Search

In the era of globalized geo-economics, international big channel are changing the way geo-economic elements flow across borders, expanding cooperation spaces such as ports and border-free trade zones to more distant inland areas and shaping new ways of cross-border geo-economic cooperation. As an international land and sea channel connecting China and Myanmar, the China-Myanmar Indian Ocean New Channel (hereinafter "the Channel") is of great importance for promoting geo-economic cooperation between the two countries and the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. However, owing to various obstacles in geo-economic cooperation, the geo-economic effect of the Channel has not been effectively brought into play. In this study, the obstacles to geo-economic cooperation in the Channel and its collaborative mechanisms were analyzed to provide important scientific and technological support for enhancing its geo-economic effects and strengthening geo-economic cooperation between China and Myanmar. The natural geography of the region with its high mountains and deep valleys and the frequently occurring natural disasters are natural obstacles that limit the geo-economic effect of the Channel. Moreover, the difference in economic development between China and Myanmar is not conducive to the deepening of geo-economic cooperation in the Channel. Complex armed conflicts have disrupted the construction of the Channel and China's investment in its route, and the potential intervention of India and the United States will become an added constraint on its further development. Furthermore, the multiple stakeholders game in the construction of the Channel may bring geo-risks. Contrary to preconceived notions, geo-economic cooperation in the Channel is not a strategy for regional control, but rather to create an international trade corridor deeply related to transportation logistics, supply chains, industrial chains and value chains. To promote geo-economic cooperation in the Channel, its construction should be based on a multi-level collaborative mechanism for geo-economic cooperation. At the national level, the docking of development strategies between China and Myanmar should be strengthened by promoting integration of the Channel into the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthening the docking of China-Myanmar policy communication mechanisms, and formulating a long-term development strategy plan for the Channel. At the channel level, the geo-economic effect of the Channel should be upgraded by promoting the linkage of internal and external infrastructures, strengthening geo-economic element cross-border flow and industrial cooperation, and deepening economic and trade cooperation with Myanmar and the Indian Ocean region. At the stakeholder level, a consultation mechanism involving multi-stakeholder participation should be established by strengthening the docking of multi-stakeholder interests, coordinating the mechanism of China-Myanmar port docking, and creating a three-dimensional risk prevention mechanism for the Channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year, the global production of plastic waste reaches a staggering 400 million metric tons (Mt), precipitating adverse consequences for the environment, food safety, and biodiversity as it degrades into microplastics (MPs). The multifaceted nature of MP pollution, coupled with its intricate physiological impacts, underscores the pressing need for comprehensive policies and legislative frameworks. Such measures, alongside advancements in technology, hold promise in averting ecological catastrophe in the oceans. Mandated legislation represents a pivotal step towards restoring oceanic health and securing the well‐being of the planet. This work offers an overview of the policy hurdles, legislative initiatives, and prospective strategies for addressing global pollution due to MP. Additionally, this work explores innovative approaches that yield fresh insights into combating plastic pollution across various sectors. Emphasizing the importance of a global plastics treaty, the article underscores its potential to galvanize collaborative efforts in mitigating MP pollution's deleterious effects on marine ecosystems. Successful implementation of such a treaty could revolutionize the plastics economy, steering it towards a circular, less polluting model operating within planetary boundaries. Failure to act decisively risks exacerbating the scourge of MP pollution and its attendant repercussions on both humanity and the environment. Central to this endeavor are the formulation, content, and execution of the treaty itself, which demand careful consideration. While recognizing that a global plastics treaty is not a panacea, it serves as a mechanism for enhancing plastics governance and elevating global ambitions towards achieving zero plastic pollution by 2040. Adopting a life cycle approach to plastic management allows for a nuanced understanding of possible trade‐offs between environmental impact and economic growth, guiding the selection of optimal solutions with socio‐economic implications in mind. By embracing a comprehensive strategy that integrates legislative measures and technological innovations, we can substantially reduce the influx of marine plastic litter at its sources, safeguarding the oceans for future generations. Practitioner Points: Microplastic pollution is an invisible threat to food safety and biodiversity.Effective policy instruments can prevent MPs pollution from widespread.Legislation can reduce plastic waste at source and promote circular economy.Through a global treaty, the world can protect marine‐protected areas and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of the relationships of fossil and living billfishes is crucial for understanding the ecological drivers that control their biodiversity through time and how distributional patterns of extant populations may be affected by current abiotic events. Here we describe six istiophorid species that lived sympatrically in the central Mediterranean Sea during the Late Miocene, based on fossil istiophorids from Italy. Of these, †Pizzikoskerma salentina, †Sicophasma macrocanalata, †Makaira adensa and †Makaira cyclovata are new, while †M. belgica and †M. cf. colonense were described previously. The taxon Istiophorus is reported here for the first time in the Tortonian based on an unidentified species. We reconstructed the evolutionary direction of morphological traits by including