bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on the Relationship between Groundwater and Land Subsidence in Bangladesh Combining GRACE and InSAR
Authors: Ouyang Liu , Zhao Zhifang , Zhou Dingyi , Cao Jingyao , Qin Jingyi , Cao Yifan , He Yang
Published: October 2024

Due to a heavy reliance on groundwater, Bangladesh is experiencing a severe decline in groundwater storage, with some areas even facing land subsidence. This study aims to investigate the relationship between groundwater storage changes and land subsidence in Bangladesh, utilizing a combination of GRACE and InSAR technologies. To clarify this relationship from a macro perspective, the study employs GRACE data merged with GLDAS to analyze changes in groundwater storage and SBAS-InSAR technology to assess land subsidence. The Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) method calculates the similarity between groundwater storage and land subsidence time series, incorporating precipitation and land cover types into the data analysis. The findings reveal the following: (1) Groundwater storage in Bangladesh is declining at an average rate of −5.55 mm/year, with the most significant declines occurring in Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi. Notably, subsidence areas closely match regions with deeper groundwater levels; (2) The similarity coefficient between the time series of groundwater storage and land subsidence changes exceeds 0.85. Additionally, land subsidence in different regions shows an average lagged response of 2 to 6 months to changes in groundwater storage. This study confirms a connection between groundwater dynamics and land subsidence in Bangladesh, providing essential knowledge and theoretical support for further research.
On the Relationships between Clear-Sky Indices in Photosynthetically Active Radiation and Broadband Ranges in Overcast and Broken-Cloud Conditions
Authors: Wandji Nyamsi William , Saint-Drenan Yves-Marie , Augustine John A. , Arola Antti , Wald Lucien
Published: October 2024

Several studies proposed relationships linking irradiances in the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) range and broadband irradiances. A previous study published in 2024 by the same authors proposes a linear model relating clear-sky indices in the PAR and broadband ranges that has been validated in clear and overcast conditions only. The present work extends this study for broken-cloud conditions by using ground-based measurements obtained from the Surface Radiation Budget Network in the U.S.A. mainland. As expected, the clear-sky indices are highly correlated and are linked by affine functions whose parameters depend on the fractional sky cover (FSC), the year, and the site. The previous linear model is also efficient in broken-cloud conditions, with the same level of accuracy as in overcast conditions. When this model is combined with a PAR clear-sky model, the result tends to overestimate the PAR as the FSC decreases, i.e., when fewer and fewer scattered clouds are present. The bias is equal to 1 W m−2 in overcast conditions, up to 18 W m−2 when the FSC is small, and 6 W m−2 when all cloudy conditions are merged. The RMSEs are, respectively, 5, 24, and 15 W m−2. The linear and the clear-sky models can be combined with estimates of the broadband irradiance from satellites to yield estimates of PAR.
Enhancing Planning for Autonomous Driving via an Iterative Optimization Framework Incorporating Safety-Critical Trajectory Generation
Authors: Liu Zhen , Gao Hang , Lin Yeting , Gong Xun
Published: October 2024

Ensuring the safety of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in complex and high-risk traffic scenarios remains a critical unresolved challenge. Current AV planning methods exhibit limitations in generating robust driving trajectories that effectively avoid collisions, highlighting the urgent need for improved planning strategies to address these issues. This paper introduces a novel iterative optimization framework that incorporates safety-critical trajectory generation to enhance AV planning. The use of the HighD dataset, which is collected using the wide-area remote sensing capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is fundamental to the framework. Remote sensing enables large-scale real-time observation of traffic conditions, providing precise data on vehicle dynamics, road structures, and surrounding environments. To generate safety-critical trajectories, the decoder within the conditional variational auto-encoder (CVAE) is innovatively designed through a data-mechanism integration method, ensuring that these trajectories strictly adhere to vehicle kinematic constraints. Furthermore, two parallel CVAEs (Dual-CVAE) are trained collaboratively by a shared objective function to implicitly model the multi-vehicle interactions. Inspired by the concept of “learning to collide”, adversarial optimization is integrated into the Dual-CVAE (Adv. Dual-CVAE), facilitating efficient generation from normal to safety-critical trajectories. Building upon this, these generated trajectories are then incorporated into an iterative optimization framework, significantly enhancing the AV’s planning ability to avoid collisions. This framework decomposes the optimization process into stages, initially addressing normal trajectories and progressively tackling more safety-critical and collision trajectories. Finally, comparative case studies of enhancing AV planning are conducted and the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed method can efficiently enhance AV planning by generating safety-critical trajectories.
From Polar Day to Polar Night: A Comprehensive Sun and Star Photometer Study of Trends in Arctic Aerosol Properties in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard
Authors: Graßl Sandra , Ritter Christoph , Wilsch Jonas , Herrmann Richard , Doppler Lionel , Román Roberto
Published: October 2024

