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Abstract The ongoing global warming is likely to cause changes in the growth and species composition of aquatic epilithic communities. To be able to predict such changes, a field study was conducted in the cooling water discharge area of a nuclear power plant that releases brackish cooling water to the Baltic Sea at Forsmark. The power plant creates a temperature gradient in the field from 0 to ca. 8 °C above normal temperature. The project was concentrated on the growth and distribution of four dominant taxa in the upper littoral zone: the colonial cyanobacterium Rivularia atra and the three filamentous macroalgae Cladophora glomerata (green), Ulva spp. (green) and Ceramium tenuicorne (red). Overall, Cladophora increased strongly, Ulva spp. increased slightly and Ceramium decreased strongly in abundance with higher water temperature. For Rivularia these results were corroborated in a laboratory experiment and studied in more detail. The colonies collected at 18 °C in the field were experimentally exposed to 18 °C, 22 °C and 26 °C in climate chambers for 50 days. Growth rates were highest in 18 °C and lowest in 22 and 26 °C. Addition of extra stress in the form of a heavy metal (copper) decreased growth in all temperatures, but highest growth rates still occurred in 18 °C. Rivularia was less stressed in 18 °C than in 22 °C and 26 °C, which was shown by, higher chlorophyll a (chla) concentration, higher photosynthetic performance (measured as electron transport rate by pulse amplitude modulated fluorescence), lower zeaxanthin concentration and a lower carotenoids:chla ratio.

It is quite evident that some of the experimental research works have been carried out by researchers in the area of spiral polishing using abrasive for surface finishing improvement but most of the experiment has been employed on Steel or Alloy Steel as a material. Very few number of research works have been performed by researchers across the globe on the Spiral Polishing Method of Titanium holes made by Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). Therefore, experimental investigations were carried out in the area of Spiral Polishing and Finishing of EDM-drilled holes of various materials to meet the desired goal of demands on the surface quality. This experimentation aims to develop a novel method with spiral polishing using abrasive flow finishing. To explore the search investigation and find out the better surface finishing for through holes made on EDM, the process parameters have been designed using the Taguchi L16 orthogonal array with input parameters such as Current (I), Pulse on time (Ton), and Pulse off time (Toff). The addition of Boron Carbide Powder with Handwash, Glycerine, Shampoo, and Liquid Soap is used to decrease the Surface Roughness (Ra) with a ratio of 5 : 1. The Taguchi technique is used to assess the P/M process parameter setting for a given signal to noise (S/N) ratio.

Seam strength is critical in achieving the proper and adequate quality seam, which eventually determines the overall quality of any garment. The target of this research was to investigate exactly how different stitch density affected seam strength for different stitch types. Commercially available, 100% cotton plain weave structured woven fabric with mass per unit area of 270 g/m2 was used in this analysis. Two different stitch types, such as lock stitch (ISO#301) and chain stitch (ISO#401), along with four stitch densities like 8, 10, 12 and 14 per inch were utilized. The seam strength of the prepared samples was determined using a tensile strength tester followed by the ASTM D1683 standard procedure. The impact of independent variables on superimposed seam strength was statistically analyzed using a regression correlation with the help of SPSS software to construct a regression equation to predict seam strength before the manufacturing process. The study found a non-linear relationship between seam strength and stitch density. When the stitch density is too low, the seam strength is shown low as well, because the cloth cannot be held under tensile load. In a very compact woven fabric, structural jamming or intrinsic puckering occurs if it is too high. As a result, the best stitch density should be chosen to achieve the best seam strength. This study will help the manufacturers choose a suitable SPI for lock and chain stitches from polynomial regression equations before the sewing production of cotton woven fabric, which was not predicted by any researcher before. Therefore, the optimum stitch density can be chosen using regression equations to get the best result for seam strength.

This study attempted to produce a cheap polyester composite material using an agricultural waste banana peel in the structure. Banana fibre has been used in composites as reinforcements, but banana peel has never been used with polyester before. The possibility of improved thermal and flammability properties of a composite due to increased moisture in the structure, and the char-forming ability of the cellulosic part of banana peel or the production of highly flammable material due to the presence of carbohydrates in the structure were the assumptions. To tackle the second assumption, aluminium trihydrate (ATH) was added. The handmade composites showed a drastic drop in tensile strength from 38.02 MPa to 16.72 MPa due to a lack of chemical bonding between the constituents. The impact and flexural strength showed some improvement with the addition of banana peel, along with ATH, to record results of 10.92 kg/cm and 49 MPa, respectively, after the initial drop that occurred when only ATH was added. However, these results were still inferior to the properties of pure polyester. The results of flammability and thermal resistance matched the second assumption, as flame retardancy was kept under control by the presence of ATH. The absorbency properties remained almost unaffected.

