Expansion Of Area Research Articles

Exploring the spatial and temporal evolution of three-dimensional urban expansion: evidence from three urban agglomerations in China

ABSTRACT Understanding urban expansion's spatial and temporal evolution is crucial for sustainable urban development. Previous research primarily focuses on two-dimensional perspectives, overlooking vertical development. This study investigates three-dimensional urban expansion in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH), Yangtze River Delta (YRD), and Pearl River Delta (PRD) from 1998 to 2018 using Local Climate Zone (LCZ) data, standard deviation ellipse, compactness indicators, and landscape ecology techniques. Findings reveal that BTH showed minimal variation in expansion direction. YRD predominantly expanded northwest. PRD primarily expanded eastward. Scattered patches with declining density characterize expansion areas. Open lowrise buildings dominate the PRD and YRD, while BTH transitioned from compact to open lowrise buildings. The increase in open lowrise buildings corresponds with rising landscape complexity and declining fragmentation. Open highrise buildings, though dominant, show a gradual decrease. This study offers comprehensive insights into the dynamics of urban expansion, aiding in developing more habitable and efficient three-dimensional cities.

Nursing consultation for patients and relatives in an inpatient setting—a systematic review

Abstract Background Demographic changes are leading to a significant shortage of skilled nurses, with a 50% increase in care needs predicted by 2030. By 2035, an additional 493,000 nurses will be needed in Germany, particularly in inpatient care. After the introduction of a new concept of long-term care needs in Germany in 2017 and the associated formulation of care-related tasks, nursing consultation is becoming increasingly important for care professionals. There is a call for an enhanced integration of nursing consultation in Germany to improve care quality amid these challenges. Aims The aim of this work is to show the diversity and necessity of nursing advice in the inpatient setting. Method A systematic literature search was conducted of the databases PubMed and Cochrane, focusing on title and abstract with the keywords “patient,” “relatives,” “nursing consultation,” and “inpatient setting” based on the PCC scheme (Patient, Concept, Context). After removing duplicates, 443 articles remained and were filtered according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 26 studies investigating the topics and effects of nursing consultation on patients and relatives were selected for inclusion in the review. The selected studies were summarized with regard to the research questions and evaluated according to their quality. Results The studies encompass a broad spectrum of nursing consultations across various specialist fields, with notable emphasis on pediatrics, oncology, and intensive care. Thematically, the consultations addressed a diverse range of care phenomena, most frequently focusing on anxiety, family-centeredness, HIV, and cancer. The studies showcased a variety of counseling formats, including group and individual sessions, telephone consultations, and multimedia telemedicine, underscoring the adaptability of nursing consultations to patient needs. Notably, the outcomes of nursing consultations were positive, showcasing significant improvements in mental health, patient compliance, nutritional status, and overall quality of life, among other benefits. Conclusion Recommendations for nursing practice can be derived from the review, suggesting a focus on prevalent nursing phenomena for counseling across patient populations to improve outcomes. While nursing consultations are well-established in oncology and pediatrics, there is potential for expansion in other specialized areas, such as intensive care. Notably, certain aspects like family-centered care are not adequately covered, indicating a need for further research.

Evaluation of renal fibrosis using scanning acoustic microscopy.

Renal fibrosis is strongly correlated with renal functional outcomes. Therefore, this is a significant finding in determining renal prognosis. There are various reports on the imaging evaluation of renal fibrosis, but these are not well established. Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) uses ultra-high-frequency ultrasound to visualize tissues in just over a minute. SAM can simultaneously measure acoustic data such as speed of sound (SOS). SOS indicates the elasticity (stiffness) of a material. In this study, we aimed to compare and evaluate SAM acoustic intensity images and SOS data with light microscopy images of renal lesions, especially renal fibrosis. Renal specimens containing fibrosis were selected. The acoustic intensity images were compared to PAS-stained images. SOS data of the tubulointerstitium were compared with Masson's trichrome (MT)-stained images. The blue intensity of MT staining, which indicates fibrosis, was numerically valued using image-processing software. Furthermore, the correlations between it and the SOS values were evaluated. The acoustic intensity images suggested tubular atrophy and interstitial expansion in the same areas as in the PAS staining. SOS values of interstitial expansion with fibrosis were higher than normal area, interstitial expansion without fibrosis. A weak positive correlation was observed between the SOS values and the blue intensity of MT staining. SOS data can be used to evaluate renal fibrosis. The combination of SOS data and MT-stained images enables a more detailed evaluation of renal fibrosis. This study can contribute to the evaluation of renal fibrosis and has potential clinical applications in the future.

