Standard Path Research Articles

The Use and influence of Learning Analytics in Higher Educational Institutions: A Mediation Model of Student Attainment between Student Retention and Student Employability.

Purpose: The goals of this article are to (1) identify factors influencing Learning Analytics in Bengaluru HEIs and (2) examine the mediating role of Student Attainment in the relationship between Student Retention and Student Employability in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Design/methodology/approach – This research assembles and synthesizes data on the application of learning analytics. Learning analytics is the subject of empirical studies, including Public and private higher education institutions in Bengaluru were each sent one of 485 questionnaires. In total, 450 Chancellery, Dean, HOD, and Directors participated and completed the survey. Thirteen questionnaires were eliminated from the analysis because of missing data or outliers discovered during the data screening process. We could sift through 437 surveys, making up the final sample. The study runs SEM analysis using the maximum likelihood method to test the causal relationship between learning analytics factors. The impact of retention as the independent variable (exogenous) on student employability as the dependent variable (endogenous) was tested along with attainment as a mediator between these two variables. Findings: Evidence demonstrates how learning analytics may assist educational institutions in making better use of data for decision-making. The findings revealed that retention significantly indirectly affects Employability through Attainment. Attainment is significantly mediating between Retention and Employability. Since both standardized direct and indirect paths have a p-value below 0.05, thus, it is confirmed that attainment partially mediates the relationship between Retention and Employability of the students. Originality/value: The current study has explored retention, attainment, and employability as the critical factors that must be considered before applying Learning Analytics in Higher Educational Institutions. The research results confirmed that students' employability is significantly influenced by retention and attainment. Educational institutions and academics, particularly those working in open and distance settings, should use the study's findings to stay abreast of this developing subject and provide the groundwork for further research.

Litter and Root Removal Modulates Soil Organic Carbon and Labile Carbon Dynamics in Larch Plantation Ecosystems

Plant detritus plays a crucial role in regulating belowground biogeochemical processes in forest ecosystems, particularly influencing labile carbon (C) dynamics and overall soil C storage. However, the specific mechanisms by which litter and roots affect soil organic carbon (SOC) and its components in plantations remain insufficiently understood. To investigate this, we conducted a detritus input and removal treatment (DIRT) experiment in a Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr plantation in the Taiyue Mountains, China, in July 2014. The experiment comprised three treatments: root and litter retention (CK), litter removal (LR), and root and litter removal (RLR). Soil samples were collected from depths of 0–10 cm and 10–20 cm during June, August, and October 2015 to evaluate changes in soil pH, water content (SW), SOC, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), readily oxidizable organic carbon (ROC), and microbial biomass carbon (MBC). The removal of litter and roots significantly increased soil pH (p < 0.05), with pH values being 8.84% and 8.55% higher in the LR and RLR treatments, respectively, compared to CK treatment. SOC levels were significantly reduced by 26.10% and 12.47% in the LR and RLR treatments, respectively (p < 0.05). Similarly, DOC and MBC concentrations decreased following litter and root removal, with DOC content in August being 2.5 times lower than in June. Across all treatments and sampling seasons, SOC content was consistently higher in the 0–10 cm depth, exhibiting increases of 35.15% to 39.44% compared to the 10–20 cm depth (p < 0.001). Significant negative correlations were observed between SOC and the ratios of ROC/SOC, pH, DOC/SOC, and MBC/SOC (R = −0.54 to −0.37; p < 0.05). Path analysis indicated that soil pH had a significant direct negative effect on SOC (p < 0.05), with a standardized path coefficient (β) of −0.36, while ROC had a significant direct positive effect on SOC (β = 0.66, p < 0.05). Additionally, pH indirectly affected SOC by significantly influencing ROC (β = −0.69), thereby impacting SOC indirectly. Random forest analysis also confirmed that the ROC/SOC ratio plays a critical role in SOC regulation. This study reveals the complex interactions between litter and root removal and soil C dynamics in larch plantations, identifying soil pH and ROC as crucial regulator of SOC content. However, the short-term duration and focus on shallow soil depths limit our understanding of long-term impacts and deeper soil C storage. Future research should explore these aspects and consider varying climate conditions to enhance the applicability of our findings. These insights provide a scientific foundation for developing effective forest management strategies and forecasting changes in soil C storage in the context of climate change.

