Local Occurrence Research Articles

Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of external-beam radiation versus transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma.

External-beam radiation (EBRT) is a noninvasive therapeutic alternative to transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective randomized clinical trials to assess the clinical efficacy of EBRT versus TACE for HCC as either a definitive monotherapy or as a bridge to transplantation/surgery. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to include prospective randomized trials comparing EBRT versus TACE. Data was analyzed with random and fixed-effects models. The inconsistency index (I2) was chosen to assess heterogeneity. Three publications were included with a total of 142 patients. Outcomes included local control (LC), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and occurrences of grade ≥3 toxicity. Comparisons are reported as hazard ratios (HRs) or risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). There were three randomized trials that met inclusion criteria. The EBRT was delivered in three to 15 fractions with a total dose between 30 and 75 gray(Gy). EBRT was associated with significantly improved LC (HR, 0.16; 95% CI, 0.08-0.34; I2=0%) and PFS (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.23-0.60; I2, 0%) compared with TACE. There was no significant difference between EBRT and TACE in OS (RR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.51-1.22; I2=0%) or grade ≥3 toxicity (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.31-2.37; I2=57%). None of the analyses had statistically significant heterogeneity. Compared with TACE, EBRT yields superior LC and PFS without providing a survival benefit in early and intermediate stage HCC. Additional larger prospective randomized controlled trials should be conducted to further investigate differences in clinical outcomes amongst patients with more advanced disease.

Re-emergence of Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus) in Egypt: Predicting distribution shifts under climate changes.

Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of several medically significant arboviruses-including dengue fever, yellow fever, chikungunya and Zika-was successfully eradicated from Egypt in 1963. However, since 2011, there have been increasing reports of its re-emergence, alongside dengue outbreaks in southern Egyptian governorates, raising significant public health concerns. This study aimed to model the current and future distribution of Ae. aegypti in Egypt. Local occurrence data were integrated with bioclimatic, anthropogenic and biological environmental variables to identify key factors influencing the distribution of Ae. aegypti. Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modelling demonstrated strong predictive performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] mean = 0.975; true skill statistic [TSS] mean = 0.789). The key determinants of habitat suitability were identified as human population density, annual precipitation and the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). Current predictions indicate that suitable habitats for Ae. aegypti are concentrated in the Nile Valley, Nile Delta, Fayoum Basin, Red Sea coast and South Sinai. Projections under future climate change scenarios suggest an expansion of suitable habitats, particularly in the Nile Delta region. By 2050, the model predicts a 61%-68% increase in suitable habitat area, with a further 64%-69% increase by 2070, depending on the future climate scenarios. These findings are crucial for informing vector control and disease prevention strategies, particularly considering Egypt's status as one of the world's leading tourist destinations.

Shear Instability and Localization in High-Speed Cold Spray Processes: Impact on Particle Fragmentation and Bonding Mechanisms

This study investigates the deformation behavior and interfacial phenomena occurring during the high-velocity impact of a copper particle into a copper substrate under various conditions using FEM. It also offers an enhanced physics-based model based on discrete dislocation dynamics simulations to depict newly observed features such as interfacial instabilities and shear localization leading to bonding and particle fragmentation. To investigate bonding mechanisms at the particle–substrate interface, additional simulations using a one-element-thickness model are conducted. These simulations focus on the deformation behavior at the interface, revealing wavy shape formation in the substrate due to disparities in strain-rate levels. Material instabilities, localized at the intersection of plane and release waves, progress hand-in-hand during the early stages of impact, suggesting shear behavior as a precursor to instabilities. The effect of shear viscosity on particle deformation and interfacial behavior is also examined, showing that increased viscosity leads to thermal material softening and enhanced deformation. Material jetting and interfacial instability are observed, particularly at higher viscosity thresholds. Additionally, the impact of drag coefficient variations on particle deformation is explored, indicating a critical role in interfacial stability and particle flattening. Finally, the occurrence of adiabatic shear instability and localization is investigated, revealing shear localization regions at the particle–substrate interface and within the particle itself responsible for particle fragmentation. To this aim, damage initiation and evolution laws are applied to identify regions of shear localization, crucial for particle–substrate bonding and mechanical interlocking. The impact velocity is shown to influence shear localization, with higher velocities resulting in increased deformation and larger localization regions.

