Search Results (111)

Econometric estimation of panel data models by feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) provides an example of how conceptually simple problems may run into computational bottlenecks. I address the main computational tasks of FGLS within the R system for statistical computing, comparing different tools from the point of view of computational efficiency. I concentrate on estimating two models: the popular “random effects” with two error components and the less restrictive “general GLS” specification, which does not fit into the standard computational framework usually employed for the former. I compare the standard solution (partial time demeaning) with two alternative strategies, based respectively on algebraic properties and on object-oriented programming. I show how, while naive implementations become infeasible with large datasets, both list operators and object-oriented matrix routines available in the R environment make the problem tractable for most practically relevant sample sizes on any machine. I conclude by briefly discussing the parallelization of critical tasks. Full article

The urban heat island (UHI) effect has become a global environmental challenge, and quantifying the spatial heterogeneity of its driving mechanisms while developing differentiated regulation strategies remains a critical research gap. This study takes Berlin, Germany as a case study, integrating spatial autocorrelation analysis with a coupled geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to systematically investigate the spatial heterogeneity of the driving mechanisms of Local Climate Zones (LCZs) on surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII), and proposes refined regulation strategies. First, the WUDAPT method was employed to generate a LCZ map, and global and local Moran’s I were used to identify SUHII spatial clustering characteristics, dividing the study area into High–High (HH), Low–Low (LL), and Not Significant (NS) clustering zones. Second, Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and GWR coupled models were constructed to analyze the global and local relationships between LCZ composition and SUHII. The results indicate: (1) Berlin’s SUHII exhibits significant spatial clustering characteristics (Moran’s I = 0.984), with clear differentiation between the HH zone (25.8%, mean 2.67 °C) and the LL zone (26.4%, mean −0.16 °C); (2) the GWR model (R² = 0.921, AICc = 1279.538) significantly outperforms the OLS model (R² = 0.822, AICc = 2871.608), confirming strong spatial heterogeneity in the LCZ-SUHII relationship, with more pronounced advantages of GWR in urban–rural fringe areas; (3) LCZ 5 (low-density mid-rise buildings) and LCZ 2 (high-density mid-rise buildings) are key warming factors across the entire study area, but their warming effects are stronger in suburban areas than in central urban areas; LCZ A (dense trees) and LCZ G (water bodies) are key cooling factors across the entire area, but their cooling effects are stronger in central urban areas than in the suburbs. Based on these findings, this study establishes a differentiated strategy framework of “Zoning—Identifying Heterogeneity—Regulating”, proposing that HH zones should implement “carbon sink enhancement and source reduction”, NS zones should balance “ecological expansion with growth management”, and LL zones should adopt “strict protection and development restriction”. This framework provides a quantifiable scientific basis and practical guidance for refined urban thermal environment management. Full article

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is the de-facto mechanism for preserving Kubernetes and other cloud-native container platforms, however real deployments occasionally drift away from the principle of least privilege as clusters, teams, and services improve. This paper introduces an automated RBAC hardening framework that formulates least-privilege policy design as a limited optimization problem over RoleBindings and ClusterRoleBindings. The objective combines (i) a permission-risk score for namespaced and cluster-scoped actions with (ii) an operational complexity term that discourages overly large binding sets. Solid limitations encode functional requirements as well as practical security policies, which includes namespace allowlists, role scoping rules, administrative restrictions on cluster-wide bindings, binding budgets, and separation-of-duty requirements expressed by utilizing capability classes. To allow optimizer-agnostic search while protecting Kubernetes RBAC semantics, we analyze candidate policies by utilizing a unified penalty-based fitness function that compines risk, complexity, and constraint violations into a single scalar value. We utilized ten metaheuristic as a benchmark including baseline search paths on a Kubernetes-inspired instance and report feasibility and least-privilege quality metrics (precision, recall, F1, and over-privilege ratio) parallel to RB/CRB counts and excess risk as a structural indicators. Outcomes present that feasibility is the prime challenge, and is restricted to a subset of optimizers reliably arrives to entirely feasible and compact arrangements within the exact budget, indicating the practicality of metaheuristic enhancement for systematic RBAC reduction in containerized cloud computing environments. Full article

