Site Classification Research Articles

ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЕ МУЛЬТИМОДАЛЬНОСТИ В ТУРИСТИЧЕСКИХ МАРШРУТАХ НА ПРИМЕРЕ ВОЛГОГРАДСКОЙ ОБЛАСТИ

The paper uses a systematic approach in creating the proposed tourism system. The use of ontology has made it possible to develop a classification of tourist sites in the Volgograd region. The concepts of tourist bus routes have been developed on the basis of classification and established ontological relationships. According to the level of transport use and its interaction, it is proposed to divide the concepts of tourist routes into micro-levels, meso-levels and macro-levels of the tourism system being developed. A heat map of the transport accessibility of the Volgograd region has been compiled, which made it possible to ensure the use of different types of transport in multimodal tourist routes. Multimodal routes of tourist buses have been developed, technical, operational and economic indicators of the functioning of the buses used have been determined.

Building Energy Modelling for Historical Buildings: Current Distribution of Literature Case Studies in View of Climate Change

Building Energy Modelling (BEM) applied to historical buildings is rising as a non-invasive and useful means to improve their energy and environmental performance by supporting informed choice of appropriate solutions for sensitive renovation. Being climate data one of the main inputs of simulations and considering the life span of historical buildings, it is increasingly important to support BEM reasoning with future climate conditions for the design of effective and climate-change-proofed adaptation strategies. A systematic literature search was carried out through the Scopus database and identified 67 journal articles published between 1997 and 2022 on the use of BEM for the energy efficiency of historical buildings. To investigate the extent to which climate change will likely affect the outdoor forcing conditions in the reviewed case studies, their locations were paired with the climate classes according to the Köppen-Geiger classification maps provided by Beck et al. (2018) for the recent past and far future. The results were then discussed in light of the climate classification of the architectural sites in UNESCO's World Heritage List (WHL) for the same reference time periods. According to the literature review, it emerged a substantial representation in current research of case studies in temperate (i.e., Cfa and Csa) and cold (i.e., Dfb) climate classes together with a scarcity of case studies involving arid climate classes (i.e., BSh, Bsk, and BWh), although the latter ones are expected to house almost 30% of the WHL architectural sites in the future.

Research on the Problems of Teaching Traditional Music Basic Theory in the Information Age

Abstract In the era of informationization, the inheritance and development of traditional music are facing challenges and opportunities. This study analyzes the problems faced by teaching the basic theory of traditional music and proposes a coping strategy for constructing an interactive teaching model and platform for informatization. In the interactive teaching model, P2P technology is used to design and construct the interactive behavior model and interest analysis module, and fuzzy theory is used to precisely set the key information weights. The informationized teaching platform is designed with AI technology, adopting the recommendation strategy of a hybrid recommendation model combined with collaborative filtering, using cosine similarity to calculate the content similarity, and combining with artificial intelligence technology to realize music teaching quality assessment. In the traditional music basic theory teaching practice, S High School is used as a practice site, and experimental and control classes are set up to conduct teaching. The experimental class perceived negative behaviors such as “harshness” and “dissatisfaction” as lower than the control class, and the pass rate and excellence rate of the post-test of traditional music basic theory reached 92.5% and 36.9%, respectively. The mean values of all other music core literacy dimensions except for knowledge of opera and general knowledge of musical instruments were higher than those of the control class, showing significant differences (P<0.05).

An Alternative Fast Seismic Site Classification Method Based on Geological Maps: A Case Study in Shandong Province, North China

An Alternative Fast Seismic Site Classification Method Based on Geological Maps: A Case Study in Shandong Province, North China

Seismic site classification of Samandag district, Hatay province, Turkey, based on the HVSR method and equivalent linear ground response analysis

Seismic site classification of Samandag district, Hatay province, Turkey, based on the HVSR method and equivalent linear ground response analysis

An assessment of the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the modified Gordon pin infection classification system.

