Multifaceted Scenario Research Articles

Evolving Urban Expansion Patterns and Multi-Scenario Simulation Analysis from a Composite Perspective of “Social–Economic–Ecological”: A Case Study of the Hilly and Gully Regions of Northern Loess Plateau in Shaanxi Province

Over recent decades, the hilly and gully regions of the northern Loess Plateau in Shaanxi province have grappled with severe soil erosion and a precarious ecological milieu. Shaped by urbanization policies, this locale has encountered a gamut of issues, including an imbalance in human–environment dynamics and the degradation of ecological integrity. Consequently, the comprehension of how urban expansion impacts the optimization of regional landscape configurations, the alignment of human–environment interactions in the Loess Plateau’s hilly and gully domains, and the mitigation of urban ecological challenges assumes paramount importance. Leveraging data from land use remote sensing monitoring, alongside inputs from natural geography and socio-economic spheres, and employing methodologies such as landscape pattern indices, we conduct an exhaustive analysis of Zichang City’s urban fabric from 1980 to 2020. Furthermore, employing the CLUE-S model, we undertake multifaceted scenario simulations to forecast urban expansion in Zichang City through to 2035. Our findings delineate two distinct phases in Zichang City’s urban expansion trajectory over the past four decades. From 1980 to 2000, urban construction land in Zichang City experienced a phase of methodical and steady growth, augmenting by 64.98 hectares, alongside a marginal decrease in the landscape shape index (LSI) by 0.02 and a commensurate increase in the aggregation index (AI) by 1.17. Conversely, from 2000 to 2020, urban construction land in Zichang City witnessed an epoch of rapid and haphazard expansion, doubling in expanse, marked by a notable escalation in LSI (2.45) and a corresponding descent in the AI (2.85). The precision of CLUE-S model simulations for Zichang City’s land use alterations registers at 0.88, fulfilling the exigent demand for further urban expansion and land use change prognostication. Under the aegis of the natural development scenario, the augmentation of urban construction land in Zichang City primarily encroaches upon grassland, farmland, and woodland, effectuating an increase of 159.81 hectares. Conversely, under the ambit of urbanization development, urban construction land contends predominantly with farmland, grassland, and woodland, heralding an augmentation of 520.42 hectares. Lastly, under the mantle of ecological protection, urban construction land expansion predominantly encroaches upon grassland, farmland, and woodland, resulting in an augmentation of 4.27 hectares. Through a nuanced analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of urban expansion and scenario-based simulations, this study endeavors to furnish multi-faceted, scenario-driven, and policy-centric insights for regional planning, urban spatial delineation, and regional ecological safeguarding.

Obesity and its impact on female reproductive health: unraveling the connections.

In the modern era, the escalating global prevalence of obesity has profound implications on female reproductive health. Obesity, transcending mere lifestyle choices, has evolved into a complex disorder affecting physiological and metabolic functions. Concurrently, female infertility is rising as a significant global health issue. Obesity, with its extensive systemic effects, is pinpointed as a major disruptor. The convergence of these health challenges reveals a multifaceted scenario: on one hand, obesity directly impacts female reproductive health, particularly in the context of conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and menstrual disturbances; on the other, the psychosocial consequences of infertility might intensify weight-gain patterns, forming a challenging cycle. Additionally, the economic implications of treating obesity-related infertility are considerable. This review delves into the myriad ways obesity affects female reproductive health, drawing insights from epidemiological, clinical, and molecular studies. It explores the epidemiological relationship between obesity and PCOS, the influence of obesity on menstrual disturbances, and the broader impact of obesity on female infertility. Weight loss, through pharmacological interventions, surgical methods, or lifestyle adjustments, emerges as a promising strategy. Lastly, the efficacy of assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF, is influenced by obesity, underscoring the importance of an optimal body mass index. The review also highlights the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying the impact of obesity on female reproductive health, including the disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axis, altered adipokine secretion, and the role of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

