Human Activities Research Articles

Entomophagy: A sustainable food alternative to save planet

Climate change not only fringes rising average temperatures but shifting wildlife populations, rising seas, extreme weather events and other impacts. These changes are due to addition of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere due to impact of human activities. One of the important human activities which are a major contributor of greenhouse gas is Animal Agriculture. Meat consumption is responsible for releasing greenhouse gases such as methane, CO, and nitrous oxide. Livestock production accounts for 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, with beef having the highest footprint due to large amounts of methane that an average cow produces. Agriculture accounts for 92% of the freshwater footprint of humanity; almost 35% relates to animal farming. The production of meat is directly and indirectly related to the loss of forests in South America, Amazon Rainforest and other areas of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay. And many species face extinction or are under threat due to the destruction of natural environments. Sustainable alternative to going meat-free is entomophagy or insect farming which produces about 100 times less greenhouse gases per kg of mass organism gain. Edible insects like grasshoppers, crickets and mealworms are rich in protein and contain significantly higher sources of minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium than beef. Regardless of its environmental benefits, entomophagy comes with its unique set of challenges.

Determination of threshold values and heavy metal pollution assessment of soils in an industrial area in Ghana.

Industrial activities have the potential to pollute soils with a wide variety of heavy metals (HMs). In Ghana, however, assessment of HM pollution of soils in industrial areas remains limited. Accordingly, HM soil pollution in one of the industrial areas in Accra, Ghana was assessed. Soil samples were taken and analysed forHMs, including Fe, Zr, Zn, Ti, Sr, Rb, Mn, Pb, Cu, and Co, using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF). HM geochemical threshold values (GTVs) were determined to establish soil HM pollution levels and identify areas needing remediation. Furthermore, risk assessments wereconducted to evaluate the potentialecological and human health risks associated with these metals.The mean concentrations of Fe, Zn, Rb, Sr, Zr, Ti, Mn, Co, Cu, and Pb in the soils were: 27133.83, 147.72, 16.30, 95.95, 307.11, 4663.66, 289.85, 418.54, 44.97, and 112.88 mg/kg, respectively. Generally, the concentrations of HMsdecreased with depth, although some lower layers exhibited elevated HM levels. Soil pollution levels were categorized as low for Fe, Rb, Zr, Ti, Mn, Co, and Cu; moderate for Sr and Zn; and considerable for Pb. Notably, the northwestern part of the study area displayed a considerable to very high degree of HM contamination. While HMs in the soils posed low ecological risk, the human health risk assessment indicated potential health effects from Co, particularly in children. The presence of HMs in the soils was noted to originate from both natural geological phenomena and human activities, including industrial operations, agricultural practices, landfill activities, and vehicular emissions.

A novel proposed classification system for rock slope stability assessment

The present study introduces “rock slope instability score (RSIS)” a novel classification system for assessing rock slope stability. It takes into account geological and geotechnical parameters, as well as the impact of human activities and triggering parameters, which have become more frequent due to climate change and few of them have been ignored in existing classifications. The study focuses on rock slopes of various lithologies from the Indian Himalayas. The development of this new classification system is based on the examination of 81 different rock slopes from various states of the Indian Himalayas. Extensive field surveys, rock sampling, geotechnical laboratory tests, and ground measurements have been conducted at the various slope sites to establish a comprehensive scoring system for the stability assessment. The distributions of weightage to each parameter have been considered, corresponding to its degree of impact in causing slope instability. Sensitivity analysis of all defined parameters of RSIS system has revealed that the majority of the parameters exhibit a strong positive correlation, with Pearson correlation coefficients ranging from 0.74 to 0.61. However, two parameters, namely discontinuity dip and the relationship between slope & discontinuity direction, gives moderate relationship with correlation coefficient values of 0.48 and 0.41, respectively. To avoid any designer biasness in the system, several individuals gathered data set at different times. The proposed classification system has demonstrated a strong correlation with the actual slope condition, and it is quite promising. The outcome of RSIS classification for studied 81 slopes classified 2 slopes under stable condition, 21 slopes as partially stable, 44 as unstable, and 14 as completely unstable.

