Search Results (217)

Climate warming poses significant challenges for the sustainable management of natural water resources, making efficient planning and usage essential. This study evaluates the water requirements, irrigation demand, and rainfall deficits for two key vegetable crops, carrot and white cabbage, under projected climate scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for the period 2031–2100. The analysis was conducted for Kraków and Rzeszów Counties in southern Poland using projected monthly temperature and precipitation data from the Klimada 2.0 portal. Potential evapotranspiration (ETp) during the growing season (May–October) was estimated using Treder’s empirical model and the crop coefficient method adapted for Polish conditions. The reference period for comparison was 1951–2020. The results reveal a significant upward trend in water demand for both crops, with the highest increases under the RCP 8.5 scenario–seasonal ETp values reaching up to 517 mm for cabbage and 497 mm for carrot. Rainfall deficits are projected to intensify, especially during July and August, with greater shortages in Rzeszów County compared to Kraków County. Irrigation demand varies depending on soil type and drought severity, becoming critical in medium and very dry years. These findings underscore the necessity of adapting irrigation strategies and water resource management to ensure sustainable vegetable production under changing climate conditions. The data provide valuable guidance for farmers, advisors, and policymakers in planning effective irrigation infrastructure and optimizing water-use efficiency in southern Poland. Full article

The “That Girl” self-optimization trend on TikTok, promoting beauty and productivity, had over 17.4 billion views by August 2024. “That Girl” video clips showcase perfectly organized daily routines, fitness activities, and healthy eating—allegedly to inspire other users to aspire to similar flawlessness. Based on social comparison theory, the “That Girl” archetype serves as an upward comparison target. We expected detrimental effects of viewing “That Girl” content on young women in terms of positive and negative affect and body satisfaction. Expanding other research in this area, possible effects on self-discipline and dieting intentions were explored. Focusing on immediate intraindividual changes, a preregistered two-group online experiment using a pre–post measurement design was conducted. Female participants (N = 76) watched four minutes of either 16 video clips showing “That Girl” content or nature videos (control condition). Mixed ANOVAs provided evidence of a significant adverse influence of watching “That Girl” videos on female recipients regarding all dependent variables with medium or large effect sizes. Post-hoc analyses revealed that these effects were driven by participants who reported upward comparisons to “That Girls”. Based on these results, the positive impact on self-improvement—as proclaimed by contributors of the “That Girl” trend—is critically questioned. Full article

This study systematically investigated the physicochemical properties and proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance of perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes with different thicknesses, which were prepared based on the resins produced by Dongyue (China) in comparison with commercial Nafion membranes. It was found that the water uptake of Dongyue membranes is significantly higher than that of Nafion, showing a significant upward trend with the thickness increase. The ion exchange capacity (IEC) of these membranes is ca. 1 mmol·g⁻¹. Moreover, the tensile strength of the Dongyue membrane was positively correlated with the thickness and was significantly higher than that of recast Nafion. Under 80 °C, all Dongyue membranes with various thicknesses (15~45 μm) exhibited PEMFC single-cell performance superior to that of Nafion. The maximum power density is observed with a thickness of 25 μm, reaching 851.76 mW·cm⁻², which is higher than that of Nafion (635.99 mW·cm⁻²). However, the oxidative stability of the prepared Dongyue PFSA series membranes exhibits a slight deficit compared to commercial Nafion membranes. Subsequently, the modification and optimization of preparation processes can be employed to improve the mechanical and chemical stability of Dongyue PFSA membranes. Full article

Snow cover, as a critical component of the cryosphere, serves as a vital water resource for arid regions in Northwest China. The Qilian Mountains (QLM), situated on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, function as an important ecological barrier and water conservation area in western China. This study presents the first high-resolution historical snow cover product developed specifically for the QLM, utilizing a multi-level snow classification algorithm tailored to the complex topography of the region. By employing Landsat satellite data from 1986–2024, we constructed a comprehensive 39-year snow cover dataset at a resolution of 30 m. A dual adaptive cloud masking strategy and spatial interpolation techniques were employed to effectively address cloud contamination and data gaps prevalent in mountainous regions. The spatiotemporal characteristics and driving mechanisms of snow cover changes in the QLM were systematically analyzed using Sen–Theil trend analysis and Mann–Kendall tests. The results reveal the following: (1) The mean annual snow cover extent in the QLM was 15.73% during 1986–2024, exhibiting a slight declining trend (−0.046% yr⁻¹), though statistically insignificant (p = 0.215); (2) The snowline showed significant upward migration, with mean elevation and minimum elevation rising at rates of 3.98 m yr⁻¹ and 2.81 m yr⁻¹, respectively; (3) Elevation-dependent variations were observed, with significant snow cover decline in high-altitude (>5000 m) and low-altitude (2000–3500 m) regions, while mid-altitude areas remained relatively stable; (4) Comparison with MODIS data demonstrated good correlation (r = 0.828) but revealed systematic differences (RMSE = 12.88%), with MODIS showing underestimation in mountainous environments (Bias: −8.06%). This study elucidates the complex response mechanisms of the QLM snow system under global warming, providing scientific evidence for regional water resource management and climate change adaptation strategies. Full article

