Genesis of LCT Pegmatites during Early Paleozoic Orogeny of the North Qinling Orogenic Belt,China:Emplacement Conditions and Structural Control

The Guanpo pegmatite field in the North Qinling orogenic belt(NQB),China,hosts the most abundant LCT pegmatites.However,their emplacement conditions and structural control remain unexplored.In this contribution,we investigated it combining pegmatite orientation measurement with oxygen isotope geothermometry and fluid inclusion study.The orientations of type A1 pegmatites(P_(f)<σ_(2))are predominantly influenced by P-and T-fractures due to simple shearing in Shiziping dextral thrust shear zone during D_(2)deformation,whereas type A2 pegmatites(contemporaneous with D_(4))are governed by hydraulic fractures aligned with S_(0)and S_(0+1)stemming from fluid pressure(P_(f)<σ_(2)).Additionally,type B pegmatites(P_(f)≤σ_(2))exhibit orientations shaped by en echelon extensional fractures in local ductile shear zones(contemporaneous with D_(3)).The albite-quartz oxygen isotope geothermometry and microthermometric analysis of fluid inclusions in elbaites from the latest pegmatites(including types B and A2)suggest that the crystallization P-T for late magmatic and hydrothermal stages are 527.5-559.2℃,320℃,3.1-3.6 kbar and 2.0 kbar,respectively.Our observations along with previous studies suggest that the genesis of the LCT pegmatites was a long-term,multi-stage event during early Paleozoic orogeny(including the collision stage)of the NQB,and was facilitated by various local fractures.

Uncertainties of landslide susceptibility prediction: Influences of random errors in landslide conditioning factors and errors reduction by low pass filter method

In the existing landslide susceptibility prediction(LSP)models,the influences of random errors in landslide conditioning factors on LSP are not considered,instead the original conditioning factors are directly taken as the model inputs,which brings uncertainties to LSP results.This study aims to reveal the influence rules of the different proportional random errors in conditioning factors on the LSP un-certainties,and further explore a method which can effectively reduce the random errors in conditioning factors.The original conditioning factors are firstly used to construct original factors-based LSP models,and then different random errors of 5%,10%,15% and 20%are added to these original factors for con-structing relevant errors-based LSP models.Secondly,low-pass filter-based LSP models are constructed by eliminating the random errors using low-pass filter method.Thirdly,the Ruijin County of China with 370 landslides and 16 conditioning factors are used as study case.Three typical machine learning models,i.e.multilayer perceptron(MLP),support vector machine(SVM)and random forest(RF),are selected as LSP models.Finally,the LSP uncertainties are discussed and results show that:(1)The low-pass filter can effectively reduce the random errors in conditioning factors to decrease the LSP uncertainties.(2)With the proportions of random errors increasing from 5%to 20%,the LSP uncertainty increases continuously.(3)The original factors-based models are feasible for LSP in the absence of more accurate conditioning factors.(4)The influence degrees of two uncertainty issues,machine learning models and different proportions of random errors,on the LSP modeling are large and basically the same.(5)The Shapley values effectively explain the internal mechanism of machine learning model predicting landslide sus-ceptibility.In conclusion,greater proportion of random errors in conditioning factors results in higher LSP uncertainty,and low-pass filter can effectively reduce these random errors.

Ambient-Condition Strategy for Production of Hollow Ga_(2)O_(3)@rGO Crystalline Nanostructures Toward Efficient Lithium Storage

