bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterogeneous Behavior of the Campotosto Normal Fault (Central Italy) Imaged by InSAR GPS and Strong-Motion Data: Insights from the 18 January 2017 Events
Authors: Cheloni Daniele , D’Agostino Nicola , Scognamiglio Laura , Tinti Elisa , Bignami Christian , Avallone Antonio , Giuliani Roberta , Calcaterra Stefano , Gambino Piera , Mattone Maurizio
Published: June 2019

On 18 January 2017, the 2016–2017 central Italy seismic sequence reached the Campotosto area with four events with magnitude larger than 5 in three hours (major event MW 5.5). To study the slip behavior on the causative fault/faults we followed two different methodologies: (1) we use Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) interferograms (Sentinel-1 satellites) and Global Positioning System (GPS) coseismic displacements to constrain the fault geometry and the cumulative slip distribution; (2) we invert near-source strong-motion, high-sampling-rate GPS waveforms, and high-rate GPS-derived static offsets to retrieve the rupture history of the two largest events. The geodetic inversion shows that the earthquake sequence occurred along the southern segment of the SW-dipping Mts. Laga normal fault system with an average slip of about 40 cm and an estimated cumulative geodetic moment of 9.29 × 1017 Nm (equivalent to a MW~6). This latter estimate is larger than the cumulative seismic moment of all the events, with MW > 4 which occurred in the corresponding time interval, suggesting that a fraction (~35%) of the overall deformation imaged by InSAR and GPS may have been released aseismically. Geodetic and seismological data agree with the geological information pointing out the Campotosto fault segment as the causative structure of the main shocks. The position of the hypocenters supports the evidence of an up-dip and northwestward rupture directivity during the major shocks of the sequence for both static and kinematic inferred slip models. The activated two main slip patches are characterized by rise time and peak slip velocity in the ranges 0.7–1.1 s and 2.3–3.2 km/s, respectively, and by ~35–50 cm of slip mainly concentrated in the shallower northern part of causative fault. Our results show that shallow slip (depth < 5 km) is required by the geodetic and seismological observations and that the inferred slip distribution is complementary with respect to the previous April 2009 seismic sequence affecting the southern half of the Campotosto fault. The recent moderate strain-release episodes (multiple M~5–5.5 earthquakes) and the paleoseismological evidence of surface-rupturing events (M~6.5) suggests therefore a heterogeneous behavior of the Campotosto fault.
Tensor Based Multiscale Low Rank Decomposition for Hyperspectral Images Dimensionality Reduction
Authors: An Jinliang , Lei Jinhui , Song Yuzhen , Zhang Xiangrong , Guo Jinmei
Published: June 2019

Dimensionality reduction is an essential and important issue in hyperspectral image processing. With the advantages of preserving the spatial neighborhood information and the global structure information, tensor analysis and low rank representation have been widely considered in this field and yielded satisfactory performance. In available tensor- and low rank-based methods, how to construct appropriate tensor samples and determine the optimal rank of hyperspectral images along each mode are still challenging issues. To address these drawbacks, an unsupervised tensor-based multiscale low rank decomposition (T-MLRD) method for hyperspectral images dimensionality reduction is proposed in this paper. By regarding the raw cube hyperspectral image as the only tensor sample, T-MLRD needs no labeled samples and avoids the processing of constructing tensor samples. In addition, a novel multiscale low rank estimating method is proposed to obtain the optimal rank along each mode of hyperspectral image which avoids the complicated rank computing. Finally, the multiscale low rank feature representation is fused to achieve dimensionality reduction. Experimental results on real hyperspectral datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over several state-of-the-art approaches.
Landslide-Induced Damage Probability Estimation Coupling InSAR and Field Survey Data by Fragility Curves
Authors: Del Soldato Matteo , Solari Lorenzo , Poggi Francesco , Raspini Federico , Tomás Roberto , Fanti Riccardo , Casagli Nicola
Published: June 2019

Landslides are considered to be one of the main natural geohazards causing relevant economic damages and social effects worldwide. Italy is one of the countries worldwide most affected by landslides; in the Region of Tuscany alone, more than 100,000 phenomena are known and mapped. The possibility to recognize, investigate, and monitor these phenomena play a key role to avoid further occurrences and consequences. The number of applications of Advanced Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (A-DInSAR) analysis for landslides monitoring and mapping greatly increased in the last decades thanks to the technological advances and the development of advanced processing algorithms. In this work, landslide-induced damage on structures recognized and classified by field survey and velocity of displacement re-projected along the steepest slope were combined in order to extract fragility curves for the hamlets of Patigno and Coloretta, in the Zeri municipality (Tuscany, northern Italy). Images using ERS1/2, ENVISAT, COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) and Sentinel-1 SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) were employed to investigate an approximate 25 years of deformation affecting both hamlets. Three field surveys were conducted for recognizing, identifying, and classifying the landslide-induced damage on structures and infrastructures. At the end, the damage probability maps were designed by means of the use of the fragility curves between Sentinel-1 velocities and recorded levels of damage. The results were conceived to be useful for the local authorities and civil protection authorities to improve the land managing and, more generally, for planning mitigation strategies.
Quantitative Analysis of Anthropogenic Morphologies Based on Multi-Temporal High-Resolution Topography
Authors: Xiang Jie , Li Shi , Xiao Keyan , Chen Jianping , Sofia Giulia , Tarolli Paolo
Published: June 2019

