Average Index Values Research Articles

Dependence of the polytropic behaviour of solar wind protons on temperature anisotropy and plasma beta near L1

A polytropic process describes the transition of a fluid from one state to another through a specific relationship between the fluid density and temperature, while the value of the polytropic index that governs this relationship determines the heat transfer and the effective degrees of freedom of that specific process. In this paper we investigate in depth the relationship between the proton effective polytropic index gamma in the solar wind, the proton anisotropy alpha , and plasma beta , while---for the first time to our knowledge to such an extent---we further investigate the dependence of the partial (with respect to the magnetic field) polytropic index to both the above-mentioned plasma parameters. To this end we use the entire Wind dataset spanning the 1995 to 2023 time period to derive the distributions of the polytropic index in the near-Earth space (L1). Our results indicate that the proton gamma increases with increasing proton anisotropy and decreases with increasing plasma beta . Finally, we show that even though the average (over long time periods) total and partial proton polytropic index values are very close, these values correspond to isotropic plasma alone, with a further balance between the thermal and magnetic pressure.On the contrary, for shorter time periods and/or specific solar wind structures, where the proton anisotropy and plasma beta exhibit deviations from these average values, the partial proton polytropic index exhibits significant variation that is dependent on the anisotropy and on plasma beta .

Deep learning modeling to assess surface temperature and greenery impact on emergency room access

Abstract The escalating land surface temperature is a key environmental indicator with potential repercussions on human health. An artificial NN model was built to predict the number of ER accesses as a dependent variable, to establish the predictive power and interactions of land surface temperature and normalized differential vegetation index(NDVI), which is used to measure urban greenery.A map of Taranto was built by vector files on the Apulia region website and processed using R Studio 2023.06.2.The vector file containing the mapping of the city of Taranto was processed to obtain a 200mx200m grid of the entire surface.The Local Health Authority of Taranto provided indications of the residences of ER accesses, and coordinates were merged to gridded vector file to obtain the average of ER accesses and the socio demographic features per single grid unit. NDVI and surface temperature were averaged for July 2023 using images from Landsat 8(30m) and merged to the vector providing an average value of temperature and NDVI index per single quadrant. The dataset was divided into two db according to an 80/20 ratio respectively for the training and test dataset.A NN model was built on dichotomous value (above/below median) for each quadrant (6513 units) with hyperparameter tuning technique using the accuracy to select the best model.A MOC model was built to reduce the probability of NN detection by at least 40% in a randomly selected subject.A MOC model was built considering sociodemographic variables as fixed features and an epsilon of 0 for 175 generations and an ICE curves population initialization strategy. NNET accuracy value was 0.849 and 0.841 in training and testing, suggesting a good fitting of the model.Relative change plots were adopted to show the amount and the direction of generated counterfactuals, to reduce grid unit prediction to be over median.LST decreasing and NDVI score increasing were associated with a reduction of classification probability of grid unit. Key messages • Rising land surface temperature is a critical environmental indicator with potential impacts on human health. • Artificial neural network models perform well in predicting the number of ER accesses with respect to land surface temperature and NDVI, which is used to measure urban greenery.

A Classification and Segmentation Model for Diamond Abrasive Grains Based on Improved Swin-Unet-SAM

