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With relevant chemical space growing larger and larger by the day, the ability to extend computational tractability over that larger space is of paramount importance in virtually all fields of science. The solution we aim to provide here for this issue is in the form of the generalized many-body expansion for building density matrices (GMBE-DM) based on the set-theoretical derivation with overlapping fragments, through which the energy can be obtained by a single Fock build. In combination with the purification scheme and the truncation at the one-body level, the DM-based GMBE(1)-DM-P approach shows both highly accurate absolute and relative energies for medium-to-large size water clusters with about an order of magnitude better than the corresponding energy-based GMBE(1) scheme. Simultaneously, GMBE(1)-DM-P is about an order of magnitude faster than the previously proposed MBE-DM scheme [F. Ballesteros and K. U. Lao, J. Chem. Theory Comput. 18, 179 (2022)] and is even faster than a supersystem calculation without significant parallelization to rescue the fragmentation method. For even more challenging systems including ion–water and ion–pair clusters, GMBE(1)-DM-P also performs about 3 and 30 times better than the energy-based GMBE(1) approach, respectively. In addition, this work provides the first overlapping fragmentation algorithm with a robust and effective binning scheme implemented internally in a popular quantum chemistry software package. Thus, GMBE(1)-DM-P opens a new door to accurately and efficiently describe noncovalent clusters using quantum mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization process that is characterized by radical expansion of urban built up areas and rural urban migration has produced a new type of neighbourhood called Urban Village. In rapidly developing and urbanising countries like India and China, numerous urban villages dot the urban landscape and display typical characteristics of high density housing, migrant settlement, and a deteriorated urban environment. These urban villages are a result of dynamics of land use transformation of agricultural land resulting in an urbanized rural context and population. This research paper discusses some approaches that have been researched to address the sustainable development of urban villages. Sustainable development rests on social, economic and environmental aspects that have been largely ignored in urban planning policies. This research paper compiles the attempt to apply the principles of sustainable development through a multidisciplinary perspective in an undergraduate studio of urban design. The students documented and analysed an urban village, Alipur on Gurgaon Sohna Road in Haryana, through the lens of sustainable development. The proposed interventions pose solutions grounded in social, economic and environmental aspects. This perhaps is an indication that addressing the interconnected layers and issues could generate guidelines for steering urban village towards sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to raise awareness of how design methods can significantly influence the visual perception and contextual relationship of contemporary extensions and historical buildings. This study focuses on assessing the design elements that affect visual perception and contextual relationship in 15 contemporary extensions designed by different architects. First, the authors reviewed the literature on restoration, conservation and contemporary extensions, and then generated a questionnaire. The authors surveyed 223 respondents. A mixed qualitative and quantitative evaluation model was established. SPSS was used to evaluate and analyze the 15 selected contemporary extensions and 223 survey samples. The results indicated that contemporary extensions are considered successful when designed using a method compatible with the historical buildings in congruence with related literature and hypothesis. For the buildings examined within this research, no examples were found that copied historical buildings within the scope of visual perception. Despite rich variety, contemporary extensions have been rarely investigated within the scope of visual perception and context relationship. This paper is among the few works that investigate contemporary extensions using approaches of visual perception and context relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass communication researchers have applied Bandura's selective moral disengagement (SMD) concept in diverse contexts to explain audiences' acceptance of moral violations and reduced condemnation. Recent updates to moral psychology—specifically the application of social intuitionist theories—challenge SMD's underlying assumptions, necessitating a reconceptualization. In this article, we incorporate modern social intuitionist theories of moral judgment into SMD's underlying assumptions. We further propose a two-stage moral signal detection process consistent with current decision-making theory in order to explain how SMD reflects a modulation of both moral condemnation and moral commendation. Building on these extensions, we reconceptualize SMD's eight original mechanisms as expanded continuums of moral influence applicable to diverse forms of moral perceptions and moral judgments. This reconceptualization of SMD removes unnecessary boundary conditions, improves the internal consistency of the theory, and can begin to resolve scholarly disagreements. We conclude the article by providing concrete suggestions for future empirical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has proposed a new five‐dimensional financial inclusion index (FII) incorporating important indicators of digital financial services and insurance services to evaluate the scenario of financial inclusion across 136 countries for the year 2017. Here, dimensions have been created depending upon the characteristics of variables. To carry out the analysis, we have used the two‐stage principal component method. First, all five dimension indices (geographic outreach, demographic outreach, access, usage population, and usage volume) have been constructed, and then finally, the composite FII has been computed. One important addition in building this index is the inclusion of insurance‐related and digital finance‐related variables, which have not been included in previous cross‐country studies. Another contribution of this study is the identification of the dimension(s) that ultimately have the greatest influence on the financial inclusion score. We discovered that dimensions (access and usage population) constructed based on demand‐side factors dominate the level of financial inclusion. Therefore, top‐ranking countries in the access and usage population index are more likely to score higher than others in the FII. This underlines the relevance of demand‐side factors as indicators of financial inclusion over supply‐side factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical extensions of existing buildings can be realized through Intermediate Isolation System (IIS): the extension, equipped with a base isolation system on the rooftop of the existing building, can work as a mass damper, thus reducing the seismic demand on the old structure. The idea proposed in this paper is to predict the elastic or inelastic response of the existing structure in the IIS configuration by means of the results of simple linear analyses. Parametric response spectrum analyses are performed on simplified two degree‐of‐freedom models by varying the mass ratio and the periods of both the existing building and the new isolated vertical extension. So‐called IIS design spectra are derived, and the results are provided as design charts. Given the period of the existing building and the mass ratio, the period of the new isolated vertical extension is selected to obtain the required/desired response of the existing building. For existing buildings working in the elastic field, the designer can derive the response of the existing building by utilizing the IIS design spectra as design charts. For existing building working in the inelastic field, the design charts can still be adopted, though within a more complex procedure, which accounts for two limit behaviors that the extended building exhibits in the inelastic field. The outlined design procedure is applied to some case studies and validated through the comparison with the results of nonlinear time history analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented reality (AR) technology has emerged as a promising solution that can potentially reduce head-down time and increase situational awareness during navigation operations. It is also useful for remote operation centers where video feeds from remote ships can be "augmented" with data and information. In this article, we introduce a user interface design concept that supports ship navigation by showing data about points of interest in AR. This approach enables