Use of Honey Bees and Hive Products as Bioindicators to Assess Environmental Contamination in Targeted Areas of the Campania Region (Italy)

In recent years, biomonitoring has gained more attention, particularly when assessing the environmental health of significant areas, such as those near waste-to-energy facilities. These requirements coincide with the chance to detect environmental pollutants using sensitive organisms. Bees were shown to be quite effective in evaluating the presence of certain compounds by analyzing their associated matrices, such as pollen, honey, or wax. In our study, we employed the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as an indicator to initially monitor the vicinity of the waste-to-energy plant in Acerra, which is situated in the Campania region of Italy. The primary aim was to determine whether the facility was accountable for any environmental releases of dioxins or dioxin-like compounds. Then, we assessed the presence of additional pollutants in the same area, including trace elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and pesticides, released by human activities. To obtain further information about environmental quality, a second biomonitoring station was installed near the Caivano S.T.I.R. (Waste Shredding, Sifting, and Packaging Plant). The results showed the dioxin levels did not exceed predetermined limitations at the Acerra site, thus demonstrating the efficacy of the waste-to-energy facility and the bees’ ability to detect the presence of other pollutants. Additionally, this biomonitoring system exhibited sensitivity to environmental variations, thereby enabling the evaluation of xenobiotic flux between two proximate zones and across temporal scales. This pioneering study suggests the advantages of utilizing bees to detect a wide range of contaminants, thereby providing valuable insights into environmental quality and potential health risks for both ecosystems and human populations.

Portable Arduino-Based Multi-Sensor Device (SBEDAD): Measuring the Built Environment in Street Cycling Spaces

The built environment’s impact on human activities has been a hot issue in urban research. Compared to motorized spaces, the built environment of pedestrian and cycling street spaces dramatically influences people’s travel experience and travel mode choice. The streets’ built environment data play a vital role in urban design and management. However, the multi-source, heterogeneous, and massive data acquisition methods and tools for the built environment have become obstacles for urban design and management. To better realize the data acquisition and for deeper understanding of the urban built environment, this study develops a new portable, low-cost Arduino-based multi-sensor array integrated into a single portable unit for built environment measurements of street cycling spaces. The system consists of five sensors and an Arduino Mega board, aimed at measuring the characteristics of the street cycling space. It takes air quality, human sensation, road quality, and greenery as the detection objects. An integrated particulate matter laser sensor, a light intensity sensor, a temperature and humidity sensor, noise sensors, and an 8K panoramic camera are used for multi-source data acquisition in the street. The device has a mobile power supply display and a secure digital card to improve its portability. The study took Beijing as a sample case. A total of 127.97 G of video data and 4794 Kb of txt records were acquired in 36 working hours using the street built environment data acquisition device. The efficiency rose to 8474.21% compared to last year. As an alternative to conventional hardware used for this similar purpose, the device avoids the need to carry multiple types and models of sensing devices, making it possible to target multi-sensor data-based street built environment research. Second, the device’s power and storage capabilities make it portable, independent, and scalable, accelerating self-motivated development. Third, it dramatically reduces the cost. The device provides a methodological and technological basis for conceptualizing new research scenarios and potential applications.

Reviewing Soil Contaminant Remediation Techniques

Harmful contaminants generating from industry, agricultural and human activity are causing the degradation of soil health, along with detrimental effects on human and the environment. It is imperative to safeguard the soil from these dangerous pollutants by using soil remediation techniques that may be effective breakdown these dangerous toxins. A sustainable approach to remediate the soil from different contaminants is bioremediation. Bioremediation is a method where microbes are used to alleviate soil pollution effectively. Natural microorganisms like fungus, bacteria, and algae are employed in the bioremediation process to break down heavy metal (lead, arsenic, chromium etc.) or organic based. chemical contaminants. This study examines the use of microorganisms and various bioremediation methods, including genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and electro bioremediation, for recovering polluted soil. This investigation clarified the challenges associated with applying these bioremediation technologies and microorganisms, as well as their effects on the ecosystem and inherent soil microbial population. The goal of this current study is to illustrate the various technologies which are more effective in this remediation process.

