Groundwater and surface water contamination by PTE(Potentially Toxic Elements)was assessed in Ruashi and Annexe municipalities of Lubumbashi city.Analyses of seventy water samples collected from six drilled wells,eigh...Groundwater and surface water contamination by PTE(Potentially Toxic Elements)was assessed in Ruashi and Annexe municipalities of Lubumbashi city.Analyses of seventy water samples collected from six drilled wells,eight spade-sunk wells,one river and one spring in both municipalities in 2017 and 2018 were carried out by ICP-SF-MS(Inductively Coupled Plasma-Sector Field Mass Spectrometry).Twenty PTEs including aluminum,arsenic,barium,bismuth,cadmium,cesium,chromium,cobalt,copper,iron,lead,manganese,molybdenum,nickel,strontium,thallium,tungsten,uranium,vanadium and zinc were detected at various concentrations in each one of the samples.Many samples had concentrations and mean concentrations of PTEs,such as aluminum,cadmium,copper,iron,lead,manganese,nickel and zinc,higher than the respective acceptable limits set for drinking water by the EU(European Union),the USEPA(United States Environmental Protection Agency),and the WHO(World Health Organization)standards.Most PTEs being deleterious to human health even at very low concentrations,people who use the groundwater and surface water to meet their water needs in both Ruashi and Annexe municipalities are at risk.展开更多
The reaction of carbon-free oxide-based(corundum,spinel,zirconia,and mullite)submerged entry nozzle(SEN)lining with rare earth inclusions and its anti-clogging effects under near working conditions were systematically...The reaction of carbon-free oxide-based(corundum,spinel,zirconia,and mullite)submerged entry nozzle(SEN)lining with rare earth inclusions and its anti-clogging effects under near working conditions were systematically studied.A variety of lining composite test methods were innovatively used to ensure the consistency of test conditions.The experimental results showed that the mullite(acidic oxide)has strong reactivity with rare earth inclusions,and the spinel(basic oxide)has stable chemical properties and weak reactivity with rare earth inclusions.Because alumina is one of the main reactants of clogging formation,corundum is not suitable for SEN lining.There are less clogs on the surface of zirconia,but it will be exsoluted and unstable.Therefore,solving the problem of zirconia exsolution will greatly strengthen its application in SEN lining.展开更多
The rapid urbanization and increasing challenges are faced by cities globally,including climate change,population growth,and resource constraints.Sustainable smart city(also referred to as“smart sustainable city”)ca...The rapid urbanization and increasing challenges are faced by cities globally,including climate change,population growth,and resource constraints.Sustainable smart city(also referred to as“smart sustainable city”)can offer innovative solutions by integrating advanced technologies to build smarter,greener,and more livable urban environments with significant benefits.Using the Web of Science(WoS)database,this study examined:(i)the mainstream approaches and current research trends in the literature of sustainable smart city;(ii)the extent to which the research of sustainable smart city aligns with Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs);(iii)the current topics and collaboration patterns in sustainable smart city research;and(iv)the potential opportunities for future research on the sustainable smart city field.The findings indicated that research on sustainable smart city began in 2010 and gained significant momentum in 2013,with China leading,followed by Italy and Spain.Moreover,59.00%of the selected publications on the research of sustainable smart city focus on SDG 11(Sustainable Cities and Communities).Bibliometric analysis outcome revealed that artificial intelligence(AI),big data,machine learning,and deep learning are emerging research fields.The terms smart city,smart cities,and sustainability emerged as the top three co-occurring keywords with the highest link strength,followed by frequently co-occurring keywords such as AI,innovation,big data,urban governance,resilience,machine learning,and Internet of Things(IoT).The clustering results indicated that current studies explored the theoretical foundation,challenges,and future prospects of sustainable smart city,with an emphasis on sustainability.To further support urban sustainability and the attainment of SDGs,the future research of sustainable smart city should explore the application and implications of AI and big data on urban development including cybersecurity and governance challenges.展开更多
