Search Results (1,353)

This paper develops empirical relationships to estimate FAA/EASA and MIL-3013B rules-compliant take-off field performance for single and multi-engine aircraft. Recent experience with modern aircraft flight manuals revealed that popular empirical legacy methods are no longer accurate; improvements in tires and brakes lead to significantly shorter certified distances. This work relies upon a survey of current operational aircraft and extensive numerical simulations of generic configurations to support the development of a collection of new equations to estimate take-off performance for single and multi-engine aircraft under dry and wet conditions. These relationships are individually tailored for civilian and U.S. Military rules; they account for the superior capability of modern braking systems and the implications of minimum-control speed on the certified distance. Full article

True slime molds (Eumycetozoa) remain under-explored globally, particularly in water-logged forest habitats. Despite evidence suggesting a high biodiversity potential in the Knyszyn Forest of north-eastern Poland, no systematic effort had previously been undertaken there. In the present survey, plant substrates from eight swampy sub-compartments were incubated for over four months, resulting in the detection of fifteen slime mold species. Four of these taxa are newly reported for northern and north-eastern Poland, while several have been recorded only a handful of times in the global literature. These findings underscore how damp, nutrient-rich conditions foster Eumycetozoa and demonstrate the effectiveness of moist-chamber culturing in revealing rare or overlooked taxa. Current evidence shows that, although slime molds may occasionally colonize living plant or fungal tissues, their influence on crop productivity and tree vitality is negligible; they are therefore better regarded as biodiversity indicators than as pathogens or pests. By establishing a replicable framework for studying water-logged environments worldwide, this work highlights the ecological importance of swamp forests in sustaining microbial and slime mold diversity. Full article

Chiral liquid chromatography (cLC) using chiral stationary phases (CSPs) has become a crucial technique for separating enantiomers. Understanding enantiomeric discrimination is essential for improving chromatographic conditions and elucidating chiral molecular recognition; the computational methods are extremely helpful for this. To assess the relevance of the association of these two approaches and to analyze the current trends, in this review, a systematic analysis of the scientific literature was performed, covering recently published works (from 2015 to January 2025) on enantioseparation by cLC using CSPs and computational studies. CSPs based on polysaccharides and Pirkle-type were the most described (accounting for 52% and 14% of the studies, respectively). Regarding the computational methods, molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) were the most reported (accounting for 50% and 25% of the studies, respectively). In the articles surveyed, a significant growth in research concerning both cLC enantioseparation and computational studies is evident, emphasizing the benefit of the synergy between these two approaches. Full article

Background: This study investigated the relationship between problematic media use (PMU) and working memory in preschoolers. Methods: Parents of children aged 3 to 7 (260 boys, 257 girls; M_age = 5.57, SD = 0.73) in Jinan, China, completed questionnaires assessing children’s PMU and working memory. Subsequently, High (n_high = 32, M_age = 4.53, SD = 0.67) and Low (n_low = 30, M_age = 4.67, SD = 0.66) PMU groups, based on the survey data, complete a dual 1-back task during functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) recording. Results: Behavioral accuracy and reaction time showed no significant group differences. However, a significant interaction between the PMU group and gender on prefrontal activation was observed, F(1, 60) = 5.88–7.59, ps < 0.05, ηp² = 0.09–0.12. High-PMU boys exhibited greater left prefrontal activation than low-PMU boys, while low-PMU girls showed greater activation in these same areas compared to low-PMU boys. A three-way interaction of group, task condition, and gender on prefrontal activation was also found, F(2, 60) = 5.81–6.42, p < 0.01, ηp² = 0.10–0.19, suggesting that neural responses varied by task and participant characteristics. Conclusions: These findings indicate that PMU may be associated with altered prefrontal activation during working memory tasks in preschoolers, with gender playing a moderating role. Full article

