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Climate change is predicted to result in elevational and latitudinal shifts in species distributions. Among different taxa, high-elevation specialist species are likely to suffer the greatest impact from climate change due to the limited ability to track their niches. Although much work has been undertaken on predicting the effects of climate change on the range contraction/expansion of mountain species, one important but fairly neglected issue is to consider the impacts of non-climate data in the projections of Species Distribution Models (SDMs). We evaluated the degree to which incorporating non-climatic data into climate-based SDMs would change the predicted vulnerability of the Caspian Snowcock (Tetraogallus caspius), a poorly known high-elevation specialist species, to climate change. We first optimized the MaxEnt model for the current species distribution using: (1) only climatic variables; and, (2) both climatic and non-climatic data. We then projected the optimized model for two future time periods under different climate scenarios. Finally, we calculated differences in the mean elevation and lower and upper range limits for the species. We predicted that with changing climatic conditions, Caspian Snowcock will undergo significant elevational and some latitudinal shifts in its distribution and will face a drastic decrease in suitable habitat in the next 50 years. Including non-climatic data in the models increased model performance and resulted in reduced predictions of habitat loss under future climate scenarios. Terrain roughness was the most important predictor in this model, suggesting that more complex topography will retain favourable microclimates for the species in the future. The results thus highlight the importance of including topographic variables in climate-based SDMs. Our findings can guide biodiversity managers in prioritizing protected areas and adopting proactive measures to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change.

The reduction of traditional fuel sources and the unpredictability of the global economy have led to a push for renewable energy alternatives. Waste recycling can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this study, the effects of different proportions of biochar on the efficiency of mesophilic anaerobic digestion of automotive paint sludge were investigated over a period of one month. A combination of paint sludge and anaerobic sludge in a ratio of three to one was used, and biochar was added to the anaerobic digestion reactor in two different amounts of 10 and 26 g/l, with a control sample without biochar. The cumulative volume of biogas produced at the end of the one-month experiment was recorded for three samples: the control sample (without biochar), the second sample (with 2 g of biochar), and the third sample (with 5.2 g of biochar). The volumes of biogas produced were 300, 380, and 530 ml, respectively. Additionally, the COD reduction rates were 25%, 33%, and 48%, and the VS decrement rates were 21%, 27%, and 43%, respectively. The findings showed that adding biochar to the anaerobic digestion reactor containing automotive paint sludge increased biogas production. Additionally, gas chromatography results for an optimal sample of biogas extracted from the anaerobic digestion reactor indicated the presence of about 50% methane gas. These results highlight the potential for utilizing biochar in anaerobic digestion processes to improve renewable energy production and waste management.

Background: The present study assessed the therapeutic effects of dalteparin in patients who had recent onset central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) as compared with those of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)., Methods: Patients with recent onset of CRVO were randomly assigned to receive dalteparin subcutaneously every day for 20 days or ASA daily for the same period. Complete ophthalmic examinations were conducted at baseline and at each follow-up interval: 1 week and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 months later. Best-corrected visual acuity was assessed by an investigator blind to the treatment group., Results: The mean 6-month change in logMAR visual acuity for dalteparin-treated patients was an increase of 5.5 letters (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart) (-0.11 [SD 0.71] logMAR) and for ASA-treated patients was a decrease of 14 letters (+0.28 [SD 0.79] logMAR), representing a significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.016). One patient in the dalteparin group and 14 in the ASA group showed iris neovascularization (NVI) (2.1% vs. 30.4%, p = 0.0001)., Interpretation: Dalteparin was found to be superior to ASA in terms of improving visual acuity and preventing NVI over the first 6 months of treatment. Similar studies are recommended of other newer types of anticoagulants, especially those that could be used orally.