Geographical Distribution Research Articles

Mitochondrial genome insights into the spatio-temporal distribution and genetic diversity of Dendrobium hancockii Rolfe (Orchidaceae).

With its distinctive evolutionary rate and inheritance patterns separate from the nuclear genome, mitochondrial genome analysis has become a prominent focus of current research. Dendrobium hancockii Rolfe, a species of orchid with both medicinal and horticultural value, will benefit from the application of the fully assembled and annotated mitochondrial genome. This will aid in elucidating its phylogenetic relationships, comparative genomics, and population genetic diversity. Based on sequencing results from Illumina combined with PacBio and Nanopore, the mitochondrial genome map of D. hancockii was constructed. Comparative analysis was conducted from the perspectives of phylogeny across multiple species, selection pressure on protein-coding genes, and homologous segments. The population diversity of D. hancockii was analyzed using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data from the mitochondrial genome and single-copy nuclear genes. This research constructed a circular mitochondrial map for D. hancockii, spanning 523,952 bp, containing 40 unique protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosomal RNA genes. Comparative analysis of mitochondrial genes from 26 land plants revealed a conserved gene cluster, "rpl16-ccmFn-rps3-rps19," particularly within the Dendrobium genus. The mitochondrial genome of D. hancockii exhibits a lower point mutation rate but significant structural variation. Analysis of 103 resequencing samples identified 19,101 SNP sites, dividing D. hancockii into two major groups with limited gene flow between them, as supported by population diversity, genetic structure analysis, principal component analysis, and phylogenetic trees. The geographical distribution and genetic differentiation of D. hancockii into two major groups suggest a clear phytogeographical division, likely driven by ancient geological or climatic events. The close alignment of mitochondrial data with nuclear gene data highlights the potential of the mitochondrial genome for future studies on genetic evolution in this species.

Global burden of ischemic stroke attributable to high body mass index in 204 countries and territories, 1990–2021

BackgroundA high body mass index (hBMI) is one of the major risk factors for ischemic stroke (IS), although independent estimates of the global burden and trend of IS attributable to hBMI are unclear.MethodsStudy data were extracted from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study and analysed by age, sex, year, and geographical location. The sociodemographic index (SDI) and the human development index (HDI) were used as indicators of national socioeconomic status. Geographic distributions and trends were assessed by calculating the estimated annual percentage change (EAPC). Associations between the age-standardized death rate (ASMR) or disability-adjusted life year rate (DALY) and socioeconomic status were analysed.ResultsDeaths and DALYs increased worldwide from 1990–2021, with increases of 95.74% for the former and 133.00% for the latter; the ASMR and ASDR decreased, with an ASMR and ASDR-related EAPCs of -1.10 (95% CI: -1.24–-0.96) and 0.04 (95% CI:-0.47–0.55), respectively; women had greater numbers of deaths and DALYs, and the majority of deaths and DALYs were shared by those aged ≥ 70. The highest burden rates were shared by Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. The ASMR-related EAPCs were associated with the ASMR in 1990 (R = -0.35, P < 0.001) and the SDI in 2021 in different countries (R = -0.66, P < 0.001); these patterns were similar to those of the ASDR; the HDI in 2021 was associated with the ASMR-related EAPC (R = -0.71, P < 0.001) and the ASDR-related EAPC in different countries (R = -0.71, P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe number of deaths and DALYs from ischemic stroke attributable to hBMI worldwide increased substantially from 1990–2021. Successful population-wide initiatives targeting hBMI may mitigate a wide range of burdens on this disease. Taking into account variations in the SDI burden, future prevention and control strategies must be developed and implemented according to country-specific development status.

Analyzing the distribution patterns and dynamic niche of Magnolia grandiflora L. in the United States and China in response to climate change.

