Absolute Minimum Research Articles

Buildings as reflectors of societal values: what features of psychiatric wards reveal about stigma

Abstract Built Environment (BE) features bearing domestic attributes align with the concept of psychosocial re-integration. To understand the level of de-institutionalisation in relation to mental health infrastructure, a series of 29 case studies occurred in four countries from 2000 onwards. We collected data from Europe, the UK, New Zealand and more recently in the US: England (n = 15), France (n = 5), New Zealand (n = 4) and the US (n = 5). This included five acute wards in England and five in France in 2000-2004, two further acute wards in England in 2015-2017, four facilities in New Zealand in 2017-2020 (catering also for the Māori population), six further wards (older adult rehab, older adult dementia, acute, rehab, PICU, older adults) and two forensic wards in England and five wards in the US in three different hospitals (one mental health and four mental health wards in general hospital: two adult and two adolescent) in 2023-2024. An architectural checklist was developed to evaluate the traits of the exterior and interior and measure the degree of institutionalisation vs homelikeness for mental health buildings. Cross-country comparison revealed recent case studies to be closer to the institutional end with increased anti-ligature features. Most NZ and the US samples were the most institutional ones. The checklist revealed that acuity was potentially not a determinant of institutional versus domestic buildings. Data shown that very few features were universally present, questioning what is the absolute minimum in relation to the illness rather than the policies. The US sample provides further food for thought, especially in relation to the location of psychiatric wards inside general hospitals and the reasons that lead to this. Finally, by looking at the BE for mental health, we uncover issues regarding the service provision and institutional prejudices connected to stigma. This questions the adequacy of de-institutionalisation policies in certain contexts. Key messages • The study of the architecture of healthcare facilities can depict aspects related to the health service provision and raise questions about the effectiveness of rehabilitation strategies. • The architecture of psychiatric wards questions the success of some de-institutionalisation decision-making in a cross-country comparison.

Maximum acceleration and quantum clock: on the existence of a new universal constant

In the pseudo-Euclidean Minkowski space, the four-dimensional volume element is invariant under Lorentz transformations. By hypothesising that in this space there is a minimum volume, it is possible to demonstrate the existence of a maximum acceleration. The volume element cannot be derived from the theory and must be obtained through direct measurement, thus it assumes the role of a bona fide universal constant. Two different estimates of the elementary volume are given, which differ by several orders of magnitude: the first is obtained in a pseudo-Euclidean space for particles with mass, and the second represents an absolute minimum volume, independent of the mass.

A cleaner demolition scheduling methodology considering dust dispersion: A case study for a post-earthquake region

In the present century, pollution is a primary concern for billions, prompting governments to advocate cleaner ways of production. Demolition activity is often an indispensable solution for structures that have completed their economic life. However, there are no regulations for the scheduling of demolition, except those related to the method of demolition and ensuring worker safety. Older buildings incorporate hazardous materials, such as asbestos, silica, and lead. These materials not only carry inherent risks, but high levels of aerosols in the air also adversely affect health. In this study, a demolition scheduling method is proposed, considering the dust dispersion. This research is pioneering, providing a structured demolition schedule to minimize the impact on both humans and the environment. In the methodology, a dispersion model is used to calculate the region exposed to dust and the concentration distribution throughout that area. In addition to the dust effect map, a vulnerability map is created using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), aiding in determining interrelations between vulnerable sites. Thus, the dust effect map is derived by considering both dust exposure and the vulnerability map. The region affected by dust and the concentration of dust vary based on wind characteristics. By knowing the dust effect maps for the site (or all subsites) during specified time periods, a schedule can be defined. As a case study, schedules causing the absolute minimum and optimum dust effect rates are established for Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye which recently experienced a devastating earthquake. The findings of the case study show that the dust effect on humans and the environment is significantly reduced. Consequently, by adhering to the proposed scheduling plan, human exposure to demolition dust is minimized, resulting in reduced medical expenses even without increasing the cost of the demolition.

A review of nutritional recommendations for scuba divers.