Human activities have reshaped the geomorphology of landscapes and created vast anthropogenic geomorphic features, which have distinct characteristics compared with landforms produced by natural processes. High-resolution topography from LiDAR has opened avenues for the analysis of anthropogenic geomorphic signatures, providing new opportunities for a better understanding of Earth surface processes and landforms. However, quantitative identification and monitoring of such anthropogenic signature still represent a challenge for the Earth science community. The purpose of this contribution is to explore a method for monitoring geomorphic changes and identifying the driving forces of such changes. The study was carried out on the Eibar watershed in Spain. The proposed method is able to quantitatively detect anthropogenic geomorphic changes based on multi-temporal LiDAR topography, and it is based on a combination of two techniques: the DEM of Difference (DoD) and the Slope Local Length of Auto-correlation (SLLAC). First, we tested the capability of the SLLAC and derived parameters to distinguish different types of anthropogenic geomorphologies in 5 study case at a small scale. Second, we calculated the DoD to quantify the geomorphic changes between 2008 and 2016. Based on the proposed approach, we classified the whole basin into three categories of geomorphic changes (natural, urban or mosaic areas). The urban area had the most clustered and largest geomorphic changes, followed by the mosaic area and the natural area. This research might help to identify and monitoring anthropogenic geomorphic changes over large areas, to schedule sustainable environmental planning, and to mitigate the consequences of anthropogenic alteration.
Experimental Study on Damage Detection in ECC-Concrete Composite Beams Using Piezoelectric Transducers
Authors: Qin Fengjiang , Zhang Zhigang , Xie Bo , Sun Rui
Published: June 2019

The use of engineered cementitious composite (ECC) has attracted extensive attention in recent years because of the highly enhanced ductility owing to its unique strain-hardening behavior. In this paper, an electromechanical impedance-based technique is used to monitor the structural damage of RC beams strengthened with an ECC layer at the tensile zone. To achieve this purpose, three specimens are tested under bending loads to evaluate the proposed damage detection methodology. Five externally bonded PZT transducers are uniformly distributed at the surface of the ECC layer of the beams to measure the output conductance signatures in a healthy state and in different damage scenarios induced by different load levels. Test results showed that discrepancies exist between the signals measured in the intact state and each damage state, which can be used to evaluate the structural integrity changes. To assess the damage of ECC-concrete composite beams quantitatively, the statistical scalar index-root mean square deviation (RMSD) is used as the index, which can be calculated from the variations of conductance measurements of PZT sensors. The damage index values of the uniformly distributed PZT sensors provided cogent evidence of damage and revealed the evolution of structural damage. The crack patterns of beams at different damage levels are compared with the damage index values, and it shows the damage location can be derived from the measured conductance signatures of an array of PZT transducers.
Prediction of Computer Vision Syndrome in Health Personnel by Means of Genetic Algorithms and Binary Regression Trees
Authors: Artime Ríos Eva , Sánchez Lasheras Fernando , Suárez Sánchez Ana , Iglesias-Rodríguez Francisco , Seguí Crespo María
Published: June 2019

One of the major consequences of the digital revolution has been the increase in the use of electronic devices in health services. Despite their remarkable advantages, though, the use of computers and other visual display terminals for a prolonged time may have negative effects on vision, leading to a greater risk of Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) among their users. In this study, the importance of ocular and visual symptoms related to CVS was evaluated, and the factors associated with CVS were studied, with the help of an algorithm based on regression trees and genetic algorithms. The performance of this proposed model was also tested to check its ability to predict how prone a worker is to suffering from CVS. The findings of the present research confirm a high prevalence of CVS in healthcare workers, and associate CVS with a longer duration of occupation and higher daily computer usage.
Low-Power Distributed Data Flow Anomaly-Monitoring Technology for Industrial Internet of Things
Authors: Han Weihong , Tian Zhihong , Shi Wei , Huang Zizhong , Li Shudong
Published: June 2019

