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There has been a growing concern about air quality because in recent years, industrial and vehicle emissions have resulted in unsatisfactory human health conditions. There is an urgent need for the measurements and estimations of particulate pollutants levels, especially in urban areas. As a contribution to this issue, the purpose of this paper is to use data from measured concentrations of particulate matter and meteorological conditions for the predictions of PM₁₀.

The procedure included daily data collection of current PM₁₀ concentrations for the city of São Carlos-SP, Brazil. These data series enabled to use an estimator based on artificial neural networks. Data sets were collected using the high-volume sampler equipment (VFA-MP10) in the period ranging from 1997 to 2006 and from 2014 to 2015. The predictive models were created using statistics from meteorological data. The models were developed using two neural network architectures, namely, perceptron multilayer (MLP) and non-linear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) inputs network.

It was observed that, over time, there was a decrease in the PM₁₀ concentration rates. This is due to the implementation of more strict environmental laws and the development of less polluting technologies. The model NARX that used as input layer the climatic variables and the PM₁₀ of the previous day presented the highest average absolute error. However, the NARX model presented the fastest convergence compared with the MLP network.

The presentation of a given PM₁₀ concentration of the previous day improved the performance of the predictive models. This paper brings contributions with the NARX model applications.

This study aimed at the addition of grape residue flours in beef meatballs to evaluate their behavior on physic-chemical and sensory properties. Furthermore, it is intended to discuss the importance of the substitution of synthetic additives with natural ones, the enhancement of consumers' diets and the prevention of inappropriate waste disposal.

The grapes' residues were collected from wine production and transformed into flour. Their proximal chemical composition and antioxidant activities were analyzed. Then, meatballs were formulated with 0 (control), 3.5 and 7% grape flours. Lipid oxidation analyzes were performed on raw and thermally processed meatballs. Triangle and ranking sensory tests were performed to assess the consumer's perception of product appearance and flavor and the consumer's preference, respectively.

Bordeaux and Trebbiano grape flours were rich in dietary fibers, composed of 44.2 and 55.6% fibers, respectively. They showed a high antioxidant activity, in which Trebbiano was high than Bordeaux. The addition of grape flours reduced the lipid oxidation of meatballs by close to 50% than the control sample. Differences in the appearance and flavor of some meatballs were identified by the panelists; however, the flavor's change did not displease them.

The grape residue is rich in phenolic compounds, natural dyes and dietary fibers. Its addition as a functional ingredient in meatballs reduces the addition of synthetic additives, adds fiber to the consumer's diet and prevents inappropriate waste disposal.

Realistic composite vehicles with 2, 3, 5 and 9 axles, consisting of a truck with one or two trailers, are addressed in this paper by computational models for vehicle–bridge interaction analysis.

The vehicle–bridge interaction (VBI) models are formed by sets of 2-D rigid blocks interconnected by mass, damping and stiffness elements to simulate their suspension system. The passage of the vehicles is performed at different speeds. Several rolling surface profiles are admitted, considering the maintenance grade of the pavement. The spectral density functions are generated from an experimental database to form the longitudinal surface irregularity profiles. A computational code written in Phyton based on the finite element method was developed considering the Euler–Bernoulli beam model.

Several models of composite heavy vehicles are presented as manufactured and currently travel on major roads. Dynamic amplification factors are presented for each type of composite vehicle.

The VBI models for compound heavy vehicles are 2-D.

This work contributes to improving the safety and lifetime of the bridges, as well as the stability and comfort of the vehicles when passing over a bridge.

The structural response of the bridge is affected by the type and size of the compound vehicles, their speed and the conservative grade of the pavement. Moreover, one axle produces vibrations that can be superposed by the vibrations of the other axles. This effect can generate not usual dynamic responses.

The monitoring of respirable particulate matter (PM₁₀) and of total carbon percentage (mass basis) in the atmosphere of São Carlos (SP) was performed in the period between September 1997 and January 2000. São Carlos, located in the central region of the state of São Paulo, has a population of close to 180,000 inhabitants and about 500 industrial establishments of medium to small size, mainly dealing with metallurgy, textiles, food and ceramics. The equipment used for air monitoring was a high volume sampler (GVS‐GRASEBY/GMW) equipped with a one‐stage inertial separator for a 10μm particle cut diameter. The PM₁₀ concentration was determined by gravimetry and the total carbon concentration by the Ströheim method. The results show a well defined seasonal dependence of both the PM₁₀ and of the total carbon concentration. Higher concentrations of PM₁₀ and carbon were observed in autumn and winter, which also coincided with low relative humidity and precipitation. The measured trends were compared with the PM₁₀ data from the city of São Paulo in the same period and showed similar seasonal dependence. However, in relative terms, the PM₁₀ concentration in São Carlos showed stronger seasonal dependence than in São Paulo.

