Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with no effective treatments, not least due to the lack of authentic animal models. Typically, rodent models recapitulate the effects but not causes of AD, such as cholinergic neuron loss: lesioning of cholinergic neurons mimics the cognitive decline reminiscent of AD but not its neuropathology. Alternative models rely on the overexpression of genes associated with familial AD, such as amyloid precursor protein, or have genetically amplified expression of mutant tau. Yet transgenic rodent models poorly replicate the neuropathogenesis and protein overexpression patterns of sporadic AD. Seeding rodents with amyloid or tau facilitates the formation of these pathologies but cannot account for their initial accumulation. Intracerebral infusion of proinflammatory agents offer an alternative model, but these fail to replicate the cause of AD. A novel model is therefore needed, perhaps similar to those used for Parkinson’s disease, namely adult wildtype rodents with neuron-specific (dopaminergic) lesions within the same vulnerable brainstem nuclei, ‘the isodendritic core’, which are the first to degenerate in AD. Site-selective targeting of these nuclei in adult rodents may recapitulate the initial neurodegenerative processes in AD to faithfully mimic its pathogenesis and progression, ultimately leading to presymptomatic biomarkers and preventative therapies. Full article

This study presents three structures for clearly expressing functional requirements (FRs) and quantitative non-functional requirements (qt-NFRs). Expressing requirements with these structures will allow the understanding of requirements by stakeholders and software developers. The first structure is the SURE format, which is composed of three main sections: a title, a short definition, and a detailed description. The second proposed structure is a template to facilitate the definition of the title and description of unambiguous FRs. It is based on the application of CRUD operations on a certain entity, calling it the “CRUDE” structure. Finally, the third structure serves as a template to make it easier to clearly define the description and title of qt-NFRs. It is based on the application of system properties to computer events or actions, calling it the “PROSE” structure. In this, it is very important to specify those metric values that are desired or expected by the stakeholder. To know how much the definition of FRs and qt-NFRs improved when the proposed structures were used, 46 requirement specification documents elaborated as homework by students of the “Requirement Engineering” course offered at the University of Guayaquil between 2020 and 2022 were evaluated by five experts with more than 10 years of experience in software development for Ecuadorian companies. The findings showed that students reduced the percentage of unambiguous FRs and qt-NFRs from over 80% to about 10%. In conclusion, the findings demonstrate how crucial the three structures proposed in this paper are to helping students develop the ability to clearly express requirements. Full article

Interoceptive dysfunctions are increasingly implicated in a number of physical and mental health conditions. Accordingly, there is a pertinent need for therapeutic interventions which target interoceptive deficits. Heartrate and heartrate variability biofeedback therapy (HR(V)-BF), interventions which train individuals to regulate their cardiovascular signals and constrain these within optimal parameters through breathing, could enhance the functioning of interoceptive pathways via stimulation of the vagus nerve. Consequently, this narrative systematic review sought to synthesise the current state of the literature with regard to the potential of HR(V)-BF as an interoceptive intervention across behavioural, physiological and neural outcome measures related to interoception. In total, 77 papers were included in this review, with the majority using physiological outcome measures. Overall, findings were mixed with respect to improvements in the outcome measures after HR(V)-BF. However, trends suggested that effects on measures related to interoception were stronger when resonance frequency breathing and an intense treatment protocol were employed. Based on these findings, we propose a three-stage model by which HR(V)-BF may improve interoception which draws upon principles of interoceptive inference and predictive coding. Furthermore, we provide specific directions for future research, which will serve to advance the current knowledge state. Full article

