Cumulative Impact Research Articles

Permafrost thaw subsidence, sea-level rise, and erosion are transforming Alaska’s Arctic coastal zone

Arctic shorelines are vulnerable to climate change impacts as sea level rises, permafrost thaws, storms intensify, and sea ice thins. Seventy-five years of aerial and satellite observations have established coastal erosion as an increasing Arctic hazard. However, other hazards at play-for instance, the cumulative impact that sea-level rise and permafrost thaw subsidence will have on permafrost shorelines-have received less attention, preventing assessments of these processes' impacts compared to and combined with coastal erosion. Alaska's Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) is ideal for such assessments because of the high-density observations of topography, coastal retreat rates, and permafrost characteristics, and importance to Indigenous communities and oilfield infrastructure. Here, we produce 21st-century projections of Arctic shoreline position that include erosion, permafrost subsidence, and sea-level rise. Focusing on the ACP, we merge 5 m topography, satellite-derived coastal lake depth estimates, and empirical assessments of land subsidence due to permafrost thaw with projections of coastal erosion and sea-level rise for medium and high emissions scenarios from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's AR6 Report. We find that by 2100, erosion and inundation will together transform the ACP, leading to 6-8x more land loss than coastal erosion alone and disturbing 8-11x more organic carbon. Without mitigating measures, by 2100, coastal change could damage 40 to 65% of infrastructure in present-day ACP coastal villages and 10 to 20% of oilfield infrastructure. Our findings highlight the risks that compounding climate hazards pose to coastal communities and underscore the need for adaptive planning for Arctic coastlines in the 21st century.

Environmental impact assessment of a direct methanol fuel cell and strategic mitigation guidelines

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are gaining attention as a viable technology for portable and remote applications due to the benefits of methanol as fuel. However, the environmental implications of this technology have not been thoroughly evaluated. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the environmental impact of a DMFC throughout its entire life cycle, and based on the findings, propose guidelines for minimizing the impact. To eliminate any potential biases, a two-step design methodology is applied. The first step involves obtaining the optimal preliminary design, for which a genetic algorithm is implemented. The second step is to conduct the environmental impact study on that optimal configuration. As a study case, a DMFC for a highly demanding application, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle, is selected, using green methanol as fuel. The results reveal that extraction and production stage has the greatest effect on the environment (74.1%), compared to use (25.8%) and transport stages (0.1%). Among the components of the stack, the catalysts have the most significant environmental footprint, 93.3% of the total impact of the stack during the extraction and production stage, while bipolar plates represent only 5.9%, despite comprising 86% of the stack’s mass.

Environmental assessment of gasification and green hydrogen potential role in waste management decarbonization

Achieving sustainability involves implementing a circular economy model and decarbonizing the waste management sector. The development of innovative technologies that enable the reduction of emissions and resource recovery is one of the sector's greatest challenges. From this perspective, the waste-to-methanol (WtM) process represents a viable prospect, the potential environmental impacts of which have never been studied from a life-cycle perspective. A cradle-to-grave LCA analysis was conducted, studying WtM technology and its potential implementation of green hydrogen (WtM-GH) in the process, through a comparison with traditional waste-to-energy (WtE).The results showed that WtM-GH performs best for global impacts, with a global warming potential of 3.52·107 kgCO2eq instead of 1,04·108 kgCO2eq proper of the WtE. Positive effects take place also for the fossil resource scarcity. Looking for non-toxic regional/local impacts WtE represents the best scenario, with the best performance on water consumption (7.96·107 m3) and ionising radiation (2.82·107 kBq Co-60eq). Cumulative impact results, obtained through the normalization, found that WtM is the best scenario, thanks to the less toxic impact compared to the other two, especially for freshwater ecotoxicity (5.26·106 kg 1,4-DCB) and marine ecotoxicity (6.73·106 kg 1,4-DCB).WtM-GH allows the production of 1366 kg of methanol per ton of Refuse Derived Fuel, thanks to the conversion of the entire CO2 contained in the waste, enhancing the value of by-products and carbon credits on the market and making the process more economically sustainable.

