bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prioritization of Potential Native Plants from Arabian Peninsula Based on Economic and Ecological Values: Implication for Restoration
Authors: Bhatt Arvind , Bhat Narayana R. , Suleiman Majda Khalil , Al-Mansour Hamad
Published: April 2023

Land degradation is one of the most important environmental problems worldwide, including in the Arabian Peninsula. In arid climatic conditions (i.e., high temperature, high evaporation, scanty rainfall and high salinity), anthropogenic factors (i.e., grazing, camping, infrastructure development, etc.) are the major causes of land degradation. Therefore, restoration of degraded lands is urgently needed to achieve sustainable development goals. Moreover, countries in the Arabian Peninsula are suffering from a lack of natural freshwater resources. Therefore, using halophytes could be an environmentally and economically viable option to overcome limited availability of fresh water by substituting the demand of portable water for irrigation as well as restoring salt-affected lands. Saline soils are common in the Arabian Peninsula, therefore, exploring the ecological and economic potential of halophytes and incorporating them in restoration projects could be a sustainable option. In this study, an attempt was made to document the uses of Arabian halophytes through a survey of the literature and prioritizing them based on their use value. Out of the 107 species studied, 4 species, namely Arthrocnemum macrostachyum (Moric.) K.Koch., Alhagi graecorum Boiss., Bassia muricata (L.) Asch. and Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. Ex Steud., were categorized as high priority followed by 36 species under moderate priority. However, when the priority and life form of species was considered for prioritization, three species, namely Alhagi graecorum, Arundo donax L. and Phragmites australis, ranked at the top in the priority list among perennials and Bassia muricata ranked at the top among annuals. This information could be useful for land restoration specialists to use appropriate halophyte species to achieve for different restoration objectives in salt-affected lands. However, there is a need to develop an active monitoring system that strictly concentrates on the recycling of plants that are used in phytoremediation.
Time-Dependent Hamiltonian Mechanics on a Locally Conformal Symplectic Manifold
Authors: Zając Marcin , Sardón Cristina , Ragnisco Orlando
Published: April 2023

In this paper we aim at presenting a concise but also comprehensive study of time-dependent (t-dependent) Hamiltonian dynamics on a locally conformal symplectic (lcs) manifold. We present a generalized geometric theory of canonical transformations in order to formulate an explicitly time-dependent geometric Hamilton-Jacobi theory on lcs manifolds, extending our previous work with no explicit time-dependence. In contrast to previous papers concerning locally conformal symplectic manifolds, the introduction of the time dependency that this paper presents, brings out interesting geometric properties, as it is the case of contact geometry in locally symplectic patches. To conclude, we show examples of the applications of our formalism, in particular, we present systems of differential equations with time-dependent parameters, which admit different physical interpretations as we shall point out.
On (p,q)–Fibonacci and (p,q)–Lucas Polynomials Associated with Changhee Numbers and Their Properties
Authors: Zhang Chuanjun , Khan Waseem Ahmad , Kızılateş Can
Published: April 2023

Many properties of special polynomials, such as recurrence relations, sum formulas, and symmetric properties have been studied in the literature with the help of generating functions and their functional equations. In this paper, using the (p,q)–Fibonacci polynomials, (p,q)–Lucas polynomials, and Changhee numbers, we define the (p,q)–Fibonacci–Changhee polynomials and (p,q)–Lucas–Changhee polynomials, respectively. We obtain some important identities and relations of these newly established polynomials by using their generating functions and functional equations. Then, we generalize the (p,q)–Fibonacci–Changhee polynomials and the (p,q)–Lucas–Changhee polynomials called generalized (p,q)–Fibonacci–Lucas–Changhee polynomials. We derive a determinantal representation for the generalized (p,q)–Fibonacci–Lucas–Changhee polynomials in terms of the special Hessenberg determinant. Finally, we give a new recurrent relation of the (p,q)–Fibonacci–Lucas–Changhee polynomials.
Aflatoxin Contamination, Exposure among Rural Smallholder Farming Tanzanian Mothers and Associations with Growth among Their Children
Authors: Gichohi-Wainaina Wanjiku N. , Kimanya Martin , Muzanila Yasinta C. , Kumwenda Nelson C. , Msere Harry , Rashidi Mariam , Mponda Omari , Okori Patrick
Published: April 2023

