The present study aims to develop an efficient numerical method for computing the diffraction and radiation of water waves with horizontal long cylindrical structures, such as floating breakwaters. A higher-order scheme is used to discretize geometry of the structure as well as the relevant physical quantities. As the kernel of this method, Wehausen’s free-surface Green function is calculated by a newly-developed Gauss-Kronrod adaptive quadrature algorithm after elimination of its Cauchy-type singularities. To improve computational efficiency, a Chebyshev approximation approach is applied to a fast calculation of the Green function that needs evaluation thousands of times. In addition, OpenMP parallel technique is used to the formation of influence coefficient matrix, which significantly reduces CPU time. Finally, computations are performed on wave exciting forces and hydrodynamic coefficients for the long cylindrical structures, either floating or submerged. Comparison with other numerical and analytical methods demonstrates good performance of the present method.

To investigate the effect of prohexadione-calcium (Pro-Ca) primed on seed germination and seedling growth of oilseed rape under salt stress, to alleviate the inhibition of soil salinization on the growth of oilseed rape, and to improve the sustainability of agricultural production. Using Huayouza 158R and Huayouza 62 as test materials, the regulation of seed germination and seedling growth under the stresses of 0, 100, and 150 mM NaCl (S0, S100, and S150) was investigated after the primed of Pro-Ca. We conducted six treatments, S0: non-primed + 0 mM NaCl, PCS0: Pro-Ca primed + 0 mM NaCl, S100: non-primed + 100 mM NaCl, PCS100: Pro-Ca primed + 100 mM NaCl, S150: non-primed + 150mM NaCl, Pro-Ca+S150: Pro-Ca primed + 150 mM NaCl. The results showed that salt stress inhibited seed germination and seedling growth, and Pro-Ca primed significantly increased the germination index and vigor index of oilseed rape seeds. The average germination time and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were significantly reduced, which resulted in the optimal initiation fiddling concentration of 8mg·L-1. The morphological parameters of oilseed rape decreased significantly under salt stress, with leaf area decreasing by 70.69% and 75.03% and total chlorophyll content decreasing by 18.55% and 18.68% at S150. With the rise of salt stress, the changes of each photosynthetic parameter were somewhat similar, and Pn, Gs, Ci, and Tr continued to decline, indicating that the effects of salt stress on photosynthesis in oilseed rape might be mainly attributed to stomatal restriction and inhibition of photosynthetic pigment synthesis. While Na+ and MDA contents increased significantly, reaching a peak at S150, indicating that Na+ content increased significantly under salt stress, which resulted in the slow growth of oilseed rape and weak plants under the influence of Na+ salt damage. After Pro-Ca primed, leaf area and photosynthetic pigment synthesis increased, and the initiation treatment promoted the rise of Pn, Gs, Ci, and Tr under salt stress. The Na+ content decreased by 7.29% and 6.96% in PCS100 compared with S100, decreased by 9.23% and 25.02% in PCS150 compared with S150, and increased in K+ and Mg2+ after Pro-Ca primed. At this time, the antioxidant enzyme activities increased, and the MDA content and relative conductivity decreased. It was concluded that Pro-Ca primed improved the photosynthetic capacity of oilseed rape by promoting leaf growth, stomatal opening, and photosynthetic pigment synthesis. At the same time, reducing Na+ content and promoting K+ and Mg2+ absorption and antioxidant enzyme activities together alleviate salt damage and improve salt tolerance of oilseed rape.

Sentiment analysis plays a crucial role in understanding customer feedback, guiding product development, and informing business decisions. This paper introduces term sentiment entropy (TSE), a novel weighting method that leverages the distribution of sentiment labels associated with words to enhance text classification accuracy. TSE complements traditional TF-IDF techniques by capturing the nuances of sentiment variation across different contexts. Experiments across diverse public datasets demonstrate TSE's potential to improve sentiment analysis performance, especially in capturing subtle sentiment shifts and adapting to specific domains. While computational cost and label quality pose challenges, TSE offers a promising avenue for refining sentiment analysis and opening new research frontiers.

Remote Photoplethysmography (rPPG) has emerged as a non-intrusive and promising physiological sensing capability in HCI research, gradually extending its applications in health-monitoring and clinical care contexts. With advanced machine learning models, recent datasets collected in real-world conditions have gradually enhanced the performance of rPPG methods in recovering heart-rate and heart-rate variability metrics. However, the signal quality of reference ground-truth PPG data in existing datasets is by and large neglected, while poor quality references negatively influence models. Here, this work introduces a new imaging blood volume pulse (iBVP) dataset of synchronized RGB and thermal infrared videos with PPG ground-truth signals from the ear and its high resolution signal quality labels, for the first time. Participants perform rhythmic breathing, head-movement, and stress-inducing tasks, which help reflect real-world variations in psycho-physiological states. This work conducts dense (per sample) signal quality assessment to discard noisy segments of ground-truth and corresponding video frames. We further present a novel end-to-end machine learning framework, iBVPNet that features an efficient and effective spatio-temporal feature aggregation for reliable estimation of BVP signals. Finally, this work examines the feasibility of extracting BVP signals from thermal video frames, which is underexplored. The iBVP dataset and source codes are publicly available for research use.

This study explores the near-surface dispersion mechanisms of contaminants in coastal waters, leveraging a comprehensive method that includes using dye and drifters as tracers, coupled with diverse observational platforms like drones, satellites, in-situ sampling, and HF radar. The aim is to deepen our understanding of surface currents' impact on contaminant dispersion, thereby improving predictive models for environmental incident management, including pollutant releases. Rhodamine WT dye, chosen for its significant fluorescent properties and detectability, along with drifter data, allowed us to investigate the dynamics of near-surface physical phenomena such as the Ekman current, Stokes drift, and wind-driven currents. Our research emphasizes the importance of integrating scalar tracers and Lagrangian markers in experimental designs, revealing differential dispersion behaviors due to near-surface vertical shear caused by the Ekman current and Stokes drift. The elongation direction of the dye patch aligns with the Ekman current direction during slow current conditions. Analytical calculations of vertical shear, based on the Ekman current and Stokes drift, closely matched those derived from tracer observations. Over a 7-hour experiment, the vertical diffusivity of near-surface water was observed at 2×10-4 m2/s, and the horizontal eddy diffusivity of the dye patch and drifters reached the order of 1 m2/s and at a 1000m length scale. Particle tracking models demonstrate that while HF radar currents can effectively predict the trajectories of tracers near the surface, incorporating near-surface currents, including Ekman current, Stokes drift, and windage, is essential for a more accurate prediction of the fate of surface floats.

South Africa is a water stressed country experiencing mass urbanisation especially towards coastal cities. The country is already enduring the impacts of global warming and climate change with risk of water scarcity in many areas. The risk was evident with Cape Town near encounter with ‘Day Zero’ i.e., the day when water supplies would have been switched off and residents required to queue for daily water rations. The drought exposed the inadequa-cies of the existing water supply system. Paradoxically, in the same drought period, vast amounts of unutilized stormwater that could have augmented water supply run unabated into the ocean through rivers around the city. The study determined that the problem was not necessarily water shortage but lack of adequate water storage. This study investigated the suitability of coastal reservoirs for stormwater harvesting on the over 3000 km South African coastline. The objective was to identify suitable locations for coastal reservoirs. The study un-dertook a systematic process of selecting several candidate locations and eliminating unsuita-ble sites based on international best practice i.e., coastal topography, climate, hydrology, fluvi-al environment, catchment size and river water quality. Nine candidate sites were identified and ranked based on suitability and associated benefits. The identified locations in order of ranking include Knysna River, Berg River, Buffalo River, Kowie River, Thukela River, Orange River, Port of Richards Bay, Port of Durban, and Lourens River. The Knysna site, with a mean annual precipitation of 600 - 800 mm/annum and mean annual runoff of 100 - 500 Mm3/annum, was determined to be the most optimal location.

Historically, urban development has always been centered on coastal areas – with access to waterbodies – seas, rivers and canals being a significant advantage for movement and trade. With most of the world’s megapolises located on coasts, land reclamation offers a solution for the expansion of city centers which are otherwise restricted by the coastline. The current understanding of urban regeneration and development on reclaimed lands is defined in this study, answering the basic questions of what, why and how. This study aims to assess the urban regeneration on reclaimed coastal land based on the principles of sustainable development defined by existing studies. The literature review establishes a theoretical framework and defines performance-based benchmarks identifying the spatial indicators of urban development. Composite indicators namely open space coverage, land use mix, percentage of coast for people, accessibility to public transportation and amenities, availability of pedestrian paths and cycling tracks and adequate road networks are considered for this framework. The conclusions are drawn based on the results of the analysis of spatial layout using GIS as a tool to map and empirically measure each indicator. The framework is validated using a major land reclamation project, West Bay, in the coastal urban area of ​​the city of Doha. The results determine that West Bay has achieved a good level of sustainability, although there are areas that could be enhanced to further improve the overall sustainability of urban development. These findings can serve as a guide for policymakers and various stakeholders for sustainable urban planning on reclaimed coastal lands.

Regeneration of lost tail is of great importance to lizards. Anolis carolinensis, a green lizard, is capable of regenerating its tail efficiently after autotomy. Hence, it is considered as a model organism in regeneration study. A. carolinensis shed its tail in order to distract the predator’s attention and thus makes a way to escape. Restoring of the amputated tail takes several days and the mechanism is currently clearly understood. Although save its life, tail regeneration is associated with the impairment of several vital functions in Anoles. In addition, various differences have been observed between original and regenerated tail in terms of mechanism and structure. To date, very little work has been conducted on tail autotomy and regeneration at molecular and genetic level. The genes responsible for regeneration in anoles are identified recently. These genes are evolutionarily conserved through all tetrapod vertebrates. They are, however, in a state of ‘switched-off’ in other vertebrates including humans. Consequently, a throughout study of these so called ‘switched-off’ genes may provide a way of restoring lost organs in human, and thus could revolutionize the modern medical science.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are a promising form of immunotherapy that has significantly changed the therapeutic landscape for many advanced cancers. They have shown unique clinical benefit against a broad range of tumour types and a strong overall impact on survival in studied patient populations. However, there are still many limitations holding back this immunotherapy from reaching its full potential as a possible curative option for advanced cancer patients. A great deal of research is being undertaken in the hope of driving advancements in this area, building a better understanding of the mechanisms behind immune checkpoint inhibition and ultimately developing more effective, safer, and wider-reaching agents. Taking into account the current literature on this topic, this review aims to explore in depth the basis of the use of ICIs in the treatment of advanced cancers, evaluate its efficacy and safety, consider its current limitations, and finally reflect on what the future holds for this very promising form of cancer immunotherapy.

Tailings generated by mining account for the largest proportion of global waste from industrial activities. Copper is relatively uncommon world-wide, with low concentrations in sediments and waters, yet is very elevated around mining sites. On the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan, USA, jutting out into Lake Superior, 140 mines extracted native copper from the Portage Lake Volcanic Series, part of an intercontinental rift system. Between 1901-1932, two mills at Gay (Mohawk, Wolverine) sluiced 22.7 million metric tonnes (MMT) of copper-rich tailings (stamp sands) into Grand (Big) Traverse Bay. Here we examine: 1) 3D coastal elevation and reef bathymetry, 2) particle dispersal, 3) copper concentrations and leaching, plus 4) shoreline toxicity. About 10 MMT of tailings created a migrating coastal beach that stretches 7 km from the Gay pile to the Traverse River Seawall. Another 10 MMT are moving underwater on the coastal shelf, threatening Buffalo Reef, an important lake trout and whitefish breeding ground. Aerial photos, ALS (plane) LiDAR, and relatively inexpensive UAS (drone) surveys characterize shoreline structure and aid initial remediation. Because sands (natural beach quartz, stamp sand basalt) are silicates of similar density, particle dispersal is similar and challenging. However, stamp sand beaches contrast greatly with natural sand beaches in both physical profile and chemistry. Dispersing particles retain copper, and release toxic concentrations. Leaching is elevated by exposure to high DOC and low pH waters. Field experiments, shoreline seining, and benthic sampling confirm serious impacts on aquatic biota, supporting tailings removal.

In recent decades, as eutrophication in inland and coastal waters (ICWs) has increased due to anthropogenic activities and global warming, so has the need for timely monitoring. Compared with traditional sampling and laboratory analysis methods, satellite remote sensing technology can provide macro-scale, low-cost, and near real-time water quality monitoring services. The Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), integrated onboard the Communication Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) from the Republic of Korea, was the first geostationary ocean color observation satellite and was operational from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2021. Over ten years, GOCI has observed oceans, coastal waters, and inland waters within its 2,500 km×2,500 km target area centered on the Korean Peninsula. The most attractive feature of GOCI, compared with other commonly used watercolor sensors, was its high temporal resolution (1h, eight times daily from 0 UTC to 7 UTC), providing the opportunity to monitor the quality of ICWs, where optical properties can change rapidly throughout the day. This systematic review aims to comprehensively review GOCI features and applications in ICWs, analyzing progress in atmospheric correction algorithms and water quality monitoring. Analyzing 123 articles from the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) through a bibliometric quantitative approach, we examined GOCI’s strength and performance with different processing methods. These articles reveal that GOCI played an essential role in monitoring the ecological health of ICWs in its observation area in East Asia. GOCI has led the way to a new era of geostationary ocean satellites, providing new technical means for monitoring water quality in oceans, coastal zones, and inland lakes. We also discuss the challenges encountered by geostationary satellites in monitoring water quality and provide suggestions for improvements.

