Search Results (29,900)

Forest volume is an important information for assessing the economic value and carbon sequestration capacity of forest resources and serves as a key indicator for energy flow and biodiversity. Although remote sensing technology is applied to estimate volume, optical remote sensing data have limitations in capturing forest vertical height information and may suffer from reflectance saturation. While LiDAR data can provide more detailed vertical structural information, they come with high processing costs and limited observation range. Therefore, improving the accuracy of volume estimation through multi-source data fusion has become a crucial challenge and research focus in the field of forest remote sensing. In this study, we integrated Sentinel-2 multispectral data, Resource-3 stereoscopic imagery, UAV-based LiDAR data, and field survey data to quantitatively estimate the forest volume in Saihanwula Nature Reserve, located in Inner Mongolia, China, on the southern part of Daxing’anling Mountains. The study evaluated the performance of multi-source remote sensing features by using recursive feature elimination (RFE) to select the most relevant factors and applied four machine learning models—multiple linear regression (MLR), k-nearest neighbors (kNN), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting regression tree (GBRT)—to develop volume estimation models. The evaluation metrics include the coefficient of determination (R²), root mean square error (RMSE), and relative root mean square error (rRMSE). The results show that (1) forest Canopy Height Model (CHM) data were strongly correlated with forest volume, helping to alleviate the reflectance saturation issues inherent in spectral texture data. The fusion of CHM and spectral data resulted in an improved volume estimation model with R² = 0.75 and RMSE = 8.16 m³/hm², highlighting the importance of integrating multi-source canopy height information for more accurate volume estimation. (2) Volume estimation accuracy varied across different tree species. For Betula platyphylla, we obtained R² = 0.71 and RMSE = 6.96 m³/hm²; for Quercus mongolica, R² = 0.74 and RMSE = 6.90 m³/hm²; and for Populus davidiana, R² = 0.51 and RMSE = 9.29 m³/hm². The total forest volume in the Saihanwula Reserve ranges from 50 to 110 m³/hm². (3) Among the four machine learning models, GBRT consistently outperformed others in all evaluation metrics, achieving the highest R² of 0.86, lowest RMSE of 9.69 m³/hm², and lowest rRMSE of 24.57%, suggesting its potential for forest biomass estimation. In conclusion, accurate estimation of forest volume is critical for evaluating forest management practices and timber resources. While this integrated approach shows promise, its operational application requires further external validation and uncertainty analysis to support policy-relevant decisions. The integration of multi-source remote sensing data provides valuable support for forest resource accounting, economic value assessment, and monitoring dynamic changes in forest ecosystems. Full article

Background: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has shown consistent efficacy in individuals with psychosis, as supported by many trials. One classical distinction is that between affective and non-affective psychosis. Few studies have specifically examined the possible moderating role of substantial affective elements. In this systematic review and meta-regression analysis, we assess how CBT response differs across the affective spectrum in psychosis. Methods: We included studies assessing various CBT modalities, including third-wave therapies, administered in people with psychosis. The study protocol is published in the Open Science Framework. Meta-regression was conducted to assess whether the proportion of participants with affective psychosis (AP), as proxied by a documented diagnosis of schizoaffective (SZA) disorder, moderated CBT efficacy across positive, negative, and depressive symptom domains. Results: The literature search identified 4457 records, of which 39 studies were included. The median proportion of SZA disorder participants was 17%, with a total of 422 AP participants represented. Meta-regression showed a trend toward lower CBT efficacy for positive symptoms with a higher SZA disorder proportion (β = +0.10 SMD per 10% increase in AP; p = 0.12), though it was not statistically significant. No significant associations were found for negative (β = +0.05; p = 0.73) or depressive symptoms (β = −0.02; p = 0.78). Heterogeneity was substantial across all models (I² ranging from 54% to 80%), and funnel plot asymmetry was observed in negative and depressive symptoms, indicating possible publication bias. Risk of bias assessment showed the anticipated inherent difficulty of psychotherapies in blinding and possibly dropout rates affecting some studies. Conclusions: Affective symptoms may reduce the effectiveness of CBT for positive symptoms in psychotic disorders, although the findings did not reach statistical significance. Other patient-level characteristics in psychosis could indicate which patients can benefit most from CBT modalities. Full article

