Search Results (173)

The temperate rainforests and their associated coastline in Scotland have long been home to dye-producing plants including lichens, some commercialised and patented by George and Cuthbert Gordon in 1758 as the dye Cudbear. Using merchant records and family correspondence, this paper will shed new light on the early trade and manufacture of Cudbear and also Cuthbert Gordon’s later investigations into other colour-producing plants undertaken as chemistry and botany emerged as fields of economic opportunity and study in the 18th century. It appears that Cudbear was used for longer and more widely than has previously been supposed and was integrated into known dye practices and used later with synthetic dyes. A rare pattern book of dyed wool flannel samples, held at the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, shows a re-evaluation of indigenous dye plants, especially lichens, in a time of national emergency in 1916. The result of a government initiative during WW1 and produced under laboratory conditions at the University of Glasgow, it is used here to identify some of the colours studied by Cuthbert Gordon of which we have little contemporary record. Full article

Youth violence—the deliberate use of physical force or harm by young people between the ages of 10 and 24 to intimidate or cause harm to others, both online and offline—is a critical public health issue in the United States. Yet, successfully predicting future violent offenders is a complex and challenging task, as the question of why some youths resort to extreme violence while others refrain from it—despite facing similar risk factors—remains widely debated. This article highlights both risk and protective factors of youth violence through a socio-ecological lens to offer a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted factors driving youth violence in the United States. To understand the interconnectedness between individual factors and the broader environments in which individuals are embedded, we outline the risk and protective factors related to youth violence across five socio-ecological levels: (1) individual, (2) interpersonal, (3) neighborhood, (4) cultural, and (5) life course. Approaching youth violence from a holistic lens offers a greater opportunity to mitigate contributing factors and to address the deleterious impacts of this complex issue. Practice and research implications are discussed. Full article

Low-impact development (LID) offers environmental, economic, and social benefits, yet research on optimizing facility combinations remains limited. This study evaluates four representative LID types—green roofs, sunken green spaces, permeable pavement, and rain gardens—using an integrated framework combining the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), NSGA-II genetic algorithm, and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) at Taiyuan University of Technology in Shanxi Province, China. Based on site constraints, each LID type was pre-assigned to suitable subareas, and optimization focused on determining proportional allocations within these areas. SWMM simulations revealed that permeable paving achieved the highest runoff reduction (up to 19.4% at 65% coverage) and strong cost-effectiveness (0.013 USD per % reduction). NSGA-II was used to generate a set of optimal solutions by minimizing construction costs and maximizing runoff and pollutant reductions. AHP then ranked these solutions according to their environmental, economic, and social benefits. In this case, the ideal mix—subject to site-specific constraints and model assumptions—includes 28.58% green roofs, 19.37% sunken green spaces, 48.68% permeable paving, and 3.37% rain gardens. The study proposes a sponge campus renewal strategy, offering theoretical and practical insights for sustainable urban development and precise environmental management. Full article

Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and Prunus spinosa L. are common spring-flowering species in Slovenia. They occur in large stands and sometimes overgrow in unmanaged meadows. They are known as an excellent source of nectar for bees and other pollinators. Phenolic compounds are known as antioxidant for both pollinators and plants. We were interested in comparing plant species in terms of their phenolic compound content: rutin, quercetin, (iso)quercitrin, chlorogenic acid, and hyperoside. Their nectar was obtained from both plant species in 2024 in Ljubljana and the area surrounding Ljubljana. We took 96 samples of each species. The nectar was sampled with microcapillary tubes and analysed by HPLC. When studying the influence of abiotic factors on the concentration of phenolic compounds, the correlations were weak, so we cannot say with certainty which environmental factors affect which phenolic compounds and in what way. Rutin is predominant in the nectar of P. spinosa and chlorogenic acid is predominant in the nectar of C. monogyna. Hyperoside is found in the lowest concentration in both plant species. We found that although C. monogyna secreted much less nectar at midday, it was more concentrated in phenolic compounds at this time than in the morning. In P. spinosa, nectar secretion was highest in the morning, and the concentration of phenolic compounds was also highest in the morning. Full article

