Research on the impact of climate change on food security in Africa.

Global warming and the rising frequency of extreme climate events pose significant threats to food security. We examine the influence of climate change on food security in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a specific emphasis on four key crops: maize, rice, wheat, and soybeans. We employ a random forest model to estimate spatial and temporal yield trends based on climate variables, land‑use patterns, and irrigation ratios.

Benefits of public awareness in mitigating cystic echinococcosis risk in Western China: A climate and socio-economic perspective.

Background: The prevalence of cystic echinococcosis (CE), a widespread zoonotic disease, imposes a significant public health burden, especially in western China. However, under the background of global change, how to meet the challenge of the future risk of CE remains unclear. As global climate change, land use changes, and socio-economic factors continue to progress, the spread and intensity of CE may potentially worsen, making it crucial to assess and mitigate future risks.

Environmental change increases the transmission risk of visceral leishmaniasis in central China around the Taihang mountains.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected life-threatening sandfly-borne disease, which brings a growing public health threat in Central China around the Taihang Mountains. However, the spatiotemporal dynamics of visceral leishmaniasis in the local community and the potential driving factors remain poorly understood.

Methods: We analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of new reported visceral leishmaniasis cases in the region from 2006 to 2023, and combined random forest modeling approach with environmental covariates to identify the main influencing factors related to transmission risk of the disease.

The role of copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in cerebrovascular diseases:A novel therapeutic target.

Copper has a broad and important role in biological systems, where it acts as a cofactor at the active sites of a variety of enzymes and is involved in a wide range of physiological activities such as oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, and energy metabolism. Like other trace elements, copper levels maintain a balanced homeostasis in the body, and imbalances in copper homeostasis and cuproptosis it induces are involved in the progression of a range of diseases, such as cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs), including atherosclerosis (AS), hypertension, and stroke. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the relationship between copper and cerebrovascular pathologies may unearth more effective therapeutic strategies that can be effectively applied in the clinic.

Homogeneous 2D/3D heterostructured tin halide perovskite photovoltaics.

Tin halide perovskites (THPs) have emerged as promising lead-free candidates for eco-friendly perovskite solar cells, but their photovoltaic performance still lags behind that of lead-based counterparts due to poor thin-film quality. Constructing two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) heterostructures can effectively regulate crystallization and suppress defect formation for developing high-quality THP thin films. However, the high aggregation barrier prevents large 2D perovskite colloids from forming stable clusters, making 2D THPs nucleate more slowly than their 3D analogues.

Heterogeneity in Health-Related Quality of Life of Patients with Aplastic Anemia: A Latent Profile Analysis.

Purpose: Concerns over health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) have been increasing worldwide. However, most researches on HRQOL in AA patients have ignored individual-level variability. Thus, our study was designed to explore practical classification of HRQOL and related variables among AA patients.

Assessing the impact of armed conflict on the progress of achieving 17 sustainable development goals.

With global armed conflicts reaching a 30-year high in 2023, understanding their impact on the progress of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is crucial. Here, we used the propensity score matching method to assess the specific impacts of armed conflict on achieving the 17 SDGs in affected countries from 2000 to 2021. The results indicate that, compared to the hypothetical scenarios without conflict, progress on more than half of the SDGs has slowed by over 5% in countries experiencing armed conflict.

The impacts of climate change on violent conflict risk: a review of causal pathways.

The potential impacts of climate change on violent conflict are high on the agenda of scholars and policy makers. This article reviews existing literature to clarify the relationship between climate change and conflict risk, focusing on the roles of temperature and precipitation. While some debate remains, substantial evidence shows that climate change increases conflict risk under specific conditions.

Organometallic Compound Stabilizes All-Inorganic Tin-Based Perovskite Nanocrystals Against Antisolvent Post-Treatment.

The isolation and purification of all-inorganic Sn-based perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) remain troublesome, as common antisolvents accelerate the collapse of the optically active perovskite structure. Here, we mitigate such instabilities and endow strong resistance to antisolvent by incorporating the organometallic compound zinc diethyldithiocarbamate, Zn(DDTC), during the solution-based synthesis of all-inorganic CsSnI nanocrystals. Thiourea is shown to form through the thermal-driven conversion of Zn(DDTC) during synthesis, which binds to un-passivated Sn sites on the crystal surface and shields it from irreversible oxidation reactions.

Global risk dynamics of Borrelia miyamotoi in the context of climate change.

The impact of Borrelia miyamotoi on human health, facilitated by the expanding geographical distribution and increasing population of Ixodes ticks, remains obscure in the context of global climate change. We employed multiple models to evaluate the effect of global climate change on the risk of B. miyamotoi worldwide across various scenarios.

Land-use classification based on high-resolution remote sensing imagery and deep learning models.

High-resolution imagery and deep learning models have gained increasing importance in land-use mapping. In recent years, several new deep learning network modeling methods have surfaced. However, there has been a lack of a clear understanding of the performance of these models.

