Environmental Changes Research Articles

Modeling Population Growth under Climate Stressors Using Age-structured Matrix Models.

Climate resilience, a focus of many recent studies, has been examined from ecological, physiological, and evolutionary perspectives. However, sampling biases towards adults, males, and certain species have made establishing the link between environmental change and population-level change problematic. Here we used data from four laboratory studies, in which we administered pre- and post-natal stressors, such as suboptimal incubation temperature, heat stress, and food restriction, to zebra finches and quantified hatching success, post-hatch survival, and reproductive success, to parameterize age-structured population dynamics models with the goal of estimating the effect of the stressors on relative population growth rates. Using the same model structure, we tested the hypothesis that early life stages influence population growth rate more than later life stages. Our models suggested that stressful events during embryonic development, such as suboptimal incubation temperatures and reduced gas exchange for the embryos, have a greater total impact on population growth than post-hatch stressors, such as heat stress and food restriction. However, among life history traits, differences in hatching success and sex ratio of offspring in response to stressors changed population growth rates more than differences in any other demographic rate estimates. These results suggest that when predicting population resilience against climate change, it is critical to account for effects of climate change on all life stages, including early stages of life, and to incorporate individuals' physiology and stress tolerance that likely influence future stress responses, reproduction, and survival.

Tangible or intangible satisfiers? Comparative study of visitor satisfaction in a nature-based tourism destination in the pre- and during-COVID pandemic

Nature-based destinations started to become objects of travel for various visitor segments during the COVID-19 pandemic. The changing environment and the travel conditions influence overall visitor satisfaction and its determinants. This study identifies the role of tangible and intangible factors in forming overall visitor satisfaction with a stay in a nature-based tourism destination and their changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A Generalized Linear Model with a logit link function was used to identify the significant satisfiers and to determine the factors that play a critical role in visitor satisfaction in the during-COVID era compared to the pre-COVID period. The results show that intangible satisfiers play a more significant role than tangible ones in the COVID time. Surprisingly, natural features are insignificant in explaining overall satisfaction at a nature-based destination in the during-COVID in comparison with the pre-COVID period. In contrast, active sports options have become a significant satisfier in the COVID era. This comparison results contribute to the current theory, and the findings indicate the practical implications for Destination Management Organisations regarding sustainable tourism development. Management implications•Destination Management Organisations (DMO) in nature-based destinations should become more conscious of changing visitor structures concerning destination satisfaction.•DMOs could focus more on promoting activities such as active sports options and tourism infrastructure than natural features regarding current visitor preferences; however, sustainability should be a fundamental goal of competitive tourism destinations.•There is a need to carefully deal with the expanding tourism infrastructure development and prevent uncontrolled growth of commercial activities and attractions that would act against the interests of residents and endanger the value of the natural environment.•DMOs should educate the changing visitors about the importance of responsible tourism.•DMOs should focus on environmental-friendly activities which do not negatively impact nature in terms of using land and natural areas for commercial activities and construction.•DMOs should make efforts to attract their environmental sensitive pre-COVID visitors and target new segments searching for health and sustainability, such as the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) segment and the Free Independent Travellers (FIT).

Mammal diversity responses to anthropic, environmental, and seasonal changes within Caatinga seasonal dry forest landscapes

AbstractCaatinga's conservation and biodiversity are threatened due to the intensification of anthropic activities and climate change. The mammals have different responses to seasonal and anthropic changes, however particularly in Caatinga, these effects are still poorly understood. We assessed the influence of anthropic (distance from urban areas and wind farms), environmental (distance from water), and seasonal (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and land surface temperature (LST)) variables on the number of records and richness of medium and large‐sized mammals in Brazilian Caatinga. We used camera traps in 2016–2017 and 2018–2019, estimated the variation (cv) of NDVI and LST, and generated Euclidean distance maps to anthropic and environmental variables at 250, 500, and 1000 m spatial scales. We performed Generalized Linear Models, used the Akaike information criterion, and calculated model averaging to assess the strength and direction of effect and the uncertainties of the winner models, respectively. The distance from wind farms and maximum LST had a noticeable effect on the number of records and total richness. The distance from wind farms had a negative effect on the records of Dicotyles tajacu and a positive effect on the records of Leopardus pardalis and richness. The maximum LST had a negative effect on the records of L. pardalis and a positive effect on the records of Puma concolor and Cerdocyon thous. Our results emphasize that an unsustainable expansion of wind farms is likely to compromise mammal diversity. We found an opposite pattern for some species regarding LST. However, it is important to highlight that the conservation of vegetation areas on the top of mountains and springs, and the installation of artificial water sources are important strategies to mitigate the impacts of high temperatures on mammals' biodiversity in Caatinga.Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.

