bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pollen Morphology in Sorbus L. (Rosaceae) and Its Taxonomic Implications
Authors: Li Meng , Tian Chang-Fen , Idrees Muhammad , Pathak Mitra , Xiong Xian-Hua , Gao Xin-Fen , Wang Xian-Rong
Published: September 2023

The genus Sorbus L. in the Rosaceae family is taxonomically challenging due to its morphological variation, polyploidy, and interspecific hybridization. In this study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe the pollen morphology of eighty species, representing six subgenera, in order to assess the differences within the genus Sorbus and its pollen characteristics. We conducted a cluster analysis on three qualitative and four quantitative characteristics. The results demonstrated that the pollen grains of the studied Sorbus species are isopolar and tricolporate. We identified five types of pollen shapes: suboblate, spheroidal, subprolate, prolate, and perprolate. The pollen ornamentation of the investigated species could be classified into five types: striate-perforate, striate, cerebroid-perforate, cerebroid, and foveolate. Interestingly, within the same subgenera, different species exhibited multiple types of characters. The cluster analysis indicated that all 80 species could be divided into six groups, with group B consisting exclusively of species from the subgenus Sorbus. Although pollen micro-morphologies alone do not provide sufficient evidence to establish the taxonomic relationships of the subgenera within Sorbus, they do offer valuable information for species-level taxonomic treatment.
Synthetic Calcium–Phosphate Materials for Bone Grafting
Authors: Mishchenko Oleg , Yanovska Anna , Kosinov Oleksii , Maksymov Denys , Moskalenko Roman , Ramanavicius Arunas , Pogorielov Maksym
Published: September 2023

Synthetic bone grafting materials play a significant role in various medical applications involving bone regeneration and repair. Their ability to mimic the properties of natural bone and promote the healing process has contributed to their growing relevance. While calcium–phosphates and their composites with various polymers and biopolymers are widely used in clinical and experimental research, the diverse range of available polymer-based materials poses challenges in selecting the most suitable grafts for successful bone repair. This review aims to address the fundamental issues of bone biology and regeneration while providing a clear perspective on the principles guiding the development of synthetic materials. In this study, we delve into the basic principles underlying the creation of synthetic bone composites and explore the mechanisms of formation for biologically important complexes and structures associated with the various constituent parts of these materials. Additionally, we offer comprehensive information on the application of biologically active substances to enhance the properties and bioactivity of synthetic bone grafting materials. By presenting these insights, our review enables a deeper understanding of the regeneration processes facilitated by the application of synthetic bone composites.
Thermal Behavior and Pyrolysis Kinetics of Mushroom Residue with the Introduction of Waste Plastics
Authors: Li Jiale , Pu Tao , Wang Zhanghong , Liu Taoze
Published: September 2023

Co-pyrolysis is considered a very promising technology for the treatment of solid wastes as it can rapidly realize the volume reduction of raw materials and obtain high value-added products. To realize the resource utilization of newly emerging solid wastes in relation to edible fungi residue and waste plastics, mushroom residue (MR), a representative of edible fungi residue, was co-pyrolyzed with waste plastic bags (PE), waste plastic lunch boxes (PP), and waste plastic bottles (PET). The thermal behavior and pyrolysis kinetics of the mixtures were investigated. It was found that the softening of the plastics in the mixtures led to an increase in the initial pyrolysis temperature of MR by 2–27 °C, while the pyrolytic intermediates of MR could greatly promote the decomposition of the plastics, resulting in a decrease in the initial pyrolysis temperatures of PE, PP, and PET in the mixtures by 25, 8, and 16 °C, respectively. The mixture of MR and PE (MR/PE) under different mixture ratios showed good synergies, causing the pyrolysis peaks attributed to MR and PE to both move towards the lower temperature region relative to those of individual samples. The increase in heating rate led to enhanced thermal hysteresis of the reaction between MR and PE. The strength of the interaction between plastics and MR based on mass variation was subject to the order PE > PP > PET. The pyrolysis activation energies of MR, PE, PP, and PET calculated from kinetic analysis were 6.18, 119.05, 84.30, and 74.38 kJ/mol, respectively. The activation energies assigned to MR and plastics were both reduced as plastics were introduced to co-pyrolyze with MR, indicating that MR and plastics have a good interaction in the co-pyrolysis process. This study provides theoretical and experimental guidance for the resource utilization of agricultural solid wastes via thermochemical conversion.
Design and Modification of a Material Extrusion 3D Printer to Manufacture Functional Gradient PEEK Components
Authors: Ritter Tobias , McNiffe Eric , Higgins Tom , Sam-Daliri Omid , Flanagan Tomas , Walls Michael , Ghabezi Pouyan , Finnegan William , Mitchell Sinéad , Harrison Noel M.
Published: September 2023

