Human activities have had a profound impact on the environment, particularly in relation to surface erosion and landslides. These processes, which are natural phenomena, have been exacerbated by human actions, leading to detrimental consequences for ecosystems, communities, and the overall health of the planet. The use of lignin (LIG) as a biopolymer soil additive material is regarded as an eco-friendly solution against soil erosion and slope failure which holds immense promise. However, significant research gaps currently hinder a comprehensive understanding of its mechanisms and effectiveness. Experimental studies offer a robust platform to address these gaps by providing controlled conditions for assessing soil stability, exploring mechanisms, and evaluating adaptability. Bridging these research gaps will contribute to the development of innovative and sustainable strategies for mitigating soil erosion and preventing slope failure, thereby promoting environmental resilience and resource conservation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the LIG biopolymer on mitigation of soil erosion, slope failure and the enhancement of soil strength by conducting laboratory tests (UU triaxial, unconfined compressive strength (UCS), and soaking) as well as flume experiments under uniform rainfall events. The alterations in the engineering characteristics and erosion resistance of silty soil mixed with a LIG additive at concentrations of 1% and 3.0% by weight have been examined. The results show that the LIG-treated samples demonstrated an enhanced resistance to surface erosion and an enhanced prevention of slope failure, as well as improved shear stress, cohesion, stiffness, and resistance to water infiltration. Full article

The physiological loss OF muscle mass and strength with aging is referred to as “sarcopenia”, whose combined effect with osteoporosis is a serious threat to the elderly, accounting for decreased mobility and increased risk of falls with consequent fractures. In previous studies, we observed a high degree of inter-individual variability in paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration, one of the most relevant indices of muscle wasting. This aspect led us to develop a computerized method to quantitatively characterize muscle fatty infiltration in aging and diseases. Magnetic resonance images of paraspinal muscles from 58 women of different ages (age range of 23–85 years) and physio-pathological status (healthy young, pre-menopause, menopause, and osteoporosis) were used to set up a method based on fractal-derived texture analysis of lean muscle area (contractile muscle) to estimate muscle fatty infiltration. In particular, lacunarity was computed by parameter β from the GBA (gliding box algorithm) curvilinear plot fitted by our hyperbola model function. Succolarity was estimated by parameter µ, for the four main directions through an algorithm implemented with this purpose. The results show that lacunarity, by quantifying muscle fatty infiltration, can discriminate between osteoporosis and healthy aging, while succolarity can separate the other three groups showing similar lacunarity. Therefore, fractal-derived features of contractile muscle, by measuring fatty infiltration, can represent good indices of sarcopenia in aging and disease. Full article

Investing in stocks and shares is a common strategy to pursue potential gains while considering future financial needs, such as retirement and children’s education. Effectively managing investment risk requires thoroughly analyzing stock market returns and making informed predictions. Traditional models often utilize normal variance distributions to describe these returns. However, stock market returns often deviate from normality, exhibiting skewness, higher kurtosis, heavier tails, and a more pronounced center. This paper investigates the Laplace distribution and its generalized forms, including asymmetric Laplace, skewed Laplace, and the Kumaraswamy Laplace distribution, for modeling stock market returns. Our analysis involves a comparative study with the widely-used Variance-Gamma distribution, assessing their fit with the weekly returns of the S&P 500 Index and its eleven business sectors, drawing parallel inferences from international stock market indices like IBOVESPA and KOSPI for emerging and developed economies, as well as the 20+ Years Treasury Bond ETFs and individual stocks across varied time horizons. The empirical findings indicate the superior performance of the Kumaraswamy Laplace distribution, which establishes it as a robust alternative for precise return predictions and efficient risk mitigation in investments. Full article

