bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pre-Service Teachers’ Coping and Anxiety within Mixed-Reality Simulations
Authors: Anton Steven , Piro Jody S. , Delcourt Marcia A. B. , Gundel Erik
Published: March 2023

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of time in Mixed-Reality Simulations (MRS) on anxiety levels and coping for pre-service teachers (PSTs). A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was utilized. For each pair of matched observations on both levels for both surveys, no statistically significant difference was found. Three finding statements emerged from the qualitative data: (a) participants experienced anxiety surrounding the mixed-reality simulations from many different sources, (b) participants’ anxiety surrounding the mixed-reality simulations manifested itself in a variety of ways, and (c) participants implemented different coping skills to attempt to manage the anxiety they were experiencing surrounding the mixed-reality simulations. A comparison of the quantitative and the qualitative findings revealed two mixed-method findings: (a) pre-service teachers can benefit from experiencing anxiety within a mixed-reality simulation setting and (b) mixed-reality simulations provide pre-service teachers with the opportunity to develop their coping skills. Implications for the potential benefits and impact of time spent within a mixed-reality simulator on pre-service teachers’ anxiety and adaptiveness in coping are addressed.
The Economic Sustainability of Variable Renewable Energy Considering the Negotiation of Different Support Schemes
Authors: Algarvio Hugo
Published: March 2023

The increase in the prices of fossil fuels and environmental issues are leading to a high investment in wind power and solar photovoltaic all over Europe, reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels. The European countries started incentive programs for investment in these renewable technologies, which consisted of fixed and market premium feed-in tariffs. These feed-in schemes involve long-term contracts with updated prices over inflation. These incentives highly increase the investment and installation of new renewable capacity in Europe. They lead to high renewable penetrations in power systems but originate a tariff deficit due to the difference between market prices and the tariffs paid to these technologies. End-use consumers pay the tariff deficit on retail tariffs. This work analyzes the market-based remuneration of variable renewable energy considering different support schemes and the role of risk-sharing contracts in mitigating the spot price volatility. It presents models able to negotiate bilateral contracts considering risk management, notably risk attitude and risk sharing, bid establishment, and clause (by-laws) negotiation. Furthermore, to evaluate the economic sustainability of renewable generation in Spain, it presents a study for different 12-year support schemes starting in 2010. The results confirmed that, in the case of using risk-sharing contracts during crisis periods, the incidence of low energy prices (price “cannibalization”) decreases, such as the tariff deficit. Furthermore, in the case of high-inflation periods, these contracts hedge against the increase in retail prices, resulting in an economic surplus for consumers.
Improving Seaport Wharf Maintenance and Safety with Structural Health Monitoring System in High Salt and Humidity Environments
Authors: Li Yuesong , Zhu Pengrui , Zhang Gan , Yu Yang
Published: March 2023

Due to the harsh working conditions, the durability of the seaport wharf structure is poor compared with similar hydraulic structures. According to the structural characteristics of coastal port wharf and the particularity of a high salt and high humidity environment, the stress features of the coastal wharf structure are analyzed, and the health inspection indicators of the wharf structure are proposed. A fiber grating sensor-based structural health monitoring system for coastal high-pile piers is established. A corresponding system for detecting structural health is designed according to the standard structural section of the wharf’s front platform. The corresponding monitoring implementation scheme, sensor selection, and performance parameters are proposed. Finally, the realization technology and related indicators of data acquisition and transmission subsystem are given. The experimental results indicate that the waveform of the structural response to the wave load has a consistent sine wave pattern with the actual wave load. The maximum strain of the berthing pier appears at 4.35 m and 6.14 m, and the elevations reach 4.66 με and 5.31 με, respectively. The strain at other positions also has an obvious change trend. The experimental results provide some help for the research of the wharf health monitoring system.
Dispersal Mechanisms of Trace Metal Elements in the Environment: The Case of Mineral Wastes Stored in Tshamilemba District of the City of Lubumbashi, DR Congo
Authors: Sadiki Ben , Ilunga Fabien , Shengo Michel
Published: March 2023

