Search

In this study, the Karaisalı region of Türkiye, which has a semi-arid climate and is known to contain the extensive plains and rich water resources of the Seyhan Basin, was preferred as a study area for investigating wet and drought periods for a long timescale. Forty-one years of total precipitation data, between 1980 and 2020, belonging to the closest precipitation observation station located in the Karaisalı region were used. By using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), which is one of the frequently used meteorological drought indices, drought classification probabilities, expected first transition period and residence time in each drought severity class values were calculated for the 12-month time scale. As a result of the study, it was determined that the most drought period took place in 2012 according to the examined time duration. In addition, the most wet period was observed in 2001. When various time scales were considered, SPI-3 and SPI-6 have Near Normal Wet periods, while SPI-9 and SPI12 have Near Normal Drought periods. Extremely Wet periods were more numerous, while Extremely Drought periods lasted longer. In addition, 3 months after the end of the drought categories, it can be seen that the Wet and Drought periods change into Near Normal Wet and Near Normal Drought periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study of West Nile virus (WNV) examined the possibility of avian transmission to explain synchronicity in the year‐to‐year variability of WNV case numbers from Texas northward to the Dakotas, and reasons for the large case numbers on the northern Great Plains. We determined correlation coefficients between annual disease incidence per 100,000 people among states within the Great Plains Region, as well as the Central Flyway. There was spatial and temporal synchronicity, as evidenced by Pearson "r," with values along the core of the Central Flyway (Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota) varying between 0.69 and 0.79. Correlations for North Dakota (r = 0.6), however, were affected by local conditions. The concept of relative amplification is helpful in explaining why northerly states along the Central Flyway have larger annual case numbers per 100,000 than Texas but preserve the temporal signal. States differed in their capacity for amplifying the temporal signal in case numbers. For example, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota case numbers were commonly amplified relative to Texas, with Oklahoma and Kansas deamplified. Relative amplification factors for all states increased as a function of increasing case numbers in Texas. Thus, increased numbers of initially infected birds in Texas likely led to the rapid intensification of the zoonotic cycle as compared to more typical years. The study also confirmed the importance of winter weather in locally modulating disease cases. North Dakota appeared most impacted by these factors to the extent of reducing WNV case numbers in colder years and years with deep snow. Plain Language Summary: This study examined factors controlling broad patterns of transmission of West Nile virus (WNV) on the Great Plains of the United States. We found that yearly human case numbers are correlated both temporally and spatially from Texas northward. These findings support the idea that each year migratory birds were important in retransmitting WNV along the Central Flyway with Texas as the source of WNV and North Dakota and South Dakota as sinks. However, states differed in their capacity to enhance the temporal signal. In Oklahoma and Kansas, deamplification in case numbers relative to Texas was common except for the worst WNV years in Texas. For Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota case numbers were commonly amplified relative to Texas. Relative amplification factors for all states increased as a function of increasing case numbers per 100,000 in Texas. These patterns are likely controlled by virulence of the dominant Culex species and local habitat. In North Dakota, the winter climate may also affect human case numbers. Cold conditions reduce populations of over‐wintering mosquitoes and large snow accumulations modulate the springtime return of migratory birds. Such correlations between the local WNV disease cases and these factors may provide a robust, early screening tool for WNV. Key Points: Spatial and temporal synchronicity in human West Nile virus cases was observed along the Central FlywayA consistent pattern of amplification and deamplifications in human case numbers is evident along the Central Flyway as compared to TexasKey factors controlling trends include avian spread, vector competence, and local winter conditions, especially in North Dakota [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is motivated by the difficulty of laypeople to understand the language of law. The study aims to analyze the high complexity of the Indonesian legal language and to generate alternatives that are more effective and easier for the general public. This study has tried to offer a simpler legal language formula, especially in the controversial articles of the Job Creation Law. The data in this study are in the form of text obtained through the official website of the State Secretariat, namely: https://jdih.setneg.go.id/Produk. This study uses a text analysis framework developed by Bivins (2008) as the framework used to apply plain language to legal language. This study shows that the application of plain language in controversial articles of the Job Creation Law is quite effective, especially in the components of sentences, cross-references, voice, and word choice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results from the NASA/MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission showed that 27% of Mercury's surface is covered by smooth plains mostly produced by extensive effusive volcanism. The Caloris impact basin is associated with two, mostly volcanic, smooth plains, one in its interior and one surrounding the basin. Previous studies have shown that it is difficult to estimate the relative ages of the interior and exterior plains and to explain their spectral and compositional differences. We perform an exhaustive spectral analysis of the basin based on data obtained by the Mercury Atmospheric and Surface Composition Spectrometer spectrometer onboard MESSENGER between 300 and 1,450 nm with a 5 nm resolution. Unlike previous results based on crater counts, we found that the exterior plains were emplaced before the interior plains although both postdate the formation of the basin. We propose a decrease in the partial melting degree and/or partial melting depth over time to explain the spectral and compositional differences. The study highlights spectrally heterogeneous exterior plains associated with a compositional heterogeneity and the presence of low reflectance material (LRM) deposits. This heterogeneity in the exterior plains could be related to the formation of the basin and asymmetry of the ejecta deposits or to a heterogeneous distribution of LRM present at depths before the formation of the basin. Plain Language Summary: Results from the NASA/MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission highlighted several geological units at the surface of Mercury. The volcanic plains are defined as a sparsely cratered unit with several embayments of other landforms. Most of these plains formed by effusive volcanism before 3.5 Ga. Caloris, the largest well‐preserved impact basin, is associated with two plains, mostly volcanic, one filling the basin and one surrounding the basin, which have different spectral and compositional properties. Previous studies have shown that it is difficult to estimate the relative ages of the interior and exterior plains. In this work, we perform an exhaustive spectral analysis of Caloris based on MESSENGER data. Unlike previous results, we found that the exterior plains are older and were emplaced before the interior plains although both postdate Caloris formation. We propose an evolution of the volcanic source conditions