Natural Elements Research Articles

Assessment of rural sustainable development and analysis and prediction of obstacles and coupled coordinated development: A case study of Zaozhuang City

In China, the Innovation Demonstration Zone for the National Sustainable Development Agenda is a key initiative for executing the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Zone also plays critical roles in addressing the developmental bottlenecks that China faces and sharing Chinese insights into global sustainable development efforts. On July 15, 2022, the State Council endorsed the Zone’s establishment in Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province, where it focuses on innovation-led sustainable development in rural areas. Research into the levels, impediments, interdependencies, and evolutionary trends of rural sustainable development is crucial. Therefore, this research aimed to assist in comprehensively assessing developmental challenges and facilitating the harmonious advancement of social, economic, and environmental aspects in rural areas. In pursuit of the three fundamental dimensions of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely development’s drivers, quality, and equity, this study was grounded in China’s national Rural Revitalization Strategy and the demands of sustainable development strategies. It also aligns with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the associated SDG indicators. Focusing on four key areas, namely production elements, natural elements, social elements, and rural governance, this study developed an evaluation index system for assessing the level of rural sustainable development. It employed a range of analytical models, including the game theory-based combination empowerment method, barrier degree model, coupling degree model, coupling coordination degree model, and gray prediction GM(1,1) model, to analyze the status and evolving trends of rural sustainable development in Zaozhuang City from 2015 to 2022. The key findings were as follows: ① Relative to the baseline year 2015, the sustainable development level in Zaozhuang’s rural areas has shifted toward an improved state overall. ② The primary barrier to achieving rural sustainable development in Zaozhuang is the city’s rural governance system. ③ While the components of rural sustainable development in Zaozhuang are in the early stages of both basic and moderate coordination, an overall enhancement has occurred in their integrative coordination. ④ Between 2023 and 2025, the level of integrative coordination in Zaozhuang is expected to rise steadily. However, reaching a state of advanced coordination will require additional time for development.

The Influence of Geographical Conditions on Flood Disasters in Tunggul Irang Ilir Village

Natural disasters such as floods can be caused by both natural and non-natural factors, such as human activities. The convergence of human activities, static environmental conditions, and dynamic natural phenomena can result in flooding. Static natural elements (topography, rivers, and geographical conditions) and dynamic natural factors (rainfall, tidal currents, land subsidence, and river sedimentation) are the causes of flooding disasters. Tunggul Irang Ilir Village is a village located in the Martapura District of Banjar Regency that experiences flooding every year. It is known that the floods in Tunggul Irang Ilir Village involve several factors, primarily due to the village's geographic conditions, making the area prone to flooding disasters. Therefore, research is conducted on the geographical conditions' impact on flooding in Tunggul Irang Ilir Village to understand the village's geographical conditions and their influence on the floods that occur annually. Using a qualitative descriptive research method, data is collected through documentation, interviews, and observation. Data analysis involves stages such as data reduction, data presentation, conclusion drawing, and verification. This research employs data triangulation, technique triangulation, and time triangulation to test validity. The results of the research indicate that geographic conditions, including the village's location, climate, weather, low land topography, and Martapura River overflow, are factors causing floods in Tunggul Irang Ilir Village.

Exploring the impact of landscape design on user preferences in shopping centers post the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study explores the impact of landscape design, which has gained importance alongside architectural changes in shopping centers, and investigates preferences in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. Although e-commerce has increased during the pandemic, research and societal behaviors suggest that shopping centers will continue to serve as contemporary agoras due to their socialization and leisure functions. However, in response to the pandemic, it is anticipated that newly designed shopping centers will be architecturally conceived as semi-outdoor or outdoor spaces, regardless of climate conditions. This transformation will involve the softening of rigid appearances through landscape elements, making them both ecologically and psychologically sustainable. The number of studies on this subject is limited. To address this knowledge gap, an online survey was conducted with 586 randomly selected users across nine shopping centers located in three major cities of Turkey: Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir, with three shopping centers in each city. The survey investigated users' preferences for architectural styles (indoor, semi-outdoor, or outdoor) and landscape design in shopping centers. The findings of the study indicate that post-pandemic, outdoor and semi-outdoor shopping centers are likely to be preferred more frequently. An emphasis is likely to be placed on natural landscape elements such as plants and water features in landscape design. Furthermore, shopping center designs are likely to become simpler, offering comfortable and spacious navigation areas while optimizing parking and transportation conditions. This study is expected to shed light on decision-making processes for future shopping centers. By incorporating consumer preferences, architects can enhance the sustainability of shopping center investments through next-generation design.

