Search

Introduction: This study investigates the biogeochemical impact of Godavari River discharge (GRD) on the Bay of Bengal (BoB), focusing on the formation of an intense and shallow oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) near the river mouth during the fall season. Unlike the BoB's typical intermediate-depth OMZ, this subsurface (~40-200 m) phenomenon is attributed to the interplay of GRD-driven nutrient enrichment, coastal upwelling, enhanced productivity, and subsequent organic matter decomposition. Data and Methods: Our analysis using the Biogeochemical-Argo floats and World Ocean Atlas 2018 data reveals that a clear shoaling and intensification of the OMZ in the fall season. Further, a comparative analysis at two geographically distinct locations highlighted the pivotal role of GRD. Results, Discussion, and Implications: The location directly influenced by GRD exhibited significantly higher chlorophyll-a blooms, net primary production during the southwest monsoon, and pronounced oxygen consumption during the fall compared to the other. Our analysis suggests that GRD fuels primary productivity, leading to organic matter abundance and intense oxygen depletion in the subsurface layers, driving the observed shallow OMZ. Understanding the complex interplay between GRD, stratification, upwelling, and biogeochemical processes is crucial for predicting the impact of altered riverine inputs on coastal ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, and the overall health of the coastal BoB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we discuss dilaton shifts (Euler counterterms) arising in decomposition of two-dimensional quantum field theories with higher-form symmetries. Relative shifts between universes are fixed by locality and take a universal form, reflecting underlying (noninvertible, quantum) symmetries. The first part of this paper constructs a general formula for such dilaton shifts, and discusses related computations. In the second part of this paper, we comment on the relation between decomposition and ensembles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporation of soil amendments with high organic carbon content (HCA) can reduce losses of mineral nitrogen (N) from agricultural soils. The magnitude of N immobilization and remobilization is strongly controlled by the availability of carbon (C) and phosphorus (P). However, the exact mechanisms and interactions between C, N, and P availability are poorly understood. An eight-month incubation experiment was conducted on recultivated mine soil with low organic C, mineral N and P background concentrations to investigate the effects of HCA in combination with 13C-labelled glucose and mineral P fertilization on greenhouse gas emissions, soil nutrient status (dissolved organic C (DOC), nitrate (NO3–), extractable P), and microbial biomass growth. The experiment had a factorial design of one N level × two P levels × six C treatments (control, wheat straw, poplar sawdust, glucose, and combinations of wheat straw or sawdust with glucose). The HCA increased the cumulative CO2 and CH4 emissions but decreased N2O emission, except for wheat straw. Addition of 13C-labelled glucose decreased the cumulative CH4 emission by 59 and 85 % in the sawdust and sawdust + P treatment, respectively. Glucose application reduced the NO3– content in the HCA-amended soil by 26–64 %, while P fertilizer further decreased the NO3– content in the wheat straw and sawdust treatments by 20 and 24 %, respectively. Both HCA and glucose treatments promoted microbial biomass growth and reduced the soil mineral N content. The δ13C of microbial biomass (δ13CMB) showed an increasing trend during the whole experiment, although 13C-labelled glucose was added only once at the beginning of the experiment. Addition of HCA decreased δ13CMB, while P addition had the opposite effect. In conclusion, adding a readily available C source to HCA may increase the efficacy of retaining N in post-harvest soils, particularly of more recalcitrant types of HCA like sawdust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal waste can contribute substantially to nutrient cycling and ecosystem productivity in many environments. However, little is known of the biogeochemical impact of animal excretion in wetland habitats. Here we investigate the effects of wood frog (Lithobates sylvaticus) tadpole aggregations on nutrient recycling, microbial metabolism and carbon cycling in geographically isolated wetlands. We used a paired mesocosm and field study approach that utilized measurements of tadpole excretion rates, microbial extracellular enzyme activities, and litter degradation. We found a strong relationship between tadpole development and nutrient excretion, demonstrating that ontological changes impact tadpole‐mediated nutrient cycling in wetland habitats. Further, the interplay between population‐level tadpole excretion and wetland hydrologic conditions increased ambient NH4+$$ {\mathrm{NH}}_4^{+} $$ and PO43−$$ {\mathrm{PO}}_4^{3-} $$ concentrations by 56 and 14 times, respectively, compared to adjacent wetlands without tadpoles. Within our mesocosm study, microbes decreased extracellular enzyme production associated with nitrogen acquisition in response to the presence of tadpole‐derived nitrogen. In addition to microbial metabolic responses, tadpole presence enhanced litter breakdown in both mesocosms and wetlands by 7% and 12%, respectively, in comparison to reference conditions. These results provide evidence for the functional and biogeochemical role of tadpole aggregations in wetland habitats, with important implications for ecosystem processes, biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artifacts in computed tomography and X-ray microtomography are image distortions caused by various factors. Some can be reduced before or during the examination, while others are removed algorithmically after image acquisition. The latter group includes metallic artifacts caused by metal objects in the sample. This paper proposes a new method for eliminating metallic artifacts, applying a bone- and soft-tissue decomposition (BSTD) algorithm to microtomography raw data before the reconstruction process. We show that the decomposition algorithm can effectively remove metallic artifacts in microCT images, which increases the image contrast and allows for better visualization of regions near the metallic elements. For quantity analysis, we computed SSIM and PSNR factors, and we observed values increasing from 0.97 to 0.99 and from 40 dB to 43 dB, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our group has seen great promise in using substituted diaryl-hydrazones to alleviate oxidative stress in preeclampsia. Specifically, fluorinated diaryl-hydrazones have shown great efficacy, confirmed via antioxidant assays and animal trials using pregnant mice. In addition to efficient antioxidant properties, these diaryl-hydrazones are also considered non-toxic. While the synthesis of these compounds is relatively simple, it commonly utilizes undesirable solvents and glacial acetic acid as the catalyst; additional solvents are needed for the isolation of the desired products, which negatively affects the green synthesis of the hydrazones. To combat this possible industrial roadblock, we have begun incorporating the use of hydrostatic high pressure (HHP) in the synthesis. The use of HHP allowed us to synthesize substituted diaryl-hydrazones in a 1:1 molar ratio without the need for solvents or acid catalysts. The optimized procedure can produce nearly quantitative yields, leading to an easier isolation of the products. Different HHP methodologies, such as constant high-pressure treatment and cycling (with different number of cycles, holding and decompression times) were applied and cycling was observed to be the most efficient activation for the majority of the reactions. Stability experiments were also conducted with one of the products and observed that although the solid-state storage does not alter the hydrazone, storing it in various solvents may significantly decrease the concentration of the active component which should be considered when performing the biochemical/biological assays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a kinetic study and modeling of the decomposition of a rock sample in an ascorbic acid medium with a high content of lepidolite phase were carried out, the results of which are of great importance due to the sample's high lithium (Li) content. The rock sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the mineral species detected in the sample were lepidolite, at 65.3%, quartz, at 30.6%, and muscovite, at 4.1%, with a quantitative chemical analysis indicating the presence of elements such as Li, Si, K, Na, O, Al and, to a lesser extent, Fe and Ti; this highlights that the Li content present in the sample was 3.38%. Lithium was the element with which the chemical analysis of the kinetics was performed, resulting in decomposition curves comprising the induction period, progressive conversion and stabilization; this highlighted that the reaction progressed during the first two periods, obtaining a reaction order (n) of 0.4307 for the induction period and an activation energy (Ea) of 48.58 kJ mol−1, followed by a progressive conversion period with n = 0.309 and Ea = 25.161 kJ mol−1. This suggested a mixed control regime present in the lower temperature ranges, with a transition from chemical control to transport control present at high temperatures, with the study of the nature of the reaction and the concentration effect showing that chemical control predominates. The kinetic parameters and kinetic expressions for both periods were obtained, with the modeling showing that the calculated