Innovative Perspective Research Articles

Plasmon and N-vacancy synergistically enhanced tubular carbon nitride-based S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst with one stone five birds function: Pathways, DFT calculation and mechanism insight

From the perspectives of innovation and broad-spectrum, tubular carbon nitride-based photocatalyst, viz., Ag/AgI/g-C3N4 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst, with enhancement of nitrogen vacancy and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect is reasonably devised and manufactured via combining hydrothermal, calcination and photo-reduction techniques. The optimal specimen displays high photocatalytic activity in removal of dyes (such as crystalline violet, 100.00 %/60 min), antibiotics (such as levofloxacin, 88.72 %/50 min) and Cr6+ (100.00 %, 30 min), photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (1023.3 μmol h−1 g−1) and H2O2 generation (866.2 μmol h−1 g−1), achieving broad-spectrum natures, viz., realizing the function of “one stone five birds”. The broad-spectrum natures are attributed to the synergisms of nitrogen vacancy, LSPR effect of Ag, hollow tube structure and S-scheme heterojunction, which facilitate the separation and migration of photo-generated carriers and inject “hot electrons” generated by Ag into the conduction band of Ag/AgI/g-C3N4, increase the specific surface area and broaden the spectral response range. Further, the degraded intermediates of crystalline violet and levofloxacin and possible degradation pathways are rationally advanced by the aid of LCMS spectra, and synergistically enhanced photocatalytic mechanism of Ag/AgI/g-C3N4 hollow tube S-scheme heterojunction is confirmed based upon a series of sound experiments, fs-TA spectra, in-situ XPS and DFT calculation, etc.

Advancing equitable value chains for the global hydrogen economy

Hydrogen is a rapidly growing focus for countries seeking to develop green industries, but there are many questions about how the nascent global hydrogen economy will develop, and what this implies for equitable sharing of benefits and burdens between nations. In this perspective we summarize emerging trends in national hydrogen strategies and develop recommendations for researchers and policymakers to center equity in hydrogen development. This will require integrating innovation and development perspectives on international technology transfer, developing more detailed representation of hydrogen trade in systems models, building equity considerations into national and international planning processes, and establishing robust technology transfer efforts. Policymakers will also need to grapple with the difficulties of verifying life cycle emissions of hydrogen if hydrogen trade emerges as a significant trend, potentially requiring new methods of emissions accounting and trade reforms that prioritize international equity.

Ultra-high performance concrete with high strength, workability, loading durability and low curing maintenance for applications in airport pavement

With the rapid development of the aviation industry, airport pavement is subjected to ever-increasing loads, posing urgent and higher demands on the mechanical performance and durability of pavement materials. This study develops a novel Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) with outstanding mechanical properties, good workability, low curing maintenance, and excellent performance in sustaining long-term load to specially designed for its potential application in airport pavement. The as-developed UHPC contains a mixed portion of fine and coarse aggregate, assuring its workability and avoiding the early-age shrinkage crack for the potential on-site construction. With a 7-day compressive strength of 140MPa, compressive strength of 155.1MPa, flexural strength of 25.4MPa at 28 days, and a wear loss per unit area of 0.043kg/m2, the mechanical properties of UHPC well outperform those of conventional C30 airport pavement concrete. Finite element simulation analysis reveals that a 10cm thick UHPC surface layer demonstrates durability and safety under aircraft taxiing and landing impact loads, with a maximum tensile stress of 4.12MPa well below its tensile strength limit of 8.75MPa. Furthermore, it is predicted that a 10cm thick UHPC overlay could support a load cycle lifespan 1014 times longer than that of conventional C30 concrete of 30cm thickness, indicating its potential to significantly extend the service life of airport pavement. This research provides a theoretical basis for the applications of UHPC in airport pavement and presents innovative perspectives on into material and structural design of airport pavement materials for the future.

Effect of technology multiplier: A framework for analysis of innovation perspectives on production segment allocation

In the realm of production systems, determining the optimal segment allocation remains a central concern. While several existing models address this issue, a significant gap remains as many overlook the critical role of innovation and lack a holistic perspective. This paper presents a model that emphasizes innovation capabilities and introduces the concept of a “Technology Multiplier” underscoring the compounding influence of technology and innovation on production segment allocation decisions. Within this work, we focus on preliminary studies to establish the “Technology Multiplier” concept employing an Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) with sensitivity analysis. The validity of our approach is demonstrated through four case studies from three industries, illustrating the relevance of our elaborated metrics for the concept of “Technology Multipliers”. In particular, a leading automotive company uses our findings to reach a more appropriate strategic decision aligned with innovation and production growth, compared to its previous decisions. These results not only demonstrate a robust fit with our proposed metrics but also indicate that our framework lays the foundation for further research on the “Technology Multiplier”, enriching the decision-making process for production segment allocation.