NOVO ENSINO MÉDIO E O PENSAMENTO CRÍTICO:

We are immersed in a complex and multifaceted scenario, in which curricular (de)forms have enabled the emergence of some intentions that were submerged by a certain temporal gap, especially when we consider the imposed by the NEM Law. Given this context, it was intended to weave a comprehensive exercise about the NEM phenomenon, focusing on the conditions of possibility of approximation/distancing from the theoretical/methodological references of the CP. From this movement, six photographs emerged: Changes in the LDB; Tool for implementing the BNCC; Increased workload; (de)training itineraries; Notorious Know; Professional Education. From the explicit photographs, the scene of a film is sketched in which the aforementioned normative is constituted by a set of anachronistic/nefarious theoretical/methodological assumptions that potentiate the gaps between the public and the private, in addition to impoverishing the power of social transformation of the Education. In the meantime, the elaboration of strategies to promote the CP is outlined as a powerful option to recontextualize the imposed reform.

An analytical hierarchy process based decision support system for the selection of biogas up-gradation technologies.

Recent developments in biogas upgradation have opened new horizons for its utilisation because upgradation technologies are fully developed and commercially available. However, the implementation of biogas upgrading technologies is not at the scale required to harness the full potential of biogas. Therefore, it is requisite to adopt a multicriteria decision-making methodology (MCDM) to select the most appropriate biogas up-gradation technology as each technology has its own set of benefits and downside. In this multifaceted scenario, the analytical hierarchy Process (AHP), one of the most preferred MCDM methods in rational decision-making, is applied in this study to select the most appropriate biogas upgrading technology. The broader recognition of AHP is its provision for converting multifaceted problems into a simple hierarchy. The research results reveal that biogas up-gradation technologies based on water scrubbing and membrane separation rank first and second among the alternatives. This research will show a direction to researchers and the MCDM community involved in biogas upgradation technologies on a broader scale.

VARIATIONS OF SCENARIO MODELS PERCEPTION OF ARCHITECTURAL OBJECTS IN PEDESTRIAN SPACES

Рroblem statement – the organization of the perception of architectural objects in time as certain scenarios, is one of the key areas that allows you to attach the level of emotional expression of architecture to other arts. The relevance of this scientific field is related to the need to implement parametric approaches in design, in particular to maintain high aesthetic qualities of the urban environment. The analysis of research and publications shows a great interest and a number of directions in the formation of pedestrian spaces, but does not fully reveal the methods of forming the qualities and objects of the architectural environment. The purpose of this publication is to define and substantiate scenario models of pedestrian space organization based on the study of established forms of various arts that unfold over time, as well as on the study of evolution and experience of forming such compositions in urban planning. The novelty of the publication is to reveal the origins of common scenario models of pedestrian space, and the role of components of the architectural environment and architectural objects in creating a multifaceted scenario, and the reasons for combining certain approaches in a real project. Research methods are based on the study of the development of forms and plots in parallel arts (theatrical scenography, music, cinema), where such models are more formalized and used structured in time, which allows by analogy to find physical parameters of architectural compositions and regulate the variability of visual іncentives. The result of the study is the systematization of the main models of pedestrian spaces scenario organization (medieval, classical, based on the natural environment and the intervention of script compositions on environmental design, citations surrounded by high-rise buildings fragments of the historic city), as well as and further reproduction of these prototypes in modern construction. These models are used in combination, because the architect takes into account all the techniques allowed by the current organizational structure of the design. The identified methodological approaches and models were used in the author’s project practice, as well as in the course and diploma design of FABD NAU. In the further research the author intends to systematize digital parameters of such modeling with use of the resulted analogues.

