Changes In External Environment Research Articles

Impacts of long-term different fertilization regimes on microbial utilization of straw-derived carbon in greenhouse vegetable soils: insights from its ecophysiological roles and temperature responses

As the largest organic carbon input in the agroecosystems, crop residues can increase soil carbon sequestration and crop production in greenhouse vegetable fields (GVFs). However, the soil microbiological mechanisms driving straw decomposition in GVFs under different incubation temperatures and fertilization treatments are not clear. Thus, soil samples were collected from a long-term field experiment included chemical fertilizer application alone (CF), 2/4 fertilizer N+2/4 organic fertilizer N (CM), 2/4 fertilizer N+1/4 organic fertilizer N+1/4 straw N (CMS), 2/4 fertilizer N+2/4 straw N (CS), and incubated with 13C-labeled straw at different temperatures (15, 25, and 35°C) for 60 days. Organic-amended treatments (CM, CMS, and CS), especially CMS treatment, increased soil bacterial Alpha diversity before and after straw addition. Straw decomposition process was dominated by soil Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes for each treatments. The effect of incubation temperature on soil microbial community composition was higher than that of fertilization treatments. Soil Alphaproteobacteria and Actinomycetia were the most predominant class involved in straw decomposition. Gammaproteobacteria (Pseudomonas, Steroidobacter, Acidibacter, and Arenimonas) were the unique and predominant class involved in straw decomposition at medium and high temperatures as well as in the straw-amended treatments. Organic-amended treatments, especially straw-amended treatments, increased the relative abundance of glycosyl transferases (GT) and auxiliary activities (AA). Alphaproteobacteria, Actinomycetia, and Gammaproteobacteria had higher relative contribution to carbohydrase genes. In summary, the long-term organic-amended treatments altered the structure of soil microbial communities and increased soil bacterial diversity, with the CMS having a greater potential to enhance resistance to external environmental changes. Soil Alphaproteobacteria and Actinomycetia were responsible for the dominance of straw decomposition, and Gammaproteobacteria may be responsible for the acceleration of straw decomposition. Fertilization treatments promote straw decomposition by increasing the abundance of indicator bacterial groups involved in straw decomposition, which is important for isolating key microbial species involved in straw decomposition under global warming.

Relationship Between IPO and Company Development Based on the Case of Poten Enviro

Abstract: The stock market crash in early 2024 in China has sparked criticism from investors regarding the current Chinese IPO system. There has been extensive debate on whether IPOs should serve as a venue for financing for companies facing internal and external development difficulties and questionable profitability, and whether the interests of shareholders should receive better protection. To delve deeper into the issues surrounding the Chinese IPO system, a listed companyPoten Envirohas been selected, and a comprehensive review has been conducted on its development history, internal and external challenges, IPO process, financial irregularities, and other related behaviors. The company should proper analyze the external environmental changes, and the IPO should not be pursued blindly. Also, the regulation institution should strengthen supervision of listed companies to avoid losses for the public. This study will be beneficial in providing insights for the reform of the Chinese stock market and offering guidance for strategic decision-making by enterprises.

Using punctuated equilibrium theory to explain changes in policy outputs: The case of the United States Coast Guard

AbstractThis article explores the utility of punctuated equilibrium (PE) theory in explaining revolutionary organizational change in the public sector and its effects on policy implementation, with a focus on the United States Coast Guard. We illustrate our model using data from in‐depth interviews with current and former senior Coast Guard officers and enlisted personnel, as well as secondary sources such as historical accounts and budget data. Through content analysis, we argue that PE theory begins with a change in the public sector organization's external environment, which then affects organizational strategy, structure, power distribution, and outputs. Punctuated equilibrium theory proves to be a valuable lens for understanding policy outputs in relation to organizational change.Related ArticlesKwon, Sung‐Wook, and Sylvia Gonzalez‐Gorman. 2019. “Influence of Local Political Institutions on Policy Punctuation in Three Policy Areas.” Politics & Policy 47(2): 300–25. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12295.Neill, Katharine A., and John C. Morris. 2012. “A Tangled Web of Principals and Agents: Examining the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill through a Principal–Agent Lens.”Politics & Policy 40(4): 629–56. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2012.00371.x.Peng, Peiwen, and Tangzhe Cao. 2023. “Attention, Institutional Friction, and Punctuated Equilibrium in China's Budget: Changes in Social Security and Employment Expenditure.” Politics & Policy 51(2): 256–82. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12523.

