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This study aims to better understand the morphological characteristics of single particle and the health risk characteristics of heavy metals in PM_2.5 in different functional areas of Handan City.

High resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the aerosol samples collected from different functional areas of Handan City. The morphology and size distribution of the particles collected on hazy and clear days were compared. The health risk evaluation model was applied to evaluate the hazardous effects of particles on human health in different functional areas on hazy days.

The results show that the particulate matter in different functional areas is dominated by spherical particles in different weather conditions. In particular, the proportion of spherical particles exceeds 70% on the haze day, and the percentage of soot aggregates increases significantly on the clear day. The percentage of each type of particle in the teaching and living areas varied less under different weather conditions. Except for the industrial area, the size distribution of each type of particle in haze samples is larger than that on the clear day. Spherical particles contribute more to the small particle size segment. Soot aggregate and other shaped particles contribute more to the large size segment. The mass concentrations of hazardous elements (HEs) in PM_2.5 in different functional areas on consecutive haze pollution days were illustrated as industrial area > traffic area > living area > teaching area. Compared with the other functional areas, the teaching area had the lowest noncarcinogenic risk of HEs. The lifetime carcinogenic risk values of Cr and As elements in each functional area have exceeded residents’ threshold levels and are at high risk of carcinogenicity. Among the four functional areas, the industrial area has the highest carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks. But the effects of HEs on human health in the other functional areas should also be taken seriously and continuously controlled.

The significance of the study is to further understand the morphological characteristics of single particles and the health risks of heavy metals in different functional areas of Handan City. the authors hope to provide a reference for other coal-burning industrial cities to develop plans to improve air quality and human respiratory health.

This study provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape of Kansei engineering (KE) within the domain of emotional clothing design. It explores the pivotal technologies, challenges and potential future directions of KE, offering application methodologies and theoretical underpinnings to support emotional clothing design.

This study briefly introduces KE, outlining its overarching research methodologies and processes. This framework lays the groundwork for advancing research in clothing Kansei. Subsequently, by reviewing literature from both domestic and international sources, this research initially explores the application of KE in the design and evaluation of clothing products as well as the development of intelligent clothing design systems from the vantage point of designers. Second, it investigates the role of KE in the customization of online clothing recommendation systems and the optimization of retail environments, as perceived by consumers. Finally, with the research methodologies of KE as a focal point, this paper discusses the principal challenges and opportunities currently confronting the field of clothing Kansei research.

At present, studies in the domain of clothing KE have achieved partial progress, but there are still some challenges to be solved in the concept, technical methods and area of application. In the future, multimodal and multisensory user Kansei acquisition, multidimensional product deconstruction, artificial intelligence (AI) enabling KE research and clothing sales environment Kansei design will become new development trends.

This study provides significant directions and concepts in the technology, methods and application types of KE, which is helpful to better apply KE to emotional clothing design.

Political factors play a crucial role in China's initial public offering (IPO) market due to its distinctive institutional context (i.e. “economic decentralization” and “political centralization”). Given the significant level of IPO underpricing in China, we examine the impact of local political uncertainty (measured by prefecture-level city official turnover rate) on IPO underpricing.

Using 2,259 IPOs of A-share listed companies from 2001 to 2019, we employ a structural equation model (SEM) to examine the channel (voluntarily lower the issuance price vs aftermarket trading) through which political uncertainty affects IPO underpricing. We check the robustness of the results using bootstrap tests, adopting alternative proxies for political uncertainty and IPO underpricing and employing subsample analysis.

Local official turnover-induced political uncertainty increases IPO underpricing by IPO firms voluntarily reducing the issuance price rather than by affecting investor sentiment in aftermarket trading. These relations are stronger in firms with pre-IPO political connections. The effect of political uncertainty on IPO underpricing is also contingent upon the industry and the growth phase of an IPO firm, more pronounced in politically sensitive industries and firms listed on the growth enterprise market board.

Local government officials in China usually have a short tenure and Chinese firms witness significantly severe IPO underpricing. By introducing the SEM model in studying China IPO underpricing, this study identifies the channel through which local government official turnover to political uncertainty on IPO underpricing.

This study aims to assess the social network and perceived social support among community corrections offenders in China and compare the relationship between different sub-dimensions of social support and offenders’ social adaptation.

A descriptive design combined with self-administered questionnaires was used. A total of 54 valid responses were analysed, with participants displaying the following demographic characteristics: male offenders outnumbered female offenders, probationers constituted the highest proportion among all community corrections offenders and educational levels were generally low. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were conducted. The Lubben Social Network Scale, Interpersonal Support Evaluation List Scale and Person at Re-education-centre Social Adaptation Scale were used to measure the variables.

Participants exhibited generally good levels of social support, with moderately extensive social networks and perceived support. All sub-dimensions showed significant positive correlations with social adaptation, with the highest correlation for appraisal support (r = 0.743, p < 0.01), followed by instrumental support (r = 0.714, p < 0.01), emotional support (r = 0.687, p < 0.01), informational support (r = 0.685, P < 0.01) and social networks (r = 0.426, p < 0.01).

