High Intensity Research Articles

Probabilistic and FEM hydro-mechanical coupling analysis of rainfall-induced slope instability

The random field theory coupled with a FEM hydro-mechanical model was employed to analyse slope responses under rainfall, with a particular focus on post-rainfall behaviour. This study uniquely analysed the heterogeneity of soil strength and permeability through the application of random field theory, providing a novel perspective on its impact on slope stability. Numerical modelling under varying rainfall intensities revealed that the factor of safety (FoS) decreased with prolonged rainfall, particularly at higher intensities. Post-rainfall behaviour varied for different rainfall events, that gentle and moderate rainfalls led to a gradual decline in FoS due to water infiltration, while heavy rainfall allowed recovery through drainage, and extremely heavy rainfall triggered immediate failure. A novel finding is that post-rainfall water seepage can govern slope stability under extreme rainfall conditions. At failure, the surface layer of a fully saturated slope lost clay suction and exhibited concentrated plastic shear strain at its base. Weak zones with interconnected high-permeability channels significantly influenced slope stability by facilitating water infiltration. Probabilistic analysis further showed that the FoS at the end of simulations typically ranged from 1.1 to 1.4, with a recommended 5th percentile value of 1.1 for slope designs.

Saturable absorption in highly excited laser-irradiated silicon and its suppression at the surface

Nonlinear electronic excitation in laser-irradiated silicon at finite electron temperatures is numerically investigated by first-principles calculations based on the time-dependent density functional theory. In bulk silicon at finite temperatures under near-infrared laser irradiation, we found that the absorbed energy is saturated when using a certain laser intensity even with a few-cycle pulse. Although one-photon processes of conduction-to-conduction and valence-to-valence transitions are dominant at such a laser intensity, the Pauli blocking inhibits further one-photon transition. With higher intensities, multiphoton excitation across the bandgap overwhelms the one-photon excitation and the saturable absorption disappears. At the surface of finite-temperature silicon, the Pauli blocking is suppressed by the symmetry breaking and the absorbed energy is relatively enhanced from the energy of the saturable absorption in the bulk region. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Isotemporal substitution of sedentary time with different physical activity intensities and sleep in obesity parameters across eight latin American countries

This study aimed to examine the associations between substituting sedentary time (ST) with physical activity and sleep with obesity parameters in adults from eight Latin American countries. The sample consisted of 2173 adults aged 18–65 years. Physical activity, ST and sleep were objectively measured using accelerometers. The parameters of obesity were defined using body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). Regression analyses were conducted for isotemporal analysis of the association between substituting 30 min/day of ST with light physical activity (LPA), moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sleep in relation to BMI and WC. Substituting light physical activity with higher intensity was also analyzed. Substituting 30 min/day of ST with MVPA was significantly associated with lower odds of a higher BMI (OR: 0.993, 95%CI 0.990–0.998) and WC (OR: 0.998, 95%CI 0.998–0.999). Conversely, substituting ST with LPA did not show a significant impact on obesity parameters. However, the substitution of 30 min/day of LPA with MVPA was also associated with lower odds of a higher BMI (OR: 0.993, 95%CI 0.989–0.997). The results highlight the importance of replacing ST and increasing the intensity of physical activity as an effective strategy for preventing and managing obesity in Latin America.

Laser‐Induced Crystallization and Amorphization of Ge‐Rich GST Thin Films Monitored In Situ with Synchrotron X‐Ray Diffraction

This study explores laser‐induced crystallization and amorphization processes in thin films of Ge‐rich GST (GGST), a tailored phase change material (PCM), monitored in situ using synchrotron X‐ray diffraction. GGST's high crystallization temperature makes it a promising material for embedded memory applications. Experiments employed an 800 nm femtosecond laser source, varying fluence and pulse parameters to induce phase transitions. Key findings include fluence‐dependent thresholds for crystallizing Ge and GST, along with precise control over reversible amorphization. Crystallization maps highlight the differences in fluence and pulse requirements for the transformations. Repeated cycling between amorphous and crystalline states, mimicking PCM operations, confirms the feasibility of controlled phase transitions. Surface imaging using scanning electron microscopy revealed fluence‐induced changes, including ripple formation and ablation at higher intensities. The potential of ultrafast laser irradiation to precisely manipulate GGST phase changes is demonstrated, establishing a foundation for future research on time‐resolved experiments on this and other PCMs.

