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At airport security checkpoints, baggage screening is aimed to prevent transportation of prohibited and potentially dangerous items. Observing the projection images generated by X-rays scanner is a critical method. However, when multiple objects are stacked on top of each other, distinguishing objects only by a two-dimensional picture is difficult, which prompts the demand for more precise imaging technology to be investigated for use. Reconstructing from 2D X-ray images to 3D-computed tomography (CT) volumes is a reliable solution.

To more accurately distinguish the specific contour shape of items when stacked, multi-information fusion network (MFCT-GAN) based on generative adversarial network (GAN) and U-like network (U-NET) is proposed to reconstruct from two biplanar orthogonal X-ray projections into 3D CT volumes. The authors use three modules to enhance the reconstruction qualitative and quantitative effects, compared with the original network. The skip connection modification (SCM) and multi-channels residual dense block (MRDB) enable the network to extract more feature information and learn deeper with high efficiency; the introduction of subjective loss enables the network to focus on the structural similarity (SSIM) of images during training.

On account of the fusion of multiple information, MFCT-GAN can significantly improve the value of quantitative indexes and distinguish contour explicitly between different targets. In particular, SCM enables features more reasonable and accurate when expanded into three dimensions. The appliance of MRDB can alleviate problem of slow optimization during the late training period, as well as reduce the computational cost. The introduction of subjective loss guides network to retain more high-frequency information, which makes the rendered CT volumes clearer in details.

The authors' proposed MFCT-GAN is able to restore the 3D shapes of different objects greatly based on biplanar projections. This is helpful in security check places, where X-ray images of stacked objects need to be distinguished from the presence of prohibited objects. The authors adopt three new modules, SCM, MRDB and subjective loss, as well as analyze the role the modules play in 3D reconstruction. Results show a significant improvement on the reconstruction both in objective and subjective effects.

The paper aims to provide a comprehensive investigation of the relationship between corporate governance (CG) structure and firm performance in Chinese listed firms from 2001 to 2015. The authors’ motivation derives from the fact that the CG system in China is different from those in the US, the UK, Germany, Japan and other countries.

A large unbalanced sample, covering more than 22,700 observations in Chinese listed firms, was used to explore, by means of a system-generalized method-of-moments (GMM) estimator, the relationship between CG structure and firm performance to remove potential sources of endogeneity.

Results show that Chinese CG structure is endogenously determined by the CG mechanisms investigated: there is no relationship between board size (including independent directors) and firm performance; CEO duality has a significantly negative effect on firm performance; concentration of ownership has a significantly positive influence on firm performance; managerial ownership is negatively correlated with firm performance; state ownership has a significantly positive effect on firm performance; and a supervisory board is positively correlated with firm performance.

The findings provide policymakers and firm managers with useful empirical guidance concerning CG in China.

Few integrative studies have examined the impact of CG structure on firm performance in China. This study adds new empirical evidence that the relation between CG structure and performance in China is endogenous and dynamic when controlling for unobserved heterogeneity, simultaneity, and dynamic endogeneity.

Hempcrete has the potential to reduce both CO₂ emissions and energy usage in buildings. Hempcrete has a high sound absorption capacity, excellent moisture regulator and outstanding thermal insulation properties. However, hempcrete traditionally uses lime-based binders, which are carbon-intensive materials. The low-carbon binders to increase the sustainability of hempcrete are the current research gap. Geopolymer binders are low-carbon binders composed of aluminosilicate precursors dissolved in a high alkalinity solution. This study investigated the suitability of calcined clay and ground granulated blast furnace slag geopolymer binder as a low-carbon binder for hempcrete applications.

Two types of hemp hurds with different water absorption capacity and particle size distributions were used. Hempcrete properties tested were compressive strength, bulk density, sound absorption coefficient by a two-microphone impedance tube and thermal conductivity by a Hot Disk system.

The particle size distribution and water absorption capacity of hemp hurds did not affect the compressive strength of hempcrete when following a mixing procedure, ensuring the hurds in a saturated surface dry condition. The geopolymer hempcrete achieved a compressive strength about four times higher than the reference hydrated lime hempcrete. All hempcrete specimens achieved outstanding acoustic performance. The increase in bulk density led to the decrease in the maximum sound absorption coefficient. The geopolymer hempcrete achieved the lowest thermal conductivity.

