Search Results (215)

Todos Santos Bay, Mexico, features several wave-focusing areas driven by its complex bathymetry, making it an ideal real-world test case for wave energy converter (WEC) park optimization. This study quantifies the influence of submarine cable costs and bathymetry-dependent mooring costs on the proposed park layout (hereafter the star-layout) and the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of a 10-device WEC park, using a multi-state operational wave climatology of $N=179$ representative sea states from a 2008–2018 SNL-SWAN hindcast (covering 97.20% of the annual time). A binary genetic algorithm combined with K-means clustering analysis was used to minimize LCOE under three cost scenarios: baseline, cable-only, and cable plus bathymetry-dependent mooring. Both infrastructure cost components contribute substantially: cable costs add 52.2% to the baseline LCOE, and bathymetry-dependent mooring costs add a further 16.0% at this site, with cable approximately three times more impactful. These quantitative magnitudes are conditioned on the moderate depth-gradient setting of Todos Santos Bay; the qualitative cost-component hierarchy is expected to generalize, but the relative weights will depend on the bathymetric and wave-climate characteristics of each candidate site. The mooring contribution is nontrivial both economically and spatially (the centroid of the park shifts by approximately 151 m between the cable-only and cable-plus-depth scenarios). K-means clustering identified 2–4 layout families per scenario (K $=4\to 3\to 2$ as cost components are added), indicating that infrastructure constraints reduce the viable solution space. These results support the central hypothesis of this work: WEC park optimization studies that adopt flat-bathymetry simplifications, the prevailing assumption in much of the prior literature, risk substantial underestimation of LCOE at sites with nontrivial depth variation. We recommend that bathymetry-dependent mooring costs be included alongside cable costs in any early-stage techno-economic assessment of WEC parks at sites with complex bathymetry. Full article

The genus Hydrochara (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae) comprises large-bodied water beetles associated with shallow, well-vegetated freshwater habitats and is characterised by considerable taxonomic complexity. While Hydrochara caraboides is relatively well studied in western and central Europe, lineage diversity and species boundaries within the genus remain poorly resolved in eastern and south-eastern Europe. This study uses an integrative approach combining mitochondrial DNA data, morphometric analyses, and male genital morphology to investigate Hydrochara populations in continental Croatia. Specimens were collected from floodplain and lowland aquatic habitats across major river basins, morphologically identified and verified using cytochrome oxidase subunit I (16S) sequences through comparison with reference data from public databases (GenBank and BOLD). Molecular analyses confirmed the presence of H. caraboides and Hydrochara flavipes in continental Croatia. A single specimen from the upper Drava River basin (CROH030-26) formed a distinct mitochondrial lineage positioned between H. caraboides and Hydrochara dichroma in the COI phylogeny. Morphometric analyses showed extensive overlap between this specimen and H. caraboides, indicating no clear differentiation in external body size. In contrast, examination of male genitalia revealed an intermediate aedeagus morphology with transitional characters between H. caraboides and H. dichroma. Haplotype network analysis revealed a star-like structure with a dominant central haplotype shared by most H. caraboides specimens and several low-frequency variants, while the divergent specimen occupies a peripheral position, separated from the main cluster by multiple mutational steps. These results indicate that H. caraboides is a genetically heterogeneous taxon comprising multiple divergent mitochondrial lineages, suggesting that lineage diversity within this species may be underestimated. By integrating molecular and morphological evidence, this study provides new insights into the lineage diversity of Hydrochara in floodplain ecosystems of south-eastern Europe and highlights the importance of integrative approaches for resolving species boundaries and informing freshwater biodiversity conservation. Full article

Background/Objectives: Spatial neglect after stroke may be difficult to characterize in patients with severe motor, cognitive, and communication impairment. Augmentative and alternative communication interfaces require visual scanning and intentional selection and may therefore provide an ecological context in which lateralized visuospatial behavior becomes clinically observable. Methods: A 58-year-old man with a unilateral right-hemisphere hemorrhagic stroke underwent serial assessment at baseline before training, at the end of 24 AAC sessions delivered over 2 months in addition to standard neurorehabilitation, and at 1-month follow-up. Measures included cognitive functioning, behavioral responsiveness, global disability, bedside communication status, and P300 latency. The AAC/eye-tracking intervention also generated process data across 21 analyzable sessions, including calibration quality, free-exploration heatmaps, and performance in the Stars and Bow-Target tasks. Results: Global measures showed modest early improvement followed by stabilization. Cognitive functioning improved from 2 to 3 and remained stable, behavioral responsiveness increased from 7 to 10 and then to 11, bedside communication increased from 7 to 9 and remained stable, and P300 latency decreased from 393 to 350 and then to 351 ms, whereas global disability remained unchanged at 25 throughout. Calibration was at least good in all quadrants and never scored 0. Performance was lower and more unstable in Stars than in Bow-Target. Heatmaps showed rightward clustering, reduced left-sided exploration, and limited whole-screen scanning. Conclusions: AAC/eye-tracking did not provide formal diagnostic proof of neglect, but it supported ecological recognition of a neglect-like lateralized exploratory pattern under less guided conditions. Full article

