Search Results (2,805)

The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal location for siting an onshore wind farm on the island of Skyros, thereby maximizing performance and minimizing the project’s environmental impacts. Seven evaluation criteria are defined across various sectors, including environmental and economic sectors, and six criteria weighting methods are applied in combination with four multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) ranking methods for suitable areas, resulting in twenty-four ranking models. The alternatives considered in the analysis were defined through the application of constraints imposed by the Specific Framework for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development for Renewable Energy Sources (SFSPSD RES), complemented by exclusion criteria documented in the international literature, as well as a minimum area requirement ensuring the feasibility of installing at least four wind turbines within the study area. The correlations between their results are then assessed using the Spearman coefficient. Geographic information systems (GISs) are utilized as a mapping tool. Through the application of the methodology, it emerges that area A9, located in the central to northern part of Skyros, is consistently assessed as the most suitable site for the installation of a wind farm based on nine models combining criteria weighting and MCDM methods, which should be prioritized as an option for early-stage wind farm siting planning. The results demonstrate an absolute correlation among the subjective weighting methods, whereas the objective methods do not appear to be significantly correlated with each other or with the subjective methods. The ranking methods with the highest correlation are PROMETHEE II and ELECTRE III, while those with the lowest are TOPSIS and VIKOR. Additionally, the hierarchy shows consistency across results using weights from AHP, BWM, ROC, and SIMOS. After applying multiple methods to investigate correlations and mitigate their disadvantages, it is concluded that when experts in the field are involved, it is preferable to incorporate subjective multicriteria analysis methods into decision-making problems. Finally, it is recommended to use more than one MCDM method in order to reach sound decisions. Full article

Natural recruitment of Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) often persists in degraded estuaries, yet the environmental thresholds enabling this resilience remain quantitatively undefined. We employed binomial generalized additive model (GAM) coupled with field surveys (n = 168) in the Xiaoqing River estuary (Laizhou Bay, China) to identify critical limits for adult occurrence, which served as a field-based proxy for recruitment potential. Sediment median grain size (D₅₀), salinity (Sal) and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) were identified as the key factors, collectively explaining 79.30% of the deviance (AUC = 0.98). The probability of occurrence decreased sharply beyond two distinct thresholds: D₅₀ > 95 μm and salinity < 17.50‰. While DIN had a positive effect, it did not offset the strong negative associations with coarse sediment or low salinity. These field-validated thresholds provide quantifiable criteria to guide habitat suitability mapping, activation of early-warning systems against salinity-driven mortality, and site prioritization for ecological restoration in the Xiaoqing River estuary. Our findings offer a framework for developing management strategies to support clam resilience under environmental stress. Full article