users to view and interact with relevant data in the maritime environment by bridging the gap between digital information and real-world features. The proposed concept can provide operational data from various maritime systems, such as radar, GPS, AIS, or camera systems, empowering users with a wealth of information about their surroundings. Developed through an iterative user-centered design process, it was built as an extension to the OpenBridge design system, an open-source platform facilitating consistent design in maritime workplaces. Furthermore, we use this concept to propose a design framework that paves the way for establishing new standards for AR user interface design in the maritime domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper builds on the expansion of urban ecology from a biologically based discipline—ecology in the city—to an increasingly interdisciplinary field—ecology of the city—to a transdisciplinary, knowledge to action endeavor—an ecology for and with the city. We build on this "prepositional journey" by proposing a transformative shift in urban ecology, and we present a framework for how the field may continue this shift. We conceptualize that urban ecology is in a state of flux, and that this shift is needed to transform urban ecology into a more engaged and action based field, and one that includes a diversity of actors willing to participate in the future of their cities. In this transformative shift, these actors will engage, collaborate, and participate in a continuous spiral of knowledge → action → knowledge spiral and back to knowledge loop, with the goal of co producing sustainable and resilient solutions to myriad urban challenges. Our framework for this transformative shift includes three pathways: (1) a repeating knowledge → action → knowledge spiral of ideas, information, and solutions produced by a diverse community of agents of urban change working together in an "urban sandbox"; (2) incorporation of a social–ecological–technological systems framework in this spiral and expanding the spiral temporally to include the "deep future," where future scenarios are based on a visioning of seemingly unimaginable or plausible future states of cities that are sustainable and resilient; and (3) the expansion of the spiral in space, to include rural areas and places that are not yet cities. The three interrelated pathways that define the transformative shift demonstrate the power of an urban ecology that has moved beyond urban systems science and into a realm where collaborations among diverse knowledges and voices are working together to understand cities and what is urban while producing sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges and envisioning futures of socially, ecologically, and technologically resilient cities. We present case study examples of each of the three pathways that make up this transformative shift in urban ecology and discuss both limitations and opportunities for future research and action with this transdisciplinary broadening of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster expansion (CE) provides a general framework for first-principles-based theoretical modeling of multicomponent materials with configurational disorder, which has achieved remarkable success in the theoretical study of a variety of material properties and systems of different nature. On the other hand, there remains a lack of consensus regarding what is the optimal strategy to build CE models efficiently that can deliver accurate and robust prediction for both ground state energetic properties and statistical thermodynamic properties at finite temperature. There have been continuous efforts to develop more effective approaches to CE model building, which are further promoted by recent tremendous interest of applying machine learning techniques in materials research. In this Perspective, we present a critical review of recent methodological developments in building CE models for multicomponent materials, with particular focus on different approaches and strategies proposed to address cluster selection and training data generation. We comment on the pros and cons of different methods in a general formalism and present some personal views on the prospects of theoretical approaches to multicomponent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sorbicillinoid family is a large class of natural products known for their structural variety and strong, diverse biological activities. A special member of this family, sorbicillactone A, the first nitrogen-containing sorbicillinoid, exhibits potent anti-leukemic and anti-HIV activities and possesses a unique structure formed from sorbicillinol, alanine, and fumaric acid building blocks. To facilitate in-depth biological and structure-activity relationship studies of this promising natural product, we developed a chemoenzymatic approach that provides access to sorbicillactone A and several analogs with excellent yields under precise stereochemical control. The key steps of the highly convergent, stereoselective, and short route are the enantioselective oxidative dearomatization of sorbillin to sorbicillinol catalyzed by the enzyme SorbC and the subsequent Michael addition of a fumarylazlactone building block. Additionally, our synthetic findings and bioinformatic analysis suggest that sorbicillactone A is biosynthetically formed analogously. Sorbicillactone A is a nitrogen-containing sorbicillinoid that displays various bioactivities, identified from a sponge-derived Penicillium chrysogenum strain. The first and so far obly total synthesis of sorbicillactone A led to the racemate in 12 linear steps and a 0.13% overall yield. Here, the authors develop a chemoenzymatic stereoselective total synthesis of sorbicillactone A in 4 steps and 11% yield by using the enzyme SorbC for the enantioselective oxidative dearomatization of sorbillin to sorbicillinol followed by addition of an azlactone unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates diverse classes of multidimensional Weyl and Doss ρ -almost periodic functions in a general measure setting. This study establishes the fundamental structural properties of these generalized ρ -almost periodic functions, extending previous classes such as m-almost periodic and (equi-)Weyl-p-almost periodic functions. Notably, a new class of (equi-)Weyl-p-almost periodic functions is introduced, where the exponent p > 0 is general. This paper delves into the abstract Volterra integro-differential inclusions, showcasing the practical implications of the derived results. This work builds upon the extensions made in the realm of Levitan N-almost periodic functions, contributing to the broader understanding of mathematical functions in diverse measure spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most building materials exhibit hygroscopic behavior, wherein they absorb or release moisture from the surrounding environment until equilibrium is reached. This behavior can lead to expansion and shrinkage of the building materials, posing a risk of cracking mortar structures at an early stage. This research aims to enhance our understanding and control of the hydrothermal behavior of mortar by incorporating sorption phenomena and intrinsic its characteristics. The goal is to predict the behavior of mortar structures in relation to environmental factors and minimize the occurrence of cracks and ruptures. The hygroscopic behavior can be characterized by sorption isotherms, which describe the moisture adsorption and desorption over a relative humidity range of 0% to 95%. Experimental data obtained through the standard static gravimetric method were successfully utilized to determine the hygroscopic properties of mortar cement. The results demonstrated that the sorption behavior of mortar can be estimated based on its specific area, enabling prediction of the sorption behavior of the studied building material. The spreading pressure and average pore radius of mortar increase with rising relative humidity at a given temperature, resulting in surface shrinkage. Moreover, the increase in average pore volume in high relative humidity areas leads to various pathologies in building materials, particularly affecting their durability. The numerical values of the mean pore radius for mortar cement align with the experimental results, indicating an exponential relationship between the average pore radius and the relative humidity in the range of 1% to 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the expansion of urban buildings has caused buildings and road surfaces to absorb large amounts of heat energy during the summer, exacerbating the heat island effect. The application of thermoelectric cement matrix composites can convert the surface heat energy of roads and buildings into electrical energy. The performance enhancement for thermoelectric cementitious composites is shown by the addition of carbon materials and metal oxides, and great research progress has been made. The current