pre-harvest strategy to modify the nutraceutical value of horticultural products. In this work, we explored the response of two differently colored (red or green) baby leaf lettuce varieties to four NaCl concentrations in the nutrient solution (from 1 to 30 mM), using a full factorial design. We focused on leaf morphological parameters and possible phytochemical enhancement of the main polyphenols and anthocyanins, analyzed by LC-MS. The response to low-to-moderate salt stress exposure was affected mainly by salt concentration for leaf traits or by the cultivar for leaf color, with very limited factors’ interactions. Multivariate analysis indicated a predominant role of the genotypic factor in shaping differences in the two weeks growing cycle for baby leaf lettuce. Phytochemically, different dose–response models to sub-optimal saline conditions may be applied to the various compounds. A significant hormetic stimulation was present only for cyanidin-malonyl glucoside, the main anthocyanin present in the red cultivar.
Intergenerational Practice in the Community—What Does the Community Think?
Authors: Kenning Gail , Ee Nicole , Xu Ying , Luu Billy , Ward Stephanie , Goldwater Micah , Lewis Ebony , Radford Katrina , Anstey Kaarin , Lautenschlager Nicola , Fitzgerald Janna , Rockwood Kenneth , Peters Ruth
Published: October 2021

The many changes that occur in the lives of older people put them at an increased risk of being socially isolated and lonely. Intergenerational programs for older adults and young children can potentially address this shortfall, because of the perceived benefit from generations interacting. This study explores whether there is an appetite in the community for intergenerational programs for community dwelling older adults. An online survey was distributed via social media, research team networks, and snowballing recruitment with access provided via QR code or hyperlink. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with potential participants of a pilot intergenerational program planned for the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Australia in 2020. The interviews were thematically analyzed. Over 250 people completed the survey, and 21 interviews took place with older adults (10) and parents of young children (11). The data showed that participants were all in favor of intergenerational programs, but there were different perceptions about who benefits most and how. The study highlighted considerations to be addressed in the development of effective and sustainable intergenerational programs. For example, accessing people in the community who are most socially isolated and lonely was identified as a primary challenge. More evidence-based research is needed to support involvement of different cohorts, such as those who are frail, or living with physical or cognitive limitations.
Practice-Based Program Evaluation in Higher Education for Sustainability: A Student Participatory Approach
Authors: Curtis Helen Lee , Gabriel Lucas Catalani , Sahakian Marlyne , Cattacin Sandro
Published: October 2021

While learning competencies in education for sustainable development are increasingly recognized as important, few empirical studies consider competencies delivered at a program level. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how a program evaluation can be approached through a participatory approach, and what this means for learning competencies for sustainability. The innovative method chosen was to implement a student-led evaluation of the program or a form of practice-based learning whereby students engaged in a participatory evaluation of their own program. This evaluation involved a mixed-methods research design and engaging with different actors—from other students and teachers in the program to alumni, administrators and employers. Students agreed on what competencies to evaluate against, then designed their assessment to gauge how and in what way five key competencies were being delivered. The program delivers competencies for sustainable development, yet there was some discrepancy between what students experienced in the program and what teachers believed to be delivering in the classroom. The learning-by-doing approach suggests that a sixth competency—implementation skills—is relevant to teaching for sustainable development. A participatory, student-led approach to evaluating a Master program is a novel contribution to the literature, which in itself led to the development of competencies for sustainability, particularly strategic, interpersonal and implementation skills.
Online Gamified Learning to Enhance Teachers’ Competencies Using Classcraft
Authors: Krishnan Szarmilaa Dewie , Norman Helmi , Md Yunus Melor
Published: October 2021

Every English language teacher should be competent enough to serve as a model of reference for students. As stipulated by the Roadmap 2015–2025, Ministry of Education, Malaysia, teachers need a minimum CEFR Level C1 qualification to teach English language at all levels. This poses a need for teachers who have not achieved this minimum requirement to re-skill and upskill themselves to the minimum competency level. Past studies have indicated that online gamification techniques have increased teacher competency levels. However, there has been a lack of studies that have investigated teachers’ language-teaching/learning competencies using online gamified learning. As such, this study aims to address this problem using experiential learning techniques on an online gamified platform, Classcraft. The online gamified learning module was developed using the Design and Development Research (DDR) methodology, and was conducted in the five-phase ADDIE Model (analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation). This paper seeks to brief the reader on the design and development process of this online gamified learning using Classcraft. The findings of the design phase were derived through the Fuzzy Delphi technique to acquire the experts’ consensus on the content of the module, and the appropriate gamification elements which ought to be included in the development of the module. The findings of the development phase, as agreed by expert consensus, were used to develop the online gamified learning module. Thus, the findings portrayed the enhancement of the competencies of the English Language teachers who used this online gamified learning with the integration of Classcraft.
Happiness in Czechia during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Petrovič František , Murgaš František , Králik Roman
Published: October 2021