Coasts are characterized by high biological and ecological productivities, and are theatre of strategic economic activities, including tourism, fishing and aquaculture. Both anthropic and natural hazards can thus affect coasts, causing their deterioration. The monitoring of coasts in terms of evolution, adaptation, contamination and resilience, is a pivotal point composed of both classic measurement approaches, and innovative approaches as remote sensing and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles. In the last years, climate change is increasing its effects all over the world and coasts are a delicate system suffering these effects particularly. Climate change has important impacts on coasts, with a serious consequence represented by sea level rise. The latter causes coastal erosion, leading to ecological and economic issues and with consequences for human health. The Mediterranean Basin, which has always represented an important crossroads of different civilizations and economic and cultural exchanges, is now threatened by the consequences of climate change. This area is decribed as an example of coastal system of strategic importance and subjected to serious challenges. Engineering interventions are countermeasures to cope with coastal erosion and coastal degradation. These countermeasures are aimed at protecting the coasts and the populations living on the coasts. The types of intervention can be defined of hard engineering, as in the case of fixed structures in concrete, and of soft engineering, with structures of protection builted according to the principles of nature. Engineering procedures provide coastal benefits, although they can cause further coastal damage. It is thus necessary to protect the coasts and the same time actions aimed at mitigating climate change must be implemented, according to the rules of sustainability.

Mangroves offer vital ecological advantages including air and water filtration, coastal and estuarine habitat provision, sediment stabilization, and wave energy absorption. Their intricate root systems play a key role in safeguarding shorelines from tsunamis and erosive storms by dissipating wave energy. Moreover, mangroves shield against boat wakes and wind-waves, bolstering shoreline defense. Wave dissipation is a function of forest width, tree diameter, and forest density. Restoration efforts of juvenile mangroves in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon (IRL) aim to reduce wave energy in areas vulnerable to erosion. Physical model testing of wave dissipation through mangroves is limited due to the complexity in representing the mangrove structure, where prop roots are non-uniform in both diameter and location. Previous studies have quantified wave dissipating effects through use of scaled and parameterized mangrove structures. This study measures the dissipation effects of live mangroves in a wave flume, forced by conditions representative of the IRL. These measurements are used to validate a parameterized dowel model. Error between wave attenuation factors for the live mangrove and dowel system was on average 2.5%. Validation of the modularized dowel system allowed for further parameterized testing to understand forest structure effects, such as sediment stabilization and wave attenuation.

Abstract: High step-up voltage gain nonisolated DC-DC converter have attracted much attention in photovoltaic, fuel cells and other renewable energy system applications. In this paper, by combining input current ripple-free boost cell with coupled-inductor voltage-doubler cell, an input current ripple-free high voltage gain nonisolated converter is proposed. In addition, passive lossless clamp circuit is adopted to recycle the leakage inductor energy and to reduce the voltage spike across the power switch. By utilizing voltage-doubler cell consisting of diode and capacitor, the voltage stress of switch is further reduced and the resonance between the leakage inductor and the stray capacitor of the output diode is eliminated. A low switch-on-resistance low-voltage-rated MOSFET can therefore be employed to reduce the conduction loss and cost. The reverse recovery loss of output diode is reduced, and the efficiency of converter can be improved. Furthermore, the proposed converter can achieve nearly zero input current-ripple and make the design of electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter easy. Steady state analysis and operation mode of the converter is performed. Finally, experimental results are presented to verify the analysis results of the proposed converter.

In the field of railroad safety, effective detection of surface cracks is critical, necessitating reliable, high-speed non-destructive testing (NDT) methods. This study introduces a hybrid Eddy Current Testing (ECT) probe, specifically engineered for railroad inspection, to address the common issue of ’lift-off noise’ due to varying distances between the probe and test material. Unlike traditional ECT methods, this probe integrates transmit and differential receiver coils, aiming to enhance detection sensitivity and minimize lift-off impact. The study optimizes ECT probes employing different driver coils, emphasizing three main objectives: a) quantitatively evaluating each probe using signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) and outlining a real-time data processing algorithm based on SNR methodology; b) exploring the frequency range proximal to the electrical resonance of the receiver coil; c) examining sensitivity variations across varying lift-off distances. The experimental outcomes indicate that the newly designed probe with figure 8-shape driver coil significantly improves sensitivity in detecting surface cracks on railroads. It achieves an impressive SNR exceeding 100 for defects with minimal dimensions of 1 mm in width and depth. Simulation results closely align with experimental findings, validating the investigation of optimal operational frequency and lift-off distance for selected probe performance, determined to be 0.3 MHz and 0.5 mm, respectively. The realization of this project would lead to notable advancements in enhancing railroad safety by improving crack detection efficiency.

Contamination in coastal regions attributed to fluoride and nitrate cannot be disregarded, given the substantial environmental and public health issues they present worldwide. Maintaining water quality is crucial for environmental well-being. This comprehensive study was performed to assess the spatial as well as indexical water quality, identify contamination sources, and evaluate associated health risks pertaining to nitrate and flouride in AlHassa region, KSA. The physiochemical results revealed a pervasive pollution of the overall groundwater. The dominant water type was Na-Cl, indicating saltwater intrusion and reverse ion exchange impact. Spatiotemporal variations in physicochemical properties suggest diverse hydrochemical mechanisms, with geogenic factors primarily influencing groundwater chemistry. The groundwater pollution index varied between 0.8426 and 4.7172, classifying samples as moderately to very highly polluted. Similarly, the synthetic pollution index (in the range of 0.5021-4.0715) revealed that none of the samples had excellent water quality, with various degrees of pollution categories. Nitrate Health Quotient (HQ) values indicated chronic human health risks ranging from low to severe, with newborns being the most vulnerable. Household use of nitrate-rich groundwater for showering and cleaning did not pose significant health risks. Fluoride HQ decreased with age, and children faced the highest risk of fluorosis. The Hazard Index (HI) yielded moderate to high-risk values. Nitrate risks were 1.21 times higher than fluoride risks, as per average HI assessment. All samples fell into the vulnerable category based on the Total Hazard Index (THI), with 88.89% classified as very high risk. This research provides valuable insights into groundwater quality, guiding water authorities, inhabitants, and researchers in identifying safe water sources and vulnerable human populations. The results highlight the need for appropriate treatment techniques and long-term coastal groundwater management plans.

Introduction Livestock abortigenic agents, which are microorganisms that lead to premature foetal death and expulsion before completion of the gestation period, are common in Africa and Asia. Abortion events cause economic losses by lowering reproduction (and hence herd/flock sizes) and effects on milk production. Despite the importance of livestock production for food security and livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest communities, very little is known about the scale, magnitude or causes of livestock abortion in Africa. The aim of this review was to determine the current status of the burden of livestock abortion and surveillance measures adopted for livestock abortigenic pathogens in Africa and Asia, and to explore feasible surveillance technologies. Methodology A systematic literature search was conducted using Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in four databases for studies published between 1 Jan 1990 and 31 July 2021 that reported epidemiological surveys of livestock abortigenic pathogens in cattle, goats and sheep in Africa and Asia including; Brucella spp., Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Rift valley fever virus, Coxiella burnetii, Chlamydia, Leptospira and Bovine viral Diarrhoea Virus. A meta-analysis was used to estimate the species-specific prevalence of the abortigenic diseases and the region where they were detected. Results In the systematic literature search, 48 full papers were included which in total included 50 species-specific surveillance reports from Africa and 19 from Asia. Adjusted median seroprevalence calculations estimated Brucella at 6.85% (range 1.2-11.6) of 9071 sheep, 3.35% (range 0.90-5.40) of 17,007 goats, 8.95% (range 0.50-63.60) of 171,733 cattle, Neospora at 6.80% (range 6.80 -6.80) of 555 sheep, 10.80 (range 10.80-10.80) of 185 goats, 12.65% (range 3.40- 25.60) of 3775 cattle, Toxoplasma at 27.50% (range 1.40 – 75.90) of 2284 sheep, 32.0% (range 20.00- 64.80) of 1226 goats, 7.50% (range 7.50 - 7.50) of 174 cattle, Coxiella at 9.20 (range 9.20 – 9.20) of 184 sheep, 24.20% (range 24.20-24.20) of 91 goats, 13.80% (range 13.80-13.80) of 217 cattle, Rift valley fever virus at 7.70 (2.40-40.00) of 874 sheep, 20.95 (range 2.50-40.00) of 547 goats, 7.45% (range 3.60-11.30) of 309 cattle, Bovine viral diarrhea virus at 78.90 (range 78.90 – 78.90) of 398 cattle, Leptospira at 70.50 (range 70.50 – 70.50) of 373 cattle and Chlamydia at 6.60 (6.60-6.60) of 803 sheep. We found that most studies, 45 (89%) used serological surveys, 1 (2%) used molecular and 1 (2%) reported to have used Mobile-phone based surveillance approach. Three studies (6.25%) of the 48 included were embedded in the national surveillance programs of the respective countries they were conducted, majority 89% were stand-alone cross-sectional studies. Conclusion In conclusion, livestock abortigenic pathogens are still a burden in many African and Asian countries.

The invasion of ship domain stands out as a significant factor contributing to the risk of collisions during vessel navigation. However, there is a lack of research on the mechanisms underlying collision risks specifically related to merchant and fishing vessels in coastal waters. This study proposes an assessment method for collision risks between merchant and fishing vessels in coastal waters and validated through a comparative analysis through visualization. First of all, the operational status of fishing vessels is identified. Collaboratively working fishing vessels are treated as a unified entity, expanding their ship domain during operation to assess collision risks. Secondly, to quantify the collision risk between ships, a collision risk index (CRI) is proposed and visualized based on the severity of collision risk. Finally, taking the high risk area of merchant and fishing vessels collision in the Minjiang River Estuary as an example, this paper conduct the analysis involves classifying ship collision scenarios, extracting risk data under different collision scenarios, and visually analyzing areas prone to danger. The results indicate that this method effectively evaluates the severity of collision risk, and the identified high-risk areas resulting from the analysis is verified by accidents occurred in the recent three years.

Keywords: Marine Coasts; Protected Areas; Defense and Conservation; Asbestos Cement Materials; Wastes; Contamination; Human Health Risk; Medical Geology.

Thyroid surgery rates have tripled over the past 3 decades making it one of the most frequently performed procedures within general surgery. They are associated with the possibility of serious postoperative complications having a significant impact on the patient's quality of life. The recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy and the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve (EBSLN) palsy are, next to hypoparathyroidism and bleeding after operation, one of the most common complications. The introduction of neuromonitoring into thyroid surgery, enabling both confirmation of anatomical integrity and assessment of laryngeal nerve function, was a milestone that has begun a new era in thyroid surgery. The International Neural Monitoring Study Group made standardization of the technique of RLN and EBSLN monitoring during thyroid and parathyroid surgery which increased prevalence of neural monitoring during thyroidectomy. Current status of IONM and benefits of its use have been presented in this publication.

The gastrointestinal tract is colonized by trillions of different microorganisms, named the gut microbiota, which is key to degrade undigested food such as dietary fibers. The fermentation of these food components leads to the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which exploit several beneficial roles for the host’s health. Their production and absorption happen in different ways in the human intestine and depend on the type of dietary fiber reaching the gut and the microorganisms involved in the fermentation. The supplementation of SCFAs, mostly butyrate, in treating gastrointestinal, metabolic, cardiovascular, and gut-brain-related diseases has been reported in the medical literature. This review aims to give an overview of the production and absorption dynamics of acetate, propionate, and butyrate in the human gut, with a final focus on the role played by these SCFAs on gastrointestinal and metabolic health and the present therapeutic implications.

Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva (FOP) is an enigmatic, ultra-rare genetic disorder characterized by progressive heterotopic ossification, wherein soft connective tissues undergo pathological transformation into bone structures. This incapacitating process severely limits patient mobility and poses formidable challenges for therapeutic intervention. Predominantly caused by missense mutations in the ACVR1 gene, the disorder has hitherto defied comprehensive mechanistic understanding and effective treatment paradigms. This write-up offers a comprehensive overview of the contemporary understanding of FOP's complex pathobiology, underscored by advances in molecular genetics and proteomic studies. We shed light on targeted therapy, spanning genetic therapeutics, enzymatic and transcriptional modulation, stem cell therapies, and innovative immunotherapies. We also focused on the intricate complexities surrounding clinical trial design for ultra-rare disorders like FOP, addressing fundamental statistical limitations, ethical conundrums, and methodological advancements essential for the success of interventional studies. We advocate for the adoption of a multi-disciplinary approach that converges bench-to-bedside research, clinical expertise, and ethical considerations to tackle the challenges of ultra-rare diseases like FOP and comparable ultra-rare diseases. Overall, this article serves a dual role: as a definitive scientific resource for ongoing and future FOP research and as a call to action for innovative solutions to address methodological and ethical challenges that impede progress in the broader field of medical research for ultra-rare conditions.

A reliable and efficient rail track defect detection system is essential for maintaining rail track integrity and avoiding safety hazards and financial losses. Eddy current (EC) testing is a non-destructive technique that can be employed for this purpose. The trade-off between spatial resolution and lift-off should be carefully considered in practical applications to distinguish closely spaced cracks such as those caused by rolling contact fatigue (RCF). A multi-channel eddy current sensor array has been developed to detect defects on rails. Based on the sensor scanning data, defect reconstruction along the rails is achieved using an inverse algorithm that includes both direct and iterative approaches. In experimental evaluations, the EC system with the developed sensor is used to measure defects on a standard test piece of rail with a probe lift-off of 4-6 mm. The reconstruction results clearly reveal cracks at various depths and spacings on the test piece.

Short-range Internet of Things (IoT) sensor nodes operating at 2.4 GHz need to provide ubiquitous wireless sensor networks (WSNs) with energy-efficient, wide-range output power (POUT) and fully integrated on a single chip for wireless body area networks (WBANs) and wireless personal area networks (WPANs) using low-power Bluetooth (BLE) and Zigbee standards. The proposed fully integrated transmitter (TX) utilizes a digitally controllable current-mode class-D (CMCD) power amplifier (PA) with a second harmonic distortion (HD2) suppression to reduce VCO pulling in an integrated system while meeting harmonic limit regulations. The CMCD PA is divided into 7-bit slices that can be reconfigured between differential and single-ended topologies. Duty cycle distortion compensation is performed for HD2 suppression, and an HD2 rejection filter and a modified C-L-C low-pass filter (LPF) reduce HD2 further. Implemented in a 28 nm CMOS process, the TX achieves a wide POUT range of from 12.1 to -31 dBm and provides a maximum efficiency of 39.8% while consuming 41.1 mW at 12.1 dBm POUT. The calibrated HD2 level is -82.2 dBc at 9.93 dBm POUT, resulting in a transmitter figure of merit (TX_FoM) of -97.52 dB. Higher order harmonic levels remain below -41.2 dBm even at 12.1 dBm POUT, meeting regulatory requirements.

