Management Tool Research Articles

DEVELOPMENT OF A PROCESS AUTOMATION SYSTEM FOR HEATING, VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY ON THE BASIS OF HONEYWELL EQUIPMENT

Currently, the development of industrial automation makes it possible to implement high-precision control systems that consider the dynamic properties of complex objects. The construction of distributed control systems based on modern software products provides decentralized management of technological processes. The modernization of existing control systems with the help of modern industrial equipment makes it possible to increase the productivity of enterprises and safety at work. This study is devoted to the development of an automated control system for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning processes for the food industry. In this study, a heat exchanger was selected as the control object. A mathematical model of the control object for stability, controllability, and observability was investigated. A PID regulator was synthesized, and its coefficients of the PID regulator were obtained. A comparative analysis of the behavior of the system dynamics at different regulator coefficients was carried out. The results of the modeling and experiments were carried out using real industrial equipment at the Honeywell laboratory at JSC KBTU. Software implementation was carried out using the Experion PKS distributed control system. The configuration of the C300 controller is presented. A Safety Instrumented System (SIS) was developed for the safe and trouble-free operation of the system. SIS was also developed using the Safety Manager and Safety Controller tools. Risk reduction factors (RRF) and Safety Integrity Level (SIL) were calculated and analyzed. A process-controlled mnemonic was developed.

Grey preference for analyzing the influence of externality within the graph model for conflict resolution

Externality may have uncertain influence on decision makers (DMs). To address the conflicts with uncertain preference and externality, this study adopts the general grey number to measure the uncertain value of DMs’ option statements influenced by externality. It constructs adjustable grey preference influenced by externality (GPE), which can be dynamically adjusted according to the influence of externality. Subsequently, the study defines four equilibrium solutions for the graph model for conflict resolution based on grey preference influenced by externality (GPE-GMCR). Finally, the method is applied to a commercial bank operating conflict triggered by the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapse in the United States, resulting in optimal results for conflict resolution. Specifically, the new model provides a practical tool for DMs, managers and policy makers to address conflicts arising from DMs’ uncertain preference under the influence of externality in complex environments.

Monitoring the psychological component of higher education quality using ICT tools

This study examines the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to monitor the psychological component of higher education quality. A literature review covers the concepts of higher education quality and its monitoring, the psychological factors involved, and the potential of ICT tools, including Google services. The study details a monitoring procedure using Google Forms to assess indicators like relationships between participants, satisfaction levels, and organisational climate. The computer program “Personnel – Ψ” is also presented as a tool for comprehensive psychological diagnostics of teachers. The advantages of using ICT tools for efficient data collection, analysis and management are discussed. The results demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of using ICT to improve monitoring of the psychological aspects of educational quality and make evidence-based decisions to enhance the educational environment. The use of user-friendly tools like Google Forms facilitates regular assessment of quality indicators and aids institutions in ensuring participant satisfaction and optimal conditions for learning and growth.

PANDEM-Source, a tool to collect or generate surveillance indicators for pandemic management: a use case with COVID-19 data.

PANDEM-Source (PS) is a tool to collect and integrate openly available public health-related data from heterogeneous data sources to support the surveillance of infectious diseases for pandemic management. The tool may also be used for pandemic preparedness by generating surveillance data for training purposes. It was developed as part of the EU-funded Horizon 2020 PANDEM-2 project during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of close collaboration in a consortium of 19 partners, including six European public health agencies, one hospital, and three first responder organizations. This manuscript describes PS's features and design to disseminate its characteristics and capabilities to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response. A requirement-gathering process with EU pandemic managers in the consortium was performed to identify and prioritize a list of variables and indicators useful for surveillance and pandemic management. Using the COVID-19 pandemic as a use case, we developed PS with the purpose of feeding all necessary data to be displayed in the PANDEM-2 dashboard. PS routinely monitors, collects, and standardizes data from open or restricted heterogeneous data sources (users can upload their own data). It supports indicators and health resources related data from traditional data sources reported by national and international agencies, and indicators from non-traditional data sources such as those captured in social and mass media, participatory surveillance, and seroprevalence studies. The tool can also calculate indicators and be used to produce data for training purposes by generating synthetic data from a minimal set of indicators to simulate pandemic scenarios. PS is currently set up for COVID-19 surveillance at the European level but can be adapted to other diseases or threats and regions. With the lessons learnt during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to keep building capacity to monitor potential threats and develop tools that can facilitate training in all the necessary aspects to manage future pandemics. PS is open source and its design provides flexibility to collect heterogeneous data from open data sources or to upload end users's own data and customize surveillance indicators. PS is easily adaptable to future threats or different training scenarios. All these features make PS a unique and valuable tool for pandemic management.