Investigation on enhancing surface characteristics of UNS S32760 super duplex stainless steel weldment through optimized multiple shot peening technique

Mechanical property and corrosion resistance of TIG welded UNS S32760 super duplex stainless steel were studied in the present work. The sample surfaces were peened using bigger steel balls with higher intensity followed by another two stages of peening using smaller steel/glass balls at a lower intensity. Six different multiple shot peening parameters were applied onto the weld bead identified by SP1 through SP6. The microstructure and mechanical property of the weld bead was assessed through surface morphology, surface roughness, residual stress measurement, X-ray diffraction. Potentiodynamic polarization studies were carried out in 3.5% NaCl solution to understand the corrosion behavior. In general, it was found that the use of glass beads in the last stage of shot peening resulted in superior mechanical properties and corrosion resistance compared to peening using steel balls in all the three stages. Among the different treatments, SP2 parameter demonstrated superior microhardness (381.4 HV) and high residual stress (-880 MPa and -986.8 MPa in ferrite and austenite phase, respectively). Relatively higher domain size and lower microstrain along with low surface roughness of 1.25 µm (Ra) was responsible for the lowest corrosion rate (0.021mpy) in the SP2 treated weld bead.

Prosodic Cues for Broad, Narrow, and Corrective Focus in Persian.

Previous studies have demonstrated that focus significantly alters sentential prosody in Persian. However, research on the phonetic realization of non-corrective narrow focus is scarce compared to that on broad and corrective focus. This paper presents a systematic production study investigating whether Persian speakers distinguish between three focus structures on target words that bear a pitch accent, that is, broad, narrow, and corrective focus. In a multidimensional phonetic analysis, we investigated the parameters of intensity, duration, and F0. Taking a local perspective, results show that the duration of the target word is a robust cue for focus marking in both syllables of the word, exhibiting a three-step pattern (corrective > narrow > broad). In the first syllable, intensity is a reliable cue to distinguish broad focus from the other two focus types, with higher intensities in broad focus. In the accented syllable, a different two-step pattern is observed, with narrow and corrective focus showing larger F0 spans than broad focus. Taking a global perspective that considers the parts of the utterance before and after the target word, we find a lowering of F0 and decreased intensity for narrow and corrective focus in the pre-target region. In the post-target region, we find strong evidence for differences in mean F0 and intensity with lower F0 in corrective focus than in broad and narrow focus, while the intensity is lower in narrow and corrective focus than in broad focus. Our analysis deepens our understanding of Persian prosody.

Cellular Responses of Astrangia poculata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) and Its Symbiont to Experimental Heat Stress

Climate change has had devastating effects on tropical coral reefs; however, much less is known regarding how heat stress affects temperate coral. This research focuses on Astrangia poculata (Ellis and Solander, 1786) collected from Narragansett Bay, RI, during the summer and winter seasons and understanding the effect of experimental thermal extremes (i.e., 26 °C) on seasonally different populations. Photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm), symbiont density (via an inverse relationship with pixel intensity), and oxidative stress via reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentrations were measured on symbiotic and aposymbiotic A. poculata. Higher Fv/Fm rates were observed in summer- vs. winter-collected corals (p ≤ 0.05). Lower symbiont density within symbiotic and aposymbiotic A. poculata were observed at elevated temperatures, and higher intensities as well as symbiotic coral were observed in winter compared to the summer collections (p ≤ 0.05). No differences in ROS were observed in host tissue cells, suggesting that ROS produced in the algal symbionts was not translocated into host tissues. Overall, higher ROS concentrations were observed in summer- vs. winter-collected corals (p ≤ 0.05) in both symbiotic states. ROS concentrations were higher in symbiotic compared to aposymbitoic colonies (p ≤ 0.05), albeit no differences were observed between temperature treatments, suggesting that antioxidants mitigate the deleterious effects of ROS on host tissues.

