Changes In Occupancy Research Articles

Adaptation of climate change and environmental pollution in Cirebon’s coastal community

Climate change and environmental pollution are interrelated global phenomena. Communities whose lives depend on natural resources have felt many negative impacts from both. Coastal communities, which mostly depend on the capture fisheries, are a vulnerable group to these threats. The study aims to reveal the adaptation of coastal communities in Cirebon, Indonesia to facing climate change and environmental pollution. This research is located in Gebang Cirebon Regency. Data were obtained from field observations and unstructured interviews which were synthesized to know their adaptive behaviour. We found the adaptation of coastal communities through non-environmentally fishing gears, expansion of fishing areas, burden of debt and capital, not optimal fisherman regeneration, and changes in occupation. Despite changes in mindset, attitude, and behaviour, these adaptations have the potential to threaten a regional and national economy because the fisheries sector is the main contributor of gross domestic product. Declining yield catches and the desire to obtain high economic benefits quickly without paying attention to sustainability, are also the main driving factors for the emergence of maladaptive behaviour in coastal communities. Without serious attention, climate change and environmental pollution will trigger socio-economic impacts that are worse than COVID-19 pandemic.

An overview of the Scottish National Adder Survey 2022-24

A study was commissioned by NatureScot to analyse changes in the status of the adder (Vipera berus) and other native reptiles at 16 sites across mainland Scotland, the Isle of Skye and the Isle of Arran over a 30-year period from 1992-93 to 2022-24. In 2022-24, volunteer surveyors revisited sites that were previously surveyed in 1992-93 to identify changes in occupancy. Visual surveys recorded adder, common lizard (Zootoca vivipara), slow-worm (Anguis fragilis), common frog (Rana temporaria), common toad (Bufo bufo), smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris), and palmate newt (Lissotriton helveticus). Adders were observed in comparable or even greater numbers at eight sites (seven of the original sites surveyed in 1992-93), but an apparent loss of adders at three of the original sites, and major declines at a previously favourable site on the Scottish Borders are cause for concern. Of the other reptiles, common lizards were the most widespread, recorded at 12 sites; and slow-worms were least often recorded, in low numbers at only four sites, though this could be expected in visual surveys for this cryptic species. This publication reviews the factors most likely to be affecting adders in Scotland, particularly the loss of suitable habitat, the likely historic impact of persecution and the potential effects of disturbance by recreational site users. It highlights the importance of sympathetic habitat management, with a particular focus on maintaining favourable micro-habitats for reptiles.

Range extension of invasive Cancer irroratus and native Carcinus maenas polewards in the Ascophyllum-dominated intertidal zone in north-west Iceland

Abstract The rocky intertidal zone of sheltered shores in Breiðafjörður, north-west Iceland is dominated by monospecific stands of canopy-forming brown algae Ascophyllum nodosum, which provide habitat for mobile organisms and has been subjected to long-standing rotational harvesting. We investigated the assemblage composition of little-studied mobile brachyuran crabs in this area, to track distributional shifts in a native species responding to climate change and extent of occupancy of the intertidal by a primarily subtidal invasive non-native species. Potential interactive effects of seaweed harvesting were explored. Breiðafjörður was compared with two reference sites in Faxaflói, south-west Iceland. The study revealed clear poleward expansion of the native European green crab Carcinus maenas in the region, displacing the native spider crab Hyas araneus particularly at mid-shore levels. The invasive non-native Atlantic rock crab Cancer irroratus had negligible occupancy in the intertidal zone, indicating limited effects on the intertidal crab assemblage, composition, and abundance. The current harvesting regime of A. nodosum in Breiðafjörður did not affect the composition and abundance of the brachyuran crab assemblage in the rocky intertidal zone. H. araneus is likely being squeezed by displacement subtidally by C. irroratus, and intertidally by C. maenas. Overall, we provide insights into the potential interactions between climate change, invasive species, and human activities in the rocky intertidal zone.

