Search Results (553)

The building renovation sector is under growing pressure to balance environmental responsibility, economic efficiency, and occupant well-being simultaneously. Existing evaluation approaches are predominantly finance-driven, marginalising ecological and social dimensions. This study develops and validates a parametric multi-criteria assessment framework for building renovation elements, structured around the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, and social. A dataset of 33 renovation elements—encompassing green façade systems, extensive and intensive green roofs, interior wall, floor, and ceiling solutions, and exterior envelope and site components—was compiled and digitized as BIM objects in ArchiCAD 26, enriched with non-graphic parameters including cost, lifespan, recyclability, eco-index, maintenance effort, and qualitative social descriptors. Parameters were aggregated using type-specific logic: additive summation for economic indicators, minimum-value selection for lifespan, arithmetic mean for environmental indicators, and descriptive consolidation for social attributes. Five renovation scenarios (A–E), each composed of nine elements, were evaluated to demonstrate how the sustainability profile changes with selection priorities. Scenarios A, B, and C confirmed single-dimension dominance (environmental, economic, and social, respectively), Scenario D achieved a balanced three-pillar profile, and Scenario E revealed a latent economic bias in an apparently random element selection. The framework is scalable and extensible, and its data structure may provide a basis for future exploration of integration with BIM environments. Full article

This study develops a comprehensive analytical framework to predict the flexural behavior of externally prestressed steel–concrete composite I-girders (EPCIBs) subjected to positive bending. The analytical model is formulated using strain compatibility and internal force equilibrium and accounts for elastic–plastic behavior of concrete, structural steel, and external tendons. Validation against three independent experimental programs demonstrated strong accuracy, with differences in ultimate moment within 5–8%, mid-span deflection within 6–10%, and tendon stress increments within less than 6% compared with measured results. Additional validation against nonlinear ABAQUS finite element (FE) models confirmed similar accuracy, with ultimate moment discrepancies generally below 8%. A comprehensive parametric study quantified the sensitivity of EPCIB behavior to span length, shear-span ratio, prestressing level, concrete slab properties, and steel-section geometry. Increasing the initial prestressing force from 160 kN to 300 kN increased the ultimate moment capacity by 10–15% and reduced service-level deflection by 18%. Increasing slab thickness from 60 mm to 120 mm enhanced capacity from 230 kN·m to 380 kN·m (a 65% increase), while increasing slab width from 600 mm to 1200 mm produced a moderate 10–12% capacity gain. Enhancing steel section dimensions showed the highest influence: increasing bottom-flange width from 200 mm to 300 mm increased strength by 30–35%, increasing bottom-flange thickness from 8 mm to 14 mm improved capacity by 55–60%, and increasing web depth from 200 mm to 400 mm more than doubled the flexural capacity (up to 150% increase, reaching 780–800 kN·m). Web-thickness variations (4–8 mm) produced smaller gains of 25–30%. Full article

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance has become a central criterion for evaluating corporate sustainability. Yet the empirical relationship between ESG and financial performance remains contested, especially in emerging markets where institutions are evolving. This study examines how ESG performance relates to corporate financial performance among Chinese A-share listed companies and tests whether corporate innovation functions as a transmission mechanism. Using a balanced panel (2015–2023), we combine System Generalized Method of Moments (System GMM) with a non-parametric Bootstrap mediation procedure. We decompose ESG into environmental, social, and governance dimensions and distinguish between innovation input (R&D investment) and innovation output (patent generation). The results indicate a positive directional association between overall ESG performance and return on assets (ROA), but the direct financial effect is primarily driven by the governance dimension. Environmental and social performance do not show robust direct effects. However, ESG significantly promotes corporate innovation, especially patent output. Bootstrap mediation results confirm that patents represent a robust and universal channel through which ESG contributes to financial performance, while the R&D pathway is more conditional. The findings also indicate ownership heterogeneity between state-owned and private enterprises. By distinguishing between innovation input and output, this study explains how ESG practices may be translated into economic value in an emerging market context distinct from advanced economies. Full article

