External Elements Research Articles

Arabic Architectural Space and Its Impact on the Interior Design of the Dwelling: A Case Study of Alfirdus Residential Complexes in the Al-Qadisiyah Area of Tikrit

Architectural spaces are one of the most important aspects that aim to establish dialogue between humans and their surroundings. The objectives of the current study were to describe the concept of architectural space, its constituent sections, the environmental elements that influence them (such as lighting, ventilation, air conditioning, privacy, and view), and the connections between their internal and external elements. The significance of this study comes from the fact that space size is a fundamental problem. This is because a large space requires larger services, which, while satisfying many needs, are not cost-effective when it comes to controlling factors, such as temperature, light levels, and the quality of the space and walls. One must understand how to distinguish it from other spaces and how to grade the spaces appropriately, bearing in mind the traits and way of life of the society being examined, to produce a location that is suitable for all purposes. Using effective indicators for each architectural space, each interior design component, and each design, the study utilized a descriptive methodology as well as proof of their effect on the psychological and behavioral health of the individual tenants in a selected sample of 25 residential units in one of the (388 dwelling units) residential complexes in the Al-Qadisiyah area of Tikrit. According to the findings, 60% of respondents were satisfied with the interior design of the housing units, 80% were satisfied with how the housing units looked from outside, and 12% were satisfied with every aspect of the housing units. 90% of people are content with their housing 90% of individuals are satisfied with the interior of their home, 90% are satisfied with the colors and materials utilized, 85% are satisfied with the lighting, 80 percent of individuals are satisfied with their view, 80 percent are glad with their privacy, 70 percent are happy with their home& orientation, the results show the importance of interior design in enhancing the architectural environment, which benefits the user on both a physical and psychological level. It has been successful in providing location authenticity and a sense of urban belonging.

Unraveling the Intricacies of the Seminal Microbiome and Its Impact on Human Fertility.

Although the microbial communities from seminal fluid were an unexplored field some decades ago, their characteristics and potential roles are gradually coming to light. Therefore, a complex and specific microbiome population with commensal niches and fluctuating species has started to be revealed. In fact, certain clusters of bacteria have been associated with fertility and health, while the outgrowth of several species is potentially correlated with infertility indicators. This constitutes a compelling reason for outlining the external elements that may induce changes in the seminal microbiome composition, like lifestyle factors, gut microbiota, pathologies, prebiotics, and probiotics. In this review, we summarize the main findings about seminal microbiome, its origins and composition, its relationship with fertility, health, and influence factors, while reminding readers of the limitations and advantages introduced from technical variabilities during the experimental procedures.

Circular Renovation of an Apartment Building with Prefabricated Additional Insulation Elements to Nearly Zero Energy Building

Construction and demolition waste constitute more than one-third of the total waste generated in the European Union. The pursuit of sustainable renovation must progress further to encompass elements that ensure reuse or recyclability. A fundamental transformation, involving extensive renovation and a transition to circular renovation practices, is indispensable in effectively addressing the pressing challenge of decarbonization for the entire building stock in Europe. In this study, we have developed a circular deep renovation solution using prefabricated modular external additional insulation elements to achieve a nearly Zero Energy Building (nZEB). Circular prefabricated modular external additional insulation elements were formulated, manufactured, and installed. The potential for disassembly and reutilization of materials was developed and demonstrated for both a prototype and the complete deep renovation. The analysed prefabricated modular solutions exhibited greater potential for circularity compared to the traditional External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) due to their superior demountability and reusability characteristics. The overall cost of the renovation, which included the installation of a new heating system, replacement of water and sewer pipes, addition of 50 kW photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof, installation of new balconies, addition of a balanced ventilation system with heat recovery, and replacement of the electricity system in common areas, amounted to 505 €/m². Following the deep renovation, the Energy Performance Value was measured to be 92 kWh/(m²·a), resulting in an EPC class of A. This implies that the building now meets the requirements for nZEB in accordance with Estonian legislation, with no performance gap.

