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This exploratory pilot study investigated the experiences and perceptions of young people who use N₂O recreationally. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first qualitative research conducted in Australia with young people investigating this topic in detail. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore young people’s perceptions, motives and experiences of N₂O use by exploring the positive and negative effects of N₂O, motives for use, practices and methods and suggested advice to help define targeted harm reduction messages.

Participants were recruited via hard copy posters, social media advertisements and snowball sampling. Seven in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people aged between 18 and 25 years who had used N₂O on at least ten occasions. The interview transcripts were analysed thematically. The study was completed in accordance with COREQ for qualitative research.

The findings identified four overarching themes about N₂O use: the nature of N₂O use; the appeal of N₂O; influences on N₂O use; and perception of risk and harms of N₂O use.

Young people in the study described their experiences as being largely pleasurable. However, several identified negative impacts, although harms, were primarily disregarded. Exploration of N₂O effects alongside other substance use highlighted how N₂O is a unique substance and should be considered as such when developing harm reduction strategies.

The purpose of this study is to reveal the significant contribution of MXene on enhancing tribological properties and to obtain the influence mechanism of various factors on friction characteristics of rolling bearing under extreme conditions.

Under extreme working conditions, the friction characteristics of rolling bearings directly determine the safety and reliability of the transmission system. In this study, MXene is added to the origin lubricating grease (OLG) of rolling bearing to enhance their friction characteristics. Then, the effects of inner ring speed, radial load, grease filling volume and other factors on the friction coefficient of rolling bearing are analyzed using the Taguchi method.

The results indicate that the ranking of various factors affecting the friction coefficient is: radial load, inner ring speed, MXene additive content in grease and grease filling volume. Especially, the radial load and inner ring speed exhibit extremely significant effects, while the MXene additive content in grease (P < 0.05) has a significant influence on the friction coefficient of rolling bearing. The optimal condition for rolling bearing lubricated with MXene additives lubricating grease (MALG) achieves the lowest friction coefficient of 0.0049 under 1,000 rpm, 9 kN and 35% grease filling volume.

This study could offer reference solution for utilizing MXene nano-lubrication to fufill the demands of precision, heavy-load, or long-lifespan bearings. Furthermore, the lubrication approach has the potential to be expanded into aerospace, defense, and various industrial fields, thereby significantly promoting its practial engineering applications.

The application of galvanized steel is widespread across industries due to its protective zinc coating that protects against atmospheric corrosion. However, previous studies have primarily focused on long-term corrosion rates rather than the full-scale corrosion behavior of the zinc. This paper aims to study the full-scale corrosion evolution of galvanic steel under simulated marine atmospheric environment using real-time EIS measurement.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) provides an advanced method in monitoring such behavior. Therefore, the EIS method has been used to conduct a comprehensive investigation on the corrosion behavior of galvanic steel in a full-time manner.

The results indicate that the corrosion process of galvanic steel can be divided into three stages: an initial stage with an increased corrosion rate, a subsequent stage with a reduced corrosion rate, and finally a third stage with the lowest and constant corrosion rate. The evolution of corrosion resistance is closely related to changes in composition and structure of the patina layer. In the initial stage, galvanized steel undergoes the formation of soluble ZnCl₂ and needle-like Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·H₂O, which promotes the generation and maintenance of an electrolyte layer, consequently leading to an increase in corrosion rate. With prolonged corrosion time, there is a continuous accumulation of Zn₅(OH)₈Cl₂·H₂O within the patina layer, which reduces the content of soluble components and promotes the development of a denser inner layer, thus enhancing corrosion resistance.

This work holds significance in the monitoring of corrosion, understanding the evolution of corrosion and predicting the lifespan of galvanized steel.

This paper aims to investigate the extent of sustainability disclosure through websites at Spanish universities and analyse the determinants that affect such disclosure.

This study uses as methodology a content analysis of the sustainability information disclosed by universities on their official websites in 2022 and a regression of ordinary least squares.

