Northwestern Part Research Articles

Current and potential distribution of the neotropical hard tick Amblyomma patinoi (Ixodida: Ixodidae).

The Amblyomma cajennense (Fabricius) complex (Acari: Ixodidae) is represented by six species of hard ticks widely distributed from southern Texas in the United States to northern Argentina. Species within the complex feed on a variety of vertebrate hosts, primarily mammals, including humans. These ticks are the main vector of the bacterium Rickettsia rickettsii (Brumpt; Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) and have been associated with the transmission of several arboviruses. In Colombia, one of the most ecologically diverse countries of the Neotropics, two species of the complex have been recorded with sympatric distribution in the northwestern part of the country: Amblyomma mixtum (Koch) and Amblyomma patinoi (Labruna, Nava & Beati). The latter is of medical importance as it has been confirmed as a competent vector of R. rickettsii in inter-Andean valleys of Colombia. Here, we assessed the current distribution of A. patinoi and predicted changes in its distribution over the century under different climate change scenarios. Additionally, we incorporated new records, delved deeper into the distribution of A. patinoi and interpreted model results using the climate classification and ecoregions for the Neotropical region. The results showed the presence of A. patinoi in 79 localities distributed across 34 municipalities and seven departments of the Caribbean and Andean regions of Colombia. In addition, new records were identified in two additional departments (Valle del Cauca and Caquetá) of the Andean and Amazon regions, as well as additional records in the department of Cundinamarca, especially in the inter-Andean Magdalena River basin. A. patinoi has been recorded in five ecoregions (Cauca Valley Dry Forests, Guajira-Barranquilla Moist Forests, Magdalena Valley Dry Forests and Magdalena-Urabá Moist Forests) and is associated with horses, cattle, dogs and humans. Its elevational range extends from 8 to 645 m a.s.l. in the Caribbean region and from 497 to 1712 m a.s.l. in the Andean region and inter-Andean valleys. The potential distribution models suggest that A. patinoi presents high climatic suitability in the Caribbean areas and inter-Andean valleys. Under climate change scenarios a possible expansion of the species distribution is observed in areas currently not recorded in the Neotropics, in countries such as Brazil, Peru and Venezuela. However, geographical conditions, such as elevation, could limit its distribution at higher elevations.

Ocean currents affect spatial patterns of fish communities in the Yellow Sea–Bohai Sea ecotone

BackgroundUnderstanding the drivers of spatial patterns in fish communities is important for protecting fishery ecosystems. However, the influence of ocean currents on the spatial patterns of fish communities remains poorly understood. This study investigated the impacts of ocean currents on the spatial patterns of fish communities and analyzed their driving mechanisms in the Yellow Sea–Bohai Sea ecotone during a one-year investigation. The distribution of ocean currents and spatial patterns of the fish communities were visualized using the data collected from Copernicus Marine Data Store and one-year fish resource surveys. To estimate the impacts of ocean currents on the spatial patterns of fish communities, we developed a vector method, which quantified the spatial aggregation direction of fish communities on the basis of the Bray‒Curtis similarity coefficient and spatial azimuth angles, defined as the community similarity trend. Subsequently, cosine correlation was used to study the relationship between the fish community and ocean currents. The ecological processes of the ocean current driving mechanism were analyzed via multivariate statistical analysis.ResultsThe fish community similarity trends were strongly correlated with ocean currents. The fish community in the summer was divided into three station-groups located in the eastern, northwestern, and southwestern parts of the survey waters. The fish community in the winter was composed of two station-groups located in the eastern and western parts. The environmental factors exhibited spatial variations that were mainly affected by ocean currents, including the Yellow Sea Warm Current, coastal currents, and the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass. The spatial patterns of the fish communities were associated primarily with temperature and depth in the summer and with temperature and salinity in the winter.ConclusionsThe spatial patterns of the fish communities in the Yellow Sea–Bohai Sea ecotone corresponded to the influence of ocean currents. Driven by ocean currents, environmental factors such as water temperature and salinity varied spatially, leading to the migration of typifying fish species to suitable habitats and then the formation of unique spatial patterns of the fish communities.