Pirfenidone and Nintedanib have significantly improved the prognosis of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), reducing mortality risk and exacerbations. This study aimed to analyze antifibrotic treatment utilization and its association with clinical outcomes (i.e., acute exacerbation or death) during 2014–2021 in newly diagnosed IPF patients, using Healthcare Utilization Databases of the Marche Region, Italy. Methods: The first 12-month adherence to antifibrotic was estimated using the Proportion of Days Covered (PDC), defining adherence as PDC ≥ 75%. State Sequence Analysis over the initial 52 weeks of treatment was used to identify adherence patterns. The role of adherence patterns on acute exacerbations/death, adjusted by demographic, clinical features, and monthly adherence after the 52-week period (time-dependent variable), was assessed with Cox regression. Results: Among 667 new IPF cases, 296 received antifibrotic prescriptions, with 62.8% being adherent in the first year. Three antifibrotic utilization patterns emerged—high adherence (37.2%), medium adherence (42.5%), and low adherence (20.3%)—with median PDCs of 95.3%, 79.5%, and 18.6%, respectively. These patterns did not directly influence three-year mortality/exacerbation probability, but sustained adherence reduced risk over time. Conclusions: Good adherence was observed in in this population-based study, emphasizing the importance of continuous antifibrotics therapy over time to mitigate adverse outcomes. Full article

Background: The Clustered Orienteering Problem is an optimization problem faced in last-mile logistics. The aim is, given an available time window, to visit vertices and to collect as much profit as possible in the given time. The vertices to visit have to be selected among a set of service requests. In particular, the vertices belong to clusters, the profits are associated with clusters, and the price relative to a cluster is collected only if all the vertices of a cluster are visited. Any solving methods providing better solutions also imply a new step towards sustainable logistics since companies can rely on more efficient delivery patterns, which, in turn, are associated with an improved urban environment with benefits both to the population and the administration thanks to an optimized and controlled last-mile delivery flow. Methods: In this paper, we propose a constraint programming model for the problem, and we empirically evaluate the potential of the new model by solving it with out-of-the-box software. Results: The results indicate that, when compared to the exact methods currently available in the literature, the new approach proposed stands out. Moreover, when comparing the quality of the heuristic solutions retrieved by the new model with those found by tailored methods, a good performance can be observed. In more detail, many new best-known upper bounds for the cost of the optimal solutions are reported, and several instances are solved to optimality for the first time. Conclusions: The paper provides a new practical and easy-to-implement tool to effectively deal with an optimization problem commonly faced in last-mile logistics. Full article

Energy transformation powers change in the universe. In physical systems, maximal power (rate of energy input or output) may occur only at submaximal efficiency (output/input), or conversely, maximal efficiency may occur only at submaximal power. My review of power and efficiency in living systems at various levels of biological organization reveals that (1) trade-offs (negative correlations) between power and efficiency, as expected in physical systems, chiefly occur for resource-supply systems; (2) synergy (positive correlations) between power and efficiency chiefly occurs for resource use systems, which may result from (a) increasing energy allocation to production versus maintenance as production rate increases and (b) natural selection eliminating organisms that exceed a maximal power limit because of deleterious speed-related effects; (3) productive power indicates species-wide ‘fitness’, whereas efficiency of resource acquisition for production indicates local ‘adaptiveness’, as viewed along a body size spectrum and within clades of related species; (4) covariation of the power and efficiency of living systems occurs across space and time at many scales; (5) the energetic power/efficiency of living systems relates to the rates and efficiencies/effectiveness of nutrient/water uptake/use, the functional performance of various activities, and information acquisition/processing; and (6) a power/efficiency approach has many useful theoretical and practical applications deserving more study. Full article

