Global Level Research Articles

EARTH AND PLANETARY INSIGHTS FOR HUMAN SUSTAINABILITY

Among different human activities having the goal to increase humanity’s quality of life as industrial, agricultural, commercial, transport, touristic ones, also activities connected to Earth and Planetary Insights must be mentioned. In this regard Earth and Planetary Insights especially by exploration, analysis and assessment encompass several scientific fields being an inter-, multi- and transdisciplinary task. The multitude of available approaches and existing applications of mentioned insights are covering almost all human activity fields ranging from main branches of Earth & Planetary Sciences such as for instance Surveying, Geology, in all its aspects, naming here hydrogeology, geotechnics, geophysics etc., Ecology and Environmental Sciences by considering relevant environmental elements such as air, water, soil, oceans, forests, as well as potential environmental impacts because of human activities such as environmental pollution and climate change, coming to Green, Nano- and Space Technologies, as well as to the use of renewable energy resources, all of them being interconnected by modern Management Tools. Space activities must be mentioned in the context of designing new technologies for researching our planet and Outer Space with its many celestial bodies, what means activities for planetary exploration. On the other side using space activities for getting human sustainability also means setting up regional and global emergency programs to support disaster response operations through the provision of satellite data being oriented to reduce disaster risks. With the vision of getting Earth and Planetary Insights for improving humanity quality of life, holistic thinking is per-se required, and in this context connected chances and challenges will be debated with the goal of assuring human sustainability. Developments on global level have emphasized that it depends on our mutual work and cooperation to prevent the increasing processes of current resources consumption from compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Embedding justice into climate policy and practice relevant to tourism

Climate change in tourism discussions rarely address justice concerns. This work critically examines the intricate relationship between climate change, climate justice, and tourism, emphasising the urgent need for a holistic approach to address the interconnected challenges of tourism-related sustainable development. The paper builds on a climate justice framework encompassing recognition, procedural, distributive, and restorative justice to systematically connect justice dimensions to the climate change-tourism nexus. A shift towards a performative justice framework includes all notions of justice and underscores the significance of examining the various justice challenges when embedding justice into climate policymaking. Enhancing visibility of climate justice should foster collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and advocates for climate justice. Ultimately, this article advocates for the development of just climate policies and practices, and an inclusive socio-economic transition at the local, global, and intergenerational levels.

Significant Increase in Global Steric Sea Level Variations over the Past 40 Years

Understanding global sea level variations and exploring their causes hold significant importance for future climate change predictions and the sustainable development of mankind, with the steric sea level (SSL) variations being one of the primary contributors to these changes. Here, we utilize four types of temperature and salinity products (i.e., EN4, IAP, SODA, and GDCSM) to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of global SSL changes from 1980 to 2020. We also explore the relationship between SSL changes and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon. The findings reveal a rising trend of 0.64–0.97 mm/a in global SSL over the past 40 years, and the annual amplitudes of SSL time series are within the range of 0–50 mm. The SSL trend at a depth of 0–100 m exerts the greatest influence on the overall trend. The ENSO phenomenon has an obvious influence on sea level changes both in the equatorial Pacific region and global scale. The changes in the global sea level (GSL) associated with ENSO are primarily caused by changes in SSL. This study benefits the understanding of SSL changes and their connection to climate change, serves as a reference for comprehensively assessing sea level change mechanisms using diverse datasets and remote sensing technology, and further provides a scientific basis for the sustainable development of mankind in coastal areas.