Since 2001, the Tshamilemba quarter, located in the City of Lubumbashi (DRC), has been home to copper- and cobalt-producing plants, which generate great amounts of mineral waste, the storage of which has resulted in environmental pollution. Previous studies conducted in the Tshamilemba district have identified the weathering process of stored mineral wastes as the main source of trace metal elements (TMEs) involved in the contamination of soil and well water, and have highlighted the population exposure to cobalt. This study strives to identify or establish the dispersal mechanisms of pollutants in the environment that contaminate soil, surface water and edible plants. This study measured major physicochemical parameters, determined TME concentrations in samples (soil, water and edible plants) and established, based on data from soil sample analysis mathematically processed using Matlab 7.1 software, the spatial distributions of TMEs, in both the upper and deep soil (20 cm). The soil sample analysis revealed an average pH of 7.69 and a value of 9.1 for the near-white crusts collected at some spots. In the soil, TMEs were present in upper layers (Co, Cu, Zn and Fe) and the deep layers (Co, Cu, Pb, Zn and Fe) at phytotoxic concentrations. TMEs were observed in water samples at concentrations (Cu, Co, Mn, Zn and Pb) surpassing the quality standards for drinking water. This also applies to edible plant samples of Saccharum officinarum (Co, Cd, Ni, Mg and Pb) and Musa acuminate (Cd, Co, Pb, Zn, Mn and Ni). TMEs disperse in the environment as airborne particles from aerial erosion and as dissolved species in run-off water, mixed with acidic, metal-rich waters spreading from the weathering of stored mineral waste. TMEs contaminate the surrounding soil near to the surface water and build up in edible plants. Therefore, fear among the population about the environment pollution in Tshamilemba is well justified. Understanding the dispersal mechanisms of TMEs is of paramount importance to better control and to contain mineral pollution and design strategies for minimizing the effects on human health.
Factors Affecting Filipino Consumer Behavior with Korean Products and Services: An Extended Theory of Planned Behavior Approach
Authors: Cayaban Cristel Joy G. , Prasetyo Yogi Tri , Persada Satria Fadil , Mariñas Klint Allen , Nadlifatin Reny , Borres Rianina D. , Gumasing Ma. Janice J.
Published: March 2023

Korean entertainment industries are dominating all over the world, including in the Philippines. These celebrated mediums included Korean movies, songs, and products, many of which are beloved by Filipinos. As such, this study aims to determine factors that affect the buying decisions of Filipinos with Korean products and services by an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) approach. A total of 306 Filipino survey participants were collected and analyzed in this study through a convenience sampling approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to analyze the data using SmartPLS, which determined the correlation of the latent constructs of the factors. Based on the results, attitude had the highest effect on behavioral intention, followed by K-drama influence, K-pop influence, and product quality. Interestingly, product price was found to have a low effect on behavioral intention. This study can serve as a basis for investors and business owners to align business strategies concerning consumer behavior in buying Korean products and services.
Towards a Holistic Life Cycle Costing and Assessment of Factories: Qualitative Modeling of Interdependencies in Factory Systems
Authors: Hingst Lennart , Dér Antal , Herrmann Christoph , Nyhuis Peter
Published: March 2023

Modern factory planning requires a holistic perspective taking economic as well as environmental sustainability over the entire factory life cycle into account. As a complex socio-technical system, the factory life cycle consists of multiple life cycles of the inherent factory elements. A holistic understanding of the individual life cycles and their interdependencies is missing for both planning and operation of a factory. Therefore, the goal is to develop a system understanding about life cycle-oriented factory planning and to analyze the contribution of relevant factory elements to the sustainability of a factory. As a result, a knowledge base for life cycle costing and assessment of the entire factory is established using an impact path model. The qualitative model supports factory planners in deriving planning measures for the sustainable design of a factory and in determining data requirements for the quantitative evaluation of the economic and environmental sustainability of a factory. It shows that the production and logistics concepts essentially define the sustainability potential during planning, while the resulting life cycle behavior of the process facilities and workers is responsible for the majority of costs and environmental impacts of a factory. Factory planners must therefore become aware of the implications of planning decisions on factory operation when developing concepts in the future.
Identification of Appropriate Light Intensity and Daytime Temperature for Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Seedlings in a Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting for Use as Grafting Material
Authors: Yang Hwi-Chan , Kim Young-Ho , Byun Hyo-Jeung , Choi In-Lee , Vu Ngoc-Thang , Kim Dea-Hoon , Yoon Hyuk-Sung , Jang Dong-Cheol
Published: March 2023

In this study, an experiment was conducted to suggest optimal daytime temperature and light intensity for cucumber scion and rootstock production in a plant factory with artificial light. Plant growth of cucumber scions and rootstocks at a day/night temperature of 26/18 °C and photosynthetic photon fluxes of 50, 120, 190, 260, 330, and 400 μmol·m−2·s−1 was investigated. Plant growth under daytime temperatures of 25/18, 26/18, 27/18, and 28/18 °C at a photosynthetic photon flux of 260 μmol·m−2·s−1 was investigated. As the photosynthetic photon flux increased, hypocotyl length was shortened in cucumber scions and rootstocks, but Dickson quality index, compactness, and Seedling Health Index were improved. As the daytime temperature increased, the hypocotyl length of cucumber scions increased, but the quality of seedlings decreased. The root growth of scions decreased as the daytime temperature increased. As for the correlation between the major growth indicators, Dickson quality index, compactness, and Seedling Health Index showed a high correlation of more than 0.8 in stem diameter, leaf, and root weight. Therefore, it is judged that it is most efficient to maintain the photosynthetic photon flux at 260 μmol·m−2·s−1 throughout the year and adjust the daytime temperature to 25 to 28 °C according to the season for farms and commercial nurseries that produce cucumber seedlings by installing plant factories with artificial light.
State of the Art of Business Models: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Carmo Rodrigo do , Jerónimo Carlos , Pereira Leandro , Dias Álvaro , Patricio Vânia
Published: March 2023

