Search Results (2,219)

Due to rapid economic development, high energy consumption, and the depletion of natural resources, resulting in climate change, urban planners and architects face the difficult task of creating a new type of sustainable city that takes into account rapid population growth. The aim of this article is to examine the development of contemporary forms of high-rise architecture and the role of the vertical city in responding to shrinking space and developing a realistic strategy for sustainable urban development. Literature analysis, case studies, and multidisciplinary analysis are used. Pro-ecological solutions are identified and analyzed using the most representative buildings in Asia and a theoretical example in Nanjing. The examples are characterized by above-average height, unusual shapes, and the use of advanced pro-ecological strategies. Greenery plays a key role, including regulating the temperature inside the building. Vertical multifunctionality is becoming an increasingly common response to increasing spatial needs. The apparent lack of understanding of the development of high-rise buildings in cities around the world, extending beyond individual skyscrapers, constitutes a research gap. This article discusses Chongqing, an example of a vertical city, which is understood not only in terms of individual high-rise buildings but also as a whole structure. The study addresses the issue of a new type of compact city: the vertical city. The article provides key guidelines and constraints for creating densely populated, yet sustainable and environmentally friendly cities of the future. The practical application of the study can be utilized by urban planners and decision-makers. Full article

The rapid rise in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations has intensified the need for scalable, sustainable, and economically viable carbon sequestration technologies. This study introduces a cost-effective CaO/Ca(OH)₂-based mineralization process that not only enables efficient CO₂ removal but also allows the simultaneous recovery of high-purity calcite nanoparticles as value-added products. The process involves hydrating CaO, followed by controlled carbonation under optimized CO₂ flow rates, temperature conditions, and and additive use, yielding nanocrystalline calcite with an average particle size of approximately 100 nm. Comprehensive characterization using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed a polycrystalline structure with exceptional chemical purity (99.9%) and rhombohedral morphology. Techno-economic analysis further demonstrated that coupling CO₂ sequestration with nanoparticle production can markedly improve profitability, particularly when utilizing CaO/Ca(OH)₂-rich industrial residues such as steel slags or lime sludge as feedstock. This hybrid, multi-revenue strategy—integrating carbon credits, nanoparticle sales, and waste valorization—offers a scalable pathway aligned with circular economy principles, enhancing both environmental and economic performance. Moreover, the proposed system can be applied to CO₂-emitting plants and facilities, enabling not only effective carbon dioxide removal and the generation of carbon credits, but also the production of calcite nanoparticles for diverse applications in agriculture, manufacturing, and environmental remediation. These findings highlight the potential of CaO/Ca(OH)₂-based mineralization to evolve from a carbon management technology into a platform for advanced materials manufacturing, thereby contributing to global decarbonization efforts. Full article

Awareness regarding the welfare of captive baboons is rising. Consequently, the best possible medical care is offered to injured animals. To this purpose, knowledge of the species-specific anatomy is a prerequisite. However, detailed anatomical reference works on this species, such as overviews or atlases, are sparse. The existing anatomical literature is scattered in often outdated works or elaborates on a specific detail. Veterinarians responsible for the medical care of captive baboons, therefore, habitually rely on human anatomical atlases. As overviews of the baboon joint morphology are particularly sparse, this first study in a series of three aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the arthrology of the thoracic limb of the hamadryas baboon (Papio hamadryas). The several synovial joints present in the shoulder region, elbow region, and hand are included. Not only the typical connective tissue elements that form the joints but also the associated muscle tendons are depicted. The osseous structures to which these components attach are identified as well. Standard veterinary terminology is used, complemented by human anatomical nomenclature where the former falls short. High-resolution color photographs support the text, allowing this work to serve not only as a dissection guide for veterinary and academic use but also as a baseline for clinical medical care and future research in primate morphology and biomechanics. Full article