Global, regional, and national burden of thalassemia during 1990-2019: A systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Thalassemia represents a significant public health challenge globally. However, the global burden of thalassemia and the disparities associated with it remain poorly understood. Our study aims to uncover the long-term spatial and temporal trends in thalassemia at global, regional, and national levels, analyze the impacts of age, time periods, and birth cohorts, and pinpoint the global disparities in thalassemia burden. We extracted data on the thalassemia burden from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019. We employed a joinpoint regression model to assess temporal trends in thalassemia burden and an age-period-cohort model to evaluate the effects of age, period, and cohort on thalassemia mortality. From 1990 to 2019, the number of thalassemia incident cases, prevalent cases, mortality cases, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) decreased by 20.9%, 3.1%, 38.6%, and 43.1%, respectively. Age-standardized rates of incidence, prevalence, mortality, and DALYdeclined across regions with high, high-middle, middle, and low-middle sociodemographic index (SDI), yet remained the highest in regions with low SDI and low-middle SDI as well as in Southeast Asia, peaking among children under five years of age. The global prevalence rate was higher in males than in females. The global mortality rate showed a consistent decrease with increasing age. The global burden of thalassemia has significantly declined, yet notable disparities exist in terms of gender, age groups, periods, birth cohorts, SDI regions, and GBD regions. Systemic interventions that include early screening, genetic counseling, premarital health examinations, and prenatal diagnosis should be prioritized in regions with low, and low-middle SDI, particularly in Southeast Asia. Future population-based studies should focus specifically on thalassemia subtypes and transfusion requirements, and national registries should enhance data capture through newborn screening.

METTL3 promotes immature dental pulp stem cells-induced angiogenesis by regulating ETS1 mRNA stability in an m6A-HuR-dependent manner.

Angiogenesis serves as the determinate element of pulp regeneration. Dental pulp stem cell (DPSC) implantation can promote the regeneration of dental pulp tissue. Herein, the role of m6A methyltransferase methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in regulating DPSCs-induced angiogenesis during pulp regeneration therapy was investigated. Cell DPSC viability, HUVEC migration, and angiogenesis ability were analyzed by CCK-8 assay, wound healing, Transwell assay, and tube formation assay. The global and EST1 mRNA m6A levels were detected by m6A dot blot and Me-RIP. The interactions between E26 transformation-specific proto-oncogene 1(ETS1), human antigen R(HuR), and METTL3 were analyzed by RIP assay. The relationship between METTL3 and the m6A site of ETS1 was performed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. ETS1 mRNA stability was examined with actinomycin D. Herein, our results revealed that human immature DPSCs (hIDPSCs) showed stronger ability to induce angiogenesis than human mature DPSCs (hMDPSCs), which might be related to ETS1 upregulation. ETS1 knockdown inhibited DPSCs-induced angiogenesis. Our mechanistic experiments demonstrated that METTL3 increased ETS1 mRNA stability and expression level on DPSCs in an m6A-HuR-dependent manner. ETS1 upregulation abolished sh-METTL3's inhibition on DPSCs-induced angiogenesis. METTL3 upregulation promoted DPSCs-induced angiogenesis by enhancing ETS1 mRNA stability in an m6A-HuR-dependent manner. This study reveals a new mechanism by which m6A methylation regulates angiogenesis in DPSCs, providing new insights for stem cell-based tissue engineering.

Search for the γ decay of the narrow near-threshold proton resonance in 11B

The γ decay of the elusive narrow, near-threshold proton resonance in 11B was investigated at Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (INFN) in a particle-γ coincidence experiment, using the 6Li(6Li,pγ) fusion-evaporation reaction and the GALILEO-GALTRACE setup. No clear signature was found for a possible E1 decay to the 1/21−, first-excited state of 11B, predicted by the Shell Model Embedded in the Continuum (SMEC) with a branching of 0.98−69+167×10−3 with respect to the dominant particle-decaying modes. The statistical analysis of the γ-ray spectrum provided an average upper limit of 2.37×10−3 for this γ-ray branching, with a global significance of 5σ. On the other hand, by imposing a global confidence level of 3σ, a significant excess of counts was observed for E=γ9300(20) keV, corresponding to a resonance energy of 11429(20) keV (namely 200(20) keV above the proton separation energy of 11B) and a γ-ray branching of 1.12(35)×10−3. This result is compatible with the SMEC calculations, potentially supporting the existence of a near-threshold proton resonance in 11B.

