Search Results (16,796)

Pycnospatha is a small and poorly known genus of Araceae distributed in Indochina and currently comprising only two accepted species. During botanical surveys in Si Sa Ket Province, eastern Thailand, an unusual population of Pycnospatha was discovered in a dry dipterocarp forest and found to differ from both P. arietina and P. palmata. Here, we describe this plant as a new species, Pycnospatha phanomdongrakensis. The new species is distinguished by a combination of characters, including a slender habit, shorter petiole and peduncle, a medium-sized spathe, a short and dense spadix, a distinctly curved style directed toward the apex of the spadix, a geophilous and ovoid infructescence, obovate berries, and asymmetrically ovoid seeds. The new taxon is currently known only from a single population in the Phanom Dong Rak mountain range. A preliminary conservation assessment is provided, and the species is treated as Critically Endangered (CR) following IUCN guidelines. An identification key to all species of Pycnospatha is also presented. The discovery of this new species highlights the continuing importance of field-based taxonomy in revealing overlooked aroid diversity in the seasonally dry forests of eastern Thailand. Full article

Background/Objectives: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes a significant hospitalization burden in infants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of introducing clesrovimab, a recently approved long-acting monoclonal antibody, in all US infants born during or entering their first RSV season. Methods: A decision analytical model simulated the clinical and economic impact of clesrovimab in a yearly birth cohort, compared with three alternative interventions: nirsevimab, palivizumab, and the RSVpreF maternal vaccine. Model inputs were obtained from the published literature. Efficacy estimates for clesrovimab were derived from post hoc analyses of randomized control trial data, which were conducted to align endpoints from different studies (nirsevimab and RSVpreF). Medically attended lower respiratory infection (MALRI), quality-adjusted life years (QALYs, 3% discounting), and costs (in 2024 USD) were evaluated from a societal perspective. Both deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Clesrovimab resulted in fewer (38,252) RSV-related MALRI outcomes and was cost-saving compared to nirsevimab, with significant reductions in total costs (USD 98 million saved). When compared with palivizumab, clesrovimab and nirsevimab were estimated to cost USD 38,655 and USD 79,912 per QALY, respectively. Results were sensitive to changes in intervention costs, efficacy, and QALY loss due to RSV infection. Conclusions: Clesrovimab may significantly reduce the burden of RSV among US infants in their first RSV season and may save costs compared to nirsevimab. Full article

Platinum group elements (PGEs), especially platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh), are analyzed as emerging airborne contaminants in urban environments. This study aimed to monitor the spatial and temporal distribution of PGEs in urban air and to evaluate their potential as indicators of traffic-related emissions. The paper presents a five-year monitoring of Pt, Pd, and Rh mass concentrations in airborne particulate matter collected from three urban locations (North, Center, and South) with different traffic loads in Zagreb, Croatia. Weekly samples were digested in acid under high temperature and high pressure, and analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). At the monitoring location South, mass concentrations of all PGEs were generally 20–40% higher than at other locations, consistent with its higher traffic density. The PGEs showed seasonal variability, with 40–60% higher mass concentrations in winter and autumn than in spring and summer. The spatial and temporal distribution of PGE mass concentrations across urban locations demonstrates their potential as indicators of traffic-related activity. Palladium mass concentrations were consistently the highest, as a result of its increased use in modern catalytic converters. These findings underscore the relevance of long-term PGE monitoring for understanding urban atmospheric pollution dynamics within changing environmental conditions. Full article

