bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the Impact of New Energy Vehicles on Carbon Emissions of Urban Transportation
Authors: Lin Hongru
Published: February 2025

With the acceleration of urbanization, the growth of urban travel demand has led to rising carbon emissions, and the development of low-carbon urban transport has become particularly urgent. This study focuses on the prediction of carbon emissions in the road traffic sector of City A in 2030, and explores the potential changes in carbon emissions under different scenarios. The research objects include private cars, taxis, buses and ordinary trucks, and two prediction scenarios are constructed: baseline scenario and policy scenario. The baseline scenario reflects the natural development trend of future carbon emissions under the existing technology and policy conditions, while the policy scenario considers the implementation of new energy vehicle promotion policies and evaluates the potential contribution of new energy vehicles to reducing road traffic carbon emissions. The multiple linear regression model and S-curve model are used to predict the total number of motor vehicles under different scenarios, and the “bottom-up” method of IPCC is used to calculate the carbon emissions of transportation. The results show that the promotion of new energy vehicles, especially pure electric vehicles, has a significant effect on reducing carbon emissions in the field of transportation.
Addressing Global Climate Challenges: Low-carbon Transport Planning Practices and Optimization Strategies in Bangkok
Authors: Yao Sucheng , Budthimedhee Kanjanee
Published: February 2025

Carbon emissions are a critical issue in the global fight against climate change, with fuel consumption being a major contributor. The excessive use of private transportation in urban areas exacerbates fuel consumption and, consequently, carbon emissions. Bangkok, one of the most complex cities in terms of transportation, also faces significant climate challenges. This study focuses on transportation planning in Bangkok using a geodesign approach with the ArcGIS GeoPlanner tool. Based on Bangkok’s government documents, higher-level urban transportation plans, and LISD (Low Impact Sustainable Development) guidelines, three key optimization strategies were identified: enhancing the coverage of integrated transportation, establishing electrified transportation infrastructure, and implementing regionally focused transportation zones. These strategies provide a reference for further research and for the practical optimization of transportation planning in other cities.
Research on Implementation Pathways for Near-Zero Carbon Emissions in High-Density Urban Districts
Authors: Yang Guoshu , Guo Anni , Zhang Gaijing
Published: February 2025

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the transition to low-carbon development in urban and rural construction has increasingly focused on achieving scalable low-carbon development and piloting near-zero carbon emission projects at the meso-scales and micro-scales. High-density urban districts in city centers serve as ideal settings for implementing near-zero carbon emission demonstration projects. Taking a high- density, high-quality urban districts in Shanghai as an example, this study proposes a pathway for implementing key technologies for near-zero carbon urban districts through a dual approach of “carbon source reduction” and “carbon sink enhancement,” summarized as the “Two-Lows and Four-Aspects” strategy（low-energy buildings, low-emission transportation, resource circulation, ecological landscaping, energy maximization, and digital management ） . Additionally, the feasibility of achieving near-zero carbon emissions in high-density urban districts is calculated and validated, providing a practical reference for similar high-density urban projects aiming for near-zero carbon emissions.
Simulation of Spatial and Temporal Dynamics in Habitat Quality amid Rapid Urbanization based on Random Forest Algorithm: A Lingui District, Guilin City Case Study
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Liu Hanxin , Yang Xin , Wu Gang , Tan Junjie
Published: February 2025

Territorial space planning policies profoundly influence land use alterations, subsequently impacting regional habitat quality. Habitat quality epitomizes the capacity to sustain biodiversity. The acceleration of human activities and urban construction land expansion foregrounds habitat quality as a pivotal aspect of ecological diversity conservation and sustainable development scholarship. Analyzing the spatial and temporal fluctuations of regional habitat quality furnishes an ecological, scientific foundation for territorial space strategy. This study, centering on the rapidly urbanizing Lingui District, assesses and forecasts land use conversion and habitat quality evolution from 2000 to 2030, using the random forest algorithm, employing land use data from 2000, 2010, and 2020 through an integrated application of the PLUS- InVEST model. Furthermore, it explores spatial differentiation, spatiotemporal pattern characteristics, and determinants in Lingui District by amalgamating spatial statistical and spatial autocorrelation methodologies.
A Study on the Morphology and Efficiency of Urban Blocks Around the Radial Plaza: Based on a Comparison of Dalian and Paris
Authors: Guo Xinning , Yang Dongfengt
Published: February 2025

This study explores how ring-radial layouts in Dalian, China, and Paris, France, shape block morphology and performance. Analyzing the Zhongshan Square and Arc de Triomphe areas, the research identifies block types and compares their efficiency. Significant differences between the cities' morphologies affect block functionality, emphasizing the role of dense, multifunctional, and connected urban forms in enhancing spatial quality and performance.recommendations.
Evaluation on the Network Structure of the Park Square System Based on the Social Network Analysis Method — An Case of Qindu District, Xianyang City, China
Authors: Chen Yuyi , Wang Tianpeng
Published: February 2025

