Search Results (535)

High energy consumption in Chinese rural residential buildings, caused by rudimentary construction methods and the poor thermal performance of building envelopes, poses a significant challenge to national sustainability and “dual carbon” goals. To address this, this study proposes a comprehensive modeling and analysis framework integrating an improved Bio-inspired Black-winged Kite Optimization Algorithm (IBKA) with Support Vector Regression (SVR). Firstly, to address the limitations of the original B-inspired BKA, such as premature convergence and low efficiency, the proposed IBKA incorporates diversification strategies, global information exchange, stochastic behavior selection, and an NGO-based random operator to enhance exploration and convergence. The improved algorithm is benchmarked against BKA and six other optimization methods. An orthogonal experimental design was employed to generate a dataset by systematically sampling combinations of influencing factors. Subsequently, the IBKA-SVR model was developed for energy consumption prediction and analysis. The model’s predictive accuracy and stability were validated by benchmarking it against six competing models, including GA-SVR, PSO-SVR, and the baseline SVR and so forth. Finally, to elucidate the model’s internal decision-making mechanism, the SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) interpretability framework was employed to quantify the independent and interactive effects of each influencing factor on energy consumption. The results indicate that: (1) The IBKA demonstrates superior convergence accuracy and global search performance compared with BKA and other algorithms. (2) The proposed IBKA-SVR model exhibits exceptional predictive accuracy. Relative to the baseline SVR, the model reduces key error metrics by 37–40% and improves the R² to 0.9792. Furthermore, in a comparative analysis against models tuned by other metaheuristic algorithms such as GA and PSO, the IBKA-SVR consistently maintained optimal performance. (3) The SHAP analysis reveals a clear hierarchy in the impact of the design features. The Insulation Thickness in Outer Wall and Insulation Thickness in Roof Covering are the dominant factors, followed by the Window-wall Ratios of various orientations and the Sun space Depth. Key features predominantly exhibit a negative impact, and a significant non-linear relationship exists between the dominant factors (e.g., insulation layers) and the predicted values. (4) Interaction analysis reveals a distinct hierarchy of interaction strengths among the building design variables. Strong synergistic effects are observed among the Sun space Depth, Insulation Thickness in Roof Covering, and the Window-wall Ratios in the East, West, and North. In contrast, the interaction effects between the Window-wall Ratio in the South and other variables are generally weak, indicating that its influence is approximately independent and linear. Therefore, the proposed bio-inspired framework, integrating the improved IBKA with SVR, effectively predicts and analyzes residential building energy consumption, thereby providing a robust decision-support tool for the data-driven optimization of building design and retrofitting strategies to advance energy efficiency and sustainability in rural housing. Full article

This paper presents a thermal gas flow sensing system, from surface acoustic wave (SAW) temperature sensor to oscillation circuit and multi-module miniaturization integration. A single-port GaN/Si SAW resonator with single resonant mode and excellent characteristics was fabricated. Combined with an in-house-developed SiGe HBT, a temperature-sensitive high-frequency oscillator was constructed. Under constant temperature control, system-level flow measurement was achieved through dual-oscillation configuration and modular integration. The fabricated SAW device shows a temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) −28.29 ppm/K and temperature linearity 0.998. The oscillator operates at 1.91 GHz with phase noise of −97.72/−118.62 dBc/Hz at 10/100 kHz offsets. The system demonstrates excellent dynamic response and repeatability, directly measuring 0–50 sccm flows. For higher flows (>50 sccm), a shunt technique extends the test range based on the 0–10 sccm linear region, where response time is <1 s with error <0.9%. Non-contact operation ensures high stability and long lifespan. The sensor shows outstanding performance and broad application prospects in flow measurement. Full article

