bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevational patterns of soil organic carbon and its fractions in tropical seasonal rainforests in karst peak-cluster depression region
Authors: Zhang Bei , Xu Chaohao , Zhang Zhonghua , Hu Cong , Zhong Chaofang , Chen Siyu , Hu Gang
Published: October 2024

Karst ecosystems, especially tropical karst forests, are crucial to the global carbon cycle. In mountainous and hilly areas, elevation-related changes in environment and vegetation often lead to shifts in the accumulation and decomposition of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, the elevational patterns and influencing variables of SOC and its fractions in tropical karst forest ecosystems remain largely unexplored. Here, we analyzed the elevational patterns of SOC and its fractions in the topsoil and subsoil in the tropical seasonal rainforests within typical peak-cluster depression region of Southwest China. Our results indicated that the SOC content was highest at 400 m asl, which was significantly higher than that at 200 m asl (p < 0.05). Overall, SOC content demonstrated an increasing trend with rising elevation. Additionally, SOC content was significantly higher in the topsoil compared to the subsoil (p < 0.05). The majority of SOC fractions exhibited an increase with elevation but decrease with soil depth. Notably, only water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) displayed a decrease with elevation. Meanwhile, recalcitrant organic carbon (ROC, 54.27%), particulate organic carbon (POC, 30.19%), and easily oxidizable organic carbon (EOC, 16.95%) were the main SOC fractions. Labile organic carbon (LOC) in the karst forest soil was predominantly composed of EOC and POC. Correlation analysis unveiled significant positive correlations between SOC and certain fractions with elevation, soil total nitrogen, and exchangeable magnesium. Conversely, significant negative correlations were observed with soil bulk density (SBD), soil total phosphorus, and litter phosphorus (Litter P). Redundancy analysis indicated that elevation, SBD, and Litter P were the main environmental variables influencing shifts in SOC and its fractions. Structural equation models showed that SOC was primarily directly impacted by soil properties but indirectly impacted by elevation. ROC was mainly associated with the direct effects of soil properties and litterfall, although elevation exerted a substantial impact through indirect pathways. Moreover, LOC was predominantly influenced by the direct impact of soil properties. Therefore, this study demonstrates that SOC and its fractions are strongly influenced by elevation in karst peak-cluster depression regions and have important implications for forest management and sustainable ecosystem development in these regions.
Effects of shading on morphology, photosynthesis characteristics, and yield of different shade-tolerant peanut varieties at the flowering stage
Authors: Wang Jing , Yao Rui , Sun Zexin , Wang Meiwen , Jiang Chunji , Zhao Xinhua , Liu Xibo , Zhong Chao , Zhang He , Zhao Shuli , Wang Xiaoguang , Yu Haiqiu
Published: October 2024

Introduction

In maize and peanut intercropping, shading emerges as a critical factor for restricting peanut growth, yield, and quality.

Methods

This study investigated the impact of 30% shade on shade-tolerant [Huayu 22 (HY22) and Fuhua 12 (FH12)] and shade-sensitive [Nonghua 11 (NH11) and Nonghua 5(NH5)] peanut varieties, with non-shaded condition as the control (CK). The effects of shade stress on plant morphology, photosynthetic characteristics, dry-matter accumulation, chloroplast ultra-microstructure, yield, and quality of different shade-tolerant peanut varieties were examined.

Results

Compared to that in the control, shade stress led to an elongation of the main stem, shortening of the lateral branches, and reduction in the leaf area. However, these changes were less significant in the shade-tolerant than in the shade-sensitive peanut varieties, with minimal effect on the elongation of the main stem height and shortening of the lateral branches. Differences in leaf area became significant during the later stages of shade stress, particularly pronounced in the shade-sensitive peanut varieties. To enhance light capture by leaves, the shade-tolerant peanut varieties exhibited increased chlorophyll content and chloroplast grain-layer numbers. The decrease in the chlorophyll a/b ratio was more pronounced in the shade-tolerant than in the shade-sensitive peanut varieties, with significant differences. However, reduced activities of ribulose 1,5-biphosphate (RuBP) carboxylase/oxygenase and fructose 1,6-biphosphate aldolase (FBA) resulted in decreased net photosynthetic rates, particularly evident in the shade-sensitive peanut varieties during the late shade period. Shade stress led to decreased dry-matter accumulation, reduced weight of 100 fruits and kernels, and a significant decline in yield in the shade-sensitive cultivars. Shading also affected peanut-kernel quality. Compared with that in the control, the protein content increased and amino-acid (except cysteine) content decreased in the shade-tolerant cultivars.