Learning by making – student-made models and creative projects for medical education: systematic review with qualitative synthesis

Study ObjectiveStudent-centered learning and unconventional teaching modalities are gaining popularity in medical education. One notable approach involves engaging students in producing creative projects to complement the learning of preclinical topics. A systematic review was conducted to characterize the impact of creative project-based learning on metacognition and knowledge gains in medical students.MethodsA systematic search was conducted using MEDLINE and Embase via Ovid, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Scopus from January 1st, 1995, to July 6th, 2023. Studies using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches that explored the impact of creative project-based lessons on medical students' educational outcomes were included. Two investigators independently screened the titles and abstracts and extracted data from included articles. A narrative synthesis was conducted to summarize study designs and outcome measures. Content analysis was conducted to generate codes and themes. Study quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool in view of the range of study types employed.ResultsThe review included 17 studies published between 2010 to 2022. These studies implemented various creative project interventions such as handicraft models, drawings, and concept maps covering multiple topics, including anatomy, histopathology, and fundamental sciences. The identified themes of Enhanced Learning, Collaborative Learning, and Deep Learning led to further themes of Student Engagement, Student Disengagement, and Faculty Engagement. Collaborative learning involves students working in teams and benefitting from effective mentorship. Creative projects facilitated deep learning objectives via interdisciplinary learning and promoted new ways of perceiving concepts. Learning was enhanced through increased interactivity, high conceptual fidelity and improved knowledge retention.ConclusionCreative projects undertaken by medical students exhibit attributes that facilitate the acquisition of collaborative and deep learning objectives through self-directed learning, cognitive load modulation, and metacognitive behaviours. Faculty mentorship and group learning amongst peers facilitate these processes, although challenges such as high task demands, cognitive and emotional intensiveness, and mismatch with students; professional identities remain. Overall, students and faculty received these interventions well, thus, warranting further exploration for uses in medical curricula.Trial registrationNot applicable as this study is a systematic review.

Extreme high temperatures and heatwave events across Europe in 2023

Abstract With global mean temperatures reaching record highs in 2023, many regions experienced successive heatwaves, causing negative impacts on human health, social economy, and ecosystems. Europe is among the continents that experienced a series of extreme heatwaves over large areas in the year. However, there is a lack of quantitative analysis of spatial and temporal features of such record high heatwaves. Here, we investigated the spatial patterns and seasonal evolution of heatwaves over Europe in 2023. Overall, Europe was unusually warm with prolonged seasons and expanded spatial extent of heatwaves in 2023 compared to the baseline period (1991-2020). The earliest heatwave occurred in the Iberian Peninsula in late April, with the heatwave intensity up to 30°C. Then, heatwaves were observed in the British Isles and Scandinavia in mid-June successively, with duration above 10 days and the highest intensity in some areas since 1991. Extreme heatwaves extended through the autumn primarily in the Mediterranean areas and western Europe, with some areas experiencing maximum temperature up to 32°C and duration exceeding 12 days. The heatwave number, duration, frequency, and intensity in areas affected by extreme heatwaves in all seasons were much higher than the average in the baseline period. Especially in the autumn, the frequency and seasonal cumulative heat anomalies were up to 25 days and 65°C in some areas, respectively. These findings unveil the characteristics of heatwaves in Europe across seasons in 2023 and sound the alarm for developing adaptation measures to extreme events.

Luminescence Characterization of the Green Synthesized Terbium Doped Titanium Oxide

Purpose: The purpose of this work is to prepare Titanium Oxide (TiO₂) with eco-friendly synthesis and also to study on structural, morphological, photoluminescence properties on Tb doped TiO₂. Methodology: Titanium Oxide was prepared by orange fruit aqueous extract as a reducing agent with addition of terbium as its dopant. Characterization of the synthesized TiO₂ was done by XRD proving that the TiO₂ was in the structural form of rutile as evidenced by the sharp peaks. The relationship between the concentration of Tb dopant and the grain size of the film layer was studied. SEM Morphological analysis indicated the formation of particle cluster at 1100°C. EDX spectroscopy was employed to determine the position of elements of the samples while FTIR spectroscopy was in agreement with carbonyl and hydroxyl groups being absent in the prepared samples. Optical characteristics of the samples were evaluated by photoluminescence measurements under the excitation of 400 nm wavelength. Findings: The results obtained in the present study pointed out how the terbium doping affected the structural and optical characterization of the TiO₂. An increase in the Tb concentration led to an increase in the grain size of the synthesized spherical film. Photoluminescence spectroscopy results showed two separate green and red emissions and was measured to have the highest intensity at 4% terbium concentration. From these results we can see the prospect of using Tb-doped TiO₂ in applications that require certain changes in the optical parameter. Contribution to Theory, Policy, and Practice: This work contributes to the body of knowledge on green synthesis methods for nanostructures and the effect of RE doping in improving the properties of a material. The results provide insight for green synthesis of photo luminescent materials, optoelectronic devices, and monitoring instruments, identifying ways to pursue environmentally friendly material design.

