Synergistic Relationship Research Articles

Spatial-Temporal Evolution, Trade-Offs and Synergies of Ecosystem Services in the Qinba Mountains

A scientific understanding of the trade-offs and synergies of ecosystem services is the prerequisite for maintaining the structure, function and health of forest ecosystems, which is conducive to promoting the “win-win” goal of economic development and ecological protection. As an important ecological function area in China, the Qinba Mountain region is responsible for important ecological services such as biodiversity conservation and water conservation, and exploring the trade-offs and synergistic relationships of ecosystem services is important for ecological conservation and high-quality development in this region. This paper analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of water conservation, soil conservation, carbon sequestration, and habitat quality services and their synergistic/balancing relationships in the Qinba Mountain region from 1990 to 2020 using tools such as the InVEST model, ArcGIS, and Matlab. The results showed that (1) the overall trend of water connotation, soil conservation and carbon sequestration in the Qinba Mountains is increasing, while the trend of habitat quality is fluctuating and decreasing. The spatial distribution pattern of water conservation and soil conservation services was “high in the southwest and low in the northeast”, while the spatial pattern of habitat quality services was the opposite; the spatial distribution pattern of carbon sequestration services was “low in the middle and high around”. (2) Habitat quality in the Qinba Mountains has a trade-off relationship with water connotation and soil conservation, as water connotation–soil conservation is a synergistic relationship, while carbon sequestration is unrelated to water connotation–soil conservation and habitat quality. (3) The area of habitat quality–water conservation showed a decreasing trend; the area of habitat quality–soil conservation showed an increasing trend; the area of habitat quality-water conservation showed a decreasing trend; the area of habitat quality-soil conservation showed an increasing trend; the area of water conservation-soil conservation service synergistic relationship showed a decreasing and then increasing trend; while the area of carbon sequestration service and In most of the regions, carbon sequestration, soil conservation and habitat quality services are not related to each other.

Harnessing placebo: Lessons from psychedelic science.

The randomized controlled trial (RCT) research design assumes that a drug's "specific" effect can be isolated, added, and subtracted from the "nonspecific" effect of context and person. While RCTs are helpful in assessing the added benefit of a novel drug, they tend to obscure the curative potential of extra-pharmacological variables, known as "the placebo effect." Ample empirical evidence suggests that person/context-dependent physical, social, and cultural variables not only add to, but also shape drug effects, making them worth harnessing for patient benefits. Nevertheless, utilizing placebo effects in medicine is challenging due to conceptual and normative obstacles. In this article, we propose a new framework inspired by the field of psychedelic science and its employment of the "set and setting" concept. This framework acknowledges that drug and nondrug factors have an interactive and synergistic relationship. From it, we suggest ways to reintegrate nondrug variables into the biomedical toolbox, to ethically harness the placebo effect for improved clinical care.

Root reinforcement and extracellular products reduce streambank fluvial erosion

A detailed understanding of the factors that impact bank erodibility is necessary to effectively model changes in channel form. This study evaluated the combined contributions of roots and soil microorganisms to soil resistance against fluvial erosion. To do this, three flume walls were constructed to simulate unvegetated and rooted streambanks. Unamended and organic material (OM) amended soil treatments with either no-roots (bare soil), synthetic (inert) roots, or living roots (Panicum virgatum) were created and tested with the corresponding flume wall treatment. OM stimulated the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and appeared to increase the applied stress required to initiate soil erosion. Synthetic fibers alone provided a base reduction in soil erosion, regardless of the flow rate used. When used in combination, synthetic roots and OM-amendments reduced erosion rates by 86 % or more compared to bare soil; this reduction was identical to the live rooted treatments (95 % to 100 %). In summary, a synergistic relationship between roots and organic carbon inputs can significantly reduce soil erosion rates due to fiber reinforcement and EPS production. These results indicate that root-biochemical interactions, like root physical mechanisms, play an important role in influencing channel migration rates due to reductions in streambank erodibility.