In recent years, the creative use of polymers has been expanded as the range of achievable material properties and options for manufacturing and post-processing continually grows. The main goal of this research was to design and develop a fully-functioning material extrusion additive manufacturing device with the capability to produce functionally graded high-temperature thermoplastic PEEK (polyether ether ketone) materials through the manipulation of microstructure during manufacturing. Five different strategies to control the chamber temperature and crystallinity were investigated, and concepts of thermal control were introduced to govern the crystallisation and cooling mechanics during the extrusion process. The interaction of individually deposited beads of material during the printing process was investigated using scanning electron microscopy to observe and quantify the porosity levels and interlayer bonding strength, which affect the quality of the final part. Functional testing of the printed parts was carried out to identify crystallinity, boundary layer adhesion, and mechanical behaviour. Furnace cooling and annealing were found to be the most effective methods, resulting in the highest crystallinity of the part. Finally, a functionally graded material cylindrical part was printed successfully, incorporating both low and high crystalline regions.
Facile Synthesis of Self-Adhesion and Ion-Conducting 2-Acrylamido-2-Methylpropane Sulfonic Acid/Tannic Acid Hydrogels Using Electron Beam Irradiation
Authors: Park Hee-Woong , Jang Nam-Gyu , Seo Hyun-Su , Kwon Kiok , Shin Seunghan
Published: September 2023

Tannic acid (TA) can be used as an additive to improve the properties of hydrogels, but it acts as a radical scavenger, which hinders radical polymerization. In this study, we successfully and easily synthesized a TA-incorporated 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid (AMPS) hydrogel using an electron beam (E-beam) in a one-pot process at room temperature. TA successfully grafted onto AMPS polymer chains under E-beam irradiation, but higher TA content reduced grafting efficiency and prevented hydrogel formation. Peel strength of the AMPS hydrogel increased proportionally with TA, but cohesive failure and substrate residue occurred above 1.25 phm (parts per 100 g of AMPS) TA. Tensile strength peaked at 0.25 phm TA but decreased below the control value at 1.25 phm. Tensile elongation exceeded 2000% with TA addition. Peel strength varied significantly with substrate type. The wood substrate had the highest peel strength value of 150 N/m, while pork skin had a low value of 11.5 N/m. However, the addition of TA increased the peel strength by over 300%. The ionic conductivity of the AMPS/TA hydrogel increased from 0.9 S/m to 1.52 S/m with TA content, while the swelling ratio decreased by 50% upon TA addition and increased slightly thereafter.
Electrospun PVA Fibers for Drug Delivery: A Review
Authors: Zahra Fatima T. , Quick Quincy , Mu Richard
Published: September 2023

Innovation in biomedical science is always a field of interest for researchers. Drug delivery, being one of the key areas of biomedical science, has gained considerable significance. The utilization of simple yet effective techniques such as electrospinning has undergone significant development in the field of drug delivery. Various polymers such as PEG (polyethylene glycol), PLGA (Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)), PLA(Polylactic acid), and PCA (poly(methacrylate citric acid)) have been utilized to prepare electrospinning-based drug delivery systems (DDSs). Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) has recently gained attention because of its biocompatibility, biodegradability, non-toxicity, and ideal mechanical properties as these are the key factors in developing DDSs. Moreover, it has shown promising results in developing DDSs individually and when combined with natural and synthetic polymers such as chitosan and polycaprolactone (PCL). Considering the outstanding properties of PVA, the aim of this review paper was therefore to summarize these recent advances by highlighting the potential of electrospun PVA for drug delivery systems.
Joining of Aluminum and CFRP via Laser Powder Bed Fusion: Influence of Experimental Set-Up and Laser Processing on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Nester Sara , Meinhard Dieter , Schanz Jochen , Rettenberger Markus , Taha Iman , Riegel Harald , Knoblauch Volker
Published: September 2023

Additive-manufacturing-based joining methods enable tailored or even functionalized joints and allow for hybridization at small scales. The current study explored an innovative joining method for aluminum cast alloys (AlSi12) with thermoset carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The direct build-up of AlSi12 on a CFRP substrate proved to be challenging due to the dissimilar thermal properties of the considered materials, which led to substrate damage and low joint adhesion. These effects could be overcome by introducing an AlSi12 foil as an interlayer between the two joining partners, acting as a thermal barrier and further improving the AlSi12 melt wettability of the substrate. Within LPBF, the energy input in the form of volumetric laser energy density influenced both the porosity of the fused layers and the formation of thermally induced stresses due to the high cooling rates and different thermal expansion properties of the materials. While the AlSi12 volume density increased with a higher laser energy input, simultaneously increasing thermal stresses caused the debonding and deformation of the AlSi12 foil. However, within a narrow processing window of laser parameters, the samples achieved remarkably high shear strengths of τ > 20 MPa, comparable to those of conventional joining methods.
Discursive Norms and Incentives for Equipping Students with Religion and Worldview Literacy in Swedish Preschool Teacher Education Policy
Authors: Raivio Magdalena , Skaremyr Ellinor , Kuusisto Arniika
Published: September 2023

