Search Results (16)

Morchella sextelata a species of high nutritional and economic value, is widely cultivated. To investigate how different cultivation environments affect the soil physicochemical properties and microbial communities associated with common morel, this study established cultivation plots under three distinct settings: apple orchard canopies, dry upland fields, and paddy fields. The objective was to compare the differential impacts of common morel cultivation on soil environmental conditions across these habitats. The results indicate that cultivating common morel effectively enhances soil fertility. Across all environments, soil hydrolyzable nitrogen (HN), available potassium (AK), and organic matter content were higher than in the control. In apple orchard and dryland soils, total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), available phosphorus (AP), and pH values were also elevated compared to the control, with most differences reaching significant levels. Solid Sucrase (S-SC) activity increased in all environments compared to the control, with values of 17.52 mg/d/g in PG, 17.39 mg/d/g in HD, and 21.68 mg/d/g in DT soils. Soil Amylase (S-AL) activity was higher in PG (451.28 μg/h/g) and HD (475.38 μg/h/g) soils. In contrast, Soil-acid phosphatase (S-ACP) activity was significantly elevated in DT soil (2922.08 nmol/h/g). PG soil exhibited significantly higher activities of Solid-Catalase (S-CAT), Solid polyphenol oxidase (S-PPO), and Solid Urease (S-UE), with S-CAT reaching 952.5 μmol/h/g. Following common morel cultivation, bacterial richness and diversity decreased across all conditions, while fungal richness increased but diversity declined. At the phylum level, Proteobacteria remained the dominant bacterial group, accounting for 26.78% in PG, 28.27% in HD, and 20.05% in DT soils. Ascomycota was the predominant fungal phylum, comprising 68.03% in PG, 72.16% in HD, and 68.94% in DT soils. Predicted bacterial functional pathways were primarily associated with metabolism, genetic information processing, environmental information processing, and cellular processes. Key metabolic pathways included carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins. fungal functional guilds were mainly classified as pathotrophic, pathotrophic–saprotrophic, pathotrophic–saprotrophic–symbiotrophic, and saprotrophic. Among these, saprotrophic and pathotrophic guilds showed higher abundance compared to the control. This shift is characterized by a reduction in both the diversity and abundance of beneficial microorganisms, alongside an increase in the richness of harmful microbial taxa. The combined effect of these factors disrupts the soil microbial equilibrium. The findings of this study provide a theoretical foundation for the cultivation of common morel and the management of associated soils. Full article

The common swift is the most observed swift species in Germany. During the summer months in urban areas, juvenile swifts in need of help are frequently cared for in wild bird rescue centers. Providing adequate housing and veterinary treatment for hundreds of juvenile swifts can be very challenging for non-specialized organizations and contact with other bird species is often unavoidable. The knowledge about the transmission of infectious diseases between individuals of this bird species specialized in an airborne life and of other bird species is limited. In this presented case a wild juvenile common swift was hand-reared for about 17 days and was noticed to have increasing feather abnormalities in a wildlife rescue center with close proximity to other wild birds. At the time of the investigation, the swift was of an age of about 35 days, and in good physical condition. The affected body, wing, and tail feathers showed retentions of feather sheaths, malformation of the feather vane, and circumferential constrictions with feather loss. The virological examination of the dystrophic feathers revealed a positive result for the circovirus and a negative result for the polyoma-consensus-nested PCR. The detected sequence of the circovirus showed the highest identity in 300 base pairs of 83.11% to a Canary circovirus isolate in NCBI Blast analysis. In addition to a transmission between common swifts during the nestling phase, other wild bird species can be discussed as a possible source of the infection. Full article

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) frequently evades immune recognition and elimination, resulting in an immunosuppressive microenvironment. The phagocytic activity of tumor-associated macrophages underscores the development of nanomaterials as a promising strategy to target these macrophages and modulate their polarization, thereby advancing immunotherapy against TNBC. This research developed functional polymers that are complexed with therapeutic molecules as a coating strategy for iron oxide nanoparticles. An arginine-based poly (ester urea urethane) polymer complexed with a macrophage-polarizing molecule (APU-R848) could provide a synergistic effect with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) to stimulate the M1-polarization of macrophages at the tumor site, resulting in a versatile nano-platform for immune regulation of TNBC. In the 4T1 in vivo breast tumor model, the APU-R848-IONPs demonstrated an improved intratumoral biodistribution compared to IONPs without a polymer coating. APU-R848-IONPs significantly reversed the immune-suppressive tumor environment by reducing the M2/M1 macrophage phenotype ratio by 51%, associated with an elevated population of cytotoxic T cells and a significantly enhanced production of tumoricidal cytokines. The activated immune response induced by APU-R848-IONP resulted in a significant anti-tumor effect, demonstrating an efficacy that was more than 3.2-fold more efficient compared to the controls. These immune-regulatory pseudo-protein-coated iron oxide nanoparticles represent an effective nano-strategy for macrophages’ regulation and the activation of anti-tumor immunity, providing a new treatment modality for triple-negative breast cancer. Full article

