Structural Relationships Research Articles

Analysis of the structural relationship emotional regulation, academic procrastination, and academic burnout

<span lang="EN-US">Academic burnout (AB) is a problem that many students are currently facing since the online learning policy was implemented. This research aims to analyze the structural relationship between emotional regulation (ER), academic procrastination (AP), and student AB. This research used ex post facto causal relationship explanatory design. The research subjects were 417 high school students in East Java. The sampling was cluster random sampling technique. The data analysis technique used the Rasch model and structural equation modelling (SEM). The results showed that there was a significant relationship between ER and AP and AB. The implication of findings on the school guidance and counselling program is that the counsellors must pay attention to the factors that contribute to student AB so that counselling services can be designed to prevent student AB.</span>

Spherical Fe3O4 morphology modulation for enhancing infrared emissivity and radiant heat dissipation

Radiant heat dissipation has emerged as a critical technique for effective thermal management, offering energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability to various shapes while promoting environmental sustainability. However, the intricate relationship between material structures and emissivity remains inadequately understood. This study primarily utilizes a straightforward and economical solvothermal method to regulate the synthesis of Fe3O4 ferrite, exploring its structural relationship with infrared radiation performance. By adjusting the solvent ratio of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol in the solvothermal system, we successfully synthesized uniformly dispersed Fe3O4 nanospheres ranging from 10 to 800 nm. Notably, our research revealed a positive correlation between infrared emissivity and the particle size. Submicron hollow spheres with a size of 800 nm exhibit an exceptionally high emissivity of 0.992 within the 8∼13 μm wavelength range. Morphological and size variations induced alterations in lattice strain, oxygen vacancies, and phonon lifetimes, which consequently influencing the lattice vibration absorption and infrared emissivity. Moreover, the device surface with a composite coating formed by combining 15wt% Fe3O4 particles with organic matter, achieves a temperature difference of 17.6 °C under a 4 W input power condition compared to blank device. This finding contributes to further revealing the process of material radiative heat dissipation, driving the application of high-emissivity materials for heat dissipation in high-power electronic devices.

Ways of interdisciplinary approaches to advocating for nursing home residents with dementia.

To explore how nursing home staff advocate for residents with dementia. Phenomenographic qualitative research. Twenty nursing home staff from four disciplines (six nurses, four physical therapists, five social workers and five care workers) were purposively recruited from three different nursing homes. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted from February 2023 to March 2023, and the analysis followed the sequential steps of phenomenographic analysis. The analysis identified five categories of description: focusing on what happened, finding the gaps in perspectives, how to bridge for finding a common perspective, how to tailor care such that each resident receives equitable care and how to establish interdisciplinary sharing for a consistent advocative pattern. Their structural relationship was also identified as an outcome space. The cyclical advocacy structure illustrated that nursing home staff engage in an ongoing process of advocacy during conflict situations as part of interdisciplinary care, emphasizing continuity of care rather than separate occurrences of care. This study revealed that, in advocating for residents with dementia, nursing home staff adopted an approach that fosters consistent care and proactive prevention, achieved through the formation of shared knowledge applicable uniformly across similar situations. This study contributes significantly to the continuing education or training of interdisciplinary staff in nursing homes. The revelations of the study hold significance not only for the practical application but also for the theoretical advancement of concepts related to safeguarding the dignity, human rights and personhood of residents with dementia, with the ultimate goal of enhancing their quality of life within nursing homes. Reporting complied with the COREQ criteria for qualitative research. Nursing home directors have contributed to the validation of data analysis and interpretation.