Regional brand: the essence and formation model

The most critical resource for development and promotion of Russian regions and cities, along with other strategic management tools, is regional bran ding. Branding effectiveness depends on many conditions, including the depth, consistency and scientific understanding of the brand as a tool of a region’s attractiveness. Using a theoretical analysis of scientific literature, the article explains the concept of “regional brand” in terms of key characteristics definition that reflect the specificity of the term. The results of the study concluded that the development and promotion of a regional brand is a complex process which starts with the formation of an integrated system of brand elements. The analysis of experience in designing of the Russian regions’ own brands and the use of the structural modeling method allowed to present a regional brand formation model, describing the main elements of the brand. In the presented model the following six elements were identified: brand platform, positioning, internal brand power, external brand power, communications, resonance. The correlation of each element in the overall system, their importance and influence on the formation of the image and increase in effectiveness of a region’s promotion were determined. The obtained results may be required by representatives of regional administrations that address the branding of territories issues.

Knowledge Conversion Abilities and Innovative Work Behavior of Indonesian Academic Librarians

This study aims to investigate the connection between knowledge conversion abilities and innovative work behavior among academic librarians. It was undertaken due to the scarcity of information on the knowledge conversion capabilities of academic librarians and their association with innovative work behavior. This study conducted quantitative research using a survey questionnaire to collect data from 320 academic librarians working in public and private universities in Indonesia. The study found that academic librarians reported engaging in all four knowledge conversion processes, with combination being the most frequently used, followed by externalization and internalization. Additionally, academic librarians reported being engaged in both types of innovation, but more involved in service innovation than process innovation. The study found that externalization, combination, and internalization were positively related to innovative work behavior, but socialization was not significantly related. The study emphasizes the need for infrastructure and competencies support for librarians to foster knowledge conversion and access to knowledge management tools. A conducive work environment is essential for innovation in academic libraries, and relevant authorities need to provide adequate support. Moreover, this research enhances our understanding of the role of knowledge conversion abilities and innovative work behavior in the context of Indonesian academic libraries.

Corneal Hysteresis as a Marker for Patients with Secondary Glaucoma

ABSTRACT Purpose To investigate and compare the association of corneal hysteresis (CH) in patients with secondary glaucoma to control patients and patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Additionally, to determine the consistency of CH measurements in patients with secondary glaucoma. Methods A total of 84 patients (121 eyes) were prospectively included in this study. Twenty-three patients (46 eyes) were healthy controls, 24 patients (40 eyes) were diagnosed with POAG, and 27 patients (35 eyes) were diagnosed with a form of secondary glaucoma. CH and intraocular pressure (IOP) were measured using the Ocular Response Analyzer. Three measurements per eye were performed and used for the analysis and to determine fluctuations in CH data. One-way ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni analysis and Chi-Squared testing was done to determine differences between groups. Results All patients were matched for age. Patients in both POAG and secondary glaucoma groups were matched for age and IOP. All groups had similar sex and racial compositions as well as similar proportions of diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. CH was lower (p < .05) in patients with POAG (9.32 ± 1.64) and secondary glaucoma (7.89 ± 3.18) when compared to healthy controls (11.16 ± 1.60). Fluctuations in CH measurements were minimal in all groups. Further analysis of the secondary glaucoma group revealed no differences in CH between different types of secondary glaucoma (p > .05). Conclusion Patients with secondary glaucoma have lower CH when compared to POAG or control groups. The ORA exhibits precision of CH measurements for control, POAG, and secondary glaucoma groups, making it a reliable tool in management of secondary forms of glaucoma.