the earliest known billfish, †Hemmingwaya sarissa, in our phylogenetic analysis as outgroup. A bill with circular cross‐section, 12 caudal vertebrae, a slim body and elongated first dorsal fin are shown to be plesiomorphic traits, while 13 caudal vertebrae, fusiform body, a shorter and pointed first dorsal fin, lateral process and quadrangular spines on the vertebral centra are traits associated with larger body sizes. The Makaira species described here have trabecular bone in the premaxilla forming the rostrum, an unusual pattern interpreted as an adaptation to reduce weight while simultaneously increasing body size. The fossil billfish assemblage suggests sea‐surface temperatures between 23°C and 24°C, much warmer than the modern central portion of the Mediterranean. The exquisite preservation of one specimen shows a trophic interaction between marlins and barracudas, the first direct evidence of predator–prey relationships in fossil istiophorids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia is surrounded by highly productive waters, supporting dense aggregations of Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a vital food source for globally important seabird and marine mammal populations. These waters also support a commercial fishery for Antarctic krill. Regular monitoring of key krill predator species is undertaken at South Georgia to detect any changes in the ecosystem in response to harvesting activities. This monitoring provides essential data but is focused on land-breeding animals during the austral summer, whilst the krill fishery operates exclusively in winter. Here, we report the results of at-sea surveys to investigate abundance and distribution of krill-dependent predators from winter 2010 and 2011, which represented a "poor" krill year and "good" krill year, respectively. Correspondingly in 2011 higher numbers of krill predators were observed; notably Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) across the northern shelf. Spatial overlap between fur seals and the krill fishery occurred mainly within the krill fishery hotspot to the north-east, highlighting the potential for locally high levels of competition. Cetaceans were observed during both survey years, but in low numbers compared to recent studies. Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) were the most frequently observed penguin species, showing an inshore distribution and almost no overlap with the krill fishery. Diving-petrels (Pelecanoides spp.) were the most abundant flying seabirds, observed across all transects, with particularly high densities to the south in early winter 2010. In conclusion, this survey provides valuable baseline data on the distribution of South Georgia's predators during the winter months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean sciences in the U.S. remains a field with one of the lowest rates of diversity, having disproportionately low representation from marginalized groups, including Black, Asian, LatinX, Indigenous, and other people of color; LGBTQIA + individuals; disabled persons; women; those with neurological differences; and those from low-income groups. With equity and inclusion in mind, recent efforts have been made to increase the number of ocean science professionals from marginalized groups through multiple entry points, including internships. However, there still exists a large gap between the diversity found in the general population and the diversity within ocean sciences. Perhaps one reason why this field continues to have lower diversity owes to the unique component of many oceanographic careers, which continues to present an especially high barrier for marginalized groups: participating in sea-going research expeditions. Herein, we have synthesized possible ways to prioritize the physical and emotional safety of marginalized ocean science professionals participating in a research expedition, including guidance on preparation, implementation, and providing support post-cruise. These suggestions are intended to be useful for the broader oceanographic research community to consider the safety and well-being of individuals from marginalized groups at sea, since the field of ocean sciences - like all fields - would greatly benefit from increased representation and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic UV filters are emerging contaminants in personal care products such as sunscreens. The toxicity of numerous of these UV filter compounds has been demonstrated in several marine taxa. However, whilst the biological impact has already been largely demonstrated, the anthropogenic drivers leading to UV filter contamination still need to be identified. In this work, a survey was conducted on a site of the French Atlantic Coast (i) to describe beachgoers' behaviours (sunscreen use and beach frequentation), (ii) provide an estimation of the UV filters released at sea and (iii) highlight the effect of air temperature on these behaviours and on the release of UV filters. In parallel with these estimations of the UV filters released at sea, in situ chemical measurements were performed. By comparing the results of both approaches, this interdisciplinary work provides an insight of how the observations of beachgoers' behaviour modulations and attendance level fluctuations could be used to prevent UV filter contaminations and ultimately manage the ecotoxicological risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper positions possibilities for human geographies of the sea. The growing volume of work under this banner has been largely qualitative in its approach, reflecting, in turn, the questions posed by oceanic scholars. These questions necessitate corresponding methods. Whilst this is not necessarily a problem, and the current corpus of work has offered many significant contributions, in making sense of the human dimensions of maritime worlds, other questions --and methods--may generate knowledge that is useful within this remit of work. This paper considers the place of quantitative approaches in posing lines of enquiry about shipping, one of the prominent areas of concern under the banner of 'human geographies of the seas'. There is longstanding work in transport geographies concerned with shipping, logistics, freight movement and global connections, which embraces quantitative methods which could be bridged to ask fresh questions about oceanic spatial phenomena past and present. This paper reviews the state of the art of human geographies of the sea