bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the accuracy of free automated plant identification applications
Authors: Hart Adam G. , Bosley Hayley , Hooper Chloe , Perry Jessica , Sellors‐Moore Joel , Moore Oliver , Goodenough Anne E.
Published: February 2023

Widely available and inexpensive mobile phone applications offer users, whether professional ecologists or interested amateurs, the potential for simple and rapid automated identification of species, without the need to use field guides and identification keys. The increasing accuracy of machine learning is well established, but it is currently unclear if, and under what circumstances, free‐to‐use mobile phone applications are accurate for identifying plants to species level in real‐world field conditions.

We test five popular and free identification applications for plants using 857 professionally identified images of 277 species from 204 genera. Across all applications, 85% of images were identified correctly in the top five suggestions, and 69% were correct with the first suggestion. Plant type (woody, forbs, grasses, rushes/sedges, ferns/horsetails) was a significant determinant of identification performance for each application. For some applications, image saliency was also important; exposure and focus were not significant.

Applications performed well, with at least one of the three best‐performing applications identifying 96% of images correctly as their first suggestion. We conclude that, subject to some caveats, free phone‐based plant identification applications are valid and useful tools for those wanting rapid identification and for anyone wanting to engage with the natural world.

Read the freePlain Language Summaryfor this article on the Journal blog.
Improvement in alkali‐resistance of basalt fiber‐reinforced polymer by Ti3C2TX (MXene) modified matrix
Authors: Qian Yue , Zhong Jing , Ou Jinping
Published: February 2023

Fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) is a kind of potential construction material due to its low density and strong mechanical properties, but its weak alkali stability impedes its widespread use. MXene nanosheets' two‐dimensional (2D) property makes them an attractive contender as a nanofiller for polymer‐based composites. Here, a basalt fiber‐reinforced polymer (BFRP) laminate with a matrix modified with MXene nanosheets was made using a vacuum‐assisted resin‐transfer molding (VaRTM) process. The flexural strength (530.1 MPa) and flexural modulus (26.7 GPa) of the M0.5/BFRP composite were superior to those of the BFRP laminate, increasing by 39.4% and 4.6%, respectively. According to DMA examination, the MXene/BFRP composite exhibited increased crosslinking density, which could improve stability as well as aid in energy dissipation. As anticipated, the BFRP composites enhanced with MXene nanosheets demonstrated exceptional long‐term stability in a hostile alkali environment. After being submerged in alkali solution at 40°C for 60 days, the M0.5/BFRP's flexural strength reached 398.0 MPa, exceeding that of pristine BFRP that had not been submerged in alkali solution. This study gives an insight into the effect of MXene Ti3C2TX nanosheets modified resin on the durability of BFRP in strong alkali environment.
A statistical approach to predict fatigue failure of leaf springs manufactured with nanotube incorporated epoxy‐woven glass fiber composites
Authors: Turan Fatih , Gurkan Koray , Guclu Mehmet , Durmus Ali , Taskin Yener
Published: February 2023

In this study, a statistical approach was developed to predict fatigue failure of laminated composite leaf springs prepared with carbon nanotube (CNT) filled epoxy/woven glass fibers. Electrical resistance change method and the Weibull analysis were adopted to develop a statistical approach. The electrical conductivity for successful application of health monitoring of leaf springs was achieved by dispersing 0.4 wt% of CNTs into epoxy resin. In‐situ monitoring of damage in composite leaf springs during fatigue tests applied as cyclic flexural deflection was carried out at nine different displacement ratios. The critical fatigue cycle and the corresponding change in electrical resistance were determined at each displacement ratio. Then, the critical electrical resistance change to cyclic fatigue was found 0.15% with 95% reliability by the Weibull analysis. The average fatigue life and the average strength loss corresponding to the 0.15% resistance change ratio were found to be 48.33% and 9.88%, respectively. The reported statistical concept based on the monitoring of change in electrical resistance during deflection can be successfully employed as a useful tool to predict safety limits of composite structures subjected to fatigue loading, especially in aerospace industry.
Printing technologies for silicon solar cell metallization: A comprehensive review
Authors: Tepner Sebastian , Lorenz Andreas
Published: February 2023

This paper presents a comprehensive overview on printing technologies for metallization of solar cells. Throughout the last 30 years, flatbed screen printing has established itself as the predominant metallization process for the mass production of silicon solar cells. For this reason, we will provide a detailed review on its history, its evolution over time, and how the continuous efforts of the scientific and industrial community for further improvements revolutionized the entire PV industry. Furthermore, we will guide the reader through the physics on silicon solar cell metallization, the fundamentals on contact formation, and what type of challenges and requirements these topics create for printing technologies. The main topic of this review addresses the flatbed screen‐printing process mechanics, its different process sequences, corresponding screen technology, and the very important impact of paste rheology on the printing result. Finally, we will compare alternative upcoming printing approaches to flatbed screen printing and discuss how they might solve upcoming challenges in metallization in terms of increasing the throughput rates at an ever‐decreasing grid line width and reduced silver consumption.
Identifying dynamical persistent biomarker structures for rare events using modern integrative machine learning approach
Authors: Dutta Sreejata , Box Andrew C. , Li Yanming , Sardiu Mihaela E.
Published: February 2023

