Driving Force Research Articles

Green Finance: An Emerging Driving Force for Low-Carbon Transformation of China’s Energy Structure

Green Finance: An Emerging Driving Force for Low-Carbon Transformation of China’s Energy Structure

Exploring the potential of Desert Rose fibers (Adenium obesum) for the remediation of oil-contaminated sites

This work proposes the use of Fibers from the pod of Desert Rose, Adenium obesum (DRF), as an alternative for oil removal in spill scenarios and cleaning of contaminated bird feathers. The sorption capacity of biomass was evaluated through kinetics tests, which were adjusted using the Fractal Linear Driving Force (FL-LDF) model. Additionally, capture stability tests were performed to determine the oil retention capacity of the material. Furthermore, the DRF were tested in the cleaning of bird feathers, and the fibers were characterized using Optical Microscopy (OM), SEM, FTIR and TGA. The DRF demonstrated sorption efficiency, with approximately 13.01 ± 1.87 g/g, 14.59 ± 0.58 g/g and 49.12 ± 2.43 g/g, for diesel oils, 20 W50 mineral oil and petroleum, respectively. It was found that these results were achieved by combining the viscosity with the functional groups identified on the material surface, which strongly contributed to the sorption capacity. The sorption kinetics indicated a fast rate in the first minute of testing for diesel oils and 20 W50. The material was still stable, managing to retain 65 %, 83 % and 78 % and removing from the feathers a total of 82 %, 71 % and 81 % of diesel oils, 20 W50 and petroleum. The biomass presented a hollow cylindrical structure, with the presence of grooves and roughness in some regions of its surface with a thin wall, demonstrating to be an efficient and competitive oil sorbent.

The Belt and Road Initiative and Sustainability: a Driving Force for Change or a Missed Opportunity?

The Belt and Road Initiative and Sustainability: a Driving Force for Change or a Missed Opportunity?

Spatial-temporal Change and Driving Force of Carbon Storage in Three-River-Source National Park Based on PLUS-InVEST-Geodector Model

Exploring the spatial-temporal changes, driving forces, and future development tendency of the carbon sequestration service function of the Three-River-Source National Park ecosystem has great significance for regional ecological protection and sustainable development. Historical land-use data of Three-River-Source National Park from 1990 to 2020 were selected at five-year intervals, and based on the PLUS-InVEST-Geodector model, the spatial-temporal changes of historical carbon storage were analyzed, and the driving forces of spatial-temporal variation were explored combined with multiple factors. The carbon storage of Three-River-Source National Park in 2030 was predicted under the scenarios of natural development and ecological protection. The results showed that： ① The carbon storage of Three-River-Source National Park showed a fluctuating characteristic of increase-decrease-increase-decrease from 1990 to 2020, the carbon storage was increased by 41.85×106 t overall, and the grassland took the largest contribution. ② The spatial distribution characteristics of carbon storage in Three-River-Source National Park had little change between 1990 to 2020, and the evolution of the spatial distribution was relatively stable. The contribution ratio of the Yangtze River source park, Lancang River source park, and Yellow River source park was 7∶1∶2, which was roughly equivalent to the park area. ③ The major driving factors of the spatial-temporal variation of carbon storage in Three-River-Source National Park from 1990 to 2020 were： FVC, soil type, and annual precipitation. The interactive detection of each driving factor showed dual-factor enhancement and nonlinear enhancement. ④ The carbon storage of Three-River-Source National Park was predicted to decrease by 4.87% and 3.98% from 2020 to 2030 under the scenarios of natural development and ecological protection, respectively, and the carbon storage reduction under the ecological protection scenario had a significant inhibitory effect. The findings can provide data support for national spatial planning of Three-River-Source National Park and the enhancement of terrestrial ecosystem carbon storage.

Elucidating the Dynamics of Carbamazepine Uptake Using Date Pit-Derived Activated Carbon: A Comprehensive Kinetic and Thermodynamic Analysis

Water contamination with pharmaceuticals such as Carbamazepine (CBZ) presents a significant environmental challenge. This study investigates the use of activated carbon derived from waste date pits (DPAC) for the removal of CBZ from water. The impact of several parameters such as pH, temperature, CBZ concentration, and flow rate on the adsorption were assessed. The generated DPAC demonstrated a specific surface area of 309 m2/g, a pore volume of 0.264 cm³/g, and the pores are mainly distributed at 1.86, 2.73, and 3.43 nm. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, and Toth isotherms were used to fit the experimental data, and the results indicate the occurrence of monolayer adsorption and heterogeneous surface conditions. The Linear Driving Force model was used for kinetic analysis, showing improved fit at higher concentrations. Thermodynamic analyses revealed the process to be endothermic, spontaneous, and entropically driven. The DPAC achieved an adsorption capacity of 14.89 mg/g and maintained 94% effectiveness after the first regeneration cycle and 70% after four cycles. This study highlights the potential of DPAC as a sustainable adsorbent for advanced water purification.