The detection of abrasive grain images in diamond tools serves as the foundation for assessing the overall condition of the tools, encompassing crucial aspects of diamond abrasive grains like the quantity, size, morphology, and distribution. Given the intricate background textures and reflective characteristics exhibited by diamond images, diamond detection and segmentation pose a significant challenge. Recently, numerous defect detection methods based on machine learning and deep learning have emerged. However, several issues persist, such as detection accuracy and the interference caused by intricate background textures. The present work demonstrates an efficient classification and segmentation network algorithm that combines Swin-Unet with SAM (Segment Anything Model) to alleviate the existing problems. Specifically, four embedding structures were devised to bridge the two models for iterative training. The transformer blocks within the Swin-Unet model were enhanced to facilitate classification and coarse segmentation, and the mask structure in SAM was refined to enable fine segmentation. The experimental results show that under a small sample dataset with complex background textures, the average index values of ACC (accuracy), SE (Sensitivity), and DSC (Dice Similarity Coefficient) for the classification and segmentation of diamond abrasive grains reached 98.7%, 92.5%, and 85.9%, respectively. Compared with the model before improvement, its ACC, SE and DSC increased by 1.2%, 15.9%, and 7.6%, respectively. The test results, based on four different datasets, consistently indicated that this model has excellent segmentation performance and robustness and has great application potential in the industrial field.

Genetic diversity and structure of Tunisian and Indian date palm (Phoenix dactylifera and sylvestris) cultivars and genotypes revealed by AFLP markers

The date palm breeding programs need to discover valid genetic fingerprints to characterize cultivars and assess their genetic diversity. This study assessed the genetic diversity among thirty-nine date palm cultivars from Tunisia (Phoenix dactylifera) and India (Phoenix sylvestris) by using six AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) markers. 360 loci were amplified, with 127 loci polymorphic (34.35 %). The Jaccard's similarity coefficient ranged from 0.161 to 0.931, with the mean genetic distances of 0.568. AFLP's average marker index value was 7.28, with a resolving power of 10.91. The analysis of population structure showed two main clusters with a clear separation between Tunisian and Indian cultivars.Furthermore, the heatmap analysis allowed the identification of 10 bands specific to the Indian accessions, which were not detected in Tunisian genotypes. These loci could be linked to genes involved in adapting the species in Indian lands, which allowed the study of the genetic diversity of date palm resources of different origins, confirming the existence of at least two origins of domestication. Additionally, identifying AFLP loci specific to P. dactylifera and P. sylvestris will significantly contribute to breeding programs by exploiting species-specific polymorphisms.

Deep-Learning-Based Real-Time Passive Non-Line-of-Sight Imaging for Room-Scale Scenes.

Non-line-of-sight imaging is a technique for reconstructing scenes behind obstacles. We report a real-time passive non-line-of-sight (NLOS) imaging method for room-scale hidden scenes, which can be applied to smart home security monitoring sensing systems and indoor fast fuzzy navigation and positioning under the premise of protecting privacy. An unseen scene encoding enhancement network (USEEN) for hidden scene reconstruction is proposed, which is a convolutional neural network designed for NLOS imaging. The network is robust to ambient light interference conditions on diffuse reflective surfaces and maintains a fast reconstruction speed of 12.2 milliseconds per estimation. The consistency of the mean square error (MSE) is verified, and the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) values of 19.21 dB, 15.86 dB, and 13.62 dB are obtained for the training, validation, and test datasets, respectively. The average values of the structural similarity index (SSIM) are 0.83, 0.68, and 0.59, respectively, and are compared and discussed with the corresponding indicators of the other two models. The sensing system built using this method will show application potential in many fields that require accurate and real-time NLOS imaging, especially smart home security systems in room-scale scenes.

Evaluation of the impact of specific oral health parameters on the quality of life in children with rare disorders of phosphorus-calcium metabolism

