The 2023 MDPI Annual Report has
been released!
 
20 pages, 5301 KiB  
Article
Characterizing Canopy Structure Variability in Amazonian Secondary Successions with Full-Waveform Airborne LiDAR
by Aline D. Jacon, Lênio Soares Galvão, Rorai Pereira Martins-Neto, Pablo Crespo-Peremarch, Luiz E. O. C. Aragão, Jean P. Ometto, Liana O. Anderson, Laura Barbosa Vedovato, Celso H. L. Silva-Junior, Aline Pontes Lopes, Vinícius Peripato, Mauro Assis, Francisca R. S. Pereira, Isadora Haddad, Catherine Torres de Almeida, Henrique L. G. Cassol and Ricardo Dalagnol
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(12), 2085; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122085 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Full-waveform LiDAR (FWF) offers a promising advantage over other technologies to represent the vertical canopy structure of secondary successions in the Amazon region, as the waveform encapsulates the properties of all elements intercepting the emitted beam. In this study, we investigated modifications in [...] Read more.
Full-waveform LiDAR (FWF) offers a promising advantage over other technologies to represent the vertical canopy structure of secondary successions in the Amazon region, as the waveform encapsulates the properties of all elements intercepting the emitted beam. In this study, we investigated modifications in the vertical structure of the Amazonian secondary successions across the vegetation gradient from early to advanced stages of vegetation regrowth. The analysis was performed over two distinct climatic regions (Drier and Wetter), designated using the Maximum Cumulative Water Deficit (MCWD). The study area was covered by 309 sample plots distributed along 25 LiDAR transects. The plots were grouped into three successional stages (early—SS1; intermediate—SS2; advanced—SS3). Mature Forest (MF) was used as a reference of comparison. A total of 14 FWF LiDAR metrics from four categories of analysis (Height, Peaks, Understory and Gaussian Decomposition) were extracted using the Waveform LiDAR for Forestry eXtraction (WoLFeX) software (v1.1.1). In addition to examining the variation in these metrics across different successional stages, we calculated their Relative Recovery (RR) with vegetation regrowth, and evaluated their ability to discriminate successional stages using Random Forest (RF). The results showed significant differences in FWF metrics across the successional stages, and within and between sample plots and regions. The Drier region generally exhibited more pronounced differences between successional stages and lower FWF metric values compared to the Wetter region, mainly in the category of height, peaks, and Gaussian decomposition. Furthermore, the Drier region displayed a lower relative recovery of metrics in the early years of succession, compared to the areas of MF, eventually reaching rates akin to those of the Wetter region as succession progressed. Canopy height metrics such as Waveform distance (WD), and Gaussian Decomposition metrics such as Bottom of canopy (BC), Bottom of canopy distance (BCD) and Canopy distance (CD), related to the height of the lower forest stratum, were the most important attributes in discriminating successional stages in both analyzed regions. However, the Drier region exhibited superior discrimination between successional stages, achieving a weighted F1-score of 0.80 compared to 0.73 in the Wetter region. When comparing the metrics from SS in different stages to MF, our findings underscore that secondary forests achieve substantial relative recovery of FWF metrics within the initial 10 years after land abandonment. Regions with potentially slower relative recovery (e.g., Drier regions) may require longer-term planning to ensure success in providing full potential ecosystem services in the Amazon. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Retrieving Leaf Area Index Using Remote Sensing)
Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 1844 KiB  
Review
Mechanisms of Embryonic Stem Cell Pluripotency Maintenance and Their Application in Livestock and Poultry Breeding
by Ziyu Wang, Wei Gong, Zeling Yao, Kai Jin, Yingjie Niu, Bichun Li and Qisheng Zuo
Animals 2024, 14(12), 1742; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14121742 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are remarkably undifferentiated cells that originate from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. They possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types, making them invaluable in diverse applications such as disease modeling and the creation [...] Read more.
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are remarkably undifferentiated cells that originate from the inner cell mass of the blastocyst. They possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types, making them invaluable in diverse applications such as disease modeling and the creation of transgenic animals. In recent years, as agricultural practices have evolved from traditional to biological breeding, it has become clear that pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), either ESCs or induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), are optimal for continually screening suitable cellular materials. However, the technologies for long-term in vitro culture or establishment of cell lines for PSCs in livestock are still immature, and research progress is uneven, which poses challenges for the application of PSCs in various fields. The establishment of a robust in vitro system for these cells is critically dependent on understanding their pluripotency maintenance mechanisms. It is believed that the combined effects of pluripotent transcription factors, pivotal signaling pathways, and epigenetic regulation contribute to maintaining their pluripotent state, forming a comprehensive regulatory network. This article will delve into the primary mechanisms underlying the maintenance of pluripotency in PSCs and elaborate on the applications of PSCs in the field of livestock. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Animal System and Management)
Show Figures

Figure 1

17 pages, 17462 KiB  
Article
Efficient Haze Removal from a Single Image Using a DCP-Based Lightweight U-Net Neural Network Model
by Yunho Han, Jiyoung Kim, Jinyoung Lee, Jae-Ho Nah, Yo-Sung Ho and Woo-Chan Park
Sensors 2024, 24(12), 3746; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24123746 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
In this paper, we propose a lightweight U-net architecture neural network model based on Dark Channel Prior (DCP) for efficient haze (fog) removal with a single input. The existing DCP requires high computational complexity in its operation. These computations are challenging to accelerate, [...] Read more.
