bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vegetation Growth Response and Trends after Water Deficit Exposure in the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Luo Yuanyuan , Liang Wei , Yan Jianwu , Zhang Weibin , Gou Fen , Wang Chengxi , Liang Xiaoru
Published: May 2023

Understanding the impact of water availability on vegetation growth in the context of climate change is crucial for assessing the resilience of vegetation to environmental shifts. In this study, the relationship between vegetation growth and water availability was studied using a variety of indicators. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), and Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) were utilized as vegetation growth indicators, while the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and soil moisture indicators served as water use indices. To investigate the vegetation response to water deficit in the Loess Plateau during the growing season from 2000 to 2020, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated using a 5-year sliding window approach. The spatial and temporal heterogeneity of vegetation response to water deficit during the growing seasons were also explored. The results showed that: (1) with the improvement of moisture conditions, vegetation growth recovered significantly, and there was no expansion trend for vegetation water deficit. (2) The most sensitive timescale of vegetation to water deficit was 6–8 months; the response degree and sensitivity of vegetation to water surplus and deficit were the highest from June to August; and broadleaved forest was the vegetation type most sensitive to water deficit in the early growing season, while grass was the vegetation type most sensitive to water deficit during the mid and late growing seasons. (3) Soil moisture emerged as the dominant factor influencing vegetation growth in the Loess Plateau, followed by precipitation, albeit to a lesser extent. These findings contribute to understanding the mechanism and characteristics of the response of vegetation to climate fluctuations induced by global climate change.
Application of Machine Learning to Tree Species Classification Using Active and Passive Remote Sensing: A Case Study of the Duraer Forestry Zone
Authors: Rina Su , Ying Hong , Shan Yu , Du Wala , Liu Yang , Li Rong , Deng Dingzhu
Published: May 2023

The technology of remote sensing-assisted tree species classification is increasingly developing, but the rapid refinement of tree species classification on a large scale is still challenging. As one of the treasures of ecological resources in China, Arxan has 80% forest cover, and tree species classification surveys guarantee ecological environment management and sustainable development. In this study, we identified tree species in three samples within the Arxan Duraer Forestry Zone based on the spectral, textural, and topographic features of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral remote sensing imagery and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) point cloud data as classification variables to distinguish among birch, larch, and nonforest areas. The best extracted classification variables were combined to compare the accuracy of the random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and classification and regression tree (CART) methodologies for classifying species into three sample strips in the Arxan Duraer Forestry Zone. Furthermore, the effect on the overall classification results of adding a canopy height model (CHM) was investigated based on spectral and texture feature classification combined with field measurement data to improve the accuracy. The results showed that the overall accuracy of the RF was 79%, and the kappa coefficient was 0.63. After adding the CHM extracted from the point cloud data, the overall accuracy was improved by 7%, and the kappa coefficient increased to 0.75. The overall accuracy of the CART model was 78%, and the kappa coefficient was 0.63; the overall accuracy of the SVM was 81%, and the kappa coefficient was 0.67; and the overall accuracy of the RF was 86%, and the kappa coefficient was 0.75. To verify whether the above results can be applied to a large area, Google Earth Engine was used to write code to extract the features required for classification from Sentinel-2 multispectral and radar topographic data (create equivalent conditions), and six tree species and one nonforest in the study area were classified using RF, with an overall accuracy of 0.98, and a kappa coefficient of 0.97. In this paper, we mainly integrate active and passive remote sensing data for forest surveying and add vertical data to a two-dimensional image to form a three-dimensional scene. The main goal of the research is not only to find schemes to improve the accuracy of tree species classification, but also to apply the results to large-scale areas. This is necessary to improve the time-consuming and labor-intensive traditional forest survey methods and to ensure the accuracy and reliability of survey data.
Determination of Susceptibility to the Generation of Discontinuities Related to Land Subsidence Using the Frequency Ratio Method in the City of Aguascalientes, Mexico
Authors: Luna-Villavicencio Hugo , Pacheco-Martínez Jesús , Ochoa-González Gil H. , Hernández-Marín Martín , Hernández-Madrigal Victor M. , López-Doncel Rubén A. , Reyes-Cedeño Isaí G.
Published: May 2023

