Trends In Intensity Research Articles

Innovative Perspectives on Ecological Assessment in the Agro-Pastoral Ecotone of Inner Mongolia: An Integrated Evaluation and Forecast of Landscape and Ecological Risks and Drivers

The agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia, one of China’s most ecologically vulnerable regions, requires careful evaluation and prediction of landscape ecological risks to improve its environment and support sustainable development. Our study built a model to assess the landscape ecological risks from 1990 to 2020 using land use data from Google Earth Engine. We examined the changes in landscape ecological risks and their driving factors through spatial autocorrelation analysis and geographic detectors. Future ecological risks from 2025 to 2040 were predicted using the multi-criteria evaluation-cellular automata-Markov model. Results revealed a declining trend in both disturbance and loss intensity across land use types, with the overall ecological risk index also decreasing. Higher risk areas were concentrated in the east and southwest, while lower risks were observed in the north and center. Temperature and precipitation are key natural factors, while the impact of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a human factor, on ecological risk is increasing and surpassed natural influences in 2015 and 2020. In the future, the highest risk areas will remain in the southwest and northeast. This study provides detailed evidence and guidance for ecological safety and sustainable development in the agro-pastoral ecotone of Inner Mongolia.

Future climate-driven escalation of Southeastern Siberia wildfires revealed by deep learning

The Southeastern Siberia (SES) region has recently experienced increasingly extensive wildfires in spring, which have threatened its large carbon sequestration capacity from vast forests and peatlands. However, the underlying mechanisms propelling the increased fires and their potential responses to future climate change remain unclear. Here, by using reanalysis data and climate model output together with a deep learning model, we explore the relationship between positive-phase North Atlantic Tripole (NAT) sea-surface temperature anomalies and SES wildfire increases and project the future trend in SES wildfire intensities under climate change. We found that the positive-phase April NAT enhances the Siberian anticyclone, causing increased temperatures and snowmelt via strengthened transport of warm-air advection into the SES region. The latter process heightens the exposure of local high-density peatlands to favorable conditions for fire ignition and leads to more intensive wildfire incidents. We further demonstrate that the projected NAT variations can drive interdecadal changes in future April SES wildfires. With future phase shifting of NAT modes under global warming, the regionally averaged burned area in SES could be increased by 47–62% under different warming scenarios from 1982–2014 to 2015–2100. Our findings reveal the climate-driven escalation of future wildfires in SES in the context of global warming and call for active and urgent fire management strategies to mitigate the fire risk.

Three decades of lipid-lowering therapy in type 2 diabetic patients with angiographically proven stable coronary artery disease

Abstract Lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) is key to reducing the burden of macrovascular diabetes complications. Here, we aim to assess long-term trends in LLT and LDL-C levels among patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) with angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD). We investigated T2DM patients (n=590), who were referred to elective coronary angiography and were diagnosed with CAD in one of three observational cohort studies (OS) spanning 25 years: OS1: 1999-2000 (n=190); OS2: 2005-2008 (n=241); OS3: 2022-2023 (n=159). These studies were conducted at the same cardiology unit of a tertiary care hospital in Central Europe. The proportion of patients receiving statin therapy (C10AA and C10AB) increased significantly from 57.9% in OS1 to 64.3% in OS2 and 78.6% in OS3 (ptrend<0.001). Further, there was an increase in patients receiving high-intensity statin therapy, rising from none in OS1 to 8.5% in OS2 and 73.4% in OS3 (ptrend<0.001). The proportion of patients receiving more than one LLT compound also increased (OS1: 2.1%; OS2: 2.1%; OS3: 35.2%; ptrend<0.001). Use of ezetimibe (C10AX09) increased (OS1: 0.0%; OS2: 1.2%; OS3: 39.0%; ptrend<0.001) and fibrate use (C10AB) decreased (OS1: 5.3%; OS2: 3.3%; OS3: 0.6%; ptrend=0.015). Newly approved compounds (C10AX13 - C10AX16) were prescribed for 3.8% of patients in OS3. Among statin combination therapies, ezetimibe was predominantly used (93.5%). Mean LDL-C levels declined significantly from 123±38 mg/dL (OS1) to 115±39 mg/dL (OS2) and 77±38 mg/dL (OS3; ptrend<0.001). However, only 2.2% of patients in OS1, 2.5% in OS2 and 32.1% in OS3 reached an LDL-C target of <55 mg/dL (ptrend<0.001). This analysis suggests an upward trend in treatment intensity and a substantial improvement in LDL-C levels among T2DM patients with CAD. However, the majority of these patients still does not reach their LDL-C target.