In this paper, we propose a lightweight U-net architecture neural network model based on Dark Channel Prior (DCP) for efficient haze (fog) removal with a single input. The existing DCP requires high computational complexity in its operation. These computations are challenging to accelerate, and the problem is exacerbated when dealing with high-resolution images (videos), making it very difficult to apply to general-purpose applications. Our proposed model addresses this issue by employing a two-stage neural network structure, replacing the computationally complex operations of the conventional DCP with easily accelerated convolution operations to achieve high-quality fog removal. Furthermore, our proposed model is designed with an intuitive structure using a relatively small number of parameters (2M), utilizing resources efficiently. These features demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed model for fog removal. The experimental results show that the proposed neural network model achieves an average Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) of 26.65 dB and a Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM) of 0.88, indicating an improvement in the average PSNR of 11.5 dB and in SSIM of 0.22 compared to the conventional DCP. This shows that the proposed neural network achieves comparable results to CNN-based neural networks that have achieved SOTA-class performance, despite its intuitive structure with a relatively small number of parameters. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 442 KiB  
Article
Multi-Feature-Enhanced Academic Paper Recommendation Model with Knowledge Graph
by Le Wang, Wenna Du and Zehua Chen
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(12), 5022; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14125022 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
This paper addresses the challenges of data sparsity and personalization limitations inherent in current recommendation systems when processing extensive academic paper datasets. To overcome these issues, the present work introduces an innovative recommendation model that integrates the wealth of structured information from knowledge [...] Read more.
This paper addresses the challenges of data sparsity and personalization limitations inherent in current recommendation systems when processing extensive academic paper datasets. To overcome these issues, the present work introduces an innovative recommendation model that integrates the wealth of structured information from knowledge graphs and refines the amalgamation of temporal and relational data. By applying attention mechanisms and neural network technologies, the model thoroughly explores the text characteristics of papers and the evolving patterns of user behaviors. Additionally, the model elevates the accuracy and personalization of recommendations by meticulously examining citation patterns among papers and the networks of author collaboration. The experimental findings show that the present model surpasses baseline models on all evaluation metrics, thereby enhancing the precision and personalization of academic paper recommendations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recommender Systems and Their Advanced Application)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 745 KiB  
Article
ESMSec: Prediction of Secreted Proteins in Human Body Fluids Using Protein Language Models and Attention
by Yan Wang, Huiting Sun, Nan Sheng, Kai He, Wenjv Hou, Ziqi Zhao, Qixing Yang and Lan Huang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(12), 6371; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126371 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
The secreted proteins of human body fluid have the potential to be used as biomarkers for diseases. These biomarkers can be used for early diagnosis and risk prediction of diseases, so the study of secreted proteins of human body fluid has great application [...] Read more.
The secreted proteins of human body fluid have the potential to be used as biomarkers for diseases. These biomarkers can be used for early diagnosis and risk prediction of diseases, so the study of secreted proteins of human body fluid has great application value. In recent years, the deep-learning-based transformer language model has transferred from the field of natural language processing (NLP) to the field of proteomics, leading to the development of protein language models (PLMs) for protein sequence representation. Here, we propose a deep learning framework called ESM Predict Secreted Proteins (ESMSec) to predict three types of proteins secreted in human body fluid. The ESMSec is based on the ESM2 model and attention architecture. Specifically, the protein sequence data are firstly put into the ESM2 model to extract the feature information from the last hidden layer, and all the input proteins are encoded into a fixed 1000 × 480 matrix. Secondly, multi-head attention with a fully connected neural network is employed as the classifier to perform binary classification according to whether they are secreted into each body fluid. Our experiment utilized three human body fluids that are important and ubiquitous markers. Experimental results show that ESMSec achieved average accuracy of 0.8486, 0.8358, and 0.8325 on the testing datasets for plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and seminal fluid, which on average outperform the state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods. The outstanding performance results of ESMSec demonstrate that the ESM can improve the prediction performance of the model and has great potential to screen the secretion information of human body fluid proteins. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Protein Structure, Function and Design)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1304 KiB  
Case Report
Renal Vein Thrombosis Secondary to Pyelonephritis: Targeting a Thrombo-Inflammatory Entity
by Dimitris Kounatidis, Vasileios Papadimitropoulos, Natalia Vallianou, Aikaterini Poulaki, Krystalia Dimitriou, Ioanna Tsiara, Konstantinos Avramidis, Alexandra Alexopoulou and Dimitrios Vassilopoulos
Clin. Pract. 2024, 14(3), 1110-1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/clinpract14030088 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Renal vein thrombosis (RVT) is a relatively uncommon condition that is most frequently observed in individuals with nephrotic syndrome. While rare, pyelonephritis (PN) may serve as a predisposing factor for secondary RVT. In such cases, one should consider the possibility of RVT when [...] Read more.