Recently, aflatoxin exposure especially through maize and groundnuts has been associated with growth impairment in children. Infants and children are considered to be more susceptible to toxins because of their lower body weight, higher metabolic rate, and lower ability to detoxify. On the other hand, for women of reproductive age, aflatoxin exposure may not only affect their health but also that of their foetus in the case of pregnancy. This study focused on investigating AFB1 contamination in maize and groundnut from respondent households, exposure among women of reproductive age and associations of aflatoxin contamination with growth retardation among children in Mtwara region, Tanzania. The highest maximum AFB1 contamination levels from all samples obtained were in maize grain (2351.5 μg/kg). From a total of 217 maize samples collected, aflatoxins were above European Union (EU) and East African Community (EAC) tolerable limits in 76.0% and 64.5% of all samples. Specifically, maize grain had the highest proportion of samples contaminated above tolerable limits (80.3% and 71.1% for EU and EAC limits). Groundnut had 54.0% and 37.9% of samples above EU and EAC maximum tolerable limits. The lowest proportion of contaminated samples on the other hand was for bambara nut (37.5% and 29.2% for EU and EAC limits, respectively). Aflatoxin exposure in our surveyed population was much higher than previous observations made in Tanzania and also higher than those observed in Western countries such as Australia and the USA. Among children, AFB1 concentration was associated with lower weight for height z scores and weight for age z scores in the univariate model (p < 0.05). In summary, these results indicate the seriousness of aflatoxin contamination in foods commonly consumed in the vulnerable population assessed. Strategies both from the health, trade, and nutrition sectors should therefore be designed and implemented to address aflatoxin and mycotoxin contamination in diets.
Age and Sex as Determinants of Acute Domoic Acid Toxicity in a Mouse Model
Authors: Hendrix Alicia M. , Lefebvre Kathi A. , Bowers Emily K. , Stuppard Rudolph , Burbacher Thomas , Marcinek David J.
Published: April 2023

The excitatory neurotoxin domoic acid (DA) consistently contaminates food webs in coastal regions around the world. Acute exposure to the toxin causes Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning, a potentially lethal syndrome of gastrointestinal- and seizure-related outcomes. Both advanced age and male sex have been suggested to contribute to interindividual DA susceptibility. To test this, we administered DA doses between 0.5 and 2.5 mg/kg body weight to female and male C57Bl/6 mice at adult (7–9-month-old) and aged (25–28-month-old) life stages and observed seizure-related activity for 90 min, at which point we euthanized the mice and collected serum, cortical, and kidney samples. We observed severe clonic–tonic convulsions in some aged individuals, but not in younger adults. We also saw an association between advanced age and the incidence of a moderately severe seizure-related outcome, hindlimb tremors, and between advanced age and overall symptom severity and persistence. Surprisingly, we additionally report that female mice, particularly aged female mice, demonstrated more severe neurotoxic symptoms following acute exposure to DA than males. Both age and sex patterns were reflected in tissue DA concentrations as well: aged mice and females had generally higher concentrations of DA in their tissues at 90 min post-exposure. This study contributes to the body of work that can inform intelligent, evidence-based public health protections for communities threatened by more frequent and extensive DA-producing algal blooms.
Efficacy of Intra-Articular Injection of Botulinum Toxin Type A (IncobotulinumtoxinA) in Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis: A Three-Arm Controlled Trial in Rats
Authors: Béret Marie , Barry Florent , Garcia-Fernandez Maria-Jose , Chijcheapaza-Flores Henry , Blanchemain Nicolas , Chai Feng , Nicot Romain
Published: April 2023

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are complex pathologies responsible for chronic orofacial pain. Intramuscular injection of botulinum toxin A (BoNT/A) has shown effectiveness in knee and shoulder osteoarthritis, as well as in some TMDs such as masticatory myofascial pain, but its use remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intra-articular BoNT/A injection in an animal model of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis. A rat model of temporomandibular osteoarthritis was used to compare the effects of intra-articular injection of BoNT/A, placebo (saline), and hyaluronic acid (HA). Efficacy was compared by pain assessment (head withdrawal test), histological analysis, and imaging performed in each group at different time points until day 30. Compared with the rats receiving placebo, those receiving intra-articular BoNT/A and HA had a significant decrease in pain at day 14. The analgesic effect of BoNT/A was evident as early as day 7, and lasted until day 21. Histological and radiographic analyses showed decrease in joint inflammation in the BoNT/A and HA groups. The osteoarthritis histological score at day 30 was significantly lower in the BoNT/A group than in the other two groups (p = 0.016). Intra-articular injection of BoNT/A appeared to reduce pain and inflammation in experimentally induced temporomandibular osteoarthritis in rats.
In Vitro High-Throughput Genotoxicity Testing Using γH2AX Biomarker, Microscopy and Reproducible Automatic Image Analysis in ImageJ—A Pilot Study with Valinomycin
Authors: Křížkovská Bára , Schätz Martin , Lipov Jan , Viktorová Jitka , Jablonská Eva
Published: April 2023