Insights on enhancing piezocatalytic performance of Bi2WO6@PDA homojunction from phase coexistence and electron transfer mediators

Piezocatalytic technology with controllable generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is emerging in wastewater treatment. This study employed the synergetic regulation of functional surface and phase interface modification to effectively accelerate redox reaction in piezocatalytic process. We anchored the conductive polydopamine (PDA) onto Bi2WO6 (BWO) using template method, in which a small amount of Bi precipitation to induce partial phase transition of BWO from tetragonal to orthorhombic (t/o) in virtue of simple calcination. ROS traceability studies have identified the synergistic relationship between charge separation and transfer. Polarization in two-phase coexistence is intimately modulated by the orthorhombic relative central cation displacement. The orthorhombic phase with large electric dipole moment significantly promotes the generation of piezoresistive effect of intrinsic tetragonal BWO and optimizes the charge distribution. PDA further overcomes the obstruction of carrier migration at the phases interface to accelerate the generation rate of free radicals. Consequently, the superior rhodamine B (RhB) piezocatalytic degradation rate of 0.10 and 0.32 min−1 were delivered by t/o-BWO and t/o-BWO@PDA, respectively. This work reveals a feasible polarization enhancement strategy for the phase coexistence, and flexibly introduces the in-situ synthesized economical polymer conductive unit into the piezocatalysts.

Preference, perceived change, and professed relationship among ecosystem services in the Himalayas

The demand side of ecosystem service (ES), especially preference and perception of supply and interactions among ES, is an important yet underexplored research area for landscape planning and management in human-dominated landscapes. Taking a case of multifunctional landscape in the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region, we carried out a social survey of ES, focusing on preference, perceived change, and observed relationship among six major ES from the local people's perspective. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, data collection was done from 300 households from 10 categories of human settlements, based on watershed and land cover types. Garrett mean score (GMS), ordinal logistic regression estimates, and Chi-square test were performed for quantitative data, while an inductive approach was adopted for qualitative data analysis. The results show that at the landscape level, local people preferred water yield (GMS = 70) and crop production (GMS = 66) as the most preferred ES, whereas habitat quality (GMS = 37) and carbon sequestration (GMS = 35) were among the least preferred ES. More than 70% of the respondents believed that the supply of crop production has decreased over the last two decades; however, the supply of other provisioning and non-provisioning ES has increased as observed by majority of the respondents. Among the 15 pairs of ES, local people believe that co-occurrence of ES is possible. Majority of the respondents said that there exist synergistic relationship among 13 pairs of ES, except crop production which is negatively related with timber production and carbon sequestration. Among the identified trade-offs in ES, majority of local people believed that direct trade-offs (i.e., linear inverse relationship) is dominant as observed in 8 pairs of ES, followed by concave and convex trade-offs. Based on our analysis, we argue that the preference and perceived change of ES is more dependent on spatial heterogeneity of communities (i.e., watershed type, municipal category, and land cover type of residence) than socio-economic determinants. Further, we have discussed and suggested few policy and management measures including place-based spatial assessment of the social demand and preference, embracing agroforestry practices in ecosystem management programs, mainstreaming non-local ES in local decision making by incentives, and optimizing the supply of desired ES though integrated biophysical and socio-economic assessment of the landscape.

Innovation of school-enterprise collaborative cultivation mode for university e-commerce majors in the context of symbiosis theory

School-enterprise collaborative training model is a system of cultivating talents through school-enterprise cooperation and combining practice. This paper explores the practical model of university collaborative innovation based on symbiosis theory, aiming at examining and analyzing the complex synergistic relationship between each inner symbiotic unit, revealing the inner practical evolution logic, and providing useful reference and inspiration for the improvement of university collaborative innovation performance. The symbiotic model of collaborative innovation between universities and enterprises interacting with each other is constructed, and innovation is carried out with market demand as the link. Based on this, e-commerce majors in colleges and universities should integrate enterprise elements, form multilateral communication mechanisms and promote the stability of symbiotic relationships. In order to verify that the symbiosis theory can innovate the school-enterprise collaborative training model, a school-enterprise cooperation internship training platform was built. 19.1% of students felt very dissatisfied and 18.9% felt very satisfied with it before the internship. The students who were very dissatisfied after the internship decreased from 19.1% to 2.1% before the internship, and 53.1% of the students completely achieved the goal, which indicates that improving the symbiotic integrated governance system of university collaborative innovation can improve the ability of university collaborative innovation comprehensively.

