Search Results (1,552)

This study explores some new symmetric quantum inequalities that are based on Breckner’s convexity. By using these concepts, we propose new versions of Hermite–Hadamard (H-H) and Fejer-type inequalities. Additionally, we establish a new integral identity which helped us to derive a set of new quantum inequalities. Using the symmetric quantum identity, Breckner’s convexity, and several other classical inequalities, we develop blended bounds for a general quadrature scheme. To ensure the significance of this study, a few captivating applications are discussed. Full article

Ethnicity-based public health inequities continue worldwide, reflecting established failures in law, governance, and social justice. International legal instruments, including the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), obligate states to provide equitable access to healthcare and address structural components of inequality. This article critically evaluates the effectiveness of these frameworks in advancing health equity, adopting a black-letter legal approach integrated with the social determinants of health models to assess whether ratified commitments have translated into quantifiable changes for marginalized ethnic populations. Case studies from Canada, Australia, and the United States—high-capacity health systems with entrenched inequities—portray the gap between normative commitments and practical implementation. Findings demonstrate that while international law has shaped discourse, promoted civil society advocacy, and influenced select policy reforms, weak enforcement, reliance on voluntary compliance, and insufficient accountability mechanisms curb its capability to generate consistent outcome-based change. Recommendations include establishing a framework convention on global health equity, strengthening the WHO’s mandate on racial justice, improving ethnic-disaggregated data reporting, and ingraining affected communities in policymaking. Normative strength is apparent, but operational impact remains dependent on an enforceable framework and sustained political will. Full article

With the rapid development of wind turbines and rising penetration levels, grid codes now require wind farms to provide active frequency support. However, time delays in fast power response reduce the stability of system frequency modulation. This study focuses on integrated inertia control and droop control of wind turbines with explicit consideration of time delays. First, the frequency modulation process is analyzed, and the main sources of time delay are identified. A system frequency response model is then developed, incorporating the time delay link into the state-space equations. Based on this model, frequency-domain and linear matrix inequality methods are applied to analyze delay-independent stability and time delay margins of wind turbines. A PI controller for the synchronous unit is designed, and compensation parameters for wind turbine delay are calculated to enhance system stability. Simulation results show that with a wind penetration level of 50%, the system becomes unstable when the delay reaches 0.32 s. By applying the proposed strategy, stability can be maintained even with a delay of 0.5 s. These results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed strategy and highlight its potential for improving frequency regulation in high-renewable power systems. Full article

The Rapidly-exploring Random Tree Star (RRT*) algorithm is widely applied in robotic manipulator path planning, yet it does not directly consider motion control, where abrupt changes may cause shocks and vibrations, reducing accuracy and stability. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes the Kinematically Smoothed, dynamically Biased Bidirectional Potential-guided RRT* (KSBB-P-RRT*) algorithm, which unifies path planning and motion control and introduces three main innovations. First, a fast path search strategy on the basis of Bi-RRT* integrates adaptive sampling and steering to accelerate exploration and improve efficiency. Second, a triangle-inequality-based optimization reduces redundant waypoints and lowers path cost. Third, a kinematically constrained smoothing strategy adapts a Jerk-Continuous S-Curve scheme to generate smooth and executable trajectories, thereby integrating path planning with motion control. Simulations in four environments show that KSBB-P-RRT* achieves at least 30% reduction in planning time and at least 3% reduction in path cost, while also requiring fewer iterations compared with Bi-RRT*, confirming its effectiveness and suitability for complex and precision-demanding applications such as agricultural robotics. Full article

This paper provides a comprehensive bibliographic and bibliometric review of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in global urban areas, employing the Proknow-C methodology. The study categorizes WASH into four main themes: sustainability, urban areas, indicators and index, and urban planning, allowing for a detailed analysis of several multidimensional aspects. The review underscores the importance of providing basic infrastructure to adopt an integrated, sustainable, and socially inclusive approach, showcasing the resilience and adaptability of the WASH sector in tackling the dynamic challenges of urbanization. It is noticeable that the WASH area has undergone significant development, moving from a focus primarily on infrastructure to a more holistic approach. In general, the WASH framework is globally characterized by high irregularity/inequality in provision and access. The relationship between urban vulnerabilities and WASH is very clear, but also multifaceted and complex, and there is a crucial need to combine behavior change with infrastructure development while addressing economic challenges and prioritizing investments in WASH. The improvement of WASH conditions in urban areas should focus the interplay between urban development policies and the provision of WASH services, while focusing also on the role of multi-sectoral collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and policy implementation in overcoming barriers to effective WASH delivery. Full article