Background: Intentional occlusion of the internal iliac artery (IIA) during endovascular repair of aorto-iliac aneurysms may predispose patients to pelvic ischemic complications such as gluteal claudication, erectile dysfunction, and bowel ischemia. Iliac branch devices (IBDs) have been developed to preserve hypogastric perfusion. E-Liac (Artivion/Jotec) is one of the latest modular IBDs yet reports on mid-term performance are limited to small single-center cohorts with short follow-up. The CAMpania PugliA bRanch IliaC (CAMPARI) study is a multicenter investigation of E-Liac outcomes. Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted across five Italian vascular centers. All consecutive patients undergoing E-Liac implantation for aorto-iliac or isolated iliac aneurysms between January 2015 and December 2024 were identified from prospectively maintained registries. Inclusion criteria comprised elective or urgent endovascular repair of aorto-iliac aneurysms in which an adequate distal sealing zone was not available without covering the IIA and suitability for the E-Liac device according to its instructions for use (IFU). Patients with a life expectancy < 1 year or hostile anatomy incompatible with the IFU were excluded. The primary end point was freedom from branch instability (occlusion/stenosis, kinking, or detachment of the bridging stent). Secondary end points included freedom from any endoleak, freedom from device-related reintervention, freedom from gluteal claudication, aneurysm-related and all-cause mortality, acute renal failure, and sac regression > 5 mm. Results: A total of 69 consecutive patients (68 male, 1 female, median age 72.0 years) received 74 E-Liac devices, including 5 bilateral implantations. The mean infrarenal aortic diameter was 45 mm and the mean CIA diameter 34 mm; 14 patients (20.0%) had a concomitant IIA aneurysm (>20 mm). Concomitant fenestrated or branched aortic repair was performed in 23% of procedures. Two patients received a standalone IBD without implantation of a proximal aortic endograft. Technical success was achieved in 71/74 cases (96.0%); three failures occurred due to inability to catheterize the IIA. Distal landing was in the main IIA trunk in 58 cases and in the posterior branch in 13 cases. Over a median follow-up of 18 (6; 36) months, there were four branch instability events (5.4%): three occlusions and one bridging stent detachment. Seven patients (9.5%) developed endoleaks (one type Ib, two type II, two type IIIa, and two type IIIc). Five patients (6.8%) required reintervention, and five (6.8%) reported gluteal claudication. There were seven all-cause deaths (10%), none within 30 days or related to aneurysm rupture; causes included COVID-19 pneumonia, acute coronary syndrome, melanoma, gastric cancer, and stroke. No acute renal or respiratory failure occurred. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed 92% (95% CI 77–100) freedom from branch instability in the main-trunk group and 89% (60–100) in the posterior-branch group (log-rank p = 0.69). Freedom from any endoleak at 48 months was 87% (95% CI 75–95), and freedom from reintervention was 93% (95% CI 83–98). Conclusions: In this multicenter cohort, the E-Liac branched endograft demonstrated high technical success and favorable early–mid-term outcomes. Preservation of hypogastric perfusion using E-Liac was associated with low rates of branch instability, endoleak, and reintervention, with no 30-day mortality or aneurysm-related deaths. These findings support the safety and efficacy of E-Liac for aorto-iliac aneurysm management, although larger prospective studies with longer follow-up are needed. Full article

Agricultural land represents a fundamental production resource and one of the key factors of ecological and economic stability in rural and peri-urban areas. In the municipality of Grocka, the impacts of urbanization, demographic decline, and changes in the agrarian production structure have led to spatial degradation and reduced economic sustainability. To assess the current state and potential of agriculture at the settlement level, a multi-criteria analysis (MCA) integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was applied. The analysis encompassed demographic, production, environmental, and spatial indicators, normalized using the min–max scaling method and aggregated through a weighted sum. Criteria weights were defined based on a combination of literature review and expert judgment. The results reveal spatial variations in the level of sustainability and enable the identification of priority zones for agro-economic improvement, areas of moderate stability, and spaces suitable for developing sustainable agricultural models. Sensitivity testing (±20% variation in weights) confirmed the robustness of the results. The identified zones and proposed measures aim to revitalize degraded areas, preserve permanent crops, and strengthen production and institutional capacities. The applied methodological framework can serve as a tool for planning and policymaking in sustainable agricultural development, particularly in peri-urban contexts. Full article

Climate change and increasing groundwater demand underscore the urgency of sustainable water resource planning. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) represents a promising strategy, yet its implementation depends on accurately identifying locations suited for specific MAR techniques. This study presents a GIS-based methodology developed under the DEEPWATER-CE project for identifying suitable locations for six MAR techniques in Central Europe. The methodology integrates environmental, hydrological, and land use criteria in a two-stage approach: an initial screening to delineate potentially suitable areas, followed by a detailed classification of those areas into high, moderate, and low suitability categories. The approach was tested in the Polish part of the Dunajec River catchment (4835 km²), revealing that river or lake bank filtration, infiltration ditches, and underground dams are the most viable MAR options, suitable for 12.6%, 13%, and 15.6% of the catchment area, respectively. A focused analysis within the Tarnów agglomeration, identified as highly vulnerable to climate change and with intensive groundwater use, demonstrated that 83–87% of the area is moderately suitable for infiltration ditches and riverbank filtration techniques. This decision-support tool can inform water managers and planners regarding the best locations for implementing MAR to enhance aquifer resilience, ensure water availability, and mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events. The methodology is transferable to other regions facing similar hydroclimatic challenges. Full article

