bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Dynamics Calculation of the Coordination Behavior of Yb (III) in Sodium Carbonate Solution
Authors: Lan Qiaofa , Yang Youming , Xie Ziyu , Guo Haoran , Liu Donghui , Zhang Xiaolin
Published: September 2023

Yb (III) shows complex behavior of coordination dissolution and precipitation in carbonate solutions, but the properties of CO32− coordination and hydration to Yb (III) in the solution have not been explicated. In this work, the dissolution rule of Yb (III) with CO32− concentration has been studied. The radial distribution function and the coordination number of CO32− and H2O to Yb (III) were calculated by molecular dynamics simulation, and the complex ion form of Yb was obtained. The ultraviolet–visible spectrum and the ionic structures of Yb (III) complex ions were geometrically optimized and calculated by using density functional theory. Then, the experimental ultraviolet–visible spectra and density functional theory results were combined to verify the molecular dynamics calculations. The results indicate that Yb (III) undergoes precipitation in low-concentration carbonate solution, but, in high-concentration carbonate solution, Yb (III)’s carbonates will undergo dissolution. The main reason for the dissolution of Yb (III)’s carbonates is the coordination effect of CO32− on Yb (III); the coordination of carbonate on Yb (III) occurs with a CO32− concentration range of 0.4~2.0 mol·L−1. Yb (III) mainly exhibits [Yb·9H2O]3+ hydrated form in the aqueous solution, while, in the carbonate solution, [Yb·9H2O]3+ is converted into [Yb(CO3)2·5H2O]− complex. [Yb(CO3)2·5H2O]− complex is the main ionic form in high-concentration carbonate solutions. The analysis method in this work provides guidance for understanding the coordination and hydration characteristics of oxyacid radicals to rare earth elements.
Three-Dimensional Printing Technologies in Oral Films Manufacturing—A Minireview
Authors: Ozon Emma Adriana , Sarbu Iulian , Popovici Violeta , Mitu Mirela Adriana , Musuc Adina Magdalena , Karampelas Oana , Velescu Bruno Stefan
Published: September 2023

The interest in buccal drug delivery is under consideration due to some distinct properties compared to the traditional pharmaceutical formulations for oral administration: significantly higher bioavailability, a faster absorption rate of the drug, and substantial compliance for special needs patients. Oral films are obtained through various technologies, from conventional tools to 3D and 4D printing approaches. This minireview aims to describe the current additive manufacturing technologies in oral film fabrication, display their advantages and limitations, and discuss various formulation strategies. It also provides advanced data regarding synthetic and natural polymers used in 3D printing technologies for oral films. Moreover, it shows the most recent studies with 3D-printed orodispersible films and mucoadhesive buccal films manufactured through previously analyzed methods. Finally, conclusions and future perspectives are also briefly summarized.
Energy-Saving Testing System for a Coal Mine Emulsion Pump Using the Pressure Differential Flow Characteristics of Digital Relief Valves
Authors: Tian Jie , Liu Wenchao , Wang Hongyao , Yuan Xiaoming , Zhou Rulin , Li Junshi
Published: September 2023

Most energy-saving testing methods for plunger pumps use hydraulic motors. The loading test of coal mine emulsion pumps generally uses an overflow valve as the loading unit, which is characterized by high energy consumption. The coal mine emulsion pump uses emulsion as the transmission medium, and the viscosity and lubricity of the emulsion are much lower than those of hydraulic oil, which creates great difficulties in the development of high water-based hydraulic products. The nominal flow rate of the emulsion motor is much smaller than that of the emulsion pump, and there is no mature and reliable water-based flow control valve. Based on the above reasons, traditional energy-saving testing methods cannot be utilized for the testing process of emulsion pumps. The loading test of emulsion pumps generally uses an overflow valve as the loading unit, and during the testing process, all electrical energy is converted into internal energy, resulting in very high energy consumption. This article proposes an energy-saving testing system for emulsion pumps based on multiple emulsion motors in parallel. In order to solve the flow regulation problem of each parallel branch, a flow-intelligent control algorithm is proposed that utilizes the pressure difference flow characteristics of digital relief valves combined with artificial neural network predictive control. Firstly, the feasibility of the proposed system and method is theoretically verified through the analysis of the mathematical model of the digital relief valve. Secondly, further verification is carried out by establishing simulation and testing platforms. The simulation results show that the energy recovery efficiency of the system exceeds 53%. The experimental results show that the proposed testing system has a pressure control error of less than 1%, a flow control error of about 5%, and a maximum overshoot of about 9 L/min relative to the steady-state flow rate. The control accuracy and system stability are high.
Distribution of Hyperpycnal Flow Related Sandstone Deposits in a Lacustrine Shale System: Implication for Hydrocarbon Reservoir Exploration in the Chang 7 Oil Member of the Triassic Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin, China
Authors: Sun Pengyu , Zhao Lixia , Ma Qian , Zhang Wei , Zhang Shun , Li Xiao , Wen Juan , Dou Luxing , Wen Zhigang
Published: September 2023

