Search

Quercus ilex L., an evergreen oak species typical of the western and central Mediterranean basin, is facing decline and dieback episodes due to the increase in the severity and frequency of heat waves and drought events. Studying xylogenesis (the wood formation process) is crucial for understanding how trees respond with their secondary growth to environmental conditions and stress events. This study aimed to characterize the wood formation dynamics of Quercus ilex and their relationship with the meteorological conditions in an area experiencing prolonged drought periods. Cambial activity and xylem cell production were monitored during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons in a Q. ilex forest located at the Vesuvius National Park (southern Italy). The results highlighted the significant roles of temperature and solar radiation in stimulating xylogenesis. Indeed, the correlation tests revealed that temperature and solar radiation positively influenced growth and cell development, while precipitation had an inhibitory effect on secondary wall formation. The earlier cell maturation in 2020 compared to 2019 underscored the impact of global warming trends. Overall, the trees studied demonstrated good health, growth and adaptability to local environmental fluctuations. This research provides novel insights into the intra-annual growth dynamics of this key Mediterranean species and its adaptation strategies to climatic variability, which will be crucial for forest management in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we build upon our previous finding that hydrodynamic porosity is an exponential function of pore-scale flow velocity (or interstitial Reynolds number). We previously discovered this relationship for media with a square cavity geometry—a highly idealized case of the dead-ended pore spaces in a porous medium. Thus, we demonstrate the applicability of this relationship to media with other cavity geometries. We do so by applying our previous analysis to rectangular and non-rectangular cavity geometries (i.e., circular, and triangular). We also study periodic flow geometries to determine the effect of upstream cavities on those downstream. We show that not only does our exponential relationship hold for media with a variety of cavity geometries, but it does so almost perfectly with a coefficient of determination (R2) of approximately one for each new set of simulation data. Given this high fit quality, it is evident that the exponential relationship we previously discovered is applicable to most, if not all, unwashed media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable testing of aviation components depends on the quality and configuration flexibility of measurement systems. In a typical approach to test instrumentation, there are tens or hundreds of sensors on the test head and test facility, which are connected by wires to measurement cards in control cabinets. The preparation of wiring and the setup of measurement systems are laborious tasks requiring diligence. The use of smart wireless transducers allows for a new approach to test preparation by reducing the number of wires. Moreover, additional functionalities like data processing, alarm-level monitoring, compensation, or self-diagnosis could improve the functionality and accuracy of measurement systems. A combination of low power consumption, wireless communication, and wireless power transfer could speed up the test-rig instrumentation process and bring new test possibilities, e.g., long-term testing of moving or rotating components. This paper presents the design of a wireless smart transducer dedicated for use with sensors typical of aviation laboratories such as thermocouples, RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors), strain gauges, and voltage output integrated sensors. The following sections present various design requirements, proposed technical solutions, a study of battery and wireless power supply possibilities, assembly, and test results. All presented tests were carried out in the Components Test Laboratory located at the Łukasiewicz Research Network–Institute of Aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are the differences in how public and private institutions of higher education, with religious schools as a subset of private colleges and universities, approach on-campus protests in a framework of civic engagement? Unfortunately, public, private, and religious schools have all restricted opportunities of speech, assembly, and protest, despite in many cases state and federal courts ruling that this is against the law. With the goal of increasing the civic capacities of students at all institutions of higher education, we propose a mechanism of partial revocation of tax exemptions at universities that do not currently uphold a robust understanding of civic engagement opportunities for all students, which will apply to any college or university receiving federal funding, consistent with the constitutional tradition of free speech still exemplified by Brandenburg v. Ohio and the "national policy" test of Bob Jones University vs. United States. In doing so, we build on the critique of exemptions in the recent work of Vincent Phillip Munoz on religious liberty. By opting only for incentives and by not even incentivizing private institutions that continue to restrict civic engagement but that do not accept federal dollars, we affirm and support a mutually beneficial ongoing dialogue among public, private, and religious schools. This dialogue, as it is sharpened and maintained in place by our recommended policies, is also consistent with pluralism as conceptualized by Jacob Levy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, several drought events hit Poland, affecting its forests. In Opole, Poland, tons of Pinus sylvestris L. deadwood is removed every year due to drought. Understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying tree vulnerability to drought, and tree responses, is important to develop forest management strategies to face the ongoing climate change. This research provides comprehensive local-scale analyses of the sensitivity of healthy and declining trees to drought. We used dendrochronology and stable isotope analysis to compare five healthy and five declining trees. The analysis focused particularly on