Search Results (46)

This study investigates pulsed gas metal arc welding (pGMAW) of API 5L X65 pipeline steel for sour service applications where H₂S exposure is anticipated. Mechanized pGMAW in the 5G downhill position was employed to fabricate girth welds using ER70S-6 filler wire with Ar-20%CO₂ shielding. Comprehensive characterization, including optical microscopy, tensile testing, fractography, EBSD, and fracture toughness evaluation via SENT specimens, was conducted on specimens tested in both air and H₂S-precharged sour conditions. Microstructural analysis revealed ferritic–pearlitic base metal, weld metal with acicular ferrite and bainitic constituents, and a transformed HAZ gradient. Tensile testing demonstrated severe hydrogen embrittlement in sour conditions, with elongation dropping from 22% in air to 4% after H₂S exposure, accompanied by a transition from ductile cup–cone fracture to quasi-cleavage morphology. EBSD showed texture sharpening toward ⟨101⟩ fiber post-deformation, with a broader orientation spread under sour conditions, indicating heterogeneous strain localization. Fracture toughness testing revealed approximately a 50% reduction in CTOD values under sour exposure, with the weld centerline exhibiting greater degradation (0.50 mm to 0.27 mm) compared to the HAZ (0.92 mm to 0.47 mm). Fractography confirmed hydrogen-assisted cracking features, including shallow dimples, cleavage facets, and secondary cracking. These findings establish critical baseline data for engineering a critical assessment of pGMAW-welded X65 pipelines in sour service. Full article

This research examines how community support for sustainable tourism development is influenced by sustainable hospitality in protected park areas. This relationship focuses primarily on the effect of perceived eco-social performance (ESP) as an enhancement of the community’s perceived location-specific environmental attachment (CEA), leading to increased pro-sustainable tourism intentions through CEA. Despite the growing focus on sustainability within hospitality industries, there remains very little scholarly research that explores how local communities perceive sustainable hospitality practices and how these perceptions then manifest as emotional attachment, followed by behavioural support. To achieve the stated goal, researchers employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to collect quantitative survey data from residents living in close proximity to a protected area destination, and the quantitative data were used separately to develop qualitative insights into residents’ support for sustainable tourism initiatives. Findings of this study reveal that perceived ESP significantly enhances CEA, providing an impetus for increased PSTI (via direct and indirect pathways) for communities in close proximity to a protected area destination. CEA further enhances PSTI significantly and acts as a significant mediator in the relationship between perception and behavioural support for sustainable tourism. Qualitative findings further indicate that eco-social hospitality practices fulfil the following: develop community pride; increase the sense of environmental responsibility among the community; and create opportunities for actively supporting sustainable tourism. These findings demonstrate that, while sustainable hospitality practices generate observable actions, they also create deeper psychological connections between communities and their environment. The cumulative findings from this study contribute to a greater understanding of how ESP can strategically contribute to growing the number of communities supporting sustainable tourism through the creation of CEA, thereby expanding the overall community’s intention to support sustainable tourism development. Full article

Religious tourism is an evolving form of cultural and spiritual mobility that connects faith, community identity, and sustainable destination development. Despite its growing significance, few studies have examined service quality in pilgrimage contexts using the 4A framework (attraction, accessibility, amenities, and ancillary services), particularly in developing regions. This qualitative study explores how the 4A dimensions shape service experiences and sustainability practices in religious tourism across three Catholic pilgrimage sites in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia: Goa Maria Golo Koe, Goa Maria Golo Kaca, and Goa Maria Rekas. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted with ecclesiastical leaders, including a diocesan priest and the Archbishop; key informant interviews with government and tourism actors; focus group discussions with local communities; and non-participatory field observations. The findings show that spiritual attraction remains the primary driver of pilgrim motivation, reinforced by local traditions and collective devotion. However, accessibility, amenities, and ancillary services are constrained by inadequate infrastructure, fragmented governance, and limited service standards. Despite these challenges, community voluntarism and the Church’s moral leadership help preserve the sanctity and authenticity of visitor experiences. This study introduces a Sacred Service Framework that integrates faith-based ethics with the 4A model to support sustainable, inclusive, and spiritually grounded religious tourism management. Full article

The increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance, especially in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), underscores the need for alternative therapies from natural sources. This study investigated the chemical composition, antibacterial activity, and gene expression modulation of Melaleuca cajuputi essential oils. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 91 compounds, with naphthalene (23.90%), guaiol (12.92%), caryophyllene oxide (9.69%), D-limonene 98% (8.59%), and gamma terpinene (7.54%) among the most abundant. In Silico molecular docking against MRSA virulence proteins revealed that alloaromadendrene had the strongest binding to toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) (−7.948 kcal/mol), suggesting high inhibitory potential, while cyclohexane showed weak binding with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) (−3.532 kcal/mol). Antibacterial assays demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition, with the zones ranging from 6.33 ± 0.33 mm to 16.67 ± 0.88 mm. MIC and MBC values ranged from 1.56 to 12.5% and 3.13 to 25%, respectively, with most isolates showing bactericidal effects (MBC/MIC ≤ 2). Gene expression analysis of MRSA isolate 4 indicated that sea was moderately upregulated (FC = 1.44), while sec remained unchanged (FC = 1.02). In contrast, fnbA (FC = 0.72), seb (FC = 0.33), and mecA (FC = 0.23) genes were downregulated, and the tsst-1 gene (FC = 0.05) was nearly silent. These findings highlight M. cajuputi essential oils as a promising candidate with both antibacterial efficacy and regulatory effects on MRSA virulence genes. Full article

The rapid expansion of tourism in Bali and Lombok has precipitated a state of overtourism, critically challenging their ecological and socio-cultural carrying capacities. This study, conducted between 2023 and 2024, employs a qualitative case study approach to investigate the manifestations of overtourism and the efficacy of prevailing mitigation strategies. Data were collected through 32 in-depth interviews, four focus group discussions, and extensive field observations across key destinations in both islands. The findings reveal that overtourism is not merely a function of high visitor numbers but a symptom of systemic governance failure. Key manifestations include acute environmental degradation, the commodification of cultural heritage, and significant economic leakage that marginalizes local communities. These issues are exacerbated by fragmented policy, weak regulatory enforcement, and the exclusion of local voices from tourism planning. The study concludes that technical solutions such as visitor quotas are insufficient without a fundamental governance paradigm shift. Effective mitigation requires an integrated approach centered on strict carrying capacity enforcement, genuine community empowerment through Community-Based Tourism (CBT), and the strategic use of digital tools for visitor dispersion. This research provides an empirically grounded framework that underscores the imperative of a fundamental governance paradigm shift, aligning tourism development in island destinations with the principles of sustainability and equity. Full article

Fusidic acid resistance in Staphylococcus spp. has historically been confined to Staphylococcus ureilyticus, with limited data on its environmental distribution. This study presents the first detection of the fusidic acid resistance gene fusF in Staphylococcus kloosii recovered from virgin soil at Kampung Batu 16, Dusun Tua, Hulu Langat, Malaysia. A total of ten Staphylococcus isolates were identified using the VITEK^®2 system with high confidence (97–99%), comprising seven S. kloosii and three S. ureilyticus. Sequencing of representative isolates further corroborated the species identification. All isolates displayed phenotypic resistance to fusidic acid, while all S. ureilyticus (3/3) exhibited multi-drug resistant (MDR) traits and S. kloosii (7/7) exhibited non-MDR traits. PCR and sequencing confirmed the presence of fusF gene in S. ureilyticus (3/3) and S. kloosii (3/7). In addition, fusB and fusC genes were not detected in both species. The phylogenetic analysis (Maximum Likelihood, Tamura–Nei model) revealed high sequence conservation and clustering between fusF-positive S. kloosii and S. ureilyticus soil isolates, suggesting recent horizontal gene transfer between these two related species. The first detection of fusF gene in S. kloosii from virgin soil signifies the expansion of the ecological and host range beyond S. ureilyticus, establishes virgin soil as a potential antimicrobial resistance (AMR) reservoir, and underscores the One Health risks of resistance dissemination from environmental staphylococci. This baseline study highlights the importance of early AMR surveillance in tropical environments prior to agricultural development. Full article