The increasing societal diversity of religions and worldviews (R&W) in Swedish preschools affects what competencies today’s preschool teachers need and what needs to be taught in Swedish Preschool Teacher Education (PTE). The study aims to investigate the content and discursive norms regarding religion and worldviews in Swedish PTEs on a national policy level and contribute to knowledge in the research field of Religious Studies and Higher Education. The PTE curricula of all the twenty Higher Education institutions offering PTE in Sweden in 2022 are investigated using text-centred discourse analysis, together with a theoretical and analytical tool for analyzing different dimensions of the PTEs and the potential for them to function as socially sustainable communities of care. The results show that even though there might be implicit incentives for teaching about R&W, all but one of the educational curricula of the twenty PTEs in Sweden lack explicit mention of ‘religion’. Based on the results, we can see that at a national policy level, the content of the educational curricula reproduces liberal secular and humanist worldviews as norms for the PTEs. There is also a lack of explicit policy-related incentives for the PTEs to promote social sustainability regarding equipping students with proper knowledge and skills for developing care-centered and norm-critical R&W literacy.
Stratigraphy Matters: Questioning the (Re)Sacralisation of Religious Spaces from Late Antiquity to the Early Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Utrero Agudo María de los Ángeles
Published: September 2023

In recent decades, archaeological and written records have been used in combination to improve our understanding of Late Antique and Early Medieval Hispanic architectural culture (5th–10th c.). Within this renewed research context, the rebuilding of Late Antique churches and the reuse of earlier materials in both Early Medieval Christian and Islamic religious buildings; the transformation of Late Antique churches into early Islamic mosques in al-Andalus; and the rebuilding of other churches by the Christians themselves, both in al-Andalus and in the northern Iberian plateau, from the late 8th century onwards, have often been used to thread narratives concerning tradition, continuity, and re-sacralisation of earlier religious architectural spaces and, through this, religious change in the middle ages. However, the application of modern archaeological methodology reveals that these processes need to be qualified, for the stratigraphic gaps between building phases make them sometimes hard to interpret. By analysing some examples of Hispanic religious sites, this paper reflects on the many concepts related to sacralisation, explains the way archaeology is able to trace the sacralisation processes, and intends thus to highlight the complexity of these phenomena.
The Making of a Masterpiece: An Examination of Zimen Jingxun’s Authorship
Authors: Lee Changzhong (Shin)
Published: September 2023

The Chinese Buddhist anthology Zimen jingxun (Admonitions to the Black-robed Monastics 緇門警訓), a compilation believed to have originated during the Song dynasty, constitutes a Chinese Buddhist anthology containing teachings from Buddhist masters and ethical principles intended for observance by monastics. This anthology has garnered scholarly attention due to the noteworthy nature of some of its components. However, there exists a dearth of comprehensive scholarly analyses in the English language, and the precise compilers of this anthology remain shrouded in ambiguity. Nevertheless, the Zimen jingxun has exerted a profound influence on the training of monastics in China, Japan, and Korea, and has emerged as a particularly influential work on Buddhist monastic education in the Korean context. Therefore, this paper functions as an initial effort to address this scholarly gap. Utilizing the methodologies of comparative philology and historical philology, this study undertakes an analysis and comparison of the original Zimen jingxun and its foundational counterpart, the Zilin baoxun, in addition to their subsequent amended and modified versions. The primary aim of this research is to deduce its compilers and the timeframe of its compilation by examining the existing content, prefaces, citations, and any discrepancies discernible in each rendition. Furthermore, it seeks to evaluate the importance and role of each version within the broader context of the Buddhist canon.
A Century of Changes in the Surface Area of Lakes in West Poland
Authors: Ptak Mariusz , Szyga-Pluta Katarzyna , Heddam Salim , Zhu Senlin , Sojka Mariusz
Published: September 2023

Lakes are an important element of the hydrosphere that contribute to the stabilisation of water circulation by providing biodiversity conditions or supporting the development of different branches of the economy. All these properties depend on the longevity of lakes in the environment and the processes related to their evolution. Based on archival morphometric data from historical maps and modern cartographic studies, this paper presents an analysis of changes in their surface area over a period of 100 years. Among 169 lakes, a decrease in surface area was recorded in 156 cases (including the complete disappearance of two lakes); no change was observed in four lakes; and seven lakes increased their surface area. The total surface area of all the lakes has decreased by 11.4% in comparison with the initial state in the early 20th century. The highest rate of decline concerned the shallowest lakes with a maximum depth of up to 5.0 m and lakes with the smallest surface area of up to 20 ha, averaging 24.1% and 22.2%, respectively. The spatial distribution of changes in the surface area of lakes is variable, and at a larger scale it presents no similarities. This suggests that factors determining the rate and direction of changes in the surface area of lakes depend on their individual features and local conditions, which is in accordance with similar studies from the territory of Poland. The obtained results reveal the scale of the changes in the surface area of the lakes, potentially providing important information for authorities in charge of water management in the context of activities aimed at slowing down the disappearance of these valuable ecosystems.
A Downscaling–Merging Scheme for Monthly Precipitation Estimation with High Resolution Based on CBAM-ConvLSTM
Authors: Tian Bingru , Chen Hua , Yan Xin , Sheng Sheng , Lin Kangling
Published: September 2023