Dynamic change and risk factors of intense thirst in patients admitted to neuro-intensive care unit: An observational study.

Thirst is a clinical discomfort symptom reported by most patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). Little is known about the dynamic change and risk factors of intense thirst in neuro-intensive care unit (Neuro-ICU). The objective of this study was to explore the dynamic change and determine the risk factors of intense thirst in patients admitted to Neuro-ICU, providing reference for personalized interventions of intense thirst. The study design is a prospective observational study. Demographic and disease-related,treatment, physiological and biochemical data were collected for 230 patients from Neuro-ICU of a hospital from May 2023 to November 2023. We assessed thirst intensity on numeric rating scale (NRS) of 0-10 (10 = worst possible thirst) at eight time points: 7:00, 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 and a self-designed general information questionnaire based on safety protocol for thirst management to analyse the risk factors of intense thirst in Neuro-ICU patients. If thirst scores were more than 7, we defined it as intense thirst. This study followed the STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies. A total of 230 Neuro-ICU patients were observed. The dynamic analysis results showed an overall downward trend in thirst intensity, with the highest NRS thirst scores at 07:00 (6.13 ± 2.14) and the lowest at 21:00 (4.02 ± 2.72). The investigation of the current situation showedthat the incidence of intense thirst in Neuro-ICU patients was 47.4%. Intense thirst in Neuro-ICU patients was predicted by dysphagia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.436, 95% confidence interval [CI]:1.063-1.941), open mouth breathing (OR = 2.201, 95% CI:1.041-4.656), high glucose (OR = 2.584, 95% CI:1.097-6.087), xerostomia (OR = 3.049, 95% CI:1.950-4.767) (all p < .05). The intensity of thirst was dynamically changing and the incidence of intense thirst in Neuro-ICU patients was relatively high. Timely assessment of Neuro-ICU patients' thirst severity and identification of those at high risk can ensure the implementation of effective interventions based on patients' characteristics. Thirst is a pervasive distressing symptom often reported by critically ill patients. This study revealed that the clinical nurses need to enhance their focus on dynamic change of thirst, which is helpful for improving the efficiency of bundled thirst interventions at the suitable time.

Influence of Large Eddy Generation Mechanisms on the Turbulent Flux Transport in the Unstable Atmosphere Boundary Layer

The turbulent transport dissimilarity between momentum and scalars and the transport similarity among scalars have been widely investigated in unstable atmospheric boundary layers (ABLs). Although buoyancy and mechanically driven turbulence, along with variations in scalar sources and sinks, are recognized as key factors influencing transport similarity, the specific roles of local thermal plume-generated and nonlocal bulk shear-generated large eddies under varying stability conditions are less explored. This study utilized over four years of eddy covariance data sampled 50 m above a complex suburban canopy to characterize the influence of buoyancy and wind shear on flux transport similarity in an unstable ABL. The time threshold τ method was applied to detect large coherent events, with wind shear enhancing their intensity, while buoyancy primarily affected the ejection–sweep asymmetry of scalars. The dynamics between buoyancy and wind shear were analyzed through separate momentum, heat, and joint transport events. The results show that strong wind shear enhances nonlocal large eddies, reducing momentum–heat transport similarity, whereas strong buoyancy supports localized turbulence. As stability varies, the shift between nonlocal and local eddies alters the trends in co-transport duration and intensity, revealing distinct patterns in the water vapor intensity from that of the sensible heat owing to local sources and sinks.