Discussion

Under shade stress, shade tolerant peanut varieties have increased the yield by improving the photosynthetic efficiency, which provided a reference for rational selection of shade tolerant peanut varieties in maize and peanut intercropping system.
Early detection and lesion visualization of pear leaf anthracnose based on multi-source feature fusion of hyperspectral imaging
Authors: Zhang Yingying , Li Xue , Wang Meiqing , Xu Tao , Huang Kai , Sun Yuanhao , Yuan Quanchun , Lei Xiaohui , Qi Yannan , Lv Xiaolan
Published: October 2024

Pear anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum bacteria, is a severe infectious disease that significantly impacts the growth, development, and fruit yield of pear trees. Early detection of pear anthracnose before symptoms manifest is of great importance in preventing its spread and minimizing economic losses. This study utilized hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology to investigate early detection of pear anthracnose through spectral features, vegetation indices (VIs), and texture features (TFs). Healthy and diseased pear leaves aged 1 to 5 days were selected as subjects for capturing hyperspectral images at various stages of health and disease. Characteristic wavelengths (OWs1 and OWs2) were extracted using the Successive Projection Algorithm (SPA) and Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling (CARS) algorithm. Significant VIs were identified using the Random Forest (RF) algorithm, while effective TFs were derived from the Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM). A classification model for pear leaf early anthracnose disease was constructed by integrating different features using three machine learning algorithms: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Extreme Learning Machine (ELM), and Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN). The results showed that: the classification identification model constructed based on the feature fusion performed better than that of single feature, with the OWs2-VIs-TFs-BPNN model achieving a highest accuracy of 98.61% in detection and identification of pear leaf early anthracnose disease. Additionally, to intuitively and effectively monitor the progression and severity of anthracnose in pear leaves, the visualization of anthracnose lesions was achieved using Successive Maximum Angle Convex Cone (SMACC) and Spectral Information Divergence (SID) techniques. According to our research results, the fusion of multi-source features based on hyperspectral imaging can be a reliable method to detect early asymptomatic infection of pear leaf anthracnose, and provide scientific theoretical support for early warning and prevention of pear leaf diseases.
Constructing more comprehensive pollination networks: integrating diurnal and nocturnal pollen data with visitation in a subalpine wetland community
Authors: Teng Yue , Vamosi Jana C. , Wang Xiao-Fan , Gong Yan-Bing
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Sampling for describing plant–pollinator interaction networks has been performed using techniques that either focus on the plants (with flower-visit data) or the animals (with analyzing pollen on the body surface of flower visitors). The differences in the structure of the networks obtained using these methods likely influences our understanding of the contribution of nocturnal pollinators, yet this key finding has yet to be the focus of study.

Methods

In this study, we conducted an intensive diurnal field survey in the subalpine meadows of the Dajiuhu Wetland and supplemented the data with an analysis of diurnal and nocturnal pollen data to examine the changes in pollination networks.

Results

We observed 41 plant and 154 pollinator species, corresponding to 665 specific interactions. Visitation and pollen analyses showed significant differences in the composition and interaction between network plants and pollinators, resulting in important structural changes in the network. Given that the diurnal pollen data showed new links that were preferentially attached to highly connected nodes, the level of asymmetric specialization did not decrease; however, nestedness increased 1.3-fold, and mean pollinator connectivity from 3.1 to 5.1. As the behaviors of nocturnal pollinators tended to be more specialized, the inclusion of nocturnal pollen data led to an increase in the number of extreme-specialist pollinator species. Consequently, nestedness decreased 0.8-fold, but mean plant connectivity went from 14.2 to 16.2.

Discussion

These findings suggest that the structure of pollination networks is influenced by the sampling methods and the level of detail of the investigation. Our study has strong implications for the development of monitoring schemes for plant–pollinator interactions. Due to the practical difficulties of nocturnal field visitation, when conducting research, combining diurnal field visitation with both diurnal and nocturnal pollen analyses is the most convenient and realistic method to capture the full complexity of these networks.
Overexpressing CsSABP2 enhances tolerance to Huanglongbing and citrus canker in C. sinensis
Authors: Dong Liting , Chen Shuang , Shang Lanyue , Du Meixia , Mo Kaiqin , Pang Shuwei , Zheng Lin , Xu Lanzhen , Lei Tiangang , He Yongrui , Zou Xiuping
Published: October 2024