over time to explain the spectral and compositional differences between the exterior and interior plains. A decrease in the partial melting degree and/or partial melting depth over time leads to modifications of magma properties and different compositional and spectral properties of lava. This study highlights heterogeneous exterior plains with east‐west asymmetry. Key Points: The exterior volcanic plains of Caloris were emplaced in and around the basin followed by the interior plains within the basin onlyThe melting degree and/or melting depth decrease over time between the formation of the exterior and interior plainsSpectral and compositional data show heterogeneous exterior plains with east‐west asymmetry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jangwa Pana is the property of Revista Jangwa Pana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Potential natural vegetation (PNV) remains an important concept in ecology by providing the basis for comparing current or future conditions and trends in vegetation with historic conditions. However, nonstationary climate and land‐use‐driven deviations from baseline conditions challenge the validity of PNV at local scales or for locations that are especially sensitive to environmental changes, such as ecotonal boundaries between ecosystem types. Our goal was to identify the historic boundaries between major grassland types in the Central Great Plains (CGP) of North America (tallgrass prairie and northern and southern mixed‐grass prairies) by examining the environmental drivers of primary production prior to, during, and after the decades‐long drought in the 1930s. We sought to explore differences among grassland types in resistance and resilience to drought, and to evaluate legacy effects resulting from spatially explicit processes during drought. We used county‐level cropland production data from 1926 to 1948 as a proxy for native grass production data. We regressed production data against a suite of models containing variables associated with climate, soils, land use, and drought indices prior to, during, and after drought. We used a dimension reduction approach to identify the locations of grassland boundaries in multivariate space defined by each model. Our results show that climate and soil factors predicted grass production prior to the drought, yet additional land use and erosion factors were needed to explain production in both drought and post‐drought. Grassland responses were most variable along ecotonal boundaries. Tallgrass prairie exhibited stronger production responses to precipitation and temperature compared with northern and southern mixed‐grass prairies during all periods. Tallgrass prairie counties along the ecotone with mixed‐grass prairies were more negatively impacted by soil loss from abandoned cropland during the drought compared with other tallgrass prairie counties. As the intensity and frequency of drought are predicted to increase, landscape‐scale variables and spatially explicit processes that govern novel production responses will need to be accounted for in explaining heterogeneity in grassland responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various faults in northern and southern margins of Torbat-e- Jam-Fariman plain which show the probability of enormous earthquake in the future. In present study the geomorphic indices contain Asymmetry Function (Af), Sinuosity of mountain front (Smf), Valley floor index (Vf), Hypsometric index (Hi), Mean Axial slope of channel index (MASC) and Drainage Basin Shape (Bs), have been utilized to determine the relative tectonic activity index (IAT) to recognize, eventually, the geo-structural model of the study area. Faults and folds control the geo-structural activities of the study area, and the geomorphic indices are being affected in consequence of their activities. The intensity of these activities is different throughout the plain. There are many geomorphic evidences, related to active transform fault which are detectable all over the study area such as deviated rivers, quaternary sediments transformation, fault traces. Therefore, recognition of geo-structural model of the study area is extremely vital. Field study, then, approved the results of geomorphic indices calculation in determining the geo-structural model of the study area. Results depicted that the geo-structural model of the study area is a kind of Horsetail splay form which is in accordance to the relative tectonic activity of the study area. Based on the above mentioned results it can be predicted that the splays are the trail of Neyshabour fault. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plain steel bars are still used in reinforced concrete structures in some developing areas or in some special structural joints for greater ductility. The purpose of this paper is to present an experimental study on 432 pullout specimens to quantify the effects of level of bilateral pressures and curing age on the bond behavior of plain steel bars in early-age concrete. Based on the experimental results, the time dependence of the peak bond stress and the slip at peak bond stress is analyzed. Two empirical formulas are formulated for evaluating the peak bond stress and the slip at peak bond stress in terms of the strength of concrete, the curing age, and the level of lateral pressures. Finally, an empirical bond stress-slip relationship is proposed and verified by experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct multi-key homomorphic and fully homomorphic encryption (resp. MKHE and MKFHE) schemes with malicious circuit privacy. Our schemes are based on learning with errors (LWE) besides appropriate circular security assumptions. In contrast, the previous maliciously circuit-private MKFHE scheme by Chongchitmate and Ostrovsky (PKC, 2017) is based on the non-standard decisional small polynomial ratio (DSPR) assumption with a super-polynomial modulus, besides ring learning with errors and circular security assumptions. We note that it was shown by Albrecht et al. (CRYPTO, 2016) that there exists a sub-exponential time attack against this type of DSPR assumption. The main building block of our maliciously circuit-private MKFHE scheme is a (plain) MKFHE scheme by Brakerski et al. (TCC, 2017), and the security of our schemes is proven under the hardness of LWE with sub-exponential modulus-to-noise ratio and circular security assumptions related to the Brakerski et al. scheme. Furthermore, based on our MKFHE schemes, we construct four-round multi-party computation (MPC) protocols with circuit privacy against a semi-honest server and malicious clients in the plain model. The protocols are obtained by combining our schemes with a maliciously sender-private oblivious transfer protocol and a circuit garbling scheme, all of which can be instantiated only assuming LWE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the reliability of plain radiographs interpreted through WhatsApp messaging system in orthopaedic hand trauma consultation in a large teaching hospital. Plain radiographs of 25 hand fractures and five normal radiographs were captured from a picture archiving and communication system using iPhone XS smartphone, anonymized and sent to 53 orthopaedic residents' and consultants' personal smartphones. The participants independently assessed the images and answered questions on fracture identification and characteristics, diagnostic confidence, further imaging and surgical inclination. The study was repeated after a 1-month washout period using the picture archiving and communication system on the hospital desktop. The results showed good (0.60 < ƙ < 0.80) intraobserver agreement on fracture identification and characteristics. The overall diagnostic accuracy for hand fractures was 95% on WhatsApp and 99% on the desktop. In conclusion, images of plain radiographs transmitted via WhatsApp were reliable for interpretation in orthopaedic hand trauma consultation. Level of evidence: IV [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinkhole collapse is one of the major hazards for people and property