Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lodgepole Pine and White Spruce Thinning in Alberta―A Review of North American and European Best Practices

A significant portion of the harvested land base in western Canada is becoming old enough or entering a phase where thinning is a legitimate forest management option. A comprehensive review of the existing knowledge of commercial thinning (CT) treatments applied to pine and spruce-dominated stands in Alberta was conducted, with particular regard to the intensity, timing of interventions, method, and impacts on crop tree growth responses. Although the geographical focus of this review is Alberta, information on this topic is more complete in other areas of North America and Europe, where there is a long history of density management. In areas of eastern North America, our review revealed that CT from below, with tree removal levels from 27 to 43% of the basal area, could increase total merchantable wood produced from 11 to 60 m3 ha−1 over a rotation, depending on stand age and intensity of thinning. For Alberta conditions, and considering the risks, we conclude that commercial thinning basal area removal should be in the range of 25 to 40%, depending on a variety of factors such as species, wind firmness, and insect or disease incidence and risk. Thinning too aggressively and/or too late will increase the blowdown risk but the literature is fairly consistent in suggesting that live crown ratios should be >40% to maximize the chance of growth response and minimize the blowdown risk. In cases where stands are also threatened by stressors such as drought, wind, and insect or disease outbreaks, CT treatments likely offer the potential at limiting the overall risk, but localized knowledge and experience are critical. It is intended that the information presented may support ongoing and future research trials and growth and yield (G&Y) model development about potential CT treatments to apply and the likely results of practical application to commercial forestry.
Promoting Sustainable Fruit and Vegetable Biowaste Management and Industrial Symbiosis through an Innovative Web Platform

Sustainable bioeconomy is a promising pathway towards the transition to a circular and climate-neutral economy. The valorization of biowaste is a key player in this direction. This paper presents the design and development of the AgriPLaCE Platform, which aims to promote synergies that enable the utilization of biowaste from the fruit and vegetable supply chain. The platform consists of the AgriPLaCE Waste Management Database, which provides users with an extended list of potential utilization methods for various types of fruit and vegetable biowaste streams, and the AgriPLaCE Synergies Tool, which facilitates synergies between different actors involved in the biowaste-to-resource value chain from agricultural waste production to waste treatment and new valuable products’ exploitation. Initially, the conceptual design of both tools took place based on analysis of user needs and services alongside the system architecture. Following this, the AgriPLaCE Platform was developed with the implementation of all the necessary subsystems. The results of the platform’s implementation demonstrated its potential to generate multiple collaborations and synergies while users can also deepen their knowledge about alternative and emerging treatment technologies and valuable products from a wide range of fruit and vegetable biowaste streams.
Cranberry/Chondroitin Sulfate Co-precipitate as a New Method for Controlling Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTI), which are among the most frequent cases of infectious diseases, mainly affect women. The most common treatment approach involves the use of antibiotics, although this solution is not always the most suitable, mainly because of the resistance that bacterial strains develop. Proanthocyanidins are a class of polyphenols, abundantly contained in cranberry extracts, which have shown beneficial effects in the treatment of urinary tract infections, due to their anti-adhesive properties toward bacteria, with respect to the membranes of the cells of the urothelium and intestine, thus reducing their virulence. In this work, we demonstrate via microscopy and scattering measurements how a mixture of cranberry and chondroitin sulfate can form a crosslinked structure with barrier properties. By using a design of experiment (DOE), we optimized the mass ratio to obtain a precipitate between cranberry extract and chondroitin sulfate in the presence of N-acetylcysteine and hyaluronic acid. By using transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) chambers, we confirmed the barrier properties of the best mixture obtained with the DOE. Lastly, the antibiofilm action was investigated against five strains of Escherichia coli with different antibiotic sensitivity. The precipitate displayed a variable inhibitory effect in biofilm formation with major effects in UTI with an antibiotic resistance profile.
Is the Impact of the European Mouflon on Vegetation Influenced by the Allochthonous Nature of the Species?

The mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) is an introduced ungulate in continental Europe. It has adapted well to its occupied habitats over the last 150 years. Its growing population has drawn increasing attention to its impact on autochthonous species, especially in endangered ecosystems. Its allochthonous character, habitat selection, and feeding led scientists to question the raison d’etre of mouflons. The mouflon’s space use and foraging strategies highlighted some pressure elements it exerts on those habitats. Mouflon trampling damage may be behind the degradation of rare, endangered grasslands. We review studies to discuss the results and the limitations of exclusion experiments to evaluate the extent of mouflon-caused damage in the context of population density. We review the forest damage attributed to mouflons considering interspecies competition with other large herbivores such as red deer (Cervus elaphus) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Climate change makes the mouflon use its space differently when seeking shelter in southern habitats; consequently, the increased trampling and foraging pressures suggest new challenges in managing its impact. We review research results on these direct impacts of the species; however, the long-term effects on herbaceous plant communities, such as rock grasslands, are still unclear. This is true for the mouflon’s influence under changing population dynamics. Our results intend to set directions for future research on long-term experiments with density impact, coexistence with red deer or chamois, and warming-climate-driven behavior change.
Optimization of Supercritical Fluid CO2 Extraction from Yellow Horn Seed and Its Anti-Fatigue and Antioxidant Activity

A supercritical fluid carbon dioxide (SF-CO2) extraction method was used to obtain the optimum process for extracting yellow horn seed oil. The anti-fatigue and antioxidant properties of the extracted oil were investigated through animal experiments. The optimum process conditions for SF-CO2 extraction of the yellow horn oil were 40 MPa, 50 °C and 120 min, with an extraction yield of 31.61%. The high-dose group of yellow horn oil could significantly increase the weight-bearing swimming time, the hepatic glycogen (HG) content and decrease the lactic acid (LA) content and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) content (p < 0.05) in mice. Moreover, it improved the antioxidant ability by reducing the malondialdehyde (MDA) content (p < 0.01) and raising the glutathione reductase (GR) content and superoxide dismutase (SOD) content (p < 0.05) in mice. Yellow horn oil has the effects of being an anti-fatigue and antioxidant substance, which provides a basis for its further utilization and development.
Atlantic Salmon Gill Epithelial Cell Line (ASG-10) as a Suitable Model for Xenobiotic Biotransformation

Fish are exposed to xenobiotics in the water. Uptake occurs mainly through the gills, which function as an exchange point with the environment. The gills’ ability to detoxify harmful compounds by biotransformation is an essential protection mechanism. The enormous numbers of waterborne xenobiotics requiring ecotoxicological assessment makes it necessary to replace in vivo fish studies with predictive in vitro models. Here, we have characterized the metabolic capacity of the ASG-10 gill epithelial cell line from Atlantic salmon. Inducible CYP1A expression was confirmed by enzymatic assays and immunoblotting. The activities of important cytochrome P450 (CYP) and uridine 5’-diphospho-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes were established using specific substrates and metabolite analysis by liquid chromatography (LC) triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (TQMS). Metabolism of the fish anesthetic benzocaine (BZ) in ASG-10 confirmed esterase and acetyl transferase activities through the production of N-acetylbenzocaine (AcBZ), p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and p-acetaminobenzoic acid (AcPABA). Moreover, we were able to determine hydroxylamine benzocaine (BZOH), benzocaine glucuronide (BZGlcA) and hydroxylamine benzocaine glucuronide (BZ(O)GlcA) by LC high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (HRMS/MS) fragment pattern analysis for the first time. Comparison to metabolite profiles in hepatic fractions, and in plasma of BZ-euthanized salmon, confirmed the suitability of the ASG-10 cell line for investigating biotransformation in gills.
An Enhanced Algorithm for Active Fire Detection in Croplands Using Landsat-8 OLI Data

Burning biomass exacerbates or directly causes severe air pollution. The traditional active fire detection (AFD) methods are limited by the thresholds of the algorithms and the spatial resolution of remote sensing images, which misclassify some small-scale fires. AFD for burning straw is interfered with by highly reflective buildings around urban and rural areas, resulting in high commission error (CE). To solve these problems, we developed a multicriteria threshold AFD for burning straw (SAFD) based on Landsat-8 imagery in the context of croplands. In solving the problem of the high CE of highly reflective buildings around urban and rural areas, the SAFD algorithm, which was based on the LightGBM machine learning method (SAFD-LightGBM), was proposed to differentiate active fires from highly reflective buildings with a sample dataset of buildings and active fires and an optimal feature combining spectral features and texture features using the ReliefF feature selection method. The results revealed that the SAFD-LightGBM method performed better than the traditional threshold method, with CE and omission error (OE) of 13.2% and 11.5%, respectively. The proposed method could effectively reduce the interference of highly reflective buildings for active fire detection, and it has general applicability and stability for detecting discrete, small-scale fires in urban and rural areas.
Prognostic Value of HIF-1α-Induced Genes in Sepsis/Septic Shock