A web-based pilot randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of education and contact-based interventions in reducing public suicide stigma

BackgroundInterventions to reduce public suicide stigma (i.e. negative attitudes towards persons affected by suicide/suicidality) could contribute to suicide prevention. However, such interventions could unintentionally increase suicide normalization (i.e. liberal attitudes towards suicide) and therefore increase suicide risk. We aimed to test the efficacy of education- and contact-based interventions delivered online via video or text on both public suicide stigma and suicide normalization.MethodsWe conducted a web-based randomized controlled trial among N = 2,043 participants recruited from an established online research panel. Participants were randomized into six groups, receiving either one of four contact- or education-based interventions that were transferred via text or video (contact text, contact video, education text, education video) or control group content (contact control, education control). Information about suicide stigma and suicide normalization were collected directly before (t0) and after intervention participation (t1) as well as about two weeks later (t2). To explore the attractiveness of the provided intervention material, we used Brown-Mood’s median test to compare the times participants spent with the provided intervention material in each group. We then used linear mixed models to compare effects on suicide stigma and suicide normalization between intervention groups and control groups.ResultsMedian times spent with provided material were generally longer among participants exposed to video material than among participants exposed to text material, and among participants in contact-based interventions than among participants in education-based interventions. We did not observe stronger effects in intervention groups compared to control groups on suicide stigma or suicide normalization. Surprisingly, suicide stigma and suicide normalization appeared to decrease from t0 to t1 in both intervention and control groups.ConclusionOur findings suggest a higher attractiveness of video- and contact-based material compared to text- and education-based material. However, none of the interventions had a significant effect on public suicide stigma or suicide normalization. Future research should explore innovative and safe approaches to reduce public suicide stigma. Experimental studies may focus on interventions with higher attractiveness (i.e. video and contact-based interventions), use interventions with higher intensity (i.e. longer interventions, more repetitions), and assess suicide stigma with implicit measures to avoid response bias.Trial registrationThe RCT was registered at clinicaltrials.gov on February 11th, 2021 (NCT04756219).

Descriptive Methodology for Risk Situation of Disastrous Sea Waves in the China Sea

To meet the needs of marine disaster prevention and mitigation, this paper proposes a systematic methodological framework to describe the annual risk situation of Disastrous Sea Waves (DSWs) from four perspectives. Its application is demonstrated for the China Sea in 2023 as a case study. The systematic approach is reflected in the following: (1) a comprehensive description of DSW risks based on three dimensions: occurrence frequency, maximum intensity, and hazard index; (2) an overview of the DSW risk characteristics for the year through spatial and monthly distributions; (3) a comparative analysis of the year’s DSWs, with historical data based on anomalies and return periods used to assess the risk characteristics and extremities; and (4) an analysis of the causes of the year’s characteristics based on monthly anomalies and weather systems. Through its application to the China Sea in 2023, the analysis process is introduced as follows. (1) High-Frequency and Intensity Areas: DSWs frequently occurred in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) and Taiwan Strait, exceeding 450 h. The maximum significant wave height (Hs), reaching 11.3 m, was recorded in the southern East China Sea (ECS) in August. (2) Extremity in Frequency and Attribution: The occurrence frequency was extremely high, with the cumulative hours exceeding the historical average by 159 h (9.1%). The southwestern SCS showed the most significant excess, up to 168 h (>120%). The reason for this was that DSWs in January caused by prolonged cold air lasted 236 h longer (121%). (3) Extremity in Intensity and Attribution: The maximum Hs in the southern ECS and Taiwan Strait was 2 m (30%) higher than the historical average. The intensified cold air waves caused the higher intensities. (4) Hazard Levels: Higher risk occurred in the southwestern SCS, southern ECS, and Taiwan Strait, while the highest extremity occurred in the Bohai Sea.