Exploring the Dynamic Invasion Pattern of the Black-Headed Fall Webworm in China: Susceptibility to Topography, Vegetation, and Human Activities

The fall webworm (FWW), H. cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiidae), is an extremely high-risk globally invasive pest. Understanding the invasion dynamics of invasive pests and identifying the critical factors that promote their spread is essential for devising practical and efficient strategies for their control and management. The invasion dynamics of the FWW and its influencing factors were analyzed using standard deviation ellipse and spatial autocorrelation methods. The analysis was based on statistical data on the occurrence of the FWW in China. The dissemination pattern of the FWW between 1979 and 2022 followed a sequence of “invasion-occurrence-transmission-outbreak”, spreading progressively from coastal to inland regions. Furthermore, areas with high nighttime light values, abundant ports, and non-forested areas with low vegetation cover at altitudes below 500 m were more likely to be inhabited by the black-headed FWW. The dynamic invasion pattern and the driving factors associated with the fall webworm (FWW) provide critical insights for future FWW management strategies. These strategies serve not only to regulate the dissemination of insects and diminish migratory tendencies but also to guarantee the implementation of efficient early detection systems and prompt response measures.

A ternary composite hydrophilic electrospinning membrane containing Au for fast oil–water separation and antibiotics degradation

AbstractWater pollution from industrial wastewater and oil spills, which threat marine lives and mankind continually have turned into one of the most severe challenges in worldwide due to the fast development of global industrialization and human activities. Various water‐treatment methods have been developed to solve the problems. However, these processes are often complicated and costly, making them fail to address the complicate water environment. Herein, a visible light‐responsive Au‐BiOCl/TiO2/PAN composite membrane with hydrophilic surface was prepared by combing electrospinning with solvothermal method. The composite membranes can efficiently separate emulsions with the highest flux of 50.16 L m−2 h−1 and oil/water mixtures (the highest flux was 4777.07 L m−2 h−1 bar−1). Moreover, the membranes can rapidly degrade antibiotics with an excellent degradation rate (95.70% in 60 min) under the visible light. Additionally, they can simultaneously degrade organic dye and separate oil/water emulsions under a gravity condition. It is expected that composite membranes will be an attractive candidate for complex wastewater treatment.

Can local ecological knowledge establish conservation baselines for the Critically Endangered Blue‐crowned Laughingthrush?

Abstract Designing conservation interventions for rare species can be hindered by a lack of relevant data. Local ecological knowledge (LEK) has potential to provide rapidly collected, cost‐effective data across large spatio‐temporal scales, but has rarely been used as a source of conservation‐relevant information for the Asian Songbird Crisis. The Blue‐crowned Laughingthrush (Pterorhinus courtoisi; BCLT) is a Critically Endangered passerine found only in southeastern China. It is unclear why the species' breeding range and global population are extremely small, as it occurs in human‐occupied forest‐agricultural landscapes similar to surrounding environments across southern China. We conducted systematic range‐wide interviews on BCLT (n = 519) to collect novel information on the species' temporal and spatial distribution, and on potential human activities and landscape changes associated with its presence or absence. Recognition of BCLT was moderate (45.0% of respondents reported sightings), with sightings within the previous 18 months across the study area, within and beyond their known distribution. Over half of known breeding villages were confirmed by LEK data, and nesting was reported from two villages with no previous breeding records. BCLT trapping was reported across the study landscape, mostly from the last decade and associated with trappers from urban centres. BCLT trapping and lack of fengshui forest were associated with sites where BCLTs did not breed. Breeding sites were associated with increases in vegetable gardens over respondents' lifetimes, and other sites within the species' range were associated with decreases in bush/scrub. We demonstrate that LEK can identify potential threats, new breeding sites and landscape changes correlated with species presence or absence for threatened birds affected by the Asian songbird crisis. This study provides the first evidence of ongoing trapping as a threat to BCLT, and remedial measures are urgently required across the region. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Top predator status and trends: ecological implications, monitoring and mitigation strategies to promote ecosystem-based management