Land subsidence in the Aguascalientes Valley, documented since the 1980s, has developed a large number of discontinuities that damage infrastructure. There is currently no methodology to accurately predict the site and time at which a discontinuity will occur, making it difficult to make decisions in urban planning or risk management. However, it is possible to determine the susceptibility of an area to the generation of fractures based on the factors associated with their formation. This study presents a zoning method based on the ground failure susceptibility index (GFSI) in the city of Aguascalientes, using the frequency ratio (FR) method and employing the depth of the basement, the subsidence rate, the subsidence gradient, and the groundwater level drawdown as variables. The zoning method included three categories of land subsidence susceptibility to fracturing, moderate, high, and very high, which were divided using the first (3.76) and second (4.24) quartiles of the GFSI. The zoning method was created with the discontinuities reported in 2010 and was validated with data from 2022. The results obtained show that 11.19% of the discontinuities developed between 2010 and 2022 were located in a zone of moderate susceptibility, 41.97% were located in a zone of high susceptibility, and 46.87% were located in a zone classified as having very high susceptibility.
Unleashing the Power of Connection: How Adolescents’ Prosocial Propensity Drives Ecological and Altruistic Behaviours
Authors: Neaman Alexander , Montero Eiliana , Pensini Pamela , Burnham Elliot , Castro Mónica , Ermakov Dmitry S. , Navarro-Villarroel Claudia
Published: May 2023

Both altruistic and ecological behaviours are considered prosocially driven behaviours, but our understanding of what motivates action in either the human or ecological domain is still in its infancy. Our goal was to assess connection to nature, connection to people, and connection to country as mediators of the relationship between prosocial propensity and prosocial behaviours in both the ecological and human domains. This study used honesty-humility as an indicator of prosocial propensity. Data for the study were collected through online surveys in Spanish. The survey was answered by 438 adolescent participants aged 11–19 years. The present study demonstrates that personal prosocial propensity can be directed to a particular domain of prosocial behaviour (ecological or altruistic) through the individual’s connection to the relevant domain. Specifically, the effect of prosocial propensity on ecological behaviour was positively mediated by connection to people and connection to nature, but negatively mediated by connection to country. For altruistic behaviour, the effect of prosocial propensity was positive via connection to people, nature, and country. Future research is called for, in particular, to examine the role of connection to country in ecological behaviour.
Farmer Adoption of Climate-Smart Practices Is Driven by Farm Characteristics, Information Sources, and Practice Benefits and Challenges
Authors: Johnson Devon , Almaraz Maya , Rudnick Jessica , Parker Lauren E. , Ostoja Steven M. , Khalsa Sat Darshan S.
Published: May 2023

Agriculture plays an important role in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. Yet, advances in climate-smart agriculture require a better understanding of farmer adoption. This exploratory paper uncovered differences that distinguish High, Moderate, and Low adopters of climate-smart practices. Our study utilized 952 in-person surveys of California farmers with a focus on mitigation and adaptation practices, along with farm characteristics, information sources, and practice benefits and challenges. Specifically, farmers with larger parcels were more likely to be High adopters, and farmers with access to only one water source were more likely to be Low adopters. There was no significant difference found between Moderate and High adopters’ use of any information sources. The ranking of different information sources changed between groups. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the rate of Moderate and High adopters’ consideration of practice benefits. All groups identified practice uncertainty as the greatest challenge, with a significant difference between Moderate and High adopters. Our results demonstrate where differences occur between farmer adopter groups and by extension provide insights into where to target outreach efforts to promote the adoption of climate-smart practices in California agriculture.
Exploring the Preference of Corporations for Sponsorship Motives and the Impact of Sponsorship Motives on Sponsoring Intention in Post-Epidemic Era: Using Two Different Approaches—FPR and SEM
Authors: Wang Tien-Chin , Huang Tsai-Yun , Lee Chien-Hui
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study is to explore the preference of corporations for sponsorship motives and the impact of sponsorship motives on sponsoring intention in the post-epidemic era of COVID-19. Taking a Taiwanese company as a case study, a total of 60 expert groups comprising 300 respondents (the management of the sampled companies) were surveyed in the post-epidemic period, with data being collected from 60 sampled companies in February–May 2022. Data were analyzed by using two different functional approaches, including fuzzy preference relations (FPR) for the first survey (study 1) and structural equation model (SEM) for the second survey (study 2). Results reveal that corporate image is the most preferential motive of sponsorship and also demonstrates the most significant and positive influence on sponsoring intention. Meanwhile, the measured factor of performing corporate social responsibility (CSR) appears the most correlated with the construct of corporate image. Based on the results, the study can fully fill the gap between sponsorship motives and sponsoring intention in sponsorship knowledge. Additionally, the conjunction of FPR and SEM can also create methodological synergies, namely, enhancing complementary effects and achieving better holistic analysis. Findings also suggest that special attention should be paid to CSR, which plays a pivotal role in affecting the decision of corporations for sponsorship motives and sponsoring intention and, in a post-epidemic era, continuing to develop CSR actions to enhance corporate image can be the best strategy while facing internal and external challenges of implementing sustainable development (SD).
Predictive Choropleth Maps Using ARIMA Time Series Forecasting for Crime Rates in Visegrád Group Countries
Authors: Ghani Usman , Toth Peter , David Fekete
Published: May 2023

