Current Changes Research Articles

Transseptal Transition Patterns DuringLeft Bundle Branch Area LeadImplantation.

Continuous deep septal pacing and signal recording during implantation of left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) lead enables to monitor beat-to-beat changes of electrocardiogram (ECG) and myocardial current of injury (COI) as the lead crosses the septum. This study aimed to characterize patterns of continuous QRS, ST-T, and COI change for monitoring of the lead depth and instantaneous determination of the obtained capture type (LBBP vs left ventricular septal pacing [LVSP]). The ECG and COI during lead implantation were scrutinized for sudden changes of V6 R-wave peak time, V1initial and terminal R-wave amplitude, V3-V6 R-wave amplitude, repolarization pattern and S-wave amplitude in I, V5-V6, and COI drop. The sudden and gradual transition patterns were diagnosed depending on the presence or absence of the above beat-to-beat ECG phenomena, respectively. A total of 212 pacemaker recipients were analyzed; LBBP and LVSP were obtained in 77.4% and 22.6%, respectively. There were 4.7 ± 2.1 and 0.2 ± 0.6 beat-to-beat phenomena in LBBP and LVSP patients, respectively. The sudden transition pattern, recognized in 80.7%, had sensitivity and specificity for LBBP diagnosis of 98.8% and 81.2%, respectively. A sudden drop of COI (29.4 ± 8.5mV to 12.8 ± 4.9mV) was observed in 53.9% patients (LBBP was simultaneously obtained in 92.7%). Capture of left bundle branch during lead penetration is a beat-to-beat phenomenon. Two transseptal transition patterns were identified: 1) sudden, which is typical for obtaining LBBP; and 2) gradual, which is typical for obtaining LVSP. A sudden COI drop, a very observable phenomenon, also identified reaching the left subendocardial area.

A Noncontact Method for Simultaneous Measurement of di/dt and dv/dt

This letter proposes a non-contact method for simultaneously measuring the current and voltage change rates by Rogowski coils. The dv/dt measurement capability is achieved based on electric field coupling, which is incorporated into the state-of-the-art Rogowski coil based current sensing solutions. The application of the proposed method for power semiconductor devices is demonstrated by a case study of an IGBT switching circuit. The Rogowski coils are integrated with a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and fit with the IGBT module terminals. The comparable results from high-performance commercial instruments verify the di/dt and dv/dt measurement accuracy of the presented compact and cost-effective solution.

An on-chip soft-start pseudo-current hysteresis-controlled buck converter for automotive applications

This paper introduces a novel direct current to direct current (DC-DC) buck converter that uses a pseudo-current hysteresis controller and an on-chip soft start circuit for improved transient performance in automotive applications. The proposed converter, implemented with Taiwan semiconductor manufacturing company (TSMC) 0.18 µm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) one-poly-six-metal (1P6M) technology, includes a rail-to-rail current detection circuit and an on-chip soft start circuit to handle transient responses and improve efficiency. Transient response analysis shows fast settling times of 28 µs for both load current changes from 100 mA to 1 A and reversals with consistent transient voltages of approximately 190 mV and peak power efficiency of 99.32% at 5 V output voltage and 100 mA load current. Additionally, the converter maintains a constant output voltage of approximately 5 V across the entire load current range with an average accuracy of 90.41%. A comparative analysis with previous work shows superior performance in terms of figure of merit (FOM). Overall, the proposed pseudo-current hysteresis controlled buck converter exhibits remarkable transient response, load regulation and power efficiency, positioning it as a promising solution for demanding applications, particularly in automotive systems where precise voltage regulation is crucial.

INNOVATION MODEL OF HUMAN RESOURCES TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR THE HOTEL INDUSTRY FROM THE ASEAN STANDARD FRAMEWORK: A CASE IN NAKHON RATCHASIMA PROVINCE, THAILAND