In this study, the social network analysis method was used to evaluate the network structure system of Park Square in Qindu District, Xianyang City. The analysis is based on the overall parameters, centrality and cohesive subgroups of the network. The results show that (1) there are obvious differences in connectivity, centrality and aggregation coefficient among the main park squares, and some nodes play a key role in the network. (2) There is a significant cohesive subgroup structure in the park square network, and each node forms its own small group, and the connectivity between the small groups is average. At the same time, by identifying the key nodes and bridging nodes, specific strategies to optimize the network structure are proposed, such as increasing the connectivity between key nodes and improving the accessibility of peripheral nodes.
A Study on the Age-Friendly Landscape Evaluation System for Rural Communities in Western Zhejiang: A Case Study of Quzhou
Authors: Xu Jiahe , Tian Mimi
Published: February 2025

With the intensification of population aging, the issue of age-friendly development in rural communities has become increasingly prominent. This study focuses on the age-friendly landscape in rural communities in western Zhejiang, and develops an evaluation system to provide both theoretical support and practical guidance for age-friendly construction. The study identifies and selects objective indicators such as air quality and green coverage, as well as subjective indicators like folk culture and historical relics. Using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and entropy method for integrated weighting, the study minimizes the subjective biases and information loss inherent in traditional evaluation methods. Furthermore, by analyzing the weight distribution of various landscape elements, the study reveals the priority for improving natural environments, built infrastructures, and social landscapes, and provides improvement recommendations. The research findings supplement existing evaluation standards for age-friendly communities, specifically in the context of landscape accessibility for the elderly, and offer a scientific basis for the formulation and implementation of future policies.
Mathematical analysis of polio prevention through vaccination and sanitation: Incorporating incomplete vaccination and virus carrier vectors
Authors: Rahmi Nur , Fajri Ahmad , Anggitamaya Anggitamaya , Ekasasmita Wahyuni , Kusnaeni Kusnaeni , Husain Hartina , Nisardi Muhammad Rifki
Published: February 2025

Polio, a debilitating disease primarily affecting children under five, persists as a public health challenge despite widespread immunization efforts. Continued outbreaks underscore the impact of incomplete vaccination coverage and environmental vectors in sustaining transmission. This study develops a comprehensive mathematical model to examine polio transmission dynamics, uniquely incorporating partial vaccination and virus-carrying vectors. Through stability analysis, the model identifies conditions under which both endemic and disease-free equilibria are achievable, demonstrating that eradication is feasible when the basic reproduction number is maintained below one. Our numerical simulations emphasize the combined impact of full vaccination coverage and enhanced sanitation in significantly reducing thereby controlling transmission. These findings reinforce the critical role of integrated vaccination and sanitation strategies for long-term polio eradication, offering valuable insights for public health policy and intervention design.
Robotik in der Knieprothetik
Authors: Ögredici Özlem , Mengis Natalie , Avram George , Hirschmann Michael
Published: February 2025

Wie mit einem bildfreien, semiaktiven Robotersystem eine Knieprothese implantiert wird, schildert das Team des Kantonsspitals Baselland.
Gesundheitsgesetzgebung: Quo vadis Reformen im Gesundheitswesen?
Authors: Heeser Alexandra
Published: February 2025

Nach einem Politkrimi im Bundesrat Ende November 2024 ist die kontrovers diskutierte Krankenhausreform zum 1. Januar 2025 in Kraft getreten. Wie steht es mit anderen wichtigen Gesundheitsgesetzen? kma ist dem auf den Grund gegangen.
Modellregion Lausitz: Mission Medizinische Champions League
Authors: Hohnstein Aileen
Published: February 2025

Die Ambitionen sind groß. In Cottbus wird an der neu gegründeten Medizinischen Universität Lausitz – Carl Thiem künftig nicht nur medizinischer Nachwuchs ausgebildet. Sie soll als digitales Leitkrankenhaus die Gesundheitsversorgung in der Region und in ganz Deutschland verbessern. Ein Vor-Ort-Besuch.
Senkrechtstarterin 2024: Nora Schorscher: Digitale Brückenbauerin
Authors: Hohnstein Aileen
Published: February 2025

Mit Mut und Leidenschaft findet Dr. Nora Schorscher neue Wege, wo andere nur Hürden sehen. Als Projektleiterin am Universitätsklinikum Würzburg treibt sie die Teleintensivmedizin in Bayern voran – und verbindet innovative Technik mit medizinischer Spitzenleistung.
Empirical validation of a new technique (‘select-and-rank’) to measure brand preference
Authors: Karantonis Kosmo , Schnittka Oliver , Farsky Mario , Sattler Henrik
Published: February 2025