in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, especially if the bedrock structure is karstic, covered by unconsolidated material. Our study identifies localized deformation that may be caused by a sinkhole activity based on the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) technique in Setifian high plains. For this task; we applied 2-D Wenner and Wenner-Schlumberger transects. The geological and hydrogeological investigations helped calibrate the resistivity model and in this regard, expound on the proneness of the limestone layer to collapse. The obtained model highlights the heterogeneity of the subsurface. The inverted transects allowed the investigation of 20 m depth with Wenner array and 52 m with Wenner-Schlumberger. The Wenner inverted models imaged the chimney and different karst networks until 20 m depth; even as the Wenner-Schlumberger models imaged a new karstic cavity in the limestone layer. Electrical tomography imaging has once again proven its effectiveness in mapping sinkholes based on its ability to detect resistivity. Our research can certainly benefit karst collapse management in other areas of the Setifian high plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the permanent scatterer InSAR (PS-InSAR) technique was utilized to monitor land subsidence in Asadabad city and the adjoining plains located in the west of Iran using Sentinel-1A satellite images in the 2015–2018 period. Based on the results, the Bad Khoreh area exhibited the maximum subsidence rate of about 224 mm/year among the examined areas in the county in the selected period. Also, the rate of land subsidence had increased from the urban areas toward the plains. Moreover, the processing of underground water level data of piezometric wells in the study area indicates that land subsidence in Asadabad city and the adjacent plains has a direct relationship with the overexploitation of groundwater resources during the 2015–2018 period. Furthermore, subsurface geology and land subsidence were analyzed based on information gathered from eleven wells with a total depth of 614 m. The examination of borehole logs and profiles demonstrated that the areas composed of fine clay and sand had undergone severer subsidence than those composed of coarse-grained sediment due to the greater consolidation and compressibility of the grain sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cigarette pack design plays a crucial role in attracting customers, especially when other marketing methods are limited by policy. University students who engage in casual smoking take the risk of developing an addiction. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of plain packaging (PP) and graphic health warnings (GHWs) on cigarette packages on three outcome variables (negative affect, avoidant responses, and intentions to quit) among ever-smoker university students in Ankara, Turkey, where youth smoking prevalence is high. Methods: An online survey-based experiment was used to collect data. The respondents were randomly assigned to one of the five conditions that contained images of cigarette packs with specific design elements. Regression analyses (n = 623) were used to compare across conditions and to estimate the effects of combined warnings (versus text-only warnings), stronger GHWs (versus old GHWs), and PP (versus branded packages) on the outcome variables, accounting for potential confounders. Results: Stronger GHWs generated more negative affect (0.31 points out of 5, p = 0.010) and avoidant responses (0.42 points out of 5, p = 0.002) than old warnings (when brand logos were visible). Plain packages generated more negative affect (0.48 points out of 5, p < 0.001) and avoidant responses (0.46 points out of 5, p = 0.001) than branded packages (with old warnings). Disentangling the effects of PP and new GHWs revealed that neither had individual differential effect on intentions to quit within 6 months. Conclusions: Although no differential effect of PP or harsher GHWs was found on intentions to quit when respondents were exposed to images on screen, both design elements were found to be effective in generating negative affect and avoidant responses. More work is needed to design effective tobacco control measures among youth during critical years of tertiary education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extreme heavy rainfall event in Henan Province (HnHRE) of central China in July 2021, which is jointly affected by the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and Typhoon In‐Fa (2021), is comprehensively studied through five experiments conducted using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF). The patterns of the WPSH, In‐Fa, and precipitation are well reproduced in the control experiment. The magnitude of potential vorticity (PV) anomaly associated with the WPSH (In‐Fa) is increased and decreased by 50% in the initial condition based on the piecewise PV inversion method, namely, SH150 and SH050 (TC150 and TC050), respectively. The analysis shows that the 54‐hr rainfall accumulations in TC150 and TC050 are reduced by 39.5% and 31.8%, respectively, more than 28.8% in SH150 and 20.1% in SH050, indicating that Typhoon In‐Fa plays a more critical role in the rainfall amplification than the WPSH. This result also confirms that the HnHRE occurs within the quite favorable configuration of WPSH and In‐Fa circulations. The WPSH and In‐Fa majorly control the meridional and zonal moisture transports, respectively. The diagnosis of moist ageostrophic ω $\omega $ turns out that diabatic heating is closely related to the vertical motion during the HnHRE. Besides, the heavy rainfall region is also closely attributed to the distributions of equivalent potential temperature and divergence. Plain Language Summary: This study focuses on a typical heavy rainfall event (HRE) related to the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) and Typhoon In‐Fa (2021). The study aims to quantitatively analyze the effects of the WPSH and In‐Fa and their interactions, which play a vital role in the HRE. The distribution and amount of rainfall are reasonably reproduced in a numerical model. Moreover, the four sensitivity experiments are conducted to identify the influence of the WPSH and In‐fa on the HRE. The results confirm that the HRE occurs under the highly favorable WPSH and In‐Fa circulations and their cooperation. Typhoon In‐Fa plays a more critical role in rainfall amplification than the WPSH. This finding emphasizes that the interaction of the WPSH and typhoon has an important effect on the HRE. Key Points: Typhoon In‐Fa plays a more critical role in the rainfall amplification than the western Pacific subtropical highThe western Pacific subtropical high and Typhoon In‐Fa majorly control the meridional and zonal moisture transports, respectivelyDiabatic heating plays a primary role in vertical motion during this heavy rainfall event [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new subtidal species of Dasya is reported from offshore algal plains of Puerto Rico and Grenada in the Caribbean. Closely invested with pigmented lateral branchlets giving the alga a shaggy appearance, the species bears close resemblance and genetic affinity to the Bermudian Dasya cryptica and a superficial resemblance to Pacific D. anastomosans. The new species differs from all known Atlantic congeners as well as non-Atlantic members of the "Dasya cryptica complex" both genetically and in possessing rhizoids among its pericentral and enlarged inner cortical cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excavation of tunnels or chambers causes crack initiation, propagation and coalescence, resulting in the instability and destruction of underground projects. Understanding the damage mechanism of joint rock-like materials is important for maintaining the stability of concrete construction. Based on the Mohr-Coulomb criterion and Lemaitre strain equivalence hypothesis, the coupling-damage constitutive model of rock masses was improved for application to plain concrete. Parameters including the mesoscopic and macro-meso coupling damage