(1) Background: The detection of DNA double-strand breaks in vitro using the phosphorylated histone biomarker (γH2AX) is an increasingly popular method of measuring in vitro genotoxicity, as it is sensitive, specific and suitable for high-throughput analysis. The γH2AX response is either detected by flow cytometry or microscopy, the latter being more accessible. However, authors sparsely publish details, data, and workflows from overall fluorescence intensity quantification, which hinders the reproducibility. (2) Methods: We used valinomycin as a model genotoxin, two cell lines (HeLa and CHO-K1) and a commercial kit for γH2AX immunofluorescence detection. Bioimage analysis was performed using the open-source software ImageJ. Mean fluorescent values were measured using segmented nuclei from the DAPI channel and the results were expressed as the area-scaled relative fold change in γH2AX fluorescence over the control. Cytotoxicity is expressed as the relative area of the nuclei. We present the workflows, data, and scripts on GitHub. (3) Results: The outputs obtained by an introduced method are in accordance with expected results, i.e., valinomycin was genotoxic and cytotoxic to both cell lines used after 24 h of incubation. (4) Conclusions: The overall fluorescence intensity of γH2AX obtained from bioimage analysis appears to be a promising alternative to flow cytometry. Workflow, data, and script sharing are crucial for further improvement of the bioimage analysis methods.
Changes in Paediatric Injury-Related Emergency Department Presentations during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lystad Reidar P. , Fyffe Andrew , Orr Rhonda , Browne Gary
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to quantify changes in paediatric injury-related Emergency Department (ED) presentations at a large metropolitan paediatric hospital during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., 2020 and 2021). This retrospective cohort study included children aged ≤15 years who presented to the ED at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, with a principal diagnosis of injury during 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2021. Annual and monthly incidence of paediatric injury-related ED presentations from 2010 to 2019 were used to fit autoregressive integrated moving average models, from which forecast estimates with 95% prediction intervals were derived and compared against corresponding observed values to obtain estimates of absolute and relative forecast errors. The distributions of injuries by injury severity in 2020 and 2021 were compared against the 2010–2019 reference period. The annual incidence of paediatric injury-related ED presentations was 7.6% and 4.7% lower than forecasted in 2020 and 2021, respectively, equating to an estimated total of 1683 fewer paediatric injury-related ED presentations during the two-year period. The largest reductions in monthly incidence of paediatric injury-related ED presentations were observed during the periods of major societal restrictions (i.e., March–May 2020 and July–October 2021). Significant reductions in monthly incidence of injury-related ED presentations were observed for minor injuries only, with no discernable reductions in moderate and serious injuries. These findings highlight the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on paediatric injury-related ED presentations and the need for future epidemiological studies examining secular trends in paediatric trauma volumes to account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Multifactorial White Matter Damage in the Acute Phase and Pre-Existing Conditions May Drive Cognitive Dysfunction after SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Neuropathology-Based Evidence
Authors: Gelpi Ellen , Klotz Sigrid , Beyerle Miriam , Wischnewski Sven , Harter Verena , Kirschner Harald , Stolz Katharina , Reisinger Christoph , Lindeck-Pozza Elisabeth , Zoufaly Alexander , Leoni Marlene , Gorkiewicz Gregor , Zacharias Martin , Haberler Christine , Hainfellner Johannes , Woehrer Adelheid , Hametner Simon , Roetzer Thomas , Voigtländer Till , Ricken Gerda , Endmayr Verena , Haider Carmen , Ludwig Judith , Polt Andrea , Wilk Gloria , Schmid Susanne , Erben Irene , Nguyen Anita , Lang Susanna , Simonitsch-Klupp Ingrid , Kornauth Christoph , Nackenhorst Maja , Kläger Johannes , Kain Renate , Chott Andreas , Wasicky Richard , Krause Robert , Weiss Günter , Löffler-Rag Judith , Berger Thomas , Moser Patrizia , Soleiman Afshin , Asslaber Martin , Sedivy Roland , Klupp Nikolaus , Klimpfinger Martin , Risser Daniele , Budka Herbert , Schirmer Lucas , Pröbstel Anne-Katrin , Höftberger Romana
Published: April 2023

Background: There is an urgent need to better understand the mechanisms underlying acute and long-term neurological symptoms after COVID-19. Neuropathological studies can contribute to a better understanding of some of these mechanisms. Methods: We conducted a detailed postmortem neuropathological analysis of 32 patients who died due to COVID-19 during 2020 and 2021 in Austria. Results: All cases showed diffuse white matter damage with a diffuse microglial activation of a variable severity, including one case of hemorrhagic leukoencephalopathy. Some cases revealed mild inflammatory changes, including olfactory neuritis (25%), nodular brainstem encephalitis (31%), and cranial nerve neuritis (6%), which were similar to those observed in non-COVID-19 severely ill patients. One previously immunosuppressed patient developed acute herpes simplex encephalitis. Acute vascular pathologies (acute infarcts 22%, vascular thrombosis 12%, diffuse hypoxic–ischemic brain damage 40%) and pre-existing small vessel diseases (34%) were frequent findings. Moreover, silent neurodegenerative pathologies in elderly persons were common (AD neuropathologic changes 32%, age-related neuronal and glial tau pathologies 22%, Lewy bodies 9%, argyrophilic grain disease 12.5%, TDP43 pathology 6%). Conclusions: Our results support some previous neuropathological findings of apparently multifactorial and most likely indirect brain damage in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection rather than virus-specific damage, and they are in line with the recent experimental data on SARS-CoV-2-related diffuse white matter damage, microglial activation, and cytokine release.
Early-Phase Drive to the Precursor Pool: Chloroviruses Dive into the Deep End of Nucleotide Metabolism
Authors: Dunigan David D. , Agarkova Irina V. , Esmael Ahmed , Alvarez Sophie , Van Etten James L.
Published: April 2023

