General Plan Research Articles

Morphology of lecithotrophic postlarvae of genus Austropallene (Arthropoda: Chelicerata) with some notes on reproductive strategy

The family Callipallenidae Hilton, 1942 belongs to the superfamily Nymphonoidea Pocock, 1904 together with other family, Nymphonidae. The lecithotrophic postlarvae hatch from the eggs of the callipallenid sea spiders, but the data on this life stage are very scarce and fragmentary. This gives a very limited understanding of larval anatomy, morphology, and diversity. The larvae of Austropallene bucera Pushkin, 1993, Austropallene calmani Gordon, 1944, and Austropallene cristata Bouvier, 1911 have been studied and described for the first time by the methods of light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The main morphometry parameters have been determined in larvae and adult egg-bearing males. The general plan of the postlarvae is presented together with its specific features. The postlarvae of the studied Austropallene species combine the features of lecithotrophic and free-living pycnogonid larvae. The diversity of larvae in the Nymphonoidea superfamily has been analysed considering original and published data, and a morphological series has been developed. The complex of lecithotrophic larvae, like postlarvae of Callipallenidae, should be considered as primary for the entire superfamily. It is also suggested that sea spiders with lecithotrophic larvae tend to follow the K-strategy, but they care for their offspring to varying degrees.

A review of navigation techniques for telepresence robots

Nowadays the need for digital travel has increased more than ever. This is due to the need for social distancing for medical reasons, economy of travelling, and avoidance of risks involved in physical travelling or for convenience. The telepresence robot therefore serves as a surrogate for the pilot user. Telepresence robots are very resourceful and versatile. Their applications include education; medicine; business; research and ambient assisted living. A major consideration for the effective functioning of telepresence robots is the navigation scheme employed which is central to its overall reliability. Depending on the use to which the robot is to be put, several authors have considered various navigation schemes used to effectively control and navigate in workspace consisting of obstacles and/or order robots. This work aims to review the navigation technique that has been employed by researchers for telepresence robots with a view to identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the various navigation techniques and subsequently coming up with a relatively novel system of navigation that attemts to mitigate the various weaknesses of the previous methodologies for telepresence robot navigation. It has been observed that the general path planning and navigation for the usual autonomous robot is also applicable to the telepresence robot but bearing in mind that the robot is being piloted by humans and it is only when in a condition where it would be cumbersome for the humans that autonomous control system takes over. At such times path planning and navigation using AI methods have proved to be of importance. The path planning algorithms have been shown to be categorized into two viz: global path planning algorithms which are used for known environments and local path planning algorithms for unknown or partially known environments. The algorithms for local path planning are majorly reactive in attribute and are more relevant to telepresence robots. In any particular application, an appropriate blend of a number of these algorithms is employed to achieve desired navigation objectives. Furthermore, in this work, we propose the combination of a line follower robot with an obstacle avoidance algorithm for situations where the expected robot paths are foreknown.

“General Plan” in Real Estate Valuation for Selected Planning Purposes

Abstract The article presents considerations on the importance of the provisions of the municipality’s general plan referred to in the Act of March 27, 2023 on Spatial Planning and Development, as well as the importance of the provisions of the local general plan, referred to in the Act of July 12, 1984 on Spatial Planning when estimating real estate for the purposes of determining the amount of compensation and fees referred to in Art. 36 section 3 and 4 of the Act on Spatial Planning and Development. Due to the fact that the Act of 1984 refers to the general spatial development plan of settlement units (called the general plan), prepared and adopted on the basis of the Act of January 31, 1961 with the same name, the article also discusses this type of plan. Moreover, activities related to determining the value of real estate were indicated, including the above-mentioned planning purposes, and the understanding of concepts such as “real estate data” and “intended use in the local plan” were presented. Attention was also focused on the essence of the above-mentioned types of plans, as well as the differences between the general plan of the commune and the local general plan and general spatial development plan of settlement units.

