bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential Benefits of Seed Priming under Salt Stress Conditions on Physiological, and Biochemical Attributes of Micro-Tom Tomato Plants
Authors: Habibi Nasratullah , Aryan Shafiqullah , Amin Mohammad Wasif , Sanada Atsushi , Terada Naoki , Koshio Kaihei
Published: June 2023

Pre-sowing seed priming is one of the methods used to improve the performance of tomato plants under salt stress, but its effect photosynthesis, yield, and quality have not yet been well investigated. This experiment aimed to alleviate the impact of sodium chloride stress on the photosynthesis parameters of tomato cv. Micro−Tom (a dwarf Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants exposed to salt stress conditions. Each treatment combination consisted of five different sodium chloride concentrations (0 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM, 150 mM, and 200 mM) and four priming treatments (0 MPa, −0.4 MPa, −0.8 MPa, and −1.2 MPa), with five replications. Microtome seeds were subjected to polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) treatments for 48 hours for priming, followed by germination on a moist filter paper, and then transferred to the germination bed after 24 h. Subsequently, the seedlings were transplanted into the Rockwool, and the salinity treatments were administered after a month. In our study salinity significantly affected tomato plants’ physiological and antioxidant attributes. Primed seeds produced plants that exhibited relatively better photosynthetic activity than those grown from unprimed seeds. Our findings indicated that priming doses of −0.8 MPa and −1.2 MPa were the most effective at stimulating tomato plant photosynthesis, and biochemical contents under salinity-related conditions. Moreover, primed plants demonstrated relatively superior fruit quality features such as fruit color, fruit Brix, sugars (glucose, fructose, and sucrose), organic acids, and vitamin C contents under salt stress, compared to non-primed plants. Furthermore, priming treatments significantly decreased the malondialdehyde, proline, and hydrogen peroxide content in plant leaves. Our results suggest that seed priming may be a long-term method for improving crop productivity and quality in challenging environments by enhancing the growth, physiological responses, and fruit quality attributes of Micro-Tom tomato plants under salt stress conditions.
The Inhibitory Effects and Cytotoxic Activities of the Stem Extract of Nepenthes miranda against Single-Stranded DNA-Binding Protein and Oral Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Lin En-Shyh , Huang Yen-Hua , Chung Jo-Chi , Su Hsin-Hui , Huang Cheng-Yang
Published: June 2023

The carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes exhibit many ethnobotanical uses, including treatments of stomachache and fever. In this study, we prepared different extracts from the pitcher, stem, and leaf extracts of Nepenthes miranda obtained using 100% methanol and analyzed their inhibitory effects on recombinant single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) from Klebsiella pneumoniae (KpSSB). SSB is essential for DNA replication and cell survival and thus an attractive target for potential antipathogen chemotherapy. Different extracts prepared from Sinningia bullata, a tuberous member of the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae, were also used to investigate anti-KpSSB properties. Among these extracts, the stem extract of N. miranda exhibited the highest anti-KpSSB activity with an IC50 value of 15.0 ± 1.8 μg/mL. The cytotoxic effects of the stem extract of N. miranda on the survival and apoptosis of the cancer cell lines Ca9-22 gingival carcinoma, CAL27 oral adenosquamous carcinoma, PC-9 pulmonary adenocarcinoma, B16F10 melanoma, and 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells were also demonstrated and compared. Based on collective data, the cytotoxic activities of the stem extract at a concentration of 20 μg/mL followed the order Ca9-22 > CAL27 > PC9 > 4T1 > B16F10 cells. The stem extract of N. miranda at a concentration of 40 μg/mL completely inhibited Ca9-22 cell migration and proliferation. In addition, incubation with this extract at a concentration of 20 μg/mL boosted the distribution of the G2 phase from 7.9% to 29.2% in the Ca9-22 cells; in other words, the stem extract might suppress Ca9-22 cell proliferation by inducing G2 cell cycle arrest. Through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, the 16 most abundant compounds in the stem extract of N. miranda were tentatively identified. The 10 most abundant compounds in the stem extract of N. miranda were used for docking analysis, and their docking scores were compared. The binding capacity of these compounds was in the order sitosterol > hexadecanoic acid > oleic acid > plumbagin > 2-ethyl-3-methylnaphtho[2,3-b]thiophene-4,9-dione > methyl α-d-galactopyranoside > 3-methoxycatechol > catechol > pyrogallol > hydroxyhydroquinone; thus, sitosterol might exhibit the greatest inhibitory capacity against KpSSB among the selected compounds. Overall, these results may indicate the pharmacological potential of N. miranda for further therapeutic applications.
Fabrication of Electrospun PVA/Zein/Gelatin Based Active Packaging for Quality Maintenance of Different Food Items
Authors: Ullah Sana , Hashmi Motahira , Shi Jian , Kim Ick Soo
Published: June 2023

