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In this study we present a novel general methodology for Probabilistic Volcanic Hazard Assessment (PVHA) for lahars. We apply the methodology to perform a probabilistic assessment in the Campanian Plain (Southern Italy), focussing on syn-eruptive lahars from a reference-size eruption from Somma-Vesuvius. We take advantage of new field data relative to volcaniclastic flow deposits in the target region and recent improvements in modelling lahars. We explore the effect of uncertainty on the flow initial conditions on the invasion of lahar in the target area, by sampling coherent sets of values for the input model parameters and performing a large number of simulations. We analyse the simulation outputs to produce hazard curves, hazard maps and probability maps for the maximum flow thickness, and hazard surface and probability maps for joint thresholds in flow thickness and dynamic pressure. We believe the latter hazard products represent, on one hand, a novel product in PVHA for lahars, and, on the other hand, a useful means for impact assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical profiles of cloud microphysical properties importantly determine the lifetime and precipitation rate of clouds. The 94‐GHz cloud profiling radar (CPR) onboard the CloudSat satellite can measure the vertical profile of radar reflectivity, from which the microphysical properties of cloud can be retrieved. The retrievals bear variations due to various assumptions and auxiliary products used. This study targets on the mid‐latitude clouds in the northern hemisphere, and intercompares the CloudSat products describing the vertical profiles of cloud microphysics and evaluate the uncertainties for each retrieval algorithm, with further evaluation by aircraft in‐situ observations over the North China Plain region during 2013–2017. For those retrieval products performing phase apportion, the ambient temperature‐based linear apportioning on mixed‐phase clouds can produce reasonable estimation on ice water content, apart from the heavily precipitating clouds. The retrieved liquid water content constrained by cloud optical depth well matched in‐situ observations, however its effective size is overestimated (hereby underestimating the number concentration of water droplets) because of the influence of larger precipitating hydrometeors on size distribution. The CPR‐only retrieval can well produce the effective diameter and number concentration of ice for deep convection clouds, but using additional lidar constraint underestimates the effective diameter due to the intense attenuation by thick clouds. The analysis here suggests the appropriate parameters from various products for different cloud types, and provides guidance for future development of retrieval algorithms on vertical profiles of cloud microphysical properties. Plain Language Summary: Vertical profiles of cloud microphysical properties play an important role in the cloud lifetime and precipitation rate. The 94‐GHz cloud profiling radar (CPR) onboard the CloudSat satellite can retrieve the vertical profile of cloud microphysical properties based on measured radar reflectivity. However, the retrievals bear variations due to different assumptions and auxiliary products used. By comparing various CloudSat products and aircraft in‐situ measurements over the North China Plain, our results demonstrate that radar retrievals constrained by cloud optical depth can well produce liquid water content but overestimate its effective diameter. For the temperature‐based linear apportioning products, the mixed‐phase clouds can produce reasonable estimation on ice water content, apart from the heavily precipitating clouds. These indicate the appropriate cloud microphysical parameters under certain circumstances using different retrieval algorithms and measurement constraints should be specific for cloud types. Key Points: Vertical profiles of cloud microphysics from various CloudSat products and aircraft in‐situ observations are intercompared over the North China PlainRadar retrievals constrained by cloud optical depth can well produce liquid water content but overestimate its effective diameterAmbient temperature‐based linear apportioning on mixed‐phase clouds can produce reasonable estimates on ice water content apart from the heavily precipitating clouds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conversation analytic study investigates the Japanese utterance-final expression jan , a plain variant of the negative interrogative sentence ending ja nai desu ka. This research argues that jan involves a practice of managing interactants' shared knowledge and establishing their common ground. With the practice, speakers accomplish various interactional tasks in backward- or forward-oriented manners. When placed in a responsive position, a jan -marked turn deals with a problem of a prior turn (backward-oriented). In contrast, when placed in a non-responsive position, a jan -marked utterance works to move an ongoing activity forward (forward-oriented). This study documents such interactional properties of jan by examining turn designs and sequential positions of jan as well as recipient responses to those jan -marked utterances. In doing so, this study claims that previously-researched characteristics of jan are not discrete but result from the management of epistemics in interaction that is realized in the jan 's two directional orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports an experimental and numerical examination performed on a 3D printed (3DP) wall subjected to vertical axial compression. A detailed investigation of material property and full-scale testing of the 3DP plain wall was performed to explore the structural performance of the 3D printed wall. To obtain the mechanical properties of mortar, test prisms obtained by printing mortar as layers resulted in undesirable failure modes. Hence, this study proposes a unique methodology to obtain the mechanical property of mortar with an assumption of mortar material as isotropic. However, to consider the effect of the interface within the printed layers, interface strength tests in terms of normal and shear strength were performed. Likewise, the behavior of 3DP wall being anisotropic, a unique analysis concept was adopted in a current study comprising of modelling the printed layers as in actual thickness and cross-section and providing material property obtained from an assumption of mortar material as isotropic. Moreover, orthotropic material properties of the printed material were provided to FE models via testing of the 3D printed specimens parallel and normal to the interface. The full-scale test specimen was modeled as layers in a numerical tool and results from the test and simulation were compared in terms of load-displacement behavior, distribution of strain on the wall surface, and damage pattern of the wall. Moreover, recommendation on the selection of the suitable material model and contact algorithm is provided in the current study for simulating the behavior of 3DP structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental operation in computational genomics is to reduce the input sequences to their constituent k-mers. For maximum performance of downstream applications it is important to store the k-mers in small space, while keeping the representation easy and efficient to use (i.e. without k-mer repetitions and in plain text). Recently, heuristics were presented to compute a near-minimum such representation. We present an algorithm to compute a minimum representation in optimal (linear) time and use it to evaluate the existing heuristics. Our algorithm first constructs the de Bruijn graph in linear time and then uses a Eulerian-cycle-based algorithm to compute the minimum representation, in time linear in the size of the output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Campania (southern Italy), the widespread presence of anthropogenic cavities in the subsoil of the Neapolitan and Caserta provinces is well known. In these towns, the underground quarrying activities were performed for centuries to extract volcanic tuffs for buildings. The urban developments have sealed many signals of the presence of cavities and their real extent is almost unknown, thus representing a geological hazard and contributing to the subsoil instability of many places. This contribution will show the main cavity typologies recognized across an area north of Naples according to the geological characteristics of the subsoil. The main aim of the study is the cataloging of the cavities and the analysis of the city subsoil as their presence may easily trigger the collapse of the shallow or deeper soils. Moreover, the recognition and sustainable reuse of cavities contributes to enhancing the cultural and touristic promotion of a territory. In this study, a database framework was elaborated that includes all the possible architectural, geological and geotechnical elements of the cavities. Data were managed in a GIS environment in order to provide a useful tool for monitoring and managing the cavities for risk mitigation and tourism enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought causes significant losses in vegetation net primary productivity (NPP). However, the lack of real-time, large-scale NPP data poses challenges in analyzing the relationship between drought and NPP. Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) offers a real-time approach to monitoring drought-induced NPP dynamics. Using two drought events in the Huang–Huai–Hai Plain from 2010 to 2020 as examples, we propose a new SIF/NPP ratio index to quantify and evaluate SIF's capability in monitoring drought-induced NPP dynamics. The findings reveal distinct seasonal changes in the SIF/NPP ratio across different drought events, intensities, and time scales. SIF demonstrates high sensitivity to commonly used vegetation greenness parameters for NPP estimation (R2 > 0.8, p < 0.01 for SIF vs NDVI and SIF vs LAI), as well as moderate sensitivity to land surface temperature (LST) and a fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) (R2 > 0.5, p < 0.01 for SIF vs FAPAR and R2 > 0.6, p < 0.01 for SIF vs LST). However, SIF shows limited sensitivity to precipitation (PRE). Our study suggests that SIF has potential for monitoring drought-induced NPP dynamics, offering a new approach for real-time monitoring and enhancing understanding of the drought–vegetation productivity relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater has been extensively exploited in the North China Plain (NCP) since the 1970s, leading to various environmental issues. Numerous studies have utilized Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data to analyze changes in groundwater storage in the NCP and provide valuable insights. However, the low spatial resolution of GRACE data has posed challenges for its widespread application, and there have been limited studies focusing on refining groundwater storage changes in the NCP. In addition, the lack of data on the gap period between GRACE and GRACE-FO hinders in-depth research on regional groundwater storage anomalies (GWSA). This paper applied a groundwater storage model called NGFLOW-GRACE to construct a groundwater storage change model in the NCP at spatial resolutions of both 1° and 0.05°. The groundwater storage change model was calibrated and driven using gratis data, with hydrogeological parameter values estimated using the shuffled complex evolution algorithm (SCE-UA). The model exhibited favorable performance, with correlation coefficients greater than 0.85 during the calibration period and 55% of coefficients greater than 0.50 during the validation period. Interestingly, the results indicate that different combinations of remote sensing data do not significantly impact the outcomes, while the hydraulic gradient coefficient demonstrates the highest sensitivity. Appropriate reconstructed data were selected within the empty window period, and by downscaling the model to a resolution of 0.05°, a complete cycle (January 2003 to December 2020) of GWSA was derived. Through comprehensive comparisons with previous research findings on both temporal and spatial scales, it can be concluded that the downscaled groundwater storage changes obtained from the established model demonstrated high reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce the adverse effects of traditional domestic solid fuel, the central government began implementing a clean heating policy in northern China in 2017. Clean coal is an alternative low-cost fuel for rural households at the present stage. In this study, 18 households that used lump coal, biomass, and clean coal as the main fuel were selected to evaluate the benefits of clean heating transformation in Tongchuan, an energy city in the Fenwei Plain, China. Both indoor and personal exposure (PE) samples of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were synchronically collected. Compared with the lump coal and biomass groups, the indoor PM2.5 concentration in the clean coal group is 43.6% and 20.0% lower, respectively, while the values are 16.8% and 21.3% lower, respectively, in the personal exposure samples. PM2.5-bound elements Cd, Ni, Zn, and Mn strongly correlated with reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in all fuel groups, indicating that transition metals are the principal components to generate oxidative stress. Using a reliable estimation method, it is predicted that after the substitution of clean coal as a household fuel, the all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory disease that causes female deaths per year could be reduced by 16, 6, and 3, respectively, in the lump coal group, and 22, 8, and 3, respectively, in the biomass group. Even though the promotion of clean coal has led to impressive environmental and health benefits, the efficiencies are still limited. More environmental-friendly energy sources must be promoted in the rural regions of China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wear-contact of two elastic half-planes (plain deformation), the surface of one has periodic sloping protrusions of cylindrical shape under local wear on the basis of the frictional-fatigue fracture model is investigated. The formulated contact problem is reduced to a singular integro-differential equation with a Hilbert nucleus with respect to the thickness of the worn material and equations for determining the unknown areas of wear. The shape of the protrusions and contact pressure at the beginning and after wear are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing nutrient management strategies is crucial for enhancing the growth, yield, and nutritional quality of fodder maize (Zea mays) while minimizing environmental impacts. This study investigated the effects of innovative nitrogen (N) and zinc (Zn) management approaches on fodder maize production. Different combinations of nitrogen fertilizers, including conventional urea and nano-urea, were applied in conjunction with targeted foliar sprays of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) and nano-zinc. The experiment was carried out in a Factorial Randomized Block design with four nitrogen management strategies (control N, 100% recommended nitrogen dose RDN through urea, 50% RDN through urea + two sprays of nano-urea at six and ten leaves stages, and 33.33% RDN through urea + two sprays of nano-urea at six and ten leaves stage) and four zinc management strategies (control Zn, soil application of ZnSO4, foliar application of ZnSO4, and foliar application of nano-Zn) which were replicated thrice. The study revealed that applying 50% of RDN through urea, along with dual foliar sprays of nano-urea, achieved comparable productivity to the 100% RDN through urea only. Among the Zn managements, both foliar and soil applications of conventional ZnSO4 recorded similar green and dry fodder yields, although foliar application of ZnSO4 was observed to be superior in terms of qualitative attributes. Maize subjected to the integrated nitrogen and zinc management strategy exhibited elevated protein content and reduced fiber fractions. These findings highlight the potential of nano-urea and foliar zinc application in enhancing both productivity and nutritional quality, while reducing dependence on conventional chemical fertilizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective is to study the challenges of the agricultural sector including field crops, animal production, and extension in the Nineveh plains region after ISIS liberation. Nineveh Plains is considered the "breadbasket” of Iraq, and it is one of the most fertile plains in the country. In 2014, the Nineveh Plain territory was overtaken by the Islamic State of Iraq (ISIS). Close to one million people are estimated to have fled their homes, and at least 20,000 commercial and government buildings, including schools, animal projects, and training institutions, were destroyed. To achieve sustainable agriculture development the ideal use of natural, capital, human and technical resources is necessary. Through a cultural lens, strategies to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, and management of agricultural development are being explored. The overall objective of the study is to assess the livelihood of agricultural sub-sectors of rural communities, highlighting farmer needs for restoring agriculture and proposing culturally relevant interventions and solutions. This project strategically selected the districts of Al-Hamdaniya, Tilkaif, and Bashiqa to conduct interviews and needs assessments. Revolution in the agricultural sector can make it an engine of economic development. Post-conflict, agricultural expansion, and improved productivity may be achieved by focusing on agricultural promotion which includes improving the skills of farmers, the investment environment, irrigation, availability of data and information, and minimizing price distortions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Twenty promising mango genotypes were estimated for physical, physiological, phytochemical, quality attributes, mineral content, sensory evaluation and fruit softening enzymes activites during ambient storage (25 ± 4 °C and 65 ± 5% Relative Humidity) at 3 days interval till end of the storage period (12th day). Significant variations for the studied attribute were observed. Among physical attributes, the maximum fruit weight was observed in 'Fazli' (404.67 g), dry seed weight in 'Fazli' (27.23 g) and 'Chausa' (25.70 g) and fruit firmness in 'Mahmood Bahar' (8.88 N). The higher level of total soluble solids was registered in 'Amrapali' (21.76 °Brix) and 'Mallika' (21.48 °Brix), while antioxidant activity in 'Malda' (4.12 μmol TE g−1) and 'Mallika' (4.02 μmol TE g−1) and total phenolic content in 'Malda' (512.48 μg GAE g−1 FW), 'Ratna' (509.74 μg GAE g−1 FW) and 'Safed Malda' (510.42 μg GAE g−1 FW). 