ТРАВМА НОГТЕВОГО КОМПЛЕКСА: СОВРЕМЕННЫЙ ВЗГЛЯД НА ПРОБЛЕМУ ОКАЗАНИЯ МЕДИЦИНСКОЙ ПОМОЩИ

Despite the fact that the first decade of the XXI century was proclaimed by the World Health Organization as the decade of bone and joint treatment, defining the prevention and treatment of limb injuries as one of the five priority problems of musculoskeletal diseases, there is still no developed generally accepted algorithm for the management of patients with nail phalanx injuries, and the opinions of specialists are often diametrically divergent. Trauma to the distal phalanx of the fingers is one of the most common hand injuries in patients seeking emergency medical care, regardless of gender, age, or occupation. The consequences of nail phalangeal injuries worsen the aesthetic appearance of the hand, reduce the ability to work, and sometimes may even lead to a change in the patients' occupation. When nail complex trauma is combined with a distal phalanx fracture, it is necessary not only to restore the integrity of the nail bed, but also to stabilize the bone fragments. An important point in such situations is the use of a nail plate to temporarily cover the restored nail bed. Firstly, it serves as a stabilizing element for the reponated phalangeal fragments. Secondly, its use leads to a decrease in the percentage of scar formation in the nail bed. During the study, in 39 (37 patients, 80.4%) cases we found an excellent, in 7 (3 patients, 6.5%) – good and in 8 (6 patients, 13.1%) – satisfactory result of treatment. As a result of our study, we have proved that temporary covering of the nail bed with a utilized nail plate or artificial nail plate graft: a) reduces pain during the subsequent stage dressings at the outpatient stage; b) promotes normal growth of a new nail plate; c) accelerates the healing process, as traumatization of the nail bed is minimized; d) the nail plate acts as a natural splint, due to which, in most cases, no additional external fixation is required.

Using in silico methods to determine optimal tapering regimens for decanoate-based long-acting injectable psychosis drugs.

Reducing the dose of psychosis drugs in a gradual hyperbolic manner may minimise withdrawal effects and risk of relapse. There is presently limited guidance on tapering decanoate-based long-acting injectable dopamine antagonists (LIDAs). We aimed to apply hyperbolic principles of tapering to the decanoate-based LIDAs flupentixol, zuclopenthixol and haloperidol to develop withdrawal regimens. We used in silico methodology to predict plasma drug levels and D2 occupancy for different LIDA regimens. Existing pharmacokinetic and receptor occupancy data from nuclear neuroimaging studies were used to power modelling. Abrupt discontinuation was examined as a potential strategy, and dose reduction was modelled with pre-defined constraints used in similar work of 10 (fast regimens), 5 (moderate) and 2.5 (slow) percentage points of D2 occupancy change per month. Abrupt discontinuation of decanoate-based LIDAs leads to excessive change in D2 occupancy which violated our pre-defined constraints, potentially resulting in withdrawal symptoms and increased risk of relapse. Reduction of LIDA dose allowed hyperbolic reduction in plasma level consistent with imposed constraints on receptor occupancy reduction rate. For equivalent per-weekly LIDA dosing, more frequent administration allowed a more gradual reduction of D2 occupancy. However, switching to oral forms is required to continue hyperbolic tapering to full discontinuation; reduction to zero using only LIDA produces too large a reduction in D2 occupancy. Guidance for reduction and cessation of LIDAs according to slow, moderate and fast criteria is provided. Abrupt cessation of decanoate LIDAs is not consistent with gradual hyperbolic tapering, despite their longer half-lives compared with oral formulations. Reduction to the point of full discontinuation can only be achieved by switching to oral therapy to complete the taper. These results are limited by the in silico and theoretical nature of the study, and there is a need to confirm these findings through real-world observational and interventional studies.