Decarbonizing our environment via the promotion of biomass methanation in developing nations: a waste management tool

Abstract For a long time, fossil fuel has been a part of our everyday lives and has constantly led to the emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the environment. The release of methane (CH4) into our surroundings can be caused by the decomposition of organic wastes produced by our daily activities; CH4 produced by human activity is responsible for at least 25 % of global warming. CH4 is a known potent greenhouse gas that can trap about 35 times more heat than CO2. These greenhouse gases play a role in climate change and global warming. It, therefore, becomes important to explore measures for decarbonizing our environment. Biomethane production using our generated waste is a promising decarbonization approach with significant potential for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. This paper overviews potential biomass methanation feedstocks and investigates several technologies, such as anaerobic digestion, combined pyrolysis and methanation, and combined gasification and methanation. SWOT analysis of waste conversion to biomethane was conducted, and important points related to the scaling-up of biomethane production processes were outlined. Also, insights into prospects for promoting biomass methanation deployment were provided. In conclusion, biomass methanation has great potential for producing sustainable energy. Hence, collaboration between industrialists, researchers, government agencies, and stakeholders including an understanding of the financial investments, return on investments, or potential subsidies and incentives could enhance the practicality of the proposed solution. Research and development should be continuously carried out as they are necessary to scale up and promote the technology. Also, there should be technical training for stakeholders as it is essential for the smooth development of the sector.

A scenario‐guided strategy for the future management of biological invasions

Future dynamics of biological invasions are highly uncertain because they depend on multiple social–ecological drivers. We used a scenario‐based approach to explore potential management options for invasive species in Europe. During two workshops involving a multidisciplinary team of experts, we developed a management strategy arranged into 19 goals relating to policy, research, public awareness, and biosecurity. We conceived solutions for achieving these goals under different plausible future scenarios, and identified four interrelated recommendations around which any long‐term strategy for managing invasive species can be structured: (1) a European biosecurity regime, (2) a dedicated communication strategy, (3) data standardization and management tools, and (4) a monitoring and assessment system. Finally, we assessed the feasibility of the management strategy and found substantial differences among scenarios. Collectively, our results indicate that it is time for a new strategy for managing biological invasions in Europe, one that is based on a more integrative approach across socioeconomic sectors and countries.

Groundwater potential zoning using Logistics Model Trees based novel ensemble machine learning model

In this work, the main aim is to map the potential zones of groundwater in Central Highlands (Vietnam) using a novel ensemble machine learning model, namely CG-LMT, which is a combination of two advanced techniques, namely Cascade Generalization (CG) and Logistics Model Trees (LMT). For this, a total of 501 wells data and a set of twelve affecting factors were gathered and selected to generate training and testing datasets used for building and validating the model. Validation of the models was implemented utilizing various quantitative indices, including ROC curve. Results of the present study indicated that the novel ensemble model performed well for groundwater potential mapping and modeling (AUC = 0.742), and its predictive capability is even better than a single LMT model (AUC = 0.727). Thus, the CG-LMT is a promising tool for accurately predicting potential groundwater areas. In addition, the potential map of groundwater generated from the CG-LMT model is a helpful tool for better-studying water resource management in the area.

