Search Results (173)

Introduction: Sex-specific differences in psychopharmacological treatment have gained increasing attention in adults, with studies showing that women often have higher serum concentrations of psychotropic drugs due to biological differences. However, despite recognition of these differences in adults, reference ranges for therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) in general, but even more sex-specific therapeutic windows for psychotropic drugs, are lacking in children and adolescents, who may metabolize and respond to medications differently. Aim: The study aimed to investigate sex-specific differences in antidepressant (AD) and antipsychotic (AP) -treatment outcomes, and pharmacokinetics in childhood/adolescence. In particular, we examined differences in AD and AP serum levels and clinical effects, including adverse drug effects (ADEs) and therapeutic effectiveness. Methods: This study is part of the multicenter “TDM-VIGIL” pharmacovigilance project, which prospectively followed patients aged 6–18 years treated with AD and AP across 18 child psychiatric centers in German-speaking countries from 2014 to 2018. Clinical data, including drug concentrations (AD: fluoxetine, mirtazapine, (es)citalopram, sertraline; AP: aripiprazole, quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone), were collected using an internet-based registry, and treatment outcomes and ADEs were assessed during routine visits. Statistical analyses were performed to examine sex differences in pharmacokinetics and clinical responses, adjusting for age, weight, and other confounders. Results: A total of 705 patients (66.5% girls, 24.7% <14 years, mean age of 14.6 years) were included. Female patients were slightly older, had lower body weight, and were more often diagnosed with depression and anorexia nervosa, while boys were more frequently diagnosed with hyperkinetic disorders and atypical autism. We found no sex differences in the serum concentrations of investigated drugs when adjusted for age and weight. In fluoxetine treatment in patients diagnosed with mood (affective) disorders, female sex was associated with the probability for very good therapy response (p = 0.04), as well as with moderate treatment response (p = 0.02) compared to no treatment response. Discussion: Our findings suggest that sex may not affect serum levels of investigated AD and AP in children/adolescents. However, treatment outcome of fluoxetine was associated with sex, with higher probability for a better outcome in female patients diagnosed with mood (affective) disorders. Full article

Understanding soil infiltration at the watershed level is crucial to hydrological studies, as it significantly influences surface runoff, groundwater replenishment, and ecosystem sustainability. Research in this area—particularly employing the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)—has seen sustained scholarly interest, with an upward trend in related publications. This study analyzed 141 peer-reviewed articles from the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection. By applying bibliometric techniques through CiteSpace visualization software, it explored the key themes and emerging directions in the use of the SWAT model for soil infiltration studies across watersheds. Findings revealed that this field integrates multiple disciplines. Notably, the Journal of Hydrology and Hydrological Processes emerged as two of the most impactful publication venues. Researchers and institutions from the United States, China, and Ethiopia were the core contributors to this area. “Land use” and “climate change” are currently the hotspots of interest in this field. There are three development trends: (1) The scale of research is continuously expanding. (2) The research subjects are diversified, ranging from initially focusing on agricultural watersheds to surrounding areas such as hillsides, grasslands, and forests. (3) The research content becomes more systematic, emphasizing regional coordination and ecological sustainability. Overall, the research on soil infiltration at the watershed scale using the SWAT model presents a promising and thriving field. This study provides researchers with a framework that objectively presents the research hotspots and trends in this area, serving as a valuable resource for advancing academic inquiry in this domain. Full article

Occupational exposures in the agricultural industry globally have been associated with heightened risk for several diseases. Reports written in South Africa in the last decade have raised awareness of the harsh occupational conditions and human rights abuses suffered by farmworker communities in the wine industry. Despite receiving “fair trade” labels upon reentry into the global market in the 1990s, the working conditions on wine farms in South Africa have remained unchanged and exploitative for centuries. Farmworkers remain dependent on substandard farm housing, have insecure land tenure rights, are exposed to toxic pesticides, are denied access to benefits and unionization, and endure long working hours in harsh environmental conditions with low pay. These occupational conditions are linked to interacting disease clusters: metabolic syndrome, problematic drinking, and communicable diseases including tuberculosis, HIV, and COVID-19. This milieu of interacting diseases with deleterious outcomes is an under-considered occupational syndemic that will likely worsen given both the lasting impacts of COVID-19 and more recent shifts in global public health funding. Full article