This study aimed to explore how social media usage influenced both parent and adolescent mental health and social identity during and after the COVID-19 pandemic through the theoretical foundational lens of social comparison theory. In-depth interviews with 24 mothers of adolescent children (ages 10–19) were conducted to address the research questions. Qualitative thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed eight emerging themes: (1) learning and entertainment, (2) maternal fears related to content binging and cyberbullying, (3) finding connection and comfort through social media during the pandemic, (4) ongoing digital care work as lasting maternal labor, (5) iterative dialogue: platform restrictions and content curation boundaries, (6) upward and downward social comparison, (7) fear of missing out (FoMO), and (8) third-person perception (TPP). The findings show that mothers perceive social media usage as either beneficial or harmful among adolescents (their children); upward and downward social comparison via social media exhibits more dynamic mechanisms. Moreover, this study enhances our theoretical understanding by linking social media usage to social identity, social comparison, and mental health during a global health crisis. Full article

The measurement error of sound travel time, one of the most critical parameters in acoustic temperature measurement, is significantly affected by the type of sound source signal. In order to select more appropriate sound source signals, a sound source signal preference study of loose coal acoustic temperature measurement was performed and is described herein. The results showed that the absolute error of the swept signal and the pseudo-random signal both increased with increased acoustic wave propagation distance. The relative error of the swept signal showed a relatively stable upward trend; in comparison, the pseudo-random signal showed a general decrease with a large fluctuation in the middle section, and both the relative and absolute errors for the pseudo-random signal were larger than those of the swept signal. Therefore, the swept signal is expected to perform better than the pseudo-random signal in the loose coal medium. Based on the experimental results, the linear sweep signal was selected as the sound source signal for the loose coal temperature inversion experiments: the average error between the inverted temperature value and the actual value was 4.86%, the maximum temperature difference was 2.926 °C, and the average temperature difference was 1.5949 °C. Full article

Groundwater is crucial for human survival and social development. In this study, ArcGIS 10.8, Origin 2024, and Excel were employed to investigate the hydrochemical properties of groundwater in the Rizhao reservoir (RZR) through statistical analysis, Durov plots, ion ratio analysis, and the entropy weight water quality index (EWQI). The analysis is based on monitoring data from six sites located both upstream and downstream of RZR, focusing on dynamic changes in groundwater quality and major ion concentrations. The findings suggest that the groundwater in RZR exhibits weak alkalinity and is categorized as hard freshwater. The predominant anion and cation are HCO₃⁻ and Ca²⁺, which together determine that the dominant water chemistry type in RZR is HCO₃-Ca type. Groundwater ions predominantly stem from the dissolution of silicate and evaporite rocks. In comparison to the dry season, the fluctuations in groundwater parameters are more pronounced during the wet season. Between 2020 and 2022, the concentrations of most ions exhibited an upward trend. Notably, nitrate (NO₃⁻) experienced significant fluctuations and relatively high concentrations, peaking in the wet season of 2023. The primary source of nitrate in RZR is agricultural activities. Overall, the quality of groundwater in RZR is good and suitable for human consumption. Nevertheless, the EWQI values are increasing at most monitoring sites, with the most significant rise observed at site R02. Moreover, while the upstream monitoring point exhibits better water quality, its EWQI value has increased significantly, and ion concentrations display substantial fluctuations. Local authorities are advised to adopt active measures to manage groundwater quality in RZR to ensure its sustainable use. Full article