Gravity flow deposits are important hydrocarbon reservoirs in deep lacustrine deposits. Previous studies have paid much attention to the hydrocarbon reservoirs in those intrabasinal classic turbidite deposits. However, relatively little is known about the distribution of oil reservoirs in those extrabasinal hyperpycnal flow deposits. With the help of cores and wireline logging data, the present study undertakes a description and interpretation of subsurface shale oil reservoirs in the deep lake deposits in Chang 7 member, Yanchang Formation, Ordos Basin. Parallel bedded fine sandstone (Sh), massive bedded fine sandstone (Sm), massive bedded fine sandstone with mud clasts (Smg), deformed bedded siltstone (Fd), wave-lenticular bedded siltstone (Fh) and black shale (M) were found and interpreted in those deep lake deposits. The deposits were interpreted as hyperpycnal flow deposits which developed in channel, levee and deep lacustrine facies. The development of the Chang 7 sand body increased gradually, and the sand body of Chang 71 was found to be the main position of sandy hyperpycnites. The fine description of the sand body indicated a channelized sedimentary pattern. The thick sandy hyperpycnites mainly developed in the middle of those channels, and the eastern part of the study area was found to be the main deposition position of the hyperpycnal flow deposits. From the perspective of plane overlap and single well analysis, a thick sand body is the favorable position for the development of an oil reservoir, which has a significant control effect on the reservoir scale and oil production. This research can aid in understanding the facies distribution of hyperpycnal flows and has implications for hydrocarbon reservoir exploration.
A State Transition Diagram and an Artificial Physarum polycephalum Colony Algorithm for the Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Problem with Transportation Constraints
Authors: Cai Zhengying , Feng Yihang , Yang Shanshan , Yang Jia
Published: September 2023

In many flexible job shop scheduling problems, transportation scheduling problems are involved, increasing the difficulty in problem-solving. Here, a novel artificial Physarum polycephalum colony algorithm is proposed to help us address this problem. First, the flexible job shop scheduling problem with transportation constraints is modeled as a state transition diagram and a multi-objective function, where there are ten states in total for state transition, and the multi-objective function considers the makespan, average processing waiting time, and average transportation waiting time. Second, a novel artificial Physarum polycephalum colony algorithm is designed herein with two main operations: expansion and contraction. In the expansion operation, each mycelium can cross with any other mycelia and generate more offspring mycelia, of which each includes multiple pieces of parental information, so the population expands to more than twice its original size. In the contraction operation, a fast grouping section algorithm is designed to randomly group all mycelia according to the original population size, where each group selects the best fitness one to survive, but the other mycelia are absorbed to disappear, so the population size recovers to the original size. After multiple iterations, the proposed algorithm can find the optimal solution to the flexible job shop scheduling problem. Third, a series of computational experiments are conducted on several benchmark instances, and a selection of mainstream algorithms is employed for comparison. These experiments revealed that the proposed method outperformed many state-of-the-art algorithms and is very promising in helping us to solve these complex problems.
An Experimental Study on Temperature, Relative Humidity, and Concentrations of CO and CO2 during Different Cooking Procedures
Authors: Chen Xi , Gao Yahui , Yang Liu , Liu Yang , Qin Miaomiao , Xia Jialing , Wang Peng
Published: September 2023

In order to explore the indoor air quality during different cooking procedures, a very common kitchen in China is selected for experimental research. An indoor air quality meter is used to measure the temperature, relative humidity, and CO and CO2 concentrations of the indoor air above the stove when people cook four different dishes under different ventilation patterns in the kitchen. The results indicate that the heat and gas consumed during cooking are closely related to the temperature and concentrations of CO and CO2. Some cooking procedures such as boiling water are related to the indoor air temperature and relative humidity in the kitchen. In addition, in kitchens without mechanical ventilation, natural ventilation shows a more significant positive effect on controlling temperature, relative humidity, and concentrations of CO and CO2 during cooking procedures.
Transformation of the Linji School’s Perspective on Seated Meditation from Tang to Song Dynasties—From Negation to Returning of Seated Meditation
Authors: Huang Jing-Jia
Published: September 2023