Scuba diving is an increasingly popular activity that involves the use of specialized equipment and compressed air to breathe underwater. Scuba divers are subject to the physiological consequences of being immersed in a high-pressure environment, including, but not limited to, increased work of breathing and kinetic energy expenditure, decreased fluid absorption, and alteration of metabolism. Individual response to these environmental stressors may result in a differential risk of decompression sickness, a condition thought to result from excess nitrogen bubbles forming in a diver's tissues. While the mechanisms of decompression sickness are still largely unknown, it has been postulated that this response may further be influenced by the diver's health status. Nutritional intake has direct relevancy to inflammation status and oxidative stress resistance, both of which have been associated with increased decompression stress. While nutritional recommendations have been determined for saturation divers, these recommendations are likely overly robust for recreational divers, considering that the differences in time spent under pressure and the maximum depth could result nonequivalent energetic demands. Specific recommendations for recreational divers remain largely undefined. This narrative review will summarize existing nutritional recommendations and their justification for recreational divers, as well as identify gaps in research regarding connections between nutritional intake and the health and safety of divers. Following recommendations made by the Institute of Medicine and the Naval Medical Research Institute of Bethesda, recreational divers are advised to consume ~170-210 kJ·kg-1 (40-50 kcal·kg-1) body mass, depending on their workload underwater, in a day consisting of 3 hours' worth of diving above 46 msw. Recommendations for macronutrient distribution for divers are to derive 50% of joules from carbohydrates and less than 30% of joules from fat. Protein consumption is recommended to reach a minimum of 1 g of protein·kg-1 of body mass a day to mitigate loss of appetite while meeting energetic requirements. All divers should take special care to hydrate themselves with an absolute minimum of 500 ml of fluid per hour for any dive longer than 3 hours, with more recent studies finding 0.69 liters of water two hours prior to diving is most effective to minimize bubble loads. While there is evidence that specialized diets may have specific applications in commercial or military diving, they are not advisable for the general recreational diving population considering the often extreme nature of these diets, and the lack of research on their effectiveness on a recreational diving population. Established recommendations do not account for changes in temperature, scuba equipment, depth, dive time, work of breathing, breathing gas mix, or individual variation in metabolism. Individual recommendations may be more accurate when accounting for basal metabolic rate and physical activity outside of diving. However, more research is needed to validate these estimates against variation in dive profile and diver demographics.

Development of an electromagnetic compatible composite-insert embedded in a double-curved sandwich panel

Composite sandwich structures, which are widely employed in engineering structures, require a multitude of inserts. In certain instances, the necessity for a specialized insert arises from the unique characteristics of a particular application. In applications such as weather radar radomes, double-curved sandwich panels should be designed with electromagnetic (EM) transparency as a primary objective. The use of metal inserts should be restricted to the absolute minimum. Given the limitations of using metal materials to protect against EM radiation and the need to enhance the load-bearing capacity of the joint against pull-out loads, a composite insert has developed as an innovative solution. In this study, a composite insert of a double-curved sandwich dome has been developed using silica nanoparticles, and its mechanical strength against pull-out load has been evaluated through both experimental and numerical analysis. The strength results obtained have been compared with analytical estimates. Additionally, the buckling of the double-curved sandwich dome against a wind speed of 220 km/h has been investigated numerically. The critical buckling load for wind loading for the full-scale sandwich radome was estimated to be 16,303 N. According to the numerical results obtained with the Abaqus finite element (FE) software, the maximum pull-out force applied to the connection area is approximately 10.7 kN. A parametric study of geometric variables and experimental results showed that it is possible to achieve a stronger composite insert (by 1 wt % nano silica particles) by 20.7% lighter and 102.65% more bearing capacity.

What is the Reason That the Pharmacological Future of Chemotherapeutics in the Treatment of Lung Cancer Could Be Most Closely Related to Nanostructures? Platinum Drugs in Therapy of Non-Small and Small Cell Lung Cancer and Their Unexpected, Possible Interactions. The Review.