Huanglongbing (HLB) and citrus canker, arising from Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CaLas) and Xanthomonas citri pv. Citri (Xcc), respectively, have been imposing tremendous losses to the global citrus industry. Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) has been shown to be crucial for priming defense against pathogen in citrus. Salicylic acid (SA) binding protein 2 (SABP2), which is responsible for converting methyl salicylate (MeSA) to SA, is essential for full SAR establishment. Here, we characterized the functions of four citrus SABP2 genes (CsSABP2-1, CsSABP2-1V18A, CsSABP2-2 and CsSABP2-3) against HLB and citrus canker. In vitro enzymatic assay revealed that all four proteins had MeSA esterase activities, and CsSABP2-1 and CsSABP2-1V18A has the strongest activity. Their activities were inhibited by SA except for CsSABP2-1V18A. Four genes controlled by a strong promoter 35S were induced into Wanjincheng orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) to generate transgenic plants overexpressing CsSABP2. Overexpressing CsSABP2 increased SA and MeSA content and CsSABP2-1V18A had the strongest action on SA. Resistance evaluation demonstrated that only CsSABP2-1V18A had significantly enhanced tolerance to HLB, although all four CsSABP2s had increased tolerance to citrus canker. The data suggested the amino acid Val-18 in the active site of CsSABP2 plays a key role in protein function. Our study emphasized that balancing the levels of SA and MeSA is crucial for regulating SAR and conferring broad-spectrum resistance to HLB and citrus canker. This finding offers valuable insights for enhancing resistance through SAR engineering.
Molecular mechanisms of heterosis under drought stress in maize hybrids Zhengdan7137 and Zhengdan7153
Authors: Dai Kai , Zhang Zhanyi , Wang Sen , Yang Jiwei , Wang Lifeng , Jia Tengjiao , Li Jingjing , Wang Hao , Song Song , Lu Yuncai , Li Huiyong
Published: October 2024

Maize is one of the most successful crops in utilizing heterosis which significantly improves maize stresses resistance and yield. Drought is a destructive abiotic stress that significantly reduces crop yield, particularly in maize. Drought stress and re-watering frequently occur during the growth and development of maize; however, the molecular mechanisms of heterosis under drought stress and re-watering have rarely been systematically investigated. Zhengdan7137 and Zhengdan7153 are two maize hybrid varieties with robust heterosis, and separately belongs to the SS×NSS and Reid×Tangsipingtou heterotic groups. 54 transcriptomes of these two hybrids and their parental inbred lines were analyzed under well-watering (WW), water-deficit (WD), and re-watering (RW) conditions using RNA-Seq. In this study, we identified 3,411 conserved drought response genes (CDRGs) and 3,133 conserved re-watering response genes (CRRGs) between Zhengdan7137 and Zhengdan7153. When comparing CDRGs and CRRGs to overdominance and underdominance genes, we identified 303 and 252 conservative drought response overdominance genes (DODGs) and underdominance genes (DUDGs), respectively, and 165 and 267 conservative re-watering response overdominance genes (RODGs) and underdominance genes (RUDGs), respectively. DODGs are involved in stress response-related processes, such as L-phenylalanine metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and heat response, whereas DUDGs are associated with glucose metabolism, pentose-phosphate shunt, and starch metabolism. RODGs and RUDGs contribute to the recovery of hybrids from drought stress by upregulating cell propagation and photosynthesis processes, and repressing stress response processes, respectively. It indicated overdominant and underdominant genes conservatively contributed to hybrid heterosis under drought stress. These results deepen our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of drought resistance, uncover conservative molecular mechanisms of heterosis under drought stress and re-watering, and provide potential targets for improving drought resistance in maize.
Quantitative physics–physiology relationship modeling of human emotional response to Shu music
Authors: Su Jun , Zhou Peng
Published: October 2024

Music perception is one of the most complex human neurophysiological phenomena invoked by sensory stimuli, which infers an internal representation of the structured events present in a piece of music and then forms long-term echoic memory for the music. An intrinsic relationship between the basic acoustic property (physics) of music and human emotional response (physiology) to the music is suggested, which can be statistically modeled and explained by using a novel notion termed as quantitative physics–physiology relationship (QPPR). Here, we systematically analyzed the complex response profile of people to traditional/ancient music in the Shu area, a geographical concept located in the Southwest China and one of three major origins of the Chinese nation. Chill was utilized as an indicator to characterize the response strength of 18 subjects to an in-house compiled repertoire of 86 music samples, consequently creating a systematic subject-to-sample response (SSTSR) profile consisting of 1,548 (18 × 86) paired chill elements. The multivariate statistical correlation of measured chill values with acoustic features and personal attributes was modeled by using random forest (RF) regression in a supervised manner, which was compared with linear partial least square (PLS) and non-linear support vector machine (SVM). The RF model exhibits possessed strong fitting ability (rF2 = 0.857), good generalization capability (rP2 = 0.712), and out-of-bag (OOB) predictability (rO2 = 0.731) as compared to SVM and, particularly, PLS, suggesting that the RF-based QPPR approach is able to explain and predict the emotional change upon musical arousal. It is imparted that there is an underlying relationship between the acoustic physical property of music and the physiological reaction of the audience listening to the music, in which the rhythm contributes significantly to emotional response relative to timbre and pitch. In addition, individual differences, characterized by personal attributes, is also responsible for the response, in which gender and age are most important.
STRYV365 peak team and Brain agents: teacher perspectives on school impact of a trauma-informed, social–emotional learning approach for students facing adverse childhood experiences
Authors: Stoltenburg Abbey , McGuire Madison , Liverman Elizabeth , Lumelsky Paula , Bates Garrett , Gundacker Constance , Currie Brandon , Meurer John R.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a profound impact on children’s and adolescents’ academic performance and overall wellbeing. In contrast, positive childhood experiences help mitigate the negative effects of ACEs on health and wellbeing. Trauma-informed and social–emotional learning (SEL) programs in schools may address these impacts, with school staff playing a pivotal role in ensuring their success and influencing school outcomes. This study aimed to assess the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement in the STRYV365 peak team and Brain Agents programs. The aim was to refine program implementation and determine the preliminary effects on students, teachers, and the broader school environment.