Metro carriages, as enclosed transport microenvironments, have been understudied regarding pollution characteristics and health risks from ACs, especially during high-temperature summers that amplify exposure. This study applied NTS techniques for the first time across three major Chengdu metro lines, systematically identifying sixteen ACs, including hazardous species such as acetophenone, benzonitrile, and benzoic acid that are often overlooked in conventional BTEX-focused monitoring. The TAC concentration reached 41.40 ± 5.20 µg/m³, with half of the compounds exhibiting significant increases during peak commuting periods. Source apportionment using diagnostic ratios and PMF identified five major contributors: carriage material emissions (36.62%), human sources (22.50%), traffic exhaust infiltration (16.67%), organic solvents (16.55%), and industrial emissions (7.66%). Although both non-cancer (HI) and cancer (TCR) risks for all population groups were below international thresholds, summer tourists experienced higher exposure than daily commuters. Notably, child tourists showed the greatest vulnerability, with a TCR of 5.83 × 10⁻⁷, far exceeding that of commuting children (1.88 × 10⁻⁷). Benzene was the dominant contributor, accounting for over 50% of HI and 70% of TCR. This study presents the first integrated NTS and quantitative risk assessment to characterise ACs in summer metro environments, revealing a broader range of hazardous compounds beyond BTEX. It quantifies population-specific risks, highlights children’s heightened vulnerability. The findings fill critical gaps in ACs exposure and provide a scientific basis for improved air quality management and pollution mitigation strategies in urban rail transit systems. Full article

The increase in the number of wildfires in recent years in different parts of the world has caused growing concern among the population, since the consequences of these fires go beyond the destruction of the ecosystem. With the growing relevance of the Internet of Things (IoT) industry, developing solutions for the early detection of fires is of critical importance. This paper proposes a low-cost network based on Long-Range (LoRa) technology to autonomously assess the level of fire risk and the presence of a fire in rural areas. The system consists of several LoRa nodes with sensors to measure environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, air quality, and wind speed. The data collected is sent to a central gateway, where it is stored, processed, and later sent to a website for graphical visualization of the results. In this paper, a survey of the requirements of the devices and sensors that compose the system was made. After this survey, a market study of the available sensors was carried out, ending with a comparison between the sensors to determine which ones met the objectives. Using the chosen sensors, a study was made of possible power solutions for this prototype, considering the expected conditions of use. The system was tested in a real environment, and the results demonstrate that it is possible to cover a circular area with a radius of 2 km using a single gateway. Our system is prepared to trigger fire hazard alarms when, for example, the signals for relative humidity, ambient temperature, and wind speed are below or equal to 30%, above or equal to 30 °C, and above or equal to 30 m/s, respectively (commonly known as the 30-30-30 rule). Full article

Background/Objectives: Despite growing interest in oral frailty as a public health issue, no nationwide study has assessed regional differences in oral frailty awareness, and the factors associated with such differences remain unclear. This study investigated regional differences in oral frailty awareness among older adults in Japan and identified the associated individual- and municipal-level factors, focusing on local policy measures and community-based oral health programs. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from the 2022 wave of the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study. The analytical sample comprised 20,330 community-dwelling adults aged ≥65 years from 66 municipalities. Awareness of oral frailty was assessed via self-administered questionnaires. Individual- and municipal-level variables were analyzed using multilevel Poisson regression models to calculate prevalence ratios (PRs). Results: Awareness of oral frailty varied widely across municipalities, ranging from 15.3% to 47.1%. Multilevel analysis showed that being male (PR: 1.10), having ≤9 years (PR: 1.10) or 10 to 12 years of education (PR: 1.04), having oral frailty (PR: 1.04), and lacking civic participation (PR: 1.06) were significantly associated with lack of awareness. No significant associations were found with municipal-level variables such as dental health ordinances, volunteer training programs, or population density. Conclusions: The study found substantial regional variation in oral frailty awareness. However, this variation was explained primarily by individual-level characteristics. Public health strategies should focus on enhancing awareness among socially vulnerable groups—especially men, individuals with low educational attainment, and those not engaged in civic activities—through targeted interventions and community-based initiatives. Full article