'Amrapali' (7.38 mg/100 g) exhibited the highest total carotenoid concentration. Genotypes such as 'Malda', 'Amrapali', 'Langra', 'Krishna Bhog', 'Alphonso' and 'Prabha Shankar' exhibited 3–4 days higher shelf life compared to other genotypes. Furthermore, the correlation and principal component analysis provided insights into the relationships between various postharvest attributes during ripening. Mango genotypes which displayed high phytochemical‐nutraceutical value can be utilised in quality improvement programs and bear practical utility with respect to processing industries and consumer health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plain bars with a diameter of 10 mm are widely used in reinforced concrete buildings, and the bond behavior between the bars and concrete has an essential effect on the seismic performance of concrete structures. Thus, to assess the safety of old buildings and repaired buildings with normal concrete, it was necessary to further investigate the bond performance of the plain bars in the concrete. The bonding tests under monotonic and reversed cyclic loading were carried out on the specimens reinforced with plain bars, and the influences of concrete grade and embedment length on the bond behavior were taken into consideration. The results indicate the maximum bond stress under reversed cyclic loading is less than that under monotonic loading, and this is the same for corresponding slip for the same test parameters. The concrete compressive strength positively affects the maximum bond stress, whereas the embedment length has a negative effect. Based on the elasticity analysis and test data fitting, the expressions of bond stress at characteristic points on the bond stress–slip curves were carried out. Consequently, the bond stress–slip model was established, which could be applied to calculate the bond stress–slip relationships under monotonic and reversed cyclic loading. By comparison between the test curves and proposed model, a good agreement is observed, which indicates that the proposed model can be used to predict the bond stress–slip curve of plain bars in concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern red cedar (ERC, Juniperus virginiana L.) is a common tree species in agroforestry plantings and has great potential for bioenergy production due to physical and chemical characteristics of its biomass. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ERC plantings on carbon (C) sequestration and selected soil quality parameters in existing plantings across the northern U.S. Great Plains. Nine locations were selected in five states with mean annual precipitation (MAP) from 446 to 999 mm and mean annual temperature (MAT) from 4.4 to 10.0°C. Infiltration was measured using the twin ring technique at nine sites in each tree planting and adjacent field (crop, pasture, or hay) at each location. Following infiltration measurements, a 4.8 cm‐diameter soil core to 30 cm depth was collected from inside one infiltration ring of each pair for bulk density, pH, aggregate stability, soil organic carbon (SOC), and total nitrogen (TN) analyses. Penetration resistance in 2.5 cm increments to 30 cm depth was measured in the other infiltration ring. SOC stocks under ERC were significantly higher than in the adjacent field soil at five of the locations and, for all locations, averaged 16.8% greater than in the adjacent field. The estimated SOC accumulation rate for the eight locations with uniform tree stand age averaged 0.30 Mg C ha−1 year−1. Most locations had higher TN and C/N and lower bulk density beneath ERC. Fewer differences for infiltration and penetration resistance and smaller and less consistent differences for pH and aggregate stability were observed. Tree aboveground C stocks were estimated to increase an average of 2.05 Mg C ha−1 year−1. Estimated tree aboveground biomass C and SOC stocks under ERC and in adjacent fields were strongly correlated with MAP. Potential ERC planting for C sequestration or bioenergy feedstock production is not likely to significantly degrade soil quality and may improve soil physical or chemical quality for locations in the US Great Plains. Core ideas: Eastern red cedar (ERC) is a common tree species with biomass that is well suited for biofuel production.ERC effects on soil quality should be evaluated if considered for bioenergy feedstock production.Soils beneath ERC had higher SOC, TN, C/N, and lower bulk density than adjacent fields at most locations.ERC C accumulation and SOC were highly correlated with MAP.ERC plantings had generally positive impacts on soil quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

‘Dabokchal, a glutinous rice variety (Oryza sativa L.) with a medium late maturation period was developed by the Department of Crops and Food, JARES in 2020. It was derived from a cross between the glutinous cultivar ‘Shinmyeongheugchal’ with the good glutinous properties and ‘Hwangkumnodeul’ as a high yielding source. The progenies of the cross were selected by bulk and pedigree breeding method until the F8 generation. As a result, a promising line, JR53-28-4-10-5-3, was advanced and designated as the name of ‘Jeonbuk12’ in 2018. The ‘Jeonbuk12’ local adaptability test was carried out at four locations during 3 years from 2018 to 2020. This variety headed on August 13, which was eight days later than ‘Sinseonchal’ in Honam plane. The culm and panicle length of this variety was 70 cm and 22 cm, respectively. This variety has about 16 tillers per hill and 92 spikelets per panicle. The ratio of ripened grain is approximately 84.9% and 1000-grain weight was 24.9 g in brown rice. This variety has a higher amylose content compared to that of ‘Sinseonchal’. The yield performance of brown rice was 591 kg/10a in the local adaptability test. This cultivar is considered to be adaptable to the Honam plain area of Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chronology of the Mikulino Interglacial and its individual phases has been the subject of discussion. The goal of this study is to evaluate the time limits of the main stages of the Mikulino Interglacial on the Russian Plain according to 230Th/U dating and paleobotanical studies of lake and peat sediments from the known sections located in Tver Province on the Bolshaya Dubenka River, Malaya Kosha River, Granichnaya River, and Sizhina River (Kileshino-2 section). An improved geochronological approach has been applied to identify the layers that are suitable for the 230Th/U isochronous approximation. Together with palynological and carpological studies, this made it possible to date the layers corresponding to relatively narrow time intervals in the development of plant formations at the different stages of the Last Interglacial. New paleobotanical studies of buried lake and peat sediments from the sections located on the Bolshaya Dubenka River, Malaya Kosha River, and Granichnaya River allowed us to reconstruct the vegetation development of the Mikulino Interglacial in the interval of pollen zones M1–M7, i.e., more pollen zones have been analyzed and in greater detail than in the 1960s–1970s. A chronological scheme of the main stages of the development of vegetation in the Mikulino Interglacial is proposed based on the results of 230Th/U dating and paleobotanical studies of the deposits from the sections in Tver Province together with previously published data obtained for the Nizhnyaya Boyarshchina section in Smolensk Province. The beginning of the Mikulino Interglacial is recorded at about 130–126 ka. Its first phase, corresponding to the M2 zone, ended about 118 ka. The preoptimal stages of vegetation development (zones M3 and M4) fit into the time interval of about 118–112 ka, while the climatic optimum of the Interglacial (zones M5 and M6) began about 112 ka and ended about 100 ka. Thus, the duration of the Mikulino Interglacial was likely to be at least 25 000 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastward expansion of Assyria, richly narrated in official inscriptions and supported by corollary materials such as letters from the royal correspondence and oracular enquiries, remains in archaeological terms hugely under-explored. Over the past few years, however, this has begun to change and a succession of recent discoveries is starting to give us an increasingly more detailed picture of the imprint of Assyrian rule in this sector of the Empire. The two fragments of a monumental stele of Sargon II published here, excavated at the site of Quwakh Tapeh in the Mahidasht Plain, are an example of just the sort of find that is ushering in a new era in our understanding of the Assyrian presence in western Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several exemplars of a brick inscription of Šulgi were found in the Kuhdasht Plain in the province of Lorestan, Iran. The reference to the destruction of Kimaš and Ḫurti provides strong evidence for the localisation of these two Zagros polities. The Ur III campaigns testify to the key role of the western Pish-e Kuh in overland traffic from the Diyala region or from Khuzestan to the central Zagros. As the source of the "copper from Kimaš," we propose the ancient mines of Deh Hosein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen analysis was performed on 14 profiles of fossil biogenic sediments from different parts of the vast depression near the Wola Starogrodzka village (Central Poland). The results allowed the determination of the time of their accumulation for the period from the end of the Odra Glaciation (Warta Stage, Saalian, MIS-6), through the Eemian Interglacial (MIS-5e), to the first interstadial of the Early Vistulian (Brørup, MIS-5c). In many studied profiles, we noted the incompleteness in the pollen record of the Eemian vegetation succession - hiatuses occur usually in the hornbeam (E5) and/or spruce phase (E6). Moreover, the thickness of the same pollen zone and the development of its palynological record are strongly differentiated between individual profiles, e.g. the hornbeam zone (E5) is contained in an exceptionally thick sediment layer (3.7 m) in the PWS1-19 profile, and the oak zone (E3) in the WH-123 and PWS2-19 profiles (1.0 and 1.2 m, respectively), while in other profiles they are represented only by single pollen spectra. If we only had a single profile with a hiatus and/or a poorly developed pollen record, it would be impossible to reconstruct a complete interglacial succession of vegetation. However, having several such imperfect profiles which complemented each other enabled us to do it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses person agreement in embedded reports in Aqusha Dargwa (Nakh-Daghestanian). In contrast to root clauses, which have obligatory person agreement matching the features of the controller, finite embedded reports allow pronoun-agreement mismatches, such as third person agreement in the presence of a first person singular subject or first person singular agreement in the presence of a third person subject. I argue that person agreement in Aqusha can function in two different modes—plain ϕ-feature mode and logophoric mode—depending on whether person morphology responds to usual morphological person features or to discourse-related logophoric features. Concentrating on the logophoric mode, I propose that the left periphery of finite embedded reports contains a logophoric complementizer that carries the discourse feature [LOG] and a null pronominal in its specifier specified as [ATTITUDE HOLDER]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A very noticeable increase in the beaver population (mainly the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber L.)) in the East European Plain since the end of the 20th century through reintroduction contributed to the emergence of a large number of beaver dams and ponds, which resulted in the transformation of the channels and the hydrological regime of small rivers. In this paper, for the first time in the Middle Volga region, regularities in the distribution of beaver dams and ponds on small rivers were revealed based on a topographic survey of the river channel, regulated by beaver activity in recent decades. The materials of the paper were obtained during field (geodetic) work in August and September of 2022 in the valleys of two small rivers typical for the north of the Volga Upland, Morkváshinka River (16.6 km) and Morkváshka River (7.8 km), with subsequent statistical processing. According to the results obtained, all the dams we encountered were located in the sections of their channels with relatively small (up to 1%) and medium (1–3%) average gradients. In the upper reaches of the rivers, the expansion of beaver activity is limited to the large gradients of their channels. Along the entire length, there is an alternation of sectors with a "natural" (not regulated by beavers) channel and a cascade of beaver ponds. Drained (at the time of the survey) sectors without dams, as well as those with preserved and destroyed dams, were also identified on the Morkváshinka River. On the whole, 26–48% of the length of the studied rivers has been transformed by beaver activity. The average number of dams per kilometer of the watercourse is 3.7–5.1. The most favorable channel gradients for beaver activity are 3.6–16.6 m/km, or 0.36–1.66%. The average gradient of the channel, above which no beaver dams and related ponds were found in these rivers, is 30 m/km, or 3%. An increase in the channel gradient upstream of the rivers is reflected in the size of beaver dams and ponds. The beaver dams and ponds are slightly larger in the sections of the rivers with a relatively small average gradient than in the sections with a medium average gradient of the channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which the South-to-North Water Transfer Project has influenced the trend in water storage deficit in the North China Plain since its official opening in late 2014 has not been systematically assessed. We evaluated the changes in terrestrial water storage (TWS) in the North China Plain based on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) and GRACE Follow-on (GRACE-FO) long-term gravity satellite observations from 2002 to 2022, using spherical harmonic (SH) solutions from the Center for Space Research (CSR), GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Mass Concentration (Mascon) solutions from CSR, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), JPL, and compared with the South-to-North Water Transfer water supply (13.91 Gt/a). The CSR-SH solution that best matched the water supply was selected, and it was found that the rate of change in TWS in the North China Plain from 2002 to 2015 was (−8.48 ± 1.87) Gt/a, and the rate of change from 2015 to 2019 increased significantly to (5.44 ± 4.87) Gt/a, indicating that the TWS in the plain changed from deficit to gain. The South-to-North Water Transfer Project has played a positive role in significantly improving the water stress situation in North China. Simultaneously, by comparing the inversions of six time-varying gravity field models (CSR-SH, GFZ-SH, JPL-SH, CSR-Mascon, GSFC-Mascon, and JPL-Mascon) with the South-to-North Water Transfer water supply and measured groundwater well data, and by calculating the uncertainty using the 'three-cornered hat method' (TCH), a comprehensive comparison is made to conclude that the CSR-SH model is most effective with a minimum difference of 0.01 Gt/a from the annual water supply, a minimum difference of 0.04 Gt/a from the measured well data, and a small uncertainty of 3.04 cm. This study reveals the important impact of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project on TWS in the North China Plain, which is of reference value for water resource management decisions in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of land ecological security (LES) assessment is to evaluate the influence of land use and human activities on the land ecosystem. Its ultimate objective is to offer decision-making assistance and direction for safeguarding and rejuvenating the well-being and effectiveness of the land ecosystem. However, it is important to note that there are still significant uncertainties associated with current land ecological safety assessments. This paper presents a comprehensive evaluation model that combines the strengths of subjective and objective weighting methods. The model is built upon an index system developed using the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) framework. To verify the level of LES, theThe results of classifying the total ecosystem service valueTotal Ecosystem Service Value are utilized to verify the level of LES. Furthermore, spatial distribution patterns of regional land ecological safety levels are analyzed using statistical techniques, such as Moran's I, Mann–Whitney U-test, and Kruskal–Wallis H-test. The findings indicate that: (1) theThe evaluation model developed in this paper achieves a validation accuracy of 75.55%, indicating that it provides a more accurate reflection of the level of land ecological safety in the region; (2) The ecological security index is generally safe, with a mean value in the moderate safety range. It experienced a turning point in 2010, showing initial deterioration followed by improvement, mainly due to the transition between unsafe and relatively safe zones. (3) The level of economic development, topography, and urban-–rural structure are significant factors influencing the spatial concentration of LES in the region, ultimately shaping the spatial pattern of LES in the Chengdu Plain region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During cold winter nights we often hear the question "where is the global warming, should it not be warmer?". Low temperatures that can still be recorded in the Banat Plain during winter or media reports of cold waves affecting various regions worldwide seem to the common man to be in total contradiction with the concerns of the scientific community about global warming. With this article we are trying to follow the evolution of some meteorological parameters that can affect the population in one way or another, namely number of tropical days, number of winter days, number of tropical nights, number of frosty nights, absolute maximum and minimum temperatures. Thus, the data obtained from the three national meteorological services (Romanian, Hungarian, and Serbian) operating on the territory of the Banat Plain were grouped in a common database and analyzed both in Excel and with the help of the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test, obtaining a series of conclusions on the evolution of the abovementioned parameters, as well as on the way how the increase in the risk of high temperatures is compensated (or not) by the decrease in the risk of low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecology of Iranian Forest is the property of Sari Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources University (SANRU) 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 Literatura y Lingüística is the property of Universidad Catolica Cardenal Raul Silva Henriquez 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.)