Efficient clustering and cluster head (CH) selection are the critical parameters of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for their prolonged network lifetime. However, the performances of the traditional clustering algorithms like LEACH and HEED are not satisfactory when they are implemented on a dense WSN due to their unbalanced load distribution and high contention nature. In the traditional methods, the cluster heads are selected with respect to the residual energy criteria, and often create a circular cluster shape boundary with a uniform node distribution. This causes the cluster heads to become overloaded in the high-density regions and the unutilized cluster heads gather in the sparse regions. Therefore, frequent cluster head changes occur, which is not suitable for a real-time dynamic environment. In order to avoid these issues, this proposed work develops a density-aware adaptive clustering (DAAC) protocol for optimizing the CH selection and cluster formation in a dense wireless sensor network. The residual energy information, together with the local node density and link quality, is utilized as a single cluster head detection metric in this work. The local node density information assists the proposed work to estimate the sparse and dense area in the network that results in frequent cluster head congestion. DAAC is also included with a minimum inter-CH distance constraint for CH crowding, and a multi-factor cost function is used for making the clusters by inviting the nodes by their distance and an expected transmission energy. DAAC triggers re-clustering in a dynamic manner when it finds a response in the CH energy depletion or a significant change in the load density. Unlike the traditional circular cluster boundaries, DAAC utilizes dynamic Voronoi cells (VCs) for making an interference-aware coverage in the network. This makes dense WSNs operate efficiently, by providing a hierarchical extension, on making secondary CHs in an extremely dense scenario. The proposed model is implemented in MATLAB simulation, to determine and compare its efficiency over the traditional algorithms such as LEACH and HEED, which shows a satisfactory network lifetime improvement of 20.53% and 32.51%, an average increase in packet delivery ratio by 8.14% and 25.68%, and an enhancement in total throughput packet by 140.15% and 883.51%, respectively. Full article

The northern coast of Mauritania presents a strategic opportunity for clean energy investment due to its remarkable potential for green hydrogen production through wind energy. To determine the best location for wind-based green hydrogen production, this paper established a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making framework (MCDM) that combines the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Evidential Reasoning (ER) to assess five coastal sites: Nouakchott, Nouamghar, Tasiast, Boulanoir, and Nouadhibou. Four main criteria (i.e., economic, technical, environmental, and social) and twelve sub-criteria were taken into account in the assessment. To ensure reliability and contextual accuracy, the data used in this study were obtained from geographic databases, peer-reviewed literature, and structured expert questionnaires. The results indicate that site 5 (Nouadhibou) is the most suitable location for green hydrogen generation using wind energy. Sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of the ranking results, validating the reliability of the proposed hybrid framework. The findings of this study provide critical, data-driven decision-support insights for investors and policymakers, guiding the strategic development of sustainable wind-based green hydrogen projects along Mauritania’s coastline. Full article

This paper investigates the optimal control problem of orbital rendezvous for spacecraft in near-circular orbits with a low-thrust propulsion system. Two optimality criteria are considered: time-optimal and motor-time-optimal control. A linearized mathematical model of relative motion between the active and passive spacecraft is employed, which is formulated in dimensionless variables that characterize secular, periodic, and lateral motion components of the relative motion. By applying Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle, the equations governing the optimal relative motion of the spacecraft are derived. To address the discontinuities associated with the bang–bang switching function inherent in the motor-time-optimal problem, and the lack of a suitable initial guess, a homotopy method is adopted, in which the solution to the rendezvous time-optimal problem is used as an initial guess and is gradually deformed into the motor-time-optimal control. Considering the errors introduced by the linearization of the relative motion model, the obtained control law is validated via numerical simulations based on the original nonlinear dynamics of the system. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed trajectory optimization methodology achieves high success rates and rapid convergence, providing valuable theoretical support and practical guidance for mission scenarios with similar trajectory design requirements. Full article

Ladder sleepers were originally developed to reduce maintenance requirements in ballasted tracks by improving load distribution along the rail direction. In Japan, their design generally follows the method used for prestressed concrete sleepers, where dynamic and impact effects induced by train passage are accounted for using an impact factor. However, the impact factor and the length of the unsupported section—which compensates for ballast settlement over time—have not been sufficiently verified for ladder sleeper applications at rail joints, where the load environment is more severe. In this study, ladder sleepers designed following the criteria for general track sections were installed at rail joints in an operating ballasted track. Field measurements of bending moments under train passage were collected over 13 months, and numerical analyses were performed to evaluate the applicability of key design parameters. The impact factor at rail joints remained within a range comparable to that of general sections, confirming that a value of 2 is appropriate. In contrast, the unsupported section tended to extend over time and should be set to ~1.5 times the conventional design length. Accordingly, new ladder sleeper structures suitable for the load environment at rail joints were designed. Full article