From Brushstrokes to Pixels: Analyzing the Evolution of Political Propaganda in Visual Media

Leaders, particularly those associated with fascist ideologies, employ visual media as a tool to construct and propagate certain doctrines within the general populace. In this scholarly endeavor, our pursuit revolves around elucidating the profound interplay between art and photography as potent instruments of persuasive communication. First, readers will meet a brief historical background of both mechanisms. Later, in the literature review, several studies will be presented in which critics have shed light on art and photography as effective ways for political propaganda, by analyzing their synergistic relationship and impact on individuals. The argument will be integrated with the works of both Roland Bathes and Walter Benjamin. In the final part of this paper, we provide a few visual representations of both Western and Eastern political figures – King Henry VIII, Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolf Hitler, and Saddam Hussein – who have framed the population’s perception through the impact of their artistic weaponry.

Treatment of atrazine-containing wastewater by algae-bacteria consortia: Signal transmission and metabolic mechanism

Atrazine is a toxic endocrine disruptor. Biological treatment methods are considered to be effective. In the present study, a modified version of the algae-bacteria consortia (ABC) was established and a control was simultaneously set up to investigate the synergistic relationship between bacteria and algae and the mechanism by which atrazine is metabolized by those microorganisms. The total nitrogen (TN) removal efficiency of the ABC reached 89.24% and the atrazine concentration was reduced to below the level recommended by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory standards within 25 days. The protein signal released from the extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by the microorganisms triggered the resistance mechanism of the algae, and the conversion of humic acid to fulvic acid and electron transfer constituted the synergistic mechanism between the bacteria and algae. The mechanism by which atrazine is metabolized by the ABC mainly consists of hydrogen bonding, H–pi interactions, and cation exchange with atzA for hydrolysis, followed by a reaction with atzC for decomposition to non-toxic cyanuric acid. Proteobacteria was the dominant phylum for bacterial community evolution under atrazine stress, and the analysis revealed that the removal of atrazine within the ABC was mainly dependent on the proportion of Proteobacteria and the expression of degradation genes (p < 0.01). EPS played a major role in the removal of atrazine within the single bacteria group (p < 0.01).

Double whammy: the genetic variants in CECR2 and high Hcy on the development of neural tube defects.

Introduction: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious congenital malformations. The etiology of NTDs involves both genetic and environmental factors. Loss of CECR2 in mice has been shown to result in NTDs. Our previous study indicated that high homocysteine (HHcy) levels could further reduced the expression level of CECR2. This investigation aims to explore the genetic influence of the chromatin remodeling gene, CECR2, in humans and determine if HHcy can have a synergistic effect on protein expression. Methods: We conducted Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of the CECR2 gene in 373 NTD cases and 222 healthy controls, followed by functional assay application to select and evaluate CECR2 missense variants and subsequent Western blotting to identify protein expression levels. Results: From the analysis, we identified nine rare, NTD-specific mutations within the CECR2 gene. Significantly, four missense variants (p.E327V, p.T521S, p.G701R, and p.G868R) were selected via functional screening. The E9.5 mouse ectodermal stem cell line NE-4C, transfected with plasmids expressing p.E327V, p.T521S, p.G868R variants or a recombinant harboring all four (named as 4Mut), exhibited notable reductions in CECR2 protein expression. Furthermore, exposure to homocysteine thiolactone (HTL), an extremely reactive homocysteine metabolite, amplified the reduction in CECR2 expression, accompanied by a significant increase in the apoptotic molecule Caspase3 activity, a potential NTD inducer. Importantly, folic acid (FA) supplementation effectively counteracted the CECR2 expression decline induced by CECR2 mutation and HTL treatment, leading to reduced apoptosis. Discussion: Our observations underscore a synergistic relationship between HHcy and genetic variations in CECR2 concerning NTDs, thereby reinforcing the concept of gene-environment interaction phenomena in NTD etiology.