The unprecedented growth of prosperity in developed countries, including the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, interrupted by the economic crisis in 2008–2009, came to a halt at the beginning of 2020. This was due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 respiratory disease pandemic, for which no cure was known in June 2020. The response of governments in the form of declaring a state of emergency and closing national and regional borders for several months had serious economic and, above all, psychological consequences. Anxiety, depression, and possibly suicides were expected to increase. In this paper, we focused on the experience of happiness, understood as positive emotion, expressing the highest degree of well-being. The conceptualization of happiness is based on the analysis of six indicators. The aim of the paper was to explore the experience of happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Czechia. Two hypotheses were formulated in terms of the expected effects of this pandemic on the experience of happiness. Measuring happiness in one region of the Czechia on a scale of 0–10 using both face-to-face methods and social networks yielded different results from those expected.
The Role of Blue and Green Exercise in Planetary Health and Well-Being
Authors: Loureiro Nuno , Calmeiro Luís , Marques Adilson , Gomez-Baya Diego , Gaspar de Matos Margarida
Published: October 2021

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes that health and well-being are essential to achieving the United Nations (UN) Development Agenda 2030, which includes the goal of empowering people to adopt active lifestyles while protecting the planet’s health. This article aims at exploring how exercise performed in different natural settings can contribute to improving health and to a more sustainable world. We define “exercise” as a form of physical activity undertaken to increase fitness, health, and well-being, and argue for the importance of “green” and “blue” exercise as forms of physical activity that are associated with the protection and sustainability of natural settings and the promotion of planetary health. Blue and green exercise should become a focus of public policies, especially when outdoor activities are being identified as fundamental for the promotion of mental, physical, social, and spiritual health. The current paper intends to raise the awareness of political decision-makers and professionals in education, environment, and heath sectors for the potential of green and blue exercise as specific exercise practices that are healthy, joyful, and environmentally friendly.
Linkages between Climate Change and Coastal Tourism: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Pathmanandakumar Vyddiyaratnam , Chenoli Sheeba Nettukandy , Goh Hong Ching
Published: October 2021

Tourism and climate are inextricably linked to several interactions. In recent years, there has been a greater focus on the linkages between climate change and coastal tourism. This study aims to provide an overview of the literature on climate change and coastal tourism, identify core areas of interest and important sources and authors, and examine the thematic evolution of the field. A bibliometric analysis of 92 documents related to climate change and coastal tourism published in the Web of Science Core Collection database was carried out. The analysis provides information on the most cited papers, most leading authors, the most productive countries, and the most leading institutions in this field. The study utilized the Visualization of Similarities Viewer program (VOS) to map author keyword co-occurrences, co-citations, and bibliographic coupling. The study showed that, with some fluctuations since 2008, the number of publications in this field had increased significantly. The most influential authors and most productive institutions are from the United States of America, England, Canada, and other European countries. The findings of this study will assist researchers conducting climate change and coastal tourism-related studies to understand which papers, academics, organizations, countries, and journals have a dominant influence on climate change and coastal tourism research.
Local Integration as a Durable Solution? Negotiating Socioeconomic Spaces between Refugees and Host Communities in Rural Northern Uganda
Authors: Khasalamwa-Mwandha Sarah
Published: October 2021

With a growing number of displaced people, there is a need for robust approaches to coping with displacement. Uganda has a progressive refugee policy that promotes freedom of movement and the socioeconomic rights of the refugees. Specifically, refugees are often allocated land to settle and cultivate rural settlements, and the integrated social service provision facilitates interaction with host communities. However, there remain challenges in creating sustainable livelihoods for refugees in rural settlements. There exist significant tensions over shared resources such as land, water, woodlots, and grazing areas. Based on a survey of 416 households and key informant interviews with South Sudanese refugees in selected settlements in the Adjumani district, the paper highlights refugees’ access to social and economic spaces as critical pathways to sustainable livelihoods and integration. Uganda’s progressive policy expands the opportunity space; however, refugees still encounter significant barriers in accessing the socioeconomic spaces.
A Smart City Service Business Model: Focusing on Transportation Services
Authors: Kim JungHoon , Yang Byungsun
Published: October 2021