A Network Defense System for Detecting and Preventing Hacking

Many computing systems have recently suffered significantly from hacking and preventing hacking is important in protecting business, sensitive information and every day network communications. Many efforts have been made to provide security assurance by proposing security solutions. However, the gap between hacking incidents and current security solutions is significant. Fortunately, hacking attempts can be addressed if the pre-hacking step, called scanning, is properly investigated and good counter measures are in place. The importance of scanning appears is in providing sophisticated hackers with the necessary information about nominated victims systems which eventually forms their hacking strategies. Therefore, this article proposes a security solution that aims to make scanning difficult by addressing its properties, which makes developing hacking strategies against protected computer networks unpractical. The proposed security solution protects computer networks by dynamically generating a unique protocol to replace the expected standard protocols and changing network paths periodically in order to confuse scanning attempts, as well as to prevent unauthorized scanning and hacking traffic. Key Words: hacking,sensitive information, unauthorized scanning, hacking traffic, network communications

English

English

Correlation analysis of the urban community environment and health promotion among adults aged ≥ 55 years: the mediating role of physical activity

BackgroundPhysical health (PH), including muscle strength, endurance, and the ability to perform daily physical tasks, gradually declines with increasing age, leading to disability and an increased disease burden. Both the urban community environment (UCE) and physical activity (PA) were linked to PH.MethodsA total of 625 participants aged 55 years and older from Haidian and Chaoyang Districts in Beijing, China, were included in the study from September to December 2023.PH was assessed by a combined score of four tests, including BMI, chronic disease, depression and self-rated health.The Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Abbreviated (NEWS-A), Center for Epidemiological Survey-Depression Scale (CES-D), Physical Activity Scale for Elderly (PASE) and Social Support Rate Score (SSRS) were collected. The analysis was carried out with SPSS v.20 and Amos 24, and the results were validated via structural equation modeling (SEM).ResultsThe urban community environment was positively associated with the health level of older adults. Specifically, the standardized path coefficients indicate that the influence of the built environment (0.72–0.88) was greater than that of the social environment (0.43–0.55) and personal attributes (0.22–0.37) on older adults’ health. Physical activity demonstrated both a mediating effect and an indirect effect, highlighting its significant value as a mediating variable.ConclusionsThe urban community environment has a positive impact on promoting the physical health of older adults, with the influence of the built environment being greater than that of the social environment and personal attributes on their physical health. Physical activity acts as a mediator between the urban community environment and the physical health of older adults.

Satisfaction analysis of 5G remote ultrasound robot for diagnostics based on a structural equation model.

With the increasing application of 5G remote ultrasound robots in healthcare, robust methods are in critical demand to assess participant satisfaction and identify its influencing factors. At present, there is limited empirical research on multi-parametric and multidimensional satisfaction evaluation of participants with 5G remote ultrasound robot examination. Previous studies have demonstrated that structural equation modeling (SEM) effectively integrates various statistical techniques to examine the relationships among multiple variables. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the satisfaction of participants with 5G remote ultrasound robot examination and its influencing factors using SEM. Between April and June 2022, 213 participants from Wuhan Automobile Manufacturing Company underwent remote ultrasound examinations using the MGIUS-R3 remote ultrasound robot system. After these examinations, the participants evaluated the performance of the 5G remote ultrasound robot based on their personal experiences and emotional responses. They completed a satisfaction survey using a self-developed questionnaire, which included 19 items across five dimensions: examination efficiency, examination perception, communication perception, value perception, and examination willingness. A SEM was established to assess the satisfaction of participants with the 5G remote ultrasound robot examinations and the influencing factors. A total of 201 valid questionnaires were collected. The overall satisfaction of participants with the 5G remote ultrasound robot examination was 45.43 ± 11.60, with 169 participants (84%) expressing satisfaction. In the path hypothesis relationship test, the dimensions of examination efficiency, examination perception, communication perception, and value perception had positive effects on satisfaction, with standardized path coefficients of 0.168, 0.170, 0.175, and 0.191. Satisfaction had a direct positive effect on examination willingness, with a standardized path coefficient of 0.260. Significant differences were observed across different educational levels in the dimensions of examination perception, communication perception, value perception, and examination willingness. Participants with different body mass indices also showed significant differences in examination perception; all p-values were less than 0.05. In this study, value perception was identified as the most significant factor influencing satisfaction. It could be improved by enhancing participants' understanding of the accuracy and safety of 5G remote ultrasound robot examinations. This enhances satisfaction and the willingness to undergo examinations. Such improvements not only facilitate the widespread adoption of this technology but also promote the development of telemedicine services.