This study first examines the developmental perspective on seated meditation from Bodhidharma 達摩 to the Linji 臨濟 school of the Tang Dynasty. During this dynasty, the Linji school followed the criticism of physical seated meditation by the Southern school of Huineng 惠能 and mainly used wisdom dialogues to enlighten Buddhist disciples. Furthermore, there are very few lamp records documenting the seated meditation of Chan masters in the Linji school, which has created the impression that this school in the Tang Dynasty disregarded physical seated meditation and even negated it. Second, this study examines the attitude towards seated meditation of Linji Chan masters during the Song Dynasty from two aspects of seated meditation, namely, practice and theory. It is found that their attitude towards it differed from that of the Linji school in the Tang Dynasty because they were usually experienced in seated meditation. Moreover, there were Chan masters in both the Yangqi 楊岐 and Huanglong 黃龍 schools that advocated seated meditation as the foundation of Buddhist practice. For example, both Foyan Qingyuan’s 佛眼清遠 “Seated Meditation Inscription” 坐禪銘 and Foxin Bencai’s 佛心本才 “Seated Meditation Etiquette” 坐禪儀 pay attention to seated meditation and agree that enlightenment can only be achieved through gradual cultivation, and after enlightenment, a period of training is still required to achieve ultimate perfection. The above findings suggest that there was a development tendency of returning to seated meditation in the Linji school during the Song Dynasty.
Exploring Karmic Capital in the Context of Cultural Information Practices
Authors: Perera Pethigamage
Published: September 2023

This paper uses an ethnographic approach to explore the religious practices of the modern religious organization called the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Temple. This study aims to investigate the spiritual information practices of both monks and devotees of the temple. The findings reveal that participants’ religious practices lead to a range of outcomes, expressed in terms of the Bourdieusian notion of capital, with karmic capital emerging as a very important outcome of these practices. An essential argument posited by the author pertains to the distinctive nature of karmic capital—a hybrid manifestation of capital that is intricately interwoven with cultural and symbolic capital. Unlike the conventional influence of economic capital or social affiliations, the potency of karmic capital hinges upon a distinct paradigm. However, the fact that a resource gives power within a society also applies to karmic capital too. Furthermore, the author underscores the epistemological standing of karmic capital, which derives its essence from the principal sociological forms of capital—namely, economic, cultural, and social forms. This article also delves into the characteristics of karmic capital and its transformative nature. A key contribution of this study lies in its recognition of the impact of cultural norms on the consequences of information science.
The Archimede Rover: A Comparison Between Simulations and Experiments
Authors: Caruso Matteo , Giberna Marco , Görner Martin , Gallina Paolo , Seriani Stefano
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we propose an in-depth evaluation of the performance of the Archimede rover while traversing rough terrain with loose soil. In order to better analyze this, the reality gap is evaluated when simulating the behavior with an open-source simulator. To this extent, we implement a full model of the rover in the open-source dynamics simulator Gazebo, along with several types of terrains that replicate the experimental conditions. The rover control system is equipped with a kinematics model that allows for driving in different modes. We implement an odometric system aboard the rover, as well as an external optical absolute tracking system as reference. We estimate the drift occurring during driving in different configurations, two types of soil with corresponding wheel geometries. The results show good adherence of the odometry when the rover drives on planar ground; conversely, as expected, a marked influence of slope is seen on wheel drift. The reality gap between simulations and experimental results is kept comparatively small provided that slopes are not present.
Mean Seasonal Sea Surface Height Variations in and around the Makassar Strait
Authors: Ichikawa Kaoru
Published: September 2023

Seasonal variations are significant in currents in the Makassar Strait, 80% of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean, and they are in phase with both the monsoon and the sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) difference between two oceans. However, dynamics are not well discussed since gridded SSHA products within the strait are less reliable because of both over-smoothing and contamination in coastal areas. In this study, therefore, 17 years of along-track Jason altimetry data with the ALES retracker are used without grid interpolation to investigate seasonal SSHA variations in and around the Makassar Strait. All SSHA variations are in phase from the southern Celebes Sea to the northern Java Sea through the Makassar Strait, but their amplitude decreases by the distance from the southern shallow area. These amplitude modulations produce the pressure gradient force, which is maximum to the north of 4°S reaching 1.5 × 10−6 ms−2, and that would be balanced with the bottom friction of the upper-layer ITF velocity, rather than the wind stress whose magnitude 5 × 10−8 ms−2 is too small. The SSHA difference between the two oceans is in phase but is isolated from the Makassar Strait by adjacent uncorrelated SSHA variations.
CCC-SSA-UNet: U-Shaped Pansharpening Network with Channel Cross-Concatenation and Spatial–Spectral Attention Mechanism for Hyperspectral Image Super-Resolution
Authors: Liu Zhichao , Han Guangliang , Yang Hang , Liu Peixun , Chen Dianbing , Liu Dongxu , Deng Anping
Published: September 2023