The climate impact of Arctic aerosols, like the Arctic Haze, and their origin are not fully understood. Therefore, long-term aerosol observations in the Arctic are performed. In this study, we present a homogenised data set from a sun and star photometer operated in the European Arctic, in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, of the 20 years from 2004–2023. Due to polar day and polar night, it is crucial to use observations of both instruments. Their data is evaluated in the same way and follows the cloud-screening procedure of AERONET. Additionally, an improved method for the calibration of the star photometer is presented. We found out, that autumn and winter are generally more polluted and have larger particles than summer. While the monthly median Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) decreases in spring, the AOD increases significantly in autumn. A clear signal of large particles during the Arctic Haze can not be distinguished from large aerosols in winter. With autocorrelation analysis, we found that AOD events usually occur with a duration of several hours. We also compared AOD events with large-scale processes, like large-scale oscillation patterns, sea ice, weather conditions, or wildfires in the Northern Hemisphere but did not find one single cause that clearly determines the Arctic AOD. Therefore the observed optical depth is a superposition of different aerosol sources.
Analysis of the Grid Quantization for the Microwave Radar Coincidence Imaging Based on Basic Correlation Algorithm
Authors: Nian Yiheng , Zhao Mengran , Li Die , Zhang Ming , Zhang Anxue , Li Tong , Zhu Shitao
Published: October 2024

In Microwave Radar Coincidence Imaging (MRCI), the imaging region is typically discretized into a fine grid. In other words, it assumes that the equivalent scatterers of the target are precisely located at the centers of these pre-discretized grids. However, this approach usually encounters the off-grid problem, which can significantly degrade the imaging performance. In this paper, to establish a criterion for grid quantization, the performance of the MRCI system related to the grid size and the distribution of imaging points is investigated. First, the discretization of the imaging scene is regarded as a random sampling problem, and the off-grid imaging model for MRCI is established. Then, the probability distribution function (PDF) of the imaging amplitude for a single point target is analyzed, and the mean first-order imaging error (MFE) for multiple point targets is derived based on the Basic Correlation Algorithm (BCA). Finally, the relationship between the grid quantization of the imaging area and the performance of the MRCI system is analyzed, providing a theoretical guidance for enhancing the performance of MRCI. The validity of the analyses is verified through simulation experiments.
Falling Detection of Toddlers Based on Improved YOLOv8 Models
Authors: Yang Ziqian , Tsui Baiyu , Ning Jiachuan , Wu Zhihui
Published: October 2024

If toddlers are not promptly checked and rescued after falling from relatively high locations at homes, they are at risk of severe health complications. We present a toddler target extraction method and real-time falling alarm. The procedure is executed in two stages: In stage I, a GELAN-integrated YOLOv8 model is used to extract the body features. Based on this, a head capture technique is developed to obtain the head features. In stage II, the “safe zone” is calculated through Generalized Hough Transform (GHT). The spatial location is compared to the preceding stage’s two centers of mass points, K for the toddler’s body and H for the head. Position status detection is performed on the extracted data. We gathered 230 RGB-captured daily videos of toddlers aged 13 to 30 months playing and experiencing upside-down falls. We split 500 video clips (×30 FPS) from 200 videos into 8:2 training and validation sets. A test set of 100 clips (×30 FPS) was cut from another 30 videos. The experimental results suggested that the framework has higher precision and recall in detection, as well as improved mean average precision and F1 scores compared to YOLOv3, v5, v6, and v8. It meets the standard FPS requirement for surveillance cameras and has an accuracy of 96.33 percent.
Development of Assistance Level Adjustment Function for Variable Load on a Forearm-Supported Robotic Walker
Authors: Mori Yuto , Yokoyama Soichiro , Yamashita Tomohisa , Kawamura Hidenori , Mori Masato
Published: October 2024

With the progression of an aging society, the importance of walking assistance technology has been increasing. The research and development of robotic walkers for individuals requiring walking support are advancing. However, there was a problem that the conventional constant support amount did not satisfy the propulsion force required for the walking speed that users wanted. In this study, in order to solve this problem, we propose an algorithm for determining the support amount to maintain the walking speed when the average walking speed of each user is set as the target speed. A robotic walker was developed by attaching BLDC motors to an actual walker, along with a control algorithm for assistance based on sampling-type PID control. The effectiveness of the assistance determination algorithm and the usefulness of the parameters were demonstrated through experiments using weights loaded on the forearm support and target speeds. Subsequently, subject experiments were conducted to verify the ability to maintain target speeds, and a questionnaire survey confirmed that the assistance did not interfere with actual walking. The proposed algorithm for determining the assistance levels demonstrated the ability to maintain target speeds and allowed for adjustments in the necessary level of assistance.
Overview of the Design and Application of Photothermal Immunoassays
Authors: Gao Fengli , Wu Yike , Gan Cui , Hou Yupeng , Deng Dehua , Yi Xinyao
Published: October 2024