Dose–response of tDCS effects on motor learning and cortical excitability: A preregistered study

Abstract Multiple studies have demonstrated that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) can influence corticospinal excitability and motor skill acquisition. However, the evidence for these effects is inconsistent, and a common neural substrate for these effects has not been directly demonstrated. To address this, we hypothesized that higher tDCS intensities would produce more robust effects, and uncover their relationship. In this preregistered study, 120 participants engaged in a motor skill learning task while receiving tDCS with posterior-to-anterior currents through M1. We employed a double-blind, between-subjects design, with groups of 4 mA, 6 mA, or sham stimulation, while ensuring balanced groups in terms of typing speed. Cortical excitability was assessed via motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and TMS-evoked potentials (TEPs) before and after motor skill learning with concurrent tDCS. tDCS at these higher intensities was well tolerated, and motor learning correlated with pretraining typing speed. Planned analyses found no dose–response effect of tDCS on motor skill performance or MEP amplitude. This suggests that, under our experimental conditions, tDCS did not significantly modulate motor skill learning or corticospinal excitability. Furthermore, there was no correlation between motor performance and MEP, and thus no evidence for a common neural substrate. Exploratory analyses found an increase in MEP and TEP amplitudes following the sequence learning task. Motor skill gains positively correlated with TEP changes over the stimulated M1, which were more negative with increasing tDCS intensity. The effects of tDCS on motor skill learning and MEPs, if they exist, may require particular experimental conditions that have not been tested here. Preregistration: https://osf.io/jyuev (in-principle acceptance: 2024/06/05)

Physiological Responses of Elite Cheerleaders During Training and Simulated Competition Routines.

Competitive cheerleading (cheersport) is a physically demanding sport; however, there is a lack of information regarding its acute physiological responses during training or competition in these athletes. Thus, this study aimed to investigate these responses during both training sessions and simulated cheerleading competition routines (full-outs) among elite cheersport athletes. Six Coed and 10 All Girl elite cheerleaders were included in this study. Countermovement-jump (CMJ) height and blood lactate concentration were measured prepractice, after warm-up, after a full-out, and at the end of the training session. Heart rate (HR) was monitored throughout all the sessions. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze changes over time. Most of the training time (51%-68%) was spent between 50% and69% maximum HR. Only 3% to 4% was spent above 90% HRmax. During full-outs, most of the time (67%-80%), HR was ≥80% maximum HR. The blood lactate concentration was significantly elevated post-full-out (6.4 [1.6]mmol/L) compared with pretraining and post-warm-up (P < .001). In addition, blood lactate concentration was higher after training (3.4 [2.2]mmol/L) compared with prepractice and post-warm-up (P ≤ .025). CMJ height did not change over time (P ≤ .268). Cheersport training leads to a low overall metabolic demand but is interspersed with short, high-intensity "intervals." The highest intensities were achieved during full-outs, indicating the anaerobic nature of competition routines. Therefore, cheerleaders should train both the aerobic and the anaerobic systems to increase recovery capacity between drills and to maximize anaerobic power during competition.

Beyond detection and correction: Fake news’ «news-ness» and «shareworthiness» as alternative ways to tackle disinformation