To support the bankability of PV projects, PV manufacturers have been offering some of the longest warranties in the world, typically in the range of 25–30 years. During the warranty period, PV manufacturers guarantee that the degradation of PV modules will not exceed 0.4%-0.6% each year, or the buyer can at any time make a claim to the manufacturer for replacement or compensation for the shortfall. Due to PV popularity, the performance warranty terms have become more and more competitive each year. However, long-term PV operating data are very limited, and the bankruptcy of PV manufacturers has been quite common. Without a proper methodology to assess the adequacy of the warranty fund (WF) reserves of PV manufacturers, the 25-year performance warranty can reflect an empty promise. To ensure sustainable development of the PV industry, this study develops a probability-weighted expected value method to determine the necessary WF reserve based on benchmark field degradation data and a prevailing degradation cap of 0.55% per year. The simulation results show that, unless the manufacturer’s degradation pattern is significantly better than the benchmark degradation profile, 1.302% of the sales value is required for the WF reserve. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that provides WF reserve requirement estimation for 25-year PV performance warranties. The results will provide transparency for PV investors and motivation for PV manufacturers to engage in continuous quality improvement, as all such achievements can now be reflected in the annual report results of manufacturers. Full article

Jumping robots possess the capability to surmount formidable obstacles and are well-suited for navigating through complex terrain environments. However, most of the existing jumping robots face challenges in achieving stable jumping and they also have low energy utilization efficiency, which limits their practical applications. In this work, a two-module jumping robot based on tensegrity structure is put forward. Firstly, the structural design and jumping mechanism of the robot are elaborated in the article. Then, dynamic models, including the two modules’ simultaneous jumping and step-up jumping process of the robot, are established utilizing the Lagrange dynamic modeling method. On this basis, the effects of parameters, including the stiffness of elastic cables and the initial tilt angle of the robot, on the jumping performance of the robot can be obtained. Finally, simulations are carried out and a prototype is developed to verify the rationality of the tensegrity-based jumping robot proposed in this work. The experiment results show that our jumping robot can achieve a stable jumping process and the step-up jumping of each module of the prototype can have higher energy efficiency than that of simultaneous jumping of each module, which enables the robot a better jumping performance. This research serves as a valuable reference for the design and analysis of jumping robots. Full article

The effect of 0.2%Cr addition on the structure, phase composition, and mechanical properties of the novel cast and wrought Al-2.5Zn-2.5Mg-2.5Cu-0.2Zr-Er(Y) alloys were investigated in detail. Chromium is distributed between primary crystals (5.7–6.8%) of the intermetallic phase and the aluminum solid solution (0.2%) (Al). The primary crystals contain for the main part Cr, Ti, Er(Y). The experimental phase composition is in good correlation with the thermodynamic computation data. The micron-sized solidification origin phases (Al₈Cu₄Er(or Y) and Mg₂Si) and supersaturated (Al) with nano-sized Al₃(Zr,Ti) and E (Al₁₈Mg₃Cr₂) precipitates are presented in the microstructure of the novel alloys after solution treatment. The nucleation of η (MgZn₂) (0.5%), S (Al₂CuMg) (0.4%), and T (Al,Zn,Mg,Cu) (8.8%) phase precipitates at 180 °С, providing the achievement of a maximum hardness of 135 HV in the Al2.5Zn2.5Mg2.5CuYCr alloy. The corrosion potential of the novel alloy is similar to the E_cor of the referenced alloy, but the corrosion current density (0.68–0.98 µA/sm²) is still significantly lower due to the formation of E (Al₁₈Mg₃Cr₂) precipitates and S phase precipitates of the aging origin, in addition to the T phase. The formation of E (Al₁₈Mg₃Cr₂) precipitates under the solution treatment provides a lower proportion of recrystallized grains (2.5–5% vs. 22.4–25.1%) and higher hardness (110 HV vs. 85–95 HV) in the Cr-rich alloys compared to the referenced alloys. Solution treated, hot and cold rolled, recrystallized, water quenched and aged at 210 °С alloys demonstrate an excellent microstructure stability and tensile properties: YS = 299–300 MPa, UTS = 406–414 MPa, and El. = 9–12.3%. Full article