Crystallineγ-Ga_(2)O_(3)@rGO core-shell nanostructures are synthesized in gram scale,which are accomplished by a facile sonochemical strategy under ambient condition.They are composed of uniformγ-Ga_(2)O_(3)nanospheres encapsulated by reduced graphene oxide(rGO)nanolayers,and their formation is mainly attributed to the existed opposite zeta potential between the Ga_(2)O_(3)and rGO.The as-constructed lithium-ion batteries(LIBs)based on as-fabricatedγ-Ga_(2)O_(3)@rGO nanostructures deliver an initial discharge capacity of 1000 mAh g^(-1)at 100 mA g^(-1)and reversible capacity of 600 mAh g^(-1)under 500 mA g^(-1)after 1000 cycles,respectively,which are remarkably higher than those of pristineγ-Ga_(2)O_(3)with a much reduced lifetime of 100 cycles and much lower capacity.Ex situ XRD and XPS analyses demonstrate that the reversible LIBs storage is dominant by a conversion reaction and alloying mechanism,where the discharged product of liquid metal Ga exhibits self-healing ability,thus preventing the destroy of electrodes.Additionally,the rGO shell could act robustly as conductive network of the electrode for significantly improved conductivity,endowing the efficient Li storage behaviors.This work might provide some insight on mass production of advanced electrode materials under mild condition for energy storage and conversion applications.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation conditioning regimens and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in various diseases

Conditioning regimens employed in autologous stem cell transplantation have been proven useful in various hematological disorders and underlying malignancies;however,despite being efficacious in various instances,negative consequences have also been recorded.Multiple conditioning regimens were extracted from various literature searches from databases like PubMed,Google scholar,EMBASE,and Cochrane.Conditioning regimens for each disease were compared by using various end points such as overall survival(OS),progression free survival(PFS),and leukemia free survival(LFS).Variables were presented on graphs and analyzed to conclude a more efficacious conditioning regimen.In multiple myeloma,the most effective regimen was high dose melphalan(MEL)given at a dose of 200/mg/m2.The comparative results of acute myeloid leukemia were presented and the regimens that proved to be at an admirable position were busulfan(BU)+MEL regarding OS and BU+VP16 regarding LFS.In case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL),BU,fludarabine,and etoposide(BuFluVP)conferred good disease control not only with a paramount improvement in survival rate but also low risk of recurrence.However,for ALL,chimeric antigen receptor(CAR)T cell therapy was preferred in the context of better OS and LFS.With respect to Hodgkin’s lymphoma,mitoxantrone(MITO)/MEL overtook carmustine,VP16,cytarabine,and MEL in view of PFS and vice versa regarding OS.Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients were administered MITO(60 mg/m2)and MEL(180 mg/m2)which showed promising results.Lastly,amyloidosis was considered,and the regimen that proved to be competent was MEL 200(200 mg/m2).This review article demonstrates a comparison between various conditioning regimens employed in different diseases.

Conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells treats spinal cord injury by inhibiting microglial pyroptosis

Human dental pulp stem cell transplantation has been shown to be an effective therapeutic strategy for spinal cord injury.However,whether the human dental pulp stem cell secretome can contribute to functional recovery after spinal cord injury remains unclear.In the present study,we established a rat model of spinal cord injury based on impact injury from a dropped weight and then intraperitoneally injected the rats with conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells.We found that the conditioned medium effectively promoted the recovery of sensory and motor functions in rats with spinal cord injury,decreased expression of the microglial pyroptosis markers NLRP3,GSDMD,caspase-1,and interleukin-1β,promoted axonal and myelin regeneration,and inhibited the formation of glial scars.In addition,in a lipopolysaccharide-induced BV2 microglia model,conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells protected cells from pyroptosis by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/interleukin-1βpathway.These results indicate that conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells can reduce microglial pyroptosis by inhibiting the NLRP3/caspase-1/interleukin-1βpathway,thereby promoting the recovery of neurological function after spinal cord injury.Therefore,conditioned medium from human dental pulp stem cells may become an alternative therapy for spinal cord injury.