and transport geographies and navigates how the former field may be stimulated by some of the interests of the latter and a broader range of questions about society-sea-space relations. The paper focuses on Automatic Identification Systems (or AIS) as a potentially useful tool for connecting debates, and deepening spatial understandings of the seas and shipping beyond current scholarship. To advance the argument the example of shipping layups is used to illustrate or rather, position, the point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spring warm pool (SWP) in the South China Sea (SCS) is a region west of Luzon Island with a sea surface temperature nearing 30°C in late spring, significantly higher than the surrounding waters. Understanding its formation aids in reliable prediction of the summer monsoon onset in the SCS. The current explanation for the SWP formation is the wake effect, which claims that the orographic blocking of Luzon Island forms a wake zone west of Luzon Island and so considerably reduces sea surface latent heat (LH) flux release during the winter monsoon season in comparison to adjacent waters. In this study, we enhance this explanation by incorporating the foehn clearance effect. Our statistical analysis indicates that the SWP evolution is strongly associated with frequent foehn clearance west of Luzon Island and that, in the SWP domain relative to its adjacent domains, the increase of surface short‐wave (SW) radiation induced by the foehn clearance effect is almost equal to the decrease of surface LH loss resulting from the wake effect. The ocean mixed layer heat budget analyses not only confirm that the zonal difference of surface heat flux dominates the SWP formation, but also demonstrate that this zonal difference is largely contributed by the zonal difference of SW radiation caused by the foehn clearance effect. Furthermore, sensitivity assessments demonstrate that the SWP would not emerge if the foehn clearance effect was excluded, indicating that both the wake effect and the foehn clearance effect contribute jointly to the SWP formation. Plain Language Summary: The largest island in the Philippines is Luzon Island, which is located in the western rim of the Pacific Ocean. The existence of north‐south mountain ranges on Luzon Island results in the occurrence of blocking effects, such as wake and foehn effects. This leads to frequent leeward wake and foehn phenomenon to the west of Luzon Island when easterly winds prevail, especially during the winter monsoon season. One of the foehn effects is foehn clearance effect, which is characterized by a cloudless sky and intense solar short‐wave (SW) radiation. Foehn clearance is commonly observed on the leeward side of Luzon Island during episodes of foehn phenomena, as evidenced by satellite photography. The spring warm pool (SWP) formation mechanism has been investigated predominantly from an oceanic perspective in previous studies. However, the role of SW radiation and its zonal difference on the SWP formation is poorly understood. We recognize that the cloudless situation of foehn clearance can promote a relative increase in SW radiation to the west of Luzon Island, consequently contributing to the SWP formation. Following this idea, we do a number of investigations and subsequently verify that the foehn clearance effect plays a crucial role in the formation of the SWP. Key Points: The foehn clearance effect is proposed to enhance the current explanation for the spring warm pool (SWP) formation mainly through the wake effectThe zonal difference of surface heat flux is driven largely by the short‐wave radiation difference caused by the foehn clearance effectThe SWP would not emerge if the foehn clearance effect was eliminated during the winter monsoon season [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El Juyo is a Cantabrian Lower Magdalenian cave site located approximately 8 km west of the city of Santander. The excavations covered an area over 40 m2, and the stratified deposits reach 3.5 m thick, with an estimated duration of Magdalenian occupation of around 1,000 years. Here, we present the first study of the herpetofaunal assemblages from El Juyo and explore their significance in terms of quantitative palaeoclimatic and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions using different quantitative methods. The palaeoherpetofaunal assemblages documented at El Juyo have a much lower diversity than present day. All methods applied to these assemblages characterised the climate as colder (between −8.5 and −3.7°C) and dryer (between −415 and −344 mm) than today, whereas landscape reconstructions suggest humid open area together with a potentially good representation of woodland areas in the vicinity of the site. This indicates that the climate during the Dryas I was much colder and dryer than today, even if the proximity of the sea may have mitigated in some way the harshness of the climate in this area. Rainfall seasonality pattern changed between the coldest periods of the Dryas I and today from more abundant precipitation during summer to late fall and winter maximum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiative feedbacks over interannual time scales can be potentially useful for global warming estimation. However, the diversity of the lead–lag relationships in global mean surface temperature (GMST) and net radiation flux at the top of the atmosphere (GMTOA) create uncertainty during the estimation of radiative feedbacks. In this study, key physical processes controlling lead–lag relationships were elucidated by categorizing preindustrial control simulations of CMIP6 into three groups based on cross correlation values of GMTOA against GMST at lag 0 and lag +1 year. The diversity in the lead–lag relationships was primarily caused by the climatological state difference of the atmosphere over the equatorial Pacific, which modulated the strength of convective activity and sensitivity of low-level clouds. Diminished atmospheric stability caused enhanced convective activity, more efficient energy release, and smaller lags. In addition, enhanced stability in the lower atmosphere rendered the low-level clouds more sensitive to sea surface temperature changes and considerably delayed the radiative response. The climatological state difference of the atmosphere resulted from model-inherent atmospheric conditions. These findings suggest that the diversity of lead–lag relationships of GMST and GMTOA over interannual time scales could