Rapid Prototyping Technology: A Driving Force in Product Design Innovation

Abstract: This paper explores the transformative impact of rapid prototyping on product design processes across various industries. Rapid prototyping, characterized by its ability to quickly create physical models from digital designs, significantly enhances the iterative design phase, facilitating early testing and validation of concepts. RP includes the integration of technologies such as 3D printing, computer-aided design (CAD), and additive manufacturing in accelerating product iterations, reducing time-to-market, and fostering innovation. Rapid prototyping (RP) has emerged as a transformative approach in product development, significantly enhancing design processes across various industries. Sectors including automotive, consumer electronics and healthcare show how rapid prototyping streamlines communication among stakeholders, enhances user feedback incorporation, and reduces production costs

Growth, Transformation and their Driving Forces of Kaysonphomvihan City

The city of Kaysonphomvihan is a city with an important strategic location in the central part of the Lao PDR. It has the East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC), the Savannakhet-Seno Special Economic Zone through it and the 13th North Road which is the national highway that cuts through from the north to the south. In the city, there is the Xeno Special Economic Zone, the bridge over the Mekong River which is the potential for the economic development of the city, thus making the city have population growth, economic growth and physical growth of the city, in the research study the growth, change and driving force in the development of Kaysonphomvihan city from 2005 to 2020. The city of Kaysonphomvihan, which will see the population growth during 2005-2020, in which in 2005 there were 112,915 people and in 2020 there was a population of 178,893 people, an increase of 65,978 people, which is 36.88 percent. Economic growth GDP per capita (USD) since 2005-2020, in which 2005 was 608 dollars, 2020 is 2,466 dollars, an increase of 1.858 dollars, which is 75.34 percent. The growth of the built area can be seen that in 2005 there is a built area of ​​432 hectares, in 2020 there is a built area of ​​865 hectares, an increase of 433 hectares, which is 50.06 percent. Throughout the period of 2005-2020, it can be seen that the city of Kaysonphomvihan has growth in the population, economy, physical of the city and has many driving forces that are the driving force in urban development from time to time.In this study, it is to be a guide in the planning, control and development of the city of Kaysonphomvihan to be sustainable.

Resources Availability And Income Achievement: A Driving Force For Competitiveness Of Rice Farming Products In Tidal Land, South Sumatera, Indonesia

The land conversion of rice farming could only be prevented by increasing farming competitiveness. The first step is to map the resource availability supporting paddy farming and income achievement. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze resource availability and income achievement to increase paddy business competitiveness. It used a survey method and observed two populations of farmers producing paddy seed and rice in Tanjung Lago and Rambutan Districts, Banyuasin Regency. Simple random sampling was adopted to determine 130 respondents from two populations, each with 65 rice and paddy seed farmers. The findings showed that resource availability supports farming in tidal land, though it is significantly higher for paddy seed than rice farmers. Regarding income achievements, paddy seed farmers also have higher R/C and B/C values than rice farmers. Income for rice farmers mainly comes from corn, rubber, and oil palm, while paddy seed farmers earn from their farming. This implies that the chance of land conversion into plantations and corn farming is greater for rice than for paddy seed farmers. When this happens on a large scale and in the long term, it impacts national rice production. Therefore, improved resource availability and better integration in production could sustainably increase paddy farming production in tidal land.

Phase Separation of Chromatin Structure-related Biomolecules: A Driving Force for Epigenetic Regulations.

Intracellularly, membrane-less organelles are formed by spontaneous fusion and fission of macro-molecules in a process called phase separation, which plays an essential role in cellular activities. In certain disease states, such as cancers and neurodegenerative diseases, aberrant phase separations take place and participate in disease progression. Chromatin structure-related proteins, based on their characteristics and upon external stimuli, phase separate to exert functions like genome assembly, transcription regulation, and signal transduction. Moreover, many chromatin structure-related proteins, such as histones, histone-modifying enzymes, DNA-modifying enzymes, and DNA methylation binding proteins, are involved in epigenetic regulations through phase separation. This review introduces phase separation and how phase separation affects epigenetics with a focus on chromatin structure-related molecules.