Boltzmann stacked classification data mining model for the student performance improvement in academic performance

The term “educational data mining” refers to a field of study where information from academic environments is predicted using data mining, machine learning, and statistics. Education is the act of giving or receiving knowledge to or from someone who is formally studying and developing a natural talent. Over time, scholars have used data mining techniques to uncover hidden information in educational statistics and other external elements. This study suggests a unique method for analysing academic student performance that is based on data mining and machine learning. Here, the input is gathered as a dataset of student academic performance and is processed for normalisation and noise reduction. Then, using the Boltzmann deep learning model coupled with linear kernel principal component analysis, this data’s characteristics were retrieved and chosen. Based on weights, information gain, and the Gini index, the characteristics are assessed and optimised. Following the selection of the pertinent data, conditional random field-based probabilistic clustering model is performed using RNN-based training, and the academic performance of the students is then examined using voting classifiers and sparse features. Experimental results are carried out for students academic performance dataset based on subjects in terms of training accuracy, validation accuracy, mean average precision, mean square error and correlation evaluation. Proposed technique attained accuracy of 96%, precision of 95%, Correlation Evaluation of 92% .

New multi-injection commutation topology for circuit breakers of HVDC transmission lines

Power-sharing between countries has an essential effect on increasing the power system’s reliability and allowing a resilient energy market. High voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems are preferable for long-distance transmission to decrease power losses. However, HVDC transmission lines have many protection challenges including the differentiability between various types of HVDC circuit breakers (HVDC-CB). Although mechanical HVDC-CBs suffered from long response time, they superseded their solid-state counterparts in terms of price and power losses. In this paper, a multi-injection commutation system MICS-HVDC-CB is developed to provide economic and fast response HVDC-CB. The proposed breaker doesn’t add external elements to avoid any price increase but instead modifies the existing topology. The MICS consists of multiple L–C commutation circuits inserted sequentially following the receiving of the tripping signal. The proposed MICS-HVDC-CB was tested upon a real transmission line using ATP simulation software. The results emphasize that the developed MICS-HVDC-CB decreased the arcing time to 38.5% and 20% compared to passive and active DC-CBs. The impact of cooling power, arcing time constant, and fault resistance was also investigated. The results showed the effectiveness of the proposed MICS topology in reducing the arcing time while keeping a simple and economic breaker structure.

Collecting and Organizing the Influencing Factors of Team Communications to Handle Nuclear Power Plant Emergencies

A nuclear power plant (NPP), as a complex safety-critical system, requires qualified operators working in teams. Interactions between operators in the main control room (MCR) team are important to ensure safe operation. Since communication is the basis of the operators’ interactions, team communication is a significant factor affecting teamwork performance. Especially during NPP emergencies, poor team communication may lead to incorrect decisions and countermeasures, causing deterioration toward accidents. Moreover, in an emergency situation, emergency response teams are assembled. This multi-team and critical work condition further emphasizes the need for effective and accurate team communication. We collected the factors influencing team communication in NPP emergencies using a literature review combined with text mining. Our method for extracting the influencing factors consists of four steps; then, by applying topic modeling from text mining, we complemented the influencing factors. The resulting list of influencing factors of team communications for handling NPP emergencies is organized into five elements: individual, team, communication, NPP tasks, and external elements. Discussions on the team communication model, applicability, communication errors, and emergency response teams are also presented.