Renal vein thrombosis (RVT) is a relatively uncommon condition that is most frequently observed in individuals with nephrotic syndrome. While rare, pyelonephritis (PN) may serve as a predisposing factor for secondary RVT. In such cases, one should consider the possibility of RVT when patients fail to respond to appropriate antibiotic treatment. Typically, these patients require additional anticoagulation therapy for a duration of 3 to 6 months, with a generally favorable prognosis. In this report, we present the case of a 74-year-old female who developed RVT due to Klebsiella pneumoniae PN. Additionally, we reviewed 11 cases of PN complicated by RVT, which were documented in the PubMed database over a span of 40 years, emphasizing key elements in diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Lastly, we elaborated upon the role of thrombo-inflammation, especially in the context of sepsis. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 1706 KiB  
Article
Impact of Drug-Coated Balloon-Based Revascularization in Patients with Chronic Total Occlusions
by Eun-Seok Shin, Ae-Young Her, Mi Hee Jang, Bitna Kim, Sunwon Kim and Houng Bang Liew
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(12), 3381; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13123381 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a drug-eluting stent (DES) for chronic total coronary occlusions (CTOs) improves clinical symptoms and quality of life. However, data on drug-coated balloon (DCB)-based PCI in CTO lesions are limited. Methods: A total of 200 patients were successfully [...] Read more.
Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with a drug-eluting stent (DES) for chronic total coronary occlusions (CTOs) improves clinical symptoms and quality of life. However, data on drug-coated balloon (DCB)-based PCI in CTO lesions are limited. Methods: A total of 200 patients were successfully treated for CTO lesions, either with DCB alone or in combination with DES (DCB-based PCI). They were compared with 661 patients who underwent second-generation DES implantation for CTO from the PTRG-DES registry (DES-only PCI). The endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs), which included a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stent or target lesion thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, and major bleeding at 2 years. Results: In the DCB-based PCI group, 49.0% of patients were treated with DCB only and 51.0% underwent the hybrid approach combining DCB with DES. Bailout stenting was performed in seven patients (3.5%). The DCB-based PCI group exhibited fewer stents (1.0; IQR: 0.0–1.0 and 2.0; IQR: 1.0–3.0, p < 0.001), shorter stent lengths (6.5 mm; IQR: 0.0–38.0 mm and 42.0 mm; IQR: 28.0–67.0 mm, p < 0.001), and lower usage of small stents with a diameter of 2.5 mm or less (9.8% and 36.5%, p < 0.001). Moreover, the DCB-based PCI group had a lower rate of MACEs than the DES-only PCI group (3.1% and 13.2%, p = 0.001) at 2-year follow-up. Conclusions: The DCB-based PCI approach significantly reduced the stent burden, particularly in the usage of small stent diameters, and resulted in a lower risk of MACEs compared to DES-only PCI in CTO lesions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Clinical Updates and Perspectives)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1281 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Thymus serpyllum L. and Its Preparations on Reduction of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus in Kombucha Fresh Cheese
by Vladimir Vukić, Jovana Degenek, Katarina Kanurić, Dajana Vukić, Branimir Pavlić, Mirela Iličić, Sunčica Kocić-Tanackov, Živan Mrkonjić, Sandra Bulut and Zoran Zeković
Processes 2024, 12(6), 1187; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12061187 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Fresh cheese is characterized by a limited shelf life, which represents a major challenge in its production. Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) has an antimicrobial capacity demonstrated in numerous studies. The utilisation of its by-product obtained in the production of filter tea [...] Read more.
Fresh cheese is characterized by a limited shelf life, which represents a major challenge in its production. Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) has an antimicrobial capacity demonstrated in numerous studies. The utilisation of its by-product obtained in the production of filter tea could improve fresh cheese technology by obtaining a product with additional functional value and protecting the environment by reducing industrial waste. Our study sought to explore how incorporating wild thyme, in the form of dry extract, supercritical fluid extract, and herbal ground, affects the microbiological composition of fresh cheese made with kombucha inoculum as the starter culture over a 30-day storage period. To assess antimicrobial efficacy, we deliberately exposed the samples we produced to common foodborne pathogens, namely Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The results showed that the total number of L. monocytogenes and S. aureus in each sample (produced with dry extract, supercritical fluid extract, and herbal ground) decreased significantly during the storage period. The decrease in L. monocytogenes count varied from 0.6 to 1.7 log CFU/g. The results suggest that a by-product from the production of wild thyme filter tea is suitable for the production of fresh cheese to improve its antimicrobial properties against L. monocytogenes and S. aureus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Technologies in Sustainable Dairy Processing)
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

4 pages, 182 KiB  
Editorial
Advances in Neuropsychology: Top Papers Published in Brain Sciences in 2022–2023
by Pierluigi Zoccolotti
Brain Sci. 2024, 14(6), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14060588 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
The spectrum of typical neuropsychology topics has gradually broadened in recent years thanks to advances in neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Neuropsychology)
14 pages, 8246 KiB  
Article
Updated Gene Prediction of the Cucumber (9930) Genome through Manual Annotation
by Weixuan Du, Lei Xia, Rui Li, Xiaokun Zhao, Danna Jin, Xiaoning Wang, Yun Pei, Rong Zhou, Jinfeng Chen and Xiaqing Yu
Plants 2024, 13(12), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13121604 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
Thorough and precise gene structure annotations are essential for maximizing the benefits of genomic data and unveiling valuable genetic insights. The cucumber genome was first released in 2009 and updated in 2019. To increase the accuracy of the predicted gene models, 64 published [...] Read more.