Risk Modeling for the Emergence of the Primary Outbreak Area of the Siberian Moth Dendrolimus sibiricus Tschetv. in Coniferous Forests of Central Siberia

In the southern taiga of Siberia, periodic outbreaks of the Siberian moth Dendrolimus sibrircus Tschetv. have been observed. The outbreaks result in the defoliation of Siberian fir Abies sibirica Ledeb. and Siberian pine Pinus sibirica Du Tour. stands across approximately one million hectares, leading to dieback of the affected forests. This is largely attributable to the inability to promptly identify the onset of the pest population growth in a timely manner, particularly in the context of expansive forest areas with limited accessibility. It is feasible to enhance the efficacy of monitoring Siberian moth populations by discerning stands with the highest propensity for damage and concentrating efforts on these areas. To achieve this, we employed machine learning techniques, specifically gradient boosting, support vector machines, and decision trees, training models on two sets of predictors. One of the datasets was obtained through a field study conducted in forest stands during the previous outbreak of the Siberian moth (2015–2018), while the other was derived from the analysis of remote sensing data during the same period. In both 2015 and 2016, the defoliation was most accurately predicted using gradient boosting (XGB algorithm), with ROC-AUC values reaching 0.89–0.94. The most significant predictors derived from the ground data were the proportions of Siberian fir, Siberian spruce Picea obovata Ledeb., and Scots pine Pinus sylvestris L., phytosociological data, tree age, and site quality. Among the predictors obtained from the analysis of remote sensing data, the distance to disturbed forest stands was identified as the most significant, while the proportion of dark coniferous species (A. sibirica, P. sibirica, or Picea obovata Ledeb.), the influx of solar radiation (estimated through the CHILI index), and the position in the relief (mTPI index) were also determined to be important.

Climate change threatens amphibians and species representation within protected areas in tropical wetlands

Abstract Protected areas (PAs) are crucial for biodiversity conservation, yet climate change threatens their long‐term effectiveness by displacing species distributions. Among the most climate‐threatened organisms are the amphibians, highly dependent on water and wetlands. The world's largest continuous tropical wetland, the Pantanal and surroundings, is situated in the Upper Paraguay River Basin (UPRB) in South America. Of the 74 amphibian species found there, 4% are threatened. Less than 5% of the basin is within PAs. Recurrent droughts and increasing human pressures further endanger the region's semiaquatic fauna if adequate protection measures are not implemented. Using Ensemble of Small Models, we mapped habitat suitability of amphibian species and projected amphibian richness and composition across the UPRB. We applied null models to evaluate the representation of amphibian ranges within the current PA network under both current and future climate scenarios. To prioritize areas for PA network expansion under climate change scenarios, we used a systematic conservation planning algorithm. By 2100, over 80% of amphibian species from the study area are projected to lose suitable habitat, with 99% of amphibian assemblages facing climate‐driven species loss. Although the existing PA network had limited species representation, protecting on average less than 5% of amphibian ranges. However, 13.7% of PAs are expected to shelter more amphibian species than expected by chance under future climate conditions. Highlands, particularly in the northern and southeastern boundaries of the UPRB, are identified priority areas for PA network expansion due to their high projected changes in amphibian biodiversity. Synthesis and applications. Our findings reveal the extensive impacts of climate change on a major semiaquatic group in the world's largest tropical wetland. Although the current PA network in the Pantanal and surroundings safeguards fewer amphibians than expected, its limited coverage provides opportunities for systematic, data‐driven expansion to achieve the Post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework's 30 by 30 target. Expanding PAs is urgent, but addressing drivers of environmental degradation, including unsustainable practices in agriculture and livestock farming, is equally critical for conserving this biodiverse ecosystem.