There has been a growing interest in recycling and upcycling different waste streams due to concerns for environmental protection. This has prompted the desire to develop circular economies and optimize the utilization of bioresources for different industrial sectors. Turning agricultural and forestry waste streams into high-performance materials is a promising and meaningful strategy for creating value-added materials. Lignocellulose fibres from plants are emerging as a potential candidate for eco-friendly feedstock in the textile industry. Nonwoven fabric is one of the most innovative and promising categories for the textile industry since it currently utilizes about 66% synthetic materials. In the upcoming wave of nonwoven products, we can expect an increased utilization of natural and renewable materials, particularly with a focus on incorporating lignocellulosic materials as both binders and fibre components. The introduction of low-cost fibres from waste residue materials to produce high-performance nonwoven fabrics represents a shift towards more environmentally sustainable paradigms in various applications and they represent ecological and inexpensive alternatives to conventional petroleum-derived materials. Here, we review potential technologies for using agricultural waste fibres in nonwoven products. Full article

This study explores consumer preferences for brands that emphasize sustainability and inclusivity, and for brands perceived as exclusive and trendy. Consumer data obtained via a large-scale survey involving 24,798 participants across 20 countries and one special administrative region (SAR) are used to understand how willingness to pay (WTP) for these brand types varies globally, accounting for demographic factors like generation, gender, and country. A substantial body of literature highlights growing consumer interest in brands that stand for sustainability and inclusivity, challenging traditional notions that luxury and exclusivity primarily drive brand value. Despite persistent skepticism among some business executives about consumers’ actual versus claimed willingness to spend more for sustainable and inclusive brands, academics and commercial researchers increasingly signal a shift in purchasing behavior that is influenced by socio-ecological factors. This research aims to provide empirical data on consumer WTP across different demographics and countries/regions, thereby contributing to academic discussions and offering insights for managerial decision making. The study frames its investigation around four research questions, to explore how consumers’ WTP for exclusive and inclusive brands varies across generations, genders, and countries/regions. It employs a robust methodological approach, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the data. This ensures that the constructs of brand inclusiveness and exclusivity are comparable across diverse cultural contexts. Significant gender, generational, and country/region differences are observed. When comparing generations, the findings indicate that GenZ consumers have a higher WTP for sustainable/inclusive brands (compared to older, GenX, and Baby Boomer generations). Similar patterns are found when considering WTP for exclusive, on-trend brands. In terms of gender, women are observed to have a higher WTP for sustainable/inclusive brands, but a lower WTP for exclusive, on-trend brands compared to men. Finally, compared to consumers originating from certain European countries, we find that consumers living in certain Asian countries/regions have a significantly higher WTP for inclusive and sustainable brands, as well as for exclusive/on-trend brands. The study underscores the complexities of consumer behavior in the global market, highlighting the coexistence of traditional preferences for exclusive, trendy brands and preferences for brands that embrace sustainability and inclusivity. Full article

This paper investigates the effect of spatial variability of soil elastic modulus on the longitudinal responses of the existing shield tunnel to the new tunnel undercrossing using a random two-stage analysis method (RTSAM). The Timoshenko–Winkler-based deterministic method considering longitudinal variation in the subgrade reaction coefficient and the random field of the soil elastic modulus discretized by the Karhunen–Loeve expansion method are combined to establish the RTSAM. Then, the proposed RTSAM is applied to carry out a random analysis based on an actual engineering case. Results show that the increases in the scale of fluctuation and the coefficient of variation of the soil elastic modulus lead to higher variabilities of tunnel responses. A decreasing pillar depth and mean value of the soil elastic modulus and an increasing skew angle strengthen the effect of the spatial variability of the soil elastic modulus on tunnel responses. The variabilities of tunnel responses under the random field of the soil elastic modulus are overestimated by the Euler–Bernoulli beam model. The results of this study provide references for the uncertainty analysis of the new tunneling-induced responses of the existing tunnel under the random field of soil properties. Full article