Most cities have adopted smart city services to solve urban problems. However, an examination of their operations reveals that many of these services have either been discontinued or have failed to advance further since they were not profitable. Therefore, this study reviews and proposes the business models of smart city services at a fundamental level. It defines and classifies the smart city service focusing on transportation and the components. The business model has been constructed for electric vehicles and autonomous shuttle businesses in terms of transportation services. It found that the model was profitable in each business only when various stakeholders were linked for mutual interests. Since various service stakeholders cooperate in smart city service, if one of them is unable to secure profitability, it is difficult to operate the smart city service fully. Therefore, a detailed review of the business model is required before providing a smart city service.
Does Job Satisfaction Influence the Productivity of Ride-Sourcing Drivers? A Hierarchical Structural Equation Modelling Approach for the Case of Bandung City Ride-Sourcing Drivers
Authors: Joewono Tri Basuki , Rizki Muhamad , Syahputri Jeanly
Published: October 2021

With various benefits being offered by ride-sourcing companies, Indonesian cities have experienced a substantial increase in the number of ride-sourcing drivers in the past five years. However, with tense working conditions, there is a question as to how drivers perceive their work satisfaction and how this satisfaction influences their productivity. This study aims to investigate the factors that influence ride-sourcing drivers’ job satisfaction and productivity. For this purpose, a questionnaire was distributed to ride-sourcing drivers in 2019 and analysed using hierarchical structural equation modelling (SEM). Wage competitiveness and financial safety are found to be appreciated the most by ride-sourcing drivers, while undertaking multiple jobs tends to be associated with low satisfaction. Satisfaction is also found to positively influence trip productivity. Drivers who perceive themselves as being exposed to health and safety risks tend to have lower satisfaction.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Electricity Demand and Generation in Japan
Authors: D’Alessandro Kelly , Chapman Andrew , Dargusch Paul
Published: October 2021

This research considered changes in monthly electricity generation and demand in Japan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Observed network electricity demand and generation type for the January–June 2020 period were compared to forecast values (using a triple exponential smoothing method) based on trends established from 2016 to 2019. Regional level electricity demand data showed little variation from expected trends for domestic energy users, but lower than expected business and industrial network demand, particularly in the 50–2000 kW cohort. Electricity demand was most likely to deviate from existing trends in May 2020, which is in-line with the voluntary lockdown activities. These results are consistent with observed patterns from other international studies into the impact of COVID-19 on electricity demand. Generation was found to be reduced in May and June of 2020, without significant impacts to the generation makeup, largely due to Japan’s positioning within a broader energy transition context. These findings validate previous studies and add to the broader discussions on drivers and the rationale for electricity demand behaviors between user scales. Previous studies examined the electricity demand reductions of full and partial lockdowns. This analysis adds to this discourse by documenting the impacts of a voluntary lockdown.
Maintenance Strategies Comparison for Francis Turbine Runner Subjected to Cavitation
Authors: Chatenet Quentin , Tahan Antoine S. , Fouladirad Mitra , Gagnon Martin , Remy Emmanuel
Published: October 2021

This paper deals with a continuously degrading turbine runner due to cavitation that is inspected at fixed time intervals. The degradation of the system is modelled with a gamma process. This paper is focused on comparing the influence of maintenance parameters with the long-time cost criterion. A case study, based on simulated degradation paths, shows that there exists a set of parameters that minimize maintenance costs.
Dialogues in Sustainable HRM: Examining and Positioning Intended and Continuous Dialogue in Sustainable HRM Using a Complexity Thinking Approach
Authors: Nuis Jan Willem , Peters Pascale , Blomme Rob , Kievit Henk
Published: October 2021