Fake news is a concern for present-day society. A lot of quality research efforts have focused on how fake news can be detected, and to what extent general warnings, accuracy prompts and fact-checking labels can correct people’s misconceptions. In this work we problematize critically the research questions formulated on fakeness detection and specifically we address two significant alternative (though complementary) approaches: 1) What formal traits and news values do fake news best imitate, which sheds light on what “news” means (irrespective of falsity) since the rise of social media as news source (news-ness assessment), and 2) what factors explain fake news sharing (shareworthiness prediction), which explains why it is shared with a higher intensity than real news, even in the case of awareness that a falsity is being shared. Intertwined with these approaches, two theories compete to best explain fake news’ social pervasiveness and virality: the ignorance theory (aptitudes: be mistaken, confused or careless about assessing news accuracy, resulting in sharing falsehoods unintentionally) and the partisan theory (attitudes: motivated reasoning and political bias which encourages people to knowingly share fake news consistent with their view). The aim is twofold: to identify, compare and challenge the scholars’ underlying assumptions and practical implications, and to draw a coherent narrative that encompasses the motivation to deceive, the social media affordances that make this deception plausible and shareable, and the polarization, intergroup hostility, and the greater exposure to extreme political views that may boost disinformation.

Relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in stroke survivors: a cross-sectional study of 1,140 individuals.

To investigate the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in stroke survivors. A cross-sectional study utilizing National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2018 data, employing propensity score matching to control for confounders. 1,140 stroke survivors from NHANES, assessing depressive symptoms through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) conducted via family interview or a mobile examination centre examination. PA was surveyed concurrently with the PHQ-9, categorized into vigorous, moderate, and moderate-to-vigorous intensities. Propensity score matching was used to match participants based on their activity levels, and the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms was analysed by logistic regression. Among all the subjects, 225 individuals had significant depressive symptoms. If vigorous-intensity PA duration is longer than 75 min (odds ratio [OR] = 0.41, 95% CI 0.21-0.75) or longer than 150 min (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.19-0.85), and moderate-intensity physical activity duration is longer than 150 min (OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.90) or between 150 and 300 min (OR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.15-0.77), and moderate-to-vigorous PA duration is greater than 150 min (OR = 0.61, 95% CI 0.40-0.91) or exceeding 300 min (OR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.31-0.78), this might be associated with lower depressive symptoms. Regular physical activity, particularly of moderate or higher intensity, is associated with milder depressive symptoms in stroke survivors, suggesting the potential for non-pharmacological intervention.

Commentary With Study Protocol: Implementation and Effectiveness of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) as an Adjunct to Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (IMPOWR-MORE).

Traditional methadone treatment (MT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) fails to systematically address the physical pain, emotion dysregulation, and reward processing deficits that co-occur with OUD, and novel interventions that address these issues are needed to improve MT outcomes. Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) remediates the hedonic dysregulation in brain reward systems that is associated with OUD. Our pilot and phase 2 randomized controlled trials of MORE were the first to demonstrate MORE's feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy as delivered in MT clinics; MORE significantly reduced drug use (eg, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, cocaine, marijuana, opioids, and other drugs), craving, depression, anxiety, and pain among people with OUD. However, uptake of novel, efficacious interventions like MORE may be slow in MT because time and resources are often limited. Therefore, to best address potential implementation issues and to optimize future MORE implementation and dissemination, in this study, we will utilize a Type 2, Hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness study design. We will not only evaluate MORE's effectiveness but also assess barriers and facilitators to integrating MORE into MT. MT clinicians will receive training in (1) a higher intensity MORE implementation strategy consisting of training in the full MORE treatment manual or (2) a minimal intensity implementation strategy consisting of a simple, scripted mindfulness practice (SMP) extracted from the MORE treatment manual with minimal training. We aim to: (1) using a Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework, examine barriers and facilitators to implementation of MORE and SMP in MT, and evaluate strategies for optimizing training, fidelity, and engagement, (2) optimize existing MORE and SMP training and implementation toolkits, including adaptable resources that can accelerate the translation of evidence into practice, and (3) compared to usual MT, evaluate the relative effectiveness of MORE plus MT or SMP plus MT (N = 450).

Physical climate risk: Stock price reactions to the historically most extreme European and United States heat waves since 1979.