represent the characteristics of general atmospheric circulation models and possible solutions of the actual atmosphere, which could also affect long-term feedback features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive exploration of the performance of a proposed controller within dynamic system contexts. The controller is rooted in Model Reference Adaptive Control (MRAC) and State Feedback Controller (SFC) techniques, offering a robust approach tailored specifically for Series Elastic Actuators (SEAs). This hybrid technique aims to overcome system uncertainties and attenuate load disturbances, thereby enhancing system performance and stability. Lyapunov stability analysis is employed to derive the adaptation mechanism, ensuring both the stability and efficacy of the controller. Additionally, the controller can be fine-tuned using a parameter, b. The study thoroughly analyzes the impact of this tuning parameter on suspension response. Through systematic simulations, an optimal value of is identified, and the controller's performance is investigated in terms of achieving the desired output with minimal settling time and control torque. At b = -80, the results demonstrate that the proposed controller efficiently achieves input tracking with a settling time of 1.95 seconds and a control torque reaching 7.39 Nm. The investigation extends to parameter uncertainties, highlighting the controller's adaptability to variations and showcasing its ability to proportionally adjust torque in response to parameter changes. Furthermore, the controller's resilience is validated under load disturbances, effectively demonstrating its capability to mitigate torque fluctuations and maintain desired angular positions. The results also indicate that the unit step disturbance causes a 49.9% increase in control torque, while the sinusoidal disturbance causes a 25% increase in control torque. Overall, this study underscores the controller's versatility, efficacy, and adaptive nature, positioning it as a valuable asset in the realm of SEA control applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) is a source of atmospheric CO2 during the last deglaciation, but the associated oceanic dynamics in the broader low‐latitude Pacific is not fully understood. Here, we report 30,000‐year‐long surface and subsurface pCO2 records for the western equatorial Pacific (WEP), based on boron isotopes in two planktonic foraminiferal species from core MD10‐3340. Our results show that the WEP surface became a significant atmospheric CO2 sink despite that its subsurface waters were enriched by CO2 during the last deglaciation to early Holocene. Combined with EEP proxy data and model results, we suggest that a deglacial‐early Holocene zonal seesaw of sea‐air CO2 exchange across the equatorial Pacific led to a net CO2 outgassing much greater than the modern situation. This can be ascribed to strengthened Subtropical‐Tropical Circulation, resulting in stronger upper ocean stratification in the WEP concurrent with enhanced upwelling of CO2‐rich subsurface waters in the EEP. Plain Language Summary: The modern equatorial Pacific is one of the main sources of CO2 released from the ocean into the atmosphere, with the strongest outgassing in the central‐eastern part and nearly neutral state in the western part. However, according to our boron isotope data of planktonic foraminifera, the western equatorial Pacific was turned into a significant atmospheric CO2 sink rather than a source between 16,000 and 7,000 years ago. At the same time, the eastern equatorial Pacific released more CO2, resulting in a zonal seesaw of sea‐air CO2 exchange across the equatorial Pacific that generally accelerated the CO2 outgassing and favored global warming. We further argue that these deglacial‐early Holocene CO2 changes were ascribed to the strengthened Subtropical‐Tropical Circulation, in which the accelerated eastward Equatorial Undercurrent leads to stronger upper ocean stratification in the WEP, and also converges seawater CO2 into the upper thermocline and finally releases at the surface EEP. This finding helps us understand and quantitatively assess future global carbon budget, particularly how the upper ocean circulation modulates the sea‐air CO2 flux in a manner similar to the past. Key Points: Strengthened upper ocean stratification led to significant atmospheric CO2 sink in the western equatorial Pacific during ∼16–7 kaThe zonal seesaw of sea‐air CO2 exchange in the equatorial Pacific resulted in a net CO2 outgassing much greater than the modern situationThe sea‐air CO2 exchange across the equatorial Pacific was modulated by the Subtropical‐Tropical Circulation on orbital timescales [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global political and economic agenda cycle of the 21st century, interest in the seas has spread rapidly. The security of maritime areas, which are central in issues such as transportation, global trade, natural resource reserves, and transfer, has also become a part of national and international security strategies, especially since the beginning of the 2000s. However, different perspectives on the concept of “maritime security” lead to the lack of a single definition of the concept. Therefore, the factors threatening the security in question should be mentioned differently. The absence of widely agreed upon maritime security threats both complicates global cooperation on maritime security and weakens the fight against these threats. Identifying the most serious and common threats to maritime security is essential for joint action in the fight against them. This study aims to carry out a comprehensive analysis in defining the concept of maritime security and to identify the most serious threats to maritime security in the 21st century. For this purpose, 21st-century maritime security threats have been determined within the scope of academic studies, strategy papers, military documents, and reports published by states and international organizations. Then, the severity levels of these threats were determined through the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) Method. As a result of the study, the three most important factors threatening maritime security in the 21st century are determined as climate change (with a significance level of 0.3169), marine pollution and environmental problems (with a significance level of 0.2104), and sea boundary disputes between states (with a severity level of 0.1783)

