Huinan Kang, Yunsen Hu, Sakdirat Kaewunruen
et al.
Geometric and mechanical analyses were performed on 82 selenium-rich eggs, which underwent hydrostatic testing as 2 raw eggs, 60 steamed eggs, and 20 emptied eggshells. By analyzing the geometric and mechanical properties of the egg, we can draw inspiration from its structural design to create a pressure shell capable of effectively withstanding the immense water pressure in deep-sea environments. The major axis, minor axis, egg-shape coefficient, weight, thickness, volume, superficial area, and ultimate compressive strength were measured, and their correlations were analyzed. The thickness, egg-shape coefficient, and ultimate compressive strength were normally distributed, and many parameters were strongly correlated. Moreover, finite element analysis was conducted to evaluate the compressive resistance of egg-like pressure shells made from different materials, including metal, ceramic, resin, and selenium-enriched eggshell materials. The performance ratio of the ceramic shells was 2.6 times higher than that of eggshells, and eggshells outperformed metal and resin shells by factors of 2.14 and 4.49, respectively. The eggshells had excellent compression resistance. These findings offer novel insights into the design and optimization of egg-like pressure shells.
Joel Victor Dossa, Chiagoziem C. Ukwuoma, Dara Thomas
et al.
This study investigates the nexus between ESG disclosure and firm performance using advanced machine learning models (MLs) to capture complex, non-linear interactions. Analyzing data from Chinese A-share firms (2012–2022), it employs Explainable AI (XAI) tools such as SHAP, heat maps, and Williams plots to enhance model transparency and interpretability. Among several models, the Extra Trees model demonstrated the best predictive performance, revealing that ESG disclosure positively correlates with firm performance, with environmental disclosure exerting the strongest influence. Policymakers are urged to promote standardized, transparent ESG disclosures, particularly focusing on environmental practices while addressing greenwashing to enhance credibility. Investors can prioritize firms with strong environmental practices and use predictive models to refine decision-making. Corporate managers are encouraged to embed sustainability into long-term strategies and utilize ML techniques for improved governance. The study contributes by showcasing the utility of MLs in exploring ESG-performance relationships, offering actionable insights for stakeholders, and providing a foundation for future research. Researchers are encouraged to investigate non-linear ESG impacts across diverse contexts, using broader samples and incorporating market-based measures and ESG rating agencies to improve generalizability. This approach advances understanding of ESG's role in driving firm performance while addressing methodological gaps.
Ashley E. Stanek, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Michael P. Carey
et al.
Abstract Climate change alters the sources and age of carbon in Arctic food webs by fostering the release of older carbon from degrading permafrost. Radiocarbon (14C) traces carbon sources and age, but data before rapid warming are rare and limit assessments over time. We capitalized on 14C data collected ~ 40 years ago that used fish as natural samplers by resampling the same species today. Among resampled fish, those using freshwater food webs had the oldest 14C ages (> 1000 yr BP), while those using marine food webs had the youngest 14C ages (near modern). One migratory species encompassed the entire range of 14C ages because juveniles fed in freshwater streams and adults fed in offshore marine habitats. Over ~ 40 yr, average 14C ages of freshwater and marine feeding fish shifted closer to atmospheric values, suggesting a potential influence from “greening of the Arctic.”
The purpose of this research is to explore the values of local wisdom reflected in the stories, which include aspects of Pacitan community life such as religious system or religious ceremonies, community system, knowledge system, language, art, livelihood system, and tool system. The research method used is qualitative with a literary anthropology approach. The data were obtained through the data collection technique of listening and recording of quotations or sentences contained in the book “Kumpulan Cerita dari Kota 1001 Goa”. The analysis was carried out by dividing the data based on the identified local wisdom and then analyzing through description and interpretation of the research data. The results showed the existence of seven elements of local wisdom in the collection of stories, namely 9 data on religious systems and religious ceremonies, 3 data on community systems, 5 data on knowledge systems, 3 data on language, 4 data on art, 4 data on livelihood systems, and 8 data on tool systems. The existence of these seven elements is reflected in “Kumpulan Cerita dari Kota 1001 Goa” and can be revealed through an anthropology of literature approach.
