Search Results (905)

Urban sprawl has been the subject of extensive scholarly investigation, as it is widely regarded as an unfavourable phenomenon with profound socio-economic consequences. Its fundamental forms have been delineated through specific Spatial Form Metrics (SFMs). In southern Poland, there exists a region whose dispersed development pattern is particularly distinctive. Owing to its considerable size—exceeding 5500 km²—it was deemed appropriate to analyse this area using the metrics and categories conventionally applied in urban sprawl research. The findings reveal a settlement pattern often described in the literature as resembling a ‘leopard skin’. Key urban parameters—such as density, intensity, dispersion, and clustering—were most effectively characterised by Shannon entropy levels calculated for these categories. In all instances, the entropy values proved to be very high, indicating minimal variation in development form across the study area. This outcome reflects the prevalence of numerous small, closely spaced building clusters, without the emergence of major concentrations capable of serving as nuclei for service centres with a developed public realm. As a result, structures that would ordinarily provide higher-order services and foster social integration fail to materialise. The implications for the open landscape are pronounced and predominantly negative: both agricultural landscapes and the still-existing, though limited, semi-natural landscapes are severely fragmented by scattered, unstructured building clusters. This fragmentation undermines rational agricultural management and impedes the conservation of self-regenerating areas that approximate the natural landscape. Against this backdrop, the present study examines the built-up structure of Area X in order to delineate pathways for a transition from environmentally detrimental settlement patterns towards forms of development that not only ensure the sustenance of urban life but also align with the broader principles of sustainable urban development, thereby safeguarding the continuity of urban life as a fundamental condition for long-term urban resilience. Full article

The niche situation can reflect the advantages and disadvantages of biological individuals in the ecosystem environment as well as the overall operational status of the ecosystem. However, higher-order niche systems generally exhibit complex nonlinearities and parameter uncertainties, making it difficult for traditional Type-1 fuzzy control to accurately handle their inherent fuzziness and environmental disturbances in complex environments. To address this, this paper introduces the backstepping control method based on Type-2 T-S fuzzy control, incorporating the niche situation function as the consequent of the T-S backstepping fuzzy control. The stability analysis of the system is completed by constructing a Lyapunov function, and the adaptive law for the parameters of the niche situation function is derived. This design reflects the tendency of biological individuals to always develop in a direction beneficial to themselves, highlighting the bio-inspired intelligent characteristics of the proposed method. The results of case simulations show that the Type-2 backstepping T-S fuzzy control has significantly superior comprehensive performance in dealing with the complexity and uncertainty of high-order niche situation systems compared with the traditional Type-1 control and Type-2 T-S adaptive fuzzy control. These results not only verify the adaptive and self-development capabilities of biological individuals, as well as their efficiency in environmental utilization, but also endow this control method with a solid practical foundation. Full article

Underground pipelines form a critical part of urban infrastructure, yet their complex configurations and fragmented documentation hinder efficient maintenance and risk management. Ground-penetrating radar provides a non-invasive method for subsurface inspection; however, traditional interpretation of B-scan data relies heavily on manual analysis, which is time-consuming and prone to error. This research proposes a two-step automated system for the detection and quantitative characterization of underground pipelines from GPR B-scans. In the first step, hyperbolic reflections are automatically detected and localized using state-of-the-art object detection algorithms, where YOLOv11x achieved superior stability compared to RT-DETR-X. In the second step, detected hyperbolic reflections are processed in order to estimate key parameters, including two-way travel time, burial depth, pipeline diameter, and the angle between GPR survey line and pipeline. Experimental results from 5-fold cross-validation demonstrate that TWTT and burial depth can be estimated with high performance, while pipeline diameter and angle exhibit moderate performance, reflecting their higher complexity and sensitivity to noise. According to the experimental results, EfficientNetV2L consistently produced the best overall performance. The proposed automated system reduces reliance on manual inspection, improves efficiency, and establishes a foundation for real-time, autonomous GPR-based underground infrastructure assessment. Full article