With growing global attention on animal welfare and food safety, humane and efficient slaughtering methods in the poultry industry are in increasing demand. Traditional manual inspection methods for stunning broilers need significant expertise. Additionally, most studies on electrical stunning focus on white broilers, whose optimal stunning conditions are not suitable for red-feathered Taiwan chickens. This study aimed to implement a smart, safe, and humane slaughtering system designed to enhance animal welfare and integrate an IoT-enabled vision system into slaughter operations for red-feathered Taiwan chickens. The system enables real-time monitoring and smart management of the poultry stunning process using image technologies for dynamic object tracking recognition. Focusing on red-feathered Taiwan chickens, the system applies dynamic tracking objects with chicken morphology feature extraction based on the YOLO-v4 model to accurately identify stunned and unstunned chickens, ensuring compliance with animal welfare principles and improving the overall efficiency and hygiene of poultry processing. In this study, the dynamic tracking object recognition system comprises object morphology feature detection and motion prediction for red-feathered Taiwan chickens during the slaughtering process. Images are firsthand data from the slaughterhouse. To enhance model performance, image amplification techniques are integrated into the model training process. In parallel, the system architecture integrates IoT-enabled modules to support real-time monitoring, sensor-based classification, and cloud-compatible decisions based on collections of visual data. Prior to image amplification, the YOLO-v4 model achieved an average precision (AP) of 83% for identifying unstunned chickens and 96% for identifying stunned chickens. After image amplification, AP improved significantly to 89% and 99%, respectively. The model achieved and deployed a mean average precision (mAP) of 94% at an IoU threshold of 0.75 and processed images at 39 frames per second, demonstrating its suitability for IoT-enabled real-time dynamic tracking object recognition in a real slaughterhouse environment. Furthermore, the YOLO-v4 model for poultry slaughtering recognition in transient stability, as measured by training loss and validation loss, outperforms the YOLO-X model in this study. Overall, this smart slaughtering system represents a practical and scalable application of AI in the poultry industry. Full article

In recent years, online streaming has encountered the challenge of retaining its user base. This study considers the role of transaction cost economics theory in consumer choices to continue subscribing. Participants respond to their top three streaming services, resulting in 797 responses, accounting for multiple selections by each respondent. Respondents could choose their top three services from a list of Netflix, Disney, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Apple TV+. The study’s conclusions highlight the impact of uncertainty, a negative measure of streaming quality, on online subscription-based video streaming. Additionally, asset specificity, reflecting uniqueness and exclusive content, is found to be positively related to continuing a subscription. This research distinguishes itself by examining individuals who are already subscribers to provide insights and guidance through the lens of Transaction Cost Economics, to help marketing professionals seeking a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in the online streaming landscape. Full article

Urbanization’s environmental challenges have increased interest in urban biodiversity, traditionally focused on public green spaces, which are shrinking as urban growth escapes government control. This study examines the understudied role of private actors—specifically Concessions held by Catholic Religious Groups (CRGs)—in biodiversity conservation across three DRC cities (Bukavu, Kisangani, Lubumbashi). CRGs were selected due to Catholicism’s dominance and socio-economic influence in the DRC. A systematic flora inventory of 70 randomly sampled CRGs identified 220 species from 76 families and 185 genera. Although the CRG area was smaller in Lubumbashi (1.1 ha) than Bukavu (3.7 ha) and Kisangani (5.2 ha), the area did not correlate with species richness. Plant composition varied significantly within and between cities, dominated by phanerophytes and exotic species. These findings underscore the importance of including private stakeholders in urban biodiversity conservation. Full article