Characterization of a typical urban soil in terms of natural radionuclide content. The case study of a university campus

A first comprehensive survey was carried out in a university campus in Italy in order to investigate in terms of natural elements an area where medium-high values of natural radiation are expected because of its peculiar geological features. The content of terrestrial radionuclides in 20 topsoil samples from the campus was determined with the aim to provide an important database of the soil characteristics.226Ra, 232Th, and 40K concentrations were analysed by High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometer in order to determine the background levels of natural radionuclides characteristics of the original area. The mean concentrations of radionuclides in the investigated soil samples ranged from 58.95 ± 4.20 to 158.05 ± 19.95 Bq kg−1 for 226Ra, from 72.28 ± 7.61 to 146.00 ± 22.27 Bq kg−1 for 232Th and, for 40K, from 550.76 ± 33.24 to 1367.50 ± 18.73 Bq kg−1. The radiological hazard indices, including radium equivalent activity, external hazard index, annual effective dose, absorbed dose rate, lifetime excess cancer risk, were also evaluated and compared with global averages, revealing values above the worldwide ones. Finally, a spatial modelling methodology of the site-specific radionuclides levels as graphical tool for the monitoring of the potential land redevelopment of urban soils was proposed.

Determining Customer Loyalty Based on Relationship Marketing with Trust on SDG

Context: The image above indicates that if the researcher decides to formulate a Green Recruitment variable argument, it can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on employee performance. Then the researchers modified this variable into Green Recruitment by adding Environmental & Natural elements with the aim of creating a company that upholds Sustainable Development. Objective: The main objects in this article are Green Recruitment, Employee Performance, and Green Training which are formulated by Green Recruitment as an Independent variable, Green Training as a Moderation variable, and Employee Performance as an Independent variable. Method: This research is quantitative research with an exploratory approach which uses a number of previous studies, especially the five studies mentioned above and the addition of two other studies regarding Green Recruitment. The data used in this research is primary data that researchers obtained from PT. Musi Hutan Persada in Indonesia has 300 employees. These data were analyzed using the smart PLS 4.0 analysis tool. Results: The Green Recruitment variable can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on Employee Performance. This is because the P-Values in the first row are positive and are below the 0.05 significance level, namely 0.043. Apart from that, in the next row the P-Values also point to positive and are below the 0.05 significance level, namely 0.000. These results indicate that the Green Recruitment variable can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on employee performance and the Green Training variable can strengthen the influence of the Green Recruitment variable on employee performance. These results are due to recruitment which has a high nuance in protecting the environment, usually has high social sensitivity and concern and ultimately improves employee performance. The resulting employee performance is not just ordinary employee performance like employee performance in other studies, but employee performance that is nuanced and combined with aspects of caring for nature and the environment. Therefore, the first and second hypotheses in this study can be accepted. Contribution: The researcher's great hope is that this article can be used as one of the main references in Human Resource Management scholarship, especially those closely related to Green Recruitment, Green Training and Employee Performance. Apart from that, it is hoped that this research will become a reference in deciding existing policies.

Blue skies: Does the visual composition of sky guide subjective judgments of naturalness in the environment?