Approximately 20% of the world's population resides in coastal areas at risk of rising sea levels due to climate change. This could lead to severe weather events and ecological impact on critical infrastructure. To combat the effects of water-based environmental forces on the land, hard engineering methods such as seawalls have been utilized. However, a more sustainable solution is emerging in nature-based engineering, which involves growing vegetation. This approach can help extend the lifespan of existing technology and provide climate change adaptation and resilience for coastal and riverine communities. The following paper will review seaweed farms as an advanced nature-based mitigation approach. The paper also outlines the findings of experiments at RWTH Aachen University's hydraulic laboratory. These tests involved using seaweed as a natural solution to dampen waves in a model system to test a hypothesis. One result involving a system with two lines of seaweed revealed 15 percent wave damping. Using seaweed as a nature-based solution, a gentle engineering approach to designing future vegetated protection systems can extend the design life of existing coastal infrastructure. This can also provide protection against climate-induced sea level rise, promote coastal risk mitigation, restore ecosystems, and foster blue bio-economic development.

While some research supports utilizing plain radiography for measuring biomechanical alignment of the spine for prognosis and treatment, there are contrasting viewpoints regarding both the value and utilization of these procedures in conservative care. Evaluation of both conservative and non-conservative approaches to spinal care revealed vast differences in radiographic utilization and interpretation between orthopedic surgeons, primary care physicians, chiropractic physicians, and physical therapists, which may account for the different viewpoints and rationale in the literature. A research summary is provided regarding the various methods of spinal analysis utilized by these professions to help determine if there is any unique diagnostic or prognostic value associated with radiographic utilization that could assist in advancing conservative spinal assessment and treatment. Understanding any unique value provided through biomechanical assessment utilizing plain radiography of the spine established in the literature may help chiropractic physicians determine the appropriate use of radiographic procedures in clinical practice and how to coordinate efforts with other conservative and non-conservative professions to improve spinal healthcare.

This paper analyzes and compares models for predicting average magnet losses in interior permanent-magnet motors with fractional-slot concentrated windings due to harmonics in the armature reaction (assuming sinusoidal phase currents). Particularly, loss models adopting different formulations and solutions to the Helmholtz equation to solve for the eddy currents are compared to a simpler model relying on an assumed eddy-current distribution. Boundaries in terms of magnet dimensions and angular frequency are identified (numerically and using an identified approximate analytical expression) to aid the machine designer whether the more simple loss model is applicable or not. The assumption of a uniform flux-density variation (used in the loss models) is also investigated for the case of V-shaped and straight interior permanent magnets. Finally, predicted volumetric loss densities are exemplified for combinations of slot and pole numbers common in automotive applications.

This paper addresses the conceptual exploration of various issues that form an integral part of the ethical dimensions surrounding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of marketing. We critically review some of the main ethical challenges AI poses to humanity: privacy, data security, bias, transparency, and accountability. Therefore, we will discuss the delicate balance between exploiting the transformation potential of AI for personally designed marketing strategies and ethical imperatives to safeguard the rights of consumers to retain trust. Then, the present regulatory landscape responding to these ethical challenges will be assessed by building on effective regulation, like the GDPR, existing proposed legislative frameworks, and industry guidelines. To underscore the role of an ongoing dialogue between marketers, technologists, ethicists, and regulators for developing a responsible AI ecosystem in marketing. Further, strategic recommendations for implementing company-based ethical AI marketing practices. The further strong guidelines provide enhancement transparency to consumers and investment in research to remove biases from algorithms. It also underscores principal scopes of further research and development, focusing on the need for new-age solutions to guide the ethical quagmires that AI-led marketing throws up. We suggest that integration should be done proactively and collaboratively. Thus, if attention is paid more to ethics and multidisciplinary dialogue, only such hyperbolic promises can be realized by AI-driven marketing. There are such promises through which AI-driven marketing will meet business goals and be huge at societies' values.

Natural language Processing (NLP) has significantly transformed in the last decade, especially in the field of Language Modeling. Large Language Models (LLMs) have achieved SOTA performances on Natural Language Understanding (NLU) and Natural Language Generation (NLG) tasks by learning language representation in self-supervised ways. This paper provides a comprehensive survey to capture the progression of advances in Language Models. In this paper, we examine the different aspects of Language Models, which started with a few million parameters but have reached the size of a trillion in a very short time. We also look at how these LLMs transitioned from task-specific to task-independent to task-and-language-independent architectures. This paper extensively discusses different pre-training objectives, benchmarks, and transfer learning methods used in LLMs. It also examines different fine-tuning and In-Context learning techniques used in downstream tasks. It also explores how LLMs can perform well across many domains and datasets if sufficiently trained on a large and diverse dataset. Next, it discusses how, over time, the availability of cheap computational power and large datasets have improved LLM’s capabilities and raised new challenges. As part of our study, we also inspect LLMs from the lens of scalability to see how their performance is affected by the model’s depth, width, and data size. Lastly, we provide an empirical comparison of existing trends and techniques and a comprehensive analysis of where the field of LLM currently stand.

Abstract Introduction: In the last thirty years, brain neuromodulation techniques have been used as an alternative to pharmacological treatment of neurological disorders. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to bradykinesia, rest tremor, postural changes, and non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, pain, and cognitive decline that compromises executive functions (EFs), responsible for the orderly execution of behaviors and tasks of daily life and intentional and directed actions. To this date, a few studies with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have shown beneficial effects in PD patients concerning specific motor and non-motor symptoms, targeting the motor cortex and/or prefrontal regions. Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of left prefrontal tDCS across a broad spectrum of motor and non-motor symptoms of PD using established validated scales. Method: Single-blind randomized clinical trial with 18 volunteers with PD, aged between 45 and 80 years (66.1 ± 9.65), who met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants were submitted to assessments of motor and non-motor functions employing psychometric scales and tests to evaluate EFs and were randomly divided into two groups: control (sham stimulation) and experimental (active stimulation). All participants were involved in three separate tDCS sessions. The anode was positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cathode over the right supraorbital region, with a direct current intensity of 2mA, lasting 20 minutes. At the end of the three sessions, all participants were reassessed. Results: Significant effects of tDCS on non-motor functions were observed for cognition (verbal fluency of actions, clock copy test, appointment by visual confrontation, and verbal memory with immediate free recall) and subjective assessment of sleep quality (overall restlessness and discomfort in the arms and legs at night, leg and arm cramps at night and distressing dreams). There was also an improvement in the rate of errors and successes for congruent and incongruent stimuli of the Stroop Test. The beneficial effects on motor function were decreased rigidity, improved gait, and greater agility in the finger-tapping test. Conclusion: Three tDCS sessions showed positive results for participants with PD, producing significant improvements in various motor and non-motor functions, including sleep quality, cognition, and EFs. Additionally, the present results indicate that tDCS neuromodulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex region is feasible, safe, and provides significant objective benefits for PD patients.

Purpose of publication: - Preparation of bibliometric data exported from the Scilit platform on energy efficiency and conservation for further analysis to identify relevant research topics. - To identify potential issues in the processing of data exported from the Scilit platform. - Providing colleagues with the opportunity to use the prepared data and examples of their analysis for independent research on topical issues of energy efficiency and energy conservation using materials provided by the Scilit platform. Research Materials: Files in CSV and RIS formats exported from Scilit for the query "energy conservation OR efficiency" in Common Fields [Title, Abstract, Keyword], using filters: Content Type → Journal Article; Year→2021-2023; Subject → Industrial Engineering (29.8K), Energy and Fuel Technology (9.8K), Manufacturing Engineering (9.2K). A total of 30K records sorted by their relevance (10K for each year) were exported. Data are current as of 14-03-2024. Methods: Preprocessing of title, annotation, and keyword field texts using lemmatization dictionaries collected on GitHub, removal of keywords taken from GATE and spaCy, and "manual" editing. Using VOSviewer to analyze publication topics by clustering keywords based on their co-occurrence. Using Scimago Graphica to build bubble diagrams.Application of the GSDMM algorithm for clustering bibliometric records by title and annotation texts. Creation of a dictionary for this algorithm using the keyword field.Use of the Carrot2 demo version and the NMF algorithm for a more detailed analysis of the topics of the record clusters obtained from GSDMM. Results: are presented in the form of initial and interim tables and graphs obtained in the course of this study. The full tables are provided as references to the attached materials. Supplementary material for this preprint on figshare: Chigarev, Boris (2024). Supplementary material for preprint "Analyzing the Possibilities of Using the Scilit Platform to Identify Current Energy Efficiency and Conservation Issues". figshare. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.25574058.v1

Coastal tourist nursing is intended for coastal tourists related to the risk of accidents that may occur during the coastal activity. The risk of accidents in tourists can occur due to bad weather, lack of rescue equipment, and the limited ability of the coast guard to perform first aid and emergency treatment. This study described the relationship between coastal tourist nursing with the prevention of injuries and the first aid of coastal accidents, as well as the working procedures and obstacles that might occur during the rescue. The research was conducted by the qualitative method through in-depth interviews with respondents consisting of tourists, Balawista, and health workers. The data is analyzed with qualitative descriptive analysis. The interview generates 14 themes related to activities on coastal such as the duties of Balawista, warning signs, means of communication, improvement of ability, accident cases, accident treatment, referral of cases, needs of infrastructure facilities, human resources needs, health care needs, infrastructure factors, human factors, situation factors, and how to cope with the problem. Those themes can be used as a reflection in following up the safety service efforts to coastal tourists.

Coastal inundation is an increasing problem. Sea-level rise will greatly increase the frequency and depth of inundation, forcing vulnerable communities to adapt. Communities will need to decide when and how to adapt. The process of decision-making along adaptive pathways is now being used internationally to plan for adaptation over time by anticipating decision points in the future however it unfolds. This process requires risk and uncertainty considerations to be transparent in the scenarios used in such planning. We outline a framework for uncertainty identification and management within coastal hazard assessments which recognizes different types of decision and identifies the types of uncertainty that must be accounted for, such as statistical, scenario and deep uncertainty types. We show how coastal-inundation hazard can be mapped and presented in a way that clearly separates sources of uncertainty, so that they are transparent within a dynamic adaptive pathways planning process. Traditional coastal inundation maps show inundated area only. We present maps of inundation depth and frequency which clearly show the degree of exposure, where that exposure occurs, and how much sea-level rise can be tolerated. The new uncertainty framework and mapping techniques can better identify decision points and their expected time range, which provides more useful input to the adaptation process than traditional coastal inundation assessments.

Systemic inflammation and coronary microvascular endothelial dysfunction are essential pathophysiological factors in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) that support the use of statins. The pleiotropic properties of statins, such as anti-inflammatory, antihypertrophic, antifibrotic, and antioxidant effects, are generally accepted and may be beneficial in HF, especially in HFpEF. Numerous observational clinical trials have consistently shown a beneficial prognostic effect of statins in patients with HFpEF, while the results of two larger trials in patients with HFrEF have been controversial. Such differences may be related to a more pronounced impact of the pleiotropic properties of statins on the pathophysiology of HFpEF and pro-inflammatory comorbidities (arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, chronic kidney disease) that are more common in HFpEF. This review discusses the potential mechanisms of statin action that may be beneficial for patients with HFpEF, as well as clinical trials that have evaluated the statin effects on left ventricular diastolic function and clinical outcomes in patients with HFpEF.

Day by day, the share of renewable energy-based power plants such as offshore wind farms and photovoltaic power plants, in the present-day power systems is escalating. Nevertheless, most of these power-producing facilities have been located quite far away from the load centers. At this stage, HVDC power systems provide satisfactory options due to qualities such as reduced line losses, substantial controllability, and environmental advantages. Nevertheless, unique converter designs are required to combine asynchronous HVDC networks with each other and with already existing high voltage alternating current (HVAC) networks. In this study, based on the above special cases, a unique DC-DC modular multilevel converter (MMC) architecture is presented that provides an excellent solution for both integrating modern asynchronous HVDC networks and integrating these modern HVDC power systems with existing asynchronous HVAC power systems. The mathematical analysis of the recommended DC-DC MMC design has been examined in detail and the power transfer between two asynchronous power grids has been realized in a simulation environment. Efficient bilateral power transmission has been made achievable by the control system. The recommended DC-DC MMC topology has shown to be a highly successful approach, in the interconnection of HVDC power systems, according to the simulation results.

Abstract: In the last five years, the urban development of Limassol City has rapidly increased in the sectors of industry, trade, real estate, and many others. This exponentially increased urban development introduces several concerns about the aggravation of the land subsidence in the Limassol coastal front. Fifty Copernicus Sentinel-1 data from 2017-2021 have been processed and analyzed using the Sentinel Application Platform (SNAP) and the Stanford Method for Persistent Scatters (StaMPS). A case study for the identification and analysis of the elements (PS) in pixels in a series of interferograms, and then, the quantity of the land displacements in the Line of Sight, in the Limassol coastal front, is presented in this research, with the subsidence rates up to about (-5 to 4 mm / year). For the validation of the detected deformation, accurate ground-based geodetic measurements along the coastal area were used. Concordantly, taking into account that there are a significant number of skyscrapers planned to be built, this study attempts a preliminary assessment of the impact these structures will pose on the coastal front of the area of Limassol.