Viruses face many challenges on their road to successful replication, and they meet those challenges by reprogramming the intracellular environment. Two major issues challenging Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1, genus Chlorovirus, family Phycodnaviridae) at the level of DNA replication are (i) the host cell has a DNA G+C content of 66%, while the virus is 40%; and (ii) the initial quantity of DNA in the haploid host cell is approximately 50 fg, yet the virus will make approximately 350 fg of DNA within hours of infection to produce approximately 1000 virions per cell. Thus, the quality and quantity of DNA (and RNA) would seem to restrict replication efficiency, with the looming problem of viral DNA synthesis beginning in only 60–90 min. Our analysis includes (i) genomics and functional annotation to determine gene augmentation and complementation of the nucleotide biosynthesis pathway by the virus, (ii) transcriptional profiling of these genes, and (iii) metabolomics of nucleotide intermediates. The studies indicate that PBCV-1 reprograms the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway to rebalance the intracellular nucleotide pools both qualitatively and quantitatively, prior to viral DNA amplification, and reflects the genomes of the progeny virus, providing a successful road to virus infection.
Leave No-One Behind: A Retrospective Study of Hepatitis C Testing and Linkage to Care for Hospital Inpatients
Authors: Roder Christine , Cosgrave Carl , Mackie Kathryn , Roberts Stuart K. , Hellard Margaret E. , Wade Amanda J. , Doyle Joseph S.
Published: April 2023

Hospital admissions are a missed opportunity to engage people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) into care. This study aimed to describe the proportion of hospital inpatients and emergency department (ED) patients identified with hepatitis C who were subsequently linked to care and treatment at a metropolitan health service in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected retrospectively from hospital databases (admissions, notifiable diseases, and pharmacy) for all adults admitted or attending the ED with separation coding indicating hepatitis C infection from March 2016 to March 2019. There were 2149 patients with at least one separation with hepatitis C coding. 15.4% (331/2149) had a documented antibody test, 4.6% (99/2149) had a documented RNA test, and 8.3% (179/2149) had a DAA prescription dispensed by hospital pharmacy. Antibody positivity was 95.2% (315/331) and RNA (when completed) was detected in 37.4% (37/99). Hepatitis specialist units had the highest rate of hepatitis C coded separations and RNA testing (39/88; 44.3%), mental health had the highest rate of antibody testing (70/276; 25.4%). Emergency had the lowest rate of antibody testing (101/1075; 13.7%) and the third highest rate of RNA testing (32/94; 34.1%), but the highest rate of RNA detected (15/32; 46.9%). This study highlights key steps to improve the care cascade. Simplified diagnostic pathways, expansion of hepatitis C care services, and clear in-hospital pathways to link patients to care would be beneficial in this setting. To scale up hepatitis C testing and treatment as part of national elimination strategies, hospital systems need to target interventions to their local data.
The Cell-Mediated Immune Response against Bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) Infection and Vaccination
Authors: Righi Cecilia , Franzoni Giulia , Feliziani Francesco , Jones Clinton , Petrini Stefano
Published: April 2023

Bovine Alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) is one of the major respiratory pathogens in cattle worldwide. Infection often leads to a compromised host immune response that contributes to the development of the polymicrobial disease known as “bovine respiratory disease”. After an initial transient phase of immunosuppression, cattle recover from the disease. This is due to the development of both innate and adaptive immune responses. With respect to adaptive immunity, both humoral and cell-mediated immunity are required to control infection. Thus, several BoHV-1 vaccines are designed to trigger both branches of the adaptive immune system. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on cell-mediated immune responses directed against BoHV-1 infection and vaccination.
Semi-Analytical Finite-Element Analysis for Free and Forced Wave Propagation Using COMSOL and LiveLink for Matlab
Authors: Raffaele Davide , Rustighi Emiliano , Waters Timothy
Published: April 2023

The Semi-Analytical Finite-Element (SAFE) method represents one of the most established numerical approaches for predicting the propagation of elastic waves in one-dimensional structures of arbitrary cross-sections. Its implementation in the commercial finite-element software COMSOL Multiphysics has been proposed in recent years; however, it is limited to only the free wave propagation for computing dispersion curves. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes an extension of this approach that combines COMSOL and its Livelink for Matlab tool. This enables the extraction from COMSOL of the assembled mass and stiffness SAFE matrices to solve problems of both free and forced wave propagation in the Matlab environment. The resulting customised software takes advantage of both the potential of commercial FE software and the power of Matlab without worrying about compatibility issues. A model of a simply supported plate strip and that of a more complex geometry are implemented to validate, respectively, the SAFE matrix extraction procedure and the implemented forced response formulation. The results agree well with corresponding analytical and numerical results validating the proposed implementation of the SAFE method.
Analysis and Processing of the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Images of the 2022 Marche (Central Italy) Flood
Authors: Pulvirenti Luca , Squicciarino Giuseppe , Fiori Elisabetta , Candela Laura , Puca Silvia
Published: April 2023

The use of SAR data for flood mapping is well established. However, the problem of the missed detection of rapidly evolving floods remains. Recently, the Italian Space Agency deployed the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation (CSG) constellation, with an on-demand capability that makes it possible to reduce the number of missed floods. However, for on-demand SAR acquisitions, pre-flood images are generally not available, and change-detection methods, commonly adopted for flood mapping using SAR, cannot be applied. This study focused on the high-resolution CSG images of a flood that occurred in central Italy. An accurate analysis of the radar responses of the different targets included in the scenes observed by GSG was performed. Then, a methodology to detect floods using high-resolution single SAR images was developed. The methodology was based on image segmentation and fuzzy logic. Image segmentation allowed us to analyze homogeneous areas in the CSG images. Fuzzy logic was used to integrate the SAR data with ancillary information that was useful when change-detection methods could not be applied. A comparison with the maps produced by the Copernicus Emergency Service, using high-resolution optical images, demonstrated the reliability of the methodology.
Life-History Traits and Acclimation Ability of a Copepod Species from the Dripping Waters of the Corchia Cave (Apuan Alps, Tuscany, Italy)
Authors: Di Lorenzo Tiziana , Galassi Diana Maria Paola , Tabilio Di Camillo Agostina , Pop Maria Mirabela , Iepure Sanda , Piccini Leonardo
Published: April 2023