Monitoring changes and multi-scenario simulations of land use and ecosystem service values in coastal cities: A case study of Qingdao, China.

The study of land cover dynamics and the valuation of ecosystem services in coastal cities is pivotal for guiding sustainable urban development and conserving natural resources amidst the unique challenges posed by their geographical and ecological contexts. This study utilizes a 30m × 30m land use/cover change (LUCC) dataset to elucidate the spatiotemporal evolution of LUCC and ecosystem service value (ESV) and the trade-offs and synergistic relationships among ecosystem services in the coastal city of Qingdao under three different scenarios over the past 35years and in the future based on the dual perspective of the past-future by using the equivalent factor approach (EFA), the PLUS model, and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. The findings reveal a pronounced expansion in built-up areas in Qingdao from 1985 to 2020, with a concomitant significant reduction in cropland, leading to a fluctuation in the total ESV, which initially increased and then declined. This indicates the intense pressure Qingdao faces in terms of agricultural development and ecological conservation. By 2030, under scenarios of natural development, cropland protection, and ecological protection, Qingdao is projected to experience varied degrees of ESV decline, amounting to 1.989 billion, 0.803 billion, and 0.142 billion yuan respectively, with the natural development scenario showing a rapid decrease in ESV around the Jiaozhou Bay area. The spatial ESV patterns under the cropland protection and ecological protection scenarios remain largely consistent with those of 2020, as does the spatial configuration of land use across all scenarios. The ecological protection scenario, demonstrating the least reduction in ESV, emerges as the optimal strategy for balancing urban development with ecological sustainability, advocating it as the preferred pathway for Qingdao's future urban planning. Over the past 35 years, Qingdao's ecosystem services have primarily exhibited synergies, although significant trade-offs remain between agricultural expansion and water supply. Additionally, there are some trade-offs between gas regulation and nutrient cycling with water supply. Under different scenarios for 2030, while the trade-off between agricultural output and water resource conservation persists, the ecologicalprotection scenario significantly enhances synergies among all service categories. This study provides an EFA-PLUS-ESV framework that offers innovations for modeling future ecosystem service values and their trade-offs and synergistic relationships.

Modelling future urban growth utilizing multilayer perceptron and Markov chain models in West Himalayan urban centre: Srinagar Municipal Corporation

The urban spatial planning challenges encountered in areas situated in hilly regions, such as the Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir, are distinguished by the swift growth of population, disorganized expansion of built-up areas, and insufficient data on alterations in urban expansion and land utilization. The study was conducted to examine the trends in urban growth in order to implement sustainable urban management within the Srinagar Municipal Corporation. The complexities arising from the rapid aggregation of population and unregulated urbanization necessitate a proactive approach to urban spatial planning. The aim of this investigation is to contribute to the development of effective strategies by analysing the current patterns of urban growth and anticipating future changes. The findings of this investigation display a notable trend in which the predicted LULC shows the rapid expansion of built-up areas from 134.72 km2 to 170.89 km2 and corresponds with a continuous decrease in agricultural and Fallow lands to 16.64 km2 and 6.62 km2 respectively. This emphasizes the transformative impact on the land-use, highlighting the requirement for comprehensive surveillance and predictive tools to direct the dynamic interplay between human activities and the environment. Also, the study could improve the city's planning, resource allocation and decision-making processes by providing probabilistic insights into various urban issues especially land-use planning in hilly regions.

