Search Results (880)

In response to public health emergencies, the importance of resilient medical facilities—such as large exhibition centers and sports venues that can be rapidly converted into temporary emergency hospitals—has become increasingly evident. This study focuses on these potential medical resources within megacities, using Shanghai as a case study. Employing advanced analytical tools including the kernel density two-step floating catchment area method, Lorenz curves, and Gini coefficient, we systematically evaluated the spatial allocation of 36 resilient medical facilities in Shanghai. The findings indicate that Shanghai’s resilient medical facilities ensure 4.5 emergency beds per thousand residents, with large exhibition centers and sports venues demonstrating exceptional conversion capabilities far surpassing those of ordinary public venues. However, the study also uncovers significant disparities in spatial allocation: these facilities are predominantly concentrated in the city center, leading to notable deficiencies in accessibility and equity for suburban areas. The opportunity for residents to access emergency medical services decreases progressively from the city center outward, a trend consistent across various travel time scenarios. The calculated Gini coefficient underscores an extremely uneven spatial configuration of resilient medical facilities, well beyond the warning threshold, suggesting substantial service disparities between different regions during emergencies, which poses potential risks to public health. Our research provides valuable insights for megacities aiming to more effectively address future public health challenges and enhance societal resilience. Full article

Organisms maintain circadian rhythms corresponding to approximately 24 h in the absence of external environmental cues, and they synchronize the phases of their autonomous circadian clocks to light–dark cycles, feeding timing, and other factors. The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) occupies the top position of the hierarchy in the mammalian circadian system and functions as a photic-dependent oscillator, while the food-entrainable circadian oscillator (FEO) entrains the clocks of the digestive peripheral tissues and behaviors according to feeding timing. In mammals, neuropeptide Y (NPY) from the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) neurons projected onto the SCN plays an important role in entraining circadian rhythms to feeding conditions. However, the relationship between the FEO and SCN has been unclear under various feeding conditions. In this study, novel NPY::Venus transgenic (Tg) mice, which expressed the NPY fused to Venus fluorescent protein, were generated to investigate the secretion of NPY on the SCN from the IGL. NPY-containing secretory granules with Venus signals in the SCN slices of the Tg mice could be observed using confocal and super-resolution microscopy. We observed that the number of NPY secretory granules released on the SCNs increased during fasting, and these mice were valuable tools for further investigating the role of NPY secretion from the IGL to the SCN in mediating interactions between the FEO and the SCN. Full article

This study contributes towards the burgeoning literature on the negative social consequences of touristification by uncovering the entanglement of gender violence and the territories produced by tourism in Lisbon’s nightlife districts. Drawing upon a perspective of body-territory, this study questions how gender-based violence affects nightlife workers in a touristified urban centre. The research is based on a year-long ethnographic study of women’s workplaces at night, which includes different forms of observation and a set of interviews with women and non-binary workers. The findings of the study describe the territorial dimension of violence for the workers of Lisbon’s tourism-oriented night life, focusing on the asymmetrical repartition of violence, which varies in its nature and intensity according to the neighborhood, the status of the venue, and the workers’ level of experience and authority in the venue. The conclusion of this study underlines the significance of territory for understanding the dynamics of gender-based violence in the nightlife and discusses future avenues of research on the topic. Full article

Background/Objectives: The practice of physical activity contributes to obtaining adequate values of body composition and physical fitness, which is beneficial for people’s health. However, a large part of the adult population does not comply with the recommendations for physical activity, due to factors such as lack of time and nearby sports venues. Immersive virtual reality is a tool that allows individuals to immerse themselves in a simulated world and perceive visual, auditory, and tactile sensations. Its use in physical activity interventions favors exercise in situations that, due to time and space, could be limited in real life. The objective of this case report is to measure the impact on body composition and physical fitness of an exercise program executed through immersive virtual reality. Methods: The design is a case study with a quantitative approach developed through a physical activity intervention with immersive virtual reality in which body composition was evaluated considering fat and muscle components, and physical fitness considering cardiorespiratory fitness, speed-agility, and hand grip strength, through pre- and post-testing. The physical exercise program based on immersive virtual reality lasted 8 weeks. The subject of the study was a 24-year-old man, a second-year student of Pedagogy in Physical Education at a Chilean university, with no previous experience in this virtual tool. Results: The results indicate that for body composition the study subject decreased the fat component and slightly improved the musculature, while for physical fitness cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility improved, but manual grip strength decreased. Conclusions: It is concluded that the training developed through immersive virtual reality proves to be a tool that can promote improvements in body composition and physical fitness; it is necessary to carry out more research to validate the potential of this instrument as a means of contributing to the health of the population. Full article