Alternative housing systems for laying hens, such as the aviary, promote the expression of dustbathing behavior by providing substrate materials to improve their welfare. However, extensive litter areas in aviaries can lead to reduced air quality and increased incidence of diseases, making them unsuitable for deployment in new large cage aviary unit (LCAU) systems in China. Dust baths have advantages in terms of continuous availability, but their design lacks unified standards. This study explored the effects of different areas, shapes (circular and square), and substrate depths (1 cm, 5 cm, 9 cm) of dust baths on dustbathing behavior in LCAU systems by recording digital video. Each LCAU system was initially populated with 305 Jingfen No. 2 laying hens at 50 days of age. The dust baths were initially placed on the bottommost tier at 66 days of age. The results showed that after approximately 3 weeks of adaptation to dustbathing, the average daily proportion of dustbathing hens within the flock stabilized at approximately 10%. A 50 cm diameter circular dust bath could accommodate their dustbathing requirements. Increasing the number of circular dust baths to 2 did not significantly affect the daily proportion of dustbathing hens. Both the circular dust bath and a 5 cm depth substrate resulted in better expression of the hens’ side rubbing behavior and the lower frequency of tossing behavior. Full article

Dynamic mobilization exercises (DME) are an effective strategy to prevent musculoskeletal injuries and promote back health in sport horses. Previous studies focused mainly on multifidus muscle cross-sectional area, with limited data on locomotion and adaptation timing. This study evaluated locomotor changes using accelerometry, over 8 weeks of DME application in 14 sedentary horses: a DME group (n = 8) performing 10 different DME (3 neck flexions, 1 neck extension and 3 lateral bending exercises to each side), 5 repetitions of each DME per session, 3 sessions/week, and a control group (n = 6), that continued with their daily routine activities without any other training. During the study period, all horses were housed in medium-sized paddocks. Accelerometric measurements were performed at walk and trot before intervention, 2 h and 24 h after a DME session, and at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The DME group showed significant increases in dorsoventral displacement and dorsoventral and mediolateral activities from week 4, at both walk and trot, which then stabilized. Longitudinal activity increased from week 2 on trot and from week 4 at walk. Locomotor symmetry and stride length improved at week 6, while stride frequency decreased at week 8; velocity remained unchanged. These findings indicate that DME enhances dorsoventral, mediolateral and longitudinal activities, producing longer, more symmetrical strides. Overall, DME appears to promote more symmetrical movement patterns. Full article

EPS module buildings are prefabricated, low-rise systems with high thermal insulation that are widely used in rural self-built houses in northern China, yet their indoor thermal environments often suffer from instability. This study experimentally verified the effectiveness of microcapsule phase change mortar (PCM plaster) in improving winter indoor temperatures of EPS module houses. In addition, based on simulation data from 350 design combinations across five representative cold-climate cities and four envelope design variables, the study provides quantitative design guidance for EPS module walls and PCM plaster in rural houses, offering a practical approach to improve indoor thermal stability that has not been previously reported. The main findings are as follows: (1) The thermal transmittance of EPS module walls is the dominant factor influencing indoor thermal performance. For climate adaptability, Type II walls are recommended for severely cold regions, while Type I walls are suitable for cold regions. The application of PCM plaster is not recommended in solar-rich cold regions such as Lhasa due to limited effectiveness. (2) Optimal PCM plaster parameters exist, with the phase change temperature recommended to be 2–4 °C higher than the average indoor operative temperature during the heating period. Specifically, 18 °C is optimal for Type I walls in Yinchuan, Beijing, and Dalian, while 15 °C is more appropriate for Type II walls in Shenyang and Harbin. The corresponding optimal thicknesses are 20 mm for Harbin, Shenyang, and Dalian; 30 mm for Yinchuan; and 40 mm for Beijing, achieving a balance between indoor temperature improvement and construction cost. (3) Operative temperature and discomfort hours are introduced to assess indoor thermal stability, especially in buildings with interior PCM plaster. Full article

