The article delves into the intricate phase transitions of 1-Octadecanol and n-Nonadecane within a binary system, unveiling dynamic structural changes under varying conditions. Through Fouri-er-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, specific molecular vibrations were identified, shedding light on the molecular composition and interactions. The study highlights the challenges in detecting subtle phase transitions and emphasizes the individuality of molecular behaviours in closely related compounds. The findings underscore the complexity of phase transitions in binary systems and advocate for a nuanced approach to studying molecular structures and behaviours. Addi-tionally, the research contributes valuable insights into the molecular dynamics of Organic Polymer Functional Adsorption Materials, offering implications for synthetic waxy layers in plant epidermis.

The coastal zone of the Valparaíso Region has been historically threatened by its natural and anthropogenic conditions, which demands efficient management for the adaptation and mitigation of the impacts that occur on the coast, especially in the face of the growing effects of climate change. As a contribution to decision makers in the development of strategic actions through adaptation plans, this study presents an approach to coastal vulnerability in the southern part of the region, applying the Coastal Vulnerability Index considering the variables geomorphology, coastal slope, changes in sea level, coastal erosion, tidal range, and wave height. The result illustrates a sectorization of the coast according to the degree of vulnerability, where the sectors formed by fine sandy beaches near river mouths and estuaries present greater risks to climatic events than those rocky stretches with medium-low cliffs.

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike RBD epitopes in complex with spike (S) -protein D614G mutations now predominate globally and increase infectivity by assembling more functional S proteins into the virion. On average, homeopathic medicine contains less than one molecule per dose on average. Single variable SphericalHarmonicY, LaguerreL, WhittakerM, SphericalBesselJ, LegendreP, LegendreQ, LaguerreL, ChebyshevT, and Hypergeometric1F1 Functions pFqarise in connection with the power series solution of the Schrodinger equation or in the summation of perturbation expansions in quantum mechanics. A quantum interpretation of the homeopathic method is presented here through a novel algebraic topology approach to supersymmetry and symmetry breaking in quantum fields and quantum gravity theory with the aim of developing a wide range of physical-based drug design applications in a Small Molecule Quantized Water Memory Network suggesting that the Hidden Black Hole Paradox of Information Loss might be solved under suitable conditions.

By this contribution we would like to briefly highlight the problems in conceiving the “Hydrogen Bond” (HB) as a real short-range, directional, electrostatic, attractive interaction and to reframe its nature through the non-approximated view of condensed matter offered by a Quantum Electro-Dynamic (QED) perspective. We focus our attention on water, as the paramount case to show the effectiveness of this 40-years’ old theoretical background, which depicts water as a two-fluid system (where one of the two phases is coherent). The HB emerge to be the result of the electromagnetic field gradient in the coherent phase of water, whose vacuum level is lower than the non-coherent (gas-like) fraction. Thus, the HB can be properly looked at, i.e. no more as a “dipolar force” among molecules, but as the phenomenological effect of their collective thermodynamic tendency to occupy a lower ground-state, compatibly with temperature and pressure. This perspective allows to account for many “anomalous” behaviours of water and to understand why the calculated energy associated to HB should change when considering two molecules (water-dimer), or the liquid state, or the several kinds of ice. The emergence of a condensed, liquid, phase at room temperature is indeed the consequence of the boson condensation as described in the framework of spontaneous symmetry breakings (SSB). The switch from a still semi-classical Quantum Mechanical (QM) in the 1st quantization to a Quantum Field Theory (QFT) view embedded in the 2nd quantization is advocated for a more realistic and authentic description of water, condensed matter and living systems.

Due to environmental concerns, natural refrigerants and their use in refrigeration and air conditioning systems are receiving more attention from manufacturers, end users and the scientific community. The study of heat transfer and pressure drop is essential for accurate design and more energy efficient cycles using natural refrigerants. The aim of this work is to provide an overview of the latest outcomes related to heat transfer and pressure drop correlations for ammonia, propane, isobutane and propylene and to investigate the current state of the art in terms of operating conditions. Available data on the existing correlations of heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop for natural refrigerants have been collected through a systematic search. Whenever possible, validity intervals are given for each correlation and the error is quantified. It is the intention of the authors that this could be a valuable support for researchers and an aid to design, with particular reference to heat pumps. A procedure based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was adopted, and the Scopus database was used to query the relevant literature. A total of 135 publications qualified for inclusion in the survey; 34 articles report experimental investigations for not usual geometric conditions. Of the 101 selected papers related to usual geometric conditions, N = 50 deal only with HTC, N = 16 deal only with pressure drop and the remainder (N = 35) analyse both HTC and pressure drop. Among the 85 HTC papers (N = 53) deal with the evaporating condition, N = 30 with condensation and only N = 2 with the heat transfer correlations under both conditions. Most of the 101 articles concern propane and isobutane. The high temperatures are less widely investigated.

Climate change poses a significant threat to global food security, necessitating a thorough examination across multiple dimensions. Establishing appropriate food security evaluation indicators that align with the evolving concept of food security is imperative. This study enhances food security evaluation by refining a multi-dimensional framework and analyzing the impact of climate change across various regions from 2002 to 2021. By constructing an Food Security Index system composed of a three-tier indicator system and employing the entropy method for weighting, we assess the impacts of climate change on food security using a climate-economic model. Regression analysis reveals a negative linear relationship between mean temperatures and food security (p<0.01), while precipitation impacts food security non-linearly, particularly exhibiting inverse U-shaped patterns in major grain-producing and grain-consuming areas. Extreme high temperatures consistently reduce food security, whereas extreme precipitation displays a complex, statistically significant inverse U-shaped association. In regions where production and consumption are balanced, mean temperatures have a negative effect on food security, while precipitation exhibits a positive correlation, but excessive precipitation can have adverse effects. These findings highlight the intricate interplay between climate change, regional disparities, and food security in China, emphasizing the need to consider multi-dimensional factors and regional variations in addressing food security challenges. These insights are invaluable for policy-making and planning aimed at enhancing food security in China.

Water sustainability has become one of the most severe issues in the 21st Century due to dramatic urban population growth and climate change. This paper reviews some of the critical key water issues that need to be considered/incorporated in the quest for water sustainability for the upcoming decades. The purpose is to recognize the critical circumstances for maintaining water sustainability and recognize that many regions in the world have passed the ‘tipping point’ of balancing their water sustainability and failing to realize that restoring sustainability will be extremely difficult. From the water quantity perspective, several examples are used to demonstrate situations which, in hindsight, have been initially shown to be effective but highly problematic in the long term. The review considers, amongst others, the 1960s India example shows that an agricultural ‘success’ starting in the 1960s has subsequently become an environmental disaster. Additional issues, including the impacts of dietary adjustments, upstream diversions raising downstream shortfalls, and transfers of water from agriculture to urban areas, are examples that demonstrate that to achieve water sustainability, lessons must be learned from the past, and adaptive measures must be adopted to help humanity avoid adverse and irreversible environmental tragedies. Government authorities can learn from this critical review of some approaches and realize their responsibility to proactively promote better water resource management strategies (domestic and international collaborations) and strictly regulate water use practices to better manage water sustainability.

Climate change is a big challenge for agriculture since it affects crop productivity and yield. The increase of droughts, salinity, and soil degradation are some of the main consequences of climate change. The use of microorganisms has emerged as an alternative to mitigate them. Among these microorganisms, dark septate endophytes (DSEs) have garnered more attention in recent years. Various studies show that their association with plants helps reduce the harmful effects of abiotic stresses and increases nutrient availability, allowing plants to thrive under adverse conditions. This work reviews the effect of DSEs and the subjacent mechanisms that will help plants develop a higher tolerance to climate change.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a powerful tool for addressing the challenges posed by climate change and their impact on public health. By leveraging its capacity to analyze and predict climatic patterns, AI offers opportunities to enhance resource management and develop effective strategies for climate change mitigation. Moreover, AI can contribute to generating sustainable solutions that address the complex and interconnected nature of climate change. For example, AI can enable the optimization of energy consumption and facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources into existing systems. It can also support the development of climate models that provide timely and accurate predictions, enabling policymakers to implement proactive measures for disaster preparedness and response. Furthermore, AI-powered disease surveillance and mitigation techniques can improve public health outcomes by identifying patterns and trends in the spread of diseases in relation to climatic factors.However, the widespread adoption of AI-based solutions is not without challenges. Ethical concerns surrounding privacy and data ownership must be addressed, as the use of AI requires access to large datasets, raising potential privacy risks. Technical constraints, such as limited computational power and the need for sophisticated algorithms, also pose obstacles to the implementation of AI in climate change mitigation strategies. Furthermore, issues related to the accessibility and affordability of AI technologies must be resolved to ensure equitable distribution and maximize its potential impact on public health.To fully harness the power of AI in addressing climate change and improving public health outcomes, it is crucial to promote innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and open data science. Innovation can drive the development of new AI algorithms and technologies specifically tailored to address climate change challenges. Multidisciplinary approaches that bring together experts from diverse fields, including climate science, public health, and computer science, can foster a holistic understanding of complex systems and enable the design of comprehensive solutions. Finally, open data science practices, such as sharing data and algorithms, can facilitate collaboration and accelerate progress in mitigating climate change and its public health impacts.In conclusion, AI offers promising opportunities for effectively addressing climate change and its impact on public health. However, to fully realize its potential, it is essential to tackle ethical and privacy concerns, overcome technical constraints, and ensure accessibility and affordability. By promoting innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and open data science, we can unlock the transformative power of AI in mitigating climate change and improving public health outcomes.

Long-range interactions are relevant for a large variety of quantum systems in quantum optics and condensed matter physics. In particular, the control of quantum-optical platforms promises to gain deep insights in quantum-critical properties induced by the long-range nature of interactions. From a theoretical perspective, long-range interactions are notoriously complicated to treat. Here, we give an overview of recent advancements to investigate quantum magnets with long-range interactions focusing on two techniques based on Monte Carlo integration. First, the method of perturbative continuous unitary transformations where classical Monte Carlo integration is applied within the embedding scheme of white graphs. This linked-cluster expansion allows to extract high-order series expansions of energies and observables in the thermodynamic limit. Second, stochastic series expansion quantum Monte Carlo which enables calculations on large finite systems. Finite-size scaling can then be used to determine physical properties of the infinite system. In recent years, both techniques have been applied successfully to one- and two-dimensional quantum magnets involving long-range Ising, XY, and Heisenberg interactions on various bipartite and non-bipartite lattices. Here, we summarise the obtained quantum-critical properties including critical exponents for all these systems in a coherent way. Further, we review how long-range interactions are used to study quantum phase transitions above the upper critical dimension and the scaling techniques to extract these quantum critical properties from the numerical calculations.

The aim of this study is to solve the problems of complicated pretreatment and high analytical cost in the detection technology of trace drug toxicants in municipal wastewater. A high-performance magnetic sorbent was synthesized for enrichment of trace drug substances in wastewater to develop magnetic solid-phase extraction pretreatment combined with the acoustic ejection mass spectrometry (AEMS) analytical methods for the molecules in wastewater drug toxicants. The magnetic nanospheres was successfully prepared by magnetic nanoparticles modified with divinylbenzene and vinyl pyrrolidone.The results showed that the linear dynamic range of 17 drugs was 1-500 ng/L, the recovery was 43%-105%, the matrix effect was more than 67%, the limit of quantitative detection was 1-2 ng/L, and the detection time of each sample was 2.98s. It can be seen that the developed magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method is a good solution to the problem of complicated pre-treatment and analytical cost in the detection of drugs in wastewater. The developed magnetic material and acoustic excitation coupled mass spectrometry analysis method can realize the low-cost, efficient enrichment and fast analysis of different kinds of drug molecules in urban sewage.

We discuss three key points: defining mathematically the notions of phase, symmetry breaking, topological defects and their stability in a formal language of homotopy theory and fiber bundle formalism; postulating and proving two theorems for successive symmetry breaking scenarios in condensed matter physics and cosmology, and demonstrating application of theorems to superfluid Helium 3 and Kibble-Lazarides-Shafi (KLS) walls, supporting and mathematically justifying the results of [Volovik, 2020].

Patients with metastatic epidural spinal cord compression (MESCC) and favorable survival prognoses may benefit from radiation doses exceeding 10 x 3.0 Gy. In a multi-center phase 2 trial, patients receiving 15 x 2.633 Gy (41.6 Gy10) or 18 x 2.333 Gy (43.2 Gy10) were evaluated for local progression-free survival (LPFS), motor/sensory functions, ambulatory status, pain, distress, toxicity, and overall survival (OS). They were compared (propensity score adjusted Cox regression) to a historical control group (N=266) receiving 10 x 3.0 Gy (32.5 Gy10). In the phase 2-cohort, 50 (of 62 planned) patients were evaluable for LPFS. Twelve-month rates of LPFS and OS were 96.8% and 69.9%, respectively. Motor and sensory functions improved in 56% and 57.1% of patients, and 94.0% were ambulatory following radiotherapy. Pain and distress decreased in 84.4% and 78.0% of patients. Ten and two patients experienced grade 2 and 3 toxicities, respectively. Phase 2 patients showed significantly better LPFS than the control group (p = 0.039) and a trend for improved motor function (p = 0.057). Ambulatory and OS rates were not significantly different. Radiotherapy with 15 x 2.633 Gy or 18 x 2.333 Gy was well tolerated and appeared superior to 10 x 3.0 Gy.