Using the new soft X-ray data from the Macao Science Satellite-1,we studied a solar flare that occurred on 22 June 2023.We found that the centroids of the Ca(around 3.9 keV)and Fe(around 6.7 keV)line features exhibit ...Using the new soft X-ray data from the Macao Science Satellite-1,we studied a solar flare that occurred on 22 June 2023.We found that the centroids of the Ca(around 3.9 keV)and Fe(around 6.7 keV)line features exhibit a rapid shift toward higher energy channels during the flare's rising phase,followed by a gradual decrease during the decay phase.Through precise energy calibration,the centroids are determined with high accuracy.Temperature and velocity are then self-consistently derived by comparing the centroids with those calculated from the synthesized line features using the latest CHIANTI atomic database(ver.10.1).The calculated maximum velocity reaches up to 710±60 km s-1,which significantly exceeds the previously reported values.Our results suggest that the entire shift of soft X-ray lines may occur during the process of chromospheric evaporation.展开更多
The electrochemical corrosion of ductile pipes(DPs)in drinking water distribution systems(DWDS)has a crucial impact on cement-mortar lining(CML)failure and metal release,potentially leading to drinking water quality d...The electrochemical corrosion of ductile pipes(DPs)in drinking water distribution systems(DWDS)has a crucial impact on cement-mortar lining(CML)failure and metal release,potentially leading to drinking water quality deterioration and posing a risk to public health.An in-situ scanning vibrating electrode technique(SVET)with micron-scale resolution,microscopic scale detection and water quality analysis were used to investigate the corrosion behavior and metal release from DPs throughout the whole CML failure process.Metal pollutants release occurred at three different stages of CML failure process,and there are potential risks of water quality deterioration exceeding the maximum allowable levels set by national standards in the partial failure stage and lining peeling stage.Furthermore,the effects of water chemistry(Cl^(−),SO_(4)^(2−),NO_(3)−,and Ca^(2+))on corrosion scale growth and iron release activity,were investigated during the CML partial failure stage.Results showed that the CML failure process in DPs was accelerated by the autocatalysis of localized corrosion.Cl^(−)was found to damage the uncorroded metal surface,while SO_(4)^(2−)mainly dissolved the corrosion scale surface,increasing iron release.Both the oxidation of NO_(3)−and selective sedimentation of Ca2+were found to enhance the stability of corrosion scales and inhibit iron release.展开更多
As urbanization accelerates globally,air pollution-particularly PM_(2.5)-is becoming an increasingly significant threat,not only to public health but also the environment.In-depth research on the impact of China’s Ze...As urbanization accelerates globally,air pollution-particularly PM_(2.5)-is becoming an increasingly significant threat,not only to public health but also the environment.In-depth research on the impact of China’s Zero Waste City pilot policy on PM_(2.5)concentration offers valuable insights into the policy’s effectiveness and provides a potential model for environmental governance worldwide.This study employs panel data from 293 Chinese cities from 2014 to 2022 to systematically analyze the impact of the Zero-Waste City policy on PM_(2.5)concentration using a difference-in-differences model.The findings indicate that the policy not only directly reduces PM_(2.5)concentration but also indirectly curbs PM_(2.5)emissions by enhancing green innovation and green economic efficiency.Moreover,the policy’s effects are found to be positively moderated by urban energy dependence and digital financial inclusion,while they are negatively moderated by the government debt ratio.Based on these findings,this study suggests that cities should actively develop their digital economy,reduce government debt,promote green innovation,and improve green economic efficiency,as doing so will enhance their implementation of environmental policies and promote sustainable urban development.展开更多
Thedeployment of the Internet of Things(IoT)with smart sensors has facilitated the emergence of fog computing as an important technology for delivering services to smart environments such as campuses,smart cities,and ...Thedeployment of the Internet of Things(IoT)with smart sensors has facilitated the emergence of fog computing as an important technology for delivering services to smart environments such as campuses,smart cities,and smart transportation systems.Fog computing tackles a range of challenges,including processing,storage,bandwidth,latency,and reliability,by locally distributing secure information through end nodes.Consisting of endpoints,fog nodes,and back-end cloud infrastructure,it provides advanced capabilities beyond traditional cloud computing.In smart environments,particularly within smart city transportation systems,the abundance of devices and nodes poses significant challenges related to power consumption and system reliability.To address the challenges of latency,energy consumption,and fault tolerance in these environments,this paper proposes a latency-aware,faulttolerant framework for