Search Results (3,728)

Automated surface defect detection in steel manufacturing is pivotal for ensuring product quality, yet it remains an open challenge owing to the extreme heterogeneity of defect morphologies—ranging from hairline cracks and microscopic pores to elongated scratches and shallow dents. Existing approaches, whether classical vision pipelines or recent deep-learning paradigms, struggle to simultaneously satisfy the stringent demands of industrial scenarios: high accuracy on sub-millimeter flaws, insensitivity to texture-rich backgrounds, and real-time throughput on resource-constrained hardware. Although contemporary detectors have narrowed the gap, they still exhibit pronounced sensitivity–robustness trade-offs, particularly in the presence of scale-varying defects and cluttered surfaces. To address these limitations, we introduce MBY (MBDNet-Attention-YOLO), a lightweight yet powerful framework that synergistically couples the MBDNet backbone with the YOLO detection head. Specifically, the backbone embeds three novel components: (1) HGStem, a hierarchical stem block that enriches low-level representations while suppressing redundant activations; (2) Dynamic Align Fusion (DAF), an adaptive cross-scale fusion mechanism that dynamically re-weights feature contributions according to defect saliency; and (3) C2f-DWR, a depth-wise residual variant that progressively expands receptive fields without incurring prohibitive computational costs. Building upon this enriched feature hierarchy, the neck employs our proposed MultiSEAM module—a cascaded squeeze-and-excitation attention mechanism operating at multiple granularities—to harmonize fine-grained and semantic cues, thereby amplifying weak defect signals against complex textures. Finally, we integrate the Inner-SIoU loss, which refines the geometric alignment between predicted and ground-truth boxes by jointly optimizing center distance, aspect ratio consistency, and IoU overlap, leading to faster convergence and tighter localization. Extensive experiments on two publicly available steel-defect benchmarks—NEU-DET and PVEL-AD—demonstrate the superiority of MBY. Without bells and whistles, our model achieves 85.8% mAP@0.5 on NEU-DET and 75.9% mAP@0.5 on PVEL-AD, surpassing the best-reported results by significant margins while maintaining real-time inference on an NVIDIA Jetson Xavier. Ablation studies corroborate the complementary roles of each component, underscoring MBY’s robustness across defect scales and surface conditions. These results suggest that MBY strikes an appealing balance between accuracy, efficiency, and deployability, offering a pragmatic solution for next-generation industrial quality-control systems. Full article

This study investigates indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring in a student dormitory located in northern Milan (Italy) using low-cost sensors. This research compares two monitoring periods in June and October 2024 to examine common PM_2.5 vertical patterns and differences at the building level, as well as their influence on the indoor spaces at the corresponding positions. In each period, around 30 sensors were installed at various heights and orientations across indoor and outdoor spots for 2 weeks to capture spatial variations around the building. Meanwhile, qualitative surveys on occupation presence, satisfaction, and well-being were distributed in selected rooms. The analysis of PM_2.5 data reveals that the building’s lower floors tended to have slightly higher outdoor PM_2.5 concentrations, while the upper floors generally had lower PM_2.5 indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios, with the top-floor rooms often below 1. High outdoor humidity reduced PM infiltration, but when outdoor PM fell below 20 µg/m³ in these two periods, indoor sources became dominant, especially on the lower floors. Air pressure I/O differences had minimal impact on PM_2.5 I/O ratios, though slightly positive indoor pressure might help prevent indoor PM infiltration. Lower ventilation in Period-2 possibly contributed to more reported symptoms, especially in rooms with higher PM from shared kitchens. While outdoor air quality affects IAQ, occupant behavior—especially window opening and ventilation management—remains crucial in minimizing indoor pollutants. Users can also manage exposure by ventilating at night based on comfort and avoiding periods of high outdoor PM. Full article

Evaluating the renewable energy potential, such as that of solar photovoltaics (PV), is important for developing renewable energy policies. This study investigated rooftop solar PV potential in Thailand based on open-source geographic information system (GIS) building footprints, solar PV power output, and the most recent land use data (2022). GIS-based overlay analysis, buffering, fishnet modeling, and spatial join operations were applied to assess rooftop availability across various building types, taking into account PV module installation parameters and optimal panel orientation. Economic feasibility and sensitivity analyses were conducted using standard economic metrics, including net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), payback period, and benefit–cost ratio (BCR). The findings showed a total rooftop solar PV power generation potential of 50.32 TWh/year, equivalent to 25.5% of Thailand’s total electricity demand in 2022. The Central region contributed the highest potential (19.59 TWh/year, 38.94%), followed by the Northeastern (10.49 TWh/year, 20.84%), Eastern (8.16 TWh/year, 16.22%), Northern (8.09 TWh/year, 16.09%), and Southern regions (3.99 TWh/year, 7.92%). Both commercial and industrial sectors reflect the financial viability of rooftop PV installations and significantly contribute to the overall energy output. These results demonstrate the importance of incorporating rooftop solar PV in renewable energy policy development in regions with similar data infrastructure, particularly the availability of detailed and standardized land use data for building type classification. Full article