Various studies have investigated the business model (BM) in different dimensions. However, bibliometric analyses in this discipline are still limited. This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of business model research, identifying the state of the art, trends, and other indicators by analyzing articles published on the Web of Science (WoS) platform from 2017 to 2022. The present study examines the simultaneous occurrence of publications by year, keyword trends, bibliographic coupling, analysis of co-authorship, cities, and institutions, and finds that the literature on business models rapidly expanded between 2017 and 2020. A total of 14,881 articles were obtained as samples. The present study employs VOSviewer software to analyze the data. A considerable amount of literature has been produced on BMs, but researchers have stopped developing further literature which is thought-provoking. Based on the findings of this study, it is concluded that there is a need to research BMs in different domains such as sustainability and digitalization.
Integrated Insect Pest Management Techniques for Rice
Authors: Hajjar M. Jamal , Ahmed Nazeer , Alhudaib Khalid A. , Ullah Hidayat
Published: March 2023

In modern agriculture, climate change, environmental degradation, and natural resource depletion constitute one of the major potential issues for sustainable crop production and environmental management. Integrated pest management (IPM) is a promising technology for the environment. Insect pests and weeds have long posed a danger to rice production systems, resulting in severe output losses. Although insect, pest, and weed control has remained the most efficient plant protection tool, environmental risks have prompted scientists to propose alternate pest management options. The understanding of sustainable conventional agriculture prompted the broad deployment of integrated pesticide management (IPM). IPM is a multimodal pesticide management method that aims to avoid negative environmental impacts. This method is critical for delivering healthy, sustainable food to the world’s rising population. Rice is a staple crop that many developing countries rely upon for national stability and economic progress. On the other hand, rice pests represent a major biotic barrier to world rice production. This review aims to provide information on major rice pests, their identification, biology, and various IPM treatments, particularly biological management strategies. To create a sustainable rice agroecosystem, continual research and training on IPM technologies will be required.
The Influence of Distance Education and Peer Self-Regulated Learning Mechanism on Learning Effectiveness, Motivation, Self-Efficacy, Reflective Ability, and Cognitive Load
Authors: Kuo Yu-Chen , Lin Hao-Chiang Koong , Lin Yu-Hsuan , Wang Tao-Hua , Chuang Bo-Yue
Published: March 2023

COVID-19 has resulted in the increased use of distance learning around the world. With the advancement of information technology, traditional classroom teaching has gradually integrated the Internet and distance learning methods. Students need to be able to learn on their own in a distance learning environment, so their ability to self-regulate their learning in a distance learning environment cannot be ignored. However, in previous studies on self-regulated learning, most learners learn alone. When they have academic doubts, they cannot obtain help and support from their studies, resulting in reduced learning outcomes. This study uses the peer self-disciplined learning mechanism to establish a distance teaching system that assists students and to improve their own learning status by meeting with peers at a distance. It can also help learners orient themselves by observing their peers’ learning status and goal considerations. The participants in this study were 112 college students in the department of information management. The control group used a general self-regulated teaching system for learning, and the experimental group used a distance learning system, incorporating peer self-regulated learning. The results of the study found that learners who used the distance peer learning mechanism were more effective than those who used the general distance self-regulated learning system; learners who used the distance peer-regulated learning mechanism had better motivation, self-efficacy, and reflection after the learning activity than those who used the general distance self-regulated learning system. In addition, with the aid of such mechanisms, learners’ cognitive load can be reduced, and learning effectiveness can be improved.
Effects of Phosphate and Silicate Combined Application on Cadmium Form Changes in Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil
Authors: Wang Xiuli , Zou Hongtao , Liu Qi
Published: March 2023