Growing global supply chain uncertainties significantly threaten China’s forage import security. The evolving characteristics of the global forage trade network directly impact the stability of China’s supply. This study constructs a directed, weighted trade network based on global forage products trade data (2000–2024). Using complex network analysis methods, it systematically analyzes the network’s topological structure and evolutionary patterns, with a focus on their impact on China’s import security. The study addresses the following questions: What evolutionary patterns does the global forage trade network exhibit in terms of its topological structure? How does the evolution of this network impact the import security of forage products in China, specifically regarding supply chain stability and risk resilience? The research findings indicate the following: (1) From 2000 to 2024, the total volume of global forage products trade increased by 48.17%, primarily driven by forage products excluding alfalfa meal and pellets, which accounted for an average of 82.04% of volume annually. Additionally, the number of participating countries grew by 21.95%. (2) The global forage products trade network follows a power–law distribution, characterized by increasing network density, a clustering coefficient that initially declines and then rises, and a shortening of the average path length. (3) The core structure of the global forage products trade network shows an evolutionary trend of diffusion from core nodes in North America, Oceania, and Asia to multiple core nodes, including those in North America, Oceania, Europe, Africa, and Asia. (4) China’s forage products trade network displays distinct phase characteristics; however, imports face significant risks from high supply chain dependency and exposure to international price fluctuations. Based on these conclusions, it is recommended that China actively expands trade relations with potential product-exporting countries in Africa, encouraging enterprises to “go global.” Additionally, China should establish a three-dimensional supply chain security system, comprising maritime, land, and storage components, to enhance risk resistance and import safety. Full article

The aim of this study is to investigate how the positioning of outrigger systems affects the seismic performance of high-rise buildings with either reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls or buckling-restrained braces (BRBs) in the core. Two important questions emerge as the focus and direction of the study: (1) How does the structural performance change when outriggers are placed at various positions? (2) How do outrigger systems affect structural behavior under sequential earthquake scenarios? Nonlinear time history analyses were employed as the primary methodology to evaluate the seismic response of the two reinforced concrete buildings with 24 and 48 stories, respectively. Each building type was developed for two different core configurations: one with a reinforced concrete shear wall core and the other with a BRB core system. Each analysis model also includes outrigger systems constructed with BRBs positioned at different floor levels. Five sequential ground motion records were used to assess the effects of main- and aftershocks. The analysis results were evaluated not only based on displacement and force demands but also using a damage measure called the Park-Ang Damage Index. In addition, displacement-based metrics, particularly the maximum inter-story drift ratio (MISD), were also utilized to quantify lateral displacement demands under consecutive seismic loading. With the results obtained from this study, it is aimed to provide design-oriented insights into the most effective use of outrigger systems formed with BRB in high-rise RC buildings and their functions in increasing seismic resistance, especially in areas likely to experience consecutive seismic events. Full article

As water pollution from dyes, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, and other emerging contaminants continues to rise at an alarming rate, ensuring access to clean and safe water has become a pressing global challenge. Conventional water treatment methods, though widely used, often fall short in effectively addressing these complex pollutants. In response, researchers have turned to Advanced Functional Membranes (AFMs) as promising alternatives, owing to their customizable structures and enhanced performance. Among the most explored AFMs are those based on metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and electro–catalytic systems, each offering unique advantages such as high permeability, selective pollutant removal, and compatibility with advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). Notably, hybrid systems combining AFMs with electrochemical or photocatalytic technologies have demonstrated remarkable efficiency in laboratory settings. However, translating these successes to real-world applications remains a challenge due to issues related to cost, scalability, and long-term stability. This review explores the recent progress in AFM development, particularly MOF-based, CNT-based, and electro-Fenton (EF)-based membranes, highlighting their material aspects, pollutant filtration mechanisms, benefits, and limitations. It also offers insights into how these next-generation materials can contribute to more sustainable, practical, and economically viable water purification solutions in the near future. Full article

