bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient degenerate middle infrared ZGP-OPO pumped by an electro-optically Q-switched Tm:YAP laser
Authors: Dai Wantian , Ding Yu , Liu Tongyu , Zhao Yuwei , Gao Jia , Zhao Chen
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we demonstrated an efficient degenerate middle infrared (mid-IR) ZGP-OPO that is pumped by an electro-optically Q-switched diode-pumped Tm:YAP laser. The Tm:YAP laser, operating at a repetition rate of 1 kHz, produced a peak pulse energy of 9.66 mJ at 1.94 μm and a minimum pulse width of 25 ns. Utilizing the Tm:YAP laser as the pump source, a peak average output power of 3.14 W at 3.88 μm was achieved in the degenerate ZGP-OPO with an incident Tm power of 9.4 W, resulting in a slope efficiency of 62.7% and an optical conversion efficiency of 33.4%. The minimum pulse width was measured at 21 ns, leading to a peak power of 149.5 kW. Additionally, the beam quality factor of the degenerate mid-IR ZGP-OPO was evaluated to be approximately 2.7 at the maximum output power level.
OneFlowTraX: a user-friendly software for super-resolution analysis of single-molecule dynamics and nanoscale organization
Authors: Rohr Leander , Ehinger Alexandra , Rausch Luiselotte , Glöckner Burmeister Nina , Meixner Alfred J. , Gronnier Julien , Harter Klaus , Kemmerling Birgit , zur Oven-Krockhaus Sven
Published: April 2024

Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) approaches revolutionize cell biology by providing insights into the nanoscale organization and dynamics of macromolecular assemblies and single molecules in living cells. A major hurdle limiting SRM democratization is post-acquisition data analysis which is often complex and time-consuming. Here, we present OneFlowTraX, a user-friendly and open-source software dedicated to the analysis of single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) approaches such as single-particle tracking photoactivated localization microscopy (sptPALM). Through an intuitive graphical user interface, OneFlowTraX provides an automated all-in-one solution for single-molecule localization, tracking, as well as mobility and clustering analyses. OneFlowTraX allows the extraction of diffusion and clustering parameters of millions of molecules in a few minutes. Finally, OneFlowTraX greatly simplifies data management following the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles. We provide a detailed step-by-step manual and guidelines to assess the quality of single-molecule analyses. Applying different fluorophores including mEos3.2, PA-GFP, and PATagRFP, we exemplarily used OneFlowTraX to analyze the dynamics of plant plasma membrane-localized proteins including an aquaporin, the brassinosteroid receptor Brassinosteroid Insensitive 1 (BRI1) and the Receptor-Like Protein 44 (RLP44).
Unfair teachers, unhappy students: longitudinal associations of perceived teacher relational unfairness with adolescent peer aggression and school satisfaction
Authors: Gini Gianluca , Angelini Federica , Pozzoli Tiziana
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Teacher relational unfairness is a significant risk factor for students’ physical and mental well-being, especially during adolescence. However, school psychology research has not yet fully analyzed the links between teacher unfairness and important indicators of school experience and wellbeing, including peer aggression and school satisfaction. Even less evidence does exist with longitudinal, multilevel data.

Methods

The present study tested the prospective relations between Fall perceived teacher unfairness and Spring reactive and proactive aggression, and school satisfaction. At T1, participants were 1,299 students (48.3% girls, mean age = 13.6 years, SD = 1.1) attending 67 classrooms in Italian public schools, whereas 1,227 students participated in the second wave 6 months later.

Results

Multilevel regressions showed that, at the individual level, T1 perceived teacher unfairness positively predicted T2 reactive and proactive aggression, and negatively predicted school satisfaction. At the class-level, T1 class teacher unfairness explained between-class variability in T2 school satisfaction, but not variability in peer aggression.

Discussion

The findings expand current knowledge about the role of teacher unfairness with the classroom and have implications for interventions at school.
“Picture this from there”: spatial perspective-taking in developmental visuospatial disorder and developmental coordination disorder
Authors: Orefice Camilla , Cardillo Ramona , Lonciari Isabella , Zoccante Leonardo , Mammarella Irene C.
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Either Developmental Visuospatial Disorder (DVSD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) present with difficulties in visuospatial processing, even though entailing different degrees of impairment. Among the visuospatial domain, spatial perspective taking is essential to interact with the environment and is significantly involved in many daily activities (e.g., environment navigation and spatial orienting). Notwithstanding, no previous studies have investigated this spatial domain in children with DVSD and limited evidence is available regarding DCD. Consistent with a transdiagnostic approach, the first goal of the present study was to compare spatial perspective taking abilities of these groups, also including a control group of not diagnosed peers (ND). Secondly, the role of different fine-motor and visuo-spatial predictors on the spatial perspective taking performance was considered.

Method

A total of 85 participants (DVSD = 26; DCD = 26; ND = 33), aged between 8 and 16 years old, were included in the study. Tasks assessing spatial perspective taking, fine-motor, visual imagery, and mental rotation skills, as well as visuo-spatial working memory were administered.