In recent years, the industrial use of the internet of things (IoT) has been constantly growing and is now widespread. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are a fundamental technology that has enabled such prevalent adoption of IoT in industry. WSNs can connect IoT sensors and monitor the working conditions of such sensors and of the overall environment, as well as detect unexpected system events in a timely and accurate manner. Monitoring large amounts of unstructured data generated by IoT devices and collected by the big-data analytics systems is a challenging task. Furthermore, detecting anomalies within the vast amount of data collected in real time by a centralized monitoring system is an even bigger challenge. In the context of the industrial use of the IoT, solutions for monitoring anomalies in distributed data flow need to be explored. In this paper, a low-power distributed data flow anomaly-monitoring model (LP-DDAM) is proposed to mitigate the communication overhead problem. As the data flow monitoring system is only interested in anomalies, which are rare, and the relationship among objects in terms of the size of their attribute values remains stable within any specific period of time, LP-DDAM integrates multiple objects as a complete set for processing, makes full use of the relationship among the objects, selects only one “representative” object for continuous monitoring, establishes certain constraints to ensure correctness, and reduces communication overheads by maintaining the overheads of constraints in exchange for a reduction in the number of monitored objects. Experiments on real data sets show that LP-DDAM can reduce communication overheads by approximately 70% when compared to an equivalent method that continuously monitors all objects under the same conditions.
Assessment of the Spatial Distribution of Moisture Content in Granular Material Using Electrical Impedance Tomography
Authors: Porzuczek Jan
Published: June 2019

This paper presents a method for the online determination of the spatial distribution of the moisture content in granular material. It might be essential for the monitoring and optimal control of, for example, drying processes. The proposed method utilizes Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT). As an exemplary material for experimental research, the black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) was used. The relationship between the electrical impedance of the chokeberry and its moisture content was determined for a wide range of frequencies (20 Hz–200 kHz). The EIT research consisted of both simulation and experimental investigation. Experimental studies of the spatial distribution of the moisture content were performed in a cylindrical vessel equipped with 8 electrodes circumferentially arranged. The voltage signal from the electrodes was acquired simultaneously using the data acquisition module. Due to the high impedance of the chokeberries, exceeding 109 Ω for the dried matter, extraordinary instrumentation was necessary to be applied. On the other hand, raw chokeberry was characterized by a several orders of magnitude lower impedance (103–104 Ω), especially for high frequencies. The wide range of the observed impedance was able to be measured owing to its use of the voltage stimulation instead of the current stimulation (which is most common for EIT). The image reconstruction problem was solved using an iterative Gauss–Newton algorithm and the EIDORS (Electrical Impedance Tomography and Diffuse Optical Tomography Reconstruction Software) package. The obtained results showed a satisfactory ability to localize an insufficiently dried part of the material. Prospective ways to improve the imaging quality are also discussed.
A Literature Review: Geometric Methods and Their Applications in Human-Related Analysis
Authors: Gong Wenjuan , Zhang Bin , Wang Chaoqi , Yue Hanbing , Li Chuantao , Xing Linjie , Qiao Yu , Zhang Weishan , Gong Faming
Published: June 2019

Geometric features, such as the topological and manifold properties, are utilized to extract geometric properties. Geometric methods that exploit the applications of geometrics, e.g., geometric features, are widely used in computer graphics and computer vision problems. This review presents a literature review on geometric concepts, geometric methods, and their applications in human-related analysis, e.g., human shape analysis, human pose analysis, and human action analysis. This review proposes to categorize geometric methods based on the scope of the geometric properties that are extracted: object-oriented geometric methods, feature-oriented geometric methods, and routine-based geometric methods. Considering the broad applications of deep learning methods, this review also studies geometric deep learning, which has recently become a popular topic of research. Validation datasets are collected, and method performances are collected and compared. Finally, research trends and possible research topics are discussed.
Traffic Estimation for Large Urban Road Network with High Missing Data Ratio
Authors: Offor Kennedy John , Vaci Lubos , Mihaylova Lyudmila S.
Published: June 2019

Intelligent transportation systems require the knowledge of current and forecasted traffic states for effective control of road networks. The actual traffic state has to be estimated as the existing sensors does not capture the needed state. Sensor measurements often contain missing or incomplete data as a result of communication issues, faulty sensors or cost leading to incomplete monitoring of the entire road network. This missing data poses challenges to traffic estimation approaches. In this work, a robust spatio-temporal traffic imputation approach capable of withstanding high missing data rate is presented. A particle based approach with Kriging interpolation is proposed. The performance of the particle based Kriging interpolation for different missing data ratios was investigated for a large road network comprising 1000 segments. Results indicate that the effect of missing data in a large road network can be mitigated by the Kriging interpolation within the particle filter framework.
A Secure and Efficient Digital-Data-Sharing System for Cloud Environments
Authors: Wu Zhen-Yu
Published: June 2019

