Search Results (9,767)

Climate change is an emerging threat to global food and nutritional security. The tropical fruits such as mango, bananas, passionfruit, custard apples, and papaya are highly sensitive to weather changes especially; changes of monsoon onset and elevated temperature are influencing crop growth and production. There is a need for more specific studies concerning individual crops and regional variations. Long-term effects and interactions of weather parameters and increased concentration of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide, with phenological stages of the plant, pests, and diseases remain understudied, while adaptation strategies require further exploration for comprehensive understanding and effective mitigation. Few researchers have addressed the issues on the effect of climate change on tropical fruits. This paper focuses on the impact of abiotic (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind speed, evaporation, carbon dioxide concentration) and biotic (pest and pathogens dynamics) factors affecting the fruit crop ecosystem. These factors influence flowering, pollination, fruit set, fruit yield and quality. This review paper will help develop adaptive strategies, policy interventions and technological innovations aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on tropical fruit production and safeguarding global food and nutritional security. Full article

This study reports the successful synthesis of core-shell microparticles utilizing coaxial electrospray techniques, with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) encapsulating rhodamine B (RhB) in the core and a phase change material (PCM) shell composed of a eutectic mixture of lauric acid (LA) and stearic acid (SA). ZIF-8 is well-recognized for its pH-responsive degradation and biocompatibility, making it an ideal candidate for targeted drug delivery. The LA-SA PCM mixture, with a melting point near physiological temperature (39 °C), enables temperature-triggered drug release, enhancing therapeutic precision. The structural properties of the microparticles were extensively characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Drug release studies revealed a dual-stimuli response, where the release of RhB was significantly influenced by both temperature and pH. Under mildly acidic conditions (pH 4.0) at 40 °C, a rapid and complete release of RhB was observed within 120 h, while at 37 °C, the release rate was notably slower. Specifically, the release at 40 °C was 79% higher than at 37 °C, confirming the temperature sensitivity of the system. Moreover, at physiological pH (7.4), minimal drug release occurred, demonstrating the system’s potential for minimizing premature drug release under neutral conditions. This dual-stimuli approach holds promise for improving therapeutic outcomes in cancer treatment by enabling precise control over drug release in response to both pH and localized hyperthermia, reducing off-target effects and improving patient compliance. Full article

The mountain forests in Europe, especially the ecosystems dominated by Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst], are facing major challenges due to climate change. Climatic stress factors such as increased temperatures and drought contribute to reduced growth and increased mortality, especially at lower altitudes. In this study, which was conducted in the northern Velebit region, the growth dynamics and climate sensitivity of Norway spruce were analyzed using standard dendrochronological methods. The focus was on samples collected at altitudes between 1135 and 1545 m. The results show two different growth trends: a positive trend from 1950 to 1977, followed by a negative trend from 1977 to 2013. Precipitation proved to be a key factor for the stability of spruce growth, while the high summer temperatures of the previous year correlated negatively with growth increment. In addition, trees at higher altitudes showed greater resistance to climatic stress. These results underline the crucial role of precipitation and site-specific conditions in maintaining the vitality of spruce forests in mountainous regions, and suggest that climate change could further destabilize spruce ecosystems in the Dinaric Alps. Full article

Understanding the relationship between modern pollen assemblages and vegetation/climate for various elevations is essential for accurately interpreting fossil pollen records and conducting quantitative climate reconstructions in mountainous regions. However, these relationships for the Tibetan Plateau, which is the highest and one of the most ecologically sensitive regions globally, are still scarce. We present modern pollen assemblages from 78 topsoil samples collected along altitudinal gradients from 498 to 4046 m above sea level on the eastern Tibetan Plateau. They were distributed in alpine shrub meadows, coniferous forests, and mixed broad-leaved and coniferous forest vegetation types. Multivariate statistical methods, including discriminant analysis, indicator species analysis, logistic regression, and redundancy analysis, were employed to identify relationships among modern pollen assemblages, vegetation types, and climate along an altitudinal gradient. The results revealed that (1) vegetation types along the altitudinal gradient can be effectively differentiated by comparing pollen assemblages, discriminant analysis, and indicator species analysis; (2) the conifer/broadleaf pollen ratio (C/B) efficiently distinguished coniferous forests (C/B > 5) from mixed forests (C/B < 5); and (3) variations in modern pollen assemblages are primarily influenced by temperature, with pollen ratios, such as Artemisia/Cyperaceae (Art/Cy) and Tsuga/(Tsuga + Abies + Picea) (T/TAP), displaying notable altitudinal and temperature differences. These findings demonstrate that variations in modern pollen assemblages on the eastern Tibetan Plateau differentiate between vegetation types and correlate with temperature variations associated with elevation. The results provide insights for future paleovegetation and paleoclimatic reconstructions for similar mountainous regions. Full article