More than half the world's coastlines are rocky, but rip‐current dynamics on these topographically complex shores have not been studied. Field experiments on a typical rocky shore using video, drifters, and in‐situ current meters and pressure sensors reveal that incoming narrow‐banded swells result in incident wave groups that force breakpoint low‐frequency (LF) waves, which act in phase inside the surf zone to generate set‐up, run‐up, overtopping, and mass flux, pooling water atop the shore. Set‐up is enhanced by the change in momentum of the LF waves owing to dissipation by bottom friction over the rough seafloor, and by depth‐limited breaking, evidenced by low reflection. A 1D momentum balance results in a mean bottom‐drag coefficient of 1 owing to the rough bottom and vegetation. During wave‐group minima, the hydraulic head of the pooled water forces a return flow through a network of incised feeder channels that converge to a primary surge channel, directing flow offshore. The rip current extends three surf‐zone widths offshore with a maximum velocity of 1 m/s, and (in contrast to sandy shores) flow exits the surf zone, augmenting cross‐shore transport. Rip current strength is a function of channel hypsometry, overtopping, and exit constriction, factors that vary with the tide. As the tide rises, the mean flow decreases as the hydraulic head decreases and the constriction diminishes. Similar to rip currents on sandy beaches, rip currents on rocky shores are modulated by tides and sea‐swell, but they differ in geometric scale and forcing mechanism. Plain Language Summary: A series of field experiments are performed to understand rip currents associated with surge channels, a characteristic of rocky shores. Information from video observations, Global Positioning System‐equipped drifters, and bottom‐mounted current and pressure sensors was obtained for a low‐lying channel (called a surge channel) at the Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove, CA, which defines the rocky shore rip current. The surge channel is a feeder‐channel network that converges into a primary channel, acting like a nozzle. The strength of the rocky shore rip current and its pulsations are governed by the sea swell waves, the modulated wave group, the tidal elevation, and surge channel geometry. Rocky‐shore surge‐channel rip currents differ from the common rip currents on sandy shores. The differences are related to the steep bottom morphology of rocky shores, which does not adjust over time to incoming sea‐swell waves and has a much smaller geometric scale than rip current morphology for sandy shores; the different morphology results in different forcing mechanisms. In addition, the significantly greater bottom roughness of rocky shores enhances the forcing mechanism. These differences modify the wave transformation, bottom friction, and rip‐current response. Our field experiments describe the kinematics and dynamics of a rocky shore rip current. Key Points: Rocky‐shore rip‐current strength varies with sea swell and low‐frequency (LF) wave forcing, channel geometry and hypsometry, and tide elevationLF pulsations are a significant contribution to the rip currents and change from a reflective to dissipative process with tideIn contrast to rip currents on sandy beaches, retention on this rocky shore is low, augmenting cross‐shore transport [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores some problems in relation to certain processes of pleasure from an anthropological and political perspective, focusing on the social transformations that accompany, provoke or encourage these processes. Starting from different baths that the two authors have shared over the years, a journey is traced that focuses on bodies, parties, affective networks, memory, or the very contours of the investigation, to unravel some of the knotsthat appear when pleasure is placed at the center of the analysis. Based on the articles that make up this monograph on pleasures and desires in anthropology, to which this text gives entry, an attempt has been made to go beyond them to reveal other scenesthat do not appearin thisissue and that, however, are also crucial for the study of pleasure. In addition, it is a heterodox exercise of dialogical intimacy, which starts from affections, desire, pleasure and different dissidences, to also talk about those intersections between research, militancy and friendship networks that cross the itineraries of the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global political and economic agenda cycle of the 21st century, interest in the seas has spread rapidly. The security of maritime areas, which are central in issues such as transportation, global trade, natural resource reserves, and transfer, has also become a part of national and international security strategies, especially since the beginning of the 2000s. However, different perspectives on the concept of "maritime security" lead to the lack of a single definition of the concept. Therefore, the factors threatening the security in question should be mentioned differently. The absence of widely agreed upon maritime security threats both complicates global cooperation on maritime security and weakens the fight against these threats. Identifying the most serious and common threats to maritime security is essential for joint action in the fight against them. This study aims to carry out a comprehensive analysis in defining the concept of maritime security and to identify the most serious threats to maritime security in the 21st century. For this purpose, 21st-century maritime security threats have been determined within the scope of academic studies, strategy papers, military documents, and reports published by states and international organizations. Then, the severity levels of these threats were determined through the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) Method. As a result of the study, the three most important factors threatening maritime security in the 21st century are determined as climate change (with a significance level of 0.3169), marine pollution and environmental problems (with a significance level of 0.2104), and sea boundary disputes between states (with a severity level of 0.1783). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Sciences, Life & Applied Sciences is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) 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 Human Review is the property of Eagora Science 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.)

