Amount Of Resources Research Articles

Methodology for creating a Map of the Vulnerability of the Quantity of Natural Groundwater Resources to Drought for the Czech Republic

Methodology for creating a Map of the Vulnerability of the Quantity of Natural Groundwater Resources to Drought for the Czech Republic

Incitis-food: Food security and environmental justice in African city regions

Incitis-food: Food security and environmental justice in African city regions Dr Buchenrieder, Dr Benjamin from the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, and Dr Radišić and MS.c. Trivunić, from Foodscale Hub, introduce the INCiTiS-FOOD project for improved food and nutrition security in African urban and peri-urban areas. With 20% of the population, ca. 282 million individuals, undernourished in Africa, the continent is facing a food and nutrition crisis of unprecedented proportions. This crisis intensifies further considering climate change as well as the state (i.e. quantity and quality) of arable land, soil, and water resources. There is an urgent need to provide nutritious and healthy food for the continent’s growing population while also taking into account the rapid urbanisation rate of 45%. So the question remains – what can be done to improve FNS in Africa’s growing city regions while reducing the food-system-related environmental footprint?

Sustainable groundwater regulation in typical irrigation areas of inland river basins based on ecological indicators and the MIKE-SHE hydrological model

Study regionThe study area is located in the Nukus irrigation area on the lower reaches of the Amudarya River in Uzbekistan. Study focusThe extensive agricultural land development has introduced a substantial amount of water resources into the irrigation area, leading to a significant rise in regional groundwater levels. Quantifying regional groundwater resource issues and achieving sustainable groundwater management under conditions of high spatiotemporal heterogeneity are key scientific issues for regional ecological protection. Thus, this study used the concept of ecological water level to quantify groundwater issues, used the MIKE-SHE hydrological model to conduct scenario simulations, formulated and subsequently evaluated a groundwater regulation plan with spatiotemporal attributes. New hydrological insights for the regionRegional sustainable development groundwater level should be within the range of 1.78–2.78 m. During the irrigation and non-irrigation periods, the groundwater levels in approximately 84.3 % and 72.2 % of the study area respectively exceeded the upper and lower ecological water level limits. Under the background of gradually increasing groundwater fluctuations, it will pose a serious threat to regional ecology. Therefore, this paper established a monthly-scale groundwater zoning control plan, which can make the area of regional groundwater within the ecological water level reach 87.53 %. All research not only contributes to the protection of the local ecological environment but also provides valuable insights for water resources management in other regions.

Optimal resource allocation for rapid convergence to stable healthy state in epidemic spreading models

The networked Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible (SIS) model has been widely investigated as a model for the spread of epidemics within networked systems. In networks with SIS dynamics and unstable healthy states, a critical question is how to distribute compensatory curing resources (with constrained total cost) among individuals, ensuring that the network converges to a healthy state as fast as possible. This paper introduces a novel approach to this problem by developing an algorithm for the optimal allocation of compensatory curing resources required by agents in a given network. This solution approach has been made possible by reformulating the original convergence rate optimization problem and an additional constraint guaranteeing a minimum convergence rate as a standard semidefinite programming problem. The applicability of the proposed algorithm to arbitrary undirected topologies and other variations of the SIS model, including the one with a weighted cost function, has been demonstrated. In the case of symmetry preserving curing and infection rates, it has been shown that the problem over a given network with a symmetric topology can be reduced to a smaller network with each orbit acting as a node. Additionally, for networks with one or two orbits, the problem has been addressed analytically, and several examples have been included. Based on two different scenarios inspired by the SARS outbreak in Hong Kong and the COVID-19 outbreak in the USA, it is shown that the algorithm's optimal results outperform the uniform distribution of additional curing resources. The paper also explores how optimal performance metrics change with the given upper limit on the total amount of additional curing resources.