This study introduces and validates a novel quantitative survey-based technique (select-and-rank, SAR) designed to measure brand preference as an outcome of consumer-based brand equity (CBBE). The SAR method combines simplicity with predictive accuracy by leveraging a ranking-based approach leaning on a Zipf distribution—a model demonstrated to effectively represent market shares. Its development addresses the need for a practical and reliable tool in large-scale brand studies, distinguishing itself from traditional methods by offering improved measurement capabilities and reduced cognitive load. Using data from a market representative sample, this initial study demonstrates SAR’s ability to accurately capture brand preference dynamics while comparing its performance against widely used existing measurement techniques. The findings reveal SAR’s enhanced accuracy, robustness, and scalability, making it a valuable addition to the CBBE research toolkit. The study also highlights managerial implications, offering brand managers a technique to capture consumer preferences to assist in optimizing brand positioning and strategy in competitive markets. Finally, recommendations for future research are provided to extend SAR’s application to additional dimensions of CBBE.
The role of energy-consuming right trading system in promoting regional energy structure transformation: A focus on industrial system
Authors: Wang Yueqi , Shen Weikang , He Lingyun
Published: February 2025

The energy structure transformation is a key path for China to establish a circular development economic system. The use of energy-consuming rights trading (ECRT) as a market environment regulatory tool plays an important role in the transformation process. From the perspective of industrial system, a difference-in-difference model, a synthetic difference-in-difference model, and an industrial system mechanism framework explore the impact of China's ECRT on the energy structure transformation by matching Chinese provincial panel data for the period 2011–2021. The results demonstrate that the China's energy structure transformation shows a dynamic transition. During the sample period, the ECRT accelerated the energy structure transformation. The implementation of policy effects benefits from the green technology innovation, secondary effects in the industrial chain, and industrial structure upgrading. Furthermore, heterogeneity test indicates that the ECRT has a stronger impact on the regions with higher industrialization levels and more severe environmental pollution. Based on these findings, the study proposes improvements in the policy construction of a long-term mechanism to promote the energy structure transformation. This paper provides theoretical basis and policy references for accelerating the new energy system reformation and promoting the achievement of the “dual control” goal.
Azimuthal mode decomposition of millimeter-wave integer and non-integer optical vortices generated by a spiral mirror
Authors: Goto Y. , Tsujimura T. I. , Kubo S.
Published: February 2025

We investigated the characteristics of both integer and non-integer optical vortices (OVs) in the millimeter-wave regime generated by a spiral mirror. An OV, characterized by the phase term eiℓϕ, also known as a Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) beam, is a solution to the wave equation in cylindrical coordinates under the paraxial approximation in free space. This typically restricts the azimuthal mode number ℓ to integer values. However, the spiral mirror enables the generation of OVs with expected azimuthal mode numbers ℓ̄, which can take either integer or non-integer values in the reflected wave. We employed a field reconstruction method to analyze both integer and non-integer OVs with ℓ̄ generated by the spiral mirror, decomposing them into their constituent integer ℓ components. Our results showed that when ℓ̄ is specified as an integer, the generated OV primarily contains that single ℓ. In contrast, specifying a non-integer ℓ̄ results in an OV composed of a superposition of multiple integer ℓ values. In other words, non-integer OVs are superpositions of LG beams with different integer azimuthal mode numbers. These OVs are generated by the spiral mirror with a focus function, allowing for the specification of arbitrary waist sizes and focal positions, as designed for this research. Furthermore, we revealed that this focus spiral mirror can also avoid the separation of singularities that were present in OVs generated by conventional flat spiral mirrors.
Wind load interference mechanisms for inclined angle and gap spacing of photovoltaic panels
Authors: Liu Tingting , Mi Hanning , Ai Yifeng , Zhang Hongfu , Zhou Daocheng , Zhou Lei
Published: February 2025

This study aims to explore wind load interference effects on tandem photovoltaic (PV) panels, focusing on inclined angles (α) and gaps (X/L). Conventional models often struggle to capture nonlinear airflow dynamics that drive these interference effects. To address this limitation, the research introduces a novel approach to analyze the complex spatiotemporal evolution of interference phenomena in PV panels. A quantitative analysis was conducted using the high-order Koopman Mode Decomposition (HOKMD) method. This method integrates high-order nonlinear components, enabling precise identification of dynamic modes and coherent structures. This study evaluates the synchronous vorticity and pressure fields, fluid forces, and power spectra of PV panels under varying α and X/L. The results demonstrate that for α>25° and X/L<2.0, interference effects are highly pronounced, while for X/L>2.0, significant shielding effects are observed on the downstream panel. It revealed two dominant dynamic modes, providing new insights into airflow patterns and vortex interactions that traditional linear models fail to capture. The application of HOKMD accurately captures the nonlinear characteristics of the flow around PV panels. The findings advance the understanding of airflow interactions in PV panels and provide valuable insights for optimizing PV design to improve structural stability and durability.
A constrained grey prediction evolution algorithm for calculating two-phase equilibria at given volume, temperature, and moles
Authors: Tong Wangyu , Su Baoduo , Ran Mili , Zhan Yaqian
Published: February 2025