Satellite products have mediocre performance in precipitation estimation, while rain gauges are incapable of describing continuous spatial precipitation distributions. To obtain spatially continuous and accurate precipitation data, this paper proposes a two-step scheme incorporating environmental variables, satellite precipitation estimations, and rain gauge observations for the calibration of satellite precipitation data. First, the GPM data are downscaled from 0.1° to 0.01° based on the seasonal RF models to minimize the spatial differences between the satellite estimations and the rain gauge observations. Secondly, the fusion model combining ConvLSTM and CBAM explores the spatiotemporal correlation of downscaled satellite precipitation data with environmental co-variables and ground-based observations to correct GPM precipitation. The integrated scheme (CBAM-ConvLSTM) is applied to acquire monthly precipitation at a spatial resolution of 0.01° over Hanjiang River Basin from 2014 to 2018. Comparative analyses of model-based satellite products with in situ observations show that model-based precipitation products have a high-resolution spatial distribution along with high accuracy, which combines the advantages of in situ observations and satellite products. Compared to the original GPM product, the evaluation metric values of the merged precipitation products all improved: the RMSE decreased by 31% while the CC increased from 0.55 to 0.69, the bias decreased from about 25% to less than 1.8%, and the MAE decreased by 27.8% while the KGE increased from 0.28 to 0.52. This two-step scheme provides an effective way to derive a high-resolution and accurate monthly precipitation product for humid regions.
Statistical Evaluation of the Performance of Gridded Daily Precipitation Products from Reanalysis Data, Satellite Estimates, and Merged Analyses over Global Land
Authors: Cao Weihua , Nie Suping , Ma Lijuan , Zhao Liang
Published: September 2023

The Beijing Climate Center of the China Meteorological Administration (BCC/CMA) has developed a gauge-satellite-model merged gridded daily precipitation dataset with complete global coverage, called BCC Merged Estimation of Precipitation (BMEP). Using the unified rain gauge dataset from the CPC (CPC-U) as the independent benchmark, BMEP and the four most widely used global daily precipitation products, including the Global Precipitation Climatology Project one-degree daily (GPCP-1DD), the NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), the Interim ECMWF Re-analysis (ERA-interim), and the 55 year Japanese Reanalysis Project (JRA-55), are evaluated over the global land area from January 2003 to December 2016. The results show that all gridded datasets capture the overall spatiotemporal variation of global daily precipitation. All gridded datasets can basically capture the overall spatiotemporal variation of global daily precipitation. However, CFSR data tend to overestimate precipitation intensity and exhibit a spurious positive trend after 2010, attributed to the transition from CFSR to NCEP’s Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2). On the other hand, JRA-55 and ERA-interim data demonstrate higher skill in characterizing spatial and temporal variations, bias, correlation, and RMSE. GPCP-1DD data perform well in terms of bias but show limitations in detecting the interannual variability and RMSE of daily precipitation. Among these evaluated products, BMEP data exhibit the best agreement with CPC-U data in terms of the spatiotemporal variation, pattern, magnitude of variability, and occurrence of rainfall events across different thresholds. These findings indicate that BMEP gridded precipitation data effectively capture the actual characteristics of daily precipitation over global land areas.
Automated Determination of the Volume of Loose Engineering Deposits Using Terrestrial Laser Scanning
Authors: Lu Bo , Zhu Jichen , Ge Yunfeng , Chen Qian , Wen Zhongxu , Liu Geng , Li Liangquan
Published: September 2023

A new method for automatic volume determination of loose engineering deposits (LEDs) using point clouds collected by terrestrial laser scanning is proposed. The method starts with a problem of lacking bottom surface point clouds when scanning LEDs, assuming that the bottom surface is flat, a spatial plane is generated based on the plane fitting to the bottom surface. Then the sample point cloud is projected on this fitted plane to construct the subface point clouds, which, together with the initial point cloud data, are stitched into complete point cloud data with good closure, integrity, and accuracy. The 3D surface model established by introducing the alpha shape algorithm calculates the volume, and the validation experiments on three soil mound models and one field experiment on LEDs with a minimum average error of only 1.69% fully validate the effectiveness and accuracy of the method. The encouraging results show that effective volume calculation can be performed on realistic LEDs using the proposed method.
Projected Changes in Precipitation Based on the CMIP6 Optimal Multi-Model Ensemble in the Pearl River Basin, China
Authors: He Mengfei , Chen Yangbo , Sun Huaizhang , Liu Jun
Published: September 2023