resource scheduling and data management,referred to as the FORD framework,for smart cities in fog environments.This framework is designed to meet the demands of time-sensitive applications,such as those in smart transportation systems.The FORD framework incorporates latency-aware resource scheduling to optimize task execution in smart city environments,leveraging resources from both fog and cloud environments.Through simulation-based executions,tasks are allocated to the nearest available nodes with minimum latency.In the event of execution failure,a fault-tolerantmechanism is employed to ensure the successful completion of tasks.Upon successful execution,data is efficiently stored in the cloud data center,ensuring data integrity and reliability within the smart city ecosystem.展开更多
The entomofauna in the Republic of Congo is very little known. Studies carried out in natural forests are few. It is in this context that this inventory of entomofauna was carried out from April to July 2022 in the Sc...The entomofauna in the Republic of Congo is very little known. Studies carried out in natural forests are few. It is in this context that this inventory of entomofauna was carried out from April to July 2022 in the Scientific City Forest. The general objective is to contribute to the knowledge of the trapping, mowing and sight hunting;the three types of traps used are: Barber pots, colored plates and aerial traps. This study made it possible to invent 1523 specimens belonging to 106 species, 99 genera, 59 families and 12 orders. The order Diptera is the most abundant and richest in species (47% and 26%). This order is followed by Hymenoptera (23% and 23%). Formicidae (14%) and Calliphoridae (13%) are the most abundant families. The Formicidae family presents the greatest species richness (7%), Calliphora sp and Polyrhachis cyaniventris present the highest specific relative abundance of the entire collection. These preliminary results of the entomofauna of Scientific City constitute a database. However, this study must be continued and extended to other areas of Brazzaville, using other capture techniques and taking into account the seasons.展开更多
Despite the global attention towards pollution,it remains a significant global threat and challenge for both developed and developing countries.Urbanization and economic development influence different types of pollut...Despite the global attention towards pollution,it remains a significant global threat and challenge for both developed and developing countries.Urbanization and economic development influence different types of pollution.Visual pollution is considered a new phenomenon referring to the impact of existing and growing mainstream pollution which impairs an individual’s ability to enjoy visits or views.Recently,Jordanian cities have expanded in response to urbanization and ongoing development.Irbid City has the second largest population in Jordan after the capital Amman City highest population density in Jordan.In the modern era,Irbid City dramatically increased in population and dimension.The growth of the demographic population has been significant and has led to overpopulation,rapid urbanization,and unresolved problems associated with spatial planning and infrastructures leading to different types of pollution including visual pollution.The study area focuses on the city center with the most crowded population through field visits and actual observations.The study technique is descriptive and analytical,with a focus on meticulous monitoring and a follow-up-based questionnaire which is a tool for the study,involving data collection,classification,presentation,analysis,interpretation,and exploration to identify new facts and generalizations that can help solve current issues of visual pollution.The study provides recommendations for Irbid Municipal to eliminate visual pollution,in parallel with stricter supervision from the municipality during the building process to ensure proper implementation of the new rules,adopting an integrated policy for the city with the rest of the social,political,sensory,cultural,economic,and functional aspects,so that this policy is in the short and long term.展开更多
The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) of Al Madinah Al Munawwarah is one of the major projects and represents the cornerstone for the new development activities for Al Madinah. The study area contains different geological...The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) of Al Madinah Al Munawwarah is one of the major projects and represents the cornerstone for the new development activities for Al Madinah. The study area contains different geological units dominated by basalt and overlain by surface deposits. The surface soils vary in thickness and can be classified into well-graded SAND with silt and gravel (SW-SM), silty SAND with gravel (SM), silty GRAVEL with sand (GM), and sandy SILTY clay (CL-ML). The subsurface soil obtained from the drilled