Search Results (4,635)

This paper proposes a micro-Doppler flash detection framework for hovering unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detection with linear frequency modulated continuous wave (LFMCW) radar under the dual constraints of strong ground clutter and severe thermal noise conditions. In such scenarios, conventional methods fail not only due to the spectral overlap between hovering targets and clutter but also because of the visual disappearance of micro-Doppler features under heavy noise. The framework consists of three sequential modules. A prior-template orthogonal projection (PTOP) module suppresses clutter via a single-step orthogonal projection, preserving the micro-Doppler flash signature without distortion while approximately maintaining the Gaussian noise statistics required for subsequent detection. A flash power spectrum construction module then collapses the periodic blade flash energy onto a sharp spectral peak in a one-dimensional (1D) power spectrum via Gabor transform, power projection, and fast Fourier transform (FFT). A cell-averaging constant false alarm rate (CA-CFAR) detection module with an analytically derived threshold factor finally renders a reliable detection decision. Simulations under a signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) of $-21$ dB and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of $-23$ dB confirm that the proposed framework achieves reliable detection even when the micro-Doppler flash signatures are visually obscured by residual noise in the time–frequency domain. Parametric SNR sweep curves and a two-dimensional (2D) SCR–SNR detection-probability heatmap under a non-stationary clutter model further quantify the practical performance boundaries of the framework. By transforming these concealed periodic features into a sharp spectral peak, the framework provides robust detection performance where conventional range-Doppler and moving target indication (MTI)-based methods both exhibit severe performance degradation. Full article

Anti-UAV multi-object tracking in remote sensing videos is challenging because UAV targets are small, weakly textured, and often affected by cluttered backgrounds, abrupt motion, occlusion, and intermittent visibility. To address these challenges, we formulate anti-UAV multi-object tracking as a context-aware identity prediction task, in which target identities and locations are inferred from historical trajectory priors instead of current-frame observations alone. Under this formulation, we propose a dual-track parallel tracking framework. The adaptive identity disambiguation (AID) module combines motion cues with appearance features according to their estimated reliability, improving short-term association when visual evidence is weak. In parallel, the motion-evolution temporal memory (METM) module models trajectory dynamics using motion anomaly detection and time-decayed memory, enabling spatiotemporal recovery after occlusion, temporary disappearance, or abrupt motion. The outputs of the two branches are integrated by a unified identity decision layer to produce stable tracking results. Experiments are conducted on the public 4th Anti-UAV Benchmark Track-3 and our newly constructed Anti-UAV Multi-Object Tracking dataset, AU-MOT. On the 4th Anti-UAV Benchmark Track-3, our method achieves 63.6% HOTA and 64.1% IDF1, outperforming the strongest competing method by 3.5% and 3.9%, respectively, while reducing identity switches and track fragments by 20.8% and 23.8%. On AU-MOT, it achieves 67.2% HOTA and 67.8% IDF1, with 20.2% fewer identity switches and 22.3% fewer track fragments. These results demonstrate its effectiveness under long-range observation, weak target appearance, cluttered backgrounds, abrupt motion, and intermittent target visibility. Full article

“Interbedded water in thin coal seams” is characterized by its high degree of concealment and complex hydraulic connections. However, due to the confined space of underground mine tunnels and severe electromagnetic interference from metal structures, traditional geophysical methods struggle to accurately delineate the boundaries of water accumulation, making this a major and challenging water hazard in coal mines. Taking the Qinhua Coal Mine in Xinjiang, China, as the engineering context, this paper investigates the detection of water accumulation in interbedded coal seams within goaf areas using the cross-hole resistivity method. It proposes a cross-hole resistivity tomography scanning approach characterized by “progressive depth penetration and layer-by-layer traversal,” and employs an inversion method based on inequality constraints to obtain relatively detailed and reliable imaging results. Through resistivity imaging analysis, low-resistivity water accumulation anomalies were successfully delineated, and water accumulation dead zones were identified. Based on the detection results, effective drainage was carried out beneath the water-filled zones. Subsequent follow-up surveys confirmed the disappearance of the low-resistivity anomalies, thereby validating the reliability and engineering practicality of the cross-hole resistivity tomography method for precisely detecting water body boundaries under complex geological conditions in coal seams. Full article