Accurate forecasting of tropical cyclone (TC) tracks is critical for disaster preparedness and risk mitigation. While traditional numerical weather prediction (NWP) systems have long served as the backbone of operational forecasting, they face limitations in computational cost and sensitivity to initial conditions. In recent years, deep learning (DL) has emerged as a promising alternative, offering data-driven modeling capabilities for capturing nonlinear spatiotemporal patterns. This paper presents a comprehensive review of DL-based approaches for TC track forecasting. We categorize all DL-based TC tracking models according to the architecture, including recurrent neural networks (RNNs), convolutional neural networks (CNNs), Transformers, graph neural networks (GNNs), generative models, and Fourier-based operators. To enable rigorous performance comparison, we introduce a Unified Geodesic Distance Error (UGDE) metric that standardizes evaluation across diverse studies and lead times. Based on this metric, we conduct a critical comparison of state-of-the-art models and identify key insights into their relative strengths, limitations, and suitable application scenarios. Building on this framework, we conduct a critical cross-model analysis that reveals key trends, performance disparities, and architectural tradeoffs. Our analysis also highlights several persistent challenges, such as long-term forecast degradation, limited physical integration, and generalization to extreme events, pointing toward future directions for developing more robust and operationally viable DL models for TC track forecasting. To support reproducibility and facilitate standardized evaluation, we release an open-source UGDE conversion tool on GitHub. Full article

This study investigates the effectiveness of passive design in low-rise residential buildings located in arid desert climates, using the Dubai Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) competition as a case study. This full-scale experiment offers a unique opportunity to evaluate design solutions under controlled, realistic conditions; prescriptive, modeled performance; and monitored performance assessments. The prescriptive assessment reviews geometry, orientation, envelope thermal properties, and shading. Most houses adopt compact forms, with envelope-to-volume and envelope-to-floor area ratios averaging 1 and 3.7, respectively, and window-to-wall ratios of approximately 17%, favoring north-facing openings to optimize daylight while reducing heat gain. Shading is strategically applied, horizontal on south façades and vertical on east and west. The thermal properties significantly exceed the local code requirements, with wall performance up to 80% better than that mandated. The modeled assessment uses Building Energy Models (BEMs) to simulate the impact of prescriptive measures on energy performance. Three variations are applied: assigning minimum local code requirements to all the houses to isolate the geometry (baseline); removing shading; and applying actual envelope properties. Geometry alone accounts for up to 60% of the variation in cooling intensity; shading reduces loads by 6.5%, and enhanced envelopes lower demand by 14%. The monitored assessment uses contest-period data. Indoor temperatures remain stable (22–25 °C) despite outdoor fluctuations. Energy use confirms that houses with good designs and airtightness have lower cooling loads. Airtightness varies widely (avg. 14.5 m³/h/m²), with some well-designed houses underperforming due to construction flaws. These findings highlight the critical role of passive design as the first layer for improving the energy performance of the built environment and advancing toward net-zero targets, specifically in arid desert climates. Full article

Participation in organized sport is widely encouraged for youth development, yet positive outcomes are not guaranteed. Parents play a pivotal role in shaping young athletes’ experiences, requiring emotional support, interpersonal skills, and self-regulation. This study examines the meanings parents attribute to their children’s sports participation and how young athletes construct their experiences under parental and coaching influences. An interpretive phenomenological methodology involved semi-structured interviews with coaches, focus groups with parents, and open-ended questionnaires to young athletes. Seventeen players (M = 11.2 years, SD = 0.59), nineteen parents (M = 47.6 years, SD = 3.61), and two coaches from the same football club volunteered to participate in the study. Participants were selected through purposive sampling to ensure a homogeneous experience. The findings reveal that parental involvement balances support and pressure, while trust-building between parents and coaches significantly impacts the athletes’ experiences. The evolving role of technology and the importance of social dynamics within teams also emerged as critical factors. Intrinsic motivation, fostering emotional bonding through the sport, and adopting a developmental rather than purely competitive framework were emphasized factors identified as supporting positive youth sport experiences. These findings offer insights into how interconnected relationships among parents, coaches, and athletes influence children’s sports engagement and development. Full article