We characterize when exponential reweightings of a no-signalling CHSH probability box preserve no-signalling. While such tilts are automatically positive and normalized within each measurement setting, they can modify cross-setting marginals and thereby introduce signalling into the probability table. We identify a four-dimensional setting-only redundancy in the residual parametrization, derive the exact nonlinear compatibility conditions for no-signalling preservation, and obtain the linearized no-signalling constraint around a no-signalling reference box. For the unbiased Tsirelson CHSH box, we compute the linearized constraint in closed form and show that the admissible tangent space has dimension twelve before quotienting and dimension eight after quotienting by the setting-only redundancy, matching the standard dimension of binary no-signalling boxes. Exact-probability calculations confirm the predicted scaling: generic residual directions produce first-order no-signalling leakage, while admissible tangent directions suppress the leakage to second order. We further show that local-additive residuals, despite their algebraic locality, are not generically no-signalling safe. These results give a sharp first-order admissibility criterion for exponential tilts of Bell probability boxes. Full article

This paper presents Geo-Esthetics, an application-oriented workflow that uses remote sensing imagery as source morphology for generative design. The study addresses a design problem: how can large-scale terrestrial textures be extracted, abstracted, and organized as pattern references for parametric and visual design? Nine representative geomorphological settings were selected. For each case, Sentinel-2 imagery was cropped into a 2 km × 2 km geographic window, enhanced using spectral-index selection and Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE), and used as an image prompt in Midjourney v6.0. A consistent prompt structure and parameter setting were applied. Four variants were generated for each case and screened according to topological fidelity, level of abstraction, and design applicability. Box-counting dimension and lacunarity were calculated to compare morphological complexity between source images and generated patterns. The cases show that hydrological, tectonic, desert, agricultural, and reef morphologies can be translated into design-oriented pattern prototypes for paving, façades, interfaces, acoustic elements, and biomimetic surfaces. The contribution of this work lies mainly in design methodology: it provides a documented workflow for connecting Earth observation data, generative AI, and design ideation, while retaining clear boundaries around model reproducibility, prompt sensitivity, case representativeness, and perceptual evaluation. Full article

In recent decades, residential mobility has emerged as a fundamental interpretative key lens for understanding contemporary urban transformations, particularly in polycentric and fragmented urban contexts. Movements between different residential settings reflect economic, social and cultural changes, impacting the organisation of urban spaces, the demand for services and mobility systems. In territories characterised by dispersed settlement patterns and strong functional polarisation, these dynamics tend to promote the intensive use of private means, with consequent negative impacts on environmental sustainability, social equity and economic efficiency. In response to these critical issues, there is growing interest in sustainable mobility models based on proximity and on the integration between daily travel, access to services and the quality of public space. Within this perspective, greenways are configured as hybrid infrastructures, capable of reorganising mobility while contributing to the regeneration of urban spaces. In the Caserta area, in the Campania region, the disused route of the former Alifana railway represents a topic of great interest, both for research and planning. Its potential strategic conversion into a greenway opens a broader perspective than that so far considered at the regional level, which has mainly focused on the infrastructure dimension. The paper analyses the strengths and weaknesses of an approach limited to infrastructural mobility, proposing a comparative evaluation of project scenarios—including the non-intervention hypothesis—both through the application of the MACBETH approach and preliminary parametric estimation of construction costs, in order to emphasise the importance of integrating social and environmental benefits, as well as quality of life, into decision-making processes. Full article

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) performed by family physicians on the management of abdominal pain in the emergency department, assessing its effect on length of stay, performance of complementary diagnostic tests, diagnostic concordance, and patient satisfaction. Methods: Quasi-experimental pilot study with a control group conducted in a hospital emergency department. A total of 222 adult patients with abdominal pain were included and allocated according to the attending professional (with or without ultrasound training). Clinical, care-related, and patient-satisfaction variables (SERVPERF questionnaire) were analyzed. Non-parametric statistical tests were used, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed. Results: The POCUS group showed a shorter length of stay (3.46 vs. 4.41 h; p = 0.022) and a lower number of plain radiographies (16.8% vs. 69.9%; p < 0.001) and CT scans (p = 0.034). Diagnostic concordance was significantly higher in the experimental group (99.2% vs. 75.7%; p < 0.001). Overall satisfaction with received care was also higher in the intervention group (p < 0.001), with significant differences observed across all evaluated dimensions. The multivariate model explained 26.6% of the variability, with patient satisfaction emerging as a positive predictor. Conclusions: POCUS improves the quality of care in emergency departments by reducing length of stay and the use of complementary diagnostic tests while increasing diagnostic accuracy and patient satisfaction. Its implementation can be considered an effective and potentially cost-effective strategy; however, further studies with greater methodological robustness are required to validate the development of standardized composite indexes. Full article