Expanding on previous findings, that highlighted the significance of sky in environmental perception, our analysis investigated whether the visual composition of the sky shapes perceptions of environmental naturalness. The study employed a novel, free-selection task in which participants viewed a series of environmental images with varying levels of natural and urban elements, as well as different sky visibility conditions, and were asked to identify “nature” within these images. The task procedure also involved subjective ratings of each scene. Using previously gathered data, we reassessed 105 participants' selection of the sky as “nature” across 96 photos of diverse outdoor scenes to understand which visuospatial features influence these perceptions. Utilizing the Boruta feature selection algorithm, we identified key characteristics—fractal dimensions, brightness, and entropy in brightness, hue, and saturation—that significantly predicted the selection of sky as “nature”, irrespective of the environment type (urban or natural). Results indicated that lower fractal dimensions are preferred for sky selected as “nature”, inversely affecting the naturalness judgment of scenes with the additional effect of brightness. These findings enhance our understanding of how visuospatial features influence environmental perception, offering implications for future research directions and theoretical advancements in understanding environmental perception.

Unveiling water legacy: an interdisciplinary exploration for comprehending Siraf’s historical water landscape

In the heart of southern Iran’s arid expanse lies Siraf, a testament to the enduring bond between water and civilisation. This port city flourished in the 9th and 10th centuries, sustained by ingenious water management. Exploring Siraf’s water heritage reveals a cultural landscape shaped by the symbiotic relationship between water and human innovation. Through meticulous analysis of technical reports, excavation records, interviews, and historical accounts, this research aims to understand Siraf’s water heritage landscape using an interdisciplinary landscape-based approach. This approach integrates insights from archaeology, geology, geohydrology, and agriculture to provide a holistic view of the interconnectedness of natural and cultural elements. These dynamic systems inspire sustainable practices through landscape-based solutions considering natural and cultural landscape features to address urban challenges. As we face climate change and urbanisation, understanding and preserving Siraf’s water heritage landscapes through an interdisciplinary approach provide a roadmap for a more resilient future.

Wujud Pelestarian Lingkungan Melalui Penyuluhan Pembuatan Produk Totebag Ecoprint pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar Negeri Kedung Peluk 1

Environmental education has become increasingly important in addressing global ecological challenges. This community service project aimed to cultivate environmental consciousness among elementary school students through the creative technique of ecoprinting. By using natural materials like leaves and flowers to create unique patterns on fabric, students were not only introduced to an artistic process but also gained a deeper appreciation for the natural world. A workshop was conducted at SDN Kedungpeluk 1 Candi Sidoarjo to teach students the basics of ecoprinting. Participants collected natural materials from their surroundings and experimented with various techniques to create personalized tote bags. The results were impressive, showcasing the students' creativity and their ability to transform natural elements into beautiful and functional objects. Beyond the artistic aspect, the project successfully fostered a sense of environmental stewardship among the students.

CFRP surface ply-centric electrified spatiotemporal self-heating for anti-icing/de-icing

With the widespread application of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) in engineering, the characteristics of uniformly carbon fiber (CF) orientation within a single-ply and laminated structure have inspired us to develop high-efficiency, low-consumption, manufacture-friendly, and non-destructive anti-icing/de-icing methods. Here, we propose a CFRP surface ply-centric electrified spatiotemporal self-heating (STSH) approach, which utilizes CFs in the surface ply as natural heating elements to achieve in-situ adaptable electrothermal anti-icing/de-icing. By adjusting the current waveform, the temporal heating profile can flexibly switch between a consistently stable temperature and periodically high peak temperatures, meeting the different heating characteristics required for anti-icing and de-icing, respectively. Simultaneously, the entangled CFs branch current, generating a spatial temperature gradient that enhances the design flexibility of temperature distribution. This enables energy concentration in icing-prone areas while maintaining a baseline temperature in less susceptible areas, thus reducing energy waste by up to 20%. Overall, this STSH approach is simple, efficient, and holds significant application potential, offering an innovative and feasible solution to long-standing challenges associated with anti-icing/de-icing.

Enhancing Wound Healing: A Comprehensive Review of Sericin and Chelidonium majus L. as Potential Dressings.

