High Altitude Areas Research Articles

Research on temperature rise performance of DC universal disconnect switch at high altitude

Abstract Low Voltage appliances are used more and more widely in high altitude areas, but the research on their temperature rise performance is still insufficient. Aiming at this problem, a high altitude temperature rise simulation model is established and verified by experiment, and the temperature rise performance is studied. Firstly, a DC universal isolation switch with a rated current of 1600A was used as the carrier to build an electro-thermal coupling calculation model of high-altitude temperature rise. Secondly, the temperature rise experiment of the isolation switch in high altitude environment was carried out to verify the effectiveness of the simulation model. Finally, the temperature fields of the DC universal isolation switch at different altitudes are simulated, and the change of convective heat transfer coefficient is calculated, and the temperature rise performance of the isolation switch at high altitudes is analyzed. With the increase of altitude, the temperature rise of the conductor is significantly higher than that of the insulation shell, and the heat dissipation capacity of the aluminum radiator decreases significantly at high altitude. The model and conclusion can provide reference for the use of low voltage electrical apparatus in high altitude environment.

Diversity of Orchid in Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve in Shanxi, China.

Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve has complex habitats and rich species diversity but lacks systematic ecological surveys. We focused on Orchid in Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve, investigated and analyzed Orchid diversity and changes in community structure according to the characteristics of the alpine valleys in the study area, in terms of altitude gradient and habitat type, using the sample line method and the quadrat method. The results showed that 11 genera and 13 species of Orchidaceae were found in the survey, among which the species richness of Malaxis monophyllos was the highest, Neottia puberula was the second highest, and the species richness of Tulotis ussuriensis was the lowest, and the species with relative plurality ≥ 10% were Malaxis monophyllos (51.69%), Neottia puberula (14.77%), and Cypripedium guttatum (11.15%). The results of diversity analysis showed that Orchidaceae species were rich and the diversity index were the highest in the middle altitude area of 1950-2250 m; the distribution of Orchidaceae in the low altitude area was obviously clustered, and the similarity with the high altitude area was low. With the increase in altitude, the number of species showed an increase and then a decrease, showing a single-peak state, which was in line with the theory of "Intermediate altitude expansion hypothesis". The species and number of Orchidaceae in different habitats of Abies nephrolepis Nature Reserve also varied considerably, with Shannon-Wiener diversity index being the highest in EV4 (Abies nephrolepis + Picea meyeri + Picea wilsonii + Larix gmelinii var. principis-rupprechtii-Lonicera hispida-Carex lanceolata community) and EV5, and the smallest in EV1 habitats, Pielow evenness index being the highest in EV5 habitats and the lowest in EV1 habitats, and Simpson's index being the highest in EV5 habitats and the lowest in EV1 habitats. This study provides a scientific basis for strengthening regional monitoring of species diversity and protecting biodiversity.

High-performance Multi-stage Baffled A2O Treatment Process for Domestic Sewage on Plateaus

At high altitudes, the low air pressure, low atmospheric oxygen content, and cryogenic environment during the cold season greatly limit the treatment efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). A novel pilot-plant configuration of the multi-stage baffled A2O wastewater treatment process was proposed and tested in Xizang. Different operational conditions involving at different influent loads and at low temperatures (10.0–11.0°C) were tested. When the influent flowrate increased to 4 m3∙d−1, the hydraulic retention time (HRT), internal and external reflux ratio, dissolved oxygen (DO), and aeration demands (gas to water ratio) all decreased to 34.2 h, 3.5/7, a stable 2.0–2.5 mg∙L−1, and 17.5, respectively. The effluent chemical oxygen demand (COD), total nitrogen (TN), ammonia nitrogen (NH+4−N), and total phosphorus (TP) all met the requirements of Class 1 Grade A of the China National Municipal Wastewater Discharge Standards (GB 18918-2002). The contribution of denitrifying phosphorus removal (DPR) to the removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus was over 50%. The alpha diversity and abundance of the top genera in the microbial community structure were both higher than the plateau WWTP. The reaction activity of the DPR process was significantly enhanced via the increased abundance of key functional genes within the metabolism pathway of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrogen-oxidizing bacteria (NOB). The special multi-stage baffled structure featured a strategy of high sludge storage that improved the system tolerance for low temperatures and ensured favorable and stable performance for nitrogen and phosphorus removal at low temperatures. A short, periodic, and cyclically intermittent operation mode, with each cycle lasting only 20 minutes, effectively inhibited filamentous bacteria sludge bulking, resulting in a sludge volume index (SVI) that decreased to within 120 mL∙g−1 during the first 15 days of system start-up. A long sludge retention time (SRT) with no sludge discharging over 169 days and reduced aeration demands contributed to lower operation costs. The investigation revealed that the system had a high capacity for storing sludge phosphorus, possessing a TP content within a range of 23.45–28.99 mg∙g−1. This study provides a feasible solution for efficiently and economically treating wastewater in high-altitude areas.

