Search Results (1,914)

The widening of entrance lanes at urban intersections improves the capacity. However, limited by length, vehicles queuing in different functional lanes often interfere with each other, causing wasted green time. This study analyses turning demand, lane division, and signal timing at short-lane intersections, identifying four types of blockages: left-turn queues overflow blocking straight-ahead, straight-ahead blocking left-turn, right-turn queues overflow blocking straight-ahead, and straight-ahead blocking right-turn. Then, various strategies, including signal timing adjustment, phase sequence, and variable lane functions, are considered. The lane capacity matching rate is calculated, and a model for matching the capacity of different functional lanes at signal-controlled intersections is established. The results show that the matching effect of left-turn is significant, with an improvement of 8.0%, followed by a 7.0% increase in right-turn. The corresponding lane delays are also improved, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the model. Full article

Using solid waste from the non-ferrous metal industry as non-traditional supplementary cementitious material has attracted increasing attention. In this study, iron-rich slag (IRS) was incorporated into calcium sulfoaluminate cement (CSC) to improve its properties, and its strength development and hydration mechanism were systematically evaluated. Three types of IRS with distinct particle size characteristics were fabricated through mechanical grinding, and their effects on the strength development and hydration heat evolution of CSC-based materials were investigated. Furthermore, several solid-phase analysis methods were employed to characterize the hydration mechanisms and microstructural characteristics of IRS-containing CSC-based materials. The results show that mechanical grinding enhances the reactivity of IRS in CSC-based systems, which in turn facilitates the generation of hydrates like ettringite (AFt), AH₃, and C–S–H gel, thereby improving their strength. The incorporation of IRS effectively decreases the total hydration heat released by CSC-based materials within 24 h. Furthermore, evidence from EDS analysis suggests the possible isomorphic substitution of Al³⁺ by Fe³⁺ in AFt, which, along with the slower reaction kinetics of Fe-AFt, may contribute to the improved late-age strength development of CSC-based materials. This study proposes a sustainable strategy for producing high-performance CSC-based materials and offers a potential approach for the high-value use of non-ferrous metal industry solid waste in construction materials, thereby demonstrating both scientific value and practical engineering significance. Full article

In this work, a series of novel high-entropy alloys CoCrFeNiSiV_x (x = 0.25; 0.5; 0.75; 1.0) with an intermetallic compound structure was proposed. The effect of vanadium addition on the structure, as well as selected mechanical and corrosion properties, was investigated. In the case of the CoCrFeNiSiV_0.25 alloy, the structural analysis revealed the formation of a dual-phase structure consisting of Fe_1.812V_0.907Si_0.906-type and Fe₅Ni₃Si₂-type intermetallic phases. The increase in vanadium concentration results in the crystallization of one Fe_1.812V_0.907Si_0.906 intermetallic phase detected by the X-ray diffraction method. The increase in vanadium content had a beneficial influence on the corrosion resistance of CoCrFeNiSiV_x alloys in 3.5% NaCl. The CoCrFeNiSiV alloy exhibited the lowest corrosion current density of 0.17 μA/cm² and the highest corrosion potential of −0.228 V. The hardness of the alloys investigated increased with vanadium content, reaching 1006 HV for the equimolar alloy. In turn, the lowest friction coefficient of 0.63 ± 0.06 was obtained for the CoCrFeNiSiV_0.75 alloy. The abrasive, fatigue, and oxidative wear were identified as the main wear mechanisms. Full article

