bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Glycyrrhizic Acid Inhibits High-Mobility Group Box-1 and Homocysteine-Induced Vascular Dysfunction
Authors: Gadanec Laura Kate , Andersson Ulf , Apostolopoulos Vasso , Zulli Anthony
Published: July 2023

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) worsens cardiovascular outcomes by impairing vascular function and promoting chronic inflammation via release of danger-associated molecular patterns, such as high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB-1). Elevated levels of HMGB-1 have recently been reported in patients with HHcy. Therefore, targeting HMGB-1 may be a potential therapy to improve HHcy-induced cardiovascular pathologies. This study aimed to further elucidate HMGB-1′s role during acute HHcy and HHcy-induced atherogenesis and to determine if inhibiting HMGB-1 with glycyrrhizic acid (Glyz) improved vascular function. Male New Zealand White rabbits (n = 25) were placed on either a standard control chow (CD; n = 15) or atherogenic diet (AD; n = 10) for 4 weeks. Rabbit serum and Krebs taken from organ bath studies were collected to quantify HMGB-1 levels. Isometric tension analysis was performed on abdominal aorta (AA) rings from CD and AD rabbits. Rings were incubated with homocysteine (Hcy) [3 mM] for 60 min to induce acute HHcy or rhHMGB-1 [100 nM]. Vascular function was assessed by relaxation to cumulative doses of acetylcholine. Markers of vascular dysfunction and inflammation were quantified in the endothelium, media, and adventitia of AA rings. HMGB-1 was significantly upregulated in serum (p < 0.0001) and Krebs (p < 0.0001) after Hcy exposure or an AD. Incubation with Hcy (p < 0.0001) or rhHMGB-1 (p < 0.0001) and an AD (p < 0.0001) significantly reduced relaxation to acetylcholine, which was markedly improved by Glyz. HMGB-1 expression was elevated (p < 0.0001) after Hcy exposure and AD (p < 0.0001) and was normalized after Glyz treatment. Moreover, markers of vascular function, cell stress and inflammation were also reduced after Glyz. These results demonstrate that HMGB-1 has a central role during HHcy-induced vascular dysfunction and inhibiting it with Glyz could be a potential treatment option for cardiovascular diseases.
Obesity in Nursing Home Patients: Association with Common Care Problems
Authors: Bauer Silvia , Eglseer Doris , Großschädl Franziska
Published: July 2023

(1) Background: There is not much research about obesity in nursing homes although knowledge will help us to develop customized treatment plans and prevention strategies, which may help to decrease the burden for all persons involved. The objective of conducting this study was to describe the prevalence of obesity and the association between obesity and care problems in nursing home patients. (2) Methods: This study is a secondary data analysis of data collected in an annually performed cross-sectional study called “Nursing Quality Measurement 2.0”. A standardized and tested questionnaire was used to collect data. (3) Results: In total, 1236 nursing home patients took part, and 16.7% of them were obese. The multivariate logistic regression analysis results show that urinary incontinence is significantly associated with the presence of obesity (OR 2.111). The other care problems of pressure injuries, fecal and double incontinence, physical restraints, falls, and pain were not associated with obesity. (4) Conclusions: The results indicate that, in the nursing home setting, healthcare staff should pay special attention to the patients’ nutritional status and help patients to maintain a healthy weight and prevent a loss of muscle mass and function. Conducting more studies with larger sample sizes is recommended, as this will allow for differentiation among different obesity classes.
Cyclodextrin’s Effect on Permeability and Partition of Nortriptyline Hydrochloride
Authors: Volkova Tatyana , Simonova Olga , Perlovich German
Published: July 2023

Cyclodextrin-based delivery systems have been intensively used to improve the bioavailability of drugs through the modification of their pharmaceutically relevant properties, such as solubility, distribution and membrane permeation. The present work aimed to disclose the influence of HP-β-CD and SBE-β-CD on the distribution and permeability of nortriptyline hydrochloride (NTT•HCl), a tricyclic antidepressant drug. To this end, the distribution coefficients in the 1-octanol/buffer and n-hexane/buffer model systems and the coefficients of permeability through the cellulose membrane and lipophilic PermeaPad barrier were determined at several cyclodextrin concentrations. The results demonstrated a dramatic decrease in both the distribution and the permeability coefficients as the cyclodextrin concentration rose, with the decrease being more pronounced in SBE-β-CD due to the charge–charge attraction and electrostatic interactions between NTT and SBE-β-CD. It is these interactions that were shown to be responsible for the greater value of the constant of NTT’s association with SBE-β-CD than that with HP-β-CD. The findings of this study revealed similar trends in the 1-octanol/buffer 6.8 pH distribution and permeability through the PermeaPad barrier in the presence of CDs. These results were attributed to the determinative role of the distribution coefficient (serving as a descriptor) in permeation through the PermeaPad barrier modeling the lipophilic nature of biological barriers.
Recent Advancement in mRNA Vaccine Development and Applications
Authors: Al Fayez Nojoud , Nassar Majed S. , Alshehri Abdullah A. , Alnefaie Meshal K. , Almughem Fahad A. , Alshehri Bayan Y. , Alawad Abdullah O. , Tawfik Essam A.
Published: July 2023

Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine development for preventive and therapeutic applications has evolved rapidly over the last decade. The mRVNA vaccine has proven therapeutic efficacy in various applications, including infectious disease, immunotherapy, genetic disorders, regenerative medicine, and cancer. Many mRNA vaccines have made it to clinical trials, and a couple have obtained FDA approval. This emerging therapeutic approach has several advantages over conventional methods: safety; efficacy; adaptability; bulk production; and cost-effectiveness. However, it is worth mentioning that the delivery to the target site and in vivo degradation and thermal stability are boundaries that can alter their efficacy and outcomes. In this review, we shed light on different types of mRNA vaccines, their mode of action, and the process to optimize their development and overcome their limitations. We also have explored various delivery systems focusing on the nanoparticle-mediated delivery of the mRNA vaccine. Generally, the delivery system plays a vital role in enhancing mRNA vaccine stability, biocompatibility, and homing to the desired cells and tissues. In addition to their function as a delivery vehicle, they serve as a compartment that shields and protects the mRNA molecules against physical, chemical, and biological activities that can alter their efficiency. Finally, we focused on the future considerations that should be attained for safer and more efficient mRNA application underlining the advantages and disadvantages of the current mRNA vaccines.
Oxide Strontium-Barium Perovskites Ceramics: Examinations of Structural Phase Transitions and Potential Application as Oxygen Carriers
Authors: Ksepko Ewelina , Lysowski Rafal , Alifah Miratul
Published: July 2023

The structural properties of selected (Ba1−xSrx)PbO3 ceramics were examined at 14–1148 K using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). These materials are attractive due to their variety of applications, such as, for example, high-temperature thermoelectric energy conversion. Attention was paid to this paper as a continuation of the previous examinations of higher Sr2+ concentrations. The type of perovskite distortion and temperatures of the structural phase transitions (SPTs) were determined from the splitting of certain pseudocubic lines. At this point, for example (Ba0.3Sr0.7)PbO3 showed three temperature-induced SPTs. When the amount of Sr increased in the samples, no phase transition was observed, which is contrary to the data previously demonstrated in the literature. The quality of the ceramics was examined by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), demonstrating their homogeneity and uniform elements dispersion. As a result of profound crystal investigations, confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and quadrupole mass spectroscopy (TGA-QMS), a phase diagram was prepared for the (Ba1−xSrx)PbO3 system based on our former and recent study. Also, the investigation of a new application for the (Ba1−xSrx)PbO3 family is presented in this paper for the first time. The TGA analysis was conducted on Illinois#6 hard coal to evaluate the capability of perovskites to be used in the chemical looping combustion (CLC) process in a range of temperatures 1073–1173 K. Due to its thermal stability and reactivity, Ba0.9Sr0.1PbO3 is the material with the greatest potential to be applied as an oxygen carrier. The combination of strontium and barium offers encouraging results compared to the pure barium and strontium lead oxide perovskites.
Environmentally Friendly Extraction from Picea Abies Bark as an Approach to Accessing Valuable Antioxidants in Biorefineries
Authors: Zeppetzauer Franz , Süss Raphaela , Nadányi Richard , Putz Robert F. , Lisý Anton , Paulik Christian , Šurina Igor , Strižincová Petra , Huemer Kateryna , Kamm Birgit
Published: July 2023

Every year, the pulp and wood-processing industry produces large side streams of bark, the valorisation of which is desirable for both economic and environmental reasons. We investigated organosolv extraction of antioxidants from Picea abies bark using various ratios of ethanol/water with the goal of obtaining high yields of these desirable compounds. The resulting extracts were analysed (I) for their total contents of phenols (TPC), flavonoids (TFC) and tannins (TTC), and (II) for their antioxidant activity using the DPPH radical scavenging method. The highest total yield of bark extract (14.78%) and the highest concentrations of dry extracts of TPC (324.80 mg g−1), TFC (62.55 mg g−1) and TTC (83.63 mg g−1) were obtained under mild conditions (100 °C extraction temperature and an ethanol/water solvent ratio of 50%, v/v). DPPH antioxidant activity index (AAI) ranged from 0.68 (pure water extract) to 1.31. This antioxidant effect was increased to 1.59 by adding oligolignin from the organosolv process. In the extracts, gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) found nine aromatic carboxylic acids, including phenolic acids and the flavonoid compounds quercetin and (+)-catechin. Our environmentally friendly approach will form the basis for pilot plant and industrial applications.
Cross-Cultural Encounters: Religious Motifs in Lattimo Glass from China to Italy
Authors: Gong Xue , Xie Zhongqu , Liu Xiangyu , De Divitiis Bianca
Published: July 2023