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea), considered bioindicators of habitat conservation status, are one of the groups used to assess the impact of habitat management and improvement efforts in the Biological Station of Torretes (Ibi, Alicante, Spain). This area also houses the Botanical Garden of the University of Alicante. The study was focused on the period from autumn 2022 to late spring 2023, and data on butterfly diversity and abundance from the current study were compared with historical data. Our results highlight that open spaces and the availability of trophic resources (nutritional plants) were key factors influencing the richness and abundance of Papilionoidea. The program for the creation and maintenance of new habitats at the biological station has increased spatial heterogeneity and the availability of trophic resources, which has led to a significant increase in the richness and abundance of butterflies in a short period. To support the conservation of Mediterranean ecosystems, and entomofauna in general, the Papilionidae are proposed as model groups for designing conservation projects based on traditional habitat management. These projects should promote spatial heterogeneity, include programs to enrich plant diversity, and be complemented by environmental education and outreach initiatives. Full article

Urban green spaces (UGSs), including parks, forests, and community gardens, play a critical role in enhancing public health and well-being by providing essential ecosystem services such as improving air quality, reducing surface temperatures, and mitigating harmful substances. As urbanization accelerates, especially in rapidly growing cities like Jinan, China, the demand for UGSs is intensifying, necessitating careful urban planning to balance development and environmental protection. While previous studies have often focused on city-level green coverage, this study shifts the analytical focus from UGS as a whole to urban functional units (UFUs), allowing for a more detailed examination of how green space is distributed across different land use types. We investigate UGS changes in Jinan over the past two decades and assess the influence of socio-economic factors—such as housing prices, land use types, and building age—on UGS distribution within UFUs. Remote sensing technology was employed to analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of UGS and its correlation with these variables. Our findings reveal a significant shift in UGS distribution, with parks and leisure areas becoming primary drivers of UGS expansion. This study also highlights the growing influence of economic factors, particularly housing prices, on UGS distribution in more affluent UFUs. Additionally, while UGS in Jinan has generally expanded, challenges remain in balancing green space with urban expansion, especially in commercial and residential UFUs. This paper contributes to a more nuanced understanding of UGS distribution by integrating the UFU framework and identifying socio-economic drivers—including housing prices, construction age, and land use type—that shape green space patterns in Jinan. Our findings demonstrate that the spatial pattern of UGS in Jinan mirrors socio-economic and land use disparities observed in other global cities, highlighting both the universality of these patterns and the need for targeted planning in rapidly urbanizing contexts. Full article

Drawing from the insights of community partners, this study explored the roles and benefits of arts-based approaches to foster civic learning, critical media literacy, and community engagement. It also uncovered approaches to promote kindness, prevent violence, and combat online extremism, offering insights into strategies that may enhance community engagement and create a positive impact. We presented our model framework, a detailed case study of our project, and qualitative methods incorporating 15 interviews with our community partners to capture a broad range of perspectives and experiences. Interviewees were community partners who collaborated with our project in organizing events and activities using an arts-based approach to promote kindness, awareness, and violence prevention since the inception of the project. Data were analyzed using thematic data analysis. We categorized the community partners’ responses into four key themes: (1) the inherent benefits of the arts, (2) promoting kindness and preventing violence through artistic expression, (3) teaching civic responsibility through the arts, and (4) practical strategies for collaborating with community partners. The practice implications and lessons learned were discussed. Full article

Threshing and cleaning are crucial for efficient harvest procedures that are carried out to separate the grains from the biomass and eliminate any potential contaminants or foreign debris. This study examines the cleaning capabilities of the grain cleaning equipment Kimseed Cleaner MK3, a vibratory sieve and air-screen device, for tiny oilseed crops, particularly kalonji (Nigella sativa) and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), which are valued for their industrial, medicinal, and nutritional properties. These crops frequently provide post-harvest cleaning issues because of their tiny size and vulnerability to contamination from weed seeds, plant residues, and immature or damaged conditions. In order to determine the ideal operating parameters, 0.5 kg of threshed seed samples with 10% moisture content were utilised in the experiment. A variety of shaker frequencies (0.1–10 Hz) and airflow speeds (0.1–10 m/s) were assessed. A two-stage cleaning method was applied for sesame: the first stage targeted larger contaminants (6.5–7.0 Hz and 1.25–1.5 m/s), while the second stage targeted finer impurities (5.25–5.5 Hz and 1.75–2.0 m/s). With a single-stage procedure (5.5–6.0 Hz and 1.0–1.5 m/s), kalonji was successfully cleaned. The findings demonstrated that sesame attained 98.5% purity at the output rate of 200.6 g/min (12.03 kg/h) while kalonji reached 97.6% seed purity at an output rate of 370.2 g/min (22.2 kg/h). These results demonstrate how important carefully regulated shaker frequency and airflow speed are for improving output quality and cleaning effectiveness. The study shows that the Kimseed MK3 is a suitable low-cost, scalable option for research operations and smallholder farmers, providing better seed quality and processing efficiency for underutilised yet economically valuable oilseed crops. Full article

