Search Results (1,151)

Since the 1980s, earlier European springs have led to the earlier arrival of migrant passerines. We predict that arrival is related to a suite of climate indices operating during the annual cycle (breeding, autumn migration, wintering, spring migration) in Europe and Africa over the year preceding arrival. The climate variables include the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Furthermore, because migrants arrive sequentially from different wintering areas across Africa, we predict that relationships with climate variables operating in different parts of Africa will change within the season. We tested this using daily ringing data at Bukowo, a spring stopover site on the Baltic coast. We calculated an Annual Anomaly (AA) of spring passage (26 March–15 May, 1982–2024) for four long-distance migrants (Blackcap, Lesser Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff). We decomposed the anomaly in two ways: into three independent main periods and nine overlapping periods. We used multiple regression to explore the relationships of the arrival of these species at Bukowo. We found sequential effects of climate indices. Bukowo is thus at a crossroads of populations arriving from different wintering regions. The drivers of phenological shifts in passage of wide-ranging species are related to climate indices encountered during breeding, wintering, and migration. Full article

Background/Objectives: The beneficial and multifaceted effects of Sideritis scardica Griseb. extracts are attributed to the presence of polyphenolic compounds, particularly phenolic acids. Methods: The research was carried out for S. scardica herb of different origins (Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Türkiye). Identification of compounds was performed using the HPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS method; phenolic acids and flavonoids were determined spectrophotometrically. The antioxidant activity of methanol extracts from studied herbs was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteu, DPPH, and FRAP methods, and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated using the broth microdilution method in accordance with the guidelines of the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST). Results: We demonstrated the presence 18–20 active compounds, depending on the origin of the raw material, with verbascoside being the predominant compound in all samples. The raw material was characterized by significant polyphenol content and high antioxidant activity. DPPH tests revealed the highest antioxidant activity, ranging from 86.5% to 87.9%, in samples from Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Türkiye, and the latter showed the strongest antimicrobial activity, particularly against Gram-positive pathogens and Candida spp. Conclusions: This research is the first report comparing the chemical composition and biological activity of S. scardica raw material of different origins. Our findings indicate that S. scardica herb extracts have significant phytotherapeutic potential, although this varies depending on the origin of the raw material, and point to the need for further research on this plant material, particularly in terms of the level of active compounds and their possible synergistic effects with conventional drugs, as well as the need for standardization. Full article

Amdoparvoviruses, encompassing the well-characterized Aleutian mink disease viruses (AMDV) as well as less investigated viruses infecting both captive and wild animals, are important carnivoran viruses that are significant pathogens in the mink farming industry. We investigated the molecular epidemiology of amdoparvoviruses among Danish wildlife. Spleen samples from 118 animals of seven carnivoran species were screened with a pan-amdoparvovirus PCR, and the identified viruses were molecularly characterized. In one of five European badgers (Meles meles), we identified an AMDV-3 strain whose ancestors were likely of farmed mink origin. This virus was last reported on a mink farm in 2002, demonstrating how farm-derived viruses have established themselves among wildlife. We also discovered and fully characterized a novel virus found in five of 81 (6.2%) foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and one of five badgers (20.0%), which we named fox and badger amdoparvovirus 1 (FBAV-1). FBAV-1 fulfills the criteria for classification as a novel species and phylogenetically is positioned as an intermediate between the North American and Eurasian amdoparvoviral clades. This study provides baseline data and expands our understanding of amdoparvoviral ecology. Further studies including more animals across diverse geographic areas are warranted to clarify amdoparvovirus epidemiology, spread, cross-species transmission, epidemic potential, and evolutionary paths. Full article

