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The lowering air pollution in the US has brought significant health benefits; however, climate change may offset the benefits by increasing the temperature and worsening air quality. This study aimed to estimate the mortality changes due to air pollution reductions and evaluate the potential climate penalty in the Mid-South Region of the US. Daily concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone measured at local monitoring stations in 1999–2019 were extracted from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Quality System. Meteorological data for the same period were obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Local Climatological Data. Annual average age-adjusted all-cause mortality rates (MRs) were downloaded from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s WONDERS Databases. MRs attributable to exposure to PM2.5, ozone, and high temperatures in warm months were estimated using their corresponding health impact functions. Using Year 1999 as the baseline, contributions of environmental changes to MR reductions were calculated. Results showed that annual average concentrations of PM2.5 and ozone decreased by 46% and 23% in 2019, respectively, compared with the base year; meanwhile, the mean daily temperature in the warm season fluctuated and displayed an insignificant increasing trend (Kendall’s tau = 0.16, p = 0.30). MRs displayed a significant decreasing trend and dropped by 215 deaths/100,000 person-year in 2019. Lower PM2.5 and ozone concentrations were estimated to reduce 59 and 30 deaths/100,000 person-year, respectively, contributing to 23% and 17% of MR reductions, respectively. The fluctuating temperatures had negligible impacts on mortality changes over the two-decade study period. This study suggests that improved air quality may have contributed to mortality reductions, while the climate penalty effects appeared to be insignificant in the Mid-South Region.

A much-touted federal reform effort, and a tribal lawsuit, sought to improve outcomes for BIE students. Now the Trump administration’s efforts to slash government threaten what little progress the agency has made

• US negotiators told Ukraine US could shutoff Starlink if minerals deal not reached
• SpaceX-owned satellite internet service vital for Ukraine
• Zelenskiy says U.S. and Ukraine working on an agreement

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This paper analyzes how expectations of Transformative AI (TAI) affect current economic behavior by introducing a novel mechanism where automation redirects labor income from workers to those controlling AI systems, with the share of automated labor controlled by each household depending on their wealth at the time of invention. Using a modified neoclassical growth model calibrated to contemporary AI timeline forecasts, I find that even moderate assumptions about wealth-based allocation of AI labor generate substantial increases in pre-TAI interest rates. Under baseline scenarios with proportional wealth-based allocation, one-year interest rates rise to 10-16% compared to approximately 3% without strategic competition. The model reveals a notable divergence between interest rates and capital rental rates, as households accept lower productive returns in exchange for the strategic value of wealth accumulation. These findings suggest that evolving beliefs about TAI could create significant upward pressure on interest rates well before any technological breakthrough occurs, with important implications for monetary policy and financial stability.

Achieving sustainable practices in the jewelry industry necessitates the adoption of optimized eco-design approaches. The optimization of eco-friendly jewelry design was investigated in this study through an integrated analysis of materials, digital manufacturing, and predictive modeling. Sustainable techniques were identified, and an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to predict environmental impacts based on material properties and design attributes. The applicability of the model was validated, and insights were generated to drive eco-innovation and facilitate the transition towards sustainable practices in the jewelry industry. Key findings demonstrated the superior sustainability of renewable biomaterials, specifically Biomaterials 2-5 derived from lingo-cellulosic sources, compared to conventional materials. Consistently, simpler design configurations outperformed intricate designs. The relationships were effectively captured by the ANN model, providing a reliable evidence-based approach. Quantitative linkages between design attributes and sustainability metrics were established by the study, offering valuable guidance for optimization strategies. Significant results demonstrate that Biomaterials 2-5 exhibit average carbon footprints of 1.1–1.2 kg and water usage of 9–16.5 L, compared to 2.1 kg and 24.5 L for precious metals. Simplified designs exhibit carbon footprints of 0.8 kg and water usage of 11.5 L, whereas intricate designs show footprints of 3.1 kg and water usage of 33 L. These predictions establish renewable biomaterials and streamlined configurations as preferable paradigms for sustainable jewelry. Based on the findings, recommendations include prioritizing the use of Biomaterials 2-5 and streamlined configurations through the implementation of incentives. Transitioning operations towards biomaterial-focused infrastructure and emerging technologies is suggested to further enhance sustainability. Additionally, international cooperation and the development of standards are proposed to address sustainability challenges holistically. The empirical and computational findings of this study establish optimization methodologies that can inspire transformative sustainability practices in the jewelry industry.

"Once again, Democrats have thrown working people under the bus, this time in Michigan," said one critic.

Israel prepared Saturday to receive six more hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees as a body returned from Gaza on Friday was confirmed to be that of hostage Shiri Bibas.

President Donald Trump on February 21 fired the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and dismissed five other admirals and generals in an major shake-up of the top leadership of the U.S. military.

Concerns are growing about the fate of a Biden-era rule to limit toxic PFAS chemicals in drinking water, with some states moving to introduce laws that would lock in place PFAS protections that could survive any potential rollback by the Trump Administration.

The Supreme Court on Friday left in place for now an order by a federal judge in Washington, D.C., that instructed President Donald Trump to temporarily reinstate the head of an independent federal agency tasked with protecting whistleblowers from retaliation. The justices did not act on a request from the Trump administration to block the order by U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson, which had restored Hampton Dellinger as head of the Office of Special Counsel for 14 days, beginning on Feb. 12. Instead, the justices explained in a brief order, they put the government’s request on hold until Jackson’s order expires on Feb. 26.