Geographical mapping has revolutionized data analysis with the help of analytical tools in the fields of social and economic studies, whereby representing statistical research variables of interest as geographic characteristics presents visual insights. This study employed the QGIS mapping tool to create predicted choropleth maps of Visegrád Group countries based on crime rate. The forecast of the crime rate was generated by time series analysis using the ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving averages) model in SPSS. The literature suggests that many variables influence crime rates, including unemployment. There is always a need for the integration of widespread data insights into unified analyses and/or platforms. For that reason, we have taken the unemployment rate as a predictor series to predict the future rates of crime in a comparative setting. This study can be extended to several other predictors, broadening the scope of the findings. Predictive data-based choropleth maps contribute to informed decision making and proactive resource allocation in public safety and security administration, including police patrol operations. This study addresses how effectively we can utilize raw crime rate statistics in time series forecasting. Moreover, a visual assessment of safety and security situations using ARIMA models in SPSS based on predictor time-series data was performed, resulting in predictive crime mapping.
Identifying Optimal Approaches for Sustainable Maritime Education and Training: Addressing Technological, Environmental, and Epidemiological Challenges
Authors: Kim Jongkwan , Lee Changhee , Jeong Moonsoo , Cho Eunbyul , Lee Younggyu
Published: May 2023

Maritime education and training (MET) for seafarers who operate ships has struggled to flexibly adapt to technological and environmental changes. In particular, as social demand for online MET arose due to COVID-19, the need for sustainable MET beyond traditional teaching methods grew exponentially. In order to identify the most optimal MET methods among face-to-face and online methods, this study reviewed the concepts and applications of existing MET methods, grouped them using a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process, and supplemented this structure through a designed survey. The results showed that the online methods had the greatest weight, and the “XR (extended reality) within the metaverse” teaching method had the highest priority. This study identified which MET methods should be prepared for the post-COVID era through quantitative analysis. We confirmed the need for attention to XR within the metaverse as a field of online methods in the future. Furthermore, our findings reveal that online education platforms via metaverse-based “expansion” and “connection” are needed, and pave the way for future research to expand empirical studies on MET satisfaction regarding existing International Maritime Organization model courses.
Efficient Integration of Photovoltaic Solar Generators in Monopolar DC Networks through a Convex Mixed-Integer Optimization Model
Authors: Vargas-Sosa Diego Fernando , Montoya Oscar Danilo , Grisales-Noreña Luis Fernando
Published: May 2023

The problem regarding the optimal siting and sizing of photovoltaic (PV) generation units in electrical distribution networks with monopolar direct current (DC) operation technology was addressed in this research by proposing a two-stage convex optimization (TSCO) approach. In the first stage, the exact mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) formulation was relaxed via mixed-integer linear programming, defining the nodes where the PV generation units must be placed. In the second stage, the optimal power flow problem associated with PV sizing was solved by approximating the exact nonlinear component of the MINLP model into a second-order cone programming equivalent. The main contribution of this research is the use of two approximations to efficiently solve the studied problem, by taking advantage of convex optimization models. The numerical results in the monopolar DC version of the IEEE 33-bus grid demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach when compared to multiple combinatorial optimization methods. Two evaluations were conducted, to confirm the efficiency of the proposed optimization model. The first evaluation considered the IEEE 33-bus grid without current limitations in all distribution branches, to later compare it to different metaheuristic approaches (discrete versions of the Chu and Beasley genetic algorithm, the vortex search algorithm, and the generalized normal distribution optimizer); the second simulation included the thermal current limits in the model’s optimization. The numerical results showed that when the maximum point power tracking was not regarded as a decision-making criterion, the expected annual investment and operating costs exhibited better performances, i.e., additional reductions of about USD 100,000 in the simulation cases compared to the scenarios involving maximum power point tracking.
Revisiting the “Responsibility to Ensure”: Two-Line Standards of the Sponsoring State’s National Legislation on Deep Seabed Mining
Authors: Xu Xiangxin , Li Minghao , Xue Guifang
Published: May 2023