The intensifying global competition for cobalt resources and the increasing likelihood of trade decoupling and disruption are profoundly impacting the global energy transition. In a globalized trade environment, a decline in cobalt supply from exporting countries can spread through the trade network, negatively affecting demand countries. Quantitative analysis of the negative impacts of export supply declines in various countries can help identify early risks in the global supply chain, providing a scientific basis for energy security, industrial development, and policy responses. This study constructs a trade network using trade data on metal cobalt, cobalt powder, cobalt concentrate, and ore sand from the upstream (mining, selection, and smelting) stages of the cobalt industry chain across 155 countries and regions from 2000 to 2023. Based on this, an impact diffusion model is established, incorporating the trade volumes and production levels of cobalt resources in each country to measure their resilience to shocks and determine their direct or indirect dependencies. The study then simulates the impact on countries (regions) when each country’s supply is completely interrupted or reduced by 50%. The results show that: (1) The global cobalt trade network exhibits a ‘one superpower, multiple strong players’ characteristic. Congo (DRC) has a far greater destructive power than other countries, while South Africa, Zambia, Australia, Russia, and other countries have higher destructive power due to their strong storage and production capabilities, strong smelting capabilities, or as important trade transit countries. (2) The global cobalt trade network primarily consists of three major risk areas. The African continent, the Philippines and Indonesia in Southeast Asia, Australia in Oceania, and Russia, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom in Eurasia and North America form the primary risk zones for global cobalt trade. (3) When there is a complete disruption or a 50% reduction in export supply, China will suffer the greatest average demand loss, far exceeding the second-tier countries such as the United States, South Africa, and Zambia. In contrast, European countries and other regions worldwide will experience the smallest average demand loss. Full article

Echocardiography is the primary imaging modality for diagnosing cardiac disease in children, with quantitation largely based on nomograms. Over the past decade, significant efforts have been made to address the numerical and methodological limitations of earlier nomograms. As a result, robust and reliable pediatric echocardiographic nomograms are now available for most two-dimensional anatomical measurements, three-dimensional volumes, and strain parameters. These more recent nomograms are based on adequate sample sizes, strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, and rigorous statistical methodologies. They have demonstrated good reproducibility with minimal differences across different authors, establishing them as reliable diagnostic tools. Despite these advances, some limitations persist. Certain ethnic groups remain underrepresented, and data for preterm and low-weight infants are still limited. Most existing nomograms are derived from European and North American populations, with sparse data from Asia and very limited data from Africa and South America. Nomograms for preterm and low-weight infants are few and cover only selected cardiac structures. Although diastolic parameter nomograms are available, the data remain heterogeneous due to challenges in normalizing functional parameters according to age and body size. The accessibility of current nomograms has greatly improved with the development of online calculators and mobile applications. Ideally, integration of nomograms into echocardiographic machines and reporting systems should be pursued. Future studies are needed to develop broader, more comprehensive, and multi-ethnic nomograms, with better representation of preterm and low-weight populations, and to validate new parameters derived from emerging three- and four-dimensional echocardiographic techniques. Full article

Previous phylogeographic study of the root vole (Alexandromys oeconomus) revealed four mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages—North and Central European, North (=Central) Asian and Beringian. Three of them were studied in detail, while the North Asian lineage, which occupies the most extensive territory and is considered to be the place of origin for the species, was understudied. In the framework of the current study, we obtained 95 new sequences (34 localities) from the wide territory of Northern Asia and in total, examined 940 specimens from 181 localities throughout the species’ distribution range. The North Asian lineage was found to be more diverse than the Beringian and the European lineages. Southern Siberia and especially the Altai–Sayan region displayed the highest haplotype and nucleotide diversity, suggesting the region’s role as a genetic diversity hotspot. We suppose that the expansion of the North Asian lineage started from Western Transbaikalia. Its representatives colonised the territory from the Urals to the northern shore of the Okhotsk Sea, and then spread in the opposite direction, to Southern Siberia. As a result, a mixture of haplogroups is observed in the Altai–Sayan region. According to the BEAST analysis calibrated with the first A. oeconomus records, the MRCA of North Asian and Beringian lineages is dated back to ~0.82 Mya, and the first divergence within the North Asian lineage may have occurred ~0.6 Mya. When compared with colonisation times of other representatives of the Arvicolinae subfamily, our dating seems to be overestimated. In this regard, molecular data for dated fossil remains of the root vole are essential for subsequent studies. Full article