Genistein prevents the decrease in ganglioside levels induced by amyloid-beta in the frontal cortex of rats

ABSTRACT Objectives In this study, an in vivo model of Aβ toxicity was used to investigate the effects of this peptide and the treatment with genistein on the lipid composition (gangliosides, phospholipids and cholesterol) in the frontal cortex of rats. Methods Male Wistar rats received bilateral intracerebroventricular infusions of Aβ1-42 (2 nmol) and genistein 10 mg/kg orally for 10 days. Frontal cortex was homogenized with chloroform:methanol for lipid extraction and ganglioside, phospholipid and cholesterol levels were evaluated. Results The Aβ-infused animals showed a significant decrease in ganglioside concentration and relative reduction of GD1b and GQ1b species. Treatment with genistein prevented the decrease in ganglioside levels. Phospholipid and cholesterol contents did not show significant differences. Discussion Considering the roles of gangliosides on neuronal function, findings described here can contribute to the knowledge of the potential neuroprotective mechanisms of genistein against Aβ-induced alterations in the frontal cortex of rats and provide a novel view in the multifaceted scenario associated with its beneficial effects.

Implications of the Urban Water and Food Systems Governance Nexus for Household Food Security in the City of Gweru, Zimbabwe

Innovative water governance practices are essential to achieve sustainable cities through robust public policies and stakeholder engagement. This study assessed the dynamics of water service delivery in Gweru and its impact on household food security. The study focused on the city’s food sources, water service pricing, power struggles in decision-making, and the implications for household food security. A household survey was conducted with 489 respondents selected by stratified random sampling. Interviews with purposively enrolled key informants and observations were also used. Findings revealed a multi-faceted scenario of water governance challenges that crippled household food security. Food purchases and farming, the primary household food streams for the city, were under threat due to water shortages and high monthly water bills. More than 90% of household incomes were below the Poverty Datum Line and the Total Consumption Poverty Line; water bills accounted for a significant portion, ultimately causing food insecurity. The grant-aided municipality emphasized revenue collection to mitigate the central government’s 2013 debt cancellation. Gweru had no useful alternative sources of water for agriculture. The existing water governance failed to capture the complex symbiotic relationship between the city’s water and food availability. While we advocate minimal central government interference, the municipality must introduce an efficient dual-purpose water system to protect residents, the natural environment, and the local authority’s finances.

Social differentiation and well-being in the Italian Iron Age: exploring the relationship between sex, age, biological stress, and burial complexity among the Picenes of Novilara (8th\u20137th c. BC)

The possible association between “biological” and “social” status in the past is a central topic in bioarchaeological studies. For the Italian Iron Age, previous research comparing skeletal and funerary variables depicts a multifaceted scenario consistent with nuanced biocultural patterns. This calls for additional studies on a broader series of archaeological contexts and skeletal assemblages. Here, we contribute new data about the biological correlates of social differentiation during the Italian Iron Age by comparing paleopathological and funerary variables in the Picene necropolis of Novilara (Marche region, 8th–7th c. BC). Novilara is one of the largest Picene necropolises in the Italian Peninsula and one of the most important funerary sites of the Italian Iron Age. The skeletal sample includes 147 individuals (females: 70; males: 35; 10 unsexed adults; 32 non-adults). We use linear enamel hypoplasia, cribra orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis, non-specific periosteal lesions, and stature to approximate non-specific stressors and compare them with archaeological variables summarizing funerary variability by means of logistic models, Mann–Whitney and Spearman tests. Results are heterogeneous and vary according to the considered variables. On average, they however show that (a) adults featuring a more complex funerary treatment have a lower probability of showing stress-related skeletal changes, and (b) even though funerary features suggests a strong gender differentiation, frequencies of paleopathological variables do not differ between sexes. Our analyses point to a complex link between biological and social status in this population and call for a critical reflection about the theoretical and methodological issues affecting similar studies.