Outbreaks of crown-of-thorns sea stars (CoTS) threaten coral reef integrity and biodiversity, yet local dynamics and short-term responses to control remain insufficiently described. This study characterised an outbreaking Acanthaster population in two specific sites of the coast of Khor Fakkan (Gulf of Oman, United Arab Emirates) to resolve species identity, population composition, prey selection and the effects of targeted removals. All sequenced individuals clustered in two related haplotypes belonging to the species Acanthaster planci. Benthic surveys showed moderate live-coral cover, dominated by massive Porites sp. colonies. Moreover, the observations of 139 preyed colonies revealed pronounced genus-level selectivity, with branching and complex morphologies suffering disproportionately and massive forms largely avoided. However, the selection of massive Plesiastrea and Favites genera as preferred coral prey might suggest a shift towards less preferred coral in the CoTS diet, posing a severe threat to coral reefs’ integrity. Intensive removal reduced the local density, up to 86%, and provided substantial short-term relief, but continued monitoring is required to secure long-term reef resilience. Full article

Mass discrepancies in galaxies are empirically known to appear only below a characteristic acceleration scale $a_0$. Here we show that this behaviour is not limited to galaxies: it extends continuously across the full hierarchy of self-gravitating stellar systems, from gas-rich dwarfs and spirals to massive early-type galaxies, and further down to compact stellar clusters. We introduce the— Milgromian dynamics (MOND) depth index $D_M$, together with dynamical maturity index $\mathcal{T}=t_{\mathrm{cross}}/t_H$, dynamical collisionality index ${\mathcal{T}}_1=t_{\mathrm{cross}}/t_{\mathrm{relax}}$, with $t_{\mathrm{cross}}$ being the crossing time, $t_{\mathrm{H}}$ the Hubble time and $t_{\mathrm{relax}}$ the median two-body relaxation time, and the MOND acceleration index $\mathcal{A}=\overline{a}/a_0$. We uncover a well-defined two-dimensional dividing surface in dynamical space. The ‘dark matter phenomenon’ is found only in systems that are both in the deep-MOND regime ($\overline{a}<a_0$) and collisionless ($t_{\mathrm{relax}}>t_H$), while high-acceleration, collisional systems ($\overline{a}>a_0$, $t_{\mathrm{relax}}\ll t_H$), including globular clusters and UCDs, show no evidence for a mass discrepancy. This clean dynamical separation defines a new, physically motivated classification scheme for stellar systems, unifying galaxies and clusters under one framework. The observed division emerges naturally within the MOND framework and provides a useful diagnostic for examining how different gravitational paradigms account for the origin of the mass discrepancy. Full article

Open clusters are important tracers for studying the structure and evolution of the Milky Way, but determining their dynamical states and gravitational binding properties remains a complex task. In this study, we systematically analysed the gravitational binding states of 4809 candidate clusters by calculating their observed velocity dispersions and comparing these with theoretical velocity dispersions. We identified 3897 objects as gravitationally bound. Relative to previous classification results, this work achieves 93.60% precision and 80.04% recall, with recall increasing to 83.55% for the high-quality open cluster subset. For objects with discrepant classifications, we analysed their dynamical and photometric properties, finding that this work preferentially retains clusters with cleaner colour–magnitude diagram morphologies. This study provides a more conservative sample for studies of Galactic open clusters. Full article

