Oil spill hazard assessment for the Arabian Gulf.

Abstract. The Ocean plays a central role in regulating climate, sustaining biodiversity, and supporting human societies, yet it is experiencing increasing environmental change driven by human activities. The Starfish Barometer provides an annual, science-based synthesis of global Ocean-related developments. It does not generate new data, but brings together already available siloed information. It is structured around five interconnected dimensions – the five arms of the Starfish: Ocean state, human pressures, societal harms, protection efforts, and opportunities for humanity. This article presents the second edition of the Barometer, released each year on World Ocean Day (8 June). In the 2026 Barometer, key highlights confirm the consequences and intensification of human pressures on the Ocean. Global sea-level rise and Ocean warming are accelerating; the number of identified threatened marine species continues to rise, and the level of threat they experience is intensifying. Over 84 % of global coral reefs are at risk, exposed to bleaching-level heat stress. Annual plastic waste generation reached 130 million t, with up to 10 % potentially reaching the Ocean. Global shipping emissions remain stable indicating limited decarbonization progress. Economic losses from tropical storms and floods were particularly high in 2024, illustrating how human pressures are translating into material costs for societies. Geopolitical instability has increased maritime insurance costs, and half of the social cost of climate change falls on the Ocean economy. Major in-situ ocean observing systems are shrinking reducing Ocean protection capacity. In parallel, protection efforts continue to expand. Stronger protection rules for rays and sharks have been adopted, reflecting gradual progress in conservation ambition. A treaty for the High Seas has been adopted, providing a legal framework to protect and govern the Ocean. More than 2000 Ocean startups worldwide are also contributing to innovation, with a growing will for sustainable Ocean development and Ocean-focused environmentally beneficial investments. Taken together, these signals show a growing gap between increasing human pressures on the Ocean and the efforts being made to protect it and drive change. While governance frameworks, financial commitments, and innovation ecosystems are advancing, current trajectories remain insufficient to meet global biodiversity, climate and Ocean sustainability objectives, as reflected for example in SDG 14, the link to other SDGs, and related international frameworks (von Schuckmann et al., 2020). By compiling robust, evidence-based information within a consistent annual framework guided by international and multidisciplinary expertise, the Starfish Barometer provides a transparent and evidence-based foundation to support accountability for a sustainable Ocean.

Accurately grasping the structural characteristics of the spatial correlation network of county-level carbon emissions and its influencing factors is of great significance for promoting regional collaborative carbon emission reduction and low-carbon sustainable development. Based on carbon emissions data in county-level regions of Shaanxi Province， this study quantitatively evaluates the carbon ecological carrying coefficient， systematically examines the structural characteristics of the spatial correlation network of carbon emissions in county-level regions of Shaanxi Province using social network analysis and the exponential random graph model and analyzes the key driving factors behind the network formation. The results show that： ① The spatial carbon emission network exhibited high connectivity and gradually increasing stability， but the spatial correlation remained weak， with persistent issues such as structural looseness and redundancy. ② Key nodes in the spatial correlation network of carbon emissions were occupied by counties such as Gaoling District and Fengxian County， while regions like Yanliang District and Fengxian County played the role of "central actors" being less susceptible to influence or control by other counties. Counties such as Yanliang District and Yangling District demonstrated significant intermediary roles， exerting strong control over carbon emissions in other counties within the network. ③ The spatial correlations of carbon emissions in southern Shaanxi， Guanzhong， and northern Shaanxi all exhibited the characteristic of "inter-plate connections being stronger than intra-plate connections，" with widespread "carbon emission transfer" phenomena. Guanzhong displayed complex spatial spillover relationships， southern Shaanxi lacked tight connections and requires enhanced coordination， while northern Shaanxi showed significant cross-regional correlations and pronounced mutual influences. ④ The self-organizing regulatory effect was found to weaken over time， shifting from bidirectional interlocking to unidirectional dominance. The influence of social selection behavior factors─such as carbon sink pressure， economic development， energy efficiency， industrial structure， environmental protection efforts， technological level， and urbanization rate─on carbon emission correlations exhibited phased changes： Carbon sink pressure and economic factors dominated in the early stage， while environmental protection and industrial restructuring played prominent roles in the later stage， though the driving force of technology remains insufficient. Meanwhile， the constraining effects of geographical distance and county adjacency relationships gradually diminished.

