Sum of Euclidean distance differences and sum of absolute Manhattan distance differences: multicriteria decision making tools for small data tables.

This article presents an approach for automated assessment of the efficiency of pre-installed solar panel arrays. It is based on point clouds of large solar panel arrays distributed across space, with various orientations relative to the sun. As a typical example, without limiting the scope of application, a terrestrial laser scanner was used. Multiple buildings in a city block were laser-scanned to obtain the locations and orientations of the arrays. To demonstrate the developed approach, only one solar system on a building was considered in this study. The approach allows evaluating deficiencies in power production efficiency and comparing them with cost-effective modifications. The cost-benefit analysis can be performed based on this assessment. For future applications, the point clouds can be collected by other means, such as drones (for example).

Mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue remain major global public health challenges, especially in areas facing rapid climate change. Conventional mosquito control often proves ineffective or unsustainable, highlighting the need for innovative approaches. One promising strategy is releasing Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia, a bacterium that reduces mosquito-borne virus transmission. However, spatial heterogeneity across release areas complicates large-scale Wolbachia deployment, particularly in complex urban landscapes. High spatial variation and limited access to certain regions can cause establishment failures, waste resources, and disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities. To address this, we developed a partial differential equation model that simulates the spatial spread of Wolbachia in mosquito populations. The model incorporates practical pre-release measures such as insecticide spraying and repeated releases, while accounting for variation in urban landscapes that influence mosquito movement. We identified strategies for optimizing Wolbachia releases under two common constraints: limited release size and limited pre-release insecticide effectiveness. Our results show that, under a release-size constraint, Wolbachia can establish in low-dispersal areas (e.g., backyards or gated communities) even without insecticide. In contrast, in higher-dispersal areas (e.g., parks or city blocks), reducing the wild mosquito population by 35% prior to release accelerates Wolbachia establishment within nine months. When insecticide efficacy is limited to 35%, releases smaller than the constrained maximum can still achieve 90% Wolbachia infection in low-dispersal areas, but larger releases are required in high-dispersal settings. Our simulations further suggest that splitting releases into 2–5 weekly batches can outperform a single large release, even without pre-release interventions. These findings highlight the potential of tailoring pre-release interventions and release strategies to local mosquito dispersal characteristics, offering actionable insights for cost-effective and efficient Wolbachia-based vector control programs.

n ancient Rome, the use of vaulted structures built by using Roman concrete allowed for the construction of high-rise buildings. This architectural influence can be evident in Ostia, the Roman port city. During the first half of the 2nd century C.E., clusters of buildings in Ostia were constructed with barrel vaults and cross vaults, reaching two or more storeys in height. Unlike the residential complexes in Pompeii and Herculaneum, some of the insulae in Ostia could have been reconstructed to have been as high as four storeys. However, these vaulted structures in residential buildings are often overlooked in mainstream research on Roman architectural vaults due to their perceived lack of architectural finesse. This study focuses specifically on the surviving cross vaults within Ostia, aiming to uncover the practical aspects of constructing high-rise buildings in the city. By carefully examining the form of these cross vaults, the study seeks to understand the reality of vaulted structures in the clusters of residential buildings. Extensive three-dimensional data measured by laser scanner of the city block units is utilized to analyze how these cross vaults interacted as a cluster.