From the current global changes and the rapid development of innovation and technology, personnel development according to the previous approach may be insufficient for work. It is necessary to increase the skills of the workforce and improve work efficiency for higher quality. This research aims to study the training and development of human resources in the hotel industry in Nakhon Ratchasima Province at present, to study innovations in training and human resource development in the hotel industry and the ASEAN hotel industry standard framework, and to propose the innovation model for training and development of human resources in the hotel industry from the ASEAN standard framework. The findings suggest implementing the innovation model of resources training and development in the hotel industry by integrating modern technology and training techniques into use in developing staff in various forms that are in accordance with the ASEAN standard framework and hotel service standards to increase the hotel service quality and staff performance. The quantitative approach was employed by using structural equation modeling for path analysis. The data was collected by using questionnaires from 400 samplings from hotel staff in Nakhon Ratchasima Province. The model is consistent with empirical material in statistical significance. It can confirm that seven significant factors directly affect service performance which are job rotation, blended learning, practice training, classroom training, study tour for learning, learning through playing games, and teaching respectively and the new model was proposed for innovative development and training for the hotel staff. This research proposes an innovation process for hotels to implement the use of technology and techniques for human resources training and development. It can increase staff service performance, lead to positive guest experience and satisfaction, and lead to hotel revenue. However, the potential, the different hotel contexts and characteristics, and its organizational culture should be considered for the implementation.

Climate transformation through feminist ethics of care

Aiming to mitigate negative impacts of climate change, climate adaptation policy and practice increasingly engages with nuanced and differentiated impacts of climate change. Existing adaptation approaches and research informing them largely focus on outcomes of climactic events, but lack consideration of power structures shaping these phenomena and experiences of them. From a feminist peace perspective, I posit that tackling intersectional violences of climate change necessitates greater engagement with underlying knowledge. This paper explores how ways of knowing climate change impact ways of living with it: analyzing the ground on which climate action interventions stand and the paths on which they set us.I theorize ‘climate transformation’ as processual shifts in ways of knowing a problem and solution toward norms of a feminist peace. Theory is developed abductively, based on original fieldwork in Puerto Rico and drawing on conflict transformation theory and elaborating knowledge production through feminist ethics of care. The model developed here enables analyzing orientations of current situations and change processes in relation to desirable futures. I find that actors involved in peace work and climate action in Puerto Rico foster transformation based on: caring in current relations and experience; caring through change processes affectively and reciprocally; and caring for a vision of the future through prefigurative and historicized imagination. The framework advances academic study and policy development on transformative climate action for tackling historic and intersectional violences to influence and enact particular visions of peace.

Shoals in troubled waters? The impact of rising temperatures on metabolism, foraging, and shoaling behavior in mixed-species shoals.

Rising water temperatures across aquatic habitats, in the current global climate change scenario, can directly affect metabolism and food intake in fish species. This can potentially alter their physiological, behavioral, and shoaling properties. In the current study, we examined the effects of high temperatures on metabolism, foraging, and shoaling in tropical fish. Mixed-species (comprising flying barbs, zebrafish, and gambusia) and single-species (flying barbs and zebrafish) shoals were conditioned for 45 days to three kinds of temperature regimes: the current temperature regime (CTR), in which shoals were maintained at water temperature of 24°C (i.e., the current mean temperature of their habitat), the predicted temperature regime (PTR) at 31°C (i.e., simulating conditions projected for their habitat in 2100), and the dynamic temperature regime (DTR), which experienced daily temperature fluctuations between 24 and 31°C (i.e., resembling rapid temperature changes expected in their natural environments). We found species-specific responses to these temperature regimes. Flying barbs exhibited significantly lower body weight at PTR but maintained consistent muscle glycogen content across all temperature regimes. In contrast, zebrafish and gambusia displayed significantly elevated muscle glycogen content at PTR, with similar body weights across all three temperature regimes. Cohesion within flying barb shoals and cohesion/polarization in mixed-species shoals decreased significantly at PTR. Shoals exposed to DTR exhibited intermediate characteristics between those conditioned to CTR and PTR, suggesting that shoals may be less impacted by dynamic temperatures compared to prolonged high temperatures. This study highlights species-specific metabolic responses to temperature changes and their potential implications for larger-scale shoal properties.

De novo transcriptomic analysis of Doum Palm (Hyphaene compressa) revealed an insight into its potential drought tolerance.

