Abstract:Mixed-mode systems promise energy savings by combining natural ventilation episodes with mechanical cooling, yet comfort outcomes vary with operator protocols. We analyzed longitudinal survey responses from twelve floors in two retrofitted towers in a humid subtropical city, spanning two cooling seasons. Logistic models related acceptability votes to outdoor enthalpy, wind speed, and floor-level damper schedules. Occupants on perimeter zones reported wider comfort bands when night flushing was consistent. Mid-core zones remained sensitive to humidity spikes when economizer logic was conservative. Facility managers prioritized predictive maintenance alerts over additional sensors. Results inform commissioning checklists for climates with frequent shoulder-season ambiguity.
Abstract:Digitization accelerates access to specimens but also raises concerns about substituted or manipulated scans. We curated a balanced set of authentic high-resolution sheet images and controlled forgeries produced by splicing label regions and altering color histograms. A compact convolutional architecture with frequency-domain augmentations achieved area-under-curve above 0.91 on holdout accessions from three institutions. False positives clustered on faded type specimens with uneven lighting. Human expert review remained necessary for borderline cases involving legitimate conservation treatment. We release feature scripts and stress that automated scores should support, not replace, curatorial judgment. Ethical use guidelines prohibit deployment against living collectors without consent frameworks.
Abstract:Evening employment is common among older adolescents yet its cognitive sequelae remain underdocumented outside high-income samples. We assessed 94 students with paid evening shifts using a task-switching battery and morningness-eveningness questionnaires across two school terms. Actigraphy confirmed delayed sleep onsets relative to non-working peers. Reaction time costs on switch trials were elevated after consecutive late closes, with partial recovery following two rest days. Self-reported caffeine use masked but did not eliminate differences. Schools and employers may benefit from coordinated scheduling caps and transport safety planning. The study underscores measurement limits of cross-sectional sleep diaries alone.
Abstract:Short-term creative contracts suffer from ambiguous deliverables and hold-up risk when reputation signals are noisy. We model a repeated principal–agent setting with subjective quality assessment and optional milestone payments. Simulations calibrated to survey data from illustrators and small studios show that modest revenue-sharing improves effort when clients cannot commit to long panels. Pure fixed-fee arrangements dominated only when talent pools were thick and ratings were verifiable. Interviews highlighted informal renegotiation norms that formal models understate. Policy implications include transparent escrow timelines and dispute pathways that do not privilege large buyers. Data were anonymized and collected under institutional review.
Abstract:Monoculture fallows deplete labile carbon pools in semi-arid cropping belts. A four-year on-farm trial compared bare fallow, single-species rye, and three- and six-species cover mixtures preceding spring wheat. Composite samples to 30 cm were analyzed for total organic carbon, particulate organic matter, and microbial biomass carbon. Mixtures with legumes increased particulate fractions after two cycles, but benefits plateaued when legume biomass was uneven. Mineral N availability in spring interacted with preceding mixture composition. Economic partial budgets favored simpler mixes where seed costs were high. Findings support targeted subsidies for diversified covers when water storage is not limiting establishment.
Abstract:National history textbooks often marginalize imperial afterlives even when digitized primary sources are available. We designed a ten-week module pairing colonial office correspondence with oral histories from two port cities, delivered to 180 students in four schools. Mixed methods assessment combined document analysis rubrics and focus groups with teachers. Students who engaged with conflicting testimonies showed larger gains in sourcing and corroboration skills than a comparison group using textbook-only materials. Teachers reported workload constraints when archival portals lacked stable URLs. We argue for lightweight metadata standards that link classroom tasks to persistent civic collections without requiring proprietary platforms.
Abstract:Irregular adherence undermines chronic disease control yet is poorly captured by single time-point surveys. We assembled twelve months of refill intervals for hypertensive patients enrolled through nine community pharmacies. A hierarchical Bayesian model partitioned variance across patients, pharmacies, and calendar months, incorporating informative priors on dropout. Posterior intervals indicated stronger month-to-month persistence than prior literature assumed for similar populations. Sensitivity analyses showed conclusions were stable when refill lag was extended by one week. The approach offers pharmacists a principled way to flag at-risk individuals without overfitting small clusters. Ethical review and de-identification protocols followed national pharmacy association guidance.
Abstract:Urban heat islands complicate public health planning and energy demand forecasting. We evaluate a low-cost multispectral payload mounted on a sub-2 kg uncrewed aerial system to map canopy and pavement thermal contrasts at sub-meter resolution across three midsize cities. Flight campaigns were timed to capture morning, midday, and evening transitions. Radiometric calibration followed manufacturer protocols with in situ blackbody checks. Geostatistical surfaces highlighted persistent hot corridors along arterials and cooler pockets linked to mature tree cover. Results suggest that inexpensive UAS workflows can support municipal greening priorities when fused with open land-cover layers, though wind gusts above 8 m s?¹ degraded repeatability. Limitations include restricted overflight zones and seasonal leaf-off effects in temperate zones.
Abstract:Community tourism initiatives often struggle when cultural assets are poorly documented and planning is externally driven. This study applies participatory digital mapping to catalog heritage sites, oral histories, and visitor pathways in island provinces. Workshops with youth groups, elders, and local councils produced a shared geospatial inventory and governance protocol for site stewardship. Early outcomes include clearer zoning decisions and more balanced visitor flow across villages. The approach demonstrates how locally controlled data systems can strengthen cultural sustainability and tourism income planning.
Abstract:Regional technical colleges need laboratory training materials that are affordable, adaptable, and standards aligned. This research presents an open source protocol package with safety checklists, instructor guides, and practical assessments for early semester laboratory courses. Implementation across three colleges measured student competency gains, error rates, and instructor workload. Results show improved procedural consistency and lower setup time after local customization. The framework supports multilingual adaptation and can be integrated into existing vocational modules without additional proprietary software.