This work investigates the effectiveness of block transform coding (BTC) as a lightweight, training-free quantization strategy for compressing the weights of pretrained deep neural networks. The proposed method applies a rule-based block transform with variance and root mean square error (RMSE)-driven stopping criteria, enabling substantial reductions in bit precision while preserving the statistical structure of convolutional and fully connected layer weights. Unlike uniform 8-bit quantization, BTC dynamically adjusts bit usage across layers and achieves significantly lower distortion for the same compression budget. We evaluate BTC across many pretrained architectures and tabular benchmarks. Experimental results show that BTC consistently reduces storage to 4–7.7 bits per weight while maintaining accuracy within 2–3% of the 32-bit floating point (FP32) baseline. To further assess scalability and baseline strength, BTC is additionally evaluated on large-scale ImageNet models and compared against a calibrated percentile-based uniform post-training quantization method. The results show that BTC achieves a substantially lower effective bit-width while incurring only a modest accuracy reduction relative to calibration-aware 8-bit quantization, highlighting a favorable compression–accuracy trade-off. BTC also exhibits stable behavior across successive post-training quantization (PTQ) configurations, low quantization noise, and smooth RMSE trends, outperforming naïve uniform quantization under aggressive compression. These findings confirm that BTC provides a scalable, architecture-agnostic, and training-free quantization mechanism suitable for deployment in memory- and computing-constrained environments. Full article

In flexible AC/DC microgrids, a variety of non-traditional power equipment are in operation, such as AC/DC interlinking converters. Moreover, due to the influence of interlinking converters, short-circuit fault characteristics in microgrids are much different from those in traditional distribution networks, which makes existing protection methods have poor adaptability. This paper introduces an active power variable-based differential protection method, which is suitable for various non-traditional power equipment. While in normal operation or during an external fault state, internal active power losses are rather minimum, resulting in nearly zero power difference between equipment terminals. However, during an internal fault state, the active power difference between terminals becomes extremely large, which can be adopted as protection criteria. The selectivity and rapidity are verified by simulation cases, and the aforementioned method is applicable to various non-traditional equipment, such as single-phase AC/DC converters, three-phase AC/DC converters, etc. Full article

Background/Objectives: Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) require contextual approaches emphasizing family roles. Parents of children with NDDs face a complex socio-emotional reality. They may experience high levels of stress, fatigue, depression, and feelings of guilt and uncertainty, and they are often left feeling isolated and unsupported. All of these factors increase their socio-emotional vulnerability and affect their children’s wellbeing. A significant part of the available evidence has focused on parents of typically developing children or on a single construct. For these reasons, and considering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the aim of this study was to review interventions targeting the improvement of the socio-emotional wellbeing of parents of children with NDDs, in order to characterise recent research, the specific constructs addressed, and the effectiveness of interventions. Methods: No prior protocol/registration. ERIC and Web of Science databases (selected for their broad multidisciplinary coverage in psychology and social sciences) were searched from 2020–2025 (last search: 7 September 2025), limited to English/Spanish publications. Inclusion criteria encompassed parents/primary family caregivers of children with NDDs receiving socio-emotional programs. Two independent reviewers screened the titles/abstracts and full texts, resolving disagreements through discussion. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review employed narrative synthesis without risk-of-bias assessment and included 16 studies (approximately, 1100 participants). Results: The analysis indicated a scarce but growing scientific output, with a complex methodological landscape showing promising preliminary convergence in intervention outcomes. Interventions effects appeared mediated by cultural suitability, accessibility, and contextual alignment. Conclusions: Future work should pursue multisystemic approaches engaging diverse societal contexts and agents to optimize child and family wellbeing. Full article