On the tailoring of radially FGM hollow spheres, cylinders and disks

Homogeneous and isotropic thick spheres, cylinders, and thin disks subjected to constant internal and/or external pressures are not easily designed in an economical way due to the localized occurrence of maximum equivalent stress. It has been analytically shown that using a radial functionally graded material (FGM) can enhance the design process by ensuring that the maximum shear stress or the circumferential stress component remains constant along the radius of the body. This problem is an inverse one. An isotropic FGM in linear static analysis can be defined by two elastic constants: Young's modulus E(r) and Poisson's ratio ν(r). In this study, focusing on mechanical loading, the conditions for the existence of a solution for E(r) in the inverse problem are derived, assuming a constant Poisson's ratio and using two commonly applied stress criteria in design. Additionally, the advantages of employing FGMs over homogeneous materials are demonstrated by comparing the maximum equivalent stresses in both cases.

Systems Thinking as a Methodological Approach to Study Infrastructure Space in Architectural Design Education

In architectural education, urban-scale studies provide an opportunity for architectural students to study the challenges that cities confront and their physical and conceptual frameworks with a multidisciplinary approach. The design process necessitates the critical evaluation of the inputs that define, structure, and govern the cities and the acknowledgement of social, economic, ecological, geographical, and experiential conditions. The critical reading of the city also demands an understanding of its prevailing, speculative, and emergent conditions, which can be apprised through a cohesive structure of relations shaped by directives from various agents. Advocating for a novel methodological practice in architectural education, this approach fosters the engagement of architecture students with the networks, constellations, and associations of contemporary urban conditions. With this conceptual framework, the paper speculates on the potential of introducing systems thinking as a methodology for architectural education, which encourages the study of interrelations between different parties, in diverse scales, to design contemporary urban conditions. It subjects students’ works in the fourth-year architectural design studio, where systems thinking is acknowledged as a methodology to study the notion of infrastructure space. In these studies, infrastructure space is considered as the site of multiplicities, coexistences, and overlaps beyond its typical association with “physical networks for transportation, communication or utilities” (Easterling, 2014). Studying the infrastructure space through a systems thinking approach is believed to enable the integration of inchoate states and territories of local, trans-local, and global occurrences. To sum up, the paper will discuss the outputs of integrating systems thinking in architectural education, and the reconceptualization of ‘infrastructure space’ as an instrumental approach in dealing with the complex structure of cities.

Prolonged exertion of self-control causes increased sleep-like frontal brain activity and changes in aggressivity and punishment

Impulsive reactions in social interactions may result in poor or even detrimental outcomes. Particular cognitive states, such as mental fatigue induced by extended practice with cognitively demanding activities, especially if combined with sleep restriction or deprivation, seem to impair the individuals' ability to exert self-control effectively and may result in impulsive behaviors, including aggressive acts. We demonstrate that exertion of self-control for as little as 45 min can lead to an increased propensity for engaging in aggressive acts in the context of socially relevant choices, as measured by a set of economic games. Also, we show that such behavioral changes are associated with increased sleep-like (delta) activity within frontal brain areas related to decision-making and impulse control. The local occurrence of sleep-like slow waves may lead to a disengagement of frontal areas and explain the reduced ability of individuals to exert self-control effectively. Our results suggest that sleep-like activity may emerge within the awake brain within a relatively short time scale, with detectable effects on socially relevant behavior.