Magnolia grandiflora L. (southern magnolia) is native to the southeastern coastal areas of the United States, from North Carolina to eastern Texas (USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 8). It is currently widely cultivated in Zones 5-10 in the U.S. and in southern Yangtze River regions in China. Limited studies have examined the effects of climate change and human activities on the geographical distribution and adaptability of M. grandiflora during its introduction to China. We selected 127 occurrence points in the U.S. and 87 occurrence points in China, along with 43 environmental variables, to predict suitable habitat areas for M. grandiflora using present climate data (1970-2000) and projected future climate data (2050-2070) based on a complete niche ensemble model (EM) using the Biomod2 package. We also predicted the niche change of M. grandiflora in both countries using the 'ecospat' package in R. The ensemble models demonstrated high reliability, with an AUC of 0.993 and TSS of 0.932. Solar radiation in July, human impact index, and precipitation of the wettest month were identified as the most critical variables influencing M. grandiflora distribution. The species shows a similar trend of distribution expansion under climate change scenarios in both countries, with predicted expansions towards the northwest and northeast, and contractions in southern regions. Our study emphasizes a practical framework for predicting suitable habitats and migration of Magnoliaceae species under climate change scenarios. These findings provide valuable insights. for species conservation, introduction, management strategies, and sustainable utilization of M. grandiflora.

Nationwide Seroprevalence of Dirofilaria immitis Antigen and Antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp. in Shelter Cats in the United States, 2007–2011

Vector-borne infections persist as a significant issue in both human and animal health. Many of the most common vector-borne infections in the USA, especially tick-borne infections, are known to be zoonotic, including Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, and ehrlichiosis, and these infections may also negatively impact the health of infected animals. Convenient patient-side assays for the detection of antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp., and antigen of Dirofilaria immitis have allowed for the generation of robust and large-scale prevalence data in dogs. Data of similar scale and distribution are not available in cats, and most feline prevalence studies have evaluated a small sample size with limited geographic distribution. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of antibodies to B. burgdorferi, Anaplasma spp., and Ehrlichia spp., and D. immitis antigen among shelter cats across the USA, a population that is presumably at high risk for ectoparasitism and, consequently, exposure to vector-borne infections. In total, 2232 whole blood samples were collected from shelter cats across four regions of the USA—South, Northeast, Midwest, and West—and were evaluated using the Idexx SNAP® 4Dx® Test. Ectoparasites were also opportunistically collected from cats during blood collection and morphologically identified. The prevalence of at least one vector-borne infection was 2.60%, and the nationwide prevalence was 1.88% for B. burgdorferi, 0.54% for Anaplasma spp., 0.09% for Ehrlichia spp., and 0.55% for D. immitis. A total of 1120 ectoparasites were collected from 423 cats, including 27 ticks and 1093 fleas. Although the overall prevalence of the pathogens in this survey is relatively low, we observe that there is an increased exposure risk regionally for some agents, with geographic distributions in this study mostly coinciding with established human and canine distributions. Understanding these findings in an assumed non-protected population of cats allows us to extrapolate the risk to pet cats if they are not provided routine veterinary care, including a broad-spectrum parasite prevention program.

Climate Change and Entrepreneurship: A Review and Research Agenda

ABSTRACTAs climate change risks intensify, the role of entrepreneurial activities in addressing these challenges and promoting sustainable development becomes increasingly vital. Through a systematic literature review using a bibliometric analysis of 387 studies from Scopus up to December 31, 2023, this study focuses on the intersection of entrepreneurship and climate change. It contributes to academic understanding by offering insights into current trends for entrepreneurs, researchers, and policymakers. Our analysis examines publication trends, leading authors, countries/regions, and common themes to elucidate research efforts on entrepreneurial activities in the context of climate change. Contrary to typical trends in the geographical distribution, the study identifies a significant increase in contributions from developing countries such as China, India, and the Russian Federation. Furthermore, when evaluating entrepreneurship in the context of climate change, we observe a prominence of innovation and sustainability‐focused approaches. The primary finding of the study is the literature's attribution of significant responsibility to entrepreneurship in combating climate change and its consideration of entrepreneurship as a prerequisite for sustainable approaches. By demonstrating a sustainable attitude, entrepreneurs can contribute to the fight against climate change across various domains, ranging from policy to social life, and from collective efforts in the economy to individual endeavors.