Identifying and Validating Alcohol Diagnostics for Injury-Related Trauma in South Africa: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

The burden of alcohol use among patients with trauma and the relative injury risks is not routinely measured in South Africa. Given the prominent burden of alcohol on hospital trauma departments, South Africa needs practical, cost-effective, and accurate alcohol diagnostic tools for testing, surveillance, and clinical management of patients with trauma. This study aims to validate alcohol diagnostics for injury-related trauma and assess its use for improving national health practice and policy. The Alcohol Diagnostic Validation for Injury-Related Trauma study will use mixed methods across 3 work packages. Five web-based focus group discussions will be conducted with 6 to 8 key stakeholders, each across 4 areas of expertise (clinical, academic, policy, and operational) to determine the type of alcohol information that will be useful for different stakeholders in the injury prevention and health care sectors. We will then conduct a small pilot study followed by a validation study of alcohol diagnostic tools (clinical assessment, breath analysis, and fingerprick blood) against enzyme immunoassay blood concentration analysis in a tertiary hospital trauma setting with 1000 patients. Finally, selected alcohol diagnostic tools will be tested in a district hospital setting with a further 1000 patients alongside community-based participatory research on the use of the selected tools. Pilot data are being collected, and the protocol will be modified based on the results. Through this project, we hope to identify and validate the most appropriate methods of diagnosing alcohol-related injury and violence in a clinical setting. The findings from this study are likely to be highly relevant and could influence our primary beneficiaries-policy makers and senior health clinicians-to adopt new practices and policies around alcohol testing in injured patients. The findings will be disseminated to relevant national and provincial government departments, policy experts, and clinicians. Additionally, we will engage in media advocacy and with our stakeholders, including community representatives, work through several nonprofit partners to reach civil society organizations and share findings. In addition, we will publish findings in scientific journals. DERR1-10.2196/52949.

A New Model for Building Energy Modeling and Management Using Predictive Analytics: Partitioned Hierarchical Multitask Regression (PHMR)

Buildings are major consumers of energy, accounting for a significant proportion of total energy use worldwide. This substantial energy consumption not only leads to increased operational costs but also contributes to environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas emissions. In the United States, building energy consumption accounts for about 40% of total energy use, highlighting the importance of efficient energy management. Therefore, accurate prediction of energy usage in buildings is crucial. However, accurate prediction of building energy consumption remains a challenge due to the intricate interaction of indoor and outdoor variables. This study introduces the Partitioned Hierarchical Multitask Regression (PHMR), an innovative model integrating recursive partition regression (RPR) with multitask learning (hierML). PHMR adeptly predicts building energy consumption by integrating both indoor factors, such as building design and operational variables, and outdoor environmental influences. Rigorous simulation studies illustrate PHMR’s efficacy. It outperforms traditional single-predictor regression models, achieving a 32.88% to 41.80% higher prediction accuracy, especially in scenarios with limited training data. This highlights PHMR’s robustness and adaptability. The practical application of PHMR in managing a modular house’s Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system in Spain resulted in a 37% improvement in prediction accuracy. This significant efficiency gain is evidenced by a high Pearson correlation coefficient (0.8) between PHMR’s predictions and actual energy consumption. PHMR not only offers precise predictions for energy consumption but also facilitates operational cost reductions, thereby enhancing sustainability in building energy management. Its application in a real-world setting demonstrates the model’s potential as a valuable tool for architects, engineers, and facility managers in designing and maintaining energy-efficient buildings. The model’s integration of comprehensive data analysis with domain-specific knowledge positions it as a crucial asset in advancing sustainable energy practices in the building sector.

Conditions for the Formation and Development of a Culture of Risk Management for Teaching Staff