Econometric Analysis of Poverty Driving Forces in Tanzania: An Assessment of Three-Dimensional Factors

Econometric Analysis of Poverty Driving Forces in Tanzania: An Assessment of Three-Dimensional Factors

Investigating the Dynamic Change and Driving Force of Vegetation Carbon Sink in Taihang Mountain, China

Vegetation plays an important role in absorbing carbon dioxide and accelerating the achievement of carbon neutrality. As the ecological barrier of North China, the Taihang Mountains are pivotal to the ecological construction project of China. Nevertheless, the dynamic development of the vegetation carbon sink in the region and the impact factors on the sink have not been systematically evaluated. This study employed a comprehensive approach, utilising remote sensing technology and meteorological and topographic data, in conjunction with the net ecosystem productivity (NEP) estimation model to reveal the characteristics of vegetation carbon sinks in the Taihang Mountain, and then revealed the dynamics evolution of the NEP and the inter-annual trend by using Theil–Sen Median slope estimation, the Mann–Kendall test, and the coefficient of dissociation and analysed the driving roles of the influencing factors by using the parameter optimal geographic detector. Our findings suggest that the NEP in the Taihang Mountain area has a clear growth trend in time, the average value of NEP in the Taihang Mountain area is 289 gC-m−2-a−1 from 2000 to 2022, and the spatial distribution shows the characteristics of high in the northeast and low in the middle and west, with a gradual increase from the northeast to the southwest; the areas with high fluctuation of NEP are mainly distributed in the areas around some cities that are susceptible to the interference of natural or anthropogenic factors. The vegetation carbon sinks in the Taihang Mountains are influenced by a variety of natural factors, among which the explanatory power of each natural factor is as follows: DEM (0.174) > temperature (0.148) > precipitation (0.026) > slope (0.017) > slope direction (0.003). The natural factor DEM had the strongest explanatory power for NEP changes, and the two-by-two effects of the natural factors on vegetation carbon sinks were all significantly stronger than the effects of a single factor, in which the interaction between DEM and precipitation had the strongest explanatory power; distinguishing from climate change factors, the contribution of anthropogenic activities to NEP changes in more than 90% of the area of the Taihang Mountainous Region was more than 60%, and the driving force of anthropogenic factors on NEP changes in the Taihang Mountainous Region was significantly stronger than that of natural climate change. The contribution of anthropogenic factors to NEP changes in the Taihang Mountains was significantly stronger than that of natural climate change. The results of this study can not only provide a reference for carbon reduction and sink increase and ecological restoration projects in the Taihang Mountains but also benefit the research paradigm of vegetation carbon sequestration in other regions.

Interpreting the removal behaviours of aniline and 3,4-diaminotoluene on aromatic carbon-rich magnetic polymer: Statistical modelling, DFT quantitative calculations and new perspectives

The widespread presence of harmful and stubborn amine organic contaminants in aquatic environments motivated the exploration of efficient technologies for alleviating their serious environmental crisis. Herein, the recyclable magnetic Schiff base polymer (Fe3O4-TENE) with satisfactory and promising capacity in treating aniline and 3,4-diaminotoluene as representative amine organic contaminants was fabricated via a simple in-situ polymerization method, which combined the magnetic separability advantage of magnetic oxides with the abundant aromatic carbon content properties of Schiff base polymer. Multiple characterization methods verified the effectiveness of the in-situ polycondensation coating reaction and analyzed the physicochemical properties of Fe3O4-TENE. The Fe3O4-TENE possessed abundant homogeneous reaction sites and excellent regeneration performance, multiple diffusion driving forces and micro-mechanisms co-participated in the removal reaction. The adsorption pathway, underlying reaction mechanism and the most probable bonding system were identified based on the statistical modelling and DFT quantitative calculations. Especially, the visible electrostatic potential molecular and molecular orbitals verified the π-π interaction and electrostatic forces greatly contributed to the removal reaction. The Driving forces – Challenges – Breakthrough – Application framework was proposed for comprehensively assessing the possible environmental application of Fe3O4-TENE. Overall, this work not only provides important insights into the utilization of magnetic polymer composite to alleviate ecological and environmental risks caused by amine organic pollutants, but also contributes to an in-depth excavation of the bonding types and removal mechanisms from both micro and macro perspectives.

