bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Influencing Factors of Digital Transformation of Construction Enterprises from the Perspective of Dual Effects—A Hybrid Approach Based on PLS-SEM and fsQCA
Authors: Zhang Guanqiao , Wang Tao , Wang Yuhan , Zhang Shuai , Lin Wenhao , Dou Zixin , Du Haitao
Published: April 2023

The digital transformation of Chinese construction enterprises is crucial for achieving sustainable and high-quality development in the construction industry. However, there is still a lack of in-depth research on the impact mechanism of digital transformation in construction enterprises. The purpose of this study is to explore the multiple influencing factors and complex causal relationships of digital transformation in construction enterprises and promote the deep integration of digitalization and construction enterprises. To this end, based on the dual-effect perspective (net effect perspective of a single influencing factor and configuration effect perspective of multiple influencing factors), using the “technology–organization–environment” framework (TOE framework) to construct a research model of influencing factors for digital transformation in construction enterprises. A sample of 236 construction enterprise managers was surveyed, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) methods were used to empirically analyze the dual effects of influencing factors for digital transformation in construction enterprises. The results show that: (1) from the net effect perspective, there are seven factors that significantly impact digital transformation in construction enterprises; (2) from the configuration effect perspective, there are three paths that can achieve high-level digital transformation in construction enterprises, and one path that leads to low-level digital transformation; (3) from the dual-effect perspective, top management support and policy support are key factors for digital transformation in Chinese construction enterprises. The research results enrich the relevant research on digital transformation in construction enterprises and provide a reference basis for promoting digital transformation in construction enterprises.
Modelling Carbon Storage Dynamics of Wood Products with the HWP-RIAL Model—Projection of Particleboard End-of-Life Emissions under Different Climate Mitigation Measures
Authors: Király Éva , Kis-Kovács Gábor , Börcsök Zoltán , Kocsis Zoltán , Németh Gábor , Polgár András , Borovics Attila
Published: April 2023

Harvested wood products (HWPs) store a significant amount of carbon, and their lifetime extension and appropriate waste management, recycling, and reuse can contribute remarkably to the achievement of climate goals. In this study, we examined the carbon storage and CO2 and CH4 emissions under different scenarios of 200,000 m3 particleboard manufactured in 2020 by a hypothetical manufacturer. The scope of our investigation was to model the effects of a changing product lifetime, recycling rates and waste management practices on the duration of the carbon storage in wood panels and on their emission patterns. The aim of the investigation was to identify the most climate-friendly practices and find the combination of measures related to HWP production and waste management with the highest climate mitigation effect. We used the newly developed HWP-RIAL (recycling, incineration and landfill) model for the projections, which is a combination of two IPCC models parametrized for Hungarian circumstances and supplemented with a self-developed recycling and waste-route-selection submodule. The model runs covered the period 2020–2130. According to the results, the combined scenario with bundled mitigation activities had the largest mitigation potential in the modelled period, resulting in 32% emission reduction by 2050 as compared to the business-as-usual scenario. Amongst individual mitigation activities, increased recycling rates had the largest mitigation effect. The lifetime extension of particleboard can be a complementary measure to support climate mitigation efforts, along with the concept of cascade use and that of circular bioeconomy. Results showed that landfilled wood waste is a significant source of CH4 emissions on the long term; thus, incineration of wood waste is preferable to landfilling.
High-Quality Regional Economic Development Paths in China—QCA-Based Linkage Effect
Authors: Duan Zhongxian , Li Mengjuan , Wu Peng
Published: April 2023

High-quality economic development is an organic whole, involving macro, meso, and micro factors, therefore it is necessary to explore the mechanism for quality development in the construction of a modern economic system. Following the new development concept, this paper constructs a measurement system for the economic development quality of 30 provinces and cities in China by using the entropy weight and TOPSIS method. In addition, the linkage effects of factors on high-quality economic development were analyzed by using the fuzzy qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method. The results show that among factors contributing to diversified forms of the high-quality regional economy, the following three stand out: scientific and technological innovation, marketization, and infrastructure construction. On this basis, three paths were proposed for quality economic development, and they are: the innovation- and market-driven mode, the synergy mode of market and innovation, and the market-led conversion mode.
Sustainable Systems Engineering Using Life Cycle Assessment: Application of Artificial Intelligence for Predicting Agro-Environmental Footprint
Authors: Mohammadi Kashka Faezeh , Tahmasebi Sarvestani Zeinolabedin , Pirdashti Hemmatollah , Motevali Ali , Nadi Mehdi , Valipour Mohammad
Published: April 2023