Developing powerful immunoassays for sensitive and real-time detection of targets has always been a challenging task. Due to their advantages of direct readout, controllable sensing, and low background interference, photothermal immunoassays have become a type of new technology that can be used for various applications such as disease diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety. By modification with antibodies, photothermal materials can induce temperature changes by converting light energy into heat, thereby reporting specific target recognition events. This article reviews the design and application of photothermal immunoassays based on different photothermal materials, including noble metal nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, two-dimensional nanomaterials, metal oxide and sulfide nanomaterials, Prussian blue nanoparticles, small organic molecules, polymers, etc. It pays special attention to the role of photothermal materials and the working principle of various immunoassays. Additionally, the challenges and prospects for future development of photothermal immunoassays are briefly discussed.
Algorithm Analysis and Optimization of a Digital Image Correlation Method Using a Non-Probability Interval Multidimensional Parallelepiped Model
Authors: Zhu Xuedong , Liu Jianhua , Ao Xiaohui , Xia Huanxiong , Huang Sihan , Zhu Lijian , Li Xiaoqiang , Du Changlin
Published: October 2024

Digital image correlation (DIC), a widely used non-contact measurement technique, often requires empirical tuning of several algorithmic parameters to strike a balance between computational accuracy and efficiency. This paper introduces a novel uncertainty analysis approach aimed at optimizing the parameter intervals of a DIC algorithm. Specifically, the method leverages the inverse compositional Gauss–Newton algorithm combined with a prediction-correction scheme (IC-GN-PC), considering three critical parameters as interval variables. Uncertainty analysis is conducted using a non-probabilistic interval-based multidimensional parallelepiped model, where accuracy and efficiency serve as the reliability indexes. To achieve both high computational accuracy and efficiency, these two reliability indexes are simultaneously improved by optimizing the chosen parameter intervals. The optimized algorithm parameters are subsequently tested and validated through two case studies. The proposed method can be generalized to enhance multiple aspects of an algorithm’s performance by optimizing the relevant parameter intervals.
Attention-Enhanced Defensive Distillation Network for Channel Estimation in V2X mm-Wave Secure Communication
Authors: Qi Xingyu , Liu Yuanjian , Ye Yingchun
Published: October 2024

Millimeter-wave (mm-wave) technology, crucial for future networks and vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication in intelligent transportation, offers high data rates and bandwidth but is vulnerable to adversarial attacks, like interference and eavesdropping. It is crucial to protect V2X mm-wave communication from cybersecurity attacks, as traditional security measures often fail to counter sophisticated threats and complex attacks. To tackle these difficulties, the current study introduces an attention-enhanced defensive distillation network (AEDDN) to improve robustness and accuracy in V2X mm-wave communication under adversarial attacks. The AEDDN model combines the transformer algorithm with defensive distillation, leveraging the transformer’s attention mechanism to focus on critical channel features and adapt to complex conditions. This helps mitigate adversarial examples by filtering misleading data. Defensive distillation further strengthens the model by smoothing decision boundaries, making it less sensitive to small perturbations. To evaluate and validate the AEDDN model, this study uses a publicly available dataset called 6g-channel-estimation and a proprietary dataset named MMMC, comparing the simulation results with the convolutional neural network (CNN) model. The findings from the experiments indicate that the AEDDN, especially in the complex V2X mm-wave environment, demonstrates enhanced performance.
Urban Air Logistics with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs): Double-Chromosome Genetic Task Scheduling with Safe Route Planning
Authors: Rinaldi Marco , Primatesta Stefano , Bugaj Martin , Rostáš Ján , Guglieri Giorgio
Published: October 2024

In an efficient aerial package delivery scenario carried out by multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), a task allocation problem has to be formulated and solved in order to select the most suitable assignment for each delivery task. This paper presents the development methodology of an evolutionary-based optimization framework designed to tackle a specific formulation of a Drone Delivery Problem (DDP) with charging hubs. The proposed evolutionary-based optimization framework is based on a double-chromosome task encoding logic. The goal of the algorithm is to find optimal (and feasible) UAV task assignments such that (i) the tasks’ due dates are met, (ii) an energy consumption model is minimized, (iii) re-charge tasks are allocated to ensure service persistency, (iv) risk-aware flyable paths are included in the paradigm. Hard and soft constraints are defined such that the optimizer can also tackle very demanding instances of the DDP, such as tens of package delivery tasks with random temporal deadlines. Simulation results show how the algorithm’s development methodology influences the capability of the UAVs to be assigned to different tasks with different temporal constraints. Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the results for two different realistic scenarios in the city of Turin, Italy.
Reinforcement Learning for Transit Signal Priority with Priority Factor
Authors: Cheng Hoi-Kin , Kou Kun-Pang , Wong Ka-Io
Published: October 2024

