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Integrating metaheuristic optimization algorithms with random forest to predict waste generation in construction and demolition projects
No full textThe construction sector is a significant source of global waste, making accurate and proactive prediction of Construction and Demolition Waste (C&DW) essential for sustainable resource management and circular economy efforts. However, estimating C&DW at the project level remains a major challenge. This paper investigates whether C&DW prediction accuracy can be enhanced by integrating the Random Forest (RF) model with two metaheuristic optimization algorithms: the Archimedes Optimization Algorithm (AOA) and Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO). Based on data from 200 real-world projects in Palestine, the GWO-RF model achieved the highest predictive accuracy using only four input variables: project type, start date, building type, and number of floors. To ensure model transparency, Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) analysis confirmed that project type and the number of floors were the most influential parameters. This study thus provides a practical, robust, and highly accurate model to support effective waste management strategies in the construction industry
Modeling the inactivation of E. coli O157:H7 (ATCC 43888) in high hydrostatic pressure treated tomato juice
No full textHigh Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) is a non-thermal preservation method that enhances microbial safety while maintaining nutritional and sensory attributes. In this study, the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in tomato juice was quantified using the Geeraerd primary model, fitted within a Bayesian framework for all pressure–time combinations. Models that would be expected to perform best were pooled and trialed from the primary fits using a regression model. A global (primary–secondary) quadratic secondary model was then applied to describe the dependence of log10kmax and residual colonies (NRes) on pressure, incorporating random effects for each pressure level. Results showed a monotonic increase of kmax with pressure, with the strongest inactivation observed at 450 MPa, while residual populations declined consistently across the pressure domain. Posterior predictive checks confirmed that the Full Geeraerd model provided an accurate description of inactivation kinetics, and that the quadratic secondary structure adequately captured pressure dependence. These findings demonstrate that HHP substantially accelerates microbial inactivation, and that a two-stage Bayesian modeling framework combining primary and secondary models can provide robust predictions to support the optimization of non-thermal food preservation processes
Assessment of low-cycle fatigue damage in seismic performance-based optimally designed reinforced concrete frames under mainshock-aftershock sequences
No full textThis study examines low-cycle fatigue (LCF) damage in performance-based design (PBD) optimized reinforced concrete moment-resisting frames (RC MRFs) subjected to seismic loading, with a specific focus on mainshockaftershock sequences. The primary objective is to assess the impact of these sequences on the fatigue life of RC MRFs utilizing an optimization framework that integrates seismic vulnerability assessments and low-cycle fatigue evaluation. Two RC MRFs, 5- and 10-story, are designed under varying seismic conditions in the PBD framework. Results indicate that in the 5-story RC MRF, LCF damage is concentrated in the first and second stories. In contrast, the 10-story RC MRF exhibits more widespread LCF damage, particularly in the middle and upper stories. The findings further demonstrate that optimizing RC MRF through the PBD-based safety enhancement can reduce LCF damage compared to conventional designs, resulting in significant improvements in structural resilience and damage mitigation. For the 5-story RC MRF, the maximum LCF damage index is effectively reduced to 51%, 88%, and 36% for the three respective scaling methods, while these reductions for the 10-story RC MRF are 98%, 36%, and 21%. These results highlight the need to consider mainshock-aftershock sequences in seismic design optimization to enhance fatigue resistance and structural safety
A Mode of Existence on the Edge of Discourse: The Singularity, Subjectivity, and Relationality of Drug Addiction
No full textEvaluating tsunami preparedness worldwide: a proxy index using Japan as a reference
No full textTsunami risk assessment is crucial for coastal communities, but quantitatively evaluating a nation’s tsunami vulnerability, and preparedness levels is challenging due to the intangible elements of this aspect. This study offers a novel proxy measurement method for assessing the tsunami preparedness of the nations through a reference country approach. The reference country is chosen as Japan according to the rationales based on its exemplary preparedness strategies against tsunamis and results of global-level analysis performed on the historical tsunami events and their outcomes. A proxy index, representing tsunami awareness and preparedness is developed using 39 indicators gathered from global statistical datasets grouped into administrative, educational, and socio-economic domains. The indicators are normalized, and principal component analysis is applied to remove multicollinearity. The Euclidean distance between 52 tsunami-prone country and Japan is calculated to determine their similarity yielding a value scaled from 1 to 10 for each country. This proxy index calculation provides valuable insights on the importance of robust governance, strong public education, and resilient economic systems for effective disaster management and offers a practical measurement method to approach relatively intangible aspects such as human vulnerability, awareness and preparedness for any kind of natural hazards including tsunamis
Tracking deep mantle heat and volatiles in the Iceland plume from a high-density survey of helium isotopes along the Reykjanes Ridge
No full textThe upwelling mantle plume beneath Iceland flows southwest down the Reykjanes Ridge. Several prominent V-shaped ridges (VSRs) and troughs (VSTs) extend obliquely from the ridge that are believed to result from pulses of hotter plume mantle. The intimate connection between heat and primordial He in the deep mantle means that the mantle beneath the Reykjanes Ridge should have elevated 3He/4He. A new high resolution He isotope study of basaltic glasses from southernmost Iceland (63°N) to 55°N along the Reykjanes Ridge demonstrates a broad peak of 3He/4He (16.0 Ra) centred around 60°N that coincides with the first topographic high (VSR-1). The magnitude of the He isotope anomaly broadly scales with the excess temperature inferred from crustal thickness. This supports the hypothesis that thickened oceanic crust is a consequence of a pulse of hotter mantle within the upwelling plume that flows down the Reykjanes Ridge. The along-ridge 3He/4He peak at 59-62°N is significantly longer (320 km) than the thickened oceanic crust of VSR-1 (60-70 km). This can most simply be explained if the hot mantle blob is surrounded by a high 3He/4He mantle carapace that has a temperature similar to the surrounding mantle. As helium diffusion is orders of magnitude slower than heat, this relationship can be most simply explained if the outer region of the hot, He-rich blob has lost heat to the surrounding mantle during transit from the core-mantle boundary, yet retained the deep mantle He isotope fingerprint