This paper examines the interplay between media and the “social side of soils” whereby climate change action implicates individual and collective capacity to adapt, participate in groups or organizations, networks, and respond to challenges and opportunities across a system. The context examined here is Canadian agriculture, and soil health initiatives in the province of Ontario. Our review of relevant literature points to a knowledge gap on the role of the media in enabling climate action in the Canadian agricultural sector with a focus on soil management practices. This study conducted a media content analysis of 100 English-language news articles published between 2022 and 2024 and conducted 31 surveys with media professionals. Approximately one-quarter of the screened news articles contained any relevant coverage of soil health-related climate change mitigation issues. Journalist surveys identified the resource constraints on soil health media coverage with a wide range of traditional and Internet-based journalism on climate change issues, motivated particularly by crisis communication and one-off “parachute reporting”. Going forward, the engagement of key stakeholders of soil health in Canada such as farmers for media and communication about climate change mitigation needs attention. Key policy structures at the federal and provincial levels can help to make this happen.

An optical frequency comb (OFC) generator based on an electro-optic Talbot laser and cross-phase modulation (XPM) in a high nonlinear fiber (HNLF) is designed and demonstrated. The Talbot laser is an electro-optic frequency shifting loop to produce repetition rate multiplied pulses, and these pulses working as a pump signal induce XPM process in the HNLF to modulate the phase of a probe signal. At the output of the HNLF, OFCs with a multiplied line-spacing can be generated. The effects of the pump power and the HNLF length on the performance of the generated OFCs are theoretically analyzed. In the experiments, the line-spacing of the generated OFCs is respectively multiplied to be 10 GHz, 15 GHz and 20 GHz with a factor of 2, 3 and 4. The center of the OFCs is tuned in a 4-nm range by adjusting the wavelength of the probe signal.

Floods, recognized for their erratic behavior and devastating effects, are a significant threat as a natural disaster. In Brunei Darussalam, the impact of climate change is becoming increasingly evident through higher temperatures and an expected increase in annual rainfall (5.0mm per year from 2021 to 2050), highlighting the critical need for updated flood risk management techniques. In line with the climate resilience and adaptation objectives of WAWASAN 2035, this paper introduces an innovative approach—a cutting-edge flood risk management framework that utilizes the capabilities of big data analytics, sophisticated machine learning algorithms, and smart Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. Traditional methods, which rely on numerical and physical data modeling, often do not provide precise short-term flood forecasts. Our suggested framework uses machine learning to analyze real-time flood forecasting, sensor data and enhance warning systems, addressing the shortcomings of traditional approaches. The key advantage of this approach is its potential to drastically decrease flood-related damages, protect lives, and boost infrastructure resilience. This proposal is not only in aligns with Brunei's vision for a safe and climate-adaptable future but also marks a significant step forward in adopting innovative and sustainable flood risk management solutions amidst an evolving climate.

SOC stock (SOCS) changes caused by land use changes are still unclear, and understanding this response is essential for many environmental policies and land management practices. In this study, we investigated the temporal-spatial and vertical distribution characteristics of SOCS on the Western Sichuan Plateau (WSP) using the sparrow search algorithm-random forest regression (SSA-RFR) models with excellent model applicability and accuracy. The temporal-spatial varia-tions in the SOCS were modeled using 1080 soil samples and a set of nine environmental covariates. We analyzed the effect of land use changes on the SOCS on the WSP. The total SOCS increased by 18.03 Tg C from 1990 to 2020. The results of this study confirmed that the SOCS in the study area has increased significantly since 2010, with an increase of 27.88 Tg C compared to the total SOCS in 2010. We found that the spatial distribution of the SOCS increased from southeast to northwest, and the vertical distribution of the SOCS in the study area decreased with increasing soil depth. Forest and grassland are the main sources of SOCS, the total SOCS in the forest and grassland accounted for 37.53 and 59.39% of the total SOC pool in 2020, respectively. Expansion of the wetlands, forest, and grassland areas could increase SOCS in the study area.

This article discusses how, in today’s world of disruptive and dramatic social change (DSC), non-sports related coaching, which includes a wide range of services such as life coaching, career coaching, executive coaching, and team coaching, can inadvertently fuel undesirable social dynamics. There is little or no awareness of this risk among coaches and coachees. The global, fast-growing, multi-billion-dollar industry aimed at supporting people and organisations to perform better and increase wellbeing while managing and adapting to change has been developed with limited sociological input. The article is based on 15 years of social constructionist-informed reflective practice by a sociologist-turned-coach, and uses a multi-layered autoethnographic account to argue for a sociologically informed paradigm shift in coaching, as well as relevant sociological knowledge and social and human sciences research methodology in coaches’ education. It presents the rationale and key features of a new coaching approach that places DSC-relevant sociological concepts at the heart of the coaching process, helps people develop psycho-sociological awareness, and uses a learning-to-develop through research design. A new definition of coaching to address DSC is derived. Coaching practitioners will find DSC-relevant sociological concepts, critical reflections, coaching questions, and procedures to expand coaching effectiveness. Interdisciplinary research topics combining coaching sociology and coaching psychology are suggested.

Development of the continental shelf has accelerated significantly as nations around the world seek to harness offshore renewable energy. Many areas marked for development align with submerged palaeolandscapes. Poorly understood and difficult to protect, these vulnerable, prehistoric landscapes provide specific challenges for heritage management. Indeed, there now appears to be a schism between what underwater cultural heritage policy intends and what it is achieving in practice. Shortcomings in international and national legislature ensures that large parts of the continental shelf, including areas under development, may have little or no legal protection.

This study presents the synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of nitrogen-doped vanadium oxide (N-V2O3/C) as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), using a hydrothermal method. Compared to undoped V2O3/C, N-V2O3/C exhibits enhanced electrical conductivity, capacity, and electrochemical kinetics, attributed to the incorporation of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen. Initial charge-discharge cycles indicate phase transitions to amorphous vanadium oxides, enhancing conductivity. N-V2O3/C shows a high specific capacity of 168.4 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 and remarkable reversibility, highlighted by the transient existence of intermediate species during cycling. Optimal electrochemical performance is achieved with a vanadium to nitrogen molar ratio of 2:3, indicating the significant impact of nitrogen doping concentration on the material’s efficiency. This work underscores the potential of N-V2O3/C as a superior cathode material for AZIBs.

Climate change, recognized as a global crisis, is not only altering our environment but also significantly impacting human health. Particularly, its influence on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a leading cause of global mortality, is becoming increasingly evident yet underexplored. This review aims to synthesize current research on the impact of climate change on NCDs, addressing a critical gap in our understanding of how environmental changes affect human health. We examine the complex interplay between climate change and NCDs, drawing insights from recent studies that highlight the adverse effects of climate variables on chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases, and the role of food and nutrition security in this nexus. Furthermore, the review explores the disproportionate impact on vulnerable regions and populations, particularly in Pacific Island countries and territories, underscoring the urgent need for context-specific solutions and a cross-sectoral approach. By integrating findings from various disciplines, this review aims to inform policy and public health interventions, highlighting the necessity of collaborative efforts to mitigate the burgeoning burden of NCDs in a rapidly changing climate.

Despite increased protection globally, climate change and other anthropogenic factors have caused a significant decline in seagrass cover. Identifying the specific causes of this decline is paramount if they are to be addressed. Therefore, we identified the causes of long-term change in seagrass/submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) percentage cover and extent in the Bluefields Bay Special Fish Conservation Area (BBSFCA), a marine protected area on Jamaica’s southern coast. We used two random forest regression (RFr) models that included 2013 hydroacoustic survey SAV percentage cover data (dependent variable), and auxiliary data, reflectance data from level 2 processed 2013 Landsat 7 and 8 images and image band texture statistics maps (mean and variance) as predictors to generate 24 SAV percentage cover maps for the period 1984 – 2021 (37 years) using data from Landsat 4-5, 7 and 8 images., from which benthic features maps (SAV present, absent and coral reef) were created. Rainfall and map data were used to determine if SAV extent/area (km2) and average percentage cover and annual rainfall changed significantly over time and to evaluate the influence of rainfall. Rainfall impact on the overall spatial patterns of SAV loss, gain, and percentage cover change was assessed using a pixel-based regression. Finally, the most important spatial pattern predictors (two rainfall proxies (distance and direction from river mouth), benthic topography, depth, and hurricane exposure (a measure of hurricane disturbance)) of SAV loss, gain, and percentage cover change during 23 successive 1-to-4-year periods were identified using spatial Bayesian INLA generalized linear mixed models. SAV area/extent was largely stable with > 70% mean percentage cover for multiple years. However, Hurricane Ivan (in 2004) caused a significant decline in SAV area/extent (by 1.62 km2, or a 13%) during 2002 – 2006 and a second hurricane (Dean) in 2007 delayed recovery until 2015. Additionally, rainfall declined significantly by >1000 mm since 1901, and mean monthly rainfall positively influenced SAV percentage cover change. The pixel-based regression highlighted areas where mean monthly rainfall had a positive overall effect on SAV cover percentage change (across the entire bay) and gain (closer to the mouth of a river). The most frequently selected important spatial pattern predictors were the two rainfall proxies (areas closer to the river mouth were more likely to experience SAV loss and gain) and depth, with shallow areas generally having a higher probability of SAV loss and gain. Three hurricanes had significant but different impacts depending on their distance from the southern coastline. Hurricane Gilbert, which made landfall in 1988, resulted in higher SAV percentage cover loss in 1987 - 1988. Benthic locations with a northwestern/northern facing aspect (the predominant direction of Ivan’s leading edge wind bands) experienced higher SAV losses during 2002 – 2006. Although some locations impacted by Ivan and not by Dean recovered during 2006 – 2008, exposure to Ivan explained percentage cover loss during 2006 – 2008 and average exposure to (the cumulative impact of) Ivan and Dean (both with tracks close to the southern coastline) explained SAV loss during 2013 – 2015. Therefore, despite historic lows in annual rainfall, overall, higher rainfall was beneficial, multiple hurricanes impacted the site, and despite two hurricanes in three years SAV recovered within a decade. Hurricanes and a further reduction in rainfall may pose a serious threat to SAV persistence in the future.

Bettelmatt cheese, a cherished Italian culinary gem hailing from the picturesque Val d'Ossola region, is deeply intertwined with its natural environment. This article explores the intricate relationship between the organoleptic attributes of Bettelmatt cheese and the challenges posed by climate change. The sensory qualities of this cheese, including its flavor profile, texture, and aroma, are profoundly influenced by the alpine pastures where the cows graze, the unique terroir, and the traditional production methods. However, as climate change continues to impact ecosystems and weather patterns, it raises questions about the resilience and adaptability of this traditional cheese. In addition to these challenges, the article would like to explore the complexities of regulation and protection of this cheese, crucial for food and gastronomic sciences.

One objective of this paper is to investigate bifurcation of solutions of Ornstein-Zernike equation in liquid state theory for the gas-liquid coexistence region of simple fluids. The analysis uses a discrete form of the Ornstein-Zernike equation in real space, together with a closure relation which provides nearly self consistent thermodynamic properties of fluids governed by interaction potentials like the Lennard-Jones potential. Accurate asymptotic forms of correlation functions are incorporated in the real space algorithm so as to mitigate the influence of cutoff length used in the discrete approximations. It is found that there is no spinodal on the vapor side on a sub-critical isotherm. But there are fold bifurcation points on the vapor and liquid sides together with a 'no-real-solution-region' in between. This is followed by a region of negative compressibility extending up to the spinodal on the liquid side. The emerging picture is quite similar to that in the case of the hypernetted-chain-closure. It is also found that complex solutions connect the physical solutions that exist outside the 'no-real-solution-region' as well as in region of negative compressibility. The second objective of the paper, in the light of bifurcation scenario, is to evolve an interpretation of the coupling-parameter expansion of correlation functions pertaining to the region of negative compressibility. It is shown that the expansion provides an accurate description of results of the restricted ensembles, implied in mean field theories and simulation methods. Bifurcation of singlet density to inhomogeneous distributions at a spinodal is also established using a simple equation, which uses the direct correlation function. Thus the paper reestablishes the fact that restriction to a homogeneous singlet density is the root cause of all inconsistencies found in the gas-liquid coexistence region.

Nowadays, the growing concern about improving thermal comfort in textiles, asphalt pavements and buildings has stimulated research into phase change materials (PCMs). However, the incorporation of PCMs directly causes mechanical impacts. Therefore, this study herein reported focuses on designing coaxial phase change fibres using commercial cellulose acetate (CA) or recycled CA obtained from cotton fabrics (CAt) as a coating and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 2000 as a core. The phase change fibres (PCF) were produced by wet spinning, varying the parameters: (i) CA concentration, molecular weight and source (virgin versus recycled); and (ii) PEG concentration and ejection. For phase change recycled fibres (PCFt), PEG concentration and ejection were varied. The fibres were assessed for their optical, chemical, thermal and mechanical properties. Bright-field microscopy images and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs proved the coaxial structure. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of PEG in the core. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) proved the ability of PCFs to tolerate high temperatures. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) attested to the presence of PEG2000 peaks, since their melting points were close to those of virgin PEG2000, with a slight change in the PCFs and PCFts caused by the protective sheath of CA and CAt.