This study investigates visitor soundscape perceptions in Queulat National Park (QNP), Chile, to inform biodiversity conservation strategies amid rising anthropogenic pressures. By analyzing responses at two sites—Lagoon and Overlook—during peak tourist periods, this research examines how visitor experiences align with protected area management goals. A one-minute listening exercise was followed up by a survey to gather data on perceived sounds and their appeal. The results highlight the importance of involving visitors in monitoring acoustic environments, providing managers with insights into visitor-perceived soundscape dynamics. Unique QNP ecosystem characteristics emerged, with visitors identifying anthrophonic sounds as problematic, especially at the Lagoon site. Perceptions aligned with management concerns about noise impacts from congestion, showing visitors can discern when soundscapes diverge from protected area objectives. These findings underscore the need to integrate visitor engagement into acoustic monitoring to enhance biodiversity conservation. This study advocates ongoing sound level monitoring, protective policies, and tools derived from visitor input. It promotes protected areas as educational venues in order to deepen connections with local environments through sound recognition and calls for signage to inform visitors about noise impacts. Future research should continue to explore these strategies and the potential of visitor soundscape perceptions to reshape conservation strategies and support biodiversity preservation. Full article

Museums are important educational platforms in informal learning environments, offering essential off-campus venues for university-level aesthetic education. Over half of students’ independent off-campus art appreciation activities occur in museums. This study employed a mixed-methods approach to analyse students’ general impressions of museums using the TF-IDF algorithm. Additionally, the specific feelings of university students participating in self-directed museum learning were explored through focus groups, and differences between learning in museums and appreciating other art forms from the students’ perspectives were analysed. The results show that museums provide students with profound cultural and artistic knowledge. Students prefer museums for independent art appreciation because of the freedom, control, and safety offered in that learning process. In terms of interactivity, comprehensiveness, and repeatability, clear differences exist between museum art appreciation and other art disciplines. Overall, museums are important and sustainable off-campus aesthetic educational resources for universities. Full article

Rapid global urbanization during the late 20th and early 21st centuries has induced substantial land cover changes, posing significant threats to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites. In this study, we investigated the spatio-temporal change in urban development in response to land use transformations in the world cultural heritage site (CHS) of Taxila, Pakistan, to check the possible threats faced by the site. Land transfer matrices were used to assess the land cover change (LCC) between 1990 and 2024. Support vector machine and Getis–Ord Gi techniques were employed for LCC classification and spatial pattern interpretation, respectively, which were later evaluated by the high spatial resolution imagery of KH-9 (Keyhole-9), Google Earth Pro and Gaofen-2. The results indicate a significant increase in built-up area from 23.68 km² to 78.5 km², accompanied by a substantial rise in bare land from 8.56 km² to 26.5 km² between 1990 and 2024, which is quite irregular. LCC transformations were notable, with 13.1 km² of cropland and 44.8 km² vegetation being converted into 4.4 km² of built-up area and 14.5 km² into bare land during the 1990 to 2024 period. Getis–Ord Gi analysis observed a high Z-score value and showed low to high clustering patterns in the proximity of the Sarakhola and Bhir Mound sites from 1990 to 2024. Furthermore, high spatial resolution imagery indicates the loss of the core zone of the Sarakhola site from 0.0168 to 0.0032 km² from 2004 to 2024, which was the major threat to its outstanding universal venue (OUV) status. The findings of the current study indicate that the CHS under study is facing an alarming situation for conservation due to rapid urban development and encroachment. Therefore, local government should strictly implement the heritage law and revisit their policies to promote conservation efforts to maintain the authenticity and integrity of this world CHS. Full article

With rapid urbanization, improving school quality in compulsory education is critical for optimal educational resource allocation. This study integrates a random forest machine learning model, GIS spatial analysis, and a spatial econometric model to examine the spatiotemporal differentiation of school quality in Dalian, China, in 2016 and 2020, as well as its relationships with the construction land development cycle, population density, and housing prices. The findings reveal a core–periphery structure, with overall school quality on the rise and basic facility configuration exerting a stronger impact than teacher strength. Among internal resources, per capita sports venue area (PCSFA) and per capita teaching equipment value (PCTRE) contribute most significantly to school quality, while high-quality clusters in traditional educational hubs, university-covered areas, and transitional zones spur improvements in surrounding schools. The population density, housing prices, and the construction land development cycle all positively correlate with school quality, highlighting the need for coordinated action among urban planners, education authorities, and housing regulators to ensure that land development, housing affordability, and school facility investments advance equitable access to quality education. These results provide a novel perspective on compulsory education quality assessment and offer a valuable foundation for guiding education policies and urban development strategies. Full article