Copepods are the dominant crustacean group in groundwater, where they perform valuable ecosystem services related to carbon recycling. The life-history traits of stygobitic (groundwater-obligate dweller) copepods, however, have only been casually studied in the past. In addition, next to nothing is known about the responses of stygobitic copepods to climate change. In this study, we investigated the life-history traits and respiratory metabolism of a species of harpacticoid copepods, Moraria sp., endemic to the Corchia Cave in the Apuan Alps (Italy). We collected the specimens of Moraria sp. from the dripping waters of the cave and observed their development, survival, and reproduction rates in the laboratory for one year. We also evaluated the acclimation ability of adult females of Moraria sp. by measuring their oxygen consumption in a temperature range from 8 °C (average annual temperature of the dripping water in the Stalactites Gallery of the Corchia Cave) to 12.5 °C (maximum temperature of the dripping water of the cave expected according to climate change scenarios in 2100). Our results indicate that Moraria sp. Is a stenothermal species showing remarkable stygobitic traits (long life span, low metabolic rates). We noted that the metabolism of this species is significantly affected by small (+1.5 °C) thermal changes. Our results showed no metabolic compensation occurring in this species over two weeks of exposure to temperatures higher than 8 °C. The outcomes of this study suggest that Moraria sp. May not be able to tolerate thermal changes brought on by climate change.
Using Multi-Source Data to Assess the Hydrologic Alteration and Extremes under a Changing Environment in the Yalong River Basin
Authors: He Yanfeng , Xiong Jinghua , Guo Shenglian , Zhong Sirui , Yu Chuntao , Ma Shungang
Published: April 2023

Climate change and human activities are two important factors in the changing environment that affect the variability of the hydrological cycle and river regime in the Yalong River basin. This paper analyzed the hydrological alteration and extremes in the Yalong River basin based on multi-source satellite data, and projected the hydrological response under different future climate change scenarios using the CwatM hydrological model. The results show that: (1) The overall change in hydrological alteration at Tongzilin station was moderate during the period of 1998–2011 and severe during the period of 2012–2020. (2) Precipitation (average 781 mm/a) is the dominant factor of water cycle on a monthly scale, which can explain the temporal variability of runoff, evaporation, and terrestrial water storage, while terrestrial water storage is also simultaneously regulated by runoff and evaporation. (3) The GRACE data are comparable with regional water resource bulletins. The terrestrial water storage is mainly regulated by surface water (average 1062 × 108 m3), while the contribution of groundwater (average 298 × 108 m3) is relatively small. (4) The evaporation and runoff processes will intensify in the future due to climate warming and increasing precipitation (~10%), and terrestrial water storage will be depleted. The magnitude of change will increase with the enhancement of emission scenarios.
Reaction of the Underground Water to Seismic Impact from Industrial Explosions
Authors: Gorbunova Ella , Besedina Alina , Petukhova Sofia , Pavlov Dmitry
Published: April 2023

A comprehensive monitoring at the territory of the Korobkovskoe and Lebedinskoe iron ore deposits of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA), which are developed using explosive technologies, has been carried out since July 2019 near the town of Gubkin (Belgorod Region, Russia). A unique database of the responses of the system “reservoir–well” to short-delay explosions in a mine and a quarry has been formed with a sampling rate of 200 Hz on the basis of synchronous seismic, barometric, and precision hydrogeological measurements. The research object is groundwater in the zones of exogenous weathering and tectonic fracturing of the ore-crystalline basement of the Archean-Proterozoic. Processing hydrogeological responses to mass explosions in the mine and the quarry made it possible to indicate two types of water level response to seismic impact. In addition to coseismic variations in the pore pressure in the system “reservoir–well” for the first time postseismic hydrogeological effects were established during the exploitation of the iron ore deposits. The observed effects may have been caused by two mechanisms. The first mechanism is represented by the skin effect—a change in the permeability of a fluid-saturated reservoir in the near-wellbore space. The second one is the renewal of existing fracture systems and the formation of technogenic fractures in the zones of lithological-stratigraphic contacts and faults at the interface between weathered and relatively monolithic rocks. The subsequent decrease of the water level in the well is associated with the filling of the fractured zones with water.
Uranium in Lake Sediments of Humid Zone: A Case Study in the Southeast Fennoscandia (Karelia, Russia)
Authors: Slukovskii Zakhar
Published: April 2023