In this paper, we consider massless scalar perturbations minimally coupled to gravity in the background spacetime of charged black holes in Yang–Mills theory with gravity’s rainbow modification. We calculate the corresponding quasinormal frequencies by employing the sixth-order Wentzel—Kramers—Brillouin (WKB) approximation for both asymptotically flat and de Sitter (dS) spacetimes. We show that the Yang–Mills modification of the Reissner–Nordström black holes leads to an increase in the real and imaginary parts of frequencies. Furthermore, we find that the perturbations in asymptotically flat spacetime decay faster with more oscillations compared to dS spacetime, and we study the effects of the rainbow functions on the oscillations. Interestingly, we reveal a novel feature of this black hole case study and show that, unlike typical black hole solutions such as Schwarzschild, RN, and Kerr, the higher multipole numbers live longer than the lower ones in both asymptotically flat and dS spacetimes. Furthermore, the reflection and transmission coefficients are explored for Einstein–Maxwell–Yang–Mills black holes, and the results are compared for flat and dS asymptotes. Full article

Halogenated disinfection by-products such as 2,6-dichlorobenzoquinone (DCBQ) are emerging microcontaminants of concern due to their persistence and toxicity in aquatic environments. This study evaluated the oxidative degradation of DCBQ under UV irradiation, focusing on the effect of H₂O₂ dosage on removal efficiency and water quality. Batch experiments were conducted with H₂O₂ concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 10.0 mM. Kinetic analysis revealed that photolysis with UV alone followed an apparent order of 1.5, while the UV/H₂O₂ system showed an order of 2.5, reflecting the contribution of hydroxyl radicals and their dependence on both DCBQ and H₂O₂ concentrations. Color evolution displayed a series reaction behavior: the initial formation of chromophoric by-products followed first-order kinetics, whereas their subsequent removal proceeded with zero-order kinetics, consistent with radical-driven decolorization. Optimal performance was achieved with 1.0–2.0 mM H₂O₂, which promoted rapid DCBQ decay and significant reductions in aromaticity and color (100% in 2 h), whereas higher concentrations (10.0 mM) led to radical scavenging and lower efficiency. Dissolved oxygen increased during treatment, confirming oxidative pathways, while turbidity remained stable between 1 and NTU. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of UV/H₂O₂ for DCBQ removal and highlight the value of kinetic modeling in optimizing advanced oxidation processes for water treatment. Full article

Augmented Reality (AR) continues to generate interest as a pedagogical tool in contexts where English is a Foreign Language (EFL). However, its role in developing higher-order cognitive skills, such as inferencing, remains underexplored. This exploratory, mixed-methods study investigates whether AR can scaffold inference-making in advanced EFL learners. Forty-seven university students in XX were assigned to either a control group (CG) or an experimental group (EG). Both groups read Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” in digital format. The CG received a conventional inference-based comprehension lesson, while the EG engaged with two interactive AR scenes developed using the Onirix Studio platform. Pre- and post-tests assessed inferential comprehension, and qualitative data were gathered through open-ended responses. While the CG demonstrated modest post-test gains and the EG showed a slight decline, neither change reached statistical significance. Notably, qualitative findings revealed that a salient AR element—a ticking clock—likely prompted misinterpretation in the EG, disrupting symbolic reasoning and contributing to schema misalignment. However, some learners exhibited metacognitive insight suggestive of productive struggle. These results suggest that AR may hold untapped potential for developing metacognitive reflection and critical literacy. Directions for future research are outlined. Full article

The retrogradation of starch strongly influences the texture and stability of starchy foods. This study applied low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF NMR) to examine the effect of buckwheat hull (BH) fiber and green barley (GB) on water dynamics in normal (NPS) and waxy (WPS) potato starch gels. Relaxation times (T₁, T₂) and mean correlation times (τ_c) were monitored during 15 days of storage to evaluate changes in water mobility and starch–polymer interactions. Results showed that WPS, with its high amylopectin content, retrograded earlier than NPS. The addition of BH inhibited conformational changes associated with water binding in WPS gels, indicating that insoluble fiber entrapped water within the amylopectin network. Conversely, GB promoted higher τ_c values in WPS, reflecting enhanced ordering and reduced water mobility, while its impact on NPS was minor. In NPS systems, BH decreased τ_c, suggesting disruption of amylose-driven structural reorganization. These findings demonstrate that BH and GB exert opposite effects on starch retrogradation and highlight their potential as functional additives for tailoring texture and stability in starch-based food systems. Full article