research on metal oxides as functional fillers is mostly for monomeric metal oxides and less for binary metal oxides. In this study, (Ca 0.87 Ag 0.1 La 0.03) 3 Co 4 O 9 was produced by co-precipitation, and a strategy to enhance the thermoelectric characteristics of thermoelectric cement matrix composites was suggested. To reduce surface defects, this approach involved pretreating the (Ca0.87Ag0.1La0.03)3Co4O9 with hydrochloric acid. Using acid etching to transform the metal oxides' morphology from granular to layered, the interface was expanded, improving carrier scattering and, in turn, the Seebeck coefficient. The thermoelectric characteristics of cement substrates with low content, acid-treated (Ca 0.87 Ag 0.1 La 0.03) 3 Co 4 O 9 , and a fixed mass fraction of expanded graphite were compared to a control group without acid treatment. The results showed that the method resulted in an increase of the Seebeck coefficient to −100.5 μV/°C and the introduction of nano-silver inclusions caused an increase of the conductivity to 13.5S/cm. The improvement of the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity has increased the power factor to 13.8μWm−1K−2. This study proposes a method to improve the thermoelectric properties of cement matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the poor flow pattern such as bias flow and vortex in the inlet building of the expansion pump station project, the method of arranging diversion piers is adopted to optimize the flow pattern in the project, but its structural parameters are usually adjusted according to experience, which cannot easily achieve the optimal effect.In order to determine the optimal structural opening parameters of the diversion pier, this study uses the opening length, width, height and spacing of the diversion pier as design variables. The test scheme is designed based on the central composite design method. The axial velocity uniformity is used as the evaluation index. The response surface model is constructed for optimization analysis, and the optimal parameter combination for the opening of the diversion pier is determined. Numerical simulation is carried out under the optimal parameter combination. It is found that the error between the actual value and the predicted value of the response surface model is only 0.33%, and the axial velocity uniformity increases by 11.17% compared with the original scheme, which has significantly improved the flow pattern of the forebay. The results indicate that the established response surface model can reflect the relationship between the evaluation index and the design variables, and the method can be applied to the structural parameter optimization of the rectification measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly predictive analysis for designing cementitious composite with improved thermal and hygroscopic performance for building and construction poses a significant challenge. To investigate new potential applications, cement pastes have been prepared using a cement, sand, and crystallization admixture, with highly hygroscopic polymer additions (SA-PA) of sodium polyacrylate and/or recycled polyamide fibers. The porosity evolution was investigated at different curing stages and after heat treatment at 200 °C, the temperature at which the paste dehydrates quickly without structural changes. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic shear tests, thermal conductivity, and diffusivity measurements were carried out on the cement pastes to assess their microstructure. The behavior of the cement pastes varied with polymer additions and thermal treatments; ka−0.5 must be maximized in heat storage applications, where a and k are thermal diffusivity and conductivity, respectively. In contrast, the product a0.5k−1 must be maximized in energy-efficient insulation. Cement pastes with SA-PA exhibited the highest values of both 9.191 102 m−2 K−1 s0.5 W and 1.088 10−3 m2 K s−0.5 W−1, respectively. After the thermal treatment at 200 °C, SA-PA samples maintained the highest heat-storing performance of 6.258 102 m−2 K−1 s0.5 W, while the samples with SA-PA and polyamide fibers performed better in energy-efficient insulation, demonstrating performance of 2.552 10−3 m2 K s−0.5 W−1. These results, discussed in terms of pore size distribution, suggest potential applications in the building field and are valuable for designing plaster and concrete for applications such as thermal and hygroscopic control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the construction domain, there is a growing emphasis on sustainability, resource efficiency, and energy optimisation. Light-gauge steel panels (LGSPs) stand out for their inherent advantages including lightweight construction and energy efficiency. However, the effective management of thermal efficiency, particularly addressing thermal bridges, is crucial. This paper conducts a detailed numerical investigation into the thermal performance of LGSPs, examining varied insulation ratios. Thermal finite element (FE) models were initially developed using the THERM software and validated against code predictions and results available in the literature. A comprehensive parametric study explored different insulation ratios, insulation materials, and wall thicknesses, discovering their impact on thermal transmittance (U-value). Key findings revealed that U-value correlated with insulation material conductivity, with E-PLA insulation exhibiting the lowest values, and increasing wall thickness resulted in decreased U-values. It was found that a strategic use of insulation yielded a U-value reduction of over 65%. New simplified design approaches were developed, featuring insulation ratios linked to accurate U-value predictions for LGSP configurations. The new design approaches were found to provide more accurate and consistent U-value predictions. Moreover, optimum insulation ratios for new builds and existing building extensions were found to be around 0.9 and 0.7 for 275 mm and 325 mm thick walls, respectively. These proposed energy-efficient solutions, facilitated through advanced design, are well-aligned with net-zero construction objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the historical development of the vertical extensions of unreinforced masonry buildings in the Eixample district of Barcelona and their impact on the seismic behaviour. Existing masonry buildings of Eixample present significant seismic risk because, despite the low to moderate seismic hazard of Barcelona, they show a marked vulnerability given their average height of six storeys and the substantial slenderness of the walls. Between the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, the vertical extensions, known as remuntes in Catalan, were a common solution to the increasing demographic demand of the city. In their majority, these vertical extensions add a structural irregularity that represents a potential vulnerability factor not yet investigated. The present study focuses on Eixample's remuntes, including their historical development, the description of their structural features, and the identification of their most representative configurations in the existing building stock. A seismic analysis based on the Finite Element Method is presented on a reference model without extensions and three others with the most recurrent configurations of remuntes. The seismic response is investigated through pushover analysis. The results provide a better understanding of the negative impact of the vertical extensions on the seismic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Planning practice is confronted with seemingly contradictory challenges, such as the qualitative and quantitative provision of housing paired with reducing land consumption. To address this apparent dilemma, legislators are increasingly relying on densification. However, a fundamental prerequisite (and often a significant challenge) for this is the availability of the land required. Recent planning law reforms in Germany and Switzerland aim to increase the effectiveness and speed at which land is made available for inner development, thus meeting the seemingly conflicting planning policy goals. This paper compares recent legislative efforts in Germany and Switzerland using the comparative law method. The German Building Land Mobilization Act includes amendments to the Building Code (Baugesetzbuch) and the Building Use Ordinance (Baunutzungsverordnung), intended to enable faster activation of building land and the creation of more affordable housing. To this end, the amendment expands existing instruments for the activation of building land and introduces simplifications to the planning law. In Switzerland, the Spatial Planning Act has been partially revised to achieve inner urban development through precise regulations on the expansion of building zones and instruments to ensure the implementation of zoning plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher-order theories of gravity are