In the cloud computing environment, various heterogeneous architectures have emerged, and the cloud-edge collaborative task scheduling architecture has come into being under this background. However, the complexity of cloud-edge heterogeneous architecture significantly restricts the improvement of scheduling performance. Therefore, researchers propose solving this problem by leveraging intelligent optimization algorithms. The Artificial Lemming Algorithm has received extensive attention due to its strong robustness. However, when dealing with the problem of cloud-edge collaborative task scheduling, there are still some drawbacks, such as long system response time and unstable scheduling performance. In response to the above problems, this paper proposes a multi-strategy artificial lemming algorithm. Specifically, by coordinating high-order Chebyshev polynomials with chaotic mapping to enhance the richness of the initial population, the scheduling response time is indirectly shortened. Secondly, the Adaptive Spatial Search Mechanism is introduced to make up for the deficiencies in the exploration stage, enhance the algorithm’s exploration ability, and thereby improve the optimization effect of scheduling satisfaction. Furthermore, the Bernstein-Guided Correction Strategy is introduced to enhance the exploitation capability of the algorithm to improve the stability of cloud-edge scheduling. The experimental results demonstrate that compared with the baseline algorithms, the proposed MALA reduces the total scheduling cost by at least 3% across cloud-edge collaborative resource scheduling problems of different scales. Full article

Background: Industrial activities may contribute to airway diseases, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, which are major respiratory health problems with geographically variable prevalence. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of COPD and asthma and to examine factors associated with impaired pulmonary function among workers and residents of the Navanakorn Industrial Zone, Thailand. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed from September 2025 to January 2026 among adults aged ≥18 years who were employed in or residing within the Navanakorn Industrial Zone. Data collected included demographic characteristics, comorbidities, respiratory symptoms, chest radiographic findings, and spirometric parameters, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), and bronchodilator responsiveness (BDR). COPD was defined as the presence of respiratory symptoms in conjunction with at least one risk factor and a post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC < 70%. Asthma was defined by the presence of respiratory symptoms with a positive BDR. Results: Among the 373 participants (65.4% female; mean age 55.0 ± 13.6 years), the prevalence of COPD and asthma was 4.3% and 5.4%, respectively. Abnormal chest radiographic findings were present in 8.6%, while abnormal pulmonary function was identified in 30.8%. Lung function abnormalities included airway obstruction (12.9%), restrictive patterns (9.7%), mixed defects (2.1%), and small airway disease (6.2%). A positive BDR was detected in 2.4% of participants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated older age, male sex, a history of asthma, and the presence of chest tightness as independent predictors of abnormal lung function. Conclusions: COPD and asthma were prevalent among individuals working or living in the industrial zone, and abnormal pulmonary function—particularly obstructive defects—was common. Older age, male sex, a history of asthma, and respiratory symptoms were associated with a greater risk of lung function impairment, underscoring the importance of targeted surveillance and preventive strategies in industrial environments. Full article

Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) executed on neuromorphic hardware promise energyefficient, low-latency inference well-suited to edge deployment in size, weight, and powerconstrained environments such as autonomous vehicles, wearable devices, and unmanned aerial platforms. However, a coherent research pathway to deployment of neuromorphic devices remains elusive. This paper presents a structured review and position on the state of SNN-based vision across four interconnected dimensions: network architectures, training methodologies, event-based datasets and simulation techniques, and neuromorphic computing hardware. We survey the evolution from shallow convolutional SNNs to spiking Transformers and hybrid designs which leverage the advantages of SNNs and conventional artificial neural networks. We also examine surrogate gradient training and ANN-to-SNN conversion approaches, catalogue real-world and simulated event-based datasets, and assess the landscape of neuromorphic platforms ranging from rigid mixed-signal architectures to fully-configurable digital systems. Our analysis reveals that while each area has matured considerably in isolation, critical integration challenges persist. In particular, event-based datasets remain scarce and lack standardisation, training methodologies introduce systematic gaps relative to deployment hardware, and access to neuromorphic platforms is restricted by proprietary toolchains and limited development kit availability. We conclude that bridging these integration gaps, rather than advancing individual components alone, represents the most important and least addressed work required to realise the potential of SNN-based vision at the edge. Full article