The price of a painting is determined by multiple variables, including color-related variables. Colors are important in an economic analysis. This study aims to analyze the paintings executed by Jean-Michel Basquiat (the famous street artist from the 1980s' New York City) and sold at auction to study the potential effect of color intensity, luminosity and color contrast on the prices of his paintings. The authors also study the case of the op art master, Carlos Cruz-Diez, as a robustness analysis to the main results. The analysis that the authors present may be of interest to academicians and to participants in the art market.

The authors run a hedonic regression model considering 306 paintings (executed by Basquiat alone), and 41 works painted collaboratively between Basquiat and Warhol and sold at auction (2003–2017). The data and the images corresponding to each painting were hand-collected from the websites of several auction houses and complemented with information obtained from the Artprice and Blouin websites.

Increases in color intensity, luminosity and color contrast have a positive effect on art prices. The authors also find that color intensity is even more recognized (as reflected by higher prices) for paintings belonging to Basquiat's most appreciated (understood as most expensive) artistic period (1980–1983) and during the second part of the sample period (2011–2017). The authors find similar results for Cruz-Diez. The authors also estimate that Basquiat's artworks made collaboratively with Andy Warhol are worth 55% less than those made only by Basquiat. An investment in Basquiat's paintings generated an average annual compounded return of 16.81% (2003–2017), clearly overperforming the S&P 500.

The main limitation of the hedonic regression method lies in the need to have a significant and varied sample to identify the true effect of each variable on the price of the good. Another limitation is that we are only able to use art prices from auctions, as this is the only comprehensive source of data that is publicly available. These two limitations are common to all studies that use the hedonic pricing model. This paper has implications not only for the art pricing (and more generally, asset pricing) literature, but also for the fields of psychology and marketing.

This is the first paper that highlights the importance of analyzing the price impact of color intensity throughout the artistic periods of a painter, finding that color intensity is even more appreciated (as reflected by higher prices) for paintings belonging to an artist's most recognized period. In the case of color contrast, the authors present a novel way to estimate this variable.

El precio de una pintura está determinado por múltiples variables, incluidas las relacionadas con el color. Los colores son importantes en el análisis económico. En este trabajo, se analizan las obras realizadas por Jean-Michel Basquiat (el famoso artista callejero latino de la escena artística neoyorquina de los años 80) y vendidas en subasta, para estudiar el efecto potential que la intensidad del color, la luminosidad y el contraste de sus pinturas pueden tener sobre sus precios También estudiamos el caso del maestro de op-art, Carlos Cruz-Diez, como análisis de robustez a nuestros principales resultados. El análisis que presentamos puede ser de interés tanto para académicos como para participantes del mercado del arte.

Realizamos un modelo de regresión hedónica considerando 306 obras (pintadas solo por Basquiat), y 41 obras realizadas de manera colaborativa entre Basquiat y Warhol y vendidas en subasta (2003–2017). Los datos y las imágenes correspondientes a cada obra fueron recolectados a mano de los sitios web de varias casas de subastas y complementados con información de los sitios web de Artprice y Blouin.

Incrementos en la intensidad, luminosidad y contraste del color (variable para la que proponemos una nueva medida), inciden positivamente en los precios del arte. También encontramos que la intensidad del color es aún más reconocida (como se refleja en los precios más altos en las subastas) para pinturas pertenecientes al período artístico más apreciado de Basquiat (1980–1983), entendido como el más caro, y durante la segunda parte del período muestral (2011–2017). Además, hallamos resultados similares para Cruz-Diez. De igual forma, estimamos que las obras de arte de Basquiat realizadas en colaboración con Andy Warhol valen un 55% menos que las realizadas solo por Basquiat. Una inversión en las pinturas de Basquiat generó un rendimiento compuesto anual promedio del 16,81% (2003–2017), claramente superando el rendimiento total del índice S&P 500.

La principal limitación del método de regresión hedónica radica en la necesidad de contar con una muestra significativa y variada para identificar el verdadero efecto de cada variable sobre el precio del bien en estudio. Otra limitación consiste en que solo es posible utilizar los precios de las obras de arte que son vendidas en subastas, ya que esta es la única fuente completa de datos que está disponible públicamente. Estas dos limitaciones son comunes a todos los estudios que utilizan el modelo de precios hedónicos. El artículo tiene implicaciones no solo para la literatura sobre precios de arte (y, más en general, sobre los precios de los activos), sino también para la literatura sobre psicología y mercadeo, en donde el estudio del impacto de los colores en las emociones y en el atractivo de un producto son de suma importancia.

