Search

As atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, [CO2Air], continue their uncontrolled rise, the capacity of soils to accumulate or retain carbon is uncertain. Free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiments have been conducted to better understand the plant, soil and ecosystem response to elevated [CO2], frequently employing commercial CO2 that imparts a distinct isotopic signal to the system for tracing carbon. We conducted a FACE experiment in 1998 and 1999, whereby sorghum (C4 photosynthetic pathway) was grown in four replicates of four treatments using a split-strip plot design: (i) ambient CO2/ample water (365 μmol mol−1, “Control–Wet”), (ii) ambient CO2/water stress (“Control–Dry”), (iii) CO2-enriched (560 μmol mol−1, “FACE–Wet”), and (iv) CO2-enriched/water stressed (“FACE–Dry”). The stable-carbon isotope composition of the added CO2 (in FACE treatments) was close to that of free atmosphere background values, so the subsequent similar 13C-enriched carbon signal photosynthetically fixed by C4 sorghum plants could be used to trace the fate of carbon in both FACE and control treatments. Measurement of soil organic carbon content (SOC (%) = gC/gdry soil × 100%) and δ13C at three depths (0–15, 15–30, and 30–60 cm) were made on soils from the beginning and end of the two experimental growing seasons. A progressive ca. 0.5‰–1.0‰ δ13C increase in the upper soil SOC in all treatments over the course of the experiment indicated common entry of new sorghum carbon into the SOC pools. The 0–15 cm SOC in FACE treatments was 13C-enriched relative to the Control by ca. 1‰, and according to isotopic mass balance, the fraction of the new sorghum-derived SOC in the Control–Wet treatment at the end of the second season was 8.4%, 14.2% in FACE–Wet, 6.5% in Control–Dry, and 14.2% in FACE–Dry. The net SOC enhancement resulting from CO2 enrichment was therefore 5.8% (or 2.9% y−1 of experiment) under ample water and 7.7% (3.8% y−1 of experiment) under limited water, which matches the pattern of greater aboveground biomass increase with elevated [CO2Air] under the Dry treatment, but no parallel isotopic shifts were found in deeper soils. However, these increased fractions of new carbon in SOC at the end of the experiment do not necessarily mean an increase in total SOC content, because gravimetric measurements of SOC did not reveal a significant increase under elevated [CO2Air], at least within the limits of SOC-content error bars. Thus, new carbon gains might be offset by pre-experiment carbon losses. The results demonstrate successful isotopic tracing of carbon from plants to soils in this sorghum FACE experiment showing differences between FACE and Control treatments, which suggest more dynamic cycling of SOC under elevated [CO2Air] than in the Control treatment.

Orbital fractures are a frequent and serious problem for practicing ophthalmologists. The complexity of the pathology is explained by the combined nature of the injuries (often associated with craniofacial injuries), multistage treatments, results that are often unsatisfactory, and a wide range of complaints about functional and cosmetic limitations. Over the years, significant progress has been made in the field of orbital reconstruction, allowing the transition from traditional methods using simple materials to innovative bioengineering solutions. This evolution has been driven by advances in surgical technologies, imaging techniques, and biomaterials aimed at optimizing the restoration of the shape and function of the orbital region. Traditional approaches are based on the use of autologous tissues such as bone grafts and muscle flaps, which provide biocompatibility and natural integration, but have limitations in terms of customization and accessibility. The advent of patient-specific implants and 3D printing technology has revolutionized the reconstruction of the orbit, allowing implants to be precisely adapted to a patient’s anatomy. Biocompatible materials, such as porous polyethylene, titanium, and silicone, have become the basis for orbital reconstruction, ensuring durability and compatibility while minimizing long-term complications. Bioengineered solutions hold promise for further advancements in orbital reconstruction. We searched PubMed, Cyberleninka, and other verified databases for published articles on orbital reconstruction reported in the literature between 1960 and January 2024. In this article, we consider the advantages and disadvantages of each category of reconstruction materials and provide up-to-date information on the methods for modifying their properties using modern processing technologies.