Results and Discussion

Overall, our results confirmed weaknesses in spatial perspective taking in both clinical groups, with the DVSD obtaining the lowest scores. Similarities and differences in the predictors accounting for the performance in the spatial perspective taking task emerged, suggesting the possible employment of different fine-motor or visuospatial strategies by group. Findings are discussed considering the potential impact they may have both in research and clinical practice.
Suicide risk in patients with a current depressive episode during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Zinchuk Mikhail , Kustov Georgii , Beghi Massimiliano , Bryzgalova Yulia , Sviatskaia Ekaterina , Popova Sofya , Voinova Nadezhda , Terentieva Marina , Yakovlev Alexander , Guekht Alla
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on suicidality in these patients during the pandemic period remain scarce. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence and variables associated with serious suicide risk in Russian inpatients with MDD during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional cohort study with consecutive sampling was conducted from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. All patients completed the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) (including the suicidality module), the Beck Depression Inventory, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and underwent a semi-structured interview to collect relevant demographic and clinical data. Effect sizes for all independent variables and covariates were calculated using partial eta-squared (ηp2).

Results

Of the 6757 patients with non-psychotic mental disorders assessed, 1605 (23.7%) had MDD confirmed by the M.I.N.I., of whom 17.8% were at serious risk for suicide according to the M.I.N.I. suicidality module. Factors independently associated with serious suicide risk in Russian inpatients with MDD during the pandemic were younger age (ηp2 = 0.021), greater severity of depression (0.038), higher state anxiety (0.003), and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) (0.066). The same variables, except for state anxiety, were independently associated with suicide risk in the subgroup of MDD patients previously infected with SARS-CoV2.

Conclusion

In the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of patients with MDD at serious risk of suicide was similar to pre-pandemic data. No associations were found between suicidality in patients with MDD and COVID-related factors. Younger age, greater severity of depression, and especially NSSI were the most significant risk factors for suicide in patients with MDD during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Predictors of recovery from severe acute malnutrition among 6–59 months children admitted to a hospital
Authors: Andargie Assefa , Zewdie Segenet
Published: April 2024

Background and aim

Severe acute malnutrition is a threat to child survival as mortality rates in children with severe malnutrition are nine times higher. Globally, about 19 million children are severely malnourished. This study looked at children aged 6–59 months admitted to hospital to see how quickly they recovered from severe acute malnutrition as well as what factors predicted their recovery.

Methods

The study included 543 systematically chosen children with severe acute malnutrition who were admitted to the stabilization center of a hospital. Data from the patient registry were gathered using a retrospective follow-up study design. In order to find predictors of recovery, the Cox proportional hazard model was applied.

Results

From 543 children, 425 (78.27%) were recovered. The median survival time was 8 days. Having grade II edema, grade III edema, and pneumonia were negatively associated with recovery. Similarly, taking ceftriaxone, cloxacillin, and being on a nasogastric tube were associated with poor recovery. Conversely, better recovery rates were linked to exclusive breastfeeding and vitamin A supplementation.

Conclusion

Both the recovery rate and the median survival time fell within acceptable bounds. To boost the recovery rate, efforts are needed to lessen comorbidities.
Understanding the gap between guidelines and influenza vaccination coverage in people with diabetes: a scoping review
Authors: Mastrovito Brice , Lardon Alexia , Dubromel Amelie , Nave Viviane , Beny Karen , Dussart Claude
Published: April 2024

Background

Diabetes affects millions of people worldwide, making them more vulnerable to infections, including seasonal influenza. It is therefore particularly important for those suffering from diabetes to be vaccinated against influenza each year. However, influenza vaccination coverage remains low in this population. This review primarily aims to identify the determinants of influenza vaccination in people with diabetes (T1D or T2D). Secondly, it aims to assess main recommendations for influenza vaccination, vaccine effectiveness, vaccination coverage, and how education and pharmacists can encourage uptake of the vaccine in the diabetic population.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted in January 2022 to systematically review evidence on influenza vaccination in people with diabetes using data from PubMed, Science Direct, and EM Premium with terms such as “Diabetes mellitus,” “Immunization Programs,” “Vaccination,” and “Influenza Vaccines.” Quality assessment and data extraction were independently conducted by two authors. Disagreements between the authors were resolved through discussion and consensus, and if necessary, by consulting a third author.

Results

Of the 333 records identified, 55 studies met the eligibility criteria for inclusion in this review. Influenza vaccination was recommended for people ≥6 months. Despite effectiveness evidence showing a reduction in mortality and hospitalizations in people with diabetes vaccinated vs. non-vaccinated ones, very few studies reported a coverage rate ≥ 75%, which is WHO’s target objective. Determinants such as advanced age, presence of comorbidities and healthcare givers’ advice were associated with increased vaccination uptake. On the contrary, fear of adverse reactions and concerns about vaccine effectiveness were significant barriers. Finally, education and pharmacists’ intervention played a key role in promoting vaccination and increasing vaccination uptake.