The multiphase motors due to their reliability find new areas of application in the industry and transportation. Developing of any system with multiphase motors at first requires elaborate model of the system, define control mode and controllers. The model of control system for the six-phase drive is based on its conventional d-q mathematical model and indirect field-oriented control. Simulink model of six-phase drive with indirect field-oriented control and simulated with two types PID and PID fuzzy controllers. The simulation results, reflecting step response and provided speed reference law as well as load application at constant speed, are presented and analyzed. Fuzzy controller with 49 rules is considered and applied. Six-phase electric drive with field-oriented control at well-tuned PID controller has good step response specifications: settling time 0.13 s at starting without load, step response has no overshoot, small about 1 % short time decrease of speed at load of 5 Nm application. The system employing PID fuzzy controller shows slightly better results in response to torque application: the decrease in speed 1 % is eliminated in shorter time. Simulation results indicate the robustness of both systems with six-phase drive to disturbance and provide high quality transient specifications at determined reference speed.

Endophytic fungi (EF) have emerged as promising modulators of plant growth and stress tolerance in agricultural ecosystems. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the role of EF in en-hancing crop adaptation to abiotic stress. Abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, pose significant challenges to crop productivity worldwide. EF have shown re-markable potential in alleviating the adverse effects of these stresses. Through various mechanisms including synthesis of osmolytes, production of stress-related enzymes, and induction of plant de-fense mechanisms, EF enhance plant resilience to abiotic stressors. Moreover, EF promote nutrient uptake and modulate hormonal balance in plants, further enhancing stress tolerance. Recent ad-vancements in molecular techniques have facilitated the identification and characterization of stress-tolerant endophytic fungal strains, paving the way for their utilization in agricultural prac-tices. Furthermore, the symbiotic relationship between EF and plants offers ecological benefits, such as improved soil health and reduced dependence on chemical inputs. However, challenges remain in understanding the complex interactions between EF and host plants, as well as in scaling up their application in diverse agricultural systems. Future research should focus on elucidating the mechanisms underlying endophytic fungal-mediated stress tolerance and developing sustainable strategies for harnessing their potential in crop production.

Distribution System Operators (DSOs) are adapting to changing energy demands and the shift toward renewable and decentralized energy. Circularity is increasingly relevant for DSOs as their distribution systems age and need replacing. Taking circular action, however, is generally regarded as challenging as the current circular economy (CE) landscape is highly fragmented and rarely touches the implementation level. A longitudinal case study at Dutch DSO Liander on the circu-larity of distribution transformers was used to understand empirical success factors for taking circular action and to generate prescriptive knowledge on the operationalization of circularity. Six design propositions for circular action were formulated that suggest to 1) initiate small-scale cir-cularity experiments, 2) involve technical and strategic experts, 3) synergize circularity with more urgent, primary goals 4) translate circular initiatives bottom-up and top-down, 5) collaborate with other DSOs, and 6) create multidisciplinary teams. At DSO Liander, selecting the right interventions depending on the changing context contributed to operationalizing circularity for distribution transformers and achieving circularity targets. The generalizable design propositions could assist other DSOs in optimizing their strategy toward circular action.

This study aimed to conduct importance-performance analyses (IPAs) based on the perception of Korean middle-school students toward health management awareness during the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. Data were collected from 867 Korean middle-school students via online and offline surveys between May and June 2023. A frequency analysis, a reliability analysis, an IPA based on the entire target students, and an IPA depending on sex were carried out with the collected data, and they revealed the following. First, the IPA results regardless of sex indicated that four factors of the mental health were located in the third quadrant with one factor of the same variable in the fourth quadrant. The three factors of the disease management were located in the third quadrant. As for physical activity, two factors were located in the first quadrant, one in the second quadrant, and one in the third quadrant. As for sleep management, two factors were located in the second quadrant, one in the third quadrant, and one in the first quadrant. As for the eating management, two factors were located in the third quadrant, and one in the fourth quadrant. As for the social distancing variable, all four factors were located in the third quadrant. As for the hygiene management, two factors were located in the first quadrant, one in the third quadrant, and one in the fourth quadrant. Furthermore, the IPA results indicated gender differences in regular sports and vigorous movement activities associated with the physical activity. Additionally, a gender difference was observed in regular diet associated with the eating management. This study proposed possible measures for encouraging adolescents to recognize the importance of health and increase their health-related performance during the COVID-19 endemic phase.

The water resources policy under climate change impacts water security, which should ensure enough water of good quality for humans and nature. Integrated water management is the state-of-the-art policy support model that, after 20 years in use, failed to achieve in many countries its primary goal of water bodies' good ecological status. Here, we show that this is due to the substantial externalities the anthropocentric character of the model generates. From the historical analysis, three main results are obtained: 1) the nature-human interplay is always composed of the coexistence of two opposite behaviors of conflict and cooperation; 2) this contradiction is a dialectical, general ontological attribute; 3) on the balance of power between nature and humans, three clusters are identified: i) naturalistic; ii) dualistic; iii) anthropocentric. A novel behaviorist dialectical conflict resolution model can resolve the differences between stakeholders and natural laws. The harmonic symbiosis of humans with nature removes environmental externalities and can lead to sustainable water security. Three case studies from the literature illustrate the merits of the new dialectical model.

This paper explores the imminent threat posed by climate change to the unique platypus species. It delves into the ecological repercussions of global temperature rise and altered climate patterns on platypus habitats. The study emphasises the multifaceted impacts, including changes in aquatic habitat quality, food sources, and breeding rituals. Climate-induced shifts in phytoplankton spring blooms and anthropogenic pressures further endanger the platypus's habitat. The article stresses the importance of understanding these effects for both species conservation and anticipating broader ecological and socio-economic consequences. Mitigating climate change impacts requires a multidimensional approach, involving habitat manipulation and restoration strategies.

(1) Background: Among the chronic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer became the leading cause of death in several countries. Our objective was the determination of whether prevalent type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with a higher incidence of cancer. (2) Methods: This study is a nationwide analysis performed in Hungary. Study population was divided into a group with type 2 diabetes mellitus and into a non-diabetic group. The primary outcome was the risk related to overall cancer incidence. A key secondary outcome was the overall incidence of cancer in distinct study years. Further outcomes were the annual percent changes. (3) Results: The odds ratio related to the overall incidence of cancer was 2.50 (95% confidence interval: 2.46-2.55, P<0.0001) in patients with diabetes as related to controls. The odds ratio was higher in males than in females. The highest risk was found in the 18-39-year-old subgroup. The annual cancer incidence rate declined in controls, but not in patients with diabetes. Several types of cancer showed a decreasing tendency in non-diabetic controls.; (4) Conclusions: type 2 diabetes is associated with a higher risk of cancer. High risk in young patients with type 2 diabetes suggests that these young individuals should be considered as a risk group.

The theory of water transport in trees, according to which the main driving force of water movement is the suction created by the evaporation of water by the meniscus (the curved surface of the capillary liquid column) on the evaporating elements, supported from below by root pressure, is flawed. The capillary effect in nature is around one meter. In the case of open-air gaps, the leaf cannot suck in the water against gravity because, in this case, the plant would not be sucking in water, but air through the open-air gap. If not, how do trees transport water? When evaporation occurs, there is no suction towards the canopy, but pressure is due to a reduction in the cross-section of the water pipe caused by heat loss through evaporation. At night, when evaporation stops, a thermal equilibration process is triggered, which restores the original cross-section of the pipe. This generates suction and draws water from the soil. As the hydrostatic pressure in the pipe is high for tall trees, the pipe is cut off. To prove my theory, I have given several examples. Water transport is not based on physical mechanical laws alone. There may be complex physiological, biochemical, and biophysical processes behind the operation of the pipe system.

Rapid increase in urbanization and industrialization due to increase in human population has led to increase in global warming resulting to climate change that affects the ecosystem. Unusual natural disasters such as cyclones, storms, floods, weather fluctuations, rising seal levels, transitional ecosystems and coastal disruptions are major adverse effects of climate change. There are huge worrisome concerns and uncertainties about the future of the planet earth due to climate change caused by high carbon emissions. Global aggressive policies in control of Carbon-dioxide (CO2) emissions from several combustion mechanisms have paved way for alternative/ clean energy sources. Green hydrogen is a promising means of clean energy sources for commercial power generation stations and other crucial systems such as hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) , motors, drives, backup power for buildings, and also serving as a source of electrical energy for remote locations. The goal of this study is to review the current level of Sub-Saharan African nations’ preparedness to adopt green hydrogen as a way to mitigate local energy supply issues and strengthen their individual economies.

The Earth's fresh water resources predominantly is groundwater that is pumped out due to rapid urbanization and aggravated by climate change. Groundwater modeling is a crucial tool for understanding aquifer systems, employing 1D, 2D, and 3D numerical models with distinct applications. One-dimensional models focus on vertical dynamics, examining aquifer properties and simulating vertical contaminant transport. Two-dimensional models extend to regional scales, considering horizontal variations and assessing groundwater-surface water interactions, making them valuable for watershed-scale studies. Three-dimensional models provide a comprehensive representation of hydrogeological systems, capturing intricate flow patterns and aiding site-specific assessments. Comparative analysis reveals model strengths and limitations, emphasizing the importance of calibration for reliable results. Case studies showcase practical applications, such as 1D models in flooding analysis and 2D models for simulating debris flows. Three-dimensional modeling proves essential for understanding complex river-aquifer exchange fluxes. Future directions call for a global groundwater platform to address data variability and technical challenges. Despite substantial investments required, the anticipated returns in scientific advancements, societal benefits, and economic gains are expected to outweigh the initial costs. This review aims in highlighting the significance of advancing all three-dimension groundwater modeling for sustainable water resource management and environmental protection.

Pyrethroid pesticides (PYRs) as the third most widely used pesticides, following organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides, which are of significant importance in the analysis and detection of vegetables. However, the current pretreatment technology for PYRs confronts challenges of difficult separation and low enrichment efficiency, resulting in a cumbersome and time-consuming pretreatment process with poor selectivity. Here, a simple and efficient magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) strategy was developed to simultaneously purify and enrich five PYRs in vegetables, with the magnetic covalent organic framework nanomaterial COF-SiO2@Fe3O4 as an adsorbent. The COF-SiO2@Fe3O4 was prepared by a simple solvothermal conditions method, using Fe3O4 as magnetic core, benzidine and 3,3,5,5-tetraaldehyde biphenyl as two building units. COF-SiO2@Fe3O4 could effectively capture the targeted PYRs by virtue of its abundant π-electron system and hydroxyl groups. The impact of various experimental parameters on extraction efficiency was investigated to optimize the MSPE conditions, including adsorbent amount, extraction time, elution solvent type and elution time. Subsequently, method validation was conducted under the optimal conditions in conjunction with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Within the range of 5.00–100 μg·kg-1 (1.00–100 μg·kg-1 for bifenthrin and 2.5–100 μg·kg-1 for fenpropathrin), the five PYRs exhibited a strong linear relationship, with determination coefficients ranging from 0.9990 to 0.9997. The limits of detection (LODs) were 0.3–1.5 μg·kg-1, and the limits of quantification (LOQs) were 0.9–4.5 μg·kg-1. The recoveries were 80.2–116.7% with relative standard deviations (RSDs) below 7.0%. Finally, COF-SiO2@Fe3O4, NH2-SiO2@Fe3O4 and Fe3O4 were compared as MSPE adsorbents for PYRs. The results indicated that COF-SiO2@Fe3O4 was an efficient and rapid selective adsorbent for PYRs. This method holds promising prospects for the determination of PYRs in real samples.

Every year since the last fifty years, the world is waking up to higher and higher average temperature of the earth. Initially it was thought that this trend is a part of cyclical warming and cooling of the earth and nothing to be much worried about. However, with weather conditions become erratic and unusual over a large swath of the planet more and more frequently and regularly, scientists started to speak of Climate Change and people started to listen. In this paper we briefly discuss the link between global warming, climate change and current policies in the developing world to drive home the urgent need for alternative thinking. We briefly discuss the theoretical link between economic development and greenhouse gas emission and lay the micro foundation of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) before providing some evidence of global climate change and why this is a matter of concern for social scientists. Then we explore two avenues through which human activities are aggravating the situation especially in developing countries – the role of business architecture and the role of built architecture. We argue that these twin architecture are aggravating global warming by moving away from sustainable development policies.

Wang et al. (Nature 623, 340—350; 2023)¹ used satellite observations and phenological signatures to estimate the extent of planted rubber (Hevea brasiliensis Müll.Arg.) and associated deforestation for eight Southeast Asian countries. Their map implies that planted rubber has caused more than 4 Mha of deforestation since 1993 — a value greater than previously assumed. Unfortunately, their approach was flawed. Our assessment indicates that the actual extent of planted rubber is approximately half that reported by Wang et al., while the extent of associated deforestation is approximately one quarter.

The utilization of selective laser melting (SLM) for high entropy alloys (HEAs) holds significant promise in commercial applications, and substantial experimental research efforts have been directed toward this domain. To take advantage of the reported experimental data of SLM manufactured (SLM-ed) HEAs and reduce unnecessary experimentation, this study incorporates machine learning (ML) techniques for the phase and tensile properties prediction of SLM-ed HEAs, thus presenting a novel avenue for accelerating the discovery of new SLM-ed HEAs. Through the adjustment of material descriptors and machine learning models, a model has been developed with an impressive accuracy of 93.8% in distinguishing between face-centered cubic (FCC), body-centered cubic (BCC), and dual-phase (FCC+BCC). Additionally, optimized models have been devised for the prediction of tensile properties, namely ultimate tensile strength (UTS), yield strength (YS), and elongation (δ), achieving noteworthy MAPEs (mean absolute percentage errors) of 10.33%, 8.55%, and 28.48%, respectively. Furthermore, several HEAs were fabricated using SLM, and the experimental outcomes exhibited a favorable alignment with the predicted results. These efforts carry significant implications in advancing the utilization of SLM for HEAs.