Relevance. Understanding the impact of oral health problems on the quality of life in children with rare metabolic disorders that affect mineral metabolism is critically important.Materials and methods. An oral health assessment was conducted on 59 children aged 6 to 17 years with rare diseases affecting mineral metabolism, each with a genetically confirmed diagnosis. The children were divided into two study groups: the first group (24 children) comprised those with bone mineralization disorders (hypophosphatemic rickets, hypophosphatasia), while the second group (35 children) included those with disorders of bone and cartilage formation (osteogenesis imperfecta, Marfan syndrome, achondroplasia, etc.). The clinical condition of the children's dental tissues was assessed by evaluating oral hygiene levels and caries intensity in permanent teeth, using the OHI-S and DMFT indices, respectively. The pufa/PUFA index was used to document complications arising from dental caries. To assess the perception of oral health problems, a survey was administered to parents and legal guardians using the Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) questionnaire.Results. The average DMFT and OHI-S index values did not show statistically significant differences, with values of 4.26 ± 0.28 and 1.96 ± 0.15 in the first group, and 3.76 ± 0.40 and 1.75 ± 0.10 in the second group, respectively. However, the mean pufa/PUFA index values were significantly higher in children with bone and cartilage formation disorders (p = 0.003), being three times greater than those in the group with bone mineralization disorders, with values of 1.03 ± 0.18 and 0.30 ± 0.11, respectively. This increase was associated with higher correlation coefficients between the DMFT and PUFA indices and the modules for physical discomfort, oral functional status, and emotional well-being, with values of 0.38 and 0.41, and 0.49 and 0.27, compared to 0.07 and 0.02, and 0.29 and -0.21 in the first group. These differences were statistically significant at p < 0.05 and p < 0.005.Conclusion. The study revealed that existing oral health conditions have the greatest impact on the quality of life in children with rare diseases affecting bone and cartilage formation.

Landscape ecological risk assessment and driving factor analysis in southwest china.

Landscape ecological risk assessment and ecological network construction are of great significance for optimizing territorial functions and reducing regional ecological risks. Based on the production-living-ecological space perspective, this study evaluated the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of landscape ecological risk and its driving mechanism in Southwest China and constructed a landscape ecological network. The results showed that the proportions of ecological space, production space and living space to the total space in 2020 were 74.35%, 24.55% and 1.10%, respectively. The industrial production space had the highest growth rate, increasing by 9.8 times from 2000 to 2020. During the study period, the average value of the ecological risk index ranged from 0.2 to 0.21 for the whole landscape. The geographical distribution of ecological risk zones showed significant differences, with risk zones showing a transition from high-risk and low-risk to medium-risk zones. A total of 105 ecological corridors and 156 ecological nodes have been constructed in the 2020 ecological network. The northeastern part of the study area needs better landscape connectivity and should be focused on ecological protection. Random Forest (RF) and Geodetector modeling showed that anthropogenic disturbance and land use levels have strong explanatory power for the evolution of ecological risk in the landscape. The interactions between anthropogenic disturbance, natural climate and regional economy are essential factors in the spatiotemporal differentiation of ecological risk. This study provides scientific references for ecological risk research and the promotion of high-quality development in Southwest China.

Morphological adaptation to environmental stress in small ruminants from the sahelian zones of Niger and potential associations with carcass yield

This study analyses, in the Sahelian zone of Niger, the morphological traits of sheep and goats' responses to environmental stress and the contribution of adaptive traits to herd productivity. The study utilized 2490 adult small ruminants, including 653 red and Sahelian goats and 1837 Peulh (with three varieties: Balami, Oudah and Bali-Bali) and Tuareg (Ara-ara) sheep from 13 sites with a marked aridity gradient within the country's northern latitude. Carcass yield was assessed on a second sample of 1617 adult animals, comprising 876 sheep and 741 goats. Variations in thorax auricular index (ratio of ear length to thorax depth), gracility index (which reflects the subtraction of the animal's body from the ground) and hot carcass yield, according to climate zones and breed, were subjected to an analysis of variance at the 5% risk threshold. Principal Component Analysis was used to analyze correlations between biometric and heat indices. For most breeds, the auricular thorax index and the gracility index were higher for animals in arid zones than those in humid zones. The increase in the average values of the body indices had as a result an increase in the animals' carcass yield and live weight. In all sheep and goat breeds, gracility increases with heat index. Gracility differed (p < 0.05) between breeds, with Bali-Bali and Oudah subgenetics of the Peulh sheep breed being more gracile than the Ara-ara sheep. Also, the auricular thorax index was higher (p < 0.05) in Sahelian goat than in red goat. The importance of biometric indices in terms of animals' adaptability to their environment means that we need to define important heat stress indicators specific to sheep and goats in Sahelian farming systems.