The global demographic transition toward an ageing population has necessitated substantive reforms in dental education, particularly within the field of geriatric prosthodontics. Conventional curricula have frequently prioritized technical competencies while insufficiently addressing the integration of biological, psychosocial, and ethical complexities inherent in the care of older adults. This scoping review critically examined these curricular deficiencies by synthesizing evidence from 34 peer-reviewed studies, employing Bloom’s Taxonomy as a conceptual framework to inform a systematic and pedagogically grounded curriculum redesign. The primary aim was to identify existing gaps in undergraduate and postgraduate education, evaluate the efficacy of active and simulation-based learning modalities, assess the utility of reflective practices and standardised assessment tools, and formulate strategic, taxonomy-aligned pedagogical guidelines. Following the PRISMA-ScR methodology, the included studies were thematically analysed and categorized across the six cognitive levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Findings highlighted the effectiveness of integrated educational strategies, including Case-Based Learning, interprofessional education, virtual simulations, and structured assessments such as Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE). Furthermore, reflective models such as “What? So What? Now What?” fostered higher-order cognitive processes, ethical reasoning, and self-directed learning. By aligning cognitive levels—from foundational knowledge recall to innovative creation—ten evidence-based educational guidelines were developed. These guidelines are pedagogically sound, empirically supported, and adaptable to diverse curricular contexts. The proposed framework ensures a deliberate, progressive trajectory from theoretical comprehension to clinical expertise and ethical leadership. Future research should explore longitudinal outcomes and develop scalable, culturally responsive models to support the broader implementation of curricular reform in geriatric dental education. Full article

A multiscale thermodynamic model is considered, in which cosmological dynamics enforce persistent non-equilibrium conditions through recursive energy exchange across hierarchically ordered subsystems. The internal energy of each subsystem is recursively determined by energetic interactions with its subcomponents, forming a nested hierarchy extending up to cosmological scales. The total energy of the universe is assumed to be constant, imposing global consistency conditions on local dynamics. On the quantum scale, subsystems remain thermodynamically constrained in their accessible state space due to the unresolved energetic embedding imposed by higher-order couplings. As a result, quantum behavior is interpreted as an effective projection of unresolved thermodynamic interactions. In this view, the wave function serves as a mathematical representation of a subsystem’s thermodynamic embedding, summarizing the unresolved energetic couplings with its environment, as shaped by recursive interactions across cosmological and microscopic scales. Phenomena such as zero-point energy and vacuum fluctuations are thereby understood as residual effects of structural energy constraints. Classical mechanics arises as a limiting case under full energetic resolution, while the quantum formalism reflects thermodynamic incompleteness. This formulation bridges statistical mechanics and quantum theory without metaphysical assumptions. It remains fully compatible with standard formalism, offering a thermodynamic interpretation based solely on energy conservation and hierarchical organization. All effects arise from scale-dependent resolution, not from violations of established physics. Full article

Background: Hepatic involvement in COVID-19 is frequently observed, yet conventional CT imaging may fail to detect subtle parenchymal alterations. This study aimed to evaluate whether CT-based radiomic texture analysis can identify liver injury associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 41 patients with RT-PCR–confirmed moderate or severe COVID-19 pneumonia who underwent non-contrast thoracoabdominal CT during the acute phase and at follow-up. Liver volume, mean hepatic attenuation, liver-to-spleen attenuation ratio, and radiomic features including first-order and GLCM entropy were extracted using 3D Slicer version 5.6.2 and SlicerRadiomic Revision: 8426cdf. Hepatic injury was defined by elevated serum transaminases. Three additional patients with available liver histopathology were included for correlation with imaging findings. Results: Patients with biochemical liver injury demonstrated significantly higher hepatic entropy values in the acute phase compared to those without injury (first-order entropy: 1.63 vs. 1.48, p = 0.019; GLCM entropy: 3.12 vs. 2.83, p = 0.013). Entropy metrics were inversely correlated with hepatic attenuation at follow-up (GLCM r = −0.385, p = 0.013; first-order r = −0.346, p = 0.027), indicating possible progression to lower-density states. Ferritin showed a moderate positive correlation with entropy (r = 0.47, p = 0.0017). Histopathological examination revealed steatosis, hepatocellular injury, inflammatory infiltration, and vascular congestion, aligning with radiomic abnormalities. Conclusions: Entropy-based CT radiomics reflect microstructural liver alterations in COVID-19, supported by both biochemical and histopathological data. This approach may enhance the detection of hepatic injury beyond conventional imaging and could be explored in systemic infections. Full article

