Space Usage Research Articles

Adaptive memory reservation strategy for heavy workloads in the Spark environment

The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 2.0 has spurred a growing need for extensive data computing, and Spark emerged as a promising Big Data platform, attributed to its distributed in-memory computing capabilities. However, practical heavy workloads often lead to memory bottleneck issues in the Spark platform. This results in resilient distributed datasets (RDD) eviction and, in extreme cases, violent memory contentions, causing a significant degradation in Spark computational efficiency. To tackle this issue, we propose an adaptive memory reservation (AMR) strategy in this article, specifically designed for heavy workloads in the Spark environment. Specifically, we model optimal task parallelism by minimizing the disparity between the number of tasks completed without blocking and the number completed in regular rounds. Optimal memory for task parallelism is determined to establish an efficient execution memory space for computational parallelism. Subsequently, through adaptive execution memory reservation and dynamic adjustments, such as compression or expansion based on task progress, the strategy ensures dynamic task parallelism in the Spark parallel computing process. Considering the cost of RDD cache location and real-time memory space usage, we select suitable storage locations for different RDD types to alleviate execution memory pressure. Finally, we conduct extensive laboratory experiments to validate the effectiveness of AMR. Results indicate that, compared to existing memory management solutions, AMR reduces the execution time by approximately 46.8%.

Smart Parking System

As urbanization progresses, the surge in vehicle numbers has amplified the need for efficient parking management in cities. Traditional parking methods frequently lead to traffic congestion, poor space usage, and user dissatisfaction. This study introduces a smart parking solution that operates independently of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, instead leveraging software-based strategies with minimal hardware dependency. Key Words: Traffic Congestion,Urban Mobility,Space Optimization,Real-Time Availability.

Optimizing Outdoor Thermal Comfort for Educational Buildings: Case Study in the City of Riyadh

In hot, arid climates, educational buildings often face the challenge of limited outdoor space usage. This research, through comprehensive simulation, aims to propose practical solutions to enhance outdoor thermal comfort, particularly during school break times and student dismissal periods, thereby fostering more comfortable and functional outdoor school environments. That will happen through achieving the main objective of the study, which is evaluating the suggested passive strategies. Riyadh was selected as the case study, and four representative schools were analyzed through simulation and optimization processes to identify key areas for improvement. The research leveraged simulation tools such as Ladybug and Grasshopper in Rhino, highlighting the practicality and impact of this approach. Simulations were performed to assess the existing outdoor thermal conditions using the universal thermal climate index (UTCI) and to pinpoint regions with elevated thermal discomfort. Passive design interventions, such as shading devices and vegetation, were explored and optimized using the Galapagos in Grasshopper. This methodology supports the originality of this research in its integration of simulation tools, such as Ladybug and Grasshopper, with optimization techniques using the Galapagos plugin, specifically applied to the unique site-specific context of educational outdoor environments in a hot, dry climate in Riyadh. Additionally, insights for urban planners and architects demonstrate the possibility of integrating passive design principles to improve the usability and sustainability of outdoor spaces. The findings indicated that fewer apertures in shade devices combined with greater tree canopies might double the effectivity in lowering UTCI values, thereby enhancing thermal comfort, especially during peak summer months.

Qualitative Evidence to Inform Municipal Government Actions to Increase Recreation Space Usage and Promote Equitable Participation in Leisure-Time Physical Activity

Municipal recreation infrastructure is critical for enhancing people’s opportuni-ties to be physically active during leisure time and reducing usage inequities. Yet, the literature on municipal equity-sensitive strategies is limited. To address this gap, we combined a socio-ecological framework with equity, diversity, and inclu-sion (EDI) and health equity lenses to examine intersecting social and structural determinants of municipal recreation (indoor and outdoor) infrastructure usage. We used data from 22 focus groups involving youth, adult regular users, and adult non-regular users. The intersecting factors influencing people’s utilization experi-ences were organized at intrapersonal, socio-cultural environment, organization, and built and natural environment levels. Policy and practice implications for mu-nicipal governments vis-à-vis EDI and health equity considerations are discussed. Recommendations include public transportation improvement, design of strategic communication plans, and linking activities with opportunities for socialization, among others.

