On the basis of the framework of Perceptual Assimilation Model connected to speech perception, this paper reports on a study of the relationship between the experience of L1 (Chinese) and L2 (English) production from the point of lexical stress level. Chinese EFL speakers were recruited for this study. All the participants were required to read 20 words in the form of English, of which the lexical stress was recorded so as to make further analysis and comparison. The study indicates that the biggest challenge for Chinese EFL learners is the misplacement of word stress. It often occurs in polysyllabic words, and there is a strong tendency of stress shift on the second syllable. The dominant reason for the misplacement is that the second or the latter syllable is frequently stressed in mandarin dissyllables. This implies that Chinese EFL learners should lay more emphasis on phonological awareness of L2 and sufficient supply of L2 auditory input should also be assured in order to maintain the quality of perception and production in stress acquisition.

We present an interdisciplinary exploration of technostress in knowledge-intensive organizations, including both business and healthcare settings, and its impact on a healthy working life. Technostress, a contemporary form of stress induced by information and communication technology, is associated with reduced job satisfaction, diminished organizational commitment, and adverse patient care outcomes. This article aims to construct an innovative framework, called The Integrated Technostress Resilience Framework, designed to mitigate technostress and promote continuous learning within dynamic organizational contexts. In this perspective article we incorporate a socio-technical systems approach to emphasize the complex interplay between technological and social factors in organizational settings. The proposed framework is expected to provide valuable insights into the role of transparency in digital technology utilization, with the aim of mitigating technostress. Furthermore, it seeks to extend information systems theory, particularly the Technology Acceptance Model, by offering a more nuanced understanding of technology adoption and use. Our conclusion includes considerations for the design and implementation of information systems aimed at fostering resilience and adaptability in organizations undergoing rapid technological change.

The coastal area of Bohai Bay of China has a wide distribution of salt-accumulated soils which could pose a problem to the sustainable development of the local ecology. As a result, the land remains largely degraded and unsuitable for biophysical and agricultural purposes. In this study, we characterized the soil and native plants in the area, to properly understand and identify species with satisfactory adaptation to saline soil and of high economic or ecological value that could be further developed or domesticated, using appropriate cultivation techniques. The goal was to determine the salinity parameters of the soil, identify the inhabiting plant species and contribute to the ecosystem data base for the Bay area. A field survey involving soil and plant sampling and analyses was conducted in Yanshan and Haixing Counties of Hebei Province, China, to estimate the level of salt ions as well as plant species population and type. The mean electrical conductivity (EC) of the soils ranged from 0.47 in more remote locations to 23.8 ds/m in locations closer to the coastline and the total salt ions from 0.05 to 8.8 g/kg, respectively. Each of the salinity parameters, except HCO₃⁻ showed wide variations as judged from the coefficient of variation (CV) values. The EC, as well as chloride, sulphate, Mg and Na ions increased significantly towards the coastline but the HCO₃⁻ ion showed a relatively even distribution across sampling points. Sodium was the most abundant cation and chloride and sulphate the most abundant anions. Therefore, the most dominant salinity-inducing salt that should be properly managed for sustainable ecosystem health was sodium chloride. Based on the EC readings, the most remote location from the coastline was non-saline but otherwise, the salinity ranged from slightly to strongly-very strongly saline towards the coast. There were considerably wide variations in the number and distribution of plant species across sampling locations, but most were dominated entirely Phragmites australis, Setaria viridis and Sueda salsa. Other species identified were Aeluropus littoralis, Chloris virgata, Heteropappus altaicus, Imperata cylindrica, Puccinellia distans, Puccinellia tenuiflora and Scorzonera austriaca. On average, the sampling points furthest from the coast produced the most biomass, and the point with the highest elevation had the most diverse species composition. Among species, Digitaria sanguinalis produced the highest dry mass, followed by Lolium perenne and H. altaicus, but there were considerable variations in biomass yield across sampling locations, with the location nearest the coastline having no vegetation. The observed variations in soil and vegetation should be strongly considered by planners to allow for the sustainable development of the Bahai bay area.

