bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Quality of Environmental Data Disclosure. The case of Public Companies from the European Union Countries
Authors: Janicka Małgorzata , Sajnóg Artur
Published: October 2023

In the 21st century business entities are required to change priorities and move to a sustainable relationship between environmental, social, and economic well-being. Climate and environment are phenomena of transnational and global nature, and for this reason, actions in this area should be taken at a supranational level. Nowadays, the European Union (EU) countries have been implementing directives concerning environmental changes and taxonomy for non-financial reporting. According to their requirements, public companies must disclose high-quality data in the ESG area, including the environmental indicator (E) and its components. The purpose of the study is to discuss the current state of disclosure of environmental data by public companies listed on the regulated markets of the European Union. Special emphasis is devoted to energy consumption, water, waste production, and CO2 emissions. To test the quality of environmental indicators, we used the Refinitiv database. The research period covers 2012–2021. The research sample consists of public companies listed on the leading stock markets in 27 EU member states. The findings support the clear advantage of the quality of environmental data disclosure in the ‘old’ EU member states (which joined before 2004) as to compared to the ‘new’ EU member states.

Keywords: environmental disclosure, environmental reporting, ESG, European Union, public companies.
Sustainable Education for Middle-Aged and Elderly: Learning to Know, Learning to do for Sustainable Living
Authors: Gou Hualan
Published: October 2023

etc. Resulting in new and popular symbols. While these are convenient for young people, but many middle-aged and elderly people are forced to be blind because of these new, unfamiliar and fragmented symbols, making it difficult for them to learn to know and learn to do for sustainable living, discussing the changes in P.C.R through 2013-2023." Our vision is to transform lives through education, recognizing the important role of education as a main driver of development" (Mundial, G.B.&UNICEF, 2016). The middle-aged and elderly can join sustainable development by changing their behaviors and coping with life through education, not just formal education in schools, but also 'modern' adult education( that combines individual and collective experiences in a contextual way) for the technological age, and online course that allow the middle-aged and elderly to increase the accessibility and availability of information, as well as to integrate sustainable knowledge in an easily understandable way. This paper expands on the target group for sustainable education and how to make the information more accessible and acceptable to middle-aged and elderly in new, unfamiliar and fragmented symbols and to educate as a top-down sustainability education for next generation.

Keywords: Sustainable education、Modern adult education、Top-down sustainability education、Remote education、Symbol
Green Growth and Technology: Is there a Relationship with Green Innovation?
Authors: Ribeiro Helena Farias , Coelho da Silveira Carolina , Borsatto Jaluza Maria Lima Silva , Alves de Araújo Aracy , Marcolin Carla Bonato
Published: October 2023

This study intends to analyze how the adoption of Green Innovation (GI) practices by companies of the industrial sector promotes the development of Green Technologies (GT) and Green Growth (GG) in Developed Countries (DC) and Emerging Countries (EC). The survey sample consisted of 8659 observations from DC industrial companies and 1958 observations from EC companies, from data collected from Thomson Reuters and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Structural Equation Modeling was used for variable relationship analysis. The results pointed out that, in DC, GI practices impacts positively the GT of the countries, but this does not occur with the GG, which are negatively affected by the adoption of GI practices by the companies. On the other hand, in EC, only environmental investments positively affected the development of GT in these countries. And in relation to the GG, the GI practices of Environmental Management and Environmental Policies positively influenced this growth. The survey results contribute to discussions on regional differences in the benefits of green innovation by companies in promoting sustainable development. In addition, it can contribute with possible paths for companies and governments in setting goals to achieve SDG-8, SDG-9 and SDG-10.

Keywords: green innovation; green technology; green growth; SDG.
Future Actions towards Climate Change: The Role of Threat Perception and Emotions
Authors: Aguilar-Luzón María del Carmen , Carmona Beatriz , Loureiro Ana
Published: October 2023

This work explores the emotional activation (anxiety, fear, and anger) resulting from the cognitive-emotional process related to the perception of climate change: a) when climate change is considered the result of human action (anthropogenic) and b) when climate change is considered the result of the planet’s natural activity. An experimental study was conducted with 104 participants exposed to two types of messages about the causes of climate change. The results showed that exposure to the anthropogenic influence led to greater perception of threat to humans. Moreover, the participants in the anthropogenic sample expressed more anxiety and anger (negative emotions) than did the participants believing that climate change was due to the planet’s natural activity. Fear was not significant. Additionally, we verified the differential role of emotions, depending on the type of future behavior intention: emotions act as mediators between the perception of future climate threats and future collective pro-environmental behavior action, while the perception of threat acts directly on future individual pro-environmental behavior intention.

