In anthropized environments such as agricultural zones, soil degradation significantly impacts crop productivity, environmental and economic Sustainability. This degradation is often accelerated by man with inadequate management. The risks associated with soil degradation are particularly pronounced in tropical regions, where extremely weathered soils and rainfall dynamics exacerbate erosion. Soil loss due to erosion is a subject already known by the scientific community and producers with global estimates, but its characterization in the tropical environment is still a dimension that is poorly integrated on a local scale. In this context, this study aimed to validate the use of a simple RGB camera on a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to quantify small-scale erosion in Curral de Cima municipality, Paraíba, Brazil. To this end, a monitoring strategy with biweekly observations over a course of a year was implemented. The results indicate. In this context, and based on this validation, this work proposes to discuss the interest of PRAs in the integrated management of soil, water and economic resources in a tropical environment, demonstrating their interest in integrating the panel of precision agriculture tools by also supporting the “conservation” dimension,thus being able to value soil degradation remotely.

Introduction Diet diversity (DD) in infancy may be protective for early food allergy (FA) but there is limited knowledge about how DD incorporating consumption frequency influences FA risk. Methods Three measures of DD were investigated in 2060 infants at 6 and/or 9 months of age within the NorthPop Birth Cohort Study; a weighted DD score based on intake frequency, the number of introduced foods, and the number of introduced allergenic foods. In multivariable logistic regression models based on directed acyclic graphs, associations to parentally reported physician diagnosed FA at 9- and 18-months age were estimated, including sensitivity- and stratified analyses. Results High weighted DD scores (24-31p) at 9 months of age was associated with a 61% decreased FA risk at age 18 months [OR (95% CI) = 0.39 0.18-0.88] compared with infants with the lowest DD scores (0-17p). The association remained significant after exclusion of early FA cases. Having introduced 13-14 foods at age 9 months, independent of consumption frequency, was associated to a 45% decreased FA risk [OR (95% CI) = 0.55 (0.31-0.98)] compared to having introduced 0-10 foods. When stratifying, results remained only for children with no FA history in the family. No association was seen between reduced FA risk and DD measured at 6 months of age or having introduced more allergenic foods in infancy. Conclusion A diverse diet at 9 months of age may prevent FA at 18 months and results underscore the need for additional investigations on the impact of consumption frequency in infancy.

Bacterial infection and mismatched mechanical properties are important factors that increase the risk of dental implant failure. However, zirconium (Zr)-based bulk metallic glasses (BMG) can have both high strength and low modulus, as well as good biocompatibility, due to their unique atomic arrangement structure. Based on these common characteristics, different elemental compositions can endow zirconium-based amorphous alloys with different properties. Here we present a Zr-based BMG containing silver (Ag) with good amorphous process ability, exhibiting lasting antibacterial, pro-angiogenic and pro-osteogenic properties. This newly developed Zr61Cu23Al12Ti2Ag2 (at.%) BMG has higher strength and lower modulus than pure Titanium (Ti). Furthermore, it could exert antibacterial effects through both contact inhibition and metal ion sterilization. And this antibacterial property could last over 3 months. The systematically in vitro and in vivo results thus demonstrate the advantages and application potentials of Zr-based BMG as a highly promising oral implant material for dental implantation.

Background: Given the limited research on folate and ferritin status in children with cancer undergoing treatment, we investigated the prevalence of abnormalities and their impact on clinical outcomes and treatment complications. Methods: This prospective cohort study enrolled children <18 years diagnosed with cancer between August 2010-February 2014. Data collection occurred at diagnosis, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months. Clinical outcomes were classified as event-free survival or events (relapse, death, the development of new metastasis, becoming palliative), and treatment complications. Micronutrient status was assessed through clinical and nutritional analyses. Binary logistic regression, multilevel model analysis explored relationships between micronutrient status and clinical outcomes. Results: Eighty-two patients [median (IQR) 3.9 (1.9-8.8) years, 56% males] were recruited. Excess ferritin (85%) and folate deficiency (25.5%) were prevalent micronutrient abnormalities throughout the study. Decreased ferritin levels reduced the odds of events by 83.9% (OR=0.161,95% CI=1.000–1.002, p=0.032). Higher ferritin was associated with increased number of treatment-related complications (B=7.3E-5,95% CI=1.5E-5–0.000, p=0.013). Folate status showed significant association with BMI category (χ 2=9.564, p=0.008), indicating that overweight and obese patients were more prone to deficiency. Conclusion: Paediatric cancer patients undergoing treatment exhibit high ferritin and reduced folate levels. Elevated ferritin is linked to increased toxicity and negative clinical outcomes, highlighting the importance of regular assessment and monitoring of both folate and ferritin. Implementing routine monitoring for these biomarkers could help mitigate adverse effects associated with treatment. Large-scale population-based studies and clinical trials are now warranted.