Responding to changing value creation processes in the sheet metal working sec-tor, where the complexity and interchangeability of products challenge traditional dif-ferentiation strategies, this empirical analysis explores integrating service-oriented and data-driven business models as new paths to ensure competitiveness, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to capture the current state and challenges associated with the implementation of these business models in this sector. The research was conducted through semi-structured interviews with SMEs in the industry. The findings indicate that service-oriented and data-driven business models are not yet widely adopted and that manufacturing companies re-quire support in their implementation. Fields of action were identified for the industry. These are "Creating awareness and understanding", "Recognizing added value", "In-creasing company maturity" and "Understanding the change process". Cooperation between science and industry is essential in tackling these fields of action to ensure the successful integration of such business models in manufacturing companies. This pa-per identifies challenges in the fields of action that companies must address through a structured approach promoting awareness, recognizing value, improving organiza-tional maturity, and understanding the change process to successfully implement ser-vice-oriented and data-driven business models.

Wetland ecosystems in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are pivotal for global ecology and regional sustainability, contributing significantly to terrestrial ecosystems by regulating runoff, mitigating floods, and enhancing water quality. This study investigates the dynamic changes in wetland ecosystems within the Chaidamu Basin and their response to drought, aiming to foster sustainable wetland utilization in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Using Landsat TM/ETM/OLI data on the Google Earth Engine platform, we employed a random forest method for annual long-term land cover classification. Meteorological drought conditions were assessed using SPEI3, SPEI6, SPEI9, and SPEI12, derived from monthly precipitation and evapotranspiration data. Pearson correlation analysis examined the relationship between wetland changes and various SPEI scales. The BFASAT method evaluated the impact of SPEI12 trends on wetlands, while cross-wavelet analysis explored teleconnections between SPEI12 and atmospheric circulation factors. Our findings revealed that the land cover dataset of the Chaidamu Basin (1990-2020) exhibited diverse categories with high classification accuracy (OA: 90.27%, Kappa: 88.34%). Wetlands, including lake, glacier, and marsh types, exhibited a noticeable increasing trend. Wetland expansion occurred during specific periods (1990-1997, 1998-2007, 2008-2020), featuring extensive conversions between wetland and other types, notably from other types to wetlands. Spatially, lake and marsh wetlands predominated in the low-latitude basin, while glacier wetlands were situated at higher altitudes. The study identified significant negative correlations between SPEI at various scales and total wetland area and types, with SPEI12 exhibiting the most substantial effect between September and December (r <-0.75) on wetlands. SPEI12 displayed a decreasing trend with non-stationarity and distinct breakpoints in 1996, 2002, and 2011, indicating heightened drought severity. Atmospheric circulation indices (ENSO, NAO, PDO, AO, WP) exhibited varying resonance with SPEI12, with NAO, PDO, AO, and WP demonstrating longer resonance times and pronounced responses.The continuous growth of wetlands amidst increasing aridification emphasizes the need for thoughtful wetland development to establish a sustainable "forest-lake-grass-field-river" ecological community. These findings underscore the significance of comprehending wetland changes and drought dynamics for effective ecological management in the Chaidamu Basin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), characterized by the onset of multiple sclerosis before the age of 18, is gaining increased recognition. Approximately 5 percent of MS cases manifest before the age of 18, with less than 1 percent occurring before the age of 10. Despite its rarity, pediatric MS exhibits distinct characteristics, with an association between younger age at onset and a comparatively slower disease progression. Despite this slower progression, individuals with POMS historically reach disability milestones at earlier ages than those with adult-onset multiple sclerosis. While various immunomodulatory agents demonstrate significant benefits in MS treatment, such as reduced relapse rates and slower accumulation of brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the majority of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) commonly used in adult MS lack evaluation through pediatric clinical trials. Current evidence is predominantly derived from observational studies. This comprehensive review aims to consolidate existing knowledge on the mechanisms of action, efficacy, safety profiles, and recommended dosages of available DMTs specifically in the context of pediatric MS. Furthermore, the review outlines recent advancements and explores potential medications still in developmental stages, providing a thorough overview of the current landscape and future prospects for treating POMS.

The European Union Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC; WFD) aims to achieve a good ecological and chemical status of all bodies of surface water by 2027. The development of an integrated guidance on surface water chemical monitoring (e.g. WFD Guidance Document No. 7/19) has been transferred into national German law (Ordinance for the Protection of Surface Waters, OGewV). For the majority of compounds, this act requires a monthly sampling frequency to assess the chemical water quality status of a surface water body. To evaluate the representativeness of the sampling strategy under the OGewV, high-frequency online monitoring data is investigated under different sampling scenarios and compared with current, monthly grab sampling strategy. About 23 million data points were analyzed for this study, three chemical parameters (dissolved oxygen, nitrate-nitrogen, chloride concentration) and discharge data were selected from four catchment of different sizes ranging from 51391 km² to 84 km² (Elbe, Vereinigte Mulde, Neiße and two stations at Lockwitzbach). In this paper we proposed short-term online-monitoring (STOM) as a sampling alternative. STOM considers the placement of online sensors over a limited duration and return interval. In general we: (I) compare the results of conventional grab sampling with STOM, (II) investigate the different performance of STOM and grab sampling using discharge data as proxy for analyzing event-mobilized pollutants and (III) investigate the related uncertainties and costs of both sampling methods. Results show, that STOM outperforms grab sampling for parameters where minimum/maximum concentrations are required by law as the probability to catch a single extreme value is higher with STOM. Furthermore, parameters showing a pronounced diurnal pattern, like dissolved oxygen, are also captured considerably better. The performance of STOM showed no substantial improvements for parameters with small concentration variability, as nitrogen-nitrate The analysis of discharge events as a proxy parameter for event-mobilized pollutants proved that the probability of capturing samples during events is significantly increased by STOM.

Abstract: Lipidic carriers employed for the entrapment, encapsulation and precise targeting the bioactive compounds offer significant advantages to the biomedical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmeceutical industries. These lipid and phospholipid-based vesicles can improve the solubility, permeation, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and bioavailability of the encapsulated material. As a matter of fact, nano-sized phospholipid vesicles have attained the highest success rate in commercialization among the available drug encapsulation technologies. Nevertheless, developing industrially acceptable products still remains a challenge. Among the main disadvantages of conventional lipidic carriers are their instability in the biological environments, and their sensitivity to changes in the pH, temperature and enzymes. To overcome these problems, the new generation of phospho/lipid-based carrier systems was developed using ingredients from microorganisms living in extremely harsh environments (i.e., archeaeobacteria). The present entry aims to review unique features of archaeolipids and recent developments in their application for the encapsulation of genetic material as well as their role and function as adjuvants and vaccine candidates.

Among natural disasters, earthquakes have a considerable impact and are among the ten deadliest, with an extreme impact on the healthcare sector. This study aimed to analyze best practices in nursing care for earthquake victims. An in-depth analysis was carried out by using a scoping review, a method used in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR recommendations to identify best nursing practice in these circumstances based on searches of eight databases: MEDLINE via PubMed; Cochrane Library; Embase; VHL; PDQ-Evidence; Scopus; ProQuest; Google Scholar. Twenty-one studies were selected. The nursing practices identified were grouped into two distinct dimensions, each subdivided into four subcategories: (i) care practices: a) immediate care, b) intermediate care, psychosocial care and d) ethical care; (ii) care management and coordination practices, which cover (a) care coordination, (b) victim care network organization, (c) teamwork and (d) training. By analyzing these nursing practices during care and relief operations for earthquake victims, this study identified the various actions carried out, the nursing skills to be developed and the reinforcement of these advanced practices through the systematization of nurses’ skills, in order to promote victims’ rehabilitation, minimize their suffering and improving their quality of life during and after an earthquake.

Purpose of review The forest industry has deployed ICTs to improve productivity of forest supply chains. In this sense, digitalization of data flows significantly impacts wood supply chains, from forest to mills, which must react flexibly to market fluctuations of forest products. The goal of this study was to conduct a literature review on data flow implementations in management systems of wood supply chains and to evaluate their applicability in supply chains to analyze the opportunities for improving them in practice. Recent findings We utilized the ScienceDirect database, Scopus and Web of Science in order to document data flows in systems and actual applications. Due to ongoing outsourcing, the wood procurement chains, and the wood supply chains were identified in the forest industry. Several different technologies can be implemented also in wood supply chains to digitalize the data flow depending on the specific needs of organizations. In this regard, digitalization of Big Data causes significant changes in elements of supply models that should be integrated and standardized in the optimization and simulation systems. Summary A modelling guide is suggested for accurate dynamic solution of problems of forest logistics. Then, the opportunities in digitalization for connecting different data flows, technologies, and stakeholders are discussed thoroughly. We conclude that data-driven dynamic optimization, and locally implemented digitalization contributes to wood supply modeling in the establishment of standards for cloud-based platforms at time-related and sequential measures which will ensure successful forest logistics through the planning and the monitoring of wood supply chains.

A space charge density wireless measurement system based on the idea of distributed measurement is proposed for collecting and monitoring the space charge density in an ultra-high-voltage direct-current (UHVDC) environment. The proposed system architecture is composed of a number of wireless nodes connected with space charge density sensors and a base station. The space charge density sensor based on atmospheric ion counter method is elaborated and developed, and the ARM microprocessor and Zigbee radio frequency module are applied. The wireless network communication quality and the relationship between energy consumption and transmission distance in the complicated electromagnetic environment is tested. Based on the experimental results, the proposed measurement system demonstrates that it can adapt to the complex electromagnetic environment under the UHVDC transmission lines and can accurately measure the space charge density.

Coastal inundation is recently requiring a significant attention worldwide. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme events (sea storms, tsunami waves) are highly stressing the coastal envi-ronments, e.g. endangering a large number of residential areas, ecosystems, tourist facilities, and also leading to potential environmental risks. Predicting such events and the generated coastal flooding is thus of paramount importance and can be reached by exploiting the potential of different tools, like remote sensors and numerical modeling. To this aim, a combination is possible between marine radars and wave-resolving propagation models. While instruments like X-band radars are able at precisely reconstructing both wave field and bathymetry within a coastal area that is some kilometers offshore, wave-resolving Boussinesq-type models can reproduce the wave propagation in the nearshore and the consequent coastal flooding. The present work illustrates the reconstruc-tion of coastal data (wave field and seabed depth) conducted using radar signals and a specifically suited data processing, named “Local Method”, and the use of such coastal data to run numerical simulations of wave propagation (using the FUNWAVE-TVD solver) aimed at reproducing coastal inundation over different scenarios. Such scenarios are built using two different European beaches, i.e. Senigallia (Italy) and Oostende (Belgium), and three different directional spreading values, to evaluate the performances in case of either long- or short-crested waves. The overall validation of the methodology, in terms of maximum inundation, shows good performances, especially in case of short-crested wind waves. Furthermore, the application on the Oostende beach demonstrates that the present methodology might work only using open-access tools, i.e. an easy investigation of the coastal inundation and a potential low-cost integration into early warning systems.

In this paper the authors describe the architecture of a multidisciplinary data acquisition and visualization platform devoted to the management of coastal environments. The platform integrates heterogeneous data acquisition sub-systems that can be roughly divided in two main categories: remote sensing systems and in-situ sensing systems. Remote sensing solutions include aerial and underwater remote data acquisition while in-situ sensing solutions include the use of RFID tracers, Wireless Sensor Networks and imaging techniques. All the data collected by these subsystems are stored, integrated and fused on a single platform that is also in charge of data visualization. This last task is carried out according to the paradigm of Augmented Virtuality which foresees the augmentation of a virtually reconstructed environment with data collected in the real world. The described solution proposes a novel holistic approach where different disciplines concur, with different data acquisition techniques, to a large scale definition of coastal dynamics, in order to better describe and face the coastal erosion phenomenon. The overall framework has been conceived by the so-called Team COSTE, a joint research team between the Universities of Pisa, Siena and Florence.

The coastal zone faces an ever-growing risk associated with climate-driven change, including sea level rise and increased frequency of extreme natural hazards. Coastal processes are governed by the dynamic ocean and atmospheric factors with constantly changing conditions. Often the location and dynamism of coastal regions makes them a formidable environment to adequately study with in-situ methods. Remote sensing methods offer an alternative to in-situ monitoring. In this study we use Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) to make measurements of basic wave parameters and wave directionality in the Hawaiian Islands and North Carolina, USA. ICESat-2 has existing Level-3a data products, Ocean Surface Height (ATL12) and Inland Water Elevation (ATL13), providing some wave and ocean surface elevation data. ATL12 provides sparse global average measurements of the sea surface elevation, slope, and roughness along ICESat-2 tracks and ATL13 provides wave metrics at variable length scales out to ~7 km from the coast and does not maintain the 0.7m along-track resolution of the primary Level-2 data product (ATL03). Our goal was to leverage the full resolution data available in ATL03 to generate wave metrics out from shore up to ~25 km. Using a combination of statistical and signal processing methods we can use ICESat-2 to generate basic wave metrics, including significant wave heights with an accuracy of ±0.5m. In some profiles we can identify wave shoaling, which could be used to infer bathymetry. In areas with complex wave dynamics, the nature of how ICESat-2 measures elevations (parallel laser altimetry beams) can make extracting some wave parameters (e.g., wavelength and directionality) more challenging. These wave metrics can provide important data in support of validating wave and tidal models and may also prove useful in ICESat-2 bathymetric corrections and satellite derived bathymetry.

In recent years, many libraries and archives have started digitizing their collections thus making maps by Indigenous peoples more easily available for scholars to study. While a number of these maps were discussed by G. Malcolm Lewis in the History of Cartography series (volume 2, book 3, Chapter 4: 1984), more have since been found and disseminated. These maps are critical in understanding the historic and current land tenure of Indigenous groups. Further, Indigenous claims to land can be seen in their connections via toponymy. European concepts of territory and political boundaries did not coincide with First Nation/American Indian views resulting in the mistaken view that Natives did not have formal concepts of their territories. Further, Tribes/First Nations with cross-border territory have special jurisdictional problems. This paper will illustrate how many Native residents were very spatially cognizant of their own lands, as well as neighboring nations’ lands, overlaps between groups, hunting territories, populations, and trade networks. Currently, the Sinixt First Nation provides a perfect example of how an Aboriginal people are inputting and using a GIS representation of their territory with proper toponymy and use areas.

