bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Marine Biodegradation of Polycaprolactone through Incorporation of Mucus Bubble Powder from Violet Sea Snail as Protein Fillers
Authors: Yoshida Koh , Teramoto Sayaka , Gong Jin , Kobayashi Yutaka , Ito Hiroshi
Published: June 2024

Microplastics’ spreading in the ocean is currently causing significant damage to organisms and ecosystems around the world. To address this oceanic issue, there is a current focus on marine degradable plastics. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a marine degradable plastic that is attracting attention. To further improve the biodegradability of PCL, we selected a completely new protein that has not been used before as a functional filler to incorporate it into PCL, aiming to develop an environmentally friendly biocomposite material. This novel protein is derived from the mucus bubbles of the violet sea snail (VSS, Janthina globosa), which is a strong bio-derived material that is 100% degradable in the sea environment by microorganisms. Two types of PCL/bubble composites, PCL/b1 and PCL/b5, were prepared with mass ratios of PCL to bubble powder of 99:1 and 95:5, respectively. We investigated the thermal properties, mechanical properties, biodegradability, surface structure, and crystal structure of the developed PCL/bubble composites. The maximum biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) degradation for PCL/b5 reached 96%, 1.74 times that of pure PCL (≈55%), clearly indicating that the addition of protein fillers significantly enhanced the biodegradability of PCL. The surface morphology observation results through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) definitely confirmed the occurrence of degradation, and it was found that PCL/b5 underwent more significant degradation compared to pure PCL. The water contact angle measurement results exhibited that all sheets were hydrophobic (water contact angle > 90°) before the BOD test and showed the changes in surface structure after the BOD test due to the newly generated indentations on the surface, which led to an increase in surface toughness and, consequently, an increase in surface hydrophobility. A crystal structure analysis by wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) discovered that the amorphous regions were decomposed first during the BOD test, and more amorphous regions were decomposed in PCL/b5 than in PCL, owing to the addition of the bubble protein fillers from the VSS. The differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) results suggested that the addition of mucus bubble protein fillers had only a slight impact on the thermal properties of PCL. In terms of mechanical properties, compared to pure PCL, the mucus-bubble-filler-added composites PCL/b1 and PCL/b5 exhibited slightly decreased values. Although the biodegradability of PCL was significantly improved by adding the protein fillers from mucus bubbles of the VSS, enhancing the mechanical properties at the same time poses the next challenging issue.
Debinding of Yttria-Stabilised Zirconia/Bimodal Stainless Steel 316L Bi-Materials Produced through Two-Component Micro-Powder Injection Moulding
Authors: Basir Al , Sulong Abu Bakar , Muhamad Norhamidi , Juri Afifah Z. , Jamadon Nashrah Hani , Foudzi Farhana Mohd , Radzuan Nabilah Afiqah Mohd
Published: June 2024

The fabrication of bi-material micro-components via two-component micro-powder injection moulding (2C-µPIM) from 3 mol% yttria-stabilised zirconia (3YSZ) and micro/nano bimodal stainless steel 316L (SS 316L) powders has received insufficient attention. Apart from this, retaining the bonding between ceramic and metal at different processing stages of 2C-µPIM is challenging. This study investigated the solvent and thermal debinding mechanisms of green bi-material micro-parts of 3YSZ and bimodal SS 316L without collapsing the ceramic/metal joining. In this research, feedstocks were prepared by integrating the powders individually with palm stearin and low-density polyethylene binders. The results demonstrated that during the solvent debinding process, the palm stearin removal rate in the bi-materials composed of 3YSZ and bimodally configured SS 316L feedstocks intensified with an increase in temperature. The establishment of interconnected pores in the solvent-debound components facilitated the thermal debinding process, which removed 99% of the binder system. Following sintering, the debound bi-materials exhibited a relative density of 95.3%. According to a study of the microstructures using field emission scanning electron microscopy, an adequate bond between 3YSZ and bimodal SS 316L was established in the micro-part after sintering. The bi-material sintered at 1350 °C had the highest hardness of 1017.4 HV along the joining region.
Hybrid Nanocomposites Based on Poly(3,6-dianiline-2,5-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone): Synthesis, Structure and Properties
Authors: Kiseleva Svetlana G. , Bondarenko Galina N. , Orlov Andrey V. , Muratov Dmitriy G. , Kozlov Vladimir V. , Vasilev Andrey A. , Karpacheva Galina P.
Published: June 2024