BackgroundTargeted indoor residual spraying focuses insecticide applications on common resting surfaces of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (an arboviral disease vector) in houses, such as exposed lower sections of walls and under furniture.MethodsWe conducted a two-group, parallel, unblinded, cluster-randomized trial in Merida, Mexico, to quantify the efficacy of targeted indoor residual spraying for preventing aedes-borne diseases (chikungunya, dengue, or Zika). Children 2 to 15 years of age were enrolled from households in 50 clusters of five-by-five city blocks. Households in 25 clusters received an annual application of targeted indoor residual spraying (intervention) before each season of aedes-borne disease (July through December). All clusters received routine Ministry of Health vector control. The primary end point was laboratory-confirmed, symptomatic aedes-borne disease. Community effects were assessed with the use of geolocated national surveillance data.ResultsA total of 4461 children were monitored for up to three seasons (2021, 2022, and 2023). The indoor density of A. aegypti mosquitoes was 59% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51 to 65) lower with the intervention than with control. A total of 422 cases of aedes-borne disease were confirmed, primarily dengue in 2023. In the per-protocol analysis of cluster centers, 91 cases occurred among 1038 participants in the intervention group and 89 cases among 1037 participants in the control group (efficacy, −12.8%; 95% CI, −60.7 to 23.0). In an intention-to-treat analysis of entire clusters, 198 cases occurred among 2239 participants in the intervention group and 199 cases among 2222 participants in the control group (efficacy, 3.9%; 95% CI, −28.1 to 26.7). Adjustment of analyses for mobility or demographic characteristics did not change results. On the basis of 150 cases in the intervention clusters and 202 in the control clusters that were geolocated, the estimated community effect of the intervention was 24.0% (95% CI, 6.0 to 38.6). Two cases of multisymptom adverse events (e.g., nausea, watery eyes, diarrhea, and vomiting) were associated with the intervention.ConclusionsDespite lower entomologic indexes with targeted indoor residual spraying than with routine vector control, the cumulative incidence of aedes-borne diseases was not significantly lower with targeted indoor residual spraying. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Innovative Vector Control Consortium; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04343521.)

Samuel Newhouse was a mining developer who used the fortune he acquired to develop a new financial center in Salt Lake City. Taking advantage of the siting of the new Federal Building, Newhouse commissioned twin eleven-story skyscrapers flanking a new street which cut through the city block. The new financial center which he envisioned was slow to attract businesses, and a decline in his mining stocks, reduced access to European capital, and competition from existing land-holders in Salt Lake City contributed to his bankruptcy. However, his twin skyscrapers and new street remain as evidence of his bold real estate venture.

Detecting the occurrence of suicide clusters at city block scale: evidence from a 26-year data series.

Abstract Sea level rise (SLR) inundation threats were evaluated across four barrier island coastal socio-ecosystems in the northwestern Yucatan Peninsula. Firstly, a 2-D hydrodynamic model was implemented, using a high-spatial-resolution LIDAR Digital Elevation Model, and was forced with SLR projections (17th- 83rd percentiles) for the year 2100 under three Shared Socio-economic Pathways (SSP) (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5) along with the local micro tide. Model results suggest important impacts in these coastal communities, particularly under the worst-case flood scenario (SSP5-8.5 83rd percentile; spring high tide), projecting flooding in 22–64% of city blocks of those towns by 2100. Moreover, rapid population growth over the past ten years has further increased flood risks. Further analysis focusing on Progreso, the largest coastal town in the study region, flood, population, and land use cover maps were overlaid to exhibit exposed elements to floods. This analysis reveals that large portions of forests (43.45%), shrublands (32.35%), grasslands (21.68%), and artificial surfaces (2.51%), and numerous city blocks in the lee side of the barrier island could be flooded under this worst-case flood scenario. Secondly, different alternatives to reduce the exposure to coastal flooding (levees, inhabitant’s relocation, land elevation build-up, and stilt houses) are discussed. This methodology can be useful to decision-makers for prevention, preparedness, mitigation of SLR impacts, and updating land use in northern Yucatan and other similar coastal regions.

From coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to other human-to-human infectious diseases, the integrative development of rail transport and land use, which is dominated by the theory of the transport-land use feedback cycle, concentrates citizens' large-scale flow and gathering within the rail station areas (RSAs). This makes RSAs the potential "focal point" of epidemic spread in cities. This study examined the effect of RSA coverage on epidemic transmission in rail-supportive city blocks and further revealed the internal mechanism and potential factors behind the surface effect. A quantitative empirical analysis was conducted using a typical COVID-19 case in Beijing, China, in 2020, and the statistical analysis method of "a mediating model with a moderating effect" was used, resulting in the following multilayered outcomes: (1) The higher the coverage, the lower the risk, overall, which is different from the general empiricism-based judgment. (2) Behind the total effect, RSA coverage does not directly affect epidemic transmission in blocks, as expected because of the focal point effect on epidemic occurrence possibility. Instead, RSA coverage has a mediating effect on epidemic vulnerability by affecting the residential population size of blocks. (3) There is a strengthening effect on RSA coverage affecting the population size as RSA transport and service levels increase. These findings have several implications. First, the implementation of contemporary local nonpharmaceutical interventions can be considered to reduce the focal point effect of RSAs and decrease the infectious sensitivity of the block population. Second, the transport-land use integration plays a key role behind the mediating and moderating effects by shaping resident land use and population distribution. Third, the blocks' primary hospitals, advanced hospitals, municipal roads, and elastic facilities probably provide potential support in reducing blocks' epidemic risk.

