Search Results (2,506)

The aim of this study is to provide a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of using a three-arm buoy as a small-scale point-absorber wave energy converter under the moderate hydrodynamic conditions of the Baltic Sea. The analysed concept combines an axisymmetric three-floater geometry with two energy-conversion pathways: an electric generator and a pneumatic energy-storage subsystem based on compressed air. The study defines the geometrical and buoyancy parameters of the structure and applies two complementary modelling levels: a simplified screening-level energy estimate and a first-order heave-response model. The extended analysis includes the influence of effective operational density, added mass, PTO damping, conversion-path efficiency, heave RAO and hydrostatic stability. The baseline screening estimate indicates that the total daily energy output may amount to approximately 0.409 kWh under average wave conditions and approximately 0.920 kWh for higher waves. The first-order heave-response model shows that, for an assumed electrical conversion efficiency of 10%, the daily electrical energy estimate ranges from approximately 0.88 kWh/day for the lightweight configuration to approximately 4.12 kWh/day for the most heavily ballasted analysed case. The RAO analysis indicates that increasing the operational mass shifts the natural period towards longer wave periods, although the system remains outside resonance tuning for the reference wave period of 6 s. The hydrostatic analysis indicates that the three-arm configuration increases the waterplane second moment of area compared with a single circular buoy of the same waterplane area and provides a more directionally balanced stability response. The results should be interpreted as conceptual and parametric estimates rather than experimentally validated wave-to-wire performance. Further work should include BEM/CFD-based hydrodynamic coefficients, irregular-wave modelling, multi-degree-of-freedom dynamics, mooring-system coupling and laboratory validation. Full article

Objectives: Volleyball playing positions are associated with different functional demands. This study compared postural control, jump performance, and upper-limb mobility across playing roles in competitive male volleyball players. Methods: Fifty male volleyball players competing in the Italian Serie C championship were equally distributed across five roles: middle blockers (MB), liberos (LIB), opposite hitters (OH), setters (SET), and outside hitters (HIT). Using a wearable inertial sensor, athletes performed bipodalic balance tasks with eyes open and closed, dominant- and non-dominant-leg single-leg balance, squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and bilateral upper-limb flexion and extension tests. Results: Significant role-related differences emerged in balance and jump performance. In bipodalic balance, the eyes-open condition showed a mixed pattern, with HIT displaying the largest ellipse area and SET showing the highest path-related values, whereas in the eyes-closed condition, HIT showed the highest values across all stabilometric parameters. In the single-leg stance, OH showed the largest postural excursions on the dominant side, while LIB stood out on the non-dominant side. In jump tests, MB showed the best vertical performance in both SJ and CMJ, whereas LIB and SET generally showed the lowest outputs. Temporal differences also emerged across roles. Upper-limb mobility was similar across roles in flexion, while extension showed a role-specific pattern, with SET displaying greater ROM than LIB, HIT, and OH. Conclusions: Volleyball roles are associated with distinct functional profiles in balance, jump mechanics, and upper-limb mobility. This integrated assessment may support more specific training, monitoring, and injury-prevention strategies. Full article