Keywords: Global warming, negative emotions, threat perception, pro-environmental behavior intention.
Precariat As an Anomic Vector of the Shadow Economy: Challenges and Threats to the Sustainable Development of Society
Authors: Ishchuk Mykhailo , Khrypko Svitlana , Chop Volodymyr , Serhieienkova Oksana , Spudka Iryna , Divchuk Tetiana
Published: October 2023

This article delves into the theoretical understanding of the precariat as an emerging social class, which challenges the established norms of economic life. As modern society undergoes constant changes in its social structure, the concept of precariat has gained prominence in scientific discourse. However, despite its significance, the precariat remains inadequately defined, with various interpretations and debates surrounding its characterization. The primary objective of this research is to define the precariat, outline its distinctive attributes, and explore its role in contemporary society. Through a comprehensive analysis of relevant scientific literature, the authors aim to highlight the risks and challenges posed by the precariat to the sustainable development of society, with a particular focus on its impact on the economic realm. This article sheds light on the precariat’s origins, its position in the social structure, and its defining characteristics. It becomes evident that the precariat’s definition remains controversial, with different countries offering distinct interpretations of the concept. One significant factor contributing to the emergence of the precariat is the transition towards a new societal paradigm with novel social configurations. This class is characterized by its lack of stability, precarious employment conditions, absence of social benefits, insecure rights, and a sense of alienation not only from labor but also from society as a whole. Furthermore, the precariat predominantly occupies the lowest income positions within the social hierarchy. The precarious and vulnerable position of the precariat renders it susceptible to manipulation by other social actors for their own interests. Additionally, precariat groups may rise against their own circumstances. Failure to address the challenges faced by the precariat could lead to the evolution of a “dangerous class” within society, potentially instigating radical transformations in social life. In conclusion, this article provides an in-depth exploration of the precariat as a novel social class, shedding light on its defining features and its implications for modern society. Understanding the precariat’s role is essential for devising strategies to mitigate its risks and challenges, ensuring a more sustainable and equitable economic space for all. By addressing the vulnerabilities and uncertainties faced by the precariat, societies can strive for a future where opportunities are equitably distributed, contributing to the overall development and progress of humanity as a whole. The findings of this research contribute to a better understanding of the precariat's role as an anomic vector of the shadow economy and its potential challenges and threats to sustainable development in contemporary societies.

 Keywords: precariat, shadow economy, social class, sustainability, societal impact, uncertainty, inequality.
Act Locally, Think Globally: SDGs as Core Content for a 24 Course EAP Program
Authors: Gay Sean Eric Kil Patrick , Tat Cristina R.
Published: October 2023

This study will detail how a Sustainable Development Goals-centered English for Academic Purposes (EAP) curriculum was created and implemented at a Japanese university. In 2019, a school of policy studies at a university in Western Japan decided to revamp its undergraduate and graduate curricula to focus on offering most courses in English. Students wishing to pursue courses in International Affairs, Public Policy, and Media Studies would have to be able to write, speak, and attend lectures delivered in English with minimal Japanese language support. To prepare students, the first two years of their undergraduate studies they must enroll into a rigorous EAP program focused on the themes of the Sustainable Development Goals.  The program seeks to achieve lateral as well as vertical integration of the four skills Reading, Writing, Listening, and Speaking. This paper will explain the curriculum development process, as well as discuss the successes and failures after one year of implementation. The focus will be on how an increase in socially relevant content, the SDGs, was perceived by students and teachers and how it affected students’ academic development.

Keywords: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Curriculum Development; Materials Development; English for Academic Purposes (EAP); Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL).
Incorporating Sustainable Education in the Undergraduate Curriculum: The Experience of a Young University in Singapore
Authors: Mokhtar Intan Azura , Chong Ethan Yih Tng , Jusuf Steve Kardinal
Published: October 2023

In recent years, learning about sustainable development and sustainability has become an increasingly significant component in universities’ degree programs and curricula. As the world races to achieve the 17 United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs) by the year 2030 and abide by the framework proposed by the Paris Agreement ratified in 2015, our educational landscapes have simultaneously evolved. In universities, lessons in and opportunities for sustainable development and sustainability have redefined the university curricula and set the trajectory for our young people to take the lead in co-creating solutions for a better world. In this paper, background information of Singapore, a small city-state in Southeast Asia, is first presented, against the backdrop of how the nation’s national constraints that are aligned to the UN SDGs have shaped its national agenda and national education, including its higher education landscape. This is followed by a brief discourse of curriculum initiatives that revolved around themes of sustainable development and sustainability in a young university in Singapore. These initiatives and projects were driven by the desire to provide a university education that is relevant and able to address current local, regional, and global demands, and carried out with interdisciplinarity and sustainability as beacons.