Climate change has heightened the need to understand physical climate risks, such as the increasing frequency and severity of heat waves, for informed financial decision-making. This study investigates the financial implications of extreme heat waves on stock returns in Europe and the United States. Accordingly, the study combines meteorological and stock market data by integrating methodologies from both climate science and finance. The authors use meteorological data to ascertain the five strongest heat waves since 1979 in Europe and the United States, respectively, and event study analyses to capture their effects on stock prices across firms with varying levels of environmental performance. The findings reveal a marked increase in the frequency of heat waves in the 21st century, reflecting global warming trends, and that European heat waves generally have a higher intensity and longer duration than those in the United States. This study provides evidence that extreme heat waves reduce stock values in both regions, with portfolio declines of up to 3.1%. However, there are marked transnational differences in investor reactions. Stocks listed in the United States appear more affected by the most recent heat waves compared to those further in the past, whereas the effect on European stock prices is more closely tied to event intensity and duration. For the United States sample only, the analysis reveals a mitigating effect of high corporate environmental performance against heat risk. This study introduces an innovative interdisciplinary methodology, merging meteorological precision with financial analytics to provide deeper insights into climate-related risks.

The frozen-thawed sperm protein of Indonesian Toraya buffaloes is significantly associated with sperm kinematics, acrosome integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential

Objective: The study aimed to characterize frozen-thawed sperm proteins and their correlation with sperm kinematics, acrosome integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) in Indonesian Toraya buffalo bulls. Materials and Methods: Semen was obtained from six Toraya buffaloes classified as Saleko and Bonga 4–10 years old. The frozen semen was analyzed for sperm motility, sperm kinematics, viability, abnormalities, membrane integrity, intact acrosome, MMP, DNA integrity, and sperm protamine (PRM) deficiency. Sperm protein concentration (Prot. Con) was determined by the bicinchoninic acid, and protein molecular weight (MW) was determined using 1D sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with 4%–20% gradient gel and 6.5–240 kDa protein marker. Results: The results of this study showed that the quality of frozen semen from Toraya buffalo bulls is in a good category and suitable for use in artificial insemination programs. The sperm quality differed significantly (p &lt; 0.05) between individuals, immunofluorescence examination of intact acrosome, PRM deficiency, intact MMP, and intact DNA showed no significant difference (p &lt; 0.05). Pearson correlations in this study showed that sperm Prot. Con has a significant correlation (p &lt; 0.05) with acrosome integrity. The sperm protein band (Prot. Band) correlated significantly (p &lt; 0.05) with sperm kinematic parameters and intact MMP. The average sperm Prot. Con of Toraya buffalo was 77.29 ± 39.26 μg/ml and 4–13 Prot. Bands with 6–240 kDa of MW were detected, with Prot. Bands of 16, 50, 70, and 115 kDa having higher intensity. Conclusions: Frozen-thawed sperm protein is correlated with sperm kinematics, acrosome integrity, and MMP. The proteins were found to correlate with sperm quality and fertility in Toraya buffalo bulls.

Acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase from diatom P. Tricornutum efficiently remodels phosphatidylcholine containing polyunsaturated fatty acids

This study presents characterisation of diatom’s PtLPCAT1 (acyl-CoA: lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase) activity in phospholipid remodelling. In this research microsomal fractions of yeast Δale1 mutant overexpressing PtLPCAT1 were used as a source of the tested enzyme. In the assays evaluating remodelling of different phospholipids by PtLPCAT1 not modified microsomal fractions of the tested yeast were used. The enzyme most intensively remodelled fatty acid composition of microsomal phosphatidylcholine (PC), however, it was also able to remodel phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidic acid (PA). To study the ability of the tested enzyme to remodel PC molecules containing fatty acids from the VLC-PUFA biosynthetic pathway the tested microsomes were enriched biochemically with: sn-1-18:1-sn-2-18:3(n-3)-PC, sn-1-18:1-sn-2-18:3(n-6)-PC, sn-1-18:1-sn-2-18:4(n-3)-PC, sn-1-18:1-sn-2-20:4(n-3)-PC and sn-1-18:1-sn-2-20:5(n-3)-PC. Further on it was shown that PtLPCAT1 was able to remodel PC of such modified microsomes with higher intensity than PC of unmodified microsomes. The remodelling efficiency of PtLPCAT1 was affected also by fatty acid donors; the process was most efficient when acyl-CoAs with unsaturated fatty acids were in the assays. In comparative studies the properties of Arabidopsis AtLPCAT1 and yeast ALE1 were tested. Effect of the temperature and pH values on the remodelling activity of PtLPCAT1 was also examined.