A hyperspectral image (HSI) has a very high spectral resolution, which can reflect the target’s material properties well. However, the limited spatial resolution poses a constraint on its applicability. In recent years, some hyperspectral pansharpening studies have attempted to integrate HSI with PAN to improve the spatial resolution of HSI. Although some achievements have been made, there are still shortcomings, such as insufficient utilization of multi-scale spatial and spectral information, high computational complexity, and long network model inference time. To address the above issues, we propose a novel U-shaped hyperspectral pansharpening network with channel cross-concatenation and spatial–spectral attention mechanism (CCC-SSA-UNet). A novel channel cross-concatenation (CCC) method was designed to effectively enhance the fusion ability of different input source images and the fusion ability between feature maps at different levels. Regarding network design, integrating a UNet based on an encoder–decoder architecture with a spatial–spectral attention network (SSA-Net) based on residual spatial–spectral attention (Res-SSA) blocks further enhances the ability to extract spatial and spectral features. The experiment shows that our proposed CCC-SSA-UNet exhibits state-of-the-art performance and has a shorter inference runtime and lower GPU memory consumption than most of the existing hyperspectral pansharpening methods.
Monitoring Agricultural Land and Land Cover Change from 2001–2021 of the Chi River Basin, Thailand Using Multi-Temporal Landsat Data Based on Google Earth Engine
Authors: Suwanlee Savittri Ratanopad , Keawsomsee Surasak , Pengjunsang Morakot , Homtong Nudthawud , Prakobya Amornchai , Borgogno-Mondino Enrico , Sarvia Filippo , Som-ard Jaturong
Published: September 2023

In recent years, climate change has greatly affected agricultural activity, sustainability and production, making it difficult to conduct crop management and food security assessment. As a consequence, significant changes in agricultural land and land cover (LC) have occurred, mostly due to the introduction of new agricultural practices, techniques and crops. Earth Observation (EO) data, cloud-computing platforms and powerful machine learning methods can certainly support analysis within the agricultural context. Therefore, accurate and updated agricultural land and LC maps can be useful to derive valuable information for land change monitoring, trend planning, decision-making and sustainable land management. In this context, this study aims at monitoring temporal and spatial changes between 2001 and 2021 (with a four 5-year periods) within the Chi River Basin (NE–Thailand). Specifically, all available Landsat archives and the random forest (RF) classifier were jointly involved within the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform in order to: (i) generate five different crop type maps (focusing on rice, cassava, para rubber and sugarcane classes), and (ii) monitoring the agricultural land transitions over time. For each crop map, a confusion matrix and the correspondent accuracy were computed and tested according to a validation dataset. In particular, an overall accuracy > 88% was found in all of the resulting five crop maps (for the years 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016 and 2021). Subsequently the agricultural land transitions were analyzed, and a total of 18,957 km2 were found as changed (54.5% of the area) within the 20 years (2001–2021). In particular, an increase in cassava and para rubber areas were found at the disadvantage of rice fields, probably due to two different key drivers taken over time: the agricultural policy and staple price. Finally, it is worth highlighting that such results turn out to be decisive in a challenging agricultural environment such as the Thai one. In particular, the high accuracy of the five derived crop type maps can be useful to provide spatial consistency and reliable information to support local sustainable agriculture land management, decisions of policymakers and many stakeholders.
Anti-Jamming GNSS Antenna Array Receiver with Reduced Phase Distortions Using a Robust Phase Compensation Technique
Authors: Li Song , Wang Feixue , Tang Xiaomei , Ni Shaojie , Lin Honglei
Published: September 2023

Antenna arrays with adaptive filtering can protect the integrity and functionality of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers against interference. However, a major problem with existing adaptive array processing algorithms is that they cause phase distortions and introduce bias errors into the carrier phase measurement, limiting high-precision applications. In this paper, a robust phase compensation technique is proposed to reduce the phase distortion. First, a phase bias detection method is developed to trigger the phase compensation technique. Then, the phase bias is estimated using a robust estimation method and compensated for in the GNSS receiver. The proposed technique operates in real time and causes no processing delay, while requiring only a minor modification to existing GNSS receivers. This technique is applied to the power inversion adaptive antenna, and can also be extended to a wide variety of adaptive antennas. The simulation experiments verify the applicability of the proposed technique and also confirm its superiority over existing techniques.
Light Absorption by Optically Active Components in the Arctic Region (August 2020) and the Possibility of Application to Satellite Products for Water Quality Assessment
Authors: Efimova Tatiana , Churilova Tatiana , Skorokhod Elena , Suslin Vyacheslav , Buchelnikov Anatoly S. , Glukhovets Dmitry , Khrapko Aleksandr , Moiseeva Natalia
Published: September 2023