Defying normativity in Constance Debré’s Love Me Tender

ABSTRACT This article examines Constance Debré’s Love Me Tender (2020) through the prism of transgression. If overstepping boundaries is intrinsic to transgression, the protagonist oversteps many of the culturally constructed limitations on behaviours expected of women at midlife. Rejecting every conventional aspect of her former life—her heterosexuality, her job, her family, her home, her marriage and her possessions—she appears to be the ultimate transgressive midlife woman. Yet, as this article will argue, the protagonist’s transgression is most clearly identifiable in the cumulative impact of her actions within the specific context of her quest for access to her eight-year-old son. As the narrative traces the protagonist’s relationship with her son as it is affected by a bruising judicial battle for her parental rights, Love Me Tender dialogues with other cultural representations of the maternal experience and contributes to the discourse around queer mothering. In its presentation of an alternative model of motherhood it asks the reader to consider not only the role that the French state plays in establishing and maintaining a universal ideal of the mother–child relationship which underpins the perceived boundaries of what is deemed to be a good mother but also what the consequences should be for the transgression of these boundaries.

A Review of Harmonic Detection, Suppression, Aggregation, and Estimation Techniques

The rapid growth of power electronics-based devices, such as electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, has introduced nonlinear components into power systems, generating high-frequency harmonics that distort current and voltage waveforms. These distortions pose significant risks to the stability of power grids, potentially leading to equipment malfunctions, reduced efficiency, and even system failures. To address these challenges, advanced harmonic detection, suppression, and estimation techniques are required to ensure the reliable operation of modern power systems. This paper comprehensively reviews the most widely used methods for managing harmonic distortions, focusing on recent harmonic detection, suppression, and estimation advancements. Key techniques, such as Fourier analysis and wavelet transforms, are compared alongside emerging machine learning-based approaches and adaptive filtering methods, which offer enhanced accuracy in real-time and dynamic environments. Additionally, advancements in harmonic suppression technologies, including passive, active, and hybrid filtering, are discussed for their effectiveness in mitigating harmonic impacts. Furthermore, the paper explores harmonic aggregation techniques that assess the cumulative impact of multiple harmonic sources and innovative estimation models that improve harmonic quantification under complex grid conditions. With the growing integration of renewable energy and electric vehicles, this review highlights the importance of advanced harmonic management strategies to ensure the safety, efficiency, and long-term stability of power systems.

Cumulative interpersonal risk and suicide ideation/attempts among Chinese early adolescents: Does self-esteem play a moderating role?

Suicide among adolescents is a serious global health concern. Previous research has highlighted that interpersonal factors are vital determinants of suicidality. However, little is known about the cumulative effects of interpersonal risks and the protective factors that buffer individuals from developing suicidal tendencies. The present study examined whether linear or nonlinear models best account for the relationship between cumulative interpersonal risk and suicidal ideation and attempts among early adolescents and the protective value of self-esteem in these associations. A sample of 605 seventh-grade students from in Hunan, China was tracked over a 6month interval. Measures of interpersonal risk, suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-esteem were obtained from adolescents' self-reports. The findings indicated both concurrent and longitudinal linear associations between cumulative interpersonal risk and adolescent suicidal ideation. Cumulative interpersonal risk was only associated with concurrent adolescent suicide attempts, showing a nonlinear relationship. Self-esteem moderates the association between cumulative interpersonal risk and subsequent suicidal ideation. The results also showed that identifying interpersonal risk early and simultaneously reducing multiple interpersonal risks would benefit high-suicide-risk youths. Adolescents who face more than three interpersonal risks are particularly at risk for suicide attempts. Self-esteem is insufficient to counteract the cumulative impact of interpersonal risk completely. Study analyzing whether personal worth plays a moderating role in the suicidal ideation and attempts of early Chinese adolescents. While suicide among adolescents is a serious global health concern, little is known about the cumulative effects of interpersonal risks and the protective factors that buffer individuals from developing suicidal tendencies. As such, we followed 605 seventh graders over six months to investigate the combined influence of various interpersonal stressors such as low teacher support, limited classmates' support, ineffective communication with parents, and experiences of social ostracism on suicidality. In addition, we explored whether a good sense of personal worth (self-esteem) made a difference. Our findings showed that, as interpersonal risks accumulate, the likelihood of an adolescent experiencing suicidal thoughts increases. Although self-esteem offers some protection, it does not fully counteract the detrimental effects of combined interpersonal problems. In particular, when an adolescent faces three or more interpersonal stressors, the risk of suicide attempts increases. Based on our findings, we believe that interventions aimed at reducing these interpersonal risks and bolstering adolescent self-esteem could be pivotal for suicide prevention.