Tropical cyclones and depressions over the South Pacific Ocean since the late 19th century: Assessing synergistic relationship between the El Niño Southern Oscillation and Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation

AbstractTropical cyclones (TCs) and tropical depressions (TDs), hereafter collectively referred to as tropical storms, often exhibit large year‐to‐year variability in the South Pacific Ocean basin. Many past studies have examined this variability in relation to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, particularly using observational data from the post‐satellite era (i.e., after the 1970s when TC observations became more consistent). However, less emphasis is placed on how tropical storms are modulated at interdecadal and decadal time scales such as due to Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). This is because post‐satellite data are available for relatively short time period (i.e., post‐1970s), limiting our understanding of the IPO–TC relationship in the South Pacific. Here, using NOAA‐CIRES 20th Century Reanalysis (20CR) dataset, we reconstruct historical records (1871–2014) of TC and depression proxies for the South Pacific Ocean basin, and then utilize these reconstructed proxies to first understand the connections between TC–ENSO and TC–IPO over the 20th century, and then investigate the combined effects of ENSO–IPO effects on TCs and depressions. Results show that La Niña (El Niño) is more dominant on TC activity than El Niño (La Niña) over the western subregion 140–170° E (eastern sub‐region, 170–220° E) as expected. We also show that TC numbers are strongly modulated by the IPO phenomenon with, on average, more TCs occurring during the positive phase than during the negative phase of the IPO in both western and eastern sub‐regions. We show for the first time (using a long‐term reconstructed TC dataset) that the combined phases of El Niño and + IPO account for increased TC activity, as opposed to the combined phase of La Niña and −IPO, in the eastern sub‐region. Similarly, the combined phase of La Niña and + IPO, as opposed to the combined phase of El Niño and −IPO, account for increased TC activity in the western sub‐region. However, unlike TCs, the patterns of ENSO variability seem to be reversed for TDs. Changes in large‐scale environmental conditions, such as environmental vertical wind shear, low‐level cyclonic relative vorticity, mid‐tropospheric relative humidity and sea surface temperature are linked to the various modes of variability patterns and their synergistic relationships.

Impact of Debate Instruction and Pair Practice on Japanese High School Students’ Speaking Skills and Critical Thinking

The revised course of study guidelines for senior high schools in Japan now features a new subject, “Logic and Expression”, designed to enhance communication skills through the formulation and elaboration of logical structures. This addition underscores a rising societal emphasis, both locally and globally, on fostering the ability to articulate thoughts logically and convincingly, anchored in critical thinking (CT). Existing research reveals a positive correlation between CT and speaking skills, crediting English debate, pair practice, and peer assessment as effective strategies. This study seeks to examine the impact of utilizing the “format” in debate instruction and implementing pair practice to augment high school students’ speaking skills and CT. Interviews were analyzed through the lens of the Modified Grounded Theory Approach to derive our core hypothesis: the instruction of debate “format” exhibits a synergistic relationship with pair practice. This research endeavors to illuminate the mechanisms through which debate “format” instruction and pair practice influence the growth of CT and speaking skills from the learners’ perspective. It underscores the value of collaborative learning in a secondary educational environment, projecting potential applications across diverse speaking instruction practices.