comparisons of basal area increment (BAI), δ13C, and intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), as well as tree resistance, resilience, and recovery in response to drought events and sensitivity to selected meteorological parameters. We observed a significant reduction in BAI values in declining trees after 2000. Fifteen years later, the reduction was also visible in the iWUE values of these trees. Despite similar δ13C chronology patterns, declining trees showed higher δ13C correlations with meteorological parameters. We have shown that dendrochronology enables early detection of poor forest health conditions. Differences in iWUE chronologies occurring in recent years suggest that trees of both groups have chosen different adaptive strategies to cope with drought stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious health concern with high morbidity and high mortality worldwide. Recently, sexual dimorphism has become increasingly recognized as a factor influencing the severity of the disease. This study explores the gender-specific renoprotective pathways in αMUPA transgenic mice subjected to AKI. αMUPA transgenic male and female mice were subjected to ischemia–reperfusion (I/R)-AKI in the presence or absence of orchiectomy, oophorectomy, and L-NAME administration. Blood samples and kidneys were harvested 48 h following AKI for the biomarkers of kidney function, renal injury, inflammatory response and intracellular pathway sensing of or responding to AKI. Our findings show differing responses to AKI, where female αMUPA mice were remarkably protected against AKI as compared with males, as was evident by the lower SCr and BUN, normal renal histologically and attenuated expression of NGAL and KIM-1. Moreover, αMUPA females did not show a significant change in the renal inflammatory and fibrotic markers following AKI as compared with wild-type (WT) mice and αMUPA males. Interestingly, oophorectomized females eliminated the observed resistance to renal injury, highlighting the central protective role of estrogen. Correspondingly, orchiectomy in αMUPA males mitigated their sensitivity to renal damage, thereby emphasizing the devastating effects of testosterone. Additionally, treatment with L-NAME proved to have significant deleterious impacts on the renal protective mediators, thereby underscoring the involvement of eNOS. In conclusion, gender-specific differences in the response to AKI in αMUPA mice include multifaceted and keen interactions between the sex hormones and key biochemical mediators (such as estrogen, testosterone and eNOS). These novel findings shed light on the renoprotective pathways and mechanisms, which may pave the way for development of therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squash is a sport where referee decisions are essential to the game. However, these decisions are very subjective in nature. Disputes, both from the players and the audience, regularly occur because the referee made a controversial call. In this study, we propose automating the referee decision process through machine learning. We trained neural networks to predict such decisions using data from 400 referee decisions acquired through extensive video footage reviewing and labeling. Six positional values were extracted, including the attacking player's position, the retreating player's position, the ball's position in the frame, the ball's projected first bounce, the ball's projected second bounce, and the attacking player's racket head position. We calculated nine additional distance values, such as the distance between players and the distance from the attacking player's racket head to the ball's path. Models were trained on Wolfram Mathematica and Python using these values. The best Wolfram Mathematica model and the best Python model achieved accuracies of 86% ± 3.03% and 85.2% ± 5.1%, respectively. These accuracies surpass 85%, demonstrating near-human performance. Our model has great potential for improvement as it is currently trained with limited, unbalanced data (400 decisions) and lacks crucial data points such as time and speed. The performance of our model is almost surely going to improve significantly with a larger training dataset. Unlike human referees, machine learning models follow a consistent standard, have unlimited attention spans, and make decisions instantly. If the accuracy is improved in the future, the model can potentially serve as an extra refereeing official for both professional and amateur squash matches. Both the analysis of referee decisions in squash and the proposal to automate the process using machine learning is unique to this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metachrony is defined as coordinated asynchronous movement throughout multiple appendages, such as the cilia of cells and swimmerets of crustaceans. Used by species of crustaceans and microscopic cells to move through fluid, the process of metachronal propulsion was investigated. A rigid crustacean model with paddles moving in symmetric strokes was created to simulate metachronal movement. Coupled with the surrounding fluid domain, the immersed boundary method was employed to analyze the fluid–structure interactions. To explore the effect of a nonlinear morphology on the efficiency of metachronal propulsion, a range of crustacean body shapes was generated and simulated, from upward curves to downward curves. The highest propulsion velocity was found to be achieved when the crustacean model morphology was a downward curve, specifically a parabola of leading coefficient k = −0.4. This curved morphology resulted in a 4.5% higher velocity when compared to the linear model. As k deviated from −0.4, the propulsion velocity decreased with increasing magnitude, forming a concave downward trend. The impact of body shape on propulsion velocity is shown by how the optimal velocity with k = −0.4 is 71.5% larger than the velocity at k = 1. Overall, this study suggests that morphology has a significant impact on metachronal propulsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interactions between clouds, aerosol, and precipitation are crucial aspects of weather and climate. The simple Koren–Feingold conceptual model is important for providing deeper insight into the complex aerosol–cloud–precipitation system. Recently, artificial neural networks (ANNs) and physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) have been used to study multiple dynamic systems. However, the Koren–Feingold model for aerosol–cloud–precipitation interactions has not yet been studied with either ANNs or PINNs. It is challenging for pure data-driven models, such as ANNs, to accurately predict and reconstruct time series in a small data regime. The pure data-driven approach results in the ANN becoming a "black box" that limits physical interpretability. We demonstrate how these challenges can be overcome by combining a simple ANN with physical laws into a PINN model (not purely data-driven, good for the small data regime, and interpretable). This paper is the first to use PINNs to learn about the original and modified Koren–Feingold models in a small data regime, including external forcings such as wildfire-induced aerosols or the diurnal cycle of clouds. By adding external forcing, we investigate the effects of environmental phenomena on the aerosol–cloud–precipitation system. In addition to predicting the system's future, we also use PINN to reconstruct the system's past: a nontrivial task because of time delay. So far, most research has focused on using PINNs to predict the future of dynamic systems. We demonstrate the PINN's ability to reconstruct the past with limited data for a dynamic system with nonlinear delayed differential equations, such as the Koren–Feingold model, which remains underexplored in the literature. The main reason that this is possible is that the model is non-diffusive. We also demonstrate for the first time that PINNs have significant advantages over traditional ANNs in predicting the future and reconstructing the past of the original and modified Koren–Feingold models containing external forcings in the small data regime. We also show that the accuracy of the PINN is not sensitive to the value of the regularization factor ( λ ), a key parameter for the PINN that controls the weight for the physics loss relative to the data loss, for a broad range (from λ = 1 × 10 3 to λ = 1 × 10 5 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding public opinion on ChatGPT is crucial for recognizing its strengths and areas of concern. By utilizing natural language processing (NLP), this study delves into tweets regarding ChatGPT to determine temporal patterns, content features, and topic modeling and perform a sentiment analysis. Analyzing a dataset of 500,000 tweets, our research shifts from conventional data science tools like Python and R to exploit Wolfram Mathematica's robust capabilities. Additionally, with the aim of solving the problem of ignoring semantic information in the LDA model feature extraction, a synergistic methodology entwining LDA, GloVe embeddings, and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) clustering is proposed to categorize topics within ChatGPT-related tweets. This comprehensive strategy ensures semantic, syntactic, and topical congruence within classified groups by utilizing the strengths of probabilistic modeling, semantic embeddings, and similarity-based clustering. While built-in sentiment classifiers often fall short in accuracy, we introduce four transfer learning techniques from the Wolfram Neural Net Repository to address this gap. Two of these techniques involve transferring static word embeddings, "GloVe" and "ConceptNet", which are further processed using an LSTM layer. The remaining techniques center on fine-tuning pre-trained models using scantily annotated data; one refines embeddings from language models (ELMo), while the other fine-tunes bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT). Our experiments on the dataset underscore the effectiveness of the four methods for the sentiment analysis of tweets. This investigation augments our comprehension of user sentiment towards ChatGPT and emphasizes the continued significance of exploration in this domain. Furthermore, this work serves as a pivotal reference for scholars who are accustomed to using Wolfram Mathematica in other research domains, aiding their efforts in text analytics on social media platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions in fresh waters cause biodiversity loss and impairment of ecosystem functioning. Many freshwater invasive species are fish, including the largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, which is considered one of the 100 worst invasive species in the world. Fast individual growth rates, high dispersal ability, ecological tolerance, and trophic plasticity are among the characteristics contributing to its success. The negative impact of M. salmoides on littoral fish communities is believed to be mitigated by habitat structural complexity resulting from aquatic vegetation and coarse woody debris, while the main limits on its spread seem to be strong water flows and high turbidity, which impairs visual predation. Together with the human overexploitation of its potential fish antagonists, habitat alteration could result in M. salmoides having seriously detrimental effects on native biodiversity. The purpose of this study is to critically review the life history and ecology of M. salmoides, its impact on ecosystems outside North America, and the effects of anthropogenic activities on its spread. This will highlight environmental factors that favor or limit its invasive success, helping to identify management measures that might mitigate its negative effects on freshwater biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the high prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI), the therapeutic approaches for AKI are disappointing. This deficiency stems from the poor understanding of the pathogenesis of AKI. Recent studies demonstrate that αMUPA, alpha murine urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) transgenic mice, display a cardioprotective pathway following myocardial ischemia. We hypothesize that these mice also possess protective renal pathways. Male and female αMUPA mice and their wild type were subjected to 30 min of bilateral ischemic AKI. Blood samples and kidneys were harvested 48 h following AKI for biomarkers of kidney function, renal injury, inflammatory response, and intracellular pathways sensing or responding to AKI. αMUPA mice, especially females, exhibited attenuated renal damage in response to AKI, as was evident from