Drought risk assessment on arid region under different socioeconomic scenarios: A case of Loess Plateau, China

Quantitative understanding of drought risks on arid region is vital in drought risk mitigation and ecological restoration. However, no study has been conducted on the drought risk variance between different shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios and China’s dual carbon goals scenario on arid region. This study evaluates drought risks of Loess Plateau between the year of 1980–2100 based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 6 data sets and the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction drought risk assessment framework. The average values of the drought risk index in four scenarios during the projection period (2030–2100) are 0.29 (±0.026) for the low carbon emission scenario, 0.257 (±0.019) for the China’s dual carbon target scenario, 0.232 (±0.057) for the medium carbon emission scenario, and 0.248 (±0.059) for the high carbon emission scenario, which are higher than the historical period (i.e. 1980: 0.210; 2020: 0.215). Accordingly, the Loess Plateau will have severe drought risks in the future. In the zone of increased drought risk indices on the Loess Plateau, the areas of woodland and croplands increased, whereas the area of grasslands increased in the zone of decreased drought risk indices. China’s dual carbon goals (i.e. SSP1-2.6) scenario has the smallest degree of variability in drought risk, which is the most reliable pathway of across the four scenarios. We emphasize the potential of spatial planning based on regional characteristics and creating ecological buffer zones for endemic biome habitats to address the uncertainty of drought risk in arid and semi-arid regions like the Loess Plateau.

Ecological, environmental risks and sources ofarsenic and other elements in soils of Tuotuo River region, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Against the backdrop of global warming, the pollutants that were once “temporarily stored” in the permafrost are gradually being released, posing significant impacts on the environment. This has become an internationally focused hot topic. In this study, the contents of 11 elements such as As, Ti, Cd, Cr, Co, Mn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn and V in soil samples from 128 sampling points in the freeze–thaw area of the Tuotuo River in the source region of the Yangtze River on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau were determined to evaluate the possible sources, contamination status and ecological, environmental and health risks of these elements. The mean values of As, Cd, Pb and Zn were higher than the corresponding Tibet soil background values. Among fourteen PTEs, As, Cd and Pb had the highest average values of enrichment factor and pollution index, indicating that freeze–thaw area soils showed moderate enrichment and pollution with As, Cd and Pb. Mean ecological risk factor (ER) of Cd was 109 and other PTEs mean ER values < 40, whereas ecological risk index (RI) values of all PTEs ranged from 59.5 to 880 and mean RI values was 152, indicating moderate ecological risk in study area. Explanatory power q value of total S (TS) content was 0.217 by GeogDetector, indicating TS was the most significant contributing factor to RI. Correlation analysis and PCA analysis showed that Cr, Cu, Ni, Co, Mn, Ti, V were mainly originated from natural sources, Cd, Pb and Zn from traffic activity, As from long-distance migration-freeze–thaw.

Identification of Genetic Diversity of Taro White Cattle Using Microsatellite DNA Markers

Taro white cattle have a small population found in Taro Village, Tegalalang, and Gianyar, Bali, which must be protected as one of the most valuable biological resources for the Hindu community in Bali. White cattle require conservation efforts, with morphometric characterization and genetics providing the first phases of an animal conservation program. The purpose of this study was to identify the genetic diversity of Taro white cattle based on allele frequency, heterozygosity, and fixation index (FIT) using different microsatellite DNA loci so that it can be used as a study and reference in determining policies for the conservation of Taro white cattle in Indonesia, particularly in Bali. This cross-sectional observational study utilized ETH 185, INRA 035, and INRA 037 microsatellite DNA markers. Polymerase chain reaction amplified a total of 22 Taro white cattle blood samples with an average of 4.33 alleles; the average observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity were 0.288 and 0.637, respectively, with an average fixation index value of 0.55. In conclusion, there is a significant deviation from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium with the likelihood of inbreeding, as indicated by the Hardy-Weinberg balance. The microsatellite loci used in this study can be further used to evaluate the genetic diversity of Taro white cattle.