Renewable energy stands as a pivotal solution to environmental concerns, prompting substantial research and development endeavors to promote its adoption and enhance energy efficiency. Despite the recognized environmental superiority of renewable energy systems, there is a lack of globally standardized indicators specifically focused on renewable energy efficiency. This study aims to develop and apply a non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) indicator, termed the Renewable Energy Indicator (REI), to measure environmental performance at the national level and to identify differences in renewable energy efficiency across countries grouped by development status and income level. The REI incorporates new factors such as agricultural methane emissions (thousand metric tons of ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ equivalent), PM2.5 air pollution exposure (µg/m³), and aspects related to electricity, including consumption (as % of total final energy consumption), production from renewable sources, excluding hydroelectric (kWh), and accessibility in rural and urban areas (% of population with access), aligning with the emerging paradigm outlined by the United Nations. By segmenting the REI into global, developmental, and income group classifications, this study conducts the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis H tests to identify variations in renewable energy efficiency among different country groups. Our findings reveal top-performing countries globally, highlighting both developed (e.g., Sweden) and developing nations (e.g., Costa Rica, Sri Lanka). Central and North European countries demonstrate high efficiency, while those facing political and economic instability perform poorly. Agricultural-dependent nations like Australia and Argentina exhibit lower REI due to significant methane emissions. Disparities between developed and developing markets underscore the importance of understanding distinct socio-economic dynamics for effective policy formulation. Comparative analysis across income groups informs specific strategies tailored to each category. Full article

With a potentially increasing share of the electricity grid relying on wind to provide generating capacity and energy, there is an expanding global need for historically accurate, spatiotemporally continuous, high-resolution wind data. Conventional downscaling methods for generating these data based on numerical weather prediction have a high computational burden and require extensive tuning for historical accuracy. In this work, we present a novel deep learning-based spatiotemporal downscaling method using generative adversarial networks (GANs) for generating historically accurate high-resolution wind resource data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting Reanalysis version 5 data (ERA5). In contrast to previous approaches, which used coarsened high-resolution data as low-resolution training data, we use true low-resolution simulation outputs. We show that by training a GAN model with ERA5 as the low-resolution input and Wind Integration National Dataset Toolkit (WTK) data as the high-resolution target, we achieved results comparable in historical accuracy and spatiotemporal variability to conventional dynamical downscaling. This GAN-based downscaling method additionally reduces computational costs over dynamical downscaling by two orders of magnitude. We applied this approach to downscale 30 km, hourly ERA5 data to 2 km, 5 min wind data for January 2000 through December 2023 at multiple hub heights over Ukraine, Moldova, and part of Romania. With WTK coverage limited to North America from 2007–2013, this is a significant spatiotemporal generalization. The geographic extent centered on Ukraine was motivated by stakeholders and energy-planning needs to rebuild the Ukrainian power grid in a decentralized manner. This 24-year data record is the first member of the super-resolution for renewable energy resource data with wind from the reanalysis data dataset (Sup3rWind). Full article