Optimization of Carbon Balance Zoning and Pattern in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Counties

As an important "capital city economic circle," the determination of county carbon balance zones in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei counties is of great significance to its regional low-carbon development and achievement of the "dual-carbon" strategy. This study explores the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of carbon emissions and sequestration in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei counties from 2002 to 2020 based on the China carbon accounting database （CAD） and net ecosystem productivity （NEP） data. It further introduces the economy contributive coefficient （ECC） and ecological support coefficient （ESC） to analyze the energy efficiency and carbon sequestration capacity of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei counties, followed by the integration of the main functional areas （MFAs） of the territorial spatial planning. In this study, the carbon balance zoning of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei counties was optimized. The results showed that： ① In 2002, 2011, and 2020, the carbon emissions in the counties of Beijing and Tianjin showed a spatial distribution of "high in the southeast and low in the northwest," and the areas with high carbon sequestration were concentrated in the northwestern part of the counties of Zhangjiakou and Chengde. ② The ECC and ESC exhibited distinctive spatial heterogeneity in their spatial distribution, with ECC showing a decrease from Beijing to the surrounding area and the coefficient increasing with passing years. ESC showed a high spatial distribution in the north and low in the south, which showed improvement with passing years with the implementation of the sustainable development strategy. ③ The county carbon balance zoning after integrating the main function zoning was further refined into 16 sub-zones, where the low-carbon maintenance zone-key ecological function zone was mainly concentrated in the northwest, with a wider distribution but decreasing trend in quantity. Further, the distribution of the economic development zone-agricultural products and the carbon sink development zone-agricultural products main production zone was relatively stable, and the comprehensive optimization zone-agricultural products main production zone was mainly located in the southeastern part of the region, with a the number being the largest. These findings provides accurate data supporting the control of carbon emissions and economic development zoning in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei counties.

Analysis of Vulnerability of the Population of the Sary-Dzhas Natural Plague Focus in Kyrgyzstan

The aim of the work was to assess the forecast of epidemiological vulnerability of the population of the Sary-Dzhas natural plague focus based on the current data on the population size, pasture area and development of tourism. Materials and methods. To calculate the index of epidemiological danger, risk and vulnerability, we used information from the archive of Karakol Anti-Plague Department, statistical data on the population size, pasture areas, tourism and hunting zones obtained from official sources. Results and discussion. Epizootics of plague among animal carriers and vectors in 2016–2023 were detected in sectors with previously predicted high vulnerability of the population. The basins of the Koolyu and Ottuk rivers, the upper (Atazhailoo tract) and lower reaches of the Enylchek river (the confluence with the Sary-Dzhas river) remain the most dangerous territories of the Sary-Dzhas natural focus in the epidemiological sense, as is stated in the forecast. The index of epidemiological risk in the territory of the Sary-Dzhas focus in 2024 significantly exceeds the predicted values in 14 out of 40 sectors due to the intensive development of tourism. The increase in the epidemiological vulnerability values is uneven: the maximum is in the central part and to a lesser extent in the northeastern and northwestern parts of the focus. In 2024, part of the Sary-Dzhas territory gained a high level of epidemiological vulnerability; the area with values above 50 % is currently two times larger than in 2016. On the half of the studied territory, the vulnerability index coincides with the predicted one; this group includes all sectors with indexes above 50 %. Thus, our calculations confirm the 2020-forecast and are consistent with the theory of landscape localization of plague micro-foci, typical of high-mountain marmot foci. The methodology for calculating epidemiological vulnerability can be used to analyze and forecast the epidemiological situation in natural plague foci areas.

