Search Results (6,903)

Time travel in science fiction, a subgenre distinct yet often overlapping with alternative history, often explores historical contingency through counterfactual scenarios to produce alternative histories. Yet some works deliberately negate this potential, presenting time travelers who refrain from altering the past despite possessing the apparent ability to do so. This essay examines this underexplored narrative mode through a comparative analysis of Octavia E. Butler’s Kindred and Miyabe Miyuki’s The Incident at the Gamō Residence. Framing the narrative device as a non-interventionist history, it explores how both novels deploy time travel not to revise history but to confront the ethical, emotional, and cultural implications of engaging with historically traumatic events that remain causally intact. Drawing on science fiction theory and historiographical debates, the essay argues that these texts redirect the function of time travel toward ethical reflection, embodied experience, and the formation of national identity. While Kindred presents history as an ongoing system of racialized violence that resists reconciliation, The Incident at the Gamō Residence frames historical violence through affective memory and postwar nostalgia, facilitating symbolic closure. Together, these novels demonstrate how time travel can serve as a critical apparatus for negotiating national trauma without recourse to historical revision. Full article

Port-area hydrogen refueling stations face low-frequency but high-consequence events when high-pressure leaks ignite as jet fires in wind-exposed, constrained environments. This study develops a consequence-based framework coupling theoretical screening, CFD combustion analysis, and hazard zoning to support separation-distance setting and emergency planning. A jet-fire model estimates flame-impingement distances for multiple leak diameters, and a weighted multi-point radiation model predicts heat-flux fields, from which lethal and irreversible-injury zones are delineated using thresholds of 7 and 5 kW/m², respectively. To move beyond wind-free screening, steady reacting-flow CFD is conducted for a representative release under four ambient conditions, with 4.34 m/s adopted as the representative wind speed for the windy cases based on Ningbo Port conditions. Validation against a visible-flame correlation defined by T ≥ 1573 K shows a deviation of 6.99%. Results show that radiation footprints expand markedly with diameter, with lethal and injury distances scaling approximately linearly within the studied range. Under wind, near-ground hot-plume extents defined by T ≥ 388 K and T ≥ 582 K depend strongly on wind direction and station geometry, whereas visible flame length is less sensitive. Additional sensitivity analyses indicate that the quasi-steady results are weakly affected by the selected ignition snapshot, while inclined releases modify projected plume/flame extents without altering the main engineering interpretation of the baseline case. The results support theory-based preliminary screening, but wind direction should be explicitly considered in exclusion-zone definition. Full article

This article examines the politics of visuality in Israel through the case study of Alami House, a Palestinian home in the village of Hiribya that became the nucleus of Kibbutz Ziqim in 1949 and was later transformed into a heritage site near the Gaza border. Drawing on theories of visual culture, affect, and heritage, the study traces the shifting visual and ideological functions of the site—from its early use as a kibbutz “watchtower,” through its renovation and rebranding as a heritage museum and wine bar, to its symbolic role during and after the Gaza War. It argues that the Israeli gaze toward the Palestinian—manifested in both the spatial design and the performative experience of the site—embodies a dual operation of seeing and unseeing, whereby the Palestinian is simultaneously acknowledged and erased. The essay introduces the concept of disciplined visuality to describe this politically orchestrated management of what may be seen, remembered, or forgotten. By analyzing Alami House as a microcosm of Israeli heritage-making, the article reveals how visuality functions as a tool of power, shaping both the material and conceptual landscape of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. Full article

Under China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals, its photovoltaic (PV) sector is transitioning from scale expansion to quality-oriented growth, where intelligent upgrading is essential to improve efficiency, safety, and O&M digitalization. However, its upgrade process in China is severely hampered by a wide range of complex influencing elements. The purpose of this study is to pinpoint and examine the main obstacles to the PV upgrading process as well as clarify their cause–effect relationships to support targeted interventions. Using a mixed-methods approach, we first analyzed interview data from thirty stakeholders using grounded theory to derive barrier categories and factors. The cause-and-effect linkages among these factors were then quantified using the gray-DEMATEL approach. The findings show that funding cost constraints and the lack of incentive mechanisms are the primary and secondary causal factors, respectively, while insufficient R&D capabilities are the most significant resultant factor. The lack of cooperation mechanisms and funding cost constraints were identified as the most comprehensive influencing factors. These findings provide a systematic decision-making framework for policymakers and industry stakeholders to formulate targeted strategies for accelerating PV intelligent upgrading in China. Full article