Protected areas are critical to biodiversity conservation, yet their cultural values remain underexplored. The objective of this study is to identify the intangible cultural heritage of communities residing within and around the Imam Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Royal Reserve and the King Khalid Royal Reserve in Saudi Arabia. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, the study combines a literature review, semi-structured interviews, and participatory observation to identify intangible cultural heritage components across the five UNESCO domains: oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, knowledge of nature, and traditional craftsmanship. Fifty-five interviews were conducted across fourteen settlements. A comprehensive database was developed and includes the identification of fifty heritage elements—twenty-five actively practiced, sixteen were at risk of disappearance, and nine no longer practiced. Results show that craftsmanship and traditional arts were the most frequently documented domains, particularly among female participants, while some oral and performance-based traditions show signs of vulnerability in relation to intergenerational transmission. The proposed participatory and ethics-driven documentation framework, compliant with the UNESCO Convention of 2003, can support the inclusion of cultural heritage in protected area management efforts. The framework is aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives related to cultural sustainability, community engagement, and heritage preservation. Full article

In this study, the microstructural changes and coarsening behavior of Ag₃Sn in Sn-6.4Sb-3.9Ag-0.25Ni-0.003Ge (mass%) during high-temperature aging were investigated. Additionally, low-cycle fatigue tests were conducted to compare the fatigue behavior of Sn-6.4Sb-3.9Ag-0.25Ni-0.003Ge with that of Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu. At room temperature, SbSn phases are dispersed in the β-Sn matrix. As the temperature rises, Sb atoms dissolve in the β-Sn phase; thus, the SbSn phases disappear, and some of the atoms aggregate. The activation energy was 45 kJ/mol for the coarsening of Ag₃Sn in Sn-6.4Sb-3.9Ag-0.25Ni-0.003Ge due to aging. Ag₃Sn coarsening was estimated to be controlled by the lattice diffusion of Ag atoms in the β-Sn phase. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the solid solution of Sb atoms in the β-Sn phase reduces the solubility limit of Ag atoms in the β-Sn phase, which delays the coarsening of Ag₃Sn. Regarding fatigue properties, while both alloys exhibited comparable low-cycle fatigue behavior at room temperature, the fatigue ductility exponent’s increase was confirmed to be suppressed for the Sn-6.4Sb-3.9Ag-0.25Ni-0.003Ge alloy at 175 °C. This trend suggests that the delayed coarsening of Ag₃Sn maintains the cyclic strain-hardening exponent, thereby influencing high-temperature fatigue behavior. Full article

Recent transformations of utopia as a form can be followed from modernist totalizing grand narratives that depicted new socio-spatial orderings to its fragmentation, pluralization, and critical turn in the second half of the 20th century. But if we think about utopia as a critical form in our contemporary context, we often encounter it being perceived either as a pejorative term for a concept too outlandish and impossible to even be considered, or as a term used in conjunction with large-scale ideological projects which hold little regard for their socio-spatial context. Refusing to concede that utopia as a critical form has lost its relevance within the architectural discipline, the paper asks how contemporary utopian production could be identified, mapped, and interpreted after the fragmentation of modernist grand narratives. To that aim, the paper develops a three-axis analytical framework which observes contemporary forms of utopian architectural production. Viewing utopia not as a prescriptive image of an ideal future, but as a critical apparatus aimed at projection and inquiry, the framework maps utopian production according to its position between the possible and the impossible, the critical and the affirmative, and the uncovering and the projective. Building on the positions and relationships revealed through the structured three-axis framework, the paper constructs a typology of four ideal-typical protagonists: the Critical Thinker, the Speculative Designer, the Architect, and the Developer, demonstrating that contemporary utopian thought has not disappeared, but has dispersed across different forms of theory, speculative design, practice, and spatial production. Identifying through the four protagonists the potential of utopia not as a representational or prescriptive form, but rather as an operative strategy and a method of inquiry, the paper offers both a conceptual tool for analyzing architecture’s contemporary engagement with utopia as a critical method, and demonstrates how utopian thinking operates as critique, intervention, ideological projection, and a speculative scenario building within our fragmented and individualized contemporary condition. Full article