Non-linear buckling analysis of delaminated hat-stringer panels using variational asymptotic method

This research proposes a computationally efficient methodology using a Constrained Variational Asymptotic Method (C-VAM) for non-linear buckling analysis on a hat-stringer panel with delamination defects. Starting with the geometrically non-linear kinematics, the VAM procedure reduces the three-dimensional (3-D) strain energy functional to an analogous 2-D plate model and evaluates the closed form warping solutions. Utilising the resulting warping solutions and recovery relations for the skin and the stringer, displacement continuity at the three-dimensional level is enforced between the stringer and the skin based on the pristine and delaminated interface regions. Consequently, the constrained matrices obtained from C-VAM is incorporated into an in-house developed non-linear finite element framework. Using the developed formulation, a stiffened panel with delamination of 40 mm between the stringer and the skin is analysed under compression. The results have been validated locally and globally, employing experimental data and 3-D finite element analysis (FEA). Experiments are carried out on the co-cured panel by applying quasi-static loading with displacement-controlled conditions, and 3-D FEA is carried out in Abaqus. Load-response plots have been obtained to validate the results at the global level, and they are in excellent agreement with experiments and 3-D FEA. Subsequently, out-of-plane displacement contour plots are obtained; the number of half waves and wave intensity in 3-D FEA and C-VAM are comparable, although there are minor differences compared to the experimental findings. The proposed framework is shown to be computationally efficient by over 55% as compared to 3-D FEA for performing non-linear buckling analysis on the stiffened composite structure considered in the current work.

Sustainable Management Practices of Sio-River Wetland, Nambale Sub-County, Busia County

Wetlands are vital resources on the earth's surface and their roles and functions cannot be underestimated. The unique nature of the wetlands is recognized both at global and local levels. The objective of this study is to examine the sustainable management of the Sio-River Wetland in Nambale Sub-County. There is scanty research done to examine and document the sustainable management of the wetlands for the residents of Nambale Sub-County hence the need for study. To underscore the objective, a mixed research approach coupled with cross-sectional research design was used. Questionnaires, observation, interview guides, Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing were used in data collection. Questionnaires were administered to 400 inhabitants through cluster, simple random and purposive sampling. Qualitative data was thematically analysed while quantitative data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Ver.21). Results showed that human activities, more so, agriculture degrade the wetlands by 80%. It, therefore, concluded that there was no balance between human activities and sustainable management of Sio-River Wetland due to the irresponsibility of the local community, inadequate policies and laws and lack of integrated approach in management. In this aspect, this study recommends rehabilitation and restoration of fragile ecosystems, allocation of funds for research and development and adoption of an integrated approach in wetland management to enhance the sustainability of wetlands in Nambale Sub-County and other parts of the world. The study recommends participatory management of wetland resources and additional knowledge in the field of Sustainable Management of Rivers and Wetland Ecosystems

Mergers and acquisitions, knowledge base and technological trajectories. An exploratory study in the wind energy sector

ABSTRACT The wind energy sector has increased its technological complexity for the last 20 years, with new technological and convergent domains like advanced materials, complex simulation, and artificial intelligence. In this context, mergers, and acquisitions (M&A) have become a key channel for companies in the sector to absorb new knowledge and develop complementary capabilities. The aim of this article is to trace the recent trajectory of the sector’s knowledge base and to analyze the role of M&A, specially of New Technology Based Firms in the generation of new capabilities through knowledge recombination. Using co-occurrence networks on a unique database of 1,299 companies in the wind sector and their acquired companies, we developed a methodological approach to investigate the trajectory of the wind sector at a global level. The empirical analysis verifies that acquisitions belonging to ‘unrelated’ sectors contribute significantly to the diversification and complexification of the sector’s knowledge base over time.

I-BaR: integrated balance rehabilitation framework.

Neurological diseases are observed in approximately 1 billion people worldwide. A further increase is foreseen at the global level as a result of population growth and aging. Individuals with neurological disorders often experience cognitive, motor, sensory, and lower extremity dysfunctions. Thus, the possibility of falling and balance problems arise due to the postural control deficiencies that occur as a result of the deterioration in the integration of multi-sensory information. We propose a novel rehabilitation framework, Integrated Balance Rehabilitation (I-BaR), to improve the effectiveness of the rehabilitation with objective assessment, individualized therapy, convenience with different disability levels and adoption of assist-as-needed paradigm and, with integrated rehabilitation process as whole, that is, ankle-foot preparation, balance, and stepping phases, respectively. Integrated Balance Rehabilitation allows patients to improve their balance ability by providing multi-modal feedback: visual via utilization of virtual reality; vestibular via anteroposterior and mediolateral perturbations with the robotic platform; proprioceptive via haptic feedback.