The outcomes of this paper reveal that the low-carbon geopolymer binder appears to be a promising option for manufacturing hempcrete, achieving significantly higher compressive strength and lower thermal conductivity than the reference hydrated lime-based hempcrete.

This paper proposes that if a political system is more like to facilitate a unified government, to establish a strong executive body and to respond to the needs of the majority, financial reforms are more likely to emerge from the policymaking process and produce positive results. On the contrary, political systems that discourage those governing features are less likely to produce reforms. This chapter compares financial reform processes in China, Taiwan and New Zealand. All of them performed low level of financial reforms in the early 1980s but resulted in different situations later. In the mid-2000s, New Zealand heralded the most efficient and stable financial system; while Taiwan lagged behind and China performed the worst. Evidence showed that China’s authoritarian system may be the most superior in forming a unified government with a strong executive, but the policy priority often responds more to the interests of a small group of power elites; therefore the result of financial reform can be limited. Taiwan’s presidential system can produce greater financial reform when the ruling party controls both executive and legislative bodies, but legislative obstructions may occur under a divided government. New Zealand's Westminster system produces the most effective and efficient financial reform due to its unified government and a strong executive branch with consistent and stable supports from the New Zealand Parliament.

Although listed firms in Africa are increasingly establishing board sustainability committees, their impact on corporate outcomes in the region remains relatively understudied. This study investigates the effect of executive compensation (EC) and board sustainability committee initiatives (BSCIs) on both self-reported greenhouse gas emission reduction initiatives (SRGI) and actual greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE).

Through the lens of resource-based view and legitimacy and stakeholder theoretical perspectives, the study conducts a fixed-effects model over a dataset of 2,310 firm-year observations from African countries between 2002 and 2022.

The findings show that while EC has a negative impact on SRGI, it does not have a similar effect on outcome-based GHGE reduction. The study observes that SRGI has no effect on actual GHG emissions. We add a fresh dimension to the literature by documenting that BSCIs are associated with greater outcome-based GHGE but do not seem to improve symbolic SRGI. The evidence shows that BSCIs have no moderating impact on the association between symbolic SRGI and outcome-based GHGE. Finally, the study establishes that the predicted associations vary across different periods.

This study helps unpack the role of the board sustainability committee, which Orazalin et al. (2024) show has key economic implications. The findings help stakeholders including corporate boards, executives and regulators to understand how board sustainability committee characteristics and EC are associated with GHG emissions. The results are particularly essential as this study demonstrates the need for specific standards for disclosing GHG emission-related information, notably in the non-existence of mandatory GHG reporting.

The purpose of this paper is to identify the energy absorption characteristics of arch micro-strut (ARCH) lattice structure (different from traditional straight micro-strut lattice structure) under high-speed impact, and promote the development of special-shaped micro-strut lattice structure.

The study serves to study the anti-impact and energy absorption characteristics of ARCH lattice structure under different strain rates and different unit layers of lattice structure. In this paper, quasi-static compression and Hopkinson compression bar experiments are used for comparative analysis.

The results show that the ARCH lattice structure has obvious strain rate effect. When the strain rate is low, the number of layers of lattice structure has a great influence on the mechanical properties. With the increase of strain rate, the influence of the number of layers on the mechanical properties gradually weakens. So the ARCH lattice structure with fewer layers (less than five layers) should be selected as the impact energy absorbing materials at lower impact rate, while at higher impact rate, the number of layers can be selected according to the actual requirements of components or devices space size.

This study shows that Arch lattice structure has excellent energy absorption performance, and provides a theoretical reference for the application of ARCH lattice structure in energy-absorbing materials. ARCH lattice structure is expected to be applied to a variety of energy absorption and anti-impact components or devices, such as aircraft black box fall buffer components, impact resistant layer of bulletproof and landing buffer device.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the endogeneity effect of state ownership on firm value in Indonesia.

Using a sample of 139 Indonesian non-financial listed companies from 2009 to 2013, this study uses two-stage least square (2SLS) methods.