Fibronectin Glomerulopathy Without Typical Renal Biopsy Features in a 4-Year-Old Girl with Incidentally Discovered Proteinuria and a G417V FN1 Gene Mutation

Fibronectin glomerulopathy (FG) is caused by fibronectin 1 (FN1) gene mutations. A renal biopsy was performed on a 4-year-old girl with incidentally discovered proteinuria (150 mg/dL); her family history of renal disease was negative. Markedly enlarged glomeruli (mean glomerular diameter: 196 μm; age-matched controls: 140 μm), α-SMA-positive and Ki-67-positive mesangial cell proliferation (glomerular proliferation index 1.76), the mild expansion of mesangial areas, no immune or electron-dense deposits, normal glomerular basement membrane, and diffusely effaced foot processes were observed. Genetic testing identified a de novo heterozygous mutation (Gly417Val) in the collagen-binding site of the FN II-2 domain, prompting fibronectin immunostaining. Strong mesangial positivity was noted, hence FG was diagnosed. The follow-up period of 29 months revealed nephrotic range proteinuria, intermittent microhematuria, glomerular hyperfiltration, and preserved renal function. The biopsy features of early childhood-onset FG were compared to a case of FG with a lobular pattern diagnosed in a 44-year-old patient with undulating proteinuria, microhematuria, hypertension known for a year, and a positive family history. Early childhood-onset FG was characterized by glomerular enlargement, mesangial proliferation, and no changes that suggested fibronectin deposition disease. In summary, the novel aspects of the case were that the mutation was located at the collagen-binding site of the FN1 gene, not identified earlier, and the histologic spectrum of FG was expanded by the observed mesangial proliferative pattern and striking glomerulomegaly. Now, FG should also be considered among the monogenic causes of proteinuric kidney diseases in pediatric nephrology practice.

Floodplain forests drive fruit-eating fish diversity at the Amazon Basin-scale

Unlike most rivers globally, nearly all lowland Amazonian rivers have unregulated flow, supporting seasonally flooded floodplain forests. Floodplain forests harbor a unique tree species assemblage adapted to flooding and specialized fauna, including fruit-eating fish that migrate seasonally into floodplains, favoring expansive floodplain areas. Frugivorous fish are forest-dependent fauna critical to forest regeneration via seed dispersal and support commercial and artisanal fisheries. We implemented linear mixed effects models to investigate drivers of species richness among specialized frugivorous fishes across the ~6,000,000 km2 Amazon Basin, analyzing 29 species from 9 families (10,058 occurrences). Floodplain predictors per subbasin included floodplain forest extent, tree species richness (309,540 occurrences for 2,506 species), water biogeochemistry, flood duration, and elevation, with river order controlling for longitudinal positioning along the river network. We observed heterogeneous patterns of frugivorous fish species richness, which were positively correlated with floodplain forest extent, tree species richness, and flood duration. The natural hydrological regime facilitates fish access to flooded forests and controls fruit production. Thus, the ability of Amazonian floodplain ecosystems to support frugivorous fish assemblages hinges on extensive and diverse seasonally flooded forests. Given the low functional redundancy in fish seed dispersal networks, diverse frugivorous fish assemblages disperse and maintain diverse forests; vice versa, diverse forests maintain more fish species, underscoring the critically important taxonomic interdependencies that embody Amazonian ecosystems. Effective management strategies must acknowledge that access to diverse and hydrologically functional floodplain forests is essential to ensure the long-term survival of frugivorous fish and, in turn, the long-term sustainability of floodplain forests.

A comparative analysis of protected area expansion strategies for biodiversity and ecosystem services: a case study of Hainan Island

IntroductionThe allocation of limited resources to simultaneously protect biodiversity and provide ecosystem services (ESs) is a critical global challenge in achieving the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. One common strategy for this challenge is to expand existing protected areas (PAs), but the efficiency of different expansion methods for biodiversity and ESs remains unknown.MethodsThis study investigated two strategies, preserving existing PAs (“locking”) versus reassessing their boundaries (“unlocking”), to evaluate their effectiveness in achieving biodiversity and ES targets. The study used Marxan, a spatial modeling tool, to assess the effectiveness of PAs expansion strategies on Hainan Island in China.Results and discussionThe current PAs system, which encompasses 8.82% of the island, is inadequate for protecting the target levels of biodiversity and ES. We experimented with expanding the PAs to 15% using both strategies. The results revealed that, compared with the “unlocking” strategy, the “locking” strategy favored ES protection (66.49% vs 86.84%), but did so at the expense of biodiversity conservation. In contrast, the “unlocking” strategy required a larger area for expansion and led to increased habitat fragmentation compared wtih the “locking” approach. These findings underscore the need for a strategic approach to expanding PAs and balancing between biodiversity conservation and ES provision. This study offers valuable insights that could be used for broader applications in PAs management and biodiversity conservation planning.