Doum palms (Hyphaene compressa) perform a crucial starring role in the lives of Kenya's arid and semi-arid people for empowerment and sustenance. Despite the crop's potential for economic gain, there is a lack of genetic resources and detailed information about its domestication at the molecular level. Given the doum palm's vast potential as a widely distributed plant in semi-arid and arid climates and a source of many applications, coupled with the current changing climate scenario, it is essential to understand the molecular processes that provide drought resistance to this plant. Assembly of the first transcriptome of doum palms subjected to water stress generated about 39.97 Gb of RNA-Seq data. The assembled transcriptome revealed 193,167 unigenes with an average length of 1655 bp, with 128,708 (66.63%) successfully annotated in seven public databases. Unigenes exhibited significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in well-watered and stressed-treated plants, with 45071 and 42457 accounting for up-regulated and down-regulated DEGs, respectively. GO term, KEGG, and KOG analysis showed that DEGs were functionally enriched cellular processes, metabolic processes, cellular and catalytic activity, metabolism, genetic information processing, signal transduction mechanisms, and posttranslational modification pathways. Transcription factors (TF), such as the MYB, WRKY, NAC family, FAR1, B3, bHLH, and bZIP, were the prominent TF families identified as doum palm DEGs encoding drought stress tolerance. This study provides a complete understanding of DEGs involved in drought stress at the transcriptome level in doum palms. This research is, therefore, the foundation for the characterization of potential genes, leading to a clear understanding of its drought stress responses and providing resources for improved genetic modification.

Hydropower Plants and Ichthyofauna in the Tocantins–Araguaia River Basin: Challenges for Planning and Approaches to Ichthyofauna Conservation

The management of water resources is a complex issue, and the conservation of fish and fishery resources is a growing challenge given the increase in the number of hydroelectric projects in Brazilian river basins. This study describes the fragmentation of the Tocantins–Araguaia River Basin resulting from the installation of hydroelectric plants in operation and planned by the electricity sector until 2050, as well as its relationship with the conservation of fish fauna, especially long-distance migratory species. The hydroelectric projects in operation and planned were analyzed using data obtained from the National Electric Energy Agency. A literature review was carried out to assess the fish species of the Tocantins–Araguaia ecoregion, with an emphasis on long-distance migrants. In general, 75 hydroelectric dams are in operation, and a further 119 projects are in the electricity sector’s plans for construction by 2050 in the Tocantins–Araguaia ecoregion, including a stretch of the basin above the Tucurui dam, which will accentuate the fragmentation in the area. Of the 702 species found in the region, 31.1% are endemic, 6.1% are endangered, and several long-distance migratory species have had their populations restricted. Analysis of this information highlights the widespread impact on the ichthyofauna, affecting both species with a restricted distribution and migratory species with a long-distance distribution. The studies associated with the projects contribute to the advancement of knowledge, but they are only carried out after the works have been defined, which makes it difficult to plan conservation in advance. Transformations in the basin are imminent given the current changes and those expected in the coming years because of the electricity sector’s planning for the region. Considering the inseparable relationship between biodiversity and socio-environmental and cultural diversity, fish conservation is intrinsically linked to the conservation of socio-diversity and the effective participation of local communities from the start of the process. Fish depend on water, and people need both water and aquatic diversity. In conclusion, a well-structured and adaptative conservation plan, combined with the integration of effective fish routes, can contribute to the sustainable development of hydroelectric projects while safeguarding the biodiversity and ecological integrity of the Tocantins–Araguaia Basin.

Determinants and their spatial heterogeneity of carbon emissions in resource-based cities, China

Global climate change associated with increased carbon emissions has become a global concern. Resource-based cities, by estimations, have emerged as major contributors to carbon emissions, accounting for approximately one-third of the national total. This underscores their pivotal role in the pursuit of carbon neutrality goals. Despite this, resource-based cities have long been neglected in current climate change mitigation policy discussions. Accordingly, using exploratory spatial data analysis and Geographical Weighted Regression method, this study investigates the determinants of carbon emissions and their spatial pattern in 113 resource-based cities in China. It can be concluded that: (1) The proportion of carbon emissions from resource-based cities in the national total has shown a marginal increase between 2003 and 2017, and the emissions from these cities have not yet reached their peak. (2) A relatively stable spatial pattern of “northeast high, southwest low” characterizes carbon emissions in resource-based cities, displaying significant spatial autocorrelation. (3) Population size, economic development level, carbon abatement technology, and the proportion of resource-based industries all contribute to the increase in carbon emissions in these cities, with carbon abatement technology playing a predominant role. (4) There is a spatial variation in the strength of the effects of the various influences.