A grading system deployed for continuous at-home monitoring of pin sites would potentially increase the chances of early detection of pin-site infections and the commencement of early treatment. The first five grades of the Modified Gordon Pin Site Classification Scheme (MGS) meet the criteria for a visual-only, digital assessment-based grading system. The aim of this study was to assess the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the first five grades of the MGS from digital images. We graded 1082 pin sites from 572 digital photographs of patients who underwent external fixator treatment for various conditions using the first five grades of the MGS classification scheme. Percent agreement and kappa values were calculated to determine the inter- and intra-rater agreement. Results were also grouped into two categories: "good" consisting of MGS grades 0-2 and "bad" made up of grades 3 and 4 for sensitivity analysis. We also analyzed reliability based on color only using MGS grades 0 and 2. A total of 843 of the 1082 pin sites were scored by all raters. There was moderate reliability between raters with a Fleiss kappa value of 0.48 [CI 0.45, 0.51]. The reliability remained moderate based on grouping into "good' versus "bad" and based on color with Fleiss kappa values of 0.48 [CI 0.45, 0.52] and 0.45 [CI 0.42, 0.49], respectively. Intra-rater reliability demonstrated substantial agreement with kappa values of 0.63. Scoring pin sites from digital images with the MGS demonstrated only moderate inter-rater reliability. Modifying the use of digital photos is needed for at-home monitoring of pin sites.

Latent class analysis of barriers to HIV testing services and associations with sexual behaviour and HIV status among adolescents and young adults in Nigeria.

Adolescents and young adults (AYA) face multiple barriers to accessing healthcare services, which can interact, creating complex needs that often impact health behaviours, leading to increased vulnerability to HIV. We aimed to identify distinct AYA subgroups based on patterns of barriers to HIV testing services and assess the association between these barrier patterns and sexual behaviour, socio-demographics, and HIV status. Data were from Nigeria's AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS, 2018) and included 18,612 sexually active AYA aged 15-24 years who had never been tested for HIV and reported barriers to accessing HIV testing services. A Latent class analysis (LCA) model was built from 12 self-reported barrier types to identify distinct subgroups of AYA based on barrier patterns. Latent class regressions (LCR) were conducted to compare the socio-demographics, sexual behaviour, and HIV status across identified AYA subgroups. Sex behaviour characteristics include intergenerational sex, transactional sex, multiple sex partners, condom use, and knowledge of partner's HIV status. Our LCA model identified four distinct AYA subgroups termed 'low-risk perception' (n = 7,361; 39.5%), 'consent and proximity' (n = 5,163; 27.74%), 'testing site' (n = 4,996; 26.84%), and 'cost and logistics' (n = 1,092; 5.87%). Compared to adolescents and young adults (AYA) in the low-risk perception class, those in the consent and proximity class were more likely to report engaging in intergenerational sex (aOR 1.17, 95% CI 1.02-1.35), transactional sex (aOR 1.50, 95% CI 1.23-1.84), and have multiple sex partners (aOR 1.75, 95% CI 1.39-2.20), while being less likely to report condom use (aOR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63-0.99). AYA in the testing site class were more likely to report intergenerational sex (aOR 1.21, 95% CI 1.04-1.39) and transactional sex (aOR 1.53, 95% CI 1.26-1.85). AYA in the cost and logistics class were more likely to engage in transactional sex (aOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.58-2.84) and less likely to report condom use (aOR 0.58, 95% CI 0.34-0.98). There was no significant relationship between barrier subgroup membership and HIV status. However, being female, aged 15-24 years, married or cohabiting, residing in the Southsouth zone, and of Christian religion increased the likelihood of being HIV infected. Patterns of barriers to HIV testing are linked with differences in sexual behaviour and sociodemographic profiles among AYA, with the latter driving differences in HIV status. Findings can improve combination healthcare packages aimed at simultaneously addressing multiple barriers and determinants of vulnerability to HIV among AYA.