The impact of phasing out subsidy for financial performance of photovoltaic enterprises: evidence from “531 new policy” on China’s photovoltaic industry

In the past two decades, China’s government subsidy policy has promoted the rapid development of the photovoltaic industry. Concerns have been raised about how the financial performance of China’s photovoltaic firms changes with the gradual cancellation of subsidies. Taking the “531 New Policy” of China’s photovoltaic industry as an exogenous shock, based on the sample of listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share photovoltaic industry from 2015 to 2023, this paper uses the diference-in-diferences model to study the impact of the phasing out subsidy on the financial performance of photovoltaic enterprises from the micro level. The study found that the implementation of the “531 New Policy” significantly reduced the financial performance of photovoltaic enterprises in general. Considering the difference of industrial chain links, the negative impact of decreasing subsidies on the financial performance of downstream photovoltaic enterprises is more significant, among which R&D investment plays a partially intermediary role. In addition, the phasing out subsidy has a more significant negative impact on the financial performance of senior and eastern enterprises than young and midwest enterprises. The conclusions of this study have important practical implications for photovoltaic enterprises’ decision-making under the changing external policy environment.

Interoceptive inference and prediction in food-related disorders.

The brain's capacity to predict and anticipate changes in internal and external environments is fundamental to initiating efficient adaptive responses, behaviors, and reflexes that minimize disruptions to physiology. In the context of feeding control, the brain predicts and anticipates responses to the consumption of dietary substances, thus driving adaptive behaviors in the form of food choices, physiological preparation for meals, and engagement of defensive mechanisms. Here, we provide an integrative perspective on the multisensory computation between exteroceptive and interoceptive cues that guides feeding strategy and may result in food-related disorders.

Research on low energy joint optimization of dynamic thermal environment coupled with passenger cabin and air conditioning systems

This study establishes a model for the coupling of passenger compartment and air-conditioning systems. The model takes human thermal comfort as the evaluation index, which can achieve dynamic data exchange during the transient calculation process, and control the air-conditioning systems with the core goal of reducing energy consumption. The optimal air supply angle and air distribution ratio were analyzed using this model. When the external environment changes, the air supply parameters corresponding to the lowest energy consumption are analyzed based on the air conditioning system with optimal air supply angle and air distribution ratio. The results show that the best direct blowing position is the neck. When the air distribution ratio of the driver's left air outlet is 25 %, the overall thermal comfort value of the dummy is the best. The overall thermal comfort of the dummy was maintained at the optimal value with an air speed of 8 m/s for dynamic external environments, but this air speed was not the lowest energy consumption. Subsequently, under the premise of maintaining the comfort of the dummy, the fitted curves of the air supply speed that minimizes the energy consumption are obtained by comparing the energy consumption under different air supply speeds.

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Lake Van and Lake Erçek over the last millennium using varved sediments (Eastern Türkiye)

Detailed lithological and geochemical studies of the bottom sediments were conducted based on the original sampling of brackish adjacent lakes: Lake Van and Lake Erçek in Eastern Anatolia, Türkiye. Seasonal variations in the accumulation of weather-driven element content were determined using high-resolution Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence (SR-XRF) analysis of the annual layers in the solid prepare. The results were utilized to approximate the regional paleo-temperature of both lakes and the water level of Lake Van. Visual counting of the varve as well as annual oscillation of measured geochemical series was employed to create a time scale. The element content series were synchronized with recent changes in external climatic environments and lake water level fluctuations. Subsequently, the geochemical series were transformed into climate units, using calibration on synchronous meteorological data. Finally, the original quantitative reconstruction of the regional climate variations was performed over the last millennium period with annual time resolution; for Lake Erçek (840 years ago) and Lake Van (1300 years ago). It was revealed that the sediments of these adjacent lakes (Lake Van and Lake Erçek), located 30 km apart from each other, provided synchronous responses to regional environmental changes, which confirmed the reliability of the reconstructions.

Melatonin Protects Against Mitochondrial Dyshomeostasis and Ovarian Damage Caused by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Through the eIF2α-AFT4 Signaling Pathway in Mice.

Stress is an emotional state caused by an unexpected external environmental change or stimulus, and several experiments have demonstrated its negative impact on ovarian function, ultimately affecting reproductive ability. Melatonin (MT) has been shown to facilitate oocyte maturation and enhance ovarian function by regulating mitochondrial function. However, the specific effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of MT on stress-induced ovarian dysfunction remain largely unknown. In this study, we established a mouse model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) to investigate its impact on ovarian function. Our findings revealed that CUMS led to premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) in mice, characterized by a reduction in follicle numbers and decreased levels of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15). Furthermore, CUMS caused decreased expression of mitochondrial fission protein 1 (FIS1) and enhanced level of mitochondrial fusion protein optic atrophy 1(OPA1), mitofusin1(MFN1), as well as nucleus-encoded protein succinate dehydrogenase complex A (SDHA), reflecting mitochondrial dyshomeostasis. Additionally, CUMS resulted in excessive autophagy and apoptosis. However, MT reversed these effects and improved ovarian damage. Importantly, the protective effects of MT were mediated through the inhibition of the eIF2α-AFT4 pathway. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the treatment of POI caused by CUMS.