Methods

To achieve this goal, four focus groups were conducted after the program concluded, involving 17 school leaders, administrators, and teachers from four urban schools serving students in fifth through ninth grades. The audio transcripts were professionally transcribed and analyzed by four co-authors using Dedoose for inductive coding, leading to the identification of major themes and subthemes.

Results

Three key themes were identified from transcripts: school-wide perspectives of STRYV365 programs, strengths and impacts of STRVY365 programs, and suggestions for program improvement. School staff noted that the peak team was particularly engaging for students, helping them develop SEL skills and foster both peer-to-coach and peer-to-peer relationships. Additionally, the STRYV365 programs were found to enhance student–teacher relationships and staff relationships. Teachers expressed strong interest in taking a more active role in future programming.

Discussion

Overall, this study highlights the importance of teacher and administrator involvement in maintaining consistent SEL activities for urban youth. The findings also suggest that short-term, 4-week SEL programs can have a positive effect on school culture, as well as on student–teacher relationships and teacher–teacher relationships.
ChatGPT's quality: Reliability and validity of concept inventory items
Authors: Küchemann Stefan , Rau Martina , Schmidt Albrecht , Kuhn Jochen
Published: October 2024

Introduction

The recent advances of large language models (LLMs) have opened a wide range of opportunities, but at the same time, they pose numerous challenges and questions that research needs to answer. One of the main challenges are the quality and correctness of the output of LLMs as well as the overreliance of students on the output without critically reflecting on it. This poses the question of the quality of the output of LLMs in educational tasks and what students and teachers need to consider when using LLMs for creating educational items. In this work, we focus on the quality and characteristics of conceptual items developed using ChatGPT without user-generated improvements.

Methods

For this purpose, we optimized prompts and created 30 conceptual items in kinematics, which is a standard topic in high-school level physics. The items were rated by two independent experts. Those 15 items that received the highest rating were included in a conceptual survey. The dimensions were designed to align with the ones in the most commonly used concept inventory, the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). We administered the designed items together with the FCI to 172 first-year university students. The results show that ChatGPT items have a medium difficulty and discriminatory index but they overall exhibit a slightly lower average values as the FCI. Moreover, a confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a three factor model that is closely aligned with a previously suggested expert model.

Results and discussion

In this way, after careful prompt engineering, thorough analysis and selection of fully automatically generated items by ChatGPT, we were able to create concept items that had only a slightly lower quality than carefully human-generated concept items. The procedures to create and select such a high-quality set of items that is fully automatically generated require large efforts and point towards cognitive demands of teachers when using LLMs to create items. Moreover, the results demonstrate that human oversight or student interviews are necessary when creating one-dimensional assessments and distractors that are closely aligned with students' difficulties.
Case report: Online eye movement desensitization and reprocessing approach in children: a case series
Authors: Citil Akyol Canan , Kutlu Mustafa , Korkmazlar Ümran
Published: October 2024

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in online counseling for children with single-incident trauma.

Method

A qualitative case study method was employed. The research was conducted with two volunteering children and their parents. The sessions were transcribed by the authors, and code names (Ipek and Eylül) were assigned to protect the participants’ identities. İpek’s traumatic memory was explored through drawing pictures with tactile bilateral stimuli and Eylül’s traumatic experience was addressed using tactile bilateral stimuli during the EMDR therapeutic story technique. The Child Revised Impact of Events Scale (CRIES-8) was used for pre-test, post-test, and follow-up testing to support the session descriptions.

Results

The results indicated that post-traumatic symptoms were reduced and remained at a low level for an extended period in both clients.

Conclusions

It is suggested that future studies should explore various bilateral stimulation methods in online EMDR, conduct larger-scale studies with children who have experienced different types of traumatic events, and investigate the impact of various EMDR protocols on children.
Evaluating dysphagia in Alzheimer’s disease: the significance of age and medical comorbidities,a cross-sectional study from a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Guangzhou China
Authors: Ye Junrong , Pan Yuanxin , Zhou Tingwei , Liu Fei , Wei Yanheng , Chen Jiao , Wang Wen , Zheng Xueyu , Liu Dingjie , Wu Shengwei , Li Zezhi , Guo Jianxiong , Xiao Aixiang
Published: October 2024

Objective

To investigate the influencing factors of dysphagia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients.