This paper is part of the MACSI project (Multilingual Accessible Communication in Swiss Institutions) and focuses on a case study carried out with the Federal Statistical Office (FSO). The broad aim of this collaboration with the FSO is to evaluate how multilingual accessible communication on statistics can be produced. While most of the research on accessible communication is text- and recipient-based, in this study we focused on text producers. Like writers, who are specialized experts in different domains, translators are also presented with the challenge of interlinguistic transfer when it comes to both plain and specialized texts. This paper presents the results from a questionnaire on accessibility submitted to writers and translators within the FSO. The responses show that writers either address several target groups with the same text or produce a variety of texts for different target groups. Moreover, both writers and translators have little knowledge or experience with plain and easy language, even though most of them are interested in writing more lay-friendly texts. There is therefore a need to train and raise awareness among writers and translators so that they are able to adapt content, level of technicality and language to different levels of expertise when producing a variety of multilingual, accessible texts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Baghdad Science Journal is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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 Railway Construction Technology is the property of Railway Construction Technology 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.)

The rainfall over the Indian region, governed majorly by the monsoonal flow, is a point of research in the perspective of climate change. In this paper, we compute the change points in the rainfall series at every grid of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) daily gridded rainfall data for a period of 120 years (1901 to 2020). The map shows clearly demarcated regions indicating different zones, where the rainfall statistics have altered at different periods. It is observed that in a major part of central India, the shift in rainfall intensity is mainly associated with the time frame 1955–1965; in the Indo-Gangetic plain, the changes are found to be more recent (1990), while the latest changes (post 2000) are observed particularly for North Eastern region and some parts along the East Indian coast. The changeover years are significant at a 95% confidence level for most part of the Indian landmass. The causes may be surmised due to moisture transport from the Arabian Sea (Central India), the presence of aerosol (Gangetic Plain), and the possible revival of monsoon due to land–ocean gradient (Eastern coast and North East India). This is the first-ever study which provides a comprehensive daily rainfall change point map over India using 120 years of gridded station data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on observations of the Jicamarca Unattended Long‐term investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere (JULIA) radar, we perform statistical analysis on the occurrence of 3‐m‐scale E‐region irregularities and F‐region irregularities (FRI) in Jicamarca region of South America. The results show that there is a negative correlation between the occurrence rates of equatorial irregularities in E‐ and F‐region. When the equatorial spread F appears, the occurrence rate of irregularities in E‐layer decreases. By analyzing the ion zonal drift velocity detected by JULIA radar, it is proposed that the vertically polarized electric field in the bottom F‐layer could extend downward to E‐layer when FRI appears, leading to the weakening or even reversal of E‐layer electric field. As a result, the electron vertical drift velocity in the E‐layer decreases so as to suppress the growth rate of two‐stream instability, which cause a weakening or even disappearance of equatorial irregularities in E‐region. Plain Language Summary: For the equatorial region, the previous researches on E‐ and F‐region coupling are mainly focused on the relationship between valley region irregularities and F‐region irregularities (FRI). Up to now, the connection between the E‐region irregularities (ERI) existing in Equatorial Electrojet and FRI at night in the equatorial region has not been revealed and needs to be further studied and supplemented. Based on observations of the Jicamarca Unattended Long‐term investigations of the Ionosphere and Atmosphere radar from 2018 to 2022, we conduct a statistical study on the occurrence rate of 3 m‐scale irregularities in the E‐ and F‐layer at Jicamarca at night. The results show that there is a negative correlation between the occurrence rates of ERI and FRI. Based on the observation of ion drift, the vertical polarized electric field in the FRI is suggested to suppress the ERI. Key Points: Occurrence distributions of E‐region irregularities (ERI) and F‐region irregularities (FRI) in the equatorial ionosphere are obtainedThe occurrence rates of equatorial irregularities in E‐region and F‐region is negatively correlatedThe vertical polarized electric field in the FRI is suggested to suppress the ERI in the equatorial ionosphere [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on global total electron content (TEC) maps from the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service (IGS), the ionospheric perturbations during the 2014–2015 sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event were investigated. The analyses revealed both phase‐shifted semidiurnal perturbations and 14.5‐day periodic signal with zonal wavenumber 0 in the IGS TEC, indicating an enhanced lunar tidal impact on the ionosphere during the 2014–2015 SSW period. The 14.5‐day periodic oscillation in the IGS TEC presents an obvious latitudinal variation, with the maximum appearing in Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest regions, which is due to the modulation of the equatorial ionospheric fountain effect by wind perturbations modulated by the lunar tide. Additionally, the 14.5‐day periodic oscillation presents a longitudinal pattern with three peaks in the northern hemisphere and four peaks in the southern hemisphere. Local time dependence of the 14.5‐day periodic perturbation is also significant. Plain Language Summary: Recently, the lunar effect on ionospheric variability during sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) periods has been a subject of intense research. In this work, based on the International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service (IGS) total electron content (TEC) map, the longitudinal, latitudinal, and local time variations of the 14.5‐day periodic oscillation in the ionosphere during the 2014–2015 SSW are investigated. The 14.5‐day periodic oscillation in the TEC is attributed to the effect of the lunar tide. Our results demonstrate that the 14.5‐day oscillation in the IGS TEC peaks in Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest regions. In addition, the 14.5‐day oscillation in the ionosphere presents a longitudinal structure and a local time dependence. Key Points: The 14.5‐day oscillation in the global International Global Navigation Satellite Systems Service (IGS) total electron content (TEC) during 2014–2015 sudden stratospheric warming is attributed to lunar tidesThe 14.5‐day oscillation in the IGS TEC peaks in the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly crest regionsThe 14.5‐day oscillation in the IGS TEC shows longitudinal and local time dependence [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Acta Scientiarum Naturalium Universitatis Sunyatseni / Zhongshan Daxue Xuebao is the property of Sun-Yat-Sen University 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.)