Structural Deformation Style and Seismic Potential of the Maoyaba Fault, Southeastern Margin of the Tibet Plateau

The southeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau represents one of the most seismically active zones in China and serves as a natural laboratory for investigating the uplift dynamics and lateral expansion mechanisms of the plateau. The Litang fault zone (LTFZ) lies within the northwest Sichuan sub-block on the southeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau, running almost parallel to the Xianshuihe fault zone and forming a V-shaped conjugate structure system with the Batang fault zone (BTFZ). The Maoyaba fault (MYBF) is a significant component of the northwestern part of the LTFZ, exhibiting activity in the late Quaternary. It triggered the ancient Luanshibao landslide and caused the Litang earthquake in 1729 AD, demonstrating intense seismic activity. Employing high-resolution remote sensing interpretation, field surveys, UAV photogrammetry, and UAV LiDAR, this study further examines the geometric distribution and kinematic properties of the MYBF, as well as paleoearthquake events recorded by the fault scarps. Combined with the geometric distribution and kinematic properties of the Hagala fault (HGLF) and Zimeihu fault (ZMHF), this study discusses the late Quaternary structural deformation style and seismic potential of the MYBF. The MYBF could produce earthquakes of approximately Mw 6.7 ± 0.3, with an average co-seismic slip of about 0.68 m and an average recurrence interval of strong earthquakes since the late Quaternary ranging from 0.9 to 1.1 ky. The likelihood of surface rupture earthquakes occurring in the near future is low; however, the expansion of the HGLF could induce moderate to strong earthquakes in the MYB area. The variation in the local tectonic stress field, which is influenced by the Litang–Batang V-shaped structure system and lithological differences, results in the formation of an extensional horsetail structure in the northwestern segment of the LTFZ. Both the HGLF and ZMHF remain active faults. Under the influence of nearly north–south tensile stress, these faults and the Litang–Batang V-shaped structure system collectively regulate the movement of regional crustal material.

Influences of Tree Mortality on Fire Intensity and Burn Severity for a Southern California Forest Using Airborne and Satellite Imagery

In this study, we investigated the influence of pre-fire tree mortality on fire behavior. Although other studies have focused on the environmental factors affecting wildfire, the influence of pre-fire tree mortality has not been explored in detail. We used high-spatial-resolution (1.6 m) airborne multispectral orthoimages to detect and map pre-fire dead trees in a portion of the San Bernardino Mountains, where the ‘Old Fire’ burned in 2003, and assessed whether spatial patterns of fire intensity and burn severity coincide with patterns of tree mortality. Dead trees were mapped through a hybrid deep learning classification and manual editing approach and facilitated with Google Earth Pro historical images. Apparent thermal infrared (TIR) brightness temperature captured during the Old Fire was derived from maximum digital number values from FireMapper airborne thermal infrared imagery (7 m) as a measure of fire intensity. Burn severity was analyzed using normalized burn ratio maps derived from pre- and post-fire Landsat 5 satellite imagery (30 m). Pre-fire dead trees were prevalent with 192 dead trees and 108 live trees per ha, with most dead trees clustered near the northwestern part of the study area east of Lake Arrowhead. The degree of spatial correspondence among dead tree density, fire intensity, and burn severity was analyzed using graphical and statistical analyses. The results revealed a significant but weak spatial association of dead trees with fire intensity (R2 = 0.31) and burn severity (R2 = 0.14). The findings revealed that areas impacted by pre-fire tree mortality were subject to higher fire intensity, followed by severe burn effects, though other biophysical factors also influenced these fire behavior variables. These results contradict a previous study that found no effect of tree mortality on the behavior of the Old Fire.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE BLUE ECONOMY PRIORITY SECTORS OF UKRAINE AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY

Problem Statement and Purpose. The Black Sea region of Ukraine has a large coastline and a favorable geographical location, being at the intersection of international transport routes, which creates favorable conditions for the development of the maritime transport sector. Marine and coastal ecosystems of the northwestern part of the Black Sea provide a number of ecosystem services, namely, providing the local population with food, various recreational services, which include treatment with the marine climate and estuary mud. All these conditions make the development of the blue economy one of the most promising areas of development of the sectors of the Ukrainian economy. Today, the main task for the Black Sea countries is to identify blue economy sectors with significant development potential for consideration by policymakers in order to develop appropriate policy instruments and national funding programs. The aim of the work is to determine the trend in 2010–2022 of production indicators in the priority sectors of the blue economy of Ukraine. Data & Methods. The analysis was conducted for the priority sectors of the blue economy in 2010–2022. The data about capture production in the Black Sea, aquaculture production in marine environments was analyzed. The analysis of the marine and coastal tourism sector is based on annual statistics on import and export of services. Analysis of import and export of port services and related infrastructure and logistics services, maritime transport services, as well as information on maritime transport (the composition of the national merchant fleet) was carried out. Results. For a part of Ukraine 2018–2022 pp. falls 2.2% from the total amount of marine living resources found in the Black Sea. On average, 18.2 thousand tons of marine living resources were harvested annually in 2010–2022. According to FAO data, in Ukraine in 2010–2015, an average of 78.1 tons of mariculture worth 93.7 thousand USD was grown annually. According to data for 2021, of cargo were processed in the largest Black Sea ports (million tons): Pivdennyi – 53.5, Mykolaiv – 29.9, Chornomorsk – 25.6, Odesa – 22.6. An analysis of cargo transportation by sea in the Black Sea showed that in 2011–2021, Ukraine transported an average of 2.7 million tons of cargo by sea annually.