Early-age strength development and carbon emissions represent specific operational constraints in underground cemented tailings backfill (CTB) operations. A pH and ionic pre-conditioning-assisted CO₂ mineralization process was evaluated for carbonate-rich cemented tailings backfill designed to improve early UCS while retaining measurable CO₂ uptake through systematic process control and optimization. Skarn-type tailings (CaO 16.74 wt%, total carbonates 34.7 wt%) were subjected to screening under nominal pH and ionic pre-conditioning treatments (4.0–11.5), CO₂ pressure (0–0.5 MPa), cement-to-tailings ratio (1:3–1:12), and slurry concentration (66–78%). Strength evolution (1–28 d), mineralization products were characterized using TGA as the primary CO₂-uptake method, with XRD used for semi-quantitative phase-trend assessment, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with selected-area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray computed tomography (CT), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Under optimal conditions (pH 8.5, 0.3 MPa CO₂ pressure, 48 h mineralization, 72–74% solids), mineralized specimens achieved 2-day uniaxial compressive strength equivalent to 1.47-times the 3-day control strength (p < 0.01), with peak net CO₂ sequestration of 37.1 g/kg. EBSD analysis of 347 grain boundaries and TEM-SAED examination of multiple foil sections supported the occurrence of syntaxial calcite overgrowth on primary carbonate debris as a major interfacial transition zone strengthening mechanism. Interconnected pore cluster volume decreased by 70.6%; Zn²⁺ and Pb²⁺ leaching decreased by 67.2% and 71.8%, respectively. A shrinking-core kinetics-Ryshkewitch model with pH-dependent correction functions predicted 3-day strength with acceptable accuracy for TW-A and TW-B, whereas TW-C showed a −27.3% deviation, identifying acidic and sulfate-rich wastewater as a boundary condition outside the reliable model domain. Field coring at −500 m depth provided pilot-scale evidence that a 23 mm mineralized shell was consistent with localized reduction of shallow exposed-face instability risk during the early free-standing period. Overall, the pH and ionic pre-conditioning-assisted CO₂ mineralization process is proposed as a laboratory-supported and field-informed screening framework for simultaneous early-strength enhancement and partial carbon sequestration in carbonate-rich cemented tailings systems. The resulting models and parameter guidance should be interpreted as preliminary design tools requiring further factorial optimization and long-term field validation before full site-specific deployment. Full article

The aim of this study was to critically assess the usefulness of pollution indicators in monitoring riverside soils (fluvisols) for heavy metal content. A novel methodological approach was used, comparing areas located inside and outside flood embankments, which allowed for a precise determination of the impact of fluvial and anthropogenic processes on heavy metal accumulation. The experimental logic validated the usefulness of four indicators: the Individual Pollutant Index (PI), the Background Enrichment Factor (PIN), the Potential Ecological Risk (RI), and the Pollution Load Index (PLI). Comparative analysis revealed that soils within the embankment zone have higher metal concentrations, resulting from the continuous deposition of alluvial material, which often contains industrial and municipal pollutants. The vertical distribution of pollutants in fluvisols was shown to be closely related to sediment dynamics and soil properties (clay fraction, organic matter, redox conditions). Validation of the indicators revealed their varying sensitivity. The study revealed the limitations of the PLI, which, due to its summary nature, did not account for significant variability in contamination within the soil profile. Consequently, the PI, PIN, and RI indices were shown to be the most effective tools in assessing the actual degree of soil contamination by fluvisols in the middle Oder Valley. The study results emphasise the need for the selective selection of indicators in environmental monitoring. This comparative approach provides a reliable method for assessing the effectiveness of floodplain management strategies under exposure to chemical pressure. Full article

The Iranian Ground Jay (Podoces pleskei) is the endemic bird species inhabiting the deserts and steppes of Iran, a region experiencing severe ecological disturbances like habitat loss and fragmentation of preferred habitat. Despite its remarkable adaptation to arid environments, Iranian Ground Jay exhibits strong habitat specialization, making it both ecologically resilient and vulnerable—an intriguing case for evaluating how the species responds to climate-driven habitat shifts. The present study aims to assess the current and future distribution of Iranian Ground Jay under climatic change using MaxEnt incorporating presence records and bioclimatic variables. We modeled the species’ potential distribution under two climate models (HadGEM3-GC31-LL and MIROC6) for 2070. Then, using the predicted habitats, we estimated the coverage of protected areas in Iran. Among climatic variables, we predicted that the annual precipitation (bio12), precipitation of driest quarter (bio17), and temperature seasonality (bio4) significantly influenced the distribution of Iranian Ground Jays. The highly suitable distributions of the species are concentrated in Eastern, Southeastern, and Central Iran. Our results indicated that a vast range of potential distribution is located outside protected areas, emphasizing the importance of conservation efforts. Our investigation shed lighted the consequences of global warming, where the highly suitable habitat is expected to shift under predicted climatic changes, resulting in a reduction in suitable habitat extent projected for the future. Based on these insights, it becomes imperative to reassess current conservation policy and devise an action plan specifically tailored for the Iranian Ground Jay, particularly emphasizing the protection of its core habitats within anthropogenically altered landscapes and non-protected regions. Full article