This paper studies the practical fixed-time consensus (Fd-TC) for uncertain multi-agent systems (MASs) under strongly connected directed graphs utilizing adaptive event/self-triggered controllers, respectively. Considering the uncertainty in the agent’s nonlinear dynamic parameters, the adaptive event-triggered controller is designed by incorporating an event-triggered strategy with an adaptive control scheme, which achieves the practical Fd-TC for uncertain nonlinear MASs and the settling time remains constant irrespective of the initial conditions. Moreover, the designed controller is independent of any global information, including communication topology and network size. It also employs the hyperbolic tangent function to tackle Zeno and nondifferential issue. Following this, the adaptive event-triggered controller serves as the foundation for introducing a self-triggered controller, which eliminates the necessity for continuous monitoring and guarantees practical Fd-TC. Furthermore, the results are extended to a more generalized case with uncertain disturbances, highlighting the adaptability of the designed controller. Finally, two numerical simulation examples are conducted to validate the efficacy of the developed controllers.

Case Report

A document by Murtii Teressa Obolu. Click on the document to view its contents.

Diagnosis of a secondary central nervous system Lymphoma (SCNSL) in a patient with low proliferative Mantle cell lymphomaEmmanuel Ojeabuo Oisakede1Ambreen Khalid2Chetan Patalappa2Faheem Anjum3Hashim Heyam2

The operational performance of lithium-ion batteries is significantly influenced by ambient temperature. In high-temperature environments, if the temperature of the battery is unable to be rapidly reduced to within the normal range, it will have a significant impact on the battery’s capacity and lifespan. In comparison to alternative cooling techniques, direct evaporative cooling offers the benefits of high efficiency, optimal temperature distribution, and a straightforward system configuration. It is thus imperative to gain a thorough grasp of the design and operational parameters of the direct cooling thermal management system, and to understand its impact on performance. This paper designs a direct cooling system with R134A as refrigerant. The performance of the battery thermal management system is obtained through numerical simulation based on the thermodynamic method in two typical operational scenarios: fast charging cooling and high-speed travel cooling. The results of the study showed that the refrigerant direct evaporative cooling method exhibited superior performance in both typical operating scenarios, with a battery module temperature rise of no more than 10℃ and a maximum temperature difference of less than 5℃. Subsequently, an investigation was conducted to determine the effect of initial temperature, flow rate, evaporative temperature and dryness on system performance.

Purpose Overuse of antibiotics for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) is common. It would therefore be useful to identify symptoms that predict a high likelihood of viral infection, so these patients could be triaged for home care to avoid antibiotics. Methods We recruited adults presenting to US primary or urgent care sites with a chief complaint of cough and symptoms consistent with LRTI. Data collected included demographics, comorbidities, symptoms, and 46 viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens by PCR. Chi-square tests were done to evaluate the association between individual symptoms and viral versus bacterial infections. Symptoms with a p < 0.10 for the association were retained for logistic regression. We created 4 regression models using stepwise backward elimination at p < 0.20, with viral infection, bacterial infection, and mixed infection as the dependent variables. A simple risk score was created assigning positive and negative points for viral and bacterial symptoms. Results We enrolled 718 adults with acute cough and obtained valid PCR specimens for 618. Four symptoms were significantly more likely with viral infections and less common in bacterial: coryza, confusion, fever, and chest congestion. Three symptoms were more likely with bacterial infections and less likely with viral infections: presence of sputum, sputum that is colored, and double-sickening (feeling better but then worsening). A simple risk score identified patients with a low (29%), moderate (56%) or high (79%) likelihood of having only viral pathogens detected. Conclusions Seven symptoms were identified that could help primary care clinicians distinguish between viral and bacterial LRTI. A simple risk score is proposed but requires prospective validation.

The development of a modular software platform using large language models (LLMs) for code generation presents unique opportunities and challenges. This paper explores the experiences and difficulties encountered during the creation of an AI-driven business intelligence platform built with LLM assistance. By using an iterative approach to generate modular code, the project aimed to accelerate development and automate routine tasks. However, challenges such as inconsistency in the generated code, hallucinations, lack of long-term memory, and integration complexities emerged. These limitations necessitated manual intervention for code refinement, debugging, and integration to ensure project-wide consistency. The study discusses strategies to address these issues, including structured prompting, automated testing, and iterative refinement. The findings reveal that while LLMs significantly reduce development time and facilitate rapid prototyping, they are not a complete substitute for human expertise. The paper offers practical insights into optimizing the use of LLMs in software engineering, demonstrating both the potential benefits and current limitations of AI-assisted code generation in modular software projects.