A GIS-based assessment of the carbon emission reduction potential of the solar-enhanced char-cycling biomass pyrolysis process in China

Bioenergy and solar energy are the two widely used renewable energies, which have great potential to satisfy the global energy demand. Solar enhanced char-cycling biomass pyrolysis (SCCP) was proposed to integrate bioenergy and solar energy, could be used to make bioenergy fully carbon-negative. A geographical information system (GIS) based method was used to assess the GHG reduction potential and biofuel production potential of SCCP in China. Existing datasets were used to obtain geographical potential and biomass resource amount. Process simulation was conducted to obtain the technical data. The geographical potential results showed that with a DNI (direct normal irradiance) threshold of 1400 kWh/m2, the national suitable area for SCCP plant construction was 3.25 % of the total national area, the total convertible biofuel potential ranges from 1.86E+06 to 1.94E+06 GWh with different concentrating solar technologies. When considering biochar sequestration, the GHG emission reduction potential increased further, the total GHG emission reduction potential increased from 13.97 Mt CO2 eq to 15.42 Mt CO2 eq. Notably, Yunnan has the highest GHG emission reduction potential per unit of energy when running the pyrolysis process with solar energy, which was −8.58 g CO2 eq/kWh. The results revealed that the SCCP process could further decarbonize biofuel production in China.

Improved experimental scheme for the generation of pair coherent state in traveling-wave optical fields

Abstract Pair coherent state (PCS) is a two-mode non-Gaussian state recently generated within spatially confined superconducting cavities. Under typical conditions, it is unsuitable for performing global quantum missions in open space. Several methods have been proposed to generate this state with the capability to propagate unrestrictedly. However, these methods employed an excessive amount of unnecessary physical resources or relied on coherent displacement within the low regime. This paper presents a novel experimental approach to generate this state, specifically designed for facilitating long-distance quantum information processing and communication tasks. The method involves the utilization of two weak cross-Kerr nonlinear media, two balanced beam splitters, and an on/off photodetector. Furthermore, the input comprises three CSs with high amplitudes. These physical resources are potentially accessible within existing technology. The analysis of success probability and fidelity demonstrates that the PCS can be successfully generated with a high coherent parameter amplitude, even in scenarios where the photodetector efficiency is low, provided that the coherent amplitudes are sufficiently high.

Revolutionizing waste: Harnessing agro-food hydrochar for potent adsorption of organic and inorganic contaminants in water.

Constant pollution from a wide range of human activities has a negative impact on the quantity and quality of the planet's water resources. On the other hand, agro-food waste can impact climate change and other forms of life, in addition to having social, economic, and environmental consequences. However, as a result of their inherent physicochemical properties and lignocellulosic composition, these residues are becoming increasingly recognized as valuable products in line with government policies advocating zero waste and circular economies. An advantageous way to convert these wastes into energy and chemicals is hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). This review highlights the valorization of agro-food waste into hydrochar-based adsorbents for the elimination of organic and inorganic contaminants from aqueous environments. An overview of the toxicity of pollutants in aqueous environments, food waste management, as well as HTC technology was initially proposed. Then, a discussion on the conversion of major agro-food wastes into contaminant adsorbents was given in detail. Adsorption mechanisms as well as the possibility of reuse of adsorbents were also discussed. Enhanced properties of the produced materials enable them to provide competent solutions to various ecological contexts, including removing pollutants from wastewater with cost-effectiveness and satisfactory results. Besides addressing environmental concerns, this sustainable approach opens the door for more environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient applications in the future, making it an exciting prospect.

Lobbying global venues: Sitting in or speaking out?

AbstractUnderstanding interest groups' participation in global policy processes is critical not least because of an increasing shift in policy‐making powers to global institutions. This paper contributes to existing research by examining advocacy efforts at the global level and proposing a novel argument linking the degree of policy complexity and the amount of groups' resources to lobbying strategies. Specifically, it argues that interest groups invest in both inside (“sitting in”) and outside (“speaking up”) lobbying strategies when the policy at stake is complex and they have more resources. This theory is tested using extensive and novel data spanning interest groups' lobbying efforts on global Internet privacy regulation.

