Clinical efficacy of intradermal type Ⅰ collagen injections in treating skin photoaging in patients from high-altitude areas

BACKGROUND Photoaging,a result of chronic sun exposure,leads to skin damage and pigmentation changes.Traditional treatments may have limitations in high-altitude areas like Yunnan Province.Intradermal Col Ⅰ injections stimulate collagen production,potentially improving skin quality.This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of this treatment for photoaging.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intradermal typeΙcollagen(ColΙ)injection for treating photoaging.METHODS This prospective,self-controlled study investigated the impact of intradermal injections of ColΙon skin photodamage in 20 patients from the Yunnan Province.Total six treatment sessions were conducted every 4 wk±3 d.Before and after each treatment,facial skin characteristics were quantified using a VISIA skin detector.Skin thickness data were assessed using the ultrasound probes of the Dermalab skin detector.The Face-Q scale was used for subjective evaluation of the treatment effect by the patients.RESULTS The skin thickness of the right cheek consistently increased after each treatment session compared with baseline.The skin thickness of the left cheek significantly increased after the third through sixth treatment sessions compared with baseline.The skin thickness of the right zygomatic region increased after the second to sixth treatment sessions,whereas that of the left zygomatic region showed a significant increase after the fourth through sixth treatment sessions.The skin thickness of both temporal regions significantly increased after the fifth and sixth treatment sessions compared with baseline(P<0.05).These findings were also supported by skin ultrasound images.The feature count for the red areas and wrinkle feature count decreased following the treatment(P<0.05).VISIA assessments also revealed a decrease in the red areas after treatment.The Face-QSatisfaction with Facial Appearance Overall and Face-Q-Satisfaction with Skin scores significantly increased after each treatment session.The overall appearance of the patients improved after treatment.CONCLUSION Intradermal ColΙinjection improves photoaging,with higher patient satisfaction and fewer adverse reactions,and could be an effective treatment method for populations residing in high-altitude areas.

Construction Technology of Warm Mix Asphalt Pavement in Cold High-Altitude Areas

With the continuous development of domestic highway construction,highway civil engineering and service level quality have attracted much attention.Good pavement quality and high-quality service make people feel comfortable and smooth when traveling.High-quality pavement can significantly reduce the probability of traffic accidents.At present,there is a direct relationship between pavement quality and pavement construction operations.Carrying out pavement construction operations in cold high-altitude areas requires a reasonable selection of construction equipment and methods.The application of warm-mix asphalt pavement construction technology can ensure pavement quality.Therefore,this paper analyzes the advantages of warm-mix technology,the environmental characteristics of cold high-altitude areas,and construction preparations,and discusses the construction technology of warm-mix asphalt pavement in cold high-altitude areas in detail,to improve the overall road quality of cold high-altitude areas.

Settlement Control Technology of High Filled Soil-Rock Embankment in Alpine and High-Altitude Areas

China's infrastructure has gradually achieved large-scale development,and transportation construction has also shifted from east to west,transitioning from plains to mountainous areas.High-fill embankments of different sizes in mountainous areas are unavoidable,and the settlement of high-fill embankments is usually the most concerned issue in high-fill projects.According to the current research of highway projects,most of the high embankments in mountainous areas are soil-rock mixed embankments or rock-filled embankments,and their post-construction settlements are directly related to construction technology and the type of filler used.In this paper,the problems in the settlement control of earth-filled embankment and related factors are analyzed in detail.The settlement control technology of high-fill embankment in high-cold and high-altitude areas is also discussed,so as to ensure the overall quality of high-fill embankment.