The deep seabed mining regime is composed of international legislation and domestic counterparts. International legislation emanates from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) under the mandate of UNCLOS, which is currently in the accelerated process of being drafted for exploitation activities to meet a deadline of July 2023. In contrast, the development of domestic law in ISA Member States has been relatively slow, and this risks failure to fulfill their obligation of “responsibility to ensure” concluded in the advisory opinion in 2011. This possible failure is partly due to States’ different understanding of their obligation to impose more stringent environmental conditions on contractors in their domestic laws than those specified in the Mining Code adopted by ISA. This paper argues that Annex III, article 21(3) of the UNCLOS requires States to adopt a two-tier approach in their national legislation—minimal and optimal levels. The minimal level requires a sponsoring State to comply with the Mining Code’s fundamental requirements while reaching the optimal level means that the sponsoring State tries its best to establish more stringent standards than the Mining Code. Adopting more stringent requirements may be realized by adopting higher or stricter standards or inserting more details in the national legislation. Moreover, all ISA Member States are, including developing States, obliged to meet the minimum line and encouraged to move towards the optimal one
A Novel Two-Phase Approach for Optimization of the Last-Mile Delivery Problem with Service Options
Authors: Pourmohammadreza Nima , Jokar Mohammad Reza Akbari
Published: May 2023

As the growth of e-commerce continues to accelerate, there is a need for new and innovative strategies in last-mile delivery to meet the changing demands of customers. The main objective of this study is to address this need by optimizing the last-mile delivery problem with service options (LMDPSOs) through a novel two-phase approach that considers various delivery options such as home delivery, self-pickup, and delivery at different prices. This original approach enables simultaneous optimization of the selection of the most appropriate pickup and delivery points and determination of the most efficient vehicle routing. The LMDPSOs reduces overall costs, minimizes environmental impact, and considers customer satisfaction levels by determining the most appropriate trips according to the available service options. This research employs a two-phase methodology for decision making. The first phase determines the value of the proposed locations through a novel multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach that incorporates sustainability criteria. In the second phase, a tailored mathematical model is proposed for vehicle routing with service options. The model is coded in the CPLEXsoftware version 12.6 in various dimensions. We evaluate the potential and advantages of diverse delivery choices, illustrating that aggregating orders at pickup and delivery points can reduce delivery costs and minimize environmental impact. Additionally, this paper directs managers in selecting the most appropriate delivery method for last-mile delivery, considering environmental, social, and economic factors.
Spatial Coupling of Carbon Sink Capacity with High-Quality Development Based on Exploitation and Protection Pattern
Authors: Wang Lin , Zhao Junsan , Li Fengxia , Chen Guoping
Published: May 2023

The optimization of carbon sink capacity patterns is a scientific basis for promoting the strategic goal of “carbon neutrality”. The study aims to reveal the spatial heterogeneity of carbon sink capacity and its relationship with high-quality economic development. A new spatial pattern and supporting system framework for carbon sink land-use (CSL) efficiency were developed in Yunnan Province, China. The coordination level and driving factors between carbon sink capacity and high-quality development were measured using a coupling coordination model and geographic detector model. The results show that the constructed index system can effectively identify the spatial distribution pattern of CSL efficiency at the county and district scale. The development stage of the coupling coordination degree shows a trend of “wide at both ends and narrow in the middle” and the characteristics of coupling and coordinated development type present an “inverted triangle” state. The coupling coordination relationship between carbon sink capacity and high-quality development depends mainly on the regional natural background conditions, economic development, and urbanization level. The findings provide a scientific basis for decision making in the development and protection of territorial space and offer a new perspective for government to facilitate ecological carbon sink capacity and promote high-quality development.
Research on a New Plant Fiber Concrete-Light Steel Keel Wall Panel
Authors: Wu Yuqi , Wu Yunqiang , Wu Yue
Published: May 2023

With the growing worldwide attention towards environmental protection, the rational utilization of rice straw (RS) has gradually attracted the attention of scholars. This paper innovatively puts forward a solution for rational utilization of RS. A rice straw fiber concrete (RSFC) with good physical and mechanical properties and a rice straw concrete-light steel keel wall panel (RS-LSWP) with low comprehensive heat transfer coefficient and inconspicuous cold bridge phenomenon was designed. Firstly, the preparation method and process of RSFC is described in detail. Then, the physical and mechanical properties of RSFC, such as strength, apparent density, and thermal conductivity were tested. Finally, the thermal properties of the four new types of cold-formed thin-wall steel panels were analyzed using finite element simulation. The results show that the RSFC with a straw length of 5 mm, mass content of 12%, and modifier content of 1% is the most suitable for RS-LSWP. The standard compressive strength, tensile strength, and thermal conductivity of the RSFC are 2.2 MPa, 0.64 MPa, and 0.0862 W/(m·K), respectively. The wall panels with antitype C keel have a low comprehensive heat transfer coefficient and the best insulation effect. This study innovatively provides a technical method for the rational utilization of RS, promotes the application of RS and other agricultural wastes in building materials and the development of light steel housing.
Nanostructured Emulsions as Smart Cleaning Materials for Removing Aged Polymer Coatings from Stone Substrates
Authors: Weththimuni Maduka L. , Girella Alessandro , Ferretti Matteo , Sacchi Donatella , Licchelli Maurizio
Published: May 2023