Pollution by heavy metal cadmium (Cd) in soil is still serious and control measures are constantly updated. In this paper, one indoor culture method was applied to investigate the effect of phosphate and thermo-activated nano silicate combined application on soil cadmium (Cd) speciation transformation. A total of 7 treatments were designed, which were: simulated cadmium-contaminated soil without phosphate and silicate recorded as the reference (CK) treatment; mixtures of 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% soil heavy dose of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 700 °C thermo-activated nano serpentine (potassium dihydrogen phosphate: thermo-activated nano serpentine ratio = 1:2) added to simulated cadmium-contaminated soil, denoted as nPS700-0.5, nPS700-1.0, and nPS700-2.0, respectively; and 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% soil heavy dose of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and 700 °C thermo-activated nano zeolite mixture (potassium dihydrogen phosphate: thermo-activated nano zeolite ratio = 1:2) added to simulated cadmium-contaminated soil, denoted as nPF700-0.5, nPF700-1.0, and nPF700-2.0, respectively. The results showed that the combined application of potassium dihydrogen phosphate with thermo-activated nano serpentine or potassium dihydrogen phosphate with thermo-activated nano zeolite reduced the soil exchangeable Cd content to varying degrees and increased levels of carbonate-bound, Fe-Mn oxide-bound, organic-bound, and residual Cd forms to different degrees. In combined application of phosphate and thermo-activated nano silicate, the higher the dosage level, the greater the reduction of exchangeable Cd content and the better the effect on Cd-contaminated soil remediation: nPS700-2.0 > nPS700-1.0 > nPS700-0.5, nPF700-2.0 > nPF700-1.0 > nPF700-0.5 (N, P, S, and F represent nano, KH2PO4, serpentine, and zeolite, respectively, and 700 represents the activation temperature). At the same dosage level, the combined application of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and thermo-activated nano serpentine was more effective than that of potassium dihydrogen phosphate and thermo-activated nano zeolite in repairing Cd-contaminated soil (nPS700-2.0 > nPF700-2.0, nPS700-1.0 > nPF700-1.0, nPS700-0.5 > nPF700-0.5), which indicated that the combination of phosphate and thermo-activated nano silicate can passivate heavy metal cadmium (Cd) to a certain extent and promote the transformation of bioavailable Cd into an unusable state. The reason why potassium dihydrogen phosphate, zeolite, and serpentine can absorb heavy metal cadmium after entering the soil is because the silicate mineral itself can directly absorb cadmium. Second, after nano treatment and thermal activation, the specific surface areas and pores of the minerals increase, which enhances the adsorption performance. Third, because the pH value of the mineral itself is high, the pH value of the soil environment will rise, thereby transforming H2PO4− into PO43−, which is conducive to the adsorption of Cd2+.
Recent Advances on Multilevel Effects of Micro(Nano)Plastics and Coexisting Pollutants on Terrestrial Soil-Plants System
Authors: Yue Yuanhao , Li Xiaohui , Wei Zhenggui , Zhang Tongyu , Wang Huanli , Huang Xi , Tang Shijie
Published: March 2023

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MPs/NPs) are posing emerging potential threats to global ecosystems and human health. Recently, the individual effects of MPs/NPs and combined effects of MPs/NPs-coexisting pollutants on soil–terrestrial plant systems have attracted increasing attention. Based on the latest research progress, this review firstly summarized the sources of MPs/NPs and the interaction between MPs/NPs and coexisting pollutants in soil environment, and then systematically induced their multilevel impacts on soil properties and terrestrial plants. Soil and agroecosystem are major long-term sinks of primary and secondary MPs/NPs, with extensive sources. MPs/NPs exhibit universal adsorption capacities and can further serve as the vectors for varied heavy metal, organic and biological contaminants. Generally, MPs/NPs and the combination with coexisting contaminants may affect soil physical, chemical and microbiological properties, soil structure and functions, while the specific impacts and degree depend on MP/NP characteristics including polymer type, size, shape, concentration and degradability. Increasing evidence confirmed the uptake and translocation of MPs/NPs in terrestrial plants and proved their influence on growth performance, metabolism and physiological toxicity, as well as cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The specific effects vary as a function of MP/NPs properties, plant species and environmental conditions. The joint effects of MPs/NPs and coexisting pollutants are complex, and synergistic, antagonism and neutralization effects have been reported at different circumstances. Further comprehensive and in-depth studies are urgently needed to fulfill the current knowledge gaps, especially the deficiency in the inherent mechanisms.
Financial Well-Being in the United States: The Roles of Financial Literacy and Financial Stress
Authors: Zhang Yu , Chatterjee Swarn
Published: March 2023

This paper examines the role of financial stress in explaining the relationship between financial literacy and financial well-being among individuals in the United States. The 2018 FINRA National Financial Capability Study dataset is used for the empirical analyses of this study. The results found that financial literacy was positively associated with financial well-being. The study also found that the association between financial literacy and financial well-being was mediated by perceived financial stress experienced by individuals. Additionally, the results from the moderated mediation model showed that while financial stress mediated the association between financial literacy and financial well-being, the association between financial stress and financial well-being was moderated by financial literacy. Financial education was positively associated with financial literacy in this study. The broader implications of the main findings of this study for individuals’ sustainable financial well-being are presented for policymakers, financial educators, and financial counselors and planners.
Taxonomy and Ex Ante Metric of Climate Change Adaptation Projects Recorded in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as Updated for Conference of the Parties-26 (COP-26)
Authors: Boutang Jérôme , Moussa Badamassi Yacouba
Published: March 2023