extensions to general relativity (GR) motivated mainly by high-energy physics searching for GR ultraviolet completeness. They are characterized by the inclusion of correction terms in the Einstein–Hilbert action that leads to higher-order field equations. In this paper, we propose investigating inflation due to the GR extension built with all correction terms up to the second-order involving only the scalar curvature R, namely, R 2 , R 3 , R □ R . We investigate inflation within the Friedmann cosmological background, where we study the phase space of the model, as well as explore inflation in slow-roll leading-order. Furthermore, we describe the evolution of scalar perturbations and properly establish the curvature perturbation. Finally, we confront the proposed model with recent observations from Planck, BICEP3/Keck, and BAO data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a heterocyclic merging approach to construct novel indazolo‐piperazines and indazolo‐morpholines. Starting from chiral diamines and amino alcohols, novel regiochemically (1,3 and 1,4) and stereochemically diverse (relative and absolute) cohorts of indazolo‐piperazines and indazolo‐morpholines were obtained within six or seven steps. The key transformations involved are a Smiles rearrangement to generate the indazole core structure and a late‐stage Michael addition to build the piperazine and morpholine heterocycles. We further explored additional vector diversity by incorporating substitutions on the indazole aromatic ring, generating a total of 20 unique, enantiomerically pure heterocyclic scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have been conducted to expand the application of coal and coal by-products to building materials and other commodities. Researchers have presented the development of char brick from coal and coal by-products, but the methodology presented is time consuming, expensive, and not feasible. This study presents the development of char bricks from coal-derived pyrolyzed char and fly ash (FA) using the traditional mixing method, which is effective, economical, and less time consuming. This work considered different curing conditions to understand the mechanism of interaction of the char with the FA. The properties of the char brick are quantified using different methods such as X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity. The outcome of this study shows that the compressive strength of char brick exceeds the minimum 14 MPa for buildings with the addition of FA, a higher thermal insulation to improve the building energy efficiency, and a lower bulk density to reduce overall building loads and construction costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The salt interpretation can be quite time‐intensive and challenging. Full‐waveform inversion, as a data‐driven optimization algorithm with full wavefield modelling, has become one of the essential tools for earth model building. However, full‐waveform inversion application in the complex salt geology, especially with streamer data collection, is limited, whereas the ocean‐bottom node with ultra‐long offsets and low frequencies unleashes the power of full‐waveform inversion. Sparse ocean‐bottom node acquisition has become a standard approach to improve the earth model building by the addition of ultra‐long offsets and possibly low frequencies. The new survey designs with ocean‐bottom node coupled with simultaneous shooting can be deployed on a regional basis covering thousands of square kilometres in a cost‐effective manner. In complex geological settings, including irregular salt geometry, salt interpretation has a direct impact on subsalt imaging. The recent development of robust objective functions allows full‐waveform inversion work with sparse ocean‐bottom node surveys in the deep‐water environment as the Gulf of Mexico to build and refine the salt geometries and correct the background velocity error in subsalt, uncovering the structural configuration of the basin that has not been seen before. Although full‐waveform inversion mostly employs the acoustic wave equation, we know that the high velocity boundaries in the earth model may require elastic wavefield propagation. Increased physics in full‐waveform inversion allows us to interrogate the power of elastic full‐waveform inversion versus acoustic full‐waveform inversion, and here, we demonstrate that elastic full‐waveform inversion has an advantage over acoustic full‐waveform inversion despite the extra cost associated with implementing the more complete physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Nitrogen enrichment and biodiversity affects the stoichiometry of plants, soils, and soil microbes. However, combined effects of nitrogen addition and biodiversity on interactions among the stoichiometry of plants, soils, and soil microbes (stoichiometric networks, PSMNs) have largely been overlooked, even though PSMNs are likely critical predictors of ecosystem structure and functions. Methods: To quantify effects of nitrogen addition and plant species richness on stoichiometric relations among plants, soils, and soil microbes, a common garden experiment with two nitrogen addition levels (0 and 6 g N m− 2 year− 1) and four plant species richness levels (1, 2, 4, and 8 species) was conducted in which those driving factors were manipulated. Results: Nitrogen addition had minor effects on most stoichiometries of plant–soil–microbes, but plant species richness showed significant association with most stoichiometries. With nitrogen addition, increases in soil ammonium nitrogen led to a decrease in PSMNs connectivity but an increase in modularity. Plant species richness was negatively associated with network connectivity but positively correlated with modular complexity because of changes in soil nutrient availability and increased niche differentiation. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate mechanistic links of biodiversity with the stoichiometry of plant–soil–microbes and stoichiometric networks, suggesting that biodiversity loss and resources decrease under global changes may enable a looser complexity in whole ecosystem element structure as indicated by the stoichiometric network architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current expansion of building structures has created a demand for efficient and smart surface quality evaluation at the acceptance phase. However, the conventional approach mainly relies on manual work, which is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and unrepeatable. This study presents a systematic and practical solution for surface quality evaluation of indoor building elements during the acceptance phase using point cloud. The practical indoor scanning parameters determination procedure was proposed by analyzing the project requirements, room environment, and apparatus. An improved DBSCAN algorithm was developed by introducing a plane validation and coplanar checking to facilitate the surface segmentation from the point cloud. And a revised Least Median of Square-based algorithm was proposed to identify the best-fit plane. Afterwards, the flatness, verticality, and squareness were evaluated and depicted using a color-coded map based on the segmented point cloud. The experiment on an apartment showcases how the system improves the information flow and accuracy during building acceptance, resulting in a potentially smart acceptance activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global population continues to grow, ensuing the expansion of urban building construction and the depletion of natural aggregates, which damage the ecosystem. Meanwhile, concrete is one of the most used materials in the civil construction sector, as well as an enormous quantities are produced yearly and poorly regulated due to their harmful environmental impact and significant disposal costs. In addition, the abundance of marl soils in Morocco's Fez-Meknes region, complications with infrastructure and construction projects are eventually anticipated due to the soil's vulnerability to changes in moisture content swelling, shrinking, and mechanical characteristics, associated with, high water absorption, and low bearing capacity. This paper emphasizes the suitability of reusing concrete waste (CW) originated from one of multiple concrete plants in the Fez-Meknes region as recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) in marl soil's improvement. In this investigation, different mixtures incorporating 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% of RCAs were examined. The laboratory tests were conducted to classify the soil through the different additions and determine its strength and deformation parameters. Results indicate that higher additions of RCA led to sustainable soil improvement, as evidenced by a decrease in plasticity and an improvement in grain size distribution and compaction quality. The compaction quality improved up to 45% of RCA's addition with an increase in dry density as well as bearing