Mountains host significantly more data deficient and threatened bat species than lowlands

AbstractMountains harbour one third of the world’s biodiversity and much of it is under increasing anthropogenic pressure. Yet, global assessments of the occurrence, and threat status of most mountain taxa, especially elusive ones are lacking, thereby hindering conservation and research prioritisation. In this study, we synthesise the distribution and conservation status of bats, a species rich taxon on mountains. By using data on geographical and elevational distribution ranges from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), we examined bat species richness on mountains, species that predominantly occur in mountains (‘mountain dwelling species’), and those restricted to upper montane and alpine regions within mountains (‘highland dwelling species’). We also used published trait datasets to investigate the traits that are associated with mountain dwelling in bats. Globally, we identified 148 mountain dwelling and 46 highland dwelling bat species. Bat diversity is highest in the Northern Andes and Guiana Highlands. The mountain dwelling nature of bat species was found to be significantly associated with biogeographic realm. Importantly, our results show that mountain dwelling species are proportionately more data deficient than species that predominantly occur in lowlands. Additionally, highland dwelling species are proportionately more threatened than lowland species. Our results highlight a significant dearth of knowledge on mountain dwelling bat species. We conclude that more research is needed for bats specialised on mountain ecosystems. Our results draw attention towards improving the knowledge and protection of bat species that occur predominantly at high elevations across the world.

A Global Analysis of Historical and Future Changes in Mediterranean Climate‐Type Regions

ABSTRACTMediterranean climate‐type regions (MCRs) are characterised by warm‐to‐hot dry summers and mild‐wet winters. These regions are typically found on the western or southern edges of continents, for example, in the Mediterranean Basin, the west coast of North and South America, southern Africa and southwest Australia. The MCRs are vulnerable to climate variability and change related to their unique characteristics, such as pronounced rainfall seasonality and prolonged hot and dry summers. Based on historical observations and CMIP6 climate projections, we apply an empirical bio‐climatic assessment of how the geographic distribution of MCRs has changed during the last century and how these zones will be further impacted under continued warming. Results indicate a poleward and eastward expansion of MCRs in the Mediterranean Basin, North America‐California and South America‐Central Chile regions. For parts of Southern Africa and Southern Australia, a retreat of the MCR margins and an expansion of more arid climate zones are projected. These shifts are particularly profound according to high emission and radiative forcing pathways and future scenarios. The warming in MCRs is projected to accelerate (e.g., mean regional warming of up to 5.5°C under a 4°C global warming scenario), and precipitation will decrease by about 5%–10% for every additional degree of global warming. One exception is the California MCR, where rainfall will likely increase. Such changes can challenge water resources, food security and other aspects of human livelihood and ecosystems in these unique geographical zones.

Trehalose metabolism mediates trade-offs between reproduction and survival in beet webworm, Loxostege sticticalis, under heat stress.

Temperature is an important determinant of developmental and reproductive rates in insects. Here, we investigated the physiological responses of adult beet webworm, Loxostege sticticalis L. (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), to three temperatures (16, 23 and 30 °C) focusing on trehalose metabolism. Exposure of moths to 30 °C accelerated eclosion and ovarian development, but shortened the oviposition period and adult longevity, whereas exposure to 16 °C had opposite effects. Transcriptome analysis revealed that vitellogenin (VG) and vitellogenin receptor (VR) genes were up-regulated at 30 °C, as were numerous genes related to energy metabolism, including those involved in the insulin signaling pathway, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and glycolysis. Expression of the trehalose transporter gene TRET1 was also induced at high temperature, primarily in the ovaries, where trehalose content increased, accompanied by lipid degradation in the fat body. Treatment with the trehalase inhibitor validamycin A reduced female fecundity and longevity at 23 °C, but enhanced the expression of genes related to stress resistance and reproduction, mimicking the effect of high temperature. Besides their practical utility for predicting the oviposition behavior and geographic distribution of L. sticticalis in the field, these results elucidate the various physiological roles of trehalose in L. sticticalis during exposure of moths to high temperature and may provide insights into the relationship between stress resistance and reproduction in insects more generally. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

A National-Scale Study of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Surface Water: Levels, Sources, and Carcinogenic Risk