The current use of artificial light during the natural dark phase has acquired contaminant dimensions, known as “light pollution”. It is well known that exposure to dim light at night (dLAN) during the postnatal period severely impairs the immune system and related organs, but few reports have demonstrated the effects of dLAN during the fetal period. This study, therefore, examines whether exposure to dim light at night during two critical developmental windows (i.e., prenatal and postnatal periods) leads to long-lasting dysregulation of circadian, behavioral, and immune organization, as well as spleen immune responses, in early adulthood. To address this question, these outcomes were assessed using two defined sampling time points. To answer this question, we exposed two groups of C57BL/6J male mice to dim night light during the gestational and postnatal periods and compared them with control groups that were exposed to light–dark conditions (12 h each, LD). Parametric and non-parametric activity/rest values were analyzed with circular statistics. Compared to their controls, we found differences in alpha, onset, offset, M10, and L5 start time in dLAN groups. We also assessed the transcript levels of clock genes and inflammatory mediators in spleen tissue and found a dampening of daily variation in mRNA expression in both experimental groups. Finally, we used an ovalbumin (OVA) allergy challenge to test the B-cell response in the spleen and found a significantly higher cell recruitment to the spleen and more anti-OVA IgE. Together, these results clearly show that dLAN, at two ZT sampling points, affects peripheral molecular clocks and responses in the spleen, and that these effects are independent of the life stage at which exposure to dim light at night occurs. Full article

A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is conducted to systematically investigate heat transfer enhancement in tubes fitted with grooved twisted tapes and to identify the groove geometry that provides the best thermo-hydraulic performance. Three grooved twisted tape configurations—circular-grooved twisted tapes (CGTT), rectangular-grooved twisted tapes (RGTT), and triangular-grooved twisted tapes (TGTT)—are evaluated and compared with a smooth tube and a conventional twisted tape over a Reynolds number range of 5000–20,000 under isothermal wall conditions. The grooved twisted tapes enhance heat transfer through the combined effects of swirl-induced secondary flows and groove-generated flow disturbances, which intensify turbulent mixing and reduce the thickness of the thermal boundary layer. Compared with the plain tube, the grooved configurations increase the Nusselt number by 1.472–1.98 times while increasing the friction factor by 3.21–3.58 times. Relative to the conventional twisted tape, the grooved designs provide an additional 8.0–12.1% enhancement in heat transfer with only a marginal increase of 0.2–1.5% in friction factor. The thermodynamic analysis indicates that the CGTT configuration exhibits the lowest entropy generation rate and exergy loss throughout the investigated Reynolds number range. In particular, the CGTT achieves a Bejan number of 0.999841 at Re = 5000, demonstrating an excellent balance between heat transfer enhancement and frictional losses. Furthermore, the CGTT attains the highest thermal performance factor (TPF) of 1.294 at Re = 5000 and maintains TPF > 1.0 over the entire Reynolds number range. The overall performance ranking is consistently established as CGTT > TGTT > RGTT based on comprehensive analyses of velocity fields, streamline patterns, turbulent kinetic energy distributions, temperature contours, and thermodynamic characteristics. Although the present study identifies the circular-groove configuration as the optimal design for a twist ratio (y/W) of 3.0, further parametric investigations involving variations in twist ratio, groove dimensions, and groove pitch are required to develop generalized design guidelines. Full article

