Search Results (120)

Given the increasing crop yield losses, water scarcity, and fertilizer application in Northeast China, a systematic assessment is increasingly necessary to investigate the potential of crop redistribution to enhance grain production while alleviating environmental pressures. Here we quantify the potential of crop redistribution in Northeast China through a multi-objective optimization approach. First, we construct a dataset that contains four objectives including crop yield, yield losses, water deficit, and nitrogen fertilizer application based on their annual data in 273 counties over two decades (2001–2020). Second, we optimize the county-level distribution of rice, maize and soybean using the developed dataset and evaluate the benefits on each objective. Finally, we design a crop redistribution scheme and analyze its impact on the cropping structure in Northeast China based on the optimal solution. Results show significant potential of crop redistribution, with crop production increases by 1.70% (2.41 × 10⁶ tons), production losses decrease by 2.69% (1.84 × 10⁵ tons), water deficit decreases by 6.78% (3.88 × 10⁸ m³) and N fertilizer application decreases by 10.87% (5.41 × 10⁷ kg) when all the objectives are optimized simultaneously. The crop redistribution scheme is summarized as follows: compared with the baseline crop structure, rice area increases by 69.58%, maize reduces by 12.8%, and soybean reduces by 54.79% in Northeast China. Specifically, rice area increases in northwestern Heilongjiang, eastern Jilin, most counties in Liaoning, and reduces elsewhere. Maize area reduces in most of the counties, except for several counties in southwestern Heilongjiang, northern Jilin, and northern parts of the Four Eastern Leagues. Soybean area reduces in northern part of Heilongjiang and Four Eastern Leagues and increases in western Jilin and most counties in Liaoning. Although crop redistribution scheme was generated, the model remains limited in terms of crop types, spatial resolution, and the range of factors influencing crop distribution. Future work will address these limitations to enhance the reliability and applicability of the crop redistribution model. Full article

Anorexia and hyporexia are common clinical signs in dogs with acute or chronic illnesses, often requiring targeted nutritional interventions. Mirtazapine, an orexigenic drug widely used in cats, has limited evidence supporting its use in dogs. This study evaluated mirtazapine’s efficacy as an appetite stimulant in dogs using a two-part approach: (1) a retrospective analysis of 107 clinical cases comparing dogs that received mirtazapine to untreated controls; and (2) a prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial involving 25 dogs. In the retrospective analysis, dogs treated with mirtazapine were significantly more likely to resume voluntary food intake (OR = 3.06) and had less weight loss compared to controls. In the prospective trial, mirtazapine significantly increased food acceptance on the first day (100% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.03), with no adverse effects observed. However, the effect was not maintained on the second day, possibly due to residual drug activity or clinical improvement. Latency to feeding averaged 120 min post-administration. Mirtazapine was safe and well tolerated, even in dogs with comorbidities. These findings support the short-term use of mirtazapine as a second-line appetite stimulant in dogs when enteral feeding is not feasible. Full article

Macroinvertebrates are a crucial part of aquatic ecosystems and significantly contribute to the maintenance of their health and stability. Our aims were to explore spatio-temporal patterns in macroinvertebrate communities and evaluate the ecological health of various parts of the Poyang Lake Basin during the early stage of a fishing ban. We collected samples using a Peterson grab sampler and conducted ecological evaluations using the B-IBI index. A total of 107 species of macroinvertebrates were identified, and most species were arthropods. The density and biomass of macroinvertebrates significantly differed among seasons and water bodies. No significant differences in diversity among seasons were observed; however, diversity significantly varied among water bodies. Environmental parameters such as water depth, pH, turbidity, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a played a crucial role in shaping the community structure of macroinvertebrates. Most of the sampling sites were classified as healthy or sub-healthy, indicating that the fishing ban policy has started to have a positive effect. The effects of this ban are achieved through a cascading sequence of processes, including the elimination of fishing disturbance, the restoration of habitat structure, and the reallocation of trophic energy, in addition to increases in microhabitat diversity associated with habitat heterogeneity. Together, these processes drive the multidimensional recovery of macroinvertebrate communities, manifested as increased species richness, higher density and biomass, and elevated B-IBI scores. Full article