Violence as an obstacle to HIV medication adherence and viral suppression: A daily diary investigation among adolescent boys

For the 1.6 million adolescents currently living with HIV, adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is vitally important for reducing HIV-associated morbidity and mortality, and for preventing onward HIV transmission. Unfortunately, ART adherence is particularly low among adolescents. One important barrier to adherence is exposure to violence; however, the impact of cumulative versus acute exposure to violence on adherence is unclear. We tested whether violence exposure was associated with ART adherence and viral load over a one-year period among adolescent boys living with HIV in Soweto, South Africa. Participants (N = 239) completed weekly ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys of their recent experiences with violence and ART adherence. They provided biological samples at baseline and at the one-year follow-up to measure viral load. Higher average exposure to violence over the course of the study year was significantly associated with lower ART adherence (i.e., a cumulative impact). When we restricted violence exposure to intimate partner violence only, we found that participants were significantly less likely to take their HIV medication on days when they experienced physical intimate partner violence (i.e., an acute impact). We also found a significant positive association between exposure to violence over the course of the study and participants’ viral load at follow-up, even after controlling for baseline viral load. Our findings suggest that violence impacts two important HIV care outcomes through multiple pathways and highlight the importance of differentiating cumulative versus acute victimization in violence research. To improve health outcomes among adolescents with HIV and prevent new infections, it will be necessary to include boys in violence prevention and support services and to address violence exposure in HIV care.

Incorporating stressor interactions into spatially explicit cumulative impact assessments.

Human-induced stressors are impacting the oceans and reducing the biodiversity of marine ecosystems. The many stressors affecting marine environments do not act in isolation. However, their cumulative impact is difficult to predict. Most of the available methods for quantifying cumulative impacts on marine ecosystems sum the impact of individual stressors to estimate cumulative impact. We demonstrate how experimental evidence from interacting stressors can be accounted for in cumulative impact assessments. We adapted a widely used additive model to incorporate nonadditive stressor interactions into a marine spatially explicit cumulative impact assessment for seagrasses. We combined experimental data on the impact of multiple stressors with spatial data on stressor intensity to test whether stressor interactions impact seagrasses in a case study region in South Australia. We also assessed how uncertainty about cumulative impacts changes when uncertainty in stressor interactions is included in the impact mapping. The results from an additive spatial cumulative impact assessment model were compared with results from the model incorporating interactions. Cumulative effects from the interaction model were more variable than those produced by the additive model. Five of the 15 stressor interactions that we tested produced impacts that significantly deviated from those predicted by an additive model. Areas of our study region that showed the largest discrepancies between the additive and interactive outputs were also associated with higher uncertainty. Our study demonstrates that the inclusion of stressor interactions changes the pattern and intensity of modeled spatial cumulative impact. Additive models have the potential to misrepresent cumulative impact intensity and do not provide the opportunity for targeted mitigation measures when managing the interactive effects of stressors. Appropriate inclusion of interacting stressor data may have implications for the identification of key stressors and the subsequent spatial planning and management of marine ecosystems and biodiversity.

Role of food conversion efficiency due to predation of prey populations in an eco-epidemiological model with Allee and refugia

Predator–prey interactions are considered to be key components in the structural framework of an ecosystem. Giving rise to rich dynamics, these engagements have always drawn attention of budding researchers. Biological processes like Allee effect have been investigated by several researchers in the field of eco-epidemiology. Regulation of chaotic dynamics under the influence of refugia cannot be neglected either. Hence, in our present investigation, we have demonstrated our model under the cumulative impact of both Allee effect and refugia. We shall also observe the role of nutritional value in regulating ailment propagation. The stability conditions for the biologically feasible equilibrium points are constructed using local stability analysis. Conditions for existence of Hopf bifurcation along with uniform persistence and global asymptotic stability have been established. Rigorous numerical investigation has been performed so as to scrutinize the impact of force of infection and nutritional value on the dynamics of the proposed eco-epidemic model.

Developmental programming: Preconceptional and gestational exposure of sheep to biosolids on offspring ovarian dynamics.