Mixed steel/polyethylene gas distribution pipelines are increasingly used in congested urban environments where conventional layouts are restricted by existing underground utilities, safety constraints, and site-specific construction conditions. In such systems, buried steel transition sections may become particularly vulnerable to electrical perturbation and corrosion, especially when installed near electrified transport infrastructure. This paper presents a field case study on a recently installed mixed steel/polyethylene gas distribution pipeline located on Lunca Street, Petroșani, Romania, approximately parallel to an electrified railway. Electrical and electrochemical investigations were carried out eight months after installation and included 24 h monitoring of pipe-to-soil potential versus Cu/CuSO₄, 24 h monitoring of alternating current pipe-to-soil voltage, mixed alternating current and direct current signal visualization, and coating insulation resistance measurements. The results showed that alternating current pipe-to-soil voltage was present at all monitored points, with weighted mean values ranging from 0.41 to 1.23 Vrms, while pipe-to-soil potential values ranged from −0.120 to −0.238 V versus Cu/CuSO₄. Although the measured average coating insulation resistance remained relatively high, the combined electrical and electrochemical data indicate that alternating current interference associated with the nearby electrified railway is the most plausible dominant contributing source of the recorded electrical perturbation. Within the analyzed site perimeter, no other nearby electrical infrastructures with comparable interference potential were identified. The highest alternating-current exposure and the least favorable electrochemical values were recorded on the longer metallic segment, showing that metallic length and local configuration strongly influenced the severity of the effect. A mitigation strategy based on polarized electrical decoupling and dedicated grounding is proposed as a practical means of improving electrical safety and reducing corrosion risk in the exposed and buried steel sections. Full article

Driving simulators offer a safe and controlled way to study fatigue in truck drivers, but variation in scenario design and incomplete reporting limit reproducibility and cross-study comparison. This systematic review synthesized scenario parameters used in truck-driving simulators to induce fatigue-related reductions in alertness and identified recurring protocol patterns associated with interpretable fatigue-related change. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines and a prospectively registered protocol (PROSPERO CRD420261302272), systematic searches were conducted in February 2026 in Scopus, Web of Science, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Peer-reviewed original studies published in English were eligible if they involved truck drivers, used a driving simulator, reported fatigue-relevant scenario parameters, and measured at least one fatigue-related outcome; no restriction was applied to publication year. Twenty-three studies comprising 419 participants met the eligibility criteria and were synthesized narratively. Risk of bias was appraised using an adapted 11-item checklist for driving simulator experiments, developed with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) quality assessment tools as a reference framework. Across the qualitative evidence base, fatigue-related change was reported more consistently in protocols combining sustained time on task with low-variability driving demands, typically implemented through monotonous road environments and reduced traffic complexity. Effects were more readily interpretable when sessions were scheduled at night or after work shifts and when outcomes were assessed repeatedly during the drive. However, incomplete control or reporting of baseline sleep pressure, stimulant intake, counterbalancing, familiarization, simulator sickness, and outlier handling limited causal interpretation and confidence in cross-study comparison. Overall, the evidence supports recurring design patterns rather than a single optimal protocol and highlights the need for standardized scenario descriptions and minimum reporting requirements. Full article

Wearable systems based on inertial measurement units (IMUs) have attracted considerable interest in recent years in the field of gait analysis. However, most gait studies using such devices have been conducted in laboratory rather than clinical settings. This study evaluated a commercially available IMU-based insole system in two cohorts: a clinical group (59 ± 18, years) recruited from podiatry clinics and a non-clinical group (28 ± 7, years) recruited from a university with no reported complaints. Participants wore the IMU-based device and performed treadmill walking (clinical group) and overground walking (non-clinical group). Spatiotemporal parameters were compared between groups using statistical analyses included the Shapiro–Wilk test, Mann–Whitney test, and Welch’s t-tests for non-bilateral data, and a two-factor linear mixed-effects model estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) for bilateral spatiotemporal parameters to evaluate group, foot-side, and interaction effects. Ten of the twenty-two spatiotemporal parameters showed significant group differences, with statistical significance observed in at least one foot for parameters measured bilaterally. The observed differences may reflect a combination of clinical characteristics, age-related effects, and walking environment influences. Findings are discussed in relation to potential biomechanical mechanisms, factors influencing results and the clinical utility of IMU systems. Future research should investigate specific foot conditions under standardized walking conditions with age-matched cohorts. Full article