“Education Cloud” is a cloud-computing application used in educational contexts to facilitate the use of comprehensive digital technologies and establish data-based learning environments. The immense amount of digital resources, data, and teaching materials involved in these environments must be stored in robust data-access systems. These systems must be equipped with effective security mechanisms to guarantee confidentiality and ensure the integrity of the cloud-computing environment. To minimize the potential risk of privacy exposure, digital sharing service providers must encrypt their digital resources, data, and teaching materials, and digital-resource owners must have complete control over what data or materials they share. In addition, the data in these systems must be accessible to e-learners. In other words, data-access systems should not only encrypt data, but also provide access control mechanisms by which users may access the data. In cloud environments, digital sharing systems no longer target single users, and the access control by numerous users may overload a system and increase management burden and complexity. This study addressed these challenges to create a system that preserves the benefits of combining digital sharing systems and cloud computing. A cloud-based and learner-centered access control mechanism suitable for multi-user digital sharing was developed. The proposed mechanism resolves the problems concerning multi-user access requests in cloud environments and dynamic updating in digital-sharing systems, thereby reducing the complexity of security management.
Trajectory Optimization in a Cooperative Aerial Reconnaissance Model
Authors: Stodola Petr , Drozd Jan , Nohel Jan , Hodický Jan , Procházka Dalibor
Published: June 2019

In recent years, the use of modern technology in military operations has become standard practice. Unmanned systems play an important role in operations such as reconnaissance and surveillance. This article examines a model for planning aerial reconnaissance using a fleet of mutually cooperating unmanned aerial vehicles to increase the effectiveness of the task. The model deploys a number of waypoints such that, when every waypoint is visited by any vehicle in the fleet, the area of interest is fully explored. The deployment of waypoints must meet the conditions arising from the technical parameters of the sensory systems used and tactical requirements of the task at hand. This paper proposes an improvement of the model by optimizing the number and position of waypoints deployed in the area of interest, the effect of which is to improve the trajectories of individual unmanned systems, and thus increase the efficiency of the operation. To achieve this optimization, a modified simulated annealing algorithm is proposed. The improvement of the model is verified by several experiments. Two sets of benchmark problems were designed: (a) benchmark problems for verifying the proposed algorithm for optimizing waypoints, and (b) benchmark problems based on typical reconnaissance scenarios in the real environment to prove the increased effectiveness of the reconnaissance operation. Moreover, an experiment in the SteelBeast simulation system was also conducted.
Microwave Staring Correlated Imaging Based on Unsteady Aerostat Platform
Authors: Jiang Zheng , Guo Yuanyue , Deng Jie , Chen Weidong , Wang Dongjin
Published: June 2019

Microwave staring correlated imaging (MSCI), with the technical capability of high-resolution imaging on relatively stationary targets, is a promising approach for remote sensing. For the purpose of continuous observation of a fixed key area, a tethered floating aerostat is often used as the carrying platform for MSCI radar system; however, its non-cooperative random motion of the platform caused by winds and its unbalance will result in blurred imaging, and even in imaging failure. This paper presents a method that takes into account the instabilities of the platform, combined with an adaptive variable suspension (AVS) and a position and orientation system (POS), which can automatically control the antenna beam orientation to the target area and measure dynamically the position and attitude of the stochastic radiation radar array, respectively. By analyzing the motion feature of aerostat platform, the motion model of the radar array is established, then its real-time position vector and attitude angles of each antenna can be represented; meanwhile the selection matrix of beam coverage is introduced to indicate the dynamic illumination of the radar antenna beam in the overall imaging area. Due to the low-speed discrete POS data, a curve-fitting algorithm can be used to estimate its accurate position vector and attitude of each antenna at each high-speed sampling time during the imaging period. Finally, the MSCI model based on the unsteady aerostat platform is set up. In the simulations, the proposed scheme is validated such that under the influence of different unstable platform movements, a better imaging performance can be achieved compared with the conventional MSCI method.
Financial Performance Gaps and Corporate Social Responsibility
Authors: Deng Xinming , Long Xianyi
Published: June 2019

Based on the behavioral theory of firm and prospect theory, we investigate how corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities will respond to underperformance in past and in future. Using samples of Chinese listed firms from 2011 to 2016, this paper found that CSR increases with the distance by which financial performance in the last year falls below goals and decreases with the distance by which expected financial performance will fall below targets. In addition, the future underperformance will weaken the effect of the past underperformance on CSR. Besides, the value of financial performance in the last year will weaken the impact of underperformance in the last year on CSR and strengthen the impact of underperformance in the next year on CSR. The findings suggest that future studies should take both value of financial performance and performance gaps into consideration to have a better understanding of organizational decisions and behaviors.
A Managerial Analysis of Urban Parcel Delivery: A Lean Business Approach
Authors: Brotcorne Luce , Perboli Guido , Rosano Mariangela , Wei Qu
Published: June 2019