Wildfires pose significant threats to ecosystems, human lives, and property worldwide. Understanding the behavior of fire spread on sloped terrain is essential for developing effective firefighting strategies and improving fire prediction models. Previous research has successfully demonstrated the accuracy of numerical tools in comparison to laboratory experiments. This study focuses on the influence of terrain slope and wind speed on wildland fire behavior using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. In the first phase, the numerical model was validated for a 5 m high single Douglas Fir tree under various mesh sizes, yielding heat release and mass loss rates in close agreement with experimental data. The second phase extends the model to simulate a plantation of 66 Douglas Fir trees under varying slopes and wind conditions. The results indicate that a downward slope of 30° reduces the peak heat release rate, while an upward slope of 30° increases it, with wind speed amplifying these effects. Based on these data, a new reduced-order model is proposed to quantify the influence of slope angle on the heat release rate (HRR) in wildland fires. These findings are critical for enhancing predictive fire models and mitigating wildfire risks in complex terrains. Full article

In the literature of social media use, upward state social comparison, and psychological well-being, there are multiple issues on how upward state social comparison is measured. Although researchers have pointed out these measurement issues, existing research has not provided specific measurement recommendations or measurement scales to address them. In this paper, we offered multiple specific recommendations on how to measure upward state social comparison, and we also developed measurement scales. Lastly, in a validation study, we validated the measurement scales we developed in a sample of young adult social media users in the U.S. The final sample size was 462 participants, with ages ranging from 18 to 42 years old, (M_age = 19.75, SD_age = 2.09), and the gender distribution was 349 females (75.54%), 105 males (22.73%), four participants identifying with other genders (0.87%), and four participants preferring not to reveal their gender (0.87%). Results of the validation study showed that a 4-item scale of measuring ability-based assimilative upward state social comparison and a 4-item scale of measuring ability-based contrastive upward state social comparison demonstrated good reliability, convergent validity, divergent validity, and predictive validity. Therefore, in this paper, we offered promising suggestions and tools to solve multiple measurement issues of upward state social comparison. Full article

Background: Gastric dilatation (GD) and heartworm disease (HW) can significantly impact cardiovascular function, necessitating timely intervention. This study evaluated hemodynamic changes in these conditions using impedance cardiography (ICG), a non-invasive technique for real-time monitoring. Methods: Cardiac parameters were measured using ICG in healthy controls, HW, and GD groups at baseline, during intervention, and post-treatment. Statistical analyses involved repeated measures ANOVA with post hoc comparisons, and relative changes (%) quantified hemodynamic improvements. Results: A significant increase in cardiac index (CI) occurred post-treatment in both HW (+14.71%, p = 0.0102) and GD (+28.53%, p = 0.0336) groups. Cardiac output (CO) exhibited an increasing trend, though without significance (p > 0.05). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) remained stable, although the GD group exhibited an upward trend post decompression (p = 0.1213). Conclusions: Heartworm extraction and gastric decompression induced measurable cardiovascular improvements, with distinct recovery patterns. Non-invasive monitoring effectively captured cardiovascular changes, suggesting its utility as an adjunctive tool in clinical assessment. Full article

To study the interference effects of the fuselage/rear-mounted propeller on the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics at a forward speed of Ma = 0.323, a multi-component flowfield simulation and an aeroacoustic prediction method were employed. Firstly, hybrid grids were adopted in the embedded grid system, and a new boundary identification method was developed to address the overlap problem by adjusting the grid boundary based on entities. The simulations were based on the URANS and FW-H equations. The employed numerical analysis methods were validated through comparisons with experimental data. Then, the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of the propeller were analyzed, and the interference of the fuselage with the propeller was discussed in detail. Key findings included the following. Under fuselage interference, the sound pressure level (SPL) of the propeller at those observers near the forward flight direction increased dramatically, by more than 10 dB, especially in the range of two to six times the fundamental frequency. A downward vertical velocity reduced the SPLs beneath the fuselage, while an upward one had the opposite effect. The flat/vertical tails’ deceleration effect caused a thrust surge in the propeller, with most magnitudes around 20%. At different forward speeds, the thrust surge and SPL changes were similar. Full article