Thorough and precise gene structure annotations are essential for maximizing the benefits of genomic data and unveiling valuable genetic insights. The cucumber genome was first released in 2009 and updated in 2019. To increase the accuracy of the predicted gene models, 64 published RNA-seq data and 9 new strand-specific RNA-seq data from multiple tissues were used for manual comparison with the gene models. The updated annotation file (V3.1) contains an increased number (24,145) of predicted genes compared to the previous version (24,317 genes), with a higher BUSCO value of 96.9%. A total of 6231 and 1490 transcripts were adjusted and newly added, respectively, accounting for 31.99% of the overall gene tally. These newly added and adjusted genes were renamed (CsaV3.1_XGXXXXX), while genes remaining unaltered preserved their original designations. A random selection of 21 modified/added genes were validated using RT-PCR analyses. Additionally, tissue-specific patterns of gene expression were examined using the newly obtained transcriptome data with the revised gene prediction model. This improved annotation of the cucumber genome will provide essential and accurate resources for studies in cucumber. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Growth and Development of Vegetable Crops)
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 4382 KiB  
Article
50 GHz Four-Port Coupling-Reduced Probe Card Utilizing Pogo Pins Housed in Custom Metallic Socket
by K. M. Lee, J. S. Kim, S. Ahn, E. Park, J. Myeong and M. Kim
Sensors 2024, 24(12), 3745; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24123745 (registering DOI) - 9 Jun 2024
Abstract
A design for a pogo-pin probe card featuring a metallic socket is proposed to eliminate signal leakage and coupling loss in a multi-port environment. The proposed metallic pogo-pin socket includes a metal wall structure between adjacent pogo pins, ensuring complete isolation. This metal [...] Read more.
A design for a pogo-pin probe card featuring a metallic socket is proposed to eliminate signal leakage and coupling loss in a multi-port environment. The proposed metallic pogo-pin socket includes a metal wall structure between adjacent pogo pins, ensuring complete isolation. This metal wall offers an advantage in removing coupling issues between pogo pins that can occur with typical dielectric pogo-pin sockets. The designed probe card is fabricated as a prototype and verified for its performance. Measurement results using a test through line show that coupled power is minimized, providing a low-loss transmission performance of −2.14 dB to an RF chip at 50 GHz, all within a compact size. Although the dielectric spacer used to secure the pogo pins allows for some leakage, it can maintain a low coupling performance of under −15 dB in the millimeter-wave band. The prototype probe card can deliver an RF signal to a 5G circuit with a low loss of −0.7 dB at 28 GHz and −1.9 dB at 39 GHz frequency. The designed probe card is capable of transmitting multiple RF signals to the RF system without signal distortion in a multi-port environment. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 1638 KiB  
Article
Antioxidant and Metabolic Response to Acute Acidification Stress of Juvenile Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)
by Xiaoyan Wang, Rui Yang, Zhengyi Fu, Lei Zhao and Zhenhua Ma
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2024, 12(6), 970; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse12060970 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
This study aimed to explore the impact of acute acidification on the antioxidant, metabolic performance, and liver histology of juvenile yellowfin tuna. The experiment subjected juvenile yellowfin tuna to a pH gradient environment of 8.1, 7.6, 7.1, and 6.6 for 48 h. The [...] Read more.
This study aimed to explore the impact of acute acidification on the antioxidant, metabolic performance, and liver histology of juvenile yellowfin tuna. The experiment subjected juvenile yellowfin tuna to a pH gradient environment of 8.1, 7.6, 7.1, and 6.6 for 48 h. The findings indicate that a seawater pH of 7.1 significantly impacts the antioxidant and metabolic systems of the juvenile yellowfin tuna in comparison to the control group. At pH 7.1, there were observed increases in glutathione reductase (GR), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), sodium-potassium ATPase (Na+K+-ATP), and calcium-magnesium ATPase (Ca2+Mg2+-ATP). Conversely, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TGs) were not significantly different across the treatment groups. However, an increase in transaminases at pH 7.1 suggested potential liver damage, which was further supported by observed structural liver tissue degeneration and hepatocyte vacuolation. In conclusion, under conditions of acute acidification stress, there is a decrease in antioxidant capacity and a suppression of metabolic levels in juvenile yellowfin tuna, leading to oxidative damage. This study lays the foundation for an in-depth understanding of the response mechanisms of juvenile yellowfin tuna in response to seawater acidification as well as healthy tuna farming in the broader context of seawater acidification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Techniques and Equipment in Large Offshore Aquaculture Platform)
Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 18307 KiB  
Article
Study on the Evolution of Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Carbon Emissions and Influencing Factors in China
by Maowen Sun, Boyi Liang, Xuebin Meng, Yunfei Zhang, Zong Wang and Jia Wang
Land 2024, 13(6), 828; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060828 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Abstract: Industrialization has increased global carbon emissions, necessitating effective climate change mitigation measures. China, the most populous developing nation, faces the challenge of strategizing emissions to meet national carbon neutrality objectives. However, research on specific regions’ carbon emissions drivers and causal factors is [...] Read more.