Objectives This systematic review aims to explore and outline the anaesthetic considerations and precautions for patients with a diagnosis of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) undergoing nasal surgery. Design A search was performed across four electronic databases between the dates 1 st January 2000 and 1 st March 2024. Two independent reviewers selected articles that met the following criteria: adult patients with HHT undergoing nasal surgery; description of anaesthetic regime; English language. Case reports and reviews were excluded. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines were followed throughout. Results and participants Nine studies were included in the analysis, comprising a total of 800 patients. Two studies described local anaesthetic (LA) only, two described general anaesthetic (GA) only, and five described cases of each. Modality of anaesthesia was dependent on type of procedure (laser therapy, endoscopic surgery, sclerotherapy, or plasma coagulation) and patient factors (including HHT disease severity, vascular anatomy, and age). Anaesthetic approaches varied, although there were similarities; for example, six studies used a topical LA, combined with a vasoconstrictor. Only one study described a GA regime. Reduction of intra-operative bleeding was highlighted across multiple studies; measures included endotracheal tube/nasal lubrication, decongestants, and controlled hypotension. Complications were generally low, with three studies, totalling 218 patients, describing procedures in-clinic with LA with no reported complications. Conclusion The literature lacks clear consensus for selecting between LA or GA, as well as evidenced regimes for both. Therefore, further research is needed to better inform the anaesthetic approach for HHT patients undergoing nasal surgery.

In this work, double-layer heterogeneous calcium alginate scaffolds were designed for alveolar bone defects where the outer layer featured high hardness and slow degradation, and the inner layer characterized by large pores and rapid degradation. The morphology of the calcium alginate scaffold was akin to that of bone defects, and its direct implantation reduced the operation time. A higher concentration of calcium alginate resulted in smaller pores and slower degradation. Calcium alginate can promote the formation of mineralized nodules and the expression of genes related to mineralization without inducing cytotoxic effects. It also promoted the expression of cellular inflammatory factors, potentially through the TLR4 pathway. In vivo studies confirmed that calcium alginate did not promote the aggregation of inflammatory cells nor the expression of inflammatory factors. In conclusion, the scaffold's characteristics of high surface hardness and slow degradation were beneficial for surface osteogenesis and maintaining the defect's shape and osteogenic space. Conversely, rapid internal degradation favors the formation of bone tissue.

Cold stress is the major abiotic factor limiting crop productivity. However, compared to model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, crucial genes and underlying molecular mechanisms involved in soybean cold stress remain underexplored. Here, we investigate two national soybean cultivars, HH43 and HX3, bred from northeast and southwest regions of China, which exhibit significant differences in cold tolerance. Morphological and biochemical examinations show that, compared to HH43, HX3 exhibits delayed wilting, reduced oxidative damage, and elevated antioxidant enzyme activities under low temperature (4°C). Transcriptomic analyses at different time courses upon 4°C show distinct patterns, with HH43 having a rapid gene response and HX3 exhibiting a gradual increase. Particularly, we identify MEblue and MEgreen modules related to cold stress and construct their GENIE3 networks. Key TFs such as CAMTA1/A2 , WRKY33/40 , ATAF1 , ERF72, bZIP29 and their potential targets were identified, which likely contribute to the cold tolerance differences between HH43 and HX3. Moreover, proteomic analyses reveal a broader and more sustained protein upregulation associated with maintaining metabolic activity and cellular homeostasis in cold-tolerant HX3, while limited proteomic response was observed in cold-sensitive HH43 and degradation of certain early response proteins. These findings provide substantial resources for further functional research and breeding cold-tolerant soybean cultivars.

Although machine Reinforcement Learning (RL) was developed with direct intuition from animal learning, it was not initially intended to explain the neurobiological processes of the brain. But the collaboration of neuroscientists, roboticists and computer scientists has recently permitted to draw parallels between the computational steps of RL algorithms and the neurobiological processes. This system equivalence became even more evident after the invention of recurrent neural networks (RNNs) like LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) and Transformer networks, which seem to fulfill the function of short-term memory in the brain’s hippocampus. In this paper, we outline the relevance of RL in cognitive behavior especially in the context of action selection, spatial memory and navigational strategies. We are supporting our conclusions by mathematical models of the involved brain regions and the interplay of the neuromodulators that are engaged in these cognitive tasks. We also present the recent findings about Meta-Learning as the leading RL class of algorithms which came as the most tenable solution to the problem of sample inefficiency in generic RL. Therefore, Meta-Learning and Meta-RL models offer the closest match and the simplest explanation for the fitness of humans in performing the sophisticated cognitive and navigational tasks.