Sustainable package design for efficient pomegranate cold chain: Enhancing storage space, sea freight efficiency, material sustainability, and energy conservation

This study evaluated the performance of a novel fabricated dual layer ventilated packaging (carton) design for pomegranate fruit. The study argues that higher process throughput, storage space usage (higher cargo density) and packaging material usage can be achieved through systematic design of packaging. The mechanical strength, fruit cooling speeds, and quality preservation characteristics of the new and existing carton designs were evaluated in a controlled laboratory environment. The new carton design achieved 22 % above minimum recommended industry compression strength, confirming its stacking safety during palletization. Fruit packed inside both carton designs attained an average respiration rate of 5.66 ± 1.23 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1 during cold storage. Fruit decay incidence (average 5.5 %), colour changes and sensory attributes were also similar in both carton designs after 12 weeks cold storage and 2 weeks ambient storage period. Finally, fresh pomegranate fruit (cv. Wonderful) were packed in the new and commercial package designs, palletized, containerized and exported from South Africa to Germany. The novel dual layer design had a higher freight density (1720 kg more fruit per reefer) compared to the commercial counterpart. It also improved the precooling process throughput (13 % faster), reduced carton material usage (40 %), and reduced energy usage (13 %). These advantages of the new dual layer ventilated packaging can be implemented with considerable sustainability benefits.

Her City Weimar

The global Her City initiative provides a framework for gender-sensitive urban planning, which seeks to create inclusive and accessible public spaces that meet the needs of all residents, particularly women and girls, who have often been overlooked in traditional urban design. This paper presents the results of Germany's first Her City initiative in Weimar— a city rich in cultural heritage with a vibrant tourism sector that strongly influences its public spaces. It contributes to existing studies in this field by providing an innovative methodological analysis of Weimar’s public spaces through gender-sensitive, data-driven, and participatory processes, with the aim of identifying strategies for improvement. The Her City Toolbox was utilised and extended through a participatory citizen science approach with 18 young women and the collection of gender-sensitive data regarding public space usage. Data collected from two city walks, three workshops, open space assessments as well as measurements of people’s movements and stationary activities were triangulated to reveal five thematic fields that highlight how public spaces are failing to meet the needs of women and girls. These include (1) Facilities & Furnishing, (2) Representation & Appreciation, (3) Security & Social Control, (4) Mobility & Accessibility, and (5) Visibility & Appropriation. Collaborations with local stakeholders combined with communication platforms and media contributed significantly to the project’s impact. The paper concludes by emphasising the necessity of adopting a gender-sensitive, participatory, and data-driven approach to urban planning to address the diverse needs of all city dwellers.

Research on a coal seam modeling construction method based on improved kriging interpolation

To address the issues of large anomalous triangulations, invalid interpolations, and uneven boundary interpolations in kriging interpolation, we propose research on a coal seam modeling construction method based on improved kriging interpolation. The work methodology assumes that by introducing kriging interpolation and analyzing its problems, we improve the interpolation method via a local interpolation algorithm for large anomalous triangulations, an optimization algorithm for locally redundant interpolation points, and a nonuniform boundary adaptive local interpolation algorithm. These improvements allow the interpolation method to better reflect the variability and realistic nature of coal seams. The research results indicate that applying this method to the construction of the Dananhu No. 2 open-pit mine coal seam model has improved the issue of coal seam transition stiffness, such as abnormal large-area triangulation in areas with significant elevation differences. This approach appropriately reduces the memory space usage without altering the coal seam morphology (which saves approximately 27,000 KB of memory, equivalent to the space occupied by 4 out of 21 coal seams). It has also prevented inaccuracies in boundary line positioning and transitions caused by too low a density of points on the coal seam reserve boundary line, resulting in smoother model transitions at the boundaries that better align with the actual coal seam change trends, the error rate in coal quality estimation decreased by 62.69%. This study provides data support for mining planning and reduces costs. This method can be extended to the construction of all mine models.