In August 2020, during the 80th cruise of the R/V “Akademik Mstislav Keldysh”, the chlorophyll a concentration (Chl-a) and spectral coefficients of light absorption by phytoplankton pigments, non-algal particles (NAP) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) were measured in the Norwegian Sea, the Barents Sea and the adjacent area of the Arctic Ocean. It was shown that the spatial distribution of the three light-absorbing components in the explored Arctic region was non-homogenous. It was revealed that CDOM contributed largely to the total non-water light absorption (atot(λ) = aph(λ) + aNAP(λ) + aCDOM(λ)) in the blue spectral range in the Arctic Ocean and the Barents Sea. The fraction of NAP in the total non-water absorption was low (less than 20%). The depth of the euphotic zone depended on atot(λ) in the surface water layer, which was described by a power equation. The Arctic Ocean, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea did not differ in the Chl-a-specific light absorption coefficients of phytoplankton. In the blue maximum of phytoplankton absorption spectra, Chl-a-specific light absorption coefficients of phytoplankton in the upper mixed layer (UML) were higher than those below the UML. Relationships between phytoplankton absorption coefficients and Chl-a were derived by least squares fitting to power functions for the whole visible domain with a 1 nm interval. The OCI, OC3 and GIOP algorithms were validated using a database of co-located results (day-to-day) of in situ measurements (n = 63) and the ocean color scanner data: the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard the Terra (EOS AM) and Aqua (EOS PM) satellites, the Visible and Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) onboard the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (S-NPP) and JPSS-1 satellites (also known as NOAA-20), and the Ocean and the Land Color Imager (OLCI) onboard the Sentinel-3A and Sentinel-3B satellites. The comparison showed that despite the technological progress in optical scanners and the algorithms refinement, the considered standard products (chlor_a, chl_ocx, aph_443, adg_443) carried little information about inherent optical properties in Arctic waters. Based on the statistic metrics (Bias, MdAD, MAE and RMSE), it was concluded that refinement of the algorithm for retrieval of water bio-optical properties based on remote sensing data was required for the Arctic region.
Spatiotemporal Gravitational Evolution of the Night Land Surface Temperature: An Empirical Study Based on Night Lights
Authors: Fan Qiang , Shi Yue , Mutale Bwalya , Cong Nan
Published: September 2023

Land surface temperature (LST) is closely associated with urban and rural development. To study the spatiotemporal evolution of the LST, we used daily night light and LST data as well as the gravity model, coupling coordination model, standard deviation ellipse, and other methods. Under the analysis–coordination–gravity framework, we studied the spatiotemporal and gravitational evolution of the nighttime LST in the Henan Province in 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2022. Our research revealed significant differences in the high-brightness values of nighttime lighting between different years and seasons. The maximum offset distance occurred in the winters of 2013–2016 at 20,933.28 m, whereas the minimum offset distance was observed in the autumns of 2019–2022 at 1196.03 m. In addition, the spatiotemporal gravity of the LST exhibits a certain evolution pattern. Although differences in the direction of evolution and the distribution of high gravity density were found, a homogenization trend was observed for the distribution of gravity in the spring of 2016, autumn of 2019, and summer of 2022. LST shows different characteristics over changing space and seasons, and its gravity shows the characteristics of spatial aggregation. The results provide new ideas for LST studies and are of significance for the restoration of ecosystems.
Correction: Zhang et al. Evaluation of the Radiometric Calibration of ZY1-02E Thermal Infrared Data. Remote Sens. 2023, 15, 3905
Authors: Zhang Honggeng , Tang Hongzhao , Liu Xining , Dou Xianhui , Qian Yonggang , Chen Wei , Li Kun
Published: September 2023

In the original publication [...]
Accounting for Non-Stationary Relationships between Precipitation and Environmental Variables for Downscaling Monthly TRMM Precipitation in the Upper Indus Basin
Authors: Wang Yixuan , Shen Yan-Jun , Zaman Muhammad , Guo Ying , Zhang Xiaolong
Published: September 2023

Satellite precipitation data downscaling is gaining importance for climatic and hydrological studies at basin scale, especially in the data-scarce mountainous regions, e.g., the Upper Indus Basin (UIB). The relationship between precipitation and environmental variables is frequently utilized to statistically data and enhance spatial resolution; the non-stationary relationship between precipitation and environmental variables has not yet been completely explored. The present work is designed to downscale TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) data from 2000 to 2017 in the UIB, using stepwise regression analysis (SRA) to filter environmental variables first and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to downscale the data later. As a result, monthly and annual precipitation data with a high spatial resolution (1 km × 1 km) were obtained. The study’s findings showed that elevation, longitude, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and latitude, with the highest correlations with precipitation in the UIB, are the most important variables for downscaling. Environmental variable filtration followed by GWR model downscaling performed better than GWR model downscaling directly when compared with observation data. Generally, the SRA and GWR method are suitable for environmental variable filtration and TRMM data downscaling, respectively, over the complex and heterogeneous topography of the UIB. We conclude that the monthly non-stationary relationships between precipitation and variables exist and have the greatest potential to affect downscaling, which requires the most attention.
Unleashing Creativity and Cooperation: A Qualitative Case Study on Designing Digital Breakouts for Social Education Degrees
Authors: Rodríguez-Rivera Paula , Manzano-León Ana , Dapía Conde María Dolores , Rodríguez-Ferrer José M.
Published: September 2023