Conclusion

Influenza vaccination coverage in people with diabetes remains low despite recommendations and evidence on vaccine effectiveness. Motivators and barriers as well as several socio-demographic and clinical factors have been identified to explain this trend. Efforts are now needed to increase the number of diabetics vaccinated against influenza, mainly through education and the involvement of healthcare givers.
Dynamic assessment of community resilience in China: empirical surveys from three provinces
Authors: Yan Cunling , Liu Xiaoyu , Zhang Ning , Liu Ying , Wang Bingjie , Sun Caihong , Tang Yunli , Qi Yue , Yu Bingyan , Zhang Luhao , Ning Ning
Published: April 2024

Background

Strengthening the construction of community resilience and reducing disaster impacts are on the agenda of the Chinese government. The COVID-19 pandemic could alter the existing community resilience. This study aims to explore the dynamic change trends of community resilience in China and analyze the primary influencing factors of community resilience in the context of COVID-19, as well as construct Community Resilience Governance System Framework in China.

Methods

A community advancing resilience toolkit (CART) was used to conduct surveys in Guangdong, Sichuan, and Heilongjiang provinces in China in 2015 and 2022, with community resilience data and information on disaster risk awareness and disaster risk reduction behaviors of residents collected. The qualitative (in-depth interview) data from staffs of government agencies and communities (n = 15) were pooled to explore Community Resilience Governance System Framework in China. Descriptive statistics analysis and t-tests were used to investigate the dynamic development of community resilience in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to explore the main influencing factors of residential community resilience with such socio-demographic characteristics as gender and age being controlled.

Results

The results indicate that community resilience in China has improved significantly, presenting differences with statistical significance (p < 0.05). In 2015, connection and caring achieved the highest score, while disaster management achieved the highest score in 2022, with resources and transformative potential ranking the lowest in their scores in both years. Generally, residents presented a high awareness of disaster risks. However, only a small proportion of residents that were surveyed had participated in any “community-organized epidemic prevention and control voluntary services” (34.9%). Analysis shows that core influencing factors of community resilience include: High sensitivity towards major epidemic-related information, particular attention to various kinds of epidemic prevention and control warning messages, participation in epidemic prevention and control voluntary services, and formulation of epidemic response plans. In this study, we have constructed Community Resilience Governance System Framework in China, which included community resilience risk awareness, community resilience governance bodies, community resilience mechanisms and systems.

Conclusion

During the pandemic, community resilience in China underwent significant changes. However, community capital was, is, and will be a weak link to community resilience. It is suggested that multi-stages assessments of dynamic change trends of community resilience should be further performed to analyze acting points and core influencing factors of community resilience establishment at different stages.
Willingness to pay for National Health Insurance Services and Associated Factors in Africa and Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Bayked Ewunetie Mekashaw , Assfaw Abebe Kibret , Toleha Husien Nurahmed , Zewdie Segenet , Biset Gebeyaw , Ibirongbe Demilade Olusola , Kahissay Mesfin Haile
Published: April 2024

Background

Universal health coverage (UHC) is crucial for public health, poverty eradication, and economic growth. However, 97% of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly Africa and Asia, lack it, relying on out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure. National Health Insurance (NHI) guarantees equity and priorities aligned with medical needs, for which we aimed to determine the pooled willingness to pay (WTP) and its influencing factors from the available literature in Africa and Asia.

Methods

Database searches were conducted on Scopus, HINARI, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar from March 31 to April 4, 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute’s (JBI’s) tools and the “preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement” were used to evaluate bias and frame the review, respectively. The data were analyzed using Stata 17. To assess heterogeneity, we conducted sensitivity and subgroup analyses, calculated the Luis Furuya-Kanamori (LFK) index, and used a random model to determine the effect estimates (proportions and odds ratios) with a p value less than 0.05 and a 95% CI.

Results

Nineteen studies were included in the review. The pooled WTP on the continents was 66.0% (95% CI, 54.0–77.0%) before outlier studies were not excluded, but increased to 71.0% (95% CI, 68–75%) after excluding them. The factors influencing the WTP were categorized as socio-demographic factors, income and economic issues, information level and sources, illness and illness expenditure, health service factors, factors related to financing schemes, as well as social capital and solidarity. Age has been found to be consistently and negatively related to the WTP for NHI, while income level was an almost consistent positive predictor of it.

Conclusion

The WTP for NHI was moderate, while it was slightly higher in Africa than Asia and was found to be affected by various factors, with age being reported to be consistently and negatively related to it, while an increase in income level was almost a positive determinant of it.
Fleas: Amazing Jumpers That Can Carry Pathogens
Authors: Sanches Gustavo Seron , Neves Lorena Freitas , Lee Daniel Antônio Braga , Franco Eliz Oliveira , André Marcos Rogério
Published: April 2024

Have you ever seen some small dark brown bugs jumping off your pets? Those creatures might have been fleas. Fleas are insects specialized for feeding on blood, with long, strong legs for jumping and claws for holding onto your pet tightly. Fleas use many animals, including humans, as “hotels” and “restaurants”. Even if pets try to scratch and shake to kick out these unwelcome guests, it does not work! They hang on with their claws and keep eating for free. In addition to being nasty, fleas can carry diseases that they can transmit to animals when the fleas feed, or if the animal eats them accidentally. So be careful if these tiny insects decide to visit your pet’s skin! Do you want to learn more? Keep reading, and we will introduce to you some curious facts about the lives of fleas.
Efficacy and Safety of Vaccines After Conventional Treatments for Survival of Gliomas: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Amanzadeh Jajin Elnaz , Oraee Yazdani Saeed , Zali Alireza , Esmaeili Abolghasem
Published: April 2024

