bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanotechnological Formulation Incorporating Pectis brevipedunculata (Asteraceae) Essential Oil: An Ecofriendly Approach for Leishmanicidal and Anti-Inflammatory Therapy
Authors: Marques Estela Mesquita , Santos Andrade Lucas George , Rebelo Alencar Luciana Magalhães , Dias Rates Erick Rafael , Ribeiro Rachel Melo , Carvalho Rafael Cardoso , de Souza Nunes Glécilla Colombelli , Sara Lopes Lera-Nonose Daniele Stéfanie , Gonçalves Maria Julia Schiavon , Lonardoni Maria Valdrinez Campana , Souza Melissa Pires , Costa Emmanoel Vilaça , Gonçalves Renato Sonchini
Published: January 2025

Cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania amazonensis is a significant public health issue. This study aimed to evaluate an ecofriendly, thermosensitive nanogel, developed using a low-energy, solvent-free method, incorporating F127 and Carbopol 974P copolymers, and enriched with Pectis brevipedunculata essential oil (EOPb) for its leishmanicidal and anti-inflammatory properties. The nanogel was prepared and characterized through FTIR, DLS, SEM, and AFM to confirm the incorporation of EOPb as well as its stability and rheological properties. In vitro leishmanicidal activity was evaluated on Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes, and in vivo anti-inflammatory effects were assessed using a rat paw edema model. In vitro, nGF3 (EOPb-loaded nanogel) demonstrated significant leishmanicidal activity, with promastigote mortality rates exceeding 80% at 24 h and 90% at 48 h. In vivo, nGF1, nGF2, and nGF3 exhibited anti-inflammatory effects, with nGF2 and nGF3 reducing edema by 62.7% at 2 h post-treatment. The empty nanogel (nGF0) showed minimal anti-inflammatory activity. The ecofriendly EOPb-loaded nanogel (nGF3) demonstrated strong leishmanicidal and anti-inflammatory effects, presenting a promising candidate for cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment. Further studies are necessary to explore its clinical potential.
High Melt Strength Recycled High-Density Polyethylene: Evaluation of a Novel Route for Targeting the Polymer Microstructure
Authors: Bernagozzi Giulia , Arrigo Rossella , Frache Alberto
Published: January 2025

The mechanical recycling of thermoplastics (especially of polyolefins) often results in recyclates with inferior properties compared to their virgin counterparts. This phenomenon is mainly due to the modification of the polymer microstructure induced by the degradation processes undergone by the materials during their service life and reprocessing. In this work, a promising route for obtaining high-melt-strength recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is proposed. In particular, the exploited approach involves the utilization of a commercially available additive (i.e., Nexamite® R305, Nexam Chemical, Lomma, Sweden), which was demonstrated to be capable of driving thermo-mechanical degradation reactions (experienced by HDPE during mechanical recycling) towards the obtainment of a long-chain branched microstructure, thereby enabling the further processing of the recycled material through technologies dominated by elongational flow. The additive-induced alterations of the polymer microstructure were exploited for the formulation of fibers, and the performed tensile characterization showed that the additive-containing material exhibits strikingly improved ductility (namely, elongation at break of 350% for the fibers stretched at a draw ratio of 60) with respect to pristine recycled HDPE. Overall, the obtained results clearly demonstrated the possibility of attaining an effective upcycling of HDPE, which could be exploited for industrially relevant high-added-value applications, hence paving the way for the achievement of full plastic circularity.
Determination of Basalt Fiber Reinforcement in Kaolin Clay: Experimental and Neural Network-Based Analysis of Liquid Limit, Plastic Limit, and Unconfined Compressive Strength
Authors: Topçuoğlu Yasemin Aslan , Duranay Zeynep Bala , Gürocak Zülfü , Güldemir Hanifi
Published: January 2025

The use of basalt fibers, which are employed in various fields, such as construction, automotive, chemical, and petrochemical industries, the sports industry, and energy engineering, is also increasingly common in soil reinforcement studies, another application area of geotechnical engineering, alongside their use in concrete. With this growing application, scientific studies on soil reinforcement with basalt fiber have also gained momentum. This study establishes the effects of basalt fiber on the liquid limit, plastic limit, and strength properties of soils, and the relationships among the liquid limit, plastic limit, and unconfined compressive strength of the soil. For this purpose, 12 mm basalt fiber was used as a reinforcement material in kaolin clay at ratios of 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0%. The prepared samples were subjected to liquid limit, plastic limit, and unconfined compressive strength tests. As a result of the experimental studies, the fiber ratio that provided the best improvement in the soil properties was determined, and the relationships among the liquid limit, plastic limit, and unconfined compressive strength were established. The experimental results were then used as input data for an artificial intelligence model. The used neural network (NN) was trained to obtain basalt fiber-to-kaolin ratios based on the liquid limit, plastic limit, and unconfined compressive strength. This model enabled the prediction of the fiber ratio that provides the maximum improvement in the liquid limit, plastic limit, and compressive strength without the need for experiments. The NN results were in great agreement with the experimental results, demonstrating that the fiber ratio providing the maximum improvement in the soil properties can be identified using the NN model without requiring experimental studies. Moreover, the performance and reliability of the NN model were evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation and compared with other AI methods. The ANN model demonstrated superior predictive accuracy, achieving the highest correlation coefficient (R = 0.82), outperforming the other models in terms of both accuracy and reliability.
Simulation Study of the Effects of Foam Rheology on Hydraulic Fracture Proppant Placement
Authors: Tran Tuan , Nguyen Giang Hoang , Gonzalez Perdomo Maria Elena , Haghighi Manouchehr , Amrouch Khalid
Published: January 2025