Analysis of the nutritional and antinutritional contents of tubers of Agew potatoes (Plectranthus edulis) grown in the Awi Zone, Amhara regional state of Ethiopia

Plectranthus edulis is one of the most important tuberous plants, is an indigenous plant, and grows in middle- and high-altitude areas. This study investigated the proximate, antinutritional, antioxidant, and mineral compositions of P. edulis (Agew potato) grown in the Dangila, Ankesha, and Banja districts in the Awi zone of the Amhara region, Ethiopia. The proximate composition was determined via the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) protocol. The moisture, ash, crude fat, crude protein, crude fiber, carbohydrate, phytate, tannin, TPC, TFC, and DPPH assay results ranged from 70.87 to 74.92 g/100 g, 3.92–4.58 g/10 g, 0.36–0.61 g/100 g, 6.86–9.29 g/100 g, 3.18–3.56 g/100 g, 71.79–78.81 g/100 g, 61.48–108.04 mg/100 g, 8.46–44.15 mg/100 g, 17.53–28.42 mg/g, 2.75–5.71 mg/g, and 52.94–71.49%, respectively. The concentrations of Na, P, Fe, Cu, and Zn ranged from 261.85 to 603.90 mg/kg, 82.02–251.82 mg/100 g, 23.74–65.36 mg/kg, 9.98–16.27 mg/kg, and 17.68–30.20 mg/kg, respectively. The Agew potato from Dangila had a better nutritional content than Banja and Ankesha. Agew potatoes are nutritious and medically important tuber plants used to secure food, especially in undernourished societies.

Insights into the spatial ecology of the world’s most ancient dog: high-altitude movements of New Guinea dingoes

Knowledge of an animal’s activity patterns, home range size and space use is fundamental to understanding their basic ecology, and obtaining spatial data is an important research priority for newly discovered species, data-deficient species of conservation concern, or species of great scientific or public interest. Here we report the first spatial data obtained from wild-living dingoes near Puncak Jaya, New Guinea. Based on information from four dingoes monitored with GPS tracking collars between 2018 and 2022, we report that dingo home range sizes can be up to 128km2, dingoes travel up to 56.8km per day, and they utilise rainforest and alpine habitats up to 4,630m above sea level. Dingoes at the site regularly traversed steep, rocky and barren alpine mountain crevasses to access more fertile areas at lower altitudes on the other side. These results imply that New Guinea dingoes may have physiological and genetic adaptations that enable them to live in high-altitude low-oxygen environments similar to Himalayan wolves, Ethiopian wolves, and other canids found in high-altitude areas. As the first domesticated animal and the world’s most ancient dog, and given their historic and current cultural significance, their illusiveness in the wild, and their trophic position as the largest terrestrial predators on the second-largest island in the world, we believe that further research on the ecology of New Guinea dingoes will continue to reveal important insights valuable for our understanding of human and animal ecology in this global biodiversity hotspot.