The present study examines the effect of viruses on forest insects depending on the virus dose. Two model approaches are used to quantify the effect of viruses on insect survival. Both approaches describe the processes of virus exposure to insects within the framework of the second-order phase transition model, which is well known in theoretical physics. The first approach examines the temporal dynamics of larval survival at a given dose of virus exposure. This dependence is characterized by the time–effect curve. In this case, the lethal time of exposure LT100 is the time required for the death of all larvae in the experiment at a given dose D of exposure. The second approach describes the relationship between the proportion q_r of larvae that survived a fixed time T_c after the start of the experiment and the dose D of virus exposure. This dependence is characterized by the dose–effect curve. The experiments tested the effect of two different viruses—nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) and cypovirus (CPV)—on such insect species as Lymantria dispar L., Manduca sexta L. and Loxostege sticticalis L. It was shown that the proposed models of second-order phase transitions very accurately (with coefficients of determination of the models close to R² = 0.95) describe experiments on studying the effect of different virus strains on insect survival. The proposed models turned out to be useful for assessing the effectiveness of different virus strains against insect pests. Since the parameters of the second-order “dose–time” and “dose–effect” phase transition models are related to each other, it is possible to reduce the number of measurements of virus–insect interaction due to the relationship between these parameters, and instead of n observations of insect dynamics over time depending on the dose of exposure, the basic parameters characterizing the “virus–insect” interactions can be accurately estimated using only one measurement. It appears that the proposed model can be used to calculate the effect of toxic agents on the population of victims for a wide variety of toxicant species and populations. A sharp reduction in the labor intensity of experiments to assess the toxicity of certain toxicants on animal populations will simplify and reduce the cost of testing the response of living objects to toxicants. Full article

Open-pit mining often induces geological hazards such as slope instability, surface subsidence, and ground fissures. To support sustainable mine operations and safety, high-resolution monitoring and mechanism-based interpretation are essential tools for early warning, risk management, and compliant reclamation. This study focuses on the Baorixile open-pit coal mine in Inner Mongolia, China, where 48 Sentinel-1 images acquired between 3 March 2017 and 23 April 2021 were processed using the Small-Baseline Subset and Distributed-Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-DS-InSAR) technique to obtain dense and reliable time-series deformation. Furthermore, a Trend–Periodic–Residual Subspace-Constrained Regression (TPRSCR) method was developed to decompose the deformation signals into long-term trends, seasonal and annual components, and residual anomalies. By introducing Distributed-Scatterer (DS) phase optimization, the monitoring density in low-coherence regions increased from 1055 to 338,555 points (approximately 321-fold increase). Deformation measurements at common points showed high consistency ($R^2$ = 0.97, regression slope = 0.88; mean rate difference = −0.093 mm/yr, standard deviation = 3.28 mm/yr), confirming the reliability of the results. Two major deformation zones were identified: one linked to ground compaction caused by transportation activities, and the other associated with minor subsidence from pre-mining site preparation. In addition, the deformation field exhibits a superimposed pattern of persistent subsidence and pronounced seasonality. TPRSCR results indicate that long-term trend rates range from −14.03 to 14.22 mm/yr, with a maximum periodic amplitude of 40 mm. Compared with the Seasonal-Trend decomposition using LOESS (STL), TPRSCR effectively suppressed “periodic leakage into trend” and reduced RMSEs of total, trend, and periodic components by 48.96%, 93.33%, and 89.71%, respectively. Correlation analysis with meteorological data revealed that periodic deformation is strongly controlled by precipitation and temperature, with an approximately 34-day lag relative to the temperature cycle. The proposed “monitoring–decomposition–interpretation” framework turns InSAR-derived deformation into sustainability indicators that enhance deformation characterization and guide early warning, targeted upkeep, climate-aware drainage, and reclamation. These metrics reduce downtime and resource-intensive repairs and inform integrated risk management in open-pit mining. Full article

Sprayers for vineyards with solution recovery represent an important innovation, offering several advantages, the most important being the efficient use of pesticides and environmental protection. This paper presents the experimental equipment designed to study the treatment process of grapevine foliage, the applied research methods, and the results of optimizing key technological parameters (hydraulic pressure p of the working solution, speed V of the airflow at the nozzle outlet) and design parameters (surface area S of the central orifice of the diffuser) in different growth stages of grapevines with varying foliar density ρ, the response function being the recovery rate of the working solution. The construction of the SVE 1500 (Experimental model, manufactured at the Institute of Agricultural Technology “Mecagro”, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova) vineyard sprayer with solution recovery is presented, along with test results obtained in field conditions, which demonstrated that the experimental model of our machine ensures a 38% reduction in working solution consumption during the active vegetation phase while maintaining treatment quality in compliance with agrotechnical requirements. The SVE 1500 machine can be towed with a sufficient turning radius for use in modern vineyard plantations. Construction documentation has been developed for the production and delivery of the experimental batch of SVE 1500 machines to agricultural enterprises. Full article