Hydraulic fracture stimulation is one of the most effective methods to recover oil and gas from unconventional resources. In recent years, foam-based fracturing fluids have been increasingly studied to address the limitations of conventional slickwater such as high water and chemical consumption, environmental concerns, and high incompatibility with water-sensitive formations. Due to the gradual breakdown of liquid foams at reservoir conditions, the combination of silica nanoparticles (SNP) and surfactants has attracted a lot of attention to improve liquid foams’ characteristics, including their stability, rheology, and proppant-carrying capacity. This paper investigates and compares the effects of cationic and anionic surfactants on the fracturing performance of SNP-stabilized foams at the reservoir temperature of 90 °C. The experimental results of viscosity measurements were imported into a 3D fracture-propagation model to evaluate the effectiveness of fracturing foams in transporting and distributing proppants in the fracture system. At both ambient and elevated temperatures, cationic surfactant was experimentally found to have better synergistic effects with SNP than anionic surfactant in improving the apparent viscosity and proppant-carrying capacity of foams. The simulation results demonstrate that fracturing with cationic surfactant-SNP foam delivers greater performance with larger propped area by 4%, higher fracture conductivity by 9%, and higher cumulative gas production by 13%, compared to the anionic surfactant-SNP foam. This research work not only helps validate the interrelationship between fluid viscosity, proppant settlement rate, and fracture effectiveness, but it also emphasizes the importance of proppant placement in enhancing fracture conductivity and well productivity.
Sectoral Counter-Cyclical Approach to Financial Risk Management Based on CSR for Sustainable Development of Companies
Authors: Ergeshbaev Uran Zh. , Mavlyanova Dilobar M. , Leskova Yulia G. , Popkova Elena G. , Petrenko Elena S.
Published: January 2025

This research determines the contribution of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to reducing financial risks and, consequently, to the sustainable development of companies in different sectors of the economy and at different phases of the economic cycle (using Russia as an example). The informational and empirical base comprises data on the dynamics of stock prices of sectoral indices of the Moscow Exchange’s total return “gross” (in Russian rubles): oil and gas, electricity, telecommunications, metals and mining, finance, consumer sector (retail trade), chemicals and petrochemicals, and transportation, as well as the “Responsibility and Openness” index in 2019 (before the crises), in 2020 (COVID-19 crisis), 2022 (sanction crisis), and 2024 (Russia’s economic growth). Economic–mathematical models, compiled through regression analysis, showed that the contribution of CSR to reducing the financial risks of companies is highly differentiated among economic sectors and phases of the economic cycle. The research presents a new sectoral perspective on counter-cyclical management of the financial risks of companies through CSR, enabling a deeper study of the cause-and-effect relationships of such management for the sustainable development of companies from different economic sectors. This is the theoretical significance of this research, its novelty, and its contribution to the literature. The research has practical significance, revealing previously unknown best practices for the sustainable development of companies from different economic sectors of Russia across different phases of the economic cycle. The systematized experience will be useful for forecasting the financial risks of companies during future economic crises in Russia and improving the practice of planning and organizing the financial risk management of Russian companies through CSR. The authors’ conclusions have managerial significance because they will help enhance the flexibility and efficiency of corporate financial risk management by considering the sectoral specifics and cyclical nature of the economy when implementing CSR.
Soil Moisture Retrieval in the Northeast China Plain’s Agricultural Fields Using Single-Temporal L-Band SAR and the Coupled MWCM-Oh Model
Authors: Dong Zhe , Gao Maofang , Karnieli Arnon
Published: January 2025