The increase in population has increased the need for agricultural and food products, and thus agricultural production should be increased. This goal may cause increases in emissions and environmental impacts by increasing the consumption of agricultural inputs. The prediction of environmental impacts plays an important role in evaluating pollutant emissions in crop production. This study employed two artificial intelligence (AI) methods: the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system–fuzzy c-means (ANFIS–FCM) algorithm as a novel computational method, and an artificial neural network (ANN) as a conventional computational method to predict the environmental impacts of soybean production in different scenarios (i.e., soybean cultivation after rapeseed (R-S), wheat (W-S), and fallow (F-S)). The life cycle of soybean production was assessed in terms of environmental impacts through the IMPACT2002+ method in SimaPro. In the present study, the production of one ton of soybeans was considered the functional unit, and the boundary of the system was considered the gate of the field. According to the results, the production of each ton of soybean in the defined scenarios resulted in 0.0009 to 0.0016 DALY, 5476.18 to 8799.80 MJ primary, 1033.68 to 1840.70 PDF × m2 × yr, and 563.55 to 880.61 kg CO2-eq damage to human health, resources, ecosystem quality, and climate change, respectively. Moreover, the weighted analysis indicated that various soybean production scenarios led to 293.87–503.73 mPt damage to the environment, in which the R-S scenario had the best environmental performance. According to the results, the ANFIS–FCM algorithm acted as the best prediction model of environmental indicators for soybean cultivation in all cases related to the ANN. The range of calculated R2 for the ANFIS-FCM and ANN models were between 0.9967 to 0.9989 and 0.9269 to 0.9870, respectively. It can be concluded that the proposed ANFIS–FCM model is an efficient technique for obtaining accurate environmental prediction parameters of soybean cultivation.
Evaluation, Regional Disparities and Driving Mechanisms of High-Quality Agricultural Development in China
Authors: Wang Yaoyao , Kuang Yuanpei
Published: April 2023

Based on China’s new development philosophy and the connotation of high-quality agricultural development, this study constructed a six-dimensional comprehensive evaluation framework: innovation-effectiveness-sustainability-coordination-openness-sharing. The spatio-temporal-range-improved entropy approach and the Dagum Gini coefficient were applied to evaluate and analyze the level of regional disparities and the dynamic distribution characteristics of high-quality agricultural development in China in the period from 2010 to 2018. The result shows that the level of high-quality agricultural development in China has steadily improved in general, but there exist prominent structural problems. Concerning regional differences, it indicated a pattern dominated by the pattern of “high in the east and low in the west”, mainly arising from the inter-regional disparity, with a gradual downward trend during the selected period. This study also comprehensively explored the four-dimensional driving mechanisms (production conditions, productivity, production relations, and production efficiency), and further examined the driving paths of various variables and regional heterogeneity using a panel Tobit model.
Multi-Objective Control Strategy for Switched Reluctance Generators in Small-Scale Wind Power Generations
Authors: Wang Linqiang , Liu Cheng , Jiang Zongwen , Xiao Weiren , Ren Shuaiwei , Ding Jiaxin , Wang Qing
Published: April 2023

Switched reluctance generators (SRGs) are widely used in wind power generation. However, due to the natural tendency of SRG, there are always nonnegligible conflicts to achieve high efficiency and low output voltage ripple at the same time. This creates difficulties for the high-performance of SRG. Thus, a multi-objective optimization control strategy is proposed in this paper to improve the static performance of SRG. The proposed control strategy contains following steps. First, in order to gain the maximum output power range at different rotor speeds, the turn-off angle is optimized off-line by simulated annealing algorithm (SAA). The optimized results are fitted as a function of rotor speed for on-line regulating; then, a closed-loop controller is built, and the reference current is regulated according to the difference between actual output power and required output power. Second, a multi-objective function is constructed as the evaluation result of SRG performance, which takes system efficiency, output voltage ripple and power converter loss into consideration. In the end, the turn-on angle is tuned by SAA according to the real-time multi-objective evaluation result. The proposed control strategy can be flexibly applied to SRGs with different structures and avoids the disadvantage of single-objective optimization. The simulation and experiments results show that the overall performance of SRG is improved.
Strategic Sustainability and Operational Initiatives in Small- and Medium-Sized Manufacturers: An Empirical Analysis
Authors: Saqib Zulkaif Ahmed , Qin Luo , Menhas Rashid , Lei Gong
Published: April 2023

We explored the moderating impacts of product modularity and supply chain visibility for sustainability and operational initiatives, which entails a dramatic rethinking and reorganization of the production processes of manufacturing enterprises. Moderating effects of product modularity and supply chain visibility on links among supply chain pressure, technological pressure, sustainable practices, operational performance, and sustainability performance were included. A conceptual model was developed following the resource-based view and dynamic capability theories. Well-designed questionnaires collected data, and the total sample size for data analysis was 490 responses from small- and medium-sized manufacturing firms in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the proposed hypothesis. The first finding revealed that operational performance and sustainable performance both improve when companies implement sustainable practices. The second finding drawn from the data was that supply chain pressure and technological pressure have a positive effect on sustainable practices. The major finding of this work was grounded in the product modularity perspective, we argue that the relations among supply chain pressure, technological pressure, sustainable practices, operational performance, and sustainability performance are affected and moderated. The moderating effect of supply chain visibility existed and it has a positive moderating effect for the relationships from sustainable practices toward operational and sustainability performance. Surprisingly, moderating impact of visibility on relations from supply chain pressure and technological pressure towards sustainable practices was not significant.
Do Carbon Emission Trading Schemes Promote the Green Transition of Enterprises? Evidence from China
Authors: Xu Sheng , Pan Wenran , Wen Demei
Published: April 2023

