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Land use and climate change-based multi-scenario simulation of ecosystem service trade-offs/synergies: A case study of the central Yunnan urban agglomeration, China

Exploring Land use and climate change-based multi-scenario simulation of ecosystem service trade-offs/synergies is of great importance to regional ecological security and sustainable development. Taking the Central Yunnan Urban Agglomeration (CYUA) as a case study, six different scenarios of LULC-RCP were established to quantitatively assess four key ecosystem services(ESs) of water yield (WY), carbon stock (CS), soil conservation (SR) and habitat quality (HQ) with multiple objective programming and patch-generating land use simulation(MOP-PLUS) and integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs (InVEST) models. The ESs were revealed regarding spatio-temporal trade-offs/synergies using Spearman correlation and geographically weighted regression (GWR). It was found that: (1)the ESs in CYUA is characterized with high spatial heterogeneity in 2030; specifically, the distribution of WY and SR was low in the northwestern region and high in the southeastern region, while the distribution of HQ and CS was high in the western region and the periphery, and low in the eastern and central regions; (2) the trade-offs between WY-HQ, and WY-CS, and the synergies between WY-SR, HQ-SR, HQ-CS, HQ-CS, and HQ-SR; (3) under the six different scenarios, the spatial distribution of trade-offs/synergies between the four ESs was consistent: the SR-HQ, SR-CS, and WY-CS showed an overall weak synergistic relationship; the HQ-CS showed an overall weak trade-offs; the HQ-WY, CS-WY showed an overall weak synergistic relationship in the northern and southern areas and an overall weak trade-off relationship in the center. The findings of this study may provide a theoretical foundation for ecosystem management in CYUA and offer technical support for the evaluation of national land space.

Role of Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles in Forensic Science

The use of science in the criminal justice system is known as forensic science. Justice is upheld through a proper analysis and assessment of the evidence. Due to factors like𿿿re, explosion, environmental changes, water, dirt, and any thers, crime scenes are usually damaged. The most reliable method of identifying a person is by their𿿿ngerprints, which is also one of the evidence types that are mst frequently found at crime scenes. The perpetrator frequently makes a concerted effort to destroy a𿿿ngerprint that contains crucial evidence. Due to their extreme ssitivity, nanoparticles are used to improve latent𿿿ngerprints on porous, semiporous, and nonporous surfaces. The problem wit the traditional 𿿿ngerprint development technique is that it is not that durable for a longer period of time. The particle size of the black powder and the other nano traditional powders are much more as compared to the size of the particles. In addition to adhesives, titanium dioxide (TiO2 ), a common paint pigment, can be suspended in a surfactant and utilized as a powder suspension to remove latent impressions from a variety of surfaces. It is a tiny, non-Áammable, non-toxic powder that is white in colo and smaer than one micron in diameter. AÁatoxin genes can be identi𿿿ed usin forsic genetics by adding silver and titanium dioxide nanoparticles to real-time PCR. It can also be used to detect explosives. Similarly, there are other applications as well. Therefore, this review paper will discuss the use of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in forensic research.

Cardiovascular health knowledge, attitude and practice among school-going adolescents and the availability of digital prerequisites for health education in Bhaktapur, Nepal