Effects of land management technology adoptions on land use land cover dynamics using GIS and remote sensing: the case of Goyrie watershed, southern Ethiopia.

Understanding land use/land cover (LULC) changes is crucial for informing policymakers and planners on the dynamics affecting environmental and resource management. Most past studies highlighted the significance of LULC changes and their driving forces in various locations. However, comprehensive analyses that combine the impact of land management technologies (LMTs) on LULC changes using GIS and remote sensing tools have not been widely addressed. Thus, the study analyzes the effects of LMT adoptions on LULC dynamics and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the Goyrie watershed from 1993 to 2022. It also examines household perceptions of the cause of LULC changes. Methodologically, Landsat 5 TM (1993), Landsat 5 ETM + (2008), and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS (2022) images were employed to analyze LULC changes and NDVI. Binary logistic regression models were used to identify households' perceptions of the causes of LULC changes. The findings revealed that the Goyrie watershed has experienced significant LULC changes since 1993. During the entire study period, the shares of grassland, shrub land, cultivated land, and settlement areas increased by 89.4%, 8.5%, 53.6%, and 1613.4% from their original sizes, respectively. Conversely, the coverage of bare land and forest land declined by 99.5% and 99.7%, with annual rates of decline of 3.29% and 3.3%, respectively. Throughout the study period, the increasing trends in grassland and shrub land, along with the decline in bare land, were attributed to LMT practices. The NDVI values of moderate and dense vegetation density decreased by 81.8% and 92.2%, respectively, from 1993 to 2022 due to the expansion of settlement areas and cultivated lands. Population pressure, expansion of settlements and agriculture, fuel extraction, LMTs, and policy issues significantly influenced the LULC changes. The study concludes that more sustainable and integrated LMT practices should be essential to managing the related risks of LULC changes.

A New Path to Aggregate Area Expansion by Agricultural Mechanization: The Seedling Field Saving Effect of Machinery Rice Transplanting and the Case of China

A New Path to Aggregate Area Expansion by Agricultural Mechanization: The Seedling Field Saving Effect of Machinery Rice Transplanting and the Case of China

Urban core greening and industrial decentralization lead to contrasting trends in surface urban heat islands in a metropolitan area in China.

Surface urban heat islands (SUHI) in urban agglomerations display diverse spatiotemporal patterns, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions, where these patterns are not well understood. This study examined the spatiotemporal trends of SUHI intensity (SUHII) on the west bank of the Pearl River Estuary, China, from 1990 to 2020, focusing on spatial variations within urban core (UC) and urban expansion (UE) areas and their driving mechanisms. Results show that urban areas expanded rapidly, leading to the formation of a regional heat island, with SUHI intensity varying across the region and the hottest areas shifting from the UC to the UE. In the UE, SUHII increased significantly due to farmland conversion to impervious surfaces and a decline in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), driven by industrial suburbanization. In contrast, SUHII in the UC exhibited a marked decline, attributable to increased vegetation greening and urban renewal initiatives. These findings reveal long-term trends in SUHI evolution and underscore the significant impact of industrial decentralization and urban renewal on the SUHII dynamics. The study provides critical insights for urban planning and strategies to mitigate SUHI in metropolitan regions.