In the emerging sustainable Human Resource Management (HRM) literature, advocating to ‘rehumanize’ and pluralize HRM, dialogue is put forward as a silver bullet to cope with paradoxical tensions and pluralist workforces. This conceptual paper aims to add to the sustainable HRM literature by examining the position and application of dialogue within sustainable HRM, using ideas and concepts from dialogue literature and complexity thinking. We applied core concepts of complexity thinking (i.e., self-organization, nonlinearity, attractors, and emergence) to deepen our understanding of the positioning of dialogue, the position of power, and the emergence of intended and unintended outcomes. Moreover, through the distinction between intentional and continuous dialogue, the intentional, dynamic, and emergent nature of dialogue was explored. Connecting, sensing, grasping, and influencing the local patterning of continuous dialogue is important for positioning dialogue within sustainable HRM, and intentional dialogical practices can support this. More specifically, based on our literature review, we present a conceptual model that furthers our understanding of (1) conceptualizations of dialogue as both intended and continuous; (2) the role of power in dialogue; (3) how stability and novelty emerge from dialogue. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the developed perspectives on dialogue for future research as well as management practices.
Collaborative Cataloging of Spanish Industrial Heritage Assets through Teaching in Project Management Subjects
Authors: Claver Juan , García-Domínguez Amabel , Sebastián Miguel A.
Published: October 2021

The cataloguing experience presented addresses two key challenges of cataloguing industrial heritage assets. On the one hand, despite their value and interest, some of these assets are little known and difficult to identify. Moreover, on the other hand, this heritage typology needs further promotion and valuation. In this context, collaborative cataloging responds to both challenges from its initial approach. Unlike cataloging tasks developed by small teams, involving many people throughout the territory allows to take advantage of the local knowledge of each participant. However, in addition, each participant contributes to the dissemination of the goods collected in the generated catalog. First in a passive way, when knowing the contributions of the rest of the participants. Secondly, actively, by disseminating the cataloging initiative developed among their contacts. This cataloguing experience has been developed with the students of the subject Environmental Project Management during the last four courses. The assets selected by the students (106) as case studies to develop a reuse project are shown in an open web map, which includes the narrated video presentation of the proposal developed for some of them (25). The obtained results contribute both the identification and promoting of this kind of assets.
Study Progress of Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS): A Literature Analysis
Authors: Song Huiqi , Chen Pengwei , Zhang Yongxun , Chen Youcheng
Published: October 2021

Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (IAHS), as a new type of heritage, has received extensive attention from the international scientific communities. With the increase of IAHS research, reviews on it have been conducted by many scholars. However, visualized research to show future research trends of IAHS are lacking. Therefore, using metrology analysis methods, this study aims at presenting the progress of research and the general development trends of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in the world from 2006 to 2020 to provide ideas for the development of countries or regions in the future. This study mapped 292 literatures from Web of Science core collections from 2006 to 2020 by CiteSpace software. The results show that research on IAHS from 2006 to 2020 experienced two stages: the fluctuating increase stage, and the steady growth stage. Author groups from China, Italy, the USA, Japan, etc., contributed many papers on IAHS. Institutions including the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Florence and the University of Padua in Italy, etc., have a relatively high influence on international IAHS research. Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment is the most cited journal. Agricultural Heritage Systems, regeneration, agriculture, agroforestry, dry-stone wall, social capital, instability, and agricultural biodiversity have been hotspots in the past 15 years. The research themes mainly focus on GIAHS, tourism, livelihood assets, and direct georeferencing. Authors in different regions concern different research themes. In the future, the fields of applications and microscopic views, social sciences, applications of standardized quantitative research methods, and broadened international cooperation should be paid more attention.
Convergence or Divergence among Business Models of Public Bus Transport Authorities across the Globe: A Fuzzy Approach
Authors: Buran Büşra , Erçek Mehmet
Published: October 2021

Building on the debate about global convergence or divergence of practices, this study aims to query the viability of a new strategic action tool specifically geared to the interests of public bus transportation authorities (PBTA) around the globe and explore the degree of homogeneity in their responses as well as the possible drivers of them. To answer its research question, the study first offers a generic business model design for a PBTA, which integrates an extended version of the business model canvas with external environmental factors in order to enhance its sustainability. Subsequently, the importance attributions of international transportation experts to different model components are evaluated by using the Spherical Fuzzy AHP method. The model is developed in three hierarchical layers and evaluated by experts from four continents: America, Asia, Australia, and Europe. The results indicate that the expert opinions tend to converge more on the internal components of the model and diverge on the external components, especially regarding economic and technological factors. A strategic response action set is also designed to facilitate the adoption of the model by PBTA. The study not only extends the research on the strategic management of the public bus transportation domain but also contributes to the convergence and divergence debate by offering a reconciliatory duality perspective.
Carbon Dynamics of Fruit and Vegetable Wastes and Biodegradable Municipal Waste Compost-Amended Oxisol
Authors: Musa Aishatu Mala , Ishak Che Fauziah , Jaafar Noraini Md. , Karam Daljit Singh
Published: October 2021