Strategic Innovation: Integrating System Dynamics into Management Control

This article explores the concept of strategic innovation, with a focus on its integration with system dynamics in the field of management control. By examining the synergies between these two domains, the article proposes innovative perspectives to enhance decision-making processes and overall business management. The authors highlight the benefits of adopting a systemic approach in management control, emphasizing how it can foster a deeper understanding of complex interactions within organizations. Practical case studies illustrate how this integration can lead to significant innovations, providing managers with valuable tools to navigate in an ever-evolving business environment. Ultimately, the article underscores the strategic importance of merging systems thinking with management control to promote more effective, resilient, and future-oriented business management.

Research on the impact of the digital economy on haze pollution: evidence from prefecture-level cities in China

Lately, the ongoing issue of haze pollution in multiple cities across China has had a profound impact on the residents’ wellbeing and overall health. The urgent necessity to address haze pollution is undeniable. Meanwhile, the rapidly evolving digital economy has sprung up as a pivotal driver for China’s economic growth, providing innovative approach to tackle haze pollution. This research explores the impact of the digital economy on haze pollution through utilizing the big data pilot zone as a quasi-natural experiment. Panel data from 280 prefecture-level cities in China is adopted, covering the period from 2011 through 2020. This analysis incorporates various models, namely, difference-in-differences model (DID), mediation effect model, and difference-in-differences spatial Durbin model. The findings highlight the substantial contributions of digital economy in alleviating haze pollution. Furthermore, these findings hold true even after a series of rigorous robustness checks. The constraint influence of the digital economy on haze pollution is particularly prominent in metropolitan areas, cities with elevated administrative levels, primary environmental protection cities, as well as economically developed cities. Financial development and technological innovation serve as important mechanisms through which the digital economy suppresses haze pollution. After accounting for spatial factors, the digital economy exhibits consequential spillover effects, leading to substantial inhibition of haze pollution in surrounding cities as well as locally. The novel aspects of this paper are as follows: Firstly, it regards the establishment of big data experimental zones as the exogenous policy shock of digital economy and employs a multi period DID model to evaluate the impact of the digital economy on haze pollution. Secondly, it explores the transmission pathways through which the digital economy affects haze pollution from the perspectives of financial development and technological innovation. Thirdly, it investigates the heterogeneous characteristics of the impact of the digital economy on haze pollution. Fourthly, it examines the spatial spillover effects of the digital economy on haze pollution from the perspective of spatial econometrics.

2D/2D Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks/Covalent Organic Frameworks S-scheme Heterojunctions for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) demonstrate significant potential for application in photocatalysis. However, the low efficiency of electron-hole separation and limited stability inhibit their practical utilization in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting. Herein, the novel dual-pyrene-base supramolecular HOF/COF 2D/2D S-scheme heterojunction between HOF-H4TBAPy (Py-HOF, H4TBAPy represents the 1,3,6,8-tetrakis (p-benzoic acid) pyrene) and Py-COF was successfully established using a rapid self-assembly solution dispersion method. Experimental and theoretical investigations confirm that the size-matching of two crystalline porous materials enables the integrated heterostructure material with abundant surface reaction sites, strong interaction, and an enhanced S-scheme built-in electric field, thus significantly improving the efficiency of photogenerated charge carrier separation and stability. Notably, the optimal HOF/COF heterojunction achieves a photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 390.68 mmol g-1 h-1, which is 2.28 times higher than that of pure Py-HOF and 9.24 times higher than that of pure COF. These findings precisely acquire valuable atomic-scale insights into the ingenious design of dual-pyrene-based S-scheme heterojunction. This work presents an innovative perspective for forming supramolecular S-scheme heterojunctions over HOF-based semiconductors, offering a protocol for designing the powerful and strong-coupling S-scheme built-in electric fields for efficient solar energy utilization.