Developmental exposure to environmental chemicals (ECs) perturbs establishment and maintenance of the ovarian reserve across the reproductive lifetime, leading to premature follicle depletion and ovarian aging. Considering humans are exposed to a complex mixture of ECs, real-life models assessing their cumulative impact on the ovarian reserve are needed. Biosolids is a source of real-life mixture of ECs. While earlier studies demonstrated that grazing pregnant sheep on biosolids-treated pastures (BTP) did not influence establishment of the ovarian reserve in fetal life, its impact on subsequent depletion of ovarian reserve during reproductive life of offspring is unknown. We hypothesized that developmental exposure to biosolids accelerates depletion of ovarian reserve. Ovaries were collected from F1 juveniles (9.5weeks) and adults (2.5years) born to F0 ewes grazed on control inorganic fertilizer pastures or BTP from before conception and throughout gestation. The impact on follicular density, activation rate, and Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH; mediator of activation) expression by immunohistochemistry was determined. Activation rate was increased in F1 BTP juveniles with a corresponding reduction in primordial follicle density. In contrast, activation rate and ovarian reserve were similar between control and F1 BTP adults. The density of AMH-positive antral follicles was lower in BTP juveniles, whereas AMH expression tended to be higher in antral follicles of BTP adults, consistent with the changes in the ovarian reserve. These findings of detrimental effects of developmental exposure to biosolids during juvenile life that normalizes in adults is supportive of a shift in activation rate likely related to peripubertal hormonal changes.

The Ecological Effect of Ship Canals on Wetlands

Ship canals, which play a crucial role in facilitating transport, exert significant and long-term impacts on wetland ecosystems. For social and economic development, numerous countries have put forward plans for ship canals. This paper reviews the literature on the ecological effect of ship canals on wetland ecosystems, identifies research gaps, and suggests future research directions. Ship canals typically involve high construction intensity, usually including river regulation, ship locks, and water diversion for navigation. The ecological effects of ship canals on wetlands refer to changing wetland hydrological processes, degrading water quality, eliminating wetland botany, disturbing wetland animals, and increasing ecological threats. The cumulative impact can either alter the trend of ecological succession or degrade biodiversity. Thus, there is a need for further research to elucidate the mechanisms by which canals affect wetland ecosystems, enhance the practices for wetland protection associated with canals, and develop a robust evaluation system for green canal projects.

Associations Between Instrumented Mouthguard-Measured Head Acceleration Events and Post-Match Biomarkers of Astroglial and Axonal Injury in MaleAmateur Australian Football Players.

Advances in instrumented mouthguards (iMGs) allow for accurate quantification of single high-acceleration head impacts and cumulative head acceleration exposure in collision sports. However, relationships between these measures and risk of brain cell injury remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to quantify measures of non-concussive head impact exposure and assess their association with blood glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament light (NfL) and phosphorylated-tau-181 (p-tau-181) levels in male Australian football players. A total of 31 athletes underwent in-season (24h post-match) and post-season (> 5weeks) blood collections and/or wore HITIQ Nexus A9 iMGs measuring peak linear (PLA) and rotational (PRA) acceleration. Match footage was used to verify and code impacts. Blood GFAP, NfL, and p-tau-181 were quantified using Simoa and natural log transformed for analysis. Associations between post-match biomarkers and within match maximum single impact and cumulative PLA/PRA were assessed with linear mixed models. In-season versus post-season elevations were found for GFAP (mean difference 0.14, 95% CI 0.01-0.26, p = 0.033), NfL (mean difference = 0.21, 95% CI 0.09-0.32, p = 0.001) and p-tau-181 (mean difference = 0.49, 95% CI 0.33-0.65, p < 0.001). Post-match GFAP was associated with maximum single impact PLA (B = 0.003, 95% CI 0.0002-0.005, p = 0.036), cumulative PLA (B = 0.001, 95% CI 0.0002-0.002, p = 0.017), cumulativePRA (B = 0.01, 95% CI 0.002-0.02, p = 0.014), and impact number (B = 0.03, 95% CI 0.003-0.05, p = 0.029) within a single match. Change in NfL levels between two-matches correlated with cumulative PLA (r = 0.80, 95% CI 0.38-0.95, p = 0.005), PRA (r = 0.71, 95% CI 0.19-0.92, p = 0.019) and impact number (r = 0.63, 95% CI 0.05-0.89, p = 0.038). Maximum and cumulative head accelerations in Australian football, measured by iMGs, were associated with elevated blood biomarkers of brain injury, highlighting the potential of both technologies for head impact management in collision sports.