Over the course of several decades, anticancer treatment with chemotherapy drugs for lung cancer has not changed significantly. Unfortunately, this treatment prolongs the patient's life only by a few months, causing many side effects in the human body. It has also been proven that drugs such as Cisplatin, Carboplatin, Oxaliplatin and others can react with other substances containing an aromatic ring in which the nitrogen atom has a free electron group in its structure. Thus, such structures may have a competitive effect on the nucleobases of DNA. Therefore, scientists are looking not only for new drugs, but also for new alternative ways of delivering the drug to the cancer site. Nanotechnology seems to be a great hope in this matter. Creating a new nanomedicine would reduce the dose of the drug to an absolute minimum, and thus limit the toxic effect of the drug; it would allow for the exclusion of interactions with competitive compounds with astructuresimilar to nucleobases; it would also permit using the so-called targeted treatment and bypassing healthy cells; itwouldallow for the introduction of other treatment options, such as radiotherapy directly to the cancer site; and it would provide diagnostic possibilities. This article is a review that aims to systematize the knowledge regarding the anticancer treatment of lung cancer, but not only. It shows the clear possibility of interactions of chemotherapeutics with compounds competitive to the nitrogenous bases of DNA.It also shows the possibilities of using nanostructures as potential Platinum drug carriers, and proves that nanomedicine can easily become a new medicinal product in personalized medicine.

Exploring the bonding and extraction separation effects of N donor ligands with different skeletons on Am(III) and Eu(III)

Designing ligands for effective separation of actinide(III)/lanthanide(III) is one of the key issues in the treatment of spent nuclear fuel. However, due to the chemical similarity of trivalent actinides and lanthanides, their separation faces a great challenge in the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel. Nitrogen donor extractants are considered as promising reagents for separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides. To the best of our knowledge, the pre-organized structure of the ligand has a strong influence on the extraction separation capacity. In this work, we designed four N-donor ligands (L1 and L2 with pyridine and bipyridine skeletons, respectively, and L3 and L4 both with phenanthroline skeletons) with different pre-organized structures and investigated their selective extraction for Am(III) and Eu(III) by using scalar relativistic density functional theory (DFT). The absolute minimum ESP values of these ligands and the higher HOMO level suggest that the ligand L2 may have a stronger affinity for Am(III)/Eu(III) ions than other ligands. The three average bond lengths of each complex indicate that the Am(III) and Eu(III) ions have larger bond lengths with N2 atoms than with N1 atoms. Various theoretical approaches have been used to evaluate the properties of the four ligands as well as the coordination structures, bonding properties and thermodynamic properties of the complexes of the four ligands with Am(III) and Eu(III). The WBIs, QTAIM, NBO, DOS and EDA analysis indicate that the metal–ligand bonds are mainly ionic in character, the Am-N bond has more covalency than the Eu-N bond because the Am 5f orbitals are more involved in bonding with ligand than Eu 4f orbitals. According to the extended transition state and natural orbital chemical valence theory (ETS-NOCV) analysis, electrons are obviously transferred from the lone pair of the ligand N atom to the hybrid s, d and f orbitals of the metal ion. The thermodynamic results show that the four ligands can coordinate well with the Am and Eu ions, and also have suitable separation capacity for Am and Eu. Among the four ligands, the L2 and L3 ligands have the strongest coordination ability for metals and the best extraction separation effect for Am and Eu. It can be seen that the bridging skeleton of the ligand and the number of N atoms on the five-membered ring and also different organic solvents have obvious effects on the extraction and separation capacity of the ligand. This study provides a theoretical basis for the efficient separation of Am(III)/Eu(III) by adjusting the preorganization level of ligands, and provides a theoretical basis for the design and screening of ligands by preorganization.

Multi-scale modelling of an electrodialysis with bipolar membranes pilot plant and economic evaluation of its potential

Sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid are widely used chemicals in different industrial sectors. To minimize costs and risks associated with transportation, handling and storage, these hazardous chemicals can be produced in situ employing electrodialysis with bipolar membranes (EDBM). This work presents a multi-scale model capable of simulating large scale EDBM units with complex stack configuration (i.e., internal staging) that can be used to design and optimize the process. The model was validated in two different process configurations using experimental results obtained from an EDBM pilot plant. Discrepancies between model and experimental results in the range of 2–11 % were obtained. The validated model was used to conduct a techno-economic evaluation adopting the feed and bleed configuration. Results show that current efficiency increases as the current density rises. At 600 A m−2, values of current efficiency between 72 % and 96 % were found for sodium hydroxide concentration in the range of 0.5–1 mol L−1. The levelized cost of sodium hydroxide (LCoNaOH) was evaluated, in the same range of concentrations, demonstrating that values between 280 and 370 € ton−1 can be obtained, fixing the electricity prince (0.1 kWh kg−1) and the triplet specific cost (600 US$ m−2). Moreover, assuming a reduced cost of electricity and triplet to 0.05 kWh kg−1 and 300 US$ m−2, respectively, an absolute minimum of 140 € ton−1 was found for the target 0.5 mol L−1. A double stage EDBM configuration was simulated to show the scale-up potentials of the multi-scale model. A reduction in the LcoNaOH of 10 % was obtained for a target concentration of 1 mol L−1. These results prove the attractiveness of the EDBM technology for producing in situ chemicals.

A survey of the radiation safety practices of veterinary practitioners during portable equine radiography in Ireland.

Veterinary practitioners and other personnel involved in the examination are exposed to ionizing radiation while performing portable radiographs on horses. An online survey was distributed to all Veterinary Council of Ireland-registered practices where the self-reported practice profile is at least 20% equine work. The survey contained questions relating to radiation safety training, protocols, personal dosimetry and lead protection usage, repeat exposures, sedation, and personnel roles during the examination. The aim of the survey was to document the current radiation safety practices of equine veterinary practitioners during portable radiography. The results showed that although adherence to guidance set out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reasonably good, compliance rates can be improved. Personal dosemeter usage and repeat rate reduction could particularly benefit from further improvement. This is of the utmost importance in ensuring that occupational radiation exposure to veterinary practitioners is kept to an absolute minimum during their daily practice.

Four Years of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Height Retrievals Using COSMIC-2 Satellite Data

This work aimed to study the atmospheric boundary layer height (ABLH) from COSMIC-2 refractivity data, endeavoring to refine existing ABLH detection algorithms and scrutinize the resulting spatial and seasonal distributions. Through validation analyses involving different ground-based methodologies (involving data from lidar, ceilometer, microwave radiometers, and radiosondes), the optimal ABLH determination relied on identifying the lowest refractivity gradient negative peak with a magnitude at least τ% times the minimum refractivity gradient magnitude, where τ is a fitting parameter representing the minimum peak strength relative to the absolute minimum refractivity gradient. Different τ values were derived accounting for the moment of the day (daytime, nighttime, or sunrise/sunset) and the underlying surface (land or sea). Results show discernible relations between ABLH and various features, notably, the land cover and latitude. On average, ABLH is higher over oceans (≈1.5 km), but extreme values (maximums > 2.5 km, and minimums < 1 km) are reached over intertropical lands. Variability is generally subtle over oceans, whereas seasonality and daily evolution are pronounced over continents, with higher ABLHs during daytime and local wintertime (summertime) in intertropical (middle) latitudes.

Low-noise thermal shielding around the cryogenic payloads in the Einstein Telescope

The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a planned third-generation gravitational-wave detector that includes a low-frequency (LF) and a high-frequency (HF) laser interferometer. Cryogenic operation of ET-LF is imperative for exploiting the full scientific potential of ET, with mirrors operated at temperatures of 10 K to 20 K in order to reduce the thermal noise. Thermal shielding around the optics is essential to support the cooldown process and to decrease the heat load. Additionally in steady-state operation, mechanical vibrations must be kept to an absolute minimum in order to limit noise contributions from scattered light.We present a cooling concept for a thermal shield surrounding the cryogenic optics of ET-LF, which considers rapid cooldown and low vibration in steady-state operation. During cooldown, cooling tubes enable the flow of supercritical helium, driving the shield temperature decrease by forced convection. For steady-state operation, the shield cooling mechanism is converted to static heat conduction in He-II within the same tubes. A first mechanical model is presented that fulfills the thermal and vibrational requirements. Thermal characteristics of the shield are demonstrated by means of analytical and numerical modeling results. Modal and dynamic analyses are performed to obtain natural frequencies and transfer functions.