Urban population growth has led to increased air pollution, influenced by disrupted wind patterns and the heterogeneous distribution of pollutants. Although the relationship between urban form and air quality is well recognized, it is often examined in isolation and through simplified urban geometries. This study addresses these limitations by numerically analyzing pollutant dispersion in densely populated hillside areas using idealized but topographically representative building geometries. A three-dimensional microclimatic simulation is conducted with ENVI-met software, incorporating parametric slope angles and building height variations. The results demonstrate that both slope steepness and building height significantly affect local pollutant concentrations: steeper slopes and taller buildings are associated with higher peak pollution values in the environment. Additionally, the simulation results show that vegetation is critical in mitigating pollution, acting as a natural barrier that enhances dispersion. These findings highlight the need for slope-sensitive urban planning and strategically integrating vegetation in hillside developments to improve air quality in complex urban terrains. Full article

Soil erosion is a significant environmental issue that threatens the stability of land and agricultural productivity. In Eritrea, erosion remains understudied, limiting effective land management. This study assesses soil erosion and maps erosion risk in the Mai Nefhi watershed using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), integrated with Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) data. Key parameters were analyzed, including rainfall erosivity (R), soil erodibility (K), slope length and steepness (LS), cover management (C), and conservation practice (P). A severity classification identified five risk levels: low (0–7), moderate (7–22), high (22–45), very high (45–90), and severe (90–250) t ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ with an area coverage of 61.93%, 22.05%, 5.62%, 6.43%, and 3.94%, respectively. Among all the parameters, the LS factor was identified as the dominant driver of soil loss, with erosion rates increasing sharply on slopes above 30%. There was a weak inverse relationship between soil organic matter and erosion (R² = 0.279), indicating that only 27.9% of the variability in soil erosion rates can be explained by SOM content alone. This result further suggests other dominant factors like slope and land use. The findings underscore the need for slope-sensitive conservation strategies, including terracing, agroforestry, and restrictions on hillside cultivation. Full article

To address issues such as leaf occlusion, misalignment of the harvesting robotic arm, and limited harvesting range in hillside chili fields, this paper designs an intelligent harvesting system based on 3D point cloud reconstruction and multi-mechanism collaborative leveling. The system integrates real-time data from a LiDAR and IMU inertial navigation system to reconstruct the chili point cloud occluded by leaves from multiple perspectives. To address issues such as misalignment of the robotic arm caused by terrain undulations, the system integrates an adaptive leveling platform and an H-shaped planar slide, combined with a gyroscope to dynamically adjust the arm’s posture in real time, ensuring arm stability while expanding its workspace. In addition, to ensure harvesting efficiency and pepper integrity, an integrated cutting–gripping flexible end effector is designed to achieve synchronized cutting and collection operations. The experiment shows that the system achieves recognition accuracy of 81.95% for occluded chili peppers and 89.04% for non-occluded chili peppers. The harvesting success rate is 86.33%, with a single harvesting operation taking 13.17 s. During prolonged operation, the harvesting success rate can be maintained at approximately 85.1%. In summary, the intelligent harvesting system based on 3D point cloud reconstruction and multi-mechanism collaborative leveling provides a feasible solution for automated pepper harvesting. Full article

