I have no statistics before me of the growth in output of books, magazines, and newspapers throughout the world, but I will hardly be mistaken if I say that it is very great. And…
Abstract
I have no statistics before me of the growth in output of books, magazines, and newspapers throughout the world, but I will hardly be mistaken if I say that it is very great. And this continual vast accumulation of printed material presents to‐day a real and ever‐growing problem.
There is no clear answer to the question as to what kind of humic substances (HSs) (fulvic acids (FAs) or humic acids (HAs)) is primarily responsible for colour of water in water…
Abstract
Purpose
There is no clear answer to the question as to what kind of humic substances (HSs) (fulvic acids (FAs) or humic acids (HAs)) is primarily responsible for colour of water in water bodies. To resolve this problem, the purpose of this paper is to compare optical properties of the samples of river water with solutions (considered as standard) containing HAs and FAs in different concentrations.
Design/methodology/approach
The author sampled two typical unpolluted rivers of Karelian Isthmus (Leningrad Region, North-Western Russia) with different water colours – Vyun with light-brown water and Kivioja with dark-brown water.
Findings
It is revealed that the shape of the light absorption curve for both rivers is similar to that of FAs. Among the coefficients,
Practical implications
The results outline a more direct approach to decision support in the sphere of ecological monitoring of river water.
Originality/value
The author has concluded that river waters are coloured by FAs.
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Denis Simonov, Vladimir Vavilov and Arseniy Chulkov
Active infrared (IR) thermography, because of its high productivity and illustrativeness, is a promising technique in nondestructive testing (NDT). The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Active infrared (IR) thermography, because of its high productivity and illustrativeness, is a promising technique in nondestructive testing (NDT). The purpose of this paper is to discuss a concept and practical implementation of a portable experimental unit intended for IR thermographic NDT of corrosion in metallic shells.
Design/methodology/approach
The basic theory relates to the analysis of heat conduction in a plate with rear-surface material loss subjected to pulse, thermal wave or arbitrary heating.
Findings
The amplitude of temperature anomalies over defects and their characteristic observation times depend on material loss, size and shape of corrosion defects. A flexible architecture of the inspection unit is proposed to include flash tubes, halogen lamps and laser-emitting diode (LED) panels as sources of stimulating thermal radiation. In particular, LED heaters might be perspective due to their narrow spectral band, which is beyond a spectral sensitivity of modern IR imagers. It has been found that the IR thermographic technique is convenient for detecting material loss of up to 15–20 per cent in uniformly painted steel shells with thickness up to 8 mm. The concept of signal-to-noise ratio has been applied to evaluate efficiency of data processing techniques, such as Fourier transform and principal component analysis.
Originality/value
The developed equipment and inspection guidelines can be used for detecting hidden corrosion in metallic objects, such as above-ground tanks, pipes, containers, etc.
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John Drew, Aaron Dickinson Sachs, Cecilia Sueiro and John R. Stepp
This chapter examines the increase in global demand for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and considers the impact of such demand on the Peruvian and Bolivian farmers who produce…
Abstract
This chapter examines the increase in global demand for quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) and considers the impact of such demand on the Peruvian and Bolivian farmers who produce it. Specifically, it analyzes the social media marketing of U.S. based I Heart Keenwah (IHK) and considers the role of “storied food” with respect to corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in a Web 2.0 context. This chapter reports the results of textual, rhetorical, and cultural analyses of the digital marketing materials IHK deploys, and considers IHK’s use of Web 2.0 tools to mobilize discourses of socially responsible marketing, and implications of industrial quinoa production on Andean biodiversity and indigenous culture. This chapter principally concludes that the social media and digital marketing materials that IHK deploys obfuscate the social, economic, and ecological complexities surrounding the quinoa industries in Peru and Bolivia. This chapter provides evidence of new tendencies in capitalist commodification, and demonstrates how the traditional and indigenous protectors of the quinoa plant species are being denied their agricultural and cultural heritages. Further more, it demonstrates how the language of corporate social responsibility is abused in the service of less sustainable, branded, and extractive imaginaries and corporate profit. Given the significant rise in international quinoa demand, IHK’s explosive economic success, and IHK’s reliance on Andean quinoa, this case study provides unique insights into global food capitalism in the age of social media.
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Mark G. Macklin and John Lewin
Rivers have played a defining role in the global development of human societies and culture. This will undoubtedly continue in the twenty-first century with a growing demand for…
Abstract
Rivers have played a defining role in the global development of human societies and culture. This will undoubtedly continue in the twenty-first century with a growing demand for water, increasing pollution of river channel and floodplain environments, and anthropogenic global warming-related changes in the frequency of floods and droughts. These will have major environmental and societal impacts worldwide. We consider how rivers initially shaped societies, and then how urbanisation, industrialisation and intensified agriculture have more recently transformed river systems, so compromising planetary health and human ways of life. So where do we go from here? Humanity now faces an existential environmental catastrophe of its own making, and it will be on the world's most densely populated floodplains where this crisis will be played out. We highlight likely areas facing the greatest challenges. Ironically, many of these are where ancient civilisations began. Interdisciplinary catchment-based approaches, and new technologies such as those based on satellite imagery and unmanned aerial vehicles, are now beginning to address pressing societal and planetary problems in the unfolding climate crisis.