Sexual violence (SV) against children and youth is a global problem. Minimal evidence exists on how contextual factors, such as those at the community or societal levels, influence the prevalence of SV in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Data from the Violence against Children and Youth Surveys in Cambodia, Colombia, Côte d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Kenya, Mozambique, and Nigeria (nmale = 9,245; nfemale = 10,022) were merged with the Out of the Shadows Index (OOSI), a global index of national child protection efforts developed by Economist Impact. Age- and sex-stratified sequential fixed effects random intercepts models assessed associations between cluster-level community-aggregated attitudes and OOSI indicators with forced sexual initiation (FSI), lifetime non-consensual sexual touching (NCST), and lifetime SV. We found that aggregated harmful attitudes about women and men at the community-level were associated with FSI among females (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 4.43, p =< .001), and NCST (aOR = 2.86, p < .001), and SV (aOR = 2.70, p < .001) among males. Aggregated community attitudes supportive of intimate partner violence were significantly associated with lifetime SV among females (aOR = 2.09, p < .001) and males (aOR = 3.16, p < .001), and NCST (aOR = 3.10, p < .001) among males. The OOSI legal indicator was associated with lower prevalence of NCST (aOR = 0.94, p =< .001) and SV (aOR = 0.94, p =< .001) among males, and NCST among females aged 13 to 17 years (aOR = 0.96, p = .009). Community attitudes are associated with youth experiences of SV, and protective national legislation is associated with a lower risk of youth experiencing SV in LMICs. National policies and programs that alter these factors have the potential to help prevent SV among children and youth.

Conservation status of ethnic minority medicinal plants in China for the thirty by thirty target

On the incidental exposure of the general public to invasive forest pests through mainstream media

Exploring peptidases from the milkweed bug Spilostethus pandurus (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) by proteomics, transcriptomics and gene expression analysis for the hydrolysis of food proteins.

Controlling hazards in the work environment can be done through various means, but technical control is the top priority. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is considered the application of a safe way of working. This study aims to determine the relationship between compliance with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and efforts to prevent occupational diseases in nurses at Pertamedika Ummi Rosnati Hospital Banda Aceh. This type of research is quantitative with an analytic design with a cross-sectional study approach. Data collection was carried out from June 13 to 20, 2025, at Pertamedika Ummi Rosnati Hospital. The population in the study was all nurses in the inpatient room of Pertamedika Ummi Rosnati Hospital Banda Aceh, totaling 59 people with sampling techniques using total sampling. Data analysis using the chi-square test, where the results showed there was a relationship between knowledge (p = 0.001), attitude (p = 0.036), and compliance using PPE (p = 0.015) with efforts to prevent occupational diseases. The conclusion of this study found that there is a relationship between compliance with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and efforts to prevent occupational diseases in nurses at Pertamedika Ummi Rosnati Hospital Banda Aceh. It is recommended that nurses increase efforts to prevent occupational diseases by continuing to use PPE even though sometimes it is not provided in hospitals, such as masks.

Ranger patrols are a cornerstone of wildlife protection efforts around the world and occur across all ecological governance systems. Evidence that patrols reduce threats to wildlife and enable their recovery has not been systematically examined previously. Without evidence of patrol effectiveness in varying contexts, protected area managers risk wasting limited conservation resources and lack information required to improve the effectiveness of patrols. We conducted a meta-analysis evaluating the effectiveness of terrestrial patrols for conserving African, Asian, and Latin American wildlife directly threatened by exploitation. After filtering 57 studies, we calculated effect sizes from each of the remaining 15 studies that included a comparator and measurement of wildlife abundance and calculated standardised mean difference and % change in wildlife species abundance. Results suggest tentative support that areas implementing patrols (alongside other interventions) were associated with higher wildlife abundance levels compared to time periods or locations without patrols. We were unable to confirm causality between patrols and changes in wildlife population abundance because studies were inadequately designed to evaluate and report on effectiveness. Studies commonly lacked a comparator or counterfactual event, temporal or spatial replication, and consistent and/or long-term monitoring of population abundance, and had study designs that confounded conservation actions. Further, of the 15 included studies linking wildlife abundance to patrol efforts, five also reported a reduction in a poaching threat, but only three of these used a comparator in the threat reduction evaluation. Without monitoring threat trends alongside wildlife abundance, it is difficult to be confident that patrols resulted in increases in wildlife abundance. To help evaluate patrol interventions (i.e. not only whether they work but where and under what conditions they work), we identify opportunities to improve future patrol effectiveness research and provide recommendations on how to improve the evidence base.