Background:

Malignant gliomas are known with poor prognosis and low rate of survival among brain tumors. Resection surgery is followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy in treatment of gliomas which is known as the conventional treatment. However, this treatment method results in low survival rate. Vaccination has been suggested as a type of immunotherapy to increase survival rate of glioma patients. Different types of vaccines have been developed that are mainly classified in two groups including peptide vaccines and cell-based vaccines. However, there are still conflicts about which type of vaccines is more efficient for malignant glioma treatment.

Methods:

Phase Ⅰ/Ⅱ clinical trials which compared the efficacy and safety of various vaccines with conventional treatments were searched in databases through November 2022. Overall survival (OS) rate, progression free survival (PFS), and OS duration were used for calculation of pooled risk ratio (RR). In addition, fatigue, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and flu-like syndrome were used for evaluating the safety of vaccines therapy in glioma patients.

Results:

A total of twelve articles were included in the present meta-analysis. Comparison of OS rate between vaccinated groups and control groups who underwent only conventional treatments showed a significant increase in OS rate in vaccinated patients (I2 = 0%, RR = 11.17, 95% CI: 2.460–50.225). PFS rate was better in vaccinated glioma patients (I2 = 83%, RR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.63–5.03). Assessment of safety demonstrated that skin reaction (I2 = 0.0%, RR = 3.654; 95% CI: 1.711–7.801, p-value = 0.0058) and flu-like syndrome were significantly more frequent adverse effects win vaccinated groups compared to the control group. Subgroup analysis also showed that vaccination leads to better OS duration in recurrent gliomas than primary gliomas, and in LGG than HGG (p-value = 0). On the other hand, personalized vaccines showed better OS duration than non-personalized vaccines (p-value = 0).

Conclusion:

Vaccination is a type of immunotherapy which shows promising efficacy in treatment of malignant glioma patients in terms of OS, PFS and duration of survival. In addition, AFTV, peptide, and dendritic cell-based vaccines are among the most efficient vaccines for gliomas. Personalized vaccines also showed considerable efficacy for glioma treatments.
Still Far to Go With Characterisation of Molecular and Genetic Features of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma in People Living With HIV: A Scoping Review
Authors: Manyau Maudy C. P. , Zambuko Blessing , Chatambudza Moses , Zhou Danai T. , Manasa Justen
Published: April 2024

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accounts for half of non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases in people living with human immunodeficiency syndrome (PLWH). The interplay of viremia, immune dysregulation and co-infection with oncogenic viruses play a role in pathogenesis of DLBCL in PLWH (HIV-DLBCL). This scoping review aimed to describe the molecular landscape of HIV-DLBCL, investigate the impact of biomarker on clinical outcomes and describe technologies used to characterise HIV-DLBCL. Thirty-two papers published between 2001 and 2023 were included in this review. Samples of HIV-DLBCL were relatively small (16–110). Cohort effects influenced frequencies of molecular characteristics hence their impact on survival was not clear. Molecular features were distinct from HIV-unrelated DLBCL. The most frequently assessed characteristic was cell of origin (81.3% of studies). Somatic mutations were the least researched (6.3% of studies). Overall, biomarker identification in HIV-DLBCL requires broader richer data from larger or pooled samples using more powerful techniques such as next-generation sequencing.
Not So Robust after All: Evaluating the Robustness of Deep Neural Networks to Unseen Adversarial Attacks
Authors: Garaev Roman , Rasheed Bader , Khan Adil Mehmood
Published: April 2024

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have gained prominence in various applications, but remain vulnerable to adversarial attacks that manipulate data to mislead a DNN. This paper aims to challenge the efficacy and transferability of two contemporary defense mechanisms against adversarial attacks: (a) robust training and (b) adversarial training. The former suggests that training a DNN on a data set consisting solely of robust features should produce a model resistant to adversarial attacks. The latter creates an adversarially trained model that learns to minimise an expected training loss over a distribution of bounded adversarial perturbations. We reveal a significant lack in the transferability of these defense mechanisms and provide insight into the potential dangers posed by L∞-norm attacks previously underestimated by the research community. Such conclusions are based on extensive experiments involving (1) different model architectures, (2) the use of canonical correlation analysis, (3) visual and quantitative analysis of the neural network’s latent representations, (4) an analysis of networks’ decision boundaries and (5) the use of equivalence of L2 and L∞ perturbation norm theories.
Assessing the Sustainability of Urban Agriculture in Shanghai’s Nine Agriculture Districts: A Decadal Analysis (2010–2020)
Authors: Nie Jianyun , Kiminami Akira , Yagi Hironori
Published: April 2024