Abstract: Industrialization has increased global carbon emissions, necessitating effective climate change mitigation measures. China, the most populous developing nation, faces the challenge of strategizing emissions to meet national carbon neutrality objectives. However, research on specific regions’ carbon emissions drivers and causal factors is limited, particularly across prefectural-level cities. This study estimates the spatial and temporal patterns of carbon emissions across China’s prefectural cities and utilizes both OLS regression and stepwise regression models to analyze the impact of various factors influencing carbon emissions in these cities. Results reveal the following: (1) The country’s overall 20-year carbon emissions continue to grow from 3020.29 Mt in 2001 to 9169.74 Mt in 2020, with an average annual growth rate of 5.71%; the eastern region has seen a gradual deceleration in emissions, whereas the western region continues to experience an increase. Carbon emissions in cities within each subregion consistently rise. (2) Carbon emissions in Chinese prefectural-level cities exhibit strong spatial autocorrelation and clustering (Z > 1.96, p < 0.05), with hot spots primarily in the eastern coastal areas and cold spots in the northwest to southwest regions. (3) Economic and demographic factors significantly increase carbon emissions, while climate and urbanization effects are more complex and variable. Economic growth and population increase are the most significant influencing factors, but regional variances exist in carbon emissions determinants in subregional prefectural cities. These insights provide valuable insights into national emission dynamics at the prefectural level, providing a theoretical basis for enhancing carbon emission strategies across various jurisdictions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Land-Based Greenhouse Gas Mitigation for Carbon Neutrality)
17 pages, 11257 KiB  
Article
Suppression of Ventilation-Induced Diaphragm Fibrosis through the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase-γ in a Murine Bleomycin-Induced Acute Lung Injury Model
by Li-Fu Li, Chung-Chieh Yu, Chih-Yu Huang, Huang-Pin Wu, Chien-Ming Chu, Ping-Chi Liu and Yung-Yang Liu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(12), 6370; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25126370 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Mechanical ventilation (MV), used in patients with acute lung injury (ALI), induces diaphragmatic myofiber atrophy and contractile inactivity, termed ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase-γ (PI3K-γ) is crucial in modulating fibrogenesis during the reparative phase of ALI; however, the mechanisms regulating the interactions among [...] Read more.
Mechanical ventilation (MV), used in patients with acute lung injury (ALI), induces diaphragmatic myofiber atrophy and contractile inactivity, termed ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase-γ (PI3K-γ) is crucial in modulating fibrogenesis during the reparative phase of ALI; however, the mechanisms regulating the interactions among MV, myofiber fibrosis, and PI3K-γ remain unclear. We hypothesized that MV with or without bleomycin treatment would increase diaphragm muscle fibrosis through the PI3K-γ pathway. Five days after receiving a single bolus of 0.075 units of bleomycin intratracheally, C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 6 or 10 mL/kg of MV for 8 h after receiving 5 mg/kg of AS605240 intraperitoneally. In wild-type mice, bleomycin exposure followed by MV 10 mL/kg prompted significant increases in disruptions of diaphragmatic myofibrillar organization, transforming growth factor-β1, oxidative loads, Masson’s trichrome staining, extracellular collagen levels, positive staining of α-smooth muscle actin, PI3K-γ expression, and myonuclear apoptosis (p < 0.05). Decreased diaphragm contractility and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α levels were also observed (p < 0.05). MV-augmented bleomycin-induced diaphragm fibrosis and myonuclear apoptosis were attenuated in PI3K-γ-deficient mice and through AS605240-induced inhibition of PI3K-γ activity (p < 0.05). MV-augmented diaphragm fibrosis after bleomycin-induced ALI is partially mediated by PI3K-γ. Therapy targeting PI3K-γ may ameliorate MV-associated diaphragm fibrosis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics)
12 pages, 7784 KiB  
Article
Practical NIR Assay Derived from Cyanine to Evaluate Intracellular H2S in Living Cell Imaging
by Chenqian Ye, Axue Wang, Yuxin Lu, Xinye Lin, Luqiang Huang and Daliang Li
Sensors 2024, 24(12), 3744; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24123744 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
To monitor the biological function of H2S in real time, this investigation demonstrated the design and synthesis of a novel fluorescent probe integrated with cyanine and 2,4-dinitrophenol for the qualitative and quantitative detection of H2S. An NIR sensitive sensor [...] Read more.