Single-species hedges can help mitigate a range of urban and climate change-related issues, such as slowing stormwater flow and reducing rainfall runoff, particularly during the growing season. There is, however, little information on the service delivery of mixed hedges and their comparison to single-species, year-round, as well as on the practicality of functional rather than ornamental plant mixing. Here, we report on an initial case study to address this. Chosen hedge taxa (Crataegus monogyna, Elaeagnus × submacrophylla ‘Gilt Edge’, Ligustrum ovalifolium, Thuja plicata ‘Atrovirens’) represented a range of plant characteristics. These were trialled outdoors in Reading (SE England, UK) as treatment groupings of either single-species or mixed-species (‘evergreen’ and ‘broadleaf’ mix), along with a bare soil control, in 110 L troughs. We applied 5 min simulated rainfall onto each treatment twice in every meteorological season and assessed canopy throughfall. We also monitored substrate moisture content change as a proxy for evapotranspiration and substrate storage capacity of subsequent rainfall. During summer, the deciduous taxa and mixed hedges had the highest evapotranspiration rates, suggesting their potential to influence soil water storage, but in our experimental setup, that did not translate into significant differences in substrate moisture between treatments. During autumn and winter, the single-species Thuja treatment had the highest rainfall interception rate, followed by both mixed species treatments. In winter, canopy and leaf characteristics rather than physiological activity correlated with increased rainfall attenuation. However, by the end of the experiment (spring 2023), Crataegus, Thuja and both mixed hedge treatments had significantly lower throughfall (higher interception) compared to bare soil. We are continuing to test these treatments in a longer-term field experiment. Management of mixed-species hedges for rainfall attenuation is practically achievable, despite some differences in individual species’ growth rates and plant habits. Full article

The wheat–soybean double-cropping system enables the continuous production of preceding and succeeding crops within the same growing season, providing an important approach for improving arable land-use efficiency, increasing output per unit area, and optimizing cropping structure. In Liaoning Province, where thermal resources and the frost-free period are relatively limited, this system places high requirements on the growth duration, yield stability, and succession compatibility of the preceding wheat crop with the succeeding soybean crop. To identify spring wheat cultivars suitable for this system, field trials were conducted from 2021 to 2023, using three representative ecological regions of Liaoning Province. Ten widely grown spring wheat cultivars were evaluated for major agronomic traits, grain quality, and disease resistance, and their stability and system adaptability were analyzed using a mixed linear model, GGE biplot analysis, and TOPSIS. The results showed clear differences among cultivars in growth duration, wheat yield, and succeeding soybean yield. Liaochun 33 and Liaochun 18 had relatively short growth durations of 78–84 days and 79–83 days, respectively, and showed favorable performance in wheat yield, succeeding soybean yield, and stability. Combined with grain quality, disease resistance, and TOPSIS-based comprehensive evaluation, Liaochun 33 showed the best overall performance, while Liaochun 18 also exhibited strong system adaptability. Overall, cultivar selection for the wheat–soybean double-cropping system in Liaoning Province should shift from single wheat-yield evaluation to overall system-benefit evaluation. Liaochun 33 and Liaochun 18 can be recommended as preferred spring wheat cultivars for this cropping system. Full article

Desert steppe is a typical ecosystem in arid and semi-arid regions and an important component of the global carbon cycle. Under the background of global climate change, the increasing frequency of extreme precipitation events and changes in precipitation patterns can significantly affect water- and heat-sensitive desert steppe ecosystems, thereby regulating soil CO₂ flux; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To investigate the effects of precipitation changes on soil CO₂ flux and their roles in carbon cycling and ecological sustainability, this study was conducted in a desert steppe. Seven precipitation treatments were established, including a control (CK) and ±15%, ±30%, and ±45% precipitation gradients. Based on the static chamber-gas chromatography method, combined with principal component analysis (PCA), correlation analysis, random forest modeling, and stepwise regression, the main influencing factors and their diurnal variation patterns of soil CO₂ flux were analyzed over 24 h periods from June to August. The results show that CO₂ flux ranged from −68.33 to 77.59 mg·m⁻²·h⁻¹. During the study period, CO₂ flux exhibited a diurnal pattern characterized by daytime emissions and weak nighttime emissions or uptake, along with clear seasonal variation. The ±30% precipitation treatment showed the largest fluctuation in CO₂ flux. Soil hydrothermal factors were identified as the key drivers of CO₂ flux. With changes in precipitation intensity, the combined effects of multiple factors increased ecosystem complexity, and the controlling factors showed clear seasonal differences. The results from different analytical methods were generally consistent, providing a reference for predicting CO₂ flux, developing carbon sink strategies, and supporting sustainable ecological management in desert steppe regions. Full article