Investigating the Efficacy of Bioactive Sleeves with Embedded Nano-Semiconductors in Alleviating Tendinopathy: An In Vivo Pilot Study

INTRODUCTION Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) utilizes light transmitted at near-infrared wavelengths to induce biochemical changes that promote tissue healing. The Reparel® Sleeve is a Class I Device embedded with nano-semiconductor fibers that mimic LLLT to alleviate joint and tendon pain.The purpose of this study was to determine if bioactive sleeves with nano-semiconductor fibers can objectively affect tendinopathy. METHODS 12 New Zealand white rabbits received 0.2% collagenase injections into the right Achilles tendon. Rabbits were divided into three groups: group I received a sham sleeve (n=4); group II received a Reparel® sleeve I (n=4); and group III received Reparel® sleeve II (n=4). Calf circumference measurements and thermal radiation imaging of the right lower limb were collected on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 post-injection. Two rabbits from each group were sacrificed at 14 and 28 days, and right Achilles tendons were harvested. Histological analysis using Picrosirius red staining was performed to evaluate collagen fiber organization. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to evaluate M1/M2 macrophage activity. # RESULTS A statistically significant difference in calf circumference was found at the 28-day mark between group I versus groups II and III (p &lt; 0.05). Group I displayed an average circumference of 5.2 cm while groups II and III displayed circumferences of 4.9 and 4.6 cm, respectively. A downward trend in pixel density intensity was noted in the thermal radiation imaging for both sleeve groups. Histologic staining showed that group I displayed widespread disorganization and degradation of type I and III collagen fibers, while groups II and III displayed greater organization at the 28-day mark. Immunohistochemical staining revealed greater M1 macrophage activity in group I at the 14-day mark, and greater M2 macrophage activity in groups II and III at the 28-day mark. CONCLUSION The results of our study indicate that application of bioactive nano-semiconductor sleeves had a significant effect in alleviating Achilles tendinopathy, as seen by decreased swelling, temperature, and improved histology.

Investigating of vibration and noise characteristics in two-phase gas-liquid flow through a spiral capillary tube

The vaporization of refrigerant in the liquid-phase in spiral capillary tube induces complex two-phase flow that causes vibrations and noise, which affect the performance and stability of refrigeration systems. Therefore, the flow patterns, vibrations, flow-borne and structure-borne noises in spiral capillary tube are explored, and the effects of coil diameters, pitches and temperatures are analyzed. The results showed that the flow upstream the vaporization point was dominant by liquid-phase, then changed to bubbly flow downstream the vaporization point under various structures, and further changed to mist flow near the outlet, while it changed to gas-phase flow near the outlet under high temperature. The flow-borne noise was mainly affected by the flow turbulence, and the total sound pressure level (TSPL) increased by 17.1 % on average as the temperature increased from 309.6 to 317.6 K, and rose with the increase in pitch. As the coil diameter increased, the TSPL first increased and then decreased. Moreover, the maximum deformation of structure increased by 58.33 % as the diameter increased from 35 to 50 mm, but changed little with various pitches. The changing trends of vibration intensity caused the similar variations of structure-borne noise. The TSPL of structure-borne noise increased by 9.14 % with the diameter increasing from 35 to 50 mm, but it changed little at various pitches. The TSPL of structure-borne noise was much higher than flow-borne noise, which meant that improving the structural vibration can control the noise of refrigerant flow in spiral capillary tube.