The Pacific blue shrimp (Litopenaeus stylirostris) is a premium product in the international seafood market. However, intensified farming has increased disease incidence and reduced genetic diversity. In this study, we developed a transcriptome database for L. stylirostris and mined microsatellite markers to analyze their genetic diversity. Using the Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform, we identified 53,263 unigenes from muscle, hepatopancreas, the intestine, and lymphoid tissues. Microsatellite analysis identified 36,415 markers from 18,657 unigenes, predominantly dinucleotide repeats. Functional annotation highlighted key disease resistance pathways and enriched categories. The screening and PCR testing of 42 transcriptome-based and 58 literature-based markers identified 40 with successful amplification. The genotyping of 200 broodstock samples revealed that Na, H_o, H_e, PIC, and F_IS values were 3, 0.54 ± 0.05, 0.43 ± 0.09, 0.41 ± 0.22, and 0.17 ± 0.27, respectively, indicating moderate genetic variability and significant inbreeding. Four universal microsatellite markers (CL1472.Contig13, CL517.Contig2, Unigene5692, and Unigene7147) were identified for precise diversity analysis in Pacific blue, Pacific white (Litopenaeus vannamei), and black tiger shrimps (Penaeus monodon). The transcriptome database supports the development of markers and functional gene analysis for selective breeding programs. Our findings underscore the need for an appropriate genetic management system to mitigate inbreeding depression, reduce disease susceptibility, and preserve genetic diversity in farmed shrimp populations. Full article

Liriodendron chinense (Hemsl.) Sarg. (Magnoliales: Magnoliaceae), valued for its medicinal properties and timber and as an ornamental plant, is now classified as an endangered species. Investigating how future climate-change scenarios might affect the potential geographic distribution of L. chinense will provide a crucial scientific basis for its protection and management strategies. The MaxEnt model was calibrated using the ENMeval optimization package, and then it was coupled with ArcGIS 10.8 to forecast the possible distribution areas of L. chinense in China, utilizing elevation data, bioclimatic factors, and human footprint as environmental variables. The results indicate: (1) The optimal model parameters were set as follows: FC = LQ, RM = 0.5, the MaxEnt model demonstrated high predictive accuracy and minimal overfitting; (2) The total suitable habitat area for the potential geographical distribution of L. chinense during the current period is estimated at 151.55 × 10⁴ km², predominantly located in central, eastern, and southwestern regions of China; (3) The minimum temperature of the coldest month (bio6), precipitation of the driest month (bio14), precipitation of the driest quarter (bio17), precipitation of the warmest quarter (bio18), elevation (alt), and human footprint (hf) are the main environmental variables determining the suitable habitat distribution of L. chinense; (4) During the period from 2041 to 2060, under the carbon emission scenarios of SSP126, SSP245, and SSP370, the suitable habitat for L. chinense shows varying degrees of increase compared to the current period. However, under the highest concentration scenario of SSP585, the suitable habitat area decreases to some extent; (5) The distribution of L. chinense is likely to move towards higher latitudes and elevations in the future due to changes in the climate. This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the potential impacts of climate change on L. chinense, offering valuable information for its protection and management under future climatic conditions. Full article

The conservation of endemic plant species has come into the global spotlight, not only because of their contribution to biodiversity but also their vulnerability and high extinction risk due to environmental and anthropogenic threats. Based on these developments, it is now essential to monitor and protect these species by applying integrated conservation strategies, especially in view of climate change, which is one of the most severe threats to plants. Genetic and genomic tools provide new potential in assessing and quantifying genetic diversity and thus can be utilized to devise conservation strategies and contribute to biodiversity conservation efforts. Greece comprises a plant biodiversity hotspot in the Mediterranean Basin with a wide variety of rare, threatened, and endemic plant taxa. In this review, we examine several cases where a broad spectrum of genetic tools has been utilized so far in the diversity assessment and conservation management of Greek Endemic Plants (GEPs). Following an extensive database search, we have identified and included in our final data collection 19 studies concerning 32 GEPs for which molecular markers have been used for the determination of population genetic structure and diversity assessment, while at the same time, the research outcomes have been taken into consideration for conservation management. The limited application of genetic and genomic tools in GEP management is demonstrated, while the significance of implementing a comprehensive conservation strategy that will integrate genetic analyses and the data derived therein is also highlighted. Full article