Precipitation fluctuations in the Pearl River Basin (PRB) have a significant impact on river runoff, causing huge economic losses and casualties. However, future precipitation variations in the PRB remain unclear. Therefore, we explored the projected changes in precipitation in the PRB based on the coupled model intercomparison project phase 6 (CMIP6) model via three shared socio-economic pathways scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5). In our study, the optimal ensemble of global climate models in the PRB was identified using the comprehensive rating index (CRI), which is based on climatology, spatial variation, and interannual variability, and it was used to analyze potential precipitation changes in the basin in the period 2025–2100. The results showed that the CMIP6 models underestimated precipitation in the PRB; the consistency between the observations and the multi-model ensemble mean of the four best models was higher than those of any other ensembles, and the CRI value was highest (0.92). The annual precipitation in the PRB shows a significant increasing trend under three scenarios from 2025 to 2100 (p < 0.01), with the highest rate of precipitation increase being seen under the high-emission scenario. By the end of the 21st century, the regional mean precipitation in the PRB will increase by 13%, 9.4%, and 20.1% under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, respectively. Spatially, the entire basin is projected to become wetter, except for a slight decrease of less than 6% in the central part of the basin and the Pearl River Delta in the near term in the 21st century, and the highest increases are projected to occur in the Xijiang River basin.
Novel Land Cover Change Detection Deep Learning Framework with Very Small Initial Samples Using Heterogeneous Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Zhu Yangpeng , Li Qianyu , Lv Zhiyong , Falco Nicola
Published: September 2023

Change detection with heterogeneous remote sensing images (Hete-CD) plays a significant role in practical applications, particularly in cases where homogenous remote sensing images are unavailable. However, directly comparing bitemporal heterogeneous remote sensing images (HRSIs) to measure the change magnitude is unfeasible. Numerous deep learning methods require substantial samples to train the module adequately. Moreover, the process of labeling a large number of samples for land cover change detection using HRSIs is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Consequently, deep learning networks face challenges in achieving satisfactory performance in Hete-CD due to the limited number of training samples. This study proposes a novel deep-learning framework for Hete-CD to achieve satisfactory performance even with a limited number of initial samples. We developed a multiscale network with a selected kernel-attention module. This design allows us to effectively capture different change targets characterized by diverse sizes and shapes. In addition, a simple yet effective non-parameter sample-enhanced algorithm that utilizes the Pearson correlation coefficient is proposed to explore the potential samples surrounding every initial sample. The proposed network and sample-enhanced algorithm are integrated into an iterative framework to improve change detection performance with a limited number of small samples. The experimental results were achieved based on four pairs of real HRSIs, which were acquired with Landsat-5, Radarsat-2, and Sentinel-2 satellites with optical and SAR sensors. Results indicated that the proposed framework could achieve competitive accuracy with a small number of samples compared with some state-of-the-art methods, including three traditional methods and nine state-of-the-art deep learning methods. For example, the improvement rates are approximately 3.38% and 1.99% compared with the selected traditional methods and deep learning methods, respectively.
Analysis of Water Conservation Trends and Drivers in an Alpine Region: A Case Study of the Qilian Mountains
Authors: Sun Junyu , Ni Chenrui , Wang Mengmeng
Published: September 2023

The water conservation service of an ecosystem reflects the sustainability of regional water resources and is significant to human survival and sustainable development. However, global climate warming and intensified human activities pose substantial challenges to regional water conservation services, especially in an alpine region with a fragile ecological environment, which is more sensitive to climate factors and land use pattern changes. In this study, the Qilian Mountains (QLM) region was chosen as the study area to investigate water conservation trends and drivers in an alpine region. The InVEST model was used to estimate water conservation in the QLM from 2000 to 2020. In addition, the characteristics of the spatiotemporal variation in the water conservation were analyzed using a combination of the Theil–Sen median trend and Mann–Kendall method, coefficient of variation, and Hurst exponent, and the main driving factors affecting these changes were determined using partial correlation analysis and contribution analysis. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) The predicted water conservation in the QLM based on the InVEST model’s water yield module had a relative inaccuracy of 5.96%, and the mean water conservation in the QLM from 2000 to 2020 was approximately 78.08 × 108 m3. (2) The water conservation showed a slight increase over the whole QLM region, with a change rate of 0.565 mm/a; yet, it showed a distinct spatial distribution pattern characterized by “more in the east than in the west”. (3) The contribution of the various land use categories to the total water conservation, from highest to lowest, was according to the following: grassland (62.44%) > unutilized land (15.99%) > forest (11.44%) > cultivated land (9.86%) > construction land (0.45%) > water (0.03%). (4) Precipitation exhibited a significant positive correlation, with contribution ratios of approximately 58.50% to the variation in the water content, whereas potential evapotranspiration and surface temperature showed a nonsignificant negative correlation with contribution ratios of approximately 2.17% and 2.08%, respectively. The results can provide scientific reference for ecological protection in the QLM and other similar alpine environment areas.
Using Film-Mulched Drip Irrigation to Improve the Irrigation Water Productivity of Cotton in the Tarim River Basin, Central Asia
Authors: Zhu Jianyu , Chen Yaning , Li Zhi , Duan Weili , Fang Gonghuan , Wang Chuan , He Ganchang , Wei Wei
Published: September 2023