The improper integration of traditional transportation modes with low emissions vehicles can generate a price war that reduces the service quality, undermining the efficiency and the profitability of parcel delivery operators. This paper aims to provide managerial insights to design a win-win strategy for the co-existence of traditional and green business models. In doing so, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach that integrates a qualitative analysis through a Lean Business methodology, named GUEST, with a quantitative analysis based on simulation-optimisation techniques. This kind of holistic vision has received little attention in the literature. The first analysis investigates the parcel delivery industry with an emphasis on the main business models involved, their costs and revenues structures, while the quantitative part aims to simulate the system and extract sustainable policies. In particular, results highlight that in deploying mixed-fleet policies, the decision-makers have to focus both on the environmental sustainability that benefits from the adoption of low-emission vehicles, and on the operational feasibility and economic sustainability of the two services. In this direction, the paper suggests some managerial insights concerning the split of the customer demand between traditional and green operators, according to the classes of parcels and geographical areas of the city.
Predictive Relationship between Sustainable Organisational Practices and Organisational Effectiveness: The Mediating role of Organisational Identification and Organisation-Based Self-Esteem
Authors: Nwanzu Chiyem Lucky , Babalola Sunday Samson
Published: June 2019

This study ascertains the predictive relationship that sustainable organisational practices have with organisational effectiveness and the mediating role of organisational identification and organisation-based self-esteem in this relationship. One-hundred and forty-five participants (62 males and 83 females) were sampled from 31 privately-owned organisations in Delta State, Nigeria. Regression analysis revealed that sustainable organisational practices positively and significantly predict organisational effectiveness, β = 0.42, p < 0.001, and that organisational identification and organisation-based self-esteem mediate the relationship. It was recommended that privately-owned organisations intensively implement sustainable organisational practices for organisational effectiveness, organisational identification and organisation-based self-esteem.
Optimizing Incentive Policy of Energy-Efficiency Retrofit in Public Buildings: A Principal-Agent Model
Authors: Liang Xin , Shen Geoffrey Qiping , Guo Li
Published: June 2019

The building sector consumes most energy in the world, especially public buildings, which normally have high energy-use intensity. This phenomenon indicates that the energy-efficiency retrofit (EER) for public buildings is essential for energy saving. Incentive policies have been emphasized by governments in recent years, but their effectiveness has not been sufficient. A major reason is agency problems in EER and that the government and building owners have asymmetric information. Furthermore, most policies apply identical standard to existing buildings of different types, resulting in resistance from owners and tenants. To mitigate this issue, this study proposes a principal–agent model to optimize incentive policy in EER. The proposed model defines two pairs of principal–agent relations (i.e., the government-owner and owner-tenant) and models their behaviors under different scenarios as per principal–agent theory. The results indicate the optimal incentive policies for different scenarios. In addition, critical factors of policy making, such as cost, risk, uncertainty, and benefit distribution are discussed. This study has implications for policy that will benefit policy makers, particularly in promoting EER by mitigating the agency problem found for the different scenarios.
The Role of Relationships at Work and Happiness: A Moderated Moderated Mediation Study of New Zealand Managers
Authors: Haar Jarrod , Schmitz Anja , Di Fabio Annamaria , Daellenbach Urs
Published: June 2019

Interpersonal relationships at work are important especially for the well-being of employees. The present study tests Positive Relational Management (PRM) and its influence on employee happiness, and we include two firm-level moderators and an individual-level mediator to better understand the potential complexity of effects. Importantly, we test this in the context of New Zealand, which has been under-represented in employee studies of happiness and is important due to a growing national interest in wellbeing. We test whether positive relationships at work shape greater meaningful work (MFW) and this then influences happiness and mediates the effects of PRM. We also include Human Capital (the quality of people inside the firm) and firm size as moderators and combine these all to test a moderated moderated mediation model in PROCESS. We test this on a sample of 302 New Zealand managers with time-separated data. We confirm the dimensionality and reliability of the PRM scale and find it is positively related to MFW and happiness, while MFW fully mediates the direct effect of PRM. We find interaction effects including a moderated moderated mediation effect, with the indirect effect of PRM differing depending on firm size and the strength of human capital. The implications for understanding the importance of relationships on employee happiness is discussed.
Discussing and Analyzing “Maritime Cohesion” in MSP, to Achieve Sustainability in the Marine Realm
Authors: Kyvelou Stella Sofia , Ierapetritis Dimitrios
Published: June 2019