Changes in Convective Precipitation Reflectivity over the CONUS Revealed by High-Resolution Radar Observations from 2015 to 2021

The change in extreme precipitation events in the conterminous United States (CONUS) has been of interest to the research communities in recent years for its intensification under environmental and climate change. Previous studies have not yet used sub-hourly precipitation observations to examine convective precipitation change over the CONUS. This study aims to fill the gap by examining convective precipitation, identified by radar reflectivity, in the CONUS using the state-of-the-art Multi-radar Multi-sensor data, operated at the NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, with an unprecedentedly high spatial (1 km) and temporal (2 min) resolutions. These high-resolution data are expected to better capture the precipitation peak and the precipitation pattern. The results showed that in CONUS, precipitation reflectivity increased both in magnitude and the number of convective days from 2015 to 2021. For example, in 2019, 60% of areas showed an increase in the magnitude of precipitation, and the average number of convective days over CONUS has increased by 19%. Changes in precipitation also vary by season and region. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring and understanding of the evolving pattern of extreme precipitation in the CONUS, especially at sub-hourly frequency, as it exposes significant impacts on various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, and human health.

Problems in Ongoing Training to Employees in State Bank of Pakistan

Continuous training and development of employees are crucial for organizations to adapt to changing environments and enhance their competitiveness. The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), as the central bank of the country, plays a pivotal role in regulating and overseeing the financial sector. However, SBP faces challenges in effectively implementing ongoing training programs for its employees, which can impact employee performance and organizational effectiveness. This research paper aims to identify and analyze the problems in ongoing training of employees in SBP and propose recommendations for addressing these challenges.

An evolutionary view of CC-type glutaredoxins functions in land plants development and adaptation to environment.

Land plants have to face an oxidizing, heterogeneous and fast changing environment. Redox-dependent post-translational modifications emerge as a critical component of plant responses to stresses. Among thiols oxidoreductases superfamily, class III CC-type glutaredoxins (called ROXYs) are land plant specific, and their evolutionary history is highly dynamic. Angiosperms encode many isoforms classified into five subgroups (Aα, Aβ, Bα, Bβ, Bγ) that probably evolved from five common ancestral ROXYs, with higher evolutionary dynamics in Bγ compared to other subgroups. ROXYs can modulate the transcriptional activity of TGAs transcription factors target genes, although their biochemical function is still debated. ROXYs participate in the control of proper plant development and reproduction, and are mainly negative regulators of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. This suggests that most ROXYs could play essential and conserved functions in resetting redox-dependent changes in transcriptional activity upon stress signaling to ensure the responsiveness of the system and/or avoid exaggerated responses that could lead to major defects in plant growth and reproduction. Bγ members in Arabidopsis acquired important functions in responses to nitrogen availability and endogenous status, but the rapid and independent evolution of this subclass could suggest that this function results from neofunctionalization, specifically observed in core Eudicots.

Dynamic changes in evapotranspiration, canopy photosynthesis and expansive growth in open field under rapid fluctuating radiation