This research conducts an analysis of the sustainability of urban agriculture in Shanghai over the period 2010 to 2020, employing the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) concept as a framework to evaluate sustainability across economic, environmental, and social dimensions through the formulation and application of a comprehensive indicator system. Utilizing the Delphi method alongside the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for determining indicators and their respective weights, this study adopts a methodologically rigorous approach to analysis. The findings reveal an overall enhancement in agricultural sustainability, albeit accompanied by a decline in economic sustainability. Notably, environmental sustainability emerged as a paramount concern, underscoring the essentiality of incorporating environmental indicators within urban agricultural initiatives. The paper addresses significant challenges such as elevated land prices, demographic shifts, and the imperative for more stringent environmental regulations. It advocates for a multidimensional strategy integrating advanced agricultural technologies and cross-sectoral partnerships to bolster sustainability. Furthermore, the study accentuates the necessity of achieving equilibrium among economic feasibility, environmental stewardship, and social equity to pursue sustainable urban agriculture in Shanghai. Additionally, it highlights the critical role of strategic agricultural policy formulation in fostering sectoral resilience and ensuring enduring sustainability.
Diversifying the UK Agrifood System: A Role for Neglected and Underutilised Crops
Authors: Azam-Ali Sayed N. , Gregory Peter J. , Jahanshiri Ebrahim
Published: April 2024

Supply chain disruptions, a pandemic, and war in Ukraine have exposed faultlines in a globalised food system that depends on a few staple crops grown in a few exporting regions and transported to consumers around the world. In the UK, just three crops, (wheat, barley, and oilseed rape), account for 75 per cent of the UK’s 4.5 million hectares of arable land whilst the country imports around half its food—nearly 40 per cent—from just four EU countries (The Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, and France). Poor diets contribute to one in seven deaths in the UK, 63 per cent of the population is overweight or obese and health inequality is increasing between the poorest and most affluent regions. The food security and health of the UK population is therefore dependent on a small number of locally grown crops, vulnerable supply chains, and an unhealthy, obesogenic diet. The UK food system must diversify if it is to become food and nutritionally secure, meet its climate and biodiversity goals and have a healthy and active population. Climate-resilient and nutritious underutilised crops can help diversify the UK agrifood system, but research and investment in them is sporadic, piecemeal, and unfocused. In this paper, we compare two approaches to identifying potentially suitable underutilised crops for the UK. The first, based on UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Project CH0224, was delivered through literature and database searches and the expertise of growers, advisers, breeders, seed suppliers, processors, traders, and researchers. The second used the CropBASE digital knowledge base for underutilised crops. The two approaches produced no single crop that was common to both shortlists. We propose that the analytical and predictive tools derived from CropBASE could be combined with local knowledge and expertise from the Defra project to provide a common framework for the identification of underutilised crops that are best suited to local UK circumstances now and in climates of the future.
Advancing Crop Yield Predictions: AQUACROP Model Application in Poland’s JECAM Fields
Authors: Panek-Chwastyk Ewa , Ozbilge Ceren Nisanur , Dąbrowska-Zielińska Katarzyna , Gurdak Radosław
Published: April 2024

This study, employing the AquaCrop model, demonstrated notable efficacy in assessing and predicting crop yields for winter wheat, maize, winter rapeseed, and sugar beets in the Joint Experiment for Crop Assessment and Monitoring (JECAM) test area of Poland from 2018 to 2023. In-situ measurements, conducted through field campaigns, included parameters such as electromagnetic radiation reflectance, Leaf Area Index (LAI), soil moisture, accumulated photosynthetically active radiation, chlorophyll content, and plant development phase. The model was calibrated with input data covering daily climatic parameters from the ERA5-land Daily Aggregated repository, crop details, and soil characteristics. Specifically, for winter wheat, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values ranged from 1.92% to 14.26% of the mean yield per hectare. Maize cultivation showed RMSE values ranging from 0.21% to 1.41% of the mean yield per hectare. Winter rapeseed exhibited RMSE values ranging from 0.58% to 17.15% of the mean yield per hectare. In the case of sugar beets, the RMSE values ranged from 0.40% to 1.65% of the mean yield per hectare. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)-based predictions showed higher accuracy for winter wheat, similar accuracy for maize and sugar beets, but lower accuracy for winter rapeseed compared to Leaf Area Index (LAI). The study contributes valuable insights into agricultural management practices and facilitates decision-making processes for farmers in the region.
Comparative Evaluation of the Performance of the PTD and CSF Algorithms on UAV LiDAR Data for Dynamic Canopy Height Modeling in Densely Planted Cotton
Authors: Yang Weiguang , Wu Jinhao , Xu Weicheng , Li Hong , Li Xi , Lan Yubin , Li Yuanhong , Zhang Lei
Published: April 2024