This research aims to determine the extent to which Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation and other laws regulating employment in Indonesia provide legal protection for workers who experience employment termination by the company during the contract period. And you can find out the legal consequences if workers experience termination of employment during the contract period. The research method used in this thesis is normative juridical. The formulation of the problem in this research is: 1) What is the preventive and repressive legal protection for workers whose employment is terminated by the company during the contract period according to the Law governing Employment in Indonesia? 2) What are the legal consequences if the company terminates the employment agreement for a certain period of time within the contract period according to the Law governing Employment in Indonesia? Based on the research results, conclusions were obtained in the form of: 1) There are 5 preventive protection efforts and 2 repressive protection efforts for workers who experience termination of employment during the contract period. 2) The legal consequences if the company terminates the employment relationship of workers during the contract period are that the employer must pay compensation and compensation to the employee whose employment relationship is terminated.

The rapid development of urban areas in Jakarta has given rise to various environmental problems at the sub-district level, such as increasing waste volume, air pollution, and reduced green open spaces. These problems are exacerbated by low public awareness of environmental protection, necessitating structural and participatory management efforts. This study aims to analyze the implementation of the digital technology-based Smart Environment Community program as a form of community empowerment in environmental management. The approach used emphasizes active community involvement through the use of digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile applications, and web-based information systems, to improve the effectiveness of real-time environmental monitoring and management. The program also focuses on increasing community capacity to identify and resolve environmental problems independently and collectively. The study results indicate that the integration of digital technology with community empowerment can increase awareness, participation, and efficiency in environmental management at the sub-district level. However, program implementation still faces obstacles such as limited digital literacy and access to technological infrastructure. Therefore, ongoing support from the government and stakeholders is needed to optimize the program's implementation. This research is expected to serve as a reference in developing a sustainable technology-based environmental management model in urban areas.

The circulation of cosmetic and skincare products that do not meet safety standards remains a serious problem in consumer protection. One example is the Pinkflash brand of cosmetics, whose distribution permit has been revoked by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), yet it is still found circulating on the market and causing harm to consumers. This study aims to analyze the civil legal liability of sellers to consumers for the distribution of hazardous cosmetics and the legal protection efforts for harmed consumers. The research method used is empirical legal research with a statutory and case-based approach. Data were obtained through literature review and interviews, then analyzed qualitatively. The results indicate that sellers who continue to distribute hazardous cosmetics are civilly liable for consumer losses under Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection and Article 1365 of the Civil Code. Legal protection for consumers can be achieved through the role of BPOM, consumer dispute resolution, and civil lawsuits in court.

Human activities are rapidly eroding the biodiversity of most ecosystems, threatening the myriad contributions they provide to nature and people. Protected areas are often seen as key management tools for their conservation. However, the lack of historical baselines hinders our ability to fully assess these declines and the extent to which protected areas can compensate for decades of human-mediated degradation. Using a Bayesian framework, we modelled 22 fish community contributions across 2,800 tropical reefs and predicted their levels under counterfactual scenarios to compare the relative benefits of marine protected areas (MPAs) and anthropogenic impacts on unprotected reefs. We show that human activities have significantly reduced fish biodiversity- and biomass-related contributions with, for example, a 120% decline in piscivore biomass, corresponding to a net loss of 19 kg per hectare of reef. In contrast, the benefits of MPAs appear comparatively low, with conservation efforts potentially offsetting only 5% of this decline. Ultimately, only old and fully protected areas provide marked benefits to nature and people. This suggests that even if we drastically increase our protection efforts across the ocean (30% coverage by 2030), we cannot expect short-term socio-ecological benefits to counterbalance a long history of human footprint. A desirable future for nature and people thus requires a paradigm shift in our relationship with ecosystems and their biodiversity, beyond MPA establishment.