The evolution of omics and computational competency has accelerated discoveries of the underlying biological processes in an unprecedented way. High throughput methodologies, such as flow cytometry, can reveal deeper insights into cell processes, thereby allowing opportunities for scientific discoveries related to health and diseases. However, working with cytometry data often imposes complex computational challenges due to high‐dimensionality, large size, and nonlinearity of the data structure. In addition, cytometry data frequently exhibit diverse patterns across biomarkers and suffer from substantial class imbalances which can further complicate the problem. The existing methods of cytometry data analysis either predict cell population or perform feature selection. Through this study, we propose a “wisdom of the crowd” approach to simultaneously predict rare cell populations and perform feature selection by integrating a pool of modern machine learning (ML) algorithms. Given that our approach integrates superior performing ML models across different normalization techniques based on entropy and rank, our method can detect diverse patterns existing across the model features. Furthermore, the method identifies a dynamic biomarker structure that divides the features into persistently selected, unselected, and fluctuating assemblies indicating the role of each biomarker in rare cell prediction, which can subsequently aid in studies of disease progression.
Three dimensional printable multi‐arms poly(CL‐co‐TOSUO) for resilient biodegradable elastomer
Authors: Meng Yue , Zhai Hong , Zhou Ziting , Wang Xiaoying , Han Jiandong , Feng WenJuan , Huang Yuxin , Wang Yuan , Bai Ying , Zhou Jing , Quan Daping
Published: February 2023

The development of artificial organs and implants demands new materials with both processability and functionality. A series of star like poly(CL‐co‐TOSUO) copolymers with different molecular weights are synthesized via ring‐opening polymerization. The polymers are modified with norbornene end groups for rapid photo‐crosslinking. Due to the random insertion of 1,4,8‐trioxaspiro‐[4,6]‐9‐undecanone and well‐constructed permanent chemical network, the photo‐crosslinked elastomers are more flexible and resilient than conventional poly(ε‐caprolactone), with 84% resilience above the melting point. Their thermal and mechanical properties can be fine‐tuned by varying the molecular weights of the precursors. The polymer can be fabricated into complex shapes by digital light processing 3D printing. Combined with good cytocompatibility and degradability, the highly flexible elastomers show great potential for tissue engineering.
A novel bisphenol A‐free polyarylates synthesis strategy: 4,4′‐sulfobisphenol/2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)butane co‐polyarylate prepared by interfacial polymerization
Authors: Wang Zhoufeng , Wang Bolin , Liu Yingying , Hu Junwei
Published: February 2023

A series of bisphenols, 4,4′‐sulfobisphenol (BPS)/2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)butane (BPB) co‐polyarylates with amorphous structures were synthesized from two BPS and BPB, and two different structures of benzoyl chloride monomers. The results of DFT calculations showed that the reaction activation energy of BPB with isophthaloyl chloride (IPC) and terephthaloyl chloride (TPC) was 8.05–8.40 Kcal/mol. The reaction activation energy of BPS with IPC and TPC was 38.73–39.09 Kcal/mol. GPC test results were consistent with theoretical calculations with BPS content from 0% to 15% resulting in a copolymer Mn of 22,000–11,600 and a Mw of 46,100–34,800. The intrinsic viscosity of co‐polyarylates ranged from 0.55 to 0.71 dL/g. The glass transition temperature (Tg) and 5% thermal weight loss of the co‐polyarylates were 179.3–205.4 °C and 461.4–487.8 °C, respectively. Improved solubility of co‐polyarylates in polar solvents. At the same time, the introduction of BPS did not result in any loss of mechanical properties, with Young's modulus in the range of 1444.32–1870.45 MPa, elongation at break in the range of 23.7%–30.8%, and tensile strength in the range of 52.21–59.38 MPa.
Different reversibility of skeletal muscle mass and strength in elderly Japanese women after the first wave of COVID‐19
Authors: Son Bo‐Kyung , Imoto Toshiyuki , Inoue Tomohiro , Nishimura Takatoshi , Lyu Weida , Tanaka Tomoki , Iijima Katsuya
Published: February 2023

Background

Restrictions on outdoor movements due to the coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic have led to a decreased physical activity; this can lead to sarcopenia and frailty in older adults. Our recent study has demonstrated a significant decrease in the trunk muscle mass immediately after the pandemic's first wave (April–May 2020) among Japanese community‐dwelling older women. In the present study, we further examined whether muscle mass recovery or deterioration occurs after 1 year of the pandemic's first wave by comparing physical measurements among the following assessment periods: before the first wave, immediately after the first wave, and at 1‐year follow‐up thereafter.

Methods

This study included 77 women (78.0 ± 5.7 years) who underwent physical measurements for muscle mass, grip strength, one‐leg stand‐up ability (3 s), and oral motor skills and answered questionnaires on sociality (social network, participation, and support) in the three assessment periods.