The aim of this article is to identify key factors shaping organizational agility as a determinant of the sustainable development of an organization in the conditions of Economy 5.0. The research used the survey method conducted in 2024 on a sample of 312 respondents. It analyzed the impact of decision-making processes, identification with the goals of the organization, tolerance of rapid changes, internal communication, internal motivation and implementation of the idea of work–life balance. Based on the results, an original mathematical model was constructed presenting the relationships between the analyzed variables. The research results confirmed a significant relationship between the level of organizational agility and the ability of the organization to implement the sustainable development strategy. It was identified that factors such as quick and accurate decision-making, strong identification of employees with the goals of the organization and efficient communication have the greatest impact on strengthening this ability. The limitation of the research was the homogeneity of the sample and the inability to fully take into account variables related to the industry and cultural context. The research highlights that enhancing organizational agility is crucial for achieving sustainable development and building lasting competitive advantage in the dynamic context of the Economy 5.0. Full article

High-rise construction presents heightened safety risks due to vertical complexity, spatial constraints, and workforce variability. Conventional safety management often proves insufficient, especially in rapidly urbanizing or resource-limited settings. This study proposes a hybrid methodological framework to systematically identify and prioritize the critical factors influencing occupational safety in Vietnamese high-rise construction projects. Based on 181 valid survey responses from construction professionals, 23 observed variables were developed through extensive literature review and expert consultation. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was employed to empirically group 23 validated indicators into five key latent dimensions: (1) Safety Training and Inspection, (2) Employer’s Knowledge and Responsibility, (3) Worker’s Competence and Compliance, (4) Working Conditions and Environment, and (5) Safety Equipment and Signage. These dimensions were then structured into an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model, with pairwise comparisons conducted by industry experts to calculate consistency ratios and derive factor weights across three high-rise project case studies. The findings provide actionable insights for construction managers, safety professionals, and policymakers in developing and underdeveloped countries, supporting data-driven decision-making for safer and more sustainable urban development. Full article

The concept of sustainable development requires a more human-centered approach to management. Frederic Laloux’s organizational management models—green and teal organizations—offer a response to this challenge. Generational cohorts currently active in the labor market (Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z) differ in values, beliefs, and preferences, which may influence their acceptance of various organizational management models. This study aimed to examine how representatives of these generations perceive organizational management styles in the context of sustainable development. A qualitative study was conducted using a questionnaire completed by 263 respondents. The survey focused on teal, green, orange, amber, and red organizational models, and the results were analyzed statistically. The analysis showed that respondents’ work experiences with specific organizational management models are not dependent on generational affiliation. The highest levels of acceptance were observed for models aligned with sustainable development—green and teal organizations. Acceptance of these models is higher among younger generations, with the teal organizational model showing a statistically significant generational dependency. As Generation Z enters the labor market, some traditional management practices are becoming obsolete. The green organizational model demonstrates strong potential for current labor market conditions, while the teal organizational model shows high future implementation potential. The forecast suggests that acceptance of the teal organizational model among Generation Alpha may exceed 90%. Full article

Background/Objectives: Long working hours among pediatricians negatively affect their health and patient safety. In Japan, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare launched the “Work Style Reform for Physicians” in 2024. However, whether these reforms have effectively reduced pediatricians’ working hours remains unclear. We surveyed pediatricians and pediatric residents working in hospital pediatric departments to assess whether the reform has reduced their long working hours. Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to pediatricians in hospitals, collecting data on demographics, working hours, night shifts, and other working conditions. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with working ≥60 and ≥80 h on a weekly basis. Results: Questionnaires were sent to 835 hospitals, with valid responses from 815 pediatricians across 316 hospitals. Among them, 31.7% worked 50–60 h per week, 18.4% worked 60–70 h, 7.7% worked 70–80 h, and 4.9% worked >80 h. Factors associated with working >60 h included being <30 years old and working in a department with five or more physicians. Pediatricians working >80 h were more likely to have a cardiology subspecialty and work in a department with five or more physicians. Conclusions: Although the “Work Style Reform for Physicians” has reduced long working hours among pediatricians, many still experience excessive workloads. Full article

This study proposes a novel approach to constructing composite indicators, utilizing discriminant analysis to identify the determining factors for the diagnosis of multidimensional depression and to provide an index that represents the multidimensionality of this construct. By focusing solely on factors that significantly correlate with the diagnosis of multidimensional depression, this method provides a more precise and objective representation of the problem. The application of the method to the 2019 Brazilian Health Survey data demonstrated its effectiveness, resulting in a composite indicator that separates individuals who self-declare as having depression from individuals who self-declare as not having depression. The results highlight individuals who have a limiting chronic condition, high levels of education, less support from friends and family, perform unhealthy work, and are male. In contrast, individuals with the opposite characteristics are associated with a negative multidimensional depression diagnosis. The proposed composite indicator not only improves the measurement accuracy but also offers a new means of visualizing and understanding the multidimensional nature of depression diagnosis, providing valuable information for the formulation of targeted public health policies aimed at reducing the time for which people show symptoms of depression. Full article