Characterization of Small-Scale Farmers and Assessment of Their Access to Crop Production Information in Selected Counties of Kenya

Small-scale farming accounts for 78% of total agricultural production in Kenya and contributes to 23.5% of the country’s GDP. Their crop production activities are mostly rainfed subsistence with any surplus being sold to bring in some income. Timely decisions on farm practices such as farm preparation and planting are critical determinants of the seasonal outcomes. In Kenya, most small-scale farmers have no reliable source of information that would help them make timely and accurate decisions. County governments have extension officers who are mandated with giving farmers advisory services to farmers but they are not able to reach most farmers due to facilitation constraints. The mode and format of sharing information is also critical since it’s important to ensure that it’s timely, well-understood and usable. This study sought to assess access to geospatial derived and other crop production information by farmers in four selected counties of Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the profile of small-scale farmers in terms of age, education and farm size;to determine the type of information that is made available to them by County and Sub-County extension officers including the format and mode of provision;and to determine if the information provided was useful in terms of accuracy, timeliness and adequacy. The results indicated that over 80% of the farmers were over 35 years of age and over 56% were male. Majority had attained primary education (34%) or secondary education (29%) and most farmers in all the counties grew maize (71%). Notably, fellow farmers were a source of information (71%) with the frequency of sharing information being mostly seasonal (37%) and when information was available (43%). Over 66% of interviewed farmers indicating that they faced challenges while using provided information. The results from the study are insightful and helpful in determining effective ways of providing farmers with useful information to ensure maximum benefits.

Dual carbon goal and agriculture in China:Exploring key factors influencing farmers’behavior in adopting low carbon technologies

Identifying the factors influencing farmers’adoption of low-carbon technologies(FA)and understanding their impacts are essential for shaping effective agricultural policies amied at emission reduction and carbon sequestration in China.This study employs a meta-analysis of 122 empirical studies,delves into 23 driving factors affecting FA and addresses the inconsistencies present in the existing literature.We systematically examine the effect size,source of heterogeneity,and time-accumulation effect of the driving factors on FA.We find that significant heterogeneity in the factors influencing FA,except for farming experience,sources of heterogeneity from the survey zone,methodology model,technological attributes,report source,financial support,and the sampling year.Additionally,age,farming experience,and adoption cost negatively correlate with FA.In contrast,educational level,health status,technical training,economic and welfare cognition,land contract,soil quality,terrain,information accessibility,demonstration,government promotion,government regulation,government support,agricultural cooperatives member,peer effect,and agricultural income ratio demonstrate a positive correlation.Especially,demonstration and age show a particularly strong correlation.Finally,the effect of demonstration,age,economic and welfare cognition,farming experience,land contract,soil quality,information accessibility,government promotion,and support,as well as agricultural cooperative membership and peer effects on FA,are generally stable but exhibit varying degrees of attenuation over time.The effect of village cadre,family income,farm scale,gender,health status,technical training,and off-farm work on FA show notable temporal shifts and maintain a weak correlation with FA.This study contributes to shaping China’s current low-carbon agriculture policies across various regions.It encourages policymakers to comprehensively consider the stability of key factors,other potential factors,technological attributes,rural socio-economic context,and their interrelations.

Cholinesterase Activity as an Indicator of Health Risks among Kou Valley Farmers

Introduction: Pesticides are currently an essential component of agricultural production techniques for controlling pests and weeds. In Burkina Faso, non-compliance with good practice in the use of pesticides poses a real health problem for the population. This study examines the health risks associated with pesticide management in rice-growing areas. Material and Methods: A field survey was conducted in Bama, involving farmers, focusing on their socio-demographic characteristics, pesticide usage, and health effects. Cholinesterase levels were measured in subsample of farmers using a portable device. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel, calculating means and percentages for various practices. Health consultations, protection methods, and pesticide management were studied. Erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase activity was compared before and after treatment. Data were categorised into classes based on inhibition levels, and correlation analyses determined relationships between variables such as age, years of experience, and cholinesterase activity. Results: The results indicate that rice cultivation is mainly carried out by a fairly young population, with nearly 63% being under the age of 50. Common poor practices in pesticide use include improper storage and reuse of leftover pesticides. Seven types of pesticides were identified, including organophosphates such as glyphosate, which was used in 26.7% of cases. This organophosphate has resulted in class B poisoning, causing a 30% - 50% reduction in erythrocyte cholinesterase activity. The health effects of pesticide use are felt by agricultural farmers through various symptoms of poisoning. Conclusion: To reduce the occurrence of pesticide poisoning, it is essential to launch information and awareness campaigns among the population and farmers to promote safe practices in pesticide use in Bama, Burkina Faso.