Oncology physiotherapists frequently provide care for patients experiencing severe immunosuppression. Exercise immunology, the science that studies the effects of exercise on the immune system, is a rapidly evolving field with direct relevance to oncology physiotherapists. Understanding oncology physiotherapists’ perspectives on the subject of immune functioning is essential to explore its possible integration into clinical reasoning. This study aimed to assess the perspectives of oncology physiotherapists concerning immune functioning in oncology physiotherapy. For this qualitative research, semi-structured interviews were performed with Dutch oncology physiotherapists. Results were analyzed via inductive thematic analysis, followed by a validation step with participants. Fifteen interviews were performed. Participants’ ages ranged from 30 to 63 years. Emerging themes were (1) the construct ‘immune functioning’ (definition, and associations with this construct in oncology physiotherapy), (2) characteristics related to decreased immune functioning (in oncology physiotherapy), (3) negative and positive influences on immune functioning (in oncology physiotherapy), (4) tailored physiotherapy treatment, (5) treatment outcomes in oncology physiotherapy, (6) the oncology physiotherapist within cancer care, and (7) measurement and interpretation of immune functioning. In conclusion, oncology physiotherapists play an important role in the personalized and comprehensive care of patients with cancer. They are eager to learn more about immune functioning with the goal of better informing patients about the health effects of exercise and to tailor their training better. Future exercise-immunology research should clarify the effects of different exercise modalities on immune functioning, and how physiotherapists could evaluate these effects. Full article

Background/Objectives: The diminished efficacy of azoles in treating fungal infections is attributed to the emergence of resistance among pathogenic fungi. Employing a synergistic approach with other compounds to enhance the antifungal activity of azoles has shown promise, yet the availability of clinically valuable adjuvants for azoles and allylamines remains limited. Studies have demonstrated that the human host environment provides multiple carbon sources, which can influence the susceptibility of C. albicans to antifungal agents. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation into the mechanisms by which carbon sources modulate the susceptibility of C. albicans to azoles may uncover a novel pathway for enhancing the antifungal efficacy of azoles. Methods: This study explored the impact of various carbon sources on the antifungal efficacy of azoles through methodologies including minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assessments, super-MIC growth (SMG) assays, disk diffusion tests, and spot assays. Additionally, the mechanism by which galactose augments the antifungal activity of azoles was investigated using a range of experimental approaches, such as gene knockout and overexpression techniques, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and cycloheximide (CHX) chase experiments. Results: This study observed that galactose enhances the efficacy of azoles against C. albicans by inhibiting the translation of Erg1. This results in the suppression of Erg1 protein levels and subsequent inhibition of ergosterol biosynthesis in C. albicans. Conclusions: In C. albicans, the translation of Erg1 is inhibited when galactose is utilized as a carbon source instead of glucose. This novel discovery of galactose’s inhibitory effect on Erg1 translation is expected to enhance the antifungal efficacy of azoles. Full article

Temperature is a key physiological indicator of plant health, influenced by factors including water status, disease and developmental stage. Monitoring changes in multiple factors is helpful for early diagnosis of plant growth. However, there are a variety of complex light interference phenomena in the greenhouse, so traditional detection methods cannot meet effective online monitoring of strawberry health status without manual intervention. Therefore, this paper proposes a leaf soft-sensing method based on a thermal infrared imaging sensor and adaptive image screening Internet of Things system, with additional sensors to realize indirect and rapid monitoring of the health status of a large range of strawberries. Firstly, a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is established by analyzing the environmental interference terms from the other sensors. Secondly, through the relationship between plant physiological metabolism and canopy temperature, a growth model is established to predict the growth period of strawberries based on canopy temperature. Finally, by deploying environmental sensors and solar height sensors, the image acquisition node is activated when the environmental interference is less than the specified value and the acquisition is completed. The results showed that the accuracy of this multiple sensors system was 86.9%, which is 30% higher than the traditional model and 4.28% higher than the latest advanced model. It makes it possible to quickly and accurately assess the health status of plants by a single factor without in-person manual intervention, and provides an important indication of the early, undetectable state of strawberry disease, based on remote operation. Full article

Soil testing has long been used to optimize fertilization and crop production. More recently, soil health testing has emerged to reflect the growing interest in soil multifunctionality and ecosystem services. Soil health encompasses physical, chemical, and biological properties that support ecosystem functions and sustainable agriculture. Despite its relevance to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, 13, and 15), comprehensive soil health testing is not widely practiced due to complexity and cost. The aim of the study presented here was to contribute to the further development, implementation, and testing of an integrated procedure for soil health assessment in practice. We developed and tested a rapid, standardized soil health assessment tool that combines near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and multi-nutrient 0.01 M CaCl₂ extraction with Inductive Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy analysis. The tool evaluates a wide range of soil characteristics with high accuracy (R² ≥ 0.88 for most parameters) and has been evaluated across more than 15 countries, including those in Europe, China, New Zealand, and Vietnam. The results are compiled into a soil health indicator report with tailored management advice and a five-level ABCDE score. In a Dutch test set, 6% of soils scored A (optimal), while 2% scored E (degraded). This scalable tool supports land users, agrifood industries, and policymakers in advancing sustainable soil management and evidence-based environmental policy. Full article

