Search Results (44,871)

Building cycling-friendly street environments is crucial for promoting sustainable urban mobility. However, existing studies exploring the influence of the built environment on cycling have paid limited attention to the three-dimensional characteristics of street landscapes and have mostly relied on linear assumptions. To address these gaps, this study employs street view imagery and interpretable machine learning methods to investigate the nonlinear and interaction effects of street landscape elements on residents’ cycling preferences in Xiamen Island, China. The results reveal that the visual indices of buildings, sky, vegetation, and roads are the most influential variables affecting cycling preferences. These factors exhibit pronounced nonlinear relationships with cycling preference. For instance, buildings exhibit a threshold effect, with positive influences on cycling preference when the building index is below 0.12 and negative effects when it exceeds 0.12. A low sky index significantly suppresses cycling preference, whereas higher values offer only limited additional benefits, with an optimal range of 0.1–0.25. Vegetation contributes positively only at relatively high levels, suggesting that its index should ideally exceed 0.3. The road index shows a V-shaped relationship: values between 0.15 and 0.25 reduce cycling preference, whereas values below 0.15 or above 0.25 enhance it. Moreover, clear interaction effects among these variables are observed, suggesting that the combined visual composition of the streetscape plays an important role in shaping cycling preferences. These findings deepen the understanding of how street landscape characteristics influence cycling behavior and provide nuanced, practical insights for designing cycling-friendly streets and promoting sustainable travel in urban environments. Full article

Land use change is closely related to land surface temperature (LST). Based on remote sensing data from 2001 to 2020, this study analyzed the spatiotemporal variations and driving mechanisms of daytime and nighttime LST in the Urumqi Metropolitan Area (UMA) by combining traditional methods with the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)–SHAP coupled model. Although the average LST trend in the region was one of warming, the pixel-level significance analysis indicated that statistically significant warming (p < 0.05) is concentrated mainly in the urban core (2.65% of the area), while the majority of the region (70%) showed a non-significant warming trend. LST displayed significant spatial clustering, with Moran’s I remaining above 0.990, indicating a positive spatial autocorrelation in spatial distribution. With the advancement of urbanization, the proportion of impervious surfaces increased from 0.87% to 1.14%, while wastelands consistently accounted for approximately 50% of the total area. Different land use types showed distinct effects on the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon: water bodies, grasslands, and forests played cooling roles, whereas barren land and impervious areas were the main heat contributors. The XGBoost-SHAP analysis further revealed that the importance ranking of driving factors has evolved over time. Among these factors, Elevation dominates, while the influence of population-related factors increased significantly in 2020. This study provides a scientific basis for regulating the thermal environment of cities in arid regions from the perspective of land use. This study provides a scientific basis for regulating the thermal environment of arid-region cities from the perspective of land use. Full article

Background: Anxiety disorders are common in childhood, yet access to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is often limited. Internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) can help overcome these barriers, but evidence in younger children remains scarce. This pilot study describes the development and preliminary evaluation of an Italian iCBT platform for children with mild to moderate anxiety. Methods: Five children aged 8–12 years and their caregivers were recruited through pediatricians. Eligibility was assessed using the MASC-2 and a psychiatrist interview. Each child completed a supervised session with the WebApp, which delivers CBT modules combining psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, relaxation, and gamified activities. Usability was evaluated using the ita-MAUQ, observation, and interviews. Results: All participants completed the session without dropouts. Mean ita-MAUQ scores were consistently above the midpoint, with the highest ratings for interface design and satisfaction. Children appreciated the interactive, game-like features, while caregivers valued the clarity and practicality of content. Qualitative feedback indicated good comprehensibility and engagement, with suggestions for improving navigation flow and language adaptation. No adverse events occurred. Conclusions: This pilot study supports the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of the new iCBT platform and provides essential insights for its refinement and future large-scale clinical trials. Full article