Employee Acceptance of Digital Transformation: A Study in a Smart City Context

The notion of the smart city offers significant benefits to citizens and enterprises alike. To realize these benefits, however, the city’s organizations and working processes need to undergo a digital transformation (DT) which reshapes work practices and demands a new mindset from city employees. The readiness of these employees to accept such a DT has an effect on the extent to which the city’s residents and businesses benefit from being in a smart city context. This raises the question of which factors have the most influence on employees’ acceptance of DT—a question that has thus far received limited attention from researchers. This study introduces a model that examines various influencing factors, using data collected from a survey of 1180 employees in 10 smart cities in Saudi Arabia. The factors examined take a variety of forms, including external elements such as management provision for employees and process complexity, which can lead to resistance to change, as well as internal elements, such as perceived advantages and inertia. The findings of the study show that management support for employees and the perceived advantages of DT have a positive relationship with acceptance by employees, while process complexity and inertia have a negative relationship with employees’ acceptance. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature concerning DT acceptance in a smart city context and will provide organizations with insights on which to base strategies for encouraging employee adaptation to evolving digital landscapes.

Charging and discharging a supercapacitor in molecular simulations.

As the world moves more toward unpredictable renewable energy sources, better energy storage devices are required. Supercapacitors are a promising technology to meet the demand for short-term, high-power energy storage. Clearly, understanding their charging and discharging behaviors is essential to improving the technology. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations provide microscopic insights into the complex interplay between the dynamics of the ions in the electrolyte and the evolution of the charge distributions on the electrodes. Traditional MD simulations of (dis)charging supercapacitors impose a pre-determined evolving voltage difference between the electrodes, using the Constant Potential Method (CPM). Here, we present an alternative method that explicitly simulates the charge flow to and from the electrodes. For a disconnected capacitor, i.e., an open circuit, the charges are allowed to redistribute within each electrode while the sum charges on both electrodes remain constant. We demonstrate, for a model capacitor containing an aqueous salt solution, that this method recovers the charge-potential curve of CPM simulations. The equilibrium voltage fluctuations are related to the differential capacitance. We next simulate a closed circuit by introducing equations of motion for the sum charges, by explicitly accounting for the external circuit element(s). Charging and discharging of the model supercapacitor via a resistance proceed by double exponential processes, supplementing the usual time scale set by the electrolyte dynamics with a novel time scale set by the external circuit. Finally, we propose a simple equivalent circuit that reproduces the main characteristics of this supercapacitor.

The Influence of Internal and External Factors on the Successful Implementation of 5S Work Culture in Vocational Schools

In the sphere of education, 21st-century skills are becoming increasingly important. The ability to integrate 21st-century skill competencies with workplace cultures is another requirement for vocational institutions. Many companies and industries these days are searching for employees with positive work cultures. Consequently, there is a strong and favorable correlation between workplace culture and student achievement. In addition, there is a strong correlation between students' vocational character and the 5R work culture in vocational schools. Hermawan and Nurdin's (2023) research demonstrates that the 5S work culture assessment tool achieved good content validity and reliability (0.793). Research by Balasundaram et al. (2023), applying the 5S technique can improve customer happiness, product quality, and production efficiency. Additional research by Maulidina and Wijarnaka (2023) demonstrates that work willingness is significantly and favorably impacted by the 5-person work culture by 15.90%. These three studies, however, did not examine the variables that affect the 5S work culture's successful adoption in vocational schools. The primary methodology for the research is qualitative methods; two participants complete Google forms with written interviews and observation techniques. Inductive data analysis was used to process the acquired data. The study's findings indicate that there are both internal and external elements that affect how well 5S work cultures are implemented at vocational schools. The internal factors include 1) a Well-organized curriculum; 2) well-behaved students; and 3) workload distribution. External elements, which are as follows: 1) School Persistence; 2) Industry Support; 3) Community and Parent Participation; and 4) Work Culture Integration Into Daily Practices.