The long-term prestress relaxation of soil anchors embedded in saturated clay is a critical issue affecting the safety of geotechnical structures such as slopes and foundation pits. Traditional integer-order constitutive models are often unable to accurately describe the nonlinear and time-dependent relaxation behavior observed in such anchorage systems. Based on fractional calculus theory, this study establishes a constitutive model for the coupled stress relaxation behavior of soil anchors and saturated clay. The Riemann–Liouville fractional derivative and the two-parameter Mittag-Leffler function are introduced to represent the material memory effect and continuous relaxation characteristics. To achieve reliable parameter identification, a hybrid optimization strategy combining the Adaptive Hybrid Differential Evolution (AHDE) algorithm and the Levenberg–Marquardt (L-M) method is proposed. The proposed model and identification approach are validated using field monitoring data from soil anchors in a slope engineering project at the Guangxi Friendship Pass Port. The results show that the proposed model can accurately reproduce the entire stress relaxation process, with a coefficient of determination of R² = 0.9517. Parameter sensitivity analysis further clarifies the influence of key parameters, including the fractional order and viscosity coefficient. The proposed approach provides a systematic theoretical framework and practical reference for the analysis and prediction of long-term prestress relaxation in soil anchorage systems. Full article

With the rapid advancement of technology, whether to cultivate employees’ trust in artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a practical issue that managers must address to drive innovation. In this study, we explore how employees’ trust in AI affects their innovative behavior drawing on Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory with job autonomy and concentration of work-related flow as parallel mediators, and job complexity as a boundary condition. Using two-wave survey (with a two-week interval) data from 254 participants and structural equation modeling, we find that employees’ trust in AI positively relates to innovative behavior and this relationship is fully mediated by job autonomy and concentration of work-related flow. Furthermore, job complexity negatively moderates the trust in AI-mediator links and weakens the indirect effect on innovation. Based on the findings that enrich the literature on trust in AI and extend its boundary conditions, this study advises managers to cultivate employees’ trust in AI, leverage the resource-gaining and demand-enabling pathways, and adopt differentiated strategies tailored to job complexity to maximize innovation-enhancing effects of trust in AI. Full article

Background: The use of digital media in childhood offers both opportunities and risks. Digital stressors—such as excessive screen time, constant availability, information overload, and social media pressures—affect primary school children but have been rarely studied systematically. Despite growing research, no validated instruments adequately capture how younger children perceive and express digital stress. This study presents the development and validation of a three-dimensional instrument for children under 14: the “Digital Stress in Children” scale (DSS-CH). The DSS-CH is theory-driven and child-appropriate, with three interrelated but distinct dimensions: (1) excessive screen time, (2) compulsive media behavior, and (3) approval anxiety. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey of n = 907 Swiss primary school children (grades 5–6; ages 10–14), participants completed an online questionnaire in class. Latent variable modeling with cluster-robust inference accounted for classroom nesting. Competing models (1-, 2-, 3-factor CFA; ESEM; bifactor-ESEM) were evaluated. Results: The 1-factor CFA fit poorly (CFI ≈ 0.81; RMSEA ≈ 0.15), while the 3-factor CFA showed acceptable fit (CFI ≈ 0.96; RMSEA ≈ 0.07). Allowing cross-loadings improved fit substantially in the 3-factor ESEM and bifactor-ESEM (CFI ≈ 0.999; RMSEA ≈ 0.01), supporting a general digital stress factor alongside facet-specific variance. Subscales showed good reliability (ordinal α ≈ 0.81 − 0.89) and moderate intercorrelations (r ≈ 0.28 − 0.47). Scalar invariance across gender and age was supported (ΔCFI ≤ 0.003; ΔRMSEA ≤ 0.012). Conclusions: The DSS-CH demonstrates good reliability, model fit, and measurement invariance. It provides valid evidence for interpreting children’s digital stress as three related facets and can help identify elevated stress profiles to inform preventive efforts. Full article

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) is reshaping transport systems and accelerating the sustainable digital transformation of smart mobility. EV battery-swapping, delivered through platform-based, data-driven service networks, offers a low-carbon alternative to conventional refueling and plug-in charging by shortening replenishment time and enabling centralized battery management. However, the behavioral mechanisms driving user adoption of this digitally enabled infrastructure remain insufficiently understood. This study develops a socio-technical system (STS) model in which social and technical drivers influence users’ intention to adopt EV battery-swapping services via the dual mediation of perceived trust and perceived risk. Using a three-stage mixed-methods design that combines a PRISMA-based literature review, expert interviews with user-journey mapping, and a large-scale user survey, the study identifies six social and technical antecedents of EV battery-swapping adoption. Based on 565 valid responses from EV users in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region, partial least squares structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis are employed to test the proposed framework. The results show that all six antecedents significantly affect perceived trust and perceived risk, which in turn mediate their impacts on adoption intention, with notable heterogeneity across income and usage-frequency groups. The findings provide a mechanism-based extension of STS theory for digitally mediated battery-swapping infrastructure by showing how socio-technical conditions shape adoption via trust and risk, and they offer actionable implications for operators and policymakers to build secure, user-centered swapping services within intelligent transport systems. Full article