Environmental stress and suboptimal planting schedules are among the most significant factors limiting cauliflower production by disrupting developmental timing, reducing photosynthetic efficiency, and compromising curd quality. This study investigated the effects of growing environment (high tunnel vs. open field), planting date (10 July, 25 July, and 10 August), and cultivar selection (Amazing, Cheddar, Clementine, Flame Star, Snow Crown, and Vitaverde) on yield components, root morphology, vegetative growth, and physiological performance in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) across two growing seasons. Field environment, planting date, cultivar, and their interactions were found to be significant for all parameters (p < 0.05). In general, open-field production achieved higher yields than high tunnels and shortened maturity, and early transplanting (10 July) maximized performance, producing a higher yield and larger curd size, while delaying to August 10 reduced the yield by ~49% and curd diameter by ~24%. Among cultivars, Flame Star, Snow Crown, and Cheddar were the highest-yielding cultivars overall, whereas Vitaverde performed the poorest. Under early planting, Flame Star showed exceptional productivity (1528 g), curd diameter (19.4 cm), and root development. Late planting decreased root biomass by ~38%. Physiological responses varied across environments and planting dates, with high tunnels showing greater stomatal conductance and transpiration, open-field plants exhibiting higher water-use efficiency, and early July plantings maintaining superior photosynthetic performance compared to later schedules. Correlation and hierarchical clustering analyses demonstrated strong integrated relationships among yield, curd diameter (r = 0.94), fresh root weight (r = 0.62), and root dimensions. Overall, it was concluded that open-field cultivation combined with early July planting using high-performing cultivars such as Flame Star, Snow Crown, and Cheddar significantly optimized cauliflower production by maximizing vegetative growth, enhancing resource acquisition, and ensuring optimal curd development. Early planting strategies emerged as the most effective approach, demonstrating up to 108% yield advantage over delayed schedules. These findings suggest that environment-adapted cultivar selection and strategic temporal management offer a viable approach to enhancing cauliflower productivity under variable climatic conditions. Full article

Precise object tracking of space objects is an image acquisition method that uses the mount of the telescope to orient the instrument in real time towards the target to be tracked, compensating for the target’s motion. Using this method, the object of interest will appear as a circular or point-like shape in the acquired image, while the background stars will appear as streaks. Using precise object tracking, the light from a faint object accumulates in the same region of the image, increasing the chance of observation, but longer exposures also increase the length of the background star streaks and makes the astrometric calibration difficult. This paper presents a method for the automatic processing of image sequences acquired in precise object tracking mode. Our proposed method includes a filtering mechanism that will ensure local maxima in the center of star streaks in order to allow for a publicly available astrometric calibration software to work even if the stars are not point-like, a weighted stacking mechanism to increase the signal-to-noise ratio for faint targets while excluding the stars, an automatic object detection and astrometric reduction mechanism and a constraint-based filtering of outliers for the final generation of the tracklet. The method was tested on multiple observation sessions for surveying the CLUSTER II highly eccentric orbit satellites, including the CLUSTER II FM5 satellite (Rumba) on its final passes before reentry, and the accuracy of the measurements was estimated based on ground truth from ESA’s reentry team. The method was also tested on lower orbit objects and found to be accurate for objects with ranges of more than 1300 km from the observer. Full article

We present a comprehensive study of host galaxies of radio sources within the 1.35$R_{200}$ of the Coma cluster by combining deep $144\mathrm{MHz}$ observations from the LOFAR Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS-DR2) with optical spectroscopy and photometry from DESI and SDSS. We identify 79 spectroscopically confirmed cluster members with reliable radio emission and classify them into compact, extended, and tailed subsamples according to their radio morphologies. By combining their radio and optical properties, we find compact radio sources are predominantly associated with massive, quiescent galaxies driven by $\mathrm{AGN}$ activity, while tailed sources are largely hosted by star-forming galaxies, tracing ongoing ram pressure stripping ($\mathrm{RPS}$). Using phase-space analysis and a projected infall time proxy ($d_R$), we find that extended sources are preferentially located in the cluster outskirts ($d_R>1$), while tailed sources are concentrated in the intermediate infall region ($0.4<d_R<1.0$), highlighting the influence of the dense intracluster medium. Full article