Optimization of Village Tourism Development Strategy in Tulungagung: SWOT Approach

Tulungagung Regency is an area in which each village has tourism potential. Mbalong Kawuk, for example, was created as a tourist attraction and family leisure by Village- Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) Sumbermulyo, in collaboration with the administration of Sumberejo Kulon Village. Due to the high level of competition for tourist attractions and family recreation in Tulungagung, the management and village government must be able to devise strategies and innovations in the development of tourist attractions in order to compete for new market spaces where other attractions do not exist. The purpose of this research is to uncover internal and external elements in Mbalong Kawuk and to build tourist development plans in the face of commercial rivalry. The SWOT data analysis approach was applied in the case study. According to the findings of this study, Mbalong Kawuk is in quadrant I, indicating that the market has both strength and potential.
 Keywords: tourism development strategy, BUMDes, SWOT analysis

The Role of Bureaucratic Structure in the Implementation of The Domestic Wastewater Management Policy in Makassar City

This research aims to understand the role of bureaucratic structure in implementing public policy, specifically in domestic wastewater management in Parang Tambung Subdistrict, Tamalate District, Makassar City. The study finds that implementing this policy requires effective coordination among all bureaucratic elements and the involvement of various work units. This research also indicates that the application of Standard Operational Procedures (SOP) and Fragmentation, as Edward C. George III explained, can be effective methods to enhance the success of policy implementation. However, to achieve success in policy implementation, the involvement of all bureaucratic elements and cooperation with external elements is necessary. In conclusion, an effective and efficient bureaucratic structure is crucial for the success of public policy implementation.

Insulation Condition Assessment in Inverter-Fed Motors Using the High-Frequency Common Mode Current: A Case Study

The use of the common mode current for stator winding insulation condition assessment has been extensively studied. Two main approaches have been followed. The first models the electric behavior of ground-wall insulation as an equivalent RC circuit; these methods have been successfully applied to high-voltage high-power machines. The second uses the high frequency of the common mode current which results from the voltage pulses applied by the inverter. This approach has mainly been studied for the case of low-voltage, inverter-fed machines, and has not yet reached the level of maturity of the first. One fact noticed after a literature review is that in most cases, the faults being detected were induced by connecting external elements between winding and stator magnetic core. This paper presents a case study on the use of the high-frequency common mode current to monitor the stator insulation condition. Insulation degradation occurred progressively with the machine operating normally; no exogenous elements were added. Signal processing able to detect the degradation at early stages will be discussed.

Impact of the Saudi Building Code on Residential Construction Costs

The government of Saudi has implemented the Saudi Building Code (SBC) for residential buildings to set standards for their design, construction, and maintenance. However, this may result in unexpected costs that are passed on to the citizens and thus have a certain economic impact. Therefore, this study examined the additional costs imposed on citizens and the economic impact of implementing the SBC on residential buildings. This study surveyed building developers, architects, and citizens to gather data on the costs associated with adhering to the code such as material and labor costs. This study found that the additional costs imposed on citizens and the economic impact of implementing the SBC in residential buildings were relatively small. The potential long-term benefits of the SBC such as energy efficiency savings and reduced environmental impact outweigh the short-term costs. The case that applied the SBC had operating costs that were almost 44% lower. Energy efficiency was increased by the SBC’s contribution to reducing heat transfer through building components and external elements. In order to minimize heat absorption and electricity usage, thermal insulation, double and heat-reflecting glass, and light exterior colors are all recommended. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders in the construction industry because they consider the implementation and enforcement of building codes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Beyond the screen: How affection drives impulsive purchases in livestreaming e-commerce

The present study aims to examine the processes by which various qualities of live-streaming platforms impact customers impulsive buying behavior. The study primarily focuses on the influence of product, shopping environment, and audience involvement on customer behavior. In order to accomplish this objective, a structural equation model was utilized, and a total of 318 survey responses were analyzed to support our theoretical framework and assumptions. The results of our study indicate that individuals who feel increased levels of pleasure and arousal when engaging in live streaming are more prone to engaging in impulsive purchasing behavior. Furthermore, our research reveals that several external elements, like the level of promotional intensity, features of streamers, and the level of activity in live rooms, significantly influence customers' emotional responses. These affective experiences play a vital role as internal processes through which external cues influence consumers' inclinations towards engaging in impulsive buying behavior. The findings of this study have great importance for businesses and live streamers seeking to improve their marketing techniques and cultivate more immersive live shopping experiences. By comprehending the underlying factors that drive consumer impulse purchasing within the live streaming context, enterprises may customize their product offers, enhance the shopping experience, and augment audience interaction in order to optimize their sales potential. The present study offers valuable insights that may guide marketing decisions and tactics within the ever-changing realm of live streaming, therefore facilitating the success of enterprises in this expanding sector.