Repercussões da pandemia de COVID-19 nas ocupações de pré-escolares

Abstract Introduction The physical distancing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic led to home confinement and altered the usual ways in which children’s occupations were conducted, depriving them of experiences that promote development. Objective To identify the repercussions of the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on the preschoolers’ occupations. Method A descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional study conducted with 35 guardians of 3-year-old preschoolers from the city of Rio de Janeiro. A self-administered questionnaire was used to investigate changes in children's occupations during the initial phase of the pandemic. Results Changes occurred in all occupations investigated: interaction with peers (100%), relatives (94.2%), and participants (91.4%); leisure (97.1%); play (91.4%); eating (88.6%); screen activities (88.6%); physical activities (80%); and sleep (68.6%). There was a reduction/absence of playing in outdoor environments, greater demand for adult participation in play, absence of play with peers, and increased time spent on electronic play. Leisure became less frequent, more restricted, and screen-oriented. Thus, the daily screen exposure time increased. There was a significant absence/decrease of in-person interaction with peers and relatives, a decrease in physical activities (frequency and variety), difficulty in maintaining an organized eating routine, and changes in sleep schedules. These results are discussed and corroborated by current literature on the subject. Conclusion During the initial phase of the pandemic, when physical distancing was more stringent, children faced significant restrictions in their occupations, with limitations in the diversity, quantity, and quality of opportunities for their full development. Therefore, the experience of the pandemic context may have been acted as a hindering force in children’s development.

Entrepreneurship Development Programme And Venture Creation: The Issue Of Effectiveness

The present paper aims to examine the effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Development Programme (EDP) offered by the Institute of Co-operative Management (ICM) on the venture creation aspect of the trainees of this institute. The researchers collected data from 404 respondents trained by ICM using a structured schedule through face-to-face interview and telephone calling. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. The findings reveal that the EDP training influences its trainees to become the first-generation entrepreneurs in their families. A significant 68.56% established their ventures post-EDP training. Additionally, the study highlights the marked changes in both occupation and income levels of EDP participants. According to the findings of the study, there is a need to check the efficacy of the system of loan sanction as it affects the process of venture creation. In conclusion, these findings underscore the value of EDPs as a catalyst for regional economic development.

Что ESG-отчеты компаний говорят о текучести кадров?

The interrelation between employees’ satisfaction with work and company’s staff turnover rate has aroused discussions since last century. Nonetheless, plenty of works in this field are based on surveys conducted among staff. However, it is even more interesting whether official reports of companies might give us useful information about factors which affect staff turnover. This research aimed to estimate which factors represented in ESG-reports of different companies have the highest correlation with employees’ turnover rate and, thus, might be predictive metrics for CEOs to forecast potential staff turnover rates. The results of the study demonstrate that indicators from official ESG-documents have very low correlation with published turnover rates, thus, it is hard to measure turnover rates in the future based on the given data. Nonetheless, based on the results of this study, employees Net Promoter Score (eNPS) has the strongest connection with turnover rates, thus, subjective metrics measuring satisfaction of employees with their occupation might give more information about possible turnover intention than objective ones such as salary gap, injury rate and average training hours. Such a result might be interpreted in the following way: subjective feeling of satisfaction plays primary role in the question of occupation change in most of the cases.

Analyzing the Effectiveness of Real-Time Feedback Systems in Occupational Health

Introduction: As occupational health changes, real-time feedback systems (RTFS) are becoming more and more seen as important tools for improving safety at work and the health and happiness of employees. This study looks into how well RTFS works for tracking and improving health results at work.Methods: We used a mixed-techniques approach, combining numeric data from machine usage logs with private feedback from person polls in some of distinct agencies. a group of 300 people from extraordinary backgrounds took component within the examine and had been given distinctive RTFS for 6 months. The link among gadget feedback and higher fitness and safety behaviour changed into looked at the use of statistical analysis.Findings: The results show that RTFS made workplace health management a lot better. Quantitative data showed that accidents at work went down by 40% and environmental compliance went up by 25%. Qualitative data showed that 85% of the people who took part found the comments helpful for making their work habits and safety knowledge better.Conclusion: The study shows that RTFS has the ability to make workplaces better and healthier. RTFS not only lowers risks but also gives workers the power to take charge of their own health and safety by giving them instant insights and tips they can use. Putting these kinds of tools together could completely change how workplace health is managed, so more research and use of them in many different areas is needed.