Results

The frequency of going out and the subjective vitality were significantly decreased immediately after the first wave; these recovered at the 1‐year follow‐up (P < 0.001). When comparing muscular measures, the trunk muscle mass index preferentially decreased immediately after the first wave but recovered significantly at the 1‐year follow‐up (P < 0.001). Conversely, the appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) and grip strength continued to decrease until the 1‐year follow‐up (P < 0.001 and P = 0.03, respectively). The ability to perform a one‐leg stand‐up for 3 s and the oral motor skills did not change significantly across the assessment periods. The prevalence of pre‐sarcopenia and sarcopenia tended to increase during these periods (P = 0.068). The reduction and subsequent recovery patterns for sociality were similar to those observed for the trunk muscle mass.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated differences in the reversibility of skeletal muscle mass and strength at 1 year after the first wave of the COVID‐19 pandemic: the trunk muscle mass declined acutely and recovered rapidly, whereas the ASMI and grip strength declined continuously. These differences in the skeletal muscle recovery and deterioration might help formulate short‐term or long‐term strategies for COVID‐19‐related sarcopenia prevention in community‐dwelling older adults.
Editorial: Best papers of the 14th International Conference on Software and System Processes (ICSSP 2020) and 15th International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE 2020)
Authors: Steinmacher Igor , Clarke Paul , Tuzun Eray , Britto Ricardo
Published: February 2023

Today's software industry is global, virtual, and depending more than ever on strong and reliable processes. Stakeholders and infrastructure are distributed across the globe, posing challenges that go beyond those with co‐located teams and servers. Software Engineering continues to be a complex undertaking, with projects challenged to meet expectations, especially regarding costs. We know that Software Engineering is an ever‐changing discipline, with the result that firms and their employees must regularly embrace new methods, tools, technologies, and processes. In 2020, the International Conference on Global Software Engineering (ICGSE) and the International Conference on Systems and Software Processes (ICSSP) joined forces aiming to create a holistic understanding of the software landscape both from the perspective of human and infrastructure distribution and also the processes to support software development. Unfortunately, these challenges have become even more personal to many more in 2020 due to the disruption introduced by the COVID‐19 pandemic, which forced both conferences to be held virtually. As an outcome of the joint event, we selected a set of the best papers from the two conferences, which were invited to submit extended versions to this Special Issue in the Journal of Software: Maintenance and Evolution. Dedicated committees were established to identify the best papers. Eight papers were invited and ultimately, seven of these invited papers have made it into this Special Issue.
A Strategy to Enhance Humidity Robustness of p‐Type CuO Sensors for Breath Acetone Quantification
Authors: Oosthuizen Dina N. , Weber Ines C.
Published: February 2023

Low‐cost metal oxide sensors are highly attractive for emerging applications such as breath analysis. Particularly promising are p‐type sensors that can operate at low temperatures, a key requirement for compact and low‐power devices. To date, however, these sensors lack sufficient sensitivity, selectivity, and humidity robustness to fulfil stringent requirements faced in real applications. Herein, a flame‐made and low‐power sensor (operated at 150 °C) that consists of CeO2‐decorated CuO nanoparticles is introduced, as determined by X‐ray diffraction and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. Most remarkably, this sensor features excellent robustness to 10–90% relative humidity. This is attributed to the presence of CeO2 nanoclusters, which may act by scavenging OH− and allow the readsorption of oxygen onto the CuO surface. To demonstrate its immediate impact, this sensor is investigated for the detection of acetone, a biomarker for fat burning. It detects acetone with high sensitivity (i.e., 50 ppb) and features excellent acetone selectivity (>9.8) toward key inorganic interferants (i.e., NH3, H2, and CO). Most importantly, the CeO2–CuO sensor accurately quantifies acetone concentrations in the exhaled breath of 16 volunteers (bias and precision of 90 and 457 ppb). As a result, it is attractive for low‐power and humidity robust detection of volatiles in breath analysis.
Chemical Upcycling of Waste Plastics to High Value‐Added Products via Pyrolysis: Current Trends, Future Perspectives, and Techno‐Feasibility Analysis
Authors: Hussain Ijaz , Aitani Abdullah , Malaibari Zuhair , Alasiri Hassan , Naseem Akhtar Muhammad , Fahad Aldosari Obaid , Ahmed Shakeel
Published: February 2023

Chemical upcycling of waste plastics into high‐value‐added products is one of the most effective, cost‐efficient, and environmentally beneficial solutions. Many studies have been published over the past few years on the topic of recycling plastics into usable materials through a process called catalytic pyrolysis. There is a significant research gap that must be bridged in order to use catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics to produce high‐value products. This review focuses on the enhanced catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics to produce jet fuel, diesel oil, lubricants, aromatic compounds, syngas, and other gases. Moreover, the reaction mechanism, a brief and critical comparison of different catalytic pyrolysis studies, as well as the techno‐feasibility analysis of waste plastic pyrolysis and the proposed catalytic plastic pyrolysis setup for commercialization is also covered.
Four‐N‐Framework for Responding to Readers
Authors: Kelly Katie
Published: February 2023

This article describes the Four‐N‐Framework for responding to readers through focused and intentional individualized dynamic formative feedback. Making ongoing informed data‐driven instructional decisions and effective actionable feedback supports students' reading growth and fosters lifelong readers. This easy‐to‐implement process can support individual readers during real‐time conferences, book clubs, or even in online synchronous and asynchronous spaces. The four components of the framework include notice, note, nurture, and nudge.
Intercalated rare earth hydrotalcite‐like materials and their application in stabilizers in poly (vinyl chloride)
Authors: Du Guifang , Liu Zhaogang , Jia Peijie , Duan Jinsheng , Ma Ruifeng , Liu Yonggang , Feng Fushan , Hu Yanhong , Wu Jinxiu
Published: February 2023