Elucidating pollution characteristics of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water and assessing the associated carcinogenic risks is crucial for improving public health. PAHs in the surface water of seven main river basins across China, compiled from 95 studies from 2004 to 2022, were used to investigate geographic variations of occurrence, source, and carcinogenic risk. Total PAH concentrations exhibited substantial geographic distributions ranging from 300 to 7552 ng·L−1. Low molecular weight PAHs predominated, showing three-ring PAHs abundant in the north, while two-ring PAHs dominated in the south due to distinctions regarding energy consumption. The northern basins exhibited higher concentrations of PAHs than the southern owing to the synergistic impacts of low temperature, increased energy consumption, and higher industrial activities. Coal combustion and industrial emissions were the primary contributors in the northern basins, accounting for 23–44% and 20–38%, respectively, which were associated with pollutants released from heavy industries and space heating during cold periods. In contrast, vehicle exhaust emissions and petroleum leakage from river transport constituted the principal sources in the relatively economically developed southern basins, accounting for 24–35% and 31–57%, respectively. A lifetime carcinogenic risk model revealed that the highest health risks existed in adults, followed by adolescents and children. Toxic concentrations of BaP and the daily intake of water directly enhanced the PAHs’ carcinogenic risks, while body weight featured negative correlations with the risks.

Providing quality-assessed and standardised soil data to support global mapping and modelling (WoSIS snapshot 2023)

Abstract. Snapshots derived from the World Soil Information Service (WoSIS) are served freely to the international community. These static datasets provide quality-assessed and standardised soil profile data that can be used to support digital soil mapping and environmental applications at broad scale levels. Since the release of the preceding snapshot in 2019, refactored ETL (extract, transform and load) procedures for screening, ingesting and standardising disparate source data have been developed. In conjunction with this, the WoSIS data model was overhauled, making it compatible with the ISO 28258 and Observations and Measurements (O&amp;amp;M) domain models. Additional procedures for querying, serving and downloading the publicly available standardised data have been implemented using open software (e.g. GraphQL API). Following up on a short discussion of these methodological developments we discuss the structure and content of the “WoSIS 2023 snapshot”. A range of new soil datasets was shared with us, registered in the ISRIC World Data Centre for Soils (WDC-Soils) data repository and subsequently processed in accordance with the licences specified by the data providers. An important effort has been the processing of forest soil data collated in the framework of the EU-HoliSoils project. We paid special attention to the standardisation of soil property definitions, description of the soil analytical procedures and standardisation of the units of measurement. The 2023 snapshot considers soil chemical properties (total carbon, organic carbon, inorganic carbon (total carbonate equivalent), total nitrogen, phosphorus (extractable P, total P and P retention), soil pH, cation exchange capacity and electrical conductivity) and physical properties (soil texture (sand, silt and clay), bulk density, coarse fragments and water retention), grouped according to analytical procedures that are operationally comparable. Method options are defined for each analytical procedure (e.g. pH measured in water, KCl or CaCl2 solution, molarity of the solution, and soil / solution ratio). For each profile we also provide the original soil classification (i.e. FAO, WRB and USDA system with their version) and pedological horizon designations as far as these have been specified in the source databases. Three measures for “fitness for intended use” are provided to facilitate informed data use: (a) positional uncertainty of the profile's site location, (b) possible uncertainty associated with the operationally defined analytical procedures and (c) date of sampling. The most recent (i.e. dynamic) dataset, called wosis_latest, is freely accessible via various web services. To permit consistent referencing and citation, we also provide a static snapshot (in this case, December 2023). This snapshot comprises quality-assessed and standardised data for 228 000 geo-referenced profiles. The data come from 174 countries and represent more than 900 000 soil layers (or horizons) and over 6 million records. The number of measurements for each soil property varies (greatly) between profiles and with depth, this generally depending on the objectives of the initial soil sampling programmes. In the coming years, we aim to gradually fill gaps in the geographic distribution of the profiles, as well as in the soil observations themselves, this subject to the sharing of a wider selection of “public” soil data by prospective data contributors; possible solutions for this are discussed. The WoSIS 2023 snapshot is archived and freely available at https://doi.org/10.17027/isric-wdcsoils-20231130 (Calisto et al., 2023).

Sustainable Production of Biomass-Derived Graphite and Graphene Conductive Inks from Biochar.