Timely access to soil moisture distribution is critical for agricultural production. As an in-orbit L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR), SAOCOM offers high penetration and full polarization, making it suitable for agricultural soil moisture estimation. In this study, based on the single-temporal coupled water cloud model (WCM) and Oh model, we first modified the WCM (MWCM) to incorporate bare soil effects on backscattering using SAR data, enhancing the scattering representation during crop growth. Additionally, the Oh model was revised to enable retrieval of both the surface layer (0–5 cm) and underlying layer (5–10 cm) soil moisture. SAOCOM data from 19 June 2022, and 23 June 2023 in Bei’an City, China, along with Sentinel-2 imagery from the same dates, were used to validate the coupled MWCM-Oh model individually. The enhanced vegetation index (EVI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and leaf area index (LAI), together with the radar vegetation index (RVI) served as vegetation descriptions. Results showed that surface soil moisture estimates were more accurate than those for the underlying layer. LAI performed best for surface moisture (RMSE = 0.045), closely followed by RVI (RMSE = 0.053). For underlying layer soil moisture, RVI provided the most accurate retrieval (RMSE = 0.038), while LAI, EVI, and NDVI tended to overestimate. Overall, LAI and RVI effectively capture surface soil moisture, and RVI is particularly suitable for underlying layers, enabling more comprehensive monitoring.
Mapping Coastal Marine Habitats Using UAV and Multispectral Satellite Imagery in the NEOM Region, Northern Red Sea
Authors: Sullivan Emma , Papagiannopoulos Nikolaos , Clewley Daniel , Groom Steve , Raitsos Dionysios E. , Hoteit Ibrahim
Published: January 2025

Effective management to conserve marine environments requires up-to-date information on the location, distribution, and extent of major benthic habitats. Remote sensing is a key tool for such assessments, enabling consistent, repeated measurements over large areas. There is particular interest in using freely available satellite images such as from the Copernicus Sentinel-2 series for accessible repeat assessments. In this study, an area of 438 km2 of the northern Red Sea coastline, adjacent to the NEOM development was mapped using Sentinel-2 imagery. A hierarchical Random Forest classification method was used, where the initial level classified pixels into a geomorphological class, followed by a second level of benthic cover classification. Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) surveys were carried out in 12 locations in the NEOM area to collect field data on benthic cover for training and validation. The overall accuracy of the geomorphic and benthic classifications was 84.15% and 72.97%, respectively. Approximately 12% (26.26 km2) of the shallow Red Sea study area was classified as coral or dense algae and 16% (36.12 km2) was classified as rubble. These reef environments offer crucial ecosystem services and are believed to be internationally important as a global warming refugium. Seagrass meadows, covering an estimated 29.17 km2 of the study area, play a regionally significant role in carbon sequestration and are estimated to store 200 tonnes of carbon annually, emphasising the importance of their conservation for meeting the environmental goals of the NEOM megaproject. This is the first map of this region generated using Sentinel-2 data and demonstrates the feasibility of using an open source and reproducible methodology for monitoring coastal habitats in the region. The use of training data derived from UAV imagery provides a low-cost and time-efficient alternative to traditional methods of boat or snorkel surveys for covering large areas in remote sites.
A Novel Virtual Navigation Route Generation Scheme for Augmented Reality Car Navigation System
Authors: Lin Yu-Chen , Chan Yu-Ching , Lin Ming-Chih
Published: January 2025

This paper develops a novel virtual navigation route generation scheme for an augmented reality (AR) car navigation system based on the generative adversarial network–long short-term memory network (GAN–LSTM) framework with an integrated camera and GPS module. Unlike the present AR car navigation systems, the virtual navigation route is “autonomously” generated in captured images rather than superimposed on the image utilizing the pre-rendered 3D content, such as an arrow or trajectory, which not only provide a more authentic and correct AR effect to the user but also correctly guide the driver earlier when driving in complex road traffic environments. First, an evolved fully convolutional network architecture which uses a top-view image through an inverse perspective mapping scheme as input is utilized to obtain a more accurate semantic segmentation result for the lane markings in the traffic scene. Next, according to the above segmentation result and known location information from path planning, an AR Navigation-Nets based on an LSTM framework is proposed to predict the global relationship codes of the virtual navigation route. Simultaneously, the discriminator is utilized to evaluate the generated virtual navigation route that can approximate the real-world vehicle trajectory. Finally, the virtual navigation route can be superimposed on the original image with the correct ratio and position through an IPM process.
Acoustic Sensing Fiber Coupled with Highly Magnetostrictive Ribbon for Small-Scale Magnetic-Field Detection
Authors: Dejneka Zach , Homa Daniel , Theis Logan , Wang Anbo , Pickrell Gary
Published: January 2025