Effective studying is important to learn better and increase academic achievement in postsecondary education, which also holds true for the challenging content of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Informed by previous research, this study mainly aimed to investigate first-year STEM college students’ study habits and perceptions of the effectiveness of different study strategies, and the frequency of use of these strategies. To this end, this study employed a cross-sectional survey using the Prolific platform. The results revealed that participants use various study strategies, including more and less effective ones, generally do not study in a planned way nor believe that learning takes hard work, and also prioritize approaching deadlines. The results also showed that the participants (a) frequently use the study strategies that they think are effective, suggesting that perceived effectiveness can have an important role in students’ strategy choice, and (b) mostly use study strategies for studying only or for both studying and while learning for fun. However, the frequency of the use of strategies partially aligned with the perceived effectiveness of the strategies. Overall, these results suggest the need to further investigate the conditions under which college students find study strategies effective, which can affect their choices. Full article

The aging water distribution system in the United States, constructed mainly during the 1970s with some pipes dating back 125 years, is experiencing significant deterioration leading to substantial water losses. Along with the potential for water loss savings, improvements in the distribution system by using leak detection technologies can create net energy and cost savings. In this work, a new framework has been presented to calculate the economic level of leakage within water supply and distribution systems for two primary leak detection technologies (acoustic vs. satellite). In this work, a new framework is presented to calculate the economic level of leakage (ELL) within water supply and distribution systems to support smart infrastructure in smart cities. A case study focused using water audit data from Atlanta, Georgia, compared the costs of two leak mitigation technologies: conventional acoustic leak detection and artificial intelligence–assisted satellite leak detection technology, which employs machine learning algorithms to identify potential leak signatures from satellite imagery. The ELL results revealed that conducting one survey would be optimum for an acoustic survey, whereas the method suggested that it would be expensive to utilize satellite-based leak detection technology. However, results for cumulative financial analysis over a 3-year period for both technologies revealed both to be economically favorable with conventional acoustic leak detection technology generating higher net economic benefits of USD 2.4 million, surpassing satellite detection by 50%. A broader national analysis was conducted to explore the potential benefits of US water infrastructure mirroring the exemplary conditions of Germany and The Netherlands. Achieving similar infrastructure leakage index (ILI) values could result in annual cost savings of $4–$4.8 billion and primary energy savings of 1.6–1.9 TWh. These results demonstrate the value of combining economic modeling with advanced leak detection technologies to support sustainable, cost-efficient water infrastructure strategies in urban environments, contributing to more sustainable smart living outcomes. Full article

To accurately assess the water quality, ecosystem status, distribution of large benthic organisms, and ecological restoration under human intervention, an analysis of benthic organisms on Caofeidian in September and November 2023 and January and May of the following year was conducted in this work. By performing CCA (canonical correspondence analysis) and cluster and correlation coefficient (Pearson) analyses, the temporal variation characteristics of benthic abundance, dominant species, community structure and biodiversity were analyzed. A total of 79 species of macro-benthic animals were found in four months, including 32 species of polychaetes, cnidarians, 1 species of Nemertean, 19 species of crustaceans, and 24 species of molluscs. The use of conventional grab-type mud collectors revealed that the Musculus senhousei dominated the survey (Y > 0.02). While only a small number of Ruditapes philippinarum were collected from bottom-dwelling species, a certain number of bottom-dwelling species (Ruditapes philippinarum and Scapharca subcrenata) were also collected during the trawl survey. Additionally, a significant population of Rapana venosa was found in the area. It is speculated that the dual effects of predation and competition are likely the primary reasons for the relatively low abundance of bottom-dwelling species. The density and biomass of macro-benthos were consistent over time, which was the highest in May, the second highest in January, and the lowest in September and November. The main environmental factors affecting the large benthic communities in the surveyed sea areas were pH, DO, NO₂⁻-N, T, SAL and PO₄³⁻-P. Combined with historical data, it was found that although the environmental condition in the Caofeidian sea area has improved, the Musculus senhousei has been dominant. In addition, the abundance of other species is much less than that of the Musculus senhousei, and the diversity of the benthic community is still reduced. Our work provides valuable data support for the management and improvement of bottom Marine pasture and promotes the transformation of Marine resources from resource plunder to a sustainable resource. Full article