The growing use of experimental radiopharmaceuticals for targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) highlights the need for robust “in house” radiolabeling protocols. Among these, PSMA-ALB-56 is a PSMA ligand incorporating an albumin-binding moiety to enhance pharmacokinetics, which showed promise for prostate cancer treatment. This study investigated manual radiolabeling conditions of this vector molecule with lutetium-177 and developed a corresponding automated synthesis protocol. Manual experiments on low activities explored buffer systems and antioxidants, identifying sodium acetate buffer and L-methionine as optimal, achieving radiochemical purities above 97% with excellent stability over 48 h. However, when these conditions were transposed directly to an automated process on a GAIA^® module with activities > 2 GBq, radiochemical purity dropped below 70% due to significant radiolysis. This result emphasized that conditions optimized at low activities are not directly transferable to high-activity automated production, and highlighted the crucial role of antioxidant concentration. An optimized automated method was subsequently developed, integrating a solid-phase extraction purification step, higher antioxidant levels during radiolabeling and formulation, and a larger final product volume. These changes led to radiochemical purities above 98.9% and excellent product stability over 120 h for 3 test batches. The presence of high concentrations of methionine and ascorbic acid was essential to protect against radiolysis. This work underscores the importance of adjusting radiolabeling strategies during process scale-up and confirmed that antioxidant concentration is essential for successful ¹⁷⁷Lu radiolabeling. The optimized automated method developed here for [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-ALB-56 may also be adapted to other radiopharmaceuticals in development for TRT. Full article

Using panel data on 99 Italian provinces in the period between 2005 and 2020, the research investigates the effects of fundamental economic factors on the home sales at the provincial level, in order to build a forecasting model using a non-linear artificial intelligence approach (MLP-Multiple Linear Perceptron neural network). There are multiple objectives to this: (a) to test the hypothesis that national, regional and local fundamentals such as interest rates, income, inflation rate, unemployment and demography affect the activity’s degree of the housing market; (b) to verify the effectiveness of a neural network in describing the dynamics of the real estate market; (c) to build a simulation model capable of predicting the effect of changes in fundamentals, also due to economic policy measures, on the market. Empirical results show that neural networks offer better capabilities than linear models in representing the complex relationships between the economic situation and the real estate market. The study provides useful information for regulators to improve the effectiveness of monetary policy to stabilize real estate markets as well as for stakeholders to draw up scenarios of market development. Full article

Real estate plays a pivotal role in fostering national economic growth and ensuring social stability. In China, housing constitutes the largest fixed asset for the majority of households. Given the extensive network of upstream and downstream industries associated with real estate, the government places significant emphasis on its regulation and development, employing a variety of policy instruments to maintain market stability. This study adopts a quantitative approach to conduct a text analysis of China’s real estate policies through the lens of knowledge mapping and LDA topic modeling, while also comparing policy content across 21 different cities. The findings indicate that real estate policy in China transcends mere market regulation. It also encompasses governance within the construction industry as well as provisions for housing security. Furthermore, due to the diverse roles that real estate plays in economic development and urban construction, there is notable regional heterogeneity in policy priorities. By text analysis of real estate policies, this study provides a systematic overview of policy content, thereby laying a foundation for more nuanced and regionally differentiated research within the realm of real estate policy. Full article

Education has become one of the important drivers of residential mobility. The school district system in China has transformed school choice into a competition for housing ownership based on family capital, resulting in the capitalization of education and gentrification. Understanding the patterns of education-driven residential mobility is therefore of significant importance for urban planning, educational policy and social equity research. In this study, we depicted and analyzed the heterogeneity of residential mobility formed by the interaction of schooling choice, diversity of family characteristics, and housing preferences. Based on the household questionnaire survey conducted in Tianjin, we identified five typical education-driven residential mobility patterns by using the K-Prototype clustering algorithm. The empirical results implied that in China, particularly in megacities like Tianjin with a strict school district system tied to housing, wealthy families approach high-quality education through their socio-economic advantages for cultural reproduction; families sacrifice living conditions to access leading schools by acquiring old second-hand housing or smaller new-commercial housing; lower-income families relocate to within a short distance of the city center to change home ownership status for basic school eligibility; and families opting out of school districts achieve residential improvements and display greater locational diversity in relocation. Education-driven residential mobility is reshaping urban space, and may intensify socio-spatial stratification, even influencing long-term urban sustainability through patterns of resource allocation, neighborhood stability, and social equity. While this study focuses on Tianjin, the impacts of such school-housing-linked policies hold broader relevance for global cities facing similar challenges. Full article