High-resolution spatio-temporal risk mapping for malaria in Namibia: a comprehensive analysis

BackgroundNamibia, a low malaria transmission country targeting elimination, has made substantial progress in reducing malaria burden through improved case management, widespread indoor residual spraying and distribution of insecticidal nets. The country's diverse landscape includes regions with varying population densities and geographical niches, with the north of the country prone to periodic outbreaks. As Namibia approaches elimination, malaria transmission has clustered into distinct foci, the identification of which is essential for deployment of targeted interventions to attain the southern Africa Elimination Eight Initiative targets by 2030. Geospatial modelling provides an effective mechanism to identify these foci, synthesizing aggregate routinely collected case counts with gridded environmental covariates to downscale case data into high-resolution risk maps.MethodsThis study introduces innovative infectious disease mapping techniques to generate high-resolution spatio-temporal risk maps for malaria in Namibia. A two-stage approach is employed to create maps using statistical Bayesian modelling to combine environmental covariates, population data, and clinical malaria case counts gathered from the routine surveillance system between 2018 and 2021.ResultsA fine-scale spatial endemicity surface was produced for annual average incidence, followed by a spatio-temporal modelling of seasonal fluctuations in weekly incidence and aggregated further to district level. A seasonal profile was inferred across most districts of the country, where cases rose from late December/early January to a peak around early April and then declined rapidly to a low level from July to December. There was a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in incidence, with much higher rates observed in the northern part and some local epidemic occurrence in specific districts sporadically.ConclusionsWhile the study acknowledges certain limitations, such as population mobility and incomplete clinical case reporting, it underscores the importance of continuously refining geostatistical techniques to provide timely and accurate support for malaria elimination efforts. The high-resolution spatial risk maps presented in this study have been instrumental in guiding the Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services in prioritizing and targeting malaria prevention efforts. This two-stage spatio-temporal approach offers a valuable tool for identifying hotspots and monitoring malaria risk patterns, ultimately contributing to the achievement of national and sub-national elimination goals.

Anatomy of Niger and Benue river sediments from clay to granule: grain-size dependence and provenance budgets, Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study explores in detail the complexity of textural–compositional relationships in fluvial sediments. To this aim, fifteen size fractions (from clay to granule) of three sediment samples characterized by virtually identical size distribution from the Niger and Benue rivers in central Nigeria were separately analyzed by multiple methods (optical microscopy, manual and semi-automated Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, elemental geochemistry, Nd isotopes). The independent mineralogical and geochemical datasets thus obtained allowed us to investigate processes of sediment generation for five diverse size modes (clay, fine cohesive silt, very coarse frictional silt, very fine sand, coarse sand) derived in different proportions from different sources (wind-blown dust, soils and paleosols, fine-grained and coarse-grained siliciclastic units, igneous and metamorphic bedrocks). Controls on the size distribution of detrital minerals (settling equivalence, size inheritance, weathering, mechanical durability, and chemical durability through multiple sedimentary cycles) were examined, specifically focusing on tectosilicates and on the long-standing petrological problem of feldspar–grain-size relations. Various factors determine the composition of different size modes: kaolinite-dominated clay derives from both deeply weathered soils or paleosols and distant Saharan sources; cohesive silt is largely recycled from mudrocks and soils formed in sedimentary basins. The proportion of detritus derived first-cycle from basement rocks increases from very coarse silt to very fine sand, whereas the coarse-sand mode is quartz-dominated with scarce plagioclase and amphibole and local occurrence of garnet, staurolite, monazite, or xenotime reflecting a combined influence of size inheritance from igneous (pegmatite) and metamorphic sources, mechanical and chemical durability, and recycling from coarse-grained siliciclastic units. Sediment budgets based on mineralogical, geochemical, and geochronological signatures consistently indicate dominance of Benue sediment supply, although the contribution from the Niger mainstem to the Niger Delta is inferred to have been notably greater in the wetter past, before clastic fluxes dropped in response to the aridification of the Sahel.