Introduction. In conditions of socio-economic instability, the use of risk management tools when making management decisions, building a management system that includes risk management, will allow you to more effectively achieve your goals. At the same time, the problem of risk management by the management of educational organizations, as well as in the organizational and managerial activities of teaching staff, is not given due attention. This allows us to talk about an unformed risk management culture as one of the results of professional training and advanced training of workers in the field of education. Risk management culture is one of the components of management culture that determines the readiness of teaching staff to ensure the quality of management in the educational system (management of the educational process, educational and cognitive activities of students, etc.). Risk management culture is increasingly being considered by researchers from the perspective of an innovative type of management culture, focused on the implementation of innovations, and the implementation of innovative activities always takes into account risks. Materials and methods: terminological analysis of risk management in the management of educational systems; abstract review of the formation and practical implementation of the risk culture of teaching staff. Results. Scientific and practical substantiation of the relevance of the development of theory and practice of creating a culture of risk management in the process of education, training and advanced training of teaching staff. Conclusions. The effectiveness of organizational and managerial activities in the education system presupposes a sufficient level of riskological competence of a teacher at all stages of the implementation of managerial functions, regardless of his status and position. The process of forming, improving and developing a risk culture requires taking into account the current level of implementation of certain organizational and pedagogical conditions when implementing professional retraining and advanced training programs.

The Role of Soil Abundance of TxtAB in Potato Common Scab Disease Severity.

Common scab is an economically costly soilborne disease of potato endemic in many potato-growing regions. The disease is caused by species of Streptomyces bacteria that produce the phytotoxin thaxtomin A. The primary disease management tool available to growers is planting resistant cultivars, but no cultivar is fully resistant to common scab, and partially resistant cultivars are often not the preferred choice of growers because of agronomic or market considerations. Therefore, growers would benefit from knowledge of the presence and severity of common scab infestations in field soils to make informed planting decisions. We implemented a quantitative PCR diagnostic assay to enable field detection and quantification of all strains of Streptomyces that cause common scab in the United States through amplification of thaxtomin A biosynthetic genes. Greenhouse trials confirmed that pathogen abundance was highly correlated with disease severity for five distinct phytopathogenic Streptomyces species, although the degree of disease severity was dependent on the pathogen species. Correlations between the abundance of the thaxtomin biosynthetic genes from field soil with disease on tubers at field sites across four U.S. states and across 2 years were not as strong as correlations observed in greenhouse assays. We also developed an effective droplet digital PCR diagnostic assay that also has potential for field quantification of thaxtomin biosynthetic genes. Further improvement of the PCR assays and added modeling of other environmental factors that impact disease outcome, such as soil composition, can aid growers in making informed planting decisions.

LEVERAGING PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN HVAC OPERATIONS: A PATH TO CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Efficient management of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems is paramount for mitigating energy consumption and enhancing climate resilience in modern infrastructure. This review explores the significance of leveraging project management tools to optimize energy efficiency within HVAC operations, thus fostering a pathway towards climate resilience. The integration of project management methodologies offers a systematic approach to address challenges associated with energy consumption in HVAC systems, thereby facilitating informed decision-making processes. Firstly, the review delves into the pressing need for energy conservation in HVAC operations amidst escalating concerns over climate change and its adverse impacts. The imperative to minimize energy consumption in buildings, particularly through HVAC systems, is highlighted as a pivotal step towards achieving climate resilience and sustainability goals. Subsequently, the review outlines the role of project management tools in orchestrating effective strategies to enhance energy efficiency within HVAC operations. By employing techniques such as project scheduling, risk management, and resource allocation, project managers can streamline the implementation of energy-efficient measures, thereby optimizing HVAC system performance and reducing carbon emissions. Moreover, the review underscores the importance of data analytics and technological advancements in augmenting the efficacy of project management tools for energy efficiency in HVAC operations. Leveraging real-time data monitoring, predictive analytics, and IoT-enabled devices enables proactive maintenance and continuous optimization of HVAC systems, thereby maximizing energy savings and bolstering climate resilience. Furthermore, the review elucidates the potential benefits and challenges associated with the adoption of project management tools for energy efficiency in HVAC operations. While improved cost-effectiveness, environmental sustainability, and operational performance emerge as primary benefits, challenges such as initial investment costs, technological complexities, and organizational inertia necessitate careful consideration. This review advocates for the integration of project management tools as a viable approach to foster energy efficiency in HVAC operations, thereby paving the way towards enhanced climate resilience and sustainability in built environments. By embracing innovative methodologies and technological solutions, stakeholders can mitigate energy consumption, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and fortify infrastructure against the impacts of climate change.&#x0D; Keywords: HVAC, Climate Resilience, Project Management, Energy, Review.