Copra meal, the byproduct of coconut oil production, has been widely available at low cost but has been underutilized, with huge portions still becoming waste. Extensive research on different species have been performed to improve its use as an alternative feed ingredient, aiming to reduce the impact of fluctuating feed prices in some parts of the world where coconut is a major commodity. As for any biological product, the physical and chemical properties of copra meal play a crucial role in its use and limitations. In the case of copra meal, studies have found that additional treatments are needed to improve its nutritional composition and make it readily and efficiently available for ruminant and monogastric animals, poultry, and aquaculture applications. This paper presents a summary of up-to-date information on the physical and chemical characteristics of the product, as well as discussions on the various methods employed to improve and optimize its biological value as animal feed. There have been limited studies that have explored other effective and economical means of utilizing copra meal outside the livestock and feed industry. Hence, this paper also aims to provide a lens on future prospects and diverse applications involving copra meal, as well as to present the gaps and challenges that have to be addressed to maximize its product value and biological potential. Full article

Nopal (Opuntia) is a resource that is discarded after pruning complete cladodes. For this reason, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the combined use of organic matter (nopal) and goat manure on changes in soil characteristics and on the growth and yield performance of carrot and tomato plants. Physicochemical analysis of the soil and goat manure was carried out, and germination tests and physical characterization of the plants and the products obtained were performed on tomato and carrot plants after adding the components of the cladodes alone and the cladodes with goat manure. The results showed that the application of the nopal cladode components increased the cation exchange capacity of the soil. The highest germination rate was obtained by the application of liquid nopal, with a 1.7-fold increase in the germination rate of carrot seeds, while that for tomato seeds was only 14%. Similar results were obtained for the germination percentage. An increase in resistance to water stress of approximately 15 days was observed in both tomato and carrot plants. Plant development and production were achieved in tomato, with a 100% increase in carrot plant length and a threefold increase in production. The addition of nopal to the soil improved the soil characteristics and the production yield of carrots and tomatoes. Full article

Breast cancer is influenced by factors such as diet, a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and postmenopausal status, which are all linked to prolonged hormonal and inflammatory exposure. Physical activity offers protection against breast cancer by modulating hormones, immune responses, and oxidative defenses. This study aimed to assess how a prolonged high-fat diet (HFD) affects the effectiveness of physical activity in preventing and managing mammary tumorigenesis. Ovariectomised C57BL/6 mice were provided with an enriched environment to induce spontaneous physical activity while being fed HFD. After 44 days (short-term, ST HFD) or 88 days (long-term, LT HFD), syngenic EO771 cells were implanted into mammary glands, and tumour growth was monitored until sacrifice. Despite similar physical activity and food intake, the LT HFD group exhibited higher visceral adipose tissue mass and reduced skeletal muscle mass. In the tumour microenvironment, the LT HFD group showed decreased NK cells and TCD8+ cells, with a trend toward increased T regulatory cells, leading to a collapse of the T8/Treg ratio. Additionally, the LT HFD group displayed decreased tumour triglyceride content and altered enzyme activities indicative of oxidative stress. Prolonged exposure to HFD was associated with tumour growth despite elevated physical activity, promoting a tolerogenic tumour microenvironment. Future studies should explore inter-organ exchanges between tumour and tissues. Full article