Cleaning is one of the most important, essential, and delicate operation which has to be handled by conservators before applying new materials to any substrates. In past decades, nanotechnology introduced new concepts and materials in the conservation field, which have been providing many advantageous performances, especially higher than older materials. As a result, the conservators have already started to use nanomaterials in the cleaning processes of artifacts. Taking into consideration this new approach, our study has focused on using nano-structured emulsions (NSE) as smart cleaning materials for removing polymer coatings (e.g., acrylic polymers). For this purpose, Paraloid B-72 was applied on three different substrates (glass, Lecce stone, and Arenaria stone) and cleaning was performed by a specific nano-structured emulsion (NSE) based on an eco-friendly surfactant (EcoSurf) and two organic solvents in different proportions. In order to better understand the interaction of surfactant and organic solvents with polymer coating, plain EcoSurf in water was also used for comparison. In this study, the decay process of the considered polymer was also deeply studied, because it directly affects the cleaning effectiveness. Coated specimens of the different substrates were artificially aged and examined by different techniques: chromatic variations and contact angle measurements, optical microscopy, FTIR, and SEM-EDS. This material characterization process is important to understand the colour, morphology, and micro-structural difference, and the changes of hydrophobic behaviour as well as chemical composition of Paraloid B-72 polymer due to different ageing processes. After that, substrates coated with both unaged and aged polymer were cleaned by NSE according to the direct-contact procedure and cellulose pulp method. Preliminary analyses suggested that the direct-contact cleaning performed by nano-emulsion (i.e., NSE) induced a complete removal of the acrylic polymer, despite that this method is not recommended for the artifacts and can be hardly applicable in real cases. On the other hand, experimental results showed that satisfactory cleaning of stone substrates can be obtained by using NSE/the cellulose pulp system.
A Roadmap for the Design, Operation and Monitoring of Renewable Energy Communities in Italy
Authors: Cutore Emanuele , Fichera Alberto , Volpe Rosaria
Published: May 2023

Renewable energy communities (RECs) aim at achieving economic, environmental, and social benefits for members and for society. This paper presents a roadmap for the design, operation, and monitoring of renewable energy communities in Italy, fundamental to guide and orient any stakeholder involved in the decision-making process of a REC. The roadmap is inspired by the Deming Cycle, also known as Plan-Do-Check-Act, which provides a framework for continuous improvement and standardization of the procedures. To demonstrate the practical application of the roadmap, a real case study is presented for Italian energy communities, making full adoption of data derived from official databases and using a real urban district as a case study. The findings of phase I in the “do” stage of the roadmap indicate that the REC could lead to a decrease in carbon emissions of roughly 38% and could support 51 to 67 families through REC’s revenues, depending on the installed PV capacity. Furthermore, both physical self-consumption and virtual self-consumption schemes assist in the sustainable transition of the built environment, where consumers have a significant impact on the electrical markets. Therefore, these results validate the roadmap’s effectiveness in promoting an informed design and implementation of RECs while guiding energy, social, and political decisions.
Visualization of Remote Patient Monitoring System Based on Internet of Medical Things
Authors: Khan Mudassar Ali , Din Ikram Ud , Kim Byung-Seo , Almogren Ahmad
Published: May 2023

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) has become a crucial tool for healthcare professionals in the monitoring and management of patients, particularly for patients with chronic illnesses. RPM has undergone improvements in its capability to deliver real-time data and information to healthcare practitioners as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices have become more widely available. However, managing and analyzing such a large volume of data still remains a difficult task. The visualization method suggested in this article enables healthcare professionals to examine data gathered by IoMT devices in real-time. Healthcare professionals may monitor patient health status and identify any data irregularities thanks to the system’s dashboard. To assess the system’s usability and user satisfaction, we employed both the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire (PSSUQ) and the System Usability Scale (SUS). The outcomes of the PSSUQ and SUS assessments revealed that the suggested visualization system scored higher than the control group, demonstrating the system’s usability, accuracy, and dependability as well as its user-friendliness and intuitive interface. The visualization system can boost the effectiveness and efficiency of remote patient monitoring, resulting in better patient care and lower healthcare costs.
Effects of Varying Volume Fractions of SiO2 and Al2O3 on the Performance of Concentrated Photovoltaic System
Authors: Asim Muhammad , Tahir Muhammad Hanzla , Kanwal Ammara , Riaz Fahid , Amjad Muhammad , Khalid Aamna , Abbas Muhammad Mujtaba , Ahmad Ashfaq , Kalam Mohammad Abul
Published: May 2023