Acceptance of Rubella-Containing Vaccine and Factors Associated with Acceptance among Women of Reproductive Age in China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: To investigate the acceptance and factors influencing acceptance of rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) among women of reproductive age in Guangdong, Henan, Hubei, Liaoning, Shanxi, Sichuan and Zhejiang provinces of China. Methods: Using a stratified sampling method, we selected one urban and one rural community health services center in each of two cities in seven provinces. From these centers, we recruited women 15–49 years of age to complete a questionnaire on their willingness to receive RCV and factors influencing willingness. The survey instrument was adapted from the behavioral and social drivers (BeSD) of vaccination survey tool developed by the World Health Organization. Results: Among 1286 participants, 981 (76.3%) were willing to receive RCV. Awareness of rubella ranged from 12.4% to 70.6%. Willingness to receive RCV differed significantly by region, occupation, vaccination history, and awareness. All latent variables of the structural equation model (SEM) were positively correlated with willingness, and all standardized paths were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Thinking and Feeling had direct positive effects on Social Processes (β = 0.789) and Practical Issues (β = 0.542), thereby indirectly affecting motivation. Conclusions: Women of reproductive age had high willingness to receive the rubella vaccination, but their general awareness of rubella was relatively low. It is necessary to strengthen the health education of women of reproductive age regarding rubella to improve RCV coverage.

Fault Detection on Short-Haul or Highly Dynamic Flights Using Transient Flight Segments

Abstract A machine learning-based approach is presented, which allows to detect persistent engine faults after a single flight. It utilizes transient in-flight measurements and a transient engine model. The time series of the residuals between the measured data and the data resulting from performance synthesis is evaluated using moving windows containing at least one transient segment. A continuous wavelet transformation and a pretrained convolutional neural network are utilized on the residuals for feature extraction. The fault detection is carried out via a one-class support vector machine, trained exclusively on nominal engine operation data. Therefore, the approach requires no a-priory knowledge of the effects of engine faults on the in-flight measurements. Under the assumption of persistent faults, all windows of a single flight, which contain at least one transient segment, are considered in order to improve the reliability of the fault detection. This approach is validated using measured data of a small helicopter engine that replicates the dynamic flight of the corresponding model helicopter on a ground test bed. Consequently, step changes as well as complex variations of the shaft power output are considered. Four standard gas path sensors are considered. The one-class support vector machine is used successfully to detect two types of total pressure sensor anomalies. Assuming a typical number of transient segments for an average short haul flight, it turns out that persistent faults can be detected within one flight with a probability of above 90%.

