Search Results (401)

Globalisation, population growth, climate change, and energy-policy shifts have deepened interdependence between agri-food and energy systems, amplifying price volatility. This study examines the determinants of global wheat and corn price dynamics over 2000–2023, emphasising energy markets (oil and biofuels), agronomic and climatic factors, population pressure, and cross-market interdependencies. Using multiple linear regression with backward selection on annual global data from official sources (FAO, USDA, EIA and market series), we quantify the relative contributions of these drivers. The models explain most of the variation in world prices (R² = 0.89 for wheat; 0.92 for corn). Oil prices are a dominant covariate: a 1 USD/barrel increase in Brent is associated with a 1.33 USD/t rise in the wheat price, while a 1 USD/t increase in the corn price raises the wheat price by 0.54 USD/t. Lower biodiesel output per million people is linked to higher wheat prices (+0.67 USD/t), underscoring the role of biofuel supply conditions. We also document an asymmetric yield effect—higher yields correlate positively with wheat prices but negatively with corn—consistent with crop-specific market mechanisms. Although temperature and precipitation were excluded from the regressions due to collinearity, their strong correlations with yields and biofuel activity signal continuing climate risk. The contribution of this study lies in integrating energy, climate, and agricultural market factors within a single empirical framework, offering evidence of their joint role in shaping staple grain prices. These findings add to the literature on food–energy linkages and provide insights for sustainability policies, particularly the design of integrated energy–agriculture strategies and risk-management instruments to enhance resilience in global food systems. Full article

Wind energy development is a key component in the transition to sustainable clean energy. Collision probability depends on turbine dimensions and species-specific behaviour, and understanding these relationships is essential for effective Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). We applied a simulation approach based on flight-height distributions of a medium-sized diurnal raptor, the Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo). Long-term Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking data from an area with over 200 operating wind turbines in Northeastern Bulgaria were combined with Monte Carlo simulations of the Band collision risk model, and the predictions were validated against 18 years of systematic carcass searches under 114 turbines. Importantly, collision probability of the Common Buzzard was season-dependent, being greater during breeding and wintering, when flights occurred at lower altitudes, and lower during migration, when birds flew higher. Both the simulations and the field data supported an overall relatively low collision probability, indicating a high avoidance rate in this species. These findings suggest that wind energy planning should account for seasonal variation in flight behaviour and community composition, while long-term monitoring remains essential to ensure that cumulative impacts are adequately assessed. Full article

This research examines in detail the behavior of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) during a severe geomagnetic storm that occurred on 10–11 October 2024. The global data of Total Electron Content (TEC) represented by relative deviation, giving information about the variations compared to quiet conditions, were used. The main attention is paid to the appearance of an additional “fountain effect” under the action of disturbed dynamo currents and the vertical drift of the ionospheric plasma caused by them. The results show that the area in which a positive response (increase) of TEC is observed occurs in an area corresponding to local time around 18–20 h (longitude around 60 °W) at magnetic latitudes ±30° and during the storm shifts westward to around 180 °W. The westward drift of the storm-induced “fountain effect” is moving at a speed much slower than the Earth’s rotation speed. As a result, the area of positive TEC response (vertical upward drift) and the area of negative response (vertical downward drift) are localized in both nighttime and daytime conditions. In this investigation, an example of a very similar geomagnetic storm registered on 25 September 1998 is given for comparison, in which a similar stationing of the storm-induced EIA was observed at longitudes around 180 °E. Full article