lower SCr and BUN, normal renal histology, and attenuated expression of NGAL and KIM-1. Notably, αMUPA females did not show a significant change in renal inflammatory and fibrotic markers following AKI as compared with wild-type (WT) mice and αMUPA males. Moreover, αMUPA female mice exhibited the lowest levels of renal apoptotic and autophagy markers during normal conditions and following AKI. αMUPA mice, especially the females, showed remarkable expression of PGC1α and eNOS following AKI. Furthermore, MUPA mice showed a significant elevation in renal leptin expression before and following AKI. Pretreatment of αMUPA with leptin-neutralizing antibodies prior to AKI abolished their resistance to AKI. Collectively, the kidneys of αMUPA mice, especially those of females, are less susceptible to ischemic I/R injury compared to WT mice, and this is due to nephroprotective actions mediated by the upregulation of leptin, eNOS, ACE2, and PGC1α along with impaired inflammatory, fibrotic, and autophagy processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean basin is an area particularly exposed to fire risk due to its climate and fire-prone vegetation. In recent decades, the frequency and intensity of wildfires increased, leading to negative effects on forests, such as a decrease in tree growth or an increase in tree mortality, producing a relevant loss of carbon sequestration ecosystem service. This study of the impacts of fires on forests is fundamental for planning adequate forest management strategies aimed at recovering and restoring the affected areas. In this framework, our research delves into the effects of a forest fire that, in 2017, affected a forest of black pine (Pinus nigra Arnold) in Central Italy. Combining satellite and terrestrial analyses, this study evaluated the impact of the fire on tree growth, water use efficiency and carbon sequestration capacity. Our findings highlight the importance of using remote sensing for the accurate identification of fire-affected areas and precise planning of ground-based activities. However, the integration of satellite data with forest surveys and sampling has proven crucial for a detailed understanding of fire's effects on trees. Dendrochronology and stable isotopes have revealed the post-fire growth decline and altered water usage of defoliated trees. Furthermore, the quantification of CO2 sequestration highlighted a significant reduction in carbon uptake by damaged trees, with severe implications for this ecosystem service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is often associated with impaired kidney function. Over- activation of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to avid salt/water retention and cardiac hypertrophy in CHF. While the deleterious effects of angiotensin II (Ang II) in CHF are well established, the biological actions of angiotensin 1-7 (Ang 1-7) are not fully characterized. In this study, we assessed the acute effects of Ang 1-7 (0.3, 3, 30 and 300 ng/kg/min, IV) on urinary flow (UF), urinary Na+ excretion (UNaV), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and renal plasma flow)RPF) in rats with CHF induced by the placement of aortocaval fistula. Additionally, the chronic effects of Ang 1-7 (24 µg/kg/h, via intra-peritoneally implanted osmotic minipumps) on kidney function, cardiac hypertrophy and neurohormonal status were studied. Acute infusion of either Ang 1-7 or its agonist, AVE 0991, into sham controls, but not CHF rats, increased UF, UNaV, GFR, RPF and urinary cGMP. In the chronic protocols, untreated CHF rats displayed lower cumulative UF and UNaV than their sham controls. Chronic administration of Ang 1-7 and AVE 0991 exerted significant diuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic effects in CHF rats, but not in sham controls. Serum creatinine and aldosterone levels were significantly higher in vehicle-treated CHF rats as compared with controls. Treatment with Ang 1-7 and AVE 0991 reduced these parameters to comparable levels observed in sham controls. Notably, chronic administration of Ang 1-7 to CHF rats reduced cardiac hypertrophy. In conclusion, Ang 1-7 exerts beneficial renal and cardiac effects in rats with CHF. Thus, we postulate that ACE2/Ang 1-7 axis represents a compensatory response to over-activity of ACE/AngII/AT1R system characterizing CHF and suggest that Ang 1-7 may be a potential therapeutic agent in this disease state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrochar, carbon-rich material produced during the thermochemical processing of biomass, is receiving increased attention due to its potential value as soil amendment. It can increase agroforestry systems' productivity through direct and indirect effects on growth and soil quality. Hydrochar may also directly help mitigate climate change by sequestering stable carbon compounds in the soil and perhaps indirectly through increased C uptake by trees. In this research, we aim to evaluate how the application of hydrochar produced by two feedstock types, Cynara cardunculus L. (Hc) residuals and sewage sludge (Hs), and in two different doses (3 and 6 kg m−2) could improve the growth and water use efficiency of Populus alba L., a fast-growing tree species largely used in agroforestry as bioenergy crops and in C sequestration. We considered five plants per treatment, and we measured apical growth, secondary growth, leaf area and intrinsic water use efficiency in each plant for the whole growing season from February to October 2022. Our results highlighted that hydrochar applications stimulate the growth and water use efficiency of plants and that the double dose (6 kg m−2) of both hydrochars, and particularly Hc, had positive effects on plant performance, especially during extremely hot periods. Indeed, the year 2022 was characterized by a heat wave during the summer period, and this condition allowed us to evaluate how plants, growing in soils amended with hydrochar, could perform under climate extremes. Our findings showed that the control plants experienced severe damage in terms of dried stems and dried leaves during summer 2022, while hydrochar applications reduced these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder where impaired α-galactosidase A enzyme activity leads to the intracellular accumulation of undegraded glycosphingolipids, including globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb3) and related analogues. Lyso-Gb3 and related analogues are useful biomarkers for screening and should be routinely monitored for longitudinal patient evaluation. In recent years, a growing interest has emerged in the analysis of FD biomarkers in dried blood spots (DBSs), considering the several advantages compared to venipuncture as a technique for collecting whole-blood specimens. The focus of this study was to devise and validate a UHPLC-MS/MS method for the analysis of lyso-Gb3 and related analogues in DBSs to facilitate sample collection and shipment to reference laboratories. The assay was devised in conventional DBS collection cards and in Capitainer®B blood collection devices using both capillary and venous blood specimens from 12 healthy controls and 20 patients affected with FD. The measured biomarker concentrations were similar in capillary and venous blood specimens. The hematocrit (Hct) did not affect the correlation between plasma and DBS measurements in our cohort (Hct range: 34.3–52.2%). This UHPLC-MS/MS method using DBS would facilitate high-risk screening and the follow-up and monitoring of patients affected with FD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Civil religion as formulated in Robert Bellah's seminal 1967 article, recalling Rousseau's Social Contract, has recently been proposed to build shared values and bridge deep partisan divides. A competing approach to shared values, based on public reason, relies on overlapping consensus in the works of John Rawls. In this paper, we present an in-between strategy that recognizes the insuperable empirical and normative problems of civil religion while using university civic engagement programs to bring about a public square in which religious reasons are found alongside neutral ones, ultimately for the sake of public justification. Having documented recent polarization trends, we consider the last major attempt to defend civil religion from the perspective of democratic solidarity, Phil Gorski's American Covenant, but believe it falls short: based on sociological work and Augustinian insights, we show the risk of domination that Gorski's strategy still entails, not least because of the definitional indeterminacy of civil religion and its overlap with religious nationalism. Paradoxically, a late Rawlsian approach that allows for the initial use of religious reasons, with a generosity proviso of necessary translation into public reason at some point, can lead to a public square with more religious arguments than one theorized explicitly from the perspective of civil religion. This is especially important because, given the discussed polarization trends, universities have taken on an increasingly important civic engagement role even as some still rely on a civil religion approach. We insist on public justification in university civic engagement, and for the sake of doing so take as a starting point Ben Berger's work in favoring civil engagement, which we define as combining moral, political, and social rather than exclusively political commitments. In proposing a novel university shared values mechanism, intended to expose learners to a maximum diversity of opinions and lived experiences, we offer a fresh approach to building trust in cohorts that increases the likelihood of true dialogue across difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the results of research into religiosity and understanding of marriage among a selected group of young Catholics, all of whom are current students or graduates of Shalom Center in Mitunguu, Kenya. The goal of our study was to determine the correlations between the two variables so as to reach some conclusions and suggestions for religious education and pastoral care. The research made use of Stefan Huber's Centrality of Religiosity Scale, while the respondents' understanding of marriage was analyzed with the use of a questionnaire prepared by the authors of this study. As our research shows, one's Catholic understanding of marriage increases alongside an increase in interest in religiosity and in one's religious convictions, while it does not correlate—or does so only weakly—with a centrality of religiosity. Correlations with centrality occurred more often among men than among women. Mutual connections were most frequent among the youngest group of respondents, those who were up to 20 years of age and current students. This may indicate that religious formation and education of youth in the Shalom Center exerts a clear impact on shaping Catholic views on marriage. With the passing of time, traditional cultural precepts seem to gain prominence among the graduates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in greening schools, campuses, and workplaces due to the perceived ecosystem services provided by trees. However, students' willingness to participate in and financially support the greening process is less examined. Using a questionnaire survey based on the contingent valuation method (CVM) and Likert scale, 1278 students from 13 universities were interviewed on their willingness to participate in tree planting and pay for their maintenance to promote green and clean campuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Most of the students interviewed were male (61%) and enrolled as undergraduates (60%). While 65% of the respondents agreed with the idea of planting trees, this agreement was significantly associated with students' awareness of climate change, the university attended, and the sources of information on the roles of trees in the community. The binary logit results showed that university courses (environment-related) and television broadcasts significantly affected students' willingness to participate in tree planting. Overall, students (70%) agreed to pay for tree maintenance, and their willingness to pay (WTP) was estimated mainly at less than USD 5 per year. The price to pay was a significant factor in determining students' willingness to pay for tree maintenance. Findings suggest that students' willingness to support tree planting and maintenance is a crucial factor for academic authorities and planners to consider in order to successfully implement green infrastructures to improve the campus environment and make educational and work spaces sustainably attractive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the effect of the morphological characteristics of swimmers on passive drag and determines whether the female or male body type is more efficient for gliding. As a result of puberty, males and females develop different body structures; this study investigates whether these changes in shape influence drag. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations carried out in Ansys Fluent software were used to calculate the drag force and coefficient from 2D models of swimmers in streamline position, generated based on common anthropometric measurements. Both the top and side view profiles of the swimmers were simulated, unique to this study. The normalized male and female body shapes were simulated at different velocities, and it was demonstrated that the male body shape has a lower drag coefficient than the female body shape by 10.1% and 2.8% for top view and side view profiles, respectively. The in-depth analysis and simulation of models with varying hip and chest dimensions found a significant and positive correlation between hip and chest size and drag, with the chest size having the largest effect of an average 12.2% increase in drag per 5% increase in chest breadth. The results from modifying anthropometric variables explain the discrepancy between the drag experienced by male and female swimmers and show that enlarged hips and chests cause an increase in resistance. The differences between drag for males and females were found to be comparable to the 6.2% and 7.7% drag differences between full-body fastskin and normal suits, indicating measurable impact on performance. These findings suggest that the morphology of swimmers does have a significant effect on drag and that the male body shape is more hydrodynamic than the female body shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease affects up to 30% of adults in the USA, and is associated with a higher incidence of chronic liver morbidity and mortality. Several molecular pathways are involved in the pathology of liver steatosis, including lipid uptake, lipogenesis, lipolysis, and beta-oxidation. The enzyme heparanase has been implicated in liver steatosis. Herein, we investigated the effect of heparanase inhibition on liver steatosis in E0 mice. Methods: In vivo experiments: Male wild-type mice fed with either chow diet (n = 4) or high-fat diet (n = 6), and male E0 mice fed with chow diet (n = 8) or high-fat diet (n = 33) were included. Mice on a high-fat diet were treated for 12 weeks with PG545 at low dose (6.4 mg/kg/week, ip, n = 6) or high dose (13.3 mg/kg/week, ip, n = 7), SST0001 (1.2 mg/mouse/day, ip, n = 6), or normal saline (control, n = 14). Animals were sacrificed two days after inducing peritonitis. Serum was analyzed for biochemical parameters. Mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) were harvested and analyzed for lipid content. Livers were harvested for histopathological analysis of steatosis, lipid content, and the expression of steatosis-related factors at the mRNA level. In vitro experiments: MPMs were isolated from untreated E0 mice aged 8–10 weeks and were cultured and treated with either PG545 or SST0001, both at 50 µg/mL for 24 h, followed by assessment of mRNA expression of steatosis related factors. Results: Heparanase inhibition significantly attenuated the development of liver steatosis, as was evident by liver histology and lipid content. Serum analysis indicated lowering of cholesterol and triglycerides levels in mice treated with heparanase inhibitors. In liver tissue, assessment of mRNA expression of key factors in lipid uptake, lipolysis, lipogenesis, and beta-oxidation exhibited significant downregulation following PG545 treatment and to a lesser extent when SST0001 was applied. However, in vitro treatment of MPMs with PG545, but not SST0001, resulted in increased lipid content in these cells, which is opposed to their effect on MPMs of treated mice. This may indicate distinct regulatory pathways in the system or isolated macrophages following heparanase inhibition. Conclusion: Heparanase inhibition significantly attenuates the development of liver steatosis by decreasing tissue lipid content and by affecting the mRNA expression of key lipid metabolism regulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most comparisons of Thomas Hobbes and Baruch Spinoza focus on the difference in understanding of natural right. We argue that Hobbes also places more weight on a rudimentary and exclusive education of the public by the state. We show that the difference is related to deeper disagreements over the prospect of Enlightenment. Hobbes is more sanguine than Spinoza about using the state to make people rational. Spinoza considers misguided an overemphasis on publicly educating everyone out of superstition--public education is important, but modes of superstition may remain and must be offset by institutions and a civil religion. The differences are confirmed by Spinoza's interest in the philosopher who stands apart and whose flourishing may be protected, but not simply brought about, by rudimentary public education. Spinoza's openness to a wisdom-loving elite in a democracy also sets up an interesting parallel with Thomas Jefferson's own commitment to the natural aristocracy needed to sustain republicanism. In demonstrating the 17th century philosopher's skepticism toward using the state exclusively to promote rationality, even as he recognizes the importance of a sovereign pedagogical role and the protection of philosophy, we move to suggest that Spinoza is relevant to contemporary debates about public education and may reinvigorate moral and political discourse in a liberal democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isotopes of meteoric 10Be, 137Cs, 239+240Pu have been proposed as a soil redistribution tracer and applied worldwide as an alternative method to classical field-related techniques (e.g., sediment traps). Meteoric 10Be provides information about long-term soil redistribution rates (millennia), while 137Cs and 239+240Pu give medium-term rates (decades). A significant progress in developing new models and approaches for the calculation of erosion rates has been made; thus, we provide a global review (n = 59) of research articles to present these three isotopes (meteoric 10Be, 239+240Pu and 137Cs) as soil erosion markers