Whilst the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 promotes the conservation and sustainable use of the seas, oceans and marine resources for sustainable development, decisions in ecosystem-based Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) follow annoying and costly trade-offs and this may negatively impact its acceptance. To address conflicts and cumulative impacts and favor, as much as possible, interfering of marine activities, positive coordination and win-win options, it is necessary to develop integrated and cohesive planning approaches and new management tools. In this article, a conceptual framework of “maritime cohesion” is being developed mostly applicable to peopled and crowded seas and a set of relevant indicators to assess it, is proposed. It is based on the triple-model of interdependent components such as “maritime spatial efficiency”, “maritime spatial quality” and “maritime spatial identity”, taking into account the “territorial cohesion” equivalent, promoted by the Cohesion Policy. Then, in order to broadly analyze the “spatial efficiency” component, the “multi-use” concept and management tools, recently given particular emphasis by EU Blue Growth Strategy, are examined thoroughly, using the relevant literature. This article highlights constructive use of “maritime cohesion” with the multi-use MSP paradigm as key part of “maritime cohesion” narrative and posits that its huge and extensive potential can stimulate dynamic, collaborative, cohesive and assemblage thinking in the MSP process and be the “spearhead” to balance economic, social, environmental and cultural aspirations in maritime planning to achieve sustainability in the marine realm.
Infusion Process of Smart Grid-Related Technology Based on Coping Theory
Authors: Joo Jaehun
Published: June 2019

It is important that individuals use infusion of smart grid-related technology to its full potential in their life, from the perspectives of individuals as well as firms and society. Firms can expand the market of their products and services, and create new wealth and jobs; infusion of smart grid-related technology promotes a sustainable society. The present study empirically analyzes the process of diffusing the smart grid-related technology by using data collected from participants in a Jeju smart grid testbed or a carbon-free island project in Jeju, South Korea. Ten hypotheses regarding the relationships between awareness of smart grid-related technology; the coping process, including appraisal and adaptive acts; and infusion are tested. Policy implications are suggested.
Measuring Spatial Accessibility to Pick-Up Service Considering Differentiated Supply and Demand: A Case in Hangzhou, China
Authors: Lin Liyun , Han Haoying , Yan Wanglin , Nakayama Shun , Shu Xianfan
Published: June 2019

In recent years, customer pick-up at collection and delivery points has become a popular alternative to traditional home delivery, which is under great pressure. However, current service of pick-up facilities has seldom been geographically evaluated despite its general uneven distribution and diverse needs. In this paper, in order to interpret the differentiation in customers’ service demands toward reception alternatives and in facilities’ service excludability in different built environments, a two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method is improved to measure customers’ spatial accessibility to pick-up facilities, providing a methodology to evaluate the match relation between the differentiated supply and demand of pick-up service. A case study of widespread automated parcel stations (APSs) is conducted in Hangzhou, China and correlative factors to residents’ accessibility are discussed. From the results, residents’ accessibility to pick-up service shows significant spatial unevenness and social inequity in the study area, which is found to correlate most to residences’ maintenance management. As well-managed, gated communities generally hold effective access to exclusive services, most open communities and self-built, single houses are in need of improvement due to inadequate service stemming from a high aging rate, lack of property management, and low service availability of nonexclusive facilities in open areas.
Maxent Data Mining Technique and Its Comparison with a Bivariate Statistical Model for Predicting the Potential Distribution of Astragalus Fasciculifolius Boiss. in Fars, Iran
Authors: Mousazade Marjaneh , Ghanbarian Gholamabbas , Pourghasemi Hamid Reza , Safaeian Roja , Cerdà Artemi
Published: June 2019

The identification of geographical distribution of a plant species is crucial for understanding the importance of environmental variables affecting plant habitat. In the present study, the spatial potential distribution of Astragalus fasciculifolius Boiss. as a key specie was mapped using maximum entropy (Maxent) as data mining technique and bivariate statistical model (FR: frequency ratio) in marl soils of southern Zagros, Iran. The A. fasciculifolius locations were identified and recorded by intensive field campaigns. Then, localities points were randomly split into a 70% training dataset and 30% for validation. Two climatic, four topographic, and eight edaphic variables were used to model the A. fasciculifolius distribution and its habitat potential. Maps of environmental variables were generated using Geographic Information System (GIS). Next, the habitat suitability index (HSI) maps were produced and classified by means of Maxent and FR approaches. Finally, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC) curve was used to compare the performance of maps produced by Maxent and FR models. The interpretation of environmental variables revealed that the climatic and topographic parameters had less impact compared to edaphic variables in habitat distribution of A. fasciculifolius. The results showed that bulk density, nitrogen, acidity (pH), sand, and electrical conductivity (EC) of soil are the most significant variables that affect distribution of A. fasciculifolius. The validation of results showed that AUC values of Maxent and FR models are 0.83 and 0.76, respectively. The habitat suitability map by the better model (Maxent) showed that areas with high and very high suitable classes cover approximately 22% of the study area. Generally, the habitat suitability map produced using Maxent model could provide important information for conservation planning and a reclamation project of the degraded habitat of intended plant species. The distribution of the plants identifies the water, soil, and nutrient resources and affects the fauna distribution, and this is why it is relevant to research and to understand the plant distribution to properly improve the management and to achieve a sustainable management.
An Asymmetrical Step-Up Multilevel Inverter Based on Switched-Capacitor Network
Authors: Taghvaie Amir , Alijani Ahmad , Adabi M. Ebrahim , Rezanejad Mohammad , Adabi Jafar , Rouzbehi Kumars , Pouresmaeil Edris
Published: June 2019