To study and quantify the impact of water storage on lake slope stability after the closure of an open-pit mine, we targeted slope control measures by large-scale parallel computing methods and strength reduction theory. This was based on a three-dimensional refined numerical model to simulate the evolution of slope stability under different water storage levels and backfilling management conditions, and to quantitatively assess the risk of slope instability through the spatial distribution of stability coefficients. This study shows that during the impoundment process, the slope stability has a nonlinear decreasing trend due to the decrease in effective stress caused by the increase in pore water pressure. When the water storage was at 0 m, the instability range is the largest, and the surface range is nearly 200 m from the edge of the pit; when the water level continued to rise to 50 m, the hydrostatic pressure of the pit lake water on the slope support effect began to appear, and the stability was improved, but there is still a wide range of unstable areas at the bottom. In view of the unstable area of the steep slope with soft rock in the north slope during the process of water storage, the management scheme of backfilling the whole bottom to −150 m was proposed, and the slope protection and pressure footing were formed by discharging the soil to −40 m in steps to improve the anti-slip ability of the slope. Full article

Wellington, New Zealand, is highly vulnerable to disaster-induced food security crises due to its geography and geological characteristics, which can disrupt transportation and isolate the city following disasters. Urban agriculture (UA) has been proposed as a potential alternative food source for post-disaster scenarios. This study examined the potential of urban agriculture for enhancing post-disaster food security by calculating vegetable self-sufficiency rates. Specifically, it evaluated the capacity of current Wellington’s community gardens to meet post-disaster vegetable demand in terms of both weight and nutrient content. Data collection employed mixed methods with questionnaires, on-site observations and mapping, and collecting high-resolution aerial imagery. Garden yields were estimated using self-reported data supported by literature benchmarks, while cultivated areas were quantified through on-site mapping and aerial imagery analysis. Six post-disaster food demand scenarios were used based on different target populations to develop an understanding of the range of potential produce yields. Weight-based results show that community gardens currently supply only 0.42% of the vegetable demand for residents living within a five-minute walk. This rate increased to 2.07% when specifically targeting only vulnerable populations, and up to 10.41% when focusing on gardeners’ own households. However, at the city-wide level, the current capacity of community gardens to provide enough produce to feed people remained limited. Nutrient-based self-sufficiency was lower than weight-based results; however, nutrient intake is particularly critical for vulnerable populations after disasters, underscoring the greater challenge of ensuring adequate nutrition through current urban food production. Beyond self-sufficiency, this study also addressed the role of UA in promoting food diversity and acceptability, as well as its social and psychological benefits based on the questionnaires and on-site observations. The findings indicate that community gardens contribute meaningfully to post-disaster food security for gardeners and nearby residents, particularly for vulnerable groups with elevated nutritional needs. Despite the current limited capacity of community gardens to provide enough produce to feed residents, findings suggest that Wellington could enhance post-disaster food self-reliance by diversifying UA types and optimizing land-use to increase food production during and after a disaster. Realizing this potential will require strategic interventions, including supportive policies, a conducive social environment, and diversification—such as the including private yards—all aimed at improving food access, availability, and nutritional quality during crises. The primary limitation of this study is the lack of comprehensive data on urban agriculture in Wellington and the wider New Zealand context. Addressing this data gap should be a key focus for future research to enable more robust assessments and evidence-based planning. Full article

Purpose: This study investigates the test–retest reliability of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and integrated object positioning during bimanual box lifting tasks in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP), using the Activities of Daily Living Test and Training Device (ADL-TTD). Materials and Methods: Utilizing an explorative cross-sectional design, the study recruited 47 children with USCP. The ADL-TTD, equipped with an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) for precise object positioning, measured MVC, and object position in 3D space in a cross-sectional measurement containing two measurements in a fixed time period. Results: The findings demonstrated good test–retest reliability for MVC, with an ICC_agreement of 0.95 for the mean MVC value. Additionally, good reliability was observed for object positioning in different directions measured with an IMU, with ICC_agreement ranging from 0.82 to 0.86 degrees. Regarding the standard error of measurement (SEM), the SEM_agreement for the mean MVC value was 5.94 kg, while the SEM_agreement for object positioning was 1.48, 5.39, and 3.43 degrees, respectively. Conclusions: These results indicate that the ADL-TTD demonstrates good test–retest reliability for both MVC and object positioning, making it a valuable tool for analyzing this population in cross-sectional research by providing reliable measures of task-oriented strength and object manipulation. However, the relatively high SEM_agreement, particularly in MVC, suggests that caution is needed when using this tool for repeated testing over time. This pioneering approach could significantly contribute to tailored assessment and training for children with USCP, highlighting the importance of integrating task-specific strength and positional accuracy into therapeutic interventions. Full article