The aim of this study is to highlight the issue of missed supercooled liquid water (SLW) detection in the current radar/lidar derived products and to investigate the potential of the combined use of the EarthCARE mission and the Arctic Weather Satellite (AWS)—Microwave Radiometer (MWR) observations to fill this observational gap and to improve snowfall retrieval capabilities. The presence of SLW layers, which is typical of snowing clouds at high latitudes, represents a significant challenge for snowfall retrieval based on passive microwave (PMW) observations. The strong emission effect of SLW has the potential to mask the snowflake scattering signal in the high-frequency channels (>90 GHz) exploited for snowfall retrieval, while the detection capability of the combined radar/lidar SLW product—which is currently used as reference for the PMW-based snowfall retrieval algorithm—is limited to the cloud top due to SLW signal attenuation. In this context, EarthCARE, which is equipped with both a radar and a lidar, and the AWS-MWR, whose channels cover a range from 50 GHz to 325.15 GHz, offer a unique opportunity to improve both SLW detection and snowfall retrieval. In the current study, a case study is analyzed by comparing available PMW observations with AWS-MWR simulated signals for different scenarios of SLW layers, and an extensive comparison of the CloudSat brightness temperature (TB) product with the corresponding simulated signal is carried out. Simulated TBs are obtained from a radiative transfer model applied to cloud and precipitation profiles derived from the algorithm developed for the EarthCARE mission (CAPTIVATE). Different single scattering models are considered. This analysis highlights the missed detection of SLW layers embedded by the radar/lidar product and the sensitivity of AWS-MWR channels to SLW. Moreover, the new AWS 325.15 GHz channels are very sensitive to snowflakes in the atmosphere, and unaffected by SLW. Therefore, their combination with EarthCARE radar/lidar measurements can be exploited to both improve snowfall retrieval capabilities and to constrain snowfall microphysical properties. Full article

Monodeuterated methane (CH₃D) contributes greatly to absorption in the 1.58 μm methane transparency window. The spectrum is dominated by the 3ν₂ band near 6430 cm⁻¹, which is observed in natural methane and used for a number of planetary applications, such as the determination of the D/H ratio. In this work, we analyze the CH₃D spectrum recorded by high-sensitivity differential absorption spectroscopy in the 6099–6530 cm⁻¹ region, both at room temperature and at 81 K. Following a first contribution to this topic by Lu et al., the room-temperature line list is elaborated (11,189 lines) and combined with the previous 81 K list (8962 lines) in order to derive about 4800 empirical lower-state energy values from the ratio of the line intensities measured at 81 K and 294 K (2T-method). Relying on the position and intensity agreements with the TheoReTS variational line list, about 2890 transitions are rovibrationally assigned to twenty bands, with fifteen of them being newly reported. Variational positions deviate from measurements by up to 2 cm⁻¹, and the band intensities are found to be in good agreement with measurements. All the reported assignments are confirmed by Ground-State Combination Difference (GSCD) relations; i.e., all the upper-state energies (about 1370 in total) have coinciding determinations through several transitions (up to 8). The energy values, determined with a typical uncertainty of 10⁻³ cm⁻¹, are compared to their empirical and variational counterparts. The intensity sum of the transitions assigned between 6190 and 6530 cm⁻¹ represents 76.9 and 90.0% of the total experimental intensities at 294 K and 81 K, respectively. Full article