in different environments and under different land-use types. Understanding the dynamics and behaviours of isotopes in the soil environment is crucial to determine their usefulness as soil erosion tracers; thus, we discuss the chemical–physical behaviour of meteoric 10Be, 137Cs and 239+240Pu in soils. The application of these isotopes sometimes has strong limitations, and we give suggestions on how to overcome them or how to adapt them to a given situation. This review also shows where these isotopic methods can potentially be applied in the future. A lack in knowledge about soil redistribution rates exists particularly in loess-dominated areas where the tillage system has changed or in areas with strong wind erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol increases the risk of carcinoma originated from oral epithelium, but the biological effects of ultra-low doses of ethanol on existing carcinoma cells in combination with natural substances are still unclear. A role for ethanol (EtOH), taken in small amounts as an ingredient of some beverages or mouthwashes to change the growth behavior of established squamous cell carcinoma, has still not been examined sufficiently. We designed an in vitro study to determine the effect of caffeic acid (CFA) on viability and migration ability of malignant oral epithelial keratinocytes, exposed to ultra-low concentrations (maximum 100 mmol/L) EtOH. MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5- dimethyltetrazolium bromide) and LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) assays were used to assess the cytotoxic effect of EtOH/CFA and the viability of squamous carcinoma SCC-25 cells (ATCC CRL-1628, mobile part of the tongue). Tested EtOH concentrations were: 2.5, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 mmol/L, along with an equal CFA concentration of 50 μmol/L. Carcinoma cells' migration was investigated by monolayer "wound" healing assay. We demonstrated that very low concentrations of EtOH ranging between 2.5 and 10 mmol/L may induce the viability of oral squamous cell carcinoma cells, while the results following addition of CFA reveal an antagonistic effect, attenuating pro-proliferative EtOH activity. The migration rate of oral squamous carcinoma cells can be significantly inhibited by the biological activity of caffeic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergistic interactions between commonly used antibiotics and natural bioactive compounds may exhibit therapeutic benefits in a clinical setting. Berberine, an isoquinoline-type alkaloid isolated from many kinds of medicinal plants, has proven efficacy against a broad spectrum of microorganisms. The aim of the presented work was to assess the antibacterial activity of berberine chloride in light of the effect exerted by common antibiotics on fourteen reference strains of Staphylococccus spp., and to evaluate the magnitude of interactions of berberine with these antistaphylococcal antibiotics. In our study minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of berberine chloride against CoNS ranged from 16 to 512 µg/mL. The most noticeable effects were observed for S. haemolyticus ATCC 29970, S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, S. capitis subsp. capitis ATCC 35661, S. galinarium ATCC 700401, S. hominis subsp. hominis ATCC 27844, S. intermedius ATCC 29663 and S. lugdunensis ATCC 49576. The most significant synergistic effect was noticed for berberine in combination with linezolid, cefoxitin and erythromycin. The synergy between berberine and antibiotics demonstrates the potential application of compound combinations as an efficient, novel therapeutic tool for antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental changes in national parks are generally subject to constant observation. A particular case is parks located in mountains, which are more vulnerable to climate change and the binding of pollutants in mountain ranges as orographic barriers. The effectiveness of forest soil monitoring networks based on a systematic grid with a predetermined density has not been analysed so far. This study's analysis was conducted in the Stolowe Mountains National Park (SMNP), SW Poland, using total Pb concentration data obtained from an initial network of 403 circle plots with centroids arranged in a regular 400 × 400 m square grid. The number and distribution of monitoring plots were analysed using geostatistical tools in terms of the accuracy and correctness of soil parameters obtained from spatial distribution imaging. The analysis also aimed at reducing the number of monitoring plots taking into account the economic and logistic aspects of the monitoring investigations in order to improve sampling efficiency in subsequent studies in the SMNP. The concept of the evaluation and modification of the monitoring network presented in this paper is an original solution and included first the reduction and then the extension of plot numbers. Two variants of reduced monitoring networks, constructed using the proposed procedure, allowed us to develop the correct geostatistical models, which were characterised by a slightly worse mean standardised error (MSE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) compared to errors from the original, regular monitoring network. Based on the new geostatistical models, the prediction of Pb concentration in soils in the reduced grids changed the spatial proportions of areas in different pollution classes to a limited extent compared to the original network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elimination of flooding and lowering of the groundwater table after large-scale river regulation allow deep penetration of soils by plant roots, soil fauna, and microorganisms, thus creating favorable conditions for advanced pedogenesis. Although the changes of the morphology and properties of agriculturally used drained alluvial soils in Central Europe have been well characterized, studies in riparian forests remain insufficient. An analysis of 21 profiles of forest soils located on the Holocene river terrace (a floodplain before river regulation and embankment) in SW Poland confirmed a noticeable pedogenic transformation of soil morphology and properties resulting from river regulation. Gleyic properties were in most profiles replaced with stagnic properties, testifying to a