The authors have proposed a method of reiterating the statistical analysis of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of the UNFCCC Parties, which were updated at Conference of the Parties-26. The present analysis confirms the taxonomy developed in 2020, based on 2475 adaptive solutions recorded in 2022 NDCs, and discusses the differences observed. An ex ante adaptation metric is proposed, which allows monitoring of adaptive solutions over time and comparisons between projects in time and space. The fitness coefficient evaluates the ex ante relevance of these adaptive projects in relation to the climate challenges of each country. The authors have proposed a program of continuous improvement instead of a definitive calculation. The authors have developed an algorithm to automate the text analysis and minimize the subjectivity of the analysis. The objective is to assign a level of vulnerability to each project for each hazard in the country. The correspondence analysis was used to derive the most representative dimensions of project category dispersion and vulnerability intensities from a contingency table for each hazard. This coefficient can be made available to experts, project developers, and funders for ex ante evaluation and selection of candidate projects for funding before more in-depth analyses are carried out.
Green Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): A Qualitative Approach
Authors: Rodrigues Margarida , Franco Mário
Published: March 2023

In the face of drastic global climate change, the transition to a green economy is becoming increasingly important and it is understood as an opportunity to redesign and redefine business models, products and services, market approaches, forms of consumption, and production. Thus, this study aims to understand how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adhere to green innovation activities in the management of their business. To answer this objective, the qualitative approach (case study) was used with recourse to interview three SME owner-managers as data collection. From a content analysis, the results obtained show that green innovation is a focus of concern for managers but its operationalization has not proved easy. So two of the SMEs studied here have only implemented measures to recycle the waste produced by their daily activity, although they consider their transition to a green and sustainable business model to be important. The current macroeconomic scenarios reveal the urgent need for SMEs to change their traditional business models to a more sustainable model that involves their managers’ commitment to sustainable development objectives, supported by the green and circular economy, which requires reduction, reuse, and recycling that, as has been shown, still falls far short of expectations. This means that all business stakeholders must understand the reason for adopting green innovation.
Design and Test of a Sliding Cutting Device for the Plastic Mulch Waste
Authors: Guo Mengyu , Hu Bin , Luo Xin , Yuan Chenglin , Cai Yiquan , Xu Luochuan
Published: March 2023

Agricultural mulch waste that is mechanically recycled has a high resource value. It has been found that the mulch is tightly entangled in the crop straw, forming a knotted feature that prevents further resource utilization. Traditional cutting tools were found to be ineffective in breaking up the knotted feature. In response to the above problems, a sliding cutting device for mechanically recovered mulch waste was proposed and built. The structure of the device and key components were designed and analyzed. A three-factor five-level orthogonal test was conducted and regression variance analysis was performed with the Central Composite Design (CCD) module in Design expert 8. The relationship model was constructed between the test factors such as supporting motor speed a, cutting-support rotation speed ratio b, and cutting edge angle c and the response indicators such as film breakage rate y1 and knotted feature removal rate y2. The influence law between each key parameter with its significant interaction and the waste crushing effect was analyzed, and the optimum combination of parameters of the crushing device were obtained. Under the same conditions, the errors between the physical test values and the model prediction values of the two response indicators were 2.17% and 3.52%, respectively, indicating that the verification test results were basically consistent with the model prediction results.
The Role of Entrepreneurial Thinking Mediated by Social Media on the Sustainability of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Iran
Authors: Tajpour Mehdi , Hosseini Elahe , Ratten Vanessa , Bahman-Zangi Behrooz , Soleymanian Seydeh Mersedeh
Published: March 2023

This study lends new insights into the hitherto-unexplored relationship between entrepreneurial thinking and the sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Iran, mediated by social media. The goal was to investigate the effect of entrepreneurial thinking, mediated by social media, on the sustainability of SMEs in Iran from January to February 2022. The statistical population comprised 407 SME managers based in the Pardis Technology Park and the Science and Technology Town (Iran). Using Cochran’s formula, a sample of 197 SME managers was selected via the simple random method. The data were collected using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire with 25 questions, the reliability and validity of which had been examined and confirmed. The data were analyzed in SmartPLS 3. The results revealed that entrepreneurial thinking plays a pivotal role in managerial decisions and is a crucial factor in the sustainability of SMEs in Iran. Managers, as creators and reformers of the internal business environment, can establish and enhance a strong link between business sustainability and employees’ ability to acquire entrepreneurial thinking.
The Effect of Goal Setting Based on China’s Standard of English Proficiency Scales on Reading Achievement
Authors: Zhu Aihua , Mofreh Samah , Salem Sultan
Published: March 2023

Language proficiency scales (LPS) are widely used in testing and assessment. Research on how to apply LPS in guiding learning, especially in terms of goal setting, is limited. Goals based on LPS can guide students’ learning, diagnose their problems, and provide a benchmark for achievement assessment. Mixed methods were used to investigate the effect of goal setting on reading achievement and students’ experience of the new approach. China’s Standard of English Proficiency Scales (CSE)-based goals were used to guide students’ reading. The quasi-experiment revealed that students’ test scores were significantly improved; the interview proved that students were generally positive about this way of learning. This study is significant in tapping the more profound value of LPS and has some enlightenment in language learning. The small sample size is one limitation of this study. Students’ achievements and engagement should be examined in future research.
The Behavioral Intention of Hospitals to Promote Sustainable Development of Green Healthcare from the Perspective of Organizational Stakeholders during the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Case Study of Hospitals in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Po-Chun , Huang Ching-Yuan , Huang Min-Hsin , Hsu Meng-Jun
Published: March 2023