capacity, coupled with a decrease in plasticity values, which indicates the insensitivity to water and the effectiveness of the treatment. This treatment remains an ideal solution to stabilize these types of soil for economic, ecological and technical reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical buildings, which are at the center of social memory, are important components of the built environment and urban life. Due to the change in living conditions over time, historical buildings lose their function and integrity is deteriorated, and they face the danger of extinction by taking structural damage. Since these structures bear the traces of the period in which they were built and form the identity of the city, they should be protected and their continuity should be ensured. Historical buildings can meet the demands of users by making contemporary additions in the context of adaptive reuse, as well as by preserving their current state and function. Within the scope of this study, the issue of making a contemporary addition to historical buildings, which is one of the adaptive reuse techniques, has been examined. The reasons for the contemporary additions applied to the historical buildings with adaptive reuse were examined and presented in sub-titles. In the examined buildings, the transformation of historical buildings that were destroyed due to factors such as the need for new space, change in function, wear due to wars and natural disasters were analyzed and the original and contemporary additional construction systems were compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the summer of 2023, the IIT Design/Build Studio traveled to Vietnam to build an addition to a library in Gia Bac for the not-for-profit partner Eco Vietnam Group (EVG). The IIT Design/Build Studio, led by Prof. Frank Flury, developed the design over the course of a semester through meetings with EVG to ensure the new building would support the existing social infrastructure. This report discusses the vernacular precedents and contemporary analysis that underlay the development of the practical design solutions in the studio, and the practical results of on-site construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land surface temperature (LST) is defined as a phenomenon which shows that microclimate of an urban system gets heated much faster than its surrounding rural climates. The expansion of buildings has a noteworthy influence on land use/land cover (LULC) due to conversion of vegetation land into commercial and residential areas and their associated infrastructure by which LST is accelerated. The objective of the research was to study the impact of changes in LULC on LST of Southern Punjab (Pakistan) through remote sensing (RS) data. Landsat images of 30-year duration (1987, 1997, 2007 and 2017) were employed for identifying vegetation indices and LST in the study region. These images also helped to work out normalized difference water index (NDWI) and normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) maps. There was an increase from 29620 (3.63 %) to 88038 ha (10.8 %) in built-up area over the 30 years. LST values were found in the range 12–42 °C, 11–44 °C, 11–45 °C and 11–47 °C in the years 1987, 1997, 2007 and 2017, respectively. Regression coefficients (R2) 0.81, 0.78, 0.84 and 0.76 were observed between NDVI and LST in the corresponding years respectively. Our study showed that NDVI and NDWI were negatively correlated with less LST; however, NDBI showed positive correlation with high LST. Our study gives critical information of LULC and LST and will be a helpful tool for policy makers for developing effective policies in managing land resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adaptive reuse of a historical building may require new additions to replace the demolished parts or accommodate the repurposed function. If this addition belongs to modern architecture, it is necessary to study the relationship between this new addition and the historical building in terms of its compatibility with the building without dissonance or distortion. The aim of the research is to identify recommendations for using contemporary addition. It focuses on the external formal characteristics of the addition (length, width, height, form, materials, color, open ratio and its Rhythm, and transparency). This process will be done by surveying architects who support the contrasting approach to determine the weight of external formal characteristics. It will also evaluate case studies regarding the degree of Compatibility between contemporary additions and Historical Buildings. Through analytical and comparative study, an assessment method will be developed based on points of similarity and contrast between an addition and a Historical Building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given rapid global urban development, increases to impervious surfaces, urban population growth, building construction, and energy consumption result in the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon. However, the spatial extent of UHIs is not clearly mapped in many UHI studies based on a remote sensing approach. Therefore, we developed a method to extract the spatial extent of the UHI during the period from 2000 to 2021 in Nanjing, China, and explored the impact of urban two- and three-dimensional expansion on UHI spatial extent and UHI intensity. After cropland effects (i.e., bare soil) were eliminated, our proposed method combines the Getis-Ord-Gi* and the standard deviation of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI STD) to extract the UHI area from Landsat 5 and Landsat 8 images using land surface temperature (LST) spatial autocorrelation characteristics and the seasonal variation of vegetation. Our results show the following: (1) Bare farmland has a large influence on the extraction results of UHI—combined with the seasonal variation characteristics of NDVI STD, the impact of bare soil on UHI extraction was highly reduced, strongly improving the accuracy of UHI extraction. (2) The dynamics of the UHI area are consistent with the changes in the built-up area in Nanjing at both spatial and temporal scales, but with the increase of the urban green ratio, the UHI area of mature urban areas trends to decrease due to the cooling effect of green space. (3) The accumulation of population and GDP promote the vertical expansion of urban buildings. When the two-dimensional expansion of the city reaches saturation, the UHI intensity is primarily affected by three-dimensional urban expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease is an incurable disorder that accounts for up to 70% of all dementia cases. While the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia has increased by more than 160% in the last 30 years, the rates of undetected cases remain critically high. The present work aims to address the underdetection of Alzheimer's disease by proposing four logistic regression models that can be used as a foundation for community-based screening tools that do not require the participation of medical professionals. Our models make use of individual clock drawing errors as well as complementary patient data that is highly available and easily collectible. All models were controlled for age, education, and gender. The discriminative ability of the models was evaluated by area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and calibration plots were used to assess calibration. Finally, decision curve analysis was used to quantify clinical utility. We found that among 10 possible CDT errors, only 3 were informative for the detection of Alzheimer's disease. Our base regression model, containing only control variables and clock drawing errors, produced an AUC of 0.825. The other three models were built as extensions of the base model with the step-wise addition of three groups of complementary data, namely cognitive features (semantic fluency score), genetic predisposition (family history of dementia), and cardio-vascular features (BMI, blood pressure). The addition of verbal fluency scores significantly improved the AUC compared to the base model (0.91 AUC). However, further additions did not make a notable difference in discriminatory power. All models showed good calibration. In terms of clinical utility, the derived models scored similarly and greatly outperformed the base model. Our results suggest that the combination of clock symmetry and clock time errors plus verbal fluency scores may be a suitable candidate for developing accessible screening tools for Alzheimer's disease. However, future work should validate our findings in larger and more diverse datasets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth models approach (GMA) has become increasingly prominent in Comparative Political Economy over the last years. While it has originally been developed for advanced economies, there is a growing number of applications for developing countries. This raises the question