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The efficient management of urban water distribution networks is crucial for public health and urban development. One of the major challenges is the quick and accurate detection of leaks, which can lead to water loss, infrastructure damage, and environmental hazards. Many existing leak detection methods are ineffective, especially in complex and aging pipeline networks. If these limitations are not overcome, it can result in a chain of infrastructure failures, exacerbating damage, increasing repair costs, and causing water shortages and public health risks. The leak issue is further complicated by increasing urban water demand, climate change, and population growth. Therefore, there is an urgent need for intelligent systems that can overcome the limitations of traditional methodologies and leverage sophisticated data analysis and machine learning technologies. In this study, we propose a reliable and advanced method for detecting leaks in water pipes using a framework based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks combined with autoencoders. The framework is designed to manage the temporal dimension of time-series data and is enhanced with ensemble learning techniques, making it sensitive to subtle signals indicating leaks while robustly dealing with noise signals. Through the integration of signal processing and pattern recognition, the machine learning-based model addresses the leak detection problem, providing an intelligent system that enhances environmental protection and resource management. The proposed approach greatly enhances the accuracy and precision of leak detection, making essential contributions in the field and offering promising prospects for the future of sustainable water management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breaking the limitations of the urban perspective, there is an urgent need to study the influence of the village environment on the willingness of rural households to resettle. This paper explored the determinants and the mechanism of village environment factors on resettlement willingness using full-sample survey data (872,414 households) of 1382 administrative villages in Huai'an, a typical agricultural area in Eastern China. The result revealed that environmental factors generally have a greater impact on the spatial heterogeneity of resettlement willingness, in the order of natural environment, economic environment, social environment, and policy environment; among which geographic location, housing conditions, behavioral tendency of farmers and planning guidance are the key factors. In addition, the absolute location of the urban area in the geographic region has a significantly greater effect than that of the county, and the "following behavior" of the farmers affected their resettlement decision. Therefore, differentiated policies should be formulated according to the spatial distribution of the resettlement willingness, building a dual-core village and town system within the county. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the gas‐sensing properties of sensors is important for the detection of ultralow‐concentration gases. As sensor signals are generated from the reactions on the surface of the sensor material, improving the surface structure of the sensor material can enhance the sensing properties. In this study, nanosheet‐type tin oxide with a metastable (101) crystal facet surface was used as the gas sensor material. To enhance the sensing properties, crystal facet‐controlled cerium oxide with superior oxygen storage capacity at moderate temperatures was decorated on the surface of the nanosheet‐type tin oxide material. An investigation of the sensor properties revealed that the decorated sensor exhibited improved gas selectivity and enhanced sensitivity to all tested gases. Prior to decoration, selectivity was observed for acetone and ethanol, whereas the decorated sensor exhibited high selectivity for acetaldehyde. The limits of detection of the decorated sensors were 245, 459, and 934 ppt for acetone, ethanol, and acetaldehyde, respectively. Thus, the proposed material can effectively enhance the sensing of extremely low‐concentration gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between different types of new town development and their impact on commuting patterns. It provides an empirical analysis of how development in Technopole Newtown and Residential Newtown influences commuting time and distance. Technopole Newtown is characterized by a blend of technological institutional clusters and residential development, while Residential Newtown primarily emphasizes residential development. Seoul Metropolitan Area was chosen as the case study, with data sourced from the Household Travel Survey. This study reveals a surprising commuting paradox in Technopole Newtown, where the plan was to blend job opportunities with residential development. The findings indicate that commuters did not benefit. Instead, they endured longer commutes in both time and distance compared to those in Residential Newtown, which is typically characterized as a bedroom community. The integration of job opportunities for the development of new towns should be considered a crucial factor in creating urban sustainability in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the periods for exodrift stabilization and the long‐term surgical outcomes among different surgical methods in intermittent exotropia. Methods: The medical records of 350 patients who had undergone intermittent exotropia correcting surgery [unilateral lateral rectus recession–medial rectus resection (R&R, n = 221), bilateral lateral rectus recession (BLR, n = 51) and unilateral lateral rectus recession (ULR, n = 78)] with a postoperative follow‐up period of 1.5 years or more were retrospectively reviewed. The deviation angles every 6 months after surgery, periods of exodrift stabilization and surgical outcomes were analysed. The period of postoperative exodrift stabilization was defined as when exodrift was no longer significantly different from that at the next visit (p > 0.05). An alignment of 5 PD (prism diopters) esotropia to 10 PD exotropia at a distance and near fixation was considered surgical success. Results: The mean angle of exodeviation was significantly different among surgical procedures at postoperative 1 month (BLR > ULR > R&R, p < 0.001); however, there were no differences among the procedures at 6 months (p = 0.088). The periods of exodrift stabilization were 6 months after ULR, 1 year after BLR and 4.5 years after R&R. The surgical success and reoperation rates did not show significant differences among procedures at the final follow‐up. Conclusion: Patients undergoing R&R showed smaller exodeviation shortly after surgery but required a longer period to stabilize the exodrift. Following ULR, exodeviation was larger in the early postoperative period, but the exodrift was stabilized earlier. Therefore, the long‐term surgical outcomes were similar among ULR, BLR and R&R. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]