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is a key tool for quantifying biomolecular interactions, and its use in studying interacting components outside cellular systems is well-established. Over the past 20–25 years, cell-based SPR techniques have emerged, with the promise of precise detection of molecular interactions within their normal physiological environment. Research on a wide variety of biological samples, which requires the detection of numerous parameters, has led to the development of a broad range of SPR techniques. This review aims to trace the chronological development of these techniques and the factors that have driven them. In this context, particular focus is given to grating-coupled SPR applied to cell assays. Its specific capabilities are examined, and the respective advantages and disadvantages of other SPR techniques are discussed based on the results obtained from studying specific biological objects. Finally, we venture to predict the promising SPR techniques, as well as the areas of application in which significant results can be expected. Full article

Mining activities elevate environmental noise and represent a major disturbance in terrestrial ecosystems. Vegetation belts are often used as mitigation measures. This study evaluates the role of Robinia pseudoacacia L. forest plantations in reducing noise at the lignite complex of western Macedonia, in Greece. Field measurements of noise level (LAeq) were conducted inside and outside the plantations from spring to autumn during 2020 and 2021. Measurements were taken at five points across four sites differing in their distance from the noise source. Leaf Area Index (LAI) was recorded, and meteorological variables were measured concurrently. Linear mixed-effect models were used to assess the effects of forest presence, distance from source, climatic conditions, and LAI, while accounting for repeated measurements across sampling days and sites. Noise levels were significantly lower within plantations than outside, indicating that restored forest stands can act as buffers to mining noise. The distance of trees from the noise source and atmospheric conditions are also significant drivers of noise levels. These findings highlight the potential of post-mining plantations to provide an additional acoustic regulation service in restored industrial landscapes. Full article

This study aims to examine gaps in the current AML framework related to cryptocurrency and digital assets. We focused on money laundering typologies involving the conversion of illicit funds into clean value through cryptocurrency-based purchases of vouchers, gift cards, and other non-traditional instruments. We examined the existing literature on cryptocurrency and digital assets to identify gaps in detection and classification by mapping platform features and transaction pathways using an original dataset. The work adopts the Placement Layering Integration model. It conceptualises a laundering pathway that operates outside regulated intermediaries via crypto acquisition, voucher purchases on low Know Your Customer (KYC) platforms, redemption into goods, and informal resale for cash. The analysis revealed that most platforms required minimal verification for transactions, and many supported privacy coins that can hide the flow of funds from standard detection techniques. These features create conditions for cross-border money transfers that may fall outside law enforcement oversight. Such mechanisms can lead to undeclared remittance and potential tax evasion. This study contributes to the understanding of cryptocurrency related financial crime within broader money laundering typologies. It contributes to AML frameworks by identifying a shadow payment architecture, proposing targeted reforms to extend AML coverage to voucher intermediaries, and highlights areas for future research and policy improvements. Full article

The region today corresponding to modern Hunan province has been a site of stable language contact for over 2500 years, with the intensification of that contact occurring in particular between the 17th and 21st centuries. Major political developments during this time led to massive population movements which reshaped the demographics and linguistic ecology of Hunan. The region has considerable language and phylogenetic diversity, being home to three top-level groupings (Sino-Tibetan, Kra-Dai, and Hmong-Mien) and representing at least 17 different language varieties within a condensed area of around 211,800 km²; it is therefore the ideal setting to explore long-term language contact as mediated by degrees of relatedness. Structural diversity, in terms of morphological and phonological typology, is relatively low, owing to convergence over several thousand years. All language varieties in the province converge towards the MSEA typological profile; however, those that entered the region latest, such as varieties of Tujia, still retain features from outside the region (SOV, multisyllabic roots, etc.). In this paper the case is made that Hunan, with its geography, history of settlement, and contact between related and unrelated language families, represents a microcosm of linguistic contact situations which have taken place in other periods and regions of China. This is attributed to a combination of geographic and demographic patterns, historical patterns of settlement and ethnic conflict, and a complex sociolinguistic situation. Taken together, these lead to the formation of a unique linguistic niche where stable near-relative contact, distant-relative contact, and non-relative contact take place. The case is made that instances of near-relative contact between Xiang varieties and Mandarin (Standard and Southwestern) represent instances of koineization. This is evidenced by the formation of regional koines, such as Plastic Mandarin in Changsha, which present a degree of local prestige and show evidence of regional standard formation. Meanwhile distant- and non-relative contact between Southwestern/Standard Mandarin and Tujia and Waxiang, and Xiangxi Miao and Kam-Dong, respectively, are seen to result in extensive grammatical hybridization. Full article