Wound healing, a complex physiological process orchestrating intricate cellular and molecular events, seeks to restore tissue integrity. The burgeoning interest in leveraging the therapeutic potential of natural substances for advanced wound dressings is a recent phenomenon. Notably, Sericin, a silk-derived protein, and Chelidonium majus L. (C. majus), a botanical agent, have emerged as compelling candidates, providing a unique combination of natural elements that may revolutionize conventional wound care approaches. Sericin, renowned for its diverse properties, displays unique properties that accelerate the wound healing process. Simultaneously, C. majus, with its diverse pharmacological compounds, shows promise in reducing inflammation and promoting tissue regeneration. As the demand for innovative wound care solutions increases, understanding the therapeutic potential of natural products becomes imperative. This review synthesizes current knowledge on Sericin and C. majus, envisioning their future roles in advancing wound management strategies. The exploration of these natural substances as constituents of wound dressings provides a promising avenue for developing sustainable, effective, and biocompatible materials that could significantly impact the field of wound healing.

Relationship between Preferred Decorations, Colored Walls and Nurses’ Uniforms to the Hospital Anxiety of Pediatric Patients

Background and Aim Investigates the presence of relationship between preferred decorations, colored walls, and nurse’s uniform to hospital anxiety of 150 pediatric patients admitted in the pediatric ward of Geregorio T. Lluch Memorial Hospital in Iligan City, Philippines.  Design The researchers utilized a cross-sectional correlational approach to explore probable associations between the variables and hospital anxiety, giving an insight into factors that are likely to affect hospital anxiety among the patients.  Results Key findings include a strong preference for ward decorations with themes. Among hobby spaces, crafting area had the highest number of likes. All colors were preferred for colored walls except for black, brown and burgundy. Having no wall art/mural, no natural elements in the decorations, and no decorations in ward rooms were disliked or not preferred. Themed wall mural, and gray and blue colored walls have significant relationship to hospital anxiety. There is also a significant relationship between stripes as nurses’ uniform design and peach orange as a uniform color, and hospital anxiety.  Conclusion The overall finding was that most pediatric patients experienced similar levels of anxiety regardless of their preferences for decorations, colored walls, or nurses’ uniforms. This imply that while children have varied preferences in terms of the hospital environment, these preferences influence their hospital anxiety levels during hospital stays.

Being, seeing and recognizing oneself as a teacher who teaches Mathematics: (re)configuring Professional Identities from the perspective of Probabilistic Education

This article aims to understand how actions and practices based on studies on Probability Education contribute to the (re)configuration’s movement of the Professional Identity (PI) of Teachers who Teach Mathematics (TTM). The study is based on a qualitative and interpretative paradigm, relied on a Research-Training path developed in a study group with 11 TTM. To this end, we are based on a characterization of TTM’s PI, which points out a set of elements (macrodomains) that allow us to understand them in their ways of being, seeing and recognizing themselves as such. The results and discussion were based on the apprehension of four Meaning Cores, which indicate that the TTM’s PI were forged from the Learning Paths (re)constituted in the collective/collaborative context of the group and interwoven by elements of personal, emotional, moral and sociopolitical nature that emerged from the enterprise of teaching and learning Probability.

An Analysis of PHD and Master's Thesis on Marketing Communication Conducted Between 1999-2023 in Communication Research

Marketing communication is a process that covers both consumer behavior and businesses' development of new marketing strategies. For this reason, marketing communication is a comprehensive subject area that has gained a significant place in academic studies, especially in the last 20 years, and on which scientific research has been conducted. Both the growing capacities and production volumes of businesses and the changing consumer make it necessary to carry out marketing studies. In this context, the aim of this study is to conduct detailed research on the theses completed in the national literature in the field of marketing communication. In this context, as a result of the detailed examination conducted through the National Thesis Center (YOKTEZ), 64 master's and 17 doctoral theses completed on marketing communication between 1999 and 2023 were identified. 8 of these theses could not be accessed (since they were not accessible via YOKTEZ), and 81 of them were evaluated using the content analysis method. In the study, data provided from documents; It is discussed under seven subheadings: type of thesis, gender, university, department, method, data collection and analysis technique and year category. As a result of the analysis, information was obtained about the nature, trends and prominent elements of academic postgraduate theses in the field of marketing communication. In particular, it is noteworthy that female researchers have a higher rate of writing master's theses on marketing communications and that the highest number of theses are in the field of Public Relations and Promotion. These findings show how important factors such as gender and field of expertise in the field of marketing communications are reflected in research.