Objective: To study the changes of growth, physiological and absorption characteristics of Pinus bungeana under ozone (O₃) stress, to elucidate the correlations among the indicators, and to determine its degree of response to O₃. Methods: The growth, physiological characteristics and O₃ uptake capacity of Pinus bungeana seedlings were measured in an open-top O₃ fumigation manual control experiment with three concentration gradients (NF: normal atmospheric O₃ concentration, NF40: normal atmospheric O₃ concentration plus 40 nmlol/mol; NF80: normal atmospheric O₃ concentration plus 80 nmol/mol), and the relationships between the characteristics of Pinus bungeana under different O₃ concentrations were investigated with correlation analysis, redundancy analysis and analysis of variance. Results: (1) Plant height growth (ΔH), diameter growth at 50 cm (ΔDBH), stomatal size (S), stomatal density (M), stomatal opening (K), stomatal conductance (G_s), net photosynthetic rate (P_n), transpiration rate (E_t), water use efficiency (WUE), maximum photochemical efficiency (F_v/F_m), chlorophyll content (CHL), whole tree water consumption (W), and O₃ uptake rate () all decreased with the increase of O₃ concentration; while intercellular CO₂ concentration () and relative conductivity (L) increased with the increase of O₃ concentration; (2) growth indicators of Pinus bungeana under O₃ stress (ΔH, ΔDBH) were the most correlated with O₃ uptake status (, W), followed by photosynthetic indicators (, WUE, ,, ) and growth indicators (ΔH, ΔDBH) and stomatal characteristics (K, M, S) under O₃ stress, some physiological indicators (L, ) were relatively weakly correlated with photosynthesis (, WUE,,, ) and stomatal (K, M, S); (3) all the indicators of Pinus bungeana were significantly different under O₃ treatments of NF and NF80 (P < 0.05), ΔH, ΔDBH, M, CHL, , , W and were most significantly different under NF and NF40 treatments, and K, S, WUE, , , , L were more significantly different under NF40 and NF80 treatments. Conclusion: The experiment proved that the growth of Pinus bungeana was slowed, photosynthetic capacity was reduced, and the absorption capacity of O₃ was further reduced by long-term exposure to high concentration of O₃. The growth of Pinus bungeana was most correlated with the changes of O₃ absorption characteristics, and the stomatal characteristics were most correlated with photosynthetic physiological characteristics, and the reduction of photosynthetic capacity etc. further led to the curtailment of its growth.

To investigate the possible role of arbuscular mycrrhizal fungi (AMF) in alleviating the negative effects of salinity on Stevia rebaudiana (Bert.), the regenerated plantlets in tissue culture was transferred to pots in greenhouse and inoculated with Glomus intraradices. Salinity caused a significant decrease in chlorophyll content, photosynthesis efficiency and enhanced the electrolyte leakage. The use of AMF in salt –affected plants resulted in improved all above mentioned characteristics. Hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents increased in salt stressed plants while a reduction was observed due to AMF inoculation. CAT activity showed a significant increase up to 2 g/l and then followed by decline at 5 g/l NaCl in both AMF and non-AMF treated stevia, however, AMF inoculated plants maintained lower CAT activity at all salinity levels (2 and 5 g/l). Enhanced POX activities in salt- treated stevia plants were decreased by inoculation of plants with AMF. The addition of NaCl to stevia plants also resulted in an enhanced activity of SOD whilst, AMF plants maintained higher SOD activity at all salinity levels than those of non-AMF inoculated plants. AMF inoculation was capable of alleviating the damage caused by salinity on stevia plants by reducing oxidative stress and improving photosynthesis efficiency. 

This study investigates the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) integration on preventing employee burnout through a human-centered, multimodal approach. Given the increasing prevalence of AI in workplace settings, this research seeks to understand how various dimensions of AI integration—such as the intensity of integration, employee training, personalization of AI tools, and the frequency of AI feedback—affect employee burnout. A quantitative approach was employed, involving a survey of 320 participants from high-stress sectors such as healthcare and IT. The findings reveal that the benefits of AI in reducing burnout are substantial yet highly dependent on the implementation strategy. Effective AI integration that includes comprehensive training, high personalization, and regular, constructive feedback correlates with lower levels of burnout. These results suggest that the mere introduction of AI technologies is insufficient for reducing burnout; instead, a holistic strategy that includes thorough employee training, tailored personalization, and continuous feedback is crucial for leveraging AI’s potential to alleviate workplace stress. This study provides valuable insights for organizational leaders and policymakers aiming to develop informed AI deployment strategies that prioritize employee well-being.