The Routledge Companion to Comparative International Planning
No full textThis chapter focuses on the values of studying abroad and experiencing diverse contexts as part of obtaining a planning degree. Spending a semester abroad places students in learning environments that foster critical thinking and systematic comparative skills. It allows students to explore the unique values of different localities while also experiencing shared global challenges. This is particularly crucial for urban planning, a discipline aimed at creating sustainable living environments through the advancement of theory and practice. To explore these values, the chapter utilises an exploratory inquiry conducted with students who have experienced studying abroad for a semester. Values are examined through in-depth interviews with students from the Department of City and Regional Planning at Middle East Technical University and reflective observations made by the author during his own time as an exchange student. The findings reveal that studying abroad provides opportunities for (i) exploring new pedagogies in planning courses, (ii) discovering international cities through the eyes of an urban planner, (iii) fostering reciprocal learning with international students, and (iv) understanding one's own strengths and limitations as part of their career journey
Cryptographic Randomness Testing of Block Ciphers: SAC Tests
No full textBlock ciphers are designed to function as random mappings, making it essential for them to successfully pass statistical randomness tests. These tests evaluate whether the distribution of a test statistic, derived empirically through various data manipulations over states of the algorithm, aligns with the theoretical distribution for cryptographic randomness. Beyond this, evaluating the cryptographic properties of the algorithm is also important to ensure its security and reliability. One of the important cryptographic randomness properties is the Strict Avalanche Criterion (SAC), which assesses the impact of a one-bit alteration in the input over the output. In this work, we introduce new SAC-based tests to offer more reliable evaluation for the cryptographic randomness of block cipher algorithms. The tests are utilized for the application of AES, PRESENT, and CLEFIA block ciphers. The results are compared with Soto’s evaluation methods, which are known for their comprehensive approach to block ciphers. According to this, it is apparent that our novel SAC tests improve upon Soto’s results, thus providing a more comprehensive understanding of randomness
Ecosystem age drives food web architecture of glacier retreat-formed fishless ponds in Greenland
No full textArctic ecosystems are undergoing major changes as a result of climate change that in many cases results in habitat loss for many species. However, glacial retreat also creates new habitats, such as lakes and ponds, providing an opportunity to test how communities and food webs assemble. Here, we studied the topology of the food webs and analyzed potential drivers such as environmental variables in 16 fishless ponds of contrasting age (8 young 150 years) located in an area of rapid glacial retreat on the west coast of Greenland. We tested for differences in beta diversity and nestedness of prey and consumers related to the age class of the ponds. Based on gut content analysis of zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates we constructed food webs and investigated the extent to which food web metrics related to pond age and environmental variables. The food items of zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrates in the young ponds represented a subset of those present in the old ponds' food webs. Food webs of old ponds had higher taxonomic richness, higher linkage density and lower connectance, indicating higher stability. Pond age class was the main explanatory factor for most food web metrics followed by productivity, here assessed by proxies, total nitrogen (TN) and phytoplankton chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). Food webs in old ponds did not show any significant association with environmental factors. In contrast, in young ponds, connectance and trophic niche overlap were significantly related to TN and Chl-a. The different complexity patterns indicate that food web topology in newly created ponds becomes more complex and independent of environmental conditions as ponds age. These differences likely make food webs of young ecosystems more unstable and vulnerable to external disturbances than those of older ecosystems
The social reactive and/or reasoned acceptance of the intelligent speed adaptation system in Türkiye and Israel
No full textTechnology has become important in solving the problem of speeding. One technological advancement aimed at overcoming the speeding problem is the Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA) system. Although the ISA systems enhance traffic safety, the standard role of drivers in driving is challenged by these systems. Therefore, driver acceptance of such systems is essential for their implementation, which may be dependent on the country's driving climate and other characteristics, such as road fatality rates and gross national income. The current study therefore examines the utility of an integrative model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Prototype Willingness Model (PWM), which are two popular decision-making frameworks, comparing participants from two different countries which may differ in their driving climate and which is important to the external validity of the results. This study is the first to test this model in two countries. A total of 334 drivers from T & uuml;rkiye and 359 drivers from Israel completed a questionnaire by way of an online link. The results show that the integrative model explains the highest variance in preference for using the informative type of the ISA in both countries. In addition, the model explains a higher variance in preference for using the informative and intervening types of the ISA in Israel and the supportive type of the ISA in T & uuml;rkiye. Although the integrative model differed between the two countries, intention was the strongest predictor of preference in using all types of the ISA. However, as control of the system increases, the socialreactive path becomes more prominent in T & uuml;rkiye, whereas the reasoned path becomes significant in Israel. Finally, attitude is an additional important predictor of preference in Israel, whereas prototype perceptions are more prominent in T & uuml;rkiye. The results and the implications are discussed in light of the literature