O-265 Mapping decidualization resistance at multi-omic level

Abstract Study question What are the cellular and molecular features of decidualization resistance (DR) at single-cell resolution? Summary answer There is an absence of the stromal-epithelial transition with aberrant crosstalk among cell types in essential pathways (e.g., endoglin, WNT) confirmed at the protein level. What is known already DR refers to the inability of the endometrium to undergo decidualization changes preparing the endometrium for a conceptus, noted in disorders like endometriosis, recurrent pregnancy loss, miscarriage and preeclampsia. The molecular mechanisms causing this disorder remains unknown. It has been demonstrated that there is a transcriptomic signature of DR in the endometrium of former preeclampsia patients, during and years after suffering from the disease. Our objective is to dilucidated what is DR at single-cell resolution. Study design, size, duration This cross-sectional study compares late secretory phase endometrial biopsies from patients that previously have suffered severe Preeclampsia (sPE). The sample size consisted of 11 sPE patients and 12 control participants for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), 8 sPE patients and 8 controls for spatial transcriptomic mapping covering 95 tissue regions, and 10 sPE patients and 10 controls for proteomic analysis. The study spanned 2 years, from sample collection to omics analysis. Participants/materials, setting, methods Late secretory phase endometrial biopsies from sPE patients and controls underwent molecular analyses. Methods included 10x Genomics protocol for single-cell RNA sequencing, MiloR to calculate cell abundance, CellChat to infer cell-to-cell communication and ClusterProfiler for gene ontology. We solved spatial mapping at transcriptomic level using Nanostring. Proteomics data was collected by laser-capture microdissection coupled mass spectrometry. Protein-protein networks, involving PR and ESR1 receptors as master regulators of decidualization, were built using String. Main results and the role of chance Initial morphological analyses of endometrial biopsies collected during the late secretory phase revealed gross anatomical defects in glandular morphology that were histologically confirmed. scRNA-seq revealed sPE-associated alterations in cell composition involving stromal and epithelial subtypes, denoting a higher proportion of cells expressing proliferative markers in the stroma (MMP11, SFRP1) and epithelium (IHH, EMID), and a near absent epithelial-stromal transition that is normally linked to decidualization. Further, abnormal abundance and gene dysregulation were detected in the three decidualized stages identified. Mapping cell-cell communication networks confirmed aberrant crosstalk among cell types involved in essential pathways (e.g., endoglin, WNT, SPP1). Spatial transcriptomic in a replication cohort of samples revealed a landscape of dysregulated genes in stromal, luminal and glandular enriched regions, corroborating sPE-associated DR. Laser capture microdissection/mass spectrometry of samples revealed differential protein expression at a global level and confirmed many of the scRNA-seq results, such as sPE-exclusive proteins related to proliferation and the absence of a stromal to epithelial transition at a pathway level. These data lend insights into potential molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of DR. Limitations, reasons for caution DR analysed in this work is associated with sPE but we do not know if this decidualization defect would be the same in other DR associated conditions such as endometriosis, recurrent pregnancy loss, or miscarriage. Wider implications of the findings Here we present the most comprehensive snapshot of DR to date, providing a full range of markers potentially responsible for this decidualization disorder linked to sPE. We concluded that stromal and epithelial cell populations are altered revealing a near absence of the stromal-epithelial transition, cellular crosstalk and glandular constitution. Trial registration number not aplicable

P-011 Maternal gestational methyl donor deficiency affects reproductive development and fertility of mice offspring