The research investigated the potential of five novel additively manufactured (AM) fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite (FRTPC) configurations as alternatives for ablative thermal protection system (TPS) applications. The thermal stability and ablative behavior of ten samples developed via fused deposition modeling (FDM) three-dimensional (3D) printing out of fire-retardant thermoplastics were investigated using an in-house oxyacetylene torch bench. All samples featured an innovative internal thermal management architecture with three air chambers. Furthermore, the enhancement of thermal benefits was achieved through several approaches: ceramic coating, mechanical hybridization, or continuous fiber reinforcement. For each configuration, two samples were exposed to flame at 1450 ± 50 °C for 30 s and 60 s, respectively, with the front surface subjected to direct exposure at a distance of 100 mm during the ablation tests. Internal temperatures recorded at two back-side contact points remained below 50 °C, well under the 180 °C maximum allowable back-face temperature for TPS during testing. Continuous reinforced configurations 4 and 5 displayed higher thermal stability the lowest values in terms of thickness, mass loss, and recession rates. Both configurations showed half of the weight losses measured for the other tested configurations, ranging from approximately 5% (30 s) to 10–12% (60 s), confirming the trend observed in the thickness loss measurements. However, continuous glass-reinforced configuration 5 exhibited the lowest weight loss values for both exposure durations, benefiting from its non-combustible nature, low thermal conductivity, and high abrasion resistance intrinsic characteristics. In particular, the Al₂O₃ surface coated configuration 1 showed a mass loss comparable to reinforced configurations, indicating that an enhanced surface coat adhesion could provide a potential benefit. A key outcome of the study was the synergistic effect of the novel air chamber architecture, which reduces thermal conductivity by forming small internal air pockets, combined with the continuous front-wall fiber reinforcement functioning as a thermal and abrasion barrier. This remains a central focus for future research and optimization. Full article

Objectives: This study aimed to synthesize evidence of the influence of multilevel social determinants of health (SDOHs) on asthma and allergic disease outcomes and healthcare utilization in children and adolescents, with a specific focus on how these determinants generate or widen health inequities, through a systematic review of the current literature and evidence. Methods: A literature search was performed in the PubMed, EBSCO, and Scopus databases. The search period for all databases was from 1 January 2020 to 15 January 2025. Studies published in English that evaluated the association between at least one SDOH, as a primary exposure or effect modifier, and asthma and/or allergic disease outcomes and healthcare utilization in children and adolescents aged ≤ 18 years were included. A narrative synthesis was conducted to systematically explore and compare findings across studies, grouped by SDOH domains and disease outcomes. The grouping of SDOH domains was based on the framework established by the Healthy People 2030 Initiative. The selected studies underwent a quality assessment. Results: After the eligibility assessment, 44 studies were included in this review. Regarding study design, twenty-one studies were cohort, followed by eighteen cross-sectional, three ecological, and two case-crossover studies. Disease outcomes covered incidence, severity/exacerbations, lung function, and healthcare use in asthma, and analogous measures also reported for atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and food allergy. The most frequently studied domain of SDOHs was Neighborhood and Built Environment (n = 26), followed by Economic Stability (n = 24), Social and Community Context (n = 21), Healthcare Access and Quality (n = 12), and Education Access and Stability (n = 10). The vast majority of studies (n = 31) found positive associations between the examined SDOH factors and asthma and/or allergic disease outcomes and healthcare utilization. The most frequently evaluated SDOH with positive associations were neighborhood and residential conditions (n = 10), discrimination (n = 8), parental education (n = 7), housing quality (n = 6), air pollution (n = 6), and household income (n = 5). Risk-of-bias appraisal showed that the evidence base was largely at low risk, with most cohort, cross-sectional, ecological and case-crossover studies rated good quality, and only a few cohort studies classified as fair because of limitations in exposure assessment and residual confounding control. Conclusions: These findings highlight the urgent need for coordinated interventions and policies addressing social, environmental, and economic factors to reduce health disparities and improve outcomes for vulnerable children, while stressing the importance of interventional studies to provide stronger evidence. Full article