Wetlands are transitional lands between terrestrial and aquatic systems that provide various ecosystem services. The objective of this study was to evaluate the change in wetlands in the Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve (CR) in the period 1986–2022 using geographic information systems (GISs), multitemporal satellite data, and field data from the 16 wetlands of the reserve. Images from Landsat satellite collections (five from Thematic Mapper, seven from Enhanced Thematic Mapper, and eight from Operational Land Imager and Thermal Infrared Sensor) were used. Image analysis and processing was performed, and the resulting maps were evaluated in a GIS environment to determine the land cover change and growth rate of hydrophilic opportunistic vegetation (HOV) according to hillside orientation. The results show that there are negative annual anomalies in the water-covered areas, which coincide with the increase in HOV. This shows that the constancy or increase in the rate of increase in HOV, which varies between 0.0018 and 0.0028, causes the disappearance of these ecosystems. The importance of the study lies in its potential contribution to the decision-making process in the management of the CR. Full article

The present study is based on a follow-up of a survey carried out in 2000, consisting in the revisitation of ten sites, with the scope of assessing changes in the composition and richness of epiphytic macrolichens within Cluj-Napoca city over the past 24 years. Within this period most of the polluting factories from the city outskirts were closed but in turn, the number of registered cars increased almost six-fold. An increasing compositional homogenization by contribution of generalist, stress-tolerant species was detected over time while total lichen taxa richness declined, which is mostly imputable to the synergic effects of intense car traffic and warmer/drier summers. Most sites displayed a compositional change along a weak, mixed gradient of eutrophication and xerophitization. Only two sites (located on the windy, Someș valley bottom) experienced a compositional change from higher to lower trophicity levels. Other two sites (positioned on more sheltered hillsides) displayed unfavourable dynamics in terms of lost species. Unexpectedly, the number of epiphytic lichen taxa at site level has, on average, increased over time, but the main contributors were poleotolerant species. The warming trend, due to climate change and local heat sources, is expected to worsen the negative effects of air-borne pollutants on the composition of the epiphytic lichen species pool within the Cluj-Napoca urban area. Full article

This research investigates the second Hankel determinant for a specific class of functions associated with the Daehee polynomial. To achieve this, we introduce new subclasses of starlike functions in the context of Daehee polynomials. In complex analysis, establishing precise bounds for coefficient estimates in bi-univalent functions is essential, as these coefficients define the fundamental properties of conformal mappings. In this study, we derive sharp bounds for coefficient estimates within new subclasses of starlike functions related to Daehee polynomials, with most of the obtained limits demonstrating high accuracy. This work aims to inspire further exploration of rigorous bounds for analytic functions associated with innovative mapping domains. Full article

Steering control is vital for hillside tractors, and four-wheel-steering technology significantly enhances stability and flexibility. However, existing methods often overlook the slope–stability relationship. In order to address this issue, considering the impact of tractor wheels on the steering characteristics, a nonlinear three-degree-of-freedom dynamic model based on the basic requirements within a 15° range of slope angles was derived. Subsequently, a four-wheel steering control strategy for hillside tractors was designed based on this model, incorporating a fuzzy PID control algorithm. The dynamics model was validated on the high-fidelity Carsim/Simulink co-simulation platform, and relevant experiments were conducted in Matlab/Simulink. Results showed that fuzzy PID control reduced the yaw rate’s average settling time from 0.36 s to 0.1 s and the response value from 0.28 rad/s to 0.038 rad/s. In addition, the lateral velocity and sideslip angle responses closely matched ideal values. Thus, the tractor with four-wheel steering under fuzzy PID control exhibited improved wheel angle flexibility and higher tracking accuracy. Finally, hardware-in-the-loop-experiments were conducted, confirming the algorithm’s effectiveness in ensuring stability and meeting the requirements of semi-physical simulation scenarios. This research provides a foundation for potential applications in tractor manufacturing to improve control performance on hilly terrains. Full article