variables, as well as the fractal dimension, were calculated to realize the non-linear mechanical behaviour during damage evolution. The rationality of the model was verified by comparing experimental and theoretical parameters. Results revealed that the coupled-damage constitutive model of rock masses has a good applicability to plain concrete. Furthermore, two main factors affected the damage deformation: the number of joints and the inclination angle. As the number of joints increased, the early damage accumulation increased and the inflection point of the damage rate occurred in advance. The damage deformation varied significantly when the inclination angle was changed. The cumulative damage curve of the plain-concrete specimens is shown as the evolution law of an S-type curve. Both peak strength and elastic modulus were positively correlated with the damage variable. Moreover, a smaller peak strength resulted in a larger fractal dimension and coupling-damage variable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Native understandings of and uses for meteorites constitute a woefully understudied topic. This article reviews evidence from the Great Plains, referring to information from other regions in order to document patterns. Some meteorites clearly were shrines; others were situated in sacred places. Still others have been found far from their fall sites, curated in mortuary features and archaeological sites or placed along trails and in association with prominent landmarks. Some show signs of prehistoric manipulation, including heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of the raindrop size distribution (DSD) during regional freezing rain (FR) events that occur throughout the phase change (from liquid to solid) are poorly understood due to limited observations. We investigate the evolution of microphysical parameters and the key formation mechanisms of regional FR using the DSDs from five disdrometer sites in January 2018 in the Jianghan Plain (JHP) of Central China. FR is identified via the size and velocity distribution measured from a disdrometer, the discrete Fréchet distancemethod, surface temperature, human observations, and sounding data. With the persistence of precipitation, the emergence of graupel or snowflakes significantly reduces the proportion of FR. The enhancement of this regional FR event is mainly dominated by the increase in the number concentration of raindrops but weakly affected by the diameters. To improve the accuracy of quantitative precipitation estimation for the FR event, a modified second-degree polynomial relation between the shape μ and slope Λ of gamma DSDs is derived, and a new Z-R (radar reflectivity to rain rate) relationship is developed. The mean values of mass-weighted mean diameters (Dm) and generalized intercepts (lgNw) in FR are close to the stratiform results in the northern region of China. Both the melting of tiny-rimed graupels and large-dry snowflakes are a response to the formation of this regional FR process in the JHP, dominated by the joint influence of the physical mechanism of warm rain, vapor deposition, and aggregation/riming coupled with the effect of weak convective motion in some periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modified applied element model to simulate the behaviour of plain concrete continuum structures including discrete cracking is proposed in this study. In the classical applied element model, Poisson effects are fully ignored. To remediate this issue, diagonal elements are introduced to include the Poisson effect, and the constitutive parameters are rigorously determined using the Cauchy–Born rule and the hyper-elastic theory. The formulation is validated for linear elastic problems and the consistency and convergence behaviour of the numerical approach is shown. Tensile softening formulation using the concept of fracture energy is utilised for the nonlinear range. In this range, the approach is validated using the classical benchmark tests with pure tensile, split-tensile, combined shear-tensile and bending dominated push-over loading. The load–displacement behaviour and crack response were captured successfully, showing the proposed methodology can be used to quantify discrete cracks on large systems, such as dam monoliths, from initiation to significant damage levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Improvements in therapies have led to an increasing number of long-term survivors of brain metastases. The present series compares a population of 5-year survivors of brain metastases to a generalized brain metastases population to assess for factors attributable to long-term survival. Methods A single institution retrospective review was performed to identify 5-year survivors of brain metastases who received stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). A historical control population of 737 patients with brain metastases was used to assess similarities and differences between the long-term survivor population and the general population treated with SRS. Results A total of 98 patients with brain metastases were found to have survived over 60 months. No differences between long-term survivors and controls were identified with regards to the age at first SRS (P  = .19), primary cancer distribution (P  = .80), and the number of metastases at first SRS (P  = .90). Cumulative incidence of neurologic death at 6, 8 and 10 years for the long-term survivor cohort was 4.8%, 16%, and 16% respectively. In the historical controls, cumulative incidence of neurologic death reached a plateau at 40% after 4.9 years. A significant difference in the distribution of burden of disease at the time of the first SRS was found between the 5-year survivors and the control (P  = .0049). 58% of 5-year survivors showed no evidence of clinical disease at the last follow-up. Conclusion Five-year survivors of brain metastases represent a diverse histologic population, suggesting a small population of oligometastatic and indolent cancers exist for each cancer type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) for massive, irreparable rotator cuff tears involves anchoring a graft between the superior glenoid and the greater tuberosity of the humerus. Optimizing the graft size is important. We aimed (1) to evaluate the reliability of plain film radiography in determining graft size for SCR and (2) to create a database to help predict future graft sizes. Methods: An inter- and intra-rater reliability trial was conducted on 10 and 6 subjects with healthy shoulders, respectively, using plain film radiography to measure the distance between the superior glenoid and the supraspinatus footprint. The subjects were positioned upright with an abduction pillow modified to hold the shoulder at 30° abduction and 45° external rotation, afterwhich a true antero-posterior shoulder radiograph was captured. Thirty subjects were recruited for the database and grouped using the aforementioned protocol. Results: The inter-rater and intra-rater trial agreement was excellent, with intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.94 (95% CI) and 0.76 (95% CI), respectively. Three medio-lateral patch sizes, of 33 mm, 38 mm, and 47 mm, were proposed based on the protocol in 30 subjects. Conclusions: Plain film radiography demonstrated excellent reliability in measuring the distance between the superior glenoid and the supraspinatus footprint. Three ordinal patch sizes are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mineral stibnite (Sb2S3) is locally present in the catchment area of the Saijo Plain. We took advantage of this fact and quantified the sources of water in the waterways of the Saijo Plain, Ehime Prefecture, by using the element antimony (Sb) as a geochemical tracer. The sources of surface water in the Saijo Plain are diverse. They include Kamo River surface water, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater, and Mt. Hachido streamwater. The Sb concentrations differed significantly between these four sources. In November 2017 and July 2018, the average Sb concentrations were 11.6 μg L−1 and 11.7 μg