As one of the environmental governance tools used to achieve green and low-carbon development in China, the ability of carbon emission trading schemes (CETS) to promote the green transition of enterprises is key to assessing the effectiveness of their implementation. Therefore, this paper used the panel data of China A-share listed heavy-polluting enterprises from 2010 to 2019, adopted the super-SBM model and GML index to measure the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of enterprises as an indicator of green transition, and further employed a staggered difference-in-difference model (DID) based on propensity score matching (PSM) to investigate the impact and mechanism of CETS on the green transition of enterprises. The results revealed that CETS significantly improved the green development efficiency of heavy-polluting enterprises and promoted green transition. In addition, the promotion was more pronounced among enterprises with weak cost transfer abilities, low levels of financing constraints, and high-quality internal control systems as well as in areas with high environmental enforcement intensity. More importantly, the mechanism analysis showed that heavy-polluting enterprises mainly chose to increase green technological innovation, especially substantive green technological innovation, and accelerated productive capital renewal to achieve their green transition targets. This study provides empirical evidence for improving the construction of the national carbon emission trading market and promoting the green transition and low-carbon development of heavy-polluting enterprises.
Has Electronic Commerce Growth Narrowed the Urban–Rural Income Gap? The Intermediary Effect of the Technological Innovation
Authors: Wang Dan
Published: April 2023

In the internet era, the development of e-commerce has had an important impact on all aspects of society. Many previous studies focused on the social and economic effects of the development of e-commerce. However, previous studies paid little attention to the impact of e-commerce development on the urban–rural income gap. Here, the influence of electronic commerce growth on the urban–rural income gap is investigated based on Chinese provincial panel data. The result reveals that electronic commerce growth measured by per capita express volume (pair value) can effectively explain the urban–rural income gap, i.e., the income gap between cities and the countryside is reduced with the rise of the electronic commerce growth level after a series of possible factors for the urban–rural income gap (e.g., urbanization rate, industrial proportion, dependency ratio, and human capital) are controlled. In the abovementioned conclusions, the influence of electronic commerce growth on the income gap between cities and the countryside still takes on significance even after the use of the post office number and the mileage of grade roads in 1991 as the instrumental variables of the current electronic commerce growth and the robustness test. The growth of electronic commerce is a vital new approach for adjusting the urban–rural income distribution pattern. The study further reveals that electronic commerce growth does not directly affect the urban–rural income gap by affecting technological innovation. The research results of this study provide a reference for electronic commerce growth and the income distribution of cities and the countryside.
Foreign Language Education for Sustainable Development in China: A Case Study of German Language Education
Authors: Ge Nannan , Wang Enuo , Li Yuan
Published: April 2023

Sustainable development is a widely discussed topic. English language education plays the dominant role in China, but the education of languages other than English (LOTEs) is more important for sustainable development. Based on a case study of German language education, this paper draws SWOT analysis to discuss the current foreign language education in China associated with sustainable development. We find that there are four current trends in the sustainable development of foreign language education in China: promotion of sustainable multilingual education, cultivation of sustainable citizens, integration of cultural values for sustainable development and digitalization for sustainable foreign language education. There are also challenges and new perspectives. A rational and systematic policy of multilingualism should be planned. In order to cultivate sustainable citizens who are able to respond to various global problems, the curricula, teaching materials and examinations for LOTE teaching at secondary schools and universities should be co-designed to work with each other. In order to integrate cultural values effectively, more suitable teaching materials should be developed and published, and teachers need to be trained for practicing these contents in class. Digitization in teaching, research and learning should be promoted.
A Systematic Review of the Scope and Patterns of Green Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Traoré Leïla , Belinga Bienvenue , Lescuyer Guillaume
Published: April 2023

Despite the importance of “green consumption”, it has received little attention in sub-Saharan Africa. To address this gap, a systematic review of the scientific literature was conducted on the patterns of green consumption in this region using three parameters: green consumption, behaviour, and location. Forty-eight articles and publications were identified between 2010 and 2021 on Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and grey literature. Scientific literature on green consumption in sub-Saharan Africa has expanded over the last five years, but it focuses primarily on emerging countries (Republic of South Africa and Nigeria) and the upper social classes. Most articles used the theory of planned behaviour as a theoretical framework. Green consumption of food and agricultural products are the most studied, with 14 articles. Energy, cosmetics, tourism, and textiles are each the subject of three specific publications. The emergence of middle-class consumers in sub-Saharan Africa is likely to contribute to the expansion of green consumption for a broad spectrum of goods and services.
Using Network DEA to Explore the Effect of Mobile Payment on Taiwanese Bank Efficiency
Authors: Tong Bao-Ngoc , Cheng Cheng-Ping , Liang Lien-Wen , Liu Yi-Jun
Published: April 2023