boreholes can be classified into poorly graded GRAVEL (GP), well-graded GRAVEL with sand (GW), poorly graded GRAVEL with silt (GP-GM), silty CLAYEY gravel with sand (GC-GM), silty SAND with gravel (SM), silt with SAND (ML), and silty CLAY with sand (CL-ML), sandy lean CLAY (CL), and lean CLAY (CL). The relative density of the deposit and the different gravel sizes intercalated with the soil influenced the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) values. The SPT N values are high and approach refusal even at shallow depths. The shallow refusal depth (0.10 to 0.90 m) of the Dynamic Cone Penetration Test (DCPT) was observed. Generally, the soil can be described as inactive with low plasticity and dense to very dense consistency. The basalt of the KEC site is characterized by slightly (W2) to highly (W4) weathering, their strength ranges from moderate (S4) to very strong (S2), and the Rock Quality Designation (RQD) ranges from very poor (R5) to excellent (R1). The engineering geological map of the KEC characterized the geoengineering properties of the soil and rock materials and classified them into many zones. The high sulphate (SO42−) and chloride (Cl−) contents in groundwater call for protective measures for foundation concrete. The current study revealed that geohazard(s) mitigation measures concerning floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes should be considered.展开更多
Misinformation has led to a crisis of digital wellbeing,especially in smart cities as networked connectivity has placed increasing pressures on individuals’mental and social health.Current academic and popular discou...Misinformation has led to a crisis of digital wellbeing,especially in smart cities as networked connectivity has placed increasing pressures on individuals’mental and social health.Current academic and popular discourses of digital wellbeing lack discussions on digital citizenship and are encoded in ideologies of neoliberal health,techno-solutionism and techno-determinism.This paper introduces an original digital wellbeing indicator framework to mitigate this crisis and address these gaps by identifying the mutual relationality between urban intelligence and digital citizenship as a key driver of digital wellbeing in the smart city.This paper argues that such an indicator framework is necessary to equip smart cities to move beyond efficiency metrics by embedding human-centred measures of balance,safety,and agency,ensuring that technological progress enhances,rather than erodes,the quality of urban life.展开更多
Air pollution is a major challenge to the improvement of urban environmental quality.The control of air pollution still faces severe challenges,especially in developing countries,such as ozone pollution control.Ozone ...Air pollution is a major challenge to the improvement of urban environmental quality.The control of air pollution still faces severe challenges,especially in developing countries,such as ozone pollution control.Ozone is a typical secondary air pollutant,and its formation chemistry from its precursors(NOx and volatile organic compounds)is highly nonlinear,which caused the emission reduction of its precursors is not always effective and therefore new assisted approaches to control of ozone pollution are needed.Photocatalysis and ambient catalysis technology are expected to be applied in open atmosphere as a new booster to the direct purification of air pollutants in emission sources.In this perspective,we summarize the current knowledge about the photocatalysis and ambient catalysis technology for the removal of air pollutants under natural photothermal conditions.Based on these technologies,we propose the concept of“Environmental Catalytic City”,which refers to the spontaneous purification of low concentration urban air pollutants in the atmosphere by catalytic materials coating on the artificial surfaces,such as building surfaces in the city.In this way,the urban city with self-purification function can remove air pollution without additional energy consumption.The further improvement,development,and application of the“Environmental Catalytic City”is also discussed.展开更多
在互联网时代,语言的演变与不断创新促成了许多网络流行语。随着网络语言的不断发展,“city不city”这一新兴用语在年轻群体中广泛传播。其独特的表达方式不仅丰富了语言的多样性,而且还反映了年轻人的审美取向、现代社会对时尚生活的追...在互联网时代,语言的演变与不断创新促成了许多网络流行语。随着网络语言的不断发展,“city不city”这一新兴用语在年轻群体中广泛传播。其独特的表达方式不仅丰富了语言的多样性,而且还反映了年轻人的审美取向、现代社会对时尚生活的追求,以及跨文化交流中语言融合的社会文化现象。本文聚焦于“city不city”这一流行语的起源和流行机制,包括其演变过程、模因传播理论等方面,揭示了其独特的语用特征和文化内涵。本文认为,“city不city”不仅是一个简单的网络流行语,更是社会文化变迁和语言发展的缩影,其背后蕴含着丰富的社会意义和文化价值。In the Internet era, the evolution and continuous innovation of language have contributed to many network buzzwords. With the continuous development of network language, the emerging term “city not city” has spread widely among young people. Its unique way of expression not only enriches the diversity of languages, but also reflects the aesthetic orientation of young people, the pursuit of fashionable life in modern society, and the social and cultural phenomenon of language integration in cross-cultural communication. This paper focuses on the origin and popular mechanism of the buzzword “city not city”, including its evolution process and the spread of meme theory, and reveals its unique pragmatic characteristics and cultural connotation. This paper holds that “city not city” is not only a simple network buzzword, but also a microcosm of social and cultural changes and language development, which contains rich social significance and cultural value.展开更多