Urban heat stress is a growing challenge in hot semi-arid cities, where neighbourhood urban design influences microclimate and outdoor comfort. This study evaluates the effect of neighbourhood spatial layout in Erbil city, using ENVI-met simulations. Five neighbourhoods with varying layouts were modelled under standardized conditions, including uniform building height, surface characteristics, and meteorological forcing. Hourly outputs of air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, surface temperature, mean radiant temperature, universal thermal climate index, and sky view factor were analyzed after excluding the spin-up period. Results indicate that, while all neighbourhoods exhibited similar diurnal timing of thermal extremes, a key distinctive finding is the identification of a neighbourhood that behaves differently across seasons. The Pavilion neighbourhood remained cooler during summer conditions, while maintaining warmer thermal conditions during winter. This dual seasonal behaviour contrasts with the other neighbourhoods, which generally exhibit a trade-off between reduced summer heat stress and winter cooling. The Pavilion neighbourhood is distinguished by the presence of integrated water lagoons, suggesting that the blue infrastructure, in combination with spatial openness and greenery, can moderate thermal extremes. Overall, the study highlights the importance of neighbourhood-scale spatial design in mitigating urban heat and provides evidence to support the development of sustainable neighbourhoods. Full article

Airborne microplastics (MPs) are increasingly recognized as a pervasive pollutant with potential implications for environmental and human health. Despite growing concern, the influence of seasonal dynamics and environmental conditions on MP distribution remains poorly understood. This study investigates the temporal variability and environmental drivers of MPs across outdoor settings, highlighting how factors such as temperature, wind speeds, and precipitation modulate their behaviors. Using a combination of shielded gravitational deposition sampling (Sigma-2) and bulk deposition sampling over four seasons, coupled with μ-FTIR single particle analysis, we quantified MP abundance, size distribution, morphology, and polymer composition across contrasting environments. Deposition fluxes differed between samplers, with bulk samplers yielding 131–1589 MP/m²/d and Sigma-2 samplers yielding 4208–39,126 MP/m²/d. Multivariate analyses indicate that temperature was significantly correlated with MP loading in the Sigma-2 sampler, whereas precipitation effects were not detectable within the temporal resolution of our dataset. Polymer profiles differed between samplers, with Sigma-2 samples enriched in polyamide (PA) and resin-type particles, and bulk samples containing higher proportions of rubber and acrylate. Spherical and irregular particles were the predominant morphologies across both samplers. Together, these findings provide new insights into the environmental controls governing airborne MP deposition and underscore the need for long-term, meteorology-integrated, and methodologically standardized monitoring strategies to improve exposure assessment and inform mitigation efforts. Full article

This five-month epidemiological investigation evaluated pre-slaughter welfare, carcass-processing practices, and post-mortem lesion prevalence in 1012 cattle and 413 pigs slaughtered in Enugu State, Nigeria. Direct observations and post-mortem inspections were conducted following OIE standards. Animal welfare was markedly compromised. Cattle were dragged from the lairage to kill floor, restrained in lateral recumbency for over 30 min before bleeding, and slaughtered without stunning. Pigs were transported tied to motorcycles and processed on unsanitary floors. The lairages lacked roofing, clean water, and adequate drainage. Carcass handling was unhygienic, with meat processed near maggot-infested drains and transported in open vans or motorized tricycles used to commute passengers and cement. Of all cattle examined, 45.3% (458/1012) exhibited gross lesions attributable to contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP, 15.5%), fasciolosis (18%), liver abscessation (6.6%), ascariasis (4.6%), and bovine tuberculosis (0.5%). No lesions were detected in pigs. Lesion occurrence differed significantly (p < 0.05) by sex (males = 44.1%, females = 66.7%), age (<4 years = 54.1%, ≥4 years = 45.4%), breed (White Fulani = 45.5%, others = 36.7%), slaughterhouse location, and season (rainy = 45.2%, dry = 45.5%). Temporal analysis showed the highest lesion rate in April (68.3%), declining to 37.7% in May. Lesions of CBPP and fasciolosis were significantly more frequent in young cattle and during the rainy months (p < 0.05). These findings reveal systemic welfare violations and disease endemicity within the municipal abattoirs surveyed. The combination of poor pre-slaughter welfare, unhygienic meat handling, and high prevalence of zoonotic and economically important livestock disease lesions highlights urgent public health concerns. Strengthening abattoir infrastructure, enforcing pre-slaughter animal welfare and hygiene regulations, mechanizing slaughter processes, and instituting continuous surveillance within the One Health framework are essential for ensuring meat safety and public health security in Nigeria and beyond. Full article