In order to explore the potential influence of new mobile payment services on the Ephesus model developed by Kao and Hwang (2008), we investigated the relative performance of 19 Taiwanese banks from 2018 to 2021. The network efficiency was divided into two parts: management efficiency and profitability efficiency. Only one bank achieved total efficiency from 2019 to 2021. The stage efficiencies showed increments during the first three years (2018–2020), but they declined in 2021. Most banks had low efficiency in the management stage and high efficiency in the profitability stage, suggesting that there are weaknesses in the management of physical resources but high awareness that mobile payment services can be exploited to achieve high profitability. Our results prove that mobile payment is a potential and profitable new service that Taiwanese banks should take advantage of. Comparing the results between the CCR model and the NDEA model, we observed that the NDEA model has more explanatory power, as it provides insight into the internal structure of the working process of Taiwanese banks.
Evaluation of Physicochemical and Amphiphilic Properties of New Xanthan Gum Hydrophobically Functionalized Derivatives
Authors: Yahoum Madiha Melha , Toumi Selma , Tahraoui Hichem , Lefnaoui Sonia , Hadjsadok Abdelkader , Amrane Abdeltif , Kebir Mohammed , Zhang Jie , Assadi Aymen Amine , Mouni Lotfi
Published: April 2023

This research aimed to develop new hydrophobic and potentially amphiphilic benzyl xanthan gum (BXG) derivatives using a Williamson synthesis. This modification consists of an etherification reaction between xanthan gum (XG) and benzyl chloride (BC) under microwave heating. The effects of the molar ratio (R = XG/CLB, with R equal to 2 or 4) on the amphiphilic character and the degree of substitution (DS) were studied. The two benzyl xanthan gum derivatives (BXG1 and BXG2) were subsequently subjected to various physicochemical and rheological characterization techniques. The obtained results of FTIR and H1-NMR spectroscopy showed the effectiveness of the grafting of aromatic moieties onto the XG molecule with DS values of 0.59 for BXG1 and 0.7 for BXG2. The XRD analysis revealed slight modifications in the xanthan crystallinity after etherification, where the degree of crystallinity (DOC) values were 8.46%, 10.18%, and 14.67% for XG, BXG1, and BXG2, respectively. Additionally, conductivity measurements showed that the BXG derivatives exhibit higher values than native XG, due to the inter- and intra-molecular associations following the grafting of aromatic groups. Moreover, the critical aggregation concentration (CAC) was detected at 0.32% for BXG1 and 0.28% for BXG2. The rheological study confirmed that XG and its BXG derivatives exhibited a shear-thinning pseudoplastic behavior and that the viscosity increases when the DS increases. The emulsifying power test of the BXGs compared to the native XG confirmed the amphiphilic properties of the new benzylated derivatives, where the stabilizing capacity increases with increased DS.
Optimal Inequalities for Submanifolds in Trans-Sasakian Manifolds Endowed with a Semi-Symmetric Metric Connection
Authors: Mihai Ion , Mohammed Mohammed
Published: April 2023

In this paper, we improve the Chen first inequality for special contact slant submanifolds and Legendrian submanifolds, respectively, in (α,β) trans-Sasakian generalized Sasakian space forms endowed with a semi-symmetric metric connection.
Changes in Choroidal Circulation Hemodynamics Measured Using Laser Speckle Flowgraphy after a Cold Pressor Test in Young Healthy Participants
Authors: Imabayashi Sakurako , Hashimoto Yuki , Ishimaru Yumi , Umemoto Rino , Chiyozono Miho , Yamanokuchi Toshitaka , Yoshitomi Takeshi
Published: April 2023

Using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG), we investigated the time course of changes in choroidal circulation hemodynamics after a cold pressor test in healthy eyes. This prospective study included the right eye of 19 young healthy participants. The macular mean blur rate (MBR) was measured with LSFG. The MBR, intraocular pressure (IOP), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), mean blood pressure (MBP), and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) were evaluated at baseline; immediately after the test and 10, 20, and 30 min later. Immediately after the test (0 min), SBP, DBP, MBP, and OPP were significantly elevated compared with those at baseline. The macular MBR significantly increased by +10.3 ± 7.1% immediately after the test. However, there was no change after 10, 20, and 30 min in the above parameter. A significant positive correlation of the macular MBR with the SBP, MBP, and OPP was observed. In young healthy individuals, increased sympathetic activity induced by a cold pressor test increases choroidal hemodynamics in the macula along with an increase in systemic circulatory dynamics, which normalizes after 10 min. Therefore, LSFG may provide a novel approach for assessing sympathetic activity and intrinsic vascular responsiveness in the eye.
Achieving the IA2030 Coverage and Equity Goals through a Renewed Focus on Urban Immunization
Authors: Dadari Ibrahim , Belt Rachel V. , Iyengar Ananya , Ray Arindam , Hossain Iqbal , Ali Daniel , Danielsson Niklas , Sodha Samir V. ,   The Global Urban Immunization Working Group
Published: April 2023