Abstract Human impacts on biogeochemical cycles are evident around the world, from changes to forest structure and function due to atmospheric deposition, to eutrophication of surface waters from agricultural effluent, and increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will contribute to understanding human effects on biogeochemical cycles from local to continental scales. The broad NEON biogeochemistry measurement design focuses on measuring atmospheric deposition of reactive mineral compounds and CO2 fluxes, ecosystem carbon (C) and nutrient stocks, and surface water chemistry across 20 eco‐climatic domains within the United States for 30 yr. Herein, we present the rationale and plan for the ground‐based measurements of C and nutrients in soils and plants based on overarching or “high‐level” requirements agreed upon by the National Science Foundation and NEON. The resulting design incorporates early recommendations by expert review teams, as well as recent input from the larger natural sciences community that went into the formation and interpretation of the requirements, respectively. NEON's efforts will focus on a suite of data streams that will enable end‐users to study and predict changes to biogeochemical cycling and transfers within and across air, land, and water systems at regional to continental scales. At each NEON site, there will be an initial, one‐time effort to survey soil properties to 1 m (including soil texture, bulk density, pH, baseline chemistry) and vegetation community structure and diversity. A sampling program will follow, focused on capturing long‐term trends in soil C, nitrogen (N), and sulfur stocks, isotopic composition (of C and N), soil N transformation rates, phosphorus pools, and plant tissue chemistry and isotopic composition (of C and N). To this end, NEON will conduct extensive measurements of soils and plants within stratified random plots distributed across each site. The resulting data will be a new resource for members of the scientific community interested in addressing questions about long‐term changes in continental‐scale biogeochemical cycles, and is predicted to inspire further process‐based research.

Previous studies have documented the presence of increased red blood cell aggregability in patients with ischemic heart and brain diseases. We adapted a simple slide technique and image analysis to reveal the state of erythrocyte adhesiveness/aggregation (EAA) in the peripheral blood of 206 such patients and in 174 controls. A significant (P

The activities of extracellular enzymes, the proximate agents of decomposition in soils, are known to depend strongly on temperature, but less is known about how they respond to changes in precipitation patterns, and the interaction of these two components of climate change. Both enzyme production and turnover can be affected by changes in temperature and soil moisture, thus it is difficult to predict how enzyme pool size may respond to altered climate. Soils from the Boston-Area Climate Experiment, which is located in an old field (on abandoned farmland), were used to examine how climate variables affect enzyme activities and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) in different seasons and in soils exposed to a combination of three levels of precipitation treatments (ambient, 150% of ambient during growing season, and 50% of ambient year-round) and four levels of warming treatments (unwarmed to ~4˚C above ambient) over the course of a year. Warming, precipitation and season had very little effect on potential enzyme activity. Most models assume that enzyme dynamics follow microbial biomass, because enzyme production should be directly controlled by the size and activity of microbial biomass. We observed differences among seasons and treatments in mass-specific potential enzyme activity, suggesting that this assumption is invalid. In June 2009, mass-specific potential enzyme activity, using chloroform fumigation-extraction MBC, increased with temperature, peaking under medium warming and then declining under the highest warming. This finding suggests that either enzyme production increased with temperature or turnover rates decreased. Increased maintenance costs associated with warming may have resulted in increased mass-specific enzyme activities due to increased nutrient demand. Our research suggests that allocation of resources to enzyme production could be affected by climate-induced changes in microbial efficiency and maintenance costs.

In ophthalmological practice, eyelid reconstruction is often needed because of the presence of defects that arise after the excision of a tumor or after injuries. Various methods for reconstructing these defects have been previously described. However, it is important to understand the basic principles underlying these techniques and their advantages and disadvantages to ensure the choice of the optimal technique in a particular case. We have analyzed the recent literature on new methods or modifications of existing ones to provide a brief overview of the reconstructive methods of the century for comparison. We searched PubMed and CyberLeninka for articles on restoring eyelid defects reported in the literature over the past 10 years. Most techniques can be considered modified classical reconstruction methods. Postoperative complications included aesthetic defects, such as scarring of the upper or lower eyelid, trichiasis, entropion, and lagophthalmos. Surgeons continue to search for the best methods for complex reconstructive surgery to achieve good cosmetic and aesthetic outcomes.