As the global facial mask market continues to grow, consumers have put forward higher requirements for the functionality and ingredients of mask products. Ordinary facial masks mostly use ordinary non-woven fabrics as the mask base fabric and are used with essence. Preservatives are generally added. At the same time, they are susceptible to the influence of the external environment and are easily oxidized, causing the mask to deteriorate and cause skin allergic reactions. In addition, traditional facial masks have problems such as poor fit with the skin, poor breathability, insufficient absorption of nutrient solutions, and easy dripping. The high specific surface area and high porosity of a nanofiber mask prepared by electrospinning technology are beneficial to the skin’s absorption of nutrients, and it has good fit with the skin and strong breathability. A unique advantage of this nanofiber mask is that it uses spray. After the mask is sprayed with water or essence, the water-soluble polymer within it can be quickly dissolved, saving a lot of time. Nanofiber facial mask products can effectively solve consumer pain points and are conducive to the high-end development of facial masks. Therefore, this article combines needleless electrospinning technology to develop a new solid-state, preservative-free, quick-dissolving nanofiber facial mask that can be prepared on a large scale. Based on needleless electrospinning technology, this article deeply explores the process parameters and their influencing mechanisms for preparing nanofiber, quick-dissolving facial masks to achieve the stable preparation of nanofiber facial masks with the best morphology; a comprehensive analysis of the structure and influence of nanofiber facial masks from micro and macro perspectives demonstrates their performance and allows evaluation of them. The experimental results show that the mask morphology is optimal under the process conditions of using a spinning liquid of 20% collagen peptide solution, a spinning voltage of 30 kV, a collection distance of 19 cm, and a liquid supply speed of 130 mL/h. Full article

(1) Background: Almost all trips include a walking leg. Pedestrian flow dynamics are an essential input to infrastructure design as well as efficient and safe operations. Pedestrian walking speed is the most influential traffic flow variable. This study examines the factors influencing pedestrian walking speed, categorizing them into pedestrian flow characteristics, pedestrian attributes, layout configuration, ambient conditions, and pedestrian behavioral patterns. (2) Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, aggregating studies that investigate pedestrian walking speed across various environments and conditions. The identified factors were systematically categorized, and a meta-analysis was employed to synthesize the results. (3) Results: Speed measurements seem to be dependent on the method and technique employed, with experiments systematically overestimating speed and video recordings systematically underestimating it. Pedestrian density strongly influences speed as in motorized traffic. Being female, being of older age, walking in a group, engaging in social interactions or phone-related tasks, and moving under noise conditions are reported to have a negative impact on walking speed. Carrying baggage and moving under adverse weather conditions are also reported to have a statistically significant impact, but the direction of the impact is not always the same and seems to be very context dependent. (4) Conclusions: The findings highlight the significance of physiological, psychological, and environmental elements in shaping pedestrian behavior and thus speed. Valuable insights from this review can assist researchers, designers, and operators in providing safer, more inclusive, and reliable infrastructures for pedestrians. Future investigations should broaden the scope of data collection methods, particularly indoors. Full article

One of the most widely used robust regression methods for solving simple linear regression problems is the Theil-Sen (TS) estimator. This estimator has some notable advantages; however, it does not belong to the most robust estimation methods (called high-breakdown estimators) and is prone to outliers whose distribution is highly asymmetric with respect to the correct data points. This paper presents a modification of the TS estimator, the Robustified Theil-Sen (RTS) estimator. The new method uses a heuristic-based selection procedure to reduce the number of initial estimates of the regression function parameters computed with at least one outlier, thereby improving the regression results. The use of this heuristic procedure only slightly increases the computational time required for using the RTS estimator compared to the TS estimator. Preliminary results of two numerical experiments presented in the paper show that the RTS estimator outperforms other comparable estimators, i.e., the TS estimator and the repeated median estimator, in terms of robustness. The results presented also suggest that the breakpoint value (which is a measure of the robustness of estimators) of the RTS estimator is higher than the breakpoint value of the TS estimator and equal to the breakpoint value of the high-breakpoint estimators. Full article