The conservation and management of marine ecosystems hinge on a comprehensive understanding of the status and trends of top predators. This review delves into the ecological significance of marine top predators, examining their roles in maintaining ecosystem stability and functioning through an integrated analysis of current scientific literature. We first assess the efficacy of various monitoring methods, ranging from traditional field observations to cutting-edge technologies like satellite tracking and environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis and evaluating their strengths and limitations in terms of accuracy, spatial coverage, and cost-effectiveness, providing resource managers with essential insights for informed decision-making. Then, by synthesizing data from diverse marine ecosystems, this study offers a comprehensive overview of the trends affecting top predator populations worldwide. We explore the multifaceted impacts of human activities, climate change, and habitat degradation on the abundance and distribution of these key species. In doing so, we shed light on the broader implications of declining top predator populations, such as trophic cascades and altered community structures. Following a thorough assessment of successful strategies for reversing the decline of top predators, a compilation of recommendations is presented, encompassing effective governance interventions. A crucial aspect of effective ecosystem-based management is the implementation of robust monitoring strategies. Mitigation measures are imperative to reverse the adverse impacts on marine top predators. We present a comprehensive array of mitigation options based on successful case studies. These include the establishment of marine protected areas, the enforcement of fisheries regulations, and the promotion of sustainable fishing practices. We deepen the synergies between these strategies and their potential to mitigate human-induced stressors on top predator populations to safeguard their pivotal role in maintaining marine ecosystem structure and function. By examining marine top predators’ ecological significance, analyzing population trends, discussing monitoring techniques, and outlining effective mitigation strategies, we provide a comprehensive resource for researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders engaged in fostering ecosystem-based management approaches. We conclude that integrating these insights into current management frameworks will be essential to safeguard both top predators and the broader marine environment for future generations.

Mangrove mud clam as an effective sentinel species for monitoring changes in coastal microplastic pollution

The worldwide mangrove shorelines are experiencing considerable contamination from microplastics (MPs). Finding an effective sentinel species in the mangrove ecosystem is crucial for early warning of ecological and human health risks posed by coastal microplastic pollution. This study collected 186 specimens of the widely distributed mangrove clam (Geloina expansa, Solander, 1786) from 18 stations along the Leizhou Peninsula, the largest mangrove coast in Southern China. This study discovered that mangrove mud clams accumulated a relatively high abundance of MPs (2.96 [1.61 – 6.03] items · g-1) in their soft tissue, wet weight, as compared to previously reported levels in bivalves. MPs abundance is significantly (p < 0.05 or 0.0001) influenced by coastal urban development, aquaculture, and shell size. Furthermore, the aggregated MPs exhibit a significantly high polymer risk index (Level III, H = 353.83). The estimated annual intake risk (EAI) from resident consumption, as calculated via a specific questionnaire survey, was at a moderate level (990 – 2,475, items ·g -1 ·Capita -1). However, the EAI based on suggested nutritional standards is very high, reaching 113,990 (79,298 – 148,681), items · g -1 · Capita -1. We recommend utilizing the mangrove mud clam as sentinel species for the monitoring of MPs pollution changing across global coastlines. Environmental ImplicationMicroplastics are pervasive pollutants in the marine environment, posing a threat to ecological and human food safety. In addition to physical impacts such as gut blockage, there is growing evidence of the cytotoxic and genotoxic effects of microplastics. The mangrove mud clam, which lives in the landward frontiers of coastlines around the world, is exposed to relatively high environmental concentrations of microplastics. This study found significant effects of coastal human activities on the accumulation of microplastics in mangrove mud clams. The mangrove mud clam can serve as an effective sentinel species for early detection of microplastic accumulation risks in coastlines worldwide.