Transforming customer engagement with artificial intelligence E-marketing: an E-retailer perspective in the era of retail 4.0

PurposeWith the advancement of digital transformation, it is important for e-retailers to use artificial intelligence (AI) for customer engagement (CE), as CE enables e-retail brands to succeed. Essentially, AI e-marketing (AIeMktg) is the use of AI technological approaches in e-marketing by blending customer data, and Retail 4.0 is the digitisation of the physical shopping experience. Therefore, in the era of Retail 4.0, this study investigates the factors influencing the use of AIeMktg for transforming CE.Design/methodology/approachThe primary data were collected from 305 e-retailer customers, and the analysis was performed using a quantitative methodology.FindingsThe results reveal that AIeMktg has tremendous applications in Retail 4.0 for CE. First, it enables marketers to swiftly and responsibly use data to anticipate and predict customer demands and to provide relevant personalised messages and offers with location-based e-marketing. Second, through a continuous feedback loop, AIeMktg improves offerings by analysing and incorporating insights from a 360-degree view of CE.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study is to provide theoretical underpinnings of CE, AIeMktg, factors influencing the use of AIeMktg, and customer commitment in the era of Retail 4.0. Subsequently, it builds and validates structural relationships among such theoretical underpinning variables in transforming CE with AIeMktg, which is important for customers to expect a different type of shopping experience across digital channels.

GCN-based MIL: multi-instance learning utilizing structural relationships among instances

GCN-based MIL: multi-instance learning utilizing structural relationships among instances

GraM: Geometric Structure Embedding into Attention Mechanisms for 3D Point Cloud Registration

3D point cloud registration is a crucial technology for 3D scene reconstruction and has been successfully applied in various domains, such as smart healthcare and intelligent transportation. With theoretical analysis, we find that geometric structural relationships are essential for 3D point cloud registration. The 3D point cloud registration method achieves excellent performance only when fusing local and global features with geometric structure information. Based on these discoveries, we propose a 3D point cloud registration method based on geometric structure embedding into the attention mechanism (GraM), which can extract the local features of the non-critical point and global features of the corresponding point containing geometric structure information. According to the local and global features, the simple regression operation can obtain the transformation matrix of point cloud pairs, thereby eliminating the semantics that ignores the geometric structure relationship. GraM surpasses the state-of-the-art results by 0.548° and 0.915° regarding the relative rotation error on ModelNet40 and LowModelNet40, respectively.

Environmental Management Framework for Road Network Demolition Wastes for Construction Industry of Pakistan

Demolition waste from construction industry, especially from road networks, is one of the most voluminous and harmful categories of waste worldwide; therefore, its proper handling is essential for sustainable waste management for environmental, social, and economic benefits. Prolific and unregulated construction activities, conflicts, and defective works are major reasons. The current work aims to address the issue by presenting a framework for an enhanced understanding of sustainable demolition waste management (DWM). A critical analysis of the literature aided to identify major concerns related to different causes, their impacts, and challenges being faced by the construction industry in such management endeavors. The study adopted questionnaire-based methodology to understand the critical relation among the three variables. The Delphi technique supported by industry professionals and pilot study helped to formulate a realistic questionnaire tool. Using the concept of multivariate statistical analysis, structure equation modeling (SEM) helped to assess the structural relationships between the three variables. The research instrument met the reliability, validity and internal consistency criteria required. Each variable achieved a high effect size, f2, with a value of co-efficient of determination of more than the threshold value of 70%. Thus, this supported the fitness criterion of the SEM-based measurement model. Path coefficients yielded the acceptance of all alternate hypotheses, resulting in a strong positive relationship among the three constructs. Therefore, demolition waste impacts are deemed as an effective mediator when explaining the impact between the other two variables. The developed framework presents a coherent and systematic approach and identifies strategies that could be used to address these issues and lead to DWM, including options available for capacity building and implementation and evaluation for supporting sustainability.

Perceived stress, positive psychological capital and health literacy in patients with multiple chronic conditions: A structural equation modelling.