Background/Objectives: Standard mechanical compression applied during screening mammography is a primary barrier that reduces patient compliance. Current guidelines attempt to standardize compression based solely on the one-dimensional “breast thickness” measured by the device. This study aimed to investigate the effects of three-axis anatomical breast dimensions, applied compression force, menstrual cycle phases, and BI-RADS breast density patterns on pain scores during mammography within a comprehensive biomechanical model. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 443 female patients who underwent routine screening or diagnostic mammography. Patients with a history of breast implants, lactation, or prior breast surgery that could alter tissue biomechanics were excluded. Maximum pain scores (1–10 on a Visual Analog Scale [VAS]) were recorded. Transverse, anteroposterior, and superoinferior breast biometric measurements for each patient were calculated using advanced radiological workstations. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA and Multiple Linear Regression (OLS) models. Results: The mean age of the participants was 49.7 ± 9.4 years, the mean applied compression force was 62.4 ± 10.3 N, and the mean pain score was 2.03 ± 2.12 (range: 1–10). The multiple linear regression analysis was statistically significant overall (F = 2.516, p = 0.015). Having a BI-RADS Type D (extremely dense) breast pattern was identified as the strongest independent factor associated with an increased pain score (p = 0.082, coefficient = 1.219). Age showed a trend toward a negative effect on pain (p = 0.072), while compression force showed a trend toward a positive effect (p = 0.067). Conversely, breast thickness (p = 0.231) and the three-dimensional mean breast size index (p = 0.568) demonstrated no independent predictive power. The menstrual cycle phase did not reach independent significance in the multivariate regression model (p = 0.117); however, non-parametric univariate analysis revealed a significant difference in pain across hormonal groups (Kruskal–Wallis H = 10.04, p = 0.039), with actively menstruating and luteal-phase women reporting higher pain than menopausal women. Conclusions: The pain experienced during mammography depends on the internal fibroglandular architecture (elasticity and stiffness) of the tissue rather than its external volumetric dimensions. Notably, neither device-measured breast thickness nor manually calculated three-dimensional breast dimensions independently predicted pain, challenging the widespread assumption that breast size drives mammographic discomfort. “One-size-fits-all” or thickness-based compression strategies should be abandoned in routine practice. Instead, “personalized compression” protocols that prioritize patient comfort without compromising image quality should be developed, particularly for younger patients and those with BI-RADS Type D, and to a lesser extent Type C, density patterns. Full article

This study introduces a spatiotemporal framework at the district level in Indonesia to examine and forecast stunting prevalence. The empirical analysis draws on data from 514 districts observed over 2022–2024, with short-term projections extended to 2025–2027 in line with the SDG 2.2 agenda. The modeling methodology is based on a Bayesian spatiotemporal formulation with the SPDE-INLA method. Instead of handling spatial and temporal lags separately, the model simultaneously incorporates them to reflect dependencies that change across both dimensions. This structure facilitates a more flexible representation of underlying risk dynamics. To improve prediction performance, we augment the baseline model with a hybrid component. Specifically, residual variation from the Bayesian specification is further explored using machine learning methods, providing an additional layer of adjustment. Spatial dependence is assessed through three alternative weighting schemes—KNN, Queen contiguity, and distance-based matrices—which are compared prior to selecting the final specification. The empirical specification includes nine key predictors within a semi-parametric framework. Several covariates are allowed to depart from strict linearity by accommodating time-varying effects. Three algorithms were evaluated during the prediction process to determine their abilities to capture the residual structure: XGBoost, Random Forest, and Elastic Net. Spatiotemporal clustering is examined through exceedance probabilities, resulting in the identification of seven unique cluster patterns. The findings consistently indicate that poverty is the main factor influencing stunting dynamics, with evident regional spillovers and temporal variations. Persistent hotspots are primarily located in eastern Indonesia. From a predictive standpoint, the hybrid specification—particularly the variant based on XGBoost—delivers the most stable performance. The forecast results indicate a gradual reduction in stunting prevalence throughout the forecast period. This study establishes persistent geographic inequalities in child nutrition risk and translates them into district-specific intervention priorities, providing decision-support information to further SDG Target 2.2 and its relationships with SDGs 1, 3, 4, and 6. Full article

In sustainability and environmental performance assessment, as in many other multidimensional policy contexts, Benefit of the Doubt (BoD) composite indicators are widely used to compare units across multiple dimensions. However, their interpretation remains limited when panel data are available. In these settings, observed changes over time may reflect two distinct sources: a unit may move closer to cumulative best practices, thereby generating a catch-up effect, or the best-practice frontier itself may evolve, generating a benchmark shift effect. The present paper proposes a dynamic decomposition framework that separates these two components. Building on the reference technology approach pioneered by Tulkens and Vanden Eeckaut, the BoD setting is adapted to include contemporaneous, sequential, and intertemporal frontiers. This yields three indices that satisfy an exact multiplicative decomposition at the unit level. The framework is fully non-parametric, producing unit-specific measures of catch-up alongside a cross-sectional summary measure of benchmark shift. The results of simulation experiments conducted under pure benchmark shift, pure catch-up, and mixed dynamics demonstrate the efficacy of the method in accurately recovering the underlying data-generating processes. As an empirical illustration, the framework is applied to renewable energy performance across European Union countries over the period 2015–2024, using Eurostat SHARES (Short assessment of renewable energy sources) data. The empirical results indicate an average annual benchmark expansion of approximately 3.3%, together with heterogeneous catch-up dynamics across country groups. Full article