Minimally invasive surgery vs laparotomy in patients with colon cancer residing in high-altitude areas

BACKGROUND Colon cancer is associated with a higher incidence among residents in highaltitude areas.Hypoxic environment at high altitudes inhibits the phagocytic and oxygen-dependent killing function of phagocytes,thereby increasing the inflammatory factors,inhibiting the body’s innate immunity and increasing the risk of colon cancer.AIM To examine the effect of minimally invasive surgery vs laparotomy in patients with colon cancer residing in high-altitude areas.METHODS Ninety-two patients with colon cancer in our hospital from January 2019 to February 2021 were selected and divided into the minimally invasive surgery and laparotomy groups using the random number table method,with 46 patients in each group.Minimally invasive surgery was performed in the minimally invasive group and laparotomy in the laparotomy group.Operative conditions,inflammatory index pre-and post-surgery,immune function index and complication probability were measured.RESULTS Operative duration was significantly longer and intraoperative blood loss and recovery time of gastrointestinal function were significantly less(all P<0.05)in the minimally invasive group than in the laparotomy group.The number of lymph nodes dissected was not significantly different.Before surgery,there were no significant differences in serum C-reactive protein,interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-αlevels between the groups,whereas after surgery,the levels were significantly higher in the minimally invasive group(26.98±6.91 mg/L,146.38±11.23 ng/mL and 83.51±8.69 pg/mL vs 41.15±8.39 mg/L,186.79±15.36 ng/mL and 110.65±12.84 pg/mL,respectively,P<0.05).Furthermore,before surgery,there were no significant differences in CD3+,CD4+and CD4+/CD8+levels between the groups,whereas after surgery,the levels decreased in both groups,being significantly higher in the minimally invasive group(55.61%±4.39%,35.45%±3.67%and 1.30±0.35 vs 49.68%±5.33%,31.21%±3.25%and 1.13±0.30,respectively,P<0.05).Complication probability was significantly lower in the minimally invasive group(4.35%vs 17.39%,P<0.05).CONCLUSION Laparoscopic minimally invasive procedures reduce surgical trauma and alleviate the inflammatory response and immune dysfunction caused by invasive operation.It also shortens recovery time and reduces complication probability.

Atmospheric transmission algorithm for pulsed X-rays from high-altitude nuclear detonations based on scattering correction

In high-altitude nuclear detonations,the proportion of pulsed X-ray energy can exceed 70%,making it a specific monitoring signal for such events.These pulsed X-rays can be captured using a satellite-borne X-ray detector following atmospheric transmission.To quantitatively analyze the effects of different satellite detection altitudes,burst heights,and transmission angles on the physical processes of X-ray transport and energy fluence,we developed an atmospheric transmission algorithm for pulsed X-rays from high-altitude nuclear detonations based on scattering correction.The proposed method is an improvement over the traditional analytical method that only computes direct-transmission X-rays.The traditional analytical method exhibits a maximum relative error of 67.79% compared with the Monte Carlo method.Our improved method reduces this error to within 10% under the same conditions,even reaching 1% in certain scenarios.Moreover,its computation time is 48,000 times faster than that of the Monte Carlo method.These results have important theoretical significance and engineering application value for designing satellite-borne nuclear detonation pulsed X-ray detectors,inverting nuclear detonation source terms,and assessing ionospheric effects.

Geostructures, dynamics and risk mitigation of high-altitude and long- runout rockslides

Long-runout rockslides at high altitude could cause disaster chain in river basins and destroy towns and major infrasturctures.This paper firstly explores the initiation mechanism of high-altitude and long-runout rockslides.Two types of sliding-prone geostructure models,i.e.the fault control type in orogenic belt and the fold control type in platform area,are proposed.Then,large-scale experimental apparatus and associated numerical simulations are conducted to understanding the chain-style dynamics of rockslide-debris avalanche-debris flow.The results reveal the fragmentation effects,the rheological behaviors and the boundary layer effect of long-runout avalanche-debris flow.The dynamic character-istics of quasi-static-transition-inertia state and solid-liquid coupling in rapid movement of rockslide-debris avalanche-debris flow are investigated.Finally,the risk mitigation strategy of the non-structure and structure for resilient energy dissipation are illustrated for initiation,transition and deposition zones.The structural prevention and mitigation methods have been successfully applied to the high-altitude and long-runout rockslides in Zhouqu and Maoxian of the Wenchuan earthquake zone,as well as the other major geohazards in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its adjacent areas.