Fiber-optic sensing has shown promising development for use in detecting magnetic fields for downhole and biomedical applications. Coupling existing fiber-based strain sensors with highly magnetostrictive materials allows for a new method of magnetic characterization capable of distributed and high-sensitivity field measurements. This study investigates the strain response of the highly magnetostrictive alloys Metglas® 2605SC and Vitrovac® 7600 T70 using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) acoustic sensors and an applied AC magnetic field. Sentek Instrument’s picoDAS interrogated the distributed FBG sensors set atop a ribbon of magnetostrictive material, and the corresponding strain response transferred to the fiber was analyzed. Using the Vitrovac® ribbon, a minimal detectable field amplitude of 60 nT was achieved. Using Metglas®, an even better sensitivity was demonstrated, where detected field amplitudes as low as 3 nT were measured via the strain response imparted to the FBG sensor. Distributed FBG sensors are readily available commercially, easily integrated into existing interrogation systems, and require no bonding to the magnetostrictive material for field detection. The simple sensor configuration with nanotesla-level sensitivity lends itself as a promising means of magnetic characterization and demonstrates the potential of fiber-optic acoustic sensors for distributed measurements.
Assessing the Impact of Thermal Coating Paints on Indoor Temperature and Energy Efficiency in Colombian Caribbean Homes
Authors: Florez-Montes Frank , Martínez-Lengua Antonio , Iglesias-Martínez Miguel E. , Taborda Giraldo John Alexander , Balvis Eduardo , Peset Fernanda , Selvas-Aguilar Romeo J. , Castro-Palacio Juan Carlos , Monsoriu Juan A. , Fernández de Córdoba Pedro
Published: January 2025

Thermal coating paints offer a passive strategy to reduce heat gain in buildings, improve ventilation, and lower energy consumption. This study investigates the effectiveness of these technologies by comparing different housing structures and environmental conditions. Specifically, it examines thermal envelope solutions for cool roofs in homes along the Colombian Caribbean Coast. We quantify the thermal impacts using experimental data collected from 120 houses across eight municipalities in the Magdalena Department, Colombia. The research details the technology and analytical methods employed, focusing on thermal reductions achieved through thermal coatings to potentially reduce energy demand. A comprehensive measurement system, incorporating temperature and humidity sensors, is developed to assess the impact of the coatings. Thermal comfort is evaluated according to the ASHRAE 55 standard, with temperature reductions calculated for each house treated with thermal coatings. A methodology is applied to evaluate the thermal reduction between a house with a coating solution versus a house without it. The results show a temperature reduction on a house-by-house basis, from 1.5% to 16%. On average, the results yield a significant 7% reduction in thermal load. Additionally, a mobile application is developed to disseminate the results of this research, promoting the social appropriation of science among the involved communities.
Infants Display Anticipatory Gaze During a Motor Contingency Paradigm
Authors: Rosales Marcelo R. , Pulido José Carlos , Winstein Carolee , Bradley Nina S. , Matarić Maja , Smith Beth A.
Published: January 2025

Background: Examining visual behavior during a motor learning paradigm can enhance our understanding of how infants learn motor skills. The aim of this study was to determine if infants who learned a contingency visually anticipated the outcomes of their behavior. Methods: 15 infants (6–9 months of age) participated in a contingency learning paradigm. When an infant produced a right leg movement, a robot provided reinforcement by clapping. Three types of visual gaze events were identified: predictive, reactive, and not looking. An exploratory analysis examined the trends in visual-motor behavior that can be used to inform future questions and practices in contingency learning studies. Results: All classically defined learners visually anticipated robot activation at greater than random chance (W = 21; p = 0.028). Specifically, all but one learners displayed a distribution of gaze timing identified as predictive (skewness: 0.56–2.42) with the median timing preceding robot activation by 0.31 s (range: −0.40–0.18 s). Conclusions: Findings suggest that most learners displayed visual anticipation withing the first minutes of performing the paradigm. Further, the classical definition of learning a contingency paradigm in infants can be sharpened to further the design of contingency learning studies and advance the processes infants use to learn motor skills.
Digital Literacy and Administrative Autonomy in Adolescents in the Welfare System: Impact of a Socio-Educational Intervention
Authors: Sánchez-Martínez Cristina , Martínez-Carrera Sara , Martínez-Carrera Isabel , Fernández Alba Veiga
Published: January 2025

In general, young people, and adolescents under protective measures, do not have the digital competence and autonomy necessary to successfully interact with public administrations. Children have the right to quality education that promotes listening, participation, equal access and opportunities, especially in the digital age. However, this remains a global challenge that cannot be waived. For this reason, the main objective of this study is to know the impact of the implementation of a Participatory Action Research (PAR) project carried out with young people living in four sheltered housing facilities in four cities in northwestern Spain. The aim of this project is to improve the digital literacy and autonomy of young people in carrying out procedures and formalities with public administrations and bodies, making them participants in their own learning process. The research was carried out using a qualitative methodology. In total, 44 subjects from different groups (30 adolescents and 14 social educators) participated. As results and conclusions, it is worth highlighting that the experience has improved the digital literacy and autonomy of the young people, observing their progress throughout the sessions. Likewise, the teenagers have actively participated in all the sessions, getting involved and learning through content of interest to them. The level of satisfaction has been very high.
Spatiotemporal Evolution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Cross-Regional Tourism Corridors: A Tourism Geography Perspective
Authors: Tang Hongya , Li Wenlong , Yan Xin
Published: January 2025