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.

Implementation of Sugeno Fuzzy Logic Method as an Automatic Humidity and Moisture Control System in Terrarium

A terrarium is a mini ecosystem that requires precise humidity control to ensure plant growth and the survival of animals within it. However, manual humidity control is difficult to implement consistently, especially if the external environment changes. This problem can be overcome by implementing an automatic system based on Sugeno fuzzy logic. This research aims to design and implement an automatic system that is able to control terrarium humidity dynamically using a fuzzy logic approach. This system is designed using humidity sensor data as input which is then processed through Sugeno fuzzy logic to determine appropriate control actions. The method used involves modeling input humidity and temperature sensors, determining fuzzy rules, and defuzzification using the Sugeno method to regulate the automatic irrigation system in the terrarium. Tests were conducted under several different environmental conditions to measure the system's response to changes in humidity and temperature. The research results show that the system is able to maintain terrarium humidity within optimal limits with a low error rate. The system is able to adjust control actions in real-time, produce consistent calculations, and provide humidity stability despite external changes.

Extremely durable electrical impedance tomography–based soft and ultrathin wearable e-skin for three-dimensional tactile interfaces

In the rapidly evolving field of human-machine interfaces (HMIs), high-resolution wearable electronic skin (e-skin) is essential for user interaction. However, traditional array-structured tactile interfaces require increased number of interconnects, while soft material–based computational methods have limited functionalities. Here, we introduce a thin and soft e-skin for tactile interfaces, offering high mapping capabilities through electrical impedance tomography (EIT). We employed an organic/inorganic hybrid structure with simple, cost-effective fabrication processes, ensuring flexibility and stability. The conductive and stretchable sensing domain includes a micropatterned multiwall carbon nanotube and elastomer composite. The skin-like tactile interface effectively detects pressure-induced conductivity changes, offering superior spatiotemporal resolution with fewer interconnects (pixel/interconnects >57). This EIT-based tactile interface discerns external pressures to a submillimeter degree and vertical deformations of a few hundred micrometers. It sustains stable functions under external damage or environmental changes, confirming its suitability for persistent wearable use. We demonstrate practical applications in real-time HMIs: handwriting recognition and drone control.

Eco-Morphological Responses of Camponotus japonicus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to Varied Climates and Habitats.

Ants are a highly adaptable group of insects that have globally established themselves in diverse climates and habitats. This study investigates the influence of climate and habitat on the morphological traits of Camponotus japonicus across 22 sites in mainland China. These sites span three climate zones (mid-temperate, warm temperate, and subtropical) and three habitat types (urban parks, farmlands, and sparse woodlands). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the principal axis of morphological variation, while hypervolume analysis and centroid distance calculation were used to verify the environmental filtering hypothesis and the optimal transfer hypothesis. The results support both hypotheses showing that climate and habitat significantly affect the morphological space of C. japonicus workers. In particular, the morphological space is more constrained in mid-temperate farmlands, while workers in sparse woodlands exhibit greater morphological variation. In contrast, urban parks are characterized by higher stability and reduced morphological differences. Additionally, robust regression analysis reveals that environmental factors such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, and altitude are closely linked to the morphological traits of the workers. Understanding how ant morphology responds to external environmental changes enhances our understanding of their adaptability and their essential ecological roles across various ecosystems.

Seasonal piRNA Expression Profile Changes in the Testes of Plateau Zokor (Eospalax baileyi).

Seasonal reproduction is a mammalian behavior that has developed over an extended evolutionary period and requires animals to respond to external environmental changes to facilitate reproduction. In this study, we investigated the role of PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) in the seasonal reproduction of plateau zokors (Eospalax baileyi). piRNA expression profiles in plateau zokor testes during both breeding and non-breeding seasons were examined. The piRNAs had a distinctive ping-pong signature and ranged from 27 to 32 nt with a peak at 30 nt. Testicular piRNAs predominantly aligned to specific genomic regions, including repeat and gene regions. Analysis of the piRNA-mRNA interaction network and functional enrichment of differentially expressed piRNAs targeting mRNAs revealed their association with testicular development and spermatogenesis. Significantly, PIWIL4 is an mRNA gene that interacts with piRNA and exhibits high expression levels within the testes during the non-breeding phase. This study provides a foundation to improve our understanding of piRNA regulatory mechanisms during testicular development and spermatogenesis in seasonally reproducing animals and, specifically, in the plateau zokor.