Lab study on the physiological thermoregulatory abilities of older people with different frailty levels

The advent of an aging society has increased the need for a better understanding of thermal comfort requirements, especially for older people's health. Differences in thermal comfort needs among older individuals with varying frailty levels are noted, but the impact of health on physiological thermoregulation is underexplored. This study, based on the frailty classification method characterized by Fried, selected 12 non-frail (age:71.00 ± 5.41) and 12 pre-frail (age:72.68 ± 5.7) older individuals for laboratory experiments. This experiment set sudden temperature change experiments to illustrate differences in subjective perceptions and physiological changes between non-frail and pre-frail older people. Results show that non-frail individuals are more likely to complain in warmer environments. Significant differences in perception only emerged when the temperature differential between neutral and warm conditions exceeded 5 °C. Pre-frail individuals exhibited slower skin temperature changes and required more time to stabilize with the environment, particularly in the foot. Pre-frail individuals tend to sweat less in changing environments and require more time to reach stable sweating. There is positive evidence indicating that heart rate of pre-frail individuals is higher than non-frail individuals, with different changing trends observed between the two groups. When the temperature difference exceeds 5 °C, the pulse intensity trend in pre-frail individuals diverges from that of non-frail individuals. In controlling indoor environments for older people, it is essential to consider both subjective comfort and physiological thermoregulation capabilities. For older adults with frailty characteristics, applying localized warming, using small temperature differences, gradually adjusting the environment may better meet their comfort needs.

Risk factors associated with the intensity of COVID-19 outbreaks in Canadian community settings: a retrospective analysis of outbreak-level surveillance data

BackgroundThe severity of COVID-19 outbreaks is disproportionate across settings (e.g., long-term care facilities (LTCF), schools) across Canada. Few studies have examined factors associated with outbreak severity to inform prevention and response. Our study objective was to assess how outbreak severity, as measured using outbreak intensity and defined as number of outbreak-associated cases divided by outbreak duration, differed by setting and factors known to influence SARS-CoV-2 transmission.MethodsWe described outbreak intensity trends in 2021 using data from the Canadian COVID-19 Outbreak Surveillance System from seven provinces/territories, representing 93% of the Canadian population. A negative binomial fixed-effects model was used to assess for associations between the outcome, outbreak intensity, and characteristics of outbreaks: setting type, median age of cases, number at risk, and vaccination coverage of at least 1 dose. Also included were variables previously reported to influence SARS-CoV-2 transmission: stringency of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPI) and the predominant SARS-CoV-2 variant detected by surveillance.ResultsThe longest outbreaks occurred in LTCF (mean = 25.4 days) and correctional facilities (mean = 20.6 days) which also reported the largest outbreaks (mean = 29.6 cases per outbreak). Model results indicated that outbreak intensity was highest in correctional facilities. Relative to correctional facilities (referent), the second highest adjusted intensity ratio was in childcare centres (intensity ratio = 0.58 [95% CI: 0.51–0.66]), followed by LTCF (0.56 [95% CI: 0.51–0.66]). Schools had the lowest adjusted intensity ratio (0.46 [95% CI: 0.40–0.53]) despite having the highest proportion of outbreaks (37.5%). An increase in outbreak intensity was associated with increases in median age, the number at risk, and stringency of NPI. Greater vaccination coverage with at least 1 dose was associated with reduced outbreak intensity.ConclusionDescriptive and multivariable model results indicated that in Canada during 2021, outbreak intensity was greatest in closed congregate living facilities: correctional facilities and LTCF. Findings from this study support the importance of vaccination in reducing outbreak intensity when vaccines are effective against infection with circulating variants, which is especially important for closed congregate living facilities where NPIs are more challenging to implement.

High-field pulsed EPR spectroscopy under magic angle spinning.

In this work, we demonstrate the first pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments performed under magic angle spinning (MAS) at high magnetic field. Unlike nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), commonly performed at high magnetic fields and under MAS to maximize sensitivity and resolution, EPR is usually measured at low magnetic fields and, with the exception of the Spiess group work in the late 1990s, never under MAS, due to great instrumentational challenges. This hampers the investigation of DNP mechanisms, in which electron spin dynamics play a central role, because no experimental data about the latter under DNP-characteristic conditions are available. We hereby present our dedicated, homebuilt MAS-EPR probehead and show the pulsed MAS-EPR spectra of P1 center diamond defect recorded at 7 tesla. Our results reveal unique effects of MAS on EPR line shape, intensity, and signal dephasing. Time-domain simulations reproduce the observed changes in the line shapes and the trends in the signal intensity.