Background/Objectives: Tinnitus treatment is often based on coping strategies, as, still, no causal treatment is available. Based on our “Erlangen model” of tinnitus development, we treated tinnitus patients with individualized, non-masking low-intensity noise (LIN) to reduce the tinnitus loudness. Methods: A total of 72 adult patients with a tinnitus severity index below IV (tinnitus health questionnaire, THQ), a hearing loss not exceeding 40 dB up to 6 kHz, and without experience in hearing aid (HA) usage were included in this study. Their audiograms, tinnitus parameters, THQ scores, and optimal LIN were determined individually. Patients were double-blinded, assigned to a treatment-only (TO) or placebo-and-treatment (PT) group. The TO patients received treatment for four weeks while the PT patients initially received a placebo (low-intensity white noise) stimulation for two weeks and, hereinafter, treatment for four weeks. Every two weeks, the measurements listed above were repeated. The long-term effects on THQ were assessed four weeks after the end of treatment. The data were analyzed by parametric and nonparametric statistics. Results: We identified a significant decrease in the THQ score already after two (η² = 0.14) and four weeks of treatment (η² = 0.43), that was still present four weeks after the end of treatment (η² = 0.15) in the TO group. Subjective individual patient reports hint at a possible complete suppression of the percept by LINTS. The PT group profited much less, as the initial placebo treatment seemed to counteract the LIN effects. Conclusions: Individually fitted LIN treatment seems to be able to suppress tinnitus, in some cases completely. The optimal fitting of the LIN is crucial for treatment success. Full article

The grain-level heterogeneity of fruit morphological characteristics significantly determines their sensory performance and intrinsic quality, providing a quantitative basis for commercial grading. This study utilized “Liuyuehong” soft-seeded pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) as experimental material. Fruits were classified into three size grades based on individual fresh weight: large (107–125 g), medium (74–92 g), and small (47–67 g). Fresh weights of whole fruits, exocarp, and outer seed coat were measured for each grade, followed by analysis of key quality indicators, including seed count, 100-seed weight, Brix degrees, pH, single-seed dimensions, vitamin C content, and edible fraction. Subsequently, correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and the entropy weight-TOPSIS method were employed to evaluate the integrated quality of different fruit grades comprehensively. The results indicate that the fruit morphological characteristics of “Liuyuehong” soft-seed pomegranate have a significant impact on its sensory and physicochemical qualities. (1) Large and medium fruits are superior to small fruits in terms of single fruit size, exocarp color uniformity, seed color, and mouthfeel, with large fruits having the highest comprehensive evaluation score (0.7). (2) Mouthfeel is correlated with the number of seeds in the fruit; the number of seeds in large and small fruits shows a significant negative correlation with Brix degrees (p < 0.05). (3) Small fruits exhibit greater individual variation within the group, with outliers and a tendency for late maturation. In conclusion, the fruit morphological characteristics of “Liuyuehong” soft-seed pomegranate significantly affect seed maturity and quantity, thereby determining the fruit’s sensory quality and physicochemical properties. The results indicate that fruits with a single- weight below 70 g commonly exhibit delayed development. It is therefore recommended to raise the lower threshold for commercial grading to above 75 g to enhance overall fruit quality and market consistency. Full article

This study aims to present the results from the assessment of carbonation depth, corrosion, and compressive strength of real marine structures in a 49-year-old gas processing industry. The assessment was achieved through visual observations and non-destructive tests, including rebound hammer test, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test, and potential corrosion mapping, conducted in the field. Several cylindrical samples were also cored to test the concrete compressive strength and carbonation depth. The results were subsequently used to calculate the remaining load-bearing capacity of the structures. The observations and measurements showed that carbonation depth ranged from 0 to 63% of the concrete cover, and potential corrosion was at a low to medium level in areas where corrosion had not occurred, while the actual compressive strength is still above the design strength. Moreover, based on the UPV test, the pulse velocity of the concrete is around 3600 m/s, indicating a good concrete quality. Meanwhile, severe corrosion of reinforcing steel occurred locally and only at certain places, which caused a very significant reduction in the diameter and cracks as well as spalling of the concrete cover. The process further led to a significant reduction in the load-bearing capacity. Therefore, repairing and strengthening of the structures were proposed using epoxy resin with corrosion inhibitor, cementitious, polymer-modified repair mortar containing reactive micro-silica, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) rods, and CFRP sheets. The proposed method can be applied to these structures and also serves as a reference for repairing and strengthening other structures experiencing the same issue. Full article