The transition to hydrogen as an aviation fuel, as outlined in current decarbonization roadmaps, is expected to result in the entry into service of hydrogen-powered aircraft in 2035. To achieve this evolution, certification regulations are key enablers. Due to the disruptive nature of hydrogen aircraft technologies and their associated hazards, it is essential to assess the maturity of the existing regulatory framework for certification to ensure its availability when manufacturers apply for aircraft certification. This paper presents the work conducted under the Clean Aviation CONCERTO project to advance certification readiness by comprehensively identifying gaps in the current European regulations. Generic methodologies were developed for regulatory gap and risk analyses and applied to a hydrogen turbine aircraft with non-propulsive fuel cells as the APU. The gap analysis, conducted on certification specifications for large and normal-category airplanes as well as engines, confirmed the overall adequacy of many existing requirements. However, important gaps exist to appropriately address hydrogen hazards particularly concerning fire and explosion, hydrogen storage and fuel systems, crashworthiness, and occupant survivability. The paper concludes by identifying critical areas for certification and highlighting the need for complementary hydrogen phenomenology data, which are key to guiding future research and regulatory efforts for certification readiness maturation. Full article

This paper investigated a non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA)-based integrated satellite–terrestrial network (ISTN), where each user can select to access a terrestrial base station (BS) or the satellite according to the capacity of BS and their individual transmission requirements. A two-stage algorithm is proposed to solve the achievable sum rate maximizing resource optimization problem. In the first stage, user associations are determined based on individual preference lists and the backhaul capacities of the access points (APs). In the second stage, the power allocation, and the receiving beamforming vectors are optimized alternately. Within each iteration, the closed-form solution for the transmit power is derived. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and the benefits brought by NOMA. When the backhaul link capacity of terrestrial BSs is sufficient, users (UEs) prefer to access these BSs. Otherwise, the satellite can offer QoS guarantees to UEs. Furthermore, the overall system performance reaches its optimum when the number of UEs in the system matches the number of receive antennas at the APs. Full article

The auxiliary power unit (APU), which is a compact gas turbine engine, is employed to provide a stable compressed air supply to the aircraft. This compressed air is introduced into the various aircraft components via the pneumatic servo system, thereby ensuring the normal operation of the aircraft’s systems. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of parameter variation on the transmission characteristics of an APU pneumatic servo system, with a particular focus on the aerodynamic moment associated with the operating process of a butterfly valve. To this end, a mathematical model of the pneumatic servo system has been developed. The accuracy of the mathematical model was verified by means of numerical simulation and comparative analysis of experiments. The simulation model was established in the Matlab/Simulink environment. Furthermore, the effects of throttling area ratio, fixed throttling hole diameter, rodless chamber volume of actuator cylinder and gas supply temperature on the transmission characteristics of the system were discussed in greater detail. The findings of the research indicate that the throttle area ratio is insufficiently sized, which results in a deterioration of the system’s linearity. Conversely, an excessively large throttle area ratio leads to a reduction in the controllable range of the load axis and is therefore detrimental to the servo mechanism of the flow control. An increase in the diameter of the fixed throttling hole or a decrease in the volume of the rodless cavity of the actuator cylinder facilitates a rapid change in flow rate within the rodless cavity and an increase in the response speed of the load-rotating shaft of the servomechanism. An increase in the temperature of the gas supply from 30 °C to 230 °C results in a reduction in the response time of the system by a mere 0.2 s, which has a negligible impact on the transmission characteristics of the system. Full article

Wi-Fi round-trip time (RTT) ranging has proven successful in indoor localization. Here, it is shown to be useful outdoors as well—and more accurate than smartphone code-based GNSS when used near buildings with Wi-Fi access points (APs). A Bayesian grid with observation and transition models is used to update a probability distribution of the position of the user equipment (UE). The expected value (or the mode) of this probability distribution provides an estimate of the UE location. Localization of the UE using RTT ranging depends on knowing the locations of the Wi-Fi APs. Determining these positions from floor plans can be time-consuming, particularly when the APs may not be accessible (as is often the case in order to prevent unauthorized access to the network). An alternative is to invert the Bayesian grid method for locating the UE—which uses distance measurements from the UE to several APs with known position. In the inverted method we instead locate the AP using distance measurements from several known positions of the UE. In localization using RTT, at any given time, a decision has to be made as to which APs to range to, given that there is a cost associated with each “range probe” and that some APs may not respond. This can be problematic when the APs are not uniformly distributed. Without a suitable ranging strategy, one can enter a dead-end state where there is no response from any of the APs currently being ranged to. This is a particular concern when there are local clusters of APs that may “capture” the attention of the RTT app. To avoid this, a strategy is developed here that takes into account distance, signal strength, time since last “seen”, and the distribution of the directions to APs from the UE—plus a random contribution. We demonstrate the method in a situation where there are no line-of-sight (LOS) connections and where the APs are inaccessible. The localization accuracy achieved exceeds that of the smartphone code-based GNSS. Full article