Can Green Recruitment Affect Employee Performance if Moderated Green Training based on the SDG?

Context: The image above indicates that if the researcher decides to formulate a Green Recruitment variable argument, it can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on employee performance. Then the researchers modified this variable into Green Recruitment by adding Environmental & Natural elements with the aim of creating a company that upholds Sustainable Development. Objective: The main objects in this article are Green Recruitment, Employee Performance, and Green Training which are formulated by Green Recruitment as an Independent variable, Green Training as a Moderation variable, and Employee Performance as an Independent variable. Method: This research is quantitative research with an exploratory approach which uses a number of previous studies, especially the five studies mentioned above and the addition of two other studies regarding Green Recruitment. The data used in this research is primary data that researchers obtained from PT. Musi Hutan Persada in Indonesia has 300 employees. These data were analyzed using the smart PLS 4.0 analysis tool. Results: The Green Recruitment variable can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on Employee Performance. This is because the P-Values in the first row are positive and are below the 0.05 significance level, namely 0.043. Apart from that, in the next row the P-Values also point to positive and are below the 0.05 significance level, namely 0.000. These results indicate that the Green Recruitment variable can have a positive relationship and a significant influence on employee performance and the Green Training variable can strengthen the influence of the Green Recruitment variable on employee performance. These results are due to recruitment which has a high nuance in protecting the environment, usually has high social sensitivity and concern and ultimately improves employee performance. The resulting employee performance is not just ordinary employee performance like employee performance in other studies, but employee performance that is nuanced and combined with aspects of caring for nature and the environment. Therefore, the first and second hypotheses in this study can be accepted. Contribution: The researcher's great hope is that this article can be used as one of the main references in Human Resource Management scholarship, especially those closely related to Green Recruitment, Green Training and Employee Performance. Apart from that, it is hoped that this research will become a reference in deciding existing policies.

The synergy of architectural, cultural, and natural elements in the formation of the medieval Armenian st. Mary rock church in Matera

The synergy of architectural, cultural, and natural elements in the formation of the medieval Armenian st. Mary rock church in Matera

Evolution, development, and regeneration of tooth-like epithelial appendages in sharks

Sharks and their relatives are typically covered in highly specialized epithelial appendages embedded in the skin called dermal denticles; ancient tooth-like units (odontodes) composed of dentine and enamel-like tissues. These ‘skin teeth’ are remarkably similar to oral teeth of vertebrates and share comparable morphological and genetic signatures. Here we review the histological and morphological data from embryonic sharks to uncover characters that unite all tooth-like elements (odontodes), including teeth and skin denticles in sharks. In addition, we review the differences between the skin and oral odontodes that reflect their varied capacity for renewal. Our observations have begun to decipher the developmental and genetic shifts that separate these seemingly similar dental units, including elements of the regenerative nature in both oral teeth and the emerging skin denticles from the small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula) and other chondrichthyan models. Ultimately, we ask what defines a tooth at both the molecular and morphological level. These insights aim to help us understand how nature makes, replaces and evolves a vast array of odontodes.

Effects of different audiovisual landscapes in bamboo forest space on physical and mental restorative potential of university students: based on eye-tracking experiments

With its unique audiovisual environment, bamboo forest spaces serve as natural sanctuaries for urban residents, offering significant restorative effects by reducing physical and mental stress and alleviating fatigue. This promotes the vigorous development of outdoor recreation activities. To further explore the restorative effects of bamboo forest space on people's audiovisual perceptual aspects. In this study, we conducted field research in the Southern Sichuan Bamboo Sea, collecting audiovisual materials from four types of bamboo forest spaces: pathway type, cultural type, ornamental type, and recreational. These spatial photographs were combined with three types of soundscapes (silent, background, and background + wind-blown bamboo sound). Eye tracking experiments were utilized to investigate the physical and mental restorative effects of these different audiovisual features on college students. The results showed that in the visual aspect, the visual restorative properties of recreational-type and ornamental-type bamboo spaces were better than those of pathway type and cultural-type spaces; in the auditory aspect, the sounds of wind-blown bamboo, flowing water, and chirping birds in the bamboo forest significantly enhanced the subjective restorative properties of the bamboo forest space, reducing the number of fixations and the average pupil diameter. In addition, this paper found that the soundscape guided people's visual attention, with the wind-blown bamboo sound increasing focus on natural elements, and the extensibility of the bamboo forest space was positively correlated with the number of fixations, while fascination was negatively correlated with the average saccade amplitude. These findings provide insights for the optimized design of audiovisual restorative environments in bamboo forest space in the future.