Public transportation has been identified as a viable solution to mitigate traffic congestion. Transit signal priority (TSP) control, which is widely used at signalized intersections, has been recognized as a practical strategy to improve the efficiency and reliability of bus operations. However, traditional TSP control may fall short of efficiency and is facing several challenges of negative externalities for non-transit users and the need to handle conflicting priority requests. Recent studies have proposed the use of reinforcement learning (RL) methods to identify efficient traffic signal control (TSC). Some of these studies on RL-based TSC have incorporated the concept of max-pressure (MP), which is a maximal weight-matching algorithm to minimize queue sizes. Nevertheless, the existing RL-based TSC methods focus on private vehicles and cannot adequately distinguish between buses and private vehicles. In prior research, RL-based control has been implemented within the context of bus rapid transit (BRT) systems. This study proposes a novel RL-based TSC strategy that leverages the MP concept and extends it to incorporate TSP control. This is the first implementation of RL-based TSP control within the mixed-traffic road network. A significant innovation of this research is the introduction of the priority factor (PF), which is designed to prioritize bus movements at signalized intersections. The proposed RL-based TSP with PF control seeks to balance the competing objectives of enhancing bus operations while mitigating adverse impacts on non-transit users. To evaluate the performance of the proposed TSP method with the PF mechanism, simulations were conducted on an arterial and a grid network under dynamic traffic conditions. The simulation results demonstrated that the proposed TSP with PF not only reduces bus travel times and resolves conflicts between priority requests but also does not make a significant negative impact on passenger car operations. Furthermore, the PF can be dynamically assigned according to the number of passengers on each bus, suggesting the potential for the proposed approach to be applied in various traffic management scenarios.
“We Realized That Institutions Are Not Prepared”: Strategies and Challenges in the Filiation Processes of Lesbian-Parent Families in Chile
Authors: Morrison Rodolfo , Alvarez Navarro Maite , Arias Riquelme Javiera , Barrios Fuentes Betsabe , Hernandez Gavilan Anays , Queupuan Donoso Rocio , Lagos-Ceron Daniel , Cirineu Cleber Tiago
Published: October 2024

This study examines the experiences of lesbian-parent families in Chile regarding the civil registry and the registration of their children, highlighting how heteronormative structures persist despite significant legislative advancements. Through semi-structured interviews with lesbian mothers, it explored how the policies and practices occurring at the civil registry affect their rights and legal recognition. The qualitative data analysis revealed significant barriers in the filiation processes due to outdated forms and lack of training among officials, reflecting a disconnect between progressive legislation and its practical implementation. The findings indicate that while there is growing social recognition of family diversity, lesbian-parent families face institutional discrimination, limiting their full participation in society. These barriers not only perpetuate occupational injustices but also negatively affect the emotional and social well-being of these families. This study underscores the need for legislative and administrative reforms to ensure effective inclusion and recognition of lesbian-parent families, recommending policies that update administrative processes to reflect the realities of all families adequately. The research highlights the importance of continuous education and awareness for civil registry workers, ensuring that existing laws are applied fairly and equitably.
The Effects of the Incorporation of Luminescent Vanadate Nanoparticles in Lithium Borate Glass Matrices by Various Methods
Authors: Chukova Oksana , Fesych Ihor , Voitenko Tetiana , Baran Volodymyr , Kotlov Aleksei , Conner Robin L. , Jacobsohn Luiz G. , Manousaki Alexandra , Stratakis Emmanuel
Published: October 2024

The glass-ceramic materials studied in this work are designed using combinations of lithium vanadate borate glass matrices and lanthanum/rare earth (RE) vanadate nanoparticles. Three different techniques of sintering of the glass matrix and vanadate nanoparticles are investigated. The morphological characteristics and spectral properties of the glass-ceramic samples obtained by different techniques are investigated and analyzed in comparison with the properties of the original glass matrices and nanoparticles. The luminescence spectra of all glass-ceramic samples consist of a wideband glass matrix emission and the characteristic line emission of the RE ions that are incorporated into the glass matrices as nanoparticles. The RE luminescence of these glass-ceramics is promising for various optoelectronic applications.
Isometric Force–Time Curve Assessment: Accuracy, Precision, and Repeatability of a Mobile Application and Portable and Lightweight Device
Authors: Santos Dario , Bravo-Sánchez Alfredo , Peyré-Tartaruga Leonardo Alexandre , Simini Franco , Zacca Rodrigo
Published: October 2024