Against the backdrop of rapid global urbanization, studying the spatiotemporal evolution of cross-regional tourism corridors can effectively guide decision-making for sustainable tourism development. However, previous studies have overlooked the role of geographical space in the construction of tourism corridors, particularly the spatiotemporal characteristics of ecological and socio-economic factors. Taking the central region of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) in China as a case study, this research utilizes remote sensing images, POI data, and other datasets from 2000, 2010, and 2020. Through a combination of landscape value assessment, resistance surface evaluation system, MCR model, and geographical detector, the study examines the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of cross-regional tourism corridors and their potential influencing factors. The results indicate that (1) between 2000 and 2020, the areas with prominent landscape value in the core region of the YRD decreased, while areas with less prominent landscape value significantly increased. However, the overall distribution became increasingly fragmented. The resistance values in the main low-resistance areas of the study region continuously increased, and the gap between high- and low-resistance areas narrowed. (2) Over the 20-year period, the total length of the corridors in the study area increased by 333.3%, with the number of corridors rising from 91 to 435. The number of source points grew from 14 to 31, and corridor density increased from 0.04% to 0.19%. The growth rate was fastest from 2000 to 2010 and then gradually slowed down. (3) In terms of influencing factors, population density and road length together explained 62.3% of the variation in corridor length evolution. The evolution of corridor number and source points was mainly influenced by public infrastructure levels and road density, while the evolution of corridor density was primarily driven by road length and public infrastructure. In conclusion, we analyze the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of cross-regional tourism corridors from the perspective of tourism geography at multiple scales. The findings provide significant insights into promoting the integration of cross-regional tourism resources, achieving sustainable development of all-region tourism, and optimizing the spatial allocation of territorial resources.
Optimizing Hydrogen Production for Sustainable Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles: Grid Impacts in the WECC Region
Authors: Zhang Cong , Shan Yuqian , Lian Jingchao , Zhang Chuanfang , Li Ming
Published: January 2025

The fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) is a promising transportation technology for resolving the air pollution and climate change issues in the United States. However, a large-scale penetration of FCEVs would require a sustained supply of hydrogen which does not exist now. Water electrolysis can produce hydrogen reliably and sustainably if the electricity grid is clean, but the impacts of FCEVs on the electricity grid are unknown. In this paper, we develop a comprehensive framework to model FCEV-driving and -refueling behaviors, the water electrolysis process, and electricity grid operation. We chose the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) region for this case study. We modeled the existing WECC electricity grids and accounted for the additional electricity loads from FCEVs using a Production Cost Model (PCM). Additionally, the hydrogen need for five million FCEVs leads to a 3% increase in electricity load for WECC. Our results show that an inflexible hydrogen-producing process leads to a 1.55% increase to the average cost of electricity, while a flexible scenario leads to only a 0.9% increase. On the other hand, oversized electrolyzers could take advantage of cheaper electricity generation opportunities, thus lowering total system costs.
How the Digital Economy Is Revolutionizing Marketing Management and Driving Sustainable Development
Authors: Sak Tetiana , Mylko Inna , Ivashko Olena , Chulipa Ihor , Wołowiec Tomasz , Sokołowska-Woźniak Justyna
Published: January 2025

E-business, based on information, communication, and digital technologies, is a component of the digital economy. Furthermore, it is characterized by active development, determining the currently spreading changes in the traditional economy. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the digital economy on the realization of sustainable development goals and the transformation of the concept of marketing management. The following research methods were used in the study: historical method—to study the evolution of marketing management concepts; statistical analysis—to study aspects of the digital economy; correlation and regression analysis—to identify the relationship between the level of digitalization and key indicators of sustainable development and marketing management; systematic approach to consider digitalization, sustainable development and marketing as interrelated components of a single system. The article presents the relationship of sustainable development goals with the need to improve approaches to marketing management in the context of digitalization. The objectives include UN goal number 8: “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, number 9: “Innovation and Infrastructure”, and number 12: “Responsible Consumption and Production”. The paper examines the evolution in approaches to understanding marketing management in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Correlation and regression analysis is used to identify how digitalization affects certain factors and how these factors contribute to it. The paper analyzes the dynamism of the formation and development of the worldwide digital economy, establishes the relationship between its components, and examines their impact on the ecosystem. The dynamics of the number of Internet and social media users in the world is analyzed and the changes in global e-commerce revenue and digital advertising expenditures are estimated. The positive consequences and opportunities that arise in the digital economy are presented. The authors emphasize the transformation of the marketing management concept with regard to the goals of sustainable development. Marketing strategies and directions in state policy for regulating the impact of the digital economy on the environment, taking into account the goals of sustainable development, are proposed for business entities.
Harnessing Nature-Based Solutions for a Green and Sustainable Built Environment in South Africa
Authors: Aliu John , Aghimien Douglas
Published: January 2025