To monitor the biological function of H2S in real time, this investigation demonstrated the design and synthesis of a novel fluorescent probe integrated with cyanine and 2,4-dinitrophenol for the qualitative and quantitative detection of H2S. An NIR sensitive sensor (FS-HS-1) was provided with a straightforward process. Spectroscopy experiments elucidated that FS-HS-1 could selectively detect H2S in a PBS solution (containing 40% acetonitrile) with a 111-fold fluorescence enhancement at 715 nm (ex. 605 nm). The response towards NaHS occurred in less than 2 min, and the detection limit was confirmed to be as low as 4.47 ± 0.11 nmol/L. Furthermore, the probe is capable of monitoring changes in exogenous H2S concentrations within living cells with confocal and 2P imaging. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

28 pages, 1712 KiB  
Article
Research on the Geographical Pattern, Evolution Model, and Driving Mechanism of Carbon Emission Density from Urban Industrial Land in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China
by Fei Xie, Shuaibing Zhang, Qipeng Zhang, Sidong Zhao and Min Lai
ISPRS Int. J. Geo-Inf. 2024, 13(6), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijgi13060192 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
To achieve the goals of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality”, this paper puts forward the connotation and measurement method for the carbon emission intensity of urban industrial land and conducts an empirical study with the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as an example. [...] Read more.
To achieve the goals of “carbon peaking and carbon neutrality”, this paper puts forward the connotation and measurement method for the carbon emission intensity of urban industrial land and conducts an empirical study with the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) as an example. We defined the carbon intensity of urban industrial land as the industrial carbon emissions per unit area of land, which is a spatial mapping of urban industrial economic development and carbon spillover and a key indicator for urban and territorial spatial planning oriented towards the “dual carbon” goal. Findings: The carbon emission density of industrial land in the YREB varied greatly between cities and exhibited significant positive spatial autocorrelation. In addition, the geographical pattern and spatio-temporal evolution model of the urban industrial land carbon emission density had a very complex driving mechanism, and different factors had significant synergistic effects. Therefore, it is suggested that while striving towards the goal of “dual carbon”, the government should incorporate the carbon emission density indicator of urban industrial land into the urban and territorial spatial planning system, and based on the threshold of the medium suitable density, they should design differentiated management policies according to concrete urban policies and encourage cooperation among cities to jointly promote carbon emission management of urban industrial land. In policy design, emphasis should also be placed on highlighting the interactive effects of foreign direct investment, fiscal expenditure, and the number of patent authorizations as well as constructing a combination of policies centered around them to better leverage the impacts of globalization, government intervention, and innovation. Full article
22 pages, 7080 KiB  
Article
Reconstruction of High-Resolution 3D GPR Data from 2D Profiles: A Multiple-Point Statistical Approach
by Chongmin Zhang, Mathieu Gravey, Grégoire Mariéthoz and James Irving
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(12), 2084; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122084 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a popular geophysical tool for mapping the underground. High-resolution 3D GPR data carry a large amount of information and can greatly help to interpret complex subsurface geometries. However, such data require a dense collection along closely spaced parallel survey [...] Read more.
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a popular geophysical tool for mapping the underground. High-resolution 3D GPR data carry a large amount of information and can greatly help to interpret complex subsurface geometries. However, such data require a dense collection along closely spaced parallel survey lines, which is time consuming and costly. In many cases, for the sake of efficiency, a choice is made during 3D acquisitions to use a larger spacing between the profile lines, resulting in a dense measurement spacing along the lines but a much coarser one in the across-line direction. Simple interpolation methods are then commonly used to increase the sampling before interpretation, which can work well when the subsurface structures are already well sampled in the across-line direction but can distort such structures when this is not the case. In this work, we address the latter problem using a novel multiple-point geostatistical (MPS) simulation methodology. For a considered 3D GPR dataset with reduced sampling in the across-line direction, we attempt to reconstruct a more densely spaced, high-resolution dataset using a series of 2D conditional stochastic simulations in both the along-line and across-line directions. For these simulations, the existing profile data serve as training images from which complex spatial patterns are quantified and reproduced. To reduce discontinuities in the generated 3D spatial structures caused by independent 2D simulations, the target profile being simulated is chosen randomly, and simulations in the along-line and across-line directions are performed alternately. We show the successful application of our approach to 100 MHz synthetic and 200 MHz field GPR data under multiple decimation scenarios where survey lines are regularly deleted from a dense 3D reference dataset, and the corresponding reconstructions are compared with the original data. Full article
12 pages, 440 KiB  
Article
Massese, Sarda and Lacaune Dairy Sheep Breeds: An Environmental Impact Comparison
by Irene Sodi, Mina Martini, Neus Sanjuàn, Sergio Saia, Iolanda Altomonte, Andrea Andreucci, Baldassare Fronte, Francesca Pedonese, Lorella Giuliotti, Roberta Ciampolini and Federica Salari
Sustainability 2024, 16(12), 4941; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16124941 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
The dairy sheep sector is an important sector in semiarid and arid areas. So far, the environmental impact of sheep milk production in these areas is scarcely known. This study aimed to assess the environmental impact of milk production on three farms that [...] Read more.
