Search Results (783)

Climate and land-use change are shifting the spatial distribution and habitat suitability of many plant species, particularly those with narrow ecological niches and limited ranges. Dracaena cochinchinensis (Lour.) S.C.Chen is a medicinally important and nationally protected plant species distributed in tropical and subtropical southern China. Predicting its habitat suitability under current and future climate scenarios is essential for understanding its responses to environmental change and guiding conservation and resource management. In this study, an optimized maximum entropy model was used to predict the current habitat suitability of D. cochinchinensis in China and to assess changes in habitat suitability under future climate scenarios in the 2090s. The model showed reliable predictive performance for estimating species distribution. Under current conditions, suitable habitats were concentrated in southern China, particularly southern Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hainan, Taiwan, and parts of Fujian, covering 23.93 × 10⁴ km² (8.31% of the study area). Mean temperature of the driest quarter (Bio9), temperature annual range (Bio7), and precipitation seasonality (Bio15) were the dominant predictors, highlighting the importance of thermal conditions in shaping species distribution, whereas lithology (Lith) and soil type (ST) were the major non-climatic contributors influencing habitat suitability. Under future scenarios, suitable habitats showed spatial redistribution rather than uniform expansion or contraction. The spatial comparison among future scenarios identified stable habitats in the central and southwestern parts of Hainan Island, south-central Yunnan, and western Guangxi, with habitat losses mainly occurring in coastal South China and limited expansion in southwestern regions. Habitat centroid shifts were scenario dependent, with an eastward shift under SSP1-2.6 and northwestward shifts under SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5, with migration distances ranging from 60.09 to 165.77 km. These results indicate that climate change may substantially reorganize the distribution pattern of D. cochinchinensis in southern China. Therefore, future conservation planning should prioritize current high-suitability areas, potential macroclimatically stable areas, and emerging suitable habitats to support long-term preservation and sustainable utilization of nationally protected medicinal species. Full article

The Taiwan loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus ssp. Taiwan) is a popular cultured fish in southern China due to its rich nutritional content and rapid growth. Oxidative stress and homeostatic imbalance induced by low temperature are among the key factors restricting its large-scale aquaculture. Therefore, it is of great significance to investigate the oxidative stress damage and the adaptive mechanisms employed by this species in response to low temperature. In this study, the water temperature was lowered from 24 °C to 8 °C at a rate of 2 °C/h. Afterwards, the temperature was held at 8 °C for two durations: 12 h and 48 h. Antioxidant indices indicated that the Taiwan loach suffered from oxidative stress damage at the 12 h stage, but the antioxidant enzyme defense system was not fully activated. As the cold stress extended to 48 h, the activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) increased significantly (p < 0.01). Histological observations revealed that the livers exhibited cellular vacuolation, sinusoid congestion and karyolysis under cold stress. Transcriptomic data revealed that the Taiwan loach underwent adaptive alterations in response to low temperature through diverse pathways. We speculate that, at low temperature, the Taiwan loach may, on the one hand, regulate lipid metabolism to maintain cell membrane fluidity and meet energy demands, and, on the other hand, reprogram protein synthesis and processing to avert the overaccumulation of misfolded proteins. In addition, it also adopts a strategy of lysine and polyamine accumulation. This study provides a novel theoretical basis for breeding cold-tolerant varieties of Taiwan loach and optimizing overwintering aquaculture management. Full article