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is an iconic top predator that is threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, along with an emerging expansion of poaching for the illegal trade of live individuals and their parts. To address the need for tools that improve surveillance and monitoring of its remaining populations, we have developed a genome-enabled single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) panel targeting this species. From a dataset of 58 complete jaguar genomes, we identified and selected highly informative SNPs for geographic traceability, individual identification, kinship, and sexing. Our panel, named ‘Jag-SNP’, comprises 459 SNPs selected from an initial pool of 13,373,949 markers based on the inter-biome FST, followed by rigorous filtering and addition of eight sex-linked SNPs. We then randomly selected subsets of this panel and identified an 84-SNP set that exhibited a similar resolving power. With both the 459-SNP panel and its 84-SNP subset, samples were assigned with 98% success to their biomes of origin and 65-69% of them were assigned to within 500 km of their origin. Furthermore, ca. 10-18 SNPs within these panels were sufficient to distinguish individuals, while 6 sex-linked SNPs perfectly separated males and females. We used whole-genome data from an additional 18 jaguars to further test these panels, which correctly recovered kinship relationships and allowed inference of geographic origin of samples collected outside the spatial scope of the original sample set. These results support the strong potential of these panels as an efficient tool for application in forensic, genetic, ecological, behavioral and conservation projects targeting jaguars.

Understanding the impact of human activities on wildlife is crucial for effective biodiversity conservation and management. To assess mammal diversity and human disturbance impacts in the Labagoumen Nature Reserve, Beijing, we conducted a camera trapping survey from July 2019 to August 2022. Over 33,842 camera trap days yielded 5,002 identifiable photos of mammals, representing 13 species from 9 families and 5 orders, including new records of Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and Asian badger (Meles leucurus). The top five species by relative abundance index (RAI) were Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus, RAI = 5.50), wild boar (Sus scrofa, RAI = 1.96), Eurasian red squirrel (RAI = 1.86), raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides, RAI = 1.59), and Pére David’s rock squirrel (Sciurotamias davidianus, RAI = 1.38).Activity rhythm analysis at 34 camera sites revealed unimodal patterns for Eurasian red squirrel, wild boar, and Pére David’s rock squirrel, a bimodal pattern for Siberian roe deer, and a trimodal pattern for raccoon dogs. Peak activities of all species were offset from peak human activities, with the highest overlap for Eurasian red squirrel and Pére David’s rock squirrel, and the lowest for raccoon dogs. Monthly and seasonal patterns showed the highest mammal activity in September, and peak human disturbances in May and October. Further analysis of the overlap between mammal daily activity rhythms and human disturbances during tourist and non-tourist seasons revealed that the overlap index for most species was higher during tourist seasons. Wild boars exhibited a bimodal activity pattern during tourist seasons and unimodal during non-tourist seasons. These findings enriched the species composition records of the reserve and revealed significant interactions between human disturbances and mammal behavior, providing a solid scientific basis for biodiversity conservation and management in the Labagoumen Nature Reserve.

Seasonal changes in the environment often strongly influence biological communities. In environmental transition zones, or ecotone, the environment fluctuates over time between two different types of environments, and the seasonal change is more pronounced. Although emphasis has been placed on spatial variation of biota along environmental gradients, seasonal change has not been well studied despite the seasonal nature of many ecotones. The study was conducted on Butokamabetsu River floodplain, Hokkaido, Japan. In this study, we investigated seasonal biotic re-assembly in floodplain waterbodies characterized as transitions between lotic and lentic environments, and further investigated the biological processes behind seasonal re-assembly. We observed a clear seasonal re-assembly of biological communities in floodplain waterbodies. From the spring snowmelt season to the summer low flow season, the biological communities were largely driven by the hydrological connectivity to the river, represented as the timing of the lotic-lentic transition during the seasonal flood recession. In contrast, after a few months of summer low flow period, the effect weakened over time, and the communities were structured based more on the basis of the local environment. The seasonal re-assembly was largely explained by the re-assembly of amphibian and aquatic insect larvae, the main members of the floodplain aquatic assemblage, which metamorphose and emerge from the water during the summer period and then re-distribute in different ways more strongly influenced by local environmental factors such as water body size, temperature, and dissolved oxygen levels. Given that biota in ecotones occupy the habitat for a limited time due to the severe environmental fluctuations, such seasonal changes as we observed in this study may be widespread in ecotones. Landscape and local environmental conditions could alternately shape community structures in different seasons. Further attention to the temporal aspects of community structure is needed for community studies as well as for conservation.