Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of Agisoft Metashape Parameters on UAS Structure from Motion Individual Tree Detection from Canopy Height Models

Applications of unmanned aerial systems for forest monitoring are increasing and drive a need to understand how image processing workflows impact end-user products’ accuracy from tree detection methods. Increasing image overlap and making acquisitions at lower altitudes improve how structure from motion point clouds represents forest canopies. However, only limited testing has evaluated how image resolution and point cloud filtering impact the detection of individual tree locations and heights. We evaluate how Agisoft Metashape’s build dense cloud Quality (image resolution) and depth map filter settings influence tree detection from canopy height models in ponderosa pine forests. Finer resolution imagery with minimal filtering provided the best visual representation of vegetation detail for trees of all sizes. These same settings maximized tree detection F-score at >0.72 for overstory (>7 m tall) and >0.60 for understory trees. Additionally, overstory tree height bias and precision improve as image resolution becomes finer. Overstory and understory tree detection in open-canopy conifer systems might be optimized using the finest resolution imagery that computer hardware enables, while applying minimal point cloud filtering. The extended processing time and data storage demands of high-resolution imagery must be balanced against small reductions in tree detection performance when down-scaling image resolution to allow the processing of greater data extents.
S1742170519000292jra 8..16

Availability of organic foods has been increasing in the United States due to consumer demand for food produced with a lower environmental footprint. Surveys show that organic consumers view organic food as safer and of higher quality, but a number of food-borne outbreaks have been linked to organic produce in recent years. This outcome suggests that improved food safety protocols are needed to ensure food safety along organic food chains. In this study, model integrated crop–livestock organic systems were established in three states (Iowa, Minnesota and Pennsylvania) to evaluate biological performance and food safety aspects. Organically raised cattle and their feed/forage, feces, hide and meat were examined for the presence of two pathogens, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. Results confirmed that E. coli O157:H7 was not isolated on any hide or meat samples. Across all sites, the prevalence rate for E. coli O157:H7 on feed/forage and fecal matter was 9.43 and 7.26%, respectively. Salmonella spp. was isolated from 1.89, 3.33 and 18.6% of feed, fecal and hide samples, respectively. Salmonella spp. was not detected on any meat samples. While Salmonella spp. rates on hides were greater than those in feed and fecal samples, the prevalence rate of both pathogens on cattle hides was lower than in previous studies. The use of an organic fly repellent containing essential oils in this study would need to be investigated further to determine any correlation between its use and lower pathogen rates on hides. Feed/forage was more likely to test positive for E. coli O157:H7 from June through August, indicating the importance of strict sanitary measures to prevent feed contamination during summer months. These results suggest that careful adherence to food safety management strategies can help reduce the risk of bacterial contamination in integrated crop–livestock systems.
Influence of a powdered Spirulina platensis biomass on acid production of lactococci in milk

The effect of a spray-dried Spirulina platensis cyanobacterial biomass on the rate of acid development by various strains of major lactic acid producers in mesophilic dairy starter cultures, such as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis and Lc. lactis subsp. cremoris, was evaluated in cow's milk. The main objectives of this research were to determine the optimum concentration of the cyanobacterial biomass from a practical point of view, and to select Lactococcus strains whose acid production can be stimulated to a large degree by addition of the Spirulina biomass. Our results showed that 3 g/l of cyanobacterial biomass was optimal in regards to sensory properties and cost. Acid production of all the screened starter culture strains was stimulated significantly (p<0.05), although to varying degrees. In the case of both subspecies, the strain designated 89.07 gave the best results. The S. platensis biomass rich in trace elements, vitamins, and other bioactive substrates also had a beneficial effect on the nutritional value of milk, thus providing a new opportunity for the manufacture of functional fermented dairy products, i.e., Spirulina-enriched cultured milk, cream, or buttermilk.
Knowledge Management in Social Work: Management Support, Incentives, Knowledge Implementation, and Employee Empowerment

In this article, we build on the current research about knowledge management in social work settings to demonstrate that knowledge management has the potential to enable social work organizations to influence public policies and improve the quality of their services. By increasing awareness and information about knowledge management in the field of social work, our goal is to examine a direct positive relationship between management support and incentives and knowledge implementation. In addition, as we wanted to explore the moderating effect of employee empowerment on knowledge implementation, we define and test several hypotheses in order to discover how management support, incentives and employee empowerment impact knowledge implementation in social work settings. We use moderation regression to test our hypotheses with a sample of 98 managers and employees of social work organizations in Slovenia who completed a questionnaire specifically prepared for the study. The study results support the existence of a significant and positive relationship between management support and incentives with knowledge implementation. Employee empowerment also acts as a moderator in the relationship between incentives and knowledge implementation, however, the interaction term is negative. In any case, the highest levels of knowledge implementation occur when employee empowerment is high as well. In the conclusion of the paper, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications derived from the research study. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15458/ebr107
The enormous impact of eroded collective bargaining on wages Report