Unsettling in Norrland

This research uses film, photography and projection to analyse the changing space of Northern Sweden (Norrland). This peripheral region is one of the most rapidly reconfiguring spaces in Europe, with on-going programmes of corporate and state investment to exploit space and natural resources for settlement and extraction.
 The images are part of an archive of the moving of buildings, a common practice in the region. Buildings are moved in relation to changing environmental conditions and now urban land values and global property speculation. It is understood to be a distinct process of what David Harvey has described as “remaking capitalism’s geography”1
 Images analyse the material conditions, ideology and power in this frontier economy. The project considers an architecture of de-growth2, challenging ideas of the expanding urbanisation of Norrland. As land values and modes of occupation change, buildings are displaced from the urban centre to increase occupation density through speculative investment. This process displaces social space and previous land formations. The city of Kiruna has been entirely displaced by expanding mine workings. The practice of relocation also has the capacity to shift large-scale historic architectures, as a distinct form of caretaking.
 In this moment of new waves of investment in mining and forestry, of urbanisation of parts of the region, predicated on an underlying and largely uncontested agenda of ‘development’, the archive offers other conceptions of space and architectural production.
 The images consider the wrenching of a house from its location and moving it to another location, documenting this process of detachment. It records the re-arrangements of space between land and building. Displacement is illuminated through projections to unsettle, by superimposing architectures onto previous conditions. Keywords: Unsettling, de-growth, relocation, house-moving, displacement.
 Cover image: Robin Serjeant, “Midwinter projection inside the house.”, Degernäs, December 2021, Film stills

Epigenetic dysregulation of eukaryotic initiation factor 3 subunit E (eIF3E) by lysine methyltransferase REIIBP confers a pro-inflammatory phenotype in t(4;14) myeloma.

REIIBP is a lysine methyltransferase aberrantly expressed through alternative promoter usage of NSD2 locus in t(4;14)-translocated multiple myeloma (MM). Clinically, t(4;14) translocation is an adverse prognostic factor found in approximately 15% of MM patients. The contribution of REIIBP relative to other NSD2 isoforms as a dependency gene in t(4;14)-translocated MM remains to be evaluated. Here, we demonstrated that despite homology with NSD2, REIIBP displayed distinct substrate specificity by preferentially catalyzing H3K4me3 and H3K27me3, with little activity on H3K36me2. Furthermore, REIIBP was regulated through microRNA by EZH2 in a Dicer-dependent manner, exemplifying a role of REIIBP in SET-mediated H3K27me3. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing revealed chromatin remodeling characterized by changes in genome-wide and loci-specific occupancy of these opposing histone marks, allowing a bidirectional regulation of its target genes. Transcriptomics indicated that REIIBP induced a pro-inflammatory gene signature through upregulation of TLR7, which in turn led to B-cell receptor-independent activation of BTK and driving NFkB-mediated production of cytokines such as IL-6. Activation of this pathway is targetable using Ibrutinib and partially mitigated bortezomib resistance in a REIIBP xenograft model. Mechanistically, REIIBP upregulated TLR7 through eIF3E, and this relied on eIF3E RNA-binding function instead of its canonical protein synthesis activity, as demonstrated by direct binding to the 3'UTR of TLR7 mRNA. Altogether, we provided a rationale that co-existence of different NSD2 isoforms induced diversified oncogenic programs that should be considered in the strategies for t(4;14)-targeted therapy.

RECRUITMENT SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES OF EMPLOYING IN-HOME SENSOR TECHNOLOGY WITH OLDER AFRICAN AMERICAN ADULTS

Abstract Older African Americans are under-represented in clinical research studies of aging. Many previous studies have shown results of in-home monitoring technologies to collect objective data for aging in place but few studies include minoritized populations. The CART platform uses home-based sensor technology to unobtrusively assess activity in the home and was embedded in homes of participants from the Minority Aging Research Study (MARS), an ongoing longitudinal study of cognitive decline in older African Americans. This presentation will highlight efforts to engage, recruit, and retain older African American participants in Chicago, with a particular focus on challenges and lessons learned. Recruitment consisted of presentations and mailings to potentially eligible MARS participants based on pre-specified inclusion criteria. Of 153 participants who met initial eligibility criteria, 36 refused before consent, 34 were ineligible after screening, and we enrolled 76 non-Hispanic African Americans participants (80% women; mean age = 80.4 (6.3) years); mean education = 16 (2.8) years; 78% without cognitive impairment). Enrolled participants were slightly younger, more likely to be female, and had higher education. There was no difference in cognitive impairment between those who enrolled compared to those who were ineligible after screening. Since enrollment, 11 have withdrawn and 7 are no longer active. The most common challenges include privacy concerns, broadband internet issues, emerging medical conditions, or changes in residency or resident occupancy. These results demonstrate that older African Americans participating in an ongoing longitudinal study can be recruited and retained in an ancillary study that involves home-based sensor technology.