This review provides an account of fish species contaminated with microplastics (MPs) across the globe (seven continents). A total of 887 fish species were found contaminated with MPs based on MPs in the gastrointestinal tract/GI. The most MPs contaminated-fish species found were marine and demersal species. Globally 45 % of fish ingested MPs with an average concentration of 5.93 MPs particles per fish species. Among all the countries, China had the highest number of fish species contaminated with MPs in the followingorders: China (176 species), Brazil (84), the USA (48), India (35), the Atlantic Ocean (31), Iran (30), Bangladesh (28), Turkey (26), Indonesia (25), the UK (23), Saudi Arabia (23), Thailand (21), Portugal (20), Australia (20), Italy (18), South Africa (18), Argentina (15), Chile (14), Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) (14), the North Pacific Gyre (14), Samoa (13), Malaysia (12), Colombia (11), New Zealand (11), Fiji (10), Spain (10), the North Sea (09), South Korea (09), Tahiti (09), Vanuatu (09), Ghana (08), Canada (07), Japan (07) and Nigeria (07) and others. MPs ingestion in fishes varied (high, medium, and low) among the locations/countries. In several locations/countries, MPs ingestion/contamination occurred in up to 100 % of fish samples. Because of MPs contamination, seafood fisheries, and the livelihoods of people associated with fishing, aquaculture, and seafood business, can be threatened. It may also increase health risks to seafood fish consumers since there is a probability that high risks pollutants adsorbed in MPs can be transferred to humans via the food chain.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus SARSCoV-2, has had an immense impact on a variety of sectors both worldwide and nationwide. Vast differences are observed among states within the United States of America in terms of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Objective: The objective of this paper is to present a means through which we can compare deaths between multiple states, using the index date approach applied by Middelburg and Rosendaal. Materials and Methods: Using the CDC COVID-19 tracker, we created two sets of ten states focusing on states with (1) the highest number of deaths and (2) the highest number of deaths per 100,000. We applied features of the authors’ technique in order to compare deaths between certain states through visualizations. We referred to the cumulative number of deaths on each day from January 21st, 2020 to September 30th, 2020, as a percentage of the cumulative deaths 40 days after the first death. Results and Discussion: Comparability was established by synchronizing each state to a baseline date, which allows us to adjust for issues that arise from the scales used within a standard cumulative deaths graph, such as a tendency to be driven by the states with the highest cumulative number of deaths. This technique also normalized each state to a standard start date. Conclusion: This paper shows the application of a technique that allows for clearer comparisons of COVID19 related deaths between states, as opposed to the use of a standard cumulative deaths graphs.

Background Sodium (Na+) in saline water may increase blood pressure (BP), but potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+) may lower BP. We assessed the association between drinking water salinity and population BP. Methods and Results We pooled 6487 BP measurements from 2 cohorts in coastal Bangladesh. We used multilevel linear models to estimate BP differences across water salinity categories: fresh water (electrical conductivity,

Conservation payments are increasingly advocated as a way to meet both social and ecological objectives, particularly in developing countries, but these payments often fail to reach the 'right' individuals. The Government of Bangladesh runs a food compensation scheme that aims to contribute to hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha) conservation by improving the socioeconomic situation of households affected by hilsa sanctuary fishing bans. Analysing data from a household survey of compensation recipients and non-recipients, we identify the current correlates of compensation distribution and explore perceptions of fairness in this distribution. We find that distribution is largely spatial rather than based on the household characteristics that are supposed to determine eligibility for compensation, indicating political influence in the distribution process. We also find the compensation scheme is widely perceived to be unfair, which could be undermining its potential to compensate vulnerable fishers while improving compliance with fishing bans. The spatial distribution of compensation would shift substantially under alternative targeting scenarios that are likely to improve the cost-effectiveness of the scheme, such as targeting those who are most dependent on fishing for their livelihood. This study highlights a challenge for conservation payment schemes that aim to achieve the dual objectives of poverty reduction and ecological sustainability, particularly large-scale public schemes, and suggests that more effective targeting and transparency about the basis of payment distribution are prerequisites for schemes to be both cost-effective and socially acceptable.

Ensuring sustainable irrigation water quality is vital for agricultural productivity and environmental health, particularly in regions with variable seasonal water quality. This study introduces an enhanced Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) specifically developed for the Old Brahmaputra River in Bangladesh to address local hydrochemical complexities. Unlike conventional IWQI methods that primarily assess salinity and sodicity without statistical validation, this approach integrates a broader range of parameters with multivariate statistical validation, enabling a more precise, seasonally adaptive assessment. Through combined multivariate statistical analysis and geographic information systems, results indicate the river water generally remains in the ''low restriction'' category for irrigation across seasons (dry season: 73.42–83.85; wet season: 77.63–80.57). Seasonal fluctuations were observed in certain areas, with elevated ion concentrations during the dry season due to reduced flow and evaporation, while monsoon rains provided natural pollutant dilution in the wet season. This seasonal variability highlights the importance of continuous monitoring. Principal component analysis identified three primary components, accounting for 77.16 % of the variance in the dry season and 66.30 % in the wet season. Strong correlations were observed between IWQI and indices like Permeability Index (r = 0.94, p < 0.01) and Sodium Percentage (r = 0.91, p < 0.01) in the dry season. This enhanced IWQI offers a promising tool for seasonally adaptive water management, promoting sustainable agriculture and soil health amidst climate change. Future research should expand the temporal and spatial scope to capture long-term trends and adapt this model for broader regional water management applications.

This article proposes some new estimators, namely Stein’s estimators for ridge regression and Kibria and Lukman estimator and compares their performance with some existing estimators, namely maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), ridge regression estimator, Liu estimator, almost unbiased ridge and Liu estimators, adjusted Liu estimator, James stein’s estimator, Kibria and Lukman estimator, Dorugade estimator, and modified ridge estimator for the logistic regression model to solve the multicollinearity problem. The bias, covariance matrix, and mean square error matrix for each of the estimators are provided. A Monte Carlo simulation has been conducted to compare the performance of different estimators. We consider the smaller mean squared error value as a performance criterion. From the simulation study, it is evident that all proposed estimators performed better than the MLE. Finally, a real-life data is analyzed to illustrate the findings of the article. Some promising estimators are recommended for the practitioners.