Evaluation of tectonic trends affecting hydrocarbon accumulation of El-Obaiyed Field, Bir Fouad area, Egypt, using gravity and dipmeter data

Bir Fouad is a significant region in the Western Desert of Egypt. It includes El-Obaiyed Field, which is considered the main Jurassic gas and condensate asset for the Shell-BAPETCO organization in the north part of the Western Desert. This field is strategically important due to its major contribution to Egypt's oil production. The purpose of the gravity data is to use disturbances in earth's gravitational field at the surface to outline the subsurface structures (faults) and determine the depth of the basement as the base of the planning area. The Bouguer gravity anomaly map was separated into regional (deep sources) and residual (shallow sources). Additionally, mathematical edge enhancement filters such as total horizontal derivative, tilt angle, and analytic signal were applied to the Bouguer data utilizing the vertical and horizontal derivatives to delineate the structural framework. Euler deconvolution and source parameter imaging methods were employed to estimate the depth of gravity sources and trends of structural elements. The gravity interpretation indicates that the main tectonics affecting the study area have east–west, east-northeast–west-southwest, west-northwest–east-southeast, northeast–southwest, and northwest–southeast trends, whereas the minor structures are aligned in north–south, north-northeast–south-southwest, and north-northwest–south-southeast trends. The results of depth estimation from applying 2D and 3D modeling, along with the available geologic information (the total depth and density logs for the available wells) illustrate a detailed basement structure map showing the basement configuration. The map reveals that the central and northwestern parts of the investigated area have shallower basement rock depths (3100 m), while the eastern and southwestern parts exhibit a deep basement structure, reaching more than 7000 m. The interpretation of advanced well-log data (the OMRI dipmeter) confirmed the resultant structural trends from the Bouguer gravity map that influence production of the Upper Safa and Lower Safa reservoirs in El-Obaiyed Field.

Analysis of Airborne Magnetic and Radiometric Datasets for Geothermal Exploration, in North Central Nigeria

This study uses high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric datasets to assess Nasarawa State's geothermal potential. Analysis was done on six 55 km by 55 km aeromagnetic data sheets. Heat flow, the geothermal gradient, and Curie point depth (CPD) were among the geothermal depth parameters that were determined in the study. The average CPD value was 21.22 km, with a range of 10.14 km to 86.75 km. Heat flow estimates ranged from 62.66 mW/m2 to 211.64 mW/m2, with an average of 125.12 mW/m2, while the geothermal gradient varied from 6.6°C/km to 57.19°C/km, averaging 33.18°C/km. Geothermal energy sources that have shallower CPD and higher heat flow are probably promising. The average radiogenic heat value was 1.87 μW/m3, with a range of 1.48 to 2.32 μW/m3. Overall, the study suggests that geothermal potential is high in the central basement region, where alteration zones appear more concentrated in the northeastern and northwestern parts. Generally, from the analysis of this research, Geothermal potential are promising around central basement of the area where there are likely of higher alteration zones located around the north eastern and north western region.