Large Language Models (LLMs) hold transformative potential for analyzing sequential data, offering an opportunity to enhance the aviation field’s data management and decision support systems. This study explores the capability of the LLaMA 3.1-8B model, an advanced open source LLM, for the tasks of reconstructing flight trajectories using synthetic Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) data characterized by noise, missing points, and data irregularities typical of real-world aviation scenarios. Comparative analyses against traditional approaches, such as the Kalman filter and the sequence to sequence (Seq2Seq) model with a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) architecture, revealed that the fine-tuned LLaMA model significantly outperforms these conventional methods in accurately estimating various trajectory patterns. A novel evaluation metric, containment accuracy, is proposed to simplify performance assessment and enhance interpretability by avoiding complex conversions between coordinate systems. Despite these promising outcomes, the study identifies notable limitations, particularly related to model hallucination outputs and token length constraints that restrict the model’s scalability to extended data sequences. Ultimately, this research underscores the substantial potential of LLMs to revolutionize flight trajectory reconstruction and their promising role in time series data processing, opening broader avenues for advanced applications throughout the aviation and transportation sectors. Full article

Phlox are ornamentals of great decorative value, grown throughout the world for their attractive flowers. Phlox cultivar collections at the Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden and the Botanical Garden of Lomonosov Moscow State University (both Moscow, Russia) were surveyed for virus diseases. Tobacco streak ilarvirus (TSV), beet ringspot nepovirus (BRSV), and BRSV satellite RNA (satRNA) were first detected in phlox when viromes of symptomatic Phlox paniculata plants were studied using high-throughput sequencing. The nearly complete genomes of three TSV and BRSV isolates and two BRSV satRNAs were assembled and characterized. TSV isolates shared 96.9–99.7% nucleotide sequence identity and were 82.2–89.1% identical to their closest relatives from broad bean, dahlia, and echinacea. BRSV isolates were distantly related to each other (83.7–89.3% identity) and were closest to those from oxalis and potato. BRSV satRNAs shared 90.6% identity and were 87.8–94.1% identical to satRNAs associated with tomato black ring virus L and S serotypes. Thus, TSV, BRSV, and BRSV satRNA were for the first time detected in a new natural host P. paniculata in Russia, adding to the list of known phlox viruses and expanding information on the host range, geographic distribution, and genetic diversity of these viruses. Full article

Botanical gardens have historically introduced alien species for agronomic, medicinal, and ornamental purposes, but they also contribute to plant invasions. The Hortus Botanicus Karalitanus (HBK) is a historic botanical garden established in 1866, as an acclimatisation arboretum for tropical plants, by the University of Cagliari. This study inventoried alien vascular plants in the HBK that showed some degree of spontaneity, analysing their status, origin, life form, introduction pathways, reproductive strategies, and presence in Sardinian habitats. A focus on invasive species and their historical introduction based on their first records on the island and in the HBK was made. Field surveys from 2015 to 2024 allowed us to identify 146 alien taxa, primarily neophytes (83%), 45% of which were naturalised and 12% were invasive. Ornamental plants contributed to 70% of introductions, while accidental taxa (weeds and hitchhikers, 61%) were the most invasive. Seed reproduction was the most common way of propagation (41%). About the diffusion in Sardinia, 25% of taxa had no records in nature outside the HBK, 39% were found only in anthropogenic habitats, and 36% in natural habitats. Among them, 8% were invasive in both the HBK and Sardinia, with wetlands being the most affected (5%). However, only 3% of common invasive species were first recorded in the HBK. The results highlight the role of the HBK in alien species spread and early detection, aiding in invasion management and biodiversity conservation in Sardinia. Full article