The lower Yellow River is characterized by low water discharge and a high sediment load, resulting in a fragile aquatic ecosystem. It is important to develop a reasonable method of ecological flow calculation that can be applied to the water-scarce rivers like the Yellow River. In this paper, we selected the Huayuankou hydrological station in the lower Yellow River as our study site and assessed the ecological flow using several methodologies including the monthly frequency calculation method, the sediment transportation method, the habitat simulation method, and the improved annual distribution method. Based on the seasonal applicability of the four methods across months of the year, we established an ecological flow calculation method that considers the integrated ecological functions of the lower Yellow River. In this method, ecological flow in the lower Yellow River during the dry season (November to March) can be determined by using the improved annual distribution method, ecological flow in the fish spawning period (April to June) can be calculated using the habitat simulation method, and the ecological flow during the flood season (July to October) can be calculated using the sediment transportation method. The optimal ecological flow regime for the Huayuankou section was determined using the established method. The ecological flow regimes derived in our study ranged from 310 m³/s to 1532 m³/s. However, we also observed that the ecological flow has a relatively low assurance rate during the flood season in the lower Yellow River, with the assurance rate not exceeding 63%. This highlights the fact that more attention should be given in reservoir regulations to facilitating sediment transport downstream. Full article

Purpose: The present study aims to evaluate alterations in the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in pediatric patients following surgical resection of childhood-onset craniopharyngioma (CP) and to identify tumor characteristics and other factors influencing these alterations, including changes in the lesion’s location. Design: retrospective clinical cohort study. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 73 eyes from 38 patients with CP and 64 eyes from 32 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The mean age of the CP patients was 10.3 ± 4.2 years (range 4–17), while the control group had a mean age of 10.5 ± 3.1 years (range 4–17). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to assess the peripapillary RNFL thickness in the study and control groups. RNFL thickness was analyzed in the superior, inferior, and average sectors, as well as across eight optic nerve sectors. Tumor characteristics were evaluated to determine their correlation with changes in RNFL thickness in individual sectors. Results: Postoperative thickness of peripapillary RNFL in all individual sectors was significantly reduced in the CP group compared to healthy controls. Location, tumor volume, maximum tumor diameter, calcification, ventriculoperitoneal shunt, surgery technique, total resection, presence of Rosenthal fibers, and reoperation due to progression or recurrence correlated with damage to RNFL. Conclusions: CP is associated with significant reductions in RNFL thickness, indicating the tumor’s impact on optic nerve fibers. OCT is a valuable tool for monitoring visual pathway impairment and postoperative outcomes. Correlations between RNFL thickness in individual sectors and clinical parameters may offer valuable insights for diagnosis and monitoring, underlining their potential role in predicting visual outcomes. Regular RNFL evaluation should be integrated into the long-term care of CP patients to optimize visual prognosis and detect progressive or residual damage. Full article

Accurately assessing the depth of anaesthesia in animals remains a challenge, as traditional monitoring methods fail to capture subtle changes in brain activity. This review aimed to systematically map and critically evaluate the range of quantitative variables derived from electroencephalography (EEG) used to monitor sedation or anaesthesia in live animals, excluding laboratory rodents, over the past 35 years. Studies were identified through comprehensive searches in major biomedical databases (PubMed, Embase, CAB Abstract). To be included, studies had to report EEG use in relation to anaesthesia or sedation in living animals. A total of 169 studies were selected after screening and data extraction. Information was charted by animal species and reported EEG-derived variables. The most frequently reported variables were spectral edge frequencies, spectral power metrics, suppression ratio, and proprietary indices, such as the Bispectral Index. Methodological variability was high, and no consensus emerged on optimal EEG measures across species. While EEG-derived quantitative variables provide valuable insights, their interpretation remains highly context-dependent. Further research is necessary to refine these methods, explore variable combinations, and improve their clinical relevance in veterinary medicine. Full article