This paper focuses on lattimo glass, also known as milk glass, and analyzes the influence of Chinese porcelain on its creation in Venice through the study of its transmission path and revival. It also explores the role of religion in the glass trade between China and Italy from the fifteenth to the eighteenth centuries, with a particular focus on religious iconography. By relying on previous research on the religious iconography of glass during this period and analyzing precious glass objects, this paper aims to examine the brief popularity and decline of lattimo glass as an imitation of Chinese Ming porcelain in the fifteenth to sixteenth centuries, as well as the significance and impact of religious iconography on lattimo glass during the eighteenth century. The paper approaches the process of the introduction of Chinese aesthetics in Europe during this period from three angles: the origin of lattimo glass, the cross-media imitation and innovation of Chinese religious iconography, and cultural interaction. This process highlights the crucial role of influential religious imagery in the formation of cross-cultural communication.
A Critical Analysis of NeRF-Based 3D Reconstruction
Authors: Remondino Fabio , Karami Ali , Yan Ziyang , Mazzacca Gabriele , Rigon Simone , Qin Rongjun
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a critical analysis of image-based 3D reconstruction using neural radiance fields (NeRFs), with a focus on quantitative comparisons with respect to traditional photogrammetry. The aim is, therefore, to objectively evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of NeRFs and provide insights into their applicability to different real-life scenarios, from small objects to heritage and industrial scenes. After a comprehensive overview of photogrammetry and NeRF methods, highlighting their respective advantages and disadvantages, various NeRF methods are compared using diverse objects with varying sizes and surface characteristics, including texture-less, metallic, translucent, and transparent surfaces. We evaluated the quality of the resulting 3D reconstructions using multiple criteria, such as noise level, geometric accuracy, and the number of required images (i.e., image baselines). The results show that NeRFs exhibit superior performance over photogrammetry in terms of non-collaborative objects with texture-less, reflective, and refractive surfaces. Conversely, photogrammetry outperforms NeRFs in cases where the object’s surface possesses cooperative texture. Such complementarity should be further exploited in future works.
Demonstration of the Feasibility of the Korean eLoran System as a Resilient PNT in a Testbed
Authors: Son Pyo-Woong , Park Sul Gee , Han Younghoon , Seo Kiyeol , Fang Tae Hyun
Published: July 2023

With the increasing utilization of location information, attempts to improve the safety of absolute positioning coordinates, which have depended on global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs), such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), are underway. Among these, enhanced long range navigation (eLoran) is the most technically developed system. In Korea, related technologies have been developed since 2016, and a testbed for eLoran performance evaluation, which is currently in operation as a pilot service, was completed in 2021. We analyze the position accuracy of the eLoran pilot service to use it as an alternative when GNSS usage is challenging within Korea’s eLoran testbed. We evaluated the accuracy of the absolute position using the eLoran system by sailing up to 160 km away from the Incheon testbed transmitter according to four navigation stages (inland waterway, port approach, coastal, and ocean) classified by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). To validate the eLoran positioning performance in which an additional secondary factor (ASF) map is not provided, we propose a differential GPS (DGPS) position-based ASF estimation technique. Based on this study, Korea’s eLoran system can calculate the absolute position with an accuracy of approximately 15 m with 95% probability at the port-approach stage.
Modeling and Dynamic Radar Cross-Section Estimation of Chaff Clouds for Real-Time Simulation
Authors: Kim Jun-Seon , Jung Uk Jin , Park Su-Hong , Lee Dong-Yeob , Kim Moonhong , Sohn Dongwoo , Seo Dong-Wook
Published: July 2023

Chaff is a passive jammer widely used to disrupt radar or radio-frequency sensors. A mass of chaff fibers dispersed in the air is commonly referred to as a chaff cloud. It is nearly impossible to numerically simulate in real-time the enormous amount of chaff fibers composing the chaff cloud. In this paper, we model the behavior of numerically estimated chaff clouds as probability density functions (PDFs) and apply approximation techniques to estimate the radar cross-section (RCS) of the chaff cloud in real time. To model the aerodynamics of the chaff cloud, we represented the combination of PDFs as functions of time and wind speed. The applied approximation techniques—vector radiative transfer and generalized equivalent conductor method—showed a computation time that cannot be achieved by low-frequency methods such as the method of moments or finite-difference time-domain. Moreover, the dynamic RCS results of the approximation techniques showed a similar trend to those of other studies simulating similar situations. The proposed scheme is effective for real-time chaff cloud simulation, and the modeled dynamics and estimated dynamic RCSs can be a standard baseline for developing new analysis methods for chaff clouds. In the future, the proposed scheme will extend to more chaff fibers and more diverse environmental parameters.
Estimation of Winter Wheat SPAD Values Based on UAV Multispectral Remote Sensing
Authors: Yin Quan , Zhang Yuting , Li Weilong , Wang Jianjun , Wang Weiling , Ahmad Irshad , Zhou Guisheng , Huo Zhongyang
Published: July 2023