Industrial Poverty Alleviation Model in Southwestern High-altitude Mountainous Areas of China——A Case Study of Industrial Poverty Alleviation of Xueshan Township in Luquan County of Yunnan Province through Planting Codonopsis pilosula

Due to the severe restrictions of natural conditions and ecological environment,high-altitude mountainous areas usually become the " hard bones" in the battle against poverty. Xueshan Township,Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County of Yunnan Province,located in the alpine valley of Jinsha River,is a major township with wide and deep poverty,and the incidence of poverty is up to 45. 00%. In recent years,Xueshan Township has insisted on the battle against poverty,made effort to develop the Codonopsis pilosula industry,and successfully developed a road to poverty alleviation through C. pilosula industry,and formed a unique industrial poverty alleviation model by the end of 2018,the incidence of poverty dropped to 0. 74%. Based on field survey and interview,this paper analyzes and summarizes the specific practices,main results,practical experience and promotion and application measures of the poverty alleviation model of C. pilosula planting industry in Xueshan Township,in the hope of providing certain reference for the targeted poverty alleviation in similar areas in Yunnan Province and other provinces of China.

Diversity of Orchids in Terms of Their Distribution, Uses and Conservation in Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal

The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA), the first conservation area and the largest protected area (PA) in Nepal, is incredibly rich in biodiversity. Notwithstanding this, orchids in the ACA have not been explored enough yet thus making the need for ambitious research to be carried out. Previous study only included 81 species of orchids within ACA. This study aims to update the record of species and genera richness in the ACA. In total 198 species of orchids, belonging to 67 genera (40% and 62% of the total recorded orchid species and genera in Nepal) has been recorded in ACA. This represents an increase of 144% in species and 56% in genera over the previous data. Out of the 198 species, 99 were epiphytes, 6 were holomycotrophic and 93 were terrestrial. Among the 67 genera, Bulbophyllum (17) species were dominant, followed by Dendrobium (16), Herminium (10), Coelogyne, Plantanthera (9 each), Eria, Habenaria, Oberonia (8 each), Calanthe (7), and Liparis (6). Fifty-six species were found to be ornamentally significant and 85 species medicinally significant.

The environmental analysis and site selection of mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas based on high resolution remote sensing

Mussel aquaculture and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas and their environmental characteristics in Zhoushan were analyzed using satellite data and in-situ surveys.A new two-step remote sensing method was proposed and applied to determine the basic environmental characteristics of the best mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas.This methodology includes the first step of extraction of the location distribution and the second step of the extraction of internal environmental factors.The fishery ranching index(FRI1,FRI2)was established to extract the mussel and the large yellow croaker aquaculture area in Zhoushan,using Gaofen-1(GF-1)and Gaofen-6(GF-6)satellite data with a special resolution of 2 m.In the second step,the environmental factors such as sea surface temperature(SST),chlorophyll a(Chl-a)concentration,current and tide,suspended sediment concentration(SSC)in mussel aquaculture area and large yellow croaker aquaculture area were extracted and analyzed in detail.The results show the following three points.(1)For the extraction of the mussel aquaculture area,FRI1 and FRI2 are complementary,and the combination of FRI1 and FRI2 is suitable to extract the mussel aquaculture area.As for the large yellow croaker aquaculture area extraction,FRI2 is suitable.(2)Mussel aquaculture and the large yellow croaker aquaculture area in Zhoushan are mainly located on the side near the islands that are away from the eastern open waters.The water environment factor template suitable for mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture was determined.(3)This two-step remote sensing method can be used for the preliminary screening of potential site selection for the mussels and large yellow croaker aquaculture area in the future.the fishery ranching index(FRI1,FRI2)in this paper can be applied to extract the mussel and large yellow croaker aquaculture areas in coastal waters around the world.