Evaluation of Ruthenium Oxide Nanoparticles as Photocatalysts: Efficiency in Organic Dye Degradation and Environmental Impact Studies

ABSTRACTOne of the most promising nanoscale materials for photodegradation is ruthenium oxide nanoparticles, which are abbreviated as RuO2 nanoparticles. Ruthenium oxide nanoparticles (RuO2 NPs) are promising nanomaterials for photodegradation. Several research methods have examined their size, phase study, and shape. We also examined RuO2 nanoparticle photocatalysis in rhodamine‐B (RhB) and acridine orange (AO) dyes degradation. We discovered that these nanoparticles were highly photocatalytic when exposed to UV light. This non‐toxic method uses no solvents. Analyzing synthesized RuO2 nanoparticles required FESEM, XRD, XPS (x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy), FTIR (Fourier transform infrared), and UV‐visible spectroscopy. The newly synthesized nanoparticles were evaluated for catalytic activity by degrading RhB and AO dyes. After the first‐order reaction, kinetics determined the photocatalytic efficiency against RhB and AO dyes, which degraded at 84% and 82%, respectively. A tamarind plant study found no phytotoxicity in treated effluents. RuO2 catalysts degrade organic dyes in industrial wastewater efficiently and inexpensively. The study shows RuO2 nanoparticles as very effective photocatalysts for degrading organic dyes, exhibiting better performance than conventional materials. In addition, it assesses the phytotoxicity of RuO2 nanoparticles, offering valuable information about their environmental consequences and safety for prospective widespread application.

Socioecological drivers of burnout - a mixed methods study of military health providers.

Health provider burnout is highly prevalent (28-51%) in the US and may contribute to a projected national health provider shortage by 2030. The Socioecological Model (SEM) is a proven conceptual framework used to identify influencing factors and design relevant solutions to improve health outcomes across multiple ecological levels. This study applied the SEM to identify modifiable drivers and solutions of burnout across multiple levels among US Military health providers. We conducted a cross-sectional mixed methods study using an online survey (N = 129) and in-depth interviews (N = 25) of active duty military health providers. Our primary quantitative outcome was self-reported definite, unrelenting, or complete burnout. Our quantitative analysis included chi-square tests of association and bootstrapped multivariable logistic regressions to explore SEM-informed correlates of burnout, controlling for contextual variables. Our qualitative data explored providers individual experience with workplace stress and burnout, providing details on factors influencing burnout at the individual, interpersonal, organizational and military levels. The qualitative data was systematically coded and analyzed using grounded theory. About two-thirds (63%) of surveyed providers self-reported burnout. Individual-level factors significantly associated with burnout included a positive coping style (AOR = 0.21; 95% CI: 0.08-0.56), perceived control over workload (AOR = 0.17; 95% CI: 0.04-0.66), and satisfaction with the current job (AOR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.03-0.39). At the organizational level, providers described as overworked (AOR = 10.58; 95% CI: 3.30-33.91) or in hectic or chaotic primary work areas (AOR = 7.54; 95% CI: 2.33-24.38) had higher rates of burnout. At the military level, providers who were happy with their career path and promotion plan (AOR = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06-0.44) reported lower rates of burnout. The organizational level had the highest cumulative impact of modifiable factors on burnout (AOR: 0.15; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.36). Qualitative interviews corroborated survey findings and highlighted the individual level manifestations of burnout, the role of interpersonal support as mitigators of burnout and the complexity of governmental and military policies impacting provider wellness. Identified factors influencing burnout at various levels may inform potential data-driven interventions to ensure a functional and vibrant US Military health. Data-driven strategies may include opportunities to balance work demands with resources and ability to cope as well as improve positive coping skills, attitudes and experiences related to work.