To investigate the structural relationships among perceived stress (PS), positive psychological capital (PsyCap) and health literacy (HL) in patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) and construct a model to explore the relationships of PS and PsyCap on HL. HL is critical in the rehabilitation and management of patients with MCC. Extensive understanding of the relationships between research variables can help nursing staff to implement effective programmes that improve the level of HL of patients. However, currently there is no research that has evaluated the structural relationships among these variables using a single model. This study adhered to the STROBE guidelines for reporting cross-sectional studies. The Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Patients, Chinese Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS) and Positive Psychological Capital Questionnaire were used to assess HL, PS and PsyCap, respectively. Questionnaires were distributed to 317 patients with MCC attending a tertiary general care hospital in China from February to May 2023, using convenience sampling approach. Structural equation modelling was used to validate the proposed model. The findings showed that PS has a negative relationship with HL and PsyCap. PS was indirectly associated with HL through PsyCap. The results indicated that PsyCap was positively associated with HL. The PS and PsyCap explained 64% of the variance in HL. The findings showed that the proposed model had high validity and structural relationships between chosen variables were observed for MCC patients. These results may help nursing staff develop strategies to improve the HL of patients with MCC, which should focus on reducing PS and enhancing PsyCap to improve HL. Nursing staff can provide targeted psychological counselling and health guidance for patients to alleviate negative emotions and further promote their HL. Participate in research and fill out questionnaires.

Gender-Based Violence against Zimbabwean Migrant Women in Botswana

This study prioritises the experiences of Zimbabwean migrant women and their human security in the context of gender-based violence in Botswana. The study utilised the social constructivism theory and the social-ecological model to provide a comprehensive understanding of how gender-based violence occurs in society and how social realities construct migrant women’s experiences. Using a qualitative research approach, secondary data was collected to investigate the gender-based violence experiences of Zimbabwean migrant women. The study found that migrant women experienced various forms of abuse, including intimate partner violence with both foreign and local partners, sexual violence and harassment in their host communities, trafficking and smuggling, and sexual abuse in detention centres, all rooted in xenophobic sentiments. Power imbalances and irregularities in structural relationships between men and women were identified as significant factors contributing to violence. The findings indicate that cultural beliefs and gender roles from the country of origin and host country contribute to migrant women’s reluctance to report or disclose their experiences of gender-based violence. Patriarchal ideologies further affect judgment towards survivors and contribute to the acceptance and normalization of gender-based violence. This study contributes to the literature on human insecurities faced by migrant women and their responses to these insecurities. It highlights the need for policies that address the underlying causes of gender-based violence and promote the empowerment of migrant women.

A Parallel Comparison Between the Social Status of Sogdian and Chinese Aristocratic Women in Tang Dynasty

Sogdians were active in commercial activities on the Silk Road in Tang and Song Dynasty of China. The interaction between Sogdians and Chinese promotes the exchange and development of both cultures, which resulted in some shared similarities between them, including the social status of women. However, further research is required to compare the social status of Sogdian and Chinese aristocratic women. This contributes to better knowledge about the family structure and marital relationships in Tang Dynasty, enabling researchers to reconstruct the life of aristocratic Sogdians and Chinese. In this paper, the term social status is deconstructed into female literacy, marital autonomy, and accessibility to the property. Two Sogdian ancient letters, one Tang epitaph, and several Sogdian and Chinese legal documents are analyzed from the three aspects. In conclusion, both Sogdian and Chinese aristocratic women enjoyed relatively higher social status in Tang Dynasty. Sogdian women were slightly superior to Chinese women, as they had more agency to divorce. Nevertheless, their relatively higher social statuses were not common across the entire gender and were still not comparable to their male counterparts.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of Ubiquitin-specific protease gene family in maize (Zea mays L.)

BackgroundUbiquitin-specific proteases (UBPs) are a large family of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs). They are widespread in plants and are critical for plant growth, development, and response to external stresses. However, there are few studies on the functional characteristics of the UBP gene family in the important staple crop, maize (Zea mays L.).ResultsIn this study, we performed a bioinformatic analysis of the entire maize genome and identified 45 UBP genes. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 45 ZmUBP genes can be divided into 15 subfamilies. Analysis of evolutionary patterns and divergence levels indicated that ZmUBP genes were present before the isolation of dicotyledons, were highly conserved and subjected to purifying selection during evolution. Most ZmUBP genes exhibited different expression levels in different tissues and developmental stages. Based on transcriptome data and promoter element analysis, we selected eight ZmUBP genes whose promoters contained a large number of plant hormones and stress response elements and were up-regulated under different abiotic stresses for RT-qPCR analysis, results showed that these genes responded to abiotic stresses and phytohormones to varying degrees, indicating that they play important roles in plant growth and stress response.ConclusionsIn this study, the structure, location and evolutionary relationship of maize UBP gene family members were analyzed for the first time, and the ZmUBP genes that may be involved in stress response and plant growth were identified by combining promoter element analysis, transcriptome data and RT-qPCR analysis. This study informs research on the involvement of maize deubiquitination in stress response.