Identification of the Runoff Evolutions and Driving Forces during the Dry Season in the Xijiang River Basin

During the dry season, river flow gradually diminishes, and surface water flow dries up. Therefore, the investigation of runoff during the dry season is of great practical significance for rational water allocation and water resource management. Based on hydrological station data from the Xijiang River Basin (XRB) from 1961 to 2020, this study examines the trend and periodic characteristics of dry-season runoff, identifies fluctuation and variability in dry-season runoff, and investigates the main circulation factor combinations influencing dynamic changes in dry-season runoff. The results indicate the following: (1) the characteristics of dry-season runoff variations are basically consistent across sub-basins in the XRB during the study period, with the minimum (21.96 × 108 m3) and maximum (54.67 × 108 m3) average monthly runoff occurring in February and October, respectively; (2) interannual-scale dry-season runoff exhibits periodicity of 3.53 years and 7.5 years; (3) using the Bayesian estimator of abrupt seasonal and trend change algorithm (BEAST), a seasonal abrupt point with a probability of 20.5% occurs in 1983, and the confidence interval for this abrupt point is from 1980 to 1986; (4) based on the cross wavelet approach, solar sunspots are identified as the primary circulation factor contributing to dry-season runoff in the XRB, exhibiting a significant 8–14 years resonance cycle of negative correlation with runoff during the high-energy phase from 1972 to 2006. These findings offer a new perspective on understanding the evolution of dry-season runoff and circulation factor variations, which are crucial for accurate prediction, early warning, and rational allocation of water resources during the dry season.

Electron Transfer Enhanced by a Minimal Energetic Driving Force at the Organic‐Semiconductor Interface

AbstractThe energetic driving force for electron transfer must be minimized to realize efficient optoelectronic devices including organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Exploring the dynamics of a charge‐transfer (CT) state at an interface leads to a comprehension of the relationship between energetics, electron‐transfer efficiency, and device performance. Here, we investigate the electron transfer from the CT state to the triplet excited state (T1) in upconversion OLEDs with 45 material combinations. By analyzing the CT emission and the singlet excited‐state emission from triplet–triplet annihilation via the dark T1, their energetics and electron‐transfer efficiencies are extracted. We demonstrate that the CT→T1 electron transfer is enhanced by the stronger CT interaction and a minimal energetic driving force (<0.1 eV), which is explained using the Marcus theory with a small reorganization energy of <0.1 eV. Through our analysis, a novel donor–acceptor combination for the OLED is developed and shows an efficient blue emission with an extremely low turn‐on voltage of 1.57 V. This work provides a solution to control interfacial CT states for efficient optoelectronic devices without energy loss.

Electron Transfer Enhanced by a Minimal Energetic Driving Force at the Organic-Semiconductor Interface.

The energetic driving force for electron transfer must be minimized to realize efficient optoelectronic devices including organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Exploring the dynamics of a charge-transfer (CT) state at an interface leads to a comprehension of the relationship between energetics, electron-transfer efficiency, and device performance. Here, we investigate the electron transfer from the CT state to the triplet excited state (T1) in upconversion OLEDs with 45 material combinations. By analyzing the CT emission and the singlet excited-state emission from triplet-triplet annihilation via the dark T1, their energetics and electron-transfer efficiencies are extracted. We demonstrate that the CT→T1 electron transfer is enhanced by the stronger CT interaction and a minimal energetic driving force (<0.1 eV), which is explained using the Marcus theory with a small reorganization energy of <0.1 eV. Through our analysis, a novel donor-acceptor combination for the OLED is developed and shows an efficient blue emission with an extremely low turn-on voltage of 1.57 V. This work provides a solution to control interfacial CT states for efficient optoelectronic devices without energy loss.

Comparative Analysis with Statistical and Machine Learning for Modeling Overall and High Salinity along the Scheldt Estuary

Saltwater intrusion is an essential problem in estuaries that can threaten the ecological environment, especially in high-salinity situations. Therefore in this paper, traditional multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) modeling are applied to forecast overall and high salinity in the Lower Scheldt Estuary, Belgium. Mutual information (MI) and conditional mutual information (CMI) are used to select optimal driving forces (DFs), with the daily discharge (Q), daily water temperature (WT), and daily sea level (SL) selected as the main DFs. Next, we analyze whether applying a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) to remove the noise from the original time series improves the results. Here, the DWT is applied in Signal-hybrid (SH) and Within-hybrid (WH) frameworks. Both the MLR and ANN models demonstrate satisfactory performance in daily overall salinity simulation over the Scheldt Estuary. The relatively complex ANN models outperform MLR because of their capabilities of capturing complex interactions. Because the nonlinear relationship between salinity and DFs is variable at different locations, the performance of the MLR models in the midstream region is far inferior to that in the downstream region during spring and winter. The results reveal that the application of DWT enhances simulation of both overall and high salinity in this region, especially for the ANN model with the WH framework. With the effect of Q decline or SL rise, the salinity in the middle Scheldt Estuary increases more significantly, and the ANN models are more sensitive to these perturbations.