(1) Background: There is a huge unmet clinical need for novel treatment strategies in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer. Several cell membrane-bound molecules are up-regulated in cancer cells as compared to normal tissue and have revived interest with the introduction of antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs). (2) Methods: In this study, we characterize the expression of 10 potential ADC targets, TROP2, mesotheline, CEACAM5, DLL3, folate receptor alpha, guanylatcyclase, glycoprotein NMB, CD56, CD70 and CD138, on the gene expression level. Of these, the three ADC targets TROP2, CEACAM5 and CD138 were further analyzed on the protein level. (3) Results: TROP2 shows expression in 98.5% (66/67) of cervical cancer samples. CEACAM5 shows a stable gene expression profile and overall, 68.7% (46/67) of cervical cancer samples are CEACAM-positive with 34.3% (23/67) of cervical cancer samples showing at least moderate or high expression. Overall, 73.1% (49/67) of cervical cancer samples are CD138-positive with 38.8% (26/67) of cervical cancer samples showing at least moderate or high expression. (4) Conclusions: TROP2, CEACAM5 or CD138 do seem suitable for further clinical research and the data presented here might be used to guide further clinical trials with ADCs in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer patients. Full article

There is a huge reservation of loess in the Shanxi mining area in China, which has great potential for preparing supplementary cementitious materials. Loess was modified via mechanical and thermal activation, and the pozzolanic activity was evaluated using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES). Moreover, the workability of grouting materials prepared using modified loess was assessed. The experimental results revealed that the number of ultrafine particles gradually increased with the grinding time, enhancing the grouting performance. The coordination number of Al decreased upon the breakage of the Al–O–Si bond post-calcination at 400 °C, 550 °C, 700 °C, and 850 °C. Moreover, the breaking of the Si–O covalent bond produced Si-phases, and the pozzolanic activity of loess increased. Furthermore, the modified loess was hydrated with different cement proportions. With increasing grinding time, the overall setting time increased until the longest time of 14.5 h and the fluidity of the slurry decreased until the lowest fluidity of 9.7 cm. However, the fluidity and setting time decreased with increasing calcination temperature. The lowest values were 12.03 cm and 10.05 h. With the increase in pozzolanic activity, more ettringite was produced via hydration, which enhanced the mechanical properties. The maximum strength of the hydrated loess after grinding for 20 min reached 16.5 MPa. The strength of the hydrated loess calcined at 850 °C reached 21 MPa. These experimental findings provide theoretical support for the practical application of loess in grouting. Full article

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and the most common form of dementia globally. Although the direct cause of AD remains under debate, neuroinflammation and oxidative stress are critical components in its pathogenesis and progression. As a result, compounds like cannabidiol (CBD) are being increasingly investigated for their ability to provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory neuroprotection. CBD is the primary non-psychotropic phytocannabinoid derived from Cannabis sativa. It has been found to provide beneficial outcomes in a variety of medical conditions and is gaining increasing attention for its potential therapeutic application in AD. CBD is not psychoactive and its lipophilic nature allows its rapid distribution throughout the body, including across the blood–brain barrier (BBB). CBD also possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties, making it a viable candidate for AD treatment. This review outlines CBD’s mechanism of action, the role of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in AD, and the effectiveness and limitations of CBD in preclinical models of AD. Full article

The determination of illegal drugs and psychoactive substances in wastewater is increasingly being used to monitor the use of both by populations in specific areas. This article describes a method for the simultaneous determination of 78 illegal drugs and psychoactive substances in wastewater using direct-injection ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). This method includes the analysis of stimulants, opioids, antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, and hallucinogens. The method was validated in terms of the selectivity, calibration range, recovery, matrix effects, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). The correlation coefficients were higher than 0.99 for all analytes, and the calibration range was from 0.2 to 500 ng/L. The LOD and LOQ of this method were 0.1–1 ng/L and 0.2–5 ng/L, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions were <9.3% and 11.4%, respectively, and the recovery ranged from 81.3% to 117.7%. The method was applied to real domestic wastewater collected from wastewater treatment plants, and the results showed that morphine, codeine, and ephedrine were detected in all samples. Some samples also contained other illegal drugs and psychoactive substances (such as etomidate, methamphetamine, ketamine, and tramadol). This indicates that the direct-injection UHPLC-MS/MS method can be used for the rapid determination of illegal drugs and psychoactive substances in wastewater. Full article