Integration of bile proteomics and metabolomics analyses reveals novel insights into different types of gallstones in a high-altitude area

BackgroundTo explore the pathogenesis of different subtypes of gallstones in high-altitude populations from a molecular perspective.MethodsWe collected bile samples from 20 cholesterol gallstone disease (CGD) patients and 20 pigment gallstone disease (PGD) patients. Proteomics analysis was performed by LC/MS DIA, while metabolomics analysis was performed by UPLC- Q-TOF/MS.ResultsWe identified 154 up-regulated and 196 down-regulated differentially expressed proteins, which were significantly enriched in neurodegenerative diseases, energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism etc. In metabolomics analysis, 20 up-regulated and 63 down-regulated differentially expressed metabolites were identified, and they were significantly enriched in vitamin B6 metabolism. Three pathways of integrated proteomics and metabolomics were significantly enriched: porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, riboflavin metabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. Remarkably, 7 differentially expressed proteins and metabolites showed excellent predictive performance and were selected as potential biomarkers.ConclusionThe findings of our metabolomics and proteomics analyses help to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of gallstone formation in high-altitude populations.

Have Climate Factor Changes Jeopardized the Value of Qinghai Grassland Ecosystem Services within the Grass–Animal Balance?

Internal and external environmental changes have led to changes in the service value of plateau ecosystems. Plateau ecosystems are facing a risk of falling into “recession”. Meanwhile, climate change has become an important factor affecting the service value of plateau grassland ecosystems. In this paper, from the perspective of how changes in climate factors inhibit the value of ecosystem services of plateau grasslands, we adopt the equivalent factor method to measure the value of grassland ecosystem services in eight municipal levels in Qinghai Province from 2000 to 2021. We also construct a fixed utility model to test how changes in climate factors affect the value of ecosystem services and use the grass–animal balance as a mediating effect model for the test. The results of the study showed that (1) the increase in temperature and precipitation among the changes in climate factors significantly suppresses the ecosystem service value of grassland in the plateau. (2) The mediation test shows that the grass–livestock balance helped suppress the effects of climate factor changes on the ecological service value of plateau grassland. (3) The heterogeneity test shows that the area containing the Three-River-Source National Park is more resistant to climate factor changes. Climate factor changes have a greater impact on the ecosystem service value of plateau grassland in high altitude areas and have a significant positive effect on sustained low grassland carrying pressure index status. Therefore, in the protection of plateau grassland ecosystems, we should pay attention to the inputs in the ecosystems as well as appropriate grazing. At the same time, this study can provide a reference value for the decision-making with respect to ecological natural resources protection or restoration in plateau grassland under the effects of climate factors.

Study on the Impact of Air Pressure on the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy of Intumescent Fireproof Coatings

Intumescent fireproof coatings protect steel structures and cables by forming a thick, fire-resistant layer under high temperatures. These coatings can deteriorate over time, impacting their fire resistance. Current testing methods are largely lab-based, lacking in-service evaluation platforms. Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is emerging as a promising in situ detection technology but is influenced by low air pressure in high-altitude areas. This study investigates how air pressure affects LIBS signals in intumescent coatings on galvanized steel. Using pressures between 35 and 101 kPa, a linear model was developed to correlate laser pulses to ablation depth for characterizing coating thickness. Results show that spectral intensity decreases with lower air pressure. However, a strong linear relationship persists between laser pulses and ablation depth, with a fitting accuracy above 0.9. The coating thickness is identified by the number of laser pulses required to detect the Zn spectral line from the underlying galvanized steel. As air pressure decreases, the ablation depth increases. The study effectively models and corrects for air pressure effects on LIBS data, enabling its application for field detection of fireproof coatings. This advancement enhances the reliability of LIBS technology in assessing the fire performance of these materials, providing a reference for their in situ evaluation and ensuring better fire safety standards for building steel structures and cables.

Variability of solar UV radiation in the northern mountains of the Czech Republic, 2020–2021

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a crucial role in many atmospheric processes and a huge impact on living organisms. Its main positive effect is the synthesis of vitamin D, but it also causes problems such as sunburn, skin cancer or eye cataracts. In the mountains, high doses of UV frequently occur due to a specific combination of atmospheric and geographical factors such as a high ground reflection as a consequence of a large number of days with snow cover, or a lower concentration of atmospheric pollutants in comparison to lowland urban regions. This study used measurements of erythemal UV radiation from two high altitude areas: the Hrubý Jeseník Mountains (Vysoká hole meteorological station, 1 464 m a.s.l.) and the Giant Mountains (Luční bouda meteorological station, 1 413 m a.s.l.) in the Czech Republic, during 2020 and 2021. We evaluated the daily and monthly changes in erythemal dose and UV index. The maximum daily dose of 5.0 kJ.m-2 (8.9 of UV index) was measured on 28 June 2020 at Vysoká hole. The maximal UV index of 10.1 was observed at Luční bouda on 5 July 2020, while the maximum daily dose of 4.9 kJ.m-2 occurred on 14 June 2021. The main factors that caused changes in solar UV radiation were the amount of cloud cover as well as the total ozone column.