A major factor depressing wage growth for middle earners and driving the growth of wage inequality over the last four decades has been the erosion of collective bargaining. Indeed, the only factor more responsible for weak wage growth for the typical worker is the excessive unemployment perpetrated by central bank policymakers’ high interest rate policies and fiscal austerity. The share of workers covered by a collective bargaining agreement fell from 27.0% in 1979 to just 11.6% in 2019 (Hirsch and Macpherson 2020). The erosion of collective bargaining has been especially harmful to men’s wages because men were far more likely than women to be unionized in 1979 (when 31.5% of men were covered by collective bargaining versus 18.8% of women). Thus men had more to lose from the subsequent attack on unions and collective bargaining. Rebuilding collective bargaining is a necessary component of any policy agenda to reestablish robust wage growth for the vast majority of workers in the United States, and broader unionization would lessen racial inequities and benefit women at least as much as men.
S0033291717003270jra 1795..1802

Background. Difficulties in regulating emotions are linked to the core symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). We therefore investigated the neural substrates of emotion-regulation problems in women with PMDD. Methods. On the basis of self-evaluations over 2 months on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems, eligible participants were assigned to two groups: PMDD and control (18 per group). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a well-validated task were used to assess brain function during emotion regulation. Participants were tested twice, once during the follicular (asymptomatic) and once in the late luteal (symptomatic) phase of the menstrual cycle. Results. Women with PMDD gave higher ratings of negative affect in the luteal phase than in the follicular phase, and compared with healthy control participants during the luteal phase. A region-of-interest fMRI analysis indicated that during the late luteal phase, women with PMDD had hypoactivation in right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during all conditions of the emotion-regulation task, not only in the contrast that isolated emotion regulation. An exploratory whole-brain, voxel-wise analysis showed that women with PMDD had less activation in the precentral gyrus during the luteal phase than the follicular phase, and less activation in the postcentral gyrus compared with control participants. Conclusions. During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, women with PMDD experience difficulty regulating emotions. Hypoactivation in the right dlPFC may contribute to this problem, but may be related more generally to other affective symptoms of PMDD. Hypofunction in the right preand postcentral gyri warrants additional study.
S0033291718000144jra 2530..2540

Background. The dopamine transporter gene (DAT1) and visual memory deficits have been consistently reported to be associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to examine whether a DAT1 haplotype affected functional and structural brain alterations in children with ADHD and whether those alterations were associated with visual memory. Method. We recruited a total of 37 drug-naïve children with ADHD (17 with the DAT1 rs27048 (C)/rs429699 (T) haplotype and 20 without the CT haplotype) and 37 typically developing children (17 with the CT haplotype and 20 without the CT haplotype). Visual memory was assessed by the pattern recognition memory (PRM) and spatial recognition memory (SRM) tasks. We analyzed functional and structural brain architecture with regional homogeneity (ReHo) and gray matter volume (GMV). Results. The CT haplotype was associated with decreased ReHo in the left superior occipital gyrus, cuneus, and precuneus; and decreased GMV in the left superior occipital gyrus, cuneus, and precuneus, and in the right angular gyrus. Significant interactions of ADHD and the CT haplotype were found in the right postcentral gyrus for ReHo and in the right supplementary motor area for GMV. For the ADHD-CT group, we found negative correlations of total correct responses in PRM and SRM and positive correlations of mean latency of correct responses in PRM with the GMV in the left superior occipital gyrus, cuneus, and precuneus. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that the DAT1-related GMV alterations in the posterior cortical regions may contribute to visual memory performance in children with ADHD.
Total Nephron Number and Single-Nephron Parameters in Patients with IgA Nephropathy

