Status Of Resources Research Articles

Spatial Planning Strategies for Urban Ecology and Heritage Conservation in Macau: An Investigation of Ultra-High-Density Cities

Urban ecology and heritage-protection space are important parts of urban land and should be highly emphasized in urban planning. Improving and upgrading the level of urban ecological and heritage-conservation space will directly affect the level of spatial quality of the built environment of the city. As a high-density city, Macau suffers from “urban diseases” such as a low per capita green space rate and poor quality of the human environment. Therefore, in order to solve this kind of urban disease, the green environment quality of Macau’s heritage space should be improved and more leisure and recreational space should be provided for urban residents. This paper examines the layout of cultural heritage open spaces in Macau and suggests strategies for planning the preservation and use of these critical resources. This study investigated the current status of open space resources in Macau’s offshore islands, cultural heritage space resources, eight Largo spaces (“Largo” is a unique term for urban public open space in Macau) in Macau’s historic city, site-based cultural heritage open spaces, and the current status of rural walking trails in the offshore islands’ ecological reserves, and used GIS technology to visualize the survey results. Last, this paper investigates the planning strategy for the sustainable use of Macau’s outlying island ecological reserves and proposes a “green network” to connect the main mountains, green areas, and coastal wetlands in Coloane with the natural space. In view of the heritage-conservation space of the Macau Peninsula, this paper proposes the planning strategy of constructing linear landscape and cultural routes and planning characteristic heritage streets and alleys. Through using cultural heritage buildings as nodes and connecting pedestrian streets and alleys, the planning mode of combining heritage attractions and streets and alleys is realized.

Status of fishery resource management through an ecosystem approach in the several fishery management models in the Kampar River, Riau Province, Indonesia

The Kampar River's high fish diversity dramatically benefits the local community. However, overfishing threatens the river's fishery resources. Urgent and concerted management efforts, including local wisdom implementation, are crucial to address this pressing issue. Law Number 45 of 2009 concerning Fisheries mandates sustainable fishery resource management, primarily through an ecosystem-based approach. From January to June 2024, researchers conducted a study in the Kampar River area to assess the status of ecosystem-based fishery resource management across several management models. The research combined qualitative and quantitative methods, using purposive sampling to select 5-10 participants from each village. Following guidelines from the Directorate of Fish Resources, the study developed indicators for each domain and converted them into composite indicators using the 'flag modeling' technique. Data analysis showed that the Lubuk Larangan management model achieved the highest ecosystem-based fishery resource status, scoring 13,374 points (green). The individual auction system, communal auction system, and government regulations scored 13,168, 13,120, and 10,899 points respectively (yellow). These results highlight the effectiveness of local wisdom-based approaches in sustainable fishery resource management for the Kampar River ecosystem.

Interactive effect of anthropogenic activities and seasonal changes on the biophysicochemical properties and heavy metal status of tropical surface water resources

Seasonal changes and uncontrolled anthropogenic activities alter surface water resources quality and threaten access to water for consumptive and non-consumptive needs of humankind. This study examines the interactive impact of seasonal variation and anthropogenic activities on selected biophysicochemical properties and heavy metal status of tropical surface water resources. The study was conducted with water samples taken from upstream, midstream and downstream of the networked surface water system of the Barekese and Owabi dams in the Ashanti Region of Ghana during the wet season (March – Mid. October 2019) and dry season (Mid. October – February,2019). The result revealed that the downstream had significantly higher levels of conductivity, BOD, NO3-N, NH4-N, as well as Escherichia coli (E. coli) when compared to the midstream and upstream. The levels of NO3-N were significantly higher during the wet season while conductivity, TSS, E. coli and copper were higher during the dry season. Significant interactive effects between seasons and anthropogenic activities on water quality were observed. The anthropogenic impacts on conductivity, E. coli, and copper concentration were observed during the dry season while that of NO3-N was observed during the wet season. Overall, the water quality was poorest during the dry season and mainly in the downstream where anthropogenic activities are pronounced. This means that efforts towards improving surface water quality should be targeted at downstream activities, especially during the dry season. The study recommends the need for effective monitoring and control of activities such as dry season farming and indiscriminate discharge of waste into tributaries of surface water especially within the downstream.

Traditional Use, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Applications of Persicae Semen: A Review.

Persicae Semen (Taoren), the seed of mature peaches consumed as both food and medicine, is native to the temperate regions of China, distributed in the provinces of North and East China, and currently cultivated worldwide. The primary components of Persicae Semen include volatile oil, protein, amino acids, amygdalin, and prunasin, all of which have pharmacological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune regulatory effects, and are clinically used in the treatment of gynecological, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, orthopedic, and digestive system diseases. This review provides a comprehensive perspective on the resource status, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology, as well as the trend of Persicae Semen patent, global distribution, and clinical applications. This review will help facilitate the development and utilization of Persicae Semen in clinical settings.

“ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS”: EQUITY AS A FUNDAMENTAL DIMENSION OF HEALTH

Inequity in health remains one of the most pressing challenges in global public health, marked by unjust and avoidable differences in access to healthcare, quality of services, and health outcomes across populations. While inequality refers to differences in health status or distribution of resources, inequity emphasizes the ethical and social injustices that underpin these disparities, often arising from systemic factors such as socioeconomic status, race, gender, and geographic location (WHO, 2018; Marmot, 2020). The distinction between inequity and inequality is pivotal for addressing health disparities, as it frames these differences as a matter of fairness and rights rather than merely outcomes.

The Role of Underwater Soundscapes in Shaping the Distribution of Cobitidae Fish: Insights From Multiple Environmental Factors

ABSTRACTSound is critical in fish behaviours, including reproduction, feeding, predator avoidance and habitat selection. To investigate the impact of underwater soundscape on the distribution of Cobitidae fishes, we surveyed the status of Cobitidae fish resources and the underwater soundscape along with related environmental factors at 12 sampling sites downstream of the Songxin Hydropower Station in the Heishui River, a major tributary of the Jinsha River in China. Generalised additive models (GAMs) were employed to identify the primary environmental factors influencing the distribution of Cobitidae fishes and we analysed the correlation between the abundance of Cobitidae fish and primary environmental factors. The study revealed that the water depth, flow velocity, water temperature and sound pressure level (SPL) all had highly significant effects on the distribution of Cobitidae fishes (p < 0.001), with SPL showing the lowest relative importance among these factors. Water depth positively correlated with Cobitidae fish abundance, whereas water temperature, SPL and flow velocity showed negative correlations. This study preliminarily explored the response relationship between the distribution of Cobitidae fish and four main environmental factors, offering a technical foundation for predicting the distribution of Cobitidae fishes in rivers and for implementing conservation measures of fish such as suitable habitat creation.

UniProt: the Universal Protein Knowledgebase in 2025.

The aim of the UniProt Knowledgebase (UniProtKB; https://www.uniprot.org/) is to provide users with a comprehensive, high-quality and freely accessible set of protein sequences annotated with functional information. In this publication, we describe ongoing changes to our production pipeline to limit the sequences available in UniProtKB to high-quality, non-redundant reference proteomes. We continue to manually curate the scientific literature to add the latest functional data and use machine learning techniques. We also encourage community curation to ensure key publications are not missed. We provide an update on the automatic annotation methods used by UniProtKB to predict information for unreviewed entries describing unstudied proteins. Finally, updates to the UniProt website are described, including a new tab linking protein to genomic information. In recognition of its value to the scientific community, the UniProt database has been awarded Global Core Biodata Resource status.

Towards accurate anomaly detection for cloud system via graph-enhanced contrastive learning

As a critical technology, anomaly detection ensures the smooth operation of cloud systems while maintaining the market competitiveness of cloud service providers. However, the resource data in real-world cloud systems is predominantly unannotated, leading to insufficient supervised signals for anomaly detection. Moreover, complicated topological associations existed between cloud servers (e.g., computation, storage, and communication). While acquiring resource information, correlating the system topology is challenging. To this end, we propose the GCAD for cloud system anomaly detection, which integrates data augmentation, GraphGRU, contrastive learning, and reconstruction. First, GCAD constructs positive and negative sample pairs through the masking and Gaussian noise data augmentation. Then, the GraphGRU processes extended temporal graph data, extracting and fusing spatiotemporal features from resource status and system topology. In addition, GCAD introduces linear attention for encoding spatiotemporal representations to capture their global correlation information. The weight parameters of the encoder are optimized using a contrastive learning mechanism. Finally, GCAD utilizes a reconstruction technique to calculate anomaly scores, facilitating the evaluation of the state of the cloud system at each time point. Experimental results indicate that GCAD outperforms state-of-the-art compared methods on two real-world datasets that contain topology information.