Highly concentrated triple-junction solar cells (HCTJSCs) are cells that have diverse applications for power generation. Their electrical efficiency is almost 45%, which may be increased to 50% by the end of the year 2030. Despite their overwhelming ability to generate power, their efficiency is lower when utilized in a concentrated manner, which introduces a high-temperature surge, leading to a sudden drop in output power. In this study, the efficiency of a 10 mm × 10 mm multijunction solar cell (MJSC) was increased to almost 42% under the climatic conditions in Lahore, Pakistan. Active cooling was selected, where SiO2–water- and Al2O3–water-based nanofluids with varying volume fractions, ranging from 5% to 15% by volume, were used with a 0.001 kg/s mass flow rate. In addition, two- and three-layer microchannel heat sinks (MCHSs) with squared microchannels were designed to perform thermal management. Regarding the concentration ratio, 1500 suns were considered for 15 August at noon, with 805 W/m2 and 110 W/m2 direct and indirect radiation, respectively. A complete model including a triple-junction solar cell and allied assemblies was modeled in Solidworks software, followed by temperature profile generation in steady-state thermal analyses (SSTA). Thereafter, a coupling of SSTA and Ansys Fluent was made, in combination with the thermal management of the entire model, where the temperature of the TJSC was found to be 991 °C without active cooling, resulting in a decrease in electrical output. At 0.001 kg/s, the optimum average surface temperature (44.5 °C), electrical efficiency (41.97%), and temperature uniformity (16.47 °C) were achieved in the of MJSC with SiO2–water nanofluid with three layers of MCHS at a 15% volume fraction. Furthermore, the average outlet temperature of the Al2O3–water nanofluid at all volume fractions was high, between 29.53 °C and 31.83 °C, using the two-layer configuration. For the three-layer arrangement, the input and output temperatures of the working fluid were found to be the same at 25 °C.
Exploring the Moderating Role of Environmental Education in Promoting a Clean Environment
Authors: Ma Lianfeng , Shahbaz Pomi , Haq Shamsheer ul , Boz Ismet
Published: May 2023

Environmental education plays a significant role in improving environmental knowledge and shaping the eco-friendly lifestyles of young people. Young people’s daily actions and habits will determine the future of the Earth as a planet. The literature regarding youths’ environmental knowledge, climate change awareness, environmental attitude, and their impact on pro-environmental intentions and sustainable household consumption practices is very scarce. Therefore, this study explored the relationship between environmental knowledge, climate change awareness, environmental attitude, and the pro-environmental intentions of university students. The study also assessed the moderating effect of environmental education on pro-environmental behavior and sustainable household consumption practices, providing a comparative analysis of students with and without environmental education, which is unique in the literature. The data were collected from 2137 Chinese university students selected through a purposive and random sampling method through survey questionnaires. Descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) were used to analyze the collected data. The findings revealed that environmental knowledge, climate change awareness, and environmental attitudes of the students positively affected their pro-environmental intentions. Moreover, pro-environmental intentions also positively affected the adoption of sustainable practices. The result also showed that the impact of pro-environmental intentions on sustainable consumption practices was greater for those whose education included environmental courses than for those whose education did not. Therefore, it is suggested that environment-related courses be incorporated into the study plans of each discipline as a compulsory subject for promoting green intentions and shaping eco-friendly lifestyles for environmental sustainability.
The Development of Sharia Insurance and Its Future Sustainability in Risk Management: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Cahyandari Rini , Kalfin  , Sukono  , Purwani Sri , Ratnasari Dewi , Herawati Titin , Mahdi Sutiono
Published: May 2023

The need for Sharia insurance products in the Muslim community continues to significantly increase. Sharia insurance offers sustainability in overcoming the risk of economic loss based on the principles of Islamic law. In addition, Sharia insurance can be a sustainable solution in providing risk management funds. This study aimed to analyze the development and sustainability of Islamic insurance as an alternative form of risk management, as well as its sustainability in the future. The general review is still in the form of the products offered and operational system models in the Sharia insurance industry. The systematic literature review method was used to obtain a visualization and general description of Islamic insurance, employing 774 data articles from 2010 to 2022. From the results of the analysis, it was found that research discussing Islamic insurance has demonstrated significant developments every year. Mitigating risks by offering the principles of Islamic law represents added value for the Islamic insurance industry. In addition, five models of Sharia insurance systems have been introduced and used; namely, the Mudharabah model, the modified Mudharabah model, the Wakalah model, the hybrid model, and the Waqf model. However, the products offered in Sharia insurance are not too numerous and are still focused on individual risk. Based on these results, Sharia insurance will undergo development in the future in terms of both the products offered and risk management. Of course, it can also lead to a transition to the development of sustainable Sharia insurance.
Customer Loyalty during Disasters: The Case of Internet Service Providers Amidst Typhoon Odette in Central Philippine Urban Districts
Authors: Suson Roberto , Rivero Donna Marie , Arnejo Alma , Atibing Nadine May , Aro Joerabell Lourdes , Burdeos Angelo , Yamagishi Kafferine , Ocampo Lanndon
Published: May 2023