Hnin Wai Lwin Myo, Akiko S Hosler, Lawrence M Schell
et al.
Abstract
Objective:
The Burmese population is one of the fast-growing refugee populations in the USA. This study investigated behavioural and environmental factors associated with fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among Burmese refugees.
Design:
We conducted a cross-sectional interview survey in 2018–2019. The 24-h recall was used to assess dietary behaviour. Multivariable logistic regression models were constructed with meeting the daily FV consumption recommendation (two or more servings of fruits and three or more servings of vegetables) as the outcome variable. We selected socio-economics, nutritional knowledge, food shopping frequency, ethnicity of preferred food store owners, perceived neighbourhood food environment and network distance to preferred food stores as potential explanatory variables.
Setting:
Two Upstate New York counties.
Participants:
Burmese refugees (n 173) aged ≥18 years.
Results:
Forty-five percentage of respondents met the daily FV consumption recommendation, and nearly all respondents identified ethnic (Burmese, Chinese/pan-Asian, or South Asian/halal) stores as their preferred stores to purchase FV. In the best-fit model, age (OR 1·08, 95 % CI (1·04, 1·12)) and shopping frequency (OR 1·51, 95 % CI (1·01, 2·26)) were positively associated, and network distance to preferred stores in kilometres (OR 0·81, 95 % CI (0·73, 0·90)) was negatively associated with meeting the daily FV consumption recommendation. No significant effect modifications by car ownership, poverty, length of stay in the USA and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program participation were detected.
Conclusions:
The findings suggested that having Asian ethnic food stores within a short, walkable distance from home and shopping at these stores often can promote healthy dietary behaviour among Burmese refugees.
Public aspects of medicine, Nutritional diseases. Deficiency diseases
Lestari Juniawati Ani, Edi Nugroho Lukito, Insap Santosa Paulus
The implementation of the smart city concept in Indonesia has become a necessity and is no longer an option, but a necessity. Indeed, the complexity of the problems facing the government is very high and requires smart solutions. As a form of supporting local governments in Indonesia in developing smart city master plans, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics of the Republic of Indonesia in 2017 launched the "Movement Towards 100 Smart Cities" program. During the implementation of the program, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics has compiled a guidebook that was used by local governments. However, the guidebook is considered unable to accommodate all the needs of local governments to develop smart city master plans. This research aims to identify the synchronization between RPJMD and smart city master plans in Indonesia by using literature analysis and document analysis methods that aim to facilitate local governments in preparing smart city master plans. The analysis results show a link between the RPJMD document and the smart city master plan based on the mapping carried out on the RPJMD document which has previously been prepared as a regional development planning document.
Maria B. Nosova, Elena D. Lapshina, Alexander A. Notov
et al.