Towards A City of Good Dwelling

One of the main issues in contemporary urban planning is the fragmentation of urban spaces (Batty 2009) due to the relentless processes of land transformation. This phenomenon can lead to the creation of isolated urban islands and a lack of high-quality public areas. Such weaknesses particularly affect the socio-economic conditions of marginal areas within the existing city, especially those on the outskirts near rural areas. Public spaces (Low et al 2006) are essential for social interaction, community building, and improving the overall quality of urban life. They are spaces where cultural, economic, and social activities converge, contributing to the city's vibrancy and inclusiveness. Are considered the key of the new processes of urban regeneration and it contributes significantly to the making of the city of "good dwelling" (Beauregard 2020). To obtain the conditions for a good dwelling, it is proposed to apply the seven principles contained in the "Manifesto della Città del Buon Abitare"(Colarossi et al 2023): the city of good dwelling must assume the general principles of hospitality, urbanity and beauty of its public spaces. The paper proposes as innovative approach, the use of an urban planning tool with which it is possible to apply the principles of the Manifesto of the city of good living and which is called "Plan-program of public space planning and public and private services" (P.A.S.S.i.). The effort of this research is to identify a general planning tool for the redevelopment to the existing city. The multi-scalar approach of the research tool simultaneously allows an overall vision of the program and a qualitative control of each individual project.

GEOTECHNICAL DESIGN FOR THE STABILIZATION WORKS OF THE LETTOMANOPPELLO LANDSLIDE (ABRUZZO, ITALY)

In order to stabilize the landslide of Lettomanoppello, the stabilization works are finalized to reduce/control the causes and to mitigate the economic, social, and environmental risks. A careful geotechnical design, of the stabilization works can allow an economic recovery of the cost by means of a virtuous and profitable process to produce electric energy. The landslide of Lettomanoppello, located in Central Italy (south-west of the city of Pescara) is a large, very complex active landslide. Slope instability phenomena, often triggered by intense rainfall and seismic events are recurrent in this region of Apennines and frequently result in serious damage to the historical-environmental heritage and in dreadful economic losses. The stability of slope is mainly affects by the hydrogeological conditions of the area characterized by a complex drainage system. Various stabilization works were executed along the slope during the years. The paper presents the studies (geological and geotechnical characterizations) and a general plan of the works required to stabilize the entire slope. The general stabilization project includes different types of works: (i) structural works (retaining walls), effective in short term; (ii) drainage works (tunnel for deep water drainage), effective to medium-long term, aimed at reducing/controlling the major causes of the landslide; (iii) protection from erosion at the toe of slope and surface drainage works. The tunnel crosses a horseshoe shape underneath the historical centre of Lettomanoppello and the elevations of its mouths are at 296 m a.s.l. The drainage waters will be conveyed to pipe towards a hydraulic turbine located at 206 m a.s.l. in the lower part of the slope. Furthermore, the geometry of the cut-off retaining walls at the toe slope are conceived as foundations of aeolian turbines.

Defining Standards for Fluoroscopy in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy using a Delphi Methodology

Background and Study Aims The use of fluoroscopy in gastrointestinal endoscopy is an essential aid in advanced endoscopic interventions. However, it also raises concerns about radiation exposure. This study aimed to develop consensus-based statements for the safe and effective use of fluoroscopy in gastrointestinal endoscopy, prioritizing the safety and well-being of healthcare workers and patients. Methods A modified Delphi approach was employed to achieve consensus over three rounds of surveys. Proposed statements were generated in round 1. In the second round, panelists rated potential statements on a 5-point scale, with consensus defined as ≥80% agreement. Statements were subsequently prioritized in round 3, using a 1 (lowest priority) to 10 (highest priority) scale. Results Forty-six experts participated, consisting of 34 therapeutic endoscopists and 12 endoscopy nurses from six continents, with an overall 45.6% female representation (n=21). Forty-three item statements were generated in the first round. Out of these, 31 statements achieved consensus after the second round. These statements were categorized into General Considerations (n=6), Education (n=10), Pregnancy (n=4), Family Planning (n=2), Patient Safety (n=4), and Staff Safety (n=5). In the third round, accepted statements received mean priority scores ranging from 7.28 to 9.36, with 87.2% of statements rated as very high priority (mean score of ≥9). Conclusion This study presents consensus-based statements for the safe and effective use of fluoroscopy in gastrointestinal endoscopy, addressing the well-being of healthcare workers and patients. These consensus-based statements aim to mitigate the risks associated with radiation exposure while maintaining the benefits of fluoroscopy, ultimately promoting a culture of safety in healthcare settings.