Faktor Rendahnya Kemampuan Literasi Bahasa Anak PAUD KB Durratul Hikmah

This exploration is expected to describe the internal and external elements apart from the reason for the low language skills in PAUD KB DURRATUL HIKMAH Balantak Area. This exploration is a fascinating test. The test subjects consist of superiors and subordinates. Data collection techniques are equipped with perceptions, interviews. The research results show that 1) the factors causing the low reading ability of teenagers include: a) Understanding of teaching staff and training in relation to the development of school education. b) students. 2) External factors that cause students' low reading ability include: a). the family climate is less stable, especially interest in reading in the family is still low and most parents rarely take their students to the bookstore h. b) less creative experts. c) the child himself. d) the impact of sitting in front of the TV and using a cell phone.

The Influence of Good Corporate Governance, CEO Tenure, and Corporate Financial Performance on Company Value

Firm value is very important in an organization because it is related to the welfare of investors. The higher the company value causes the company to have a superior image and the value of the resources claimed by the company can be an impression of the company's value. But in society, there are phenomena and tendencies of individual behavior in choosing to invest. This study aims to determine the effect of good corporate governance, CEO tenure, and company financial performance on firm value. This type of research is quantitative research. This study uses secondary data from the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The population in this study are transportation sector companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange in 2016-2020, totaling 8 companies. The sampling technique uses a side purposive technique. The dependent variable in this study is firm value as measured by Tobins'q. The independent variables in this study are good corporate governance which is proxied by the audit committee, company secretary, and remuneration committee, CEO tenure, and the company's financial performance which is proxied by ROA. The results of this study indicate that (1) the corporate secretary affects firm value; (2) the audit committee affects firm value; (3) the remuneration committee has an effect on firm value; (4) CEO tenure has an influence on firm value; and (5) ROA affects company value in various industrial sub-sectors listed on the IDX in 2016-2020. The results of this study expect that investors should always pay attention to internal and external elements in organizational valuation, namely the earth, social and financial benefits, which these three things must be balanced.

The impact of urban spatial environment on COVID-19: a case study in Beijing.

Epidemics are dangerous and difficult to prevent and control, especially in urban areas. Clarifying the correlation between the COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency and the urban spatial environment may help improve cities' ability to respond to such public health emergencies. In this study, we firstly analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency by correlating the geographic locations of COVID-19 epidemic-affected neighborhoods in the city of Beijing with the time point of onset. Secondly, we created a geographically weighted regression model combining the COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency with the external spatial environmental elements of the city. Thirdly, different grades of epidemic-affected neighborhoods in the study area were classified according to the clustering analysis results. Finally, the correlation between the COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency and the internal spatial environmental elements of different grades of neighborhoods was investigated using a binomial logistic regression model. The study yielded the following results. (i) Epidemic outbreak frequency was evidently correlated with the urban external spatial environment, among building density, volume ratio, density of commercial facilities, density of service facilities, and density of transportation facilities were positively correlated with COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency, while water and greenery coverage was negatively correlated with it. (ii) The correlation between COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency and the internal spatial environmental elements of neighborhoods of different grades differed. House price and the number of households were positively correlated with the COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency in low-end neighborhoods, while the number of households was positively correlated with the COVID-19 Outbreak Frequency in mid-end neighborhoods. In order to achieve spatial justice, society should strive to address the inequality phenomena of income gaps and residential differentiation, and promote fair distribution of spatial environments.