The Ghris watershed in southern Morocco is a significant ecological and agricultural area. However, due to the current impacts of climate change, farming activities, and pollution, data on its quality and biological importance need to be updated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the physico-chemical and biological quality of surface water in the Ghris River. The Water Quality Index (WQI) and the Iberian Biological Monitoring Working Group (IBMWP) index were used to assess water quality along four sampling sites in 2024. The collected data were analyzed with descriptive and multivariate statistics. In total, 424 benthic macroinvertebrates belonging to seven orders were identified in the surface waters of the Ghris basin. These microfauna were significantly variable among the studied sites (p < 0.05). Station S4 is significantly rich in species, including seven orders and nine families of macroinvertebrates, followed by Station S2, with seven orders and eight families. Stations S3 and S1 showed less species diversity, with three orders and one family, respectively. The Insecta comprised 95.9% of the abundance, while the Crustacea constituted just 4.1%. The physico-chemical parameters significantly surpassed (p < 0.05) the specified norms of surface water in Morocco. This indicates a decline in the water quality of the studied sites. The findings of the principal component analysis (PCA) demonstrate that the top two axes explain 87% of the cumulative variation in the data. Stations 2 and 3 are closely associated with high concentrations of pollutants, notably Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻, and K⁺ ions. Dissolved oxygen (DO) showed a slight correlation with S2 and S3, while S4 was characterized by high COD and PO₄ concentrations, low levels of mineral components (except Cl⁻), and average temperature conditions. Bioindication scores for macroinvertebrate groups ranging from 1 to 10 enabled the assessment of pollution’s influence on aquatic biodiversity. The IBMWP biotic index indicated discrepancies in water quality across the sites. This study gives the first insight and updated data on the biological and chemical quality of surface water in the Ghris River and the entire aquatic ecosystem in southeast Morocco. These data are proposed as a reference for North African and Southern European rivers. However, more investigations are needed to evaluate the impacts of farming, mining, and urbanization on the surface and ground waters in the study zone. Similarly, it is vital to carry out additional research in arid and semi-arid zones since there is a paucity of understanding regarding taxonomic and functional diversity, as well as the physico-chemical factors impacting water quality. Full article

In a warming climate, rising temperature are expected to influence atmospheric humidity. This study examined the spatio-temporal dynamics of temperature (TEMP) and relative humidity (RH) across Equatorial Africa from 1980 to 2020. The analysis used RH data from European Centre of Medium-range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis v.5 (ERA5) reanalysis, TEMP and precipitation (PRE) from Climate Research Unit (CRU), and soil moisture (SM) and evapotranspiration (ET) from the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM). In addition, four teleconnection indices were considered: El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). This study used the Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s slope estimator to analyze trends, alongside multiple linear regression to investigate the relationships between TEMP, RH, and key climatic variables—namely evapotranspiration (ET), soil moisture (SM), and precipitation (PRE)—as well as large-scale teleconnection indices (e.g., IOD, ENSO, PDO, and NAO) on annual and seasonal scales. The key findings are as follows: (1) mean annual TEMP exceeding 30 °C and RH less than 30% were concentrated in arid regions of the Sahelian–Sudano belt in West Africa (WAF), Central Africa (CAF) and North East Africa (NEAF). Semi-arid regions in the Sahelian–Guinean belt recorded moderate TEMP (25–30 °C) and RH (30–60%), while the Guinean coastal belt and Congo Basin experienced cooler, more humid conditions (TEMP < 20 °C, RH (60–90%). (2) Trend analysis using Mann–Kendal and Sen slope estimator analysis revealed spatial heterogeneity, with increasing TEMP and deceasing RH trends varying by region and season. (3) The warming rate was higher in arid and semi-arid areas, with seasonal rates exceeding annual averages (0.18 °C decade⁻¹). Winter (0.27 °C decade⁻¹) and spring (0.20 °C decade⁻¹) exhibited the strongest warming, followed by autumn (0.18 °C decade⁻¹) and summer (0.10 °C decade⁻¹). (4) RH trends showed stronger seasonal decline compared to annual changes, with reduction ranging from 5 to 10% per decade in certain seasons, and about 2% per decade annually. (5) Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated a strong negative relationship between TEMP and RH with a correlation coefficient of r = − 0.60. (6) Significant associations were also observed between TEMP/RH and both climatic variables (ET, SM, PRE) and large scale-teleconnection indices (ENSO, IOD, PDO, NAO), indicating that surface conditions may reflect a combination of local response and remote climate influences. However, further analysis is needed to distinguish the extent to which local variability is independently driven versus being a response to large-scale forcing. Overall, this research highlights the physical mechanism linking TEMP and RH trends and their climatic drivers, offering insights into how these changes may impact different ecological and socio-economic sectors. Full article