Graphite is a commonly used raw material across many industries and the demand for high-quality graphite has been increasing in recent years, especially as a primary component for lithium-ion batteries. However, graphite production is currently limited by production shortages, uneven geographical distribution, and significant environmental impacts incurred from conventional processing. Here, an efficient method of synthesizing biomass-derived graphite from biochar is presented as a sustainable alternative to natural and synthetic graphite. The resulting bio-graphite equals or exceeds quantitative quality metrics of spheroidized natural graphite, achieving a Raman ID/IG ratio of 0.051 and crystallite size parallel to the graphene layers (La) of 2.08 µm. This bio-graphite is directly applied as a raw input to liquid-phase exfoliation of graphene for the scalable production of conductive inks. The spin-coated films from the bio-graphene ink exhibit the highest conductivity among all biomass-derived graphene or carbon materials, reaching 3.58 ± 0.16 × 104 Sm-1. Life cycle assessment demonstrates that this bio-graphite requires less fossil fuel and produces reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to incumbent methods for natural, synthesized, and other bio-derived graphitic materials. This work thus offers a sustainable, locally adaptable solution for producing state-of-the-art graphite that is suitable for bio-graphene and other high-value products.

Spatial modeling and ecological suitability of Ebola virus disease in Africa.

This paper looks into the MaxEnt model in a trial to comprehend the ecological and environmental conditions that propagate and drive the spread of Ebola Virus Disease in Africa. We use the MaxEnt model to assess risk determinants associated with the occurrence and distribution of EVD, taking into account non-correlated variables such as neighborhood mean temperature, rainfall, and human population density. Our findings indicate that among the factors that significantly shape the geographical distribution of EVD risk are human population density, annual rainfall, temperature variability, and seasonality. The model used is both reliable and accurate (the average value for training AUC was 0.987); it can be used as a valuable approach for the prediction of infectious disease outbreaks. High-risk areas are primarily identified in the western and central regions of Africa, with some of the others in the east also vulnerable. This further calls for specified public health interventions and enhanced surveillance in specified hotspots, contributing to global efforts to predict and mitigate risks associated with EVD outbreaks more adequately. The findings further support that it remains imperative to conduct additional research, including socio-economic and cultural variables, to enhance the understanding of how environmental factors contribute to the emergence and transmission of Ebola.

Utilizing Baidu Index Data to Investigate the Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Public Concern towards Lifelong Education

Background and purpose: With the advancement of Industry 4.0 and the vigorous development of the Internet, search engines have become one of the important platforms for the public to obtain information. As the world's largest Chinese search engine, Baidu is widely popular with the Chinese public. Similar to Google Trends, the Baidu Index is one of the most important databases on the Internet and even in the entire data age. This study adopted the Baidu Index to investigate the public's attention to "Lifelong Education" and analyze its changing trend and geographical distribution, to grasp the public's attention to it in a more comprehensive way. Materials and methods: The Baidu Index was used to obtain the attention of the keyword “Lifelong Education" from July to November 2023. The characteristics of attention are analyzed from three aspects: trend research, demand graph, and user portrait. Finally, it focuses on the comparison between the keyword "Lifelong Education" and the related word "Lifelong Education Platform". Results: The term "Lifelong Education" showed two fluctuations during the period, both of which showed an initial rise and then a decline. For the demand graph, the public pays the most attention to "Lifelong Education Platform", "Lifelong Learning" and "Compulsory Education". The group that pays more attention to "Lifelong Education" is mainly distributed in East China, mostly female, 20~29 years old. Conclusion: Similar to Google Trends, the Baidu Index is a useful tool to study the trend of keyword searches, insight into the change in netizens' demand and monitoring the trend of media public opinion. The results show that the main reasons for the two obvious changes in search volume are that the National Open University of China opens freely lifelong education platform and provides free and comprehensive learning resources, and "Lifelong Education" appears as a translation in the National College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) in June 2023.

Unravelling the Current Status of Rice Stripe Mosaic Virus: Its Geographical Spread, Biology, Epidemiology, and Management