Methods

The study evaluated the demographic characteristics, nutritional status, social functioning, and swallowing dysfunction of 109 hospitalized AD patients.

Results

The sample include 65.1% of female patients, mainly concentrate in >70 years old (72.5%). The illness duration is mainly 0~5 years (62.4%). After adjusting for confounding factors such as gender, poor lifestyle habits, illness duration, marital status, route to admission, concomitant medical illness, nutritional status, and social functioning, we find that the swallowing function in patients with AD is related to route to admission and concomitant medical illness (mainly includes: circulatory disease and respiratory disease). Age ≥90 years old and more concomitant medical illness contribute to a lower swallowing dysfunction score in patients with AD (P<0.05).

Conclusion

Age and concomitant medical illness are the important influencing factors in swallowing dysfunction in patients with AD. Therefore, we believe that future research should focus on the treatment and care of patients with medical conditions in order to enhance the swallowing function in patients with AD.
Public responses and parasocial relationships following senator John Fetterman’s depression disclosure
Authors: Myrick Jessica Gall , Willoughby Jessica Fitts
Published: October 2024

Research has found that when a public figure discloses an illness, it can motivate members of the public to reconsider their own health behaviors, particularly when they have a parasocial relationship with the public figure. When the public figure is a politician, it is possible that partisan differences may also influence emotional, attentional, and behavioral responses to health news. We empirically examined public responses to Democrat John Fetterman’s disclosure of his treatment for depression shortly after he was inducted into the United States Senate as the junior senator from Pennsylvania in 2023. Using a survey of adult Pennsylvania residents who identified as eligible voters in April 2023, we found that 204 respondents were aware of the news of Fetterman’s diagnosis of and treatment for depression. Our data revealed that differences in demographics and parasocial relationships—both positive and negative—with Fetterman predicted different patterns of emotional responses to the news. In addition, age, anger, a negative parasocial relationship, and a positive parasocial relationship were associated with additional outcomes, including attention to news about the disclosure and depression-related information seeking. Mental health advocates could use politicians’ depression disclosures to provide information at a time when people are paying more attention to the condition; however, they may need to find other public figures to counteract negative responses to partisan officials. Policymakers could also consider funding mental health campaigns, which could be launched alongside public figure disclosures.
Sensitivity analysis of human error in the steel industry: exploring the effects of psychosocial and mental health risk factors and burnout using Bayesian networks
Authors: Yazdanirad Saeid , Khoshakhlagh Amir Hossein , Al Sulaie Saleh , Cousins Rosanna , Dehghani Mohammad , Khodakhah Reza , Shabanitabar Saeid
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Human error and the high rates of fatalities and other occupational accidents in the steel industry are of significant global relevance. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of psychosocial, mental health, and burnout risk factors on human error probabilities in an industrial environment using Bayesian networks.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023. The participants were 252 employees of a steel company. Error probabilities related to the tasks of participants were estimated using the Human Error Assessment and Reduction Technique (HEART). Other data was collected using a survey that consisted of demographic information, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Depression Anxiety Stress Scales, and a short version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire. A theoretical model was drawn in GeNIe academic software (version 2.3).

Results

The results showed that all the studied variables were able to significantly affect the distribution of human error probabilities. Considering a distribution of 100% for the high state of these variables, the results showed that the greatest increases in error probability were related to two burnout dimensions: emotional exhaustion (29%) and depersonalization (28%). All the variables, with a probability of 100%, increased the probability of high human error probabilities by 46%.

Conclusion

The most important variables in terms of their effect on human error probabilities were burnout dimensions, and these variables also had a mediation effect on the psychosocial and mental health variables. Therefore, preventive measures to control human error should first focus on managing the risks of burnout in workers. This, in turn, can also reduce the effect of psychosocial risk factors and mental health problems on human error in the workplace.
Revealing organisational influence: conceptual and empirical reflections on doing inequality in digital work organisations
Authors: Vollmar Leoni
Published: October 2024

The impact of digitalisation at work on existing inequalities is a growing concern. Social inequality is not solely determined by material circumstances, but also by the new social practises that arise in the workplace. However, the discourse about the digitalisation of work lacks specific organisational references. From an organisational theory perspective, it is important to note that digitality always takes place in an organisation-specific manner. Therefore, digitality and organisation are in a reciprocal relationship, resulting in the development of new organisational practises that impact organisational actors as structural conditions of organisational digitality. How the changes at the organisational level affect the mechanisms of production of social inequality in the course of digitalisation has not yet been taken into account, which means that previous research on inequality in digitalised work only allows an organisation-unspecific view of the subject. In contrast, this article places the organisation at the centre of the debate and presents a methodical approach for researching social inequality in the digitalisation of work from the perspective of organisational theory.
Strategies for achieving the sustainable development goals across the wine chain: a review
Authors: Brito Cátia , Pereira Sandra , Martins Sandra , Monteiro Ana , Moutinho-Pereira José Manuel , Dinis Lia
Published: October 2024