Development characteristics of rod-plate Gap streamer-leader system at high altitude areas

Abstract Air density is an important factors affecting the morphology characteristics of long air gap discharge channels. Analyzing characteristic parameters, such as the propagation velocity and angle of the streamer-leader system at high altitude areas is indispensable in studying the discharge mechanism of long gaps. In this paper, optical images and optical power of the discharge channel were captured. The propagation velocity of the streamer-leader system and angle distribution characteristics of the streamer region were obtained.In accordance with the findings, the downward velocity of the streamer-leader system at low pressure ranges from 1×104 to 5×104 m/s. Simultaneously, the velocity decreases slightly under the voltage with a low rise rate, and it is often accompanied by the phenomenon of leader re-luminescence. In addition, the optical images were processed by the pseudo-color algorithm, and the angle of the streamer region of the downward leader head was obtained between 50.3° and 71.6°. The angle of the streamer region is inversely correlated with the voltage rise rate but positively correlated with the gap distance. The results obtained in this paper have academic significance for improving the theoretical system of long gap discharge in high-altitude extreme environments.

A high-altitude population of Hyperboreomyzon polaris (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae) in Altai Mountains, South Siberia, Russia.

Hyperboreomyzon polaris Bolotov, Eliseeva, Klass & Kondakov, 2022 (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae) is an enigmatic freshwater leech that was recently described based on three specimens from two remote regions of the Eurasian Arctic, that is, the Kolguev Island and Putorana Plateau, Russia. Later on, misidentified historical samples of this species were discovered in the Hirudinea collection of Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg, Russia). These samples were collected by Pavel G. Ignatov, a prominent Russian geographer and traveler, from a remote high-altitude area of the Altai Mountains (South Siberia) in 1901. To collect new samples from this population, we organized a field expedition to the same area (Lake Dzhulukul) in 2023. Molecular genetic data (COI and 18S rRNA) obtained from newly collected specimens revealed that they belong to H. polaris. Hence, this leech could be considered an Arctic-alpine species, the disjunctive range of which covers Arctic areas of Eurasia and Central Asian (South Siberian) mountains. We describe and illustrate living individuals of H. polaris for the first time, update its morphological diagnosis, present a life cycle reconstruction based on the frequency of four size classes in available samples. It is shown that this species prefers small lentic water bodies such as small lakes and lakelets. The crop content of a well-fed specimen from Altai contains DNA of the northern pintail Anas acuta Linnaeus (Aves: Anatidae), indicating that H. polaris feeds on blood of waterfowl. Our results indicate that Hyperboreomyzon may be considered a species adapted to cold high-latitude areas and mountain refugia.

Study on the Natural Ventilation Model of a Single-Span Plastic Greenhouse in a High-Altitude Area

The natural ventilation model plays a crucial role in greenhouse environmental control. It has been extensively studied by previous researchers, but it is limited to low-altitude areas. This study established a numerical model of single-span plastic greenhouses in high-altitude areas. The model was validated using measured data, showing a good agreement between the measured and simulated values. By setting boundary conditions based on on-site monitoring data, ventilation rates were extracted under different conditions for numerical simulations. Through nonlinear fitting, an empirical formula for natural ventilation rates, with a determination coefficient (R2) of 0.9724, was derived. The formula was validated through an energy balance analysis of indoor air. Different ventilation opening sizes were simulated to derive an empirical formula for natural ventilation rates based on opening size. Building on this, the relationship between plant height and ventilation rate was analyzed. As the dominant factors of natural ventilation change with environmental fluctuations, this study also proposed the threshold wind speed for wind pressure ventilation, thermal pressure ventilation, and coupled ventilation, filling the knowledge gap in relevant ventilation rate calculations. This is the first time that a natural ventilation model of single-span plastic greenhouses in high-altitude areas has been proposed, providing the basis in terms of modeling for the further development of local facility agriculture.