Fluorescence/electrochemical dual-mode strategy for Golgi protein 73 detection based on molybdenum disulfide/ferrocene/palladium nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots.

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a new serum marker associated with early diagnosis and postoperative assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, an electrochemical/fluorescence dual-signal biosensor was designed for determination of GP73 based on molybdenum disulfide/ferrocene/palladium nanoparticles (MoS2-Fc-PdNPs) and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs). GP73 aptamer (Apt) was labeled with NGQDs to form the NGQDs-Apt fluorescence probe. MoS2-Fc-PdNPs served not onlyas the fluorescence quencher but also as electrochemical enhancer. The sensing platform (NGQDs-Apt/MoS2-Fc-PdNPs) was formed based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. In the presence of GP73, the specific binding of NGQDs-Apt to GP73 interrupted FRET, restoring the fluorescence of NGQDs-Apt at λex/em = 348/438nm and enhancing the oxidation current of Fc in MoS2-Fc-PdNPs at 0.04V through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under the optimal conditions, the DPV current change and fluorescence recovery have a good linear relationship with GP73 concentration from 1.00 to 10.0ng/mL. The calibration equation for the fluorescence mode was Y1 = (0.0213 ± 0.00127)X + (0.0641 ± 0.00448) and LOD was 0.812ng/mL (S/N = 3). The calibration equation of the electrochemical mode was Y2 = (3.41 ± 0.111)X + (1.62 ± 0.731), and LOD of 0.0425ng/mL (S/N = 3). The RSDs of fluorescence mode and electrochemical mode after serum detection were 1.62 to 5.21% and 0.180 to 6.62%, respectively. By combining the electrochemical and fluorescence assay, more comprehensive and valuable information for GP73 was provided. Such dual-mode detection platform shows excellent reproducibility, stability, and selectivity and has great application potential.

Methyl Jasmonate Improves Antioxidants, Protecting Photosynthetic Apparatus in Blueberry Plants under Water Deficit

The plant water status is crucial for growth and production, but the current climate change scenario makes it challenging to match the water plant demand. Blueberries are an economically important crop and play an acknowledged role in human health due to their antioxidant compounds. This research aimed to determine whether the exogenous application of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) improves the antioxidant defense mechanisms for protecting the photosynthetic performance in the blueberry plant cultivar ‘Brigitta’ under the stress condition of a water deficit (WD). A greenhouse experiment was carried out under a 16-h light period, at 20 °C, and 60–80% relative humidity for two weeks before the application of MeJA to the blueberry plants (Vaccinium corymbosum, cultivar ‘Brigitta’). The following treatments were maintained for 7-days: (i) 80% field capacity (NoWD), (ii) 80% field capacity plus MeJA application (NoWD + MeJA), (iii) 20% field capacity (WD), and (iv) 20% field capacity plus MeJA application (WD + MeJA). The MeJA was sprayed as an aqueous solution of 10 µM MeJA over the plant’s foliar system. At the end of the assay, the blueberry leaves were analyzed for their relative water content, specific leaf area, lipid peroxidation, total antioxidant activity, total phenols, total anthocyanins, anthocyanidin compounds, and photosynthetic performance. The ‘Brigitta’ cultivar showed a significant decrease in the oxidative stress at leaf levels, with an increase in antioxidant activity, phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins, delphinidin, petunidin, antheraxanthin, zeaxanthin, and an improvement in photosynthetic performance parameters. The ‘Brigitta’ blueberry cultivar was shown to be susceptible to WD, which mainly decreased photosynthesis. However, the application of MeJA to the leaves induced metabolic changes through an increase of the antioxidant strategy within the plant to counteract the negative effects of WD and protect the photosynthetic apparatus, which allowed the ‘Brigitta’ cultivar to withstand the period of a WD.

The Importance and Scientific Value of Long Weather and Climate Records; Examples of Historical Marine Data Efforts across the Globe

The rescue, digitization, quality control, preservation, and utilization of long and high quality meteorological and climate records, particularly related to historical marine data, are crucial for advancing our understanding of the Earth’s climate system. In combination with land and air measurements, historical marine records serve as foundational pillars in linking present and past weather and climate information, offering essential insights into natural climate variability, extreme events in marine areas, baseline data for assessing current changes, and inputs for enhancing predictive climate models and reanalyses. This paper provides an overview of rescue activities covering marine weather data over the past centuries and presents and highlights several ongoing projects across the world and how the data are used in an integrative and international framework. Current and future continuous efforts in data rescue, digitization, quality control, and the development of temporally high-resolution meteorological and climatological observations from oceans, will greatly help to further complete our understanding and knowledge of the Earth’s climate system, including extremes, as well as improve the quality of reanalysis.