The dairy sheep sector is an important sector in semiarid and arid areas. So far, the environmental impact of sheep milk production in these areas is scarcely known. This study aimed to assess the environmental impact of milk production on three farms that differ in the breed reared, namely Sarda (S), Lacaune (L) and Massese (M), in Tuscany (a Mediterranean region in central Italy). The Life Cycle Assessment methodology was applied to calculate the environmental performance of the farms, and the following impact categories were studied: climate change, freshwater, marine and terrestrial eutrophication, acidification, water use and land use. The L farm showed the lowest values for most impact categories and the M farm the highest. These results can be attributed to the greater productivity and efficiency of the L breed compared to the other two. Only for water use did the M farm cause a lower impact, underscoring the importance of applying characterization factors at the sub-watershed level. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Precision Agriculture: Latest Advances and Prospects)
14 pages, 4303 KiB  
Article
YOLOv7-Based Intelligent Weed Detection and Laser Weeding System Research: Targeting Veronica didyma in Winter Rapeseed Fields
by Liming Qin, Zheng Xu, Wenhao Wang and Xuefeng Wu
Agriculture 2024, 14(6), 910; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14060910 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
In recent years, rapeseed oil has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, experiencing appreciable growth. However, weed-related challenges are hindering the expansion of rapeseed production. This paper outlines the development of an intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system—a non-chemical and precision [...] Read more.
In recent years, rapeseed oil has received considerable attention in the agricultural sector, experiencing appreciable growth. However, weed-related challenges are hindering the expansion of rapeseed production. This paper outlines the development of an intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system—a non-chemical and precision agricultural protection method of weeding Veronica didyma in winter rapeseed fields in the Yangtze River Basin. A total of 234 Veronica didyma images were obtained to compile a database for a deep-learning model, and YOLOv7 was used as the detection model for training. The effectiveness of the model was demonstrated, with a final accuracy of 94.94%, a recall of 95.65%, and a [email protected] of 0.972 obtained. Subsequently, parallel-axis binocular cameras were selected as the image acquisition platform, with binocular calibration and semi-global block matching used to locate Veronica didyma within a cultivation box, yielding a minimum confidence and camera height values of 70% and 30 cm, respectively. The intelligent weed detection and laser weeding system was then built, and the experimental results indicated that laser weeding was practicable with a 100 W power and an 80 mm/s scanning speed, resulting in visibly lost activity in Veronica didyma and no resprouting within 15 days of weeding. The successful execution of Veronica didyma detection and laser weeding provides a new reference for the precision agricultural protection of rapeseed in winter and holds promise for its practical application in agricultural settings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Digital Agriculture)
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1191 KiB  
Article
An In-Depth Look at Nutrition Support and Adequacy for Critically Ill Children with Organ Dysfunction
by Nicole Knebusch, Paola Hong-Zhu, Marwa Mansour, Jennifer N. Daughtry, Thomas P. Fogarty, Fernando Stein and Jorge A. Coss-Bu
Children 2024, 11(6), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11060709 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Patients admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) need individualized nutrition support that is tailored to their particular disease severity, nutritional status, and therapeutic interventions. We aim to evaluate how calories and proteins are provided during the first seven days of hospitalization [...] Read more.
Patients admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) need individualized nutrition support that is tailored to their particular disease severity, nutritional status, and therapeutic interventions. We aim to evaluate how calories and proteins are provided during the first seven days of hospitalization for children in critical condition with organ dysfunction (OD). A single-center retrospective cohort study of children aged 2–18 years, mechanically ventilated > 48 h, and admitted > 7 days to a PICU from 2016 to 2017 was carried out. Nutrition support included enteral and parenteral nutrition. We calculated scores for the Pediatric Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (pSOFA) on days 1 and 3 of admission, with OD defined as a score > 5. Of 4199 patient admissions, 164 children were included. The prevalence of OD for days 1 and 3 was 79.3% and 78.7%, respectively. On day 3, when pSOFA scores trended upward, decreased, or remained unchanged, median (IQR) caloric intake was 0 (0–15), 9.2 (0–25), and 22 (1–43) kcal/kg/day, respectively (p = 0.0032); when pSOFA scores trended upward, decreased, or remained unchanged, protein intake was 0 (0–0.64), 0.44 (0–1.25), and 0.66 (0.04–1.67) g/kg/day, respectively (p = 0.0023). Organ dysfunction was prevalent through the first 72 h of a PICU stay. When the pSOFA scores trended downward or remained unchanged, caloric and protein intakes were higher than those that trended upward. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metabolic and Nutritional Diseases in Children)
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 6109 KiB  
Article
A Low-Carbon Composite Cementitious Material Manufactured by a Combined Process of Red Mud
by Zhenhua Zhao, Fufei Wu, Shuangkuai Dong, Qiuyue Zhang, Chuanteng Huang and Liangliang Chen
Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1729; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061729 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
In present study, the effects of varying dosages of combined red mud on the microstructure and hydration process of low-carbon composite cementitious material. The findings indicated a gradual decrease in the reactivity of RM, following a linear trend. The non-evaporable water content of [...] Read more.