Local Criteria Used by Farmers to Evaluate the Agronomic Performance and the Fertilizing Capacity of Cowpea Varieties: Diversity, Variability and Proximal Relation with Agronomic Measurements in Contrasted Sahelian Locations

When contributing to participatory research, farmers usually appreciate the performance of cowpea varieties using qualitative scores. The score they attribute to each variety are based on local knowledge. The specific criteria they individually use to attribute a score are not well described. The objectives of this work were to: 1) identify and describe exhaustively the local criteria used by farmers to measure the agronomic performance of cowpea;2) assess the variability and statistical structure of these farmer criteria across local contexts;3) and analyze the association between these farmer criteria and the classical agronomic measurement. To achieve these objectives, an augmented block design was implemented across fifteen locations in the regions of Maradi, Dosso and Tillabéri, representing a diversity of local contexts. From a set of 36 cowpea varieties, fifteen varieties were sown per location, including five varieties (controls) common to all locations. In each location, two replicates were sown in randomized Fisher’s blocks. After agronomic measurement and participatory evaluation (scoring of varieties by farmers), a group survey (focus group) was conducted in each location to identify the criteria considered by farmers to found their discretional scoring of varieties during the participatory evaluation. The analysis of the data identified, across locations, thirteen criteria defined by farmers to characterize the agronomic performance of cowpea. Some of these criteria were different according to location. Farmers ranked the three varieties with the best performance for each agronomical trait (Top 3 varieties). A comparison of the farmer ranking with the ranking based on agronomic measurements revealed similarity and complementary between both methods. This study highlighted the importance of considering both local and scientific knowledge in local varietal evaluations.

Autophagy and mitophagy as potential therapeutic targets in diabetic heart condition:Harnessing the power of nanotheranostics

Autophagy and mitophagy pose unresolved challenges in understanding the pathology of diabetic heart condition(DHC),which encompasses a complex range of cardiovascular issues linked to diabetes and associated cardiomyopathies.Despite significant progress in reducing mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases(CVDs),heart failure remains a major cause of increased morbidity among diabetic patients.These cellular processes are essential for maintaining cellular balance and removing damaged or dysfunctional components,and their involvement in the development of diabetic heart disease makes them attractive targets for diagnosis and treatment.While a variety of conventional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are available,DHC continues to present a significant challenge.Point-of-care diagnostics,supported by nanobiosensing techniques,offer a promising alternative for these complex scenarios.Although conventional medications have been widely used in DHC patients,they raise several concerns regarding various physiological aspects.Modern medicine places great emphasis on the application of nanotechnology to target autophagy and mitophagy in DHC,offering a promising approach to deliver drugs beyond the limitations of traditional therapies.This article aims to explore the potential connections between autophagy,mitophagy and DHC,while also discussing the promise of nanotechnology-based theranostic interventions that specifically target these molecular pathways.

Oscillation properties of eigenfunctions for Sturm-Liouville problems with interface conditions via Prufer transformation

A class of Sturm-Liouville problems with discontinuity is studied in this paper.The oscillation properties of eigenfunctions for Sturm-Liouville problems with interface conditions are obtained.The main method used in this paper is based on Prufer transformation,which is different from the classical ones.Moreover,we give two examples to verify our main results.