Structural Equation Modeling of Musculoskeletal Pains, Work–Family Conflict, and Sleep-Related Problems on Well-Being of Food Manufacturing Workers

The objective of this study is to investigate the causal relationships between musculoskeletal pains, work–family conflict, sleep-related problems, and the well-being of food manufacturing workers using structural equation modeling. This study analyzed 523 food manufacturing workers extracted from the Sixth Korea Working Conditions Survey. We formulated six hypotheses based on literature reviews and examined the structural causal relationship between work–family conflict, musculoskeletal pains, sleep-related problems, and well-being. According to the results of structural equation modeling, work–family conflict has a significant impact on musculoskeletal pains (standardized path coefficient of 0.113). Furthermore, both musculoskeletal pains (standardized path coefficient of 0.350) and work–family conflict (standardized path coefficient of 0.212) have been found to affect sleep-related problems. It has also been established that musculoskeletal pains have a direct influence on well-being (standardized path coefficient of 0.115). The association and structural causality between musculoskeletal pain and psychological factors in food manufacturing workers can be used for customized measures to improve the well-being of food manufacturing workers. This study is also meaningful in that musculoskeletal pain and psychological factors should be managed in an integrated manner.

Sustaining the mobile medical units to bring equity in healthcare: a PLS-SEM approach

BackgroundEquitable access to healthcare for rural, tribal, and underprivileged people has been an emerging area of interest for researchers, academicians, and policymakers worldwide. Improving equitable access to healthcare requires innovative interventions. This calls for clarifying which operational model of a service innovation needs to be strengthened to achieve transformative change and bring sustainability to public health interventions. The current study aimed to identify the components of an operational model of mobile medical units (MMUs) as an innovative intervention to provide equitable access to healthcare.MethodsThe study empirically examined the impact of scalability, affordability, replicability (SAR), and immunization performance on the sustainability of MMUs to develop a framework for primary healthcare in the future. Data were collected via a survey answered by 207 healthcare professionals from six states in India. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to empirically determine the interrelationships among various constructs.ResultsThe standardized path coefficients revealed that three factors (SAR) significantly influenced immunization performance as independent variables. Comparing the three hypothesized relationships demonstrates that replicability has the most substantial impact, followed by scalability and affordability. Immunization performance was found to have a significant direct effect on sustainability. For evaluating sustainability, MMUs constitute an essential component and an enabler of a sustainable healthcare system and universal health coverage.ConclusionThis study equips policymakers and public health professionals with the critical components of the MMU operational model leading toward sustainability. The research framework provides reliable grounds for examining the impact of scalability, affordability, and replicability on immunization coverage as the primary public healthcare outcome.

The Chain Mediation Effect of Victimization and Neuroticism on the Association Between Sexual Orientation and Depressive Symptoms: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study.

This study tested whether sexual orientation differences in depressive symptoms were partially explained by the chain mediation effect of neuroticism and victimization. Using the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children from the UK (N = 4647, 36.52% men, 88% White), self-reported neuroticism, sexual orientation, and depressive symptoms were measured at age 13.5, 21, and 22years, respectively. Childhood abuse between birth and age 11years and the individuals' experiences of being bullied at age 17.5years were measured as the components of victimization. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Non-heterosexual individuals reported higher depressive symptoms than heterosexual individuals, with a total effect (standardized path coefficient) of 0.590 and 0.768 for men and women, respectively. This association was partially explained by childhood abuse (indirect effect = 0.043 and 0.046 for men and women, respectively) and neuroticism directly (indirect effect = 0.036 and 0.056 for men and women, respectively). Sexual orientation differences in depressive symptoms were also partially explained by a path through increased risk of experiencing childhood abuse leading to higher levels of neuroticism (indirect effect = 0.004 and 0.009 for men and women, respectively) and by a path through higher levels of neuroticism leading to increased risk of being bullied (indirect effect = 0.004 and 0.002 for men and women, respectively). The findings suggest that while some of the association between sexual orientation and depression might be explained by neuroticism and experiences of victimization measured prospectively, these factors do not account for most of this relationship.