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral imagery has been applied in the remote sensing of wheat SPAD (Soil and Plant Analyzer Development) values. However, existing research has yet to consider the influence of different growth stages and UAV flight altitudes on the accuracy of SPAD estimation. This study aims to optimize UAV flight strategies and incorporate multiple feature selection techniques and machine learning algorithms to enhance the accuracy of the SPAD value estimation of different wheat varieties across growth stages. This study sets two flight altitudes (20 and 40 m). Multispectral images were collected for four winter wheat varieties during the green-up and jointing stages. Three feature selection methods (Pearson, recursive feature elimination (RFE), and correlation-based feature selection (CFS)) and four machine learning regression models (elastic net, random forest (RF), backpropagation neural network (BPNN), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)) were combined to construct SPAD value estimation models for individual growth stages as well as across growth stages. The CFS-RF (40 m) model achieved satisfactory results (green-up stage: R2 = 0.7270, RPD = 2.0672, RMSE = 1.1835, RRMSE = 0.0259; jointing stage: R2 = 0.8092, RPD = 2.3698, RMSE = 2.3650, RRMSE = 0.0487). For cross-growth stage modeling, the optimal prediction results for SPAD values were achieved at a flight altitude of 40 m using the Pearson-XGBoost model (R2 = 0.8069, RPD = 2.3135, RMSE = 2.0911, RRMSE = 0.0442). These demonstrate that the flight altitude of UAVs significantly impacts the estimation accuracy, and the flight altitude of 40 m (with a spatial resolution of 2.12 cm) achieves better SPAD value estimation than that of 20 m (with a spatial resolution of 1.06 cm). This study also showed that the optimal combination of feature selection methods and machine learning algorithms can more accurately estimate winter wheat SPAD values. In addition, this study includes multiple winter wheat varieties, enhancing the generalizability of the research results and facilitating future real-time and rapid monitoring of winter wheat growth.
Improved SR-SSIM Band Selection Method Based on Band Subspace Partition
Authors: Hu Tingrui , Gao Peichao , Ye Sijing , Shen Shi
Published: July 2023

Scholars have performed much research on reducing the redundancy of hyperspectral data. As a measure of the similarity between hyperspectral bands, structural similarity is used in band selection methods. However, existing structural similarity methods calculate all the structural similarity between bands, which leads to excessively long runtimes for these methods. Aiming to address this problem, this paper proposes a band subspace partition method and combines it with the SR-SSIM band selection method to obtain an improved band selection method: E-SR-SSIM. E-SR-SSIM consists of two parts: band subspace partition and band subspace band selection. In the first part, the hyperspectral dataset is divided into subdatasets corresponding to a number of subspaces. In the second part, a modified SR-SSIM method is used for all subdatasets to select the most representative band in each subdataset. The Indian Pines, Salinas Kennedy Space Center and Wuhan unmanned aerial vehicle-borne hyperspectral image LongKou public datasets are used to implement the experiment. The experiment uses random forest as the supervised classifier: 10% of each category sample is randomly selected as training data, and the remaining 90% is used as test data. The evaluation indicators selected in the experiment are overall accuracy, average accuracy, kappa and recall. The experimental results show that E-SR-SSIM can effectively reduce the runtime while ensuring classification compared with SR-SSIM, and quantitative proof that the band subspace partition reduces the calculated amount of structural similarity is obtained through a mathematical analysis. The improved band subspace partition method could partition a dataset more reasonably than the original band subspace partition method.
Remote Sensing Study on the Coupling Relationship between Regional Ecological Environment and Human Activities: A Case Study of Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve
Authors: Xu Huanyu , Sun Hao , Zhang Tian , Xu Zhenheng , Wu Dan , Wu Ling
Published: July 2023

Analyzing human–environment coupling is important in understanding the mechanisms and developments of human–environment systems. However, the current frameworks and approaches evaluating the relationship between human activities and the ecological environment remain limited. Integrating the vegetation-impervious surface–soil–air framework, Mann–Kendall test, correlation analysis, two-step floating catchment area method, coupling analysis, and optimal parameters-based geographical detector, this study comprehensively evaluate the environmental changes and analyzes the coupling relationship between environment and human activities, mainly in terms of habitat quality, landscape pattern, and ecological services. The study area was the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve in Gansu province, China, an ecologically fragile region with an environment closely linked to human activities. Along with district and county census data, various remote-sensing products (e.g., MODIS, Landsat) were used to assess the ecological level and human–environment coupling state of the study site from 2003 to 2019. The main results show: (1) The remote sensing composite index, which integrates eight ecological sub-indices, effectively captures the spatial and temporal variations of the ecological environment in the study area, providing comprehensive and detailed environmental information. (2) Analysis using the Mann–Kendall-correlation classification, coupling degree, and two-step floating catchment area methods consistently demonstrates a gradual coordination between human activities and the ecological environment in the study area. (3) In comparison to spatially interpolated population data, the remote sensing human activity index more significantly represents the spatial impact of human activities on the ecological environment. (4) The environmental aspects most strongly associated with human activities include carbon fixation and oxygen release, vegetation, humidity, and soil. (5) The ecological environment level does not uniformly deteriorate with increasing population density, and a notable alignment is observed between changes in the ecological environment and the implementation of government environmental protection policies.
Using Kano Model to Understand an Effect of Specialization and Perceived Risk on Demand for Services in Marine Tourism
Authors: Kwon Jangwook , Lim Kyunghwan
Published: July 2023