Hybrid nanocomposites based on poly(3,6-dianiline-2,5-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone) (PDACB) in salt form and graphene oxide (GO) have been obtained for the first time, and the significant influence of the preparation method on the composition and structure of nanocomposites and their functional properties has been demonstrated. Nanocomposites were prepared in three ways: via ultrasonic mixing of PDACB and GO; via in situ oxidative polymerization of 3,6-dianiline-2,5-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (DACB) in the presence of GO; and by heating a suspension of previously prepared PDACB and GO in DMF with the removal of the solvent. The results of the study of the composition, chemical structure, morphology, thermal stability and electrical properties of nanocomposites obtained via various methods are presented. Nanocomposites obtained by mixing the components in an ultrasonic field demonstrated strong intermolecular interactions between PDACB and GO both due to the formation of hydrogen bonds and π-stacking, as well as through electrostatic interactions. Under oxidative polymerization of DACB in the presence of GO, the latter participated in the oxidative process, being partially reduced. At the same time, a PDACB polymer film was formed on the surface of the GO. Prolonged heating for 4 h at 85 °C of a suspension of PDACB and GO in DMF led to the dedoping of PDACB with the transition of the polymer to the base non-conductive form and the reduction of GO. Regardless of the preparation method, all nanocomposites showed an increase in thermal stability compared to PDACB. All nanocomposites were characterized by a hopping mechanism of conductivity. Direct current (dc) conductivity σdc values varied within two orders of magnitude depending on the preparation conditions.
Enhanced High-Performance iPP/TPU/MWCNT Nanocomposite for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Authors: Li Yanru , Yu Wenting , Ruan Qian , Li Kun , Guo Xiaoqin , Bai Zhongyi , Chen Jingbo
Published: June 2024

The rapid development of electronic communication technology has led to an undeniable issue of electromagnetic pollution, prompting widespread attention from researchers to the study of electromagnetic shielding materials. Herein, a simple and feasible method of melt blending was applied to prepare iPP/TPU/MWCNT nanocomposites with excellent electromagnetic shielding performance. The addition of maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) effectively improved the interface compatibility of iPP and TPU. A double continuous structure within the matrix was achieved by controlling the iPP/TPU ratio at 4:6, while the incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes endowed the composites with improved electromagnetic shielding properties. Furthermore, by regulating the addition sequence of raw materials during the melt-blending process, a selective distribution of carbon nanotubes in the TPU matrix was achieved, thereby constructing interconnected conductive networks within the composites, significantly enhancing the electromagnetic shielding performance of iPP/TPU/MWCNTs, which achieved a maximum EMI shielding efficiency of 37.8 dB at an iPP/TPU ratio of 4:6 and an MWCNT concentration of 10 wt.%.
Treatment Alliance: A Bridge over the Religiosity Gap?
Authors: van Nieuw Amerongen-Meeuse Joke C. , Liefbroer Anke I. , Schaap-Jonker Hanneke , Braam Arjan W.
Published: June 2024

Many mental health care patients, regardless of their religious beliefs, prefer a similar outlook on life with their professional caregivers. Patients experience greater openness to discuss religion and spirituality (R/S), mutual understanding, less fear of disapproval and report a higher treatment alliance. The question is whether the core problem of a so-called ‘religiosity gap’ (RG) lies in (a) an objective difference in outlook on life, (b) a perceived difference in outlook on life or (c) in unmet R/S care needs. We explored this by matching data of 55 patients with their respective caregivers for a quantitative analysis. An actual (objective) RG, when patients were religious and caregivers not, was not associated with a lower treatment alliance but a difference in intrinsic religiosity, especially when caregivers scored higher than patients, was related to a lower treatment alliance. A subjective RG, perceived by patients, and a higher level of unmet R/S care needs were also significantly associated with a lower treatment alliance as rated by patients. These results emphasize that sensitivity, respect and openness regarding R/S and secular views are essential elements in treatment and might benefit the treatment relationship.
The Dissolution of the Monasteries in Sweden during the Reformation
Authors: Berntson Martin
Published: June 2024

This article discusses the dissolution of the monasteries in 16th century Sweden. The approximately fifty monasteries and friar’s convents that existed in Sweden in the early 16th century were all dissolved over a period of about eighty years. Decisive for this development were decisions during the Diet in Västerås 1527, which decreed that monasteries that depended on tax from their estates should be subordinated under a nobleman, and that the mendicant friars should not be allowed to travel outside their convents more than ten weeks each year. Whilst most of the monasteries inhabited by monks or brothers had been dissolved before the 1560s, four female houses were still in existence at this time. These remaining nunneries were supported financially by the state, possibly to safeguard the nuns’ social welfare. However, the monastic institutions were to meet a short-lived revival through the reign of King Johan III (rule 1568–1592), who not only supported them economically but also renovated a few of them and allowed Catholic priests to encourage Catholicism in Vadstena Abbey. Through this process of re-catholicizing, any prospects of creating successful Evangelical communities in Sweden were lost. The last remaining nunnery, Vadstena Abbey, was a vibrant Catholic institution when it was forced to close in 1595.
Griby i Mukhi: A Historical Contextualization of the Esoteric Mushroom Religion of Moscow Conceptualism: Fungal Erotic Imagery of Entheogens and Insects
Authors: Ioffe Dennis
Published: June 2024