Analysing preference heterogeneity and willingness to pay for nature-based tourism activities in Gran Canaria for young Germans

ABSTRACT This paper examines the heterogeneity in preferences and willingness to pay for various nature-based tourism activities that can be carried out in natural areas on Gran Canaria Island (Spain). A discrete choice experiment is designed to obtain information about potential visitors’ preferences in a set of hypothetical scenarios involving various activity packages created by combining the levels of the attributes according to an efficient design. Collected information is used to estimate a Mixed Logit model which will allow us to evaluate random and systematic heterogeneity in preferences. A key finding of the research emanates from obtaining individual-specific parameters to calculate not only the willingness to pay for the various activities but also the amount that could guide a potential compensation when undesired activities are included in the package. Results provide interesting managerial tools that can be used by tourism entrepreneurs to promote nature-based tourism products in the area.

Shrinkage and desiccation: evaluating the streambed bacterial responses to intermittent water deficit

Hydrological drought, characterized by a significant deficiency in rainfall events, promotes natural desiccation processes. The reduction in water recharge and the loss of freshwater ecosystems pose urgent challenges in the face of increasing global population and the escalating demand for water resources. The variability in the duration of no-flow periods can have profound implications for ecosystem functioning, specifically impacting the microbiota residing in streambed sediments and the vital processes they perform. The streambed serves as an ecotone where microorganisms form biofilms, playing critical roles in in-stream biogeochemical cycles and greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, prolonged desiccation periods and subsequent rewetting episodes can disrupt, limit, or alter the functions and structure of microbial communities, thereby compromising the overall functioning of aquatic ecosystems. Understanding how streambed microbial communities respond to prolonged desiccation events is crucial. This revision manuscript provides a synthesis of recent empirical and experimental studies that have explored various aspects of streambed microbial communities in the context of diverse drying-rewetting periods. A special focus is placed on highlighting key microbial community structural and functional responses that could be used as endpoints of responses to desiccation. In particular, we showed the greater expression of the phenol-oxidase activity among the intermittent streambeds submitted to long-term drought. This result suggested a potential begin of transition from freshwater to terrestrial systems. Additionally, we observed a tendency of decreasing bacterial diversity in the dry conditions together with a change in the relative abundance of certain microbial taxa and a general shift from Gram-negative to Gram-positive bacteria. All of these evidences strengthened the similarity between the dry streambed systems studied and a (dry)-soil environment, suggesting that prolonged and unusual dry periods could boost the terrestrial transition of the aquatic intermittent ecosystem. By summarizing these findings, we aim to enhance our understanding of the responses exhibited by streambed microbiota in the face of desiccation events. The synthesized results may further provide potential diagnosis and/or management tools for intermittent freshwater ecosystems functioning.

Managerial Digitalisation Cost in the Hotel Sector: The Case of Northern Greece

The main purpose of the research is to measure the managerial digitalisation cost of the hotel sector in Northern Greece. Taking into consideration the impact of the pandemic crisis on business management and the lack of rich relevant literature, the study focuses on the cost of managerial digitalisation and its possible relationship with certain hotel demographic characteristics, like star ranking, period of operation, size and accommodation type. The population consists of 2187 hotel units, based on the register of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and other local associations such as Chalkidiki Hotels Association. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, registered in Google forms, and sent by e-mail or alternatively via social media like Facebook. The main finding concerns the low amount of investment related to revenue, as the majority of hotel units spend less than 2.5% of their annual turnover on managerial digitalisation. In addition to this, members of hotel groups, seasonal and summer accommodations invest more in the adoption of digital managerial tools. A positive correlation with the number of employees was also detected. As digitalisation cost in the Greek hospitality sector is a completely unexplored scientific field, this is the first effort to deal with it. Furthermore, as Northern Greece is not as popular a tourist destination as other parts of Greece (i.e., the Aegean islands), the present research is a unique attempt to focus on the hotel sector of a less well-known Greek tourist region.