AbstractIn open fields, plants experience dynamic changes in environment, particularly radiation, temperature, wind, and humidity but their short-term responses have not been adequately characterized under natural conditions. In this study, we assessed causal effects of rapid radiation fluctuation on seven plant parameters in open fields of cotton and sweet corn canopies. The parameters are evapotranspiration (ET), canopy photosynthesis indicated by CO2 flux from air to canopy (FCO2), sensible heat energy flux (H), canopy conductance for water vapor (gcw), canopy surface temperature (Ts), shoot and leaf elongation rate, and stem diameter change. The energy and CO2 fluxes were measured with Bowen ratio/energy balance/CO2 gradient (BREB+) technique, using averaging time of 5 min. Shoot + leaf elongation and stem diameter change were monitored with position transducers using averaging time of 1 min. All parameters were all found to respond to change in radiation and transpiration within minutes or sooner. While radiation effects on canopy gas exchanges are expected, illuminating are the indirect but immediate effects on shoot + leaf growth and stem diameter change through radiation effects on transpiration and plant water status. A novel finding is that gcw also responded within minutes or sooner to radiation fluctuations and that FCO2 was related almost linearly to gcw. Results are discussed in terms of soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, and interpreted in terms of dynamic interactions between transpiration and plant water status. The clear inverse relationship between ET and elongation rate or stem diameter changes provides additional evidence supporting the validity of 5-min averaging for the BREB + technique.

Aβ1-42 stimulates an increase in autophagic activity through tunicamycin-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress in HTR-8/SVneo cells and late-onset pre-eclampsia.

Environmental changes can trigger endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and misfolded protein accumulation, potentially leading to pre-eclampsia (PE). Amyloid-β (Aβ) is a crucial misfolded protein that can overactivate autophagy. Our study assessed the expression of Aβ1-42 and autophagic activity in PE placental tissues and trophoblasts under ER stress. Placental tissues were surgically collected from normal pregnant women (NP) and pregnant women with late-onset PE (LOPE) delivering through cesarean section. The expression levels of Aβ1-42 were detected in both PE and NP placental tissues, as well as in tunicamycin (TM)-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells. Autophagy-related proteins, such as Beclin-1, the ratio of LC3-II to LC3-I, ATG5, and SQSTM1/p62 in the placental tissues and HTR-8/SVneo cells were measured by Western blot. The number and morphology of autophagosomes were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Potential targets associated with the unfolded protein response (UPR) in the placental tissues of NP and PE cases were screened using PCR Arrays. The misfolded protein was significantly upregulated in the PE group. In both PE placental tissues and TM-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells, not only was Aβ1-42 upregulated, but also Beclin-1, ATG5, and LC3BII/I were significantly increased, accompanied by an increase in autophagosome count, while SQSTM1/P62 was downregulated. A total of 17 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with the UPR were identified, among which elevated calnexin (CANX) was validated in the placenta from both PE and TM-induced HTR-8/SVneo cells. Autophagy is significantly upregulated in PE cases due to ER stress-induced Aβ1-42 accumulation, likely mediated by autophagy-related proteins involved in the UPR.

Convolutional MLP orthogonal fusion of multiscale features for visual place recognition

Visual place recognition (VPR) involves obtaining robust image descriptors to cope with differences in camera viewpoints and drastic external environment changes. Utilizing multiscale features improves the robustness of image descriptors; however, existing methods neither exploit the multiscale features generated during feature extraction nor consider the feature redundancy problem when fusing multiscale information when image descriptors are enhanced. We propose a novel encoding strategy—convolutional multilayer perceptron orthogonal fusion of multiscale features (ConvMLP-OFMS)—for VPR. A ConvMLP is used to obtain robust and generalized global image descriptors and the multiscale features generated during feature extraction are used to enhance the global descriptors to cope with changes in the environment and viewpoints. Additionally, an attention mechanism is used to eliminate noise and redundant information. Compared to traditional methods that use tensor splicing for feature fusion, we introduced matrix orthogonal decomposition to eliminate redundant information. Experiments demonstrated that the proposed architecture outperformed NetVLAD, CosPlace, ConvAP, and other methods. On the Pittsburgh and MSLS datasets, which contained significant viewpoint and illumination variations, our method achieved 92.5% and 86.5% Recall@1, respectively. We also achieved good performances—80.6% and 43.2%—on the SPED and NordLand datasets, respectively, which have more extreme illumination and appearance variations.