Indigenized Leisure and Data Colonialist Systems

Social media sites and the opportunities they advertise are often promoted as facilitating community connection, creativity, and listening with others. Many facets and descriptors of social media opportunities can be related to First Nations’ understanding of what comprises wellness and leisure. With this in mind, many Indigenous users may partake in social media with the expectation of a primarily leisurely online experience that would contribute to an individual’s health and wellness. Couldry and Mejias’ (2019) concept of ‘data colonialism’ frames the purpose of online spaces such as the social media platforms TikTok, Instagram, and X (Twitter) as having a very different goal, one removed from leisure or where leisure is nothing more than a symptom of data collection efforts. This digital auto-ethnographic project, assisted by discourse analysis, utilizes the researcher’s Anishinaabe identity markers through site profiles to gather data which explores whether or not social media sites are truly a space of leisure for First Nation’s users under ‘data colonialism.’ This project finds a clash in data collection functions and online community opportunities, which renders Indigenized leisure within the digital space a fallacy. In council with teachings from Velkova and Kaun’s (2021) article Algorithmic Resistance: Media Practices and the Politics of Repair and Wemigwans’ (2018) A Digital Bundle; Protecting and Promoting Indigenous Knowledge Online, this project looks to the future, discussing the manipulation of social media affordances towards a true online wellness space for Indigenous users.

Quantifying the potential of evidence-based planting-pattern for reducing the outdoor thermal stress from a bio-meteorological perspective in tropical conditions of Indian cities.

The impact of declined natural greenery and increased built surfaces exacerbates heat stress in urban areas causing limited usage of outdoor spaces. Greenery strategies such as trees are capable of mitigating outdoor thermal stress gain because of their phytological properties. While urban greenery guidelines have suggested the ad-hoc procedure of tree planting-schemes based on aesthetic-value, soil-water preservation etc., understanding of their morphological character help in regulating extreme thermal condition. Hence, this study aims to investigate the most efficient planting pattern based on canopies densities and trees clusters for reducing the outdoor thermal stress from bio-meteorological perspective.It initiates with the measurement of the site's morphological and meteorological attributes in existing commercial market of Bhopal City which has a humid sub-tropical climate (Aw, Koppen climate categorization). Furthermore, it leads to the development of 4-different iterated clusters incorporating moderate to high-density canopies and their overlaps pattern to estimate reduction potential in outdoors using field surveys and validated simulation model. The reduction potential in terms of magnitude and duration of thermal stress is quantified across 3-thermal variables i.e., air temperature, mean radiant temperature and universal thermal climate index. Results indicate highly-dense canopies are more effective in reducing greater magnitude of thermal stress along longer duration. Also overlapped planting pattern within the same canopy density does not make significant difference in stress reduction as compared to the changing the densities. This study will help planners and landscape architects to adopt evidence-based planting-pattern strategies for improving outdoor microclimate.

The perception of urban green space during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Wrocław

Green spaces are integral to urban landscape, serving ecological, health, and recreational functions. During the pandemic, urban green spaces were crucial for enabling safe social distancing and enhancing well-being. This study delves into the perception, accessibilities, and qualities of urban green spaces in Wrocław during and after the pandemic. A survey was conducted to understand causes and effects of diverse usage of the urban green space, assessing changes in usage frequency before, during, and after lockdown, as well as public awareness of benefits associated with green spaces. Proximity to green spaces emerges as a key factor as people prefer easily and quick access to these areas. The study also noted a partial modification of social behaviour and increased social and ecological awareness. The results reveal evident development of new daily habits. Although the beginning of the pandemic led to discomfort, adaptive behaviours soon followed, changing daily routines and previous leisure activities. Given the findings on availability and adequacy of green spaces, it is advisable to rearrange these areas to meet the diverse needs of inhabitants.

“He would do nothing in the office”: Work and alienation in cinematic adaptations of Herman Melville’s Bartleby.

This paper analyzes the representation of the office workplace in filmic adaptations of Melville’s short story “Bartleby, the Scrivener”. Following a brief overview of film adaptations of Melville’s short story, this article will discuss Miro Bilbrough’s (2001) and Gerard Amsellem’s (2013) short films, Andreas Honneths (2010) experimental interpretation as well as Laura Naylor and Kristen Kee’s (2017) stop-motion movie. By, for instance, analyzing how the movies try to replicate the first-person narration, find visual images for Melville’s uncinematic descriptive prose, or underline the thematic importance of writing by incorporating different forms of written text, I will firstly examine techniques of intermedial transposition. Since the filmmakers deploy the setting to reimagine or modernize the story, the set design is to be regarded as an essential part of the adaptation process. Paying particular attention to the usage of space, the visual presentation of physical and metaphorical walls, as well as the utilization of non-human entities as ‘actors,’ I will seek to demonstrate how the movies under study reflect contemporary office environments and dynamics of work culture. Updating the nineteenth-century quills and inkpots to modern office technology, for example, allows the directors to reflect upon how electronic communication can cause or reinforce isolation. Different concepts of alienation serve as an essential theoretical framework for the movies. The adaptations concern themselves with social disconnect, engage in questions of ecological alienation, or focus on a political and socioeconomic interpretation of Bartleby’s passive resistance to productivity and consumption.