Traditional methods for solving phase equilibrium problems at given volume, temperature, and moles (NVT-flash) exhibit sensitivity to initial values and require complex derivative calculations. In contrast, emerging constrained methods based on heuristic algorithms overcome these drawbacks. However, computational efficiency becomes a significant concern when applying heuristic algorithms to an optimization problem. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a more efficient constrained grey prediction evolution algorithm (CGPE), which adds the constraints handling of the NVT-flash problem to the original operation of the grey predictive algorithm. This algorithm takes the moles vector and volume of a certain phase as the decision variables and aims to minimize the total Helmholtz free energy. A direct search method and an exterior point method are adopted to deal with the constraints of the NVT-flash problem. The effectiveness of CGPE in solving the NVT-flash problem is demonstrated on various numerical tests of pure substances, binary and ternary mixtures. The competitiveness of CGPE in handling the NVT-flash problem is demonstrated through comparative data analysis with other advanced algorithms. The success of CGPE can inspire the development of more efficient heuristic algorithms to tackle the NVT-flash problem, thereby promoting advancements in the phase equilibria computation domain.
Directional transmission of acoustic wave based on sector-shaped structure
Authors: Cai Wentao , Zhao Xinsa , Hao Guodong , Han Jianning
Published: February 2025

In this paper, three kinds of protocell models were constructed by modulating the steering using a sector structure of the same size, and the artificial acoustic periodic structure was obtained by the array protocell model. At a specific incident frequency, although there are a large number of scatterers, the sound waves do not scatter randomly but can be transmitted directionally along a pre-designed channel, thus achieving the quantum spin Hall effect in acoustics. This structure exhibits broadband characteristics and demonstrates similar directional transmission characteristics at incident frequencies of 127–137 kHz. However, due to the variation in the incident frequency of the sound waves, the wavelength of the incident waves changes accordingly, resulting in different transmission efficiencies. It is found that the incident wavelength of 131 kHz has the best matching coupling characteristics with the structure so as to reduce the acoustic energy loss caused by impedance mismatch. In addition, the sector-shaped acoustic directional transmission model is subject to spin locking, and the channels at different interfaces have different spin locking characteristics. This also provides multiple adjustable degrees of freedom for the directional propagation of sound waves. This research provides new design insights and potential applications for acoustic communication and quantum acoustics.
Electroosmotic magnetohydrodynamics-driven solute dispersion in couple stress fluid flow through microchannel: Effect of transverse electric field
Authors: Sen Raju , Mondal Kajal Kumar , Kairi Rishi Raj
Published: February 2025

This article investigated the solute dispersion process in a magnetohydrodynamic electroosmotic flow of couple stress fluid in a parallel-plate microchannel. A heterogeneous first-order boundary reaction is applied along the plates with an electric field in axial and lateral (transverse) directions. The finite difference scheme is used to solve moment equations obtained through Aris's method of moments. Using Gill's series expansion method, two-dimensional concentration profiles in the microfluidic system are obtained and depicted in three-dimensional graphs. The results from the study indicate that a smaller γ (couple stress parameter) increases flow resistance due to stronger intermolecular attraction between mobile ions, while a larger γ weakens these forces, altering flow patterns and enhancing fluid mixing and particle dispersion. In addition, they exhibit a uniform distribution of oscillations and a stabilized pattern at extensive time intervals. At the diffusive dispersion combined flow regimes, for small electroosmotic flow (K), a roughness is noticed in the mean concentration peak because of low mixing. Eventually, as it increases, the peak becomes smooth and shifts to the right of the axial direction. In combined flow in the absence of the electroosmotic effect, the dispersion coefficient (Dac) has periodic peaks with a maximum value around 2 ×10−3, while in the existence of electroosmotic effect hikes the oscillations of dispersion coefficient (Dac) with maximum value about 16 ×10−3. This study gives a complex mechanism for controlling solute dispersion through the microfluidic system, which has enormous applications in drug delivery, oil refining, cell separation, dialysis systems, diagnostics, etc.
Transformative possibilities of autoethnography
Authors: Bilgen Wendy
Published: February 2025