Background/Objectives: The abdominal aorta (AA) bifurcates at the level of the L4 vertebra, giving origin to the right and left common iliac arteries (CIA). The CIA then bifurcates into external iliac arteries (EIA) and internal iliac arteries (IIA). The present radiological study aimed to (i) measure the diameter of the right and left CIA, (ii) measure the distance between the AA bifurcation and the point where the ureter crossed the ipsilateral iliac vessels, (iii) examine the angle of AA bifurcation, and (iv) observe the vertebral level at which the AA bifurcated. Methods: The retrospective cross-sectional study included contrast-enhanced CT angiograms of 200 patients (n = 144 males and 56 females) who attended the radiology department from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023. Two independent radiologists interpreted the angiograms. The results were interpreted using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests. Results: The mean angle of the AA bifurcation was 40.46° and 44.68° in males and females, respectively (p = 0.013). The mean diameter of the right and left CIA was wider in males than in females, but no statistical significance was found. The average distance between the AA bifurcation and the point where the right and left ureter crossed the ipsilateral iliac arteries was longer in females (60.99 and 60.29 mm, respectively) than in males (59.05 and 59.95 mm, respectively), but no statistical difference was found (p > 0.05). The most common vertebral level for AA bifurcation was the L4 vertebra, which was found in 137 (68.50%) patients. The AA bifurcated at the level of L3 and L5 in 52 (26.00%) and 11 (5.50%) patients, respectively. Conclusions: Understanding the radiological anatomy of the CIA and AA bifurcation and its relation to the ureter is crucial for surgeons performing aortic and pelvic surgeries. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cocaine is a widely used illicit stimulant with significant toxicity. Despite its clinical relevance, the broader metabolic alterations associated with cocaine use remain incompletely characterized. This study aims to identify novel biomarkers for cocaine exposure by applying untargeted metabolomics to retrospective urine drug screening data. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a raw mass spectrometry (MS) dataset from urine comprehensive drug screening (UCDS) from 363 patients at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Clinical Toxicology Laboratory. The liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-qToF-MS) data were preprocessed with MS-DIAL and subjected to multiple statistical analyses to identify features significantly associated with cocaine-enzyme immunoassay (EIA) results. Significant features were further evaluated using MS-FINDER for feature annotation. Results: Among 14,883 features, 262 were significantly associated with cocaine-EIA results. A subset of 37 more significant features, including known cocaine metabolites and impurities, nicotine metabolites, norfentanyl, and a tryptophan-related metabolite (3-hydroxy-tryptophan), was annotated. Cluster analysis revealed co-varying features, including parent compounds, metabolites, and related ion species. Conclusions: Features associated with cocaine exposure, including previously underrecognized cocaine metabolites and impurities, co-exposure markers, and alterations in an endogenous metabolic pathway, were identified. Notably, norfentanyl was found to be significantly associated with cocaine -EIA, reflecting current trends in illicit drug use. This study highlights the potential of repurposing real-world clinical toxicology data for biomarker discovery, providing a valuable approach to identifying exposure biomarkers and expanding our understanding of drug-induced metabolic disturbances in clinical toxicology. Further validation and exploration using complementary analytical platforms are warranted. Full article

As direct detection methods of Borrelia burgdorferi are limited, serology plays an important role in diagnosing Lyme disease (LD). There are various types of Lyme serological tests with varying diagnostic accuracy, so it is necessary to compare and rank them. The aim of this study is to compare the accuracy of various serological diagnostic methods for LD using network meta-analysis (NMA). We searched the Cochrane Library and PubMed databases for all serological diagnostic accuracy studies published from the discovery of LD until June 2024. After screening, we assessed the quality of the included studies with QUADAS-C and extracted relevant data. We calculated the Q* index of the receiver operating characteristic curve for each diagnostic test. Meta-disc 2.0 and Stata 15.0 were used to perform traditional meta-analysis and NMA with the gold standard (the comprehensive evaluation) as a reference. We then compared the Q* index values between different methods using two-by-two comparisons and ranked them accordingly. A total of 52 studies with 181,032 participants, including 5318 patients with LD, were included. These studies covered 14 diagnostic methods. The results of the NMA suggest that modified two-tiered testing (MTTT), C6 enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and standard two-tiered testing (STTT) rank in the top three among the 14 methods in terms of Q* index, with MTTT being the highest, followed by C6 EIA and STTT. MTTT and C6 EIA have higher overall diagnostic performance, and their accuracy is not inferior to that of the widely used STTT (PROSPERO CRD42022378326). Full article

On 10 May 2024, a super geomagnetic storm with a minimum Dst index of less than −400 nT occurred. It has attracted a significant amount of attention in the literature. Using total electron content (TEC) observations from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), in situ electron density data from the Swarm satellite, and corresponding simulations from the thermosphere–ionosphere–electrodynamics general circulation model (TIEGCM), the dynamic poleward shift of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) during the main phase of the super geomagnetic storm has been explored. The results show that the EIA crests moved poleward from ±15° magnetic latitude (MLat) to ±20° MLat at around 19.6 UT, to ±25° MLat at 21.2 UT, and to ±31° MLat at 22.7 UT. This poleward shift was primarily driven by the enhanced eastward electric field, neutral winds, and ambipolar diffusion. Storm-induced meridional winds can move ionospheric plasma upward/downward along geomagnetic field lines, causing the poleward movement of EIA crests, with minor contributions from zonal winds. Ambipolar diffusion contributes/prevents the formation of EIA crests at most EIA latitudes/the equatorward edge. Full article