Recent literature reports have shown that individual HEAs, especially those of the AlCoCrFeNi composition system alloyed with appropriately selected elements, exhibit excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance, making them promising candidates for replacing conventional materials such as austenitic steels in corrosive environments. Therefore, in the present study, the high-entropy alloy AlCoCrFeNiMo_0.25 was examined and compared with AISI 304L steel and the reference alloy AlCoCrFeNi. The HEA was produced by arc melting in vacuum. The effect of molybdenum addition (5% at.) on the structure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance was evaluated. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests were carried out in a 3.5% NaCl solution in a three-electrode electrochemical system. The addition of molybdenum to AlCoCrFeNiMo_x alloy additionally caused, along with the BCC phase, the formation of σ phase and FCC phase (less than 1%), as well as changes in the microstructure, leading to the fragmentation of grains and the formation of a mosaic structure. On the basis of nanoindentation tests, it was established that the addition of Mo increases hardness and elastic modulus and improves nanoindentation coefficients H/E and H³/E², as well as an increase in the elastic recovery index while decreasing plasticity index (vs. the reference equiatomic HEA). This indicates the improvement of anti-wear properties with impact loading resistance. In turn, electrochemical tests have shown that the addition of Mo improves corrosion resistance. Corrosion pitting develops in Al- and Ni-rich areas of HEA alloys, as a result of galvanic microcorrosion related to Cr chemical segregation. In general, the addition of 5% Mo results in a fine-grained mosaic structure, which primarily translates into favorable nanoindentation and corrosion properties of the AlCoCrFeNiMo_0.25 alloy. Full article

Background: Uchi-mata is one of the most frequently used throwing techniques in judo, yet little is known about the kinematic factors distinguishing specialists from non-specialists. This study compared lower-limb kinematics during uchi-mata across its three phases in elite judokas. Methods: Forty athletes (12 female, 28 male; 24.5 ± 5.9 years) were classified as specialists (n = 20) or non-specialists (n = 20). Photogrammetry assessed hip, knee, and foot displacement, velocity, acceleration, and timing during the Approach, Turning, and Throw phases. Analyses were performed using mixed-effects models with group, phase, and sex as fixed effects, plus exploratory multivariate tests (p < 0.05). Results: Specialists executed faster movements in the Approach (p = 0.036, d = 0.69) and Throw phases (p = 0.010, d = 0.85), showed greater hip displacement during Approach (p = 0.008, d = 0.89), and achieved superior knee and foot displacement in Throw (p = 0.005 and p = 0.003). Final positioning also differed, with specialists displaying higher knee (98.5 ± 14.5 vs. 86.3 ± 17.8 cm, p ≤ 0.001) and foot (121.0 ± 19.7 vs. 104.4 ± 27.4 cm, p = 0.034) heights, but lower hip position (61.9 ± 4.2 vs. 75.6 ± 7.5 cm, p = 0.021). Sex showed no significant effects or interactions, indicating that these group differences were consistent across male and female athletes. Conclusions: Uchi-mata specialists demonstrated superior displacement and velocity control, particularly in the Approach and Throw phases, reflecting greater neuromuscular coordination and efficiency. These findings provide practical markers for coaches and athletes to guide training focused on mobility, strength, and technical drills that enhance hip, knee, and foot displacement, supporting the optimization of uchi-mata performance in elite judo. Full article

Background: It has recently been proposed that the retina plays an important modulatory role in the control of motor function that is usually attributed exclusively to the function of the nigro-striatal dopamine (NSD) system. Indeed, it has been proposed further that Parkinson’s disease (PD) begins in and progresses from the retina and may be effectively treated from there. While previous intraocular work has employed intravitreal (IVIT) administration of toxins to induce experimental PD, the first study series reported here examines the effect of IVIT haloperidol on motor performance while the second study examines the effect of IVIT haloperidol on the unilateral rotation model of PD, both in a circadian context. Methods: Motor tests included open field performance and the latency to perform three motor tests after the IVIT injection of haloperidol with and without amphetamine pretreatment. In a second study, IVIT injections of the melatonin antagonist ML-23 or L-dopa were made after unilateral lesions of the NSD in rats that were placed in a rotometer examining spontaneous ipsilateral and contralateral turning. Results: IVIT haloperidol produced robust changes in several motor parameters during the light and dark phase of the LD cycle which were enhanced by amphetamine pretreatment. In the second study, while IVIT L-dopa had only a minor effect on spontaneous rotation during the light phase, IVIT haloperidol produced a robust effect upon ipsilateral turning. The reduction in spontaneous ipsilateral turning was seen after IVIT injections into the eye ipsilateral or contralateral to the hemisphere in which NSD destruction occurred. Reduced turning was seen during both the light and dark phases of the L/D cycle. Conclusions: These results illustrate that IVIT injections of DA and melatonin receptor antagonists can differentially alter motor function via the retina. This suggests that the retina may be a treatment target not only for PD but also for other DA- and melatonin-mediated disorders such as drug addiction, psychosis and schizophrenia. Full article