This paper aims to observe, contextualize, and analyze the multifaceted religious fungal foundations of Moscow Conceptualism within the context of Slavic and European esoteric mythological praxis. By unveiling the thematic basis of their transgressive spiritual endeavors, this study seeks to enhance our comprehension of this artistic and literary movement in the Western world. Besides exploring the erotic aesthetics associated with mushrooms, significant attention is devoted to various flies, as the biological vitality of the mukhomor (‘fly agaric’ or amanita muscaria) is inconceivable without them. Moscow Conceptualist visionaries, including Andrey Monastyrsky, Ilia Kabakov, Elagina and Makarevich, and the Mukhomor Moscow collectives, along with their no less famous colleague from Leningrad, Sergey Kuriokhin, emerge not only as artists but also as literary innovators. They seamlessly integrate advancements from the realm of art, giving rise to a novel form of religiously symbiotic semiosis. Consequently, the traditional boundaries between diverse art forms become blurred, marking a distinctive characteristic that aligns with international contemporary avant-garde aesthetics.
The Augustinian Concept of Love: From Hannah Arendt’s Interpretation to Impartial Love of Mozi
Authors: Tian Shufeng
Published: June 2024

Augustine and Mozi are doubtlessly two of the most important theorists about love in the Western and Chinese traditions. Augustine has made a sharp distinction between caritas and cupiditas, whereas Mozi proposes the theory of impartial love (jian’ai 兼爱). Hannah Arendt has made her irreplaceable contribution to the understanding of the Augustinian concept of caritas in her work with the title Der Liebesbegriff bei Augustin, Versuch einer Philosophischen Interpretation (1929). She treats the central question of whether for Augustine love towards neighbors has an independent value. In the Chinese tradition, Mozi proposes the theory of impartial love as a remedy for disposing of the disorders of society on the one hand, but on the other hand to love others impartially comes ultimately from the divine command of tian or Heaven, and tian seems to be the final authority or standard for being morally good and righteousness. It needs explanation or clarification if Mozi commits an inconsistency by holding two different ethical principles. In this article, I will first concentrate on discovering the fundamental characteristics of caritas and cupiditas, and then turn to dealing with the problem of the instrumentalization of the others in the love towards neighbors if they are used as tools to ascend to God’s love. In the last part, I will discuss the impartial love of Mozi and compare it with that of Augustine to see their distinctions and similarities. We will see that through the comparison we can obtain a better understanding of the concept of love in different traditions.
Markers and Tools to Facilitate Decolonisation of Theological Education in Africa
Authors: Pali Khamadi Joseph
Published: June 2024

This article discusses the decolonisation of (theological) education in Africa, with special emphasis on South Africa. Colonialism is a complex power system that subjugated space, human beings and the minds of the colonised. Decolonisation has a responsibility to remove colonial governance, liberate the colonised being and decentre the colonial knowledge and recentre the indigenous knowledge of the native people. Furthermore, the most difficult form of decolonisation is the decolonisation of the mind because colonialism in this context tends to manifest itself into other forms of social structure. This study suggests that there is a need to relearn the meaning of decolonisation and its implications, as there are some students and academics who still do not know much about decolonisation, and this hinders the process. Furthermore, theological education needs to use engaged scholarship and community-based practical research (CBPR) methods as tools to facilitate decolonisation of theological education, as present studies indicate that the Christian religion is failing to make an impact in many African communities. Lastly, this article highlights markers of decolonised (theological) education in Africa. This article has two objectives. The first objective is to highlight markers of decolonised theological education. The second objective is to give special emphasis to the role of engaged scholarship and CBPR in the decolonisation of theological education. This article will use a literature review approach and highlight examples of the decolonisation of (theological) education. The decolonisation theory will underpin this literature review.
When the Integral Meets African Ethics: Contextualizing Laudato SI’
Authors: Negedu Isaiah Aduojo , Faruna Ameh Pius
Published: June 2024

The concept of the integral speaks to the holistic nature of the globe. It is predicated on the claim that everything/everyone is related, and the destruction of one is the destruction of the whole. As such, it places a moral burden on each part to work towards the preservation and dignity of the whole. This ethics of union is aptly captured in Laudato Si’ (On Care for Our Common Home), a papal encyclical of Pope Francis. African moral theory perfectly captures this ethic: I am because we are. What this communal ethic does is constantly maintain the view that humans are interconnected to one another. We interrogate how this communalistic approach of the African is implicated and vindicated in integral ecology and the special place Laudato Si’ holds in the world. The end is to justify both the African and ecclesiastical approaches as decolonial ecology and then see how the uniqueness of both approaches can birth a universal approach. However, to achieve our aim, we employ the method of conversation that comes from the African place. We choose conversation because we believe that Laudato Si’ promotes a ‘theology from the borders’. If our statement is true, then we will best be able to project our argument using a method that comes from the borders but is universally possible in its application.
Reconceptualizing Houses of Worship to Advance Comparisons across Religious Traditions
Authors: Lussier Danielle N.
Published: June 2024