of how readily transferable the GMA concepts are to the peripheral capitalist experience. This paper explores the analytical building blocks for an extension of the GMA to developing economies from post-Keynesian-structuralist perspective. It argues that in a developing country context supply-side considerations will be more important and build on structuralist theory to understand the 'real' constraints in the developing countries' growth process. It uses Minskyan theory to understand how currency hierarchy creates financial causes for international economic stratification. As a consequence, the role of the state is more crucial than in advanced economies, but at the same time states are more vulnerable. This paper concludes by reflecting on the key concepts of GMA, finance-led, export-led and state-led growth in the light of developing economies and identifying neoliberal as well developmentalist versions of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Instituto de Botánica Darwinion (CONICET and ANCEFyN) was founded by the end of 1910 in the San Martín district by Cristóbal María Hicken as his private botanical research laboratory. Its name honors Charles Darwin for his brilliant theory of biological evolution. In 1924, Cristóbal M. Hicken made public his desire to bequeath the Instituto de Botánica Darwinion to the National State, a fact that only materialized in 1934. But in the early '30s, he decided to move the Instituto de Botánica Darwinion to a new building located in the San Isidro district, built especially to contain the institute and also his retirement home. After 87 years of existence and five building extensions, the historic building of the Instituto de Botánica Darwinion of San Isidro maintains its integrity and attracts the attention of both the public and architecture and design professionals. Based on the study of building characteristics and the thought of Cristóbal M. Hicken, the main objective of this work is to evaluate whether the external and internal structure of the historic Darwinion building in San Isidro, together with the ornamentation and distribution of original functions of each room, respond only to an aesthetic and functional design or if, in addition, they have a symbolic meaning, a vision of the world, a silent message for those who want (and know how) to understand. With this central purpose as a guide, we carried out a multidisciplinary investigation to reconstruct Cristóbal M. Hicken's vision in the design of the Instituto de Botánica Darwinion of San Isidro. We started from the analysis of the original building in the San Martín district in search of any possible design background, to then focus the attention entirely on the building in San Isidro. Plans, public documents, correspondence, historical photographs, academic and dissemination articles of the time, pre-Hispanic South American ethnographic information, Argentine historical information between 1860 and 1930, and interviews with relatives and historians were studied. In short, the Instituto de Botánica Darwinion in San Isidro was created as a museum and a laboratory plus a home. The design of the museum agrees with the concept of "temple of Botany" manifested by Cristóbal M. Hicken himself, and whose first sign is observed in the etymology of the name of the institute. Its ornamentation is eclectic, since it combines symbols of Andean pre-Hispanic cultures with symbols of Western civilization, and it is structured according to each room (portal, front rooms, herbarium, library) and orientation (towards the street or towards the inner garden). This ornamentation works like a discourse in symbolic key with multiple messages for the visitor: it reflects an original, foundational, and ancient Argentine identity, which in turn communicates that the Darwinion is a place where a silent and fertile unveiling of the knowledge, of the secrets of evolution, takes place protected from evils and misfortunes by Nature itself. The design plan of the institute, the portal, the access terrace, and the internal garden convey desirable masonic values through the symbolic language, typical and traditional of Freemasonry. Likewise, we show evidence of Dr. Cristóbal M. Hicken's great interest in Andean pre-Hispanic cultures, of his refined knowledge of Greco-Roman mythology, his belonging to Argentine Freemasonry and consequent ability to symbolic language, and his knowledge of construction, cosmology, and analytic geometry. For these reasons, and considering his participation in the supervision of the building work declared by the newspapers of his time, the probable direct intervention of Cristóbal M. Hicken is proposed both in the design of the building of the Instituto de Botánica Darwinion of San Isidro, as well as in the design of its ornamentation. In addition, evidence is provided of the possible intervention of Arturo Prins and Fernando de Estrada in the project of the building. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement mortars are commonly used in building works for the execution of enclosures and exterior rehabilitation of facades. The incorporation of plant-based additives enables the development of ecofriendly construction materials. In this work, a physical and mechanical characterisation of cement mortars with the incorporation of hemp in three morphologies (fibre, powder and pellet) was conducted. The results show how the additions of hemp powder and pellets with a partial replacement of natural aggregate reduce the final density of cement mortars and their thermal conductivity by more than 16% and 19%, respectively. On the other hand, the addition of hemp fibres reduces shrinkage during the setting of cement mortars, improving their flexural strength and increasing their durability. For this reason, it is possible to recommend the use of these mortars with the addition of natural hemp fibres without prior surface treatment to improve the physical-mechanical properties of these construction materials and extend their application field as ecofriendly materials for masonry work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various types of photovoltaic (PV) modules have been developed to exploit solar energy, a major renewable energy resource. One of the popular types of PV modules is building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), which are PV modules used as building materials. The goal of this study is to conduct an economic feasibility analysis of BIPV on the rooftop of the Keith D. McFarland Science Building at Texas A&M University, Commerce, Texas. To this end, a polynomial regression (PR) model is developed to estimate the electricity generation quantity of solar energy in the subject area, where the maximum temperature is 104 °F (40 °C) in summer. The developed PR models are used to estimate the potential profit of BIPV on the rooftop of the subject building, and the results are compared with the profit of a green roof system at the subject building. The economic feasibility analyses show that the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of the green roof system is approximately 39.77% higher than that of the BIPV system at a discount rate of 5%. Thus, the BIPV system is more profitable than the green roof system; consequently, this research will contribute to the implementation of BIPV on building rooftops and the expansion of renewable energy use in preference to fossil fuel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tupí-Guaraní is one of the largest branches of the Tupían language family, but despite its relevance there is no consensus about its origins in terms of age, homeland, and expansion. Linguistic classifications vary significantly, with archaeological studies suggesting incompatible date ranges while ethnographic literature confirms the close similarities as a result of continuous inter-family contact. To investigate this issue, we use a linguistic database of cognate data, employing Bayesian phylogenetic methods to infer a dated tree and to build a phylogeographic expansion model. Results suggest that the branch originated around 2500 BP in the area of the upper course of the Tapajós-Xingu basins, with a split between Southern and Northern varieties beginning around 1750 BP. We analyse the difficulties in reconciling archaeological and linguistic data for this group, stressing the importance of developing an interdisciplinary unified model that incorporates evidence from both disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SCIP Optimization Suite provides a collection of software packages for mathematical optimization centered around the constraint integer programming framework SCIP. The focus of this article is on the role of the SCIP Optimization Suite in supporting research. SCIP's main design principles are discussed, followed by a presentation of the latest performance improvements and developments in version 8.0, which serve both as examples of SCIP's application as a research tool and as a platform for further