Innovation in the Malaysian Traditional Food Industry: A Conceptual Paper

Nowadays, Malaysia ‘s sub-sector of the agricultural commodity industry, particularly the innovative and convenient traditional food products, is expanding in tandem with increasing urbanisation and women workforce, reduction in household size and current lifestyle changes respectively. There are a variety of products in the Malaysian market that have been created by incorporating innovation into traditional Malaysian foods. As such, this situation has led to intense competition and oversupply of products in the market, and it requires food companies to develop critical strategies for introducing innovations in traditional foods so as to be sustainable and more competitive. The aim of this paper is two-fold: firstly, to provide an overview of innovation development in the Malaysian traditional food industry. This paper reveals that, studies on innovation in Malaysian traditional food industry remains under-researched and scarce until to date. The present study also reveals that a clear understanding of consumer perceptions, needs, and preferences, as well as a product's quality attributes, is critical when making even minor changes to traditional foods, thus leading to successful introduction of innovation in traditional foods. Besides that, sustaining consumer continuance behaviour beyond initial purchase and consumption is crucial for innovative food product success and sustained market.

A Comparison of the Chronologies of Introduced versus Native Coniferous Tree Species Growing in Northwestern Poland during the Period of Global Warming

The ongoing climatic changes are causing the extinction of numerous species or their withdrawal from previously occupied areas. The environmental and economic significance of introduced species may increase. The aim of the present study was to examine the rate of growth of coniferous species growing in northwestern Poland and to analyze the tree ring width–climate relationships. Six tree species were selected for this study. Two of these species have natural occurrences in Poland: Pinus sylvestris and Larix decidua. The remaining four species were introduced from North America: Chamaecyparis lawsoniana, Thuja plicata, Pseudotsuga menziesii, and Pinus strobus. Samples were collected from 131 trees using a Pressler borer at 1.3 m above ground. Tree ring widths were measured down to 0.01 mm. Climatic data were retrieved from a weather station located 23 km from the study plot. The average tree ring width reaches the lowest value for the P. sylvestris chronology (1.62 mm/year) and for P. strobus (1.69 mm/year), and the highest value is reached for T. plicata (2.80 mm/year) and P. menziesii (2.56 mm/year). The analysis of weather conditions in the designated pointer years and the response function analysis indicate that winter and early spring air temperature is the factor responsible for the formation of wide tree rings in the following species studied: P. sylvestris, C. lawsoniana, P. menziesii, and T. plicata. For L. decidua and P. strobus, the climate–growth relationships are different: weather conditions in the previous growth year are important, and it is the weather in the late spring and summer months. Two of the investigated introduced species (T. plicata and P. menziesii) are characterized by very good acclimatization and are best adapted to the new habitat during the current climate changes. These tree species can constitute a basis for replacing native species, which, due to increasingly severe droughts and higher temperatures, are doing less and less well in their current habitats. Foresters wanting to conduct sustainable forest management will look for replacement species that are well adapted to new habitat conditions in order to maintain the continuity of forest cover.

Lineage-level species distribution model to assess the impact of climate change on the habitat suitability of Boleophthalmus pectinirostris