The study of religion and politics has struggled to find concepts, methods, and approaches that advance productive comparisons of phenomena across different religious practices and traditions. Consequently, scholars who seek to understand the impact of religious practice on political outcomes across religious traditions encounter challenges in aggregating findings and advancing scholarly inquiry. A reconsideration of the role of houses of worship as an intermediary variable connecting religious practice to political outcomes yields a potentially fruitful avenue for comparative investigation. While social processes that take place within worship spaces are frequently presumed in the mechanisms linking religious variables to political outcomes, these worship spaces are generally undertheorized and overlooked within the study of religion and politics. A body of scholarship has substantiated the significance of congregational variation within the study of Christianity, yet the most commonly cited quantitative literature on religion and political participation omits discussion of this level of variation. Drawing on the shared conceptual space across worship domains from several religious traditions, this article examines houses of worship as an organizational concept that can be employed productively for theoretical and empirical analyses of religion and politics.
Hate and Perceived Threats on the Resettlement of Afghan Refugees in Portugal
Authors: Veiga João Prata , Oliveira Luciana
Published: June 2024

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan in August 2021 precipitated a humanitarian crisis, prompting the displacement of Afghan refugees seeking sanctuary, including in Portugal. This study aims to rigorously assess public perceptions of Afghan refugee resettlement in Portugal by analyzing national news and subsequent Facebook reactions, seeking to discern sentiment, approval/disapproval, perceived realistic and symbolic threats, and potential hate speech toward migrant resettlement. Employing a mixed-methods approach with a qualitative emphasis, this cross-sectional study involved a volumetric analysis of 40 Facebook posts from mainstream news outlets, followed by a qualitative content analysis of 1000 comments from 10 selected posts based on popularity and controversy. Findings reveal a predominance of negative sentiments and low levels of approval for migrant resettlement. Emotional complexity suggests controversy and polarization, with negativity surpassing positivity. Concerns regarding economic impact ranked highest, followed by security, cultural, and religious considerations. Instances of hate speech, predominantly political in nature, with lesser occurrences of religious and nationality-based content, were evident. This research contributes to the scientific understanding of public perceptions concerning Afghan refugee integration in Portugal, providing valuable insights into societal attitudes towards humanitarian crises and refugee resettlement efforts.
Analysis of Senior Citizens’ Participation in Social Organizations
Authors: Piña-Morán Marcelo , Martínez-Matamala Carlos , Iacub Ricardo , Olivo-Viana María G. , Rubio-Aguilar Verónica , Torres-Fuentes Luis M.
Published: June 2024

The present study follows Chilean older persons’ social participation in organizations. The methodology used corresponds to the data delivery period from the National Socioeconomic Characterization Survey (CASEN), where the samples used are 2003 (n = 257,077), 2009 (n = 246,924), 2011 (n = 200,302), 2015 (n = 266,968), and 2017 (n = 216,439). The data were processed using SPSS statistical software (version 27.0) for a descriptive analysis of the data and variable crossing, along with a comparison based on presenting the data in maps via QGis geographical software (3.36.6 version). The main finding of the present study is that while social participation in organizations continues a cross-sectional downward trend across Chilean population age groups, there are still good indicators among elderly people, determining non-participation profiles for public policy implementation. Some determinants for participation in this age group above the rest of the population may be due to improved health conditions, more free time after retirement, and cultural determinants inciting active participation in society.
Strategic Digital City: Multiple Projects for Sustainable Urban Management
Authors: Rezende Denis Alcides , Almeida Giovana Goretti Feijó , Fumagalli Luis André Wernecke
Published: June 2024

In the last two decades, sustainable urban environments have been predominant, meaning that knowledge production has accompanied this growth. The objective of this study is to present multiple projects for sustainable urban management applied in cities, based on the original Strategic Digital City (SDC) concept, model, and project. The research methodology included an SDC systematic literature review, highlighting the sustainability and respective action research of 11 doctoral theses and multiple projects. The obtained results highlight a set of published multiple projects that form a practical analytical cycle of sustainable and interconnected urban processes through the original SDC framework proposition, SDC, which can be applied in different cities in different countries. The innovations present in the SDC multiple projects propose a theoretical–empirical debate in the interdisciplinary areas of urban management, municipal administration, and sustainable public innovation, with a focus on local government and democracy studies, prioritizing sustainable strategies in cities and not just technologies. The conclusion reiterates that the original multiple projects, created and applied in different cities, present an interdisciplinary advance in sustainable urban management areas and public administration, focused on sustainable urban studies.
Enhancing Education on Aurora Astronomy and Climate Science Awareness through Augmented Reality Technology and Mobile Learning
Authors: Chen Shih-Yeh , Lin Pei-Hsuan , Lai Ying-Hsun , Liu Chia-Ju
Published: June 2024