Forecasting Informal care needs of the urban-rural older adults in China based on microsimulation model

BackgroundForecasting the intensity, source, and cost of informal care for older adults in China is essential to establish and enhance policy support systems for informal care within the context of East Asian traditional culture that emphasizes filial piety. This study aims to analyze the current situation and influencing factors for the informal care needs and predict the trends of informal care needs for older adults in China from 2020 to 2040.MethodsUsing the CHARLS database from 2015 to 2018, this study first combined a two-part model and a multinomial logit to analyze the influencing factors for the informal care needs of urban-rural older adults in China. Secondly, a multi-state Markov model was constructed to forecast the number of urban-rural older populations in each health state from 2020 to 2040. Finally, based on a microsimulation model, this study predicted the trends of informal care intensity, source, and cost for older adults in urban and rural areas from 2020 to 2040.ResultsIn 2040, the size of the disabled older population in China will expand further. In rural areas, the total number of disabled people in 2040 (39.77 million) is 1.50 times higher than that in 2020; In urban areas, the total number of disabled people in 2040 (56.01 million) is 2.51 times higher than that in 2020. Compared with 2020, older adults population with mild, moderate and severe disability in 2040 would increase by 87.60%, 101.70%, and 115.08%, respectively. In 2040, the number of older adults receiving low-, medium-, and high-intensity care in China will be 38.60 million, 22.89 million, and 41.69 million, respectively, and older people will still rely on informal care provided by spouses and children (from spouses only: 39.26 million, from children only: 36.74 million, from spouses and children only: 16.79 million, other: 10.39 million). The total cost of informal care in 2040 will be 1,086.65 billion yuan, 2.22 times that of 2020 (490.31 billion yuan), which grows faster than the economic growth rate.ConclusionFrom 2020 to 2040, the informal care needs of older people in rural areas will increase first and then decrease due to the demographic structure and rapid urbanization. In contrast, the informal care needs of older people in urban areas will continuously increase from 2020 to 2040, with the growth rate gradually slowing down. This study provides an evidence-based rationale for scientifically measuring the economic value of informal care and reasonably allocating care resources.

Drivers of long-term changes in summer compound hot extremes in China: Climate change, urbanization, and vegetation greening

Induced by numerous environmental and anthropogenic factors, the frequency of compound hot extremes (CoHot) is increasing globally. However, there is a lack of a comprehensive understanding of the relative importance of different factors in the change of CoHot, as most studies focused solely on individual factors. We systematically attribute the long-term trends of summertime CoHot in China to 24 factors including climate background, climate change, urbanization (including impervious area expansion and three-dimensional urban morphology), and vegetation change, using partial least square regression (PLSR) and variable importance projections for analysis. Cross-evaluation results based on 2259 meteorological stations indicate that the PLSR model accurately simulates the trends of CoHot frequency, duration, and intensity, with a relative error of 4–20% from national to individual station scales. A warm and humid climate background, rising average summertime temperatures, impervious area expansions, high building volume densities, low building heights, and vegetation wilting are the main factors that favoring the increasing and intensifying trends of CoHot. Although summertime warming contributes the most, the significance of urbanization and vegetation greening has been growing in recent years. Urbanization's contribution increases from 9.3% on a national scale to over 40% in urban centers, mainly due to increased building volume density rather than expansions of impervious area. In northern China, vegetation greening has reduced the local increasing trends in frequency/duration of CoHot by 20% to 40%, and such mitigation effects are primarily induced by increased vegetation cover. Our results suggest that, reducing building volume density and promoting vegetation greening can mitigate the increasing risk of CoHot under global warming.

Reductions in PTSD severity precede reductions in pain intensity among veterans receiving intensive treatment.