Cyber-sexual crimes have become a growing concern in the digital age, as rapid technological progress continues to create new forms of violence and victimization. These offenses affect society unevenly, striking more intensely among minors, women, and other vulnerable groups. Their prevalence is shaped by structural inequalities, educational, economic, and technological, that condition both exposure to digital risks and the capacity for protection. Although international research has connected these disparities with digital victimization, evidence from Spain remains limited. The aim was to analyze the regional distribution of cyber-sexual crimes in Spain between 2011 and 2022 and to explore how education, income, and digital access relate to their incidence. To this end, official data from the Spanish Statistical Crime Portal (PEC) were combined with structural indicators provided by the Spanish National Institute of Statistics. The analysis encompassed reported cases of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, corruption of minors, online grooming, exhibitionism, pornography, and sexual provocation, using standardized incidence rates per 100,000 inhabitants. Statistical methods included ANOVA with post hoc comparisons, correlation analyses, and K-means clustering to identify territorial patterns. Results revealed a sustained national increase in cyber-sexual crimes, with grooming and sexual harassment showing the most pronounced growth. The Balearic Islands (mean 4.9), Canary Islands (4.0), and Andalusia (3.9) registered the highest incidence rates, well above the national average (3.0). Educational disadvantages and low income were linked to sexual abuse and corruption of minors, whereas greater digital connectivity, expressed through higher mobile phone use, broadband access, and computer ownership, was strongly associated with grooming and other technology-facilitated offenses. Cluster analysis identified three distinct territorial profiles: high-incidence regions (Balearic and Canary Islands, Andalusia), intermediate (Murcia, Madrid, Navarre, Valencian Community), and low-incidence (Galicia, Catalonia, Castile and León, among others). In conclusion, the findings demonstrate that cyber-sexual crimes in Spain are unevenly distributed and closely linked to persistent structural vulnerabilities that shape digital exposure. These results underscore the need for territorially sensitive prevention strategies that reduce educational and economic inequalities, foster sexual and digital literacy, and promote safer online environments. Without addressing these underlying structural dimensions, public policies risk overlooking the conditions that sustain regional disparities and limit adequate protection against technology-driven sexual crimes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency contributes to pathological vertebral fragility (path-VF), including fragility fractures and early pedicle screw loosening after posterior instrumented spinal fusion (PISF). Supplementation practices remain inconsistent. This retrospective study evaluated whether patients with path-VF receive appropriate vitamin D3 (Vit.D3) supplementation and assessed the dose–response relationship between daily intake and path-VF risk, particularly in older adults. Methods: A total of 210 patients treated with kyphoplasty or PISF (2022–2023) were classified into a path-VF or control group. Daily oral Vit.D3 intake was categorised as Zero- (0 IU), Low- (<2000 IU), or High-Dose (≥2000 IU). Statistical analyses were performed for each dosage group, including subgroup analyses for patients aged ≥67.5 years. Vertebral BMD was estimated using mean Hounsfield Units (HU) from T11–L5. Results: Patients in the path-VF group received significantly lower Vit.D3 doses than controls (1431.4 ± 1055.7 vs. 2366.7 ± 1186.7 IU/day, p < 0.001). Low-dose supplementation was associated with a markedly increased risk of path-VF compared with high-dose in the overall cohort (OR = 6.5, p = 0.003) and in patients aged ≥67.5 years (OR = 8.6, p = 0.008). Logistic regression identified a threshold of 1900 IU/day (AUC = 0.805). Mean vertebral HU values were significantly lower in the path-VF group than in controls (71.9 ± 29.1 vs. 133.5 ± 52.6, p < 0.001), and no consistent HU gains were observed with increasing Vit.D3 dosage. Conclusions: Low-dose Vit.D3 supplementation was associated with increased path-VF risk, especially in patients aged >67.5 years. Patients without path-VF had received significantly higher doses, suggesting broader benefits of adequate Vit.D3 beyond bone density. A daily intake above 1900 IU may serve as a practical threshold for at-risk elderly patients. Full article