부모의 학습지원과 지지적 학교환경이 초등학생의 학습태도에 미치는 영향

Objectives The purposes of this study were to specify variables related to convergence competency, and to ana-lyze the structural relationships among them. The purposes of this study were to specify variables related to con-vergence competency, and to analyze the structural relationships among them. Methods In this study, 1,145 children who responded to all related variables in the 12th and 13th data of the Korean Children's Panel were used as data. The structural equation model was analyzed to understand the struc-tural relationship between each variable, and the direct and indirect effects were verified through this. In addition, the mediating effect was verified using bootstrapping. Results There was no significant relationship between parents' learning support and elementary school students' learning attitude, and there was a positive relationship between the supportive school environment and learning attitude. Grit showed a complete mediating effect in the effect of parental learning support on learning attitude, and Grit showed a partial mediating effect in the effect of supportive school environment on learning attitude. Conclusions Parents' learning support and supportive environment had a positive effect on Grit, which improved the learning attitude. This study is expected to help parents, who are interested in their children's learning, support direction and school environment by examining the influence and path of parents‘, school variables and grit that can positively affect learning attitudes.

Transmission Electron Microscopic and X-ray Diffraction Based Study of Crystallographic Bibliography Demonstrated on Silver, Copper and Titanium Nanocrystals: State of the Art Statical Review

This statistical review compares the crystallographic structures of functional nanocrystals composed of silver (Ag), copper (Cu) and titanium (Ti) using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. TEM provides high-resolution imaging to directly visualize individual nanoparticles' size, internal shape and crystallinity. Statistical analysis quantifies variations in lattice parameters, crystal structure, size distributions, phase compositions, lattice strains, preferred orientation and lattice volume of these three crystalline nanomaterials. The review highlights the complementary roles of TEM and XRD in comprehensive Ag, Cu and Ti nanocrystalline materials characterization. The crystallographic functional parameters of Ag were 2θ= 38.1° (111), 44.3° (200) and 64.4° (220); for Cu crystal 43.3° (111), 50.4° (200), 74.1° (220), 89.9° (311) and 95.1° (222) and 35.1° (100), 38.4° (002), 40.2° (101), 53.0° (102), 63.0° (103), 70.7° (110), 76.2° (112), 82.3° (201) demonstrated for Ti nanocrystals. The crystallographic predominant plane or Miller indices were also revealed by selected area electron diffraction (SAED) on TEM. The FCC structure of Ag and Cu is shown in larger lattice volumes compared to the HCP structure of Ti and prefer oriented. The degree of crystallinity of Ti, Cu and Ag nanocrystalline materials was observed at 90.0%, 98.0% and 100.0% respectively. This quantitative comparison provides valuable insights into the structural property relationships in these nanocrystals, enabling rational design strategies for optimizing their performance in various functional applications.

GAGE-seq concurrently profiles multiscale 3D genome organization and gene expression in single cells.