Background: Understanding the multifactorial determinants of human longevity remains a major scientific challenge. Certain regions of the world—so-called “longevity hotspots”—exhibit a notably high prevalence of centenarians; one such region is the province of Ourense, in north-western Spain. Objectives: This study aimed to analyse, for the first time, the nutritional factors associated with healthy longevity among centenarians, as well as those linked to longevity irrespective of health status, in the province of Ourense. Methods: A cross-sectional, retrospective, observational, mixed-methods study was conducted. A population of 261 individuals aged 100 or over residing in Ourense was identified. A sample of 156 participants was included in the quantitative analysis; from this sample, 25 centenarians were selected for in-depth qualitative analysis through personal interviews. Results: Dietary patterns aligned with the Southern European Atlantic Diet (SEAD), combined with strong social bonds and a culture of self-sufficiency, appear to be key contributors to exceptional longevity in this population. Conclusions: Remarkable longevity in Ourense is associated with a combination of factors: adherence to an SEAD-style dietary pattern, an active and uncomplicated lifestyle, and strong social support networks. Full article

The Eastern Carpathians are thrust to the east and north over their Eastern European foreland, tectonically covering it over an area several hundred kilometers across. Information about the nature of the underthrust part of the Carpathian foreland can be obtained from the rock fragments preserved in the sedimentary successions of the Carpathian fold and thrust belt, specifically in the Outer Dacides and the Moldavides. Fragments of felsic rocks occurring within the sedimentary units of the Upper Cretaceous successions of the Moldavides have long been attributed to the Cuman Cordillera—an intrabasinal ridge in the Eastern Outer Carpathians. This work is the first complex geochemical and geochronological study on the exotic igneous clasts of the Cuman Cordillera. Igneous clasts from the southern part of the Moldavides (Variegated clay nappe/formation) are investigated here. They include mainly granites and rhyolites. Phaneritic rocks are composed of cumulus plagioclase, albite, amphibole and biotite, and intercumulus quartz and potassium feldspar, with apatite, magnetite, sphene, and zircon as main accessories, while the porphyritic rocks have a mineral assemblage similar to that mentioned above, displayed in a porphyritic texture with a usually crystallized groundmass. SHRIMP U-Pb zircon dating indicated the 583–597 Ma age interval for magma crystallization. Based on calcareous nannofossils, the depositional age of the investigated igneous clasts is Cenomanian to Maastrichtian, implying that the Cuman Cordillera was an emerged piece of land, herein an active source of sediments in the flysch basin for at least 40 Ma, from the Early Cretaceous (Aptian) to the Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian). The intrusive and subvolcanic rocks show similar trends for trace and major elements, evincing their comagmatic nature. The enrichment in LILE and LREE relative to HFSE and HREE, as well as the element anomalies (e.g., negative Nb, Ta, and Eu and positive Rb, Ba, K, and Pb) suggest a convergent continental plate margin tectonic setting. Mineral chemistry suggests magma crystallization in relatively oxic conditions (magnetite series), during ascent within a depth of 15 km to 5 km. The igneous rocks attributed to the Cuman ridge display compositional and geochronological features similar to Brno and Thaya batholiths in the Brunovistulian terrane, which could be a piece of the Carpathian foreland not covered by the Tertiary thrusts. Our data confirm the non-Carpathian origin of the igneous clasts, revealing a Neoproterozoic history of the Carpathian foreland units, which include a Cadomian/Pan-African continental arc, exposed mainly during the Late Cretaceous as an intrabasinal island of the Alpine Tethys, traditionally known as the Cuman Cordillera. Full article

The name Clavaria zollingeri Lév. is currently applied to striking violet species producing branched basidiomata and lacking clamp connections, two typical characteristics of the genus Clavaria Pers. Interestingly, as currently interpreted, C. zollingeri has been globally assessed as Vulnerable by the IUCN and is red-listed in several European countries. However, the type material of C. zollingeri, examined here, possesses clamp connections and should be referred to the genus Clavulinopsis Van Overeem. Thus, the name C. zollingeri is being misapplied. Based on the taxonomic revision of the specimens, along with morphological and molecular studies of the nrDNA ITS-LSU regions, three species differing in spore characters, basidial size and distribution are recognized. After our nomenclatural revision we conclude that one of the species should be named Clavaria amethystina (Holmsk.) Bull., characterized by ellipsoid spores and distribution in the Northern Hemisphere; the second C. lilacina Jungh., with subglobose spores and present in Eastern Asia and Oceania; whereas the third, also with subglobose spores and distributed in Europe and North America, is newly described as C. violaceopulchra. Clavaria orientalis is proposed to be a later synonym of C. lilacina. Nine type specimens were examined, the name C. amethystina is typified and the combination of C. zollingeri in Clavulinopsis is proposed. Full article