The therapeutic, attenuative, and morphological effects of proprietary neural stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (NSC EVs, AB126) produced by Aruna Bio, Inc. were assessed in a range of in vitro and in vivo models of stroke. We emphasize that modulation of neuroinflammation is a key target and suggest further studies to advance our understanding of the mechanisms of action and ultimately how best to dose and monitor the benefits of AB126 in stroke patients.

Brushless Synchronous Machines (BSM) are replacing conventional synchronous machines with static excitation in generation facilities due to the absence of sparking and lower maintenance. However, this excitation system makes challenging measuring electric parameters in the rotor. This fact highly difficult the detection of ground faults, which are the most common type of electrical fault in electric machines. In this paper, a ground fault detection method for BSM is proposed. It is based on an inductive AC/DC rotating current sensor installed in the shaft. In case of a ground fault in the rotating parts of the BSM, a fault current will flow through the rotor’s sensor, inducing voltage in its stator. Analyzing the frequency components of the induced voltage the detection of a ground fault in the rotating elements is possible. The ground faults detection method proposed covers the whole rotor and discern between DC and AC sides. To corroborate the detection method, experimental tests have been performed using a prototype of this sensor connected to laboratory synchronous machines achieving satisfactory results.

Extant research pays little attention to migrant workers’ skill accumulation/upgrading from the perspective of the labor supply. This paper takes China as an example to explore the factors influencing skill accumulation of rural-urban migrant workers (RUMWs), with a purpose to discover how to sustain or reshape regional competitive advantage through improving RUMWs’ skill accumulation. Structured questionnaire surveys were adopted for data collection in Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province and Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province located in the Yangtze River Delta in the east of China. 900 questionnaires were issued and 491 effective questionnaires were recovered totally. This paper takes a perspective of global production networks, and gets a broad viewpoint containing intra-firm coordination, inter-firm partnership and extra-firm bargaining with non-firm actors, beyond what the extant literature on laborers’ human capital focuses on. The finding indicates that firms’ skill-oriented preference, which concerns about employees’ skills and innovation ability and stimulates them to learn initiatively, have a significant influence on RUMWs’ skill accumulation. In terms of collective efficiency based on co-competitive relationship between local firms, the more intensive interactions are, the more opportunities of skill accumulation RUMWs get. The accessibility of local institutions and favorable policies benefit RUMWs’ skill accumulation. Besides, the place itself, as a synthesized space of labor-management relations inside a firm and inter-organization relations, exerts an influence on and cause the regional differences in RUMWs’ skill accumulation.

Antibacterial bone cements (ABCs), such as antibiotic-loaded bone cements (ALBCs), have been widely utilized in clinical treatments. Currently, bone cements loaded with vancomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, or clindamycin are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, traditional ALBCs exhibit drawbacks like burst release and bacterial resistance. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of antibacterial bone cements containing novel agents. In this review, we summarize the latest advancements in ABCs. More importantly, we provide an overview and outlook on novel antibacterial agent-loaded bone cements, including metallic antibacterial agents, pH-switchable antibacterial agents, cationic polymers, N-halamines, non-leaching acrylic monomers, antimicrobial peptides, etc. Offering novel perspectives for designing ABCs and treating bone infections.

Not only are humans responsible for the anthropogenic causes of currently observed climate change, but we are also responsible for our responses to climate change. How we choose to respond provides important insights into our ability to collectively act in the face of threats with the unique characteristics of climate change. This communication attempts to provide an overview of some the difficulties in forging new policy directions along our coastlines in an era of climate change. It is meant as a referential framing for the research presented in this special issue. As this communication is being written, the world is gripped by a global pandemic caused by a variant of the coronavirus. There are important corollaries between the underlying characteristics of the coronavirus and the causes and effects of climate change. Seeing how the global citizenry is responding to the current epidemic provides some insight into the difficulties in fostering collective action towards climate change. As with the pandemic, the issue is not really one of understanding the problem, but rather the varying human responses to the problem. We can expect the same difficulties as we continue to confront the ever-growing problem of climate change.

Background: The control of energy metabolism is fundamental for cell growth and function, and anomalies are implicated in complex diseases and ageing. It is important for cells to carefully tune metabolic pathways to optimize their function in response to different nutrient or physiological conditions. Metabolism in yeast cells can be easily manipulated by supplying different carbon sources: on glucose yeast rapidly proliferates by fermentation, analogous to tumour cells growing by aerobic glycolysis, whereas on non-fermentable carbon sources metabolism shifts towards respiration. Results: We screened deletion libraries of fission yeast to identify over 200 genes required for respiratory growth. The growth medium and auxotrophic mutants strongly influenced respiratory metabolism. Most genes uncovered in the mutant screens have not been implicated in respiration in budding yeast. We applied gene expression profiling approaches to compare steady-state fermentative and respiratory growth and to analyse the dynamic adaptation to respiratory growth. The transcript levels of most genes functioning in key energy metabolism pathways were coherently tuned, reflecting anticipated differences in metabolic flows between fermenting and respiring cells. We show that the acetyl-CoA synthase, rather than the citrate lyase, is essential for acetyl-CoA synthesis in fission yeast. We also investigated the transcriptional response to mitochondrial damage by genetic or chemical perturbations, defining a retrograde response that involves the concerted regulation of distinct groups of nuclear genes that may avert harm from mitochondrial malfunction. Conclusions: These systematic and targeted analyses provide a rich framework of the genetic and regulatory basis of fundamental metabolic states to guide future studies on energy metabolism in fission yeast and beyond. Our study pinpoints weaknesses of commonly used auxotroph mutants for investigating energy metabolism. As a model for cellular energy regulation, fission yeast provides an attractive and complementary system to budding yeast.

Nanotechnology has become a popular topic in agricultural and animal research, generating sig-nificant global interest. Nanoparticles (NPs)-enabled agriculture and animal husbandry (AHs) products have three main principles: crop production, protection, and nutrient enrichment. Re-search on this topic has grown exponentially in recent years, with an increasing number of peer-reviewed literature and patents on NPs-enabled agriculture and AH products. This study examines and collects data on the various applications of NPs-enabled agricultural products for crop production, protection, and livestock improvement from the core nanotechnological database. The search returned several types of NPs and products used in agriculture and AH, countries that utilize these products at a commercial level, and analysis of these data by phyton, R-statistical software. Our findings show remarkable growth of nanotechnology in agriculture, AH, and re-search fields for future sustainability goals in the era of climate change

Coastal cliffs erode in response to short- and long-term environmental changes but predicting these changes continues to be a challenge. In addition to a chronic lack of data on the cliff face, vegetation presence and growth can bias our erosion measurements and limit our ability to detect geomorphic erosion by obscuring the cliff face. This paper builds on past research segmenting vegetation in 3-band red, green, blue (RGB) imagery and presents two approaches to segmenting and filtering vegetation from the bare cliff face in dense point clouds constructed from RGB images and structure-from-motion (SfM) software. Vegetation indices were computed from previously published research and their utility in segmenting vegetation from bare cliff face were compared against machine learning (ML) models for point cloud segmentation. Results demonstrate that, while existing vegetation indices and ML models are both capable of segmenting vegetation and bare cliff face sediments, ML models can be more efficient and robust across different growing seasons. ML model accuracy quickly reached an asymptote with only two layers and RGB images only (i.e., no vegetation indices), suggesting that these more parsimonious models may be more robust to a range of environmental conditions than existing vegetation indices which vary substantially from one growing season to another with changes in vegetation phenology.

Australia is a unique continent surrounded by the ocean and the majority of catchments flow to the coast. Some of these catchments are gauged and others are ungauged. There are 405 gauged catchments covering 2,549,000 km2 across the coastal regions of 12 drainage divisions in Australia. Whereas there are 771 catchments conceptualised as ungauged covering additional 835,000 km2. The mean annual rainfall and PET and its spatial and temporal distribution vary significantly from one drainage division to another. We developed a continuous daily streamflow time series of all gauged and ungauged catchments from 1993 onwards. We applied the GR4J lumped conceptual model to these catchments. The performance of gauged catchments was analysed through (i) visual inspection of daily hydrographs, flow duration curves and daily scatter plots, and (ii) performance metrics including NSE and PBias. Based on the NSE and PBias, performance ratings of 80% and 96% of the models respectively were found 'good'. There was no relationship found between the catchment area and model performance. The ungauged catchments were divided into four categories based on distance from potential donor catchments where observed data are available for GR4J model calibration, and Köppen climate zone. The total ungauged catchments represent 24.7% of the total drainage division areas. The streamflow from ungauged catchments was estimated using GR4J model based on the parameters of their donor catchments. Overall, runoff ratios from ungauged catchments were found to be higher compared to their donor gauged catchments, likely driven by their higher rainfall and less PET. This tendency was particularly evident in two drainage divisions – the Carpentaria Coast (CC) and Tanami-Timor Sea Coast (TTS) where ungauged areas comprised 51% and 43% respectively. The mean gauged annual streamflow varied significantly across drainage divisions – 230 GL from South Australian Gulf (SAG) to 146,150 GL in TTS. The streamflow from all ungauged catchments was estimated at 232,200 GL per year. Overall, the average streamflow from all drainage divisions, including gauged and ungauged areas, across the coastal regions of Australia was estimated at 419,950 GL per year. This nationwide estimate of streamflow dataset could potentially enhance our understanding of coastal processes and improvements of marine modelling systems and tools.

Coastal ecosystems provide a wide range of goods and services for the lives of human beings and aquatic species. Nevertheless, climate-induced extreme events cause unprecedented impacts on these areas, instigating a reduction of aquatic goods and services, destruction of infrastructure, and loss of human lives. Hence, this review investigated the impacts of climate-induced coastal hazards and adaptation responses. A systematic review method was used to address the objectives of this literature review. The main data sources were Research Gate, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. A total of 40 research articles (2012-2023) were selected using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA 2020) methodology. The findings of this review revealed that Bangladesh was the leading country based on the number of studies published on the impacts of climate-induced coastal hazards and coastal adaptations (20%), followed by the USA, which accounts for about 15%. Sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and climate change and variability were the most studied climate-induced coastal hazards, each accounting for 55%, 52.5% and 52.5% respectively. Coastal hazards have had significant impacts on the fishery, water, coastal ecosystems and biodiversity, agriculture, tourism, and infrastructure sectors. Besides, they caused migration and death of humans and animals. About 35% of the articles explored the assessment of vulnerability to climate-induced hazards. Moreover, 32.5% of the articles investigated anticipated climate-induced hazards. Hard, soft, ecosystem-based, and hybrid adaptation measures were used to adapt to the impacts of diverse climate-induced coastal hazards. In conclusion, developing countries are more vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate-induced coastal hazards than developed countries. The coastal area’s vulnerability to climate change risks will continue unless all stakeholders act proactively. Thus, it is suggested that the adaptation policies of vulnerable coastal areas should give due attention to nature-based solutions to reduce the adverse impacts of coastal hazards sustainably.

This paper describes the development of a two-dimensional water quality model that solves hydrodynamic equations tied to transport equations with reactions mechanisms inherent in the processes. This enable us to perform an accurate assessment of the pollution in a coastal ecosystem. The model was developed with data drawn from the ecosystem found in Mexico's southeast state of Tabasco. The coastal ecosystem consists of the interaction of El Yucateco lagoon with the Chicozapote and Tonalá rivers, that connect the lagoon with the Gulf of Mexico. We present the results of pollutants transport simulation in the coastal ecosystem, focusing on toxic parameters for two hydrodynamic scenarios: wet and dry seasons. As it of interest in the zone, we study the transport of four metals: Cadmium, Chromium, Nickel and Lead. In order to address our objectives we solved numerically a self-posed mathematical problem,which is based on the measured data. The performed simulations show to characterise metal transport within the acceptable range of accuracy and in accordance with the measured data. The performed simulations show to characterise metals transport with an acceptable accuracy, agreeing well with measured data in total concentrations in four control points along the water body. Although for the accurate implementation of the hydrodynamic-based water quality model herein presented, boundary (geometry, tides, wind, etc.) and initial (concentrations measurements) conditions are required, it poses as an excellent option when the distribution of solutes with high accuracy is required, easing environmental, economic and social management of coastal ecosystems.

The increasing prevalence of species that are detrimental to biodiversity is a major concern, particularly for managers of National Parks. To develop effective programs for controlling weeds, it is essential to have a thorough understanding of the extent and severity of infestations, as well as the contributing factors such as temperature, rainfall, and disturbance. Predicting these factors on a regional scale requires models that can incorporate a wide range of variables in a quantifiable manner, while also assisting with on-ground operations. In this study, we present two Bayesian Network models specifically designed for six significant weed species found along the southern coast of Australia. Our models are based on empirical data collected during a coastal weed survey conducted in 2015 and repeated in 2016. We applied these models to the coastal national parks in the isolated and pristine East Gippsland region. Importantly, the prediction models were developed at two different spatial scales that directly corresponded to the scale of the observations. Our findings indicate that coastal habitats, with their vulnerable environments and prevalence of open dune systems, are particularly susceptible to weed infestations. Moreover, adjacent regions also have the potential for colonization if these infestations are not effectively controlled. Climate-related factors play a role in moderating the potential for colonization, which is a significant concern for weed control efforts in the context of global climate change.