and experimental data do not present a major discrepancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low fertility is not conducive to healthy population development. The total fertility rate (TFR) is influenced by the education expansion (measured by the proportion of non-student women, NSP), marriage delay (measured by the proportion of married women, MP), and marital fertility rate (MFR). This study decomposes the TFR change into the changes in NSP, MP, and MFR using China's census and 1% population sample survey data. During 1990–2020, the changes in NSP, MP, and MFR contributed − 22%, − 90%, and 12%, respectively, to the changes in TFR. The continuous decline in NSP reduced the TFR, and the intensity continued to increase over time. As the primary negative driving force, the rapid decline in MP also consistently reduced the TFR. The marital fertility rate had a downward effect on the TFR before 2000 and an upward effect after 2000. The effects of NSP, MP, and MFR on the TFR varied with the birth order, age and region (among cities, towns, and villages). In summary, China's TFR has considerably changed in combination with changes in NSP, MP, and MFR. Without effective measures, China's TFR may further decline into the lowest-low fertility trap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legacy effects after the removal of invasive plants present significant challenges to restoration. The pivotal role of soil microbial communities in shaping these legacy effects is increasingly recognized, yet there is a lack of effective methods to mitigate altered microbial communities. In Point Reyes National Seashore (California), although the invaded European beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria [L.] Link) was successfully controlled by herbicide treatment, beachgrass litter remained undecomposed for over 5 years, leaving pronounced legacy effects on soil organic matter and microbial community composition. We hypothesized that soil inoculation from uninvaded dune scrub can accelerate the decomposition of beachgrass litter in herbicide‐treated sites by restoring the soil microbial communities and the abundance of microbial decomposers. Three litterbags containing European beachgrass litter or litter from two common shrubs at dune scrub were deployed into each plot to assess the impact of soil inoculation on litter decomposition rates. Our results revealed that soil inoculation, regardless of the inoculation level, did not accelerate the decomposition of European beachgrass. Only the decomposition of bush lupine litter, which had the highest litter quality among three types of litter, was accelerated at the highest inoculation level (approximately 11,880 g/m2). Additionally, soil inoculation increased the richness and compositional homogeneity of soil microbial communities, along with the relative abundances of wood saprotrophic fungi, soil saprotrophic fungi, and lichenized fungi. Although these findings demonstrate the potential of soil inoculation, the cost‐effectiveness of soil inoculation limits its feasibility in accelerating the delayed decomposition of European beachgrass litter in Point Reyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fertility is one of the three main components which determines the size, structure, and composition of a population, and fertility preferences are important measures for forecasting fertility levels of a population. Therefore, this study aims to assess the impacts of the inequalities in the utilization of key maternal health services on fertility preference among high parity women in four selected regions (i.e., Afar, Beninshangul-Gumuz, Gambella and Somali) of Ethiopia. Methods: The study used data collected for the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Surveys (EDHS) survey. It includes a total of 977 high parity women (104 urban and 873 rural) residing in the four regions of the study. Bivariate logistic regression was used to select the potential variables by using a cut off p-value < 0.2 and then the multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the association between the selected explanatory variables (i.e., control and exposure variables) and the outcome variable (i.e. fertility preference). Further, the study employed a Population Attributable Fractions (PAFs) to examine the population level impacts of the inequalities in maternal and child health service variables on fertility preference. Results: The results showed that religion, household wealth index, place of delivery and contraceptive use were significantly associated with fertility preference. The results of the PAFs analysis indicated that contraceptive use had the biggest impact (80%), meaning that non-use of contraceptive increased fertility preference among women in the four regions. Similarly, out of health facility delivery increased fertility preference by 37%. Conclusion: The study findings underscore the critical factors influencing women's fertility preferences in the studied regions. Low utilization of maternal health services had an impact on fertility preference, accounting for more than half of the observed variations in fertility preferences. To address this issue, targeted interventions are recommended: enhancing access to maternal health services, strengthening fertility control programs, promoting the benefits of using these services, and actively addressing inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protists show diverse lifestyles and fulfill important ecological roles as primary producers, predators, symbionts, and parasites. The degradation of dead microbial biomass, instead, is mainly attributed to bacteria and fungi, while necrophagy by protists remains poorly recognized. Here, we assessed the food range specificity and feeding behavior of the algivorous flagellate Orciraptor agilis (Viridiraptoridae, Cercozoa) with a large‐scale feeding experiment. We demonstrate that this species is a broad‐range necrophage, which feeds on a variety of eukaryotic and prokaryotic algae, but fails to grow on the tested fungi. Furthermore, our microscopic observations reveal an unexpected flexibility of O. agilis in handling food items of different structures and biochemistry, demonstrating that sophisticated feeding strategies in protists do not necessarily indicate narrow food ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exceptional synergy of ceramic and metallic properties within MAX phases positions them as highly promising for a wide array of applications. However, their stability has been threatened by the phenomenon of A-site metal whisker growth. Herein, we have significantly mitigated tin whisker growth in Ti 2 SnC by incorporating vanadium solutes at its M-site. With an increase in vanadium concentration, there is a marked reduction in the degree of decomposition of the M-site solid solution when subjected to the same level of externally destructive treatments, thereby inhibiting whisker proliferation. Both experimental outcomes and theoretical calculations reveal that the vanadium solid solution augments the hardness, Pugh's ratio, and Poisson's ratio of Ti 2 SnC, enhancing its mechanical strength and toughness. The incorporation of V atoms introduces stronger V–C and V–Sn bonds, as evidenced by its electronic density of states and bulk modulus, thus significantly bolstering the resistance of MAX phases against decomposition and effectively curtailing whisker growth. Additionally, the phenomenon reported in this paper also conforms to the electrostatic theory of whisker growth. This work for the first time achieves the suppression of A-site whisker growth through an M-site solid solution, thereby extending their potential for applications where durability and reliability are paramount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2021, a staggering five million children globally succumbed to mortality before celebrating their fifth birthdays. Alarmingly, children residing in Sub-Saharan African nations faced mortality risks 15 and 19 times higher than their counterparts in Europe and Northern America, as well as the region encompassing Australia and New Zealand, respectively. Ethiopia, situated in Sub-Saharan Africa, shoulders a significant burden of under-five mortality, securing the third position in Africa and the tenth globally. The primary objective of this study was to scrutinize the trends in under-five mortality inequalities based on maternal education in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2016. Method: The analysis utilized data from repeated cross-sectional surveys, drawing upon a pooled total sample of 35,404 children aged 0–59 months. This sample was derived from the Ethiopian Demography and Health Surveys conducted in 2000, 2005, 2011, and 2016. To explore the determinants of under-five mortality among this age group, we employed multilevel binary logistic regression analysis. This approach allowed us to assess the impact of various factors at the individual, household, and community levels. Additionally, we conducted multivariate decomposition, concentration index, and decomposition rate analyses to scrutinize the evolving trends in maternal education-based disparities in under-five mortality. Result: Maternal education emerged as a significant factor influencing under-five mortality in Ethiopia. Notably, approximately one-third (31%) of the observed inequalities in under-five mortality based on maternal education could be accounted for by the effects of observed characteristics. Over the years, there has been a noteworthy reduction in absolute inequalities in under-five mortality. Specifically, a decline of 0.14 was observed between 2000 and 2005, and a more substantial decrease of 0.32 occurred in the period spanning 