Climate change has significantly influenced water resource patterns in arid regions. Applying effective water-saving measures to improve irrigation efficiency and evaluate their future water-saving capabilities is crucial for ensuring the sustainable development of irrigation agriculture. Based on the daily meteorological data from 15 global climate models (GCMs) in the sixth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6), this study used the AquaCrop model to perform high-resolution (0.1° × 0.1°) grid simulations of cotton yields and irrigation requirements. The study also investigated the ability of film-mulched drip irrigation (FMDI) to improve future irrigation efficiency under two shared socio-economic pathways (SSP245 and SSP585) in the Tarim River Basin (TRB), Central Asia, from 2025 to 2100. The results showed that the cotton yield and irrigation water productivity (WPI) in the TRB exhibited an upward trend of 13.82 kg/ha/decade (80.68 kg/ha/decade) and 0.015 kg/m3/decade (0.068 kg/m3/decade), respectively, during the study period. The cotton yield and WPI were higher in the northern, northwestern plains, and northeastern intermountain basin areas, where they reach over 4000 kg/ha and 0.8 kg/m3/decade. However, the cotton yield and WPI were lower in the southwestern part of the study area. Therefore, large-scale cotton production was not recommended there. Furthermore, compared to flood irrigation, the use of FMDI can, on average, improve the WPI by approx. 25% and reduce irrigation water requirements by more than 550 m3/ha. Therefore, using FMDI can save a substantial amount of irrigation water in cotton production, which is beneficial for improving irrigation efficiency and ensuring the future stable production of cotton in the TRB. The research results provide a scientific reference for the efficient utilization and management of water resources for cotton production in the TRB and in similar arid regions elsewhere in the world.
Grid-Scale Poverty Assessment by Integrating High-Resolution Nighttime Light and Spatial Big Data—A Case Study in the Pearl River Delta
Authors: Li Minying , Lin Jinyao , Ji Zhengnan , Chen Kexin , Liu Jingxi
Published: September 2023

Poverty is a social issue of global concern. Although socioeconomic indicators can easily reflect poverty status, the coarse statistical scales and poor timeliness have limited their applications. While spatial big data with reasonable timeliness, easy access, and wide coverage can overcome such limitations, the integration of high-resolution nighttime light and spatial big data for assessing relative poverty is still limited. More importantly, few studies have provided poverty assessment results at a grid scale. Therefore, this study takes the Pearl River Delta, where there is a large disparity between the rich and the poor, as an example. We integrated Luojia 1-01, points of interest, and housing prices to construct a big data poverty index (BDPI). To evaluate the performance of the BDPI, we compared this new index with the traditional multidimensional poverty index (MPI), which builds upon socioeconomic indicators. The results show that the impoverished counties identified by the BDPI are highly similar to those identified by the MPI. In addition, both the BDPI and MPI gradually decrease from the center to the fringe of the study area. These two methods indicate that impoverished counties were mainly distributed in ZhaoQing, JiangMen and HuiZhou Cities, while there were also several impoverished parts in rapidly developing cities, such as CongHua and HuaDu Counties in GuangZhou City. The difference between the two poverty assessment results suggests that the MPI can effectively reveal the poverty status in old urban areas with convenient but obsolete infrastructures, whereas the BDPI is suitable for emerging-development areas that are rapidly developing but still lagging behind. Although BDPI and MPI share similar calculation procedures, there are substantial differences in the meaning and suitability of the methodology. Therefore, in areas lacking accurate socioeconomic statistics, the BDPI can effectively replace the MPI to achieve timely and fine-scale poverty assessment. Our proposed method could provide a reliable reference for formulating targeted poverty-alleviation policies.
Deep Learning Technology to Recognize American Sign Language Alphabet
Authors: Alsharif Bader , Altaher Ali Salem , Altaher Ahmed , Ilyas Mohammad , Alalwany Easa
Published: September 2023