The 2021 WHO and UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) reported approximately 25 million under-vaccinated children in 2021, out of which 18 million were zero-dose children who did not receive even the first dose of a diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-(DPT) containing vaccine. The number of zero-dose children increased by six million between 2019, the pre-pandemic year, and 2021. A total of 20 countries with the highest number of zero-dose children and home to over 75% of these children in 2021 were prioritized for this review. Several of these countries have substantial urbanization with accompanying challenges. This review paper summarizes routine immunization backsliding following the COVID-19 pandemic and predictors of coverage and identifies pro-equity strategies in urban and peri-urban settings through a systematic search of the published literature. Two databases, PubMed and Web of Science, were exhaustively searched using search terms and synonyms, resulting in 608 identified peer-reviewed papers. Based on the inclusion criteria, 15 papers were included in the final review. The inclusion criteria included papers published between March 2020 and January 2023 and references to urban settings and COVID-19 in the papers. Several studies clearly documented a backsliding of coverage in urban and peri-urban settings, with some predictors or challenges to optimum coverage as well as some pro-equity strategies deployed or recommended in these studies. This emphasizes the need to focus on context-specific routine immunization catch-up and recovery strategies to suit the peculiarities of urban areas to get countries back on track toward achieving the targets of the IA2030. While more evidence is needed around the impact of the pandemic in urban areas, utilizing tools and platforms created to support advancing the equity agenda is pivotal. We posit that a renewed focus on urban immunization is critical if we are to achieve the IA2030 targets.
Assessing Doubts, Knowledge, and Service Appreciation among Pregnant Women Who Received the COVID-19 Vaccination in an Italian Research Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Bruno Stefania , Nachira Lorenza , Arcaro Paola , Pattavina Fabio , Campo Enrica , Cadeddu Chiara , Carducci Brigida , Lanzone Antonio , Damiani Gianfranco , Laurenti Patrizia ,   FPG COVID-19 Vaccination Team (FPG-CVT)
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered one of the deadliest pandemics in history. Pregnant women are more susceptible to developing serious diseases during COVID-19 than their non-pregnant peers. Pregnant women often express doubt about accepting the vaccination, especially in regard to their security and safety. This study aims to investigate the appreciation of the vaccination offer, and if there are any determinants impacting vaccine hesitancy. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of pregnant women who had just received their immunization against COVID-19 at the vaccination service of a teaching hospital in Rome, from October 2021 to March 2022. A high appreciation of the vaccination services was found, both for the logistic organization and the healthcare personnel, with mean scores above 4 out of 5. The degree of pre-vaccinal doubt was low (41%) or medium (48%) for the largest part of the sample, while the degree of COVID-19 vaccine knowledge was high for 91% of the participants. Physicians were the most decisive information source for the vaccination choice. Our results highlighted that a supportive approach could increase appreciation and improve the setting of vaccinations. Healthcare professionals should aim for a more comprehensive and integrated role of all figures.
Assessment of Present and Future Water Security under Anthropogenic and Climate Changes Using WEAP Model in the Vilcanota-Urubamba Catchment, Cusco, Perú
Authors: Goyburo Andrés , Rau Pedro , Lavado-Casimiro Waldo , Buytaert Wouter , Cuadros-Adriazola José , Horna Daniel
Published: April 2023

Water is an essential resource for social and economic development. The availability of this resource is constantly threatened by the rapid increase in its demand. This research assesses current (2010–2016), short- (2017–2040), middle- (2041–2070), and long-term (2071–2099) levels of water security considering socio-economic and climate change scenarios using the Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP) in Vilcanota-Urubamba (VUB) catchment. The streamflow data of the Pisac hydrometric station were used to calibrate (1987–2006) and validate (2007–2016) the WEAP Model applied to the VUB region. The Nash Sutcliffe efficiency values were 0.60 and 0.84 for calibration and validation, respectively. Different scenarios were generated for socio-economic factors (population growth and increased irrigation efficiency) and the impact of climate change to evaluate their effect on the current water supply system. The results reveal that water availability is much higher than the current demand in the VUB for the period (2010–2016). For short-, middle- and long term, two scenarios were considered, “Scenario 1” (RCP 4.5) and “Scenario 2” (RCP 8.5). Climate change scenarios show that water availability will increase. However, this increase will not cover the future demands in all the sub-basins because water availability is not evenly distributed in all of the VUB. In both scenarios, an unmet demand was detected from 2050. For the period 2071–2099, an unmet demand of 477 hm3/year for “Scenario 1” and 446 hm3/year for “Scenario 2” were estimated. Because population and agricultural demands are the highest, the effects of reducing the growth rate and improving the irrigation structure were simulated. Therefore, two more scenarios were generated “Scenario 3” (RCP 4.5 with management) and “Scenario 4” (RCP 8.5 with management). This socio-economic management proved to be effective in reducing the unmet demand up to 50% in all sub-basins for the period 2071–2099.
Assessment of the Impact of Anthropogenic Evolution and Natural Processes on Shoreline Dynamics Using Multi-Temporal Satellite Images and Statistical Analysis
Authors: Balakrishnan Perumal , Abulibdeh Ammar , Abul Kasem Kabir Tahsin
Published: April 2023