The impact of service disruptions to critical utility services due to natural disasters is evident during delays in emergency responses and humanitarian relief, especially for urban populations with highly interdependent infrastructures. Aside from health and social impacts, failing to address these disruptions would inevitably lead to customer dissatisfaction and switching loyalty, adversely affecting service providers’ profitability. Thus, providers must effectively respond to this service failure resulting from disruptions to retain the loyalty of their existing customers. To this end, a theoretical model to explain customer loyalty to internet service providers amidst a disaster-induced disruption through integrating customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, service quality, service innovation, service recovery, perceived value, and brand image is proposed in this work. This study uses the case of a massive disruption caused by Typhoon Odette (Rai) in central Philippine urban districts to empirically test the efficacy of the proposed structural model. A total of 584 responses were utilized in the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to derive significant relationships between the constructs. The findings suggest that customer satisfaction strongly predicts customer loyalty during a disaster. Furthermore, efforts towards service recovery do not translate to customer loyalty, but negatively influence customer satisfaction. Moreover, service innovation significantly affects customer satisfaction but negatively influences customer loyalty. Additionally, perceived value does not support customer loyalty but positively affects customer satisfaction. Lastly, brand image and service quality influence both customer satisfaction and loyalty. These findings offer managerial insights for informing the design of a reliable service recovery system, efficient project management planning, practical service innovation, and comprehensive service design. The future research directions are discussed.
Super-Resolution Microscopy Analysis of Hepatitis B Viral cccDNA and Host Factors
Authors: Doan Phuong Thi Bich , Nio Kouki , Shimakami Tetsuro , Kuroki Kazuyuki , Li Ying-Yi , Sugimoto Saiho , Takayama Hideo , Okada Hikari , Kaneko Shuichi , Honda Masao , Yamashita Taro
Published: May 2023

Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) cannot be cured completely because of the persistence of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). We previously found that the host gene dedicator of cytokinesis 11 (DOCK11) was required for HBV persistence. In this study, we further investigated the mechanism that links DOCK11 to other host genes in the regulation of cccDNA transcription. cccDNA levels were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in stable HBV-producing cell lines and HBV-infected PXB-cells®. Interactions between DOCK11 and other host genes were identified by super-resolution microscopy, immunoblotting, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. FISH facilitated the subcellular localization of key HBV nucleic acids. Interestingly, although DOCK11 partially colocalized with histone proteins, such as H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, and nonhistone proteins, such as RNA Pol II, it played limited roles in histone modification and RNA transcription. DOCK11 was functionally involved in regulating the subnuclear distribution of host factors and/or cccDNA, resulting in an increase in cccDNA closely located to H3K4me3 and RNA Pol II for activating cccDNA transcription. Thus, it was suggested that the association of cccDNA-bound Pol II and H3K4me3 required the assistance of DOCK11. DOCK11 facilitated the association of cccDNA with H3K4me3 and RNA Pol II.
Short- and Long-Interval Prime-Boost Vaccination with the Candidate Vaccines MVA-SARS-2-ST and MVA-SARS-2-S Induces Comparable Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immunity in Mice
Authors: Kalodimou Georgia , Jany Sylvia , Freudenstein Astrid , Schwarz Jan Hendrik , Limpinsel Leonard , Rohde Cornelius , Kupke Alexandra , Becker Stephan , Volz Asisa , Tscherne Alina , Sutter Gerd
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant human health and economic consequences. Due to the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to spread rapidly and to cause severe disease and mortality in certain population groups, vaccines are essential for controlling the pandemic in the future. Several licensed vaccines have shown improved protection against SARS-CoV-2 after extended-interval prime-boost immunizations in humans. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to compare the immunogenicity of our two Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) based COVID-19 candidate vaccines MVA-SARS-2-S and MVA-SARS-2-ST after short- and long-interval prime-boost immunization schedules in mice. We immunized BALB/c mice using 21-day (short-interval) or 56-day (long-interval) prime-boost vaccination protocols and analyzed spike (S)-specific CD8 T cell immunity and humoral immunity. The two schedules induced robust CD8 T cell responses with no significant differences in their magnitude. Furthermore, both candidate vaccines induced comparable levels of total S, and S2-specific IgG binding antibodies. However, MVA-SARS-2-ST consistently elicited higher amounts of S1-, S receptor binding domain (RBD), and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in both vaccination protocols. Overall, we found very comparable immune responses following short- or long-interval immunization. Thus, our results suggest that the chosen time intervals may not be suitable to observe potential differences in antigen-specific immunity when testing different prime-boost intervals with our candidate vaccines in the mouse model. Despite this, our data clearly showed that MVA-SARS-2-ST induced superior humoral immune responses relative to MVA-SARS-2-S after both immunization schedules.
A Methodological Framework for Assessing the Benefit of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination following Previous Infection: Case Study of Five- to Eleven-Year-Olds
Authors: Pagel Christina , Wilde Harrison , Tomlinson Christopher , Mateen Bilal , Brown Katherine
Published: May 2023