The increasing waste of agricultural products is a significant threat to food security worldwide, including Iran. The horticultural sector faces a critical challenge with significant fruit waste, particularly apples, occurring at various supply chain stages. Coping with this problem and improving apple waste management at the garden level is important for achieving sustainable agriculture and food security goals. This study aimed to identify the main factors influencing apple waste from the viewpoint of apple gardeners in Tehran province, Iran, which plays a pivotal role in apple production and supplying the fruit to markets nationwide. The statistical population of the study was apple gardeners in Tehran province (N = 9310), out of which 188 people were selected as a sample by applying the Cochran formula. The data were collected through a researcher-made structured questionnaire developed for this study. Personal face-to-face interviews were conducted with the gardeners by adopting a cluster sampling technique. A panel judgment of the faculty members in the Department of Agricultural Management and Development at the University of Tehran confirmed the questionnaire’s validity. Its reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach’s alpha value above 0.7. The collected data were later analyzed by descriptive statistics measures and confirmatory factor analysis in SPSS and Smart PLS software. This study found that inefficient harvesting practices are the primary contributors to apple waste in Tehran, particularly due to improper handling and timing. It highlighted the need for better training, improved harvesting methods, and enhanced infrastructure. Addressing these factors through targeted interventions could significantly reduce apple waste, improving both economic viability and sustainability in the region’s apple production sector. Full article

Improvement of recreational areas between the residential areas to achieve human behavior and the concept of humanization is urgently needed to achieve the 2030 vision of Saudi Arabia. This study aims to develop a parametric urban optimization framework to optimize the outdoor thermal comfort in outdoor recreational areas between residential buildings in Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia, based on the 2030 vision of Saudi Arabia to achieve a high standard of quality of life with thermal comfort. Measurement was conducted inside the sports walking path with walk-through observation and interviews. Then, case study geometry was generated computationally, using Rhinoceros software and its plug-in Grasshopper to implement the set of development scenarios. Then, the optimization process for the case study was integrated with 192 proposed development solutions to assess the solutions’ influence in reducing the Universal Thermal Comfort Index (UTCI) and average solar irradiance, besides increasing energy generated by PV panels. EnergyPlus engine and Ladybug plug-in are used to integrate PV panels with shading scenarios, to utilize the high solar irradiation, and to calculate the generated electrical energy. The results concluded that trees with diameters between 10 and 15 m could achieve thermal comfort and reduction UTCI by 11.26 K and average solar irradiance by 642.77 W/m² with average energy generation of PV panel and optimum inclination angle of 20°. The integration of PV with shading scenarios generates electricity for every square meter of PV panel, equal to 578.84 kWh/m² for lighting poles and service areas within the recreational areas. The results of this study help to improve the current park as a prototype, for which results can be implemented in more than 8100 instances of gardens, parks, and municipal squares in Saudi Arabia. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) have transformed the landscape of project management and contributed significantly to improving efficiency, decision-making, and optimizing resource allocation. Although there exists a number of research examining the integration and utilization of AI and ML into project management, the fragmented literature highlights the need for a systematic literature review to consolidate current knowledge, identify emerging trends, and examine AI’s role in project management. This study aims to critically analyze the existing literature to identify opportunities for, enablers of, and barriers to AI adoption, providing a comprehensive framework to guide future research and practice. A systematic literature review (SLR) following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines revealed three key themes: The Knowledge Ecosystem in Project Management: In the Era of AI, The Intersection of AI and Humanity in Project Management, and Integrating AI into Project Management and Landscaping. The findings highlight AI’s transformative effects on forecasting accuracy, risk mitigation, stakeholder collaboration, and safety management while addressing challenges such as integration with legacy systems, data quality issues, and resistance to change. The research presents valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners, facilitating the navigation of adoption barriers, capitalizing on enablers, and unlocking AI’s potential to reshape project management practices across industries. Full article

The diameter at breast height (DBH) is a fundamental index used to characterize trees and establish forest inventories. The conventional method of measuring the DBH involves using steel tape meters, rope, and calipers. Alternatively, this study has shown that it can be calculated automatically using image-based algorithms, thus reducing time and effort while remaining cost-effective. The method consists of three main steps: image acquisition using a fisheye lens, 3D point cloud generation using structure-from-motion (SfM)-based image processing, and improved DBH estimation. The results indicate that this proposed methodology is comparable to traditional urban forest DBH measurements, with a root-mean-square error ranging from 0.7 to 2.4 cm. The proposed approach has been evaluated using real-world data, and it has been determined that the F-score assessment metric achieves a maximum of 0.91 in a university garden comprising 74 trees. The successful automated DBH measurements through SfM combined with fisheye lenses demonstrate the potential to improve urban tree inventories. Full article