This study focuses on the critical issue of access to clean water in water-stressed regions like the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). To address the challenges of water stress, the study proposes an integrated approach involving geographical, statistical, and geophysical analysis. The objectives are to assess the distribution of pollutants such as heavy metals, salts, and water turbidity near industrial facilities; identify their sources and pathways; evaluate water quality and its impact on human health; and improve environmental classification using geophysical and geochemical methods. The study area, located southeast of Qena city, is characterized by an arid climate with minimal rainfall and is primarily covered by Upper Cretaceous and Lower Eocene rocks. The third layer in the study area is considered a shallow aquifer of Quaternary alluvial deposits; it deepens from 20 m to 93 m, displaying resistivity from 18 Ω∙m to 120 Ω∙m, with thickness increasing downstream to approximately 90 m. Understanding groundwater flow from northeast to southeast is crucial for understanding pollutant distribution in the region. The research reveals variations in groundwater quality, including high total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 240 to 531 mg/L and electrical conductivity (EC) values ranging from 376–802 μS/cm, as well as the presence of heavy metals. Some water samples exceeded the recommended limits for certain parameters set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Spatial distribution analysis showed higher mineralization toward the northeast of the study area. Overall, the integrated approach proposed in this study can contribute to effective water-management strategies to ensure sustainable water resources and protect public health in water-stressed regions like Egypt. Full article

Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is one of the important seafood-borne pathogens that cause a serious gastrointestinal disorder in humans. Recently, biosensors have attracted serious attention for precisely detecting and tracking risk factors in foods. However, a major consideration when fabricating biosensors is to match the low cost of portable devices to broaden its application. In this study, a 3D-printed integrated handheld biosensor (IHB) that combines RPA-CRISPR/Cas12a, a lateral flow strip (LFS), and a handheld device was developed for the ultrasensitive detection of V. parahaemolyticus. Using the preamplification of RPA on tlh gene of V. parahaemolyticus, a specific duplex DNA product was obtained to activate the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a, which was then utilized to cleave the ssDNA probe. The ssDNA probe was then detected by the LFS, which was negatively correlated with the content of amplified RPA products of the tlh gene. The IHB showed high selectivity and excellent sensitivity for V. parahaemolyticus detection, and the limit of detection was 4.9 CFU/mL. The IHB also demonstrated great promise for the screening of V. parahaemolyticus in samples and had the potential to be applied to the rapid screening of other pathogen risks for seafood and marine environmental safety. Full article

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells contain secretory granules with Perforin and Granzyme B for defense against pathogens. The objective of the present study was to compare the effects of immunosuppressive induction therapies on Perforin and Granzyme B transcripts in kidney transplant recipients. Transcripts were determined in 408 incident kidney transplant recipients eight days posttransplant using quantitative real-time PCR. Compared to 90 healthy subjects, the median Perforin transcripts were lower in kidney transplant recipients with blood-group ABO-incompatible donors (N = 52), compatible living donors (N = 130), and deceased donors (N = 226) (25.7%; IQR, 6.5% to 46.0%; 31.5%; IQR, 10.9% to 57.7%; and 35.6%; IQR, 20.6% to 60.2%; respectively; p = 0.015 by the Kruskal–Wallis test). Kidney transplant recipients who were treated with thymoglobulin (N = 64) had significantly lower Perforin as well as Granzyme B compared to all other induction therapies (N = 344) (each p < 0.001). Receiver operator characteristics analysis showed that both Perforin (area under curve, 0.919) and Granzyme B (area under curve, 0.915) indicated thyroglobulin-containing induction therapies. Regression analysis showed that both reduction in plasma creatinine and human leukocyte antigen mismatches were positively associated with elevated Perforin/Granzyme B transcript ratio posttransplant. We conclude clinical parameters and therapies affect Perforin and Granzyme B transcripts posttransplant. Full article