Basalt fiber (BF) can notably improve the mechanical properties of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) through its crack-bridging and pull-out mechanisms, making it suitable for application in super high-rise buildings and large-span structures. This study assesses the influence of BF contents of 0%, 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, and 0.7% (relative to the weight of cementitious materials) on the workability, mechanical properties, and microstructure of LWAC. The results showed that adding BF to LWAC can moderately weaken the slump, significantly enhance the mechanical properties, and lead to a maximum increase in specific strength of 7.3%. Compared with LWAC without BF, the maximum increases in compressive strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus of LWAC with BF at 28 days were 24.7%, 33.9%, and 38.57%, respectively. In the microstructure, BF can connect the cracks in the internal structure of concrete, which is an important factor to consider when choosing a fiber to improve the mechanical properties of concrete. These conclusions provide a reference point for improving the mechanical properties of LWAC. Full article

Sustainability concerns and rising consumer environmental awareness (CEA) have fundamentally reshaped competitive dynamics in modern supply chains. This study examines the influence of CEA on pricing and environmental effort competition between store brand (SB) and national brand (NB) products in a two-stage supply chain with one manufacturer and one retailer. We develop a mathematical model to evaluate strategic interactions under three power structures: Manufacturer Stackelberg (MS), Retailer Stackelberg (RS), and Vertical Nash (VN), considering two environmental investment scenarios: NB-only investment and bilateral SB-NB investment. Our findings indicate that (i) when only NB products invest environmentally, CEA increases environmental effort levels, wholesale prices, and retail prices for both brands, expanding total channel value rather than merely redistributing profits; (ii) CEA and channel competition on jointly determine optimal channel power structure, with MS dominating in differentiated markets with low CEA while RS yields superior outcomes under high competition and high CEA; (iii) retailers consistently achieve maximum profits under VN structure through balanced negotiation positions; and (iv) bilateral environmental investment causes price convergence across structures, shifting competitive focus from governance to operational excellence. By integrating environmental investment, channel power structure, and channel competition into a unified framework, this study offers managers practical decision tools for selecting optimal channel structures based on observable market conditions. Furthermore, it demonstrates how grocery retail chains and consumer goods manufacturers can transform environmental initiatives from compliance costs into value creation mechanisms that enhance both profitability and sustainability. Full article

Cu₂S has wide-ranging applications in the energy field, particularly as electrode materials and components of energy storage devices. However, the migration of copper ions is prone to component segregation and copper precipitation, impairing long-term thermal stability and service performance. Ce₂S₃ not only possesses the unique 4f electron layer structure of Ce but also has high thermal stability and chemical inertness. Here, we report for the first time that the thermal stability and mechanical properties of Cu₂S can be significantly enhanced by introducing the dispersed phase Ce₂S₃. Thermogravimetry—differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC) results show that the addition of 6 wt% Ce₂S₃ improves the thermal stability of Cu₂S sintered at 400 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that the crystal structure of Cu₂S gradually transforms to tetragonal Cu_1.96S and orthorhombic Cu_1.8S phase at 400 °C with the increase of Ce₂S₃ addition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that the particle size gradually decreased with the increase of Ce₂S₃ amount, indicating that the Ce₂S₃ addition increased the reactivity. The Ce content in Cu₂S increased gradually with the increase of Ce₂S₃ amount at 400–600 °C. The 7 wt% Ce₂S₃-Cu₂S exhibits paramagnetic behavior with a saturation magnetization of 1.2 µ_B/Ce. UV-Vis analysis indicates that the addition of Ce₂S₃ can reduce the optical energy gap and enrich the band structure of Cu₂S. With increasing addition of Ce₂S₃ and rising sintering temperature, the density of Ce₂S₃-Cu₂S gradually increases, and the hardness of Ce₂S₃-Cu₂S increases by 52.5% at 400 °C and by 34.2% at 600 °C. The friction test results show that an appropriate addition amount of Ce₂S₃ can increase the friction coefficients of Cu₂S. Ce₂S₃ modification offers a novel strategy to simultaneously enhance the structural and service stability of Cu₂S by regulating Cu ion diffusion and suppressing compositional fluctuations. Full article