Pursue the coordinated development of port-city economic construction and ecological environment: A case of the eight major ports in China

As the node of traffic and the center of regional social and economic development, port cities have the dual attributes of ports and cities. To analyze the sustainable development condition of port cities, this paper selected eight representative ports located in the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and Bohai Rim in China, considered the geographical distance, measured the accessibility between ports and hinterland cities through an improved gravity model. Using the In-VEST model, the ecological service levels of port cities were evaluated based on four indicators: water supply, climate regulation, biodiversity, and soil conservation, then conducted a comprehensive study on the interrelationship between port-hinterland accessibility and ecological service level. The results showed that the port-hinterland accessibility index was consistent with port influence and urban economic strength. The ecological service levels of the eight port hinterland cities were significantly different, and the four ecological functions showed a synergistic relationship. However, most hinterland cities had relatively poor soil conservation functions and low coordination of ecological service indicators. Among the eight regions, only Ningbo, Zhoushan and Shenzhen had a highly sustainable development capacity, while the remaining six regions failed to achieve the synergistic development of economic construction and ecological environment. Port production level, city economic strength and ecological service level jointly influence the development of the port city system. While improving the accessibility of port cities, it is necessary to focus on the protection of the ecological environment in order to enhance sustainable development.

Kinetic behaviour of pancreatic lipase inhibition by wine

This study determined the in vitro inhibitory effects of Mukuzani (dry red) wine and its ethyl acetate/aqueous fractions against pancreatic lipase (PL). Also, it characterises the kinetic behaviour of such inhibition. To current knowledge, no studies have been conducted to describe the kinetic behaviour of PL inhibition by wine or the combined effect on the PL activity of some individual phenolic compounds present in wine. Additionally, the influence of different winemaking methods on PL activity is unknown. Lipase activity was determined by the titrimetric assay method. The kinetic analysis was determined by using the graphical method via Lineweaver-Burk plots. The mode of inhibition (MOI) was determined by looking at the interception pattern and crossing linear lines for the reciprocal data of PL activity with and without inhibitors versus olive oil concentration. The mode of inhibition identified for the wine sample was mixed-mode inhibition. In this type of inhibition, the value of Km (244.329±10.214 μmol·mL-1) was higher, and Vmax (80875.4±3489.754 μmol·mL-1·hour-1) was lower compared to the value of Km (170.901±7.544 μmol·mL-1) and Vmax (88735±4036.741 μmol·mL-1·hour-1) for the non-inhibited PL. This inhibitor decreased the PL activity rate and reduced the affinity between the substrate (olive oil) and enzyme (PL). Selected wine showed predominantly competitive inhibition. The value of inhibition constant Ki1 was equal to 40.556±1.932, and Ki2 was equal to 179.361±8.678 μmol·mL-1, meaning that binding affinity to the pancreatic lipase was higher than to the enzyme-substrate complex. The liquid/liquid extraction method was used to fractionate phenolic compounds of wine into aqueous and ethyl acetate fractions. Fractionated phenolic compounds of wine un-competitively inhibited PL activity. They were considered mutually nonexclusive inhibitors, while a synergistic relationship was found among them. The kinetic parameters of apparent Vmax and Km decreased. Due to the uncompetitive inhibition, the same factor decreased these kinetic parameters. The results obtained herein allow one to conclude that red wine made with the Kakhetian winemaking method can inhibit pancreatic lipase in vitro and play a role in body weight management.

Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Coupled Coordination of LUCC and ESV in Cities of the Transition Zone, Shenmu City, China

This study investigates the spatial-temporal evolution and the interconnectedness of land use/cover change (LUCC) and ecosystem service value (ESV). Such analysis can offer theoretical guidance and support decision-making for sustainable land resource development and ecological preservation in ecologically vulnerable cities within the Loess Plateau-Maowusu Desert transition zone. Utilizing Landsat data spanning 2000–2020, the paper examines the synergistic relationship between ESV and land use intensity in Shenmu City through bivariate spatial autocorrelation and the coupled coordination degree (CCD) model. Our findings indicate that the area of construction land in Shenmu City experienced the most significant change between 2000 and 2020, with a dynamism rate of 76.8%. This shift resulted in a decrease in the total ESV, from RMB 10.059 billion in 2000 to RMB 9.906 billion in 2020. The bivariate spatial autocorrelation analysis reveals a significant positive spatial correlation between ESV and land use intensity, while the CCD levels for both demonstrate a fluctuating yet overall upward trend over the 20-year period. The paper uncovers the spatial-temporal evolution of LUCC and ESV in Shenmu City along with their interconnected dynamics. The research outcomes can contribute valuable insights for reinforcing land resource utilization and promoting sustainable regional development within cities in the Loess Plateau-Maowusu Desert transition zone.