This paper proposes a heuristic association algorithm between access points (APs) and user equipment (UE) in user-centric cell-free massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems, specifically targeting scenarios where UEs share the same frequency and time resources. The proposed algorithm prevents overserving APs and ensures the connectivity of all UEs, even when the number of UEs is significantly greater than the number of APs. Additionally, we assume the use of low-resolution analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) to reduce fronthaul capacity. While realistic massive access scenarios, such as those in Internet-of-Things (IoT) environments, often involve hundreds or thousands of UEs per AP using multiple access techniques to allocate different frequency and time resources, our study focuses on scenarios where UEs within each AP cluster share the same frequency and time resources to highlight the impact of pilot contamination in dense network environments. The proposed algorithm is validated through simulations, confirming that it guarantees the connection of all UEs and prevents overserving APs. Furthermore, we analyze the required fronthaul capacity based on quantization bits and confirm that the proposed algorithm outperforms existing algorithms in terms of SE and average SE performance for UEs. Full article

Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability, especially due to an increased fall risk and postural instability. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of motor impairment in the hemiparetic UE on static balance in standing, in subject with chronic stroke. Methods: Seventy adults with chronic stroke, capable of independent standing and walking, participated in this cross-sectional study. The exclusion criteria included vestibular, cerebellar, or posterior cord lesions. The participants were classified based on their UE impairment using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Motor Recovery after Stroke (FMA-UE). A posturographic evaluation (mCTSIB) was performed in the standing position to analyze the center of pressure (COP) displacement in the mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) axes and its mean speed with eyes open (OE) and closed (EC) on stable and unstable surfaces. Results: A strong and significant correlation (r = −0.53; p < 0.001) was observed between the mediolateral (ML) center of pressure (COP) oscillation and the FMA-UE, which was particularly strong with eyes closed [r(EO) = 0.5; r(EC) = 0.54]. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the ML oscillation is influenced significantly by the FMA-Motor, and specifically by the sections on UE, wrist, coordination/speed, and sensation. Conclusions: The hemiparetic UE motor capacity is strongly related to the ML COP oscillation during standing in individuals with chronic stroke, with a lower motor capacity associated with a greater instability. Understanding these relationships underpins the interventions to improve balance and reduce falls in people who have had a stroke. Full article

Murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are commonly used as model systems during gene therapeutic retroviral vector development and preclinical biosafety assessment. Here, we developed cell culture conditions to maintain stemness and prevent differentiation during HSPC culture. We used the small compounds A83-01, pomalidomide, and UM171 (APU). Highly purified LSK SLAM cells expanded in medium containing SCF, IL-3, FLT3-L, and IL-11 but rapidly differentiated to myeloid progenitors and mast cells. The supplementation of APU attenuated the differentiation and preserved the stemness of HSPCs. The TGF$\beta$ inhibitor A83-01 was identified as the major effector. It significantly inhibited the mast-cell-associated expression of Fc$\epsilon$R1$\alpha$ and the transcription of genes regulating the formation of granules and promoted a 3800-fold expansion of LSK cells. As a functional readout, we used expanded HSPCs in state-of-the-art genotoxicity assays. Like fresh cells, APU-expanded HSPCs transduced with a mutagenic retroviral vector developed a myeloid differentiation block with clonal restriction and dysregulated oncogenic transcriptomic signatures due to vector integration near the high-risk locus Mecom. Thus, expanded HSPCs might serve as a novel cell source for retroviral vector testing and genotoxicity studies. Full article