In structural health monitoring (SHM), the integration of a model-free approach with blind source separation (BSS) offers a potent combination for damage detection. A model-free approach, devoid of reliance on predefined structural models, provides flexibility and adaptability, especially when dealing with complex structures or those with evolving characteristics. In addition, BSS is particularly suited for isolating individual sources from mixed signals, even in noisy environments. In this context, this research presents ADACTA (ADvAnced ComponenT Analysis), a method for SHM that combines the capabilities of principal component analysis (PCA) and independent component analysis (ICA). First, PCA is employed for data normalization and dimensionality reduction; then, ICA emphasizes damage-induced vibration signatures. Together, PCA and ICA offer a robust combination to extract reliable damage-sensitive features: PCA streamlines data, while ICA ensures that separated signals best represent underlying structural changes, as mathematically proved in the present work. Appropriate metrics (i.e., city block distance and Pearson correlation coefficient) are introduced to quantify the distance between signals acquired in different time intervals, serving as damage indicators. The technique can be applied for detecting early-stage damages, allowing the examination of the temporal evolution of the introduced damage indicators. The ADACTA method was tested on the Z24 bridge database, demonstrating its potential for improved early-stage damage detection in real-world structures.

Abstract The Doubly Connected Edge List (DCEL) is an edge-list structure widely used in spatial applications, primarily for planar topological and geometric computations. However, it is also applicable to various types of data, including 3D models and geographic data. An essential operation is the overlay operation, which combines the DCELs of two input polygon layers and can easily support spatial queries on polygons like the intersection, union, and difference between these layers. However, existing techniques for spatial overlay operations suffer from two main limitations. First, they fail to handle many large datasets practically used in real applications. Second, they cannot handle arbitrary spatial lines that practically form polygons, e.g., city blocks, but they are given as a set of scattered lines. This work proposes a distributed and scalable way to compute the overlay operation and its related supported queries. Our operations also support arbitrary spatial lines through a scalable polygonization process. We address the issues of efficiently distributing the lines and overlay operators and offer various optimizations that improve performance. Our experiments demonstrate that the proposed scalable solution can efficiently compute the overlay of large real datasets.

This research presents a study of housing conditions in a context of extreme socio-residential vulnerability in the historic center of Barcelona that sheds light on important spatial inequalities that persist at the smallest scale. It is based on a mixed method design that combines database analysis based on primary data collected through an extensive fieldwork and qualitative study cases, using the dwelling as the unit of analysis. As a result, it offers a close look at a residential reality that cannot usually be described in larger scale geographic studies that are often based on insufficiently disaggregated data, especially in relation to spatial aspects. The analysis of housing conditions with a broader multi-scale approach highlights significant inequalities within the studied city block and its multifamily buildings. Generally, socio-spatial and dynamic aspects tied to the relationship between inhabitants and space, as well as conservation and maintenance actions carried out over time, are found to be more relevant than aspects merely tied to morphology. Quantifying and localizing the most critical cases is essential to observe some patterns of spatialization that question the role of exclusively physical morphologic and typological characteristics. These results are useful for understanding the role of housing conditions in the heterogeneous and complex realities of vulnerable areas, and they can be useful in detecting where and why certain housing rehabilitation policies based on large-scale socio-urban studies have difficulty making an impact. This research contributes both to the methods of analysis for the existing housing stock in vulnerable areas, and the current critical debates on housing rehabilitation and urban regeneration policy.