This paper attempted to combine the Kano model and the service blueprint for quality management in marine tourism services. It also investigated the influence of customer characteristics, focusing on services that customers directly experience. Data were collected from those who experienced marine leisure in Korea in the past three years, and an analysis of differences between groups was conducted. The difference analysis showed significant differences in the frequency of service quality factors for men and women in six service items, and beginners showed significant differences in four items in the career comparison. Specialization and perceived risk were set as independent variables, and regression analysis was performed by setting the Timko coefficient as a dependent variable. The results showed that specialization did not significantly affect the customer satisfaction coefficient or the customer dissatisfaction coefficient. However, perceived risk had a significant negative effect on the customer satisfaction coefficient and a significant positive effect on the customer dissatisfaction coefficient. To attract those who strongly perceive risks as customers, a service strategy focusing on service elements that minimize complaints is more effective. In addition, it was found that women have a strong demand for both service elements that increase satisfaction and service elements that reduce dissatisfaction.
Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices (IKSPs), Livelihood Resources and Aspirations of the Matigsalog and Ata Tribes
Authors: Macusi Erna S. , Sales Anthony C. , Macusi Edison D. , Bongas Henzel P. , Cayacay Melanie A. , Omandam Juber L. , Schüler Marthje , Vidal Camila
Published: July 2023

The Philippines is an archipelagic country composed of different indigenous cultural communities (ICCs) spread across various islands. Indigenous peoples (IP) often face marginalization and lack access to the same resources available in lowland areas, creating inequality and barriers to their well-being and development. This study documents the indigenous knowledge systems and practices of the Matigsalog and Ata tribes in Davao City, focusing on their unique agricultural techniques, rituals, and conservation practices. Furthermore, we assessed their current livelihood options and explored opportunities for government support to improve their well-being. A focus group discussion was used to assess the knowledge and perception of participants from the Matigsalog tribe (N = 42) and Ata tribe (N = 15) of Davao City. Validation of the study took place separately through a brief presentation of the results before 15 members of the tribes and a hiking visit to their farmlands. The study determined the existing livelihoods in the two areas, which were mainly agricultural, farming of crops (rice, corn, cassava, sweet potato) and fruit trees (coconut, banana, durian, jackfruit, pomelo) and the community’s resources as well as knowledge, systems, and practices with regard to agricultural crops including climate change. Their sustainable farming practices include intercropping, seed-saving, and exchange practices, preserving these crop varieties and ensuring their availability for future planting seasons, with no usage of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. In conclusion, the tribe’s aspirations and the resulting recommendations are consolidated to facilitate and enhance governmental assistance in a more focused and efficient manner.
Feasibility of Forming Markets for Indigenous Peoples’ Organic Products
Authors: Rafiee Hamed , Karami Omid , Saeidi Goraghani Hamid Reza , Azarnivand Hossein , Arzani Hossein
Published: July 2023

Iranian nomads’ meat and dairy products are organic and more valuable than conventional products for trading and supplying in local markets. This is due to the use of natural nutritional supplementation, without hormones and artificial chemicals, in breeding domestic animals. However, the real value of the organic products is not reflected in the market. In this regard, we studied the feasibility of forming a local market for nomads’ organic meat and milk products in Iran. This study used a sample of 366 questionnaires from nomads of five famous tribes, namely Soleimani, Mehni, Kochomi, Jebalbarezi, and Aieneyi in Kerman province and 794 questionnaires from non-nomadic consumers. The results indicate that nomads’ average willingness to accept (WTA) was 0.46 USD per liter and 5.64 USD per kg in the sale of organic milk and organic meat, respectively. Also, the consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for organic milk and organic meat was 0.50 USD per liter and 6.15 USD per kg, respectively. Since the WTA for both products was less than the WTP, the formation and development of local markets in supplying organic products are possible. The appropriate price policy for organic products in such markets can provide nomads with financial benefits and consumers with access to healthy foods.
Return Strategy of E-Commerce Platform Based on Green and Sustainable Development
Authors: Zhang Shuiwang , Ding Qianlan , Ding Jingcheng
Published: July 2023

The secondary packaging and secondary transportation caused by products’ online return lead to a large amount of resource waste and environmental damage, which are not conducive to the green and sustainable development of enterprises. As consumers become more aware of environmental protection, their purchase and return behaviors will also change, prompting e-commerce platforms to adjust their return strategies. In this context, this paper aims to study the optimal return strategy that balances enterprises’ social benefits and environmental impact. The Stackelberg game models are constructed based on two behaviors: environmental protection publicity of e-commerce platforms and consumer return. The impacts of return strategies on the environment and the benefits of supply chain members are investigated. Results show that environmental protection publicity and return compensation can stimulate the expected sales volume. The optimal environmental protection publicity depends on the return rate. When the return rate is high, and the repurchase price is low, the optimal decision of the e-commerce platform is not to introduce return freight insurance so as to maintain its own benefits and reduce the environmental impact.
Leadership and Group Management: Key Success Factors for Microfinance Institutions in Chaiyaphum Province, Thailand
Authors: Detthamrong Umawadee , Nguyen Lan Thi , Chansanam Wirapong
Published: July 2023