In our contemporary digital age, the profound integration of the internet, mobile devices, and innovative educational technologies has revolutionized the landscape of digital education. This transformation has unfolded a world of possibilities, enriched by the versatility and accessibility of digital learning, transcending temporal and spatial boundaries. The convergence of AR (augmented reality) and mobile learning has emerged as a hotbed of innovation in the realm of education. This study stands at the juncture of climate change education and innovative educational technologies, ushering in new dimensions of learning within the context of aurora astronomy. AR technology vividly elucidates the repercussions of climate change on natural phenomena like the auroras, offering students the opportunity to embark on virtual journeys, exploring the environmental transformations impacting the Earth’s magnetic fields and, consequently, the behavior of auroras. This harmonious blend of innovative technology and climate change education equips students with a profound comprehension of climate change’s real-world implications on awe-inspiring natural phenomena such as the auroras. Hence, this research proposes the application of a teaching model that combines mobile learning with AR to a sixth-grade class in a primary school in Taitung County, Taiwan, specifically applied to the biology and environment unit within the natural sciences and technology curriculum. Furthermore, this research aims to address the relevance of auroras in the pressing global issue of climate change. The results indicate that this approach is able to do more than just boost students’ motivation by integrating AR and mobile learning and delving into the complex interconnections between auroras and climate change within the changing backdrop of Earth’s climate. And, by providing students with the opportunity to study auroras through AR and mobile learning, this research seeks to raise awareness of the interconnectedness of environmental phenomena and promote a deeper understanding of the challenges posed by climate change.
A Model for Estimating the Tourism Carrying Capacity of a Tourism Corridor: A Case Study of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau
Authors: Ye Sui , Li Ziqiang , Xi Jianchao
Published: June 2024

Research on the tourism carrying capacity (TCC) serves as the scientific basis for ensuring the sustainable development of tourism and is vital for the establishment of tourism corridors. From the novel perspective of the space of flows, in this study, we conducted a set of evaluations of the TCCs of tourism corridors using the methods of space–time consumption and linear programming in operational research. Through empirical investigation of the five tourism corridors in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, we arrived at the following conclusions: (i) The traffic carrying capacity of the tourism corridors amounts to 2,463,600 people/day. (ii) Under the constraints of urban reception service facilities and tourist attraction capacity, the traffic carrying capacity of each section is only 1,782,400 people/day. The research results scientifically reflect the current carrying capacity of tourism traffic in different corridors and sections, as well as the state of road traffic and the urban tourism infrastructure along corridors experiencing overload. This paper not only verifies the feasibility of the proposed theoretical method but also provides an optimization plan and theoretical support for enhancing the sustainable development of the tourism industry on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.
Construction and Application of a Coastline Ecological Index: A Case Study of Fujian Province, China
Authors: Liu Xiaoxiang , Xue Xiongzhi
Published: June 2024

Coastlines are at the forefront of interactions between the ocean and land, and have important ecological significance. Remote sensing technology, with its advantages in obtaining large-scale and multiscale data, has become an important aid in constructing comprehensive ecological environment indicators. Based on the Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI/TIRS data sources and remote sensing technology, a comprehensive index to evaluate the ecological health of the coastline, the coastline ecological index (CEI), was proposed, and the mainland coastline ecology of Fujian Province from 1992 to 2022 was evaluated. Case studies show that the ecological health of Fujian Province’s coastline, as measured by CEI values, decreased from 98.1 in 1992 to 16.6 in 2007 and then gradually increased to 37.6 in 2022, demonstrating a trend of initial decline followed by a rise. During the study period, the total length of Fujian Province’s coastline decreased from 3373.1 km in 1992 to 2985.5 km in 2012 and then increased to 3123.4 km in 2022, accompanied by the transformation of a large number of natural coastlines into artificial coastlines. The study found that before 2007, China carried out unreasonable development of its coastline for economic development, which caused natural coastline damage and a decline in the CEI value. Since 2012, China has combined environmental protection with economic development. Policy adjustments have reduced coastline damage and increased restoration efforts, and the CEI value has risen. The CEI constructed in this study has good adaptability for application in Fujian Province, and changes in CEI values can better reflect changes in the ecological degree of the coastline in Fujian Province. Following a case study and detailed discussion, we believe that CEI has universal applicability for the comprehensive evaluation of coastline ecology.
Synthesis and Characterization of Biochars and Activated Carbons Derived from Various Biomasses
Authors: Hoang Tuan-Dung , Liu Yan , Le Minh Thang
Published: June 2024

Reducing CO2 emissions is urgently needed to slow down the impacts of climate change. CO2 capture using an amine solution has been developed and implemented at pilot and commercial scales. However, amine scrubbing, in particular, produces a lot of degraded solvents as waste and is energy intensive. Solid sorbents have been used to overcome these drawbacks. In this work, waste biomass-derived carbon materials were developed and characterized. Advanced thermal chemical processes, i.e., hydrothermal and pyrolysis processes, were applied to produce materials from agrifood waste, such as soybean and okara. It was found that functional groups (-C=O and -OH) appeared in the synthesized materials, implying the generation of surface oxygenated groups. Preliminary results showed that synthesized activated carbons were obtained with good yields and relatively high surface areas, which may be applied as CO2 adsorption materials to solve CO2 emission problems.
A Short-Term Vessel Traffic Flow Prediction Based on a DBO-LSTM Model
Authors: Dong Ze , Zhou Yipeng , Bao Xiongguan
Published: June 2024