Recycling of wastes via composting is advocated as a means to reduce environmental hazards due to the dumping of wastes. Composting also creates a vital source of organic matter that is important in nutrient and soil moisture retention, soil fertility preservation and improving the physical and chemical properties of soils. This study was conducted to evaluate the short-term effects of four compost amendments in an Oxisol on carbon dynamics (carbon dioxide evolution and carbon transformation). The composts were prepared in 3:1 and 1:2 of fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) to biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) with and without indigenous microorganisms (IMO) (3:1 +IMO, 1:2 +IMO, 3:1 −IMO, 1:2 −IMO). Soil incubation studies were carried out for 35 days at three compost application rates of 0, 5 and 10 Mg ha−1, with measurements done including the CO2 evolution, dehydrogenase enzyme (DHA) assay and compost Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy spectral analysis. At 10 Mg ha−1 compost application rate, increased soil respiration rate was obtained at 3:1 +IMO compost, mostly due to increased labile organic matter and higher amount of FVW in the compost mixture, which stimulated soil microorganisms and/or their activities reflected by increased evolution of CO2 in the process of decomposition of the added composts in the compost-amended soils. The DHA activity increased with compost application rates, and significantly, the highest DHA activity was recorded at 3:1 +IMO compost applied at 10 Mg ha−1 soil at 1.38 triphenylformazan (TPF)/g dry soil/24 h. The compost FTIR spectral analysis showed transformations that occurred due to the composting that was carried out. A broadband between 3279–3347 cm wavelength in the FTIR spectroscopy indicated the presence of carboxylic and hydroxyl functional groups because of carbon transformation that occurred in the composts.
Bringing Back in the Spatial Dimension in the Assessment of Cultural and Creative Industries and Its Relationship with a City’s Sustainability: The Case of Milan
Authors: Bertoni Aura , Dubini Paola , Monti Alberto
Published: October 2021

The Cultural and Creative Cities Monitor (CCCM) is a valuable tool to measure and compare European cities’ cultural and creative vitality. It addresses three dimensions: the presence of cultural venues and facilities (i.e., Cultural Vibrancy); the jobs and innovations connected to the so-called creative industries (i.e., the Creative Economy); and the enabling conditions for culture and creativity diffusion: human capital, diversity, trust and openness, international accessibility, and connectivity (i.e., an Enabling Environment). Comparing and ranking cities on these different dimensions offer policymakers the possibility of developing strategies related to their development (Montalto et al. 2019). However, as is recognized in the report presenting the CCCM, significant methodological limitations exist. They are related to both the tool and the potential behavioral implications it generates (JRC-OECD Handbook, 2008) and to the difficulties with addressing a multifaceted phenomenon with scant data, which offer limited opportunities to adequately measure cultural and creative cities (Van Puyenbroeck et al. 2021). In this paper, we integrate the CCCM framework to propose a spatially contextualized application at the city level as a tool to support policymakers’ understanding of the potential role of cultural and creative organizations in city development (Soini and Dessein, 2016). We, therefore, build our arguments on a recent stream of research showing the importance of the spatial dimension to understand the relevance of cultural and creative industries within a context and inform decision-makers (Boal-San Miguel and Herrero-Prieto, 2020). This spatial dimension is even more important at the city level, where public, private, and non-profit organizations interact to execute culture-led policies (Bonet and Négrier, 2018). In this case, the location of specific organizations may be critical in offering opportunities at the neighborhood level, paving the way to space-driven local level policies (e.g., the 15 min walking strategy; see e.g., Pisano, 2020).
Optimizing Temperature and Photoperiod in a Home Cultivation System to Program Normal, Delayed, and Hastened Growth and Development Modes for Leafy Oak-Leaf and Romaine Lettuces
Authors: Noh Kyungdeok , Jeong Byoung Ryong
Published: October 2021