The article presents data on the analysis of U accumulation in recent sediments of lakes in the territory of the Southeast Fennoscandia. The research was carried out in the study area of the Republic of Karelia. It has been established that the content of U in sediments varies from 0.1 to 42.3 mg/kg (median is 0.91 mg/kg). In general, the studied sediments of the region had low concentrations of U in comparison with the average content of this element in the upper part of the Earth’s crust. In some areas associated with deposits or ore occurrences of U, an increased content of U in lake sediments was revealed. The highest U accumulation level was found in the lake sediments, which are under the influence of the North Onega ore-geochemical region, where V deposits and ore occurrences that contain U, Fe, Mo and Cu are widespread. In the sediments of some studied lakes, Th anomalies were found, which often accompany U in ore geological formations. The analysis of uranium fractions in the sediments of some lakes in Karelia revealed the key role of the mineral (insoluble) phase in the accumulation of U, up to 64–68% of the total U content. The share of the organic fraction in the accumulation of U in the studied sediments of the lakes is small and ranges from 7 to 15% with respect to the total concentration of the metal.
Upstream-Downstream Influence of Water Harvesting Techniques (Jessour) on Soil Water Retention in Southeast Tunisia
Authors: Calianno Martin , Ben Fraj Tarek , Fallot Jean-Michel , Abbassi Mohamed , Ghram Messedi Aziza , Ben Ouezdou Hédi , Reynard Emmanuel
Published: April 2023

Weather parameters and soil moisture profiles were measured at an hourly time step during four agricultural years (September to October, from 2018–19 to 2021–22) in two Jessour (water harvesting cultivated terraces) of the same valley in Zmerten (southeastern Tunisia), characterized by an arid climate. One instrumented Jesr (singular of Jessour) was located upstream and the other one downstream. During each dry season, when crops experience water stress, the downstream Jesr had a higher available water content than the upstream one; in the downstream Jesr the soil profile moisture remained above the wilting point, whereas in the upstream soil surface, moisture levels decreased to below the wilting point. High accumulation/low intensity rains (causing saturation/excess runoff) flooded both upstream and downstream Jessour from 50 mm of cumulative rainfall, whereas high intensity/low accumulation rains (causing infiltration/excess runoff) activated the downstream Jesr from an intensity of 15.2 mm/h, and a combination of moderate intensity and moderate accumulation rains activated both Jessour from an intensity of 8 mm/h and a cumulative rainfall of 33 mm. We propose to set 50 mm of cumulative rainfall and/or 6.4 mm/h of intensity as threshold values for the activation of the Jessour system in Zmerten. However, significant soil moisture recharges can occur even without activation of the Jessour system.
Deep Learning Optical Flow with Compound Loss for Dense Fluid Motion Estimation
Authors: Wang Jie , Zhang Zhen , Wang Zhijian , Chen Lin
Published: April 2023

Flow motion with complex patterns, such as vortex, stagnant flow, and seepage, put forward higher spatial resolution requirements for particle image velocimetry (PIV). With the development of deep learning technology in optical flow estimation, many attempts have been made to introduce deep learning-based optical flow (DLOF) into PIV. Compared with the traditional optical flow method, the DLOF method has the advantages of higher precision, faster calculation speed, and avoiding manual parameter adjustment. However, DLOF research is generally developed based on the basic characteristics of rigid body motion, and its key loss function part still generally uses the L1 (mean absolute error, MAE, L1) or L2 (mean square error, MSE, L2) loss functions, which lack consideration of fluid motion characteristics. Therefore, the current DLOF research has the problems of large angular error and serious curl-divergence loss in fluid motion estimation scenarios with smaller spatial scales than rigid bodies. Based on the prior knowledge of the traditional fluid motion characteristics, this study proposes a fluid loss function for describing the fluid motion characteristics, and combines this loss function with Flownet2. The compound loss (CL) function is combined with the displacement error, angular error, and div-curl smooth loss. The method combined with the loss function in this paper is called FlowNet2-CL-PIV. In order to verify that the compound loss function proposed in this study has a positive impact on the model training results, this paper uses the cosine similarity measure to demonstrate its effectiveness. In addition, the parameter selection of the compound loss function is analyzed and compared, and it is verified that the best training effect can be achieved by adjusting the parameter so that the order of magnitude of each part of the compound loss function is consistent. In order to test the calculation effect of the Flownet2-CL-PIV method proposed in this study, synthetic particle images are used for model training and performance analysis. Simulation results in various flow fields show that the root mean square error (RMSE) and average angular error (AAE) of Flownet2-CL-PIV reach 0.182 pixels and 1.7°, which are 10% and 54% higher than the original model, respectively.
A Laboratory Scale of the Physical Model for Inclined and Porous Breakwaters on the Coastline of Soc Trang Province (Mekong Delta)
Authors: Le Chuong Thanh , Do Duong Van , Nguyen Duong Binh , Wang Ping
Published: April 2023

In the last few decades, the Mekong Delta coastlines have suffered serious erosion. Strong waves during the Northeast Monsoon are one of the main reasons for this. Many types of breakwaters with different structural components have been designed and built to mitigate coastline erosion. Vertical seawalls have been widely used, but they create reflection waves, which can generate water particle kinematics in front of the structure and increase the toe scour. In this study, an innovative block of inclined and porous breakwaters was studied by conducting laboratory-scale experiments. The experimental results show that inclined and porous breakwaters can considerably reduce wave energy due to transmission, reflection, and diffraction compared to inclined breakwaters. The porosity on the front and back sides of the structures has also been studied. Letting sediment-laden seawaters penetrate inside the sheltered zones, porous breakwaters promote accretion and facilitate the forestation of mangrove belts.
Geomorphic Changes of the Scott River Alluvial Fan in Relation to a Four-Day Flood Event
Authors: Kociuba Waldemar
Published: April 2023