Probabilistic roadmap (PRM) methods are widely used for robot navigation in both 2D and 3D environments; however, a major drawback is that the raw paths tend to be jagged. Executing a trajectory along such paths can lead to significant overshoots and tight turns, making it difficult to achieve a near-optimal solution under motion constraints. This paper presents an enhanced PRM-based path planning approach designed to improve path quality and computational efficiency. The method integrates advanced sampling strategies, adaptive neighbor selection with spatial data structures, and multi-stage path post-processing. In particular, shortcut smoothing and polynomial fitting are used to generate smoother trajectories suitable for motion-constrained robots. The proposed hybrid sampling scheme biases sample generation toward critical regions—near obstacles, in narrow passages, and between the start and goal—to improve graph connectivity in challenging areas. An adaptive k-d tree-based connection strategy then efficiently builds a roadmap using variable connection radii guided by PRM* theory. Once a path is found using an any-angle graph search, post-processing is applied to refine it. Unnecessary waypoints are removed via line-of-sight shortcuts, and the final trajectory is smoothed using a fitted polynomial curve. The resulting paths are shorter and exhibit gentler turns, making them more feasible for execution. In simulated complex scenarios, including narrow corridors and cluttered environments, the advanced PRM achieved a 100% success rate where standard PRM frequently failed. It also reduced calculation time to 30% and peak turning angle by up to 50% compared to conventional methods. The approach supports dynamic re-planning: when the environment changes, the roadmap is efficiently updated rather than rebuilt from scratch. Furthermore, the use of an adaptive k-d tree structure and incremental roadmap updates leads to an order-of-magnitude speedup in the connection phase. These improvements significantly increase the planner’s path quality, runtime performance, and reliability. Quantitative results are provided to substantiate the performance gains of the proposed method. Full article

By turning a waste stream into a clean energy source, green hydrogen generation from wastewater provides a dual solution to energy and environmental problems. This study presents a thorough bibliometric analysis of research trends in the field of green hydrogen generation from wastewater between 2010 and 2024. A total of 221 publications were extracted from Scopus database, and VOSviewer (1.6.20) was used as a visualization tool to identify influential authors, institutions, collaborations, and thematic focus areas. The analysis revealed a significant increase in research output, with a peak of 122 publications in 2024, with a total of 705 citations. China had the most contributions with 60 publications, followed by India (30) and South Korea (26), indicating substantial regional involvement in Asia. Keyword co-occurrence and coauthorship network mapping revealed 779 distinct keywords grouped around key themes like electrolysis, hydrogen evolution reactions, and wastewater treatment. Significantly, this work was supported by contributions from 115 publication venues, with the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy emerging as the most active and cited source (40 articles, 539 citations). The multidisciplinary aspect of the area was highlighted by keyword co-occurrence analysis, which identified recurring themes including electrolysis, wastewater treatment, and hydrogen evolution processes. Interestingly, the most-cited study garnered 131 citations and discussed the availability of unconventional water sources for electrolysis. Although there is growing interest in the field, it is still in its initial phases, indicating a need for additional research, particularly in developing countries. This work offers a basic overview for researchers and policymakers who are focused on promoting the sustainable generation of green hydrogen from wastewater. Full article