Oral Health Problems Among Flemish and Dutch Nursing Home Residents Assessed by Nondental Caregivers Using the Novel Oral Health Section for Inclusion in interRAI.

Oral health of older adults in nursing homes is poor, which can negatively affect general health and well-being. Most oral health problems are preventable with good oral hygiene and regular dental check-ups. Caregivers can help improve residents' oral health through regular oral health assessments. The interRAI instrument used in Long-Term Care Facilities to evaluate older adults' health and well-being, has the potential to integrate oral care into general care planning. The recently optimized Oral Health Section for inclusion in the interRAI instruments (OHS-interRAI) enables nondental caregivers to identify residents requiring help with oral hygiene and/or a dental referral. This study reports the first data obtained using the OHS-interRAI, describing the oral health situation of older adults in Flemish and Dutch nursing homes. In this cross-sectional study, interRAI Long-Term Care Facilities data, including OHS-interRAI data, were collected from October 2020 to January 2023 and analyzed from 417 and 795 persons aged 65 years or older in Flemish and Dutch nursing homes, respectively. Most common oral health problems were poor oral hygiene and compromised teeth. Differences in oral health were found between Flemish and Dutch residents. Flemish residents had significantly more problems with chewing, dry mouth, oral and denture hygiene, and tongue condition than their Dutch counterparts. They also had a higher need for help with oral hygiene (19.4% vs 14.0%), and a dental referral (36.8% vs 20.9%). Older adults in Flemish nursing homes (20.3%) had significantly fewer dental check-ups than those in Dutch nursing homes (73.5%). The use of the OHS-interRAI by nondental caregivers identified at least one-third of the residents requiring help with oral hygiene and/or a dental referral. By means of trigger algorithms (Collaborative Action Points), the OHS-interRAI enables the integration of oral care into general care planning.

General dentists’ treatment plans in response to cosmetic complains; a field study using unannounced-standardized-patient

BackgroundThis field study explored general dentists' treatment plans in response to the request for cosmetic services of an unannounced standardized patient (USP) in Mashhad, Iran. MethodsThe researcher, as a USP, visited 24 and 23 offices in a high-income and a low-income area, respectively. The primary complaint was that, according to her friend's comments, a dental student, her smile was "crooked and yellow" due to the congenitally missing tooth number 10 and peg-shaped tooth number 8. The dentists' treatment plans for teeth color and form and the cosmetic services expenses were recorded. The treatment plans of the two areas were compared. ResultsFor dental form, most dentists' treatment plans were categorized as "No intervention" (privileged area: 37.5 %, less-privileged area: 56.53 %, and total: 46.80 %). The percentage of dentists in the privileged area who prescribed cosmetic services was twice that of the less-privileged area (33.33 % versus 17.39 %). The intervention for dental form varied from placing 1 unit of composite veneer to 10 units of ceramic laminates or orthodontics with a wide range of treatment costs ($42.09 to $1079.14). For tooth color, most dentists (privileged area: 62.50 %, less-privileged area: 30.43 %, and total: 46.80 %) were categorized as "Interventionists." For tooth color, the treatment plans varied from scaling and root planing, bleaching, and composite veneer with various costs ($7.19 to $197.84). ConclusionCosmetic treatment plans and expenses varied significantly for a single USP, with many not aligning with the standard treatment plan. Some dentists offered treatments even without a chief complaint from the patient. Dentists in privileged areas were twice as likely to prescribe cosmetic treatments compared to those in less privileged areas. Therefore, cosmetic services necessitate monitoring, establishing clear diagnostic criteria, and implementing educational interventions.