This research aims to examine changes in the eastern part of Qatar’s shoreline from 1982 to 2018 by means of satellite imagery. Five different time periods, namely 1982, 1992, 2002, 2013, and 2018, were analysed to determine shoreline movements and shoreline variations. Techniques such as maximum likelihood classification, the normalised difference vegetation index, and tasselled cap transformation were utilised to extract the shoreline data. Linear regression rate statistics were used to quantify the rate of shoreline variations. The results indicate that the majority of shoreline accretion is a result of human activities such as coastal construction, land reclamation, and building artificial islands, which are associated with the high economic activity over the past two decades. Significant changes were observed in Lusail City, The Pearl, and Hamad International Airport (HIA). Natural sediment accumulation was also observed in Al Wakra and on the southern side of HIA. In general, there were more land gains than losses throughout the study period, and the shoreline increased by twice its previous length. The field survey confirmed the presence of sandy and rocky beaches, as well as a shoreline with protective structures such as natural limestone rocks and concrete reinforcement.
Model-Based Assessment of Preventive Drought Management Measures’ Effect on Droughts Severity
Authors: Paez-Trujillo Ana , Corzo Gerald A. , Maskey Shreedhar , Solomatine Dimitri
Published: April 2023

Preventive Drought Management Measures (PDMMs) aim to reduce the chance of droughts and minimize drought-associated damages. Selecting PDMMs is not a trivial task, and it can be asserted that actual contributions to drought alleviation still need to be adequately researched. This study evaluates the effects of three potential PDMMs, namely, rainwater harvesting ponds, forest conservation, and check dams, on agricultural and hydrological drought severity. The Soil Water Assessment Tool is used for hydrological modeling and representing PDMMs. The threshold level method is applied to analyze droughts and evaluate the impact of PDMMs on drought severity. Findings show that rainwater harvesting ponds applied on agricultural land reduce the severity of agricultural droughts and hydrological droughts, particularly during the first months of the drought events observed in the rainy season. Results also reveal that forest conservation contributes to reducing the severity of hydrological droughts by up to 90%. Finally, check dams and ponds in upstream subbasins considerably reduce agricultural and hydrological drought severity in the areas where the structures are applied; however, they exacerbate drought severity downstream. The analysis was developed in the Torola River Basin (El Salvador) for the period spanning 2004 to 2018.
«ORCHESTRA CLASS» IN THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENTS SYSTEM OF THE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING OF SECOND-LEVEL HIGHER EDUCATION APPLICANTS MAJORING IN «MUSIC ART»
Authors: Golovashych E. , Skakun V. , Kyrychenko Y.
Published: April 2023

The article deals with the peculiarities of ensemble playing in groups of orchestral instruments as part of an orchestra. The authors of the article show that there are a number of specialized educational institutions in Europe, where performers are divided into orchestral instrumentalists, chamber performers, and soloists. According to these rather specific specializations, there is a considerable list of highly specialized occupations, because not every orchestra player will be able to become a teacher or a performing soloist. Future artists of the orchestra in separate groups of instruments should realize that for the orchestra it is necessary to deeply study the timbre of the sound of their instrument and its capabilities, to be attentive to the timbre coloring of the performers with whom synchronization occurs directly during playing in the orchestra, and the ability to adapt to different groups of instruments during a joint solo. It should be noted that during auditions for European orchestras, the following skills are tested: playing smoothly in an orchestra, intoning; playing all the notes in time, with the correct duration and strokes; "reading" the notes immediately, performing the indicated nuances and agogics; be flexible in interpretation and be able to instantly depict the conductor's wishes in the game; not to have an opinion about the interpretation. These key points, unfortunately, are not often given enough attention by performers at the stages of training in institutions of secondary and higher education. The necessary skills for a symphony orchestra artist are: 1) the skill of pure intonation vertically and horizontally; 2) the ability to feel the dynamic balance of all participants in the ensemble playing of a flute group in a symphony orchestra; 3) the need for timbral fusion of the flute group and full sounding in different registers; 4) unity of understanding in performing strokes in groups of flutes; 5) expressiveness and brightness of phrasing of the ensemble playing of the flute group as part of the symphony orchestra; 6) metrorhythmic sense in ensemble playing; 7) collective understanding of style by a group of flautists in a symphony orchestra. All these skills in their unity will allow the group of flutes to sound like a single harmonious whole.
Enseñanza del Álgebra Lineal en estudiantes universitarios
Authors: Osorio Vidal Víctor Gilberto , Palomino Alca Julia Teresa , Huayhua Prada Mariluz Francisca , Gambini López Inés
Published: April 2023

La asignatura de Álgebra Lineal es considerada dentro del currículo de las escuelas profesionales de las ciencias básicas, ingenierías, ciencias económicas y empresariales de las universidades como un curso de carácter formativo, además esta asignatura será útil para elaborar futuros proyectos cuando ejerzan su profesión. Se formuló como objetivo de estudio determinar la enseñanza del algebra lineal en estudiantes universitarios, examinando la literatura académica. Se empleó la metodología revisión sistemática seleccionando en bases de datos como: Google Académico, EBSCO, Scopus, Scielo, REDALYC y Dialnet. La revisión realizada permitió concluir que, enseñar este curso exige ciertas particularidades, los docentes haciendo uso de la didáctica deben motivar el interés, demostrando que los aprendizajes adquiridos serán útiles en el ejercicio profesional.
Effect of effervescent C vitamins on the surface roughness and color stability of composite resins: A SEM study
Authors: ERTÜRK AVUNDUK Ayşe Tuğba , DELİKAN Ebru
Published: April 2023