基金funding received from UNESCO-SIDA Project as well as Professor Martine Leermakers and Professor Willy Baeyens for their financial help to analyze the water samples in their laboratory at VUB.Acknowledgements
文摘Groundwater and surface water contamination by PTE(Potentially Toxic Elements)was assessed in Ruashi and Annexe municipalities of Lubumbashi city.Analyses of seventy water samples collected from six drilled wells,eight spade-sunk wells,one river and one spring in both municipalities in 2017 and 2018 were carried out by ICP-SF-MS(Inductively Coupled Plasma-Sector Field Mass Spectrometry).Twenty PTEs including aluminum,arsenic,barium,bismuth,cadmium,cesium,chromium,cobalt,copper,iron,lead,manganese,molybdenum,nickel,strontium,thallium,tungsten,uranium,vanadium and zinc were detected at various concentrations in each one of the samples.Many samples had concentrations and mean concentrations of PTEs,such as aluminum,cadmium,copper,iron,lead,manganese,nickel and zinc,higher than the respective acceptable limits set for drinking water by the EU(European Union),the USEPA(United States Environmental Protection Agency),and the WHO(World Health Organization)standards.Most PTEs being deleterious to human health even at very low concentrations,people who use the groundwater and surface water to meet their water needs in both Ruashi and Annexe municipalities are at risk.
基金supported by the National Outstanding Youth Science Fund Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(52302031)National Natural Science Foundation of China(51932008 and 51772277)Central China Thousand Talents Project(204200510011).
文摘The reaction of carbon-free oxide-based(corundum,spinel,zirconia,and mullite)submerged entry nozzle(SEN)lining with rare earth inclusions and its anti-clogging effects under near working conditions were systematically studied.A variety of lining composite test methods were innovatively used to ensure the consistency of test conditions.The experimental results showed that the mullite(acidic oxide)has strong reactivity with rare earth inclusions,and the spinel(basic oxide)has stable chemical properties and weak reactivity with rare earth inclusions.Because alumina is one of the main reactants of clogging formation,corundum is not suitable for SEN lining.There are less clogs on the surface of zirconia,but it will be exsoluted and unstable.Therefore,solving the problem of zirconia exsolution will greatly strengthen its application in SEN lining.
文摘The rapid urbanization and increasing challenges are faced by cities globally,including climate change,population growth,and resource constraints.Sustainable smart city(also referred to as“smart sustainable city”)can offer innovative solutions by integrating advanced technologies to build smarter,greener,and more livable urban environments with significant benefits.Using the Web of Science(WoS)database,this study examined:(i)the mainstream approaches and current research trends in the literature of sustainable smart city;(ii)the extent to which the research of sustainable smart city aligns with Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs);(iii)the current topics and collaboration patterns in sustainable smart city research;and(iv)the potential opportunities for future research on the sustainable smart city field.The findings indicated that research on sustainable smart city began in 2010 and gained significant momentum in 2013,with China leading,followed by Italy and Spain.Moreover,59.00%of the selected publications on the research of sustainable smart city focus on SDG 11(Sustainable Cities and Communities).Bibliometric analysis outcome revealed that artificial intelligence(AI),big data,machine learning,and deep learning are emerging research fields.The terms smart city,smart cities,and sustainability emerged as the top three co-occurring keywords with the highest link strength,followed by frequently co-occurring keywords such as AI,innovation,big data,urban governance,resilience,machine learning,and Internet of Things(IoT).The clustering results indicated that current studies explored the theoretical foundation,challenges,and future prospects of sustainable smart city,with an emphasis on sustainability.To further support urban sustainability and the attainment of SDGs,the future research of sustainable smart city should explore the application and implications of AI and big data on urban development including cybersecurity and governance challenges.