Sustainability analysis of building materials

Our analysis of the sustainability of building materials is often overly simplistic. When we think of sustainable materials, it's easy to think of wood, rattan, bamboo, or stone, which are grown in nature, taken from nature, and are undoubtedly renewable resources or renewable materials. However, it would be a dull stereotype to assume that these materials represent an analysis of sustainable materials in construction. Regardless of whether a particular material is suitable for all time and space environments, even if we reduce the consideration of design function, what is the relationship between the serious pollution caused by the huge amount of resources consumed by long-distance transportation over mountains and mountains and green design or sustainable design, not to mention that inappropriate materials may lead to a decline in the quality of the design product, shorten the service life of the design product, and bring more serious waste of resources. In conclusion, there is a lot to discuss about the sustainability of building materials. Green building space design and sustainable building materials analysis is a very complex topic that involves many aspects and the application of knowledge from many disciplines. The sustainability assessment of building materials can lead to at least the following topics: the choice of building materials themselves, building design methods, energy efficiency and the environmental impact of building design. The examples of materials we have just listed, such as wood, bamboo, rattan, are actually based on the perspective of the choice of the material itself, and it cannot be said that there is anything wrong with this, but this analysis is too narrow. This paper will comprehensively analyze and evaluate the sustainability of building materials in terms of material selection, design, utilization and environmental impact, and try to provide a more mature evaluation method or thinking process to assess the sustainability of building materials.

Equity and trends in the allocation of health human resources in China from 2012 to 2021

BackgroundAs the second most populous country in the world, China has a huge demand for health human resources. Over the past decade, the Chinese government has continuously increased investment in the health sector and implemented relevant policies and systems in an attempt to enhance the overall quantity and equity of health human resources. This study aims to analyze the equity and developmental trends in the allocation of health human resources in China from 2012 to 2021, providing reference and theoretical support for the government’s further optimization of health human resources allocation.MethodsThis study collected health human resources data from 31 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions in China from 2012 to 2021. The methods employed included Lorenz curves, Gini coefficients, and agglomeration degree analysis, which examined the developmental trends and equity of health human resources from the perspectives of population and geographical.ResultsThis study found that over the past decade, there has been a significant increase in the total quantity of health human resources in China, accompanied by an improvement in equity, although disparities still exist. There are notable variations in the distribution of health human resources based on geographical area, with disparities between different regions. Relative shortages of health human resources are observed in western regions, while some areas in the eastern and central regions exhibit an abundance or surplus of health human resources.ConclusionOverall, health human resources in China have experienced stable development, with an incremental improvement in allocation equity, yet there remains considerable room for progress. It is imperative to continue strengthening policy guidance and regulation to facilitate the rational flow of health human resources, narrow regional disparities, and achieve the goal of universal health coverage.

Foraging bee species differentially prioritize quantity and quality of floral rewards.

Pollinator-plant interactions represent a core mutualism that underpins biodiversity in terrestrial ecosystems, and the loss of flowering plants is a major driver of pollinator declines. Bee attraction to flowers is mediated by both quantity of resources (the number of available flowers for exploration) and quality of resources (pollen nutritional value), but whether and how bees prioritize these factors is not well understood. Here, we leveraged a unique plant system to investigate the floral factors influencing bee foraging decisions. Recombinant inbred plant lines were generated by crossing the self-fertilizing Capsella rubella and the pollinator-dependent outcrosser C. grandiflora, to produce plants that varied across floral traits. Using enclosed arenas, we evaluated the foraging behavior of two solitary bee species, Osmia cornifrons and Megachile rotundata, to the isolated inflorescences from these lines. Visits from O. cornifrons were significantly positively correlated with the number of flowers, while M. rotundata visits were significantly positively associated with pollen nutrition, with a preference for plants with higher pollen protein-to-lipid content. Further experiments using artificial flowers confirmed that M. rotundata preferred flowers with higher protein:lipid ratios, while O. cornifrons visits were unaffected by nutrition. These studies demonstrate that, although both bee species collect pollen as their sole source of protein and lipids for themselves and/or their offspring, they differentially prioritize resource quantity (number of flowers) and quality (pollen nutritional content). These studies lay the groundwork for understanding how different foraging strategies evolved, and influence, plant-pollinator ecological networks.