A structurally simple three-layer optical absorber is proposed and systematically investigated, consisting of a continuous Ti ground plane, a SiO₂ dielectric spacer, and a Ti tetrahedral nanostructure. The absorber is constructed on a periodic square unit cell, where the lateral dimension directly determines the base width and sidewall inclination angle of the tetrahedral structure, thereby enabling effective modulation of the optical response. Full-wave electromagnetic simulations performed using COMSOL Multiphysics (version 6.0) are employed to evaluate the influence of geometric parameters on broadband absorption behavior. The optimized structure achieves a near-unity absorptivity of 0.9999 at 200 nm and maintains an effective absorption bandwidth (absorptivity > 0.9) spanning 200–3000 nm, covering the ultraviolet, visible, and near-infrared spectral regions. Parametric analysis reveals that the tetrahedral height primarily governs long-wavelength extension through enhanced optical path length, graded-index transition, and improved electromagnetic field confinement, while the unit cell width strongly influences impedance matching and localized field localization. In contrast, the Ti ground layer thickness exhibits minimal influence once it exceeds the optical skin depth, confirming its primary role as a transmission-blocking reflective substrate. Impedance retrieval analysis shows that the real part of the normalized impedance remains close to unity and the imaginary part approaches zero over most of the operating range, demonstrating that the ultrabroadband absorption behavior is dominated by effective impedance matching rather than isolated narrowband resonances. Furthermore, electric and magnetic field distribution analyses reveal that electromagnetic energy dissipation is concentrated near the tetrahedral apex and metal–dielectric interfaces, indicating the coexistence of localized plasmonic modes, cavity-assisted absorption, and multi-scale optical confinement. Full article

For the sake of investigating the theoretical design optimization of high-rise plane frames, an optimization model was established by taking the minimum top-story lateral displacement as the objective function and treating material strength, story height, and span length as design variables. The design parameters of the frame were optimized using an Assimilation–Competition Quantum-behaved Particle Swarm Optimization (ACQPSO) algorithm. First, the accuracy and computational efficiency of the ACQPSO algorithm were evaluated using four benchmark functions. Then, a five-span, seven-story reinforced-concrete plane frame with a total span of 24 m and a total height of 34 m was taken as a case study. The cross-sectional dimensions of the beams and columns were determined according to relevant design specifications, and the top-story lateral displacement calculated by the D-value method was verified using the Finite Element Method (FEM), confirming its accuracy and effectiveness. Finally, a parametric analysis was carried out to investigate the effects of material strength, story height, span length, and member cross-sectional dimensions on the objective function. The results indicate that story height and column concrete strength have a greater influence on the top-story lateral displacement, whereas the effect of span length is relatively small. In addition, the cross-sectional dimensions of beams and columns affect the top-story lateral displacement more significantly than beam strength. Full article

Background/Objectives Occupational burnout is a significant health concern among healthcare professionals, particularly among nurses working in anesthesiology and intensive care units who are exposed to high psychological workload. Previous studies indicate a relationship between burnout and deteriorating mental health; however, the role of individual burnout dimensions in shaping overall mental health remains insufficiently explored. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 842 nurses working in anesthesiology and intensive care units. Occupational burnout was assessed using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), while mental health was evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Sociodemographic variables and subjective assessment of work–life balance were also included. Statistical analyses comprised non-parametric tests, Spearman’s rank correlation, and multiple regression models. Results: The strongest correlations were observed between the exhaustion dimension and the overall GHQ-28 score (rS = 0.539; p < 0.001). Additionally, poorer work–life balance was associated with increased symptoms of mental health disorders (rS = 0.42; p < 0.001). Regression analysis showed that gender, exhaustion, and work–life balance were significant predictors of mental health (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results indicate a significant relationship between occupational burnout and mental health in nurses working in anesthesiology and intensive care units. In particular, exhaustion and work–life balance were identified as important predictors of mental health outcomes. Full article