PENGEMBANGAN INOVASI PRODUK KOMPOSIT MODUL SEKAT KANAL BERBAHAN BAKU SERAT SABUT KELAPA UNTUK PENERAPAN PENYEKATAN KANAL PADA LAHAN GAMBUT

Peatlands in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, are an important ecosystem but are vulnerable to degradation caused by human activities. To overcome this problem, this research introduces a product innovation in the form of a canal-blocking module made from coconut fiber composite for the implementation of sustainable canal straightening. The study involved a series of methodological steps that included a literature study, prototype development, laboratory testing, and field case studies. The research results show that composite canal-blocking modules have significant potential to reduce land subsidence, increase land productivity, and improve the hydrological balance in peatlands. In addition to significant economic benefits for local communities, implementation of this module also has positive impacts on the environment, including habitat protection and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. These findings have important implications for policy-making and planning for peatland management in West Kalimantan, emphasizing the importance of sustainable solutions and community participation in overcoming the challenges faced by this ecosystem. This research highlights the potential for innovative canal block module composite products made from coconut fiber as an important step in efforts to strengthen peatland management in West Kalimantan. The next step is to encourage wider adoption and implementation of these solutions while pursuing further research to deepen our understanding of sustainable peatland management.

The trouble with TESSOC: the coming crisis in British and allied military counterintelligence doctrine

ABSTRACT This article examines the evolution of UK military doctrine on counterintelligence (CI), one of the more consistently troubled aspects of military doctrine in general and intelligence doctrine in particular. We argue that current UK and NATO CI doctrine are in thrall to a deeply problematic defining concept in TESSOC (Terrorism, Espionage, Sabotage, Subversion and Organised Crime) that conflates an intractably diverse assortment of security threats under CI. Furthermore, TESSOC is the latest embodiment of a slow, century-long oscillation between two different basic concepts of CI. The first focuses purely on human threat vectors (referred to here as Human Threat CI or HTCI) while the latter entails a more comprehensive, all-source range of adversary technical and open as well as human source intelligence activities (designated Multidisciplinary CI or MDCI in US doctrine). That oscillation is driven largely by the balance between conventional and asymmetrical operations in defence priorities and recent campaign experience. TESSOC is a legacy of the recent, pre-Russo-Ukraine War emphasis on counterterrorism (CT) and counterinsurgency (COIN) operations. Consequently, UK and allied military counterintelligence doctrine are entering the second quarter of the 21st Century fundamentally ill-equipped to cope with strategic peers and their use of full-spectrum and hybrid strategies.

Optimized ridge-furrow technology with biochar amendment for alfalfa yield enhancement and soil erosion reduction based on a structural equation model on sloping land

Water scarcity and water-related soil erosion are severely exacerbated by inappropriate human activities and global climate change. Hence, to find a suitable technology to mitigate drought and soil erosion, three consecutive field experiments were conducted to explore the impact of ridge-furrow cropping with biochar amendment on soil water storage, runoff, sediment yield, soil nutrient losses, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) fodder yield, crop water productivity (WPc), and economic benefit from 2019 to 2021. This experiment was conducted in a split-plot design, taking biochar amendment patterns (no biochar amendment and biochar amendment at a rate of 3× 104 kg ha−1) as a main plot and ridge-furrow technologies (traditional planting, open-ridging, and tied-ridging) as a split-plot. The combination of biochar amendment with ridge-furrow technology, especially tied-ridging technology, increased soil water storage, and captured runoff, sediment, and related soil nutrient losses, consequently increasing alfalfa fodder yield, WPc, and income. During this study, compared to traditional planting, open-ridging depicted an increase in soil water storage by a range of 9.8–39.6 mm, an alfalfa fodder yield boost ranging from 9.8% to 38.6%, and a WPc increase ranging from 0.1 to 16.5 kg ha−1 mm−1. On the other hand, tied-ridging showed greater improvements with soil water storage increasing by 29.1–65.1 mm, alfalfa fodder yield growing by 11.6–44.4%, and WPc advancing by 0.9–17.5 kg ha−1 mm−1. The mean decrease in runoff, sediment, and nutrients (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and organic matter) loss for open-ridging was 17.9%-37.7%, 46.4%-75.5%, and 40.4%-75.3%, respectively, while for tied-ridging, it was 22.3%-55.5%, 62.1%-87.6%, and 49.0%-87.3%, respectively. Compared to no biochar amendment, soil water storage, alfalfa fodder yield, and WPc for biochar amendment increased by 9.1%-20.4%, 5.8%-52.7%, and 4.6–7.8 kg ha−1 mm−1, respectively, while runoff, sediment, and nutrients loss for biochar amendment decreased by 32.2%-40.9%, 25.5%-55.5%, and 35.9%-53.3%, respectively. Structural equation modeling analysis indicated that the significant direct effect of biochar amendment and ridge-furrow technology on WPc was 0.20 and 0.62, respectively, whereas the significant direct effect of runoff and actual crop evapotranspiration on alfalfa fodder yield was −0.40 and 0.94, respectively. Tied-ridge cropping combined with biochar addition was a highly suggested approach for addressing soil erosion and enhancing alfalfa fodder yields in the Loess Plateau in China. This technology could mitigate soil water scarcity and soil erosion, and give farmers the confidence to invest in this technology in dryland regions.