Background: Damage to the skin and underlying tissues due to thermal burns is relevant. Despite the success of modern medicine, repairing thermal damage to the skin is a difficult task in reconstructive plastic surgery because of the nature of the damage and the regenerative features. Characteristic post-burn changes are associated with different depths of damage when areas of deep damage are combined with more superficial areas. Methods: We described a clinical case of the staged surgical treatment of a cicatricial deformity of the buccal-periorbital-perioral region resulting from a childhood burn injury from a hot object. The 44-year-old patient complained of an aesthetic and functional deformity of the buccal-periorbital-perioral region and had previously undergone repeated nonsurgical corrections. Results: A comprehensive approach to the surgical treatment of a patient with post-burn deformities using a diplene adhesive membrane directly affected the stage of the surgical treatment and contributed to improved functional and aesthetic results. Conclusion: The positive treatment results with preserved contraction and relaxation processes of the facial muscles as well as satisfactory aesthetic results allow us to recommend the use of a biodegradable diplene film during facial reconstructive operations.

Abstract Introduction The global prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its association with increased morbidity and mortality has been rigorously studied. However, the true prevalence of “metabolic health”, i.e. individuals without any metabolic abnormalities is not clear. Here, we sought to determine the prevalence of “metabolically healthy” individuals and characterize the “transition phase” from metabolic health to development of dysfunction over a follow-up period of 5 years. Methods We included 20,507 individuals from the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center Inflammation Survey (TAMCIS) which comprises apparently healthy individuals attending their annual health survey. A second follow-up visit was documented after 4.8 (± 0.6) years. We defined a group of metabolically healthy participants without metabolic abnormalities nor obesity and compared their characteristics and change in biomarkers over time to participants who developed metabolic impairment on their follow-up visit. The intersections of all metabolic syndrome components and elevated high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were also analyzed. Results A quarter of the cohort (5379 individuals, (26.2%) did not fulfill any metabolic syndrome criteria during their baseline visit. A total of 985 individuals (12.7% of returning participants) developed metabolic criteria over time with hypertension being the most prevalent component to develop among these participants. Individuals that became metabolically impaired over time demonstrated increased overlap between metabolic syndrome criteria and elevated hs-CRP levels. The group that became metabolically impaired over time also presented higher delta values of WBC, RBC, liver biomarkers, and uric acid compared with participants who were consistently metabolically impaired. LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) delta levels were similar. Conclusions Roughly one-quarter of apparently healthy adults are defined as “metabolically healthy” according to current definitions. The transition from health to metabolic dysfunction is accompanied with active inflammation and several non-metabolic syndrome biomarkers. Aggressive screening for these biomarkers, blood pressure and hs-CRP might help identify apparently healthy individuals at increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome over time.

Objectives The objective of this study is to report the prevalence, clinical characteristics and healthcare utilisation of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and previously undiagnosed cognitive impairment who were identified as having a low Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score.Design A population-based cohort study comparing clinical characteristics, medications, outpatient and inpatient care of patients with a MoCA score 26 using descriptive statistics, linear regression and multivariate logistic regression.Setting Electronic medical records of a large health maintenance organisation in Israel.Participants 350 patients, age >65 with T2DM who participated in a cognitive function screening initiative using MoCA, and had a follow-up visit during the 12 months after screening.Results 130 (37.1%) had a MoCA score >26 and 68 (19.4%)