Effects of extra resource and harvesting on the pattern formation for a predation system

We deal with a reaction–diffusion predation system with extra resource provided to predator and harvesting on prey. We first discuss the long-time behaviors of parabolic system, including the dissipativeness and persistence of positive solutions. It is shown that under certain constraints of harvesting, the quality of extra resource, the predation and transition rates of predator, the dissipativeness is compatible with persistence. Secondly, some properties of steady-state system are investigated, mainly including the existence of non-constant positive solutions, Turing and steady-state bifurcation phenomena. It is found that the extra resource, prey harvesting and diffusion have significant impacts on the pattern formations. Furthermore, some numerical simulations on Turing patterns and steady-state bifurcation solutions are performed to illustrate the theoretical analysis. We observe that when the quantity of extra resources is low, changes in the quality of extra resources can lead to significant changes in the spatial distribution of species, which is in sharp contrast to the case of high quantity of extra resource. Additionally, we conclude that different diffusion rates of predator can lead to different spatial patterns for the system.

Efficacy of Preoperative Autologous Blood Donation for Surgical Treatment of Thoracic Spinal Stenosis: A Propensity-Matched Cohort Study.

Thoracic spinal stenosis (TSS) surgeries necessitate a substantial amount of allogeneic blood resources. However, the efficacy of preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD) in TSS surgery has not been clearly evaluated. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of PABD for TSS surgery. This study is a retrospective study. Totally 397 patients who underwent TSS surgeries at our institution from January 2019 to June 2023 were included. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to make the PABD and Non-PABD groups comparable at baseline. Regarding outcome measures, the incidence and amount of allogeneic blood transfusion, changes in postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, occurrence of postoperative complications, medical costs, drainage time, length of hospital stay, and postoperative neurological function were analyzed. The outcomes were compared between the matched PABD (n = 79) and Non-PABD (n = 79) groups. Univariate analysis methods were used for statistical analysis, including independent samples t-test, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and chi-square test. The incidence of allogeneic blood transfusion (8.9% vs. 25.3%, p = 0.006) and volume of intraoperative red blood cell (RBC) transfusion (10.12 ± 54.52 vs. 122.78 ± 275.00 mL, p < 0.001) in the PABD group were significantly lower than those in the Non-PABD group. The PABD group had significantly higher average postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels than the Non-PABD group at 1, 3, and 5 days after surgery (p < 0.05). Similarly, the PABD group exhibited a smaller reduction in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels compared with the Non-PABD group on 1, 3, and 5 days postoperatively. There were no significant intergroup differences in terms of transfusion-related complications, medical expenses, neurological function, length of hospital stay, or drainage time. Notably, PABD was an independent protective factor of allogeneic transfusion in the multivariate regression analysis (OR = 0.334, 95%CI = 0.051-0.966). PABD can effectively reduce the incidence of allogeneic blood transfusion and amount of allogeneic blood in TSS surgeries with safety. It also significantly improved the postoperative hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. Under the premise of clear indications, PABD is worth promoting for the surgical treatment of TSS.

Analysis of BUMDes Business Development Program Implementation for Village Prosperity

The general background implementation of village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) is essential for promoting village prosperity through sustainable business development. The specific background this study specifically examines the operational effectiveness of BUMDes Sinar Mitra Gemilang within a local context. The knowledge gap despite the establishment of various business units, limited research evaluates the implementation strategies and outcomes of BUMDes programs, particularly regarding the challenges encountered during execution. The aims the aim of this study is to analyze the implementation of the BUMDes business development program, focusing on the factors influencing its success and the obstacles that hinder optimal performance. The results findings reveal that communication between BUMDes and the community is inadequate, human resources lack quantity despite being qualified, and community participation requires improvement. Additionally, the organizational structure is ineffective due to insufficient human resources. The novelty this study contributes to existing literature by applying Edward III's policy implementation theory and utilizing qualitative methods to provide insights into the practical aspects of BUMDes operations. The implications the implications highlight the need for enhanced communication, increased community engagement, and a stronger organizational framework to improve the overall effectiveness of BUMDes programs, ultimately aiming to enhance community welfare and ensure business sustainability. Highlights: Communication improves program effectiveness. Resource quality and quantity affect operations. Local government support enhances community engagement. Keywords: BUMDes, Implementation, Community Participation, Organizational Structure, Communication

Non-senescent species are not immortal: Stress and decline in two planaria species.