transition from dominant groundwater supply to precipitation-water supply. The development of a diagnostic mollic and cambic horizons, correlated with the shift in soil classification from Fluvisols to Phaeozems, and in the majority, to Cambisols, demonstrated a substantial change in habitat conditions. The transformation of alluvial soils may result in an inevitable modification of forest management in the river valley, including quantitative alteration in species composition of primarily riparian forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest litter and underlying mineral topsoil are typically sampled and analyzed separately although they are in a dynamic balance, which ensures macro- and microelement cycling in the forest ecosystem, including the flux and accumulation of xenobiotics in the contaminated sites. Although the national legal regulations specify single limits of element concentration for the entire "topsoil" layer, irrespectively of the kind of materials resting at the earth surface down to the specified depth, the direct analysis of bicomponent forest topsoil (litter + mineral topsoil) was problematic because of the lack of a suitable sampler. The paper presents a comparative analysis of Cu, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the forest topsoil layers (0–25 cm), sampled using a new construction sampler invented for a joint collection of the litter layer and underlying mineral layer (to the specified depth). Litter samples (using a steel frame), mineral topsoil samples (0–25 cm, using gouge auger after litter removal), and mixed topsoil samples (0–25 cm, including litter) were collected in 16 replicates from four variably contaminated plots (copper mining and smelting area) afforested with poplar or pine. Pseudo-total concentration of Cu, Pb, and Zn was analyzed after sample digestion in aqua regia. The concentration of elements in the samples consisting of jointly collected litter and mineral layer was noticeably higher than in the samples consisting of the mineral topsoil only, which confirmed the effective inclusion of the litter. The concentrations of trace elements measured in the samples of jointly collected litter and mineral topsoil did not differ (NIR Fisher test at p < 0.05) from the concentrations calculated using the data for litter and mineral soil separately collected and analyzed, which confirmed the usefulness of the new sampler for reliable collection of the forest topsoil samples without skipping any material which may influence the results of soil contamination assessment and risk assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article investigates the relations between men and women in Rousseau's major works to uncover the possibility of a long-term rule of women over men. Rousseau does provide examples of alternating rule between the sexes. However, given that the rule of prominent women like Sophie and Julie is indirect and more Machiavellian than that of men, I make the case that Rousseau sees straightforward control by women as more consistent with modern conditions (specifically in an indirect-rule as opposed to an instrumental-rationality sense). First, I provide examples of Sophie's rule in Emile. Sophie rules Emile especially through acts of charity that incline Emile to participate in the project that Sophie has undertaken, making him more capable of willing generally. Second, I show that Julie at Clarens rules a number of the men there and particularly in the administration of the estate. Interestingly, like Sophie's, her power is communicated through concrete examples of charitable action. Rousseau writes that, as a result, those around her are imbued with the spirit to contribute to the projects of importance to her, which also renders them more apt to will generally. Interestingly, two women as different as Sophie and Julie rule men in the same way: through charity. They do so as the result of a religious education. And, whereas religious education in Rousseau is in general anti-metaphysical, this is especially true for women compared to men. The examples of Sophie and Julie do, therefore, take us into territory of the sexes alternating in rule. But the difference in education suggests that for Rousseau their rule goes deeper and represents a relation more fundamental than the rule of men over women. The possibility is further confirmed through an analysis of Rousseau's states of nature. At the end of the day, the reevaluation of relations between the sexes in Rousseau's work is long overdue. I engage a rich scholarly literature and embark on a rereading of several of Rousseau's works to offer a fresh interpretation that suggests the citizen of Geneva was not only open to a significant increase in the power of women over time, but that he actually favored matriarchy. The argument hopefully underscores the way in which great works are both timely and timeless. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One factor that slows groundwater remediation is the sequestration of contaminant in dead-end pores, that is, pores that are not flushed through by flow through the aquifer. Furthermore, rebound of apparently remediated aquifers can occur as a result of the eventual release of the contaminant trapped in these dead-end pores. Since the operational costs generally outweigh the capital costs of a remediation project, reduction of the duration of treatment should reduce the overall cost of the average remediation. It has been shown that a rapidly pulsed flow can increase the mixing between dead-end and well-connected pores through computational fluid dynamics models with idealized pore geometry and column tests. A rapidly pulsed flow induces a deep sweep upon a sudden increase in velocity and a vortex ejection upon a sudden decrease in velocity that substantially accelerates the remediation of contaminant from these dead-end pores. To examine rapidly pulsed pumping in a more realistic configuration, a model vertical circulation well was constructed. The porous medium was well-sorted crushed glass to minimize sorption. Removal of a fluorescent dye, which represents a dissolved contaminant, under a rapidly pulsed flow was compared to a steady flow. The modeled well revealed accelerated removal of dissolved contaminants under a rapidly pulsed flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]