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is a global concern, but its prevalence in critically ill patients in high-sunlight tropical regions is limited. This study evaluated the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in intensive care unit (ICU) patients in southern Taiwan and identified which variables correlate with deficiency and in-hospital mortality. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 221 critically ill patients, categorizing them by serum 25(OH)D levels as follows: Group A (sufficient, ≥30 ng/mL), Group B (insufficient, 20.0–29.9 ng/mL), and Group C (deficient, ≤19.9 ng/mL). Clinical variables, laboratory parameters, and outcomes were analyzed. Results: Despite the tropical climate, 33.5% of patients were vitamin D-deficient, and 47.1% were insufficient. Group C patients were significantly younger than other groups (p = 0.049). Significant differences between Groups C and A were observed in ICU length of stay (p = 0.036) and total hospital stay (p = 0.004). Multivariable analysis confirmed that only younger age (OR 0.968, p = 0.008) and low albumin level (OR 0.171, p < 0.001) were independently associated with vitamin D deficiency. Only serum albumin (p = 0.001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p = 0.015) were significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among critically ill patients in southern Taiwan, challenging the assumption that tropical ultraviolet exposure is naturally protective. Younger age and hypoalbuminemia are independent predictors of vitamin D deficiency. However, vitamin D levels were not independently associated with in-hospital mortality, which was instead predicted by albumin and CRP levels. These findings highlight a high rate of hypovitaminosis D in ICU but do not support its role as an independent predictor of mortality. Full article

Accurate delineation of current landslide extent is important for hazard assessment, sustainable watershed management, and disaster risk reduction in tectonically active mountainous regions. This study presents a pilot machine learning framework for pixel-level landslide classification in the Laonung (Laonong) Creek Watershed, southern Taiwan, using very high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) derivatives and SPOT-6 multispectral imagery. Thirteen geomorphometric and spectral features, including slope, curvature, and six spectral indices derived from SPOT-6 bands, were extracted from 96 landslide-containing tiles within a pilot subregion of the watershed; no landslide-free tiles were included in model training or evaluation. Landslide annotations followed a geomorphic-unit delineation protocol in which optical imagery provided the primary evidence of current activity and DEM-derived hillshade supported boundary refinement. Three classifiers were evaluated using column-quartile spatially blocked four-fold cross-validation, with each fold comprising a geographically contiguous range of columns, to reduce spatial leakage: logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and XGBoost. All three models substantially outperformed the no-skill baseline for the resampled evaluation dataset (average precision, AP $=0.250$), achieving mean AP values of $0.854\pm 0.040$, $0.858\pm 0.033$, and $0.846\pm 0.035$ for LR, RF, and XGBoost, respectively. The convergence of linear and nonlinear model performance suggests that the dominant discriminatory signal is largely captured by relatively simple spectral and topographic predictors within this pilot dataset, rather than reflecting a general property of landslide classification. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis across all four spatial folds identified SPOT-6 Band 3 (Red) as the dominant predictor in every fold, with NDVI a robust secondary predictor, consistent with the spectral characteristics of fresh bare-soil landslide surfaces and with the optical cues used in the annotation protocol. The results are interpreted in the context of the pilot dataset’s limited spatial extent, the resampled class distribution used for model evaluation, and unquantified label uncertainty. This study provides a transferable methodological baseline for future, larger-scale landslide classification analysis in the Laonung Creek Watershed and highlights the potential contribution of spatially explicit landslide mapping to sustainability-oriented disaster management. Full article

Anaplasma platys was recognized as a zoonotic pathogen for canine and human infections. However, there is no confirmed evidence demonstrating the existence of A. platys within hard ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato) infesting dogs in Southern Taiwan. We conducted a field survey for the detection of Anaplasma infection by screening the R. sanguineus s. l. ticks collected from dogs. Molecular detection was performed via a nested-PCR assay targeting the 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasma. Phylogenetic analyses were performed via neighbor-joining against maximum parsimony methods. The genetic relatedness was analyzed via pairwise distance calculation, using the Kimura 2-parameter model. The A. platys infection was detected in various life stages of R. sanguineus s. l. ticks, with an infection rate of 0.8%, 1.0% and 1.4% in nymphs, males and females, respectively. Monthly prevalence was observed from July to October. The genetic identity of detected Anaplasma strains from Taiwan was phylogenetically affiliated to the A. platys species with a 100% sequence homology verified from different countries. This study reveals the first molecular evidence of a zoonotic pathogen, A. platys, detected in R. sanguineus s. l. ticks from Southern Taiwan. Further investigation focused on the vectorial capacity of R. sanguineus s. l. ticks for transmitting A. platys will be beneficial to reveal the public health importance regarding the potential risk for canine and human infection in Southern Taiwan. Full article