An extensive thermodynamic study of N-methylformamide (CAS RN: 123-39-7) and N,N-dimethylformamide (CAS RN: 68-12-2), is presented in this work. The liquid heat capacities of N-methylformamide were measured by Tian–Calvet calorimetry in the temperature interval (250 – 300) K. The vapor pressures for N-methylformamide and N,N-dimethylformamide were measured using static method in the temperature range 238 K to 308 K. The ideal-gas thermo-dynamic properties were calculated using a combination of the density functional theory (DFT) and statistical thermodynamics. A consistent thermodynamic description was developed using the method of simultaneous correlation, where the experimental and selected titerature data for vapor pressures, vaporization enthalpies, and liquid phase heat capacities and calculated ide-al-gas heat capacities are treated together to ensure overall thermodynamic consistency of the results. Resulting vapor pressure equation is valid from the triple point to the normal boiling point temperature.

Recent satellite measurements of glacier mass balance show mountain glaciers all over the world had generally negative mass balances in the first decades of the 21st century. Mean summer temperatures all over the world rose from 1961-90 to 1991-2020, implying increasingly negative mass balances. We study archived annual balances for 38 Northern Hemisphere glaciers to assess changes within in the 19612020 period. We use a modified doublemass curve to visualize mass balance changes occurring around 1990. Mean balances 196190 were already small negative for many of the studied glaciers and became even more negative in 19912020 for glaciers in the Alps, at high latitudes and in western North America. The largest mass balance changes are for some glaciers in the Alps. We are unable to explain the lack of change in mean balance for one glacier in High Mountain Asia. We find complex changes for eight glaciers in Scandinavia, even including one glacier with positive balance. We explain these changes by visualizing deviations of winter and summer balances from their respective 1961-90 mean values. High winter balances in the 1990s for Scandinavia partly obscured the emerging trend of increasingly negative summer balances, which we expect to continue in the future.

Air pollution, climate change and global warming show direct linkage. Introduction - Background: Research in the field has proposed and demonstrated their link to increased allergenicity in plants, leading to increased allergic diseases. Allergen patterns are changing in response to climate change. Across Europe, up to 12% of the population suffers from allergic diseases (bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis) caused by the pollen grains. The medical costs of these types of allergies are enormous and are increasing with the spread of common ragweed - Ambrosia artemisiifolia* in Europe. In practice, more and more patients are turning to allergists. Methods: Based on these data, the research aims to identify safety measures and specific legislation to control and eradicate common ragweed in the countries most affected by the spread of this plant in Europe, increase in population exposure in countries affected by the presence of common ragweed and the socio-economic impact of allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma at European level.[1][2] Our database search did not reveal any other research that has addressed this topic to date. Results: This research identifies specific legislation to the countries most affected by the spread of this plant pollen grains at European level, changes in allergen patterns and monitoring/safety eradication measures decided by local authorities, and data on the spread of common ragweed over the last two decades, costs per treatment, increased allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma morbidity in the most affected areas. Conclusions: At European level, there are no universally valid models for eradicating this weed. Various methods can be used to limit the spread of common ragweed and its pollen production (e.g. mowing once or twice a year of overgrown land, ploughing, chemical control, public information, etc.). Local and regional cooperation should be considered essential to promote phytosanitary & safety measures and exchange of information on methods to identify and manage the spread of common ragweed. Unified legislation at European level would help all affected countries; reduce morbidity from respiratory allergic diseases and the costs of treating these diseases.

Oedaleus decorus asiaticus, Calliptamus abbreviatus, Angaracris rhodopa, and Myrmeleotettix palpalis are the main grasshoppers that harm the natural grassland in the Hexi Corridor. In this study, the MaxEnt model was employed to identify the key environmental factors affecting the distribution of the four grasshoppers habitats and to assess their distribution under current and future climate change conditions. The aim was to provide a basis for grasshopper monitoring, prediction, and precise control. In this study, 61 occurrences of O. decorus asiaticus, 68 occurrences of A. rhodopa, 58 occurrences of C. abbreviatus, and 92 occurrences of M. palpalis were recorded by GPS, and the distribution of suitable habitats for O. decorus asiaticus, C. abbreviatus, A. rhodopa, and M. palpalis were predicted under current and future climatic scenarios using a MaxEnt model. The average AUC and TSS values of the four grasshoppers were greater than 0.9, and the simulation results were excellent and highly reliable. The mean annual precipitation was the main factor limiting the current range of suitable areas for these four species. Under the current climate, O. asiaticus, C. abbreviatus, and A. rhodopa were mainly distributed in the central and eastern parts of the Hexi Corridor, and M. palpalis was distributed throughout the Hexi Corridor, with a potential distribution area of 1.44×104, 1.43×104, 1.29×104, and 2.12×104 km2, accounting for 15.3, 15.2, 13.7, and 22.5% of the total area of the grasslands in the Hexi Corridor, respectively. The highly suitable areas of O. asiaticus, C. abbreviatus, and A. rhodopa were mainly distributed in the east-central part of Zhangye City, the western part of Wuwei City, and the western and southern part of Jinchang City, with areas of 0.35×104, 0.29×104, and 0.20×104 km2, accounting for 3.7, 3, and 2.2% of the grassland area, respectively. The high habitat of M. palpalis was mainly distributed in the southeast of Jiuquan City, the west, middle, and east of Zhangye City, the west of Wuwei City, and the west and south of Jinchang City, with an area of 0.32×104 km2, accounting for 3.4% of the grassland area. In the 2030s, the range of O. asiaticus, C. abbreviatus, A. rhodopa, and M. palpalis was predicted to decrease.

Multi-cropping can solve the energy and GHG balance problems, but the emergence, development and productivity of such mixed crops are at risk due to increasing drought periods. For this reason, single maize crops with inter-row mellowing and weed-mulching practices were compared with faba bean, crimson and Persian clover, and alfalfa intercropped maize cultivations. Tests were performed at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. Results showed that by the 30% higher energy inputs were calculated in technologies with intercropped crimson, Persian clover, and alfalfa than in monocropped maize. Single maize crops produced by the 23-40% higher biomass yields compare to clover and alfalfa intercropped maize because, due to the drought periods, intercrops weakly sprouted and developed. Lower harvests reduced the energy output by up to 38%, energy efficiency ratio - by up to 2.5 times and net energy - by up to 42%. All tested technologies were environmentally friendly and similar according to the CO2 equivalent. Long-term drought periods during vegetative season due to climate change make us think about the improvement of intercropping technologies. Sowing intercrops at the same time with maize could solve the problem of its germination but highlight the problem of abundant weed spread. Therefore, this takes us to another sphere of agrotechnologies - the effective non-chemical weed control.

Variability is the predisposition of phenomena to assume different values over time. Variability is higher when the differences of cases from each other are larger or diverge from a specific value, such as arithmetic mean. This study focuses on the variability of research topics within and between research fields to explain, whenever possible, how the variability shapes the structure and dynamics of technological trajectories. Analysis of variability here applies the entropy and variance decomposition on main research fields in quantum technologies. Empirical evidence shows that variability in research topics is inversely proportional to the age of research fields. Inductive implications are that higher variability in research topics of recent scientific fields is due to uncertain dynamics that generates a heterogeneity of different technological trajectories some of them can growth and develop towards fruitful directions others can be dismissed. Hence the variability seems to be one of the drivers that shapes technological evolution and can provide policy and managerial implications to improve the scientific and technological forecasting that may support appropriate decisions of R&D investments towards promising research fields and technologies.

Despite ample warning and significant lead time, global society has not acted sufficiently to combat climate change, and global carbon dioxide emissions are now about 60% higher today than in 1990 [1]. This paper uses marine fisheries as an analog model to compare with the many similar management issues faced with global climate change. Both marine fisheries and global climate change are complex systems that have similar properties that make management very difficult. A simple fishery prototype model is used to educate citizens about similar issues of dynamic complexity found in climate change models. We highlight how our slow reaction time to global climate change can be thought of as a mismatch between our cognitive abilities and the nature of global collective problems. Understanding the history and system structure of marine fisheries can provide insight into managing global climate change. We suggest ways to improve communication between science and citizens for updating mental models and changing climate policy.

Purpose: The study investigates soil pores' impact on carbon dynamics and sequestration processes, examining their physical and chemical characteristics and their mechanisms for carbon sequestration.Research Method: Existing literature and research on soil pores, carbon dynamics, and carbon sequestration are analyzed. The interrelationships between soil pore structure, water movement, microbial activity, root penetration, carbon input, soil aggregation, and gas exchange are examined. Traditional techniques and advanced imaging methods are used to quantify and characterize soil pores.Findings: Soil pores play a critical role in facilitating carbon sequestration through various mechanisms. They affect water movement, microbial activity, root penetration, carbon input, soil aggregation, and gas exchange. Understanding these relationships is crucial for sustainable soil management.Research Limitations: This study relies on existing literature and research, which may have limitations and uncertainties. Further research is needed to address these gaps and enhance understanding.Originality Value: This research enhances the existing knowledge by comprehensively examining the significance of soil pores in carbon dynamics and sequestration. It incorporates both traditional and advanced methods, providing insights for soil management and contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.

To enhance the applicability of dual-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs) like Fe32Cr33Ni29Al3Ti3, fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM), a focus on improving their mechanical properties is essential. As part of this effort, heat treatment was explored. This study compares the microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-printed sample with those cooled in water after undergoing heat treatment at temperatures ranging from 1000 to 1200 ℃ for 1 hour. Both pre- and post-treatment samples reveal a dual-phase microstructure comprising FCC and BCC phases. Although heat treatment led to a reduction in tensile and yield strength, it significantly increased ductility compared to the as-printed sample. This strength-ductility trade-off is related to changes in grain sizes with ultrafine grains enhancing strength and micron grains optimizing ductility, also the influence of the content of FCC/BCC phases and dislocation density. In particular, the sample heat-treated at 1000 °C for 1 hour and then water-cooled exhibited a better combination of strength and ductility, a yield strength of 790 MPa, and an elongation of 13%. This research offers innovative perspectives on crafting dual-phase HEA of Fe32Cr33Ni29Al3Ti3, allowing for tailorable microstructure and mechanical properties through a synergistic approach involving SLM and heat treatment.

Introductions- Liveable housing environments face the menace of global climate change. In-frastructure (including buildings and houses) continuously experiences significant impacts ex-acerbated by natural variability in climate. The study addressed how climate change impacts the resilience of residential buildings, increased maintenance frequency, and the wellbeing and comfort of residents in UK residential buildings. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study used deductive reasoning and an empirical epis-temological methodology as a data-collecting basis to evaluate primary information obtained via a questionnaire. Regression analysis was ultimately employed to analyse the collected da-ta. Result/Discussions: The findings show a significant relationship between climate change and the wellbeing of the occupants of UK residential buildings. Also, the results show that social wellbeing is more important to the occupants than mental and physical wellbeing. It reveals that residential buildings in the UK suffer the cost of maintenance due to continuous reduc-tion in the building fabric's resilience to the impacts of climate change; for instance, a recent increase in rainfall/storms results in unprecedented flooding, which continues to damage the UK residential building fabrics.

Weak interaction processes continue to be hot topics in fundamental physics research. In this paper, we briefly review some recent advances in the theoretical study of beta and double-beta decays that include both the nuclear and atomic part of these processes. On the nuclear side, we present a statistical approach for the computation of the nuclear matrix elements (NME) for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ). A range of NME values, the most probable value for NME, and the associated theoretical uncertainty are given. Correlations with other related observables are shown as well. On the atomic side, we first briefly review the methods used to get the electrons’ wave functions. Further, we use them for the computation of some relevant kinematic quantities such as Fermi functions, electron spectra and angular correlation between the emitted electrons. Then, we present applications of these calculations to the experimental data analysis related to the search of the Lorentz invariance violation in two-neutrino double-beta (2νββ) decay and description of the decay rates and decay rate ratios for allowed and unique forbidden electron capture (EC) processes.

Môle Saint-Nicolas, like all other communes in the Republic of Haiti, faces increasing climate variability, impacting agricultural production and water resources. Consequently, there is a pressing need for adaptation to these climatic changes. This research aims to showcase the adaptation strategies deployed by farmers to cope with the increasing climate variability. Surveys were conducted through group and individual discussions with a randomly selected cohort of 150 farmers. Two types of analysis were performed: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative data analysis was conducted using SPSS software. The findings reveal that farmers have perceived changes in rainfall patterns, temperature, wind, and their environment. These changes manifest as irregular rainfall, higher temperatures, prolonged drought periods, violent winds accompanied by rain, premature cessation of rains, and reduced flow from water sources. In response, the most common adaptation strategies developed include selecting new cultivars, early-maturing varieties, crop rotation and diversification, canal dredging, new soil preparation methods, upstream water source protection, and micro-watershed management. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to enhancing farmers' adaptive capacities by alerting stakeholders in the irrigated perimeters about the consequences of climate change, thereby incorporating the real needs of farmers in future projects.