Prevalence of Malnutrition and Anaemia in Children ≤ 5 Years of Age in Some Conflict Hit Areas of Meme Division of the South West Region of Cameroon

Malnutrition refers to the deficiency, imbalances, or excesses in a person’s intake of energy or nutrients [1]. Khan defines anaemia as below level of Haemoglobin in red blood shown by a lower number of functioning red blood cells [2]. The crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon has led to several negative effects on children’s living conditions. There has been an increase in malnutrition and anaemia in the South West Region and Kumba in particular. The main objective of this study was “to examine the prevalence of malnutrition and anaemia in children ≤ 5 years of age in some conflict-hit areas of Meme Division”. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 from March to June. We recruited 200 children ≤ 5 years into the study from three hospitals. The regional hospital annex in Kumba, Presbyterian General Hospital Kumba and the Ntam Hospital in Kumba. Socio-demographic factors were assessed using questionnaire, nutritional status was assessed by the use anthropometric measurements and an auto haematology analyser was used to determine anaemia. The overall prevalence of malnutrition in the study area was 40.5%. The prevalence of malnutrition varied significantly (P < 0.001) with the study sites. The overall prevalence of anaemia in the study area was 70.5%. The prevalence of anaemia was not significantly associated with the study sites. The prevalence of Malnutrition and Anaemia in children ≤ 5 years of age is very high in the Kumba municipalities. This could be attributed to the ongoing crisis which has caused a lot of social migrations from rural areas to Urban areas which are safer.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

Glacier area change (1993-2019) and its relationship to debris cover, proglacial lakes, and morphological parameters in the Chandra-Bhaga Basin, Western Himalaya, India

Glacier inventories serve as critical baseline data for understanding the impacts of climate change on glaciers.The present study maps the outlines of glaciers in the Chandra-Bhaga Basin(western Himalaya)for the years 1993,2000,2010,and 2019 using Landsat Thematic Mapper(TM),Enhanced Thematic Mapper(ETM),and Operational Land Imager(OLI)datasets.A total of 251 glaciers,each having an area above 0.5 km^(2),were identified,which include 216 clean-ice and 35 debris-covered glaciers.Area changes are estimated for three periods:1993-2000,2000-2010,and 2010-2019.The total glacierized area was 996±62 km^(2) in 1993,which decreased to 973±70 km^(2) in 2019.The mean rate of glacier area loss was higher in the recent decade(2010-2019),at 0.036 km^(2),compared to previous decades(0.029 km^(2) in 2000-2010 and 0.025 km^(2) in 1993-2000).Supraglacial debris cover changes are also mapped over the period of 1993 and 2019.It is found that the supraglacial debris cover increased by 14.12±2.54 km^(2)(15.2%)during 1993-2019.Extensive field surveys on Chhota Shigri,Panchi II,Patsio,Hamtah,Mulkila,and Yoche Lungpa glaciers were carried out to validate the glacier outlines and supraglacial debris cover estimated using satellite datasets.Controls of various morphological parameters on retreat were also analyzed.It is observed that small,clean ice,south oriented glaciers,and glaciers with proglacial lakes are losing area at faster rates than other glaciers in the basin.

Impact of climate change and human activities on the spatiotemporal dynamics of surface water area in Gansu Province, China

Understanding the dynamics of surface water area and their drivers is crucial for human survival and ecosystem stability in inland arid and semi-arid areas.This study took Gansu Province,China,a typical area with complex terrain and variable climate,as the research subject.Based on Google Earth Engine,we used Landsat data and the Open-surface Water Detection Method with Enhanced Impurity Control method to monitor the spatiotemporal dynamics of surface water area in Gansu Province from 1985 to 2022,and quantitatively analyzed the main causes of regional differences in surface water area.The findings revealed that surface water area in Gansu Province expanded by 406.88 km2 from 1985 to 2022.Seasonal surface water area exhibited significant fluctuations,while permanent surface water area showed a steady increase.Notably,terrestrial water storage exhibited a trend of first decreasing and then increasing,correlated with the dynamics of surface water area.Climate change and human activities jointly affected surface hydrological processes,with the impact of climate change being slightly higher than that of human activities.Spatially,climate change affected the'source'of surface water to a greater extent,while human activities tended to affect the'destination'of surface water.Challenges of surface water resources faced by inland arid and semi-arid areas like Gansu Province are multifaceted.Therefore,we summarized the surface hydrology patterns typical in inland arid and semi-arid areas and tailored surface water'supply-demand'balance strategies.The study not only sheds light on the dynamics of surface water area in Gansu Province,but also offers valuable insights for ecological protection and surface water resource management in inland arid and semi-arid areas facing water scarcity.