The relative reactivity of the nitrovinyl molecular segment characterized by the “cis” orientation of nitro group and the aryl ring was evaluated based on the experimental and Density Functional Theory quantum chemical data. It was found that, on the contrary to E-R-nitroethenes, the Z-2-Ar-1-EWG-1-nitroethene molecular segment is not planar. This fact reduces the possibility of the conjugation of π-electron systems, and as a consequence, decreases the global reactivity. Due to these conditions, the reaction of the model ethyl 4,β-dinitrocinnamate and 2-methylenecyclopentane is realized as a very difficult process; however, with full regioselectivity, it leads to the expected (4 + 2) hetero Diels–Alder cycloadduct. Bonding Evolution Theory studies show that the first new C4-C5 single bond is formed in Phase VIII by merging two pseudoradical centers. In turn, the second C6-O1 single bond is formed in last phase of the reaction, by the depopulation of V(C6), V(O1) and V’(O1) monosynaptic basins. According to this, the title reaction was classified as a process carried out according to a “one-step two-stage” mechanism. Full article

Due to the tidal locking, the far side of the Moon is permanently turned away from the Earth. Its polarization characteristics are still poorly understood, limiting our knowledge of material composition and evolution. Previous studies have indicated a correlation between the distributions of degree of polarization (DOP) and the iron oxide (FeO) abundance on the Moon, suggesting a new approach to infer the polarization characteristics of the lunar far side from FeO abundance distribution. Three critical issues have been analyzed: (1) A linear regression model between DOP and FeO abundance is proposed based on control points from ground-based near side polarization images. (2) The DOP distribution of the lunar far side is estimated, based on the established model, revealing significant hemispheric differences in polarization characteristics. (3) The relationship between DOP and lunar phase angle is examined, with the fitted values demonstrating strong agreement with the observations in both magnitude and variation trend. These insights offer valuable guidance for comprehensive polarimetric studies of the Moon. Full article

Research on morphing aircraft that can change geometry to achieve the desired performance and stability under different flight conditions has been ongoing for many years. This study provides a conceptual-level, preliminary analysis of the impact of symmetrically changing the wing sweep angle on aircraft performance and stability. The T-37B-like aircraft is selected as a base to compare the results with T-37B’s known data. The T-37B-like aircraft is modeled in both Digital DATCOM and Open VSP software. Changes in aircraft performance and stability are demonstrated for changes in the wing sweep angle between −10° and 40°. When 0° and 40° wing sweep configurations are compared, it is observed that the 40° wing sweep configuration performs better in terms of climb and range, but worse in terms of takeoff distance, glide, approach, and radius of turn. In terms of static stability, it has a positive effect on longitudinal stability. While it does not significantly affect lateral stability overall, it contributes positively to stability around the roll axis. Changing the symmetrical wing sweep angle is expected to improve certain performance and stability parameters while degrading others. A symmetrical variable-sweep wing offers advantages by adjusting to the optimal sweep angle for each flight phase. Thus, benefits can be fully utilized, and drawbacks minimized. However, it entails design, mechanical, weight, and financial costs. Therefore, whether the performance and stability benefits outweigh these costs must be evaluated on an aircraft-specific basis. Full article

This paper presents the design of a circularly polarized RFID ground mat antenna for UHF-band sports-event applications. Considering a practical sports-event timing system, the ground-based mat antenna with characteristics of a low-backward radiation and circular polarization is proposed. A multilayer square patch antenna using an acrylic dielectric substrate with a wideband branch-line coupler feeding network is employed to improve overall radiation efficiency, which, in turn, provides two excitation port with a phase difference of 90°. Thus, right-hand circular polarization can be obtained. Instead of a conventional FR4–air–FR4 structure, the proposed FR4–acrylic–FR4 composite configuration is adopted to substantially increase the antenna’s mechanical strength and durability against external pressure from runners. The antenna’s performance is attributed to the use of an effective composite dielectric constant and an optimized design of its parameters. Additionally, the patch antenna’s low-backward radiation characteristic helps reduce multipath interference in real-world applications. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated data, validating the proposed antenna design. In order to further assess the practical performance of the antenna, outdoor measurements are carried out to validate the estimated reading distances derived from controlled anechoic chamber tests. The measured return loss remained below −10 dB across the frequency range of 755–990 MHz, exhibiting a slight discrepancy compared to the simulated bandwidth of 800–1030 MHz. For the characteristic of the circular polarization, the measured axial ratio is below 3 dB within the range of 860–920 MHz. While a more relaxed criterion of an axial ratio below 6 dB is considered, the operating frequency range extends from 560 MHz to 985 MHz, which falls within the frequency band relevant for RFID reader applications. Full article