2000 to 2016, resulting in an overall change of 56.25%. Furthermore, this study revealed that about 43.12% of the reduction in under-five mortality could be attributed to the narrowed gap in maternal education during the survey period. Conclusion: The implications drawn from these findings underscore the importance of directing interventions aimed at reducing early mortality toward the promotion of maternal education. It is evident that addressing maternal education plays a pivotal role in mitigating inequalities in under-five mortality. Additionally, there is a pressing need to revisit and enhance existing population and health policies. Establishing stronger linkages between child survival issues and the education sector is crucial for achieving the targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals related to under-five mortality. By aligning policies with these insights, there is a greater likelihood of fostering sustainable improvements in child survival and advancing towards the overarching goal of reducing under-five mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Termites are important ecosystem engineers in many ecosystems globally. Hence, surveys of termite species composition, abundance and activity can be important for understanding ecosystem function—especially in biomes where they tend to be abundant, such as tropical savannas. However, comprehensively surveying termites can be challenging due to their cryptic nature and varied feeding and nesting habits, which strongly influence the effectiveness of different survey methods. Baiting and active searches of reduced transects are two methods commonly used to sample termites, and while these methods have been evaluated in the savannas of South Africa, this has not occurred in the extensive tropical savannas of northern Australia. Thus, this study evaluated the effectiveness of baits and reduced transects to assess termite species richness and activity across 18 × 1 ha experimental plots in a tropical savanna near Darwin, Australia. Surveys in each plot consisted of two 60 × 2 m transects and a 9 × 3 baiting grid of alternating buried wood and paper baits and surface straw baits. Baits were checked three times: at 4‐, 7‐ and 10‐week intervals following placement. Upon survey completion, the sampling effort, efficacy and costs of each method were compared. Reduced transects detected all 32 species recorded in this study, representing four feeding groups (from undecayed wood to highly decayed organic material in the soil). Baiting detected 20 species, but failed to detect some of the species that fed on decayed materials. Paper baits, checked only twice (at 4 and 10 weeks following placement), were required to detect all species sampled at both wood and paper baits. Therefore, overall baiting costs could be reduced (without data loss) by using paper baits only and reducing the number of bait checks. Compared with baiting using all three bait types, reduced transects detected the most species and had the lowest per‐species cost. Consequently, reduced transect surveys are the most effective method in these northern Australian savannas when assessing species composition. However, if the abundance of species that feed on undecayed wood or levels of termite activity are being assessed, then reduced baiting is a more appropriate method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study investigates the impact of envenomation with snake venom on the decomposition of rabbit carcasses and the subsequent attraction of necrophilous coleopteran beetles, a crucial factor in forensic entomology. The research aimed to assess how venoms from the Egyptian cobra (Naja haje) and the horned viper (Cerastes cerastes) influence decomposition stages and beetle colonization patterns. Results indicated that snake envenomation accelerated the decomposition process, particularly shortening the fresh and bloating stages, and reduced the number of beetles attracted to envenomed carcasses compared to controls. Notably, fewer beetles were associated with N. haje envenomed carcasses. The findings highlight the significant role of snake venom in altering carcass decomposition and insect succession, providing valuable insights for forensic investigations. Understanding these relationships can enhance the accuracy of estimating the postmortem interval in legal cases, ultimately contributing to more effective crime scene analyses and improving public safety through more effective forensic practices. Background: Coleoptera is the second-most significant insect group associated with decomposing carcasses, yet its role in the decomposition process and postmortem colonization following envenomation is poorly understood. Purpose of the Study: This study aimed to investigate the effects of the venoms from Cerastes cerastes and Naja haje on the decomposition of rabbit carcasses while evaluating the main beetle taxa attracted to these decaying remains. Methods: Three groups of rabbits, each with five individuals, were utilized. The first group was injected with the venom of Cerastes cerastes, the second with Naja haje venom, and the control group received 0.85% physiological saline before euthanasia with CO2. Results: Four decomposition stages (fresh, bloating, decay, and dry) with durations varying based on venom type and carcass condition were observed. A total of 647 individual beetles of six species (Necrobia rufipes, Attagenus sp., Dermestes frischii, D. maculatus, Bledius sp., and Apentanodes sp.) belonging to four families (Cleridae, Dermestidae, Staphylinidae, and Tenebrionidae) were collected and identified. D. maculatus was the most abundant species. Fewer beetles were attracted to carcasses envenomed with N. haje compared to the other groups. Conclusions: Envenomation by snake venom influences the attraction and succession rate of necrophilous coleopterans to carcasses, which is important for forensic investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of emergence, or synergy in its simplest form, is widely used but lacks a rigorous definition. Our work connects information and set theory to uncover the mathematical nature of synergy as the failure of distributivity. For the trivial case of discrete random variables, we explore whether and how it is possible to get more information out of lesser parts. The approach is inspired by the role of set theory as the fundamental description of part–whole relations. If taken unaltered, synergistic behavior is forbidden by the set-theoretic axioms. However, random variables are not a perfect analogy of sets: we formalize the distinction, highlighting a single broken axiom—union/intersection distributivity. Nevertheless, it remains possible to describe information using Venn-type diagrams. The proposed multivariate theory resolves the persistent self-contradiction of partial information decomposition and reinstates it as a primary route toward a rigorous definition of emergence. Our results suggest that non-distributive variants of set theory may be used to describe emergent physical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To get better insight into the effect of plasticizer 1,5-diazido-3-oxopentane (AZDEGDN) on the decomposition of nitrocellulose (NC) binders, thermogravimetric and reactive forcefield (ReaxFF) simulation was conducted. The decomposition process of NC and NC/AZDEGDN was simulated at different temperatures (1000–3500 K), as well as the reaction path, main products, and decomposition mechanism. The main decomposition products of NC/AZDEGDN by ReaxFF were N2, H2, NH3, H2O, CO2, and NO2, and the main generation pathways were summarized and verified by the radial distribution function. The addition of AZDEGDN decreased the activation energy of NC and accelerated the decomposition of NC. Some molecules and fragments decomposed from AZDEGDN reacted with the intermediates of NC molecular chains and promoted the decomposition of NC. Meanwhile, NO2 decomposed from NC acted on AZDEGDN molecules to accelerate the decomposition of AZDEGDN. This study provides atomic insights into the decomposition process of NC/AZDEGDN, which may be helpful for further research on the reaction mechanism of energetic fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, people's health and wealth are affected by the outbreak of the corona virus. It is a virus, which infects from common fever to severe acute respiratory syndrome. It has the potency to transmit from one person to another. It is established that this virus spread is augmenting speedily devoid of any symptoms. Therefore, the prediction of this outbreak situation with mathematical modelling is highly significant along with necessary. To produce informed decisions along with to adopt pertinent control measures, a number of outbreak prediction methodologies for COVID-19 are being utilized by officials worldwide. An effectual COVID-19 outbreaks' prediction by employing Squirrel Search Optimization Algorithm centric Tanh Multi-Layer Perceptron Neural Network (MLPNN) (SSOA-TMLPNN) along with Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) methodologies is proposed here. Initially, from the openly accessible sources, the input time series COVID-19 data are amassed. Then, pre-processing is performed for better classification outcomes after collecting the data. Next, by utilizing Sine-centered Empirical Mode Decomposition (S-EMD) methodology, the data decomposition is executed. Subsequently, the data are input to the Brownian motion Intense (BI) - SSOA-TMLPNN classifier. In this, the diseased, recovered, and death cases in the country are classified. After that, regarding the time-series data, the corona-virus's future outbreak is predicted by employing ARIMA. Afterwards, data visualization is