Identifying children at risk in Swedish Child Health Services.

Child Health Services plays an important role in identifying at-risk children and intervening early to break negative trends in child health. Sociodemographic risk factors can impact the workload of Child Health Services and affect the possibilities of providing the national child healthcare programme. This study aims to present the sociodemographic characteristics of families who are registered within the Child Health Services, as defined by the Child adjusted Care Need Index. By collecting personal identification numbers from children six years or younger registered at a child healthcare centre, and combining this with their caregiver's sociodemographic background, this study was able to create a sociodemographic index for each child healthcare centre in Sweden. The study included 687,543 children and 1,335,540 caregivers from 981 child healthcare centres in Sweden. Approximately 21% of all children in the study population had a caregiver born in Southern or Eastern Europe outside the European Union, or in Africa, Asia, or South America, 7% had single parents, 17% had at least one unemployed caregiver, and 9% had at least one caregiver who had not completed high school. The average input values and the average index values varied widely both between and within the regions. This study displays a large variation in sociodemographics for child healthcare centres both within and between regions. Since several regions and national agencies in Sweden use the Child adjusted Care Need Index, it is necessary to keep the dispersion in mind.

The native fish diversity with environmental influencing factors in the Daqing River basin, China

IntroductionInvestigating and assessing native fish diversity and conducting regional assessments of threats are vital for the conservation of aquatic biodiversity. For this specific study, the Daqing River basin in China was chosen as the research area. Field surveys were carried out between 2018 and 2019, supplemented by a review of pertinent literature and other records.MethodsTo evaluate fish diversity, the following parameters are selected for analysis: Relative abundance (Pi), Frequency of occurrence (Fi), Margalef richness index (D) , Shannon Wiener diversity index (H′) , and Pielou evenness index (J′).Relative abundance levels are categorized as follows: dominant species make up more than 10%, common species account for 1%–10%, and occasional species constitute less than 1%. Canoco 5.0 software was utilized to conduct Redundancy Analysis (RDA) on the fish species composition and environmental factors at 34 sampling sites.ResultsThe findings revealed that 85 fish species have been recorded in the basin, consisting of 78 freshwater species categorized into 8 orders, 17 families, and 59 genera, among which Cypriniformes comprised 64% of the total catch. The low proportion of threatened and endemic species was an important feature of the fish diversity of the Daqing River. Despite the theoretical presence of 85 species, field surveys managed to collect only 42 species, of which 33 were confirmed as naturally occurring within the basin. The average values of Margalef richness index, 22 Shannon Wiener diversity index and Pielou evenness index were 1.72, 2.04 and 0.80 respectively, signifying a low fish diversity with relatively uniform distribution across the sampled regions.DiscussionThis study found that the community structure and diversity of fish were closely related to environmental factors, particularly water quality. Among these factors, ammonia nitrogen emerged as a significant determinant of fish diversity. High concentrations of ammonia nitrogen inhibit fish growth, endanger health, and can even lead to death. Additionally, dams and other water infrastructure also impact fish community structure and diversity. This baseline study can provide a basis for the protection and ecological restoration of fish resources in the Daqing River.

Assessing ecological status using phytoplankton functional groups in three urban rivers in Hainan Island, China.