The aging of the population in developing and developed countries has lead to a significant increase in health burden of spinal diseases. These elderly patients often have a number of medical co-morbidities due to aging. The need for minimally invasive techniques to address spinal disorders in this elderly population group cannot be stressed enough. Minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) has several proven benefits such as minimal muscle trauma, minimal bony resection, lesser post-operative pain, decreased infection rate and shorter hospital stay. Over the last 40 years, constant efforts are being made to develop newer techniques of spine surgery. Endoscopic spine surgery is one such subset of MISS which has all the benefits of modern MISS. Endoscopic spine surgery initially was limited only to treatment of lumbar disc herniations. With improvement in optics, endoscopes, endoscopic drills and shavers, irrigation pumps, there has been a paradigm shift. Endoscopic spine surgery can now be performed with high magnification thus allowing its application not only to lumbar spinal stenosis, but also to spinal fusion surgeries, cervical and thoracic pathology as well. There has been increasing evidence in support of these newer techniques of spine surgery. For the purpose of this review, we studied current available literature and outlined the historical evolution of endoscopic spine surgery, the various different endoscopic systems, and techniques available and the current applications of endoscopic techniques as an alternative to traditional spinal surgery.

Greek roots: "phos" (φῶς) - means "light" and "dynamis" (δύναμις) - means "force" or "power". Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an innovative treatment method based on the ability of photosensitizers to produce reactive oxygen species after exposure to light of a specific wavelength range, either in the visible or near infrared range. This process results in damage to pathological cells, such as cancer cells, while minimizing the impact on healthy tissues. PDT is a promising direction in the treatment of many diseases, with particular emphasis on the fight against cancer and other diseases asso-ciated with excessive cell growth. The power of light contributed to the creation of phototherapy, whose history dates back to ancient times. It was then noticed that some substances exposed to the sun have a negative effect on the body, while others have a therapeutic effect. This work provides a detailed review of photodynamic therapy, from its origins to the present day. It is surprising how a seemingly simple beam of light can have such a powerful healing effect, which is used not only in dermatology, but also in oncology, surgery, microbiology, virology, and even dentistry. However, despite promising re-sults, photodynamic therapy still faces many challenges. The availability of this thera-py is limited due to the small number of centers offering this type of treatment and the high costs, which may be unaffordable for many patients. Moreover, photodynamic therapy requires further research and improvement.

Recent technical advances in the stem cell field have enabled the in vitro generation of complex structures resembling whole organs termed organoids. Most of these approaches employ culture systems that allow stem cell-derived or tissue progenitor cells to self-organize into three-dimensional (3D)-structures. Since organoids can be grown from various species, organs and from patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells, they create significant prospects for modelling development and diseases, for toxicology and drug discovery studies, and in the field of regenerative medicine. Here, we report on intestinal stem cells, organoid culture, organoid disease modeling, transplantation, current and future uses of this exciting new insight model to veterinary medicine field.

In today's context of rising sea levels and subsiding land topography, coastal flooding is a major concern for coastal areas, both nationally, regionally, and internationally. A detailed understanding of these two phenomena is a prerequisite for effective coastal flood management. The main objective of the present study is to contribute to the understanding of the impact of subsidence and sea-level rise on coastal flooding in Saint-Louis, and in particular the Langue de Barbarie, by producing a vulnerability map of submerged surfaces. To this end, the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) interferometry technique is used to process a time series of Sentinel-1 images and estimate land subsidence in the Saint-Louis and Langue de Barbarie area. Interferometric SAR (InSAR) measurements are merged with RCP 2.6 sea-level rise scenarios to identify predicted flooded areas and provide a flood vulnerability map. At the Langue de Barbarie, topographic subsidence is estimated at between -6.4 and -0.4mm/year. In this study, we show that local land subsidence may increase vulnerability to flooding caused by sea-level rise based on 2100 projections. This may represent an increase in the flood zone in the study area. Based on the RCP 2.6 scenario and the subsidence rates obtained, a significant part of the St. Louis coastline and city would be subject to coastal and fluvial flooding for the years 2040 and 2100. For these dates, 29 to and 36 Km2 of the studied area would be occupied by water. Given this situation, research in Saint-Louis needs to focus on adaptation scenarios to coastal risks, to protect coastal communities and safeguard the city's historical heritage.

The paper presents a study of two novel visual motion onset stimulus-based brain–computer interfaces (vmoBCI). Two settings are compared with afferent and efferent to a computer screen center motion patterns. Online vmoBCI experiments are conducted in an oddball event–related potential (ERP) paradigm allowing for “aha–responses” decoding in EEG brainwaves. A subsequent stepwise linear discriminant analysis classification (swLDA) classification accuracy comparison is discussed based on two inter–stimulus–interval (ISI) settings of 700 and 150 ms in two online vmoBCI applications with six and eight command settings. A research hypothesis of classification accuracy non–significant differences with various ISIs is confirmed based on the two settings of 700 ms and 150 ms, as well as with various numbers of ERP response averaging scenarios.The efferent in respect to display center visual motion patterns allowed for a faster interfacing and thus they are recommended as more suitable for the no–eye–movements requiring visual BCIs.

Disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed whenever disinfectant ingredients are in contact with organic matter. Due to widespread increase in production and use of disinfectants and antiseptics, the presence of their components in coastal environments is increasing. However, very limited scientific literature is available in regard to the occurrence of DBPs and related compounds in the coastal zone and particularly in seawater. In this context, the aim of this preliminary compilation is to outline the main up-to-date findings and raise awareness on their increasing occurrence in coastal environments. Sampling and analysis of marine samples in the USA, Spain, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Korea, Kuwait and Hong-Kong revealed the presence of several categories of DBPs and related compounds in coastal environments, with the highest levels being detected in urban areas, probably related to the nearby wastewater treatment plants. The investigations considered in this preliminary compilation, report the detection of DBPs and related compounds as well as the formation of toxic brominated and iodinated DBPs in high levels due to chlorination of wastewater, especially after use of seawater for flushing in toilets. New DBP groups have also been detected, namely halogenated phenolic DBPs and halopyrroles.

Coastal wave modeling and forecasting are essential in oceanography, sustainable marine energy, and ocean engineering. Precise forecasting of wave speed and direction are crucial for offshore operations, marine energy, risk management, environmental management, coastal and sustainable maritime management. The coastline of Brunei Darussalam can generate between 15 and 126 Giga Watt of wave energy. In this experimental research, we used two numerical approaches, the finite difference, and spectral element methods, to model and simulate wave speed and direction. We calculated the mean error between numerical and analytical solutions. We proposed a novel, promising, univariate time series forecasting model by combining the Long Short-Term (LSTM) with KerasTuner hyperparameters tuning and optimization techniques. This method helps us to improve the accuracy and efficiency of time-series forecasting.. The experimental data was computed from high-precision Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) sensor data. This research is part of the preliminary feasibility analysis of wave energy production in Brunei Darussalam and net zero commitment for a sustainable environment. Seven independent forecast experiments were performed for wave speed and direction in degree and radian units for 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 hours. Mean squared error (MSE) was adopted as a metric for both training and testing. The experimental results reveal that the wave speed forecast has the lowest MSE compared to direction, regardless of the unit of measure, but has a longer duration. In addition, the direction forecast in the degree unit has the lowest errors compared to the unit of radians; the latter has a longer running time than the former. The model has delivered optimal results throughout the experiments with minor training and test errors. We conducted a thorough evaluations on two benchmark time series datasets, which include the study dataset and air quality index dataset, to validate the performance of the proposed model with other models. The proposed model outperforms cutting-edge forecasting models, such as the conventional LSTM, ARIMA, and Prophet. The model has the slightest forecast error compared to the existing literature’s result.

Salinity acts as a critical environmental filter on microbial communities in natural systems, negatively affecting microbial diversity. However, how salinity affects the community assembly remains unclear. This study used Wendeng multi-pond saltern as a model to evaluate the prokaryotic community composition and diversity and quantify the relative importance of ecological processes across salinity gradients. Results showed that low saline salterns (45-80 g/L) exhibited higher bacterial diversity than those in high saline salterns (175-265 g/L). The relative abundance of taxa assigned to Halanaerobiaceae, Haloferacaceae, Desulfohalobiaceae, Phormidiaceae, Rohodobacteraceae, and Nitrococcaceae was higher with increasing salinity. Salinity and pH were the primary environmental factors that directly or indirectly determined the composition and diversity of prokaryotic communities. Microbial co-occurrence network dynamics were more complex in the sediment than in water of salterns. An infer Community Assembly Mechanisms by Phylogenetic-bin-based null model analysis (iCAMP) showed that microbial community assembly in sediment and water differed. Our findings provide more information about microbial community structure and the importance of various ecological processes in controlling microbial community diversity and succession along salinity gradients in water and sediment environments.

Accompanied by increasing population growth and urban sprawl, most coastal cities are unprecedentedly vulnerable to climate change and its impacts, such as sea level rise, increasing extreme storm events, and coastal flooding. Coastal resilience and sustainable development are antidotes to vulnerability; they aim to enhance the adaptive capability of absorbing disturbances and resisting uncertainty. This study explores building a quantitative assessment framework to measure resilience and provide an objective and comparable method to understand the strengths and weaknesses in a given region. The proposed 25 resilience indicators incorporate the aspects of essential livelihood protection, infrastructure and natural resource maintenance, emergency facilities and institutions, floodplain management regulations, and adaptive planning process. Each indicator is assigned the resilience quality that includes robustness, resourcefulness, redundancy, and rapidity. The aggregated resilience quality scoring reflects the systematic performance of the city to cope with the coastal hazards. The innovative part of this framework is combining hazard mitigation measures, climate adaptation strategies, and sustainable development goals together to achieve a comprehensive assessment method. In the case of New Haven, the resilience assessment is taken as a practical monitoring tool and decision-making support.

Small-scale fishers are considered as one of the most vulnerable communities in Bangladesh but very few studies focused on the livelihood sustainability and vulnerabilities of this professional group. A fieldwork in lower Padma and upper Meghna hilsa sanctuaries identifies different livelihood characters and associated vulnerabilities of the fishers. A conceptual framework known as Sustainable Livelihood Approaches (SLA) has been introduced to analyses the qualitative and quantitative data. The insights of the livelihood strategies provide on small-scale fishers and fisheries management have been explained and explored. Fishers are found solely dependent on fishing, economically insolvent and neglected. In addition, some socio-economic abstractions such as low income, credit insolvency, lack of substitute earning flexibility make them more vulnerable. A number of effective suggestions are elicited from fishers’ perceptions, the implementation of which is crucial to ensure livelihood sustainability of the small-scale fishers.

We extend the standard solid-state quantum mechanical Hamiltonian containing only Coulomb interactions between the charged particles by inclusion of the (transverse) current-current diamagnetic interaction starting form the non-relativistic QED restricted to the states without photons and neglecting the retardation in the photon propagator. This derivation is supplemented with a derivation of an analogous result along the non-rigorous old classical Darwin-Landau-Lifshitz argumentation within the physical Coulomb gauge.

Dolichandrone spathacea is a rare and endangered semi-mangrove plant species with an extremely small population, naturally distributed only in Zhanjiang City and the east coast of Hainan Island, China. Regrettably, the present situation of the D. spathacea population in China has not yet been carefully investigated. In this study, we aim to evaluate the current resource status and population dynamic characteristics of D. spathacea on Hainan Island, China, in order to propose sustainable conservation and management strategies for future ecological restoration of its natural population. Our results show that D. spathacea on Hainan Island can be divided into four populations. All the D. spathacea populations present a state of overall dispersion, local concentration, and occasionally sporadic existence, and they exist in geographical isolation. The young, middle, and old D. spathacea plants account for 20.42%, 66.20%, and 13.38%, respectively, indicating that the overall age class of the D. spathacea population on Hainan Island belongs to a declining type. Furthermore, instead of temporal structure, we chose diameter at breast height (DBH) to establish a static life table, draw a population survival curve, and quantify the future development trend through population dynamic analysis and time-series prediction. These results directly point out that the D. spathacea population on Hainan Island is sensitive to external disturbances and possesses two main increases in mortality rate—namely, in its juvenile and mature stages—due to weak vitality, competition, and anthropogenic interferences, which are the most important reasons for its endangered status. Depending on the current conditions of the D. spathacea population, we should conserve and expand mature trees in situ, preserve their germplasm resources, rehabilitate their habitats to promote provenance restoration, and conduct artificial cultivation and spreading planting in order to realize the sustainable conservation and management of D. spathacea.

Indole is a versatile pharmacophore widely distributed in bioactive natural products. This privileged scaffold has been found in a variety of molecules isolated from marine organisms such as algae and sponges. Among these, indole alkaloids represent one of the biggest, most promising family of compounds, having shown a wide range of pharmacological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral and anticancer activities. The aim of this review is to show the current scenario of marine indole alkaloid derivatives, covering not only the most common chemical structures, but also new synthetic routes developed during the last years as well as promising therapeutic applications.

A meta-analysis showed a significant association between activated immune-inflammatory and nitro-oxidative (IO&NS) pathways and suicide attempts (SA). There are no data whether suicidal ideation (SI) is accompanied by activated IO&NS pathways and whether there are differences between SA and SI. The current study searched PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, for articles published from inception until May 10, 2021, and systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed the association between recent SA/SI (< 3 months) and IO&NS biomarkers. We included studies which compared psychiatric patients with and without SA and SI and controls (either healthy controls or patients without SA or SI) and used meta-analysis (random-effect model with restricted maximum-likelihood) to delineate effect sizes with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Our search included 59 studies comprising 4.034 SA/SI cases and 12.377 controls. Patients with SA/SI showed activated IO&NS pathways (SMD: 0.299; CI: 0.200; 0.397) when compared to controls. The immune profiles were more strongly associated with SA than with SI, particularly when compared to healthy controls, as evidenced by activated IO&NS pathways (SMD: 0.796; CI: 0.503; 1.089), an immune-inflammatory response (SMD: 1.409; CI: 0.637; 1.462), inflammation (SMD: 1.200; CI: 0.584; 1.816), and neurotoxicity (SMD: 0.904; CI: 0.431; 1.378). The effects sizes of the IO&NS, immune-inflammatory response and inflammatory profile were significantly greater in SA than in SI. In conclusion: increased neurotoxicity due to inflammation and nitro-oxidative stress and lowered neuroprotection may explain at least in part why psychiatric patients show increased SA and SI. The IO&NS pathways are more pronounced in recent SA than in SI.