Targeting neuroinflammation in ischemic stroke: The promise of phytoconstituents.

ABSTRACT Visual encounter surveys along 1 km transects with systematic 50 × 50 m plots, supplemented by pitfall traps with 100 m drift fences, were conducted targeting the endangered Zanzibar reed frog ( Hyperolius puncticulatus ), an amphibian endemic to Unguja Island, Zanzibar. Only one adult individual was found, indicating a critically small population and urgent conservation needs, as this species lacks sufficient ecological data to guide protection efforts. The species was found in a moist forest‐edge microhabitat characterized by dense leaf litter, fallen branches, and proximity to breeding pools. Water quality at all four sampled breeding sites was pristine, with low nutrient levels and slight alkalinity, conditions highly supportive for amphibian reproduction. Habitat suitability modelling using a Random Forest classifier (AUC = 0.94) predicted that 63.3% (≈358 ha) of the reserve is highly suitable, primarily in central and southwestern areas with north and east facing slopes and high topographic wetness. These findings highlight the need for strict habitat protection, boundary enforcement, targeted restoration, and long‐term population monitoring to prevent local extinction of this threatened amphibian.

Amphibians thrive in a wide variety of habitats and are determined by factors like metamorphic life cycle, reproductive activity and modes. The primary objective of the study is to provide baseline information in reviewing the biogeographic range of included species and provide information regarding the microhabitat preferences of amphibians in Mt. Sumagaya Range. Opportunistic sampling was conducted to record anurans which took place during the day (0900–1400 hours) and at night (1900–2300 hours) using standard illuminating device along the established Biodiversity Monitoring Sites (BMS) trail, streams, and rivers. A total of 19 anuran species were observed, providing 12 additional species records in the study site where eight (32%) species were only observed in arboreal microhabitats. Eight (32%) species were only observed in arboreal microhabitat and the five (20%) species solely preferred aquatic microhabitat types. Invasive species such as Rhinella marina and Kaloula pulchra were recorded during the survey. Given the high level of endemism in Misamis Oriental, the presence of these invasive alien species highlights the urgent need to strengthen conservation and protection efforts in the region.

This paper proposes a revision of the traditional regulatory framework for radiological protection of the public, which has long relied on the combined application of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model and the ALARA principle ("as low as reasonably achievable"). The proposed model focuses on the evaluation of tangible protection efforts rather than on the assumptions of hypothetical risk. Termed the Best Protection Approach (BPA), this model assesses the sufficiency, coherence, and traceability of the radiological protection measures in place, rather than regulating hypothetical risks associated with exposures that remain well below the threshold of epidemiological detectability. New operational concepts, such as the Protection Effort Index (PEI) and the Sufficient Protection Benchmark (SPB), are introduced, complemented by standardization tools designed to improve consistency and comparability across different assessors and similar nuclear facilities. The BPA emphasizes the balanced optimization of protective performance rather than indefinite dose minimization, aiming to maintain robust safety, reduce undue regulatory burden, and support clearer communication in low-dose public exposure contexts, particularly near nuclear power plants (NPPs).

Air pollution continues to pose a critical global challenge, with profound implications for public health. This article examines the current state of air pollution in East Asia, analyzes the detrimental effects of air pollutants on multiple human physiological systems, and proposes actionable mitigation strategies. By synthesizing existing research, this review aims to enhance awareness among policymakers, institutions, and the public, advocating for collaborative efforts in pollution control and health protection. The outlook proposes the implementation of evidence-based interventions to address this urgent environmental and health crisis.

Ports are increasingly vital in global trade flows and have significant adverse environmental impacts. As a result, green ports have gained attention and affirmed their importance in environmental protection and economic development efforts. Vietnam, a developing country with rapid economic growth and a fast-expanding seaport sector, only began formulating and implementing green port policies in 2020. The government is still in the pilot phase of greening select seaports nationwide. The transition toward sustainable ports remains a long and challenging journey. International law does not prescribe a standardized framework for green port evaluation criteria, as these depend on the specific conditions of each country. Therefore, this article will analyze Vietnam’s legal framework on green ports, assessing its advantages and limitations in promoting sustainable port development.

Analysis of Inpatient Hospital-Based Palliative Care Costs for Patients with Cancer in Bangladesh: A Multicenter Study.