In this research, electrospun PVA/Zein/Gelatin based tri-component active food packaging has been fabricated to enhance the shelf life of food by assuring the food quality (freshness, taste, brittleness, color, etc.) for longer. Electrospinning imparts good morphological properties along with breathability in nanofibrous mats. Electrospun active food packaging has been characterized to investigate the morphological, thermal, mechanical, chemical, antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Results of all tests indicated that the PVA/Zein/Gelatin nanofiber sheet possessed good morphology, thermal stability, mechanical strength, good antibacterial properties along with excellent antioxidant properties, which makes it the most suitable food packaging for increasing the shelf life of different food items like sweet potatoes, potatoes and kimchi. Shelf life of sweet potatoes and potatoes was observed for a period of 50 days, and shelf life of the kimchi was observed for a period of 30 days. It was concluded that nanofibrous food packaging may enhance the shelf life of fruit and vegetables because of their better breathability and antioxidant properties.
A Systematic Review of Butterfly Pea Flower (Clitoria ternatea L.): Extraction and Application as a Food Freshness pH-Indicator for Polymer-Based Intelligent Packaging
Authors: Hasanah Nur Nabilah , Mohamad Azman Ezzat Mohamad , Rozzamri Ashari , Zainal Abedin Nur Hanani Zainal , Ismail-Fitry Mohammad Rashedi
Published: June 2023

The butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea L.) (BPF) has a high anthocyanin content, which can be incorporated into polymer-based films to produce intelligent packaging for real-time food freshness indicators. The objective of this work was to systematically review the polymer characteristics used as BPF extract carriers and their application on various food products as intelligent packaging systems. This systematic review was developed based on scientific reports accessible on the databases provided by PSAS, UPM, and Google Scholar between 2010 and 2023. It covers the morphology, anthocyanin extraction, and applications of anthocyanin-rich colourants from butterfly pea flower (BPF) and as pH indicators in intelligent packaging systems. Probe ultrasonication extraction was successfully employed to extract a higher yield, which showed a 246.48% better extraction of anthocyanins from BPFs for food applications. In comparison to anthocyanins from other natural sources, BPFs have a major benefit in food packaging due to their unique colour spectrum throughout a wide range of pH values. Several studies reported that the immobilisation of BPF in different polymeric film matrixes could affect their physicochemical properties, but they could still effectively monitor the quality of perishable food in real-time. In conclusion, the development of intelligent films employing BPF’s anthocyanins is a potential strategy for the future of food packaging systems.
Nano Delivery Chitosan-Protein/Hydrolysate of Green Peas Bromelain (PHGPB) Synthesized by Colloidal-Spray Drying Method
Authors: Hidayat Meilinah , Hasan Khomaini , Yusuf Muhamad , Sriwidodo Sriwidodo , Panatarani Camellia , Joni I Made
Published: June 2023

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) suffer persistent decreased kidney function. Previous study of protein hydrolysate of green pea (Pisum sativum) bromelain (PHGPB) has shown promising results as an antifibrotic in glucose-induced renal mesangial culture cells, by decreasing their TGF-β levels. To be effective, protein derived from PHGPB must provide adequate protein intake and reach the target organs. This paper presents a drug delivery system for the formulation of PHGPB using chitosan as polymeric nanoparticles. A PHGPB nano delivery system was synthesized by precipitation with fixed chitosan 0.1 wt.%, followed by a spray drying process at different aerosol flow rates of 1, 3, and 5 L/min. FTIR results showed that the PHGPB was entrapped in the chitosan polymer particles. Homogeneous size and spherical morphology of NDs were obtained for the chitosan-PHGPB with a flow rate of 1 L/min. Our in vivo study showed that the highest entrapment efficiency, solubility, and sustained release were achieved by the delivery system method at 1 L/min. It was concluded that the chitosan-PHGPB delivery system developed in this study improves pharmacokinetics compared to pure PHGPB.
Three-Dimensional Printable Flexible Piezoelectric Composites with Energy Harvesting Features
Authors: Aradoaei Mihaela , Ciobanu Romeo C. , Schreiner Cristina , Paulet Marius , Caramitu Alina R. , Pintea Jana , Baibarac Mihaela
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this work was to obtain an elastic composite material from polymer powders (polyurethane and polypropylene) with the addition of BaTiO3 until 35% with tailored dielectric and piezoelectric features. The filament extruded from the composite material was very elastic but had good features to be used for 3D printing applications. It was technically demonstrated that the 3D thermal deposition of composite filament with 35% BaTiO3 was a convenient process for achieving tailored architectures to be used as devices with functionality as piezoelectric sensors. Finally, the functionality of such 3D printable flexible piezoelectric devices with energy harvesting features was demonstrated, which can be used in various biomedical devices (as wearable electronics or intelligent prosthesis), generating enough energy to make such devices completely autonomous only by exploiting body movements at variable low frequencies.
Post-Combustion Capture of Carbon Dioxide by Natural and Synthetic Organic Polymers
Authors: Ghosh Sudip Kumar , Ghosh Moumita
Published: June 2023