PSIV-24 Evaluation of different colostrum feeding volumes on serum immunoglobulin G concentration and metabolic profiles of calves in high altitude area

Abstract Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the highest plateau in the world, reputed as “the roof of the world” and “the world’s third pole”. Its ecological environment is characterized by low atmospheric oxygen pressure, cold, and limited feed supplies. This study aimed to investigate the serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentration and metabolic profiles of calves in high altitude area (3,650 m) fed different volumes of colostrum [8, 12, or 15% of birth body weight (BW)] using untargeted metabolomics strategies. Neonatal Holstein hybrid heifer calves (n = 44) were randomly divided into 1 of the 3 colostrum feeding amounts: 8% of birth BW (Low volume, L), 12% of birth BW (Middle volume, M), and 15% of birth BW (High volume, H) in colostrum. To safeguard the efficiency of colostrum intake, the colostrum was fed to calves within 0.5 h and 6 h after birth. The serum samples at 24 h after birth were collected for IgG concentration determination by indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and for LC-MS/MS metabonomic analysis. As the volumes of colostrum increased, there was a linearly increased in the serum IgG concentration (P < 0.01). Differential metabolites were selected according to the following 3 conditions: minimum fold change (FC) > 2, P-value < 0.01 in single-dimensional statistical analysis, and variable importance in projection (VIP) > 1 in the OPLS-DA model. Multivariate statistical analyses were performed to visualize differences among groups. Based on the screening criteria, a total of 3 differential metabolites (22 alpha-Hydroxy-campesterol, N-Myristoyl Histidine, and Calcitetrol) were detected between L and M, of which all differential metabolites were down-regulated. Six differential metabolites were detected between M and H, of which PC[P-18:1(11Z)/18:1(12Z)-2OH(9,10)] was up-regulated and 5 differential metabolites including 1-arachidonoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphate, propanoyl phosphate, ascorbic acid 6-palmitate, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and 6’’’-deamino-6’’’-hydroxyparomomycin II were down-regulated. There were 28 differed metabolites (including leucyl-tryptophan, calcitetrol, 3’’-Oxoribostamycin) between L and H, of which 9 differential metabolites were up-regulated and 19 differential metabolites were down-regulated (Figure 1). Based on KEGG metabolic enrichment pathway analysis and pathway topology analysis, porphyrin metabolism was identified as the most impacted pathway between L and H (Figure 2). In conclusion, increasing colostrum volumes significantly increased serum IgG concentrations at 24 h after birth, favoring the success of the transfer of passive immunity. Alterations in serum metabolome of calves in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau fed different volumes of colostrum were successfully revealed by untargeted metabolomics. The role of the identified differential metabolites and enriched pathway in the transfer of passive immunity in calves at high altitude deserves further investigation. Keywords: calf, colostrum volumes, high altitude area

High altitude air pollution and respiratory disease: Evaluating compounded exposure events and interactions

Today, air pollution remains a significant issue, particularly in high-altitude areas where its impact on respiratory disease remains incompletely explored. This study aims to investigate the association between various air pollutants and outpatient visits for respiratory disease in such regions, specifically focussing on Xining from 2016 to 2021. By analysing over 570,000 outpatient visits using a time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression, we assessed the independent effects of pollutants like PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO, as well as their interactions. The evaluation of interactions employed measures such as relative excess odds due to interaction (REOI), attributable proportion due to interaction (AP), and synergy index (S). We also conducted a stratified analysis to identify potentially vulnerable populations. Our findings indicated that exposure to PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, and CO significantly increased outpatient visits for respiratory disease, with odds ratios (ORs) of 2.40 % (95 % CI: 2.05 %, 2.74 %), 1.07 % (0.98 %, 1.16 %), 3.86 % (3.23 %, 4.49 %), 4.45 % (4.14 %, 4.77 %), and 6.37 % (5.70 %, 7.04 %), respectively. However, exposure to O3 did not show a significant association. We found significant interactions among PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and CO, where combined exposure further exacerbated the risk of respiratory diseases. For example, in the combination of PM2.5 and SO2, the REOI, AP, and S were 0.07 (95 % CI: 0.06, 0.09), 0.07 (0.06, 0.07), and 1.07 (1.05, 1.09), respectively. Additionally, elderly individuals and females were more sensitive to these pollutants, but no statistically significant interaction effects were observed between different age and gender groups. In conclusion, our study highlights the strong link between air pollution and respiratory disease in high-altitude areas, with combined pollutant exposure posing an even greater risk. It underscores the need for enhanced air quality monitoring and public awareness campaigns, particularly to protect vulnerable populations like the elderly and females.