The paper presents the findings of studies into the location of Orthodox churches and its impact on the street network in the central historical part of Irkutsk, considering the transition from wooden to stone churches over time. The previous studies concerning the historical development of urban space are reflected in the paper. In addition, the study examines distinctive features of street and intersection reconfiguration associated with close proximity to church buildings that occurred in the second half of the 18th century. By the time the first city plan was approved in 1792, the building lines of city blocks were supposedly established with a setback from the walls of stone churches toward the roadway, while the majority of streets were aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the adjacent church. Additionally, the study analyzes the spatial transformations of environment around stone churches constructed in the 18th century, mostly preserved to the present day. The paper reviews the visibility and viewpoints of churches within the diverse urban landscape of Irkutsk, using the Church of St. Haralambos as a case study. It can be concluded that stone Orthodox churches, representing stylistic transition from Ancient Russian to Ustyug and Irkutsk Baroque, create a unique architectural ensemble in the form of a closed ring along the outer contour of the central historical area. The paper introduces a cartographic representation for the route of approximately eight kilometers.

Abstract Governments across the Global South rely on their militaries for domestic policing operations. We experimentally evaluate the social and political consequences of a military policing intervention in Cali, Colombia, one of the world's most violent cities. The intervention, Plan Fortaleza, involved recurring, intensive military patrols randomized at the city block level. Our evaluation combines administrative crime and human rights data, surveys of more than 10,000 residents, a conjoint experiment, a “costly” behavioral measure, and qualitative interviews with 49 civil society leaders. Despite null or adverse effects on crime and human rights, we show that Plan Fortaleza improved citizen’ attitudes toward the military and increased their demand for military involvement in domestic law enforcement. It also strengthened citizens’ support for extrajudicial punishment and—alarmingly—for military coups in response to rising crime, potentially signaling a diminished commitment to democracy and the rule of law among the program's intended beneficiaries.

In 2008 Halifax Regional Municipality undertook a major construction project to replace the underground sewer system that carries Freshwater Brook from the Halifax Commons to its outlet at the southeastern end of the Halifax Peninsula. The project was necessary because the existing system did not meet modern standards and the old pipes ran under city blocks and were therefore inaccessible in many places for maintenance and repair. The first part of the project (2008-09) involved installing a modern dual pipe system along a route that crossed the predicted locations of the boundary between the Cunard and Bluestone Quarry formations of the Halifax Group, and the biotite-in and andalusite-in isograds of the contact aureole of the South Mountain Batholith. Bedrock was exposed along much of the excavated trench, which was nearly 10 m deep in many places. Outcrop observations and samples from the trench revealed that the Cunard-Bluestone Quarry contact runs under the Sobeys parking lot, between Fenwick and Queen streets. The andalusite-in isograd in the Cunard Formation can be traced as far as the west end of Fenwick Street. The cordierite-in isograd lies east of the study area, and the biotite-in isograd to the west. The lithology and isograd map for south end Halifax has been updated based on these results. Problems including uncertain subsurface location of the old pipes, contaminated soil, and carbon monoxide migration into residential buildings contributed to significant delays and cost overruns; some of these might have been mitigated with better knowledge of the subsurface geology.

Anti-smoking laws reduce exposure to secondhand smoke in areas that are targeted by such laws; however, the effects of these laws on displacing smokers to alternative locations where smoking is allowed remains unexplored due to limited data. This paper uses unique nonparticipant observational data on smoking frequency and location from New York City to estimate the impact of secondhand smoke exposure. Estimates indicate that nonsmokers are exposed to secondhand smoke once every 1.9 city blocks, and exposure is greater near smoking-restricted areas such as schools and hotels, which suggests anti-smoking laws displace smokers and increase exposure for others.