East China is a global hotspot for landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs). While previous studies have extensively examined the influence of El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on TC activity, whether and how ENSO alters the spatial organization of precipitation in landfalling TCs remains insufficiently understood. Using high-resolution satellite precipitation observations and ERA5 reanalysis data, this study investigates the heterogeneous responses of landfalling TC precipitation over East China to different ENSO phases. Composite analyses indicate ENSO-associated differences in TC precipitation at both regional and storm-relative scales. At the regional scale, positive composite precipitation differences occur over Fujian, southern Zhejiang, and Taiwan during El Niño years, whereas negative differences occur in parts of northern East China relative to La Niña years. At the storm-relative scale, mean outer-rainband precipitation was estimated to be 26.02% higher during El Niño years; however, the storm-level bootstrap 95% confidence interval included zero, indicating uncertainty associated with the limited number of independent TC events. Precipitation during La Niña years was relatively more concentrated within the inner-core region. Mechanistic diagnostics show that the El Niño composite is associated with differences in thermodynamic and dynamic conditions, including higher low-level cyclonic vorticity, upper-level divergence, ascent, and anomalous steering flows over southern East China and adjacent seas. TC-centric analysis further indicates that higher moisture supply and dynamic lifting coincide with the outer-rainband precipitation contrast during El Niño years. These findings suggest that ENSO is associated with spatially heterogeneous and structurally distinct responses of landfalling TC precipitation over East China, providing a diagnostic basis for understanding ENSO-related differences in regional TC precipitation risk. Full article

Background/Objectives: The rapid growth of the companion animal industry has increased demand for professional pet grooming services; however, occupational health risks among pet groomers remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), occupational burnout, and associated occupational and ergonomic factors and their interrelationships among pet grooming professionals. Methods: A total of 180 pet grooming professionals were recruited through geographically stratified convenience sampling across northern, central, and southern Taiwan. Data were collected using structured questionnaires assessing demographics, workload, ergonomic equipment, and working postures. MSD symptoms were evaluated using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and occupational burnout was assessed using the Taiwan Ministry of Labor Burnout Assessment Scale. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to identify factors associated with MSD severity and occupational burnout. Results: MSDs were highly prevalent, with 95% of participants reporting symptoms in at least one body region. The most affected regions were the right shoulder (71.7%), neck (70.6%), upper back (65.6%), and lower back (65.6%). Significant associated ergonomic factors included excessive bathing tub depth (≥46 cm), non-adjustable grooming tables, prolonged trunk flexion, and horse-stance postures. Higher workload intensity, including frequent bathing tasks and handling aggressive or large animals, was significantly associated with greater MSD severity (p < 0.05). Moderate-to-severe personal- and work-related burnout were identified in 43.3% and 37.2% of participants, respectively. MSD severity was positively correlated with personal-related burnout (r = 0.491, p < 0.001) and work-related burnout (r = 0.428, p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis results indicated the MSD score was a significant predictor of both personal- and work-related burnout (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Pet grooming professionals experience a substantial burden of MSDs and occupational burnout associated with ergonomic strain and physically demanding work. Non-neutral postures and inadequately designed equipment were significantly associated with greater MSD severity. The close association between MSDs and burnout underscores the interrelationship between physical and psychological occupational health. Ergonomic workplace modifications and targeted occupational health interventions are necessary to improve worker well-being and industry sustainability. Full article