Potential immortality is observed in several species (e.g. prickly pear cactus, hydra and flatworms) and is indicative of their negligible or even negative senescence rates. Unlike in senescent species, which experience reduced individual performance with age due to physiological degradation, species with negligible or negative senescence display mortality rates that remain constant or decline with age, respectively. These rates vary across taxa and are correlated with life history traits. Yet, the extent to which variable resource availability, a key driver of variation in life history traits, impacts species that show negligible or negative senescence is currently unknown. Here, we examine whether and how variation in the quantity, quality and feeding interval of resources impact population structure, population performance and life history trait trade-offs in two long-lived planaria that do not senesce: Schmidtea mediterranea and Dugesia tahitiensis. In a full factorial design, different combinations of resource quantity (reduced intake, standard intake and high intake) and quality (high and low quality) were provided in two different feeding intervals (7-day and 14-day intervals) for 19 weeks. We show that variability in resource availability, via decreases in quantity, quality and frequency of resources, does not diminish population viability in either species but does result in suboptimal conditions of stress in S. mediterranea. The high population viability we report can be attributed to two different mechanisms: increased reproduction or increased investment into maintenance at the expense of reproduction. Moreover, which mechanism was responsible for said high population viability was context-dependent and modulated by the specific life history strategy of the two planaria species. We show that suboptimal conditions can cause stress responses that have significant impacts on non-senescent species. The context-dependent response we observe suggests that species that do not senesce but are subject to suboptimal conditions of stress may ultimately exhibit declines in performance and ultimately die. A clearer understanding of the impact of suboptimal conditions of resource availability on non-senescent species is needed to determine the extent of stress experienced and ultimately whether a species can truly be immortal.

Regional and local patterns of soil arthropod diversity are explained by different processes in southwest China

Understanding the distribution patterns and underlying mechanisms of community assembly at different spatial scales is crucial for the ecology and conservation of organisms, yet little is known about soil arthropods. In this study, we tested the relative importance of the two hypotheses that could explain soil arthropod distribution patterns at local and regional scales: (1) the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis (spatial complexity and variability of a habitat allow the coexistence of many species), and (2) the more-individuals hypothesis (the amount of resources per se, regardless of its spatial heterogeneity, increases overall soil arthropod abundance and richness). We extensively collected soil arthropods (identified to families or subfamilies) and measured soil physicochemical properties in four forests distributed across latitudes in Yunnan Province, China. We found that soil arthropod abundance and taxon richness increased with increasing latitudes, contrasting with the generally known pattern for plants and aboveground animals. Litter biomass (resources) explained the taxon richness and abundance at the regional scale, which aligned with the more-individuals hypothesis. Other soil physicochemical properties (e.g., Ca, TP, Mg, Mn, and pH) were more important at the local scale, underpinning the habitat heterogeneity hypothesis. However, the relative importance of individual soil properties was highly location-specific, suggesting that the environmental factors operating in one location do not necessarily reflect those operating in others at different latitudes. These findings improve our understanding of the community assembly and ecological processes of soil arthropods at different spatial scales, which is vital for predicting the future of soil biodiversity.

Assessment of rainwater resources in urban areas of reception basins of south-to-north water diversion project under climate change

The forecasting of future stormwater resources serves a pivotal role in gauging the potential effects of stormwater utilization on natural and societal systems. However, there has been limited research on the effect of climate change on future rainwater resources, particularly for large-scale water diversion projects. Based on global climate model data, future land use data and SCS-CN (soil conservation service curve number) model, this study proposed a calculation method of rainwater resources under different SSP scenarios in the future period, and carried out a case study on the cities in the receiving area of South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP). The results show that there will be an increase in the amount of rainfall in the future compared to 2020.The most significant increase in rainwater resources occurs in urban reception areas of the Eastern Route Project (ERP). However, according to future projections, the quantity of rainwater resources in the study area decreases from south to north. The spatial distribution of rainwater resources demonstrates a nearly normal distribution in the eastern and western routes and a bimodal distribution in the Central Route Project (CRP). In the context of global climate change, the increase in rainfall resources in the CRP may be beneficial for the establishment and implementation of the SNWDP. This study can provide a reference for analysing the uncertainty of rainwater resources in the future period under climate change. It can also provide guidance for the construction and develop scheduling schemes of the SNWDP, a world-class water diversion project.