Can land-use and land-cover change explain reduced resilience in forests?

Generating signals of reduced resilience in ecosystems is crucial for conservation and management endeavors. However, the practical implications of such systems are still limited due to the lack of high-frequency data and uncertainties associated with predicting complex systems such as ecosystems. This study aims to investigate the potential of time series analysis of remote sensing data in detecting signals of reduced resilience in mangrove forest ecosystems. Using time series analysis of remote sensing images, the resilience of mangrove forests was explored across two distinct study sites. One site (Qeshm Island) has been adversely affected by land-use and land-cover changes, while the other (Gabrik) serves as a reference ecosystem. The study uses data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite to quantify three remotely sensed indices: the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), and the Modified Vegetation Water Ratio (MVWR). In addition, Landsat data has been used to explore temporal alterations in land-use and land-cover change. To identify signals of reduced resilience, trend analyses of indicators such as autocorrelation (acf (1)) and standard deviation (SD) are applied. The findings revealed a notable decrease in resilience, signaled by significant upward trends in NDVI statistical metrics for Qeshm Island (Kendall’s τ of acf (1): 0.50 and SD: 0.90), contrasting with the pattern observed in Gabrik (Kendall’s τ of acf (1): −0.19 and SD: −0.19). These results align with our expectations derived from previous studies. Despite MNDWI significantly indicating reduced resilience in Qeshm Island (Kendall’s τ of acf (1): 0.86 and SD: 0.90), it also signaled decreased resilience in Gabrik (Kendall’s τ of acf (1): 0.79 and SD: 0.90). Moreover, MVWR failed to indicate signals of reduced resilience in both sites, specifically in Qeshm (Kendall’s τ of acf (1): −0.10 and SD: −0.07) and in Gabrik (Kendall’s τ of acf (1): −0.72 and SD: −0.12). These findings may be explained through quantitative analyses of land-use and land-cover change. While Qeshm Island and Gabrik share similarities in climate, geography, and annual rainfall, the analysis of land-use and land-cover change revealed significant differences between the two study areas. Qeshm Island underwent drastic increases in the built-up class by a 64.40% change between 1996 and 2014, whereas the built-up class expanded modestly by a 4.04% change in the Gabrik site. This study contributes to advancing our understanding of ecosystem dynamics. The findings of this study can be integrated with ecosystem management tools to enhance the effectiveness of conservation efforts. This is the first report of the successful application of remote sensing in generating signals of reduced resilience within mangrove forests in the Middle East.

User Experience, Functionality and Aesthetics Evaluation in an Academic Multi-Site Web Ecosystem

The present study focuses on using qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate the functionality, user experience (UX), and aesthetic approach offered by an academic multi-site Web ecosystem consisting of multiple interconnected websites. Large entities in various industry fields often have the need for an elaborate Web presence. In an effort to address the challenges posed by this need specifically in the field of academia, the authors developed, over a period of many years, a multi-site ecosystem within the Ionian University, which focuses on interconnectivity and a collaborative approach to academic content management. This system, known as “Publish@Ionio”, uses a singular content management infrastructure to allow for the creation of content for different websites that share both information and resources while at the same time allowing for individual variations in both functionality and aesthetics. The ecosystem was evaluated through quantitative data from its operation and qualitative feedback from a focus-group interview with experts, including website editors and administrative staff. The collected data were used to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the multi-site approach based on the actions and needs of the individuals in charge of generating content. The study led to conclusions on the advantages that interoperability offers in terms of digital and human resource management, the benefits of a unified aesthetic approach that allows for variability, and the necessity of collaborative content management tools that are tailored to the content’s nature.