LT-1 SAR Satellite Constellation for Permafrost Deformation Monitoring Along the Tibetan Plateau Engineering Corridor

Abstract. The Tibetan Plateau stands as one of China's largest middle and low latitude permafrost regions. However, the effects of global warming and human activities have led to permafrost thawing, inducing surface instability and posing significant threats to infrastructure and indigenous communities. The deployment of Lu Tan-1 (LT-1), China's premier L-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite constellation, offers a novel opportunity to assess these changes. This paper evaluates the deformation of critical engineering corridors, such as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway (QTR) and the Qinghai-Tibet Highway (QTH), utilizing time-series InSAR techniques with LT-1 SAR constellation data. We introduce both Stacking InSAR and a multi-baseline persistent scatterer multitemporal (MT-InSAR) method to enhance permafrost and engineering corridor deformation detection capabilities. Results obtained through the MT-InSAR approach reveal line-of-sight (LOS) deformation velocities of permafrost in the Beiluhe region ranging from -90 mm/y to approximately 70 mm/y, with an average velocity amplitude of 0.06 m/y. Differential displacement between alpine meadows and alpine deserts across the Beiluhe region is successfully discerned using LT-1 SAR data. Deformation velocities of QTR, QTH were found to be lower than that of permafrost, with average velocities of 0.027 m/y. These findings underscore the LT-1 SAR constellation's potential to serve as a valuable SAR data source for monitoring engineering corridor deformation within the Tibetan Plateau permafrost region.

Analysis of the Interaction Effects of Electromagnetic Fields with Major Living Tissues—One Health Concept Numerical Evaluation Strategy

The well-being and sociability of individuals have always been part of modernity. The development of new technologies that meet these aspirations is receiving increasing attention. Thus, strengthening the desired objectives of these technologies and minimizing their undesirable side effects is the subject of growing commitment. The present contribution aims, in this context, to evaluate and analyze the desired and undesirable effects of the interaction of electromagnetic fields with living tissues in general. These are routines based on mathematical modeling reinforcing the expected functions as well as those of control and protection against undesirable effects. These adverse effects correspond to the “One Health” concept, which encompasses the health of animals, plants and humans, as well as ecological disorders created by human activity. First, in this article, the interactions of electromagnetic fields with tissues are analyzed, involving their thermal biological effects of desired and undesired exposures. The roles of blood and sap fluids in bio-affected tissues are then analyzed. Secondly, the equations governing electromagnetics and bio-heat, as well as their coupled solution are studied. Third, the thermal behavior of tissues and the adverse effects of exposure are examined. Next, monitoring and defending the effects of exposures are discussed. This contribution, supported by a review of the literature, illustrates routines for mathematical modeling of the generalized interaction of electromagnetic fields with living tissues.