Under the dual challenges of global energy crisis and climate change, the building sector, as a major carbon emitter consuming 33% of global primary energy, has seen its energy efficiency optimization become a critical pathway towards achieving carbon neutrality goals. The Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR), serving as a core parameter in building envelope design, directly influences building energy consumption, with its optimized design playing a decisive role in balancing natural daylighting, ventilation efficiency, and thermal comfort. This study focuses on the traditional One-Seal dwellings (Yikeyin) in Kunming, China, establishing a dynamic wind field-thermal environment coupled analysis framework to investigate the impact mechanism of window dimensions (WWR and aspect ratio) on indoor thermal comfort under natural wind conditions in transitional climate zones. Utilizing the Grasshopper platform integrated with Ladybug, Honeybee, and Butterfly plugins, we developed parametric models incorporating Kunming’s Energy Plus Weather meteorological data. EnergyPlus and OpenFOAM were employed, respectively, for building heat-moisture balance calculations and Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations, with particular emphasis on analyzing the effects of varying WWR (0.05–0.20) on temperature-humidity, air velocity, and ventilation efficiency during typical winter and summer weeks. Key findings include, (1) in summer, the baseline scenario with WWR = 0.1 achieves a dynamic thermal-humidity balance (20.89–24.27 °C, 65.35–74.22%) through a “air-permeable but non-ventilative” strategy, though wing rooms show humidity-heat accumulation risks; increasing WWR to 0.15–0.2 enhances ventilation efficiency (2–3 times higher air changes) but causes a 4.5% humidity surge; (2) winter conditions with WWR ≥ 0.15 reduce wing room temperatures to 17.32 °C, approaching cold thresholds, while WWR = 0.05 mitigates heat loss but exacerbates humidity accumulation; (3) a symmetrical layout structurally constrains central ventilation, maintaining main halls air changes below one Air Change per Hour (ACH). The study proposes an optimized WWR range of 0.1–0.15 combined with asymmetric window opening strategies, providing quantitative guidance for validating the scientific value of vernacular architectural wisdom in low-energy design. Full article

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent disorder linked to metabolic complications such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. By fragmenting normal sleep architecture, OSA perturbs the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor (GH/IGF) axis and alters circulating levels of IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs). A prior clinical observation of elevated IGFBP4 in OSA patients motivated the present investigation in a controlled animal model. Building on the previously reported protocol, OSA was induced in male C57BL/6 mice (9–12 weeks old) through intralingual injection of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), producing tongue hypertrophy, intermittent airway obstruction, and hypoxemia. After 8–10 weeks, the study assessed (1) hypoxia biomarkers—including HIF-1α and VEGF expression—and (2) neurobehavioral outcomes in anxiety and cognition using the open-field and novel object recognition tests. PTFE-treated mice exhibited a significant increase in circulating IGFBP4 versus both baseline and control groups. Hepatic Igfbp4 mRNA was also upregulated. Behaviorally, PTFE mice displayed heightened anxiety-like behavior and impaired novel object recognition, paralleling cognitive deficits reported in human OSA. These findings validate the PTFE-induced model as a tool for studying OSA-related hypoxia and neurocognitive dysfunction, and they underscore IGFBP4 as a promising biomarker and potential mediator of OSA’s systemic effects. Full article

Previous reviews have examined specific facets of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in transportation planning, such as transit-focused applications and open source geospatial tools. However, this study offers the first systematic, PRISMA-guided longitudinal evaluation of GIS integration in transportation planning, spanning thematic domains, data models, methodologies, and outcomes from 2004 to 2024. This study addresses this gap through a longitudinal analysis of GIS-based transportation research from 2004 to 2024, adhering to PRISMA guidelines. By conducting a mixed-methods analysis of 241 peer-reviewed articles, this study delineates major trends, such as increased emphasis on sustainability, equity, stakeholder involvement, and the incorporation of advanced technologies. Prominent domains include land use–transportation coordination, accessibility, artificial intelligence, real-time monitoring, and policy evaluation. Expanded data sources, such as real-time sensor feeds and 3D models, alongside sophisticated modeling techniques, enable evidence-based, multifaceted decision-making. However, challenges like data limitations, ethical concerns, and the need for specialized expertise persist, particularly in developing regions. Future geospatial innovations should prioritize the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, inclusive capacity building, and environmental justice to foster equitable and efficient transportation systems. This review highlights GIS’s evolution from a supplementary tool to a cornerstone of data-driven, sustainable urban mobility planning, offering insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to advance transportation strategies that align with equity and sustainability goals. Full article