Modern oceanographic studies demonstrate that marginal seas and semi-restricted marine environments, including epicontinental seas and carbonate platforms, are highly sensitive to changes in circulation, freshwater input, stratification, and redox conditions, allowing climatic perturbations to be recorded with high fidelity. Understanding the behavior of such systems under icehouse conditions is therefore important for interpreting climate variability in both ancient and modern oceans. The Late Paleozoic Ice Age was a prolonged icehouse interval characterized by repeated glacial and interglacial oscillations, yet its climate dynamics are still mainly constrained by Gondwanan glacigenic records and low-latitude carbonate successions. High-resolution climate information from mid-latitude regions remains limited. The purpose of this study is to obtain high-resolution mid-latitude geochemical constraints on climate variability during the Late Paleozoic Ice Age using a semi-restricted marine carbonate succession. Specifically, this study aims to (1) establish high-resolution carbon and oxygen isotope records from well-preserved carbonate samples spanning the Visean to Asselian interval; (2) identify and characterize major glacial to interglacial cycles recorded in the succession; (3) evaluate the extent to which semi-restricted paleogeography amplifies isotopic responses relative to coeval low-latitude open-marine settings and (4) assess the climatic significance of a short-lived negative carbon isotope excursion during the middle Bashkirian. Here we present high-resolution carbon and oxygen isotope records from a Visean to Asselian marine carbonate succession deposited in a semi-restricted basin. Stable isotope analyses of well-preserved carbonate samples document temporal variations in carbonate carbon and oxygen isotopes. The records resolve at least three major glacial to interglacial cycles, with isotope shifts substantially larger than those reported from coeval low-latitude open-marine settings. Carbon isotope variations reach up to 7.7‰, while oxygen isotope variations reach up to 9.2‰. These pronounced responses are attributed to semi-restricted paleogeography, facies heterogeneity, and the sensitivity of marine carbonate systems to stratification, redox variability, and organic carbon cycling. A short-lived negative carbon isotope excursion during the middle Bashkirian may record a Northern Hemisphere deglaciation event superimposed on the broader Gondwanan icehouse background, a signal that is not clearly expressed in other regions. Overall, this study describes new mid-latitude geochemical constraints on Late Paleozoic climate variability and offers valuable analogs for understanding climate responses in modern marginal marine systems. Full article

This study analyzes the perspectives of support providers to survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) on the potential links between pornography and the sexual abuse of children. Drawing from fifty interviews, eight focus group discussions, and post-interview surveys with frontline child advocacy support professionals from various backgrounds and settings, each with at least five years of experience in the field, this paper presents a conceptual model that situates pornography and CSA within interconnected “zones of violence” across digital, institutional, and community environments. Participants identified overlapping risk factors that can heighten pornography exposure and CSA vulnerability, including strained guardian–child relationships, inadequate supervision and digital literacy, socioeconomic precarity, limited access to services, and restrictive or patriarchal sexual norms. They described mediating processes linking pornography to abuse—social modeling, normalization of coercive and violent sexual scripts, grooming, power/threat dynamics (including sextortion and blackmail), and the production and circulation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Respondents perceived pornography as pervasive in young people’s lives, reported that it contributes to perceived shifts in CSA patterns, and emphasized the absence of best practices. They advocated comprehensive, digitally literate sex education; routine, developmentally appropriate screening; trauma-informed responses that avoid labeling and criminalizing children; and coordinated, multidisciplinary reforms. Full article

Musicking-as-play is an ontological conceptualisation that equips us to look at music-making practices in new ways in order to reveal future potentials for music education. This article discusses a theory-testing case study which applies the ‘musicking-as-play’ lens to what is, from the outside, often viewed as the least creative and most restrictive professional music-making context: the highly repetitive environment of the musical theatre band. If ‘musicking-as-play’ is present there, the thinking goes, then the conception is sufficiently robust to be applied more generally and to influence how music performance is taught. Following detailed observations of their working practices, five band members of a long-running West End musical in London and an experienced musical director were interviewed about their professional experiences. Many of these musicians had performed the show well over 1000 times, up to eight times a week for many years. Questions were based on a theoretical framework which sets play in relief alongside ritual, work and communitas. Findings confirm that the musicians perceived their work as a form of play, and a number of context-specific characteristics of play are identified. Implications for conservatoire pedagogies are discussed. Full article