Rethinking Landscapes in Transition through an Anthropocene Lens

This article delves into the theoretical dimensions of landscapes in transition, provides a comprehensive literature review and outline summary, and contextualizes the theory within the contemporary Anthropocene framework. It is focused on synthesizing and interconnecting the theoretical approaches to landscape in transition in the articles in this special issue, the scope of which is extended by incorporating additional perspectives to supplement and enrich the understanding of the issue. Through an Anthropocene lens, the article conceptualizes landscapes as crucial intermediaries, vividly depicting the convergence of large-scale, global influences or planetary events and local occurrences. The conclusion advocates a pluralistic understanding that embraces differentiated perspectives and a more-than-human approach.

From Weeds to Feeds: Exploring the Potential of Wild Plants in Horticulture from a Centuries-Long Journey to an AI-Driven Future

Given the increasing food needs of humanity and the challenges cultivated species face in adapting to the climatic uncertainties we experience, it is urgent to cultivate new species. A highly relevant repertoire for this purpose is offered by the array of edible wild plants. We analyzed data from Murcia (Spain), involving 61 species and 59 informants, and the Global Database of Wild Food Plants, which includes 15,000 species, 500 localities, and nearly 700 references. Using local consensus, global distribution, and GBIF occurrence data, we built simple unimodal or bimodal models to explore their limitations. Our study highlights that approximately 15,000 wild or feral plant species are consumed as food, underlining the urgent need to support existing crops with new species due to current food crises and climate irregularities. We examined wild plant diversity from a horticultural perspective, considering their relationships with weeds and invasive species. Partial criteria, such as local consensus or global use, were found insufficient for selecting candidate species. We propose developing a specific artificial intelligence to integrate various factors—ecological, nutritional, toxicological, agronomic, biogeographical, ethnobotanical, economic, and physiological—to accurately model a species’ potential for domestication and cultivation. We propose the necessary tools and a protocol for developing this AI-based model.

Pressure–Temperature–Time Evolution of a Polymetamorphic Paragneiss With Pseudomorphs After Jadeite From the HP–UHP Gneiss‐Eclogite Unit of the Variscan Erzgebirge Crystalline Complex, Germany

ABSTRACTA quartz‐rich paragneiss from the Variscan Erzgebirge Crystalline Complex (ECC) was studied in detail because of abundant millimetre‐sized and clearly oriented pseudomorphs after a sodic mineral interpreted to have been jadeite. This mineral, or pseudomorphs after it, is rarely found in extensive high‐pressure (HP)–ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) terranes worldwide despite reported pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions suitable for the formation of jadeite in common paragneisses and orthogneisses. In the studied rock, which contains abundant large and oriented potassic white mica flakes and minor millimetre‐sized garnet grains, the pseudomorphs consist of clusters of small albite grains with thin phengitic muscovite flakes in between. X‐ray maps for Ca and Mg in garnet demonstrate that an early generation of this mineral (Gt1) was corroded and subsequently overgrown by a Ca‐richer generation (Gt2). White mica is phengite with maximum Si contents of 3.42 atoms per formula unit. P–T conditions of 0.85 GPa and 650°C and 1.7 GPa and 660°C were derived for the formation of Gt1 and Gt2 rim + Si‐rich phengite, respectively, using pseudosection modelling. The latter conditions representing the pressure peak experienced by the paragneiss are compatible with the original presence of jadeite and possibly paragonite as well. This metamorphic peak occurred at 338.4 ± 2.3 (2σ) Ma based on in situ dating of monazite grains with the electron microprobe. A single monazite age of 386.4 ± 10.5 (2σ) Ma is related to the formation of Gt1. Thus, a Late Devonian metamorphism is suggested here for the first time to have occurred in ECC gneisses before the major HP event in the Early Carboniferous. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the eclogite‐facies gneisses of the Gneiss‐Eclogite Unit of the ECC experienced peak pressures of not more than 2 GPa in contrast to recent proposals of an extensive UHP area in this unit. In addition, it is suggested that the localized occurrence of UHP rocks surrounded by other lithologies otherwise lacking evidence for UHP conditions should be interpreted with caution with respect to their regional extent and significance.