Fixed-wing unmanned aircraft are widely used for aerial mapping because they can acquire high-resolution data at relatively low cost, but maintaining both energy efficiency and image quality in the presence of wind and flight-performance limits remains challenging. In practice, operators introduce buffer regions and extended waypoints outside the area of interest to cope with deviations during turning, which increases flight distance and energy use; yet, this approach can still degrade image overlap near the boundary. This paper presents a path-planning framework that designs turning maneuvers compatible with bank-angle, stall-margin, and roll-rate constraints while aligning mapping lanes directly with the area of interest. The framework combines analytically structured turn patterns, an energy-based metric that accounts for increased aerodynamic load in banked flight, and a two-stage path-angle selection procedure that uses a fast, simplified model to guide a more detailed optimization. Simulation studies on both idealized and real survey geometries indicate that, within the considered maneuver families and assumptions, the proposed method can reduce the integrated aerodynamic energy metric and improve coverage compliance relative to a conventional path-following approach that relies on overshoot points. Full article

Background: In Uganda, COVID-19-related disruptions increased the number of children who missed scheduled routine vaccination (defaulters). Identifying and following up with defaulter children is important for improving vaccination coverage. This paper describes Uganda’s experience in revitalizing community-led defaulter tracking to improve vaccination coverage post-COVID-19 in four purposefully selected districts. Methods: During two 6-month periods in 2022 and 2024, healthcare workers (HCWs) worked with village health teams (VHTs) to review health facility-based immunization registers, identify and track defaulters aged 0 to 59 months. VHTs visited identified defaulters’ homes, reviewed vaccination histories and reminded caregivers to bring defaulters to immunization sites for catch-up vaccination. Results: Overall, 20,922 defaulters were identified by health register review; VHTs located 15,749 (75.3%) through household visits, of whom 3688 (23.4%) were verified as previously vaccinated based on their home-based vaccination records, leaving 12,061 as true defaulters. Among the true defaulters, 9662 (80.1%) received at least one catch-up vaccination after follow-up by the VHT. The most frequently administered catch-up vaccines were measles–rubella first dose (MR1) at 55.4%, followed by diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis third dose (DTP3) at 48.3% and Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) at 47.4%. Among the 2399 children who remained unvaccinated after follow-up, the most common reasons were relocation outside the original catchment area (49.5%) and caregiver intention to vaccinate later (16.3%). Conclusion: Community-led defaulter tracking was feasible and improved vaccination uptake in post-COVID-19 Uganda. Strengthening the quality and availability of health facility immunization data, along with targeted community engagement, caregiver reminders and integrated vaccination services would improve identification and follow-up of defaulters, reducing population immunity gaps. Full article

Understanding the composition and spatial distribution of Amazonia’s bioindustry enterprises is essential for sustainable development. Based on an analysis of primary and secondary data, we offer a preliminary overview of biodiversity-based biofactories, which transform raw materials derived from Amazonian biodiversity into industrialized products, in Brazilian Amazonia. Of the 187 biofactories we identified, most operate in the food sector (74%), followed by cosmetics (14%) and organic chemicals (9%). Records identified biofactories in 72 of the study area’s 559 municipalities. Fifty percent of biofactories are in the municipalities of Manaus, Belém, Castanhal, Santarém, Benevides, and Igarapé-Miri, which together hold 18% of the study area’s population. Conversely, none were identified in the consulted sources for 487 municipalities, comprising 62% of the study area’s population—about 14 million people. Statistical modeling among municipalities with identified units revealed a positive association between municipal gross domestic product and biofactory abundance. While some units may be undetected because they operate outside formal networks, the available records suggest that these businesses are geographically unevenly distributed and mostly of low technological intensity. Moreover, a significant portion of the population may lack direct access to local industrial infrastructure for processing biodiversity resources, highlighting potential territorial inequalities in regional processing capacity. Full article