Long persistent luminescence and photostimulated luminescence in Y3GaO6:Pr3+ phosphor

Long persistent luminescence (LPL) phosphors have a wide range of potential applications, including multi-color anticounterfeiting and long-term continuous detection of short-wavelength ultra-violet (UV) radiation. However, developing a stable carrier container that can provide ultra-long carrier storage for activators and visible multi-color LPL is a challenging task. In this work, we presented a series of Pr3+-doped Y3GaO6 (YGO) LPL phosphors that take full advantage of the synergistic relationship between the host lattice, emitters, and carrier traps. The host provides a suitable lattice site for rare-earth Pr3+ and offers a broad band gap of 5.69 eV to hold traps with depths ranging from 1.01 to 2.17 eV. We observed LPL that was visible to the naked eye for 6 h after excitation, and strong thermoluminescence (TL) spectra could be detected after the phosphor was placed in darkness for 20 days at room temperature. Additionally, we observed photostimulated luminescence under 980 nm and 808 nm laser irradiation with a power density of 5 W cm-2, indicating that low-energy excitation not only leads to LPL but also accelerates the elimination of previously stored carriers. After investigating the crystal structure and possible defects generated in the materials, we proposed a mechanism for LPL. Our findings demonstrate the potential of Pr3+-doped YGO LPL phosphors for a range of applications, such as multi-color anticounterfeiting and long-term continuous detection of short-wavelength UV radiation.

From Human Services to “Justice Enterprises”: Reframing the Market-Mission Tension in U.S. Organizations Serving Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation

Nonprofits must navigate a unique tension—meeting the financial demands of the market while pursuing a social mission. As a result, market and mission concerns are often framed in a competitive, dualistic relationship. However, organizational communication scholars argue that the mission-market tension is a natural, even ontologically defining feature of nonprofits. Thus, rather than seek to resolve these tensions, scholars should examine how organizational members construct the market-mission relationship, as these understandings are essential to strategically navigating market-mission concerns. This study examines how organizational members construct the market-mission relationship at 18 organizations that serve survivors of commercial sexual exploitation, 15 of which operate social enterprises. The findings indicate that organizations frame “the market is the mission but much more,” positioning mission and market in a synergistic relationship that births creative possibility and organizational third space. This article charts the local-level tensions organizational members experience, identifying how they are discursively framed and pragmatically navigated.

Achieving synergy between carbon mitigation and pollution reduction: Does green finance matter?

The synergy between carbon mitigation and pollution reduction (CMPR) serves as the predominate catalyst for facilitating green transformation. Although the Green Finance Polit Policy (GFPP) shares a commitment to green development, its effectiveness in fostering the synergy of CMPR remains uncertain. Hence, we adopted the Difference-In-Difference (DID) model to investigate the effect of GFPP on the synergy between CMPR during 2009–2019. Initially, a composite synergy degree model is employed to assess the synergy between CMPR at the prefectural level. Our empirical findings demonstrate a notable contribution of GFPP in augmenting the synergy between CMPR. Robustness tests using Tobit model, PSM-DID, and placebo tests (temporal and regional) also confirm the stability of the findings. Furthermore, the study identifies three plausible mechanisms, including industry optimization, green innovation, and energy structure, which are likely to impact the aforementioned synergy. Empirical tests provide supportive evidence that substantiates the theoretical validity of these mechanisms, indicating that optimizing industry structure and enhancing the quality of green innovation can amplify the positive impact of green finance. Additionally, the impact of green finance policy in augmenting the synergy between CMPR exhibits greater prominence in central regions, non-resource-based cities, and non-key environmental protection cities. Our study also uncovers an additional finding that green finance has a detrimental effect on the quality of green innovation, thereby impeding the advancement of synergy between CMPR. In summary, our findings offer novel insights into promoting the synergistic relationship between CMPR by means of implementing green finance policy.