Background/Objective: Long COVID is an important cause of disability following SARS-CoV-2 infection; yet, its underlying mechanisms are not completely understood. One proposed mechanism is the long-lasting dysregulation of the immune complement system. This systematic review is the first to summarize the current evidence and evaluate the potential role of long-lasting complement activation in people with long COVID. Methods: A systematic electronic search on PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Embase was conducted up to 15 October 2025, to identify studies investigating complement activation in people with the post-COVID-19 condition. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate the risk of bias and methodological quality. Results: Among the 247 studies initially identified, eleven met the inclusion criteria, comprising 1435 individuals (age: 48.5 years, 70% females) with long COVID and 1124 controls (age: 43.6 years, 60% females). All studies were of a high quality, with scores ranging from 7 to 8 stars (mean: 7.6 ± 0.5). The activation of the classical complement pathway was investigated in nine studies, whereas the lectin, alternative, and terminal complement pathways were each assessed in three studies. Multiple studies investigated several complement pathways. The results were heterogeneous since several markers of complement activation spanning the classical (C2, C4a, C4b, and C1s-C1INH), alternative (Ba, iC3b, and Factor D), and terminal (C5bC6, C5a, C9, and TCC) pathways were elevated, whereas other markers were not significantly different (C3, C4, and C4d) between patients with/without long COVID. In addition, markers spanning the lectin complement pathway (MBL, and MASP1-C1INH) were not significantly different between individuals with and without long COVID. Conclusions: The current evidence suggests potential long-lasting complement system dysregulation in individuals with long COVID, although the clinical significance remains controversial, due to heterogenous findings. Specific post-COVID symptom clusters, such as fatigue, dyspnea, or brain fog, have been linked to a distinct pattern of complement dysregulation. Substantial methodological heterogeneity, including differences in follow-up periods, complement markers, assessment methods, and control groups, along with the small number of available studies, underscores the need for further research to clarify the mechanisms linking complement dysregulation to long COVID. Full article

We envision a minimalist way to explain a number of astronomical facts associated with the unsolved missing mass problem by considering a new phenomenological paradigm. In this model, no new exotic particles need to be added, and the gravity is not modified; it is the perception that we have of a purely Newtonian (or purely Einsteinian) Universe, dubbed the Newton basis or Einstein basis (actually “viewed through a pinhole” which is “optically” distorted in some manner by a so-called magnifying effect). The $\kappa$ model is not a theory but rather an exploratory technique that assumes that the sizes of the astronomical objects (galaxies and galaxy clusters or fluctuations in the CMB) are not commensurable with respect to our usual standard measurement. To address this problem, we propose a rescaling of the lengths when these are larger than some critical values, say >100 pc - 1 kpc for the galaxies and ∼1 Mpc for the galaxy clusters. At the scale of the solar system or of a binary star system, the $\kappa$ effect is not suspected, and the undistorted Newtonian metric fully prevails. A key point of an ontological nature rising from the $\kappa$ model is the distinction which is made between the distances depending on how they are obtained: (1) distances deduced from luminosity measurements (i.e., the real distances as potentially measured in the Newton basis, which are currently used in the standard cosmological model) and (2) even though it is not technically possible to deduce them, the distances which would be deduced by trigonometry. Those “trigonometric” distances are, in our model, altered by the kappa effect, except in the solar environment where they are obviously accurate. In outer galaxies, the determination of distances (by parallax measurement) cannot be carried out, and it is difficult to validate or falsify the kappa model with this method. On the other hand, it is not the same within the Milky Way, for which we have valuable trigonometric data (from the Gaia satellite). Interestingly, it turns out that for this particular object, there is strong tension between the results of different works regarding the rotation curve of the galaxy. At the present time, when the dark matter concept seems to be more and more illusive, it is important to explore new ideas, even the seemingly incredibly odd ones, with an open mind. The approach taken here is, however, different from that adopted in previous papers. The analysis is first carried out in a space called the Newton basis with pure Newtonian gravity (the gravity is not modified) and in the absence of dark matter-type exotic particles. Then, the results (velocity fields) are transported into the leaves of a bundle (observer space) using a universal transformation associated with the average mass density expressed in the Newton basis. This approach will make it much easier to deal with situations where matter is not distributed centrosymmetrically around a center of maximum density. As examples, we can cite the interaction of two galaxies or the case of the collision between two galaxy clusters in the bullet cluster. These few examples are difficult to treat directly in the bundle, especially since we would include time-based monitoring (with an evolving $\kappa$ effect in the bundle). We will return to these questions later, as well as the concept of average mass density at a point. The relationship between this density and the coefficient $\kappa$ must also be precisely defined. Full article