Conventional transportation systems are facing many challenges related to reducing fuel consumption, noise, and pollutants to satisfy rising environmental and economic criteria. These requirements have prompted many researchers and manufacturers in the transportation sector to look for cleaner, more efficient, and more sustainable alternatives. Powertrains based on fuel cell systems could partially or completely replace their conventional counterparts used in all modes of transport, starting from small ones, such as scooters, to large mechanisms such as commercial airplanes. Since hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs) emit only water and heat as byproducts and have higher energy conversion efficiency in comparison with other conventional systems, it has become tempting for many scholars to explore their potential for resolving the environmental and economic concerns associated with the transportation sector. This paper thoroughly reviews the principles and applications of fuel cell systems for the main transportation schemes, including scooters, bicycles, motorcycles, cars, buses, trains, and aerial vehicles. The review showed that fuel cells would soon become the powertrain of choice for most modes of transportation. For commercial long-rage airplanes, however, employing fuel cells will be limited due to the replacement of the axillary power unit (APU) in the foreseeable future. Using fuel cells to propel such large airplanes would necessitate redesigning the airplane structure to accommodate the required hydrogen tanks, which could take a bit more time. Full article

In this paper, we consider the uplink of a scalable cell-free massive MIMO (CF-M-MIMO) system where user equipments (UEs) are served only by a subset of access points (APs). All APs are physically divided into predetermined “real clusters”, which are linked to different cooperative central processing units (CPUs). Based on the cooperative nature of the considered communications framework, we assume that each UE is affiliated with a “virtual cluster”, which is associated with some APs coming from different real clusters. Thanks to the degrees of cooperation among multiple CPUs, the uplink spectral efficiencies (SEs) of four different levels are analyzed. To achieve system scalability, the CF-M-MIMO system with multiple CPUs is introduced, which leads to lower SE. To this end, we design a joint combining method based on statistical channel state informations (CSIs), which not only has low complexity but also improves the SE of the system. Simulation results indicate that the average rate of our proposed method can be improved by about 30%. Full article

The use of pesticides is associated with the decline of several avian species. In this study, we monitored the organochlorine contaminants in common swifts (Apus apus) in the years 2016 to 2018. These long-distance migrants breed in Europe and winter in Africa. Their only feeding source is aerial plankton. Pooled organ samples of 42 adult and 40 juvenile swifts were tested with the multi-residue method by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-TOF/MS). Predominantly, 4,4′-DDE, dieldrin, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), lindane and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found in most of these common swifts. Only 4,4′-DDE (adult: 83 ± 70 μg/kg, juvenile: 17 ± 39 μg/kg) and dieldrin (adult: 2 ± 3 μg/kg, juvenile: 0.3 ± 1 μg/kg) concentrations were significantly different between adult and juvenile birds. All detected concentrations in our study were far lower than the previously recorded pesticide concentrations of common swifts in Italy and those which are known to cause toxicity and death in birds. Full article

The prevention of pressure injuries in hospitalised patients is a critical point of care related to patient safety. Nurses play a key role in pressure injury (PI) prevention, making it important to assess not only their knowledge but also their attitude towards prevention. The main purpose of this study was to translate into Spanish and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Attitude towards Pressure ulcer Prevention instrument (APuP); a secondary aim was to explore the associations of attitude with other factors. A Spanish version was developed through a translation and back-translation procedure. The validation study was conducted on a sample of 438 nursing professionals from four public hospitals in Spain. The analysis includes internal consistency, confirmatory factorial analysis, and construct validity in known groups. The 12-item Spanish version of the APuP fit well in the 5-factor model, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.7. The mean APuP score was 39.98, which means a positive attitude. Registered nurses have a slightly better attitude than Assistant nurses. A moderate correlation (R = 0.32) between knowledge and attitude for the prevention of PI was found. As concluded, the Spanish version of the APuP questionnaire is a valid, reliable and useful tool to measure the attitude toward PI prevention in Spanish-speaking contexts. This version has 12 items grouped into 5 factors, and its psychometric properties are similar to those of the original instrument. Full article

This study proposed a classification model for 125 agricultural productive units (APUs) in Tolima, Colombia, to establish whether they are related to the quality of coffee produced. The model considered two aspects related to farmer profile and farm profile. The following proposed categories resulted from the coordinate obtained in relation to the two aspects: Low-Low, High-Low, Low-High, and High-High. The variables for each aspect were prioritized using the analysis hierarchical process (AHP). The coffee’s quality, sensory profile by attribute, and specific descriptors for each category were determined employing the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) protocol. The sensory attributes were analyzed by way of one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Bonferroni test was used to compare by category, both with a significance level of α = 0.05. The model grouped the APUs by category and cup quality, with the High-High category achieving the best scores in the sensory analysis. The variables with the greatest relative weight within the AHP model constituted farmer stance regarding the use of good agricultural practices (44.5%) and farmer attitude toward excellence (40.6%) in the farmer’s profile. As part of the farm’s profile, environmental commitment level (38.0%) and international certifications (29.1%) were the greatest relative weights. Coffee in the High-High category was characterized by its notes of cinnamon, cocoa, chocolate, and dried vegetables. Full article