DEFLECTION OF FLAT SLAB-DROP PANEL IN THE G2 BUILDING AT WARMADEWA UNIVERSITY

To conserve building height, flat slabs are concrete structures that do not employ beams as weight transfer to columns. The flat slab system structure is prone to shear collapse due to the lack of beams. A column head is made to forward the load from the plate to the column so that the shear value in the building is not too high. This is done by expansion at the end of the column or by thickening around the critical circumference of the column and plate meeting. The Warmadewa University G2 Building Planning Analysis is carried out during the planning stage, using a flat slab-drop panel structural system as one of the optional structural systems that can be used to obtain a building height that is in accordance with Bali Provincial Regulation Number 16 of 2009 concerning the regional spatial plan of the Province of Bali. Terompong street No. 24, Sumerta Kelod, East Denpasar sub-district, Denpasar City, Bali, is where the Warmadewa University G2 building will be built. According to the soil data, the building is constructed on a medium soil site class with a building structure risk level IV. The Warmadewa University G2 Building structure was studied using etabs v.18 software in accordance with SNI 2847-2019 requirements for structural concrete for building buildings and loading in accordance with SNI 1727-2020 criteria. The biggest deflection value occurs in the middle lane due to the load from the function room, as determined by the study for the dimensions of the 350mm thick drop panel and 250mm thick slab utilizing a column size of 600 x 600 mm with a span of 8000mm. The inner drop panel experiences the highest lateral loads due to shear failure.

Towards interpretable learned representations for ecoacoustics using variational auto-encoding

Ecoacoustics is an emerging science that seeks to understand the role of sound in ecological processes. Passive acoustic monitoring is being used to collect vast quantities of soundscape audio recordings to study variations in acoustic community and monitor biodiversity. However, extracting relevant information from soundscape recordings is non-trivial. Recent approaches to machine-learned acoustic features appear promising but are limited by at least three issues: inductive biases, lack of interpretability and crude temporal integration. In this paper we introduce a novel self-supervised representation learning algorithm for ecoacoustics - a convolutional Variational Auto-encoder (VAE) - and directly address these shortcomings. Firstly, we train the network on soundscape recordings from temperate and tropical field sites along a gradient of ecological degradation to provide a more relevant inductive bias than prior approaches. Secondly, we present a new method that allows interpretation of the latent space for the first time, giving insight into the basis of classification. Thirdly, we advance existing methods for temporal aggregation of learned embeddings by encoding latent features as a distribution over time. Under our approach to increase interpretability, we provide insight into how learned features drive habitat classification for the first time: inspection of latent space confirms that varying combinations of biophony, geophony and anthrophony are used to infer sites along a degradation gradient. Our novel temporal encoding method increases sensitivity to periodic signals and improves on previous research that uses time-averaged representations for site classification. This approach also reveals the contribution of hardware-specific frequency response that create a potential bias; we demonstrate how a simple linear transformation can be used to mitigate the effect of hardware variance on the learned representation under our approach. Our novel approach paves the way for development of a new class of deep neural networks that afford more interpretable learned ecoacoustic representations to advance both fundamental and applied science and support global conservation efforts.

A robust regression analysis method to determine the significance of trends in concentrations of heavy metals in UK ambient air and improve network design and emission inventories.

A novel application of the Theil-Sen robust regression method for determining the temporal trends in the concentration of heavy metals in UK ambient air over the period 2005-2020 is presented and compared to other regression methods. We have demonstrated improvements over non-robust methods of regression, proving the ability to tease out trends that are small with respect to the variability of the concentration measurement. The method is used to identify, in general, large and significant trends in the concentrations of Ni, As, Pb and V over the period 2005-2020, either across the UK as a whole or at groupings of site classifications in the UK. These trends have been compared to trends in emission data determined in the same manner. Although the results for most metals provide confidence that the UK metal network of monitoring sites is successful in appropriately capturing changes in emissions, a key finding of this work is the disagreement between trends in measured concentrations and emissions for Cu, Mn and Ni, for which we suggest improvements in future network design. The results also indicate that UK emission data for V should be reviewed, as we propose that the rate of reduction of V emissions is likely to have been overestimated.