Rehabilitating instead of rebuilding aged or damaged pre-fabricated concrete buildings for reducing CO2 emissions: the case of Ukraine

Recycling the concrete of old and destroyed buildings and using it to build new buildings is a promising technology for post-war Ukraine, but in many cases, it may be economically and environmentally more justified to rehabilitate such buildings. This article provides an analysis of the state of the housing stock of Ukraine from prefabricated reinforced concrete from the point of view of the possibility of its rehabilitation, mainly based on the forecast of the degree of carbonation of different types of concrete structures in various conditions. Based on the results of this analysis, it can be stated that the service life of internal concrete structures can generally be extended up to 100 years, while external concrete elements after 50 years of operation may already require replacement or repair. A comparative analysis of various reconstruction strategies in Ukraine from the point of view of CO2 emissions is also given. It shows that the rehabilitation of such buildings is the most meaningful strategy.

Influence of the Exposure Degree on the Degradation of Facades of Buildings in Brasília—Brazil

Facades play an important role in building performance and durability since these systems, one of the most external elements, are highly exposed to climatic degradation agents. The degradation process evolves over time, causing anomalies and performance failures, ultimately reducing the building’s service life. When directly influenced by the agents and mechanisms, the expected degradation of the systems that constitute the facade depends on the degree of exposure to the agents and how the degradation mechanisms act under different conditions. Given the relevance of the topic and the need for information on the degradation process of facade elements, this investigation aims to evaluate the relationship between the degradation measured in buildings in Brasília and the exposure degree of the facades, focusing on climatic degradation agents. The facades are evaluated regarding exposure to driving rain and solar radiation and classified into two groups: high exposure and low exposure. The sample degradation was quantified using the Degradation Measurement Method (DMM) and the General Degradation Factor (FGD). This methodology showed both the behavior models for the different exposure groups and allowed us to calculate estimated service life (ESL) values of approximately 26 and 35 years for facades with high and low exposures, respectively. The FGD values are higher for facades with high exposure compared to those with lower exposure. Additionally, North-oriented facades are the most critical, exhibiting the highest degradation levels due to the greater intensity of driving rain and incident solar radiation.

Assessment of sediment transport in Luxiapuqu watershed using RUSLE-TLSD and InSAR techniques: Yarlung Tsangpo River, China.

The Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin is characterized by its intricate topography and a significant presence of erosive materials. These often coincide with heavy localized precipitation, resulting in pronounced hydraulic erosion and geological hazards in mountainous regions. To tackle this challenge, we integrated the RUSLE-TLSD (Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation-Transportation-limited sediment delivery) model with InSAR (Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) data, aiming to explore the sediment transport process and pinpoint hazard-prone sites within mountainous small watershed. The RUSLE-TLSD model aids in evaluating multi-year sediment transport dynamics in mountainous zones. And, the InSAR data precisely delineates changes in sediment scouring and siltation at sites vulnerable to hazards. Our research estimates that the potential average soil erosion within the watershed stands at 52.33 t/(hm2 a), with a net soil erosion of 0.69 t/(hm2 a), the sediment transport pathways manifest within the watershed's gullies and channels. Around 4.32% of the watershed area undergoes sedimentation, predominantly at the base of slopes and within channels. Notably, areas (d) and (e) emerge as the most susceptible to disasters within the watershed. Further analysis of the InSAR data highlighted four regions in the typical area (e) from 2017 that are either sedimentation- or erosion-prone, referred to as "hotspots." Among them, R1 exhibits a strong interplay between water and sediment, rendering it highly sensitive to environmental factors. In contrast, R4, characterized by a sharp bend in siltation, remains relatively impervious to external elements. The NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) stands out as the pivotal determinant influencing sediment transport within the watershed, exerting a pronounced impact on the outlet section, especially in spring. By employing this approach, we gained a deeper understanding of sediment transport mechanisms and potential hazards in small watershed in uninformative mountainous areas. This study furnishes a robust scientific framework beneficial for erosion mitigation and disaster surveillance in mountainous watersheds.