Global climate change has profound impacts on the habitats of marine organisms, and predicting the habitat changes of species under climate change conditions is crucial for species sustainability. Boleophthalmus pectinirostris is an intertidal fish species that holds significant ecological and economic value. To better protect and manage its resources, this study aimed to predict its current potential distribution and habitat changes under different climate scenarios in the future. This study firstly quantified the hypervolume niches of the three lineages (AE1, AE2, and AES lineages) and compared the niche differentiation among them. Furthermore, this study constructed species-level and lineage-level species distribution models (SDMs) to assess the impact of climate change on the habitat suitability of B. pectinirostris. The result of the niche differentiation assessment showed that there was marked differentiation in niches among the three lineages. The responses of different lineages to environmental variables were different, suggesting that lineage-level models may provide more accurate prediction results. According to the model predictions, the AES may have greater resilience to climate change and may experience habitat expansion in the future, while the AE1 and the AE2 may face habitat loss in some regions. Climate change-driven shifts in oceanic conditions were anticipated to affect the distribution and community structure of marine organisms. This study assessed the impact of climate change on the suitable habitat range of three lineages of B. pectinirostris using SDMs. Consistent with previous studies, the results of our study indicated that lineage-level SDMs may be more reliable than species-level SDMs for species with population differentiation in terms of the accuracy of predictions. In addition, considering the vulnerability of the AE1 and AE2 lineages to climate change, conserving these two lineages should be given a higher priority. The results of this study will provide important information for the future management and conservation of this species.

Sentinel protist taxa of the McMurdo Dry Valley lakes, Antarctica: a review

High-latitude meromictic lakes such as those in the Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys (MDV) harbor aquatic ecosystems dominated by the microbial loop. Within this habitat, which is limited year-round by light and nutrients, protists, or single celled eukaryotes, play outsized roles in the food web as the dominant primary producers and the apex predators. Thus, the MDV lake ecosystem represents an ideal system to study the role of sentinel protist taxa in carbon and nutrient cycling. The perennially ice-covered lakes are part of the McMurdo Long Term Ecological Research (McM LTER; mcmlter.org) established in 1993. In this review we will highlight the diversity and trophic roles of the MDV lake protist community and compare environmental factors driving spatiotemporal patterns in key protist taxa in two lakes within the McM LTER, Lakes Bonney and Fryxell. We will then discuss lessons learned from manipulated experiments on the impact of current and future climate-driven environmental change on sensitive protist taxa. Last, we will integrate knowledge gained from 25 years of lab-controlled experiments on key photosynthetic protists to extend our understanding of the function of these extremophiles within the MDV aquatic food webs. Our research group has studied the distribution and function of the MDV microbial community for nearly two decades, training the next generation of scientists to tackle future problems of these globally significant microbes. This review article will also highlight early career scientists who have contributed to this body of work and represent the future of scientific understanding in the Anthropocene.

PANABIO: a point-referenced PAN-Arctic data collection of benthic BIOtas

Abstract. Profound environmental changes, such as drastic sea-ice decline, leave large-scale ecological footprints on the distribution and composition of marine biota in the Arctic. Currently, the impact of such stressors is not sufficiently understood due to the lack of pan-Arctic data that allow for estimating ecological baselines as well as modelling current and forecast potential changes in benthic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. Here, we introduce the PAN-Arctic data collection of benthic BIOtas (PANABIO) and discuss its timeliness, potential, and details of its further development. The data collection contains individual datasets with records (presence, counts, abundance, or biomass) of benthic fauna, usually at genus level or species level, which were identified in field samples obtained at point-referenced locations (stations) by means of grabs, towed gear, or seabed imaging. The data cover the entire pan-Arctic realm, i.e. the central Arctic Ocean, Chukchi Sea, East Siberian Sea, Laptev Sea, Kara Sea, Barents Sea (including the White Sea), Svalbard waters, Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea, Canadian Archipelago, Beaufort Sea, and Bering Sea as well as some adjacent sub-Arctic regions (Sea of Japan, Gulf of Okhotsk). Currently (as of 14 December 2023), PANABIO includes 27 datasets with a total of 126 388 records of 2978 taxa collected from 11 555 samples taken at 10 596 stations during 1095 cruises between 1800 and 2014. These numbers will increase with more data becoming available over time through contributions from PANABIO users. The data collection is available in a PostgreSQL-based data warehouse that can be accessed and queried through an open-access front-end web service at https://critterbase.awi.de/panabio (last access: 27 February 2024). A snapshot of the current data collection and its 27 individual datasets is also available from the data publisher PANGAEA (https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.963640, Piepenburg et al., 2023).