The Politics of Quotidian Gestures. Screening the Migrant and the Host in Marian Crișan’s Film, Morgen and Cristian Mungiu’s R. M. N

The article discusses two contemporary Romanian films which, in the changing contexts of globalized migration, address the question of encounter, conflict, and hospitality between the migrant and the local (community) by focusing on the perspective of the host. The encounter with otherness is discussed through the concept of the gestural understood as an imbrication between the somatic and the social. Marian Crișan’s Morgen (2010) focuses on the encounter between a security guard from Salonta and a Kurdish refugee, dismantling the anonymous, faceless image of the migrant. The encounter between the local and the foreigner occurs in the affective medium of quotidian gestures that engender an embodied, accented solidarity and hospitality. Mungiu’s R. M. N. (2022) tackles a conflict in which the inhabitants of a fictitious Romanian village oppose the employment of three workers from Sri Lanka by the local bakery. The film addresses the conflict not as a local instance of xenophobia but as a complex set of socio-economic relations within global capitalism and labour migration. If Mungiu’s film allows the viewer to recognize global relations in local occurrences, Morgen, through a micro-approach to the quotidian, enables the viewer to recognize the other as a face among global processes of displacement.

Application of modified extralevator abdominoperineal excision for low rectal cancer resection.

Laparoscopic ELAPE surgery has been carried out in our center for a long time, and some modifications have been made in clinical practice. In this study, we compared conventional ELAPE operation with modified ELAPE operation to investigate the efficacy and safety of modified ELAPE operation. We retrospectively analyzed the data from 339 patients with low rectal cancer undergoing abdominoperineal resection from 2017 to 2021 in the Department of General Surgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University. Patients were classified into modified ELAPE groups (199 patients) and conventional ELAPE groups (140 patients). Total operation time, reconstruction time, postoperative hospital stay, total cost, intraoperative data, postoperative short-term and long-term complications and tumor recurrence were compared. The baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Total operation time was less with modified ELAPE group compared to conventional ELAPE group (190.6 ± 33.1min vs 230.1 ± 51.6min, P = 0.022). Pelvic floor reconstruction time was also less with modified ELAPE group compared to conventional ELAPE group (4.3 ± 1.2min vs 11.9 ± 1.7min, P = 0.004). Positive CRM was observed in 11 and 9 patients in modified ELAPE groups and conventional ELAPE groups (P = 0.744). IOP occurred in 12 and 7 patients in modified ELAPE group and conventional ELAPE group (P = 0.701). Total cost was also less with modified ELAPE group compared to conventional ELAPE group (9004 ± 1146 USD vs 10,336 ± 2047 USD, P = 0.031). The incidence of parastomal hernia was less with modified ELAPE group compared to conventional ELAPE group (7/199 vs 22/140, P < 0.001). Three-year follow-up data did not show any difference in overall survival rate or local occurrence between the two groups. Modified ELAPE surgery is technically safe and feasible, and oncologically comparable to that of conventional ELAPE surgery, which can be considered for popularization and application.

Synergistic anti-corrosion and anti-wear of epoxy coating functionalized with inhibitor-loaded graphene oxide nanoribbons

The synergy between corrosion protection and wear resistance is an effective strategy for the development of multifunctional coating to withstand complex working conditions. This study reports an epoxy resin coating filled with benzotriazole loaded metal-organic frameworks (BTA-MOFs) functionalized graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR) that exhibit active anti-corrosion, act as a barrier to corrosive ion, and enhance wear resistance. The GONR@BTA-MOFs composite is synthesized through chemically etching multi-walled carbon nanotubes and subsequent electrostatic self-assembly corrosion inhibitors loaded MOFs onto the GONR. The composite demonstrates improved compatibility with epoxy resins compared to carbon nanotubes. The anti-corrosion performance of the composite coating is investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. After immersing in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution for 25 d, the alternating current impedance of the composite coating is three orders of magnitude higher than that of pure epoxy resin. Simultaneously, the controlled release of the corrosion inhibitor retards the deterioration of the coating after localized damage occurrence, which functions as active corrosion protection. The GONR@BTA-MOFs/EP composite coating exhibits the highest corrosion potential of -0.188 V and the lowest corrosion current of 3.162 × 10−9 A cm−2) in the Tafel test. Tribological studies reveal a reduction in the friction coefficient from 0.62 to 0.08 after incorporating GONR@BTA-MOFs in the coating, with the wear volume being seven times lower than that of pure epoxy resin. The excellent lubrication effect of the nanomaterials reduces the coefficient of friction of the coating, thereby improving the abrasion resistance of the coating. The synergy between the self-lubrication of the two-dimensional layered fillers and the corrosion resistance of the smart inhibitor containers suggests a promising strategy for enhancing the performance of epoxy resins under complex working conditions.