Seasonal monitoring of forage C:N:ADF ratio in natural rangeland using remote sensing data

In recent decades, natural rangelands have emerged as vital sources of livelihood and ecological services, particularly in Southern Africa, supporting communities in developing regions. However, the escalating global demand for food, driven by a growing human population, has led to the extensive expansion of cultivated areas, resulting in continuous nutrient leaching in rangelands. To ensure the long-term viability of these ecosystems, there is a need to develop effective approaches for managing and monitoring the seasonality of forage quality. This study aims to achieve this by utilizing multispectral Sentinel-1 (S1) and Sentinel-2 (S2) data to monitor the seasonal distribution and occurrence of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and the (C:N:ADF) ratio in mesic rangelands. Six sites were randomly selected from Welgevonden and Hoogland private game reserves in Limpopo, South Africa, representing varying vegetation cover and standing biomass. Transects, each with ten fixed sample sites (30 × 30 m) characterized by homogeneous vegetation, were established. The grass samples and aboveground biomass were collected during each season and analyzed for biochemical parameters using a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) machine. S1 and S2 data from Google Earth Engine (GEE) were employed, and the random forest (RF) modelling algorithm revealed significant seasonality impacts on the distribution of forage C:N:ADF ratios. The study demonstrates that integrating S1 and S2 data enhances the estimation of forage nutrients. This study offers valuable insights for a diverse range of stakeholders, including ecologists, resource managers, farmers, and park managers. By giving an understanding of nutrient limitations and facilitating a deeper understanding of resource availability and animal distribution in rangelands, this research serves as a crucial tool for informed decision-making and sustainable management practices.

Examination of spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of carbon emission and influencing factors in territorial spatial functional areas: a case study of the mountainous city Chongqing.

The rapid development of China's economy and the acceleration of the urbanization process have led to a significant increase in carbon emissions, and more effective policies are urgently needed. As the first city in China to be approved for the overall master plan of territorial space, Chongqing is facing new opportunities in urban construction. This research constructed a classification system of the territorial space functional areas in Chongqing (CQ-TSFA) and matched the corresponding carbon emission and carbon sequestration projects. Under this classification system, the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of its carbon emissions have been examined, and the main influencing factors have been investigated based on the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence, and Technology (STIRPAT) model. This study draws the following conclusions: (1) from 2000 to 2020, the carbon emissions of CQ-TSFA increased from 48.87 million tons to 148.05 million tons; (2) the main expansion areas of urban living sub-areas are the central urban area and the vicinity of the seats of various district and county governments. The main expansion areas of the urban production sub-areas are the edges of the central urban area around the Yangtze River Basin within Chongqing, including many industrial parks; and (3) the contributions to carbon emissions in descending order are economic development effect, carbon emission intensity of CQ-TSFA, and population size effect, and the utilization rate of CQ-TSFA plays a strong inhibitory role. Finally, based on these conclusions, this article puts forward some policy suggestions to address the challenges of carbon emissions to provide references for promoting the sustainable development of Chongqing and the whole country.

Study on the Stress Accumulation Characteristics of a Rotating Metal Hydride Reactor

The reactor is the core device used in guaranteeing the alloy's stable high-level reversible hydrogen storage. This work investigates a rotating reactor as new structure to alleviate stress accumulation using inertial force and counterforce, compared to typical statics reactors. The rotating reactor’s strain and response exhibited notable differences in the whole five stages at the 8th absorption/desorption cycle. In the cycle of vertical reactor, plastic deformation began by the 4th cycle, followed by a rapid linear increase in strain values leading swiftly to failure in the 19th cycle. When inverted, plastic deformation began by the 17th cycle and fracture occurred after 29th cycles, and for rotating reactor at 1.39 rpm, the curve of stress accumulation changed gently, sudden fracture occurred after 36th cycles. Particle size distribution of rotating reactor was skewed toward the large size as a herald of more strong anti-pulverization. Meanwhile, the expansion area was located in lower part, and the bulging notably shifted upwards compared to vertical reactor. This was attributed to the fact that the dynamic inertial force and counterforce effect improved the uniformity of alloy filling and prevented the formation of high-density areas at the representative bottom obviously alleviating local stress concentration phenomena.