2D/2D Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Frameworks/Covalent Organic Frameworks S‐scheme Heterojunctions for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Hydrogen‐bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) demonstrate significant potential for application in photocatalysis. However, the low efficiency of electron‐hole separation and limited stability inhibit their practical utilization in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution from water splitting. Herein, the novel dual‐pyrene‐base supramolecular HOF/COF 2D/2D S‐scheme heterojunction between HOF‐H4TBAPy (Py‐HOF, H4TBAPy represents the 1,3,6,8‐tetrakis (p‐benzoic acid) pyrene) and Py‐COF was successfully established using a rapid self‐assembly solution dispersion method. Experimental and theoretical investigations confirm that the size‐matching of two crystalline porous materials enables the integrated heterostructure material with abundant surface reaction sites, strong interaction, and an enhanced S‐scheme built‐in electric field, thus significantly improving the efficiency of photogenerated charge carrier separation and stability. Notably, the optimal HOF/COF heterojunction achieves a photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of 390.68 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 2.28 times higher than that of pure Py‐HOF and 9.24 times higher than that of pure COF. These findings precisely acquire valuable atomic‐scale insights into the ingenious design of dual‐pyrene‐based S‐scheme heterojunction. This work presents an innovative perspective for forming supramolecular S‐scheme heterojunctions over HOF‐based semiconductors, offering a protocol for designing the powerful and strong‐coupling S‐scheme built‐in electric fields for efficient solar energy utilization.

Potential, economic and ecological benefits of sweet sorghum bio-industry in China

BackgroundSweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) displays an excellent potential to serve as a non-food bioenergy feedstock for bioethanol production in China due to its high potential yield on marginal lands. However, few studies have been conducted on the potential of sweet sorghum yield and appropriate industrial models in different marginal regions in China. This study explored the spatial distribution of potential sweet sorghum production using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) model and proposed three typical industrial models of sweet sorghum industry to calculate their economic and ecological benefits.ResultsThe results indicate that considering the factors of land use, annual precipitation, soil salinity, soil pH, and accumulated temperature, approximately 32.23 million ha of marginal land are suitable for sweet sorghum cultivation in China, and 130 million tonnes (t) of ethanol can be produced. Further, the development of the sweet sorghum industry under the three models can generate 1425.49 billion CNY potential, approximately accounting for 3.57% of industrial added value in China if measured against 2023 levels, and reduce CO2 emissions by 4.68 million t.ConclusionsThis study provides an innovative perspective for the multi-industry large-scale promotion of sweet sorghum in different marginal lands based on the high spatial resolution Geographic Information System (GIS) data by the DSSAT model with a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method, and this applies not only to China but also to the worldwide and other types of energy plants.

Preparing pre-service teachers for Generation Alpha: A social innovation perspective

Background: This era of exponential technological advancements makes us profoundly aware of the role that education must play to ensure that ‘humankind’ is not only able to live but thrive in a world challenged by environmental and social issues. Many of our pre-service teachers are digital natives. However, they will have to be taught to become digital integrators in a learning space where technological innovation aligns with social innovation. This calls for teacher education institutions to critically analyse their curriculum design.Aim: This study aims to investigate the extent to which pre-service teachers are prepared to teach Generation Alpha and it also highlights the imperatives for reimagining teacher education curricula for future generations within the context of social innovation.Setting: This study is conducted on fourth-year Bachelor of Education students who attend a private higher education institution and teacher educators based in teacher education institutions in Gauteng, South Africa.Methods: A qualitative case study research strategy is used in this study. Data were collected through focus group interviews and individual interviews. The raw data were analysed through content analysis.Results: The key findings of this study indicate that fourth-year BEd students believe that they are not adequately prepared to teach Generation Alpha learners within the context of social innovation. This belief is validated by teacher educators.Conclusion: Pre-service teachers must be competent in technological innovation, social innovation and global citizenship to enable them to produce learners who are socially, and ethically responsible, as well as emotionally intelligent innovators, leaders and communicators.Contribution: To mobilise and expedite these competencies, teacher education institutions must redesign their pedagogical models and teacher education curricula to align with the educational needs of the future generations.

Innovative Perspectives on Ecological Assessment in the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Inner Mongolia: An Integrated Evaluation and Forecast of Landscape and Ecological Risks and Drivers

The agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, one of China’s most ecologically vulnerable regions, requires careful evaluation and prediction of landscape ecological risks to improve its environment and support sustainable development. Our study built a model to assess the landscape ecological risks from 1990 to 2020 using land use data from Google Earth Engine. We examined the changes in landscape ecological risks and their driving factors through spatial autocorrelation analysis and geographic detectors. Future ecological risks from 2025 to 2040 were predicted using the multi-criteria evaluation-cellular automata-Markov model. Results revealed a declining trend in both disturbance and loss intensity across land use types, with the overall ecological risk index also decreasing. Higher risk areas were concentrated in the east and southwest, while lower risks were observed in the north and center. Temperature and precipitation are key natural factors, while the impact of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a human factor, on ecological risk is increasing and surpassed natural influences in 2015 and 2020. In the future, the highest risk areas will remain in the southwest and northeast. This study provides detailed evidence and guidance for ecological safety and sustainable development in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia.