Tuberculosis (TB) is still a significant public health threat, with rising drug resistance and high incidence in multiple areas worldwide. In the search for novel antitubercular agents, this study explores the application of a bioactivity-guided molecular networking approach to identify bioactive compounds from seven plant species (Curatella americana, Davilla nitida, Dipteryx punctata, Indigofera suffruticosa, Quassia amara, Tetradenia riparia, and Zingiber zerumbet) collected in French Guiana. Using ultrasound-assisted extraction followed by liquid–liquid partitioning and UHPLC-HRMS/MS analysis, a library of 72 samples was tested against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The non-polar fractions from Indigofera suffruticosa, Tetradenia riparia, and Zingiber zerumbet showed the highest activity. The integration of metabolomic and bioassay data on molecular networks allowed the prioritization and annotation of active compounds, revealing flavonoids as contributors to the antitubercular activity of the active samples. In addition, the use of computational tools such as GNPS, SIRIUS, and TIMA-R enabled dereplication and increased the confidence in the structural prediction of active metabolites. This approach demonstrated its potential in accelerating the identification of both known and novel bioactive compounds without requiring exhaustive isolation, offering a robust strategy for natural product-based drug development against TB. Full article

As Virtual Try-On (VTON) technology matures, 2D VTON methods based on diffusion models can now rapidly generate diverse and high-quality try-on results. However, with rising user demands for realism and immersion, many applications are shifting towards 3D VTON, which offers superior geometric and spatial consistency. Existing 3D VTON approaches commonly face challenges such as barriers to practical deployment, substantial memory requirements, and cross-view inconsistencies. To address these issues, we propose an efficient 3D VTON framework with robust multi-view consistency, whose core design is to decouple the monolithic 3D editing task into a four-stage cascade as follows: (1) We first reconstruct an initial 3D scene using 3D Gaussian Splatting, integrating the SMPL-X model at this stage as a strong geometric prior. By computing a normal-map loss and a geometric consistency loss, we ensure the structural stability of the initial human model across different views. (2) We employ the lightweight CatVTON to generate 2D try-on images, that provide visual guidance for the subsequent personalized fine-tuning tasks. (3) To accurately represent garment details from all angles, we partition the 2D dataset into three subsets—front, side, and back—and train a dedicated LoRA module for each subset on a pre-trained diffusion model. This strategy effectively mitigates the issue of blurred details that can occur when a single model attempts to learn global features. (4) An iterative optimization process then uses the generated 2D VTON images and specialized LoRA modules to edit the 3DGS scene, achieving 360-degree free-viewpoint VTON results. All our experiments were conducted on a single consumer-grade GPU with 24 GB of memory, a significant reduction from the 32 GB or more typically required by previous studies under similar data and parameter settings. Our method balances quality and memory requirement, significantly lowering the adoption barrier for 3D VTON technology. Full article

In many developing countries, including South Africa, electricity providers have consistently faced challenges in meeting rising energy demands. Since 2008, South Africa has implemented widespread electricity rationing—commonly referred to as “loadshedding”—due to a combination of operational inefficiencies and structural constraints. Loadshedding continues to be a critical challenge in South Africa, significantly affecting the economy, livelihoods, public health, and broader socio-economic conditions. This study explores the link between loadshedding and air quality by analyzing atmospheric emissions during two contrasting periods: 2019, a year with minimal loadshedding; and 2023, which experienced severe and prolonged outages. The analysis reveals a decline in nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) levels during the intense loadshedding period of 2023. The results indicate that, beyond the influence of weather patterns, reductions in emissions—such as those caused by decreased electricity generation—contribute meaningfully to improved air quality. Overall, the data suggest that reduced power production during high levels of loadshedding links with lower emissions and enhanced air quality. These findings reinforce the potential benefits of transitioning to cleaner, alternative energy sources for achieving long-term reductions in air pollution and fostering a healthier environment. Remote sensing is a critical tool for environmental monitoring in developing countries, offering cost-effective, wide-area data collection to address issues like air pollution, and climate impact. It supports policy-making by providing timely, objective insights for sustainable development, resource management, and disaster response, aligning with SDGs. Full article