Background: Penile cancer is an uncommon malignancy in European and North America countries, accounting for less than 1% of malignant neoplasms. The etiology of penile cancer involves a complex interplay of clinical and behavioral factors, including phimosis, smoking, excess body weight, and HPV infection. The significance of these factors varies according to geographical and socioeconomic contexts. A comprehensive understanding of these interactions is essential for developing targeted prevention strategies and improving outcomes across diverse populations. However, the majority of existing studies originate from South America or Africa; there is a lack of data regarding these associations and prognoses in European populations, particularly in Central Europe, including Poland. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of well-established clinical and behavioral characteristics associated with penile cancer and their influence on penile cancer prognosis in a cohort of 153 patients who underwent surgical intervention at a single tertiary medical center in Central Europe. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted from October 2011 to October 2024 at a single tertiary medical center and included 153 patients who underwent surgical treatment for penile cancer during this period. Demographic and histopathological data were collected. A comprehensive, self-administered patient survey was conducted to identify the presence of potentially relevant clinical and lifestyle characteristics. Moreover, the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) in penile cancer specimens was determined using p16 immunohistochemistry. Results: The median age of the participants in the study was 64 years (range: 30–87). The predominant identified features were phimosis (47.06%), residence in small agglomerations (43.14%), obesity (43.14%), overweight (40.52%), and smoking (38.56%). HPV infection was detected in only 14.38% of the patients. Phimosis was associated with a more locally advanced penile cancer stage (T-stage). The stage of the primary tumor, lymph node involvement, and histopathological grading significantly affected patient survival, with a poorer prognosis observed in more advanced stages and associated with poorly differentiated histopathological features. Among all the examined clinical and lifestyle characteristics, only smoking demonstrated a significant two-fold higher risk of mortality and was associated with a significantly lower overall survival compared to the absence of smoking (p = 0.047). Conversely, human papillomavirus (HPV) infection was associated with a six-fold reduction in the risk of death (p = 0.063). Conclusions: Phimosis was the most frequently observed clinical characteristic in our cohort study and was correlated with a more advanced penile cancer tumor stage. Smoking was associated with lower rates of patient survival, while HPV-positive patients demonstrated a trend toward lower mortality compared to HPV-negative patients. Full article

Aquaculture has become a crucial component of global food production, yet catfish (10.8% of global finfish production) breeding programs often lack sufficient genetic data to fully utilize their production potential. In the last 15 years, there have been improvements in this field as two high-density (HD) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays (250K and 690K) and low-density panels have been developed for North American channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus). This lack of genomic tools hinders genetic improvement efforts in other commercially relevant catfish species besides them. Therefore, this review investigated the reason behind the lack of SNP chip usage in genetic-based selections in most catfish breeding programs and the cross-species applicability of the already existing high-density SNP arrays for genotyping members of the Clariidae, African catfish (Clarias gariepinu), and Siluridae, European catfish (Silurus glanis), families. This paper systematically reviews the literature of more than 16 SNP arrays, with 66 non-target species, and assesses the possibility of adapting catfish SNP arrays to the catfish families of interest. With lowered filtering (e.g., MAF > 0) thresholds, the Affymetrix Axiom 250K and Axiom Catfish 690K Genotyping Array could potentially be used on important market species like African and European catfishes. In the long term, chip development would be the solution for these species, but, until then, cross-application is a viable alternative. Despite low polymorphic SNPs (~1%) and call rates (~0%), this SNP array could aid researchers and breeders, improving catfish aquaculture and management. Full article