This article examines the implementation of a cooperative training workshop for Spanish undergraduate social educators. The workshop aimed to explore the integration of escape rooms and breakouts in teaching, specifically addressing cyberbullying as a curricular topic. A total of 40 students participated in designing and qualitatively evaluating the training workshop. The findings highlight the workshop’s effectiveness in enhancing social education students’ training, preparing them for future professional careers, and enhancing their learning, teamwork, and proficiency in utilising ICT programs and resources. The study underscores the significance of incorporating these innovative approaches to improve student motivation, interest, and overall skill development.
A Meaningful Synergy: The Integration of Character Strengths and the Three Types of Meaning in Life
Authors: Russo-Netzer Pninit , Tarrasch Ricardo , Niemiec Ryan M.
Published: September 2023

Two areas that have scientifically erupted in the last two decades are the sciences of meaning and of character strengths, yet the integration of these areas has been minimal. Some studies have drawn significant connections between character strengths and meaning in life; however, the samples have been limited, the measures have not measured or separated the types of meaning, and/or the studies have not gathered data from participants on the nuances of meaning. We conducted a large-scale, mixed methods study with 23,641 participants, spanning more than 100 countries. We measured the 24 character strengths using the VIA Inventory of Strengths and the three components of meaning—coherence/comprehension, significance/mattering, and purpose—using the Multidimensional Existential Meaning Scale. Participants shared their observations on how their chosen character strength was helpful for coherence, purpose, and significance. Meaning scales were significantly correlated with all character strengths. The strongest predictors of overall meaning were hope, spirituality, zest, curiosity, and gratitude. We found gender differences for character strengths and types of meaning, as well as age trends. Finally, we qualitatively analyzed the answers explaining the selections of character strengths, and assessed differences between gender and age. We discuss the findings within this intersection as well as ramifications for the scientific synergy of character strengths and meaning.
An Exploratory Study on the Association between Community Resilience and Disaster Preparedness in the Rio Grande Valley
Authors: Kyne Dean
Published: September 2023

(1) Background: Severe weather events have impacted over 100 million Americans in the past two years, highlighting the importance of individual disaster preparedness in building community resilience. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing individuals’ perceived disaster resiliency and preparedness in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. (2) Methods: Data were collected from 846 respondents using the Communities Advancing Resilience Toolkit (CART) Assessment Survey instrument. The study employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the association between disaster preparedness and community resilience. (3) Results: The findings of the study revealed a significant association between disaster preparedness and perceived community resilience. (4) Conclusions: The study’s findings provide an assessment of the community strengths (assets) in the Rio Grande Valley, which can be utilized to develop initiatives and programs aimed at enhancing community resilience and individual disaster preparedness. These findings contribute significantly to the theoretical understanding of the interplay between community resilience and individual preparedness for disasters.
Rethinking the Unthinkable: A Delphi Study on Remote Work during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Galanti Teresa , Ferrara Bruna , Benevene Paula , Buonomo Ilaria
Published: September 2023

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 pushed organizations towards the adoption of new ways of organizing the workplace, to contrast the diffusion of the virus as well as to ensure the production of goods and services. Many workers and employers were suddenly forced to switch to forms of remote work, quite often without any real preparation to successfully deal with these changes. This exploratory study aimed to investigate the point of view of Italian HR managers on the introduction of these new ways of working in Italian SMEs, to underline both the advantages and risks of remote work and to provide a shared list of best and worst practices related to remote work adoption. A Panel of 19 Italian experts of HR management was recruited in April 2022 to perform a Delphi study. They were asked to take part in an anonymous and asynchronous discussion started with stimulus questions, on their remote working experience during the pandemic. A mixed-methods approach was adopted for data collection and analysis. Results: Five principal themes emerged, related to both the positive and negative implications of the adoption of hybrid and remote work, namely: work-life balance, environmental sustainability, impact of working life on individual wellbeing and health, and technological improvement. The content analysis was realized with the use of the T-Lab software, stressing the risks of inaccurate planning and management of these new ways of work. Conclusions: This is the first application of a Delphi study in the Italian context on the impact of COVID-19 on work-life transformative processes. The results highlight the importance of clear communication, transparency, trust, and technology in successfully implementing remote and hybrid forms of work. By implementing these best practices, organizations can create a work environment that supports remote and hybrid work, fosters collaboration, and maintains productivity. The findings of this study can serve as a useful guide for organizations that are transitioning to remote or hybrid work models.
Impact of Carbon Trading Mechanism Considering Blockchain Technology on the Evolution of New Energy Vehicle Industry in the Post-Subsidy Era
Authors: Zhao Wenhui , Liu Yimeng , Hou Jiansheng , Liu Lifang
Published: September 2023