Rural settlement in Central Italy represents one of the most original heritages for understanding the link between architectural principles and the environmental, economic, and social aspects of the cultivated land. The scattered farmhouses are the basis of a particular land management strategy, the Mezzadria (sharecropping), a contract between a landowner and a farmer. The structure of the architecture is always the same, with slight variations, and is characterized by an external staircase that is the prevailing distinctive element. However, the isolated buildings developed a complex system of relations in the territory, a cultural landscape process made up of physical and visual connections. This paper investigates the rural architecture of Central Italy, particularly in the mid-Adriatic area of southern Marche, renewing the knowledge of this peculiar heritage. The exploratory method considers different scales and is based both on the interpretation of hilly geography and on architectonic comparison between artifacts. Ruins in situ visual exploration, valuation of historical maps, and transcription of signs elaborated in drawings and photographs allow us for better identification of the open space relations and building characters. It is concluded that farmhouses are not only architectural objects with ‘honest functional logic’ but real devices for the creation of the hillside landscape, so they need broad investigations that start from solid scientific references to direct future trajectories. Full article

Chestnut orchards are a multifunctional resource, providing not only fruit or wood but also playing a role in the conservation of mountain and hillside landscapes. In the Piemonte Region, Italy, a rich genetic heritage of chestnut genotypes has contributed to considerable biodiversity and environmental value. The study aimed to valorize an important example of the chestnut agrobiodiversity in the Piemonte Region by focusing on the ‘Marrone di Chiusa Pesio’ (MCP) cultivar (cv). A multidisciplinary approach was applied, involving genetic and morphological analyses, Visual Tree Assessment (VTA), and phytochemical and nutritional profiling. The plant census provided identification and geolocation of 187 MCP specimens; the 20 most representative trees were genetically analyzed, and then, through the VTA, their morpho-functional status was evaluated. The nutraceutical properties and phytochemical composition were assessed by measuring the total polyphenol content (TPC), antioxidant capacity (AOC), and other phytochemical classes through spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. The results showed significantly higher TPC values (ranged from 36.51 ± 1.60 mgGAE/100 g of dried weight—DW to 103.14 ± 1.24 mgGAE/100 g DW) compared to other ‘Marrone-type’ cultivars, along with high levels of key phenolic markers, bioactive compounds, and nutritional substances. These included tannins (about 22–28 mg/100 g DW) and cinnamic acids (about 23–25 mg/100 g DW), followed by flavonols, benzoic acids, organic acids, monoterpenes, vitamin C, and catechins, listed in order of predominance. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to observe the distribution of the samples and their correlations based on the chemical composition. The results confirmed the interesting phytochemical properties of the ‘Marrone di Chiusa Pesio’ nuts, together with their good morphological and functional properties. Given the ongoing genetic erosion of Castanea sativa cultivars, due to cultivation abandonment and climate change, the main factors contributing to the progressive loss of biodiversity worldwide, the presented approach aimed to provide an overview of the conservation status of the local agrobiodiversity. This study highlighted the value of a local chestnut cultivar, presenting the low conservation status of the few remaining specimens. The goal was to define the significant phenotypic variation regarding MCP in the considered area due to environmental variations, which may be of interest in its genetic adaptation to climate change. The study may potentially encourage the development of strategies for actively conserving the forest agrobiodiversity and hillside ecosystem services in the highly diverse landscapes of the Alpine valleys. Full article

The deformation of the No. 65 slope on the Shangsan Expressway poses a potential threat to road safety. In July 2021, the deformation rate of this slope accelerated significantly, leading to the implementation of reinforcement measures in 2022. To comprehensively analyze the historical deformation characteristics of the slope and evaluate the effectiveness of the reinforcement measures, this study employs Small Baseline Subset Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (SBAS-InSAR) technology to calculate and analyze the historical deformation characteristics of the slope and the adjacent hillside for two periods: from 10 January 2018 to 22 August 2021, and from 3 September 2021 to 22 December 2023. The SBAS-InSAR monitoring results were compared with in situ data from borehole inclinometers to verify the reliability of the calculations. The SBAS-InSAR results indicate that before reinforcement, the slope exhibited slow movement; however, after the implementation of the reinforcement measures, the displacement significantly decreased, demonstrating the success and effectiveness of the interventions. The consistency between the SBAS-InSAR results, borehole inclinometer data, and surface observations confirms the substantial potential of SBAS-InSAR technology for slope engineering monitoring. Full article