Hypoxia is characterized as one of the main consequences of sepsis, which is recognized as the leading cause of death in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. In this study, we aimed to examine whether the expression levels of genes regulated under hypoxia could be utilized as novel biomarkers for sepsis prognosis in ICU patients. Whole blood expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1A), interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), hexokinase 2 (HK2), lactate dehydrogenase (LDHA), heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), erythropoietin (EPO), and the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) were measured on ICU admission in 46 critically ill, initially non-septic patients. The patients were subsequently divided into two groups, based on the development of sepsis and septic shock (n = 25) or lack thereof (n = 21). HMOX1 mRNA expression was increased in patients who developed sepsis/septic shock compared to the non-septic group (p < 0.0001). The ROC curve, multivariate logistic regression, and Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated that HMOX1 expression could be utilized for sepsis and septic shock development probability. Overall, our results indicate that HMOX1 mRNA levels have the potential to be a valuable predictive factor for the prognosis of sepsis and septic shock in ICU patients.
Kunjin Virus, Zika Virus, and Yellow Fever Virus Infections Have Distinct Effects on the Coding Transcriptome and Proteome of Brain-Derived U87 Cells

As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses rely heavily on host cells for replication, and therefore dysregulate several cellular processes for their benefit. In return, host cells activate multiple signaling pathways to limit viral replication and eradicate viruses. The present study explores the complex interplay between viruses and host cells through next generation RNA sequencing as well as mass spectrometry (SILAC). Both the coding transcriptome and the proteome of human brain-derived U87 cells infected with Kunjin virus, Zika virus, or Yellow Fever virus were compared to the transcriptome and the proteome of mock-infected cells. Changes in the abundance of several hundred mRNAs and proteins were found in each infection. Moreover, the alternative splicing of hundreds of mRNAs was found to be modulated upon viral infection. Interestingly, a significant disconnect between the changes in the transcriptome and those in the proteome of infected cells was observed. These findings provide a global view of the coding transcriptome and the proteome of Flavivirus-infected cells, leading to a better comprehension of Flavivirus–host interactions.
Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Serine Protein Kinase (CASK) Gene Polymorphisms in Pigeons

Simple Summary The aim of the study was to detect the nucleotide sequence variability in the calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase (CASK) gene in pigeons. One of the detected polymorphic sites (g.8893G > A) located at position −3 relative to the start codon was selected for genotyping in 517 pigeons and was used to establish possible associations between genotypes and flight performance of pigeons. Frequencies of the AA genotype were higher in homing pigeon groups than in the group of non-homing pigeons. The results can be treated as a contribution to further research that could confirm the functionality of the analysed SNP in shaping the sports phenotype of domestic pigeons. Abstract Calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine protein kinase (CASK) is an multidomain protein involved in tissue development and cell signalling. In skeletal muscle, it is involved in the development of neuromuscular junctions. The participation of a pigeon in racing is a great physical effort that causes many changes in the skeletal muscles. Thus, the purpose of the study was to detect the nucleotide sequence variability in the calcium/calmodulin-dependent serine kinase (CASK) gene in domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) and assess the potential impact of DNA polymorphisms on the flight performance of pigeons. The research included a total of 517 individuals. DNA was extracted from the blood. A DNA fragment from nucleotides 8689 to 9049 of the CASK (NW_004973256.1 sequence) of six unrelated pigeons were sequenced. One of the detected polymorphic sites (g.8893G > A), located a very close to the start codon, was selected for genotyping in all individuals. The association studies included a total of 311 young homing pigeons that participated in racing competitions. The homing pigeons showed higher frequencies of the AA genotype than non-homing ones (p < 0.05). In rock pigeons only the GG genotype was found. Further research could confirm the functionality of the CASK g.8893G > A SNP in shaping the racing phenotype of pigeons, and the AA genotype could be useful as a selection criterion in pigeon breeding.
Exploring the Impact of Leadership Styles, Ethical Behavior, and Organizational Identification on Workers' Well-Being

This paper aims to assess workers’ well-being through a survey of Italian firms by exploring the factors of leadership styles, ethical behavior, and organizational identification. In recent years, also due to the COVID-19 pandemic and technological progress, workers’ well-being has increasingly become a fundamental driver for company strategy and governance. Workers are increasingly interested in their well-being and work–life balance rather than just their level of remuneration or position at work. The company’s ability to strategically retain capable collaborators is, therefore, fundamental, especially in light of the recent increase in resignations. Based on a sample of workers in Italian firms during the post-COVID-19 period (the year 2022), this paper evaluates whether leadership styles, ethical behavior, and organizational identification are related to workers’ well-being beyond the workplace. The empirical model allows for a clear and effective evaluation of several characteristics, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the data that support management’s strategic decisions regarding worker well-being policies.
The Use of Phage Cocktail and Various Antibacterial Agents in Combination to Prevent the Emergence of Phage Resistance