A four-day glacier-melt flood (13–16 August 2013) caused abrupt geomorphic changes in the proglacial gravel-bed Scott River, which drains the small (10 km2) Scott Glacier catchment (SW Svalbard). This type of flood occurs on Svalbard increasingly during periods of abnormally warm or rainy weather in summer or early autumn, and the probability of occurrence grows in direct proportion to the increase in temperature and/or precipitation intensity. In the summer of 2013, during the measurement season, the highest daily precipitation (17 mm) occurred on 13 August. During the following four days, it constituted in total 47 mm, i.e., 50% of the precipitation total for the measurement period of 2013. The largest flood in 20 years was caused by high precipitation with a synchronous rise in temperature from about 1.0 to 8.6 °C. These values exceeded multi-year averages (32 mm and 5.0 °C, respectively) at an average discharge of 0.9 m3/s (melt season mean 1986–2011). These conditions caused a rapid and abrupt response of the river with the dominant (90%) glacier-fed. The increase in discharge to 4.6 m3/s, initiated by the glacial flood, mobilized significant amounts of sediment in the river bed and channel. Geomorphic changes within the alluvial fan as an area of 58,940 m2, located at the mouth of the Scott River, were detected by multi-sites terrestrial laser scanning using a Leica Scan Station C10 and then estimated using Geomorphic Change Detection (GCD) software. The changes found involved 39% of the alluvial fan area (23,231 m2). The flood-induced total area of lowering (erosion) covered 26% of the alluvial fan (6035 m2), resulting in the removal of 1183 ± 121 m3 of sediment volume. During the final phase of the flood, two times more sediment (1919 ± 344 m3) was re-deposited within the alluvial fan surface, causing significant aggradation on 74% of its area (17,196 m2). These geomorphic changes resulted in an average lowering (erosion) of the alluvial fan surface of 0.2 m and an average rising (deposition) of 0.1 m.
Role of Molecular Breeding Tools in Enhancing the Breeding of Drought-Resilient Cotton Genotypes: An Updated Review
Authors: Rasheed Adnan , Zhao Long , Raza Ali , Mahmood Athar , Xing Hucheng , Lv Xueying , Saeed Hamza , Alqahtani Fatmah M. , Hashem Mohamed , Hassan Muhammad Umair , Gillani Syed Faheem Anjum , Jie Yucheng
Published: April 2023

Drought stress is an inevitable factor that disturbs the production of plants by altering morphological, physiological, biochemical, and molecular functions. Breeding for drought tolerance requires a complete understanding of the molecular factors controlling stress-responsive pathways. The plant responds to drought stress by adopting four mechanisms: avoidance, escape, tolerance, and recovery. Traditional plant-breeding tools have been employed to increase tolerance in cotton, but the complexity of drought tolerance has limited the use of these breeding methods. The plant adopts several key strategies against drought stress, such as activating the signaling network and activating molecular factors. Cotton breeders have been engaged in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of drought tolerance in cotton using significant molecular tools such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, transcription factor (TFs) analysis, transcriptome analysis, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genetic engineering, and CRISPR/Cas9. Breeders have studied the functional description of genes and the interacting pathways accountable for controlling drought tolerance in cotton. Hundreds of genes/QTL have been identified, and many have been cloned for drought tolerance in cotton; however, a complete understanding of these traits still needs more study. This review presents a detailed overview of molecular tools, their application for improving drought tolerance in cotton, and their prospects. This review will help future researchers to conduct further studies to develop drought-tolerant cotton genotypes that can thrive under conditions of water scarcity.
“It Makes Me Feel like I Can Make a Difference”: A Qualitative Exploration of Peer Mentoring with Black and Hispanic High School Students
Authors: Opara Ijeoma , Metzger Isha W. , Dawoud Sandy , Pierre Kimberly , Assan Maame Araba , Garcia-Reid Pauline , Reid Robert J.
Published: April 2023

Peer mentoring programs have proven to be extremely successful for high school students. Yet, most educational research studies rarely seek to understand the perspectives of peer mentors and the impact peer mentoring can have on their development. Even more limited is the research highlighting the experiences of Black and Hispanic peer mentors who reside in urban communities. This qualitative study examines (n = 14) Black and Hispanic high school peer mentors’ roles in providing support to their mentees and their perceived benefit of being a mentor. All peer mentors in the study attended high school in an urban, under resourced community in New Jersey. Analysis revealed three major themes: (1) leadership abilities; (2) witnessing their strengths through motivating others; and (3) Family influences on their mentoring style. We discuss the implications of our findings on future research and educational programming utilizing peer mentors to benefit urban youth of color.
Modern understanding of endoscopy technology at a periodontal appointment: a systematic review
Authors: Orekhova L. Yu. , Artemiev N. A. , Biricheva O. A. , Kropotina A. Yu. , Kuchumova E. D. , Neisberg D. M.
Published: April 2023