Rice stripe mosaic virus (RSMV) belongs to the Cytorhabdovirus species in the Rhabdoviridae family. Recently, RSMV was widely spread in East Asia and caused severe yield losses. RSMV is transmitted by the planthopper vectors, Recilia dorsalis, Nephotettix virescens, and Nilaparvata lugens, that mostly affect rice. The adult vectors can hibernate, transmit the virus, lay eggs on rice plants, and, finally, multiply in subsequent generations, resulting in new infection outbreaks. RSMV-infected rice varieties display striped mosaicism, mild dwarfism, stiff and twisted leaves, delayed heading, short panicles with large unfilled grains, and yield reduction. In nature, the infection of multiple pathogens in the same host is widespread, which is defined as co-infection. It can be antagonistic or synergistic. Pathological synergistic effects between RSMV and other viruses can generate strains with new genetic characteristics, leading to unpredictable epidemiological consequences. After the first identification of RSMV in 2015, significant advancements in understanding the disease’s characteristics, symptoms, cycles, geographic distribution, potential vectors, and synergistic interaction, as well as its management strategies, were developed. To reduce the damage due to RSMV infection, many scientists have recommended pest control techniques to target adult vectors. It is also essential to confirm the actual time of monitoring, development of resistant varieties, and changes in cultivation systems. Due to the limitations of the conventional plant disease control technologies, improvements in efficiency and safety are in high demand. Therefore, to find efficient and environmentally safe controls to mitigate these challenges, reviews of research are the foremost step. In this review, we summarize the basic epidemiological information about the origin of RSMV and its infection symptoms in the field, synergistic interaction with viruses during co-transmission, yield losses, formulation of the disease cycle, and control strategies from several case studies. Finally, we recommend the formulation of the disease cycle and management strategies of RSMV infection.

Research on the Method of Managing Personal Massive Photos Using Geodatabase

Abstract. In view of the limitations of the existing methods for personal massive photos management and browsing, a method of using geodatabase to manage and browse massive personal photos is proposed. Firstly, vector geodatabase is created and defined based on geographic information technology. Then, attribute information including the file name, photo date and time, photo point longitude, photo point latitude, location name, photo storage path and so on of each photo in the file system are extracted. Finally, based on the longitude and latitude of the photo point, the geospatial location data of each photo is generated, and written into the vector geodatabase together with the attribute information. Based on the storage path of photos in the file system, the links between the geospatial database and photos are established. Furtherly realize the attribute information and geographical space location management of massive photos, as well as the browsing and viewing of photos. Take personal photos as an example to introduce the data processing and verify the practicability of the method. The result shows that this method uses the idea of geodatabase to manage massive personal photos, which is conducive to reflect the geographical spatial distribution and density characteristics of the photos, and can use the time axis to connect the track of personal history, which is convenient for browsing and analyzing the experience.

Measuring Geographic Opportunity for Higher Education in US Metropolitan Areas

AbstractResearch demonstrates that students who live closer to postsecondary institutions are more likely to attend college. Yet many communities offer few or no postsecondary options. In this study, we expand on prior research on the geographic distribution of postsecondary opportunity by developing a finer-grained measure that accounts for both the variety and density of college options in each metropolitan statistical area (MSA). Our estimates use several decay functions to measure the distance-weighted characteristics of institutions, allowing us to cross-validate different approaches and identify the most appropriate model to inform future analyses of geographic opportunity. The results of the cross-validation indicate that both the type of geographic measure used and the penalty in the inverse distance weighting function result in substantively different model fit. We find that each of the measures used in a spatial model—enrollment size, tuition, and net price—has a positive and statistically significant relationship with postsecondary enrollment at the MSA level, indicating the continuing importance of geographic opportunity for college attendance.

Yellow fever in Ghana: Predicting emergence and ecology from historical outbreaks.

Understanding the epidemiology and ecology of yellow fever in endemic regions is critical for preventing future outbreaks. Ghana is a high-risk country for yellow fever. In this study we estimate the disease burden, ecological cycles, and areas at risk for yellow fever in Ghana based on historical outbreaks. We identify 2387 cases and 888 deaths (case fatality rate 37.7%) from yellow fever reported in Ghana from 1910 to 2022. During the approximately 30-year periods before and after implementation of routine childhood vaccination in 1992, the reported mean annual number of cases decreased by 80%. The geographic distribution of yellow fever cases has also changed over the past century. While there have been multiple large historical outbreaks of yellow fever in regions throughout Ghana, recent outbreaks have originated in northern regions. Comparing the locations where yellow fever outbreaks have emerged, we find patterns with seasons and different ecological transmission cycles. Using an ecological niche modeling framework, we predict areas in Ghana that are similar to where prior yellow fever outbreaks have originated based on temperature, precipitation, vegetation, and human population density. We find that these predictions differ depending on the ecological cycles of outbreaks. Ultimately, these findings and methods could be used to inform further subnational risk assessments for yellow fever in Ghana and other high-risk countries.