Radar observations of tropospheric and lower-stratospheric winds and density-normalized momentum flux made in northern Germany with two 53.5 MHz VHF MST radars over a period of one week in August 1986 are presented. One MST radar was a permanent installation, the SOUSY VHF Harz radar, located in the Harz Mountains, and the other temporarily installed about 27 km away from the Harz. The latter radar, the SOUSY VHF Lindau radar, was operated with a limited number of antennas and much-reduced power, making it effectively a tropospheric radar. Unusually, this small radar was successfully operated in Doppler beam steering (DBS) mode to measure winds and density-normalized momentum fluxes after correcting for biases in the beam look directions resulting from its small antenna aperture. We compared the winds and density-normalized upward fluxes in horizontal momentum measured using these two radars. The mean winds show good agreement between the two radars and with winds from radiosondes launched from Essen and Hannover. Density-normalized zonal momentum fluxes are similar in form between the two radars, but do show an offset when calculated over the entire observational period. Because of the agreement in form, the zonal mean flow accelerations calculated from them are similar, and so these results are consistent between the radars even though the topography is quite different. Although the observations were made many years ago, the results we present here are still of interest, because comparisons of closely spaced wind profiling radar observations are still relatively rare, radar measurements of tropospheric and stratospheric momentum fluxes are sparse, and the successful operation of a very small DBS radar operating in the lower VHF band is of particular interest from a technical perspective. Full article

Background: Biosimilars represent a fundamental advancement in global healthcare, offering significant cost containment while maintaining both therapeutic efficacy and safety in the management of chronic diseases. The cost savings generated by adopting biosimilars could be reinvested to foster innovation in the healthcare sector and enhance patient access to advanced therapies. Methods: A comprehensive analysis was conducted within an Italian healthcare organization which, through its hospital network, serves over 3.5 million individuals. Usage patterns, expenditure, and patient coverage for the principal biosimilar agents across various therapeutic areas were examined. Data were extracted from institutional registries, and a year-over-year comparison from 2022 to 2024 was performed to evaluate trends in consumption, biosimilar adoption among treatment-naïve patients, incurred costs, potential and actual savings, as well as therapeutic switching profiles. Results: The analysis revealed a marked shift towards biosimilar formulations for the majority of the evaluated biological agents between 2022 and 2024. However, for certain active substances, a reduced market penetration of biosimilars was observed, and critical issues persist that will necessitate future interventions. Conclusions: The results demonstrate a consistent upward trajectory in biosimilar adoption, underscoring significant progress toward their integration into routine clinical practice—a transition that has generated substantial savings over the three-year period considered. Assuming a complete transition to biosimilars, the cumulative potential savings over the three-year period would amount to EUR 7,172,372.99 in 2022, EUR 6,209,289.05 in 2023, and EUR 23,536,824.05 in 2024. This trend aligns with strategic objectives to enhance the sustainability of the Italian National Health Service (SSN) through optimized resource allocation and improved patient access. Full article

Economic inequality has been linked to changes in individual risk-taking behavior, yet the underlying mechanisms remain underexplored. In this study, I examine whether feelings of relative deprivation from upward social comparisons influence risk preferences. In the randomized experiments, participants were exposed to false information feedback designed to evoke feelings of relative deprivation, and their risk aversion was assessed through hypothetical and incentivized gambles. The results indicate that exposure to relative deprivation reduced risk aversion among men in incentivized lottery experiments, while it had no significant association with risk aversion for either gender in hypothetical gambles. Additionally, relative deprivation lowered perceived social standing and increased anxiety and concerns about personal deservingness—emotional outcomes commonly associated with experiences of relative deprivation. This study provides suggestive evidence that social comparison may influence risk preferences among men through emotional changes and offers insights into how societal inequality affects individual preferences. These findings have important implications for policy interventions aimed at addressing economic disparities and their behavioral consequences. Full article

Aggressive behavior not only negatively affects an individual’s psycho-social adaptation but also undermines social harmony and stability. This study investigated the relationship between perceived crowdedness and aggression, examining the mediating role of relative deprivation and the moderating effects of upward social comparison and connectedness to nature based on the general strain theory and the I³ model. A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 848 participants (524 females, 61.8%) aged 20–75 (M = 33.15, SD = 6.83) in China. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping procedures were used to test the hypothesized moderated mediation model. The results indicated that perceived crowdedness and upward social comparison positively predicted aggressive behavior, whereas connectedness to nature negatively predicted it. Relative deprivation mediated the relationship between perceived crowdedness and aggressive behavior. Only upward social comparison moderated the relationship between perceived crowdedness and relative deprivation, and connectedness to nature showed a marginally significant moderating effect on the relationship between perceived crowdedness and aggressive behavior. Unexpected trends are discussed, along with directions for future research. Full article