The Korotovskoe mire in the National Park «State complex “Zavidovo”» is the only mire massif in the Moscow Region (Russia) where the postglacial relict complex of vascular plants (e.g. Betula humilis, Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinum, Saxifraga hirculus, Trichophorum alpinum) and mosses (e.g. Cinclidium stygium, Drepanocladus trifarius, Hamatocaulis vernicosus, Meesia triquetra, Paludella squarrosa, Scorpidium scorpioides, S. cossonii, Tomentypnum nitens) is maximally saved. This complex is typical for spring fens. We studied the main stages of the mire development during the last 10 000 years using the analysis of macroremains and radiocarbon analysis. It was shown that despite the instability of the water regime on the mire, minerotrophic mosses were found in the most peat layers. This fact confirms the stability of mineral water inflow during the early and middle Holocene. Meesia triquetra and Drepanocladus trifarius live on the mire since the Boreal period. During the Atlantic and Subboreal period (when the mire surface dried out) there was a very slow peat deposition and the mire was covered by trees, together with a decrease in minerotrophic mosses in the vegetation cover. Scorpidium cossonii, Hamatocaulis vernicosus and Drepanocladus sendtnerii emerge during peat deposits in the Subboreal period after the water regime restoration and the returning of swamp conditions. In the last 2000 years, the surface of the mire was covered by Sphagnum mosses. During the meso-oligotrophic stage of the mire development, mosses demanding a rich mineralisation remained in other parts of the mire, where conditions of rich mineral nutrition lasted longer. Limiting factors of this moss complex during the early and middle Holocene were light and level of mire waters, whereas, in the late Holocene, it was oligotrophisation of the upper peat layers because of a rapid deposition of organic matter. The complex of relict minerotrophic mosses currently existing on mires in the centre of European Russia can be considered as relicts of the glacial time, and, at the same time, as relicts of spring fens, which were more widespread in the early and middle Holocene and gradually having lost their importance as a result of autogenic succession. The obtained data indicate the great nature conservation value of the Korotovskoe mire massif.
Water quality is affected by croplands. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), where farmers convert croplands to natural land cover (e.g., trees), is expected to improve water quality. However, whether such improvements are achieved alongside cropland area change has not been verified at river-basin scales, due to challenges in large scale observations. Therefore, aiming to quantify the relationship between CRP enrollment, cropland area, and the downstream water quality, we propose an approach that combines archived survey data, water quality monitoring data (total nitrogen content, TN), and remote sensing observations. By constructing the long-term datasets (1999–2014 annually) in Google Earth Engine and conducting multiple linear regression, we explained 79% variation in TN by the area of total CRP enrollment (CRP_all), area of corn and soybeans croplands, and discharge. Moreover, 78% is explained if we consider only water quality targeted conservation practices (CRP_WQ). Our results indicate significant positive correlation between CRP enrollment (both CRP_all and CRP_WQ) and the downstream water quality. Nevertheless, it should be noted that correlation does not necessarily represent causation. While this pioneer effort of quantifying impacts of the CRP on water quality from large scale observations has achieved some success, we call for more research to expand the spatial and/or temporal scales and consider more water quality variables, so as to further enhance our understanding of the coupled natural-and-human system.
Ensuring the uninterrupted production of electric and thermal energy is a priority in the generating equipment operation. Nowadays the management of the equipment state at most of Russia’s energy enterprises is based on a system of scheduled preventive maintenance. This system does not allow taking into account the economic component of technological impacts, which, in turn, leads either to “under maintenance” or to “over-servicing” of equipment. All energy companies are faced with the task of optimizing equipment costs, while ensuring the required level of reliability. To solve this problem, production asset management systems are used. The main task of managing production assets is to ensure a balance between equipment costs and the risks of its failure. The result of the implementation of asset management systems is the formation of balanced plans for repairs, replacements, upgrades and maintenance of equipment.
Peter Waweru Wangai, Benjamin Burkhard, Felix Müller
Recent scientific developments are advancing to link land use and land cover (LULC) change with ecosystem service (ES) potentials. Such links within peri-urban ecosystems are scanty due to methodological and expertise challenge, and data limitation. The study applies the ‘ES matrix approach’ to spatially display potentials for regulating ES in mainly overlooked data-scarce peri-urban areas, whereby LULC classes and qualitative ES values are the main data inputs. The LULC maps are based on LANDSAT satellite images from the years 1990, 2000 and 2010. ES potentials were assessed qualitatively on a relative scale ranging between 0 and 5 by use of interview data from local people. Results show that with exception of settlements, the area for all LULC classes decreased between 1990 and 2010. The ‘matrix approach’ successfully generated ES potential maps for the different LULC classes. Grasslands, forests and wetlands have comparatively high potentials for regulating ES, whereas settlements and ‘otherlands’ showed lower potentials. The main uncertainties of the study relate to study area selection, data accuracy and reliability, and ‘matrix approach’ adaptability. Results indicate that the potential of the area to provide regulating ES is declining over time. To realize suitable and reliable results, it is necessary to conduct data accuracy-check during and after the fieldwork exercise.