To facilitate the efficient prediction and intelligent analysis of ship traffic information, a short-term ship traffic flow prediction method based on the dung beetle optimizer (DBO)-optimized long short-term memory networks (LSTM) is proposed. Firstly, according to the characteristics of vessel traffic flow, speed, and density, the traffic flow parameters are extracted from the AIS data; secondly, the DBO-LSTM model is established, and the optimal hyperparameter combinations of the LSTM are found using the DBO algorithm to improve the model prediction accuracy; then, taking the AIS data of a part of the coastal port area in Xiangshan as an example, we compare and analyze the results of the recurrent neural network, temporal convolutional network, LSTM, and DBO-LSTM prediction models; finally, the results are displayed and analyzed by visualization. The experimental results show that each error is reduced in predicting the flow parameter, speed parameter, and density parameter, and the accuracy reaches 95%, 92%, and 95%, respectively. After predicting the three parameters in the next 24 h, the accuracy rate reaches 93%, 91%, and 94%, respectively, compared with the real data, which surpasses the comparison model and achieves better prediction accuracy, verifying the feasibility and reasonableness of the proposed prediction model.
The Asymmetric Role of Financial Commitments to Renewable Energy Projects, Public R&D Expenditure, and Energy Patents in Sustainable Development Pathways
Authors: Alnour Mohammed , Önden Abdullah , Hasseb Mouad , Önden İsmail , Rehman Mohd Ziaur , Esquivias Miguel Angel , Hossain Md. Emran
Published: June 2024

To address the climate change impact, governments around the world have made financial commitments to dedicate a significant portion of their budgets to “research and development (R&D)” related to cutting-edge technology development. However, there is limited research in the literature that has examined the effects of financial commitment to renewable energy projects and public R&D on the environment and economic growth. Thus, this study is an endeavor to investigate the impact of financial commitments to renewable energy enterprises, public research and development expenditure, and energy technology innovation on CO2 emissions (CO2e) and economic growth for 34 countries over the period 2010–2019. This study performs a nonlinear panel analysis using the “panel non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (PNARDL)” model within the frameworks of the “Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis and Solow growth model”. The findings reveal that financial commitments do not possess sufficient power to explain fluctuations in CO2e and economic growth in the short term. However, contrasting results are obtained in the long run, when the decreasing effect is more prominent than the growing effect. Moreover, an increase in public R&D expenditure significantly reduces pollution in the long term. This research also found that energy patents have no reliable power to explain the variation in economic growth. In addition, our results do not explicitly disclose the validity of the EKC argument. Accordingly, this study discussed in detail the green policy suggestions that promote the use of renewable energy and enhance the public–private partnership in the fight against climate change.
Unlocking Sustainable Rural Tourism to Support Rural Development: A Bayesian Approach to Managing Water-Based Destinations in Indonesia
Authors: Ariyani Nafiah , Fauzi Akhmad
Published: June 2024

Rural tourism is a vital component of rural development in countries like Indonesia, leveraging the natural beauty, scenic landscapes, cultural heritage, and unique rural lifestyle to drive progress. Water-based tourism, which makes use of reservoirs, is a prevalent form of rural tourism in Indonesia, with one notable example being the Kedung Ombo reservoir area. Despite the potential advantages it offers, rural tourism in Kedung Ombo encounters challenges stemming from the intricate interactions of nature, stakeholders, and uncertainties related to decision-making factors. This study seeks to conduct a strength analysis and explore scenarios or combinations of scenarios that are best suited for the sustainable management of water-based tourism in a participatory manner. It aims to investigate the relationships between various components of tourism management, external and internal conditions, and the complex dynamics between human systems and the environment. Recognizing the importance of embracing uncertainty in managing tourist villages, the study utilizes Bayesian network analysis as an appropriate analytical tool to achieve its research objectives. The research highlights that the sustainability of rural water-based tourism in Kedung Ombo hinges on factors such as financial incentives, stakeholder engagement, business scalability, accesibility, and environmental considerations related to the reservoir.
Small Animal Models to Study Herpes Simplex Virus Infections
Authors: Hussain Mohammed Tanveer , Stanfield Brent A. , Bernstein David I.
Published: June 2024

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) are two of the most prevalent human viruses worldwide. They are known to cause a variety of diseases including genital herpes, meningitis, encephalitis, cold sores and herpes stromal keratitis. The seropositive rate for HSV-1 is around 90%, whereas for HSV-2 it remains around 20–25% for the general adult population. The infections caused by these viruses remain difficult to study because a large proportion of infected individuals are asymptomatic. Furthermore, given the neurotropic characteristics of the virus, studies aimed at understanding the complex pathogenesis in humans is difficult. As a result, animal models have been developed to understand several characteristics of HSV biology, pathogenesis, disease and host responses to infection. These models are also commonly used as the first evaluation of new drugs and vaccines. There are several well-established animal models to study infection with HSV, including mice, guinea pigs and rabbits. Variables within the animal models depend on the species of animal, route of infection, viral strain, dosage, etc. This review aims at summarizing the most commonly used animal models to study HSV pathogenesis and therapies.
The Recycling Characteristics of Different Silicon Forms and Biogenic Silicon in the Surface Sediments of Dianchi Lake, Southwest China
Authors: Liu Yong , Liu Jv , Xu Guoli , Wang Jingfu , Xu Kai , Jin Zuxue , Huang Guojia
Published: June 2024