Background In Nepal, the proportion of annual deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) increased from 12% in 1990 to 22% in 2021. Although CVD manifests in adulthood, exposure to risk factors begins early in life. In Nepal, a high prevalence of risk factors combined with limited knowledge about cardiovascular health warrants a life course approach. One strategy could be a digitalized health education targeted at adolescents to prevent future CVDs. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess adolescents’ knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding cardiovascular health and explored possibilities for digital education. In total, 649 adolescents in grades 8–10 from two public and seven private schools in a semi-urban community of Nepal were surveyed. A self-administered questionnaire assessed KAP, digital prerequisites such as mobile phone use and internet availability at home, and gaming behaviors. Quantile regression was performed to assess the relationship among the variables. Results The median scores were 69.1% (Interquartile range/IQR 63.1%–74.4%) for knowledge about cardiovascular health, 77.9% (73.3%–82.3%) for attitude and 76.7% (72.2%–81.1%) for practice. Quantile regression showed that the knowledge score for grade 9 adolescents was 4.2 percentage point (pp) higher (p < 0.001) and grade 10 adolescents was 4.0pp higher (p < 0.001) than those in grade 8. Knowledge was 4.9pp higher (p < 0.001) for private than for public school adolescents. Attitude scores were 2.0pp higher (p = 0.001) for girls than for boys and 1.7pp higher (p = 0.008) for private than for public school adolescents. For practice, boys scored 2.2pp higher (p < 0.001) than girls and private school adolescents scored 2.5pp higher (p < 0.001) than public. Furthermore, 98.6% of adolescents had smartphone access, 91.5% had internet access and 68.0% played mobile games. Conclusion Adolescents have lower knowledge than attitude and practice regarding cardiovascular health. This combined with high digital access provides opportunities for digital health education, especially in public schools.

Job satisfaction and its associated factors among health care workers in Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Ethiopia

Background Job satisfaction, a positive emotional state from evaluating work experiences, has a global prevalence of 46.68% among healthcare workers, often lower than other public servants due to challenging conditions. Improving job satisfaction is vital for better healthcare services. However, information on the level of job satisfaction among health professionals in Ethiopia remains scarce. This study sought to assess job satisfaction and its associated factors among health professionals at Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 03/2023 to May 10/2023, involving 439 randomly selected healthcare workers. Data collection utilized the interviewer-administered Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. Ordinal logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with job satisfaction. Statistical significance was determined by a p-value of less than 0.05 or a 95% confidence interval for the adjusted odds ratio excluding one. Results All 439 healthcare workers participated, achieving a 100% response rate. Job satisfaction levels were categorized as very dissatisfied (27.1%), dissatisfied (26.2%), satisfied (24.8%), and very satisfied (21.9%). Factors associated with decreased job satisfaction included a monthly salary below 8,000 ETB (AOR = 0.377, CI: 0.174–0.814), salary of 8,000–10,000 ETB (AOR = 0.249, CI: 0.117–0.571), history of headaches (AOR = 0.607, CI: 0.406–0.908), working in emergency (AOR = 0.205, CI: 0.084–0.502), inpatient (AOR = 0.391, CI: 0.167–0.916), or radiology environments (AOR = 0.081, CI: 0.013–0.489). Increased job satisfaction was linked to nursing (AOR = 1.679, CI: 1.011–2.787) and radiology professions (AOR = 35.21, CI: 4.14–299.39). Conclusion Factors such as low salary and high-stress work environments reduce job satisfaction, necessitating strategies to improve workplace conditions and revise salary structures to foster greater satisfaction among healthcare workers. The hospital should address high-stress environments like emergency and inpatient settings and offer support to healthcare workers with headaches. Moreover, the Ministry of Health should revise salary structures and assess work environments to enhance healthcare workers’ job satisfaction.

Influence of nitrogen addition on soil respiration and soil properties in urban forests in Hefei city in China

With the continuous development of urbanization, nitrogen deposition has affected the regeneration capacity of urban forest soil. This study focused on Quercus acutissima Carruth forest in a southern city Hefei in China. The effects of different nitrogen addition rates on both the soil respiration rate and the soil properties of urban forests were studied. In addition, the effects of seasonal changes on soil respiration were also analyzed. The experimental results showed that low nitrogen addition rate (5 g·m-2·yr-1) increased soil respiration rate by about 11% in summer, but decreased it by about 6% in winter, with a range of 5% to 20%. High nitrogen addition (15 g·m-2·yr-1) significantly increased soil temperature by about 12% in summer (p < 0.05), and significantly decreased soil temperature by about 13% in winter (p < 0.05), indicating the seasonal regulation effect of nitrogen addition on soil temperature. As a result, the soil respiration rate was 3.26 ± 0.45 μmol m-2·s-1 in summer and 0.51 ± 0.07 μmol m-2·s-1 in winter. The results indicated that the high nitrogen addition had a significant effect on soil respiration rate, which increased in summer and decreased in winter. Soil moisture content and temperature had significant effects on soil respiration rate, especially in the suburban test site. Nitrogen addition significantly increased soil total nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen contents (p < 0.05), but had no significant effect on soil pH value. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that nitrogen addition promoted soil microbial activity, releases heat, and thus increases soil temperature. Meanwhile, this method affected soil respiration rate, soil moisture, soil total nitrogen, and nitrate nitrogen content, directly or indirectly regulating soil heterotrophic respiration and autotrophic respiration. In conclusion, this study revealed the significant effects of nitrogen addition on urban forest soil respiration and its components, which provided data support and theoretical reference for understanding the dynamic changes of urban ecosystem carbon cycle, and was of great significance for guiding future urban greening and ecological protection work.