developments. Furthermore, this article gives an overview of interfaces to other programming and modeling languages, new features that expand the possibilities for user interaction with the framework, and the latest developments in several extensions built upon SCIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever‐expanding horizon of radar applications demands solutions with high‐end radar functionalities and technologies and is often limited by the available radar equipment, cost and time. A practical method to tackle the situation is to rely on the modelling and simulation of radar systems based on the user requirements. The comprehensive system‐level modelling of a pulsed Doppler radar in MATLAB/Simulink consisting of all the fundamental blocks in the transmit chain, the environment, the receive chain, and the data processing chain is presented in this article. The first half of the article discusses the high‐fidelity simulation of each building block in the radar model. In the second half of the article, the range‐Doppler plot generated from the high‐fidelity radar model is compared and validated using the range‐Doppler plot from a real radar trial. The radar phase noise plays a crucial role in the detection of slowly moving, low radar cross‐section targets in the presence of strong clutter. The article also briefly discusses the effects of radar oscillator phase noise in the range‐Doppler plot. The validated, fully flexible radar model has the advantage of supporting the addition of further building blocks and optimising the parameters based on user requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil refineries have high operating expenses and are often exposed to increased asset integrity risks and functional failure. Real-time monitoring of their operations has always been critical to ensuring safety and efficiency. We proposed a novel Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) design that employs a text-to-speech synthesizer (TTS) based on neural networks to build an intelligent extension control system. We enhanced a TTS model to achieve high inference speed by employing HiFi-GAN V3 vocoder in the acoustic model FastSpeech 2. We experimented with our system on a low resources-embedded system in a real-time environment. Moreover, we customized the TTS model to generate two target speakers (female and male) using a small dataset. We performed an ablation analysis by conducting experiments to evaluate the performance of our design (IoT connectivity, memory usage, inference speed, and output speech quality). The results demonstrated that our system Real-Time Factor (RTF) is 6.4 (without deploying the cache mechanism, which is a technique to call the previously synthesized speech sentences in our system memory). Using the cache mechanism, our proposed model successfully runs on a low-resource computational device with real-time speed (RTF equals 0.16, 0.19, and 0.29 when the memory has 250, 500, and 1000 WAV files, respectively). Additionally, applying the cache mechanism has reduced memory usage percentage from 16.3% (for synthesizing a sentence of ten seconds) to 6.3%. Furthermore, according to the objective speech quality evaluation, our TTS model is superior to the baseline TTS model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A key strategy for social development and sustainable urban expansion is building sustainable and affordable transport systems. In this study, we aim to test the validity of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis and reveal the impact of infrastructure investment in transportation systems in China, Turkey, India, and Japan over the period 1995–2020 on environmental degradation. According to dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) method analysis, per capita GDP and per capita GDP3 have a significant positive impact on per capita CO2 emission, while per capita GDP2 has a significant adverse impact on per capita CO2 emission. These results confirm the validity of the N-shaped EKC assumption, while inconsistent with the results of the FMOLS technique, showing that per capita GDP is significantly positive, while per capita GDP2 and per capita GDP3 have a significant negative impact on per capita carbon emissions. Moreover, as clarified by the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and DOLS methods, road infrastructure investment (RO), aviation infrastructure investment, trade openness, and foreign direct investment (FDI) have significant positive effects, while railway infrastructure investment (RA) has a significant negative effect on per capita carbon emission. Country-level estimates of per capita carbon emission-based DOLS strategies in the model show that only China and Japan have N-shaped EKC hypothesis. Road infrastructure investment, aviation infrastructure investment, and trade openness have significant positive effects, while railway infrastructure investment has a significant negative effect on per capita CO2 emission in selected central and east Asian countries. The latest electrified rail systems are well thought out and less polluting, so the contribution of rail infrastructure investment to the transport mix can support sustainable and safe transport systems at city center and intercity levels and reduce environmental pollution in central and east Asian countries. Moreover, the implementation of the basic environmental settings of trade agreements should be strengthened to condense the growing impact of free trade on environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The naval build-up of India in contemporary times reflects its major power ambitions. Owing to its development of advanced naval capabilities coupled with its long-standing desire to develop a blue-water navy is a major driver of this build up. These blue water ambitions stir instability in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) affecting Pakistan's threat perceptions. The most important development in the region's stability and security architecture is the addition of second-strike capacity to the sea, which carries serious consequences. Hence, it is pertinent to address the question of strategic stability regarding the development of India's sea based nuclear capabilities. This paper explores Indian naval nuclear developments and their repercussions for the security environment of South Asia. It establishes that nuclearization of Indian Ocean is leading to aggressive arms build-up in South Asia and subsequent risk of nuclear accidents, sabotage and command and control vulnerabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding biological systems in terms of scientific materialism has arguably reached a frontier, leaving fundamental questions about their complexity unanswered. In 1998, Friedrich Cramer proposed a general resonance theory as a way forward. His theory builds on the extension of the quantum physical duality of matter and wave to the macroscopic world. According to Cramer' theory, agents constituting biological systems oscillate, akin to musical soundwaves, at specific eigenfrequencies. Biological system dynamics can be described as "Symphonies of Life" emerging from the resonance (and dissonance) of eigenfrequencies within the interacting collective. His theory has potential for studying biological problems of increasing complexity in a fast‐changing Anthropocene from a new and transdisciplinary angle. Despite data becoming increasingly available for analyses, Cramer's theory remains ignored and therefore untested a quarter century after its publication. This paper discusses how the theory can move to quantitative assessments and application. Cramer's general resonance theory deserves revival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the metabolic elasticity and production bottlenecks for recombinant silk proteins in Escherichia coli , we performed a comprehensive characterization of one elastin-like peptide strain (ELP) and two silk protein strains (A5 4mer, A5 16mer). Our approach included 13C metabolic flux analysis, genome-scale modeling, transcription analysis, and 13C-assisted media optimization experiments. Three engineered strains maintained their central flux network during growth, while measurable metabolic flux redistributions (such as the Entner–Doudoroff pathway) were detected. Under metabolic burdens, the reduced TCA fluxes forced the engineered strain to rely more on substrate-level phosphorylation for ATP production, which increased acetate overflow. Acetate (as low as 10 mM) in the media was highly toxic to silk-producing strains, which reduced 4mer production by 43% and 16mer by 84%, respectively. Due to the high toxicity of large-size silk proteins, 16mer′s productivity was limited, particularly in the minimal medium. Therefore, metabolic burden, overflow acetate, and toxicity of silk proteins may form a vicious positive feedback loop that fractures the metabolic network. Three solutions could be applied: 1) addition of building block supplements (i.e., eight