Chronic pain often co-occurs with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The mutual maintenance hypothesis proposes that there may be shared underlying mechanisms of symptoms of pain exacerbating PTSD, and vice versa. The association between PTSD and pain intensity remains understudied. To elucidate the relationship, the present study examined the temporality of changes in PTSD severity and pain intensity in veterans undergoing intensive PTSD treatment. Data from 332 veterans undergoing intensive 2-week cognitive processing therapy- (CPT-) based treatment (ITP) with adjunctive components (i.e., mindfulness, art therapy). Random intercepts cross-lagged panel models (RI-CLPMs) were used to examine within-subjects relationships between pain intensity and PTSD severity over the course of the program. Veterans experienced large PTSD severity reductions (Essg = 1.20; p < .001) and small pain severity reductions (Essg = 0.21; p < .001) over the course of treatment, despite pain not being a treatment target. RI-CLPMs revealed that PTSD severity significantly predicted subsequent pain severity. Results indicate the absence of a bidirectional relationship in that changes in pain intensity did not predict later PTSD severity improvement during the ITP. Time trends for both PTSD severity and pain intensity were generally consistent with respect to baseline demographic characteristics. Our findings support the mutual maintenance regarding the association between PTSD and pain intensity. Future research should investigate temporal associations in other evidence-based PTSD treatments and formats and evaluate the long-term impacts of PTSD treatment on pain intensity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Long-term trends of occupational physical activity intensity in Japan

Objectives Although physical inactivity is a global concern, quantitative data on its long-term trends in physical activity (PA) are limited. This study aimed to estimate long-term trends in the intensity of occupational PA, constituting the largest portion of PA in Japan.Methods Data on the number of workers in Japan by occupational category were obtained from the Labour Force Survey. PA intensity (metabolic equivalents [METs]) was assigned to 329 occupations in the Japanese Standard Occupational Classification based on the methods and data of Tudor-Locke et al. (2011), and representative intensity values for 11 occupational categories were calculated. Based on intensity, occupational categories were reclassified into sedentary (≤1.5 METs), light (1.6-2.9 METs), and moderate (≥3 METs). Trends in the prevalence of workers in each category were analyzed, along with the annual mean occupation-related METs from 1953 to 2022. The mean occupation-related METs represented the weighted average of PA intensity, calculated based on the annual worker population for each occupational category. Results From 1953-2022, the prevalence of moderate-intensity occupations significantly declined, whereas sedentary and light-intensity occupations increased. The mean occupation-related METs decreased continuously for 70 years. During the 48-year period from 1962 to 2010, when there were no major changes in occupational classification methods, there was a decline of 0.25 METs, representing a 9.6% decrease, from 2.60 to 2.35 METs.Conclusion Over the past 70 years, occupations in Japan have transitioned to ones with lower PA intensity. Consequently, the average PA intensity across all occupations decreased by at least one-tenth. Since this study assumes a constant intensity for each occupation, the actual decline in occupational PA intensity may be even more significant because of societal automation.

Observed Relationships between Supercell Mesocyclone Intensity and Evolution, Background Environmental Characteristics, and Cell Mergers