Climate change is driving the need for forest management strategies that simultaneously enhance ecosystem resilience and contribute to climate change mitigation. Voluntary carbon markets (VCMs), regulated in the European Union by the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), offer potential financial incentives for such management, but eligibility criteria—particularly biodiversity requirements—limit the applicability of certain species. This study assessed the ecological and economic outcomes of six alternative management scenarios for a 4.7 ha, 99-year-old Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stand in western Hungary, comparing them against a business-as-usual (BAU) regeneration baseline. Using field inventory data, species-specific yield tables, and the Forest Industry Carbon Model, we modelled living and dead biomass carbon stocks for 2025–2050 and calculated potential CO₂ credit generation. Economic evaluation employed total discounted contribution margin (TDCM) analyses under varying carbon credit prices (€0–150/tCO₂). Results showed that an extended rotation yielded the highest carbon sequestration (958 tCO₂ above BAU) and TDCM but was deemed operationally unfeasible due to declining stand health. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) regeneration provided high mitigation potential (690 tCO₂) but was ineligible under CRCF rules. Grey poplar (Populus × canescens) regeneration emerged as the most viable option, balancing biodiversity compliance, climate adaptability, and economic return (TDCM = EUR 22,900 at €50/tCO₂). The findings underscore the importance of integrating ecological suitability, market regulations, and economic performance in planning carbon farming projects, and highlight that regulatory biodiversity safeguards can significantly shape feasible mitigation pathways. Full article

Aiming at the drawbacks of the classic CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA)—low room-temperature strength and softening above 600 °C, which fail to meet strict material requirements in high-end fields like aerospace—this study used the vacuum hot-pressing sintering process to prepare CoCrFeNiTa_x HEAs (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 atom, designated as H4, Ta_0.5, Ta_1.0, Ta_1.5, Ta_2.0, respectively). This process effectively inhibits Ta segregation (a key issue in casting) and facilitates the presence uniform microstructures with relative density ≥ 96%, while this study systematically investigates a broader Ta content range (x = 0–2.0 atom) to quantify phase–property evolution, differing from prior works focusing on limited Ta content or casting/spark plasma sintering (SPS). Via X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy–energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), microhardness testing, and room-temperature compression experiments, Ta’s regulatory effect on the alloy’s microstructure and mechanical properties was systematically explored. Results show all alloys have a relative density ≥ 96%, verifying the preparation process’s effectiveness. H4 exhibits a single face-centered cubic (FCC) phase. Ta addition transforms it into a “FCC + hexagonal close-packed (HCP) Laves phase” dual-phase system. Mechanically, the alloy’s inner hardness (reflecting the intrinsic property of the material) increases from 280 HV to 1080 HV, the yield strength from 760 MPa to 1750 MPa, and maximum fracture strength reaches 2280 MPa, while plasticity drops to 12%. Its strengthening mainly comes from the combined action of Ta’s solid-solution strengthening (via lattice distortion hindering dislocation motion) and the Laves phase’s second-phase strengthening (further inhibiting dislocation slip). Full article

Samples of H13 tool steel were produced using the LENS^® laser additive manufacturing technique. Three variants of samples were produced such that during and 2 h after deposition, both the substrate and sample temperatures were maintained at 80, 180, and 350 °C. After the samples were produced, the effect of the substrate temperature on their metallurgical quality, microstructure, and mechanical properties was determined. No segregation of alloying elements was observed. The test results indicate that, depending on the temperature used, the structure of the H13 alloy is martensitic or martensitic-bainitic with a slight residual austenite content of up to 2.1%. Owing to structural changes, the obtained alloy is characterized by lower impact strength compared with conventionally produced alloys and high brittleness, particularly when using an annealing temperature of 350 °C. Isothermal annealing above the martensite start temperature results in extreme brittleness due to a partial structural transformation of martensite into bainite and probable carbide precipitation processes at the nanoscale. Full article