Digital financial inclusion, traditional finance system and household entrepreneurship

This study examines the impact of digital financial inclusion (DFI) on household entrepreneurship and the role of the traditional finance system (TFS). The results show that a 1% increase in DFI increases entrepreneurship by 0.264%. Improved willingness to borrow and financial literacy enhance DFI's effect. DFI and TFS have a willingness to borrow competitive relationship but a financial literacy synergistic relationship. The DFI-TFS relationship exhibits heterogeneity based on the rural–urban divide, bank types, and entrepreneurial motivations. These findings offer insights into the interplay between DFI and TFS in promoting household entrepreneurship.

Mechanical behaviour of wollastonite-based cement composites incorporating fibres and recycled rubber aggregates

Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) is a wollastonite-based inorganic cement that hardens at room temperature to a brittle cementitious material with low fracture behaviour. Recycled rubber aggregates from end-of-life tyres were incorporated up to 17.5 wt% into the CPC matrix to produce high-strength composites with improved strain capacities for structural repair purposes. Furthermore, the effects of 0.75% and 1.5% volume fibre content (Vf) of macro polypropylene, amorphous metallic and recycled carbon fibres on the flexural behaviour of CPC were studied. The synergy between the rubber aggregates and the selected corrosion-resistant fibres in improving the fracture properties of the plain CPC was investigated. The changes in other mechanical properties of CPC such as modulus of rupture, compressive and splitting tensile strength due to the inert inclusions (i.e. rubber aggregates and/or fibres) were determined. It was found that increasing the quantity of inert inclusions in the cement matrix improved the fracture energy of the plain CPC. Incorporating 1.5% Vf of macro polypropylene, amorphous metallic, and recycled carbon fibres into the CPC matrix produced cementitious composites with fracture energies that were 11.8 times, 63.4 times, and 75.8 times that of plain cement, respectively. For the rubberised fibre-reinforced CPC composites, a positive synergistic relationship was observed between rubber aggregates and macro polypropylene fibres while a negative synergistic relationship was found between rubber aggregates and the other fibres (amorphous metallic and recycled carbon fibres). The rubber aggregates decreased the flexural, compressive and splitting tensile strengths of the plain CPC, while the fibre inclusions improved these properties.

The role of nature reserves in conservation effectiveness of ecosystem services in China

Establishing nature reserves (NRs) is a common method to avoid biodiversity loss and degradation of ecosystem services (ESs). The evaluation of ESs in NRs and the exploration of associated influencing factors are the basis for improving ESs and management. However, the ES effectiveness of NRs over time remains questionable, namely due to the heterogeneity of landscape characteristics inside and outside of NRs. This study (i) quantifies the role of 75 NRs in China in maintaining ESs (i.e., net primary production (NPP), soil conservation, sandstorm prevention and water yield) from 2000 to 2020, (ii) reveals the trade-offs/synergies, and (iii) identifies the main influencing factors of the ES effectiveness of NRs. The results show that more than 80% of NRs had positive ES effectiveness, which was greater in older NRs. For different ESs, effectiveness over time increases for NPP (E_NPP), soil conservation (E_SC) and sandstorm prevention (E_SP) but declines for water yield (E_WY). There is a clear synergistic relationship between E_NPP and E_SC. Moreover, the effectiveness of ESs is closely correlated with elevation, precipitation, and perimeter area ratio. Our findings can provide important information to support site selection and management of reserves to improve the delivery of critical ecosystem services.