Slow violence in the micro-regimes of early childhood education

This paper examines inequality among children, demonstrating its gradual emergence within the folds of daily routines in early childhood education (ECE). Employing Rob Nixon’s (2011) concept of slow violence, our focus is on the cumulative impact of practices involving exclusion. Synthesizing Nixon’s framework with Deleuze (1994) and Guattari’s (2000) work, we introduce the concept of micro-regimes in ECE. This approach allows us to comprehend how the intricate interplay of human and non-human elements, spanning various scales, contributes to exclusion and the unfolding of slow violence. We present an ethnographic case study detailing the unintended excluding practices that Azeeb, aged two, faces within a nursery room at a long day care centre in Australia. The results unveil a series of systematic exclusionary acts and illuminate the disjunction between normative pedagogical practices and the material realities of the nursery room, leading to an asynchronous rhythm between the paces of the toddler room and Azeeb. This misalignment gives rise to a series of cumulative exclusionary acts, epitomizing the concept of slow violence as it works at the site of a child.

Anxiety, depression, and headache-related disability in a large pediatric clinic-based sample.

To explore the relationships among anxiety, depression, and headache-related disability in a pediatric clinic-based retrospective cross-sectional study. Anxiety and depression are commonly considered comorbidities of headache disorders and are frequently seen in children and adolescents. These conditions can contribute to disability and may have a cumulative impact. In this study, we tested whether self-reported anxiety and/or depression in youth were associated with headache-related disability. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of children ages 6-17 years old who completed a headache intake questionnaire at the time of a new outpatient neurology visit. Those who reported on behavioral health symptoms, involvement of a behavioral health provider (i.e., yes/no), and the PedMIDAS (a validated metric of headache-related disability) were included. The relationship between anxiety and/or depression and headache-related disability was examined. Of the 12,660 questionnaires queried, 9118 met criteria for inclusion. Respondents were 64.0% female and had a median age of 13.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 10.3, 15.7). Compared to patients without self-reported anxiety/depression, patients with anxiety and depression reported higher headache-related disability (M = 17.0, [IQR 6.0, 41.0]) even after accounting for covariates (estimated difference = 6.0, 95% confidence interval [CI: 4.4-7.5]). For participants with anxiety and/or depression, having a behavioral health provider was associated with greater headache-related disability (estimated difference = 7.0; 95% CI 4.6-9.3). Patients with self-reported anxiety and/or depression reported higher headache-related disability. Having a behavioral health provider was associated with greater headache-related disability, indicating the complexity and high level of need for this population. Further research is needed to understand the directionality of these results; however, patients with headache as well as depression and or anxiety are a vulnerable group who may benefit from an integrated care model.

The spillover effect of global uncertainty through input–output linkage

AbstractThis study examines the cross‐country spillover effects of global uncertainty on domestic value‐added by introducing indices for input‐ and output‐linked uncertainty. Employing a panel fixed‐effect regression model, the analysis covers 70 countries from 1995 to 2019, using the World Uncertainty Index and the OECD Inter‐Country Input–Output Table. Our findings reveal that input‐linked uncertainty from procuring foreign intermediate goods has the most significant negative impact on domestic value‐added. The effects of domestic uncertainty and output‐linked uncertainty from foreign product sales follow this. Additionally, these negative effects exhibit a dynamic cumulative impact over time, rather than being confined to a specific period. Considering both the magnitude and duration of these impacts, the primary transmission pathway of global uncertainty on a country's domestic production activity is through its input linkage. Furthermore, the study identifies country‐specific variations in the ripple effects of global uncertainty. Analysing specific cases such as Korea and China affirms the empirical relevance of our findings to their economic contexts.

Warm glow feelings can promote green behavior

Abstract For climate mitigation to be successful, vast numbers of people must change how they go about daily life. Social scientists have tried to promote environmentally-sustainable (i.e., “green”) behavior with interventions involving cues, frames, and information, but the cumulative impact of those efforts has been modest. A growing number of studies—largely observational—suggests the promise of “warm glow” messaging that features the pleasure and satisfaction one experiences from acting sustainably. While past work has established the association between intrinsic motivations and green behavior, our study offers novel evidence regarding the causal effect of warm glow feelings in the climate domain. In three survey experiments administered on different national samples, we induce feelings of warm glow and examine the impact on green behavioral intentions. The treatment, an adaptation of a standard feeling induction, has a significant influence on a wide range of actions—an effect that is distinct from the influence of general positivity. Most importantly, we observe the largest treatment effects in surprising places: among Republicans, and within this subgroup, on more socially visible activities. Manipulated warm glow also increases intentions to engage in more difficult (e.g., costly, effortful) activities. Our findings are valuable for scholars and practitioners seeking to promote broad-based climate mitigation across the ideological spectrum.