Identified the hydrochemical and the sulfur cycle process in subsidence area of Pingyu mining area using multi-isotopes combined with hydrochemistry methods

Groundwater serves as an important water source for residents in and around mining areas.To achieve scientific planning and efficient utilization of water resources in mining areas,it is essential to figure out the chemical formation process and the ground water sulfur cycle that transpire after the coal mining activities.Based on studies of hydrochemistry and D,^(18)O-H_(2)O,^(34)S-SO_(4)isotopes,this study applied principal component analysis,ion ratio and other methods in its attempts to reveal the hydrogeochemical action and sulfur cycle in the subsidence area of Pingyu mining area.The study discovered that,in the studied area,precipitation provides the major supply of groundwater and the main water chemistry effects are dominated by oxidation dissolution of sulfide minerals as well as the dissolution of carbonate and silicate rocks.The sulfate in groundwater primarily originates from oxidation and dissolution of sulfide minerals in coal-bearing strata and human activities.The mixed sulfate formed by the oxidation of sulfide minerals and by human activities continuously recharges the groundwater,promoting the dissolution of carbonate rock and silicate rock in the process.

Quantifying the impact of earthquakes and geological factors on spatial heterogeneity of debris-flow prone areas:A case study in the Hengduan Mountains

Understanding the spatial heterogeneity of debris-flow-prone areas holds significant implications for regional risk management, particularly in seismically active regions with geological faults. Despite the significance of this knowledge, a comprehensive quantification of the influence of regional topographical and geological factors on the spatial heterogeneity of debris-flow-prone areas has been lacking. This study selected the Hengduan Mountains, an earthquake-prone region characterized by diverse surface conditions and complex landforms, as a representative study area. An improved units zoning and objective factors identification methodology was employed in earthquake and fault analysis to assess the impact of seismic activity and geological factors on spatial heterogeneity of debrisflow prone areas. Results showed that the application of GIS technology with hydrodynamic intensity and geographical units analysis can effectively analyze debris-flow prone areas. Meanwhile, earthquake and fault zones obviously increase the density of debrisflow prone catchments and make them unevenly distributed. The number of debris-flow prone areas shows a nonlinear variation with the gradual increase of geomorphic factor value. Specifically, the area with 1000 m-2500 m elevation difference, 25°-30° average slope, and 0.13-0.15 land use index is the most favorable conditions for debris-flow occurrence;The average annual rainfall from 600 to 1150 mm and landslides gradient from 16° to 35° are the main causal factors to trigger debris flow. Our study sheds light on the quantification of spatial heterogeneity in debris flow-prone areas in earthquake-prone regions, which can offer crucial support for post-debris flow risk management strategies.

Food Hygiene and Safety Practices amongst Food Vendors in the Western Area, Sierra Leone