Urban areas are undergoing significant changes with the rise of smart cities, with technology transforming how cities develop through enhanced connectivity and data-driven services. However, these advancements also bring new challenges, especially in dealing with urban emergencies that can disrupt city life and infrastructure. The emergency management systems have become crucial elements for enabling cities to better handle urban emergencies, although ensuring the reliability and detectability of such system remains critical. This article introduces a new method to perform reliability and detectability assessments. By using Fault Tree Markov chain models, this article evaluates their performance under extreme conditions, providing valuable insights for designing and operating urban emergency systems. These analyses fill a gap in the existing research, offering a comprehensive understanding of emergency management systems functionality in complex urban settings. Full article

The majority of the world’s natural rubber comes from the rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis). As a key enzyme for synthesizing phenylpropanoid compounds, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) has a critical role in plant satisfactory growth and environmental adaptation. To clarify the characteristics of rubber tree PAL family genes, a genome-wide characterization of rubber tree PALs was conducted in this study. Eight PAL genes (HbPAL1-HbPAL8), which spread over chromosomes 3, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16, and 18, were found to be present in the genome of H. brasiliensis. Phylogenetic analysis classified HbPALs into groups I and II, and the group I HbPALs (HbPAL1-HbPAL6) displayed similar conserved motif compositions and gene architectures. Tissue expression patterns of HbPALs quantified by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) proved that distinct HbPALs exhibited varying tissue expression patterns. The HbPAL promoters contained a plethora of cis-acting elements that responded to hormones and stress, and the qPCR analysis demonstrated that abiotic stressors like cold, drought, salt, and H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress, as well as hormones like salicylic acid, abscisic acid, ethylene, and methyl jasmonate, controlled the expression of HbPALs. The majority of HbPALs were also regulated by powdery mildew, anthracnose, and Corynespora leaf fall disease infection. In addition, HbPAL1, HbPAL4, and HbPAL7 were significantly up-regulated in the bark of tapping panel dryness rubber trees relative to that of healthy trees. Our results provide a thorough comprehension of the characteristics of HbPAL genes and set the groundwork for further investigation of the biological functions of HbPALs in rubber trees. Full article

The newly identified Sanghuangporus alpinus species of the Sanghuang mushroom genus has been found to possess significant medical benefits. However, the current artificial cultivation technology has not reached the requisite maturity. The response-surface methodology (RSM) was used to optimize the Sanghuangporus alpinus culture medium formulation and evaluate the functional activity of S. alpinus exopolysaccharides. First, a single-factor experiment was conducted to screen for optimal carbon and nitrogen sources for S. alpinus. Then, using Box–Behnken’s central composite design, a response-surface experiment was conducted to determine optimal culture parameters. Finally, the rationality of those parameters was assessed in a shaking flask experiment. The optimal culture parameters, determined through regression analysis, were 20.20 ± 0.17 g/L fructose (carbon source), 7.29 ± 0.10 g/L yeast extract (nitrogen source), and 0.99 ± 0.01 g/L dandelion. With optimization, the S. alpinus yield increased to 12.79 ± 1.41 g/L, twice that obtained from the initial culture medium. The S. alpinus exopolysaccharide exhibited an excellent antioxidant capacity, with the strongest scavenging effect noted on ABTS free radicals (lowest half-inhibitory concentration: 0.039 mg/mL). Additionally, this exopolysaccharide effectively inhibited various cancer cells, exhibiting the strongest activity against human glioma cells U251 (half-inhibitory concentration: 0.91 mg/mL). The RSM used to optimize the fermentation culture parameters of S. alpinus significantly increased the mycelial biomass. The improvement of Sanghuangporus alpinus yield through liquid fermentation and optimizing the fermentation medium could fill the existing gap in the cultivation of Sanghuangporus alpinus, as well as provide valuable data for the large-scale production of S. alpinus. Full article