Lancineis rectilatus is a fossil diatom that appeared in the middle Early Pleistocene and disappeared in the early Middle Pleistocene in the shallow marine sediments of the central Kanto Plain, central Japan. In this study, diatom assemblages of the Oyamada to Iimuro Formations of the Lower Pleistocene Kazusa Group exposed along the Tama River and in Honmoku, Yokohama City, are investigated to clarify the stratigraphic relationship between the tephra beds and the occurrence of L. rectilatus in the Tama Hills. The Oyamada to Inagi Formation section is dominated by coastal shallow-marine diatoms. The Ozenji to Iimuro Formation of the Yokohama-Honmoku section is dominated by pelagic diatoms. L. rectilatus is identified from above the NK tephra layer of the Iimuro Formation. The NK tephra in the Tama Hills and the Kd12 Type tephra in the central Kanto Plain are possibly correlative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plain communities present with a higher risk of sustaining burn injuries. Yet, little is known about the hospital–community partnerships with Plain caretakers to facilitate culturally competent burn care. The current study provides a qualitative analysis of Plain caretakers' perspectives on an existing hospital–community partnership for facilitating culturally sensitive burn care and their perspectives on the ongoing physical, structural, and behavioral health needs of this population. Twelve Plain community caregivers who serve on a burn wound treatment team or an oil therapy team within their community took part in a focus group interview. Caretakers identified as White, were majority male (83%), and resided in Plain communities. Retrospective thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Five major themes (ie, informational needs, strengths of Plain community burn care, behavioral health concerns, behavioral health resources, and preferred teaching methods) evolved. Results revealed that Plain caregivers displayed an openness to learning about recommended burn care from the medical providers. Caretakers also cited their traditional (homeopathic) burn care procedures as perceived strengths, while simultaneously maintaining that their relationship with the hospital is a valuable part of life-saving burn care. Regarding their behavioral health needs, caretakers highlighted difficulties in helping their children cope with burn injuries and pain during rehabilitation and treatment. Other topics discussed included social support and cultural factors that impact the delivery of burn care to Plain communities from non-Plain providers. These results provide important considerations that other burn centers may consider when establishing similar partnerships to deliver of culturally competent medicine for Plain burn survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regional effects of farming on hydrology are associated mostly with irrigation. In this work, we show how rainfed agriculture can also leave large-scale imprints. The extent and speed of farming expansion across the South American plains over the past four decades provide an unprecedented case of the effects of rainfed farming on hydrology. Remote sensing analysis shows that as annual crops replaced native vegetation and pastures, floods gradually doubled their coverage, increasing their sensitivity to precipitation. Groundwater shifted from deep (12 to 6 meters) to shallow (4 to 0 meters) states, reducing drawdown levels. Field studies and simulations suggest that declining rooting depths and evapotranspiration in croplands are the causes of this hydrological transformation. These findings show the escalating flooding risks associated with rainfed agriculture expansion at subcontinental and decadal scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Capabilities to directly assimilate radar data are implemented within the local ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) and the gain‐form LETKF (LGETKF) algorithms of the Joint Effort for Data assimilation Integration (JEDI) system. The capabilities are evaluated for the analysis and forecast of a severe convection case of 20 May 2019 in the Southern Great Plains using the limited area model version of the FV3 dynamical core (FV3‐LAM) from a recent release for Short‐Range Weather Application (SRW App). The LETKF and LGETKF implementations are shown to produce analyses and short‐range forecasts comparable to those using the ensemble square‐root Kalman Filter (EnSRF) within the Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation (GSI) framework used by current NCEP operational models. In addition, LGETKF retaining only 60% variances for model‐space vertical localization performs similarly to LGETKF retaining 99% of variance and LETKF using observation error‐based vertical localization. JEDI LETKF shows better parallel scalability than LGETKF and GSI EnSRF. Plain Language Summary: The JEDI data assimilation (DA) framework under development will be used by all operational forecasting systems of the U.S. National Weather Service, including the Rapid Refresh Forecast System based on FV3, a dynamic core chosen for next‐generation NWS forecasting systems. In this study, we implemented radar DA capabilities into the JEDI with two local ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) algorithms coupled with limited‐area FV3. Analyses and forecasts with radar DA better match radar reflectivity and radial velocity observations than forecasts without radar DA during the assimilation period. Three‐hour forecasts of precipitation, reflectivity, and updraft rotation show skills comparable to a DA experiment using the ensemble square‐root Kalman filter within the more mature GSI DA system. In addition, the new gain‐form LETKF, which has not been applied to radar DA before, performs quite well, although it is computationally more expensive than the regular LETKF. This work paves the way for using JEDI to assimilate radar data in operational forecasting systems. Key Points: Radar data assimilation capabilities are implemented and tested in Joint Effort for Data assimilation Integration (JEDI), a future data assimilation infrastructure for Unified Forecast System applicationsLocal ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) algorithm with gain‐form vertical localization is tested for radar data assimilation and is found to perform similarly as LETKFThe enhanced gain‐form LETKF and LETKF in JEDI perform similarly as ensemble square‐root Kalman Filter within Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation for radar data assimilation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is susceptible to drought and low temperatures. In recent years, drought, low temperatures, and their composite events have often occurred during the growth period of maize, causing a huge impact. In this study, maize in the Songliao Plain was used as the research object. Based on the crop water surplus deficit index (CWSDI) and heat index (F(T)), combined with the Theil–Sen median and Mann–Kendall tests (Sen–MK) and empirical orthogonal function (EOF), the temporal trends and spatial patterns of drought and low temperatures in different growth periods of maize were obtained. Copula modelling was used to analyse the joint probability distribution and return period of drought and low temperatures. The results showed that the temporal variation trend of the CWSDI was significantly different at different growth periods of maize, and there were different trends and spatial modal distributions. However, the temporal variation trend of F(T) was similar, showing a downward trend over the entire region. There was no obvious asymmetry or skew‐dependent structure in the distribution of concurrent events of drought and low temperature; however, the joint probability contours of different growth periods were biased to the upper left. The recurrence period of drought and low‐temperature concurrent events was within 2 years, and the recurrence period was basically between 2 and 5 years, with a reduction in drought or low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate pedo-morphological properties to quantify the soil quality of alluvial soils in Indo-Gangetic Plains, India. In total, 241 geo-referenced soil profiles were collected representing four major landforms. The optimal scaling method was used to transform the categorical variables into numerical variables and the minimum datasets (MDS) were identified by categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA). Structure type and grade, texture class was highly loaded in PC 1 and explained about 36% of the variability. Four variables e.g. texture class, root quantity, structure size and hue were selected as MDS with 44%, 23%, 18% and 15% contribution to morphological soil quality index (MSQI), respectively. The MSQI of the study area varied 0.437–0.986 for surface and 0.110–0.989 for the sub-surface soils. The MSQI of alluvial landforms followed the sequence of old alluvial plain > young alluvial plain > meander plain > flood plain, respectively. The correlations of the selected