文摘Using the new soft X-ray data from the Macao Science Satellite-1,we studied a solar flare that occurred on 22 June 2023.We found that the centroids of the Ca(around 3.9 keV)and Fe(around 6.7 keV)line features exhibit a rapid shift toward higher energy channels during the flare's rising phase,followed by a gradual decrease during the decay phase.Through precise energy calibration,the centroids are determined with high accuracy.Temperature and velocity are then self-consistently derived by comparing the centroids with those calculated from the synthesized line features using the latest CHIANTI atomic database(ver.10.1).The calculated maximum velocity reaches up to 710±60 km s-1,which significantly exceeds the previously reported values.Our results suggest that the entire shift of soft X-ray lines may occur during the process of chromospheric evaporation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51808158,52170101,and 52200116)Tianjin Natural Science Foundation(No.23JCYBJC00640).
文摘The electrochemical corrosion of ductile pipes(DPs)in drinking water distribution systems(DWDS)has a crucial impact on cement-mortar lining(CML)failure and metal release,potentially leading to drinking water quality deterioration and posing a risk to public health.An in-situ scanning vibrating electrode technique(SVET)with micron-scale resolution,microscopic scale detection and water quality analysis were used to investigate the corrosion behavior and metal release from DPs throughout the whole CML failure process.Metal pollutants release occurred at three different stages of CML failure process,and there are potential risks of water quality deterioration exceeding the maximum allowable levels set by national standards in the partial failure stage and lining peeling stage.Furthermore,the effects of water chemistry(Cl^(−),SO_(4)^(2−),NO_(3)−,and Ca^(2+))on corrosion scale growth and iron release activity,were investigated during the CML partial failure stage.Results showed that the CML failure process in DPs was accelerated by the autocatalysis of localized corrosion.Cl^(−)was found to damage the uncorroded metal surface,while SO_(4)^(2−)mainly dissolved the corrosion scale surface,increasing iron release.Both the oxidation of NO_(3)−and selective sedimentation of Ca2+were found to enhance the stability of corrosion scales and inhibit iron release.
基金The authors declare that fund support was received from National Social Science Fund of China[Grant No.23BJL010].
文摘As urbanization accelerates globally,air pollution-particularly PM_(2.5)-is becoming an increasingly significant threat,not only to public health but also the environment.In-depth research on the impact of China’s Zero Waste City pilot policy on PM_(2.5)concentration offers valuable insights into the policy’s effectiveness and provides a potential model for environmental governance worldwide.This study employs panel data from 293 Chinese cities from 2014 to 2022 to systematically analyze the impact of the Zero-Waste City policy on PM_(2.5)concentration using a difference-in-differences model.The findings indicate that the policy not only directly reduces PM_(2.5)concentration but also indirectly curbs PM_(2.5)emissions by enhancing green innovation and green economic efficiency.Moreover,the policy’s effects are found to be positively moderated by urban energy dependence and digital financial inclusion,while they are negatively moderated by the government debt ratio.Based on these findings,this study suggests that cities should actively develop their digital economy,reduce government debt,promote green innovation,and improve green economic efficiency,as doing so will enhance their implementation of environmental policies and promote sustainable urban development.
基金supported by the Deanship of Scientific Research and Graduate Studies at King Khalid University under research grant number(R.G.P.2/93/45).