SPPs based nano refractive index sensor for sodium and potassium ion concentration detection in human blood

In this paper, a micro-nano sensing configuration constructed from MIM waveguide and a semicircular cavity with annular cavity (SCAC) based on surface plasmon polaritons(SPPs) is submitted. And the sensing property of the waveguide coupling construction is investigated using the finite element method. The optimization emulation results show that the broadband mode generated by the two rectangular cavities on the bus waveguide interacts with the narrowband mode generated by the main construction SCAC, and the radiation spectroscopy of the system appears to be significantly sharp and asymmetric, which is the Fano resonance phenomenon. The impact of external environmental changes on the capability of the sensing structure was investigated by altering the geometric argument of the designed structure afterwards. The final system can achieve a sensitivity of 2600 nm RIU−1 and a figure of merit (FOM) of 47.27. It was then applied to biosensing and its sensitivity as a human sodium and potassium ion concentration detection sensor was investigated and the best can be achieved at 0.415 mgdl−1 and 0.525 mgdl−1.

Genome-Wide Identification of MsICE Gene Family in Medicago sativa and Expression Analysis of the Response to Abiotic Stress

To predict the role of the MsICE gene family in the response to abiotic stress, in this study, bioinformatics analysis and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR were performed. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is one of the most economically valuable crops globally. Inducer of CBF expression (ICE), which is part of the basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factor (TF) family, acts as a key regulator of cold tolerance. Despite this, there is little information available about ICE genes in alfalfa. Therefore, we studied the function of ICE TFs in alfalfa. We identified 11 MsICE genes from the alfalfa genome and classified them into two groups. Analysis of the protein motif and gene structure revealed relatively high conservation among subgroups of the tightly clustered MsICE genes. Through synteny analysis, we detected duplication events in the MsICE gene family, suggesting that the ICE gene family was formed through fragment duplications. All the MsICE proteins were located in the nucleus according to subcellular localization predictions. The promoter cis-regulatory elements of MsICE genes are largely involved in light (Box 4), hormone (ABRE), and stress (MYB) responses. The MsICE01/MsICE07/MsICE09/MsICE10/MsICE11 genes contained MYB- and MYC-binding motifs, indicating an association with abiotic stress. The specific expression patterns of MsICE genes in leaves were revealed by examining their expression patterns in different tissues. These findings suggest that these genes may sense external environmental changes through leaves. Abiotic stress can cause striking upregulation of MsICE07 (PCA score: −4.03) and MsICE10 (PCA score: −4.05) expression. In this study, candidate genes associated with cold stress were identified, and subsequent molecular biological analyses allowed elucidation of the biological functions of these genes in alfalfa. This research provides a theoretical foundation for enhancing alfalfa yield and quality under cold conditions.

Tea saponin-Zein binary complex as a quercetin delivery vehicle: preparation, characterization, and functional evaluation

In this study, in order to solve the application problems of poor water solubility and low bioavailability of quercetin, we prepared a nano-delivery system with core-shell structure by anti-solvent method, including a hydrophilic shell composed of tea saponin and a hydrophobic core composed of Zein, which was used to improve the delivery efficiency and biological activity of quercetin. Through the optimal experiments, the loading rate and encapsulation rate of nanoparticles reached 89.41 % and 7.94 % respectively. And the water solubility of quercetin is improved by 30.16 times. At the same time, the quercetin acted with Zein through non-covalent interaction and destroyed its spatial network through structural characterization, while tea saponin covered the surface of Zein through electrostatic interaction, making it change into amorphous state. In addition, the addition of tea saponin makes the nanoparticles remain stable under the changes of external environment. During simulating gastrointestinal digestion procedure, ZQTNPs has higher release rate and bioavailability than free quercetin. Importantly, ZQTNPs can overcome the limitations of a single substance through synergy. These results will promote the innovative development of quercetin precision nutrition delivery system.