Depositional, stratigraphic and structural controls on the geometry of Montney Formation reservoirs: Lower Triassic, northeast British Columbia, northwest Alberta

Abstract The Lower Triassic Montney Formation is a world-class unconventional hydrocarbon reservoir that spans the border of northeast British Columbia and northwest Alberta. Integrated sedimentological and ichnological analyses suggest that the Montney Formation was deposited in a predominantly prodeltaic setting that was commonly influenced by both river flood and storm processes. Riverine processes include the local occurrence of normally- and inversely-graded siltstone and sandstone interbeds, interpreted as the record of sediment-laden hyperpycnal flows. Episodic storms are recorded by the local occurrence of hummocky cross-stratified interbeds, as well as normally graded, parallel and wave-ripple laminated beds, which are commonly draped by structureless carbonaceous mudstones. These mudstone drapes represent river-flood-derived fluid muds that collapsed from hypopycnal plumes following the passage of the storms and suggest the intimate linkage between storms and heightened fluvial discharge. The basin in which the Montney Formation was deposited began as three sub-basins, northern, central and southern, each of which experienced different patterns of subsidence and uplift that varied both spatially and temporally during sedimentation. Subsidence of the northern sub-basin was compartmentalized by deep seated faults that provided accommodation for the basal sequence of the Montney Formation, Sequence 1. Subsequent fault movement resulted in reduced accommodation in the northern sub-basin and accelerated subsidence in the central sub-basin, providing accommodation for deposition of Sequence 2, the basal sequence in the central sub-basin. The northern sub-basin remained paleotopographically elevated throughout deposition of Sequence 2 and early Sequence 3 successions, and these younger units did not extend beyond the northern limit of the central sub-basin. During subsequent deposition of the late Sequences 3 and Sequence 4 successions, compartmentalization between the north and central sub-basin was greatly reduced and these intervals were deposited relatively more uniformly along-strike. The unconventional and conventional reservoirs in both the northern and central sub-basins occur at the scale of systems tracts within the four depositional sequences of the Montney Formation. Reconstructing the depositional history of the component systems tracts of Sequence 1 through early Sequence 3 reveals the dynamic interplay between syndepositional tectonism, fluctuating relative sea-level and deltaic depositional processes in controlling the character, geometry and distribution of prolific Montney Formation reservoirs. The recognition of these key geological controls enhances predictability in this valuable resource and may be applicable to other fine-grained reservoirs elsewhere.

Fagivorina arenaria (Geometridae, Lepidoptera) endangered species of preserved mountain beech forests: new records from the Czech Republic

Abstract We summarize the published data on occurrence of Fagivorina arenaria (Hufnagel, 1767) in the Czech Republic. The species belongs to the European endangered moths. It occurs only very locally and rarely in the Czech Republic. Published records come mainly from the border mountain ranges. Newly we present records from the Beskydy Mts. and the Hrubý Jeseník Mts. On the basis of our observations and published data, F. arenaria can be considered as a representative species of preserved mountain herb-rich beech forests. Due to the very local occurrence of the species, particular associations with mountain primeval forest and decline from some former localities, we argue that the species should be listed in the Red List of Invertebrates of the Czech Republic in the higher categories of threat, i.e. endangered or critically endangered.