文摘Thedeployment of the Internet of Things(IoT)with smart sensors has facilitated the emergence of fog computing as an important technology for delivering services to smart environments such as campuses,smart cities,and smart transportation systems.Fog computing tackles a range of challenges,including processing,storage,bandwidth,latency,and reliability,by locally distributing secure information through end nodes.Consisting of endpoints,fog nodes,and back-end cloud infrastructure,it provides advanced capabilities beyond traditional cloud computing.In smart environments,particularly within smart city transportation systems,the abundance of devices and nodes poses significant challenges related to power consumption and system reliability.To address the challenges of latency,energy consumption,and fault tolerance in these environments,this paper proposes a latency-aware,faulttolerant framework for resource scheduling and data management,referred to as the FORD framework,for smart cities in fog environments.This framework is designed to meet the demands of time-sensitive applications,such as those in smart transportation systems.The FORD framework incorporates latency-aware resource scheduling to optimize task execution in smart city environments,leveraging resources from both fog and cloud environments.Through simulation-based executions,tasks are allocated to the nearest available nodes with minimum latency.In the event of execution failure,a fault-tolerantmechanism is employed to ensure the successful completion of tasks.Upon successful execution,data is efficiently stored in the cloud data center,ensuring data integrity and reliability within the smart city ecosystem.
文摘The entomofauna in the Republic of Congo is very little known. Studies carried out in natural forests are few. It is in this context that this inventory of entomofauna was carried out from April to July 2022 in the Scientific City Forest. The general objective is to contribute to the knowledge of the trapping, mowing and sight hunting;the three types of traps used are: Barber pots, colored plates and aerial traps. This study made it possible to invent 1523 specimens belonging to 106 species, 99 genera, 59 families and 12 orders. The order Diptera is the most abundant and richest in species (47% and 26%). This order is followed by Hymenoptera (23% and 23%). Formicidae (14%) and Calliphoridae (13%) are the most abundant families. The Formicidae family presents the greatest species richness (7%), Calliphora sp and Polyrhachis cyaniventris present the highest specific relative abundance of the entire collection. These preliminary results of the entomofauna of Scientific City constitute a database. However, this study must be continued and extended to other areas of Brazzaville, using other capture techniques and taking into account the seasons.
文摘Despite the global attention towards pollution,it remains a significant global threat and challenge for both developed and developing countries.Urbanization and economic development influence different types of pollution.Visual pollution is considered a new phenomenon referring to the impact of existing and growing mainstream pollution which impairs an individual’s ability to enjoy visits or views.Recently,Jordanian cities have expanded in response to urbanization and ongoing development.Irbid City has the second largest population in Jordan after the capital Amman City highest population density in Jordan.In the modern era,Irbid City dramatically increased in population and dimension.The growth of the demographic population has been significant and has led to overpopulation,rapid urbanization,and unresolved problems associated with spatial planning and infrastructures leading to different types of pollution including visual pollution.The study area focuses on the city center with the most crowded population through field visits and actual observations.The study technique is descriptive and analytical,with a focus on meticulous monitoring and a follow-up-based questionnaire which is a tool for the study,involving data collection,classification,presentation,analysis,interpretation,and exploration to identify new facts and generalizations that can help solve current issues of visual pollution.The study provides recommendations for Irbid Municipal to eliminate visual pollution,in parallel with stricter supervision from the municipality during the building process to ensure proper implementation of the new rules,adopting an integrated policy for the city with the rest of the social,political,sensory,cultural,economic,and functional aspects,so that this policy is in the short and long term.
文摘The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) of Al Madinah Al Munawwarah is one of the major projects and represents the cornerstone for the new development activities for Al Madinah. The study area contains different geological units dominated by basalt and overlain by surface deposits. The surface soils vary in thickness and can be classified into well-graded SAND with silt and gravel (SW-SM), silty SAND with gravel (SM), silty GRAVEL with sand (GM), and sandy SILTY clay (CL-ML). The subsurface soil obtained from the drilled boreholes can be classified into poorly graded GRAVEL (GP), well-graded GRAVEL with sand (GW), poorly graded GRAVEL with silt (GP-GM), silty CLAYEY gravel with sand (GC-GM), silty SAND with gravel (SM), silt with SAND (ML), and silty CLAY with sand (CL-ML), sandy lean CLAY (CL), and lean CLAY (CL). The relative density of the deposit and the different gravel sizes intercalated with the soil influenced the Standard Penetration Test (SPT) values. The SPT N values are high and approach refusal even at shallow depths. The shallow refusal depth (0.10 to 0.90 m) of the Dynamic Cone Penetration Test (DCPT) was observed. Generally, the soil can be described as inactive with low plasticity and dense to very dense consistency. The basalt of the KEC site is characterized by slightly (W2) to highly (W4) weathering, their strength ranges from moderate (S4) to very strong (S2), and the Rock Quality Designation (RQD) ranges from very poor (R5) to excellent (R1). The engineering geological map of the KEC characterized the geoengineering properties of the soil and rock materials and classified them into many zones. The high sulphate (SO42−) and chloride (Cl−) contents in groundwater call for protective measures for foundation concrete. The current study revealed that geohazard(s) mitigation measures concerning floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes should be considered.