The elevation of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere is responsible for global warming which in turn causes abrupt climate change and consequently poses a threat to living organisms in the coming years. To reduce CO2 content in the atmosphere CO2 capture and separation is highly necessary. Among various methods of CO2 capture post-combustion capture is very much useful because of its operational simplicity and applicability in many industries and power sectors, such as coal-fired power plants. Polymers with high surface area, high volume and narrow pores are ideal solid sorbents for adsorption-driven post-combustion CO2 capture. Natural polymers, such as polysaccharides are cheap, abundant, and can be modified by various methods to produce porous materials and thus can be effectively utilized for CO2 capture while the surface area and the pore size of synthetic porous organic polymers can be tuned precisely for high CO2 capturing capacity. A significant amount of research activities has already been established in this field, especially in the last ten years and are still in progress. In this review, we have introduced the latest developments to the readers about synthetic techniques, post-synthetic modifications and CO2 capture capacities of various biopolymer-based materials and synthetic porous organic polymers (POPs) published in the last five years (2018–2022). This review will be beneficial to the researchers to design smart polymer-based materials to overcome the existing challenges in carbon capture and storage/sequestration.
Design Optimization of Counter-Flow Double-Pipe Heat Exchanger Using Hybrid Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Venkatesh B. , Khan Mudassir , Alabduallah Bayan , Kiran Ajmeera , Babu J. Chinna , Bhargavi B. , Alhayan Fatimah
Published: June 2023

Double-pipe counter-flow heat exchangers are considered more suitable for heat recovery in the heat transfer industry. Numerous studies have been conducted to develop static tools for optimizing operating parameters of heat exchangers. Using this study, an improved heat exchanger system will be developed. This is frequently used to solve optimization problems and find optimal solutions. The Taguchi method determines the critical factor affecting a specific performance parameter of the heat exchanger by identifying the significant level of the factor affecting that parameter. Gray relational analysis was adopted to determine the gray relational grade to represent the multi-factor optimization model, and the heat exchanger gray relation coefficient target values that were predicted have been achieved using ANN with a back propagation model with the Levenberg–Marquardt drive algorithm. The genetic algorithm improved the accuracy of the gray relational grade by assigning gray relational coefficient values as input to the developed effective parameter. This study also demonstrated significant differences between experimental and estimated values. According to the results, selecting the parameters yielded optimal heat exchanger performance. Using a genetic algorithm to solve a double-pipe heat exchanger with counterflow can produce the most efficient heat exchanger.
Transcendental Happiness in the Thought of Ibn Sīnā and Ibn ‘Arabī
Authors: Lala Ismail , Alwazzan Reham
Published: June 2023

This article explores the concept of transcendental happiness in the philosophies of arguably the two most important figures in Islamic intellectual thought, Abū ‘Alī ibn Sīnā (d. 428/1037) and Muḥyī al-Dīn ibn ‘Arabī (d. 638/1240). The most striking parallels between the philosophy of Ibn Sīnā and that of Ibn ‘Arabī is in their agreement on the Aristotelian principle of transcendental happiness as the comprehension of God, combined with their emanationist cosmologies. Based on Neoplatonist emanationism, especially as it is put forth by Plotinus, Ibn Sīnā and Ibn ‘Arabī argue that there is a necessary emanation from God that results in the existence of the universe. As corollaries of the divine emanative process, those endowed with rationality seek to return to the divine in a reciprocal upward motion that aims to ‘reverse’ the downward motion of the original divine descent. The impetus for the two-way process incorporating divine descent through emanation and the longing for ascent found in humans is love. Despite these points of confluence, there are others of divergence. Ibn ‘Arabī disagrees with his predecessor that transcendental happiness is found in absolute annihilation in the divine, while still maintaining that annihilation of the self is a necessary first step in the attainment of transcendental happiness. Transcendental happiness, argues Ibn ‘Arabī, is ultimately the realization of human potentiality to become a complete locus of divine manifestation. This is carried out through the body for Ibn ‘Arabī, whereas for Ibn Sīnā, transcendental happiness requires the divestment of materiality.
Correction: Carr et al. GEO–GEO Stereo-Tracking of Atmospheric Motion Vectors (AMVs) from the Geostationary Ring. Remote Sens. 2020, 12, 3779
Authors: Carr James L. , Wu Dong L. , Daniels Jaime , Friberg Mariel D. , Bresky Wayne , Madani Houria
Published: June 2023

In the original publication [...]
Holistic 3D Model of an Urban Area in Norway: An Integration of Geophysical, Geotechnical, Remote Sensing, and Geological Methods
Authors: Gutierrez Ivan , Weibull Wiktor , Watson Lisa , Olsen Thomas Meldahl , Escalona Alejandro
Published: June 2023