Net surface shortwave radiation (NSSR) is a key parameter in the Earth’s energy cycle, greatly affecting global water and heat balance. Currently, a comprehensive comparative analysis regarding the accuracy of different models remains severely lacking, and there is also a notable deficiency in the systematic exploration of seasonal radiative drivers. Therefore, we developed a machine learning-based seasonal NSSR estimation model. By integrating in-situ observational data with multi-source remote sensing datasets, we achieved precise quantification of radiative fluxes. This proposed model framework employed three cutting-edge algorithms, namely Random Forest (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), to capture the non-linear interactions among radiative drivers across the four seasons. Through mechanistic sensitivity analysis, we quantified the impacts of key variables on NSSR prediction. The results unequivocally demonstrated that the RF algorithm demonstrated the best performance. Its seasonal R² were 0.95 (spring), 0.89 (summer), 0.95 (autumn), and 0.96 (winter). The Solar Zenith Angle (SZA) dominated in spring and winter; its absence reduced R² by 0.23 and raised RMSE by 20.66–26.42 W/m². Meteorological factors mattered most in summer; excluding them cut R² by 0.17 and hiked RMSE by 23.82 W/m². This study provides actionable insights for terrestrial radiation budget research. Full article

Post-sunset supplemental light promotes Picea seedling stem elongation, but the underlying hormonal regulation mechanisms on interspecific differences in spruce growth response to photoperiod remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the physiological mechanism underlying the response of two Picea species to different supplemental light durations. Three-year-old seedlings of P. abies and P. crassifolia were subjected to 0 (CK), 4, 8, and 12 h of post-sunset supplemental light treatments for two growing seasons, with growth characteristics and endogenous hormone contents analyzed. The results showed that species and the interaction between species and photoperiod were the principal factors driving phenotypic divergence in spruce growth traits. Supplemental light treatments significantly promoted sustained growth of P. abies, with 4 h treatment being optimal. This treatment also resulted in the highest levels of gibberellins (GAs) and zeatin riboside (ZR), as well as the highest ratios of ZR/GAs. For P. crassifolia, supplemental light treatment promoted dry matter accumulation (8 h treatment being optimal) but had no significant effect on other growth traits, most endogenous hormones (ZR, IAA), and their ratios across treatments. Correlation and causal inference mediation analysis suggest that ZR and the ZR/IAA ratio could be the main factors driving shoot elongation. Thus, the findings provide a valuable insight for optimizing species-specific supplemental light regimes for seedling production in nurseries. Full article

Groundwater–surface water interactions in volcanic hydrogeological systems represent a key process in river dynamics and were preliminarily investigated along a river draining the southern sector of the Sabatini Mountains (central Italy) using an integrated hydrogeological and geochemical approach. Serial discharge measurements, combined with physico-chemical parameters, major ions, stable oxygen isotopes, and radon analyses, reveal marked spatial variability in river–aquifer exchanges along distinct river reaches. The Arrone River exhibits clear differences between upstream, intermediate, and downstream sections, reflecting the relative influence of localized anthropogenic inputs, diffuse groundwater discharge from the volcanic aquifer, and subsurface flow contributions. Upstream reaches are characterized by pronounced modifications in discharge and chemistry, whereas intermediate and downstream reaches show progressive groundwater influence, resulting in distinct geochemical signatures and changes in water quality. Correlation and cluster analyses identify reach-specific processes controlling water composition and support the recognition of gaining and mixed river conditions under varying hydrological regimes. These results constrain a conceptual model in which river behavior is governed by spatially heterogeneous groundwater inflows, modulated by seasonal discharge dynamics and local human pressures. This study highlights the importance of reach-scale investigations for understanding SW–GW interactions in volcanic settings and provides transferable insights relevant to groundwater-dependent river systems. Full article

