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Structures in seismic areas, during their service lifetime, are subjected to numerous seismic loads that certainly affect their structural integrity. The degradation of these structures, to a great extent, depends on the scale of seismic events, the steel mechanical performance on reversal loads and its resistance to corrosion phenomena. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Based on the experimental results of seismic steel behavior S400 (BSt III), which was widely used in the past years, a prediction study of seismic steel behavior was conducted in the current study. This prediction on behavior of both reference and corroded steel was succeeded through a simulation of experimental low cycle fatigue conditions (LCF – strain controlled).

At the same time, the present study analyses fatigue factors (ef, a, f_SR, ed, ep, R, b) that define their inelastic relation between tension – strain and a prediction model on behavior of both reference and corroded steel rebar, in seismic loads conditions (LCF), is proposed.

Moreover, this study dealt with the synergy of corrosion factor and the existence of superficial ribs (ribbed and smoothed) in seismic behavior of steel bar S400 (BSt420). The S-N curves that are exported can be resulted in a first attempt of prediction of anti-seismic behavior on reinforced concrete structures with this the same steel class.

Human trafficking (HT) is a local, national and international problem with a range of human rights, public health and policy implications. Victims of HT face atrocious abuses that negatively impact their health outcomes. When a state lacks protective laws, such as Safe Harbor laws, victims of HT tend to be seen as criminals. This paper aims to highlight the legal present gaps within Missouri’s anti-trafficking legislation and delineates recommendations for the legal protection of victims of HT and betterment of services needed for their reintegration and healing.

This case-study is based on a policy analysis of current Missouri’s HT laws. This analysis was conducted through examining current rankings systems created by nationally and internationally recognized non-governmental organizations as well as governmental reports. Additionally, other state’s best practice and law passage of Safe Harbor legislations were examined. The recommendations were based on human rights and public health frameworks.

Missouri is a state that has yet to upgrade its laws lately to reflect Safe Harbor laws. Constant upgrades and evaluations of current efforts are necessary to protect and address HT at the state and local levels. Public health and human rights principles can assist in the upgrading of current laws as well as other states’ best-practice and integration of protective legislation and diversion programs to both youth and adult victims of HT.

Laws are continually being updated at the state level; therefore, there might be some upgrades that have taken place after the analysis of this case study was conducted. Also, the findings and recommendations of this case study are limited to countries that are similar to the USA in terms of the state-level autonomy to pass laws independently from federal law.

If Safe Harbor laws are well designed, they have greater potential to protect, support and assist victims of HT in their process from victimization into survivorship as well as to paving the way for societal reintegration. The creation and enforcement of Safe Harbor laws is a way to ensure the decriminalization process. Additionally, this legal protection also ensures that the universal human rights of victims are protected. Consequently, these legal processes and updates could assist in creating healthier communities in the long run in the USA and around the world.

From a public health and human rights perspectives, communities in the USA and around the world cannot provide complete protection to victims of HT until their anti-trafficking laws reflect Safe Harbor laws.

This case study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is a unique analysis that dismantles the discrepancies of Missouri’s current HT laws. This work is valuable to those who create policies at the state level and advocate for the protection of victims and anti-trafficking efforts.

This paper aims to control the crowd flow naturally by presenting appropriate information.

The authors developed a navigation application for an event held in Osaka called “Osaka Mizube Bar”, and divided users into three groups to present different information in restaurants’ view list.

The results of the experiment confirmed that users will focus on the position of the rank list, regardless of the information for each item.

This paper used persuasive technology in information presentation for event application.

This study aims to examine why tax reforms fail and explores how tax collection can be improved within a developing country context.

Data comprise 28 semi-structured interviews with taxpayers, tax experts and tax authority personnel based in Pakistan. The results are analysed using a combined lens of taxpayer trust and tax agencies’ capabilities.

Tax reforms failed to build taxpayers’ trust and tax agencies’ capabilities. Building trust is challenging and demands extensive ongoing engagement with taxpayers while yielding gradual permanent results. This requires enhancing confidence in government; educating taxpayers; removing complexities; introducing transparency and accountability in tax agencies’ operations and the tax system; promoting procedural and distributive justice; and reversing perceptions of corruption through reconciliation and stakeholder inclusivity. Developing tax agencies’ capabilities requires upgrading outdated technologies, systems and processes; implementing governance and organisational reforms; introducing an oversight board; and recruiting and training skilled professionals.

The findings can assist policymakers and tax collection authorities in understanding why tax reforms fail and identifying potential solutions.

This study contributes to the emerging literature by exploring tax administration failures in developing countries. It contributes to the literature by engaging stakeholders to understand why reforms fail and potential solutions to stimulate tax revenues.

This paper aims to present innovative information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure specifically designed and optimized for the tourism sector. The case presented, “La Valle del Pensare lungo il corso del Potenza”, has been conceived with the aim of providing a digital infrastructure to ten municipalities in the Marche Region (Italy), nestled among the valley of the Potenza River. This research project is aimed at developing an important communication system that facilitates the tourist routes of mining attractions and specific thematic routes across the territory, promoting historical centers, cultural heritage, green areas and interesting places.

“La Valle del Pensare” information system has the main feature of being scalable and multi-purpose, as the contents can be managed and conveyed through the website, app mobile, totem touch screen and standard tourist signage. It is integrated and modular and allows to manage multiple information, ensuring an interoperable and multi-channel approach. It is designed for small municipalities in the province of Macerata to connect the territory’s resources and activities through a network.