The role of ion migration, octahedral tilt, and the A-site cation on the instability of CsFAPbI.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites are promising materials for the next generation photovoltaics and optoelectronics; however, their practical application has been hindered by poor structural stability mainly caused by ion migration and external stimuli. Understanding the mechanism(s) of ion migration and structure decomposition is thus critical. Here we observe the sequence of structural changes at the atomic level that precede structural decomposition in the technologically important CsFAPbI using ultralow dose transmission electron microscopy.

Identification of nonvolatile organic compounds (NVOCs) in biopharmaceuticals through non-target analysis and quantification using complexation-precipitation extraction.

Single-use systems in biopharmaceutical manufacturing can potentially release chemical constituents (leachables) into drug products. Prior to conducting toxicological risk assessments, it is crucial to establish the qualitative and quantitative methods for these leachables. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive screening and structure elucidation of 23 leachables (nonvolatile organic compounds, NVOCs) in two antibody drugs using multiple (self-built and public) databases and mass spectral simulation.

Accelerated Redox Reactions Enable Stable Tin-Lead Mixed Perovskite Solar Cells.

The facile oxidation of Sn to Sn poses an inherent challenge that limits the efficiency and stability of tin-lead mixed (Sn-Pb) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) and all-perovskite tandem devices. In this work, we discover the sustainable redox reactions enabling self-healing Sn-Pb perovskites, where their intractable oxidation degradation can be recovered to their original state under light soaking. Quantitative and operando spectroscopies are used to investigate the redox chemistry, revealing that metallic Pb from the photolysis of perovskite reacts with Sn to regenerate Pb and Sn spontaneously.

Projecting spatiotemporal dynamics of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in the mainland of China.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging infectious disease with increasing incidence and geographic extent. The extent to which global climate change affects the incidence of SFTS disease remains obscure. We use an integrated multi-model, multi-scenario framework to assess the impact of global climate change on SFTS disease in China.

Modeling analysis of armed conflict risk in sub-Saharan Africa, 2000-2019.

Sub-Saharan Africa has suffered frequent outbreaks of armed conflict since the end of the Cold War. Although several efforts have been made to understand the underlying causes of armed conflict and establish an early warning mechanism, there is still a lack of a comprehensive assessment approach to model the incidence risk of armed conflict well. Based on a large database of armed conflict events and related spatial datasets covering the period 2000-2019, this study uses a boosted regression tree (BRT) approach to model the spatiotemporal distribution of armed conflict risk in sub-Saharan Africa.

The implications for potential marginal land resources of cassava across worldwide under climate change challenges.

The demand for energy plants is foreseen to grow as worldwide energy and climate policies promote the use of bioenergy for climate change mitigation. To avoid competing with food production, it's critical to assess future changes in marginal land availability for energy plant development. Using a machine learning method, boosted regression tree, this study modeled potential marginal land resources suitable for cassava under current and different climate change scenarios, based on cassava occurrence records and environmental covariates.

Exploring the worldwide impact of COVID-19 on conflict risk under climate change.

Objectives: Understand whether and how the COVID-19 pandemic affects the risk of different types of conflict worldwide in the context of climate change.

Methodology: Based on the database of armed conflict, COVID-19, detailed climate, and non-climate data covering the period 2020-2021, we applied Structural Equation Modeling specifically to reorganize the links between climate, COVID-19, and conflict risk. Moreover, we used the Boosted Regression Tree method to simulate conflict risk under the influence of multiple factors.

Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors for cystic and alveolar echinococcosis in China: an analysis of a national population-based field survey.

Background: Human cystic and alveolar echinococcosis are neglected tropical diseases that WHO has prioritized for control in recent years. Both diseases impose substantial burdens on public health and the socio-economy in China. In this study, which is based on the national echinococcosis survey from 2012 to 2016, we aim to describe the spatial prevalence and demographic characteristics of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis infections in humans and assess the impact of environmental, biological and social factors on both types of the disease.

Exploring the global geography of cybercrime and its driving forces.

Cybercrime is wreaking havoc on the global economy, national security, social stability, and individual interests. The current efforts to mitigate cybercrime threats are primarily focused on technical measures. This study considers cybercrime as a social phenomenon and constructs a theoretical framework that integrates the social, economic, political, technological, and cybersecurity factors that influence cybercrime.

Exploring the direct and indirect impacts of climate variability on armed conflict in South Asia.

Although numerous studies have examined the effects of climate variability on armed conflict, the complexity of these linkages requires deeper understanding to assess the causes and effects. Here, we assembled an extensive database of armed conflict, climate, and non-climate data for South Asia. We used structural equation modeling to quantify both the direct and indirect impacts of climate variability on armed conflict.

In Situ Bonding Regulation of Surface Ligands for Efficient and Stable FAPbI Quantum Dot Solar Cells.

Quantum dots (QDs) of formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI ) perovskite hold great potential, outperforming their inorganic counterparts in terms of phase stability and carrier lifetime, for high-performance solar cells. However, the highly dynamic nature of FAPbI QDs, which mainly originates from the proton exchange between oleic acid and oleylamine (OAm) surface ligands, is a key hurdle that impedes the fabrication of high-efficiency solar cells. To tackle such an issue, here, protonated-OAm in situ to strengthen the ligand binding at the surface of FAPbI QDs, which can effectively suppress the defect formation during QD synthesis and purification processes is selectively introduced.