This paper presents a transformerless step-up multilevel inverter based on a switched-capacitor structure. One of the main contributions of the proposed topology is replacing the separated DC voltage source with capacitors which are charged at predetermined time intervals. Therefore, a high-level staircase voltage waveform can be achieved by discharging some of these capacitors on the load. The other contribution of the proposed structure is to eliminate the magnetic elements which traditionally boost the input DC voltage. In addition, asymmetrical or unequal amounts of capacitor voltages create more voltage levels, which enable voltage level increments without increasing the number of semiconductor devices. This paper introduces a self-balanced boost Switched-Capacitors Multilevel Inverter (SCMLI) which is able to create a nearly sinusoidal voltage waveform with a maximum voltage of up to 45 times that of the input voltage DC source. Higher level output voltage levels are also achievable by extending the circuit topology. After determination of the switching angles and selecting the proper switching states for each level, an offline NLC method is used for modulation, which eases the control implementation. Analysis, simulation and experiments are carried out for a 91-level inverter (45 levels for positive and negative voltages and one for zero voltage) are presented.
Algal Remediation of Wastewater Produced from Hydrothermally Treated Septage
Authors: McGaughy Kyle , Abu Hajer Ahmad , Drabold Edward , Bayless David , Reza M. Toufiq
Published: June 2019

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a promising technology to convert wet wastes like septic tank wastes, or septage, to valuable platform chemical, fuels, and materials. However, the byproduct of HTC, process liquid, often contains large amount of nitrogen species (up to 2 g/L of nitrogen), phosphorus, and a variety of organic carbon containing compounds. Therefore, the HTC process liquid is not often treated at wastewater treatment plant. In this study, HTC process liquid was treated with algae as an alternative to commercial wastewater treatment. The HTC process liquid was first diluted and then used to grow Chlorella sp. over a short period of time (15 days). It was found that the algae biomass concentration increased by 644 mg/L over the course of 10 days, and which subsequently removed a majority of the nutrients in the HTC process liquid. Around 600 mg/L of algal biomass was collected in the process liquid at the end of treatment (day 15). Meanwhile, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total phosphorous, total Kheldjal nitrogen, and ammonia were reduced by 70.0, 77.7, 82.2, and 99.0% by fifteen days compared to the untreated wastewater, respectively. This study demonstrates that HTC process liquid can be treated by growing algae creating a potential replacement for expensive synthetic nutrient feeds for algal production.
The Evaluation of Universities’ Third Mission and Intellectual Capital: Theoretical Analysis and Application to Italy
Authors: Frondizi Rocco , Fantauzzi Chiara , Colasanti Nathalie , Fiorani Gloria
Published: June 2019

From being entities for knowledge creation and dissemination, universities are now asked to play an increasingly entrepreneurial role, involving networking and collaboration, as well as sustainability and social engagement. This consideration is in line with the fourth-stage intellectual capital perspective, which focuses on knowledge creation with an ecosystem focus. But which are the main approaches to manage and evaluate this new role? Can intellectual capital contribute to this evaluation process? The paper aims to answer these research questions by systematizing the theoretical contributions on this topic; it is based on the following steps: First, a brief historical overview of the evolution of the role of universities; secondly, a literature review on university’s third mission and its relationship with intellectual capital; finally, an analysis of the different approaches for evaluating this mission. Despite the academic and institutional efforts, there is little agreement on a set of indicators to evaluate quality in university’s third mission activities. In Italy, an “intellectual capital maturity model” (ICMM) has been built, but it needs further applications and evaluations.
Indigenous Social Policy and Social Inclusion in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Jiun-Hao , Wang Szu-Yung
Published: June 2019

Social exclusion problems are inevitable in achieving social sustainability. Minorities or indigenous people encounter social exclusion from mainstream society in many countries. However, relatively little is known about the multiple disadvantages in different social welfare domains experienced by these indigenes. The objective of this study is to address indigenous social exclusion by focusing on their access to social welfare benefits. Data used in this study were drawn from the Social Change and Policy of Taiwanese Indigenous Peoples Survey, which included 2040 respondents. Logistic regression results revealed that, compared with their counterparts, the likelihood of being excluded from social welfare payments is higher for those who are plains indigenes, live outside of designated indigenous areas and participate less in local organizations. Besides varying the effects of ordinary explanatory variables on social exclusion across different exclusion models, this study further provides empirical evidence of the multidimensional disadvantages of indigenous peoples in receiving needed social welfare benefits.
Requirements Based Design of Environmental System of Systems: Development and Application of a Nexus Design Framework
Authors: Heitmann Fabian , Pahl-Wostl Claudia , Engel Stefanie
Published: June 2019