Silicon (Si) is one of the main biogenic elements in the aquatic ecosystem of lakes, significantly affecting the primary productivity of lakes. Lake sediment is an important sink of Si, which exists in different Si forms and will be released and participate in the recycling of Si when the sediment environment changes. Compared to carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), the understanding of different Si forms in sediments and their biogeochemical cycling is currently insufficient. Dianchi Lake, a typical eutrophic lake in southwest China, was selected as an example, and the contents of different Si forms and biogenic silicon (BSi), as well as their correlations with total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and chlorophyll a in the surface sediments, were systematically investigated to explore Si’s recycling characteristics. The results showed that the coupling relationship of the four different Si forms in the surface sediments of Dianchi Lake was poor (p > 0.05), indicating that their sources were relatively independent. Moreover, their formation may be greatly influenced by the adsorption, fixation and redistribution of dissolved silicon by different lake substances. The contents of different Si forms in the surface sediments of Dianchi Lake were ranked as iron-manganese-oxide-bonded silicon (IMOF-Si) > organic sulfide-bonded silicon (OSF-Si) > ion-exchangeable silicon (IEF-Si) > carbonate-bound silicon (CF-Si). In particular, the contents of IMOF-Si and OSF-Si reached 2983.7~3434.7 mg/kg and 1067.6~1324.3 mg/kg, respectively, suggesting that the release and recycling of Si in surface sediments may be more sensitive to changes in redox conditions at the sediment–water interface, which become the main pathway for Si recycling, and the slow degradation of organic matter rich in OSF-Si may lead to long-term and continuous endogenous Si recycling. The low proportion (0.3~0.6%) and spatial differences of biogenic silicon (BSi) in the surface sediments of Dianchi Lake, as well as the poor correlation between BSi and TOC, TN, and chlorophyll a, indicated that the primary productivity of Dianchi Lake was still dominated by cyanobacteria and other algal blooms, while the relative abundance of siliceous organisms such as diatoms was low and closer to the central area of Dianchi Lake. Additionally, BSi may have a faster release capability relative to TOC and may participate in Si recycling.
Multi-Stage Optimization of Drainage Systems for Integrated Grey–Green Infrastructure under Backward Planning
Authors: Sun Chuanhao , Rao Qiuyi , Wang Mo , Liu Yulu , Xiong Ziheng , Zhao Jiayu , Fan Chengliang , Rana Muhammad Adnan Ikram , Li Jianjun , Zhang Menghan
Published: June 2024

In this study, a multi-stage planning framework was constructed by using SWMM simulation modeling and NSGA-II and applied to optimize the layout of integrated grey–green infrastructure (IGGI) under land use change and climate change scenarios. The land use change scenarios were determined based on the master plan of the study area, with imperviousness of 50.7% and 62.0% for stage 1 and stage 2, respectively. Rainfall trends for stage 1 and stage 2 were determined using Earth-E3 from the CMIP6 model. The rainfall in stage 2 increased by 14.9% from stage 1. Based on these two change scenarios, the spatial configuration of IGGI layouts with different degrees of centralization of the layout (DCL) under the two phases was optimized, with the lowest life cycle cost (LCC) as the optimization objective. The results showed that the layout with DCL = 0 had better performance in terms of LCC. The LCC of the layout with DCL = 0 was only 66.9% of that of the layout with DCL = 90.9%. In terms of Tech-R, stage 2 had better performance than stage 1. Furthermore, the average technological resilience (Tech-R) index of stage 2 was 0.8–3.4% higher than that of stage 1. Based on the LCC and Tech-R indices of all of the layouts, TOPSIS was used to compare the performance of the layouts under the two stages, and it was determined that the layout with DCL = 0 had the best economic and performance benefits. The results of this study will be useful in exploring the spatial configuration of urban drainage systems under land use change and climate change for sustainable stormwater management.
Iron Contamination in Groundwater: Risk Assessment and Remediation Techniques in Egypt’s New Valley
Authors: Abed Ehdaa A. M. , Alaboudi Khalid A. N. , Abbas Mohamed H. H. , Attia Tamer M. S. , Abdelhafez Ahmed A.
Published: June 2024