conducted. Lastly, to evaluate the proposed model's efficacy, its outcomes are analogized with certain prevailing methodologies. The obtained outcomes revealed that the proposed methodology surpassed the other existing methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under study is the stability of Persidskii systems with distributed delay. We assume that the sector-type functions on the right-hand sides of the system are essentially nonlinear. Also, we propose some original construction of the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional of use in deriving new asymptotic stability conditions of the zero solution. The approach is applied to the stability analysis of the Lurie indirect control system and a mechanical system with essentially nonlinear positional forces. Using some development of the averaging method, we obtain the conditions that guarantee stability under nonstationary perturbations with zero mean values for the systems under study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of woody detritus as a source of soil organic matter is not well constrained. We quantified the recovery of 13C derived from isotopic-enriched sugar maple wood in various C fractions of two temperate forest soils in central New York, USA. Decay rates of small woody debris were quite rapid (k = 0.362 to 0.477 per year) and after 10 years less than 1% of the original wood mass remained in incubation bags. After six years we recovered only 0.26% (± 0.025) of the added 13C in the upper 5 cm of underlying soil. After 10 years this recovery declined to 0.11% (± 0.020) indicating substantial lability of retained SOC; most of this decline occurred from year 6 to 8 in the 1–5 cm depth increment, suggesting that the residue was quite stable at 10 years. The largest fraction of 13C was recovered in microaggregates (45%), especially those occluded within macroaggregates (30%), with a smaller proportion associated with the silt + clay fraction (20%). These proportions did not change significantly from year 6 to 10. Faster decay and higher 13C recovery were coincident with abundant saproxylic invertebrates from Scarabaeidae at one of the sites. We conclude that small woody debris is a minor source of stable SOC in these temperate forests (that is, less than 1% of annual SOC accumulation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf litter in coastal wetlands lays the foundation for carbon storage, and the creation of coastal wetland soils. As climate change alters the biogeochemical conditions and macrophyte composition of coastal wetlands, a better understanding of the interactions between microbial communities, changing chemistry, and leaf litter is required to understand the dynamics of coastal litter breakdown in changing wetlands. Coastal wetlands are dynamic systems with shifting biogeochemical conditions, with both tidal and seasonal redox fluctuations, and marine subsidies to inland habitats. Here, we investigated gene expression associated with various microbial redox pathways to understand how changing conditions are affecting the benthic microbial communities responsible for litter breakdown in coastal wetlands. We performed a reciprocal transplant of leaf litter from four distinct plant species along freshwater‐to‐marine gradients in the Florida Coastal Everglades, tracking changes in environmental and litter biogeochemistry, as well as benthic microbial gene expression associated with varying redox conditions, carbon degradation, and phosphorus acquisition. Early litter breakdown varied primarily by species, with highest breakdown in coastal species, regardless of the site they were at during breakdown, while microbial gene expression showed a strong seasonal relationship between sulfate cycling and salinity, and was not correlated with breakdown rates. The effect of salinity is likely a combination of direct effects, and indirect effects from associated marine subsidies. We found a positive correlation between sulfate uptake and salinity during January with higher freshwater inputs to coastal areas. However, we found a peak of dissimilatory sulfate reduction at intermediate salinity during April when freshwater inputs to coastal sites are lower. The combination of these two results suggests that sulfate acquisition is limiting to microbes when freshwater inputs are high, but that when marine influence increases and sulfate becomes more available, dissimilatory sulfate reduction becomes a key microbial process. As marine influence in coastal wetlands increases with climate change, our study suggests that sulfate dynamics will become increasingly important to microbial communities colonizing decomposing leaf litter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertebrate scavengers represent important taphonomic agents that can act on a body, particularly when in an outdoor environment. Understanding the effects of these agents will direct how and where to search for human remains and influence the likelihood of discovery in a particular region. The current study aimed to identify the taphonomic impact of scavenger guilds in the peri‐urban and rural regions of southeastern British Columbia. Vertebrate scavenger activity on pig carcasses was recorded remotely using trail cameras and analyzed to determine temporal scavenging profiles. Both the peri‐urban and rural environments produced comparable scavenger guilds, namely: turkey vultures, American crows/northern ravens (classified as "corvids"), American black bears, and coyotes. Although the two locations had different study lengths due to variable degrees of scavenging, for the period that was common to both locations (summer to early fall), the black bear was the most frequent scavenger followed by coyote. However, the dispersal of remains by the mammalian scavengers was distinctly different between sites. Only 12%–33% of skeletal elements were recovered at the rural sites compared to 80%–90% recovered at the peri‐urban sites, even though the latter sites had a longer study timeframe. The extended timeframe of the peri‐urban sites confirmed that certain scavengers (e.g., turkey vultures and black bears) are only seasonally active in this region. These findings demonstrate the variability of scavenger behavior and the need to assign caution and local ecological knowledge when predicting scavenger trends. Such taphonomic information is relevant for human remains searches in regions with comparable scavenger guilds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) is an emerging technique for enhancing neuroplasticity and motor function in respiratory and limb musculature. Thus far, AIH‐induced improvements in strength have been reported for upper and lower limb muscles after chronic incomplete cervical spinal cord injury (iSCI), but the underlying mechanisms have been elusive. We used high‐density surface EMG (HDsEMG) to determine if motor unit discharge behaviour is altered after 15 × 60 s exposures to 9% inspired oxygen, interspersed with 21% inspired oxygen (AIH), compared to breathing only 21% air (SHAM). We recorded HDsEMG from the biceps and triceps brachii of seven individuals with iSCI during maximal elbow flexion and extension contractions, and motor unit spike trains were identified using convolutive blind source separation. After AIH, elbow flexion and extension torque increased by 54% and 59% from baseline (P = 0.003), respectively, whereas there was no change after SHAM. Across muscles, motor unit discharge rates increased by ∼4 pulses per second (P = 0.002) during maximal efforts, from before to after AIH. These results suggest that excitability and/or activation of spinal motoneurons is augmented after AIH, providing a mechanism to explain AIH‐induced increases in voluntary strength. Pending validation, AIH may be helpful in conjunction with other therapies to enhance rehabilitation outcomes after incomplete spinal cord injury, due to these enhancements in motor unit function and strength. Key points: Acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) causes increases in muscular strength and neuroplasticity in people living with chronic incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI), but how it affects motor unit discharge rates is unknown.Motor unit spike times were identified from high‐density surface electromyograms during maximal voluntary contractions and tracked from before to after AIH.Motor unit discharge rates were increased following AIH.These findings suggest that AIH can facilitate motoneuron function in people with incomplete SCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In urban metro systems, unexpected events often occur to cause discordance in the planned timetable and delay in passenger travel. Therefore, this study focuses on the timetable rescheduling problem by adopting a stop-skipping strategy during the off-peak period. In addition, there are a number of existing optimization models that minimize the total passenger waiting time, which can cause fairness issues for a small group of passengers having longer waiting time at some stations. In this study, a rescheduling model is proposed to consider passenger waiting time fairness and train travel time cost. This model is tested with a randomly designed delay scenario of Nanjing Metro Line 2, which can be efficiently solved by a designed iterative algorithm based on decomposition method. Compared to the standard stop pattern, the result shows that the stop-skipping pattern can better alleviate the impact of sudden delays, while simultaneously ensuring the passenger waiting time fairness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiolysis of transplutonium elements and rare earths (REE)-containing solutions in radiochemical processes destroys complexing reagents and