Visual Abstract Key Points This is the first study that estimated total nephron number and related single-nephron parameters in patients with IgA nephropathy. Associations of nephron-level parameters with CKD stage and clinicopathologic findings were cross-sectionally investigated. This study illustrates the feasibility and usefulness of estimating single-nephron dynamics in human GN. Background Single-nephron dynamics in progressive IgA nephropathy (IgAN) have not been studied. We applied novel methodology to explore single-nephron parameters in IgAN. Methods Nonglobally sclerotic glomeruli (NSG) and globally sclerotic glomeruli (GSG) per kidney were estimated using cortical volume assessment via unenhanced computed tomography and biopsy-based stereology. Estimated single-nephron GFR (eSNGFR) and single-nephron urine protein excretion (SNUPE) were calculated by dividing eGFR and UPE by the number of NSG. Associations with CKD stage and clinicopathologic findings were cross-sectionally investigated. Results This study included 245 patients with IgAN (mean age 43 years, 62% male, 45% on renin-angiotensin aldosterone system [RAAS] inhibitors prebiopsy) evaluated at kidney biopsy. CKD stages were 10% CKD1, 43% CKD2, 19% CKD3a, 14% CKD3b, and 14% CKD4–5. With advancing CKD stage, NSG decreased from mean 992,000 to 300,000 per kidney, whereas GSG increased from median 64,000 to 202,000 per kidney. In multivariable models, advancing CKD stage associated with lower numbers of NSG, higher numbers of GSG, and lower numbers of GSG + NSG, indicating potential resorption of sclerosed glomeruli. In contrast to the higher mean glomerular volume and markedly elevated SNUPE in advanced CKD, the eSNGFR was largely unaffected by CKD stage. Lower SNGFR associated with Oxford scores for endocapillary hypercellularity and crescents, whereas higher SNUPE associated with segmental glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial scarring. Conclusions SNUPE emerged as a sensitive biomarker of advancing IgAN. The failure of eSNGFR to increase in response to reduced number of functioning nephrons suggests limited capacity for compensatory hyperfiltration by diseased glomeruli with intrinsic lesions.
PNS1100336 198..203

K. Almond*, P. Bikker, M. Lomax, M. E. Symonds and A. Mostyn Academic Division of Child Health, School of Clinical Sciences, E floor East Block, University Hospital, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK Division of Nutritional Sciences, School of Biosciences, North Lab, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonnington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK Schothorst Feed Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD, UK
The crystallization of arsenate‐contaminated iron hydroxide solids at high pH

A potential alternative technology for wastewater treatment streams involves coprecipitation with colloidal iron hydroxide followed by aging at elevated temperatures and high pH to produce crystalline iron oxides. The resultant crystalline oxides. in addition to having reduced sludge volume, may chemically/physically incorporate metal ions and/or metalloid oxyanions. The increased stability of the crystalline solids may be advantageous in reducing the rate of release of the contaminants to groundwater. The rate of transformation of iron hydroxide model wastewater treatment solids contaminated with arsenate into crystalline products was measured at 60 and 70°C. The rate of transformation was found to be described by either a solid-state reaction equation for powdered compacts or a zero-order reaction controlled by desorption. X-ray diffraction demonstrates that, after crystallization has occurred, no solid solutions involving iron oxides and arsenate are formed.
PNS1200068 545..555

In this paper we set out to explore the prevalence of child undernutrition found in community studies in affluent societies, but a preliminary literature review revealed that, in the absence of a gold standard method of diagnosis, the prevalence largely depends on the measure, threshold and the growth reference used, as well as age. We thus go on to explore describe the common clinical ‘syndromes’ of child undernutrition: wasting, stunting and failure to thrive (weight faltering) and how we have used data from two population-based cohort studies, this paper to explore how much these different ‘syndromes’ overlap and the extent to which they reflect true undernutrition. This analysis revealed that when more than one definition is applied to the same children, a majority are below the lower threshold for only one measure. However, those with both weight faltering and low BMI in infancy, go on in later childhood to show growth and body composition patterns suggestive of previous undernutrition. In older children there is even less overlap and most children with either wasting or low fat seem to be simply growing at one extreme of the normal range. We conclude that in affluent societies the diagnosis of undernutrition is only robust when it relies on a combination of both, that is decline in weight or BMI centile and wasting.
S0033583519000052jrv 1..31

The development of clustered regularly interspaced short-palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-Cas systems for genome editing has transformed the way life science research is conducted and holds enormous potential for the treatment of disease as well as for many aspects of biotechnology. Here, I provide a personal perspective on the development of CRISPR-Cas9 for genome editing within the broader context of the field and discuss our work to discover novel Cas effectors and develop them into additional molecular tools. The initial demonstration of Cas9-mediated genome editing launched the development of many other technologies, enabled new lines of biological inquiry, and motivated a deeper examination of natural CRISPR-Cas systems, including the discovery of new types of CRISPR-Cas systems. These new discoveries in turn spurred further technological developments. I review these exciting discoveries and technologies as well as provide an overview of the broad array of applications of these technologies in basic research and in the improvement of human health. It is clear that we are only just beginning to unravel the potential within microbial diversity, and it is quite likely that we will continue to discover other exciting phenomena, some of which it may be possible to repurpose as molecular technologies. The transformation of mysterious natural phenomena to powerful tools, however, takes a collective effort to discover, characterize, and engineer them, and it has been a privilege to join the numerous researchers who have contributed to this transformation of CRISPR-Cas systems.
PNS1200071 592..597