Bacterial food poisoning cases due to Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 have been linked with the consumption of a variety of food products, threatening public health around the world. This study describes the combined effects of a phage cocktail (STG2, SEG5, and PS5), EDTA, nisin, and polylysine against the bacterial cocktail consisting of S. typhimurium, S. enteritidis, and E. coli O157:H7. Overall, phage cocktail (alone or in combination with nisin or/and polylysine) not only showed great antibacterial effects against bacterial cocktail at different temperatures (4 °C, 24 °C, and 37 °C), but also totally inhibited the emergence of phage resistance during the incubation period. These results suggest that the combination of phages with nisin or/and polylysine has great potential to simultaneously control S. typhimurium, S. enteritidis, and E. coli O157:H7.
Tribo-Mechanical Investigation of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites under Dry Conditions

Tribo-mechanical experiments were performed on Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GRFP) composites against different engineering materials, and the tribological behavior of these materials under dry conditions was investigated. The novelty of this study consists of the investigation of the tribomechanical properties of a customized GFRP/epoxy composite, different from those identified in the literature. The investigated material in the work is composed of 270 g/m2 fiberglass twill fabric/epoxy matrix. It was manufactured by the vacuum bag method and autoclave curing procedure. The goal was to define the tribo-mechanical characteristics of a 68.5% weight fraction ratio (wf) of GFRP composites in relation to the different categories of plastic materials, alloyed steel, and technical ceramics. The properties of the material, including ultimate tensile strength, Young’s modulus of elasticity, elastic strain, and impact strength of the GFPR, were determined through standard tests. The friction coefficients were obtained using a modified pin-on-disc tribometer using sliding speeds ranging from 0.1 to 0.36 m s−1, load 20 N, and different counter face balls from Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Polyamide (Torlon), 52,100 Chrome Alloy Steel, 440 Stainless Steel, and Ceramic Al2O3, with 12.7 mm in diameter, in dry conditions. These are commonly used as ball and roller bearings in industry and for a variety of automotive applications. To evaluate the wear mechanisms, the worm surfaces were examined and investigated by a Nano Focus—Optical 3D Microscopy, which uses cutting-edge μsurf technology to provide highly accurate 3D measurements of surfaces. The obtained results constitute an important database for the tribo-mechanical behavior of this engineering GFRP composite material.
The Sarcoptic Mange in Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus): Mapping an Emerging Disease in the Largest South American Canid

The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the largest South American canid. In Brazil, as in other countries, it is considered an endangered species. Habitat loss, landscape changes, hunting, and roadkill are the main threats to this species. In addition, invasive diseases of domestic animals are considered to be an emerging threat to the maned wolf, where parasitic diseases are relevant. Sarcoptic mange is a skin disease caused by the mite Sarcoptes scabiei. This disease is currently almost globally distributed, with a remarkable host diversity. In Brazil, reports of sarcoptic mange in wildlife include several species, both wild and captive. However, the impact of this disease on wildlife is unknown. At the time of writing, there is only one published report of sarcoptic mange in maned wolves. This study sheds light on the occurrence of sarcoptic mange in free-ranging maned wolves in their natural range. A total of 52 cases (suspected and confirmed) of sarcoptic mange were identified through social media review, camera trapping, chemical immobilization and sample collection. These cases were distributed in southeastern Brazil, in the states of São Paulo (n = 34), Minas Gerais (n = 17), and Rio de Janeiro (n = 1), demonstrating a rapid and widespread spread of this disease, although it still only occurs in part of the species’ range. We expect that these results will help to subsidize future actions relevant to the control of this emerging disease.
An Alternative Method for Estimation of Stand-Level Biomass for Three Conifer Species in Northeast China

Accurate large-scale biomass prediction is crucial for assessing forest carbon storage and dynamics. It can also inform sustainable forest management practices and climate change mitigation efforts. However, stand-level biomass models are still scarce worldwide. Our study aims to introduce the generalized additive model (GAM) as a convenient and efficient approach for forest biomass estimation. Data from 311 sample plots of three conifer species in northeastern China were used to evaluate the performance of the GAM model and compare it with traditional nonlinear seemingly unrelated regression (NSUR) models in predicting stand biomass, including total, aboveground, and component biomass. The results indicated that the goodness of fit of GAM was better than that of NSUR in two model systems. In the majority of cases, the scatter plots and prediction performance revealed that the stand total and component biomass models utilizing GAM outperformed those based on NSUR. Disregarding heteroscedasticity and requiring fewer statistical assumptions provide additional support for the replacement of NSUR-based models with GAM-based models. This study implies that the GAM approach has greater potential for developing a system of stand biomass models.