Findings emphasise that Spanish universities have moderate levels of online sustainability disclosure, close to 50%, showing prevalent attention to dimensions concerning “organisation profile and governance”, “economic aspects” and “labour practices”, while “curriculum and teaching on sustainability topics” and “environmental” dimensions were less addressed. On the other hand, the findings indicate that public and larger universities are the ones most engaged in the online disclosure of information about sustainability issues. Likewise, universities led by female rectors exert a positive influence on sustainability disclosure on websites.

The results could be useful for policymakers and regulators to implement and standardise sustainability reporting at higher education institutions, as well as for managers at universities who wish to increase the diffusion of sustainability outreach to satisfy stakeholders’ demands and legitimise their actions in society.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first Spanish approach to identify the explanatory factors for sustainability reporting in Spanish higher education institutions.

This paper aims to conduct research on the role of vertical interlocks of executives in blocking adverse loops between research and development (R&D) investment and the cost of equity capital and explore the action path of vertical interlocks of executives. This paper also analyzes the differences in the effect of vertical interlocks of chairman, vertical interlocks of chief executive officer (CEO) and vertical interlocks of CEO duality.

This paper uses 28,078 firm-year samples from Chinese A-share listed companies to study the impact of R&D investment on the cost of equity capital using univariate group analysis and multiple regression methods. This paper analyzes the role of vertical interlocks of executives in reducing the positive impact of R&D investment on the cost of equity capital by constructing interaction variables, by using group testing method to analyze the differences in the vertical interlocks of executives. This study also uses propensity score matching and instrumental variables to conduct robustness tests.

The vertical interlocks of executives can block adverse loops between R&D investment and the cost of equity capital. The role of executive vertical interlocks is more prominent in non-state-owned firms, mainly exerting the resource effect that supports the innovation of non-state-owned firms, including the information resource effect and the financial resource effect. Through heterogeneity analysis, this paper discovered that the role of vertical interlocks of chairman is greater than that of the CEO and the CEO duality.

Based on the perspective of the correlation effect generated by vertical interlocks of executives, this paper analyzes the path of promoting corporate innovation. This provides new empirical evidence for studying the collaborative governance effect of vertical interlocks of executives “supervision effect, financial resource effect and information resource effect.” This study provides useful insights for regulatory authorities to regulate and guide development of the vertical interlocks of executives.

Given the sudden disruption caused by COVID-19, knowledge sharing between organizations has become a meaningful way to improve supply chain resilience. However, there is still a lack of in-depth research on how to reduce the threat to knowledge sharing caused by increased levels of relational risk. With the emergence of new digital technologies, whether blockchain governance can control relational risk and replace traditional relational governance remains to be demonstrated.

This study uses a cross-sectional survey approach in which quantitative data are collected from 300 participants from Chinese manufacturing enterprises to test the hypotheses.

The results show that relational and blockchain governance can significantly and complementarily reduce the level of relational risk in knowledge sharing. When the relational risk is at a low, medium or high level, the best matches of relational and blockchain governance are low-level relational governance–low-level blockchain governance, high-level relational governance–low-level blockchain governance and high-level relational governance–high-level blockchain governance, respectively.

The findings of this study have important practical implications for manufacturing enterprises in terms of how to choose reasonable governance modes to manage relational risk behaviour according to different relational risk levels to better understand the positive role of knowledge sharing in supply chain resilience.

The antecedent variables of knowledge sharing in previous studies are based on transaction cost theory or relational theory and have not moved beyond the original theoretical framework. This paper addresses this limitation, puts knowledge sharing in the academic context of digital technology, considers blockchain governance into the process of relational risk-knowledge sharing and defines blockchain governance, which is a novel approach in the supply chain resilience management literature.

Through the theory of dynamic capability, this study aims to make theoretical hypotheses and empirical explorations on the relationship between supply chain quality management (SCQM) practices, dynamic supply chain capability (DSCC), supply chain resilience (SCR) and environmental dynamics.

In this study, DSCC is used as a mediating variable in the relationship between SCQM practices and SCR. To enhance the resilience of the supply chain, the moderating effect of environmental dynamics was tested. About 426 completed questionnaires were obtained from a cohort of Chinese manufacturing enterprises, and the proposed hypotheses were tested using the structural equation model method.