The urban rivers, including Changwang, Meishe, and Wuyuan in Haikou City, Hainan Island, are vital water sources for agricultural production and support industrial and domestic activities. Despite the rivers experiencing anthropogenic impacts, limited studies have assessed their water quality. Accordingly, this study assessed the phytoplankton community structure, utilized the river phytoplankton assemblage index (Qr index) to evaluate the ecological status, and compared its performance with the comprehensive trophic level index (TLI). Sample collection and microscopy analysis was conducted seasonally in 2019. Two hundred ninety-eight phytoplankton species belonging to 8 phyla were identified, predominated by Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, and Cyanophyta. The phytoplankton biomass ranged from 0.04 to 34.98mg L-1, with averages of 3.06 ± 0.71, 5.16 ± 1.92, and 2.70 ± 0.76mg L-1 in Changwang, Meishe, and Wuyuan, respectively. The phytoplankton biomass varied seasonally, recording the highest and lowest values in summer and autumn, respectively. The phytoplankton species were classified into 26 functional groups, which exhibited spatial and seasonal differences in their biomass and composition. The redundancy analysis (RDA) revealed that NH3-N, TP, CODMn, Chl-a, salinity, and temperature were the main environmental factors influencing phytoplankton functional groups. The average Qr index values in Changwang, Meishe, and Wuyuan were 3.39 ± 0.61, 3.44 ± 0.51, and 3.22 ± 0.67, and all the rivers were rated "good" in status. Seasonally, the Qr index and TLI revealed that the rivers' ecological condition was better in autumn and winter compared to spring and summer. Generally, the Qr index performed better, indicating that parameters such as NH3-N, CODMn, TP, and Chl-a decreased with improving ecological conditions from "poor" to "excellent" status. In addition, the Qr index exhibited a significant negative relationship with TLI, suggesting that low Qr index values may indicate increased eutrophication or deteriorated water quality. Thus, the ecological condition of the urban rivers could be adequately assessed using the Qr index to guide their water quality monitoring and management.

Analysis of Wedge Angle Variations in the Treatment Planning System Based on Dose Volume Histogram on Ca Mammae Sinistra

Breast cancer ranks first in terms of the highest number of cancers in Indonesia and is one of the first contributors to cancer deaths. According to IARC, radiotherapy is one of the most important modalities in the treatment of breast cancer. Radiotherapy is a type of treatment that uses ionizing radiation to kill cancer cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. To obtain an even or homogeneous dose distribution on an uneven skin surface, a wedge is used so that the radiation given to the tumor area is truly optimal and the surrounding healthy tissue receives a minimum dose. This research was carried out by evaluating the Planning Target Volume (PTV) value based on ICRU-83 and dose distribution in Organs at Risk (OAR) based on QUANTEC standards at four different wedge angles, namely 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°, used the 3D-CRT technique of tangential radiation with a dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions on 5 left-sided breast cancer patients. The research results showed that the average Homogeneity Index (HI) values for the 15°, 30°, 45° and 60° wedges were 0.286, 0.346, 0.436 and 0.578, respectively. In the left and right lung dose distribution, the results obtained for the 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° wedge were respectively 2231.4 and 116.2 cGy, 2257.8 and 114.6 cGy, 2141 and 100 cGy, and 2059.4 and 88.8 cGy. For the average dose distribution to the heart, the values obtained at the 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° wedges were 2005.6 cGy, 2040.4 cGy, 1930.6 cGy, and 1844.4 cGy, respectively. where the average dose received by OAR is still below the limit allowed by QUANTEC. Using a wedge angle of 15° provides a homogeneous dose distribution for the PTV and a wedge angle of 60° provides the lowest dose distribution for the OAR.

The association between index-year, average, and variability of the triglyceride-glucose index with health outcomes: more than a decade of follow-up in Tehran lipid and glucose study