This chapter presents autoethnography, an increasingly popular albeit controversial research
methodology that draws on the practices of autobiographical writing, narrative inquiry, and ethnography, to
interrogate aspects of the researcher’s own life experiences in order to illuminate and critique personal, social, and
cultural phenomena. After presenting a brief history of autoethnography, this chapter will describe how one might
interrogate one’s own reality, seen as a construct highly dependent on cultural environment and social interactions,
using the tools of self-reflexivity, subjectivity/intersubjectivity, emotionality, and storytelling
to make connections between the inner world of the self and the socio-cultural world out
there. Some of the debates around orientations to analytic, critical, interpretive,
evocative, and artistic styles of autoethnographic research will be considered including
how autoethnographers use a range of narrative forms to tackle sensitive topics and controversial positions sometimes
ignored, distorted, or silenced in traditional research. Finally, the overall purpose of autoethnography — to
represent, break, and remake our personal and shared understandings of individual experiences as
well as systemic practices in need of change — is presented as a transformative pedagogical practice.
Affordances and limitations of autoethnography as a research method in Applied Linguistics
Authors: Bocanegra-Valle Ana
Published: February 2025

This chapter explores the affordances and limitations of autoethnography as a research method in
Applied Linguistics (AL) and assesses if current literature within the fields of ELT/TESOL and of academic literacies
enhances or questions autoethnography as a research method. It first reviews the main approaches to autoethnography
and then moves on to consider the ways autoethnographically-oriented studies from major AL publications meet the goals
of these approaches. At this stage, the contribution of autoethnography to current AL research is examined through
close analysis of 40 studies published in relevant journals and books. In particular, this chapter explores the
affordances and limitations of autoethnography as a research method that are revealed in these studies. Lastly, the
ethical dilemmas faced by autoethnographers in the studies under review when conducting their research and writing
their narratives are also addressed.
Past, present, and future
Authors: Tan Jing , Chang Xiali
Published: February 2025

Exploring how to teach languages effectively in educational research is an ongoing process. In
order to contribute to language education research, this chapter introduces and demonstrates how to apply the research
approach of Currere (Pinar, 1994) in developing critical pedagogy for language
educators by deconstructing the past, co-constructing the present, and reconstructing the future.
Currere provides a methodological framework for the researchers to follow when they examine their
teaching pedagogy, and serves as a counter-narrative for traditional language teaching methods through a
transformative lens. This collaborative research project has four main parts based on the methodological framework:
the regressive step of the past language learning and teaching experiences; the progressive step of the future goals
for social justice and educational democracy; the analytical step of how our past, present, and future reshape our
teaching practices and critical pedagogy; and the synthetical step of reconstructing Applied Linguistics and language
education research (Pinar, 1994). Through this research, we advocate for
the Currere approach and argue that the transtemporal and trans-conceptual steps within
Currere can bring an inner critical perspective for researchers and educators in the field of
Applied Linguistics and language education to advance their teaching pedagogy and related research.
Low-dose CT reconstruction using cross-domain deep learning with domain transfer module
Authors: Han Yoseob
Published: February 2025

Objective: X-ray computed tomography employing low-dose X-ray source is actively researched to reduce radiation exposure. However, the reduced photon count in low-dose X-ray sources leads to severe noise artifacts in analytic reconstruction methods like filtered backprojection. Recently, deep learning-based approaches employing uni-domain networks, either in the image-domain or projection-domain, have demonstrated remarkable effectiveness in reducing image noise and Poisson noise caused by low-dose X-ray source. Furthermore, dual-domain networks that integrate image-domain and projection-domain networks are being developed to surpass the performance of uni-domain networks. Despite this advancement, dual-domain networks require twice the computational resources of uni-domain networks, even though their underlying network architectures are not substantially different.Approach: The U-Net architecture, a type of Hourglass network, comprises encoder and decoder modules. The encoder extracts meaningful representations from the input data, while the decoder uses these representations to reconstruct the target data. In dual-domain networks, however, encoders and decoders are redundantly utilized due to the sequential use of two networks, leading to increased computational demands. To address this issue, this study proposes a cross-domain deep learning approach that leverages analytical domain transfer functions. These functions enable the transfer of features extracted by an encoder trained in input domain to target domain, thereby reducing redundant computations. The target data is then reconstructed using a decoder trained in the corresponding domain, optimizing resource efficiency without compromising performance.Main Results: The proposed cross-domain network, comprising a projection-domain encoder and an image-domain decoder, demonstrated effective performance by leveraging the domain transfer function, achieving comparable results with only half the trainable parameters of dual-domain networks. Moreover, the proposed method outperformed conventional iterative reconstruction techniques and existing deep learning approaches in reconstruction quality.Significance: The proposed network leverages the transfer function to bypass redundant encoder and decoder modules, enabling direct connections between different domains. This approach not only surpasses the performance of dual-domain networks but also significantly reduces the number of required parameters. By facilitating the transfer of primal representations across domains, the method achieves synergistic effects, delivering high quality reconstruction images with reduced radiation doses.
Shortcuts to Adiabaticity in Anisotropic Bose-Einstein Condensates
Authors: Mishra Chinmayee , Busch Thomas , Fogarty Thomás
Published: February 2025