Greening South Asian cities for health: a study of urban green space usage and physical well-being

Greening South Asian cities for health: a study of urban green space usage and physical well-being

THERMAL ADAPTIVE ARCHITECTURE: INTERPLAY BETWEEN ARCHITECTURE AND CLIMATE

The concept of architecture as a form of shelter, integral to both classical and contemporary discourse emphasizes the interplay between building structures and their climatic contexts. Vitruvius early observations underscore the importance of understanding how buildings act as barriers and responsive filters to their environments thereby shaping human activities. This paper explores the multi-faceted roles of buildings-functional, social, symbolic, artistic and their interconnections with thermal performance. While the adaptability of buildings to thermal conditions is well recognized, the impact of fluctuating economic factors such as energy prices, and the unpredictability of space usage add layers of complexity to thermal performance assessments. The research highlights the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in achieving optimal thermal conditions. By examining the integration of precise thermal techniques into building design this study aims to bridge these gaps and propose strategies for designing climate-sensitive architecture. The focus is on achieving comfortable and healthy living environments while ensuring cost-effective resource use. This approach advocates for a refined understanding of thermal response and its application in the design-build-occupy process ultimately contributing to more efficient and adaptive building practices.

Language practices of Emilian and Esperanto communities: spaces of use, explicit language attitudes and self-reported competence

ABSTRACT This paper provides a comparative analysis of the language practices maintained by speakers of two minoritised languages: Emilian and Esperanto. Esperanto is seemingly maintaining itself more successfully than Emilian and can therefore serve as an insightful point of comparison. The aim of this study is to quantify spaces of language use and attitudes towards each language to investigate the following: (i) spaces of language use and (ii) explicit language attitudes in the two communities, and (iii) the relationship between spaces, language attitudes and self-reported competence. We administered an online sociolinguistic questionnaire over the summer of 2020, collecting 468 responses for Emilian and 154 for Esperanto. Results from Bayesian linear models suggest that the relationship between language attitudes and competence is modulated by spaces of use: at lower proportions of spaces of use, language attitudes are more positively correlated with language competence, while at higher proportions of spaces of use, the relationship between attitude and competence is reduced. Although Emilian is maintained in fewer spaces than Esperanto, we observe that it is still used in local spaces. We propose that creating spaces for users of minoritised languages like Emilian could engender higher levels of language competence and hence language maintenance.

Toward sustainable urban health: defining hospital outdoor spaces for community well-being

Abstract The challenges that Bologna is facing belonging to the 100-carbon neutral city list are largely related to the quality of its urban fabric. The site hosting the IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero - Universitaria di Bologna Policlinico di Sant’Orsola represents one of the largest green areas of the city. The renovation plan the hospital has launched represents an opportunity to contribute to the city’s sustainability goals and to enhance the value of the hospital’s outdoor spaces for users. The hospital experiences over 20, 000 accesses per day, with a significant proportion of these being for work or medical visits; the informal use of outdoor spaces often leads to tensions among users with diverse needs, discouraging access and depriving individuals of potential benefits that could be derived from spending time outdoors. Reflecting the management’s commitment towards two of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3) and Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11), the hospital created a design team with the cooperation of the University of Bologna to research the technical and functional requirements for adapting outdoor spaces to meet the needs of users. The research is based on a human-centred design approach while the methods are grounded in Service Design practices.

Influence of Campus Outdoor Spaces on Students Behavior: Enhancing Social Interaction and Learning at An-Najah University

This study examines how the physical features of university campus outdoor spaces affect student behavior, aiming to promote social interaction and improve learning outcomes. Two central questions guide the research: how student movements relate to open space features, and how campus layout influences student circulation and interaction. By employing a mixed-method approach, including field observations and space syntax analysis, five areas at An-Najah University Campus are studied. The findings highlight the importance of these insights in urban design and planning, especially for teaching staff, students, and visitors. Results indicate that spatial layout and physical features significantly affect space usage, with students favoring areas with seating, shade, and social opportunities, adapting to informal setups when formal options are limited. Visibility is key, with students favoring spaces offering maximum visibility for seating. This understanding informs architects and planners in creating engaging campus environments for social interaction and learning.