Identifying urban prone areas to flash floods: The case of Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Floods are the natural hazard that causes the largest annual losses in the world Urban expansion and population growth have made cities the most hazardous areas, mainly due to poor planning, occupation of the drainage network and soil sealing. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is one of the many cities worldwide threatened by this phenomenon. Its typically Mediterranean rainfall pattern, characterized by extreme precipitation events in short periods of time, together with its orography of steep ravines, short length and width, as well as its disorderly growth, make it a space prone to the occurrence of flash floods. In addition, the increase in torrential rainfall as a consequence of climate change and the tendency towards greater irregularity in precipitation is considerably intensifying the problem. This paper studies the characteristics of these episodes and the black spots inventoried in its General Management Plan (PGO for its initials in Spanish). On the other hand, flood modeling is carried out based on the rainfall characterization, whose maximum flows, in total, range between 500 and 1600 m3/s. Finally, a methodology that allows integrating both analyses to obtain a detailed hazard map is proposed as an alternative to the more traditional flood hazard analyses. A design storm of 288 mm is applied and the data is validated against the largest rainfall event on record, March 31, 2002. It has been shown that in an urban drainage network, the main watercourses and those that have disappeared due to urbanization represent areas susceptible to flooding and are the sectors that should be emphasized during the implementation of risk reduction measures. Finally, emphasis is placed on the need to integrate future climate projections of precipitation to better define the maximum flood flows.

Advancing forest carbon stocks’ mapping using a hierarchical approach with machine learning and satellite imagery

Remote sensing of forests is a powerful tool for monitoring the biodiversity of ecosystems, maintaining general planning, and accounting for resources. Various sensors bring together heterogeneous data, and advanced machine learning methods enable their automatic handling in wide territories. Key forest properties usually under consideration in environmental studies include dominant species, tree age, height, basal area and timber stock. Being proxies of stand productivity, they can be utilized for forest carbon stock estimation to analyze forests’ status and proper climate change mitigation measures on a global scale. In this study, we aim to develop an effective machine learning-based pipeline for automatic carbon stock estimation using solely freely available and regularly updated satellite observations. We employed multispectral Sentinel-2 remote sensing data to predict forest structure characteristics and produce their detailed spatial maps. Using the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm in classification and regression settings and management-level inventory data as reference measurements, we achieved quality of predictions of species equal to 0.75 according to the F1-score, and for stand age, height, and basal area, we achieved an accuracy of 0.75, 0.58 and 0.56, respectively, according to the R2. We focused on the growing stock volume as the main proxy to estimate forest carbon stocks on the example of the stem pool. We explored two approaches: a direct approach and a hierarchical approach. The direct approach leverages the remote sensing data to create the target maps, and the hierarchical approach calculates the target forest properties using predicted inventory characteristics and conversion equations. We estimated stem carbon stock based on the same approach: from Earth observation imagery directly and using biomass and conversion factors developed for the northern regions. Thus, our study proposes an end-to-end solution for carbon stock estimations based on the complexation of inventory data at the forest stand level, Earth observation imagery, machine learning predictions and conversion equations for the region. The presented approach enables more robust and accurate large-scale assessments using limited annotated datasets.

The Territorial Space of Green Transition / Transitioning from One Territorial System to Another through Nature-based Solutions - The Case of Finiq Municipality

Climate change has been recognised by many, be it nations or international organizations, as an existential threat to the world. In this context, the EU has introduced the European Green Deal, with the aim of transforming the continent into a modern, climate- neutral, resource-efficient, and competitive economy. In this scenario, the goals set by the EU are: no net emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050; economic growth decoupled from resource use; no person and no place left behind. The new growth strategy of the EU was also recognized by the Western Balkan Countries (nonmembers of the EU) through the Sofia Declaration in November 2020, acknowledging the need for transformation of the region to turn sustainability and resilience challenges into opportunities and transpose elements of the European Green Deal in all interrelated priority sectors. Those sectors are represented by five main pillars: Climate, energy, mobility; Circular economy; Depollution; Sustainable agriculture and food production; and Biodiversity. Even though it is a multi-sectorial approach, it does not directly address the territorial aspect. The territory is rather seen as a common dominator of the five pillars. This resizes the question, what is the spatial domain of green transition in a given territory? In the Albanian context, after the territorial reform of 2014, the territory was consolidated into 61 municipalities. In the framework of the General Local Plans, each municipality cat- egorized its territory into five main territorial systems: Urban; Nature; Agriculture; Water; and Infrastructure. Through the case of Finiq Municipality, we will further analyze the complexity of territorial systems in a given territory. For the purpose of analysis, a buffer of 1 km was ap- plied to the territory of Finiq Municipality (Bistrica River Basin) where the predominance of a territorial system over another and the mixture of them was evaluated. After this evaluation, an operational framework was conceptualized using the most relevant documents related to climate change, from the international level to the local level, that are pertinent to the case of Finiq Municipality. Taking into account the evidenced framework of green transition for the selected area, it is easier to propose effective nature-based solutions to be implemented in the transitional space between territorial systems. This was done by analyzing the concept of nature-based solutions, at first, and by reviewing case studies that deal with similar societal challenges as the ones identified in Finiq Municipality. The main focus will be the area surrendering the Bistrica River, for the simple fact that it flows from the east, where we find a high predominance of the natural landscape, to the west where a predominance of human activity is more evident. Through the river, we will illustrate the unfolding of what was explained above.