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal modification of eukaryotic mRNA and a central regulator of plant development and stress adaptation. The plant m6A writer complex requires two MT-A70 family proteins, the catalytic subunit MTA70 and its non-catalytic partner MTB, yet the evolutionary basis and structural logic underlying this functional division remain unresolved across land plant lineages. Here, we present an integrative computational analysis of MTA70 and MTB across 15 phylogenetically representative species spanning bryophytes, lycophytes, charophyte algae, monocots, and dicots. Phylogenomic reconstruction resolved three strongly supported clades, namely MTA70, MTB, and an intermediate MTA70-like group, demonstrating that catalytic-to-regulatory divergence predates the separation of major land plant lineages. MTA70 proteins exhibited strict conservation of gene structure, catalytic motifs, and domain architecture, reflecting selective constraint at functionally critical residues, whereas MTB showed extensive divergence in exon–intron organization and surface-exposed residues, consistent with relaxed structural constraints. AlphaFold2-based structural modeling and data-driven protein–protein docking predicted a stable MTA70–MTB heterodimer with a buried surface area of 1435 Ų and a binding free energy of −8.1 kcal/mol, with Lys746 and Lys637 of MTB identified as primary interface hotspots by computational alanine scanning. Expression profiling across six species revealed preferential MTB accumulation in reproductive tissues, while promoter analysis identified statistically significant enrichment of jasmonate-responsive elements (TGACG-motif) in MTB promoters (Mann–Whitney U, p = 0.025) and a 3.4-fold higher abundance of ABA-responsive elements (ABRE) in MTB relative to MTA70, suggesting potential responsiveness to multiple phytohormone signals. Together, these findings establish an evolutionary and regulatory framework for MTB as a conserved scaffold coupling m6A deposition to developmental and environmental signaling in land plants. Full article

Under the background of global warming, high-tide floods pose growing threats to China’s coastal ecosystems, infrastructure and freshwater supplies. Although the occurrence of high-tide flooding events is widely recognized as being related to relative sea-level rise, tides, and residuals, the analysis and attribution of individual events remain relatively scarce. Based on tide-gauge data and numerical simulations, this study conducted a quantitative analysis of the high-tide flooding events along China’s southern coast around 19 November 2024 and provides mitigation recommendations. Results indicate that coastal sea levels south of the Yangtze River Estuary in November 2024 hit the third-highest November value on record. Sea levels south of the Taiwan Strait were 26 cm above those of normal years, with the highest monthly level since that recorded in 1980. Around 19 November, the coastal area levels coincided with the astronomical spring tide period, with the astronomical high water levels in Shanwei (Guangdong), Dongfang (Hainan), and Beihai (Guangxi) reaching 116 cm, 186 cm, and 292 cm above local mean sea level, respectively. Additionally, influenced by the outer circulation of the tropical cyclone Man-Yi and a cold-air process, an extensive coastal surge occurred, with 30~80 cm surges persisting for nearly 30 h. The combined effects of high sea levels, spring tides, and abnormal surges triggered extreme sea levels that broke historical records, with multiple stations reaching once-in-20-year levels. The contributions of astronomical tides to the extreme sea levels in Shanwei, Dongfang and Beihai were 49.5%, 69.3%, and 77.8%, respectively, while the contributions of surges were 23.6%, 6.4%, and 4.6%. This high-tide flooding event affected multiple coastal areas in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan. Developing a comprehensive adaptation strategy encompassing emergency observation and early warning, risk assessment and zoning, coastal protection, coastal adaptive planning, and freshwater resources management is crucial for effectively addressing the risks of high-tide flooding events. Full article

High-resolution marine sedimentary archives from active continental margins provide exceptional records of paleo-earthquake histories through the preservation of seismogenic turbidites. A 477cm long gravity core (HOBAB4-S2) retrieved from the southern Okinawa Trough (SOT) off eastern Taiwan at a water depth of 1505 m preserves a ~700-year record (1445–2003 AD) of alternating hemipelagic background sedimentation and rapid event deposits. Chronological control is established through accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS ¹⁴C) radiocarbon dating and excess ²¹⁰Pb profiling. Detailed sedimentological and geochemical analyses identify fifteen turbidite events (T1–T15), which are grouped into three lithofacies: TI (silt turbidites), TII (sandy silt turbidites), and TIII (silty sand turbidites). Temporal correlation demonstrates that the majority of these turbidite beds coincide with documented historical and instrumental earthquakes (M_w ≥ 6.6), confirming seismic shaking as the primary triggering mechanism. Notably, turbidite thickness, basal grain size and recurrence frequency increase during the Little Ice Age (LIA, ~1400–1850 AD), a pattern we attribute to enhanced terrestrial sediment supply driven by intensified typhoon activity, which preconditioned the slope system for seismically induced failure. These findings demonstrate that turbidite sequences in the SOT provide a reliable record of local paleo-earthquake activity, while establishing that their stratigraphic expression is modulated by climatically driven sedimentary preconditioning. This principle is critical to paleoseismic reconstruction in seismically active, storm-prone continental margins globally. Full article