Originating in the US and subsequently diffusing across worldwide, honors education has been increasingly adopted in China. A central question is whether honors participation produces substantive changes in students’ learning or functions as symbolic participation. Drawing on samples of senior-year honors (N = 163) and non-honors undergraduates (n = 317) from two top elite universities in China, PSM estimation indicates that honors students do not demonstrate a significant advantage in competence development. However, focusing solely on outcome indicators may obscure the process through which honors education operates. On the one hand, PSM results also showed that honors students were more likely to engage in deep learning behavior. On the other hand, regression revealed that after adding the university as moderator, the significant effect of honors participation disappeared, while the roles of teaching and learning remained consistently stable. Moderated chain mediation analyses further indicated that the association between honors participation and competence development was primarily linked to student-centered teaching practices and deep learning engagement, and that this pathway varied across the two universities. Overall, the findings suggest that the benefits of honors education may derive less from honors affiliation itself and more from the substantive learning experiences fostered within honors contexts. These findings provide empirical support for reforms that place greater emphasis on learning processes and competence development within honors education. Full article

This study evaluated the effects of monolaurin intake per finishing feedlot cattle on growth performance, metabolic status, ruminal environment, and meat fatty acid profile. Twenty-four castrated Holstein males (379 ± 8.5 kg; 12 months old) were randomly assigned to two treatments: basal diet (control) or basal diet with α-monolaurin (treated: 0.762 g/kg dry matter intake; ≈6.63 g/animal/day) for 79 days. Feed intake, body weight, and feed efficiency were recorded, and blood and ruminal samples were collected during the trial. Ruminal fermentation parameters, protozoa counts, hematological and biochemical variables, oxidative status biomarkers, ruminal microbiota composition (16S rRNA sequencing), and Longissimus dorsi fatty acid profile were analyzed. Monolaurin feed did not affect dry matter intake or final body weight, but increased total weight gain, average daily gain, and feed efficiency (p ≤ 0.05), indicating improved nutrient utilization. Hematological and serum biochemical variables were largely unchanged, although total leukocyte counts were lower in treated cattle. Animals receiving monolaurin showed reduced reactive oxygen species and lower superoxide dismutase activity, suggesting improved oxidative balance without changes in lipid peroxidation. During the adaptation phase (day 14), treated cattle exhibited lower acetate, propionate, valerate, and total volatile fatty acid concentrations and higher protozoa counts, but these differences disappeared by day 79, indicating ruminal adaptation. Microbiota diversity was not altered overall, although specific genera differed in relative abundance between treatments. In meat, monolaurin increased lauric, linoleic, and arachidonic acids, reduced palmitic and heptadecanoic acids, decreased total saturated fatty acids, and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids (p ≤ 0.05). Overall, dietary monolaurin improved feed efficiency, modulated oxidative status, induced transient ruminal microbial adjustments, and enhanced the nutritional quality of beef lipids without compromising metabolic health. Full article

Background/Objectives: The gut–liver axis is central to sepsis, but assessing mesenteric perfusion remains challenging. Indocyanine green (ICG) clearance reflects hepatic blood flow. Since portal flow is derived from mesenteric circulation and supplies most of the liver, reduced ICG clearance may indicate mesenteric hypoperfusion, which can lead to enteral feeding intolerance (EFI). This study examines whether reduced ICG clearance in septic patients without overt liver injury is associated with EFI. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study (March–May 2024, 20-bed ICU). Septic patients without sepsis-related liver injury or recent abdominal surgery were included. ICG plasma disappearance rate (ICG-PDR) was measured at admission; patients were grouped by ICG-PDR (≤18%/min vs. >18%/min). The primary outcome was EFI within 7 days. Multivariate logistic regression and correlation analyses were performed. Results: Among 77 patients (44 with ICG-PDR > 18%/min, 33 with ≤18%/min), the decreased ICG-PDR group had higher SOFA scores (8.4 ± 4.2 vs. 5.4 ± 3.5, p = 0.001) and higher EFI rates (66.7% vs. 43.1%, p = 0.041). Univariate analysis showed ICG-PDR ≤ 18%/min associated with EFI (OR = 2.632, p = 0.043), but this was attenuated after SOFA adjustment (OR = 2.247, p = 0.171). Reduced ICG-PDR correlated with central venous pressure (CVP) (r = 0.626, p < 0.001) but not with mean arterial pressure (r = −0.175, p = 0.129). Conclusions: In septic patients with preserved hepatocyte function, reduced ICG clearance is associated with EFI, but this relationship is largely explained by disease severity (SOFA). Reduced ICG clearance correlates with CVP; however, ICG-PDR cannot distinguish between portal venous and arterial inflow components. The exact mechanism remains speculative. Full article