In light of the intensifying global climate crisis and the increasing demand for efficient electricity and cooling systems, the exploration of advanced power generation technologies has become crucial. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of Organic Rankine Cycle–Vapor Compression Cycle (ORC-VCC) systems utilizing low-grade waste heat for the dual purpose of electricity and cooling production. The study focuses on systems that harness waste heat below 90 °C with thermal inputs up to 500 kW. An in-house Python code was developed to calculate cycle parameters and perform multi-objective optimization targeting the maximization of both ORC-VCC efficiency and power output. The optimization was conducted for 10 different cases by evaluating five working fluids across two different ambient temperatures. The analysis reveals that the optimized system achieved an impressive overall cycle efficiency exceeding 90%, demonstrating the significant potential of ORC-VCC technology in waste heat recovery applications. The Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) multi-objective optimization approach was found to be particularly effective at navigating the multi-dimensional solution space and identifying the global optimum. This study provides valuable insights into system performance across a range of operating conditions and design parameters. Sensitivity analyses highlight key factors influencing cycle efficiency and power output. These findings have important implications for the development and deployment of ORC-VCC systems as a sustainable and efficient solution to meet growing energy needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Full article

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications, and potential future risks based on estimated energy matrixes and policy pathways. The aim of this publication is to assess the risks climate change poses to biodiversity using projected IPCC climate scenarios for the period 2081–2100, combined with key species-sensitivity indicators and variables as a response to climate change projections. In doing so, we address how climate-change-driven pressures may affect biodiversity. Additionally, a novel causal relationship between extreme ambient temperature exposure levels and the corresponding effects on individual species, noted in this paper as the Upper Thermal-Tolerance Limit and Species Sensitivity Distribution (UTTL-SSD), provides a compelling explanation of how global warming affects biodiversity. Our study indicates that North American and Oceanian sites with humid continental and subtropical climates, respectively, are poised to realize temperature shifts that have been identified as potential key tipping-point triggers. Heat stress may significantly affect approximately 60–90% of mammals, 50% of birds, and 50% of amphibians in North American and Oceanian sites for durations ranging from 5 to 84 days per year from 2080. In the humid temperate oceanic climate of European sites, the climate conditions remain relatively stable; however, moderate cumulative effects on biodiversity have been identified, and additional biodiversity-assemblage threat profiles exist to represent these. Both the integration of IPCC-IUCN profiles and the UTTL-SSD response relationship for the species communities considered have resulted in the identification of the projected threats that climate pressures may impose under the considered IPCC scenarios, which would result in biodiversity degradation. The UTTL-SSD responses developed can be used to highlight potential breakdowns among trophic levels in food web structures, highlighting an additional critical element when addressing biodiversity and ecosystem concerns. Full article

This study aims to assess the capability of using a specially designed device to monitor changes in gas concentration (CO₂, NH₃, H₂S, and O₂) in the atmosphere above the minced beef meat, during storage at refrigerated temperature. With its array of sensing channels, the multi-gas detector device facilitates the detection of precise gas concentrations in sensitive environments, enabling the monitoring of various processes occurring within stored meat. To delve into the connection between microbial activity and gas emissions during storage, fluctuations in microbial populations in the meat were observed, focusing on prevalent meat microbiota such as lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Enterobacteriaceae. A significant reduction of O₂ content in the stored samples was observed after seven days (p < 0.05), while a significant release of CO₂ was detected on the fourth day of storage. Significant changes (p < 0.05) in the gas content were tracked until the 11th day of storage followed by intensive microbial growth. NH₃ and H₂S levels remained undetectable throughout the experiment. The results showed a correlation between an increase in gas content in the headspace and an increase in the number of LAB and Enterobacteriaceae in meat. Modern multi-gas detector devices can indirectly determine microbial contamination in closed meat packaging. Full article