Rapid and accurate landslide mapping is essential for disaster risk reduction and sustainable land management in landslide-prone mountainous regions. This study presents a U-Net semantic segmentation framework for pixel-wise landslide classification in the Laonung Creek Watershed of southern Taiwan using 96 annotated tiles derived from a very high-resolution DEM and SPOT-6 multispectral imagery. An input modality ablation experiment compares four configurations: a fused DEM–optical composite matching the visual input used by the annotators (annotation-coherent input), SPOT-6 natural color imagery, a DEM-derived terrain stack, and a six-channel multi-source stack combining all SPOT-6 bands with slope and curvature. All configurations use an identical EfficientNet-B0 U-Net architecture under a spatially blocked train/validation/test design with a fixed held-out test set of 29 tiles. The multi-source stack achieves the highest test Average Precision (AP) of 0.556 (95% CI: 0.463–0.643), whereas the annotation-coherent fused composite achieves AP = 0.511 (95% CI: 0.404–0.601); overlapping confidence intervals indicate that neither modality is definitively superior at this test-set size. The terrain-only configuration (AP = 0.152) confirms that optical information is essential for reliable delineation. A key methodological finding is that differential encoder–decoder learning rates caused rapid decoder overfitting; matched rates of ${10}^{-5}$ substantially stabilized training and are recommended as a conservative default for small-sample segmentation with pretrained encoders. At matched pixel positions, the best DL model achieves AP comparable to a companion Random Forest (DL: 0.847, RF: 0.824), while producing spatially coherent probability maps that support scalable landslide inventory compilation for sustainable hazard management. Full article

This study investigates the degradation and failure mechanisms of AISI 310S stainless steel conveyor belt wires operating under cyclic conditions up to 900 °C in a continuous carburizing furnace. Microstructural evolution and mechanical responses after service exposure were evaluated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Vickers microhardness testing. Results indicate that initial exposure led to $\sigma$-phase nucleation and the formation of a protective Cr₂O₃-SiO₂ oxide scale. However, prolonged service led to scale degradation driven by Na-containing residues from pre-cleaning agents, which reacted to form Na₂SiO₃ and NaAlSiO₄ phases. This degradation accelerated the growth of non-protective iron oxides (Fe₂O₃, Fe₃O₄). Simultaneously, the $\sigma$-phase decomposed into massive, continuous M₂₃C₆ and M₇C₃ carbide networks along grain boundaries, inducing severe chromium sensitization. Consequently, the matrix embrittled significantly, with Vickers hardness increasing from 150 HV to 290–340 HV. Fracture analysis confirmed that brittle intergranular cracking initiated at these carbide networks, oxide inclusions, and matrix pores. Ultimately, the synergistic effects of oxide scale degradation, extensive carbide precipitation, and grain boundary depletion caused the premature catastrophic failure of the conveyor mesh under cyclic operational stress. Full article