Circular economy (CE) claims in fashion aim to mobilize consumer participation in reuse and recycling, yet the interpretative flexibility of “circular” language can also enable vague messaging and skepticism. This study investigates how consumers assess CE fashion claims in terms of (a) claim substantiation quality (CSQ) and (b) claim support credibility (CSC), and how these assessments influence perceived green authenticity (PGA), green trust (GTR), and circular purchase intention (CPI) in Greece and the United Kingdom. A cross-national online stimulus-based survey utilizing standardized e-commerce product-card claims for a fictitious circular fashion brand gathered data from Greece (n = 640) and the UK (n = 572). PLS-SEM and multi-group analysis evaluated a model distinguishing CSQ and CSC as complementary message properties. In the overall sample, both CSQ and CSC exhibited a positive correlation with CPI, whereas PGA and GTR emerged as the most significant proximal predictors, with authenticity demonstrating the most substantial impact. Indirect-effect tests showed that CSQ affected CPI through both authenticity and trust. On the other hand, CSC was only effective through authenticity, and there was no clear pathway for CSC trust intention. The multi-group results also showed context sensitivity: Greece exhibited a stronger trust-based path to intention, while the UK had a stronger authenticity-based path to intention. Overall, the results support a dual-route theory of CE claim persuasion. Additionally, they suggest that effective CE fashion communication should combine clear, specific content with credible, externally checkable support cues. Full article

As a critical hydraulic component of pumped storage power stations, the side inlet/outlet directly affects unit efficiency, flow stability, and system safety. This study investigates the side inlet/outlet of a pumped storage power station using three-dimensional numerical simulations, focusing on the influence of the diffuser length L on hydraulic performance, and further analyzes the underlying mechanisms of energy loss based on entropy production theory. The results indicate that, with increasing diffuser length L, the flow rates in individual channels gradually deviate from the design values, leading to an aggravated imbalance in flow distribution. In contrast, the velocity non-uniformity coefficient C_V at the trash rack decreases, accompanied by a pronounced attenuation of recirculation and local flow separation, resulting in a more uniform and stable flow field. Moreover, increasing L improves the streamwise velocity uniformity within each channel, while the extent and intensity of the top recirculation zone are reduced, suppressing local flow separation. Quantitative analysis shows that when L increases from 65 m to 85 m, the total turbulent dissipation entropy production rate in the diffuser section increases linearly from 2732.32 W/K to 2842.32 W/K, whereas the direct dissipation entropy production rate increases from 0.41 W/K to 0.59 W/K. This indicates that turbulent dissipation entropy production plays a dominant role in the overall energy loss. Shorter diffusers tend to induce high-intensity local dissipation, whereas longer diffusers reduce local peak dissipation but increase the overall entropy production within the diffuser, reflecting a trade-off between local optimization and global energy loss. This study reveals the sensitivity and governing effects of diffuser length on the hydraulic characteristics of side inlet/outlets, providing a reference for geometry optimization and engineering design of similar hydraulic components. Full article

Background/Objectives: Retrospective projects including audits and observational research advance the practice of emergency medicine but face methodological challenges affecting data quality. This guideline presents an 11-step framework to guide the conduct of high-quality retrospective projects, minimizing bias and enhancing reproducibility for clinicians. Methods: The stepped approach mirrors the standard sections of a study protocol but reframes them as guiding questions to make each section’s content and purpose more practical, intuitive, and clear for users. Conclusions: This framework equips clinicians with a practical entry point to retrospective study design, distilling methodological nuances and strategies to bridge theory and application. Systematic adherence promotes rigor, reduces bias, and elevates retrospective chart review from a convenient tool to a robust method for evaluating practice patterns, interventions, and quality improvement in emergency care. Implementation also fosters a culture of evidence-based inquiry essential to advancing emergency medicine. Full article

This study examines whether a newly constructed status characteristic stabilizes across interaction contexts and over time, a question central to the diffusion of status value theory. Using a laboratory experiment, undergraduate women from a large public university (valid N = 100) were randomly assigned to high- or low-status positions on a novel status characteristic and then interacted within dyads consisting of participants and confederate partners across two distinct problem-solving tasks. A Latin square design was employed to counterbalance task order and assess whether initial task context moderated subsequent status processes. Influence behaviors were measured across repeated interactions. Results show that the constructed status characteristic reliably shaped influence in early interactions and remained stable across tasks. However, a significant interaction between status and task order indicates that the magnitude of status effects depended on which task participants encountered first. These findings demonstrate that newly created status characteristics can stabilize rapidly within interactional settings while remaining sensitive to task context. By identifying how task order may affect the persistence of novel status distinctions, the study advances research on status construction and clarifies the micro-level processes through which new status beliefs become durable features of social interaction. Full article