Background. Length of stay, operationalized here as nights per booking (NPB), is a first-order driver of yield, labor planning, and environmental pressure. The COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of long-stay remote workers (often labeled “slomads”, a slow-travel subset of digital nomads) plausibly altered stay-length distributions, yet national, booking-weighted evidence for the United States remains scarce. Purpose. This study quantifies COVID-19 pandemic-era and post-pandemic shifts in U.S. Airbnb stay lengths, and identifies whether higher averages reflect (i) more long stays or (ii) longer long stays. Methods. Using every U.S. Airbnb reservation created between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2024 (collapsed to booking-count weights), the analysis combines: weighted descriptive statistics; parametric density fitting (Gamma, log-normal, Poisson–lognormal); weighted negative-binomial regression with month effects; a two-part (logit + NB) model for ≥28-night stays; and a monthly SARIMA$(0,1,1){(0,1,1)}_{12}$ with COVID-19 pandemic-phase indicators. Results. Mean NPB rose from 3.68 pre-COVID-19 to 4.36 during restrictions and then stabilized near 4.07 post-2021 (≈10% above 2019); the booking-weighted median shifted permanently from 2 to 3 nights. A two-parameter log-normal fits best by wide AIC/BIC margins, consistent with a heavy-tailed distribution. Negative-binomial estimates imply post-vaccine bookings are 6.5% shorter than restriction-era bookings, while pre-pandemic bookings are 16% shorter. In a two-part (threshold) model at 28 nights, the booking share of month-plus stays rose from 1.43% (pre) to 2.72% (restriction) and settled at 2.04% (post), whereas the conditional mean among long stays was in the mid-to-high 50 s (≈55–60 nights) and varied modestly across phases. Hence, a higher average NPB is driven primarily by a greater prevalence of month-plus bookings. A seasonal ARIMA model with pandemic-phase dummies improves fit over a dummy-free specification (likelihood-ratio = 8.39, df = 2, p = 0.015), indicating a structural level shift rather than higher-order dynamics. Contributions. The paper provides national-scale, booking-weighted evidence that U.S. short-term-rental stays became durably longer and more heavy-tailed after 2020, filling a gap in the tourism and revenue-management literature. Implications. Heavy-tailed pricing and inventory policies, and explicit regime indicators in forecasting, are recommended for practitioners; destination policy should reflect the larger month-plus segment. Full article

The reactions of 7 radicals, which play a key role in the degradation of water contaminants in Advanced Oxidation Processes, were discussed and compared. For evaluation of the reactivities and comparisons, the chemical reactivity rate constants were used, i.e., the rate constant that would be measured if diffusion of the species was not rate-influencing (k_chem). By selecting appropriate diffusion-controlled rate constants (k_diff) and using the measured rate constant (k) values, k_chem was calculated by the Noyes equation: 1/k = 1/k_chem + 1/k_diff. When k and k_diff were close to each other, k_chem was much higher than k. log k_chem values showed good correlation in the cases of the ^•OH-H^•, SO₄^•−-^•OH, and Cl₂^•−-CO₃^•− radical pairs, moderate correlation was found in the case of the CO₃^•−-ClO^• pair. The correlations may reflect, at least partly, similar reaction mechanisms, and allow estimation of unknown rate constant values. No correlation was found for the ^•OH-Cl^• pair; this indicates highly different reaction mechanisms. The reactivity of oxidizing radicals decreases with decreasing reduction potential in the order: Cl^• > ^•OH > SO₄^•− > Cl₂^•− > CO₃^•− > ClO^•. The reductive H^• reactions with organic molecules are similar to those of ^•OH, although the H^• rate constants are 0.5–1 order of magnitude smaller. Full article

In order to reveal the adaptation strategies of karst forest plants to “high-calcium (Ca)–low-phosphorus (P) heterogeneous” habitats, the dominant shrubs and herbs in the Maolan karst area were taken as the research objects. The carbon (C), nitrogen (N), P, potassium (K), Ca, and magnesium (Mg) contents of plant components and their stoichiometric ratios in different microhabitats were systematically measured, and the environmental driving factors were analyzed by redundancy analysis (RDA) and variance partitioning analysis (VPA). The results showed that there were no significant differences in the plant nutrient contents and stoichiometric ratios in different microhabitats, but there were significant differences with respect to the components. The contents of N, P, K, and Mg in shrub leaves were significantly higher than those in branches and roots, while the contents of C/N, C/P, and C/K in branches and roots were significantly higher than those in leaves. The K content of herb leaves was significantly higher than that of roots. This reflects the functional differentiation of plant components and the different trade-off strategies for resource acquisition and storage. The stoichiometric characteristics of shrub leaves are dominated by species characteristics, while herb leaves are controlled by leaf tissue density (LTD), and soil-exchangeable Ca has a significant regulatory effect on the roots of both plant forms. Shrubs directly obtain bedrock slow-release nutrients through deep roots penetrating rock crevices and combine high C/N and C/P to improve nutrient utilization efficiency, forming a “mechanical resistance priority–metabolic cost optimization” adaptation strategy. Herbs respond to environmental fluctuations through functional trait plasticity and achieve rapid growth with high specific leaf area (SLA) and low LTD. Full article