Background/Objectives: Red bone marrow irradiation is a major concern for patients with advanced prostate cancer undergoing [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA therapy. However, low uptake in the red bone marrow and the presence of bone lesions complicate image-based red bone marrow dosimetry. This study aimed to investigate the general feasibility of image-based red bone marrow activity estimation for [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA treatment and to develop a fully automated workflow for clinical implementation. Methods: In the first part of the study, 175 virtual patient phantoms with realistic ¹⁷⁷Lu activity distributions were generated based on 639 pre-therapeutic [¹⁸F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT scans. The SIMIND Monte Carlo tool was used to simulate the ¹⁷⁷Lu SPECT acquisitions (24 h post-injection (p.i.)), which were used to assess the uncertainty of red bone marrow activity estimation. In the second part, red bone marrow self- and cross-absorbed doses were estimated for four therapy cycles of 20 patients. Results: The simulation study shows a significant overestimation of activity in skeletal sites with bone lesions, with median recovery coefficients (RCs) across all phantoms yielding a median of 225% (range: 106–1015%). In contrast, the median RCs were markedly lower in skeletal sites neighboring or distant to lesion-carrying sites (105% [72–163%] and 107% [77–130%], respectively). The median total absorbed dose to the red bone marrow was 20.8 mGy/GBq (range: 5.6–297.9 mGy/GBq). Median blood levels decreased with an increasing median cumulative total absorbed dose. Conclusions: Reliable estimation of activity concentration in skeletal sites without bone lesion infiltration has been shown to be feasible. Based on this finding, an automated workflow for routine image-based red bone marrow dosimetry was developed. Full article

This study examines the differences in growth patterns, biomass accumulation, and carbon storage between planted European beech and Norway spruce in the Western Carpathians, Slovakia. Two approaches were used to analyze young forest trees and stands: destructive tree sampling and repetitive tree measurements. Biomass modeling was conducted for individual tree components and entire trees, demonstrating that stem diameter and height were strong predictors of biomass. Notably, beeches exhibited greater tree biomass than spruces when analyzed at the same stem diameter, whereas the opposite trend was observed when tree height was used as the predictor. At the stand level, biomass modeling incorporated the mean diameter, mean height, or stand age. Two primary tree components were analyzed: woody parts, which store carbon long term, and foliage, which stores carbon for shorter periods. Stand age emerged as the most reliable predictor, providing real-time estimates of biomass and carbon storage. At a maximum modeled stand age of 12 years, beech biomass stock was 18 Mg ha⁻¹, compared to 58 Mg ha⁻¹ for spruce (uniform tree spacing of 2.0 × 2.0 m for both species was considered). Correspondingly, carbon storage values were 9 Mg ha⁻¹ for beech and 29 Mg ha⁻¹ for spruce, demonstrating a threefold difference in favor of spruce. The study also examined the biomass transition to necromass, specifically foliage litter loss. Over 12 years, spruce stands shed 10.3 Mg ha⁻¹ of needle litter, while beech stands lost 5.4 Mg ha⁻¹. A 12-year-old beech stand fixed-carbon (necromass in form of foliage litter was not included) equivalent to about 30 Mg CO₂ per ha, while a spruce stand of the same age fixed nearly 107 Mg CO₂ per ha. The carbon storage in live trees translates into financial values about EUR 2000 per ha for beech and over EUR 7000 per ha for spruce, highlighting an economic advantage for spruce in carbon sequestration markets as part of climate sustainability efforts. However, in practice, these differences could be partly reduced through denser (more than double) planting of beech compared to spruce. Full article