National fisheries restricted areas: an alternative tool for the sustainable management of Black Sea vulnerable and economically important fish populations

Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs), as area-based fisheries management tools, can be effective in providing protection for fisheries and biodiversity, in addition to traditional Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and are already in effect in waters above 1,000 m of the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. Whereas in the North-Western part of the Black Sea all fishing activities are concentrated in the shallow area (at depths of maximum 90 m), where species and habitats of conservation interest are present, this restriction is completely irrelevant. In this context, given that a FRA can also be established nationally (nFRA), the main objective of this research was pre-identifying suitable area(s) at the Romanian coast and providing the scientific substantiation for such an endeavor. In addition to being a traditional fishing ground for small-scale local fishermen, the study perimeter, which includes the Northern Romanian coast (part of the Marine Zone of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve), was chosen for various reasons. First, because of the uniqueness of the habitats found here, it serves as a vital forage area for fish species that are valuable both from a conservation and economic standpoint. Additionally, during the past ten years, beam trawl fishing for the gastropod Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) has affected the area, potentially causing harm to benthic habitats. A variety of data sources were integrated as part of the research strategy, including the composition and spatial distribution of macrozoobenthos, an inventory of the local fish fauna conducted through scientific fishing (both for commercial fish and species of conservation interest), fish stomach content analysis (by dissection or gastric lavage), and records of fishing effort and catch. The identified Sf. Gheorghe - Sahalin nFRA, covering 272.76 km2 between the 40 m and 50 isobaths, proved to be appropriate according to both ecological and fisheries criteria, and, after public consultation, was established by law, thus becoming the first national Fisheries Restricted Area in the Black Sea, to the benefit of both nature conservation, by spillover effects to adjacent areas, and the livelihood of local coastal communities.

Determination of Aquifer Protective Capacity Using Dar-Zarrouk Parameters at Sabo Area Okitipupa, Ondo State Southwestern Nigeria

The reasons for investigating for the aquifer protective capacity is not far-fetched as this determine the integrity of the source of our water. Mostly, more than 80% of the world depends on groundwater because of the general belief that the cleanest water can be found underground compare to surface water. Whereas it is of importance to do proper investigation to determine the integrity of the groundwater as most of the activities of man on earth can pose a threat to the underground water. It has been a known fact that geophysical method plays an important role to probe the sub-surface to gather information by measuring the physical properties of the earth. Therefore, vertical electrical sounding found to be cheap was used to investigate the study area groundwater integrity as it happens to fall on an abandoned dumpsite area turned to residential area. A total of seventeen (17) vertical electrical soundings were acquired. Maximum of two VES points were investigated in each of this traverse covering electrode distance of AB/2 of 100m.Furthermore, Dar-Zarrouk parameters involving Longitudinal conductance and traverse resistance was used to delineate the aquifer protective capacity of the study area. It was revealed that the longitudinal conductance varies between 0.01 to 0.19 and the traverse resistance varies between 228.4 to 39000. This value for the longitudinal conductance fall between the 0.01 – 0.05 in the southern and southeastern part while the northwestern part varies between 0.35-0.85. Therefore, this study area is not a suitable place for groundwater consumption considering this particular study area is an area of abandon and active dumpsites as the study area shows that majority of the sounding stations are poorly protected.

Sedimentary Characteristics of the Sandstone Intervals in the Fourth Member of Triassic Akekule Formation, Tarim Basin: Implications for Petroleum Exploration