Mobile health (mHealth) applications represent low-cost, scalable interventions with broad reach and are valuable for people who use opioids (PWUO), a population that often experiences low retention in traditional research studies. This study examines engagement patterns with the OASIS app, an mHealth app prompting PWUO in Baltimore, Maryland, to report daily on substance use locations and overdose prevention behaviors over 14 days. Between December 2022 and September 2023, 210 PWUO participated. Engagement was measured by survey completion, with high engagement defined as completing at least 75% of surveys. The median number of surveys completed was 9.0 (mean: 7.57), and 29.4% of participants demonstrated high engagement. Logistic regression models showed that residential stability was significantly associated with higher engagement (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 4.90; 95% CI: 1.35, 17.84), while weekly or more frequent injection drug use was associated with lower engagement (aOR: 0.31; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.89). Mobile device proficiency and other demographics were not significantly associated with engagement, likely due to mandatory in-person training reducing tech barriers. Results indicate that PWUO can meaningfully engage with mHealth apps, especially when supported by structural factors, such as stable housing. Full article

Arctic sea ice can be regarded as a sensitive indicator of climate change, and it has declined dramatically in recent decades. The swift decline in Arctic sea ice coverage leads to an expansion of the marginal ice zone (MIZ). In this study, an ice-based buoy with an imaging system is designed for the long-term observation of the changes in sea ice from the packed ice zone to the marginal ice zone in polar regions. The system composition, main buoy, image system, and buoy load were analyzed. An underwater camera supports a 640 × 480 resolution image acquisition, RS485 communication, stable operation at –40 °C, and long-term underwater sealing protection through a titanium alloy housing. During a continuous three-month field deployment in the Arctic, the system successfully captured images of ice-bottom morphology and biological attachment, demonstrating imaging reliability and operational stability under extreme conditions. In addition, the buoy employed a battery state estimation method based on the Extreme Learning Machine (ELM). Compared with LSTM, BP, BiLSTM, SAELSTM, and RF models, the ELM achieved a test set performance of RMSE = 0.05 and MAE = 0.187, significantly outperforming the alternatives and thereby improving energy management and the reliability of long-term autonomous operation. Laboratory flume tests further verified the power generation performance of the wave energy-assisted supply system. However, due to the limited duration of Arctic deployment, full year-round performance has not yet been validated, and the imaging resolution remains insufficient for biological classification. The results indicate that the buoy demonstrates strong innovation and application potential for long-term polar observations, while further improvements are needed through extended deployments and enhanced imaging capability. Full article

This study investigates the short-run and long-run dynamics of the financial cycle in South Africa, focusing on its macroeconomic drivers and their asymmetric effects across different phases. It addresses the persistent challenge in emerging market economies of balancing financial development and stability amidst volatile conditions. Using monthly data from 2000 to 2024, the research employs a quantile autoregressive distributed lag (QARDL) model to capture the heterogeneity and persistence of macro-financial linkages across the financial cycle’s distribution. The use of the QARDL model in this study allows for capturing asymmetric and quantile-specific relationships that traditional linear models might overlook. Findings reveal that monetary policy, and the housing sector are key drivers of long-term financial development in South Africa, showing positive effects. Conversely, exchange rate movements, inflation, money supply, and macroprudential policy dampen financial development. Short-term financial booms are associated with GDP growth, credit, share, and housing prices. Money supply and inflation are more closely linked to burst phases. These results underscore the importance of policy coordination, particularly between monetary and macroprudential authorities, to balance promoting financial development and ensuring stability in emerging markets. This study contributes to the empirical literature and offers practical insights for policymakers. Full article

As urbanization intensifies, the ecological area ratio (EAR) has become an essential tool for assessing ecological performance in urban development projects. However, conventional EAR systems remain largely prescriptive and surface-oriented, lacking adaptability to diverse planning contexts. This study proposes a probability-based EAR reference table developed from empirical data collected across six representative large-scale urban development districts. EAR values were statistically analyzed for 16 land-use types to construct a reference table using mean and quartile indicators. The table was then applied to seven newly planned towns to evaluate its predictive utility. The results showed that predicted EAR values closely aligned with institutional targets and revealed meaningful internal variation depending on land-use composition. Green space and parks showed the highest ecological contributions, while multi-family housing, despite moderate unit-area performance, played a key stabilizing role due to its large spatial footprint. Correlation analyses further demonstrated that EAR composition varied across housing supply types, shaped by differing regulatory frameworks and design priorities. By transitioning EAR from a uniform ratio to a data-driven, probabilistic guideline, this study offers both a practical estimation tool and a strategic planning aid. The findings provide actionable insights for more adaptive, equitable, and ecologically robust urban development practices. Full article