Despite the many beneficial effects of phycocyanobilin (PCB) on human skin, its cosmetic applications have not been extensively investigated owing to its light and temperature sensitivity. This is the first report of PCB extract (SP) derived from marine Arthrospira maxima having skin anti-wrinkling effects associated with antioxidant efficacy and reduction of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. We obtained 46.63 ± 1.72 mg PCB/g dry weight of A. maxima in SP through an ethanol extraction process. PCB extracts showed strong effects in increasing collagen synthesis and decreasing matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1) production. Interestingly, skin anti-wrinkling effects of the PCB extracts were significantly increased by the addition of wheat bran extracts (WB), up to 20–30% of the effects of PCB at all concentrations, possibly due to the synergistic effects of soluble globulins and other active substances in WB. Moreover, the mixture of SP and WB (SPWB) greatly reduced cell cytotoxicity to approximately 15% of that of PCB. SPWB upregulated and downregulated the expression of collagen type I α1 (Col1A1) and MMP-1, respectively, although the downregulation of MMP-1 was higher than that of Col1A1. The optimal SPWB concentration for maintaining the highest skin anti-wrinkling effects was 0.5 mg/mL. We show that SPWB holds promise as a vegan cosmaceutical. Full article

The fluorescence intensity of fluorescent dyes typically employed in the dual-emission laser-induced fluorescence (DELIF) method gradually degrades as the excitation time increases, and the degradation rate depends on the type of fluorescent dye used. Therefore, the DELIF method is unsuitable for long-term temperature measurements. In this study, we focused on the fluorescence intensity ratio of a single fluorescent dye at two fluorescence wavelengths and developed a DELIF method for long-term temperature measurements based on this ratio. The fluorescence intensity characteristics of Fluorescein disodium and Rhodamine B, which are typically used in the DELIF method, in the temperature range of 10–60 °C were comprehensively investigated using two high-speed monochrome complementary metal-oxide semiconductor cameras and narrow bandpass filters. Interestingly, the ratio of the fluorescence intensity of each fluorescent dye at the peak emission wavelength of the fluorescence spectrum, λ, to the fluorescence intensity at wavelengths very close to the peak wavelength (λ ± 10 nm) was highly sensitive to temperature variations but not excitation time. Particularly, when Rhodamine B was used, the selection of the fluorescence intensity ratios at a wavelength combination of 589 and 600 nm enabled highly accurate temperature measurements with a temperature resolution of ≤0.042 °C. Moreover, the fluorescence intensity ratio varied negligibly throughout the excitation time of 180 min, with a measurement uncertainty (95% confidence interval) of 0.045 °C at 20 °C. The results demonstrate that the proposed DELIF method enables highly accurate long-term temperature measurements. Full article

Target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) is a key regulator of metabolism in eukaryotes across multiple pathways. Although TORC1 has been extensively studied in vertebrates and some invertebrates, research on this complex in scallops is limited. In this study, we identified the genes encoding TORC1 complex subunits in the scallop Argopecten irradians irradians through genome-wide in silico scanning. Five genes, including TOR, RAPTOR, LST8, DEPTOR, and PRAS40, that encode the subunits of TORC1 complex were identified in the bay scallop. We then conducted structural characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the A. i. irradians TORC1 (AiTORC1) subunits to determine their structural features and evolutionary relationships. Next, we analyzed the spatiotemporal expressions of AiTORC1-coding genes during various embryo/larvae developmental stages and across different tissues in healthy adult scallops. The results revealed stage- and tissue-specific expression patterns, suggesting diverse roles in development and growth. Furthermore, the regulation of AiTORC1-coding genes was examined in temperature-sensitive tissues (the mantle, gill, hemocyte, and heart) of bay scallops exposed to high-temperature (32 °C) stress over different durations (0 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h, 3 d, 6 d, and 10 d). The expression of AiTORC1-coding genes was predominantly suppressed in the hemocyte but was generally activated in the mantle, gill, and heart, indicating a tissue-specific response to heat stress. Finally, functional validation was performed using the TOR inhibitor rapamycin to suppress AiTORC1, leading to an enhanced catabolism, a decreased antioxidant capacity, and a significant reduction in thermotolerance in bay scallops. Collectively, this study elucidates the presence, structural features, evolutional relationships, expression profiles, and roles in antioxidant capacity and metabolism regulation of AiTORC1 in the bay scallop, providing a preliminary understanding of its versatile functions in response to high-temperature challenges in marine mollusks. Full article