Urban tree diversity plays a crucial role in enhancing the resilience of cities by contributing to ecosystem services such as mitigating the effects of land degradation, combating urban heat islands, improving air quality, and fostering biodiversity habitats. A diverse tree population enhances resilience to vulnerabilities related to climatic stress, disease, and habitat loss by promoting stability, adaptability, and efficiency within the ecosystem. Little is known about urban tree diversity in Serbia; therefore, this study examines the diversity of tree species in the City of Niš, Serbia, to assess its implications for urban resilience and biodiversity preservation in the context of land-use change. Using the Shannon Diversity Index, we quantify species richness and evenness across both central and suburban zones of the city. The results are benchmarked against similar indices in five other European cities to assess how patterns of urban tree distribution vary under different urbanisation pressures. The study reveals that tree diversity is markedly lower in the city centre than in peripheral areas, highlighting spatial inequalities in green infrastructure that may accelerate biodiversity loss due to compact urban development. These findings demonstrate how urban expansion and infrastructure density contribute to ecological fragmentation, potentially leading to long-term effects on ecosystem services. This study emphasises the strategic importance of integrating greenery diversity into urban and landscape planning, particularly in rapidly growing urban centres in Southeastern Europe. This research contributes to the existing body of literature, providing a deeper understanding of the interdependencies between urban tree diversity, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, offering data-driven insights. This enables urban planners, landscape architects, and policy advisors to make informed decisions about street tree diversity and green city infrastructure, contributing to the development of sustainable cities. Full article

In this paper, we present a new integral operator that acts on a class of meromorphic functions on the punctured unit disc ${\mathbb{U}}^{*}$. This operator enables the definition of a new subclass of meromorphic univalent functions. We obtain sharp bounds for the Fekete–Szegö inequality and the second Hankel determinant for this class. The theoretical approach is based on differential subordination. Furthermore, we link these theoretical insights to applications in 2D electromagnetic field theory by outlining a physical framework in which the operator functions as a field transformation kernel. We show that the operator’s parameters correspond to physical analogs of field regularization and spectral redistribution, and we use subordination theory to simulate the design of vortex-free fields. The findings provide new insights into the interaction between geometric function theory and physical field modeling. Full article

This paper presents new integral inequalities for differentiable generalized convex functions in the second sense, with a focus on improving the accuracy of Weddle’s formula for numerical integration. The study is motivated by the following three key factors: the generalization of convexity through s-convex functions, the enhancement of the approximation quality, particularly as $s\to 0^{+}$, and the effectiveness of Weddle’s formula in cases where Simpson’s 1/3 rule fails. An integral identity is derived for differentiable functions, which is then used to establish sharp error bounds for Weddle’s formula under s-convexity. Numerical examples and comparative tables demonstrate that the proposed inequalities yield significantly tighter bounds than those based on classical convexity. Applications to numerical quadrature highlight the practical utility of the results in computational mathematics. Full article

In the Colombian Amazon, green businesses have emerged as key strategies for sustainable development, yet they face critical challenges such as low organizational capacity, limited innovation, weak institutional coordination, and regional inequalities. This study analyzed the interaction between dynamic capabilities, sustainability, and innovation in 120 green businesses across the departments of Putumayo, Caquetá, and Amazonas, using 111 variables grouped into three dimensions, sustainable development, dynamic capabilities, and innovative performance. The analysis identified three business types: (1) Businesses with Potential, characterized by high levels of innovation, learning, and absorptive capacity; (2) Developing Businesses, with strengths in social, economic, and human capital but limited environmental sustainability; and (3) Limited Businesses, which lag in all three dimensions. Putumayo had the highest proportion of potential businesses, supported by strong institutional coordination through CORPOAMAZONIA; Caquetá stood out in financial inclusion and human capital, while Amazonas faced more structural limitations. The novelty of this research lies in integrating three conceptual frameworks into a territorialized analysis, enabling a deeper understanding of how these dimensions interact across diverse Amazonian contexts. Its main contribution is a functional typology of green businesses, which offers a basis for tailored policy recommendations aimed at enhancing capacities and fostering more resilient and sustainable enterprises. Full article

The integration of generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) into library systems is transforming the global information society, offering new possibilities for improving information access, management, and dissemination. However, these advancements also raise significant ethical concerns, including algorithmic bias, epistemic injustice, intellectual property conflicts, data privacy breaches, job displacement, the spread of misinformation, and increasing digital inequality. This review critically examines these challenges through the lens of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Action Line C10, which emphasizes the ethical dimensions of the information society. It argues that while such concerns are global, they are particularly acute in the Global South, where structural barriers such as skills shortages, weak policy frameworks, and limited infrastructure undermine equitable access to AI benefits. The review calls for a more inclusive, transparent, and ethically responsible approach to AI adoption in libraries. It underscores the essential role of libraries as stewards of ethical information practices and advocates for collaborative strategies to ensure that generative AI serves as a tool for empowerment, rather than a driver of deepening inequality in the information society. Full article