Vaccination rates against SARS-CoV-2 in children aged five to eleven years remain low in many countries. The current benefit of vaccination in this age group has been questioned given that the large majority of children have now experienced at least one SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, protection from infection, vaccination or both wanes over time. National decisions on offering vaccines to this age group have tended to be made without considering time since infection. There is an urgent need to evaluate the additional benefits of vaccination in previously infected children and under what circumstances those benefits accrue. We present a novel methodological framework for estimating the potential benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in previously infected children aged five to eleven, accounting for waning. We apply this framework to the UK context and for two adverse outcomes: hospitalisation related to SARS-CoV-2 infection and Long Covid. We show that the most important drivers of benefit are: the degree of protection provided by previous infection; the protection provided by vaccination; the time since previous infection; and future attack rates. Vaccination can be very beneficial for previously infected children if future attack rates are high and several months have elapsed since the previous major wave in this group. Benefits are generally larger for Long Covid than hospitalisation, because Long Covid is both more common than hospitalisation and previous infection offers less protection against it. Our framework provides a structure for policy makers to explore the additional benefit of vaccination across a range of adverse outcomes and different parameter assumptions. It can be easily updated as new evidence emerges.
Numerical Modelling on Physical Model of Ringlet Reservoir, Cameron Highland, Malaysia: How Flow Conditions Affect the Hydrodynamics
Authors: Mat Desa Safari , Jamal Mohamad Hidayat , Mohd Mohd Syazwan Faisal , Samion Mohd Kamarul Huda , Rahim Nor Suhaila , Muda Rahsidi Sabri , Sa’ari Radzuan , Kasiman Erwan Hafizi , Mustaffar Mushairry , Ishak Daeng Siti Maimunah , Mokhtar Muhamad Zulhasif
Published: May 2023

The relative impacts of changes in the storage capacity of a reservoir are strongly influenced by its hydrodynamics. This study focused mainly on predicting the flow velocities and assessing the effectiveness of groynes as control mitigation structures in changes in the water depth and velocity distributions in Ringlet Reservoir. Initially, the physical model of the Habu River (the main part of Ringlet Reservoir) was fabricated, and flow velocities were measured. Then, a two-dimensional HEC-RAS was adapted to numerically simulate the hydrodynamics of the annual recurrence intervals of 1, 5, and 100 years in the Ringlet Reservoir. Experimental data acquired at the Hydraulic and Instrumentation Laboratory of the National Water Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) was used to calibrate and validate the numerical models. The comparison of simulation and experimental results revealed that the water levels in all simulations were consistent. As for the velocity, the results show a comparable trend but with a slight variation of results compared to the experiments due to a few restrictions found in both simulations. These simulation results are deemed significant in predicting future sediment transport control based on hydrodynamics in this reservoir and can be of future reference.
Stakeholder-Informed Hydroclimate Scenario Modeling in the Lower Santa Cruz River Basin for Water Resource Management
Authors: Gupta Neha , Bearup Lindsay , Jacobs Katharine , Halper Eve , Castro Chris , Chang Hsin-I , Fonseca Julia
Published: May 2023

The Lower Santa Cruz River Basin Study (LSCRB Study) is a collaborative effort of regional and statewide water management stakeholders working with the US Bureau of Reclamation under the auspices of the 2009 SECURE Water Act. The impacts of climate change, land use, and population growth on projected water supply in the LSCRB were evaluated to (1) identify projected water supply and demand imbalances and (2) develop adaptation strategies to proactively respond over the next 40 years. A multi-step hydroclimate modeling and risk assessment process was conducted to assess a range of futures in terms of temperature, precipitation, runoff, soil moisture, and evapotranspiration, with a particular focus on implications for ecosystem health. Key hydroclimate modeling process decisions were informed by ongoing multi-stakeholder engagement. To incorporate the region’s highly variable precipitation pattern, the study used a numerical “weather generator” to develop ensembles of precipitation and temperature time series for input to surface hydrology modeling efforts. Hydroclimate modeling outcomes consistently included increasing temperatures, and generated information related to precipitation responses (season length and timing, precipitation amount) considered useful for evaluating potential ecosystem impacts. A range of risks was identified using the hydroclimate modeling outputs that allowed for development of potential adaptation strategies.