Background: Monitoring the lifestyles of older adults helps promote independent living and ensure their well-being. The common technologies for home monitoring include wearables, ambient sensors, and smart household meters. While wearables can be intrusive, ambient sensors require extra installation, and smart meters are becoming integral to smart city infrastructure. Research Gap: The previous studies primarily utilized high-resolution smart meter data by applying Non-Intrusive Appliance Load Monitoring (NIALM) techniques, leading to significant privacy concerns. Meanwhile, some Japanese power companies have successfully employed low-resolution data to monitor lifestyle patterns discreetly. Scope and Methodology: This study develops a lifestyle monitoring system for older adults using low-resolution smart meter data, mapping electricity consumption to appliance usage. The power consumption data are collected at 15-min intervals, and the background power threshold distinguishes between the active and inactive periods (0/1). The system quantifies activity through an active score and assesses daily routines by comparing these scores against the long-term norms. Key Outcomes/Contributions: The findings reveal that low-resolution data can effectively monitor lifestyle patterns without compromising privacy. The active scores and regularity assessments calculated using correlation coefficients offer a comprehensive view of residents’ daily activities and any deviations from the established patterns. This study contributes to the literature by validating the efficacy of low-resolution data in lifestyle monitoring systems and underscores the potential of smart meters in enhancing elderly people’s care. Full article

A 2-year-old, intact female Pomeranian presented with bilateral forelimb lameness, characterized by the olecranon making contact with the ground. The patient experienced two separate incidents of falling, occurring four and three weeks before admission, respectively. Following each episode, non-weight-bearing lameness was initially observed in the left forelimb, followed by the development of crouch gait. Based on the physical examination, radiographic, and ultrasonographic findings, bilateral triceps brachii tendon disruption was diagnosed. Intraoperatively, excessive granulation tissue at the distal end of the tendon was excised. The footprint region of each triceps brachii tendon was decorticated with a high-speed burr until bleeding was observed. The triceps brachii tendon was reattached to completely cover its footprint on the olecranon using the Krackow suture technique. This method involves anchoring the suture through bone tunnels in the ulna. Trans-articular external skeletal fixation was applied to both forelimbs to immobile and stabilize the elbow joints for nine weeks. Subsequently, the dog gradually increased its walking activities while on a leash over a six-week period. At the three-year follow-up, the patient exhibited improved forelimb function and maintained a normal gait without signs of lameness. Suture-mediated anatomic footprint repair proved useful in this single case and may be an effective surgical alternative for the management of chronic triceps brachii tendon disruption in dogs. Full article

Diblock conjugated oligomers are π-conjugated molecules that contain two segments having distinct frontier orbital energies and HOMO-LUMO gap offsets. These oligomers are of fundamental interest to understand how the distinct π-conjugated segments interact and modify their excited state properties. The current paper reports a study of two series of diblock oligomers that contain oligothiophene (T_n) and 4,7-bis(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (TBT) segments that are coupled by either ethynyl (-C≡C-) or trans-(-C≡C-)₂Pt(II)(PBu₃)₂ acetylide linkers. In these structures, the T_n segment is electron rich (donor), and the TBT is electron poor (acceptor). The diblock oligomers are characterized by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy, including UV-visible absorption, fluorescence, fluorescence lifetimes, and ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy. Studies are compared in several solvents of different polarity and with different excitation wavelengths. The results reveal that the (-C≡C-) linked oligomers feature a delocalized excited state that takes on a charge transfer (CT) character in more polar media. In the (-C≡C-)₂Pt(II)(PBu₃)₂-linked oligomers, there is weak coupling between the T_n and TBT segments. Consequently, short wavelength excitation selectively excites the T_n segment, which then undergoes ultrafast energy transfer (~1 ps) to afford a TBT-localized excited state. Full article