Temporal and spatial dynamics of carbon and water use efficiency on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and their ecosystem responses

Research on the carbon and water use efficiency (CUE, WUE) in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) holds significant importance due to its implications in understanding and addressing global environmental challenges, particularly climate change. This study comprehensively explored the spatiotemporal distribution patterns and trends of WUE and CUE on the plateau from 2001 to 2018 using linear regression analysis and geostatistical methods. The results revealed a gradual decrease in WUE from southeast to northwest, showing a non-linear variation trend during the study period. CUE exhibited relatively minor spatial variations but demonstrated a significant decrease trend in the eastern regions. The results from the Random Forest algorithm and path analysis indicated that ecosystem respiration (Re) was the predominant controlling factor for WUE and CUE in the cold alpine (PA) region. In the temperate, warm temperate (Te&WT) region, temperature emerged as the primary determinant for WUE, while Leaf Area Index (LAI) served as the absolute dominant factor for CUE. Additionally, LAI also played a crucial role in determining WUE and CUE in the tropical and subtropical (Tr&S) region. Partial correlation analysis highlighted the heterogeneity in the responses of WUE and CUE to environmental changes across different regional climates and vegetation types. The findings emphasized the significant impact of biological factors on terrestrial carbon and water cycling processes (WUE and CUE) within the context of global climate change. Furthermore, the study identified a potential linkage between WUE and CUE, with their relationship to vegetation dynamics showing significant variations across various ecosystems. WUE and CUE showed a positive correlation in the western regions, particularly in high-altitude areas, while a negative correlation was observed in eastern regions with high SOC. In the Te&WT and the Tr&S region, the increase of NDVI (Normalized difference vegetation index) suppressed the rise of both WUE and CUE, establishing a negative correlation between them. Conversely, in the PA region, a significant positive correlation trend between WUE and CUE was observed, indicating a positive response to the decrease in NDVI. These findings are of significant importance for advancing the understanding of and effectively addressing climate change, maintaining ecosystem stability, and promoting sustainable socio-economic development.

Activation technology of steel slag for concrete exposed to plateau climate: a state-of-the-art review.

As a byproduct of steelmaking, steel slag occupies significant land resources and poses potential environmental and safety challenges due to its extensive accumulation. Recently, steel slag has shown promising applications in the field of concrete. However, considering the complexity of the plateau environment, the utilization of steel slag is relatively lacking, and its low reactivity and poor volume stability remain the main factors restricting its application in plateau concrete. This paper reviews the research status of steel slag activation techniques for concrete, including wet grinding, chemi-excitation, high-temperature activation, and carbonation treatment. The effects of different treatment techniques on the mechanical and durability properties of concrete and the potential issues are discussed. Although different modification methods can improve the activity and volume stability of steel slag to varying degrees, a single modification technology is difficult to achieve the high-quality utilization of steel slag in concrete on the plateau. Based on this, a steel slag grading grinding-magnetic separation utilization technique suitable for high-altitude areas is proposed, which is beneficial for improving the added value and utilization rate of steel slag in concrete.

The presence of microplastics in Baran's newt (Neurergus barani Öz, 1994) and the spotted newt (Neurergus strauchii Steindachner, 1887).

Microplastics (MPs), tiny plastic particles less than 5mm in size, have emerged as a common and worrying pollutant in marine, freshwater, and terrestrial environments worldwide. In this study, we revealed the microplastic exposure of two endemic newt species for Türkiye. We found that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was the predominant microplastic polymer type in both species, with the blue fiber shape in particular. We also found that there was a negative correlation between microplastic size and gastrointestinal tract (GIT) weight, but there was no significant difference between body length and GIT weight of both species. Our findings might be surprising as the studied species live in natural spring waters in remote, high-altitude areas. However, the detection of water bottles in their habitats appears to be the reason for their exposure to microplastic pollution. Therefore, reducing the use of single-use plastics is predicted to contribute to the conservation of these endemic newts.