Abstract Study question Is maternal methyl donor deficiency during gestation affects offspring’s reproductive health at adulthood? Summary answer Maternal gestational methyl donor deficiency affects reproductive development and fertility of F1 offspring and also leads to increased post implantation loss What is known already Reproductive disorders and their exact mechanisms are scarce in “The developmental origins of health and disease” (DOHaD) hypothesis which well explains the metabolic complications such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and hypertension that may take root during early development. The maternal nutritional environment during early development has important implications on offspring’s health later in life including reproductive health. The gestational period is of critical importance during which major epigenetic reprogramming occurs. The maternal methyl donor deficiency during gestational period may affect this process and epigenetic signatures of developing gametes and the fertility potential Study design, size, duration Pregnant female OCT4-GFP mice, fed on control chow diet (CCD) & 40% methyl-donors (Folate, Methionine & Vitamin B12) deficient diet (MDD) from gestation day (GD) 5 to GD 20. The gonadal development of F1 offsprings was studied on gestation day GD 18, post-natal day (PND) 22 and PND 60. Fertility study was done by mating adult F1 male offspring with adult female mice fed on standard diet Participants/materials, setting, methods Homocysteine levels in dams (F0) at GD18 were estimated by ELISA. Testosterone levels in F1 offsprings at PND 60 were estimated by ELISA. Furthermore, Serum glucose levels in F1 offsprings were measured at PND 60 and PND 75 by glucometer. Testicular histology, quantitative histomorphometry, immunofluorescence and TUNEL assay was performed at PND 60. Main results and the role of chance Fetal weight was reduced at GD13 and GD18 but postnatal body weight at PND 22 and 60 was not significantly affected in MDD group. Teratological defects were observed in pups of 40% MDD group as compared to CDD. Testosterone levels were significantly reduced in F1 offsprings of 40% MDD group. Glucose levels were similar in both the groups at PND 60 but at PND 75 it is significantly higher in case of F1 offsprings of 40% MDD. Maternal serum homocysteine levels and global DNA methylation levels of fetal gonads were affected. Testicular histology was significantly impaired in 40% MDD group at GD18, PND22 and PND60. Quantitative histomorphometry and immunofluorescence study showed the loss of spermatogonia and spermatocytes with significant increase in germ cells sloughing and seminiferous tubules atrophy. Apoptosis is also observed in seminiferous tubules. Copulation index, sperm count and motility was significantly reduced in case of 40% MDD group at adulthood. The F1 offspring of this group were sub-fertile with significant post implantation loss. Limitations, reasons for caution Although mice share ∼90% genome with humans, they may not resemble all aspect of physiology or pathology in humans hence it could limit the findings to extrapolate to humans. Wider implications of the findings The knowledge gained from this work could be helpful in highlighting the need of gestational micronutrient interventions specially methyl donors, which could help improving maternal and child health as well as reducing the future disease burden of reproductive disorders Trial registration number not applicable

P-159 Single-cell high-throughput methylation and transcriptomic analysis indicates variations in sensitivity to Folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism in mouse preimplantation embryos

Abstract Study question Do Folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) supplements impose methylating conditions that influence methylation and transcriptomic profiles during preimplantation period of mouse embryos? Summary answer Subtle differences in embryo methylation profiles were induced by FOCM supplements, despite transcriptomic signatures remained stable and selective genes related to metabolism were activated. What is known already Previous human studies of populations affected by seasonal variations in diet including folate availability have shown methylation changes in specific loci known as metastable epialleles (MEs). MEs exhibit stability across tissues, indicating these could be potential biosensors for heightened sensitivity to external methylating influences in early embryonic stages. Despite significant progress in IVF embryo culture conditions, the sensitivity to the outer metabolic environment during the extensive genomic transformation of embryo reprogramming remains inadequately understood. Study design, size, duration This is a prospective experimental study conducted from January 2023 to December 2023. A total of 111 fresh mouse zygotes (F1 hybrid (B6/CBA)) were subjected embryo culture conditions with different FOCM supplies of 5-MTHF and betaine up to expanded blastocyst stage (105 hours). At different timepoints, individual embryos were collected and disaggregated in individual cells for downstream single-cell analysis. Participants/materials, setting, methods Mouse zygotes were collected from the oviduct, washed and culture in KSOM supplemented with 5-MTHF and betaine at respectively concentrations of 50μM and 50μg/mL (THF/bet(50)), 10μM and 10μg/mL (THF/bet(10)) and no supplement till blastocyst stage at 37 °C, 6%CO2 and 5%O2. Individual embryos were collected at 2 cells, 4 cells, 8 cells, Morula and Blastocyst stage and disaggregated into single cells for subsequent single-cell RNAseq (SmartSeq2) and single-cell methylome analysis through Splinted Ligation Adapter Tagging (scSPLAT). Main results and the role of chance The methylation analysis conducted though scSPLAT revealed a comprehensive reduction in global methylation levels throughout developmental stages. Notably, zygotes exhibited a maximal proportion of methylated cytosines at CpG sites, while blastocysts displayed minimal methylation levels, with sporadic increases in isolated cells. Quantitative profiling indicated lower methylation intensities in treated embryos from zygote to 4 cells, followed by a reversal trend from 8 cells to blastocyst, suggestive of an enhanced assimilation of one-carbon metabolism (FOCM) supplements. Transcriptomic profiles obtained through scRNAseq exhibited correlation with developmental trajectories from zygote to blastocyst. However, no discernible variations were attributed to the combined exposure of Betaine and 5-MTHF. Gene enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes at various timepoints highlighted specific metabolic responses, including mitochondrial oxidative stress and variations in glutathione metabolism. This suggests that the folate forms utilized in this study may possess a protective role as antioxidants, contributing to the observed effects on gene expression during embryonic development. Limitations, reasons for caution The methylation analysis shown in this study was a pilot carried out with low coverage of sequencing deepness, further analysis are ongoing to increase reads coverage. Wider implications of the findings Exposure of mouse embryos to FOCM enhanced global methylation during cell division from 8 cells to blastocyst, indicating heightened assimilation during DNA synthesis. While the transcriptomic signature remained stable, increased expression of genes linked to mitochondrial oxidative stress and glutathione metabolism suggests FOCM’s potential antioxidant role. Trial registration number not applicable