This study was aim to assess the spatial-temporal trends of urban expansion with land use/land cover change dynamics over a period of 30 years in Addis Ababa. The source of data were Land sat satellite imagery freely available by the United States Geological Survey, Addis Ababa City plan map obtained from Addis Ababa city governance planning and development commission, and Ethiopia Space Science and Geospatial Agency. The data obtained were analysed by using QGIS, and ERDAS software. The finding showed that over the last thirty years Addis Ababa city was highly spreads with (Urban Expansion Intensity Index(UEII)=1.524%); building-up land increased faster (dynamic degree (K) = -6.22 and Annual Urban Expansion Rate(AUER) is 3.56. From the finding, Addis Ababa is spreading speedily.

The present paper reports an alternative solution of the measurement problem in quantum theory. The measurement problem can be characterized as that the U-procedure verses the R-procedure. The R-procedure is tested by the Yes/No measurement originally proposed by von Neuman and discussed in details by Penrose. We propose a novel stochastic sampling method to tackle the measurement paradox. Each testing sample produces a pair of Yes-number c and No-number d, which in turn generates a sample phase with respect to the exponential form of (c+id). All the sample phases forms a group G_R. Taking G_R as the sampling potential, combined with the dynamic phase group G_U，we establish a unified model of U-procedure and R-procedure for the evolution of wavefunction. Based on the Born rule, the probability of a sample is given by the squared magnitude of （c+id）. Some metaproperties of the new U-R model, such as natural transformation, consistency, and completeness, are presented. The present work provides a new picture of quantum mechanics and alike. The measurement problem widely exists in dynamic analysis, higher cognition, and large data modeling. Thus, the work reported here has a wide range of applications. Keywords: The measurement problem; U-R procedures; the Yes/No type measurement; stochastic sampling; sample phase; Born probability.

In 2021, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) added “the impact of climate change on environmental and population health” into The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education. Presently, little guidance exists for nursing faculty new to climate education. The year prior, the Nurses Climate Challenge (NCC) - a campaign to educate 50,000 health professionals about health impacts of climate change - launched the School of Nursing Commitment through a series of focus groups and collaborative content development. With an aim of increasing access to knowledge and tools to support education about the health impacts of climate change, the NCC Commitment partners with nursing schools and provides a community of practice. Partner schools use NCC resources in courses and report the number of students educated. Within three years, 61 nursing schools in 30 states joined the Commitment. Participants included academic health centers, research institutions, multi-state schools, and small private colleges, and programs ranged from AD to PhD. Faculty 1) integrated resources into didactic and clinical settings such as population or organ-system content, leadership, and policy and 2) used resources to support assignments. In four years, faculty reported educating over 37,700 students using NCC resources in 439 educational sessions. The Commitment may be valuable for faculty fulfilling AACN Essentials by bringing climate change to the classroom, community, and bedside. Furthermore, the Commitment may be a replicable model for health professional education and inspiring action on climate change.

An existing simplified simulation model of global climate, population, economy, and governance is extended, through statistical and other data analysis, to include several measures of human well-being and population displacement. The revised model is used to explore (in testing to the year 2060) vicious cycles and causal cascades that, some have warned, could lead to acceleration of climate change in the coming decades. Model scenario testing addresses two uncertainties, namely the strength of the effect of climate change on governance erosion, and the strength of the “heat trap” effect from physical tipping points such as ice loss and permafrost thaw. This testing indicates that a strong heat trap effect could very well accelerate climate change, but that even a strong governance erosion effect is unlikely to do so. Governance erosion would hurt human well-being but is probably not much of a climate threat per se. These results are tentative but point to the possibility of formally modeling causal cascades beyond what the larger climate models have done to date.

Background: Recurrent approximation of retention parameters in reversed-phase HPLC is effective for revealing anomalies difficult to detect otherwise, namely, the reversible hydration of analytes. This was demonstrated previously for restricted sets of analytes with acetonitrile–water eluents. Expanding the number of analytes and eluents seems to be a topical problem. Two kinds of derivatives of aromatic carbonyl compounds were characterized: unsubstituted hydrazones and oximes. Methods: If analyte demonstrates no anomalies in dependences of retention times vs. concentration of organic modifier, the recurrent approximations of these dependences are linear. To explain the features of recurrent approximations, the numerical experiments were proposed and considered. The artificial shifting of one, two, or more points allows modeling the different kinds of deviations of approximations from linearity. Results: It was shown that hydrazones are the class of analytes having no anomalies of retention parameters. On the contrary, several anomalies were detected for oximes. Downward deviations of points in the plots of recurrent approximations of retention times are the signs of reversible hydration. This effect for methanol–water eluents was detected for the first time. Some of oximes underwent hydrolysis. Conclusion: Recurrent approximation of retention times allows detecting chemical transformations of analytes during RP HPLC analysis.

Social, environmental and economic problems are the concern in the agroecological communities. To address these issues, it is important to understand how communities think and act towards existing sustainable practices. There are various agriculture practices which are aboriginal to particular region, and have the knowledge of environment in deep sense thus, locals utilize it for coexisting with nature, by preserving environment and fulfilling the human needs for food alongside protecting the disappearing practices. At present, India has only three designated GIAHS sites and no proposed sites at present, despite having a diverse physical environment and area. Therefore, this paper acknowledges the need to recognize potential indigenous agricultural heritage site as GIAHS and its multidimensional Sustainability and vulnerability by climate change, Traditional value, ecological value, socio cultural values and value-added behavior which can increase the economic value and appeal towards agricultural commodities in later phase. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the potential AHS site in the north east region of India, which is known as Zabö or Ruza and changes in the LULC of the area. Alongside assessing the present agricultural Heritage systems and changes GIAHS recognition brought to it.

Due to the major impact of climate change on the world's environment, political and economic systems, climate change mitigation has become a pressing priority for the international community and requires rapid action from the whole society. With the continuous advancement of artificial intelligence research, the integration of AI and other technologies makes it more and more used in the whole society. It has become a promising and innovative avenue in the field of climate change mitigation. This paper comprehensively considers the key role of AI technology in the field of climate change mitigation, such as climate modeling, the optimization of renewable energy systems, the development of intelligent solutions for sustainable practices and CSS technology, and affirms its future prospects. It also describes the challenges of AI in the field of climate change mitigation. As researchers, policymakers, and industries collaborate to refine AI methodologies and integrate them into practical applications, a concerted effort is required to establish ethical guidelines, transparency standards, and inclusive governance frameworks.

The Sangu river basin contributes to national economy significantly; however, exposures to water-related hazards frequently. As it is expected that water-related disasters will increase manifold in the future due to global warming, the Government of Bangladesh has formulated Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP-2100) to enhanced climate resilience. Accordingly, this study assessed the hydro-meteorological characteristics of the Sangu River basin under changing climate. This study scientifically selected five General Circulation Models (GCMs) to include the model climate sensitivity and statistically bias-corrected their outputs. The Water and Energy Budget-based Rainfall-Runoff-Inundation (WEB-RRI) model was used to simulate the hydrological responses of the basin. The analysis of five GCMs under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP8.5) revealed that all selected GCMs estimate a 2-13% increase in annual rainfall and a 3-12% increase in annual discharge in the near-future (2025-2050), whereas four GCMs project an 11-52% increase in annual rainfall and a 7-59% increase in annual discharge in the far-future (2075-2100). The projected more frequent and intense increased extreme rainfall and flood occurrences in the future indicate an increase in flood disaster risk, whereas increased meteorological and hydrological drought in the future reflects a scarcity of water during dry periods. The number of projected affected people shows an increasing trend due to the increased inundation in the future. However, increasing trend of transpiration indicates agricultural productivity will increase in the future. Policymakers can utilize this evidence-based information to implement BDP-2100 and to reduce the disaster risks in the basin.

Glycosylation, a prevalent post-translational modification, plays a pivotal role in regulating intricate cellular processes by covalently attaching glycans to macromolecules. Dysregulated glycosylation is linked to a spectrum of diseases, encompassing cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, congenital disorders, infections, and inflammation. This review delves into the intricate interplay between glycosylation and protein conformation, with a specific focus on the profound impact of N-glycans on the selection of distinct protein conformations, characterized by distinct interactomes – namely protein assemblies - under normal and pathological conditions across various diseases. We begin by examining the spike protein of the SARS virus, illustrating how N-glycans regulate the infectivity of pathogenic agents. Subsequently, we utilize the prion protein and the chaperone glucose-regulated protein 94 as examples, exploring instances where N-glycosylation transforms physiological protein structures into disease-associated forms. Unraveling these connections provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic avenues and a deeper comprehension of the molecular intricacies that underlie disease conditions. This exploration of glycosylation's influence on protein conformation effectively bridges the gap between the glycome and disease, offering a comprehensive perspective on the therapeutic implications of targeting conformational mutants and their pathologic assemblies in various diseases. The goal is to unravel the nuances of these post-translational modifications, shedding light on how they contribute to the intricate interplay between protein conformation, assembly and disease.

The term sustainable energy is very familiar to all of us yet its exact definition or meaning has so far been vague. To date the widely adopted definition of sustainable energy has been inspired by the definition of sustainable development formulated more than 30 years ago in the Our Common Future - the UN’s Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development. The current definition conceals the true spirit of the Report and this has some ramifications. It raises the question as to whether we have put too much emphasis on attaining the future dimension of sustainability in the middle of the situation where the energy survivability is in fact the real issue in many parts of the world. In this paper the role of energy in sustaining livelihoods of low income communities is discussed. Existing definition of sustainable energy that the whole world seems to have embraced is looked at critically and its downsides exposed. The identified pillars of sustainable energy and the associated issues is discussed and the need for an additional pillar, i.e. affordability is discussed and called for. This paper will argue that global definition of sustainable energy seems inappropriate and should be jettisoned and a more realistic definition should be formulated, adopted and embraced at local (i.e. national or regional) level taking into account local attributes and factors. The current push for a transition from the reliance on conventional energy sources to ‘cleaner’ energy sources (generally associated with renewable energy) has further exacerbated the issue of energy affordability that has made the conditions even more dire for so many groups of the world population. In the midst of this situation, those who push for a rushed energy transition seem to be those who also produce unsustainably high carbon footprint but who can easily offset their carbon foot-print through the ‘net-zero’ concept.

The storm 'Daniel' has caused the most severe flood phenomenon that Greece has ever experienced, with thousands of hectares of farmland submerged for days. This led to sediment deposition in the inundated areas, which significantly altered the chemical properties of the soil, as revealed by extensive soil sampling and laboratory analysis. Causal relationships between soil chemical properties and sediment deposition were extracted using the DirectLiNGAM algorithm. Results of causality analysis showed that the sediment deposition affected the CaCO3 concentration in the soil. Also, causal relationships were identified between CaCO3 and available phosphorus (P-Olsen), as well as between sediment deposit depth and available manganese. The quantified relationships between the soil variables were then used to generate data using a Multiple Linear Perceptron (MLP) regressor for various levels of deposit depth (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm). Then linear regression equations were fitted across the different levels of deposit depth to determine the effect of deposit depth on CaCO3, P, and Mn. The results show that there is a linear slope of 0.12, -0.16, and 0.13, for CaCO3, P, and Mn with deposit depth, respectively. Statistical analysis indicates that corn growing in soils with sediment over 10 cm requires a 31.8% increase in P rate to prevent yield decline. Additional notifications regarding cropping strategies in the near future are also discussed.

Objective: Local ablation therapies (radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and microwave ablation (MWA)) are important as curative treatment option in patient with early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and option for intrahepatic tumor volume reduction in those with unresectable HCC. Various techniques; contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), real-time virtual sonography (RVS), artificial pleural and ascites fluid infusion, and body position change (BPC) have been used to accurately and safely perform local ablation therapies. However, there have been few reports on the usefulness of BPC. Therefore, this study focused on the usefulness of BPC during local ablation therapies in patients with HCC. Methods: We evaluated the technical success rates, treatment time, and prognosis of 283 nodules treated with local ablation therapies. Furthermore, we defined nodules adjacent to large vessels or extrahepatic organs, or poorly visible nodules using US as HCC in high-risk locations. High-risk locations HCC were classified into phase 1 (before active use of BPC, January 2018 to December 2019) and phase 2 (after active use of BPC, January 2020 to January 2022). Results: One hundred seventy-six nodules (62%) were classified as high-risk location group. Compared to non-high risk HCC, treatment-assist techniques, such as BPC (61 vs. 24 %, p<0.001), artificial pleural fluid infusion (24 vs. 5.6%, p<0.001), artificial ascites infusion (50 vs. 11%, p<0.001), fusion imaging (28 vs. 8.4%, p<0.001) and CEUS (26 vs. 4.7%, p<0.001) were performed more frequently for high-risk HCC. The technical success rates were 96% (271/283 nodules), 96% (167/173 nodules) and 95% (102/107 nodules), for all nodules, the high-risk location group and the non-high risk location group, respectively. In the high-risk location group, the technical success rates of the group without BPC were lower than that with BPC (91 vs. 99%, p=0.015). Only BPC was a related factor for the technical success rate for high-risk locations HCC (OR 10 (1.2-86), p=0.034). In contrast, no differences were found in the treatment time, the local tumor progression rates, intrahepatic distant recurrence rates, and overall survival between the group with BPC and that without BPC in the high-risk location HCC. Conclusion: BPC during local ablation therapies in patients with HCC in high-risk locations was safe and efficient. Body position should be adjusted for HCC in high-risk locations to maintain good US visibility and ensure safe puncture route in patients undergoing local ablation therapies.