On the North China Plain, the winter wheat season is poorly synchronized with precipitation, making the traditional winter wheat–summer maize system heavily dependent on supplemental irrigation and associated carbon inputs. Based on a split-plot field experiment in Shenzhou, Hebei, from October 2022 to October 2025, this study evaluated the trade-off between annual system yield and area-scaled carbon emission among six cropping systems under conventional irrigation (CK) and rainfed management (R). The winter wheat–summer maize system (WM) maintained the highest grain-oriented annual system yield (22.91 t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ under CK), but it also showed the highest area-scaled carbon emission (11.97 t CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). The winter wheat–summer maize–spring maize system (WMM) reduced area-scaled carbon cost relative to WM (8.97 vs. 11.97 t CO₂-eq ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ under CK), whereas its product-scaled carbon footprint remained comparable to or slightly higher than that of WM. Under a unified dry-matter basis, the double silage-maize system (FM) showed the lowest dry-matter-scaled carbon footprint (CF_DM; 193.85 and 175.71 kg CO₂-eq t DM⁻¹ under CK and R, respectively). Soil respiration in 2025 varied mainly with observation date and cropping-system configuration, and soil organic carbon (SOC) stock at the 2025 harvest differed among cropping systems, water-management regimes, and soil depths. Overall, WM remained the highest-yielding option under a grain-supply objective, whereas FM, the ryegrass–early-summer maize system (RM), and the forage winter wheat–early-summer maize system (FWM) were relatively more suitable under multifunctional biomass-supply and low-carbon-transition objectives. Full article

Spondias mombin fruit is a seasonal product with limited valorization in Mexico, mainly because of its short shelf life and scarcity of available scientific information. In this study, two drying methods—hot air-drying and freeze-drying—were evaluated for the dehydration of S. mombin pulp. Freeze-dried samples presented a higher content of hydrolysable polyphenols (18.92 ± 5.31 mg GAE/g), whereas no significant differences were detected in condensed polyphenols. The total flavonoid content was significantly greater in the freeze-dried pulp (11.32 ± 1.27 mg CE/g). Antioxidant activity assessed by the ABTS and DPPH assays did not differ between treatments; however, the reducing power of the freeze-dried samples was greater than that of the control samples, as determined by the FRAP assay (14.40 ± 1.07 mg TE/g). HPLC–ESI–MS analysis enabled the identification and quantification of polyphenols, organic acids, and monosaccharides, highlighting the presence of compounds belonging to the methoxycinnamic acid family and ascorbic acid. Overall, these findings provide valuable insights that can serve as a basis for future research on the processing and valorization of S. mombin, contributing to the development of advanced processing strategies to improve the stability, quality, and utilization of underexploited fruits. Full article

To address the issue of performance degradation resulting from continuous thermal accumulation in the soil for conventional ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems in cooling-dominated regions, a hybrid ground source heat pump–domestic hot water system (HGSHP-DHW) is proposed, along with a corresponding mode-switching control strategy. The heat pumps for cooling, heating, and domestic hot water in the HGSHP-DHW share the same ground heat exchanger (GHE) group. To accommodate varying energy demands in different seasons, the configuration of the ground source/side loop is switched according to signals from the control strategy. The average soil temperature rise, the coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump units, the system performance factor (SPF), the life cycle climate performance (LCCP), and the net present value (NPV) are selected as comprehensive evaluation indicators for fifteen years of operation. A comparative analysis with traditional systems, including chiller–boiler (CB), cooling tower coupled hybrid ground source heat pump (CT-HGSHP) and GSHP, which are all equipped with an air source heat pump (ASHP) for DHW, is also conducted. By the 15th year, the average soil temperature rise in the HGSHP-DHWs is 4.94 °C, a reduction of 55.5%, effectively alleviating soil thermal accumulation. In terms of energy efficiency, the SPF is 3.79, an increase of 70.8% with 43% reduction in the accumulation of energy consumption (P_ac), achieving high-efficiency and energy-saving operation. For environmental performance, the LCCP is 2,435,587 kgCO₂, a reduction 38.8% in carbon emissions, showing a remarkable emission reduction effect. In respect of economic returns, the NPV is 644,867 CNY, which is positive and indicates favorable investment viability. Full article