The incentives for the new energy vehicle industry have been decreasing year by year, and the industry has gradually returned from being “government-oriented” to “market-oriented”. In this context, motivating car companies and consumers to choose new energy vehicles to reach the dual-carbon goal is an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, we consider using blockchain technology to include the new energy vehicle industry in carbon trading, analyze the strategic choices of the government, automobile manufacturers, and consumers from the perspective of evolutionary games, and use MATLAB 2017b to conduct simulation analysis. The results show that (1) the implementation of a carbon trading mechanism by the government is favorable to automobile manufacturers and consumers in choosing new energy vehicles, but it is greatly influenced by the costs of technology implementation; (2) the government can induce consumers and automakers to choose new energy vehicles through total control and initial carbon quotas; and (3) the additional investment costs of automobile manufacturers will affect their willingness to produce new energy vehicles, and the government can adjust the existing “double points” policy to encourage automobile manufacturers to choose to produce new energy vehicles.
‘I Do It for Others’! Prosocial Reasons for Complying with Anti-COVID Measures and Pro-Environmental Behaviours: The Mediating Role of the Psychological Distance of Climate Change
Authors: Sarrasin Oriane , Zanetti Cinzia , Rudmann Ocyna , Avery Robert A. T. , Graton Aurélien
Published: September 2023

The present study examined whether prosocial reasons to comply with anti-COVID measures were related to pro-environmental behaviours (PEB), as both have in common that they were/are mostly performed to help others. We investigated two mediating psychological mechanisms: perceived interdependencies between the self and others, and reduced climate change psychological distance. Latent class analyses applied to data from an online study conducted in France, Switzerland, the UK, and Spain (Ntot = 967) revealed five different ‘environmental’ profiles. Path models showed that prosocial reasons for complying with anti-COVID measures were related to the most congruent profiles (the ‘strongly committed’, frequent PEB/strong pro-environmental intentions, and the ‘strongly disengaged’, infrequent PEB/low intentions) through a reduced vs. heightened psychological distance of climate change. Prosocial reasons were not related to the three other profiles. However, a reduced vs. heightened psychological distance between COVID-19 and the self was related to perceived interdependencies, which were then related to the two most incongruent profiles: the ‘well-meaning’ and the ‘committed to private PEB’. We discuss these results to the extent that they inform on (a) the relevance of using a profile-approach, (b) the way to measure the psychological distance of different global crises, and (c) the relevance of pursuing research on perceived interdependencies as predictors of PEB.
The Mediating Effect of Perceived Institutional Support on Inclusive Leadership and Academic Loyalty in Higher Education
Authors: Gbobaniyi Olabode , Srivastava Shalini , Oyetunji Abiodun Kolawole , Amaechi Chiemela Victor , Beddu Salmia Binti , Ankita Bajpai
Published: September 2023

Globally, people have a rising desire to obtain certificates, degrees, and diplomas in higher institutions, described as “diploma disease”. Additionally, the need for sustainable education becomes imperative as globalization increases. To meet these demands, there is a need for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to have adequate support for both students and academics. However, these HEIs are faced with the challenge of meeting set goals and values. For leaders in HEIs, inclusion is a critical challenge. This paper investigates perceived institutional support’s (PIS) role in mediating the co-relationship between academic loyalty and inclusive leadership within HEIs. The study presents a literature review to give some background. This paper’s conceptual framework is built on PIS from social exchange theories. Based on the design, a quantitative survey was adopted for the study. A random sample of 402 academics in HEIs was deployed for the study. A questionnaire instrument was designed to elicit information from the respondents. A structural equation model (SEM) was then adopted for the data analysis. The SEM approach was utilized to investigate the connection between academic loyalty and inclusive leadership at HEIs, with the mediating factor of PIS. The findings reveal a positive relationship exists between academic loyalty and inclusive leadership. While PIS positively connects both, there is also an inference that institutional support exists. This study provides insights that could assist stakeholders in formulating policies on employee needs and what could be done to improve and attain sustainable education in HEIs. It highlights applicable impacts towards increased productivity in HEIs, reflecting achieved targets regarding key performance indicators (KPI) and improved institutional performance.
EnergyAuction: IoT-Blockchain Architecture for Local Peer-to-Peer Energy Trading in a Microgrid
Authors: Condon Felipe , Franco Patricia , Martínez José M. , Eltamaly Ali M. , Kim Young-Chon , Ahmed Mohamed A.
Published: September 2023