This study expands the understanding of community corrections offenders in China by focusing on the underexplored Sichuan Province, using empirical methods for data collection. It addresses a gap in previous research by examining both structural and functional support for offenders rather than focusing solely on one aspect. The study uses two scales, rarely used in Chinese research, to measure structural and functional support, thereby enhancing research on social support for offenders. Practically, it explores the correlation between social support and re-entry, offering valuable insights for improving offenders’ reintegration into society.

These results underscore the critical role of social networks and perceived social support in reintegrating Chinese community corrections offenders. Distinct from prior research, this study used a more comprehensive scale, less commonly used by Chinese scholars, to enable detailed measurement and analysis, highlighting the significance of both structural and functional support in informing practice in related fields.

Drought is the primary disaster that negatively impacts agricultural and animal husbandry production. It can lead to crop reduction and even pose a threat to human survival in environmentally sensitive areas of China (ESAC). However, the phases and periodicity of drought changes in the ESAC remain largely unknown. Thus, this paper aims to identify the periodic characteristics of meteorological drought changes.

The potential evapotranspiration was calculated using the Penman–Monteith formula recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, whereas the standardized precipitation evaporation index (SPEI) of drought was simulated by coupling precipitation data. Subsequently, the Bernaola-Galvan segmentation algorithm was proposed to divide the periods of drought change and the newly developed extreme-point symmetric mode decomposition to analyze the periodic drought patterns.

The findings reveal a significant increase in SPEI in the ESAC, with the rate of decline in drought events higher in the ESAC than in China, indicating a more pronounced wetting trend in the study area. Spatially, the northeast region showed an evident drying trend, whereas the southwest region showed a wetting trend. Two abrupt changes in the drought pattern were observed during the study period, namely, in 1965 and 1983. The spatial instability of moderate or severe drought frequency and intensity on a seasonal scale was more consistent during 1966–1983 and 1984–2018, compared to 1961–1965. Drought variation was predominantly influenced by interannual oscillations, with the periods of the components of intrinsic mode functions 1 (IMF1) and 2 (IMF2) being 3.1 and 7.3 years, respectively. Their cumulative variance contribution rate reached 70.22%.

The trend decomposition and periods of droughts in the study area were analyzed, which may provide an important scientific reference for water resource management and agricultural production activities in the ESAC. However, several problems remain unaddressed. First, the SPEI considers only precipitation and evapotranspiration, making it extremely sensitive to temperature increases. It also ignores the nonstationary nature of the hydrometeorological water process; therefore, it is prone to bias in drought detection and may overestimate the intensity and duration of droughts. Therefore, further studies on the application and comparison of various drought indices should be conducted to develop a more effective meteorological drought index. Second, the local water budget is mainly affected by surface evapotranspiration and precipitation. Evapotranspiration is calculated by various methods that provide different results. Therefore, future studies need to explore both the advantages and disadvantages of various evapotranspiration calculation methods (e.g. Hargreaves, Thornthwaite and Penman–Monteith) and their application scenarios. Third, this study focused on the temporal and spatial evolution and periodic characteristics of droughts, without considering the driving mechanisms behind them and their impact on the ecosystem. In future, it will be necessary to focus on a sensitivity analysis of drought indices with regard to climate change. Finally, although this study calculated the SPEI using meteorological data provided by China’s high-density observatory network, deviations and uncertainties were inevitable in the point-to-grid spatialization process. This shortcoming may be avoided by using satellite remote sensing data with high spatiotemporal resolution in the future, which can allow pixel-scale monitoring and simulation of meteorological drought evolution.

Under the background of continuous global warming, the climate in arid and semiarid areas of China has shown a trend of warming and wetting. It means that the plant environment in this region is getting better. In the future, the project of afforestation and returning farmland to forest and grassland in this region can increase the planting proportion of water-loving tree species to obtain better ecological benefits. Meanwhile, this study found that in the relatively water-scarce regions of China, drought duration was dominated by interannual oscillations (3.1a and 7.3a). This suggests that governments and nongovernmental organizations in the region should pay attention to the short drought period in the ESAC when they carry out ecological restoration and protection projects such as the construction of forest reserves and high-quality farmland.

The findings enhance the understanding of the phasic and periodic characteristics of drought changes in the ESAC. Future studies on the stress effects of drought on crop yield may consider these effects to better reflect the agricultural response to meteorological drought and thus effectively improve the tolerance of agricultural activities to drought events.

This study aims to explore work–life integration (WLI) as a crucial mechanism underpinning the transformation of the hospitality and tourism industry from shifts in work paradigms, including rapid technological advancements, flexible work forms, quiet quitting, increasing awareness of well-being, cultural diversity and gender disparity. It further develops the coping strategies and research agenda.

Through the bridged lens of the work–life boundary theory and conservation of resources theory, this research critically analyzes the literature on emerging work paradigms and WLI and develops a conceptual framework guiding the systematic examination of the WLI mechanisms underpinning the influence from work paradigm shifts.

The analysis reveals the underpinning mechanisms in managing WLI, highlighting the importance of systematic and customized work–life management strategies in adapting to evolving work paradigms. An integrated conceptual framework is developed to guide future research and practical applications.