Novo-Nikolaevsk (Novosibirsk): Planning Solution of the Future Siberian Metropolis Late in the 19th and Early 20th Centuries

The paper studies the urban planning of future Novosibirsk in the period of formation of its general plan late in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The initial structure of the city as Central, Railway and Zakamenskaya parts with their orthogonal scheme of blocks, streets and alleys is investigated.The urban planning phenomenon of pre-revolutionary Novo-Nikolaevsk is of great interest for the history of national and world urban planning. The urban planning is considered and evaluated as well as the use of other planning concepts and new techniques available in those years.The necessity of preserving the existing historical urban structure in the central part of modern Novosibirsk is substantiated, the possibility of its practical use in reconstruction and development of historical quarters of the city is considered.

Development of Functionalist Principles in Architectural Heritage of Le Corbusier. Villa Savoy in Poissy

The article is devoted to one of the most famous residential building projects executed by the French architect Ch.-E. Jeanneret-Gree (Le Corbusier) in the traditions of functionalism. Villa Savoy in Poissy (1928–931) is milestone work in his activity. Upon its completion, Jeanneret-Gree joined the group of outstanding architects, who had the opportunity to freely experiment with the variety of architectural styles (modernism, brutalism, etc.). The paper presents the analysis of the main architectural and design concepts of Jeanneret-Gree, embedded in the general and floor plans, facades, and interiors of this unusual villa.

Self-perceived functioning, goals and action plans: an evaluation of an ICF-based E-health application in an intervention for people with a combination of mental and physical health conditions

Purpose In the BigMove intervention, people with physical and mental health conditions assess their functioning, set goals, and define action plans to achieve their goals recorded in an e-health application using all categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). This study investigates whether data from this application can provide insight into participants’ self-perceived functioning, goals and action plans and observe changes over time. Methods Data from 446 participants were analysed with descriptive statistics to describe self-perceived functioning and the ICF categories related to the 15 most frequently chosen goals. Action plans were analysed using inductive analysis. Changes over time were investigated by comparing assessments before and after at least 4 months in the intervention. Results The data provided insight into the self-perceived functioning, goals and action plans. Also, changes over time were observed. Self-perceived functioning changed from being mainly negative before, to mainly positive after the intervention. While goals were mostly related to the same ICF categories, the action plans changed from more specific short-term to more general long-term plans. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that all categories of the ICF can be used to record self-perceived functioning, goals and action plans and monitor changes over time.

New Embassy in New China: On the 65th Anniversary of the Construction of the USSR Embassy Campus in Beijing