Home‐based elderly care development in Hebei Province, China: A systematic literature review

AbstractHebei, one of China's most populous provinces, is facing increasing pressure on its elderly care services due to a rapidly aging population. Home‐Based Elderly Care (HBEC) has emerged as a potential solution to alleviate this pressure. However, this care model is significantly impacted by various external environmental changes. The study employed a literature analysis method, conducting a PEST analysis, to examine the environmental factors influencing the progress of HBEC in Hebei Province, China. The findings offer novel research perspectives to inform strategic development in the HBEC industry. The study identified 19 environmental factors, both favorable and adverse, shaping the development of HBEC in Hebei Province. Based on these findings, the study recommends integrating laws, regulations, and systems, clarifying government roles, optimizing funding structure, expanding service delivery channels, enhancing public awareness of elderly care, and broadening professional talent development pathways. These insights can be valuable for policymakers, educators, and researchers seeking to understand the challenges and opportunities in the field, ultimately improving the well‐being of China's elderly population.

Style Optimization Networks for real-time semantic segmentation of rainy and foggy weather

Semantic segmentation is an essential task in the field of computer vision. Existing semantic segmentation models can achieve good results under good weather and lighting conditions. However, when the external environment changes, the effectiveness of these models are seriously affected. Therefore, we focus on the task of semantic segmentation in rainy and foggy weather. Fog is a common phenomenon in rainy weather conditions and has a negative impact on image visibility. Besides, to make the algorithm satisfy the application requirements of mobile devices, the computational cost and the real-time requirement of the model have become one of the major points of our research. In this paper, we propose a novel Style Optimization Network (SONet) architecture, containing a Style Optimization Module (SOM) that can dynamically learn style information, and a Key information Extraction Module (KEM) that extracts important spatial and contextual information. This can improve the learning ability and robustness of the model for rainy and foggy conditions. Meanwhile, we achieve real-time performance by using lightweight modules and a backbone network with low computational complexity. To validate the effectiveness of our SONet, we synthesized CityScapes dataset for rainy and foggy weather and evaluated the accuracy and complexity of our model. Our model achieves a segmentation accuracy of 75.29% MIoU and 83.62% MPA on a NVIDIA TITAN Xp GPU. Several comparative experiments have shown that our SONet can achieve good performance in semantic segmentation tasks under rainy and foggy weather, and due to the lightweight design of the model we have a good advantage in both accuracy and model complexity.

Characteristics and drivers of the soil multifunctionality under different land use and land cover types in the drylands of China

The drylands of China cover approximately 6.6×106 km2 and are home to approximately 5.8×108 people, providing important ecosystem services for human survival and development. However, dryland ecosystems are extremely fragile and sensitive to external environmental changes. Land use and land cover (LULC) changes significantly impact soil structure and function, thus affecting the soil multifunctionality (SMF). However, the effect of LULC changes on the SMF in the drylands of China has rarely been reported. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of the SMF changes based on soil data in the 1980s from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center. We explored the drivers of the SMF changes under different LULC types (including forest, grassland, shrubland, and desert) and used structural equation modeling to explore the main driver of the SMF changes. The results showed that the SMF under the four LULC types decreased in the following descending order: forest, grassland, shrubland, and desert. The main driver of the SMF changes under different LULC types was mean annual temperature (MAT). In addition to MAT, pH in forest, soil moisture (SM) and soil biodiversity index in grassland, SM in shrubland, and aridity index in desert are crucial factors for the SMF changes. Therefore, the SMF in the drylands of China is regulated mainly by MAT and pH, and comprehensive assessments of the SMF in drylands need to be performed regarding LULC changes. The results are beneficial for evaluating the SMF among different LULC types and predicting the SMF under global climate change.

ASSESSMENT OF THE FINANCIAL RESULT OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION USING THE EXAMPLE OF A CONCESSION AGREEMENT

The article is aimed at developing a methodological approach to improving the efficiency of assessing the financial results of implementing Ukrainian and European business projects. In this context, the object of study is a specific individual partnership and cooperation project. The research has established that one of the key informational aspects of such a partnership is the assessment and forecasting of the financial result. The goal of the research is to present the methodological approach to assessing financial performance for an individual project in the most detailed form possible. The article presents an approach based on modern simulation modelling methods, systems analysis methodology, and the method of composite seasonal indices. All modelling processes were conducted using MATLAB software. MATLAB is a high-level programming language and interactive environment for numerical computation, visualization, and programming. This program is widely used for modelling and data processing in fields such as engineering, scientific research, and mathematics. The research result is presented as an approach to the mathematical modelling of assessing the financial performance of partnership projects of Ukraine with representatives of EU business. It is necessary to emphasize that the presented research has limitations related to changes in Ukraine's hyperdynamic external environment provoked by war. Forecasts may vary depending on the development of military actions. Therefore, the prospects for further research should be directed towards improving the informational provision in the system of partnership and cooperation with EU countries to increase their own investment security.