This study underscores the critical need for strategic WLI management, emphasizing its importance for sustainable industry development. It also proposes actionable work–life management strategies for stakeholders, aiming for positive outcomes at personal, organizational and industrial levels amid the paradigm shifts.

The comprehensive conceptual framework uniquely bridged two theories that afford a novel, interconnected and in-depth approach to analyzing how work paradigm shifts reshape the industry. It further broadens the research agenda on WLI, with promising research directions proposed for advancing the understanding of the ever-evolving hospitality and tourism work landscapes.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an infodemic erupted on social media, leading to a surge in negative disclosure behaviors such as expressing dissatisfaction and releasing negative emotions. By extending the elaboration likelihood model and the Big Five personality theory to the domain of online self-disclosure, we aimed to identify the factors that influence negative disclosure behavior.

We investigated how the features of negative information content, information sources and recipients’ social perceptions influence how social media users disclose negative information. We also examined the moderating roles of personality traits in this process. To validate the model and test our hypotheses, we collected cross-sectional data from 456 social media users.

Empirical results reveal that (1) information overload, topic relevance, attractiveness of information sources, peer approval of negative disclosure and social influence on negative information strengthen the intention to disclose negative information. (2) The perception of social risk weakens the intention to disclose negative information. (3) Openness to experience, extraversion and neuroticism strengthen the relationship between the intention to disclose negative information and actual disclosure behavior.

Our results not only provide new perspectives on the decision-making mechanisms behind negative disclosure behavior but also extend personality research within the context of the dissemination of negative information. Furthermore, it offers insights into negative information dissemination on social media platforms, with significant implications for various stakeholders.

Drawing on social information processing theory and work-as-calling theory, this study explores the impact of mentoring within the Chinese context – which encompasses the roles of both mentors and senior mentees – on the calling and turnover intention of junior mentees in the hospitality industry.

Survey questionnaires were administered to collect 222 valid responses from frontline hotel employees in China. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to test the hypotheses. We further conducted several post hoc interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the relationships examined.

Chinese mentoring positively affects mentees’ perceiving and living a calling, which in turn reduces their turnover intention. Junior mentees’ liking of their senior mentees further amplifies the negative effect of living a calling on their turnover intention.

This study enriches the literature on calling by exploring the antecedents of perceiving a calling and the boundary conditions that enhance the effect of living a calling on turnover intention. Additionally, our study highlights the unique aspect of Chinese mentorship as resembling a family-like relationship, a characteristic shaped by the pervasive influence of Confucianism in China, which enriches the existing literature on mentorship studies.

To systematically characterize and objectively evaluate basic railway safety management capability, creating a closed-loop management approach which allows continuous improvement and optimization.

A basic railway safety management capability evaluation index system based on a comprehensive analysis of national safety management standards, railway safety rules and regulations and existing safety data from railway transport enterprises is presented. The system comprises a guideline layer including safety committee formation, work safety responsibility, safety management organization and safety rules and regulations as its components, along with an index layer consisting of 12 quantifiable indexes. Game theory combination weighting is utilized to integrate subjective and objective weight values derived using AHP and CRITIC methods and further combined using the TOPSIS method in order to construct a comprehensive basic railway safety management capability evaluation model.

The case study presented demonstrates that this evaluation index system and comprehensive evaluation model are capable of effectively characterizing and evaluating basic railway safety management capability and providing directional guidance for its sustained improvement.

Construction of an evaluation index system that is quantifiable, generalizable and accessible, accurately reflects the main aspects of railway transportation enterprises’ basic safety management capability and provides interoperability across various railway transportation enterprises. The application of the game theoretic combination weighting method to derive composite weights which combine experts’ subjective evaluations with the objectivity of data.

Aqueous zinc-ion battery has broad application prospects in smart grid energy storage, power tools and other fields. Co₃O₄ is one of the ideal cathode materials for water zinc-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, simple synthesis, low cost and environmental friendliness. Many studies were concentrated on the synthesis, design and doping of cathodes, but the effect of process parameters on morphology and performance was rarely reported.

Herein, Co₃O₄ cathode material based on carbon cloth (Co₃O₄/CC) was prepared by different temperatures hydrothermal synthesis method. The temperatures of hydrothermal reaction are 100°C, 120°C, 130°C and 140°C, respectively. The influence of temperatures on the microstructures of the cathodes and electrochemical performance of zinc ion batteries were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry curve, electrochemical charging and discharging behavior and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test.

The results show that the Co₃O₄/CC material synthesized at 120°C has good performance. Co₃O₄/CC nanowire has a uniform distribution, regular surface and small size on carbon cloth. The zinc-ion battery has excellent rate performance and low reaction resistance. In the voltage range of 0.01–2.2 V, when the current density is 1 A/g, the specific capacity of the battery is 108.2 mAh/g for the first discharge and the specific capacity of the battery is 142.6 mAh/g after 60 charge and discharge cycles.

The study aims to investigate the effect of process parameters on the performance of zinc-ion batteries systematically and optimized applicable reaction temperature.