Search Results (152)

Rivers have always been essential to humankind. They are used for many purposes and, as a result, have been heavily modified. Human impacts, many of them still poorly understood, interfere with river ecosystems, making them vulnerable to disturbances. Amongst these, mega events along riverbanks are listed. We studied the effects of the “FM4 Frequency Festival,” which attracted more than 200,000 visitors, on microalgae in the channelized section of the River Traisen in St. Pölten, the capital of Lower Austria. During the festival, phosphorus, dissolved organic carbon, and chloride increased significantly during the whole study period compared with before and after. Although the overall epilithic biomass remained unchanged during the festival period, the phytobenthos community experienced an increase in taxonomic richness downstream of the festival area. Both the Shannon diversity (mean ± SD = 2.89 ± 0.34) and Pielou’s evenness (mean ± SD = 0.73 ± 0.08) did not differ significantly between the sampling dates before, during, and after the festival. We found a shift towards Achnanthidium minutissimum as the dominant species during the festival. Diatoma ehrenbergii, which is sensitive to nutrient enrichment and organic pollution, disappeared during the event. Overall, the biofilm shifted towards a community dominated by heterotrophs during the festival, likely due to high organic loading. Pelagic microalgae experienced a rise in the total taxa number during the festival, which was partly caused by resuspension of phytobenthos. Our results reflect significant impacts from visitors to the Traisen ecosystem. Not only short-term changes in the hydrochemical environment but also mechanical disturbances of the phytobenthos caused by visitors were demonstrated. We suggest continuous monitoring to verify that such events will not have long-term impacts on the system. Full article

Background and Objectives: The optimal surgical technique for Chiari type I malformation (CM-I) remains debated, particularly in patients without syringomyelia. While duraplasty (DP+) may enhance radiological outcomes, it can carry higher complication risks. We compared clinical, radiological, and morphometric outcomes after suboccipital decompression with DP+ and without duraplasty (DP−), with prespecified subgroup analyses by syringomyelia status. Materials and Methods: Ninety-three consecutive adult CM-I underwent DP− (n = 54) or DP+ (n = 39) between 2014 and 2022. Pre- and post-operative MRI and neurological evaluations were obtained at 1 year. Functional recovery was assessed using the Chicago Chiari Outcome Scale (CCOS). Clinical and radiological outcomes, complication rates, and subgroup results (with vs. without syringomyelia) were compared. Results: Overall clinical improvement was observed in 92.5% of patients (DP−: 94.4%; DP+: 89.7%; p > 0.05). Among patients without syringomyelia, clinical improvement remained high with DP−. Radiological benefit—including syrinx regression and mega cisterna magna formation—was greater with DP+ (64.1% vs. 24.1%; p < 0.001), but this did not translate into improved functional outcomes (p > 0.05). Cerebellar slump occurred more often after DP+ (30.8% vs. 9.3%; p < 0.05). Complication rates, particularly CSF-related events, were significantly higher with DP+ (17.9% vs. 3.7%, p = 0.032). Morphometric expansion of the foramen magnum did not correlate with functional outcomes. Conclusions: At 1-year follow-up, suboccipital decompression without duraplasty appears to provide comparable clinical improvement to DP+, with fewer complications, in selected CM-I patients without syringomyelia. Duraplasty offers radiological advantages, especially for syringomyelia, but at the cost of increased risk. Longer follow-up is necessary to determine the durability of these findings. Full article

Air pollution represents a public health threat; it is co-responsible for millions of premature deaths annually and economic losses. Mega-events create abrupt changes in air pollution providing quasi-experimental settings to investigate related health impacts. This systematic review synthesizes the evidence on air pollution level changes during mega-events and associated short-term health effects, including mortality, hospitalizations and early biological responses. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science up to 7 April 2025. Study quality was evaluated using the EPHPP Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Thirty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Mega-events without effective air pollution control measures were associated with increased pollutant levels and higher risks of respiratory and cardiovascular morbidity. Biomarker studies demonstrated rapid and reversible changes in oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers in response to short-term variations in air pollution. Instead, significant reductions in air pollution during mega-events were observed upon emission control measures. The evidence is predominantly from Asian countries, no Europe/Africa studies and only one from North America, limiting generalizability. Findings indicate that mega-events may influence air quality which affects human health, reinforcing the value of temporary emission control measures strategies for future mega-events. The systematic review was registered with Prospero (CRD420251032553). Full article