In the face of escalating climate change impacts, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set forth by the United Nations present a comprehensive blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable future for all. The wine industry, with its extensive global reach and significant economic impact, holds a unique position to contribute toward these goals. This review examines how the wine industry can, directly and indirectly, support all 17 SDGs through a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating extensive literature analysis. The study explores the alignment of wine industry practices with the SDGs across three key pillars: social, environmental, and governance goals. Social initiatives focus on enhancing livelihoods, food security, fair and safe working conditions, inclusive and ethical development among the workers and communities, education, and economic growth. Environmental efforts emphasize reducing the industry’s carbon footprint, conserving water, improving water and energy use efficiency, improving grapevine resilience against adverse environmental conditions, minimizing pollution, protecting biodiversity, creating more sustainable cities, and promoting moderate wine consumption. Governance goals highlight the importance of regulatory frameworks, wine industry standards, and stakeholder engagement in promoting sustainable, responsible and ethical practices, contributing to effective partnerships and institutional capacity. Conclusions highlight the wine industry’s commitment to sustainability as a catalyst for positive change, demonstrating that profitability and environmental stewardship can coexist. Future perspectives call for enhanced collaboration, research, education, supportive policies, robust monitoring, and equality initiatives. By embracing sustainable practices, the wine industry can play a vital role in advancing the global agenda for a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable future.
Risk factors for antimicrobial-resistant Enterobacterales in dogs: a systematic review
Authors: Karalliu Esa , Chung Kai Yeung , MacKinnon Brett , Haile Belete , Beczkowski Pawel M. , Barrs Vanessa R. , Elsohaby Ibrahim , Nekouei Omid
Published: October 2024

Identifying risk factors associated with the carriage of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria in dogs is crucial to understanding their epidemiology and for developing and refining targeted control measures. However, relevant data is scattered and conflicting findings have been reported. This systematic review aimed to compile risk factors associated with the carriage of AMR-Enterobacterales in dogs worldwide and to identify relevant knowledge gaps for directing future research. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines, searching PubMed, CABi, and Scopus databases for studies reporting risk factors for acquiring AMR-Enterobacterales in dogs. After screening peer-reviewed, English-language studies by title/abstract, eligible studies were subjected to a full-text assessment, data extraction, risk-of-bias assessment, and qualitative synthesis. In the initial search, 774 articles were identified, including 274 duplicates. After screening by title/abstract, 77 articles were subjected to full-text review, from which 40 were eventually selected for data extraction, including 29 cross-sectional, six cohort, and five case-control studies. The most frequently investigated risk factors for AMR-Enterobacterales carriage in dogs were antimicrobial use (28 of 40), age (24), sex (22), hospitalization (19), and feeding raw diet (14). Of these, antimicrobial use was the most common risk factor significantly associated with AMR-Enterobacterales (19/28), followed by raw diet (9/14) and hospitalization (8/19). Our synthesis emphasized the importance of increasing awareness regarding the prudent use of critically important antimicrobials (CIAs), such as fluoroquinolones, in companion animal practices, strengthening infection prevention and control procedures in veterinary clinics and hospitals and educating caregivers about the potential risks of feeding raw diets in order to reduce the burden of AMR-bacteria in dogs.
Training Protocol for Nellore Cattle in Respirometry Flow Trials Using Non-Ventilated Facial Mask
Authors: Brelaz Érika Cristina Dias de Oliveira , Moura Gustavo André Bernado , Fonsêca Vinícius de França Carvalho , Almeida Juliete Amanda Theodora de , Simão Bruno Rodrigo , Maia Alex Sandro Campos
Published: October 2024

Training is instrumental in identifying and selecting cattle that exhibit greater cooperation with experimental conditions required in flow respirometry assays, like restraint and the use of a valved facial mask. In our study, a tailored training protocol for Nellore cattle facilitated their participation in flow respirometry assays with a valved facial mask. Over 127 days, 30 entire Nellore males, weighing 450 ± 25 kg and averaging 32 ± 2 months, underwent training from May to September 2022. The regimen involved gradually altering the animals’ environment and providing positive reinforcement, divided into three phases. Physiological and behavioral responses to containment routines and facial mask use were meticulously assessed. Principal component analyses revealed dissimilarity patterns among the animals. Animals classified as less reactive showed increased acceptance of handling, reduced reactions to weighing, and greater tolerance of the facial mask. In the final phase, the least reactive animals tolerated wearing a valved mask for extended periods without notable changes in respiratory rate. The training protocol effectively identified and selected Nellore cattle displaying enhanced cooperation with restraint and mask use during flow respirometry assays, without apparent behavioral or physiological alterations.
The Relationship between the Infrared Eye Temperature of Beef Cattle and Associated Biological Responses at High Environmental Temperatures
Authors: Idris Musadiq , Sullivan Megan , Gaughan John B. , Phillips Clive J. C.
Published: October 2024