Cross sectional analysis of clinical trials search results for cancer patients using a navigator-assisted clinical trials search using five different search engines

Background Clinical trials play a critical role in providing patients with access to novel treatments and therapies. However, limitations in clinical trial search engines impede healthcare professionals and patients from accessing the most suitable clinical trials. This study aimed to address this issue by conducting a critical analysis of several prominent clinical trial search websites, including ClinicalTrials.gov, Canadian Cancer Trials, Clinical Trials Ontario, Canadian Cancer Clinical Trials Network, and Q-CROC. Methods To identify areas for improvement, three skilled clinical trials navigators independently curated clinical trial searches for 18 cancer patients over a 2-month period. After verifying patients’ eligibility for enrollment in clinical trials, the navigators documented their search outcomes and identified several limitations in the current search engines. Results Careful curation of clinical trials for 18 patients revealed 247 trials. However, 140 eligible trials out of 247 (57% with 95% binomial confidence interval [50%, 63%]) were found only on alternative websites yet not discoverable on the initial ClinicalTrials.gov searches, even though they were listed on ClinicalTrials.gov. Our study revealed multiple deficiencies in available clinical trials search engines. Lack of reliability was repeatedly identified in all search engines. Discussion This study highlights that the current clinical trial search system needs improvement to enhance patient outcomes. It needs to be highlighted that these searches were performed by trained and dedicated clinical trials navigators. The challenges facing patients and health care professionals in navigating would be much greater. The findings from this study can serve as a foundation for the development of enhanced search engines with improved functionality, which will enable healthcare professionals and patients to find and access the most suitable clinical trials with greater ease and accuracy.

Analysis of the deterioration process of DC XLPE cable with protrusion defect based on the development of partial discharge

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables are essential for long-distance power transmission, particularly in renewable energy applications. Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation is commonly used in these cables, but protrusion defects that occur during manufacturing can distort the electric field and initiate partial discharge (PD), accelerating insulation degradation. In this study, partial discharge experiments were conducted at 50 °C and 80 kV to investigate the behavior of internal semi-conductive protrusion defects in insulation, following methodologies aligned with relevant industry standards IEC 60270 for partial discharge measurements. This voltage condition is obtained from the previous pre-test using the same model, and can ensure that the cable can generate partial discharge under the conditions of 50°C and 80kV, but there will be no rapid deterioration of the cable leading to breakdown, which meets the needs of this experiment. The discharge process is divided into stages, and the relationship between discharge frequency, quantity, and cumulative discharge is explored. The results reveal a clear increase in discharge activity, especially in the fourth stage, which corresponds to the accelerated development of the discharge channel and impending insulation breakdown. These findings provide valuable insights into the defect’s progression and highlight the risks of protrusion defects in HVDC cable insulation. This research contributes to the understanding of insulation degradation mechanisms and offers important data for improving the design, manufacturing, and maintenance of HVDC cables.