key amino acids: His, Ile, Phe, Pro, Tyr, Lys, Met, Glu) to reduce metabolic burden; 2) disengagement of growth and production; and 3) use of non-glucose based substrate to reduce acetate overflow. Other reported strategies were also discussed in light of decoupling this positive feedback loop. [Display omitted] • 13C MFA was performed to analyze E.coli to produce repetitive silk proteins. • Engineered E.coli shows flux network redistributions (e.g., the TCA cycle and the ED pathway). • Silk protein producers (particularly A5 16mer) are highly sensitive to acetate stresses. • Bioproduction may lead to a positive metabolic feedback loop that limits protein production. • Nutrient supplementation and substrate co-utilization improved bioproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural instability due to huge volume changes of silicon during charging and discharging limits its commercial applications. In this work, we prepare a novel fluorine-modified integrated silicon/carbon anode (denoted as F-SC), consisting of yolk–shell particles and hierarchical porous carbon sheets, via a simple one-step self-sacrificing strategy. This integrated structure requires no acid or base etching, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly than other template strategies. Detailed analysis of various characterization studies reveals that the well-designed structure can build a satisfactory expansion space for silicon, enhance lithium-ion reaction kinetics, offer stable interfacial contacts, and establish a three-dimensional conductive network. As a lithium-ion battery (LIB) anode, the prepared composite demonstrates a high initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 83.3%, a distinguished reversible capacity of 1013 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 400 cycles with an average Coulomb efficiency of 99.4% and a superior rate ability of 987 mA h g−1 at an ultrahigh rate of 5 A g−1. The reaction kinetics verify the synergy of solid-state diffusion and surface-controlled reactions. The current research can provide powerful ideas for the rapid commercialization of advanced silicon-based materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities have a significant impact on the environment, forming microclimatic features such as urban heat island, an increase in the intensity of convective weather events, etc. Numerical models of the atmosphere with an integrated block that describes the interaction between the urbanized surface and the atmosphere—urban parameterization—are good at reproducing the meteorological features of the urban environment. Reviews of urban parameterizations are mostly outdated, and recent ones do not fully cover aspects of the methods used in the models to describe physical processes. This paper is dedicated to updating information on urban parameterizations, comparing the approaches used in them to describe physical processes, and forming proposals for their improvement. Based on the most common urban parameterizations of various levels of complexity, the main groups of physical processes describing "urban surface-atmosphere" interaction are identified. They are the surface energy balance, radiation heat transfer, surface moisture balance, turbulent heat and moisture exchange in the urban canopy, anthropogenic influence on heat and moisture fluxes, radiation, and turbulent interaction with urban vegetation. The main approaches to the parameterization of physical processes are defined within each block. Modern trends in the development of urban parameterizations are highlighted: (1) over the past 10 years, parameterizations have become more complicated due to the addition of the building energy model, a three-dimensional structure of urban vegetation, and vertical resolution when calculating turbulent fluxes; (2) at the same time, not much attention is paid to revising the original empirical formulas, often obtained on the basis of single field or laboratory experiments. Ways to improve urban parameterizations are proposed by clarifying the basic dependencies used mainly in the calculation of turbulent fluxes, particularly using the results of highly detailed large-eddy simulation modeling, which, with growing computational power, is increasingly used to simulate explicit heat transfer between the atmosphere and individual elements of the urban environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beetles are one of the most diverse and often highly specialized groups among saproxylic organisms and play a key role in forest dynamics. To develop conservation plans in forests threatened by human activities, such as construction sites, it is crucial to identify key parameters characterizing forest structure in turn influencing saproxylic beetle diversity and abundance. Here, we investigate the difference in forest structure parameters and their cascading effect on saproxylic beetle communities between a forest site affected by the construction site expansion of the Turin–Lyon High-Speed Railway Line and a nearby second forest site. Our study showed differences in forest structure parameters between the two sites, in particular in the overall volume and diameter of coarse woody debris and in standing dead tree abundance. Even saproxylic beetle community structure was different between the two sites and this difference was linked to the different abundance and species richness of standing dead trees. Our findings provide information for the development of a local conservation plan for the saproxylic beetle community within forest habitats. Increasing the volume of deadwood and enriching tree diversity can locally sustain abundant and diverse communities and, eventually, support those species that are threatened by the building site expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dark matter content of a gravitationally bound halo is known to be affected by the galaxy and gas it hosts. We characterize this response for haloes spanning over four orders of magnitude in mass in the hydrodynamical simulation suites IllustrisTNG and EAGLE. We present simple fitting functions in the spherically averaged quasi-adiabatic relaxation framework that accurately capture the dark matter response over the full range of halo mass and halo-centric distance we explore. We show that commonly employed schemes, which consider the relative change in radius rf / ri − 1 of a spherical dark matter shell to be a function of only the relative change in its mass Mi / Mf − 1, do not accurately describe the measured response of most haloes in IllustrisTNG and EAGLE. Rather, rf / ri additionally explicitly depends upon halo-centric distance rf / R vir for haloes with virial radius R vir, being very similar between IllustrisTNG and EAGLE and across halo mass. We also account for a previously unmodelled effect, likely driven by feedback-related outflows, in which shells having rf / ri ≃ 1 (i.e. no relaxation) have Mi / Mf significantly different from unity. Our results are immediately applicable to a number of semi-analytical tools for modelling galactic and large-scale structure. We also study the dependence of this response on several halo and galaxy properties beyond total mass, finding that it is primarily related to halo concentration and star formation rate. We discuss possible extensions of these results to build a deeper physical understanding of the small-scale connection between dark matter and baryons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addition to historic buildings is an act of planning which integrates the preservation of architectural testimonies while at the same time enabling local development. Building additions are planned and designed under restrictions and regulations and are developed and supervised mainly by global organizations. Additions may be considered a compromise between expanding historic buildings and accentuating the historic buildings' important values. The discussion on the ontological perspective of conservation aspects is directly related to additions. According to conservation discourse, designs of additions are derived after scrutinizing and evaluating the historic building. Therefore, the addition should be visualized differently from both past and present architectural representations. A method to appraise historic buildings' additions is needed to evaluate and justify them. The historic building and its addition are combined as separate entities, and therefore a new term has been proposed to describe this symbiosis: A Combined But-Not Unified Entity (CBNUE). In this article, I propose adding another layer of examination of the CBNUE reciprocity through parasitic and prosthetic architecture theories. This examination challenges the design of additions and offers an alternative view of additions that can be considered appropriate according to international guidelines. Thus, the addition can be considered appropriate within the context of an image of a parasite or a prosthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]