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) are critical in promoting financial inclusion and socio-economic development, particularly in marginalized regions. The success and effectiveness of these institutions heavily rely on leadership and group management. This study examines the relationship between leadership, participation, group management, morals, and key success factors for MFIs in Chaiyaphum, Thailand. A quantitative study used a questionnaire to collect data from 396 MFIs. The study revealed a substantial positive correlation between leadership and group management and key success factors. Notably, leadership exhibited the strongest correlation among the variables analyzed. This implies that effective leadership practices and efficient group management significantly contribute to achieving key success factors in microfinance institutions. This study also developed a predictive equation that demonstrated a remarkable level of accuracy in predicting key success factors for MFIs. The equation accurately captured and predicted the interplay between the identified factors and the key success factors for microfinance institutions. The findings highlight the critical importance of leadership and group management in driving the key success factors for MFIs in Chaiyaphum. It underscores the significance of strong leadership capabilities and the implementation of effective group management strategies to enhance the overall performance and sustainability of MFIs. This study also has practical implications for developing and managing MFIs in Chaiyaphum and beyond. By leveraging the findings of this study, policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders can gain valuable insights into the factors that contribute to the success of microfinance institutions and make informed decisions to support their growth and impact.
Effect of Firm Size on the Association between Capital Structure and Profitability
Authors: Ahmed Amanj Mohamed , Sharif Nabard Abdallah , Ali Muhammad Nawzad , Hágen István
Published: July 2023

This paper examines the association between capital structure and firm profitability through the moderating effect of firm size. The analysis of financing choice and firm profitability in developing countries is interesting because of the differences between the characteristics of their firms and those of companies in advanced economies. This research utilized secondary data obtained from the published annual financial statements of 156 manufacturing companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) over the period 2011–2019. The given description was evaluated using a panel econometric approach, namely, the fixed-effects regression method. The results displayed that profitability is negatively affected by capital structure decisions. However, firm size is positively related to profitability. The robust findings also illustrate that the size of a firm plays a significant role in improving the influence of capital structure choice on the firm’s profitability. Similar to other emerging economies, in Iran, when internal finances are inadequate, long-term debt is used as an alternative for financing. These results provide evidence to support the hypothesis of the trade-off theory, which explains the relationship between firm size, capital structure, and profitability. These findings provide significant information from a developing country, Iran, that confirms the argument of the trade-off theory and provides substantial guidance for sector management.
Analysis of Relationship between Service Quality of Food and Beverage and Customer Behaviors for Sustainable Golf Course Management
Authors: Lee Ryang Suk , Lee Sheng Yen
Published: July 2023

This study verified the analysis of the relationship between service quality of food and beverage and customer behaviors for sustainable golf course management. This study employed triangulation design, a mixed methods research framework that compares the results of quantitative and qualitative investigations. The quantitative study verified the effects of service quality of food and beverage on customer loyalty and willingness to recommend online. The subjects of the quantitative study analyzed the responses of 372 golfers over 20 who use driving ranges in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. The results of the quantitative study were as follows. First, reliability and responsiveness among sub-factors of service quality had a positive effect on customer loyalty. Second, empathy among sub-factors of service quality had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. Third, customer loyalty had a positive effect on willingness to recommend online. Fourth, customer loyalty had a mediating effect on the relationship between reliability among sub-factors of service quality and willingness to recommend online. For the qualitative study, six research participants were selected, and in-depth interviews were conducted on golfers’ preference and non-preference factors for food and beverage services at golf courses’ clubhouses. The qualitative research results are as follows. First, golf participants recognized that the speed of food preparation and prompt provision of food and beverages were significant. Second, the food flavors and the clubhouse restaurant’s physical environment were also deemed important. Third, poor quality of food and beverage facilities and meals negatively affect the reliability and willingness to recommend the golf course. This study is unique in that it adopted a mixed methods approach, which has not been done in related previous studies.
An Optimization Design for the Resource Utilization of Grape Branches Based on the Orthogonal Test and Gray Relational Analysis Method
Authors: Yang Minghao , Zhang Yican , Wang Xiaodi , Wang Zhiqiang , Li Peng , Shi Xiangbin , Wang Xiaolong , Wang Baoliang , Li Yumei , Ma Yuquan , Liu Fengzhi , Wang Haibo
Published: July 2023

Composting is an environment-friendly and sustainable way to transform grape branches (GBs) into a useful product. Different parameters can differently affect fertilizer quality. Here, the compost product nutrient content was evaluated using an L9 orthogonal array (parameters, nitrogen source: chicken manure, sheep manure, urea; stirring temperature: 50, 60, 70 °C; initial pH: 6, 7, 8; conditioning agent: calcium superphosphate, zeolite, and copper sulfate). Among the treatments, the T3 (chicken manure, 70 °C, pH = 8, copper sulfate), T2 (chicken manure, 60 °C, pH = 7, zeolite), and T9 (urea, 70 °C, pH = 7, calcium superphosphate) had high gray relational grades (0.7424, 0.7132, 0.7110, respectively). The nitrogen source type (R = 0.1140) had the greatest influence on the nutrient content of the final product, followed by the stirring temperature (R = 0.1104), the conditioning agent (R = 0.0522), and the initial pH (R = 0.0408). Finally, the best nitrogen source of the grape branch compost was chicken manure, the best stirring temperature was 70 °C, the best initial pH was 7, and the best conditioning agent was zeolite. An experimental verification showed that the weighted correlation degree of the optimal treatment predicted by the orthogonal experiment increased by 3.63%.
Sustainability of Shipping Logistics: A Warning Model
Authors: Xu Ronghua , Liu Yiran , Liu Meng , Ye Chengang
Published: July 2023