Sex differences in the association between waist circumference and physical fitness index among Tajik adolescents in the Pamir Mountains of Xinjiang, China: an observational study

BackgroundIt has been reported in the literature that waist circumference (WC) was related to physical fitness in adolescents. However, the association between WC and PFI(physical fitness index), a comprehensive indicator of physical fitness, has been less studied. In addition, it is not clear whether the association between WC and PFI changes depending on altitude, ethnicity, and sex. This study further revealed the correlation between WC and PFI among adolescents in high-altitude areas and provided references for the physical and healthy development of adolescents in high-altitude areas.MethodsIn this study, a total of 1705 Tajik adolescents aged 13–15 years were selected using stratified whole-population sampling. WC and physical fitness items (grip strength, standing long jump, 50 m dash, and endurance run) were assessed and a standardized method was used to calculate PFI. The association between WC and PFI was analyzed by curvilinear regression analysis.ResultsThe mean and standard deviation of WC and PFI for Tajik adolescents aged 13–15 years old on the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, China, were 68.26 ± 7.75 cm and − 2.00 ± 3.47 respectively. Comparison of PFI between groups of Tajik adolescents with different WC showed that inter-group comparisons had significant effects with effect size above 0.2. The Tajik adolescents’ PFI reached its highest when WC was 61 cm for boys(-1.3207), and 60 cm for girls (-1.0556).ConclusionsThe association between WC and PFI in Tajik adolescents showed an inverted “U” curve, with no sex difference. It is recommended that the WC of Tajik adolescents should be controlled between 60 and 61 cm to maintain better PFI levels. The study provides support and reference for educational policy-making and public health prevention in the Pamir Plateau in Xinjiang, China.

Accelerating healing at high altitudes: Oxygen and bFGF delivery through nanoparticle-loaded gel dressings

High altitude environment is mainly characterized by low oxygen. Due to persistent hypoxia, nonhealing wounds are common in high-altitude areas. Moreover, Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a versatile biologically active substance that has crucial impact on wound healing. Given the limited availability of atmospheric oxygen and reduced blood oxygen saturation in high-altitude area, and the challenge that arises from direct oxygen and bFGF delivery to wounds through the traumatized vascular structure, it necessitates an innovative solution for local and permeable delivery of oxygen and bFGF. In this study, we present a strategy that involves revamping traditional gel-based wound dressings through the incorporation of nanoparticles encapsulating oxygen and bFGF, engineered to facilitate the localized delivery of dissolved oxygen and bFGF to wound surfaces. The prospective evaluation of this delivery technique's therapeutic impacts on epithelial, endothelial and fibroblasts cells can be materialized. Further experiment corroborated these effects on a high-altitude wounds' murine model. Given its biocompatibility, efficacy, and utility, we posit that NOB-Gel exhibits remarkable translational potential for managing and hastening the healing process of an array of clinical wounds, more so for wounds inflicted at high altitudes.

An experimental study of fire development under varying ventilation conditions during the depressurization process in pressurized buildings

Hermetic pressurized buildings are a new type of building in high-altitude areas that efficiently addresses issues such as high-altitude reactions. The indoor pressure is higher than the external pressure under working conditions, and pressure relief must be carried out first during emergencies. The emergency pressure relief process during a fire may lead to complex fire behavior that is different from that in regular buildings. In this study, we focus on the impact of ventilation conditions and the status of doors in such buildings on fire evolution and smoke plume characteristics through experiments. The temperature variation in the fire room and corridor is measured under different ventilation power, ventilation time, and door opening width conditions. This shows that the width of the door has the greatest impact on fire development. A smaller gap in the door opening restricts air circulation between the interior and exterior of the room, resulting in a rapid decrease in the oxygen concentration within the fire room and a decrease in the combustion reaction rate of wood fires. The ventilation power exerts the most significant influence on the temperature variation in the corridor. These findings provide empirical data and a basis for fire science studies in high-altitude hermetic pressurized buildings and can guide existing fire protection design and management for improved safety.