Ruzicka Indexive Throttled Deep Neural Learning for Resource-Efficient Load Balancing in a Cloud Environment

Cloud Computing (CC) is a prominent technology that permits users as well as organizations to access services based on their requirements. This computing method presents storage, deployment platforms, as well as suitable access to web services over the internet. Load balancing is a crucial factor for optimizing computing and storage. It aims to dispense workload across every virtual machine in a reasonable manner. Several load balancing techniques have been conventionally developed and are available in the literature. However, achieving efficient load balancing with minimal makespan and improved throughput remains a challenging issue. To enhance load balancing efficiency, a novel technique called Ruzicka Indexive Throttle Load Balanced Deep Neural Learning (RITLBDNL) is designed. The primary objective of RITLBDNL is to enhance throughput and minimize the makespan in the cloud. In the RITLBDNL technique, a deep neural learning model contains one input layer, two hidden layers, as well as one output layer to enhance load balancing performance. In the input layer, the number of cloud user tasks is collected and sent to hidden layer 1. In that layer, the load balancer in the cloud server analyzes the virtual machine resource status depending on energy, bandwidth, memory, and CPU using the Ruzicka Similarity Index. Then, it is classified VMs as overloaded, less loaded, or balanced. The analysis results are then transmitted to hidden layer 2, where Throttled Load Balancing is performed to dispense the workload of weighty loaded virtual machines to minimum loaded ones. The cloud server efficiently balances the workload between the virtual machines in higher throughput and lower response time and makespan for handling a huge number of incoming tasks. To evaluate experiments, the proposed technique is compared with other existing load balancing methods. The result shows that the proposed RITLBDNL provides better performance of higher load balancing efficiency of 7%, throughput of 46% lesser makespan of 41%, and response time of 28% than compared to conventional methods.

The effects of armed conflict on natural resources and conservation measures in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

A heavy armed conflict erupted in Tigray region of Ethiopia in 2020, and the crisis continued up to 2022. This study investigates the impacts of this crisis on the status of natural resources and soil and water conservation (SWC) efforts. We collected primary data through observations, measurements, interviews and group discussions during the wartime. We also reviewed published articles and official archives to complement the primary data, which were often challenging to obtain due to the war. We found that vegetated landscapes were damaged by artillery and bombs. As a result, the average depth of the surveyed bomb craters along the asphalts was 1.15 0.47 m (n=16), whereas the average surface diameter of the craters and their rim was 2.66 0.67 m. In addition, the construction of numerous military trenches along croplands and hillsides exposed the soil particles into erosion and water pollution. The conflict also halted SWC efforts on various land uses, which were carried out annually during peacetime. About 20,591 km/year of stone bunds were not constructed per year. Moreover, terraces and stone bunds were demolished to construct temporary ground fortifications. Indirectly, the critical energy crisis further increased pressure on forests. In this context, the poor farmers shift from long-term sustainability to immediate economic recovery. To conclude, these pathways of the warfare undermined status of natural resources, and the ongoing decades of re-greening programs. Therefore, our ground-based findings can be used to prioritize and rehabilitate the damaged landscape services.

Beneath the surface: assessing pollution levels near major solid waste dumpsites in Lagos, Nigeria.

Effective solid waste management is a critical environmental challenge, particularly in rapidly growing Global South countries like Nigeria. This issue is exacerbated by burgeoning populations, lax waste regulations, and the widespread practice of open dumping. The deterioration of soil quality and alteration of water quality are major consequences of open waste dumping, posing significant environmental and public health risks. This study aims to assess the environmental risk and pollution status of soil and water resources near major dumpsites in Lagos. It aims to offer insights that can inform targeted interventions and policy measures not only in Lagos but also in comparable urban settings worldwide. Results indicated that important soil parameters, including TN (11.89-13.83mg/kg), pH (6.45-7.35), sulfate (36.71-39.49mg/kg), phosphate (9.31-14.39mg/kg), and electrical conductivity (342-566 µS/cm), were significantly affected by the dumpsites. Additionally, concentrations of heavy metals varied, with some exceeding permissible limits set by international standards, highlighting the environmental challenges posed by improper waste disposal in urban settings like Lagos. The analyzed parameters for water were mostly within acceptable limits, indicating a lesser impact of the waste dump on water resources. Water samples from boreholes and hand-dug wells near three dumpsites showed that pH, TDS, and heavy metal concentrations were mostly within WHO limits, with borehole water deemed safe for drinking and hand-dug wells suitable for cleaning. To alleviate the environmental impacts of open dumpsites, it is recommended to implement effective waste segregation, recycling programs, controlled landfilling, and investment in waste treatment technologies, along with regular water quality monitoring to prevent further pollution and protect public health. While these measures offer opportunities, they also face significant challenges due to financial and land constraints. Therefore, strong public awareness, infrastructure investment, and government commitment are essential, along with coordinated efforts among the government, private sector, and communities.