Coastal Cliffs of the Rio Grande do Norte State: Geoheritage Characterization and Valorization in Northeast Brazil

The Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast Brazil, has 410 km of coastal extension, being 107 km approximately composed of cliffs excavated in Cenozoic sedimentary rocks. In the last three decades, these cliffs are passing for transformations due the human occupation, tourism activity and climatic changes. To inventory the geoheritage present in these cliffs is essential to support management plans that include investment to conserving part of this Earth’s natural history. This paper aims to inventory, classify, assess and value the Potiguar cliffs as geological sites. From 46 outcrops that Saraiva Junior (2021) studied to describe the cliffs’ geomorphology, 20 geological sites were selected, these are used in national and international publications and divided in three frameworks: Miocene-Pliocene sedimentation, Pleistocene sedimentation and Cenozoic tectonics. These 20 cliffs were inventoried using the Brilha (2016) methodology in order to qualify and quantify the scientific value, potential educational and touristic uses and degradation risk. The Ponta do Mel, Barra de Tabatinga, Ponta dos Três Irmãos, Barreira do Inferno, Ponta do Reduto and Morro do Chapéu were defined as the most valuable cliffs on the scientific aspect. We proposed monitoring planning based on the cliff’s baselines, protection measures based on the specific threats and three geotouristic routes based on the geographic distribution of the sites and the frameworks.

COVID-19 Admission Rates and Changes in US Hospital Inpatient and Intensive Care Unit Occupancy

The COVID-19 pandemic had unprecedented effects on hospital occupancy, with consequences for hospital operations and patient care. Previous studies of occupancy during COVID-19 have been limited to small samples of hospitals. To measure the association between COVID-19 admission rates and hospital occupancy in different US areas and at different time periods during 2020. This cross-sectional study used data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases (2019-2020) for patients in nonfederal acute care hospitals in 45 US states, including the District of Columbia. Data analysis was performed between September 1, 2022, and April 30, 2023. Each hospital and week in 2020 was categorized based on the number of COVID-19 admissions per 100 beds (<1 [low], 1-4.9, 5-9.9, 10-14.9, or ≥15 [high]). The main outcomes were inpatient and intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy. We used regression analysis to estimate the average change in occupancy for each hospital-week in 2020 relative to the same hospital week in 2019. This study included 3960 hospitals and 54 355 916 admissions. Of the admissions in the 40 states used for race and ethnicity analyses, 15.7% were for Black patients, 12.9% were for Hispanic patients, 62.5% were for White patients, and 7.2% were for patients of other race or ethnicity; 1.7% of patients were missing these data. Weekly COVID-19 admission rates in 2020 were less than 4 per 100 beds for 63.9% of hospital-weeks and at least 10 in only 15.9% of hospital-weeks. Inpatient occupancy decreased by 12.7% (95% CI, 12.1% to 13.4%) during weeks with low COVID-19 admission rates and increased by 7.9% (95% CI, 6.8% to 9.0%) during weeks with high COVID-19 admission rates. Intensive care unit occupancy rates increased by 67.8% (95% CI, 60.5% to 75.3%) during weeks with high COVID-19 admissions. Increases in ICU occupancy were greatest when weighted to reflect the experience of Hispanic patients. Changes in occupancy were most pronounced early in the pandemic. During weeks with high COVID-19 admissions, occupancy decreased for many service lines, with occupancy by surgical patients declining by 43.1% (95% CI, 38.6% to 47.2%) early in the pandemic. In this cross-sectional study of US hospital discharges in 45 states in 2020, hospital occupancy decreased during weeks with low COVID-19 admissions and increased during weeks with high COVID-19 admissions, with the largest changes occurring early in the pandemic. These findings suggest that surges in COVID-19 strained ICUs and were associated with large decreases in the number of surgical patients. These occupancy fluctuations may have affected quality of care and hospital finances.