Understanding the distribution and characterization of natural and non-natural materials on the surface and near-subsurface is important for the development of infrastructure projects. This may be a challenge in highly urbanized areas, where outcrops are scarce, and anthropogenic activities have altered the morphological expression of the landscape. This study tests the integration of ground-penetrating radar (GPR), borehole drilling, aerial imagery, geological mapping, and aerial laser scanning as complementary mapping tools for determining the stratigraphy of glacial and post-glacial Quaternary sediments, the depth to the bedrock, and the distribution of anthropogenic material in Mosvatnet, a lake in Stavanger, Norway. The integration proved to be efficient and enabled the generation of a 3D holistic model, which provided a broad understanding of the subsurface geology and the induced anthropogenic changes in the area through time. Bedrock, till, fluvioglacial, and lacustrine geological units were modeled. Accumulations of post-glacial organic matter were mapped, and the distribution of non-natural infill material was determined. The interpreted dataset suggests that the eastern shoreline of Mosvatnet has artificially prograded about one hundred meters westward since the 1930s and the elevation of the corresponding area has increased by about ten meters relative to the lake level.
Advanced Machine Learning and Deep Learning Approaches for Remote Sensing
Authors: Jeon Gwanggil
Published: June 2023

Unlike field observation or field sensing, remote sensing is the process of obtaining information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact [...]
Accompaniment in the Gender and Social Discrimination of Migrant Women Victims of Gender-Based Violence: From Bibliography to Situated Key in Burgos, Spain
Authors: Merino Orozco Abel , Calvo Ruiz Miriam , Di Giusto Valle Cristina , Pérez de Albéniz Garrote Gloria , Medina Gómez Begoña , Gutiérrez García Aida , Saez Velasco Sara , Guijo Blanco Valeriana
Published: June 2023

Migrant women who experience gender-based violence face a framework of social vulnerability that is compounded by their status as both women and migrants, requiring specific attention in social support. The aim of this study is to understand the situation of women in the social and health access realm, drawing from scientific literature as well as the voices of migrant women and professionals who support them, in order to establish priority guidelines for social support. The study begins with a bibliographic analysis of scientific literature on migrant women who have experienced gender-based violence, which informs six interviews with migrant women and five professionals, delving into their social needs and support requirements. The most prominent results point to the need for sustained and interdisciplinary support throughout the process of accessing healthcare and legal services. In addition, there is a call for social awareness in understanding the specific and personal needs of migrant women. Finally, educational support is required to dismantle patriarchal beliefs that legitimize gender discrimination and violence, avoiding re-victimization and acknowledging the multi-dimensional nature of women’s experiences.
Examining Firms’ Sustainability Frontier: Efficiency in Reaching the Triple Bottom Line
Authors: Zhuang Yiming , Denizel Meltem , Montabon Frank
Published: June 2023

Sustainability has become a significant concern worldwide in recent decades. There seems to be implicit competition among firms for better sustainability performance. Like any other firm activity, sustainability undertakings require resources and their efficient use to achieve the desired performance. Firms may hesitate to undertake sustainability initiatives due to the underlying costs, leading to the question of how efficient they are in their sustainability practices. Relying on data from CSRHub and COMPUSTAT, we employed data envelopment analysis to evaluate the sustainability efficiency of 1141 large U.S. manufacturing firms from 2009 to 2018. We measured the sustainability efficiency of each firm relative to those on the efficient frontier for all the firms in our sample and also separately for each industry. The analysis results indicate that firms’ sustainability efficiency varies across years and industries. Furthermore, we show a quadratic relationship between sustainability performance and sustainability efficiency. This finding implies a process that begins with firms struggling to streamline their sustainability efforts and decreasing their efficiency as sustainability performance increases. Sustainability efficiency starts increasing only after a certain threshold is reached in sustainability performance. Our findings offer valuable insights for firms and stakeholders in their efforts to achieve desired levels of sustainability efficiency.
In-Depth Monitoring of Anthropic Activities in the Puglia Region: What Is the Acceptable Compromise between Economic Activities and Environmental Protection?
Authors: Binetti Maria Silvia , Campanale Claudia , Uricchio Vito Felice , Massarelli Carmine
Published: June 2023

In many countries in the world, the conservation of habitats is at risk mainly due to anthropic pressures on the environment. A study was conducted to assess the extent to which sensitive and high nature-value habitats are damaged by high-impact human activities. Some evaluation methods that are applied may not be entirely appropriate to the characteristics of the investigated areas or may be very accurate but provide results that are delayed with respect to the occurrence of the events that created the loss of their characteristics. The main purpose of this study is to optimise some methodologies for monitoring the impacts of human activities making it possible to obtain better results in less time and with much lower costs. This methodology has been applied in two different areas present in the Puglia Region in south-eastern Italy, in the central Mediterranean area. The biotope fragmentation method was applied on coastal dunes, in the province of Brindisi, affected by an important tourist influx. The results of the inclusion, in the evaluation methodology, of the remote sensing of the paths indicate a more real situation on the state of fragmentation of the coastal dunes. The second methodology concerns the monitoring, through topographical profiles obtained from Sentinel-1 DEM images, of active and inactive mining sites, allowing to obtain of very detailed information on the progress of mining activities in a very short time. By implementing these methodologies, it is possible to improve the control of the territory allowing a more detailed analysis in order to safeguard the environment from impacting human activities and avoiding, as much as possible, the occurrence of illegal activities. Finally, compensation factors to ensure that human activities are conducted in a sustainable way are also evaluated.
Redistributing Power in Community and Citizen Science: Effects on Youth Science Self-Efficacy and Interest
Authors: Clement Sarah , Spellman Katie , Oxtoby Laura , Kealy Kelly , Bodony Karin , Sparrow Elena , Arp Christopher
Published: June 2023