We propose shortcut to adiabaticity protocols for Bose–Einstein condensates trapped in generalized anisotropic harmonic traps in three dimensions. These protocols enable high-fidelity tuning of trap geometries on time scales much faster than those required for adiabatic processes and are robust across a wide range of interaction strengths, from weakly interacting regimes to the Thomas–Fermi limit. Using the same approach, we also design STA paths to rapidly drive interaction strengths in both isotropic and anisotropic traps. Comparisons with standard linear ramps of system parameters demonstrate significant improvements in performance. Finally, we apply these STA techniques to a unitary engine cycle with a BEC as the working medium. The STA methods significantly enhance the engine’s power output without reducing efficiency and remain highly effective even after multiple consecutive cycles.
Fast Restoration Algorithm Model for Membrane Diffraction Imaging
Authors: Wen Lianghua , Li Jiaxun , Du Zhengcong , Liu Hankui , Cheng Xiang , Li Qing , Ran Bing
Published: February 2025

Membrane diffraction imaging is a crucial technology for lightweight and large-diameter space-based telescopes. However, the image quality of membrane diffraction imaging system is deteriorating sharply owing to the multiple diffraction orders of diffraction elements and wavefront distortion of the imaging beam. This study successfully determined the optimal solutions of the imaging model parameters of Fresnel zone plates (FZPs) using the stochastic parallel gradient descent (SPGD) algorithm. Subsequently, we proposed a fast restoration algorithm based on the deconvolutions of the FZP imaging model. We conducted image sampling and restoration experiments on the FZP imaging system. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in the contrast and gradient of the restored image, leading to enhanced texture and detail in the images.
Interaction of Physical and Narrative Experiencing of Heat Transfer Phenomena by Kindergarten Children
Authors: Pahl Angelika , Fuchs Hans U , Zanella Sara , Corni Federico
Published: February 2025

We investigate the interaction of physical and narrative forms of experiencing in the construction of concepts by young children in their early encounters with thermal phenomena. 24 children, aged between 4.6 and 6.6 years, were involved in both types of experience: first the physical one, consisting in heating of water by immersion of hot stones, then the narrative one, the listening of an illustrated story told by the teacher. We will present the outcomes of a qualitative investigation aimed at observing the conceptual development of the children by analysing their language in individual interviews performed before and after the intervention. The results in the post-test show that the children improved in their ability to describe the thermal phenomena they observed and developed a better understanding of the processes involved compared to the pre-test.
Teachers’ Perspectives and Practices on Teaching the Properties of Matter
Authors: Ünal Ayçin , Michelini Marisa , Gianni Santi Lorenzo
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the perspectives and practices of teachers regarding teaching the properties of matter in elementary and middle schools in Italy and Turkey. The study employed a quantitative research design, utilizing questionnaire to gather data from a sample of teachers. The findings indicate that there are differences in the subtopics and concepts that teachers prioritize when teaching about the properties of matter, as well as in the methods and techniques they use. The study also found that there was a significant difference in the perspectives of teachers based on the country they worked in, but no significant difference was observed in the practices of teachers based on the country and school they worked in. These findings suggest that the country in which a teacher works has a greater impact on their perspectives on teaching the properties of matter than the level of school they work in. Future research may explore additional factors or variables that could influence teachers’ perspectives and practices on teaching the properties of matter in different countries.
Learning Using Mentors: A proposal of a learning method
Authors: Šmahel Jaroslav , Kácovský Petr
Published: February 2025

Despite a growing number of research on different types of non-traditional learning methods and their widely known benefits, the integration of these approaches into mainstream educational systems is not as widespread as would be desirable. The implementation of non-traditional learning methods often appears to assume specific school settings significantly tailored for such an implementation (in terms of human resources, time allocation, financial issues, etc.), making them less easily transferable to broader educational practices. The proposed method Learning using mentors was designed to be easily implemented and to help teachers bridge the gap between the usual school settings and the benefits of modern learning methods. This paper provides a summary of the results obtained from two years of experimental implementation of the Learning using mentors method within the physics lessons at a high school.
Building an Autonomous Car: A STEM Teaching/Learning Sequence by Project-Based Learning for the Training of Future Secondary School Teachers
Authors: Portillo-Blanco Ane , Zuza Kristina , Guisasola Jenaro
Published: February 2025

In recent years, the use of STEM educational methodology in the classroom has been increasingly promoted, but due to the heterogeneity of approaches and the lack of knowledge on the part of teachers, it is necessary to accompany this process through the design and implementation of research-based STEM Teaching/Learning Sequence (TLS). This study presents the design of a STEM TLS for secondary school that integrates the disciplines of physics and robotics with a Project-Based Learning (PBL) methodology and its implementation and evaluation with future secondary school trainee teachers. For this TLS students have to design and evaluate the programs for the mBot robot depending on different challenges related to kinematics. The impact of this implementation has been analyzed from the content and procedures point of view as well as focusing on the future teachers’ attitudes towards the implementation of the TLS. The results we got were overall positive, highlighting the change registered on their emotions when talking about the project topic.
Land use land cover dynamics and its implications for ecosystem services and livelihoods of Budongo Forest adjacent communities
Authors: Kule Cosmus , Waiswa Daniel , Obua Joseph , Twinomuhangi Revocatus , Babweteera Fred , Eryenyu David
Published: February 2025