Abstract Cell mergers with supercells are relatively common, but much remains unknown about how they may influence subsequent supercell hazards. Furthermore, many outstanding questions regarding mesocyclone evolution exist despite numerous studies linking supercell hazards with the background environments in which they occur. In this study, we analyze the Multi-Year Reanalysis of Remotely Sensed Storms dataset along with hundreds of observed supercell tracks to begin addressing these ideas. In line with recent studies, the outcome of a supercell–cell merger (specifically the final strength of the low-level supercell mesocyclone) is not strongly related to the background environment. Of the parameters that we tested, mixed-layer (ML) LCL exhibited the largest correlation, but the very small coefficient of determination suggests limited operational use. More significantly, the incorporation of Storm Prediction Center objective analyses yields novel quantification of observed mesocyclone strengths in different environments. Of the environmental characteristics tested, kinematic parameters like 0–3-km storm-relative helicity (SRH) and 0–3-km bulk wind difference are more correlated with peak mesocyclone intensity than thermodynamic variables like CAPE and CIN. 0–3-km SRH exhibits the largest correlation, and its variability explains roughly one-third of the variance of peak azimuthal shear. We show trends in peak mesocyclone intensity across notable environmental parameter spaces, as well as how low-level mesocyclone strength fluctuates as background environmental characteristics evolve. Environmental trends during and preceding the times of peak mesocyclone strength are quantified. These analyses may be useful for predicting short-term mesocyclone intensity changes in real time. Significance Statement This study addresses open research questions related to how storms merging with supercell thunderstorms may influence supercell evolution and how supercells tend to evolve in different background environments. We find that an environmental measure of cloud-base height is statistically correlated with whether a supercell–cell merger will yield a strengthening or weakening supercell, but the strength of this correlation is quite weak. We find stronger correlations between peak supercell strength across storm lifetimes and some environmental characteristics, particularly parameters related to the change in the wind with height in the lowest few kilometers above ground level. These relationships may be useful for predicting short-term changes in supercell strength in real time.

Versatile multi-energy hard x-ray camera to study confined and unconfined fast electron dynamics and anisotropies (Invited).

A powerful and flexible hard x-ray (HXR) camera has been recently installed and tested on the WEST tokamak (CEA, France) in collaboration with the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The diagnostic is a pinhole camera fielded with a 2D pixel detector equipped with a 1mm thick CdTe sensor. The novelty of this diagnostic technique is the detector's capability of adjusting the threshold energy at the pixel level. This innovation provides great flexibility in the energy configuration, allowing simultaneous space, energy, and time resolved x-ray measurements. The novel camera has been used to measure the core radiation from non-Maxwellian (fast) electrons accelerated by Lower Hybrid (LH) waves and also the beam-target emission of tungsten in the divertor region produced by fast electron losses interacting with the target. In addition, anisotropic hard x-ray emission has been detected for the first time at the WEST core and edge plasma, with opposite toroidal intensity trends. Experimental vertical and toroidal HXR profiles have been successfully reproduced with the LH code LUKE.

Extreme Seasonal Droughts and Floods in the Madeira River Basin, Brazil: Diagnosis, Causes, and Trends

The Madeira River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, often undergoes severe flood and drought conditions. This study seeks to investigate the climate processes associated with the opposing extreme precipitation events in the Madeira River basin and to relate them to river discharge variability based on a flood awareness dataset. Despite the uncertainty in the observational datasets, the annual precipitation cycle exhibits a rainy season from November to March. A significant result is the high correlation between the rainy season variability in the Madeira River basin and the sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical North Atlantic Ocean and the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean. This result indicates that improving the Atlantic SST representation in climate modeling allows for capturing extreme precipitation events in the region. In addition to this impact, certain Madeira River tributaries present significant climate trends. The river discharge variability reveals an increase in hydrological extremes in recent years in the upper sector, but more significantly, in the lower basin, where it has reduced by more than 400 m3/s per decade. These findings highlight the need to improve in situ data and climate and hydrological modeling, with a focus on describing the intense climate variability and trends in river discharges.

Impact of ivermectin and vector control on onchocerciasis transmission in Togo: Assessing the empirical evidence on trends in infection and entomological indicators.