The rise in seasonal lifestyle tourism, characterized by winter-escape health and wellness stays and long-term leisure residence, has intensified peak–off-peak imbalances and pressures on the allocation of tourism service supply in tropical island destinations. However, existing research lacks a systematic comparison of seasonal fluctuations and long-term evolution for this subgroup at the city/county level. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the seasonal pattern, long-term trend features, and typological differentiation of seasonal lifestyle tourism at the county level, and to compare differences across types. Using monthly data on seasonal lifestyle tourism for 18 cities/counties in Hainan from 2021 to 2024, we apply TRAMO/SEATS decomposition to identify seasonal structures and measure seasonal amplitude and employ the Hodrick–Prescott (HP) filter to extract trend components and determine their directions of change. We further construct five development types by integrating trend categories and changes in seasonal amplitude and test between-type differences using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results show that Hainan exhibits a stable “winter–spring peak and summer–autumn trough” pattern (peaks concentrated in January–March and December, with the off-season typically spanning May–October), with strong seasonality and pronounced spatial heterogeneity. The four-year mean seasonal range at the county level is 215.01, with high values clustered in southern Hainan; Haikou remains relatively low, while Wenchang shows an upward trend. Long-term trends are clearly differentiated: 13 counties show sustained growth, 2 show decline, and 3 display a U-shaped recovery (decline followed by rebound). Growth rates also vary substantially, with Qionghai increasing at roughly 27 times the rate of Qiongzhong. Integrating seasonal and trend characteristics yields five types, of which the Robust Development type accounts for the largest share (50%). Between-type differences are mainly reflected in tourism service supply capacity: the number of star-rated hotels (p = 0.033, η² = 0.530) and overnight visitors (p = 0.004, η² = 0.676) differ significantly across types, whereas differences in natural-environment conditions are not significant. This study provides a scientific basis for zoning management and optimizing low-season strategies in Hainan. Full article

Ice-and-snow tourism cities face pronounced seasonal fluctuations that place strong pressure on urban accommodation systems. Understanding the spatial distribution, accessibility, and service capacity of hotels is therefore critical for sustainable tourism management in cold-region cities. Taking Harbin, China, as a representative winter tourism destination, this study develops a GIS-based spatial analytical framework to examine the spatial organization and service performance of star-rated hotels. Using data from 553 three-star and above hotels, combined with questionnaire survey data (N = 224), we apply the Nearest Neighbor Index (NNI), Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), and raster-based cost-distance accessibility analysis to identify spatial clustering patterns, accessibility differentiation, and mismatches between hotel supply and peak seasonal demand. We find that available hotel rooms can only meet about 60% of peak-season demand, indicating a severe capacity deficit. The results reveal a clear core–periphery spatial structure of star-rated hotels, significant accessibility disparities among hotel categories, and a pronounced mismatch between accommodation capacity and tourism demand during peak winter seasons. Peripheral areas exhibit limited accessibility and insufficient service capacity, while central districts experience high concentration and pressure. These findings highlight the importance of integrating spatial equity and seasonal demand considerations into accommodation planning and infrastructure optimization, providing policy-relevant insights for sustainable tourism development in cold-region cities. Full article

We present a comprehensive study of variable stars in the young open cluster NGC 663, combining ground-based 50BiN photometry, space-based TESS time-series observations, and astrometric measurements from Gaia DR3. A total of 60 variable candidates were identified, and 46 of them appear consistent with B-type variables according to their effective temperatures and spectral classifications. Cross-matching with the VSX catalog shows that variability of 31 objects has been reported previously, while 29 have no prior entries. Using Gaia astrometry, we estimated membership probabilities and found that 40 of the B-type variables are likely associated with the cluster. Light-curve morphology, frequency analysis, and spectral information suggest a mixture of variability types, including seven candidate $\alpha$ Cygni stars, three $\beta$ Cephei variables, ten SPB candidates, one possible BCEP/SPB hybrid, twenty Be stars, and five additional variables. These results indicate that NGC 663 provides a valuable environment for studying variability phenomena in massive stars across a range of evolutionary stages. Full article

Forty-two Jupiter Mass Binary Objects (JuMBOs) have been discovered in the Trapezium Cluster: either brown dwarf stars or planets mutually orbiting in pairs. Here it is shown that, just as in galaxies and wide binaries, the mutual orbits of the objects in each of these twin systems deviate from the Newtonian and level off around a mutual acceleration of $2c^2/\Theta =2\times {10}^{-10}$ m/s² supporting the minimum acceleration predicted by Quantised Inertia (QI), a theory that attributes inertial mass to an interaction between information horizons and quantum fields and predicts galaxy rotation without the need for dark matter. QI further predicts that the JuMBOs with separations of 400 AU should show orbital anomalies of 70 m/s. This could be tested using spectral Doppler data. Full article