Gardens reduce seasonal hunger gaps for farmland pollinators.

Gardens can benefit pollinators living in surrounding farmland landscapes, but the reason for their value is not clear. Gardens are no different from many semi-natural farmland habitats in terms of the quantity of floral resources (pollen and nectar) they produce, but the timing of their resource supply is very different, which may explain their value. We show that gardens provide 15% of overall annual nectar in farmland landscapes in Southwest UK, but between 50% and 95% during early spring and late summer when farmland supplies are low. Gardens can therefore reduce seasonal nectar gaps experienced by farmland bumblebees. Consistent with this pattern, bumblebee activity increased in gardens relative to farmland during early spring and late summer. An agent-based model reinforces this point, showing that timing, not quantity, of garden nectar supply enhances bumblebee colony growth and survival in farmland. We show that over 90% of farmland in Great Britain is within 1 km of a garden and therefore positive actions by gardeners could have widespread spillover benefits for pollinators across the country. Given the widespread distribution of gardens around the world, we highlight their important interplay with surrounding landscapes for pollinator ecology and conservation.

Utilization of marine waste enteromorpha prolifera powder to prepare sustainable lightweight cementitious materials

This study innovatively used enteromorpha prolifera powder (EPP) to prepare lightweight cementitious materials. The effect of EPP on the physical properties, mechanical strengths, and microstructure of mortar was tested and discussed. The results indicated that the density and thermal conductivity of mortar were significantly reduced after adding EPP, but the water absorption and porosity were increased accordingly, resulting in a significant loss of mechanical strength. Surprisingly, the density and thermal conductivity of mortar incorporated with 8 % EPP was only 855.00 kg/m3 and 0.28 W/m•K (reduced by 57 % and 83 % respectively compared with plain mortar), and the 28 d compressive strength was still as high as 1.90 MPa. The results of thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction showed that as the EPP content increases, the Ca(OH)2 content decreases, and the CaCO3 content increases. This was due to the increase in porosity causing CO2 in the environment to enter the interior of the matrix. This study not only proposed new material for preparing sustainable lightweight cement mortar but also found a new way to utilize large amounts of waste enteromorpha prolifera resources.

Comprehensive Analysis of Faults and Diagnosis Techniques in Cascaded Multi-Level Inverters

Reliability is a crucial factor to consider for multi-level inverters (MLIs) used in industrial applications. With the increasing number of power semiconductor devices, the potential for defects to significantly degrade the overall system is heightened. A highly effective fault-detection technique is required to minimize the impact of faults. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles of multi-level inverters and the various sorts of faults that can occur in multi-level inverters. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of five-level cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverters (MLIs) under both normal and defective conditions. The paper outlines a fault-detection method that utilizes total harmonic distortion and a normalized output voltage factor. In addition, the paper discusses a fault-isolation strategy that relies on reducing amplitude modulation. This method leads to the development of a fault-tolerant inverter. The utilization of level-shifted pulse-width modulation (LSPWM) technology is employed for the purpose of switching operations. LSPWM is the most appropriate technique for MLIs that require a low amount of computational resources. The fault-diagnosis approach given is suitable for MLI-based drives, grid-connected operations, and other applications. This paper presents a comprehensive examination of the 5L-CMLI (5-Level Cascaded Multi-Level Inverter) under various fault scenarios in CMLI. Subsequently, various fault diagnosis approaches will be examined, including their advantages and disadvantages. The paper discusses several defects that can occur in the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) of a Current Mode Logic Inverter (CMLI), and also presents a design for a reliable fault diagnosis system. Furthermore, this analysis examines several fault detection strategies in CMLI, categorized according to open-loop and closed-loop dynamic systems fault classifications.