Identification and characterization of dominant seepage channels in oil reservoirs after polymer flooding based on streamline numerical simulation

Reservoir heterogeneity, water-oil mobility ratio, cementation degree, and strong injection and production significantly influence long-term waterflooding and polymer flooding processes in oil reservoir development, leading to the formation of low-resistance dominant seepage channels in the lower part of thick oil layers without internal laminations. Understanding the spatial distribution and evolution of dominant seepage channels in oil reservoirs during waterflooding and polymer flooding is crucial for improving reservoir development and recovery rates. It uses a streamlined numerical simulation method to quantitatively show the spatial and temporal distribution of dominant seepage channels in the oil reservoir. A model and chart were created to demonstrate the relationship between permeability and throat radius, capturing changes in reservoir permeabilities over time. The study developed a comprehensive mathematical model to identify dominant seepage channels, considering parameters such as inter-well flow ratio, injection efficiency, permeability change value, and water saturation. Research findings indicate a 14.8 % increase in reservoir permeability after polymer flooding, with slight changes in porosity and a 20.3 % decrease in clay content. The established mathematical model and identification criteria were used to comprehensively quantitatively evaluate flow channels, describing the distribution characteristics and evolution process of dominant seepage channels in the experimental area over four periods: pre-polymer flooding, low water-saturation period during polymer flooding, post-polymer injection, and subsequent 10 years of water flooding. Both polymer flooding and subsequent water flooding have significantly altered the distribution pattern of predominant fluid pathways: 254 well layers now demonstrate robust predominant fluid pathways (19 %); another 272 well layers feature moderately predominant fluid pathways (22 %); while an additional 440 well layers display weaker predominant fluid pathways (approximately 35 %). There has been a noticeable increase in both weak and moderate predominant fluid pathways, which are now more widespread in the area. However, localized occurrences of strong predominant fluid pathways persist with no significant change in their distribution characteristics. Analysis at four different time points shows a clear trend of increasing intensity as we move from polymer to subsequent water flooding in this decade. Additionally, examination along an axis from upper left to lower right reveals a linear progression that indicates clear connections among different categories of dominant seepage channel. The verification results show a strong correlation between the calculated dominant seepage channel distribution and actual water-injection profile test results, indicating that the method effectively identifies dominant seepage channels in oil reservoirs after polymer flooding and has the potential to enhance oil recovery further.

Review of two marine vertebrate assemblages from the Arauco Basin (central Chile) reveals diversity changes throughout the Maastrichtian

Upper Cretaceous vertebrate records from Chile are mostly known by historical mentions with unknown repositories and uncertain stratigraphic provenance. This contribution reviews and complements two marine vertebrate assemblages from the Upper Cretaceous of central Chile, which were part of the ancient Arauco Basin. The oldest assemblage (lower Maastrichtian) comprises abundant condrichthyans referred to Carcharias gracilis, Odontaspis cf. winkleri, Scapanorhynchus sp., Centrophoroides appendiculatus, Squatina sp., Cretorectolobus sp., Orectolobidae indet., Paraorthacodus sp., Ischyrhiza chilensis and Biropristis landbecki, which adds to the previously reported occurrences of Echinorhinus sp. and Myledaphus araucanus. In addition, chimeroids referred to as Edaphodon kawai and remains of a leatherback turtle referable to Mesodermochelys sp. are here described, the latter being its first occurrence outside Japan. The younger assemblage (upper Maastrichtian) includes similar chondrichthyans and a higher diversity of marine reptiles, including plesiosaurians (Aristonectes sp., Aristonectinae indet., and Elasmosauridae indet.), sea turtles (Pancheloniidae indet.) and diverse mosasaurs (Halisaurus sp., Tylosaurinae indet., and the first local occurrence of Plioplatecarpinae indet.). Throughout the Maastrichtian, the local marine vertebrates likely suffered a declination in abundance but a rise in diversity, with evidence of a marked alteration in middle levels of the trophic web during the upper Maastrichtian. This fauna shows a main influence from the northern hemisphere (especially from the Western Interior Sea), acquiring a more marked Weddellian influence during the end of the Maastrichtian. The studied material allows a better understanding of the Upper Cretaceous vertebrate marine fauna in lower latitudes of the southeastern Pacific.