Background: Midwifery leadership is central to delivering safe, high-quality maternity care. Yet despite sustained investment in leadership development and governance frameworks, UK national reviews consistently identify leadership as a weakness. Understanding why this persists is vital to achieving meaningful improvement. Objective: This paper offers a reflective commentary on the challenges of midwifery leadership in the UK, drawing on national evidence, leadership theory, and professional experience. Methods: A reflective commentary approach was adopted, informed by over 30 years of practice across clinical, academic, and national improvement roles. The discussion integrates insights from national maternity inquiries, academic literature, international comparisons, and leadership theories including compassionate, courageous, and adaptive leadership. Findings: Structural and cultural barriers—including workforce shortages, rising clinical complexity, tensions between midwifery- and medically led models of care, and punitive governance systems—limit the effectiveness of midwifery leadership. These conditions erode psychological safety, fuel attrition, and constrain succession planning. Reflection on professional experience highlights the impact of these dynamics on leaders’ ability to act with confidence and influence. Evidence also points to the value of relational, values-based behaviours—compassion, courage, adaptability, and systems thinking—in enhancing resilience and outcomes. International examples show that supportive policy environments and greater autonomy enable midwifery leadership to thrive. Conclusions: Midwifery leadership requires both individual capability and structural support. Practical priorities include dismantling punitive cultures, embedding Safety-II approaches, investing in leadership development, and enabling professional autonomy. Without such systemic reform, the ambitions of the NHS Long Term Plan will remain at risk, regardless of individual leaders’ skills. Full article

Amid rising sustainability demands, the automotive industry must understand how its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management influences consumer purchase decisions for high-involvement products. This study investigates this relationship by examining the mediating roles of brand value, perceived quality, and corporate trust. To test the research model, we analyzed survey data from Korean automotive market consumers using partial least-squares structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that governance transparency and social responsibility significantly enhance corporate trust and brand value, which are the primary drivers of purchase intention. In contrast, environmental initiatives do not directly foster trust, and the effect of perceived quality is fully mediated by brand value and corporate trust. This study advances value-driven consumption theory by demonstrating that non-financial ESG dimensions—especially governance and social responsibility—can supersede functional quality in shaping purchase decisions in high-involvement contexts. These findings suggest that automakers should prioritize governance and social initiatives as strategic levers to build trust and strengthen long-term consumer loyalty. Full article

In this study, a numerical model consisting of high-resolution hydrodynamic and Lagrangian particle tracking modules based on the Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model framework was established to simulate the hydrodynamic conditions and characteristics of the sedimentation of aquaculture-derived organic matter (AOM) from cage aquaculture in Sansha Bay. The results showed that Sansha Bay was characterized by regular semidiurnal tides and large tidal ranges. Reciprocating currents with main currents directed northward and southward during the rising and falling tides, respectively, predominated the main channels of the bay. Residual feed had larger settling velocities than feces. The maximal dispersion distances of residual feed and feces during the spring tide were 217.1 and 1805.7 m, respectively, three times those during the neap tide (74.2 and 675.6 m, respectively). During the spring tide, the largest dispersion distance of AOM occurred at the rush moment. The AOM movement trajectories were mainly controlled by the main currents. Both the tidal structure and current characteristics affected the AOM sedimentation in Sansha Bay. The sedimentation characteristics of AOM were unrelated to feeding intensity. The results of simulations agreed with the field observations in this study, suggesting that the estimated model had a good accuracy and sensitivity. Full article