The 2023 US 50-State National Seismic Hazard Model: Overview and implications

The US National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM) was updated in 2023 for all 50 states using new science on seismicity, fault ruptures, ground motions, and probabilistic techniques to produce a standard of practice for public policy and other engineering applications (defined for return periods greater than ∼475 or less than ∼10,000 years). Changes in 2023 time-independent seismic hazard (both increases and decreases compared to previous NSHMs) are substantial because the new model considers more data and updated earthquake rupture forecasts and ground-motion components. In developing the 2023 model, we tried to apply best available or applicable science based on advice of co-authors, more than 50 reviewers, and hundreds of hazard scientists and end-users, who attended public workshops and provided technical inputs. The hazard assessment incorporates new catalogs, declustering algorithms, gridded seismicity models, magnitude-scaling equations, fault-based structural and deformation models, multi-fault earthquake rupture forecast models, semi-empirical and simulation-based ground-motion models, and site amplification models conditioned on shear-wave velocities of the upper 30 m of soil and deeper sedimentary basin structures. Seismic hazard calculations yield hazard curves at hundreds of thousands of sites, ground-motion maps, uniform-hazard response spectra, and disaggregations developed for pseudo-spectral accelerations at 21 oscillator periods and two peak parameters, Modified Mercalli Intensity, and 8 site classes required by building codes and other public policy applications. Tests show the new model is consistent with past ShakeMap intensity observations. Sensitivity and uncertainty assessments ensure resulting ground motions are compatible with known hazard information and highlight the range and causes of variability in ground motions. We produce several impact products including building seismic design criteria, intensity maps, planning scenarios, and engineering risk assessments showing the potential physical and social impacts. These applications provide a basis for assessing, planning, and mitigating the effects of future earthquakes.

Prediction of ground vibration under combined seismic and high-speed train loads considering earthquake intensity and site category

Based on a two-and-half-dimensional finite element model (2.5D FEM), the layered ground vibration under combined seismic and high-speed train loads was investigated. On this basis, the effect of site category and earthquake intensity on ground vibration under the combined action of two dynamic loads was analyzed. Numerical examples indicated that ground vibration displacement due to combined loads decreases with the increase of soil stiffness, while the influence of soil stiffness on the ground vibration is small when the hardness of the subsoil is large. The peak ground displacement (PGD) is a reasonable seismic intensity index for predicting the ground vibration displacement at the track center under the combined loads, which has a higher accuracy for hard ground. In view of this, an equivalent shear wave velocity and PGD-based prediction formula was proposed to estimate the ground vibration under combined seismic and high-speed train loads. Reliability of the prediction formula was verified through comparison with results of numerical tests, indicating that the prediction formula has good applicability to different site conditions and seismic events. Compared with the previous study, it demonstrated that the prediction method provided an effective means for estimating ground vibration caused by a high-speed train load during earthquakes.

Evaluating Coastal Douglas Fir Growth Responses to Nitrogen Application Using Tree Ring Chronologies

Dendrochronology is a technique that can be applied as a retrospective monitoring (RM) approach to evaluate the performance of nutrient application in forest ecosystems. Applying the RM approach across operations lacks experimental controls, which may adversely affect accuracy and precision of estimates due to greater mismatches in stand conditions between treated and untreated plots. To test the rigor of the RM approach, we collected increment cores of coastal Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) at eight sites of an experiment where stands were fertilized in 1971. First, we tested the approach under ideal conditions by sampling from treated and untreated plots of the experiment. Second, we tested the approach using newly established surrogate control (SC) plots, which differed in ecological site classification from those of the treated plots to understand how robust the approach was to mismatches in conditions between treated and untreated samples. We hypothesized that detrending ring width would mitigate error in responses to nutrient application resulting from mismatches in site classification. Within the experiment, the approach indicated an average increase of 15% (5% to 26%, p < 0.05) growth response to operational doses of urea. Different responses were found when the analysis relied on SC plots. Detrending low-frequency variation in ring widths eliminated differences in results arising, at least in part, to mismatches in site class. However, it also reduced the growth response using the experimental control plots to 10%. Dendrochronology with detrending shows promise in the ability to mitigate variation introduced by mismatches in ecological site classification that may occur in operational monitoring. Based on these results, we see potential to implement RM with operations to evaluate and optimize stand selection criteria.

Contaminated sites and Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States: A scoping review.