Historically, individuals with hearing impairments have faced neglect, lacking the necessary tools to facilitate effective communication. However, advancements in modern technology have paved the way for the development of various tools and software aimed at improving the quality of life for hearing-disabled individuals. This research paper presents a comprehensive study employing five distinct deep learning models to recognize hand gestures for the American Sign Language (ASL) alphabet. The primary objective of this study was to leverage contemporary technology to bridge the communication gap between hearing-impaired individuals and individuals with no hearing impairment. The models utilized in this research include AlexNet, ConvNeXt, EfficientNet, ResNet-50, and VisionTransformer were trained and tested using an extensive dataset comprising over 87,000 images of the ASL alphabet hand gestures. Numerous experiments were conducted, involving modifications to the architectural design parameters of the models to obtain maximum recognition accuracy. The experimental results of our study revealed that ResNet-50 achieved an exceptional accuracy rate of 99.98%, the highest among all models. EfficientNet attained an accuracy rate of 99.95%, ConvNeXt achieved 99.51% accuracy, AlexNet attained 99.50% accuracy, while VisionTransformer yielded the lowest accuracy of 88.59%.
Individual, Familial, and School Risk Factors Affecting Teen Dating Violence in Early Adolescents: A Longitudinal Path Analysis Model
Authors: Sorrentino Anna , Santamato Margherita , Aquino Antonio
Published: September 2023

Background: Teen dating violence (TDV) is a growing issue among adolescents, leading to several negative behavioral and psychological consequences. Most studies have been carried out in North America, whereas few have been conducted in Europe and Italy. Despite the existence of some studies underlying risk factors for TDV, to the best of our knowledge, none of them have tested a comprehensive model that includes several risk factors (and their interplay) for verbal–emotional and physical TDV such as witnessing IPV, involvement in school bullying and victimization, cyberbullying and cybervictimization, deviant behaviors, and violence against teachers. Methods: A short-term longitudinal study involving 235 students aged 10–14 who filled in an online questionnaire twice. Results: The tested path analysis model showed an excellent fit to data, with a different pattern of risk factors affecting youth involvement as perpetrator and victim in physical and verbal–emotional TDV. Differential paths emerged for females and males. Conclusions: This article includes discussions on practical and policy implications for future research, stressing the need to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of primary prevention programs addressing and managing youth involvement in violent and aggressive behaviors.
Early Leaving from Education and Training and Related Matters through the Lens of the Life Course Paradigm: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Guerrero-Puerta Laura , Torres Sánchez Mónica
Published: September 2023

Here, we present a systematic review of the literature on Early Leaving from Education and Training (ELET), which uses the life course paradigm as an explanatory model or approach. This review has returned little in the way of scientific literature, although interest in the topic has been growing in recent years, which addresses the ELET process from different points of view. First, we highlight the means that this review provides to contextualize ELET in relation to new age-specific norms, reflecting on the process that has led to it. In addition, this review suggests that it is increasingly important to change the focus of research on ELET, exploring the process within a framework of complex trajectories, including the possibility of returning once ELET has occurred.
“Realization–Feedback” Path of Ecological Product Value in Rural Areas from the Perspective of Capital Recycling Theory: A Case Study of Zhengjiabang Village in Changyang County, China
Authors: Wang Hafo , Luo Jing , Tian Lingling , Liu Jianwei , Gan Yilin , Han Tingting
Published: September 2023

Transforming ecological products into sources of economic value can help mitigate the tension between environmental conservation and economic growth. Using the capital cycle theory and the unique qualities of eco-friendly items, this study utilizes a case study approach, focusing on Zhengjiabang Village located in Changyang, Hubei Province. Meanwhile, we build a value realization chain of ecological products by combining the practical process of the village. On this basis, we reveal the roles of each subject and object in the evolutionary process, from ecological resources to ecological products. We also identify the key issues of eco-industrial expansion and spatial evolution. Taking the industrialization of ecological capital as the key, we add a step of value feedback to create a cycle of ecological product value realization and strengthen the sustainability of capital and industry. Ultimately, we aim to promote the transformation of ecological environmental advantages into economic advantages, and provide a new concept able to promote the construction of endogenous mechanisms for realizing the value of ecological products in rural areas.
Does Living near Public Transport Equate to Food (In)Security in the United States?—Evidence from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)
Authors: Chandra Shailesh , Naik Ramavattula Thirumaleswara , Torres-Aguilera Jose
Published: September 2023