The present study analyzes the global ionospheric response to the intense geomagnetic storm of 10–11 October 2024 (SYM—H minimum of −346 nT), using observations from COSMIC—2 and Swarm satellites, GNSS TEC, and Digisondes. Significant uplift of the F-region was observed across both Hemispheres on the dayside, primarily driven by equatorward thermospheric winds and prompt penetration electric fields (PPEFs). However, this uplift did not correspond with increases in foF2 due to enhanced molecular nitrogen-promoting recombination in sunlit regions and the F2 peak rising beyond the COSMIC—2 detection range. In contrast, in the Southern Hemisphere nightside ionosphere exhibited pronounced Ne depletion and low hmF2 values, attributed to G-conditions and thermospheric composition changes caused by storm-time circulation. Strong vertical plasma drifts exceeding 100 m/s were observed during both the main and recovery phases, particularly over Ascension Island, driven initially by southward IMF—Bz-induced PPEFs and later by disturbance dynamo electric fields (DDEFs) as IMF—Bz turned northward. Swarm data revealed a poleward expansion of the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA), with more pronounced effects in the Southern Hemisphere due to seasonal and longitudinal variations in ionospheric conductivity. Additionally, the storm excited Large-Scale Travelling Ionospheric Disturbances (LSTIDs), triggered by thermospheric perturbations and electrodynamic drivers, including PPEFs and DDEFs. These disturbances, along with enhanced westward thermospheric wind and altered zonal electric fields, modulated ionospheric irregularity intensity and distribution. The emergence of anti-Sq current systems further disrupted quiet-time electrodynamics, promoting global LSTID activity. Furthermore, storm-induced equatorial plasma bubbles (EPBs) were observed over Southeast Asia, initiated by enhanced PPEFs during the main phase and suppressed during recovery, consistent with super EPB development mechanisms. Full article

Green roofs (GRs) are emerging as effective tools for mitigating urban runoff, particularly in cities facing challenges related to increased impervious surfaces and flooding risks. This study evaluates the potential hydrological performance of GR retrofitting in São José dos Campos, Brazil, based on municipal legislation, focusing on the effects of reducing the Effective Impervious Area (EIA) in urban watersheds. Using a range of projected EIA reduction scenarios (Mandatory, Incentivized, and Ideal), this study compares key hydrological indicators such as peak flow attenuation, runoff volume reduction, and hydrograph delay during rainfall events with different return periods. The results show that retrofitting with GRs significantly attenuates peak flows and delays runoff, with the ‘Ideal’ scenario (EIA = 16%) achieving peak flow reductions of up to 41% and runoff volume reductions of 35%. However, the effectiveness of GRs diminishes for high-intensity rainfall events, suggesting that GRs are most effective for frequent, low-intensity storms. These findings demonstrate the potential of GRs in reducing flooding risks in urban environments, highlighting the importance of integrating GRs into broader sustainable drainage systems. This study further emphasizes that while financial support is crucial for promoting GR adoption, it alone is not sufficient. Policies should be complemented by educational efforts and urban regulatory measures to ensure widespread adoption and long-term impact. This research provides urban planners and stakeholders with evidence to enhance urban resilience, sustainability, and effective flood risk management. Full article

Phase stability at low radio frequencies is severely impacted by ionospheric propagation delays. Radio interferometers such as the giant metrewave radio telescope (GMRT) are capable of detecting changes in the ionosphere’s total electron content (TEC) over larger spatial scales and with greater sensitivity compared to conventional tools like the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Thanks to its unique design, featuring both a dense central array and long outer arms, and its strategic location, the GMRT is particularly well-suited for studying the sensitive ionospheric region located between the northern peak of the equatorial ionization anomaly (EIA) and the magnetic equator. In this study, we observe the bright flux calibrator 3C48 for ten hours to characterize and study the low-latitude ionosphere with the upgraded GMRT (uGMRT). We outline the methods used for wideband data reduction and processing to accurately measure differential TEC ($\delta \mathrm{TEC}$) between antenna pairs, achieving a precision of< mTECU (1 mTECU = ${10}^{-3}$ TECU) for central square antennas and approximately mTECU for arm antennas. The measured $\delta \mathrm{TEC}$ values are used to estimate the TEC gradient across GMRT arm antennas. We measure the ionospheric phase structure function and find a power-law slope of $\beta =1.72\pm 0.07$, indicating deviations from pure Kolmogorov turbulence. The inferred diffractive scale, the spatial separation over which the phase variance reaches $1{\mathrm{rad}}^2$, is ∼6.66 km. The small diffractive scale implies high phase variability across the field of view and reduced temporal coherence, which poses challenges for calibration and imaging. Full article

The development of a robust and efficient electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is essential for accelerating the transition to sustainable transportation. This systematic review analyzes recent research on EV charging network planning, with a particular focus on optimization techniques, machine learning applications, and sustainability integration. Using bibliometric methods and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we identify key thematic clusters, including smart grid integration, strategic station placement, renewable energy integration, and public policy impacts. This study reveals a growing trend toward hybrid models that combine artificial intelligence and optimization methods to address challenges such as grid constraints, range anxiety, and economic feasibility. We provide a taxonomy of computational approaches—ranging from classical optimization to deep reinforcement learning—and synthesize practical insights for researchers, policymakers, and urban planners. The findings highlight the critical role of coordinated strategies and data-driven tools in designing scalable and resilient EV charging infrastructures, and point to future research directions involving intelligent, adaptive, and sustainable charging solutions. Full article