In this research, ZnAlLa‐itaconate‐LDHs was synthesized by means of Co‐precipitation‐hydrothermal method. The effects of aluminum‐lanthanum ratio, co‐precipitation time, hydrothermal time, and hydrothermal temperature on the crystal structure were studied. As a result, the optimum condition was found to be: n(Al3+): n(La3+) = 10:1, co‐precipitation time 24 h, hydrothermal time 8 h, and hydrothermal temperature 180°C. The influence of ZnAlLa‐itaconate‐LDHs on the thermal stability properties and plasticizing properties of PVC were investigated, exhibiting long‐term stability of 76 min with short plasticizing time of 1.11 min. Long‐term thermal stability mechanism was studied by FTIR before and after hydrochloric acid treatment. It was demonstrated that the thermal stabilizer ZnAlLa‐itaconate‐LDHs prevented the rupture of the CCl bond in PVC and inhibited the development of HCl. Consequently, impeded the production of CC bond and playing a role in thermal stabilization of PVC.
Domestication of water: Management of water resources in the dry zone of Sri Lanka as living cultural heritage
Authors: Bebermeier Wiebke , Abeywardana Nuwan , Susarina Maija , Schütt Brigitta
Published: February 2023

In the dry zone of Sri Lanka, human‐made reservoirs (locally called tanks or wewas) have served for the collection, storage and distribution of rainfall and runoff and provided irrigation water for the cultivation of paddy for 2400 years. This water management system is deeply inscribed in the rural communities utilizing and maintaining it. Local knowledge connected to the utilization of this system is regarded as a substantial part of the intangible cultural heritage of this unique cultural landscape. In the dry zone of Sri Lanka this system had spread from the fifth century BCE onwards from the hinterland of the ancient capital Anuradhapura throughout the entire dry zone and provides a prerequisite for paddy cultivation. From approximately the 13th century onwards, written sources give evidence, that a weakening of state bureaucracy led to a decline of the water management system. In the Colonial period, numerous reservoirs were restored and the implementation of new governance structures lead to a diminishing of water supplies and conflicts at a local level. In post‐Colonial times, since the 1950s, the system had undergone rapid changes triggered by governmental and economic developments (e.g., land use change, migration). The rich local knowledge, serves in line with a high degree of adaptation to local conditions, as a corner stone for its resilience. A future sustainable management requires the integration of local knowledge in combination with modern techniques in education, planning, and application.

This article is categorized under:

Human Water > Water Governance

Water and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness
Roles of non‐coding RNAs in eye development and diseases
Authors: Shi Xinrui , Xue Zhengbo , Ye Kaicheng , Yuan Jian , Zhang Yan , Qu Jia , Su Jianzhong
Published: February 2023

The prevalence of ocular disorders is dramatically increasing worldwide, especially those that cause visual impairment and permanent loss of vision, including cataract, glaucoma, age‐related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Extensive evidence has shown that ncRNAs are key regulators in various biogenesis and biological functions, controlling gene expression related to histogenesis and cell differentiation in ocular tissues. Aberrant expression and function of ncRNA can lead to dysfunction of visual system and mediate progression of eye disorders. Here, we mainly offer an overview of the role of precise modulation of ncRNAs in eye development and function in patients with eye diseases. We also highlight the challenges and future perspectives in conducting ncRNA studies, focusing specifically on the role of ncRNAs that may hold expanded promise for their diagnostic and therapeutic applications in various eye diseases.

This article is categorized under:

Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease

RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development
Der nicht-reduktive Physikalismus
Authors: Rolffs Matthias
Published: February 2023

Die Grundidee des nicht-reduktiven Physikalismus besagt, dass mentale und spezialwissenschaftliche Eigenschaften zwar nicht mit physischen Eigenschaften identisch sind, aber dennoch so eng an physische Eigenschaften gebunden sind, dass man von einer auf grundlegender Ebene rein physischen Welt sprechen kann. In diesem Kapitel expliziere ich diese Grundidee detailliert und grenze den nicht-reduktiven Physikalismus von anderen Positionen ab.
Nicht-reduktiver Physikalismus und mentale Verursachung
Authors: Rolffs Matthias
Published: February 2023

Laut dem Vorwurf des Epiphänomenalismus kann der nicht-reduktive Physikalismus der Existenz mentaler Verursachung nicht Rechnung tragen. Da es sich bei der Annahme mentaler Verursachung zugleich um eine absolut zentrale und unverzichtbare Annahme handele, sei der nicht-reduktive Physikalismus aufzugeben. Er führe unweigerlich in die absurde Position des Epiphänomenalismus, demzufolge es keine mentale Verursachung gibt. Ziel dieses Kapitels ist es, den Vorwurf des Epiphänomenalismus ausführlich zu rekonstruieren und verschiedene Reaktionen auf den Vorwurf zu diskutieren.
Fazit
Authors: Rolffs Matthias
Published: February 2023

In diesem Kapitel fasse ich die Ergebnisse der Arbeit zusammen.
Seed Storage and Packaging
Authors: Dadlani Malavika , Gupta Anuja , Sinha S. N. , Kavali Raghavendra
Published: February 2023