Food security is intrinsically related to health and well-being. This paper investigates the status quo of food insecurity among the population residing close to transit in various parts of the United States of America (USA). The data from the 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) collected by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) of the USA are analyzed in this research. Logistic regression is carried out by treating food insecurity as the dependent variable and socioeconomic variables such as age, income, education, and dependency on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as independent variables. Food insecurity is assessed with aggregated information on four aspects of inputs from those respondents who live near a transit: (1) worry food would run out; (2) food did not last; (3) could not afford to eat balanced meals; and (4) cut the size of meals or skipped meals. Findings suggest that respondents who live close to public transit in the USA and are from large central metro counties of the Northeastern, Southern, and Western states showed an increase in food insecurity if they were under 65 years of age, had income below the country’s median income, or their educational attainment was below bachelor’s degree. There was a significant association found in food insecurity of respondents living close to transit and subscribed to using food stamps or SNAP. Policies that could alleviate food insecurity by reducing the cost of living near transit are recommended.
ESG, Taxes, and Profitability of Insurers
Authors: Bressan Silvia
Published: September 2023

The growing concerns about sustainability urge insurance companies to implement Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) policies in order to remain competitive. All the three dimensions of corporate sustainability involve taxation; therefore, it is important to establish if this association reflects on financial performance. Our analysis of worldwide property and casualty (P&C) insurers during 2013–2022 reveals that high ESG insurers pay more taxes, while they are less profitable compared to low ESG insurers. This pattern is confirmed using instrumental variable regressions and simultaneous equations systems. We argue that sustainable insurers are less tempted to avoid taxes and do not shift their tax burdens onto policyholders and investors. However, the interplay between taxes and sustainability seems to harm insurers’ profitability, potentially having negative effects on investment and economic growth. This is an important insight for tax authorities and insurance managers.
Trends in Green Chemistry Research between 2012 and 2022: Current Trends and Research Agenda
Authors: Medina Valderrama Carlos Javier , Morales Huamán Humberto Iván , Valencia-Arias Alejandro , Vasquez Coronado Manuel Humberto , Cardona-Acevedo Sebastián , Delgado-Caramutti Jorge
Published: September 2023

Traditional chemistry is undergoing a transition process towards a sustained paradigm shift under the principles of green chemistry. Green chemistry is emerging as a pillar of modern chemistry focused on sustainability. In this context, the aim of this study was to analyse green chemistry research and its contributions using quantity, quality, and structural indicators. For this purpose, data were retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science through a structured search equation for the study period, i.e., 2012 to 2022. These data were compiled and processed in Microsoft Excel version 2307, totalling 2450 records. VOSviewer software, version 1.6.18, was used to map the keyword network and for overlay and density visualisations. The results showed that green chemistry is constantly increasing in different fields of knowledge, with new studies in green solvents, eutectic solvents, and education for sustainable development. The number of publications peaked in 2019, slightly decreasing in subsequent years due to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. As visualised through VOSviewer, the keyword “sustainability” is connected to all clusters, and green synthesis, catalysis, sustainability, curriculum, and higher degrees are leading trends in green chemistry research. The study could benefit researchers and professionals interested in green chemistry and sustainability.
Enabling the Phronetically Enacted Self: A Path toward Spiritual Knowledge Management
Authors: Peschl Markus F. , Kaiser Alexander , Fordinal Birgit
Published: September 2023

The role of spirituality in organizations has received increasing attention over recent years. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to take up this shift and develop the foundations for an alternative approach to knowledge management: Spiritual Knowledge Management. A key question in spirituality concerns the unfolding of the identity (of an organization) or the self toward a “higher end” or purpose. We propose the concept of the phronetically enacted self (understood here both in an individual and an organizational sense) that helps us conceive of how this unfolding can be achieved in a thriving and sustainable manner. The self is conceptualized as a highly dynamic and emergent “entity” that is grounded in a continuous process of becoming and of transitions transforming a state of potentiality into a state of actuality and fulfillment. Insights from the theory of spirituality, enactive cognitive science, the theory of potentials/possibility studies, phronetic organizations, and resonance theory lead us to a novel understanding of knowledge-driven organizations embodying a spirituality-based and, as a consequence, (regenerative) sustainable approach. Finally, we will develop the basic characteristics and leverage points for transformative shifts toward sustainability in organizations.
Unraveling the Multifaceted Nexus of Artificial Intelligence Sports and User Willingness: A Focus on Technology Readiness, Perceived Usefulness, and Green Consciousness
Authors: Gao Liqian , Liu Ziyang
Published: September 2023

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sports domain, known as AI Sports, has gained considerable attention, while the increasing importance of environmental sustainability further necessitates exploring green-conscious behaviors. This study aims to investigate the impacts of technology readiness, perceived usefulness, and green consciousness on users’ willingness to adopt AI Sports. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey and structural equation modeling, data from 670 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The results revealed that technology readiness directly influences users’ perceived usefulness of AI Sports, while green awareness significantly affects perceived usefulness, highlighting the relative scarcity of research on green consciousness in this context. Moreover, perceived usefulness plays a crucial role in predicting users’ willingness to use AI Sports, contributing to its sustainable development and widespread adoption. This study fills a research gap by exploring the importance of green consciousness in the field of artificial intelligence sports, and provides important insights for the development and promotion of sustainable artificial intelligence sports.