L−1, respectively, in shallow groundwater; 4.2 μg L−1 and 7.2 μg L−1, respectively, in the Kamo River; 0.4 μg L−1 and 0.5 μg L−1, respectively, in deep groundwater; and an average of 0.2 μg L−1 in November 2017 and July 2018 in Mt. Hachido streamwater. The contribution of the source water in each waterway was determined by using the Sb concentration at multiple points upstream of sampling stations or in the surrounding groundwater. The contribution of the Kamo River surface water was almost 100% in upstream areas, but the contribution of shallow groundwater exceeded 80% in the middle areas in the Saijo Plain. In downstream areas, the influence of Kamo River surface water diminished, and the contribution of deep groundwater was about 50%. We found that deep groundwater discharged from domestic and agricultural wells into waterways was an important source of water in the Saijo Plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of remote sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS) are among the most efficient modern tools to study the varied natural resources in terms of localization, identification of characteristics, and the study of its dynamics. Thus, the aim of this study is to show the importance of remote sensing and Geographical Information System in studying the Guercif irrigated plain. We will first process and analyze satellite images using the program (Erdas IMAGINE 15. 00) and then create thematic maps illustrating the irrigated area's evolution (ArcGIS 10.8). The results revealed that since the late 20th century, the area of Guercif Plain has expanded significantly, with the total irrigated space that has been doubled many times by 2021. Significant landscape transformations accompanied this evolution, for Guercif Plain has turned from a barren and dry to a green agricultural space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Packages of fluvial systems in the Lower Ganga plains (LGP) archive the changes in stratigraphic architecture induced by perturbations in the climatic system. In some parts of this landscape, where the fluvial sequences predominate, the role of climate in landsculpting is strongly indicated by the presence of sediment architecture. The present study is focused on the formation of alluvial plains of the Ajay River in the Rarh region that represent a region's environmental templates for understanding the landscape of LGP. The sedimentological, geomorphological, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) chronological investigations were attempted to document sedimentation patterns and the timing of deposition. The stratigraphic data from two exposed cliff sections and three boreholes are compared with proxy records to understand the Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) controls on alluvial sedimentation for the last ~2.4 ka. The fluvial packages in the study area correspond to two significant channel phases: Period‐I (2.4–1.3 ka) and Period‐II (800–200 years ago). Period‐I is characterized by the episodes of floodplain development and lateral migration of the trunk river during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) I, especially around 2 ka corresponding to the Roman Warm (RW) period in the Indian subcontinent. The sediment filling was high during ~2.4 ka due to ISM intensification, but in the later stage, the sedimentation was at a fairly steady rate. Conversely, Period‐II is characterized by flooding phenomena and aggradation of channel bodies across much of the present valley area during the last 800 years. The distinct flood events occurred during the times of significant shifts in ISM, from fluvial dormancy to sudden outbursts of monsoons (end of Little Ice Age [LIA] ~ 19th century), indicating that climatic patterns can be associated with the occurrences of abrupt flood events. The alluvial records fit well with the historical, instrumental, and published proxy data on the ISM validating the chronology and the potential of sedimentary archives for further studies related to the palaeoenvironment and palaeogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple methodology was used for calculating the equivalent strain values during forming the sample alternately in two mutually perpendicular directions. This method reflects an unexpected material flow out of the nominal deformation zone when forming on the MAXStrain II device. Thus it was possible to perform two temperature variants of the simulation of continuous rolling and cooling of a long product made of steel containing 0.17% C and 0.80% Mn. Increasing the finishing temperature from 900°C to 950°C and decreasing the cooling rate from 10°C/s to 5°C/s led to a decrease in the content of acicular ferrite and bainite and an increase in the mean grain size of proeutectoid ferrite from about 8 µm to 14 µm. The result was a change in the hardness of the material by 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the photogeological and stratigraphic analysis of Venusian coronae, we have found that (1) late manifestations of volcanic activity on Venus, lobate plains, are weakly related to the formation of coronae. The small number of coronae–sources of lobate plains (~17% of the total population of coronae) indicates that the volcanic activity of the coronae ceased mainly in the pre-Atlian time. Thus, the coronae associated with manifestations of late volcanism in the form of lobate plains are either long-lived volcano-tectonic complexes or structures of the final phases of volcanic activity; their locations mark the regions of long-term volcanism; (2) the small number of coronae formed by rift structures (~14% of the total population) indicates that rifting in the Atlian period did not lead to mass formation of coronae. The majority of Venusian coronae was probably formed in the Fortunian–Guineverian periods of the geological history of Venus. A sharp decrease in the number of coronae formed in the Atlian period may be associated with an increase in the thickness of the lithosphere and an increase in its role as a rheological barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Qidan people had less contact with the Central Plains culture before the founding of the Liao Dynasty, so they were very unfamiliar with the concept of chastity. Under the influence of cultural exchange and intermarriage between Qidan and the Han nationality as well as Buddhism, the concept of female chastity in the Central Plains was introduced into the Liao Dynasty. The concept of chastity in the Central Plains requires women to never many again in their marriage life. This concept constrains Qidan women in morality and marriage, but it also avoids the harm caused by inter-generation marriage to a certain extent. It should be noted that in the end of Liao Dynasty, the concept of chastity did not become the mainstream concept of Liao society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Corrosion rate of Mg-0.15ca alloy increases remarkably after thermal processing. • Significant precipitation of Fe impurity is found upon Mg-0.15Ca due to annealing. • In alloying is able to hinder the Fe precipitation in lean Mg-Ca during annealing. The exceptionally low corrosion rate (∼0.1 mm y–1 in concentrated NaCl solution for 7 days) enables lean Mg-Ca alloys great potential for diverse applications, particularly if relevant properties (e.g. mechanical strength, electrochemical performance, etc.) can be enhanced by thermomechanical processing. However, herein it is demonstrated that the corrosion performance of lean Mg-Ca is susceptible to the heating process. The corrosion rate of Mg-0.15 wt% Ca alloy is remarkably accelerated after annealing even for a short time (4 h at 400 °C) because Fe precipitation readily takes place. Fortunately, it is found that micro-alloying with dedicated additional elements is able to solve this problem. Nevertheless, the problem-solving capability is dependent on the element category, particularly the ability of the alloying element to constrain the Fe precipitation. Among the three studied elements (i.e. Sn, Ge and In), only In shows good competence of