Satellite communications are pivotal to global Internet access, connectivity, and the advancement of information warfare. Despite these importance, the open nature of satellite channels makes them vulnerable to eavesdropping, making the enhancement of interception resistance in satellite communications a critical issue in both academic and industrial circles. Within the realm of satellite communications, polarization modulation and quadrature techniques are essential for information transmission and interference suppression. To boost electromagnetic countermeasures in complex battlefield scenarios, this paper integrates multi-parameter weighted-type fractional Fourier transform (MP-WFRFT) with directional modulation (DM) algorithms, building upon polarization techniques. Initially, the operational mechanisms of the polarization-amplitude-phase modulation (PAPM), MP-WFRFT, and DM algorithms are elucidated. Secondly, it introduces a novel variable polarization-amplitude-phase modulation (VPAPM) scheme that integrates variable polarization with amplitude-phase modulation. Subsequently, leveraging the VPAPM modulation scheme, an exploration of the anti-interception capabilities of MP-WFRFT through parameter adjustment is presented. Rooted in an in-depth analysis of simulation data, the anti-scanning capabilities of MP-WFRFT are assessed in terms of scale vectors in the horizontal and vertical direction. Finally, exploiting the potential of the robust anti-scanning capabilities of MP-WFRFT and the directional property of antenna arrays in DM, the paper proposes a secure transmission technique employing directional variable polarization modulation with MP-WFRFT. The performance simulation analysis demonstrates that the integration of MP-WFRFT and DM significantly outperforms individual secure transmission methods, improving anti-interception performance by at least an order of magnitude at signal-to-noise ratios above 10 dB. Consequently, this approach exhibits considerable potential and engineering significance for its application within satellite communication systems. Full article

The life-cycle carbon emissions (LCCE) assessment of dairy barns is crucial for identifying low-carbon transition pathways and promoting the sustainable development of the dairy industry. We applied a life cycle assessment approach integrated with building information modeling and EnergyPlus to establish a full life cycle inventory of the material quantities and energy consumption for dairy barns. The LCCE was quantified from the production to end-of-life stages using the carbon equivalent of dairy barns (CEDB) as the functional unit, expressed in kg CO₂e head⁻¹ year⁻¹. A carbon emission assessment model was developed based on the “building–process–energy” framework. The LCCE of the open barn and the lower profile cross-ventilated (LPCV) barn were 152 kg CO₂e head⁻¹ year⁻¹ and 229 kg CO₂e head⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively. Operational carbon emissions (OCE) accounted for the largest share of LCCE, contributing 57% and 74%, respectively. For embodied carbon emissions (ECE), the production of building materials dominated, representing 91% and 87% of the ECE, respectively. Regarding carbon mitigation strategies, the use of extruded polystyrene boards reduced carbon emissions by 45.67% compared with stone wool boards and by 36% compared with polyurethane boards. Employing a manure pit emptying system reduced carbon emissions by 76% and 74% compared to manure scraping systems. Additionally, the adoption of clean electricity resulted in a 33% reduction in OCE, leading to an overall LCCE reduction of 22% for the open barn and 26% for the LPCV barn. This study introduces the CEDB to evaluate low-carbon design strategies for dairy barns, integrating building layout, ventilation systems, and energy sources in a unified assessment approach, providing valuable insights for the low-carbon transition of agricultural buildings. Full article

An analysis of Albanian Muslims in Italy provides a compelling case study of communities perceived as marginal. Studies of Muslims in Italy tend to focus on the majority and chronologically older groups within the country’s Islamic landscape, particularly those from Asia and Africa. In addition to providing a better understanding of Islam in Italy, a study of the identity and community-building issues of the Albanian community of origin offers many insights into that community’s complexity. Albanians in Italy have a very specific historical and religious heritage; so, analyzing their roots and community-building processes helps us to better understand the development of Islam on the margins of large national organizations and majority groups. This article presents the results of the first national study of Albanian Muslims in Italy. Online interviews and field observations were conducted in 2024 within the Union of Muslim Albanians in Italy (Unione degli Albanesi Musulmani in Italia—UAMI), using the ethnographic method. The Association has fewer members compared with national level organizations. It was founded in 2009 to address specific issues related to the management of Muslim Albanian religious identity. The Association has sought to address the fragmentation of religion and Albanian nationalism, a consequence of a long period of state atheism, and to counter the literalist and radical tendencies in the interpretation of religion that have emerged in Albania since the collapse of the communist regime. In addition to these challenges, the Association has also tackled issues related to the Islamic religion in its local and global dimensions. The analysis of these challenges and the ways to deal with them offers a new framework in the Italian Islamic panorama, despite its marginality. The results of this research point to the emergence of new forms of rooting and belonging characterized by spirituality over orthopraxis. These forms adopt a religious approach open to diversity and pluralism. Full article