Keywords: higher education; Singapore; sustainable development; sustainability; undergraduate education.
Microstructures in shocked quartz: linking nuclear airbursts and meteorite impacts
Authors: Hermes Robert E. , Wenk Hans-Rudolf , Kennett James P. , Bunch Ted E. , Moore Christopher R. , LeCompte Malcolm A. , Kletetschka Gunther , Adedeji A. Victor , Langworthy Kurt , Razink Joshua J. , Brogden Valerie , van Devener Brian , Perez Jesus Paulo , Polson Randy , Nowell Matt , West Allen
Published: October 2023

Many studies of hypervelocity impact craters have described the characteristics of quartz grains shock-metamorphosed at high pressures of >10 GPa. In contrast, few studies have investigated shock metamorphism at lower shock pressures. In this study, we test the hypothesis that low-pressure shock metamorphism occurs in near-surface nuclear airbursts and that this process shares essential characteristics with crater-forming impact events. To investigate low-grade shock microstructures, we compared quartz grains from Meteor Crater, a 1.2-km-wide impact crater, to those from near-surface nuclear airbursts at the Alamogordo Bombing Range, New Mexico in 1945 and Kazakhstan in 1949/1953. This investigation utilized a comprehensive analytical suite of high-resolution techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Meteor Crater and the nuclear test sites all exhibit quartz grains with closely spaced, sub-micron-wide fractures that appear to have formed at low shock pressures. Significantly, these micro-fractures are closely associated with Dauphiné twins and are filled with amorphous silica (glass), widely considered a classic indicator of shock metamorphism. Thus, this study confirms that glass-filled shock fractures in quartz form during near-surface nuclear airbursts, as well as crater-forming impact events, and by extension, it suggests that they may form in any near-surface cosmic airbursts in which the shockwave is coupled to Earth’s surface, as has been proposed. The robust characterization of such events is crucial because of their potential catastrophic effects on the Earth’s environmental and biotic systems.
Evidence for a large late-Holocene Strewn Field in Kiowa County, Kansas, USA
Authors: Tankersley Kenneth Barnett , Meyers Stephanie A. , Stimpson Don I. , Knepper Sheila M.
Published: October 2023

The Brenham/Haviland meteor crater is just one of a plethora of impact features comprising a large (~800 ha) late-Holocene-age strewn field in Kiowa County, Kansas. More than 10,000 kg of pallasites, a rare class of stony meteorites, have been recovered from impact features and the surface of the strewn field. Six AMS radiocarbon ages demonstrate there is a 95.4% probability that the impact event occurred within a range of 1497 BCE to 419 BCE and most likely between 754 BCE and 419 BCE. The impact event is well described in Pawnee oral histories and illustrated in petroglyphs near the strewn field. The age and geographic extent of the Kiowa County, Kansas, strewn field increases our understanding of the frequency of cosmic impact events on Earth and their influence on people and culture change.
Amplitude-Energy Parameters of Acoustic Radiation with Composite Properties Changing and Mieses Destruction
Authors: Filonenko Sergii , Stakhova Anzhelika
Published: October 2023

The paper considers the modeling results influence of parameter that characterize composite properties on acoustic emission energy parameters during the composite material destruction by shear forces according to von Mises criterion. It is shown that the analyzed parameter increases a non-linear decrease of acoustic radiation maximum and total energy is occurs. It is determined that obtained patterns decrease of acoustic emission signals maximum and total energy are well described by power functions. It is shown that the most sensitive parameter of acoustic radiation to change the parameter characterizing composite properties is the acoustic emission signals total energy. It is determined that a decrease of acoustic emission signals maximum energy is ahead to decrease the maximum amplitude, and a decrease of acoustic emission signals total energy is ahead to decrease the maximum energy.
Design of a Vision Based Autonomous Turret
Authors: Louali Rabah , Negadi Djilali , Hamadouche Rabah , Nemra Abdelkrim
Published: October 2023

This article describes the hardware and software design of a vision-based autonomous turret system. A two degree of freedom (2 DOF) turret platform is designed to carry a canon equipped with an embedded camera and actuated by stepper motors or direct current motors. The turret system includes a central calculator running a visual detection and tracking solution, and a microcontroller, responsible for actuators control. The Tracking-Learning-Detection (TLD) algorithm is implemented for target detection and tracking. Furthermore, a Kalman filter algorithm is implemented to continue the tracking in case of occlusion. The performances of the designed turret, regarding response time, accuracy and the execution time of its main tasks, are evaluated. In addition, an experimental scenario was performed for real-time autonomous detection and tracking of a moving target.
Reforma curricular em Goiás
Authors: Oliveira Carla Pereira de , Ribas Fernanda Costa
Published: October 2023