Has COVID-19 changed the factors explaining the occupancy of Airbnb accommodation? Madrid as a case study

In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the dynamics of short-term rental demand, particularly on Airbnb, have seen pivotal shifts. Using Madrid as a case study, this research used strategic sampling to investigate changes in occupancy, housing attributes, and online reputation. Leveraging a sup-likelihood ratio test and a hedonic-type pooled panel-data Logit regression, we identified a marked structural break. Findings revealed a diminished demand-side bargaining power, resulting in increased rental prices and reduced information transparency. These results offered critical insights for tourism industry stakeholders, especially destination managers and Airbnb hosts.

Evolutionary degeneration of septins into pseudoGTPases: impacts on a hetero-oligomeric assembly interface.

The septin family of eukaryotic proteins comprises distinct classes of sequence-related monomers that associate in a defined order into linear hetero-oligomers, which are capable of polymerizing into cytoskeletal filaments. Like actin and ⍺ and β tubulin, most septin monomers require binding of a nucleotide at a monomer-monomer interface (the septin "G" interface) for assembly into higher-order structures. Like ⍺ and β tubulin, where GTP is bound by both subunits but only the GTP at the ⍺-β interface is subject to hydrolysis, the capacity of certain septin monomers to hydrolyze their bound GTP has been lost during evolution. Thus, within septin hetero-oligomers and filaments, certain monomers remain permanently GTP-bound. Unlike tubulins, loss of septin GTPase activity-creating septin "pseudoGTPases"-occurred multiple times in independent evolutionary trajectories, accompanied in some cases by non-conservative substitutions in highly conserved residues in the nucleotide-binding pocket. Here, we used recent septin crystal structures, AlphaFold-generated models, phylogenetics and in silico nucleotide docking to investigate how in some organisms the septin G interface evolved to accommodate changes in nucleotide occupancy. Our analysis suggests that yeast septin monomers expressed only during meiosis and sporulation, when GTP is scarce, are evolving rapidly and might not bind GTP or GDP. Moreover, the G dimerization partners of these sporulation-specific septins appear to carry compensatory changes in residues that form contacts at the G interface to help retain stability despite the absence of bound GDP or GTP in the facing subunit. During septin evolution in nematodes, apparent loss of GTPase activity was also accompanied by changes in predicted G interface contacts. Overall, our observations support the conclusion that the primary function of nucleotide binding and hydrolysis by septins is to ensure formation of G interfaces that impose the proper subunit-subunit order within the hetero-oligomer.

Detecting changes in land occupation and use (between 1984-2021) using "GEE" and GIS tools: focus on the green structure of the future metropolis of Annaba (north-east Algeria)

Annaba, Algeria's fourth largest city, has acquired national and international importance due to its openness to the Mediterranean Sea. Over the last ten years, its rapid sprawl has continued to exacerbate the situation, leading to increased consumption of space, particularly green structures. The main objective of this study is to assess changes in land use and land cover (LULC) over the last 30 years, focusing on the green structure of the future metropolis.&#x0D; Google Earth Engine (GEE) was used to explore land cover classification using the random forest algorithm. A spatial model of the main changes in land cover between 1984, 2004 and 2021 was also generated.&#x0D; The principal drivers of land use change are human activities and urbanization, including fires and land clearing.The spatial pattern of change is mainly due to inappropriate investment policy and uncontrolled urbanisation. This is explained by the main results of the land use conversion processes between 1984 and 2021. The comparison shows a decline in forests and green land, mainly due to conversion to urbanised land, cropland, bare land or other land. Similarly, bare land and other types of land declined over the 1984-2004 period in favour of urbanised or cultivated land. Furthermore, it compromises any possibility of sustainable development at a time when we are facing climate change.