Tropical cyclones kill thousands and inflict vast destruction annually. While ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions dominate their formation and behaviour, forests’ potential influence has received little systematic attention. This review examines whether and how forests may affect tropical cyclone frequency, intensity, and behaviour. Support varies by mechanism and stage. Post-landfall effects have the strongest support: forests slow storms, moderate wind speeds and curb flooding through enhanced soil infiltration. Forests also influence storm tracks, though magnitudes are uncertain. Pre-landfall effects are less certain. These include processes that modify offshore humidity, temperature, and aerosols. The Biotic Pump theory proposes that forest cover creates pressure gradients drawing moisture inland, reducing its availability for ocean storms. Forest influences are likely to be most evident near thresholds for storm formation or intensification, where small perturbations in conditions can alter outcomes. This context-dependency reconciles divergent findings and aids the integration of forests into climate risk assessments. Forest conservation provides clear post-landfall protection; pre-landfall effects, while uncertain, further strengthen the case for protection and highlight research priorities. Full article

Rural revitalization has emerged as a core agenda in the global pursuit of sustainable development, with its success fundamentally hinging on enhancing the resilience of rural households to withstand shocks and restore their livelihoods. In contrast to mainstream research that primarily examines whether Medical Financial Assistance (MFA) reduces medical burden, this paper focuses on MFA as ex-post cash compensation and investigates whether and how it affects the sustainable livelihood recovery of low-income rural households following health shocks, thereby providing empirical evidence for understanding the foundational role of health security in rural revitalization. A quasi-natural experiment is constructed by leveraging the institutional feature that MFA eligibility is activated by exogenous health shocks. Using two-wave balanced panel data (2021–2022) from a nationally designated deep poverty-stricken county in Hebei Province, China, the Propensity Score Matching–Difference-in-Differences (PSM-DID) method and mediation models are employed for causal identification and mechanism testing. The findings indicate that (1) MFA significantly promotes household income recovery. It enables recipient households to recover per capita net income by an average of approximately 13.2% (p < 0.01), demonstrating a protective recovery effect, and simultaneously recovers per capita non-farm labor income by an average of approximately 13.8% (p < 0.05), revealing a developmental recovery effect. The latter is partially mediated by the non-farm labor participation rate (mediation ratio 51.7%, Sobel Z = 2.10). This finding validates the “time release effect,” demonstrating that MFA stimulates endogenous dynamics by restoring health capital and releasing labor previously constrained by family care responsibilities. It thereby extends the application of health capital theory from the individual to the household level. (2) Mechanism analysis shows that the protective recovery effect is fully mediated by the amount of MFA received (mediation ratio 326.7%, Sobel Z = 12.85), providing empirical evidence for precautionary saving theory in the context of targeted social assistance and revealing the potential productive attributes of the social safety net. (3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals clear group targeting and shock thresholds. The protective effect is concentrated among elderly households, while the developmental effect is primarily evident in middle-aged households. Both recovery effects manifest significantly only for households experiencing major disease shocks, confirming the theoretical expectation of “conditional effectiveness,” namely that policy effects are systematically moderated by household life-cycle characteristics and the severity of health shocks. This study demonstrates that MFA serves both as a safety net and an empowerment tool, but its effectiveness is highly contingent upon household characteristics and shock severity. By uncovering the foundational mechanisms through which health security contributes to rural household resilience, this study provides empirical evidence from China for building sustainable poverty prevention systems in the global process of rural revitalization. Full article

Prior research on tour guides’ influence on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior has largely emphasized informational content (e.g., interpretation) and communication tactics (e.g., humor), while leaving the social-influence role of guides’ emotional displays underexamined, especially with respect to simultaneous affective and cognitive mechanisms. Drawing on Emotions-as-Social-Information (EASI) theory, we develop a dual-path model in which tour guides’ environmental passion affects tourists’ pro-environmental behavior via an affective-reaction pathway (positive emotions) and an inferential pathway (self-protection motivation), with tourists’ self-construal moderating the first-stage effects. Using a seven-day experience sampling (intensive longitudinal) survey (873 day-level observations nested within 159 tourists) and estimating a 1-1-1 multilevel structural equation model with Monte Carlo confidence intervals, we find that guides’ environmental passion predicts tourists’ pro-environmental behavior both directly and indirectly through the two mediators, and these indirect effects are stronger among tourists with a more interdependent self-construal. The study extends EASI theory to guide–tourist interactions and advances tourism sustainability research by clarifying how emotional displays operate as social information in shaping tourists’ daily pro-environmental responses. Full article