Purpose: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the most common type of scoliosis and the most complex deformity of the spine. The promising results of Schroth and Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS), among other methods of exercise therapy, have attracted the attention of many researchers and therapists. However, there is still vague evidence of their effectiveness and their superiority. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Schroth and SEAS exercises on correcting AIS. Methods: Searching was conducted in databases, including Cochrane, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2005 to December 2021 using keywords related to AIS. Inclusion criteria were the papers using Schroth and SEAS exercises as an intervention. The PEDro scale was used for evaluating the quality of the papers. Results: Ten papers with an average PEDro score of 6.2 were licensed to enter the study. Five Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) and one Clinical Controlled Trial (CCT) reported a significant reduction in Cobb Angle (CA) (greater than 5°) using the Schroth method (moderate). Moreover, two CCTs and one RCT indicated a significant reduction in CA (greater than 5°) using the SEAS method (limited). However, no paper was found for choosing superiority between Schroth and SEAS (no evidence). Conclusion: Although there is limited to moderate evidence in the studies, it seems that both Schroth and SEAS exercises were effective in improving AIS, which was more prominent in the study of the Schroth method. Nevertheless, accessing high-quality papers is necessary for achieving more accurate results in the future.

This study analyzed the characteristics of infragravity (hereafter IG) waves under a microtidal and swell-dominated wave climate based on the field observations collected in the nearshore waters (water depth: ∼ 13 m) of southern Sri Lanka. The main focus is on the dependence of nearshore IG waves on the incident short wave parameters, with particular attention to the influence of the short wave spectral shape on the IG wave characteristics. The observation results indicate that IG waves are primarily locally excited by incident swell wave energy, and accurate prediction of the IG wave height can be achieved using the parameter H S 2 T m − 1 , 0 , which represents the short wave energy flux. Bound IG wave energy is much smaller than the free IG wave under conventional sea states but becomes significant under high-energy swell sea states. Higher levels of IG wave energy are found to be forced under narrower spectral shapes and smaller directional spreading short wave conditions, and these conditions typically correspond to stronger coupling strengths in the bound IG wave theory. Compared to the single-peaked spectra wave condition, the forced IG wave energy decreases under the double-peaked spectra wave condition. This is likely mainly because the latter tends to have a broader spectrum and a larger directional spreading. On the other hand, under the narrow-banded spectral short wave conditions, IG wave energy is inclined to be distributed over a lower and smaller frequency range. This is noteworthy because lower-frequency IG waves tend to be more difficult to break. In addition, the bound IG wave energy was found to increase at low tide, but for the intermediate water depths in which the observation site is located in this study, the influence of the small tidal range in the study area on the IG wave energy was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two species of Leodamas (Annelida, Orbiniidae) from China seas are described based on both material of the Marine Biological Museum (Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao), and newly collected specimens. Leodamas robustus sp. n. is characterized by having uncini arranged in two short rows, anterior row with 3–5 uncini, increasing in size, with uncini on posterior chaetigers thicker, heavier and more curved than those on precedent chaetigers; posterior row with 2–5 uncini, thin and delicate, nearly the same size on all chaetigers, with 2–3 thin capillaries dorsally to two rows of uncini. Leodamas weizhouensis sp. n. is characterized by having delicate pocket-like membrane below and posterior to neuropodia, neuropodia of thoracic chaetigers with five dense rows of uncini. A key to all species of Leodamas from China seas is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As industry and commerce develop above the Earth's atmosphere, it is conceivable that we may see communities of people living and working in outer space before the end of this century. The space environment presents serious challenges for workers: it is instantaneously lethal; remote from the international community and regulatory bodies; and any oversight or enforcement of existing labor law is extremely difficult. This article examines these challenges and explore two cases of developing labor law in similarly remote environments: the American frontier over the course of the 19th to early 20th centuries; and the modern high seas. The article suggests that the development and enforcement of a legal regime to protect workers in extreme frontier environments are characterized by a relative lack of compliance with regulation. Additionally, workers' ability to effectively organize, engage in dispute resolution, and dissent is diminished in a remote and dangerous context. Finally, the development of labor law in extreme environments is also influenced by the often-specialized nature of the work performed there. The article concludes that the environment of outer space is analogous to these cases, and thus pre-emptive legal measures will be needed to ensure the rights and dignity of workers as the space industry continues to develop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synoptic dynamics leading to the longest wet spells in Europe are so far poorly investigated despite these events' potentially large societal impacts. Here we examine the role of cyclones and potential vorticity (PV) cutoffs for unusually long wet spells in Europe, defined as the 20 longest uninterrupted