The fourth member of the Triassic in the Tahe Oilfield, as one of the key strata for clastic rock reservoirs, poses significant challenges to oil and gas exploration due to unclear identification of its depositional environments and sedimentary microfacies. Based on the guidance of sequence stratigraphy and sedimentological theories, this study comprehensively analyzed well logging data from more than 130 wells, core analysis from 9 coring wells (including lithology, sedimentary structures, and facies sequence characteristics), 3D seismic data (covering an area of 360 km2), and regional geological background. Combined with screening and settling method granularity experiments, the sedimentary characteristics of the sand body in the fourth member were systematically characterized. The results indicate the following: (1) In the Tahe Oilfield, the strata within the fourth member of the Triassic are predominantly characterized by marginal lacustrine subfacies deposits, with delta-front subfacies deposits developing in localized areas. (2) From the planar distribution perspective, influenced by the northwestern provenance, a small deltaic depositional system developed in the early stage of the fourth member in the northwestern part of the Triassic Akekule Formation. This system was dominated by subaqueous distributary channel sand bodies, which were subjected to erosion and reshaping by lake water, leading to the formation of several stable sand bars along the lake shoreline. In the later stage of the fourth member, as the lake level continued to recede, the area of deltaic deposition expanded westward, and deltaic deposits also developed in the central to slightly eastern parts of the study area. Based on this, a depositional model for the fourth member of the Triassic in the Tahe Oilfield has been established. (3) In the Tahe Oilfield, the sand bodies within the fourth member of the Triassic system gradually pinch out into mudstone, forming lithological pinch-out traps. Among these, the channel sand bodies and long belt sand ridges, due to their good sorting and high permeability, become favorable reservoirs for oil and gas accumulation. This study clarifies the sedimentary model of the fourth member and reveals the spatial differentiation mechanism of sand bodies under the control of lake-level fluctuations and ancient structures. It can provide exploration guidance for delta lake sedimentary systems similar to the edge of foreland basins, especially for efficient development of complex lithological oil and gas reservoirs controlled by multistage lake invasion–lake retreat cycles.

Spatial distribution of malaria among under-five children and associated factors in Tanzania: a spatial and multilevel analysis

BackgroundMalaria is a major public health problem in Tanzania, accounting for 3.1% of the global cases, with under-five children being particularly vulnerable. Over half of malaria deaths in Tanzania occurred among under-five children. Identifying the spatial determinants of malaria is crucial for optimizing targeted interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality in this vulnerable population. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the spatial determinants of malaria and factors associated with malaria infection among under-five children in Tanzania.MethodsA secondary data analysis was carried out using the Tanzanian Demographic and Health Survey and Malaria Indicator Survey (TDHS-MIS) 2022 data. A total weighted sample of 4971 under-five children was included in the analysis. Spatial determinants of malaria were identified by ordinary least square and geographically weighted regression analysis. A multilevel binary logistic regression model was fitted to identify factors associated with malaria infection among under-five children.ResultsMalaria among under-five children was spatially clustered in Tanzania (Moran’s Index = 0.14, p-value < 0.0001). Significant primary clusters of malaria were identified in the Northwestern part of the country (western and Lake zones) (log-likelihood ratio (LLR = 80.22, p < 0.0001) and secondary clusters in the Mtwara region (LLR = 16.04, p < 0.0001). Wealth index and access to health care were significant determinants of spatial clustering of malaria among under-five children. In the multilevel analysis, maternal education [primary level (AOR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.52–0.97)], child age of 48–59 months (AOR = 3.17, 95% CI: 1.80–5.62), family size of 5 to 10 (AOR = 1.69, 95%CI 1.12, 2.54), being in poor wealth index (AOR = 2.56, 95% CI 1.18–5.57), and unimproved roof (AOR = 1.49, 95% CI 1.04–2.16) were significantly associated with malaria infection among under-five children.Conclusion and RecommendationMalaria among under-five children in Tanzania shows significant spatial clustering, particularly in the Northwestern and Southern parts of the country. This spatial clustering of malaria was attributed to poor socioeconomic status and lack of access to health care. Improving access to health care and enhancing malaria prevention measures for the economically disadvantaged group could have a better impact on reducing the burden of malaria.

Preschool children's affinity towards nature (biophilia) and their parents’ and teachers’ connectedness to the nature

ABSTRACT One of the most important steps in solving today's environmental problems that affect both human welfare and the lives of other living things is to identify the determinants of pro-environmental attitudes and behaviours of the human species, which has the strongest impact on nature. So the aim of the study is to examine the relationship between preschool children's affinity towards nature (biophilia) and their mothers’, fathers’ and teachers’ connectedness to nature. A total of 298 children, their parents and teachers participated in the study. This research was conducted in a province located in the northwestern part of Turkey. The results indicated that there is a relationship between teachers’ connectedness to nature scores and children's affinity towards nature scores, but there is no relationship between parents’ connectedness to nature scores and children's scores. As a result of the regression analysis, it was determined that teachers’ level of connectedness to nature was a predictor of children's affinity towards nature.