This study introduces a novel methodology for the dynamic extraction of information on cotton growth in terms of height utilizing the DJI Zenmuse L1 LiDAR sensor mounted onto a DJI Matrice 300 RTK Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), aimed at enhancing the precision and efficiency of growth monitoring within the realm of precision agriculture. Employing the Progressive TIN Densification (PTD) and Cloth Simulation Filter (CSF) algorithms, combined with Kriging interpolation, we generated Canopy Height Models (CHMs) to extract the cotton heights at two key agricultural sites: Zengcheng and Tumxuk. Our analysis reveals that the PTD algorithm significantly outperforms the CSF method in terms of accuracy, with its R2 values indicating a superior model fit for height extraction across different growth stages (Zengcheng: 0.71, Tumxuk: 0.82). Through meticulous data processing and cluster analysis, this study not only identifies the most effective algorithm for accurate height extraction but also provides detailed insights into the dynamic growth patterns of cotton varieties across different geographical regions. The findings highlight the critical role of UAV remote sensing in enabling large-scale, high-precision monitoring of crop growth, which is essential for the optimization of agricultural practices such as precision fertilization and irrigation. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the potential of UAV technology to select superior cotton varieties by analyzing their growth dynamics, offering valuable guidance for cotton breeding and cultivation.
Sunflower Growth and Grain Yield under Different Tillage Systems and Sources of Organic Manure on Contrasting Soil Types in Limpopo Province of South Africa
Authors: Mokgolo Matome J. , Zerizghy Mussie G. , Mzezewa Jestinos
Published: April 2024

A field study was conducted to assess the effect of tillage systems (TSs) and manure rates (MRs) on sunflower growth and yield at the University of Limpopo Experimental Farm (Syferkuil) which is on sandy loam soils and University of Venda Experimental Farm (UNIVEN) clayey soils, both located in Limpopo Province of South Africa for 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 cropping seasons. The experimental design was a split plot with three replications. The main plot was the tillage treatments: conventional (CON) and in-field rainwater harvesting (IRWH), while the subplots were the manure treatments: viz. poultry and cattle manures at rates of 20 and 35 t ha−10, plus a control (no manure application). The IRWH is a tillage technique that collects rainwater on a 2 m wide runoff strip into the 1 m wide basin where it infiltrates deep into the soil beyond the evaporation zone but is available for crop use. The results revealed that at Syferkuil IRWH had a significant increase (p < 0.05) on grain yield, head diameter, head dry matter and aboveground dry matter yield in both cropping seasons, whereas at UNIVEN, the significant increase was obtained on grain yield, head diameter, aboveground dry matter, plant height and stem girth during both cropping seasons. The effect of manure rate significantly increased with the application rate, with poultry manure at the highest rate of 35 t ha−1 significantly recording high mean values of grain yield, head diameter, head dry matter, aboveground dry matter, plant height and stem girth at both sites during the two cropping seasons. The increase in leaf area index and 100 seed weight by IRWH and manure rate application varied across the growing stages and cropping seasons with no consistent trend. At Syferkuil, TS and MR interaction was significant on head diameter and on aboveground dry matter at flowering stage in the first cropping season, whereas at UNIVEN, it was significant on head diameter in the first cropping season. Therefore, these results suggest that IRWH combined with poultry manure (35 t ha−1) can be adopted to improve sunflower crop yield under similar management and environmental conditions. In the absence of poultry manure, farmers may opt to use cattle manure at a rate of 35 t ha−1 for better improved yield.
Response of Triticum Vulgare Growth and Nitrogen Allocation to Irrigation Methods and Regimes under Subsoiling Tillage
Authors: Huang Chao , Liu Xuchen , Gao Yang , Chen Haiqing , Ma Shoutian , Qin Anzhen , Zhang Yingying , Gao Zile , Song Yan , Sun Jinkai , Liu Zhandong
Published: April 2024

Subsoiling tillage breaks up the shallow plow layer and thickened plow pan resulting from prolonged crop rotation, thus enhancing the soil tillage layer environment and fostering crop growth. However, these changes in tillage practices are not accompanied by corresponding advancements in irrigation technology. Therefore, this study compared drip irrigation (DI) and micro-sprinkler irrigation (MS) with three watering levels (H, M, L) based on soil water content (70%, 60%, 50% of field capacity) against traditional surface irrigation (CK, 70%FC) to find the most suitable irrigation approach for subsoiling wheat fields. This study found that adjusting irrigation methods and regimes significantly impacted wheat growth and yield. Drip irrigation boosts winter wheat grain yield, harvest index, biomass transfer amount, biomass transfer rate, nitrogen accumulation, nitrogen use efficiency, and nitrogen harvest index significantly compared to surface and micro-sprinkler methods. Drip irrigation, notably the DI-M treatment, significantly enhances winter wheat grain yield by 28.7% compared to CK. Drip irrigation produced optimal results when soil water levels decreased to 60% of the field capacity. This suggests adopting a combination of DI, with irrigation initiated at 60% of field capacity, for enhanced wheat production and resource efficiency.
Anatomical and Morphological Structure of the Skull of a Juvenile Specimen of Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Authors: Kłys Grzegorz , Koenig Elżbieta
Published: April 2024