Este es el primer estudio que destaca la importancia de analizar el impacto en precios de la intensidad del color a lo largo de los períodos artísticos de un pintor, debido a que se determinó que la intensidad de color es aún más apreciada (como se refleja en los precios más altos en las subastas), para las pinturas pertenecientes al período artístico más reconocido de un artista. En el caso del contraste de color, se propuso y utilizó una forma novedosa de estimar esta variable.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate time management as a source of social sustainability in a Brazilian cooperative based on the principles of the solidarity economy, guided by democracy and self-management. This type of organization which is founded on self-management and management of working hours can permit flexibility in the work schedule, an aspect that the literature shows to be one of the indicators of social sustainability. The focus of this study is the female workforce.

The research was qualitative, using case study methodology. With respect to the temporal perspective, this is a longitudinal project. The result of this contact was a field diary in which observations on the functioning of the cooperative and its activities were recorded. In addition to these observations transcribed in the field diary, interviews were conducted with members. These were guided by a script to raise issues related to work routine and project management.

The results showed that self-management of working time allows flexibility, which can indeed be seen as a source of social sustainability that can provide working women with possibilities for meeting the various, conflicting demands they face from both work and family. This was seen to be a positive factor because many women in Brazil are heads of their households and are uniquely responsible for work, family and other responsibilities.

The qualitative meaning of working time is what may be linked to social sustainability because it is connected to self-management of working hours.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a deeper understanding of the new service development (NSD) research field. It addresses its scientific production, social and intellectual structures, and maturity.

This study uses a bibliometric-based literature review. Quantitative and qualitative analyses are performed on a sample of 277 NSD articles (published from 1984 to 2014). These articles are organized into four periods to improve the analyses from an evolutionary perspective: Early Writings (1984-1995), Advancing of Literature (1996-2001), Progressive Literature (2002-2008), and Recent Works (2009-2014).

The scientific production in the NSD field has grown significantly over these four periods, and the entry of new authors has extended the social structure. However, collaboration networks seem disconnected from one another. Nonetheless, the intellectual structure has shown great progress, making NSD an independent area of research and discovery from the new product development domain, with its own foundations and expansions into new topics. Although the NSD research field has not yet reached maturity, it is consistently moving toward it.

This study delivers a multiperspective view of research on NSD using a mixed quantitative and qualitative approach. It provides new insights into the discussion of the field’s maturity and can be used as a roadmap for academics and practitioners who would like to understand the state of existing knowledge and are looking for research opportunities.

In a systemic approach, a ship is a system in which people and organizations interact directly and indirectly in all processes from construction, during the route and at the destination, throughout its useful life, until eventual scrapping or disposal process. The purpose of this paper is to take on the UN 2030 Agenda ‒ Goal 14 to propose a management model that meets environmental guidelines for assessing impacts caused by the cruise ships.

To verify the proposed model, a quantitative survey using non-probability purposive sampling was conducted among ports, environmental sustainability experts and ocean cruise companies. The empirical data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.

Findings have confirmed five environmental requirements that shipping companies must manage on their cruise ships to meet Goal 14: input management, waste management, air quality, energy management and water management. Adopting and disseminating sustainable development models provides transparent information about actions taken and results of environmental management, and it may change the perception of the organization’s image, which is relevant to win and maintain environment-friendly customers, adding intangible value to the tourism product.

One of the limitations of the study is the research sample, especially ocean cruise companies, which can have biased results, as they are potential sources of environmental impacts. However, this was not the case, since the answers were similar to those of the other two groups surveyed.

The originality of the study is justified by researchers who argue that information provided by shipping companies on sustainability is very limited, as according to previous research, the convergence between strategy formulation model and environmental sustainability as a principle to be incorporated into the management of oceangoing vessels has not been studied.

The simulated scenarios can be used to compute risk premiums per risk class in the portfolio. These can then be used to adjust the policy premiums by accounting for storm risk.

A complete model to analyse and characterise future losses of the property portfolio of an insurance company due to hurricanes is proposed. The model is calibrated by using the loss data of the Fidelidade insurance company property portfolio resulting from Hurricane Leslie, which hit the centre of continental Portugal in October, 2018.

Several scenarios are simulated and risk maps are constructed. The risk map of the company depends on its portfolio, especially its exposure, and provides a Hurricane risk management tool for the insurance company.

A statistical model is considered, in which weather data is not required. The authors reconstruct the behaviour of storms through the registered claims and respective losses.