precipitates target products. We investigated the effect of the radiation-absorbed dose (AD) and acidity on the behavior of simulated DTPA and NTA REE-containing solutions to eliminate precipitation. We measured the AD by bichromate dosimetry. Without nitric acid, the AD = 0.12–0.24 MGy causes abundant precipitation of REEs. In the presence of HNO3 up to 2 mol L−1, no precipitation occurred up to 1.53 MGy. At HNO3 1 mol L−1 and AD = 1.02 MGy, DTPA is entirely decomposed. We have suggested a method to avoid precipitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We advance research on the 'gendered pandemic' and its implications for psychological well-being in three important ways. First, we focus on Japan, arguably the most gender-inegalitarian wealthy country. Second, we focus on gender differences in both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Third, we use demographic decomposition tools to evaluate the extent to which observed gender differences in decline in psychological well-being reflect differences in pre-pandemic characteristics, differences in life changes during the pandemic, differences in pandemic-related worry, and differences in men's and women's responses to these characteristics and experiences. Results show that decline in both dimensions of psychological well-being was significantly greater for women and that the contributions of differences in relationships were larger than those of differences in composition. We also show that reduction in well-being derived from social interaction was particularly pronounced for women and that gender differences in age patterns of decline in both dimensions of psychological well-being are large. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of vegetation in the watershed and associated release of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and particulate organic matter (POM) can influence the water quality of new reservoirs. This study aimed to evaluate whether water velocity influences the degradation of twigs of different diameters that remain in the watershed of new reservoirs. The results of twigs degradation under flowing and stagnant water over time were fitted to a double exponential decay kinetic model, which presents the detritus as labile/soluble and refractory compounds. The model parameterization showed that labile fractions presented higher decomposition rates (KT) in flowing than, but there was not a clear trend in the comparison between the diameters in each water condition. On the contrary, the refractory fraction decomposition rates (kR) showed a clear pattern in all comparisons, showing higher values in flowing water and for thin twigs. These results showed that thinner twigs decompose more rapidly, due to the greater A:V ratio, and that the abrasive effect of water velocity promotes faster decomposition. In general, we observed that there was a pattern of increasing decomposition rates as the twigs decrease in diameter (9–10 mm < 5–6 mm < 2–3 mm) and from stagnant water to flowing water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre 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.)

Cover crops (CC), pruning residues (PR), and olive mill pomace (OP) are common amendments to enhance soil quality in olive groves; however, there is limited information on the dynamics of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) during their decomposition under varying conditions. In this laboratory decomposition experiment, we assessed the C and N mineralization of CC, PR, and OP at application rates of 2 and 5 mg C g−1 in soils with varying organic C levels, both with and without the addition of NO3−. The results indicated that C and N mineralization patterns varied significantly between amendments, although the predicted remaining C after one year was similar for CC and PR (46.7–48.9%) and slightly lower for OP (40.0%). Soil organic carbon level did not affect remaining amendment-C. The addition of N accelerated the decomposition rate of labile C by 15% but slowed down that of the recalcitrant C another 13%, with no significant effect on remaining C. Conversely, increasing the C dose led to a 13% overall reduction in amendment-C mineralization across all combinations of factors. CC decomposition released between −8 and 31% of the amendment-N by day 130, while PR and OP showed net N immobilization. Therefore, CC residues contribute to both C sequestration and N availability, while PR and OP residues can improve N retention in the olive groves while also contributing to C sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces an algorithm to construct a bidirectional causal graph using an augmented graph. The algorithm decomposes the augmented graph, significantly reducing the size of the variable set required for conditional independence testing. Simultaneously, it preserves the fundamental structure of the augmented graph after decomposition, saving time and cost in constructing a global skeleton graph. Through experiments on discrete and continuous datasets, the algorithm demonstrates a clear advantage in runtime compared to traditional methods. In large-scale sparse networks, the training time is only about one-tenth of traditional methods. Additionally, the algorithm shows improvement in terms of construction error. Since the input to the algorithm is an augmented graph, this paper also discusses the impact on construction error when using both real and generated augmented graphs as input. Furthermore, the concept of markov blanket is extended to multivariate regression chain graphs, providing a method for rapidly constructing augmented graphs given certain prior knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a critical review of municipal solid waste (MSW) hydraulic conductivity that includes investigation of the influence of vertical stress, dry unit weight and degradation. A total of 56 studies were compiled that included laboratory-, pilot- and landfill-scale hydraulic conductivity experiments. Compacting waste and increasing vertical stress reduce MSW hydraulic conductivity via reshaping the pore networks throughout the waste matrix, reducing the void ratio and increasing tortuosity. However, the magnitude of reduction in hydraulic conductivity is dependent on stress, waste composition and decomposition. Solid waste decomposition can have opposing effects on hydraulic conductivity. Some studies have indicated that an increase in MSW decomposition results in particle size reduction and settlement that reduces the void ratio and decreases hydraulic conductivity. Conversely, some studies indicate that waste decomposition reduces the solid mass, which increases the void ratio and creates larger flow paths that increase hydraulic conductivity. The data compilation, observations and key findings from this study are beneficial for solid waste practitioners to improve design, analysis and operation of MSW landfills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an evaluation of the environmental impact of forestry based on landscape theory. It has been argued that this type of forestry offers a positive impact on the climate because there is a balance between the amount of greenhouse gas emissions and the absorption of these gases within an entire forested area. However, this analysis will demonstrate that the arrangement and composition of managed forests are linked to a significant carbon debt. This debt represents the disparity between the carbon that would typically be stored in a natural forest and the actual amount of carbon stored in the managed forest. While this excess carbon remains in the atmosphere rather than being sequestered, it contributes to the greenhouse effect. Using Swedish forestry as an example, the carbon debt is estimated to be comparable in scale to the total accumulated fossil fuel emissions of the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Decomposition of submerged plants releases organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus into water bodies, generating an important impact on the aquatic ecosystem. This study explored the influence of growth substrate with different compositions on the decomposition process of eelgrass (Vallisneria spinulosa Yan, V. spinulosa Yan). The sediment + iron–carbon fillers system exhibited significantly lower concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) in the overlying water than other systems, with the maximum values of 5.68 and 7.05 mg/L, respectively. The addition of ceramic and calcium nitrate promoted the formation of HCl-extracted phosphorus (HCl–P) in the sediment, while the addition of iron–carbon fillers increased the content of NaOH-extracted phosphorus (NaOH–P). Three-dimensional fluorescence spectroscopy of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in overlying water showed that different substrate compositions did not significantly affect the compositions of organic matter released during the decomposition of V. spinulosa Yan. The microbial community and abundance in each experimental group changed significantly before and after the decomposition of V. spinulosa Yan. The sediment + iron–carbon fillers system showed significantly higher abundance of microbial community than other systems, with the enrichment of functional bacteria related to denitrification and sulfate reduction. In contrast, the sediment + calcium nitrate system exhibited a smaller change of microbial community abundance, with the enrichment of aerobic denitrifying bacteria. In this paper, it was found that the sediment + iron–carbon group had a good adsorption effect on nitrogen and phosphorus released during the decomposition process of V. spinulosa Yan, and had a good effect on water purification as the growth substrate of submerged plants.