Neste artigo, relatamos resultados de uma pesquisa de doutorado, documental, etnográfica, de natureza qualitativo-interpretativista, desenvolvida entre 2019 e 2022, no contexto da reforma curricular de Goiás, que ocorreu em função da homologação da Base Nacional Comum Curricular (BNCC). O objetivo geral da pesquisa foi analisar as concepções trazidas pelo novo documento curricular da Rede Estadual de Goiás para a área de língua inglesa – o DC-GO - e investigar como professores de inglês e elaboradores do currículo significavam tal proposta em se tratando do ensino e aprendizagem de língua inglesa. Os participantes da pesquisa foram quatro professoras de Língua Inglesa de duas escolas estaduais de uma cidade do interior no Estado de Goiás e dois elaboradores do currículo. Para este artigo, fizemos um recorte da pesquisa e nos concentramos nas crenças das professoras de língua inglesa. Esperamos que os resultados da pesquisa enriqueçam as discussões na área de Linguística Aplicada sobre reformas educacionais e políticas de ensino realizadas ultimamente no Brasil e sobre a formação de professores de línguas.
Avaliação on-line em tempo integral durante a pandemia da Covid-19
Authors: Abduh Mariam Yousef Mohammed , Borja Bruno Chaves , Esqueda Marileide Dias
Published: October 2023

Este estudo teve como objetivo compreender melhor as percepções dos professores sobre os métodos de avaliação utilizados no ensino totalmente remoto de inglês como língua estrangeira (LE) no contexto saudita durante o isolamento social provocado pela Covid-19. O objetivo foi investigar quatro fatores: (1) as percepções dos professores de inglês como LE sobre a avaliação no ensino remoto, (2) os tipos de métodos de avaliação utilizados, (3) os desafios que os professores enfrentam ao avaliarem on-line os alunos e (4) existência ou não de diferenças significativas entre as percepções dos professores do sexo feminino e masculino em relação à avaliação on-line. Ao todo, 26 professores de inglês como LE completaram um questionário seguindo a escala Likert, que foi distribuído on-line usando o formulário Google, para evitar qualquer contato pessoal devido à pandemia da Covid-19. Além disso, foram conduzidas entrevistas através do aplicativo WhatsApp para coletar informações sobre os desafios da avaliação on-line. Os resultados revelaram que os professores de inglês como LE têm uma atitude moderada em relação à avaliação remota. Além disso, a maioria das respostas foi positiva em relação às técnicas/os métodos usados na avaliação on-line. Entretanto, a maioria dos itens relacionados às percepções dos professores sobre os desafios encontrados nas avaliações on-line teve, em média, pontuações altas/muita altas, que indicaram que os professores enfrentaram sérios desafios na avaliação on-line dos alunos. Além disso, o estudo revelou que não houve diferença significativa entre as percepções de professores e professoras em relação aos quatro fatores investigados.
Functioning of Existential Clauses Across the Stages of Narrative in ‘A house of pomegranates’, by Oscar Wilde
Authors: Palma Victor Mariotto , Da Silva Igor Antônio Lourenço
Published: October 2023

This paper aims to identify the functions prototypical existential clauses (there-be construction) may perform across the stages of narratives in a small corpus comprising A house of pomegranates, a collection of short stories by Oscar Wilde. The analysis draws upon Systemic-Functional Linguistics as theoretical framework for the concepts of existential clause and stages of narrative and builds upon Corpus Linguistics as a method of collecting and preparing data. After finding the instances of prototypical existential clauses and tagging the corresponding stages, the functions of the existential clauses in the narratives were identified. Findings show that existential clauses may occur in any stage of a narrative and perform five functions, namely, describing, introducing, listing, pointing, and pondering. Describing and pondering are the most frequent functions in the corpus. The describing function is mainly related to the Orientation and Resolution stages, while the pondering function mostly relates to the Complication and Evaluation stages.
Examining social policies in homelessness issues: Insight from Indonesian grassroots
Authors: Izudin Ahmad
Published: October 2023