Background/Objectives: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a major complication in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. The effect of tracheostomy on VAP risk remains controversial, particularly when differences in duration of mechanical ventilation are considered. This study evaluated the association between tracheostomy, VAP occurrence, and clinical outcomes in mechanically ventilated ICU patients. Methods: We conducted a retrospective matched exposed–unexposed cohort study in a tertiary-care ICU in Mexico City. Patients undergoing tracheostomy were compared with an age- and sex-matched subcohort of intubated patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation for ≥48 h. VAP incidence was assessed using cumulative incidence, incidence density, and multivariable generalized linear models. Results: A total of 218 patients were included (55 tracheostomized and 163 intubated). VAP incidence density was similar between groups (31.5 vs. 30.3 per 1000 ventilator-days; RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.7–1.7), whereas cumulative incidence was higher among tracheostomized patients (61.8% vs. 22.7%; RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.9–3.9). Broad-spectrum antibiotics, mechanical ventilation ≥ 5 days, chronic pulmonary disease, and ICU stay remained associated with VAP occurrence in an exploratory multivariable model. Gram-negative microorganisms predominated, and antimicrobial resistance was more frequent among tracheostomized patients. Conclusions: Tracheostomy was associated with higher cumulative incidence of VAP, but a similar incidence density compared with endotracheal intubation. The crude association between tracheostomy and VAP disappeared after adjustment for confounding factors, suggesting that prolonged mechanical ventilation and ICU exposure are more important determinants of VAP risk than tracheostomy itself. Full article

Vernacular housing in the Andean region embodies long-standing building knowledge, environmental adaptation, and forms of social organization rooted in rural life. Over recent decades, these dwellings have undergone visible transformations linked to migration, changing aspirations, and the growing presence of industrialized construction materials. Rather than disappearing, vernacular forms have increasingly merged with contemporary solutions, producing hybrid architectural landscapes whose local dynamics are still insufficiently documented. This study analyzes the material, typological, and functional transformation of rural housing in Las Lagunas and Quisquinchir, two Indigenous communities located in Saraguro, Loja, Ecuador. A total of 192 houses were recorded through field observation and a structured digital survey implemented with KoBoCollect. The information was processed in R using descriptive statistics, contingency tables, chi-square tests, Cramér’s V, and standardized residual analysis. The findings show that architectural change in both communities does not occur through a simple replacement of traditional housing by modern models. Instead, vernacular, hybrid, and modern/eclectic typologies coexist within the same rural setting, revealing uneven and locally specific processes of transformation. The clearest differences emerge in construction materiality. Las Lagunas preserves a stronger presence of traditional wall systems, especially adobe and bahareque, while Quisquinchir shows a broader incorporation of industrialized materials, particularly concrete block. Statistical analysis confirmed significant associations between community and wall material, as well as between typology and wall material, whereas the relationship between community and architectural typology was comparatively weaker. Functional changes were also identified through the reduction or reconfiguration of intermediate spaces such as portals, patios, and corridors, suggesting a gradual shift toward more enclosed and specialized domestic environments. These results contribute empirical evidence for understanding architectural hybridization in Indigenous rural territories and support conservation and planning approaches capable of recognizing continuity, adaptation, and change within evolving Andean built landscapes. Full article

Ultrasonic thickness resonance can be effectively used to detect and quantify the level of corrosion in steel nuclear storage containers as well as other corrosion-prone thin-walled structures, such as pipes and storage tanks. Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Transducers (EMATs) have several advantages over more traditional piezoelectric-based transducers; namely, they can be used in a non-contact fashion on robotic platforms, allowing for measurements regardless of surface conditions or temperature. The major challenge of EMAT application is the power required to counteract the low actuation efficiency, which is achieved with a high-power ultrasonic pulse generator and a transformer circuit. Resonance techniques, in which most of the energy is concentrated near structural resonance frequencies, are preferable to improve efficiency of electro-magnetic acoustic measurements. This methodology was applied to 316L stainless steel thin plates subjected to uniform corrosion as well as pitting corrosion imitating different damage scenarios in a nuclear waste container. The resonant peak frequency shift was found to be proportional to the severity of corrosion for minimally corroded samples. However, the complete disappearance of the resonance peak was observed in the samples with severe corrosion damage. The EMAT liftoff distance was studied to quantify its effect on the amplitude, spread, and frequency of resonant peaks. Recommendations for use of EMATs for assessing corrosion damage are presented. The study demonstrates the success of frequency-based detection of corrosion damage in 316L stainless steel used in fabrication of nuclear waste storage containers. Full article