Research on group type theory and its functorial semantic models in category logic

This paper explores the introduction of group structures within type theory, drawing from the algebraic theory proposed by Roy L. Crole. We define types with group structures and demonstrate that models of these types in categories with finite products can be interpreted as group objects. Each equation within the context of group theory types corresponds to a commutative diagram, representing the axioms of groups, inspired by Lawvere’s functorial semantics. Moreover, we clarify the role of control equations associated with fundamental properties of groups, such as operations and identities. By formalizing a type referred to as “Group Type," which involves integrating group operations and the equations they satisfy into an algebraic type, we incorporate the algebraic structure of a specific group into this type. This Group Type represents a concrete algebraic structure. In practical applications, the introduction of group structures into types is anticipated to optimize algorithms and data structures, leveraging the algebraic properties of groups to enhance computational efficiency. Furthermore, our exploration is not limited to mathematical conversions; it is also envisioned to extend to the application in various type systems, providing support for future research in formal verification and program analysis in computer science.

Catalytic Enantioselective Reductive Arylation and Alkenylation of Sulfinylamines to Access Sulfinamides Enabled by Cobalt Catalysis

Abstract This study reports a cobalt‐catalyzed method for the enantioselective reductive arylation and alkenylation of sulfinylamines, facilitating the efficient synthesis of enantiopure sulfinamides. By employing a cobalt/chiral diphosphine and tridentate ligand system, a range of diverse aryl and alkenyl iodides were successfully transformed into sulfinamides, achieving high yields and excellent enantioselectivity. This methodology underscores the utility of sulfinylamines as versatile electrophilic sulfur sources. Detailed mechanistic insights from density functional theory (DFT) calculations suggest that the key step involves migratory insertion into the sulfilimine group, which plays a crucial role in enantioselectivity. These findings offer a sustainable approach for the development of biologically relative enantiopure sulfur‐containing compounds.

Marine sentinels using eDNA to track Physalia sp. in the Gulf of Thailand

Physalia sp. is among the world’s most hazardous marine species, posing a significant threat to public safety and Thailand’s tourism sector. Traditional survey methods such as trawling and netting are time-consuming, potentially disruptive to marine ecosystems, and often lack the precision needed for effective monitoring. This study employed environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis to investigate the distribution of Physalia sp. across 45 sampling sites in eight provinces along the Gulf of Thailand. Using species-specific primers and probes targeting the COI region, we successfully detected Physalia sp. eDNA in four provinces: Chonburi, Rayong, Chumphon, and Songkhla. Notably, high eDNA concentrations were observed in Songkhla province, correlating with direct beach observations and public health warnings. The detection in Chumphon province represents a previously undocumented distribution area for this species in Thailand. Bayesian occupancy modeling revealed moderate true-positive detection rates for field samples (θ11 = 0.627) and high rates for qPCR replicates (p11 = 0.9), with notably low false-positive probabilities (θ10 = 0.008, p10 = 0.01), demonstrating the reliability of our eDNA-based approach. These findings demonstrate the utility of eDNA technology as a non-invasive, sensitive tool for monitoring hazardous marine species, with important implications for public safety and marine ecosystem management.

Isolated human lens interferometric surface radius of curvatures: Implications for the mechanism of accommodation