This paper applies the concept of symmetry to the design of a research methodology for public opinion evolution, emphasizing that both the construction and analysis processes of the method embody symmetrical principles. In today’s information age, dominated by social media, online platforms have become crucial venues for information dissemination. While the free flow of information promotes public participation, it also introduces certain challenges. Therefore, analyzing the evolution of public opinion and extracting public sentiment holds significant practical value for managing online public sentiment. This study takes the Zibo barbecue incident as a case study, utilizing the two-dimensional theory of emotion and Top2Vec for thematic analysis of public opinion comments. By combining sentiment dictionary methods with the RoBERTa model, we conduct a sentiment polarity analysis of public opinion comments. The results show that the RoBERTa model achieved an accuracy of 98.46% on the test set. The proposed method effectively uncovers public sentiment biases and the influencing factors on public emotions during the evolution of public opinion events, providing a more comprehensive understanding of the emotional dynamics throughout the development of public sentiment. This deeper insight aids in addressing issues related to public opinion more effectively. Full article

 Background/Objectives: This study aimed to elucidate the effect of rhythm jump training on the rhythm and motor abilities of elementary school students to provide insights into its potential benefits for their physical performance and coordination. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 101 elementary school students (grades 1–6) attending a soccer school. Participants were divided into a rhythm jump group (n = 51, age: 7.5 years, height: 126.0 cm, weight: 25.7 kg) and a control group (n = 39, age: 8.0 years, height: 128.8 cm, weight: 26.5 kg) based on their practice venue. The rhythm jump group engaged in 10 min of rhythm jump at the beginning of soccer practice once a week over 8 weeks (intervention period), while the control group continued regular soccer training. Measurements included rhythmic reproduction ability during jumps, Pro Agility Test (PAT) values, and Reactive Strength Index (RSI) scores, assessed before and after the intervention period. Rhythmic reproduction ability was measured by comparing the data of the timing of jumps to 4- and 8-beat audio tracks. These were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Significant interactions were observed between 8-beat rhythmic reproduction ability and PAT values. In 8-beat rhythm deviation, a significant decrease was observed in the rhythm jump group (0.048 s) compared to that in the control group (0.013 s) (p < 0.01). PAT time significantly decreased in the rhythm jump group (0.18 s) compared to the control group (−0.25 s) (p < 0.01). There was no observed interaction between 4-beat rhythmic reproduction ability and RSI. Conclusions: This study revealed that rhythm jump training can be effective even with short sessions and infrequent practice, emphasizing its efficiency. The short-term rhythm jump intervention improved the 8-beat rhythmic reproduction ability and agility of elementary school students. Full article

Episiotomy is a perineal incision enlarging the vaginal opening during labor, preventing severe perineal/vaginal/ano-rectal lacerations. We performed a systematic literature review (PRISMA guidelines; Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science databases) of primary malignant tumors arising from the episiotomy site. Thirteen primary carcinomas were reported, mainly endometriosis-related histotypes (77%) (nine clear cell, CCC; one endometrioid, EC) with only two vulvar invasive squamous cell carcinomas and one adenoid cystic carcinoma of Bartholin’s gland. No sarcomas, melanomas or malignant trophoblastic tumors were described. Endometriosis was associated with tumors or reported in history (62%). Malignant transformation occurred 3 to 27 (mean 16) years after diagnosis of endometriosis. Patients were usually post-/peri-menopausal (eight cases, 61%) (age range: 31–70 years, mean 50). Imaging should exclude distant (0% in our series) or lymph node metastases (three cases, 23%), looking for potential invasion of vagina (five cases, 39%), anus (including sphincter) (four cases, 31%) and/or other deep pelvic soft tissues (five cases, 39%). All patients underwent surgery, except for a CCC-patient (only chemoradiation) subsequently progressing and dying of disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were administered to five (39%) cases, neoadjuvant therapy to four cases (31%). Globally, three (23%) cases recurred or progressed, and two-thirds (15%) died of disease (1 CCC, 1 EC). Radical surgery with lymph node status evaluation and eventual excision should be performed when possible. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy can be considered in an adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant setting (or as only treatment in inoperable patients). However, the role of different treatments should be studied in further larger multicenter series. Full article