The World Health Organization's 2021-2030 Road Map for Neglected Tropical Diseases boosted global commitment towards the elimination of onchocerciasis, but the timeline to elimination will vary strongly between countries in Africa. To assess progress towards elimination in the Republic of Togo, we reviewed the history of control and time trends in infection. We collated all available programmatic, entomological, and epidemiological data since the initiation of the Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in Togo through different data sources. We then visualised data trends over time, to assess the impact of interventions on infection and transmission levels. Vector control was initiated by OCP from 1977 (northern and central parts of Togo) or 1988 (southern regions) up to 2002 (most areas) or 2007 ("special intervention zones" [SIZ], parts of Northern and Central Togo). Between 1988 and 1991, Togo initiated ivermectin mass drug administration (MDA) in eligible communities. The impact of vector control was high in most river basins, resulting in low annual biting rates and annual transmission potential declining to very low levels; the impact was lower in river basins designated as SIZ. Repeated, longitudinal ivermectin mass treatments have overall strongly reduced onchocerciasis transmission in Togo. Epidemiological surveys performed between 2014 and 2017 showed that the prevalence of skin microfilariae (mf) and anti-OV16 IgG4 antibodies had declined to low levels in several districts of the Centrale, Plateaux, and Maritime region. Yet, relatively high mf prevalences (between 5.0% and 32.7%) were still found in other districts during the same period, particularly along the Kéran, Mô and Ôti river basins (SIZ areas). Trends in infection prevalence and intensity show that onchocerciasis levels have dropped greatly over time in most areas. This demonstrates the large impact of long-term and wide-scale interventions, and suggest that several districts of Togo are approaching elimination.

Projections on the Spatiotemporal Bioclimatic Change over the Phytogeographical Regions of Greece by the Emberger Index

Unquestionably, the rapidly changing climate and, therefore, alterations in the associated bioclimate, constitute an alarming reality with implications for daily practice and natural capital management. This research displays the present and projected bioclimate evolution over Greece’s phytogeographical regions. For this purpose, ultrahigh-resolution computation results on the spatial distribution of the Emberger index’s Q2 classes of bioclimatic characterization are analyzed and illustrated for the first time. The assessments are performed over the reference period (1970–2000) and two future time frames (2021–2040; 2041–2060) under the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios. By 2060 and under the extreme RCP8.5, intense xerothermic trends are demonstrated owing to the resulting significant spatial evolution mainly of the Arid–Hot, Semi-Arid–Very Hot, Semi-Arid–Hot, and Semi-Arid–Temperate Q2 classes, respectively, over the phytogeographical regions of Kiklades (up to 29% occupation), Kriti and Karpathos (up to 30%), West Aegean Islands (up to 26%), North East (up to 56%), and North Central (up to 31%). The RCP8.5 long-term period exhibits the strongest impacts over approximately the right half of the Greek territory, with the bioclimate appearing more dry–thermal in the future. In conclusion, the Emberger index provides an in-depth view of the Greek area’s bioclimatic regime and the potential alterations due to climate change per phytogeographical region.

A coumarin-based near infrared fluorescent probe for the detection of hydrogen sulfide/sulfur dioxide and mitochondrial viscosity

Existing studies have implied that H2S, SO2, and viscosity have potential interrelationships in diseases such as inflammation in the body. Developing fluorescent probes that can simultaneously distinguish and detect the three will be beneficial for relevant workers to explore their potential interrelationships in physiology and pathology. Due to the similar chemical properties of HS− and SO32− (both possessing strong nucleophilic properties), it presents a task with certain challenges that demand careful consideration to detect and differentiate between them using a single probe capable of simultaneously monitoring viscosity changes. In this study, we have designed and prepared a near-infrared fluorescent probe capable of distinguishing and detecting HS−, SO32−, and viscosity, as well as targeting mitochondria. The response of this probe to HS− and SO32− is quenching type and ratio type, respectively, with extremely low detection limits (LOD1 = 0.60 nM for HS−, LOD2 = 1.28 μM for SO32−), fast response time (T1 = 1 min for HS−, T2 = 2 min for SO32−), good selectivity and outstanding anti-interference performance. The monitoring of the viscosity of the probe also shows superior performance. As the viscosity enhances from 0.89 cP to 1412 cP, the fluorescence signal value increases by 52 times, and the trend of fluorescence intensity with viscosity well complies with the Förster-Hoffmann equation. To better understand the response mechanism of the probe to viscosity, we conduct a more in-depth exploration using Gaussian calculations, whose results are in excellent agreement with experimental phenomena. In addition, the probe has successfully achieved monitoring and imaging of HS−, SO32−, and viscosity in Hela cells and 97H cells.