Temperature detection is particularly important in the medical and scientific fields. Although there are various temperature detection methods, most of them focus on broad temperature detection, and basic research in specific fields, especially the detection of subtle temperature changes (32–34 °C) during wound infection, is still insufficient. For this purpose, a novel colorimetric temperature sensing probe is designed in this paper, which can quickly and intuitively respond to small temperature changes within a specific range through color changes. In this paper, hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (HPEI) was modified by isobutyrylation to prepare hyperbranched temperature-sensitive polymer (HPEI-IBAm). And it was combined with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) prepared by a sodium citrate reduction method to construct an HPEI-IBAm-AuNP colorimetric probe. The probe exhibits excellent stability, even at salt concentrations of up to 12 g/L, thanks to the abundant amino functional groups and the large steric hindrance effect unique to HPEI-IBAm. In particular, the temperature detection range of the probe is precisely locked within 32–34 °C, enabling it to respond quickly and accurately to small temperature changes of only 2 °C. This feature is perfectly suited to the practical needs of temperature detection in infected wounds. The linear fitting coefficient of the temperature response is as high as 0.9929, ensuring the accuracy of the test results. The detection performance of the probe remained highly consistent over 10 cycles, fully proving its excellent reusability and durability. In addition, a flexible colorimetric sensor was prepared by combining the probe with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film. This sensor is capable of rapidly detecting human skin temperature in real time, achieving an accuracy of 99.07% to 100.61%. It can provide a possible solution to the challenges of delayed and difficult temperature detection caused by different body parts and uneven surfaces, among others. This demonstrates its extensive practical value and potential, and it is expected to be further applied in the monitoring of wound infections. Full article

To reduce manufacturing costs, energy companies aim to maximize the deposition rate during welding operations by increasing the interpass temperature (IT), thereby minimizing the cooling time. However, IT can significantly affect weldment performance, particularly its Charpy V-notch (CVN) impact energy (toughness). The present study investigates the effect of increasing IT beyond the limit specified by the ASME B31.3 (315 °C) on the CVN impact energy (−30 °C) of the simulated coarse-grained heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) of a 2.25Cr-1Mo steel submerged arc welded (SAW). The CGHAZ thermal cycles were obtained through finite element method simulations and physically replicated using a Gleeble machine. The increase in IT beyond the ASME-specified limit significantly reduces the CVN impact energy of the CGHAZ. However, the values obtained remained above the minimum required threshold (NORSOK M630, 42 J). The main effect of increased IT was grain coarsening. Additionally, an inverse linear relationship was observed between effective grain size (EGS) and CVN impact energy. The steel’s microstructure showed non-significant sensitivity to variations in IT within the studied range. These findings suggest that, under the conditions studied, increasing IT could be a viable option for optimizing production by reducing welding time and potentially lowering costs. Full article

Irrational spatial configuration of campuses has contributed to changes in local microclimates, thus reducing human thermal comfort, particularly in severely cold regions of China. This paper sets out to establish correlation equations between campus spatial morphology indicators and Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET). Based on measured data from two campus sites, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were utilized to analyze the characteristics of microclimate distribution and highly sensitive morphological parameters were screened. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the correlation between spatial morphology indicators and PET. During winter, open spaces were most correlated with Sky View Factor (SVF), with each 0.1 increase in SVF resulting in a 0.7 °C rise in PET. Enclosed spaces exhibited strong correlations with the Closure Ratio of Enclosure (Ce) and Surface Wall Area (SW), where every 10% increase in Ce led to a 0.46 °C increase in PET and every additional 1000 m² of SW caused a 1 °C rise in PET. We finally quantified the impact of changes in spatial morphology indicators on human thermal comfort, with the aim to integrate campus planning with climatic design and improve the outdoor thermal environment of campuses. Full article