A deeper understanding of land use land cover (LULC) dynamics is essential for the sustainable management of the environment and natural resources, and importantly how the changes affect the provision of ecosystem services and community livelihoods. This study examined the spatio-temporal LULC dynamics around Budongo Central Forest from 1995 to 2022 and the implications these changes have on provision of ecosystem services and livelihoods of the local communities. Data were collected using a hybrid approach involving satellite image classification, post-classification change detection, interviews with 156 respondents and 17 key informants. Survey data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal Wallis H tests and Ordinary Least squares (OLS) regressions. The study results reveal a decline in areas covered by wetlands, forests and grasslands due to expansion of commercial sugarcane plantations, compounded by an increase in population emanating from migrant workers. While the area under subsistence agriculture had a marginal expansion, local communities perceived that the changes in LULC resulted in a decline in households’ food availability, water availability and soil fertility. The study concludes that changes in LULC are associated with significant losses in natural assets and ecosystems. These loses in natural assets have significant effects on the livelihoods of community members. Therefore, there is need for instituting a participatory land use planning approach in the affected communities to mitigate the effects of the LULC changes. This will also help in fostering sustainable natural resource management within the affected communities.
Vegetation influence level on the water resources effectiveness over China
Authors: Lu Tianwei , Han Yong , Deng Ximing , Wu Yonghua
Published: February 2025

Water resources play an extremely important role in sustainable development. The hydrological processes from evapotranspiration to precipitation reshape the distribution of surface water resources, and a thorough understanding of these processes can contribute to water resources management. China has experienced vegetation greening in recent years. How China's evapotranspiration, particularly vegetation-related evapotranspiration (transpiration and interception loss), regulates its own water resources effectiveness and the precipitation in surrounding countries remains unclear. Using a high-quality global atmospheric moisture connectivity, evapotranspiration, and precipitation dataset, we find that the regulatory effect of evapotranspiration on precipitation is most pronounced in summer. Annually in China, 57% of the moisture generated by evapotranspiration stays within China, accounting for 39.54% of precipitation sources. The remaining moisture is transported abroad, providing an important source of precipitation for the neighboring countries, especially North Korea and Mongolia. Although grass and bare ecosystems contribute much less moisture than farm and forest ecosystems, they serve as critical moisture sources for the arid interior of China and Mongolia. Vegetation in China has a negative net hydrological effect domestically, which tends to increase across most parts of the country from 2000 to 2020. This research highlights the critical role of vegetation in the transboundary distribution of water resources through moisture transport and provides new insights for sustainable development of water resources.
Simultaneous Reduction of Radiation Dose and Scatter-to-Primary Ratio using a Truncated Detector and Advanced Algorithms for Dedicated Cone-Beam Breast CT
Authors: TSENG HSIN WU , Vedantham Srinivasan , Fu Zhiyang
Published: February 2025

Objective. To determine the minimum detector width along the fan-angle direction in offset-detector cone-beam breast CT for multiple advanced reconstruction algorithms and to investigate the effect on radiation dose, scatter, and image quality. Approach. Complete sinograms (m × n = 1024 × 768 pixels) of 30 clinical breast CT datasets previously acquired on a clinical-prototype cone-beam breast CT system were reconstructed using Feldkamp-Davis-Kress (FDK) algorithm and served as the reference. Complete sinograms were retrospectively truncated to varying widths to understand the limits of four image reconstruction algorithms – FDK with redundancy weighting (FDK-W), compressed-sensing based FRIST, fully-supervised MS-RDN, and self-supervised AFN. Upon determining the truncation limits, numerical phantoms generated by segmenting the reference reconstructions into skin, adipose, and fibroglandular tissues were used to determine the radiation dose and scatter-to-primary ratio (SPR) using Monte Carlo simulations. Main Results. FDK-W, FRIST, and MS-RDN showed artifacts when m < 596, whereas AFN reconstructed images without artifacts for m>=536. Reducing the detector width reduced signal-difference to noise ratio (SDNR) for FDK-W, whereas FRIST, MS-RDN and AFN maintained or improved SDNR. Reference reconstruction and AFN with m=536 had similar quantitative measures of image quality. Significance. For the 30 cases, AFN with m=536 reduced the radiation dose and SPR by 37.85% and 33.46%, respectively, compared to the reference. Qualitative and quantitative image quality indicate the feasibility of AFN for offset-detector cone-beam breast CT. Radiation dose and SPR were simultaneously reduced with a 536 ×768 detector and when used in conjunction with AFN algorithm had similar image quality as the reference reconstruction.
A U.S. heat disaster? Intersection of social vulnerability and temperature extremes exacerbated by mid-century climate change and population shifts
Authors: Popp Zachary , Lane Kevin J , Wellenius Gregory A , Sue Wing Ian
Published: February 2025