Cultivation history and cultivars of medicinal Paeonia lactiflora in China

Paeoniae Radix Alba, a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine derived from the dried roots of Paeonia lactiflora, is mainly produced in Anhui, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Shandong, and Hunan provinces. Since this plant has been cultivated for a long period, various cultivars have been formed in different producing areas. Based on systematic herbal textual research and a review of local chronicles, this study investigated the germplasm resources of medicinal P. lactiflora in the five main producing areas of Paeoniae Radix Alba. Furthermore, it outlined the cultivation history and current status of the germplasm resources of medicinal P. lactiflora in these regions. The results indicated that among the 12 medicinal cultivars of P. lactiflora, 8 cultivars were monopetalous red flowers, which are consistent with the medicinal germplasm highly regarded throughout history in ancient medical books. Additionally, there are cultivars with monopetalous white flowers, polypetalous white flowers, and polypetalous pink flowers in the main producing areas, indicating the rich germplasm resources of medicinal P. lactiflora in China. This paper provides a survey basis for the germplasm conservation and rational resource utilization of high-quality medicinal P. lactiflora.

Assessment of the current status and potential of environmental resources for the development of organic agriculture in the Central Highlands region, Vietnam

Assessment of the current status and potential of environmental resources for the development of organic agriculture in the Central Highlands region, Vietnam

Exploring the Socio-economic Conditions of Potato Farmers in Farrukhabad District of Uttar Pradesh, India

This study investigates the socio-economic profile of potato growers in Farrukhabad district, Uttar Pradesh, aiming to understand their demographic composition, educational background, caste distribution, marital status, family structure, landholding size, occupation, income levels, social participation, and possession of farming resources. A sample of 100 respondents cultivating potatoes as the main crop was selected from Kamalganj block, Farrukhabad district. Data were collected through personal interviews using a pre-structured schedule and analyzed using percentages. The results reveal that the majority of respondents are middle-aged, literate, and belong to scheduled castes. Most respondents are married and come from joint families with medium-sized households. Marginal and small landholdings dominate, and agriculture is the primary occupation, supplemented by subsidiary activities such as dairying and business. Income levels vary, with a significant proportion falling within the medium-income bracket. Social participation is moderate, with most respondents engaging in multiple organizations. Farm resources such as farm power and implements are moderately possessed. Extension services and information sources play a crucial role, with most respondents exhibiting moderate contact. This study provides valuable insights into the socio-economic landscape influencing agricultural practices among potato growers, which can inform policy formulation and extension activities aimed at fostering agricultural development and rural prosperity.

The Geological Characteristics, Resource Potential, and Development Status of Manganese Deposits in Africa

Manganese is a critical metal extensively used in steel production, battery manufacturing, and the chemical industry. Manganese deposits are widely distributed globally, with African manganese deposits holding a particularly significant position. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current status of manganese resources in Africa and analyzes the main types and genesis of the deposits. It also explores the significance of African manganese resources within the global manganese industry and examines the exploration, development, production, and trade status of African manganese ore, revealing dynamic changes and trends within the industry. Africa plays a key role in global manganese resources, with its reserves and resources accounting for 69% and 51% of the global totals, respectively. South Africa is the largest manganese producer, while Gabon and Ghana are also important countries in terms of manganese resources. Based on the host rock and genetic types, African manganese deposits primarily include banded iron formation (BIF)-hosted, black shale-hosted, karst-hosted, and volcanic sedimentary deposits. Additionally, manganese exploration projects in Africa are active, with significant production growth in South Africa and Gabon, and Africa’s standing in the global manganese market is steadily increasing. Trade data also indicate that South Africa dominates manganese exports in Africa and globally. Despite fluctuations in global export volumes, African manganese exports remain high. The prospects for Africa’s manganese industry are promising, and further strengthening of manganese exploration and development will help enhance Africa’s influence in the global manganese market, making a more significant contribution to global industrial and economic development.

Latency Reduction in Immersive Systems through Request Scheduling with Digital Twin Networks in Collaborative Edge Computing

Immersive systems, which offer immersive interactive experiences by tightly coupling the real and virtual worlds, encompassing Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR), have undergone rapid development in recent years. The inherent latency issue of immersive systems poses considerable challenges for AR/VR applications that are highly sensitive to delay. To address this challenge, we propose utilizing edge collaboration as an efficient means to schedule AR/VR requests, owing to the inherent ability of edge nodes to seamlessly coordinate within the same geographical region and optimally allocate request resources to minimize latency. However, when it comes to edge nodes across different regions, a significant hurdle emerges. These nodes often lack real-time knowledge about cached resources across other regions, making cross-regional edge collaboration for AR/VR request scheduling an extremely challenging problem. We formally define and prove the NP-hardness of this problem. To tackle this complexity, we introduce a Federated Digital Twin Model Construction (FedDT), which establishes a global digital twin network connecting different edge nodes. This network simulates and reflects the resource status and availability of each edge node in real time. Subsequently, we devise an extended Dijkstra algorithm to determine the shortest path between AR/VR requests and edge nodes, taking into account current network conditions to optimize service delay. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results confirm that compared with baseline methods, our proposed solution consistently achieves an average delay reduction of 36.78% across various scenarios, effectively demonstrating its superior performance.

