Western manufacturing employment: trends and peaks over 30 years

U.S. manufacturing employment has been declining for 40 years, but this trend has not affected all regions equally. This paper examines employment changes in the Western region since 1990 to identify trends in the basket of subindustries unique to the region.

The emergence of two distinct SARS-CoV-2 Gamma related variants during the second wave of COVID-19 in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil and the rapid spread of P.1-like-II SARS-CoV-2 variant transmission and a regionalization in the Western region

COVID-19 has assumed significant and lasting proportions worldwide. Following initial cases in the Western mesoregion, the State of Santa Catarina (SC), southern Brazil, was heavily affected as a whole by the pandemic in early 2021. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreading patterns in the SC state through March 2020 to April 2021 using genomic surveillance. During this period, 23 distinct variants, including two VOCs (Beta and Gamma) were identified, among which, the Gamma and related lineages were predominant in the second pandemic wave within SC. However, a regionalization of P.1-like-II in the Western region was observed, concomitant to the increase in cases, mortality, and case fatality rate (CFR) index. This is the first evidence of the regionalization of the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the and highlight the importance of tracking variants, dispersion and their impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the public health system in Brazilian states.

Competing Effects of Vegetation on Summer Temperature in North Korea

Vegetation reduction could affect regional climate by perturbing the surface energy and moisture balances via changes in albedo and evapotranspiration. However, it is unknown whether vegetation effects on climate occur in North Korea, where a severe reduction in forest cover has been observed. This study aimed to identify the biogeophysical processes in vegetation and climate interactions in North Korea, using Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and climate reanalysis data over the period 1982‒2015. As per the NDVI regression trend results, the highest rates of decreasing NDVI were detected in the western region of North Korea during summer. Based on the detrended correlation analysis of NDVI with surface energy variables at each grid point, including solar radiation, sensible and latent heat fluxes, Bowen ratio, and temperature, we identified a cooling effect of vegetation in the western region (with lower NDVI and lower elevation), but a warming effect of vegetation in the northern region (with higher NDVI and higher elevation). The different biogeophysical effects were induced by the increasing and decreasing Bowen ratio with increasing vegetation in the northern and western regions, respectively. In the western region of North Korea, where large-scale human-induced forest loss has been observed, the increasing summer temperature caused by the decreasing cooling effect of vegetation would be up to 1.5 ℃ by the end of this century, if the current rate of deforestation continues. Thus, we urgently suggest that sustainable management and restoration of forests are needed in North Korea, which is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change now and in the future.

The Migration Patterns and Identity of the Okun-Yoruba People of Central Nigeria

Migration is a global phenomenon. From time immemorial, man has been moving from one place to another for temporary or permanent settlements. This is largely facilitated by natural or artificial factors. The former include nat­ural disasters such as ecological change and draught, while the latter can be in­stigated by wars and search for better fortunes. This study examines the nature of the movements of the Okun-Yoruba people from the western region of Ni­geria to the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers in the Central Geograph­ical Zone of Nigeria. It reveals how their long years of interactions with peoples of the confluence region were aided by the European delimitation of the area as part of the North, which has been the basis of sociopolltical agitation. The study reveals that Okun-Yoruba people, despite their geographical delimitation as northerners, see themselves more as southerners.

Research on Regional Differences and Influencing Factors of Energy Utilization Efficiency in China

Energy, as one of the important input factors in modern economic growth, plays a decisive role in the economic growth of all countries in the world. Use Moran I index and fixed effect model to measure the degree of spatial correlation and spatial difference between regions and analyze the influencing factors of energy efficiency, The results show that the energy efficiency of various provinces is spatially related, and the spatial distribution tends to be spatially concentrated; the per capita GDP has a significantly greater impact on the energy efficiency of the eastern region than it has on the western region; foreign direct investment (FDL) has an impact on the energy use of the eastern region There is a negative impact on efficiency and a positive impact on the efficiency of energy utilization in the western region; the number of patent grants has a significantly greater effect on the improvement of energy efficiency in the western region than in the eastern region; the increase in the proportion of the secondary industry has a positive impact on the energy use efficiency in the eastern region There is a positive impact and a negative impact on the energy efficiency of the western region.