The rubber plantations in Sankuru province, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have historically been pivotal to the regional economy. However, the absence of suitable silvicultural practices has promoted self-regeneration, resulting in the proliferation of diverse species. This study aims to characterize species richness and plant structure of these plantations. To this end, 80 subplots measuring 0.25 hectares were meticulously established, with a proportionate division between state-owned and farmer plantations. The results obtained from this study indicate that these plantations are home to approximately 105 species, classified into 33 distinct botanical families, with dominant families such as Fabaceae, Meliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Olacaceae, Clusiaceae, and Moraceae. Despite the similarity between the two types of plantations (Cs = 58%), significant disparities were observed in terms of individuals, 635 ± 84.06 and 828 ± 144.62 (p < 10⁻³); species, 41 ± 7.49 and 28 ± 4.59 (p < 10⁻³); families, 19 ± 3.06 and 16 ± 1.62 (p < 10⁻²); and basal area, 29.88 ± 5.8 and 41.37 ± 7.57 (p < 10⁻²) for state and peasant plantations, respectively. State plantations exhibited greater diversity (H′ = 1.87) and enhanced equity (J’ = 0.43) than peasant plantations. The diametric structure exhibited an inverted J-shaped distribution, indicating constant and regular regeneration of these plantations. The upper canopy dominates the vertical structure in both types of plantations, with a significantly higher proportion in peasant plantations (83.60%) than in state plantations (73.8%), ANOVA (F (2.24 = 21.78), df = 24; p = 4.03 × 10⁻⁶). The findings indicate that the sustainable management of these plantations could incorporate agroecological principles to promote the coexistence of rubber production and biodiversity conservation while contributing to the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the well-being of local communities. Full article

Palm oil production generates substantial underutilized biomass wastes, including empty fruit bunches, fiber, palm kernel shells, and palm oil mill effluent (POME). Waste-to-energy systems offer a viable pathway to convert these residues into electricity and fertilizer, supporting circular economy goals and sustainability targets. This study takes an example of palm oil waste from the Indragiri Hulu region in Riau Province in Indonesia. It develops a multi-objective optimization framework to evaluate palm oil mill WtE systems from economic, environmental, and energy output. Three scenarios are analyzed: maximal profit (MP), maximal profit with carbon tax (MPCT), and all waste processing (AWP). The MP scenario favors high-return technologies such as gasification and incineration, leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions. The MPCT scenario favors lower-emission technologies like composting and excludes high-emission, low-profit options such as POME digestion. In contrast, the AWP scenario mandates the processing of all wastes, leading to the lowest profits and the highest emissions among all scenarios. The sensitivity analysis reveals that POME processing is not feasible when electricity prices are below the government-set rate, but becomes viable once prices exceed this threshold. These findings offer valuable insights for companies and policymakers seeking to develop and implement effective strategies for optimal waste utilization. Full article

The urban heat island (UHI) effect has emerged in the literature as a major challenge to urban well-being, primarily driven by increasing urbanization. To address this challenge, this study investigates the spatiotemporal pattern of the UHI in the fast-growing city of Kisangani and within its urban–rural gradient from 2000 to 2024 using land surface temperature (LST) data from the MODIS 11A2 V6.1 product. Inferential and descriptive statistics were applied to examine the patterns of UHI and the relationships between the LST, building volume density (BVD), and vegetation density expressed by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The results showed that the spatial extent of the moderate UHI gradually increased from 16 km² to 38 km², while the high UHI increased from 9 km² to 19 km². Furthermore, although high UHI values (0.2 < UHI ≤ 0.3) are observed in urban areas and significant differences in UHI variations are detected across urban, peri-urban, and rural zones, the results indicate that the mean UHI in Kisangani’s urban areas remains below 0.2. Therefore, based on average UHI variations, Kisangani’s urban zones exhibit moderate disparities in LST compared to rural areas. Moreover, the LST variations significantly correlate with the building volume and vegetation densities. However, the influence of vegetation density as a predictor of LST gradually decreases while the influence of building volume density increases over time, suggesting the need to implement a synergistic development pathway to manage the interactions between urbanization, landscape change, and ecosystem service provision. This integrated approach may represent a crucial solution for mitigating the UHI effect in regions categorized as high-temperature zones. Full article