Drawing on signaling theory, this study investigates the role of lead founders’ human capital signals in the success outcomes of equity crowdfunding (ECF) campaigns. While prior research emphasizes entrepreneurial teams or broadly defined founder characteristics, the role of dominant entrepreneurial actors remains underexplored. We focus on the lead founder, defined as the individual combining founder status, CEO authority, and ownership concentration, as the primary signal carrier in ECF contexts. Using a multi-platform dataset of 1067 campaigns from Republic Europe, Crowdcube, Mamacrowd, and Invesdor (2012–2024), we examine how lead founders’ education and experience shape investor decisions. Our results indicate that industry-related education is the strongest predictor of the number of investors. Furthermore, while industry experience alone can positively predict investor engagement, its role disappears once education is accounted for, suggesting that education in industry-related fields can outweigh industry experience in shaping investor perceptions. Additionally, our findings suggest that entrepreneurial experience and attendance at a top-ranked university do not contribute meaningfully to explaining investor participation. Accordingly, the study contributes to the human capital signaling literature by showing that investors evaluate the incremental informational value of human capital signals rather than assessing each signal independently, and highlights the centrality of the lead founder in decision-making under highly uncertain crowdfunding environments. Full article

Quasi-Industrial Districts (QIDs) in Japan allow the coexistence of industrial, residential, and commercial functions. However, under pressures such as deindustrialization, demographic decline, and urban restructuring, their functional balance has been increasingly disrupted. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of QIDs in Kitakyushu and develops a GIS-based framework to quantify changes in land-use structure. Using historical zoning and building floor-area data from 1986 to 2024, ternary diagram analysis is applied to examine relationships among the three functional types and identify transformation trajectories. Results show that while the total QID area expanded by 38.8%, internal structures changed significantly. Industry-dominant districts declined, commerce-oriented districts increased, and residential–industrial mixed types largely disappeared, indicating a shift toward commercial and residential functions. These findings reveal a growing mismatch between zoning designations and actual land use. To address this, the study proposes combining industrial concentration with clearer residential zoning, supported by periodic evaluation based on functional deviation thresholds. The framework provides a quantitative tool for adaptive land-use governance in shrinking industrial cities. Full article

Purpose: Vasomotor, sexual, and musculoskeletal symptoms are common adverse effects of adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer survivors. Social media use has not been investigated with altered symptom perception in patients receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. This study aimed to investigate whether social media use or addiction independently predicts endocrine therapy-related symptom burden in breast cancer survivors. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted among 153 breast cancer survivors receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy. The Social Media Use Scale (SMUS) and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) were assessed using validated Turkish versions of each scale. Endocrine therapy-related toxicities (specifically hot flashes, vaginal dryness, loss of libido, and musculoskeletal pain severity) were evaluated using specific self-reported 5-point Likert scale items. Results: All of the patients were female and menopausal, either neutral or induced with ovarian function suppression. In the univariate analysis, the BSMAS score showed a weak positive correlation with vasomotor/sexual symptoms (r = 0.194; p = 0.017), but this association disappeared after adjustment for clinical variables. Younger age was associated with greater vasomotor/sexual symptoms in univariate testing. Neither the SMUS nor BSMAS independently predicted musculoskeletal symptom severity in univariate and multivariate models, while higher educational attainment remained the only independent predictor of musculoskeletal pain severity (OR = 1.96; 95% CI: 1.06–3.57; p = 0.031). Conclusions: This study is unique in investigating unstructured social media use and endocrine therapy-related physical symptoms. In this cohort, unstructured social media use was not associated with the endocrine therapy-related physical symptom burden. While these cross-sectional findings do not support social media behavior as a significant predictor, clinical assessments should continue to prioritize established determinants such as age and educational background. Full article