Future impacts of climate change-driven increases in extreme heat exposure on population health will be driven both by the frequency and intensity of future heat, as well as changes in the size and vulnerability of affected communities. Given indications of spatial persistence of social vulnerability across the U.S., we explore the implications for heat exposures of the most vulnerable populations due to mid-century climate change. Population heat exposure is estimated by combining heat hazard with population growth projections. Specifically, median projected acute (95% maximum temperature), extreme (hot days, daily maximum heat index >40C), and chronic (cooling degree days) heat hazard are assessed in contemporary (1995-2014) and projected (2041-2060) epochs across 25+ climate models under three climate scenarios against 2020 social vulnerability index (SVI). By mid-century, increases in both chronic and extreme heat will be concentrated in the South region. Population is expected to grow faster in census tracts at the high and low extrema of the social vulnerability index. The intersection of these projected future trends suggests that the intensity and exacerbation of heat exposures due to climate change will not be evenly distributed across the population. Individuals who are most vulnerable today will face disproportionately larger heat exposures circa mid-century. Populations in high SVI areas will both increase in size and experience the largest increases in extreme heat exposure. Spatial aggregation masks fine scale changes. While cities and counties with concentrations of vulnerable populations will face rightward shifts in the tails of their temperature across the U.S., extreme and especially chronic population heat exposures will be concentrated in a swath stretching across southern U.S. states. The magnitude of population heat exposure changes and their intersection with underlying vulnerability require action to focus adaptation resources on resilience to extreme heat.
An Introduction to Jewish Law and an Introduction to International Law: Two Legal Systems that Transcend Territoriality
Authors: Broyde Michael J , Elazar-De Mota Yehonatan
Published: February 2025

This chapter introduces the foundational elements of both Jewish law and international law, emphasizing their shared characteristic of transcending territorial boundaries. It traces the development of international law from European legal thought rooted in Roman law while demonstrating that Jewish law, through its biblical and Talmudic sources, emerged independently but parallels international legal principles in significant ways. Both systems rely heavily on judges and customary practices due to the absence of a centralized enforcement mechanism. The chapter also initiates a dialogue between Jewish and international legal scholars, suggesting that such interactions can enrich both systems, particularly in areas like treaties and the pursuit of peace. Ultimately, it aims to foster a new scholarly discourse by highlighting the mutual benefits of a comparative study between these two legal systems.
Jewish Law and Antisemitic Legal Systems: The Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Broyde Michael J , Elazar-De Mota Yehonatan
Published: February 2025

This chapter addresses the historical and contemporary challenges that Jewish law faces when it intersects with antisemitic legal systems. It provides a thorough examination of how Jewish communities have historically navigated biased or hostile legal frameworks from medieval Europe to modern international law. The chapter also explores how Jewish legal thought has responded to antisemitic elements in legal systems and offers insights into Jewish law’s capacity to resist, survive, and reform under such conditions. It discusses ongoing efforts to address antisemitism within legal contexts today and, as well, offers strategies for combating bias through Jewish legal mechanisms and international law.
Comparison of hospitalisation settings and exercise interventions in acute care: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Etayo-Urtasun Paula , Sáez de Asteasu Mikel L , Izquierdo Mikel
Published: February 2025

Background

Inpatient hospitalisation is associated with adverse outcomes in older adults, including hospital-associated deconditioning. The hospital-at-home (HaH) model may promote physical activity. This systematic review and meta-analysis compares functional outcomes between inpatient and HaH settings and evaluates the efficacy of exercise interventions in both settings.

Methods

Systematic searches of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect were conducted on 27 April 2024. Three distinct searches were performed: (i) studies comparing HaH and inpatient hospitalisation, (ii) trials evaluating inpatient exercise interventions and (iii) research on HaH exercise interventions. Two reviewers independently selected studies published from 2014 onwards using the PICOS framework and they assessed quality using PEDro scale. A meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model to analyse exercise interventions. This systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024598286).

Results

Among the 9470 studies identified, nine studies comparing acute-care settings and 21 studies on exercise interventions (one in HaH) were included. Findings suggest that HaH may positively affect functional and cognitive outcomes. Inpatient exercise interventions significantly improved physical performance [standardised mean difference (SMD) = 0.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.12–0.72] and functional independence (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI = 0.14–0.77) at discharge.

Conclusion

HaH may contribute to preserving physical and cognitive status. Supervised exercise interventions during inpatient hospitalisation are safe and effective for improving older adults’ functional status, although further research in the HaH model is needed.