Diet is a major factor in the aetiology of colorectal cancer (CRC). Epidemiological evidence suggests that folate confers a modest protection against CRC risk. However, the relationship is complex, and evidence from human intervention trials and animal studies suggests that a highdose of folic acid supplementation may enhance the risk of colorectal carcinogenesis in certain circumstances. The molecular mechanisms underlying the apparent dual modulatory effect of folate on colorectal carcinogenesis are not fully understood. Folate is central to C1 metabolism and is needed for both DNA synthesis and DNA methylation, providing plausible biological mechanisms through which folate could modulate cancer risk. Aberrant DNA methylation is an early event in colorectal carcinogenesis and is typically associated with the transcriptional silencing of tumour suppressor genes. Folate is required for the production of S-adenosyl methionine, which serves as a methyl donor for DNA methylation events; thereby folate availability is proposed to modulate DNA methylation status. The evidence for an effect of folate on DNA methylation in the human colon is limited, but a modulation of DNA methylation in response to folate has been demonstrated. More research is required to clarify the optimum intake of folate for CRC prevention and to elucidate the effect of folate availability on DNA methylation and the associated impact on CRC biology.
S0033291717002628jra 1157..1166

Background. Exposure to threat-related early life stress (ELS) has been related to vulnerability for stress-related disorders in adulthood, putatively via disrupted corticolimbic circuits involved in stress response and regulation. However, previous research on ELS has not examined both the intrinsic strength and flexibility of corticolimbic circuits, which may be particularly important for adaptive stress responding, or associations between these dimensions of corticolimbic dysfunction and acute stress response in adulthood. Methods. Seventy unmedicated women varying in history of threat-related ELS completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan to evaluate voxelwise static (overall) and dynamic (variability over a series of sliding windows) resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of bilateral amygdala. In a separate session and subset of participants (n = 42), measures of salivary cortisol and affect were collected during a social-evaluative stress challenge. Results. Higher severity of threat-related ELS was related to more strongly negative static RSFC between amygdala and left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and elevated dynamic RSFC between amygdala and rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC). Static amygdala-DLPFC antagonism mediated the relationship between higher severity of threat-related ELS and blunted cortisol response to stress, but increased dynamic amygdala-rACC connectivity weakened this mediated effect and was related to more positive post-stress mood. Conclusions. Threat-related ELS was associated with RSFC within lateral corticolimbic circuits, which in turn was related to blunted physiological response to acute stress. Notably, increased flexibility between the amygdala and rACC compensated for this static disruption, suggesting that more dynamic medial corticolimbic circuits might be key to restoring healthy stress response.
Laboratory Studies of Heterogeneous Ice Nucleation: Implications for Cirrus Cloud Formation

Cirrus clouds, composed of water ice, cover 30% of the global surface and affect climate by scattering incoming solar radiation and scattering and absorbing outgoing terrestrial radiation. Despite their ubiquity, ice clouds are not accurately represented in global climate models and provide one of the largest uncertainties in predictions of climate change. This is, in part, because our understanding of ice particle formation processes in the atmosphere is low. Recent evidence has shown that pure ice clouds are dominated by heterogeneous ice nucleation, and, therefore, are dependent on presence of rare (<1 in 10 5 ) ice freezing nuclei. While it is known that mineral dust aerosol is an efficient ice nucleus, much less is known about organic-inorganic species, which composed a significant fraction of cirrus ice residuals. In this study we have probed the ice nucleation efficiencies of organic, organic-sulfate, and organic-sea-salt species using a Knudsen cell flow reactor and a Raman microscope coupled to an environmental cell. Specifically, we have probed the ice nucleation efficiency of thin films of crystalline monocarboxylic acids from 180 to 200 K, liquid-liquid phase separated particles containing ammonium sulfate and organic polyols from 210 to 235 K, simulated secondary organic aerosol derived from aqueous processes with and without ammonium sulfate from 215 to 230 K, and synthetic sea-salt particles with and without a proxy for dissolved organic carbon from 215 to 225 K. The hygroscopic phase transitions of the above particles were also explored up to 260 K. From these experiments we find that certain subsets of organic-inorganic particles