Few studies analyze the morphology and anatomy of the bat skull, and most of them are incomplete. Some of the difficulties stem from the fact that, in the representatives of the order Chiroptera, the interosseous sutures disappear by fusing together before active flight begins, which takes place over only a few months. This study presents a detailed morphological and anatomical description of the skull of a juvenile specimen of Myotis myotis (Borkhausen, 1797). Juvenile skulls are difficult to preserve and often incomplete. Previously inconsistent terminology related to bones, sutures, and other cranial structures was unified, which will provide insight on the distribution of each structure in both juvenile and adult specimens to be investigated. The description fill in the gaps in knowledge about the cranial structures of Myotis myotis and the representatives of the family Vespertilionidae. This will allow for precise descriptions of the skulls of bats.
Validation of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites as Non-Invasive Markers for Monitoring Stress in Common Buzzards (Buteo buteo)
Authors: Grundei Lara-Luisa , Wolf Tanja E. , Brandes Florian , Schütte Karolin , Freise Fritjof , Siebert Ursula , Touma Chadi , Pees Michael
Published: April 2024

For wild animals, being in captivity in wildlife centers can cause considerable stress. Therefore, it is necessary to establish and validate non-invasive tools to measure chronic stress during rehabilitation. Eight Common Buzzards which lived in permanent husbandry were placed individually into prepared aviaries and their feces were collected before, during and after a stress event for biological validation over a period of seven days. The extracted fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) were analyzed with three different enzyme immune assays (EIA) to find the most suitable one. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the stability of fGCM levels after defecation because further metabolization by bacterial enzymes can lead to changed results. The Cortisone-EIA performed best in males and females and showed that the stress event led to an fGCM increase of 629% (557% in females and 702% in males) in relation to basal values. We found no significant differences between the sexes, but observed significant differences between different times of day. FGCM concentration significantly changed after eight hours at room temperature. Our study successfully validated the non-invasive measurement of fGCM as a stress indicator in Common Buzzards and could therefore lay the foundation for future studies providing new insights for animal welfare research in Buzzards.
Hospital Wastes as Potential Sources for Multi-Drug-Resistant ESBL-Producing Bacteria at a Tertiary Hospital in Ethiopia
Authors: Gashaw Mulatu , Gudina Esayas Kebede , Tadesse Wondwossen , Froeschl Guenter , Ali Solomon , Seeholzer Thomas , Kroidl Arne , Wieser Andreas
Published: April 2024

The hospital environment is increasingly becoming an important reservoir for multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria, posing serious challenges to efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study aimed to investigate the role of hospital waste as a potential source of MDR ESBL-producing bacteria. Samples were collected from multiple sources within a hospital and its vicinity, including surface swabs, houseflies, and sewage samples. The samples were subsequently processed in a microbiology laboratory to identify potential pathogenic bacteria and confirmed using MALDI-TOF MS. Bacteria were isolated from 87% of samples, with the predominant isolates being E. coli (30.5%), Klebsiella spp. (12.4%), Providencia spp. (12.4%), and Proteus spp. (11.9%). According to the double disc synergy test (DDST) analysis, nearly half (49.2%) of the bacteria were identified as ESBL producers. However, despite exhibiting complete resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, 11.8% of them did not test positive for ESBL production. The characterization of E. coli revealed that 30.6% and 5.6% of them carried blaCTX-M group 1 type-15 and blaNDM genes, respectively. This finding emphasizes the importance of proper hospital sanitation and waste management practices to mitigate the spread of AMR within the healthcare setting and safeguard the health of both patients and the wider community.
Specific NOX4 Inhibition Preserves Mitochondrial Function and Dampens Kidney Dysfunction Following Ischemia–Reperfusion-Induced Kidney Injury
Authors: Schiffer Tomas A. , Carvalho Lucas Rannier Ribeiro Antonino , Guimaraes Drielle , Boeder Ariela , Wikström Per , Carlström Mattias
Published: April 2024

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a sudden episode of kidney failure which is frequently observed at intensive care units and related to high morbidity/mortality. Although AKI can have many different causes, ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury is the main cause of AKI. Mechanistically, NADPH oxidases (NOXs) are involved in the pathophysiology contributing to oxidative stress following IR. Previous reports have indicated that knockout of NOX4 may offer protection in cardiac and brain IR, but there is currently less knowledge about how this could be exploited therapeutically and whether this could have significant protection in IR-induced AKI. Aim: To investigate the hypothesis that a novel and specific NOX4 inhibitor (GLX7013114) may have therapeutic potential on kidney and mitochondrial function in a mouse model of IR-induced AKI. Methods: Kidneys of male C57BL/6J mice were clamped for 20 min, and the NOX4 inhibitor (GLX7013114) was administered via osmotic minipump during reperfusion. Following 3 days of reperfusion, kidney function (i.e., glomerular filtration rate, GFR) was calculated from FITC-inulin clearance and mitochondrial function was assessed by high-resolution respirometry. Renal histopathological evaluations (i.e., hematoxylin–eosin) and TUNEL staining were performed for apoptotic evaluation. Results: NOX4 inhibition during reperfusion significantly improved kidney function, as evidenced by a better-maintained GFR (p < 0.05) and lower levels of blood urea nitrogen (p < 0.05) compared to untreated IR animals. Moreover, IR caused significant tubular injuries that were attenuated by simultaneous NOX4 inhibition (p < 0.01). In addition, the level of renal apoptosis was significantly reduced in IR animals with NOX4 inhibition (p < 0.05). These favorable effects of the NOX4 inhibitor were accompanied by enhanced Nrf2 Ser40 phosphorylation and conserved mitochondrial function, as evidenced by the better-preserved activity of all mitochondrial complexes. Conclusion: Specific NOX4 inhibition, at the time of reperfusion, significantly preserves mitochondrial and kidney function. These novel findings may have clinical implications for future treatments aimed at preventing AKI and related adverse events, especially in high-risk hospitalized patients.
A Mongolian–Chinese Neural Machine Translation Method Based on Semantic-Context Data Augmentation
Authors: Zhang Huinuan , Ji Yatu , Wu Nier , Lu Min
Published: April 2024