Examining the impact of agricultural drainage ditch management on in-stream bacterial communities involved in nitrogen cycling: insights from the Environmental Change One Health Observatory (ECO2)

IntroductionAgricultural drainage ditches are essential for maintaining flow efficiency and are often managed by brushing (i.e., vegetation clearing along ditch banks) and dredging. These maintenance practices not only impact flow but also the ditches’ capacity to process and assimilate agricultural chemicals. However, the influence of ditch management on microbial activities, essential in processing and transforming these contaminants, remains underexplored.MethodsWe conducted a four-year surface water sampling campaign in two long-established (over 40 years) agricultural drainage ditches situated in eastern Ontario, Canada. One drainage ditch underwent intensive bank brushing and channel dredging, while the other remained unmanaged. We assessed the impact of these contrasting ditch management practices on the diversity and compositional structure of surface water microbiome communities, with a particular focus on the distribution of genes associated with nitrogen (N) cycling, using shotgun metagenomics sequencing and an assembly-based metagenome approach.Results and discussionFrom 117 surface water samples, we reconstructed 157 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs), predominantly from the Patescibacteria superphylum. Brushing alone, conducted about 10 months prior to dredging, had an insignificant impact on the aquatic microbial community. However, dredging led to a significant reduction in community diversity and abundance of genes affiliated with denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia, and complete nitrification through comammox. Ditch management resulted in noticeable shifts in the microbial community, evidenced by the enrichment of taxa in Polaromonas, Emticicia, Flectobacillus, and Patescibacteria in the water of the managed ditch sites. The metagenomes of these taxa harbor genes involved in various nitrogen biotransformation pathways. Interestingly, following dredging, the levels of ammonia and ammonium, nitrite, and total Kjeldahl N in the managed ditch did not increase, but significantly decreased; likely due to ditch substrate removal and potentially increased flow efficiency and dilution. Being one of the few studies conducted to date, this study provided unique insights into the consequences of drainage ditch management on freshwater microbiomes involved in N cycling.

Exploiting Anytime Algorithms for Collaborative Service Execution in Edge Computing

The diversity and scarcity of resources across devices in heterogeneous computing environments can impact their ability to meet users’ quality-of-service (QoS) requirements, especially in open real-time environments where computational loads are unpredictable. Despite this uncertainty, timely responses to events remain essential to ensure desired performance levels. To address this challenge, this paper introduces collaborative service execution, enabling resource-constrained IoT devices to collaboratively execute services with more powerful neighbors at the edge, thus meeting non-functional requirements that might be unattainable through individual execution. Nodes dynamically form clusters, allocating resources to each service and establishing initial configurations that maximize QoS satisfaction while minimizing global QoS impact. However, the complexity of open real-time environments may hinder the computation of optimal local and global resource allocations within reasonable timeframes. Thus, we reformulate the QoS optimization problem as a heuristic-based anytime optimization problem, capable of interrupting and quickly adapting to environmental changes. Extensive simulations demonstrate that our anytime algorithms rapidly yield satisfactory initial service solutions and effectively optimize the solution quality over iterations, with negligible overhead compared to the benefits gained.

Molecular and morphological examinations show diversity in the genus Amphidromus (Camaenidae: Stylommatophora) in Bangladesh

Establishing a robust taxonomic foundation is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Bangladesh harbours potentially unique biodiversity that remains inadequately explored. Concurrently, its biodiversity faces substantial pressure owing to environmental changes; thus, an urgent assessment of its current status is required. In this study, we focused on the understudied land snails of Bangladesh, the genus Amphidromus. Utilizing 45 samples collected from 13 sites during a 2018–2022 survey, as well as museum specimens and literature sources, we conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses and the haplotype network of the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and nuclear internal transcribed spacer 1, examined shell shapes using elliptical Fourier features, and evaluated shell size and band patterns. Based on the molecular and morphological examinations, we identified five Amphidromus species in Bangladesh, including two potentially undescribed species, each recorded at a single site in the Chittagong Division. The dominant species, A. globonevilli, is widely distributed in central and eastern Bangladesh, revealing a geographically structured mitochondrial DNA diversity. Furthermore, in the museum specimens, we confirmed the occurrence of A. sinensis vicaria and A. sylheticus, the latter being newly discovered in Bangladesh. These two species may be limited to the eastern part of Bangladesh and represent low-density species. Although the taxonomic relationship of these species with A. globonevilli remains unclear and further studies with molecular data are warranted, our findings provide the basis for further understanding and conservation of biodiversity in Bangladesh.