Artikel ini mencari sistem perlindungan sosial bagi penyandang masalah gelandangan dan pengemis di bawah kebijakan daerah Indonesia. Pengamatan saya menunjukkan meskipun kebijakan sosial berubah yang membantu untuk memahami masalah tunawisma yang berisi masalah identifikasi, bias perkotaan, validasi kemiskinan, siklus perubahan, kualitas hidup, dan penuntutan, masalah identifikasi gelandangan dan pengemis tetap menjadi dilema. Kebijakan sosial harus menciptakan sistem terpadu sebagai bagian terpenting dalam pengentasan kemiskinan perkotaan, perlindungan dan pemberdayaan sosial, dan mekanisme rujukan secara jelas. Norma dan prinsip kemanusiaan harus diberikan kepada orang-orang yang terjebak oleh kerentanan sosial, dan perlindungan sosial harus dipadukan antara dukungan publik dan pemerintah.
Kata Kunci: Kebijakan sosial, Perlindungan gelandangan, Shelter, Bias Perkotaan, Standar Validasi Kemiskinan
This article seeks social protection for people with homeless problems under Indonesian regional policies. My observation demonstrates although the social policies changed that help us comprehend homelessness concerns containing identification issues, urban bias, poverty validation, the cycle of change, quality of life, and prosecution, an identification issue on homeless remains a dilemma. Social policies should create integrated systems as the most important in urban alleviating poverty, social protection and empowerment, and referral mechanisms. Norms and principles of human dignity must provide to people who are trapped social vulnerable, while social protection should be combined between public and government support.
Keywords Social Policy, Protecting Homeless Issues, Local Shelters, Urban Bias, Standard of Poverty Validation.
Relative Pauperization and Involution in Contemporary China
Authors: Witherspoon Alex , Khan Amir , Zhou Yu
Published: October 2023

There is a growing sense in China, Alex Witherspoon, Amir Khan, and Yu Zhou write, that the timeworn methods of social advancement are yielding diminishing returns. Using an original survey of 301 individuals in Jingzhou City, the authors lay bare the roots of this widespread feeling of involution.
A Nation of Guns
Authors: Dunbar-Ortiz Roxanne
Published: October 2023

Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz reviews Bloodbath Nation, a poignant exploration of the painful, studiously ignored truths about gun culture in the U.S. To grapple with the epidemic of gun violence, she writes, requires confronting deeper truths about white supremacy, settler-colonialism, and the U.S. history of enslavement.
Gorszyciel, deprawator, demoralizator – o nazwach osób nieprzestrzegających norm
Authors: Lisczyk Karolina
Published: October 2023

The aim of the article is to make an attempt at answering the question: what kinds of attitudes and actions make someone described as gorszyciel [offender], deprawator [depraver] or demoralizator [demoraliser]. The research material was obtained from four electronic corpuses of contemporary Polish. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the contexts of the use of these nouns, preceded by a review of data from dictionaries, showed that despite their similarity, each of them is associated with specific issues more often than the others. However, all of them refer to breaking not only moral, but also legal and religious standards. Sentences with feminine forms of those nouns illustrate the asymmetry in the way women and men are described and are limited to violating moral rules.
On why the Court did not want to fight smog, or several comments on the resolution of the Polish Supreme Court on the right to live in a clean environment
Authors: Bielska-Brodziak Agnieszka , Drapalska-Grochowicz Marlena , Suska Marek
Published: October 2023

The authors analyse the 2021 ruling by the Polish Supreme Court, which refused to acknowledge the right to live in a clean environment as a personal interest. The purpose of the paper is not only to evaluate the quality of the Supreme Court’s argumentation, but also to highlight the implicit premises that were missing from the grounds of the decision. Based on these findings, the authors draw broader conclusions about the circumstances that increase the likelihood of pro-environmental (including pro-climate) court decisions and breakthroughs in interpretation. The authors use the latter term to describe the situation of challenging the previous, widely accepted interpretation of certain legal provisions, favouring a different interpretation that considers societal changes in values and beliefs. The authors evaluate the Supreme Court’s arguments and put forward the thesis that the construction of personal interests was not the primary reason for rejecting the recognition of the right to live in a clean environment as a new personal interest. The authors used two methods to search for the hidden premises of the Supreme Court’s resolution: (i) they examined the discourse supporting the rejection of the right to live in a clean environment as a personal interest, and (ii) they placed the resolution in its socio-political context. The authors identify four conditions that increase the likelihood of pro-environmental (and pro-climate) court judgments: (i) the condition of costs’ expediency, (ii) the condition of individualization of responsibility, (iii) the condition of respect for the judiciary and (iv) the condition of public support. The last two conditions apply to interpretative breakthroughs in general, regardless of the subject matter.
Selected determinants and directions of the new way of thinking in economic sciences
Authors: Banaszyk Piotr , Deszczyński Przemysław , Gorynia Marian , Malaga Krzysztof
Published: October 2023

The text is devoted to new trends and changes emerging in the economic sciences, focused on growth, socio-economic development and income inequalities in the context of the idea of global rationality, understood as the ability to sustain the long-term existence of civilization on the entire planet. The thematic scope of this problem is broad; thus it is impossible to cover all its complexity in one study. Hence, attention is focused on selected aspects of the issues raised: on issues related to growth and development as well as economic inequalities, the economic foundations of growth, and the issue of substituting natural capital by human capital. A critical diagnosis and postulates for the future, with regard to measures of well-being in the context of the idea of sustainable development, are also considered as well as including the issue of sustainable development in development economics. The article ends with concluding remarks highlighting the thesis that economic growth should now be acceptable only when it does not excessively exploit natural capital and does contribute to deteriorating the quality of life. As for the methodological side of the text, it was created mainly through analysing the literature on the subject, but attention should be paid to the original nature of some predictions and recommendations, which were made as a result of the assumptions of the so-called diagnostic and prognostic analysis.
Environmental information disclosure: a cross-country analysis from European Union public companies
Authors: Janicka Małgorzata , Sajnóg Artur
Published: October 2023