Projections on Regional Climate and Compound Events in East Asia Based on QDM‐Corrected Multiple High‐Resolution CORDEX Simulations

ABSTRACTFollowing the Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment East Asia Phase II (CORDEX‐EA‐II) setting, two regional climate models (RCMs) driven by four global climate models (GCMs) have been used to provide climate change information on surface air temperature and daily precipitation. A trend‐preserving bias correction method, quantile delta mapping (QDM), is first validated for the historical period of 1981–2005 and then applied to the future period of 2040–2060 under the Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenarios. Results show that QDM is competent in correcting model biases on temperature, precipitation and compound events (CEs, defined as the concurrent occurrence of temperature and precipitation anomalies) for both spatial distributions and annual cycles. For future assessments, a widespread warming is projected over the region, with average temperature changes higher than 1.6°C. Changes in precipitation are more region‐variated. Increased precipitation is most significant in the northwestern part of the CORDEX‐EA region, and some models also present a decreased precipitation in southeastern China. Climate changes on CEs correspond with the effect of global warming; RCMs present a significant increase in the frequency of hot CEs and an obvious decrease in cold‐dry CEs. These results are expected to be useful for future climate assessments and for better understanding of the bias correction technique under climate change situations.

Health risk assessment of groundwater use for drinking in West Nile Delta, Egypt

Human health is at risk from drinking water contamination, which causes a number of health problems in many parts of the world. The geochemistry of groundwater, its quality, the origins of groundwater pollution, and the associated health risks have all been the subject of substantial research in recent decades. In this study, groundwater in the west Rosetta Nile branch of the Nile Delta Aquifer is examined for drinking potential. Numerous water quality indices were applied, such as water quality index (WQI), synthetic pollution index (SPI) models, and health risk assessment (HRA) method. The limits of the measured parameters are used to test its drinking validity on the basis of WHO recommendations. TDS in the southern regions is within the desirable to allowable limits with percent 25.3% and 29.33%, respectively. Nearly all the study area has desirable value for HCO3, Al and Ba. Ca and Mg have desirable values in the center and south portion of the investigated area, whereas in the north are unsuitable. Na, Cl and SO4 fall within the desired level in the regions of the south but become unsuitable towards the north. Mn and NO3 are inappropriate except in the northwestern part. Fe is within suitable range in the southwestern and northwestern regions. Pb, Zn, Cu, and Cd were undetected in the collected samples. Regarding to WQI the study area is classified into 4 classes good, poor, very poor and unfit for drinking water from south to north. According to SPI model, 20%, 18.7%, 18.7%, 8% and 34.6% of water samples are suitable, slightly, moderately, highly polluted and unfit, respectively from south to north. Based on HRA, Children are the most category endangered with percent 14.7% of the overall samples obtained, followed by females and males with percent 12% and 8%, respectively. This study offers insights into the conservation and management of coastal aquifers’ groundwater supplies. These findings have significant implications for developing strategies and executing preventative actions to reduce water resource vulnerability and related health hazards in West Nile Delta, Egypt.

Ecological suitability distribution of hop based on MaxEnt modeling.

Hop has been widely utilized in both food production and traditional medicine owing to their distinctive flavor and various pharmacological effects. In recent years, the increasing demand for hop has led to their cultivation in many regions across China. However, hops require specific ecological conditions, including climate, soil, precipitation, and temperature, which significantly affect their distribution and growth. To facilitate the standardization and scientific cultivation of hops, it is essential to clarify the distribution of their ecological suitability. In this study, we collected data from 95 hops distribution locations and 115 ecological factors to determine the areas suitable for hops cultivation using the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model and Geographic Information System (GIS). The highly suitable areas are primarily located in the northwestern part of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the eastern part of Gansu Province, Shaanxi Province, the southwestern part of Shanxi Province, and parts of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province. These findings provide valuable guidance for the scientific cultivation of hops, ensuring the efficient use of ecological resources and promoting sustainable cultivation practices.