Accurate central surface radius of curvature (RoC) measurements of isolated human lenses are essential for understanding the zonular forces required to modify human lens shape to focus at near; i.e., accommodate. The human lens can be described as an encapsulated oblate spheroid, with its minor axis aligned with its optical axis. The lens is suspended by zonular fibers that originate from the epithelium of the ciliary body and insert into the equatorial region of the lens capsule. According to Helmholtz’s theory of accommodation when the eye views a distant object (the unaccommodated state), the ciliary muscle is fully relaxed and the zonules are under maximal tension. This tension flattens both the central and peripheral lens surfaces resulting in minimal central optical power (COP). During near focus (accommodation), contraction of the ciliary muscle reduces zonular tension, allowing the elastic capsule to restore the lens to a more rounded shape. This increases the curvature of the lens surfaces, central thickness, and COP. Consequently, isolated lenses without zonular tension from young donors (20–30 years old) would be expected to exhibit maximum COP. However, the companion independent profilometric equation fitting study found that, within central optical zones ≤ 3 mm, 10 fresh isolated lenses from donors in this age range actually had minimal COP. The present study utilizes a white light scanning interferometer (WLSI) with a 10x objective that was validated by measuring RoCs of glass and porcine lenses. Fourteen transparent human lenses were obtained from both eyes of seven donors aged 20–30 years of whom 2 were female and 5 were male. One lens of each donor was placed in preservative media and the contralateral lens in culture media within 11:26 ± 5:15 (range: 4:47–21:54) of the donor’s death. Two of the lenses stored in the culture media had torn capsules and were excluded from the study. Central thickness and WLSI surface vertex RoCs of 12 lenses were measured within 16:27 ± 5:22 (range: 10:11–25:33) of the donor’s death. Mean central thickness, anterior and posterior vertex RoCs and COP were 3.54 ± 0.07 mm, 10.2 ± 0.9 mm, 6.8 ± 1.0 mm, and 20.7 ± 2.1 diopters, respectively. These results confirm the companion study that isolated human lenses have low COP consistent with the unaccommodated state of lenses in vivo. Therefore, relaxation of all the zonules does not increase COP and cannot be the basis for the mechanism of accommodation. These results have implications for the development and treatment of myopia, presbyopia, glaucoma, cortical cataracts and design of accommodative intraocular lenses.

What are memories made of? A survey of neuroscientists on the structural basis of long-term memory

Despite the last decade’s development of optogenetic methods for artificially manipulating engrams, and subsequent claims that there is a consensus that memories are stored in ensembles of synaptic connections, it remains unclear to what degree there truly is unanimity within the neuroscientific community about the neurophysiological basis of long-term memory. We surveyed 312 neuroscientists, comprising one cohort of experts on engram research and another of general neuroscientists, to assess this community’s views on how memories are stored. While 70.5% of participants agreed that long-term memories are primarily maintained by neuronal connectivity patterns and synaptic strengths, there was no clear consensus on which specific neurophysiological features or scales are critical for memory storage. Despite this, the median probability estimate that any long-term memories could potentially be extracted from a static snapshot of brain structure was around 40%, which was also the estimate for whether a successful whole brain emulation could theoretically be created from the structure of a preserved brain. When predicting the future feasibility of whole brain emulation, the median participant estimated this would be achieved for C. elegans around 2045, mice around 2065, and humans around 2125. Notably, neither research background nor expertise level significantly influenced views on whether memories could be extracted from brain structure alone. Our findings suggest that while most neuroscientists believe memories are stored in structural features of the brain, fundamental questions about the precise physical basis of memory storage remain unresolved. These findings have important implications for both theoretical neuroscience and the development of technologies aimed at preserving or extracting memory-related information.

Metal Synergistic Dual Activation Enables Efficient Transesterification by Multinuclear Titanium Catalyst: Recycling and Upcycling of Polyester Waste

Abstract Developing highly efficient and selective catalysts for chemical recycling and upcycling of plastic waste is essential for establishing a sustainable plastics economy and reducing environmental impact. Here, we report a novel tetranuclear titanium catalyst that enables highly efficient transesterification reactions of esters and polyesters. Detailed experimental and computational studies have revealed that a bi‐titanium framework facilitates a dual activation mechanism, activating both alcohol and ester simultaneously, thereby significantly enhancing the transesterification process. This catalyst demonstrated exceptionally high activity in the methanolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with an activity up to 1.9 × 10 7  g PET  mol Ti −1  h −1 at 0.005 mol% catalyst loading, producing polymerizable dimethyl ester and glycol monomers. Additionally, it effectively catalyzed the re‐polymerization of the recovered monomers, yielding the original polyester with high molecular weight and thereby achieving an ideal circular economy for commodity polyesters. Furthermore, this catalyst can also be utilized for the efficient upgrading of PET waste via transesterification with 1,4‐butanediol, polybutylene adipate, and poly(tetramethyene ether glycol), yielding engineering plastic, biodegradable polyester, and thermoplastic elastomer, respectively.