The organization of mammalian genomes features a complex, multiscale three-dimensional (3D) architecture, whose functional significance remains elusive because of limited single-cell technologies that can concurrently profile genome organization and transcriptional activities. Here, we introduce genome architecture and gene expression by sequencing (GAGE-seq), a scalable, robust single-cell co-assay measuring 3D genome structure and transcriptome simultaneously within the same cell. Applied to mouse brain cortex and human bone marrow CD34+ cells, GAGE-seq characterized the intricate relationships between 3D genome and gene expression, showing that multiscale 3D genome features inform cell-type-specific gene expression and link regulatory elements to target genes. Integration with spatial transcriptomic data revealed in situ 3D genome variations in mouse cortex. Observations in human hematopoiesis unveiled discordant changes between 3D genome organization and gene expression, underscoring a complex, temporal interplay at the single-cell level. GAGE-seq provides a powerful, cost-effective approach for exploring genome structure and gene expression relationships at the single-cell level across diverse biological contexts.

Striatal brain volume linked to severity of substance use in high-risk incarcerated youth.

Substance use disorders among juveniles are a major public health concern and are often intertwined with other psychosocial risk factors including antisocial behavior. Identifying etiological risks and mechanisms promoting substance use disorders remains a high priority for informing more focused interventions in high-risk populations. The present study examined brain gray matter structure in relation to substance use severity among n = 152 high-risk, incarcerated boys (aged 14-20). Substance use severity was positively associated with gray matter volume across several frontal/striatal brain regions including amygdala, pallidum, putamen, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex. Effects were apparent when using voxel-based-morphometric analysis, as well as in whole-brain, data-driven, network-based approaches (source-based morphometry). These findings support the hypothesis that elevated gray matter volume in striatal reward circuits may be an endogenous marker for vulnerability to severe substance use behaviors among youth.

Precise determination of oxygen content in SmBa2Cu3O7-δ thin film samples using x-ray diffraction

Abstract The superconducting properties of SmBa2Cu3O7-δ (SmBCO) thin films are predominantly influenced by the oxygen deficiency δ. Yet, the established methods to determine δ such as iodometric titration or thermogravimetry cannot be applied to thin films due to their very small volume.
Therefore, an alternative way to determine δ for SmBCO thin film samples using X-ray diffraction (XRD) is presented. Main point of this analysis is the structural relationship between the a, b and c lattice parameters and δ. A linear relationship between c and δ is found in SmBCO powder samples for both the orthorhombic and tetragonal phases.
Furthermore, an attempt is made to quantify the chemical composition using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). This attempt was inconclusive because of drastically changing ion yields due to δ influencing the valence state of the analyzed ions.
The found crystal structural relationship gathered from the powder samples is applied to thin film samples. Thereby, it becomes clear that thermal strain is affecting the crystal structure of the thin films. A simple correction model is used to correct for thermal strain and a good match between powder, literature and thin film data is achieved and thus a non-destructive way for the determination of δ using XRD.


Local government behavior in rural construction land marketization in China: An archetype analysis

There are various rural construction land marketization (RCLM) patterns in China. Explorations on the factors influencing the differences between patterns can provide policy inspirations for establishing a unified land market in China. Archetype analysis enables us to reveal the structural relationships between various factors and elucidate reappearing patterns in the cases. Based on 29 cases, this study analyzes the effects of different factor combinations on the behavioral choices of local governments using the archetype analysis approach. Six archetypes are extracted, and the main findings from the archetype analysis are as follows: 1) The combination of active rural land markets and the effective operation of village autonomy or informal dialogue mechanisms led by rural elites promote the emergence of self-organization models for RCLM. Local governments mainly play guiding, supervisory, and service roles. 2) When the self-organization model is challenging to sustain, local governments participate in the process of RCLM with different mechanisms due to social benefits orientation. 3) In certain well-developed rural areas with a high level of industrialization and limited land resources, extensive government intervention has emerged as a new governance model to achieve regional coordinated development goals. Our work reveals the mechanisms through which local governments play a role in the reform and innovation of RCLM, and it contributes to a better understanding of local government positioning in the future RCLM reform process.