Objective: To investigate the effect of effervescent vitamins C on the color change and surface roughness of resin composites.
Methods: 30 specimens (8 mm*2 mm) were prepared for each restorative material (G-ænial Posterior, Solidex). The specimens were polymerized with LED device for 20 seconds and were incubated in distilled water for 24 hours for post-polymerization. Initial color values were measured using a spectrophotometer (Vita Easyshade V, Vita Zahnfabrik, Bad Säckingen, Germany), and initial surface roughness was measured with roughness tester (Mitutoyo SJ-410 Surftest Analyzer). The specimens were randomly divided into 3 groups according to their immersion solution (Redoxon, Ocean efervit, and distilled water). During the 28-day test period, the specimens were immersed in the solutions 2 times a day. Color changes and surface roughness measurement procedures were repeated. Data were subjected to One-way ANOVA, Tukey test, and t-test (p=0.05).
Results: When the color change (ΔE00) results are examined statistically; the highest ∆E values were observed in the Redoxon group, regardless of the restorative material. G-ænial Posterior specimens from both study groups and Solidex specimens incubated in Redoxon showed clinically unacceptable discoloration. When the average roughness values (Ra) are analyzed statistically, roughness values above the threshold surface roughness (Ra=0.2 µm) was detected in all groups. However, no statistically significant difference between groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Despite the fact that effervescent C vitamins significantly increased the discoloration of the tested composite resins, not cause a statistically significant difference in surface roughness.
Homeland in Ibrahim Tuqan’s Poetry
Authors: Al-Osta'h Adel
Published: April 2023

The researcher, in this paper, explores a theme that occupies a large space in Tuqan's poetry.
The researcher has also consulted language and Philosophy handbooks to reach a definition of this theme and referred to Palestinian writers who have used this theme in their writings. Then he tackles the image of homeland and explains its place m his value system. The researcher concludes that Tuqan has pioneered this theme in Palestinian literature and influenced poets who followed him.

يتتبع الدارس في هذه الورقة موضوعا شغل حزا كبيرا من أشعار إبراهيم طوقان. وقد استعان الدارس ببعض المعاجم الفلسفية واللغوية والشعر العربي لتعريف هذه المفردة، وأشار بعض الأدباء الفلسطينيين الذين تناولوها في كتاباتهم، وعرض، من ثم، لصورة الوطن في أشعار الشاعر، وبين، أيضا، مكانة الوطن في سلم القيم لديه. وخلص الدارس إلى أن طوقان كان رائدا في الأدب الفلسطيني في أوائل هذا القرن وأنه ترك أثره على غيره من الشعراء الذين جاؤوا من بعده.
Aggregate and Sectoral Production Functions of the West Bank and Gaza Strip
Authors: Makhool Basim
Published: April 2023

The purpose of the study is to estimate production functions at the aggregate and sectorial level of the Occupied Palestinian Territories OPT over the period 1970-87 using regression analysis. The results show that production in the West Bank exhibits mostly constant and decreasing returns to scale with the exception of the industrial sector. While production in the Gaza strip exhibits increasing returns to scale except the service sector. The marginal productivity of capital in the West Bank was almost three times larger than that of the Gaza Strip. Labor was the most productive in the industrial and construction sectors in both regions even though the order of the sectors is reversed. Also, the marginal rates of technical substitution were lower in the West Bank than in the Gaza Strip except the industrial sector.

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تقدير دوال الإنتاج على المستوى الكلي والقطاعي لاقتصاديات الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة للفترة 1970-1987، وذلك باستخدام تحليل الانحدار. وقد أظهرت النتائج الإحصائية أن دوال الإنتاج في الضفة الغربية تتميز بثبات وتناقص عوائد الحجم باستثناء القطاع الصناعي الذي يتميز بتزايد عوائد الحجم، بينما تتميز دوال الإنتاج في قطاع غزة بتزايد عوائد الحجم باستثناء قطاع الخدمات الذي يتميز بتناقص عوائد الحجم. كما تشير النتائج إلى أن الإنتاجية الحدية لرأس المال في الضفة الغربية تعادل ثلاثة أضعاف ما هي عليه في قطاع غزة، كما أن عنصر العمل كان من أكثر العناصر إنتاجية في قطاعي الصناعة والإنشاءات في كل من الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة. كما تشير النتائج إلى أن معدل الإحلال الحدي الفني للعمل محل رأس المال في الضفة الغربية اقل مما هو عليه في قطاع غزة باستثناء القطاع الصناعي.
Foreign Currency Substitution in Jordan
Authors: Awad Taleb M.
Published: April 2023