Phase optimization, aimed to enhance phase signal-to-noise ratio, is a critical component of the distributed scatterer interferometric synthetic aperture radar technique and directly determines the fineness and reliability of deformation monitoring. As a state-of-the-art method that balances computational efficiency and optimization performance in high-dimensional data environments, sequential phase optimization has been widely studied. However, the improper matrix partitioning and discontinuous sequence compensation in current sequential methods severely restrict their optimization performance. To address these limitations, an adaptive sequential phase optimization method (AdSeq) based on coherence stability detection and adjustment correction is proposed. A submatrix dimension adaptive estimation model driven by coherence stability detection is first established based on persistent exceedance detection analysis. Then, a covariance matrix adaptive sequential partitioning strategy is developed by introducing the submatrix overlap criterion. Finally, a phase reference correction model based on weighted least squares adjustment is proposed to improve phase continuity and overall optimization performance. Experiments with simulated and real datasets are performed to comprehensively evaluate the optimization performance. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared with traditional phase optimization methods, the monitoring point density obtained by AdSeq increased by over 21.07%, and the deformation monitoring accuracy reached 16.49 mm, representing an improvement exceeding 10.09%. These results confirm that the proposed AdSeq method achieves superior noise robustness and phase optimization performance, and provides a higher deformation monitoring accuracy. Full article

Korean melon (K-melon, Cucumis melo L. var. makuwa) is a key horticultural crop in the Republic of Korea, but its short shelf life restricts long-distance export. This study evaluated the modified atmosphere (MA) films of varying oxygen transmission rates (OTR) at controlled atmosphere (CA) storage under real maritime export conditions to Vietnam. In the non-permeable OTR 0 (Control) treatment, internal O₂ rapidly declined below the anaerobic compensation point (1.67% at 10d and 0.47% at 10+3d) while CO₂ accumulated to 32–36%. This ultra-low oxygen environment induced anaerobic metabolism, evidenced by strong accumulation of fermentative metabolites such as lactic acid, acetoin, and 2,3-butanediol, along with glucose/fructose retention and increases in alanine and γ-Aminobutanoic acid (GABA). These changes disrupted glycolysis and the Tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), consistent with CA shock, and were accompanied by rind blackening, elevated weight loss, and hue angle shifts toward yellow-orange. By contrast, OTR 10,000 and OTR 30,000 films significantly suppressed weight loss and color changes. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) identified volatile organic compounds, namely acetoin, 2,3-butanediol, and hexanal, as key discriminant metabolites, with OTR 30,000 clearly separated from other treatments at 10+3d, indicating minimal fermentation and oxidative stress. Microbial assays revealed a dose-dependent reduction in bacterial counts with increasing OTR, while fungal growth was most strongly suppressed under OTR 10,000. Overall, OTR 30,000 maintained the lowest and most stable levels of stress-related metabolites, minimized microbial proliferation, and preserved metabolic stability throughout shipping. This study provides the first quantitative evidence of anaerobic metabolic transition and primary metabolite accumulation in K-melons under actual export trials. The findings demonstrate that optimizing MA film permeability, particularly OTR 30,000 films, offers a practical and cost-efficient strategy to extend shelf life, maintain quality stability, and enhance the global export potential of K-melons. Full article

It is known that the giant barrel sponge (GBS) Xestospongia spp. may provide shelter or a micro-environment for multi-species coral colonies both in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic regions. An assessment of such interactions between Indo-Pacific GBS Xestospongia testudinaria and stony corals performed for two groups of small Vietnamese islands in the Gulf of Thailand revealed at least 12 species of scleractinians associated with GBS. An average of 21.7% of all observed GBSs were found to interact with stony corals. The phenomenon of positive GBS–coral interactions without any restrictions on coral development can be regarded as a form of ecological facultative commensalism and warrants further investigation. Full article