Navigating Market Choices: Understanding Carrot Market Outlet Selection among Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

This research delves into the hurdles and strategies aimed at augmenting the market involvement of smallholder carrot farmers in Nakuru County, Kenya. Employing a Multinomial Logit (MNL) model, it scrutinizes the factors influencing the selection of marketing outlets among carrot farmers. The findings unveil that a significant majority (81%) of surveyed farmers actively participate in diverse market outlets, encompassing the farm gate, cleaning point, local market, external market, and export market. Notably, pivotal buyers include aggregators, brokers, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers, with transactions predominantly occurring at the farm level. Additionally, the analysis discerns substantial influences of socio-economic characteristics, experiential factors, and geographical proximity on farmers’ choices of market outlets. Specifically, gender, age, land size, farming experience, and distance to markets emerge as critical determinants. Moreover, the study delves into the examination of market margins along the carrot value chain, shedding light on the potential profitability of carrot farming in the region. Remarkably, higher average gross margins are identified in export and external markets, signaling lucrative prospects for farmers targeting these segments. However, disparities in profit distribution between farmers and traders underscore the necessity for interventions to ensure equitable value distribution throughout the value chain. These findings underscore the imperative for tailored interventions to tackle challenges and foster inclusive agricultural development. Strategies such as farmer organizations, contracting, and vertical integration are advocated to enhance market access and profitability for smallholder carrot farmers. Thus, this study enriches our comprehension of the dynamics within carrot value chains and provides valuable insights for policymakers and development practitioners aiming to uplift rural livelihoods and bolster food security.

Role of outdoor trees on pedestrian wind and thermal conditions around a pre-education building for sustainable energy management

Finding sustainable energy resources is essential to face the increasing energy demand.Trees are an important part of ancient architecture but are becoming rare in urban areas.Trees can control and tune the pedestrian-level wind velocity and thermal condition.In this study,a numerical investigation is employed to assess the role of trees planted in the windward direction of the building complex on the thermal and pedestrian wind velocity conditions around/inside a pre-education building located in the center of the complex.Compared to the previous studies(which considered only outside buildings),this work considers the effects of trees on microclimate change both inside/outside buildings.Effects of different parameters including the leaf area density and number of trees,number of rows,far-field velocity magnitude,and thermal condition around the main building are assessed.The results show that the flow velocity in the spacing between the first-row buildings is reduced by 30%-40% when the one-row trees with 2 m height are planted 15 m farther than the buildings.Furthermore,two rows of trees are more effective in higher velocities and reduce the maximum velocity by about 50%.The investigation shows that trees also could reduce the temperature by about 1℃around the building.

Climatic and non-climatic factors driving the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana

Smallholder farmers in Ahafo Ano North District,Ghana,face multiple climatic and non-climatic issues.This study assessed the factors contributing to the livelihood vulnerability of smallholder farmers in this district by household surveys with 200 respondents and focus group discussions(FGDs)with 10 respondents.The Mann–Kendall trend test was used to assess mean annual rainfall and temperature trends from 2002 to 2022.The relative importance index(RII)value was used to rank the climatic and non-climatic factors perceived by respondents.The socioeconomic characteristics affecting smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were evaluated by the binary logistic regression model.Results showed that mean annual rainfall decreased(P>0.05)but mean annual temperature significantly increased(P<0.05)from 2002 to 2022 in the district.The key climatic factors perceived by smallholder farmers were extreme heat or increasing temperature(RII=0.498),erratic rainfall(RII=0.485),and increased windstorms(RII=0.475).The critical non-climatic factors were high cost of farm inputs(RII=0.485),high cost of healthcare(RII=0.435),and poor condition of roads to farms(RII=0.415).Smallholder farmers’perceptions of climatic and non-climatic factors were significantly affected by their socioeconomic characteristics(P<0.05).This study concluded that these factors negatively impact the livelihoods and well-being of smallholder farmers and socioeconomic characteristics influence their perceptions of these factors.Therefore,to enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers to climate change,it is necessary to adopt a comprehensive and context-specific approach that accounts for climatic and non-climatic factors.