Deep lakes support higher zooplankton functional diversity than shallow lakes: A case study in lacustrine environments affected by mining tailings (lower Doce River basin, Brazil)

Abstract Tragic incidents involving mine tailings spills have impacted many aquatic ecosystems around the world. The massive mine tailings dam collapse of Fundão, which occurred in Brazil in 2015, affected several aquatic ecosystems, including shallow and deep lakes in the lower Doce River basin. Until now, the effects of mine tailings on the functional diversity of zooplankton remain poorly understood. We investigated the functional diversity of zooplankton (functional groups, functional richness [FRic] and functional evenness [FEve]) in shallow and deep lakes, exploring the influence of environmental variables and metals. In addition, trends in functional redundancy and functional vulnerability were also assessed to understand patterns of resilience in mining‐impacted ecosystems. Surveys were performed monthly on three deep and three shallow lakes affected by the dam failure, from October 2018 to September 2019. In the deep lakes, the zooplankton community was dominated by smaller filter‐feeders and omnivorous species, associated with cyanobacteria density and chlorophyll‐a. Medium‐sized filters were associated to iron, suspended particulate organic matter and total organic carbon in shallow lakes. The smaller filter‐feeders and omnivorous trophic groups had a higher contribution to increasing the functional diversity of zooplankton than medium‐sized filter‐feeders in both deep and shallow lakes. FRic and FEve were higher in deep lakes than in shallow lakes. Shallow lakes were highly vulnerable to species loss and functional diversity was modulated by environmental changes and metal pollution. Tropical shallow lakes impacted by mining tailings should receive particular attention in conservation plans, as a consequence of their high level of pollutant retention in comparison with deep lakes. In addition, we highlight the importance of using a functional approach to better understand the ecosystem changes resulting from the impacts of mine tailings on aquatic environments.

The ArgR-Regulated ADI Pathway Facilitates the Survival of Vibrio fluvialis under Acidic Conditions

Vibrio fluvialis is an emerging foodborne pathogenic bacterium that can cause severe cholera-like diarrhea and various extraintestinal infections, posing challenges to public health and food safety worldwide. The arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway plays an important role in bacterial environmental adaptation and pathogenicity. However, the biological functions and regulatory mechanisms of the pathway in V. fluvialis remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate that L-arginine upregulates the expression of the ADI gene cluster and promotes the growth of V. fluvialis. The ADI gene cluster, which we proved to be comprised of two operons, arcD and arcACB, significantly enhances the survival of V. fluvialis in acidic environments both in vitro (in culture medium and in macrophage) and in vivo (in mice). The mRNA level and reporter gene fusion analyses revealed that ArgR, a transcriptional factor, is necessary for the activation of both arcD and arcACB transcriptions. Bioinformatic analysis predicted the existence of multiple potential ArgR binding sites at the arcD and arcACB promoter regions that were further confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay, DNase I footprinting, or point mutation analyses. Together, our study provides insights into the important role of the ArgR-ADI pathway in the survival of V. fluvialis under acidic conditions and the detailed molecular mechanism. These findings will deepen our understanding of how environmental changes and gene expression interact to facilitate bacterial adaptations and virulence.

Quantifying Variability in Zebrafish Larvae Locomotor Behavior across Experimental Conditions: A Learning-Based Tracker