Storage is an essential component of seed programmes, which primarily aims at maintaining the high-quality standards of the seed from harvest till the time of sowing the crop in the next or successive seasons. In addition to this, seeds are also stored for longer durations to maintain stocks for seed trade at national and international levels as per market demands and as a buffer against crop failures in times of natural calamities or other exigencies, to maintain seeds of the parental lines for hybrid seed production in one or more seasons, to conserve active genetic stocks for breeding purposes, and to maintain germplasm for long term use. Seeds of most of the agriculturally important species are categorised as orthodox or desiccation-tolerant. Their longevity increases with decrease in storage temperature and the relative humidity of the storage environment (or seed moisture content). However, notwithstanding the constitutional differences among plant species concerning seed longevity, being a living entity, every seed undergoes deteriorative changes during storage, even in dry stores, primarily in terms of germination and vigour due to physiological deterioration, and changes brought by the presence of the pests and pathogens. A good seed programme aims at maintaining the high planting value of the seed in terms of purity, germination, vigour, and seed health during storage by taking care in seed handling, controlling the temperature and relative humidity of the store (or seed moisture in case of hermetically sealed containers), and following good sanitation practices. Considering that the facilities for conditioned storage may not be accessible and affordable in many situations, alternative solutions may be considered, especially for on-farm seed storage.
Seed Dormancy and Regulation of Germination
Authors: Nautiyal P. C. , Sivasubramaniam K. , Dadlani Malavika
Published: February 2023

Seed germination and dormancy are vital components of seed quality; hence, understanding these processes is essential for a sound seed production system. The two processes are closely interrelated and regulated, both by genetic as well as environmental factors. While dormancy provides an inherent mechanism aimed at the survival of the plant species to withstand adverse external conditions by restricting the mature seed from germinating, the ability of the dehydrated seed to remain viable and produce a vigorous seedling upon hydration under favourable conditions is the key to the survival and perpetuation of the plant species. In addition, quality seed is expected to result in timely and uniform germination under favourable field conditions after sowing to establish a healthy crop stand. Therefore, in seed technology, dormancy is not considered a desirable trait in the seed lots used for sowing. Thus, to achieve the highest germination percentage, understanding the factors controlling these two interlinked and contrasting processes is vital. In seed testing and seed trade, knowledge of seed germination and dormancy is needed for a reliable assessment of seed quality and its planting value, and to make right decisions. Though much is yet to be understood, the present status of knowledge on these aspects has made significant advances, especially in genetic control, molecular mechanism, and physiological and environmental factors influencing germination and dormancy. The information compiled in this chapter may help the seed technologists in developing new methods for breaking dormancy and testing germination,
Principles of Quality Seed Production
Authors: Kumar Sanjay , Sripathy K. V. , Udaya Bhaskar K. , Vinesh Banoth
Published: February 2023

Plant breeding and seed technology are the two arms of crop improvement programmes. The ultimate goal of any plant breeding programme is to make available quality seeds of new improved varieties in adequate quantity to farmers. Modern plant breeding techniques have enabled the development of crop varieties with desired traits at a much higher pace than ever before, addressing the challenges of food and nutritional security. A large number of new crop varieties are being bred continuously to address specific needs viz. productivity, quality, tolerance against abiotic and biotic stresses, cropping intensity, etc. However, to the farmers, all these scientific achievements would be of little use unless they have access to seeds of these varieties, which are genetically pure, physiologically sound (germination, vigour), free from physical impurities and seed-borne diseases. The pace of progress in food production largely depends upon the speed with which a country is able to multiply quality seeds of high-yielding varieties. Hence, the quality seed supply chain must be supported by desired policy and technically sound systems both in national and international domains. In order to achieve this, every country needs a well-established infrastructure for seed production, quality assurance, storage and marketing. Similarly, the regulatory framework for the variety testing, release and notification, and regulation of the seed market are also important to preserve the interests of the farming community. Successful seed production requires establishing variety identity, adherence to maintaining variety purity, and the application of good farming practices along with careful management of crops, following widely accepted production technologies, and quality standards.
Vegetable Seed Production
Authors: Pandita Vinod K. , Singh P. M. , Gupta Nakul
Published: February 2023

Unlike field crops where the cultural practices of raising seed crops are mostly similar to the commercial crops, in case of the vegetables, not only the seed crops are grown for a much longer duration than the crops raised for the vegetable purpose, they often also have critical requirements of photoperiods, temperatures, humidity and precipitation. Moreover, compared to field crops, most of vegetable seeds are considered high value and low volume, and hence these require specific care in pre-harvest stages, i.e. isolation and roguing, during harvesting and extraction, and post-harvest operations such as drying, processing, packaging and storage. Due to their vast diversity in growth pattern, induction of flowering and pollination behaviour, seed production procedures need to be followed for each group, e.g. cole crops, cucurbits, leafy vegetables, root crops, solanaceous, malvaceous crops, etc. General principles and standard practices in vegetable seed production are provided in this chapter.
Principles of Variety Maintenance for Quality Seed Production
Authors: Weissmann Elmar A. , Yadav R. N. , Seth Rakesh , Udaya Bhaskar K.
Published: February 2023