periods with at least 5 mm daily accumulated precipitation at each ERA-Interim grid point in Europe (this set of spells is hereafter referred to as S20). The S20 occur predominantly in summer over the eastern continent, in winter over the North Atlantic, in winter or fall over the Atlantic coast, and in fall over the Mediterranean and European inland seas. Four case studies reveal distinct archetypal synoptic storylines for long wet spells: (a) a 7 d wet spell near Moscow, Russia, is associated with a single slow-moving cutoff–cyclone couple; (b) a 15 d wet spell in Norway features a total of nine rapidly passing extratropical cyclones and illustrates serial cyclone clustering as a second storyline; (c) a 12 d wet spell in Tuscany, Italy, is associated with a single but very large cutoff complex, which is replenished multiple times by a sequence of recurrent anticyclonic wave breaking events over the North Atlantic and western Europe; and (d) a 17 d wet spell in the Balkans features intermittent periods of diurnal convection in an environment of weak synoptic forcing and recurrent passages of cutoffs and thus also highlights the role of diurnal convection for long wet spells over land. A systematic analysis of cyclone and cutoff occurrences during the S20 across Europe reveals considerable spatial variability in their respective role for the S20. For instance, cyclones are present anywhere between 10 % and 90 % and cutoffs between 20 % and 70 % of the S20 time steps, depending on the geographical region. However, overall both cyclones and cutoffs appear in a larger number and at a higher rate during the S20 compared to climatology. Furthermore, in the Mediterranean, cutoffs and cyclones are significantly more persistent during the S20 compared to climatology. Our study thus documents for the first time the palette of synoptic storylines accompanying unusually long wet spells across Europe, which is a prerequisite for developing an understanding of how these events might change in a warming climate and for evaluating the ability of climate models to realistically simulate the synoptic processes relevant to these events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Al-Frahids Arts 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.)

The central Mediterranean today marks one of the most active and dangerous routes for sea crossings to Europe, due in no small part to border regimes designed to prevent the mobilities that have defined these waters from earliest antiquity. This article considers initial results of fieldwork undertaken to document and make visible the material culture of contemporary vessels used to carry forced and undocumented migrants to southeast Sicily over the past decade. These former fishing craft reveal structural and spatial adaptations to facilitate a different traffic, reflected also in items left behind when the boats were intercepted. Archaeology helps to embed these journeys within long-term frameworks of connectivity and to situate their ephemeral traces alongside more traditional notions of Mediterranean maritime heritage. In a region that celebrates its deep connections to the sea, care for the materiality of these contemporary mobilities foregrounds human experiences, while serving goals of advocacy, empowerment, and social justice amid global change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Until today, the worst shipwreck in maritime history is the famous catastrophe of the Roman fleet near Sicily. After the defeat of the Roman army in the battle against Carthage, the Roman fleet with about 400 ships embarked the fugitives. The Carthaginian fleet tried to destroy the remaining part of the defeated Roman forces, but was repulsed in the battle near the African coast, losing 114 warships. The Roman fleet set out to transport its army to Sicily, but the suffering was not over yet, as the hardest blow occurred when the fleet almost reached its destination, sailing along the southern coast of Sicily, when a storm came. The storm was of a hurricane force, the waves hit the ships, breaking masts, sails, oars, and the hulls of the ships were broken and the ships fell apart and sank. At that time, 280 ships sank in the storm, and about 100,000 people disappeared forever in the waves. It was the worst shipwreck in the entire history of shipping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) is the most common type of scoliosis and the most complex deformity of the spine. The promising results of Schroth and Scientific Exercise Approach to Scoliosis (SEAS), among other methods of exercise therapy, have attracted the attention of many researchers and therapists. However, there is still vague evidence of their effectiveness and their superiority. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Schroth and SEAS exercises on correcting AIS. Methods: Searching was conducted in databases, including Cochrane, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar from 2005 to December 2021 using keywords related to AIS. Inclusion criteria were the papers using Schroth and SEAS exercises as an intervention. The PEDro scale was used for evaluating the quality of the papers. Results: Ten papers with an average PEDro score of 6.2 were licensed to enter the study. Five Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) and one Clinical Controlled Trial (CCT) reported a significant reduction in Cobb Angle (CA) (greater than 5°) using the Schroth method (moderate). Moreover, two CCTs and one RCT indicated a significant reduction in CA (greater than 5°) using the SEAS method (limited). However, no paper was found for choosing superiority between Schroth and SEAS (no evidence). Conclusion: Although there is limited to moderate evidence in the studies, it seems that both Schroth and SEAS exercises were effective in improving AIS, which was more prominent in the study of the Schroth method. Nevertheless, accessing high-quality papers is necessary for achieving more accurate results in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista AUS is the property of Revista AUS 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.)