With the widespread adoption of face masks due to global health crises and heightened security concerns, traditional face recognition systems have struggled to maintain accuracy, prompting significant research into masked face recognition (MFR). Although various models have been proposed, a comprehensive and systematic understanding of recent deep learning (DL)-based approaches remains limited. This paper addresses this research gap by providing an extensive review and comparative analysis of state-of-the-art MFR techniques. We focus on DL-based methods due to their superior performance in real-world scenarios, discussing key architectures, feature extraction strategies, datasets, and evaluation metrics. This paper also introduces a structured methodology for selecting and reviewing relevant works, ensuring transparency and reproducibility. As a contribution, we present a detailed taxonomy of MFR approaches, highlight current challenges, and suggest potential future research directions. This survey serves as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance the field of robust facial recognition in masked conditions. Full article

In recent decades, there have been significant changes in employment relationships, leading to more precarious forms of employment and heightened perceptions of job insecurity. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of job insecurity on perceived psychological well-being and work engagement, with self-efficacy at work acting as a mediator and perceived supervisor support acting as a moderator. This study analyzed a sample of 938 individuals from Portugal who participated in the 2015 European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS). The results show that job insecurity has a negative impact on both psychological well-being and work engagement. Furthermore, the study found that self-efficacy at work acts as a mediator in the relationship between job insecurity, psychological well-being, and work engagement, with a buffering effect. Our results also show evidence of a moderation effect of perceived supervisor support, which works in two ways: perceived supervisor support amplifies the positive effect of self-efficacy at work on psychological well-being, as well as the indirect negative effect of job insecurity. However, this moderation effect was not observed in the relationship with work engagement. These results emphasize the significance of job insecurity regarding individual mental health and job-related attitudes, taking into consideration individual and organizational resources. Full article

Background/Objective: Frontline healthcare staff who contend diseases and mitigate their transmission were repeatedly exposed to high-risk conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic. They were at risk of mental health issues, in particular, psychological stress, depression, anxiety, financial stress, and/or burnout. This study aimed to investigate and evaluate the occupational stress of medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and other hospital support crew during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Methods: We collected both qualitative and quantitative data from a survey given to public and private hospitals using methods like correspondence analysis, cluster analysis, and structural equation models to investigate the work-related stress (WRS) and anxiety of the staff. Since health-related factors are unclear and uncertain, a fuzzy association rule mining (FARM) method was created to address these problems and find out the levels of work-related stress (WRS) and anxiety. The statistical results and K-means clustering method were used to find the best number of fuzzy rules and the level of fuzziness in clusters to create the FARM approach and to predict the work-related stress and anxiety of healthcare staff. This innovative approach allows for a more nuanced appraisal of the factors contributing to work-related stress and anxiety, ultimately enabling healthcare organizations to implement targeted interventions. By leveraging these insights, management can foster a healthier work environment that supports staff well-being and enhances overall productivity. This study also aimed to identify the relevant health factors that are the root causes of work-related stress and anxiety to facilitate better preparation and motivation of the staff for reorganizing resources and equipment. Results: The results and findings show that when the financial burden (FIN) of healthcare staff increased, WRS and anxiety increased. Similarly, a rise in psychological stress caused an increase in WRS and anxiety. The psychological impact (PCG) ratio and financial impact (FIN) were the most influential factors for the staff’s anxiety. The FARM results and findings revealed that improving the financial situation of healthcare staff alone was not sufficient during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: This study found that while the impact of PCG was significant, its combined effect with FIN was more influential on staff’s work-related stress and anxiety. This difference was due to the mutual effects of PCG and FIN on the staff’s motivation. The findings will help healthcare managers make decisions to reduce or eliminate the WRS and anxiety experienced by healthcare staff in the future. Full article