Responding to the Multifaceted COVID-19 Crisis: The Case of Mumbai, India

COVID-19 has severely impacted the society not only in terms of health but also in terms of economic survival of individuals. Unless adequate support is provided, the pandemic will have long-lasting effects, especially on the lives of the most vulnerable, often working in the informal sector. In this article, we present a case study drawing on systems thinking and complexity theory, outlining how the city of Mumbai has responded to COVID-19. We find a multifaceted scenario where non-profit organizations, businesses and citizen volunteers operate alongside government bodies to support Mumbai’s population to overcome this pandemic. We provide broader policy lessons, as well as more specific lessons in relation to particular actors, from the first wave of the pandemic stressing the importance of becoming ‘systems thinkers’ and highlighting the importance of forming new partnerships and exploring new modes of knowledge sharing to effectively respond to crises.

Nitrogen Uptake in Plants: The Plasma Membrane Root Transport Systems from a Physiological and Proteomic Perspective

Nitrogen nutrition in plants is a key determinant in crop productivity. The availability of nitrogen nutrients in the soil, both inorganic (nitrate and ammonium) and organic (urea and free amino acids), highly differs and influences plant physiology, growth, metabolism, and root morphology. Deciphering this multifaceted scenario is mandatory to improve the agricultural sustainability. In root cells, specific proteins located at the plasma membrane play key roles in the transport and sensing of nitrogen forms. This review outlines the current knowledge regarding the biochemical and physiological aspects behind the uptake of the individual nitrogen forms, their reciprocal interactions, the influences on root system architecture, and the relations with other proteins sustaining fundamental plasma membrane functionalities, such as aquaporins and H+-ATPase. This topic is explored starting from the information achieved in the model plant Arabidopsis and moving to crops in agricultural soils. Moreover, the main contributions provided by proteomics are described in order to highlight the goals and pitfalls of this approach and to get new hints for future studies.

Is the third sector an extension of public administration? Reflections on the Gipuzkoan case

The role of the third sector in the provision of welfare and its relationship with public administration have been gaining importance in political debates because of the difficulties that welfare states have in responding to emerging social needs. The ‘Gipuzkoan model’, based on a public–private collaboration between third sector organisations and the public administration in Gipuzkoa in the Basque Country in Spain, has been drawing attention over the past 40 years. However, there is a debate concerning the role that each actor should play in the implementation of welfare policies. This article analyses, from a qualitative point of view, the role of the third sector in designing and providing public policy tools for the region within the context promoted by the Gipuzkoan model of public–private collaboration. The results obtained illustrate a multifaceted scenario in which different visions converge around the same question: How should this collaboration be developed and what future awaits the third sector?

“You shouldn’t feel this way!” Children’s and adolescents’ interpersonal emotion regulation of victims’ and violators’ feelings after social exclusion

Emotion regulation is a key developmental skill, but very few studies have investigated developmental differences in how children and adolescents regulate the emotions of others (interpersonal emotion regulation). This study examined developmental differences in interpersonal emotion regulation in the context of social exclusion. Ninety-one 5- and 9-year-old children and 13-year-old adolescents were presented with two straightforward social exclusion scenarios, where a victim was excluded because of an irrelevant characteristic, and one multi-faceted scenario, where exclusion can be justified by social-conventional reasons. Participants judged social exclusion as more acceptable in the multifaceted scenario based on social-conventional and personal-choice reasons. Nine- and 13-year-olds were more likely to change the emotions of victims and excluders and most commonly used behavioural interpersonal emotion regulation strategies. Overall, children and adolescents engage in efforts to improve victims’ and worsen excluders’ emotions in social exclusion situations.

Testicular Cancer: Genes, Environment, Hormones.