Использование алгоритма оптимизации DIRECT и кусочно-линейных функций для построения нелинейных регрессионных моделей по гетероскедастичным данным

Nonlinear regression models are an important tool in agricultural research, as many biological processes are theoretically and experimentally described by nonlinear functions. In addition to accurately describing experimental data, nonlinear models have the property of physical interpretability of parameters and are more robust outside the domain of the studied sample. Currently, existing methods for calculating model coefficients – such as Ordinary Least Squares, Weighted Least Squares, and Generalized Least Squares – have several drawbacks. The most advanced Generalized Least Squares method relies on a large number of axioms, which are often not adhered to in real examples, and the theoretical proof is not apodictic. This article introduces a flexible, robust, and accurate method for calculating coefficients for arbitrary single-factor regression models based on the maximum likelihood estimation method. The method is theoretically justified with a minimal number of axioms, and examples of results from the software implementation are provided for the logistic function and the Michaelis function using synthetic test data and experimental samples of dry grass mass production depending on the volume of nitrogen fertilizers. The main advantage of the method lies in the simplicity of theoretical proof and the small number of theoretical constraints on the input parameters of the problem. Unlike Generalized Least Squares, the proposed method deterministically converges to the absolute minimum, thanks to the use of the DIRECT algorithm. It can account for heteroscedasticity and does not require manual tuning of optimization parameters to ensure convergence. Considerations for possible extensions of the method to multifactorial regression analysis and potential improvements for heteroscedasticity estimation are also presented.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices About Research Integrity and Scientific Misconduct Among the Faculty and Medical Postgraduates Working in Medical Colleges in North Karnataka and Central India: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey.

Introduction Research integrity is an active adherence to the ethical principles and professional standards essential for the responsible practice of research. Research or scientific misconduct stands like child abuse today. The survey of National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded scientists calculated an absolute minimum of 2325 incidents of scientific misconduct per year. A report has also shown that Iran (6.60), India (5.68), Turkey (5.38), South Korea (3.59), and China (2.00) had higher ratios of publication misconduct to distrust data or interpretations than other countries. Hence, to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAPs) of the research integrity/scientific misconduct among the faculty and postgraduates working in the medical colleges in North Karnataka (NK) and Central India (CI), this study has been carried out. Methods It is a web-based, cross-sectional study carried out with the use of Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, California). A pretested, unstructured questionnaire consisting of 25 questions was posted in the way of a link to the faculty and postgraduates working in various disciplines within the colleges of NK and CI either by using an e-mail or other social platforms like WhatsApp. Institutional Ethics Committee approval was obtained in both regions before conducting the survey. Results A total of 146 participants responded to the e-questionnaire posted to them. Participants from CI displayed better awareness in several areas compared to NK. Citing articles and/ or materials that have not been read is the common questionable research practice (QRP) they have come across, as mentioned by participants in both groups. Discussion The study reveals a moderate level of knowledge and variable attitudes toward research integrity. The "publish or perish" culture is a major contributor to misconduct. Training and awareness programs are needed to enhance ethical research practices. Conclusion This study highlights the need for improved education and policy implementation to uphold research integrity in medical colleges, emphasizing the role of academic culture in shaping ethical research practices.

On the conditions for absolute minimum fuel burn for turbofan powered, civil transport aircraft and a simple model for wave drag