An Image Analysis of River-Floating Waste Materials by Using Deep Learning Techniques

Plastic pollution in the ocean is a severe environmental problem worldwide because rivers carry plastic waste from human activities, harming the ocean’s health, ecosystems, and people. Therefore, monitoring the amount of plastic waste flowing from rivers and streams worldwide is crucial. In response to this issue of river-floating waste, our present research aimed to develop an automated waste measurement method tailored for real rivers. To achieve this, we considered three scenarios: clear visibility, partially submerged waste, and collective mass. We proposed the use of object detection and tracking techniques based on deep learning architectures, specifically the You Only Look Once (YOLOv5) and Simple Online and Realtime Tracking with a Deep Association Metric (DeepSORT). The types of waste classified in this research included cans, cartons, plastic bottles, foams, glasses, papers, and plastics in laboratory flume experiments. Our results demonstrated that the refined YOLOv5, when applied to river-floating waste images, achieved high classification accuracy, with 88% or more for the mean average precision. The floating waste tracking using DeepSORT also attained F1 scores high enough for accurate waste counting. Furthermore, we evaluated the proposed method across the three different scenarios, each achieving an 80% accuracy rate, suggesting its potential applicability in real river environments. These results strongly support the effectiveness of our proposed method, leveraging the two deep learning architectures for detecting and tracking river-floating waste with high accuracy.

Structural basis of human NOX5 activation

NADPH oxidase 5 (NOX5) catalyzes the production of superoxide free radicals and regulates physiological processes from sperm motility to cardiac rhythm. Overexpression of NOX5 leads to cancers, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. NOX5 is activated by intracellular calcium signaling, but the underlying molecular mechanism of which — in particular, how calcium triggers electron transfer from NADPH to FAD — is still unclear. Here we capture motions of full-length human NOX5 upon calcium binding using single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM). By combining biochemistry, mutagenesis analyses, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we decode the molecular basis of NOX5 activation and electron transfer. We find that calcium binding to the EF-hand domain increases NADPH dynamics, permitting electron transfer between NADPH and FAD and superoxide production. Our structural findings also uncover a zinc-binding motif that is important for NOX5 stability and enzymatic activity, revealing modulation mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

Extension of Japan’s Prefectural Emission Accounting and Enrichment of Socioeconomic Data from 1990 to 2020

With the continuous increase in carbon dioxide emissions due to human activities and the resulting severe climate issues, there is global concern about energy conservation and emission reduction. However, detailed data on energy consumption and emissions at a fine-grained scale, particularly regarding spatial dimensions and sector-specific emissions, remains insufficient and in need of refinement and timely updates. In Japan, following the Fukushima nuclear disaster, there has been a significant shift from nuclear power generation to reliance on fossil fuels across various sectors, highlighting disparities in emissions data across different regions and industries. Our work extends the emissions time series for Japan’s 47 prefectures, incorporating their socioeconomic characteristics over a broader time frame and with a more detailed sectoral classification. The emissions inventory, covering the period from 1990 to 2020, is based on the consumption of the three main fossil fuels across 32 sectors, with emissions carefully allocated for regional power generation. This dataset, presented in a unified format, is expanded to include longer time scales and more detailed socioeconomic data. It is anticipated to offer crucial insights for establishing regional emission reduction targets and identifying sectoral priorities for decarbonization.

Noise pollution causes parental stress on marine invertebrates, the Giant scallop example

In marine invertebrates, abiotic stresses on adults can act directly on gametes quality, which impacts phenotype and development success of the offspring. Human activities introduce noise pollution in the marine environment but still few studies on invertebrates have considered the impacts on adult or larval stages separately, and to our knowledge, never investigated the cross-generational effects of anthropogenic noise. This article explores parental effects of pile driving noise associated with the building phase of offshore wind turbines on a coastal invertebrate, Pecten maximus (L.). Adults were exposed to increasing levels of sound during gametogenesis, then their offspring were also exposed. The results highlight that anthropogenic noise experienced by the parents reduces their reproductive investment and modify larval response in similar conditions. Also, larvae from exposed adults grew 6-fold faster and metamorphosed 5-fold faster, which could be an amplified adaptive strategy to reduce the pelagic phase in a stressful environment.