One of the contemporary challenges related to climate change and effectively managing raw materials is to reduce resource consumption and the negative environmental impact while simultaneously increasing the economy’s competitiveness. This requires that business entities change priorities and move to a sustainable relationship focused on ecological, economic and social well-being. Due to the transnational and global nature of the climate and the environment, actions in this area should be carried out at a supranational level. In European Union (EU) countries, successive directives are implemented regarding environmental changes and the taxonomy for non-financial reporting. This forces public companies, as large public interest units, to produce adequate quality data reporting in the ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) area, including the environmental (E) indicator and its components. The article’s purpose is to make a comparative assessment of the current situation and to consider the prospects for environmental data disclosure by public companies listed on the regulated markets of the EU, with particular emphasis on energy consumption, water, waste production, and CO2 emissions. The Refinitiv database was used to test the quality of the environmental indicators. Public companies listed on the leading stock markets in the 27 EU Member States were included. The research period covers 2012–2021. We focus on checking how many companies report environmental data in any given year, and those that present them for at least one year, or for three, five, or ten years. The findings support the clear advantage of the quality of environmental data disclosure in the ‘old’ EU Member States (which joined before 2004) compared to the ‘new’ EU Member States. However, reporting on key environmental issues (water and energy consumption, waste production, and carbon dioxide) is very incomplete.
Between the Mountain, the Meadow, the Calm, and the Storm
Authors: Duncan Katy
Published: October 2023

This article explores the overlooked history of atmospheric electricity in the last third of the nineteenth century, delineating the work of Austrian physicist Franz Exner and German schoolteachers Julius Elster and Hans Geitel, and identifying the consequences of their work for twentieth-century physics. Since the earliest days of electrical science, the constant electrification of the atmosphere had been a persistent puzzle, with histories by historians and physicists alike typically focusing on what came after the discovery of gaseous ions in the atmosphere in 1899: cosmic rays, radioactivity, particle physics, and quantum phenomena. I argue that Exner and Elster and Geitel’s creative work in atmospheric electricity before 1899 provided the essential conditions for these twentieth-century discoveries. Their divergent theories, experiments, instruments, and environments, developed to understand the origins of the atmosphere’s electrification, provided a setting for new ideas about charge, determinism, and measurement to arise. This paper expands on the existing scholarship that has pointed to the fruitful interactions between physics and meteorology in British contexts in this period. In disentangling Exner’s and Elster and Geitel’s differing views on geographical and meteorological conditions I offer a new perspective on the recent vertical turn in the history of science. The paper concludes by suggesting that while the ionic revolution of 1899 was foundational for much of twentieth-century physics, it constituted a significant theoretical undoing for atmospheric electricians, leaving the field with even less understanding of the atmosphere’s electrification than before.
Enhancing tribological properties of MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe@C through 2D nanosheets modification of 3D structures
Authors:   School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China, Zhu C. T. , Chen F. ,   School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China, Yan W. ,   School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China, Wei Y. C. ,   School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China, Xu J. ,   School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China, Chen Y. P. ,   School of Physics and Electronic Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, 212013, P. R. China
Published: October 2023

This paper has prepared a new type of MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe@C heterostructure nanocomposites by one-step hydrothermal method and systematically studied by XRD, SEM, and XPS. Furthermore, the tribological behavior of MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe and MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe@C heterojunction in pure oil was extensively examined in a ball-on-disk tribometer. The effects of applied load and rotational speed were also investigated. Compared with MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe nanocomposites, MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe@C achieved better friction properties. Especially, when the mass ratio of MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe@C in the base oil is 1.5 wt%, the friction coefficient reaches the minimum value of 0.1. The results show that the introduction of carbon material can significantly improve the wear reduction and anti-wear properties of the matrix in lubricating oil. Additionally, the construction and excellent tribological properties of MoSe2/SnSe2/SnSe@C heterojunction would be beneficial for the design of novel nano-additives with 2D/3D structure for enhancing friction reduction and anti-wear, which also would expand their actual applications in the industry and agriculture.
Tailoring of Structural, electrical, and dielectric properties of Mg-Mn-Bi nanoferrites with addition of Zn
Authors:   Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, Taif 21944, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ali H. T. , Akhtar M. ,   Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan 38000, Arshad M. I. ,   Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan 38000, Amin N. ,   Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan 38000, Rehman A. U. ,   Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan 38000, Latif Z. ,   Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan 38000, Mehmood M. A. ,   Department of Physics, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan 38000, Naveed M. A. ,   Department of Chemistry, Government College University Faisalabad, Sahiwal Campus, Pakistan
Published: October 2023