In present study, the effects of varying dosages of combined red mud on the microstructure and hydration process of low-carbon composite cementitious material. The findings indicated a gradual decrease in the reactivity of RM, following a linear trend. The non-evaporable water content of the composite binder exhibited an initial increase followed by a subsequent decrease, with the optimal content identified at 10%, for RM content ranging from 10% to 90%, non-evaporable water decreases linearly. Optimal bending strength and compressive strength were achieved in the mortar when incorporating 10% of RM, reaching 8.56 MPa and 51.2 MPa at 28 days, respectively. The porosity was at its lowest when the RM content was added at 10%, but further increasing RM dosage was reversed. The pore size distribution aligned with the experimental findings on porosity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed the involvement of RM in the secondary hydration reaction, thereby enhancing the mechanical properties of low-carbon composite cementitious material. The optimal content of RM is suggested to be 10%, with a maximum recommended limit of 30%. The analysis has shown that red mud particles serve a dual purpose in low-carbon composite cementitious material. They enhance compactness by acting as fillers and promote cement hydration through surface activity, thereby enhancing mechanical properties, durability, and pore size distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation)
13 pages, 1525 KiB  
Article
Comparative Genomics of an Emerging Multidrug-Resistant blaNDM-Carrying ST182 Lineage in Enterobacter cloacae Complex
by Angeliki Mavroidi, Elisavet Froukala and Athanasios Tsakris
Antibiotics 2024, 13(6), 535; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics13060535 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
Background: Enterobacter cloacae, E. hormaechei and related subspecies remain the most clinically relevant among the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC). Carbapenemase-producing ECC strains are increasingly identified in hospital-acquired infections and usually belong to four main multilocus sequence types (MLST STs) named ST114, ST93, [...] Read more.
Background: Enterobacter cloacae, E. hormaechei and related subspecies remain the most clinically relevant among the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC). Carbapenemase-producing ECC strains are increasingly identified in hospital-acquired infections and usually belong to four main multilocus sequence types (MLST STs) named ST114, ST93, ST90 and ST78. Instead, ST182 has been sporadically reported among E. hormaechei strains, and recently, outbreaks of blaNDM-producing ST182 clonal strains have emerged. Herein, we aimed to investigate the presence of ST182 and explore its evolution and modes of blaNDM acquisition. Methods: A phylogenetic analysis of 646 MLST STs identified among 4685 E. hormaechei whole-genome sequencing (WGS) assemblies deposited in public repositories was performed, as well as an in silico comparative and phylogenomic analyses for 55 WGS assemblies of ST182. blaNDM-harboring contigs were also compared to published plasmid sequences. Results: ST182 E. hormaechei strains were recovered from patients on five continents during 2011–2021. They were divided into three major genomic clusters, comprising a separate clonal complex with six other STs. In 30 out of 55 ST182 WGS assemblies, blaNDM-harboring structures were identified that were similar to the plasmids predominant in Gram-negative bacteria, harboring resistance genes to multiple antibiotic classes and virulence genes. No associations between the genomic clusters and the country/continent of isolation or the presence and the plasmid types of the blaNDM-harboring contigs were observed. Conclusions: Our findings show that ST182 E. hormaechei strains have been identified in the past decade worldwide; 54.5% of them carried diverse blaNDM genetic structures, suggesting recent acquisition of the blaNDM alleles. Thus, blaNDM-harboring ST182 is an emerging multidrug-resistant and virulent lineage in ECC strains that requires close monitoring. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Epidemiology and Mechanism of Bacterial Resistance to Antibiotics)
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 1036 KiB  
Article
Potential Prebiotic Effect of Inulin-Enriched Pasta after In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion and Simulated Gut Fermentation
by Anna Rita Bavaro, Mariaelena Di Biase, Vito Linsalata, Isabella D’Antuono, Vita Di Stefano, Stella Lisa Lonigro, Antonella Garbetta, Francesca Valerio, Maria Grazia Melilli and Angela Cardinali
Foods 2024, 13(12), 1815; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13121815 (registering DOI) - 8 Jun 2024
Abstract
In the current study, the prebiotic potential of an innovative functional pasta enriched with 12% (w/w) inulin was investigated. To this aim, pasta was subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion followed by simulated gut fermentation compared to the control [...] Read more.
In the current study, the prebiotic potential of an innovative functional pasta enriched with 12% (w/w) inulin was investigated. To this aim, pasta was subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion followed by simulated gut fermentation compared to the control pasta (CTRL) not containing inulin. The incorporation of inulin positively (p < 0.05) affected some organoleptic traits and the cooking quality of the final product, giving an overall score significantly higher than CTRL. The resultant essential amino acid content was similar in both pasta samples while the total protein content was lower in inulin-enriched pasta for the polymer substitution to durum wheat flour. The prebiotic potential of chicory inulin was preliminarily tested in in vitro experiments using seven probiotic strains and among them Lacticaseibacillus paracasei IMPC2.1 was selected for the simulated gut fermentation studies. The positive prebiotic activity score registered with the probiotic strain suggested the suitability of the inulin-enriched pasta with respect to acting as a prebiotic source favoring the growth of the probiotic strain and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. The present study contributes to broadening knowledge on the prebiotic efficacy of inulin when incorporated into a complex food matrix. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Nutraceuticals, Functional Foods, and Novel Foods)

Open Access Journals

Browse by Indexing Browse by Subject Selected Journals
Back to TopTop