The increasing pressure on urban systems and buildings in South Africa caused by rapid urbanization and climate change necessitates innovative approaches, including Nature-based Solutions (NbSs), to address environmental and societal challenges. As such, this study aimed to determine the dynamic role of NbSs in shaping the sustainability of South Africa’s built environment. Using a quantitative approach, the data were collected via a questionnaire survey, which targeted built environment professionals. Data analysis involved reliability testing, confirmatory factor analysis, and Spearman rank order correlation. The survey showed that green roofs, rainwater harvesting, cool roofing and pavements, as well as living walls, have received above-average attention in the country, while agricultural byproducts from concrete construction, bioswales, rain gardens, and algae-based materials are yet to be explored in the delivery of green buildings and sustainable urban areas. Overall, deploying NbSs promises positive environmental, societal, and economic impacts. The findings emphasize the need for stronger policies and regulations that promote the adoption of underutilized NbSs within the South African built environment. Theoretically, this study contributes to the existing discourse on sustainable development in South Africa. As the nation grapples with diverse environmental and social issues, this study becomes timely, as it provides crucial insights into how NbSs can address some of these challenges.
Research on Energy Efficiency Evaluation System for Rural Houses Based on Improved Mask R-CNN Network
Authors: He Liping , Gao Kun , Jin Yuan , Shen Zhechen , Li Yane , Chi Fang’ai , Wang Meiyan
Published: January 2025

This study addresses the issue of energy efficiency evaluation for rural residential buildings and proposes a method for facade recognition based on an improved Mask R-CNN network model. By introducing the Coordinate Attention (CA) mechanism module, the quality of feature extraction and detection accuracy is enhanced. Experimental results demonstrate that this method effectively recognizes and segments windows, doors, and other components on building facades, accurately extracting key information, such as their dimensions and positions. For energy consumption simulation, this study utilized the Ladybug Tool in the Grasshopper plugin, combined with actual collected facade data, to assess and simulate the energy consumption of rural residences. By setting building envelope parameters and air conditioning operating parameters, detailed calculations of energy consumption for different orientations, window-to-wall ratios, and sunshade lengths were performed. The results show that the improved Mask R-CNN network model plays a crucial role in quickly and accurately extracting building parameters, providing reliable data support for energy consumption evaluation. Finally, through case studies, specific energy-saving retrofit suggestions were proposed, offering robust technical support and practical guidance for energy optimization in rural residences.
Estimation of Environmental Indicators in High Mountain Cattle Ranching Agroecosystems
Authors: Molina Benavides Raúl Andrés , Campos Gaona Rómulo , Vélez Terranova Mauricio , Atzori Alberto Stanislao , Calero Quintero David , Sánchez Guerrero Hugo
Published: January 2025

The objective of this study was to analyze soil organic carbon (SOC) and environmental footprints—water and carbon—in an area of livestock intervention located in the high tropics. The work was conducted in La Nevera, Colombia, 03°33′460″ N–76°06’278″ W and 03°31′405″ N–76°01’804″ W, between 2700 and 3300 AMSL. Estimates of soil organic carbon (t SOC/ha), carbon footprint (kg CO2eq/kg of product generated), and water footprint (m3 of water per kg of primary product) were made. The results obtained were: soil organic carbon for the forest cover was 237,491.91 tons (33 t SOC/ha) for an average bulk density of 0.46 (g/cm3) at a depth of 10 cm. For vegetation cover, the average amount of SOC was 52,281.22 tons (25 t SOC/ha). The greenhouse gases emitted by livestock activity were estimated at 2,119,416.29 kg CO2eq/year, with an emission intensity for milk production of 2.77 kg CO2eq/kg and 34.71 kg CO2eq/kg for meat. The cattle farming activity consumed 1,909,430.83 m3 per year, with a water footprint of 2.5 m3/kg of milk produced and 35 m3/kg of meat. Given the negative impact on environmental resources and the low biological efficiency, it is necessary to intervene in livestock production systems.
Beyond Missing Data: A Multi-Scale Graph Fusion Framework for Sustainable Development Insights
Authors: Chen Zhikui , Zhang Hongwei , Liu Zhenjiao , Zheng Hao , Zhao Liang
Published: January 2025

In the context of sustainable development, particularly in environmental monitoring and resource management, data from multiple heterogeneous sources are often incomplete or inconsistent. This presents a significant challenge for data-driven analysis, especially in tasks like clustering, where the goal is to extract meaningful patterns from multi-view data. Incomplete multi-view clustering (IMVC) aims to address this challenge by effectively leveraging complementary and consistent information despite the missing data. However, traditional graph-based clustering methods that rely on Euclidean distance often fail to capture the complex structures in high-dimensional incomplete data. To overcome this limitation, we propose Motif-Based Multi-Scale Bipartite Graph Fusion (MMBGF_IMC), a novel framework that combines multi-scale measurements with ensemble clustering. By integrating higher-order graph motifs, MMBGF_IMC significantly enhances the representation of inter-instance correlations. Empirical results on seven real-world datasets demonstrate that MMBGF_IMC outperforms existing methods by an average of 5–15% in clustering accuracy (ACC) and normalized mutual information (NMI), offering an effective solution for data fusion, modeling, and mining in sustainable development applications such as ecological monitoring, urban planning, and resource management.
Spatial Pattern of Traditional Villages in Remote Mountainous Areas and Their Development Potential Assessment: The Case of Enshi, China
Authors: Liu Fangjie , Xu Wei , Niu Qiang
Published: January 2025