Zin substituted Mg-Mn-Bi nano ferrites, Mg0.5 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀0.5−x 𝑍𝑍𝑍𝑍x 𝐵𝐵𝑖𝑖0.05Fe1.95O4 (x= 0, 0.125, 0.25, 0.375, 0.5) were synthesized using the sol gel auto combustion method. Structural parameters were analyzed through x-ray diffraction. It was revealed that all the samples are single phase spinel structure with Fd-3m space group and crystallite size, lattice constant and x-ray densities were varying with Zn concentration. RAMAN analysis showed the cation vibration. The DC resistivity was enhanced of all the samples with increasing concentration of Zn. The substitution of Zn also responsible for the variation of magnetic parameters as observed with VSM. Due to these remarkable properties all the prepared samples may be utilized at high frequency in microwave devices.
An electric arc information model
Authors: Dmytro G. Alekseevskiy , Petro D. Andriienko , Yehor N. Kiselov , Hryhorii I. Korotych , Serhii L. Shmalii
Published: October 2023

The synthesis of mathematical models is an inalienablepart of information technology. It allows for the analysis, prediction, and optimization of various systems and processes. A crucial component of this process is the selection of the correct mathematical approach and the validation of the model's adequacy. The proposed article is a component of the development of the visual-block modelingmethod, particularly forenhancing its library. As the library grows, the boundaries of applying the visual-block modelingmethod are expanded. The work's materials address the construction and use of a mathematical model of an electric arc using visual modeling tools. The proposed mathematical model has significantly higher efficiency compared to known models of the electric arc that adequately describesthe electro-physical process in the electric arc. This allows for a reduction in modeling time for complex electro-technical systems, which include the processes of arc formation and reigniting. The presented model encompasses the description of two processes: electrodynamicsand thermodynamicones. The voltage and current for resignationsare calculated automatically. The adequacy of the proposed model has been verified by comparing it with experimental data. Additionally, theadequacy of the proposed model is confirmed through the analysis of dynamic volt-ampere characteristics for various frequencies of the power source voltage. The developed mathematical model is formatted as an element of the visual-block modelinglibrary. This allows for the direct use of the proposed model for synthesizing models of complex electro-technicalsystems, including the electric arc, thus expanding the boundaries of applying the visual-block modelingmethod.
Students Experience Using Learning Factory at the Faculty of Industrial Management
Authors: Maarof Mohd Ghazali , Bohari Muhammad Zam Zahari
Published: October 2023

One of the issues faced by the industry internationally is a lack of skilled workers to meet growing industrial demands. To satisfy the demanding requirements of the manufacturing industry in such a scenario, both the educational content and didactical methodologies need to be enhanced. However, the university and other higher education institutions do not currently use training and teaching strategies that prepare students for employment in the industrial sector. The learning factory concept can be introduced to the institution to resolve this problem. The learning factory technique mixes business activities with the educational process. This study evaluates the student’s perception in using the learning factory concepts at the Universiti Malaysia Pahang, a Malaysian public university located in Pahang, Malaysia. A qualitative research method was employed, and data was collected by interviewing six undergraduate students who had used the learning factory for their lean manufacturing subject. The interview took place at the end of the semester using a structured, open-ended interviewing questions technique.  According to the study, the learning factory has four primary advantages which are increase students' interest in TVET topics, boost their level of soft skills, increase their comprehension, and offer tools to help them retain knowledge. The findings of this study can be used to provide new suggestions for lecturers, instructors, or higher education institution administration on how to make teaching students simpler and more engaging using learning factory concept. Future research should study the relationship between learning factory infrastructure, instructional approaches, with student performance.
Ethical Considerations in Enhancing Quality Performance: A Comprehensive Review of the Role of Employee Empowerment & Involvement, Communication, Knowledge Management and Organisational Culture
Authors: Leung Kim Ki Tommy , Tan Chen Ling , Abdul Wahid Nabsiah
Published: October 2023