The major goal of the study is to investigate the extent of currency substitution and the factors influencing it in Jordan. A theoretical model has been developed and used for econometric analysis covering the period between 1980- 1994. The empirical results lend support to the theoretical model used for estimation. Factors such as domestic interest rate, foreign interest rate, and policy change are significantly affecting currency substitution and accounted for most of its variations. However, the elasticity of currency substitution is found to be low (less than one). Furthermore, the results show that the crises of the JD that started in 1988 and the subsequent floating of the exchange rates had contributed significantly to the phenomena of currency substitution in Jordan. In particular, the policy shift toward floating the JD has almost doubled the elasticity of money substitution. This effect of increasing foreign currency substitution in Jordan has significant impact on the effectiveness of monetary policy. The formulation of monetary policy under floating exchange rates must be reconsidered to explicitly accounts for monetary dependence rather than monetary independence.

تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى استقصاء مدى إحلال العملات الأجنبية والعوامل المحددة لها في الأردن. تم تطوير نموذج نظري ليستخدم في التحليل القياسي لفترة 1980 – 1994. وتبين نتائج التحليل القياسي أن العوامل المحددة لإحلال العملات من ناحية نظرية كأسعار الفوائد المحلية والأجنبية والتغيرات في السياسات الحكومية تفسر بدرجة عالية ظاهرة إحلال العملات في الأردن. ولكن كانت مرونة إحلال العملات الأجنبية متدنية (45%) خلال فترة الدراسة الإجمالية. بالإضافة إلى ذلك فان نتائج التحليل البياني والقياسي تشير إلى مساهمة هامة للتطورات التي حدثت في أعقاب أزمة الدينار الأردني في عام 1989 في كل من مستوى ومرونة إحلال العملات الأجنبية. وبالتحديد فإن التحول نحو سياسة التعويم قد أدى إلى مضاعفة مرونة إحلال العملات الأجنبية في الأردن.
The Gothic, Frankenstein, and the Romantics
Authors: Abedlwahed Said I.
Published: April 2023

In this paper I discuss the meanings, types, and sources of the Eighteenth and early Nineteenth centuries English Romantic novel. I discuss how Romanticism and Gothicism run parallel to each other and agree on many points. Then I take Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) as a representative of the Gothic fiction. Afterwards, I attempt to sort out certain Romantic influences, ideas and images present in Frankenstein. I view Frankenstein as a Gothic-Romantic literary piece of work that enjoys a special importance in the history and development of the English novel.

في هذا المقال أقدم محاولة لقراءة معاني ومصادر الرواية الرومانتيكية الإنجليزية في القرن الثامن عشر وأوائل القرن التاسع عشر الميلاديين. ثم انتقيت رواية ماري شيلي (فرانكنستاين) المكتوبة عام 1818 كنموذج للرواية القوطية، وبعدئذ حاولت أن ابين التأثيرات الرومانتيكية على (فرانكنستاين) فأظهرت أفكارا وصورا ومواقف تدل على أن (فرانكنستاين) رواية قوطية ورومانتيكية في آن واحد وأن لها أهمية خاصة في تاريخ تطور الرواية الإنجليزية لأنها جمعت بين خواص ظاهرتين أدبيتين شهيرتين عرفتهما أوروبا في أوائل القرن التاسع عشر الميلادي – الرومانتيكية والقوطية.
Hamas Movement in the Light of Public International Law
Authors: Abueid Abdallah M.
Published: April 2023

This research aims mainly at exploring the legal status of Hamas movement in Palestine as a political movement. It was founded 1987 when the Intifada erupted in December 9,1987 in both the West Bank and Gaza strip against Israel's occupation. The research sheds light on Hamas as part of the Palestinian national liberation movement and resistance against occupation. It points out that Hamas represents the religious sector of the Palestinians of the occupied territories. Furthermore, it discusses the right of self - determination of the Palestinian people and all other inherent rights collateral to this right. It shows the legal rights and obligations of Hamas under both public international law and international humanitarian law.

يهدف هذا البحث في الأساس إلى بيان الوضع القانوني لحركة حماس، بصفتها جزء من حركة التحرر الوطني الفلسطيني الذي يمثل القطاع المتدين من هذا الشعب ونضاله ضد الاحتلال الإسرائيلي في كل من الضفة الغربية وقطاع غزة. ويبين البحث المركز القانوني للشعب الفلسطيني تحت الاحتلال وحقوق هذا الشعب، وعلى رأسها حقه القانوني في تقرير المصير وما يتصل بهذا الحق من حقوق مكملة أهمها حقه في العودة وحقه في إنشاء دولته المستقلة وكذلك حقه في النضال والمقاومة ضد المحتلين ضمن إطار قواعد القانون الدولي. والبحث يلقي الضوء على أفكار وأعمال هذه الحركة السياسية بشقيها السياسي والمسلح ويبين مالها من حقوق وما عليها من التزامات قانونية في ظل قواعد القانون الدولي العام والإنساني. كما يبين أهم الالتزامات القانونية الملقاة على عاتق دولة الاحتلال والجماعة الدولية تجاه الشعب الفلسطيني وحقوقه المشروعة.