Strength assessment is one of the main fields in sports performance, physical rehabilitation, physical activity, and health. We aimed to compare maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVICs) and paired voluntary isometric contractions (VICs) of knee extensors between an isokinetic dynamometer (BIODEX) and a portable and lightweight device (DINABANG). From 19 volunteers (age: 28.7 ± 7 years; body mass: 72 ± 10 kg; and height: 173 ± 7 cm) we obtained 114 paired MVIC measures and, from the force–time curves of these repetitions, 22,507 paired VIC measures of knee extensors. We observed “excellent” repeatability for MVICs (ICC:1.00; p < 0.001) between BIODEX (247 ± 79.5 Nm) and DINABANG (247 ± 74.8 Nm), with “trivial” effect (mean difference: 0.12 Nm (0.02%); 95%CI: −0.13 to 0.23 Nm; p = 0.606; d = 0.048). Bland–Altman plots revealed high accuracy for MVIC (bias: 0.12 Nm) and consistent distribution (precision) inside the limits of agreement (−4.81 to 5.06 Nm) and respective 95%CI. “Excellent” repeatability was also observed for VICs (ICC:1.00; p < 0.001) between BIODEX (219 ± 84.1 Nm) and DINABANG (218 ± 84.0 Nm), with “trivial” effect (0.24 Nm (0.11%); 0.08 to 0.11 Nm; p < 0.001; d = 0.100). Bland–Altman plots revealed high accuracy for VICs (bias: 0.24 Nm) and consistent distribution (precision) inside the limits of agreement (−4.5 to 4.9 Nm) and respective 95%CI. DINABANG is accurate, precise, and reliable in torque measurement.
Recovery of Magnetic Ni Particles from Spent Catalyst Leachate by Direct Cementation
Authors: Moosakazemi Farhad , Entezari-Zarandi Ali , Ghassa Sina , Larachi Faïçal
Published: October 2024

An alternative method based on cementation for the recovery of nickel from spent Ni/Al2O3 reforming catalyst pregnant leach solution (PLS) was proposed to overcome the limitations of traditional two-step extraction and precipitation processes. Thermodynamic analysis was used to evaluate the potential interference of key reactions, such as nickel and sacrificial metal leaching, with the selective cementation of nickel from the PLS. Key variables in the cementation process were optimized using response surface methodology (RSM) combined with Box–Behnken design (BBD). Under optimal conditions—pH 2.2 ± 0.1, processing time of 15 min, and Al/Ni molar ratio of 2.65—a maximum nickel recovery of 73.2% was achieved. Extensive characterization confirmed the high quality of the cemented nickel product: (i) ICP-OES indicated nickel purity of 99.47%, (ii) XRD patterns verified the presence of pure face-centered cubic nickel, (iii) SEM-EDS and vibrating sample magnetometry confirmed the high purity of the metallic nickel particles.
Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Attributes of Sustainability, Origin and Production Process in Raicilla
Authors: Pablo-Cano Magdiel , Espejel-García Anastacio , Hernández-Montes Arturo , Hernández-Rodríguez Landy
Published: October 2024

In recent years, consumer concern about the origin, process and environmental impact of food and beverages has increased significantly, due to sustainability and food safety issues. However, studies of consumers’ willingness to pay for these types of attributes in traditional agave distillates are scarce. In this article, a discrete choice experiment was carried out on a sample of Mexican Raicilla consumers (n = 300) to estimate their willingness to pay for attributes such as ecolabels, protections of origin and the production process; the analysis was performed using a mixed logit model. The results showed that consumers are willing to pay a higher price for a Raicilla that contains on the label the region of origin, the production process (ancestral or artisanal), that has some legal-economic protection, such as geographical indication or designation of origin, and certifications in water management and organic production. The methodology of discrete choice experiments made it possible to jointly evaluate the extrinsic attributes in the willingness to pay for a traditional agave distillate, allowing its influence on the decision to purchase to be determined.
Women Entrepreneur’s Perspective towards Sustainable Entrepreneurship in the Apparel Sector of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alshibani Safiya Mukhtar , Shabir Suheela , Albishri Norah
Published: October 2024

Sustainable entrepreneurship has recently started to receive global attention, underscoring the need to understand the perspective of women entrepreneurs working in the apparel sector in Saudi Arabia. The present study focuses on exploring sustainable entrepreneurship with specific regards to the experiences of female entrepreneurs and sustainable activities within the sector. This study used a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews of 30 female entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia’s apparel industry. Thematic analysis was employed to understand sustainable entrepreneurship behavior and its causes. The descriptive findings reveal a strong correlation between advanced degrees and professional membership held by the participants, implying higher qualifications and membership with professional bodies result in work with more extensive and established fashion ventures involving on average 10 employees and five business partners. It was also found that female entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia employed sustainable strategies based on their beliefs and customer needs and preferences. However, they faced issues of tradition and prejudice against women. This study further identified four critical categories of sustainable entrepreneurship drivers: gender dynamics (GDs), social norms (SNs), access to resources, and sustainable entrepreneurship practices. This study offers valuable recommendations to policymakers, actors, and women entrepreneurs striving to develop sustainable practices in the industry.
Material Transformation Analysis of Mosques in Herat Old City, Afghanistan
Authors: Asim Ghulam Mohammad , Haidari Abdul Saboor , Hanif Asadullah , Aawar Taha , Akbari Frishta , Wahiz Hariwa , Suroush Fareshta , Shahbazi Mozhgan
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to find out the distribution, destructions, developments, transformations, and processes of changes of mosques after WWII in Herat Old City, which is a medieval city still preserved and standing. One hundred and eight mosques were constructed, 2 of them were demolished, and 106 still exist. Twenty-eight are modern mosques, and 80 are traditional. Twenty-two out of 80 are preserved, 56 have been transformed, and 2 were damaged, or demolished. Modern mosques are mainly located in the second and fourth quarters, while traditional mosques are distributed in all four quarters. The transformation started in the 1950s after WWII, continued in the 1970s, 1990s, and 2000s, and has occurred in all four quarters, slightly higher in the second and fourth quarters. Through a field survey, data were collected, findings were combined, unified, and plotted on the map, and the mosques were categorized based on building material.
Technological Innovation, Trade Openness, Natural Resources, and Environmental Sustainability in Egypt and Turkey: Evidence from Load Capacity Factor and Inverted Load Capacity Factor with Fourier Functions
Authors: Yingjun Zhu , Jahan Sharmin , Qamruzzaman Md.
Published: October 2024