Development of new plant varieties is key to sustainable agriculture, specially given that climate change poses newer challenges with uncertainties of production ecosystems. However, to accrue the full genetic potential of a variety, it is essential to maintain the variety in true-to-type, as it was released for commercial use. The methodology adopted to maintain the genotypic constitution of a variety through the series of multiplication (generations) is known as variety maintenance or maintenance breeding. Its successful implementation needs a thorough understanding of the breeding methodology, varietal characteristics, and the influence of the environment on them. Though specific procedures of variety maintenance are followed for each crop group, which are based on their flowering, pollination behaviour and other essential traits, the basic principles are based on the mode of pollination (self- or cross-pollinated) and genetic constitutions.
Strong cosmic censorship in light of weak gravity conjecture for charged black holes
Authors: Sadeghi Jafar , Alipour Mohammad Reza , Gashti Saeed Noori
Published: February 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the strong cosmic censorship conjecture (SCC) for charged black holes in the de Sitter space by considering the weak gravity conjecture (WGC). Using analytical methods, we find that the SCC is preserved for dS-charged black holes with respect to some restriction qQ » 1 and r+≥ Q with the help of the WGC condition viz $$ \frac{q}{m} $$

q
m

≥ 1 for scalar fields. Where q, m are the charge and mass of the scalar field, and r+, Q determine the radius of the outer event horizon and the charge of the black hole, respectively. In that case, when the (WGC) is valid, SCC will definitely be satisfied for the dS-charged black holes. On the other hand, the SCC is violated when the WGC is not satisfied. Also, we examined the RN-dS charged black hole in the extremality state and found that SCC can be violated with the condition $$ \Lambda {r}_{+}^2 $$
Λ

r
+
2

= 1.
Predictive modelling of deliberate self-harm and suicide attempts in young people accessing primary care: a machine learning analysis of a longitudinal study
Authors: McHugh Catherine M. , Ho Nicholas , Iorfino Frank , Crouse Jacob J. , Nichles Alissa , Zmicerevska Natalia , Scott Elizabeth , Glozier Nick , Hickie Ian B.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Machine learning (ML) has shown promise in modelling future self-harm but is yet to be applied to key questions facing clinical services. In a cohort of young people accessing primary mental health care, this study aimed to establish (1) the performance of models predicting deliberate self-harm (DSH) compared to suicide attempt (SA), (2) the performance of models predicting new-onset or repeat behaviour, and (3) the relative importance of factors predicting these outcomes.

Methods

802 young people aged 12–25 years attending primary mental health services had detailed social and clinical assessments at baseline and 509 completed 12-month follow-up. Four ML algorithms, as well as logistic regression, were applied to build four distinct models.

Results

The mean performance of models predicting SA (AUC: 0.82) performed better than the models predicting DSH (AUC: 0.72), with mean positive predictive values (PPV) approximately twice that of the prevalence (SA prevalence 14%, PPV: 0.32, DSH prevalence 22%, PPV: 0.40). All ML models outperformed standard logistic regression. The most frequently selected variable in both models was a history of DSH via cutting.

Conclusion

History of DSH and clinical symptoms of common mental disorders, rather than social and demographic factors, were the most important variables in modelling future behaviour. The performance of models predicting outcomes in key sub-cohorts, those with new-onset or repetition of DSH or SA during follow-up, was poor. These findings may indicate that the performance of models of future DSH or SA may depend on knowledge of the individual’s recent history of either behaviour.
Microsurgical and illustrative anatomy of the cavernous sinus, middle fossa, and paraclival triangles: a straightforward, comprehensive review
Authors: Chavez-Herrera Víctor Ramzes , Campero Álvaro , Ballesteros-Herrera Daniel , Sandoval-Bonilla Bayron Alexander , Perez-Carrillo Cristian Alberto , Soto-Rubio Diego Tonathiu , Valladares-Pérez Eduardo Javier , González-Zavala Pedro Adrián , Castillejo-Adalid Luis Alfonso , Rodríguez-Hernández Job Jesús
Published: February 2023

The middle fossa, cavernous sinus, and paraclival triangles consist of ten triangles. Their use in a surgical approach is vast; most are used as landmarks to access and identify other structures of surgical interest. Multiple labels, borders, and contents mentioned by different authors make understanding and reproduction challenging and confusing. This study aims to organize and clarify recent or most relevant publications and disclose our portrayal of the ten triangles using cadaveric dissection and simple and practical figures. Four middle fossa triangles, four cavernous sinus triangles, and two paraclival triangles were dissected and delineated in a cadaveric specimen. Drawings were simplified to eliminate confusion and evaluate the triangles effortlessly. Similarities and differences in triangle names, border limits, and contents are described in a precise form. The recognition of triangle landmarks allows for treating pathologies in a frequently distorted anatomy or challenging to access structure. That is why an accurate knowledge of the surgical anatomy should be mastered, and a safe approach should be accomplished.
Individual hematotoxicity prediction of further chemotherapy cycles by dynamic mathematical models in patients with gastrointestinal tumors
Authors: Topf Vivien , Kheifetz Yuri , Daum Severin , Ballhausen Alexej , Schwarzer Andreas , Trung Kien Vu , Stocker Gertraud , Aigner Achim , Lordick Florian , Scholz Markus , Knödler Maren
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Hematotoxicity is a common side-effect of cytotoxic gastrointestinal (GI) cancer therapies. An unsolved problem is to predict the individual risk therefore to decide on treatment adaptions. We applied an established biomathematical prediction model and primarily evaluated its predictive value in patients undergoing chemotherapy for GI cancers in curative intent.