BackgroundThe association between baseline triglyceride glucose index (TyG index) and incident non-communicable diseases, mainly in Asian populations, has been reported. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the association between index-year, average, and visit-to-visit variability (VVV) of the TyG index with incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and all-cause mortality among the Iranian population.MethodsThe study population included 5220 participants (2195 men) aged ≥ 30 years. TyG index was calculated as Ln (fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2). Average values of the TyG index and also VVV (assessed by the standard deviation (SD) and variability independent of mean) were derived during the exposure period from 2002 to 2011 (index-year). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the TyG index for incident different health outcomes.ResultsDuring more than 6 years of follow-up after the index year, 290, 560, 361, and 280 events of T2DM, hypertension, CVD, and all-cause mortality occurred. 1-SD increase in the TyG index values at the index-year was independently associated with the incident T2DM [HR (95% CI) 2.50 (2.13–2.93)]; the corresponding values for the average of TyG index were 2.37 (2.03–2.76), 1.12 (0.99–1.26, pvalue = 0.05), 1.18 (1.01–1.36), and 1.29 (1.08–1.53) for incident T2DM, hypertension, CVD, and all-cause mortality, respectively. Compared to the first tertile, tertile 3 of VVV of the TyG index was independently associated with incident hypertension [1.33 (1.07–1.64), Ptrend <0.01]. Likewise, a 1-SD increase in VVV of the TyG index was associated with an 11% excess risk of incident hypertension [1.11 (1.02–1.21)]. However, no association was found between the VVV of the TyG index and other outcomes. Moreover, the impact of index-year and average values of the TyG index was more prominent among women regarding incident CVD (P for interactions < 0.05).ConclusionAlthough the higher TyG index at index-year and its VVV were only associated with the incident T2DM and hypertension, respectively, its average value was capable of capturing the risk for all of the health outcomes.

Dynamic Stochastic Model of Atmospheric Drought Forecast in Uzbekistan

The article considers a predictive model of atmospheric dryness with a one-month lead time, developed at the Scientific Research Hydrometeorological Institute. The model is based on a dynamic stochastic approach to constructing a regression predictive equation. From the set of existing methods for constructing regression equations, a method based on the characteristic roots (eigenvalues) of a correlation matrix, including a column of the predicted variable and predictor columns (extended matrix) is applied. The predicted variable is the standardized drought index SPI, and the predictors are the average monthly precipitation for the 3 months preceding the forecast month, the average monthly value of variations in solar activity (Wolf numbers) and the average monthly value of the Southern Oscillation index for the month preceding the forecast. The predictors were selected on the basis of mutual correlation and applied time series analyses between the aridity index SPI and the indicated heliogeophysical values. The performed estimates of the studied dependence of the aridity index SPI on the state of solar activity, the influence of El Niño (La Niña) and precipitation preceding the forecast date showed their high correlation. Estimates of the accuracy of the SPI forecast with a monthly advance lead time for the territory of Uzbekistan, performed on an independent sample, were quite high, which was the basis for the introduction of this model into the operational work of the hydrometeorological service of Uzbekistan (Uzhydromet).

Effect of interchange spacing on drivers' visual characteristics in interchange merging areas

To explore the effect of interchange spacing on drivers' visual characteristics in the merging areas of interchange, a high-density group of five interchanges on the expressway of Chongqing, China, was selected as the test site. An naturalistic driving test was conducted with 47 participants, and the Tobii Glasses II portable eye tracker was used to collect gaze data during driving. The drivers' fixation field was divided into six areas by applying a K-means dynamic clustering algorithm combined with the actual scenario. Markov chains were used to calculate the drivers' gaze transition probability matrices under different driving conditions, and the analysis of gaze transition behaviors was directed at common spacing interchanges, small spacing interchanges, and composite interchanges. Under the ramp-mainline condition, drivers’ fixations were primarily concentrated on the near ahead and the left side areas, with higher rates of repeated fixations on the left rearview mirror and left-side line areas. The average value of fixation duration, saccade distance, and saccade speed of small spacing interchange is higher than common spacing interchange. Additionally, under the mainline condition, the probability of one-step transition and repeated fixation rates significantly increased for the right-side lane areas, and the average values of fixation index and saccade index of small spacing interchange are lower than those of common spacing interchange. The results show that the highest probabilities of repeated fixation by drivers occurred in the near ahead and far ahead areas in the interchange merging areas. Insufficient spacing resulted in more frequent occurrences of zero values in one-step transition probability matrices. The research conclusions provide theoretical support for the optimal design and safe operation of the merging area of high-density interchange group of urban expressway.