Abstract Introduction In 2021, a staggering five million children globally succumbed to mortality before celebrating their fifth birthdays. Alarmingly, children residing in Sub-Saharan African nations faced mortality risks 15 and 19 times higher than their counterparts in Europe and Northern America, as well as the region encompassing Australia and New Zealand, respectively. Ethiopia, situated in Sub-Saharan Africa, shoulders a significant burden of under-five mortality, securing the third position in Africa and the tenth globally. The primary objective of this study was to scrutinize the trends in under-five mortality inequalities based on maternal education in Ethiopia from 2000 to 2016. Method The analysis utilized data from repeated cross-sectional surveys, drawing upon a pooled total sample of 35,404 children aged 0–59 months. This sample was derived from the Ethiopian Demography and Health Surveys conducted in 2000, 2005, 2011, and 2016. To explore the determinants of under-five mortality among this age group, we employed multilevel binary logistic regression analysis. This approach allowed us to assess the impact of various factors at the individual, household, and community levels. Additionally, we conducted multivariate decomposition, concentration index, and decomposition rate analyses to scrutinize the evolving trends in maternal education-based disparities in under-five mortality. Result Maternal education emerged as a significant factor influencing under-five mortality in Ethiopia. Notably, approximately one-third (31%) of the observed inequalities in under-five mortality based on maternal education could be accounted for by the effects of observed characteristics. Over the years, there has been a noteworthy reduction in absolute inequalities in under-five mortality. Specifically, a decline of 0.14 was observed between 2000 and 2005, and a more substantial decrease of 0.32 occurred in the period spanning 2000 to 2016, resulting in an overall change of 56.25%. Furthermore, this study revealed that about 43.12% of the reduction in under-five mortality could be attributed to the narrowed gap in maternal education during the survey period. Conclusion The implications drawn from these findings underscore the importance of directing interventions aimed at reducing early mortality toward the promotion of maternal education. It is evident that addressing maternal education plays a pivotal role in mitigating inequalities in under-five mortality. Additionally, there is a pressing need to revisit and enhance existing population and health policies. Establishing stronger linkages between child survival issues and the education sector is crucial for achieving the targets outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals related to under-five mortality. By aligning policies with these insights, there is a greater likelihood of fostering sustainable improvements in child survival and advancing towards the overarching goal of reducing under-five mortality.

Estuarine wetlands harbor considerable carbon stocks, but rising sea levels could affect their ability to sequester soil carbon as well as their potential to emit methane (CH4). While sulfate loading from seawater intrusion may reduce CH4 production due to the higher energy yield of microbial sulfate reduction, existing studies suggest other factors are likely at play. Our study of 11 wetland complexes spanning a natural salinity and productivity gradient across the San Francisco Bay and Delta found that while CH4 fluxes generally declined with salinity, they were highest in oligohaline wetlands (ca. 3-ppt salinity). Methanogens and methanogenesis genes were weakly correlated with CH4 fluxes but alone did not explain the highest rates observed. Taxonomic and functional gene data suggested that other microbial guilds that influence carbon and nitrogen cycling need to be accounted for to better predict CH4 fluxes at landscape scales. Higher methane production occurring near the freshwater boundary with slight salinization (and sulfate incursion) might result from increased sulfate-reducing fermenter and syntrophic populations, which can produce substrates used by methanogens. Moreover, higher salinities can solubilize ionically bound ammonium abundant in the lower salinity wetland soils examined here, which could inhibit methanotrophs and potentially contribute to greater CH4 fluxes observed in oligohaline sediments.IMPORTANCELow-level salinity intrusion could increase CH4 flux in tidal freshwater wetlands, while higher levels of salinization might instead decrease CH4 fluxes. High CH4 emissions in oligohaline sites are concerning because seawater intrusion will cause tidal freshwater wetlands to become oligohaline. Methanogenesis genes alone did not account for landscape patterns of CH4 fluxes, suggesting mechanisms altering methanogenesis, methanotrophy, nitrogen cycling, and ammonium release, and increasing decomposition and syntrophic bacterial populations could contribute to increases in net CH4 flux at oligohaline salinities. Improved understanding of these influences on net CH4 emissions could improve restoration efforts and accounting of carbon sequestration in estuarine wetlands. More pristine reference sites may have older and more abundant organic matter with higher carbon:nitrogen compared to wetlands impacted by agricultural activity and may present different interactions between salinity and CH4. This distinction might be critical for modeling efforts to scale up biogeochemical process interactions in estuarine wetlands.

The disparity in absenteeism between kindergarteners with and without disabilities is a persistent phenomenon across schools in the United States and reflects ongoing systemic inequities that disadvantage young children with disabilities. Yet, evidence of factors underlying this disparity remains less well understood, limiting the ability for schools to transform how they support students with disabilities in ways that could help narrow the disparity. In our study, we investigate how a set of factors, grounded in a socioecological framework of absenteeism, correlates with chronic absenteeism in kindergarteners with and without disabilities. Importantly, we examine the extent to which distributional differences in these factors between children with and without disabilities explain the attendance disparity. Our study draws upon a nationally representative sample of N = 13,860 kindergarteners (52 % male, 48 % female, M age = 5.5 years, n = 1240 with disabilities) from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey Kindergarten Class of 2010–11. We analyze our data using multiple logistic regression to identify significant factors that correlate with chronic absenteeism and leverage the Kitagawa-Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method to describe how distributional differences in those factors contribute to absenteeism disparities. Results show that internalizing behaviors in students with disabilities and their parents’ health are significantly associated with chronic absenteeism as well as help explain the disparity (12 % and 3 % of the disparity, respectively). Importantly, since differences in internalizing behaviors can be generated, in part, by school practices and policies that treat early elementary students with disabilities inequitably, our work suggests that reducing gaps in early absenteeism may require schools to reduce exposure to experiences that can lead to internalizing problem behaviors in young children with disabilities.