This study investigated the effects of environmental changes on zebrafish larval behavior, using single-factor and orthogonal experiments to assess locomotion during temperature and pH changes. In single-factor experiments, zebrafish larvae were exposed to variations in temperature (22 to 30 °C) and pH levels (6.0, 7.0, 9.0). The simultaneous temperature and pH changes were investigated by orthogonal tests. In both experiments, each zebrafish larva was recorded in three 5 min videos at different stages (before exposure, during short-term exposure (10 min), and after long-term exposure (60 min)). You Look Only Once (YOLOv5) and Deep Simple Online Real Time Tracking (DeepSORT) models were adopted to develop a zebrafish larva tracking system, and YOLOv5 was improved in two aspects of anchor clustering and network structure. The tracking accuracy of the tracking system for small targets effectively improved, reaching more than 98% MOTA (Multiple Object Tracking Accuracy). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was employed to extract three behavioral features from 13 motion parameters, namely motion activity, edge behavior, and motion direction preference. Our findings reveal that lower temperatures and acidic conditions both led to a decrease in motion behavioral activity, and the former also increased edge behavior. Conversely, elevated temperatures and alkaline conditions had a muted impact on these behaviors. Interestingly, concurrent changes in temperature and pH significantly altered directional preference. Additionally, we observed that lower temperatures elicited distinct temporal behavioral patterns at a constant pH level. In summary, we recommend the precise control and explicit reporting of ambient temperature and pH in both breeding devices and experimental wells to minimize the environmental impact on zebrafish behavior and enhance experiment repeatability and reliability.

Drive-by Environmental Sensing Strategy to Reach Optimal and Continuous Spatio-Temporal Coverage Using Local Transit Network

Monitoring environmental features, such as air pollution, carbon dioxide emissions, noise, and heat, gives cities key data-driven insights to advise sustainable policies and city design. However, given the high variability of the environmental data, achieving good spatio-temporal resolution and coverage remains a major challenge. Even in well-monitored cities, such as Amsterdam, environmental sensors are usually placed in very few fixed locations, implying limited spatial coverage and an inability to adapt to changes in the urban environment. As cities evolve, they experience shifts in pollution sources, and fixed sensors might not adequately capture these changes without a costly and time-consuming reconfiguration process. To monitor the environmental qualities of Amsterdam’s roads, we present a “drive-by” sensing solution for a structured network of vehicles, meaning that sensors are designed to be deployed on buses and tramways, the trajectories and schedules of which are known. We propose a deployment strategy that combines the available fleets to reach optimal spatio-temporal coverage for different environmental features. For example, by optimizing the deployment of sensors on public transit vehicles, our proposal significantly enhances the monitoring of pollution-sensitive areas in Amsterdam. Depending on the desired spatio-temporal granularity and noting that one vehicle only hosts one sensor, the required number of sensors to be deployed on the structured network varies between 43 and 142, with the latter achieving the finest possible resolution.

Review of the high bed–low ditch system as an alternative to lowland paddy in tropical and subtropical Asia

Many forms of traditional raised bed systems could be found around the world. Several of them have been identified as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) sites by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Unlike traditional raised bed systems with similar structures in the Americas, the high bed–low ditch (HBLD) system in tropical and subtropical Asia, which is originated and developed from rice production, has been playing an important role in enhancing food security and maintaining farmer livelihood for centuries. Moreover, products provided by HBLD system are not only important for the livelihood of the local farmers, but also important for people living in the nearby towns and cities especially for vegetable and fruit supply. In this system, the ditches or sunken beds can be used to lower the groundwater table, retain nutrients and soil particles washed from the bed, grow rice or aquatic vegetables, and raise fish or shrimp. The HBLD system can also help to reduce salinity in coastal lowlands due to the presence of ditches. The raised beds can be used to grow various upland crops. Compared with rice monocropping, the adoption of HBLD system significantly improves the cropping intensity, productivity, employment, and income of farmers. Famers’ long-term practices fully demonstrate that this system is a type of sustainable agriculture with strong adaptability to the changes of natural environment. However, it should also be noted that the large-scale development of HBLD systems is not simply dependent on natural conditions, but is also determined by specific socioeconomic factors, such as good transportation facilities, a well market system, and a sufficient supply of labor. As a model of equilibrium between food production and high levels of biodiversity maintenance, the HBLD system is an important agricultural heritage system with global significance, and it should be well preserved and utilized in new ways to realize its important multiple functions under conditions of rapid urbanization in lowland and coastal regions.