Indigenous communities are disproportionately exposed to contaminated sites, and this poses unique challenges as many Indigenous peoples consider land as an integral part of their culture and economy. This scoping review aimed to identify and map information on contaminated sites and Indigenous peoples in Canada and the United States, namely (1) the relationship between contaminated sites and Indigenous peoplesand their land and food systems; (2) strategies, challenges, and successes for contaminated sites assessment and management on Indigenous land; and (3) Indigenous leadership and inclusion in contaminated site assessment and management. We followed a PRISMA-ScR (Transparent Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-Extension for Scoping Reviews) checklist to collect data that could be categorized into these three objectives. Between October 2021 and July 2023, information from three data streams was retrieved: a systematic literature search; a grey literature search; and federal site data retrieval (Canada's Federal Contaminated Sites Inventory, USEPA's contaminated sites databases, including Superfund). This search yielded 51 peer-reviewed articles, 21 grey literature articles, and 11 404 federal site records, evidencing the contamination of the lands of 875 Indigenous communities and the presence of 440 different contaminants or contaminant groups. The body of information was categorized into three themes within the above objectives: Objective 1: Indigenous communities and geographic patterns; Contaminated sites, sources, and media; Contaminated sites and Indigenous lands; Contaminated sites and Indigenous food systems; Contaminated sites and the health of Indigenous peoples; Objective 2: Site management and classification processes; Health risk assessment; Risk management; Long-term management; and Objective 3: Collaborative research, Collaborative site management; Traditional knowledge and contaminated sites. Results highlighted a need to prioritize holism, efficiency, and Indigenous leadership in site assessment, management, and research, including a focus on community-specific approaches to site assessment and management; a reconceptualization of risks that privileges Indigenous epistemologies; and greater collaboration between stakeholder networks. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1306-1329. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Analysis of the Application of Interpretive Theory in the New Sanxingdui Museum

The exhibition based on the Interpretitive Theroy can not only make it easier for the audiences to understand and master the core content of the exhibition, but also help the dissemination efficiency of museum information. In 2021, due to the success of the new round of archaeological excavations, the total number of cultural relics has been further improved, and the existing venues can no longer meet the needs of cultural relics collection and exhibition. The New Sanxingdui Museum is a newly built and open Site Class museum in which three major exhibitions are used to explain the content of the theory. Through theoretical analysis, combined with the results of field investigation, this paper analyzed the specific application of Interpretive Theory in the New Sanxingdui Museum in detail, and found that the museum followed the idea of Interpretive Theory in general, but there were still significant problems in details, and proposed possible solutions to these problems.

Site classification scheme based on geological age and genesis for Xinjiang and the Capital Metropolitan areas of China

The site classification map is one of the vital inputs in earthquake disaster scenario prediction and risk modeling that provides a perspective of proxy-based methods. In China, a systematic empirical relationship between geological age, genesis, and site class in the practice of site classification has yet to be established. In this study, data from 1:500,000 geological maps and thousands of engineering boreholes in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Capital Metropolitan area in China were collected, and different types of geological unit were classified according to 10 types of geological age and 18 types of geological genesis. A site classification scheme was proposed on the basis of geological age, geological genesis, statistical properties of boreholes, and lithological descriptions. Borehole characteristics were investigated in terms of their proportions among the different site classes, and the mean and standard deviation of V S30. Accordingly, a chart correlating four site classes (B, C, D, and E) with each type of geological age and genesis was developed that could be used as a practical tool in regional site classification. Site classification maps were delineated in both areas using the proposed scheme and compared with those derived from the topographic slope-proxy method and another geology-proxy method, and the results showed that it is effective in identifying the site class, especially for class E sites, and probably class B that inferred by the qualitative evaluation. Moreover, the applicability of the method has also been confirmed in areas outside the study area. It is anticipated that it could provide a technical template for nationwide site classification using geological maps.

Seismic Station Quality Monitoring and Evaluation System in Indonesia

Good quality seismic data is needed to produce accurate earthquake information, namely seismic data with low background noise. A reliable monitoring and evaluation system are necessary to determine the quality of seismic stations in recording earthquake waves quickly and accurately. The Seismic Station Quality Monitoring and Evaluation System (SQES) was created to obtain information regarding the quality of seismic data and the quality of seismic station sites efficiently, quickly, and accurately by assessing parameters that affect seismic station quality. Seismic data quality assessment is based on background noise, data continuity, and signal anomalies. In contrast, seismic station site quality is measured based on geological conditions, site class, Power Spectral Density (PSD), and solar energy potential. This system works automatically, semi-realtime, daily, and monthly through a web service that functions continuously to be accessed anytime and anywhere. By obtaining seismic station quality information quickly and accurately, it can be used to monitor the accuracy of earthquake information and optimize seismic station maintenance. SQES has been used to evaluate the quality of 428 seismic stations in InaTEWS and can provide an overview of the quality of seismic stations in Indonesia.