Inadequate vehicle maintenance management is one of the main causes of road accidents and elevated operating costs in light vehicles. This paper addresses this problem through the development and implementation of a low-cost integrated system for preventive maintenance management and alerts. The device, based on an open-hardware architecture (Arduino Mega 2560), integrates Global Positioning System (GPS) and mobile communication (GSM/LTE) modules to monitor distance traveled in real time and notify the user via SMS about the proximity of critical services such as oil changes, brake inspections, and timing-belt replacements. Its technical contribution lies in the integration of non-intrusive virtual ignition, filtered GPS-based odometry, configurable MicroSD-based persistence, and progressive SMS alert logic into a low-cost aftermarket system for conventional vehicles without OBD-II dependence. Experimental validation was conducted in the city of Guayaquil using a 2012 Hyundai Accent. Field tests were carried out in three scenarios: a dense urban route, a peripheral road, and interurban routes. Results showed satisfactory accuracy with a global average percentage error of 3.98% compared to the vehicle’s odometer and 100% effectiveness in sending alerts under the tested conditions (20/20 events; exact 95% binomial confidence interval: 83.2–100.0%). These results provide strong evidence of technical feasibility for the proposed architecture under the tested conditions in a representative single-vehicle proof-of-concept, while broader cross-vehicle validation remains necessary before generalizing the system to the wider diversity of aging fleets. Full article

Background: Mega-events like the FIFA World Cup (FWC) present unique and substantial challenges for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs), primarily by increasing the risk of relapse. We employed a qualitative design using reflexive thematic analysis to explore the behavior of patients with SUDs during the 2022 FWC and to evaluate institutional strategies for mitigating related risks. Methods: We purposively sampled 32 participants who were present at the Naufar Center during the 2022 FWC: (i) thirteen adult patients with SUDs who were receiving treatment, and (ii) nineteen healthcare practitioners. Semi-structured patient interviews were conducted, and focus group discussions were held with a multidisciplinary team, including psychologists, nurses, and physicians. Individuals’ experiences regarding patterns in substance use behavior, environmental triggers, and the effects of institutional interventions were examined. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns, risks, and effective strategies. Results: Most patients maintained abstinence and only had cravings for alcohol. Triggers included public celebrations, emotional excitement, and the increased availability of addictive substances. Psychologists and physicians reported signs of behavioral destabilization; nurses observed some behavioral changes and noted logistical challenges. The participants acknowledged the supportive measures provided by Naufar, including the accessibility of clinical services, individualized therapy, social and recreational programming, and protective fan zones, which enabled them to participate in various activities during the event. Conclusions: The 2022 FWC created considerable psychological and environmental triggers for high exposure to alcohol and other substances. The supportive structured activities and tailored interventions were helpful in mitigating the risk of relapse, maintaining treatment engagement and ensuring recovery. Further research is required to explore the implications for recovery-oriented practices during culturally and socially high-risk events. Full article

Rapid population growth challenges governance systems, housing markets, infrastructure capacity, and social cohesion, yet it is often treated as a predictable and uniform process. This structured comparative review synthesizes four distinct rapid-growth literatures: energy boomtowns, amenity-migration destinations, gateway communities, and mega-event host towns, to examine how different growth drivers shape community resilience. Using systematic forward and backward citation tracking grounded in community theory, the review identifies recurring patterns across otherwise separate research traditions. The analysis shows that outcomes are shaped less by growth itself than by institutional and spatial conditions. Extractive boomtowns and mega-event hosts experience compressed cycles of disruption and recovery that test adaptive capacity, while amenity-migration destinations and gateway communities face sustained pressures related to housing affordability, land-use conflict, and social boundary formation. Across contexts, three interrelated dimensions of adaptive capacity consistently structure trajectories: multilevel governance coordination, housing and land-use elasticity, and the management of social equity and cohesion. The findings advance a conceptual resilience framework that interprets rapid population change as a socio-spatial shock filtered through institutional and spatial conditions, with implications for sustainable urban design, flexible infrastructure planning, and inclusive governance. Full article

This study systematically reviews the evolution of Qatar’s tourism sector to evaluate the historical barriers impeding its development and the strategic initiatives deployed to enhance destination competitiveness. The research’s primary aim is to provide a theory-driven longitudinal analysis of Qatar’s tourism evolution, identifying systemic barriers and adaptive responses required for long-term sustainability. Grounded in the theoretical synthesis of Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) and Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT), the research employs a systematic literature review (SLR) guided by the PRISMA framework, screening 4846 records to analyze 24 final studies. The findings reveal five primary structural and perceptual barriers: a price–value mismatch (luxury perception), regional political instability, cultural and regulatory constraints, environmental vulnerabilities, and gaps in tourist infrastructure. Utilizing DCT, the results demonstrate how the destination exhibited adaptive governance by sensing these barriers and seizing strategic opportunities—such as mega-event hosting and visa reforms—to partially transform its tourism system. These insights highlight that while created resources drive initial visibility, sustaining long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth relies on continuous institutional reconfiguration and socio-cultural alignment. Full article