基金Grant from Centre for Trusted Internet and Community at the National University of Singapore(Project Number:CTIC-IP-21-01).
文摘Misinformation has led to a crisis of digital wellbeing,especially in smart cities as networked connectivity has placed increasing pressures on individuals’mental and social health.Current academic and popular discourses of digital wellbeing lack discussions on digital citizenship and are encoded in ideologies of neoliberal health,techno-solutionism and techno-determinism.This paper introduces an original digital wellbeing indicator framework to mitigate this crisis and address these gaps by identifying the mutual relationality between urban intelligence and digital citizenship as a key driver of digital wellbeing in the smart city.This paper argues that such an indicator framework is necessary to equip smart cities to move beyond efficiency metrics by embedding human-centred measures of balance,safety,and agency,ensuring that technological progress enhances,rather than erodes,the quality of urban life.
基金the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Nos.52425003,22188102,and 52400144)the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Nos.BX20220325 and 2023M743707)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,CAS(Nos.Y2021020 and Y2022023).
文摘Air pollution is a major challenge to the improvement of urban environmental quality.The control of air pollution still faces severe challenges,especially in developing countries,such as ozone pollution control.Ozone is a typical secondary air pollutant,and its formation chemistry from its precursors(NOx and volatile organic compounds)is highly nonlinear,which caused the emission reduction of its precursors is not always effective and therefore new assisted approaches to control of ozone pollution are needed.Photocatalysis and ambient catalysis technology are expected to be applied in open atmosphere as a new booster to the direct purification of air pollutants in emission sources.In this perspective,we summarize the current knowledge about the photocatalysis and ambient catalysis technology for the removal of air pollutants under natural photothermal conditions.Based on these technologies,we propose the concept of“Environmental Catalytic City”,which refers to the spontaneous purification of low concentration urban air pollutants in the atmosphere by catalytic materials coating on the artificial surfaces,such as building surfaces in the city.In this way,the urban city with self-purification function can remove air pollution without additional energy consumption.The further improvement,development,and application of the“Environmental Catalytic City”is also discussed.
文摘在互联网时代,语言的演变与不断创新促成了许多网络流行语。随着网络语言的不断发展,“city不city”这一新兴用语在年轻群体中广泛传播。其独特的表达方式不仅丰富了语言的多样性,而且还反映了年轻人的审美取向、现代社会对时尚生活的追求,以及跨文化交流中语言融合的社会文化现象。本文聚焦于“city不city”这一流行语的起源和流行机制,包括其演变过程、模因传播理论等方面,揭示了其独特的语用特征和文化内涵。本文认为,“city不city”不仅是一个简单的网络流行语,更是社会文化变迁和语言发展的缩影,其背后蕴含着丰富的社会意义和文化价值。In the Internet era, the evolution and continuous innovation of language have contributed to many network buzzwords. With the continuous development of network language, the emerging term “city not city” has spread widely among young people. Its unique way of expression not only enriches the diversity of languages, but also reflects the aesthetic orientation of young people, the pursuit of fashionable life in modern society, and the social and cultural phenomenon of language integration in cross-cultural communication. This paper focuses on the origin and popular mechanism of the buzzword “city not city”, including its evolution process and the spread of meme theory, and reveals its unique pragmatic characteristics and cultural connotation. This paper holds that “city not city” is not only a simple network buzzword, but also a microcosm of social and cultural changes and language development, which contains rich social significance and cultural value.