Soft skills play a fundamental role in transversal competences in the field of training and employment, especially in university collectives with disabilities. Traditional methodologies are giving way to gamified and transmedia environments, which are more efficient in the educational process and more sustainable for institutions. This study compares two educational programmes, one based on MOOCs and the other in a gamified environment (Transwork), with the participation of 181 university graduates with some degree of disability and unemployed for more than five years. The gamified educational programme shows a significantly lower dropout rate and a higher employability rate (χ², p < 0.001), as well as an improvement in interpersonal skills such as teamwork and conflict management. This demonstrates that methodologies in gamified and transmedia environments promote social sustainability by enhancing autonomy and inclusion in vulnerable groups, as well as contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to quality education, reducing inequality, and decent work. This improvement in the labour market integration of people with disabilities represents not only an advance in equity, but also a long-term saving in care costs, by promoting their autonomy and active participation in the labour market. Thus, the sustainability of the social system is reinforced through inclusive educational policies based on gamified environments. Full article

This review examines South Africa’s escalating flood vulnerability through a synthesis of over 80 peer-reviewed articles, historical records, policy reports, and case studies. Using a PRISMA-guided analysis, the study identifies key climatic drivers, including extreme rainfall from tropical–temperate interactions, cut-off lows, and La Niña conditions that interact with structural weaknesses such as inadequate drainage, poorly maintained stormwater systems, and rapid urban expansion. Apartheid-era spatial planning has further entrenched risk by locating marginalised communities in floodplains. Governance failures like weak disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies, fragmented institutional coordination, and insufficient early warning systems intensify flood vulnerabilities. Catastrophic events in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the Western Cape (WC) illustrate the consequences exemplified by the April 2022 KZN floods alone, which caused over 450 deaths, displaced more than 40,000 people, and generated damages exceeding ZAR 17 billion. Nationally, more than 1500 flood-related fatalities have been documented in the past two decades. Emerging resilience pathways include ecosystem-based adaptation, green infrastructure, participatory governance, integration of Indigenous knowledge, improved hydrological forecasting, and stricter land-use enforcement. These approaches can simultaneously reduce physical risks and address entrenched socio-economic inequalities. However, significant gaps remain in spatial flood modelling, gender-sensitive responses, urban–rural disparities, and policy implementation. The review concludes that South Africa urgently requires integrated, multi-scalar strategies that combine scientific innovation, policy reform, and community-based action. Embedding these insights into disaster management policy and planning is essential to curb escalating losses and build long-term resilience in the face of climate change. Full article

In this paper, we first make and discuss a conjecture concerning Newtonian potentials in Euclidean n space which have all their mass on the unit sphere about the origin and are normalized to be one at the origin. The conjecture essentially divides these potentials into subclasses whose criteria for membership is that a given member has its maximum on the closed unit ball at most M and its minimum at least d. It then lists the extremal potential in each subclass, which is conjectured to solve certain extremal problems. In Theorem 1, we show the existence of these extremal potentials. In Theorem 2, we prove an integral inequality on spheres about the origin, involving so-called extremal potentials, which lends credence to the conjecture. Full article

Accurate trajectory control during atmospheric entry is critical for the success of Mars landing missions, where strong non-linearities and uncertain dynamics pose significant challenges to conventional control strategies. This study develops a computational framework that integrates fuzzy parameter-varying models with Lyapunov-based analysis to achieve robust trajectory stabilization of Mars entry vehicles. The non-linear longitudinal dynamics are reformulated via sector-bounded approximation into a Takagi–Sugeno fuzzy parameter-varying model, enabling systematic gain-scheduled controller synthesis. To reduce the conservatism typically associated with quadratic Lyapunov functions, a fuzzy Lyapunov function approach is adopted, in conjunction with the Full-Block S-procedure, to derive less restrictive stability conditions expressed as linear matrix inequalities. Based on this formulation, several controllers are designed to accommodate the variations in atmospheric density and flight conditions. The proposed methodology is validated through numerical simulations, including Monte Carlo dispersion and parametric sensitivity analyses. The results demonstrate improved stability, faster convergence, and enhanced robustness compared to existing fuzzy control schemes. Overall, this work contributes a systematic and less conservative control design methodology for aerospace applications operating under severe non-linearities and uncertainties. Full article

This study critically examines the state of Indigenous education in Taiwan through an interdisciplinary approach that integrates policy analysis, statistical evaluation, and localized case studies. Despite the implementation of progressive legislation, Indigenous students continue to encounter persistent disparities in both secondary and tertiary education. By drawing on national datasets and school-level examples, this paper uncovers systemic mismatches between mainstream educational practices and the linguistic, cultural, and communal realities of Indigenous populations. To contextualize Taiwan’s challenges, this study includes a comparative analysis with Indigenous education in Canada, highlighting both shared obstacles and divergent strategies. The findings indicate that, despite policy reforms and targeted programs in both nations, entrenched inequalities endure, rooted in colonial legacies, insufficient cultural integration, and a lack of community-driven educational initiatives. The article argues for a transformative shift in Taiwan’s education system: one that emphasizes the indigenization of curricula, the inclusion of Indigenous voices in educational policymaking, and greater investment in culturally responsive support mechanisms, particularly at the high school and university levels. In summary, meaningful improvement in Indigenous education requires moving from an assimilationist paradigm to one rooted in cultural respect and self-determination. Full article