Contributing to sustainable smallholder agriculture through optimizing key agricultural inputs in China

Smallholder agriculture contributes substantially to global food production, yet often does not follow the most sustainable practices. Different agricultural inputs result in variegated and unpredictable economic and environmental outcomes. Here, we developed a generalizable approach to promote multi-objective coordination by optimizing smallholder agricultural inputs, and then applied it in winter wheat-summer maize rotation systems in the North China Plain. We found that smallholder farmers used a large range of agricultural inputs, with maximum and minimum values differing by a factor of 2.4–14. Using a structural equation model, we determined that pesticide, working hours, irrigating water, and chemical N fertilizer were the key inputs influencing food security, economic sustainability, resource sustainability, and environmental sustainability, respectively, with standardized path coefficients of −0.224, −0.436, −0.643, and −0.901. Lastly, we calculated that optimizing agricultural inputs can potentially improve food security, economic sustainability, resource sustainability, and environmental sustainability by 9–27%, 15–61%, 8–20%, and 5–14%, respectively. Our framework provides a generalizable approach for smallholder agriculture-dominated areas to achieve multi-objective sustainability.

A Volunteer Passion: A Qualitative Look at How We Measure and Reward the Work of Medical Educators.

Background Medical educators face many challenges, including the absence of defined roles, lack of standard career paths, and limited support in systems that generally prioritize research and clinical productivity over educational activities. Providers also teach to widely varying degrees. This study was designed to specifically examine the professional rewards and obstacles experienced by physicians who have dedicated significant energy and career focus to medical education. Methodology A phenomenological approach was used in this qualitative study.Purposeful sampling was utilized to identify medical educators from different institutions and geographical areas. Participants were categorized by gender and career stage. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to develop themes across items and participants. Results Twenty-two medical educators were interviewed (11 males, 11 females), with an average age of 51 (range: 38-72) years. The average time from completion of training was 18 years (range: <1 to 41 years). Two main themes were constructed, which related to medical educators' career motivations and challenges: (1) Joy and purpose (subthemes: Interaction with learners, Impact, and Innovation) and (2) Everyone teaches(subthemes: Lack of recognition, Lack of reward, Malalignment of metrics) Conclusions The greatest source of motivation and satisfaction for medical educators is linked to the work itself; in addition to interactions with learners, educators derive pleasure from the innovation, collaboration, and systems thinking involved in their work. Importantly, participants also experience dissatisfaction, primarily due to a lack of recognition and reward, and metrics that do not consistently demonstrate their achievements.Participants provided examples of metrics that more accurately reflected the work of education; they identified clear benefits of academic promotion; and they highlighted significant challenges in the promotional system. The implementation of appropriate systems of measurement and reward is needed to better support the work of medical educators. Our aim should benot only to increase opportunities for satisfaction but also to reduce factors that cause frustration and limit advancement.

A novel affordable user interface for robotic surgery training: design, development and usability study.

The use of robotic systems in the surgical domain has become groundbreaking for patients and surgeons in the last decades. While the annual number of robotic surgical procedures continues to increase rapidly, it is essential to provide the surgeon with innovative training courses along with the standard specialization path. To this end, simulators play a fundamental role. Currently, the high cost of the leading VR simulators limits their accessibility to educational institutions. The challenge lies in balancing high-fidelity simulation with cost-effectiveness; however, few cost-effective options exist for robotic surgery training. This paper proposes the design, development and user-centered usability study of an affordable user interface to control a surgical robot simulator. It consists of a cart equipped with two haptic interfaces, a VR visor and two pedals. The simulations were created using Unity, which offers versatility for expanding the simulator to more complex scenes. An intuitive teleoperation control of the simulated robotic instruments is achieved through a high-level control strategy. Its affordability and resemblance to real surgeon consoles make it ideal for implementing robotic surgery training programs in medical schools, enhancing accessibility to a broader audience. This is demonstrated by the results of an usability study involving expert surgeons who use surgical robots regularly, expert surgeons without robotic surgery experience, and a control group. The results of the study, which was based on a traditional Peg-board exercise and Camera Control task, demonstrate the simulator's high usability and intuitive control across diverse user groups, including those with limited experience. This offers evidence that this affordable system is a promising solution for expanding robotic surgery training.