This study looks into the parameters that affect the heat transfer coefficient (h₂) on the wet surfaces of vertical tube indirect evaporative coolers (VTIEC). An experimental platform was used to investigate the impact of secondary-to-primary airflow ratios (AFR) and spray water density on the HTC. The findings show that raising the primary air temperature drop, expanding the outside dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperature differences, and decreasing the air-to-water ratio improve heat transmission. The HTC of the wet sides ranged from 34.79 to 924.5 W/(m²·°C) throughout testing. To achieve optimal performance, aim for a spray water density of 2.07 to 3.46 m³/(m²·h), an AFR of 0.5 to 0.6, and a primary air temperature drop of at least 6 °C. These factors help keep the h₂ above 350 W/(m²·°C). Full article

Understanding the relationship between current harmonics and vibration is crucial for accurately modeling converter transformer vibrations, particularly under varying load conditions. In this study, vibrations of six converter transformers were monitored during the commissioning of the ±800 kV/8000 MW DC system, from no-load to full-load. A multi-frequency vibration model was established by considering the currents’ interactions and the phase effects. The model demonstrates that the phase relationship between current harmonics is essential for predicting vibrations at specific frequencies and successfully explains the non-monotonic trend observed in the 300 Hz component under increasing load. Analysis further indicates that winding vibration was concentrated in the 100–400 Hz range and exhibited strong load dependence, becoming predominant above 2500 MW. More importantly, whereas the amplitude of these components increased significantly with load, their phase remained stable beyond this load threshold, showing potential for diagnostic applications. In contrast, the 1300 Hz vibration originated primarily from the core and showed a weaker correlation with load variation. These findings provide valuable insights for improving vibration models and advancing fault diagnosis methods for converter transformers. Full article

Ion channels are protein pores that regulate ionic flow across cell membranes, enabling vital processes such as nerve signaling. They often conduct multiple ionic species simultaneously, leading to complex nonlinear transport phenomena. Because experimental techniques provide only indirect measurements of ion channel currents, mathematical models—particularly Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) equations—are indispensable for analyzing the underlying transport mechanisms. In this work, we examine ionic transport through a one-dimensional steady-state PNP model of a narrow membrane channel containing multiple cation species of different valences. The model incorporates a small fixed charge distribution along the channel and imposes relaxed electroneutrality boundary conditions, allowing for a slight charge imbalance in the baths. Using singular perturbation analysis, we first derive approximate solutions that capture the boundary-layer structure at the channel—reservoir interfaces. We then perform a regular perturbation expansion around the neutral reference state (zero fixed charge with electroneutral boundary conditions) to obtain explicit formulas for the steady-state ion fluxes in terms of the system parameters. Through this analytical approach, we identify several critical applied potential values—denoted $V_k^a$ (for each cation species k), $V^b$, and $V^c$—that delineate distinct transport regimes. These critical potentials govern the sign of the fixed charge’s influence on each ion’s flux: depending on whether the applied voltage lies below or above these thresholds, a small positive permanent charge will either enhance or reduce the flux of each ion species. Our findings thus characterize how a nominal fixed charge can nonlinearly modulate multi-ion currents. This insight deepens the theoretical understanding of nonlinear ion transport in channels and may inform the interpretation of current–voltage relations, rectification effects, and selective ionic conduction in multi-ion channel experiments. Full article

To overcome the challenge of degraded classification accuracy in automatic modulation recognition under low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions, this paper introduces an end-to-end framework utilizing a Deep Residual Shrinkage Long Short-Term Memory (DRSLSTM) network. The proposed DRSLSTM architecture synergistically integrates two dedicated components: a deep residual shrinkage module, specifically designed for I/Q signals to perform simultaneous denoising and spatial feature extraction, and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network that captures long-range temporal dependencies from the refined feature sequences. Extensive simulations on a public dataset show that the DRSLSTM model achieves a recognition accuracy of 51.19% at −8 dB SNR, an improvement of 3.36 percentage points over the CLDNN baseline, and consistently surpasses six benchmark models at SNR levels above 0 dB. Moreover, it exhibits higher average recognition accuracy across a wide range of SNR conditions. The experimental results validate the overall superiority of the proposed approach. Full article