The degradation of road pavements due to environmental factors is a pressing issue in infrastructure maintenance, necessitating precise identification of pavement distresses. The pavement condition index (PCI) serves as a critical metric for evaluating pavement conditions, essential for effective budget allocation and performance tracking. Traditional manual PCI assessment methods are limited by labor intensity, subjectivity, and susceptibility to human error. Addressing these challenges, this paper presents a novel, end-to-end automated method for PCI calculation, integrating deep learning and image processing technologies. The first stage employs a deep learning algorithm for accurate detection of pavement cracks, followed by the application of a segmentation-based skeleton algorithm in image processing to estimate crack width precisely. This integrated approach enhances the assessment process, providing a more comprehensive evaluation of pavement integrity. The validation results demonstrate a 95% accuracy in crack detection and 90% accuracy in crack width estimation. Leveraging these results, the automated PCI rating is achieved, aligned with standards, showcasing significant improvements in the efficiency and reliability of PCI evaluations. This method offers advancements in pavement maintenance strategies and potential applications in broader road infrastructure management.

Background: The abundance of closely packed vital structures in the periocular and palpebral regions makes resection and subsequent reconstructive interventions extremely difficult. Methods: In this novel article, we described a method for closing lower eyelid defects after tumor excision using a skin-muscle flap from the upper eyelid along with the use of an adhesive diplene biodegradable membrane. The membrane was used for seamless fixation of the flap and to prevent the development of lower eyelid deformity. Results: The case presented herein demonstrated that using diplene adhesive biodegradable membranes has excellent functional and aesthetic results. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that an adhesive biodegradable diplene membrane can be used for the reconstruction of the lower eyelid to prevent the occurrence of retraction, for the surgical treatment of ectropion including recurrent cases, and for seamless fixation of flaps to wound surfaces in patients with a tendency to form keloids and hypertrophic scars.

Application of thermoplastic fiber-reinforced lightweight composite materials provides a wide range of advantages that are of particular importance for the mobility sector. UD tapes composed of unidirectionally (UD) oriented inorganic fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix represent light-weight materials with high tensile strength. This publication addresses recycling aspects of novel UD tape made of a combination of basalt fibers and different PLA (polylactic acid) formulations. The kinetics of enzyme-based separation of polymer from the fiber were investigated. Different types of UD tapes with a thickness of 270–290 µm reinforced with basalt fiber weight ratios ranging between 51 and 63% were incubated at 37 °C in buffer solution (pH 7.4) containing proteinase K. The influence of enzyme concentration, tape weight per incubation tube, proteinase K activators, and tape types on the rate of enzymatic decomposition was investigated. Enzyme activity was measured by analyzing lactate concentration with lactate dehydrogenase and by measuring weight loss of the composite material. The rate of lactate release increased in the first 30 min of incubation and remained stable for at least 90 min. Weight loss of 4% within 4 h was achieved for a tape with 56% (w/w) fiber content. For a sample with a surface area of 3 cm2 in a buffer volume of 10 mL, the rate of lactate release as a function of enzyme concentration reached saturation at 300 µg enzyme/mL. With this enzyme concentration, the rate of lactate release increased in a linear manner for tape surface areas between 1 and 5 cm2. Four tapes with different PLA types were treated with the enzyme for 17 h. Weight loss ranged between 7 and 24%. Urea at a concentration of 0.5% (w/v) increased lactate release by a factor of 9. Pretreatment of tapes in alkaline medium before enzymatic degradation increased weight loss to 14% compared to 5% without pretreatment. It is concluded that enzymatic PLA hydrolysis from UD tapes is a promising technology for the release of basalt fibers after alkaline pretreatment or for the final cleaning of basalt fibers.

This article analyzes the main directions and principles of developing a mathematical model for creating an intelligent system for vector-frequency control of asynchronous electric motors. Particular attention is paid to the development of a frequency converter structure that allows the implementation of an energy-saving algorithm in a direct torque control (DTC) system to reduce stator current consumption from the power source. This approach guarantees stable operation of the electric motor under various load conditions and voltage changes in the electrical network. The synthesis of a speed control system and current control loops are considered and generalized models of a vector control system are developed using the Matlab software package and the main Simulink library.