The Environmental Stake of Bitcoin Mining: Present and Future Challenges

The environmental impact of Bitcoin mining has raised severe concerns considering the expected growth of 30% by 2030. This study aimed to develop a Life Cycle Assessment model to determine the carbon dioxide equivalent emissions associated with Bitcoin mining, considering material requirements and energy demand. By applying the impact assessment method IPCC 2021 GWP (100 years), the GHG emissions associated with electricity consumption were estimated at 51.7 Mt CO2 eq/year in 2022 and calculated by modelling real national mixes referring to the geographical area where mining takes place, allowing for the determination of the environmental impacts in a site-specific way. The estimated impacts were then adjusted to future energy projections (2030 and 2050), by modelling electricity mixes coherently with the spatial distribution of mining activities, the related national targeted goals, the increasing demand for electricity for hashrate and the capability of the systems to recover the heat generated in the mining phase. Further projections for 2030, based on two extrapolated energy consumption models, were also determined. The outcomes reveal that, in relation to the considered scenarios and their associated assumptions, breakeven points where the increase in energy consumption associated with mining nullifies the increase in the renewable energy share within the energy mix exist. The amount of amine-based sorbents hypothetically needed to capture the total CO2 equivalent emitted directly and indirectly for Bitcoin mining reaches up to almost 12 Bt. Further developments of the present work would rely on more reliable data related to future energy projections and the geographical distribution of miners, as well as an extension of the environmental categories analyzed. The Life Cycle Assessment methodology represents a valid tool to support policies and decision makers.

Food and Environment During the Late Roman Age at the Site of Alba Fucens (Abruzzi, Italy)

Archaeobotanical analyses in Italy are uneven in terms of geographical and chronological distribution. Amongst the different regions, Abruzzi is poorly represented, with only one study covering the Roman Age. In this framework, the analyses carried out on carpological remains collected from the Late Roman (late 5th–early 6th century AD) filling of a well in the Sanctuary of Hercules in Alba Fucens represents an important addition to the state of the art. The plant assemblage consists of over 1500 remains attributed to 68 different taxa. These are partly represented by gathered fruit plants, such as Corylus avellana, Juglans regia and Sambucus nigra, while cereals and pulses are missing. An interesting aspect is represented by evergreen plants (Pinus pinea and Cupressus sempervirens) that are likely to have been used for ritual purposes rather than for human consumption. Finally, the impressive amount of ruderal and spontaneous plants represents a unicum for this type of study, allowing us to describe the past environment surrounding Alba Fucens, characterized by substantial water availability, Apennine grasslands and influenced by human presence.

Patterns of HIV-1 Drug Resistance Observed Through Geospatial Analysis of Routine Diagnostic Testing in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

HIV-1 drug resistance (HIVDR) impedes treatment and control of HIV-1, especially in high-prevalence settings such as KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) province, South Africa. This study merged routine HIV-1 genotypic resistance test (GRT) data with Geographic Information Systems coordinates to assess patterns and geographic distribution of HIVDR in KZN, among ART-experienced adults with virological failure. We curated 3133 GRT records generated between 1 January 2018 and 30 June 2022, which includes the early phase of dolutegravir (DTG) rollout, of which 2735 (87.30%) had HIVDR. Of the 2735, major protease, nucleoside, and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor mutations were detected in 41.24%, 84.97% and 88.08% of GRTs, respectively. Additional genotyping of HIV-1 integrase for 41/3133 (1.31%) GRTs showed that 17/41 (41.46%) had integrase strand transfer inhibitor resistance. Notably, of 26 patients on DTG with integrase genotyping, 9 (34.62%) had DTG-associated resistance mutations. Dual- or triple-class resistance was observed in four of every five GRTs. The odds of HIVDR increased significantly with age, with ≥60 years having 5 times higher odds of HIVDR compared to 18-29 years (p = 0.001). We identified geospatial differences in the burden of HIVDR, providing proof of concept that this could be used for data-driven public health decision making. Ongoing real-time HIVDR surveillance is essential for evaluating the outcomes of the updated South African HIV treatment programme.