restricting the formation of Fe-containing precipitates, thereby contributing to retention of the superior corrosion resistance after annealing even at a rigorous condition (24 h at 450 °C). The finding creates good foundation for follow-up work of developing lean Mg-Ca-based alloys combining high corrosion resistance, superior electrochemical performance with excellent mechanical properties for applications as biodegradable implants and anode materials for aqueous batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bearing is the property of Bearing Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A heterogeneous structure of multi-scale ferrite and granular or short rod cementite was obtained by warm-rolled pseudo-eutectoid microstructure, and the recrystallization of deformed ferrite and the dissolution and precipitation of cementite were controlled by subsequent short-time annealing treatment. The results show that the ferrite grains of annealed samples with different deformation extent distributed in the multiscale laminar structure, and the grain size trans from nanoscale to micron-scale. With the increase of deformation, the recrystallization ratio increases. The annealing sample with deformation of 84 pct obtains the optimal microstructure of multi-scale lamellar ferrite cementite that effectively improves the strain-strengthening ability, and realizes the optimal combination of strength and plasticity. The accumulation of more GNDs in a gradient distribution at the heterogeneous interface provides good strain reinforcement with the highest boundary density, which helps to provide additional strength and plasticity. The multi-stage regulation of ferrite recrystallization and cementite distribution after annealing provides good elongation to achieve a combination of HDI mechanism, fine grain strengthening, and Orowan strengthening mechanism. Various models were used to fit the true stress–true strain, and the Voce-Kocks model accurately described the stress–strain of plain medium carbon steel with a heterogeneous laminar structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Channel dynamics is one of the important features of the Ganga River. It has become a major concern for floodplain residents as well as for policymakers interested in riverine planning and management. The present study used remote sensing datasets for a period of about 46 years (1972 to 2018) and explored the spatial and temporal migration of the Ganga River channel in the middle Ganga plain (MGP), India. The raster datasets were obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Explorer. Various features were extracted manually, and supervised classification was performed for land use and land cover (LU/LC) analysis. This study also used conversion maps to outline the changes within and among different LU/LC classes. The results show that a significant portion of land along both banks of the Ganga River has changed from 1972 to 2018. This research pinpoints five main sites indicating active channel migration: (i) MS1, (ii) MS2, (iii) MS3, (iv) MS4, and (v) MS5. All these five sites highlight a significant increase in the built-up area and vegetation cover. Fallow land and waterbodies have declined at all these five sites. MS1 was the most affected site by the migration of the Ganga River channel. The results indicate that channel migration and improvements in geomorphic units considerably affect LU/LC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ibis is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

[Objective] Soil salinization is a dynamic process, affected by numerous factors. Understanding its spatiotemporal variation in a region and catchment is important for management. In this paper, we present the soil salinity dynamics and its determinants in Songnen Plain of Heilongjiang province. [Method] The calculation was based on remote sensing imagery of the region acquired from 2000-2020. We used correlation analysis and relative contribution rate analysis to map the spatiotemporal distribution of soil salinity in this region. [Result] On average, areas affected by salt in the region had decreased from 2000 to 2020, at a rate of 2.73 km²/a. But this is mainly due to the reduced soil salinization in some regions, as other regions actually had seen an increase in soil salinization. In particular, soil salinization in Qiqihar had increased because of the increase in cropped lands and GDP. Suihua also saw soil salinity rising due to increased plant areas and population. In contrast, soil salinity in Daqing and Harbin had decreased, due to the increase in surface water resources and decrease in evaporation for Daqing, and the change in cropped land and livestock industry for Harbin. [Conclusion] Change in soil salinization from 2000 to 2020 in Songnen Plain varied, with some areas seeing an increase and others witnessing a decline. In addition to climate change, other reasons underlying such variations in soil salinization include economic development, change in cropping systems and livestock industry. To ameliorate soil salinization and improve land quality, this region should consider improving irrigation and drainage facilities and controlling the groundwater depth not exceeding a critical level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change can lead to and intensify drought disasters. Quantifying the vulnerability of disaster-affected elements is significant for understanding the mechanisms that transform drought intensity into eventual loss. This study proposed a growth-stage-based drought vulnerability index (GDVI) of soybean using meteorological, groundwater, land use, and field experiment data and crop growth model simulation. The CROPGRO-Soybean model was used to simulate crop growth and water deficit. Four growth stages were considered since the sensitivity of soybean to drought is strictly related to the growth stage. The GDVI was applied to the Huaibei Plain, Anhui Province, China, with the goal of quantifying the spatiotemporal characteristics of soybean drought vulnerability in typical years and growth stages. The results show that: (1) The sensitivity of leaf-related parameters exceeded that of other parameters during the vegetative growth stage, whereas the top weight and grain yield showed a higher sensitivity in the reproductive growth stage; (2) A semi-logarithmic law can describe the relationship between the drought sensitivity indicators and the GDVI during the four growth stages. The pod-filling phase is the most vulnerable stage for water deficit and with the highest loss upper limit (over 70%); (3) The 2001 and 2002 seasons were the driest time during 1997−2006. Fuyang and Huainan Cities were more vulnerable to drought than other regions on the Huaibei Plain in 2001, while Huaibei and Suzhou Cities were the most susceptible areas in 2002. The results could provide effective decision support for the categorization of areas vulnerable to droughts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vulnerability of groundwater as the primary source of water for human survival should be assessed for the purpose of pollution management. The Ajabshir plain, one of the major agricultural areas in the northwest of Iran, is always prone to pollution. Therefore, to prevent the increase in pollution, it is necessary to determine the polluting factors and areas prone to groundwater pollution. In this study, by modifying the DRASTIC method using the land-use layer, called DRASTICL, vulnerable areas and pollution index were mapped. To ensure dealing with the uncertainty of the parameters, the DRASTICL model was optimized utilizing the Sugeno-type fuzzy inference system. The models were validated based on nitrate pollution. The correlation of DRASTICL and its optimized model with the nitrate pollution are 0.32 and 0.8, respectively. The results of this study show that integrating the DRASTIC model and fuzzy knowledge is an instrumental way for assessment of vulnerability potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Wool Textile Journal is the property of National Wool Textile Science & Technology Information Center and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Irrigation & Drainage is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Fly Ash Comprehensive Utilization is the property of Hebei Fly Ash Comprehensive Utilization Magazine Co., Ltd. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The generalized complementary relationship (CR) of evaporation was investigated in the irrigated winter wheat/summer maize double‐cropping sites in North China Plain (NCP), a region influenced by the East Asian dry winter and wet summer monsoon. Different generalized CRs exist in the winter wheat (dry) and summer maize (wet) seasons with abrupt changes in June and October. The seasonal abrupt change in the CR is attributed to the sudden reversed water vapor transport with the winter and summer monsoon and the wheat/maize rotation with irrigation in the winter wheat season. The separation and abrupt change in the complementary behavior require that two‐stage phased parameters corresponding to the wheat (dry) and maize (wet) seasons should be adopted by the generalized complementary functions for operational evaporation estimation in the irrigated double cropping NCP. Plain Language Summary: The irrigated double cropping North China Plain (NCP) is characterized with rapid winter wheat/summer maize rotation on the land surface and sudden reversed water vapor transport in the upper‐air with East Asian monsoon, coincidentally in June and October. There are corresponding abrupt changes of the complementary relationship, a theory relating changes in landscape evaporation and atmospheric evaporation demand. It reveals the impacts of the processes related to large‐scale changes in atmospheric circulations on the complementary behavior and the requirement of different parameters during the two stages for operational evaporation estimation using the complementary principle in the irrigated double cropping NCP. Key Points: Different generalized complementary relationships (CRs) exist in winter wheat and summer maize seasons with an abrupt changeAbrupt change of the CR is mainly attributed to upper‐air circulations with East Asian monsoonWheat season irrigation contributes to the abrupt change via interrupting the connection between land surface and atmosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the territorial characteristics of explanation of European Union funding for tourism-related developments in the Northern Great Plain region (Hungary) in the 2014-2020 programming period of the European Union. We relied fundamentally on the website "palyazat.gov.hu" as our source, which provides information on the number of grant applications submitted and those that were successful. There are very significant differences between counties and settlements in terms of the application activity and the focus of the applications. Firstly, the specificities of the counties that make up the Northern Great Plain region had a significant impact on the region's performance in case of national-level projects. Secondly, hand the influencing factors include the commitment of the leaders of the individual counties and settlements to tourism, the impact of the conditions set out in the calls for applications, as well as the role of political lobbying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to apply geophysical methods to determine the Specific Yield (Sy) and Groundwater Level (GWL) in an unconfined aquifer of the Pingtung Plain in South Taiwan. Sy is an important hydraulic parameter for assessing groundwater potential. Obtaining specific yield for a large area is impractical due to the limited coverage and the high cost of the pumping test, which limits the potential evaluation of regional groundwater. Therefore, we used time-lapse Electrical Resistivity Imaging (ERI) to determine the Sy and GWL. Seasonal variations were considered when measuring time-lapse resistivity for five different months in 2019. We calculated the Sy and GWL from inverted resistivity data using empirical formulas and the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC). We first used Archie's law to calculate the relative saturation change with depth for each ERI profile, and then we used the Van Genuchten (VG) and Brooks–Corey (BC) empirical equations to estimate Sy and GWL. Finally, we compared the obtained GWL to the existing observation well to verify the findings of our study. The results showed that the VG and BC are able to predict Sy and GWL; however, the BC result is less consistent with the observation well result. In the study area, the dry season GWL ranged from 24.5 m to 35.2 m for the VG results and from 25.7 m to 35.5 m for the BC results. The wet season GWL ranged from 26.5 m to 38.9 m for the VG and from 26.4 m to 38.2 m for the BC results. The spatial distribution of the GWL shows a high gradient of GWL in the northeastern region, induced by significant proximal fan recharge. The determined spatial distribution of Sy varies from 0.15 to 0.21 for the VG and 0.14 to 0.20 for the BC results, indicating the study area has significant potential for groundwater resources. Therefore, nondestructive resistivity imaging can be used to aid in the determination of hydraulic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current research on the evaporation inhibition effect of polyethylene (PE) floats has been relatively comprehensive, and the cost is relatively high when it is arranged in remote mountainous areas. In order to find a more economical anti-evaporation material, five kinds of solid expanded polystyrene (EPS) floating balls with different diameters of 10 mm, 40 mm, 80 mm, 120 mm and 150 mm were selected to study the evaporation suppression efficiency (ESE) of EPS floating balls on the evaporation of reservoir water surfaces in arid areas. The outdoor evaporator test and the wind wave test in the reservoir area were carried out. Combined with various meteorological data, the evaporation inhibition rates of EPS floating balls with different diameters during a non-freezing period were calculated. The durability, seepage prevention, wind resistance, frost resistance, aging resistance and other properties of EPS were observed under different climatic conditions. In the evaporator test, the relationship between the diameter of the floating balls and the ESE was not a single function. The ESE of floating balls with a diameter of 40 mm was the highest, at 76.31%. In the wind wave test in the reservoir area, the ESE of the 10 mm floating balls was the lowest, at 34.79%, and the ESEs of the other four diameters of EPS floating balls were above 85% and positively related to the diameter of the floating balls. The test further improved the selection scheme for the diameter of the anti-evaporation floating balls, provided a reference for the practical application of EPS floating balls in future water-saving projects in the reservoir area, and enriched the content of water-saving projects for plain reservoirs in arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐range U.S. summer rainfall prediction skill is low. Monsoon variability, especially over the West North Pacific Monsoon (WNPM) and/or East Asian Monsoon (EAM) region, can influence U.S. Great Plains hydroclimate variability via a forced Rossby wave response. Here, we explored subseasonal monsoon variability as a source of predictability for Great Plains rainfall. The boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO) is related to Great Plains convection and Great Plains low‐level jet (LLJ) anomalies as well as a cross‐Pacific wave train. Using a causal effect network, we found that the time between BSISO‐related geopotential height anomalies and Great Plains rainfall anomalies is about 2 weeks; therefore, BSISO convection may be a valuable forecast of opportunity for subseasonal prediction of Great Plains convection anomalies. More specifically, causal link patterns/maps revealed that the above‐normal weekly EAM rainfall, rather than WNPM rainfall or general geopotential height activity over the East Asia, was causally linked to Great Plains LLJ strengthening