Late-glacial and Holocene shifts in the mountain landscapes of the Cantabrian range (northern Spain) in response to changing climate, fire occurrence and land use

A new well-dated (18 14C dates on short-lived terrestrial plant macrofossils, 210Pb and 137Cs dating) fine-resolution palaeoecological sequence (pollen, coprophilous fungi, conifer stomata, macrofossils, charcoal) from Lago de Isoba (1400 m a.s.l.) spanning the past c. 17,000 years provides novel insights into the long-term dynamics of the high-elevation Cantabrian landscape in response to climate variability and human activities. Vegetation changes were mainly climate-driven during the Late-glacial and the Early Holocene. Thus, steppe-like environments prevailed during the Greenland Stadial 2.1a (GS-2.1a ≈ ‘Oldest Dryas’). Warmer and moister conditions during the Greenland Interstadial 1 (GI-1 ≈ ’Bølling-Allerød’) enabled successive expansions of Juniperus, Betula and Pinus. Steppe-like vegetation re-expanded during the cooler and drier Greenland Stadial 1 (GS-1 ≈ ‘Younger Dryas’). Afterwards, the Early Holocene warming triggered the rapid spread of mixed pine-broad-leaved deciduous mountain forests. Pollen, stomata and macrofossils indicate continuous, long-lasting (c. 10,850–1250 cal yr BP) local occurrence of Pinus sylvestris stands. The records of Cerealia and Plantago lanceolata pollen types (first Holocene occurrences dated at c. 5100 cal yr BP) evidence increased land use during the Late Holocene, which triggered substantial changes in forest ecosystems. Following a phase of intensified arable and pastoral farming, which involved the use of fire to create and maintain forest clearings, pinewoods expanded and reached their maximum development between c. 3600 and 3300 cal yr BP. Pinus probably outcompeted temporarily other woody taxa thanks to its resilience to low-intensity disturbances. Later, pinewoods underwent a stepwise, human-induced decline ending in their final massive collapse after c. 1150 cal yr BP. The highest intensity of agricultural and pastoral farming took place during the Middle Ages, following maximum fire occurrence. We conclude that the present-day open landscape has been shaped by millennia of land use that partly blurred the impact of climate variability.

Distribution of Natural Trace Elements in the Drinking Water Sources of Hungary

Source water quality is a key determinant of drinking water quality. The recast European Union 2020/2184 Drinking Water Directive (DWD) introduced the obligation for comprehensive risk assessment in drinking water supplies, including hazard assessment of the water source. The DWD also requires further elements of natural origin to be monitored, including U, Ca, Mg and K. The current study is the first comprehensive assessment of 15 natural elements (B, Ba, Be, Ca, Co, K, Li, Mg, Mo, Na, Se, Sr, Ti, U and V) in 1155 (82%) Hungarian drinking water sources, including surface water, bank filtered and groundwater sources. Parameters posing a risk to health (Se, V and U) were typically below the limit of quantification (LOQ), but higher concentrations (max. 7.0, 17 and 41 µg/L, respectively) may occur in confined locations. U exceeded the DWD parametric value in one water supply. Mg and Ca in the majority of the water supplies and Li in a small geographic area reached the concentration range assumed to be protective to health. Water sources were grouped in six clusters based on their elemental distribution, some of them also showing clear geographical patterns. Surface and groundwater sources were not differentiated by composition, with the exception of karstic waters (dominated by Ca and Mg). None of the investigated parameters are expected to be a source of public health concern on a national level, but local occurrences of U and Se should be investigated and managed on a case-by-case basis.