Effects of climate change on the distribution of Molossus molossus and the potential risk of Orthohantavirus transmission in the Neotropical region.

Molossus molossus is a widely distributed neotropical bat species in the Americas, often found in urban areas. This study evaluated climate change effects on the potential geographic distribution of M. molossus, a natural host of zoonotic pathogens such as Orthohantavirus, in the Neotropical region. Using ecological niche modeling (ENM), models were generated for current (1970-2000) and future (2070) climate scenarios based on two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) and two Global Circulation Models (MPI-ESM1-2-LR and IPSL-CM6A-LR). Results indicated that in the current scenario, warm and coastal areas of the Neotropics are suitable for M. molossus occurrence. Risk areas for Orthohantavirus transmission were mapped by overlapping the probability of urban expansion with projections of climatic suitability for the bat. For both future scenarios (2070), projections indicate an expansion of suitable climatic areas for M. molossus over urban expansion zones, specifically in Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Mexico, the United States, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. However, projections also indicate the Lesser Antilles under climate threat, considering that no climatic suitability areas will remain. These findings provide important information for planning surveillance and mitigation actions for zoonotic risks associated with M. molossus, considering climate change impacts on its geographic distribution in the Neotropical region.

Neuroplasticity in the motor cortex following the achievement of sufficient motor learning.

Skilled motor training causes the cortical representation of the trained body parts to expand into regions of the motor cortex related to other body parts. However, the effect of neuroplastic changes on the neurons originally existing within the expanded area is not well understood. In this study, the extent of the neuroplastic changes after achieving sufficient motor learning and the impact of the expansion on the neurons related to movements of other body parts were investigated. Rats were trained to perform a single-pellet retrieval reaching task, and intracortical microstimulation in the motor cortex was used to assess neuroplastic changes. After 54 to 73 days of training, the trained rats achieved sufficient motor learning. In the motor cortex, the occurrence rate of evoked wrist movements increased to approximately double that of the control group in the expanded area. This finding suggests that the extent of neuroplastic changes in the occurrence rate of evoked movements in the motor cortex achieved through sufficient motor learning is approximately double. Additionally, stimulation in the expanded area predominantly evoked vibrissae movements in the control group; however, the occurrence rate and threshold of evoked vibrissae movements were not significantly changed in the expanded areas in the trained group. This observation may suggest that the expansion of cortical areas corresponding to the trained body parts does not disrupt the original function of movements of other parts in the expanded area.

Critical Contingency Analysis: Enhancing Stability in Nigeria's 330kv Grid

This study presents a contingency ranking analysis for the Nigerian 330kV power system using ETAP software. The network model, consisting of 65 buses, 120 transmission lines, 16 generators, and 14 loads, was evaluated to identify critical contingencies affecting system performance. Results indicate that the outage of the M2S line poses the most significant threat to grid stability, while the SAPELE NIPP generator failure has negligible impact. Recommendations focus on enhancing system resilience through load management, network restructuring, and renewable energy integration. Limitations of the study include model simplification and software dependency, suggesting areas for future research expansion

Unplanned Urban Expansion and Natural Sensitivity in Chhorepatan, Pokhara

Chhorepatan, one of the geologically sensitive tourist hubs in Pokhara Valley, has undergone rapid and unplanned urbanization in the last five decades, changing its topography significantly. This research paper explores the unplanned urban expansion and natural sensitivities in Chhorepatan, Pokhara Metropolitan City. This paper uses satellite data, field surveys, and historical data to assess the impact of urban expansion on the area's geologically sensitive landscape using RS, GIS tools. The finding based on the satellite images of 1990-2020 reveals that rapid expansion of built-up sensitive areas increases subsidence risks, particularly in sinkhole and cave zones. Urban growth of Chhorepatan area, exacerbated by population growth and infrastructure development over the geologial sensitive area, poses a significant threat to environmental stability and human life. It is suggested that the policy should incorporate geological assessments into urban planning for sustainable development and disaster reduction in geologically sensitive regions.