Neural machine translation (NMT) typically relies on a substantial number of bilingual parallel corpora for effective training. Mongolian, as a low-resource language, has relatively few parallel corpora, resulting in poor translation performance. Data augmentation (DA) is a practical and promising method to solve problems related to data sparsity and single semantic structure by expanding the size and structure of available data. In order to address the issues of data sparsity and semantic inconsistency in Mongolian–Chinese NMT processes, this paper proposes a new semantic-context DA method. This method adds an additional semantic encoder based on the original translation model, which utilizes both source and target sentences to generate different semantic vectors to enhance each training instance. The results show that this method significantly improves the quality of Mongolian–Chinese NMT tasks, with an increase of approximately 2.5 BLEU values compared to the basic Transformer model. Compared to the basic model, this method can achieve the same translation results with about half of the data, greatly improving translation efficiency.
Laminar Ulva Species: A Multi-Tool for Humankind?
Authors: Costa Sofia Pereira , Cotas João , Pereira Leonel
Published: April 2024

Green algae, phylum Chlorophyta, due to their green appearance as higher plants, are seen as one of the raw materials to be widely used by humanity for different purposes. How can these different purposes achieve ONU Sustainable Development Goals? The genus Ulva sp. is widely distributed through all continents, tolerating different ecosystems (freshwater and marine), different intensities of light, temperature, and salinity. The Ulva sp. life cycle is isomorphic and biphasic type, also affected by biotic factors such as thallus age, phytohormones, microbiome, sporulation inhibitors and metabolomic. Due to that, types of farming can be implemented depending on the cultivation method and it is final biomass exploitation. Thus, this critical review analyzes the laminar Ulva species from the ecology and demonstrates that the seaweed biomass application, may make significant contributions to marine ecosystems, humans, aquaculture, and biotechnological innovation, indicating its importance in both environmental and socioeconomic contexts based on experiments across the world, time and critical thinking. This means that explaining the actual road and future roads of laminar Ulva into a multi-tool development from humankind welfare. With right management of resources and human empowerment, Ulva sp. products can be produced facing climate change and support different industries. However, responsible management of Ulva populations and farming is essential to prevent overgrowth, green floods, and maintain environmental equilibrium.
Fire Behavior of Wood–Glass and Jute–Glass Hybrid Laminates Manufactured by Vacuum Infusion
Authors: Pires Letícia Zimermann , Santos Ohayna Lisboa , Kairytė Agnė , Šeputytė-Jucikė Jurga , Makowska Sylwia , Battegazzore Daniele , Frache Alberto , Delucis Rafael de Avila , de Cademartori Pedro Henrique Gonzalez , Acosta Andrey Pereira
Published: April 2024

This study explores the fire behavior of wood–glass and jute–glass hybrid laminates, with a focus on the influence of jute and wood veneers as new materials for composite production. Five-layer hybrid laminates were manufactured using the vacuum infusion process (VIP). Combustion and carbonization performances were assessed using a cone calorimeter based on the ISO 5660 method. This study evaluates flammability through key parameters including ignition time, heat release rate, and smoke production. The results indicated that the ignition time was significantly longer (ca. 64 s) for the glass–jute laminate (GJGJG), compared to the wood–glass laminate (WGWGW) (ca. 53 s). The heat release rate of laminates containing organic components was higher than the sample composed only of glass mat (G5) but their rates were all lower than the polyester reference resin. WGWGW, compared to the GJGJG sample, was able to produce a good-quality protective shield and, therefore, postpone the occurrence of the heat release peak. In this way, the fire growth rate index (FIGRA) best performance was accomplished by the WGWGW sample (2.7 ± 0.3 kW/m2 × s), which was even better than that of the G5 sample. The total-smoke-released value was highest for polyester, 7361 ± 839 m2/m2, followed by WGWGW, 2873 ± 188 m2/m2, and J5, 2484 ± 216 m2/m2. Among the hybrid laminates, the best performance was obtained by GJGJG, 1860 ± 49 m2/m2, but compared to the G5 laminates, it was only ~36% higher. The specific extinction area (SEA) is a smoke parameter related to the mass of the samples; the best result was obtained by WGWGW with 697 ± 31 m2/kg. Finally, the neat polyester and all laminates achieved UL 94HB classification, with firing rates below 40 mm/min.