Understanding rainfall partitioning by shrub canopies is essential for assessing water balance and improving hydrological models in cold regions. From 2010 to 2012, field experiments were conducted in the Hulu catchment of the Qilian Mountains, focusing on Potentilla fruticosa and Caragana jubata during the growing season. Throughfall, stemflow, and interception loss were measured using rain gauges, stemflow collars, and a water balance approach. A total of 197 natural rainfall events were recorded, and precipitation partitioning characteristics were analyzed in relation to rainfall intensity, amount, and vegetation traits. One-way ANOVA and regression analyses were used to test differences and correlations. The results showed that the critical rainfall threshold for generating throughfall and stemflow was 1.9 mm. For P. fruticosa, throughfall, stemflow, and interception loss accounted for 66.96%, 3.51%, and 29.53% of gross rainfall, respectively; the corresponding values for C. jubata were 67.31%, 7.27%, and 25.42%. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in stemflow were observed between species. Partitioning components were positively correlated with rainfall amount and stabilized at ~4 mm h⁻¹ intensity. Interception loss percentage decreased with intensity and plateaued at 2 mm h⁻¹ for P. fruticosa and 5 mm h⁻¹ for C. jubata. These findings provide empirical evidence for modeling shrub canopy rainfall redistribution in alpine environments. Full article

The adverse effects of climate change, which are associated with the rise in greenhouse gases, impact all nations worldwide. In this context, tropical forests play a critical role in carbon sequestration. However, the significant anthropogenic pressure on these forests contributes to accelerated deforestation and a decrease in their capacity to regulate the climate. This study uses a comprehensive review of 176 published scientific articles and reports to assess the carbon sequestration capacity of rubber plantations, comparing their effectiveness with that of natural tropical forests. The findings are largely consistent and indicate that agricultural systems, such as rubber plantations, which were not traditionally associated with carbon sequestration, play a significant role in this area. Rubber plantations present a complementary alternative to the rapid deforestation of tropical forests, with the capacity to sequester substantial amounts of carbon. The range of carbon storage potential for rubber plantations, spanning from 30 to over 100 tons per hectare, rivals that of natural tropical forests, which can store over 300 tons per hectare. Furthermore, rubber plantations are notable for their indirect carbon sequestration potential. By providing a sustainable source of latex and wood, and thus income, they can reduce the pressure on natural tropical forests. However, challenges remain, particularly concerning sustainable management and the integration of rubber plantations into sustainable tropical forest management strategies. This analysis focuses on the opportunities and challenges of rubber plantations as an offset solution for carbon sequestration. It highlights the prospects for effectively integrating these plantations into sustainable tropical forest management policies. Full article

Quality inspection in the manufacturing of car air conditioning vents has traditionally relied on human operators, a process prone to subjectivity, inconsistency, and inefficiency due to factors like fatigue and human error. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes an automated quality inspection system using image processing techniques to detect defects such as missing parts and scratches. Using MATLAB, the system integrates image acquisition, enhancement, segmentation, and defect analysis for consistent and accurate inspection. Images are captured under controlled lighting with optimal camera positioning to minimize distortion, and preprocessing techniques such as contrast adjustment, morphological operations, and adaptive thresholding are applied to refine image quality and highlight defects. Extensive validation of the system demonstrated over 90% accuracy in defect detection, particularly when vent positions and angles were fixed. This study highlights the potential of combining image processing and machine vision to improve quality control processes in the automotive industry, offering a reliable alternative to traditional manual inspections. Full article