The environmental degradation in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region leads to significant challenges regarding economic sustainability and the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs). The extensive use of fossil fuels in the region, as well as rapid urbanization and economic growth, has led to significant carbon emissions, together with unprecedented ecological footprints compromising environmental sustainability. The study aims to elucidate the influence exerted by technological innovation, trade openness, and natural resources on environmental sustainability in Turkey and Egypt for the period 1990–2022. In assessing the empirical relations, the study employed the Fourier function incorporate estimation techniques, that is, Fourier ADF for unit root test, Fourier ARDL, and Fourier NARDL for long-run and short-run elasticities of technological innovation (TI), trade openness (TO,) and natural resources rent (NRR) on load capacity factor (LCF) and inverted LCF (ILCF); finally, the directional causality evaluate through Fourier TY causality test. The results revealed that both Turkey and Egypt have severe environmental problems due to their high carbon emissions and ecological footprints. Technological change and international trade separately negatively affect environmental sustainability; however, these negative impacts have mixed character. On the one hand, technology can improve efficiency and reduce ecological footprints by obviating the use of high-impact processes or allowing cleaner production systems. In the same vein, trade openness helps transfer green technologies more quickly, but it can also lead to unsustainable resource extraction and pollution. The findings of the paper propose that in order to move forward, Turkey and Egypt need strategic policy shifts to ensure environmental sustainability, including transitioning towards renewable energy from fossil fuels while bolstering their capacity for energy efficiency. Policymakers must balance economic development with environmental conservation to reduce the harmful effects of climate degradation and help safeguard continued economic survival in the face of increasing climatic instability. This research helps to inform policy and investment decisions about how the SDGs can be achieved and how they are relevant for sustainable development in the MENA region.
The Correlation between Knowledge of Food Sustainability, Sustainable Eating Attitudes, and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet among Blue- and White-Collar Employees
Authors: Şahin Bayram Sümeyra , Kızıltan Gül
Published: October 2024

To enhance and advance both human and planetary health, it is imperative to transition towards more sustainable nutrition approaches. This study aimed to assess the correlation between the levels of sustainability and sustainable nutrition knowledge, attitudes towards sustainable nutrition, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD) among blue- and white-collar employees. This study included 210 adults, half of whom were white-collar employees, with the other half being blue-collar employees. Sociodemographic data were collected, and anthropometric measurements were performed. The Questionnaire on Food Sustainability Knowledge and Attitudes to Sustainable Eating and the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Scale (MEDAS) were also included in the applied survey. Dietary intake was assessed using 24 h dietary records. The mean age was 41.9 ± 10.87 years. Of the participants, 56.2% were classified as being overweight or obese. The level of knowledge on the concept of “food sustainability” among all participants was 30.5%. The mean MEDAS score of all the participants was 5.4 ± 1.90, and 74.8% of all the participants did not follow the MD. Positive correlations were found between the MEDAS score and the Sustainable Diet Definition score (r = 0.174) (p ˂ 0.05) and Sustainable Eating Attitude score (r = 0.312) (p ˂ 0.001). Negative correlations were found between the MEDAS score and body weight (r = −0.320; p ˂ 0.001), BMI (r = −0.249; p ˂ 0.001), waist circumference (r = −0.278; p ˂ 0.001), and PBF (r = −0.177; p ˂ 0.05). We found that, as the level of sustainable nutrition knowledge increased, sustainable nutrition behaviors improved, and as adherence to the MD increased, the incidence of obesity decreased.
Numerical Simulation and Parameter Optimization of a New Slant Insertion-Opening Combination Sand Fence
Authors: Wu Yan , Jin Afang , Jiang Jianzhou
Published: October 2024