Evaluation of Urban Infrastructure Resilience Based on Risk–Resilience Coupling: A Case Study of Zhengzhou City

The frequent occurrence of disasters has brought significant challenges to increasingly complex urban systems. Resilient city planning and construction has emerged as a new paradigm for dealing with the growing risks. Infrastructure systems like transportation, lifelines, flood control, and drainage are essential to the operation of a city during disasters. It is necessary to measure how risks affect these systems’ resilience at different spatial scales. This paper develops an infrastructure risk and resilience evaluation index system in city and urban areas based on resilience characteristics. Then, a comprehensive infrastructure resilience evaluation is established based on the risk–resilience coupling mechanism. The overall characteristics of comprehensive infrastructure resilience are then identified. The resilience transmission level and the causes of resilience effects are analyzed based on the principle of resilience scale. Additionally, infrastructure resilience enhancement strategies under different risk scenarios are proposed. In the empirical study of Zhengzhou City, comprehensive infrastructure resilience shows significant clustering in the city area. It is high in the central city and low in the periphery. Specifically, it is relatively high in the southern and northwestern parts of the airport economy zone (AEZ) and low in the center. The leading driving factors in urban areas are risk factors like flood and drought, hazardous materials, infectious diseases, and epidemics, while resilience factors include transportation networks, sponge city construction, municipal pipe networks, and fire protection. This study proposes a “risk-resilience” coupling framework to evaluate and analyze multi-hazard risks and the multi-system resilience of urban infrastructure across multi-level spatial scales. It provides an empirical resilience evaluation framework and enhancement strategies, complementing existing individual dimensional risk or resilience studies. The findings could offer visualized spatial results to support the decision-making in Zhengzhou’s resilient city planning outline and infrastructure special planning and provide references for resilience assessment and planning in similar cities.

Epidemiology of kidney biopsy from regional referral center in Romania: 10-year review.

To provide epidemiologic data on kidney biopsy from Romania. Retrospective observational study of kidney biopsy records for adult patients from a referral center in the north-western part of Romania, reported for 2014-2023. 556 biopsies were performed, corresponding to an incidence of 12 biopsies/m person-year with over 50% increase over the last reported year. Optimal core for optic microscopy was available in 81.4%, immunofluorescence was performed in 86.3%, and electron microscopy in 35.2% of patients. The mean age at biopsy was 47.12 years, and 53.8% were males. Indications for kidney biopsy were nephrotic syndrome in 63.1% of patients, nephritic in 25.9% of patients, asymptomatic urinary abnormalities in 2.9%, acute kidney injury/ rapid progressive renal failure in 3.6%, and chronic kidney disease in 1.4%. The most frequent diagnostic categories were membranous nephritis (14.7%), IgA nephropathy (13.9%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (11,1%), minimal change disease (12,2%), lupus nephritis (10,9%), vasculitis (7.6%), and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (8%). The age of diagnosis increased for IgA Nephropathy over time while it decreased for membranous nephritis. Our study adds data for the completion of the kidney biopsy map in our region.

Probabilistic Assessment of the Impact of Compound Dry and Hot Events on Vegetation Drought Over Northwestern China

ABSTRACTClimate extremes have garnered considerable attention recently because of their devastating effects on both water resources and vegetation health. The vegetation responses to climate extremes, such as high temperatures (hot events), droughts (dry events) and compound dry and hot events (CDHEs), have been extensively evaluated. However, the risk of vegetation drought considering different severity levels of individual and compound climate extremes is not well assessed. In this study, we employed the meta‐Gaussian (MG) model, a multivariate approach, to evaluate the response of vegetation drought [characterized by the Standardized Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (SNDVI)] to dry events, hot events and CDHEs. The study found that the dominant factor of vegetation drought, in the central and northwestern parts of Northwestern China (NWC), was the dry events. Conversely, in the southern NWC, temperature exerted a substantial influence on vegetation drought. Relative to individual dry events (hot events), the conditional probability of vegetation drought under CDHEs had decreased (increased) by approximately 24% (17%). Furthermore, the response of grassland to both individual and compound climate extremes was sensitive, whereas forests demonstrated greater resilience to droughts. These findings help us better understand the influence that various severity levels of climate extremes exert on vegetation dynamics.