pedo-morphological indicators were conducted and they were validated with laboratory data. In conclusion, landform-specific soil quality indicators were appropriate for the evaluation and monitoring of alluvial soils and MDS identified in this study could be effectively used to evaluate soil quality in a similar landscape with limited data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rivers of the central part of the East European Plain (the Volga at Staritsa, the Oka at Kaluga, and the Don at Stanitsa Kazanskaya), long phases (10–15 years or more) of increased/decreased annual and seasonal runoff have occurred, as well as differences in the frequencies of extremely low flow conditions from the late 19th century to 2020. Phase boundaries were identified by cumulative deviation curves and statistical homogeneity. The frequencies of specific water flow values were estimated using the empirical curves of the exceedance probability of annual and seasonal water flows based on their long-term time series. In the century-long changes of rivers considered, two long contrasting phases were revealed. These phases are characterized by increased and decreased runoff of hydrological seasons. Near simultaneously, a phase of increased runoff was first observed for the freshet season. On the contrary, phases of decreased runoff were first observed for low-water seasons. The runoff phases differ significantly in duration and differences in flow. Significant differences were revealed in the frequency of low-water years for a low runoff with an exceedance probability above or equal to 75% and above or equal to 95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Upper Rhine Graben (URG), located in France and Germany, is bordered by north-south trending faults, some of them considered active, posing a potential threat to dense population and infrastructures from the Alsace plain. The largest historical earthquake in the region is the M6.5+/-0.5 Basel earthquake in 1356. Current seismicity (M>2.5 since 1960) is mostly diffuse and located within the graben. We build upon previous seismic hazard studies of the URG by exploring uncertainties in greater detail, revisiting a number of assumptions. We first take into account the limited evidence of neotectonic activity, then explore tectonic scenarios that have not been taken into account previously, exploring uncertainties on Mmax , its recurrence time, the b -value, and the moment released aseismically or through aftershocks. Uncertainties on faults' moment deficit rates, on the observed seismic events' magnitude-frequency distribution, and on the moment-area scaling law of earthquakes are also explored. Assuming a purely dip-slip / normal faulting mechanism associated to a simplified 3 main fault model, Mmax maximum probability is estimated at Mw 6.05. Considering this scenario, there would be a 99 % probability that Mmax is below 7.25. In contrast, a strike slip assumption associated to a 4 main fault model, consistent with recent paleoseismological studies and the present day stress field, Mmax is estimated at Mw 6.85. Based on this scenario, there would be a 99 % probability that Mmax is less than 7.55. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Great Plains and Southwest regions of the U.S. are highly vulnerable to precipitation-related climate disasters such as droughts and floods. In this study, we propose a self-organizing map–analogue (SOMA) approach to empirically quantify the contribution of atmospheric circulation (mid-tropospheric geopotential and column moisture transport) to the regional precipitation anomalies, variability, and multi-decadal changes. Our results indicate that atmospheric circulation contributes significantly to short-term precipitation variability, accounting for 54–61 % of the total variance and 62–68 % of the amplitude of the mean precipitation anomalies in these regions, though these contributions vary significantly across seasons. The remaining variance is largely influenced by thermodynamically driven factors. As indicated in previous research, Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is one of the major climate modes influencing the long-term multi-decadal variation of precipitation. By contrasting three multi-decadal periods (1950–1976, 1977–1998, 1999–2021) with shifting PDO phases and linking the phase shift to circulation SOM nodes, we found that circulation changes contribute considerably to the multi-decadal changes of precipitation anomaly in terms of the mean and probability of dry and wet extremes, especially for the Southern GP and Southwest. However, these circulation-induced changes are not totally related to the PDO phase shift (mostly less than half), atmospheric internal variability or anthropogenically induced changes in circulation can also be potential contributors. Our approach improves upon flow analogue and SOM-based methods and provides insights into the contribution of atmospheric circulation to regional precipitation anomalies and variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Snake venoms are trophic adaptations that represent an ideal model to examine the evolutionary factors that shape polymorphic traits under strong natural selection. Venom compositional variation is substantial within and among venomous snake species. However, the forces shaping this phenotypic complexity, as well as the potential integrated roles of biotic and abiotic factors, have received little attention. Here, we investigate geographic variation in venom composition in a wide-ranging rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis viridis) and contextualize this variation by investigating dietary, phylogenetic, and environmental variables that covary with venom. Results: Using shotgun proteomics, venom biochemical profiling, and lethality assays, we identify 2 distinct divergent phenotypes that characterize major axes of venom variation in this species: a myotoxin-rich phenotype and a snake venom metalloprotease (SVMP)-rich phenotype. We find that dietary availability and temperature-related abiotic factors are correlated with geographic trends in venom composition. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the potential for snake venoms to vary extensively within species, for this variation to be driven by biotic and abiotic factors, and for the importance of integrating biotic and abiotic variation for understanding complex trait evolution. Links between venom variation and variation in biotic and abiotic factors indicate that venom variation likely results from substantial geographic variation in selection regimes that determine the efficacy of venom phenotypes across populations and snake species. Our results highlight the cascading influence of abiotic factors on biotic factors that ultimately shape venom phenotype, providing evidence for a central role of local selection as a key driver of venom variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the capabilities of four data-driven models, namely artificial neural network, wavelet-based artificial neural network (WANN), gene expression programming, and support vector machine, to predict water quality parameter, i.e., sodium absorption ratio (SAR) of the groundwater of the Ardabil plain, Ardabil Province, Iran. A combination of data sets including electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and sodium was considered as input data of the models. The models' performances were compared with the classical multiple linear regression model. The models were calibrated and validated using the measured quality data for the period of year 2005 to 2015. The performance of the models was evaluated using various statistical criteria, scatter, and PDF plots. Results showed that the data-driven models are more capable in simulating the SAR data than the classical multiple linear regression model. The WANN model provided reliable predictions of the SAR values rather than the other models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Reth River is a ground water fed river of Central Ganga Plain, ~107 km long and drains ~391.71 km2. It flows through an incised valley until confluences with the Gomati River. Incision of the river valley has been investigated by using a longitudinal profile, escarpment height and morphology of the valley. The study was executed using Toposheet of scale 1 : 50 000 of Survey of India (SOI) and decadal satellite imageries, with GIS techniques to estimate the properties of basins. The mean bifurcation ratio of the basin is 5.49, but variation between the successive stream orders suggests that the study area is tectonically controlled. The drainage density (0.66), stream frequency (0.46), constant of channel maintenance (1.51) and length of overland flows (0.80) indicate of the high surface rock permeability, low surface runoff, high infiltration rate, and least erodible properties respectively. The drainage texture (0.30) suggests a very coarse texture and smooth topography. RHO coefficient value (0.13) indicates the low capacity of water. The elongation ratio (0.45), circulatory