This paper presents a new slant insertion-opening combination sand fence designed to reduce the hazards of traditional railway sand damage along the line. This new fence aims to decrease the disturbance caused by lateral wind on the high-speed railway and minimize the deposition of track sand particles. Numerical modeling and wind tunnel testing were employed to examine the structure’s defensive capabilities. Using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method and the Eulerian–Eulerian two-fluid model, the wind protection effect and airflow characteristics of the new sand fence with different slant insertion angles and spacings were simulated, and the optimal configuration parameters were selected. The study found that the new mechanical sand fence exhibits similar performance to the traditional sand fence. Since there is a “narrow tube effect”, the leeward side of the inclined plate generates a local high-speed airflow zone. In the top acceleration zone, the new mechanical sand fence efficiently lowers air velocity, thereby enhancing its protective capabilities. Moreover, the optimal protective performance of the new mechanical sand fence is achieved with an inclination angle of 15°, with improved protection observed as the angle increases. Additionally, the protective performance of double rows of these fences is influenced by the spacing between them. Increasing the distance between the two rows enhances protective performance, with the optimal protection achieved at a spacing of 25H. Beyond this distance, protective performance decreases.
Analysis of the Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Urban Sports Service Facilities in the Yangtze River Delta
Authors: Ye Peng , Wang Jianing
Published: October 2024

The spatial allocation of urban public sports facilities is critical for ensuring equitable access to basic public services and maintaining urban spatial cohesion. This study examines central cities in the Yangtze River Delta, utilizing Point of Interest (POI) data to characterize urban sports service facilities. Employing methods such as kernel density estimation, the nearest neighbor index, spatial autocorrelation, and coefficient of variation, this study analyzes the spatial aggregation, synergy, and equalization of sports service facilities at the community scale. The findings indicate that: (1) the spatial distribution of sports service facilities within community life circles demonstrates a clustered pattern, forming a concentric core-to-periphery structure, with notable variations in clustering degrees across different cities; (2) synergy among sports service facilities has significantly improved, with the emergence of multiple high-value clusters and low-value dispersions across various cities; and (3) the level of equalization of sports service facilities in community life circles follows the general order of Shanghai > Nanjing > Hangzhou > Hefei. These insights offer valuable guidance for the planning and optimization of urban public sports facilities.
Voluntary Planning and City Networks: A Systematic Bibliometric Review Addressing Current Issues for Sustainable and Climate-Responsive Planning
Authors: Santopietro Luigi , Scorza Francesco
Published: October 2024

Over the years, energy saving and climate change have sparked a challenge in developing innovative spatial and urban planning tools, methods, and approaches for urban areas and territorial management. This challenge has pointed out a gap in the traditional planning framework in tackling energy and climate issues, highlighting the need for renovated spatial planning practices. The current effective measures carried out by the complex network of stakeholders (public and private) are fragmented, and the role of city networks in shaping decisions and interventions has emerged. In particular, among the approaches for urban and territorial planning and the development of climate-responsive measures, this research adopts a specific focus on voluntary planning. The authors, through a literature review and an analysis of nine city networks, investigated how this approach addresses energy and climate issues and how it is linked to the city networks in designing investments and interventions within the urban context. From the authors’ perspective, city networks are the operative component in designing local experiences and applications, contributing to achievement of the global energy and climate targets according to the current policies. In this context, successful results with respect to climate and energy challenges is expressed in the degree of the awareness and the commitment achieved by the local communities. Moreover, reaching the climate and energy goals is a representation of the outcome of the interaction between the (public or private) actors involved and the degree of a city’s climate-responsiveness, rather than from a normative constraint or an institutional framework.
Social Space Ratio: Calculating the Rate of Public Space Activities That Enhance Social Interaction on a Pedestrian Street in Karlstad, Sweden
Authors: Najar Karim , Nylander Ola , Woxnerud William
Published: October 2024

William H. Whyte took on the challenge of assessing the amount of public space in a city based on its carrying capacity, pointing out that popular public spaces offer more room for social activities. However, the absence of qualitative characteristics makes this assessment even more challenging to implement. This study aims to find a method to gauge the carrying capacity of urban public spaces by calculating the social space ratio for pedestrian-only streets in Karlstad, Sweden, and quantifying this relationship. The social space ratio represents the proportion of public spaces that foster social interaction throughout their entire area. The method began by selecting the most relevant conceptual framework for social public spaces and then sought theory-based characteristics to assign to seven social activities on Karlstad’s pedestrian-only streets. The authors performed a comprehensive search of the literature utilizing the PRISMA approach, gathering information from credible references, placemaking toolkits, transportation toolkits, and academic sources. This was performed to determine the weighting factors and effective social areas by evaluating these activities in terms of nine categories of the chosen framework: accessibility, traffic, social infrastructure, security, places to meet, senses and experience, architecture and aesthetics, development and maintenance, and control and programming. We devised a method to calculate the carrying capacity and social space ratio of Karlstad’s pedestrian-only streets, resulting in a ratio of 0.38. The research led to the development of eight quality-control tools to analyze the seven social activities in public places. This innovative approach helps researchers and municipal planners evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of these spaces, contributing significantly to Swedish urban planning and enabling future studies to create a social area factor.
Determining the Level of and Potential for the Development of Tourism Clusters, Taking into Account Infrastructure and Urban Planning Factors
Authors: Kulakov Kirill Y. , Uvarova Svetlana S. , Orlov Alexandr K. , Kankhva Vadim S. , Sudakova Anna A.
Published: October 2024