As the risk of open-field cultivation increases with climate change, some analysts say that the day when ordinary vegetables will be produced at home is not far away. Moreover, due to the recent coronavirus outbreak, outdoor activities are becoming difficult, leisure activities that can be done at home have become more necessary, and the demand for home gardening has increased. This study was conducted to improve the technology for hydroponics at home. We experimented with whether the harvest time can be hastened or delayed by environmentally controlling the growing season, and what conditions are appropriate. Experiments were conducted with leafy vegetables (Lactuca sativa L. ‘Oak-leaf’ and Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia, or romaine) that can easily be grown in a closed plant cultivator in which the external air can circulate, and the temperature/photoperiod can be controlled. Two settings for the temperature (25/18 °C and 20/15 °C; day/night) and three settings for the photoperiod (10, 14, and 18 hours; day/night) were employed. It took a total of four weeks from sowing to harvest, and the appropriate harvest time was predicted from the yield. As a result, although there was a difference depending on the vegetable variety, a temperature setting of 25/18 °C and a photoperiod of 14 hours were the most suitable for hastened growth, and a 20/15 °C temperature and 18 hours of photoperiod were suitable for the delayed growth.
Approach to a Project Framework in the Environment of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Case Study of a Training Proposal to a Group of Students in a Higher Education Institution
Authors: García Villena Eduardo , Gracia Villar Santos , Dzul López Luís A. , Álvarez Roberto Marcelo , Delgado Noya Irene , Luís Vidal Mazón Juan
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this research was to plan an approach to a project framework that integrated a model for sustainability and CSR, with the process groups of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®) standard, in its application to the training of a group of students in Project Design, Management, and Evaluation. The integration was justified by the scarce explicit references to sustainability and CSR found in traditional project management guidelines, norms, and standards. The new framework was used to structure a Sustainability Management Plan, which made it possible to incorporate sustainability criteria throughout the life cycle of the training project. The training proposal in Project Design, Management, and Evaluation was chosen, among several alternatives, by a multi-criteria selection process (fuzzy AHP) in the context of project scope management. The results reveal a great heterogeneity among the models and the lack of a base of key indicators in sustainability and CSR measurement tools as well as of explicit references to sustainability in project management standards. It is therefore necessary to develop a Sustainability Management Plan that can be introduced in the Project Management Plan and thus influence the strategic and operational guidelines of the Institution.
A Review on the Use of Life Cycle Methodologies and Tools in Sustainable Regional Development
Authors: Balkau Fritz , Bezama Alberto , Leroy-Parmentier Noemie , Sonnemann Guido
Published: October 2021

This review examines how life cycle methodologies are presently used by regional authorities in their sustainable development programmes. The review incorporates formal methods of life cycle assessment (LCA) as well as non-standardised approaches like life cycle management (LCM). The review describes the sustainability agenda facing regions, and a ‘life cycle toolbox’ that can be used at territorial level. Several parallel literature research methods were used to collect representative examples from around the world of regional life cycle approaches, identifying a variety of common and still-evolving methodologies used to address sustainability issues and applications. Results show that regional use of various life cycle methodologies from the toolbox is growing although scope is often constrained to short life chains, and with limited consideration of secondary (“spillover”) impacts. The conclusions confirm earlier findings that current life cycle tools are not always ideally structured for public sector organisations, with some not yet mature for addressing regional sustainability issues, such as biodiversity, land use and social impacts. Regional data aggregation is currently insufficient for certain methods. Further research is needed to adapt certain life cycle methodologies for regional application, but many available tools could already be further applied than is currently the case.
Can Rural Road Construction Promote the Sustainable Development of Regional Agriculture in China?
Authors: Zhou Zhou , Duan Jianqiang , Li Wenxing , Geng Shaoqing
Published: October 2021