In high-mountain canyon regions, many settlements are located on large, deep-seated ancient landslides. The deformation characteristics, triggering mechanisms, and long-term developmental trends of these landslides significantly impact the safety and stability of these communities. However, the deformation mechanism under the influence of human engineering activities remains unclear. SBAS-InSAR (Small Baseline Subset-Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar) technology, UAV LiDAR, and field surveys were utilized in this study to identify a large ancient landslide in the upper Jinsha River Basin: the Zhongxinrong landslide. It extends approximately 1220 m in length, with a vertical displacement of around 552 m. The average thickness of the landslide mass ranges from 15.0 to 35.0 m, and the total volume is estimated to be between 1.48 × 10⁷ m³ and 3.46 × 10⁷ m³. The deformation of the Zhongxinrong landslide is primarily driven by a combination of natural and anthropogenic factors, leading to the formation of two distinct accumulation bodies, each exhibiting unique deformation characteristics. Accumulation Body II-1 is predominantly influenced by rainfall and road operation, resulting in significant deformation in the upper part of the landslide. In contrast, II-2 is mainly affected by rainfall and river erosion at the front edge, causing creeping tensile deformation at the toe. Detailed analysis reveals a marked acceleration in deformation following rainfall events when the cumulative rainfall over a 15-day period exceeds 120 mm. The lag time between peak rainfall and landslide displacement ranges from 2 to 28 days. Furthermore, deformation in the high-elevation accumulation area consistently exhibits a slower lag response compared to the tensile deformation area at lower zones. These findings highlight the importance of both natural and anthropogenic factors in landslide risk assessment and provide valuable insights for landslide prevention strategies, particularly in regions with similar geological and socio-environmental conditions. Full article

This paper examines the characteristics and implications of reported Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) incidents in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) database for UAS incidents operated by remote pilots licensed under Part 107. Characteristics examined include seasonal patterns of incidents, operational mission, and number of contributing factors, as well as crew configuration, timing of incident detection, and airspace class. Results are compared with previous research and with incident data for recreational users. The narratives for each incident are assessed to provide a greater context for the incidents and to determine how the incidents vary in different classes of airspace. Findings reveal that UAS incidents often involve multiple contributing factors, including environmental, human, equipment, and policy issues; there is an increasing prevalence of human-related issues over equipment problems compared to previous research; this reflects historic safety trends in crewed aviation. Near-miss incidents with crewed aircraft are a very real concern, particularly in Class D airspace, which often includes general aviation (GA) and helicopter operations. This research underscores the need for timely communication during urgent nighttime UAS operations as well as enhanced safety culture at both operator and organizational levels. Full article

The dune density is an important parameter for representing the characteristics of desert geomorphology, providing a precise depiction of the undulating topography of the desert. Owing to the limitations of estimation methods and data availability, accurately quantifying dune density has posed a significant challenge; in response to this issue, we propose an innovative model to estimate dune density using a dune vertex search combined with four-directional orographic spectral decomposition. This study reveals several key insights: (1) Taklimakan Desert distributes approximately 5.31 × 10⁷ dunes, with a linear regression fit R² of 0.79 between the estimated and observed values. The average absolute error and root mean square error are calculated as 25.61 n/km² and 30.48 n/km², respectively. (2) The distribution of dune density across the eastern, northeastern, southern, and western parts of the Taklimakan Desert is relatively lower, while there is higher dune density in the central and northern areas. (3) The observation data constructed using the improved YOLOv8s algorithm and remote sensing imagery effectively validate the estimation results of dune density. The new algorithm demonstrates a high level of accuracy in estimating sand dune density, thereby providing crucial parameters for sub-grid orographic parameterization in desert regions. Additionally, its application potential in dust modeling appears promising. Full article

Qionghai Lake is an important freshwater source in the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau. However, cyanobacterial blooms have been observed recently in Qionghai Lake, but their formation mechanism and control management are not well understood. Herein, phytoplankton, zooplankton, eutrophication, nutrients, and biochemical indices were measured in Qionghai Lake from May 2022 to April 2023. The results showed that cyanobacterial blooms in Qionghai Lake predominated in Anabaena sp. with a density of 1.11 × 10⁷–18.87 × 10⁷ cells/L. Anabaena blooms started in the northwestern area of Qionghai Lake in November 2022 and then expanded to the entire lake until it peaked and subsided in February 2023. Protozoa dominated in zooplankton while having no significant relationship with Anabaena blooms in Qionghai Lake. The trophic level index and chlorophyll a showed similar spatiotemporal trends with Anabaena sp. density, and water quality in the northwest of the Qionghai Lake was worse than in other parts. Total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were 0.41–0.54 and 0.021–0.045 mg/L from November 2022 to February 2023. TN and TP were positively correlated with Anabaena sp. density, but TP was the most significant environmental factor affecting Anabaena bloom in Qionghai Lake. These findings might provide essential information for improving bloom control and water quality remediation in Qionghai Lake. Full article