Equilibrium between Engaging in Practical Missiology and Scholarly Academic Missiology: A Driving Force to Attain Missio Dei

There is no difference between the terms Mission and Missiology, as far as some are concerned, whereas to others, these terms have different meanings. The term "Missiology" is commonly used among the academia but not commonly used among the non-academic persons who are actively involved in missions. The latter is more conversant with the term ‘mission ‘and “missionary”. Some people are pure "Academic Missiologists" and "Non-Academic Missiologists", and fortunately there are several field missionaries today who double as Academic Missiologists. There is a perceived gap between the missiologists and the field missionaries. This paper is an extensive literature research on whether missiology is purely an Academic Discipline with no space for "non-academic missiologists “and whether there could be an equilibrium between engaging in practical missiology and scholarly academic Missiology as a driving force to attain missio Dei. Findings by the writer show that practical missiologists and scholarly academic Missiologists, complement each other and have the same thing at stake. They both want to see the work of mission carried forward. The study concludes with some recommendations to both practical missiologists and scholarly academic missiologists.

Al Islam and Kemuhammadiyahan as Driving Force for Lecturer Performance at Universitas Muhammadiyah Jember

Al Islam and Kemuhamamdiyahan (AIK) are characteristic of all Muhamamdiyah Universities. AIK is implemented in all lecturer performances written in the chess dharma of higher education: education, research, service, and AIK. Of the 286 lecturers, not all of them necessarily have a Muhammadiyah background. Even though universities require all academic activities to incorporate Islamic values, not all academics can implement AIK as a driving force for lecturer performance. Therefore, lecturers must have a strategy to understand and enforce AIK in their performance. This research aims to explore lecturers' understanding of AIK and how to implement AIK as a driving force for lecturers' performance. This research uses a qualitative phenomenological approach. To obtain data in the field using interview, observation, and documentation techniques. Data analysis uses source triangulation. This research shows that AIK is implemented in all lecturer performance, such as teaching, research, service, behavior, and interaction with the broader community. The strategy implemented is that lecturers are encouraged to actively participate in activities to increase understanding of AIK through recitations at branches, branches, and regional centers and taking part in Baitul Arqom Lecturers. Lecturer performance evaluation is carried out every semester. AIK is the primary determinant and includes the highest score for lecturer performance achievements besides education, research, and service.

The social processes that emergency nurses use to achieve sustainability: A constructivist grounded theory.

To examine the experiences of emergency nurses and develop a substantive theory that describes the processes they use to support or prevent sustainability in their nursing practice. Constructivist grounded theory. Between February 2018 and January 2019, observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 emergency nurses. Data underwent constant comparison, and coding was performed in three phases: open, focused, and theoretical, employing constructivist grounded theory. Additionally, some situational analysis mapping was undertaken and integrated as a method to explore the broader context affecting nursing practice. The study achieved theoretical saturation and rigour was ensured through evaluations of credibility, transferability, and confirmability. A substantive grounded theory was constructed to describe the basic social process of 'Achieving Personal and Professional Sustainability' with subprocesses that included 'Driving forces', 'Developing and using armouries', 'Balancing work-life', and 'Making emergency work effective'. This theory delineates two phases, 'exploration and establishment' and 'maintenance', and two key properties: 'Constructing and evolving professional identity' and 'Perceiving and reshaping the meaning of effective work and care'. The theory also highlights the dynamic interplay of individual, social, and institutional elements. 'Achieving Personal and Professional Sustainability' is important for emergency nurses to sustain themselves personally and professionally in their work. This research has substantial and global impacts. Emergency nursing can use this information as a guide to better understand strategies for both personal and professional sustainability. Policymakers may use the findings to foster a supportive work environment and enhance nurse well-being. Implementation of recommendations can lead to improved patient care outcomes. The methodological approach offers potential for future research, positively impacting emergency nursing practice and workforce sustainability worldwide. Reporting adheres to EQUATOR's COREQ guidelines for qualitative studies. No patient or public contribution.

Major Driving Forces for Indian SME Pharmaceutical Industry

Major Driving Forces for Indian SME Pharmaceutical Industry