This study examines the determinants of city brand equity in the context of Riyadh Season, a large-scale cultural and entertainment festival in Saudi Arabia. Drawing on Aaker’s customer-based brand equity framework adapted to the city-brand context and informed by Source Credibility Theory (SCT), the study tests the direct effects of brand association, brand awareness, brand loyalty, and customer satisfaction on city brand equity, as well as the moderating role of online influencers. Survey data were collected from 991 attendees and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that brand awareness and brand loyalty significantly enhance city brand equity, whereas brand association and customer satisfaction have no significant effects. Contrary to prevailing assumptions in tourism and digital branding research, online influencers do not moderate the relationships between brand equity dimensions and overall city brand equity. These findings identify boundary conditions for influencer effectiveness and suggest that, in experience-intensive and time-bound mega-events, city brand equity is driven more by recognition and repeat attachment than by influencer-mediated communication or post-event satisfaction. The study refines city brand equity theory and offers practical guidance for policymakers and event organizers seeking to build sustainable city brands beyond influencer-centric strategies. Full article

Ridesplitting is a promising strategy to enhance vehicle efficiency in urban mobility services during mega-events. However, designing dispatching algorithms that effectively balance high service rates with acceptable passenger delays under high-demand, reservation-based scenarios remains a significant challenge. To address this issue, this study proposes a novel two-stage dispatch framework: Offline Grouping and Online Matching (OGOM). In the offline stage, the request grouping problem is formulated as a weighted hypergraph maximum matching (WHMM) problem. A sequence inference (SI) method is introduced to accelerate the construction of candidate ridesplitting trips, and the WHMM problem is solved optimally using the Gurobi solver. In the online stage, the dispatch process is completed within an event-based simulation environment built with MATSim. The framework is validated through a comprehensive case study of the Hangzhou Asian Games. The results demonstrate that the proposed OGOM framework achieves a mean service rate of 92.12%, representing an 8.74% improvement over a rolling horizon batching benchmark. Concurrently, the average passenger delay is maintained between 2 and 4 min across all simulation runs. Furthermore, the framework reduces the average request completion distance by over 30% compared to a non-ridesplitting baseline. The proposed SI method also shows a 49.35% reduction in computation time for hypergraph construction compared to conventional methods. These findings confirm that the OGOM framework provides an effective and scalable operational strategy for mega-event ridesplitting services, simultaneously improving service quality through optimized supply–demand matching and controlled passenger delays. Full article

As climate-driven disasters intensify globally, this study investigates how environmental volatility influences the pro-environmental initiatives of micro-entrepreneurs in Chile. While Chile possesses world-class seismic resilience, the 2020–2025 period marked a dramatic shift toward hydro-climatological extremes, including mega-fires and catastrophic flooding. Integrating construal level theory, protection motivation theory, and the concept of focusing events, this research examines the psychological and structural drivers of business adaptation. Results indicate that residing in disaster-prone regions is insufficient to trigger proactivity; instead, a stark distinction exists between abstract geographic proximity and the behavior triggered by personal exposure. Furthermore, mediation analysis provides mixed support for the role of business profit; while profit loss negatively mediated equipment efficiency and recycling, the magnitude was marginal. This coping gap suggests that resource-constrained actors favor low-cost survivalist tactics over systemic shifts due to depleted organizational slack. Ultimately, the study highlights that disasters are powerful but inefficient teachers; without addressing technical and financial barriers to mitigation, global supply chains remain fragile despite localized disaster experiences. Full article

Accurate forecasting of lottery sales is crucial for strategic planning in volatile consumer markets driven by trend shifts, multi-scale seasonality, and calendar effects. This study proposes a Diagnostic Decomposition–Correction Hybrid (DDC-Hybrid) framework integrating Prophet and SARIMA through a residual diagnostics and correction pipeline. Specifically, Prophet is employed to model long-term trend changes and interpretable holiday impacts, while SARIMA is subsequently used to correct the residual series, capturing short-range temporal dependence that remains statistically significant after decomposition. From an information-theoretic perspective, the framework can be viewed as a two-stage uncertainty reduction process, where decomposition extracts low-frequency informative components and residual correction harvests remaining predictive information. Using monthly lottery sales in China (2008–2025), we conduct a comprehensive evaluation of SARIMA, Prophet, and the proposed hybrid approach. The DDC-Hybrid demonstrates improved predictive accuracy, yielding the lowest error rates. Beyond predictive accuracy, we further examine varying holiday effects through statistical testing. We also find that lottery sales contain a pronounced quadrennial (48-month) seasonal cycle associated with mega-sport events, which improves long-horizon stability. The results suggest that the proposed diagnostic hybrid modeling approach enhances forecasting accuracy and provides practical insights for lottery sales management. Full article