Relevance. Periodontitis is a common chronic infectious and inflammatory disease. Multiple microorganisms, including periodontal pathogens in the dental biofilm, are the principal reason for inflammatory periodontal diseases. The initial stage of periodontitis treatment involves the mechanical removal of dental deposits from the tooth surface. Subgingival scaling is technically complex due to the limited visualization. An experienced clinician does not always have a chance to thoroughly treat all roo ts’ surfaces and remove all plaque and tartar.Modern technology, e.g., Perioscopy, enables illumination and visualization of periodontal pockets and their content. Thus, dental endoscopy technology practicability determination requires the study of the systematization of a large initial data array.Materials and methods. Publications were searched and studied in seven electronic databases PubMed, Google Search, Embase, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and SciELO II eLibrary. The study reviewed the articles published from 2000 to 2022, available in full text, and assessed for relevance. The search resulted in 119 selected publications. Based on the inclusion criteria, we selected 44 articles, which included 42 clinical trials and two reviews. The study methodology meets the requirements for systematic reviews (PRISMA).Results. High-quality visualization allows for the operating field control enabling access to hard-to-reach areas and improves periodontal treatment outcomes. Closed periodontal scaling, the most commonly used non-surgical inflammatory periodontal disease treatment technique, is based on the dentist’s tactile sensations and experience. Due to the lack of visual control, even an experienced practitioner may not always effectively treat all surfaces or remove all plaque and tartar. The examination with the endoscope (Perioscopy) after the instrumentation reveals areas of tartar and biofilm remains, which may lead to further periodontal destruction and future surgical treatment. The article presents the studies proving the sufficient effectiveness of a dental endoscope for periodontal disease treatment. It is of note that the endoscope significantly increases the treatment quality in cases with deep pockets and severe periodontitis.Conclusion. Endoscopic imaging of dental deposits and pocket content indirectly reduces the risk of recurrence and complications of inflammatory periodontal diseases. The treatment of patients with moderate and severe periodontitis requires the development of algorithms for the management of such patients with the mandatory use of an endoscope.
À propos de cinq espèces de Juncus (Juncaceae) nouvelles pour la flore de la Drôme (France)
Authors: Amiet Jean-Louis
Published: April 2023

On five species of Juncus (Juncaceae) new for the Drôme flora (France).

Five species of Juncus (Juncaceae) were not mentionned in previous works dealing with the flora of the Drôme department. From land data collected by the author, an account of the distribution in the concerned area is given. For J. ranarius, J. anceps and J. pygmaeus, some distinctive features are emphasized, whereas J. maritimus and J. rechingeri are the matter of more detailed descriptions.
Deux coléoptères saproxyliques nouveaux pour l’Isère : Dendrophagus crenatus (Silvanidae) et Octotemnus mandibularis (Ciidae)
Authors: Saurat Rémy , Dodelin Benoît , Dalmon Jacques
Published: April 2023

Dendrophagus crenatus et Octotemnus mandibularis sont rares à l’échelle nationale et européenne. Deux nouvelles stations de ces espèces ont été découvertes dans le département de l’Isère, lors de prospections de terrain et d’un inventaire. L’une trouve en hêtraie-sapinière, la seconde en forêt de plaine.
Sur les Episernus Paléarctiques (Col., Ptinidae, Ernobiinae)
Authors: Dodelin Benoît
Published: April 2023

Le Lectotype est désigné pour Episernus angulicollis Thomson, 1863. Cette espèce occupe le nord de l’Europe, la France dans le Parc National de la Vanoise (Savoie) et les Hautes-Alpes (Vars), ainsi que la Suisse (Valais) et l’Autriche (massif du Wechsel). L’étude du Type de E. granulatus Weise, 1887 confirme sa valeur spécifique. L’espèce occupe l’Europe centrale et se voit confirmée des Alpes allemandes (Munich), suisses (Valais et Grisons) et italiennes (Mauls). Les Holotypes d’E. sulcicollis Schilsky, 1898 et d’E. ganglbaueri Schilsky, 1898 ont été examinés, aboutissant à de nouvelles synonymies : E. sulcicollis est invalidé au profit d’E. striatellus (C. Brisout de Barneville, 1863) ; E. ganglbaueri est synonyme d’E. angulicollis. Les Types de E. pyrenaeus Mařan, 1941 et E. taygetanus Mařan, 1941 sont redécrits. Ils doivent être rassemblés au sein d’une même espèce, E. taygetanus Mařan, 1941, représentée dans les Pyrénées françaises par la sous-espèce E. taygetanus ssp. pyrenaeus Mařan, 1941 stat. nov. L’étude du Type de E. turcicus Zahradník, 1998 confirme sa valeur spécifique. Décrite de Turquie et probablement endémique, cette espèce est morphologiquement proche de E. angulicollis. Une clé d’identification des Episernus européens est proposée en incluant des descriptions précises et de nouveaux critères diagnostiques stables.
Description et nouveau statut de deux Lamiinae néo-calédoniens (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) - V
Authors: Sudre Jérôme , Vives Eduard
Published: April 2023

Leiopus crucifer Fauvel, 1906 est transféré dans le genre Nemaschema

Thomson, 1861, nouveau statut. Falsohomaemota monteithi nouvelle espèce est décrite de Nouvelle-Calédonie.