Design and high-power testing of offline conditioning cavity for CiADS RFQ high-power coupler

To validate the design rationality of the power coupler for the RFQ cavity and minimize cavity contamination,we designed a low-loss offline conditioning cavity and conducted high-power testing.This offline cavity features two coupling ports and two tuners,operating at a frequency of 162.5 MHz with a tuning range of 3.2 MHz.Adjusting the installation angle of the coupling ring and the insertion depth of the tuner helps minimize cavity losses.We performed electromagnetic structural and multiphysics simulations,revealing a minimal theoretical power loss of 4.3%.However,when the cavity frequency varied by110 kHz,theoretical power losses increased to10%,necessitating constant tuner adjustments during conditioning.Multiphysics simulations indicated that increased cavity temperature did not affect frequency variation.Upon completion of the offline high-power conditioning platform,we measured the transmission performance,revealing a power loss of 6.3%,exceeding the theoretical calculation.Conditioning utilized efficient automatic range scanning and standing wave resonant methods.To fully condition the power coupler,a 15°phase difference between two standing wave points in the condition-ing system was necessary.Notably,the maximum continuous wave power surpassed 20 kW,exceeding the expected target.

Enhancing Erectile Function and Alleviating Andropause Symptoms: Clinical Efficacy of a Human Stem Cell Conditioned Medium Cream

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is increasingly prevalent in Japan, exceeding 30%, and increasing with age. Unhealthy lifestyle habits, obesity, insufficient exercise, and smoking have been implicated in its pathogenesis, along with endothelial dysfunction of the corpora cavernosa and impaired blood flow to the penis considered underlying factors. However, the current treatments are limited to Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors. ED is the primary symptom of andropathy. This study reports the clinical efficacy of human stem cell-conditioned medium cream for ED treatment. Ten men without underlying diseases suspected of andropause with ED (mean age 43.2 ± 4.4 y, Hb 15.2 ± 0.6 gm/dL, AST/ALT 30.2/37.9 ± 12.4/14.0, eGFR 82.7 ± 12.4 mL/min/1.73 m2) were targeted. The cream was applied twice daily to the genital and scrotal areas. The erectile hardness score (EHS), International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), and Aging Male Symptoms (AMS) scale were used to evaluate the participants before and 30 days after use, and the results were compared using paired t-tests. The post-use qualitative opinions were collected through interviews. Significant improvements were observed compared to baseline in the IIEF-5 (11.8 ± 4.6→17.2 ± 5.1, P < 0.001), and AMS (46.3 ± 6.7→37.6 ± 5.3, P < 0.001) scores post cream use. EHS did not show a statistically significant difference, but a trend towards improvement was observed. Qualitative feedback included increased morning erection, improved maintenance of erection during intercourse, and reduced post work fatigue. Human stem cell-conditioned medium contains endothelial growth factors that potentially contribute to the improvement of ED and andropause by enhancing corporal endothelial function. Future studies should include control groups to further investigate the efficacy of these treatments.

Researching the Impact of the Quality of Village Governance on Farmers’Well-Being:From the Perspectives of Income and Occupational Differentiation

The goal of village governance is to improve the well-being of farmers,so this study aims to measure the impact the quality of village governance on the well-being of farmers.It also examines the heterogeneity of this impact across different farmer groups from the perspectives of income levels and occupational differentiation.To this end,this study developed an indicator system based on survey data collected from 1,442 farmers in the Sichuan,Shaanxi,and Gansu provinces,as well as the Ningxia Hui autonomous region.Multiple linear regression models were then used to analyze this data,and the findings revealed that improvements in the quality of village governance significantly increased the well-being of farmers.Specifically,primary-level empowerment and capacity building were shown to contribute the most to the enhancement of the farmers’well-being,followed by social inclusion,and social cohesion was found to have only a minimal effect.In terms of income levels,improving the quality of village governance benefited middle-income farmers the most,followed by low-income farmers,and it had the least effect on high-income farmers.In terms of occupations,full-time farmers gained the most from improvements in the quality of village governance,followed by off-farm farmers,with part-time farmers benefiting the least.Based on these findings,this study suggests that policymakers should improve the quality of village governance to enhance the well-being of farmers,focusing on the impact that level of income and occupational differentiation have on village governance.