The global burden of disease attributable to high body mass index in 204 countries and territories: Findings from 1990 to 2019 and predictions to 2035.

Our study aims to provide an updated estimate of age- and sex-specific deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with high body mass index (BMI) from 1990 to 2019 at the global, regional and national levels, and to forecast the global burden of disease attributed to high BMI from 2020 to 2035. We used the data for the number of deaths, DALYs, age-standardized rate (per 100 000 population), percentage change and population attributable fraction from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD 2019) to examine the disease burden attributable to high BMI. We further applied an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model to predict the disease burden for the period 2020-2035. From 1990 to 2019, the deaths and DALYs attributable to high BMI increased by 148% and 155.86% for men, and by 111.67% and 121.78% for women, respectively. In 2019, high BMI directly accounted for 8.52% [95% uncertainty intervals (UI) 0.05, 0.12] of all-cause deaths and 5.89% (95% UI 0.04, 0.08) of global DALYs. The highest death rates were observed in men aged 65-69 and women aged 75-79. The highest DALY rates were observed in the age group of 60-64 for both sexes. In 2019, the highest age-standardized deaths and DALY rates were observed in the Central Asia region [163.15 (95% UI 107.72, 223.58) per 100 000 people] and the Oceania region [4643.33 (95% UI 2835.66, 6902.6) per 100 000 people], respectively. Fiji [319.08 (95% UI 213.77, 444.96) per 100 000 people] and Kiribati [10 000.58 (95% UI 6266.55, 14159.2) per 100 000 people] had the highest age-standardized deaths and DALY rates, respectively. In 2019, the highest age-standardized rates of high BMI-related deaths and DALYs were observed in the middle-high socio-demographic index quintile and in the middle socio-demographic index quintile. The age-standardized deaths and DALY rates attributable to high BMI are projected to increase in both sexes from 2020 to 2035. The death rates are projected to rise from 62.79 to 64.31 per 100 000 people, while the DALY rates are projected to rise from 1946 to 2099.54 per 100 000 people. High BMIs significantly contribute to the global disease burden. The projected rise in deaths and DALY rates attributable to high BMI by 2035 highlights the critical need to address the impact of obesity on public health. Our study provides policymakers with up-to-date and comprehensive information.