Youth-focused community and citizen science (CCS) is increasingly used to promote science learning and to increase the accessibility of the tools of scientific research among historically marginalized and underserved communities. CCS projects are frequently categorized according to their level of public participation and their distribution of power between professional scientists and participants from collaborative and co-created projects to projects where participants have limited roles within the science process. In this study, we examined how two different CCS models, a contributory design and a co-created design, influenced science self-efficacy and science interest among youth CCS participants. We administered surveys and conducted post-program interviews with youth participation in two different CCS projects in Alaska, the Winterberry Project and Fresh Eyes on Ice, each with a contributory and a co-created model. We found that youth participating in co-created CCS projects reflected more often on their science self-efficacy than did youth in contributory projects. The CCS program model did not influence youths’ science interest, which grew after participating in both contributory and co-created projects. Our findings suggest that when youth have more power and agency to make decisions in the science process, as in co-created projects, they have greater confidence in their abilities to conduct science. Further, participating in CCS projects excites and engages youth in science learning, regardless of the CCS program design.
Performance Optimization of Lignocellulosic Fiber-Reinforced Brake Friction Composite Materials Using an Integrated CRITIC-CODAS-Based Decision-Making Approach
Authors: Singh Tej , Aherwar Amit , Ranakoti Lalit , Bhandari Prabhakar , Singh Vedant , Lendvai László
Published: June 2023

A hybrid multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) framework, namely “criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation-combinative distance-based assessment” (CRITIC-CODAS) is introduced to rank automotive brake friction composite materials based on their physical and tribological properties. The ranking analysis was performed on ten brake friction composite material alternatives that contained varying proportions (5% and 10% by weight) of hemp, ramie, pineapple, banana, and Kevlar fibers. The properties of alternatives such as density, porosity, compressibility, friction coefficient, fade-recovery performance, friction fluctuation, cost, and carbon footprint were used as selection criteria. An increase in natural fiber content resulted in a decrease in density, along with an increase in porosity and compressibility. The composite with 5 wt.% Kevlar fiber showed the highest coefficient of friction, while the 5 wt.% ramie fiber-based composites exhibited the lowest levels of fade and friction fluctuations. The wear performance was highest in the composite containing 10 wt.% Kevlar fiber, while the composite with 10 wt.% ramie fiber exhibited the highest recovery. The results indicate that including different fibers in varying amounts can affect the evaluated performance criteria. A hybrid CRITIC-CODAS decision-making technique was used to select the optimal brake friction composite. The findings of this approach revealed that adding 10 wt.% banana fiber to the brake friction composite can give the optimal combination of evaluated properties. A sensitivity analysis was performed on several weight exchange scenarios to see the stability of the ranking results. Using Spearman’s correlation with the ranking outcomes from other MCDM techniques, the suggested decision-making framework was further verified, demonstrating its effectiveness and stability.
Sustainable Endogenous Development Path Based on Rural Local Elite Governance Model: A Case Study of Xiamen
Authors: Yin Jie , Rui Ju
Published: June 2023

Under the background of the decline of rural society, the brain drain and the lack of endogenous development power are one of the main reasons restricting the development of rural China. Although village committees and village Party committees, as grassroots governance instictutions, have played a great role in the process of rural revitalization, it is still difficult to achieve effective governance in rural areas with only top-down bureaucratic power. Therefore, activating the vitality of local elites and promoting the bottom-up development of rural areas is the internal driving force of rural revitalization. However, local elites have neither the institutional power of grassroots cadres nor the same prestige as clan elders. Therefore, for local elites to gain effective governance power, they must go through a process of empowerment, that is, gaining recognition from various forces within the village. Taking the Yuanqian Community of Xiamen city in Fujian Province as an example, this paper analyzes the formation process of local elite power. In this process, local elites gained the trinity of administrative, social and economic empowerment, and became the subject of governance power and the leader of rural revitalization. A new rural governance network with local elites as the core was constructed in the Yuanqian Community. Under the role of the new governance network, the material space and industrial space of the village have been transformed, thus promoting the revitalization of the countryside. At the same time, the village gradually expanded its influence and eventually became a model village in the field of rural revitalization. Due to its growing influence, the Yuanqian Community has achieved sustainable development. The case of Xiamen shows that local elites could gain effective governance power through an empowerment process. Then, by reconstructing the rural governance network, local elites could be the important social foundation of rural sustainable endogenous development.
Assessing Office Building Marketability before and after the Implementation of Energy Benchmarking and Disclosure Policies—Lessons Learned from Major U.S. Cities
Authors: Shang Luming , Dermisi Sofia , Choe Youngjun , Lee Hyun Woo , Min Yohan
Published: June 2023