The article examines the problems associated with the relocation of the USSR Embassy in China in the 1950s from its old location on Dongjiaominxiang (Nan’guan) Street in Beijing and the construction of a new embassy campus on the territory of the former Russian Orthodox Mission (ROM) in the Beiguan district. The article substantiates the idea that, although the decision to move the address of the construction of the new Soviet embassy appeared spontaneously during the design work, it was dictated by the objective need to ensure favorable conditions for the activities and development of the embassy in the context of growing cooperation with the PRC. Moreover, the relocation of the Soviet embassy to another location was linked to the general plan of the Chinese government to move foreign diplomatic missions from the Legation Quarter of Beijing in order to “end the half-century shame” of China’s semi-colonial past. The article, based on archival data, provides a comparative analysis of the areas and volumes of office and residential buildings and other objects on the old and new embassy grounds, and describes the volume and nature of construction work and improvements, the implementation of which required significant costs and time (1954–1959). The article pays attention to the fact of destruction during construction of church buildings of the ROM. At the same time, the author points out that in recent years, some historical shrines have been restored on the embassy territory. Particularly important was the revival of the Dormition Church in 2009. Such an approach to some extent compensates for the losses incurred during the construction of the new embassy in the 1950s. The article concludes that the construction of the USSR embassy in a new location turned out to be correct and providential, since the land acquired by the first Russian people in Beijing — the Albazinians and the ROM, remained with our country Russia.

Regression without regrets –initial data analysis is a prerequisite for multivariable regression

Statistical regression models are used for predicting outcomes based on the values of some predictor variables or for describing the association of an outcome with predictors. With a data set at hand, a regression model can be easily fit with standard software packages. This bears the risk that data analysts may rush to perform sophisticated analyses without sufficient knowledge of basic properties, associations in and errors of their data, leading to wrong interpretation and presentation of the modeling results that lacks clarity. Ignorance about special features of the data such as redundancies or particular distributions may even invalidate the chosen analysis strategy. Initial data analysis (IDA) is prerequisite to regression analyses as it provides knowledge about the data needed to confirm the appropriateness of or to refine a chosen model building strategy, to interpret the modeling results correctly, and to guide the presentation of modeling results. In order to facilitate reproducibility, IDA needs to be preplanned, an IDA plan should be included in the general statistical analysis plan of a research project, and results should be well documented. Biased statistical inference of the final regression model can be minimized if IDA abstains from evaluating associations of outcome and predictors, a key principle of IDA. We give advice on which aspects to consider in an IDA plan for data screening in the context of regression modeling to supplement the statistical analysis plan. We illustrate this IDA plan for data screening in an example of a typical diagnostic modeling project and give recommendations for data visualizations.

Landslide susceptibility mapping using modified frequancy ratio method in Correb area, South Wollo, North-Western Ethiopia

Correb area in Mekdela Woreda, South-Wollo Zone, North-Western Ethiopia is one of the most landslide affected region. The primary aim of this study was to assess the landslide susceptibility of the area and create a landslide susceptibility map. A bivariate statistical frequency ratio model was used to accomplish this goal. Using fieldwork and Google Earth picture interpretation, a map of landslides was made. A total of 524 landslides were identified and then classified in to training landslide (75%) for model development and validation landslide (25%) for model validation. Eight landslide causative factors slope, aspect, elevation, distance to drainage, distance to spring, slope material, distance to lineament, and vegetation cover were integrated with training landslides in order to determine frequency ratio value(weight) for each class of landslide causative factors. Furthermore, each causative factor’s prediction rate or weight was established. Relative frequency values were allocated to the appropriate factor classes and prediction rate values were allocated to the appropriate causative factors and summed using a raster calculator algorithm in order to produce the landslide susceptibility map. The final landslide susceptibility map revealed that 27.54% (31.52 km2) of the study area falls under very low susceptible, 30.35% (34.74 km2) low susceptible, 21.36% (24.44 km2) moderate susceptible, 14.74% (16.88 km2) high susceptible, and the rest 6.01% (6.88 km2) as very high susceptible. This shows that more than 20% of the area has probability and risk of landslide while about 80% has relatively low probability and risk of this natural hazard. The performance of modified frequency ratio model for landslide susceptibility mapping was validated using simply overlay, relative landslide density index, and receiver operating characteristics curve. Both training and validation landslides were rare in the very low and low susceptibility classes and strongly concentrated in the high and very high susceptibility classes, according to validation using simple overlay and the relative landslide density index. The implemented model performed exceptionally well, as seen by the receiver operating characteristics curve, which showed 82.6% success rate and an 83.1% prediction rate. In general, the model produced reasonable accuracy. The resultant map would be useful for general land use planning, site selection, and landslide prevention and mitigation programs.