The cumulative impact of type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnoea on cardiovascular, liver, diabetes-related and cancer outcomes.

A bidirectional relationship exists between obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). We aimed to examine the cumulative impact of having both OSA and T2D on patient outcomes, relative to having either condition alone. Using TriNetX, a global federated research network (n = 128 million), we undertook two retrospective cohort studies, using time-to-event analysis. Analysis 1 compared OSA with T2D versus OSA alone; analysis 2 compared T2D with OSA versus T2D alone. Propensity score matching using greedy nearest neighbour (calliper 0.1) balanced the cohorts (1:1) for significant covariates. Primary outcomes were cardiovascular, liver, diabetes-related (microvascular) and cancer events over 1-5 years. Analysis 1 (n = 179 688): A codiagnosis of T2D/OSA significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.52; confidence interval [CI]: 1.48, 1.57), dementia (HR 1.19; CI: 1.12, 1.26), liver (HR 2.20; CI: 1.77, 2.73), pancreatic (HR 1.62; CI: 1.35, 1.93), colon, renal and endometrial cancers; all cardiovascular, microvascular and liver related outcomes versus OSA alone over 1-5 5 years following OSA diagnosis. Analysis 2 (n = 240 094): A codiagnosis of OSA/T2D significantly increased the risk of peripheral (HR 1.39; CI: 1.36, 1.43) and autonomic (HR 1.63; CI: 1.51, 1.75) neuropathy; retinopathy (HR 1.13; CI: 1.09, 1.18), CKD (HR 1.21; CI: 1.18, 1.23); all cardiovascular and liver outcomes; all-cause mortality and several obesity related cancers versus T2D alone. T2D significantly potentiates risk of cardiovascular, malignancy and liver-related outcomes in individuals with OSA. OSA, in individuals with T2D, significantly potentiates risk of cardiovascular disease, malignancy, death and several microvascular complications (retinopathy, CKD, peripheral/autonomic neuropathy).

Assessing the effectiveness of vegetation indices in detecting forest disturbances in the southeast Amazon

Amazon forests are becoming increasingly vulnerable to disturbances such as droughts, fires, windstorms, logging, and forest fragmentation, all of which lead to forest degradation. Nevertheless, quantifying the extent and severity of disturbances and their cumulative impact on forest degradation remains a significant challenge. In this study, we combined multispectral data from Landsat sensors with hyperspectral data from the Earth Observing-One (Hyperion/EO-1) sensor to evaluate the efficacy of multiple vegetation indices in detecting forest responses to disturbances in an experimentally burned forest in southeastern Amazonia. Our experimental area was adjacent to an agricultural field and consisted of three 50-ha treatments – an unburned Control, a plot burned every three years, and a plot burned annually from 2004 to 2010. All plots were monitored to assess vegetation recovery after fire disturbance. These areas were also affected by three drought events (2007, 2010, and 2016) over the study period. We evaluated a total of 18 Vegetation Indices (VI), one unique to Landsat, 12 unique to Hyperion/EO-1, and five commons to both satellites (i.e., 6 total from Landsat and 17 from Hyperion). We used linear models (LM) to evaluate how changes in ground observations of forest structure (biomass, leaf area index [LAI], and litter production) associated with fire were captured by the two VIs most sensitive to forest degradation. Our results indicate that the Plant Senescence Reflectance Index (PSRI) derived from Hyperion/EO-1 was the most sensitive to vegetation changes associated with forest fires, increasing by 94% in burned vs. unburned forests. Of the Landsat-derived VIs, we found that the Green-Red Normalized Difference (GRND) were the most sensitive to forest degradation by fire, showing a marked decline (87%) in the burned plots compared with the unburned Control. However, compared to PSRI, the GRND was a better predictor of changes associated with fire, both in the forest interior or forest edge, for the three ground variables: biomass stocks (r2 = 0.5–0.8), LAI (r2 = 0.8–0.9), and litter production (r2 = 0.4–0.7). This study demonstrate that VIs can detect forest responses to fire and other disturbances over time, highlighting the relative strengths of each VI. In doing so, it shows how the integration of multispectral and hyperspectral data can be useful for monitoring tropical forest degradation and recovery. Moreover, it provides valuable insights into the limitations of existing approaches, which can inform the design of next-generation sensors for global forest monitoring.