Abstract In a recent series of papers, Poll and Schumann have been developing a simple model for estimating fuel burn for turbofan powered, civil transport aircraft for a given mass, Mach number and flight level and in a specified ambient temperature profile for all phases of flight. This paper focuses upon the combination of Mach number and flight level at which an aircraft cruises with the absolute minimum fuel burn. For a given aircraft type, the information necessary to determine these conditions must be specified and this poses a challenge. An initial attempt to obtain these data has been described previously by the first author. In this paper, the optimum conditions are found using a completely different approach. Starting from first principles and using established theory, the equations governing the situation where engine overall efficiency and airframe lift-to-drag ratio both have local maxima at the same flight condition are developed. This special case is termed the “design optimum” condition and, for a specified aircraft mass and a specified atmospheric temperature versus pressure profile, it gives the lowest possible fuel burn for any aircraft and engine combination. The design optimum occurs at a particular Mach number and Reynolds number, and it is a fixed characteristic of the aircraft. The analysis reveals the significance of Reynolds number variations, wave drag, including its derivatives with respect to both lift coefficient and Mach number, and the atmospheric properties. Whilst wave drag is notoriously difficult to determine accurately, it is found that solutions to the equations are not particularly sensitive to the accuracy of this quantity. Consequently, a simple, physically realistic model can give good results. An appropriate model is developed and a complete, approximate solution is obtained. Taking the International Standard Atmosphere as the design atmosphere, results are presented for the 53 aircraft types previously considered by Poll and Schumann. Relative to the design optimum conditions, when Reynolds number is constant and wave drag is zero, compressibility alone reduces L/D by about 5%, reduces lift coefficient by about 1.5% and increases drag coefficient by about 3.5%. Reynolds number variation has little effect upon L/D, but it reduces lift coefficient and drag coefficient by a further 7% and 8% respectively. The reduction in lift coefficient has a significant impact on the optimum cruise flight level. In general, an aircraft’s operating optimum will not coincide with its design optimum, but deviations are expected to be small. Therefore, using the design optimum solution as a reference point, an improved version of the operating optimum estimation method described by Poll and Schumann in previous work is developed. This allows the estimation of the conditions for absolute minimum fuel burn for an aircraft of given mass flying thorough any atmosphere. Updated coefficients for the 53 aircraft types are given.

Miniaturized CAR knocked onto CD3ε extends TCR function with CAR specificity under control of endogenous TCR signaling cascade

Immunotherapy using TCR and especially CAR transgenic T cells is a rapidly advancing field with the potential to become standard of care for the treatment of multiple diseases. While all current FDA approved CAR T cell products are generated using lentiviral gene transfer, extensive work is put into CRISPR/Cas mediated gene delivery to develop the next generation of safer and more potent cell products. One limitation of all editing systems is the size restriction of the knock-in cargo. Targeted integration under control of an endogenous promotor and/or signaling cascades opens the possibility to reduce CAR gene size to absolute minimum. Here we demonstrate that a first-generation CAR payload can be reduced to its minimum component - the antigen-binding domain - by targeted integration under control of the CD3ε promoter generating a CAR-CD3ε fusion protein that exploits the endogenous TCR signaling cascade. Miniaturizing CAR payload in this way results in potent CAR activity while simultaneously retaining the primary antigen recognition function of the TCR. Introducing CAR-specificity using a CAR binder only while maintaining endogenous TCR function may be an appealing design for future autologous CAR T cell therapies.

IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGY FOR TREE CROPS WASTEWATER FROM THE CITY OF KYZYLORDA

The city of Kyzylorda is a River by the international transport corridor "Western Europe-Western China", has convenient transport links with Russia and the republics of Central Asia. The city is located within the Turan lowland, in a desert zone and is characterized by a flat relief. The climate here is one of the main natural factors that shape the living conditions of citizens. Summers are long hot, dry and windy winters with little snow. The average January temperature is –9.4°C, the absolute minimum is –38°C. The average July temperature is +26.3°C, the absolute minimum is +46°C. The soils on the territory of the city of Kyzylorda are very saline. Everywhere salt comes to the surface, in connection with which the soil conditions for the growth of green spaces are severely disturbed. These are the consequences of the Aral Sea catastrophe. The population of the city of Kyzylorda as of 2023 was 315,550 people. At the expense of investors, the manufacturing industries are actively developing in the city - the production of the food industry, building materials, chemical and light industries. In recent years, the volume of the food industry has increased by 2.1 times, the production of plastic products by 9%, the production of the chemical industry -15.1%, etc.