An increasing number of U.S. cities require commercial/office properties to publicly disclose their energy performance due to the adoption of energy benchmarking and disclosure policies. This level of transparency provides an additional in-depth assessment of a building’s performance beyond a sustainability certification (e.g., Energy Star, LEED) and may lead less energy-efficient buildings to invest in energy retrofits, therefore improving their marketability. However, the research is scarce on assessing the impact of such policies on office building marketability. This study tries to fill this gap by investigating the impact of energy benchmarking policies on the performance of office buildings in four major U.S. cities (New York; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; and Chicago). We use interrupted time series analysis (ITSA), while accounting for sustainability certification, public policy adoption, and property real estate performance. The results revealed that in some cities, energy-efficient buildings generally perform better than less energy-efficient buildings after the policy implementation, especially if they are Class A. The real estate performances of energy-efficient buildings also exhibited continuously increasing trends after the policy implementation. However, due to potentially confounding factors, further analysis is required to conclude the policy impacts on energy-efficient buildings are more positive than those on less energy-efficient buildings.
Safety Integrated Network Level Pavement Maintenance Decision Support Framework as a Practical Solution in Developing Countries: The Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Angelo Asnake Adraro , Sasai Kotaro , Kaito Kiyoyuki
Published: June 2023

Every year, road traffic crashes lead to the loss of 1.35 million lives globally, of which ninety percent happens in developing countries. Moreover, the rapid deterioration of road infrastructure in these countries causes substantial economic losses and exacerbates road safety issues. This paper proposes a practical and safety-incorporated approach to implementing a strategic pavement management system to address pertinent problems. A two-tiered stochastic process of pavement deterioration and repair is modeled using a Markov-based model. The proposed model is suitable for road agencies with limited road condition data. Road safety conditions considering all road user groups are measured and analyzed using the international road assessment program. The paper outlines a process for establishing appropriate pavement and safety performance goals, developing a deterioration prediction model, and analyzing the relative life cycle cost and risk of maintenance strategies to achieve dual performance goals—pavements and safety. A case study of a road network in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, illustrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach, showing a significant reduction in fatal and serious injuries by up to 60% annually. In this regard, the proposed approach is useful for road agencies to make informed and safety-conscious decisions to manage their assets proactively with relatively less pavement condition data to ensure safe roads.
Determinants of Attitude and the Intention to Stay of Employees in Low-Cost Carriers: Using Justice Theory
Authors: Jang Ryeojin , Lee Won Seok , Moon Joonho
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this research is to examine the influential attributes of employees’ attitudes and intentions to stay in the domain of human resources management in a low-cost carrier business. Using justice theory as a theoretical underpinning, financial compensation, nonfinancial compensation, coworker relationships, and procedural fairness were derived. The explained attributes of this research were attitude and intention to stay. This study used a survey and collected data on 233 employees in low-cost carriers as survey participants. To test the hypotheses, this study employed structural equation modeling. The results showed that attitude was positively impacted by financial compensation, nonfinancial compensation, coworker relationships, and procedural fairness. The results also revealed the positive effect of coworker relationships and attitudes on the intention to stay. This study sheds light on the literature by ensuring the explanatory power of justice theory in the area of low-cost carrier business.
Personality Assessment Based on Electroencephalography Signals during Hazard Recognition
Authors: Wang Mohan , Liao Pin-Chao
Published: June 2023

Hazard recognition assisted by human–machine collaboration (HMC) techniques can facilitate high productivity. Human–machine collaboration techniques promote safer working processes by reducing the interaction between humans and machines. Nevertheless, current HMC techniques acquire human characteristics through manual inputs to provide customized information, thereby increasing the need for an interactive interface. Herein, we propose an implicit electroencephalography (EEG)-based measurement system to automatically assess worker personalities, underpinning the development of human–machine collaboration techniques. Assuming that personality influences hazard recognition, we recorded the electroencephalography signals of construction workers and subsequently proposed a supervised machine-learning algorithm to extract multichannel event-related potentials to develop a model for personality assessment. The analyses showed that (1) the electroencephalography-assessed results had a strong correlation with the self-reported results; (2) the model achieved good external validity for hazard recognition-related personality and out-of-sample reliability; and (3) personality showed stronger engagement levels and correlations with task performance than work experience. Theoretically, this study demonstrates the feasibility of assessing worker characteristics using electroencephalography signals during hazard recognition. In practice, the personality assessment model can provide a parametric basis for intelligent devices in human–machine collaboration.
Sustainability and Brand Equity: The Moderating Role of Brand Color and Brand Gender
Authors: Sun Minjae , Kim Joonseok
Published: June 2023