When the World Health Organization (WHO) analyzed the culprits of global warming, it was found that in developed countries with relatively few high-polluting heavy industries, the medical sector is one of the sources of high-density carbon emissions. Therefore, the medical industry has a noticeable impact on the environment. Amid the current COVID-19 epidemic, this study adopts the theory of planned behavior (TPB), widely used in decision-making science. We selected a regional teaching hospital with 339 employees in Taiwan to obtain valid questionnaire data. We explore the comparative analysis of different intra-organizational stakeholders’ “attitudes,” “subjective norms,” and “perceived behavioral control” on the hospital’s behavioral intention to promote green healthcare. The results show that the TPB model has reliable explanatory power. All three factors have a positive and significant effect on promoting green hospital behavior. Among them, perceived behavioral control was the most notable. A comparative analysis of the differences among stakeholders in the research model shows that “medical administrators” and “nursing staff” have a higher proportion of significant influence effects in various hypotheses, highlighting the critical roles of these two groups in promoting green hospitals. This research policy suggests that the cross-departmental staff in the hospital put forward green innovation ideas, strengthen internal environmental education and management, establish a good incentive system for front-line nursing staff, and implement the sustainable development strategy of the hospital.
Moderating Role of Governance Regulatory Compliance on Board Diversity and Voluntary Disclosure of Non-Financial Firms in a Developing Country
Authors: Kabara Ali Shariff , Abdullah Dewi Fariha , Khatib Saleh F. A. , Bazhair Ayman Hassan , Al Amosh Hamzeh
Published: March 2023

The main aim of this paper is to investigate the moderation influence of CG regulatory compliance on the relationship between board diversity and voluntary disclosure (VD) of Nigerian listed firms since the literature on disclosure studies has concentrated principally on examining a direct relationship between internal governance mechanisms, neglecting the external regulations. Being an ex post facto design, a sample of 67 firms listed in the Nigerian stock exchange for the period 2012–2017 is used. A system GMM approach (being the best and most contemporary panel approach) is employed. The study revealed that the interaction of regulatory code compliance with board gender and ethnic diversity has a significant positive impact on the firms’ voluntary disclosure. The result also indicates that ethnic diversity shows a positive and significant association with voluntary disclosure. To the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this study is among the few attempts at explicitly examining the effect of CG regulatory compliance on board diversity and VD in CG studies, especially in a developing economy such as that of Nigeria. Additionally, it is among the few attempts that provide empirical results using superior dynamic panel models. This study provides a strong practical implication for business firms, policymakers, future research, and society. For instance, the findings have direct implications for Nigerian firms in the selection of directors in order to comprise well-educated people of different ethnic backgrounds and be inclusive of females.
The Impact of Work-from-Home on Employee Performance and Productivity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Anakpo Godfred , Nqwayibana Zanele , Mishi Syden
Published: March 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has unquestionably become one of the most extensively employed techniques to minimize unemployment, keep society operating, and shield the public from the virus. However, the impacts of work-from-home (WFH) on employee productivity and performance is not fully known; studies on the subject are fragmented and in different contexts. The purpose of this study is therefore to provide systematic review on the impact of WFH on employee productivity and performance. A sample of 26 studies out of 112 potential studies (from various databases, including Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science database from 2020 to 2022) were used after a comprehensive literature search and thorough assessment based on PRISMA-P guidelines. Findings reveal that the impact of the WFH model on employee productivity and performance depend on a host of factors, such as the nature of the work, employer and industry characteristics, and home settings, with a majority reporting a positive impact and few documenting no difference or a negative impact. This study recommends that an improvement in technology and information technology (IT) training and capacity-building would yield more significant results to those who are willing to adopt the WFH model even after the pandemic.
Internal Branding in Hotels: Interaction Effects of Employee Engagement, Workplace Friendship, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior
Authors: Khairy Hazem Ahmed , Agina Mohamed Fathy , Aliane Nadir , Hashad Mohammed Ezzat
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to investigate three variables that may interact with internal branding (IB) in the hotel context: employee engagement (EE), workplace friendship (WF), and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). This study adopted a survey methodology. 385 valid responses were collected from employees of 20 five-star chain hotels located in the Greater Cairo region of Egypt. The data were analyzed using PLS-SEM. The results demonstrated that there is a significant relationship between OCB and WF with EE, in addition to OCB, EE, and WF with IB. The mediating role of EE between OCB and IB, besides the moderating role of WF on the relationship between OCB and EE, was also determined. Contrary to the hypothesized model, results showed an insignificant relationship between WF and IB. This study provides a theoretical contribution to deepen the understanding of the internal branding concept in the context of the hotel industry. Practically, this research may be helpful for hotel enterprises in engendering and sustaining effective internal branding practices, which, in turn, could establish new links between internal and external hotel customers. Study limitations and potential directions for further research were also presented.
Mesocosm Evaluation of the Safety of the Use of Reclaimed Water Regarding Emerging Pollutants in Murcia, Spain
Authors: Martínez-Alcalá Isabel , Bernal María Pilar , Clemente Rafael , Pellicer-Martínez Francisco , Lahora Agustín
Published: March 2023