The optimal development of tourism clusters (quite active and effective, but not allowing overtourism) requires the development of methods for calculating their level of development and potential, taking into account the most important influencing factors. Consideration of the share of factors’ influence on the development of tourism clusters does not adequately take into account the infrastructure and urban planning components. This article, based on a literature analysis and expert assessment, identifies the main factors influencing the development of tourism clusters and shows the leading role of infrastructure factors and the provision of a cluster with high-quality hotel stock. Formulas are given for calculating factor indicators and determining the integral level of development of the cluster, as well as its development potential, including infrastructural. An example of calculations of the development potential of a cluster and management decisions made in the field of construction is given using the example of an emerging tourism cluster, “Kirzhach”. The results of the factor analysis and calculation of the cluster development potential will allow informed management decisions to be made not only for the investment and construction of hotel real estate and other tourism infrastructure, but also for cluster development priorities and areas of government regulation and support.
Digital Twin Technology and Social Sustainability: Implications for the Construction Industry
Authors: Omrany Hossein , Mehdipour Armin , Oteng Daniel
Published: October 2024

To date, a plethora of research has been published investigating the value of using Digital Twin (DT) technology in the construction industry. However, the contribution of DT technology to promoting social sustainability in the industry has largely been unexplored. Therefore, the current paper aims to address this gap by exploring the untapped potential of DT technology in advancing social sustainability within the construction industry. To this end, a comprehensive systematic literature review was conducted, which identified 298 relevant studies. These studies were subsequently analysed with respect to their use of DT technology in supporting social sustainability. The findings indicated that the studies contributed to 8 of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a strong focus on SDG11 (77 publications), followed by SDG3 and SDG9, with 58 and 48 studies, respectively, focusing on promoting health and well-being and fostering resilient infrastructure and innovation. Other contributions were identified for SDG13 (30 studies), SDG7 (27 studies), SDG12 (26 studies), SDG4 (21 studies), and SDG6 (11 studies), covering areas such as climate action, responsible consumption, affordable energy, quality education, and clean water and sanitation. This paper also proposes future research directions for advancing DT technology to further enhance social sustainability in the construction industry. These include (i) enhancing inclusivity and diversity, (ii) workforce safety and well-being, (iii) training and skill development, (iv) policy and regulatory support, and (v) cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Existence of Positive Solutions for Singular Difference Equations with Nonlinear Boundary Conditions
Authors: Luo Hua , Mohamed Alhussein
Published: October 2024

In this paper, we delve into a discrete nonlinear singular semipositone problem, characterized by a nonlinear boundary condition. The nonlinearity, given by f(u)−auα with α>0, exhibits a singularity at u=0 and tends towards −∞ as u approaches 0+. By constructing some suitable auxiliary problems, the difficulty that arises from the singularity and semipositone of nonlinearity and the lack of a maximum principle is overcome. Subsequently, employing the Krasnosel’skii fixed-point theorem, we determine the parameter range that ensures the existence of at least one positive solution and the emergence of at least two positive solutions. Furthermore, based on our existence results, one can obtain the symmetry of the solutions after adding some symmetric conditions on the given functions by using a standard argument.
Empirical Likelihood for Composite Quantile Regression Models with Missing Response Data
Authors: Luo Shuanghua , Zheng Yu , Zhang Cheng-yi
Published: October 2024

Under the assumption of missing response data, empirical likelihood inference is studied via composite quantile regression. Firstly, three empirical likelihood ratios of composite quantile regression are given and proved to be asymptotically χ2. Secondly, without an estimation of the asymptotic covariance, confidence intervals are constructed for the regression coefficients. Thirdly, three estimators are presented for the regression parameters to obtain its asymptotic distribution. The finite sample performance is assessed through simulation studies, and the symmetry confidence intervals of the parametric are constructed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed methods is illustrated by analyzing a real-world data set.
Research on Decision-Making and Control Technology for Hydraulic Supports Based on Digital Twins
Authors: You Xiusong , Ge Shirong
Published: October 2024

To further enhance the intelligent construction of coal mines and improve the control accuracy of hydraulic support displacement straightness, a digital twin control method for hydraulic support displacement has been proposed. First, a dataset related to hydraulic support is established, and a ridge regression prediction model is developed to achieve digital twin-based displacement decision analysis. Next, by analyzing the mechanical structure and displacement principles of the hydraulic supports, a hydraulic cylinder mathematics model is established, leading to the state-space representation of the controlled object. This study focuses on error control during the multi-agent operation of the hydraulic supports, designing a corresponding controller and using discretization methods to verify the consistency of output displacement between followers and leaders. Finally, simulation experiments based on the digital twin model of hydraulic supports are conducted, validating that the hydraulic supports can be controlled in formation according to actual production requirements. The digital twin control method enables the precise adaptive displacement control of hydraulic supports and provides valuable insights for the intelligent construction of mining faces.