The measurement range of a conventional current sensor is narrow because it is used with signals relative to the rated values of the measurement range from a voltage-type device. Consequently, multiple current sensors must be used in accordance with the measurement range. To address this problem, this paper proposes a new current sensor with a clamp-shaped part for low current measurement and a simple straight structure for high current measurement. The output signals of the proposed current sensor are amplified with a Hall element using the magnetic force of a rectangular air gap inside the clamp. To verify the characteristics of the proposed current sensor, a current was applied to an external load, and the value determined by the current sensor noted. Then, electromagnetic field analysis was performed through current sensor modeling and the results obtained compared to the actual sensor results. The proposed sensor had a 1% linearity in the output signals and exhibited dynamic characteristics over a wide current range.

Data on helminth parasites and epizoites is presented for the long-beaked and short-beaked common dolphins from the Southeast Pacific. Sampling in 1985-2000 was conducted mainly at six fishing ports in Peru and Ecuador where cetaceans were landed. From a total of 473 common dolphins sampled, we identified helminths including three species of Trematoda: Nasitrema globicephalae, Pholeter gastrophilus and Braunina cordiformis; three species of Nematoda, which includes Anisakis spp., Crassicauda sp. and Halocercus sp.; and two cestodes Tetrabothrius forsteri and Clistobothrium delphini (formerly Phyllobothrium delphini). No acanthocephalans were observed. No statistically significant sexual and ontogenetic variation in helminth prevalence was detected after which samples were pooled. The highest prevalence in the long-beaked common dolphin (n=440) was observed for N. globicephalae (96.3%) in cranial sinuses, Crassicauda sp. (83.3%) in mammary glands, Crassicauda sp. (78.8%) infesting the cranial sinuses, followed by Cl. delphini (28.6%) in the blubber and P. gastrophilus and B. cordiformis (20.4%) in the digestive tract. Although comparative testing was unfeasible due to minimal samples of short-beaked common dolphin (n=33), several of the same helminth species were found, but not N. globicephalae nor B. cordiformis. No cyamids were encountered while pseudo-stalked barnacles Xenobalanus globicipitis were common. No new (global) helminth host records are revealed for common dolphins, but this study presents a first checklist of parasites separately for the Southeast Pacific long-beaked and short-beaked common dolphins. Future work should include exhaustive laboratory-based necropsies, enhanced sampling of the short-beaked form, focus on intermediate hosts and parasitic pathology, including potential human health impact from consumption of small cetaceans.

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.

Background: In Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) the injected current gets distributed across the brain areas. The motive is to stimulate the target region-of-interest (ROI), while minimizing the current in non-target ROIs. For this purpose, determining the appropriate current-dose for an individual is difficult. Aim: To introduce Dose-Target-Determination-Index (DTDI) to quantify the focality of tDCS and examine the dose-focality relationship in three different populations. Method: Here, we extended our previous toolbox i-SATA to the MNI reference space. After a tDCS montage is simulated for a current-dose, the i-SATA(MNI) computes the average (over voxels) current density for every region in the brain. DTDI is the ratio of average current density at target ROI to the ROI with maximum value (peak region). Ideally target ROI should be the peak region, so DTDI shall range from 0 to 1. Higher the value, the better the dose. We estimated the variation of DTDI within and across individuals using T1-weighted brain images of 45 males and females distributed equally across three age groups- (a) Young adults (20 ≥ x ˂ 40 years), (b) Mid adults (40 ≥ x ˂ 60 years), and (c) Older adults (60 ≥ x ˂ 80 years). DTDI’s were evaluated for the frontal montage with electrodes at F3 and right supra-orbital for three current doses 1mA, 2mA, and 3mA with the target ROI at left middle frontal gyrus. Result: As the dose is incremented, DTDI may show (a) increase, (b) decrease, and (c) no change across the individuals. The focality decreases with age and the decline is stronger in males. Higher current dose at older age can enhance the focality of stimulation. Conclusion: DTDI provides information on which tDCS current dose will optimize the focality of stimulation. DTDI recommended dose should be prioritised based on the age (> 40 years) and sex (especially males) of an individual. The toolbox i-SATA(MNI) is freely available.

Coastal zones experience increasing climatic and human pressures, which lead to growing risks and tipping points (TPs) under future scenarios and natural resource scarcity. To avoid crossing TPs with irreversible coastal losses, this paper proposes the development of adaptation pathways based on advanced coastal oceanography and engineering knowledge that enables an objective assessment of evolving coastal risks. These pathways feature sequential interventions, combining conventional engineering works with nature-based solutions (NbS), steered by simulations and observations as a function of available coastal resources (space and sediment) and risks for infrastructure and socioeconomic assets. Such an adaptation has been developed for urban and peri-urban Mediterranean beaches, considering conventional coastal engineering together with NbS. Both types of interventions are assessed in terms of key physical variables, which serve to evaluate performance and estimate TPs. This analysis supports the new coastal protection and management plan promoted by the local government and the coastal adaptation plan of the central government. The approach and results illustrate the potential of adaptation pathways for beach sustainability, enhancing the compatibility between short/long-term coastal protection objectives under present/future climate and management scenarios. The adaptation pathways development underpins an increasing stakeholder cooperation to achieve shared decisions for coastal sustainability.

“Blue carbon”, apart from marine humus, includes the carbon (C) stock of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, marshes, and seagrass meadows, which have been overlooked until recently. Information about the role of coastal wetlands in C sequestration and providing other ecosystem services is still insufficient. In the present study, we assessed the C reserves of soils and vegetation biomass in two complex coastal landscapes (tombolos) located on the coasts of the White and Baltic seas. The soil and plant C stocks were slightly higher at the plot at the Baltic Sea (93.4 ± 46.7 Mg C·ha-1 and 5.22 ± 2.51 Mg C·ha-1, respectively) than at the plot on the White Sea (71.4 ± 38.2 Mg C·ha-1 and 3.95 ± 2.42 Mg C·ha-1, respectively). We attributed the higher values of the C reserved to a warmer climate and less saline water at the plot on the Baltic Sea. Both soil and plant C showed high heterogeneity due to geomorphological complexity and differences in vegetative communities. The Phragmites australis community showed the highest plant biomass and, in some places, high soil C reserves. Allochthonous C contributed to the soil C stock at the site on the White Sea. Though P. australis sequestered more C than other communities, its effect on ecosystem services was mostly negative because the invasion of reeds reduced the biological diversity of the marshes.

Migratory and local birds may disperse ticks and their associated pathogens. The aim of this study was to provide information regarding tick infesting birds in Asturias, region that accounts for most of the Lyme disease hospitalizations in Spain. From September 2021 and April 2023 trained and experienced bird- banders collected ticks from birds in six estuary and forest locations. A total of 1,698 birds (52 species, 38 genera and 26 families) were captured. A total 51 ticks (28 larvae, 20 nymphs and 3 females) were collected from 43 birds, belonging to three species: Ixodes ricinus (31), I. frontalis (18) and Haemaphysalis concinna (1). The average prevalence of tick infestation was 2.5% and the average tick burden was 1.2 ticks per host. The bird species Turdus merula, Parus major, Luscinia svecica and Anthus pratensis were among the most infested. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected from one Turdus merula. We have not detected B. burgdorferi s.l., Rickettsia spp., Coxiella burnetii or piroplasmids in any of the 51 analyzed ticks. The results of the study suggest low infestation rate in migratory/estuary birds and a higher rate in forest/sedentary ones. Despite this, the detection of pathogens, although with low prevalence, can pose a risk to public health.

One-fifth of the world’s population and critical infrastructures are near the coast and regions at high risk of sea level elevation. Climate change is expected to increase coastal extreme events, rising sea levels, and impact on ecosystem. This paper reviews coastal physical processes, wave and impacts, and the introduction of nature-based models for the mitigation of flooding, erosion, and recovery. Hard engineering like seawalls has been used to prevent, protect, and control water-based environmental forces with an extended impact on the land. A nature-based engineering solution, such as growing vegetation, is being adopted as a sustainable solution to help make existing technology live its design life and provide climate change adaptation and resilience for coastal and riverine communities. This paper presents applications of seaweed farms as an advanced nature-based mitigation approach. The result of the experiments conducted at RWTH Aachen University on wave damping of seaweed types and farming structures to validate the hypothesis will be presented in part B. A soft engineering approach to designing future vegetated protection systems using seaweed as a nature-based solution can help existing coastal infrastructure design life and protect against climate-induced SLR rise and adaptation, coastal risk mitigation, ecosystem restoration, and blue bio-economic development.

Monsoon winds drive upwelling along the eastern coast of India during the south-west (SW) monsoons. These winds also provide alongshore windstress (AWS) resulting in positive cross-shore Ekman transport (ET) from late May to the end of September. While instances of high ET and sea surface temperature (SST) based upwelling index (UI_SST) were observed along different parts of the coast, UI_SST was weaker in the northern section in the earlier part of monsoon. This was even in the presence of maximum AWS and ET during the 10 years analysis period spanning January-2009 to December-2018. Additionally, negative sea surface height anomalies (SSHAs), typically associated with coastal upwelling, were observed only along the southern-most coast. An empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis revealed two coherent modes of SSHA variation. The first principal component (PC) showed a SSHA signature coincident spatio-temporally with the first downwelling Kelvin wave, closely associated with the equatorial zonal winds that drive coastal Kelvin waves. The third PC with a coastal SSHA pattern similar to the second upwelling Kelvin wave was associated with offshore ET along the northern part of the Indian east coast. Time series of the two PCs exhibited suppression of coastal upwelling by downwelling Kelvin waves during May-July along the northeastern coast of India. Local AWS driven ET was the primary driver of coastal upwelling with the weakening of the remotely forced Kelvin waves in August. A coherent mode consisting of negative coastal SSHA signature was excited in response to local AWS driven ET during the upwelling period. This study examined the spatio-temporal variability of SW monsoon coastal upwelling along the east coast of India and illustrated the role of equatorial windstress forced first downwelling Kelvin wave in suppressing upwelling in the northern part of the coast during early SW monsoon season.

This paper summarizes over a decade of collaborative eco-archaeological research along the central coast of California involving researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, tribal citizens from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, and California Department of Parks and Recreation archaeologists. Our research employs remote sensing methods to document and assess cultural resources threatened by coastal erosion and geophysical methods to identify archaeological deposits, minimize impacts on sensitive cultural resources, and provide tribal and state collaborators with a suite of data to consider before proceeding with any form of invasive archaeological excavation. Our case study of recent eco-archaeological research developed to define the historical biogeography of threatened and endangered anadromous salmonids demonstrates how remote sensing technologies help identify dense archaeological deposits, remove barriers, and create bridges through equitable and inclusive research practices between archaeologists and the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. These experiences have resulted in the incorporation of remote sensing techniques as a central approach of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band when conducting archaeology in their traditional territories.

Design criteria for coastal defenses exposed to wave overtopping are usually assessed by mean overtopping discharges and maximum individual overtopping volumes. However, it is often difficult to give clear and precise limits of tolerable overtopping for all kind of layouts. A few studies analyzed the relationship between wave overtopping flows and hazard levels for people on sea dikes, confirming that one single value of admissible mean discharge or individual overtopping volume is not a sufficient indicator of the hazard, but detailed characterization of flow velocities and depths is required. This work presents the results of an experimental campaign aiming at characterizing the flow characteristics associated to maximum individual overtopping volumes for an urbanized stretch of a town along the Catalan coast, where a walking and bike path and a railway run along the coastline are exposed to significant overtopping events every stormy season. The work compares different safety criteria for pedestrian. Results prove that safety of pedestrian on a sea dike can be still guaranteed even for overtopping volumes larger than 1000 l/m. Pedestrian hazard is rather proved to be linked to the combination of overtopping flow velocity and flow depth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has obliged Governments all around the world to take confinement and social 13 distancing measures. The reduction of leisure and production activities on beaches and ports have 14 disappeared direct and indirect contamination such as plastics, hydrocarbon spill, microbiological loads, 15 noise level, etc. leading to temporary improved environmental conditions, converting the beaches 16 similar to Marine Protected Areas. Some conditions are briefly analyzed through local surveys and in situ 17 observations in the popular beaches and ports of Salinas, Manta and Galápagos. 97-99 % of surveyed 18 people agreed that beaches have notoriously improved during confinement at least from visual 19 observation. On a scale from 1 (worst) to 5 (best), the beaches were rated 2.23 and 2.83 (less than 20 acceptable) before quarantine, and 4.48 and 4.33 after it for Salinas and Manta respectively. The 21 beaches have less garbage in general and plastic, even though there has been an increase in plastic and 22 face mask production around the world. In Salinas, 72%, and 23 % of surveyed people have seen small 23 pelagic fish, whilst in Manta 75%, and 41% of people saw the same, but also 17% of people have seen 24 whales (humpback and shark-whales) and dolphins practically swimming on the beach. Manta rays, 25 turtles, and other types of species were also observed. In Galapagos beaches, turtles have been 26 observed many more times than usual. The main plausible reason is the decrease in noise level. It is 27 recommended to take this unique opportunity, to construct a baseline data and information on physical, 28 chemical, biological, microbiological coastal oceanographic science, and from them to establish a proper 29 Coastal Zone Management based on beach description, water, and beach quality, human dimension, 30 and economic value indexes. This data and information construction should ideally be done before the 31 beaches are open.

Colorectal cancer is a frequent neoplasm in western countries, mainly due to dietary and behavioral factors. Its incidence is growing in developing countries for the westernization of foods and lifestyles. An increased incidence rate is observed in patients under 45 years of age. In last years the mortality for CRC is decreased, but this trend is slowing. The mortality rate is reducing in those countries where prevention and treatments have been implemented. The survival is increased to over 65%. This trend reflects earlier detection of CRC through routine clinical examinations and screening, more accurate staging through advances in imaging, improvements in surgical techniques and advances in chemotherapy and radiation. The most important predictor of survival is the stage at diagnosis. The screening programs are able to reduce incidence and mortality rates of CRC. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of incidence, mortality and survival rate for CRC.