The article examines the theory and history of Soviet-era architecture in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk (1944–1991), which was characterized by its distinct architectural features and large-scale development. The historical development of Ivano-Frankivsk was influenced by the economic and political context of the past. According to the “new approaches,” the central part of the city had “many shortcomings”: extremely dense development in the central area, fragmented city blocks, and a significant portion of the urban territory occupied by “low-value” single-story buildings with all engineering communications. It was considered economically feasible to reconstruct old districts and demolish the “low-value” (and sometimes hazardous) housing stock while utilizing the existing engineering infrastructure, rather than expanding construction beyond the city limits. The reconstruction of these areas aimed to reduce building density and create green spaces. However, this process caused irreversible damage to the historical part of the city. By the early 1960s, the characteristics of a new urban development style, typical of the Soviet period, had emerged. Cities, towns, and villages were built using the standard construction solutions of the Soviet era: inexpensive concrete or brick structures, poorly constructed, and lacking architectural identity or aesthetic appeal. In cities where the old central area remained partially intact, such as in Ivano-Frankivsk (formerly Stanislav), new buildings and residential districts were constructed haphazardly and in suburban areas, forming a series of peripheral dormitory districts. As for smaller towns and settlements that had to accommodate tens of thousands of rural migrants transitioning into the working class, these newcomers were often housed in dormitories and workers’ settlements. The architecture of cities became a mixed type, sometimes resulting in absurd urban compositions that negatively affected the architectural ensemble of individual cities.

Urban theorists and observers have pointed towards a persistent if elusive character of incompleteness within cities. This paper responds to these ideas both theoretically and visually. Building on a definition of incompleteness as encompassing a perceptual absence or missing, the paper addresses a gap in theoretical understanding of how incompleteness can be critically understood and depicted as a temporal urban process. The focus goes beyond a singular state or built quality towards continuums of re-construction, fragmentation and re-imagination. These notions inform a practice-driven interrogation of incompleteness in graphic terms. The case study is a five decade microhistory of ongoing change in a central city block in Sydney, Australia. An approach to analytical and speculative drawing is presented to enable a conceptual and analytical investigation of incompleteness as a regenerative process of city-making.

This paper evaluates the performance of the Farneback optical flow method for estimating the flight speed of a small unmanned aerial vehicle (SUAV) in a simulated 3D World MATLAB-Unreal Engine environment. Optical flow offers a promising solution for velocity estimation, which is crucial for autonomous navigation. A downward-facing monocular camera model was simulated on an SUAV during steady state, straight flight at 100 m altitude and 25 m/s airspeed. Three simulated flight scenes—forest, city block, and water—representing poor, moderate, and rich textures were used to assess the method’s performance. Results demonstrated that using the median estimate of the optical flow field yielded accurate velocity estimations in moderate to rich texture scenes. Over the city block and forest scenes, mean velocity estimation accuracy was 0.6 m/s (σ = 0.2 m/s) and 0.3 m/s (σ = 0.4 m/s), respectively. The impact of camera tilt angle and altitude variations on estimation accuracy was also investigated. Both factors introduced bias, with accuracy decreasing to 1.7 m/s (σ = 0.2 m/s) and 1.9 m/s (σ = 0.2 m/s) for +10° and -10° camera tilt, respectively. Similarly, altitude differences of +10m and -10m resulted in reduced accuracy of 1.9 m/s (σ = 0.2 m/s) and 4.3 m/s (σ = 0.1 m/s), respectively. This study demonstrates the potential of the Farneback method for determining flight speed under steady, straight flight conditions with acceptable accuracy.

Creating and sustaining safe, healthy urban environments requires active collaboration between residents and local governments. Public safety and the upkeep of public spaces depend, in a large part, on residents' reports of crime and service needs. However, in underserved areas, factors such as urban decay, inadequate public services, and concentrated disadvantage have weakened these cooperative dynamics. This breakdown can exacerbate the underreporting of crime and service needs and deepen neighborhood inequalities. In Buffalo, NY, the city-led initiative "Clean Sweeps" works to reduce neighborhood disparities through rapid beautification and community outreach in targeted city blocks. The program aims to improve quality of life by reducing crime and blight while fostering greater community engagement. In an analysis of data from 77,955 matched properties (published elsewhere), we found that residents were more likely to report drug-related crimes (via 911) and blight-related service needs (via 311) compared to untreated properties in the 6 months following the Clean Sweep. In this study, we analyze data from 21 interviews with city staff and four focus groups with residents to explore how interventions in the social and physical environment of neighborhoods, like the Clean Sweep innovation, can influence residents' willingness to coproduce with local government. We identify improved responsiveness, trust, and self-efficacy as key mechanisms impacting residents' reporting behavior. The findings show how relatively simple environmental interventions paired with outreach can help create safer, healthier neighborhoods.