Remote mountainous areas, due to their unique geographical and climatic environments, have ideal conditions for the preservation of traditional villages. However, economic development is also limited as a result. Rationally utilizing traditional village resources to drive economic development in remote mountainous areas is a key topic in academic research. This paper explores the spatial pattern and spatial evolution mechanisms of traditional villages in Enshi Prefecture by factor analysis and K-means clustering algorithm. It proposes a preliminary method for evaluating the development potential of traditional villages based on influencing factors of their evolution, considering four aspects: (1) Traditional villages in Enshi Prefecture were mainly formed in the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. (2) Through the study of the spatial pattern of traditional villages in Enshi Prefecture, water systems, ethnic compositions, road network densities, and national policies have significant impacts. (3) A preliminary assessment of the development potential of traditional villages in Enshi Prefecture shows that there are 25 high-potential villages, 58 medium-potential villages, and 9 low-potential villages. Corresponding construction strategies are proposed for each category. This study revealed the influencing factor of the spatial pattern of traditional villages, underscoring the sustainable development and offering practical guidance for traditional villages in remote mountainous areas.
Use and Promotion of Bicycles for Sustainable Urban Mobility: The Case of Bizkaia
Authors: Monteagudo María Jesús , Villatoro Fernando , San Salvador del Valle Roberto , Aranbarri Nerea
Published: January 2025

In today’s global scenario, any aspiration for sustainable development centers around cities. Decades of a hegemonic motor vehicle culture have led to unprecedented levels of noise and environmental pollution, urban congestion, sedentary lifestyles, and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. Mobility, thus, becomes a cornerstone in transitioning toward more sustainable urban models, where active mobility is unquestionable. More and more cities are focusing on promoting urban cycling, not only as a leisure practice, but also as an alternative mode of transport. This article delves into the progress and current situation of cycling in Bizkaia, a city in the Basque Country in northern Spain. Based on the insights from and knowledge of seventeen experts, it explores the main challenges and strategic actions necessary to promote its expansion as a sustainable urban transport mode. The study employs a qualitative methodology, with results affirming the importance of some of the “key factors” identified in the literature as essential for any transition toward sustainable urban mobility through cycling. Among these key factors, sports leisure is highlighted due to its central role as a facilitator in the acquisition and consolidation of these new mobility habits. The study concludes by advancing five fundamental premises, the main contribution of this work, that encapsulate essential knowledge, without which any strategy to promote cycling as an alternative mode of sustainable urban mobility may falter.
From Google Gemini to OpenAI Q* (Q-Star): A Survey on Reshaping the Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research Landscape
Authors: McIntosh Timothy R. , Susnjak Teo , Liu Tong , Watters Paul , Xu Dan , Liu Dongwei , Halgamuge Malka N.
Published: January 2025

This comprehensive survey explored the evolving landscape of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a specific focus on the recent technological breakthroughs and the gathering advancements toward possible Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). It critically examined the current state and future trajectory of generative AI, exploring how innovations in developing actionable and multimodal AI agents with the ability scale their “thinking” in solving complex reasoning tasks are reshaping research priorities and applications across various domains, while the survey also offers an impact analysis on the generative AI research taxonomy. This work has assessed the computational challenges, scalability, and real-world implications of these technologies while highlighting their potential in driving significant progress in fields like healthcare, finance, and education. Our study also addressed the emerging academic challenges posed by the proliferation of both AI-themed and AI-generated preprints, examining their impact on the peer-review process and scholarly communication. The study highlighted the importance of incorporating ethical and human-centric methods in AI development, ensuring alignment with societal norms and welfare, and outlined a strategy for future AI research that focuses on a balanced and conscientious use of generative AI as its capabilities continue to scale.
Protective Effects of Resveratrol Against Perfluorooctanoic Acid-Induced Testicular and Epididymal Toxicity in Adult Rats Exposed During Their Prepubertal Period
Authors: Pavani R. , Venkaiah K. , Prakasam P. Gnana , Dirisala Vijaya R. , Krishna P. Gopi , Kishori B. , Sainath S. B.
Published: January 2025