ZONAREA CULTURII SPECIILOR GOJI, DUD, KIWI ȘI BANANA NORDULUI ÎN ROMÂNIA, ÎN CONDIȚIILE SCHIMBĂRILOR CLIMATICE

The warming trends of Romania's climate create increasingly favorable conditions for the cultivation of some new and subtropical species. However, the absolute minimum temperatures in the winter period do not follow a statistically assured increasing trend in all months, and this is not similar throughout the country. The objective of this work was to identify the areas in Romania where the climatic conditions are suitable for growing goji berry (Lycium barbarum L. and L. chinense Mill.), mulberry (Morus rubra L. and M. alba L.), kiwi (Actinidia deliciousa A. Chev., A. arguta Siebold & Zucc and A. kolomikta Rupr. et Maxim.) and pawpaw species (Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal), by using mathematical models. The areas where the minimum and cardinal temperatures of the growing season, its duration and annual rainfall are the most suitable for the growth and development of new species have been identified. The winter absolute minimum temperatures were recorded with a probability of 25%, which falls below the frost resistance limit of the species Actinidia deliciousa A. Chev. (-17°C), Lycium chinense Mill. (-23°C) and Lycium barbarum L. (-25°C), represented the limiting climatic factor of the spatial distribution of these species. Most of Romania's territory, except for mountainous areas, is suitable for growing mulberry, pawpaw (Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal), Actinidia kolomikta Rupr. et Maxim. and Actinidia arguta Siebold & Zucc species, which have frost hardiness limits of -28°C, -30°C, -39°C and -31°C respectively. Irrigation of all studied crops increased the whole country's average suitability score from 1.56 to 2.35 in the 0-4 range (0 unsuitable and 4 highly suitable) and expanded the areas of species' suitability. The heterogeneity and dynamics of climatic factors on the territory of Romania emphasize the importance of models for computing climate suitability as a decision tool in the establishment of goji berry, mulberry, kiwi, and pawpaw orchards.

Temperature gradient along the northern slope of the Western Rhodopes

The article examines the values of the vertical temperature gradient along the northern slope of the Western Rhodopes Мountain. The average monthly temperatures in three stations located between 290 and 1535 m a.s.l. were used as the basis of the calculations. Calculations were made for the following temperature indicators: monthly average, average minimum and average maximum, and absolute minimum and absolute maximum. The study covers the period July 2022 – August 2023. The values of the vertical temperature gradient are greatest in the summer and smallest in the autumn-winter period. In the lower part of the studied territory, in winter the gradient also has negative values, due to temperature inversions, and in summer its values are three times greater than in the upper part, due to the greater turbulence of the atmosphere.

210Pb-dating of recent sediments with the χ-mapping CF and CSAR models. On the attractors

Conventional 210Pb-dating models use assumptions on sedimentary conditions that allow for analytical formulations. The novel χ-mapping models use numerical methods to generate and test a large number (∼106) of potential solvers. Empirical data (excess 210Pb vs. mass depth profile) serve to attract the solver that minimizes the χ function (the attractor), and it has been assumed that it also defines the most likely chronology. This work aims to test this assumption in a deep way. In synthetic and varved sediments, the performance of each solver can be quantified through a parameter ξa accounting for the deviation of the model and the true ages. This work studies the complex relationships between χ and ξa using the constant flux (χ-CF) and the constant sediment accumulation rate (CSAR) models, which operate in a parametric 3D space. The full mapping of the 3D χ function serves to find the absolute minimum, for the graphical representation of the complex topology of the attractors, which is model-specific, and for plotting clouds of chronological lines from solvers with varying χ values. The minimum value of ξa (the best chronology) is achieved for a wide range of χ values, including the region of the absolute minimum. In complex cases, tiny changes in χ can result in quite different chronologies. Alternative attractors that include a reference date and an objective function are studied. The results provide guidelines for strengthening the 210Pb-based chronologies.

Arithmetic Okounkov bodies and positivity of adelic Cartier divisors

In algebraic geometry, theorems of Küronya and Lozovanu characterize the ampleness and the nefness of a Cartier divisor on a projective variety in terms of the shapes of its associated Okounkov bodies. We prove the analogous result in the context of Arakelov geometry, showing that the arithmetic ampleness and nefness of an adelic R {\mathbb {R}} -Cartier divisor D ¯ \overline {D} are determined by arithmetic Okounkov bodies in the sense of Boucksom and Chen. Our main results generalize to arbitrary projective varieties criteria for the positivity of toric metrized R {\mathbb {R}} -divisors on toric varieties established by Burgos Gil, Moriwaki, Philippon and Sombra. As an application, we show that the absolute minimum of D ¯ \overline {D} coincides with the infimum of the Boucksom–Chen concave transform, and we prove a converse to the arithmetic Hilbert-Samuel theorem under mild positivity assumptions. We also establish new criteria for the existence of generic nets of small points and subvarieties.