Objectives: This study evaluated the anatomical suitability of two single-branched thoracic stent grafts—the Castor (Endovastec, China) and the Thoracic Branch Endoprosthesis (TBE, Gore, USA)—for proximal landing in aortic arch zone 2, including the left subclavian artery (LSA), in patients with acute type B aortic dissection (TBAD). While the TBE is currently available as an off-the-shelf device (26 main bodies, 8 branch configurations), the study also aimed to define the minimal number of configurations needed to treat most patients. The same approach was applied to the Castor stent graft, currently only available as a custom-made device (CMD), to assess its potential for off-the-shelf adaptation. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on computed tomographic angiographies of TBAD patients treated between 2004 and 2023. Exclusion criteria included type A or non-A-non-B dissections, isolated abdominal dissections, intramural hematomas, and lack of consent. Morphometric measurements were conducted using centerline analysis software. Suitability was defined per manufacturers’ criteria and reported with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Among 100 TBAD cases, 82% (95% CI: 73.3–88.3%) were suitable for the Castor CMD with 74 configurations. Main causes of exclusion were short landing zones and atypical arch anatomies. With adjunctive procedures, 13 Castor configurations covered all morphologies; 34% could be treated off-the-shelf, and 48% required additional interventions. For the TBE, off-the-shelf suitability was 22%, increasing to 78% with adjunctive procedures (six main bodies, five branches). Conclusions: Both stent grafts are promising for proximal extension in TBAD. Reduced configuration availability necessitates more adjunctive procedures, impacting efficiency and cost. Full article

Lavender is a perennial Mediterranean plant that has been cultivated throughout history for medicinal, aromatic, and cosmetic purposes. Due to its high economic and commercial value, it has become an important agricultural product worldwide. The low production cost, adaptability to environmental conditions, and demand for its versatile use in the global market make it a significant potential source of income for developing Mediterranean countries. This study aims to identify commercially suitable cultivation sites for Lavandula angustifolia Mill. using remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) technologies to support rural development. Within this scope, suitable cultivation habitat parameters for the species in open fields and natural conditions were determined; these parameters were weighted according to their importance using multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA), and thematic maps were created for each parameter. The created maps were combined using weighted overlay analysis, and a final map was generated according to the suitability class. The results indicate that within the study area, 75,679.45 ha is mostly suitable, 388,832.71 ha is moderately suitable, 24,068.43 ha is marginally suitable, and 229,327.20 ha is not suitable. As a result, it has been observed that Lavandula angustifolia Mill., which is currently cultivated on approximately 4045 ha of land and contributes 429 tons of product to the regional economy, covers only a relatively small portion of the suitable cultivation sites identified in the study and is not utilized to its full potential. It is understood that the expansion of lavender cultivation in determined suitable sites has significant potential to substantially develop the region and its rural population in terms of both yield and production volume, and to involve women and youth entrepreneurs in agricultural employment. Full article

Blockchain technology has attracted considerable attention in the supply chain literature for its potential to enhance operational traceability, transparency, and trust, as well as to advance greening initiatives. Given current supply chain configurations, exploring barriers to implementation is a consequential agenda, and current studies have devoted substantial effort to identifying and offering guidance to address them. Despite recent findings, insights into how blockchain technology adoption can support green supply chain management are missing, particularly in the maritime sector, which receives limited attention. Thus, this work outlines a methodological approach to examine the suitability of maritime routes for addressing barriers to implementing blockchain technology in green supply chain management. Viewing the evaluation as a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem, the proposed approach performs the following actions on a case study evaluating four maritime lines. Firstly, from the 13 identified barriers in the literature review and expert interviews, nine relevant barriers were determined after one round of a Delphi process. These barriers eventually comprise the set of evaluation criteria. Secondly, to satisfy the assumption of criterion independence in most MCDM methods, this work proposes a novel extended grey relational analysis (GRA) that allows for the measurement of criterion independence based on the concept of grey relational space. Proposed here for the first time, the extended GRA offers a distribution-free overall independence index for each criterion based on pattern similarity. Finally, an integration of SWARA (Stepwise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis) and ARAS (Additive Ratio Assessment) methods under Z-information is developed to address the evaluation problem involving expert judgments in a highly uncertain decision-making context. Results show that transaction-level uncertainty is the most critical barrier to blockchain adoption, followed by technology risks and higher sustainability costs. Among the four maritime lines, Line 3 is best prepared for a blockchain-enabled green supply chain. The agreement between these results and those of other MCDM methods is shown in the comparative analysis. Also, ranking remains unchanged even when the criteria weights are adjusted. The proposed approach provides a computationally efficient and tractable framework for maritime managers to make informed decisions about blockchain adoption to promote green supply chains. Full article