Methods

In a prospective, observational multicenter study on patients with gastro-esophageal or pancreatic cancer (n = 28) receiving myelosuppressive adjuvant or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (FLO(T) or FOLFIRINOX), individual model parameters were learned based on patients’ observed laboratory values during the first chemotherapy cycle and further external data resources. Grades of hematotoxicity of subsequent cycles were predicted by model simulation and compared with observed data.

Results

The most common high-grade hematological toxicity was neutropenia [19/28 patients (68%)]. For the FLO(T) regimen, individual grades of thrombocytopenia and leukopenia could be well predicted for cycles 2–4, as well as grades of neutropenia for cycle 2. Prediction accuracy for neutropenia in the third and fourth cycle differed by one toxicity grade on average. For the FOLFIRINOX-regimen, thrombocytopenia predictions showed a maximum deviation of one toxicity grade up to the end of therapy (8 cycles). Deviations of predictions were less than one degree on average up to cycle 4 for neutropenia, and up to cycle 6 for leukopenia.

Conclusion

The biomathematical model showed excellent short-term and decent long-term prediction performance for all relevant hematological side effects associated with FLO(T)/FOLFIRINOX. Clinical utility of this precision-medicine approach needs to be further investigated in a larger cohort.
Reduction of in-hospital non-COVID-19 pneumonia in stroke patients during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ornello Raffaele , Colangeli Enrico , Ceccanti Giulia , Mammarella Leondino , Desideri Giovambattista , Sacco Simona
Published: February 2023

Background

Measures adopted to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 could have led to a reduction in the rate of non-COVID-19 infections. We assessed whether a similar reduction was present in patients with stroke.

Methods

We performed a hospital-based study nested in a prospective population-based registry. We compared prevalence of infections and in-hospital mortality in subjects admitted for acute stroke between the first pandemic year (study period, from March 2020 to February 2021) and the pre-pandemic year (control period, from March 2019 to February 2020). Infections were reported as pneumonia (PNA), urinary tract infections (UTI), and any infection (INF).

Results

From the control (n = 677) to the study period (n = 520), the prevalence of INF decreased from 11.5 to 4.6% (p < 0.001) and that of PNA decreased from 6.9 to 2.5% (p = 0.001). No changes in in-hospital mortality and length of hospital stay were observed between the two periods.

Conclusions

The observed reduction of in-hospital pneumonias in patients with stroke was likely attributable to the use of protective measures and limitation of hospital visits. Maintaining some of those measures in the long term may contribute to control infections in hospitalized patients with stroke.
AI-Based Automated Lipomatous Tumor Segmentation in MR Images: Ensemble Solution to Heterogeneous Data
Authors: Liu Chih-Chieh , Abdelhafez Yasser G. , Yap S. Paran , Acquafredda Francesco , Schirò Silvia , Wong Andrew L. , Sarohia Dani , Bateni Cyrus , Darrow Morgan A. , Guindani Michele , Lee Sonia , Zhang Michelle , Moawad Ahmed W. , Ng Quinn Kwan-Tai , Shere Layla , Elsayes Khaled M. , Maroldi Roberto , Link Thomas M. , Nardo Lorenzo , Qi Jinyi
Published: February 2023

Deep learning (DL) has been proposed to automate image segmentation and provide accuracy, consistency, and efficiency. Accurate segmentation of lipomatous tumors (LTs) is critical for correct tumor radiomics analysis and localization. The major challenge of this task is data heterogeneity, including tumor morphological characteristics and multicenter scanning protocols. To mitigate the issue, we aimed to develop a DL-based Super Learner (SL) ensemble framework with different data correction and normalization methods. Pathologically proven LTs on pre-operative T1-weighted/proton-density MR images of 185 patients were manually segmented. The LTs were categorized by tumor locations as distal upper limb (DUL), distal lower limb (DLL), proximal upper limb (PUL), proximal lower limb (PLL), or Trunk (T) and grouped by 80%/9%/11% for training, validation and testing. Six configurations of correction/normalization were applied to data for fivefold-cross-validation trainings, resulting in 30 base learners (BLs). A SL was obtained from the BLs by optimizing SL weights. The performance was evaluated by dice-similarity-coefficient (DSC), sensitivity, specificity, and Hausdorff distance (HD95). For predictions of the BLs, the average DSC, sensitivity, and specificity from the testing data were 0.72 $$\pm$$
±
0.16, 0.73 $$\pm$$
±
0.168, and 0.99 $$\pm$$
±
0.012, respectively, while for SL predictions were 0.80 $$\pm$$
±
0.184, 0.78 $$\pm$$
±
0.193, and 1.00 $$\pm$$
±
0.010. The average HD95 of the BLs were 11.5 (DUL), 23.2 (DLL), 25.9 (PUL), 32.1 (PLL), and 47.9 (T) mm, whereas of SL were 1.7, 8.4, 15.9, 2.2, and 36.6 mm, respectively. The proposed method could improve the segmentation accuracy and mitigate the performance instability and data heterogeneity aiding the differential diagnosis of LTs in real clinical situations.
The Development and Validation of the Pornography Use in Romantic Relationships Scale
Authors: Lawless Nicholas J. , Karantzas Gery C. , Knox Laura
Published: February 2023