Seismic microzonation for Lembang fault hazard area in West Bandung Regency based on microtremor measurement

Lembang district in Bandung Regency is prone to seismic risk because it is in the vicinity of a very well-known active fault called the Lembang Fault. The effort to reduce the seismic risk requires knowledge of the dynamic properties of the soils, mainly derived from young volcanic rocks. This paper presents the results of a seismic microzonation study based on microtremor measurements. In total 195 microtremor data from single-station measurements were processed using the HVSR method to estimate the dominant frequency and amplification factors. Furthermore, the Rayleigh wave ellipticity inversion has also been used to estimate the corresponding Vs profiles. The HVSR results show that the dominant frequency for the Lembang District is 0.2 Hz or higher, and the amplification factors are dominantly higher than 3. Some areas also have a lower dominant frequency than 2 Hz, especially the area with thick soft sediments. Results of the inversion show that the shear wave velocities of subsoil layers for the upper 30 m vary from 250 m/s to 300 m/s, indicating site class D. Meanwhile, the areas with Vs30 less than 250 m/s are especially located north of the Lembang Fault. Thus, the area is likely to have a stronger ground response to earthquake shaking than the other areas in Lembang District.

Influence of near-fault velocity pulse on the seismic response of subway station structure

This research aims to explore the influence of near-fault velocity pulse on the seismic response of subway station under the condition of acceleration response spectra being consistent. Two suites of seismic motions are utilized, one suite is twelve as-recorded seismic motions with velocity pulses, and the other one suite is the corresponding artificial seismic motions synthesized with the response spectra of seismic motions in the first suite as target spectra. For each seismic motion with velocity pulse, the corresponding synthetic seismic motion without velocity pulse is generated by using the method of superimposing narrow-band time histories. Numerical model of soil-subway station interaction is developed by using the commercial software ABAQUS with a practical 3-span, 3-story subway station as the prototype. Numerical results indicate that with the engineering sites change from hard to soft and the burial depths change from shallow to deep, the adverse effect of velocity pulse is more significant, and the maximum inter-story drift ratio of subway station with a burial depth of 20 m embedded in site classes I, II and III has increased by 16.5%, 20.1% and 21.7%, respectively. However, the influence of velocity pulse on the concrete compression damage of subway station is not obvious.

Factors Affecting the Qualification Rate of Hand Disinfection Among Physicians: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

The objective of this study is to examine the qualification rate of hand disinfection in the surgical department wards and analyze the influencing factors. A surprise assessment was carried out to evaluate the daily adherence to hand hygiene protocols in the surgical department wards. We aimed to investigate the factors that impact the qualification rate of hand disinfection. In this study, the qualification rate of hand disinfection was determined to be 64.38%. Notably, this rate exhibited significant variations based on gender, age, surgical site, and department category. Specifically, the qualification rate of hand disinfection among female participants stood at 82.35%, surpassing the qualification rate observed among male counterparts of 52.83%. Furthermore, doctors in the age group of 41-50 years demonstrated the highest qualification rate, and the abdominal surgical site exhibited the most noteworthy qualification rate, reaching 79.49%. The outcomes of the multiple logistic regression analysis highlighted the significance of age and gender as influential factors impacting the qualification rate. Specifically, doctors aged 51 years or older exhibited the lowest hand hygiene compliance, whereas female doctors demonstrated a notably higher qualification rate compared to their male counterparts. The disheartening qualification rate of hand disinfection highlights a concerning lack of awareness regarding hand hygiene among surgeons in their professional duties. Consequently, targeted interventions are imperative, focusing on intensified training, educational initiatives, enhanced supervision, and internal performance evaluations for key groups. The findings not only serve as a valuable database but also offer a viable roadmap for similar hospitals to reinforce the management of nosocomial infections.