Cattle in regions with high ambient temperatures are at risk of heat stress. Early detection is important to allow action to be taken to minimise the risks to cattle exposed to thermal stress. This study aimed to investigate the impact of heat stress on IRT-Eye temperature and its association with the behavioural and physiological responses of heat-stressed Angus steers (n = 24) on finisher and or substituted diets. Overall, 2 cohorts of 12 Angus steers were individually housed in a climate-controlled facility to examine responses to heat stress when fed on a standard finisher diet, based on a high percentage of cereal grains, and on a substituted diet in which 8% of the grains were replaced by an isoenergetic amount of lucerne hay. Exposing feedlot cattle to hot environmental conditions increased IRT-Eye temperature, which had a strong association with behaviour and physiology. There was no evidence of differences between the different dietary cohorts. The cattle with increased IRT-Eye temperature showed stress-related responses, including a downward-facing head, ears directed backwards, and other indicators of heat stress such as increased panting, standing, and increased rumen temperature. The strong association of IRT-Eye temperature with stress-related behaviours, as well as with rumen temperature and panting behaviour, highlights the potential for IRT-Eye to be utilised as a non-invasive tool to assess cattle responses in hot conditions.
Pathohistological Findings after Bilateral Ovariectomy in Mares with Behavioral Problems
Authors: Wolf Nadine , Hahn Joachim A. , Walter Ingrid , Zablotski Yury , Zerbe Holm , Witte Tanja S.
Published: October 2024

Behavioral problems in reproductively healthy mares are a challenging issue that is successfully treated with bilateral ovariectomy (BO). This laparoscopic procedure represents an alternative to conservative treatment for mares not intended for breeding and results in high owner satisfaction regarding behavioral improvement. However, a pathohistological explanation to justify surgical ovarian removal regarding animal welfare is lacking. Therefore, the objective of this study was to pathohistologically evaluate bilaterally removed, clinically unremarkable ovaries of mares with behavioral problems (bOE, n = 20) and to compare them with pathohistologically confirmed granulosa cell tumors of mares with neoplastic ovaries (GCT-uOE, n = 10). A complete data set including preliminary presentation, clinical examination, and serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and testosterone was further analyzed in both groups. Both hormones were significantly higher in GCT-uOE compared with bOE. Immunohistochemical expression of Ki-67, AMH, aromatase, epidermal growth factor receptor, calretinin, and epithelial cadherin in granulosa cells of large follicular structures in bOE did not differ from neoplastic granulosa cells in GCT-uOE. Ultrasonographically nondetectable early neoplastic changes were pathohistologically evaluated in 15% of mares and anovulatory-like follicles in 30% of mares in bOE and might be one explanation for the high success rate of BO in 85% of bOE in this study.
Exploring the Configurational Relationships between Urban Heat Island Patterns and the Built Environment: A Case Study of Beijing
Authors: Xu Jing , Liu Yihui , Cao Jianfei
Published: October 2024

The spatial heterogeneity of land surface temperature (LST) within cities is profoundly influenced by the built environment. Although significant progress has been made in the study of the urban thermal environment, there is still a lack of research on how the pattern and structural layout of the built environment affects the thermal environment. In this study, we take the Fifth Ring Road of Beijing as an example, invert the urban LST on the basis of multisource spatial data, characterize the built environment, and use k-means cluster analysis to investigate the main influencing factors of the LST in different functional areas and building patterns within the city, as well as the spatial relationship between the built environment and the urban LST. The results show the following: (1) The urban heat island (UHI) effect occurs to varying degrees over a large part of the study area, and these UHI areas are mainly concentrated in the southwestern part of the city, forming a large contiguous area between the second and fifth ring roads. (2) Class 1 is dominated by transport blocks, Class 3 is dominated by commercial blocks, and Class 5 is dominated by green space blocks, with a clustering index of 0.38. (3) The high-density, high-height class (HH-Class 2) has a greater number of blocks distributed in a ring shape around the periphery of the second ring road. The high-density, low-height class (HL-Class 2) has a relatively small number of blocks but a relatively large area, and the largest blocks are located in the western part of the study area. (4) In the HH and HL building patterns, extreme heat scenarios often occur; from the perspective of functional areas, the probability of extreme heat in the transport block is much higher than that of other functional areas, and except for the HH scenario, the green space functional area plays a very important role in reducing the temperature. This study explores the characteristics of the built environment that influence the urban LST from the perspective of different urban functional zones in cities to provide decision support for quantitative territorial spatial planning, optimization, and management.
A Radar-Based Methodology for Aerosol Plume Identification and Characterisation on the South African Highveld
Authors: Botha Gerhardt , Burger Roelof Petrus , Havenga Henno
Published: October 2024