Mechanistic insight into enhanced methyl orange degradation by Raoultella planticola/MoS2 biohybrid: Implication for electron transfer and microbial metabolism

The biodecolorization of traditional azo dyes is typically hindered by low electron transfer rate, a challenge that can be addressed by incorporating nanoparticles with redox properties to establish a stable biohybrid system. Here, a surface precipitated R. planticola/MoS2 biohybrid characterized by excellent biocompatibility was developed. The findings revealed that hybrid molybdic sulfide (MoS2) at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 0.7 mM facilitated the biodecolorization of methyl orange (MO), with the R. planticola/MoS2(0.5mM) exhibiting the highest decolorization efficiency. The levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the R. planticola/MoS2 biohybrid increased by 92.08%, 42.61%, respectively, indicating a significant enhancement in microbial metabolic activity. Moreover, the electron transfer system activity (ETSA) of the biohybrid increased by 85.89%, accompanied by a decrease in charge transfer resistance, while MoS2 may involved in and contributed to a notable improvement in the electron transfer capability of the system. Structural equation modeling analysis showed a significant correlation between the R.planticola/MoS2 with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and antioxidant stress capacity, with standardized path coefficients of 0.837 and 0.999, respectively, indicating enhanced environmental adaptability of R. planticola. Even after 4 cycles of decolorization, the efficiency remained above 90%, demonstrating good stability. This study comprehensively elucidated the synergistic promotion mechanism of the R. planticola/MoS2 in enhancing MO biodegradation through enhancements in microbial metabolic activity and electron transfer capacity. The findings present a novel strategy for accelerating the biodecolorization of azo dyes and deepening the understanding of the interactions between nanomaterials and microorganisms.

Structural equation model analysis of the effect of visceral fat on osteoporosis

BackgroundOsteoporosis is a considerable public health challenge in Moyu County, Xinjiang. Here, we evaluated the influencing factors of osteoporosis in this region.MethodsWe recruited 7,761 participants and randomized them into normal and osteoporotic populations based on T-score. The effects of general conditions, body composition, calcium sources and exercise, respiratory exposure, and daily diet on osteoporosis were analyzed. Furthermore, a structural equation model was constructed to uncover the direct and indirect influencing factors of osteoporosis.ResultsAmong the participants, 1,803 (23.23%) had normal bone mass while 1,496 (19.28%) had osteoporosis. The univariate analysis showed significant differences in the general conditions, body composition, calcium sources and exercise, respiratory exposure, and daily diet. Stratification based on age (45 years) and body mass index (BMI) (18.5 kg/m2) showed variations in the body composition between the two groups; however, the visceral fat differed significantly. Logistic regression analysis affirmed the association of visceral fat index as it was included in all equations, except for age and female menopause. The structural equation exhibited that the general conditions, body composition, and, calcium sources, and exercise were direct factors of osteoporosis, while respiratory exposure and daily diet were indirect factors. The standardized path coefficient was highest in general conditions, followed by body composition, and lastly, calcium sources and exercise.ConclusionObesity, besides age and female menopause, is also an influencing factor of osteoporosis. The visceral fat index plays a vital role in osteoporosis. Our findings may provide experimental evidence for early prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

TraM‐NeRF: Tracing Mirror and Near‐Perfect Specular Reflections Through Neural Radiance Fields

AbstractImplicit representations like neural radiance fields (NeRF) showed impressive results for photorealistic rendering of complex scenes with fine details. However, ideal or near‐perfectly specular reflecting objects such as mirrors, which are often encountered in various indoor scenes, impose ambiguities and inconsistencies in the representation of the re‐constructed scene leading to severe artifacts in the synthesized renderings. In this paper, we present a novel reflection tracing method tailored for the involved volume rendering within NeRF that takes these mirror‐like objects into account while avoiding the cost of straightforward but expensive extensions through standard path tracing. By explicitly modelling the reflection behaviour using physically plausible materials and estimating the reflected radiance with Monte‐Carlo methods within the volume rendering formulation, we derive efficient strategies for importance sampling and the transmittance computation along rays from only few samples. We show that our novel method enables the training of consistent representations of such challenging scenes and achieves superior results in comparison to previous state‐of‐the‐art approaches.