Recent reviews of the pornography literature have called for the development of valid and reliable measures that assess multiple facets of pornography use. Moreover, despite pornography use having important implications for romantic relationships, there are currently no self-report assessments of pornography use specifically within the context of romantic relationships. To address these limitations, the current paper reports on two studies regarding the development and psychometric evaluation of a 38-item multidimensional measure of pornography use within the context of romantic relationships: the Pornography Use in Romantic Relationships Scale (PURRS). Study 1 (n = 739) reports on an Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analytic approach to determine the factor structure of the PURRS. Study 2 (n = 765) reports on the cross-validation of the factor structure of the PURRS, before assessing the criterion validity of the measure. The PURRS exhibited good internal consistency, construct validity, and criterion validity. The findings suggest that the PURRS is best modeled by 13 first-order factors, though a higher-order factor structure comprising four broad factors may also be used. The PURRS significantly extends on past assessments of pornography use, and in particular, advances the assessment and study of pornography use within the context of romantic relationships.
Students’ voices of inclusion in mathematics education
Authors: Roos Helena
Published: February 2023

This study foregrounds three students who are regarded by their teachers as being in special educational needs in mathematics (SEM) and these same students voicing what inclusion in mathematics education means to them. In this study, inclusion is defined as processes of participation. Discourse analysis was applied when analysing these students’ voices of inclusion in mathematics education in two inclusive mathematics classrooms, with both classes aiming to include every student in the mathematics education. The three main Discourses which were identified were the Discourse of assessment, the Discourse of being in a mathematics classroom setting, and the Discourse of accessibility in mathematics education. The analysis of the Discourses indicates that they were affected by wider sociopolitical discourses. Furthermore, when inclusion is regarded as processes of participation in mathematics education, the results indicate that participation becomes more complex. Therefore, in this process, both ideological and societal issues, as well as individual and subject-specific issues, must be considered in the educational endeavour.
Metal(loid)s (As, Cd, Cu, and Zn) in three fish species from a dam after a mine-tailing spill: differential bioaccumulation and potential health risk
Authors: Páez-Osuna F. , Bergés-Tiznado M. E. , Valencia-Castañeda G. , Fregoso-López M. G. , León-Cañedo J. A. , Fierro-Sañudo J. F. , Ramírez-Rochín J.
Published: February 2023

The failure of a tailings dam occurred in January 2013 at the Santa María de Otáez mining region (Mexico) released a spill (~ 300,000 m3) on Los Remedios River, which was transported through the San Lorenzo River, and finally to El Comedero (EC) dam. The concentrations of metal(loid)s in the muscle, liver, gills, and guts of three fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Oreochromis aureus, Micropterus salmoides) collected from EC dam were examined twenty months later to assess the performance of the cleaning operations. The bioaccumulation patterns of the metal(loid)s in the tissues were different in the three fish species. Tilapia had the highest Cd (11.23 ± 8.53 µg g−1) and Cu (871 ± 1261 µg g−1) concentrations in the liver, as well as As concentration (83.6 ± 61.7 µg g−1) in the gut, while the highest Zn concentration (745 ± 356 µg g−1) was measured in the gills of the carp. Such variability can be caused by the variant bioavailability of the metal(loid)s and by the feeding habits of each species; and also by the fact that some metals are essential and better regulated by organisms than other non-essential. Compared to a study of tilapia carried out 90 days after mine spill, a decrease was evident in the liver for As, Cd, Cu, and Zn by 129, 5, 10, and 1.7 times, respectively. This revealed that cleaning operations were more efficient for As. The target hazard quotient and the hazard index were < 1, which indicates there will be no risk of consuming muscle in moderated rations of the three fish species.
Contribution of central sleep apnea to severe sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome
Authors: Zhang Guoxin , Zhao Xiaoyun , Zhao Fang , Tan Jin , Zhang Qiang
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Central sleep apnea (CSA) is usually distinguished from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In fact, CSA is often a component of severe sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (SAHS), rather than occurring alone. We investigated the clinical characteristics and polysomnography (PSG) parameters of CSA components in patients with severe SAHS.

Methods

The clinical characteristics and PSG parameters were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Pure or dominant CSA was rare (5% of all patients). Of all patients with CSA, 72% also exhibited other apnea subtypes that contributed to severe SAHS. Among patients with severe SAHS, those with CSA were more likely than others to be older; thinner; exhibit higher prevalences of comorbid coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, and heart failure; a higher apnea/hypopnea index (AHI); mixed apnea index (MAI); an elevated oxygen desaturation index (ODI); and more nighttime oxygen saturation levels < 90%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that older age, comorbid arrhythmia or heart failure, and an elevated ODI were independently associated with CSA.

Conclusion

Patients who complain of snoring or apnea may be better evaluated by comprehensive PSG prior to treatment if they are old, show greater hypoxia, or suffer from arrhythmia and/or heart failure, because such patients are more likely than others to exhibit CSA.