Integrative research of Mediterranean climate regions: a global call to action

SummaryMediterranean climate regions (hereafter ‘Med-regions’) cover small areas globally but harbour a wide diversity of ecosystems that are under serious threat due to current global climate change. Despite intensive research and conservation efforts in freshwater, marine and terrestrial ecosystems to prevent the consequences of habitat fragmentation, overfishing and changes in fire regimes and heatwaves, there is still no global consensus on how to conserve and manage Med-region ecosystems. We define integrative research as an interdisciplinary approach with common concepts and metrics enabling a better understanding of the general mechanisms underlying ecosystems. Building upon existing literature that promotes integrative research in Med-region ecosystems, we advocate for a more integrative approach that takes into consideration cross-ecosystem generalities and common resilience mechanisms. We propose examples of potential studies for implementing such integrative research, including: (1) integrative research across ecosystems; (2) integrative research across Med-regions; and (3) integrative research across political boundaries. We then offer recommendations for promoting integrative studies, including leveraging biodiversity data, establishing working groups in research syntheses and testing theoretical frameworks. Promoting integrative research in Med-regions would enable and facilitate the roadmap towards a better understanding of Med-region ecosystems’ responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances and the identification of ecological baselines. We seek to foster future research synergies to identify tipping points across ecosystems and aid in determining desired future conditions in Med-regions globally.

The Strategy of Continuous Commutation Failure Suppression by Combining Turn-off Angle Compensation and Dynamic Nonlinear VDCOL

In recent years, with the continuous growth in China’s economy, the continuous advancement of urbanization and industrialization, the contradiction between rapid economic development and the continuous reduction in traditional fossil energy reserves such as coal, oil, and natural gas, the continuous aggravation of environmental pollution has become increasingly prominent. In this era, clean energy power generation technologies such as hydropower, wind power, and solar power generation, which have the advantages of renewability, environmental protection, and economy, have developed rapidly. However, wind and photovoltaic power plants are often located in remote areas, which means significant losses in the transmission process. High-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission technology becomes the best choice to solve this problem. The HVDC transmission system based on a grid commutator is widely used in China’s AC-DC hybrid power grid. When an AC fault occurs on the inverter side, the line-commutated converter high-voltage direct current (LCC-HVDC) system is more prone to continuous commutation failure, which brings serious harm to system operation. To better suppress the problem of continuous commutation failure on the contravariant side, this paper analyzes the mechanism of continuous commutation failure from multiple angles. The DC current command sensitivity of a voltage-dependent current order limiter (VDCOL) in the LCC-HVDC system is low, which will lead to different degrees of continuous commutation failure. In addition, the rapid rise in DC current and the drop in commutation voltage during the fault will cause the turn-off angle to drop, and the probability of continuous commutation failure of the system will increase significantly. Based on the above theoretical analysis, a new control strategy combining the dynamic compensation of the turn-off angle of a virtual inductor and the suppression of continuous commutation failure by dynamic nonlinear VDCOL is proposed. A dynamic nonlinear VDCOL control strategy is proposed for the low sensitivity of current command adjustment under conventional VDCOL control. Secondly, two concepts of virtual inductance and DC current change rate are introduced, and a control strategy based on virtual inductance is proposed to comprehensively ensure that the switching angle has sufficient commutation margin during fault recovery. Finally, based on the CIGRE standard test model in PSCAD/EMTDC, the accuracy of the correlation mechanism analysis and the effectiveness of the suppression method are verified.

Practical and Theoretical Aspects of Teaching Methods from the Faculty of Fine Arts in France

In the current changing world, named the era of knowledge explosion, diversity and modernity, art professors and teachers as well as those who have been involved in teaching art in institutions and any related centers have been trying to find out the influence of teaching methods in the field of art. Several studies about practical and theoretical methods of teaching art in French faculties and schools have been undertaken. It is worthy to mention that these methods are very useful to apply in other schools outside of France. Art faculties and schools of Fine Arts dedicate some practical and theoretical methods to teach their required matters perfectly. There are some lectures and exercises that in theoretical and practical actions of the professors whose initial idea is to solve problems on the spot during the process of making artworks. These methods are constantly upgrading after each lecture and exercise to improve the ethods of teaching art at the faculties and schools of Fine Arts. The main objective of this paper is to describe some methods that directly relates to the interactive effect between professors and students. These methods provide an opportunity to develop further teaching methods and the formation of the methodological framework of lectures and exercises. The research handles comparative and descriptive teaching methods as well as academic. The result of this research is one of the possible methodological structures that proposed teaching aids that can be further developed and upgraded to improve teaching at the Faculties and schools of Fine Arts.