Anxiety is a subjective feeling of fear in response to stressful or threatening situations. Chronic diseases (such as chronic kidney disease) or the state after kidney transplantation are such situations and they may result in a decreased quality of life. The main aim of this research was to evaluate if the proteins IL-8, RANTES, MIG, MCP-1, IP-10, and IL-12p70 could be indicators of higher levels of anxiety or decreased quality of life in chronically ill women. The assessment was conducted using the STAI and SF-36 questionnaires and with the measurement of listed proteins from the patient’s blood sample. The study group consisted of 107 women—101 patients from the Nephrological Clinic and 6 from the Dialysis Center. Both of the facilities are part of University Clinical Hospital No. 2 in Szczecin. Statistical analysis was performed using JASP software (JASP 0.18.3 version). Anxiety levels and quality of life correlations between STAI and SF-36 scores and individual variables were assessed. Logistic regression models were performed for both questionnaire outcomes: SF-36 and STAI. Lower quality of life was found in the group with a higher IL-8 concentration compared to the group of women with a lower IL-8 concentration. A positive weak correlation was found between a decreased quality of life and IL-8 and RANTES. A higher RANTES level increases the odds of a lower quality of life. This study shows that special care should be provided for chronically ill women (especially with CKD or after KTx) with a higher RANTES or IL-8 concentration. They would highly benefit from close monitoring of their mental health. Full article

The socio-cultural leadership system in rural communities of developing countries is generally gender-biased, thus rendering female-headed households (FHHs) vulnerable to climate change risk. This study explored the factors influencing FHHs’ adoption of a climate change adaptation strategy (CCAS) in Chivi District, Zimbabwe. We used a multistage sampling technique and logistic regression to evaluate 107 women household heads’ livelihood and their decision to adopt the CCAS in Ward 25 of the Chivi District. The results show that the age of the female head significantly influenced the CCAS decision (R² = −0.073), along with marital status (R² = 0.110), agricultural training (R² = 0.133), club membership (R² = 0.084), and farm size (R² = 0.014). Access to formal agricultural training plays a prominent role. At the same time, the institutional framework showed variations and laxity on the part of the local government, as access to extension services varies significantly. In addition, education level was reported to have an insignificant (p = 0.098) influence on CCAS adoption. Overall, multiple institutional and socio-economic factors are essential in influencing CCAS decisions. Hence, central and local governments are encouraged to improve outreach strategies on deploying supporting tools, extension agents, and vital stakeholders for strategic information dissemination to sensitize rural dwellers and community leaders on women’s and FHHs’ crucial role in food security and their resilience to climate change risk. Moreover, the educational syllabus can be enhanced at all rural education levels to reshape the norms of future generations against the customary impact of old age on farming approaches and to encourage women’s participation in decision making and interventions, particularly those sensitive to their societal contributions. Full article

In this article, an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) platform focused on search and rescue applications is discussed and analyzed from a systems thinking perspective. By applying two systems thinking tools, namely Mind Map and TRIZ, the strong interactions within the constituent parts that make up the system’s whole are examined with the aim of providing a comprehensive roadmap for a proposed Advanced Air Mobility Post-Disaster Response (AAMPDR) system. Furthermore, two problems are discussed to demonstrate the application of the TRIZ technique. The first is in regards to a clause in the AGL rule that could present operational risks to the AAM’s airframe, while the second relates to a potential conflict ensuing from the advent of the 5G C-band and its effect on the AAM altimetry. The resulting solutions to resolve these conflicts using this same technique are also discussed, firstly by taking into account the mean sea/water level as a reference for vertical height within the provisions of the Federal Aviation Regulation requirements, and secondly by applying segmentation of the mission profile as well as a multi-stage frequency designation for each segment depending on a threshold vertical distance. Finally, this study demonstrated that Mind Map and TRIZ can be effective techniques in the early stages of conceptual model development for an AAM system applied to post–disaster response. Furthermore, that the contradictions tool of TRIZ can also be utilized in resolving those potential conflicts identified in relation to the system of interest. To this end, this paper proposes the amendment of the current Part 107 rule to include the term Above Mean Sea (or Water) Level (AMS/WL), a critical yet missing piece of the system requirements that engineers should take into account in future AAM system designs. Full article