#842 Validation of the excessive salt intake screening questionnaire in CKD patients

Abstract Background and Aims Excessive salt intake is implicated in the progression of hypertension, chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetic nephropathy, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and increased mortality. In Japan, average salt consumption surpasses the levels recommended by national guidelines and the WHO. However, individuals seldom have the chance to gauge their salt intake accurately. This study aimed to validate a screening tool initially developed by Sasaki et al. to identify individuals with excessive salt intake using health check-up data from Asahi City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Method This study was conducted as a part of the Cities Changing Diabetes (CCD). CCD is Novo Nordisk's commitment to drive action against type 2 diabetes and obesity in cities globally. It is a partnership program to accelerate the prevention of diabetes and obesity by addressing the systemic change in urban environments. Participants of this study were drawn from specific health examinations in Asahi City. Consent was obtained, and dialysis patients were excluded. Spot urine samples were analyzed for sodium and creatinine to estimate daily salt intake via Tanaka's formula. The screening tool incorporated risk factors such as age, gender, Body Mass Index (obesity), hypertension (use of antihypertensive drugs), frequency of soup intake, saltiness of home-cooked meals compared to restaurants, efforts to reduce salt intake, and frequency of dining out. The primary outcome was excessive salt intake, defined as an intake exceeding one standard deviation above the mean. Discrimination was assessed using the Area Under the Curve (AUC), while calibration was evaluated with a calibration plot and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Results Of the 1532 CKD participants, the mean age was 76.3 years, with males comprising 46%. The average daily salt intake was 9.3 g (SD: 2.39), and the estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) was 50.6 ml/min/1.73 m² (SD: 14.5). The distribution of CKD stages included 1198 stage 3a, 285 stage 3b, 43 stage 4, and 5 stage 5 patients. The AUC of screening tool was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.61 to 0.69), and its calibration slope (with an intercept) was 0.98 (95% CI: 0.72 to 1.25). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test yielded a p-value of 0.626. Conclusion The predictive capability of the existing model for excessive salt intake was limited in the CKD population, which may suggest a need for a screening method distinct from that used in the general population. Factors such as changes in sodium excretion due to reduced renal function and the effects of diuretics should also be considered when interpreting these results. Integrating this questionnaire into routine health check-ups could enhance dietary monitoring and intervention, potentially attenuating the progression of CKD and its associated complications. There remains scope for further refinement of the tool's accuracy by incorporating additional predictors.

Agrivoltaics in Germany - Status Quo and Future Developments

Ground-mounted photovoltaic facilities in open spaces have been common in Germany for many years. However, according to the legislation, these are only supported by the government on poorer quality soils, former military training areas, or along traffic routes. Nevertheless, also on high quality soils it is not forbidden to install ground-mounted photovoltaic facilities. In recent years, Germany has started implementing agrivoltaics, which is an alternative land use concept that combines agriculture and renewable energy production. This opens the possibility to use land of higher soil quality for energy generation without necessarily creating land-use conflicts and being subsidized by the government. This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of existing and planned agrivoltaic facilities in Germany analyzing them based on various parameters. The data for this study was collected through a community questionnaire and supplemented with data from state institutions. The results indicate that as of March 2023, 21 agrivoltaic facilities with a total capacity of 81.67 MWp have been installed. A strong increase of the installed capacity is expected in 2023 and 2024, reaching approximately 382.59 MWP by the end of 2024. The market development of agrivoltaics is mainly driven by changes in the legal environment which present opportunities for further market ramp-up of agrivoltaics. The adoption of agrivoltaics shows a notable spatial diversity in Germany which appears to be influenced by the interaction between regulatory environments and agricultural structures.

The logic of China–US rivalry

AbstractBehind the struggle and game between China and the United States are four sets of overlapping and mutually causal logics, namely the growth and decline of the two countries’ strength, ideological differences, changes in the international environment, and domestic political influence. Sino–US relations will not be able to return to the depth of exchanges and level of cooperation at the beginning of the twenty-first century for a long time. However, the long-term interests and strategic considerations of the two countries determine that the two countries must avoid war with each other and maintain a certain degree of economic cooperation and social exchanges. The biggest uncertainty in Sino–US relations in 2024 is the chaos that may be caused by domestic political struggles in the United States. However, the official and non-governmental contacts between China and the United States since 2023 have made the upper limit of the development of bilateral relations and the bottom line of conflict clearer. Sino–US relations are difficult to improve, but they are expected to be basically stable.