Numerical simulation on cellular structure and mechanical properties of tungsten particles/polymethyl methacrylate microcellular composites

AbstractMicrocellular composites combine the advantages of composite material and microcellular material. Introducing the inclusion phase into the polymer matrix can optimize the cellular structure and improve the mechanical properties of microcellular materials. This paper focuses on rigid W particles reinforced PMMA microcellular materials, combining compression experiments and meso FE simulations to investigate the structure–property relationship of cellular structure and compressive properties for W/PMMA microcellular composites. The results indicate that W particles promote heterogeneous nucleation, reducing the cell size to 3 μm, and reinforce the PMMA matrix. W particles (10 → 60 wt%) are linearly and exponentially related to compressive modulus and compressive strength of W/PMMA microcellular composites, increased by 49.3% and 19.8%. Void porosity (71% → 48%) is quadratic related to compressive properties of W/PMMA microcellular composites, increased by 109%. Cell sizes (5 → 1 μm, especially smaller than the W particle sizes) are exponentially related to compressive properties of W/PMMA microcellular composites, increased by 38.5%. This work provides theoretical support for the regulation of cellular structure and optimization of mechanical properties of microcellular materials.

Systemic barriers preventing farmer engagement in the agricultural climate transition: a qualitative study

AbstractFarmers and the agricultural sector are facing an uncertain future, due to rapidly changing agricultural policy and a nexus of commercial, environmental and biodiversity challenges brought on by anthropogenic climate change. Balancing the interests of the farming community and natural environment is generating organisational and personal conflict, rather than effective agricultural adaption and a focus on the net zero transition. In this paper, we consider how farmers and the wider farming community can participate in engagement and decision-making for the transition, on their own terms, whilst ensuring social justice for fair and equitable decision-making. We discuss findings from our research project, that used questionnaires and follow up semi-structured interviews with farmers and farming groups to reveal systemic issues that prevent farmers engaging with the climate transition to net zero during their everyday practice. We highlight the structural relationships that form these barriers and frustrate farmers when designing and implementing farm interventions to agricultural systems during times of transition. Farmers have highlighted barriers to be associated with policy, (uncertain government strategy, landowner bias in government policy and tenancy restrictions, government bureaucracy—particularly environment schemes), commercial (market forces—downward pressure from supermarkets on price points, availability of labour due to seasonal migration restrictions, increasing cost of labour) and interpersonal (succession—uncertain future of the family farm due to limited income). This frustrates the ability of farmers to address climate change through farming practices and undermines the implementation of innovative engagement practices, such as co-produced interventions, in policy and decision-making settings.

Research on the Willingness Model for Community Drug Rehabilitation Participation Based on Mixed Research

Objective: With the continuous improvement of community management functions, community drug rehabilitation management in China has also received increasing attention. Currently, research mainly focuses on the policy and measure reforms of management departments. According to relevant data, the willingness of drug users to actively participate in community drug rehabilitation management is still low. Theoretical Framework: Through a search for quantitative data, it was discovered that two independent factors impact this variable: Program outcomes and small teamwork competence. Furthermore, there exists an additional mediating variable: Client-centered management practices have a correlation with program outcomes and have an impact on the willingness of clients. Client-centered management practice correlates with the proficiency of small workgroups and impacts clients' receptiveness. Method: The researcher used qualitative and quantitative sequential exploratory mixed methods to achieve this. In the qualitative stage, the study focused on key stakeholders from five Correction Institutes using interviews, focus groups, and lessons learned as tools for data collection. A purposive sample of 27 individuals was selected. The researcher used content and topic analysis to develop a conceptual framework and a questionnaire. In the quantitative stage, the study included drug addicts in correction institutes. A sample of 356 respondents was sampled using a systematic sampling method. Results and Discussion: Through literature research and field interviews, our project team found that customer centered management practices, small team cooperation ability, and the achievements of community management projects have an impact on the willingness of drug addiction patients to participate in community drug rehabilitation. Therefore, a structural equation model that affects the willingness to participate in community drug rehabilitation is proposed. We hope to explore the optimal structural relationship through a mixed qualitative and quantitative research method, and provide reference for relevant academic research. Research Implications: As recommendations, managers should analyze project role links and emphasize cross-role communication and collaboration. For future studies, it is recommended to use qualitative data such as work process observations and examine the long-term consequences of participants' Willingness.