Construction sites rely on erosion control practices to protect bare slopes and prevent soil loss. The effectiveness of certain erosion controls is often under-evaluated if they are not a part of a product evaluation program. Furthermore, erosion controls in general are not fully understood regarding how their performance can be affected by site specific variables, such as soil variations. This study used large-scale rainfall simulators to evaluate how a commonly used erosion control on construction sites, broadcasted straw mulch, performs on three common soil types in Alabama. The study at the Auburn University, Stormwater Research Facility (AU-SRF) used the industry standard testing method and three different soil types: sand, loam, and clay in accordance with ASTM D6459-19, the standard test method for testing rolled erosion control products’ (RECPs) performance in protecting hillslopes from rainfall-induced erosion. As required by ASTM D6459-19, the rainfall simulators simulated a storm of varying 20 min increments of 2 in./h (5.08 cm/h), 4 in./h (10.16 cm/h), and 6 in./h (15.24 cm/h). A total of nine bare soil tests on the 4:1 test plots was performed with an average total soil loss of 1977 lb (897 kg), 236.2 lb (107 kg), and 114.2 lb (51.8 kg) for sand, loam, and clay, respectively. The average erodibility K-factor for each soil type is calculated to be 0.37 (sand), 0.043 (loam), and 0.013 (clay). Nine straw tests were performed on the 4:1 plots, with an average total soil loss of 44.31 lb (20.1 kg), 6.74 lb (3.1 kg), and 17.13 lb (7.8 kg) for sand, loam, and clay, respectively. Straw testing indicated substantial soil loss reduction with average cover management C-factor values under the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) method of 0.021, 0.047, and 0.193 for sand, loam, and clay applications, respectively. This variation in C-factor across the three soil types indicates that the single C-factor, often reported by product manufacturers, is not adequate to imply performance. Full article

Parents’ contributions to their children’s emotion regulation during adolescence has been a relatively understudied interpersonal context of development, even though parents’ roles as sources of social and emotional learning persist from childhood into adolescence and the complexity of teens’ lives grows during this time. This study aims to investigate the differential predictive utility of qualities and behaviors in interparental and parent–teen relationships during adolescence for predicting youths’ development of intra- and interpersonal emotion regulation over a 13-year period. To assess these hypotheses, data were obtained from a longitudinal, multi-method, multi-informant study of 184 adolescents (107 Caucasian, 53 African American, and 24 mixed/other ethnicity; median family income of USD 40,000–60,000/year in 1999, equivalent to about USD 75,000–112,000/year when accounting for inflation) and their parents. The results provide support for a differential pattern of prediction; qualities of interparental relationships in early adolescence were significant predictors of young adult interpersonal emotion regulation, whereas behaviors in interparental and parent–teen relationships in late adolescence were significant predictors of both young adult positive intra- and interpersonal emotion regulation. Notably, some father-reported relationship predictors during late adolescence had unexpected relations with later intrapersonal emotion regulation. The results are discussed in terms of the helpfulness of these specific relationship factors during each part of adolescence for supporting positive intra- and interpersonal emotional regulation development. Full article

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is gaining importance as sensing tool. However, wide application of the SERS technique suffers mainly from limitations in terms of uniformity of the plasmonics structures and sensitivity for low concentrations of target analytes. In this work, we present SERS specimens based on periodic arrays of 3D-structures coated with silver, fabricated by silicon top-down micro and nanofabrication (10 mm × 10 mm footprint). Each 3D-structure is essentially an octahedron on top of a pyramid. The width of the top part—the octahedron—was varied from 0.7 µm to 5 µm. The smallest structures reached an analytical enhancement factor (AEF) of 3.9 × 10⁷ with a relative standard deviation (RSD) below 20%. According to finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations, the origin of this signal amplification lies in the strong localization of electromagnetic fields at the edges and surfaces of the octahedrons. Finally, the sensitivity of these SERS specimens was evaluated under close-to-reality conditions using a portable Raman spectrophotometer and monitoring of the three vibrational bands of 4-nitrobenzenethiol (4-NBT). Thus, this contribution deals with fabrication, characterization and simulation of multiscale 3D-structures with SERS activity. Full article