Excavation and Utilization of Traditional Cultural Educational Resources in Ideological and Political Education in Higher Education

Ideological and political education in higher education faces both challenges and opportunities in the context of the new era, particularly regarding the rich resources of traditional cultural education. Traditional cultural educational resources refer to historically significant cultural elements and materials with educational functions, including literature, artifacts, oral traditions, and cultural activities. This paper aims to explore effective methods for excavating and utilizing these resources to enhance the quality of ideological and political education. Through a systematic analysis of the definition, classification, functions, and current status of traditional cultural educational resources, this study proposes methods for systematic organization, content excavation, and innovative development. It also discusses their application in curriculum integration, practical teaching, and evaluation optimization. The research reveals that while traditional cultural educational resources hold significant value in ideological and political education, their practical application faces challenges such as insufficient integration, innovation difficulties, and inadequate management and protection. To address these issues, this paper offers corresponding strategies, aiming to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for ideological and political education in higher education.

Land Cover Mapping in West Africa: A Collaborative Process

The availability of current land cover and land use (LCLU) information for monitoring the status of land resources has considerable value in ensuring sustainable land use planning and development. Similarly, the need to provide updated information on the extent of LCLU change in West Africa has become apparent, given the increasing demand for land resources driven by rapid population growth. Over the past decade, multiple projects have been undertaken to produce regional and national land cover maps. However, using different classification systems and legends has made updating and sharing land cover information challenging. This has resulted in the inefficient use of human and financial resources. The development of the Land Cover Meta Language (LCML) based on International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards offers an opportunity to create a standardized classification system. This system would enable easier integration of regional and national data, efficient management of information, and better resource utilization in West Africa. This article emphasizes the process and the need for multistakeholder collaboration in developing a standardized land cover classification system for West Africa, which is currently nonexistent. It presents the survey data collected to evaluate historical, current, and future land cover mapping projects in the region and provides relevant use cases as examples for operationalizing a standardized land cover classification legend for West Africa.

Assessing the water metabolism of coastal urban areas based on the water mass balance framework across time periods: A case study of Cape Town, South Africa

The status of water resources in many coastal cities has become increasingly fragile. In a changing climate, the amount and intensity of rainfall have continued to decline, causing some coastal regions to experience severe drought and deteriorated water supply situation. This article presents a comprehensive study of the urban water metabolism of Cape Town, South Africa. A water mass balance framework was utilized to examine the city's water system across four distinct periods. In addition, the water-energy nexus before and after the drought crisis was evaluated. The key findings include a large amount of surface runoff in the Cape Town area that was not utilized before the drought crisis, resulting in a natural loss potential of water supply that is 2.54 times greater than water used for supply systems. During the drought, per capita water consumption dropped by a substantial 25%; at the same time, the total rate of water loss experienced a substantial decrease of approximately 21%. Since the pandemic, Cape Town's water resources policy has shifted to diversifying water sources, and the use of wastewater and natural water losses will be optimized by more than 32% in 2040 to achieve a water-sensitive city. Future research should explore the temporal and spatial dynamics of urban water flows, the impact of socioeconomic factors, and the integration of water system optimization models for enhanced urban water management.

Informatization of Educational Management in Private Colleges of Guangdong Province: Challenges, Investments, and Infrastructure Improvements

This study explores the state of informatization in educational management within private colleges in Guangdong Province, using H College as a case study. Despite recent advancements, the informatization process faces significant challenges, including misconceptions about digital management, insufficient investment, a lack of digital sharing mechanisms, and suboptimal user experiences for both students and faculty. Through a comprehensive analysis of educational indicators, investment patterns, and the current status of digital resources, this paper highlights the critical need for a strategic approach to educational management informatization. The findings underscore the importance of fostering a service-oriented framework that prioritizes the needs of teachers and students while advocating for increased investment in infrastructure and digital platforms. Ultimately, the research aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to modernize educational governance in private higher education institutions, ensuring they can effectively meet the demands of the evolving educational landscape.