The REPowerEU Plan calls for a massive speed-up of renewable energy, which can undermine nature conservation. We explored the impact of an industrial-scale wind power project planned inside a Natura 2000 site (Special Protected Areas for birds) in the mountains of Central Evvoia, in Greece. If approved, the project could cause significant land artificialization, land take, and habitat fragmentation, having a land take intensity of 4.5 m²/MWh. An important part of forested land (14%) would be artificialized. The wilderness character would sharply decline from 49% to 4%, with a large roadless area (51.4 km²) shrinking by 77% and a smaller one (16.1 km²) lost. The project greatly overlaps with the Natura 2000 network (97%), a regional Key Biodiversity Area and Important Bird Area (84%), and a potential Global Key Biodiversity Area (27%). It might affect 23 globally threatened and 44 endemic species. This case study is a typical example of the poor implementation of the Natura 2000 and EIA legislation and highlights their recurring inability to prevent harmful human activities across Europe from affecting protected species of European interest and ecosystem functions. We conclude with policy recommendations to help increase renewables’ sustainability and minimize land artificialization in the EU. Full article

Diagnosis of histoplasmosis is challenging. A rapid, sensitive, and specific method is essential. Serum is a non-invasive and easy sample to obtain in any hospital. The diagnostic accuracy of different techniques that use serum has been evaluated. Forty-one serum samples from patients with proven or probable histoplasmosis were analyzed. Different diagnostic techniques based on the detection of antibodies (ID Fungal Antibody System), antigens (Histoplasma GM EIA and Platelia^TM Aspergillus Ag), and DNA (“in-house” real-time PCR (RT-PCR) were tested and compared. Additionally, the quantification of cytokines and biomarkers related to histoplasmosis was performed. Global results from 27 samples in which all the tests were performed showed that the sensitivity of the Histoplasma GM EIA kit was 87.5% in patients with disseminated infection and HIV as an underlying disease; in immunocompetent (IC) patients, it was 54.5%. The detection of Histoplasma spp. with the ID Fungal Antibody System was positive in 90.9% of IC and in 62.5% of HIV patients. The Platelia-Asp kit had a low performance in both groups of patients (37.5% in HIV and 9% in non-HIV), and, finally, RT-PCR was better in immunosuppressed patients (44% in HIV vs. 27% in non-HIV). The combination of diagnostic techniques increased the detection of Histoplasma infection in inmunosupressed patients. Overall, patient groups infected with H. capsulatum (Hc) showed higher IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-18 median values compared to non-Hc-infected controls. The effectiveness of diagnostic techniques on serum samples is highly influenced by the patient’s clinical presentation and underlying condition. Consequently, a thorough assessment of the patient’s clinical presentation and disease phenotype is crucial in selecting the most suitable diagnostic method. Full article

Localized treatment has emerged as an excellent alternative to minimize the side effects associated with the systemic dispersion of therapeutic agents, which can damage healthy tissues. Injectable hydrogels offer a promising solution because they can encapsulate and release therapeutic agents in a controlled manner. In this context, this study focuses on the development and characterization of an injectable hydrogel based on carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCh) and oxidized agarose (OA), in which chemical crosslinking through imine bond formation avoids the use of external crosslinking agents. Several polymer ratios were evaluated to obtain hydrogels (OA:CMCh), and stable gels were formed at physiological temperatures in all cases. The hydrogels were injectable through a 21 G needle with forces below 30 N, formed porous structures, and exhibited a self-healing capacity after 48 h. Additionally, the hydrogels displayed compressive strengths ranging from 26 to 71 kPa and elastic moduli similar to those of human tissues (6–20 kPa). Swelling percentages of up to 3090% were achieved owing to the high hydrophilicity of CMCh and OA, and strong chemical crosslinking maintained the gel stability for two weeks with low mass loss rates (<21%). Furthermore, polymer ratio variation and storage at 4 °C were observed to affect the hydrogel characteristics, allowing for property modulation according to the application needs. These results indicate that the proposed polymeric combination enables the formation of hydrogels with the potential for localized drug delivery. Full article

This paper analyzes the electricity dispatch process and the importance of predicting infrastructure construction delays and network congestion using a system dynamics methodology. Two scenarios of renewable energy integration within Colombia are examined, together with their impact on electrical generation, pricing, and the growth of transmission networks. The results indicate that delays significantly influence the system’s long-term development. Incorporating network congestion into energy dispatch significantly alters investment requirements for generation and transmission, emphasizing network constraints that an idealized dispatch would neglect. Considering congestion highlights the necessity of incorporating delays into energy planning, as these impacts are overlooked in models that fail to account for actual network limitations. This paper emphasizes the strategic significance of considering delays and congestion to attain more realistic and successful planning in extensive power networks. Full article