Temperate seagrass carbon-stock data remain limited in northern China, especially for island meadow systems with mapped distribution and repeated field verification. This study quantified standing seagrass ecosystem carbon stocks in the Changshan Archipelago, Dalian, using a standardized field survey covering eight meadow zones, 39 sampling stations, and 323.37 ha of confirmed seagrass area. Plant biomass carbon and sediment organic carbon were assessed, and the 0–100 cm sediment profile was sampled at all stations. The mapped meadows stored 29,305.75 Mg C in total ecosystem carbon. Sediment organic carbon accounted for 28,965.71 Mg C, representing 98.84% of the total stock. Plant biomass carbon contributed 340.04 Mg C, or 1.16%. The area-weighted ecosystem carbon stock per unit area was 90.63 Mg C ha⁻¹. This per-area stock ranged from 52.11 Mg C ha⁻¹ in Xiaochangshan to 209.50 Mg C ha⁻¹ in Haiyang Island. Guanglu Island contained the largest total carbon stock, with 9247.73 Mg C, because of its large meadow area and relatively high per-area carbon stock. The results show how mapped meadow area, sediment carbon dominance, and local sediment setting jointly shape regional carbon-storage patterns. This standardized baseline provides field-based evidence for comparing northern Chinese seagrass meadows with other temperate Zostera systems. The estimates describe standing ecosystem carbon stocks. Annual carbon sequestration rates were outside the scope of the assessment. Full article

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are major pests of crops that require effective monitoring for management. This study evaluated locally available food baits for monitoring fruit flies in guava orchards in Maputo, Mozambique. It also assessed infestation levels and examined the relationship between trap catches and the ratio adult/kg of fruit. Four treatments (palm sap, molasses, torula yeast, and water) and four replications were used. Tephri traps were installed on four trees per block and inspected weekly, while guava fruits from both trees and the ground were collected and incubated to estimate infestation indices. Three genera (Bactrocera, Dacus, and Ceratitis) were recorded, with a high relative abundance (90.37%) for Bactrocera dorsalis. Torula and palm sap were the best attractants, with no significant difference between them. Guava fruits showed high infestation (208.5 ± 13.3 adults/kg). Trap catches of B. dorsalis were positively correlated with adults/kg, suggesting 42.5% of infestation variation and highlighting the influence of factors outside the orchard on infestation indices. The results show that palm sap is a promising low-cost alternative bait and highlight the importance of considering area-wide management of fruit flies. Full article

Multi-storey pig houses (MSPHs) have been built as a land-efficient solution for intensive swine production in China, but can cause odour nuisances for and complaints from nearby residents. In this study, air quality measurements and dispersion modelling using AERMOD were conducted to quantify the odour impact around a swine barn with two MSPHs equipped with air scrubbers in complex terrain. The field measurements showed strong seasonal fluctuations. The two MSPHs were modelled as eight elevated point sources, incorporating building downwash effects, to determine the setback distances between the barn and residential areas located 1 km away to the north. The results showed a pronounced north–south plume elongation, which was consistent with the prevailing wind direction and the valley topography. Using the odour impact criteria (OIC) with an odour occurrence-free frequency of 99.5%, the maximum setback distance in the north decreased from >4000 m to 951 m with the odour concentration threshold increasing from 1 to 10 OU/m³. The summer-only worst-case scenario yielded larger impact zones (>4000 m for 1–2 OU/m³; 2554 m for 10 OU/m³ at 99.5%), indicating that warm-season exposure should be considered when assessing residential risk. Under the current national OIC of 10 OU/m³ for residential areas, the modelled setback distance (951 m at 99.5%) indicated that the communities were situated outside the odour impact zone, which did not align with the documented complaints, demonstrating that the 10 OU/m³ threshold is lenient for high-density MSPH operations. Full article