Mega‐events and the minor

AbstractMega‐events like the Olympics and the football World Cups remain popular around the globe, regardless of their record of damaging host cities and societies. In parallel, research on mega‐events continues to grow across a range of disciplines, including geography. Much of this literature remains fixed at global levels of analysis. In this light, mega‐events suffer from a double problem: their planning and articulation too often cause harm to cities and societies and, simultaneously, research on mega‐events focuses too much on the macro. This paper endeavours to address both problems by proposing to make sense of mega‐events by thinking through the minor. This concern valorises micro scales and marginalised people, those who most often lose during mega‐event hosting. The paper argues that geographers are uniquely positioned to conduct nuanced mega‐event research across a globally diverse range of political‐economic contexts, and calls for more geographers to contribute to this project in a move towards a critical geography of mega‐events.

Epidemiological Study of Leprosy in Elqalaah Dermatology and Leprosy Clinic

Abstract Background Leprosy is a chronic, infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It mainly affects the skin, the peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract, and the eyes. Nerve damage may result in lack of ability to feel pain, which can lead to loss of parts of a person's extremities from repeated injuries or infection due to unnoticed wounds. Egypt is one of the first countries in the region to achieve the elimination target at the national level as early as 1994, However Leprosy is still endemic in certain foci in Egypt. Thus, our study aims to evaluate the epidemiology of leprosy in Elqalaah leprosy clinic in Cairo over the last decade to support the current national control program of leprosy with updated data. Objective This study presents an analysis of pattern of new cases of leprosy detected annually from 2009 to 2020 in Elqalaah Dermatology and leprosy clinic in Cairo as the new-case detection rate is better than prevalence as an indicator of disease trends. Methods and Material Data about patients with newly diagnosed leprosy were collected from Elqalaah dermatology and leprosy clinic registry, the main referral center in Cairo governorate. Case detection rates (CDR) were calculated for each year by dividing the newly diagnosed cases by mid-year populations for the same year. Results 504 patients were newly diagnosed between 2009 and 2020. The mean age of patients at diagnosis was 38.16 years, 64.5% were males, and 5.4% were children below 14 years of age. The new case detection rate ranged from 0.66/100,000 population in 2009 to 0.12 /100,000 population in 2020. 82.5% were classified as multibacillary. 75.6% were detected by notification method, and 82.5% of patients completed their treatment course. Macules was the most common clinical finding and was found in 67.7% of patients. 18.5% of cases had previous history of contact with other leprosy patient. 13.1% and 2.4% suffered type one and type two leprae reactions respectively. 11.9% of cases had grade two hand disabilities, 6.7% had grade two feet disabilities and 1.8% had grade two eye disabilities. Conclusions The new case detection rate is acceptable compared to the global level and there was a decline in the number of cases throughout the years of the study, however community- based research should be encouraged and leprosy trends over years from different regions need to be reported to know the actual status of leprosy in different regions of country and continued surveillance of patients and their contacts is required to detect relapses and undiagnosed cases.

Public Diplomacy in Time of War. Israel's War on Gaza Case Study

This paper aims to study the conflict between Israel and Hamas and its public diplomacy implications. In contemporary societies, war is viewed negatively as a phenomenon that destroys the peaceful life of society and dramatically changes people's lives. It has the potential to do great harm and spread systematic disruption, fear, and uncertainty in societies at war. It also produces profound changes in the perceptions of others in public opinion. These negative transformations affect all aspects of international political life at the regional or even global level. In such situations, there is an urgent need to take measures to remove such states of affairs. Public diplomacy can be one way to return societies to pre-war normality. It can lead to the restoration of trust in societies affected by war. It can also repair these misperceptions and reconnect people and societies to a normal life. All these are possible if public diplomacy informs a wider audience as objectively as possible. Many specialists argue that during wartime, states used public diplomacy in order to promote their subjective positions by influencing public opinion in national, regional, and global contexts. The main question is whether public diplomacy can achieve its aims and objectives during wartime.