Human ecology. Anthropogeography, Environmental sciences
This study handles one of the key questions of network operators: How can the remaining life time of underground power cables be estimated? The answer to this question is explained by a new method of KEPCO Korea. When combining VLF Tan Delta (TD) and Partial Discharge (PD) diagnostic it is possible to identify and localize weak individual spots along a cable. After weak spots are cleared, the general aging condition of the cable can be evaluated and the Remaining Life Time can be estimated. The implementation of this approach in the KEPCO Distribution Networks is illustrated in a practical case study. A new tool for asset managers is available and it is expected that it will help to further develop the preventive maintenance approach by power utilities all around the world.
Our contribution highlights for the first time the French cleric João Pedro Gay (1815-1891) as a leading figure of Guaraní linguistic research in the nineteenth century. We are basing our analysis on a poem in Guarani copied by his hand from the local newspaper Eco de Corrientes in 1867. This poem is in itself a still unknown valuable source for XIX century Correntinean Guarani and represents a part of a larger legacy of Gay as researcher of the Guarani language. We contextualize the poem in its historical and sociolinguistic framework taking into account the specific situation in Argentine during the War of The Triple Alliance and its underlying linguistic ideologies. We conclude defining Gay’s copy of the poem as part of an important linguistic contribution enabling us to acquire an outstanding and comprehensive knowledge about the history of Guarani varieties in this region.
Anthropology, Ethnology. Social and cultural anthropology
The objective of this paper is to present a framework for assessing climate
impacts on future low flows that combines different sources of information,
termed pillars. To illustrate the framework three pillars are chosen: (a) extrapolation of observed low-flow trends into the
future,
(b) rainfall–runoff projections based on climate scenarios and (c) extrapolation of
changing stochastic rainfall characteristics into the future combined with
rainfall–runoff modelling. Alternative pillars could be included in the
overall framework. The three pillars are combined by expert judgement based
on a synoptic view of data, model outputs and process reasoning. The
consistency/inconsistency between the pillars is considered an indicator of
the certainty/uncertainty of the projections. The viability of the framework
is illustrated for four example catchments from Austria that represent
typical climate conditions in central Europe. In the Alpine region where
winter low flows dominate, trend projections and climate scenarios yield
consistently increasing low flows, although of different magnitudes. In the
region north of the Alps, consistently small changes are projected by all
methods. In the regions in the south and south-east, more pronounced and
mostly decreasing trends are projected but there is disagreement in the
magnitudes of the projected changes. The process reasons for the consistencies/inconsistencies are discussed. For an Alpine region such as
Austria the key to understanding low flows is whether they are controlled by
freezing and snowmelt processes, or by the summer moisture deficit
associated with evaporation. It is argued that the three-pillar approach
offers a systematic framework of combining different sources of information
aimed at more robust projections than that obtained from each pillar alone.
André Luiz Nascentes Coelho, Wesley de Souza Campos Correa
<p>Este trabalho tem como objetivo, contribuir na difusão e operacionalização das geotecnologias, apresentando <br />os algoritmos para obtenção de temperatura da superfície horizontal Celsius na faixa infravermelho termal do <br />sensor TIRS/Landsat-8, banda 10. A aplicação das equações proporcionou não só identificar os maiores <br />percentuais de temperatura de superfície, em diferentes escalas espaciais, como também, definir o perfil do <br />campo térmico em distintas texturas. Além disso, foi possível comparar, em imagens, a melhoria da resolução <br />espacial do canal infravermelho termal Landsat-8 em relação ao Landsat-5. Tal metodologia possibilita a <br />aplicação em outros intervalos de datas e locais distintos, contribuindo nas pesquisas e no auxílio detomadas <br />de decisões.</p>