Articulating landing gear that use closed-loop feedback control are proven to expand the landing capabilities of rotorcraft on sloped and rough terrain. These systems are commonly referred to as robotic landing gear (RLG). Modern RLG systems have limitations for landing on dynamic platforms because their controllers do not incorporate fuselage roll and roll rate feedback. This work presents a proven crashworthy cable-driven RLG system for the commercial S-100 Camcopter that expands static landing zone limits by a factor of three and enables dynamic platform landings in rough sea state (SS) conditions. A new roll and foot-force feedback fused control algorithm is developed to enable ship deck landings of an RLG equipped S-100 without the need for deck lock or advanced vision-based landing systems. Multibody dynamic simulations of the aircraft, landing gear, and new control system show the benefits of this combined roll and force feedback approach. Results include experimental dynamic landings on platforms rolling under sinusoidal motion and simulated SS conditions. The experiments demonstrate, in a limited fashion, the usability of the RLG through ground experimentation, and the results are compared to simulations. Additional simulations of landings of the S-100 with rigid and active landing gear with more challenging landing conditions than experimentally tested are presented. Such results aid in understanding how RLG with this new roll and contact force fused controller prevent dynamic rollover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vast pain of Marguerite Duras' traumatic past occupies many of her texts. Meyer analyzes the Holocaust's effect on Duras' representation of space, place, and memory in La Douleur (1984) in dialogue with Les Cahiers de la Guerre (2006), her novel Le Ravissement de Lol V. Stein (1964) and Finkiel's film (2017), The tension between trauma which erupts through her texts and memory narrated in often controlled ways seems inextricably linked to the earth (place and space). The mechanisms of trauma which erupts unconsciously through various voids in Duras and in her narrative differ from those of a more conscious manipulation of memory. This article interrogates how the contrast of closing the La Douleur with the expansive beach and endless horizon informs the cramped darkness of ditches, bodies, and domestic spaces which precede them. Is there control (or repression) operating here in an effort to contain trauma that functions differently in her fictive texts? How can the beaches of her fictional Le Ravissement de Lol V. Stein along with Duras' mother's attempts to salvage the family property against the encroachment of the ocean which threatens the family's livelihood, marking the mother's madness in Un barrage contre le Pacifique (1950), help us to reconsider the ways Duras inscribes traumatic memory into her autobiographical texts? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Austral de Ciencias Sociales is the property of Facultad de Filosofia y Humanidades, Intituto de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad Austral de Chile 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.)

Unsupervised learning techniques, such as clustering and embedding, have been increasingly popular to cluster biomedical samples from high-dimensional biomedical data. Extracting clinical data or sample meta-data shared in common among biomedical samples of a given biological condition remains a major challenge. Here, we describe a powerful analytical method called Statistical Enrichment Analysis of Samples (SEAS) for interpreting clustered or embedded sample data from omics studies. The method derives its power by focusing on sample sets, i.e., groups of biological samples that were constructed for various purposes, e.g., manual curation of samples sharing specific characteristics or automated clusters generated by embedding sample omic profiles from multi-dimensional omics space. The samples in the sample set share common clinical measurements, which we refer to as “clinotypes,” such as age group, gender, treatment status, or survival days. We demonstrate how SEAS yields insights into biological data sets using glioblastoma (GBM) samples. Notably, when analyzing the combined The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)—patient-derived xenograft (PDX) data, SEAS allows approximating the different clinical outcomes of radiotherapy-treated PDX samples, which has not been solved by other tools. The result shows that SEAS may support the clinical decision. The SEAS tool is publicly available as a freely available software package at https://aimed-lab.shinyapps.io/SEAS/.