Testicular cancer (TC) represents one of the most peculiar clinical challenges at present. In fact, currently treatments are so effective ensuring a 5 years disease-free survival rate in nearly 95% of patients. On the other hand however, TC represents the most frequent newly diagnosed form of cancer in men between the ages of 14 and 44 years, with an incidence ranging from <1 to 9.9 affected individuals per 100,000 males across countries, while the overall incidence is also increasing worldwide. Furthermore, cancer survivors show a 2% risk of developing cancer in the contralateral testis within 15 years of initial diagnosis. This complex and multifaceted scenario requires a great deal of effort to understand the clinical base of available evidence. It is now clear that genetic, environmental and hormonal risk factors concur and mutually influence both the development of the disease and its prognosis, in terms of response to treatment and the risk of recurrence. In this paper, the most recent issues describing the relative contribution of the aforementioned risk factors in TC development are discussed. In addition, particular attention is paid to the exposure to environmental chemical substances and thermal stress, whose role in cancer development and progression has recently been investigated at the molecular level.

Revealing microscopic origins of shape coexistence in the Ni isotopic chain

In a two–neutron transfer experiment, performed in Bucharest in July 2016 at sub–Coulomb barrier energy,a photon decay hindered – solely – by a nuclear shape change was identified in the 66Ni nucleus. Such a rare process, at spin zero, was clearly observed before only in actinide nuclei in the 1970’s,where fission isomers were found. The experimental findings on 66Ni have been well reproduced by the Monte Carlo Shell Model Calculations of the Tokyo group, which predict a multifaceted scenario of coexistence of spherical, oblate and prolate shapes in neutron–rich Ni isotopes. The results on 66Ni encouraged a comprehensive gamma–spectroscopy investigation of neutron–rich Ni isotopes, in particular 62Ni and 64–Ni, at IFIN–HH (Bucharest), IPN Orsay and ILL (Grenoble), employing different reaction mechanisms to pin down the wave function composition of selected excited states. The aim is to shed light on the microscopic origin of deformation in neutron–rich Ni nuclei, possibly locating other examples of “shape–isomer–like” structures inthis region.

Increasing knowledge of food deserts in Brazil: The contributions of an interactive and digital mosaic produced in the context of an integrated education for sustainability program

As efforts to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition evolve within the context of United Nations' Global Compact and Sustainable Development Goals; such problems remain far from being solved due, in part, to their complex nature. Brazil exemplifies such multifaceted scenario as the country has left the “hunger map” in 2014 but now faces another issue: The quality of the food available to its population. Physical, social, economic, cultural, and political factors have impacted the Brazilian food environment, shaping new eating habits such as the replacement of traditional local food for processed foods. Within this context, educational institutions may play an important role in spreading knowledge about major social challenges such as this and their interdependent causes. This paper presents the case study of a project conducted by business and public administration students in a discipline called Integrated Education for Sustainability (FIS), offered to undergraduate students at one of Brazil's most important management schools. In 2017, the project worked on the topic of Food Deserts, challenging the students to develop a digital and interactive mosaic that uncovers the situation of the food deserts in São Paulo. Data were collected from participant observation, field trips, events, and interviews conducted in class with 18 professionals working on several areas related to the topic. The article provides insights into (a) the importance of education to tackle the sustainability challenges, (b) lessons learned from the 14th edition of FIS course, and (c) the several barriers to food access in the city of São Paulo.

Integrating trait and evolutionary differences untangles how biodiversity affects ecosystem functioning.

Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) research advocates that biodiversity loss has a drastic alteration on ecosystem functioning. However, studies have barely investigated how the evolutionary dependence of species traits affects EF. Here, we developed an integrated approach combining functional (FD) and phylogenetic diversity (PD) into a single space to disentangle the effects of diversity on leaf decomposition. We conducted an experiment manipulating plant leaves into litterbags containing four species (from a pool of 27) combined in four different treatments represented by low or high FD and PD; these treatments present different scenarios of trait evolution and, therefore, a treatment with high FD and low PD, for instance, mimics a community assembled by divergent trait evolution of close relatives. We found that leaf decomposition was 30% slower in pools with high FD and PD. We show species pool with higher FD and PD have non-additive effects on decomposition, which means there is a negative effect of mixtures combining species with great functional and evolutionary differences. In addition, interactive effects of PD and FD were more important to leaf decomposition than their isolated effects. Our results suggest that PD and FD have interactive effects on decomposition and represent different axes of ecosystem variation, indicating we should avoid using phylogenies as a proxy for functional diversity. We argue that future BEF experiments may alter their design by considering a multifaceted scenario investigating community effects on ecosystem functioning, and idiosyncratic effects of key traits which may determine community assembly and ecosystem processes.