The sustainable development of agriculture is significant in protecting natural resources, protecting the ecological environment, ensuring food security, and eliminating poverty. Rural road construction promotes the flow of labor and capital between urban and rural areas, and plays a vital role in agricultural production and rural revitalization. This study aims to analyze the effect of rural road construction on the sustainable development of regional agriculture in China. We select five-dimensional indexes of population, society, economy, resources, and environment and use the entropy method to calculate the agricultural sustainable development index of each province in China. Then, we construct the spatial econometric model to explore the influence based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2002 to 2018. The benchmark results show that rural road construction significantly promotes the sustainable development of agriculture; however, it has a negative impact on environmental sustainability, and the influence is lagging. The results are also heterogeneous among regions. Rural road construction has significantly promoted the sustainable development of agriculture in eastern and central areas, but has no significant impact on western regions. The reason is that the siphoning effect caused by the construction of rural roads has led to a loss of talents and capital in the western region, which harms the sustainable development of the population and resource system. This effect offsets the positive effect of the other three systems. This research has substantial policy implications for promoting rural revitalization and agricultural development.
Do University Students Base Decisions to Engage in Sustainable Energy Behaviors on Affective or Cognitive Attitudes?
Authors: Janmaimool Piyapong , Chontanawat Jaruwan
Published: October 2021

It is essential to understand the determinants of university students’ decisions to engage in sustainable energy behaviors, as this understanding has implications for the development of communication and education strategies to promote sustainable energy behaviors. The present study aims to investigate the impacts of affective and cognitive factors on sustainable energy behaviors among university students. It will explore the affective factors of self-responsibility and social norms and the cognitive factors of environmental concerns, perceived self-efficacy, perceived self-benefits, and action knowledge about sustainable energy behaviors. A simple random technique was used to select participants from undergraduate students at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT) in Bangkok, Thailand. Questionnaire surveys were completed by 426 participants in May and June 2020. Multiple regression analyses were used to test the ability of affective and cognitive variables to predict university students’ participation in sustainable energy behaviors. The results revealed that participation in sustainable energy behaviors was significantly impacted by the perceived benefit of sustainable energy behaviors, students’ concerns about climate change, perceived self-efficacy, and social norms; self-responsibility and action knowledge had no significant impact. These findings indicate that communication that focuses on climate change and approaches that enhance students’ self-efficacy and the perceived benefits of sustainable energy behaviors could help promote such behaviors among university students. The sustainable energy behaviors of other social groups, including students’ family members and colleagues and the general public, are also influential as they can motivate students to change their behavior.
A Multi-Objective Meta-Heuristic Approach to Improve the Bus Transit Network: A Case Study of Fargo-Moorhead Area
Authors: Momenitabar Mohsen , Mattson Jeremy
Published: October 2021

In this study, the Transit Network Design Problem (TNDP) is studied to determine the set of routes and frequency on each route for public transportation systems. To ensure the important concerns of planners like route length, route configuration, demand satisfaction, and attractiveness of the transit routes, the TNDP is solved to generate a set of routes by proposing an initial route set generation (IRSG) procedure embedded into the NSGA-II algorithm. The proposed IRSG algorithm aims to produce high-quality initial route set solutions to reach better optimization procedures. Moreover, the Multi-Objective Mixed-Integer Non-Linear Programming (MOMINLP) model is proposed to formulate the frequency setting problem on each route by minimizing the total travel time of passengers (user costs) and operator costs simultaneously, while maximizing the service coverage area near all the bus stops. The MOMINLP model is solved by applying the NSGA-II algorithm to produce a Pareto front between the first and the second objective functions. The model was applied to the Fargo-Moorhead Area (FMA), a small urban area. Results were compared with the existing transit network to measure the efficiency of the NSGA-II solution methodology. The proposed algorithm was found to considerably decrease the total travel time of passengers.
Coping with Stress: How Hotel Employees Fight to Work
Authors: Ma Caiwei , Ren Lianping , Zhao Jingxin
Published: October 2021

Working in hospitality establishments involves high levels of stress, partially due to the anti-social shift rotations and the high levels of emotional labor needed. Unmanaged stress often leads to psychological and even physical diseases, which harm both individual career development and hotel operations. Thus, it is of great importance to identify effective stress coping strategies to maintain a sustainable hotel work force. Stress coping behavior varies among different demographics and generations. Commonly used stress coping scales were established almost 40 years ago, and under the context of daily events, and may not be applicable in today’s hospitality context. Thus, this study was designed to investigate effective stress coping strategies among today’s hotel employees. Data were collected from 470 hotel employees in 37 cities in China. The results identified 12 effective coping strategies that fell under three dimensions: distraction, sharing, and self-indulgence. The findings contribute to scholarly knowledge of stress coping. Managerial implications are also discussed.