Models estimating decomposition rates of dead wood across space and time are mainly based on studies carried out in temperate zones where microbes are dominant drivers of decomposition. However, most dead wood biomass is found in tropical ecosystems, where termites are also important wood consumers. Given the dependence of microbial decomposition on moisture with termite decomposition thought to be more resilient to dry conditions, the relative importance of these decomposition agents is expected to shift along gradients in precipitation that affect wood moisture. Here, we investigated the relative roles of microbes and termites in wood decomposition across precipitation gradients in space, time and with a simulated drought experiment in tropical Australia. We deployed mesh bags with non-native pine wood blocks, allowing termite access to half the bags. Bags were collected every 6 months (end of wet and dry seasons) over a 4-year period across five sites along a rainfall gradient (ranging from savanna to wet sclerophyll to rainforest) and within a simulated drought experiment at the wettest site. We expected microbial decomposition to proceed faster in wet conditions with greater relative influence of termites in dry conditions. Consistent with expectations, microbial-mediated wood decomposition was slowest in dry savanna sites, dry seasons and simulated drought conditions. Wood blocks discovered by termites decomposed 16–36% faster than blocks undiscovered by termites regardless of precipitation levels. Concurrently, termites were 10 times more likely to discover wood in dry savanna compared with wet rainforest sites, compensating for slow microbial decomposition in savannas. For wood discovered by termites, seasonality and drought did not significantly affect decomposition rates. Taken together, we found that spatial and seasonal variation in precipitation is important in shaping wood decomposition rates as driven by termites and microbes, although these different gradients do not equally impact decomposition agents. As we better understand how climate change will affect precipitation regimes across the tropics, our results can improve predictions of how wood decomposition agents will shift with potential for altering carbon fluxes. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Woody biomass is a large carbon store in terrestrial ecosystems. In calculating biomass, tree stems are assumed to be solid structures. However, decomposer agents such as microbes and insects target stem heartwood, causing internal wood decay which is poorly quantified. We investigated internal stem damage across five sites in tropical Australia along a precipitation gradient. We estimated the amount of internal aboveground biomass damaged in living trees and measured four potential stem damage predictors: wood density, stem diameter, annual precipitation, and termite pressure (measured as termite damage in downed deadwood). Stem damage increased with increasing diameter, wood density, and termite pressure and decreased with increasing precipitation. High wood density stems sustained less damage in wet sites and more damage in dry sites, likely a result of shifting decomposer communities and their differing responses to changes in tree species and wood traits across sites. Incorporating stem damage reduced aboveground biomass estimates by > 30% in Australian savannas, compared to only 3% in rainforests. Accurate estimates of carbon storage across woody plant communities are critical for understanding the global carbon budget. Future biomass estimates should consider stem damage in concert with the effects of changes in decomposer communities and abiotic conditions.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is the foundation of the microbial loop and plays an important role in estuarine water quality and ecosystem metabolism. Because estuaries are influenced by DOM with different sources and composition, changing hydrologic regimes, and diverse microbial community assemblages, the biological fate of DOM (i.e., microbial degradation) differs across spatiotemporal scales and between DOM pools. To better understand controls on DOM degradation, we characterized the biogeochemical and physical conditions of the York River Estuary (YRE), a sub-estuary of the Chesapeake Bay in southeast Virginia (USA), during October 2018 and February, April, and July 2019. We then evaluated how these conditions influenced the degradation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) by conducting parallel dark incubations of surface water collected along the YRE. Compared to other sampling dates, DOC reactivity (ΔDOC (%)) was over two-fold higher in October when freshwater discharge was lower, temperatures were warmer, and autochthonous, aquatic sources of DOC dominated. ΔDOC (%) was near zero when allochthonous, terrestrial sources of DOC were more abundant and when temperatures were cooler during higher discharge periods in February when precipitation in the Chesapeake Bay region was anomalously high. DON was up to six times less reactive than DOC and was sometimes produced during the incubations whereas ΔCDOM (%) was highly variable between sampling periods. Like ΔDOC (%), spatiotemporal patterns in ΔDON (%) were controlled primarily by hydrology and DOM source and composition. Our results show that higher freshwater discharge associated with prolonged wet periods decreased estuarine flushing time and increased the delivery of allochthonous DOM derived from terrestrial sources into coastal waters, resulting in lower rates of DOM degradation especially under cool conditions. While these findings provide evidence for seasonal variation in DOM degradation, shifting environmental conditions (e.g., increasing temperatures and precipitation) due to climate change may also have interactive effects on the magnitude and composition of DOM exported to estuaries and its subsequent reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projection and equivalence concepts have been widely studied in the literature. In the present paper two nonlinear systems with the same number of inputs, but not the same number of state variables, are considered. Under mild assumptions, necessary and sufficient conditions are given for the existence of a submersion such that the higher dimensional system projects locally onto the other one. The solution to this problem has relevant applications, for instance in robotics. It includes as a special case the equivalence of nonlinear systems with no particular structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general problem studied in this paper is to decompose the positive elements R + of a totally ordered ring R into the disjoint union of sets that are closed under addition and multiplication. We mainly investigate the case when R is a subfield of the reals R. We prove that for any n ∈ N the positive real numbers can be decomposed into n disjoint pieces which are also closed under addition and multiplication. We construct infinitely many different n -decompositions (n ∈ N) for all fields containing at least two algebraically independent transcendental numbers. We characterise all possible decompositions into two pieces for fields of transcendence degree one over Q. Further, we prove that the positive elements of real algebraic extensions of the rational numbers are indecomposable into finitely many pieces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recalcitrant nature of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw, one of the most abundant agricultural residues, presents challenges for efficient decomposition, limiting nutrient release and organic matter retention in soils. Understanding the effects of tillage practices on wheat straw decomposition and shaping associated microbial communities is essential for enhancing microbial-mediated breakdown and optimizing residue management to enhance soil health, nutrient cycling, and sustainability in agricultural systems. In this study, the effect of different tillage practices on wheat straw decomposition and associated bacterial and fungal community compositions during non-growing and growing seasons were studied. To simulate tillage, litter bags filled with wheat straw were placed at respective soil depths for conventional (22–24 cm) and reduced (8–10 cm) tillage, and on the surface for the no-tillage treatment. The subsets of the litter bags were randomly retrieved after 145 days and at the end of the experiment after 290 days. Statistical analysis revealed that tillage treatments significantly influenced the decomposition rate and nutrient release over time. Overall, the alpha diversity of the decomposition-associated microbial community was not substantially affected by different tillage treatments, while beta diversity exhibited distinct microbial community compositions in relation to tillage practices. The results of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of wheat straw decomposition-associated bacterial and fungal communities' response to different tillage treatments, with observations made at two distinct sampling times (non-growing and growing seasons) under certain edaphic and climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a multi‐objective evolutionary algorithm based on bilayered decomposition (MOEA/BLD) for solving constrained multi‐objective optimization problems. MOEA/D is an effective method for solving unconstrained multi‐objective optimization problems. It decomposes the objective space using weight vectors and simultaneously searches for solutions for the subproblems. However, real‐world applications impose many constraints, and these constraints must be handled appropriately when searching for good feasible solutions. The proposed MOEA/BLD treats such constraints as an additional objective function. Furthermore, in addition to the conventional weight vector, an augmented weight vector is introduced that decomposes the objective space and constraint violation space hierarchically. In the first stage, the objective space is decomposed by conventional weight vectors. In the next stage, the bi‐objective space consisting of the scalarizing function and constraint violation is decomposed by augmented weight vectors. The augmented weights are adjusted so that they decrease linearly in the search process as the search gradually moves from infeasible regions to feasible regions. The proposed algorithm is compared to several state‐of‐the‐art constrained MOEA/Ds using multi‐ and many‐objective problems. The results show that the proposed method outperforms existing methods, in terms of search performance, under various conditions. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Balancing economic growth with water consumption is essential for sustainable development. Water scarcity caused by vigorous economic expansion can be alleviated with balance. This paper employs the reduced-form model, Tapio decoupling model, and the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) model to investigate the relationship between water consumption and economic growth in China as a whole, as well as separately at its 31 provinces and eight economic regions from 2003 to 2019. This article not only qualitatively depicts the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of water use but also quantitatively analyzes its formation by exploring how it decouples from economic development and calculating the driving factors. The results confirmed the existence of an inverted-U EKC in water use at the national level and in seven economic regions. From 2003 to 2019, the decoupling index of China and seven economic regions showed a decreasing trend, indicating that economic development is becoming less dependent on water resources. For its driving influencing factors, compared with that of the population and structural effects, the cumulative absolute value of water-use efficiency and economic effects is larger; that is to say, the water-use efficiency and economic effects are the main driving factors for water use, and the population and structural effects are the auxiliary influencing factors. Moreover, the water efficiency measures and industrial structure reform have contributed to the decrease in the domestic water consumption, and economic development and population expansion have contributed to an increase in the water use. Based on the aforementioned findings, policy insights are proposed to facilitate government management and provide a theoretical reference for other developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Rice straw-derived dissolved organic matter (DOM) included four main components. • The presence of goethite significantly promotes the straw decomposition process. • OM's adsorption capacity for Cd increased with the straw decomposition time. • The presence of minerals promoted the OM's adsorption capacity and affinity of Cd. • Surface precipitation and complexation dominant Cd adsorption by OM. Organic matter (OM) derived from the decomposition of crop residues plays a key role as a sorbent for cadmium (Cd) immobilization. Few studies have explored the straw decomposition processes with the presence of minerals, and the effect of newly generated organo-mineral complexes on heavy metal adsorption. In this study, we investigated the variations in structure and composition during the rice straw decomposition with or without minerals (goethite and kaolinite), as well as the adsorption behavior and mechanisms by which straw decomposition affects Cd immobilization. The degree of humification of extracted straw organic matter was assessed using excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), while employing FTIR spectroscopy and XPS to characterize the adsorption mechanisms. The spectra analysis revealed the enrichment of highly aromatic and hydrophobic components, indicating that the degree of straw decomposition and humification were further intensified during incubation. Additionally, the existence of goethite (SG) accelerated the humification of OM. Sorption experiments revealed that the straw humification increased Cd adsorption capacity. Notably, SG exhibited significantly higher adsorption performance compared to the organic matter without minerals (RS) and the existence of kaolinite (SK). Further analysis using FT-IR spectroscopy and XPS verified that the primary mechanisms involved in Cd immobilization were complexion with —OH and —COOH, as well as the formation of Cd-π binds with aromatic C=C on the surface of solid OMs. These findings will facilitate understanding the interactions of the rice straw decomposing with soil minerals and its remediation effect on Cd-contaminated farmland. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the glass ceiling and sticky floor phenomena within the contexts of both the public and private sectors in Türkiye, while exploring sector‐specific differences. To do this, we use a recentered influence function‐based decomposition method to analyze data from the Household Labor Force Statistics spanning from 2014 to 2021. Our findings suggest that the sticky floor effect emerges as more prominent in the private sector, contrasting with the public sector where the glass ceiling effect holds greater sway. Additionally, our analysis reveals that gender discrimination appears to be more prevalent in the private sector, although it exhibits an increasing trend in the public sector. The evidence suggests a need for further research on the gender wage gap in Türkiye, especially within the context of the glass ceiling and sticky floor effects. This study contributes to the existing literature by offering a comprehensive examination of these phenomena in both public and private sectors, leveraging the availability of recent data and advancements in methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Wearable sensors have revolutionized cardiac health monitoring, with Seismocardiography (SCG) at the forefront due to its non-invasive nature. However, the substantial motion artefacts have hindered the translation of SCG-based medical applications, primarily induced by walking. In contrast, our innovative technique, Adaptive Bidirectional Filtering (ABF), surpasses these challenges by refining SCG signals more effectively than any motion-induced noise. ABF leverages a noise-cancellation algorithm, operating on the benefits of the Redundant Multi-Scale Wavelet Decomposition (RMWD) and the bidirectional filtering framework, to achieve optimal signal quality. Methodology The ABF technique is a two-stage process that diminishes the artefacts emanating from motion. The first step by RMWD is the identification of the heart-associated signals and the isolating samples with those related frequencies. Subsequently, the adaptive bidirectional filter operates in two dimensions: it uses Time-Frequency masking that eliminates temporal noise while engaging in non-negative matrix Decomposition to ensure spatial correlation and dorsoventral vibration reduction jointly. The main component that is altered from the other filters is the recursive structure that changes to the motion-adapted filter, which uses vertical axis accelerometer data to differentiate better between accurate SCG signals and motion artefacts. Outcome Our empirical tests demonstrate exceptional signal improvement with the application of our ABF approach. The accuracy in heart rate estimation reached an impressive r-squared value of 0.95 at − 20 dB SNR, significantly outperforming the baseline value, which ranged from 0.1 to 0.85. The effectiveness of the motion-artifact-reduction methodology is also notable at an SNR of − 22 dB. Consequently, ECG inputs are not required. This method can be seamlessly integrated into noisy environments, enhancing ECG filtering, automatic beat detection, and rhythm interpretation processes, even in highly variable conditions. The ABF method effectively filters out up to 97% of motion-related noise components within the SCG signal from implantable devices. This advancement is poised to become an integral part of routine patient monitoring.

This study successfully applied reactive force field (ReaxFF) molecular dynamic simulations to study the two-stage transformation of kerogen: initially transforming into pyrolytic bitumen and then into final products. It was found that the carbonâoxygen bond in the kerogen skeleton chain breaks first, while further transformation involves significant carbonâcarbon bond breakage. Specifically, carbonâcarbon bond breakage contributes almost 66.7% to pyrolytic bitumen formation, and nearly 80% to the final product formation. In addition, higher heating rates favor higher bond rupture speed and lead to a decline in heteroatoms within shale oil. In summary, this work provides more atomic insights of oil shale kerogen decomposition.