ratio (0.28) and form factor (0.16) indicate that the basin is highly elongated due to shallow relief. The downstream variation of escarpment heights indicates an increasing downstream trend of escarpment heights. According to aerial views of 46 years, oxbow lakes are formed through several processes, such as (i) a flow separation zone at the entrance of the channel creating a sediment plug, (ii) sediment sorting by flow gradients and decantation in the ponded areas. The drainage basin shape (3.02) indicates the basin is tectonically active. River longitudinal profile ranges are from 124 to 102 m amsl. This indicates the 4th-order river with dendritic pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper utilizes high-resolution ERA5 hourly data from 1980 to 2020 and long-term normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series obtained from remote sensing and applies trend analysis, correlation analysis, lag analysis, and other methods to study the spatiotemporal characteristics of extreme rainfall at daily and hourly scales in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. The paper explores the NDVI's variability and its relationship with extreme hourly precipitation and analyzes the main factors affecting it. The study made the following observations: (1) The extreme daily precipitation in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain shows a decreasing trend, with a 13.6 mm/yr reduction rate. In contrast, the proportion of extreme rainfall to total precipitation generally exceeds 20%, and the intensity of extreme rain has gradually increased. The spatial distribution pattern of extreme rainfall follows the distribution pattern of China's rain belts, with the terrain being an important influencing factor. The high-incidence areas for extreme rainfall are the Huaihe River region and the Shandong Peninsula. (2) The observed significant increase in hourly extreme precipitation events in the Shandong and Henan provinces of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain has led to an increased risk of flooding, while the corresponding events in the northwest region of the Plain have exhibited a gradual weakening trend over time. (3) The extreme hourly precipitation in the Huang-Huai-Hai plain shows a frequent and scattered pattern, with decreasing intensity over time. Extreme precipitation mainly occurs in the first half of the night, especially between 19:00 and 21:00, with extreme hourly rainfall intensity fluctuating between 0.2 and 0.25 and the proportion of rainfall to total precipitation reaching as high as 10%. The spatial distribution of extreme hourly rainstorms during the peak period (19:00–21:00) exhibits a high rainfall volume, intensity, and frequency pattern in the eastern region, while the western part exhibits low rainfall volume, intensity, and frequency. (4) The incidence of extremely heavy rainfall in an hour has exhibited a more significant increase compared to extreme daily events in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain, primarily in the form of backward-type precipitation. Hourly extreme precipitation events in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain are affected by terrain and land use/cover change (LUCC), with the micro-topography of hilly areas leading to a concentrated distribution of precipitation and LUCC suppressing extreme precipitation events in arid climates. (5) At the ten-day scale, the spatial distribution of the NDVI shows a gradually increasing trend from northwest to southeast, with the highest NDVI value reaching up to 0.6 in the southern part of the study area. For extreme hourly precipitation, there is no significant change observed at the multi-year ten-day scale; while the NDVI in the northern and central parts of the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain shows a significant decreasing trend, in contrast, it presents a significant increasing trend in the southern region. (6) Finally, the correlation between NDVI at the ten-day scale and extreme hourly precipitation exhibits a decreasing pattern from north to south, with a correlation coefficient decreasing from 0.48 to 0.08. The lagged correlation analysis of extreme hourly rainfall and NDVI for one, two, and three ten-day periods shows that the lagged effect of extreme hourly precipitation on NDVI is negligible. Analyzing the correlation between extreme hourly rainfall and NDVI for different months, the impact of extreme hourly precipitation on NDVI is predominantly negative, except for June, which shows a positive correlation (0.35), passing the significance test. This study offers a scientific foundation for enhancing disaster warning accuracy and timeliness and strengthening the research on disaster reduction techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abundance of boron (B) content in soils can threaten both plant and human health. The range that identifies B insufficiency or toxicity in the soil is quite small, making it a difficult issue to overcome. Therefore, intensive activities (irrigation, fertilization, pesticides, etc.) caused by humans in agricultural lands can rapidly increase B concentration. On the other hand, there have been few studies to analyze the ecological and human health implications posed by B concentrations in agricultural soil. In the present study, environmental, ecological, and human health risks caused by B in the intensively cultivated Amik Plain (Türkiye) were evaluated. A total of 137 soil samples were collected and analyzed from the study area which has been used under intensive agriculture practice. The average concentration of B in the soils (29.40 mg kg−1) exceeded the contents of B in the upper continental crust (17 mg kg−1). It was determined that the mean enrichment factor (2.56), geoaccumulation index (0.17), and contamination factor values (1.73) of B show that the study area was moderately enriched and contaminated. B had a mean potential ecological risk factor value below 40, indicating a low potential ecological risk. Spatial distribution maps showed that boron enrichment was more in the western part of the plain. Children were more vulnerable to noncarcinogenic health effects of B in soils than adults. In addition, for both children and adults, the hazard index values did not surpass one, showing that B in the soil through dermal contact, inhalation pathways, and ingestion had no dangers noncarcinogenic risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities reveal a unique character with their natural and human characteristics. This character, which represents cities as having a distinct identity from others, is expressed with certain symbols. The most known among these symbols are the logos used by municipalities operating in cities. In the logos that represent the visual identity of cities, symbols that reflect the human characteristics of the city, such as architectural structures, historical artifacts, and agricultural products are included, as well as physical elements such as mountains, lakes, streams, plains, and vegetation. In this research, the logos of 12 district municipalities within the province of Tokat have been examined in the context of physical and human geographical elements. The level of reflection of the identity and functions of the cities in the district municipality logos has been discussed. The research data were accessed from the official web page of the district municipalities in the province of Tokat. In the analysis of the data, the descriptive analysis processes were followed by the opinions of the experts from the district municipality. As a result of the research, in addition to physical features such as rivers, mountains, plains, and vegetation reflecting the character of the city, human geography elements such as mosques, towers, dams, and agricultural products were also encountered in the municipality logos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Residents of plain communities constitute an underserved minority population that is not reliably captured in contemporary surgical outcomes research. We hypothesized that plain communities (PC) patients would have higher postoperative complication rates than a general surgical population. Methods: A retrospective review of 30-day postoperative outcomes for PC patients compared to a majority (non-PC) matched patient population from September 2014 to March 2020 was performed. The primary outcome measure was any complication within 30 days of surgery. Results: 270 PC patients were matched with 493 non-PC patients. The 30-day complication rate was higher for the PC group (6.3% vs 3.7%, P =.09), though not statistically significant. There was significantly lower utilization of preventive care services, and postoperative follow-up among PC patients. Discussion: Although our regional PC surgical patient population utilized preventive and postoperative health care services less than the non-PC population, there was no statistically significant difference in overall 30-day postoperative morbidity or mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]