and active Great Plains convection the following week. Plain Language Summary: Forecasting U.S. summer rainfall out past ∼7–10 days, considered the subseasonal timescale, is a challenge. However, there are times when subseasonal forecast skill is relatively higher due to propagating atmospheric waves from remote climate events. The West North Pacific Monsoon (WNPM) and East Asian Monsoon (EAM) can provide a remote influence via their related heating triggering atmospheric waves. Using an algorithm that effectively identifies and quantifies cause‐and‐effect relationships, we constructed a network that connects EAM rainfall and Great Plains rainfall via these atmospheric waves. We found that above‐normal EAM rainfall, rather than WNPM rainfall or general atmospheric wave activity over the East Asia, was causally linked to active Great Plains convection the following week. Therefore, monsoon variability, especially over the EAM region, might be a valuable source of subseasonal predictability for U.S. summer rainfall. Key Points: Subseasonal monsoon variability is linked to rainfall signals over U.S. Great Plains and its associated dynamical driversA cause‐and‐effect algorithm verified a pathway from regional monsoon rainfall to Great Plains rainfall, which takes approximately 2 weeksWeekly East Asian monsoon rainfall is causally linked to Rossby wave excitation and active Great Plains convection about 1 week later [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Cerebral small-vessel disease (CSVD) is prevalent worldwide and one of the major causes of stroke and dementia. For patients with CSVD at high altitude, a special environmental status, limited information is known about their clinical phenotype and specific neuroimaging change. We investigated the clinical and neuroimaging features of patients residing at high altitude by comparing with those in the plain, trying to explore the impact of high altitude environment on CSVD. Methods: Two cohorts of CSVD patients from the Tibet Autonomous Region and Beijing were recruited retrospectively. In addition to the collection of clinical diagnoses, demographic information and traditional vascular risk factors, the presence, location, and severity of lacunes and white matter hyperintensities were assessed by manual counting and using age-related white matter changes (ARWMC) rating scale. Differences between the two groups and influence of long-term residing in the plateau were analyzed. Results: A total of 169 patients in Tibet (high altitude) and 310 patients in Beijing (low altitude) were enrolled. Fewer patients in high altitude group were found with acute cerebrovascular events and concomitant traditional vascular risk factors. The median (quartiles) ARWMC score was 10 (4, 15) in high altitude group and 6 (3, 12) in low altitude group. Less lacunes were detected in high altitude group [0 (0, 4)] than in low altitude group [2 (0, 5)]. In both groups, most lesions located in the subcortical (especially frontal) and basal ganglia regions. Logistic regressions showed that age, hypertension, family history of stroke, and plateau resident were independently associated with severe white matter hyperintensities, while plateau resident was negatively correlated with lacunes. Conclusion: Patients of CSVD residing at high altitude showedmore severeWMH but less acute cerebrovascular events and lacunes in neuroimaging, comparing to patients residing at low altitude. Our findings suggest potential biphasic effect of high altitude on the occurrence and progression of CSVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparative analysis of physicochemical properties and micromorphological features in virgin soils of the dry-steppe solonetzic soil complex sampled in 1968 as a starting point of soil monitoring in 1968–2022 is suggested. The study of climatic parameters for 1914–1968 demonstrated that over 54 years preceding the sampling, soils had been developing under relatively stable climatic conditions. Analysis of soil properties showed that on an almost flat area with the height difference of only 3.6 cm at a distance of 229 cm, soils differ significantly in the depth and degree of salinity, degree of solonetzization, set of humus microforms, organic matter content, presence and size of clay coatings, and degree of micromass mobility. This confirms the patterns of moisture redistribution described in numerous studies in this area, even with very small elevation differences. Based on the set of available indicators, it can be concluded that soils of the microcatena belong to different taxonomic units. The soil of the lower part of the microslope can be attributed to light chestnut soils according to the classification of soils of the Soviet Union (1977) or to Haplic Kastanozems (Loamic) according to the international classification WRB (2015). Soils with a high content of exchangeable sodium and the presence of clay coatings are found in the middle and upper parts of the microslope and belong to Solonetzes according to both classification systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of land subsidence is one of the most important environmental hazards that have affected many plains of the country today. Jiroft Plain located in Kerman Province is also one of the areas where subsidence effects are evident. In this research, besides analyzing the spatial subsidence of Jiroft Plain and determining the extent and trend of its spread over a period of time, the effective factors in this phenomenon were investigated. For this purpose, the Sentinel-1 radar images related to the years of 2014-2022 were used. The Coherence Pixel Technique (CPT) was utilized to map the affected areas and determine the subsidence rate. The results of this method showed that the subsidence rate in Jiroft Plain had increased from 11 cm in 2014 to 13 cm in 2022. In addition, its area had increased during this period and the expansion trend had moved towards the northern areas of the plain. To analyze the causative factors of this phenomenon, in addition to studying the changes in the groundwater level of the plain and its relationship with subsidence, the roles of faults and soil thickness in creating or intensifying this phenomenon were investigated. The results showed that in addition to the uncontrolled abstraction from the aquifer, the subsidence of Jiroft Plain was affected by Sabzevaran Fault, while subsidence intensity was higher in the areas with higher soil thickness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the spatio-temporal evolution patterns of black cropland productivity changes in Northeast China is essential to protect black cropland and ensure food security in China. Basing on MODIS-EVI data, the threshold method was used to characterize the productivity changes of black cropland in Northeast China by the most active day (MAD). The spatio-temporal evolution and productivity improvement potential of black cropland in Northeast China were revealed. The results show that ① the overall black cropland productivity decreases from the middle-south to the northwest of Northeast China, with crop MAD major levels being 2 to 4, and the planting concentration areas are mainly distributed in the eastern part of Songnen Plain and the central-western part of Sanjiang Plain; ② the overall black cropland productivity in Northeast China shows a trend of increasing and then decreasing during 2010 to 2018; among them, about 70% of black cropland productivity remains stable with a significant increase of 3.99% and a significant decrease of 24.88%; ③ the overall improvement potential of black cropland productivity in Northeast China is in a medium level, and its spatial distribution is “high in the west and low in the east” with less black cropland having more improvement potential. Basing on the above research results, and regarding the Lishu model and the Longjiang model, the policy suggestions for improving black cropland productivity and protection were proposed to solve the problems of “thinning, leaning, and hardening” of black cropland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]