Green color priming has been introduced as a cue for consumer perceptions of sustainability. Nevertheless, the color green is not necessarily effective in every brand’s sustainability strategy. This study aims to understand the impact of a brand’s color and gender in an investigation of the relationship between sustainability and brand equity, including perceived quality. This study examined Interbrand’s Best Global Brands, conducted an international online survey of more than 400 participants, and demonstrated the relationship between brand color, brand gender, and sustainability using the process macro analysis method. In study 1, it was found that the use of the color green in sustainability color strategy is limited depending on the brand gender of the Best Global Brands through case analysis. In the empirical analysis of study 2, it was discovered that a majority of brands created higher brand equity in the color green than in iconic colors when implementing sustainability strategies. However, brands with a high level of feminine personality with graceful and tender characteristics created a higher level of brand equity when implementing their sustainability strategies with iconic colors than with green. These findings suggest that iconic colors are more effective than the color green in sustainability strategies when the masculine personality level is low, and the feminine personality level is high.
Consumer Perceptions of Sustainable Products: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Camilleri Mark Anthony , Cricelli Livio , Mauriello Roberto , Strazzullo Serena
Published: June 2023

Due to the growing concern towards natural resource depletion and the increasing levels of waste generation caused by economic growth, sustainable consumption has gained the attention of both governments and society. Despite this, the market share of sustainable products remains low, and studies analysing the factors influencing consumers’ perception of sustainable products provide inconclusive results. This work aims to help bridge this gap by summarising the main literature results and focusing on practical implications. We perform a systematic literature review to identify the factors influencing consumers’ perception of sustainable products. Next, we classify these factors according to the triple bottom line framework, to provide a holistic perspective on the subject and present useful suggestions for companies. The findings suggest that most studies adopt a partial perspective on sustainability, focusing on only one of the sustainability dimensions or considering a single product category. The results also show that there are numerous factors that can influence consumer perception across all three sustainability dimensions. To increase the market share of sustainable products, companies should try and target new customer segments, by adopting a holistic approach to sustainability and analysing how consumers manage the trade-offs between the factors related to different sustainability dimensions. From a practical perspective, this study provides managers with a solid starting point to identify and assess the value of sustainable products in relation to the sustainability dimensions and the characteristics of the target customer segments.
Supply Chain Finance Business Model Innovation: Case Study on a Chinese E-Commerce-Centered SCF Adopter
Authors: Zhou Lele , Lee Hyangsook
Published: June 2023

SCF (Supply Chain Finance), as an emerging technology-driven financial optimization approach, has grown quickly worldwide with the development of information technology. China is one noteworthy country influenced by SCF development; its traditional financial market structure dominated by banks is undergoing change. The E-commerce-centered SCF has evolved into the representative capital provider in the new financial “Blue Ocean” market. For capturing competitiveness, Chinese JD (Jingdong) SCF practice backed to JD E-commerce is a typical example involving business model innovations, but with few previous related studies on this aspect. Therefore, to fill the research gap, this paper introduces a hybrid theoretical analysis of the BMC (Business Model Canvas) considering a three-layer strategic innovation structure and financial analysis regarding a modified competitive advantages-gaining model to comprehensively explore the recent innovative development and transformation of JD SCF business based on the perspective of competitive advantages. This study identifies JD SCF’s two times of business model innovations that benefit from its sustainable development; verifies that “cost”, “differentiation”, and “focused strategy” are three means for JD SCF practice gaining competitiveness at different development stages and simultaneously emphasizes that the latter two are influenced by business model innovation. The mixed analysis work in this paper may contribute both theoretical and practical implications.
Mechanism of Inhibiting the Growth and Aflatoxin B1 Biosynthesis of Aspergillus flavus by Phenyllactic Acid
Authors: Zhao Chi , Penttinen Petri , Zhang Lingzi , Dong Ling , Zhang Fengju , Li Zhihua , Zhang Xiaoping
Published: June 2023

Phenyllactic acid (PLA), a promising food preservative, is safe and effective against a broad spectrum of food-borne pathogens. However, its mechanisms against toxigenic fungi are still poorly understood. In this study, we applied physicochemical, morphological, metabolomics, and transcriptomics analyses to investigate the activity and mechanism of PLA inhibition of a typical food-contaminating mold, Aspergillus flavus. The results showed that PLA effectively inhibited the growth of A. flavus spores and reduced aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) production by downregulating key genes associated with AFB1 biosynthesis. Propidium iodide staining and transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrated a dose-dependent disruption of the integrity and morphology of the A. flavus spore cell membrane by PLA. Multi-omics analyses showed that subinhibitory concentrations of PLA induced significant changes in A. flavus spores at the transcriptional and metabolic levels, as 980 genes and 30 metabolites were differentially expressed. Moreover, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated PLA-induced cell membrane damage, energy-metabolism disruption, and central-dogma abnormality in A. flavus spores. The results provided new insights into the anti-A. flavus and -AFB1 mechanisms of PLA.
One Size Fits All—Venomics of the Iberian Adder (Vipera seoanei, Lataste 1878) Reveals Low Levels of Venom Variation across Its Distributional Range
Authors: Avella Ignazio , Damm Maik , Freitas Inês , Wüster Wolfgang , Lucchini Nahla , Zuazo Óscar , Süssmuth Roderich D. , Martínez-Freiría Fernando
Published: June 2023