Food safety and hygiene practices require a multisectoral approach including food, water, sanitation, waste management, transport, education, trade, policies and programs that enable safe food preparation, storage and service. Unsafe food can cause illness keeping people from achieving their full potential and death. This was a descriptive study that uses a mixed method approach to derive insights into the characteristics of food vendors related to demography, knowledge, practices, infrastructure, compliance and recommendation for a policymaking framework. Using the Lemeshows’ sample size formula, 473 vendors from formal (restaurants) and informal (cookri-baffa/table top) sites were interviewed and observed. We found from discussions that respondents had a good understanding on how to keep food safe. However, observed practices were poor 93% handled food with their bare hands, 83% did not cover their hair, and 76% did not wear an apron whilst handling, preparing or serving food, 61% did not keep their finger nails clean or short and 57% did not wash their hand before preparing or serving food. Over half (51%) had access to a toilet but 32% reported their use required payment and emphasized their poor condition/inadequate management. Nearly half (47%) of the vending sites did not have a handwashing facility, with soap and water available. Only 7% reported having any authority oversight of food safety. Food safety and hygiene practices in most cookri shops and restaurants was ‘poor’ with very limited surveillance system in place by competent authorities for compliance of food operators. Hand washing, clean surroundings, and covered food were the most common and emphasized practices to mitigate the risks associated with unsafe food.

Carbon sequestration in a bamboo plantation:a case study in a Mediterranean area

In the Mediterranean region,despite bamboo being an alien species that can seriously alter plant and ani-mal biocoenosis,the area occupied by bamboo plantations continues to increase,especially for the purpose to seques-ter carbon(C).However,the C dynamics in the soil-plant system when bamboo is grown outside its native area are poorly understood.Here we investigated the C mitigation potential of the fast-growing Moso bamboo(Phyllostachys edulis)introduced in Italy for climate-change mitigation.We analyzed aboveground(AGB)and belowground(as root/shoot ratio)biomass,litter and soil organic C(SOC)at O-15-and 15-30-cm depths in a 4-year-old bamboo plantation in comparison with the former annual cropland on which the bamboo was established.To have an idea of the maximum C stored at an ecosystem level,a natural forest adjacent the two sites was also considered.In the plantation,C accumulation as AGB was stimulated,with 14.8±3.1 Mg C ha^(-1) stored in 3 years;because thinning was done to remove culms from the first year,the mean sequestration rate was 4.9 Mg C ha^(-1) a^(-1).The sequestration rates were high but comparable to other fast-growing tree species in Italy(e.g.,Pinus nigra).SOC was significantly higher in the bamboo plantation than in the cropland only at the 0-15 cm depth,but SOC stock did not differ.Possibly 4 years were not enough time for a clear increase in SOC,or the high nutrient uptake by bamboos might have depleted the soil nutrients,thus inhibiting the soil organic matter formation by bacteria.In comparison,the natural forest had significantly higher C levels in all the pools.For C dynamics at an ecosystem level,the bamboo plantation on the former annual cropland led to substantial C removal from the atmosphere(about 12 Mg C ha^(-1) a^(-1)).However,despite the promising C sequestration rates by bamboo,its introduction should be carefully considered due to potential ecological problems caused by this species in overexploited environments such as the Mediterranean area.

Predicting potential invasion risks of Leucaena leucocephala(Lam.)de Wit in the arid area of Saudi Arabia