Resource curse and environmental regulation are the key bottlenecks that hinder the sustainable development of the resource industry. A reasonable assessment of the decoupling relationship between resource supply, environment regulation and resource industry transformation is helpful to promote the decision-making of industrial restructuring in post-development regions. Taking Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China as the research object, panel data related to resources, environment and industry from 2010 to 2021 are selected to evaluate the spatial and temporal evolution of regional resource supply security, environmental regulatory pressure and resource industry transformation efficiency, measure the decoupling index among the factors, and use geographic detector technology to identify the constraints affecting factor decoupling. The results show the following: (1) the resource curse effect of Inner Mongolia is not significant, and some resource industries have prominent advantages; (2) the security of resource supply and the transformation efficiency of the resource industry show overall upward trend, the pressure of environmental regulation is basically balanced, and the development level of factors in resource-endowed regions and central cities is relatively high; (3) the spatial and temporal evolution of the decoupling relationship between resource supply, environmental regulation and resource industry transformation is uncertain, and the resilience of regional economic and social governance is poor; (4) resource endowment and resource industry advantages are the key that restricts the decoupling of factors, and the cumulative effect of ecological governance is likely to lead to the randomness of the decoupling of environmental regulation and resource industry transformation. In addition, this study suggests that the post-development areas should pay attention to the classification of resource industry relief, trans-regional economic and social collaborative governance and special resources exploitation. Full article

An explicit computational scheme is proposed for solving fractal time-dependent partial differential equations (PDEs). The scheme is a three-stage scheme constructed using the fractal Taylor series. The fractal time order of the scheme is three. The scheme also ensures stability. The approach is utilized to model the time-varying boundary layer flow of a non-Newtonian fluid over both stationary and oscillating surfaces, taking into account the influence of heat generation that depends on both space and temperature. The continuity equation of the considered incompressible fluid is discretized by first-order backward difference formulas, whereas the dimensionless Navier–Stokes equation, energy, and equation for nanoparticle volume fraction are discretized by the proposed scheme in fractal time. The effect of different parameters involved in the velocity, temperature, and nanoparticle volume fraction are displayed graphically. The velocity profile rises as the parameter I grows. We primarily apply this computational approach to analyze a non-Newtonian fluid’s fractal time-dependent boundary layer flow over flat and oscillatory sheets. Considering spatial and temperature-dependent heat generation is a crucial factor that introduces additional complexity to the analysis. The continuity equation for the incompressible fluid is discretized using first-order backward difference formulas. On the other hand, the dimensionless Navier–Stokes equation, energy equation, and the equation governing nanoparticle volume fraction are discretized using the proposed fractal time-dependent scheme. Full article

This study investigates the causes of soft-storey and weak-storey formations in low- and mid-rise RC (Reinforced Concrete) buildings in Türkiye. In the first phase of the study, 96 model buildings were designated for the examination of soft-storey irregularity when the ground floors are used for commercial purposes and the upper floors for residential use. The ground floor heights that would cause soft-storey irregularity in each of the selected buildings were determined according to the formulas given in the Türkiye Building Earthquake Code (TBEC) and the American Society of Civil Engineers Standard (ASCE). It was found that the ground floor heights obtained according to ASCE are usable in practice, whereas those obtained according to the TBEC, particularly for buildings over three storeys, are excessively high for practical use. This indicates that, even if the buildings in Türkiye are designed with very high ground floor heights, they do not have soft-storey irregularities, according to the TBEC, but soft-storey formation may occur in these buildings due to the high ground floor height as a result of the effects of earthquakes. Instead of the soft-storey irregularity coefficient limit value (n_ki > 2) found in the TBEC, this study proposes a new limit value to prevent the design of buildings with very high ground floors. In the second phase of the study, for the purpose of examining weak-storey irregularity, 105 model buildings differing in their infill wall layout, number of spans, span length, and number of storeys were selected. The weak-storey irregularity coefficients of each of these models were determined according to the TBEC. The results of the study revealed that buildings with no infill walls in one direction or with infill walls in only one of the exterior axes in one direction have a high risk of having weak storeys. Full article