European vipers (genus Vipera) are medically important snakes displaying considerable venom variation, occurring at different levels in this group. The presence of intraspecific venom variation, however, remains understudied in several Vipera species. Vipera seoanei is a venomous snake endemic to the northern Iberian Peninsula and south-western France, presenting notable phenotypic variation and inhabiting several diverse habitats across its range. We analysed the venoms of 49 adult specimens of V. seoanei from 20 localities across the species’ Iberian distribution. We used a pool of all individual venoms to generate a V. seoanei venom reference proteome, produced SDS-PAGE profiles of all venom samples, and visualised patterns of variation using NMDS. By applying linear regression, we then assessed presence and nature of venom variation between localities, and investigated the effect of 14 predictors (biological, eco-geographic, genetic) on its occurrence. The venom comprised at least 12 different toxin families, of which five (i.e., PLA2, svSP, DI, snaclec, svMP) accounted for about 75% of the whole proteome. The comparative analyses of the SDS-PAGE venom profiles showed them to be remarkably similar across the sampled localities, suggesting low geographic variability. The regression analyses suggested significant effects of biological and habitat predictors on the little variation we detected across the analysed V. seoanei venoms. Other factors were also significantly associated with the presence/absence of individual bands in the SDS-PAGE profiles. The low levels of venom variability we detected within V. seoanei might be the result of a recent population expansion, or of processes other than directional positive selection.
Study of Hidden-Charm and Hidden-Bottom Pentaquark Resonances in the Quark Model
Authors: Zhu Xinmei , Wu Yuheng , Huang Hongxia , Ping Jialun , Yang Youchang
Published: June 2023

Inspired by the LHCb observation of hidden-charm pentaquarks, i.e., Pc(4312), Pc(4440), and Pc(4457) in the J/ψp invariant mass spectrum, a calculation of the J/ψp scattering cross-section was performed using the quark-delocalization color screening model. The results show that Pc(4312) can be identified as a hidden-charm molecular state ΣcD with JP=12−. The two-peak structure can be reproduced around 4450 MeV, which corresponds to Pc(4440) and Pc(4457). They are the resonances molecular states ΣcD* of JP=12− and JP=32−. Moreover, the Σc*D* of both JP=12− and JP=32− are possible molecular pentaquarks. Moreover, in the same theoretical frame, the calculation is extended to the Pc-like molecular pentaquarks, denoted as Pb. Several hidden-bottom pentaquarks with masses above 11 GeV and narrow widths were obtained. All of these heavy pentaquarks are worth exploring in future experiments.
An Evaluation of Passenger Satisfaction among Users of Huambo Airport in Angola
Authors: Relógio André Tchoia , Tavares Fernando Oliveira
Published: June 2023

This study aimed to investigate the level of client satisfaction among airline passengers and other users of Huambo’s airport in Angola. A quantitative method was used, based on a questionnaire addressed to airline passengers on their trips to Huambo and their use of Huambo’s airport. This sample comprises 619 questionnaire answers. As a result of the study, it is possible to relate client satisfaction with the size of the aircraft in question and with the ease of booking a trip. On the contrary, clients become more dissatisfied when the cost of the trip is higher. An analysis of the degree of client satisfaction among airline passengers shows three categories: the waiting time and service at the airline office, the comfort during the trip, and the empathy of the cabin staff. This study is expected to be useful to show the preferences of the clients of this African airport.
Development of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Vaccine Candidates for the Elderly
Authors: Blanco Jorge C. G. , Cullen Lori M. , Kamali Arash , Sylla Fatouomata Y. D. , Boukhvalova Marina S. , Morrison Trudy G.
Published: June 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant threat to elderly populations and repeated infections that occur throughout life are poorly protective. To assess the role of prior RSV infections as well as elderly immune senescence on vaccine efficacy, we compared immune responses after virus-like particle (VLP) immunization of elderly cotton rats and young cotton rats, both previously RSV infected, in order to mimic the human population. We show that immunization of RSV-experienced young or elderly animals resulted in the same levels of anti-pre-F IgG, anti-G IgG, neutralizing antibody titers, and protection from challenge indicating that the delivery of F and G proteins in a VLP is equally effective in activation of protective responses in both elderly and young populations. Our results suggest that F and G protein-containing VLPs induce anti-RSV memory established in prior RSV infections equally well in both young and elderly animals and thus can be an effective vaccine for the elderly.