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The international tourism options have been enriched due to several factors: new transport technology, more flexible legislation, the globalization process, and political openness…
Abstract
The international tourism options have been enriched due to several factors: new transport technology, more flexible legislation, the globalization process, and political openness regarding some areas dominated by dictatorship regimes. Antarctica is one of the new possibilities for adventure and ecological travel. It is the wildest, most well‐preserved and most isolated continent on the planet. About 10,000 tourists can appreciate its dazzling landscapes each austral summer and tourism operations have increased considerably in the region during the 1990s. This article presents a history of travel to Antarctica, an analysis of the tour operators and of the Antarctic Treaty on tourism, and reports an experience on board one of the cruise ships in the Antarctica Peninsula.
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Considers that of the three ideologies – materialism, existentialism and constructivism – that materialism is the least scientific. Believes that it has caused the greatest harm…
Abstract
Considers that of the three ideologies – materialism, existentialism and constructivism – that materialism is the least scientific. Believes that it has caused the greatest harm by virtue of political control. Sees existentialism as more hostile to science but with its negative impact limited to theology and literature, whilst constructivism is considered anti‐scientific and may, via its influence on education, be the promoter of “the new slavery”. Discusses these assertions through consideration of scientific methodology evolving five principles which are applied to each of the three ideologies introduced.
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This study aims to explore the concept of transformational entrepreneurship (TE), which is relevant in emerging economies such as Brazil with its elevated level of unemployment…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the concept of transformational entrepreneurship (TE), which is relevant in emerging economies such as Brazil with its elevated level of unemployment, taxes and interest rates along with elevated levels of institutional voids, and how firms are including purpose as part of their goals and strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a multiple case study of six Afro-entrepreneurs, participants of a consulting project from Sebrae, the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service, a private entity that promotes the competitiveness and sustainable development of micro and small business enterprises (Sebrae, 2022).
Findings
This work studied the transformational power of entrepreneurship and how six beauty salons led by black women have the ability to not only generate income but also contribute to social and cultural aspects.
Practical implications
This work demonstrates how TE has the potential to improve the lives of a population that has historically been marginalized and faces the lived consequences of socioeconomic discrimination.
Originality/value
This paper provides valuable contributions through a case study of transformational, ethnic and women’s entrepreneurship, not very explored in the literature.
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What impact did privatization have on employment in Russian industry? Utilizes data collected from a panel of 6,205 civilian manufacturing firms in the Central, Volga, North…
Abstract
What impact did privatization have on employment in Russian industry? Utilizes data collected from a panel of 6,205 civilian manufacturing firms in the Central, Volga, North Caucasus, Northern and Western Siberian regions of Russia to explore in more detail the relationship between changes in ownership and employment in Russian industry between 1992 and 1995. In particular investigates whether change in ownership structure is relatively more important than industry, region, or the competitive position of the firm in explaining variation in the employment response to changing output conditions during the initial stage of Russia’s transition from plan to market.
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Sandra Matarneh, Faris Elghaish, Amani Al-Ghraibah, Essam Abdellatef and David John Edwards
Incipient detection of pavement deterioration (such as crack identification) is critical to optimizing road maintenance because it enables preventative steps to be implemented to…
Abstract
Purpose
Incipient detection of pavement deterioration (such as crack identification) is critical to optimizing road maintenance because it enables preventative steps to be implemented to mitigate damage and possible failure. Traditional visual inspection has been largely superseded by semi-automatic/automatic procedures given significant advancements in image processing. Therefore, there is a need to develop automated tools to detect and classify cracks.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature review is employed to evaluate existing attempts to use Hough transform algorithm and highlight issues that should be improved. Then, developing a simple low-cost crack detection method based on the Hough transform algorithm for pavement crack detection and classification.
Findings
Analysis results reveal that model accuracy reaches 92.14% for vertical cracks, 93.03% for diagonal cracks and 95.61% for horizontal cracks. The time lapse for detecting the crack type for one image is circa 0.98 s for vertical cracks, 0.79 s for horizontal cracks and 0.83 s for diagonal cracks. Ensuing discourse serves to illustrate the inherent potential of a simple low-cost image processing method in automated pavement crack detection. Moreover, this method provides direct guidance for long-term pavement optimal maintenance decisions.
Research limitations/implications
The outcome of this research can help highway agencies to detect and classify cracks accurately for a very long highway without a need for manual inspection, which can significantly minimize cost.
Originality/value
Hough transform algorithm was tested in terms of detect and classify a large dataset of highway images, and the accuracy reaches 92.14%, which can be considered as a very accurate percentage regarding automated cracks and distresses classification.