Rigid propagation of visual motion in the insect’s neural system

In the pursuit of developing an efficient artificial visual system for visual motion detection, researchers find inspiration from the visual motion-sensitive neural pathways in the insect’s neural system. Although multiple proposed neural computational models exhibit significant performance aligned with those observed from insects, the mathematical basis for how these models characterize the sensitivity of visual neurons to corresponding motion patterns remains to be elucidated. To fill this research gap, this study originally proposed that the rigid propagation of visual motion is an essential mathematical property of the models for the insect’s visual neural system, meaning that the dynamics of the model output remain consistent with the visual motion dynamics reflected in the input. To verify this property, this study uses the small target motion detector (STMD) neural pathway — one of the visual motion-sensitive pathways in the insect’s neural system — as an exemplar, rigorously demonstrating that the dynamics of translational visual motion are rigidly propagated through the encoding of retinal measurements in STMD computational models. Numerical experiment results further substantiate the proposed property of STMD models. This study offers a novel theoretical framework for exploring the nature of the visual motion perception underlying the insect’s visual neural system and brings an innovative perspective to the broader research field of insect visual motion perception and artificial visual systems.

A Narrative Review of Congenital Syphilis in the United States: Innovative Perspectives on a Complex Public Health and Medical Disease.

Over the past two decades, congenital syphilis cases have risen 11-fold in the United States. While disparities across geography, race, and ethnicity exist, lack of timely screening or treatment is identified in 88% of cases nationally. Congenital syphilis is a public health and medical problem rooted in systematic and societal structural determinants of health and healthcare limitations. Early syphilis in pregnancy leads to congenital syphilis if untreated in 50 - 70% of cases, with risk for fetal demise, and among survivors, congenital anomalies, organ damage, and central nervous system disease. Prevention of congenital syphilis lies in early detection and treatment in pregnant persons. In this narrative review, we describe the evolving epidemiology of syphilis and congenital syphilis, highlighting unique aspects among women. We explore the role of novel screening and treatment strategies, public health policy, and medical considerations in terms of congenital syphilis prevention. Readers of this review will understand CS as a complex public health and medical disease that can be prevented through innovative and coordinated strategies in public health policy, expanded screening and research opportunities.

Innovative perspectives on bacteriocins: advances in classification, synthesis, mode of action, and food industry applications.

Bacteriocins, natural antimicrobial peptides produced by bacteria, present eco-friendly, non-toxic, and cost-effective alternatives to traditional chemical antimicrobial agents in the food industry. This review provides a comprehensive update on the classification of bacteriocins in food preservation. It highlights the significant industrial potential of pediocin-like and two-peptide bacteriocins, emphasizing chemical synthesis methods like Fmoc-SPPS to meet the demand for bioactive bacteriocins. The review details the mode of action, focusing on mechanisms such as transmembrane potential disruption and pH-dependent effects. Furthermore, it addresses the limitations of bacteriocins in food preservation and explores the potential of nanotechnology-based encapsulation to enhance their antimicrobial efficacy. The benefits of nanoencapsulation, including improved stability, extended antimicrobial spectrum, and enhanced functionality, are underscored. This understanding is crucial for advancing the application of bacteriocins to ensure food safety and quality.

Plant-Based Functional foods: Innovation and future perspectives

Plant-Based Functional foods: Innovation and future perspectives

Setting priorities for police operations by using a multicriteria decision approach with partial information

Abstract The paper presents a real-world decision-making problem in the context of the Brazilian Federal Police (BFP), which consists of establishing priorities for Police Operations. This study deals with allocating resources to trigger police operations that, while demanding more resources and specialized techniques, also promote the effectiveness of police actions more conspicuously and directly. Driven by the Value Focused Thinking methodology, the objectives and values of the Federal Police were structured and represented by criteria, which let police operations be evaluated and prioritized. The FITradeoff method was applied to rank the operations, with an innovative methodological perspective, which integrates two different paradigms for preference modelling: elicitation by decomposition and holistic evaluations. A mathematical modelling approach is presented to deal with the combination of both types of information obtained by the Decision Maker (DM), in order to search for dominance relations between alternatives. This study shows how incorporating holistic judgments in the process can be useful for tightening the decision process, since the inequalities obtained with holistic judgments have a high impact on the space of weights compatible with the DM’s preferences. A clear conceptual framework is presented for the analysis, showing how the application of such a combined approach to prioritizing special police operations adds a step to the decision-making processes and policies of the BFP, thereby broadening the managerial implications of tackling public security issues by seeking to solve them using management mathematics.