India’s inbound tourism potential has not been fully realised, even though it has rich heritage resources, expanding air networks, and sustained policy attention. To identify the key determinants of foreign tourism demand, this study applies a novel interpretable machine learning framework, XGBoost with SHAP and ALE plots, on a panel dataset of 61 source countries to India between 2002 and 2024. Using a gravity-based tourism demand model, the analysis uncovers nonlinearities and interactions in tourism demand based on origin-country income, India’s hotel capacity, domestic and international aircraft movements, UNESCO heritage sites, mega-events, inflation, and governance indicators. Accumulated local effects (ALEs) and SHAP values were used as interpretable tools. The results show that source-country income and air connectivity are the most influential drivers of arrivals, while heritage sites and hotel rooms display clear saturation and diminishing returns, and governance and inflation exert only mild or nonlinear effects. Mega-events provide small and inconsistent short-run gains without strong persistence. The findings indicate that India’s future tourism gains lie less in further capacity expansion and more in strengthening air connectivity, strategically targeting emerging middle-income markets, and upgrading quality, governance, and price stability to convert existing assets into sustained spatially dispersed arrivals. Full article

This article examines the behavior of seismic noise fields over the Japanese islands recorded by the F-net seismic network for 1997–2025. This paper uses nonlinear noise statistics: the entropy of the wavelet coefficient distribution, the Donoho–Johnston (DJ) wavelet index, and the multifractal singularity spectrum support width. These parameters were chosen because their changes reflect the complication or simplification of the noise structure. Changes in the structure of seismic noise properties are analyzed in comparison with a sequence of strong earthquakes. Using a model of the intensity of interacting point processes, the effect of the leading of local noise property extrema relative to the seismic event times is estimated. Using the Hilbert–Huang decomposition, the synchronization of the amplitudes of the envelopes of noise property time series for different IMF levels is estimated. A sequence of weighted probability density maps of extreme values of noise properties is analyzed in comparison with the mega-earthquake of 11 March 2011 and the preparation of another possible strong seismic event. Full article

In the context of China’s “dual-carbon” strategy, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics provides a critical case for examining whether carbon-neutral commitments can be translated into measurable and lasting environmental outcomes through a closed-loop governance mechanism. This study develops an integrated analytical framework linking institutional design, policy tools, monitoring–reporting–verification (MRV), and environmental legacy, and evaluates full life-cycle carbon-neutral governance and post-event environmental performance using officially verified carbon accounting materials, governmental disclosures, and publicly available statistical data from 2016–2022. We synthesize the emission structure across preparation and Games-time phases, examine key mitigation and offset portfolios, and assess multi-dimensional environmental indicators in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, including atmospheric quality, energy structure transition, ecological restoration, and low-carbon transport systems. The results suggest that an MRV-centered governance chain strengthened accounting transparency and compliance-oriented implementation, while environmental indicators in the competition zones exhibited sustained improvement over the study period. To reduce over-attribution under concurrent national clean-air policies and macro-level environmental governance trends, we benchmarked host-zone indicators against external reference statistics and interpret the observed improvements as an “acceleration effect” under bounded inference rather than a strict net causal contribution. The findings highlight the importance of hotspot-oriented asset-chain governance (transport infrastructure and venue construction), robust MRV disclosure, and quality-controlled offsets in shaping credible environmental legacies, and provide policy implications for future mega-events seeking to balance carbon neutrality with long-term regional sustainability. Full article

This study examines how destination personality, destination experience, and destination loyalty contribute to perceived resilience in Osaka-Kansai, particularly in the contextual backdrop of Expo 2025. The purpose of the research is to develop a sustainable perspective lens for understanding destination loyalty and perceived destination resilience in vulnerable situations and mega events. The empirical analysis is based on an online survey of 198 Korean travelers who have previously visited the Osaka-Kansai area, one of the most preferred outbound destinations for this market. The study explores perceptions of destination resilience amid post-pandemic recovery, exposure to natural disasters, and the anticipated shift from mega-event driven visibility and overtourism to sustained visitor interest and loyalty. The findings provide a sustainability-oriented framework for understanding relationships and offer both theoretical and practical implications for destination management in contexts characterized by uncertainty and long-term transformation. Full article