The aim of this study is to provide a conceptual model that links several key variables including employee empowerment & involvement and communication of organisational factors (OF), knowledge management (KM) and organisational culture (OC) to enhance quality performance (QP) of Hong Kong watchmaking industry. Literature review was conducted extensively, and the approach employed was conceptualized into a proposed conceptual framework. A conceptual framework was suggested in this paper to enhance QP of Hong Kong watchmaking industry through employee empowerment & involvement and communication of OF, a mediator KM and a moderator OC. The literature review was performed extensively to provide four hypotheses including 1) the OF-KM relationship, 2) the KM-QP relationship, 3) the OF-QP relationship through a mediator KM, and 4) the KM-QP relationship through a moderator OC. More opportunities were provided in this study for researchers to expand further the research in QP of Hong Kong watchmaking industry on the basis of the theories from knowledge-based view and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in the organisations. The study attempted to explore good employee empowerment & involvement and communication together with strategic KM and OC to enhance QP of Hong Kong watchmaking industry. According to this study, the mediator KM and the moderator OC for the OF-QP relationship can be expected to enhance QP of Hong Kong watchmaking industry. KM mediates the OF-QP relationship whereas OC moderates the OF-QP relationship with existence of the mediator KM. In this connection, the study is significant with both theoretical perspective and practical perspective. A research gap is existed to find out a moderating role of OC in the OF-QP relationship if KM mediates the OF-QP relationship.
Functional Literacy as a Pedagogical Problem
Authors:   National Institute of Education, Pisсhik Olga G.
Published: October 2023

The article discusses the content and correlation of the concepts of “literacyˮ, “functional literacyˮ. The issues of the evolution of the concept of “functional literacyˮ in pedagogical theory and practice at various stages of social development, the expansion of the concept of “literacyˮ to the concept of “functional literacyˮ in connection with the growing demands of society to the educational process, the heterogeneity of the perception of the concept of “functional literacyˮ by various researchers are touched upon. Attention is focused on the role of the school in the formation of a functionally literate personality. The author comes to the reasonable conclusion that in modern pedagogy functional literacy is considered as the basis for the manifestation of adaptive abilities to the conditions of society by a person and the expansion of the range of demand in various fields of activity. The purpose of the article is to consider the problem of functional literacy in the context of pedagogical sciences.
Designing Innovative Model of Education Content Based on Traditional Values of Folk Culture in Context of Interaction of General and Additional Education
Authors:   Novosibirsk State Pedagogical University, Baituganov Vladimir I.
Published: October 2023

The relevance of this article is determined by the tasks of preserving the values of folk culture as a source of social transformations in our society for its stable functioning and development. The aim of the work is to substantiate the innovative model of the content of education – the School of Folk Culture as a value model in the interaction of general and additional education. The article identifies the organizational and pedagogical conditions for the education content based on the values of folk culture, including the structure, curricula and programs, subjects and subject cycles for different levels of both school and additional education, including their interaction. Groups of folk culture values are revealed: family, labor and public service. The concept of education content in folk culture has been clarified, and the didactic factors of folk culture included in the structure of the education content model have been determined. The constituent components of the fundamental core of the ethno-cultural educational standard for the Schools of Folk Culture have been developed.
Natural history and surgical outcome of incidentally discovered clinically nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas
Authors: Constantinescu Stefan M , Duprez Thierry , Fomekong Edward , Raftopoulos Christian , Alexopoulou Orsalia , Maiter Dominique
Published: October 2023

Objectives

The incidental diagnosis of nonfunctioning pituitary macroadenomas (NFPMAs) is becoming more prevalent with the spread of modern brain imaging techniques. We sought to uncover new data about their natural history and surgical outcome.

Design

This is a retrospective single-center observational study.

Methods

Among 210 patients seen for a NFPMA between 2010 and 2019, 70 (33%) were discovered incidentally (i-NFPMA). We analyzed outcomes in a total of 65 patients with available follow-up data.

Results

Mean age at diagnosis (± s.d.) was 60 ± 14 years and mean maximal diameter was 20.0 ± 7.3 mm. At diagnosis, 29 patients (45%) had pituitary hormone deficits (LH/FSH 41%, TSH 29%, ACTH 15%) and 12% had visual field deficits. 26 patients underwent initial surgery, while 12 had delayed surgery after initial surveillance. In the surveillance group, the risk of tumor growth was estimated at 10%/year. Patients with hormonal deficits at diagnosis experienced earlier growth at 24 months (P < 0.02). Overall, surgical resection of the i-NFPMA led to stable or improved endocrine function in 91% of patients, with only 6% postoperative permanent diabetes insipidus. Moreover, surgery was more effective in preserving intact endocrine function (10/12) than restoring altered endocrine function to normal (6/22, P = 0.03).

Conclusion

About one-third of NFPMAs are now discovered incidentally and a significant subset may be responsible for unrecognized endocrine and visual deficits. Under surveillance the risk of further tumor growth is significant (10%/year) and seems to occur faster in patients already harboring an endocrine deficit. Early surgical removal before onset of endocrine deficits appears to lead to better endocrine outcome.