Empirical evidence shows that SCQM practices have a significantly positive impact on SCR at the overall level. Achieving better DSCC plays an important mediating role between SCQM practices and resilience. In addition, environmental dynamics have a moderating effect on the relationship between SCQM practices and DSCC.

This study constructs the influencing mechanism of SCQM practices on SCR through dynamic capability theory and enriches the relevant literature on SCR research. This study also provides management guidance for firms to enhance SCR through SCQM practices in an uncertain environment.

This paper aims to introduce a wheeled vehicle robot for adapting to the surface terrain of the 500-m diameter reflector of the FAST radio telescope in China.

By analyzing vehicles applied for different off-road environments, a six-wheeled architecture with a passive “triple-bogie” suspension is selected. A subscale model of the vehicle robot is designed, along with statics modeling and multibody simulations of the dynamics on simulated reflector panel surfaces. The slope- and step-climbing abilities of the subscale vehicle are discussed in accordance with numerical and experimental tests. An engineering scale vehicle is subsequently manufactured and tested on surface terrains of lateral as well as vertical gaps, and is finally validated on the FAST reflector.

This model of vehicle robot exhibits strong structure stability under desired payload. It can stably cross lateral gaps for maximum surface slope 28° and can traverse vertical gap for maximum surface slope 23°. The traversing abilities satisfy the mobility requirements subjected to surface terrains of FAST reflector.

The engineering vehicle robot negotiates the lateral as well as vertical gaps between triangle panels and has been successfully applied to the FAST reflector serving for inspection and maintenance work.

Bezier curves are widely used in computer-aided geometric design (CAGD) for modeling objects such as aircraft, cars and ships. Augmented reality applications are an important type of new-generation technology that is increasingly being used in simulations in education, military fields and gaming fields. Our study aims to provide a different approach with Augmented reality applications, one of the new generation technologies, by examining some geometric properties of Bezier curves, which have an important place in the design world. In our study, the Bishop frame, curvatures, derivative formulas and the Darboux vector of the Bishop frame have been computed by the algorithm method for the whole points of the rational Bezier curves. In the last part, some numerical examples and augmented reality applications have been given for the rational and polynomial Bezier curves in the GeoGebra program. Firstly, geometric computations related to rational Bezier curves were made in the GeoGebra program, and then drawing algorithms of rational Bezier curves were demonstrated with videos in the GeoGebra Ar program.

In this study, the theoretical method used is the algorithmic computation of the Bishop frame of Rational Bezier curves. The design application involved creating some three-dimensional Bezier curve and their augmented reality application.

Using the algorithmic method, the Bishop frame of Rational Bezier curves was calculated, the curvatures of the curve's Bishop frame were determined and various properties were computed.

The originality of this study lies in the algorithmic computation of the Bishop frame of rational Bezier curves, which has not been previously addressed in the literature, as well as the calculation of certain properties related to the curvatures of the Bishop frame. Additionally, a boat design was created using Bezier curves, which are widely used in object design, and an augmented reality application was implemented. Another advantage of this study is that it is expected to help in the more effective use of Bezier curves in the gaming industry.

This study aims to examine the effects on student motivation and perception of technological interventions within undergraduate mechanical engineering and product design and manufacture programs at a Sino-foreign international university. The authors use an augmented reality game application within a class on Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) that was developed using the approaches of microlearning and digital game-based learning (DGBL).

Structured as design-based research, the study reports on developing innovative educational interventions and provides an empirical investigation of their effectiveness. Data were collected using a mixed methods approach, using pre- and post-tests and questionnaires, together with researcher observations and participant interviews.

Through two rounds of playtests, the game positively affected intrinsic motivation and encouraged higher-order cognitive learning, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. Collaborative learning plays a significant role, DGBL is preferred over traditional methods and microlearning reduces information density and cognitive overload.

The study contributes to our understanding of digital game-based interventions on students’ intrinsic motivation and provides insights into effective ways to design instructional materials in similar teaching and learning settings.