The shipping industry is the foundation of the economy, and it is affected by fluctuations in the economic cycle. The mainstream of financial early warning research is quantitative modeling research. There are few systematic studies on financial early warning of shipping enterprises, and most of them still remain in the qualitative stage. This paper chooses Chinese listed shipping companies as its target, takes the economic cycle as an important reference, and then uses logistic regression, neural network, and random-forest methods to establish a model for financial warning. The random-forest model is employed to rank the importance of warning indicators. The results show that it is effective to consider macro-factors, such as the economic cycle, and the predictive accuracy of the random-forest method is higher than that of the financial warning models established by logistic regression and by the neural network. Financial alerts can help managers prepare for crises in advance. The purpose of this paper is to provide an early warning model for the sustainable development of shipping logistics.
Role of Digital Transformation for Achieving Sustainability: Mediated Role of Stakeholders, Key Capabilities, and Technology
Authors: Martínez-Peláez Rafael , Ochoa-Brust Alberto , Rivera Solange , Félix Vanessa G. , Ostos Rodolfo , Brito Héctor , Félix Ramón A. , Mena Luis J.
Published: July 2023

Sustainability through digital transformation is essential for contemporary businesses. Embracing sustainability, micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can gain a competitive advantage, attracting customers and investors who share these values. Moreover, incorporating sustainable practices empowers MSMEs to drive innovation, reduce costs, and enhance their reputation. This study aims to identify how owners or senior managers of MSMEs can initiate a sustainable digital transformation project. A systematic literature review was carried out, including 59 publications from 2019 to 2023. As a result, this research identifies the first steps owners of MSMEs can take to begin the transition by identifying critical organizational capabilities necessary for successful transformation, explores the technologies that can support MSMEs in their sustainability goals, and emphasizes the significance of stakeholders in achieving a successful digital transformation journey. Firstly, owners or senior managers should change the organizational culture to support decisions and strategies focus on sustainability. Secondly, the leading role of stakeholders is in the innovation process that allows businesses to be more competitive locally and globally. Finally, big data is the technology that can provide the most significant benefit to MSMEs because it will enable analyzing data of all kinds and contributes disruptively to decision-making.
Influence of Heat Input on the Weldability of ASTM A131 DH36 Fillet Joints Welded by SMAW Underwater Wet Welding
Authors: Gonzalez Romero Hugo Alexander , Bastos Blandón Edinson Alfonso , Casadiego Miranda Lissette Patricia , Niebles Nuñez Enrique Esteban
Published: July 2023

Naval vessels face multiple risks that can damage their hulls during navigation, leading to on-site repairs through the shield metal arc welding (SMAW) process and underwater wet welding (UWW). This paper presents a weldability study to identify the optimal heat input parameters to improve ASTM A131 DH36 welded joints quality, development, and sustainability. This study analyzes the influence of heat input on the microstructure and mechanical properties of underwater wet welding fillet joints welded with shield metal arc welding at 4 m water depth in a real-life environment located at the bay of Cartagena (Colombia). The methodology involves nondestructive and destructive tests, including visual inspection, fillet weld break, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers hardness, and shear strength tests. The welds microstructure is composed of ferrite, pearlite, retained austenite, bainite, and martensite; the hardness values range from 170 HV1 to 443 HV1, and the shear strength values range from 339 MPa to 504 MPa. This indicates that high thermal inputs improve the weld quality produced by the underwater wet welding technique and can comply with the technical acceptance criteria of AWS D3.6, making them more sustainable, with less welding resources wastage and less impact on marine ecosystems.
Quantitative Analysis of Brain CT Perfusion in Healthy Beagle Dogs: A Pilot Study
Authors: An Soyon , Hwang Gunha , Noh Seul Ah , Lee Hee Chun , Hwang Tae Sung
Published: July 2023

Brain computed tomography (CT) perfusion is a technique that allows for the fast evaluation of cerebral hemodynamics. However, quantitative studies of brain CT perfusion in veterinary medicine are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the normal range of perfusion determined via CT in brains of healthy dogs and to compare values between white matter and gray matter, differences in aging, and each hemisphere. Nine intact male beagle dogs were prospectively examined using dynamic CT scanning and post-processing for brain perfusion. Regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV), regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), mean transit time, and time to peak were calculated. Tissue ROIs were drawn in the gray matter and white matter of the frontal, temporal, parietal, and occipital lobes; caudate nucleus; thalamus; piriform lobe; hippocampus; and cerebellum. Significant differences were observed between the white matter regions and gray matter regions for rCBV and rCBF (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were identified between hemispheres and between young and old groups in brain regions. The findings obtained in this study involving healthy beagle dogs might serve as a reference for regional CT perfusion values in specific brain regions. These results may aid in the characterization of various brain diseases in dogs.
Impacts of Groundwater Management Policies in the Caplina Aquifer, Atacama Desert
Authors: Pino-Vargas Edwin , Espinoza-Molina Jorge , Chávarri-Velarde Eduardo , Quille-Mamani Javier , Ingol-Blanco Eusebio
Published: July 2023