Social, technological, and environmental systems have become increasingly interconnected. Integrated problems arising between embedded water, energy, and food systems, require political and strategic cooperation between the actors involved at multiple governance levels. A holistic design approach is needed to guide the inherent decision-making processes. In this article, we developed a normative decision-making framework based on System of Systems Engineering (SoSE) and demonstrated how it can help to foster the cross-sectoral design of solutions to these interlinked water, energy, and food issues. The actors involved in our case study demonstrated a strong interest in collaborating across sectors and participating in the transition to cross-sectoral and sustainable resource management practices. However, experts from science and practice face a high degree of uncertainty when they design solutions to cope with the existing regional problems. As almost all regions of the world are highly integrated in national and global markets, future research might consider conducting larger research projects that also link the design approaches to inter-regional, national, and international levels. Our methodological approach illustrates how such a project could be structured on a regional level and identifies the processes that are important to consider.
Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Techniques for Solving the Airport Ground Handling Service Equipment Vendor Selection Problem
Authors: Shen Chien-Wen , Peng Yen-Ting , Tu Chang-Shu
Published: June 2019

Appropriate airport ground handling service (AGHS) equipment vendor selection (AGHSEVS) can prevent aircraft damage and delays in airlines schedules, and ensure reliable and high-quality ground handling service. Previous research has seldom integrated multi-criteria decision-making techniques with goal programming to solve the AGHSEVS problem. This paper describes a new system evaluation model for AGHSEVS by considering both qualitative and quantitative methods. We compare the fuzzy TOPSIS method based on fuzzy weighted average left and right score methods with multi-choice and multi-aspiration goal programming approach of an AGHS company in Taiwan. These study results can help airport ground handling service company managers make optimal decisions for AGHSEVS problems. We hope the practicability of the comparable model with slight modifications of real situation data can be used in other AGHS companies.
Challenges of Governing Off-Grid “Productive” Sanitation in Peri-Urban Areas: Comparison of Case Studies in Bolivia and South Africa
Authors: Silveti Denise , Andersson Kim
Published: June 2019

Globally, peri-urban areas are experiencing rapid urbanization. Conventional infrastructure development is generally slow to catch up and the lack of basic sanitation in peri-urban areas is a constantly growing—and often overlooked—problem. There are examples where these challenges have been addressed by off-grid “productive” sanitation systems that provide opportunities for recovery and reuse of valuable waste stream resources. However, governing such systems and ensuring effective municipal policies can be challenging since the socio-economic contexts in many peri-urban areas are transforming rapidly. A comparison of two initiatives in Bolivia and South Africa offers valuable insights for introducing functional off-grid “productive” sanitation systems relying on urine-diverting dry toilets (UDDTs) in peri-urban settlements. Findings suggest that acceptance of the UDDTs by households largely rely on consistent awareness raising and capacity building, in addition to adaptation to the local needs and creating a sense of ownership over the toilet system. Changing perceptions of what constitutes an aspirational toilet, and developing services for waste management collection, seem to be crucial components for ensuring long-term use and functionality of the UDDTs. Investments and further innovations for upscaling of resource recovery systems are needed to make these systems cost-effective and logistically viable. To attract these additional investments, it will be crucial to assess the societal economic benefits of off-grid “productive” sanitation compared to centralized wastewater systems. The comparison also highlights that off-grid sanitation requires a clear division and coordination of roles and responsibilities among different authorities, in order to transcend political difficulties that emerge where these boundaries overlap. Thus, integrating clear boundaries into urban planning policies, and including informal processes in communities, play an important role in improving governance of basic services in peri-urban areas.
Cultural Heritage Appraisal by Visitors to Global Cities: The Use of Social Media and Urban Analytics in Urban Buzz Research
Authors: Kourtit Karima , Nijkamp Peter , Romão João
Published: June 2019

An attractive cultural heritage is an important magnet for visitors to many cities nowadays. The present paper aims to trace the constituents of the destination attractiveness of 40 global cities from the perspective of historical-cultural amenities, based on a merger of extensive systematic databases on these cities. The concept of cultural heritage buzz is introduced to highlight: (i) the importance of a varied collection of urban cultural amenities; (ii) the influence of urban cultural magnetism on foreign visitors, residents and artists; and (iii) the appreciation for a large set of local historical-cultural amenities by travelers collected from a systematic big data set (emerging from the global TripAdvisor platform). A multivariate and econometric analysis is undertaken to validate and test the quantitative picture of the above conceptual framework, with a view to assess the significance of historical-cultural assets and socio-cultural diversity in large urban agglomerations in the world as attraction factors for visitors. The results confirm our proposition on the significance of urban cultural heritage as a gravity factor for destination choices in international tourism in relation to a high appreciation for historical-cultural amenities.