The antioxidant properties of resveratrol (RES) against oxidative toxicity induced by testicular toxicants are well documented. The current study aimed to investigate the probable beneficial role of RES on male reproduction in adult rats following prepubertal exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Healthy rats of the Wistar strain (23 days old) were allocated into four groups. Rats in group I did not receive any treatment, while rats in groups II, III, and IV received RES, PFOA, and RES + PFOA, respectively, between days 23 and 56 and were monitored for up to 90 days. Exposure to PFOA resulted in a significant reduction in spermiogram parameters, testicular 3β- and 17β-HSD activity levels, and circulatory levels of testosterone. A significant elevation in LPx, PCs, H2O2, and O2−, associated with a concomitant reduction in SOD, CAT, GPx, GR, and GSH, was noticed in the testes, as well as region-specific changes in pro- and antioxidants in the epididymides of exposed rats compared to controls. A significant increase in serum FSH and LH, testicular cholesterol levels, and caspase-3 activity was observed in PFOA-exposed rats compared to controls. Histological analysis revealed that the integrity of the testes was deteriorated in PFOA-exposed rats. Transcriptomic profiling of the testes and epididymides revealed 98 and 611 altered genes, respectively. In the testes, apoptosis and glutathione pathways were disrupted, while in the epididymides, glutathione and bile secretion pathways were altered in PFOA-exposed rats. PFOA exposure resulted in the down-regulation in the testes of 17β-HSD, StAR, nfe2l2, ar, Lhcgr, and mRNA levels, associated with the up-regulation of casp3 mRNA, and down-regulation of alpha 1 adrenoceptor, muscarinic choline receptor 3, and androgen receptor in the epididymides of exposed rats compared to the controls. These events might lead to male infertility in PFOA-exposed rats. In contrast, restoration of selected reproductive variables was observed in RES plus PFOA-exposed rats compared to rats exposed to PFOA alone. Taken together, we postulate that prepubertal exposure to PFOA triggered oxidative damage and altered genes in the testes and epididymides, leading to suppressed male reproductive health in adult rats, while RES, with its steroidogenic, antiapoptotic, and antioxidant effects, restored PFOA-induced fertility potential in rats.
“Build It and They Will Stay”: Assessing the Social Impact of Self-Build Practices in Urban Regeneration
Authors: Manunza Andrea , Giliberto Giulia , Muroni Emanuel , Mosca Oriana , Fornara Ferdinando , Blečić Ivan , Lauriola Marco
Published: January 2025

Urban regeneration (UR) is a multidimensional approach aimed at improving urban environments through sustainable and inclusive practices. This study examined the social impacts of a self-build architectural intervention conducted within a university campus in Cagliari, Italy. As part of broader UR strategies, the intervention introduced temporary physical transformations to three distinct sites, prioritizing community involvement and multidisciplinary collaboration. Behavioral observations were used as the primary method to capture pre- and post-intervention dynamics, focusing on variables such as sociality, dynamism, and restorative behaviors. The results indicated significant increases in social activities, restorative behaviors, and inclusivity, particularly at Site C, where improvements to design elements, such as added shading and movable seating, enhanced engagement and comfort. The intervention also led to a notable rise in the presence of observer-rated females, highlighting the potential of gender-sensitive design to promote equitable use of public spaces. However, a slight, non-significant decline in reading and studying activities was observed, raising questions about how to balance social and individual needs within shared environments. Despite limitations, including the specificity of the context and the short duration of data collection, this study underscored the transformative potential of targeted UR interventions to enhance social connection, individual well-being, and inclusivity in urban spaces.
A Systematic Literature Review of Variables Associated with the Occurrence of African Swine Fever
Authors: Dhollander Sofie , Chinchio Eleonora , Tampach Stefania , Mur Lina , Méroc Estelle , Thulke Hans-Hermann , Cortiñas José Abrahantes , Boklund Anette E. , Stahl Karl , Stegeman Jan Arend
Published: January 2025

Since African swine fever virus (ASFV) genotype II reached Europe in 2007 and has widely spread, causing important economic losses to the pig production sector. To guide policy and management actions, robust quantitative evidence about possible explanatory variables associated with ASF in domestic pigs and Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is needed. To this aim, a systematic literature review of the scientific evidence available on variables analysed through quantitative methods investigating their possible association with ASF occurrence was carried out in 2021 and updated in 2024. Information on article metadata, study settings, and details of the analysed variables were extracted from the identified articles. The variables were structured in categories and subcategories, and their frequencies were evaluated, as well as the proportions of the studied variables that proved significant in each subcategory. The literature search retrieved 569 articles, resulting in 48 inclusions in the review after application of the selection criteria. The categories of variables most often significantly associated with the occurrence of ASF in domestic pigs were related to the ASF virus infection pressure in the area, socio-economic factors (mainly human population density and poverty), the pig farming system (pig or farm density and certain biosecurity practises), and wild boar habitats. For wild boars, these were also variables related to ASFV infection pressure in the area, wild boar habitats (mainly climatic conditions, vegetation, waterbodies), and socio-economic factors (especially human population and poverty-related variables). Despite the many studies of variables possibly associated with ASF occurrence, the review identified a gap in quantitative observational studies focusing on manageable variables, i.e., those related to specific biosecurity measures applied to pig farms and during hunting. To allow for a meta-analysis of the results, these studies should be performed according to standardised protocols using harmonised data collections.