Health vulnerability mapping for drought: a case study in a predominantly rural, agricultural state

Abstract Drought is considered among the most devastating climate hazards impacting civilizations, including human health, throughout history. It causes cumulative damages based on the five generally categorized meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, socioeconomic, and ecological droughts. Reducing damages at the local, regional, and global levels requires a better understanding of human (health) vulnerability to drought. While there are different studies to distinguish and measure vulnerabilities for the five aforementioned conditions, there is minimal effort to identify vulnerabilities to health impacts from drought. Our study aims to develop an analysis of vulnerability for Nebraska based on the established health effects associated with drought. We considered vulnerability as the interaction between exposure to drought and different sensitivity measures for a timespan, including the highest drought levels in the 21st century. To calculate the total sensitivities, we extracted ten initial variables and applied two well-known methods of dimensionality reduction and (Weighted) Additive Overlays of percentile-ranked values. The result showed the inadequacy of the former method for our study. We also grouped the sensitivity variables into socioeconomic, environmental, and water-related intervention categories and developed related intensity maps showing different spatial patterns. We calculated the drought exposure levels by adding the intensity, duration, and frequency of drought over the study period (2012–2016) and developed total vulnerability maps to determine the ten most vulnerable counties, of which nine are rural. The resulting three intervention category maps can help related experts find priority areas within Nebraska, and the final vulnerability maps can help distinguish the areas of concern for general state-wide planning. While the results and some sensitivity variables are unique to Nebraska, the provided framework and the inclusion of two different methods can guide other regions in similar studies.

Design optimization of floor plan for public housing buildings in Hong Kong with consideration of natural ventilation, noise, and daylighting

Indoor environmental quality plays a crucial role in determining the overall quality of life. This study aims to develop a design optimization approach for the floor plan of public housing buildings with modular flat design in Hong Kong, with focus on enhancing natural ventilation, reducing noise levels, and improve daylighting conditions. The evaluation of these environmental factors was conducted using deep neural network models and a mathematically based Calculation of Road Traffic Noise model. A general floor plan representation was developed for three- and four-winged structures of public housing buildings. An optimization approach utilizing Bayesian optimization was applied to three studied cases: Hung Shing House, Hung Hei House, and Cheung Tai House. The optimization process resulted in an average 41.5 % improvement in average natural ventilation rate. The optimized building shapes effectively served as noise barriers, leading to an average reduction of 20 % in average noise levels. The existing window configurations of each unit type under the modular flat design already provided sufficient daylighting, resulting in only a minor improvement from the optimization process.

Study of Festival Folklore in Ancient Poems in Chinese Textbooks for Senior Middle Schools: On the Festive Folklore Teaching Strategy for The Charm of A Maiden Singer

As an intangible cultural heritage, festival folk customs are encountering internal and external troubles. Although it is faded by Chinese people in social life, it is eternally preserved in literary works. According to the new curriculum standard, “cultural inheritance and understanding” is one of the core literacy aspects of Chinese subjects in senior high schools. On this basis, this study probes into the strategy of using Chinese teaching to inherit the “intangible cultural heritage” of festival folk customs. First of all, the connotation of festival folklore should be clarified. Secondly, the content analysis can be used to explore the distribution of festival folk customs in ancient poems in the unified version of Chinese textbooks in senior high schools. Specifically, when it comes to the structure, festival folk customs are non-systematic with limited appearances in ancient poems. From the aspect of content, festival folk customs briefly introduce the festivals and their cultural connotations embodied in the textbooks but neglected by current society. As for the function, festival folk customs can be analyzed from three carriers such as time, folk and emotions for classification. Finally, taking The Charm of A Maiden Signer as an example, the feasible way of integrating festival folk customs into the teaching of ancient poems is proposed. Compared with the general teaching plan, such a design is original, which allows students to experience the national aesthetic tradition of “harmony between man and nature” during the Mid-Autumn Festival with the unique beauty endowed by Dongting Lake. Taking festivals and folk customs as a leadin of teaching can dig out the cultural connotation contained in ancient poems more deeply and accurately, so as to expand the profundity of teaching and improve students’ ability to appreciate ancient poems.