Cooperative Iron–Aluminium Reactivity for Dinitrogen Activation

Abstract We report a novel bimetallic approach utilizing cooperative Fe─Al reactivity for N 2 activation on the Cp*Fe(1,2‐Cy 2 PC 6 H 4 AlEt) platform, effectively capturing two N 2 molecules through intermolecular Fe─N≡N─Al coordination. Characterizations of the N 2 ‐bridged Fe─Al dimer ( 2 ) using Mössbauer spectroscopy coupled to density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveals its electronic structure as a resonance hybrid between Fe(II)‐Al(I) and Fe(0)‐Al(III). The flexible, covalent Fe─Al bonding facilitates the subsequent alkylation of the Al site with n BuLi, leading to the formation of a dinitrogen‐lithiated complex ( 3 ) that enables the silylation of the terminal N atom. Our findings highlight the significance of leveraging Fe─Al effects as an electron buffer to achieve facile N 2 activation.

Correction to “Iridium(III) Blue Phosphors with Heteroleptic Carbene Cyclometalates: Isomerization, Emission Tuning, and OLED Fabrications”

Bio‐Sourced 4‐Aryl‐1,2‐Dithiolanes for Recyclable Poly(disulfide)s with High Performance

Abstract The development of recyclable polymers presents a solution to the urgent issues of circular plastics economy. To this end, there is an increasing interest in expanding the utility of poly(disulfide)s, which contains dynamic covalent S─S bonds to enable intrinsic degradability. Lipoic acid and its derivatives represent the most widely used class of monomers for the preparation of poly(disulfide)s. However, their physical properties are usually on the soft side of thermoplastics and can face challenges in wider applications. In this contribution, we report a scalable synthesis of a new class of aryl‐substituted 1,2‐dithiolane monomers from bio‐sourced phenol ethers and their ring‐opening polymerization to aryl‐substituted poly(disulfide)s. The aryl‐substituted poly(disulfide)s display high recyclability without the cost of stability. The introduction of aryl side chains systematically improves the thermal properties of poly(disulfide)s. The optical properties of aryl‐substituted poly(disulfide)s are competitive and so are the mechanical properties of the crosslinked network, showing potential for applications in sustainable materials.

Bismuth Meets Olefins: Ethylene Activation and Reversible Alkene Insertion into Bi─N Bonds

Abstract Owing to its fundamental properties as the parent olefin, its outstanding industrial relevance, and the challenges associated with its activation, ethylene remains a benchmark substrate, especially in main group chemistry. Here we report the unprecedented activation of ethylene and related simple α‐olefins by well‐defined cationic bismuth complexes. The polarization of a substrate by a softly Lewis‐acidic central atom and a nucleophilic functional group positioned in a constrained geometry is for the first time exploited in the activation of ethylene and related olefins by compounds of a heavy p‐block element. Mechanistic investigations point toward a coordination‐insertion‐reaction mechanism. The bonding properties of the cationic bismuth species facilitate unprecedented reversible reactivity patterns and unusual characteristics in chemoselectivity.

Reply to Musculus et al.: A case of offside in scientific discourse?

Why “decoding the elite soccer player’s psychological profile” fails to score

A Single‐Molecule Liposome Assay for Membrane Permeabilization

Abstract Cell membrane disruption is associated with numerous diseases and underlies the activity of various antimicrobial agents. The rapid screening of compounds capable of disrupting or permeabilizing biological membranes is essential to the search for new therapeutic drugs. Here, we present a single‐molecule confocal microscopy assay integrated with fast‐flow microfluidics to study membrane permeabilization in large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) containing as few as seven dye molecules. This assay eliminates the need for liposome immobilization and achieves detection rates in the range of 1000 vesicles per minute, offering unparalleled sensitivity and detection limits as low as 135 pM, corresponding to just eight permeabilizing molecules per vesicle for active compounds such as ionomycin. It provides a robust platform for investigating membrane‐disrupting agents, including those with antimicrobial properties or implicated in neurodegenerative diseases.