This study evaluates water quality (surface and deep wells as well as tap water) within villages of the El-Kharga Oasis (New Valley), focusing on their chemical composition, Fe contents, and potential hazards quantifying human exposure to Fe through different pathways, i.e., ingestion and dermal contact. Generally, the water quality meets the standards of the WHO guidelines for most sites, except for Fe, whose total and soluble contents in surface and ground waters exceed the permissible levels. Fe was higher in surface wells than in the deeper ones. Moreover, total Fe was higher than the permissible level in tap water, indicating potential health hazards for children living therein (hazardous index > 1). Another lab experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of using dolomite, calcite, glauconite, and biochar for Fe removal from solutions artificially contaminated with Fe at a rate of 1000 mg Fe L−1. Generally, Fe solubility decreased with increasing the pH of media from two to seven. Dolomite exhibited the highest efficiency for removing Fe from the solution for five successive cycles, with slight reductions in efficiency from 100% to 93.67% between the first and fifth cycle. Overall, Fe removal efficiencies followed the order of calcite > dolomite > biochar > glauconite. This sorption fitted the Langmuir isotherm model, and its kinetics (5–20 min) followed a pseudo-second order model. Furthermore, Fe recovery from dolomite was high, ranging from 100%, while decreased slightly to 92.93% in the fifth cycle. Although the results for calcite were also promising, our results showed its higher erodibility rate compared to dolomite. These findings offer valuable insights towards managing water quality and developing solutions for treating contaminated water sources, with a specific emphasis on the efficacy of dolomite and calcite for removing Fe from Fe-contaminated water.
Evolución del microcrédito y su contribución financiera de las pymes en Chone
Authors: Mendoza Cedeño Álvaro Danny , Bravo Santana Verónica Piedad
Published: June 2024

El presente trabajo analiza los mecanismos de financiamiento actual de las PYMES, en función de los microcréditos otorgados por las instituciones financieras privadas y públicas. En consecuencia, esta investigación se llevó a cabo en Chone para conocer los aspectos teóricos y estadísticos que fundamentan los mecanismos que permiten financiar actualmente a las PyMES; igualmente hizo uso de metodologías de análisis y síntesis para lograr la implementación de estrategias que faciliten el acceso a dichos mecanismos de financiamiento. Para ello, se recolectó información por un período de 37 días, a través de encuestas dirigidas a 100 personas de los negocios más representativos en el sector comercial y de entrevistas a nueve jefes de las agencias crediticias. Los resultados muestran que el 51.16% de los propietarios de las PyMES están poco familiarizados con estos mecanismos, el 44.18% no está familiarizado, el 46% manifiestan haber mejorado sus ganancias; el 22% mejorado su historial crediticio y el 14% haber expandido su negocio
Comportamiento organizacional: clave para la responsabilidad social interna en una empresa de productos alimenticios
Authors: Negrin Sosa Ernesto , Alcivar Martinez Benigno , Bravo Macias Columba , Gómez Rivadeneira Johanna Sissibel
Published: June 2024

El objetivo del presente estudio es evaluar las variables del comportamientoorganizacional, de trabajo en equipo y motivación, que son esencialespara la responsabilidad social empresarial de una empresa de productosalimenticios. Se utilizaron tipos de investigación descriptiva, exploratoria,documental y de campo, así como métodos deductivos, deductivos,analíticos y sintéticos. El enfoque de investigación es mixto. Para esteestudio, se aplicó un cuestionario con escala Likert a setenta trabajadores dela empresa. Desde la perspectiva de la RSE interna, se destaca la importanciadel papel de los empleados como parte esencial del entorno interno de laempresa y se examinan los resultados de la evaluación de las variablesdel comportamiento organizacional. Esta investigación muestra que laintegración de la RSE y las necesidades de los empleados en la gestiónempresarial es crucial para aumentar la eficacia de las organizaciones. Eltrabajo en equipo es esencial para el funcionamiento de una empresa. Losresultados muestran que una mayor cooperación entre los miembros delequipo conduce a una mayor eficiencia y productividad en la empresa dealimentos. Además, se analiza la motivación de los empleados, que es uncomponente adicional esencial para el éxito de una organización.
El control interno y la cultura organizacional en las empresas del cantón Sucre
Authors: Pazmiño Chica Vicente Eduardo , Rengifo Herradez Karina Clarismar
Published: June 2024

Este estudio tiene como objetivo general determinar la incidencia del control interno en la cultura organizacional en las empresas del cantón Sucre, enfocándose al área de talento humano, en el proceso de reclutamiento y  selección  de  personal.  Se  apoyó  en  una  revisión  bibliográfica y  el análisis de la situación actual mediante un estudio empírico evidenciado en las empresas de la región, utilizando un instrumento de 36 ítems con escala de Likert diseñado con apoyo en autores previos, sometido a procesos de validez y confiabilidad. La población fue de 36 sujetos y no se seleccionó muestra alguna. Se realizó un estudio cuantitativo, de diseño no experimental de campo y nivel descriptivo. El tratamiento de los datos se apoyó en la estadística descriptiva para los datos cuantitativos y la estadística inferencial para determinar la incidencia del control interno en la cultura organizacional utilizando la correlación de Spearman, según la prueba de normalidad aplicada (Kolmogorov-Smirnov). Como resultado se obtuvo que, los sujetos encuestados están en desacuerdo con los procedimientos que se llevan a cabo en la contratación del personal y que el control interno en el proceso es poco riguroso. Por lo tanto, se concluye que existe una correlación significativa entre el control interno y la cultura organizacional, por ende, mientras mayor control interno exista en las áreas de las empresas, el proceso de selección para cargos será más claro y sin preferencias.