Groundwater quality in high-sulfur coal mining region of India: Spatial distribution, source control, and health risk assessment

The groundwater quality in the vicinity of the Makum coalfield, renowned for its high-sulfur coal deposits, was investigated. The oxidation of sulfur in the coal generates acid mine drainage (AMD), a global environmental challenge that contaminates natural resources. The region's high sulfur coal content intensifies AMD formation, necessitating a comprehensive assessment of its impact on human health and the environment. This study analyzes the water quality parameters such as pH, EC, TDS, Na+, Ca+2, Mg+2, K+, HCO3‐, SO4−2, F−, Cl -, and NO3− in groundwater, findings concerning low pH levels (5.8) and fluoride concentration (0.15 mg/L) compared to standards. Groundwater chemistry was analyzed to identify the sources controlling water composition through Gibbs diagrams, Piper diagrams, and saturation indices. The Gibbs diagram shows that rock weathering is the crucial factor controlling groundwater chemistry, while the Piper diagram indicates Ca-Cl as the Principal water type. Additionally, an in-depth analysis of groundwater chemistry reveals that carbonate dissolution primarily occurs due to minerals like calcite, dolomite, and gypsum, findings supported by saturation indices. The present study yielded an average water quality index of 40.19, indicating excellent to good water quality in 51 out of 52 samples analyzed. The average hazard index values for adults and children were 0.60 and 0.58, respectively, indicating that 49 of 52 samples pose negative non-carcinogenic risks associated with nitrate and fluoride contamination. The irrigation indices, graphical representations such as the Wilcox and Doneen classification, and the USSL diagram elucidate the suitability for irrigation purposes. Moreover, the Principal Component Analysis identified the sources of ions as originating from geogenic processes and mining activities. The study stresses environmental assessments, health risk management, and sustainable practices for groundwater in high-sulfur coal mining areas.

Studying the spatiotemporal variations of the ecological network and carbon utilization efficiency in Southeast Tibet based on complex network theory

Currently, with the gradual advancement of urbanization and industrialization, ecological patches are severely fragmented and corridors are cut off, leading to the construction of regional ecological networks that can connect fragmented patches and corridors with regional characteristics. However, there is limited research on the relationship between ecological networks and Carbon Utilization Efficiency (CUE) based on complex network theory. This paper takes the ecologically fragile Southeast Tibet as the research area and investigates the variation patterns of CUE through the establishment of ecological spatial networks. The Graphab Model is employed to extract the ecological space network of Southeast Tibet. The Graphab Model integrates the complex network with the ecological space network to compute the topological index of ecological nodes and the overall ecological network. Later, MOD17A2HGF GPP and MOD17A2HGF PSNnet data from 2013 to 2021 are used as the primary data for calculating the CUE of ecological nodes. The connection between topological index and ecological nodes is analysed. The results indicate that, with interannual variations, ecological nodes dropped by 15, and the number of ecological galleries decreased by 7. However, the average values of various topological indices showed an increasing trend, suggesting that the ecological remediation items in Southeast Tibet have made some achievements. Nevertheless, the analysis of CUE in Southeast Tibet reveals a downward trend in the carbon fixation rate of vegetation in recent years. Through correlation analysis, it was found that the correlation between various topological indices and CUE was the lowest and insignificant in 2013, while from 2015 to 2021, all topological indices were significantly positively correlated with CUE. Through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), It is recommended to reduce and shorten redundant ecological corridors by aggregating small ecological patches and increasing stepping stone patches, and increase ecological galleries to enhance the carbon fixation ability of plants. This research lays a scientific foundation for addressing ecological issues, landscape patterns, and developing ecological networks in Southeast Tibet.