Effect of lime (CaOH+) on chalcopyrite-arsenopyrite separation in high gradient magnetic separation: Experiment and molecular simulation

During the flotation of chalcopyrite from arsenopyrite, the addition of lime (with CaOH+ as the active component) can affect the subsequent high-gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) performance. However, this issue has been overlooked in previous researches. The present study confirms this effect and elucidates its underlying mechanism. Findings demonstrate that CaOH+ could decrease the magnetic moment of Fe atoms in chalcopyrite, deteriorating its separation from arsenopyrite via HGMS method. For a high-arsenic copper ore assaying 0.63 % Cu and 0.78 % As with chalcopyrite and arsenopyrite as the dominant copper-bearing and arsenic-bearing minerals, the HGMS results has confirmed that increasing the lime dosage from 0 kg/t to 14 kg/t reduced the copper grade in the copper concentrate from 0.92 % to 0.61 % and decreased the copper recovery from 67.03 % to 53.95 %. However, the arsenic grade and recovery in the concentrate were improved from 0.35 % to 0.64 % and from 28.27 % to 42.19 %, respectively. The calculations using Density Functional Theory and Crystal-Field Theory revealed that the interaction between Fe ions in chalcopyrite and CaOH+ in lime leads to a considerable change in the single electron occupancy of the d orbitals, that is, it transitions from a high-spin state to a low-spin state; thus, the magnetic susceptibility of the chalcopyrite decreases, reducing the HGMS efficiency for separation of chalcopyrite from arsenopyrite. The findings of this study provide considerable theoretical insights and improved understanding for the effect of lime on the chalcopyrite-arsenopyrite separation efficiency in HGMS process.

Pronounced turnover of vascular plant species in Central European arable fields over 90 years

We studied changes in vascular plant species occurring in Central European (Germany, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Hungary, Northern Italy, Slovenia and Croatia) arable fields and their edges from 1930 to 2019. To correct for bias in the data, we used occupancy modeling to analyze changes in the occupancy, i.e., distribution ranges sizes, of the 359 most common species in the AgriWeedClim database. We used ecological indicator values, native versus alien (archaeophyte, neophyte) status, and species affinity to arable habitats to assess changes in the occupancy of species with different environmental preferences and biogeographic origins. We found only a small decline in overall species occupancy over time, with a median occupancy change of −0.1 %, possibly due to the exclusion of rare species from modeling. Species turnover was more pronounced, with 72 species decreasing to less than half of their initial occupancy and 77 species more than doubling their initial occupancy. Species with environmental preferences for nutrient-rich sites with neutral pH increased in occupancy whereas species typical for arable fields decreased. No response to climate change (i.e., increased occupancy of thermophilous or drought-tolerant species) was detected. Archaeophytes and native species decreased whereas neophytes increased in occupancy. Taken together, results suggest that the biodiversity of arable fields is changing largely in response to anthropogenic habitat changes.

Before‐after‐control‐impact field experiment shows anti‐predator netting enhances occupancy of the threatened Hungarian meadow viper (Vipera ursinii rakosiensis)

The Hungarian meadow viper is an endangered grassland‐dwelling species, which faces high predation pressure, partially due to avian species that forage in its habitat. Predation pressure by avian predators is caused not only by abundant game species (e.g. hooded crow, Corvus cornix) but also by protected and threatened species (e.g. short‐toed eagle, Cricaetus gallicus; common buzzard, Buteo buteo; roller, Coracias garrulus) in the project area (Felső‐kiskunsági turjánvidék, Hungary). Mark–recapture data of a reintroduced viper population showed a very low, 42% yearly average apparent survival rate. To establish a strong sub‐population we applied anti‐predator netting (APN) by building a 200 × 200 × 3 m (4 ha) totally closed exclusion site with a mesh net, lateral sides boosted with a 1 m high steel field fence to exclude mammals as well as birds. To test the effect of APN we monitored viper occupancy at 50 × 50 m sampling plots in a before–after/control–intervention (BACI) design, where we randomly placed quadrats 0.25 ha (50 × 50 m) to be surveyed, n = 26 at control habitats and n = 4 below the APN enclosure. We collected data across four years (2020–2023), in each year during the spring by 10 surveys replicates in each plot resulting in 1200 surveys to record viper detection/non‐detection data. We applied a multi‐season occupancy model to estimate site occupancy changes to test the effects of the BACI design. Occupancy probabilities were increasing during the four consecutive survey years in both the control and the intervention sites, however except for the initial occupancy, the occupancy probability became significantly higher at APN sites, and the APN intervention had a significant positive effect on viper occupancy, while the distance to APN showed negative effect. Predator exclusion is an effective method to minimise predation pressure and potentially has a deterministic positive demographic outcome, however, due to the high logistical and maintenance costs, this measure can be applied at only a few sites.