As a typical human–nature coupled region, the coordination between the agricultural resource–environment system and regional development in the Fujian-Taiwan region is crucial for sustainable development. However, the underlying mechanisms and scale heterogeneity of this relationship remain unclear. This study employed a comprehensive evaluation approach to assess Agricultural Resource and Environmental Carrying Capacity (ARECC) and Regional Development Level (RDL) in the Fujian-Taiwan region in 2010, 2015, and 2019. A Coupling Coordination Degree (CCD) model was used to quantify the coordination relationship, while a geographical detector was applied to identify influencing factors at multiple scales. The main findings are as follows: (1) ARECC in Fujian increased gradually (average value: 0.046 → 0.052 → 0.075), whereas Taiwan exhibited a decline followed by recovery (average value: 0.449 → 0.408 → 0.491), with overall levels remaining higher than those of Fujian. RDL in Fujian was generally higher than that in Taiwan (average value: 0.260 > 0.212), and the average growth rate of Taiwan’s counties and cities was lower than that of Fujian (10.42% < 16.62%). (2) Overall, Fujian maintained a comparatively balanced relationship between ARECC and RDL, with maladjustment occurring only in Nanping City. In contrast, Taiwan experienced a substantially higher degree of maladjustment, with 40.90% of its counties and cities falling into maladjusted categories. Spatially, CCD in Fujian displayed a gradient decline from Fuzhou toward the southern, northern, and western regions, while high- and low-value areas in Taiwan were interspersed. (3) The coupling coordination mechanism exhibited significant scale heterogeneity, and corresponding differentiated regulation strategies were proposed. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the coordination mechanisms between ARECC and RDL in the Fujian–Taiwan region and provide references for promoting cross-regional agricultural collaboration and sustainable development. Full article

Climate change is increasingly reshaping species habitat suitability worldwide. Primula L., the largest genus in Primulaceae, comprises 404 species in China (including 296 endemic species) and is characterized by high endemism and numerous rare and endangered taxa. However, global warming has intensified habitat fragmentation and loss, while its distribution patterns and key environmental drivers remain insufficiently understood. We compiled 7647 occurrence records of 404 wild Primula species in China and integrated 60 environmental variables (climatic, topographic, and soil factors). Using the MaxEnt model combined with ArcGIS spatial analysis, we assessed current and future habitat suitability, identified dominant environmental drivers, and quantified conservation gaps under multiple climate scenarios. Species richness is highly concentrated in Sichuan (186 species), Yunnan (177 species), and Xizang (165 species), with the Hengduan Mountains and eastern Himalayas representing the core distribution area and showing clear peripheral differentiation. The optimized MaxEnt model performed well (AUC = 0.858), identifying temperature seasonality (bio4, 39.8%) and elevation (27.1%) as the main limiting factors. The total suitable habitat area is 268.52 × 10⁴ km², with high-suitability areas mainly distributed in the Hengduan Mountains, southeastern Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, and the Central Mountain Range of Taiwan. Under three shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585), suitable habitat shows a persistent decline, most pronounced under SSP585 in the 2090s (−20.73%), accompanied by a 25.86% reduction in low-suitability areas. Localized expansion of high-suitability habitats suggests that the Hengduan Mountains and southeastern Qinghai–Xizang Plateau may act as potential climatic refugia. Habitat loss consistently exceeds habitat gain, while the distribution centroid shifts westward and northwestward, with migration distances increasing under higher-emission scenarios. Conservation gap analysis indicates that 90.01% of high-suitability habitats lie outside the current protected area network, revealing a strong mismatch between biodiversity hotspots and conservation coverage. These findings highlight the urgent need to expand protected areas and establish micro-reserves in key gap regions (southwestern Sichuan, northwestern Yunnan, southeastern Xizang, and southern Gansu), and to integrate climate-driven migration corridors into conservation planning to support long-term alpine plant persistence under climate change. Full article

The end-to-end design and successful integration of a low-voltage educational electric vehicle (EV) built around a Controller Area Network (CAN) backbone is presented in this study. Its reproducible system architecture was built on a unified message specification database, and a set of bring-up and diagnostic procedures enables students to assemble, validate, and extend an EV using commodity controllers. The vehicle was manufactured and commissioned with classic-CAN operating at 250–500 kbps, integrating traction, battery management system, dashboard, lighting, and safety nodes. Initial tests confirmed reliable messaging and error-free operation under typical campus driving conditions. In addition, an upgrade path to CAN with flexible data-rate and 100BASE-T1 Ethernet is provided for future curricula. The platform reduces integration complexity, shortens fault-finding, and supports multidisciplinary teaching across mechanical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science. Full article