Can Reverse Mixed-Ownership Reform Promote Green Transformation of Private Enterprises?

The private sector greatly influences China's economy, which is crucial for fostering consistent economic growth. This paper takes A-share listed private enterprises (PEs) from 2009 to 2022 as the research object, uses the time-series regime-switching detection method to detect the changepoints of reverse mixed-ownership reform (RMOR) of PEs, and utilizes the staggered difference-in-difference (DID) model to investigate the impact effect and mechanism of the RMOR policy on the green transformation (GT) of PEs. The results show that the RMOR significantly promotes the GT of PEs. Additional mechanism tests reveal that the RMOR will lower the level of internal governance and impede the GT of PEs. However, it will help alleviate the financing constraints of PEs and promote their GT. The results of the moderation analysis reveal that RMOR has a greater impact on the GT of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) compared to large-scale enterprises. At the industry level, RMOR exerts a more significant influence on capital-and technology-intensive industries than on labor-intensive ones. Additionally, RMOR impacts the GT of PEs in regions with lower government regulatory intensity more than in regions with higher regulatory intensity. The study's findings provide new empirical insights, decision-making tools, and innovative perspectives for the GT of PEs.

SWOT Analysis and Strategy Research on the Impact of Green Trade Barriers on the Export of Wuyi Mountain Rock Tea

In the realm of globalization, green trade barriers have emerged as significant obstacles to the international export of Wuyi mountain rock tea from China. The progressively rigorous green trade barriers enacted by various nations, alongside challenges such as pesticide residues detected in Chinese Wuyi rock tea, have contributed to a notable increase in Wu yi mountain rock teas production expenses, thereby undermining its competitiveness in the global marketplace. This study employs a SWOT analysis framework to thoroughly assess the positioning of Wuyi tea exports, with the objective of formulating strategies to navigate green trade barriers and bolster global competitiveness. To accomplish this, the paper will initially address the current developmental status of Wuyi rock tea, followed by an examination of the eco-trade barriers instituted by key importing nations. Furthermore, through the calculation of competitive trade indices, it will investigate the waning competitiveness of Wuyi mountain rock tea as a result of these barriers. Lastly, potential solutions for overcoming the eco-trade challenges will be proposed by using the SWOT analysis methodology. As a result, the paper will offer innovative perspectives for the export advancement of Wuyi mountain rock tea.

An Innovative Perspective on Bipolar Fuzzy Fantastic Ideals in BCK/BCI-Algebras

In this paper, we propose the concept of $(\in, \in \vee (\varphi^{\divideontimes}, \check{q_{\varphi}}))$-bipolar fuzzy ideals in BCK/BCI-algebras. We show that an $(\in, \in \vee \check{q_{\varphi}})$-bipolar fuzzy ideal is an $(\in, \in \vee (\varphi^{\divideontimes}, \check{q_{\varphi}}))$-bipolar fuzzy ideal. For a BCK/BCI-algebra, it has been shown that an $(\in, \in \vee (\varphi^{\divideontimes}, \check{q_{\varphi}})$-bipolar fuzzy ideal is an $(\in, \in \vee \check{q})$-bipolar fuzzy ideal of $\check{\aleph}$, but not conversely, and then an example is given. We introduce the concept of $(\in, \in \vee (\varphi^{\divideontimes}, \check{q_{\varphi}}))$-bipolar fuzzy fantastic ideals in BCK/BCI-algebras. It has been shown that an $(\in, \in \vee (\varphi^{\divideontimes}, \check{q_{\varphi}}))$-bipolar fuzzy fantastic ideal is an $(\in, \in)$-bipolar fuzzy ideal in BCK/BCI-algebras. Furthermore, the connection between $(\in, \in \vee (\varphi^{\divideontimes}, \check{q_{\varphi}}))$-bipolar fuzzy fantastic ideals and fantastic ideals are established.

Evaluation and characterization of rubber powder distribution on the ductility of rubber asphalt from the mesoscopic view

To investigate the effects of rubber powder’s distribution on the ductility of RA, the force-ductility test (FDT) was conducted with rubber contents of 15, 20, 25, and 30 wt%, and the results demonstrated that the dense rubber powder in RA will reduce its ductility. The microscopic tests discovered that the rubber powder distribution significantly impacted the mechanical performance of RA. Subsequently, based on the Monte Carlo method and Python, models of RA were established, and FDT was simulated from the mesoscopic view. The findings demonstrated that the dense distribution of rubber powder led to poor ductility of RA. Consequentially, this study offered an innovative mesoscopic perspective of studying RA, particularly the multiple impacts of rubber powder distribution on RA.