This work represents an important communication system, i.e. innovative ICT infrastructure that facilitates the tourist routes of mining attractions and specific thematic routes across the territory. Thanks to the collection of user-generated data, the platform allows monitoring of usage statistics and performances. In this way, the municipalities can infer useful information about user’s preferences and needs. The paper also discusses how “La Valle del Pensare” gives identity to the territory, which is not identified as a simple summation of the Common, but as a recognizable system that intends to implement the level of competitiveness through the creation of a real territorial logo able to identify vocations and specificity of the Valley of the Potenza.

The value of the project lies in the ICT system, able to convey information at different scales, providing the users with updated contents; at the same time, administrations can constantly monitor its performances, being able to infer useful information about tourists’ needs, habits and preferences. The main contributions are the creation of a single cloud-based architecture for the management of multiple multi- media contents, to be exploited in various platforms; the design of a unique content management system used by several small municipalities of a same territory; the monitoring user’s preferences and needs by collecting users’ generated data; and the analysis of meaningful statistics about the tourists, tested and verified in real scenario with real users.

本论文旨在介绍针对旅游行业而设计和优化的创新型ICT架构。本论文讨论案例题为“La Valle del Pensare lung oil corso del Potenza”, 主要为马尔凯大区（意大利）的10个直辖市, 位于Potenza河域山谷中, 提供数码基础架构。此研究项目主要是为了构建一条重要通信体系来帮助开发矿场景点的旅游线路和整个地区的特殊专题线路, 以宣传历史中心、文化遗产、绿色区域、和各种景点。

“La Valle del Pensare”信息系统具有规模化和多样性的特点, 其系统内容可以通过网站、移动app、图腾触摸屏、和标准旅游标牌等方式进行管理和传播。此系统采用一体化设计、以模块为单位, 这样使得多种信息方便管理, 确保交互链接可操作性和多渠道性。此外, 这个系统还专门为了马尔凯大区的小城市设计, 使得该区域的资源通过网络得到整合链接。

本论文介绍了重要通信系统, 即创新型ICT架构, 来帮助开发矿场景点的旅游线路和整个地区的特殊专题线路。 得益于用户生成数据（user-generated data）, 该平台还能监控使用情况和效果, 从而使用该系统的城市可以推测出用户偏好和需求等有用数据。本论文还讨论了“La Valle del Pensare”如何标识地区身份代名词, 这个代名词不等同于共和（the Common）的简单总和, 而是一个醒目的系统, 使得其通过树立真正的区域商标而具有竞争力, 在Potenza谷中占有旅行度假的一席之地。

本论文的重大价值在于其ICT系统, 能够在不同领域传播信息, 向用户提供更新信息:与此同时, 管理当局能够实时监控其系统性能以及推测旅游需求、习惯、偏好等有用信息。本论文重要贡献在于:i）搭建单个云平台基础的多媒体内容管理架构, 能够在多个渠道上运行;ii）设计特殊内容管理系统, 服务于同一区域的多个小城市;iii）通过搜集用户生成数据来监控用户偏好和需求;iv）分析有关游客的数据, 使用真实游客数据来实地测试和验证。

Purpose — The chapter presents the practical applications of web search statistics analysis. The process description highlights the potential use of search queries and statistical data and how they could be used in various forecasting situations. The presented case is an example of applied computational intelligence and the main focus is oriented towards the decision support offered by the software mechanism and its capabilities to automatically gather, process and analyse data.

Methodology/approach — The statistics of the search queries as a source of prognostic information are analysed in a step-by-step process, starting from their content and scope, their processing and applications, and concluding with usage in a software-based intelligent framework.

Research implications — The analysis of search engine trends offers a great opportunity for many areas of research. Into the future, deploying this information in the prognosis will further develop intelligent data processing.

Practical implications — This functionality offers a unique possibility, impossible until now, to observe, estimate and predict various processes using wide, precise and accurate behaviour observations. The scope and quality of data allow practitioners to successfully use it in various prognostic problems (i.e. political, medical, or economic).

Originality/value of paper — The chapter presents practical implications of technology. The chapter then highlights potential areas that would benefit from the analysis of queries statistics. Moreover, it introduces ‘WebPerceiver’, an intelligent platform, built to make the analysis and usage of search trends easier and more generally available to a wide audience, including non-skilled users.

This study aims to discuss the causes of short-lived structuring of contemporary buildings. The life expectancy of structures may be theoretically predefined during the state of the design. This time period, known as the service life of structures, is determined by the load or the deformation level at which irreversible failures of the bearing structure may occur. On the other hand, planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence, observed in the western world since the first half of 20th century, are currently setting an economic reality and are part of an expanded framework that, apart from architectural structures, extends to all design fields. The effects of short-lived structuring on environmental and energy terms are presented and theoretical and experimental recommendations from the literature are cited, as well as recommendations that have already been successfully applied in some countries.

This study aims to discuss the issues associated with short-lived structuring, durability and obsolescence of contemporary structures. For this purpose, theoretical and experimental recommendations from the literature are cited, via an extensive state of the art research.

Short-lived structuring has been a field of research during recent years. Terms such as durability are being introduced into Design Codes, while trends like perceived obsolescence and environmental impact raise issues for research. Moreover, the results of short-lived structuring are becoming more and more apparent, indicating an unsustainable reality. Issues like maintenance of structures, sustainability in design, corrosion effects, repair techniques and building waste management are an important field of research among the engineering community. In this study, the parameters affecting the lifespan of contemporary structures have been discussed.

The effects of short-lived structuring on environmental and energy terms are presented and theoretical and experimental recommendations from the literature are cited. The parameters studied herein concern material properties and design approach but also environmental and energy-related ones.