The widespread adoption of distributed energy resources (DERs) and the progress made in internet of things (IoT) and cloud computing technologies have enabled and facilitated the development of various smart grid applications and services. This study aims to develop and implement a peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading platform that allows local energy trading between consumers and prosumers within a microgrid which combines IoT and blockchain technologies. The proposed platform comprises an IoT-cloud home energy management system (HEMS) responsible for gathering and storing energy consumption data and incorporates a blockchain framework that ensures secure and transparent energy trading. The proposed IoT–blockchain architecture utilizes a Chainlink oracle network and a private Ethereum blockchain. Through the use of smart contracts, consumers and prosumers can participate in an open auction to trade energy, while the settlement process involves acquiring external energy data from an API through the oracle network. The performance of the platform is evaluated through a testbed scenario using real-world energy data from a real house in Valparaiso, Chile, while storing those measurements in AWS cloud, validating the feasibility of the proposed architecture in enabling local energy trading. This work contributes to the development of energy management systems by providing a real-world implementation of an IoT–blockchain architecture for local energy trading. The integration of these technologies will allow for a more efficient and secure energy trading system that can benefit prosumers, consumers, and utilities.
Impact of Environmental Concern, Emotional Appeals, and Attitude toward the Advertisement on the Intention to Buy Green Products: The Case of Younger Consumer Audiences
Authors: Balaskas Stefanos , Panagiotarou Aliki , Rigou Maria
Published: September 2023

The protection of our natural environment and the rational use of our natural resources are topics that have gained enormous attention the last years, with thousands of people changing their buying behaviors and making more environmentally conscious purchase decisions. Green consumer behavior is concerned with environmental issues or societal considerations that are reflected in purchase decisions. In this article, we study the factors influencing the intention of consumers to buy green products by proposing and validating a research model depicting the dependencies of green purchase intention from the selected factors. More specifically, the aim of the exploratory study is to investigate the impact of positive and negative emotions on individuals’ perceptions of environmentally friendly products and services, as well as the influence of attitudes toward green ads and of consumers’ environmental concerns on green purchasing behavior. The study was conducted with 75 participants who were shown six ads promoting a specific ecofriendly product, with each ad featuring a different emotional appeal both through its visual imagery and its textual information; three of the ads elicited negative emotions (fear, guilt, and disgust) and three positive emotions (joy, interest/curiosity, and inspiration). Findings indicate that ads that elicit negative emotions demonstrate a significant positive effect on consumers’ attitudes toward the green ad and on their intention to buy the promoted green product, but this does not apply to ads that elicit positive emotions. The statistical analysis also revealed that the attitudes toward the green ad are not a significant predictor of consumers’ buying intention. Moreover, as expected, consumers with high environmental concern demonstrate stronger intention to buy the promoted green product compared to consumers with low environmental concern.
Spatio-Temporal Differentiation Characteristics and Driving Factors of Urban Thermal Environment: A Case Study in Shaanxi Province, China
Authors: Feng Xiaogang , Zhou Zaihui , Somenahalli Sekhar , Li Meng , Li Fengxia , Wang Yuan
Published: September 2023

Rapid urbanization and global warming have led to a series of ecological and health problems caused by the deterioration of urban thermal environment (UTE). Using a comprehensive analysis of meteorological and remote sensing data for Shaanxi Province, a model of urban thermal differentiation (UTD) was developed, and the spatio-temporal characteristics of UTE in different regions were analyzed. Using the Geo-explore model, natural and socio-economic factors were chosen to explain the spatio-temporal distribution changes in UTE. The results showed that the UTD and Geo-explore models can be used to estimate spatio-temporal differentiation characteristics and change patterns of UTE. This method can describe UTE’s spatial distribution and change characteristics well, making it suitable for multiple-perspective evaluations. In Shaanxi Province, the spatio-temporal distribution of UTE shows a decreasing trend from south to north and east to west. After 2000, the UTD showed a relatively stable performance in the Southern, Central, and Northern regions. The atmospheric temperature (AT) varied greatly across regions due to different factors. UTE mitigation and improved urban design can be achieved using this method.
Improving Cruise Crew Competency and Cultivating Global Citizenship: A Sustainable Development Approach for the Cruise Industry
Authors: Yoon Yeohyun
Published: September 2023

In our increasingly interconnected world, the idea of global citizenship has taken center stage, especially in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, the cruise sector, in its resurgence after the COVID-19 setback, is facing workforce equilibrium issues. This study delves into career guidance, specifically concerning cruise staff roles. The focus is on how global citizenship perceptions, work-related values, service-oriented attitudes, competencies, and career self-concepts interplay among emerging service professionals. Initially, the global perspective of these professionals considerably boosts their work values, attitudes, and competencies related to cruise ship roles. Furthermore, a positive service attitude enhances work values and competencies. Also, work values appear to augment both skill sets and career self-awareness among cruise staff. The skills of cruise staff significantly amplify their career self-concept. Moreover, both the service mindset and skill set of cruise staff serve as intermediaries in the nexus between global citizenship, work values, and career identity. Lastly, the service perspective, abilities of cruise staff, and job values are pivotal links between global citizenship views, occupational values, and career recognition. The findings underline the significance of fostering a global outlook, emphasize the alignment of job selections with work values, and accentuate the importance of building service mindsets and capabilities for robust career self-awareness. A dual approach, incorporating global citizenship teachings and skill-building for cruise roles, can help bridge the workforce gap in the cruise sector. In essence, these findings can enlighten cruise companies as they evaluate the community involvement facet of their ESG directives.