Real-world evidence (RWE) is increasingly involved in the early benefit assessment of medicinal drugs. It is expected that RWE will help to speed up approval processes comparable to RWE developments in vaccine research during the COVID-19 pandemic. Definitions of RWE are diverse marking the highly fluid status in this field. So far, RWE comprises information produced from data routinely collected on patient’s health status and/or delivery of health care from various sources other than traditional clinical trials. These sources can include electronic health records, claims, patient-generated data including in home-use settings, data from mobile devices as well as patient, product and disease registries. The aim of the present update was to review the current RWE developments and guidelines mainly in the U.S., the UK, Europe and Germany field during the last decade. RWE has already been included in various approval procedures of regulatory authorities reflecting its actual acceptance and growing importance in evaluating and accelerating new therapies. However, since the RWE research is still in a transition process and since a number of gaps in this field have been explored, more guidance and a consented definition are necessary to increase the implementation of real-world data.

A large number of novel treatments for myeloma have been developed and approved, however alkylating drugs continue to be part of standard regimens, additionally, novel alkylators are currently being developed. We performed a non-systematized literary search for relevant papers and communications at large conferences, as well as exploiting the authors knowledge of the field to review the history, current use and novel concepts around traditional alkylators cyclophosphamide, bendamustine and melphalan and current data on the newly developed pro-drug melflufen. Even in the era of targeted treatment and personalized medicine, alkylating drugs continue to be part of standard-of-care in myeloma, and new alkylators are coming to the market.

GM2 gangliosidoses are a group of pathologies characterized by GM2 ganglioside accumulation into the lysosome due to mutations on the genes encoding for the β-hexosaminidases subunits or the GM2 activator protein. Three GM2 gangliosidoses have been described: Tay-Sachs disease, Sandhoff disease, and the AB variant. Central nervous system dysfunction is the main characteristic of GM2 gangliosidoses patients that include neurodevelopment alterations, neuroinflammation, and neuronal apoptosis. Currently, there is not approved therapy for GM2 gangliosidoses, but different therapeutic strategies have been studied including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, enzyme replacement therapy, substrate reduction therapy, pharmacological chaperones, and gene therapy. The blood-brain barrier represents a challenge for the development of therapeutic agents for these disorders. In this sense, alternative routes of administration (e.g. intrathecal or intracerebroventricular) have been evaluated, as well as the design of fusion peptides that allow the protein transport from the brain capillaries to the central nervous system. In this review, we outline the current knowledge about clinical and physiopathological findings of GM2 gangliosidoses, as well as the ongoing proposals to overcome some limitations of the traditional alternatives by using novel strategies such as molecular Trojan horses or advanced tools of genome editing.

Neisseria meningitidis causes most cases of bacterial meningitis. Meningococcal meningitis is a public health burden to both developed and developing countries throughout the world. There are a number of vaccines (polysaccharide-based, glycoconjugate, protein-based and combined conjugate vaccines) that are approved to target five of the six disease-causing serogroups of the pathogen. Immunization strategies have been effective at helping to decrease the global incidence of meningococcal meningitis. Researchers continue to enhance these efforts through discovery of new antigen targets that may lead to a broadly protective vaccine and development of new methods of homogenous vaccine production. This review describes current meningococcal vaccines and discusses some recent research discoveries that may transform vaccine development against N. meningitidis in the future.

Overweight and Obesity are global health and economic concerns. According to the World Health Organization, the number of individuals with obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. This health issue is currently considered an epidemic, affecting over 1.9 billion adults and 340 million children and adolescents. It contributes to more than 5 million deaths each year and has a global economic burden that will reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, according to the World Obesity Federation. This disease can affect every system of the human body and can lead to complications such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension, among others. Treatment may sometimes include diet, exercise, drugs, and bariatric surgery. Nonetheless, not all people have access to these treatments, and public health strategies consider prevention the most important factor. In this regard, recent investigations are aiming to find alternatives and adjuvants for the treatment of obesity, its prevention, and the reversion of some of its complications, using natural sources of anti-obesogenic compounds like polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, among others. In this review, we gather the most current information using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. We present and discuss the current information about natural products that have shown anti-obesogenic effects at a molecular level. We also consider the impact of dietary habits and lifestyle in preventing overweight and obesity due to the evidence of the benefits of certain foods and compounds consumed regularly. We discuss mechanisms, pathways, and receptors involved in the modulation of obesity, especially those related to inflammation and oxidative stress linked to this disease, due to the relevance of these two aspects in developing complications.

Significant amounts of anthropogenic radionuclides were introduced in ocean waters following nuclear atmospheric tests and development of the nuclear industry. Dispersion of artificial dissolved radionuclides has been extensively measured for decades over the European continental shelf. The radionuclide measurement and release fluxes databases provided here represent an exceptional opportunity to validate dispersion hydrodynamic models. MARS hydrodynamic model have been applied at different scales to reproduce in realistic conditions the measured dispersion. Specific methods have been developed to obtain qualitative and quantitative results and perform model/measurement comparisons. Model validation concerns short to large scales with dedicated surveys following the dispersion: it was performed within two and three dimensions framework and from minutes and hours following a release up to several years. Results are presented concerning the dispersion of radionuclides in marine systems deduced from standalone measurements, or according to model comparisons. It allows characterising dispersion over the continental shelf, pathways, transit times, budgets and source terms. This review exhibits the main features retained from the point of view of radiotracers, hydrodynamic models and model/measurement methods with perspectives of applications in other areas or oceanographic domains.

On January 1, 2024, a large earthquake occurred in Japan’s Noto region. Many buildings collapsed as a result of violent shaking. Electricity and water supplies were cut off and communications were disrupted. Immediately after the earthquake, we visited Noto and conducted disaster-relief activities. This report integrates and discusses the results of the site visits, information broadcasts by public institutions, and previous research. Evacuation centers lacked water and proper sanitation, leading to health issues, including infectious diseases. Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) were delayed in implementing infection control measures. Isolated evacuation centers faced communication and supply challenges. Infrastructure restoration, power supply, and toilet facilities at evacuation centers were delayed because of geographical challenges. There was a lack of intervention by medical professionals in evacuation centers because the DMATs were forced to invest manpower in rescue operations. It is important to have a team that can determine and carry out the necessary activities on site, even without instructions from the DMAT. It is believed to be effective to decide in advance how volunteer teams and the private sector will conduct their activities, assuming that they will be unable to contact public institutions during a disaster. In large-scale disasters, evacuees must operate evacuation centers autonomously. To achieve this, it is necessary for residents to form healthy communities regularly. A serious disaster is expected to soon occur in Japan. We hope that the experience of this disaster will be useful for preparing for future disasters.

Despite increased hurricane intensity, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico coast has experienced dramatic coastal population increase of 24.5% from 2000 to 2016. However, in coastal Louisiana areas with dramatic wetland loss, parishes have experienced population declines and lower rates of population growth. Therefore, understanding the magnitude of the effect of wetland loss as a main driver in population loss in coastal Louisiana is critical. Using regression analysis, this study finds that wetland loss has a significant and persistent negative effect on population growth in coastal Louisiana. This effect resulted in a reduction in the population growth rate in coastal parishes over time. A counterfactual simulation was conducted to estimate the potential population size in the absence of wetland loss from 1990 to 2021. On average, the effect of 1 hectare of wetland lost causes a reduction of approximately 1000 persons. This indicates that for the year 2021, the population was approximately 18% lower than the population that would have existed in the absence of wetland loss. This research underscores the role of wetlands in providing direct and indirect benefits to people in coastal Louisiana that are ultimately reflected in its population levels.

Intertidal seagrass plays a vital role in estimating the overall health and dynamics of coastal environments due to its interaction with tidal changes. However, most seagrass habitats around the globe have been in steady decline due to human impacts, disturbing the already delicate balance in environmental conditions that sustain seagrass. Miniaturization of multi-spectral sensors has facilitated very high resolution mapping of seagrass meadows, which significantly improve the potential for ecologists to monitor changes. In this study, two analytical approaches used for classifying intertidal seagrass habitats are compared: Object-based Image Analysis (OBIA) and Fully Convolutional Neural Networks (FCNNs). Both methods produce pixel-wise classifications in order to create segmented maps, however FCNNs are an emerging set of algorithms within Deep Learning with sparse application towards seagrass mapping. Conversely, OBIA has been a prominent solution within this field, with many studies leveraging in-situ data and multiscale segmentation to create habitat maps. This work demonstrates the utility of FCNNs in a semi-supervised setting to map seagrass and other coastal features from an optical drone survey conducted at Budle Bay, Northumberland, England. Semi-supervision is also an emerging field within Deep Learning that has practical benefits of achieving state of the art results using only subsets of labelled data. This is especially beneficial for remote sensing applications where in-situ data is an expensive commodity. For our results, we show that FCNNs have comparable performance with standard OBIA method used by ecologists, while also noting an increase in performance for mapping ecological features that are sparsely labelled across the study site.

Coastal rural areas can be a source of elemental mercury, but the potential influence of their topographic and climatic particularities on gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) fluxes have not been investigated extensively. In this study gaseous elemental mercury was measured over Mediterranean coastal grassland located at Northern Greece from 2014 to 2015 and GEM fluxes were evaluated utilizing Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. The GEM fluxes ranged from -50.30 to 109.695 ng m-2 h-1 with a mean value equal to 10.501 ng m-2 h-1 ± 19.14 ng m-2 h-1. Concerning the peak events, with high positive and low negative GEM fluxes, those were recorded from the morning until the evening. Rain events were a strong contributing factor for enhanced GEM fluxes. The enhanced turbulent mixing under daytime unstable conditions led to greater evasion and positive GEM fluxes while during nighttime periods the GEM evasion is lower indicating the effect of atmospheric stability on GEM fluxes. The coastal grassland with its specific characteristics influences the GEM fluxes and this area could be characterized as source of elemental mercury. This study is one of the rare efforts in the research community to estimate GEM fluxes in a coastal natural site based on aerodynamic gradient method.

The Lower Rio Grande Valley, South Texas is considered one of the more vulnerable coastal areas to flooding related with abrupt climate changes. From 1980-2017, there were 7 flooding events, 57 severe storm events, and 8 tropical cyclone events with losses exceeding $1 billion in the State of Texas, according to NOAA NCEI. Coastal flooding is typically a result of storm surge and heavy rainfall produced by hurricanes and tropical storms. In this study, the two-dimensional hydrodynamic flow circulation model is developed to predict the Lower Rio Grande Valley coastal area inundation due to the hurricane storm surge, especially in the case of Hurricane Beulah, 1967. The tropical cyclone properties and tidal constituents were assigned to the updated watershed geographic information with the bottom bathymetric and roughness data. For model validation, the Hurricane Dolly 2008 storm surge due to Hurricane Beulah at the coast and the storm surge reaches up to approximately 40 kilometers west from the coast through a natural river channel. This model can be used for a reliable engineering tool for the coastal hazard emergency management and disaster mitigation.

Continuous research into the availability of phosphorus (P) in forest soil is critical for sustainable management of forest ecosystems. In this study, we used sequential chemical extraction and 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-NMR) to evaluate the form and distribution of inorganic P (Pi) and organic P (Po) in Casuarina forest soils of a subtropical coastal sand dune at Houlong in Taiwan. The soil samples were collected from humic (+2-0 cm) and mineral layers (mineral-I: 0-10, mineral-II: 10-20 cm) at two topographic locations (upland and lowland) by elevation. Sequential chemical extraction revealed that the NaOH-Po fraction, as moderately recalcitrant P, was the dominant form in humic and mineral-I layers in both upland and lowland soils, whereas the cHCl-Pi fraction was the dominant form in the mineral-II layer. Resistant P content, including NaOH-Pi, HCl-Pi, cHCl-Pi, and cHCl-Po fractions, was higher in the upland than lowland in the corresponding layers; however, labile P content, NaHCO3-Po, showed the opposite pattern. Content of resistant Pi (NaOH-Pi, HCl-Pi, and cHCl-Pi) increased significantly with depth, but that of labile Pi (resin-Pi and NaHCO3-Pi) and recalcitrant Po (NaHCO3-Po, NaOH-Po, and cHCl-Po) decreased significantly with depth at both locations. 31P-NMR spectroscopy revealed inorganic orthophosphate and monoesters-P as the major forms in this area. The proportions of Pi and Po evaluated by sequential chemical extraction and 31P-NMR spectroscopy were basically consistent. The results indicated that the soils were in weathered conditions. Furthermore, the P distribution and forms significantly differed between the upland and lowland by variation in elevation and eolian aggradation effects in this coastal sand dune landscape.

We present a new approach to retrieve Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) over the turbid coastal water. This approach supplements the operational Dark Target (DT) aerosol retrieval algorithm that currently don’t conduct any AOD retrieval in the regions with large water-leaving radiances in the visible spectrum. Over the global coastal water regions in all cloud-free conditions, this unavailability of AOD retrievals due to the inherent limitation in existing DT algorithm is ~20%. Here, we refine the MODIS DT algorithm by considering that water-leaving radiance at 2.1 μm is negligible regardless of water turbidity. This refinement, with the assumption that the aerosol single scattering properties over coastal turbid water are similar to that over the adjacent open-ocean pixels, yields ~18% more of MODIS-AERONET collocated pairs for six AEROENT stations in the coastal water regions. Furthermore, comparison with these AERONET observations show that the new AOD retrievals are in either equivalent or better accuracy than those retrieved by the MODIS operational algorithm (over coastal land and non-turbid coastal water). Combining the new retrievals with the existing MODIS operational retrievals not only yield an overall improvement of AOD over those coastal water regions, but also successfully extend the spatial and temporal coverage of MODIS AOD retrievals over the coastal regions where 60% of human population resides, and thereby, aerosol impacts on regional air quality and climate are expected to be significant.