Biomass burning on the South African Highveld annually injects substantial amounts of aerosols and trace gases into the atmosphere, impacting the global radiative balance, cloud microphysics, and regional air quality. These aerosols are transported as plumes over long distances, posing challenges to existing in situ and satellite-based monitoring techniques because of their limited spatial and temporal resolution, particularly in environments with low-level sources. This study aims to develop and validate a novel radar-based methodology to detect, track, and characterise aerosol plumes, addressing the limitations of existing in situ and satellite monitoring techniques. Using high-resolution volumetric reflectivity data from an S-band radar in Pretoria, South Africa, a traditional storm tracking algorithm is adapted to improve plume identification. Case studies of plume events in June and August 2013 demonstrate the radar’s effectiveness in distinguishing lower vertical profiles and reduced reflectivity of plumes compared with storm echoes. The adapted algorithm successfully tracked the spatial and temporal evolution of the plumes, revealing their short-lived nature. Results indicate that radar-derived geospatial characteristics have the potential to contribute significantly to understanding the impacts of plumes on local air quality. These findings underscore the critical need for high spatio-temporal resolution data to support effective air quality management and inform policy development in regions affected by biomass burning.
The Seasonality of PM and NO2 Concentrations in Slovakia and a Comparison with Chemical-Transport Model
Authors: Šedivá Tereza , Štefánik Dušan
Published: October 2024

The air quality (AQ) of a given location depends mostly on two factors: emissions and meteorological conditions. For most places on Earth, the meteorology of an area changes seasonally. For central Europe, winters are associated with poor dispersion conditions, which, in combination with high emissions from local heating systems, lead to significantly higher concentrations than during summer. In this study, the seasonality of AQ is analysed using hourly measurements from 44 monitoring stations in Slovakia for the years 2007–2023 for NO2, PM10 and PM2.5. Two factors are used to evaluate the seasonality—the difference and ratio of the winter and summer mean concentrations. It was found that the seasonal difference has been gradually decreasing for all pollutants since 2017. In the case of PM2.5, the seasonal ratio drops from a value of around 2.5 in 2018 to approximately 1.7 in 2023. While in the past, the seasonal ratio was the highest for PM2.5, in the last three years it is the highest for NO2 with values larger than 2. Our results imply that summer sources of PM emissions start to play a more important role for the AQ than in the past. The observed seasonality was compared with two full-year chemical-transport model simulations.
Ocular Lesions in Birds of Prey in Portugal: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Ribeiro Lucas , Casero Maria , Nunes Carolina , Ribeiro Mariana , Sargo Roberto , Silva Filipe , Correia Elisete , Pinto Maria de Lurdes
Published: October 2024

In wildlife rehabilitation centers, thousands of animals are treated annually, with a substantial proportion being birds of prey. Since vision is essential for the survival of these species, this study focused on investigating the causes of ocular injuries in raptors admitted to four rehabilitation centers across mainland Portugal from 2017 to 2021. Of the 2207 birds admitted during this period, 156 (7%) presented ocular injuries. Hyphema (28.2%) and corneal ulcers (20.5%) were the most prevalent injuries, often occurring together or alongside lens luxation. Nocturnal raptors showed a higher prevalence of these injuries (76.9%) compared to diurnal raptors (23.1%). A significant association was found between ocular injuries and causes of admission, particularly with ocular hemorrhages and multiple injuries in the eye. Despite the severity of the ocular injuries, the release rate remained relatively high at 51%, underscoring the critical role of comprehensive ocular examinations and vision assessments in guiding treatment decisions and discharge decisions. This study highlights the need for further research with larger samples to better understand the impact of ocular injuries on the rehabilitation success of wild birds in Portugal.
Tumor-Associated Macrophages as Major Immunosuppressive Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Ghebremedhin Anghesom , Athavale Dipti , Zhang Yanting , Yao Xiaodan , Balch Curt , Song Shumei
Published: October 2024

Within the tumor microenvironment, myeloid cells constitute a dynamic immune population characterized by a heterogeneous phenotype and diverse functional activities. In this review, we consider recent literature shedding light on the increasingly complex biology of M2-like immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), including their contribution to tumor cell invasion and metastasis, stromal remodeling (fibrosis and matrix degradation), and immune suppressive functions, in the tumor microenvironment (TME). This review also delves into the intricate signaling mechanisms underlying the polarization of diverse macrophage phenotypes, and their plasticity. We also review the development of promising therapeutic approaches to target these populations in cancers. The expanding knowledge of distinct subsets of immunosuppressive TAMs, and their contributions to tumorigenesis and metastasis, has sparked significant interest among researchers regarding the therapeutic potential of TAM depletion or phenotypic modulation.