Heat waves are a significant consequence of climate change threatening public health by increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to estimate individuals’ knowledge, attitudes and practice related to heat waves. We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study in Greece during September 2023. We employed a convenience sample of 1055 participants. We used the heat wave knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior scale (HWKAPBS) to measure our outcome. We measured several socio-demographic variables, such as gender, age, educational level, etc. as potential determinants. Mean scores for the knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior factors were 12.5, 22.7, 22.2 and 12.1 respectively. Females had higher scores on the four factors compared with males. We found a positive relationship between self-perceived health status and awareness, practice and behavior about heat waves. Similarly, we identified a positive relationship between self-perceived financial status and awareness and behavior about heat waves. Increased age was associated with increased practice score, while increased educational level was associated with increased knowledge score. Additionally, behavior score was higher among participants in urban areas than those in rural areas. We found statistically significant positive correlations between the four factors. Levels of knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior about heat waves were high in our sample. Several socio-demographic variables affect participants’ knowledge, awareness, practice and behavior concerning heat waves.

Advances in biological sciences have been applied in medicine, agriculture and industry with great benefit. Some recent trends in society, governance structures and communications, however, appear to be hampering the use of new scientific findings for controlling infectious diseases. These limitations are illustrated with examples related to (i) the adaptation of fresh water mosquito vectors of major arboviral diseases to salinity in coastal areas with consequences for disease transmission, (ii) understanding the implications of reduced dengue transmission during the COVID-19 lockdown for dengue control, (iii) causes underlying the rapid spread of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in South Asia and Africa, (iv) the application of serodiagnostic techniques for Lyme disease and tick-borne relapsing fever caused by tick-borne bacteria of the genus Borrelia, and (v) COVID-19 prevention.

The Kanchenjunga Conservation Area (KCA) is a high mountain protected area in eastern Nepal undergoing socio-economic and environmental changes that are unprecedented in the region’s history. In the following paper, we discuss recent changes involving new road construction, climate change, adventure tourism, and the wildlife/forest cover/medicinal plant sectors. Our assessments are based on the collective results of past and recent field research, remote sensing analysis, oral histories, and literature reviews. While similar changes are occurring in mountain protected areas (MPA) throughout Nepal, it is suggested that the KCA differs from other regions in that it still retains the option of conducting detailed feasibility, environmental, and impact assessments prior to the implementation of major change-associated projects, particularly the construction of roads. In turn, the KCA might avoid many of the environmental, social, and economic problems experienced elsewhere in Nepal, while enhancing its status, income-generating capacities, and sustainability as a global destination for adventure, nature, and cultural tourism.

This paper aims to explore how climate change affects electricity generation (fossil-fueled power plants, hydroelectric stations, wind systems and photovoltaics) and energy demand in residential buildings in Greece for the period up to 2050. In both cases RCP scenarios results are considered in the appropriate spatial and temporal dimension. Energy supply technologies were examined through statistical regression models and/or mathematical equations correlating climatic parameters with energy productivity. With respect to energy demand, bottom-up models were developed that integrate behavioral and policy aspects. The analysis showed that climate change is expected to mainly affect electricity generation from hydro and thermal power plants, while the impacts on solar and wind energy are significantly lower. The range of impacts on hydro potential and electricity generation depends on the geographical location of the power plants and shows significant uncertainty due to the corresponding uncertainty in climate models estimates regarding precipitation and runoff changes while showing significant geographical variations. With respect to energy demand, climate change is expected to affect energy consumption, but the expected range of effects depends on both the implementation and the characteristics (deep vs. shallow renovation) of measures for upgrading the thermal performance of the building stock and the intensity of climate change.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing approaches in plant disease management and phy-topathological research. This review analyzes current applications and future directions of AI in addressing evolving agricultural challenges. Plant diseases annually cause 10-16% yield losses in major crops, prompting urgent innovations. Artificial intelligence (AI) shows aptitude for auto-mated disease detection and diagnosis utilizing image recognition techniques, with reported accuracies exceeding 95% and surpassing human visual assessment. Forecasting models inte-grating weather, soil, and crop data enable preemptive interventions by predicting spa-tial-temporal outbreak risks weeks in advance at 81-95% precision, minimizing pesticide usage. Precision agriculture powered by AI optimizes data-driven, tailored crop protection strategies boosting resilience. Real-time monitoring leveraging AI discerns pre-symptomatic anomalies from plant and environmental data for early alerts. These applications highlight AI's proficiency in il-luminating opaque disease patterns within increasingly complex agricultural data. Machine learning techniques overcome human cognitive constraints by discovering multivariate correla-tions unnoticed before. AI is poised to transform in-field decision making around disease pre-vention and precision management. Overall, AI constitutes a strategic innovation pathway to strengthen ecological plant health management amidst climate change, globalization, and agri-cultural intensification pressures. With prudent and ethical implementation, AI-enabled tools promise to enable next-generation phytopathology, enhancing crop resilience worldwide.Artificial Intelligence, Phytopathology, Emerging Disease, Climate Change, Control diseases.

The lactic acid bacteria Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus are commonly used as starter cultures in dairy product production. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of fermented milk using different ratios of these strains and analyze the changes in volatile compounds during fermentation and storage. The 10:1 ratio of Streptococcus thermophilus CICC 6063 to Lactobacillus helveticus CICC 6064 showed optimal fermentation time (4.2 h), viable cell count (9.64 log10 colony-forming units/mL), and sensory evaluation score (79.1 points). In total, 56 volatile compounds were identified and quantified by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS), including aldehydes, ketones, acids, alcohols, esters, and others. Among these, acetaldehyde, 2,3-butanedione, 2,3-pentanedione, 2-heptanone, acetoin, and 1-heptanol had the highest odor activity values and contributed to the characteristic flavor of fermented milk. The concentrations and types of key flavor compounds reached their peak at the end of fermentation. Throughout the fermentation and storage process, the levels of 2,3-pentanedione and acetoin exhibited synergistic dynamics. These findings enhance our understanding of the chemical and molecular characteristics of milk fermented with Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus helveticus, providing a basis for improving the flavor and odor of dairy products during fermentation and storage.

Motivated by the increasing need of optimised micro-devices for droplets production in medical and biological applications, this paper introduces an integrated approach for the study of the liquid-liquid droplet creation in flow-focusing micro cross-junctions. The micro-junction considered is characterised by a restriction of the channels cross-sections in the junction, which has the function of focusing the flow in the region of the droplet formation. The problem is studied numerically in OpenFOAM environment and validated by the comparison with experimental results obtained by high-speed camera images and micro-PIV measurements. The analysis of the forces acting on the dispersed phase during the droplet formation and the diameter of the droplets obtained numerically are considered for the development of a model of the droplet breakup under the squeezing regime. On the basis of energy balancing during the breakup, a relation between interfacial tension, the size of the cross-sections in the junction, and the time interval needed for droplet creation is obtained, which yields a novel correlation between the dimensionless length of the droplet and the dimensionless flow rate. This correlation is general and can be used to predict the droplet diameters produced by similar micro-junctions with different aspect ratios and extended to different geometries of flow-focusing micro-junctions.

Since 2015, community forests have been promoted in Togo as an alternative to protected areas degradation and as a means of contributing to forest landscape restoration. The study focuses on the Nakpadjouak Community Forest (NCF) in Tami (Togo, West Africa) which contributes to community forests sustainable management. It aims in (i) mapping forest ecosystems and analysing their dynamic and (ii) characterizing the floristic diversity of the NCF. The ecosystems were mapped and their dynamic evaluated based on Google Earth images of 2014 and 2020. Floristic and forestry inventories were carried out using the transect technique in a sample of 20 plots of 50 m x 20 m. The NCF was made up mainly by wooded/shrub savannahs (95.37%) and croplands/fallow (4.63%) in 2014. These two land use types undergone changes over the 6 years prior to 2020. By 2020, the NCF had 3 land use types: wooded/shrub savannahs (77.59%), open forest/wooded savannahs (22.23%), and croplands/fallows (0.18%). A total of 89 plant species belonging to 70 genera and 28 families were recorded within the NCF. The dominant species are: Hetopogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. and Combretum collinum Fresen. followed by Pteleopsis suberosa Engl. & Diels, Annona senegalensis Pers. The most common species are: Lannea acida A.Rich. s.l., A. senegalensis, Vitellaria paradoxa C.F.Gaertner subsp. paradoxa, C. collinum and Acacia dudgeonii Craib ex Holland. Due to its small area of just 40 hectares and its diverse plant life, this community forest of Savannahs Region is a significant biodiversity hotspot and warrants conservation efforts.

The predominant management approach for municipal solid waste (MSW) remains disposal, given significant increases in generation and disposal rates of MSW in recent decades. In addition to the well-documented carbon emissions from disposal sites, these sites accumulate numerous elements, the masses of which are substantial globally yet inadequately quantified. The unique combinations of waste constituents, elements, diverse environments, and confined spaces in disposal sites create distinct biogeochemical conditions, setting them apart from any other infrastructure or geological feature on Earth. This review first presents a global summary of the cumulative masses and disposal rates of MSW constituents and associated elements. The five dominant transformation and transport processes influencing disposed elements are examined: biochemical degradation, physicochemical transformation, gas migration, leachate migration, and solid spillage. The magnitudes and rates of the processes corresponding to major disposed elements, including carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, and several metals, are systematically summarized. We examine and quantify the potential environmental impacts and health risks associated with element transformation and transport. We also explore the existing knowledge and techniques for resource recovery and site remediation of disposal sites. The distilled compilation of measurements and insights herein serves as a valuable primer for researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers involved in MSW management.

(1) Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of diseases that affect the morphology and function of neutrophils. Rapid diagnosis of MDS is crucial for the initiation of treatment that can vastly improve disease outcome. (2) methods: In this work, we present a new approach for detecting morphological differences between neutrophils isolated from blood samples of high risk MDS patients and that for patients and blood bank donors (BBDs). First, using fluorescent flow cytometry CD66b positive cells were stained with 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF) and Hoechst. Secondly, we imaged the cells using interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) without utilizing cell staining. (3) Results: flow cytometry results show MDS patients present different dispersion patterns compared to BBDs. BBDs present two distinct subpopulations (one of these are the H cells constituting 16% for neutrophils) whereas MDS patients present only 4% of this subpopulation. IPM results are consistent with this pattern: ~20% of BBDs neutrophils were characterized as H cells and whereas MDS patients present only ~4% of these cells. (5) Conclusion- IPM can be utilized for diagnosis of complex hematological pathologies such as MDS.

Efficient commencement of clinical trials is pivotal for their successful execution. The purpose of this study was to determine and examine the factors that contribute to trial start-up delays. The study assessed 20 clinical trials' start-up stages in order to identify relevant variables. Results showed that trials with an emphasis on devices, trials that did not outsource, trials that utilized less auxiliary services, and trials that employed interventional designs had quicker start-up times than observational studies. Furthermore, approval times were substantially shortened by using a centralized Institutional Review Board (IRB) rather than a local IRB. Furthermore, compared to studies that successfully enrolled subjects, those who failed to do so required more time to complete contracts and budgets and secure IRB clearance. This study underscores the diverse impact of clinical trial features on start-up timelines. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing the initiation process of clinical trials.

The paper is devoted to the study of a high-pressure short-arc xenon discharge, which is widely used as a light source. Cathodes of such lamps are often doped with thorium for better cathode operation. As a result, thorium can evaporate into a discharge. The study is based on a model of a short-arc xenon discharge plasma, which includes presence of thorium atoms in the plasma. The data obtained show that thorium atoms strongly affect the characteristics of the plasma, reducing its temperature, changing the ionic composition near the cathode, energy balance and generation of optical radiation. Especially interesting is the case when the discharge electrodes have a different shape of the working surface: the anode has a convex or concave shape; the cathode has a different cone angle. The obtained data make it possible to propose a new way to increase the luminous efficiency of xenon lamps due to the appropriate choice of the electrodes working surface shape, which turned out to be an unexpectedly strong factor of affecting plasma characteristics. This, in turn, allows us to develop xenon lamps with the desired characteristics providing optical radiation in the required range of the spectrum and better use of energy.

In northern Canada where permafrost is prevalent, a shortage of accessible, affordable, and high-quality housing has been ongoing for decades. Design of foundations in permafrost presents unique engineering challenges due to permafrost soil mechanics and climate change. There is no specific design code for pile or shallow foundations in northern Canada. Consequently, the design process heavily relies on the expertise and experience of Arctic geotechnical engineers who have specialized knowledge in this field. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the practice or literature in foundation design in the Arctic would be necessary. The main objective of this review paper is to provide an overview of the common foundations in permafrost and the techniques adopted to counteract the effects of frozen soils. This study conducted a literature review of state-of-the-art practices on deep and shallow foundations used in northern Canada, including common steel pipe piles and thermosyphons. The review summarized the current principles, including adfreeze strength, creep settlement, and frost heave, used in the foundation design in permafrost. Then this paper summarized the findings from interviewing several engineers or professionals who have experiences in the design of foundations in permafrost. The interviews revealed the technical and non-technical aspects of foundation design practice in northern Canada. Lastly, in order to demonstrate the design methods, the paper presented two examples where screw piles and steel pipe piles were designed to support a residential building in northern Canada, according to the state-of-practice criteria for adfreeze strength, long term settlement and frost heave.