Teachers’ changing perspectives of their spatial competencies: A case study of professional learning in Singapore

While there is increasing recognition of the role of learning environments for teaching and learning, research on teachers' spatial competency is lacking. Drawing on an in-depth case study approach, this study examined the impact of a professional learning and action research pilot program to enhance teachers' spatial competency in one government secondary school in Singapore. Findings showed that professional learning can improve teacher knowledge, self-efficacy and mind frames towards more agentic and intentional space usage for teaching and learning. This study makes explicit connections about how a multi-layered professional learning program can support the development of teachers’ spatial competency.

An insight on technical regulations for new activities in space

Space Traffic Management (STM) is becoming increasingly important as new space activities emerge, such as mega-constellations, on-orbit servicing etc. These developments, although promising great advances, nevertheless present complicated issues that demand stringent technical constraints. Effective STM necessitates extensive rules to ensure the safety, sustainability, and orderly execution of space operations. This research emphasizes the critical need for updated technical regulations that address the operational complexities involved with these new activities. It seeks to build a secure and collaborative space environment by establishing detailed legislative frameworks and emphasizing international cooperation, so ensuring the long-term profitability and success of space exploration and usage. Through meticulous analysis, the paper identifies regulatory gaps and proposes a robust framework capable of accommodating the evolving landscape of regulations. Drawing upon humanity's collective experience across different domains, the proposed framework aims to foster responsible growth in outer space while safeguarding its integrity for future generations. This paper examines the existing regulatory framework applicable to four distinct categories of New Technologies and Activities in space; identifies gaps where they exist; and suggests a capable and robust regulatory framework. This framework leverages humankind's experience in other domains to nurture and assist responsible growth in the outer space domain while ensuring proper stewardship of that domain, now and in the future. This paper is based on the report prepared by members of working group 4.2 of the Space Traffic Management Committee (TC 26).

The politics of platform folklore: Emotion, identity, and sense-making in far-right populist Twitter communities

Platforms are increasingly part of everyday life, but they remain opaque and impenetrable spaces for most users. To manage life on platforms, users thus need to engage with sense-making practices that help them understand and navigate online spaces. This paper studies how far-right populist activists interpret and navigate their presence on Twitter, using the concept of platform folklore, that is, unofficial and collective narratives aimed at relieving feelings of uncertainty associated with the opacity of platforms. The data consists of 20 life-history interviews with Swedish and American Twitter activists from right-wing populist communities, who all participated in populist Twitter debates. The analysis shows how platform folklore is constructed not only based on observations of content moderation, as emphasized in previous research, but also in correspondence with the political ideology and identities of the activists. This led them to interpret Twitter as a leftist organization that disfavored them, which stopped them from developing strategies to reach the goals they held as central to their Twitter activism. The paper concludes by discussing the role of emotions and ideology in platform folklore within political communities and suggesting directions for future research.

ImageGP 2 for enhanced data visualization and reproducible analysis in biomedical research.

ImageGP is an extensively utilized, open-access platform for online data visualization and analysis. Over the past 7 years, it has catered to more than 700,000 usages globally, garnering substantial user feedback. The updated version, ImageGP 2 (available at https://www.bic.ac.cn/BIC), introduces a redesigned interface leveraging cutting-edge web technologies to enhance functionality and user interaction. Key enhancements include the following: (i) Addition of modules for data format transformation, facilitating operations such as matrix merging, subsetting, and transformation between long and wide formats. (ii) Streamlined workflows with features like preparameter selection data validation and grouping of parameters with similar attributes. (iii) Expanded repertoire of visualization functions and analysis tools, including Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis, differential gene expression analysis, and FASTA sequence processing. (iv) Personalized user space for uploading large data sets, tracking analysis history, and sharing reproducible analysis data, scripts, and results. (v) Enhanced user support through a simplified error debugging feature accessible with a single click. (vi) Introduction of an R package, ImageGP, enabling local data visualization and analysis. These updates position ImageGP 2 as a versatile tool serving both wet-lab and dry-lab researchers with expanded capabilities.