The current paradigm of low-T combustion and autoignition of hydrocarbons is based on the sequential two-step oxygenation of fuel radicals. The key chain-branching occurs when the second oxygenation adduct (OOQOOH) is isomerized releasing an OH radical and a key ketohydroperoxide (KHP) intermediate. The subsequent homolytic dissociation of relatively weak O–O bonds in KHP generates two more radicals in the oxidation chain leading to ignition. Based on the recently introduced intramolecular “catalytic hydrogen atom transfer” mechanism (J. Phys. Chem. 2024, 128, 2169), abbreviated here as I-CHAT, we have identified a novel unimolecular decomposition channel for KHPs to form their classical isomers—enol hydroperoxides (EHP). The uncertainty in the contribution of enols is typically due to the high computed barriers for conventional (“direct”) keto–enol tautomerization. Remarkably, the I-CHAT dramatically reduces such barriers. The novel mechanism can be regarded as an intramolecular version of the intermolecular relay transfer of H-atoms mediated by an external molecule following the general classification of such processes (Catal. Rev.-Sci. Eng. 2014, 56, 403). Here, we present a detailed mechanistic and kinetic analysis of the I-CHAT-facilitated pathways applied to n-hexane, n-heptane, and n-pentane models as prototype molecules for gasoline, diesel, and hybrid rocket fuels. We particularly examined the formation kinetics and subsequent dissociation of the γ-enol-hydroperoxide isomer of the most abundant pentane-derived isomer γ-C5-KHP observed experimentally. To gain molecular-level insight into the I-CHAT catalysis, we have also explored the role of the internal catalyst moieties using truncated models. All applied models demonstrated a significant reduction in the isomerization barriers, primarily due to the decreased ring strain in transition states. In addition, the longer-range and sequential H-migration processes were also identified and illustrated via a combined double keto–enol conversion of heptane-2,6-diketo-4-hydroperoxide as a potential chain-branching model. To assess the possible impact of the I-CHAT channels on global fuel combustion characteristics, we performed a detailed kinetic analysis of the isomerization and decomposition of γ-C5-KHP comparing I-CHAT with key alternative reactions—direct dissociation and Korcek channels. Calculated rate parameters were implemented into a modified version of the n-pentane kinetic model developed earlier using RMG automated model generation tools (ACS Omega, 2023, 8, 4908). Simulations of ignition delay times revealed the significant effect of the new pathways, suggesting an important role of the I-CHAT pathways in the low-T combustion of large alkanes. Full article

The ancient site of Olympia is located on the northern fringe of the Basin of Makrisia at the confluence of the Kladeos and Alpheios rivers (western Peloponnese, Greece) and was used as a venue for the Panhellenic Games from Archaic times until the 4th century AD. Geophysical prospection (frequency domain electromagnetic induction and electrical resistivity tomography) was carried out as a basis for detailed geoarchaeological investigations. In doing so, we identified a previously unknown building structure adjacent to the Altis, the inner part of the sanctuary at Olympia. Situated south of the Southwest Thermae, this structure measures at least 100 m (WSW-ENE) by 80 m (NNW-SSE). Its external orientation is in line with the orientation of the Southwest Thermae and the Leonidaion. We retrieved sediment cores from 17 different locations in combination with high-resolution direct push sensing from inside the newly found structure. All cores revealed distinct units of organic-rich limnic sediments dominated by clay and fine silt. Geochemical and micropaleontological analyses of selected sediment samples indicate highly eutrophic conditions, as evidenced by elevated phosphorous concentrations and the dominance of the ostracod species Cyprideis torosa, which is able to live under low-oxygen conditions. Moreover, molecular biomarker analyses show a significant input of lipid fecal markers, implying strong anthropogenic pollution. Further, the limnic sediments include numerous charcoal remains and abundant diagnostic artifacts such as ceramic fragments and building material. Radiocarbon dating documents that these limnic conditions persisted within the building structure from at least the 5th century BC to the 6th century AD. The identified building structure lies in the immediate proximity to the Lake of Olympia, which was recently found to have existed from the mid-Holocene to the Medieval period. Its characteristic filling with fine-grained sediments and multiple indications for a strongly polluted and heavily used standing water environment let us hypothesize that it was possibly used as a harbor installation. A harbor at ancient Olympia could have been used to reach the sanctuary by boat and to transport goods of all kinds. Full article

This article argues that Daoism embodies a performative approach to hell. To make this argument, the first section summarizes the “strong view of hell”. The second section explores how the Daoist text Scripture of the Three Offices (Sanguan jing 三官經) describes hell. The third section examines how the Daoist priest Nie Shihao 聶士豪 (fl. 1691) interprets this description of hell. His commentary shows that Chinese rituals constitute a venue whereby social actors pursue ritual criticism and self-reflexivity. Full article

This study was inspired by an emerging trend in contemporary cities: the transformation of trams into mobile spaces for recreation, education, and work. Despite the growing popularity of this concept, which is linked to the search for more sustainable transport options, there is a marked lack of guidelines, methodological frameworks, and reference case studies necessary to support these projects. This study fills this gap by illustrating the design guidelines developed for a project in Gwangmyeong, a new Korean town. These guidelines provide a structured framework for converting existing trams into mobile venues such as restaurants, classrooms, and work and conference spaces. Employing the design thinking approach, the guidelines comprise three primary design phases—Understand, Define, and Materialize—each consisting of two sub-phases, and specify the technical tools, roles, and outputs needed. The proposed guidelines are illustrated using material from the Gwangmyeong project. As the first of their kind, these guidelines provide a valuable case study and reference materials for designers, offering possible benchmarks for the technical and financial evaluation of such projects. This study hopes to stimulate discussions on the development and refinement of similar methodologies, addressing the growing interest in design discourse. Full article