The increasing shortage of conventional water for crop irrigation in arid and semiarid regions is encouraging the use of nonconventional water resources. Nevertheless, concern about the presence and possible negative effects of emerging contaminants in reclaimed water can cause individuals to avoid using these water sources. To clarify the guarantees that reclaimed water offers, a mesocosm study was carried out. Lettuce plants were cultivated in pots watered with three different types of water (distilled, reclaimed, and spiked with contaminants of emerging concern). The results showed low concentrations of contaminants in the leachates and plant tissues when the reclaimed water was used. However, their concentrations were high when the pots were watered with the spiked water; this was mainly true for carbamazepine, which reached a maximum of 2982 ng L−1 in the leachates and 45.2 ng g−1 in the plant roots. In the lettuce watered with the spiked water, carbamazepine was found in the edible part at very low concentrations that did not imply any human risk. Finally, an acute toxicity test was performed on the leachates, which were found to be only slightly toxic in the spiked water. This work indicates that with the current technical improvements in active sludge water treatment, reclaimed water can be used for irrigation without the risk of contamination by contaminants of emerging concern.
Non-Local Kinetics: Revisiting and Updates Emphasizing Fractional Calculus Applications
Authors: Hristov Jordan
Published: March 2023

Non-local kinetic problems spanning a wide area of problems where fractional calculus is applicable have been analyzed. Classical fractional kinetics based on the Continuum Time Random Walk diffusion model with the absence of stationary states, real-world problems from pharmacokinetics, and modern material processing have been reviewed. Fractional allometry has been considered a potential area of application. The main focus in the analysis has been paid to the memory functions in the convolution formulation, crossing from the classical power law to versions of the Mittag-Leffler function. The main idea is to revisit the non-local kinetic problems with an update updating on new issues relevant to new trends in fractional calculus.
On Neighborhood Degree-Based Topological Analysis over Melamine-Based TriCF Structure
Authors: Augustine Tony , Santiago Roy
Published: March 2023

Triazine-based covalent organic frameworks (TriCFs) were synthesized using melamine, and cyanuric acid is a brand-new synthetic lubricant, which is thermo-stable and possesses a lamellar structure. This article demonstrates how topological descriptors for the TriCF structure are precisely evaluated using the degree sum of the end vertex neighbors and also some molecular descriptors with multiplicative neighborhood degree sums are evaluated. Furthermore, the neighborhood entropy measures for the outcomes are provided. The results are compared using the graph theoretical method.
Gravitational Waves from the Merger of Two Primordial Black Hole Clusters
Authors: Eroshenko Yury , Stasenko Viktor
Published: March 2023

The orbital evolution of a binary system consisting of two primordial black hole clusters is investigated. Such clusters are predicted in some theoretical models with broken symmetry in the inflation Lagrangian. A cluster consists of the most massive central black hole surrounded by many smaller black holes. Similar to single primordial black holes, clusters can form gravitationally bounded pairs and merge during their orbital evolution. The replacement of single black holes by such clusters significantly changes the entire merger process and the final rate of gravitational wave bursts in some parameter ranges (with sufficiently large cluster radii). A new important factor is the tidal gravitational interaction of the clusters. It leads to an additional dissipation of the orbital energy, which is transferred into the internal energy of the clusters or carried away by black holes flying out of the clusters. Comparison with the data of gravitational-wave telescopes allows one to constrain the fractions of primordial black holes in clusters, depending on their mass and compactness. Even the primordial black hole fraction in the composition of dark matter ≃1 turns out to be compatible with LIGO/Virgo observational data, if the black holes are in clusters.
Bi-Starlike Function of Complex Order Involving Mathieu-Type Series Associated with Telephone Numbers
Authors: Vijaya Kaliappan , Murugusundaramoorthy Gangadharan
Published: March 2023

For the first time, we attempted to define two new sub-classes of bi-univalent functions in the open unit disc of the complex order involving Mathieu-type series, associated with generalized telephone numbers. The initial coefficients of functions in these classes were obtained. Moreover, we also determined the Fekete–Szegö inequalities for function in these and several related corollaries.
Efficient Cooling System for Lithium-Ion Battery Cells by Using Different Concentrations of Nanoparticles of SiO2-Water: A Numerical Investigation
Authors: Hasan Husam Abdulrasool , Togun Hussein , Abed Azher M. , Qasem Naef A. A. , Mohammed Hayder I. , Abderrahmane Aissa , Guedri Kamel , Tag-ElDin El Sayed M.
Published: March 2023