In the recent past, the number of invasive species around the world has increased significantly due to increased globalization and climate change. Understanding biological invasions under climate change is crucial for sustainable conservation of biodiversity. The insect pest Pseudococcus viburni (Signoret) can cause damages to plants, resulting in leaf yellowing, leaf defoliation, and reduced plant growth. A serious attack by this insect post can even lead to the entire plant withering and dying, bringing huge economic and ecological losses. Despite these damages, the potential distribution range and management strategies for this insect pest are poorly understood. Based on historical distribution data and environmental factors, the present study predicted the potentially suitable areas for P. viburni spread under different climate change scenarios using MaxEnt (maximum entropy). The results showed that precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio19), precipitation seasonality (Bio15), and mean temperature of the wettest quarter (Bio8) were the most important environmental factors determining the distribution of P. viburni. Under the current climate conditions, its potential suitable areas are southern China, the whole of Japan, North America (especially the eastern part of the United States), the southwestern part of South America, the Mediterranean coast and most of Europe, the central part of Africa i.e., the south of the Sahara Desert and most of the southern coast of Australia. The total area of habitats suitable for this insect pest is predicted to be increased in the future. In order to prevent P. viburni transmission and spread, there is a need to strengthen the monitoring and quarantine measures against this pest at the Southern ports.

Modern engineering faces challenges in ensuring technical standards for service, durability, and sustainability. Political, administrative, and budgetary factors, coupled with climate change, pose tasks to structural integrity, affecting industries and economies. Marine infrastructures represent a strategic asset of the country as it handles a large part of the economic exchanges. This article analyzes five essential factors that play a fundamental role in the performance analysis of coastal structures: Chloride-induced corrosion, degradation models, maintenance strategies, monitoring, and climate change. Starting with reinforcement corrosion, considered as the main cause of distress, particularly in coastal zones for the long-term behavior of structures. Additional pressure from the influences of climate change is becoming evident and extreme, leading to reduction in capacity. To guarantee the lifespan, degradation models contribute by estimating the long-term performance of the asset as a strategic piece to the development of effective maintenance solutions. Additionally, quantifying the condition of the structure from monitoring data, plays a crucial part that provides information on the current situation of the structure. Finally, this review summarizes the challenges associated with the maintenance of aging marine structures considering aspects such as corrosion, monitoring, and the future challenges this area will face due to climate change.

The field of water management is continually changing. Water has been subject to external shocks in the form of climate change and globalization. Analysis of water management is subject to disciplinary developments and inter-disciplinary interactions. Are these developments well documented in the literature? Initial observations on interdisciplinary literature suggest that results are fragmented, implying that a state-of-the-art review is needed. The objective of this paper is to close this gap by reviewing recent developments in water economics that address the increasing perceptions of water scarcity by looking first at changes in supply and quality of water, and then at impacts of climate change on water extremes. Among responses to such challenges, the paper identifies changes to water use patterns by including and co-managing water from different sources—surface and groundwater, wastewater, and desalinated water. Technological advancements also are among the resources that address water challenges. Water challenges reflect also on management of internationally shared water. A recent surge in scientific work identified international treaties as playing a significant role in water management. The paper reviews recently employed economic tools, such as experimental economics, game theory, institutional economics, and valuation methods. And finally, it explores modeling approaches, including hydro-economic and computable general equilibrium models that are being used to deal with water challenges.

Permafrost thaw is an important aspect of Earth's carbon cycles. Initial estimates suggest that permafrost thaw could contribute anywhere between 20 to 500 Gt of CO2-eq by 2100. These estimates are all fundamentally centered around one number: active layer thickness (ALT). The deeper the ALT, the more emissions. Unfortunately, ALT is a highly spatially heterogeneous number and determined by numerous thermal, soil hydrology, and geomorphological effects. The remotely sensed active layer thickness (ReSALT) algorithm was introduced in 2010 to provide scientists with a way to model ALT heterogeneously at meter-scale resolution. However, upon inspection, this work shows that ReSALT's modeling approach is self-inconsistent. This work then introduces SCReSALT (Self-Consistent ReSALT) to solve that problem. Experimental comparisons to a past study in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska show significant improvement and suggest that SCReSALT should replace ReSALT. Code to reproduce all results can be found at https://github.com/jmathur25/permafrost-prediction.

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) bending structure is widely used in the aviation field. The occurrence and propagation of delamination damage will reduce the safety of in-service bending structures. As a detection tool with high damage sensitivity, Lamb wave can effectively identify delamination damage. In this study, the signal difference coefficient (SDC) was introduced to quantify delamination damage and evaluate the sensitivity of A0 and S0 mode lamb waves to delamination damage. The simulation results show that compared with the S0 mode Lamb wave, the A0 mode Lamb wave exhibits higher delamination damage sensitivity. The delamination damage can be quantified based on the strong correlation between the SDC and the delamination damage size. The control effect of the linear array PZT phase time-delay method on Lamb wave mode was investigated by simulation. The phase time-delay method realizes the generation of a single-mode Lamb wave, which can separately excite the A0 mode and S0 mode Lamb wave to identify delamination damage of different sizes. The A0 mode Lamb wave was excited by the developed one-dimensional linear comb transducer (LCT), which was used to conduct the detection experiment on the CFRP bending plate with delamination damage sizes of Φ6.0 mm, Φ10.0 mm, and Φ15.0 mm. The experimental results verify the correctness of the simulation. According to the Hermite interpolation results of the finite-element simulation data, the relationship between the delamination damage size and the SDC was fitted by the Gaussian function, which can accurately quantify the delamination damage. The absolute error of the delamination damage quantification with fitting expression is not larger than 0.8 mm, and the percentage error is not more than 8%.

Large scale cropland erosion rates mapping and dynamic monitoring are critical for agricultural planning but extremely challenging. In this study, by using field investigation data collected from 20,155 land parcels in 2,781 sample units in the National Soil Erosion Survey, land use change data for two decades from the National Land Use/Cover Database of China (NLUD-C), we proposed a new point to surface approach to quantitatively assess long-term cropland erosion based on the CSLE model and non-homogeneous voting. The results show that cropland in Yunnan suffers from serious problem with unsustainable mean soil erosion rate of 40.47t/(ha·a) and erosion ratio of 70.11%, which are significantly higher than those of other land types. Engineering control measures (ECMS) have a profound impact on reducing soil erosion, soil erosion rate of cropland with and without ESMs differs by more than five times. Over the past two decades, the cropland area in Yunnan continues to decrease, with a net reduction of 7461.83 km2 and a ratio of −10.55%, which causes corresponding 0.32×108 t (12.12% ) decrease in cropland soil loss. We also quantified the impact of different LUCC scenarios on cropland erosion, and extraordinarily high variability was found in soil loss in different basins and periods. Conversion from cropland to forest contributes the most to cropland erosion reduction, while conversion from grassland to cropland contributes 56.18% of the increase in soil erosion. Considering the current speed of cropland regulation, it is the sharp reduction in land area that leads to cropland erosion reduction rather than treatments. The dilemma between the Grain for Green Policy and Cropland Protecting Strategy in mountainous areas should be treated carefully with shared understanding and collaborations from different roles.

In order to the effect of hydrated phase change materials on suppressing coal spontaneous combustion, the thermogravimetric experiment and reaction activation energy analysis experiment were used to explore the changes of combustion characteristic, parameters characteristic temperature and activating energy of gas coal, long flame coal, meagre coal, and lean coal before and after adding hydrated phase change materials. The research results showed that hydrated phase change materials increased the coal samples’characteristic temperature point and have effective inhibitory effects on different stages of oxidation process.However, the effect was best at low temperatures, as hydrated phase change materials undergo phase change and absorb heat when heated at low temperatures, isolating coal from contact with oxygen. The activating energy increased by 1.138 KJmol-1～23.048 KJmol-1 and the mass loss reduced by 1.6%～9.3% after the inhibition of the coal sample,indicating that the oxidation rate of various coal samples can be slowed down and the spontaneous combustion can be suppressed by using hydrated phase change materials.At the same time, this material can also reduce the combustibility index of meagre coal and lean coal, as well as the comprehensive combustion index and maximum loss rate of long flame coal and gas coal.

Quantitative phase imaging by digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is a nondestructive and label-free technique, that has been playing an indispensable role in the field of science, technology, and biomedical imaging. The technique is competent for the imaging and analysis of label-free living cells and the investigation of reflective surfaces. Herein, we introduce a new configuration of a wide field-of-view single-shot common-path off-axis reflective DHM for the quantitative phase imaging of biological cells that leverages with several advantages including less-vibration sensitive to external perturbations due to common-path configuration, compact in size, simple in optical design, highly stable, and cost-effective. A detailed description of the proposed DHM system, including its optical design, working principle, and capability of phase imaging, is presented. The applications of the proposed system are demonstrated by quantitative phase imaging results obtained from the reflective surface (USAF resolution test target) as well as transparent samples (microlens array and living plant cells). The proposed system could find its applications in the investigations of several biological specimens and optical metrology of micro-surfaces.

A homogenization of billets from Al-Cu-Li-Mg-Sc-Zr alloys should be accomplished at high annealing temperatures exceeding 500 °C. This type of aluminum alloy is susceptible to the depletion of surface layers from Li. Therefore, choosing a suitable homogenization temperature and duration is a crucial step in assuring a homogeneous distribution of alloying elements and optimal exploitation of the potential of the alloy. In-situ heating in an electron microscope was performed on a twin-roll cast Al-Cu-Li-Mg-Sc-Zr alloy to understand the peculiarities of the homogenization process. Four types of primary phase particles rich in Cu, Li, Mg, and Fe were identified in the as-cast material. They appear as coarse particles at the boundaries of eutectic cells. Their partial dissolution occurs at temperatures above 450 °C. They are almost fully dissolved at 550 °C, except for complex phases containing Fe and Cu. Small dimensions of eutectic cells in the range of 10 µm assure a homogeneous distribution of main alloying elements within the matrix after 20 min of annealing. Direct comparison with the same material prepared by mold-casting indicates that such short annealing times result in the dissolution of main primary phase particles but do not assure a homogeneous distribution of alloying elements in the whole volume of the specimen.

Although crop conversion from annual to perennial crops has been considered as one path towards climate-smart and resource-efficient agriculture, the effects of this conversion on soil multifunctionality and biomass yields remain unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of one annual and three perennial crops (a grass (Lolium perenne), a legume (Medicago sativa), and their mixture) on soil multifunctionality and biomass yield on the Yellow River floodplain. Soil multifunctionality was assessed by the capacity of water regulation and the multifunctionality of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycles. Results showed that perennial crops enhanced soil multifunctionality by 207% for L. perenne, 311% for M. sativa, and 438% for L. perenne + M. sativa, compared with annual winter wheat (Triticum aestivum). The effect of perennial crops on soil multifunctionality increased with infiltration rate, dissolved organic C, microbial biomass C, and extracellular enzymatic activities for both C and N acquisition. However, we observed that perennial crops had lower biomass yield than annual crop. Therefore, the transition of agricultural landscapes to perennials needs to take into account the balance between environmental protection and food security, as well as environmental heterogeneity, to promote sustainable agricultural development.

Climate change presents an urgent and impending threat to virtually all global biological systems. In recent years, there has been a surge in research endeavors aimed at investigating the potential relationship between changes in climate patterns and the spread of infectious diseases. This scoping review included studies on global warming and infectious diseases from 2019 to 2023, The studies included in this research were obtained from reputable academic databases such as Web of Science and google scholar. A systematic keyword search was conducted to identify relevant studies, and a predefined set of inclusion criteria was applied to review and select the appropriate studies for analysis. This review found that climate change has a remarkable impact on the dissemination and incidence of many infectious diseases, it increases microbial resistance and may increase the prevalence the arthropods-borne diseases with mild effect on fungal infections, also, the low to middle income countries may be affected more than other countries from these virulent pathogens, this study concluded that a future research in the field of climate change and infectious diseases should involve a thorough examination of the transmission of diseases, considering both direct and indirect modes of transmission

Objective: The stability of the flight phase in ski jumping is crucial for athletes' performance and safety. This study aims to investigate the influence of unfavorable conditions on aerodynamic characteristics and flight stability through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations. Methods: The ski jumper and the skis are considered as a multi-body system. A detailed three-dimensional (3D) model of this multi-body system under a commonly observed posture during flight is established. The partially averaged Navier-Stokes (PANS) turbulence model is employed, and CFD simulations are conducted to predict the aerodynamic characteristics of the multi-body system under lateral environmental wind and asymmetric postures during flight phase. The conditions of asymmetric postures include yaw rotation and roll rotation. Results: (1) Lateral environmental wind generated yaw force, yaw moment, and roll moment, which influenced the lift, drag, and pitch moment of the athlete. These forces and moments were relatively small at lower wind speeds (less than 3 m/s) and became more significant at higher wind speeds (greater than 4.5 m/s). (2) Under the influence of yaw rotation or roll rotation, the multi-body system exhibited noticeable yaw force, yaw moment, and roll moment, all showing a monotonic increasing trend. Moreover, they had a significant impact on the lift, drag, and pitch moment of the multi-body system. Conclusion: (1) The influence of unfavorable conditions is complex, resulting in significant yaw force, yaw moment, and roll moment on the multi-body system. The adverse effects of roll rotation were generally greater than those of yaw rotation. (2) The multi-body system exhibited self-stabilizing tendencies in yaw and roll. This phenomenon can provide a solution to maintain flight stability by employing appropriate yaw or (and) roll rotation angles, effectively compensating for or even eliminating the adverse effects of lateral environmental wind. (3) Understanding the mechanisms of how unfavorable conditions affect the aerodynamic characteristics and stability during flight in ski jumping can provide valuable assistance for real-time prediction and decision-making during competitions, as well as scientific guidance for training athletes stable flight control and techniques and improving their sport performance.