Drilling with prestressed concrete (DPC) pipe pile is a nonsqueezing pile sinking technology, employing drilling, simultaneous pile sinking, a pipe pile protection wall, and pile side grouting. The unloading induced by drilling, the pipe pile supporting effect, and the dissipation of the negative excess pore-water pressure after pile sinking, all of which have significant effects on the recovery of soil pressure on the pile side, are the main concerns of this study, which aim to establish a method to reasonably evaluate the timing selection of pile side grouting. The theoretical solutions for characterizing the unloading and dissipation of the negative excess pore-water pressure are presented based on the cylindrical cavity contraction model and the separated variable method. By inverse-analyzing the measured initial pore pressure change data from borehole unloading, initial soil pressures on the pile side of each soil layer are determined using the presented theoretical solutions. Then, the presented theoretical solutions were verified through a comparative analysis with the corresponding measured results. Moreover, by introducing time-dependent coefficients α_t1 and α_t2 to characterize the pore pressure dissipation and rheology effects, the effects of the negative excess pore-water pressure dissipation on the pile-side soil pressure recovery are discussed in detail. Full article

Permissioned blockchains are widely used in scenarios such as digital assets, supply chains, government services, and Web 3.0, but their development is hindered by low throughput and scalability. Blockchain sharding addresses these issues by dividing the ledger into disjoint shards that can be processed concurrently. However, since cross-shard transactions require the collaboration of multiple shards, blockchain sharding needs a commit protocol to ensure the atomicity of executing these transactions, significantly impacting system performance. To this end, by exploiting the characteristics of deterministic ordering, we propose a cross-shard transaction processing protocol called cross-reserve, which eliminates this costly cross-shard coordination while providing the same consistency and atomicity guarantee. Based on the ordering-free execute–validate (EV) architecture, we implemented a blockchain prototype called NeuChain+, which further reduces the cross-shard transaction processing overhead using the pipelined read sets transmission. Experimental results show that NeuChain+ is scalable and outperforms state-of-the-art blockchain systems with $1.7$–$75.3\times$ throughput under the SmallBank workload. Full article

Limited resources for edge computing platforms in airborne and spaceborne imaging payloads prevent using complex image processing models. Model pruning can eliminate redundant parameters and reduce the computational load, enhancing processing efficiency on edge computing platforms. Current challenges in model pruning for remote-sensing object detection include the risk of losing target features, particularly during sparse training and pruning, and difficulties in maintaining channel correspondence for residual structures, often resulting in retaining redundant features that compromise the balance between model size and accuracy. To address these challenges, we propose the L1 reweighted regularization (L1RR) pruning method. Leveraging dynamic and self-adaptive sparse modules, we optimize L1 sparsity regularization, preserving the model’s target feature information using a feature attention loss mechanism to determine appropriate pruning ratios. Additionally, we propose a residual reconstruction procedure, which removes redundant feature channels from residual structures while maintaining the residual inference structure through output channel recombination and input channel recombination, achieving a balance between model size and accuracy. Validation on two remote-sensing datasets demonstrates significant reductions in parameters and floating point operations (FLOPs) of 77.54% and 65%, respectively, and a 48.5% increase in the inference speed on the Jetson TX2 platform. This framework optimally maintains target features and effectively distinguishes feature channel importance compared to other methods, significantly enhancing feature channel robustness for difficult targets and expanding pruning applicability to less difficult targets. Full article

The body condition index (BCI) is an indicator of both reproductive success and health in small mammals and might help to understand ecological roles of species. We analyzed BCI data from 28,567 individuals trapped in Lithuania between 1980 and 2023. We compared BCIs between species and examined differences in age groups, gender, and reproductive statuses within each species. Seven out of eighteen species had sample sizes with N < 100. In terms of species, we found that seven of the eight species with the highest average BCIs are granivores or omnivores, which can consume animal-based food at least seasonally. The two contrasting (decreasing or increasing) BCI patterns observed during ontogeny can be related to diet differences among juveniles, subadults, and adult animals. Our results demonstrate that reproductive stress has a negative impact on the BCI of adult females in all analyzed species and nearly all adult males. Although the animals with extremely low BCI consisted mostly of shrews, for the first time we found 23 common and pygmy shrews exhibiting the Chitty effect, i.e., a very high body mass resulting in a BCI > 5.0. This is the first multi-species approach of body condition at middle latitudes. The results increase our understanding of how changing environmental conditions are affecting small mammals. Full article