Cold-formed steel (CFS) channel beams are increasingly used as primary structural elements in modern construction due to their lightweight and high-strength characteristics. To accommodate building services, these members often feature perforations—typically circular and unstiffened—produced by punching. Recent studies indicate that adding edge stiffeners, particularly around circular web openings, can improve flexural strength. Extending this idea, attention has shifted to hexagonal web perforations; however, limited research exists on the bending performance of hexagonal cold-formed steel channel beams (HCFSBs). This study presents a detailed nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis to evaluate and compare the flexural behaviour of HCFSBs with unstiffened (HUH) and edge-stiffened (HEH) hexagonal openings. The FE models were validated against experimental results and expanded to include a comprehensive parametric study with 810 simulations. Results show that HEH beams achieve, on average, a 10% increase in moment capacity compared to HUH beams. However, when evaluated using current Direct Strength Method (DSM) provisions, moment capacities were underestimated by up to 47%, particularly in cases governed by lateral–torsional or distortional buckling. A reliability analysis confirmed that the proposed design equations yield accurate and dependable strength predictions. Full article

Over recent decades, phase-change materials (PCMs) have gained prominence as latent-heat thermal energy storage systems in building envelopes because of their high energy density. However, only PCMs that complete a full daily charge–discharge cycle can deliver meaningful energy and carbon-emission savings. This simulation study introduces a methodology that simultaneously optimizes PCM integration for storage efficiency, indoor thermal comfort, and energy savings. Two new indicators are proposed: overall storage efficiency (EC_n), which consolidates heating and cooling-efficiency ratios into a single value, and the performance factor (PF), which quantifies the PCM’s effectiveness in maintaining thermal comfort. Using EnergyPlus v8.9 coupled with DesignBuilder, a residential ASHRAE 90.1 mid-rise apartment was modeled in six warm-temperate (Cfb) European cities for the summer period from June 1 to August 31. Four paraffin PCMs (RT-22/25/28/31 HC, 20 mm thickness) were tested under natural and controlled ventilation strategies, with windows opening 50% when outdoor air was at least 2 °C cooler than indoors. Simulation outputs were validated against experimental cubicle data, yielding a mean absolute indoor temperature error ≤ 4.5%, well within the ±5% tolerance commonly accepted for building thermal simulations. The optimum configuration—RT-25 HC with temperature-controlled ventilation—achieved PF = 1.0 (100% comfort compliance) in all six cities and delivered summer cooling-energy savings of up to 3376 kWh in Paris, the highest among the locations studied. Carbon-emission reductions reached 2254 kg CO₂-e year⁻¹, and static payback periods remained below the assumed 50-year building life at a per kg PCM cost of USD 1. The EC_n–PF framework, therefore, provides a transparent basis for selecting cost-effective, energy-efficient, and low-carbon PCM solutions in warm-temperate buildings. Full article

In this position paper, we argue that the conventional understanding of ‘information’ (as generally conceived in science, in a digital fashion) is overly simplistic and not consistently applicable to living systems, which are open systems that cannot be reduced to any kind of ‘portion’ (building block) ascribed to the category of quantity. Instead, it is a matter of relationships and qualities in an indivisible analogical (and ontological) relationship between any presumed ‘software’ and ‘hardware’ (information/matter, psyche/soma). Furthermore, in biological systems, contrary to Shannon’s definition, which is well-suited to telecommunications and informatics, any kind of ‘information’ is the opposite of internal entropy, as it depends directly on order: it is associated with distinction and differentiation, rather than flattening and homogenisation. Moreover, the high degree of structural compartmentalisation of living matter prevents its energetics from being thermodynamically described by using a macroscopic, bulk state function. This requires the Second Principle of Thermodynamics to be redefined in order to make it applicable to living systems. For these reasons, any static, bit-related concept of ‘information’ is inadequate, as it fails to consider the system’s evolution, it being, in essence, the organized coupling to its own environment. From the perspective of quantum field theory (QFT), where many vacuum levels, symmetry breaking, dissipation, coherence and phase transitions can be described, a consistent picture emerges that portrays any living system as a relational process that exists as a flux of context-dependent meanings. This epistemological shift is also associated with a transition away from the ‘particle view’ (first quantisation) characteristic of quantum mechanics (QM) towards the ‘field view’ possible only in QFT (second quantisation). This crucial transition must take place in life sciences, particularly regarding the methodological approaches. Foremost because biological systems cannot be conceived as ‘objects’, but rather as non-confinable processes and relationships. Full article