In the field of climate change adaptation, the future matters. Amongst others, river futures justify the way adaptation projects materialize in rivers. In this paper, we challenge the ways in which dominant paradigms and expert claims monopolise the truth concerning policies and designs of river futures, side-lining and delegitimizing alternative river futures. Currently, limited work is done to critically reflect on the power of river futures in the context of climate change adaptation. We conceptualized the power of river futures through river imaginaries: collectively performed and publicly envisioned reproductions of riverine socionatures, mobilized through truth claims of social life and social order. Through the Border Meuse project case study, a climate change adaptation project in a stretch of the river Meuse in the south of the Netherlands and a proclaimed success story of climate adaptation in Dutch water management, we elucidated how three river imaginaries: a modern river imaginary, a market-driven imaginary and an eco-centric river imaginary, merged and materialized as an eco-modern river imaginary. Importantly, not only the river futures merged, also their aligned truth regimes merged. To this end, we argue that George Orwell’s famous quote “Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present, controls the past” can be extended to ‘Who controls the future, controls how we see and act in the present, and how we rediscover the past’.

Human activities and natural events alter the earth’s surface and pose a constant threat to the environment. Thus, accurately monitoring and predicting these changes in a timely manner is crucial to provide solutions and mitigate the environmental consequences beforehand. This research introduces a novel framework, called HCD-Net, for change detection using bi-temporal hyperspectral images. The framework is based on double-stream deep feature extraction and an attention mechanism. The first stream focuses on deep feature extraction through 3D convolution layers and 3D Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) blocks. The second stream focuses on deep feature extraction through 2D convolution and 2D SE blocks. The extracted deep features are then concatenated and fed to dense layers for decision-making. The efficiency of HCD-Net is compared to the state-of-the-art change detection methods. Additionally, the bi-temporal Airborne Visible InfraRed Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) hyperspectral dataset was used for further evaluation of the change detection results. The results show that HCD-Net has a higher accuracy and the lowest false alarm rate, where the overall classification accuracy is above 96%, and the kappa coefficient is over 0.9.

Climate warming profoundly affect vegetative growth, flowering phenology and sexual reproduction of plants, therefore the ornamental value of wild flowers. Despite this, the extent and mechanism of the impact remain unclear. Here, we conducted warming experiment for two growing seasons (1.89 ℃ in 2017 and 2.37 ℃ in 2018 increases) with infrared heaters to examine the effects of warming on ornamental value of wild flower I. oxyanthera, endemic to China, in Mount Emei. We fitted generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and generalized linear model (GLM) to examine how warming affected plant morphology and floral traits. We evaluated comprehensive ornamental value based on plant morphology and flowering characteristics using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and disentangled the impact of the two traits on ornamental value using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) under the ambient and warming treatments. Warming decreased significantly plant height and crown width, while increased branch number and single leaf area. Warming also decreased vexillum length, corolla tube length, nectar spur length and pedicel length. In addition, warming shortened flowering duration per plant and reduced flower number, while there was no significant effect on flower longevity, flower color at full-bloom stage between the control and warming treatment. Therefore, comprehensive ornamental value under warming was lower than that under the control. Pedicel length, flower color, flower longevity and flowering duration per plant were the main factors of affecting comprehensive ornamental value. PLS-SEM showed that warming had an indirect negative effect on ornamental value via direct negative effects on flowering traits. Collectively, these results indicate that although promoting vegetative growth, short-term warming decreased significantly ornamental value of I. oxyanthera due to warming-caused smaller flowers and shorter flowering duration.

The overwhelming evidence supports the assertion that the climate is undergoing change. Understanding the perception of locals of the magnitude of climate change and its influence on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) challenge at a global scale. Although studies on climate change, value addition, and the multiple uses of NTFPs and their impact on local livelihoods have been conducted, locals' perceptions of these factors have not been fully explored. This study aims to assess various social factors, including education, gender, and religion, and their influence on locals' perceptions of the abovementioned factors. The research focused on five regions where NTFPs are prevalent in Ghana (Western North, Bono, Ahafo, Ashanti, and Eastern regions). To investigate the impact of social factors on local perceptions of climate change, value addition, and the multiple values of NTFPs within rural communities, a total of 732 interviews with a team of interviewers across these five regions in Ghana were carried out. We applied a logistic regression model to assess the social factors and their influencing locals’ perceptions of the mentioned variables. It was revealed that age, gender, education, and occupation did not significantly influence locals' perceptions of climate change. However, religion was found to influence locals' perceptions of climate change. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that gender (P<0.000328) and education (P<0.00426) strongly influenced locals' perceptions of value addition to NTFPs. In contrast, religion and constraints (related to time, finance, and skills) did not significantly influence locals' perceptions. Additionally, it was observed that gender (0.00132), education (0.00692), and religion (8.12e-05) significantly influenced how locals perceive and use NTFPs. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the intricate interplay among local perceptions, climate change, value addition, multiple uses of NTFPs, and the capacity of NTFPs to enhance the well-being of forest fringe communities. These findings underscore the importance of comprehensive, tailor-made interventions that consider local perspectives and adhere to sustainable approaches, with the aim of optimising the positive impacts of NTFPs in poverty alleviation and overall community development.

Digital-Radio-Frequency-Memory (DRFM) has emerged as an advanced technique to achieve diverse jamming signals, due to its capability of intercepting waveforms within a short time. Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) radars can transmit agile orthogonal waveform sets for different pulses to combat the DRFM-based jamming, where any two groups of waveform sets are also orthogonal. In order to design multiple groups of orthogonal waveform sets at the same time, this article formulates a group orthogonal waveforms optimal design model, whose objec-tive function is the weighted sum of the intra- and inter-group orthogonal performances metrics. To solve this optimization problem, this article proposes a group orthogonal waveforms design algorithm. Based on a primal-dual type method and proper relaxations, the proposed algorithm transforms the original problem into a series of simple sub-problems. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has the ability to balance the intra- and inter-group orthogonal performances by adjusting the weighting factors, which is not available using other state-of-the-art orthogonal waveform design algorithms.

The study combines two critical aspects of climate research in Nigeria. The first segment focuses on improving predictive performance of global circulation models (GCMs) employing ensemble techniques. ANN ensemble displayed significant improvement in the accuracy of climate projections, particularly in high-altitude geographic areas where traditional models exhibit limitations. Performance evaluation metrics such as Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE), and Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) demonstrate the effectiveness of the ANN multimodal ensemble. Building on the improved climate modelling, the second segment delves into a spatial and temporal analysis of rainfall and mean temperature patterns under climate change in Nigeria. By considering two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), namely RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, the study utilizes dynamically downscaled GCMs obtained from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5). The Mann-Kendall test reveals significant spatiotemporal variations in climate trends across the country. The warming trend is particularly pronounced in the northern regions, with RCP8.5 showing more severe impacts compared to RCP4.5. This integrated approach not only highlights the importance of multimodal ensembles in climate modelling but also provides valuable insights into the spatial and temporal patterns of climate change to inform effective adaptation and mitigation strategies for Nigeria.

In addition to changes in the amount of rain, changes in land use upstream are considered a factor that directly affects the maximum runoff flow in a basin, especially in areas that have experienced floods and flash floods. This research article presents the application of the SWAT model to assess runoff in areas that have experienced flash floods, in order to analyze the proportion of land use change to the maximum runoff. Study areas that had experienced flash floods were in 3 basins in Thailand (Lam Saphung Basin, Phrom River Basin, and Chern River Basin Part 1 which is a subbasin of the Nam Chi River Basin). This study analyzed two main factors that influence runoff in the river basin: Changes in rainfall and changes in land use by considering 2 simulation situations.: (1) Changes in land use affecting runoff assessed by considering land use maps in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021 when using rainfall data only in the year 2021 for all cases, and (2) Changes in the amount of rainfall influencing runoff by considering the rainfall record in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021 when using the land use data only in the year 2021 for all cases. The results of the study found that the SWAT model can be effectively applied to estimate annual runoff in areas that have experienced flash floods under 8 parameters with R2 values of 0.74, 0.82 and 0.74 for the Lam Saphung River Basin and the Phrom River Basin and the Chern River Basin Part 1 respectively. In addition, it was found that the proportion of land use changes that involved changes from forest areas to residential areas was the greatest from 2008 to 2010 in the Phrom River Basin and Chern River Basin Part 1. This resulted in an increase in the maximum runoff amount of 77.78% and 46.87%, respectively. When land use was constant, it was found that the rainfall in 2010, which was the highest, also had the greatest impact on the runoff in all 3 areas.

Prospecting for a future breeding site is an essential component of informed dispersal. It allows individuals to reduce the uncertainty of their environment by gathering personal and social information about the local quality of alternative breeding areas, and to make informed emigration and settlement decisions. Although this process has been studied in territorial and social animal species for decades, it is still not well-understood and spatial patterns of prospecting movements are hard to generalize over taxa or even species due to substantial intra and inter-specific variability. Using 124 empirical studies which have explicitly described prospecting in a context of breeding habitat selection in birds, mammals, fish and invertebrates, I review why, how, when and which individuals prospect depending on their life history traits and sociality. From this synthesis, I identify persisting knowledge gaps which explain why prospecting is still understudied and sometimes overlooked. I finally propose key objectives and research directions, to shed light on prospecting movements and their consequences on informed dispersal strategies, individual fitness and population dynamics, both empirically and theoretically. A better understanding of the mechanisms underlying prospecting, their causes and their consequences will fully reveal how prospecting could constitute a powerful adaptive response to environmental changes for many social and territorial species which will help them persist on the long-term. It will also significantly enhance our ability to predict species responses to environmental changes and thus, inform more effective management plans for threatened species

The study explores the value of indigenous knowledge in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change in rural communities of Uganda. It provides an overview of how rural farmers use traditional and indigenous knowledge to predict weather changes to inform their adaptation and mitigation plans. The study intended to investigate how climate change effects were managed by the rural communities of Bakiga using indigenous knowledge and practices. Specifically, it sought to establish how local farmers’ innovations and practices were used to mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance food security. A case study research design with triangulation of data sources was employed. The study was conducted in Rukiga District, southwestern Uganda, where rural farmers were interviewed to explore their practices for reducing the effects of climate change to enhance food security. Thematic data analysis was used to get participants’ experiences and views regarding indigenous knowledge and effects of climate change mitigation. The findings indicate that rural farmers have indigenous practices of mitigating the effects climate change and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In recent years, both domestic and international research on quadruped robots has advanced towards high dynamics and agility, with a focus on high-speed locomotion as a representative motion in high-dynamic activities. Quadruped animals like cheetahs exhibit high-speed running capabilities, attributed to the indispensable role played by their flexible spines during the flight phase motion. This paper establishes dynamic models of quadruped robots with different degrees of spine flexibility, providing a parameterized description of the flight phase motion for both rigid trunks and flexible spine quadruped robots. By setting different initial values for the spine joint and calculating the flight phase results for both types of robots at various initial velocities, the study compares and analyzes the impact of a flexible spine on the flight phase motion of quadruped robots. Through comparative experiments, the research aims to validate the influence of a flexible spine during the flight phase motion, providing insights into how spine flexibility affects the flight phase motion of quadruped robots.

Femtoscopy is a unique tool to investigate the space-time geometry of the matter created in ultra-relativistic collisions. If the probability density distribution of hadron emission is parametrized, then the dependence of its parameters on particle momentum, collision energy, and collision geometry can be given. In recent years, several measurements came to light that indicated the adequacy of assuming a Lévy-stable shape for the mentioned distribution. In parallel, several new phenomenological developments appeared, aiding the interpretation of the experimental results, or providing tools for the measurements. In this paper we review and discuss some of these advances, phenomenological and experimental.

Implementing net-zero building design is a crucial step towards decarbonizing the built environment during the entire lifecycle of a building, encompassing both embodied and operational carbon. This paper presents a novel computational approach to design Life Cycle Zero-Carbon Building (LC-ZCB), utilizing parametric integrated modeling through the versatile Grasshopper platform and its plug-ins. The Department of Energy’s prototype residential building at New York Institute of Technology, optimized to fulfill the LC-ZCB target, serves as the base building for this comprehensive study. Four main influencing design parameters, namely geometry, construction technology, thermal resistance of the envelope, and on-site renewable energy production, are defined and three-hundred design combinations are evaluated through the assessment of the operational carbon (OC) and embodied carbon (EC). By incorporating bio-based materials in the design options, the influence of biogenic carbon on the whole carbon footprint of the building case study is addressed by utilizing the GWPbio dynamic method, which assumes 100-year time horizon and incorporates dynamic characterization factors based on time of pulse emissions and two variables: rotation of the biomass and storage period of carbon in products. Finally, to account for potential climate changes, future climate data and 2099 weather conditions are considered during the scenarios assessment. The results demonstrate the potential for achieving LC-ZCB when fast growing biobased materials are largely used as construction materials, fostering a more environmentally responsible future for the construction industry.