Multi-soliton solutions of coupled Lakshmanan-Porsezian-Daniel equations with variable coefficients under nonzero boundary conditions

This paper aims to investigate the multi-soliton solutions of the coupled Lakshmanan–Porsezian–Daniel equations with variable coefficients under nonzero boundary conditions.These equations are utilized to model the phenomenon of nonlinear waves propagating simultaneously in non-uniform optical fibers.By analyzing the Lax pair and the Riemann–Hilbert problem,we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics and interactions of solitons of this system.Furthermore,we study the impacts of group velocity dispersion or the fourth-order dispersion on soliton behaviors.Through appropriate parameter selections,we observe various nonlinear phenomena,including the disappearance of solitons after interaction and their transformation into breather-like solitons,as well as the propagation of breathers with variable periodicity and interactions between solitons with variable periodicities.

Effects of Initial and Boundary Conditions on Heavy Rainfall Simulation over the Yellow Sea and the Korean Peninsula:Comparison of ECMWF and NCEP Analysis Data Effects and Verification with Dropsonde Observation

This study evaluated the simulation performance of mesoscale convective system(MCS)-induced precipitation,focusing on three selected cases that originated from the Yellow Sea and propagated toward the Korean Peninsula.The evaluation was conducted for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF)and National Centers for Environmental Prediction(NCEP)analysis data,as well as the simulation result using them as initial and lateral boundary conditions for the Weather Research and Forecasting model.Particularly,temperature and humidity profiles from 3D dropsonde observations from the National Center for Meteorological Science of the Korea Meteorological Administration served as validation data.Results showed that the ECMWF analysis consistently had smaller errors compared to the NCEP analysis,which exhibited a cold and dry bias in the lower levels below 850 hPa.The model,in terms of the precipitation simulations,particularly for high-intensity precipitation over the Yellow Sea,demonstrated higher accuracy when applying ECMWF analysis data as the initial condition.This advantage also positively influenced the simulation of rainfall events on the Korean Peninsula by reasonably inducing convective-favorable thermodynamic features(i.e.,warm and humid lower-level atmosphere)over the Yellow Sea.In conclusion,this study provides specific information about two global analysis datasets and their impacts on MCS-induced heavy rainfall simulation by employing dropsonde observation data.Furthermore,it suggests the need to enhance the initial field for MCS-induced heavy rainfall simulation and the applicability of assimilating dropsonde data for this purpose in the future.

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties and Surface Quality of Wood from Bosnia and Herzegovina Exposed to Outdoor Conditions

This study investigated the mechanical properties of beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)and fir(Abies alba)wood from Bosnia and Herzegovina under outdoor exposure.Samples were exposed for 3-month exposure to assess bending strength,color changes,and surface quality.Results showed outdoor exposure negatively affected mechanical properties,particularly in samples with extended finger joints,causing significant surface cracks in uncoated samples.Beech wood exhibited notable color changes under exposure,with approximately 50%darkening without coating compared to 25%under covered conditions.Coated samples displayed minimal color changes,affirming the efficacy of surface treatment.Fir wood exhibited a roughness of 8.264μm,while beechwood average roughness increased from 6.767 to 13.916μm after exposure,with micro-pore development affecting water performance.Microscopic analysis identified prevalent fungal colonies,including Penicillium,Aureobasidium,Sclerophoma,and Chaetomium,underscoring their role in organic matter decomposition.This study highlights the importance of wood exposure and treatment selection for various applications.