The performance, safety, and cycle life of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) are all known to be greatly influenced by temperature. In this work, an innovative cooling system is employed with a Reynolds number range of 15,000 to 30,000 to minimize the temperature of LiB cells. The continuity, momentum, and energy equations are solved using the Finite Volume Method (FVM). The computational fluid dynamics software ANSYS Fluent is applied to calculate the flow and temperature fields and to analyze the thermal management system for 52 LiB cells. The arrangement of batteries leads to symmetrical flow and temperature distribution occurring in the upper and lower halves of the battery pack. The impacts of SiO2 distributed in a base fluid (water) are investigated. The results show that SiO2 nanofluid with the highest volume fractions of 5% has the lowest average temperature values at all investigated Reynolds numbers. The innovative cooling system highlights the enhancement of the cooling process by increasing the SiO2 concentrations, leading to the recommendation of the concentration of 5 vol% due to better thermal diffusion resulting from the enhanced effective thermal conductivity. The flow turbulence is increased by increasing the Reynolds number, which significantly enhances the heat transfer process. It is shown that increasing the Re from 15,000 to 22,500 and 30,000 causes increases in the Nu value of roughly 32% and 65%, respectively.
The Effectiveness of Antibiotics in Managing Bacterial Infections on Bite Sites following Snakebite Envenomation
Authors: Senthilkumaran Subramanian , Salim Anika , Almeida José , Williams Jarred , Vijayakumar Pradeep , Thirunavukarasu Angayarkanni , Christopoulos Markellos , Williams Harry , Thirumalaikolundusubramanian Ponniah , Patel Ketan , Vaiyapuri Sakthivel
Published: March 2023

Snakebite envenomation (SBE) is a life-threatening medical emergency with a high mortality rate. Common secondary complications following SBE, such as wound infections, are significant due to their impact on worsening local tissue damage and causing systemic infection. Antivenoms are not effective to treat wound infections following SBE. Moreover, in several rural clinical settings, broad-spectrum antibiotics are often used without clear guidelines or based on limited laboratory data, resulting in undesirable side effects and exacerbated treatment costs. Therefore, robust antibiotic strategies should be developed to tackle this critical issue. Currently, there is limited information available on the bacterial profiles of SBE-induced infections and antibiotic susceptibility. Hence, it is essential to improve the knowledge of bacterial profiles and their antibiotic sensitivity in SBE victims to develop better treatment strategies. This study aimed to address this issue by examining the bacterial profiles of SBE victims with a specific focus on Russell’s viper envenomation. The most frequently found bacteria in the bites of SBE victims were Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella sp., Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Linezolid, clindamycin, colistin, meropenem, and amikacin were some of the most effective antibiotics for commonly grown bacteria in SBE victims. Similarly, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, amoxiclave, cefixime, and tetracyclin were the least effective antibiotics for common bacteria found in the wound swabs of SBE victims. These data provide robust guidance for infection management following SBE and offer useful insights to aid in designing effective treatment protocols for SBE with serious wound infections in rural areas where laboratory facilities may not be readily available.
Co-Delivery of the Human NY-ESO-1 Tumor-Associated Antigen and Alpha-GalactosylCeramide by Filamentous Bacteriophages Strongly Enhances the Expansion of Tumor-Specific CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Manco Roberta , D’Apice Luciana , Trovato Maria , Lione Lucia , Salvatori Erika , Pinto Eleonora , Compagnone Mirco , Aurisicchio Luigi , De Berardinis Piergiuseppe , Sartorius Rossella
Published: March 2023

Tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) represent attractive targets in the development of anti-cancer vaccines. The filamentous bacteriophage is a safe and versatile delivery nanosystem, and recombinant bacteriophages expressing TAA-derived peptides at a high density on the viral coat proteins improve TAA immunogenicity, triggering effective in vivo anti-tumor responses. To enhance the efficacy of the bacteriophage as an anti-tumor vaccine, we designed and generated phage particles expressing a CD8+ peptide derived from the human cancer germline antigen NY-ESO-1 decorated with the immunologically active lipid alpha-GalactosylCeramide (α-GalCer), a potent activator of invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. The immune response to phage expressing the human TAA NY-ESO-1 and delivering α-GalCer, namely fdNY-ESO-1/α-GalCer, was analyzed either in vitro or in vivo, using an HLA-A2 transgenic mouse model (HHK). By using NY-ESO-1-specific TCR-engineered T cells and iNKT hybridoma cells, we observed the efficacy of the fdNY-ESO-1/α-GalCer co-delivery strategy at inducing activation of both the cell subsets. Moreover, in vivo administration of fdNY-ESO-1 decorated with α-GalCer lipid in the absence of adjuvants strongly enhances the expansion of NY-ESO-1-specific CD8+ T cells in HHK mice. In conclusion, the filamentous bacteriophage delivering TAA-derived peptides and the α-GalCer lipid may represent a novel and promising anti-tumor vaccination strategy.