Claiming space in civil society. Young Muslim moral personhoods in Bangladesh and Italy

ABSTRACT In this article we analyze the multi-layered engagements of young Muslim activists in Dhaka (Bangladesh) and in the ‘Bangladeshi community’ in Rome (Italy), illustrating how, despite the local factors shaping a problematic relationship between Islamic activism and civil society in the two contexts, the young people share an attitude that points to the manifestations of a public Islam on a global level. This attitude aims at transcending the sectarianism and isolationism of previous generations, giving rise to civic engagements that rely on a concept of moral personhood, and strive to achieve change in society through modalities that depart from the clichés of political Islam. By considering these varied modalities, we highlight the existence of unconventional links between politics and civil society, and between ‘new’ and ‘old’ forms of civil society, contributing to the deconstruction of a Eurocentric and religion-averse understanding of the concept. At the same time, by analyzing the role played by the ‘individual’ in our interlocutors’ engagements, we shed light on counterintuitive convergences between Muslim moral economy and that of neoliberal governmentality, and on the emergence of a ‘liquid civil society’.

Multiple levels of transcriptional regulation control glycolate metabolism in Paracoccus denitrificans.

The hydroxyacid glycolate is a highly abundant carbon source in the environment. Glycolate is produced by unicellular photosynthetic organisms and excreted at petagram scales to the environment, where it serves as growth substrate for heterotrophic bacteria. In microbial metabolism, glycolate is first oxidized to glyoxylate by the enzyme glycolate oxidase. The recently described β-hydroxyaspartate cycle (BHAC) subsequently mediates the carbon-neutral assimilation of glyoxylate into central metabolism in ubiquitous Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria. Although the reaction sequence of the BHAC was elucidated in Paracoccus denitrificans, little is known about the regulation of glycolate and glyoxylate assimilation in this relevant alphaproteobacterial model organism. Here, we show that regulation of glycolate metabolism in P. denitrificans is surprisingly complex, involving two regulators, the IclR-type transcription factor BhcR that acts as an activator for the BHAC gene cluster, and the GntR-type transcriptional regulator GlcR, a previously unidentified repressor that controls the production of glycolate oxidase. Furthermore, an additional layer of regulation is exerted at the global level, which involves the transcriptional regulator CceR that controls the switch between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis in P. denitrificans. Together, these regulators control glycolate metabolism in P. denitrificans, allowing the organism to assimilate glycolate together with other carbon substrates in a simultaneous fashion, rather than sequentially. Our results show that the metabolic network of Alphaproteobacteria shows a high degree of flexibility to react to the availability of multiple substrates in the environment.IMPORTANCEAlgae perform ca. 50% of the photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation on our planet. In the process, they release the two-carbon molecule glycolate. Due to the abundance of algae, massive amounts of glycolate are released. Therefore, this molecule is available as a source of carbon for bacteria in the environment. Here, we describe the regulation of glycolate metabolism in the model organism Paracoccus denitrificans. This bacterium uses the recently characterized β-hydroxyaspartate cycle to assimilate glycolate in a carbon- and energy-efficient manner. We found that glycolate assimilation is dynamically controlled by three different transcriptional regulators: GlcR, BhcR, and CceR. This allows P. denitrificans to assimilate glycolate together with other carbon substrates in a simultaneous fashion. Overall, this flexible and multi-layered regulation of glycolate metabolism in P. denitrificans represents a resource-efficient strategy to make optimal use of this globally abundant molecule under fluctuating environmental conditions.

Assessing the Impact of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Surface Temperature Dynamics Using Google Earth Engine: A Case Study of Tlemcen Municipality, Northwestern Algeria (1989–2019)

Changes in land use and land cover (LULC) have a significant impact on urban planning and environmental dynamics, especially in regions experiencing rapid urbanization. In this context, by leveraging the Google Earth Engine (GEE), this study evaluates the effects of land use and land cover modifications on surface temperature in a semi-arid zone of northwestern Algeria between 1989 and 2019. Through the analysis of Landsat images on GEE, indices such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), and normalized difference latent heat index (NDLI) were extracted, and the random forest and split window algorithms were used for supervised classification and surface temperature estimation. The multi-index approach combining the Normalized Difference Tillage Index (NDTI), NDBI, and NDVI resulted in kappa coefficients ranging from 0.96 to 0.98. The spatial and temporal analysis of surface temperature revealed an increase of 4 to 6 degrees across the four classes (urban, barren land, vegetation, and forest). The Google Earth Engine approach facilitated detailed spatial and temporal analysis, aiding in understanding surface temperature evolution at various scales. This ability to conduct large-scale and long-term analysis is essential for understanding trends and impacts of land use changes at regional and global levels.