In the domains of geological study, natural resource exploitation, geological hazards, sustainable development, and environmental management, lithological mapping holds significant importance. Conventional approaches to lithological mapping sometimes entail considerable effort and difficulties, especially in geographically isolated or inaccessible regions. Incorporating geological surveys and satellite data is a powerful approach that can be effectively employed for lithological mapping. During this process, contemporary RS-enhancing methodologies demonstrate a remarkable proficiency in identifying complex patterns and attributes within the data, hence facilitating the classification of diverse lithological entities. The primary objective of this study is to ascertain the lithological units present in the western section of the Sohag region. This objective will be achieved by integrating Landsat ETM+ satellite imagery and field observations. To achieve our objectives, we employed many methodologies, including the true and false color composition (FCC&TCC), the minimal noise fraction (MNF), principal component analysis (PCA), decoration stretch (DS), and independent component analysis (ICA). Our findings from the field investigation and the data presented offer compelling evidence that the distinct lithological units can be effectively distinguished. A recently introduced geology map has been incorporated within the research area. The sequence of formations depicted in this map is as follows: Thebes, Drunka, Katkut, Abu Retag, Issawia, Armant, Qena, Abbassia, and Dandara. Implementing this integrated technique enhances our comprehension of geological units and their impacts on urban development in the area. Based on the new geologic map of the study area, geologists can improve urban development in the regions by detecting building materials “aggregates”. This underscores the significance and potential of our research in the context of urban development.
The biomass of three dominant mangrove species (Sonneratia apetala, Avicennia alba and Excoecaria agallocha) in the Indian Sundarbans, the designated World Heritage Site was evaluated to understand whether the biomass vary with spatial locations (western region vs. central region) and with seasons (pre-monsoon, monsoon and post-monsoon). The reasons for selecting these two regions and seasons are the contrasting variation in salinity. Among the three studied species, Sonneratia apetala showed the maximum biomass followed by Avicennia alba and Excoecaria agallocha. We also observed that the biomass varied significantly with spatial locations (p<0.05), but not with seasons. The variation may be attributed to different environmental conditions to which these forest patches are exposed to.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of blindness globally. Effective screening programs are essential to mitigate this burden. This review outlines key principles and practices in implementing DR screening programs, emphasizing the roles of technology, patient education, and healthcare system integration. Our analysis highlights key principles for establishing successful screening initiatives, including the importance of regular screenings, optimal intervals, recommended technologies, and necessary infrastructure. We emphasize the roles of healthcare providers, patients, and policymakers in ensuring the effectiveness of these programs. Our recommendations aim to support the creation of robust policies that mitigate the impact of DR, ultimately improving public health outcomes and reducing the incidence of blindness due to diabetic retinopathy.
Social media influencer marketing has emerged as an essential marketing strategy in the online interactive environment. This study investigates the impact of influencer-consumer fit (ICF) on behavioral intentions; intention to co-create brand value (ICC) and purchase intention (PI), with the serial mediation of influencer authenticity (IA) and attitude toward brand (ATB). A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to followers of social media influencers in Pakistan. The data were collected from 421 female followers of social media influencers through survey and partial least squares—structural equation modeling was used for data analysis. The findings reveal that ICF impacts IA, while the latter impacts ATB. ATB in turn impacts behavioral intentions. The direct effects suggest that ICF impacts consumers’ PI but not the ICC. However, with the serial mediation of IA and ATB, the relationship becomes significant. The findings of this study may assist managers in building brand strategies to achieve excellence in a highly dynamic and competitive market by leveraging the power of influencer marketing.
Currently, there is a significant gap between the training objectives and the actual situation of electromechanical talents in higher vocational colleges. Many teachers in electromechanical departments do not meet the required qualifications and are unable to adapt to the developments of the new era. The talent training mode is insufficiently comprehensive, and the criteria for talent assessment are not unified. In response to these issues, it is necessary to promptly change the mindset, innovate educational ideas, focus on the present while planning for the future, clarify training objectives, adopt a dual education model that integrates production and education, strengthen the faculty, utilize their potential, and improve the overall educational quality to provide guarantees for talent development.
Projects implemented under life cycle contracts have become increasingly common in recent years to ensure the quality of construction and maintenance of energy infrastructure facilities. A key parameter for energy facility construction projects implemented under life cycle contracts is their duration and deadlines. Therefore, the systematic identification, monitoring, and comprehensive assessment of risks affecting the timing of work on the design and construction is an urgent practical task. The purpose of this work is to study the strength of the influence of various risks on the duration of a project implemented on the terms of a life cycle contract. The use of the expert assessment method allows for identifying the most likely risks for the design and construction phases, as well as determining the ranges of deviations from the baseline indicator. Using the obtained expert evaluations, a model reflecting the range and the most probable duration of the design and construction works under the influence of risk events was built by the Monte-Carlo statistical method. The results obtained allow monitoring and promptly detecting deviations in the actual duration of work from the basic deadlines set in the life cycle contract. This will give an opportunity to accurately respond to emerging risks and build a mutually beneficial relationship between the parties to life cycle contracts.
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