The presence of invasive plant species poses a substantial ecological impact,thus comprehensive evaluation of their potential range and risk under the influence of climate change is necessary.This study uses maximum entropy(MaxEnt)modeling to forecast the likelihood of Leucaena leucocephala(Lam.)de Wit invasion in Saudi Arabia under present and future climate change scenarios.Utilizing the MaxEnt modeling,we integrated climatic and soil data to predict habitat suitability for the invasive species.We conducted a detailed analysis of the distribution patterns of the species,using climate variables and ecological factors.We focused on the important influence of temperature seasonality,temperature annual range,and precipitation seasonality.The distribution modeling used robust measures of area under the curve(AUC)and receiver-operator characteristic(ROC)curves,to map the invasion extent,which has a high level of accuracy in identifying appropriate habitats.The complex interaction that influenced the invasion of L.leucocephala was highlighted by the environmental parameters using Jackknife test.Presently,the actual geographic area where L.leucocephala was found in Saudi Arabia was considerably smaller than the theoretical maximum range,suggesting that it had the capacity to expand further.The MaxEnt model exhibited excellent prediction accuracy and produced reliable results based on the data from the ROC curve.Precipitation and temperature were the primary factors influencing the potential distribution of L.leucocephala.Currently,an estimated area of 216,342 km^(2)in Saudi Arabia was at a high probability of invasion by L.leucocephala.We investigated the potential for increased invasion hazards in the future due to climate change scenarios(Shared Socioeconomic Pathways(SSPs)245 and 585).The analysis of key climatic variables,including temperature seasonality and annual range,along with soil properties such as clay composition and nitrogen content,unveiled their substantial influence on the distribution dynamic of L.leucocephala.Our findings indicated a significant expansion of high risk zones.High-risk zones for L.leucocephala invasion in the current climate conditions had notable expansions projected under future climate scenarios,particularly evident in southern Makkah,Al Bahah,Madina,and Asir areas.The results,backed by thorough spatial studies,emphasize the need to reduce the possible ecological impacts of climate change on the spread of L.leucocephala.Moreover,the study provides valuable strategic insights for the management of invasion,highlighting the intricate relationship between climate change,habitat appropriateness,and the risks associated with invasive species.Proactive techniques are suggested to avoid and manage the spread of L.leucocephala,considering its high potential for future spread.This study enhances the overall comprehension of the dynamics of invasive species by combining modeling techniques with ecological knowledge.It also provides valuable information for decision-making to implement efficient conservation and management strategies in response to changing environmental conditions.

A Stroke-Limitation AMD Control System with Variable Gain and Limited Area for High-Rise Buildings

Collisions between a moving mass and an anti-collision device increase structural responses and threaten structural safety.An active mass damper(AMD)with stroke limitations is often used to avoid collisions.However,a strokelimited AMD control system with a fixed limited area shortens the available AMD stroke and leads to significant control power.To solve this problem,the design approach with variable gain and limited area(VGLA)is proposed in this study.First,the boundary of variable-limited areas is calculated based on the real-time status of the moving mass.The variable gain(VG)expression at the variable limited area is deduced by considering the saturation of AMD stroke.Then,numerical simulations of a stroke-limited AMD control system with VGLA are conducted on a high-rise building structure.These numerical simulations show that the proposed approach has superior strokelimitation performance compared with a stroke-limited AMD control system with a fixed limited area.Finally,the proposed approach is validated through experiments on a four-story steel frame.

Micro defects formation and dynamic response analysis of steel plate of quasi-cracking area subjected to explosive load

As the protective component,steel plate had attracted extensive attention because of frequently threats of explosive loads.In this paper,the evolution of microstructure and the mechanism of damage in the quasi-cracking area of steel plate subjected to explosive load were discussed and the relationships between micro defects and dynamic mechanical response were revealed.After the explosion experiment,five observation points were selected equidistant from the quasi-cracking area of the section of the steel plate along the thickness direction,and the characteristics of micro defects at the observation points were analyzed by optical microscope(OM),scanning electron microscope(SEM) and electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD).The observation result shows that many slip bands(SBs) appeared,and the grain orientation changed obviously in the steel plate,the two were the main damage types of micro defects.In addition,cracks,peeling pits,grooves and other lager micro defects were appeared in the lower area of the plate.The stress parameters of the observation points were obtained through an effective numerical model.The mechanism of damage generation and crack propagation in the quasicracking area were clarified by comparing the specific impulse of each observation point with the corresponding micro defects.The result shows that the generation and expansion of micro defects are related to the stress area(i.e.the upper compression area,the neutral plane area,and the lower tension area).The micro defects gather and expand at the grain boundary,and will become macroscopic damage under the continuous action of tensile stress.Besides,the micro defects at the midpoint of the section of the steel plate in the direction away from the explosion center(i.e.the horizontal direction) were also studied.It was found that the specific impulse at these positions were much smaller than that in the thickness direction,the micro defects were only SBs and a few micro cracks,and the those decreased with the increase of the distance from the explosion center.