A cluster-randomized controlled trial of a teacher-coaching intervention: a pilot study aimed at supporting classroom climate and student development

ABSTRACT This pilot study examined the utility of a practice-based coaching (PBC) intervention in Swedish elementary schools designed to support the classroom climate and benefit students. The intervention involved activities, self-assessment, observation, and coaching to the teachers, with the aim of improving the classroom climate and students’ self-concept, prosocial behavior, well-being, and academic achievement. The design was a cluster randomized trial with the school as the assignment unit. Participants in the intervention were 66 students in four classes, and in the control, four classes with 77 students. The duration of the intervention was five months. An autoregressive structural equation model was estimated. The correlations between the latent variables at pre-test ranged from low to high. There were significant standardized path coefficients concerning all the latent variables pre- and post-test. The estimates of the intervention at the post-test were non-significant. The results suggested a longer duration of the intervention with more frequent coaching sessions, which may enhance its effect.

Influencing Factors of Urban Public Flood Emergency Evacuation Decision Behavior Based on Protection Motivation Theory: An Example from Jiaozuo City, China

Public flood emergency evacuation is an important way to reduce casualties during a flood disaster. In this study, the influencing factors of urban public flood emergency evacuation decision behavior were studied using the protection motivation theory. The measurement index system of influencing factors of urban public flood emergency evacuation decision behavior was constructed from five dimensions (perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self-efficacy, response efficiency, and response cost) based on the protection motivation theory. The impacts of key influencing factors on flood emergency evacuation decision behavior were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that (1) the susceptibility assessment and severity assessment of the public in threat appraisal had positive impacts on the process of flood emergency evacuation decision behavior. The direct effects of susceptibility assessment and severity assessment of the public on flood emergency evacuation decision behavior were 0.27 and 0.23, respectively. (2) The self-efficacy assessment and response efficiency assessment in coping appraisal also had positive impacts on the flood emergency evacuation decision behavior; the response efficiency had the greatest impact on the flood emergency evacuation decision behavior, and the standard path coefficients from response efficiency assessment and self-efficacy assessment to flood emergency evacuation decision behavior were 0.37 and 0.17, respectively. (3) The response cost assessment in coping appraisal had negative impacts on the flood emergency evacuation decision behavior, and its standard coefficient was −0.18. Finally, some strategies were proposed to improve the urban public flood emergency evacuation capacity based on this study.

Residual plastic film decreases crop yield and water use efficiency through direct negative effects on soil physicochemical properties and root growth

Film mulching has been extensively used to improve agricultural production in arid regions of China. However, without sufficient mulch film recovery, large amounts of residual film accumulated in the farmland, which would affect crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE). In order to comprehensively analyze the effects of residual film on crop yield and WUE, and clarify its influencing mechanism, present study adopted a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate the impacts of residual film on soil physicochemical properties, crop root growth, yield, and WUE. The results showed that residual film significantly increased soil bulk density and the soil moisture content in 0–20 cm soil layer, but decreased soil porosity, soil organic matter, soil total nitrogen content, and soil moisture content in >20 cm soil layer, especially when residual film amount was >400 kg ha−1. Residual film significantly reduced crop root dry weight, root length, root diameter, root volume and root surface area. Generally, crop yield and WUE decreased with the increase of residual film amount; and crop yield was reduced by about 14.00 % when the residual film amount increased by 1000 kg ha−1. In average, crop yield and WUE under film residual condition were significantly decreased by 13.46 % and 9.21 %, respectively. The negative effects of residual film on root growth, yield and WUE were greater for cash crops (cotton, tomato and potato) than for cereal crops (wheat, maize). The structural equation model indicated that residual film generated indirect negative effects on crop yield and WUE by directly affecting soil physicochemical properties and crop root growth, with the standard path coefficients of −0.302 and − 0.217, respectively. The results would provide a theoretical basis for reducing residual film pollution on farmland and promoting the green and sustainable development of agriculture.