Animal Portraiture in the Shah and Rana Era

In the art history of Nepal, the portrayal of animals was never the primary subject until the late medieval period. But animals were depicted as mount of gods and goddesses incommon practice. Independent animal portraitures are seen for the first time in the Shah period. In the National Art Museum of Bhaktapur, a collection of forty-eight distinct animal portraits has been available. There are two types of animal portraiture: mythical creatures and natural fauna. Mythical beings are śārdūla, simha, śarabha, and vyāla, whereas natural fauna are wild animals available in Nepal. Mythical creatures are mostly inspired by Persia, Central Asia as well as the Far East, whereas natural fauna is influenced by Pahari, Mughal, and Mewar artistic traditions. Animals are depicted engaging in fights, chases, and brawls, based on the animal kingdom. Among them, bull fight scenes commissioned by Rana Bahadur Shah, depicted by Nepalese artists. The background of the painting reveals a portrayal of mountains, trees, rocks, rivers, and other natural elements of Paubhāḥ painting. In the early nineteenth century, Nepalese artists used to make copies by Nepali artists using a camera lucida, drawing on paper with pencil, and filling with black ink or colors. Under Jang Bahadura Rana, Nepalese artists observed the photos, sketched them onto the canvas, and then applied colors.

What About the Influence of Outdoor Quality on Preschoolers’ Cognitive and Social Skills?

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Outdoor environments have recently become part of the early childhood quality puzzle, which has long been important to trace relationships between children’s experiences in child care and their development. However, fewer studies have analyzed the extent to which the quality of these outdoor spaces relates to young children’s social and cognitive outcomes. This study analyzed data collected from a randomized sample of 92 licensed child care programs and 405 preschool children located across North Carolina, United States. Multilevel analyses showed that outdoor environment quality was associated with children’s abstraction and flexible thinking skills above and beyond global levels of classroom quality. Correlation analyses revealed that in outdoor environments with more natural elements, children displayed fewer behavior problems. Practice or Policy: Outdoor quality measures need to be more widely tested in relation to child outcomes. The influence of child care outdoor environment quality on children’s development should to be more deeply understood through longitudinal designs and ecological theories of human development, which allow conceptualizing developmental change over time as a function of interactions between individuals and context.

A baseline monitoring of radiological sediment quality and associated risk assessment in coastal ecosystems of the Republic of Congo.

This study presents the first data on levels of natural radioactive elements in sediments from coastal ecosystems of the Republic of Congo. Sediment samples from five coastal sites were collected and analyzed by high-resolution gamma spectrometry for determination of activities of long-lived gamma-emitting radionuclides (234Th, 238U, 226Ra, 210Pb, 228Th, 228Ra, and 40K). The specific activities were of the same order of magnitude as those measured in sediments of most countries neighboring the Republic of Congo. However, variations in activities were observed from one site to another and also from one sampling point to another within the same site without exceeding the global average reference values. It can be assumed, therefore, that no significant anthropogenic impact is perceptible in the study area. The most commonly used radiological hazard parameters, based mainly on 238U, 232Th, and 40K activities, were assessed and the ERICA tool was applied to quantify the radiation exposure burden to human and biota resulting from radionuclides in sediments. Besides being useful for future monitoring efforts, the data produced in this work could be important for the worldwide database on radioactivity in the oceans and seas (MARIS) since no data are available in the Congolese marine environment.