Background: Food-allergic reactions in restaurants often result from miscommunication between customers with allergies and staff, or from staff members’ insufficient knowledge of food allergies. This study examined the behaviors, attitudes, and risk perceptions of food-allergic consumers when dining out or ordering from foodservice establishments (FSEs) compared to consumers without food allergies. Methods: A representative pan-Canadian survey was conducted amongst three groups: one of individuals without food allergies (n = 500) and two of food-allergic individuals (allergic-convenience sample [n = 500] and allergic-general population [n = 500]). The convenience sample comprised members of Food Allergy Canada, a national patient advocacy organization. Some participants with food allergies had experienced reactions linked to an FSE (43% convenience, 27% general). Weighted responses from food-allergic groups were compared to those of non-allergic ones using chi-square (p < 0.05). Statistical comparison between allergic groups was not attempted due to inherent differences in their allergic condition. Results: In several questions, responses from the non-allergic group differed significantly from those of the allergic-convenience sample, but not from those of the allergic-general population. Food-allergic-convenience respondents were more likely to avoid ordering food or dining out than non-allergic ones, with the highest avoidance (66%) noted for third-party platforms. Cost was the main barrier for non-allergic and allergic-general populations, whereas the allergic-convenience sample prioritized allergy-related concerns. Although at a lower rate than for participants with food allergies, food allergies influenced restaurant selection for 44% of participants without food allergies when dining with individuals outside their household. Most allergic respondents perceived that FSEs underestimate the seriousness of food allergies (82% convenience, 71% general), yet they felt safe while dining out (60% convenience, 85% general), pointing at loyalty to specific FSEs as a risk mitigation strategy. Conclusions: This study highlights a potentially higher burden of disease (psychological and social strain, reduced quality of life) among a subgroup of the food-allergic population (convenience sample), as reflected in their behaviors, attitudes, and risk perceptions towards meals prepared in FSEs. Nevertheless, both allergic groups expressed shared concerns and needs related to safety (e.g., ingredient disclosure for all menu items, prevention of allergen cross-contact, ability of an FSE to offer a safe meal, establishing clear communication processes for allergy-related information), which FSEs and regulators should consider when designing risk management strategies. Full article

This study aims to elucidate the geochemical reactions between CO₂-saturated water and rocks in CO₂-enhanced geothermal system (CO₂-EGS) reservoirs by focusing on andesite found in island arc regions, such as Japan. Laboratory flow tests of CO₂-saturated water (3 wt.% CO₂) and rocks (particle size: 0.14–1 mm) were conducted under varying temperature (150–250 °C) and flow rate (0.3 and 1.0 mL/min) conditions using a flow-through reactor. Elevated temperatures enhanced the dissolution of silicate minerals, reflected by increased Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺, and Si concentrations, whereas those of Fe²⁺ and Al³⁺ remained low, suggesting secondary mineral precipitation. The dissolution process was dominant at 150 °C. Al-bearing minerals, such as gibbsite and boehmite, as well as clay minerals, including beidellite and kaolinite, were predominant at higher temperatures (200–250 °C). Carbonate minerals were not observed, attributable to low pH and limited availability of divalent cations. Flow rate substantially influenced Si dissolution rates, with lower flow rates promoting longer residence times and higher Si dissolution rates. These results indicate that the test conditions simulate the environment around the injection well, where the fluid is acidic and dissolution is the main reaction in the rock. Although a small amount of secondary minerals precipitated and the Si dissolution rates were of the same order of magnitude as those for labradorite, it may be considered that andesite has less impact on permeability variations than basalt near the injection well in CO₂-EGS reservoirs. Full article