Groundwater constitutes one of the main sources used to satisfy the water demands of the different users located in a basin. Current groundwater pumping rates in many cases exceed natural recharge, resulting in the overexploitation of aquifers and the deterioration of water quality. Consequently, many aquifer systems in the world have applied and adapted policies to manage the use of groundwater. In this article, we investigate the impacts of groundwater management policies on the Caplina aquifer located in the Atacama Desert, Peru. To evaluate these impacts, we review policies and regulations implemented during the last 40 years. Likewise, more than 25 scientific investigations that were carried out in this aquifer are reviewed and analyzed to understand its hydrodynamics and hydrochemistry, as well as the impact of climate change, among other aspects. The results, based on scientific evidence, show that the current and future conditions of the groundwater of the Caplina aquifer are not sustainable, and likewise, public policies are not effective for reversing this situation. This leads the aquifer system to a situation in which there is a quality degradation of the water, to a point that may be irreversible.
Assessment of Integrated Soil and Water Conservation Practices on Soil Erosion Risk in a Typical Red-Beds Watershed in South China
Authors: Xu Yue , Yang Xiankun , Xu Guoliang , Fu Jiafang , Cai Shirong , Mu Xiaolin , Zhou Tao , Zhang Wenxin , Chen Jiaxin , Li Likuan , Xu Zijie
Published: July 2023

Soil erosion is the primary factor inducing soil deterioration in large river basins. Management and conservation of the soil erosion of the red bed desert, a unique gully landform shaped by intensive weathering and hydraulic erosion under the humid climate in south-eastern China, is crucial for its long-term sustainable development. This study, focusing on the Nanxiong Basin, a representative area with red beds, applied Gaofen(Gf)-2 satellite images to the RUSLE Model to analyze soil erosion modulus before and after implementing treatment for soil erosion control. We qualified the volume of soil erosion and mapped the spatial erosion variability in the basin. The results exhibited a decrease in the average erosion modulus from 3943.56 t·km−2·yr−1 to 2023.1 t·km−2·yr−1, which caused a reduction in total soil loss from 4.64 million tons to 2.38 million tons after treatment, with a reduction of about 48.7%. The mitigation reduced soil erosion from a moderate level to a light level. The areas that integrated soil and water conservation practices (SWCP) with management measures showed evident improvement in soil erosion, with a dramatic reduction in areas with annual erosion of a strong level (5000~8000 t·km−2·yr−1), extremely strong level (8000~15,000 t·km−2·yr−1), and severe level (>15,000 t·km−2·yr−1). Despite spatial heterogeneity in soil erosion intensity in the basin, this study demonstrates the great performance of SWCP in mitigating red bed degradation. The study provides a solid scientific basis for soil erosion control using ecological engineering in the Nanxiong Basin. It can also serve as an illustrative case study for further applications on soil erosion assessment in similar small basins.
Du sujet de droit à l'hyper-sujet du droit : Une analyse anthropologique comparée du droit des entités de la nature en Bolivie et en Équateur
Authors: Landivar Diego , Ramillien Émilie
Published: July 2023

Ces dernières années, une intuition remarquable a eu un retentissement important : le droit serait capable d’accueillir des visions du monde, des cosmologies autres que naturalistes, c’est-à-dire autres que celles qui voient le monde fait de discontinuités entre humains et non humains, entre humains et entités de la nature. La plasticité de la personnalité juridique, les fictions et opérations que le droit promeut permettraient non seulement d’accueillir des entités non humaines en tant que sujets de droit, mais aussi de proposer de nouvelles régulations face à la crise écologique. Cet «animisme juridique » revêt pourtant diverses formes qu’il faut savoir mettre en tension pour bien comprendre la portée des reconfigurations ontologiques en jeu. Cet article opère cette mise en tension en comparant, grâce à une analyse anthropologique, les cas de l’Équateur et de la Bolivie afin de montrer qu’il y a au moins deux manières de penser ces types d’excursions juridiques. La première – celle de l’Équateur – montre un animisme juridique fonctionnant comme une jonction entre des conceptions traditionnelles/ autochtones de la nature et des opérations techniques/ modernes du droit, débouchant alors sur un droit de la nature technique, opérationnel et atomisé. La deuxième – celle de la Bolivie – bien qu’elle soit moins techniquement opérationnelle, instaure un hyper-sujet, la Pachamama,

qui fonctionne comme architecture de diplomatie cosmologique, instaurant un tiers garant sacré et dessinant de nouveaux territoires d’inaliénabilité.