Innovative Opioid Peptides and Biased Agonism: Novel Avenues for More Effective and Safer Analgesics to Treat Chronic Pain

Chronic pain states are clinically relevant and yet unsolved conditions impacting on quality of life and representing an important social and economic burden; these diseases are poorly treated with the currently available drugs, being urgent the need of innovative analgesics. In this frame, novel analogues of endomorphin-1 and dermorphin emerge as promising starting points to develop innovative, more effective analgesics to treat neuropathic pain. An extensive and structured search of bibliographic databases for peer-reviewed research literature was undertaken using focused review questions; all the retrieved papers were published on prestigious international journals by the experts of the field and were carefully analyzed to collect all the information and data necessary to the conceptual framework of this review. One hundred papers were included in this review; forty-one defined the up-to-date findings on neuropathic pain etiopathogenesis and its currently available treatment options. Thirty-five papers described all the advantages and drawbacks of using endomorphin-1 (23) or dermorphin (12) in the frame of neuropathic pain and outlined the most relevant advances in developing endomorphin-1 and dermorphin analogs useful as potential, innovative analgesics. Twenty-four papers provided the latest insights into exploiting biased agonism at opioid receptor as an innovative strategy to develop more effective and safer analgesics. This review reports that innovative opioid peptides will be of great help in better understanding the multifaceted scenario of neuropathic pain treatment, providing very interesting opportunities for the identification of novel and more effective opioid analgesics to be employed as medications.

Cancer Prevention and Therapy with Polyphenols: Sphingolipid-Mediated Mechanisms.

Polyphenols, chemically characterized by a polyhydroxylated phenolic structure, are well known for their widespread pharmacological properties: anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antiseptic, antitumor, antiallergic, cardioprotective and others. Their distribution in food products is also extensive especially in plant foods such as vegetables, cereals, legumes, fruits, nuts and certain beverages. The latest scientific literature outlines a resilient interconnection between cancer modulation and dietary polyphenols by sphingolipid-mediated mechanisms, usually correlated with a modification of their metabolism. We aim to extensively survey this relationship to show how it could be advantageous in cancer treatment or prevention by nutrients. From this analysis it emerges that a combination of classical chemotherapy with nutrients and especially with polyphenols dietary sources may improve efficacy and decreases negative side effects of the antineoplastic drug. In this multifaceted scenario, sphingolipids play a pivotal role as bioactive molecules, emerging as the mediators of cell proliferation in cancer and modulator of chemotherapeutics.

Editorial

The new ideas of communication in Latin America have expressed some regional tensions that make it possible to place the study of communication in the context of various debates, an orbit that goes beyond the traditional standards of communication, since its close relationship with development maintains its full relevance in each of the discussions offered in different scenarios of power. This multifaceted scenario will be an opportunity for professors and researchers to submit new challenges to society.

A Comprehensive Method for Industrial Site Selection: The Macro-Location Analysis

Industrial site selection is a strategic decision that involves several criteria with consideration for technical, economic, social, environmental, and political issues. These criteria are generally described using a number of different indicators, expressed in quantitative and qualitative ways with some possible uncertainty. Decision making requires, therefore, appropriate tools to enable data collection, storage, analysis, fusion, and knowledge management to address this complex multifaceted scenario. This paper presents a comprehensive method for industrial site selection, an innovative approach for reasoning uncertainty and efficiently finding the most suitable solution based on a set of interacting decision support systems. Experimental results show that the proposed approach provides accurate results in the region of interest, coinciding with the choices of expert analysts.