The results of 2SLS show that state ownership as “continuous measure, dummy variable and after adjusting the outliers” are negatively and significantly influenced firm value, implying that state ownership tends to lower firm value. Moreover, the results also show that U-shaped effect of state ownership with firm value, implying that the size of shareholders by state increases, firm value initially decreases and then increases.

The study intends to provide the shareholders, managers and investors with clear guidance before their investment decisions.

This paper provides evidence that the agency costs may increase in firms with state ownership share.

This is the first paper contributes to the corporate governance literature by investigating the endogeneity effect between state ownership and firm value using 2SLS method in Indonesia.

The purpose of this study is to address a significant gap in the understanding of entrepreneurship at the microfoundation level. It focuses on how individual entrepreneurs, specifically Hongbang entrepreneurs in China from 1896 to 1949, shape and transform their contexts. The aim is to provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that facilitate entrepreneurial success.

The study adopts a microhistorical approach, investigating the case of Hongbang entrepreneurs in China during 1896-1949. It involves an in-depth examination of historical records to explore the strategic interactions between these entrepreneurs and core stakeholders such as consumers, financial intermediaries, government regulators, and human resources. The research methodology emphasizes a process-oriented view, examining the evolution of personalized networks into extensive connections.

The research reveals that Hongbang entrepreneurs successfully reshaped their unfavorable embedded contexts by strategically collaborating with key stakeholders. They influenced consumer tastes, allied with financial intermediaries, negotiated with governments on regulation policies, and developed human resource stocks. The transformation was facilitated by the evolution of their networks from personalized to extensive connections. These findings highlight the localized strategies such as cronyism in resource acquisition within China’s private property development industry.

This study contributes to the field by offering insights into entrepreneurial contextualization and networking. It sheds light on the complex interplay between entrepreneurs and their contexts, providing a nuanced understanding of localized strategies in the Chinese context. The findings add value to the discourse on entrepreneurship by elucidating the strategic and processual acts through which entrepreneurs engage with stakeholders and reshape their environments.

There is widespread debate about the nationalistic top-down approach of citizenship education. By using the notion of cultural citizenship as a useful theoretical lens, citizenship education research tends to focus on the process of subjectivity construction among students’ citizenship learning process. The Communist Party of China plays a dominant role in cultivating citizens in the form of ideological and political education (IaPE) in Chinese universities. The research problem thus focuses on the dynamics and complexity of how Chinese university students construct their subjectivities regarding citizenship learning through IaPE. The main purpose of the study is to provide some research directions for understanding students’ citizenship learning today.

With the case study of one university in China and interview data from 25 students, this paper examines the ways in which students understand and respond to dominant discourses.

The findings revealed there is a deficit of citizenship learning in IaPE, and students felt ideologically pressurized. This study suggests students’ complex subjectivities of active participants but confused minds as a phenomenon in Chinese higher education, in which they must involve in IaPE for personal academic and career development, while they adopted covert strategies for self-conscious citizenship learning expectations. These strategies took the form ranging from obediently completing basic curriculum requirements and distancing away by studying abroad, to actively searching for learning opportunities from other courses and media society.

This paper contributes to citizenship education research by recognizing the complexities of how subjectivities are formed in formal university settings.

This study aims to identify the key factors that influence household pro-environmental behaviors (HPEBs) and explore the differences caused by the same influencing factors between household waste management behavior (HWM) and household energy-saving behavior (HES).

A meta-analysis was conducted on 90 articles about HPEBs published between 2009 and 2023 to find the key factors. HPEBs were further categorized into HWM and HES to investigate the difference influenced by the above factors on two behaviors. The correlation coefficient was used as the unified effect size, and the random-effect model was adopted to conduct both main effect and moderating effect tests.

The results showed that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control all positively influenced intention and HPEBs, but their effects were stronger on intention than on HPEBs. Intention was found to be the strongest predictor of HPEBs. Subjective norms were found to have a more positive effect on HES compared to HWM, while habits had a more positive effect on HWM. Furthermore, household size was negatively correlated with HWM but positively correlated with HES.

The same variables have different influences on HWM and HES. These results can help develop targeted incentives to increase the adoption of HPEBs, ultimately reducing household energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to the mitigation of global warming.